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Punya & Paap (Good & Bad deeds) - Software of new Born

11/10/2023

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Punya & Paap (Good & Bad deeds) - Software of new Born

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Vedas for Dharma, Artha, Kama & Moksha

11/3/2023

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Vedas for Dharma, Artha, Kama & Moksha
Vedas are believed to be divine revelation in earlier Sanskrit language and are the oldest available scriptures of the mankind dates back prior to 2000 BC transmitted verbally from generation to generation.

Vedic rites and rituals invoke auspiciousness, peace, goodwill, and the blessings of the deities. Vedic Mantras, the sacred formula, are powerful and effective if chanted with full consciousness and attention, and with an understanding of their meanings.

Vedic Science & Modern Science:
Renowned scientists throughout modern history, including Werner Heisenberg, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Carl Sagan, Erwin Schrodinger, and Hans-Peter Durr, publicly admit that the Bhagavad-Gita and Vedic texts illuminated their understanding of key scientific explanations and discoveries.

Werner Heisenberg, German Nobel prize winner in Physics, the father of Quantum Mechanics, saw parallels between the Vedic concepts of non-duality and the principles of quantum mechanics, which describe the behaviour of particles in terms of wave-particle duality, uncertainty, and non-locality. He believed that the principles of quantum mechanics could be used to help explain the nature of reality and the interconnectedness of all things.
Father of an Atomic Bomb, Julius Robert Oppenheimer quoted – Access to the Vedas is the greatest privilege this century may claim over all previous centuries.

In fact, Vedic Maths is so versatile that even NASA has applied certain concepts from Vedic Mathematics to artificial intelligence.

What are the Vedas:
Vedas contain Hindu philosophy & rituals, scientific phenomena and knowledge accumulated by seers & sages (ancient Hindu scientists). Vedas are four - Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. Rigveda contains prayers to Gods (Riks are the mantras). Yajurveda has methods to use Riks for sacrifices (Yajus - Yajna). Sama Veda introduces musical notes. Atharva Veda gives ways to make life successful. Each Veda has three sections - Samhita, Brahmana and Aranyaka. Samhita has prayers or Suktas. Brahmana has sacrificial methods. Aranyaka has Mantras and methods that are practiced in the forests (that is, not for grhasthas). Upanishads normally appear in the last part of Aranyaka and deal with spiritual philosophy.

How Vedas impact:
Albert Einstein said “Everything in life is Vibration”. Everything is pulsating with a form of energy. The Vedas have more than 20, 000 mantras and each mantra when chanted produces sound vibrations that impact specific neurons of the body. The basic aim of chanting mantras is to induce certain sound frequencies that impact our neurons coherently and synergistically. Vedic chanting is said to help develop one's mental powers and strength, ease stress, and take one to a higher level of consciousness.

Regular chanting of mantras is believed to wipe out fear, anger and depression, and help relieve disorders of the respiratory, digestive, reproductive, circulatory, speech, intellectual and cognitive systems. Vedic chanting is said to help develop one's mental powers and strength, ease stress, and take one to a higher level of consciousness. Chanting also improves one's memory and power of concentration, so crucial if one wants to be an achiever.

Dr. Howard Steingull, an American Scientist established that the recitation of Gayatri Mantra produces a frequency of 110,000 Hz. The cosmic energy associated with the Gayatri Mantra is the Sun. Chanting this mantra increase the blood supply to the areas of the brain and can significantly impact spatial and verbal memory. Moreover, chanting it the right way, with the right diction emanates a sound vibration that is great for the heart. It helps lowering heart rate and maintains a balance in breathing. Ideal is to chant it early morning at 6:00am.

Similarly, sound frequencies of mantras like 1) Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha, 2) Sarvamangale Maagalye shive Sarvartha Shardhike, 3) Mangalam Bhagwan Vishu, Mangalam Garunadhwajah and 4) Om Trayambakam Yajamahe Sugandhinam Pusthivardhanam, have the potential to produce Gamma, Beta, Alpha, Theta; Delta brain waves that can help improve alertness, concentration, creativity, relaxation, intuition, memory and good immunity.

What are the Vedic Mantras:
Each mantra will have a seer (rishi) who composed it, a rhythm or meter (Chhanda) which determines its sound, and a deity (devata) who presides over it and manifests when the mantra is correctly pronounced. It also contains a seed syllable (bija) which imparts to it manifesting power (Shakti) and a support (kilakam) which makes it strong or stable until it delivers the intended result.

Because of these hidden components and their divine aspects, many rules are associated with the chanting of the mantras. The attitude and the personal purity of the person who utters them also matter. Pronunciation is of utmost importance in the use of mantras. Without right pronunciation and intonation, the deity in the mantra may not respond. Equally important is the intention for which a mantra is used, since the use of mantras for any purpose produces karmic consequences and influences the destiny of its user.

Why Vedic Mantras:
These mantras are used to invoke gods, communicate with them, pray & propitiate them to fulfil worldly desires and achieve peace and prosperity in life; to cleanse the mind and body for liberation or self-transformation; to restrain the mind and enter deep sleep or higher states of consciousness; to earn divine grace or the grace of a guru; to gain siddhis or spiritual powers (siddhis) etc.

The purposes of Vedic mantras:
The four puruṣharathas (purposes) of life as per Vedas are Dharma (righteousness, moral values); Artha (prosperity, economic values); Kama (pleasure, love, desires, psychological values); and finally Moksha (liberation, spiritual values). Vedic Mantras are for prosperity, long life, wealth, intelligence, family, children, food and liberation.

In the Brahmanas and Aranyakas texts, various rituals are prescribed to get definite fruits related to worldly or divine pleasures. As per Upanishads, the union with the Brahman or ultimate liberation can be attained only by giving up non-knowledge (Ajnana) and by achieving knowledge (Jnana).

How Vedic Mantras impact:
As per International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (Volume-9 Issue-2S3, December 2019), the human neurological system has an effective impact by meditation, mantra therapy, music therapy, Raga therapy and Vedic chanting. The chanting of the Veda mantras have three aspects namely; purity of mind, purity of intonation and purity of pronunciation. 1.        The Mantra, an acoustic signal is a combination of sound, breath and rhythm. “Omkara” chanting and other Vedic verses had profound influences on all the energy centers of the human body. The research paper presented the impact of chanting of Vedic mantras as under:

1.     The interesting finding is the deviations in Electro Encephalograms (EEG) waves towards low frequency rhythms of OM chanting.
2.     Vedic chanting producing distinct signal energy such as music has intense influence on human moods and emotions. The studies inferred that chanting mantras will create vibratory sensation around the ears and these sensations are transmitted through branches of Vagus nerve. Influence on limbic areas, amygdala, hippocampus and thalamus was also observed by Vedic chanting. These vibrations interfaces with the larynx, lungs, heart, liver, stomach, kidneys, bladder, little and digestive organ.
3.     The acoustic sound generated by chanting Vedic mantras has a great influence on our psychic system.
4.     Sounds of traditional Vedic chanting produce vibrations those have beneficial spiritual effects both on chanters and listeners. Six basic aspects of phonetics, which are important to Vedic chanting are Varna, Swara, Mantra, Balam, Sama and Santana, all these six aspects are inter-related.
5.     Vedic texts, music or mantras have turned as a precious tool effecting significantly different parts of the human cerebrum.
6.     Vedic melodies produce incredible sound vibrations that are fit for changing vitality at all degrees of development. They influence the psychological and arrive at the subliminal level where our karmic patterns are stored. The act of singing builds memory, expands fixation and deletes the impacts of past karma.
7.     The best possible recitation of mantras can diminish stress and pressure.
8.     Studies proven that “Hatayoga” to “Himalayan Meditation” practices yielded wonderful results in understanding our mind and body balance.

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Duties of the Chaste wife – Shiva Purana

3/10/2023

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In chapter 54 of Parvati Khanda in shiva Purana, description of the duties of the chaste wife have been narrated.
Duties of the chaste wife:

A chaste lady sanctifies the worlds, destroys sins, and is blessed. No one else is so worthy of respect.
She who serves her husband with love and enjoys all pleasures here and obtains salvation hereafter along with her husband.
A chaste lady shall take food only after her husband has taken it.
When he sleeps, she can also sleep. But she must intelligently wake up before him. She shall do what is beneficial to him. She shall love him without any sort of deception.
She shall never show herself unembellished to him.
If for any important work, he is on exile she shall never adorn herself.
A chaste lady shall never mention her husband’s name. If the husband scolds or rebukes her she shall not abuse him in return.
When called by him she shall leave the work she is engaged in and approach him immediately.
She shall not stand near the entrance for a long time. She shall not go to other people’s house. She shall not take his money, even though it be a little, and give it to others.
Without being told she shall arrange the necessary requisites for his daily worship. She shall wait for the opportunity to do him a timely service.
Without the permission of her husband, she shall not go even on pilgrimage. She shall eschew the desire to attend social festivities.
She shall partake of the leavings of her husband’s food or whatever is given by him saying “This is thy great grace.”
She shall never take food without first offering due share to the gods, the Pitṛs, the guests, the servants, cows, and saintly mendicants.
A gentle lady of chaste rites shall always be clever to manage the household with limited requisites. She shall be averse to spend unnecessarily.
Without being permitted by her husband she shall not observe fast and other rites.
While the husband is sportively engaged or seated comfortably, she shall not worry him to get up under the pretext of attending to some household work.
Whether he is impotent, distressed, sick or senile, happy, or unhappy, the husband shall never be transgressed.
If a chaste lady wishes for the longevity of her husband, she shall not forsake turmeric, vermilion, saffron, collyrium, a blouse, the betel, the necklace, ornaments, brushing and plaiting the hair bangles and earrings.
A chaste woman shall never associate intimately with a washerwoman, a harlot, a female ascetic, or a fallen woman.
She shall not talk to any woman who disparages or hates her husband. She shall not stand alone anywhere, nor shall she take bath in the nude.
A chaste lady shall never sleep on a mortar threshing rod, a broom, a grinding stone, a machine or on the threshold.
A chaste lady shall be delighted when her husband is delighted and dejected when he is dejected. She shall always wish for his benefit.
She shall be virtuous and equanimous in affluence and adversity. She shall have fortitude and shall never go astray.
Even when ghee, salt, oil or other things are exhausted she shall not tell her husband openly about it lest he should be subjected to undue strain.
She should avoid slanderous words, shun quarrels, and shall not speak aloud or laugh in the presence of elders.
She who delights her husband delights all the worlds. When she sees her husband coming home, she shall hasten to serve him food and water, hand him betel and change of garments, and serve him by massaging his feet. By pleasing words, she shall fascinate him and dispel his gloom.
What father gives is limited, what brother gives is limited and what the son gives is also limited. A chaste lady shall worship her husband who gives what has no limit.
To a wife the husband is God, preceptor, virtue, holy centre and sacred rite. She should cast off everything and adore him alone.
The mother, the father and the husband are blessed if there is a chaste lady in the house.
The three families—that of the father, that of the mother and that of the husband—enjoy the pleasures of heaven due to the merit of the chaste woman.
Disloyal women cause the downfall of the three families, that of the father, mother and husband and become distressed here and hereafter.
Wife is the root of the household, and of its happiness; she is the source of the fruit of virtue and for the flourishing of the family.
In every house there are women proud of their exquisite beauty and comely appearance. But it is only due to the devotion of Shiva that a chaste lady is obtained.
The present and the next world can be won through her. A wifeless man is not authorized to perform the rites of gods, Pitṛs guests and sacrifices.
He alone is the true householder in whose house there is a chaste lady. The others are devoured by an ogress or old age.
Just as the body is purified by a plunge in the Ganga, so everything is sanctified on seeing a chaste woman.
The husband is austerity, and the woman is forbearance. The husband is the fruit, and the wife is a sacred rite.

The chaste ladies can be divided into four classes - superior, middling, inferior, and very inferior. Their characteristics are:

She whose mind is not aware of anyone else and who is conscious of her husband even in her dreams is the noblest of all.
She who sees another man as her father, brother or son with a clean conscience is the middling among chaste ladies.
She who ponders over her duty mentally and desists from going astray is inferior among the chaste. Of course, she is pure in conduct.
She who remains chaste for fear of her husband, or the family is very inferior among the chaste ladies.

These four types of chaste ladies dispel sins. They sanctify all the worlds. They are delighted here and hereafter.

Spiritual Significance:

The chastity of a wife has strong power to get the things done which are not possible otherwise. A brahmin who died due to the curse of Varaha (Boar), was at the request of the three deities, resuscitated by Atri’s wife (Anasuya), thanks to the power of chastity.
The instructions are not static, but are always dynamic to the situation and time.

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The Glory of Shiva Mahapurana

3/26/2022

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The Glory of Shiva Mahapurana

The Shiva Mahapurana, one of the eighteen Puranas is the greatest and the noblest of the sacred lore. It is the form of Shiva and as such is to be served and realized in this world. By reading this and listening to it the good man becomes very pious. Loving care to listen to it yields all desired results. By listening to this Purana of Shiva a man becomes sinless. After enjoying all extensive worldly pleasures, he will attain the region of Shiva.

The Shiva Mahapurana contains chapters with Shiva-cantered cosmology, the stories of Sadashiv, the relationship between gods, ethics, Yoga, Tirtha (pilgrimage) sites, bhakti, rivers and geography, and other topics.

Glory of Shiva Purana:
The Shiva Purana talks about how the Supreme Being as Shiva created the universe and incarnated in various ages to spread righteousness, knowledge, and devotion among humanity.
By understanding the mysteries of Shiv Mahapurana and singing its praises, a man attains greater virtues than that which could be attained by being charitable or by the performance of all the `yagnas'. Contemplating on the subject matters of Shivmahapuran give auspicious fruits just like a 'Kalpa-taru' (A tree which fulfils all the wishes).

Benefits of Reading or listening Shiva Purana:

Meditation and regular practice on Shiva Purana generate bhakti which manifests with both of her sons – wisdom and renunciation.
Those, who read or listen Shiva Purana with pure mind, gain its highest fruits. One
should drop of six disorders such as lust, anger, greed, pride, attachment, and jealousy (kama, krodha, lobha, madd, moh and madasar) and involvement in worldly affairs, while reading or listening Shiva Purana.
After listening Shiva Purana, one’s mind will be purified and desire to do vices will be eliminated.
Bhagwan Shiva created pure nectar of Rudra Samhita after churning the ocean of Upanishads and presented to Kumar Kartikeya. By drinking it, the person becomes immortal. Those, who read Rudra Samhita on 14th day of moon cycle below tree of wood apple (bel tree) by keeping fasting, the person is being worshipped like Shiva himself.

Precautions for reading or listening Shiva Purana:

Listener or reader of Shiva Purana should practice celibacy, leave luxuries, keep fasting or take light food, criticizing others, no hatred, or dislikes to others, etc. Listener or reader of Shiva Purana should always adopt honesty, purity, compassion, silence, simplicity, humility or modesty and generosity. Listener or reader should be regular in listening or reading the Purana,
One should not tell the Shiva Purana to persons who have dislikes for Vedas, who are fallen from his dharma (duties), who have been forbidden under Vedas and who have hatred to Brahmanas.
After every shloka of Rudra Samhita, havan should be done with every shloka or gayatri mantra or shiva panchakshar mantra (ॐ नमः शिवाय). After completion of Shiva Purana, eleven brahamanas should be fed with Kheer and present offerings.

Contents of Shiva Purana:
The Puranas were first compiled by Brahma. Sanat kumara, a son of Brahma inherited them from his father and imparted them to Vyasa who in turn abridged them in 18 compendiums. The Shiva Purana originally, contains 100,000 shlokas and 12 Samhitas – Vidheshvara (10,000). Rudra (8,000), Vinayaka (8,000), uma (8,000), matr (8,000), ekadashrudra (13,000), Kailash (6,000), shatrudra (3,000), kotirudra (9,000), sahaskotirudra (11,000), vayviya (4,000) and Dharma (12,000). But Mehrishi Vyasa abridged it into 24,000 shlokas and 7 Samhitas (Vidhyeshvar. Rudra, shatrudra, kotirudra, Uma, Kailash and vayviya). Shiva Purana contains the exposition made of Suta ji on the inquiry made by sages. The various Samhitas or sections of Shiv Purana are as under:

Shiv Purana Samhita (Section 1) – Vidyeshwara Samhita (25 Chapters)
In the Vidyeshwara Samhita, the rules of reading the Shiva Purana, the rules of Shiva worship, the rules of Shivaratri fasting and the rules of worshiping Shivalinga, mystery and importance of Shiva Linga and the corporeal form of Shiva, Significance of Panchakshara Mantra Om Namah Shivaya, How to establish Shiva Linga, how to worship Shiva with Vedic mantras.including the rules for wearing Rudrakhash and the charity related to Shiva and their importance are found. Thoughts on the means, meditation on the subjects like the month of Sawan, Shiva Bhajan and attainment of Shiva through yoga.
Shiv Purana Samhita (Section 2) – Rudra Samhita
In Rudra Samhita has a total of five sub-sections. These include Srishti Khand, Sati Khand, Parvati Khand, Kumar Khand and Yudh Khand having chapters – 20, 43, 55, 20 and 59 respectively.
Shiv Purana Samhita (Section 3) – Sharudrasamhita (42 Chapters)
In the Sharudrasamhita, various forms of Lord Shiva and their in-depth description are found in the Shatrudra Sanhita. In this Samhita, Shiva is described in all those incarnations, wherein he has worked for the salvation of the world. There are descriptions of five incarnations of Shiva, namely Saghejat, Vamadeva, Tatpurush, Aghor and Ishaan. It also contains information about Shiva’s Ardhanarishwar form in much detail. It contains the story about the Birth of Nandi and his marriage to Abhishek. The description of the eleven Rudra incarnations of Shiva including the Mahakal incarnation of Shiva is also contained in the Shatrudrasamhita of Shiva Purana.
Shiv Purana Chapter 4 – Kotirudra Sanhita (43 Chapters)
In Kotirudrasamhita, the story of origin, verses & importance of the 12 Jyotirlingas (Kashi Vishwanath, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwar, Kedarnath Jyotirlinga, Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga, Tryambakeshvar Jyotirlinga, Okareshwar Jyotirlinga, Rameshwar Jyotirling, Ghushmeshwar Jyotirling, Somnath, Nageshwar Jyotirling and Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga) of Shiva and complete information related to their worship method is found. The story of Vishnu getting Sudarshan Chakra by worshiping Lord Shankar. In the Kotirudrasamhita, information about the sources, methods and benefits of Shiva Sahasranama read by Lord Vishnu for Shiva worship is also found. It also entitles the information about fasts and mantras to please Lord Shiva. Additionally, the method of Shivaratri fast and the glory of Shivaratri are also mentioned in the Kotirudrasamhita.
Shiv Purana Samhita (Section- 5) – Uma Sanhita (51 Chapters)
Uma Samhita gives information about the fruits of devotion and worship of Lord Shiva. Uma samhita gives answers to questions related to sin and virtue. The detailed tale about the appearance of Mother Uma and the slaughter of Shumbha Nishumbh is also available from Shiv Purana. It contains, how should a person perform actions to attain heaven and all the measures related to charity and virtue. Uma samhita also mentions measures to remove sins and repentance of mistakes. The knowledge of all the four measurable practices for attaining immortality by conquering death, such as Pranayama, meditation of fire in the middle of the brow, breathing through the mouth and touching the bell of the tongue with a twisted tongue, is also obtained from the Shiva Purana. The story related to Goddess Uma, Mahalakshmi, Sarasvati and Kali incarnation is also found in this section of Shiv Purana.
Shiv Purana Samhita (Section 6 – Kailash Samhita (23 Chapters)
In Kailash Samhita, we get information about various rules of Shiva Bhakti. You get the knowledge of the rules to worship Shiva from the Kailas Sanhita. Herein, information about the classical method of taking sannyasa is also found. Kailash Samhita also mentions worship of Ganapati, element purification, worship about Savitri, etc.
Shiv Purana Samhita (Section 7) – Vayaviya Samhita:
It two sub-sections – Purvabhaga (35 Chapters) and Uttarabhaga (41 Chapters).

A number of articles will be published on the various contents of Shiva Mahapurana in due course.

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Yoga

7/9/2021

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Living beings are essentially governed by the rhythms of sun, moon and stars in the subtle ways. The basic unit of living beings, Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule carries blue print of individual characteristics accumulated in millions of years. Molecule can be further break down into atoms. Each atom seems to be like a whirlpool of centre where cosmic forces are focussed. Hence, each particle in the universe is connected to the infinite.

The four paths of yoga can be represented in the deities of panch-parmeshwar (five deities in Hinduism – Sun, Ganesh, Shiva, Shakti and Vishnu). Sun has been termed as biggest karma yogi as it rises & sets without any break (Karma yoga). Ganesh ji can be a symbol of intellect (Jnana Yoga). Shiva & Shakti are the essence of Kriya Yoga. Bhakti movement and its various sects revolve around Bhagwan Vishnu and his avatars. Daily movement of sun (Rising sun, midday and setting) is also symbolized as the trinity (Brahma – the creator, Vishnu – the sustainer and Shiva – the destroyer to complete the cycle of universe). All forms of yoga develop willpower. All the different yogic paths mutually reinforce each other.

Yoga means union, the union between the limited self (Jiva) and the cosmic self (Atman). The path of yoga is to explore the deeper layers of mind viz. sub-conscious realms of mind, unconscious realms of mind. Yoga aims to bring about total harmony between one’s fundamental drives, emotions, feelings, intellect, will and one’s interpersonal and social relationships. Hence, it tends to bring about mental peace and tranquillity as well as physical relaxation.

Different Paths & one soul:
There are so many paths of yoga such as Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga, Raja yoga, Hatha yoga, mantra yoga, Kundalini yoga, Dhyana yoga, Swara yoga, Laya yoga, Kriya yoga etc. But, all paths of yoga incorporate action, devotion, introspection, benevolence & enquiry and aim at physical health, mental peace and higher awareness. Swami Sivananda said that one should: “Serve, Love, Give, Meditate, and Realize”. All forms of yoga develop willpower. All the different yogic paths mutually reinforce each other. In hatha yoga, the mind is made one-pointed by awareness of the breath or different parts of the body. In raja yoga the mind is made one-pointed by awareness of a fixed symbol or a psychic centre. In jnana yoga the mind is made one-pointed by total absorption in an enquiry. In karma yoga the mind becomes concentrated by complete absorption in one’s work. In bhakti yoga the same result, namely one-pointedness of the mind, is achieved through love and devotion.

Salient features of different paths of Yoga:
Karma Yoga:
It is the path of activity or action. By the very nature, everybody is forced to perform actions. By totally absorbing the self in the work at hand, we tend to reduce his individuality or ego. In Karma yoga, one surrenders ego when one ceases to be the doer. The detachment from results (good or bad) leads to less emotional and mental upsets in the life. When work is done for a higher or spiritual purpose then it becomes karma yoga. The action is same, but the motive is different. The attitude must change. Higher states of karma yoga become meditation. Salient features are as under -

Work & witness – Separating “self” from body. actions happen through him. His body and mind work, he (Self) does not. Shree Krishna says in Bhagavat Gita, do not be attached to inaction, perform action; He who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is a wise man; he is a yogi. The subconscious realms of the mind are continuous hive of activity. Hence, don’t renounce work or everyday life. It is not necessary. Rather renounce attachment to the fruits of the endeavours. Try to practice selfless work. Ashtavakra Gita says, the enlightened one neither avoids the crowd, nor seeks the forest.
Eliminating narrow selfishness - Motto to give – give – and give and not take – take and take.
Attachment brings pain and misery – One may expect fruits of the work done in particular form but when results are not as desired, it brings pain & misery.
Thoughts & actions – Selfless, harmonious & dharmic thoughts and actions lead to the influx of higher awareness.

Bhakti Yoga:
To gain lasting peace in life it is not sufficient to attain perfect physical health and some control over thoughts. The emotions must also be transformed in accord with every action and thought. Without gaining emotional harmony and one-pointedness it is impossible to gain mental and physical harmony. Bhakti yoga is the powerful means of harmonizing the emotions. It is path of channelling emotions into devotion. Bhakti comes from the heart, not the mouth or the head. The bhakta absorbs himself completely in his object of devotion, losing his individuality or ego. Emotional and mental problem disappears.

Faith (Shraddha) and Bhakti are different. Faith implies that one believes in something. Bhakti is an experience. If one is emotionally inclined, then one can follow the path of Bhakti yoga. This involves intense concentration of one’s entire being on an object of devotion. This leads to a transcendental experience of overwhelming bhakti. Bhakti is both the means and the expression of higher awareness. Great works are an expression of the heart. The seed of bhakti lies in the heart of every person. Each person is potentially a bhakta.

As Swami Sivananda said: “Love in the law of life. Love means constant awareness. Devotion means that there will be unceasing thirst, unforgettable, remembrance and unswerving aspiration to unite with one’s ishta. Love has two forms – ego-centred love (in which one loves another person, deity, saint or whatever with the expectation of love in return) and egoless love (without any expectation of love in return, that is bhakti). Ego-centred love will take one to the finite. Egoless love leads to infinite. Ego-centred love tends to quickly subside with time, whereas bhakti increases and grows with every passing minute. The burning aspiration for the supreme and when thought is continuous, then there arises unspeakable love and bliss. This is intense bhakti.

Bhakti can be towards anything…Krishna, Christ, Rama… anything that spontaneously creates feeling of devotion from the heart. It should be something that one cannot stop thinking about. If one is a devotee of Krishna, then one can try to see Krishna, in form or essence, in everything. This is love of the divine in everything (madhura Bhakti). This leads to freedom from hatred, envy, malice, self-conceit. Blindly following rituals without any real feeling, is exactly opposite to the purpose of worship and bhakti.

All the paths of yoga aim at reducing and eventually eliminating the compulsive grip of mind – ego. Bhakti does this by relegating all one’s impulses towards the object of bhakti. This eradicates the fluctuation of the mind and induce one-pointedness. In Uddhava Gita, Krishna said: just as fire steadily grows from a small flame to a blazing fire and burns fuel to ashes, so does devotion to me, blaze forth and consume all obstacles. This makes the mind one-pointed and the fit receiver for the grace of illumination and bliss. Prayer combined with devotion helps to purify the mind and reduce the power of the ego. The greater the level of bhakti, the less the ego.

The path of bhakti provides a perfect method of expressing the unruly emotions. The essence of karma yoga is awareness, detachment and renunciation of the fruits of action. When bhakti and karma yoga are combined, it becomes almost easy to renounce attachment to the fruits or rewards of one’s actions. All rewards, praise and fruits of one’s work are dedicated to the object of devotion. This is the way to rapidly harmonize the mind and reduce egoism. If one adopts the following attitude: “I do not serve…. the Supreme along serves. It is feeling and sincerity which is important. A poor person can offer even meanest object as devotion with feeling & sincerity, is better than a rich person who gives vast wealth, but without slightest devotion.

The essence of devotion to Krishna is summed up in the Uddhava Gita when Krishna says: “All the desires, which are rooted in the heart of the sage who worships me with the yoga and devotion, gradually wilt away and when he realizes me, the knot of ignorance which is lodged in the heart is destroyed. All his doubts are annihilated and his stock of karma is exhausted. Therefore, by bhakti yoga my devotee gains all that is gained by the other paths of yoga and by austerities, dispassion, charitable acts and pilgrimages.” Shankaracharya points out: “the characteristics of pure sattva are cheerfulness, realization of one’s self, peace, contentment, bliss and steady bhakti towards atman, by which the aspirant enjoys eternal bliss,” the cleaner the mind the greater the flow of bhakti and the mind becomes intensely one-pointed.

The sadhana of the great bhakta Ramdas, mantra upasana included four steps –

Continuous mental and verbal chanting of a mantra. In his case it was “Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram.”
Visualization of the form of the guru (deity) in the heart.
Identification of every object on which the mind dwells with divinity. Whenever one think of, remember that it is the form of supreme.
Observation of the mind. Take the attitude of watching the processes of the mind. This is awareness.
When the mind is calm, one-pointed and receptive, the grace can arise, bringing with it transcendental knowledge.
Bhakti brings satisfaction of all desires. Bhakta surrenders to the divine will. Everything that happens, whether pleasure or pain, is seen as the divine law. All work, actions and experiences are regarded as tests and trials of the divine process, as a means to remove imperfections.

Jnana Yoga:
This is the path of Intuitive knowledge. In Sanskrit, jnana means knowledge. It means both knowledge acquired from outside since birth by listening, reading and watching, knowledge attained inside i.e., intuitive or illuminative knowledge. Jnana does not mean intellectual or logical knowledge.

Jnana yoga requires to throw all concepts, dogmas, ideas and believe in the truth realized through personal experience. It requires obsession for answers to the enquiries, 24*7. Ask question: what is the thing called ‘I’; what is consciousness; is there any truth in the atma; why I should believe. The success depends on the intensity of the purpose to pursue the enquiries.

The foundation of jnana yoga is that one should know and feel the limitations of intellectual thought. Examining any of the subject logically as well as contrary to it i.e., opposite of logical conclusion. The result will erode the prestige of intellect. Intense reflection on the subject reveals higher truth through intuitive flashes in relaxed mind. In Jnana yoga, one surrender ego by intuitive realization that the ego is not the totality of the Being.

Raja Yoga:
This is path of Introspection. One attempts to explore the different realms of the mind: conscious, subconscious, unconscious and beyond. The perception of external objects is cut off and directed towards inside. In Raja yoga, the surrender of ego is attained by understanding the vast underlying substratum of each human being and every manifested object. It has many forms -

Patanjali Yoga – it consists of eight limbs of realizations – Yama (self-restraint), Nyamas (self-observances), Asanas (postures), Pranayama (regulation of pranic energy), Pratyahara (dissociation of consciousness with the outside environment), Dharna (consciousness), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (Identification with pure consciousness).
Kundalini or Laya Yoga – It is a system concerned with the awakening of the pranic or psychic centres known as chakras. These chakras are centres of bioplasmic energy. A force symbolized by the kundalini; a serpent resides in the lower region of the trunk. On awakening of kundalini, one attains higher awareness.
Mantra or Japa Yoga - Yoga of sound. Different sounds produce different effects. Special sound mantras evoke mental and psychic manifestations. A particular mantra, when repeated again and again produces tranquillity, concentration and awareness of the inner processes of mind.
Dhyana Yoga – Path of meditation.
Hatha yoga – Ha means sun and Tha means moon. Hatha Yoga integrates and balances the two sides of the body. The right nostril is connected with the sun aspect; the left nostril is associated with moon aspect. The moon rules over the mental functions, while the sun controls the vital and physical functions. The two nostrils have a deeper association with the flow of prana within our being. If the sun flow is pre-dominant, there is a tendency towards extroversion and physical aspects. If the moon flow is predominant, then one tends to think too much. Hatha yoga rests on the premise that if the mind can influence the body, then the converse is equally true. Path of balancing physical, mental & subtle forces.
Kriya Yoga – Yogic path of movement and awareness. It aims at to bring awareness of the processes of the inner environment of man.

Reference: A systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya – by Swami Satyananda Saraswati

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Kriya Yoga

5/7/2021

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Kriya Yoga
Past experiences in previous births & this birth accumulate impressions (Samskaras) of fear, hatred, dislike, jealousy, complexes etc. in subconscious layers of the mind, which produce several ego-centric or selfish tendencies. Further, in modern lifestyle, the external emergency situations are rampant. The ego-centric tendencies determine actions and reactions in different life situations.
The two systems in brain - sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous systems, mobilise heartbeat, breathing rate, raises body temperature to meet the body needs in response to external events & internal actions. The former speeds up and the latter slows down the processes of life. Speeding up of the body’s processes are the root cause of mental and physical tension. These tensions result into emotional responses. With emotional responses, adrenalin is automatically injected into blood stream from the adrenal glands. The adrenalin causes contraction of muscles, constriction of blood vessels, increases the heart and respiratory rates, speed up thought process and so on. The over-activation of the muscles without the corresponding muscular activity results in a continual drain of energy from the body. This leads to malfunctioning of several organs and many modern ailments – diabetes, sexual sterility, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart diseases etc.
Unless the mental cleaning is done, the ego centric actions will not disappear. Kriya yoga aims at rooting out the pseudo ego which separates individual from self (universal consciousness). It integrates head, heart & hands (thoughts, words and deeds). It balances the body, mind and Prana and brings harmony between positive and negative aspects. Outer events will be clearly perceived, but without the usual negative and adverse repercussions. Due to progressive surrender of their being, their ego, divinity descends. The practice of Kriya yoga realizes that the union already existing.
Kriya yoga needs mental purity, patience, silence (mental quietude & avoidance of unnecessary talks), discipline and transformation (non-violence), truthfulness, equanimity, compassion, non-stealing, self-control and moderation with respect to sex, food and talk.

What is Kriya Yoga:
Kriya Yoga, the words are derived from the Sanskrit language – Kri refers to “action”, Ya refers to “awareness” and Yoga refers to "to attach, join, harness, yoke". Kriya Yoga is scientific techniques of God-realization.

When it originated:
Shree Krishna informed in chapter 4 of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita that he revealed this immortal Yoga to Vivasvan (Sun-god); Vivasvan conveyed it to Manu (his son); and Manu imparted it to (his son) Iksvaku (1) (Like this, it transmitted). Kriya Yoga was well known in ancient times, but was eventually lost. Rishi Patanjali (between the 4th century BC - 2th century AD) compiled this entire science into eight limbs. This lost science was re-introduced by Mahavatar Babaji through Lahiri Mahasaya in the nineteenth century.

Why Kriya Yoga:

The practices done in Kriya yoga transform the whole life into a continuous expression of joy, bliss and wisdom. It brings tranquillity in mind.
It refines the whole being, transform tamas into sattva, whittle away fears, phobias, conflicts, depressions, false ideas, etc.
It disconnects one’s awareness from sense organs and to induce spontaneous internalized awareness.
It stimulates good health, purifies psychic channels, awakens chakras and ascends Kundalini shakti to Sahasrara. It helps in controlling the mind directly through life force, is the easiest, most effective, and most scientific avenue of approach to the infinite.
It maintains anabolism superior to the catabolism which stimulates good health and prolongs life.

Bhagwan Shree Krishna explained Arjuna in chapter 8 of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita that one who with his mind disciplined through Yoga in the form of practice of meditation and thinking of nothing else, is constantly engaged in contemplation of God attains the supremely effulgent Divine Purusa (God) (8/8).
Essentials of Kriya Yoga:
1.    Right Attitude – all are human, not much different. Love thy neighbour.
2.    Diet - Moderate diet preferably vegetarian
3.    Place - Practise kriya in a tidy, peaceful and well-ventilated place
4.    Sound health - Body & mind should be healthy
5.    Relaxation - In relaxation practices, muscles are relaxed and in turn the sensory nerves (which send messages from the muscles to the brain) & motor nerves (which sends messages of action from brain to the muscles) cease to function. In deeper states of relaxation, mind becomes completely detached from the body and calms.
6.    Awareness – Awareness means mere witnessing of ever-arising stream of thoughts, breath, different parts of body, chakras etc. This activates para-sympathetic nervous system which brings down activity level of the body. Acting as a witness cuts the emotional ties. By constant practice of awareness, mind is progressively cleaned and calmed by exhausting inner disturbances.
7.    Proficiency in practices – Pranayama, mudras, bandhas, location & familiarity with the psychic passages and chakras and chakra dharna – these stimulate nerve plexuses, endocrine secretions and bio-plasmic energy.
8.    Non-expectation & Effortlessness – one should try to practise kriya without purpose and as a form of worship. It should be done with joy.
9.    Concentration – Any conscious curb on its wandering tendency of mind, create tension. Concentration is not forced; it spontaneously arises as a consequence of performing the mechanics of the kriyas. To achieve deep state of relaxation, subconscious mind needs to be freed from worries, phobias, fears etc. Concentration occurs spontaneously in a deep relaxed mind.
10. Sequence, regularity, intensity of practices, as well as the state of mind (turmoil or calm) determine the speed of induction of pratyhara.
11. Pratyahara – It disconnects one’s awareness from sense organs and to induce spontaneous internalized awareness. In order to induce pratyahara, one must be firmly fixed on the sushumna path, lost neither in the Ida nor Pingala dimension of being.
12. Detachment & Disidentification – In meditative practices, it is essential that one watch the occurrence with a feeling of total detachment. Meditation practices contribute in removing mental problems in a more positive manner. one must endeavour to free his mind from attachment to intellectual opinions. One should realise that he or she is continually creating false identification. One should consider oneself as an actor performing the roles. A process of disidentification is necessary. It is possible to distinctly watch the activities of the body, emotions and mind as spectator.

How Kriya yoga is done:
kriya yoga is combinations of several techniques.
1.    Physical postures (Asanas) - to make the body disciplined, healthy and flexible.
2.    External expression of inner attitude (Mudras) – to induce physiological, psychic & mental changes
3.    Physio-psychic locks (Bandhas) – to induce control of pranic forces of the body
4.    Special sound patterns (Mantras)
5.    Manipulation of breath - to control energy or prana (Pranayama) - to induce pratyahara and dharna

Psychic passage awareness – to induce changes in the pranic and psychic flow patterns of the body.
Meditational practices remove the distractions from mind, meditation. However, the kriya yoga should be practiced under the guidance of realized spiritual teacher.

Reference:

A systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya – by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Babaji and the 18 Siddha Kriya Yoga Traditions - by Marshall Govindan

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Philosophy of Sri Chaitanya – the Achintya Bheda-Abheda

4/30/2021

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Philosophy of Sri Chaitanya – the Achintya Bheda-Abheda

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the chief proponent of the Achintya Bheda Abheda (Inconceivable Difference/One-ness) Vedanta school and the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism. He was born at Mayapur near Navaidip, district Nadia (75 miles from Kolkata) West Bengal, who lived during 1486-1533.

The highlights of his philosophy are as under:

Sri Krishna, the Supreme Being:

Sat-Chit-Ananda Para-Brahman is identified as Sri Krishna, the Supreme Reality. Sri Krishna is Absolute person, indivisible, all-inclusive and unlimited by any other entity beside Him. The Bhagvata Purana was composed of by Vyasa who codified Vedas & Vedanta. The Bhagvata speaks of Sri Krishna as “Bhagavan Svayam” i.e. the Supreme Being.
Sri Krishna is transcendental spiritual reality and is the core of Reality, and the indefinite and unmodified Brahman can only be only His peripheral brilliance (Tanu-bha, the surrounding brilliance of Consciousness-Bliss).
Sri Krishna and His potency are inseparably related (such as fire & its heat & light) and manifest world.
The Supreme Person remains transcendental while His Shakti (potency) projects the world of multiplicity. The multiplicity is of the Shakti, as the potency of the Supreme person, has no independent existence apart from Him. It constitutes an identical Non-dual whole with Him.
The form is more fundamental and Brahman as the formless is only His aura. The Supreme Person has countless forms but this school accepts one form as His original and transcendental form that is of Sri Krishna.
Sri Krishna embodies the six fold Divine majesties of Aisvarya (power, Sovereignty), Dharma (goodness), Yasa (glory), Sri (Splendor, Majesty), Jnana (Wisdom) and Vairagya (detachment), for which reason He is called the Bhagavan. Over and above, He is pure Bliss, of which there is only a partial expression in His aspect as Parmatman and much less in Brahman, the formless, indeterminate and pervasive spiritual aura of His.

Three Aspects of Sri Krishna’s Potency (Shakti):
The Shakti has three aspects – Svarupa Shakti (Innate potency), Tatastha Shakti (Peripheral or marginal potency) also called as Jiva Shakti and Bahiranga Shakti (Extraneous Potency). The function of the shaktis of Sri Krishna is to carry out His will and contribute to His sportive manifestations, which form the expression of His essential nature of Bliss.

Bhairanga (Maya) Shakti is the power of cosmic manifestation. The cycles of creation (Srsti) and dissolution (Parlaya) of all the fourteen spheres; gross and subtle elements which constitute these spheres and the bodies of Jivas inhabiting them, spring from the transformations of Bhairanga Shakti. Bhairanga Shakti is insentient gross matter (Prakriti) constituted of the three Gunas of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Only “Sat” attribute of the Supreme Reality manifest in it.
Svarupa Shakti is the inherent potency of Bliss. It binds Jivas (center of consciousness) in materiality and makes them forgetful of their divine affinities. It is the power by which the process of creation is originated and sustained. “Chit” attribute of the Supreme Reality which is redemptive power, manifests in it.
Tatastha Shakti is the Jiva Shakti and closer to the Supreme reality. It is constituted of the countless centers of Consciousness, called Jivas who are the expressions of His attribute of Chit or consciousness. Tatastha Shakti stands between the other two powers (Bhairanga Shakti and Svarupa Shakti) and partake the nature of the other powers.

Bondage of Soul (Jiva):
Being in contact with both, the Jiva gets into the state of bondage (Samsara) when Bhairanga Shakti dominates over him and makes him purely body-minded, but by the practice of devotion and grace of the God, the Jiva is enfolded by the Svarupa Shakti, he attains to his higher spiritual evolution.

The Jiva is regarded as both identical and different from Supreme Reality.
Each Jiva is an intelligent subject corresponding to the “I” sense and retains his individuality through all changes occurring in physical embodiment.
It is self-luminous, conscious (Chetana), subject to ego-sense, different in different bodies, atomic, ever-pure, a center of wisdom, action and enjoyment, and endowed with a natural tendency towards Paramatman.
Though it is called atomic it should not be conceived as a material atom.
Jivas embody a very limited quantity of the Supreme Being’s nature (Sat-Chit-Ananda). They are never identical with Him either in bondage or liberation.
Jiva, while coming under the influence of Bhairanga Shakti, forgets his spiritual nature and gets identified with materiality. But it never loses his essential spiritual attributes. They are only contracted in the state of ignorant identification with the body under the influence of Maya.
When the obstructing veils of Maya Shakti are removed through Bhakti, they share the blissful nature of the Svarupa Shakti of the Bhagavat. But they always retain their individuality even in liberation.

Manifestations of Potency of Supreme Being:
Svarupa Shakti is the most intimate and fundamental nature of Bhagavan. It has three aspects known as Sandhini, Samvit, and Hladini, corresponding to the Supreme Being as Sat (Existence), Chit (Consciousness) and Ananda (Bliss).

Sandhini is the energy of the God by which He sustains His own existence as also Jivas and the worlds.
Samvit is His knowledge nature by which He has self-knowledge and also knows others and endows others with knowledge.
Hladini is the energy by which He enjoys His own innate Bliss and makes others to enjoy the same. It is personified as a Female, Radha, forming the counter-whole and eternal consort of Sri Krishna.
Svarupa Shakti manifests in different degrees and combinations constitute the stuff and energies of the spiritual dimensions. It is Shuddha (pure) Sattva, Self-luminous and untainted spiritual element, as distinguished from ordinary material sattva (one of the three aspects of Prakriti) forming an aspect of Maya Shakti along with Rajas (dynamism) and Tamas (inertia). Material Sattva is tainted with Rajas and Tamas and is not self-luminous.
When Sandhini predominates, Shudda Sattva expresses itself as Adhara Shakti – the root energy which manifests as, and sustains the Heavenly Residence of Bhagavat.
Dominance of Samvit generates the manifestation of Shudha Sattva called Atma Vidya or Self-knowledge which sustains all forms of spiritual consciousness.
When Hladini predominates over the other elements, the spiritual energy expresses itself as Guhya Vidya or pure loving devotion (Prema Bhakti).

Liberation of Jiva:

The evolution of life and the progress of the soul in higher regions is His sportive manifestation through His Jiva Shakti, also called Tatastha Shakti. The recurring cycles of Samsara that carry Jivas through repeated births and deaths until liberation is the dance of sportive Krishna at level of Jiva Shakti.
The Jivas who adore Sri Krishna through pure Bhakti are graced by His Svarupa Shakti and lifted out of the domain of Maya and made participants of Bliss.

Reference: Bhakti Schools of Vedanta – by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.

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Narada Bhakti Sutra

4/16/2021

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What is Bhakti:

Bhakti is divine nectar, on attaining which, a person become immortal, perfect and satisfied forever. (Sutra-4)
On gaining Bhakti, one wants nothing, laments over nothing, hates nothing, delights in nothing, and is never enthusiastic over anything earthly. (Sutra-5)
Bhakti is not worldly desire rather abandoning all worldly desires. (Sutra-8)
It is exclusive devotion to Him (God) and indifference to all other things / obstacles of Bhakti. (Sutra-9).

Why Bhakti:

Bhakti is greater than Karma yoga, Jnana yoga and Raja Yoga. (Sutra-25) These are different spiritual paths but are inter-related. Based on the pre-dominance in the personality of the person viz. intellect, emotions and actions, different spiritual paths of realization are suitable.
God hates egotism and loves humility. (Sutra-27)
Bhakti alone should be chosen by those who seek liberation. (Sutra-33)
Bhakti results by renunciation of objects of senses and attachment, uninterrupted adoration of god (bhajans), listening blessed qualities of god Shravan) and proclaiming & constant remembrance of those qualities while discharging affairs of ordinary life (Kirtan). (Sutra-35-37)
Sanatkumaras, Vyasa, Shukdeva, Shandilya, Garga, Vishnu, Kaundinya, sesha, Uddhava, Aruni, Bali, Hanuman and Vibhishana; all declare that Bhakti is best. (sutra 83)

Fruits of Bhakti:

Bhakti is easier than other ways of liberation (selfless work, mind control and attaining wisdom) because it needs no external proofs and it is of nature of peace and perfect bliss. (Sutra-58-60)
Bhakta needs no worry for going wrong as he surrenders self, worldly affairs and even Vedas to God. (Sutra-61)

How to develop Bhakti:

Bhakti should be by act, speech and mind:
As per Vyasa Rishi son of Prashar rishi, Bhakti is love of worship and similar acts. (Sutra-16).
As per Garga acharya, it is fondness for spiritual conversation and like. (Sutra-17)
As per Shandilya Rishi, it is fondness in the aspects which do not interfere in contemplation of self. (Sutra-18)
1. But Narada says, “Bhakti is offering all acts to Him (God). It is self-surrender. There is feeling of highest pain on separation from Him. (Sutra-19)
2. Bhakti should be like Gopikas of Braj. (Sutra-21)
3. Complete effacement of the self and at one-ment with the god is crucial test of genuine bhakti. A bhakta is never prompted to love god by any profit-motive.
4. Bhakti results mainly due to grace of great saints and God. Association of great saints is difficult to get which is possible only by grace of God. (Sutra-38-40)
5. Bhaktas should shun the evil associations by all means. It is cause of desire, delusion, and loss of spiritual memory, spiritual intellect and utter ruin. Small waves become huge waves of anger, desire, delusion etc. in their company. (Sutra-43-45)
6. The person who gives up all attachments, who serves great saints, who is unattached, who habitually lives in solitary place, who breaks worldly bonds, who transcends the three gunas of nature, who gives up idea of acquisition & preservation, who gives up desire of fruits of his actions, who renounce all activities, who passes beyond all pairs of opposites, who renounces even Vedas, who have only incessant love for God; crosses the illusionary world glamour (Maya). (Sutra-46-50)
7. Till Bhakti (i.e. complete self-surrender) is achieved, the ordinary way of life should not be given up. The renunciation of desire for reward of actions and discipline for it should be persistently followed. Bhakta should not hear the accounts of women, wealth, non-believer in god and hostile persons. Pride, vanity and other vices should be avoided. All acts should be offered up to God. Even feelings and pride should be entertained with reference to god only.(Sutra-62-65)
8. Bhakti should be above three dimensional love i.e. lover, love and the loved. It should seek to serve and love without any motive whatsoever, as eternal servant or eternal wife.(Sutra-66)
9. Bhaktas who are exclusively attached the God are the best. Such bhaktas talk themselves thrillingly, in excitement and with rolling tears. They purify earth, their generations. They transform ordinary places into teerthas, ordinary actions into pious actions and ordinary text into Holy Scriptures. The manes are delighted of him, the deities dance with joy and earth is happy in their care. .(Sutra-67-71)

Manifestation of Bhakti:
Bhakti manifests in eleven different forms of attachment or daily practices viz.

Attachment to the glorification of blessed qualities of God.
Attachment to his beautiful form. Goddess Lakshmi
Attachment to his worship. King Prithu
Attachment to his remembrance. Prahlad.
Attachment to his service. eg Hanuman through his service to Rama.
Attachment to his friendship. Eg. Arjuna, through his friendship to Lord Krishna
Attachment to filial love for him.
Attachment to wife like love for him.
Attachment to self-surrender. Eg. Karna
Attachment to being filled with him.
Attachment to feeling excruciating pain of separation from him. Radha, through her longing for Lord Krishna (Sutra 82)

Types of Bhakti:

Pure Bhakti is when one loves God for love’s sake. It is inexpressible in words. It is like dainty dish tasted by mute person. It is beyond three gunas and desires i.e. beyond any kind of desire even desire of liberation. The intensity of love for God grows every moment. It is incessant i.e. continuous flow of remembrance without break. It is most subtle i.e. this exalted love is beyond comprehension of ordinary mind. It can be experienced by intuition and is beyond speech and intellect. Progressive attainment and progressive love for God go hand in hand. One who attains Bhakti, he sees bhakti only, hears bhakti, talks about bhakti and thinks about bhakti. Just like river loses its entity after emptying into ocean, bhakta loses its individuality completely after union with the God. (Sutra-51-55)
Secondary Bhakti is according to three gunas or according to difference in aspirants. Tamasic bhakti is to invoke divine help to harm others; Rajasic bhakti is to obtain good life and satavic bhakti is to know god. Satavic is better than the Rajasic one and the Rajasic is better than the tamasic one. (Sutra-56-57)

Rules for Bhaktas:

There is no distinction among Bhaktas due birth, education, color, race, wealth, education and like. .(Sutra-72)
Bhaktas should avoid arguments as it leads to endless arguments & takes nowhere. (Sutra-74-75)
Bhaktas should continuously strive for bhakti. They should continuously study such scriptures and perform actions such as worship, prayer and meditation. Not a single minute should be trifled away. (Sutra-76-77)
Bhaktas should maintain non-violence, truthfulness, purity, compassion, piety and other essentials of good life.(Sutra-78)
Bhaktas should always meditate on God without caring anything else. If steadily praised (singing God’s glory with intense divine feeling), God reveals himself and blesses bhaktas with realization. (Sutra-79-80)

Reference: Narada’s Aphorisms on Bhakti by Y. Surahmanya Sarma

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Vaishnavism or Vishnuism

2/12/2021

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In Vaishnavism or Vishnuism, Vishnu Bhagwan is considered the Supreme God. The followers of Bhagwan Vishnu and His incarnations are called Vaishnavas. Vishnu has several incarnations. Rama and Krishna are the most prominent of his incarnations, and they are worshipped as veritable Narayana & as personal God. Vaishnavism is the most prominent faction within Hinduism as followed by majority of Hindus. The other factions are Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism.

Hindu philosophers such as Ramanujacharya, Nimbakacharya, Madhvacharya, Vallbhacharya, Ramananda and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu were the fulcrum of the Bhakti movement during medieval period and rise of Vaishnavism. They established various Sects & Sampradayas which spread worship of Sri Vishnu, Sri Krishna and Sri Rama along with Mata Lakshmi; Sri Radha; and Sita (also Laxman, Hanuman) respectively.

The worship under Vaishnavism involves ritual image worship and matra-japa. Vaishnav festivals such as Ramanavmi, Srikrishna janamashtami, Vaikuntha Ekadashi etc. are very popular.

Roots & Scriptures:
The Vedic deities Nara and Narayana form one of the Vedic roots of Vaishnavism. There are references which make out that Narayana is prior to the phase of adoration of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva as Gods. Vishnu Bhagwan finds mention in Rigveda as solar deity (Aditya). Later on, Narayana got slowly identified with Vishnu.

Of the 108 Upanishads, fourteen are considered Vaishnava Upanishads. These are the Narayana Nrsimhatapani, Mahanaryana, Ramarahasya, Ramatapani, Vasudeva, Avyakta, Tarasara, Gopalatapani, Krsna, Haygriva, Garuda and Kali-Santarana Upanishads. The Epics attempted to make God's relation to man more personal, so that the human heart may yearn for Him. The two Indian epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana which presented Vaishnava philosophy, played pivotal role in spread of Vaishnavism. The philosophy and teachings of the Vaishnava Puranas ( mainly, Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, Naradeya Purana, Garuda Purana, Vayu Purana and Varaha Purana) are bhakti oriented. These puranas provided further impetus to Vaishnavism.

Emergence & Spread:
The ancient emergence of Vaishnavism is unclear, the evidence inconsistent and scanty.

During Gupta dynasty (4th to 7th centuries), Vaishnavism was adopted as the royal religion. The Gupta Empire flourished in northern, western and southern India.
The seed of Vaishnavism in South India was sown by the 12 Alvars, who were the earliest Brahmin messengers to the South. They gave prominence to the emotional side of Vaishnavism and used the language of the people in their songs and hymns mainly based on life of Sri Krishna. Alvers spread bhakti movement in southern region under the Pallavas and Pandyas in the 2nd to 8th centuries. Their lives and compositions comprehend all forms of personalized love for God with attitudes known as Dasya (servitude), Apatya (sonship), Sankhya (comradeship), Vatsalya (affection for a child) and Madhura (conjugal). Nethamuni collected and edited all the devotional hymns of Alvers into a text of four thousand verses (Nalayira Divya Prabandha) which came to be recognized as the Tamil Veda.
With the outgrowth of the bhakti movement there was proliferation of devotional literature in vernacular prose and poetry in a number of other ethnic languages of the various Indian states or provinces. In the period between the 14th-17th centuries, the bhakti movement spread northward into Muslim-dominated India due to the efforts of a loosely associated group of Vaishnavite teachers including Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (West Bengal), Vallabhacharya (UP & Rajasthan), Mirabai (Rajasthan & Gujarat), Kabir (UP), Tulsidas (UP), Tukaram and several others.

Sects & Sampradayas:
Vaishnavas are typically divided into two major (though not mutually exclusive) sects: Bhagavatas and Pancharatras. Pancharatras Tantra by Narada, and Bhagavadgita are the foundation of the Bhagavata school.

A. Bhagavatas:
Bhagavatas follow Vasudeva-Krishna-Vishnu worship, dating back as far as 115 B.C. Within Bhagavatism, there are four main sampradayas, which follow different philosophical systems regarding the relationship between the soul (jiva) and God (Vishnu).

Lakshmi-sampradaya or Srivaishnavism – This was founded in 12th century by Ramanujacharya who propounded Visishtadvaita or qualified non-dualism. Vishnu bestows moksha upon the devotee by his grace, though it is through Vishnu's consort Sri (Lakshmi) that grace is bestowed.

The Srivaishnava tradition had bifurcated into two branches, the northern Vadagali group and the Tengali group by 14th century. The Vadagali group believes that one must cling to god much like an infant monkey clings to its mother—that is, by putting forth effort to receive god's grace. The Tengali group believes that one must put forth no effort to acquire god's grace—like a kitten, they must rely entirely on the mother-cat to pick them up and carry them to safety.

Rudra-sampradaya – This was founded in 13th century by the dualist philosopher Visnusvamin. Vallabhacharya (1479-1532) expounded the philosophy of Shuddhadvaita ("pure nondualism"). Vallabhacharya decried role of ritualism, and instead claimed that all spiritual actions should be characterized by a sense of playful effortlessness. This inspired the raslila dramatic performances.
Brahma-sampradaya was founded by Madhvacharya in 12-13th century and was based almost solely upon the Bhagavad Purana. Madhva propounded the philosophy of Dvaita. Vaishnava Bhakti movement in Karnataka like Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa, Raghavendra Swami, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu were influenced by Madhva's dualist teachings.
Sanakadi-sampradaya was born in Pandarpur in Andhra Pradesh who founded by Nimbarkacharya (died in 1162, some maintains his birth was in 5000 BC), a Telegu brahman. He propounded the philosophy of dvaitadvaita. Nimbarka's teachings were on the concept of prapatti or "surrender" Devotees must fully surrender to the grace of god.
Gaudiya Vaishnavism was founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in 15th century in Bengal. It was marked by fervent love for the personalized god Krishna, sublimated in the form of sankirtana: public dancing, chanting, singing and ranting upon the god-man as well as his consort Radha and his incarnations. This tradition was expanded beyond India due to the efforts of Swami Prabhupada, who founded International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
Ramanandi movement is named after its main proponent, Ramananda (Born in Prayagraj UP and settled in Varanasi, lived in 1300-1411 century), Ramananda, who was the successor of Ramanuja, placed devotional focus upon Rama, whom he considered supreme Lord, and his wife Sita. Ramananda used vernacular language for the composition of his hymns. He was the spiritual stimulator & Guru of the twelve great leaders of Vaisnava cult in North India. They belonged to all caste. Among the group's most prominent members were Tulsidas, Kabir (Muslim), Mirabai, Ravidas (cobbler by birth), Sena (barber by caste), Dana (jat), Pipa (Rajput), Dadu and others.

B. Pancharatras:
Pancharatras focused upon the worship of Narayana. According to the Pancharatra doctrine, God is manifest in five forms. These are called Para or the supreme form of His transcendent being; Vyuha or the group of His forms called Vasudeva (cosmic consciousness or highest self), Samkarshana (individual self), Pradyumna (mind) and Aniruddha (egoism); Vibhava or His glory seen through His incarnations or Avataras; Archa or His presence manifest in His idols and images worshipped by devotees; and Antaryamin or His immanent presence within the Universe.

This teaching is based upon Samkhya philosophy whereby Vasudeva is the supreme purusha which gives rise to the Samkara when brought into contact with the material (prakriti) body. The Samkara is responsible for the production of the Pradyumna, and from the Pradyumna comes the Aniruddha, the creative agent. Devotees emphasize upon visual representations of Vishnu and his various incarnations and cultivating devotion via reverence for these images.

Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya or Sri Vaishnavism was founded by Nathamuni in 10th century in Tamil Nadu. Sri refers to goddess Lakshmi. Lakshmi-Vishnu is worshipped in this tradition. Ramanujacharya became the most influential leader of Sri Vaishnava. The tradition traces its roots to the ancient Vedas and Pancharatra texts and popularized by the Alvars with their Divya Prabandhams. The devotional practices of Sri Vaishnava have two aspects – Bhakti and Prapatti. Bhakti is Upasana or continuous concentration on the divine with the knowledge that one is a spiritual monad forming a servant (Sesa) of God ending in its final stage in Prapatti or complete self-surrender. In Sri Vaishnava tradition, Narayana is described as the father who stands for justice and Sri, the consort, as the mother whose love extends even to the most deserving.

The tradition split into two sub-traditions around the 16th-century called the Vadakalai (sect giving Veda the first preference) and Thenkalai (sect giving Divya Prabandham the first preference). The most striking difference between Srivaishnavas and other Vaishnava groups lies in their interpretation of Vedas. While other Vaishnava groups interpret Vedic deities like Indra, Savitar, Bhaga, Rudra, etc. to be same as their Puranic counterparts, Sri Vaishnavas consider these to be different names/roles/forms of Lord Narayana citing solid reasons thus claiming that the entire Veda is dedicated for Vishnu worship alone. Sri-Vaishnavas have remodelled Pancharatra homas like Sudarshana homa, etc. to include Vedic Suktas like Rudram in them, thus giving them a Vedic outlook.

Reference:

Bhakti Schools of Vedanta – by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Vaishnavism

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Unity & Diversity of Philosophies of Vedanta

1/8/2021

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The Hinduism has always been organic and living. The Hindu philosophers thoroughly probed the origin & dynamics of the world.

During medieval period, the Vaishnava philosophers (Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Nimarkacharya, Madhvacharya and Vallabhacharya) propounded the various conceptions on source of origin of the world and its diversity. The schools of thoughts are mainly divided into five. These schools of Vedanta differ only in their conception of the nature of that unity in its relationship with diversity i.e. God (Formless or Formed Brahman) and diversity in world of animate and inanimate.

Non-Duality v/s Duality:
While Sankara’s system looks upon Non-duality as the sublation of diversity, others look upon, Non-duality as the subordination of all duality to the principle of Unity i.e. the Supreme Being. Each school of Vedanta therefore propounds its own notion of the relationship of unity with diversity. But all deny anything independent of Sat-Chit-Ananda.

Important differences of Vaisnava Philosophies:

Supreme Being (God) –
In Shankara’s Advaitic System – Supreme spiritual reality (Brahman) is non-dual, attribute-less, formless, indeterminate and acosmic Absolute.
In Vaishnava Systems – Supreme Being is the repository of all the auspicious qualities, with form and God of creation. God is the ultimate reality and there is no Absolute apart from Him.

Jiva (Atman, soul) –

In Shankara’s System – Jiva is identical to the Brahman in its essence i.e. after elimination of the adjuncts (body, mind, ego etc.). The adjuncts are unreal.
In Vaishnava Systems – Jiva is only an aspect, part potency or attribute of Brahman, distinguishable but not necessarily different. Some hold him to be distinct both in bondage and in salvation, while some others maintain, that the distinction will cease with liberation when the Jiva merges in Brahman.

Creation of world –

In Shankara’s System – the creation is unreal.
In Vaishnava Systems – The creation is real.

Samsara (State of Bondage) –

In Shankara’s System – the state of bondage and release from it, are only unreal assumptions resulting from ignorance.
In Vaisnava Systems – Bondage is a real state and release from it is a real achievement to be had by appropriate means.

Jnana (Wisdom) –

In Shankara’s System – The Jnana of unity of the Atman with Brahman is the means of Salvation.
In Vaishnava Systems – The Bhakti (intense devotion & dedication to the God) is the means of Salvation.

Goal of life –

In Shankara’s System – Release from bondage is the goal.
In Vaishnava Systems – Service of the Supreme Being in His eternal Realm is the ideal of most of the Vaishnava Schools.

Reference: Bhakti Schools of Vedanta – by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.

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