28 जुलाई, 2011

Understanding the Gayatri Mantra


The Gayatri Mantra is the universal prayer enshrined in the Vedas, the most ancient Scriptures of Man. A Universal prayer is that which is to be chanted with devotion for one's spiritual benefit in all the ages in any part of the world. We have to recite the Mantra as follows.

ॐ भूर भुवा स्वाहा तत सवितुर वरयनियम
भर्गो देवस्य धीमही
धियो यो ना प्रचोदयात  
OM
BHUR BHUVA SVAHA
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHI YO YONAH PRACHODAYAT



The Gayatri Mantra can be translated as

ॐ OM

Para Brahman

BHUR

Bhu Loka (Physical Plane) - This refers to the five elements this body is made up of

BHUVA

Bhuva Loka (Middle Plane) - This refers to the power in man which animates the body. This is actually the Prana Sakthi

SVAHA

Swarga Loka (Heaven)

TAT

That, this refers to God, or Paramatma.

SAVITUR

That from which all is born

VARENYAM

Fit to be worshipped

BHARGO

The Radiance, the Spiritual Effulgence, the light that bestows wisdom.

DEVASYA

Divine Reality

DHEEMAHI

We Meditate

DHI YO

Buddhi, Intellect

YO

Which

NAH

Our

PRACHODAYAT

Enlighten.
The Gayatri Mantra may be translated as follows
OM (OM) - We meditate (DHEEMAHI) upon the Spiritual Effulgence (BHARGO) of THAT Adorable Supreme Divine Reality (VARENYAM DEVASYA), the Source (SAVITUR) of the Physical (BHUR), the Astral (BHUVA), and the Heavenly (SVAHA) Spheres of Existence. May THAT (TAT) Supreme Divine Being enlighten (PRACHODAYAT) our (NAH) Intellect (DHIYO) (So that we may realise the Supreme Truth).

Sage Vishwamitra discovered the Gayatri Mantra. This mantra enabled the sage to use rare weapons, which bowed to his will, when this mantra was invoked with faith. Through the power he attained, this way he was able to create a counterpart of the cosmos. The Gayatri Mantra is addressed to the energy of the Sun - Surya. It is addressed to the Immanent and Transcendent Divinity. This mantra has infinite potentiality; it is a vibrant formula. It has immense powers, which are truly amazing, for the Sun is it's presiding Deity.

The Gayatri Mantra is enshrined in the Vedas, the most ancient Scriptures of Man. Gayatri is the Mother of the Vedas and Gayatri redeems the chanter of the Mantra. Ma Gayatri is present wherever the Mantra is chanted. Gayatri has three names - Gayatri, Saavitri and Saraswathi. These three are present in each one of us. Gayatri is the master of the senses, Saavitri is the master of Prana (Life Force). Saavitri signifies Truth. Saraswathi is the Presiding Deity of Speech (Vaak). Theses three represent purity of Thought, Word and Deed. One who practises the purity and harmony of Thought, Word and Deed will have Gayatri, Saavitri and Saraswathi in him.


The Gayatri Mantra Has Three Parts

1. "OM BHUR BHUVA SVAHA TAT SAVITUR
VARENYAM BHARGO DEVASYA"

2. "DHEEMAHI"

3. "DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAT"


These three parts refer to the three elements that figure in the adoration of the Lord - Praise, Meditation and Prayer. These Parts may be described as

· Prayer to Savitha, The Divine is first praised
· Meditation on Savitha, The Divine is then meditated upon with reverence
· Prayer to Savitha.

An appeal is made to the Divine to awaken and strengthen our intellect, the discriminating faculty in us. The Gayatri Mantra is considered to be the Essence of the teachings of the Vedas, The Veda Sara. Chanting it fosters and sharpens the knowledge-yielding faculty in man, and one who chants it regularly with faith the mantra relieves him of diseases, wards off all misery and fulfils all the needs of man. It bestows all that is beneficial to the chanter. The Gayatri should not be chanted casually, as it give the chanter various kinds of power. This mantra should be chanted three times a day - Dawn, Noon and Dusk, although the mantra is not bound by these three time periods of the day. Remember it can be chanted anywhere and at any time. The chanter of Gayatri mantra should not treat it casually and his heart should be pure at all times. The Gayatri Mantra is an essential requisite for the young and students because it ensures bright and auspicious future for them. The chanter of mantra has sharper intellect, they become more zealous, more enthusiastic, and certainly become qualified to get better marks, ranks and first classes. Just as we take bath to cleanse our bodies, so also we should chant the Gayatri Mantra to purify our mind and Intellect. 

The most recommended time for chanting the Gayatri are :

· When we get up from bed in the morning

· Before every meal

· When we go to bed in the evening


After the Gayatri one should chant 'OM' and 'Shanti' Three times. The Gayatri Mantra protects the chanter wherever he may be.
The importance of the mantra are given as follows:

· If Gayatri Mantra is not recited correctly it has opposite effect of enveloping the chanter in darkness. If it is chanted with Love, God will accept it.

· Each word should be pronounced clearly and distinctly, without undue haste or hurry.

· Gayatri is the very basis of Vedas. It is also called Veda Mata (Mother of the Vedas)


· Gayatri is the mantra, which preserves, protects and rescues the chanter from mortality.

· The Gayatri mantra is a Universal prayer, which asks for a clear Intellect so that the Truth may be reflected therein without distortion.

· Men, Women of all climes and creed, can chant Gayatri Mantra.

· The heart needs to be cleansed atleast three times a day with Gayatri.

· The Gayatri Mantra is synonymous to the Divinity and therefore must be approached with humility, reverence, faith and love towards the Mantra.

· Chanting with humility, reverence, faith and love is more important than mechanical repetition while the mind wanders.

· Full faith in the power and potency of the Gayatri Mantra will be generated only when the seeker has developed requisite degree of enthusiasm, reverence and love towards the Mantra.

· The more one chants the Mantra, the greater benefit the chanter gets.



ॐ शान्ति शान्ति ...

21 जुलाई, 2011

Meri Zindgi

कई बार एक अजीब सी हुड़क उठती है की आज फिर कुछ लिखूं लेकिन समझ नहीं आता की क्या लिखूं , विषय तो बहुत सारे हैं लेकिन सब वही हैं और उन पर इतना लिखा जा चुका है की अब तो लिखने का या पढने का मन भी नहीं करता, रोज़ की एक नयी अमर गाथा लिखी जाती है, रोज़ एक नया घोटाला मिलता है और कई बार तो लगता है की हम इन घोटालों मैं इतना घुट चुके हैं की अब ये भी नए नहीं लगते, एक डाकू और एक राजनेता एक जैसे हे लगते हैं क्यूंकि दोनों ही लूटते हैं और राजनेता और अभिनेता भी एक जैसे हे लगते हैं क्यूंकि दोनों हे अभिनय करते हैं एक असल जिंदगी में और एक पर्दे पर और दोनों ही हम लोगों को बेवकूफ बनाते हैं और अब तो ये दोनों भी अपना व्यवसाय बदल रहे हैं नेता अभिनेता हो गए और अभिनेता नेता बन रहे हैं , में इसे व्यवसाय कह रहा हूँ क्यूंकि इसी से उनकी रोटी रोज़ी चलती है और अब तो राजनीति भी एक व्यवसाय ही है, योजनाओं को बेच देना, पद को बेच देना, और देश को बेच देना भी एक व्यसाय हे तो है, पर में ये सब क्यूँ लिख रहा हूँ......
ये तो वो बातें हैं जो अब एक आम आदमी भी समझता है और जानता है की क्या हो रहा है और क्या दिखाया जा रहा है, वो भी समझता है की अचानक सदके क्यूँ बनने लग जाती हैं, क्यूँ नयी योजनायें आ जाती हैं , क्यूँ अचानक हमारे राजनेता दिखाई देने लग जाते हैं और हम लोगों के बीच में आ जाते हैं जो ढूँढने से भी नहीं मिलते थे, उन नेताओं के चमचे भी सक्रिय हो जाते हैं और उनके गुणगान में बडे बडे होर्डिंग और पोस्टर लग जाते हैं, अचानक जो हम सालों से गन्दा पानी पीने को मजबूर थे और अनेको शिकायतों के बाद भी कुछ नहीं होता था वो भी साफ़ आने लगता है, बिजली भी ठीक से आती है, रोज़ नालियां साफ़ होती हैं और हमे भी ये अहेसास करवाया जाता है की हम भी इस देश के नागरिक हैं और हमे अपने अधिकार पाने का हक है और हमे मिल भी रहा है , जो जिंदगी बेचारी सी लगती है वो अचानक अच्छी सी लगने लग जाती है, और जब एक नेता जी अचानक हमारे सामने आकर हम से हाथ मिलाते हैं तो हमे भी अपने इम्पोरतंत होने का एहसास होता है और हम फ़ौरन साड़ी महंगाई , सिलिंडर के रेट, होम लोन , ये टैक्स वो टैक्स सब भूल जाते हैं और कुछ दिन उसी एहसास में जीते हैं, फिर कुछ हे दिन बाद जब वापस नींद खुलती है तो वही बेबसी और लाचारी भरी जिंदगी सामने आ खड़ी होती है और जिंदगी फिर से अपने ढर्रे पर चलने लगती है .....

15 जुलाई, 2011

Post Mumbai Blasts

All the politics is going on mumbai blasts, they say its the spirit of mumbai that its back on work again, bull shit,, ask from those who lost their loved ones and they dint even get a piece to bury, i even read that a family only got the head of its member and the remaining body was  blast off, ask the family members of the wounded laying in the hospitals, ask them about their spirits who are struggling for the life and death of their loved ones and dont even know that weather they are going to survive or not, ask those people about their spirit who have lost their limbs and will not able to live their life as smooth as it was earlier they will tell you about the spirit of mumbai, ask the people who just brushed and saved being the victims they will tell you about the fear they faced in their life.
Now ask about the spirit of MNS and SHIV SENA, when ever their is an attack on mumbai, where did their goons and the workers of their party hide, why dint they come forward, they just show their muscle power on the labour class of mumbai but did anybody dare to come forward and raised his voice against this pain of the city, or did any body dare and tried to kill Kasab, who got this blast as the birthday gift by his counter parts.
Government is declaring 5 lakhs and the prime minister declared 2 lakhs each for the people killed and so on for the wounded, but will this bring back the spirit of their families of being a mumbaiker. Arun jetly said that post 9/11 their isnt a single attack on USA in the last 10 years and thats how their security and intel agencies are working but i ask him a question that did they have the neighbours like we in India have, do we have the required coordination between the intelligence agencies of the center and the state governments, India here is fighting with the terrorists not from across the borders but from within. Their fight with Iraq and afganistan is not at all againt the terrorisam and everybody knows that, its for the dominating the asian countries and for the oil as USA is the biggest oil consumer in the world, ok forget it, its not to be discussed here, its about Mumbai, mumbaikers and Indians who are suffering, and fighting for our right for the safety and security. 
Pakistan has a motive to give us a wound every now and then and then they keep on scratching it for long to give us the wounds like mumbai attacks, train blasts, 1992 serial blasts, kargil and many more, but we indian have a policy of  "sarwa jan hitaya and sarwajan sukhaya" , god knows what will happen, we cant relay on the government but will and can only pray to god to help us and pray to god to help the families of the victims to give us strength and power to face this tough part of the life and help us to fight and survive....
AMIN....


May GOD help the soul of the victims to rest in Peace......

14 जुलाई, 2011

Mumbai Blasts

Mumbai blasts: A birthday gift for amir ajmal kasaab on 13th of july, the most honorable guest of our country, the terrorist organisation gifted him 21 indians and another 140 plus as injured and still counting....
thats the spirit of the terrorist organisation and the response from our government "copied from the last statements"
The spirit of mumbaikers is brave and bold as always, seems like the indians and specially the mumbai wala are getting use to of what is happening with them, inspite of the security raised after the mumbai attackes and even the alearts from the intel, the loopholes in the security can be seen as the result of these blasts and now once again the security is on aleart in other metros too. 
All this will continue for another few days, media will telecast all the blast scenes, interview of the wounded, bodies of the dead, and crying relatives in between their ads, ministers will be on spot tourisam consoling the crying victims and their families, all this drama will be telecasted by the media for another 3-4 days and then....

07 जुलाई, 2011

Why I Am A Hindu....

Four years ago, I was flying from New Delhi Airport to Banglore to meet my younger brother. An American girl was sitting on the right side,near window seat. It indeed was a long journey - it would take nearly three hours. I was surprised to see the young girl reading a Bible unusual of young Americans. After some time, she smiled and we had few acquaintances talk. I told her that I am from Delhi and i am an Indian.
Then suddenly the girl asked: 'What's your faith?'
'What?' I didn't understand the question.
'I mean, what's your religion? Are you a Christian? Or a Muslim?'
'No!' I replied, 'I am neither Christian nor Muslim'.
Apparently she appeared shocked to listen to that. 'Then who are you?'
'I am a Hindu', I said.
She looked at me as if she was seeing a caged animal. She could not understand what I was talking about.
A common man in Europe or US knows about Christianity and Islam, as they are the leading religions of the world today. But a Hindu, what?
I explained to her - I am born to a Hindu father and Hindu mother.
Therefore, I am a Hindu by birth.
'Who is your prophet?' she asked.
'We don't have a prophet,' I replied.
'What's your Holy Book?'
'We don't have a single Holy Book, but we have hundreds and thousands of philosophical and sacred scriptures,' I replied.
'Oh, come on at least tell me who is your God?'
'What do you mean by that?'
'Like we have Jesus and Muslims have Allah - don't you have a God?'
I thought for a moment. Muslims and Christians believe one God (Male God) who created the world and takes an interest in the humans who inhabit it. Her mind is conditioned with that kind of belief.
According to her (or anybody who doesn't know about Hinduism), a religion needs to have one Prophet, one Holy book and one God. The mind is so conditioned and rigidly narrowed down to such a notion that
anything else is not acceptable. I understood her perception and concept about faith. You can't compare Hinduism with any of the present leading religions where you have to believe in one concept of god.
I tried to explain to her: 'You can believe in one god and he can be a Hindu.. You may believe in multiple deities and still you can be a Hindu. What's more -you may not believe in god at all, still you can be a Hindu. An atheist can also be a Hindu.'
This sounded very crazy to her. She couldn't imagine a religion so unorganized, still surviving for thousands of years, even after onslaught from foreign forces. 'I don't understand but it seems very interesting. Are you religious?'
What can I tell to this American girl?
I said: 'I do not go to temple regularly. I do not make any regular
rituals. I have learned some of the rituals in my younger days. I still enjoy doing it sometimes.'
'Enjoy? Are you not afraid of God?'
'God is a friend. No- I am not afraid of God. Nobody has made any compulsions on me to perform these rituals regularly.'
She thought for a while and then asked: 'Have you ever thought of converting to any other religion?'
'Why should I? Even if I challenge some of the rituals and faith in Hinduism, nobody can convert me from Hinduism. Because, being a Hindu allows me to think independently and objectively, without conditioning.
I remain as a Hindu never by force, but choice.' I told her that Hinduism is not a religion, but a set of beliefs and practices. It is not a religion like Christianity or Islam because it is not founded by any one person or does not have an organized controlling body like the Church or the Order, I added. There is no institution or authority.
'So, you don't believe in God?' she wanted everything in black and white.
'I didn't say that. I do not discard the divine reality. Our scripture, or Sruthis or Smrithis - Vedas and Upanishads or the Gita - say God might be there or he might not be there. But we pray to that supreme abstract authority (Para Brahma) that is the creator of this universe.'
'Why can't you believe in one personal God?'
'We have a concept - abstract - not a personal god. The concept or notion of a personal God, hiding behind the clouds of secrecy, telling us irrational stories through few men whom he sends as messengers,
demanding us to worship him or punish us, does not make sense. I don't think that God is as silly as an autocratic emperor who wants others to respect him or fear him.' I told her that such notions are just fancies
of less educated human imagination and fallacies, adding that generally ethnic religious practitioners in Hinduism believe in personal gods. The entry level Hinduism has over-whelming superstitions too. The
philosophical side of Hinduism negates all superstitions. 'Good that you agree God might exist. You told that you pray. What is your prayer then?'
'Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavantu.. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti,'
'Funny,' she laughed, 'What does it mean?'
'May all the beings in all the worlds be happy. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.'
'Hmm ...very interesting. I want to learn more about this religion. It is so democratic,  broad-minded and free' she exclaimed.
'The fact is Hinduism is a religion of the individual, for the individual and by the individual with its roots in the Vedas and the Bhagavad-Gita. It is all about an individual approaching a personal God in an individual way according to his temperament and inner evolution - it is as simple as that.'
'How does anybody convert to Hinduism?'
'Nobody can convert you to Hinduism, because it is not a religion, but a set of beliefs and practices. Everything is acceptable in Hinduism because there is no single authority or organization either to accept it or to reject it or to oppose it on behalf of Hinduism.' I told her - if you look for meaning in life, don't look for
it in religions; don't go from one cult to another or from one guru to the next.
For a real seeker, I told her, the Bible itself gives guidelines when it says ' Kingdom of  God is within you.' I reminded her of Christ's teaching about the love that we have for each other. That is where you can find the meaning of life. Loving each and every creation of the God is absolute and real. 'Isavasyam idam sarvam'
Isam (the God) is present (inhabits) here everywhere - nothing exists separate from the God, because God is present everywhere.. Respect every living being and non-living things as God. That's what Hinduism teaches
you.
Hinduism is referred to as Sanathana Dharma, the eternal faith. It is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life. The most important aspect of Hinduism is being truthful to oneself. Hinduism has no monopoly on ideas. It is open to all. Hindus believe in one God (not a personal one) expressed in different forms. For them, God is timeless and formless entity.
Ancestors of today's Hindus believe in eternal truths and cosmic laws and these truths are opened to anyone who seeks them. But there is a section of Hindus who are either  superstitious or turned fanatic to make this an organized religion like others. The British coin the word 'Hindu' and considered it as a religion.
I said: 'Religions have become an MLM (multi-level- marketing) industry that has been trying to expand the market share by conversion. The biggest business in today's world is Spirituality. Hinduism is no exception'.
I am a Hindu primarily because it professes Non-violence - 'Ahimsa Paramo Dharma' - Non violence is the highest duty. I am a Hindu because it doesn't condition my mind with any faith system. A man / woman who
change 's his / her birth religion to another religion is a fake and does not value his / her morals, culture and values in life. Hinduism was the first religion originated.
Be proud of your religion and be proud of who you are.
Om Namo shiva....... ........