A Parrot tale

Dear ones, early this morning my husband was going out of the gate for a walk. Suddenly a parrot fell at his feet. He picked up the parrot and got a cup of water. The parrot drank the water and flew away. I was so happy when he told me. We have wild cats wandering about and the poor parrot could have been breakfast for one of them. It is hot in Delhi, and can you imagine that many peacocks died of thirst last year. Please keep a mud bowl of water for birds, wherever you live in the summer. Continue reading

Learn from a new born baby

Uddaseena Vritti is a mental state where one can observe the world and its happenings with equanimity. It is a step towards achieving a state of nirvana.

The learned or the wise smile through the eyes; the middle-class smile through the teeth and lips; the lowest make a roaring laughter; but the muneeshwara (a form of Shiva) never smiles or laughs. Continue reading

Understanding the Divine Feminine

From woman man is born,
Within woman man is conceived,
To a woman he is engaged and married.
Woman becomes his friend,
Through woman future generations come, when his woman dies
He seeks another woman,
To a woman he is bound,
So why call her bad?
From her kings are born,
From woman, woman is born.
Without woman there would be no one at all. – Guru Nanak

We must honour the Divine Feminine, which is in all of us. Shakti symbolizes power—divine force that creates, sustains and evolves. Shakti is the essence of existence. Continue reading

Be careful what you wish for

Yesterday was our 53rd wedding anniversary and last night I said to my husband, how wonderful it would be if our feral cat family visited us tomorrow. I also added that it would be the best present. Well, this morning I heard a loud Miaow outside my bedroom window. It was 6am, I stepped into the balcony and lo behold they were waiting for me. Continue reading

Creation of Ganesha

Parvati longed for a person, who would be her guard like Nandi, who was always at Shiva’s side. One day when she was preparing for her bath on Mount Kailash’s, she told Nandi to sit outside. Nandi took his post, intending to carry out Parvati’s wishes. Shiva arrived suddenly as was his habit and he wished to enter. Continue reading

How many options are there?

Dear ones, I am writing today about Ardhanareshwara and the understanding of Transgenders. Ardhareshwara is a Hindu form of Shiva combined with his consort Parvati. Ardhanareshwara is depicted as half male and half female. Ardhanareshwara represents the synthesis of masculine and feminine energies of the universe—Purush and Prakriti. Another name for Prakriti is Shakti and they are inseparable. The right half is usually Shiva, and the left half is Parvati. However, the timeline is pre-Vedic. The earliest depiction of Ardhanareshwara (Shiva and Parvati as a single androgynous form) are found in the Kushan period art of Gandhara, dating back to 1st Century CE. Continue reading

Shaivite Tradition

Shaivism is an ancient form Hinduism that focuses on the worship of Shiva. The term has been derived from the Sanskrit word Shiva, which refers to the Lord of destruction and transformation. Shaivites are devotees, who venerate Shiva and accept him as the Supreme God. They believe that he is responsible for creation, protection and destruction. He is portrayed as representing a fierce destroyer, an innocent, a granter of boons and a loving and compassionate husband. Shaivites strive to achieve liberation from the cycle of birth and death by living a life focused on Shiva and chanting mantras and hymns dedicated to him. Continue reading

Who is the PERFECT woman?

I am aware dear ones that today is International Women’s Day. All kinds of attributes are given to womankind. Sages are writing that we must create a world where women are celebrated not just as their roles as mothers, wives or daughters but also as creators, leaders and spiritual beings who shape the essence of life. Continue reading

Basant Panchami – Celebrate Spring

Basant Panchami is being celebrated on the second of February. It is a festival, when we welcome spring and worship Saraswati.

It is also called Saraswati Puja. It is usually observed in late January or early February. Likewise, it is known as the King of all seasons. Since it is early greetings to spring. It marks the gradual transition towards the full bloom of spring. We wear Yellow and are not supposed to touch our books. We worship them. Yellow is the color of Saraswati, who represents creativity, knowledge and it is the color of the ripening mustard fields all over in northern India. Continue reading

Who is Brahma?

How do we view Brahma? There are stories about him and the most popular one is about the loss of his fifth head. Brahma was referred to as Pachanan (having five faces) but after losing his fifth head he became Chaturan. (having four faces). There are several stories given in the Shiva Purana. Continue reading