Ramanisblog

Tag: Ujjain

  • Dwadasa Jyotir Lingas Twevle Lingas of Fire

    Fire is the Chief Deity in the Vedas.

    Fire is regarded as very sacred in Hinduism.

    12 Jyotir Lingas.image.jpg
    Dwadas Lingas, 12 Jyotir Lingas.

    What Air can not purify Water can, what Water and Air can not, Fire shall.

    It is the Ultimate purifier.

    The warmth in mother’s womb sustains the child and the same Fire destroys the Human body.

    Fire is both the Sutainer and Destroyer.

    So is Lord Shiva.

    He is the cause of All and the withdrawer of the Universe.

    The Distinction between Shiva and Rudra is to be understood.

    The meaning of the word Shiva is ‘Auspiciousness’

    He is the Chief among the Trinity.

    His Amsa,one of His manifestaions, is Rudra.

    He is one of the Ganas of Shiva.

    He destroys the Universe only to be hidden by Shiva to enable them to manifest them later.

    While Shiva has three attributes or functions, Srushti(Creation,) Sthithi( Sustanance),Samhaara(Dissolution), Thirodhaana(Hiding) and Anugraham( Blessings)

    Rudra represents one aspect of Shiva, Destruction and this is eveident from the first sentence from the Sri Rudram.

    Om Namao Bhagavathe Rudraaya,

    Namsthe Rudramanyave’

    My prostrations to Rudra,

    My prostraions to His anger”

    Implied is the fact that anger leads to desruction.

    Now to Shiva.

    Being the Ultimate Reality Shiva is with out Attributes.

    However attribute is rewuired for Human Beings to connect and worship as concentraing ona vacuum is impossible .

    So Fire has been associated with Shiva, both for its sustaning qualities and for destrution.

     

    Twelve Jyotir Lingas , Puranas.

     

    Brahma (the God of creation) and Vishnu (the God of Preservation) had an argument over supremacy of creation. To test them, Shiva pierced the three worlds as a huge endless pillar of light, the jyotirlinga. Vishnu and Brahma split their ways to downwards and upwards respectively to find the end of the light in either directions. Brahma lied that he found out the end, while Vishnu conceded his defeat. Shiva appeared as a second pillar of light and cursed Brahma that he would have no place in ceremonies while Vishnu would be worshipped till the end of eternity. The jyotirlinga is the supreme partless reality, out of which Shiva partly appears. The jyothirlinga shrines thus are places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light.[2][3] Originally there were believed to be 64 jyothirlingas while 12 of them are considered to be very auspicious and holy.[1] Each of the twelve jyothirlinga sites take the name of the presiding deity, each considered a different manifestation of Shiva. At all these sites, the primary image is lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva. The twelve jyothirlinga are Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna atSrisailam in Andra Pradesh, Mahakaleswar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath inHimalayas, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar in Maharashtra, Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga at Deogarh in Jharkhand , Aundha Nagnath at Aundha Nagnath in Maharashtra, Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar at Ellora near Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Kedarnath and Pashupatinath (Nepal) are considered half jyotirlingas counted together as one.  -Shiva Purana

     

    Saurashtra Somnatham Cha Shrishaile Mallikarjunam ||
    Ujjainyam Mahakalomkare Mammaleshwaram ||
    Parlyam Vaijnatham Cha Dakinyam Bheem Shankaram ||
    Setu Bandhe Tu Ramesham Nagesham Daruka Vane ||
    Varanasya Tu Vishwesham Tribakam Gautamitate ||
    Himalaye Tu Kedaram Ghurmesham Cha Shivalaye ||
    Aetani Jyotirlingani Sayam Prataha Pathennaraha ||
    Sapta Janma Kritam Papam Smaranen Vinashyati ||

    One who recites these 12 names regularly in the morning and evening he washes all the sins committed in the previous 7 births and attains all the powers and Siddhis.

     

    Location of the Jyotir Lingas.

     

     

    # Jyotirlinga Image State Location
    1 Somnath Somnath.JPG Gujarat Prabhas Patan,Saurashtra
    2 Mallikārjuna Swāmi Srisailam-temple-entrance.jpg Andhra Pradesh Srisailam
    3 Mahakaleshwar Mahakal Temple Ujjain.JPG Madhya Pradesh Ujjain .
    4 Omkareshwar Omkareshwar Temple 01.jpg Madhya Pradesh Island in theNarmada River,Omkareshwar
    5 Kedarnath Kedarnath Temple.jpg Uttarakhand Kedarnath
    6 Bhimashankar Bhimashankar.jpg Maharashtra Bhimashankar
    7 Kashi Vishwanath Temple Kashi Vishwanath temple.jpg Uttar Pradesh Varanasi
    8 Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, Trimbak, Nashik district.jpg Maharashtra Trimbakeshwar, near Nashik
    9 Vaidyanath Temple Baba dham.jpg Jharkhand Deoghar
    10 Nageshvara Jyotirlinga Nageshwar.JPG Gujarat Dwaraka
    11 Rameshwar Ramanathar-temple.jpg Tamil Nadu Rameswaram
    12 Grishneshwar Ghushmeshwar mahadev.jpg Maharashtra Aurangabad

     

    Citation.

    Jyotir Linga

     

     

     

  • Devi’s Upper Lip Ujjain Mahakali Shakti Peeta

    The place the Devi‘s Upper Lip fell is Ujjain,Madhya Pradesh.

    “Ujjayinyam Mahakali mahakaleshvareshvari
    Kshipratirasthita mata vanchitarthapradayin”

    “Ujjainyam Maha kali, Peethikayam Puruhutika /
    Odhyane Girija devi, Manikya Daksha vatike //-Ashtadasa Stotra of Adi Shankaraharya.

    Mahkali Shakti Peeta
    Mahakali,Ujjain

    Mahakali’s Temple is here.

    The idol of Mahakali is placed exactly in between Sarasvati and Mahalaksmi.

    There are versions that this is where the Devi’s Left elbow fell.

    This is the Kshetra where Poet Kalidasa, who was an illiterate gained wisdom b the Grace of the Devi.

    King Vikramaditya cut his head off in front of her , only to be rejoined by Her.

    This is also one of the Jyotir Linga Kshetras of Lord Shiva.

    How to reach:

    This temple is in Bherugarh, near River Kshipra, in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

    The best way to reach Ujjain is by train, since the nearest airport is in Indore, which is 50 kms away.

    Ujjain is on the Western Railway track and is well-connected to major Indian cities by direct train.

    Nearest railway Station;Ujjain.

    Airport:Indore.

    Hotels and Choultries are available for stay.

    Temple Timings:

    The temple is open from early morning 6am till 10 pm.

     

    There is a ritual of offering alcohol to the Goddess, just as in Kalbhairav temple.

    Festivals at the Mahakali, Ujjain.

    1. Chaitra Navratri
    2. Ashwin Navratri
    3. Durga Puja
    4. Shivratri
    5. Magha Purnima
    6. Falguna Purnima
    7. Paush Purnima
    8. Shravan Month
    9. Maha Kumbh Mela.

    Locally, one can travel by bus, cab or auto rickshaw.

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  • Opium,Marijuana Hinduism Aghoris

    Recently there was a question in Quora.com on
    Hinduism: Why do Aghoris consume marijuana in some holy shrines? How is it linked with Spirituality?

    My answer to the question was posted on the site.

    I am providing excerpts and Link at the end of the post.

    The instances of Religious sects using intoxicants and Narcotics to heighten the religious ecstasy is not new.

    Religious fanatics of all Religions indulge in this practice.

    They mistake the illusions and hallucinations created by these substances as Religious ecstasy .

    There are also people who subscribe to the view that offering  narcotics like Marijuana,Opium is sanctioned by Hinduism.

    When I had been to Ujjain to have a Darshan of Mahakaleswara, I was offered country Liquor as Prasad  which was offered earlier to the Deity.

    Of course I refused to partake that.

    There are also temples in North India that offer narcotics as offering to the Deities.

    This has no sanction of the Vedas.

    A corrupt form of Karma Kanda of the Sruthi was practiced by the Mimasakas .

    It took the Life’s efforts of Adi Sankaracharya to drive away these obnoxious practices.

    Here a word about the Devas or loosely Translated, Angels, being drunkards who drink Liquor.

    The Avatars of Rama and Krishna were also reported to be indulging in this.

    There were two types of Drinks.

    One is Soma Bana and the other is Sura Bana.

    The Soma Bana or the Nectar of the Plant Soma was used for Homas and  drinking Soma Bana was sanctioned as it is not an Intoxicant.

    The other is Sura Bana which induces intoxication and it was classified as a Sin to drink it.

    (Ref Our Texts-Rik Veda, were Soma Bana is praised: ‘CHO’ Ramaswamy’s ‘Indu Maha Samudram(இந்து  மஹா  சமுத்திரம்).

    The Tantric Sastra is also misunderstood and misquoted quite often.

    Right from the Kaapalika  Sect to Nithyananda of the present day misinterpreted this for their licentiousness.

    Tantric Sastra is too vast a subject to be accommodated in a blog.

    Those interested may read  the Book Sakthi and Saaktha by Sir.John Woodroffe.

    Those who perform Aabhichara Pooja( the performance of worship where corpses are used often quote this mantra from the Lalita Sahasra Nama.

    “947   Pancha pretha manchadhi sayini – She who sleeps on the cot made of five corpses”.

    This is literal translation.

    Lalita Sahasra Nama is a Mystic Text, that’s why it delivers results.

    The meaning is,

    The One who sleeps (Yoga Nidra-a wakefulness while appearing to sleep in Yoga,Lord Narayana also has this Attribute of Yoga Nidra),

    On a cot whose support are Brahma,Vishnu,Rudra, Eesana ( Isnana) and Sadasiva.

    Brahma represents the Potential Energy,

    Vishnu,Kinetic Energy,

    Rudra, Dissolution ,

    Eesana,  the invisible power that governs the universe, and

    Sadasiva, “Pancha Brahma Upanishad Verses 1 to 6:

    The Para Brahma took shape in stages of Sathyojatha, Aghora, Vamadeva, Thathpurusha and Ishana. 1

    Sathyojatha is the aspect of earth and is the Sun, Goddess Lakshmi, Brahma, the letter Om, Rig Veda, Garhapathyagni (Household fire), mantras, Saptha Swaras (seven notes) and yellow colour. It gives all that is wished for. 2″

    http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20111031225302AAdV9tz

    Khmer Gilt Bronze idol of Lord Sadasiva.
    Khmer Gilt Bronze idol of Lord Sadasiva.
    Sadasiva
    Sadasiva

    Goddess Lalitha Presides over all.

    Following practices not sanctioned by the Sruthi by misquoting is an insult to Hindusim.

    “Aghori sect is the corrupted form of Tantric System of Indian Philosophy.
    The ‘ cessation of the modification of Chitta( modification of the Mind)’ is defined as Yoga-Patanjali’s YogaSutra-1
    In plain English, it may be loosely translated as the cessation of thought processes.
    This needs  knowledge and Right determination(Vairagya),Bhagavad Gita.
    To achieve concentration is most mportant.
    More the number of senses-,Eyes.Ears,Nose Body,Mouth- are involved in the act easier the process of Concentration.
    Sex is an act where all the senses are concentrated or focused on a single act.
    A system was developed to use this aspect help in achieving Concentration and attain Yoga Siddhi.
    This is Tantric Shastra..
    Certain sexual practices are devised to use Sex  in this process..
    The primary rule is that it only the wife/Husband this has to be engaged with..
    While ,before, and after the act certain procedures are laid down.
    This is from the individual level.
    From the Macro level,
    All the senses one has and the Five Elements(Earth,Water,Fire,Air and Ether) are the embodiment and instruments to achieve understanding.
    For example Ether is for Communication,Fire for Heat and Cold,Earth for Smell,Water for Cold and Air for Smell,
    Activity that brings in all these elements in its full force together is Sex.
    This is also another reason for the development of Tantra Shastras.
    The concentration, it is suggested, at the Ultimate level, one has to concentrate on.Nothing”.
    This is easily possible in the Act of Sex , especially when when one achieves Orgasm.”

    http://www.quora.com/Hinduism/Why-do-Aghoris-consume-marijuana-in-some-holy-shrines-How-is-it-linked-with-Spirituality/answer/Venkat-Ramanan-1