Sarvam Bhavantu Sukhinah- Prayer for Happiness/ Peace

Today I am just posting a short shloka which is meant to bring Peace/ Happniess for all. I have heard it often and really like it because of its 'all-inclusive' words, i.e.- it prays for the Whole Creation. Really Uplifts our Spirit when we try to go deep into these words! The shloka goes like this:

Sarve bhavantu sukhinah
Sarve santu niraamayaah

Sarve bhadraani pashyantu
Maakaschit duhkha bhaag bhavet

May all be happy! (sukhinah)
May all be free from disabilities! (niraamayaah)

May all look (pashyantu)to the good of others!
May none suffer from sorrow! (duhkha)

(Source: http://www.hinduism.co.za/shanti.htm)

(As I don't know Sanskrit well enough, so searched for the shloka in the internet and found it online along with its English Translation. The credit for posting goes to the original person who posted it in- http://www.hinduism.co.za/index.html)

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti!

Baaishe Shrabon: The Death Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore

Today, the 22nd of Shravana in the Death Anniversary of Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore. We, the Bengalis are remebering the prolific writer, poet and the greatset philosopher of our time! So decided to dedicate this post to him, who has given us the Expression for every situation of life, for every occasion of life, who has taught us Humility, Knowledge (True Wisdom) and solace in tough situation through his writings! His influence on all of us cannot be measured in anyway! He is ingrained in all aspects of our life, in our thinking, behaviour, action and social values. Spirituality has always been a chief element in his writings. I really really Love to Connect with this elemnt in his writings. I find So Many references or elements of Upanishadas in his writings, will try to write about it in detail later. I was trying to find some articles on this topic and came accross all these pages, sharing with you here:

Spirituality in Rabindranath Tagore, Shri Ram Krishna and Vivekananda

http://www.adishakti.org/_/spirituality_of_rabindranath_tagore_ramakrishna_and_vivekananda.htm

Spirituality related Quotes from Tagore’s works:

http://www.spiritualityworld.com/pages/spiritual-quotes/rabindranath-tagore.php

The Mysticism of Rabindranath Tagore

What Tagore's Poetry Teaches Us About God

http://hinduism.about.com/od/gurussaints/a/tagore_poetry.htm

Deepak Chopra: Rabindranath Tagore's Relevance for the Future of Spirituality and of Humanity

http://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/community/deepak-chopra-rabindranath-tagore-s-relevance-for-the-future-of-spirituality-and-of-humanity

And here, I tried to translate some of his songs:-

'Tumi Ebar Aamay laho he Naath laho',

'Keno Jaagena Jaagena Olosho Poraan',

'Chiroshokha He Chherona'.

Remembering Kabiguru with great respect!

Visit to C. R. Park Kali Mandir

Dear Friends, We went to Chittaranjan Park Kalibari during Holi and enjoyed the trip a lot! It was a blissful one! I can't describe the feeling I went through while staying in the guest house of the mandir. It is a Kali Mandir, which also has a 'Shiv Ling' and a Radhe-Krishna Mandir in it. I have tried to include all the pictures in this post so that you can get an idea about the madir and the area around it. The first picture under this post is of the Temple itself, then we have the Shivlinga and the Idol of Kali Mata. The walls have so many sculptures on them. We have Shiv- Durga, Shri Chaitanya, 'the Swaragarohan of Yudhishthira'- to name few. I have included all thes pics here. And there was one photo where Shri Ramkrishna and Sadara Devi can be ssen sitting in front of the idol of Kali Mata - I loved the pic and clicked a photo of it. The last picture is of a magazine which I brought from C R Park having the cover story of Shri Chaitanya, as it has such a nice painting of Him, I decided to click that one too:). The highlight of the trip was a Satyanarayan Puja we attended at the evening before Holi. I was filled with Bliss while attending it. The picture is at the top of this post. Very nice ambience in the courtyard of the temple... We also attended the Evening Aarti of Kali Mandir, Shiv Mandir and the Radhe-Krishna Mandir- those moments were also very very Divine! A Blessed trip indeed!

Jai Shri Krishna!

Visiting the Hanumaanji Temple in Karol Bagh

Dear Friends, we went to the famous Hanumaanji temple near Karol Bagh recently. I really liked the temple. It has the world's highest statue of hanumaanji in it, which can be seen from the nearby locality as well as from the Metro route. The views is really amazing! The Statue has Shri Ram along with Sita Mata inside the chest of hanumaanji, which looks so Divine, as you can find out from the pictures in the internet!! The temple is a small one but it has 'puja sthal' for different gods as well. I Loved the ambience of the temple, it is very very simple, quite, without any frivolous activity. Though you can have the 'darshan' of the Hanumaanji idol from the outside only, inside there are some other deities as well- Shivji, Mata Vaishno Devi and Ganga Maiya.

Visiting the temple was really a Wonderful experience :) 

Do visit this serene temple sometime :)

 Jai Bajrangbali!

'Guru Purnima' Mahotsav: Salutations to the 'Guru'

(Sorry for the late post, the celebration was on 15th July)

Vasudeva sutam devam, Kansa chanur mardanam,

Devaki parmanandam, Krishnam vande jagat Guru.

Salutations to the teacher of the world, Krishna,

Who is the God who is the son of Vasudeva,

Who killed Kamsa and Chanoora,

And who gave immense joy to Devaki.

( -'Shri Krishnashtakam' by Adi Shankaracharya)

Hindus attach paramount importance to spiritual gurus. Gurus are often equated with God and always regarded as a link between the individual and the Immortal. Just as the moon shines by reflecting the light of the sun, and glorifies it, all disciples can dazzle like the moon by gaining from their Gurus.

Guru Purnima is a festival traditionally celebrated by Hindus and Buddhists.On this day, disciples offer puja(worship) or pay respect to their Guru (Spiritual Guide). It falls on the day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh (June'July) of the Shaka Samvat, Indian national calendar and Hindu calendar. Traditionally the festival is celebrated by Buddhists in the honor the Lord Buddha who gave His first sermon on this day at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India. While Hindus celebrate it in the honour of the great sage Vyasa, who is seen one of the greatest gurus in ancient Hindu traditions, and a symbol of Guru-shishya parampara, the Guru disciple tradition. Vyasa was not only believed to have been born on this day, but also to have started writing the Brahma Sutras on ashadha sudha padyami and ends on this day, hence their recitations as a dedication to him, are organised on this day, which is also known as Vyasa Purnima.

The festival is common to all spiritual traditions in Hinduism, where it is dedicated to the expression of gratitude towards the teacher by his/her disciple. Hindu ascetics and wandering monks (sanyasis), observe this day by offering puja to the Guru, during the Chaturmas , a four month period during the rainy season, when they choose seclusion, and halt at one selected place; some also give discourses to the local public. This day is significant for disciples who seek to get initiated by their Guru, students who desire to get the blessings of their teachers, and for everyone who wants to honor persons of great wisdom and learning. Students of the Indian classical music, which also follows the Guru shishya parampara, celebrate this festival, around the world.

Significance

Seekers try to get as much opportunity to do Satseva of the Guru as possible during this period. As the Guru principle is 1000 times more active during this period, when compared to any other day during this year, the satseva done on Guru Poornima fetches substantial grace of the Guru for their spiritual progress. (Ref : Sanatan Prabhat)

The relationship between the Guru and the Disciple is considered very sacred.This relationship is purely spiritual in nature and is independent of age of the two. It is based on maturity of Gyan (Spiritual Knowledge) andShraddha (Respect). The only awareness that a Disciple should foster is, 'I should be uplifted spiritually'. The Guru too harbours only one thought, 'May this Disciple be uplifted'. (Ref : Sanatan Prabhat)

Pranamam to all Gurus on the occasion of Guru Purnima. May the Guru's rays fall on all of us on this Auspicious day. May the Guru enlighten us in the path of our Spirutal thirst in Guru Sisya Parampara.

Wish you a very Happy Guru Purnima.

(Sources:-

http://hinduism.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/a/gurupurnima.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Purnima)

http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-astrology-jyotisha/315125-auspicious-occasion-guru-purnima.html

http://www.experiencefestival.com/wp/videos/krishnam-vande-jagath-gurum-sri-krishnashtakam-a-sanskrit-sloka-on-sri-krishna-must-listen/58IJao435xw )

Some related Links:

http://www.eaisai.com/baba/docs/gurup.html

http://blog.traveladda.com/guru-purnima-respect-for-respectful-souls.html

http://vedantavision.org/guru-purnima/guru-purnima.html

http://oshospeak.blogspot.com/2005/07/guru-purnima.html

(http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-astrology-jyotisha/315125-auspicious-occasion-guru-purnima.html)

http://www.priyadarshan.org/guru-purnima-a-story-the-mahabharata-308.html

Happy Buddha Purnima!

Belated Buddha Purnima Wishes to all of you! This post is dedicated to Gautama Buddha on the ocaasion of Buddha Purnima!

Budhham Sharanam Gachchhaami

Dharmam Sharanam Gachchhaami

Sangham Sharanam Gachchhaami.

It is said that one of the greatest spiritual teachers of mankind the world has ever seen is Gautam Buddha. Buddha was born around 543 BC as Siddhartha, the only son of Shuddhodana, the King of Kapilavastu. He is believed to have lived a very sheltered and protected life till the age of 29. He was completely ignorant of what miseries and sorrows were all about. He did not know the tragedies of everyday life. One day the prince desired to see the city. The King ordered that the city should be all gay and grand, so that everywhere his son would meet with only pleasing sights. In spite of the preparation, Siddhaartha witnessed some startling glimpses of life- he was shocked to see the harsh realities of life when he viewed an old man, a sick and disabled person and a dead body for the first time in his life. The fourth vision was of an ascetic who looked at peace with himself, which led Siddharth to search for the true meaning of life, renouncethe luxury and worldly pleasures and look for enlightenment. He wandered to many places and ultimately attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya under a 'pipal' tree. Since then he was known as Gautam Buddha or the 'Enlightened One', who is completely free from all faults and mental obstructions. Lord Buddha is considered the ninth avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu ('Preserver' in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer).

Buddha Jayanti (also known as Buddha Purnima ) is the most sacred festivals of Buddhists,which is celebrated in remembrance Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. This day is the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. It falls on the full moon of the fourth lunar month (month of Vaisakh) i.e. April or May. This day commemorates three important events of Buddha's life

- His birth in 623 BC.

- His enlightment i.e. attainment of supreme wisdom, in 588 BC.

- His attainment of Nirvana, i.e. the complete extinction of his self at the age of 80.

Thus, it is a thrice blessed day. On this day, Buddhists all over the world commemorate these three great events. They reaffirm their faith in the Buddha Dharma, to lead a noble religious life. It is a day for meditation and for radiating Loving-Kindness.

The teachings of the Buddha are solely to liberate human beings from the misery and sufferings of life. According to the Buddhism, sorrow and desire are the maincause of all the evil and suffering of this world. Lord Buddha advocated theEightfold Path consisting of precepts like right conduct, right motive, right speech, right effort, right resolve, right livelihood, right attention and right meditation to gain mastery over suffering. It is only after following this path one can reach the ultimate aim of 'Nirvana', which is the 'transcendental state of complete liberation'.

Buddha travelled many places teaching hundreds of followers. Even after death his disciples continued to spread his teachings. Rich and poor alike were attracted by the simplicity of Buddha's teaching and his emphasis on complete equality of all, a notion antithetical to the 'existing' Hindu caste system. The Mauryan Emperor Ashoka supported the Buddhist religion in the 3rd century B.C. and helped in spreading it far and wide. Sarnath and Bodhgaya are two of the most important pilgrimage centres for the Buddhists. Buddhism originated in India and later, it has gained tremendous popularity throughout the Far East in Asia.

(Source:- http://festivals.igiftstoindia.com/buddha-jayanti/index.html,

http://festivals.iloveindia.com/buddha-purnima/index.html,

http://www.buddhaofcompassion.org/buddha_purnima.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha )

I have always Loved the philosophies of Gautama Buddha, from the time I read about them in History books during my school days. Somehow, all these Four 'Aarya Satyas' (Four Noble Truths:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths) and the 'Ashangika Maarg'(Noble Eightfold Path :- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path ) always attracted me. I used to get surprised to think about Siddhartha, who, in spite of being a Prince, felt disgusted with the riches of a royal life, went for the search of Truth, his determined attempts of finding the Truth, the Enlightnment, the Lessons, the Peace, Calmness in his face, the 'Pragyna' in him- all these have attracted me towards Gautama Buddha from the childhood. Great are his teachings, make us feel so elevated and fills us with Peace when we try to follow them in our daily life!

Lots and Lots of Best Wishes to all of you on this Pious Occasion!

Ramanujacharya Jayanti!

Dear Friends,

We had Ramanujacharaya Jayanti on 7^th or 9^th May (different info given in different sites ), he explained to us the concept of 'Vishishtadwaitvaad'. A Great Seer!!

Here are some links on Ramanujacharya:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramanuja

http://www.saranagathi.org/acharyas/ramanuja/

http://www.sanskrit.org/www/Ramanuja/Ramanuja&vaishna.html

About Ramanujacharya Jayanati:

http://www.hindu-blog.com/2009/04/sri-ramanuja-jayanti-2009.html

Recently, 'The Times of India' had a special article on Ramanujacharya. An excerpt from that:

(To read the full article please visit:- http://ujalaa.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/trob/ )

The Revival Of Bhakti

By Sangeeta Venkatesh

A guru wondered whether his student was worthy of receiving the 'ashtakshara mantra' that would release him from earthly ills. After much deliberation, he finally disclosed it, but only after wresting a promise from him that it would not be revealed to others. The student pondered over the mantra and the next day, went atop the village temple and announced the mantra to a large gathering that had collected there. The guru, furious, said that the worst hell awaited him. To which the student replied, 'If this act of mine delivers thousands to heaven, i do not mind going to hell.' Thrilled, the guru hugged his disciple. The guru was Saint Tirukkottiyur Nambi and Ramanujacharya, his disciple, lived for 102 years.

Ramanuja was born in a Vaishnava family at Sriperambudur, near Kanchipuram. His own teacher, Yadavaprakash, felt threatened by the clarity and extent of his knowledge and so decided to kill him. However, due to divine grace Ramanujacharya survived. Ramanujacharya was against the caste system. He took an illiterate but knowledgeable saint, Kanchipurna as his teacher. One night Ramanuja invited Kanchipurna to his house. After serving him food, Ramanuja offered to wash his feet. Kanchipurna was embarrassed as Ramanuja was a Brahmin. An upset Ramanuja declared that one who was devoted to God was beyond any social order. Soon after, Ramanujacharya gave up the life of a householder and proceeded towards Srirangam.

Best Wishes for all of you on this occasion.

Shankaracharya Jayanti

Dear Friends,

8^th May is Shankaracharya Jayanti, the Great Seer who explained the concept of 'Adwaitvaad', and also wrote about all the ancient scriptures!

"The 'Knot of Ignorance' in the heart is finally removed, when one comes to see one's own 'True Non-dual Nature', by means of imageless Samadhi" - Shankara.

Here are some links about Shakaracharya:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Shankara

http://www.sankaracharya.org/

And here is a link about Shankaracharya Jayanti:

http://www.hindudevotionalblog.com/2009/04/adi-shankaracharya-jayanti-in-april.html

Now here is a film, made on the life of Shankaracharya in Sanskrit (this particular upload has English Subtitiles). It is the Most Most Important Spiritual Film ever watched by me!! It has awesome Knowledge and Devotion in it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ePzneq-Wnk

Lots of Best Wishes to you all!

Jai Shri Krishna!

Bhagwan Parashuram Jayanti

Dear Friends, 5th May was Bhagwan Parashuram Jayanti, who was the sixth avataar of Shri Hari.

Here are some links on Bhagwan Parashuram:

http://www.forumforhinduawakening.org/articles/id/understanding/glory-hindu-dharma/parshuram-jayanti

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parshuram

http://sitagita.com/mind-body-and-soul/grandma-stories/parashuram-avtaar.html

Lots of Best Wishes to all of you on this Pious Occasion! May Lord Parashuram Bless you with Power, Courage and Achievements!

Hari Om!

Navadha Bhakti: The Nine ways of Devotion

This is an excellent topic I was thinking to write about for a long time. Recently one of my Dear Sister Vedo from IF posted the Lyrics with English Translation. So thought to share it with all of you.

Shabri Ma wanted to learn more from Sri Ram about the path of Bhakti (Devotion). Thus Sri Ram explained:

1) Pratham Bhagati Santan kar sangaa

The first step to devotion (Bhakti) is to keep company of the Saintly

2) Doosri rati mam kathaa prasangaa

The second step is to enjoy listening to discourses pertaining to the Lord.

3) Guru pankaj seva, teesri bhakti amaan

The third step, is to believe, humbly in Guru/God.

4) Chouthi Bhagati mam gun gaan, karai kapat tajee gaan

The fourth step is earnestly (without hypocrisy) sing the praises of the Lord.

5) Mantra jaap mam dridh Visvaasaa, Pancham, bhajan jo Ved Prakaasaa

Chant the Vedic Mantras with immense faith.

6) Chattha dasa seela birati bahu karmaa, nirat nirantara sajjan dharma

The sixth step is not to react in adverse circumstances, yet act, perform ones karma, like the great ones do.

7) Saatvam sam mohi main jag dekhaa, motey sant adhik kar lekhaa

The seventh step is to perceive the world as God Himself. And believe the saintly to be greater than the Lord.

8) Aathvam jathaa laabh santoshaa, sapneu nahin, dekhai par doshaa

The eighth, is a state (which one arrives at when one travels the first seven steps) where there is no desire left, but the gift of perfect peace. (In this state) one does not see fault in others, even in a dream.

9) Navam saral sab san chhal heena, mam bharos heenya harash na deenaa

In this state one has full faith in the Lord, becomes (child-like) simple with no hypocrisy. In this state, he does not fly high or sink low (but becomes equanimous).

These lines are from Tulsidasji's RamcharitManas. Ramnanad Sagarji used a modified version of this part in his TV Serial Ramayan. Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKGbq6Y0PGI

And the Lyrics from the serial, posted by Shivang:

Navdha bhagati kahahun tohin paahi, Saavdhaan sunu, dhar man maahi.
Now I am telling you about 9 types of devotion to which you carefully pay attention and imbibe into heart.


Pratham bhagati santan kar sangaa, Dusari rati Prabhu kathaa prasangaa.
First type of devotion is 'To seek company of saint people', and the second type is 'To develop love for attending the events of story telling about Lord.'

Gurupad pankaj sevaa, teesari bhagati amaan,
Chauthi bhagati Prabhu gun-gan, karai kapat tyaji gaan.
Third is 'To serve the lotus feet of Guru without any pride/ego', and fourth is 'To sing the virtues of Lord leaving aside all the cunningness/decietfulness.'

Mantra-jaap Prabhu dradh biswaasaa, Pancham bhajan suved-prakaashaa.
Fifth well known in Vedas is 'To chant the mantras of Lord keeping faith on that Supreme power of Universe',

Chhath dam sheel virati bahu karmaa, Nirat nirantar sajjan dharmaa.
Sixth type is 'To regulate senses, to have pure character & nature, detachment from excessive works/ambitions and to follow continuously duties of noble man'.

Saatam sam Harimay jag dekhaa, Hari te sant adhik kari lekhaa.
Seventh is 'To see the entire universe equally staying in Lord and to treat devotee saints more than God'.

Aatham jathaa laabh santoshaa, Swapanehu nahi dekhahi pardoshaa.
Eighth is 'To feel contented with whatever available and not to look at anyone's faults to be one's faults even in dreams.'

Navam saral sab san chhal heenaa, Hari bharos hiy harash n deenaa.
Ninth is 'To follow simplicity and innocence in behaviour with all without cheating anyone ever and to keep faith in heart in all situations with neutrality of reactions in both joyful & sorrowful situations.

Navdha bhagati sabari kehe denhi, Saadar Sabari sis dhari linhi.
Thus, HE conveyed the knowledge of nine types of devotion to Shabari and Shabari also grasped the message like an order of Lord with total respect.

Jai Shri Ram!

A Motivational Story

My Dear Sister Lola shared this Beautiful story in India-Forums. Just thought to post it here, it has really a great message with it! We all need to have Patience and a Strong Faith in the ways of the Lord!

Once there was a sweeper in a well known temple who was very devout and pure of heart. Each day he saw thousands of devotees coming to worship the Lord, laying all their troubles at his feet for him to solve.

The naive sweeper was overcome with worry that God may be getting tired of this daily routine, and the people's prayers may suffer for it. So one morning very innocently he asked the Lord whether he can take his place for a day so that the Lord can have some relief and rest.

The deity situated in the Temple replied, "I do not mind taking a break. I will endow you with this statue form just like mine, but you must do one thing. You must just stand here like me, smile at everyone, and just give benedictions. Do not interfere with anything and do not say anything. Remember you are the deity representing me, and just have faith that I have a master plan for everything." The sweeper agreed to this.

The next day the sweeper took the position of the deity and a rich man came and prayed to the Lord. He offered a nice donation and prayed that his business should be prosperous. While going, the rich man inadvertently left his wallet full of money right there. Now the sweeper in the form of deity could not call him and so he decided to control himself and keep quiet. Just then a poor man came and he put one coin in the bowl as it was all he could afford, and he prayed to the Lord that he should continue to be engaged in the Lord's service. He also said that his family was in dire need of some basic necessities but he left it to the good hands of the Lord to provide a solution when the time is right. When he opened his eyes, he saw the wallet left by the rich man. The poor man thanked the Lord for His kindness and took the wallet very innocently. The sweeper in the form of the Deity could not say anything and he had to just keep smiling.

At that point a sailor walked in. He prayed for a safe journey as he was going to embark on a long trip. Just then the rich man came with the police and said that somebody has stolen his wallet, and seeing the sailor there, he asked the police to arrest him thinking that he might have taken it.

Now the sweeper in the form of Deity wanted to say that the sailor is not the thief but he could not say so and he became greatly frustrated. The sailor looked at the Lord and asked why he, an innocent person, is being punished.

The rich man looked at the Lord and thanked Him for finding the thief. The sweeper in the deity form could no longer tolerate it, and he thought that even if the real Lord had been here, he would have definitely interfered, and hence he started speaking and said that the sailor is not the thief but it was the poor man who took away the
wallet. The rich man was very thankful as was the sailor.

In the night, the real Lord came and He asked the sweeper how the day was. The sweeper said, "I thought it would be easy, but now I know that Your days are not easy, but I did one good thing." Then he explained the whole episode to the Lord.

The Lord became very upset on hearing this whereas the sweeper thought the Lord would appreciate him for the good deed done. The Lord asked, "Why did you not just stick to the plan? You had no faith in Me. Do you think that I do not understand the hearts of all those who come here? All the donations which the rich man gave were comprised of stolen money and it is only a fraction of what he really has and he wants Me to reciprocate with sincerity and without limits. The single coin offered by the poor man was the last coin he had and he gave it to Me out of faith. The sailor might not have done anything wrong, but if he would have embarked on his journey then, the raging storm that occurred that night would have killed him. Had he been arrested for that short while, he would have been saved from this great calamity and soon enough, justice would have prevailed.

The wallet should go to the poor man because he will use it in My service. I was going to reduce the rich man's burden of bad karma also by doing this and save the sailor also. But you canceled everything because you thought you know My plan and you made your own plans."

God has plans and justice for everyone....we just have to have patience!!!!!