By Dr KK
Filed Under Spirituality - Science Behind Rituals | Tagged With: Bhagavad Gita, Rajoguna, Tamoguna, Understanding the Mental States of a Person, Upanishads, Vedas | | 1 Comment»
The mental state of a person in Vedic language is described in terms of gunas. The present state of mind of any person is a result of mixing of three gunas of nature called Tamoguna, Rajoguna and Satoguna. In terms of states of mind they are called Tamas, Rajas and Satwa and the nature of a person is called Tamsic, Rajsic and Satvic.
Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Ayurveda all talks about these gunas. The Sankhya philosophy also says that a Read more
By Dr KK
Filed Under Spirituality - Science Behind Rituals | Tagged With: Athithi-devo-bhava, Atman, Bhagavad Gita, Brahma, fire cannot burn it, Importance of Life Force, network of information in computer, Soul, Spirit, Vedic | | Comments Off
A physical body becomes useless once the life force is gone. The same body, which was lovable to everyone, becomes a liability after death. Everyone wants to dispose it as early as possible as keeping a dead body at home is considered a bad omen.
During the transfer of dead body from one place to another nobody wants to keep the body in a vehicle other than a harsh van whose job is only to carry dead bodies. No family will be willing to carry the dead body of a person in a car in which the deceased person has been traveling or driving for years.
May be for any reason, health or rituals, once you touch a dead body you are required to take a bath before you commence your daily routine.
Within a matter of hours in absence of life force, the physical body starts disintegrating and in matter of days, it shows signs of self-destruction and purification.
This vital force is nothing but the Soul, Atman, Brahma, Spirit or Consciousness described in different Vedic texts.
Aadi Shankaracharya in his book Bhaja Govindam shloka 6 says:
yávat-pavano nivasati dehe
távat-pøcchati kuùalam gehe,
gatavati váyau dehápáye
bháryá bibhyati tasmin káye.(6)
“Till the life force remains in the body, people come and enquire about your welfare. But, the moment the life force goes out, even your wife is afraid of coming anywhere near your body”.
Life force can be equated to the network of information in computer, radio, television or mobile phone. All these gazettes without a energized information are useless and are thrown away. This silent data retrievable by operational and application software represent the life force or soul of these electronic gadgets.
Shankara says that as one does not give importance to a computer without data one should not give importance to the physical body. It is the life force within the body which is respected and cared for and that is what real “I” or “We” are. All glories of the body are only until the life force remains in it. In Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna in Chapter 2 (2.23) says about this life force or ataman “fire cannot burn it, weapon cannot cut it, water cannot wet it, air cannot dry it, it is immortal”.
The most defined relationship in Vedic text is between husband and wife. The very fact even a wife after the death does not want to touch the husband signifies the importance of life force.
The life force has no dimensions: height, weight, colour or image. It is immortal, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. The weight of a live and a dead body immediately after the death is the same.
It is the same life force, which dwells in everybody and during life is modified by the action, memory and desire cycle. If one gets attached to any of the three one starts getting detached from the soul or the life force. People who are in touch with their life force all the time attain peace and happiness and die young in old age.
Most Vedic mahavakyas talk about, that it is the same spirit, which dwells in everybody and hence every person in the society should be welcomed and treated with equal importance. Ahambrahmasami, tatwamasi, Vasudeva kutumbakam, etc. are a few of the examples.
According to Aadi Shankara one can achieve non-duality only by seeing God in everyone. Athithi-devo-bhava is also based on the same principle.
By Dr KK
Filed Under Spirituality - Science Behind Rituals | Tagged With: Bhagavad Gita, Dhritarashtra, Krishna riding a Rath and Kathoupanishad, Sapta-vaahanah, Supreme Soul, The significance of horses in mythology | | Comments Off
The description of horses comes in Ashwamedha Yagna, Dashrath in Ramayana, The Bhagavad Gita with Krishna riding a Rath and Kathoupanishad describing the meaning of a chariot.
In scientific terms horses represents our senses which needs to be controlled.
Most Upanishad and Vedic seers, talk of the horse and not any other animal as the symbol of sacrifice. Horses are known for their speed, dynamism, faithfulness and devotion. For realization, speed, dynamism, faithfulness and devotedness all are necessary. But horses are also known for their chanchalta or the quality to get out of control if not tightened. (bidakna)
One needs to sacrifice the internal uncontrolled horses and keep the internal horses under control so that we can acquire the divine qualities of horses.
The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad starts with the description of the sacrificial horse used in the ashwamedha sacrifice. It means that no spiritual Yagna is complete unless we learn to control our senses.
Kathoupanishad (1.3.4-7) Talks about the importance of controlling the mind and the senses. It describes the body as the chariot; the Self is its master; intellect is the charioteer, the mind as the reins, the senses as the horses and the sense-objects as the paths.
Number of horses also have different depictions: five in kathoupanishad (five senses motor or sensory); ten in Ramayana (Dashrath, who has a control, over his ten senses), seven in Lord Sun (Sapta-vaahanah — “One Who has the vehicle of seven horses.” Lord Sun, representing control over the mind all seven days of the week)
The imagery associated with the Bhagavad Gita is that of a chariot with four or five white horses. Arjuna is inside the chariot and the chariot is being driven by Lord Krishna. Here the human body represents the chariot, Arjun the individual soul and Krishna the Spirit or the Supreme Soul. That chariot has three wheels (Satwa, Rajas, and Tamas); has three kinds of motion (upwards or downwards or transversely, implying superior, inferior, and intermediate birth as brought about by acts); four horses apart from senses also represent the time, predestiny, will of the deities, and one’s own will. It has three naves (white, black, and mixed, implying good acts, evil acts and acts that are of a mixed character).
Vidur also talked about the same in vidur niti. He said to Dhritarashtra that O king, man’s body is just like a Ratha (chariot), intelligence (Buddhi) like a charioteer (Saarathi) and senses are its horses. One, who controls all these three, travels happily in this world, just like the charioteer who has controlled the horses of the chariot)
By Dr KK
Filed Under Spirituality - Science Behind Rituals | Tagged With: Bhagavad Gita, lotus as special, meditation, practicing detached attachment, Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram | | Comments Off
Krishna in Bhagavad Gita compares Lotus to the act of detached attachment. He said
Brahmanyaadhaaya karmaani
Sangam tyaktvaa karoti yaha
Lipyate na sa paapena
Padma patram ivaambhasaa
He who does actions, offering them to Brahman (the Supreme), abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf remains unaffected by the water on it.
The lotus represents true consciousness, a symbol of truth, auspiciousness and beauty (Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram). The Lord is always compared to a lotus (i.e. lotus-eyes, lotus feet, lotus hands, the lotus of the heart etc.).
The lotus blooms with the rising sun and close at night like the minds which also open up and expand with the light of knowledge.
The lotus grows even in slushy areas and remains beautiful and untainted despite its surroundings. It reminds of that saints too can strive to remain balanced under all circumstances.
The lotus leaf never gets wet even though it is always in water. It symbolizes the man of wisdom who remains ever joyous, unaffected by the world of sorrow and change.
Our bodies have certain energy centers described in the Yoga Shastra as chakras. Each one is associated with lotus that has a certain number of petals.
The lotus posture (padmasana) is recommended when one sits for meditation.
A lotus emerged from the navel of Lord Vishnu. Lord Brahma originated from it to create the world. Hence, the lotus symbolizes the link between the creator and the supreme Cause. It also symbolizes Brahmaloka, the abode of Lord Brahma. The auspicious sign of the swastika is said to have evolved from the lotus.
In Allopathy language lotus means practicing detached attachment.
