WHY TO VISIT TEMPLES ? There are thousands of temples all over India in different size, shape and locations but not all of them are considered to be built the Vedic way . Generally, a temple should be located at a place where earth’s magnetic wave path passes through densely . It can be in the outskirts of a town/village or city, or in middle of the dwelling place, or on a hilltop . The essence of visiting a temple is discussed here . Now, these temples are located strategically at a place where the positive energy is abundantly available from the magnetic and electric wave distributions of north/south pole thrust . The main idol is placed in the core center of the temple, known as “Garbhagriha” or Moolasthanam . In fact, the temple structure is built after the idol has been placed . This Moolasthanam is where earth’s magnetic waves are found to be maximum . We know that there are some copper plates, inscribed with Vedic scripts, buried beneath the Main Idol . What are they really? No, they are not God’s / priests’ flash cards when they forget the shlokas . The copper plate absorbs earth’s magnetic waves and radiates it to the surroundings .. Thus a person regularly visiting a temple and walking clockwise around the Main Idol receives the beamed magnetic waves and his body absorbs it . This is a very slow process and a regular visit will let him absorb more of this positive energy . Scientifically, it is the positive energy that we all require to have a healthy life .. Further, the Sanctum is closed on three sides . This increases the effect of all energies . The lamp that is lit radiates heat energy and also provides light inside the sanctum to the priests or poojaris performing the pooja . The ringing of the bells and the chanting of prayers takes a worshipper into trance, thus not letting his mind waver . When done in groups, this helps people forget personal problems for a while and relieve their stress . The fragrance from the flowers, the burning of camphor give out the chemical energy further aiding in a different good aura . The effect of all these energies is supplemented by the positive energy from the idol, the copper plates and utensils in the Moolasthanam /Garbagraham . Theertham, the “holy” water used during the pooja to wash the idol is not plain water cleaning the dust off an idol . It is a concoction of Cardamom, Karpura (Benzoin), zaffron / saffron, Tulsi (Holy Basil), Clove, etc . . . Washing the idol is to charge the water with the magnetic radiations thus increasing its medicinal values . Three spoons of this holy water is distributed to devotees . Again, this water is mainly a source of magneto-therapy . Besides, the clove essence protects one from tooth decay, the saffron & Tulsi leafs protects one from common cold and cough, cardamom and Pachha Karpuram (benzoin), act as mouth fresheners . It is proved that Theertham is a very good blood purifier, as it is highly energized . Hence it is given as prasadam to the devotees . This way, one can claim to remain healthy by regularly visiting the Temples . This is why our elders used to suggest us to offer prayers at the temple so that you will be cured of many ailments . They were not always superstitious . Yes, in a few cases they did go overboard when due to ignorance they hoped many serious diseases could be cured at temples by deities . When people go to a temple for the Deepaaraadhana, and when the doors open up, the positive energy gushes out onto the persons who are there . The water that is sprinkled onto the assemblages passes on the energy to all . This also explains why men are not allowed to wear shirts at a few temples and women are requested to wear more ornaments during temple visits . It is through these jewels (metal) that positive energy is absorbed by the women . Also, it is a practice to leave newly purchased jewels at an idol’s feet and then wear them with the idol’s blessings . This act is now justified after reading this article . This act of “seeking divine blessings” before using any new article, like books or pens or automobiles may have stemmed from this through mere observation . Energy lost in a day’s work is regained through a temple visit and one is refreshed slightly . The positive energy that is spread out in the entire temple and especially around where the main idol is placed, are simply absorbed by one’s body and mind . Our practices are NOT some hard & fast rules framed by 1 man and his followers or God’s words in somebody’s dreams. All the rituals, all the practices are, in reality, well researched, studied and scientifically backed thesis which form the ways of nature to lead a good healthy life . The scientific and research part of the practices are well camouflaged as “elder’s instructions” or “granny’s teaching’s” which should be obeyed as a mark of respect so as to once again, avoid stress to the mediocre brains .
By Swami Tejomayananda “Why do good people suffer or why do bad things happen to good people?” This question seems to be very common these days. It seems as though good people get the brunt of all suffering, while evil-doers enjoy life. But if we observe closely, we see that everyone undergoes suffering in some form. Keeping this in mind, our question becomes meaningless. Just because a person is good does not mean there would be no suffering in his/her life. But what do we mean by ‘good’? In Sanskrit, ‘sadhu’ is the word used for a good person. Sadhu comes from the word ‘saadh’, meaning ‘to accomplish’. If we work for ourselves and achieve great things, there is nothing laudable about it, but if we help others to achieve their goals, then it is an accomplishment. If someone is good to you and you reciprocate, that is common courtesy. But if someone is harming you, and despite that you continue to wish that person well without expecting anything in return, it is real goodness. A sadhu bathing in the river saw a drowning insect. He saved it from drowning and was stung in return. Again, the insect fell back into the river and the sadhu pulled it out of the water and placed it under a shady tree. On seeing this, a person asked the sadhu, “Why did you do that?” He replied, “The insect did not give up its nature, so why should I?” How can we achieve this goodness in our lives? To reach any target, we must first have a goal. Similarly, for achieving goodness, we must have a standard of goodness which is known to us, because only then can we rise up to the required levels. As long as we see differences in the world around us, true goodness will not manifest. This can be achieved only when we become aware of our oneness with others. An example will illustrate this point better. Every organ of my body is part of one whole. If the finger goes into the eye, there is instant forgiveness, because of the complete identification with the finger. Now that we know what is good, let us see what suffering is. Objective suffering befalls all people, good or bad. Situations leading to suffering could have their roots in past actions. Objectively, the existence of pain or any other physical handicap cannot be denied, but the degree of sorrow this leads to is entirely subjective. Riches or positions of power do not guarantee happiness. People become miserable over small matters. If a person claims that he is good and is suffering, while the dishonest person is flourishing, we can be very sure that the person is not good. For a good man, the real suffering is to do something against his convictions. Suppose a pure vegetarian is faced with a situation of remaining hungry or eating beef, the chances are that the former option would be more acceptable. All our spiritual practices cannot eliminate suffering, but they protect the mind and make suffering acceptable, just as on a rainy day, we cannot stop the rain, but can protect ourselves from getting wet with an umbrella. Bhagavan Krishna says, “A good person never suffers.” By some logic we feel that suffering and enjoyment is related to past actions. If we observe at the subtle level, we find immediate results of our actions. The moment a good thought enters our mind, we feel elation, and similarly a wicked thought causes agitation. Real suffering is when we lose our goodness. Compromising with goodness is the greatest suffering. Even though superficially it may appear that evil doers are flourishing, it should not be an excuse to compromise. The problem arises when one does not have an ideal or when one is not able to live up to one’s ideal. But the greatest problem is when one believes that the ideal is not worth living up to and has lost its utility. Remember, a good man will stand by his convictions, because “If you do not stand for something, you will fall for everything.”
Tina Didi invited us over to her wonder, Gujarat Award-winning garden where daily it takes 18 man hours to water the garden. With our 16 kids and few volunteers we were able to pretty much cover it within an our. Giving our kids a chance to play, enjoy, feed the earth and find nature in [...]
Om Sri Sai Ram Wednesday’s Parayan Maha Yogis and Saints hold each other in high esteem and bear brotherly love and affection for one another. Vasudevanand Saraswati, the saint of Datta Dynasty was living in Rajamandhury in Andhra Pradesh, and one of his devotees expressed a desire to go to Shirdi. Saint Vasudevanand gave a coconut to his devotee, Pundalikar Rao, and requested him to give the coconut to his “brother Shri Sai Baba” and to convey his pranams. Vasudevanand Saraswati held Sri Sai Baba in high regard. However, on the way to Shirdi Pundalikar Rao by mistake broke the coconut and consumed the same. Later when he realized his mistake Pundalikar Rao was very upset. When he reached Shirdi and went for Baba’s darshan, Baba asked for the Coconut. Pundalikar Rao profusely apologized to Baba for his mistake and wished to offer Baba another coconut. Baba told him that no coconut could be a substitute for the coconut sent with love by his brother, Saint Vasudevanand. Kind hearted Baba forgave Pundalikar Rao. One lawyer, by name Saptenkar, was extremely heartbroken on losing his only son. Then one day he remembered that his friend had mentioned how Sri Sai Baba helped devotees overcome their troubles and sufferings. He decided to visit Shirdi with his wife. When Baba saw Saptnekar he became very angry and began to shout saying that Saptnekar holds him responsible for his son’s death but he was wrong. After a while Baba calmed down and said that whoever steps into the masjid will be free of sorrow and suffering, and he would take care of them. He asked Saptnekar and his wife to have faith and that they would be blessed with a child again. Within another year the Saptenkars were blessed with a baby boy. Saptnekar and his wife were blessed by Baba. Once Baba narrated a story about a frog and a snake. The moral of the story was that sins committed in the past birth have to be paid for in this birth. It is therefore important that we tread on the path of good deeds and thoughts. Once the great bhakti, Shama wanted to go to Gwalior, Kasi Prayag and Gaya, to which Baba said that he would reach Gaya before Shama. When Shama reached Gaya after visiting Gwalior and Kasi Prayag, he found a big picture of Baba hung on one of the walls of the temple’s priest’s house. Shama remembered the remark by Baba that he will be there in Gaya before him. When Shama enquired about the picture, the priest told him that it was Shama who had given him the picture about 12 years when they met at Shirdi. Shama could remember the episode and felt very happy. Kaka Sahib Dikshit was asked to read the Eknath Srimad Bahagwat and Bhavarth Ramayana daily by Sri Sai Baba. Kakasahib continued this practice even after Baba attained Samadhi and one day when he was reading section where it was mentioned that a devotee was once very anxious to receive the blessings of his Guru. This reminded Kaka Sahib of his own anxiety. Shama, Baba’s devout disciple consoled Kaka Sahib saying there was no need to worry since Kaka Sahib had reached the very high pedestal of the Sadhguru. Shama narrated the vision that Anand Rao-one of Baba’s devotees once had. Anand Rao Patil had a vision in which he saw Baba sitting on a throne studded with diamonds, in the middle of the sea. Then Shama who was also there asked Anand Rao to touch the feet of Baba. Anand Rao wondered how he could touch Baba’s feet as they were underwater. Shama asked Baba to lift his feet and Baba obliged immediately. Anand Rao clutched Baba’s feet and placed his head on them, thus receiving Baba’s blessings. On hearing the tale Kaka Saheb felt relieved and realized that if one desires for and makes the effort to receive the Guru’s blessings he would never be disappointed. Baba would say, “he who ever insults others hurts me most and he who treats others with kindness is always near me. He who loves me and sees me always is nearer to God. He who ever chants the name of God to him I am indebted and will provide salvation to them and get repay my debt. He who comes to my durbar and offers me food I will never forget. He who always with pure heart seeks salvation I will make his life full of bliss. No one needs to go to far off places in search of me I am for I am everywhere. He who sees with true love and compassion every creature in this world he will find me there in them. You will find me in animate and inanimate things, Baba would tell his devotees. Once Baba narrated an incident involving him and his friends. Baba and three of his friends were once wandering in the jungle in search of God when a man appeared from nowhere and asked what they were searching for. He said that it would be very difficult to find one’s way through the jungle and if they wished he would guide them and it may not be very difficult for them to achieve their mission. None of the four members was willing to believe the stranger and started to walk away from him. After a while they found themselves back at the same spot and found that the stranger was still there. This time the man offered them some food. Baba friends did not accept the food offered by the man and started on their search again. Baba stayed back and ate the food offered by the stranger. Baba told him about their mission to find God. On hearing this, Baba said, the stranger took him to a nearby well and hung him upside down from the frame of the well and left him there in that position for a few hours. He returned after a while and freed Baba. All the while that Baba hung upside down in the well he was not able to touch the water near the well even though he was so near to it. When Baba came out of the well, the stranger asked Baba how he felt to which Baba said he could not describe the experience in words but it was complete bliss. Through this story, Baba wanted to convey that we should never ignore anybody who offers something with love and that food is parabrahama. Even when we are equipped with route map and directions many of us are unable to get to the same address. Similarly, in order to reach God we should have a Guru who will take us through the difficult path and show us the right path. The author of Shri Sai Charita, Hemandpant said that Sai Baba used to help his devotees in every aspect of their lives and Baba wanted them to love all the creations of God and always remember God. He who reads and assimilates the lessons contained in the Sai Sat Charita they will receive the blessings of Baba. Om Sri Samarth Sadguru Sai Nath Maharaj Ki Jai. Baba, my prostration to you at your feet. With your blessings I could complete the Parayan for Wednesday. Please bless me with good health, peace and prosperity. Bless me that I remember you always and receive the Prasad of your blessings everyday. Om Sadhguru Sainathay Namah. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
The Vishnu Gayatri shows us that the Lord is everywhere, and the Narayana mantra is the most efficacious of all mantras. But in order to benefit through a recitation of the Narayana mantra, we must have bhakti towards the Lord, K.B. Devarajan said in a discourse. Suppose there is a tank full of water. There are three orifices in the tank, which are kept plugged. Suppose even one of the plugs is removed, all the water will drain out. Similarly, in order to get the benefit of the Narayana mantra, there are three holes that we must plug — lack of bhakti towards the Lord, lack bhakti towards one’s Acharya and lack of belief in the efficacy of the mantra. We often lack all the three requisites. We lack bhakti towards the Lord, whom the mantra extols. We lack bhakti towards the Acharya who teaches us the mantra. Or we lack faith in the mantra itself. A mere recitation, without faith, is not going to help us. All the three conditions are essential for us to reap the benefits of the mantras taught by our Acharyas. Those in samsaric life are in a pitiable condition. They have forgotten who they are. They have forgotten who God is. So they do not serve God. And the saddest part is that they are not sorry to have forgotten God. They are like a man who has lost his property, does not know he has lost his property, and is therefore not sorry about his loss. The Lord has great sympathy for our plight and is eager to save us, if only we have bhakti towards Him. Bhakti yoga is difficult for most of us. That is why the Lord shows us the path of surrender at His feet. But we do not even resort to this, often. We will resort to surrender only if we have the knowledge about our ‘atma’ and about God. An ignorant man does not know that he is imprisoned in a cycle of births and deaths, and to escape from this repeating sorrow, he must surrender at the Lord’s feet. If we understand the Lord’s qualities of kindness and willingness to forgive us for our transgressions, love for God will result, and will prompt us to resort to surrender.
Seshadri Swami moved about Tiruvannamalai for forty years, an ascetic with a total disregard for either name or form. He had no home, dependents, property or any fixed habit or system. He would often conduct himself like a mad man and roam around in the heat of the day and stare up at the hot midday sun and, at night, rest in some nook or deserted hall. He would be delighted when it rained and play in the streams on the street, sit in the water and only go indoors when the rain had stopped. His acts were dramatic and deeply impressive. He would avoid rich food from wealthy persons but beg for cold gruel at a poor man’s house or share food with beggars or left overs on a banana leaf with a dog. Sometimes he would take no food at all and on other occasions consume enough for ten people. He would eat and drink like one swallowing medicine or one being forcibly fed. Although he did not accept money he would sometimes receive expensive clothes but immediately transfer them to a poor person or tear the clothes into pieces and garland the tail and horns of a calf. If he was given plain new clothes, within a couple of hours, they would reach the state of his original clothes. He wore only a dhoti which would cover his toes and another piece of cloth swathed over his back and shoulders. He would squat anywhere regardless whether it was slush, dirt or refuse. When sitting, it was always in his favourite swastika asana. Swamiji was handsome of medium height and fair countenance. His hair hung in short ringlets to the nape of his neck. His voice was soft and his smile was as sweet and sunny as a child. His body would not be at rest for a moment. Even, when sitting he would catch something, put it down, lift it and then repeat it all over again a hundred times. He walked fast and those following had to run to keep up with him. No sound emanated from his walking or running, it was as if his body was light like a ball. He would seldom bathe, but occasionally pour a pint of oil on himself and roam in the streets with oil still glistening on his head. If he allowed himself to be shaved he would often stop it abruptly, with half of his face or head unshaved and appear in public with equanimity and total disregard for public opinion. He discarded rules and observances of caste, sanctity, prudence and decency but always avoided animal food and intoxicants. He loved music, delighting his devotees with songs. If one asked, he would break forth into melodious song often drumming rhythms on nearby surfaces. Sometimes he would place his hands on his hips and dance. He was often taken to be a lunatic and at times purposely simulated madness. It was difficult to explain his general behaviour and impossible to account for the course of his conduct. He was always original and free, an ascetic who maintained a thorough control of his mind and senses up to the end of his life. He was always playing pranks. Suddenly he would laugh without stopping and those who witnessed his fun would be reduced to hilarity. Swamiji utilised a strange manner of speech to ward off crowds building up around him. He would go on speaking very fast, without any respite and with no end or meaning. Sometimes if someone spoke to him, he would reply in Sanskrit, not caring if he was understood or not. He was a tapaswi of a very high order. One result of the mantras and sadhanas he practiced from his earliest years was the development of various siddhis and psychic powers. He could tell about the past and the future and read minds with ease. With this power, he fulfilled the desires of people by showing visions they wanted to see, both in dreams and while being awake. His miraculous touch is said to have cured many of those who came to him with devotion. Often when people saw him in the streets they would prostrate before him and he would get near to enable them to touch his feet. But, he would never allow bad characters to touch his feet. He would run away and if they forced themselves on him, he would abuse them or even pelt them with stones. Seeing this, many people did not go near him. But when he knew about the good qualities of a person, he would himself catch their hands and play. He would joke and run with young children. He never distinguished between males and females and sometimes would put his arms around the neck of a girl and walk along with her, and lie down in the street with his head in her lap. Swamiji’s interaction with the world was very strange. A person couldn’t take advantage of previous proximity – every moment was a new moment. People loved him, but some fearing they might be beaten, were frightened to come close. Generally, he would not call people by name, ask them how they were doing, suggest they come or question why a person did not come. He would neither talk sarcastically nor show intimacy on account of a past connection. Sri Seshadri Swami had deep devotion to God especially in the form of the Goddess Kamakshi, Lord Ram and Arunachala. In the practice of concentration (for days in his boyhood at Tindivanam and at Tiruvannamalai), he sat steeped in samadhi, oblivious of his body. He loved service and by his own example showed it as a noble ideal to live up to. He was regarded with great respect and he was thought to be a sage not a mad man. People would say, ‘He is a talking God,’ ‘A divine incarnation, a great yogi, a great siddha’. Others would say there were three lingas in Tiruvannamalai: One, Lord Arunachala, another Ramana Maharshi and the third Seshadri Swamiga
Simhâvalokanam (August, 1919-20, pp. 103-104) Yoga and Nature By Swami Ramakrishnananda Books are nothing other than the records of men’s experiences about Nature; so in reality Nature is our teacher. Whenever Nature teaches us,we become really learned and gain something thereby not only for ourselves but for others. When young James Watt studied the action of steam in the boiling kettle before him, he made a valuable contribution to the progress of the human race. When Benjamin Franklin was flying the kite and detected the existence of electricity in the clouds, he gained a new and most useful servant for man. Similarly by studying Nature George Stephenson was able to invent the locomotive engine. All these incidents clearly show that Nature is the book the study of which gives us the greatest return. Our Indian Yogis, knowing this, deeply studied the book of Nature and ultimately found out the methods which took them beyond Nature. Through the study of the inner aspect of Nature they opened a channel of unlimited knowledge; they could subsist without food any length of time; and they gained supernatural powers which our modern science cannot even dream of. That a man can become practically all-knowing they seem to have at first learnt from studying the property of a convex lens. Ordinarily the solar rays have no burning power; but if brought together at the focus of the lens, they will begin to burn. This burning power is brought about by the convergence of the scattered rays of the sun to a single point. This fact suggested to the mind of the Yogi that because the mind is distributed through the senses and as such is scattered in all directions, it has only the ordinary power of knowing what is visibly going on in this world and of knowing that but very partially. If, however, he could call his mind back from all external pursuits and concentrate it on one idea or at one point, as in the case of the focused solar rays, then why should it not be able to perceive both these ordinary things and many extraordinary things also? He made the experiment and was successful. This intense increase in the power of the mind was learnt also from the current of a stream. If we build a dam across a flowing stream, keeping only a very small aperture in the embankment, the water which then comes out of that aperture has a thousand fold more power than the ordinary current of the stream. This suggested to them the idea that if by shutting up all other outlets of the mind, it is made to flow through one outlet, it must acquire powers unknown to it before: In this manner the Yogi discovered the extraordinary powers which mental concentration can produce. T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 2 9 0 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 0 9
There are six major schools of thought in Hindu philosophy called the Shatdarsanas, which accept the authority of the Vedas and are therefore grouped as astika. They are Nyaya, Vaiseshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa and Uttara Mimamsa (or Vedanta). Of these, the Samkhya (pronounced ‘Saankhya’) system is considered as the oldest philosophical system founded by Kapila Muni. The Samkhya school of philosophy is of particular interest to us now since it is considered as the basis of all schools of Indian Dualism and finds mention in the Mahabharata, Bhagavata and later in the Yoga Vashishtha. According to the Bhagavatam, Kapila Muni was born to Kardama Muni and Devahuti. After his father Kardama Muni renounced the world, Kapila Muni instructs his mother into the nuances of yoga and devotion to Lord Vishnu. Thus, his teachings are also considered as the essence of Bhakti Yoga. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna refers to himself thus, “Among the Siddhas, I am Kapila Muni” (10.26). Kapila Muni also finds a place in the story of the origin of the holy river Ganga. King Sagara of Ayodhya, an ancestor of Rama, performed the Aswamedha yajna (horse sacrifice) ninety-nine times. Indra the King of the Heaven grew jealous of him since the scriptures say that any person who performs the horse sacrifice a hundred times becomes the next Indra, ruler of the heavens. So, Indra kidnapped the horse and hid it in the hermitage of Kapila Muni during the hundredth sacrifice. The sons of Sagara found the horse in the Muni’s ashram and attacked him suspecting him to be the culprit. Kapila burnt the assailants to ashes with his spiritual power. Later, Anshuman, a grandson of King Sagara, went to Kapila and begged him to redeem the souls of his ancestors. Kapila replied that only if the water of the holy Ganga descended from heaven and touched the ashes would they be redeemed. The story of Anshuman’s son Bhagiratha fulfilling his father’s unfinished task by bringing down the Ganga and making it flow through Kapila Muni’s ashram is quite well known.
Legend has it that, before joining the sea, the Ganga watered the mortal remains of King Sagar’s 60000 sons liberating their souls once and forever. It was standing on the Sagar Island that the mythical Kapil Muni condoned th sins of the sons of King Sagar who had dared to stop the horse blessed at Lord Indra’s Aswamedha Yagna and tied it to a post near his temple. It is this legend that attracts people to this little island in a remote southern corner of West Bengal. The Ganga Sagar mela (fair) is the largest annual assemblage of devotees in India. The greatness of the mela can be assessed from the fact that over a million pilgrims come from far-flung corners of India and beyond, speaking different languages and belonging to diverse castes and creeds, for a sacred dip at this holy confluence. For this, no invitation is given. No propaganda is carried out and overall no authority exists for carrying out the mela. It is indeed a tough journey. A few days in packed buses and trains bring the pilgrims to Calcutta. From there, again a long bus journey to ferry ghats or jetty in Sunderbans area, followed by crossing the tidal river stretching for miles across. The last leg involves either walking or traveling by a local bus upto 30 kilometres depending on the location of embarkation point. The journey can be tiring but religious fervour of the pilgrims overcomes all hardships. Kapil Muni ki jai, Kapil Muni ki jai, (Hail Kapil Muni), the din rises above the grinding motors of the launches ferrying the pilgrims across the Ganga and the countless buses plying between Calcutta and Namkhana. The problem of traveling doesn’t deter even the weak and vulnerable. Old people in their eighties, and village women carrying babies and little children in tow are a common sight. The never ending stream of pilgrims keeps pouring in throughout the day and night before the auspicious day and occupies any available space on the sandy beach. They move about the place in groups, many displaying saffron and red flags, identifying the religious Akhara (group) they belong to as well as acting as beacon to the members who stray out of the group. People walks to the sound of the bells, blowing conch shells and chanting prayers. Strains of devotional songs can be heard from far and near. And, the ceaseless din of loudspeakers. An array of shops, stacked with heaps of vermilion, rudraksha, colourful beads, conch shells line the pathways. Many a visitor stands wide-eyed before the shops selling everything from food stuff, household utensils to remote controlled toys. People crowd around the naga sadhus (naked ascetics) without whom the Ganga Sagar mela is incomplete. Sitting naked in little huts near the temple and enjoying a chillum of ganja, (cannabis) they are also the target of tourists’ camera. While devotees jostle in front of numerous temporary shrines of Hindu deities to pay homage, Kapil Muni’s temple remains the chief attraction. The temple of Kapil Muni, as we see it today, is by no means the spot where the sage meditated. It went under the sea millennium ago followed by the many others built in its place, which subsequently was also swallowed, by the advancing sea. The present one was built only a few decades ago, quite a bit away from the sea. The tall dome of the temple is visible from a distance. In the temple, three images engraved in stone are displayed, the one in the middle is that of Kapil Muni. The sage is seen in a jogasana; his eyes wide open, looking towards the sea with millions of devotees before him. The idols of Ganga and King Sagar flank Kapil Muni and the horse of the sacrificial yagna stands at a distance. The typical Ganga Sagar pilgrim is a country rustic, generally elderly, hardy, remarkably disciplined and fervent in his devotion. His dhoti seldom going below his knees, a cloth bound packet, containing everything needed for survival, on his head. And, of course, his women – heavily tattooed and clad in colourful saris. As the night, pregnant with the auspicious moment, descends, all wait for the precise hour to take the dip. The sandy track to the water’s edge is crowded with people who sit around fires before proceeding for the bath, chanting devotional songs and prayers. The seaside presents a spectacle in the darkness before dawn with the large bonfire lit by the bathers to keep off the cold. At midnight, the high tide drives the pilgrims back. The biting cold wind of mid – January from across the sea lashes the bare body. But there is a confidence on their faces and a kind of fire in their eyes. The confidence in God and the fire of earnest faith makes them brave the chill. The stars in the sky have quite a long time to fade when the moment of truth comes. As soon as the priest announces, the auspicious pre-dawn hour, the crowds surge forward to meet the tide with a loud chorus Kapil Muni ki jai and plunge into the sea. Suddenly the place is charged with the extraordinary power of the believers. After taking their holy dips, the shivering devotees trudge the one kilometre expanse leading to the brightly lit temple of Kapil Muni, where prayers were performed. Coconuts, flowers, vermilion, sweets, and money are offered to the image of the ancient sage. The bustle of activity continues for quite sometime in the morning as the pilgrims perform a series of rituals including the symbolic godan to Brahmins. A calf is symbolically handed over to the Brahmin priest by the devotee. Many perform the symbolic crossing of the river of blood, baitarani to attain moksha or transcendation. It is interesting to observe the people, clutching the tail of a cow and wading through a puddle a few paces. Many people shave their heads and perform the last rites of departed relatives. A number of marriages are solemnized on the beach during the day. Also, many local girls get married to the sea. This will ensure that theoretically they never become widows, even if their menfolk, braving the rough sea and tiger infested jungle for a living, die. It is no wonder that for many tourists from abroad, like though French couple I met, Sagar mela is something more than a mammoth religious congregation. They have visited the mela twice and found “something which has disappeared from France and Europe at least half a century ago”. Naturally this large an affair leads to some confusion. People get lost. The public address system works overtime as relatives try to trace those they have lost. But the majority of the pilgrims take it easy. After the rituals are complete, they dry their clothes and hair, cook their food on open fires, eat and rest. Happy, contented and smiling, having made the pilgrimage. The Ganga Sagar mela continues to throb with life, with the energy of millions of pilgrims. The pilgrimage may be extremely tough, but the pilgrims know that the visit will purify their souls. The visit fulfils their lifelong desire and often one can see tears of joy rolling down their cheeks. That is the magic of religion. A solar month is divided into 30 or 31 days and each is known as gate. A solar year has two halves of six months each known as ayana. The Northern declination of the sun when it appears to move between the constellations Capricorn and Gemini is called Uttarayan. This corresponds to the movement of the sun from the Tropic of Capricorn northwards towards the Tropic of Cancer. Uttarayan starts on the day of Makar Sankrant (14 Jan). The Southern declination of the sun when it appears to move between the constellations Cancer and Sagittarus is called Dakshinayan. This corresponds to the movement of the sun from the Tropic of Cancer southwards towards the Tropic of Capricorn. Dakshinayan starts on the day of Kark Sankrant (16 July).
Shree Maa gives us the message that we can learn from everybody. When Maa was a little four-year old child, She was cleaning a room and upon finishing, she threw the broom to a corner. Then She heard the voice of Sri Ramakrishna say, “Hega, you threw that broom? See how beautifully you cleaned the room with that very broom and now you threw it? You must respect your tools as well as your actions. Cleanliness is next to Godliness?” The four-year-old Little Mother bowed down to the broom. From then on She would bow down to it everyday. Maa said that Thakur Ramakrishna told Her, “If you respect each and every one of your actions, you will get me.” Respect is an important part of learning. To illustrate this, Maa is sharing these stories with us. These stories teach us how to learn and how to become divine. We can learn every moment from every thing because Mother Nature is teaching us all the time. Please listen and enjoy the stories! Now, Mother will tell us the story of Avadhut Dattatreya. Dattatreya was born divine and considered every moment as an opportunity to learn. He learned from everybody and everything. He considered all of Nature to be his Guru. How did He learn this way and what did He learn? Read on! First Story One day Avadhut was crossing a big field. He saw a huge wedding procession walking across the field with much fanfare accompanied by many musical instruments. There were pipes and drums and lots of singing. The marriage party was accompanying the groom. At the same time in that field, Avadhut saw a hunter. The hunter was looking with one-pointed mind at his prey. His eyes were completely focused on the target and he was oblivious to the marriage party and the sounds of their merry making. Avadhut went to the hunter and bowed down to him. He said, “You are my Guru. When I meditate on God, my goal will be to have the same focus as you have just demonstrated.” Second Story One time Avadhut was walking by a river when he saw a fisherman. He went near the fisherman and asked politely, “Oh Brother, what path should I take to go to the cityâ€? The fisherman was looking inside the water and did not pay any attention to the question. The sounds did not even enter in to his ears. At that moment, the fish was just touching the bait. When the fish was caught, the fisherman called Avadhut, “Hey, what were you saying to me?” Avadhut came back to him and bowed down. He said, “You are my Guru. When I meditate on my Ishta Deva (beloved form of God), until the meditation is not complete, until I reach the goal, my mind will not wander. Please give me blessings to be like you in this way.” Third Story One day a hawk caught a fish and was flying with the fish in his mouth. Behind came hundreds and hundreds of crows. They all flew behind him and chased the hawk wherever he flew. They wanted the fish and went wherever the hawk went. They were disturbing the hawk greatly. The hawk got mad. He threw the fish. At that time, another hawk was flying and caught that fish. The crows left the first hawk and started flying behind the other hawk. The first hawk was so relieved and relaxed! Without a care, he sat on the branch of a tree and watched the plight of the other hawk. The Avadhut bowed down to the hawk and said, “If you can leave all desires and attachments, then alone you can get peace. When I sit to meditate I want to leave all my desires and attachments, just as you have shown. ” He prayed to the hawk and said, “You are my Guru. Thank you for your teaching.” Fourth Story There was a little pond in which a crane was walking with concentration and moving slowly to catch a fish. Behind the crane was a hunter who was focusing on the crane with the intent of killing it. The crane had no idea as to who was behind. The crane was completely focused on catching the fish. The Avadhut bowed down to the crane and told him, “You are my Guru. When I will do meditation, I will never look behind, I will always be focused on the present and not on the past or the future. Please give me this blessing. Thank you for your teaching.” From these Avadhut stories we see a beautiful example of how we can learn from all of Nature — every moment, every aspect of creation can be our Guru and we can learn. Avadhut gave respect with each action. From this we learn that if we, too, are respectful in each and every one of our actions, the entire Universe will become our family, and we can learn and share with all of creation.
