tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54312680931438311712024-03-21T13:29:09.055-07:00Shrividhya GuruGuhamA new measure to understand the Sanathana DharmaRamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-87897897535003154242013-12-19T03:30:00.001-08:002013-12-19T03:30:57.699-08:00Salutations to Sri Ganesha and Vishvakshenar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Every rite / ritual in our Sanathana Dharma doesnot start without the worship of Ganapathi or Vishvakshenar. The former is considered the deity for followers of Shiva, while the later is of Sriman Narayana.<br />
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Let us pray for their blessings in the years to come and for our continued blog activities.<br />
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"Andhadhi" - a certain form of epithet is really a treasure in Tamizh language. The last word of the sentence is used as the first word of the next sentence. Many Andhadhi s have been created in praise of Gods and Goddesses by our Tamizh Saint Poets. Of them, the most famous are<br />
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1. Thiruvaaimozhi - by Swami Nammazhwaar, comprising of 1124 hyms sung in praise of Sriman Narayana and the Divya Desas.<br />
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2. Ramanusa Nootruandhadhi - composed by Thrivaranganththu Amudhanaar upholding the Holy aspects of Poorvachaaryaas, Sriman Narayana and His parivaara, puranaas, itihisaas and Swami Udaiyavar's connection toall these above. <br />
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3. Thiruvaaimozhi Nootruandhadhi - penned down by none other than Yatheendra Pravanar - Swami Manavala Maamunigal praising the 1124 Hyms of Nammaazhwaar and in turn Swami Shatakopan for giving the essence of Vedas in 1124 paasurams, that too in a very simple and understandable language.<br />
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4. Abirami Andhadhi - a beautiful hym composed on Abirami - the deity of Thrikkadaiyur. The hym is beleived to be composed by Sri Subrahmanyam (later to be know as Abirama Bhattar), when He was given the punishment of being thrown down into fire, beleiving that He had shown disrespect to the King of Thanjavur which was then under the rule of Raja Serfoji. <br />
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The kaapu paadal (the raksha sloka) of abirami Andhadhi goes like <br />
<br />
காப்பு<br />தாரமர் கொன்றையும் செண்பக மாலையும் சாத்தும்தில்லை<br />ஊரர்தம் பாகத்து உமைமைந்தனே! உலகேழும் பெற்ற<br />சீர் அபிராமி அந்தாதி எப்போதும் எந்தன் சிந்தையுள்ளே<br />காரமர் மேனிக் கணபதியே! நிற்கக் கட்டுரையே. <br />
The above sloka says:<br />
<br />
தாரமர் கொன்றையும் - the konnai flowers decorating the beautiful kesha of Ganapathi<br />
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செண்பக மாலையும் சாத்தும் - one who wears garland of Champa (Shenbagam) flowers<br />
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தில்லை ஊரர்தம் பாகத்து உமைமைந்தனே! - O Son of the Uma, who had taken the left side of the person who resides in Thillai (Chidambaram) - obviously meaning Lord Shiva<br />
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உலகேழும் பெற்ற சீர் அபிராமி அந்தாதி எப்போதும் எந்தன் சிந்தையுள்ளே - the one who created all the 7 worlds, and on whom I am going to sing this Andhadhi, in my mind / chiththa<br />
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காரமர் மேனிக் கணபதியே! - O Ganapathi!! who is shining like the black clouds full of rain in them,<br />
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நிற்கக் கட்டுரையே. - let it be firm and still always<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
"O Ganapathi!! who wears Konnai flowers in your head and shenbaga garland in your chest, O son of Uma who resides in the left side of Thillai Nataraja who also created the 7 worlds, let this Andhadhi and its thoughts be in my mind firm and still always"</div>
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Though there are many intrinsic meanings in this vennpaa, the overall meaning alone is given here. <br />
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Now let us move to Vishnu Sahasranama, which invokes Senai mushaliyaar. <br />
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The second hym of Vishnu Sahasranama invokes Sri Vishvakshenar (known as Senai Mudhaliyaar in Tamizh) seeking His blessings to finish the parayanam of the stotra without any hindrance. <br />
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yasya, dwiradavaktrAdyAH pAriShadyAH parashshatam shattaM , vighnaM nighnanti sathatham viShvaksenam tam Ashraye |<br />
Yasya - the one <br />
<br />
dwirada-vaktradhya - one who has two tucks in His mukha (face) [Here it refers to Gajavakthra, one of the most important person in Senai Mudhaliyaar betallion, whose face is of an elephant. This should not be confused with Ganapathi]<br />
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Parishadyaha - counsel<br />
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Parashshatham - group of 100<br />
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vighnam - obstacles<br />
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nighnanthi - removed <br />
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shathatham - always<br />
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Vishvakshenam tam - to you O Vishvakshena<br />
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aashraye - bow to you<br />
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"the one whose cousel consisting of 100 of people, chiefly of Gajavakthra and to the destroyer of all obstacles, to you I bow, O Vishvakshena!!".<br />
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Let us pray to Sri Ganapathi and sri Vishakshenar for removing all our obstacles.<br />
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</div>
Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-34059211737480890632013-12-19T02:22:00.001-08:002013-12-19T02:22:45.670-08:00A welcome back<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dear All,<br />
<br />
Due to various other reasons, we had to stop posting in this blog for a period more than 3 years. We deeply regret for the same.<br />
<br />
Now, we are again back to learn and share more thnigs than before and also in a much more broader spectre of our Sanathana Dharma. <br />
<br />
We hope everyone of you will actively post and share the knowledge of our Sanathana Dharma with us and others as well.<br />
<br />
Hoping to see you all soon...<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
</div>
Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-90435310437012563402011-04-01T09:02:00.000-07:002011-04-01T09:02:24.080-07:00The Religion without a name<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The Religion without a name</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwB8t_xIllc9G9402xmBCDxs8f6r46EONSTItDnPfHKPn2DTcck0KP2XHWWeVXsGN3tWdnEo72wjo9qq3Kk7hcpaVr3zApOxhzonjSTAPBb5lHMhxfw9VcjCmqj57HK_BBcjndCVoqZ-H/s1600/1_FXCD0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwB8t_xIllc9G9402xmBCDxs8f6r46EONSTItDnPfHKPn2DTcck0KP2XHWWeVXsGN3tWdnEo72wjo9qq3Kk7hcpaVr3zApOxhzonjSTAPBb5lHMhxfw9VcjCmqj57HK_BBcjndCVoqZ-H/s320/1_FXCD0061.JPG" width="258" /></a></div><br />
<br />
We speak of the "Hindu Religion", but the religion denoted by the term did not in fact have such a name originally. According to some, the word "Hindu" means "Love"; according to some others a Hindu is one who disapproves ahimsa or violence. This may be an ingenious way of explaining the word.<br />
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In none of our ancient sastras does the term "Hindu Religion" occur. The name "Hindu" was given us by foreigner. People from countries to our west came to our land across Sindhu river which they called "Indus" or "Hind" and the land adjacent to it by the name "India". The religion of this land came to be "Hindu". The name of a neighboring country is sometimes applied to the land adjacent to it. Let me tell you an interesting story in this connection.<br />
<br />
In the north people readily give alms to anybody calling himself a Bairaagi. The bairagis have a grievance against southerners because they do not follow the same practice. "Illa po po kahe telungi" is one of their ditties. "Telugus do not give us alms but drive us away": this is the meaning of the line. Actually, Telugus do not say "po, po" but "vellu, vellu" for "go,go". "Po" is a Tamil word. Then how would you explain the line quoted above? During their journey South, the bairagis had first to pass through Telugu country (Andhra); so they thought that the land further South also belonged to the Telugus.<br />
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There is also the same logic behind the Telugus themselves referred to Tamil Nadu as "Arava Nadu" from the fact that a small area south of Andhra Pradesh is called "Arva". Similarly, foreigners who came to the land of the Sindhus called all Bhaarata beyond also by the same name.<br />
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However it be, "Hinduism" was not the name of our religion in the different past. Nor was it known as "Vaidhika Matham" (Vedic Religion) or as "Sanaathana Dharma" (the ancient or timeless religion). Our basic texts do not refer to our faith by any name. When i thought about it, I felt that there was something deficient about our religion............... (To Be Continued)............<br />
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</div>Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-12034142646050793812011-03-11T18:05:00.001-08:002011-03-11T18:05:48.109-08:00Thirumoorthy Koil_Chengipatti<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Jaisathguru<br />
Thirumoorthy koil, Sengipatti fascinated me on the very first time i<br />
saw it. It was right after my admission at SASTRA (june 2008).<br />
This temple is present in a village, which is about 4-5 km from<br />
Sengipatti. There are bus facilities connecting the village from<br />
sengipatti but frequency is very low. It is best reached the place by<br />
auto.<br />
There are totally three important things that are present there.<br />
1. Paramasivan temple(sorry i’m not sure of the name) , along with<br />
other deities.<br />
2. Dhyana Mandapam<br />
3. Ayyanar Koil<br />
1.The interesting fact about the temple is that, it was built by a<br />
Raja who ruled Thanjavur. As we can notice suriyan and chandiran at<br />
the entrance of the temple facing the deity. This temple has a special<br />
variety of villvam, wherein 11 leaves would be attached to a single<br />
stalk.<br />
There is also certain other special feature which I’m not sure of, as<br />
I have forgotten them as it had been more than 2 years i had been to<br />
the temple.<br />
2. Another important fact about this temple is that there is a<br />
dyanamandapam where in there is a very rare and fascinating thing one<br />
can notice. We can have the darshan of Poondi Mahan, Gnananadagiri<br />
Swamigal, and Kanchi Mahan along with matha Para Shakthi.<br />
It is said that, this particular place had been the thapovanam for<br />
various great saints and mahaans, and here Poondi Mahan is said to be<br />
the incarnation of Brahma, Gnananadagiri Swamigal that of Maha Vishnu<br />
and Kanchi Mahan that of Parama Sivan. This is the main reason this<br />
kshaetram is call Thrumoorthy koil.<br />
3.ayyanar along with his parivaras is another thing that one notices<br />
as we come there.<br />
There are several fascinating facts that adorn the temple. By his<br />
grace willing to visit the temple again, to collect further<br />
information about it and would soon post another blog with it.<br />
--Jaisathguru</span></div>Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-3730360093806005782011-03-03T16:15:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:19:13.125-08:00RISHIVANDHIYAM - THE WONDER OF WONDERS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(79, 129, 189); border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0in 0in 4pt;"><div class="MsoTitle">RISHIVANDHIYAM- SIVAN TEMPLE<br />
THE WONDER OF WONDERS. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">This place is nearby villupuram and thirukovilur.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">Buses are available from thirukovilur but few. The sivan temple</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">here in this small town is one of thousands of temples in our</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">land which don’t get the attention they deserve.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">When I went to this temple with my family it was around</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">9’oclock. But nobody was there in the temple. When we asked </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">the people there, they told us that there was only one priest both </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">for the sivan and vishnu temple in that town, and that, the priest </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">had to come from the other temple. After waiting for around 30 </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">mins the priest came finally. Though my grandfather told me </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">about the temple even before we started I didn’t appreciate his </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">words much.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">Because in our land all temples have some unbelievable</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">uniqueness in them. I thought that this temple too had something</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">special as my grandpa was saying. That’s it. I didn’t expect</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">anything more…. But only after going there I realised that the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">temple had much much more at stake, and many a wonders, than</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">I had contemplated in my mind.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">The lingam in this temple is a svayambu lingam. The temple</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">traces its origin down back to dvapara yugam. The lingam is</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">believed to be worshipped by musukunda chakravarti, devargal,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">agasthiyar, lord rama, guha namachivayar, also by many rishi’s</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">and the great nalavar-appar, sundarar, manickavasagar and</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">thirugnanasambandar. Wonders of wonders is the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">ardhanareeswara form exihibited by the lingam here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">When the divine wedding of sivan and parvati took place in the </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">kailayam the entire populace of the devas, asuras, siva bakthas </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">and all divinely people rushed to kailayam. Because of the </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">enormous weight on kailayam the northern direction fell low </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">and the southern direction got lifted up. To balance the weight</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">sivaperuman asked agasthiya maharishi who only the size of</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">thumb, to go to the southern direction and balance the baram.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">Agasthiyar obeyed him instantly and he went to southen</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">direction and started performing poojas to sivan at various</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">sthalams. In one place the kailayanathan gave darisanam to him </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">in the wedding thirukolam. Agasthiyar prayed to the lord that he </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">must give this darisanam to all the people all the time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">Lord siva told that whenever abhishekam is performed to him</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">here with honey he will appear along with parvati. That place is</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">none other than the place we are talking about, that is</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">rishivandiyam.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">Even today when thaen(honey) abhishekam is performed to the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">lingam one can see the ardhanareeswara form of siva in the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">middle of the lingam glowing in golden colour. But when honey</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">is wiped away the ardhanareeswarar disappears. What a wonder</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">it was to witness it. The golden colour image doesn’t appear</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">during any other abhisekam ( I mean the abhisekham with milk,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">water or anything else). I was stunned and mesmerised and so</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">were my kins.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">The name of the ambal in this temple is called </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">shri muthambika.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">A must to be watched temple. When the honey flows over the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">Lingam, bhakthi and surprise will also flow in your heart. Believe it, if not experince it!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">There are many temples in and around villupuram which are</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">must to be watched..</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">I will tell about them in my next article!</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"> by </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"> VENKATRAMAN RAVI</span></div>Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-45981690053882044642011-02-18T07:04:00.000-08:002011-02-18T07:04:08.713-08:00Veda Samrakshanam & Veda Samrakshana Nidhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><img src="http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_04/01MAR06/images/FeatureArticles/GV%20Veda/vedas.jpg" /><br />
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Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshithaha <br />
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(When you protect Dharma, it will in turn protect you).<br />
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Priya Bakthas,<br />
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We all know the importance of Vedas, its spiritual origin, its eternal nature, etc. But according to the current scenario, the learning of Vedas, propagating it, or even speaking of it in the open has become impossible. Is it not "OUR" duty to nourish them, cherish the people who study them and take it to the world?????. Hence, a a small initiative, as the tamil proverb goes, "Siru Thuli, peru vellam" (small drops lead to an ocean), it has been decided, that WE start a "Veda Samrakshana Nidhi". This nidhi would mainly concentrate on collecting of funds from people who are know the importance of it and also who are realy willing to help, through out their life and to their generations to come on....<br />
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The Points / Terms/Conditions are so...<br />
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1. Each month thirty (Rs.32) would be collected from each person. This Rs.32 is only a minimum limit, always, more contributions are welcome.<br />
2. A new bank account in the name of a person / joint account will be opened up in CUB, Chennai (Cos, most people are of Chennai Origin).<br />
3. People who are at college (SASTRA) will be giving their contributions to one person nominated (Whole-heartedly).<br />
4. The same amount from that person will be deposit the money in the chosen account number (either directly or by net banking, whichever is easier).<br />
5. The sum Rs.32 has been collected on the basis of this:<br />
a. 16 for a paksham (a fortnight / 15 days, a month has two pakshams, and hence Rs.32)<br />
b. 16 stands for Brahma Vidhya who is Veda matha - Gayathri.(as Lalitha Sahasranamam says: Suddha Vidhya kurankaara dwija pankthi dwaya ujwala - She who has the Suddha Vidhya - 32 syllabled mantra as two sets of teeth).<br />
6. Since, this is a very small program, we feel that this would be sufficient only if the Veda Students of donate (Reason is - large funds could not be managed, also, at the start level, its better we plan in a small scale, then expand).<br />
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Also, a kind request for everyone.... Kindly take interest in doing this, This scheme was first started by OUR Kanchi Paramacharya. His life's goal was to protect and propagate the VEDIC DHARMA and he lived up to it. As his priya sishyas, his priyas bakthaas and daasaas, it is OUR duty to take up his goal and follow his foot steps (Paramaachaaryaal Paadhailae)......<br />
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<img src="http://www.exoticindiaart.com/books/the_vedas_idk656.jpg" /><br />
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Once again request you to take this task as our own and fulfill Maha Periva's goal for ascending in our Mother Land.<br />
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adiyen's pranams to all your Lotus Feet<br />
<br />
adiyen<br />
SathGuru dasan<br />
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</div>Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-57938504654626060272010-11-01T06:40:00.001-07:002010-11-01T06:40:01.944-07:00Dasa Maha Vidhya<div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;"> </div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;"><br />
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</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;"> The Mahavidyas are, in order, <a href="http://www.shivashakti.com/kali.htm">Kali</a>, <a href="http://www.shivashakti.com/tara.htm">Tara</a>, Sodashi (<a href="http://www.shivashakti.com/tripura.htm">Tripurasundari</a>), Bhuvaneshvari, <a href="http://www.shivashakti.com/cchinna.htm">Cchinnamasta</a>, Bhairavi, Dhumavati, <a href="http://www.shivashakti.com/bagala.htm">Bagalamukhi</a>, Matangi and Kamala. Each, except Dhumavati, who is a widow, has her own form of Shiva.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;">1. Kali. Seated on a corpse, greatly terrifying, laughing loudly, with fearful fangs, four arms holding a cleaver, a skull, and giving the mudras bestowing boons and dispelling fear, wearing a garland of skulls, her tongue rolling wildly, completely naked (digambara - clad in the directions), thus one should meditate on Kali, dwelling in the centre of the cremation ground.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;">2. Tara - Akshobhya. Seated in the pratyalidha asana, seated on the heart of a corpse, supreme, laughing horribly, holding cleaver, blue lotus, dagger and bowl, uttering the mantra Hum, coloured blue, her hair braided with serpents, the Ugratara.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;">3. Sodashi. For her meditation image, see <a href="http://www.shivashakti.com/tripura.htm">Mahatripurasundari</a>.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;">4. Bhuvaneshvari. Like the red rays of the rising sun, with the moon as her diadem, and with three eyes, a smiling face, bestowing boons, holding a goad, a noose and dispelling fears, thus I hymn Bhuvaneshi.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;">5. Cchinnamasta. For her meditation image, see <a href="http://www.shivashakti.com/cchinna.htm">Cchinnamasta</a>.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;">6. Bhairavi. Her head garlanded with flowers, she resembling the red rays of 1,000 rising suns, smeared with red, holding milk, book, dispelling fears and giving boons with her four hands, large three eyes, beautiful face with a slow smile, wearing white gems, I worship Bhairava.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;">7. Dhumavati. The colour of smoke, wearing smoky clothes, holding a winnowing basket, dishevelled clothes, deceitful, always trembling, with slant eyes, inspiring fear, terrifying.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;">8. Bagalamukhi. Three eyes, wearing yellow clothes and gems, moon as her diadem, wearing champaka blossoms, with one hand holding the tongue of an enemy and with the left hand spiking him, thus should you meditate on the paralyser of the three worlds. See also <a href="http://www.shivashakti.com/bagala.htm">Bagalamukhi</a>.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;">9. Matangi. Dusky, beautiful browed, her three eyes like lotuses, seated on a jewelled lion-throne, surrounded by gods and others serving her, holding in her four lotus-like hands a noose and a sword, a shield and a goad, thus I remember Matangi, the giver of results, the Modini.</div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: small;">10. Kamala. With a smiling face, her beautiful lily-white hands hold two lotuses, and show the mudras of giving and dispelling fear. She is bathed in nectar by four white elephants and stands upon a beautiful lotus.</div>Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-71035966076618763752010-09-07T22:16:00.000-07:002010-09-07T22:20:59.743-07:00Vedas - The root of all<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ae440b; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vedas - The root of All</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ae440b; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"> Our religion consists of two major divisions, Saivism and Vaisnavism. The doubt arises as to whether we are speaking here of two separate faiths or of a single one.</span><br />
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<div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Christianity too has two major divisions but people belonging to both conduct worship in the name of the same God. In Buddhism we have the </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#HINAYANA AND MAHAYANA" name="Hinayana and Mahayana"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Hinayana and Mahayana</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">streams but they do not make two separate faiths since both are based on the teachings of the same founder, the Buddha.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Do Saivas and Vaisnavas worship the same god? No. However it be with ordinary Vaisnavas, their acaryas or teachers never go anywhere near a Siva temple. Their god is Visnu, never Siva. In the opinion of the worshippers of Visnu, Siva is also one of his (Visnu's) devotees. There are extremists among Saivas also according to whom Visnu is not a god but a devotee of Siva. How then can the two groups be said to belong to the same religion?</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Are they to be regarded as belonging to the same faith by virtue of their having a common scripture? The divisions [sects] of Christianity have one common scripture, the Bible; so too is the Qur'an the common holy book for all divisions of Islam. Is such the case with Saivas and Vaisnavas? Saivas have the Tirumurai as their religious text, while Vaisnavas have the Nalayira-Divyaprabandham<sup> </sup>as their </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#SACRED WORK" name="sacred work"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">sacred work</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">. For Saivas and Vaisnavas thus the deities as well as the scriptures are different. How it be claimed that both belong to the same religion?</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Though divided into Saivas and Vaisnavas, we have been saved by the fact that the white man brought us together under a common name, "Hindu". But for this, what would have been our fate? In village after village, we would have been fragmented into separate religious groups- Saivas, Vaisnavas, </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#SAKTAS, MURUGA, AYYAPPA" name="Saktas"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Saktas</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">, worshippers of </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#SAKTAS, MURUGA, AYYAPPA" name="Muruga"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Muruga</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">, Ganapati, </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#SAKTAS, MURUGA, AYYAPPA" name="Ayyappa"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Ayyappa</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">, and so on. Further, in these places followers of religions like Christianity and Islam would have predominated. Now two regions of our subcontinent have become </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#PAKISTAN" name="Pakistan"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Pakistan</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">, Had we not been brought together with the label of Hindu, the entire subcontinent would have become Pakistan. The very same men who created Pakistan through their evil design and sowed the seeds of differences among us with their theory of two races- Aryans and Dravidians- unwittingly did us a good turn by calling us Hindu, thereby bringing into being a country called "India. "</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">So are we one religion or are we divided into <em>Two faiths? </em>The belief that Saivas and Vaisnavas have separate deities and religious works does not represent the truth. Though the present outlook of the two groups suggests that they represent different faiths, the truth will be revealed if we examine their prime scriptures. The saints who composed the <i>Tirumurai</i> of the Saivas and the<i> Nalayira-Divyaprabandham</i> of the Vaisnavas never claimed that these works of theirs were the prime religious texts of respective sects. Nor did they regard themselves as founders of any religion. Vaisnavism existed before the Azhvars and so too there was Saivism before the Nayanmars.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The original scripture of both sects is constituted by the Vedas. Saivas describe Isvara </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5431268093143831171&postID=7103596607661876375" name="thus"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">thus</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">:</span></div><blockquote style="font-family: arial, helvetica;"><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><em><strong>Vedamodarangamayinanai</strong></em></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><em><strong>Vedanathan, Vedagitan, aranan kan</strong></em></span></div></blockquote><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Similarly, the Vaisnava texts proclaim, "Vedam Tamizh seytaMaran </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#SATHAKOPAN" name="Sathakopan"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Sathakopan</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">. "If we pay close attention to their utterances, we will discover that the Vedas are the prime scripture of both sects. The Tevaram and the Nalayaira-Divyaprabandham are of the utmost importance to them (to the Saivas and Vaisnavas respectively); but the Vedas are the basis of both. The great saint-poets who composed the Saiva and Vaisnava hymns sing the glories of the Vedas throughout. Whenever they describe a temple, they go into raptures, saying, "Here the air is filled with the sound of the Vedas and pervaded with the smoke of the sacrificial fire. Here the</span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#SIX ANGAS" name="six Angas"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"> six Angas</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"> of the Vedas flourish. " In the songs of these hymnodists veneration of the Vedas finds as much place as devotion to the Lord.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The Vedas reveal the One Truth to us in the form of many deities. The worship of each of these divine beings is like a ghat on the river called the Vedas. Sekkizhar says the </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#SAME THING" name="same thing"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">same thing</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">:<em> "Veda neri tazhaittonga mihu Saivatturai vilanga. "</em></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Apart from Saivism and Vaisnavism, there are a number of sectarian systems like Saktam, Ganapatyam, Kaumaram, and Sauram (</span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#SUN GOD" name="worship of Sakti, Ganapati, Kumara or Subrahmanya and the Sun God"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">worship of Sakti, Ganapati, Kumara or Subrahmanya and the Sun God</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">). The adoration of these deities is founded in the Vedas, according to the Texts relating to them: "Our deity is extolled in the Vedas, " each system contains such a declaration.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Thus we find that there is but one scripture as the source common to the different sects and schools of thought in the Hindu religion.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">This source includes the Upanisads. On ten of them (Dasopanisad) the great teachers of the Saiva, Vaisnava, and Smarta traditions have written commentaries. The Upanisadic texts proclaim that the Brahman is the one and only Godhead: In the Kathopanisad it is called Visnu; in the Mandukyopanisad it is called Sivam. All the deities mentioned in the Samhitas of the Vedas- Mitra, Varuna, Agni, Indra and so on - are different names of the same Truth. So it is said in the Vedas: "Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti. "</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">It emerges that for all the divisions in our religion there is but one scripture- a scripture common to all- and one Godhead which is known by many names. The Vedas are the common scripture and the Godhead common to all is the Brahman. Thus we can say with finality, and without any room for doubt, that all of us belong to the same religion.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The Vedas that constitute the scripture common to all and which reveal the Godhead that is common to us also teach us how to lead our life, and- this is important- they do us the ultimate good by showing us in the end the way to become that very Godhead ourselves. They are our refuge both here and the hereafter and are the source and root of all our different traditions, all our systems of thought. All sects, all schools of our religion, have their origin in them. The root is one but the branches are many.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The Vedas are the source not only of various divisions of Hinduism, all the religions of the world may be traced back to them. It is our bounden duty to preserve them for all time to come with their glory undiminished.</span></div>Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-20907560009963255862010-09-06T20:48:00.000-07:002010-09-06T20:48:21.058-07:00Distinctive features of Our Eternal Sanathana Dharma<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><i>THE GREATEST SATHGURU OF ALL TIMES</i></span></b></span></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><i><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"> Our religion has a number of unique or distinctive features. One of them is what is called the theory of karma, though this theory is common to religions like Buddhism which are offshoots of Hinduism.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">What is the karma doctrine? For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. There is an ineluctable law of physics governing cause and effect, action and reaction. This law pertaining to physical phenomena our forefathers applied to human life. The cosmos includes not only sentient beings endowed with consciousness but also countless insentient objects. Together they constitute worldly life. The laws, the dharma, proper to the first order must apply to the second also. According to the karma theory, every action of a man has an effect corresponding to it. Based on this belief our religion declares that, if a man commits a sin, he shall pay the penalty for it. Also if his act is a virtuous one, he shall reap the benefits thereof.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Our religion further asserts that one is born again and again so as to experience the consequences of one's good and bad action. "Do good. " "Do not do evil, " such are the exhortations of all religions. But Hinduism (and its offshoots) alone lay stress on the cause-and -effect connection. No religion originating in countries outside India subscribes to the cause-and-effect connection, nor to the reincarnation theory as one of its articles of faith. Indeed religions originating abroad hold beliefs contrary to this theory and strongly oppose the view that man is born again and again in order to exhaust his karma. They believe that a man has only one birth, that when his soul departs on his death it dwells somewhere awaiting the day of judgment. On this day God makes an assessment of his good and bad actions and, on the basis of it, rewards him with eternal paradise or sentences him to eternal damnation.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Some years ago, a well-known writer from Europe came to see me nowadays you see many white men coming to the </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#MATHA" name="Matha"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Matha. </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">This gentleman told me that the Bible stated more than once that God is love. He could not reconcile this with the belief that God condemns a sinner to eternal damnation without affording him an opportunity for redemption. On this point a parade had told him: "It is true that there is an eternal hell. But it is eternally vacant. "</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The padre's statement is difficult to accept. Let us suppose that the Lord in his compassion does not condemn a sinner to hell. Where then does he send his soul? Since, according to Christianity, there is no rebirth the sinner is not made to be born again. So he too must be rewarded with heaven (as much as the virtuous man). This means that we may merrily keep sinning without any fear of punishment. After all, God will reward all of us with heaven. This belief implies that there is no need for morality and truthfulness.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">According to our religion too, Isvara who decides our fate after death on the basis of our karma is infinitely merciful. But, at the same time, he does not plunge the world in adharma, in unrighteousness- that is not how his compassion manifests itself. What does he do then? He gives us another birth, another opportunity to reap the fruits of our good and bad action. The joys of heaven and the torments of hell truly belong to this world itself. The sorrow and happiness that are our lot in our present birth are in proportion to the virtuous and evil deeds of our past birth. Those who sinned much suffer much now and, similarly, those who did much good enjoy much happiness now. The majority is made up of people who know more sorrow than happiness and people who experience sorrow and happiness almost in equal measure. There are indeed very few blessed with utter happiness. It is evident from this that most of us must have done more evil than good in our past birth.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">In His mercy the Lord gives us every time a fresh opportunity to wash away our sins. The guru, the sastras, and the temples are all his gifts to wipe away our inner impurities. That Isvara, in his compassion, places his trust even in a sinner confident that he will raise himself through his own efforts and gives him a fresh opportunity in the form of another birth to advance himself inwardly- is not such a belief better than that he should dismiss a sinner as good for nothing and yet reward him with heaven? If a man sincerely believes, in a spirit of surrender, there is nothing that he can do on his own and that everything is the Lord's doing, he will be redeemed and elevated. But it is one thing for God to bless a man who goes to him for refuge forsaking his own efforts to raise himself and quite another to bless him thinking him to be not fit to make any exertions on his own to advance inwardly. So long as we believe in such a thing as human endeavour we should think that Isvara's supreme compassion lies in trusting a man to go forward spiritually through his own <i>efforts. </i>It is in this way that the Lord's true grace is manifested.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">That God does not condemn anyone to eternal punishment in hell is the personal opinion of a particular padre. It cannot be said that all religions like Christianity which believe that a man has only one birth agree with this view. They believe that God awards a man hell or paradise according to the good or evil he has done in one single birth. Since sinners who deserve to be condemned to hell predominate, the day of judgment has come to be known by the terrible name of doomsday. Here we have a concept according to which the Lord's compassion seems to be circumscribed.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">There is strong evidence to support the reincarnation theory. A lady from the West came to see me one day and asked me if there was any proof of reincarnation. I did not have any discussion with her on the subject. Instead, I asked her to visit the local obstetric hospital and find out all about the children born there. There was a learned man who knew English where we were camping then. I asked him to accompany the lady. Later, on their return from the hospital, I asked the woman about her impressions of the new- born children. She said that she had found one child plump and lusty, another skinny; one beautiful and another ungainly. One child was born in a comfortable ward [that is to a well-to-do mother] and another to a poor mother.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"Leave aside the question of God consigning a man to eternal hell after his death, " I said to the foreign lady. "We are not witness to such a phenomenon. But now you have seen with your own eyes how differently the children are born in the hospital that you visited. How would you account for the differences? Why should one child be born rich and another poor? Why should one be healthy and another sickly? And why should one be good-looking and another not so good looking?</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"If you accept the doctrine that men are born only once, you cannot but from the impression that God is neither compassionate nor impartial- think of all the differences at birth- and that he functions erratically and unwisely. How are we to be devoted to such a God and have the faith that he will look on us with mercy? How are we to account for the differences between one being and another if we do not accept the doctrine that our life now is determined by the good and the bad we did in our past births. " The lady from the West accepted my explanation.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Such an explanation is not, however, good enough for people in modern times. They demand scientific proof of reincarnation. Parapsychologists have done considerable research in the subject and their findings are in favour of the theory of rebirth. During the studies conducted in various parts of the world they encountered people who remembered their past lives. The latter recalled places and people they had seen in their previous birth-places and people that have nothing to do with them now. The parapsychologists verified these facts and to their amazement found them to be true. The cases investigated by them were numerous. Most of us are wholly unaware of our past lives, but some do remember them. According to the researchers the majority of such people had been victims of accidents or murder in their previous lives.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The doctrine of the incarnations of the Lord- avataras- is another unique feature of our religion. The Reality (Sadvastu) is one. That It manifests itself as countless beings is one of our cardinal tenets. It follows that it is this one and only Reality that transforms itself again and again into all those beings that are subject to birth and death. Also it is the same Reality that is manifested as Isvara to protect this world of sentient beings and insentient objects. Unlike humans he is not subject to the law of karma. It is to live out his karma- to experience the fruits of his actions- that man is born again and again. But in birth after birth, instead of washing away his old karma, he adds more and more to the mud sticking to him.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">If the Lord descends to earth again and again it is to lift up man and show him the righteous path. When unrighteousness gains the upper hand and righteousness declines, he descends to earth to destroy unrighteousness and to establish righteousness again- and to protect the virtuous and destroy the wicked. Sri Krsna Paramatman declares so in the </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#GITA" name="Gita"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Gita</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Isvara is to be known in different states. That the Lord is all- that all is the Lord- is a state that we cannot easily comprehend. Then there is a state mentioned in the "</span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#VIBHUTI YOGA" name="vibhuti yoga"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">vibhuti yoga</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"of Gita according to which the Lord dwells in the highest of each category, in the "</span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#THINGS" name="most excellent"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">most excellent</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">" of things. To create the highest of excellence in human life he sends messengers to earth in the guise of preceptors (acaryas), men of wisdom and enlightenment (jnanins), yogins and devotees. This is another state in which God is to be known. Not satisfied with the previous states, he assumes yet another state: he descends to earth as an avatara. The word "avatarana" itself means "descent". Isvara is "paratpara", that is "higher than the highest", "beyond what is beyond everything". Yet he descends to earth by being born in our midst to re-establish dharma.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"></span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#SIDDHANTA SAIVAS" name="Sindhanta Saivas"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Sindhanta Saivas </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">do not subscribe to the view of Siva having avataras. Nor they agree with the belief that Adi Sankara and Jnanasambandhar were incarnations of Siva and Muruga (Subrahmanya) respectively. Their view is that if Isvara dwells in a human womb, in a body of flesh, he makes himself impure. According to Advaitins even all those who inhabit the human womb made up of flesh are in substance nothing but the Brahman. They see nothing improper in the Lord coming down to earth.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">All Vaisnavas, without exception, accept the doctrine of divine avataras. Philosophically speaking, there are many points of agreement between Vaisnavas and Saivas though the former are not altogether in agreement with the view that it is the Brahman itself that is expressed as the individual self. When we speak of the avataras, we generally mean the ten incarnations of Visnu. Vaisnavas adhere to the doctrine of avataras because the believe that Visnu descends to earth to uplift humanity. Indeed it is because of his boundless compassion that he makes himself small [or reduces himself] to any degree. In truth, however, the Lord is neither reduces nor tainted a bit in any of his incarnations because, though in outward guise he looks a mortal, he knows himself to be what in reality he is.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Altogether the Vedic dharma that is Hinduism accepts the concepts the concept of incarnations of the Lord. Saivas too are one with Vaisnavas in believing in the ten incarnations of Visnu.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">That the one and only Paramatman who has neither a form nor attributes is manifested as different forms with attributes is another special feature of our religion. We worship idols representing these forms of deities. For this reason others label us polytheists. There view is utterly wrong. Because we worship the one God, the one reality, in many different forms it does not mean that we believe in many gods. It is equally absurd to call us idolaters who hold that the idol we worship is God. Hindus with a proper understanding of their religion do not think that the idol alone is God. The idol is meant for the worshipper to offer one-pointed devotion and he adores it with the conviction that the Lord who is present everywhere is present in it also. We see that practitioners of other religions also have symbols for worship and meditation. So it is wholly unjust to believe that Hindus alone worship idols- to regard them with scorn as idolaters is not right.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">That ours is the only religion that does not proclaim that its followers have an exclusive right to salvation is a matter of pride for us Hindus. Our catholic outlook is revealed in our scriptures which declare that whatever the religious path followed by people they will finally attain the same Paramatman. That is why there is no place for conversion in Hinduism.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Christianity has it that, if a man does not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, he shall be condemned to hell. Islam says the same about those who do not follow the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. We must not be angry with the adherents of either religion on that score. Let us take it that Christians and Muslims alike believe that followers of other religions do not have the same sense of fulfillment as they have. So let us presume that it is with good intentions that they want to bring others into their fold (Christianity or Islam as the case may be) out of a desire to help them.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Let us also assume that if they resort to means that seem undesirable, it is to achieve what they think to be a good objective, luring others into their faith. It was thus that they carried out conversions in the past, by force of arms. Islam, particularly, expanded its sway in this way. It is often said that Christianity spread with the help of money power. But Christians also used their army to gain adherent, though with the force of arms was associated the philanthropic work of the missionaries. White men had the advantage of money that the Muslims of the Arabian desert did not </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#DIDNOT POSSESS" name="possess"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">possess</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">. Christian missionaries built schools, hospitals and so on to induce the poor to embrace their faith.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">We may not approve of people being forced into a religion or of conversions carried out by temptations placed before them. But we need not for that reason doubt that those who spread their religion in this fashion really believe that their work will bring general well-being.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">We cannot, however, help asking whether their belief is right. People who do not follow either Christ or the Prophet, are they really condemned to hell? A little thinking should show that the belief that the followers of Christianity or Islam have an exclusive right to salvation cannot be sustained. It is only some 2, 000 years since Jesus was born and only about 1, 400 years or so since the birth of the </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#PROPHET" name="Prophet"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Prophet</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">. What happened to all the people born before them since creation? Are we to believe that they must have passed into hell? We are also compelled to infer that even the forefathers of the founders of Christianity and Islam would not have earned paradise. If, like Hindus, all those who lived before Christ or the Prophet had believed in rebirth, we could concede that they would have been saved: they would have been again and again until the arrival of Christ or the Prophet and then afforded the opportunity of following their teachings. But if we accept the logic of Christianity and Islam, according to which religions there is no rebirth, we shall have to conclude that hundreds of millions of people for countless generations must have been consigned to eternal hell.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The question arises as to whether God is so merciless as to keep dispatching people for ages together to the hell from which there is no escape. Were he compassionate would he not have sent, during all this time, a messenger of his or a teacher to show humanity the way to liberation? Why should we worship a God who has no mercy? Or for that matter, why should there be any religion at all?</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">The countries are many and they have different climates and grow different crops. Also each part of the world has evolved a different culture. But the Vedas encompassed lands all over this planet from the very beginning. Latter other religions emerged in keeping with the changing attitudes of the nations concerned. That is why aspects of the Vedic tradition are in evidence not only in the religions now in force but in what we know of those preceding them. But in India alone has Hinduism survived as a full-fledged living faith.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">It must also be added that this primeval religion has regarded- and still regards- with respect the religions that arose subsequent to it. The Hindu views is this: "Other religions must have evolved according to the degree of maturity of the people among whom they originated. They will bring well being to their adherents. " "Live and let live" has been and continues to be the ideal of our religion. It has given birth to religions like Buddhism and Jainism and they [particularly Buddhism] have been propagated abroad for the Atmic advancement of the people there.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">I have spoken about the special characteristics of Hinduism from the philosophical and theological points of view. But it has also another important feature which is also distinctive- the sociological.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">All religions have their own philosophical and theological systems. Also all of them deal with individual life and conduct and, to a limited extent, with social life. "Look upon your neighbour as your brother. " "Regard your adversary as your friend. " Treat others in the same way as you would like to be treated yourself. " "Be kind to all creatures. " "Speak the truth. " "Practice non-violence. " These injunctions and rules of conduct relate to social life up to a point- and only up to a point. To religions other than Hinduism social life or the structure of society is not a major concern. Hinduism alone has a sturdy sociological foundation, and its special feature, "varnasrama dharma", is an expression of it.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Varna dharma is one and asrama dharma is another (together they make up varnsrama dharma). Asrama dharma deals with the conduct of an individual during different stages of his life. In the first stage, as a brahmacarin<sup>s, </sup>he devotes himself to studies in a gurukula<sup>s. </sup>In the second stage, as a youth, he takes a wife, settles down in life and begets children. In the third, as he ages further, he becomes a forest recluse and, without much attachment to worldly life, engages himself in Vedic karma. In the forth stage, he forsakes even Vedic works, renounces the word utterly to become a sannyasin and turns his mind towards the Paramatman. These four stages of life or asramas are called brahmacarya, garhasthya, vanaprastha and sannyasa.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Varna dharma is an "arrangement" governing all society. It is very much a target of attack today and is usually spoken of as the division of society into "jatis". But "varna" and "jati" are in fact different. There are only four varnas but the jatis are numerous. For instance, in the same varna there are Ayyars, Ayyangars, Roas, etc - these are jatis. Mudaliars, Pillais, Reddiars and Naikkars are jatis belonging to another varna. In the Yajurveda (third astaka, fourth prasna) and in the Dhamasastra a number of jatis are mentioned- but you do not meet with them today.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Critics of Varna dharma brand it as "a blot on our religion" as "a vicious system which divides people into high and low". But, if you look at it impartially, you will realize that it is a unique instrument to bring about orderly and harmonious </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#SOCIAL LIFE" name="social life"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">social life</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">.</span></div>Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-76731135316219636082010-09-06T06:34:00.000-07:002010-09-06T06:34:39.858-07:00The Eternal VedasHi all,<br />
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Sathguru Charanam.Lets hear to what our Paramachaarya says about the "Sanathana Dharma". Why it got its name.whats the root of this Dharma....<br />
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<br />
<div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">We speak of the "Hindu religion", but the religion denoted by the term did not in fact have such a name originally. According to some, the word "Hindu" means "love"; according to some others a Hindu is one who disapproves of himsa or violence. This may be an ingenious way of explaining the word.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">In none of our ancient sastras does the term "Hindu religion" occur. The name "Hindu" was given to us by foreigners. People from the West came to our land across the Sindhu river which they called "Indus" or "Hind" and the land adjacent to it by the name "India". The religion of this land came to be called "Hindu". The name of a neighbouring country is sometimes applied to the land adjacent to it. Let me tell you an interesting story in this connection.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">In the North people readily give alms to anybody calling himself a </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#BAIRAGI" name="BAIRAGI"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><em>bairag</em>i</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">. The bairagis have a grievance against Southerners because they do not follow the same practice. "iIlai po po kahe Telungi" is one of their ditties. "Telugus do not say "po, po" but "vellu" for "go, go</span>". <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"Po" is a Tamil word. Then how would you explain the line quoted above? During their journey to the South, the bairagis had first to pass through the Telugu country (Andhra); so they thought that the land further south also belonged to the Telugus.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">There is the same logic behind the Telugus themselves referring to Tamil Nadu as "Arava Nadu" from the fact that a small area south of Andhra Pradesh is called "Arva". Similarly, foreigners who came to the land of the Sindhu called all Bharata beyond also by the same name.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">However it be, "Hinduism" was not the name of our religion in the distant past. Nor was it known as "Vaidika Mata" (Vedic religion or as "sanatana dharma" ( the ancient or timeless religion). Our basic texts do not refer to our faith by any name. When I thought about it I felt that there was something deficient about our religion.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">One day, many years ago, someone came and said to me: "Ramu is here. " At once I asked somewhat absent-mindedly: "Which Ramu? " Immediately came the reply : " Are there many Ramus? " Only then did it occur to me that my question, "Which Ramu? ", had sprung from my memory of the past. There were four people in my place bearing the name of "Ramu". So, to tell them apart, we called them "Dark Ramu". When there is only one Ramu around there is no need to give him a distinguishing label.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">It dawned on me at once why our religion had no name. When there are a number of religions they have to be identified by different names. But when there is only one, where is the problem of identifying it?</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">All religions barring our own were established by single individuals. "Buddhism" means the religion founded by Gautama Buddha. Jainism was founded by the Jina called Mahavira. So has Christianity its origin in Jesus Christ. Our religion predating all these had spread all over the world. Since there was no other religion to speak about then it was not necessary to give it a name. When I recognised this fact I felt at once that there was no need to be ashamed of the fact that our religion had no name in the past. On the contrary, I felt proud about it.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">If ours is primeval religion, the question arises as to who established it. All inquiries into this question have failed to yield an answer. Was it Vyasa, who composed the Brahmasutra, the founder of our religion? Or was it Krsna Paramatman who gave us the Bhagavad-Gita? But both Vyasa and Krsna state that the Vedas existed before them. If that be the case, are we to point to the rsis, the seers who gave us the Vedic mantras, as the founders of our religion? But they themselves declare: " We did not create the Vedas. " When we chant a mantra we touch our head with our hand mentioning the name of one seer or another. But the sages themselves say: "It is true that the mantras became manifest to the world through us. That is why we are mentioned as the 'mantra rsis'. But the mantras were not composed by us but revealed to us. When we sat meditating with our minds under control, the mantras were perceived by us in space. Indeed we saw them (hence the term mantra-drastas). We did not compose them. "[the seers are not "mantra-kartas". ]</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">All sounds originate in space. From them arose creation. According to science, the cosmos was produced from the vibrations in space. By virtue of their austerities the sages had the gift of seeing the mantras in space, the mantras that liberate men from this creation. The Vedas are apauruseya (not the work of any human author) and are the very breath of the Paramatman in his form as space. The sages saw them and made a gift of them to the world.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">If we know this truth, we have reason to be proud of the fact that we do not know who founded our religion. In fact we must feel happy that we have the great good fortune to be heirs to a religion that is eternal, a religion containing the Vedas which are the very breath of the </span><a href="http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/referp2.htm#PARAMATMAN" name="Paramatman"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Paramatman</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">.</span></div>Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431268093143831171.post-74831437599401557512010-09-02T05:49:00.000-07:002010-09-02T05:49:55.898-07:00ShriVidhya GuruGuhamDear Bhagavathas, Upaasakaas,<br />
With the blessings of Sriman Narayanan and Paradevatha, I have created this blog to share many posts, thoughts, articles, facts relating to our Bharatha Tradition and Culture. Our culture is the First culture which came into existence. We must be really happy and Blessed to have been born in this Punya Bhoomi/ Karma Bhoomi. This blog will help many people to know about our Dharma, tradition, culture and customs. hence i humbly request you all to give your continous support and co-ordination, so that, we learn more n more about our Dharma and follow it.<br />
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Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshitaha<br />
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Sath Guru DasanRamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738951510149029448noreply@blogger.com4