In this great prayer to the God points out how each one of these is impossible or unjustified while bringing out those great qualities of God.
Adi Shankara Bhagwat Pada.
Translated by PR Ramchandar. Continue reading
Para Pooja is the highest form of worship in which the devotee experiences and worships nothing but God at all times. This form of pooja is described in this poem: Continue reading
An Artharthi Upasaka is a person who prays to God for any form of wish fulfilment. This category includes money, property, success, progeny, partner or fame. Such a worshipper is seeking something which s/he cannot attain and therefore asks the Divinity for selfish gratification. Continue reading
How to worship God? Seek God and serve him in this world, which is his creation.
Jale Vishnu, thale Vishnu
Vishnu parvatamastake
Jvaalamaalaakule Vishnu
Sarvam Vishnumayam jagat.Vishnu is in the oceans,
In the land, in the mountain peaks,
In the garland of flames,
In every nook and corner of the world.
In any form of prayer, a concept if God is essential. The prayers can be tamasic, rajasic or sattvic. At the tamasic level one is using rituals and asking to be protected from the anger of the deities. However, a tamasic (inert) sadhana becomes rajasic and then the puja is more dynamic. The mind becomes more open and one’s awareness increases. Each one of us wants a healthy life free from harm. Then the rajasic puja becomes sattvic, when prayers are offered for forgiveness, forbearance, love and compassion. Continue reading
John Keats gave memorable quotes. He was an English poet of the second generation of Romantic poets. He was born in 1795 and he died in 1821. “Here lies one whose name was writ on water”, was etched at Keat’s dying request on his tombstone. Continue reading
The ancient sages believed that life is nothing but an expression of consciousness and energy. Mind and matter are the expressions of consciousness and energy. Consciousness and energy manifest as life in the form of spirit, mind, senses, intellect and ego. Both are present in every aspect of creation in the form of Astha prakriti, the eight-fold aspect of manifest nature. Continue reading
The Hindu belief is totally non-exclusive and accepts all other faiths and religious paths. An ancient Vedic text says that God or truth is one and wise persons refer to it by many names. Hindus believe that no one religion is exclusively true, that all major faiths are aspects of the one universal all encompassing truth, and that there are many paths to seek and experience religious understanding and enlightenment. Continue reading
Padma Purana states, “Sarvedevmayh Pita”—
father is the embodiment of all devatas, gods.
Hindu Scriptures state:
Pita dharmah, pita, swargah, pita hi parman tapah,
Pitr preetmpanne preeyant sarva devta. Continue reading
In the Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna says (12:2—2):
Meditate on me, do japa of my name; to focus your mind single pointedly on me is Bhakti.
Sivananda Yoga is the best way to understand and express bhakti. The first step in Sivananda yoga is to serve. The second step is to love. Service and love are concepts of bhakti. When service and love become predominant in life, the mind is drawn to contemplation and remembrance of God. The devotee begins to see God and experience God’s glory within her/himself. That is why the definition of bhakti is serve and love. – Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati
Quotes from Tulsidas.
Vipado naiv viadah naiv sampadah
Vipado vismaranam Vishnu sampadah Narayan smritti.
Forgetting God is the greatest calamity in life and the greatest prosperity lies in remembering him. Continue reading
Why chant three times? We chant because we are seeking peace in our body, mind and spirit. It also makes our past, present and future tranquil. We chant Aum at the beginning of our sadhana, at the end and then Shanti. Continue reading
Bhagawan is God and prarthana is prayers.
The Lord is Bhagawan (God) and is described as one who knows the cause of creation and destruction, the reason for the birth and departure of Jiva, the period Jiva has to remain on the earth due to his Karma. Bhagawan is not a Guru and this is explained in the Sanskrit literature. Vishnu Purana defines Bhagawan as he who understands the creation and dissolution, the appearance and disappearance of beings, the wisdom and ignorance. Continue reading
Whatever happens in your life, no matter how troubling things might seem, do not enter the neighborhood of despair. Even when all doors remain closed, God will open up a new path only for you. Be thankful when all is well. A Sufi is thankful not only for what he has been given but for also all that he has been denied. – Shams Tabrizi