The one, who always worships Lakshmi, Sri Kamala, the one who dwells in the lotus, Padma, the pleasing one holding tender lotus bloom in her hands, the daughter of the ocean, the one who carries the pot of nectar in her two hands, the goddess Ira and the beloved of Vishnu will ward off all miseries. – Mahalakshmi Stuti, Skanda Puran, verse 8
Tag Archives: sita
Sita the daughter of Mother Prithvi
The bow of Shiva was the creation from the conversation between Shiva and Shakti. It was a perfect bow, the outcome of Tapasya and Yagna. Tapasya was like the shaft of the bow and Yagna was like the string of the bow. Individually Tapasya and Yagna cannot create a bow. Too loose the bow is useless, too tight the bow will break. To create a bow, the shaft has to bend and the string has to be taut. Therefore, the bow was created, by joining tapasya and yagna. It was a symbol of all relationships, of all man and woman in marriage, and of king and kingdom. Continue reading
The perfect role model
It was the beginning of the season for planting crops in Mithila. King Janaka, the ruler of Mithila was invited to be the first to plough the land with a golden hoe. There were musical sounds of bells, drums and conch shells’ trumpets, and the king plunged the hoe into the ground. Continue reading
The story of the Ramayana
How did it all begin? Shakti, who is the cosmic Mother, has many names – Uma, Parvati, Durga, I can go on. She asked Shiva to narrate a story which will offer comfort in troubled times to all her children. Shiva then narrated the story of the Ramayana, which is about Ram and Sita. Continue reading
Who is Ram?
Ram is the seventh avatar of Vishnu, and he is born as a mortal. In our Hindu tradition, Ram is a divine human, a mortal god incorporating both into the exemplar who transcends both humans and gods. The story of his life is in the Ramayana and the Ramayana is an allegory for the duties, rights and social responsibilities of an individual. He is a superior being and does not render evil for evil. Continue reading
A place of eternal peace
Ram’s birthplace is Ayodhya. The meaning of Ayodhya is a place where there is no war. It was a place where there was no conflict, no duality, attachment or aversion, honour or dishonor, joy or sorrow, giving or taking, sense of multiplicity. Continue reading
876 – First among the heroes of the universe
Who is this hero? What are the qualities such a hero should have? Dear ones, I will list them.
Heroic deeds.
Marvelous feats of strength and bravery.
Sense of duty.
Great skill in military tactics.
Crossing the sea in one leap.
Lifting a mountain peak in the palm of his hand.
Carrying his brothers on his shoulders from the nether world.
An ideal Nishkama-Karma Yogi or Selfless Worker.
Bhakta
Brahmachari.
Who is it? Continue reading
875 – Remover of Grief
Hanuman has many titles. Each one speaks about his different virtues and how they reflect his divine powers. Continue reading
869 – Rama Gayatri
722 – Goodness and Righteousness
Goodness and Righteousness go hand in hand. Goodness means being honest and morally right. Righteousness means pure, spiritual and upright.
My dear ones let us look into the mirror and what do we see? I will not tell you, because each of us knows exactly who we are. Continue reading
716 – A snake on a rope
Having no attachment for sound and other sense objects, and the Self not being an object of perception, my mind is freed from distractions and is one-pointed. Thus, therefore do I firmly abide. – Ashtavakra Samhita
There are five lessons which we learn from the Ashtavakra Samhita (500-400 BCE). It is also known as the Ashtavakra Gita and is considered one of the greatest treatises on Advaita Vedanta. Ashtavakra was twelve years old, fully realized and enlightened, when he expounded his teachings to King Janaka, the ruler of Mithila and father of Sita. Continue reading
417 – Understanding Rama
Is it possible for us to emulate Rama? What is Ram Rajya? Can we make this earth, Ram Rajya, so we have love and peace prevailing? No wars and food for all.
Ram Raj is the kingdom of God. Equal rights to rich and poor. We have to look within ourselves. We have to address our faults and shut our eyes to the faults of our neighbors. Practice Atmabhava. Love for our fellow beings. Continue reading
171 – A bandit and then a sage
Ratnakara was raised by a hunter as he had got lost in the forest as a child. He had a difficult life and he could not make ends meet. He took to looting and robbing. One day the sage Narada was passing through the forest. Ratnakara saw him and attacked him. Continue reading
097 – True love
The message that Rama sent to Sita through Hanuman, breaks your heart. He said “Since you have gone, the rain that falls is boiling, the birds that sing prick my heart.” Rama said, Continue reading