Shiva Ratri

Nepal is the only Hindu kingdom in the world and thus the land of Lord Shiva, Lord of all Lords, for here you can feel his presence everywhere. Even in the sacred texts of the Hindus it has been stated that Mt. Kailash in the Himalayas is the abode of Lord Shiva or Mahadeva as he is also known. Shiva the Destroyer of Evil is among the most praised and worshipped of all the gods in the Hindu religion. Hindus all over the world know him through different names and forms. The country has thousands of idols and monuments, which glorify his name, the most common one being the Shiva Linga or the phallus of Shiva that represents him. For it is the Shiva linga that Hindus regard as the symbol of creation, the beginning of everything.
Shiva Ratri is the night of Lord Shiva when He himself was created by His own Divine Grace and Hindus all over the world celebrate this day with a lot of zeal and enthusiasm. Shiva Ratri literally means ' the night consecrated to Shiva'. This auspicious festival falls on the fourteenth day of the waning moon in the month of Falgun, (February - March in the Gregorian calendar ). The temple of Pashupatinath in Kathmandu which is considered as one of the holiest shrines of the Hindus, glorifying Lord Shiva, thus receives more than 100,000 worshippers during the festival of Shiva Ratri. These worshippers come from far and wide to pay their respects and homage to Mahadev on his sacred day.
Pashupatinath temple is located at the eastern part of the Kathmandu valley on the banks of the holy river Bagmati. Pashupatinath, which literally means ‘the Lord of animals’, is one of the many forms of the Lord. He is the guardian deity, protector of our Hindu Kingdom of Nepal, thus Shiva Ratri is one of the major festivals of Nepal. Pilgrims from all over Nepal as Pashupatinath Temple well as India come to Pashupatinath to worship and pray to the deity on his birthday and wash away all the sins committed by them. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple and tourists are only permitted to observe the festival from across the Bagmati river.
Shiva Ratri is a much anticipated festival by all Hindus. Pilgrims and yogis (holy men), from all over Southeast Asia come to Kathmandu weeks before the festival. On this holy day people fast through out the day. At dawn, worshippers take a holy bath or dip in the river and go to the temple to worship.
One of the interesting aspects of Shiva Ratri is that on this day devotees and non-devotees alike freely indulge in smoking intoxicating substances such as marijuana and bhang for it is the only day in the annual calendar when marijuana is legal. Many people take these intoxicants in the belief that it pleases Lord Shiva for he too is said to be fond of it. Thus marijuana is taken as prasad, holy food blessed by the Gods and one can see eager tourists and faithful Nepalese flocking around the temple complex of the Ram Janaki Mandir across the Bagmati river opposite to the main temple complex of Pashupatinath lingering around sadhus and babas in the hope for some prasad from them.
The Puran, one of the many holy texts of the Hindus, tells us that if you worship Lord Shiva on this day all your sins will be forgiven. Giving an examle the puran talks about an event that occurred ages before about a hunter from Benares. This man worshipped Lord Shiva unknowingly on Shiva Ratri and he was forgiven for all his sins.
On Shiva Ratri the temple of Pashupatinath is filled with worshippers. Devotees are not distinguished as poor or rich but treated equally for Lord Shiva treats us all equally. Even the King of Nepal and the royal family pay homage to the Pashupatunath on this day along with the thousands that gather to celebrate the festival. Thus the festival of Shiva Ratri shows the devotion and faith Nepalese have towards the Hindu religion.
Article by Avigya Karki
Photographs collected from Deependra Bajracharya and Madhup Mangal.

MULLAITHEEVU-VATTAPPALAI AMMAN PONGAL FESTIVAL-JUNE 2010

MULLAITHEEVU-VATTAPPALAI AMMAN PONGAL FESTIVAL-JUNE 2010

Vegetarian diet: A factor in human development...!!!

HINDUISUM
Vegetarian diet: A factor in human development
Late Swami Sivananda

Self-evident truths do not need to be emphatically scouted or substantiated by long argumentation.

It is futile to get into hot disputes over this question of vegetarianism or to bring/statistics in support of non – vegetarianism diet.

It is not within the reach of all to understand the finer points in connection with vegetarianism.

The most important reason for which the vegetarian diet is recommended and non-vegetarian diet condemned is because of their respective effects upon the ethical and the spiritual development of the human being.

The considerations is not so much of merely physical and mental or intellectual development of the man.

Man is more than just body and mind. He is essentially an ever-perfect, ever pure and ever free Spirit in his true inner nature.

Human birth is given as an opportunity and a means to attain this sublime knowledge of his inner spiritual nature and to regain his Divinity.

In this process, all grossness and animalistic tendencies have to be totally eliminated from the human personality.

Non-vegetarian diet, which is gross and animal by its very nature, is a great hindrance to this process. Pure Sattvic diet is a great help to the refinement of the human nature. Vegetarian diet is a great factor in this.

Ethical idealism and spiritual aspiration find place and flourish more easily in a pure Sattvic and refined nature. Hence the vital importance of eschewing gross animal diet and adopting a pure vegetarian diet.

This is indispensable in the true interests of the nobler inner culture of the man’s being.

Ignorant people thoughtlessly wax eloquent in their advocacy of animal diet. They do not know about the important fact that man’s nature is influenced by that he takes.

All foods are divided by our ancient men of wisdom into Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic.

Animal diet belongs to the Rajasic and mostly to the Tamasic category. Animal diet is not Sattvic.

Sattvic diet is essential in the process of the ethical and spiritual culture of man. Vegetarian diet is mostly Sattvic. The subtle part of the food material goes to make up the mind of man.

Tamasic diet produces Tamasic tendencies in man. Onion and garlic care extremely Tamasic. They are as bad as meat.

Therefore, they are totally forbidden to those who wish for moral and spiritual growth. No doubt animal diet may produce a strong Sandow or a dauntless soldier or a keen brainy scientist. But, in the Hindu view of life, the real value is placed upon the moral and spiritual worth of the man. Moreover, flesh eating involves the exercises of cruelty, which is not an elevating virtue. It is a bestial quality. It degrades man. Cruelty is condemned by all great men.

Thus the cruel slaughter of animals and taking of innocent lives which flesh eating entails makes it abhorrent to all right thinking men and women all over the world.

People who are slaves to flesh easting habit cannot give up animal deit, because they have become confirmed and inveterate meat eaters and hence they try to justify their habit by various arguments and statistics.

Beloved Atman! Be wise. Do not enter into hot disputes. You cannot expect to change the ways of the world by disputation and argumentation. Ultimately, it is only the force of human example that has a strong effect upon the people around you.

Of course, if earnest people with sincere desire to know the right approach you for enlightenment, you may by all means, explain to them the true facts about the matter and urge them to follow the right course.

But self-conceited and dogmatic people only learn through their own hard and bitter experiences in life.

Pray for them and ask the Lord to shower His Grace upon such souls and bless them by bringing them upon the right path.

The above article was published in the ‘Hindu Organ’ newspaper (in Jaffna) on December 23, 1955) when he was alive.


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A Creed of the Saivite Hindu Religion
Siva’s followers all BELIEVE that: Lord Siva is God, whose Absolute Being, Parasiva, transcends time, form and space. The yogi silently exclaims, “It is not this. It is not that.” Yea, such an inscrutable God is God Siva. Aum.

Lord Siva is God, whose immanent nature of love, Parashakti, is the substratum, primal substance or pure consciousness flowing through all form as energy, existence, knowledge and bliss. Aum.


Lord Siva

Lord Siva is God, whose immanent nature is the Primal Soul, Supreme Mahadeva, Parameshvara, author of Vedas and Agamas, the creator, preserver and destroyer of all that exists. Aum.

In the Mahadeva Lord Ganesha, son of Siva-Shakti, to whom they must first supplicate before beginning any worship or task. His rule is compassionate. His law is just. Justice is His mind. Aum.

In the Mahadeva Karttikeya, son of Siva-Shakti, whose vel of grace dissolves the bondages of ignorance. The yogi, locked in lotus, venerates Murugan. Thus restrained, his mind becomes calm. Aum.

That each soul is created by Lord Siva and is identical to Him, and that this identity will be fully realized by all souls when the bondage of anava, karma and maya is removed by His grace. Aum.

In three worlds: the gross plane (Bhuloka), where souls take on physical bodies; the subtle plane (Antarloka), where souls take on astral bodies; and the causal plane (Sivaloka), where souls exist in their self-effulgent form. Aum.

In the law of karma - that one must reap the effects of all actions he has caused - and that each soul continues to reincarnate until all karmas are resolved and moksha, liberation, is attained. Aum.

That the performance of charya, virtuous living, kriya, temple worship, and yoga, leading to Parasiva through grace of the living satguru, is absolutely necessary to bring forth jnana, wisdom. Aum.

There is no intrinsic evil. Evil has no source, unless the source of evil’s seeming be ignorance itself. Saivite Hindus are truly compassionate, knowing that ultimately there is no good or bad. All is Siva’s will. Aum.

That religion is the harmonious working together of the three worlds and that this harmony can be created through temple worship, wherein the beings of all three worlds can communicate. Aum.

In the Panchakshara Mantra, the five sacred syllables “Namasivaya,” as Saivism’s foremost and essential mantra. The secret of Namasivaya is to hear it from the right lips at the right time. Aum.

Affirmation of Faith:
God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality.
Anbe Sivamayam, Satyame Parasivam (Affirmation in Tamil).
Excerpted from the Internet

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Snake planets:

Their influence on humans
Thilaka V. Wijeyaratnem

Brahaspathi the Guru of the Devas and Sukirachariyar the guru of the Asuras suggested that the Devas and Asuras should churn the milkey ocean to get Amudam (manna) which will make them immortal.


Planet Jupiter

They used a mountain called Manthamalai to churn the ocean with the snake vasugri as the rope.

The Devas held one end of the rope and the Asuras held on to the other end. While the two parties pulled the snake alternatively, the pain was such that varusi spat out the venom called Aalakala poison.

The frightened Devas ran and surrendered to God Siva. To protect them God Siva consumed the poison – worried that it would harm him, his consort, parvathi, held His neck and the venom got struck there.

Mythology says that blue mark on Siva’s throat indicates where the venom was stopped.

Hence His epithet Neelakandan Neela-blue-Kandam-throat.

The Devas and Asuras continued with the cheering and at last Amudam came out hard Vishnu decreed that Devas should get it.

Two of the Asuras disguised as Devas get the Amudam from Lord Vishnu.

The Devas called Sooriyan (Sun) and Chandran (Moon) pointed them out to Lord Vishnu who got angry with them and decapitated them with his weapon – the disc.

As the two took part of the Amudam, they could not be killed.

Instead Rogu got a human face and snake’s body, and kethu got snake’s face and human body.

They did penance and worshipped Lord Vishnu.

So they were included in the planet world. Their Tapas was such that they were enabled with the power to make a King of a begger, and reduce a King to a beggar.

Ragu is dark in complexion, Lording over South West Corner. He has a very strong influence on humans. Durga Devi the Goddess and Kali are his chosen Goddesses.

Kethu on the other hand is reddish in complexion and overlooks the North West. He seems to like multi coloured garments.

I seemed Kethu worshiped God Siva in a Siva temple in the North West of Sri Lanka. That shrine is known as Thiruketheeswaram in Mannar.

Since Sooriya Deva and Chandha Deva exposed them, Ragu and Kethu take revenge on them by swallowing them and releasing them.

So this is the cause for the solar and lunar eclipse says mythology.

A book called Sitparathinam says this of Ragu. He is pitch black, he prefers, black clothes, his flag is also black.

He has the lion as his vehicle. His divine or celestial guardian is the cow. He likes black gram. The flower of his choise is Banhinia sp (Manthara malar).

The blue green grass cyoanodon sp, is used in pooja to him. Though his face is that of a Deva, his body is covered with scales like that of a snake.

There is a proverb in Tamil “Raagu Pol Koduppavanum illai”. There is none who could give as bounteously as Raagu nor deprive you as Raagu. So praying to Raagu will help to overcome difficulties in life is the belief.

Kethu too does the same. If he is in a favourable position in your horoscope then you are a lucky person. Otherwise misfortunes will follow you wherever you go.

Kethu’s celestial guardian is Brahma. It is in his nature to flare up at the slightest provocation. The eyes are for ever red. His favourite flower is red Alli – a water plant. His vehicle is the eagle. He has many names - Thoomakethu, Loka Kethu, Mahakethu Sarva Kethu are all his names.

Like Raagu he also has a strong influence on humans. The position of Keltin on one’s horoscopes determines his fate.


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Durga Devi: Embodiment of compassion
Chelvatamby Manichavasagar

Durga Devi temple at Tellipalai is a miraculous kovil where a large number of people gather. The annual festival commenced last Thursday (12) and the chariot festival was held yesterday (22).


Durga matha

Durga is another face of Shakthi or Parvathi or Uma. All names refer to Siva’s consort. K’aali Amman is another form.

Durga means valour the deity depicts elimination of ignorance and deliverance from illusion.

At this temple thousands of devotees congregate daily. Although this temple has become prominent in recent years, it has an old history.

It is said that about 400 years ago Kathirkamar a devotee had gone on pilgrimage to India and worshiped at several Hindu holy places like Benares, Mathurai, Rameswaram etc. He arrived at Kankasanturai and walked a few miles. When he felt tired rested by the wayside.

Durga desired that to be her location. So he installed the “Sakthi” “Yantar” which he had carefully brought from Benares, there under an Illupai tree.

Thus commenced worship, which is to become an outstanding Devi Temple. The first “Kumbabishekam” was performed in 1829. Poojas were performed by priests from Kanchipuram and the temple was under the management of one “Kathir Rasarpillai”.

In 1953, the temple trustee board constructed this temple according to Agamic principle.

In fact, when “Selvi Thangammah Appakutty” became the Trustee of this Temple, the poojar were performed daily and meticulously. She was responsible for the construction of “Sithira Ther” and “Raja Gopuram” in 1978. Kumbabhisekam was performed in 1981.

As President and Trustee of this temple she rendered tremendous religious service to Hindu religion in Sri Lanka and abroad. She was conferred with the title of “Chen Chot Chemmani” by the “Madurai Atheenam” in 1965 and “Sivathmil Selvi” at “Karainagar Elathu Sithamparam” temple.

It is very often said that divinity manifests from age to age in the human forms in order to re-establish Dharma (Righteousness) and to guide all humankind on the right path. The manifestations in the form of mother over the age has been recovered in scriptures.

The Mother is the universal embodiment of compassion. The compassion of the Divine Mother Durga Devi gives us the benevolence of life elements such as water, earth, fire, wind and space to enable us to lead an excellent life.

In fact, the “Varana Purana” explains Sakthi in the form of Durga as symbolizing the bounds of passion, love, hatred, greed, vanity, illusion, contempt, joy and jealousy. Furthermore, the creator of the Universe Brahma resides in the Naval of Lord Vishnu. Similarly in the hearts of men reside the creative urge and faith. This is clearly evident from the manner the people of Jaffna pray to “Goddess Durga Devi Amman” at Tellipalai.

During the chariot festival the statue of Goodess Durgai is decorated and illuminated and taken along the streets in chariot followed by poojas, Bhajans, Archanai offered by the devotees.

In the traditions of the Hindu literature the chariot is the replica of the human body. The deity in the sanctum or on the chariot reminds us of the truth that the God is ‘seated in the hearts of each individual. This is the symbolic meaning of the chariot festival.

Undoubted, to a world lost in error and weighed down by forces of darkness, ignorance and arrogance, conflicts and contradiction, trials and tribulations let us all worship. Tellipalai Durga Devi Amman and utter her pure name and contemplate and surrender ourselves at Her Lotus Feet for the progress and success of our lives and also for the everlasting peace, eternal prosperity and racial harmony and happiness.


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The Annual Chariot Festival of the Sri Sivasubramania Swamy Kovil, Jeyanthi Nagar, Ginthupitiya, Colombo 13 was held. The colourfully decorated chariot is in procession from the kovil premises around the streets of Colombo city. Picture A. Maduraveeran


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The Manikkavasagar Guru Pooja organised by the Colombo Vivekananda Sabai took place at their premises, Vivekananda Hill Kotahena Colombo 13. Pupil Selvi Vinthiya delivers a religious lecture. Pic A. Maduraveeran


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The Sai Trustee K. Balanyagam unveils the memorial plaque to open the “Anna Poorna Sai Nilayam” at the Sai Shrine New Chetty Street Kotahena, Colombo 13. The event was organised by the Sri Sathiya Sai Baba C olombo Centre President Sai Centre, S. N. Udayanayahan. J. M. Swaminathan and the member’s participated. Pic A. Maduraveeran


dailynews.lk

A glorious religious observance... Nallur Kanthaswamy Kovil..!!!

SELVASANNITHY-VADAMARADSI,JAFFNA


NAWALAPITY KATHIRESAN TEMPLE FESTIVAL


MAYURAPATHY AMMAN,COLOMBO



HINDUISM

A glorious religious observance
Nallur Kanthaswamy Kovil:

Sinnathamby Rasiah

The annual festival of historic Nallur Kanthaswamy temple commenced yesterday (August 15) and will continue for twenty five days, with all its splendour.

Since then, the attention of the people is focused on this event and the whole village participate in the preparation for the festivities. Residents of the area decorate their homes and streets with mango leaves, coconut strips, flowers and plantain trees.


Crowds thronged at the Nallur Kovil on the opening day of the festival on August 15, 2010. Picture Courtesy The Hindu, Chennai

Kolam designs associated with the deity of God Skanda are artificially sketched in front of the house. Mostly kumbams are kept outside the homes. In the neighborhood of the temple, pandals are erected to accommodate devotees who come from far off places. As normalcy is prevailing in the country more expatriates are expected to participate in the festival. What God Kataragama is for the southerners, Nallur Kanthaswamy Kovil is for the northerners.

Nallur and Kataragama are two of the few temples in the country, where people participate irrespective of their faith. Besides, Nallur temple is famous for the meticulous manner in which poojas are performed at the stipulated times.

Inauguration of Festival
The annual festival of Nallur of Lord Skanda commenced with the auspicious flag hoisting ceremony yesterday at 10 a.m. Amid ringing bells, Confetti of flowers and mantras recited by Brahmin priests clad in red. Among the twenty five festivals that take place, the most spectacular ones are the 10th festival called Manjam cart festival, 20th one is called Kailayavahanam. The three deities namely Lord Skanda escorted by two consorts Theivayanai and Valli ascent the Kailayavahanam which depicts the ten headed Ravana lifting mount Kailash.

The other important festival is Sapparam on the 23d day.

The festival reaches its climax with the Ther or chariot on which the majestic Lord Skanda along with his elegant consorts, draped in vibrant green ascends and it is drawn by devotees round the outer countryard of the temple. Many devotees carry, kavadi, which is beautifully arch shaped and studded with peacock feathers and the devotees dance to the rhythum of the music. The kavadi, carries two small milk pots to be offered in the worship.


Mayuri Amman in Havelock Town where the festival is now on.

The Paravai kavadi which is fitted to carrier and very ardent devotees piers their back with small spears and hooks and horizontally hangs on it, as the carrier moves forward. It is an act of penance and also a way of fulfilling their vows.

Historical Account
In fact the history of Nallur Kandaswamy temple is intertwined with the history of (yaalpaanam) Jaffna.

It is no exaggeration to say that the rise and fall of the temple was subject to the change of rulers. Shanmuga priya, in her book in Nallur Kandaswamy – a spiritual experience says as follows,” historians assert that there is historical evidence to assume that the temple was built in A.D. 1248 in Kurukkal Valavu in Nallur. The present temple is situated in the same location. They further state that the temple must have been built by Buvanekabahu, the minister to king Arya Chakravarthi.”

With the passage of time Parakramabahu VI who ruled the souh from Kotte had an eye on the Jaffna kingdom.

He dispatched a huge army under his adopted son and general Sempakapperumal Kumaraya who captured Jaffna and in the course of the invasion Nallur Kandaswamy temple was razed to the ground.


Selva Sannithy Temple in the North. The festival in now on.

Later on he tried to appease the offended people and built the second Kandaswamy temple around 1467 in an adjacent place.

Meanwhile in the book - Hindu temples of Sri Lanka, Prof S. Pathmanathan states that the temple built by Buvanekabahu continued to flourish even after he had lost authority over Jaffna and the Tamil kings who were restored to power by this time extended royal support to the temple.

Henceforth the glory of the temple began to wane with the arrival of foreign powers – first the Portuguese, then the Dutch and the British. In 1620, the Portuguese invaded Jaffna and the Nallur temple was completely destroyed.

Thereafter according to C. S. Navaratnam in a Short History of Hinduism in Ceylon, for nearly 170 years there was no temple for the Tamils to worship in that locality. In 1658 the Dutch captured Jaffna from the Portuguese.

Unlike the Portuguese the Dutch became liberal in later years. The Hindus around Nallur made use of this opportunity and constructed a small Madalaya style in the same location as the second Nallur temple without a Gopuram. A vale was consecrated and worshiped.

In 1734 Ragunatha Mappana Mudaliyar was able to get the permission from the Dutch rulers and built the Nallur Kandaswamy temple in its original place in Kurukkal Valavu - Since then the temple was developed and today it outshines it past glory.


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Nallur in festive mood
Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

With the hoisting of the flag yesterday (Aug 15) the much anticipated annual festival of the Nallur Kanthasamy temple has begun. Until September 07, a religious and festive mood will reign in the North of Lanka.

The temple in Nallur is ancient and is of historical importance. The Chariot festival will be held on the last day of the 23-day festival.

In view of the large crowd of devotees at the festival the management of the temple, the government agent and the mayor have made elaborate arrangements to facilitate the convenience of devotees.

Devotees from all over Sri Lanka are participating at the festival to receive the Divine Blessings of Lord Murukan.

In fact, the people of Jaffna are extremely happy particularly after the end of war which prevailed for the last three decades and the maintenance of peace which everyone was looking for.

Further, the people are enjoying normal life after a lapse of several years.

The people move about freely and attend to their household affairs. The people in the surrounding areas of the temple have erected temporary sheds in view of this festival.

Even the Mayor of Jaffna Municipal Council has laid down certain rules and regulating how the devotees should conduct themselves during the temple festival and also how the devotees should enter the temple precincts wearing nesty avoiding trousers and shirts.

All are expected to maintain Hindu traditions and agamic principles which are of paramount importance.

Nallur was the celebrated capital city of Ancient Jaffna. The chronicle of Jaffna history the “Yalpana Vaibava Malai describes in detail how the city of Nallur was founded. It mentions how “Singai Ariyan” arrived at the request of “Pandi Maluvam” accompanied by priests and advisers and assumed the kingship of Jaffna. He built a city for his residence and named it Nallur.

Thus was founded the celebrated city of Nallur by Singai Ariyan, also referred to as “Kulankai”, who commenced his reign as the first Ariya Chakravarty King of Jaffna.

The Singai Ariya dynasty continued to rule as Ariya Chakaravarty kings of Jaffna, assuming alternately the state titles of Pararajasekaram and Sagarajasekaram. They safeguarded the Hindu temples building more in the kingdom and maintaining those already erected. They up held the Hindu tradition.

The Jaffna chronicle also records that during the reign of Singai Ariyan, Minister Bhuvaneka Bahu completed the erection of the outside walls of the city and the Kandaswamy kovil. That a Kandaswamy temple got erected within the city of Nallur, during the reign of Singai Ariyan thus explicitly recorded and the credit for this Thiruppany” work goes to the king’s Minister Bhuvenaka Bahu. The time would have been soon after the year 1284 A.D.

Furthermore, the Portuguese who invaded Jaffna with their forces demolished this temple to the ground level in the year 1621. Subsequently the Dutch who found a Catholic Church there, demolished it and erected a church of their faith which is the Nallur Church in close proximity to the “Yamuneri Theertham”.

After the rule of dutch in the year B.C. 1658, this temple came under the management to the Hindus. In 1734, this temple was rebuilt.

The present Nallur Kandaswamy temple was originated in the year 1749 by “Ragunatha Mappana Mudaliyar.

The origin of Murukan and the story of his veneration are of very ancient interest. The story is fundamental in the history of development of Tamil Culture. He become identified as Kumaran: Even the pre-Aryan pre-historic eras are known to have revered a rudimentary form of Murukan, a youth of valorous deeds who was victorious in war.

The Devas, when they proceeded to Moun Kailas to complain to Lord Siva of their persecution by the Asuras, found him in deep meditation. On being awakened, a Divine spark emanated from his frontal third eye. This was received in Lake “Saravanai Poika”. There it was nurtured by six “Karthikai” young girls and they became six infants and were embraced by Divine mother Goddess Parvathy.

Lord Muruka as a valorous youth is said to have performed several brave deeds including the imprisonment of Brahma and imparting the meaning of the sacred word Aum to Lord Shiva.

Further, when the Devar were imprisoned by Asuras Lord Muruka sent his Army Commander “Virapahu” and when Surapadman refused to lay down his arms and release the Devas, Lord Muruka fought with Surapadman and defeated him, but was not slain but accepted to serve Lord Muruka as his stud in the form of a peacock and also given a place in his banner as a rooster cock. The Devas were released and they celebrated the victory.

Indira the king of the Devas and Indrani his Queen rewarded Murukan by giving him their daughter “Deiva Yanai” or “Deivanai” in marriage.

The grand nuptial celebrations are claimed to have taken place at “Thiru Perum Kanram” situated in Madurai, Muruka’s second consort is Valli, the Veddah maid from the Vallimalai hills.

Furthermore, the vale in his hand denotes knowledge. According to this a man’s knowledge should be sharp, it should not only be sharp, but it should be evidenced and be deep.

In a philosophical interpretation the two consorts of Lord Muruka are considered to represent “Kiriya” Sakthi and “Ichcha”. Sakthi and Muruka represents “Gnana” Sakthi.

During the Nallur Ther or Chariot festival the statue of God Kandaswamy is decorated and illuminated and paraded along the streets in a chariot followed by poojas, Bhajan and Archana offered by devotees.

The large and heavy chariot is pulled by a rope by thousands of devotees where the rich and the poor grand shoulder to shoulder in pulling the body politics of the Divine State, giving the Lord a chance to witness the peaceful progress that the community has made, Clustering around the temple where the God resides.

Even Sri Lanka Sri Arumuga Navalar, who started the Saivism Revival movement launched it from Nallur temple.

Further, Kadaiyit Swamigal Chellappaswamigal and Yogar Swamigal attained enlightenment at the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple.

In fact, to a society lost in error and beset by illusions of time and weighed down by perplexities trials and tribulations, conflicts and contradictions, the Divine power of God Muruka will protect us from all evil tendencies and make us to lead a peaceful and harmonious life.


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A special Hindu religious program titled ‘Pithur Dharpanam’ took place under the patronage of Sivashri Bala Ravishanuarak Kurukkal at the Modera estuary Colombo on August 9, 2010. The event was organized by the Hindu Mantram, Crow Island, Mattakkuliya. A large number of devotees participated. Picture: A. Maduraveeran


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The annual festival of the Iyyappa Swamy Kovil, Aluthmawatte, Modera, Colombo 15, was held on July 1, 2010. Here the Swamigal is being taken in procession by the devotees around the streets. Pic: A. Maduraveeran


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Hinduism: Navarathri (Nine nights)...!!!

Hinduism
Navarathri (Nine nights)
Navarathri (nine nights) is one of the greatest festivals of India. This festival is celebrated for nine days in which God is worshipped in the form of Mother. This is a period of introspection and purification. Navarathri is traditionally an auspicious time for starting new ventures. During this period, Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are worshipped as three different manifestations of Shakti or Cosmic energy.

Like the other festivals of India, Navarathri is rich in meaning. At one level, Navarathri signifies the progress of a spiritual aspirant. During this spiritual journey, the aspirant has to pass three stages personified by Durga, Lakshmi and saraswati. Then, he or she enters into the realm of the infinite, wherein one realises one's Self. Navarathri, which literally means 'nine nights,' dedicates three days each to worshipping the Divine in the forms of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The tenth day though, is the most important; it is known as Vijayadashami, the 'tenth day of victory.'

Inner Meaning of Navarathri Worship
The reason behind the worshipping of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati lies rooted in the philosophy that the attributeless absolute can only be known through the world of attributes - the journey is from the known to the unknown. Hence it is said that Shiva, who symbolises pure consciousness can only be known through Shakti, who represents divine energy. That is why people worship Shakti, also known as Devi, in Her various manifestations.

The different stages of spiritual progress are reflected in the sequence of celebrations during Navarathri. During the first three days, Durga is worshipped. She personifies that aspect of Shakti which destroys our negative tendencies. The process of trying to control our senses is akin to a war for the mind which resists all attempts at control. So the stories in the Puranas symbolically depict Devi in the form of Durga as waging war and destroying the Asuras.

However, getting temporary relief from the clutches of vasanas does not guarantee permanent liberation from them. The seeds of the vasanas will remain within in latent form. Therefore, we should supplant them with positive qualities. The Bhagavad Gita refers to these qualities as daivi-sampat, literally "Divine wealth." Correspondingly, we worship Lakshmi during the next three days. Lakshmi is not just the giver of gross wealth or prosperity; She is the Mother who gives according to the needs of Her children.

Only one endowed with daivi-sampat is fit to receive the knowledge of the Supreme. Accordingly, the last three days of Navarathri are dedicated to worshipping Saraswati, the embodiment of Knowledge. She is depicted as wearing a pure-white sari, which symbolises the illumination of the Supreme Truth.

Significance of Navarathri for Householders
However, Navarathri is not only significant for spiritual aspirants; it has a message for those who lead a worldly life as well. They should invoke Durga's help to surmount obstacles, pray to Lakshmi to bestow peace and prosperity and contemplate upon Saraswati in order to gain knowledge. These three ingredients are just as necessary for a full and complete worldly life. In reality, when we pray like this, we are invoking the Shakti that is within ourselves. Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are not different entities, but different facets of the singular Divinity.

Some of the spiritual practices associated with Navarathri include fruit and milk fasts, japa (mantra chanting), changing of hymns dedicated to Devi in Her different forms, prayer, meditation and recitation of sacred texts including the Devi Mahatmya, Sri Lalita Sahasranama and the Durga Saptashati.

Ayudha Puja
The ninth day is also the day of the Ayudha Puja. The Ayudha Puja is a worship of whatever implements one may use in one's livelihood. On the preceding evening, it is traditional to place these implements on an altar to the Divine.

If one can make a conscious effort to see the divine in the tools and objects one uses each day, it will help one to see one's work as an offering to God.

Saraswati Puja and Vidyarambham
It will also help one to maintain constant remembrance of the divine. (In India it is customary for one to prostrate before the tools one will use before starting one's work each day; this is an expression of gratitude to God for helping one to fulfil one's duties.)

Children traditionally place their study books and writing implements on the altar. On this day, no work or study is done, that one might spend the day in contemplation of the Divine.

The tenth day is called Vijaya Dashami. Devotees perform a Saraswati Puja (ceremonial worship) to invoke the blessings of Saraswati.

Some devotees also perform pujas dedicated to Durga to mark Her victory over the demon, Mahishasura.

At another level, Navarathri also highlights the principles elucidated by the Ramayana. This is hinted at in the other name by which Vijayadashami is known in India, Dussehra. Some devotees also perform pujas dedicated to Durga to mark Her victory over the demon, Mahishasura.

After the pujas a rite known as Vidyarambham is performed by young and old alike.

The ceremony involves tracing each letter of the alphabet in a plate of rice or even in sand on the ground.

Traditionally, the writing was alternately done on the tongue with a gold dipped in honey. Vidyarambham literally means to begin the acquisition of knowledge and for the very young, it is just that: an initiation into learning.

For those who have already begun to acquire knowledge, it is a reminder that only one who can maintain a beginner's mind will be able to learn. If one thinks that one knows already, one will not be open to new ideas. Whereas one who has the attitude of a beginner will always have an open and receptive mind. With this attitude one can learn a lot. At another level, Navarathri also highlights the principles elucidated by the Ramayana. This is hinted at in the other name by which Vijayadashami is known in India, Dussehra.Courtesy: ANCL Jaladeepam


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Nanthy as Emblem of Hindu Flag
S Ratnarajah

Why? There should be a Flag for Hindu festivals and ceremonies is a food for thought. The flag raising ceremony is as important activity in the world. When every school, nation, religions, political parties have a flag of their own. Hindus do not raise a flag. As such it is a must to show the world the philosophy of Hindus to realize the purpose of life by raising a flag. Now "Nanthy Kodi" is issued by Saiva Munnetra Sangam Colombo.

It is also essential to know about Nanthy and its philosophy to be used on the flag as an emblem. Why? "Nanthy", the figure of a Bull a statue in temples and "Lord Siva" with as "Idapam" is worshiped as "Idapa Roopar". This must be understood by every one.

We will see why the saints of yore selected "nanthy" as a visible concrete known to realise the concrete unknown, as omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent supreme. So now, the "nanthy Kodi" is being raised to explain this, Lord Siva the supreme conscious waves are not visible and cannot be seen or described by any one with ones body, mind and senses intellect, only the discriminative knowledge can make one to detach from changing and attach to the changeless substratum of every thing.

The Lord Siva waves of unmanifested energy. But this changing manifested nature is dynamic energy. This is named as "Nanthy" for the people to understand this dynamic energy which changes everything; a Bull was selected by saints by their wisdom achieved and realised for the people to understand this dynamic motion of the supreme.

It is hard for the people to realise that the ground supreme is the same in its kionetic form (Maya). This changing phenomena is "Nanthy" and the static ground of every thing, the cosmic now-menon is Lord "Siva" "Nanthy Kodi" indicate this.

So Lord 'Siva' is 'Nanthy', A Bull in the visible form is a vehicle'. A 'Vehicle' means movement. So the Bull as a vehicle for 'Siva' means the supreme forces motion in the cosmos.

'Idapa rooper' deity clearly indicates this Supreme Motion of cosmic nature. So the flag of "Nanthy' when it flies on temples, will indicate this.

A "Bull' sacrifices itself and helps man in ploughing fields, drawing carts etc. It eats the unwanted hey, poonac and drinks the water of boiled rice or washed rice willingly, whereas others are served with best rice and corns. Its dung is used as manure.

Due to its in born unselfish nature for the betterment of others, the Bull was selected to represent the invisible and partly visible dynamic nature for the people to understand in the visible state.

In the temples the statue of "Nanthy" is there to show the casual region of the cosmos and the casual body they will not allow us to proceed to the higher spiritual regions unless we are free of our immoral and moral activities. Courtesy: Jaladeepam


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Selvasanithi Temple festival
Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

Selvasannithi Temple dedicated to Lord Muruka is situated at Thondaimanaru in Vadamarachchy in the district of Jaffna and the hoisting of the flag ceremony will commence tomorrow (August 10).

The Hindu temples are intended to instruct people in the art of removing the veil of attachment that covers their hearts and minds. Thus, the renowned poet Thiagarajah cried in the temple of Thiruppathi "O! Remove the veil within me, the veil of pride and hate.

In fact, the worship of Selvasannithi Murukan Temple is unique. Further, this temple conducts regular poojas and the priests perform poojas covering this mouths with clothes.

The origin of God Muruga and the story of his veneration are of great interest, Muruga as a valourous youth is said to have performed several brave deeds including the imprisonment of Brahma. God Muruka fought with Asura Leader Surapadman and defeated him. Though Surapadman assumed several monstrous forms and shape he finally sought refuse in the form of a mango tree. Surapadman was ultimately defeated, not slaim, but was commanded to serve God Muruka in the form of a Peacock and was also given a place in his banner as a Rooster Cock. Thereafter the Devas were released and they celebrated the victory.

In fact, the leaf shaped spear VEL is God Muruka's weapon for overcoming evil. Further, Lord Muruka is Gnanasakthi, his consorts Theivaynai is Kiriyasakthi and Valli is Ishasakthi. God Muruka's "VALE" in his hand also signifies that a man's knowledge should be sharp like that of VALE and it should not only be sharp, it should also be broad and deep. This shows that a man may be intellectually superior, but he should be very humble.

It is very often said that the creator of the universe Bramah resides in the Navel of Lord Vishnu. Similarly in the hearts of men reside the creative urge and faith. This is clearly evident from the manner the people of Jaffna pray to God Muruka at Selvasannithi Temple at Thondamanaru.

Muruka means beauty and knowledge and is often represented as the type of a perennial youth, sometimes as a Divine Child and also as Aarumugam. The great scholar and patriot Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam describes that Muruka would thus appear to be a deity who was rich with many legends and tradition, many aspects of religion and modes of worship priorities and advanced. Unlike any other temples in the Jaffna Peninsula, one can see several Madams at this temple where Sanyasis reside and meditate. Even Hinduism considers giving "Anna Danam" also as pooja which is known as Maheswara Pooja.

Divine power in the form of Murukan conquers everyone and He is worshiped as the God of wisdom by those who seek spiritual enlightenment. Further, the spiritual atmosphere at Selvasanmithi Temple heals physical and mental ailments of His devotees. During the festival statue of Lord Muruka is decorated and illuminated and paraded along the streets in a chariot followed by poojas, bhajans and archani offered by devotees.

The journey of the chariot along the streets is an emblem of progress of life and the lesson is that throughout one's life man should control and guide the passions with the help of the soul. These passions are the driving force of life, but if unguided will lead to wreck a man's life. This is the symbolic meaning of the chariot festival.


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Swami Shanthanand - a seeker of truth
Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

The death anniversary of Swami Shantanand fell on July 27, 2010. He was one of the foremost spiritual leaders, besides being a poet, saint, philosopher and social and moral organizer.


Swami Shanthanand

Swami Shantanand belongs to a band of Yogis and seeks - a Brahmin by birth and underwent his spiritual discipleship both in the North and South of India, having come in his early years under the influence of spiritual giants like Sri Gnanandagiri, the 168-year-old sage of South India, Sri Ramana Maha Rishi of Tiruvannamalai and Swami Shivananda of Rishikesh. It was however Swami Shivananda who had the greater influence on young Shantanand in moulding his life.

Swami Shantanand had no fixed abode, the entire world being his domain. He responded to invitations from every part of the world, captivating the hearts of his listeners by his enchanting songs and kirtars, the brilliance of his thinking, the charm of his personality and his penetrating spiritual insight.

In fact, he had visited Sri Lanka several times at the generous invitations of many leading personalities like Mr V Kailasapillai and Mrs Abirami Kailasapillai. Mr & Mrs Kailasapillai arranged numerous dance performances and religious lectures and discourses at BMICH and entertained all the artistes who came from Coimbotar, Kuala Lumpur, Madras, Singapore and several other parts of the world. Indeed Mr & Mrs Kailasapillai and Mr Kandiah Neelakandan should be highly commended for having made elaborate arrangements in regard to the accommodation for all the artistes and hall arrangements for performing their dance programs to the greater success. In this instance I should mention about Mrs Abirami Kailasapillai since she is an exceptional human being with exemplary character. Whenever Swami Shantanand visited Sri Lanka she never failed to invite me to brief all the details about Swami Shantanand and the accompanying artistes to enable me to give wide publicity in the media.

Further, Mr & Mrs Kailasapillai hospitality, generosity and magnanimity are of high nature combined with noble thoughts.

Indeed, Swami Shantanand's message was universal transcending creeds and dogmatic religions and barriers of geographical frontiers.

The core of his teachings lies in these statements:- "God is one though the paths leading to Him are many. Follow any path that appeals to you with steadfast faith and try to experience Him. Religion is living and religion is behaviour and not merely a belief."

Swami Shantanand established the "Temple of Fine Arts" in the early part of 70's when he visited Malaysia with the view to enhance his devotees the understanding of love and religion, philosophy and culture Joyous artistic forms of music and dance.

The Temple of Arts has now grown majestically and conduct numerous musical recitals and dance dramas showcasing their talents and capabilities of students. Alongside this performing Arts Institution Swami Shantanand provided medical attention and aid to the poor.

As a producer of drama and dance he was infinitely sensitive to every phenomenon and for whom every phenomenon is a stimulous capable of providing an infinite series of thoughts. Besides, he always moved with the young and old to action. Further, his ideas are nurtured by the simple, universal truths respected endlessly in all cultures - SERVE, LOVE, GIVE, SELFLESSLY.


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After 30 years the Vel Festival of Panadura Kataragama Kovil was held on July 30, 2010 in the presence of a large crowd. Kurukal performing the religious rites is shown in the picture. Panadura group correspondent – Kapila Somaratne


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July 22, 2010 – Paalkudam Bavani (Holy Milk procession of Arulmigu Sri Gnana Bhairavar Muniandi Kovil at Galpotta, Colombo 13 took place. The picture shows women carrying milk pots to the Kovil from Paradise Place Maha Kaali Amman temple. Picture by A Maduraiveeran





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G Sivaraj Trustee of Wattegama Sri Muththumariamman Hindu Temple, Chief Kurukkal of Puthukkadu – Elkaduwa in Pathadumbara and members of trustees of the Kovil pose after opening a newly built Puthukadu temple recenlty. Picture by H A Shakoor – Pathadumbara special correspondent


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The Manikkwasaga Swamigal Thiruvadi Valipadu Ceremony, organized by the Eelattu Thirumurai Tamil Mandram took place at Saraswathi hall Bambalapitiya Colombo – 4. The Secretary Tamil Mantram Sivaguru Ganeshan conducting the pooja with devotees singing hymns. Picture : A. Maduraveeran

The Hindu Goddess Kali is termed the 'divine mother' because of her unique link with humans..!!!

 

Kali: The dark mother
Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

Mother is the name of God in the lips and heart of children. The Hindu Goddess Kali is termed the 'divine mother' because of her unique link with humans. Though ferociously portrayed with a demon head, dark complexion and four arms, with a sword in one hand and the head of a demon in another, devotees harness a very loving and intimate bond with the goddess much like a bond between a mother and her children.


Dakshineshwar Kali temple in Calcutta

Kali's birth is recorded in the Devi Mahatmya, a text of the 5th - 6th century AD. She was depicted as being born from the brow of Goddess Durga during one of her battles with evil. The story relates that Kali was so involved with the killing that she lost control and began destroying everything in sight.

Finally Lord Shiva had to throw himself under her feet to put an end to her actions.

This action is captured in most of the images which shows a shocked Kali, her tongue stuck out and one leg poised over Shiva's chest.

Though Kali is represented with fierce features two of her hands which do not hold grotesque symbols bless her worshippers. She has two dead heads for earrings, a string of skulls for a necklace and a girdle comprising human hands as her garment. Her eyes are red and blood is splattered all over her body.

Kali's complexion signifies her all-embracing and transcendental nature. Her garland of 50 skulls stands for the letters in the Sanskrit alphabet while her girdle implies work and liberation from the cycle of karma.

Her white teeth show her inner purity and her tongue indicates her omnivorous nature. Her sword destroys false consciousness and the eight bonds that bind us.

Her three eyes symbolize the past, present and future, an aspect which is denoted by her name. Known as the goddess for time and change Kali takes many forms and names: Shyama, Adya Ma, Chamundi, Tara Ma and Dakshina Kalika. Bhadra Kali is known for her gentle nature while Shyamashana Kali lives only in the cremation ground.


HINDUISM....!!!

 

 

HINDUISM

God Murukan:

Sivasubramaniya Swamy Kovil
Kandiah Neelakandan

'To reject the necessity of temples is to reject the necessity of God, religion and earthly existence"

(Mahatma Gandhi.)

Everyday we feel the necessity of Temples for all of us. One such temple is Arulmihu Sivasubramaniya Swamy Kovil, a sacred institution of worship with a long history going back to 1822.


The colourful chariot

This shrine was established by Periyathamby and others on a land. It was owned by . Periyathamby at Dam Street, Colombo. Sri Ranajee Maha Raajee officiated as the Priest.

Manickam Pandaram was helping him by conducting religious classes for children. This Shrine was known as a Pilgrims' Temple because devotees who congregated at the Temple to worship were largely travelers, including those proceeding to Kataragama from the North and the other parts of the Island.

According to records it was also a place of worship for many Service Officers and men who travelled through Colombo from India to Africa for combat in the Boer War.

It will be pertinent to mention that the pilgrimage to Kataragama from various parts of the Island through Colombo City paved the way for establishment of a number of Shrines for Skanda in Colombo which also served as Hindu pilgrims' rests.

The late Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam, a statesman and writer has written extensively on Hinduism and particularly on Kataragama. And the worship of Skanda or Murugan or Subramanian as the Lord was addressed by devotees. Interested readers are requested to read him in his articles and books.

A relevant paragraph from Arunachalam:

"It was already held in high esteem in the third century before Christ, and is one of the sixteen places said to have been sanctified by Gautama Buddha sitting in each in meditation.

The Mahavamsa (XIX. 54), in enumerating those who welcomed the arrival at Anuradhapura of the Sacred Bodhi-tree from Buddha-Gaya in charge of Sanghamitta, the saintly daughter of the Indian Emperor Asoka, gives the first place after the King of Ceylon to the nobles of Kajaragama, as Kataragama was then called.

It was privileged to receive a sapling of which an alleged descendant still stands in the temple court.

About a third of a mile off is the Buddhist shrine of Kiri Vihare, said to have been founded by King Mahnaga of Mahagama, cir. 300 B.C."

God Muruga
He has also written on the worship of Skanda or Murukan... I quote:

"More often the Tamils call him by the pure Tamil name Murukan, 'the tender child'. He is represented in legend, statuary and painting as a beautiful child or youth. The priests worship him with elaborate rites and ceremonies; the rustic with meal and blood offerings, the aboriginal Vedda invokes him also with dances in the primitive manner of the woods. The philosopher meditates on him in silence, adoring him as the Supreme God, Subramanya - the all pervading spirit of the universe, the Essence from which all things are evolved, by which they are sustained and into which they are involved - who in gracious pity for humanity takes form sometimes as the youthful God of Wisdom, God of war when wicked Titans (Asuras) have to be destroyed, sometimes as the holy child Muruka, type of perennial tender beauty, always and everywhere at the service of his devotees."

Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam was an ardent devotee of Lord Muruga has rendered in English some of the ancient verses. Due to exigencies of space I am leaving out those passages.


Front view of the Kovil

The Scholar also recalls the memory of 'Pada Yathra' (pilgrimage by foot) in the following manner:-

"It is possible now to travel from Colombo comfortably by train to Matara and by motor to Hambantota and Tissamaharama. The last stage of about 11 miles beyond Tissamaharama is over a difficult forest-tract and an unbridged river, the Menik Ganga, which in flood time has to be swum across there being no boats. In the thirties of last century, when good roads wee scarce even in Colombo, my grandmother walked barefoot the whole way to Kataragama and back in fulfillment of a vow for the recovery from illness of her child, the future Sir Muttu Coomara Swamy. The hardships then endured are such as are yearly borne with cheerfulness by thousands traveling on foot along the jungle tracts of the Northern, Eastern and Uva provinces and from India. Nearly all are convinced of the god's ever present grace and protection and have spiritual experiences to tell or other notable boons, recoveries from illness, help under trials and dangers, warding off of calamities. I once asked an elderly woman who had journeyed alone through the forest for days and nights if she had no fear of wild elephants and bears. She said she saw many, but none molested her. "How could they? The Lord was at my side."

Formless
"He is regarded as in his essence formless and beyond speech and thought, but assuming forms to suit the needs of his votaries and accepting their worship in

Whatever form, if only heartfelt. This is indeed the normal Hindu attitude in religious matters and accounts for its infinite tolerance. All regions are ways, short or long, to god. "The nameless, formless one we will call and worship by a thousand names in chant and dance," the Psalmist Manikkavacakar cries. God, under whatever name or form sought, comes forward to meet the seeker and help his progress onwards through forms suitable to his development.

"They who worship other gods with faith and devotion, they also worship me," it is declared in the Bhagavad Gita (IX, 21).

The merit claimed for the Hindu religious system is that it provides spiritual food and help for the soul in every stage of its development; hence it is significantly called the Ladder Way (Sopana Marga)."

"Muruka would thus appear to be a deity in whom were amalgamated many legends and traditions, many aspects of religion and modes of worship, primitive and advanced, and to embody the Hindu ideal of God immanent in all things and manifesting himself wherever sought with love.

"Muruka means tender age and beauty and is often represented as the type of perennial youth, sometimes as quite a child."

Thirupuhal describes the part played by each of the Almighty's six faces and each of His twelve arms, showing that this form was a personification of various divine aspects and powers. Please read what Sir Arunachalam has said from his writings.

The following account of Shri Yogaswami's pilgrimage to Kataragama remains typical even today:

"Subsequently about the middle of 1910, Swami left on a solitary sojourn by foot along the Island's coastal belt eastward, and met many ascetics on the way.

He moved freely with certain Muslim Sufi saints, Buddhist monks, and Veddah chiefs. He communed with Murugan in Kathirkamam, the Holy of Holies skirted by the Manica Ganga .....from 1910, he had taken solitary long distance pilgrimages to Tiruketheswaram, and on to Wattapalai and Koneswaram at Trincomalee, and skirting the east coast by the foot path, he had spent his recluse days at Sittankudi, Batticaloa and Tirukkovil. Many a time, he had related incidents when he trekked the Vedda tracts of Moneragala and Bibile to reach the abode of Murugan at Kathirkamam, skirted by the Manica Ganga and the seven hills of Kathiramalai."

The Government acquired the property on which the Kovil stood. and made a sum of Stg. £ 500.00 available to Shri Arunasalam Ponnambalam Mudaliyar who was the father of Sir Pon Arunachalm in or about 1867 to construct a new temple for Shri Sivasubramaniya Swami at another site in Colombo. Thus this Temple came to be constructed at Kew Road, Slave Island in 1870 by Shri Arunasalam Ponnambalam Mudaliyar and it was dedicated as 'Kathiresan Kovil', Slave Island.

1902 Sir Pon Ramanathan (Sir Arunachalam's brother) remodeled, enlarged and reconstructed the Temple and named it Shri Sivasubramaniya Swamy Kovil. This Temple was also under the same management as that of Shri Ponnambaleswara Temple in Kochchikade.

In 1942 a Board of Trustees was constituted to manage this Temple and M .S. Thiruvilangam was the Managing Trustee and Chairman of the Board.

Although a proposal was made in 1962 to renovate the temple the actual work commenced later under the Board of Trustees chaired by V. N. Kanagasabai... K Thiyagarajah functioned as the Secretary.

With the reconstruction 'parivara moorthy shirines' including Shri vinayagar Shri Nadarajaprruman with Shri Sivagami Amman Shri Mahavishnu, Shri Vairavar Navaragraham Saneeswarar have also been consecrated, and poojahs take place according to Saivaite Agamas Conventions and rituals. Having completed the renovation with a grand structure (except for the Raja Gopuram), a Maha Kumbabishekam (consecration) was held on March 31, 1975.

In 1995, an 82 feet tall Rajagopuram (with two manigopurams) were constructed giving a magnificent structural appearance for this sacred Kovil which is a haven of solace for thousands of devotees of Lord Murugan.

Thirukkopura Thiruppani Sabhai headed by Sinnathurai Dhanabalaa with the hardworking Secretary, K Balasubramaniam is always commended for this noble service.

The ACHC (All Ceylon Hindu Congress) Headquarters is near this Kovil. We completed the other structures of this Kovil. Its location in the heart of the City attracts almost all the tourists to this Kovil.

The observance of Skanthasashdi annually for 6 days is another important feature of this Kovil's annual calendar.

Annual Festival
The Annual Festival is held regularly in this Kovil, commencing with the 'Kodi Ettam' and concluding with the 'Theertham'. The THER Festival takes place on the day before Theertham and this year it takes place on Wednesday August 04, 2010.

'Kodi Ettam' (Flag hoisting) represents the soul's attempt to ascend to 'moksham'. The 'Ther' (Chariot) is a symbol of universe and the 4 wheels mean 'INQUIRE, INVESTIGATE, ANALYSE and STUDY'.

"As in South India, Murukan has been and still continues to be the favourite deity of the Tamils living in Ilankai. The ideas, beliefs and practices associated with the worship of Murukan constitute an integral part of the Hindu religious tradition in the island. The shrines dedicated for the worship of Murukan are numerous and one could hardly come across a village or town inhabited by Saivite Tamils where temples dedicated for his worship are not to be found."

The 'Thangathther' (Golden Chariot) of this Kovil was constructed and floated on August 09, !998 and a committee chaired by Thirukumar Nadesan would be blessed by Lord Murugan for having this 21 feet tall (with a golden umbrella) Ther, adding a holy significance and veneration of this 188 years old Kovil.

A number of dedicated 'Thondars' led by K. Balasubramaniam stood by Nadesan and made use of his talents and resources to accomplish this.

Nadesan still continues to ensure the Golden Chariot Festival takes place in a grand scale as a real devotee of Lord Murugan for which he has the blessings of His Almighty, Skanda.

He believes, "Engum Murugan Ellam Murugan Yathum Murugan" (meaning 'He resides everywhere - He is in everything - He is everything').

This is the ardent belief of every worshipper of this Kovil. When these devotees recite 'Arohara Arohara' at the time the Golden Chariot starts rolling on the street, everyone could know (not merely knowingly - could really feel) their faith in Lord Murugan who with His six faces and two consorts appear on the chariot to bless His devotees.

Note: I have extensively quoted Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam for the reason that I find his rendering in English of the concept explaining Lord Murugan are elucidating.

The writer is the General Secretary, All Ceylon Hindu Congress -Interim Managers of the Kovil


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Panadura Hindu Kovil Resurrected
M.Mukarji vijayakumar

Picture by Manjula Gamaariya

The Maha Kumbabhishekam festival of the Aralmigu Sri Skandasamy kovil of Panadura commenced on July 12 and concluded on July 31, 2010 in grand style, with the poojas held daily at 6.00 a m and 6.00 p m and observed meticulously, for the first time in 30 years.

The kovil which is situated on a one-acre block of land in the centre of the Panadura town, which is a predominently Buddhist area, had suffered damages in the 1983 racial riots but under the concept of the Mahinda Chinthanaya, former Minister P. Radhakrishnan directed the Board of Hindu Cultural Affairs to effect restoration, for which a sum of Rs 40 lakhs was allocated by the Government.

Shrines have been constructed for Gods Ganesh, Sri Kandasamy, Maha Vishnu and Siva, Godesses Pathini and Kali Amma and also for Sanishwara and Bahiwara. The sculpturing and painting of the entire kovil was performed by a team of six artists who were especially got down from India.


Picture by Manjula Gamaariya

On the invitation of the Minister of Hindu Cultural Affairs, Sivasri Mohan Sivachariya, Joint President of the Inter-Religious Organization for National Peace took over as the Chief Priest of the kovil and is assisted by several Sivachariyas, while Sivasamy Ganeshan has been appointed as manager, by the Board of Hindu Cultural Affairs and Bandu Bandaranayake.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Panadura, Sumith Edirisinghe donated the valuable statue of God Ganesh which adorns the right hand side of the entrance to the kovil and Chandra Silva, a businessman of Panadura, donated the entire requirement of the floor tiles for the kovil.

A crowd of about 5000 devotees flocked to the kovil throughout the first day of the Kumbhabishekam festivity at which Dharmaratne Herath, Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Anura Titus, Secretary to Minister Vinayagamoorthy were the Chief Guests. Sivasri Mohan Sivachariya stated that the devotees were provided with dana and that there was no shortage of food whatsoever, as the Sinhala Buddhists of the Panadura area co-operated unstinctedly by way of food-provisions, cash contributions and undertaking of the daily poojas.

In respect of the Kodharishanam pooja which was held on the July 12, the Chief Incumbent of the Galgoda Buddhist temple donated an ox while Chief Incumbents of the surrounding temples too have supported the festivities, which will end with the statue of God Sri Kandasamy being taken around the kovil. A Vel festival has been planned for next year.

TenThings GOD Won't Ask

TenThings GOD Won't Ask

Shiva @ Kemp Fort Temple Bangalore

Ten things God won't ask:
1 ...God won't ask what kind of car you drove; He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.

2...God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home

3...God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4...God won't ask what your highest salary was, He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5...God won't ask what your job title was, He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

6...God won't ask how many friends you had, He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

7... God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8...God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.

9... God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation, He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

10...God won't ask how many people you forwarded this to, Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

To View Enlarged picture click on the Shiva Photo

Mattu Pongal

Swamy & Thayar

Andal @ Srivalliputtur

The greatness of Margazhi month
The Yugam, in which presently we are living, is called as “Kali Yugam”. Other than this Kali Yugam, there are 3 Yugams that we have crossed and they are Kretha, Thretha and Dwapara Yugam. In all these 3 yugams, Sriman Narayanan has taken lots of Avatharams (incarnations) to protect the Dharmam against Adharmam (evil) and protect the life of his bhaktas.
The holy star Mrigaseersha combined with the Pournami thithi is the birth of the great Margazhi month. This year the popular and auspicious Margazhi month has begin on Tuesday the 16th December at 5.37PM among the 12 Tamil months, Margazhi brings the spring season.
The month of Margazhi which is supposed to be sacred from all aspects. Thus it's rendered to the GODhimself in aim of attaining prosperity and blessings, hoping GODshowers with all good luck. The very objective this month is to get together and offer the prayers, he will surely listens to it.
How to go about it?
Generally Brahma Muhurtham is considered to be good time perform pooja. Early morning on all 30 days Margazhi between 4.00 am to 6.00 am is beneficial for human being while the whole Margazhi the Brahma Muhurtham for DEVAS.
It is celebrated not only on Sri Vaishnavas and Saivas of Hindu religion but also Christians celebrate Margazhi. In this month, there are many programmes for SriVaishnavas in particular. On all the thirty days of this month, Tirupavai Pasurams will be rendered in the early morning in all temples and houses. Adhyayana Utsavam for 21 days (10+10+1) will also be held during this month by rendering holy scriptures (Four thousand Divya Prabhandam Pasurams) at 108 Divya Desam including Sri Rangam and many other Vaishnava Sthalams. The famous Vaikunda Ekadasi also will be celebrated in the early hours of the Tenth day of Adhyayana Utsavam the people will join with Lord in proceeding Symbolically to Swargham and on this Swargavasal will be opened in all temples. Lakhs of people gather on 3rd January 2004, the Vaikunta Ekadesi day in Sri Rangam, Tirupathi, Thiruvallikeni. Kanchi, Srivilliputhur, Brindavan and in many other temples. Saivites will celebrate Arudhara Dharshan. In Srivilliputhur, there will be "Piriya Vidai and Sri Andal Neerattu Utsavam" and followed by Sri Andal Thirukkalyanam on Bhogi Day".
The Proverb in Tamil says that "Thai Piranthal Vazhi Pirakkum". On completion of Margazhi and commencement of Thai, there would be better future and there is a way for happiness and good omens.
On Bhogi day, people not only cleans the houses, burn the old things but also purifies from bad things or situation by rendering prayers. Children also celebrate this month perhaps they enjoy holidays as Half yearly exams also conclude in this month only.
Elders and music lovers also visit to the Sabhas in the evening to listen music, attend dance programmes and other cultural activities throughout Margazhi. This month is familiarly known as Margazhi Maha Festival. All musicians, Vocalists and doyens of singers will gather together at Thiruvayaru and render Keerthanas of Sri Thiyagarajar. Doordarshan in All India Radio in is relaying this live. Thus, the New Year starts with the year ending in a Divine Manner.
In Tirumalai, only the sattrumarai pasurams used to be recited during the JEER SATTRUMARAI on all days and whereas at the time of commencement of Margasirsha, Margazhi month, entire Tiruppalli Ezhucchi and Tiruppavai will be rendered by Sri JEER Swami and all Sri Vaishnavites gather at Sri Varahar Sannadhi and Srivari Moolavar Sannadhi.
In Delhi, Sri Ramanuja Kainkarya Sabha also completes 17th Aavarti of reciting Divya Prabhandhams during this very Margazhi month in the weekly Sevakalam in all the houses of Sri Vaishnava Grahasthas on rotation from 1989.
Sriman U.Ve Sitarama Iyengar (GTS Iyengar) Swami also conducts 30 days Dhanurmasa Aradhana Vrathothsavam with unique style of Thiruvaradhanam and Homam in this Maragazhi month as in the past 14 years.
Courtesy-Compiled by :
Kandoor Thirunarayanapuram Thiruvengada Srinivasa Iyengar

Shri Sadguru Sai Baba's Assurance to his devotees
No harm shall befall him, who steps on the soil of Shirdi.
He who cometh to my Samadhi, his sorrow and suffering shall cease.
Though I be no more in flesh and blood, I shall ever protect my devotees
Trust in me and your prayer shall be answered.
Know that my spirit is immortal, know this for yourself.
Show unto me he who has sought refuge and has been turned away.
In whatever faith men worship me, even so do I render to them.
Not in vain is my promise that I shall ever lighten your burden.
Knock, and the door shall open, ask and it shall be granted.
To him who surrenders unto me totally I shall be ever indebted.
Blessed is he who has become one with me.

There was a rich gentleman who was very prosperous in his life. He had amassed a large quantity of wealth, houses and lands and had many servants and dependents.
When Baba’s fame reached his ears he said to a friend of his that he was not inwant of anything, and so he would go to Shirdi and ask Baba to give him Brahma Gyan, which if he got, would certainly make him more happy. His friend dissuaded him, saying, ‘ It is not easy to know Brahman and especially for a avarice like you, who is always engrossed in wealth , wife and children. Who will in your quest of Brahma
Gyan will satisfy you, who does not give away even a paisa in charity
Not minding His friend’s advice, the fellow came to Shirdi, and after seeing Sai Baba fell at His lotus feet and said, “ Baba , hearing that , You show the Brahma to all who come to you, I too have come all the way from a distant place. I am much fatigued by the journey and if I get the Brahma- Gyan from you, my troubles will be Baba then replied,’’ Oh my dear friend do not be anxious, I shall show you the Brahma. Many people come to Me and ask for wealth, health, power, honor, position, cure of diseases and other temporal matters. Rare is the person who comes to me and asks for the Brahma Gyan. There is no dearth of persons asking for worldly things but persons interested in spiritual matters are very rare.I think it is a fortunate and an auspicious moment when persons like you come and ask me for Brahma Gyan. So forthwith I show to you the Brahma with all its accompaniments and complexities.”
paid and rewarded. Then Baba called a boy and told him to go to one Nandu Marawadi and get from him a loan of Rs.five.
The boy left and returned immediately saying that Nandu was absent and his house was locked. Then Baba asked him to go to the Bala grocer and get from him the said loan. This time also the boy was unsuccessful. This experiment was repeated again and again with the same result. Sai baba as we all know the living and moving Brahma incarnate. Then someone may ask, “ Why did He want the paltry sum of five rupees and why did He try hard to get it? Really He did not want the sum at all. He must have fully known that Nandu and Bala were absent, and He seemed to have adopted this procedure as a test for the seeker of Brahma. The gentleman had a roll or bundle of currency notes in his pocket and if he was really earnest he would not have sat quiet and be an onlooker when Baba was frantically trying to get a paltry sum of Rs. five. He knew that Baba would keep His word and repay the debt and the sum wanted was insignificant. Still he could not make up his mind to advance the sum. Such a man wanted from Baba the greatest thing in the world , the Brahma Gyan!
When the gentleman asked Baba to show Brahma gyan soon Baba replied,” Oh my dear friend did you not understand all the procedures that I went through, sitting in this place to enable you to see Brahma..” Baba told him that the first important thing to do to know the Brahma Gyan is to have the quality of Surrender. Baba further gave a long discourse to make the rich gentleman understand the qualification of a mumukshu or the seeker of Brahma Gyan.Moral -Unless one gets detached to his mortal possessions and thoroughly surrenders, one is not qualified to receive BrahmaGyan, The Knowledge of the Supreme. One should understand importance of humility, sacrifice and infinite love and cultivate these qualities by meditation to get the vision of the supreme.

Prime Godhead

By SrI N.Veezh Nathan

Courtesy The Hindu
The Lord’s cosmic form is as awe inspiring and awesome as it is unique in many respects. This is evident from Arjuna’s reaction to the direct perception of the unprecedented scale and magnitude of this form. When Arjuna saw the wonderful vision, spanning as it were the entire range of the universe and with no beginning, middle or end, he was overwhelmed to perceive the Lord as the abode of the beautiful and the terrible, the evil and the good as well, said The truth that the Lord alone is the only Knowledge worth knowing becomes clear to Arjuna. He is far beyond all and hence known as Akshara. The Yogis, the Vedas, and scriptures reflect either an individual or a collective search of this Supreme Brahman.
Arjuna realises that this manifestation is the final refuge and resort of all. He sees the Asuras entering the mouth of the all encompassing vision. Some of those whom he sees extol Him while some are scared of the sight. The fear evoking form revealed the great invincible warriors, Bhishma, Drona, Karna and many others along with all the sons of Dhritarashtra heading to the Lord’s enormous mouth.
The analogies used in this context — of rivers racing towards the ocean or moths rushing swiftly into a blazing fire to perish there — indicate the compulsive force that drives each one to face the consequences of one’s actions. Seeing this ferocious form, Arjuna bows in obeisance to the Lord and wishes to seek deeper knowledge of Him. Arjuna wanted to know who this form belonged to, who seemed to him to be the Primordial Being.
Lord Krishna describes Himself as Time (Kala). Time is the prime cause of the universe, for the Lord is constantly creating, protecting and destroying. Time is the eternal flow moving without any break. The Lord is outside the concept of time as we human beings perceive time. That is why He is able to control the events knowing the past, present and future. He tells Arjuna that what is now happening is the result of actions done in the past.
Though the Lord’s supremacy makes Him unconquerable, He can can be won over by Bhakti.

There are a couple of incarnations comprising the name of Ganapati in rigveda.The more oft recited of them in the worship of Ganapati is as follows

Gananantva Ganaptigum havamahe kavim kaveenamupamsara vastamam Jeyshta Rajam Brahm a nam Brahmanaspatye aanassruvannuthibhisseeda sadanam

गानान्त्व गणपतिगुम हवामहे कविम कवीनामुपसरा वस्तानाम,जेय्श्ता राजम ब्रह्माणं ब्रह्मस्पत्येआनास्स्रुंनुथिभिसीदा सदनं

The meaning of the above mantra is as follows, "O,Brhamanaspati lord of great actions,one among the divine legions and a commander of your caharts the most distinguished of all visionary poets, a possessor of limitless food stuffs,supreme among eminent, presiding deity of the mantra! I invoke your blessings for this endevour, listening to our prayers come and be seated in this abode of sacrifice with your benign grace.

Durga Devi @ Pateeswaram

Temple Entrance

The Pateeswaram temple at Kumbakonam is a beautiful temple built by the chola kings.
Mother Sakathi did perform askesis standing on one foot on this holy spot. Celestial cow Kamadhenu had four daughters , of them Patti came and propitiated this place .Lord sri Rama to expiate for his killing Ravana came here , did establish Sivalinga and performed a puja. The sins of Chaya hatti and Brahmahatti left him forthwith.So this place is tantamount to Rameswaramin this respect. It was here sage Viswamithra got enlightened on Gaytri Mahamantra and was accredited as Brhama Rishi. One Dharma Sharma accursed to appear like a dog by sage metavi . The loathsome curse vanished on Sharma’s worshipping the lord of this place.
It was a hot mid afternoon the Saiveter Dravida sisu Thirugnansambndhar came here, to offer shade, GOD sent a pearly canopy and longed to see the child of Gnosis walking towars him , God ordered the Nandi dev to stand aside, thus for the sake of Thirugnansambndhar’s sake the Nandi moved aside, thus we see the Nandi not in the same line with Siva as is the case in other Siva Temples.

In this Kali Yuga, where there is evil, crime, problems and corruption everywhere, Durga Devi alone can save the people from the evil and guide them towards the right path. She is the destroyer of all the evils and brings peace and harmony in the hearts of her devotees. She gives victory to those who pray to her in all their good-deeds. During the Mahabharatha war, Lord Krishna advised Arjuna to pray to Durga Devi to become victorious. Also to successfully complete the Agnatha Vasa, Darma the eldest of the Pandavas sought the mercy of Durga Devi. In Ramayana, Lord Rama worshipped Durga before slaying down Ravana. Durga means Victory. Patteeswaram is situated around 7 kilometers from Kumbakonam, in Tanjore district in TamilNadu. Just as the Pandyas worshipped Goddess Meenakshi, the Cholas worshipped Goddess AshtaBhuja Durga whose temple is situated here. The Durga Devi has eight arms and she holds a parrot in one of her eight arms. She is also called as Vishnu Durga and Durga Lakshmi. She has her feet over the Evil Mahishasura, and has three eyes. Her vahana is the Lion. Unlike her usual ugra or fierce form in other temples, Devi Durga resides here as Shantha Swaroopi. She has kept one of her feet in such a way that she would move immediately to protect her devotee who is in need of her help. Her eight hands hold along with the abhaya hastha, conch, chakra, bow, arrow, sword, kedaya and parrot. Whoever worships Devi Durga will be relieved from their sorrows by Her grace. She protects her devotees just as a mother takes care of her child.

The birthday of Sri Satya Sai Baba will be celebrated on 23/11/2008, we thought it appropriate to remember some of his Quotes, one of the quote is lovely and insperational," THE HAND THAT SERVES IS HOLIER THAN THE LIPS THAT PRAY."
108 Quotes of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
The greatest fear man can have is the fear of losing GOD's Love.
Too much food results in dullness of mind.
A language is as sweet as the tongues of the speakers.
Every experience that is drawn through any of the senses has an effect on one's health.
Love all beings; that is enough.
Discipline is the mark of intelligent living
When calamity approaches, discrimination departs.
A man's well-being depends upon his degree of contentment.
God is all Names and all forms.
Follow the Master, face the devil, fight to the end, finish the game.
Real happiness lies within you.
All things in creation are subject to the law of change, and man, too, is subject to this law.
Renunciation is the power of battling against evil forces and holding the mind in check.
The teachers of tomorrow are the students of today.
God is not to be spoken of as coming down or going up, since HE is everywhere.
Learn to speak what you feel, and act what you speak.
What is the unmistakable mark of a wise man? It is Love, Love for all humanity.
Each man carries his destiny in his own hands.
Whenever and wherever you put yourself in touch with GOD, that is the state of meditation.
Small minds select narrow roads; expand your mental vision and take to the broad road of helpfulness, compassion and service.
Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker.
Service springs out of LOVE and it scatters LOVE in profusion.
Ignorance is the most important cause of sorrow.
Once we surrender our mind to GOD completely, HE will take care of us in every way.
Have constructive thoughts, consoling words, compassionate acts.
Where there is FAITH, there is LOVE; Where there is LOVE; there is PEACE; Where there is PEACE; there is GOD; Where there is GOD; there is BLISS.
The end of knowledge is LOVE. The end of education is character.
LOVE is the scarcest article today.
Mine, not thine; this sense of greed is the root of all evil. This distinction is applied even to GOD! -- my GOD, not yours! Your GOD, not mine!
All spiritual practice must be directed to the removal of the husk and the revelation of the kernel.
The mind fixed in the awareness of the ONE is line a rock; unaffected by doubt, stable, secure.
LOVE lives by giving and forgiving. Self lives by getting and forgetting.
GOD is the doer; you are but the instrument.
The heart of man, which is now allowed to lie fallow, has to be ploughed by spiritual exercises like repetition of GOD's name.
GOD is neither distant, nor distinct from you.
What is meant by the phrase "to know GOD"? It means "to love GOD".
When there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there will be PEACE in the world.
The beauty of life depends upon our good habits.
Good company is important, it helps to cultivate good qualities.
You cannot see ME, but I am the light you see by. You cannot hear ME, but I am the sound you hear by. You cannot know ME, but I am the truth by which you live.
Be ever watchful to see that you strive to take in more and more of GOD into you.
If you honour your mother, the Mother of the Universe will guard you against harm.
The same current activates all.
GOD gave you the time, space, cause, material, idea, skill, chance and fortune. Why should you feel as if you are the doer?
Make the home a seal of harmony.
Have no desires to place before GOD, whatever HE does with you, however HE treats you, is the gift that HE likes best to give you!
Unity is divinity; purity is enlightenment.
Always respect another's opinion and another's point of view.
Food should not be too salty, too hot, too bitter, too sweet, too sour.
Reason can prevail only when arguments are advanced without the whipping up of sound.
Take failure and victory cooly.
There should not be any trace of dislike or distrust on the score of nationality, language, caste, economic status, scholarship, age or sex.
Your thoughts, words, and deeds will shape others and theirs will shape you.
GOD is ONE without a second.
The service of man is the only means by which you can serve GOD.
By eating flesh one develops violent tendencies and animal diseases.
The PEACE that pervades the heart can never be shaken for any reason; only PEACE of this kind is worthy of the name.
As close as you are to GOD, so close is GOD to you.
Immortality is the fruit of sacrifice.
The grace of GOD is like insurance. It will help you in your time of need without any limit.
When you feel you cannot do good, at least desist from doing evil.
LOVE seeks no reward; LOVE is its own reward.
The joy that we cause in the heart of GOD is the only worthwhile achievement.
Do not get attached to worldly things and pursuits. Be in the world, but do not let the world be in you.
Truth has no fear; Untruth shivers at every shadow.
Be simple and sincere.
The mind sees separateness, LOVE sees unity.
God is the life-breath of every soul.
The only ache people have nowadays is ache in the stomach due to over eating and lack of exercise!
Being a good example is the best form of service.
Friendship is the expression of unshakable LOVE, LOVE that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism.
Money comes and goes; morality comes and grows.
GOD first; the world next; myself last.
Try to conduct yourself in such a way as not to injure others.
Do not use poisonous words against anyone, for words wound more fatally than even arrows.
Patience is all the strength that man needs.
With effort and prayer destiny can be attained. Start the effort.
You must welcome tests because it gives you confidence and it ensures promotion.
What is offered to GOD is totally free from all defects and imperfections.
Spiritual progress is right living, good conduct, moral behavior.
A nation that has no bridle on its sensuality, can never thrive our survive.
I am you; you are ME. You are the waves; I am the ocean. Know this and be free, be divine.
Teachers must be examples of LOVE and TRUTH.
Each country is but a room in the mansion of GOD.
We should realize that man has not only a mind which conceives thoughts, but also a heart which can put them into practice.
LOVE must express itself as SERVICE.
The wise are those who know the Self.
Whatever the trouble, however great the sorrow, persist and win by recollecting the LORD.
Man will realize his mission on earth when he knows himself as divine and reveres others as divine.
Devotion is not a uniform to be worn on certain days and then to be put aside.
When the road ends, and the goal is gained, the pilgrim finds that he has traveled only from himself to himself.
So long as you say "I am". there is bound to be fear, but once you say and feel "I am GOD", you get unconquerable strength.
Duty without LOVE is deplorable, duty with LOVE is desirable, LOVE without duty is divine.
When you kill an animal, you give him suffering, pain, harm. GOD is in every creature, so how can you give such pain?
When the magnet does not attract the needle, the fault lies in the dirt that covers up the needle.
When the people become good, the world will become good.
Practice the vocabulary of love - unlearn the language of hate and contempt.
God is in you, around you, behind you, above you, beside you.
Of all the righteous acts, help rendered to those needing it, is the most righteous.
Surrendering the fruit of action to the Lord is real sacrifice.
My birthday is the date when divinity blossoms in your heart.
God is neither distant nor distinct from you.
What is offered to God is totally free from all defects and imperfections.
The joy that we cause in the heart of God is the only worthwhile achievement.
The acid test by which an activity can be confirmed as holy or sacred is to examine whether it promotes attachment or avoids bondage.
Education should build character.
Its is Truth and Truth alone, that is one's real friend, relative.
Faith is like our life breath. It is impossible to live even for a minute in this world without faith.

Kamadhenu
Sikkal Temple Gopuram
In Hindu mythology, Kamadhenu (Sanskrit: कामधेनु, pronounced [kaməðenu]) was a divine cow who was believed to be the mother of all cows. Like her daughter Nandini, she could grant any wish for the true seeker. Kamadhenu provided Vasishta with his needs for the sacrifices. Kamadhenu (kama-dhenu, 'wish-cow'), was a miraculous cow of plenty who could give her owner whatever he desired.
Sikkal Singara Velan Temple is one of the most popular Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Muruga and a contender for a the unofficial seventh Padaiveedu of Muruga, along with the popular Arupadaiveedu (six bodes of Lord Muruga). It is located in the village of Sikkal, near Nagapattinam in Tamilnadu. It is believed in Hindu mythology that this place was once a jasmine forest and due to it pleasant smell, the semi-human goddess in Hindu mythology, Kamadenu lives here. It is one of the rare traditional Hindu temples that has both Shiva (Navaneeteswarar) and Vishnu (Venaipperuman) deities in the same complex.[1]
The most important festival is associated with Lord Muruga getting the weapon Vel from his divine mother, Parvathi to destroy the demon king, Soorapadman. During this time, it is believed by the devotees that the idol sweats and a major event is conducted. After receiving the weapon and the blessings from his divine mother, he proceeds to kill the demon in Sri Lanka, while setting up the base camp in Thiruchendur.

Courtesy The Hindu

Spiritual life cannot be divorced from daily life as only a few can renounce the world to totally dedicate themselves to the goal of liberation. But human birth is a rare opportunity which should not be frittered away in materialistic pursuits and hence saints have given guidelines for the benefit of householders who wish to orient their lives to the spiritual goal and pursue it with determination.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a saint who was especially concerned about the spiritual progress of his devotees who were householders. He advised them to take to chanting the Divine name and singing His glory and relate to the Lord as the Father of creation. Such an outlook forges a relationship with God without distancing oneself from Him. In course of time this will elevate the mind without succumbing to worldly distractions and sorrows. He also emphasised the importance of seeking solitude now and then so that the mind is not always disturbed by worldly thoughts. The other practices he recommended are contemplation on God within, which is essential to develop introversion of mind, and seeking the company of the devout people and saints, which is a sure way to insulate the mind from worldly disruptions.
When a devotee expressed his doubt whether it would be possible to follow these practices in family life, he replied that it was feasible because once a person started enjoying subtler joys his mind would not run after sensory pleasures. This is akin to one whose taste for food has become so refined that he will not settle for anything but the best. With regular practice the conviction that there cannot be true happiness without spiritual life will get strengthened. He also outlined how one should conduct oneself in family life: discharge all duties but keep the mind attuned to God; serve parents and take care of children always remembering that they are all not yours as all worldly relationships are only because of the body, and one’s relationship with God alone is eternal. All relationships are meaningful only at the level of the Self (Atman), and if this is kept in mind then it will be possible to overcome attachment to one’s kith and kin.

Recieved a mail from a friend who had the fortune to attend the share holders meeting at Omaha, thought fit to share the thoughts of a great gentleman who is wonderful and spiritual in his thoughts and actions.

I had the good fortune to attend the 2008- Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders meeting at Omaha , Nebraska a few weeks back.

It was a wonderful experience listening to and learning from the Master Investor- Warren Buffett himself and all I can say is that he stands alone as the reigning deity of financial world's Mt Olympus!

The degree of humility and composure he exhibited, although he is the richest and most well respected human is stunning!

I tried to take some notes and would like to share with you some of the best questions and answers which came across during the conversation between we mortals and God.

Having read about him, observed him and worshipped him for a few years now, I think it is reasonable to believe that this guy is exactly what he seems: a plain-speaking, tee totaling man of uncrackable integrity who works really, really hard and sticks to his investing and management principles through boom and bust which makes him a freak of nature since he is above normal human tendencies. He is like a comet streaking through the heavens every 75 years or so.

The questions the shareholders threw at him for 7 continuous hours ranged from finances, life, religion, career, politics, sports and several other streams. And he answered everything with a Zen like calm and confidence.

Even if you are least bothered about investments and finances, I insist, Pl read on.

What does it take to become a successful investor? Brilliance or Smartness?

Neither, Success in investing doesn't correlate with I.Q. Once you have ordinary intelligence, what you need is the temperament to control the urges that gets other people into trouble in investing.

When do you deicide to invest in a firm?

The best thing that happens to us is when a great company gets into temporary trouble. We want to buy them when they're on the operating table. (Mr. Buffett bought Coke when it had its biggest fiasco after launching New Coke; he bought American Express when it went through a loss making phase in the early 60's)

What do you look for in people when they come to sell their firms to you?

I don't look for the usual credentials such as an MBA, a pedigree (Harvard, Wharton), or cash reserves or market cap of their firm. What I look for is just a passion in their eyes; I think that's the key. A person who is hungry will always do well. I prefer it when people even after selling stay on and work for the firm; they are people who can't wait to get off their bed to get to work. Passion is everything; there is no replacement for innate interest.

Mr. Buffett, you told us that Berkshire Hathaway has $ 45 Billion in cash. Why aren't you investing?

Up until a few years back I had more ideas than money. Now I have more money than ideas.

When do you plan to retire?

I love my job; I love it so much that I tap dance to work. Mrs. B, the founder of Nebraska Furniture Mark worked until she was 104, she died within 6 months of her retirement, that's a lesson to all my managers, don't retire! I personally am going to work 6-7 years after I die, probably that's what they mean when they say- "Thinking out of the Box"!!

Why do stock market crashes happen?

Because of human nature for greed and insecurity. The 1970s were unbelievable. The world wasn't going to end, but businesses were being given away. Human nature has not changed. People will always behave in a manic-depressive way over time. They will offer great values to you."

What are the things that are taught wrong in Business school and the corporate world?

I like such open ended questions, I think Business schools should refrain from teaching their wards about profit making and profit making alone, it gives a sense of 1 dimensional outlook to the young students that loss is a curse. In reality, in the corporate world, failure and loss making are inevitable. The capital market without loss is like Christianity without hell. I think they should teach the student on how to buy a business, how to value a business? Not just on how to determine the price of a business. Because price is what you pay, value is what you get.

Do you still hate Technology stocks?

With Coke I can come up with a very rational figure for the cash it will generate in the future. But with the top 10 Internet companies, how much cash will they produce over the next 25 years? If you say you don't know, then you don't know what it is worth and you are speculating, not investing. All I know is that I don't know, and if I don't know, I don't invest."

How to think about Investing?

The first investment primer was written by Aesop in 600 B.C. He said, 'A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.' Aesop forgot to say when you get the two in the bush and what interest rates are; investing is simply figuring out your cash outlay (the bird in the hand) and comparing it to how many birds are in the bush and when you get them."

How do you feel after donating $ 40 Billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation? You are a hero to us!

I feel nothing. I haven't sacrificed anything in life. I have had a good life. I donated after I turned 75. I think I admire those people who sacrifice their time, share their food and home, as the people to be emulated not me. Besides, what is money before a man's life?

What do you think are the pitfalls in donation?

I have never donated a dime to churches or other such organizations; I need to believe in something before I end up doing that. I have been observing the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation for years now and I am confident they will do a fantastic job of making use of the money. I am a big believer in Outsourcing, others believed in me as an Investor and gave their hard earned money to invest. I believe in Bill Gates, he is a better donor than me.

Why do you work from Omaha and not

Wall Street , New York

?

Wall Street is the only place where people alight from Rolls Royce to get advised by people who use the Public transportation system.

You seem to be so well read, tell us how it all started.

My father was a stock broker, so we had all these financial books in our library. He introduced me to those classics and I got into them. I am lucky that my father was not a fan of Playboy! Reading is the best habit you can get. Well, you can learn from teachers too, and have mentors but there are so many constraints attached- they will talk fast, talk slow, they might talk like a pro or they might be terrible communicators. Books are a different animal altogether, I love reading! The beauty about reading and learning is that the more you learn the more you want to learn.

People who join Berkshire Hathaway seldom leave. How do you get along well with all your executives?

I try to get quality people. I always say - Hire someone in your organization who is better than you are. If you do that, you build a company of giants. If you get people worse than yourself, you build a company of dwarfs. And do not try to do everything yourself. Delegate the jobs and look out of the window. The results will come. That's how you build institutions. It happens only when you empower others, believe in others. Iam an investor, Iam very secured at that, I have no clue how to make Coca-Cola or how to dole out credit cards (Mr. Buffett owns 8% of Coca-Cola and 13 % of American Express). I understand the wisdom of the aphorism that you cannot please all the people all the time. Of Course, you will always find qualities that you don't like in people around you, but if you observe carefully the love of the work unites you both. There is no point in being obsessive about a bad quality in a person, whom you otherwise respect.

I am a small time businessman from Dallas , Texas , what do I need to do to hit big time?

Be patient, Achieving your financial goals and dreams will not happen overnight. As much as we would all really love to accomplish our goals in a few years, this is an ongoing process. Defining your financial goals is not a one-time task; you need to keep adding new plans at different stages in your life. We all admire the skills of Olympic ice skaters, pro golfers, and concert pianists. But do we remember that they didn't acquire their skills overnight? They had to practice hours on end for years to achieve their dreams. The key to success is to continue learning throughout your life with a voracious appetite.

I think it is marvelous that you have had a golden run with investing, how did you do that?

My rule is to be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. Besides, I call investing the greatest job in the world because you never have to swing. You stand at the plate; the pitcher throws you General Motors at 47! U.S. Steel at 39! And nobody calls a strike on you. There's no penalty except opportunity lost. All day you wait for the pitch you like; then when the fielders are asleep, you step up and hit it. Stay dispassionate and be patient. You're dealing with a lot of silly people in the marketplace; it's like a great big casino and everyone else is boozing. If you can stick with drinking Coke, you should be OK. First the crowd is boozy on optimism and buying every new issue in sight. The next moment it is boozy on pessimism, buying gold bars and predicting another Great Depression, most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can't buy what is popular and do well.

Mr. Buffett you have seen so many crashes and recessions, your take on facing recessions and stock market crashes?

If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians. Every scenario is different. But always remember, Tough times do not last. Tough people do.

What is the 1 biggest advice you would impart to a young investor like me?

Think for a moment that you are given a car and told this is the only car you would get for the rest of your life. Then you would make sure that you car is taken care of well, it is oiled and detailed every now and then. You would make sure that it never gets rusted, and you would garage it. Think of yourself as that car. You just get 1 body, 1 mind and 1 soul. Take care of it well. Invest in yourself that would be my advice.

You personally know many of the Financial executives who are engineers of the current turmoil in the financial world, surprisingly even after record losses, those executives receive astronomical salaries and bonuses and arrogantly declare that they deserve it, why dint you advice them from making such decisions and what's your view on their justification for their pay?

I like sharing my ideas but don't like imposing my ideas on anybody. It doesn't make sense and is a waste of time. If somebody has decided that they know everything that is there to know, nobody can help them. The best way to learn and succeed is to know that we know nothing. There is an entire universe out there and still some of us think we can know everything. In the world of investing a few people after making some money tend to imagine they are invincible and great. This is the worst thing that could happen to any investor, because it surely means that the investor will end up taking unnecessary risks and end up losing everything – arrogance, ego and overconfidence are very lethal. Personally I don't feel too comfortable with too much extravagance, because I always think like an investor. My thought process doesn't see a lot of value in a fancy car or a designer suit. Thinking like an investor always is very important to bring in a sense of discipline and focus. Before reading balance sheets and investing you need to make sure your outlook and mindset is that of an investor. Never let ego, arrogance and over-confidence control you - not just as an investor but also as a human being. You will never have internal peace if you are unable to look at everybody around you with love, compassion and understanding. Irrespective of who the person is, he or she can teach you something you don't know. I have learnt so much from people all around me and I wouldn't have been able to learn all these wonderful things if I had not spoken to them with a smile. To quote Sir Isaac Newton- If I have seen farther than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.

It was a 7 hour conversation and I could just capture some of the best questions and answers. As 37,000+ dazed, amazed and grateful shareholders trooped out of the stadium after the meeting, I found myself recalling one of my favorite quotes-

"A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that he cannot coerce the wills of others, but that he can mold and master his own will: and things serve him who serves truth; people seek guidance of him who is master of himself".

Spirituality and Sports.

Courtesy

By Sri Rajaputhran in Sulekha Blog

 

Strange bedfellows! I mean Sports and Spirituality. One is as different from chalk as cheese. But both need all the concentration that a human mind can give to achieve the set goal, one in the temporal world and the other in the spiritual. Today was one such day for me. Slightly indisposed because of the inclement weather, I overslept, and did not open my computer early in the morning, as was my wont. Around sevenish, the paperboy threw the Hindu, in our front verandah, and that was just in time. I had already prepared my morning coffee, and the Hindu tasted better when read with morning coffee.

I scanned the pages listlessly, nothing much happening. Everything was predictable. The politicians were playing their small little games to satisfy their super egos, and Thol Thirumavalavan's followers were literally cleaning the excreta infested railway lines of Chennai by lying over them and using their dress material as rags, so that Lallu's trains could speed on the railway tracks without slipping on the slippery human excreta. The Hindu was cheeky enough to publish a photograph of the followers of VCK, both men and women wallowing in the filth.

I had almost given up. My coffee was getting cold, and nothing newsworthy had happened in the last twenty four hours. I think, the Powers that Be had heard my anguish, and on the penultimate page was this gem: "Tendulkar, a bad sport: Gilchrist". Adam Gilchrist, the Australian cricketer, was frothing at his mouth, unable to digest Tendulkar's latest record, the Little Master had created for himself, for his family and for the country. The long and short of Adam Gilchrist tirade is, he is questioning the honesty of Sachin Tendulkar, for what happened in the spiteful Sydney Test, the despicable and highly unwarranted "Monkeygate" affair involving Harbhajan Singh.

courtesy Winston Bynorth.

But to all Indians, here we have a dimunitive little Master, the like of which the world has never seen, scaling the summit, becoming master of the cricketing universe. He had bettered Brian Lara's Test aggregate of 11,953 runs, by clocking 12,027 runs at Mohali on October 17th, this year. I am not surprised. Sir Donald Bradman, had said Tendulkar’s batting style was the closest to that of Bradman himself, and Shane Warne, has placed Tendulkar top on the list of his contemporary cricketers. And Sachin Tendulkar's reaction? "I thank the Almighty for everything that he's given me,"

I am unable to fathom what is gnawing Adam Gilchrist's stomach. Hate, jealousy, unable to bear the success of another in the same sport where he also plays a part.

All these thoughts were ruminating in my mind, when I chanced upon another gem of Purest Ray Serene, and it needs a retelling.

"Swami Chinmayananda was conducting a Sadhana Camp for some of his devotees including Swami Dayananda, and myself, (the writer of this article). We had congregated in the small Kutir of Swami Tapovan, Swami Chinmayananda's Guru, on the banks of Ganges at Uttarakashi. No sooner we had gathered, Swami Chinmayananda instructed us to choose a convenient place for ourselves and meditate alone for one hour and come back for Sadhana meeting.

At that point of time, I was a very young bachelor, not even twenty three years of age. But I had a lot of interest in spirituality and along with my friends I use to go out for Satsangs.

I sat on a rock. It was quite comfortable. I started meditating. After some time a question arose in my mind. "Who am I"? What is the material difference between me and the rock that is surrounding me? I am as good or as bad as a rock. So saying, I placed a piece of rock on my head. I perceived that there was no difference between the rock on which I was sitting and the one that I was holding on my head, and the body of mine that was in between them. For the moment I had become one with the rock. I felt that I had no life separate from that of the rock. If at all the rock had a life?

Since we had to return within sixty minutes to the Kutir, I gathered my wits, and went post haste to the Kutir, to describe to Swamiji our one hour experience. When my turn came, I explained my experience and asked Swamiji: " How come for a moment I felt that both me and the rock are one and the same?" In what ways do I differ from the rock?"

Swamiji replied : " The rock cannot feel the sense of being; like you and I. You always have a feeling of being."

"But Swamiji, at that point of time I never had a feeling of being. I had become a rock, and there was no 'feeling of being' in me. Even now I feel that I am a rock?"

"No, it is not like that. there is always a feeling of being in a human. Without that a human cannot exist."

"Swamiji there is confusion in my mind. Could you please be kind enough and explain this concept further?"

Without answering me, Swamiji asked the Kutir Brahmacharins to switch off the lights and the entire Kutir was engulfed in darkness.

Suddenly the powerful baritone of Swami Chinmayananda pierced the darkness. He called me by my name and asked " Are you there?"

"Yes, Swamiji, I am here."

"Are you able to see yourself in this darkness?"

"No."

"But how come you assert that you are there?"

"I perceive that I am here. I feel the presence of my being."

"That is all".

In the subsequent Satsang classes Swamiji was elaborating on the qualities of a Sadhaka. However much the Sadhaka tries to acquire Jnana, it happens only at a particular "time factor". Many of us were absolutely unable to grasp the full import of this sentence. So, he was kind enough to explain this concept with a small story.

In a family the elder sister had got married and after the nuptials she was extremely happy which was visible in her actions and words. In fact, her body language had changed and was beaming a warm glow. Her eight year old sibling, who noticed this change in her sister, asked her Akka, to tell her the secret ot this new manifestation in her.

"My dear Kutti, if I explain to you those experiences you will not be able to understand at this tender age. When you grow big and get married you will be able to understand this happiness, that I am experiencing now. You will have to wait till then."

Likewise, one can realise the nature of Atman, only when one has attained Jnana, and that attainment of Jnana is on a time factor which varies from human being to human being.

Unfortunately, a young Brahmachari, who had walked in from another Satsang, could not contain his animosity towards Swami Chinmayananda, and shouted in public "Mr. Swami, your quoting of this story is vulgar."

" I have not made up this story on my own. It was quoted by another Mahan." And I have retold it only to the best of my ability."

"Who is that great Mahan?" was the next question.

Without losing his cool, Swami Chinmayananda answered : "Adi Sankara".

I don't care which Sankara had told this story. It is vulgar."

Smilingly Swami Chinmayananda said : "When you are not able to accept Adi Sankara, and his precepts, it is futile for me to argue with you, You may exit my satsang."

[as narrated by Pakkiyam Ramaswamy in Tamil, and translated into English by VP]

So, whether it is sports or spirituality, one should have equanimity to accept greatness in others, and not feel jealous of their achievements.

The three Statues inside the temple

Entrance To The Temple

Pagoda Like structure of the frontage

We visited the Golden Temple at Bylakuppe and the feelings which we experienced is written by a traveller to the temple intresting reading.

Bylakuppe is one of the several Tibetan settlements in India. The famous Sera monastery has been relocated here. This township also houses the Golden Temple, as it is locally called. I entered the gates of the temple complex and found myself staring at the main temple.
Main Entrance

I thought I would enter a small room, filled with smoke, reeking of butter, throbbing with the chants of the monks and perhaps a gong or two sound in the distance. But, no. The entrance to the main temple was comprised of two gigantic red doors with handles and carvings in gold (copper with gold plating), intricate murals based on Tantric Buddhism that adorned the walls.

I stepped in and was amazed. A profusion of color hit me. The few tourists around, did nothing to abate my feeling of having walked straight into a Bollywood movie set. Why, one of them was asking his companion to pose in myriad dance forms, despite a board stating — this is a temple and a religious place.Buddha, Guru Padmasambhava and Amitayush

As I settled myself on a blue circular pillow and looked around, I became a bit acclimatized to my surroundings. Three larger than life giant statues, once again gold plated, took centre stage; these were placed on a platform. Buddha around 60 feet tall held prominent place, flanked by Guru Padmasambhava and Amitayush (each around 58 feet tall). Also occupying the platform were two rich thrones, one of which had a framed photograph of the Dalai Lama and the other, the head of this monastery.

Richly painted murals were everywhere, on all walls and even the ceilings. Dragons twirled up the walls on two sides of the platform, beautiful gongs duly protected within padlocked chains stood in a corner. Incense burners were seen here and there and I also spotted a sole donation box. It was breathtaking. Moreover, after the din of the tourists died down, (presumably they had come together in a bus and had now thankfully gone ahead to another destination), a quiet peace descended.

Normally, I do not take photographs inside a religious place. This was different. A monk seeing me sitting in a corner asked me in perfect English whether I had any questions.

“The murals depicting various deities in wrathful forms or male and female figures in sexual contortions should not be seen at face value. These depictions are that of good conquering the evil,” he explained. Further, on seeing my camera, he mentioned that I was free to take photographs. “Do share them,” he added with a smile.

The monastery attached to this temple is considered to be one of the best places for higher learning. This monk had been to Boston, Nepal, Dharamshala (in North India, another Tibetan settlement) and was here for further studies. In addition to Buddhism, the monks are also taught science, mathematics and literature.

I guess, monks carrying mobile phones, wearing Reebok shoes, or even sipping Pepsi should not shock me. After all, as Thomas Friedman said, "The world is flat".

If you do wish to hear the chanting of prayers, even the acclaimed debates that take place between the monks, the best time to visit is late evening. I quite enjoyed my afternoon sojourn to this temple.
Click on the pictures to see enlarged images.

Thala Cauvery Kundam

Thala Cauvery Sacred Pond

Cauvery River @ Sri Rang patna

A sacred site for the Hindus, Bhagamandala is on the banks of the confluence of three rivers, Cauvery, Kannika and a mythical river Sujyothi, to form the 'Triveni Sangam'.

The Cauvery river

is considered sacred by devout Hindus and is often referred to as Dakshin Ganga or the ‘Ganges of the South’. The river is personified as the Goddess Kaveri Amman, who is worshipped at several shrines along the course of the river.

According to Hindu mythology, Vishnumaya or Lopamudra, daughter of Lord Brahma, was born on the earth as the child of the Kavera Muni. She got married to Sage Agasthaya. Later, she became the river Kaveri in order to serve man.

Cauvery is a sacred river of southern India, rising on Brahmagiri Hill in the Western Ghats in Coorg district of Karnataka state, flowing in a south-easterly direction for 475 mi (765 km) through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states, and descending the Eastern Ghats in a series of great falls. Before emptying into the Bay of Bengal south of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, it breaks into a large number of distributaries describing a wide delta called the "garden of southern India." Known to devout Hindus as Daksina Ganga (Ganges of the South), it is celebrated for its scenery and sanctity in Tamil literature, and its entire course is considered holy ground. The river is also important for its irrigation-canal projects.

Its uppermost course is tortuous with a rocky bed and high banks under luxuriant vegetation. After passing through a narrow gorge and tumbling 60-80 ft (18-24 m) in the rapids of Chunchankatte, the river widens to 900-1,200 ft across the Karnataka plateau. There, its flow is interrupted by a number of anicuts or weirs. At the Krishnaraja Sagara, the Cauvery is joined by two tributaries, the Hemavati and Lakshmantirtha, and dammed for irrigation, forming a 12-sq-mi (31-sq-km) reservoir.

In Karnataka, the river bifurcates twice, forming the sacred islands of Srirangapatnam and Sivasamudram, 50 mi apart. Around Sivasamudram are the scenic Sivasamudram Falls, comprising two series of rapids, Bhar Chukki and Gagana Chukki, plunging 320 ft and reaching a width of 1,000 ft in the rainy season. The falls supply hydroelectric power to Mysore, Bangalore, and the Kolar Gold Fields, more than 100 mi away.

Upon entering Tamil Nadu, the Cauvery continues through a series of twisted wild gorges until it reaches Hogenakal Falls and flows through a straight, narrow gorge near Salem. There, the Mettur Dam, 5,300 ft long and 176 ft high, impounds a lake (Stanley Reservoir) of 60 sq mi. The Mettur Project, completed in 1934, created an important agricultural and industrial area by improving irrigation and providing hydropower.

After sweeping past the historic rock of Tiruchchirappalli (Trichinopoly), the Cauvery breaks at Srirangam Island, a main pilgrimage centre. There in Thanjavur (Tanjore) district of Tamil Nadu state, its braided and extensively irrigated deltaic region of about 4,000 sq mi begins. The Grand Anicut was built in the 2nd century at the point where the river divides. A second anicut (1836-38) across the Coleroon, the northern and larger channel, saved the old system from silting and extended irrigation. The open roadsteads of Nagappattinam and Karikal are on the seaward side of the delta. The only navigation on any part of the Cauvery course is in basketwork boats. Its main tributaries are the Kabbani, Amaravati, Noyil, and Bhavani rivers.

The above places were visited by us during our visit to Coorg in Karnataka, beautiful serene place !

THE POWER OF GIVING

It was a really hot summer's day many years ago. I was on my way to
pick up two items at the grocery store. In those days, I was a
frequent visitor to the supermarket because there never seemed to be
enough money for a whole week's food-shopping at once.
You see, my young wife, after a tragic battle with cancer, had died
just a few months earlier. There was no insurance -- just many
expenses and a mountain of bills. I held a part-time job, which barely
generated enough money to feed my two young children.
Things were bad -- really bad.
And so it was that day, with a heavy heart and four dollars in my
pocket, I was on my way to the supermarket to purchase a gallon of
milk and a loaf of bread. The children were hungry and I had to get
them something to eat. As I came to a red traffic light, I noticed on
my right a young man, a young woman and a child on the grass next to
the road. The blistering noonday sun beat down on them without mercy.
The man held up a cardboard sign which read, "Will Work for Food." The
woman stood next to him. She just stared at the cars stopped at the
red light. The child, probably about two years old, sat on the grass
holding a one-armed doll. I noticed all this in the thirty seconds it
took for the traffic light to change to green.
I wanted so desperately to give them a few dollars, but if I did that,
there wouldn't be enough left to buy the milk and bread. Four dollars
will only go so far. As the light changed, I took one last glance at
the three of them and sped off feeling both guilty (for not helping
them) and sad (because I didn't have enough money to share with them).
As I kept driving, I couldn't get the picture of the three of them out
of my mind. The sad, haunting eyes of the young man and his family
stayed with me for about a mile. I could take it no longer. I felt
their pain and had to do something about it. I turned around and drove
back to where I had last seen them.
I pulled up close to them and handed the man two of my four dollars.
There were tears in his eyes as he thanked me. I smiled and drove on
to the supermarket. Perhaps both milk and bread would be on sale, I
thought. And what if I only got milk alone, or just the bread? Well,
it would have to do.
I pulled into the parking lot, still thinking about the whole
incident,=2 0yet feeling good about what I had done. As I stepped out
of the car, my foot slid on something on the pavement. There by my
feet was a twenty-dollar bill. I just couldn't believe it. I looked
all around, picked it up with awe, went into the store and purchased
not only bread and milk, but several other items I desperately needed.
I never forgot that incident. It reminded me that the universe was
strange and mysterious. It confirmed my belief that you could never
out give the universe. I gave away two dollars and got twenty in
return. On my way back from the supermarket, I drove by the hungry
family and shared five additional dollars with them.
This incident is only one of many that have 20occurred in my life. It
seems that the more we give, the more we get. It is, perhaps, one of
those universal laws that say, "If you want to receive, you must first
give."
There is a little rhyme that goes like this:
"A man there was, and they called him mad,

The more he gave, the more he had."
Most times, we think that we don't have anything to give. Yet, if we
look more closely, we 'll see that even the little we have could be
shared with others. Let us not wait for a time when we think we'll
have lots and then we'll give. By giving and sharing the little we
have, we open up the storehouse of the universe and permit rivers of
good to come our way.
Don't take my word for it. Just honestly try to give and you'll be
surprised at the results. Generally, the returns do not come back from
those we give to. It comes back from sources we could hardly imagine.
So give your way to riches.
Take a chance on this universal principle. Take a chance on yourself.
Universal principles always work.
Sometimes the return from giving happens very quickly as in the true
story above. Other times, it takes much longer. But be assured of
this: Give and you will receive -- and you'll receive lots more than
you ever gave.
And when you give, don't do it with a heart of fear, but with a heart
full of gratitude. You will be a mazed at how it all works out.
Open the gates of affluence in your life by giving a bit of what you
have to those in need. As the great Teacher said, .Give and it will be
given unto you..

Try it. You'll like it.

Meera Bai
Anger is quelled by compassion, enmity by friendship, hatred is conquered by love, and sins by good conduct. This is Sanatan Dharma, an eternal religion."

- Pujya Bhaishri

Valmiki

The Adikavi, the Poet of Poets, of India, who gave the world the immortal epic, the 'Ramayana'. By profession a highway robber, he came under the spell of Maharshi Narada and became a 'Brahmarshi' . He not only sang the matchless greatness of Sri Rama, but gave shelter to his wife Seetha Devi, and taught the epic to Sri Rama's sons Thousands of years ago there lived a hunter who lived by robbing and looting. He lived in a jungle with his wife and children and no traveller who passed through the jungle was safe. If need be he never hesitated to kill the innocent pilgrims to achieve his object. One day Devarshi Narada passed through the forest. As usual the hunter was on the look out for victims and as soon as he saw a sage approaching joyously singing and playing on his Veena, he thought he would have best of the chance to get rich. With a thud, he jumped down before the sage from the branch of a tree where he was hiding. Flashing his sword he threatened, "Give away all that you possess. Otherwise I will kill you." Narada was the son of Brahma Deva himself and he was never afraid of any one. He saw God in all and loved at all. He looked kindly into the eyes of the hunter and said, "Why do you want to kill me? I have never harmed you." The robber replied, "It is not because of anything you did that I want to kill you. I want your wealth to maintain my wife and children. If you obstruct me in getting them I will kill you." Narada was not perturbed by his threatening attitude. He said, "Very well my boy, you may do as you please. But please tell me one thing. You say that you are committing all this sin for the sake of your wife and children. They who are sharing the wealth earned by you, will they share the sins that you are earning too? The robber was non-pulsed. He never thought of the matter in this light before. He replied, "Of course, they will have to. Why else should I commit sins for their sake?" Narada moved his head in disagreement and said, "No, they will not. If you have any doubt, go and ask your wife and children." The robber was suspicious that Narada might be playing a trick on him to escape. He sternly said, "No, I won't leave you and go. You are just trying to hoodwink me and escape." Narada laughed at his suspicions and assured, "No, my son, I promise you that I won't escape. I will surely wait for you till you return. If ;you don't believe me, tie me up to one of these trees and go to your house." The robber tightly bound Narada to a nearby tree and hurried to his home. Ever since the sage asked him the strange question he was disturbed in his mind. Had he been ruining himself with sins to no purpose? He went home and called out his wife and all the children. He said, "My dears, you know how I had been earning wealth by robbing and killing, to maintain you all. You have been sharing all that I earned. Won't you be sharing the sins earned by me also?" The wife and children were horrified at the suggestion. They said, "We are your dependents and it is your duty to maintain us. We never asked you to commit sins for the purpose of the wealth. If you choose to commit sins, it is your own look out. How are we concerned with it? You alone will have to bear the result of your sins." Suddenly the eyes of the robber were opened. He realised that he was accumulating terrible sins from which there was no escape. Why should he lead a sinful life for these people? He ran back to where Narada was and hastily untying his bonds fell at his feet. Deep in grief, he begged, "Mahatma, in ignorance I have committed many sins. Please tell me how I can redeem myself. I have no more desire to lead this life of sin. Pray, save me." Narada rejoiced at his transformation. He lifted the robber to his feet and told him, "Fear not, my son. There is one name, the Taraka, which redeems even the greatest of sinners. Repeat the name with all your mind and soul in it. All your sins will be washed away soon." He then whispered in his ears the sacred name, "Rama" and asked the robber to repeat it. The whole of his life was spent in doing and saying only harsh things. So the robber could not utter the word "Rama" try as he might. But Narada was too kind to leave him thus. So he tried another method. He slowly uttered the word "Ma ra" inverting the sacred name. This time the robber could pronounce the letters, "Ma ra" , Ma ra...." And he started repeating the letters in quick succession... "Ma ra, Ma ra, Ma... Ra.... Ma Ra...Ra...ma...Rama....Rama....Rama..." Thus after a time without his realising it, the robber was repeating the Taraka nama. He was captivated by the charm of the sacred name and he went on repeating the name forgetting his surroundings. He sat on like that continuously without moving and without opening his eyes and years passed away. Seeing him sitting like an immovable stone, ants, worms and insects crawled fearlessly near him and on him and built their homes and nests. The ant hills grew and grew until they covered him fully and he could not even be seen. This undisturbed tapas washed off all his sins and at last he gained a vision of Lord. Overflowing with great joy and bliss, he rose from his seat shedding off the ant hills around him. As he rose from the ant hills, "Valmika" as they are called in Sanskrit, he came to be called Valmiki. Since then Valmiki Maharshi lived on the banks of the Ganges in an ashram of his own. One day while he was returning from the river after the morning bath he saw a Krouncha birds couple, flying joyously in the sky and having their love play. He was charmed by the innocent joy of the birds and continued to look at them in blissful rapture. Just then an arrow struck the male bird in the heart who fell down bleeding and pitiously crying. Seeing her mate gone, the female bird arose in great grief and flying round and round the body of her mate, moaning and shining. The bird's wordless grief was so pitiable, that the kindly sage's heart was touched. Tears came out of his eyes and he felt all the misery of the small bird in his own heart. He looked around and saw a hunter crouching nearby. In infinite mercy and sorrow Valmiki cried out, "A future, O hunter, none you will have For killing the Krouncha in the midst of love" Then he suddenly stopped surprised at his own words. For it was not his usual way of speaking.... these words contained a rhythm and a melody. He realised that it was a poem that came out of his heart's anguish, the first poem that he ever composed. In fact it was the first sloka in the history of the world for no one wrote any poetry till then. He later on wrote Ramayana, the story of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Rama in a melodious, beautiful verse. It is sung reverentially by all Hindus daily, even though thousands of years passed away since it was composed. Valmiki is acclaimed as the Adi Kavi, the first poet and is gratefully remembered by all poets when they begin to compose a new poem. In Santana or the Hindu religion it is always said that you should never ask the origin of rishi or river.