Significance and Meaning of "ORANGE" / "SAFFRON" color

In India, colours play a very important role in religion and cultures, showing a very deep significance that transcends purely decorative values. Artists use color on the deities and their dresses signifying their qualities. Proper use of colors creates an environment, which should keep a person cheerful. Some of the main colors used in religious ceremonies are red, yellow (turmeric), green from leaves, white from wheat flour. etc. The main color that most Eastern religions and cultures use is Saffron.

Hinduism:
If there is any colour that symbolizes all aspects of Hinduism, it is Saffron – the colour of Agni or fire. Fire burns away the darkness and brings light and it is symbolic of knowledge burning ignorance. Fire also shows the spirit of Yagna (Ritual of the sacred fire) which is important to Self knowledge. As such, the fire altar is regarded as a distinct symbol of ancient Vedic rites.

A colour of purity, it represents religious abstinence, purging and resultant purity. It is the colour of saints and ascetics, those who have renounced the world. Wearing saffron colour symbolizes the quest for Knowledge of Godhead.

In symbolism, Saffron comprises of the colours of Sun, Mars and Jupiter that relates to:
Driving the Desire (Mars) for Truth or Moksha, liberation (Sun) with the help of knowledge and one who dispels it (Jupiter).

When sages moved from one ashram to another, it was customary to carry fire along. The inconvenience to carry a burning substance over long distances may have given rise to the symbol of a saffron flag. Triangular and often forked saffron flags are seen fluttering atop most Sikh and Hindu temples.

It is the color of holy men and ascetics who have renounced the world. Wearing the color symbolizes the quest for light. It is the battle color of the Rajputs, the warrior caste.

Buddhism:
In Buddhism, Saffron is the color of illumination, the highest state of perfection. The saffron colors of robes to be worn by monks were defined by the Buddha himself and his followers in the 5th century B.C. The robe and its color is a sign of renunciation of the outside world and commitment to the order. The candidate monk, with his master, first appears before the monks of the monastery in his own clothes, with his new robe under his arm and asks to enter the order. He then takes his vows, puts on the robes, and with his begging bowl, goes out to the world. Thereafter, he spends his mornings begging and his afternoons in contemplation and study, either in a forest, garden, or in the monastery.

Sikhism:
In Sikhism, orange or saffron appears in the form of Nishan Sahibs (the Sikh flag), the cholas (warrior attire) worn by Panj Pyaray and Sikh turbans. This is the colour of deep joy and bliss. It absorbs shocks, nasty experiences and trauma. It’s about letting go of what holds us back or what is not helpful. Orange is the colour of connection, a sense of community, belonging and social aspects of being.

Orange is also the colour of second mediation Chakra - Sacral Chakra/ Hara / or Swadhisthana chakra. This Chakra holds the energy that gives pleasures of life (Swad-histhana) ... everything from taste and pleasure of food, relationships, worldly possessions, money, property, sexual energy etc. Everything that gives the taste of life! Those who wear saffron clothes, symbolically say that they have mastered the Swadhisthana chakra - or they have raised above the worldly pleasures.

Saffron is also one of the three colours in the Indian flag, signifying courage and selflessness. India has a history of brave and loyal freedom fighters. Saffron indicates the strength of this nation and its will to give away all for the benefit of its people.


Akshit Kapoor

Measuring Spiritual Growth

Shakespeare echoed the central theme of the Upanishads when he said in ‘As You Like It’ – “All the world’s a stage, / And all men and women merely players; / They have their exits and their entrances...”. Vedanta speaks of sakshi bhava or ‘witness attitude’ as a measure of spiritual growth. Objectivity is the key to material success, happiness as well as growth to one’s potential. Maintain the attitude of an observer, never getting entangled. Be impartial in all circumstances, non-partisan; unbiased, unprejudiced. Be like a spectator in a boxing match. If you jump into the ring you could get beaten up by both parties.

You are an actor in the drama of life. Play your role wholeheartedly, dispassionately, perfectly and exit gracefully when the time comes. Don’t get entangled in a make-believe world.

Atman, the spirit, is completely objective. It enables all your activities but has nothing to do with their functioning. Just as fuel propels all cars to move but does not determine their performance. Electricity is the same in all gadgets but is not responsible for manifestations.

At Kurukshetra, Arjuna is overwhelmed by emotion. Grief-stricken, he refuses to perform his duty. He asks Krishna, his friend and mentor, for help. Krishna’s opening remarks in the Bhagwad Gita are,“The wise do not grieve either for the living or the dead. All grief is because of wrong identification and attachment”. You believe that the cause of your misery is out there in the world. You blame the spouse, kids, the government and even the weather for your unhappiness. As long as you believe the world is causing you sorrow, there will never be a solution to your problems.

You are responsible for your sorrow. As long as you identify with the body, mind and intellect, you will be unhappy. These instruments are matter as world is also matter. Matter affects matter, just as magnet attracts iron. You are neither body, mind nor intellect; you are spirit. The world does not have the power to affect the spirit but you think it does because of your involvement with body, mind and intellect. Just remember you are atman and interact with body, mind and intellect. Then you will remain a sakshi, witness, of everything but never get involved.

You go through three states of consciousness – waking, dream and deep sleep – all projections of your mind. The real you is atman, the fourth state. Live life as if you are re-entering a dream, knowing its illusory nature, tongue-in-cheek, objectively, joyfully. Do what you have to do, without involvement, entanglement or heartburn.

Objectivity is the secret of enjoyment. You are able to enjoy a tragic movie because you know you are not a part of it. Had you been even remotely connected with the happenings in the movie you would suffer. Practise objectivity by observing the world around you. Observe external objects, people around you, their appearance, emotions, and thoughts. Then shift your attention to your own body, mind and intellect. You will be in an oasis of peace and tranquillity in the midst of turbulence around.

The mind is the realm of emotions and feelings; the intellect is of reason, discrimination and judgement. The mind is involved, attached and partisan. The intellect is capable of remaining objective, unbiased and unprejudiced. Use your intellect, strengthen it so you are objective in all situations. From such an impersonal viewpoint, you will find life entertaining.


Akshit Kapoor

The Inner Meaning of Guru Purnima

Guru is one who is “heavy” (with knowledge, wisdom and inner experience) and hence holds us fast lest we be swept by the waves of ignorance and be drowned in the ocean of material existence. Traditionally, a Guru is a God Realized Being – one who has merged with Divinity and remains back on earth to teach those who yearn for Divinity. 

All existence has come from the Supreme Brahman and nothing exists apart from Divinity. All creation is veiled by maya or illusion and it is difficult for us to know or understand Divinity. In great compassion, Divinity manifested a portion of itself which retains the memory of Godhood and sent it to teach us. This is the Guru. Only God can be Guru as only God knows God!

We obtain information and knowledge from schools and colleges which helps us to earn a livelihood. The knowledge and wisdom imparted by the Guru helps us to live in the right manner. The wisdom imparted by the Guru helps us to set benchmarks for ourselves and we are propelled to reach out and attain higher standards in thought, word and deed. The light of the Guru penetrates every nook and corner of our lives and being and we see the world and life anew and afresh. We realize our inner potential and develop to the fullest extent under the guidance of the Guru. The Grace of the Guru helps us to finally merge with Divinity.

There are as many paths to God as there are people. Each of us is a unique being with a different approach to God. Hence we have a large number and variety of Gurus. Sri Krishna speaks of a variety of paths in the Bhagwad Geeta – karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga, japa yoga, dhyana yoga etc. Each Guru imparts the knowledge, wisdom and practices best suited to his disciple.

Nowadays, any person who imparts knowledge or wisdom or unique insight is labelled ‘Guru’. We have Internet Gurus, Management Gurus, Music and Dance Gurus, Drama Gurus, Storytellers, Horoscope Readers and Palmists who are Gurus , Exercise Gurus and Think Positive Gurus and so on. They too have their roles in making our lives better.

Veda Vyasa classified and codified the huge findings, knowledge, wisdom and experiences of the Rishis of India into Vedas, Upanishads, Puranans and the great epic of Mahabharata. His literary works are extraordinary and their high spiritual stature and wisdom make them outstanding. His works guide us even today and hence he is a great ‘Loka Guru’ – a Guru to the world!

The Guru Purnima is a day dedicated to honor Veda Vyasa and the Gurus who guide and steer our lives towards Divinity. With so many ‘Gurus’ in our lives, it is also a day when we should think of each of them with gratitude and reverence for help rendered in our times of need. Let this day of Guru Purnima be filled with love and appreciation to all the Gurus in our life. Let us also do our bit in serving our Gurus in thanksgiving.

Akshit Kapoor

Celestial Beginning of Dance in Ancient India

Dance is an ancient art in India that is associated with the Divine. The gods and goddesses not only delight in dance but are also great dancers themselves. 

According to Natyashastra, a great comprehensive work of science and technique of Indian drama, dance and music, Brahma, the creator was asked to create a past time by the gods. This work contains deliberations on different kind of postures, the mudras and their meanings, kind of emotions and the categorization, besides the kind of attires, the stage, the ornaments and the audience.

Some prominent dance of the Divine are:

Shiva’s cosmic dance in his form of Nataraja (King of Dance), Tandava, the “Dance of Bliss” symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation, preservation and destruction and this idea has been embedded in Hinduism theology and ritual since the dawn of civilization. This symbolizes the masculine energy.

The dance of Kali, the dark and fierce Goddess of destruction, the annihilator of Evil depicts time, destruction and “beyond time”. She depicts the female energy which powers the universe eternally.

Krishna is one of the most popular dancing divinities in Hinduism, a dance of divine joy and love. In general sense, this dance – the rasa lila symbolizes a genuine religious pluralism in which human beings of different faiths can love God, in joyous harmony and individually, as each and every soul is precious to the Divine that is..

Akshit kapoor

Understand the difference in Dharma and Religion

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The word "dharma" has multiple meanings depending on the context in which it is used. Monier-Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary lists several, including: conduct, duty, right, justice, virtue, morality, religion, religious merit, good work according to a right or rule, etc. Many other meanings have been suggested, such as law or "torah" (in the Judaic sense), "logos" (Greek), "way" (Christian) and even 'tao" (Chinese). None of these is entirely accurate and none conveys the full force of the term in Sanskrit. Dharma has no equivalent in the Western lexicon.

Dharma has the Sanskrit root dhri, which means "that which upholds" or "that without which nothing can stand" or "that which maintains the stability and harmony of the universe." Dharma encompasses the natural, innate behavior of things, duty, law, ethics, virtue, etc. Every entity in the cosmos has its particular dharma -- from the electron, which has the dharma to move in a certain manner, to the clouds, galaxies, plants, insects, and of course, man. Man's understanding of the dharma of inanimate things is what we now call physics.

British colonialists endeavored to map Indian traditions onto their ideas of religion so as to be able to comprehend and govern their subjects; yet the notion of dharma remained elusive. The common translation into religion is misleading since, to most Westerners, a genuine religion must:

1) be based on a single canon of scripture given by God in a precisely defined historical event;
2) involve worship of the divine who is distinct from ourselves and the cosmos;
3) be governed by some human authority such as the church;
4) consist of formal members;
5) be presided over by an ordained clergyman; and
6) use a standard set of rituals.

But dharma is not limited to a particular creed or specific form of worship. To the Westerner, an "atheistic religion" would be a contradiction in terms, but in Buddhism, Jainism and Carvaka dharma, there is no place for God as conventionally defined. In some Hindu systems the exact status of God is debatable. Nor is there only a single standard deity, and one may worship one's own ishta-devata, or chosen deity.

Dharma provides the principles for the harmonious fulfillment of all aspects of life, namely, the acquisition of wealth and power (artha), fulfillment of desires (kama), and liberation (moksha). Religion, then, is only one subset of dharma's scope.

Religion applies only to human beings and not to the entire cosmos; there is no religion of electrons, monkeys, plants and galaxies, whereas all of them have their dharma even if they carry it out without intention.

Since the essence of humanity is divinity, it is possible for them to know their dharma through direct experience without any external intervention or recourse to history. In Western religions, the central law of the world and its peoples is singular and unified, and revealed and governed from above.

In dharmic traditions, the word a-dharma applies to humans who fail to perform righteously; it does not mean refusal to embrace a given set of propositions as a belief system or disobedience to a set of commandments or canons.

Dharma is also often translated as "law," but to become a law, a set of rules has to be present which must: (i) be promulgated and decreed by an authority that enjoys political sovereignty over a given territory, (ii) be obligatory, (iii) be interpreted, adjudicated and enforced by courts, and (iv) carry penalties when it is breached. No such description of dharma is found within the traditions.

The Roman Emperor Constantine began the system of "canon laws," which were determined and enforced by the Church. The ultimate source of Jewish law is the God of Israel. The Western religions agree that the laws of God must be obeyed just as if they were commandments from a sovereign. It is therefore critical that "false gods" be denounced and defeated, for they might issue illegitimate laws in order to undermine the "true laws." If multiple deities were allowed, then there would be confusion as to which laws were true.

In contrast with this, there is no record of any sovereign promulgating the various dharma-shastras (texts of dharma for society) for any specific territory at any specific time, nor any claim that God revealed such "social laws," or that they should be enforced by a ruler. None of the compilers of the famous texts of social dharma were appointed by kings, served in law enforcement, or had any official capacity in the state machinery. They were more akin to modern academic social theorists than jurists. The famous Yajnavalkya Smriti is introduced in the remote sanctuary of an ascetic. The well-known Manusmriti begins by stating its setting as the humble abode of Manu, who answered questions posed to him in a state of samadhi (higher consciousness). Manu (1.82) tells the sages that every epoch has its own distinct social and behavioral dharma.

Similarly, none of the Vedas and Upanishads was sponsored by a king, court or administrator, or by an institution with the status of a church. In this respect, dharma is closer to the sense of "law" we find in the Hebrew scriptures, where torah, the Hebrew equivalent, is also given in direct spiritual experience. The difference is that Jewish torah quickly became enforced by the institutions of ancient Israel.

The dharma-shastras did not create an enforced practice but recorded existing practices. Many traditional smritis (codified social dharma) were documenting prevailing localized customs of particular communities. An important principle was self-governance by a community from within. The smritis do not claim to prescribe an orthodox view from the pulpit, as it were, and it was not until the 19th century, under British colonial rule, that the smritis were turned into "law" enforced by the state.

The reduction of dharma to concepts such as religion and law has harmful consequences: it places the study of dharma in Western frameworks, moving it away from the authority of its own exemplars. Moreover, it creates the false impression that dharma is similar to Christian ecclesiastical law-making and the related struggles for state power.

The result of equating dharma with religion in India has been disastrous: in the name of secularism, dharma has been subjected to the same limits as Christianity in Europe. A non-religious society may still be ethical without belief in God, but an a-dharmic society loses its ethical compass and falls into corruption and decadence.

Akshit Kapoor

Significance of Paan - betel leaf!

One of the most important puja items in Hindu rituals is the betel leaf. Known as tambula in Sanskrit, the word owes its origin to the term ‘tamra’ that denotes copper which is red-colored. The red color is because of the catechu or kattha. In other regional languages in India the betel leaf is known as pan, nag ve, vetta or vettila. The betel leaf is used in pujas by Hindus for both spiritual and health reasons. The tambulam is traditionally offered by Hindus to guests after food because of its healthy properties and, therefore, after the neivedyam, tambulam is offered to the gods.

Spiritual side of the coin

The betel leaf is a symbol of freshness and prosperity. According to Skanda Purana, the betel leaf was obtained by the gods during the churning of the ocean for the nectar. The main reason that it is used in pujas, however, is that Hindus believe that different deities reside in the betel leaf.

Thus:

Indra and Shukra are present in the top portion of the leaf

Goddess Saraswati resides in the middle part

Goddess Mahalakshmi resides in the lower tip

Jyesta Lakshmi resides in the part that connects the betel leaf to the stem

Lord Vishnu resides inside the leaf

Lord Shiva and Kamdev reside on the outside of the leaf

Goddess Parvati and Mangalya Devi live on the left side

Mother Earth or Bhoomidevi lives on the right side

Lord Suryanarayana is there throughout the leaf

The betel leaf is also one of the items in ashtamangalya (flowers, mangala ashtaka [rice colored with turmeric], fruits, mirror, dhoti, betel leaf and betel nut, lamp and kumkum and kajal [or kanmashi, a black ointment used to highlight the eyes]).

Betel leaves with holes, betel leaves that are dry and ones that are torn in the middle are not utilized in pujas. In south India, dakshina to priests and elders are given by keeping betel nut and a coin in the betel leaf. All pujas contain betel leaves and betel nuts.

Betel leaves are also used to adorn the mouth of the kalash pot because it purifies the water.

Health reasons

According to Sushrata, the greatest of ancient Indian medicine men and the world’s first-ever surgeon, the betel leaf preparation keeps the mouth clean, strengthens the voice, tongue and teeth and guards against diseases. It is also said to aid in digestion (saliva produced due to the chewing of the betel leaf helps in the digestion process of our body). The alkaline in the saliva helps in reducing the spread of cancer. Science has proved that cancer cells die when kept in an alkaline solution.

The betel leaf contains a little bit of betel-oil (it is a volatile oil). It generates the spice and the taste that you feel when you chew the betel leaf. In ancient literature, this has been documented. It destroys foul odor too.

By itself, the betel leaf is a powerhouse of vitamin A and C. Further, it also contains plenty of calcium which reduces or even prevents osteoporosis.

The other ingredients used along with betel leaf are very useful too. Fennel and betel nut help speed up digestion. Nutmeg dries up the mucous. Kattha also helps in drying up the mucous. The betel leaf is also a great blood thinner. And cardamom and cloves help in reducing gas and acidity. Kattha and betel present in paan help all those suffering from cold and cough by controlling mucous production.


Akshit Kapoor

The Mangalsutra Necklace

Sacred Symbol of Love & Marriage

In Hinduism, when a girl gets married she adorns certain jewelry and observes special customs to make obvious her marital status. Just as a many of you wear the wedding ring after marriage, the married Hindu girl, according to the tradition, has to wear the 'mangalsutra,' bangles, nose and toe rings and a red bindi or apply 'kumkum' or vermilion on her forehead symbolizing not only her rite of passage from a girl to amarried woman but also her heightened position in society as an adult who is respected and is capable of running a household, which is, in a way, the microcosm of the society at large.
What is Mangalsutra?

The word 'mangalsutra' is derived from the two words, mangal meaning holy or auspicious and sutra meaning thread. It is a sacred necklace that the groom ties around the bride's neck on the day of the wedding in a ceremony called Mangalya dharanam (meaning - wearing the auspicious), thereby giving her the status of his wife and life mate. Thereafter, the wife wears the mangalsutra all her life or till the time the husband is alive as a sign of their marriage, mutual love and goodwill, understanding and faithful commitment to one another.

When is the Mangalsutra Worn?

On the wedding day, a yellow thread is prepared by using turmeric paste and is tied around the bride's neck with three knots during the marriage ceremony while the priest recites Vedic hymns and partakes in prayers. In some customs, the groom ties the first knot and his sisters tie the other two knots. Later, the mangalsutra may be restrung on some auspicious day in the form of a necklace made of gold and black beads strung together on one or two yellow threads or gold chains with an elaborate pendant of gold or diamond. In an arranged marriage, the design of mangalsutra is usually chosen by the groom's family in keeping with their customs.

What does Mangalsutra Really Symbolize?

The mangalsutra, worn by most married Hindu women across India, is known differently in different parts of the country - 'thaali', 'thaaly', 'pustelu', 'maangalyam' or 'mangalsutram' in the southern states of India and 'mangalsutra' in the northern states. Each black bead in the mangalsutra is believed to have divine powers that protect the married couple from the evil eye and is believed to safeguard the life of the husband. Hindu women are extremely superstitious about the mangalsutra. If it breaks or gets lost it is considered ominous. Therefore, the Mangalsutra is much more than a piece of fancy jewelry, but a sacred necklace of love, trust and marital happiness of a Hindu couple - a vital symbol of wedlock.

Is Mangalsutra Fashionable for Modern Times?

With changing times and varying needs of women, especially in the metropolis, who are no longer stay-home wives, the concept of wearing a mangalsutra has changed visibly. Now, it is more of a fashion than a symbol of marriage. Rarely does a working woman don a mangalsutra over her trendy business suits. Also, there is a dramatic change in the style and make of the mangalsutra these days. Previously, women wore heavy and elaborate gold mangalsutras, but now, the trend is to wear short, sleek and single string ones with small designer diamond pendants. However, the black beads remain to ward off the evil and uphold the sanctity of the institution of marriage.


Akshit Kapoor

What is truth?

"The non-existent has no existence; the existent does not not-exist. (Thus) the seers who have seen the essence of That reached the conclusion about the two." - The Bhagavadgita 2:16.

"It is neither born nor dies. At no time it did not non-exist in the past; will not non-exist in future; or will not become existence again. Unborn, eternal, permanent, and the most ancient, this is not killed when the body is killed." - The Bhagavadgita 2:20.

According to science, truth is what is provable either with logic or with facts or both. If you say something happened and if you witnessed it, you must be in a position to prove it even to those who did not see it. Even though it seems straightforward, in many cases it is not. Hence, not all the courts and laws in the world guarantee justice all the time. You are lucky if you are able to prove your point of view. You are also lucky if you are able to prove your scientific truths, because there are many truths that cannot be proved scientifically not because they are not true but because we do not have the wherewithal to prove them.

Characteristics of truth
From a philosophical perspective, in Hinduism truth must have some characteristics in order to be accepted as truth. Here are some important ones.

1. Truth must be universal. That is, it must be the same everywhere.

2. Truth must be indestructible or incorruptible. Truth must remain impervious to falsehood

3. Truth must be constant. Truth cannot change. If something keeps changing, it is difficult to prove its
existence.

4. Truth must be independent. Truth has to be self-existent and independent to qualify as truth. If it depends
upon another entity for its existence, it loses its autonomy, continuity, purity, invincibility and universality.

5. Truth must be the cause or the source, but not the effect. The effect depends upon the cause for its survival, composition and existence.

In our world, there are many aspects to truth. We consider truth either relative that is true in relation to something else or absolute that is true under all circumstances, independent of other things. There are eternal truths and temporary truths. Some truths are eternal. For example, from the scientific perspective, the space (as we know it) will exist eternally, even if the material world that exists in it is destroyed. May be, in reality, space is not what we consider it to be. It may be a type of element (tattva) or even matter (matra), which comes into existence at the time of the formation of the universe. If it is so, then space may not qualify as eternal. In Hinduism, space is considered an element (akasa), just like water, earth, fire and air.

Therefore, although space connects one world or planet with another and the earthly beings with the rest of the universe and although it facilitates the movement of prayers and sacred sounds as their medium, at some point of time in creation, it may end like everything else.

Nothing that falls within the domain of the mind and its faculties also qualify as absolute truth. The world exists in our minds as a concept and concepts are what they are, mere concepts. A hundred people may live in the same space and time and yet experience the world differently. Hindu scriptures therefore consider the phenomenal world as illusory and false, and hold only God and the Self as true. Satyam is that which contains
Sat or Truth. Sat is that which is true, constant, real, actual, not in a limited way, but wholly and eternally. According to the Upanishads, God or Brahman and the individual Self alone qualify to be That, which is everlasting and absolutely true.

Standards of proof
Ancient Indians established some standards (pramana) to ascertain truths of our existence. The most prominent among them are inference (anumana). Of them, we may consider the first one reliable by itself, the second useful for corroboration or confirmation and the third no so reliable, but helpful on certain occasions. Pratyaksha is what we may perceive or experience directly and personally. It is therefore somewhat reliable, although we cannot take our experiences for granted fully. We may consider our direct experiences valid in case of general and ordinary truths. However, we should also be aware of defective perceptions and perceptual biases to which our minds and senses are susceptible. We know that our senses and our minds are not perfect instruments of knowledge. What we see may not be true and what we do not see may not be false. It is as if we live in a world of fog and mist, which is our own ignorance. We may see what we want to see or see it differently from what it actually is, or see it incorrectly, or not see it at all. We may mistake one for another. We may also see or experience something but not recognize it at all because we have never experienced it before or know nothing about it. Therefore, while direct experience is helpful, we have to be careful about what conclusions and observations we may draw from it. This is where the testimony of the scriptures and the accounts of experts prove helpful. If our direct experience is validated by the testimony of scriptures or expert knowledge, we can accept them as more reliable and accurate, although there may still be issues that need to be resolved and gaps in our understanding and awareness that need to be filled.

Akshit Kapoor

Important Birth Rites and Rituals in Hinduism

Special ceremonies are performed before the baby is born for the welfare of the mother and child. The family priest or pundit will come to the family's home to perform various rites.

In Hindu dharma, the birth of a child is considered a religious activity. Samskaras begin prior to birth and end with the cremation of the body following death. The number of samskaras prescribed in various scriptures vary from eleven to forty, some of the most significant samskars are :-

Garbhadhana (conception)
Jatakarma (child birth)
Namakarana (naming a child)
Annaprasana (giving the child solid food)
Mundan (shaving the head)
Upanayana (sacred thread ceremony)


Garbhadhana

The rite through which a man placed his seed in a woman was called Garbhadhana. Saunaka gives the similar definition though in slightly different words; "The rite by the performance of which a woman receives semen scattered (by her husband) is call Garbhalambhanam or Garbhadhana." In Vedic culture spiritual aspirants can get married. For them marriage is a partnership to aid them in their mutual progress in spiritual life, marriage is not simply a for sexual gratification. One of the duties of such a married couple is to produce spiritually enlightened children. Bringing such spiritually aware children into the world is beneficial both for the parents spiritually, as well as for society in general. The conception of such great children is a great science and not the mere byproduct of random recreational intercourse on the part of the parents.Unlike ordinary sexual activity which further binds the soul's of all involved into material consciousness, the Garbhadhana Samskara is a purely spiritual act as is confirmed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita 7.11. Such sex aimed at creating godly children is as good as God Himself.

" balam balavatam caham
kama-raga-vivarjitam
dharmaviruddho bhutesu
kamo 'smi bharatarsabha"

"I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O lord of the Bharatas [Arjuna]."

Jatakarma

The jatakarma ceremony welcomes the baby into the world. The father places a small amount of ghee and honey on the baby's tongue and whispers the name of God in his ear. During this Sanskar, the father feeds honey to the baby and pierces the baby's ear. This ear piercing is supposed to enhance the memory of the child .Brahmins chant Mantras for a healthy, long life of the child. This Sanskar is restricted to the family level.

Namakarana

In Namakarana ceremony the child is given a name.Nama literally means 'name' and karana means 'to make, to effect'. All the activities in the world are carried on the basis of name. Every parent has the duty to give a nice name to the child, which reminds the child of some goal or objective in the life. It is very important to select a nice name for the child; the name should be meaningful which fulfills all the desires of the child. Whenever the child hears the name he will remember the meaning and purpose hidden in it and will be inspired by its meaning.Distribution of sweets to everybody. Afterwards a feast is usually arranged.

Annaprasana

This sanskar is related to the time when the child is to be given solid food apart from the mother’s milk. This emphasizes the importance of proper health care and nutrition for the child.Time for performance: In the 6th, 8th or 10th month for the male child and 5th, 7th, 9th or 11th month for the female child. The object of this ceremony is to pray to the gods with Vedic Mantras to bless the child with good digestive powers, good thoughts and talents. It is performed when the child is six months old which is the weaning time. Susruta commends this weaning time as best for both the mother and the child. Offerings are made to the goddess of speech and vigour. Prayers are offered so that the child´s senses have their full gratification and live a happy and contented life. The father feeds a little of the sweet food anointed with gold to the child with Mantras that say he feeds the child with food that may ensure a healthy life to the child and prevent ill-health. Apart from the efficacy or otherwise of this ceremony, its observance creates in all concerned an awareness of the cumulative needs of the child at that age in a scientific and tender manner. Its systematic observance therefore ensures the results expected especially when fortified by Mantras. The Annaprashana ceremony should be performed at the time when the child gains strength to digest cereal and preparations made from cereals. The first feeding of cereal commences with this ceremony. He who desires his child to be brilliant and famous should feed cooked rice mixed with ghee (clarified butter) or the rice mixed with honey, curd and ghee . The samskar ceremony for the first feeding commences with prayer, followed by Svastivachana, Shanitkarana and complete Samanya Prakarana. It is indicated that this ceremony should be performed (when the child is six months old) on the day on which the child was born.

The rice should be prepared thus - Rice is washed, cleaned, cooked nicely and ghee in proper quantity is mixed in the rice when it is in the cooking process. When this rice has been cooked properly and has become cold, then it should be placed in Homasthali or the tray of Homa. From this Homashali the rice is then given in small containers to the Yajman, to Purohita and Ritvij (Priests), accompanied with chanting of Mantras.The Yajmana (father of the child) then performs Agnyadhan and Samidadhana. Offers four oblations of Aghavarajyabhagahuti and four oblations of Vyahriti. Thereafter the oblation of the cooked rice that was given to the Yajman and to the priests, should be offered with one Mantras from the Rig Veda and one Mantra from the Yajur Veda. Thereafter the Yajmana mixes small quantity of curd, honey and ghee. Adds this to the rice that remained after the oblations. This should be fed to the child in minute quantity according to the desire of the child with the chanting of Mantra from the Yajurveda.

Mundan

Mundan Vidhi is performed to carry out the first hair cut of the baby. If it is carried out as per the Vedic Method it removes any deficiencies developed in the child before birth.It is also said that the shaving of the hair stimulates proper growth of the brain and nerves. During this vidhi all the hair of the baby are removed and the baby's head is cleanly shaven.Hair collected during the hair cut are kept inbetween two puris ( fried indian bread ) and then offered to holy waters like Ganges, Yamuna or any other holy water bed.

Upanayana

In Hinduism, Upanayana, or ceremony to mark stages in the life of a Hindu. It is a religious ceremony undertaken by Hindu boys of the three highest castes. The ceremony usually takes place between the ages 7 and 11, indicating the entry into adulthood and the ability to deepen the individual's awareness of the duties they now embrace as a Hindu. During the ceremony, a sacred thread is tied. The thread is made up of three separate threads, each with a symbolic meaning – one meaning to worship God, one meaning to show love and respect to parents, and one meaning to learn from the religious teacher. Mantras from the Hindu scripture the Rig Veda are used during the ceremony. The ceremony may end with the boy acting out his departure on religious pilgrimage, re-enacting the ways of those in the past who set out to study under the tuition of a religious guide.

Akshit Kapoor

Who is Rishi?

Rishi literally means one who sees the Truth, or the Absolute Reality. 

For seeing the Truth, or rather experiencing it, eyes are neither necessary nor sufficient. It needs the divine vision (divya chakshu) of the type that Lord Krishna gave to Arjuna. With the grace of the Divine, the divine vision may be developed through appropriate physical and mental discipline. The seeker aspiring to become a rishi is so strongly motivated by the desire to ‘see’ God, or the Truth, that he ends up neglecting all his superfluous needs. His lifestyle thus becomes very simple, and all his time and energy are focused on his quest. However, although the seeker’s lifestyle is simple, he does not have to starve himself or neglect his body. On the contrary, he should take special care to keep his body healthy so that it can endure the long journey that he has embarked upon.

While on the journey, the seeker may in fact stumble upon some of the secrets of good health and the strategies that aid mental concentration. That is possibly how the yogic postures and meditative techniques were discovered. Long before the journey is complete, the seeker also starts becoming more loving, caring and compassionate. The altered behaviour also aids his quest, and as he advances in his quest, his behaviour is further transformed in the same direction. His efforts, and Divine Grace, may eventually lead him to the experience of the Truth in its entirety, and the seeker now becomes a rishi. The rishi can now lead the rest of his life with constant awareness of two levels of reality. One is the superficial reality based on sensory perception. That is the reality seen by all. That is the reality which is perishable and inconstant.

The other is the deeper Reality which most of us do not see most of the time. The deeper Reality is imperishable and constant. Thus the rishi has a sort of double awareness. He is aware of what is generally considered real; but behind, within, above and beyond this reality he is aware of a deeper Reality. Thus, the rishi’s consciousness is much wider, higher and deeper than the ordinary consciousness. In simple terms, what the rishi sees is the all-pervasive presence of the Creator in all its creation, animate and inanimate. The first casualty of this deeper vision is the ego that creates the ‘me-versus-the-rest divide’. Therefore, when the rishi organizes his life around this vision, his life becomes full of universal love and compassion. The rishi does not just know the Truth at the mental level, but has experienced it. That is why it is said that the rishi has attained realization; or in other words, the Truth has become real to him. Only what we have experienced becomes real to us. What we have just understood at the mental level does not come anywhere near what we have experienced.

Realized souls in the Hindu tradition are called rishis, but realized souls are not confined to the Hindu tradition. Seekers across geographical and religious boundaries have realized the same Truth through similar methods. There have been several realized souls among the mystics of the Judaic and Christian traditions, and the Sufis of the Islamic tradition. That they have all experienced the same Truth is suggested by the remarkable similarity in the way they have described their experiences. Several comparable descriptions from different traditions have been brought together at one place by Aldous Huxley in his book, The Perennial Philosophy.

Sri Aurobindo reached Pondicherry (now Puducherry) on 4 April 1910. Here are a few lines on the rishi’s consciousness from his epic, Savitri:

A Voice profound in the ecstasy and the hush
They heard, beheld an all-revealing Light.
All time-made difference they overcame;
The world was fibred with their own heart-strings;
Close-drawn to the heart that beats in every breast,
They reached the one self in all through boundless love.

Akshit Kapoor

Why we, Human, Are So Special?

It is said that a human birth is not easy to achieve. And once you have this human body, you are no longer in the hands of nature. You now have the rare capacity, called free will, to initiate a further process of evolution. An animal, on the other hand, is fulfilled once it survives a few years and produces an offspring.

A human being also has to become an adult physically. You need only survive by appeasing your hunger and thirst and avoiding fatal accidents and diseases. The process is a natural one, made possible by the survival instinct common to all living beings.

Unlike physical maturity, emotional growth is in your own hands. Inner maturity is a process that you have to initiate because you are a human being enjoying a faculty of choice. Although each individual seeks something peculiar, these are four ends that everyone seeks. The universal ends most commonly sought after are security and pleasure – artha and kama. The remaining two purusharthas – dharma and moksha -- can also be accomplished by a human being.

That which gives you any kind of security – emotional, economical, or social -- is called artha in Sanskrit. Artha may be in the form of cash or liquid assets, stocks, real estate, relationships, a home, a good name, a title recognition, influence, or power of any kind. And although each person seeks various forms of security at a given time, seeking security is common to all.

Seeking pleasure is another purushartha, called kama in Sanskrit. It, too, takes many forms. For instance, sensory pleasures may be anything from seafood or ice cream onwards. Examples of intellectual pleasures are those derived from playing certain games, solving puzzles or riddles, and studying certain bodies of knowledge. Thus, we have a variety of pleasures.

Anything that satisfies your senses, that pleases your mind, that touches your heart and evokes in you a certain appreciation, is kama. There is another form of pleasure derived from seeing the stars on a beautiful night, enjoying the sunrise, a flower, a playing child, or a beautiful painting, for example. Because this pleasure is neither sensory nor intellectual, I will call it aesthetic pleasure. Even though such pleasures go beyond one’s senses and intellect, they are still kama.

There is a third purushartha, dharma, that is neither artha nor kama. It is pleasure born of harmony, derived from friendship, sharing, helping another person, and so on. For example when you are able to relieve someone’s suffering; you experience a joy that is not kama.

If you enjoy what you do, life is simple. If you do not enjoy what you do, then you have to do something to enjoy, which can be costly. On the other hand, any pleasure that comes out of one’s maturing process is a different type of joy. Not hurting someone, or doing the right thing at the right time, for instance, gives you joy – if not immediately, later. As you grow in your understanding, your dharma also grows.

Because of the importance we give to dharma, the order can now be reversed – dharma, artha and kama. Dharma accounts for your maturity. The more mature you are, the more dharmika you are. In order to be mature, an understanding of dharma and conformity to it become most important in one’s life. Thus, dharma occupies the first place among these three human ends. Without violating dharma, doing what is to be done, you pursue artha and kama, security and pleasure. 

by

Akshit Kapoor

Hindu Wedding Rituals

13 Steps of a Vedic Marriage Ceremony

While various regional steps are followed by different sects of Hindus across India, the following 13 steps form the core of a Vedic wedding ceremony:

Vara Satkaarah
Reception of the bridegroom and his kinsmen at the entrance gate of the wedding hall where the officiating priest chants a few mantras and the bride's mother blesses the groom with rice and trefoil and applies tilak of vermilion and turmeric powder.

Madhuparka Ceremony
Reception of the bridegroom at the altar and bestowing of presents by the bride's father.

Kanya Dan
The bride's father gives away his daughter to the groom amidst the chanting of sacred mantras.

Vivah-Homa
The sacred fire ceremony ascertaining that all auspicious undertakings are begun in an atmosphere of purity and spirituality.

Pani-Grahan
The groom takes the right hand of the bride in his left hand and accepts her as his lawfully wedded wife.

Pratigna-Karan
The couple walk round the fire, the bride leading, and take solemn vows of loyalty, steadfast love and life-long fidelity to each other.

Shila Arohan
The mother of the bride assists her to step onto a stone slab and counsels her to prepare herself for a new life.

Laja-Homah
Puffed rice offered as oblations into the sacred fire by the bride while keeping the palms of her hands over those of the groom.

Parikrama or Pradakshina or Mangal Fera
The couple circles the sacred fire seven times. This aspect of the ceremony legalizes the marriage according to the Hindu Marriage Act as well custom.

Saptapadi
Marriage knot symbolized by tying one end of the groom's scarf with the bride's dress. Then they take seven steps representing nourishment, strength, prosperity, happiness, progeny, long life and harmony and understanding, respectively.

Abhishek
Sprinkling of water, meditating on the sun and the pole star.

Anna Praashan
The couple make food offerings into the fire then feed a morsel of food to each other expressing mutual love and affection.

Aashirvadah
Benediction by the elders.

by 
Akshit Kapoor

Purnima & Amavasya: Fasts and Rituals

Since time immemorial, Hindus have believed that the fortnightly cycle of the moon exerts a great influence on the human anatomy just as it affects the water bodies on earth resulting in tides and ebbs. A person may tends to become restless, irritable and ill-tempered showing signs of 'lunacy.' Curiously enough, this word stems from the word 'luna' or 'moon' in Latin. Hence there are specific rituals for the new moon and full moon days.

Fasting On Purnima / Full Moon

Purnima, the full moon day, is considered auspicious in the Hindus Calendar and most devotees observe fast throughout the day and pray to the presiding deity Lord Vishnu. Only after a whole day of fasting, prayers and a dip in the river do they take light food at dusk.

It is ideal to fast or take light food on full moon and new moon days as it is said to reduce the acidic content in our system, slows down the metabolic rates, increases endurance. This restores the body and mind balance. Praying too helps in subduing the emotions and controls the outburst of temper.

Fasting on Amavasya / New Moon

The Hindu calendar follows the lunar month and Amavasya, the new moon night, falls at the beginning of new lunar month which lasts for about 30 days. Most Hindus observe a fast on that day and offer food to their ancestors.

According to Garuda Purana (Preta Khanda), Lord Vishnu is believed to have said that the ancestors come to their descendents on Amavasya to partake of their food and if nothing is offered to them they are displeased. So, Hindus prepare 'shraddha' (food) and await their ancestors.

Many festivals like Diwali are observed on this day too. Amavasya marks a new beginning. Devotees vow to accept the new with optimism as new moon ushers in the hope of a new dawn.

How to Observe a Purnima Vrat / Full Moon Fast

Usually, the Purnima fast lasts for 12 hours - from sunrise to sunset. People on fast do not consume rice, wheat, pulses, grains and salt during the duration this time. Some devotees take fruits and milk but some observe it rigidly and go even without water depending on their capability of endurance. They spend time praying to Lord Vishnu and conducting the sacred Shree Satya Narayana Vrata Puja. In the evening, after sighting the moon they partake of the 'prasad' or divine food along with some light food.

How to Perform a Mritunjaya Havan on Purnima

Hindus perform a 'yagna' or 'havan' on purnima called the Maha Mritunjaya havan. It is a significant and powerful ritual very simply undertaken. The devotee first takes a bath, cleanses his body and wears clean clothes. He then prepares a bowl of sweet rice and adds to it black sesame seeds, diced 'kush' grass, some vegetables and butter. Then he lays the 'havan kund' to strike the holy fire. On a designated area, a layer of sand is spread and then a tent-like structure of wooden logs is erected and smeared with 'ghee' or clarified butter. The devotee then takes three sips of the Gangajaal or holy water from the river Ganga while chanting "Om Vishnu" and lights the sacrificial fire by placing camphor on the wood. Lord Vishnu along with other Gods and Goddesses are invoked followed by the chanting of the Mritunjaya mantra in honor of Lord Shiva:

Om trayam bakkam, yajaa-mahe
Sugan-dhim pushti-vardhanam,
Urvaa-rooka-miva bandha-naam,
Mrityor mooksheeya maamritaat.

The mantra is ended with "Om Swaahaa." While uttering "Om swaaha", a little helping of the sweet rice offering is placed on the fire. This is repeated 108 times. After completion of the 'havan' the devotee must ask for forgiveness for any mistakes he has unknowingly committed during the ritual. Finally, another 'maha mantra' is chanted 21 times:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna, Krishna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

At the end, just as the gods and the goddess were invoked at the onset of the havan, similarly after its completion they are requested to return to their abodes.

by
Akshit kapoor...

Why do we fast, or keep Upvasa/Vrat?

Fasting in Hinduism indicates the denial of the physical needs of the body for the sake of spiritual gains. According to the scriptures, fasting helps create an attunement with the Absolute by establishing a harmonious relationship between the body and the soul. This is thought to be imperative for the well being of a human being as it nourishes both his/her physical and spiritual demands.

Hindus believe it is not easy to unceasingly pursue the path of spirituality in one's daily life. We are harangued by a lot of considerations, and worldly indulgences do not allow us to concentrate on spiritual attainment. Therefore a worshiper must strive to impose restrains on himself/herself to get his mind focused. And one form of restraint is fasting.

Self-Discipline

However, fasting is not only a part of worship, but a great instrument for self-discipline too. It is a training of the mind and the body to endure and harden up against all hardships, to persevere under difficulties and not give up. According to Hindu philosophy, food means gratification of the senses and to starve the senses is to elevate them to contemplation. Luqman, the wise once said, "When the stomach is full, the intellect begins to sleep. Wisdom becomes mute and the parts of the body restrain from acts of righteousness."


Different Kinds of Fasting

-Hindus fast on certain days of the month such as Purnima (full moon) and Ekadasi (the 11th day of the fortnight).

-Certain days of the week is also marked for fasting, depending on individual choices and on one's favorite god and goddess. On Saturday, people fast to appease the god of that day, Shani or Saturn. Some fast on Tuesdays the auspicious day for Hanuman, the monkey God. On Fridays devotees of the goddess Santoshi Mata abstain from taking anything citric.

-Fasting at festivals is common. Hindus all over India observe fast on festivals like Navaratri, Shivratri and Karwa Chauth. Navaratri is a festival when people fast for nine days. Hindus in West Bengal fast on Ashtami, the eighth day of the festival of Durga Puja.

-Fasting can also mean abstaining from taking certain things, either for religious reason or for the sake of good health. For instance, some people refrain from taking salt on particular days. It is common knowledge that excess salt and sodium causes hypertention or elevation of blood pressure.

-Another common kind of fast is to forego taking cereals when only fruits are eaten. Such a diet is known as phalahar.


Ayurvedic Viewpoint

The underlying principle behind fasting is to be found in Ayurveda. This ancient Indian medical system sees the basic cause of many diseases as the accumulation of toxic materials in the digestive system. Regular cleansing of toxic materials keeps one healthy. By fasting, the digestive organs get rest and all body mechanisms are cleansed and corrected. A complete fast is good for heath, and the occasional intake of warm lemon juice during the period of fasting prevents the flatulence.

Since the human body, as explained by Ayurveda, is composed of 80% liquid and 20% solid, like the earth, the gravitational force of the moon affects the fluid contents of the body. It causes emotional imbalances in the body, making some people tense, irritable and violent. Fasting acts as antidote, for it lowers the acid content in the body which helps people to retain their sanity.


A Non-Violent Protest

From a matter of dietary control, fasting has come to be a handy tool of societal control. It is a non-violent form of protest. A hunger strike can draw attention to a grievance and can bring about an emendation or redress. It is interesting to note that it was Mahatma Gandhi who used fasting to capture people's attention. There is an anecdote to this: Once the workers at the textile mills in Ahmedbad were protesting their low wages. Gandhi told them to go on strike. After two weeks when the workers took to violence, Gandhi himself decided to go on fast till the matter was resolved.


Fellow-Feeling

Finally, the pangs of hunger that one experiences during fasting make one think and extend one's sympathy towards the destitute who often go without food. In this context fasting functions as a societal gain wherein people share with each other a fellow feeling. Fasting provides an opportunity for the privileged to give food-grains to the less privileged and alleviate their distress, at least for the moment.

by
Akshit Kapoor..

Who is Lord Brahma

by...
Akshit Kapoor..

The God of Creation

Hinduism perceives the whole creation and its cosmic activity as the work of three fundamental forces symbolized by three gods, which constitutes the Hindu Trinity or ‘Trimurti’: Brahma - the creator, Vishnu - the sustainer, and Shiva - the destroyer.

Brahma, the Creator:
Brahma is the creator of the universe and of all beings, as depicted in the Hindu cosmology. The Vedas, the oldest and the holiest of Hindu scriptures, are attributed to Brahma, and thus Brahma is regarded as the father of dharma. He is not to be confused with Brahman which is a general term for the Supreme Being or Almighty God. Although Brahma is one of the Trinity, his popularity is no match to that of Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma is to be found to exist more in scriptures than in homes and temples. In fact it is hard to find a temple dedicated to Brahma. One such temple is located in Pushkar in Rajasthan.

The Birth of Brahma :
According to the Puranas, Brahma is the son of God, and often referred to as Prajapati. The Shatapatha Brahman says that Brahma was born of the Supreme Being Brahman and the female energy known as Maya. Wishing to create the universe, Brahman first created the water, in which he placed his seed. This seed transformed into a golden egg, from which Brahma appeared. For this reason Brahma is also known as ‘Hiranyagarbha’. According to another legend, Brahma is self-born out of a lotus flower which grew from the navel of Vishnu.

In order to help him create the universe, Brahma gave birth to the 11 forefathers of the human race called ‘Prajapatis’ and the seven great sages or the ‘Saptarishi’. These children or mind-sons of Brahma, who were born out of his mind rather than body, are called the ‘Manasputras’.

The Symbolism of Brahma:
In the Hindu pantheon, Brahma is commonly represented as having four heads, four arms, and red skin. Unlike all the other Hindu gods, Brahma carries no weapon in his hands. He holds a water-pot, a spoon, a book of prayers or the Vedas, a rosary and sometimes a lotus. He sits on a lotus in the lotus pose and moves around on a white swan, possessing the magical ability to separate milk from a mixture of water and milk. Brahma is often depicted as having long white beard, with each of his heads reciting the four Vedas.

Brahma, Cosmos, Time & Epoch:
Brahma presides over 'Brahmaloka,' a universe that contains all the splendors of the earth and all other worlds. In Hindu cosmology the universe exists for a single day called the ‘Brahmakalpa’. This day is equivalent to four billion earth years, at the end of which the whole universe gets dissolved. This process is called ‘pralaya’, which repeats for such 100 years, a period that represents Brahma's lifespan. After Brahma's "death", it is necessary that another 100 of his years pass until he is reborn and the whole creation begins anew.

Linga Purana, which delineates the clear calculations of the different cycles, indicates that Brahma's life is divided in one thousand cycles or ‘Maha Yugas’.

Brahma in American Literature:
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) wrote a poem called "Brahma" that was published in theAtlantic in 1857, which shows many ideas from Emerson's reading of Hindu scriptures and philosophy. He interpreted Brahma as "unchanging reality" in contrast to Maya, "the changing, illusory world of appearance." Brahma is infinite, serene, invisible, imperishable, immutable, formless, one and eternal, said Arthur Christy (1899 – 1946), the American author and critic.

Who is Lord Vishnu?

by...
Akshit Kapoor..


The peace-loving deity of the Hindu Trinity, Vishnu is the Preserver or Sustainer of life with his steadfast principles of order, righteousness and truth. When these values are under threat, Vishnu emerges out of his transcendence to restore peace and order on earth.

The 10 Avatars:

Lord Vishnu’s earthly incarnations have many avatars. His ten avatars are 

1. Matsyavatara
2. Koorma
3. Varaaha
4. Narasimha
5. Vaamana
6. Parasurama
7. Lord Rama
8. Lord Krishna
9. Buddha

and the yet to appear 10th incarnation called the Kalki avatar.

In his commonest form, Vishnu is portrayed as having a dark complexion – the color of passive and formless ether, and with four hands.



Sankha, Chakra, Gada, Padma:
On one of the backhands he holds the milky white conch shell or ‘sankha’ that spreads the primordial sound of Om, and on the other a discuss or ‘chakra’ - a reminder of the cycle of time - which is also a lethal weapon that he uses against blasphemy. It is the famous Sudarshana Chakra that is seen whirling on his index finger. The other hands hold a lotus or ‘padma’, which stands for a glorious existence, and a mace or ‘gada’ that indicates punishment for indiscipline.

The Lord of Truth:
Out of his navel blossoms a lotus, known as Padmanabham. The flower holds Brahma, the God of Creation and the embodiment of royal virtues or ‘Rajoguna’. Thus, the peaceful form of Lord Vishnu discards the royal virtues through his navel and makes the Sheshnag snake that stands for the vices of darkness or ‘Tamoguna’, his seat. Therefore Vishnu is the Lord of ‘Satoguna’ - the virtues of the truth.

The Presiding Deity of Peace:
Vishnu is often depicted as reclining on a Sheshanaga – the coiled, many-headed snake floating on cosmic waters that represents the peaceful Universe. This pose symbolizes the calm and patience in the face of fear and worries that the poisonous snake represents. The message here is that you should not let fear overpower you and disturb your peace.

Garuda, the Vehicle:
The vehicle of Vishnu is the Garuda eagle, the king of the birds. Empowered with the courage and speed to spread the knowledge of the Vedas, Garuda is an assurance of fearlessness at the time of calamity.

Vishnu is also known as Narayana and Hari. The devout followers of Vishnu are called Vaishnavas, and his consort is Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth a and beauty.

Why do we do Aarati?

by
Akshit Kapoor-



Towards the end of every ritualistic worship (pooja or bhajan) of God or to welcome an honored guest or saint, we perform the aarati. This is always accompanied by the ringing of the bell and sometimes by singing, playing of musical instruments and clapping. 

It is one of the sixteen steps (shodasha upachaara) of the pooja ritual. It is referred to as the auspicious light (mangla niraajanam). Holding the lighted lamp in the right hand, we wave in a clockwise circling movement to light the entire form of God.

Each part is revealed individually and also the entire form of God. As the light is waved we either do mental or loud chanting of prayers or simply behold the beautiful form of God, illumined by the lamp. At the end of the aarati we place our hands over the flame and then gently touch our eyes and the top of the head.

We have seen and participated in this ritual from our childhood. Let us find out why we do the aarati?

Having worshipped God with love - performing abhisheka, decorating the image and offering fruits and delicacies, we see the beauty of God in all His glory. Our minds are focused on each limb of God as the lamp lights it up. It is akin to silent open-eyed meditation on His beauty. The singing, clapping, ringing of the bell etc. denote the joy and auspiciousness, which accompanies the vision of God.

Aarati is often performed with camphor. This holds a telling spiritual significance. Camphor when lit, burns itself out completely without leaving a trace of it. It represents our inherent tendencies (vaasanas). When lit by the fire of knowledge which illumines God (Truth), our vaasanas thereafter burn themselves out completely, not leaving a trace of ego which creates in us a sense of individuality that keeps us separate from God.

Also while camphor burns to reveal the glory of God, it emits a pleasant perfume even while it sacrifices itself. In our spiritual progress, even as we serve the guru and society, we should willingly sacrifice ourselves and all we have, to spread the "perfume" of love to all. We often wait a long while to see the illumined God but when the aarati is actually performed, our eyes close automatically as if to look within. This is to signify that each of us is a temple of God.

Just as the priest reveals the form of God clearly with the aarati flame, so too the guru reveals to us the divinity within each of us with the help of the "flame" of knowledge (or the light of spiritual knowledge). At the end of the aarati, we place our hands over the flame and then touch our eyes and the top of the head. It means - may the light that illuminated God light up my vision; may my vision be divine and my thoughts noble and beautiful.

The philosophical meaning of aarati extends further. The sun, moon, stars, lightning and fire are the natural sources of light. God is the source of this wonderous phenomenon of the universe. It is due to Him alone that all else exist and shine. As we light up God with the flame of the aarati, we turn our attention to the very source of all light, which symbolizes knowledge and life.

Also the sun is the presiding deity of the intellect, the moon, that of the mind, and fire, that of speech. God is the supreme consciousness that illuminates all of them. Without Him, the intellect cannot think, nor can the mind feel, nor the tongue speaks. God is beyond the mind, intellect and speech. How can this finite equipment illuminate God? Therefore, as we perform the aarati we chant;

Na tatra suryo bhaati na chandra taarakam
Nemaa vidyuto bhaanti kutoyamagnib
Tameva bhaantam anubhaati sarvam
Tasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhaati


He is there where the sun does not shine,
Nor the moon, stars and lightning.
then what to talk of this small flame (in my hand),
Everything (in the universe) shines only after God,
And by His light alone are we all illumined.

Meaning of AUM/OM

by
Akshit Kapoor-

Most of us have heard the word “AUM” or more popularly known as “OM”, but do we know what it really means ? Why it is considered the most sacred sound in Eastern religions ? Why is it chanted in meditation ? 

The answers can be found in Mandukya Upanishad, which are shortest of the Upanishads, the scriptures of Hindu Vedanta consisting of twelve verses written around 800BC. Aum is said to be the essence of all mantras and Vedas, the highest of all mantras or divine words, symbolizing the infinite Brahman (the Ultimate and the Absolute) and the entire universe.

A stands for Creation, representing Brahma
U stands for Preservation, representing Vishnu
M stands for destruction of dissolution, representing Shiva

Aum stands for the Supreme Reality. It is the symbol of what was, what is, and what shall be. It also represents what lies beyond past, present and future.

The Upanishads explain that “AUM” has four states of consciousness:

Vaishvanara: the waking state, consciousness with senses turned outwards, awareness of the external world.

Tijasa: the dreaming state, consciousness with the senses turned inwards.

Prajna: deep sleep, consciousness with no mind, no dreams and no desires, the source and end of all.

Turiya – super consciousness, beyond the senses and the intellect, represented by AUM.

To sum it up on one sentence, AUM is the primordial vibration of the consciousness which created the universe.

Why Lord Vishnu has four arms

by
Akshit Kapoor-

The classical explanation is "Lord Vishnu represents the aspect of perseverance and sustenance of the Supreme Reality. A human body with four arms generally symbolizes Vishnu. The four arms of his indicate his omnipresence and omnipotence. His two front arms show his activity in the physical world and his two back arms signify his activity in the spiritual world." But I was looking for a more esoteric and cosmic meaning which I want to share with you.

Rishi Kumar Sharma in his book ‘The Ultimate Dialogue’ says; “The Sanskrit word mahima means the ‘dignity, magnitude or majesty’ of an individual. .., The word ‘individual’ refers to every single entity in the cosmos which has a manifest identity; that is name , form and function. In its technical usage, mahima means a sphere of radiance emanating from each individual.”

Every manifestation from an atom to the galaxies is endowed with this radiance which is a spherical beam of rays all around it, which makes it visible and gives a specific identity. This 360 degree of radiance can be divided into four quadrants of 90 degrees each. The entire cosmos posses this spherical radiance and each part of the four quadrants is called ‘swastika’. Since all manifestations are of divine origin and are contained within the Divine, Lord Vishnu as the sustainer is represented with four arms.

The four arms thus represent the four dimensional domain of space-time in which all the manifestations of the Divine takes place and the very space-time fabric itself being the implicate order which forms the sustaining potential of the unmanifest Divine.
The swastika has a similar attribute from four different frames of reference which have a common origin and this origin remains same irrespective of the plane of emanation of the four quadrants. Swastika has a 90 degree rotational symmetry and represents the cyclic nature of Divine action.

For me the conch represents emanation (material birth) and the Sudarshan Chakra represents termination (physical dissolution or death). Beyond these is the operation or action of consciousness in the divine realm. We can see this in all the episodes in Puranas, especially the Chakra being used by lord Vishnu to annihilate. The mace representing the action of subjugation or conditioning of the ego and the lotus represents divine wisdom, through which true self realization takes place and these two representations are the operation or action of the consciousness in the manifest realm.

A clear link is to be established between the above iconic representation and the mental model that could elevate one’s consciousness to a higher level.

The Cosmic quadrants are in space-time and are purely in the realm of the manifest or in the domain of the human perception. The Akashic world can not be comprehended as the Gita says in chapter 11 verse 48: “O best of the Kuru warriors, no one before you has ever seen this universal form of Mine, for neither by studying the Vedas, nor by performing sacrifices, nor by charity, nor by pious activities, nor by severe penances can I be seen in this form in the material world.”

The reason we need a deeper interpretation is that though there could be metaphysical dimension from which we arrive at a particular symbolism as has been explained above, but we need a psychic dimension for a specific archetype as this is the route through which the Vedic seers and sages attempt to communicate the unmanifest, to the limited consciousness of common man, through a subconscious path.

The Divine manifestation can be grasped at the deeper psychological level through the understanding of the AQAL (All Quadrant All Lines) model of Ken Wilber, a contemporary American philosopher and psychologist. This model is the more esoteric interpretation of the swastika and the four arms of Lord Vishnu. (see the figure at the top)

The most desired representation which evokes a very meaningful symbolism is Lord Vishnu reclining in the ocean of universal or cosmic consciousness and his four arms in various positions, representing the actions in the manifest consciousness.

The Meaning Of Pilgrimage

by

Akshit Kapoor-

Pilgrimages are intentionally difficult journeys of devotion. By making a long journey to these powerful places, pilgrims achieve a degree of personal growth. The act of pilgrimage serves as a bridge between the known realm of earth, nature, society, and the unknown world of divine beings, from the ephemeral and illusory to reality and eternity.

A place of pilgrimage is known as a ‘tirtha sthana’ – ‘which is associated with or inhabited by sages deserving reverence, who are without desire, egoism or delusion and who have been purified by a performance of penance’ says the Garuda Purana. A tirtha refers to ‘crossing the ford’ – to cross is to be transformed. Among the holiest Hindu tirthas are sacred rivers, especially the Ganges. Its entire length is sacred, yet at some points t is believed that its sanctity comes to a focus. One of these points is Kashi. A tirtha is directly experienced as an intensification of the sacred or supernatural power in time and space. It is there – to be seen, to be felt, to enter, rather as the hearth is the centre of the home, to which all who enter naturally gravitate. And this, despite the fact that home and tirtha are essentially opposites.....

The pilgrim makes a transformative journey to a tirtha in order to see, to have darshan – which means ‘seeing’: Kashi darshan, Vishwanath darshan, Himalaya darshan. All nature is capable of revealing itself as cosmic sacrality. An integral religious society like India’s, searches for identity in the cosmos. The cosmos in its entirety can become a hierophany – a ‘divine showing’. The struggle to overcome difficulties of journey opens up to pilgrims deeper realities and resources of their own being and of the surrounding world. Pilgrimage brings together inner and outer worlds, the physical landscape serving as a mirror for the inner one. The pilgrim is cast from the relatively closed home world onto the vastness of nature.... Indian pilgrimages.... reflects a belief that there is something close to the essence, to beauty and truth in the landscape through which the seeker journeys. Pilgrimage is metaphysical sightseeing....

Eliade points out, man does not ‘choose’ these places: they are merely ‘discovered’ by him. Such tirthas, to which the faithful have made pilgrimage since time immemorial, usually possess palpably ‘magical’ atmosphere and physical beauty..... The sheer size of the subcontinent has traditionally provided little stimulus to venture abroad. But the need of the landlocked to break out, to get up and go, abandon stale routine for a while and be free spirits, has fostered the urge to undertake pilgrimage on an unprecedented scale.

To attract large numbers, the tirtha sthana must both be an accessible crossway and yet distant enough to be reached from afar by an arduous journey – like Mecca, Jerusalem, Delos Compostella, Benaras, located at a territorial midpoint, at the intersection of transcontinental trade routes.... The essence of pilgrimage is movement outwards and away from the home base. Even those who are permanently resident in places of pilgrimage have the same urge to take off on a journey to some distant tirtha.

Pilgrimage is a universal feature in the religious life of man – and even those who profess no religion still feel the urge to make an arduous journey to some distant and elevating goal that transcends the normal parameters of their lives. To benefit from the spiritual and moral qualities of a holy place both pilgrims and secular-intentional seekers must approach their goal in the right frame of mind.