Friday, June 26, 2009

Devi - The Mother Goddess

Hello all,

In this section i will post the links of the valuable stotras, mantras and mp3 sources of Durga that are available on the internet for free download.

1. Devi Mahatmyam - 700 Verses - Sanskrit Language

2. Lalita Sahastranam - Stotra Form - Sanskrit Language

3. Lalita Sahastranam - Stotra Form - English Language

Sunday, June 7, 2009

keep your mind on god

Do all your duties, but keep your mind on God. Serve your wife, children, father, and mother, and treat them as if they are very dear to you, but know in your heart that they do not belong to you.

- Ramakrishna

born from brahman

Every selfless act...is born from Brahman, the eternal, infinite Godhead. He is present in every act of service.

- Bhagavad Gita 3:15

essence of awareness

The true master considers well. With dispassion He sees all things are the same. He comes to understand The nature of things, The essence of awareness. He will not be born again.

- Ashtavakra Gita 9:6

You Will Be What Your Desire Is

As a person acts, so he becomes in life. Those who do good become good; those who do harm become bad. Good deeds make one pure; bad deeds make one impure. So we are said to be what our desire is.

- Bihadaranyaka Upanishad

behold my divine mystery

I pervade the entire universe in my unmanifested form. All creatures find their existence in me, but I am not limited by them. Behold my divine mystery!

- Bhagavad Gita 9:4-5

speak sweetly

Better than a gift given with a joyous heart Are sweet words spoken with a cheerful smile.

- Tirukkural 92

beyond all divisions of time and space

Knowledge born of the finest discrimination takes us to the farthest shore. It is intuitive, omniscient, and beyond all divisions of time and space.

- The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 3:54

realize the self

Get up! Wake up! Seek the guidance of an Illuminated teacher and realize the Self. Sharp like a razor's edge, the sages say, Is the path, difficult to traverse.

- Katha Upanishad

i am awareness itself

"I am not the body, Nor is the body mine. I am awareness itself." When you know this, You have no thought For what you have done Or left undone. You become one, Perfect and indivisible.

- Ashtavakra Gita 11:6

refuge of all devotees

O Lord of Love, may I enter into you, And may you reveal yourself unto me, The pure One masquerading as many. You are the refuge of all devotees. I am your devotee. Make me your own.

- Taittiriya Upanishad

i am happy

Even if you have nothing, It is hard to find that contentment Which comes from renunciation. I accept nothing. I reject nothing. And I am happy.

- Ashtavakra Gita 13:1

Liberation

Liberation is only being rid of the idea that there is anyone who needs liberation.

- Ramesh Balsekar

virtue yields heaven's honor

Virtue yields heaven's honor and earth's wealth. What is there then that is more fruitful for a man? There is nothing more rewarding than virtue, Nor anything more ruinous than its neglect.

- Tirukkural 4:31-32

i m forever pure

I am forever pure. What is illusion, Or the world? What is the little soul, Or God Himself? One without two, I am always the same. I sit in my heart.

- Ashtavakra Gita 20:11-12

seek the guidance

Get up! Wake up! Seek the guidance of an Illuminated teacher and realize the Self. Sharp like a razor's edge, the sages say, Is the path, difficult to traverse.

- Katha Upanishad

nothing lasts

Nothing lasts. Nothing is real. It is all suffering, Threefold affliction! It is all beneath contempt. Know this. Give it up. Be still.

- Ashtavakra Gita 9:3

nature of self

[The Master] is blessed. He understands the nature of the Self. His mind is no longer thirsty. He is the same under all conditions, Whatever he sees or hears, Or smells or touches or tastes.

- Ashtavakra Gita 18:65

in the world of brahman

Worshipping this Self in the world of Brahman, the gods obtained all worlds and all desires. Those who know this Self and realize this Self obtain all worlds and all desires.

- Chandogya Upanishad

cling to feet of master

Cling to the feet of a master who can introduce you to yourself.

- Swami Veda Bharati

longing

Longing is like the rosy dawn. After the dawn out comes the sun. Longing is followed by the vision of God.

- Ramakrishna

all creatures are equal

I look upon all creatures equally; none are less dear to me and none more dear. But those who worship me with love live in me, and I come to life in them.

- Bhagavad Gita 9:29

modesty distinguishes men

Food, clothing and such are not much different among people, It is modesty that distinguishes good men from others.

- Tirukkural 102:1012

see god in everything

It is better to see God in everything than to try and figure it out.

- Neem Karoli Baba

realize the unity of life

The Self in man and in the sun are one. Those who understand this see through the world And go beyond the various sheaths of being To realize the unity of life.

- Taittiriya Upanishad

cows and milk

The milk of cows of any hue is white. The sages say that wisdom is the milk And the sacred scriptures are the cows.

- Amritabindu Upanishad

atman and brahman are identical

Liberation cannot be achieved except through perceiving the identity of the individual spirit with the Universal Spirit. Atman and Brahman are identical. Their essence is pure Consciousness.

- Sankara

see the self

Those who follow the path of service, who have completely purified themselves and conquered their senses and self-will, see the Self in all creatures and are untouched by any activity they perform.

- Bhagavad Gita 5:7

Thursday, May 28, 2009

be happy

You have no caste. No duties bind you. Formless and free, Beyond the reach of the senses, The witness of all things. So be happy!

- Ashtavakra Gita 1:5

thoughts of noble progress

Let all thoughts be thoughts of noble progress, For then even failing cannot be called a failure.

- Tirukkural 596

dreaming and waking

As a great fish swims between the banks of a river as it likes, so does the shining Self move between the states of dreaming and waking.

- Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Live in the world like a waterfowl

Live in the world like a waterfowl. The water clings to the bird, but the bird shakes it off. Live in the world like a mudfish. The fish lives in the mud, but its skin is always bright and shiny.

- Ramakrishna

you are pure awareness

You are pure awareness. The world is an illusion, Nothing more. When you understand this fully, Desire falls away. You find peace. For indeed! There is nothing.

- Ashtavakra Gita 15:17

attachment

When you keep thinking about sense objects, attachment comes. Attachment breeds desire, the lust of possession that burns to anger. Anger clouds the judgment; you can no longer learn from past...

- Bhagavad Gita 2:62-65

changeless is the supreme lord

All is change in the world of the sense, But changeless is the supreme Lord of Love. Meditate on him, be absorbed in him, Wake up from this dream of separateness. Fire is not seen until one...

- Shvetashvatara Upanishad

to the divine goddess

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of Confusion, we bow to Her; we bow to Her; we bow to Her, continually we bow, we bow.

- Chandi Patha

who is the self ?

Who is this Self on whom we meditate? Is it the Self by which we see, hear, smell, and taste, Through which we speak in words? Is Self the mind By which we perceive, direct, understand, Know,...

- Aitareya Upanishad

offering

If sparks fly,
I shall think my thirst and hunger quelled.

If the skies tear down,
I shall think them pouring for my bath.

If a hillside slides on me
I shall think it flower for my hair.

O lord white as jasmine, if my head falls from my shoulders
I shall think it your offering.

-Mahadeviyakka

unity

Those who see all creatures in themselves
And themselves in all creatures know no fear.
Those who see all creatures in themselves
And themselves in all creatures know no grief.
How can the multiplicity of life
Delude the one who sees its unity?

-Isha Upanishad

how to attain God

I (God) am easily attained by the person who always remembers me and is attached to nothing else.

-Bhagavad Gita 8:14

Fire of Brahman

The process of offering is Brahman; that which is offered is Brahman. Brahman offers the sacrifice in the fire of Brahman. Brahman is attained by those who see Brahman in every action.

-Bhagavad Gita 4:24

pleasure and pain

Established within themselves, they are equal in pleasure and pain, praise and blame, kindness and unkindness. Clay, a rock, and gold are the same to them. Alike in honor and dishonor, alike to friend and foe, they have given up every selfish pursuit. Such are those who have gone beyond the gunas.

-Bhagavad Gita 14:24-25

An object has a reflection

An object has a reflection: When looking we see two images, yet there is only one thing. Likewise, this world is a reflection of the Supreme Lord. We may see two, yet only One exists…

-Jnaneshwar

you become still

All things arise,
Suffer change,
And pass away.

This is their nature.

When you know this,
Nothing perturbs you,
Nothing hurts you.

You become still.

It is easy.

-Ashtavakra Gita 11:1

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Filled with Joy

"'You are the creator and destroyer,
And our protector. You shine as the sun
In the sky; you are the source of all light.

"'When you pour yourself down as rain on earth,
Every living creature is filled with joy
And knows food will be abundant for all.'"

-Prashna Upanishad

Make Flow the Streams

As rivers flow into the ocean but cannot make the vast ocean overflow, so flow the streams of the sense-world into the sea of peace that is the sage. But this is not so with the desirer of desires.

-Bhagavad Gita 2:70

Meditate on OM

Let us meditate on OM the imperishable, the beginning of prayer.

For as the earth comes from the waters, plants from earth, and man from plants, so man is speech, and speech is OM. Of all speech the essence is the Rig Veda, but Sama is the essence of Rig, and of Sama the essence is OM, the Udgitha.

This is the essence of essences, the highest, the eight rung, venerated above all that human beings hold holy. OM is the Self of all.


-Chandogya Upanishad

Paradise

In paradise there is [no such thing as] fear;
Thou art not there, nor shrinks one from old age.
Hunger and thirst, these two transcending,
Sorrow, surpassing, a man makes merry in paradise.

-Katha Upanishad

Wisdom Speaks Well

Wisdom speaks well, conveying each meaning clearly,
And listens for the subtlest sense in others' speech.

Men of wisdom befriend the wise and keep that friendship constant,
Not opening and closing like the petaled lotus.

-Tirukkural 43:424-425

Equal Eye

The infinite joy of touching Brahman is easily attained by those who are free from the burden of evil and established within themselves. They see the Self in every creature and all creation in the Self. With consciousness unified through meditation, they see everything with an equal eye.

-Bhagavad Gita 6:28-29

No Bounds

"The formless Absolute is my Father, and God with form is my Mother." God reveals Himself in the form which His devotee loves most. His love for the devotee knows no bounds.

-Ramakrishna

Grow in Divine Consciousness

If you want to be a true doer of divine works, your first aim must be to be totally free from all desire and self-regarding ego. All your life must be an offering and a sacrifice to the Supreme; your only object in action shall be to serve, to receive, to fulfill, to become a manifesting instrument of the Divine Shakti in her works. You must grow in the divine consciousness till there is no difference between your will and hers, no motive except her impulsion in you, no action that is not her conscious action in you and through you.

-Sri Aurobindo

Friday, April 3, 2009

Light of Supreme Truth

In the light of the Sun
there is no difference between day and night.
In the light of the Supreme Truth
there is no difference between Shiva and Shakti.

-Jnaneshwar (also known as Jnanadeva)

Jubiliant Heart

A jubilant heart rejoices upon seeing
those who give without scoffing or scorning.

Deprived of beggars, this vast and verdant Earth would
become uncharitable, a ball for the play of wooden puppets.

-Tirukkural 106: 1057-1058

He is Serene

It is all the same to him.
Man or woman,
Good fortune or bad,
Happiness or sorrow.

It makes no difference.
He is serene.

-Ashtavakra Gita 17:15

Control over Thoughts

Whatever decision we think we are making is actually being made for us, because the decision is the end result of a thought and we have no control over the arising of the thought.

-Ramesh Balsekar

The Thirst of Material Pleasures

As clouds are blown away by the wind, the thirst for material pleasures will be driven away by the utterance of the Lord's name.

-Sri Sarada Devi

Sorrow

If a man inflicts sorrow on another in the morning,
Sorrow will come to him unbidden in the afternoon.

-Tirukkural 32:319

Preserve Good Conduct

Virtuous conduct leads a man to eminent greatness,
Therefore, it should be guarded as more precious than life itself.

In your striving, be mindful to preserve good conduct.
In your deliberations, discover it is your staunchest ally.

-Tirukkural 14: 131-132

Forget Everything

Let Hari teach you,
Or Brahman, born of the lotus,
Or Shiva Himself!

Unless you forget everything,
You will never live in your heart.

-Ashtavakra Gita 16:11

The Light of Brahman

The light of Brahman flashes in lightning;
The light of Brahman flashes in our eyes.
It is the power of Brahman that makes
The mind to think, desire, and will.
Therefore
Use this power to meditate on Brahman.

He is the inmost Self of everyone;
He alone is worthy of all our love.
Meditate upon him in all. Those who
Meditate upon him are dear to all.

-Kena Upanishad

Should you Trust a Stranger ?

To trust a stranger without investigation invites troubles
so endless that even descendants must endure them.

Without investigation, trust no one. Having investigated,
entrust a man with matters for which he is trustworthy.

To trust a man who has not been tested and to suspect a man
who has proven trustworthy lead alike to endless ills.

-Tirukkural 51: 508-510

The Wheel of Life

The Self is the hub of the wheel of life,
And the sixteen forms are only the spokes.
The Self is the paramount goal of life.
Attain this goal and go beyond death!

-Prashna Upanishad

Action and In-action

What is action and what is inaction? This question has confused the greatest sages. I will give you the secret of the action, with which you can free yourself from bondage. The true nature of action is difficult to grasp. You must understand what is action and what is inaction, and what kind of action should be avoided.

The wise see that there is action in the midst of inaction and inaction in the midst of action. Their consciousness is unified, and every act is done with complete awareness.

-Bhagavad Gita 4:16-17

Monday, March 23, 2009

World of Brahman

The Self is a bulwark against the confounding of these worlds and a bridge between them. Day and night cannot cross that bridge, nor old age, nor death, nor grief, nor evil nor good deeds. All evils turn back there, unable to cross; evil comes not into this world of Brahman.

-Chandogya Upanishad

To those who cannot smile

To those who cannot smile in joy the wide world
Lies engulfed in darkness even in broad daylight.

Great wealth amassed by men devoid of that virtue called courtesy
Is like good milk that has soured in an unclean vessel.

-Tirukkural 100:999-1000

Imperishable Self

It is true the body is perishable, but
within it dwells the imperishable Self. This
body is subject to pleasure and pain; no one
who identifies with the body can escape from
pleasure and pain. But those who know they
are not the body pass beyond pleasure and
pain to live in abiding joy.

-Chandogya Upanishad

Who created Universe

After a year Kabandhi asked the sage:
"Master, who created the universe?"

The sage replied:
"The Lord meditated and brought forth prana
With rayi, the giver of name and form:
Male and female, so that they would bring forth
Innumerable creatures for him.

"Prana is the sun; rayi is the moon.
Matter is solid, matter is subtle;
Rayi therefore is present everywhere.

"The sun gives light and life to all who live,
East and west, north and south, above, below;
It is the prana of the universe."

-Prashna Upanishad

What powers support this body

Then Bhargava approached the sage and asked:
"Master, what powers support this body?
Which of them are manifested in it?
And among them all, which is the greatest?"

The sage replied: "The powers are space, air, fire,
Water, earth, speech, mind, vision, and hearing.
All these boasted, 'We support this body.'
But prana, vital energy, supreme
Over them all, said, 'Don't deceive yourselves.
It is I, dividing myself fourfold,
Who hold this body together.'"

-Prashna Upanishad

Supreme Goddess

This supreme Goddess, Word, inspired by Brahman,
by which the awe-inspiring is created,
through her to us be peace!

-Atharva Veda

Instrument of the Spirit

The body will be turned by the power of the spiritual consciousness into a true and fit and perfectly responsive instrument of the Spirit.

-Sri Aurobindo

Make every act an offering

Make every act an offering to me (God); regard me as your only protector. Relying on interior discipline, meditate on me always. Remembering me, you shall overcome all difficulties through my grace. But if you will not heed me in your self-will, nothing will avail you.

-Bhagavad Gita 18:57-58

Imperishable Brahman

My highest nature, the imperishable Brahman, gives every creature its existence and lives in every creature as the adhyatma. My action is creation and the bringing forth of creatures. The adhiyajna, the supreme sacrifice, is made to me as the Lord within you.

-Bhagavad Gita 8:3-4

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Unite in Love

As the man and the woman in me
unite in love,
the brilliant beauty
balanced on the two-petalled lotus
within me
dazzles my eyes.
The rays
outshine the moon
and the jewels
glowing on the hoods of snakes.

My skin and bone
are turned to gold.
I am the reservoir of love
alive as the waves.
A single drop of water
has grown into a sea,
unnavigable.

-Lalan

Attachment breeds Desire

When you keep thinking about sense objects, attachment comes. Attachment breeds desire, the lust of possession that burns to anger. Anger clouds the judgment; you can no longer learn from past mistakes. Lost is the power to choose between what is wise and what is unwise, and your life is utter waste. But when you move amidst the world of sense, free from attachment and aversion alike, there comes the peace in which all sorrows end, and you live in the wisdom of the Self.

-Bhagavad Gita 2:62-65

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

above the Celestials world

What are life's petty attachments to the man who seeks severance
From future births, when even his body is a burden?

He who slays the conceit which clamors "I" and "mine"
Will enter a realm above the celestials' world.

-Tirukkural 35:345-346

i am One

Two from one!
This is the root of suffering.

Only perceive
That I am one without two,
Pure awareness, pure joy,
And all the world is false.

There is no other remedy!

-Ashtavakra Gita 2:16

You are Free

For see!
The Self is in all beings,
And all beings are in the Self.

Know you are free,
Free of "I,"
Free of "mine."

Be happy.

-Ashtavakra Gita 15:6

Brahman

Brahman is indivisible and pure;
Realize Brahman and go beyond all change.
He is immanent and transcendant.
Realizing him, sages attain freedom
And declare there are no separate minds.
They have but realized what they always are.

-Amritabindu Upanishad

World of Separateness

Those who dwell on and long for sense-pleasure
Are born in a world of separateness.
But let them realize they are the Self
And all separateness will fall away.

-Mundaka Upanishad

Religion exists in Love

It is in love that religion exists and not in ceremony-in the pure and sincere love in the heart. Unless a man is pure in body and mind, his coming into a temple and worshipping Shiva is useless. The prayers of those who are pure in mind and body will be answered by Shiva, and those who are impure and yet try to teach religion to others will fail in the end. External worship is only a symbol of internal worship, but internal worship and purity are the real things. Without them, external worship would be of no avail.

-Vivekananda

Awaken you own Nature

Love your true Self,
Which is naturally happy
And peaceful and bright!

Awaken to your own nature,
And all delusion melts like a dream.


-Ashtavakra Gita 18:1

As clouds are blown away

As clouds are blown away by the wind, the thirst for material pleasures will be driven away by the utterance of the Lord's name.

-Sri Sarada Devi

The Lord is the Operator

The Lord is the operator; we are
But his innumerable instruments.
May we, in our consciousness, realize
The bliss he alone can give us.

-Shvetashvatara Upanishad

Self Supreme

Said Uddalaka to Shvetaketu:
"In the beginning was only Being,
One without a second.
Out of himself he brought forth the cosmos
And entered into everything in it.
There is nothing that does not come from him.
Of everything he is the inmost Self.
He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.
You are that, Shvetaketu; you are that."

-Chandogya Upanishad

Five Senses

Like a tortoise withdrawing five limbs into its shell, those who
Restrain the five senses in one life, will find safe shelter for seven.

-Tirukkural 13: 126

Are you Motivated by Desire

Those who are motivated only by desire for the fruits of action are miserable, for they are constantly anxious about the results of what they do.

-Bhagavad Gita 2:49

Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space

The inner self perceives the outside world,
Made up of earth, water, fire, air, and space.
It is the victim of likes and dislikes,
Pleasure and pain, and delusion and doubt.
It knows all the subtleties of language,
Enjoys dance, music, and all the fine arts;
Delights in the senses, recalls the past,
Reads the scriptures, and is able to act.
This is the mind, the inner person.

-Atma Upanishad

True sustenance is in service

True sustenance is in service, and through it a man or woman reaches the eternal Brahman. But those who do not seek to serve are without a home in this world.

-Bhagavad Gita 4:31

Atman - The Soul

The Atman is the witness-consciousness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theater, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence.

-Panchadashi

The Five Pillars

It is said that all good things are natural to those
Who know their duty and walk the path of perfect goodness.

Perfect men hold as good their own good character.
No other goodness is so perfectly good.

Love, modesty, propriety, kindly look, and truthfulness--
These are the five pillars on which perfect goodness rests.

-Tirukkural 99: 981-83

Friday, February 20, 2009

vedas

The Vedas compare creation to a spider's web, that the spider creates and then lies within. God is both the container of the universe and what is contained in it.

-Ramakrishna

ego and self

The ego and the Self dwell as intimate friends in the same body, like two golden birds perched in the same tree. The ego eats the sweet and sour fruits of the tree, while the Self looks on detached. For as long as you identify with the ego, you will feel joy and sorrow. But if you know you are the Self, the Lord of Life, you will be free from suffering; the supreme source of light; the supreme source of love. You will transcend duality and live in a state of Oneness.

-Mundaka Upanishad

United with lord of Love

To be united with the Lord of Love
Is to be freed from all conditioning.
This is the state of Self-realization,
Far beyond the reach of words and thoughts.

To be united with the Lord of Love,
Imperishable, changeless, beyond cause
And effect, is to find infinite joy.
Brahman is beyond all duality,
Beyond the reach of thinker and of thought.

-Tejabindu Upanishad

Truth

One cannot but laugh and even be apparently irreverent when confronted by the fantastic super structure of superstition and mystery that has been built on and around the basic simplicity that TRUTH is!

-Ramesh Balsekar

Sunday, February 15, 2009

full of desire

The master's way is unfettered
And free of guile.
He shines.

But for the fool
There is no peace.
His thoughts are full of desire.

-Ashtavakra Gita 18:52

peace of mind

Our peace of mind increases in spite of suffering; we become braver and more enterprising; we understand more clearly the difference between what is everlasting and what is not; we learn how to distinguish between what is our duty and what is not. Our pride melts away and we become humble. Our worldly attachments diminish and, likewise, the evil within us diminishes from day to day.

-Mahatma Gandhi

mind of the mind

The Pupil asks: 'At whose wish does the mind sent forth proceed on its errand? At whose command does the first breath go forth? At whose wish do we utter this speech? What god directs the eye, or the ear?'

The Teacher replies: 'It is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of speech, the breath of breath, and the eye of the eye. When freed (from the senses) the wise, on departing from this world, become immortal.'

-Kena Upanishad

consider and free yourself from desire

Consider.

Wherever there is desire,
There is the world.

With resolute dispassion
Free yourself from desire,
And find happiness.

Desire binds you,
Nothing else.
Destroy it, and you are free.

Turn from the world.
Fulfill yourself,
And find lasting happiness.

-Ashtavakra Gita 10:3-4

finding freedon in this life

Finding freedom in this life,
The seeker takes nothing to heart,
Neither duty nor desire.

He has nothing to do
But to live out his life.
The master lives beyond the boundaries of desire.

Delusion or the world,
Meditation on the truth,
Liberation itself--
What are they to him?

-Ashtavakra Gita 18: 13-14

the wise

The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead. There has never been a time when you and I and the kings gathered here have not existed, nor will there be a time when we will cease to exist. As the same person inhabits the body through childhood, youth, and old age, so too at the time of death he attains another body. The wise are not deluded by these changes.

-Bhagavad Gita 2:12-13

Mortal becomes immortal

When all the desires that surge in the heart
Are renounced, the mortal becomes
Immortal.
When all the knots that strangle the heart
Are loosened, the mortal becomes immortal,
Here in this very life.

-Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Saturday, February 7, 2009

free from desire

Free from desire,
He neither praises the peaceful
Nor blames the wicked.

The same in joy and sorrow,
He is always happy.

He sees there is nothing to do.

-Ashtavakra Gita 18:82

Mind is consciousness

Mind is consciousness which has put on limitations. You are originally unlimited and perfect. Later you take on limitations and become the mind.

-Sri Ramana Maharshi

is universe a dream ?

To everyone of us there must come a time when the whole universe will be found to have been a dream, when we find the soul is infinitely better than the surroundings. It is only a question of time, and time is nothing in the infinite.

-Sai Baba

Goal of Meditation

It is not those who lack energy or refrain from action, but those who work without expectation of reward who attain the goal of meditation. Theirs is true renunciation. Therefore, Arjuna, you should understand that renunciation and the performance of selfless service are the same. Those who cannot renounce attachment to the results of their work are far from the path.

-Bhagavad Gita 6:1-2

Dwelling in my Heart

Smaller than a grain of rice, smaller than a grain of barley, smaller than a mustard seed, smaller than a grain of millet, smaller even than the kernel of a grain of millet is the Self. This is the Self dwelling in my heart, greater than the earth, greater than the sky, greater than all the worlds.

-Chandogya Upanishad

he is the inmost self

"When a man is dying, his family
All gather round and ask, 'Do you know me?
Do you know me?' And so long as his speech
Has not merged in mind, his mind in prana,
Prana in fire, and fire in pure Being,
He knows them all. But there is no more knowing.
When speech merges in mind, mind in prana,
Prana in fire, and fire in pure Being.
There is nothing that does not come from him.
Of everything he is the inmost Self.
He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.
You are that, Shvetaketu; you are that."

-Chandogya Upanishad

Wealth's Nature

Amassing great wealth is gradual, like the gathering of a
theater crowd.
Its dispersal is sudden, like that same crowd departing.

Wealth's nature is to be unenduring.
Upon acquiring it, do that which is enduring right away.

-Tirukkural 34: 332-333

Saturday, January 31, 2009

I am Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra

I am the Lord and the Cosmic Soul; I am myself the Cosmic Body. I am Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, as well as Gauri, Brahmi, and Vaishnavi. I am the sun and the stars and I am the Lord of the stars. I am the various species of beasts and birds; I am also the outcaste and thief. I am the evil doer and the wicked deed; I am the righteous person and the virtuous deed.

-Devi Gita

Education, Progeny, and Speech...‏

May the light of wisdom illumine us.
May we become united with the Lord.
Let us contemplate five categories:
The world and luminous worlds in the sky,
Education, progeny, and speech.

-Taittiriya Upanishad

I am Consciousness and Bliss

I am not detachment nor salvation,
Nor anything reached by the senses;
I am behold all thought and form.
I am everywhere, and nowhere at all-
I am Consciousness and Bliss.

I am Shiva! I am Shiva!

-Shankaracharya

How to Be Kinder...‏

Even a little effort toward spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fear.

Those who follow this path, resolving deep within themselves to seek Me alone, attain singleness of purpose. For those who lack resolution, the decisions of life are many-branched and endless.

-Bhagavad Gita 2:40-41

High Souls Are Never Low...‏

Birth decrees to all men who live a common circumstance.
Diverse actions define their unique specialness.

Lowly men are never high, even when elevated.
High souls are never low, even when downtrodden.

-Tirukkural 98: 972-73

Sunday, January 25, 2009

may peace bring peace

By this invocation of peace may peace bring peace!
With this peace the dreadful I now appease,
with this peace the cruel I now appease,
with this peace all evil I now appease,
so that peace may prevail, happiness prevail!
May everything for us be peaceful!

-Athara Veda

humility

Humility is the strength of the strong and the weapon
With which the wise conquer their foes.

-Tirukkural 99:985

go beyond everything

Through self-effort and self-knowledge make the mind no-mind. Let infinite Consciousness swallow the finite mind, and then go beyond everything.

-Maharamayana

I sit in my own splendor

With the pincers of truth I have plucked
From the dark corners of my heart
The thorn of many judgments.

I sit in my own splendor.

Wealth or pleasure,
Duty or discrimination,
Duality or nonduality,
What are they to me?

-Ashtavakra Gita 19:1-2

listen to the learned

Even though he has no learning, if a man but listens to the learned
That will be his staff of strength in adversity.

Words from the lips of upright men
Are like a steadying staff in a slippery place.

-Tirukkural 42:414-415

Lord of Stars

I am the Lord and the Cosmic Soul; I am myself the Cosmic Body. I am Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, as well as Gauri, Brahmi, and Vaishnavi. I am the sun and the stars and I am the Lord of the stars. I am the various species of beasts and birds; I am also the outcaste and thief. I am the evil doer and the wicked deed; I am the righteous person and the virtuous deed.

-Devi Gita

Meditation

There is merit in studying the scriptures, in selfless service, austerity, and giving, but the practice of meditation carries you beyond all these to the supreme abode of the highest Lord.

-Bhagavad Gita 8:28

ignorance

Ignorance is the failure to discriminate between the permanent and the impermanent, the pure and the impure, bliss and suffering, the Self and the non-Self.

-The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2:5

Free Yourselves

The aspirant who is seeking the Lord
Must free himself from selfish attachments
To people, money, and possessions.
When his mind sheds every selfish desire,
He becomes free from the duality
Of pleasure and pain and rules his senses.
No more is he capable of ill will;
No more is he subject to elation,
For his senses come to rest in the Self.
Entering into the unitive state,
He attains the goal of evolution.
Truly he attains the goal of evolution.

-Paramahamsa Upanishad

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Pure of Heart

He is pure of heart,
He knows the whole world is only the Self.

So who can stop him
From doing as he wishes?

-Ashtavakra Gita 4:4

Act Selflessly

Fulfill all your duties; action is better than inaction. Even to maintain your body, Arjuna, you are obliged to act. Selfish action imprisons the world. Act selflessly, without any thought of personal profit.

-Bhagavad Gita 3:8-9

The Sun

Some look upon the sun as our father
Who makes life possible with heat and rain
And divides time into months and seasons.
Others have seen him riding in wisdom
On his chariot, with seven colors
As horses and six wheels to represent
The whirling spokes of time.

-Prashna Upanishad

Deathless Self

As the web issues out of the spider
And is withdrawn, as plants sprout from the earth,
As hair grows from the body, even so,
The sages say, this universe springs from
The deathless Self, the source of life.

The deathless Self meditated upon
Himself and projected the universe
As evolutionary energy.
From this energy developed life, mind,
The elements, and the world of karma,
Which is enchained by cause and effect.

-Mundaka Upanishad

Seated in the Heart

The adorable one who is seated
In the heart rules the breath of life.
Unto him all the senses pay their homage.
When the dweller in the body breaks out
In the freedom from the bonds of flesh, what remains?
For this Self is supreme!

-Katha Upanishad

The Fool's Four Failings...‏

To be shameless, uninquisitive, loveless and uncaring
Are the fool's four failings.

No fool is more foolish than one who eagerly expounds
His learning to others while failing to follow it himself.

-Tirukkural 84:833-834

Only Wise Man is Strong Enough

Of the four kinds of being,
From Brahma to a blade of grass,
Only the wise man is strong enough
To give up desire and aversion.

How rare he is!

Knowing he is the Self,
He acts accordingly
And is never fearful.

For he knows he is the Self,
One without two,
The Lord of all creation.

-Astavakra Gita 4:5-6

Embrace Nothing

When the mind is attracted
To anything it senses,
You are bound.

Where there is no I,
You are free.

Where there is I,
You are bound.

Consider this.

It is easy.

Embrace nothing,
Turn nothing away.

-Ashtavakra Gita 8:3-4

Friday, January 9, 2009

Chanakya Hindi Serial Volume 8


Chanakya Hindi Serial Volume 8 of 8

Episode 43: Chandragupta tells about his desire to leave the Royal Palace. In part of the Royal Palace, attempt to kill Chandragupta says that he doesn't want to marry Dharini the daughter of Nanda.

Episode 44: Susidhartak advises Laghu Paurav to join up with Amatya Rakshas in order to succeed in his plans. In the Rangshala of Patliputra Sushidarthak introduces Laghu Paurav and Amatya Rakshas to each other in a secret meeting to conspire together to acheive their goals. Amatya Rakshas puts Raj Nartaki Shweta in service to finish Chadragupta before his marriage to Dharini.

Episode 45: Laghu Paurav senses treachery. He rushes calling for Chandragupta to his room and is killed there. Vishnugupta orders Bhagurayan to arrest Amatya Rakshas on the charge of Laghu Pauravs murder. Nipunak, a disciple of Vishnugupta is collecting secret information roaming around the streets of Magadh in disguise

Episode 46: Shaktadas arrives on the scene then informs Amatya as to how Sidhartak had saved his life. Amatya gets further ensnare inot Vishnuguptas trap as Sidhartak makes him purchase some jewelry without realizing that the jewelry belonged to Pauravraj. Away in the campsite, Bhagurayan and Susidhartak succeed in poisoning Malayketus mind against Amatya Malayketu.

Episode 47: Sushidhartak reveals that it was Amatya who sent him with a message and jewelry to Chandragupta. To add to the tension Sushidhartak reveals that the necklace man by Amatya was Pauravraj. Vishnugupta then recalls Amatya that the center drama of the jewelry the capture of Shaktadas was a ploy to get Amatya back to Patliputra. He then appoints Amatya as Chandraguptas prime minister

chanakya hindi serial volume 7


Chanakya Hindi Serial Volume 7 of 8

Episode 37: Viradhgupta warns the king that Magadh would be forced to teach Nepal a lesson. Balgupta alerts Bhagurayan to keep an eye on the commander - Cheif Bhadrashal. Vishvugupta Shriyak cry out to control his action.

Episode 38: Rumors were spreading around the city of Patliputra that soon the city would be agtacked. Distressed by the kings attitude Varuchi pleads with Amatya to stop the war. Sinharan has entered the palace and murdered Prince Sukesh.

Episode 39: The supporters of commander in cheif Bhadrashal continued to hunt for Balgupta. Ashvadyaksh orders that Balgupta should be killed. Vishnugupta appoints Balgupta the new commander in chief. Dhananand is taken all over the city and ultimately driven away.

Episode 40: Amatya and Vishnugupta seek solace in the peaceful atmosphere of a monastery. Vishnugupta sends his special messenger Shanotra to Chadragupta asking him to proceed to Magadh. Shriyank tearfully refuses to take the post of Minister in Vishnugupta council.

Episode 41: Only after the procession enters the palace and Shaunotra leads Chadragupta alone to meet Vishnugupta, is it revealed that the man under the armor was Akshay.Vishnugupta further strengthens his plans by proposing the marriage between Chandragupta and Dhananands daughter Dharini. The queen appeals to the monk Jeevsidhi to try and stop the marriage between Chandragupta and Dharini.

Episode 42: Malayaraj and the other kings demand that the promises made by Chadragupta should be fulfilled soon. Dharani is pleading with her mid wife that she does not want to marry Chadragupta

Chanakya hindi serial volume 6


Chanakya Hindi Serial Volume 6 of 8

Episode 31: Disciple of Vishnugupta, Sharangdev, enters the city and gives his teacher the latest update of Chandraguptas activities. Varuchi decides to hand over his resignation. Police Commissioner Bhagurayan appoints Susidhartak to keep an eye on Vishnugupta.

Episode 32: Vishnugupta goes to meet Bhagurayan and asks him for help in two missions. Varuchi gets angry at Amatyas attempt to curb the rising revolt. Susidhartak reveals his true identity to Sidhartak. He is to take a message to Vishnugupta that the authorities of Patliputra were keeping an eye on him.

Episode 33: Vishnugupta addresses the intellectual group of the city and urges them to walk on the right path. Later on Dhananand questions the mayor of the city and then tells Amatya to throw out Vishnugupta from the state. Jeevsidhi convinces Dhananand to give up the thrown and make Sukesh the crown Prince.

Episode 34: The entire city of Pataliputra is in a festive mood as the coronation of Prince Sukesh id announced. On the other side security is getting tighter in the city as commissioner Bhagurayan surveys the city.

Episode 35: Varuchi expresses concern over the impending coronation. Amatya then reveals that he holds Vishnugupta responsible for the entire tension. Away from the complications of Pataliputra, Chandragupta is busy practicing his fighting skills. Bhadrashal pledges his faithfulness to the king.

Episode 36: Tension mounts in Patliputra as Pratim, a special spy, arrives from Nepal. Shriyank worriedly informs Ajay that Vishnugupta would soon have to leave Pataliputra. Amatya tells Bhagurayan that under any circumstances Vishnugupta should not be imprisoned

chanakya hindi serial volume 5


Chanakya Hindi Serial Volume 5 of 8

Episode 25: Badrashal is upset by the Prime ministers decision to appoint Acharya at a high polotical post in order to stop their departure from the city. Ajay is in full agreement with Rudradevs feelings. Ex-prime minister Shatkar vows to help Vishnugupta in his mission

Episode 26: Vishnugupta goes to the land dealer and expresses his desire to buy a vast piece of land. Meanwhile students are roaming around the city making announcements of the oncoming meeting to be conveyed by Acharya Rudradev. Seeing her husband in such an unsettled state of mind makes Maitri very worried.

Episode 27: Varuchi asks Balgupta to help him in his mission to set things right in Patliputra. Varruchi learns through Shriyak about Vishnugupta's desire to make a Gurukul. Varuchi makes the decision to buy the land.

Episode 28: After meeting Amatya Rakshas, Viradhgupta walks around the streets and witnesses a meeting between Shatkar and Rudradev on the other side. Unwilling to rest even at night, Amatya goes to the local bar, dance hall, gambling house, guest house, etc and asks everybody to be alert. Amtya then goes to Viloms residence. Viklom is the same man who had years ago informed Amatyas father about Acharya Cahnaks death.

Episode 29: Restless in sleep, Amatya recalls all the information received by Viradhgupta. Amatya goes to Shanktars house and both talk about Magadh and Shatkar reveals his desire to take active intrest in the upliftment of the state.

Episode 30: Bhadrashal reveals his frustations before Dhanananad. At the end of the episode we see all the important men in Patliputra absolutely tensed

chanakya hindi serial volume 4


Chanakya Hindi Serial Volume 4 of 8

Episode 19: After Governor's death all the Greek soldiers and officers find their position very shaky. Chandragupt and Sinharan along with their army, continue to wipe out all the traces of Greek rule. Ambhikumar, Chandragupt, Sinharan, Vishnugupt and Parvateshwar receive the news of Alexander's death.

Episode 20: In "Vahik Pradesh" all the states have accepted Chandragupta as their leader. Vishnugupt reveals his plans to overthrow the present rule in Magadh. For this he asks his friends for help. Parvateshwar agrees to help Vishnugupt in every possible way.

Episode 21: Chandragupt asks the citizens of Arrat to forget their personal animosity and rise as a nation. Lagh Paurav meets Chandragupt in order to seek his help in getting his kingdom bac. Indradutt holds his friend Vishnugupt responsible for all that has occurred.

Episode 22: Vishnugupt reveals his plans to overthrow the present Nand rule in Magadh. Parvateshwar takes a vow to help Vishnugupt. Laghu Paurav and Chandragupt are held captive.

Episode 23: Chandragupta not being recognized is held captive in the jailhouse of Kekaya. Vishnugupta is unfolding his future plans to Chandragupta and Sinharan. Parvateshwar arranges for a meeting with the king of Kashmir

Episode 24: This episode onwards we once again enter Patliputra. Dhanand is lost in the world of drinks. The tax officer gets suspicious as he questions Vishnugupta. Vishnugupta then makes a vow to his dead mother that he will fight injustice and corruption in a shrewdly calculating way

chanakya hindi serial volume 3


Chanakya Hindi Serial Volume 3 of 8

Episode 13: After defeating the frontier states, Alexander marches towards Kekaya, where he also defeats King Porus Parwateshwar. Even as he retreats from India, Alexander continues to kill innocent people on the way. Not discouraged by Dhananad's insult, Acharya Vishnugupta continues his mission to form a joint resistance.

Episode 14: The armory store of Taxila has been set on fire. Vishnugupta is brought to the jailhouse where Anujdev questions him. Everybody in the gurukul is disturbed by Acharya Vishnugupta's silence.

Episode 15: Sinharan hands over the post of Commander in Chief to Chandragupta. Vishnugupta addresses all the students and inspires them to rise and revolt against the Greeks. Chandragupta advances with his mercenary soldiers as more and more fighters join him.

Episode 16: The revolt against the Greeks continues to rise. Ambhikumar orders Anujdev to imprison the students singing the patriotic songs. Satrap orders the commander in chief of Kekaya, Vyagraped, to hang the revolutionaries. Satrap decides to advance to Taxila.

Episode 17: Indian mercenary soldiers fight against the freedom fighters. Phillipuss, Kritorus, and Chakrapani are killed and the Greek composite is set on fire. Acharya has instructed Chandragupta, Akshay, and Sinharan, to proceed to Taxila.

Episode 18: The situation in India after the death of Satrap is described through the medium of paintings and the narrator tells us the incidences that occurred during that time. Vishnugupta inspires him to rise above his own selfish desires and think solely about the nation and it's people.

chanakya hindi serial volume 2



Chanakya Hindi Serial Volume 2 of 8

Episode 7 : The entire spy network is ready for war. A soldier informs Ambhi about approaching army. After a battel, Ambhi is forced to surrender. In the palace, Sinharan is asking the people to punish him for the mistakes he has committed.

Episode 8: Vishnugupta meets the boy Chandragupta and decides to become his teacher. In the grand conference Dhanananda ridicules all the students and graduates, referring to them as beggars. There is a heated conversation between the two and Vishnugupta leaves the court insulted.

Episode 9: Chandragupta is intiated into the world of studies. His uncle is not happy with te decision and asks 5000 gold coins from Vishnugupta. He begins educating his disciples in all fields.

Episode 10: Refugees from western regions arrive at Taxila for shelter. In order to fulfill his ambition, Ambhi Kumar surrenders to Alexander, Ambhiraj commits suicide. A conflict takes place between Ambhi and Acharya Vishnugupta, where Acharya orders him to leave Gurukul.

Episode 11: Due to the internal conflicts between bordering states of India, Alexander is marching forward after defeating Ashvak, Ashtar and Maskavati. After meeting heads of various states, Acharya Vishnugupt reaches Patliputra. His eyes fill with tears as he realizes the pitiful state of India.

Episode 12: After crosing the Sindhu River, Alexander is met by Ambhi Kumar who has arrived with his huge army in order to welcome him. Onisykretos goes into the deep jungle in order to meet the asceties-kalyan Rishi. we see a meeting between King Parwateshwar and a messenger of Plexamder. The king is discussing surrender

Chanakya Hindi Serial Volume 1



Chanakya Hindi Serial Volume 1 of 8 VOLUME

Episode 1: King Dhanananda, the last heir to the Nanda Dynasty rules the throne. Supriya, a Devi's son Angadh has been missing for a few days. Minister Wakranas blames Shaktar when a gold coin missing from the salary of the workers in the palace.

Episode 2: Shishupal informs Shaktar of the new taxes being imposed by King Dhanananda. The order of appointing officials for the collection of taxes on wood, gum, stone, leather, etc.

Episode 3: Milind discovers Shaktar scattering gold coins that were robbed by the king. Milind imprisons Shaktar and his sons. Chanak goes out to the streets of Patliputra, urging the people of the town to revolt and fight against Dhanananda.

Episode 4: Vishnu learns about his mother's death. Due to his fasting, Chanak passes away in the prison. Wakranas tells the guard to keep his death a secret. Shaktar is released and is offered the post of Prime Minister again.

Episode 5: Vishnugupta gains entry into the caravan advancing towards Taxila. he is asked to stay behind and accept the post of a teacher in politics. The king of Kekaya Parwateshwar has spread an elaborate spy system in Taxila. Ambhi orders Sinharan to attack the border of Kekaya.

Episode 6: In a secret meeting, Parwateshwar orders his ministers to attack Taxila. Sushen is accused of being a traitor. Sinharan is being overcome by alcohol and we see the army of Kekaya riding towards Taxila

Seek the self eternal

This awakening you have known comes not
Through logic and scholarship, but from
Close association with a realized teacher.
Wise are you, Nachiketa, because you seek
The Self eternal. May we have more
Seekers like you!

-Katha Upanishad

Rest in the self

When the mind is stilled in dreamless sleep,
It brings rest and repose to the body.
Just as birds fly to the tree for rest,
All things in life find their rest in the Self.

-Prashna Upanishad

ignorant and wise

The ignorant work for their own profit, Arjuna; the wise work for the welfare of the world, without thought for themselves. By abstaining from work you will confuse the ignorant, who are engrossed in their actions. Perform all work carefully, guided by compassion.

-Bhagavad Gita 3:25-26

Ego and self

The ego and the Self dwell as intimate friends in the same body, like two golden birds perched in the same tree. The ego eats the sweet and sour fruits of the tree, while the Self looks on detached. For as long as you identify with the ego, you will feel joy and sorrow.

-Mundaka Upanishad

When justice is called 'Good'

Justice may be called good when it acts impartially
toward enemies, strangers and friends.

The wealth of those who possess justice will not perish;
rather it will be their posterity's soothing security.

-Tirukkural 12: 111-112

Who should you trust ?

To trust a man who has not been tested and to suspect a man
Who has proven trustworthy lead to endless ills.

-Tirukkural 510

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Stop Forced Conversion



Religious conversions is the greatest danger or problems that India or Hindus in particular are facing today. I personally condemn such things and oppose it. Any human is free to follow any religion he/she wants. One cant forcibly convert anyone by bribery or any other sort of help.

I would like to know views of other fellow hindus and also of those who are not hindus visiting this blog. I would like to know how can we overcome this problem.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Evolution of Hinduism - Yoga


(Click on the picture - if not visible properly)

Friday, January 2, 2009

Truth

One cannot but laugh and even be apparently irreverent when confronted by the fantastic super structure of superstition and mystery that has been built on and around the basic simplicity that TRUTH is!

-Ramesh Balsekar

He is free of Duality

He is free of duality.

Wealth or pleasure,
Duty or discrimination
Mean nothing to him.

What does he care
What is accomplished or neglected?


-Ashtavakra Gita 18:12

The Self is Free

When the Self is known,
All illusions vanish.
The veil falls,
And you see clearly.
Your sorrows are dispelled.
For the Self is free
And lives forever.
Everything else is imagination,
Nothing more!
Because he understands this,
The master acts like a child.

-Ashtavakra Gita 18:6-7

Free from Delusion

Delusion arises from the duality of attraction and aversion, Arjuna; every creature is deluded by these from birth. But those who have freed themselves from all wrongdoing are firmly established in worship of me. Their actions are pure, and they are free from the delusion caused by the pairs of opposites.

-Bhagavad Gita 7:27-28

Sing the Scriptures

He is the eternal Reality, sing the scriptures,
And the ground of existence.
Those who perceive him in every creature
Merge in him and are released from the wheel
Of birth and death.

-Shvetashvatara Upanishad

To Find Happiness

How much pleasure you take
In acquiring worldly goods!

But to find happiness
You must give them all up.

-Ashtavakra Gita 18:2

Pleasure and Pain

He is the only adorable one to me: I have none other.

My tongue has left off impure words, it sings His glory day and night: Whether I rise or sit down, I can never forget Him; for the rhythm of His music beats in my ears.

Kabir says: "My heart is frenzied, and I disclose in my soul what is hidden. I am immersed in that one great bliss which transcends all pleasure and pain."

-Kabir

Sai Baba on When to Speak

Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence?

-Sai Baba

Patanjali on Freedom

Freedom is that triumphant state of consciousness that is beyond the influence of desire. The mind ceases to thirst for anything it has seen or heard of; even what is promised in the scriptures.

And supreme freedom is that complete liberation from the world of change that comes of knowing the unbound Self.

-The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 1:15-16