We are very often faced with situations which we can not help, at times, we have to endure. The best solution to such situations is to convert such occasions to our convenience & advantage.
Here at Mussafah where we stay, the clinic is over crowded and it takes a minimum of two hours to see the doctor for consultation, it is frustrating to sit in the clinic which is not ideal place to spend such a long time. We had this enduring experience on two / three occasions earlier.
Hence I thought I would go to the clinic with my I-pod full of songs to my liking, so that I enjoy listening songs irrespective of the atmosphere. It worked, when I went last time, it took me more than 2 hours to come out; I enjoyed my music all the while.
We should try to change the situations to our advantage, so life can be made easier.
Monday 29 September 2008
NAMASANKEERTHANAM 1
Every Sunday Jaya TV airs the programme Namasankeerthanam at 0430 UAE time (0600 IST). Namasankeerthanam is performed by Vittal Maharaj from Govindapuram near Kumbakonam. This programme starts with 30 minutes of Bhajan followed by 30 minutes of Upanyasam on Topics of Bhakti.
I am jotting down all the points I have heard this morning, so that my ideas are clear while writing as well I may be able to revise them at a later date. Once I write I will not forget it for ever. In case if some body bumps into this site, they may also be benefited if this topic is of interest to them.
1. Brahma's Life:
Brahma's calendar is entirely different that of human being.
According to Hindu calendar there are four Yugas, all four Yugas is 50 lakh Man years. Brahma's day ie 12 hours is 50 lakh Man years, so one Brahma day is 100 Lakh man years. One Brahma year is 100 x 364 lakh Man years. His life is 100 years, so his full life is equivalent of 100 x 100 x 364 Lakh Man years ie 364 X 106 years.
2. Nama Mahima:
When a Baktha prays to Lord, HE is so pleased with Baktha to the extent of helping him in all fronts. When Draupadhi, calls 'Govinda', He sends a sari of such a length, which Duchchasana was unable to strip her & gave up becoming tired. Lord helps her in war as being an ambassador & go to Kauravas for negotiations for their rightful Rajya. HE becomes the Ratha Sarathi of Arjuna during Kurikshetra war. He helps Uthira from Aswathama's Brahmastra in protecting Parikshit in her womb. When he returns to Vaikundam, he tallies his account for the Bakthi of Draupadhi & the help HE had rendered to Pandavas, he found that HE has only repaid the interest for her Bakthi, not the principal, this he laments to Udhava, before HIS departure to Vaikundam. Such is the value of Bakthi if done with full devotion.
3. Nama Smaranam:
Vittal Maharaj also advised that if one falls short of time, he can take the Nama at least while bathing, when one has nothing else to do. This is good practice which can easily be followed.
3. Vaikundam:
Sant Gnaneswar, saint from Maharashtra lived at Alandi, near Pune was one of the very famous Bakthas of Pandarpur Vittala. He says if you want to attain Mukthi, Please come to Pandarpur for a glimpse of Vittal & your seat is reserved at Vaikundam & you will be admitted as & when your soul sheds your body.
All the above are only for people who believe in GOD & have faith in HIM.
I am jotting down all the points I have heard this morning, so that my ideas are clear while writing as well I may be able to revise them at a later date. Once I write I will not forget it for ever. In case if some body bumps into this site, they may also be benefited if this topic is of interest to them.
1. Brahma's Life:
Brahma's calendar is entirely different that of human being.
According to Hindu calendar there are four Yugas, all four Yugas is 50 lakh Man years. Brahma's day ie 12 hours is 50 lakh Man years, so one Brahma day is 100 Lakh man years. One Brahma year is 100 x 364 lakh Man years. His life is 100 years, so his full life is equivalent of 100 x 100 x 364 Lakh Man years ie 364 X 106 years.
2. Nama Mahima:
When a Baktha prays to Lord, HE is so pleased with Baktha to the extent of helping him in all fronts. When Draupadhi, calls 'Govinda', He sends a sari of such a length, which Duchchasana was unable to strip her & gave up becoming tired. Lord helps her in war as being an ambassador & go to Kauravas for negotiations for their rightful Rajya. HE becomes the Ratha Sarathi of Arjuna during Kurikshetra war. He helps Uthira from Aswathama's Brahmastra in protecting Parikshit in her womb. When he returns to Vaikundam, he tallies his account for the Bakthi of Draupadhi & the help HE had rendered to Pandavas, he found that HE has only repaid the interest for her Bakthi, not the principal, this he laments to Udhava, before HIS departure to Vaikundam. Such is the value of Bakthi if done with full devotion.
3. Nama Smaranam:
Vittal Maharaj also advised that if one falls short of time, he can take the Nama at least while bathing, when one has nothing else to do. This is good practice which can easily be followed.
3. Vaikundam:
Sant Gnaneswar, saint from Maharashtra lived at Alandi, near Pune was one of the very famous Bakthas of Pandarpur Vittala. He says if you want to attain Mukthi, Please come to Pandarpur for a glimpse of Vittal & your seat is reserved at Vaikundam & you will be admitted as & when your soul sheds your body.
All the above are only for people who believe in GOD & have faith in HIM.
Thursday 25 September 2008
"ABHIVADEYE"
In varnasram, all male Hindus are entitled for Yagnopaveetham, ie Poonal. The ceremony is known as 'Upanayanam', meaning, ' bringing near truth'. During the ceremony 'Gayatri' is initiated to the boy. After the ceremony, the boy does the first namaskaram to his mother seeking Biksha and pronouncing ' Abhivadheye', which is an introduction of himself on his lineage. The question arises as to why he does the first namaskaram to his mother, and not to his father & other elderly personnel in the family.
Among Dasavatharam, Lord Vishnu takes Vamana Avathar to protect Indra, King of Devas, since Asuras have won them & taken their Kingdom. Devas are in exile now. Vishnu is born to Athithi & Kashyapa Prajapathi as second son, as brother of Devendra, known as Vamana, meaning short. He is also known as 'Upendra', which is one of Sahasranamams. All the Hindu rituals for a boy since birth are conducted by Athithi & Kashyapa Prajapathi right from Namakarnam, Annaprachanam, and Upanayanam etc. Before proceeding to meet Bali Chakravarthy, King of Asuras to conquer, Vamana seeks his mother's blessings. Athithi is astonished to hear from GOD seeking her blessings, as HE is the one who blesses the whole world. HE informs her that HE is going for an important work, which will alleviate the problem of his brother, Devendra. Because of the simple fact that LORD himself is seeking the blessings from HIS mother, it is a custom that the first namaskaram is offered to mother, especially after Upanayanam, which is known as 'Dwija', second birth to an individual.
More over Abhivadheye is offered only to mother among ladies; however, among gents it is offered to one & all.
Among Dasavatharam, Lord Vishnu takes Vamana Avathar to protect Indra, King of Devas, since Asuras have won them & taken their Kingdom. Devas are in exile now. Vishnu is born to Athithi & Kashyapa Prajapathi as second son, as brother of Devendra, known as Vamana, meaning short. He is also known as 'Upendra', which is one of Sahasranamams. All the Hindu rituals for a boy since birth are conducted by Athithi & Kashyapa Prajapathi right from Namakarnam, Annaprachanam, and Upanayanam etc. Before proceeding to meet Bali Chakravarthy, King of Asuras to conquer, Vamana seeks his mother's blessings. Athithi is astonished to hear from GOD seeking her blessings, as HE is the one who blesses the whole world. HE informs her that HE is going for an important work, which will alleviate the problem of his brother, Devendra. Because of the simple fact that LORD himself is seeking the blessings from HIS mother, it is a custom that the first namaskaram is offered to mother, especially after Upanayanam, which is known as 'Dwija', second birth to an individual.
More over Abhivadheye is offered only to mother among ladies; however, among gents it is offered to one & all.
Monday 22 September 2008
Baghavat Gita
Baghavat Gita
Gita teaches all of us the way of working.
I have recently heard a few lectures on Gita & understood the real meaning of the centre theme, which I would like to share with one & all.
The theme of Gita is as follows:
1. Do your work, as you have been destined for:
All of us are provided with some work, depending on our qualification, ability, luck etc. So we should do our work sincerely, with 100% devotion, however menial, as considered by society ie, sweeping the roads, cleaning toilets etc.
2. Do your work without any attachment:
When you do your work in the office, don't get attached to the work you perform, forget the office affairs after office hours since attachment will lead you to misery, if your work is not giving you the expected result. For example, you are working in a tender in your office, in case, if your company do not get the job you will feel very sad as you were very much involved in preparation of the tender. If you are not attached with office work, the loss or gain in the office affairs will have no effect on you, which will have a great effect on your mental health.
3. Do your work without expecting any fruit:
The result of your work is not at all your concern as long as you follow the set procedures. Do not expect any desired results from your work since the results may or may not be to your liking.
A person was devoted to helping lepers to rehabilitate them in their lives. He was in his death bed & he was lamenting that the people, whom he had helped to come out of leprosy are not helping the lepers & there are many lepers still left in the world. So his expectation from the personnel to whom he had helped has brought him only misery instead of feeling happy over the fact he had rehabilitated so many lepers.
4. Do your work realizing that you are not doing the work, HE does the work:
This is the most important aspect of Gita. When ever we do any work, we think that we do the work, which is not the reality. GOD does everything for us, we are only an instrument in HIS hands. This thinking has to be inculcated in our minds, which will make us very humble, our ego will dry up fast. Arjuna realises this after Lord Krishna disappears after his work is over in the Earth. When Arjuna departs, Lord Krishna hands over to him few ladies to be accompanied during his journey. On the way Arjuna meets some warriors who try to steal the ladies from Arjuna. He is unable to lift Kandeevam & fight against the opponents. Somehow he escapes & returns to Hasthinapura & informs Yudhishtira about the incident. He then narrates that it was all because of Lord Krishna who was guiding him, he was able to fight & win the war, now that He has disappeared, and he is not even able to lift his bow. This incident very clearly indicates the above statement.
Gita teaches all of us the way of working.
I have recently heard a few lectures on Gita & understood the real meaning of the centre theme, which I would like to share with one & all.
The theme of Gita is as follows:
1. Do your work, as you have been destined for:
All of us are provided with some work, depending on our qualification, ability, luck etc. So we should do our work sincerely, with 100% devotion, however menial, as considered by society ie, sweeping the roads, cleaning toilets etc.
2. Do your work without any attachment:
When you do your work in the office, don't get attached to the work you perform, forget the office affairs after office hours since attachment will lead you to misery, if your work is not giving you the expected result. For example, you are working in a tender in your office, in case, if your company do not get the job you will feel very sad as you were very much involved in preparation of the tender. If you are not attached with office work, the loss or gain in the office affairs will have no effect on you, which will have a great effect on your mental health.
3. Do your work without expecting any fruit:
The result of your work is not at all your concern as long as you follow the set procedures. Do not expect any desired results from your work since the results may or may not be to your liking.
A person was devoted to helping lepers to rehabilitate them in their lives. He was in his death bed & he was lamenting that the people, whom he had helped to come out of leprosy are not helping the lepers & there are many lepers still left in the world. So his expectation from the personnel to whom he had helped has brought him only misery instead of feeling happy over the fact he had rehabilitated so many lepers.
4. Do your work realizing that you are not doing the work, HE does the work:
This is the most important aspect of Gita. When ever we do any work, we think that we do the work, which is not the reality. GOD does everything for us, we are only an instrument in HIS hands. This thinking has to be inculcated in our minds, which will make us very humble, our ego will dry up fast. Arjuna realises this after Lord Krishna disappears after his work is over in the Earth. When Arjuna departs, Lord Krishna hands over to him few ladies to be accompanied during his journey. On the way Arjuna meets some warriors who try to steal the ladies from Arjuna. He is unable to lift Kandeevam & fight against the opponents. Somehow he escapes & returns to Hasthinapura & informs Yudhishtira about the incident. He then narrates that it was all because of Lord Krishna who was guiding him, he was able to fight & win the war, now that He has disappeared, and he is not even able to lift his bow. This incident very clearly indicates the above statement.
Sunday 21 September 2008
Gita & Inshah Allah !
All the religions teach the same. It is for us to understand.
Gita preaches us :
1. Do your work, for which you are destined irrespective of its nature, without any attachment, not bothering about its result.
2. Realise that you are not responsible for the work, you are being directed by GOD.
You might have observed among Muslims, they very often use the term "Inshah Allah", which means, " GOD willing", meaning, whatever happens it is only by the will of Allah.
How two different religions teach us same philosophy, but we do not understand this, thinking that our own religion is best.
Gita preaches us :
1. Do your work, for which you are destined irrespective of its nature, without any attachment, not bothering about its result.
2. Realise that you are not responsible for the work, you are being directed by GOD.
You might have observed among Muslims, they very often use the term "Inshah Allah", which means, " GOD willing", meaning, whatever happens it is only by the will of Allah.
How two different religions teach us same philosophy, but we do not understand this, thinking that our own religion is best.
Thursday 4 September 2008
Forgiveness!!!
Forgiveness.
We all have read & are reading or hearing Upanyasams of Indian mythologies such as Mahabharata, Ramayana, Bhagavatham etc at some time of our life. The most important aspect of reading such books is to learn lessons out of it & apply them in our day to day lives. We should bear in mind the story aspect is only to make it interesting to read & remember.
We are all very much caught up in the Maya world, where we fight / quarrel with each other for unworthy reasons & never forget the bad incidents in our life, it gets replayed in our mind again & again. Another aspect is that we tend to forget good things easily. World will be an easy place to live if we develop the habit of "Forgive & Forget".
I am writing this because I came across a piece of incident in Bhagavatham which caught my attention with respect to "Forgiveness", which I would like to share with you all.
The Mahabharata war has ended after 18 days of fierce fighting between Pandavas & Kauravas. Pandavas have won the war. Almost all the Kauravas are killed in the war. Only persons left are Aswathama & Kripachariyar. Aswathama feels that he would revenge Pandavas which would make Duryodana happy, hence he approaches Duryodana & tells his plans to Kill Pandavas five sons, Duryodana pleads with him not to do so, since Pandavas & Kauravas belong to the same Kuruvamsam, at least Pandavas Children will offer tharpanam & other ceremonies due to dead personnel, which will render them moksha. But Aswathama ignores Duryodana & killed all the five children of Draupadhi, wife of Pandavas at night when the children are sleeping. Draupadhi comes wailing & her sorrow is unbounded. Arjuna takes an oath that he would catch the assassin & kill him; he starts his chariot with LORD KRISHNA as Sarathy. They chase Aswathama & catch up with him. In the meantime Aswathama releases Brahmastra to kill Arjuna, which he knows only to apply, but not to retrieve, as his father Acharya Dronachariyar has taught the art of applying & retrieving only to Arjuna. Krishna asked Arjuna to apply Prathi Brahmastra & retract both Brahmastra, otherwise meeting both astras would have ended up in burning of the entire Prabanjam; such is the power of Brahmastra. Krishna could have stopped Brahmastra, but he did not do so since Aswathama would insult that Arjuna sought the help of Krishna in fighting with him, since Krishna did not take Ayudham during Mahabharata war. They caught hold of Aswathama & brought him to Court of Dharmaputhra. All the Pandavas are agitated after seeing Aswathama & pray for his killing.
But Draupadhi, who has lost all her five children, prays for his pardon since she sees him as Acharya Dronacharya's son who has taught Arjuna the art of holding Kandeevam. He is a Brahmin & should not be killed, she does not want Aswathama's mother to suffer the loss of a son at this old age, which she is undergoing now. She prostrates before Aswathama as Guru's son.
But Bheema shouts that at any cost Aswathama should be killed, which he would do. Arjuna looks at KRISHNA for advice. HE tells that Aswathama should be killed since he has killed them in sleep & at the same time he should be spared since he is the son of their Guru. KRISHNA has always been confusing, never gives a direct answer, one will know, while going through these epics. Arjuna knows HIS heart as he is very close to HIM. He understood that HE is not in favor of killing Aswathama.
Dharma knows that he should not praise his wife in presence of one & all, but still praises her noble thinking, appreciates her qualities. It was decided to release after humiliating him by cutting his hair & removing a pendant "Chintamani" embedded in his forehead.
Though Draupadhi has lost all her children through Aswathama, she pardoned him, which goes to show how one should forgive in life. We all feel that this is extreme, how this is possible in real life. Yeah, it is true as common men it may not possible for us to behave like Draupadhi in extreme cases, which may not also happen in our lives, but if we bear this in mind, we should be able to tackle small tussles that we come across in our day to day life.
By forgiving, our mind will be free of worries & peaceful, otherwise we will be always thinking that "he has called us like this. He has done this to us etc". Let us all try to 'Forgive & Forget" & see its effect on us.
Radhe Krishna!
We all have read & are reading or hearing Upanyasams of Indian mythologies such as Mahabharata, Ramayana, Bhagavatham etc at some time of our life. The most important aspect of reading such books is to learn lessons out of it & apply them in our day to day lives. We should bear in mind the story aspect is only to make it interesting to read & remember.
We are all very much caught up in the Maya world, where we fight / quarrel with each other for unworthy reasons & never forget the bad incidents in our life, it gets replayed in our mind again & again. Another aspect is that we tend to forget good things easily. World will be an easy place to live if we develop the habit of "Forgive & Forget".
I am writing this because I came across a piece of incident in Bhagavatham which caught my attention with respect to "Forgiveness", which I would like to share with you all.
The Mahabharata war has ended after 18 days of fierce fighting between Pandavas & Kauravas. Pandavas have won the war. Almost all the Kauravas are killed in the war. Only persons left are Aswathama & Kripachariyar. Aswathama feels that he would revenge Pandavas which would make Duryodana happy, hence he approaches Duryodana & tells his plans to Kill Pandavas five sons, Duryodana pleads with him not to do so, since Pandavas & Kauravas belong to the same Kuruvamsam, at least Pandavas Children will offer tharpanam & other ceremonies due to dead personnel, which will render them moksha. But Aswathama ignores Duryodana & killed all the five children of Draupadhi, wife of Pandavas at night when the children are sleeping. Draupadhi comes wailing & her sorrow is unbounded. Arjuna takes an oath that he would catch the assassin & kill him; he starts his chariot with LORD KRISHNA as Sarathy. They chase Aswathama & catch up with him. In the meantime Aswathama releases Brahmastra to kill Arjuna, which he knows only to apply, but not to retrieve, as his father Acharya Dronachariyar has taught the art of applying & retrieving only to Arjuna. Krishna asked Arjuna to apply Prathi Brahmastra & retract both Brahmastra, otherwise meeting both astras would have ended up in burning of the entire Prabanjam; such is the power of Brahmastra. Krishna could have stopped Brahmastra, but he did not do so since Aswathama would insult that Arjuna sought the help of Krishna in fighting with him, since Krishna did not take Ayudham during Mahabharata war. They caught hold of Aswathama & brought him to Court of Dharmaputhra. All the Pandavas are agitated after seeing Aswathama & pray for his killing.
But Draupadhi, who has lost all her five children, prays for his pardon since she sees him as Acharya Dronacharya's son who has taught Arjuna the art of holding Kandeevam. He is a Brahmin & should not be killed, she does not want Aswathama's mother to suffer the loss of a son at this old age, which she is undergoing now. She prostrates before Aswathama as Guru's son.
But Bheema shouts that at any cost Aswathama should be killed, which he would do. Arjuna looks at KRISHNA for advice. HE tells that Aswathama should be killed since he has killed them in sleep & at the same time he should be spared since he is the son of their Guru. KRISHNA has always been confusing, never gives a direct answer, one will know, while going through these epics. Arjuna knows HIS heart as he is very close to HIM. He understood that HE is not in favor of killing Aswathama.
Dharma knows that he should not praise his wife in presence of one & all, but still praises her noble thinking, appreciates her qualities. It was decided to release after humiliating him by cutting his hair & removing a pendant "Chintamani" embedded in his forehead.
Though Draupadhi has lost all her children through Aswathama, she pardoned him, which goes to show how one should forgive in life. We all feel that this is extreme, how this is possible in real life. Yeah, it is true as common men it may not possible for us to behave like Draupadhi in extreme cases, which may not also happen in our lives, but if we bear this in mind, we should be able to tackle small tussles that we come across in our day to day life.
By forgiving, our mind will be free of worries & peaceful, otherwise we will be always thinking that "he has called us like this. He has done this to us etc". Let us all try to 'Forgive & Forget" & see its effect on us.
Radhe Krishna!
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