Kalki is the tenth avatara of Vishnu, who will come riding upon a white horse, which is also an avatara in itself. Kalki carries a sword to strike down all evil, and he battles for the cause of righteousness. Kalki will come at the end of Kali yuga to destroy the creation that has sunk into total darkness, after which it will be created anew. Continue reading
Gayatri is the equal partner of the sun and the mantra for prana, with three forms. In the early morning, Gayatri is a little girl. At noon she is a young woman in her prime. In the evening she is a wise, old woman. The colors used for Gayatri are red in the morning, yellow at noon, and grey at night. Continue reading
Close your eyes. Visualize and identify the chakras with the Sri Yantra, and then with the island of nine gems, in which the mother goddess resides in all her splendor. The garden is known as Kalpako-dhyana. The seasons have to be meditated upon. Continue reading
In Kaliyuga, we tend to be abrasive and abusive about life. We condemn and criticize. We think that we are self -sufficient.
I have been contemplating on the subject of man / woman attachments. A male form is incomplete without the existence of a female form. God cannot be incomplete. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva have female counterparts: Sarasvati and Brahma, Vishnu and Lakshmi and Shiva and Shakti. Together these three couples embody the understanding of the ultimate divine. Brahma creates, Vishnu sustains and Shiva destroys. Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Shakti embody knowledge, wealth and power. Continue reading
The coconut is called the divine fruit, Shri phal. Who does not venerate the coconut? It is used as an object of worship. It is delicious in food, used in medicines and cosmetics. Every part of the tree is utilized.
“The mind has its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of Hell, a hell of heaven”, Milton. Continue reading
Who does not love the colours of the seasons? There is no misunderstanding and there are no clashes. In the Hindu tradition, we have different colours for different days of the week. There are numerous arguments on the subject. Continue reading
Every important Hindu God has an animal as its vahana (vehicle). They are never without them. In Sanskrit vahana means that which carries or that which pulls. These vahanas are either animals or birds and they represent the various spiritual and psychological energy that bears the Gods. The vahana may wear a saddle upon which the deities sits, or they may pull a chariot, driven by the deity. Continue reading
The triumvirate which consists of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer were responsible for Ganga descending on earth. One day Shiva started singing and Vishnu was held spellbound by the melody. Shiva’s singing affected him so profoundly that he started melting. Continue reading
During ceremonial functions we use sacred symbols and objects as offerings and to decorate our homes. The principle underlying this custom is called sympathetic or imitative magic. It is based on the assumption that a desired result can be achieved by mimicking it. Continue reading
The Guru Stotram say:
Gururbrahma gururvishnuh gururdevo maheshvarah.
Guru is Brahma, guru is Vishnu and guru is Shiva.
Guru is Brahman because he creates for his disciple a new and wondrous world; he is Vishnu because he sustains and protects him; he is Shiva because he annihilates the world of individuality. All great saints have stressed the importance of a guru. In the Ramayana it is said that no one can cross the ocean of samskara without the guru’s help even if he is Brahma or Shiva. Continue reading
The meaning of Ishta Devata is the personal deity with whom a devotee feels the greatest affinity. According to Swami Sivanananda, our worship of a God is defined by the element which is predominant in us. Our body and mind are composed of five elements. These are earth, water, fire, air and ether. Our elements have to be in harmony for us to tread on the path of self-realization. What ensures that our elements are in balance is the flow of prana. Continue reading
Aim Hrim Klim is the mantra for the Sri Yantra.
Aim means the source of creation.
Hrim means Lakshmi is the the supreme Sakti of Vishnu, which bestows on the adept all desired objects.
Klim means great bliss, auspiciousness and knowledge bestowed on the adept. Continue reading