Ramanisblog

Tag: Religion

  • What Is Truth Its Twelve Aspects Hinduism

    Truth is generally believed to the understanding of a Fact , Event , reporting them.

    Truth Quote Mahatma Gandhi.
    Truth Quote Mahatma Gandhi.

    The attributes of Reality are  Truth Consciousness and Bliss, as enumerated in Indian Philosophy.other Religions , Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity,Judaism and Islam also speak of these as the Attributes of God, though by different names.

    When one thinks of Truth, speaking what is, what is a Fact, is what one comes to one’s Mind.

    Life does not consist of only Speech.

    One performs actions, which repeated become Habits, and then there is the Thought process.

    Where do we find Truth in these and what are its characteristics?

    Truth is perceived from the perspective of the individual.

    Everyone looks at it or reports it from one’s angle.

    Then what is Truth?

    Truth has many facets or perspectives which can be perceived and in fact is perceived to suit one’s dispositions.

    How does one find the attributes of Truth is all its glory?

    Hinduism classifies Truth into Twelve Categories,Types.

    This is explained in the Bruhat Purana.

    They are:

    1.Amityavada-Not speaking facts.

    Here again there is a problem.

    There are times when speaking the fact harms the speaker , the listener and those who are not involved in any way.

    One can not afford to speak at all times to every one at any place.

    There are instances when keeping quiet or divulging information in such a way that it does not hurt any one involved.

    Tamil Saint Thiruvalluvar explains it eloquently .

    ‘One has to speak the facts after evaluating the place where he is speaking, to whom  he is speaking to, the time he is speaking about it’

    ‘Even a Lie is considered as the Truth as That which does not cause harm anyone’

    So speaking the fact is the first aspect of Truth with all the points mentioned here.

    2.Sathyam.The Absolute Truth.If one were to report facts, it should be in its full form,; no partial understanding or reporting is enough.

    We can see it in operation in our daily Life.

    We say things about what has happened to suit our convenience.

    This is not Truth.

    3.Sweekarapradhipaaalanam.

    Completing a job one has under undertaken to do.

    4.Priyavaakyam

    Speaking Kind words.

    Being bluntly is not correct for one must remember the one who hears it is a Human Being.

    Though what you speak is the  Truth , it has to be presented in such a way that it please the ear.

    ‘Speaking harsh words is like plucking unripened fruits when ripened fruit is available’ Thiruvalluvar.

    5.Guro: Seva

    Serving the Preceptor, Teacher, Guru.

    Teacher is considers Father as he gives you Knowledge , opens your mind while Biological father gives you  physical Life.

    One knows the Father through the Mother, Guru through Father, God through The Guru.

    Hinduism therefore accords prime place for worship in the following order, following the above principle.

    Mother, Father, Guru and only then God.

    There will be nothing auspicious for those who neglect the First Three, the Fourth God may even be ignored.

    6.Drudam Cha Eva Vratham Krutham.

    Following one’s determined decision without wavering.

    7.Astikya,

    Faith in God.

    There is no Happiness either in this world or  in the other world for the One who doubts,-Bhagavad Gita.

    8.Sadhu Sanghascha.

    Mixing with people of Good Culture.

    9.Pitur mathu: Priyankara:

    Fulfilling parents’s desires.

    10.Suchitvam Dwividam cha Eva.

    Being clean in Mind and Body.

    In the Mind -by being non jealous, without lust, anger,desire, Bullheadedness,hatred, and filled with Love.

    11.Hree:

    Ashamed of doing things which are bad.

    12.Asanchaya Eva, Aparikgraha.

    Non acceptance things ,more than one requires at the minimum.

     

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  • Thirty Dining Rules Hinduism

    Hinduism accords Food the highest priority.

    Dining Rules.Hinduism.
    Food served in Plantain Leaf South Indian Style.

    Sikshavalli of the Taittiriya  Upanishad starts , after Invocation and general instructions, with the explanation and description of the importance of food.

    Sikshavalli is an anthology of instructions by the teacher to the students.

    ‘Never Insult Food, let this be your vow”

    Annanna Nindhyath That Vratham’

    So Rules have been laid as to how one should eat and how the food is to be served.

    The Smriti declares that one who eats once a Day is a Yogi,

    Twice a Bhogi (Glutton), and

    Thrice a Day is Rogi (Sick person)

    One has to take one meal around Noon after Madhyanniha of Sandhya Vandanam.

    One light snacks, Lahu Aahara at Night before sunset, after evening Sandhya Vandana.

    Rules.

    1.Food is to be taken in a Plantain Leaf, with its tapering part(shorter end) intact.

    2.One should face either the East or the North. Facing East will bring all that is Good including Longevity; North Wealth.

    3.The Plantain leaf is to be placed with its tapering end at the left side of the Diner.

    4.The leaf should be sprinkled with water, which should be placed at the left hand side of the Diner, and cleaned  with the right hand by the Diner.

    5.No conversation is allowed  during the Meal.

    6.Water should not be drunk during the Meal, except when one has hiccups; it can be drunk after Meal.

    7.Payasa or Sweet Porridge is  to be served first on the right hand bottom corner of the Leaf.

    8.Items to be served from the top right hand corner (directions from the view of the Diner), in the following order.

    Pachadi/Salad

    Curry,

    Kootu,

    Avial,

    Pickles,and table salt at the top left hand corner of the Plantain Leaf.

    9.Cooked Dal at the left hand side of the leaf by the side of Payasa.

    10.Cooked Rice.

    12.Ghee.

    13.After Parishajana Sambar.

    14.Papad.

    15,Second helping of dishes.

    16.After Sambar Rice is over, Rice and  Rasam is to be served.

    17.Then Payasam.

    18.Special sweets. if any and Mixed Rice like Puliyodarai, Coconut Rice.

    19.Rice followed by Curds or Butter Milk.

    20, The food is to be served neither more nor less.

    21.If one needs more, it should be indicated by gestures touching the place it has been served.

    22.If one has enough, it has to be indicated by lifting the left palm at the face height.

    23.The Diner must complete the Parishajana after food is fully consumed.

    24.The leaf should be left with some food;the leaf must never be totally clean;it is the practice to leave some food  the top right hand corner of the Plantain leaf once the food is served for the consumption by the animals.

    25.The house holder’s wife must take the Plantain leaves to bring in Prosperity.

    27.The leaves should be left at a specific place for animals, Dogs, especially, to eat.

    28.Thamboola is to be offered.

    29.The house holder must prostrate before the Diner after he washed his hands.

    30.The Diner should Bless the Host with Vedic Benediction.

    This post is based on Apastamba Sutra based Smritis; variations(slight ) are there for Vaishnavas and for different regions-For South India.

    I am unable to find information for the North.

    Readers may contribute.

    But the core is the same.

     

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  • Ayush Homa First Birth Day Hinduism Details

    The above rendering is a style of Ayushya Sukta.

    There are various Ganas, or types of rendering.

    There are Forty Samskaras, Religious Rites to be performed by a Hindu, as sanctioned by the Smritis.

    For details , read my post Samskaras,

    The Ayush Homa, the completion of the First year of a child is very important.

    No Karma or ceremony is performed for the child(excepting the naming of the child,Karna Bhushana, ear-piercing ceremony) till the child completes its first anniversary.

    No Tilak or even God‘s Prasad Vibhuti or Kumkum is to be applied, save for applying Vibhuti/Kumkum on rare occasions, as  when the child had fallen sick seriously .

    This Ceremony is performed on the completion of the first year of birth of the child, calculated on the basis of the Hindu Calendar.

    English Calendar does not apply.

    On the Janma Nakshatra, the Nakshatra of the day of the month in which the child is born , The Ayush Homa is celebrated,

    In case the Janma Nakshatra falls on two days in a month(all according to Hindu Calendar). the Ayush Homa is to be done on the  later  day when the Nakshatra falls.

    There is no specific Lagna to be fixed for the function.

    Ayush Homa Invitation.
    Ayush Homa Standard invitation, Only Vernacular is printed traditionally.

    Rahu Kala, Yama Kanda  are to be avoided( there are two views on Yama Kanda, general view is that it is to be avoided, but Yama Kandaka means this Time is Yama to Death, to the Time itself i.e. auspicious.)

    However it is advisable that the function is kept in the Sukra Horai, which occurs after the Sunrise and it varies for each day of the week.

    I shall be posting On Horais.

    Following Pujas, Homa is performed for the Ayush Homa.

    1.Ganapathy Puja.

    2. Kalasa Puja when the Sri Rudra, Chamaka is chanted.

    3.Ayush Homa, when the Ayushya Suktam is chanted 108 times (36×3 times)

    4.Nakshatra Homa for all the Nakshatra Devatas.

    5.Mrityunjaya Mantra is chanted with Ahutis.

    Following are the Materials needed.

    1.Turmeric Powder. one small pocket.

    2.Kumkum -small pocket.

    3.Sandalwood Paste One small pocket.

    4.Betel Leaves and Arecanut Rs 25

    5.Plantains Two dozens.

    6.Coconut Two.

    7.Cloth Towel one(medium size)

    8.Ghee One kg.

    9.Rose or Jasmine Garland-one–for the child

    10..Flowers in loose  Rs 125.

    11.Flowers strung  together Ten Measures of one’s arm-length.

    12.Camphor. One packet.

    13.Agarbathi-one packet.

    14.Raw Rice 2 Kg.

    16.Banana leaves Four.

    17.Mango leaves Two handfuls.

    18.Cooked Rice 200 gms.

    19.Homa Kunda

    20.Standard puja Materials like Bell,Agarbathi stand, Brass lamp,Plates.Aarthi plates,Medium size cups, Pancha Patra with Uththarni,medium size Vessel( Kalasa )

    Time taken to perform the Puja -two and a half hours,

    You may invite close Family members , feed them, offer them Thambula-Plantains, Betel nut leaves and areca nut.

    For correct performance the charges for the Purohit Rs 3000/ .

    The puja materials you buy will cost you Rs 2000(on the higher side)

    Variation of 10 to 15 % is likely.

    For details Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt, Bangalore for performing the Ayush Homa at Bangalore.

    The Ayushya Suktam Text Krishna Yajur Veda.

    This Sukta is from Yajurveda to ensure long health and remedy incase any change in health occurs. This is employed in recitation and as formulas for homa going in the name of ‘Ayushya Homa.It is worthwhile to know the text to help the discussion’. Hence the text is reproduced here for the benefit of those who like to have access to the mantras in original.

    There are positive experiences owing to the Upasana of the same .The Health of the devotees get maintained and in case difference occurs it would be redressed. The mantras of the sukta are to follow thus.

    1. Yo brahma brahmana ujjabhara pranaih sirah kruttivasah pinaki

    Isano devah sa na ayurdadhatu tasmai juhomi havisha ghrutena..

    2 Vibrajamanah sarirasya madhyatrocamano gharma rucirya aagat

    samrutyupasa napanudya ghoran ihayusheno ghruta mattu devah.

    3 Bhramha jyotir bhrahmapatnishu garbham yamadadhat puru

    rupam jayantam suvarnarambha grahamarka marcyam tamayushe  vardhayamo ghrutena..

    4 Shriyam lakshmi maubala mambikam gam shashtim ca yaamindrasenetyudahuh

    tam vidyam brhamayonigum sarupa mihayushe tarpayamo ghrutena.

    5 Daakshayanyah sarvayonyah sa yonyah sahasraso visvarupa

    virupa sasunavah sapatayah sayuthya ayusheno ghrutamidam jushantam.

    6 Divyaganah bahurupa puranah ayuschido nah pramathnantuviran

    tebhyo juhomi bahudha ghrutena manah prajagum ririsho mo ta viran.

    7 Ekah purastat ya idam babhuva yato babhuva bhuvanasya gopah yamapyeti bhuvanagum samparayae sa no havir ghrutamihayushe

    attu devah!

    8 Vasun rudran adityan marutotha sadhyan yakshan gandharvagumscangiraso sarvan ghrutagum hutva   svayushya mahayama sasvat.

    9    Vishno tvam antamas sarma yaccha sahantya Vratedharaa madhuscyuta utsam duhrate akshitam.

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  • Death Chant Of Hinduism Karna Mantra

    This post is meant for people who believe in God , not for those who believe in Love, though not have seen it,yet deny God.

    We in our normal lives, imagine we have no time to think of God,( yet we do have time for TV and Politics); it is much more difficult to think of God when we lie dying when your senses are leaving you and you are in pain.

    Bhagavad Gita Sloka.
    Bhagavad Gita Sloka.

    Hindu Sastras declare that one becomes what one thinks of at the time of Death.

    So the Sastras enjoin one to name their children in the name of God.

    By calling out to them,though you do not mean it,you call out God and He remembers, for Fire will singe you whether you are aware of it or not.

    What name is to call out as Death stalks.

    The One who guides you at and after Death is Lord Vishnu, the protector.

    He is the Ultimate Ruler of Death in His Name Govinda.

    Govinda is the name which is very dear to Lord Krishna, an Avatar of Vishnu.

    The name is to be called out.

    When and if you can not call this Name. those around you are required to recite the Vishnu Sahasranama or Om NamaSivaya.

    Yet there is an important ceremony to be performed by the eldest son at the time of Death of his parents.

    He is to keep the head of the parent at the time of dying on his left thigh and chant this mantra.

    sarva-dharman parityajya
    mam ekam saranam vraja
    aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
    moksayisyami ma sucah

    SYNONYMS

    sarva-dharman–all varieties of Dharma; parityajya–abandoning;mam–unto Me; ekam–only; saranam–surrender; vraja–go; aham–I;tvam–you; sarva–all; papebhyah–from sinful reactions; moksayisyami–deliver; ma–not; sucah–worry.

    Abandon all varieties of Religion, Dharma and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction and grant you Salvation. Do not fear.

    Here Lord Krishna uses the rarely used form of address to speak to Arjuna.

    That is ‘Ma Sucha’

    This is a term of endearment by a Father to his son.

    Krishna does not use this term anywhere to address Arjuna , in the Mahabharata, not did he use this term to anybody in the Puranas, including His children.

    What are the different Dharmas?

    At one point Krishna declares in the Bhagavad Gita that it is very difficult to understand the term Dharma or its implications , under different circumstances.

    Dharma may be loosely translated as  Righteousness; it is much more than this, please read The Gita.

    The Different types of Dharma.

    Varna Dharma. Duties prescribed  for your natural disposition.

    Asrama Dharma, Duties applicable to your station in life, as a Bachelor, Married Man, semi retired from family and totally renounced.

    Duties are also prescribed for special circumstances.

    And there are exceptions too!

    When Krishna says leave all Karmas, He means that one should mentally  renounce the fruits of actions, better still even the performance of Action

    This is the Karna Mantra.

    Of all the senses, at the time of Natural death, the ears give out first.

    So at the early signs of death’s approach, this mantra is to recited.

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  • Rig Veda Date Components Details

    The Rig Veda.
    The Rig Veda.

    The Rig Veda is the oldest among the four Vedas , the Scared Scriptures of the Hindus.

    The Rig Veda, as is known now, is the oldest among the Four, the other three being Yajur, Sama and Atharva.

    Date of The Rig Veda varies, by modern perception , ranging between 2000 BC to 1000 BC.

    The Hindu tradition has it that the Vedas are self-sustaining and they are without  a beginning.

    One view,

    ‘It is one of the oldest extant texts in any Indo-European language. Philological and linguistic evidence indicate that the Rigveda was composed in the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, roughly between 1700–1100 BC[5] (the early Vedic period). There are strong linguistic and cultural similarities with the early Iranian Avesta, deriving from the Proto-Indo-Iranian times, often associated with the early Andronovo and Sintashta-Petrovka cultures of c. 2200 – 1600 BC.”

    It is the oldest book in any Indo-European language and contains the earliest form of all Sanskrit mantras that date back to 1500 B.C. – 1000 B.C. Some scholars date the Rig Veda as early as 12000 BC – 4000 B.C. The Rig-Vedic ‘samhita’ or collection of mantras consists of 1,017 hymns or ‘suktas’, covering about 10,600 stanzas, divided into eight ‘astakas’ each having eight ‘adhayayas’ or chapters, which are sub-divided into various groups. The hymns are the work of many authors or seers called ‘rishis’. There are seven primary seers identified: Atri, Kanwa,Vashistha, Vishwamitra, Jamadagni, Gotama and Bharadwaja. The rig Veda accounts in detail the social, religious, political and economic background of the Rig-Vedic civilization. Even though monotheism characterizes some of the hymns of Rig Veda, naturalistic polytheism and monism can be discerned in the religion of the hymns of Rig Veda’

    Mantra pushpam
    Mantra pushpam

    The Rig Veda Text Translation , Click the Link right below.

    Click for Text of Rig Veda

    The Rig Veda starts with the Mantra,

    अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवं रत्वीजम |
    होतारं रत्नधातमम || Rig Veda 1.001.01

    aghnimīḷe purohitaṃ yajñasya devaṃ ṛtvījam |
    hotāraṃ ratnadhātamam || Rig Veda 1.001.01

    * Translation by Griffith in 1896
    I Laud Agni, the chosen Priest, God, minister of sacrifice,
    The hotar, lavishest of wealth.

    * Translation by Sa_yan.a and Wilson
    1.001.01 I glorify Agni, the high priest of the sacrifice, the divine, the ministrant, who presents the oblation (to the gods), and is the possessor of great wealth. [Agni = purohita, the priest who superintends family rites; or, he is one of the sacred fires in which oblations are first (pura) offered (hita); deva: a god, the bright, shining, radiant; fr. div, to shine; or, one who abides in the sky or heaven (dyusha_na); or, liberal, donor (in the sense of giving); r.tvij = a ministering priest, he is also the hota_ (Aitareya Bra_hman.a 3.14), the priest who presents the oblation or who invokes or summons the deities to the ceremony; fr. hu, to sacrifice; or, fr. have, to call; ratnadha_tama: lit. holder of jewels; ratna = wealth in general; figuratively, reward of religious rites].’_Agni Sukta.

    This is recited even today as the first Mantra in Brahma Yagnam, which is performed by the Brahmins daily.

    The Rig Veda is organised into Mandalas,Ten in Number.

    Mandals are ‘Family Books’

    The First Mandala is the Invocation of Agni-quoted above.

    The primary Deity of the Brahmin is Agni.

    Agni is presumed to reside the right palm of the Brahmins  who have practiced the Vedas.

    It is ordained that Brahmins are expected to Bless the others with their left palm and not the right palm, and that too without touching the one who is being blessed.

    There is an anecdote of recent origin.

    Sadasiva Brahmendra, a Vedic scholar and a Yogi lived in Kumbakonam,Tamil Nadu, India, in the eighteenth century.

    King Thondaman of Pudukkottai was close to him.

    Envious of this, some courtiers informed the king that Sadasiva Brahmendra was insulting the king by Blessing him  with his left hand.

    When Sadasiva Brahmendra met the king the next time, Sadasiva touched the seat near him with his palm downwards; the chair flared up in flames and Sadasiva Brahmendra smiled at the King and blessed him with his left hand.

    Manadalas 2 to  7  are the oldest and the longest.

    For more:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigveda#Organization

    http://hinduism.about.com/cs/vedasvedanta/a/aa120103a_2.htm

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