Thriving Through Midlife: Wisdom from Ayurveda, Yoga, and Spirituality for Women

Ms. Aparna Sharma

In Vedic texts, women are depicted in multifaceted roles, each reflecting their profound significance in ancient Indian society. Revered as divine creators embodying the energies of goddesses such as Śakti and Sarasvatī, women are seen as the nurturing forces behind life’s creation and sustenance. Within the household, they serve as the cornerstone of stability, managing domestic affairs with grace and efficiency while nurturing familial bonds and social cohesion. Moreover, women are celebrated as educators, transmitting cultural traditions, values, and wisdom to future generations, thereby shaping the very fabric of society. In partnership with their husbands, they share mutual respect, companionship, and support, contributing to each other’s growth and well-being. Beyond the realm of the household, women are active participants in spiritual pursuits, engaging in religious rituals, prayers, and meditative practices, reflecting their spiritual autonomy and quest for higher consciousness. Throughout Vedic texts, women are accorded profound reverence and importance, embodying the foundational principles of respect, honor, and equality that continue to resonate within Indian culture and tradition.

Women are portrayed as spiritual seekers and practitioners, actively engaged in religious rituals, prayers, and meditative practices. They have access to spiritual knowledge and participate in sacred ceremonies, demonstrating their spiritual autonomy and connection to the divine. Women in Vedic texts are revered with significant respect, honor, and importance for their pivotal contributions to family life, community welfare, and spiritual evolution. Although social norms and roles have evolved over time, the foundational principles of reverence for women and their integral role in society remain deeply ingrained in Indian culture and tradition.

Women transitioning into midlife were supported through practices such as Dinacharyā, which emphasized the importance of daily routines to maintain balance and well-being. During this pivotal stage, women were encouraged to prioritize self-care and holistic health practices to thrive in midlife. Dinacharyā, which translates to “daily regimen,” encompassed various rituals and activities aimed at nurturing physical, mental, and spiritual health. Women would adhere to specific routines involving waking up early, cleansing practices such as oil pulling or tongue scraping, and engaging in activities like yoga, meditation, and nourishing meals. These practices were believed to promote hormonal balance, reduce stress, and enhance vitality during the transition into midlife. Additionally, women received support from their communities and families, who valued their wisdom and experience, further bolstering their resilience and well-being during this phase of life.

In traditional contexts, particularly within the realms of Ayurveda, Yoga, and spirituality, the midlife transition for women holds profound significance. It is viewed as a pivotal phase marked by both physical and psychological changes, and is often referred to as the “Pitta” stage of life, characterized by the dominance of the fire element. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, recognizes midlife as a period of hormonal shifts and physiological transformations. According to Ayurvedic principles, women experience a decline in the “Pitta” dośa during this time, which can manifest as symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, and digestive disturbances. These changes are seen as a natural part of the aging process and are attributed to imbalances in the body’s dośic constitution.

Yoga, as a complementary practice to Ayurveda, offers tools for managing the physical and emotional challenges of midlife. Through the practice of āsanas (postures), prāṇāyāma (breath control), and meditation, women can cultivate balance and harmony within the body and mind. Certain yoga poses, such as twists and backbends, are believed to stimulate the endocrine system and alleviate symptoms associated with menopause. Prāṇāyāma techniques, such as cooling breaths like Shītali and Shītkari, can help pacify the fiery nature of Pitta and promote a sense of calmness and equilibrium.

Spirituality plays a crucial role in navigating the midlife transition, offering women a deeper understanding of their life’s purpose and inner fulfillment. Practices such as meditation, prayer, and introspection provide avenues for self-reflection and spiritual growth. In many spiritual traditions, midlife is regarded as a time of wisdom and self-realization, where women are encouraged to embrace their inherent strengths and cultivate a sense of acceptance and gratitude for the journey of life.

In Vedic literature, hymns and verses touch upon various stages of a woman’s life, though specific focus on midlife may be limited. The Ṛgveda, an ancient Hindu text, portrays women in diverse roles, addressing their transitions. While hymns dedicated solely to women’s midlife may be absent, the text acknowledges their importance and significance throughout different life stages. For example, Ṛgveda 10.85, attributed to sage Vasiṣṭha, celebrates women’s power and vitality, depicting them as embodiments of strength, wisdom, and nurturing qualities. While not specifically about midlife, the hymn highlights women’s importance across life stages, emphasizing their maturity and wisdom gained through experience. Similarly, Ṛgveda 10.159, known as the “Vāgambhranī Sūkta,” praises the creative power of speech, symbolized as the divine goddess Vāk or Sarasvatī. Although not directly about midlife, the hymn underscores the importance of women’s voices and their capacity to inspire positive change in society, applicable across various life stages.

However, the midlife crisis in traditional contexts goes beyond the physical and psychological realms, touching upon the existential and spiritual dimensions of human existence. It is seen as an opportunity for women to reassess their priorities, redefine their identities, and reconnect with their innermost selves. Through self-inquiry and self-discovery, women can transcend the limitations of ego and embrace the fullness of their being, finding fulfillment and purpose in every stage of life.

In contemporary times, women’s experiences during midlife crisis are influenced by a complex interplay of social, economic, and psychological factors. Shifting societal norms may fuel identity crises in midlife for women. Changes in family dynamics, caregiving roles, and aging parents can disrupt self-perception. Social media amplifies pressures to meet unrealistic beauty standards, worsening feelings of inadequacy. Career challenges like stagnation and glass ceilings can unsettle women’s midlife. Financial worries about retirement savings and pensions heighten stress. Socio-economic disparities affect women’s coping abilities during midlife transitions. Midlife prompts women to reevaluate identity and values, sparking existential questions. Societal beauty standards amplify body image concerns, causing psychological distress. Women utilize coping strategies like social support and therapy for midlife challenges.

In conclusion, the midlife crisis for women in traditional contexts is a multifaceted phenomenon that encompasses physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. Drawing from the wisdom of Ayurveda, Yoga, and spirituality, women can navigate this transformative phase with grace and resilience, embracing the inherent beauty and richness of the journey. As they embrace the fire of midlife with courage and compassion, women have the opportunity to emerge stronger, wiser, and more radiant than ever before. Overall, women in the Vedic period and traditional times took care of aging individuals with compassion, dedication, and reverence, recognizing the wisdom and experience that elders brought to the family and society. Their caregiving roles were deeply ingrained in cultural norms and values, emphasizing the importance of familial bonds and mutual support across generations.

By incorporating traditional wisdom into contemporary frameworks, we acknowledge the timeless relevance of age-old insights. This integration allows us to address modern challenges with a holistic perspective, drawing from the wisdom of the past while adapting to the complexities of the present. Through this approach, we create a more balanced and sustainable approach to navigating midlife transitions in today’s rapidly changing world.

Ms. Aparna Sharma, Integrative Intervention Therapist, Psychotherapist, ANANTHAM MIND STUDIO

Divinely Beneficial Knowledge about Lord Shiva (Part I)

Series on Shiva the Supreme!

– Dr. Dhananjay B. Ghare

This article is based on Shiva Purāṇa‘s Vidyeśvara Samhitā.

Śaunakaadika (representative of ‘Śaunaka’ group of sages): Respected Sūta Mahāṛṣi, devotees of every God or Goddess are always

 a) curious to know more and more about their believed and respected divine powers and

 b) willing to perform devotional activities to please, their Gods or Goddesses.

Please brief us about ‘how can Shiva devotees try to please Lord Shiva, The Supreme divine Power’.

Sūta: All Vedopaṇiśadic Gods are theoretical concepts or philosophical entities. The word ‘Shiva’ means pure, holy, pavitra or austere. The Vedic God Supreme is defined as the immortal, infinite energy (super power, śakti) which always exists (Yad bhūtaṁ, Yad cha bhavyaṁ). The format of God Supreme’s presence is either manifested or unmanifested. e.g. before the Big-Bang and birth of the presently manifested our Universe, this ‘energy’ must be existing in the unmanifested form. Further, such manifested form of ‘God Supreme’ is known to possess three sthūla meaning gross physical characteristics (viz. utpatti, sthiti and laya meaning birth, life-span and death). The God Supreme present in intelligent ‘living species’ formats also possesses three sūkśma meaning subtle mental (conscious behavioural pattern type) characteristics viz. satva, rajas and tamas tendencies. These subtle characteristics are not found in non-living objects. Only ‘tamas’ in the sense of ignorance can be identified to be present in the non-living objects.

Majority of happenings in this universe, happen following certain Laws of Nature. Therefore, Vedic sages attribute these occurrences as actions of an intelligent (kartā) ‘creator’.  This hypothetical creator (and evolution manager) is named as Brahmā (or Brahmadeva). Similarly, the hypothetical guardian of these ‘creations’ (dhartā) is named as Viṣṇu and the hypothetical dissolver (hartā, or destroyer of these ‘creations’, at the end of their life-span) is named as Śankara (meaning blissful performer) or Shiva (meaning holy). In fact, all these three activities are carried out by the unique power called God Supreme. Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Shiva are names given to three roles being performed simultaneously by the God Supreme himself.

Universes (and every living and non-living objects residing in them) after birth, keep on aging and evolving with time, following some Laws of nature. The living species, especially human beings, are seen to possess the three sūkśma subtle characteristics viz. 1) Satva guṇa, (saintly attitudes, God fearing reluctance from sinning, non-selfishly helpful attitude towards all other humans, animals and birds) 2) Rajo guṇa (Pride, desire to ‘show off’ own abilities like cleverness, fortunes etc., intuitive creativity, business minded calculations of profitability of actions etc.) and 3) Tamo guṇa (laziness, sleepiness, cruelty, sarcastic, extremist tendencies etc.).

Lord Shiva is defined to represent exemplarily divine Tamo guṇa characteristics of Mother Nature. Therefore, he represents ‘tama’ meaning Extremes or Maximums e.g. ‘Gurūtama’ means largest possible, ‘Laghutama’ means smallest possible, etc. Lord Shiva thus represents extreme or maximum possible holy characteristics. Lord Shiva is omnipresent in the Universe. Consequently, he must be present within every human personality including every one of his devotees. A Shaiva devotee therefore must try to understand, feel, realize and visualize Lord Shiva’s presence in both these fashions. i.e.

a) Extrovertly Lord Shiva’s omnipresence, everywhere in the Universe, including the space and

b) Introvertly, within the devotee’s own body, mind, heart and personality.

Highest level of information about the Vedic concept named ‘Lord Shiva’ is available in

a) Vedic Rudra Sūkta (famous as chamaka and namaka mantras) and

b) in numerous Upaniṣad texts related with him e.g. Iśāvāsyopaniṣad, Rudropaniṣad, Mānḍukyopaniṣad, Śivopaniṣad, Kālāgni-rudropaniṣad, Daxiṇāmūrtyopaniṣad, Pāśupata-brahmopaniṣad, Kathā-rudropaniṣad, Rudra-hṛudayopaniṣad, Lingopaniṣad, Nīla-rudropaniṣad, etc.

Next level of information about Lord Shiva, in comparatively simpler language, is available in Paūrāṇic literature. Some Purāṇa’s focussed on him are Shiva Purāṇa, Linga Purāṇa, Skanda Purāṇa, etc. The presence of Lord Shiva within one’s own personality needs to be intellectually understood and mentally experienced by every human soul in his own self (e.g. understanding and using the four mahāvākya’s : ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, ‘Tat Tvam Asi’, ‘Ayam Ātmā Brahma’ and ‘Prajñyānam Brahma’).

This may possibly be practically realised as follows.

 a) As the experiencer of the deep sleep state of one’s self-awareness.

 b) As the experiencer of the deep peace and satisfaction in the ‘Samādhi’ state, (‘Ashṭānga Yoga’) or 

c) As the performer of extremely active fully engrossed state of dancing : Naṭarāja.

Sir M. Vishveshvarayyā used to advise ‘Always perform every action in such a way that, it becomes the best ever possible way of its performance’. In Vedic terminology, this advice means ‘everyone should always work in a fashion as if the work is ideally being performed by the divine power like Lord Shiva himself’.

Following strict physical and mental disciplines all 365 days of the year, is not possible for a vast majority of Shiva devotees. Therefore, some special days are recommended for their convenience. Special devotional activities like ‘vratācharaṇa’ (meaning observing certain recommended disciplines on special ‘vrata’ days) are used to please Lord Shiva. Weekly, Monday (‘Somavāra’) is designated as auspicious for fasting and worshipping Lord Shiva. Among Moon phases based ‘tithi’ days, both Śukla and vadya Ekādashī and vadya Chaturdaśi called as ‘Shivarātrī’ are recommended as highly auspicious days for fasting, worshipping and singing prayers of Lord Shiva. ‘Jāgaraṇam’ means keeping awakened all through the night and keeping engaged in devotional activities, is also highly recommended as a part of the vrata performance, especially on the monthly once vadya Chaturdaśi day called as ‘Shivarātrī’ meaning ‘holy night’. Such an annual day in the month of ‘Māgha’ is called as ‘Mahā Shivarātrī’.

‘Fasting’ is recommended as an act of pleasing God, by almost all religions. Modern medical science modifies and recommends it as ‘dieting’. Special feature of fasting on Shivarātrī is the inclusion of keeping awakened in the whole night period, which requires a lot of strong will-power. Spiritually speaking, ‘Will-Power’ is the Goddess Pārvatī realizable within all human personalities and assisting the ‘laya’, ‘vilaya’ processes are hypothecated as being carried out by Lord Shiva. A symbolic story associated with Mahā Shivarātrī’ is as follows.

Once a hunter (vyādha) was walking to the forest for hunting animals like dears, rabbits etc. That day, being ‘Mahā Shivarātrī’ day, he crossed a lot of devotees of Lord Shiva, who were loudly reciting ‘Shiva’ ‘Shiva’ mantra continuously. In a mood of mocking and laughing at them, the hunter also started reciting ‘Shiva’, ‘Shiva’, ‘Shiva’. Unknowingly his tongue got into that rhythmic habit and he started acquiring spiritual credits associated with such mantra recitation. In the forest, he happened to climb on a bilva tree and was waiting for some baits to appear within his range of killing. All the time, he happened to enjoy the fun of shouting ‘Shiva’, ‘Shiva’, ‘Shiva’. By chance there was a Shivalinga on the ground below the trunk where he was sitting. As a time pass, he kept on cutting off some sacred bilva leaves and throw them down. By chance, most of them used to fall on the Shivalinga and some additional spiritual credits kept on getting accumulated for this act as well. One after the other, three she-dears and one he-dear appeared on the scene. Each one of them pleaded with him, to give some time duration to get some urgent work done, and then return and reappear in front him, to get killed by him. Each one of them, preached him about several spiritual aspects of earning good spiritual credits (Puṇya) and bad spiritual discredits or sins (Pāpa) via performance of good or sinful activities. They also described about the resultant good or bad consequences. The hunter enjoyed these discourses and agreed to allow those dears to go home and come back as per their promises. All of them did reappear just before the dawn of the next day. Lord Shiva was pleased by

a) the kindness shown by the hunter and his fasting and chanting of mantra ‘Shiva’ ‘Shiva’ ‘Shiva’ ‘Shiva’, on the auspicious Mahā Shivarātrī day, and

 b) the honesty of the dears to reappear on the scene.

Lord Shiva sent his servants (gaṇas) to pick up and place all of them in the heaven.

(to be continued….)

Dr. Dhananjay B. Ghare, Former Scientist, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru

Bāla Rāma Ayodhyā Mandir ‘Prāṇa Pratiṣṭhā’ – A Vedic Perspective

Dr. Raghava S. Boddupalli

The entire world is aware of the Bāla Rāma Ayodhyā Mandir ‘Prāṇa Pratiṣṭhā’ that was performed on Puṣya, Śukla, Dwādaśi, the 22^nd January 2024, by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi ji. This was a momentous occasion of the installation of the idol of Bāla Rāma in the newly built Rāma Mandir at Ayodhyā. To witness the occasion, people from every walk of life were invited. As it was a live telecast, people all over the world could watch and participate in this historic event. The ‘Śṛī Rāma Janmabhūmi Tīrtha Kśetra Trust’ has distributed the invitation with a picture of the newly built temple along with Akṣata (Holy yellow rice grains) to every village in the country.

Foundation Stone

The foundation stone for the Ayodhyā Rāma Mandir was laid on 05^th August, 2020 by Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Prime of Minister of India.

Ayodhyā Rāma Mandir Architecture

The original design for the Rāma Mandir was conceived in 1988 by the Sompura family of Ahmedabad. The Sompuras have contributed to the design of over 100 temples worldwide for at least 15 generations, including the Somnath temple. The chief architect of the temple is Shri Chandrakant Sompura, assisted by his two sons, Shri Nikhil Sompura and Shri Ashish Sompura, who are also architects.

The construction work accomplished with 17,000 m³ (600,000 cu. ft.) of sandstone from Bānsi in Rajasthan. No iron and steel have been used in the construction of the temple, and the fusing of the stone blocks has required ten thousand copper plates. In a culturally significant move, Thailand also contributed to the inauguration of the Rāma Mandir, by sending soil and waters from their two important rivers to the Rāma Janmabhūmi.

The ‘Bāla Rāma Sculptor

On 29 December 2023, the selection of the idol of Rāma Lalla for the Rāma Mandir was done through a voting process. A sculptor, known for various statues across India, Shri Arun Yogiraj, from Mysore, Karnataka, created the idol of Lord Bāla Rāma. The ‘Bāla Rāma idol stands at 51 inches and weighs 1.5 tons. The representation portrays Lord Bāla Rāma as a five-year-old child standing on a lotus, holding a bow and arrow. The entire structure is crafted from a single monolithic stone. Shri Arun, earlier in 2021, had sculpted the statue of Adi Shankaracharya which has been installed at Śṛī Kedārnāth Dhām in Uttarakhand. Shri Arun, the 41-year-old, hails from a family of five generations of sculptors.

Vedic Rituals

There are two important śāstras namely, Śaivāgama and Vaiṣṇavāgama that are followed for temple construction, worship and during the rituals of Prāṇa Pratiṣṭhā. The Bāla Rāma Murti Pratiṣṭhā was performed based on the Vaihãyasi Saṃhitā (9/28-84, 90) of the Paṃcarātra Vaiṣṇavāgama Śāstra. Paṃcarātrādikamu reveals the rituals of procedures of worship of the deity.

The ceremony of the Bāla Rāma Murti Pratiṣṭhā has several parts. The Vedic Ritual titles and brief descriptions are provided below:

Karmakutir – A Nādā Chhadī (a yellow-coloured cotton string) is tied to the right wrist of the Mūrti before it leaves the artisan’s workshop. The first step is to remove any evil influences in and from the Mūrti by using Darbhā (Kuśā) grass while chanting Veda mantras. The artisan then closes the Mūrti’s eyes by smearing a thin layer of ghee and honey over the eyes. Then the Ṛtviks perform Yajña / Homa and provide Havis/Ahutis (oblations) to the Agni while chanting mantras.

Jalādhivās – The Mūrti is then transported to the Yajña mandapa where the Yajña is to be performed. Here the Mūrti is submerged in the waters collected from various rivers. The purpose of submerging the Mūrti in water is to check whether the Mūrti is damaged or not. A small amount of pañcāmṛta is added into the vessel containing the Mūrti along with other pujā dravyas. The vessel is then covered with a cloth, and the Agni mantras are chanted for further purification. The cloth is then removed, and the Mūrti is awakened by sounding a ghanṭānāda (sounding the bell). The Mūrti is removed from the vessel and wiped dry.

Dhānyādhivās – A layer of dhānya (grains or pulses) is spread on the floor, and the Mūrti is laid supine on the layer of dhānya. The Mūrti is then completely covered with more dhānya, usually rice or wheat grain. This is performed to further purify the Mūrti.

Ghrutādhivās – The Mūrti is submerged in the cow-ghee (ghṛta). However, this step is altered on many occasions because a stone or marble Mūrti covered with ghee is highly prone to slipping, resulting in possible damage to the Mūrti. Instead, a piece of cotton wool soaked in cow-ghee is placed on the big toe of the foot of the Mūrti. The Mūrti is again awakened and then placed on a wooden stand.

Snapan – Abhiṣēka or bath to the deity/idols while chanting particular Veda mantras. The ritual of bathing the Mūrti with water, milk, honey, cow-ghee, cow-curd, coconut water and others. This rite is the principal form of purification involving 108 different types of materials, such as pañcāmṛta, water containing the essence of various fragrant flowers and leaves, water which has been poured over the horns of a cow, and sugarcane juice. One dravya is placed in each pot. All the 108 pots are placed in front of the Mūrti in three groups: (i) the dakshiṇa (south) group has eleven pots; (ii) the madhya (middle) group has eleven pots; and the remaining pots are in the (iii) uttar (north) group. Abhiṣēka for the Mūrti is then performed with the contents of each pot. Each dravya has its own special mantra that is recited as abhiṣēka is being performed with that particular pot. Such an extensive assortment of pure substances renders the Mūrti’s immense śakti (power) and purity.

Netra-anāvaran – The artisan who sculpted the Mūrti stands behind it and holds a mirror in front of the Mūrti’s face. By looking at the Mūrti’s eyes in the mirror, the artisan removes the layer of ghee, honey and other substances formed during the abhiṣēka with a gold śalākā (needle); this is known as the netra-anāvaran rite. The reason for using the mirror is because once the Mūrti’s eyes are opened, it’s first immensely powerful dṛṣṭi (vision) should not fall on a human being. Instead, the Mūrti is offered food already arranged in front of it prior to the netra-anāvaran ritual.

Ṣōḍaśōpacāra Pujā – After wiping the Mūrti dry, it is laid on a new mattress with cooked rice food and a pot of water for one night’s rest, sixteen (16) types of services will be performed to the deity/God. For sleep, the Nidrā Devī, Goddess of Sleep, is invoked with āhavāna mantras. All through the night, ten Ṛtviks continuously perform Yajna / Homa, away from the sleeping Mūrti. While offering the āhuti of ghee in the eight directions (ashtādik), one drop of ghee is placed in a pot of water. In the morning, water from this pot is sprinkled on the sleeping Mūrti to awaken it while chanting uttiṣṭhat mantras. The Mūrti is then taken from the Yajña mandapa to the garbhagṛhā (inner sanctum) of the Mandir where it is placed on the pinḍika (the nave of a wheel). While chanting mangaḻāṣṭaka (mantras of auspiciousness), a mason cements the Mūrti to the pinḍika. After the cement has dried, Ṛtviks (or the Satpuruṣ) enter the garbhagṛhā to perform the actual Mūrti Prāṇa Pratiṣṭhā.

Prāṇa Pratiṣṭhā

After the purification of the Mūrti, it is ready to become the home of the Divine. Nyãsa vidhi is the first step in the Prāṇa Pratiṣṭhā. ‘Nyãsa’ means assignment of various parts of the body to tutelary divinities.

‘Prāṇa Pratiṣṭhā‘ is a sacred consecration ritual that breathes life into an idol, transforming it into a divine entity. In this ceremony, the divine energy of the deity, represented as ‘Prāṇa’ or life force, is invoked and installed into the idol, turning it into a living representation of the divine. The ‘Prāṇa Pratiṣṭhā’ ceremony thus played a crucial role in infusing Lord Rāma’s idol with spiritual energy.

‘Muhūrta’ – Auspicious Day

The śubha muhūrta was calculated as per Surya Siddhānta Panchānga by Pandit Ganeshwar Sastri Dravid ji and other scholars of Varanasi. The day and time chosen was on January 22, 2024 at 12:29:03 PM, and conclude at 12:30:32 PM, which is during the ‘Abhijīt Muhūrta’. In this brief period of 1 minute and 24 seconds, Bāla Rāma’s consecration was taken place, following one-hour Yajña rituals. Āchārya Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid ji is a distinguished scholar in the fields of Jyotiṣa and Dharma Śāstra, who resides on the banks of the Ganges at Kashi Ram Ghat, Varanasi, gained nationwide recognition as a prominent astrologer. According to insights from Kāṣi Pandits about the auspicious Muhūrta, the 84-second micro-moment is considered highly propitious, and beneficial for India without influences from fire, death, theft, disease, and death arrows. 

The ‘Śṛī Rāma Janmabhūmi Tīrtha Kśetra Trust’ announced the names of Pandit Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid ji and Vedic scholar, Pandit Laxmikant Mathuradas Dixit ji, as the main priests for the Rāma Lalla ceremony. Pandit Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid ji was honourned by the Jagadgurū Śṛī Śṛī Vijayendra Saraswati Swami, Kānchipuram Matt, in the Annual Panchānga Sadas which held at Varanasi on 08 August 2023.

Śṛī Rama ‘Yantra’

Before enshrining any God’s idol in the sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagṛha), a Yantra of the respective deity is enshrined at the base of the idol. Similarly, in Ayodhyā too, ‘Śṛī Rāma Yantra’ was first installed. This ‘Rāma Yantra’ was prepared by Brahmaśṛī Dr. Annadanam Chidambara Sastry Garu, who is a prominent spiritualist and worshiper of Śṛī Rāmabhakta Hanumān, hails from Andhra Pradesh. A few years ago, Śṛī Sastry Garu prepared this ‘Rāma Yantra’ in gold, with the purpose to complete the construction of Śṛī Rāma Mandir at Ayodhyā. Śṛī Chidambara Sastry Garu imbued and powered the golden Yantra by chanting ‘Rāma Nāma’ 14 crores time. This Yantra was kept underneath the ‘Bāla Rāma’ idol before ‘Prāṇa Pratiṣṭhā’.

Conclusion

This historical Mandir is now open for people across the country and the world for pilgrimage and have blissful Darśan of Rāma Lallā.

Dr. Raghava S. Boddupalli, Institute of Sanskrit and Vedic Studies (ISVS), Bangalore

January 2024, When the Republic of India Hugged the Bhāratvarṣa

Dr. Shruchi Singh

January of the year 2024 has given the glimpse of the vision and mission of the nation, which is, the strong and well-balanced all-round development of the country and its people with mutual cooperation and harmony while maintaining its rich cultural past and scientific achievements of present intact. January 26^th is celebrated as the ‘Republic Day of India’, as it was the day in the year 1950 when the nation’s constitution completely came into effect (the constitution was partially adopted on November 26, 1949). But this year of 2024 brought with itself a highly special month of January with ISRO’s achievement, a time travelling experience where Rām Bhakts relived the return of Sṛī Rām in his birth city through the prāṇ-pratiṣṭhā [a ceremony where the divine essence (prāṇ, the life force) is installed into the idol of the Deity through strict code of holy practices thereby transforming an idol into the divine] of Rām Lalla (5 – year old Sṛī Rām) in Sṛī Rām Mandir at Ayodhyā, along with the celebration of Republic day with the spectacular display of its ‘Nārī-Śakti’ or women force. The nation thus in this month of January 2024, displayed its scientific, religious or more appropriately its dhārmic aspect, along with its constitutional and strong feminine aspects.

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on January 1, 2024 made the nation proud with its another successful launch. This time it launched its inaugural X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite, which shall be crucial in providing with an important data about celestial entities such as black holes. As updated on ISRO’s website on January 25, 2024, ‘The 6-meter-long magnetometer boom on the Aditya-L1 satellite has been successfully deployed. It is deployed in the Halo orbit at the Lagrange point L-1, on January 11, 2024. The boom had been in stowed condition for 132 days since the Aditya-L1 launch.’ Thus, the nation is successfully stepping ahead with its Aditya-L1 mission, which is meant to study the mysterious Sun, a task extremely difficult to handle even for bigger space organizations around the globe.

In modern India, where Hindus are in majority, the believers judicially fought for their God’s right for decades. This fight was not only judicial but also communal where many lost their life. In spite of the several archaeological and scriptural proofs, the wait was long. Yet, people did not lose their trust in India and its judiciary. The constitution was respected, and the laws of land were relied with the belief that they will give the judgement which will be with satya (truth) and dharma (eternal law, duty, responsibility and, virtue), under the guidance of Parmeśwar Himself, who gave them the power of dhairya (patience) to walk on the path of constitutional justice. This resulted in the return of the Divine King at Ayodhyā, who rules the entire cosmos while teaching us humans the path of satya, dharma with niṣṭha (a firm devotion giving strength to accomplish)and dhairya.

(Source of image : https://hindi.business-standard.com/companies/industrial/ram-mandir-markets-of-many-cities-like-new-delhi-mumbai-kolkata-colored-in-ram-colors-and-business-increased-id-341056)

The dream of reconstructing the temple on Sṛī Rām Janma Bhūmi was several generations old, spanning for almost 500 years, which in the views of bhakta was the second vanvās (exile) of Rām Lalla from his birth place. The first one being in tretāyug for fourteen years, where he gained wisdom from various sages, eliminated several criminals from the face of the earth, and established himself as an ideal ruler, where all the subjects were happy, content and in the state of eternal bliss. This second vanvās though extremely painful for his devotees ended with a time-travelling experience of Rām Lalla’s return, where people experienced the feelings lived by their ancestors in tretāyug. Similar to their ancestors, they also eagerly waited for his return to Ayodhyā, celebrated Deepāwalī on his return by lighting the lamps, cried on seeing Rām Lalla returning to his home, got goosebumps on empathizing with the trauma their God had to face, chanted his name, served and worshipped him, and were left simply speechless while witnessing the Divine. This grand temple is constructed with the donations from devotees, giving a glimpse into the feeling of how ashamed they felt when their Rām Lalla had to live in a tent in his own land, and how earnestly they wanted his return at his house with no more troubles. The devotees thus felt themselves to be blessed to witness this historic event, where their only greed was to be with their beloved Rām Lalla. This feeling can also be realized from the words of the sculptor of Rām Lalla’s idol, Arun Yogiraj, “Nirman hote samay alag the, sthaphit hone ke baad alag the. Mujhe laga ki ye mera kaam nahi hai. Ye to bahut alag dikhte hai. Bhagwan ne alag roop le liye hai” (While carving he was different, after prāṇ-pratiṣṭhā he looked different. It appeared to me as if it is not my work. He looks different. God has taken a different form).

(Source of image : https://images.app.goo.gl/BW88YQDBei5ixtmk7)

Rām is not only the soul of the Bhāratīya sabhyatā, but is also the part of various cultures around the globe. A large population of the world has faith in Him. He is the one who unites the entire humanity with dharma. He is the ideal son, brother, husband, friend, enemy, and ruler. He teaches us the art of prioritizing, the art of realizing one’s duty and responsibility, the art of achieving the balance and maintaining harmony, and the art of establishing good relationships along with several other qualities. Often people sacrifice for their loved ones, but subjects do not sacrifice for their ruler, as it is the ruler who is expected to sacrifice for them being their guardian with a duty to protect and safeguard them as well as a servant to serve them with efficient ruling. But he is the one for whom people connected so intimately that they sacrificed themselves. His brothers along with their wives and prajā (subjects) akin to him, lived like a sanyāsī, that is, they all abstained from all kinds of pleasures (worldly and sensory both) for fourteen years.

(Source of Image : https://www.indiatvnews.com/education/news/five-states-declare-holiday-for-schools-offices-on-january-22-due-ayodhya-ram-mandir-consecration-ceremony-2024-01-16-912158)

January 2024, thus brings to us not only the realization of the responsibilities we have towards our nation, its law and order through the republic day, but also makes us aware how to serve, sacrifice and benefit the society through rightful ruling. Through the welcoming of Rām Lalla, we also need to welcome and awake the Rām within us and within our society. The fourteen years of exile brought with itself the freedom of earth and its children from the tyrants along with the establishment of Rāmrājya, but for this, Sṛī Rām and his supporters (family and subjects) had to undergo strong tapas and overcome their weaknesses. This implies, to obtain Rāmrājya, we need to perform tapas and first defeat the demons present within us before aiming for the outer ones. Thus, this January 2024, brought with itself second Deepāwalī while making the modern Republic of India hug its culturally rich viśwagūrū, the Bhāratvarṣa.

January 26, 2024 was the 75^th Republic Day of the Republic of India/Bhāratīya Gaṇarājya. This day in this year brought a difference with display of its increasing women power or in other words, the ‘Nārī-Śakti’ at different levels for the first time. On Kartavya Path this year, the women were seen reclaiming the deep-rooted Indian culture of strong, unafraid, independent, fierce, devoted, and kind feminine energy which is always in balance with the masculine energy through mutual cooperation, freedom, trust, and respect.

(Source of Image : https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/01/26/original/INDIA-POLITICS-REPUBLIC-DAY-52_1706261623758.jpg)

This feminine prowess was showcased in both arts and battlefields through the 100 women artists playing traditional Indian musical instruments [such as Śankh (conch shell), nādaswaram (a double reed wind instrument), and nagādā (Indian drum)], 1500 dancers showcasing 30 different folk styles, all-women tri-service contingent, women personal in CAPF contingent, and stunts by 265 women on motorcycles. This display of our ‘Nārī-Śakti’ paves the way towards the balance of all the genders, where they all contribute equally with respect, determination, and holistic approach for well-being.

(Source of image : https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/01/26/550×309/INDIA-POLITICS-REPUBLIC-DAY-75_1706261776796_1706261813633.jpg)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech after the prāṇ-pratiṣṭhā of Rām Lalla was very important. Few lines from that speech are worth mentioning keeping in mind the mission and vision of our nation along with its characteristics of vasudhaiv kuṭumbkaṁ (the world is one family). The excerpts are, “I also seek forgiveness today from Lord Sṛī Rām for any shortcomings in our efforts, sacrifices, and penance that might have prevented us from accomplishing this task for so many centuries. … Even in the first page of our Constitution, Lord Rām is enshrined. Despite the existence in the Constitution, there was a legal battle over the existence of Lord Rām for decades. I express my gratitude to the Indian judiciary, which upheld the dignity of justice. The temple of Lord Rām has also been built in a just and lawful manner. … Rām is not fire; Rām is energy. Rām is not a dispute; Rām is a solution. Rām is not just ours; Rām belongs to everyone. Rām is not just present; Rām is eternal. … You represent that generation of Bhārat… which is hoisting the Tricolour on the moon, which is making Mission Aditya successful by travelling 15 lakh kilometers, going near the sun, which is waving the flag of Tejas in the sky… and the banner of Vikrant in the ocean. Be proud of your heritage and write about the new dawn of Bhārat. Embracing the sacredness of tradition and the endless possibilities of modernity, Bhārat will reach the goals of prosperity by walking on both these paths.” These lines display the acceptation of the faults within ourselves so that we can bring the improvements within ourselves as individuals as well as the society, taking the route of justice through judicial system even though the truth was always known and was the belief of majority of the country (a contrast to the common belief of majority controlling the minority and forcing them to submit through unjust means, which is in contrast to the Rām bhakts who fought for decades for their rights and truth), expression of the soul of the country and its people through Rām, scientific achievements of our nation through ISRO’s accomplishments, and the developments in the defence sector of India. All these points cover the diverse aspects of our nation’s development, acceptation of our cultural heritage which is also the world’s heritage through common belief in Rām and Rāmāyaṇa along with the scientific developments in various sectors.

January 2024, thus made India proud with its numerous achievements spanning through deferent sectors. With ISRO’s scientific achievements our nation is progressing on scientific aspect, with Sṛī Rām Janmabhūmi our nation accepted its cultural heritage which has been an important part of our nation’s fabric, with women prowess at republic day stands our efforts in bridging gender gap. We the people of India are thus accepting its culture which is strongly rooted in science, will be free from stereotypes, and will be recognizing people based on their skills, and will always be working together for making the world a better place. This also point towards the inherent pluralistic nature of our country and culture, which is aimed towards the betterment of all by realizing that Truth can be known from different paths, and by all. Thus, January 2024 came out as the holistic month where all-round development or progress was achieved.

Dr. Shruchi Singh, Research Associate, Kuruom School of Advanced Sciences [An associate institute of ‘Institute of Advanced Sciences’ (INADS), USA]

The Rāma and Rāmāyaṇa for Modern Time

– Prof. Bal Ram Singh

(Source of Image : https://www.livemint.com/news/india/ram-mandir-inauguration-ceremony-pran-pratishtha-photos-live-pm-modi-rajnikanth-alia-bhatt-katrina-kaif-ayodhya-news-11705902845031.html)

The Rāmāyaṇa, (रामायन or रामायण) is derived from राम and आयन आयेन, आयिन (literally meaning comes, joins, in Avadhī language), thus Rāmāyaṇa literally meaning in which Rāma comes or joins. It is therefore important to understand and use a language for the source of Rāma’s story that properly reflects the context, culture, and character of the characters involved.

In the Matsya Purāṇa, there is a reference, which suggests Vaivasvata Manu, the primordial origin of humanity in the current period, being of the Dravidian origin, who moved to Ayodhyā during the epochal deluge (Singh, 2021: “A New Narrative of Ayodhya as the Nanihal of Humanity,” Vedic Waves blog, August 6, 2021).

Interestingly, in a genetic study by National Geographic Society (See, Singh, 2021, above), it has been proven that human population initially migrated from Africa to the Indian Subcontinent and then from here to everywhere else, making India as the main source of human migration some 60,000 years ago. This may provide further cultural and linguistic connections with Ayodhyā and Avadhī to rest of the world. Avadhī, thus, becomes a prime source of many languages. Exploring links between literature of Avadhī and other languages could provide a whole new gamut of research. For example,

Avadhī             English         Sanskrit

Nani                 nanny            matamahi

Nika                  nice               sobhanam

Bara                  burn              prajwalita

Tohara              your              tava

Niyare               near             nikata

Avadhī language, therefore, justifiably brings out passion in India that it is a torch-bearer of a civilization, which has sung the deeds of Rāma, Raghu, and Hariscandra! One could easily surmise why Sant Tulasidāsa decided to write Rāmacharitamānasa in Avadhī, although his mother-tongue was Brajabhāṣa. He came from Soron, Kasganj district in Uttar Pradesh, and he was a scholar in the most sophisticated known on Earth, that is Sanskrit, but decided to compile his thoughts about the story of Rāmāyaṇa in Avadhī.

With his experience (he was already 75 years old by then), he could have easily understood that Avadhī is the best language to communicate the original culture of Ayodhyā, both symbolically and linguistically. We have often seen how Bollywood movies also script this language effectively for the portrayal of rustic characters like milkman (dudhwālā), gardener (mālī), or cook (rasoiyā), who more often than not usually come to Mumbai from the Avadh region of Uttar Pradesh. It just communicates better the culture, values, and behavior of the people portrayed in those roles.

Avadhī is spoken by over 65 million people throughout the world, including the places like Fiji, Mauritius, Caribbean countries and also in some pockets of American and European continents. Its linguistic overlap and affinity with Bhojpuri, Angika, Chhatisgarhi, Bundelkhandi, Bengali, Marathi, etc. make the ambit of this language even more widespread.

A culture is quite heavily carried through food, dress, and language with native or regional connotations. This was also true in the ancient times, when long distance travels were limited. This made the source of food, dresses, and even language of communication very local. Over the years, human ingenuity produced variations in culinary preferences, sartorial sense, and exchange of ideas. But with passage of time, sometimes quaint expressions, monologues, or dialogues have created problems in their interpretation. Tulsi Rāmāyaṇa, ‘the Ramcharitmānas’, thus becomes the most authentic source of information from the Rāma story.

With that prologue, let’s explore Rāma and his values for the contemporary time. Although temple is not part of the deep Indian traditions, as one can hardly find any reference to any large structures of temple either during Rāmāyaṇa period or Māhābhārata period, yet India’s temple structures from north to south, and east to west, reflect the many marvels of architectural designs and construction feats.

Temples, likely borrowed from the Buddhist structures and Church culture, represent symbolic consideration and communication, and provide a target of dedication and devotion, something that was primarily taken care by the Gurukula, that provided direct interactions with Gurū, the source of knowledge with full clarifications made available through the questions and clarifications. With these premises of Rāmāyaṇa and Rām Mandir, let’s explore a few fundamental values of Rāma in Rāmāyaṇa.

There is a common belief that Rām, the incarnation of Bhagavān Viṣṇu, has been an ideal son, an ideal brother, an ideal husband, and an ideal father.

प्रात काल उठिके रघुनाथा, मातु पिता गुरु नावहि माथा।

Prātkāl uthike raghunāthā, mātu pita guru nāwahi māthā.

This just goes a long way to show how devoted he was to his parents, both the father and his mothers. Similarly, according to Ramcharitmānas, he cries at the time Lakṣaman gets hit by Meghnāth’s śakti and becomes unconscious.

जौ मैं जनत्यों बन्धु बिछोहू, पिता बचन मनत्यों नहि वो हू।

jau main janatyon bandhu bichhohū, pitā bachan manatyon nahin wohū.

Had he known this potential separation from his brother, he would have even ignored his father’s words that he had given to exile which resulted in potentially losing his brother.

जब जब रामु अवध सुधि करहीं, तब तब बारि बिलोचन भरहीं ।

सुमिरि मातु पितु परिजन भाई, भरत सनेहु सीलु सेवकाई।

Jaba jaba ramu avadha sudhi karahi, taba taba bāri bilocana bharahi.

Sumiri mātu pitu parijana bhāi, bharata sanehu silu sevakā. 140.2

Every time Rāma thought of Ayodhyā, his eyes filled with tears. The gracious Lord became sad when He recalled his father and mother, his family and brothers and particularly the affection, amiability and devotion of Bharata.

Similarly, Bharata was an equally devoted brother to Rāma.

भरत सरिसा को राम सनेही, जगु जप राम रामु जप जेही। 217.4

bharata sarisā ko Rāma sanehi, jagu japa Rāma ramu japa jehi. 217.4.

Who is there who loves Rāma as Bharata loves. World repeats Rāma’s name where Rāma repeats name of Bharata.

In the same vein of family love, Rāma loved his wife, Sītā, to no limit, by not only taking vrat for one wife when it was a common practice for royals to have multiple wives.

According to Shrimad Bhāgavat (SB), SB 9.10.54

eka-patnī-vrata-dharo rājarṣi-caritaḥ śuciḥ

sva-dharmaṁ gṛha-medhīyaṁ śikṣayan svayam ācarat

Bhagvān Rāmacandra took a vow to accept only one wife and have no connection with any other women. He was a saintly king, and everything in his character was good, untinged by qualities like anger. He taught good behavior for everyone, especially for householders, in terms of varṇāś Rāma-dharma. Thus, He taught the general public by his personal activities.

Additionally, he waged a very uphill and extremely dangerous war with a very powerful enemy, ordinarily a sure death step at that time.

There were apparently no instances of a close relationship with his own children, Lav and Kush, as they were born, away in the forest. Based on the scenes from the Rāmāyaṇa serial by Rāmanand Sagar, he was a loving father to his children and the children of his brothers.

These are the ideal behaviors the contemporary society could understand, adopt, and follow in their lives. However, looking from the scientific culture we have developed in the modern time, and a more holistic approach to knowledge, the inductive or the Āgama pedagogy of observations, hypotheses, principles and theories, one must consider the opposites or the behavior under contrary conditions to obtain.

धीरज धर्म मित्र अरु नारी। आपद काल परिखिअहिं चारी।।

Dhīraj dharam mitra aru nārī Āpad kāl parakhiye chārī! (Arandya Kand Ramcharitmanas)

In the time of crisis are the (deep waters) of patience, dharam (principles), friends and women (wife/partner) tested! This means under the most difficult situations, one’s patience, principles, and time test friends who have stood by, and the trusted life partner, are all tested by their behavior of standing by with their integral values.

What those strenuous conditions may have been in Rāma’s life need to elaborated and his approaches need to be understood, and his conducts need to be understood for adoption to bring Rāmrājya on this Earth.

Prof. Bal Ram Singh, President, Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, USA

‘Jesus’ the ‘Ishā’ and ‘Christ’ the ‘Kshatriya’

– Prof. Bal Ram Singh

While on a visit to India these days, I see quite a bit of Christmas decorations from the airport to the markets. More than a religion it has become a tradition in India to celebrate Christmas. Religious conflicts aside, cultural celebrations of all the sections and regions of the world society need to be recognized and celebrated with full respect and appreciation. If one can find additional reasons to supplement such celebrations, so much better.

With children we celebrated Christmas culturally in the United States, and decorate it with Devī-Devatā decorations instead of Santa Clause. Further, since it is also a celebration with light, we actually installed the Christmas tree on the Diwali Day, and kept until Makar-Sankranti January. Diwali has assumed a major international dimension for a variety of reasons, including its similarity with Christmas lights and exchange of gifts, and it being celebrated at the White House as well. Some think it is a form of appropriation of Christmas for Diwali. Well, in that case the Christmas tree and even the Christmas itself is a misappropriation of the Pagan celebration of Winter solstice that they used to celebrate to welcome winter by worshipping the evergreen Balsam Fir (the Christmas) tree.

In fact, for Indians it is not that difficult to appropriate Jesus Christ, Jesus being pronounced as ‘Ishā’, and similarity of Christ and Kṛṣṇa. sage – one which excited his audiences.

According an article at PBS.org, “although his message was proving popular, the claim of his disciples that Jesus was the son of God offended many people. What’s more, his ideas were revolutionary and threatened to undermine thousands of years of social tradition.”

Jerusalem, where Jesus once visited, was under the Roman rule. In around 33 AD, Jesus traveled to the city of Jerusalem for the Jewish ceremony of Passover. There were thousands of pilgrims from around the world and the temple provided services for them to change their foreign money or buy animals to sacrifice. Jesus was furious. He believed that trade like this corrupted the holy site. Roman authorities were upset with him, arrested him, and crucified him in public, to show their brutality against those ever opposed. His fault was that he sided with the masses who were being oppressed.

Did Jesus have any Indian connections? Of course, he did. A book by Holger Kersten clearly suggest Jesus was in India for several years, learning and practicing yoga in Kashmir. In addition to yoga, he may in fact learned tradition of standing up to oppression of people. Traditionally, those people are referred to as kshatriya in India, and what Jesus did in Jerusalem no less heroic and principled.

In fact, his behavior perfectly matches with the values of kshatriya described in Sṛīmadbhagvat Gīta-

शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् |
दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ||18.43||

śhauryaṁ tejo dhṛitir dākṣhyaṁ yuddhe chāpy apalāyanam
dānam īśhvara-bhāvaśh cha kṣhātraṁ karma svabhāva-jam

Valor, strength, fortitude, skill in weaponry, resolve never to retreat from battle, large-heartedness in charity, and Ishwara (tranquil in all condition) characteristics, these are the natural qualities of work for Kshatriyas.

The word, kshatra, comes of ksha = to destroy, and tra = oppressed. A kshatriya unshakingly will stay the ground, as was also demonstrated by Jesus Christ, thus making him naturally a kshatriya worthy of support by all. This revelation about Jesus Christ may sound far fetched but in reality, is very close to his behavior and determination. It may be worthwhile for Christians to follow the Jesus characteristics, rather than trying to convert people to their camp.

This description reminds me of an incident of my own encounter with an evangelist in my university who used to deliver goods from receivables. Francis Boetello was always hanging around with international graduate students trying to give them a Bible or entice them to a Church visit. One day I walked into the laboratory even as Francis was talking to students. As I entered the lab, a student told Francis jokingly “why don’t you convert Dr. Singh and we will all follow?” “So, Dr. Singh, what do you think?” I asked, “think of what?” Francis said, “think of Jesus Christ?” asked Francis turning towards me. “Jesus Christ was a great man, I am his ardent follower”, I replied. “So, you are a Christian?” Francis uttered hesitatingly. I said, “Sure, following Jesus Christ does make me a Christian, as much as following Newton makes me Newtonian.” Not convinced of my assertion, Francis continued with his inquiries further. “What church do you go to?” asked Francis. “What church did Jesus Christ go to?” I shot back, and Francis looked quite puzzled at this but continued his query by saying, “O, so you read Bible on your own“. “What Bible did Jesus Christ read?“, I asked Francis. He was completely at a loss. “How can you be a Christian without going to Church or reading a Bible?” he muttered shaking his head in exasperation. “Francis, I am not a Churchian or Biblian, I am a Christian“. By then Francis seemed to be in a daze, simply gazing at me. Acting professorial and assuring him of my genuine intentions I began. “Look, Jesus Christ was concerned about others passionately. He stood up for his principles against all odds. He was willing to die for his principle of serving others. He did not hate even those who killed him, and wished them well“. Francis nodded at each of my statements about Jesus Christ. “I think those principles are worth following for anybody“, I added. “Why do I need a Church or Bible to follow them?” By then Francis seemed accepting, albeit reluctantly.

Similarly, I am asked many times about religions in India, my own religion, and my opinion of Islam, especially after 9/11. At the Center for Indic Studies, we had much emphasis on Indic traditions, some ancient, some modern, and occasionally discussions about other traditions within India.

An Indian perspective based on the guṇa and karma to accept people’s inclination may actually be a healthy way to lead the life. And, Jesus Christ’s actions prove beyond any doubt for his kshatriya inclination!

Prof. Bal Ram Singh, President, Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, USA

2023 August, the Month of Bharat

Dr. Shruchi Singh

August 2023, coincided with the Hindu month of Shrāvan (derived from Shravan – to hear). This month is relevant to Bharat in numerous ways. Historically, this is the month when the nation got its independence from British rule (15^th August 1947); philosophically, it brings people close to Dharma by encouraging them towards learning, self-development, and the prayer and pledge of protection through the festival of Rakshābandhan. And this year even scientifically, when ISRO’s (Indian Space Research Organization) space mission, Chandrayaan 3 successfully soft-landed near moon’s south pole (1^st nation to do so, and 4^th to land on moon). Thus, this is the month of Bharat from all perspectives of culture, history, and science. Noticeably, the combination who’s balance is essential for a country’s all-round progress.

(Source of Image : https://images.app.goo.gl/TWdHm1bq8cSA5azn9)

Chandrayaan 3 achieved a very significant milestone on 23^rd August 2023, which is now identified as ‘National Space Day’. India has now become the world’s first nation to successfully land near the moon’s south pole, the fourth nation to land on the moon, cost-effective (low cost / cheap) space mission, and the most viewed live-stream video on YouTube. The points on which Chandrayaan 2 crash-landed and Chandrayaan 3 landed on the lunar surface are now named, ‘Tiranga Point‘ and ‘Shiv Shakti Point‘ respectively. Tiranga is named after our tricolour flag, and Shiv Shakti is after the combination of man-woman, meant to recognize women at ISRO and the synergy in the organization. The name Tiranga on  one hand escalates the patriotic feeling and respect for our national flag; on the other hand, Shiv Shakti reminds the contribution of all and the reminder of two basic principles in nature namely Shiv, and the consciousness, and Shakti, the energy behind the creation.

(Source of Image : https://images.app.goo.gl/bC9FhJ4feaBRLWkG9)

Independence Day has a different significance. It reminds us of the sacrifices made by patriots in different manners. Some fought for it in a straightforward fashion while risking their lives, some fought indirectly by secretly providing numerous aid through numerous ways to the freedom fighters, families sacrificed their loved ones for the nation, while some finding themselves helpless prayed to get rid of all the ills. Apart from them, some others who were supporting the Britishers for personal benefits and were never punished, even after independence. Also, swatantra Bharat either forgot many of its heroes, or pushed them behind, and is still home to many of its traitors. This day, thus reminds us of the sacrifices, risks, and losses that our heroes and their families faced, which in today’s world is faced by our modern heroes to save this nation at various levels, from various ills, evils, criminals, and dangers both from inside and outside the country.

(Source of Image : https://images.app.goo.gl/23JA4LxSan7SKUJA7)

The month of Shrāvan is important as it motivates us to hear the truth, analyze the information, and gain knowledge. It is the month when no auspicious work is initiated, and the focus is on self-development by gaining the knowledge of Dharma involving both, the universal and individual truths. This month, thus is not only about the fasting and worshipping of Shivling (the symbol of Shiv, indicating the entire cosmos), but is also about gaining knowledge by nurturing oneself in the fire of Dharma through jñana under proper guidance.

Rakshābandhan (rakshā – protection, bandhan – ties) is the festival where rakshāsutra / rākhi is tied around the wrist. Though most famously known as the festival of brother and sister, where sisters tie rakhi on their brother’s wrists requesting protection from them, and brothers pledge to protect them and give gifts to their sisters; this is also the festival where the sacred thread is tied for the protection of the person it is tied upon (Indrani¸ the wife of Indra tied the first rākhi for his protection in the war he was embarking upon), and it can also be tied requesting the protection from the person it is tied upon, of which numerous brother-sister stories are famous. This festival thus reminds us of the importance of people who not only believe in us but also place trust in us, making us responsible and careful for our actions.

(Source of Image: https://images.app.goo.gl/pf72J4PzaUpeLY3q8)

In the year 2023, the month of August thus has been very important in the lives of Bhāratiya for scientific, historical, and philosophical achievements and reasons. It also informs us of the balance that needs to be established among the three. This balance is important as scientific advancements must go hand-in-hand with philosophy, to keep the check on our actions through numerous principles such as moral, ethical, spiritual, and so on. We must be able to perceive the impact of our scientific ambitions and how they must be handled. To this, historical achievement is key, as history is an excellent teacher in the world of experiential learning, guiding us in our decision-making through various instances of the past. These three thus when together, in balance, guide humanity through not only material developments but also personal and spiritual developments.

Dr. Shruchi Singh, Research Associate, Kuruom School of Advanced Sciences [An associate institute of ‘Institute of Advanced Sciences’ (INADS), USA]

Paūrāṇic Ganesha (Part-IX)

Series on Ganesha the Great!

Dr. Dhananjay B. Ghare

(Continued from Part-VIII)

This mini ‘one_act_play’ in english, is based on ‘11 chapters of Ganesha Geetā’ and is designed to convey the theoretical philosophical essence of ‘Ganesha Purāṇa’ aid to popularize ‘Global-awareness’ about ‘Lord Ganesha’, compiled by sage Vyāsa in the form of a dialogue between ‘Lord Gajānana’ an incarnation of Lord Ganesha and his father (in this incarnation) King Vareṇya (as his disciple).

उपदेश (दैवासुर्_सम्पत्) योग

King Vareṇya: My dear son, most people respect and work hard to earn as much richness and prosperity as possible. However, why do most rich and wealthy personalities remain unsatisfied with their possessions and keep on desiring for more and more forever?

Lord Gajānana: My dear father, there is an illusion in the mind of the common man that happiness is related with wealth. Poverty does cause physical & mental unhappiness, especially when even the minimum necessary needs (such as air, water, food, clothes & shelter) for living a healthy life are not satisfied. But when these minimum needs get satisfied, a passion for earning more, and a greed for gathering and storing too much of wealth in different forms like a) money in cash and bank balance, b) flats, houses, c) urban & agricultural lands, d) ornaments and jewellery, e) fancy gadgets etc., goes on increasing forever. Such mental attitude and behavior pattern actually increases the worries related with

 a) the protection of such wealth from theft and

 b) losses due to their wear and tear, aging etc.

Therefore, Vedic sages have advised every human personality to inculcate a habit of regular donation (दान_धर्म) of at least 25% of their earnings every year, to appropriately needy, deserving or scholarly personalities or temples or institutions engaged in educational or social welfare etc. Acts of such donation are advocated to bring the donor, some spiritual credits (पुण्य). It trains one’s mind to willfully dispossess and feel emotionally unattached with such materialistic possessions. Earning such spiritual credits (while physically living on the Earth) is also advised as a method of assuring a comfortable stay in the heaven (after one’s death), for a certain duration related with the amount of such credits. Simple statistics and rational thinking tell us that, such moral and spiritually creditworthy activities, improve the level of average social happiness, which in turn improves the chances of living happier life by all the members of that society. Such moral behavior patterns and actions and the “associated accumulation of credits” is called as a virtual divine wealth (दैवी_सम्पत्ति), which increases

 a) individual as well as social welfare and

 b) average social happiness index level.

Tendencies such as a) belief in God (आस्तिक्य), b) a mental urge for helping others, c) willingness to donate regularly to worthy and needy, d) honesty, e) truthfulness, f) regular study of worthy books of knowledge, f) braveness to face difficult situations, etc. are some examples of divine wealth. On the contrary, immoral behavior patterns and associated accumulation of sins or discredits (पाप) is called as a virtual demonic wealth (आसुरी सम्पत्ति). Tendencies such as a) telling lies, b) ego c) belief in wrong understandings, d) dishonesty, e) greed, f) hatred, etc. are some examples of demonic wealth.  Accumulation of such demonic wealth by individuals belonging to any society results in the increase in crime rates and average unhappiness level in that society, which can even lead to social turmoil and revolutionary political upheavals.

Painting by Manju Acharya, Former Public Relations Officer in an Indian Railways Public Sector Enterprise, Govt. of India

विविध_वस्तु_विवेक_योग

King Vareṇya: Please enlighten me on correct ways of performing penance.

Lord Gajānana: My dear father,

 a) always respecting elders, scholars, teachers, etc. and behave in tender humble modesty,

 b) honesty & truthfulness,

 c) understanding, remembering and timely fulfillment of all moral responsibilities, etc.

are some examples of simplest forms of penances in routine life. Additional special and harder ‘Penances’ can be divided in six categories in two major groups viz.1) सात्विक, 2) राजसिक, 3) तामसिक, 4) कायिक, 5) वाचिक, 6) मानसिक.

Spiritual (सात्विक) Penances

Good quality spiritual (सात्विक) penances are mostly mental or emotional and are effortlessly carried out with peaceful mind & happy mental willingness. Therefore, they are not physically painful exercises. Such penances are fruitful in increasing the performer’s closeness with Supreme God.

Mediocre (राजसिक) Penances

Spiritually moderate and factually good (राजसिक) penances are carried out with a combination of physical and mental efforts. Therefore, they are somewhat painful exercises. Most of them are carried out with a lot of dramatically attractive publicity stunts (selfishly motivated and undertaken for attracting simpletons who can then be fooled for monetary profits or for sexual exploitation, etc.). Such penances have very little impact on the performer’s closeness with Supreme God.

Worst (तामसिक) of Penances

Spiritually worst varieties (तामसिक) of penances are ignorantly carried out exercises. They can be physically or mentally very painful and sometimes even ‘aimless’. They have very small chances of success. Most of them may actually earn spiritual discredits (पापार्जन) and therefore increase the spiritual distance between the performer and the Supreme God.

कायिक Penances

 a) maintaining good physical cleanliness and health,

 b) respecting elders, teachers etc. and worshiping divine gods,

 c) practicing awareness of visualization of presence of divinity in everything and everywhere (realization of ‘सर्वम् खलु इदम् ब्रह्म्’ principle),

 d) strictly or religiously following laws of good moral conduct, as well as,

 e) adopting strictly nonviolent means (even under testing circumstances)

are typical examples of physical कायिक penances.

वाचिक Penances

a) consciously talking only, the truth while

 b) choosing only sweat, soft & un-hurting words (सत्यम् ब्रूयात् प्रियम् ब्रूयात्  न ब्रूयात् सत्यम् अप्रियम्),

 c) always give most appropriately beneficial advises, which are based on teachings available in Vedopaniśadic literature,

are typical examples of oral (वाचिक) penances.

मानसिक Penances

 Self-conscious efforts for

 a) maintaining calmness and peacefulness of mind,

 b) abstaining from making any loud claims or oral noise (e.g., घटम् भिन्द्यात् पटम् छिन्द्यात्   कुर्यात् रासभ रोहणम्, for attracting publicity cum popularity),

 c) having full mental self-control on (habitual or addiction type) demands of all five sense organs e.g.

     i) eating tasty items without hunger, or

     ii) drinking drinks for taste or for getting intoxicated and not due to the genuine thirst,

     iii) addiction to audio-video instruments like TV or records of musical singing or dancing etc.

are typical examples of mental (मानसिक) penances.

Further, some more spiritually beneficial (पुण्य_सम्पादन तथा पाप_प्रक्षालन प्रद) activities carried out using psycho-emotional modes such as

a) habit of constant continuous recitation of spiritually creditworthy phrases (मन्त्र_जप e.g.  १_ॐ, २_ॐ_गं, ३_ॐ ह्राम्, ह्रीम्, श्रीम्, क्रीम्, क्लीम्, चामुण्डायै विच्चै, ४_ॐ गं गणपतये नम:, ५_ॐ नम: शिवाय etc. preferably linking their repetition frequency with breathing),

b) sparing time to recite or sing divine prayers, rhymes, etc.

c) continuous repetition of recitation of divine names (e.g., Ganesha, Gajānana, Shiva, Rāma, Krishna, Vitthala, Pānduranga, Jagadamba etc.),

 d) donate regularly to deserving needy persons or institutions,

e) regularly visiting temples and walking round the sanctum (प्रदक्षिणा 1, 3, 11, 21, 108, 1008 times etc.),

f) Whenever possible, undertaking travels to pilgrimage centers such as the famous and especially divine places (e.g. Aṣṭa-Vināyaka’ or Dvādaśa Jyotirlinga, or 51 Śaktipītha’s etc.

  तीर्थ् तीर्थे निर्मलम् ब्रह्म वृन्दम् | वॄन्दे वॄन्दे तत्व चर्चानुवाद: | वादे वादे जायते अर्थबोध: | बोधे बोधे भासते चन्द्रचूड: )

Just taking (दर्शन) a glimpse of the idols at these temples, should not be the aim of these pilgrimages. The performer should try to get educated in the philosophical discussions taking place at these centers, in order to gain his/her spiritual upliftment.

 g) on completion of each and every spiritually good activity (e.g., worships, pilgrimages, vrata, yāga, yoga performances etc.); emotional donation of its entire credits, to God’s blessings, support and good wishes (तत्सत्_ब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु), and not allowing any expectations of return benefits to scratch and eat the performer’s mind,

 h) regularly practice performances advised in ‘Ashṭāngyoga_Rāja_Yoga’, especially meditation and staying in highest spiritual level of mental-intellectual-calmness or tranquility called as Samādhi (समाधि).

etc. are also some more worthy formats of penances.

King Vareṇya: Thanks for educating me on numerous varieties of performance of ‘Penances’. Now please tell me about correct ways of earning and enjoying ‘happiness’.

Lord Gajānana: My dear father, there are mainly two categories of the states of happiness. First category is regarded as ‘temporary’ (or momentary & causal) happiness and is obtainable via activities of physical organs (इन्द्रिय_सुख). e.g., eating sweets, smelling a rose flower, hearing melodious music, etc. Such states of happiness last only during the period of the duration of performance of said activity which causes the happiness. The second variety of happiness is comparatively longer lasting. It is mental, psychological or intellectual happiness (अतीन्द्रिय सुख or इन्द्रियातीत सुख). e.g. 

 a) happiness derived by selfless activities of helping others in need or

 b) feeding the hungry or

 c) teaching the ignorant (without any expectations in return),

 d) thinking and contemplating on something worthy or planning some program (विचार_मन्थन) and solving a scientific or mathematical riddle etc.

Further, several states of happiness can also be categorized in three morally, emotionally or spiritually distinct varieties (सात्विक, राजसिक & तामसिक) such as: 

1. Morally divine and spiritually creditable happiness (सात्विक_सुख) :

This variety of happiness can be seemingly painful or unattractive while earning, but practically very healthy and useful way of getting happiness. e.g.

i) periodically performing divine vrata’s and worships,

ii) reading and learning scientific, technological or divine texts or writing a worthy book or composing a worthy poem or

 iii) granting donations to temples or educational institutions, etc.

2. Morally neutral and spiritually credit-less happiness (राजसिक_सुख) :

 This variety of happiness can be mentally or emotionally very attractive but practically very painful ways of getting happiness. e.g.

i) building a house for one’s own residence or renovation of older residence,

ii) purchasing attractive costly clothes for one’s own usage or for one’s own family members   or

 iii) making publicity stunts to gain name and fame (घटम् भिन्द्यात्, पटम् छिन्द्यात् कुर्यात् रासभ रोहणम्) &

3. Immoral or morally discreditable & spiritually sinful (e.g. sarcastic) ways of earning  happiness (तामसिक_सुख) :

  Some wicked personalities enjoy troubling and teasing others even though they gain nothing for themselves e.g.

i) teasing helpless children or weaker simple persons or helpless birds and animals,

ii) planning and enjoying breakage of friendships, morals or marriages, 

iii) stealing, robbing others properties or possessions or

iv) damaging and destroying public properties (e.g., parks, gardens, beaches, theaters etc.)

v) damaging social goodwill (spreading bad news or even rumors which can insight violent reactions),

vi) damaging international relations and global welfare etc.

Even just mental or intellectual involvement in these types of bad immoral activities increases the distance between the performer and the Supreme God.

Painting by Manju Acharya, Former Public Relations Officer in an Indian Railways Public Sector Enterprise, Govt. of India

King Vareṇya: My dear son, I am most grateful and thankful to you for educating me in these spiritual and practical ways of getting nearer to (and avoiding going away from) your divine omnipresence.

Lord Gajānana: The divine spiritual knowledge compiled in this ‘Ganesha-Geetā’ text will guide all future generations of my devotees to get linked with me and gain spiritually higher levels and morally higher status, ultimately approaching vicinity with my divine omnipresence

य: पठेत् सप्तकृत्वस्तु  गीताम् एताम् प्रयत्नत: | ददामि तम् सुसन्तुष्ट:  अहम् भोगान् सुखप्रदान्  (11.50-51)

Those who will carefully study this text seven times and make sincere efforts to practice my advice’s compiled in this text will please me. They will get linked with me and will be loved by me and in reward I shall grant them divine peace and happiness.

Dr. Dhananjay B. Ghare, Former Scientist, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru

Paūrāṇic Ganesha (Part-VIII)

Series on Ganesha the Great!

Dr. Dhananjay B. Ghare

(Continued from Part-VII)

This mini ‘one_act_play’ in english, is based on ‘11 chapters of Ganesha Geetā’ and is designed to convey the theoretical philosophical essence of ‘Ganesha Purāṇa’ aid to popularize ‘Global-awareness’ about ‘Lord Ganesha’, compiled by sage Vyāsa in the form of a dialogue between ‘Lord Gajānana’ an incarnation of Lord Ganesha and his father (in this incarnation) King Vareṇya (as his disciple).

Painting by Manju Acharya, Former Public Relations Officer in an Indian Railways Public Sector Enterprise, Govt. of India

क्षेत्र_ज्ञातॄ_ज्ञान_योग 

King Vareṇya: My dear son, evidently there are mainly two distinct paths (सगुणोपासना & निर्गुणोपासना) for getting linked with you. Viz.

 1) to worship your symbolically representative idols or pictures, images etc. (मूर्ति पूजा, सगुणोपासना). Alternatively,

 2) Purely mental, emotional or meditation-based approach (निर्गुणोपासना) which also has several alternatives. e.g.

  a) repeating prayers and recitations of sacred phrases (स्तुति_स्तोत्र गायन, मन्त्र जाप etc.) or

  b) following the eight steps of Rāja_Yoga (viz. यम, नियम्, आसन, प्राणायाम, प्रत्याहार, धारणा, ध्यान & समाधि) and keep the mind constantly engaged in meditation (निर्गुण उपासना).

Now, please tell me which method is a better alternative and is more liked by yourself.

Lord Gajānana: My dear father, both these approaches (सगुण & निर्गुण उपासना) are equally liked by me. Their choice or preference should depend on the physical and psychological mood of the performer devotee at any given instant of time. A single devotee can choose one or the other method depending on the need of the time e.g.  variations in his own a) physical health or b) mental, intellectual, emotional mood conditions etc. Most devotees in their teens or youth may perhaps be inclined to use physical worship (सगुण उपासना), whereas, same devotees in older ages (or in some sickness conditions) may prefer to use mental and emotional based alternatives (निर्गुण उपासना). Further, the physical worship (सगुण उपासना) is much easier to perform. The concept of meditation-based worship (निर्गुण उपासना) is comparatively more difficult to understand and execute.

भक्तिश्चैवादर: चात्र कारणम् परमम् मतम् | सर्वेषाम् विदुषाम् श्रेष्ठो   ह्यकिञ्चज्ज्ञोऽपि भक्तिमान्  (९.७)

The intensity of devotion & respect about me, in the heart of the devotee is of prime importance. Even a child or ignorant devotee can be superior to many highly learned scholarly experts, in respect of reaching an emotional and spiritual level nearer to me. Those who find it difficult to keep their mind constantly attached with me (Supreme God), can try to keep themselves intellectually engaged in learning more and more about myself (बुद्धि_योग). Those who find it difficult to practice such intellectual linking via study, should get engaged in any spiritually oriented activities (कर्म_योग) and offer the ‘credit’ as well as the ‘resultant benefits’ to Supreme God (कर्म_संन्यास_योग). Practicing such mental aloofness from claiming credits, of one’s creditworthy actions, relieves such devotees from the consequences of expectations and possibilities of satisfaction or disappointments, and therefore they move nearer to the spiritual level of liberation (मुक्ति or मोक्ष).

अनिष्ट् आप्तौ च न द्वेष्टी   इष्ट प्राप्तौ न  तुष्यति | क्षेत्रतज्ज्ञौ  च यो वेत्ति   स मे प्रियतमो भवेत् (९.१९)

The devotee who

   a) neither gets upset by any undesirable occurrences, circumstances or results,

   b) nor gets happily over-excited while receiving desired and satisfactory results, fulfilling one’s expectations and enjoying favorable circumstances, and

  c) who possesses the knowledge about the field of his mortal body (क्षेत्र) and his immortal soul as a resident occupying room in such house of his mortal body (क्षेत्रज्ञ), becomes dearest to my heart.

King Vareṇya: My dear son, please explain me more clearly about this concept of physical body as a field and its knowledgeable user (क्षेत्र-क्षेत्रज्ञ) as the master.

Lord Gajānana: My dear father,

पञ्चभूतानि तन्मात्रा: पञ्च  कर्मेन्द्रियाणि च | अहन्कारो मनो बुद्धि: पञ्चज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि च (९.२१)

इच्छा अव्यक्तम्  धृतिद्वेषौ   सुखदु:खे तथैव च | चेतना सहितश्च अयम् समूह: क्षेत्रम् उच्यते (९.२२)

  Any living species possesses

 a) the physical body made up out of the basic five great presences (पञ्चमहाभूता – आकाश, वायु, तेज, आप, पृथ्वी) and

 b) their five associated characteristics (पञ्चतन्मात्रा – शब्द, स्पर्श, रूप, रस, गन्ध)

 c) the five organs useful for carrying out all desired activities (पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाणि – हस्त, पाद, मुख, पायु, उपस्थ),

 d) the self-ego (अहंकार) or self-awareness (‘I’ am existing) of one’s own self existence,

e) the mind (मानस),

 f) the intellect (बुद्धि) and

g) five sense organs (पञ्चज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि – कर्ण-श्रवण, नेत्र-दर्शन, नासिका-गन्ध, जिह्वा-रस, त्वचा-स्पर्श) used for collecting recognizable (/ understandable) information,

 h) the ability to make desires (इच्छा-शक्ति) and a determination or will-power to stay resolutely firm (for making efforts) to achieve these desired objectives or

 i) have a disliking or a feeling of hatred towards certain things (or personalities or situations etc.) and a will-power to stay away or avoid them consistently,

 j) the ability to feel happy or unhappy,

k) the lively super-presence (चेतना) which experiences the three states of sleep, dream and awakening, (अवस्था_त्रयी) etc.

All these items, all together is referred by the name of ‘field’ or the ‘kśetra’ (क्षेत्र) in the Indian Vedopaniśadic philosophical science. The soul or the consciousness (जीवात्मा, क्षेत्रज्ञ) fully pervades and resides inside this ‘field’ (or the ‘kśetra’), as a master or like the owner of this field, whose essential nature, is similar to that of the Supreme God (who similarly resides in this entire Universe as his body and controls its activities). Since, the consciousness of a) any living species (जीवात्मा) and b) that of this Universe (परमात्मा), are similar in their essential nature, they both enjoy the king like mastery within their respective occupied (kśetra) spaces or kingdoms. 

King Vareṇya: My dear son, many times there is confusion in my mind about

  a) correct and worthy knowledge and

  b) wrong knowledge or

  c) vague & inaccurate knowledge (elusively appearing like convincingly true and correct knowledge) and

  d) mis-interpretations of knowledge made either mischievously or by genuine mistakes.

Lord Gajānana: My dear father, there are infinite possibilities of earning varieties of useful pieces of information as pieces of useful knowledge. e.g.

 a) How to select and process seeds and how to plant them in order to get desired grasses, bushes and trees for growing agricultural, horticultural outputs 

 b) how to cook a healthy and tasty dish

c) how to recognize a specific decease or infection causing sickness in a given patient etc.

All such information’s are worthy and useful pieces of knowledges. There are hundreds of branches of Arts, Commerce, Science, Technology, Medicine etc. which are all worthy of learning and earning expertise. However, knowledge about the current state and nature of the ‘Universe’ or ‘Mother Nature’, involving both Astrophysics and Astronomy (along with their probabilistic extensions in future as fore-castings) are traditionally being respected as the most fundamental basic physical knowledge about the gross (or स्थूल) nature of Supreme God himself. Further, the knowledge about the ‘spirit’ (or soul or जीवात्मा) residing within the bodies of every living species, along with a focus on the spiritual realization of this self and its relationship and link with the spirit of the entire Universe, also called as the (सूक्ष्म ‘subtle’ nature of the) Supreme God, is recognized as the highest level (or category) of knowledge in the ancient Vedopaniśadic literature. Further,

सम दृष्टि: दृढा भक्ति:   एकान्तित्वम्  शमो दम: | एतै: यत् च युतम् ज्ञानम्   तद् ज्ञानम् विद्धि बाहुज (९.२५)

When faced with confusing alternatives, that knowledge which passes the tests of proper visionary balance and equanimity, along with attributes such as

 a) firm devotion (दृढ़ भक्ति:) to the Supreme God,

 b) restraint (शमो) and

 c) control over unnecessary excitation’s (दम:) etc.,

that knowledge should be chosen (or selected) as the most appropriate (and correct or worthy) for adoption. Being devoid of any (sense organ’s sensibility based) characteristics, the ultimate and real nature of the Supreme god is actually beyond the normal understanding capabilities of the human intellect and therefore it is referred as ‘almost un-understandable’ (दुर्ज्ञेय:). However, trying to understand this un-understandable presence, to some possible extent, is the objective of most ancient Vedopaniśadic literature.

All ‘characteristics possessing’ presences in this Universe altogether, are called as ‘Mother Nature’ (स्थूल_प्रकृति), whereas, the characteristics-less un-understandable presence (जीवात्मा or परमात्मा) is considered as it’s ‘Master’ (सूक्ष्म, परब्रह्म, पुरुष). The body of every living species is known to perform activities as per the desires of this master. 

Further, this characteristics-less ‘subtle’ presence is however found to get ‘glued-up to’ or possess and enjoy three subtle-characteristics (सत्व, रज, and तम) referred to as 

1. saintly (सात्विक) attitudes,
2. human (राजसिक) attitudes and
3. demonic (तामसिक) attitudes or tendencies.

These subtle characteristics also cannot be detected and measured by any sensing organs or even the modern scientific instruments. The ‘soul’ (जीवात्मा) of any living species (including human beings) possesses all these three subtle characteristics in a variably mixed format. Whenever one of them grows far bigger and subdues the other two, then that personality behaves like ‘possessed’ by this bigger emotion e.g. a) like a saint or b) like a human or c) like a demon.

Painting by Manju Acharya, Former Public Relations Officer in an Indian Railways Public Sector Enterprise, Govt. of India

Therefore, my dear father, you please try to encourage the growth of (सात्विक) saintly tendencies in your activities and behavior pattern. This effort will raise your spiritual status and you can get lifted to become worthy of merging with myself (Supreme God).

(to be continued…)

Dr. Dhananjay B. Ghare, Former Scientist, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru

Rakshabandhan – The Festival of Protection and Trust

– Dr. Shruchi Singh

Rakshabandhan (Raksha – Protection, Bandhan – Bondage, Relationship) is famously defined as the festival of brother and sister, though it is not limited to these two alone. In a world where fancy rākhīs have established their roots deeply, to know the importance of Rakshabandhan, we need to focus on Rakshasutra (sutra – thread), the thread of protection. This thread is important, as in Bhāratiya sabhyatā sutra holds great value, it represents the manifestation of thoughts, beliefs, and wisdom. This is the reason several philosophical works are called sutra, such as Yoga-sutra, Brahma-sutra, and so on. When this manifestation is for a person, this sutra is symbolized with a sacred thread.

(Source of Image : https://images.app.goo.gl/s73MCBys9QHEFCsS6)

Rakshasutra is tied to the wrist of the person for protection, popularly observed when the purohit applies tilak and then ties the rakshasutra (also referred to as maulī or kalāvā) on the wrist of his yajmān on special occasions such as hawan, kathā, and so on. While tying this thread following mantra is recited,

येन बद्धो बली राजा दानवेन्द्रो महाबल:।
 तेन त्वामनुबध्नामि रक्षे मा चल मा चल।। (रक्षासूत्र का मंत्र)

I am tying you with the thread of Raksha, by which the most powerful dānav king Bali was tied. O Raksha be firm, be firm.

This mantra is in two parts, where first part refers to the person the thread is tied to, and the second part is a prayer to the thread/Raksha. Here the thread/rakshasutra is the indication of the dharma that one must follow. Rājā Bali’s association here is from the time when Sri Vishnu granted him a boon after pushing him down to pātāla lok in his Vāmana avtār. Rājā Bali requested Sri Vishnu to reside with him and protect his kingdom. Mata Laxmi, the consort of Sri Vishnu, was not pleased with this and went to Rājā Bali disguised as a poor Brāhmin woman for a stay until her husband’s return. During her stay, Bali’s kingdom prospered, and on the day of Śrāvan Pūrṇīmā, Mata Laxmi tied a rakshasutra to Bali while praying for his protection. Pleased with her gesture, Bali offered her a boon, to which Mata Laxmi pointed to the doorkeeper and asked Bali to free her husband. Mata Laxmi and Sri Vishnu then revealed their true selves to Bali, who realized Devi Laxmi’s sorrow as the sorrow of his sister, and happily allowed them to leave. This is also the reason, why sisters are invited to their brother’s home to tie the rākhī. Inspired by Rājā Bali, this sutra constantly reminds the wearer of their dharma or duties. The second part of the mantra, which is the prayer for Raksha, is about her being firm, that is, Raksha must stay and protect the wearer, for if she moves, the protection will be lost.

(Source of Image : https://images.app.goo.gl/go8nJTkaJt8ud2aM7)

The intention with which the rakshasutra is tied also plays an important role in the bond/relationship established between the two. This is the reason, Indrani (wife of Indra) tied the first rakshasutra to Indra for his protection, when he was going to war. Needless to say, Indra was not only protected due to the thread, but also won the war. Another tale associated is of Draupadi and Sri Krishna, where Draupadi upon seeing the blood oozing out of her friend Sri Krishna’s finger, without even a second’s delay, tore the end of her saree and tied it around his finger to stop bleeding. This incident can be viewed in the link when the attempt to disrobe Draupadi was made, where all the mighty warriors became helpless pawns. Here, Draupadi was left with the trust of Sri Krishna alone, who was not even present there. She prayed to him for help and protection. Sri Krishna saved her by extending her saree’s end that was being pulled, thereby not only keeping the robe in its place intact, but also turning it into a never-ending, uncontrollable, and untouchable cloth. In this instant, the threads that were tied as a bandage for protection from blood loss were transformed into a huge pile of never-ending cloth. Thus, the bond these two shared, became the definition of unshakable trust. This is the similar trust, that is displayed when Rakhi is tied to the wrists of the soldiers of our country by our women and girls, and in a similar fashion also tied to the wrist of our Prime Minister as well. This is the definition of trust that we the people of Bhārat display through the festival of Rakshabandhan.

Rakshabandhan is celebrated on the sacred day of Śrāvan (the month in the Hindu calendar) Pūrṇīmā (full moon day) by energizing the thread through our prayers for protection and dharma. This festival thus, can be celebrated by anyone, for the aim is to seek protection for or by the person. Also, to save the environment, now-a-days, rākhīs are tied to the trees as well, something that reminds us of our mother’s tale, where they used to tie rākhī to everything, including the animate-inanimate in their childhood days. This is the reminder that living or non-living, we co-exist in nature, hence we must protect our environment and nature to the best of our abilities while realizing it to be our basic duty as well.

Rakshasutra when used as kalāvā/maulī is of red and yellow colour, where red represents shakti (energy), and yellow represents auspiciousness. Also, there is a concept of Vedic rākhī, where in a yellow cloth following items are tied,

• Durvā (a type of grass, that grows on its own and never ends) indicates the purity of mind, progress, and continuity of lineage,
• Haldī (turmeric) indicates good health,
• Kesar (saffron) indicating radiance through spirituality, and/or Chandan (sandalwood) indicating peace,
• Akshat (that cannot be broken/crushed, traditionally referred to unbroken rice) indicates the invincibility, and
• Mustard seeds indicate the zeal to eliminate the negatives/problems from life.

(Souce of Image: https://images.app.goo.gl/kUaqipeczisU5q5GA)

All these items after being carefully tied in a piece of cloth, are sewed with the rakshasutra. This rākhī then offers the best kind of protection that is prayed. It is a reminder of maintaining and seeking purity in life through dharma, maintaining good health, a balance between social and spiritual life, peace inside as well as outside, and complete dedication in our efforts while getting rid of vices. This rākhī thus offers well-being (both spiritual and material) along with protection. 

Custom, that is how a festival is celebrated is its very important part, as it holds various meanings. In Rakshabandhan, the following steps are followed, which are like the steps of worshipping a Deity as well:

1. Covering heads with a piece of cloth (for both the people). It is for better concentration, and safety from harmful environmental factors such as heat, and so on.
2. Application of tilak made of vermillion from our right thumb in between the eyebrows of the person for his/her self-consciousness.
3. Application of akshat on tilak, additionally thrown on the head for invincibility at both spiritual and social levels.
4. Performing ārti (circular rotations of diyā/lamp of ghee around the face) to ward off evil energies.
5. Prayer of protection with the mantra stated before while tying the rākhī/rakshasutra around the wrist.
6. Offering sweet, it is auspicious, probably due to it being simply the source of instant energy, followed by water.
7. Giving gifts for tying the rākhī.

Rakshabandhan, thus is the festival of protection from our vices, evils, and realization of our duties. It is the festival, that is though popularly famous for brother and sister, is the festival that can be celebrated by anyone irrespective of their relationships, even with nature. It is, however, notable that the brother and sister relationship represents the purest love and care of each other for a variety of reasons, including growing up together with common experiences.  As the name of the thread, rakshasutra, it is the festival tying us in the bonds of dharma, responsibility, and hence protection. Therefore, it can be tied amongst parents and children, brothers and sisters, husband and wife, friends, and so on, that is from anyone by whom one seeks protection, and to anyone one wants to be protected.

(Source of image : https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/nature-lovers-tie-rakhi-to-136-year-old-banyan-tree-in-visakhapatnam/article67244541.ece)

Dr. Shruchi Singh, Research Associate, Kuruom School of Advanced Sciences (An Associate Institute of INADS)