Pitru Paksha

Pitru Paksha 2012 started on September 30 and ends on October 15, a ritual performed by relatives for the departed souls of dead ancestors, parents and relatives. Tarpan and Shradh are performed on all Amavasi or no moon days. But the most important period to perform Shradh is the Pitru Paksha period during the Krishna Paksha fortnight in Ashwin month (September – October).

October 11, 2012 – Indira Ekadashi Shradh in which many people performs the same rituals however such rituals performed on Ekadashi tithi leads us & our forefathers to hellish planet. (Next, Pasanukusa Ekadashi on 25.10.12)

 

Love of Nation : First Step to Love of God

It was a lovely evening. The sun was lingering over the Western hills to catch a glimpse of an epoch-making event.

Dr. K.N. Gairola, Health Minister of the Tehri-Garhwal State was addressing a mammoth gathering on the Ganges bank. The local municipality had erected a flag-staff just in front of the Ashram and had invited the Minister to hoist the National Flag. Even during the course of his inevitable political speech, Dr. Gairola made touching references to Siva, to the glory that the presence of saints like Siva brought to the entire State, and the profound spiritual influence that Siva exerted in the people. Even as he concluded his speech, Dr. Gairola requested Siva to give them his Upadesh.

As the flag went up, Siva roared OM OM OM. The entire gathering joined him and it looked as though the powerful current of the Pranava-chanting raised the flag up!

‘Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram
Jai Hind Jai Hind Jai Hind Jai Hind Jai Jai Jai Jai Hind’
….
sang Siva and the multitude echoed his Kirtan. Siva has a Kirtan for every
occasion!

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Vairagya

‘Constant reflection on the great utterances of the Great,
Sarva Dukham Vivekinah
and developing Mithya-drishti or Dosha Drishti in relation to the objects of the world through discriminative thinking—these will help you to develop true Vairagya,’ said Siva when Sri Jayadayal Goenka of the Gita Press, Gorakhpur, sought Siva’s Darshan today.
As soon as Sri Jayadayalji came in, Siva noticed a wound on his foot, immediately got the necessary dressing from the dispensary and applied the bandage.There they were—Sri Jayadayalji and his party in Siva’s Kutir on the lap of the Ganga—listening to Siva’s words of wisdom on Bhakti, Yoga, Jnana and Vairagya. A member of Sri Jayadayalji’s party gave expression to his admiration of Siva’s work and added that the excellently got-up Diamond Jubilee Commemoration Volume had enabled Siva’s message to spread far and wide.

 

Click here to read more : http://silenceofsoul.com/articles/Vairagya-a190.html

 

Mira Behn and Sadhu Organisation

‘Om Namo Narayanaya! I am grateful to you for coming. Are you all right?’enquired Siva affectionately as Kumari Mira Behn came up the Ashram steps on the Ganges bank. For over half an hour Mira Behn discussed with Siva her Pashulok scheme and the object with which she started it. She also acquainted Siva with the views of Mahatma Gandhiji on the position of Sadhus in Indian society. She thought that there was a lot of work that should be done among Sadhus to organise them so that they could become an integral and useful part of the society. She asked for Siva’s blessings and for his moral support to her plans for organising the Sadhus of Rishikesh. Mira Behn is a close follower of Mahatma Gandhiji to whose mission she has dedicated her life.

Click here to read more : http://silenceofsoul.com/articles/Mira-Behn-and-Sadhu-Organisation-a189.html

 

Death – a great spiritual teacher, indeed!

In the morning of the 4th of July 1977 I was waiting for someone on the roadside. For the last few days my sleep had been reduced to only four hours, because in the early morning hours I used to lay awake thinking about different aspects of whatever was happening in the world. At that particular morning at 9 AM standing at the roadside I was thinking of a boy who wants to become an engineer, but his father insists on his becoming a doctor because of a comparatively better scope money-wise, prestige-wise, etc. Forcibly he is admitted to a medical course in which he has no interest and is expelled after a year or two, having failed his examinations.

Click here to read more : http://silenceofsoul.com/articles/Death—a-great-spiritual-teacher-indeed-a192.html

 

Story of Janmashtami

Shri Krishna Yashoda

Celebrated on the eighth day of Savana month, Janmashtami marks the birth of Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The festival is celebrated across the length and breadth of India, by people following Hinduism. In fact, it is an important day for Hindus. The celebration goes on for two days. On the first day, the Raslila (dance drama) is performed, which depicts the important phases of Shri Krishna’s life. The merrymaking reaches it peak at midnight stroke, when aarti is performed and bhajans are sung to praise the Lord. Small children are dresses as the young Krishna and his playmate Radha. Then there are folklores and stories which are recited on the occasion, they are generally connected to the history of Janmashtami, which can be traced back to the ancient era. Read the following lines to get information on the history of Janmashtami.

Click here to read more : http://silenceofsoul.com/articles/Janmashtami-a194.html

 

Story of Lord Ganesha’s broken tusk

Lord Ganesha

Shri Ganesh had two tusks, but he had a great fight with Parshuram, when Ganesh laid claims to immortality.

There are only seven who are immortal :-
1) Shri Hanumanji
2) Vibhishan
3) Kripacharya
4) Shri Parshuram
5) Ashwathama
6) Bali and
7) Ved Vyas (Markandey Rishi also joined their ranks later)

These great men do not die and even when the world dissolves and a new world takes birth they will be here.

 

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Yogananda on – Caste, Causal world, Chakras, Chitta, Christ center, Concentration Technique

Yogananda on – Caste, Causal world, Chakras, Chitta, Christ center, Concentration Technique

caste. Caste in its original conception was not a hereditary status, but a classification based on man’s natural capacities. In his evolution, man passes through four distinct grades, designated by ancient Hindu sages as Sudra, Vaisya, Kshatriya, and Brahmin. The Sudra is interested primarily in satisfying his bodily needs and desires. The Vaisya is ambitious for worldly gain as well as for satisfaction of the senses; he has more creative ability than the Sudra and seeks occupation wherever his mental energy finds fulfillment. The Kshatriya, having through many lives fulfilled the desires of the Sudra and Vaisya states, begins to seek the meaning of life; he tries to overcome his bad habits, to control his senses, and to do what is right. Kshatriyas by occupation are noble rulers, statesmen, warriors. The Brahmin has overcome his lower nature, has a natural affinity for spiritual pursuits, and is God-knowing, able therefore to teach and help liberate others.

 

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The Spiritual interpretation of the form of Lord Shiva

Shiva is the essence of void. Though He is Visvanath; or else Controller of the universe, He has no place to dwell. This infers that when a sadhaka completely establishes himself in the essence of void or in non-duality then by attaining this state, nothing belongs to him. Shiva does not wear any garb, He sits with ashes smeared all over His body, this implies that type of relinquishment regarding all aspects which comes to a sadhaka.

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Goddess Kali

Goddess Maa Kali: “Another manifestation of goddess Maa Durga. She killed the demon named Raktabij which represents human desires. These desires detract man from following the spiritual path. Yogically She is the primordial Female Energy. She is the kinetic state of Prana from whom creation emanates. Common man considers worldly knowledge to be actual knowledge, for this reason Kali has been depicted as black because in her state of first manifestation, worldly knowledge did not evolve amidst creation.

Her lolling tongue is symbol of Khecari mudra of a yogi. The falchion in her left hand symbolizes the annihilation of ignorance of a yogi and entry into the realm of knowledge. Practicing ardent Kriya a yogi attains soul-realization, then he achieves omniscience. The 108 garland of demon heads indicate the 108 bestial proclivities in man. These devilish propensities have evolved from the kinetic state of Prana within man and deter him from remaining materially detached. But when Prana is still, the activities of these devilish propensities cease, this cessation of activity is symptomatic of destruction. Therefor Kali has been depicted with the falchion severing the 108 demons. This severance of ignorance is necessary, for a yogi is purified and attains soul-knowledge.

Click here to read more: http://silenceofsoul.com/articles/Goddess-Kali-a180.html