Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Akshaya Tritiya / About / More / To Do / Pictures
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Offering Flowers in Karttika
Kamalaih Kamalakantah Pujitah Kartike Tu Yaih
Kamala Anuga Tesam Janmantara Satesu Api
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 7/102 from PADMA PURANA, UTTARA KHANDA)
Any person who offers lotus flowers to Lord Narayana, the dearest personality of Laksmidevi in the month of Karttika, Laksmidevi resides with him for hundreds of births
Kamala Anuga Tesam Janmantara Satesu Api
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 7/102 from PADMA PURANA, UTTARA KHANDA)
Any person who offers lotus flowers to Lord Narayana, the dearest personality of Laksmidevi in the month of Karttika, Laksmidevi resides with him for hundreds of births
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Laxmi with Jagannath Baldev Subadra / Festival
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Hera means to 'see' and Panchami means 'the fifth day'
http://www.jagannathdham.com/hera-panchami-celebrates-love-and-pang-of-separation/
The Hera Panchami Festival in Puri is usually held in the month of July. It is basically held on the fifth day after the Rath Yatra Festival. The day on which this religious festival is observed is known as Shukla Panchami.
On this grand festival day, the idol of Goddess Laxmi is taken with a great fanfare and pomp to the Gundicha Temple. A colorful procession accompanies the Goddess to this temple. The procession is attended by a large number of priests and other people. The goddess is taken to the temple accompanied by the sound of drumbeats. The devotees dance and sing religious songs loudly during the ceremonial procession. She is taken on huge chariot to this temple.
Chaitanya Leela
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/page/hera-panchami-return
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Vivekam (discrimination) is spiritual wisdom consisting of 7 elements.
- Knowing the difference between soul and body. (Soul is eternal and body is mutable and subject to decay and death.)
- Knowing the difference between Sat and Asat (Paramatman is Sat; matter is Asat; Jiva is Sat-Asat.)
- Knowing the Agonists and the Antagonists of spiritual progress (Sattva is Agonist; Rajas and Tamas are antagonists.) Agonist = facilitator.
- Knowing the difference between the Real and the unreal. (Self is Real and non-self is unreal.)
- Knowing the soul belongs to Him.
- Knowing the soul's yearning to interact with its source (Atma Nivedanam /samarpanam = dedication of soul.)
- Knowing the Supreme objective of human pursuit (Parama purushArtham) is bliss with Paramatman (Bliss).
Transformation on Entering Vaikuntam
As soul Enters Vaikunta he transforms into appearance of Parmatma with
Conch, Discus, Pitambharam and Chakra - Only Difference Lies is
Supreme Parmathma(SuperSoul) will have Kaustub (Diamond) Exclusively
500 Angels Who Welcome inside Vaikuntam
Five hundred Apsaras(Angels) come running towards him;
- 100 of them carry flower garlands;
- 100 of them Sandal paste;
- 100 of them Dhupam and Eyeliner;
- 100 of them silk garments.
- 100 of Them with Ornaments
They decorate the Mukta Purusha with all these accouterments. Upanishad says that
this is the best and the highest Alankaram.(Decoration)
8 Delusions Affecting Living Entity
Becoming servile to God is loosing the delusions that afflict man.
1. Delusion that body is soul.
2. Delusion that one is independent and self-directing
3. Delusion that we serve someone other than Narayana.
4. Delusion that relatives other than Narayana help us.
5. Delusion that Moksam is attainable by means other than devotion and surrender.
6. Delusion that worldly pleasures are permanent.
7. Delusion that we are the doer by our own motivation and power.
8. Delusion that irreverence to BhAgavatAs goes unnoticed by Narayana.
Three Elements of Samarpanam = Dedication
I. one’s Atma(Soul) is dependent and subservient to Bhagavan (svarupa samarpanam),
svarupa = natural state of quality, nature.
II. one surrenders himself to the protection of Bhagavan (bhara samarpanam),
Bhara Samarpanam = bhara = load; samarpanam = dedication, offering. This consists of five angas:
1. AnukUlya Samkalpam (friendly disposition, will, purpose). Performing god-pleasing acts.
2. PratikUlya Varjanam ( praticUlya = unfavorable; varjanam = avoiding) = avoiding displeasing acts.
3. KArpaNyam = pitiful circumstances. Conditions are so pitiable that he cannot protect himself.
4. MahavisvAsam = Great faith that Bhagavan will protect him. VisvAsam = faith.
5. GoptRtva VaraNam = preserve and protect + wishing, wooing, praying. Praying to Bhagavan to protect him.
III. one surrenders all the fruits of existence (phala samarpanam).
SAttvika TyAgam: virtuous sacrifice of self-interest. BhagavAn is the owner, enjoyer, doer and so all efforts and fruits belong to (are sacrificed to) BhagavAn. That is the road to liberation or Moksa. This has three components.
1. kartRtva tyAgam: privilege of doing an act + sacrifice. God is the doer and uses us as his instrument. It is His act.
2. mamatA tyAgam: self-conceit, vanity + sacrifice. One should not have self-conceit and think that doership and fruits are his.
3. phala tyAgam: fruit + sacrifice. All fruits go to Him and one des not consider the fruits belong to him.
Four Kinds of Saranagati
He who accepts God (Krishna / Narayana) as his sole (only) refuge= prapannan is Saranagati
- Ukti Nishta: The qualified aspirant receives a mantra from the Guru and surrenders to Bhagavan.
- Suva Nishta: This is Self surrender by pure souls without outside help from Guru or Acharya. One example is Ramanujacharya. These are highly evolved souls.
- Acharya Nishta: Here Surrender is obtained through Acharya who worships Bhagavan by chanting Mantra on behalf of the aspirant.
- BhAgavata Nishta: Tried and true devotees of Bhagavan can introduce the aspirant to Bhagavan and implore Saranagata Raksa (surrender protection) on behalf of the aspirant.
The beauty about Saranagatti/Prapatti Raksa is there is no bar on any one based on external inequities.
Saranagati (Surrender) Mantra
Dwayam (Saranagati Mantra / Mantra Ratnam) is
SrIman nArAyaNa charaNau = Sri Lakshmi, the auspicious Narayana- His divine feet
SaraNam = take refuge (His feet are the refuge of Chetanas (souls) and the means for liberation.
prapadyE = fall at His feet (We accept His feet as the refuge.)
SrImatE = Lakshmi (and) Lakshmi of the form mercy, and mediator between Narayana and the Chetanas
nArAyaNAya = Narayana, the supporter and maintainer. aya = wishing an impeccable service.
nama: = not mine. This destroys the attitude of "I am the doer, enjoyer, knower and the only devotee."
Sriman Narayana, I fall down and surrender at your feet Sriman Narayana, my obeisance to you.
Comment:
I hold Lakshmi-associated Narayana's feet as the object of my surrender.
It is on account of Lakshmi-associated Narayana.
Dwaya Mantra has two lines and condenses a ten-point reference as follows:
- Goddess Lakshmi is the mediator between the Jiva and the Lord
- They are the divine couple, always together.
- The Lord is of auspicious nature.
- His form is divine.
- His feet are the means of liberation from the world of Samsara.
- We accept His feet as the means of liberation.
- Lakshmi and Narayana are our goal.
- His control and power are inimitable.
- We worship Him.
- We destroy the inimical stance of “I and Mine,” the enemies of our soul.
4 Types of Living Entity Based on Spiritual Level
Baddha Samsaris: One who pursues worldly life). They have to grapple with everyday problems and needs for food, clothes and shelter. They have to contend with enemies and competitors. They are tied down to their family, friends and relatives. They seek relief from such needs as mentioned above.
Mumukshus: They are averse to the Samsaric misery and want to attain the abode of God. They don't seek rebirth; living in this world with the body is an impediment. They want to break the cycle and seek the feet of Narayana in Vaikuntham.
Muktas: They have broken the ties of Samsara, dissolved their karma, and reached the feet of Narayana. They don't want to break the service they do at His feet in Vaikuntham. Their impediment is anything that breaks their service to Narayana.
Nithyasuris: They are the permanent residents in Parmapadam always rendering service to the Lord. They don't brook any impediment in their service.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Offerings of Flowers to Laxmi Vishnu
Nothing is too small or too unimportant when the devotee makes the offer in the spirit of devotion, piety, and purity. Every one of us, even the poorest of the poor, can afford to make offerings of a few drops of water to Bhagavan, who likes the metaphorical eight flowers from his devotees. The flowers blossom out of the heart of the true devotees of Bhagavan. These eight flowers have universal appeal to all.
1. The First and Foremost is the flower of non-violence (Ahimsa prathanam pushpam.
2. The flower of control of the senses (pushpam Indriya Nigraha)
3. The flower of compassion to all living beings (Sarva Bhutha Daya Pushpam)
4. The flower of tolerance, patience and equality (Kshama Pushpam Visedhadha)
5. The flower of Spiritual knowledge (Jnanam Pushpam)
6. The flower of Inner spiritual flame--meditation (Tapa Pushpam)
7. The flower of contemplation (Dhyana Pushpam)
8. The flower of Truth, the most delightful one (Satyam-ashta-vidam Pushpam Vishno Preethi-karam bhaveth) to the One who is all-pervasive.
The worshippers of Mother Goddess offer these flowers:
1) AmAya = Guilelessness
2) AnahamkAra = Absence of egotism. An+Aham+KAra = the opposite of Ahamkara.
3) ArAga = Absence of passion; detachment; absence of anger. A + RAga = No passion.
4) Amada = absence of pride.
5) Amoha = absence of delusion.
6) Adambha = absence of duplicity; straightforwardness; absence of hypocrisy.
7) Advesa = lack of enmity
8) Aksobha = absence of mental perturbation.
9) AmAtsarya = absence of envy.
10) Alobha = absence of greed.
11) Ahimsa = non-injury.
12) Indriya nigraha = Control of senses.
13) DayA = Mercy.
14) Kshama = Forgiveness; patience, tolerance.
15) Jnana = Knowledge of what is important and what is not important; Spiritual knowledge.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Offering to Laxmi Vishnu
"Kaayena Vaachaa Manasendriyairvaa Buddhyaatmanaa Vaa Prakriteh Svabhaavaatah
Karomi Yadhyadh Sakalam Parasmai Naaraayanaayeti Samarpayaami"
Meaning:
"I offer everything to Lord Vishnu (Narayana); whatever I do with my
1. Body,
2. Words,
3. Mind,
4. Limbs,
5. Intellect
6. Inner Self
Whether intentionally or unintentionally.I bow to the great lord, Laxmi Narayana".
Karomi Yadhyadh Sakalam Parasmai Naaraayanaayeti Samarpayaami"
Meaning:
"I offer everything to Lord Vishnu (Narayana); whatever I do with my
1. Body,
2. Words,
3. Mind,
4. Limbs,
5. Intellect
6. Inner Self
Whether intentionally or unintentionally.I bow to the great lord, Laxmi Narayana".
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Worldly Pleasures are Pain
On one of his visits to Vishnu loka, Narada found Lord Narayana with His Divine Consort, Mahalakshmi in solitude. He asked the Lord, ‘I thought you would be very busy; but you seem to be relaxing’, to which Narayana laughed in jest, ‘Well, no one seems to have time for me in this Kali yuga; people are engrossed in the luxuries of the world’. Narada refused to believe this. So Narayana said that if Narada found a person willing to come to Vishnu loka, He would permit that person in without any test.
Narada apprised every person who seemed a devotee, of the good news that the Lord had consented to grant free entry. But to his amazement, he did not find any single mortal willing to accept his invitation. Narada finally located one person who was prepared to accompany him, but only after the latter’s son got married.
Narada went to him again after the marriage was over, and the old man wanted to play with his grandchildren before departing from Earth. This went on, till the day came for the person’s natural death. The man’s attachment towards his family caused him to take birth as a dog in the same house. Narada told the person, ‘If you had heeded my words, you would have been blessed by Narayana’s company. Now you have taken birth as a dog.’ The man replied, ‘I am guarding my son’s house’. The grandchild pelted a stone at the dog but the old man tolerated this, saying, ‘after all, it is my grandson who hit me’. Narada decided that his wait for the man was fruitless. Meanwhile the man’s wife also took birth as a dog in the same house. Narada approached her and asked her if she was ready to come with him to heaven. Before she could say ‘yes’, a few dogs chased her and she seemed to relish the chase much better than Heaven!!
This is the state of affairs in society today. People pursue perishable commodities. Just like the dog gnaws at a bone, unaware that the taste is caused by its bleeding jaws, so too, people do not realize that what they think as the pleasures of this world, are, in fact, pain.
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