Balanced View Lifestyle World Death


We come across extremes in Life,

 

Life Quotes.

Life QuotesLife Quotes.

Pleasure, Pain,

Good,Bad,

Hot, Cold,

Love ,Hatred,

Home, World,

Family Life, Renunciation,

How does one follow the Precepts?

An advice is can not be followed unless it is  experienced or we experience something similar.

Another tack is to understand by observing simple things in Life.

Rain flows as a River rolling down everything in its wake, not respecting anything.

It is predetermined, even that it is not, nor are we sure about,

As the things do not know why they are tumbled when being tumbled, nor the River that impels them, one rolls down Life.

As such, one need not be overawed by Great-men, much less condescending towards the weak and less gifted.

பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே;

சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே.”
We are solely responsible for our Life, be it Good Times  or Bad Times.
This accountability is the backbone of Hinduism and the Theory of Karma.
Of Course, we have limited Freedom, in that though we are free to choose a course of action, we can not determine the choices life offers or what impels us to choose a particular option.
None can insult you, demean you or elevate without your consent.
Atman is Your best friend and is Your worst enemy” Bhagavad Gita.
You are the Master of Your destiny.
தீதும், நன்றும், பிறர் தர வாரா;’
So are problems and solutions.
Hinduism is such a Religion that can say God is the Repository of Grief as well.
‘Dukkabukh,’ Repository of Grief-Vishnusahasranama.
Then why do we pray?
Because he gives you the strength, provides you with the tolls to tide over.
Dukka Sadanah’ Provides you with the avenues to combat the problems-Visnu Sahasranamam.
Therefore problems and solutions are with us.
“நோதலும், தணிதலும், அவற்றோர் அன்ன;”
This being happy or Sad is meaningless.
For even Death is not New!
“சாதலும் புதுவது அன்றே! வாழ்தல்”
So the whole world is Mine . All are my Friends.
யாதும் ஊரே,யாவரும் கேளிர்;’
‘Mara Ca Parvat Devi Pitha Devo Maheswarah,
Bhandavvah Siva Bhaktaasca,
Swadeso Bhuvath Thrayam’
Goddess Parvat is My Mother, Lord Siva is My Father,
Worshipers of Siva are my relatives,
Therefore the Whole World is Mine-Adi Sankaracharya.

யாதும் ஊரே ; யாவரும் கேளிர் ;


தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர்தர வாரா ;

நோதலும் தணிதலும் அவற்றோ ரன்ன ;

சாதலும் புதுவது அன்றே ; வாழ்தல்

இனிதுஎன மகிழ்ந்தன்றும் இலமே; முனிவின்,

இன்னா தென்றலும் இலமே; ‘மின்னொடு

வானம் தண்துளி தலைஇ, ஆனாது

கல்பொருது இரங்கும் மல்லற் பேர்யாற்று

நீர்வழிப் படூஉம் புணைபோல, ஆருயிர்

முறைவழிப் படூஉம்’ என்பது திறவோர்

காட்சியின் தெளிந்தனம் ஆகலின், மாட்சியின்

பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே;

சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே.
(பாடல்: 192
திணை: பொதுவியல் துறை -பொருண்மொழிக் காஞ்சி

Necessity of God In Yoga,Sutra 21 22 23


Having spoken about  Perfection and Imperfection in Yoga, Patanjali now speaks of the reasons for these and recommends corrective action.

Patanjali's Yoga Sutra.

Yoga Sutra 1.21

Intensity , constant and regular practice will speed up the process of Yoga .

  • tivra = rate is fast, speedy
  • samvega = momentum, force, vigor, conviction, enthusiasm
  • asannah = very close, near, speedy

1.21 Those who pursue their practices with intensity of feeling, vigor, and firm conviction achieve concentration and the fruits thereof more quickly, compared to those of medium or lesser intensity.
(tivra samvega asannah)

He adds,

Yoga Sutra 1.22

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.22

  • mridu = mild, slow
  • madhya = medium, middling
  • adhimatra = intense, strong
  • tatah = from that 
  • api = also
  • visheshah = differentiation, distinction
  •  For those with intense practices and intense conviction (1.21), there are three more subdivisions of practice, those of mild intensity, medium intensity, and intense intensity.
    (mridu madhya adhimatra tatah api visheshah

Now we come to an important aspect of Yoga,Indian Philosophy.

That of God.

Hinduism speaks of Polytheism,Henotheism,Monotheism,Dualism and Non Dualism.

It speaks of principle as the Realiy, yet advocates worship of God as well.

ord Krishna in The Bhagavad Gita says that ‘Whatever God you pray, I shall, in the form of That God shall give you the fruits in that Form”

Does this mean God is only an imaginary Concept?

Again we find many Gods in the Indian Pantheon, which is contrary to the Vedic Mahavakyas,

Aham Brahmaasm,

Tatatvam Asi and

Soham Asi.

When I am That, You are That and He Is That, where is the question of God?

Detail on this

“In a Nut-shellGod does not have Name and Form. But we need to have name and Form to Realize the Reality. So, different forms and names are best left to individuals as they know best what they like.”

http://ramanan50.wordpress.com/2009/09/28/does-god-have-name-and-form/

At the Ultimate Level thre is no God with Name and Form.

Yet it is needed as a Concept to graduate in Spiritual Practice, it is a tool.

But how come there are legends and Histories of God s in Hinduism”

Reality projects itself as God.

It is Real in this temporal world, ceases its relevance at the Paramaarthika Level, ParaVidya Level.

Sounds not convincing?

The same question was asked of Adi Sankaracharya when he explained the Theory of Maya and Brahman.

We know Sankaracharya advovates Non Dualism ,Advaita.

He syas the Reality has to be reailzed by the Individual by reclaiming the Knowledge that He is None other than the Reality.

How come the One Reality became or appears, as he put it, as Many”

Here Sankaracharya speaks of Maya, mayavada.

The impediment to realization is Avidya, Nescience,Ignorance at the Individual Level.

This Avidya is called as Maya at the Macro level.

Sankaracharya explains that the Realit, Brahman appears to be many and the world of names and Forms of because of Maya.

When did the Reality start appearing as Many?

Right form the Beginning?

Does it mean thet maya Existed in Time along with Brahman at the same time?

Yes.

If so, are not ascribing ‘Timelessness’-Anaadithtva to Maya?

Yes.

Then does Maya have the same attributes as that of Brahman?

In that case non dualism becomes meaaningless for for interaction between two realities the Third One is required, and a fourth One to manage thiese three and this is a Fallacy of Infinity?

What do you say”

Sankaracharya states that this is as far as our Minds can go.

One has to experience this.

Swami Vivekanada echoed this  when he ated,

‘You go this far and then you will find there are no more questions’

And that is That.

Patanjali is his Sutra 1.23 says the same as Iswara paranidhaana.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.23

Yoga Sutra 1.23

 

 

  • ishvara = creative source, pure consciousness, purusha, God, supreme Guru or teacher
  • pranidhana = practicing the presence, sincerity, dedication, devotion, surrender of fruits of practice
  • va = or
  • From a special process of devotion and letting go into the creative source from which we emerged (ishvara pranidhana), the coming of samadhi is imminent.
    (ishvara pranidhana va)
  • More on Iswara Pranidhana to follow

 

Skeptic Speaks After Death


There is a story about Robert Ingersoll, the Atheist.

When Ingersoll was in his death-bed, he asked for a Priest.

A Priest was brought in.

Ingersoll asked him,

‘Father, I have been denying God in my Life,

Will God punish me?’

The priest replied ,

‘Son, God is not Ingersoll’

I was reminded of this when I read a news item that the skeptic, Forrest J Ackerman, who is dead is reported communicating with people after he was dead!

The Life after Death.

‘The Life After Death Project’ Cover Artwork for the documentary “The Life After Death Project” about the search for evidence that the spirit of Sci-Fi legend Forrest J Ackerman is still “alive and well.”

Skeptics, Agnostics, Atheists are all pious and Devout in private.

here the man seems to go one step higher, after he is dead!

Story:

Ackerman, who passed away in 2008, is a legend in the sci-fi community, for, among other things, coining the phrase “sci-fi.” Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Peter Jackson were among the avid readers of his influential Famous Monsters Of Filmland magazine. He was also co-creator of the popular comic book superheroine Vampirella.

Ackerman was a skeptic in the supernatural. But now, some of his followers believe this dead man is trying to make contact with them.

It all started shortly after his death, when an odd ink blot mysteriously appeared on a sheet of paper at the home of his friend, filmmaker Paul Davids.

Ackerman speaks from the Dead.

Scientists and forensic experts cannot determine how the unusual ink blot appeared over these words, leading some to consider the spirit of Forrest J Ackerman was responsible for it.

Davids had printed out the paper that included a list of business meetings. The ink on the paper was completely dry as he left the room. When he returned, he discovered a black ink blot had somehow covered a group of words, “Spoke to Joe Amodei.”

“I had no idea why these particular words were blacked out,” Davids told The Huffington Post. “It made no sense to me until later, when I was researching Forry’s editorial style and I found lots of examples of where he blacked out words so completely. I have found 15 examples of where Forry found a name within a name or a word within a word as being a hidden word to make a pun or a point out of it.”

Davids believes this was the first in a series of unexplained instances where Ackerman was trying to communicate with him. He eventually involved several university scientists to try to explain these phenomena explored in “The Life After Death Project,” a documentary that premiered this week on the Syfy channel.

Some might claim Davids’ work is more akin to the Syfy channel’s fantasy-based programming, perhaps during hour 72 of a “Twilight Zone” marathon. But Davids is dead serious.

“I first met Forry in 1964 and we were friends for more than 40 years,” said Davids, producer-director of “The Life After Death Project.”

Source:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/17/life-after-death-project-forest-j-ackerman_n_3280368.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Nothing Is Sacred,Sinful Adi Sankaracharya


Right or Wrong is relative.

It is purely Subjective.

Adi Sankara

Sri Shankaracharya

When a vast majority follow a certain practice and decides it  to be Right it becomes right.

These value judgement are, at the Social level,are tools of Social Control.

They do not mean anything more.

However, as one has to exist in a Society , one has to follow these norms in this world.

Knowledge or Awareness is of two kinds.

One, knowledge of this world of objects and the other,

The knowledge about oneself,Reality,which is personal and can be felt

only by the individual.

Therefore the Vedas classify Knowledge into two Kinds..

One, The Absolute Knowledge, Para Vidya and

Transient Knowledge, Apara Vidya.

Transient Knowledge is transitory, subject to change, depends on our perceptions and real only in the relative sense.

To illustrate, let us take the case of  one sitting in a Room and there is a Table in the other Room which he can not see.

Here, for the one he sits in a room, the table does not exist as it is not visible or seen by him.

If one were to prove its existence from one’s memory that it was there and it used to be there , this argument s fallacious as it does not depend on one’s direct experience.

But, the fact that the table exists can not denied because one has not seen it, is wrong as well

Therefore an Object exists or ‘Is’, from the standpoint of its being there, seen by some body or as an idea in one’s mind.(‘Is’-'Asti’)

It does not exist-’Nasti’, from the stand point of the one who is sitting in the other room.

There is yet another class of people who see the Table for the first time.

As they have not seen it before they can not describe it, that is the table can not be described as to what it is.

This is called ‘Avaktavyam’(Indescribable).

Now look at the three stages of the Object.

It is  ’Asti’ ‘Does  Exist’, from the stand point of people who see  it.

It is ‘Nasti’,'Does not Exist’, from the stand point of one who does not see it.

It is ‘Avaktavyam’, ‘indescribable’, from the standpoint of those who se t for the first time.

So an Object is ‘Is,Is Not,and Indescribable ‘ at the same time, Asti,Nasti , Avaktavyam.

For the technologically inclined,

In Cricket match Live telecasts , we have many cameras covering the event.

The event looks different from each camera.

Which is the correct one representing the Object,Event?

If you have two televisions at Home in two different rooms,you will notice one frame or picture and audio comes later (or earlier than the other.

Which represents the correct Time frame?

Science will explain why it is so by talking about the velocity of light and Sound.( does sound have velocity or speed?)

But it does not explain the phenomena but describes the process for such an event.

Therefore an Object is presented to us in many ways.

This depends on our Senses, Anthakaranas,Gunas,Mind and Chitha.

This, apart from the attributes of the object

Hence in the transient World, an Object ,

Is ,Asti,

Is Not, Nasti,

Indescribable,Avaktavyam

to different people.

Again the Object may be all of these at the same time,

That is, Is , Is Not, and Indescribable(Asti, Nasti and Avaktavyam)

An object can be predicated in Seven different ways.

Is,Asti,

Is Not,Nasti,

Avaktavyam, Indescribable.

An Object,

1.Is,(Asti)

2.Is Not,( Nasti)

3.Indescribable(Avaktavyam)

4.Is and Is Not(Asti  Nasti) , depends on the location of the Object and the Observer.

5.Is and Indescribable(Asti Avaktavyam)

6.Is Not and Indescribable (Nasti Avaktavyam)

7.Is,Is Not and Indescribable(Asti,Nasti,Avaktavyam)

This predication of Object forms the Logic of Nyaya System of Indian Philosophy, The Sapthabangi Naya

This is the most advanced system of Logic, better than Logical positivism of Bertrand Russell.

Does an Object, such being the case exist at all?

Nihilists say No.

Empiricists say Yes.

John Locke says, I Know Not’

Adi Sankaracharya says ‘It exits and at the same time does not exist”

How?

Assume you step on some creepers in the night in a forest in and you jump out in fear, assuming it to be a snake.

When you use a Torch, you find that it to be a creeper,

Your Fear is gone.

Your fear was real,

The Creeper was real,

And that it is not a creeper is also Real

Therefore Shankaracharya says all the three statements are true,

The difference is that while experiencing Fear your Awareness,Knowledge was incorrect, because of Ignorance, not knowing all the facts.

Once you come to know all the facts you get the Knowledge,

Removal of Ignorance or Avidya, id Knowledge, Sankara  avers.

This being the case of individual Objects, how can one assume the Reality of Objects and events in this world and pass moral judgement?

Any such assertion is contrary to knowledge,

Therefore Right or Wrong is only Relative and has no place in advance knowledge.

Look at this point.

In Egypt, during Cleopatra’s times’ it was the custom to marry one’s sister, brother.

Cleopatra married Ptolemy, her brother first.

Let us see how God would judge two different cases on this issue,

One who does marry one’s brother from another Moral system where marrying sister/brother is incest and morally wrong, and another Cleopatra, after their Deaths.

Would he punish Cleopatra for having married her brother(which was considered Moral by Egyptians at that time) , for incest?

Or would God punish the one , who is not an Egyptian, and who has married her brother for incest?

He can Not. for He Is God, there can be no double standards.

So at the Absolute  level thee is nothing as sin or sacred.

Note;This is an advanced concept.

Let not people quote Shankaracharya and indulge in incest.

I would like to quote Rajaji,a Great Statesman and Philosopher of India.

(Rajaji was a lawyer.

Once a murderer approached Rajaji and asked him to represent him in Court.

As a matter of principle C.Rajagopalachari (Rajaji )would never appear for one whom he thought was guilty and so he refused.

The murderer told Rajaji,

‘You believe  in Hinduism, Every thing  is done by God, So my murder is not committed by me but by God, you should represent me’

Rajaji replied,

‘You are correct.

The same God asked me not to represent you.

The same god will also ask the Judge to hang you”)

In this sense there is no Sin, says Adi Sankara in Nirvana Shatakam.

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं
न मन्त्रो न तीर्थो न वेदो न यज्ञ ।
अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥४॥
Na Punnyam Na Paapam Na Saukhyam Na Duhkham
Na Mantro Na Tiirtho Na Vedo Na Yajnya |
Aham Bhojanam Naiva Bhojyam Na Bhoktaa
Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||4||

Meaning:
4.1: Neither am I bound by Merits nor Sins, neither by Worldly Joys nor by Sorrows,
4.2: Neither am I bound by Sacred Hymns nor by Sacred Places, neither by Sacred Scriptures nor by Sacrifies,
4.3: I am Neither Enjoyment (Experience), nor an object to be Enjoyed (Experienced), nor the Enjoyer (Experiencer),
4.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; I am Shiva, I am Shiva,
The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.

http://ramanan50.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/not-qualitiesliberation-niravana-shatakam-3/

When God Rushes Across The River Chithirai Festival Madurai


Ever heard of God rushing across the River to provide Salvation?

Lord Vishnu Does.

Every year Lord Vishnu,Kallazhakar from  Azahkar Koil, near Madurai,Tamil  Nadu,India, on the Pradhamai(the next Day after Full Moon in the month  of Chiththirai-April end) after adorning himself with the Garland prepared for him by Andal(Srivilliputhur, 48 Km from Madurai) who pined for him  eventually married Him) rushes to Madurai from Azhagar Koil, visits  Suthapas , a Rishi, who was cursed by Sage Dhurvasa for having failed to respect him.

Suthapas was born as a Frog(Mandukam) and was in penance in Madurai.

Dhurvasa had decreed that Suthapas shall obtain salvation  by Lord Vishnu when He crosses the River Vedavathi,Vaigai now.

True to Dharma Lord Vishnu gets down the river  on a horse and enters Madurai.

Lord Vishnu gets down the River, riding a Horse.

Lord Vishnu gets down the River, riding a Horse.

Being the elder brother of Goddess Uma, He is being accorded all the respects due to a brother by Goddess Uma,Meenakshiamman, Madurai.

Temple priests offer the Obeisance on behalf of Goddess Uma.

The festival coincides with Meenakshiamman Thirukkalyanam in Madurai.

Legend has it , as the elder brother of Uma, Lord Vishnu , gave Her away to Lord Siva, Chokkanathar(Godenhued) on this day.

Earlier the marriage was celebrated in Madurai in Maasi (about two months earlier)

King Tirumalai Naicker, to build unity among Saivite and Vaishnavas , merged these two festivals into one and had it celebrated in Chithirai.

Madurai will be brimming with Devotees from the day Lord Vishnu enters the River(அழகர் ஆற்றில் இறங்குதல் ).

Live telecast of this Fesival On Vasanth TV on 24 April 2013 ,17 hours IST

Related;

http://temple.dinamalar.com/New.php?id=695

மூலவர் : பரமஸ்வாமி
உற்சவர் : சுந்தர்ராஜப் பெருமாள் ( ரிஷபத்ரிநாதர்), கல்யாணசுந்தர வல்லி
அம்மன்/தாயார் : ஸ்ரீதேவி, பூதேவி
தல விருட்சம் : ஜோதி விருட்சம், சந்தனமரம்.
தீர்த்தம் : நூபுர கங்கை
ஆகமம்/பூஜை : -
பழமை : 1000-2000 வருடங்களுக்கு முன்
புராண பெயர் : திருமாலிருஞ்சோலை
ஊர் : அழகர்கோவில்
மாவட்டம் : மதுரை
மாநிலம் : தமிழ்நா