Sanatana Dharma and Indic Knowledge

 अश्वत्थामा बलिर्व्यासो हनूमांश्च विभीषणः। कृपः परशुरामश्च सप्तैते चिरजीविनः।। Ashwatthama, Bali, Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibhishana, Krupa, Parashurama- these are the seven Chiranjeevins (they are said to be eternal). अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची ह्यवन्तिका। पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैता मोक्षदायकाः।। Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar(Maya), Kashi, Kanchi, Ujjain(Avantika), Puri Dwaraka(Dwaravati Puri)- these seven places are called Mokshadayakaha ( where salvation is easily achieved and one can be freed from the cycle of birth and death). अहल्या द्रौपदी सीता तारा मण्डोदरी तथा। पञ्चकं ना स्मरेन्नित्यं महापातकनाशनम् ।। If one remembers these five women everyday, their sins are destroyed. The five women are Ahalya, Draupadi, Sita, Tara and Mandodari. मत्स्यः कूर्मो वराहश्च नरसिंहोऽथ वामनः। रामो रामश्च कृष्णश्च बुद्धः कल्किर्नमोऽस्तु ते।। In this verse Salutations is offered to the ten main incarnations of Lord Vishnu- Matsya(fish), Kurma(tortoise), Varaha(boar), Narasimha(man lion), Vamana , Parash...

 Benefits of consuming Betel leaf -Eaten in all parts of India right from Kashmir to kanyakumari....and from Gujarat to arunachal pradesh - Acts as a mouth freshner - Has many medicinal properties - Also contains vitamins. - Helps in digestion after having food - Used in religious practices too - It is considered as bad for health only when   it is eaten along with tobacco -Natural product with no side effects

The Vedas are the Pramanas (authoritative texts) of Sanatana Dharma. Vedas are Anaadi (without a beginning). There never was a time when the Vedas were not there. Vedas are Apourusheya (not created or composed by any human being) Vedas are the breath of Isvara (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.4.10) There is no Sanatana Dharma without the Vedas. There are 4 main Shakhas (branches) of Vedas – Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda The Yajurveda has 2 Shakas – Shukla Yajurveda and Krishna Yajurveda. It is our sacred duty to protect and preserve the Vedas. Learning and chanting the Vedas (especially from a young age), and also helping others to do so, is a great way to fulfill this duty. Another name for Veda is Shruti - that which is heard. One can learn to chant the Vedas correctly only by listening and repeating. Proper chanting cannot be learnt merely from books. At the most, you may use the book as a secondary support to learning by listening. Youngsters should try to do away with th...

 The Purusha Suktham is one of the most common and powerful Veda Mantras. It occurs in all the 4 Vedas – Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. The Purusha in the title refers to the Parama Purusha, Purushottama, Narayana in his cosmic form as the Viraat Purusha (Vishwaroopa), the Supreme Being. He is the source of all creation. The first 3 sentences of the Purusha Suktham can be translated as follows: Thousand-headed is the Purusha, thousand-eyed and thousand-legged. Enveloping the earth from all sides, it thus describes this form of the Supreme Person as having countless heads, eyes, legs, manifested everywhere - meaning that the entire cosmos / universe is pervaded by Him. In other words, there is nothing in the universe that is not Him. Purusha Suktham is also chanted at the time of doing Abhishekham to the Lord with the holy water in the Kumbham or Kalasham (vessel) in which various deities have been invoked and which has been sanctified by Vedic Mantras. As the Purusha...

The Narayana Suktham occurs in the Mahanarayana Upanishad in Krishna Yajur Veda. The Narayana Suktham is usually chanted after the Purusha Suktham. This Mantra offers obeisance to Parama Purusha or the Supreme Being or Narayana Sahasra Shirsha = thousand-headed (Sarvavyapi / Omnipresent) Vishwa Aksha = multi-eyed (Sarvagnya / Sarvadarsi / Omniscient / all-seeing and all-knowing) ना॒राय॒णप॑रोज्यो॒ति॒रा॒त्मा ना॑राय॒णः प॑रः । ना॒राय॒ण प॑रं ब्र॒ह्म॒त॒त्त्वं ना॑राय॒णः प॑रः । ना॒राय॒णप॑रोध्या॒ता॒ध्या॒नं ना॑राय॒णः प॑रः । Narayana is the Supreme Light (Param Jyoti) Narayana is the Supreme Self (Param Atma) Narayana is the Supreme Absolute (Para Brahma) Narayana is the Supreme Reality (Para Tattvam) Narayana is the Supreme Meditator (Para Dhyata) Narayana is the Supreme Meditation (Param Dhyanam) Narayana can be visualized or meditated upon as a resplendent flame (Mahaan Agni) in our heart. The Narayana Suktham says that the Supreme Self (Paramatma) dwells in the middle of this Flame. The Supre...

The Durga Suktham occurs in the Mahanarayana Upanishad in Krishna Yajur Veda. Most of the lines from the Durga Suktham also occur in the Rig Veda, but at different places. The Durga Suktham is chanted as a prayer to Durga Mata. However, several of the lines are also addressed to Agni. Some lines from the durga suktam are as follows- Tam Agni Varnam = To Her Who is of the color of Fire Tapasa Jwalantim = Blazing with Tapas Vairochanim = Who was born of that Fire (of Tapas) (Virochana = Fire) Karma Phaleshu Jushta = Who is worshipped by offering her the Fruits of our Actions Durgam Devim Sharanam Aham Prapadye = To that Durga Devi, I pray for Refuge by falling at Her Feet Sutarasi Tarase Namah = Salutations to Thee who art skilled in ferrying people across the Ocean of Samsara or the World. Please ferry us across this Ocean.

The Sri Suktham is a beautiful prayer to Lakshmi Mata Sri Suktham is found in the Parishishtam or Khilani (appendix or supplement) to the Rig Veda. Some lines from the Sri Suktam are as follows- O Jataveda (Agni), please Invoke for me (Avaha), Lakshmi Who is of Golden Complexion (Hiranyavarna), Beautiful (Harini) and Adorned with Gold and Silver Garlands (Suvarna Rajata Sraja). vO Jataveda, Invoke for Me, Lakshmi Who is like the Moon (Chandra) with a Golden Aura (Hiranmayi)(Gold represents Sun or the Fire of Tapas; Silver represents Moon or the Bliss and Beauty of Pure Sattva.) O Jataveda, Invoke for me, Lakshmi Who is the Embodiment of prosperity (Sri) and Whose Glory Shines like the Splendor (Prabhasa) of the Moon (Chandra) in all the Worlds (Loke); Who is Noble (Udara) and Who is Worshipped by the Devas (Deva Jushta) I take Refuge at Her Feet (Sharanam Aham Prapadye), Who Abides in the Lotus (Padmini) By Her Grace, let Alakshmi (in the form of Evil, Distress and Poverty) within and ...

 Bhagyam in Samskritam means good fortune or good luck. The Bhagya Suktham is a prayer to Bhagya Devata or Bhaga who is a son of Aditi. Bhagya Suktham is found in the Rig Veda (7.41). It also occurs in Taittiriya Brahmana (2.8.9) of Krishna Yajur Veda At dawn (Pratah), we invoke (Huvema) and worship (Havamahe) Agni (the fire god), Indra (the rain god), Mitrā (the Sun) and Varuṇa (the god of the ocean); the Aśvins (the celestial physician twins), Bhaga (the god of good fortune), Puṣan (the Sun as the deity of nutrition), Bṛahmaṇaspati (the Guru of the gods, also known as Brihaspati), Soma (the Moon), and Rudra (the god of dissolution) May Bhaga, and the other Devas bless us with good fortune. We all invite and pray to Bhaga to bring good fortune. Thus, Bhagya Suktham is a prayer to Bhaga or Bhagya Devata to bless us with good fortune. Bhagya Suktham is also chanted while lighting the lamp or Diya at home, at the temple or at the beginning of any Puja(worship). The lighting of the la...

   The Sri Rudram, also called Rudra Prasnam or Satarudriya, is one of the most beautiful and powerful, and one of the most popular Vedic Mantras.  At Vedic events like Rudra Ekadasini or Maha Rudram or Ati Rudra Maha Yagnas, the vibrations created by large numbers of expert Vedic chanters chanting Sri Rudram in perfect unison is an out of this world experience, not only for the chanters, but for devotees and listeners as well.   The Sri Rudram has 2 parts – Namakam and Chamakam. Namakam gets its name because of the repeated occurrence of the word “Namah” (I bow or worship or salute).  Chamakam gets its name because of repetition of the words “Cha May” (literally it means ‘’and me’’, but the actual meaning is ‘’give me’’). Chamakam is a prayer where the devotee asks the Lord to give them everything.   Namakam and Chamakam have 11 Anuvakas (sections) each.The Sri Rudram occurs in Taittiriya Samhita of Krishna Yajur Veda. Taittiriya Samhita has 7 Kandas or pa...

 श्रीः Kalidasa is said to be one of the greatest poets of Sanskrit Literature. There are many opinions from scholars regarding the exact birth period of Kalidasa. Some estimates say that his birth period is around the 4 or 5 century. His usage of words and descriptions are varied and beautifully seen in all his works.His works are as follows- महाकाव्ये-                              नाटकानि-                       1-कुमारसम्भवम्।                     1-मालविकाग्निमित्रम्। 2-रघुवंशम्।                             2-विक्रमोर्वशीयम्।                                              3-अभिज्ञानशाकुन्तलम्। खण्डकाव्ये- 1-म...

 श्रीः Chaturmasya Vrata is observed in accordance to the Sastras(religious scriptures) by Sannyasis for a period of two months. During this period, Sannyasis do not move about from place to place, and focus themselves on meditating upon the Supreme Brahman, teaching the Sastras to eligible disciples and clearing the doubts of all sincere spiritual seekers. The Chaturmasya begins on the Poornima (full moon day) in the month of Ashada This day is also celebrated as 'Guru Poornima' or 'Vyasa Poornima'. Worship is also performed to Sage Vyasa. In our Guru Parampara (tradition) that originates from the Lord Himself,Bhagavan Veda Vyasa is held with the highest esteem by all followers of Sanatana Dharma. Veda Vyasa has brought about everyone's welfare by classifying the Vedas into four and by summing the message of the Upanishads in His Brahma Sutras. Therefore for saluting Sage Vyasa,  Vyasa Puja is done on every Guru Poornima day.

 श्रीः Panchatantra stories are well known and surely everyone would have read atleast one panchatantra story. Panchatantra literally means five treatises. This book is said to have been written by Vishnu Sharma, and it contains simple stories of animals and birds and short fables depicting a moral or a good thought. The Panchatantra stories were originally composed in Sanskrit,but later this book has been translated into many languages. The stories of the Panchatantra are divided into five parts.These are as follows- 1-मित्रभेद 2-मित्रसम्प्राप्ति 3-काकोलुकीयम् 4-लब्धप्रणाशम् 5-अपरीक्षितकारकम् Some thoughts from the Panchatantra are as follows-     उद्यमेन हि सिद्ध्यन्ति कार्याणि न मनोरथैः।      न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखे मृगाः।। Meaning- Works are accomplished only through efforts and not by entertaining desires ( building castles in the air). Animals do not enter (by themselves) the mouth of a sleeping lion.         स्वभावो ...

 श्रीः Bhasa is one of the earliest Indian playwrights of Sanskrit Literature.His plays were lost, however they were rediscovered in the 20 century.Some say that these plays were written in 5 and 6 century BC. He wrote 13 plays in all. T.Ganapati Shastri came across the 13 plays in a Trivandrum (Tiruvananthapuram) temple, written in a South Indian script, but the language was Sanskrit. The plays of Bhasa are as follows- Plays based on Ramayana- प्रतिमा अभिषेक Plays based on Mahabharata- पञ्चरात्र मध्यमव्यायोग दूतघटोत्कच दूतवाक्य ऊरुभङ्ग कर्णभारम् बालचरितम् Other plays- प्रतिज्ञा यौगन्धरायण स्वप्नवासवदत्तम् अविमारक चारूदत्त।

 श्रीः What are Arsha Mahakavyas? Ramayana and Mahabharata are known as Arsha Mahakavyas, which are basically written by sages. They are rendered through oral tradition.They provide historical evidences of Bharatavarsha.Adventures of heroes,legends and past history are described in the Arsha Mahakavyas. Mahakavyas are also known as Sargabandas- a genre of Indian poetry in Classical Sanskrit Literature. The description of scenic beauties shows the poet's skill. Ramayana is spread over 24,000 verses and Mahabharata contains one lakh verses. Ramayana was written by Sage Valmiki, while Mahabharata was composed by Sage Vyasa ad written by Lord Ganesha. The Arsha Mahakavyas emphasize on the four purusharthas namely- Dharma,Artha,Kama and Moksha. Further they also contain incidents and stories of merry making, sorrow, joy, council of ministers, victory,etc. They provide a perfect blend of all the Navarasas (nine sentiments).  Thus, the Arsha Mahakavyas are a must read for every indiv...