Sanatana Dharma and Indic Knowledge

     CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS STORY - (Sage Bharata, on account of his excessive attachment to a deer, was born as a deer in his next life. After his deer-life, he was born as the son of a Brahmana. He remembered his previous two births. He was afraid that, in this birth too, if he fell prey to attachment, he would have a similar fall. To avoid attachment, he pretended to the world to be a dull and stupid fellow. With his mind, he firmly clasped the Lord’s lotus-feet.)      Because the world took him for a dull-witted person, he was known as Jadabharata (Jada in Sanskrit means dull or idiotic). After the death of his father, Jadabharata’s brothers as well as other people in the neighbourhood took advantage of him. As he was muscular and well-built, they made him work in the fields and extracted all kinds of hard labour from him. Jadabharata never complained. He did any work that was given to him, with or without wages. Often, he was given burnt or spoiled fo...

In the days gone by, there was a good king named Nabhi. His queen was Merudevi. As they had no children, they prayed to Maha Vishnu. Their worship was pure-hearted. Pleased with their devotion, the Lord appeared before them and promised to be born as their son. In due course, a son was born to Merudevi. The happy parents named him Rishabha. Rishabha (or Rishabhadeva), being an Avatara of Maha Vishnu Himself, was perfect and had full control over his senses. He had a majestic and strong personality. When Rishabhadeva came of age, king Nabhi appointed him as the next king and, along with Merudevi, retired to Badarikashrama (Badrinath) to spend his remaining days in the worship of the Lord. Rishhabhadeva was a royal sage. His wife was Jayanti. They had a hundred sons, of whom the eldest was named Bharata. Like his father, Bharata too was a perfect Yogi. It is after him that our land gets its name of Bharatavarsha. Bharata and his brothers grew up to be young men of great virtue. One day, ...

    (Continued from previous story THE STORY OF ATMADEVA)            Dhundhukari continued his evil ways. After his father left for the woods, one day, Dhundhukari severely beat his mother. “Tell me where the money is, or I will beat you with a burning stick,” he threatened her. Terrified by this threat and sorely grieved at the ill-treatment from her son, Dhundhuli threw herself into a well and died. Gokarna, who was ever in union with God, experienced neither sorrow nor joy. He had neither enemies nor friends. He left on a pilgrimage. Dhundhukari stayed in the house with five sinful women. He used to steal money to buy costly garments and gold ornaments for these women. One night, the evil women plotted amongst themselves, “This fellow commits thefts every day. Surely, the king will apprehend him. Not only will the king sentence him to death, but all this stolen wealth will also be confiscated. Therefore, to keep this wealth to ourselves, w...

      Long ago, in a beautiful town on the banks of the river Tungabhadra, there lived a Brahmin named Atmadeva. He was rich and well-versed in the Vedas. However, his wife Dhundhuli, though from a good family, was cunning and cruel. They had a good house and lived well, but they had no children. As they grew old, Atmadeva became very sad because they had no child. One day, he left home for the forest. He decided to end his life in the forest, but he was seen by a Samnyasi. The Samnyasi asked him, “O Brahmana, who are you? Why do you look so sad?”. Atmadeva told him the cause of his misery and started weeping. The Samnyasi saw the lines on Atmadeva’s forehead and told him, “Good Brahmana, through my Yogic power, I have looked into your past Karma (actions), and I can see that you are not destined to have a child for seven lives. Who can change destiny which is brought upon by us on ourselves through our own Karma? Therefore, give up this desire for a child. There...

Hari Om. One of the biggest challenges that many people face in today's times is how to acquaint their children, grandchildren etc. (or ourselves, for that matter) with our Sanatana Dharma and imbibe its great culture and values. Srimad Bhagavatam is a treasure-house of knowledge about Sanatana Dharma - told through interesting stories. As a small service to Society, we have started a series of blog-posts called STORIES FROM SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM . The stories and wonderful truths from this great Purana are told in simple English in the blog. The stories can be read out to small children. Older children and others can read on their own. This is an easy and enjoyable way to get acquainted with our great legacy - Sanatana Dharma. We would like maximum number of people to benefit from this. Please invite your friends or relatives who might be interested, to subscribe to our blog in 2 simple steps: 1. Click on https://blendedrandomly.blogspot.com/ 2. Once inside the blog, click on SUBSCRIB...

What is Srimad Bhagavatam and how did it come to be written? The great sage Vyasa – also known as Veda Vyasa, Krishna Dwaipayana or Badarayana – accomplished the superhuman task of categorizing the Vedas. He also categorized the Itihasas (Ramayana and Mahabharata) and Puranas. He is the author of the Mahabharata and the eighteen major Puranas. Vyasa’s son Sri Suka was a great Yogi and realized soul right from birth. At a very young age, when he was a mere boy, one day, Suka left home and started walking towards the forest. Vyasa followed him out of attachment for his son, but Suka did not look back and kept walking. On the way, there was a pond in which several ladies were bathing. When Suka passed by, he did not seem to take notice of them, neither were the ladies bothered by his presence. However, when Vyasa came along in a few moments following his son, the ladies immediately covered themselves. Puzzled at this, Vyasa asked the ladies, “When my young son passed by, you all c...

 The great sanskrit poet Bhartruhari specifies about the 'Never Give Up' attitude in his text Nitishatakam. Some excerpts from the text are below मनस्वी कार्यार्थी न गणयति दुःखं न च  सुखम्।। An high-minded man who wants to accomplish the task does not count sorrow (adversity) and happiness. Bhartruhari is a famous poet and has written the famous treatise named Nitishatakam, out of which the above line has been extracted. He was a poet, full of thoughtfulness and affluent language.  This line states that firm-minded people always work from their heart, giving their best in all endeavors. They seem to maintain balance between दुःख(sorrow) and सुख(happiness).In all kinds of adversities, such virtuous people do not deviate from their work, inspite of sorrows or joys. Determined people tend to face all kinds of challengss and hardships, but never seem to move back from the undertaken job.  Situations do not matter, and virtuous people remain focused on their goal under al...

 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...