12 RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS

12 RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ SYMBOLS OF TWELVE MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

31.3.12

RAM NAVAMI

Ram Navami also known as Sri Rama Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya of Ayodhya. Ram is the 7th incarnation of the Dashavatara of Vishnu. The Sri Rama Navami festival falls in the Shukla Paksha on the Navami, the ninth day of the month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar. Thus it is also known as Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami, and marks the end of the nine-day Chaitra-Navratri celebrations.

This year Ram Navami falls on 1st April 2012.
At some places the festival lasts the whole nine days of the Navratras, thus the period is called 'Sri Rama Navratra'. It is marked by continuous recitals, Akhand Paath, mostly of the Ramacharitamanas, organized several days in advance to culminate on this day, with elaborate bhajan, kirtan and distribution of prasad after the puja and aarti. Images of infant form of Sri Rama are placed on cradles and rocked by devotees. Since Rama is the 7th incarnation of Vishnu having born at noon, temples and family shrines are elaborately decorated and traditional prayers are chanted together by the family in the morning. Also, at temples special havans are organized, along with Vedic chanting of Vedic mantras and offerings of fruits and flowers. Many followers mark this day by Vrata (fasting) through the day followed by feasting in the evening, or at the culmination of celebrations.
The important celebrations on this day take place at Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh),  Bhadrachalam (Andhra Pradesh) and Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu), thronged by thousands of devotees. Rathayatras, the chariot processions, also known as Shobha yatras of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman, are taken out at several places, including Ayodhya where thousands of people take a dip in the sacred river.

History:
At that time Ravan, king of Lanka, was terrorizing the people, and all were longing for liberation from his menace. Ravan had acquired great power because he had obtained from god Brahma the boon that he would never die at the hands of gods, or gandharvas, or yakshas (demigods) or demons. As he was not afraid of men he did not care to include men in the list of his potential slayers. So Brahmadev declared that Ravan would die at the hands of a man. Then the gods went to Vishnu with the request, “Dasarath is a glorious king. Please, take birth in the wombs of his three queens in four different degrees of your divinity.”

Dasharatha, the Emperor of Ayodhya, had three wives named Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi in the Treta Yuga. Their greatest worry was that they had no children, and so they had no heir to the throne in the Ikshvaku Kula or royal lineage of great, pious, wonderful Emperors. Rishi Vasistha suggests him to perform Puthra Kamesti Yagna, through which he can have a desired child. He also tells him to invite Maharshi Rishyasringa to perform this yagna for him. Emperor Dasharatha consents and heads to Maharshi Rishyasringa's ashram, to invite him. Maharshi agrees and accompanies Emperor Dasharatha to Ayodhya (Capital of Avadha) and performs the yagna.

As the result of this yagna, Yagneshwara appears and provides Dasharatha a bowl of divine pudding (Kheer/Payasam) and requests him to give it to his wives. Dasharatha gives one half of the payasam to his elder wife Kausalya, and another half to his younger wife Kaikeyi. They both give half of their portions to Sumitra. After few days all three Queens conceive. On the ninth day (Navami) of Chaithra Masa (last month in Vedic Calendar), at noon Kausalya gives birth to Rama, Kaikeyi gives birth to Bharata, and Sumitra to twin boys, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

Rama is the epitome of perfection, the uttama purusha, fulfilling all his duties towards both family and subjects.

Rama took birth by His own will, on Bhuloka (Earth) to protect all his devotees and vanquish the roots of Adharma. Rama decided to incarnate to destroy Ravana, an Asura [person with demonic and evil designs] ruled in Lanka.

Natal chart of Rama:
Sage Valmiki in his Sanskrit text Ramayan describes the natal or birth chart of young Rama, and this day is celebrated as Ramanavami festival throughout India and amongst Indian diaspora:
“On completion of the ritual six seasons have passed by and then in the twelfth month, on the ninth day of Chaitra month [March–April], when the presiding deity of ruling star of the day is Aditi, where the ruling star of day is Punarvasu (Nakshatra), the asterism is in the ascendant, and when five of the nine planets viz., Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus are at their highest position, when Jupiter with Moon is ascendant in Cancer, and when day is advancing, then Queen Kausalya gave birth to a son with all the divine attributes like lotus-red eyes, lengthy arms, roseate lips, voice like drumbeat, and who took birth to delight the Ikshwaku dynasty, who is adored by all the worlds, and who is the greatly blessed epitome of Vishnu, namely Rama.”

According to recent astrological studies, some consider his date of birth to be January 10, 5114 B.C.

On this occasion, followers of Hinduism fast or restrict themselves to a specific diet in accordance to Veda-Dharma. Vedic temples are decorated and readings of the Ramayana take place. Along with Sri Rama, people also worship Sita, Rama's wife; Lakshmana, Rama's brother; and Hanuman, an ardent devotee of Rama and the leader of his army in the battle against the asura Ravana.

It is believed that listening to the story of Rama cleanses the soul. Meditating on the noble Rama and chanting his name is believed to ease the pains of life and lead one to moksha, or liberation. It is also common practice to chant the name of Rama while rocking babies to sleep.

Celebrations:    
The birthday of Lord Rama, the celebrated hero of the famous epic, 'Ramayana', is enthusiastically celebrated on the ninth day of the waxing moon in the month of Chiatra, all over India. Lord Vishnu is worshipped in his human incarnation as Rama, the divine ruler of Ayodhya. Celebrations begin with a prayer to the Sun early in the morning. At midday, when Lord Rama is supposed to have been born, a special prayer is performed. People sing devotional songs in praise of Rama and rock, images of him in a cradle to celebrate his birth. Rathyatras or chariot processions of Ram, his wife Seeta, brother Lakshman and devotee Hanuman are held from many temples. People gather in thousands on the banks of the sacred river Sarayu for a dip.

Some observe a strict fast on this day.Ayodhya is the focus of great celebrations. Devotees throng the temples of Ayodhya and Pondicherry, two places closely connected with the events of the Ramayana to participate in Ramnavami festivities.

Ramrajya (the reign of Rama) has become synonymous with a period of peace and prosperity. Mahatma Gandhi also used this term to describe how according to him, India should be after independence.

In northern India especially, an event that draws popular participation is the Ramnavami procession. The main attraction in this procession is a gaily-decorated chariot in which four persons are dressed up as Rama, his brother Laxman, his queen Sita and his disciple Hanuman. Several other persons dressed up in ancient costumes as work by Rama's solders accompany the chariot. The procession is a gusty affair with the participants shouting praises echoing the happy days of Rama's reign.

Surya - The Sun was recognised as the source of light and heat even in ancient times. The importance of the Sun was much more in the higher latitudes from where the Aryans are supposed to have migrated into India. Many royal dynasties portrayed symbols of virility like the Sun, Eagle, Lion etc. as their progenitor.

Sri Ramnavami occurs at the beginning of summer when the sun has started moving nearer to the northern hemisphere. The Sun is considered to be the progenitor of Rama's dynasty, which is called the Sun dynasty (Raghukula or Raghuvamsa, Raghu means Sun and Kula or Vamsa mean familial descendant). Rama is also known as Raghunatha, Raghupati, Raghavendra etc. That all these names begin with the prefix Raghu is also suggestive of some link with Sun worship. The hour chosen for the observance of the lord's birth is that when the sun is overhead and is at its maximum brilliance. In some Hindu sects, prayers on Ramnavami day start not with an invocation to Rama but to Surya (sun). Again the syllable Ra is used in the word to describe the sun and brilliance in many languages. In Sanskrit, Ravi and Ravindra mean Sun.

Significantly, the ancient Egyptians termed the sun as Amon Ra or simply as "Ra". In Latin the syllable Ra is used to connote light. For example, we have Radiance which emission of light, or Radium, which means any substance emitting light or brilliance. The common element is the syllable Ra that in many languages is used to derive words for describing Sun or light.

The occurrence of this syllable in most names used for Rama along with other clues is strongly suggestive that the festival Ramnavami antedates the R- ayana and it must have originated much before the Ramayana, as a 'Sun-festival' for invoking the Sun who was recognised as the source of light and heat even in ancient times.
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Courtesy to: Wikipedia; www.festivalsofindia.in; festivals.iloveindia.com

26.3.12

SRI RAMAKRISHNA, AN INCARNATION OF LOVE

SWAMI SHIVANANDA ON SRI RAMAKRISHNA
Swami Shivananda
PART-II
Swami Shivananda is one of the prominent disciples of Sri Ramakrishna and the second President of Ramakrishna Order. 
Even as a child I had an inherent tendency towards spiritual life and an innate consciousness that enjoyment was not the object of life. As I grow older and my knowledge increased, these two ideas took a firmer hold on my mind. I went about the city of Calcutta seeking knowledge of God among its various religious societies and temples. But I could not find real satisfaction anywhere: none of them emphasized the beauty of renunciation nor could I discover a single man among them who was possessed of true spiritual wisdom. Then in 1880 or ’81, I heard about Sri Ramakrisha and went to see him in the house of one of his devotees in Calcutta. This was the time when Swami Vivekananda and those other disciples of Ramakrishna who afterwards renounced the world to carry on his divine mission, had began to gather round him. On that first day of my visit, I saw Sri Ramakrishna passing into Samadhi and when he returned to normal consciousness, he spoke in detail about Samadhi and its nature. I felt in my inmost heart that here was a man who had indeed realized God and I surrendered myself forever at his blessed feet.

I have not yet come to a final understanding whether he was a man or a superman, a God or God Himself. But I have known him to be a man of complete self-effacement, master of the highest renunciation, possesser of the supreme wisdom and as the very incarnation of Love and as with the passing of days, I am getting better and better acquiented with the domain of spirituality and feeling the finite extent and depth of Sri Ramakrishna’s spiritual moods, the conviction is growing in me that to compare him with God, as God is popularly understood, would be minimizing and lowering his supreme greatness. I have seen him showering his love equally on men and women, on the learned and the ignorant and on saints and evincing earnest and unceasing solicitude for the relief of their misery and for their attainment to infinite peace by realizing the Divine. And I dare say the world has not seen another man of his type in modern times, so devoted to the welfare of mankind.

Sri Ramakrishna looked upon name and fame with extreme disgust. His example and precepts deeply impressed on us the extreme insignificance of worldly joys before the ineffable bliss of God. He lived day and night in Divine ecstasy and Samadhi,  which is so rare and inaccessible, was perfectly natural to him. It is no wonder, therefore, that the idea of a God-intoxicated man being intimate with the details of everyday life and instructing people thereon and yearning to remove the sorrows of men and women who approsched him with the tales of their worldly afflictions, should appear paradoxical and unnatural to those who had not witnessed his life. But we have seen innumerable such instances in his life.

One Mani Mallick, having lost his son, came to Sri Ramakrishna with a broken heart. Sri Ramakrishna not only sympathized with him but also entered so deeply into his feelings that it almost seemed as if he were the bereved father and his sorrow surpassed Mallick’s. Some time passed this way. Suddenly Sri Ramakrishna changed his mood and sang a song which encouraged him to prepare for the battle of life. I remember how the father’s grief was assuaged by it. The song gave him courage, calmed his sorrow and brought him peace. To Sri Ramakrishna there was neither good nor evil: he saw that the Divine Mother abides in all beings, the difference is only in manifestation. He visualized the Divine Mother in all women and revered and addressed them as his own mother.

By actually practising the doctrines of Hinduism, Christianity and Mohammedanism etc. he demonstrated the truth of all religions: he found his own realizations tallying with the descriptions of the different scriptures- the Upanizhads, the Bible, the Koran etc. and he declared that the Truth is One being called and worshipped variously by the various religions of the different countries of the world. I have seen many true seekers of God, professing other creeds, come to him to solve their spiritual problems. And it is by seeing him that I came to believe in the truth of such incarnations and prophets as Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed and feel their infinite mercy. He never objected to anyone’s spiritual mood or ideal. He helped all who came to him, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, high and low, to advance along the spiritual path according to their individual inclinations. 

Source Book: Sri Ramakrishna: Myriad Facets

20.3.12

THE GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHAN


CHAPTER- 4; PART-1
ADVICE TO HOUSEHOLDERS
August 13, 1882
The Master was conversing with Kedār and some other devotees in his room in the temple garden.  Kedār was a government official and had spent several years at Dāccā, in East Bengal, where he had become a friend of Vijay Goswami.  The two would spend a great part of their time together, talking about Sri Ramakrishna and his spiritual experiences.  Kedār had once been a member of the Brahmo Samaj.  He followed the path of bhakti.  Spiritual talk always brought tears to his eyes. 

It was five o'clock in the afternoon.  Kedār was very happy that day, having arranged a religious festival for Sri Ramakrishna.  A singer had been hired by Ram, and the whole day passed in joy. 

Secret of divine communion
The Master explained to the devotees the secret of communion with God. 

MASTER: "With the realization of Satchidananda one goes into samādhi.  Then duties drop away.  Suppose I have been talking about the ostad and he arrives.  What need is there of talking about him then? How long does the bee buzz around? So long as it isn't sitting on a flower.  But it will not do for the sadhaka to renounce duties.  He should perform his duties, such as worship, japa, meditation, prayer, and pilgrimage. 

"If you see someone engaged in reasoning even after he has realized God, you may liken him to a bee, which also buzzes a little even while sipping honey from a flower."

The Master was highly pleased with the ostad's music.  He said to the musician, "There is a special manifestation of God's power in a man who has any outstanding gift, such as proficiency in music."

MUSICIAN: "Sir, what is the way to realize God?"

MASTER: "Bhakti is the one essential thing.  To be sure, God exists in all beings.  Who, then, is a devotee? He whose mind dwells on God.  But this is not possible as long as one has egotism and vanity.  The water of God's grace cannot collect on the high mound of egotism.  It runs down.  I am a mere machine. 

Master's respect for other faiths
(To Kedār and the other devotees) "God can be realized through all paths.  All religions are true.  The important thing is to reach the roof.  You can reach it by stone stairs or by wooden stairs or by bamboo steps or by a rope.  You can also climb up by a bamboo pole.  

Many names of one God:
"You may say that there are many errors and superstitions in another religion.  I should reply: Suppose there are.  Every religion has errors.  Everyone thinks that his watch alone gives the correct time.  It is enough to have yearning for God.  It is enough to love Him and feel attracted to Him: Don't you know that God is the Inner Guide? He sees the longing of our heart and the yearning of our soul.  Suppose a man has several sons.  The older boys address him distinctly as 'Baba' or 'Papa', but the babies can at best call him 'Ba' or 'Pa'.  Now, will the father be angry with those who address him in this indistinct way? The father knows that they too are calling him, only they cannot pronounce his name well.  All children are the same to the father.  Likewise, the devotees call on God alone, though by different names.  They call on one Person only.  God is one, but His names are many."

SOURCE: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

8.3.12

HAPPY HOLI / DOL PURNIMA

Wish You Happy Holi / Dol Purnima

Holi festival (To read about Holi Click here) is celebrated as Dol Purnima or Dol Jatra or Dol Yatra in Bengal. It is celebrated on Falgun Purnima, the Full Moon day in Falgun month. This festival is dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna and the festival is also celebrated as Basantotsab or Vasantotsav. Dol Purnima 2012 date is March 8. This festival has a great significance as it is the last festival in Bengali calendar or Bengali Panjika or Panchang.

On this auspicious day, an image of Krishna, richly adorned and besmeared with colored powder, is taken out in procession, in a swinging palanquin, decorated with flowers, leaves, colored clothes and papers. The procession proceeds forward to the accompaniment of music, blaring of conch shells, trumpets and shouts of 'Jai' (victory).

Dol Purnima becomes all the more significant for Bengalis, because this is also the birthday of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1485-1533). He popularized modern sankirtana and elevated the passion of Radha and Krishna to a high spiritual plane. He underlined the emotional at the cost of the ceremonial side of devotion. Followers of Chaitanya School of Vaishnavism believe Chaitanya to be the manifestation of Sri Krishna. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu believed that the essence of sadhana is always the loving remembrance of Hari.

HOLI IN MADHURA AND VRINDAVAN
Holi, the festival of colours, is the largest festival celebrated in Mathura and  Vrindavan. This festival celebration lasts for 40 days. Holi 2012 date is March 7 and 8. Holi festivities start on Basant Panchami (28 January 2012) which marks the onset of Vasant rithu (Spring season).

It is believed that Lord Krishna used to play Vasantotsav with gopis during these days in Madhura, Uttar Pradesh. The 40-day festival attracts a large number of tourists of India and foreign countries as well. Holi Purnima is also known as Madan Purnima or Vasant Purnima or Holika Poornima or Dol Poornima.

Read More on Holi Festival [Click here]

7.3.12

HOLI / DOL PURNIMA

Wish You Happy Holi / Dol Purnima


DOL PURNIMA:
Holi festival (To read about Holi Click here) is celebrated as Dol Purnima or Dol Jatra or Dol Yatra in Bengal. It is celebrated on Falgun Purnima, the Full Moon day in Falgun month. This festival is dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna and the festival is also elebrated as Basantotsab or Vasantotsav. Dol Purnima 2012 date is March 8. This festival has a great significance as it is the last festival in Bengali calendar or Bengali Panjika or Panchang.

On this auspicious day, an image of Krishna, richly adorned and besmeared with colored powder, is taken out in procession, in a swinging palanquin, decorated with flowers, leaves, colored clothes and papers. The procession proceeds forward to the accompaniment of music, blaring of conch shells, trumpets and shouts of 'Jai' (victory).

Dol Purnima becomes all the more significant for Bengalis, because this is also the birthday of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1485-1533). He popularized modern sankirtana and elevated the passion of Radha and Krishna to a high spiritual plane. He underlined the emotional at the cost of the ceremonial side of devotion. Followers of Chaitanya School of Vaishnavism believe Chaitanya to be the manifestation of Sri Krishna. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu believed that the essence of sadhana is always the loving remembrance of Hari.

HOLI IN MADHURA AND VRINDAVAN
Holi, the festival of colours, is the largest festival celebrated in Mathura and Vrindavan. This festival celebration lasts for 40 days. Holi 2012 date is March 7 & 8. Holi festivities start on Basant Panchami (28 January 2012) which marks the onset of Vasant rithu (Spring season).

It is believed that Lord Krishna used to play Vasantotsav with gopis during these days in Madhura, Uttar Pradesh. The 40-day festival attracts a large number of tourists of India and foreign countries as well. Holi Purnima is also known as Madan Purnima or Vasant Purnima or Holika Poornima or Dol Poornima.

To Read More on Holi Festival [Click here]

2.3.12

VIDEO ON RAMANA MAHARISHI

Ramana Maharshi, an Indian sage lived at the holy mountain Arunachala in Tiruvannamalai, India during the 20th century. He vouchsafed for mankind a straight and direct path that permanently eliminates the sorrows of human existence and leads one into the bright, everlasting light of all-blissful awareness. The quintessence of his teachings can be found in his prose work ‘who am I’. When one realizes his true nature, he experiences eternal happiness and becomes immortal. Sri Ramana recommended the technique of self-enquiry to realize this truth. He assured that anyone is eligible to pursue this path, regardless of race, religion, or creed. 

Countless people who visited Tiruvannamalai during the life-time of Maharshi Sri Ramana saw in him a sage without the least touch of worldliness, a saint of matchless purity, a witness to the eternal truth of Vedanta. It is not often that a spiritual genius of the magnitude of Sri Ramana visits this earth. But when such an event occurs, the entire humanity gets benefited and a new era of hope opens before it.

We are fortunate to view this rare video and get a glimpse of a spiritual giant. This Blogger got  his inspiration by visiting his ashrama and reading his literature. 

Courtesy:www.sriramanamaharshi.org
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