Paūrāṇic Ganesha (Part-I)

Series on Ganesha the Great!

Dr. Dhananjay B. Ghare

Source of Image : https://theartofindia.in/collections/ganeshotsav/products/ganesha-16

‘Veda’ means to ‘know’ and ‘Understand’. All Vedic Gods are theoretical conceptions perceptible to intellectual pursuit and vision (साक्षात्कार). All Veda-Gītopaniṣadic texts explain these theoretical conceptions, while the Purāṇaetihāsic texts describe the same, via the medium of enchanting entertaining & mind-boggling stories. This mini ‘one_act_play’ in english, is designed to convey this theoretical, as well as, the symbolic stories-based information about Lord Ganesha, as found in the text ‘Ganesha Purāṇa’.

Vyāsa : Oh my god! my dear Grandpā, I am feeling heaviness in my head. My ‘Intellect’ has become ‘still’ like chilled ‘Ice’ and not working properly.

Brahmadeva : My son, please surrender to Lord ‘Ganesha’ who is सिद्धि_बुद्धिपति, the husband or Master of ‘Intellect’ and ‘Success’ and also विघ्नराज the Master commander of all sorts of difficulties.

Vyāsa : Oh Grandpā! who is this Lord Ganesha ? Where is he?

Brahmadeva : My Son, every name of every Vedic God is a ‘meaningful word’ containing the ‘basic qualitative information’, represented by that name of that divine presence. In case of Ganesha, ‘गणानाम् ईश: गणेश:’. The verb ‘gaṇ’ (गण्) means ‘to count’ or ‘to compute’ and ‘Īsha’ means divine owner or ‘Master’. Therefore, ‘Ganesha’ means ‘Divine Master in Computations’. This name of ‘Lord Ganesha’ therefore represents the ‘Divine infinite and instantaneous computational capability’ which is omni-time omni-present everywhere and decides what should happen when, where and how etc., in this entire ‘Universe’. Further, the word ‘gaṇ’ (गण्) is used to denote the ‘accountable or countable followers’. Therefore, every leading ‘Master’ or ‘The Leader’ of every kind of ‘existences’ can be given the ‘Title’ of ‘Ganesha’ e.g. myself, Lord ‘Brahmā’ holds the title of ‘गणेश’ of Satya-loka, Lord Viṣṇu of ‘Vaikuṇṭha-loka’, Lord Śiva or Rudra of ‘Kailāśa-loka’, Lord Indra of ‘Svarga-loka’, etc. as described in a ṛcā (verse) of the Gaṇapati-atharvaśīrṣa. Viz.

त्वम् ब्रह्मास्त्वम् विष्णुस्त्वम् रुद्रस्त्वम् इन्द्रस्त्वम् अग्निस्त्वम् वायुस्त्वम् सूर्यस्त्वम् चन्द्रमास्त्वम् ब्रह्मभूर्भुवः स्वरोम् || (6)

Vyāsa : Oh Grandpā! How can I please him fast enough ?

Brahmadeva : My son, important texts containing this information are Gaṇapati-atharvaśīrṣa, ‘Ganesha Purāṇa and Mudgal Purāṇa. Today, I shall myself brief you about him, as per the information in the text ‘Ganesha Purāṇa’.

Vyāsa : Oh Grandpā! it is indeed very-very kind of you. Please tell me quickly.

Brahmadeva : My son, at the start of the manifestation of this present ‘our Universe’, two demons ‘Madhu’ and ‘Kaiṭabha’ troubled me too much. They even tried to swallow me up. Therefore, on my request, Lord Viṣṇu the divine ‘Protector’ of this Universe, fought with both of them on my behalf, for quite a long time but could not defeat them. Then, he prayed Lord Ganesha and got instructed on the trick to kill them. The ‘clever trick’ was, to praise the demons and boost their foolish ‘Self Ego’ to fly like a kite, high in the sky. Then, offer them a ‘boon’ as if like a ‘donation’ in their appreciation. Due to their highly boosted ‘Self Ego’, they predictably refused to accept the ‘donation’ and in return, they themselves offered to favor Lord Viṣṇu with their ‘donation’ of a boon. He immediately cashed on this opportunity and asked the boon that ‘both should get killed by him’. The fools had got their ‘Self Ego’ so highly raised, by the cunning praises, that they sanctioned this boon and got killed by Lord Viṣṇu.

Vyāsa : Oh Grandpā! it is a great story of how clever ‘ऋद्धि_बुद्धिपति’ Lord Ganesha designed a plan and helped Lord Viṣṇu using cunning ‘Intellectual Power’. The sacred idol in the “Aṣṭa-Vināyaka temple at ‘Siddhatek’, in Maharashtra, India” is believed to have been installed by Lord Viṣṇu, in grateful memory of this episode. 

Brahmadeva : Yes, my son. An episode related with one more Aṣṭa-Vināyaka temple is also very interesting. Like the famous child devotees ‘Dhruva’ and ‘Prahlāda’ of Lord Viṣṇu, and ‘Shreekara’ of Lord Śiva, ‘Ballāla’ was a great child devotee of Lord Ganesha. Every day, he used to collect a lot of his teen aged friends and perform the ‘play’ of worship of his Lord. These children used to collect some stones, leaves, flowers etc. and installing one of the stone as Lord Ganesha, perform it’s worship with great devotional emotion. Often, they used to walk a bit distance, away from their mini township and then become quite a bit late to reach back home for their lunch. One of such a day, the parents of a few such children met Ballāla’s father ‘Kalyāṇa’ and complained about this habit of his son. He was a merchant and saw a great loss in his business, as a result of this habit of his son. He therefore, took a stick and went to the place where the children were playing the play of worshiping a stone as Lord Ganesha. He kicked away the stone and scattered all the worship. Then, binding Ballāla with a rope to a nearby tree, he scolded and beat him up squarely. Child Ballāla was too upset by the behavior of his father and especially about the insult he showered on the stone, installed by him as Lord Ganesha. Boiling with anger, he cursed his father ‘to become blind, deaf, dumb & handicapped and suffer in this fashion for several lives’. The child had already earned so much spiritual credits and had reached such a high spiritual level, that his father got a ‘stroke’ like attack by the time he got back home, and did instantly become blind, deaf and dilapidated to walk on his legs or to do any work with his hands. As the child Ballāla was helplessly bound to the tree and suffered injuries inflicted by the stick beating, he kept on crying loudly in pain. All his friends had run away long back, fearing Kalyāṇa’s rage. He however kept on yelling ‘Ganeshā’, ‘Ganeshā’, ‘Gajānanā’ ‘Gajānanā’ etc. and believed that his God will come or send some help. Soon a brahmin priest appeared on the screen and untied the child and applied some medicines on his injuries. Ballāla believed that the Lord Ganesha himself had appeared in that form and built a Ganesha temple at that spot. That temple has become famous as ‘Ballāleshvara Vināyaka Mandira’.

Vyāsa : Oh Grandpā! thanks for telling me this very interesting story related with one of the Aṣṭa-Vināyaka temples, ‘Ballāleshvara’ located at Pāli, Maharashtra.

(to be continued…)

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

‘Yagyas’ – Your Connect with the Divine

Mrs. Rati Hegde

In the Durgā Sūktam, Jātavedās, interpreted physically as fire, represents the Omniscent Īśwara. He (the Divine Agni) is exhorted to lead us and protect us by taking us across all perils just as the captain takes the ship across the sea. He is also requested to save us from all wrong-doings. He is Tarasi – skilled in saving and helping in crossing over and He is requested to help us cross the ocean of Samsāra.

Yagya (Yajña) is a ritual in which the performer of the Yagya invokes any particular devatā via Agni (fire) with the help of a mantra, gives an oblation or offering to the devatā and asks for a blessing for the benefit of mankind, the environment, animals and every part of nature on this earth and beyond. While doing so, the Yajmāna (or the performer of the Yagya) also hopes that good fortune befalls him too, because he is through his offering, strengthening nature and the devatās. This is a divine ritual in Sanatan Dharma or Hinduism.

*Yagya is a medium of connectivity with the divine forces. Yagya is also a process of purifying atmosphere through the agency of fire. Vedas have two fundamental concepts and they are ‘Yoga’ and ‘Yagya’. Vedic texts describe in detail the processes of Yagyas. In fact, Yagya is at the core of all Vedas. A study of Vedic texts and Brāhamaṇas indicates the main components of Yagya as :  

a) Sankalp-divine resolve of the good of Society and self.

b) Agnidevatā Prasthāpana– Engagement of Prakāś Śakti (Light Energy) in the process of Yagya  

c) Havirdravya for oblations to be offered to the sacred fire for carrying them to the main Deity for which Yagya is being performed

d) Timing of Yagya as per position of constellations for Interplanetary Communications and Cosmic Energy Influences.

e) Mantras and Prayers-Sound Energy vibrations and frequencies for the desired effect as per Mantra Vijñān or Mantra Śāstra

f) Sacrifice for the sake of common good and

g) The Resonance Effect of all these components to carry through and achieve the Sankalp. The objective of Yagya has to be ‘Vyaṣṭi -Kalyān’ and ‘Samaṣṭi -Kalyān’. Only then can that particular act or ritual qualify to be called as a Yagya.*

When we usually talk of a Yagya we picture a ‘havankund’, i.e., a pit where wood is burned, ‘havis’ (food for the devatā) is offered, Brāhmins sitting around the ‘Yagnakund’ chanting mantras, elaborate rangolis, and a couple sitting in front of the Yagya offering their prayers. Yes, this is the way a ritualistic Yagya is conducted… but there are other forms of Yagyas in which only the fire element, the sincere prayer, the offering, the Yajmāna and the personal devatā are there. They may not fit into the Vedic elaborate Yagya as we usually know of, but it is a Yagya nevertheless.

Last year, when Modi ji asked everyone to light lamps as a thankful gesture to those who were our caregivers and our Covid heroes, many claimed that it was based on the Devī Purāṇa. During the battle against Mahiśāsura, Kātyāyaṇī (a form of Durgā Devī) is believed to have lost her energy on Aṣṭamī day. On Sandhi Pūjā Muhūrat she was re-energised and she killed Mahiśāsura. To this day, Bengalis light 108 lamps on this Muhūrat during Durgā Pūjā. This lighting of lamps (Agni), singing verses in praise of Mā (mantras), praying for relieving the universe from all kinds of negative energies, i.e., Asuras (benefit of mankind and strengthening the devatās) … all this is a form of Yagya itself, but it is done publicly without the involvement of any structured ritual or Yagnakund.

Another form of Yagya which almost everyone must have been involved in but never realised it to be so, is the burning of Holīkā or Kāma on the day before Dhulī-vandan on Holī festival. Holīkā–dahan or Kāma–Dahan is the burning of logs and old, unused stuff while invoking Śivā / Viṣṇu in the form of folk songs/ballads, thus destroying the tāmasic feelings in one.  People offer upalās (cow dung), maize, corn, ghee, etc. to the fire. The ‘Yajmāna’ and the ‘Purohita’, both are the self and blessings are asked for destruction of the negative elements in nature, in the surroundings and within us.

There is also another form of Yagya which everyone who is a practising hindu performs in their very own houses every day. This is the lighting of the diyā or the lamp during sandhyā (dawn/dusk). Here too Agni is invoked to send our prayers to the devatās, offerings are made (in the form of ‘prasād’) and prayers are offered to various devīs and devatās either through mantras or through our own words. We seek to destroy the negative energies in ourselves and our house and seek to strengthen the divine within us.

Another simplified form of Yagya which almost every Hindu housewife indulges in everyday in her kitchen is the lighting up of fire (in any form) to cook food (anna). In Chapter 5 of Yajñavalkya Smriti on the duties of a householder, Yajñavalkya refers to Pañch–yagnas which are supposed to be done nitya (everyday) – Bhuta Yagya (feeding of animals, birds, sick people, etc.), Svadhā ie. feeding of Pitṛs (by men, when they offer ‘anna’ to the Pitṛs before eating their food), Deva Yagya, i.e., feeding of food to fire, Brahma Yagya, i.e., Swādhyāya or learning of Vedas and finally Manuṣya Yagya, i.e., feeding the guests. In the above, since we cannot do Deva Yagya every day, it has become a custom to thank Agni when lighting the fire for the first time in the day for cooking, by offering a small piece of anything special that is cooked to Vaiśvadeva (the Agni in the cooking fire), by the housewife. Most housewives also like to keep a small piece of food for the crows or ants everyday and giving a ‘roti’ to the cows and the dogs is part of the Bhuta Yagya. The main ‘bhojana’ is first to be given to guests (Manuṣya Yagya), old people, pregnant women, children, etc and then the householders can consume the food. The importance of this fire is so much that even when any other Yagya takes place at home, the gṛhiṇī (housewife) is called upon to bring that fire to set light the first spark in the Yagnakund. Another form of Bhuta Yagna is when rangoli is drawn by using fine rice powder so that ants and other insects and small birds can consume it later.

What about children? Can they perform any Yagya? Well, you know the crackers that one bursts during Deepāvalī? While the lighting of the lamps and keeping it outside our homes or on window sills is to invite Mātā Lakṣmī and Prabhu Śrī Rām to our homes, I would like to claim that the bursting of crackers is the way we invoke the memory of our devatās through Agni and the sound of the crackers. This is how we introduce our children to Agni and Yagyas in a joyful way.

Purists may say that all of the above are not actually Yagyas, but the fact remains that all of the above are actually miniature versions of the elaborate Yagya rituals done to please/placate/energize our devīs and devatās and to energize ourselves too. Those who seek to bracket Hinduism as a religion with elaborate rituals aimed at trampling upon or restricting certain ‘castes’ from reaching out to God without any medium (like a Brāhmin Purohit) in between, do not know the vastness called Dharma. For every ritual which is elaborate and reaching out to the entire Brahmāṇda (universe), there also exists an extremely simple form (Piṇde) which bestows upon the devotee and the deity the same benefits as the elaborate one. Of course, the only condition is that there should be Śraddhā (faith) and Bhakti (devotion). In fact, without the two, even elaborate rituals do not give the prescribed results.

[*With inputs from Shri Anand Gaikwad]

Mrs. Rati Hegde, columnist and author

COVID-19 Induced Distress and Its Management through Vedic Sciences

–Brig JS Rajpurohit, Ph.D.

Stress is a universal truth that afflicts one and all. Every living being; reptiles, birds or animals; everyone goes through pangs of stress. In case of reptiles and animals, stress is for the most basic necessities for their survival. Maslow’s Physiological and Security needs of hierarchy are primary needs of all and that includes humans as well. Reptiles and animals get anxious and go into stress whenever their survival is at stake i.e. whenever their requirement of food, safety and progenies are threatened, they will either submit to more powerful or fight with the competitor. Animals including human beings are affected by emotions for their family & friends and that is one of the major causes of stress. 

(Source of Image: https://news.usc.edu/167512/covid-19-stress-coping-healthy-habits-usc-social-science-experts/)

Whenever under pressure individuals perform and achieve targets and objectives, it is called Eustress and when one is unable to manage himself, unable to achieve targets and feels that he cannot fight it out, he resorts to running away from the situation. Soon he gets into severe depression followed by stress called Distress.

Covid-19 is a very unique situation the world is witnessing in first half of 2020 and it may prolong for longer duration. Today, survival of humans as a race is threatened and like all other animals, man is also prone to distress. Esteem and Self-actualization are appearing distant and difficult to achieve. Respect, recognition and feeling of accomplishment is essential part of human life is finding back seat when people are contracting Covid-19 in hundreds every day. Death of loved ones has stressed them out and it is affecting all countries, races, caste, creed and colour across the planet. Governments all over are attempting to find remedies to the deadly disease. Physical social distancing, isolation, lockdown and quarantine have been found to be reasonable means to prevent spread of the disease.

Type of job, place of work, indoor or outdoor etc. does not matter, he/she needs that space and recognition in one’s life. In the situation that we all are in today during Covid-19 crisis, both boredom and anxiety are affecting all of us and getting locked into house aggravates the status.

Lockdown was ordered across India on 25th March 2020; no one is permitted to move out and all offices have been closed down. Work from home is the new norm where there are no work place friends to share intimacies. Zoom conferences are formal digital spaces where intimacies and informal discussions are not possible. There is limited space in house in urban colonies to move around, limited number of people to interact with and limited time-consuming activity to fill the time gap. There are very limited number of people in the home with whom one can interact and share feelings. Even if there is a standard family of four with aged parents in the house, inter-personal relational issues amongst the members is a reality; ghar-ghar ki kahani is the order of the day (pun intended). Consequently, it is difficult to share one’s inner feeling with relations at home. At times, it is observed that sharing and caring with spouses are formal and dutiful relations. Very limited interaction takes place with aged parents and conversations are limited. Majority time is spent on mobile, television and computers and still lot of time is available where all sessions of Time Management seem ineffective. Since 25th March 2020, Entire India is going through this phase with intermittent speeches by PM Mr. Narendra Modi and respective state CMs and other dignitaries of the government. All efforts are made to keep the population aware of the latest situation and providing all possible help for safety.

However, stress is coming up as the next issue with stay indoors regulations. All efforts by the government and other agencies, there is limited positive impact and social relational structure is affected adversely.

Euronews has reported increased cases of domestic violence and divorces in France since lockdown was imposed in the country. Tablighi Jamaat has continued its central prayers and congregations despite lockdown and orders from the government. Nefarious elements have continued to assault police and medical and health workers. People connecting up with psychiatrists and psychologists has gone up since the lockdown has been affected. Who would not go crazy in such a sensitive environment where disease and death hangs all over?

Management way of looking at Stress

Over a period of time, both boredom and anxiety are visible in society. India Electronic Media is all full of shows to help us all overcome the isolation and attempts to bring smiles on our faces. Boredom on account of limited activity and anxiety on account of increasing number of infections and deaths due to the deadly disease. The reality of impact of Covid-19 is giving no respite; whopping 2,18,386 deaths have been reported so far as on 29th April, 2020 and end is nowhere in sight. India has suffered 1007 deaths.

More and more cluster is cropping every day and more and more teams are ushered into service of mankind. This is biggest humanitarian assistance ever organized in the history. Economic slump, china hiding the facts and President Trump threatening China of dire consequences is further adding fuel to the fore of increasing stress levels amongst all sections of society. Anxiety, depression and stress are natural outcomes that are of bound to impact most of us.

Management of Covid-19 Induced Stress

Covid-19 has been studied by experts and they opine that prevention is better than cure. Means to handle the disease are in three stages: –

• Stage 1- Prevent contracting the disease by staying at home and not coming out in public.
• Stage 2. Isolate and quarantine at home for those infected.
• Stage 3. Medical treatment at designated hospitals for serious cases.

Stress in all stages of treatment may show some or more of following symptoms: –

• Boredom, anxiety, fatigued and wear out
• Lack of involvement and loss of interest in usual enjoyable activities
• Physical symptoms like high blood pressure, indigestion and uneasiness
• Short temper and anger
• Mood swings
• Insomnia
• Fear of unknown- fear of getting infected and if infected; fear of death.

Stress is outcome of psychological, biological and personality traits. Ability to handle mounting isolation and hopeless situation will decide if one will get into depression and stress. In order to come out of stress, we have to understand the corona virus and Covid-19 disease, its symptoms and how best we all can save people by efforts of individuals, elders in the family and following instructions given by the government from time to time. Some of the common measures are: –

• Organise the day. Start the day with morning physical exercises at home, call it one mat exercises.  Limitation of space has to be taken into account and exercise for minimum of 30 minutes daily. Thereafter divide the individual and family time plan.
• Plan and follow time table. It may include daily office chores, house hold jobs and hobbies. Family work plan will bring in variety and motivation to overcome boredom.
• Set Objectives. Weekly/fortnightly or monthly objectives be planned for seeking satisfaction and constructive use of time.
• Complement each other more often, laugh more than yesterday and find reasons to stay positive.
• Be passionate about life with simple rule- This too shall pass.

Indian Vedic Sciences and Stress Management

The fact that covid-19 is likely to affect many of us and its impact worldwide is disastrous; can be considered from the Vedic perspective as well.  Indian Vedic sciences is ocean of knowledge on stress management; only a fraction is discussed here.

Breath is basic parameter of stress; it exists in our breath and if you are able to control your own breath, stress can be identified and remedial yogic and breathing exercises can be practised to overcome the same. Fear of Covid -19 infection or death is likely to change breath pattern, it will become fast, heavy and compulsive indicating higher stress levels. Thoughts of fear and death release certain stress causing toxins in human body that can be consumed by various yogic asanas and pranayama. Chanting of Oṃ (ॐ) and Prāṇāyāma like anulom-vilom and bhrāmari will help in normalising blood pressure, mitigate toxins and give a soothing feeling.

Knowledge of Triguṇas  i.e. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas can help change own prakṛti from tāmsic to sāttvic. There is a predominant Guṇa in each one of us and the Guṇas change with the time of the day, kind of activities, and thought process.  Every time there is a thought of fear or death or isolation, they reflect one getting into Tamas or stress due to negative thoughts and belief. That will result into change in behaviour of person, severe depression and stress. One has to act immediately to come out of Tamas and enter the state of Rajas. The activity will use the toxins of the body and one starts feeling better and will now think of better days in times to come. The process will take one from Rajas to state of Sattva where ultimate relief from stress is felt. It is easier said than done but support of friends and family members can take one out of depression or the stress.

‘Stay home stay happy’ is the soul’s answer to stress management. Primarily, if we are able to consume the enzymes released in the body due to psycho-social conditions created in the Covid-19 rich environment, we shall be able to convert distress into eustress. Gainful use of time available is the call we need to take and shall be able to not only save ourselves and family members but also will be able to enjoy the time of togetherness gifted by the God Almighty.

–Brig JS Rajpurohit, Ph.D. Group Commander, Group HQ NCC, Gorakhpur (UP)

Subtle Effects of Music

– Dr. Jayant Balaji Athavale & Mr. Sean Clarke

Music can affect us at the physical, psychological and the spiritual levels. Physical and psychological impacts of music such as changing our heart rate or our mood are more well known, but the spiritual impacts are not known to the majority of people. The reason for this spiritual impact is because everything consists of the three subtle basic components of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.

Music too is made up of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Some types of music and dance are more Sāttvika and some are more Rājasika and Tāmasika. One’s choices in music and dance can increase Sattva or Raja–Tama in one’s life and in the environment thereby affecting one’s spiritual progress. It follows that if one listens to music that is higher in one of the components, it is likely to increase that component in us. Using a Universal Thermo Scanner (UTS), the Maharshi University of Spirituality conducted an experiment to find out how different types of music affect one’s consciousness.

1. Setup of the experiment

1.1 About the Universal Thermo Scanner

This instrument is used to measure the energy and the aura around any object (living or non-living). It has been developed by Dr. Mannem Murthy, a former nuclear scientist from Hyderabad, India in the year 2003. It can measure distressing vibrations along with positive vibrations emitted from an object. It is also able to measure the extent of the aura of the object into the surrounding area. When taking a measurement, the 2 arms of the scanner open out and the reading is taken based on how much the arms opened out in degrees. Only when the arms open out to 180° can the aura in relation to that aspect be measured.

Universal Thermo Scanner
For more information refer to: http://www.vedicauraenergy.com/universal-scanner/

1.2 Methodology

Four clips of music were selected for the experiment

1. A music track by a popular heavy metal band

2. A compilation of sounds by Marconi Union called Weightless

3. Indian classical music performed by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi

4. Holy songs sung by a Saint of the highest level – His Holiness Bhaktaraj Maharaj

Please refer to the following link to listen to the clips – https://www.spiritual.university/spiritual-research/experiments/subtle-effects-of-music-using-universal-thermo-scanner/

1.3 Steps in the experiment

• One individual from the Maharshi University of Spirituality took part in the experiment.
• A baseline reading was taken of the subject using the UT scanner before the experiment.
• The subject listened to the first clip for 5 minutes and thereafter a reading was taken of him with the UT scanner.
• Then the subject was left alone for 20 minutes before listening to the next track. This was so that the subject’s aura would return to the original baseline reading before commencing listening to the next track.
• Similarly, the subject listened to the second, third and fourth clips for 5 minutes each with a 20-minute break in between listening to each clip. A reading was taken of the subject using the UT scanner before (baseline reading) and right after (impact) listening to each clip.

2. Observations

The UTS instrument allows one to measure four types of energies emitted by a subject: infrared, ultra-violet, positive and total measured aura. Infrared and ultra-violet readings are considered as reading of a negative nature by the scanner. Also, only if both the arms of the scanner open out to a full 180 degrees can the distance of the aura of that aspect be measured. If the arms of the scanner open to less than 180 degrees, then it means that there is no aura in relation to that aspect.

Observations of the subtle effects of listening to each type of music are listed below –

3. Analysis and Conclusions

Based on the observations, listening to heavy metal had a spiritually harmful effect. Incidentally, in a separate study, lab rats who listened to a music track from the same band showed impaired learning ability and they turned aggressive and cannibalistic (Wertz, 1998) as compared to a control group.

The impact of listening to the clip of relaxing music was spiritually neutral. Interestingly, scientists have recently stated that this clip is the most relaxing piece of music ever (Forbes, 2016), so relaxation does not necessarily equate to spiritual benefit.

The artist singing the clip of Indian classical music is Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, who is one of the most celebrated artists in Indian classical music. Listening to this music did have a spiritually positive effect on the subject. More research needs to be done to determine if this positive effect was due to the extensive training of the artist, due to the genre of the music, vocals, instruments or a combination of these factors.

The subject benefited the most spiritually by listening to the song sung by a Saint. The benefit was far greater than that from listening to the clip of Indian classical music. This was despite the fact that the Saint had not received any formal training. Generally, an artist with more training is held in higher esteem, but this experiment indicates that conventional musical training may not be the main factor in determining the spiritual positivity of the music sung.

4. Spiritual science underlying the effect of each of the music clip on the subject

4A. An orchestra lacking in the Sattva subtle component produces music that is spiritually harmful :

If the various aspects of a musical composition such as its objective, music composer, the composition, instruments used, presentation, etc are lacking in spiritual purity, then the music created becomes spiritually harmful. This is the reason why ‘Heavy metal’ music was found to be spiritually harmful.

4B. Due to its foundation of Spirituality, Indian classical music is spiritually beneficial, whereas due to lack of a foundation of Spirituality, even the world’s most relaxing music is not spiritually beneficial :

Music is a medium of God-realisation. Indian classical music has a strong foundation of Spirituality. That is why, it has the capacity to create spiritually pure vibrations. The higher the spiritual level of the composer, the higher the proportion of spiritually pure vibrations emitting from his music. Such music is spiritually beneficial to the audience. – (Mrs.) Anjali Gadgil (Sangeet Visharad)

4C. Reasons why devotional song (Bhajan) sung by His Holiness Bhaktaraj Maharaj is spiritually beneficial:

4C 1. Blessings of His Guru : His Holiness Bhaktaraj Maharaj wrote and sang bhajans as His spiritual practice (Sadhana) as per the instructions of His Guru. That is why, His compositions have the blessing of His Guru.

4C 2. High spiritual level of the singer : There is Divine consciousness (Chaitanya) in the speech of a person with high spiritual level.

4C 3. Lack of ego : His Holiness Bhaktaraj Maharaj always said that ‘His Guru got the bhajans written and sung by him’. Thus, He did not have any ego about His poetry and singing. That is why, His bhajans are enriched with Chaitanya.

4C 4. The topic of the bhajan being spiritually pure : All the bhajans by His Holiness Bhaktaraj Maharaj are on various aspects of spiritual practice and spiritual experiences in a seeker’s journey. Thus, the topic of the bhajan is spiritually pure (Sāttvika).

4C 5. Origin of the word and sound being one and the same : The poet writes the song. Then the music composer composes suitable music or the poet strings words as per the given music. For poetry and music to emerge together is very rare indeed. However, in the case of bhajans by His Holiness Bhaktaraj Maharaj, the words and the music have always emerged from the same divine source. That it why, there is lot of Chaitanya in the bhajans.

– Dr. Jayant Balaji Athavale, Founder, Maharshi Adhyatma Vishwavidyalaya, & Mr. Sean Clarke, Spiritual Research Team Member, Maharshi Adhyatma Vishwavidyalaya, Goa

Challenges of Overcoming Religions to Advance India’s Traditions for the Global Welfare

-Prof. Bal Ram Singh

अपि स्वर्णमयी लङ्का न मे लक्ष्मण रोचते |

जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी ||

Api Swarnamayī Lankā na me Lakshmaṇa rochate
Jananī Janmabhumiścha Swargādapi Garīyasī 

These words are believed to have been uttered by Śri Rām towards end of his exile, after he had killed Rāvaṇa, and when he was told that Rāvaṇa’s brother, Vibhīṣaṇa, offered Rāma to enter the Lankā of golden structures and buildings and rule from there.

Not that he could not have said the same while in Ayodhyā, his utterance in Lankā, away from home assumes significance as he had in effect had become a non-resident Indian (NRI) who in modern times are away from the place of their birth, away from parents and families, and away from their culture.”

Much to be learned from following all faiths

In modern times, religion has become an instrument of utility, available to people of different interests and agenda to appropriate and exploit. Far from its actual meaning and intent, human beings are being denigrated, subjugated, and manipulated all in the name of religion. Religion originates from Re + legion, meaning re-association with the Supreme or God. That meaning establishes a spiritual journey as the purpose of religion. However, most religions, especially organized religions are nothing more than management of people. No wonder politicians and other power structures have been taxing religions to their purpose for the past two thousand years. After crusade, inquisition, and forced conversion by marching armies, proselytization through inducement, bluff, and exploitation of circumstances such as tsunami has come to the fore in recent years, especially in the Third World. During my recent trip to my village in Uttar Pradesh in India, I learned of conversion of eight Harijan families in a nearby village after orchestrated diagnosis and cure of ‘cancer’ with the prayer of Ishu (Jesus). This incident reminded me of my own encounter with an evangelist in my university who used to deliver goods from receivables. Francis 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 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 have much emphasis on Indic traditions, some ancient, some modern, and occasionally discussions about other traditions within India. About six months ago, after a bit of contentious panel discussion at our campus, I had to formulate my thoughts of my understanding of and relationship with Islam within the Indic tradition. I told a Muslim student on my campus that I am really trying to be a Musalmaan, the word commonly used for Muslims in India. He was quite puzzled, but curious to know my view further. “See, Musalmaan word is made of two words – Musallum + Imaan,” I continued. “Musallum means total and Imaan means honest. So, I really see the fundamental point of being a Musalmaan is to be totally honest, and I find that concept to be very attractive.” “However, the problem is that there is no true Musalmaan in the whole world,” I continued. The student asked me, “What about Hindus? What are they supposed to be and do?” “Oh, yes. I am a Hindu by birth. But it is equally hard to find a Hindu.” He seemed quite perplexed, and ready to hear my views on Hinduism. “You see, Hindus are supposed to see Iśwara or God in everyone and everything, and thus love them all equally and infinitely. Unfortunately, I have not met even one Hindu in my life.” Religious tension and tyranny seen now throughout the world, and in fact throughout history, have almost nothing to do with true meanings of religion. The discrimination, destruction, oppression, and atrocities in the name different religions originate in ignorance, greed, and ego. There is much to be learned by following Jesus Christ, trying to be a Musalmaan, and in being a Hindu, and these are not mutually exclusive concepts. This idea must be asserted in the world by young and old alike, and that is a challenge for the 21st century.

Postscript

Whatever is even left over culture of India, with connection of people with nature (Vāsudhaiva kuṭumbakam), accepting people for whatever they are (Ekam sat viprah bahudhā vadanti), following the truth of deeds rather than that of creeds (Satyameva jayate), embracing death rather than avoiding it (Mokṣa, or Sallekhana in Jainism), the world is manifestation of self (Ekoaham bahushyāmi), the entire universe is within us (Yad pinde tad brahmāṇde), etc. is perhaps the only hope to solve multifarious problems the world is facing today. India needs to expand its ideas, practice, and propagate in the world, through education, economics, and healthcare, the basic needs of people. No need to become parochial because other exclusive traditions have been like that. The new generation of India needs to bold and go where its immediate past generations have not gone before. In other words, become NRI!!

Indian culture was rampant throughout the world when even Europeans worshiped trees, a tradition to celebrate winter solstice, was adopted by Christian missionaries Christmas tree to falsely celebrate birth of Jesus (https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/christ-is-born).

Editor’s note – Above write up is an excerpt from the book ‘A Different Take – An NRI View of India in the Tradition of Ram, Krishn, and Gandhi‘

–Prof. Bal Ram Singh, President, Institute of Advances Sciences, Dartmouth, MA, USA and Editor-in-Chief, Vedic Blog

स्वतंत्रता की भारतीय शैली

-प्रोफ़ेसर बलराम सिंह

Independence का वास्तविक अर्थ आत्मनिर्भरता है। In का अर्थ है inside अर्थात् आत्मा के स्तर तक पहुँचना और फिर उसी पर निर्भर होना अथवा dependent हो जाना। जब व्यक्ति आत्मश: कार्यरत होता है तो उसका आत्मबल सदैव पुष्टित होता रहता है। उसके लिए सारा जग आत्मीय बन जाता है। वह ‘अयम निज: परोवेति’ की गणना लघुचेतीय समझता है। उसके अंत:करण में चिरक़ालीन उदारता झकोरे लेने लगती है, तथा ‘वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम’ के सम्मत भाव जागृत हो जाते हैं। यहाँ तक कि उनके यहाँ ‘संताने तनय व तनया’ तक न सीमित रहकर आत्मज और आत्मजा के रूप उत्पन्न होने लगती हैं अर्थात् आत्मबीज ही अंकुरित, पल्लवित, पुष्पित. व फलित होता है। ‘अहम् ब्रह्म अस्मि’ की अनुभूति सार्थक हो जाती है। ये है independence की वास्तविक महिमा! ये एक दिन में सीमित नहीं हो सकता, ये तो कल्पों का माजरा है जनाब!!

Independence का दूसरा अर्थ है है स्वाधीनता, अर्थात् अपने को पूरी तरह से पहचान कर उसके आधीन हो जाना अथवा उसी की सत्ता के आधीन कार्यरत हो जाना। अपने को पहचानने का अभिप्राय है अपने धर्म को पहचानना, और उसी आधार पर गुण और कर्म निर्धारित करना। स्वधर्म की पहचान का तात्पर्य है अपनी प्रकृति को गहराई से समझना, बूझना, और परखना। जब व्यक्ति इस स्तर पर पहुँच जाता है तब अपनी प्रकृति को ही आधार बनाकर उसी में श्रद्धा एवं भक्ति से संलग्न होकर कर्म करता है। उसके अतिरिक्त कुछ नहीं करता। श्रीकृष्ण ने भगवद्गीता में इसका उद्धरण इस प्रकार किया है- ‘स्वधर्मे निधनम श्रेय: परधर्मों भयावह’, अर्थात् अपने धर्म के अनुसार आचरण में सबकुछ मिट जाना भी श्रेयस्कर है। यही नहीं किसी अन्य के धर्म अर्थात् प्रकृति का आचरण भयावह होता है इसलिए स्वाधीनता अत्यंत आवश्यक मानवीय दशा है जो मानव ही नहीं बल्कि पूरी समष्टि के लिए कल्याणकारी है।

Independence का तीसरा अर्थ है स्वतंत्रता अर्थात् अपना ही तंत्र होना चाहिए चाहे वो पारिवारिक हो, सामाजिक हो, आर्थिक हो, शैक्षिक हो, अथवा राजनीतिक हो। दूसरों की व्यवस्था यद्यपि उनके लिए कितनी भी उच्च एवं सराहनीय क्यों न हो किसी और के लिए तनावपूर्ण, बलाघाती, भयंकर कलह का कारण बन सकती है। अतः किसी भी देश को एक ऐसी व्यवस्था का सृजन करना चाहिए जिसके अंतर्गत हर एक व्यक्ति को सम्पूर्ण मुक्ति रहे कि वह व्यक्तिगत, पारिवारिक, तथा सामाजिक स्तरों पर अपने ही तंत्र के अनुकूल जीवन यापन कर सके। यह व्यवस्था बाह्य रूप से प्रारम्भ में अनेकता के सिद्धांत पर ही आधारित हो सकती है, अर्थात् कोई uniform civil code नहीं, कोई संविधान नहीं, कोई अधिवक्ता या न्यूनतवक़्ता नहीं, कोई AC में विराजित न्यायाधीश नहीं। मात्र धरातलीय प्रबुद्धजनो की आवश्यकता होती है जिनमे आचार विचार से आत्मबोध झलकता हो। वही सर्वभूतानाम की स्वतंत्रता सुनियोजित व  सुनिश्चित कर सकते है इसीलिए भारत ऋषियों का देश रहा है, स्वतंत्रता के लिए। आधुनिक स्वतंत्रता दिवस  को प्रेरणा का आधार मानकर स्वतंत्रता को शाश्वत बनाने के लिए संकल्पित हों, और इसी का पर्व मनायें आज and forever!! शुभम्

– Prof. Bal Ram Singh, School of Indic Studies, Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, MA, USA

वेदों के प्रकाश में अपने स्त्रीत्व को खोजें व सही अर्थों में स्वतंत्रता प्राप्त करें

– Mrs. Suvrata Vinod

[ Editor’s Note – शास्त्रार्थ की संवाद शैली का प्रयोग करते हुए लेखिका ने अपने विचारों को यहाँ रखा है।]

शंका – वेद है क्या?

समाधान – वेद एक नियत शब्दराशि है।

शंका  – फिर ये शब्द दूसरे शब्दों से विशेष क्यों? इतिहास के गर्त में न जाने कितनी संस्कृतियाँ, राष्ट्र, समाज, व्यक्ति आए गए।बहुत थोडों का स्मरण शेष रहता है।वह भी अंशों में।वेद भी तो किसी के द्वारा बनाये गये थे और अत एव नष्ट हो रहे है।

समाधान – क्या सब कुछ मनुष्यकृत होना जरुरी है?

शंका – अर्थात् नही।

समाधान – तो सब वाक्य मनुष्यकृत होना जरुरी है?

शंका – हाँ।

समाधान -क्या कोई मनुष्य बिना किसी का वाक्य सुने, वाक्योच्चारण करते देखा गया है?

शंका – नही।परंतु पुरा काल में ऐसा हुआ होगा।

समाधान – अदृष्टपूर्वकल्पना बिना हेतु के करना अंधश्रद्धा है।फिर देखो जीवित कोष से ही कोषांतर देख रहे हो, मान भी रहे हो। ऐसे ही गुरु के पूर्वोच्चारण से शिष्य का अनूच्चारण होता है ऐसा दीख रहा है। फिर सदा से ऐसा हो रहा है ऐसा मानने में क्या आपत्ति है। इन वेदवाक्यों को गुरुशिष्य परंपरा से अत्यंत पवित्रता व परिश्रम से हृदयाकाश में सुरक्षित रक्खा जाता है। वेद किसी लिखित-मुद्रित पुस्तक का नाम नही है।वेद गुरु के हृदय में निवास करते है। उपदेशद्वारा गुरु उसे शिष्य के हृदय में संक्रामित करते है। तब शिष्य भी गुरु होने योग्य हो जाता है। जो वेदों को हृदय में धारण करते है उन्हें हम वेदवित् कहते है। ऐसे व्यक्ति के लिए उसके अपने राग-द्वेष, likes-dislikes, अच्छा-बुरा एक तरफऔर दुसरी तरफ वेदों के विधि-निषेध दोनों ही सामने उपस्थित होते हैं। यही पर पुरुषार्थ का अवसर है जो हमे प्रत्येक व्यक्ति में भिन्न भिन्न स्तर का ज्ञात होता है। जिसके पास पूर्ण स्वातंत्र्य हो उसे सिद्ध वा स्थितप्रज्ञ कहा जाता है।

रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन्।आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति। श्रीमद्भगवदगीता २.६४

(राग और द्वेष से वियुक्त होकर विषयों का इंद्रिय से ग्रहण करते हुए, उन इंद्रियों को अपने वश ऱखते हुए, न कि उनके दास बनकर, जो व्यक्ति शास्त्रविधि से प्रेरित होकर कार्य करता है वह प्रसन्नता को पाता है। )

यह स्वतंत्रता ही आर्य जीवन में श्रेष्ठता का मापदंड है। जिसमें यह स्वतंत्रता नहीवत् होती है उसे दूसरों के द्वारा नियंत्रित करना आवश्यक हो जाता है। एवं जो व्यक्ति राग-द्वेषों पर नियंत्रण रखते हुए विधि-निषेध का पालन कर सके वह दूसरों को अपने अधीन रखने की योग्यता पाता है। विचारशील व्यक्ति को स्वयं के राग-द्वेष तो विना उपदेश स्वयमेव ज्ञात होते है परंतु विधि-निषेध का ज्ञान तो मनुष्यमात्र को उपदेश से ही प्राप्त होता है।

शंका – उपदेश ग्रहण करने की योग्यता वा पात्रता क्या है?

समाधान – पवित्र वेदों के धारण के लिए योग्य शिष्य चाहिए। जैसे पानी भरने के लिए मजबुत साफ घडा चाहिए।

नाविरतो दुश्चरितान्नाशान्तो नासमाहितः। कठोपनिषद् २.२४

(दुश्चरित से जो बाज नही आया, जो शान्त और समाहित-चित्त नही है, वह केवल प्रज्ञान से उसे (परमात्मा को) नही पा सकता।) 

तदेतत् सत्यमृषिरंगिराः पुरोवाच नैतदचीर्णव्रतोऽधीते। मुण्डकोपनिषद् ३.२.११

(इस (औपनिषदिक आत्म) सत्य को ऋषि अंगिरा ने पहले कहा, इसे वह व्यक्ति न पढे जिसने व्रताचरण न कर लिया हो।) 

तस्मै स विद्वानुपसन्नाय सम्यक् प्रशान्तचित्ताय शमान्विताय प्रोवाच। मुण्डकोपनिषद् १.२.१३

(विद्वान् गुरु उसे उपदेश करे जो पास रहकर सेवा करता है, जिसका चित्त ठीक से शान्त है और जिसकी वासना भी शमन हो गई है।) 

यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः। श्रीमद्भगवदगीता १५.११

(प्रयत्न करते हुए भी, जिसने अपने कर्तव्य को पुरा नही किया है, वैसे मूढ जन उसे (परमात्मा को) नही देखते।) 

शंका – कहाँ से आयेगा ऐसा शिष्य?

समाधान -परमेश्वर ने यह दायित्व स्त्री को दिया है।

मातृमान् पितृमान् आचार्यवान् पुरुषो वेद। बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् ४.१.२-७

उत्तम माता, उत्तम पिता और श्रेष्ठ गुरु हो जिसका वही पुरुष उसे (परमात्मा को) जानता है। 

माता पतिव्रता यस्य पिता यस्य शुचिव्रतः। वाल्मीकि रामायण

माता जिसकी पतिव्रता हो और पिता जिसका शुचिव्रत अर्थात् वेदानुयायी है, उसी का मन ललचाता नही है। 

वह क्या है जो स्त्री के पास विशेष है? क्या में इस बहुमूल्य योग्यता को पहिचानती हूँ? क्या मैं इसका सही मूल्य कर पा रही हूँ? इसे संजोए रखने के लिए कुछ त्याग करने को भी तैयार हूँ?

शंका -आप किस बारे में बात कर रहे है हमें नहीं पता।

समाधान -यूरोप अमेरिका में 50 % स्त्रियाँ विवाह करना ही नहीं चाहती।क्या आजकल इंद्रिय-संयम ब्रह्मचर्य बहुत आसान हो गया है? 16 साल से कम उम्र में ही 90% से अधिक कन्याएं अपने कौमार्य को खो देती है।क्या हम भी इनके पिछे चल नहीं रहे? हमारी वेशभूषा तो कुछ ऐसा ही कह रही है।

शंका – क्या ऐसा होने से योग्य शिष्य पैदा नहीं हो सकेंगे? आजकल तो सब बहुत चमक-धमक वाला दीखता है।चारों ओर सुंदर-सुंदर स्त्री-पुरुष।कितना मनोहारी दृश्य है।कितने रंग! कितने स्वाद! कितनी सुगंध! इतनी विविधता प्रचुरता क्या पहले कभी थी? विज्ञान ने हर क्षेत्र मे नई ऊँचाईयों को छु लिया है। हमारे कई प्रश्नों के उत्तर दिये है। मानव आज अधिक सामर्थ्यवान् है।

समाधान – बिलकुल ठीक।मेरे अपने अनुभव से गत 30-40 वर्षों में हम बहुत बदल गये है। हमारे सही-गलत के मापदंड ही परिवर्तीत हो गये। कई बाते जो पूर्व में निंदात्मक थी वे आज प्रतिष्ठित है।जैसे मदिरापान, विवाहपूर्व संबंध, भ्रष्टाचार-रिश्वतखोरी।सर्वत्र दोगला व्यवहार दीख रहा है।अंदर एक बाहर एक।हमारे मापदंड तो परिवर्तनशील है पर क्या प्रकृति के मापदंड भी बदलते है। और अगर प्रकृति के मापदंड नही बदलते तो क्या हम अब सिर्फ नाम के फलाना-फलाना रह गये। संज्ञामात्र! वस्तु बदल गयी लेबल पुराना। प्रश्न है, वेद को धारण करना, आत्मज्ञान प्राप्त करना, इसकी योग्यता पात्रता हमारे मापदंड बदलने मात्र से क्या बदल जायेंगी? क्या पोथी-पुस्तक पढ कर पंडित हो जा सकता है क्या? शुद्धचित्तता हमारी कल्पना का विषय नहीं अपितु नितांत वास्तविकता है जैसे की सुवर्ण की सुवर्णता। हमारे purity standard घटाने मात्र से क्या सुवर्ण अपने स्वरूप को पा सकता है? यदि नहीं, तो हमे याद रखना होगा की वेदों को धारण करने की योग्यता भी हमें यथार्थ में प्राप्त करनी पडेगी। ऐसे अधिकारी शिष्य को जन्म देना और उसका संगोपन करके पिता एवं अनन्तर आचार्य के अधीन करना यह स्त्री का अनन्य कर्तव्य है।

(Source of image: https://www.menstrupedia.com/articles)

क्या हमे सोचना चाहिये कि नारी स्वतंत्रता हमे कौन सिखा रहा है।क्या हमारे सुसंस्कृत समाज को इसकी जरूरत थी।कहते है-

न स्त्री स्वातंत्र्यमर्हति । मनुस्मृति

स्त्री को यथोचित पुरुष को पुछे बिना कार्य नही करना चाहिए। 

यह अन्याय है। परंतु स्त्री ही नहीं धर्म किसी को भी स्वतंत्र मनमाना व्यवहार करने की अनुमति नही देता।

कः स्वतंत्रः यः ईश्वरतंत्रः।कः परतंत्रः यः इन्द्रियतंत्रः ।मधुसूदन सरस्वती

कौन स्वतंत्र है? जो ईश्वर के अधीन है। कौन परतंत्र है? जो इंद्रियों के अधीन है।

या तो आप साक्षात् वेद को धारण कर आत्मानुशासन में रहें या…। पर समाज में बहुत कम लोगों की यह काबिलियत होती है। इसलिए अधिकांश लोगों को उन आत्मानुशासित वेदपुरुष के मार्गदर्शन में रहने को कहा।जो कि निरहंकार भाव से देखने पर आसान विकल्प है सुखकर भी। If benefit is the same then why carry the burden of freedom.जो तो आत्मनियंत्रण से अथवा स्वेच्छा से किसी के नियंत्रण में रहकर प्रकृति के नियमों का पालन करते हुए निर्दिष्ट दायित्वों का निर्वाह करता है वह उन दायित्वों से मुक्त होकर अधिकाधिक आनन्द अनुभव करता है।इसके विपरीत स्वेच्छाचारी अधिकाधिक बंधनों मे जकड़ता चला जाता है।

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्।आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः।।बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः।आत्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत्।।जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः। श्रीमद्भगवदगीता 6.5-6

अपना उद्धार करे न की अपने आप को गिरा दे। स्वयं ही अपना बंधु है, जिसने अपने आप को जीत लिया। अन्य व्यक्ति जिसका इंद्रिय एवं चित्त स्वयं के वश में नही है, वह तो स्वयं ही स्वयं का शत्रु है। जितात्म-प्रसन्नचित्त व्यक्ति के परमात्मा सदैव पास ही है। 

आइये! वेदों के प्रकाश मे अपने स्त्रीत्व को खोजे व सही अर्थों मे स्वतंत्रता प्राप्त करे।

– Mrs. Suvrata Vinod, Anandavan Bhakta Samudaya, Institute of Advanced Studies in Veda and Science.

Mahā Śivarātri

– Mrs. Kamlesh Kapur

Worship of Śiva as part of Holy Trinity

Śivarātri is celebrated by all Hindus. Many Hindus go to the temple and spend the evening singing devotional songs. Some celebrate it in home temple observing fast and doing prayers. The main places where this festival is celebrated with great pomp are at the twelve Jyotir Lingas—Śiva temples. These are at Kedarnath, Varanasi, Vaidynath, Ujjain (Avanti), Somnath, Dwaraka, Omkareshwar, Trimbakeshwar, Ghrishneshwar, Srisailam, Bhimashankar, and Rameshweram. For Hindus, these are the place for pilgrimage.

Many Hindus believe that Śiva as the life force is the creator of the universe. They believe in the ancient saying, “The creation is neither characterized by Lotus (the emblem of Brahma) nor by the Chakra (the emblem of Vishnu) nor by the Vajra (the emblem of Indra). Therefore, all creations are born of Maheshwara.” (Ganapati: Song of the Self by John A. Grimes)

Ten Praanas and atman are eleven Rudras mentioned by Yajanvalkya in Upanishad. The same are also mentioned in Yajurveda. As ten Rudras and the atman enters a living being, life begins. As these depart, life ends for that person. Rudras being good and mangalmai (auspicious) are known as Śiva or Śivam. Below is the picture of Lord Śiva as Nataraja. In Tamilnadu, India, there is a temple at Chidambaram. It is believed that at this place, Śiva performed the dance of creation. There are beautifully sculpted figures showing 108 postures and mudras (hand gestures) of Śiva’s dance.

Procedure and Ceremony on Śivarātri

Devas are invited. Śiva is invited. Yajna is performed by the community. Offerings are made with chants. Devotees sing devotional music. Ceremony ends with peace prayer. On Śivarātri, Hindus pray to the pillar of light for strength to keep peace within and in the world. Śiva manifested Himself as a pillar of light/ fire. Students may remember that the light in Hindu tradition refers to enlightenment, knowledge, vision, good speech, and wisdom. On the darkest night of the month in February, Śiva appears as the pillar of light to end ignorance. Ignorance gives birth to anger, violence, untruth, conflict, and darkness. All these are dark forces disturbing not only a person’s mental peace, but these forces also destroy peace in the society and in the nation.

Prayers are offered for the well-being of all the people in the world:

Asdo ma sad gamyo, tamso ma joyitir gamyo

Mrityor mam amritam gamyo

Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niramya

Sarve bhadarani pachyantu ma kaschit dukha bhagbhavet

Karpur Gouram karunavtaram, samsara saram bhujgendra haaram,

Sada vasantam, hrideya arvinde, bhavam Bhawani sahitam namami

On Śivarātri, during the prayer ceremony, usually, eleven kalashas (earthen round pots with water) are placed in a circle, symbolizing ten Praanas. The eleventh kalasha, the symbol of the Atman is placed in the middle.

In Kalahasti temple at Varanasi, the puja is performed showing the hand of time moving. In creation, transformation, and destruction, it is the hand of time that carries us forward. Thus, Śiva Linga is that pillar of two tattavas (elements) responsible for the formation of the earth and its atmosphere.

Śivalinga

The most popular form worshipped is the Śivalinga. Śivalinga is the bottomless pillar of light. In the beginning, there was only space; then a lighted pillar appeared—the echo sounded as the vibration of Aum, air (Vayuh) filled the atmosphere. The friction caused fire (Agni). In one of the Yajurvedic mantras, this pillar of light is referred to as Svastambhitam. It is believed that this happened on the day of Śivarātri. Śivarātri, that is, Śiva’s Night, is the famous festival in honor of Lord Śiva. The pillar has no base, for the space has no beginning or end. At best we can compare it with a shooting star. The light appeared and vanished having created the two tattavas (elements of air and fire), essential elements for sustaining life. There is a sculptured fresco of this stambha in the ASI archives. During the Indus-Sarasvati age (5000 BC to 1900 BC), people offered prayers to Śivalinga.

Below is the picture of Śivalinga

Linga means a pillar (stambha)- a pillar of light Linga means a “mark” in Sanskrit. It is a symbol that points to an inference. For he is the life force, the air we breathe. The pillar of light arising from Agni, the fire, and fanned by the pure air makes the shape of Śivalinga. In the evolution of elements, air fills the space followed by fire making the unfathomable base of the pillar, and thus, together they complete the basic sustenance for life on earth. Hindus worship this pillar as Śivalinga, knowing fully well that Śiva is unfathomable and formless. He has no form of his own, and yet all forms are his forms. Śiva is everywhere all the time. Stark and geometric, the linga is meant to represent, in an abstract fashion, a pillar. As a pillar, it stands for Śiva as the axis of existence, which Hindus believe extends from the Absolute to the everyday world. From this axis, the world is born, and it is to this axis that it will return to before complete annihilation at the end of time (end of the kalpa).

“Every form is the form or Linga of Lord Śiva. The Linga is only the outward symbol of the formless being, Lord Śiva—Lord Śiva incarnate, who is the indivisible, all-pervading, eternal, auspicious, ever-pure, immortal essence of this vast universe, who is the undying soul seated in the chambers of one’s heart, who is one’s Indweller, innermost Self or Atman and who is identical with the Supreme Brahman.”

There is also the literary evidence of puja of this stambha in Valmiki’s Ramayana. Ravana prayed to Śiva for a long time, and then he wanted to take him along with the Kailash Mountain. He shook it hard and was able to take an elongated piece of the rock, which he thought was the essence of Śiva’s being. Ravana started the puja of this stambha. Sri Rama also performed puja of this stambha before crossing the ocean. This story is sculpted in part at Kailash cave 16 at Ellora. Worked from top to bottom, the temple happens to be the largest monolithic temple made out of one rock. Ravana’s chariot is also carved. This archaeological evidence also reveals the idea of the Stambha. Long pillar, if constructed needs a base, and the base is in the diya; the combination of Vayu and Agni was thus completed. Artists down the ages created amazing pieces of art using diverse art media. Though early paintings did not survive the ravages of time and the invasions, cave temples, frescoes, rock temples and bronze statues have survived.

Here is another picture of Śiva created by the artists.

Śiva is sitting in yogic posture. The river Ganges is falling from his hair. He has snakes around his neck, blue patch of poison on the throat, moon on his forehead; and his third eye is closed. A yogi is not afraid of the obstacles. In Hindu tradition, snakes usually symbolize worries, negative emotions, temptations, and obstacles. The blue patch on the throat is poison. A yogi digests the good and the bad equally well. Because of the blue patch on his throat, he is also called Nilakantha. The river Ganges is known as Sursari, which means its origin is Devaloka (associated with the cloud system or the atmosphere). The river may not descend with the full destructive force; so Śiva releases it slowly. The abode of Śiva is Mount Kailash in the Himalayas. Snow is the symbol of purity and austerity of mind. Thus, through this symbol, several concepts are connected—the origin of the Ganges from the Himalayas, the rainwater swelling the river and the rain originating from the cloud system. Śiva’s eyes are half closed, which indicates even though he is in meditation, he is aware of the material world. Śiva’s third eye signifies the eye of wisdom. Śiva is worshipped as Śiva and Parvati. He is also worshipped as Nataraja: King of Dance or Simply Dancing Śiva.

Below is another picture of Śiva as Nataraja which symbolizes Kaal and Mahakaal:

Śiva as the king of dance shows the rhythmic cycle of birth, transformation, and death of life. It also signifies that the world as we see today may not be there at the end of the kalpa. Both the Creation and the annihilation are an integral part of all life. The upper right hand has tabor (dummaroo), which symbolizes the sound of creation. The lower right hand is raised in half-moon gesture, the upper left hand has flame of destruction in its palm, and the lower left hand is showering blessings. One leg is raised indicating remaining above the material world, and the other leg presses hard on all that is negative and evil.The late astrophysicist, Carl Sagan (1934-1996) in his book, Cosmos, asserts that the Dance of Nataraja (Tandava) signifies the cycle of evolution and destruction of the cosmic universe. Carl Sagan further says, “The most elegant and sublime of these is a representation of the creation of the universe at the beginning of each cosmic cycle, a motif known as the cosmic dance of Lord Śiva. The God called in this manifestation Nataraja, the Dance King. In the upper right hand is a drum whose sound is the sound of creation. In the upper left hand is a tongue of flame, a reminder that the universe, now newly created, will billions of years from now be utterly destroyed.”

No matter, how we worship, Śiva is the ultimate reality of the cosmic reality as well as the life circle of all life anywhere and everywhere.

 –Mrs. Kamlesh Kapur, Author and Educator, USA

A Narration of Experiences of a Wife in Gurukul Life as Per Vedas in Contemporary Times

– Mrs. Suvrata Vinod

I had been living a life of a modern career woman with a flourishing profession as a management consultant to many MNCs way back in 1990s. I got introduced to spirituality as a tool of Behavioual Science as is prevalent in our society today. I had a traumatic personal life with much confusion about customs and values. Destiny led me to a situation where I could jump to a new challenge of a ‘Life for Yajna’ (यज्ञार्थात् कर्मणोन्यत्र लोकोयं कर्मबन्धनः….Gita 3.9) rather than ‘Spirituality for Material progress’. Suddenly, I found myself learning and practising Vedic Life far removed from our familiar city life. A flood of some latent memories of Achara (Customary practices) came to me and I started understanding Spirituality not as a distant learning but something which I had left incomplete in some previous attempt due to some mischief or loss of patience (पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोपि सः…..Gita 6.44).

We were staying on the banks of River Narmada in Gujarat at that time. We had an Ashrama away from any village leave aside any town. We started with a purifying performance called ‘सर्वप्रायश्चित्तं’ in the presence of learned Brahmins of all the four Vedas. Our Guruji had taught my Pati our ancestral Shakha called Taittiriya Yajurveda. We now wanted to practise Karma Yoga as the Chosen Path.(लोकेस्मिन् द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ। ज्ञानयोगेन सांख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम्। Gita 3.3) We decided to undertake a life of Grihastha with mandatory Panch Mahayajnya.(पंच वा एते महायज्ञाः..) Besides, we decided to share our learnings with whomsoever wishes to but in the prescribed fashion.

Two brahmacharins came to us for learning Veda. We had a small piece of land to cultivate and we bought a cow to complete our duties of fire worship etc. Narmada was 150 steps below and we chose not to have electricity, water-supply, road or telephone. We did keep a scooter to do a fortnightly visit to the nearest town Rajpipla.

(Source of Image : http://gurukul.ashram.org/Home/A-Day-In-Gurukul)

The day starts early in the dark hours of pre-dawn. I would get up even before Acharya and Shishyas. I started with putting on the oil-lamp. Then I would visit the cow-shed to cleanup the cowdung. We will require this cowdung for making round-balls for preserving the household sacred-fire (गृह्याग्नि) incessantly. This practice is prevalent throughout the present day Vedics but I am told that this is just an Apad-dharma or contingency. They say, unknown to many practising Vedics, Vedas have no mention of using cowdung as fuel. [Footnote 1: Anyways, this is what we used till we shifted to Garhwal Himalayas. This part of the story will come in due course. But in short, over there we had an access to abundant dry firewood in the forest and a practise of keeping perpetual fire on logs of wood, without depleting the forest, by judicious cyclic usage.] After cleaning the cowshed, I would throw a bundle of dry fodder or green grass cut the previous evening from the fields to the cow as was the practise in Gujarat and come back to the hermitage. Meanwhile, Acharya would be sitting in the verandah surrounded by yawning young shishyas. They would be doing Pratah-smaranam. I also know the chants by everyday use but I never needed to learn them. प्रातरग्निं प्रातरिन्द्रँ हवामहे। प्रातर्मित्रावरुणा प्रातरश्विना। प्रातर्भगं पूषणं ब्रह्मणस्पतिम्। प्रातः सोममुत रुद्रँ हुवेम। They would be chanting this Sukta after their Apam-upasparshanam, splashing water on the face and sipping. He would ask them to drink cool water kept in the night in copper-vessel. And even I would drink some warm water. We used to go for bowels in woods at a distance and nearby for urination. [Footnote 2: Smritis have a detailed description of this मलनिर्मोचन. We admit that with the ever-shrinking space for human inhabitation, this is almost irrelevant now. But, Acharya tried to practise the prescribed way and he observes that the texts are very careful in maintaining hygiene and also respect the Mother Earth, Wind, Waters, Fire, Directions and Sun, all as Devata. This leads to a very healthy nature-friendly life, though we may find it cumbersome. We may envy their extravagant natural resources, the luxury of wild country-space.] This शौचमाचमनं is going on along with morning class of Veda-Avritti. This used to be hilarious or sometimes painful also for the young ones with all their sleepiness. They would be reciting with the Acharya doing Dhyanam or contemplation. This is the time which gives the best of insights into Past, Present and Future. Acharya would sit peacefully while I would dust the rooms and sprinkle water in the court-yard. I would draw Rangoli unless I am unfit in my natural menstrual cycle. Acharya told me an anecdote of how stupid and arrogant we are as the children of modern age. He once read a shloka ‘वैश्वदेवस्य यः कर्ता तस्य भार्या रजस्वला। भिक्षा तत्र न कर्तव्या यतिना हितमिच्छता।।‘ He construed it to mean: ‘He who is doing Vaishvadeva Homa, means his wife is unfit due to menses and hence Yati should avoid his house for Bhiksha, as it is certainly impure.’ He assumed due to unexposure to real practise that Vaishvadeva is to be done by the person who cooks. So naturally the wife would be ordinarily doing Vaishvadeva everyday. The day she is out, husband would cook and also perform Vaishvadeva. Now, along comes a Yati for Bhiksha and when he sees the husband doing Vaishvadeva, he understands the situation and walks away without having to be told the inside story! The readers are invited to share their interpretation as an exercise-problem to explain the importance of actual exposure to practises to interpret texts faithfully to the intention of the composer. We will answer the correct interpretation in the next issue. Acharya says, his Guruji in Kashi was ammused with this brilliant interpretation which was just false! Ofcourse he was crest-fallen and enlightened simultaneousely when the simple and elegant actual meaning was told by his Guruji.

This Rangoli is different for different clans. It also shows lots of innovations and adaptations. But the idea of fresh and pure household, fit for a ‘Life for Yajnya’ is what is common to all of them. This is our cultural unity in diversity in external form. We will keep sharing these little pieces, if the readers like it.

To be continued….

– Mrs. Suvrata Vinod, Anandavan Bhakta Samudaya, Institute of Advanced Studies in Veda and Science.