Guru as Trinity - #Thread

This sloka is taught to all of us in early childhood. This is very popular sloka. This sloka can be recited in front of any Guru. The widely prevalent meaning of this sloka is to
worship Guru as the form of Trinity & hence Parabrahma.

significance & worship to be performed on a rare combination occurring Jan 12th

In the culture of Bhāratadēśa, ‘Time’ has great significance. Tithis, days of the week, stars – everything has its own distinction. All the beings are bound by time and time is in the control of God.

With compassion, the Supreme God graced that one performing worship in some special stipulated times acquires special merits. This is true in case of every deity. Worship of a particular deity on a particular tithi bestows the grace of that particular deity quickly and certainly.

Among those, Kr̥ṣṇāṁgāraka Caturdaśi is imp. The combination of Tuesday & Caturdaśi in the dark fortnight is a great occasion.

विरिन्चिशक्रविष्णूनां मनुष्याणां तु का कथा ।
तेन त्वं सर्वसत्त्वेन ग्रहराजो महाबलः॥

Not only present as one among the nine planets, Aṅgāraka..

Aṅgāraka (Mars) planet is the king of all the planets. The reason for this is mentioned below that Aṅgāraka is the son of Śiva.

पुरा तपस्यतः शम्भोर्दाक्षायण्या वियोगतः ।
भालस्थलात्पपातैकः स्वेदबिन्दुर्महीतले ॥

ततः कुमारः सम्जज्ञे लोहिताङ्गो महीतलात् ।
स्नेहसम्बन्धिनः सोఽथ धात्र्या धात्रीस्वरूपया ॥
माहेय इत्यतः ख्यातिं परामेष गतः सदा ।

Skānda Purāṇa mentions that a waterdrop fell on the earth from Paramēśwara deeply immersed in tapas from which came a red-complexioned boy.

The distinction of measuring the time in a scientific manner is achieved only by Bhāratīyas. Time has been measured from the smallest dimension to infiniteness. Even Time is envisioned as God and venerated. Paramēśvara was extolled as ‘Mahākāla’, the very embodiment of Time.

Nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad envisages Nārāyaṇa as ‘Kālaśca Nārāyaṇa:’, the very embodiment of Time, ages ago. The measurement of Time by Bhāratīyas is as ancient as the very God Himself. Count of many future ages has also been done even from very ancient times.

Since these calculations aren't dependent upon the birth & death of any individual, but are done based on astronomical science, they are thoroughly scientific. Unfortunately, during the British rule, the Bhāratīya way of Time measurement was casted as an illusion...

...with an evil intention to establish their command. Though it is 70+ years since independence, blindly time is still measured as BC & AD or CE in this religion-less land without even making any attempt to comprehend the magnanimity of Bhāratīya Time measurement methods.

Time measurement based on inhalation and exhalation : (image)

śambhōrmurtiścarati bhuvanē. #Thread

Maharshi Veda Vyasa’s compassionate contribution towards the upliftment of humanity is incredible. As time is the biggest devourer of everything, few centuries after His advent, around 72 different Anti-Vedic schools appeared on the horizon.

Vedas r thoroughly misinterpreted suiting one’s convenience & such propaganda reached its pinnacle. It’s like the gigantic tree of Sanatana Dharma is encircled in poisonous creepers producing poisonous fruits & covered by thorny bushes, which though r attributed 2 d tree itself.

Chaos prevailed all over. In such dangerous situation, Sanatana Dharma needed one who has clarity in direction, command in Vedas, conviction in Dharma, control over senses, capacity to organize, and courage to establish truth. All the gods decided to seek the help of Lord Siva..

They all went to Lord Dakshinamurti & said "Till now, You have been catering towards the intellectual community, which is not sufficient. Of course, to come down to earth, You have to hide two hands and third eye." Lord Dakshinamurti adhered to the request of gods.

He hid His two upper hands and left the bottom two hands that contain the book and chinmudra i.e. the symbol of Self-knowledge. He sent His third eye backward. Thus, Lord Dakshinamurti came down to earth as Sankara Bhagavatpada. Sage Vidyaranya described this as below.

Agree or Disagree - This Country is Hindu Country

During an informal discussion some time back in St. Louis USA, a researcher of medical sciences said, ‘After attaining independence, couple of leaders left Hindus without their own country’.

Though he is settled in USA for around 50 years, he is great person still intact with roots of Bhaarata.

This statement is thought provoking. Except those having hatred towards Hinduism, every individual endowed with positive vision, accepts this truth.

Before obtaining independence, every struggle for the freedom of this country was identified with the word ‘Hindu’

All the people in this country were declared as Hindus. Even to this day, some remember the slogan ‘Hindustan Hamara’ i.e. Hindustan belongs to all of us.

Many are aware that ‘Hindu’ word originated from the word ‘Sindhu’. Right from Ganga to Kaveri, all the rivers in this country are called ‘Sindhu’. Truly the Vedas that elucidated the ‘Sapta Sindhus’ have their origin in Bhaarata.

Having flourished on the banks of Sindhus, Bhaarata is rightly called ‘Hindu Country’. Another name for this country is ‘Bhaarata’. These two names are but for natural for this country.

But, foreigners mentioned it as India. Some prominent leaders of the day confirmed the same.

Ratha Saptami, Surya Jayanti - Importance - #Thread

The seventh day of the lunar calendar in the bright half of ‘Magha’ month is called ‘Ratha Saptami’. Worship of Sun on this day grants immense merits equal to the worship of Sun for one complete year.

On this day at the time of brahmi muhurta, all the stars will be in the shape of chariot. Worship of Aditya, the embodiment of all gods, on this day grants brilliance, abundance, health etc. Giving ‘Arghya’ to Sun in copper pot, worshipping with red sandalwood and red flowers..

..should be done and milk pudding cooked using cow dung cakes as fuel should be offered in leaves of green bean tree. Offering of pumpkin is very meritorious, as this time is equivalent to the time when the eclipse of sun is happening.

Goddess presiding the Saptami Tithi is propitiated with the following sloka.

जननि सर्व लोकानां सप्तमी सप्त सप्तिकौ
सप्त व्याहृति के देवि नमस्ते सूर्य मण्डले॥

Those who want to have health, knowledge, wealth & good life should worship Sun irrespective of caste, creed, & gender.

"सूर्यग्रहण तुल्या तु शुक्ला माघस्य सप्तमी".

As this time is equivalent to the time when the eclipse of sun is happening, it is very auspicious for bathing, charity and Japa. Offering of pumpkin is very meritorious on this day.

#Ramayana #LecturesOnTheRamayana

In today's thread and perhaps some subsequent threads, we will start looking into Rama as a person. The author clearly tries to bring out the human aspect of Rama captured beautifully in some of the verses.

1/

Please note, the discussion is NEVER challenging the supreme divinity of the person, but tries to capture the nuances or the finer points of the Bhagwan.

Sri Rama had extra-ordinary merit - Unequalled, Unmatched merit. He always remained at his own highest level.

2/

He seldom fell below it at times, wherein one can spot the conditions that led to the decline. In these conditions, he did & said things that his own higher nature would never approve.

Sri Rama was indeed the guardian and embodiment in himself of Dharma.

3/

Some incidents bring out the very best in him where he is able to uphold his own moral ideal.

For ex, when Vibhishina sought asylum, he held a council of war with all eminent counsellors. Except Hanuman whose advice was considered weak, rest all including Lakshmana ..

4/

recommended him to reject Vibhishina, with a few even ordering killing him.

He listened to this charged conversation (a skill where we humans utterly lack today) & said the famous words:
" No man shall seek my protection in vain. No matter who, how undeserving, how wicked..

5/

1/ Thought it was strange to see an ostensibly hard Left "No Pasaran" publisher come out with a "Jewish Pride" text so decided to do a little digging into the company.

2/ Not much detail on their Twitter other than the usual stuff plus being "against Left antisemitism"

3/ Website equally vague

4/ Noted the address and put it through Companies House to see who is really behind "No Pasaran media."

5/ Found the result. Time to click on "People."

@Hadithoftheday Jannah.
Jannah (Paradise/Heaven) has eight gates while as Jahannam (Hell) has seven gates.
Allah in His mercy has made more entry points to Jannah than Jahannam.

Eight gates of Jannah are:
1.Bab-As-Salat
2.Bab-al- jihad
3.Bab-al- sadaqah
4.Bab-Ar-Rayyan
5.Bab-al-kazimeen-al-ghaiz-wal-aafina-anin-naas
6.Bab-al-hajj
7.bab-al-iman
8.bab-al-dhikr
Each gate has a name describing the kinds of people who will enter through these

Seven gates or levels of Hell/Jahannam are:
1. Jahannam
2. Ladha'
3. Saqar
4. Al-Hutamah
5. Jaheem
6. Sa'eer
7. Al-Haawiyah

Allah mentions seven gates of Hell in Surah Hijr of Glorious Qur'an.

Allah says in Qur'an:
"And indeed, Hell is the promised place for them all."
"It has seven gates; for every gate is of them a portion designated."
(Qur'an :Al-Hijr 15: Verse 43,44)

Each level of Jahannam not only contains different temperature, but also have different punishments and also contain different people.
The gates of Hell are structured one gate below the other descending.

Knowledge & Bharat : Part V

The Curriculum of Vedic Education :
According to the Ancient Indian theory of education, the training of the mind & the process of thinking, are essential for the acquisition of knowledge.

#Thread

Vedic Education System delivered outstanding results.  These were an outcome of the context in which it functioned.  Understanding them is critical in the revival of such a system in modern times. 
The Shanthi Mantra spells out the context of the Vedic Education System.

It says:

ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

“Aum. May we both (the guru and disciples) together be protected. May we both be nourished and enriched. May we both bring our hands together and work

with great energy, strength and enthusiasm from the space of powerfulness. May our study and learning together illuminate both with a sharp, absolute light of higher intelligence. So be it.”

The students started the recitation of the Vedic hymns in early hours of morning.

The chanting of Mantras had been evolved into the form of a fine art. Special attention was paid to the correct pronunciation of words, Pada or even letters. The Vedic knowledge was imparted by the Guru or the teacher to the pupil through regulated and prescribed pronunciation,