892 – Who has control of the tongue and the mind?

Goddess Baglamukhi is the eighth Dasa (ten) Mahavidya (Goddesses of Wisdom). Her name means one who has control of the tongue and of the mind. She provides control over one’s emotions and misbehavior (anger, jealousy, etc.). Continue reading

887 – Questions we seek answers for

What and why is Aum added before every mantra?

Aum is the basis of all sounds and is considered the universal symbol for God. Aum of the Vedas became the sacred Hum of the Tibetans. Amen is repeated by the Moslems and Amen by the Egyptians, Greeks, Jews and Christians. Amen in Hebrew means sure and faithful. It is the all-pervading sound which emanates from the invisible Cosmic vibrations. It is the voice of creation and testifies the divine presence in every atom. One can hear the sound of Aum in the Anahata chakra through meditation. Therefore, it is chanted at the end and beginning of a sadhana. Continue reading

791 – Handling of fears

Which arise in the mind during puja and meditation.

A saying of the Paramhamsa Swami Satyananda Saraswati.

Explanation by the Master

All of us when we meditate find that we encounter our latent fears. What are these fears? They range from passion, lust, anger, desire, envy and of course unexplained fear. One feels completely blocked as they are churning in the mind. It is a self-defeating battle to suppress them and they keep regenerating and multiplying. Fear is an essential part of Puja with bhava, it pussyfoots in and in dhyana also it comes in. Continue reading

590 – Who is a Hindu?

Hinduism is the world’s oldest faith in the world. Hindus believe in the doctrines of samsara (the continues cycle of life, death and reincarnation) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect). In Hinduism, the soul or Atman is the crux of it. Continue reading

453 – Science of Sound

In ancient times words and music were used to attain an altered state of mind. Music was an aid to develop the mind, spirit, emotions and sensitivity. In this modern age, different forms of music have developed. Until recent times music was used to tranquilize the agitations of the mind. – Swami Niranjananda Saraswati.

In the beginning was Brahman with whom was the Word. And the Word is Brahman. Vedas.
In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. – New Testament, The Gospel of St. John.

Hinduism and Christianity agree that in the beginning was the Word. There are many sounds: the sounds of the Cosmos, Primal Vibration, the Logos, the Music of the Spheres, the Word, the Tone and many more. All of these are included in the Sanskrit term Aum. Continue reading

438 – Light and fragrance

Each mantra has its own fragrance. Those who chant AUM have known a certain fragrance. Similarly, each mantra has its own light. The light in a temple is not decided by external light but by inner light. Many of us sit drenched in brilliant lights and heavy fragrances and imagine that we are meditating. Continue reading

422 – Chant Aum constantly

“Make Aum your name. Aum is Atman, the soul, Aum is the Brahman (ultimate reality). Aum is absolute existence, knowledge, and bliss. Aum is your centre, your silence, your refuge and shelter Aum is your heart (hridaya). Do Aum japa, feel Aum, live in Aum. Aum is everywhere, in everything, hum Aum, live in truth, feel Aum everywhere in the ether, flowers, trees, stones, inanimate and animate objects. Rejoice in the light of truth, knowledge and bliss. There is a vast ocean of bliss and knowledge at the back of the mind. Drive the mind into that source.” Swami Sivananda Saraswati.

Aum reminds us of our identity with the supreme soul. Aum blows out our false ego. Continue reading

385 – Pratyahara

This sadhana to bring you closer to the Supreme Goddess.

What is pratyahara? It is described as withdrawal of one’s senses. The maximum dissipation happens when one is involved with everything that is happening around one. One’s eyes are gazing at some object or happening, the ears are listening, there may be a smell, a sense of lingering taste and lastly the sense of touch. Continue reading

371 – Why do temples have domes?

 

The temple domes were modelled on the sky. If one sits under an open sky and repeats AUM, one’s voice will be lost, because the strength of an individual’s voice will be lost in the sky. One will not be able to hear the reverberation and the echo of the chanting. The sky absorbs it. Continue reading

359 – Possession and possessiveness

What is the definition of possession? Something that you own or are carrying with you. Why does possession have such a powerful hold on us? Let us examine why possession has its tentacles wrapped around us. Is our love possessive for our child, partner, parent, and pet? Can we own an individual? Is it healthy to be possessive? Continue reading