My life towards spiritual path

The day I started my career in US (Sacramento, CA) I started hearing about Art of Living, but I never put my complete concentration over it.

One day when I am coming back to room after office hours, one of my colleague in the front row in Train discussing about Art of Living that they are having a introductory session. Something in my mind pinch me and I asked them what is it, when is the introductory session going on and where is it going to happen? he said its going to happen on the same day when the discussion is going on. So I just wen back to room and returned back in the next train and attended the Introductory session which was conducted by Deepak Girla. Soon I registered the Course called Basic Course with Neha as Teacher, Since then I repeated the course many times, whenever I repeat I learn something new.

My first course is on May 15th 2009, soon I got a chance to meet Guruji (Sri Sri RaviShankar) who is the founder of Art of Living in LA, I personally took blessings from him and then it strengthen more in mind to drive me towards it. I repeated my course on Aug 20th 2009 with Manik and done my Advanced course with Michale Fisherman at Coloma on Oct 22nd (its a residential course, I dont have words to say its Awsome - you will feel the power of silence - its called Art of Silence course) then did yes plus course with Analies as teacher at Davis, with the continuation I repeated the basic course again with Neha as teacher in December and yes plus course with Deepak at Roseville. I again got an opportunity to meet Guruji as he came to LA to inaugurate an Ashram in LA. After giving a long gap I again repeated the basic course with Neha as teacher in the month of Aug. I completed Ashtavakra I series at Miral and Tushar's residence.
During this period of 16 months I attended many Satsangs. Till now I guess I just missed 3 times of doing short kriya at home every day, hope I dont want to miss it again.

My special thanks to Tushar and Jagan for pulling me into this path.
One thing I experience is "The sense of belongingness will increase in everyone's mind" whoever taken the course" - Vasudeva Kutumbakam

Which direction we should face our head while sleeping

Its been long time since I look into bloggeria.
After along time here is the discussion that "In which direction we should face our head while sleeping" is making me not to sleep until I get some clarity over the discussion.

I surfed the Net and found many suggestions which have there own reasons of what they are talking about.
viz: some people saying we should face our head towards East, so that as the sun raised the energy level in your body raises
some says(Most of the Indians) you should face your face towards West or South as Gods always see towards North or East so we should not keep our feet towards God idols.
some says keep face towards North (Most of the people opposing this statement) its a contradictory statement.
One shouldn't keep his head on North side while sleeping, only the non living bodies or dead people's head faces North.

so we pray the God idols which faces towards North and East, I personally think not keep our feet towards God idols while sleeping that is we should face our head towards North and East.
I guess this will work better for most of the people.

Ideally facing our head towards south will work for most of the people.

My Phrases

1. Rather loving somebody, Love somebody who loves u.

Brief life story of Lord Ayyappa

Lord Ayyappa is the presiding deity of Sabarimala temple. Information on the life and teachings of the Lord are mostly based on legends. In fact, there are very many popular stories associated with Him among the devotees. These differ from one to another depending on the imaginations of the narrator and inherent variations due to the passing down of the stories from generation to generation. However, there are a few events which are common in all the stories and which can stand historical scrutiny. Examples are:

All stories confirm that Ayyappa lived in the Pandalam Palace as the son / savior of the King.
He had had super-human or divine knowledge, wisdom, and courage and had great liking for the King and his people.
He protected the King and the kingdom from the attacks of enemies.
At the end of His life in Pandalam, He vanished into the forests and is ever since worshiped at the Sabarimala temple.

The most popular and widely accepted story goes to say that Lord Ayyappa had had His human sojourn as the son of the Raja(King) of Pandalam. At that time, Raja Rajasekhara ruled the kingdom of Pandalam. During one of his hunting expeditions, the Raja was puzzled to hear the wails of a child on the banks of the river Pampa. He moved in the direction of the voice to find a resplendent infant there. The beautiful baby with radiant face wore a bead ('mani') around his neck. Mythology has it that Manikantan was Ayyappan, born of Hari and Hara. The King, though pious, charitable, just, and God-fearing had no children. He accepted the child as God's gracious response to his fervent prayer for an heir to his throne. Manikantan was given proper education and training and he grew into a boy well versed in academic lore and martial arts of the time.Meanwhile the Rani gave birth to a son. The King regarded Manikantan as his elder son. He decided to crown him as the Yuvaraja. The King's corrupt Minister had had a deep dislike for Manikantan. The Minister made the innocent Queen believe that adverse consequences would befall her if Manikantan was crowned Yuvaraja and that the kingdom actually belonged to her son.

They conspired between them to get rid of Manikantan by hook or crook. They bribed the royal physician into becoming an accomplice of theirs. The Rani pretended to be afflicted with severe pain in the stomach, and the physician prescribed the milk of a leopard as the only cure for the ache. The King was in an agonizing fix. He knew that none could be deputed for a mission that was so patently suicidal. However, the youthful and valiant Manikantan stepped forth and volunteered to fetch the milk. Despite the worried protestations of his foster-father, he set out for the fearful forests.

Days later Manikantan entered the palace precincts riding a fierce leopard and followed by a pack of its cubs. The schemers were frightened into confessing their nefarious plot. They and others now knew that Manikantan was no ordinary being. They were convinced of His divine origins, and prayed to Him to be with them for their own salvation and for the safety of the kingdom. However, Manikantan was now determined to leave the place.

Filled with emotions of happiness, grief, fear, wonder and 'bhakthi' (devotion to God) and self-surrender, the king stood praying for the mercy and blessings of Manikantan. He repented he could not fully visualize the truth of the divine powers of the Lord and repeatedly requested Him to forgive him for behaving as if He were his son only. The Lord lovingly embraced the King who continued to pray: " Lord, kindly bless me by freeing me from my egos and the worldly life of birth and rebirth and grant me ' moksha’ (salvation). Kindly continue to be the savior of my family and stay eternally in my kingdom.” Manikantan then enlightened the King on the path of attainment of 'moksha'. These words of the Lord are contained in ‘Bhuthanathageetha’, which is in the form of conversation between Him and His foster-father. To the King who is by now mentally cleansed and completely immersed in 'bhakthi', Lord Ayyappa told: " I am to free you from all worldly sorrows & worries and to grant you 'moksha'. All those who are and would be born in your family shall have my blessings unfailingly. I am always accessible to 'bhakthi' and only 'bhakthi ". The Lord told the King that he could construct a temple at Sabarimala, north of the holy river Pampa and install His deity there. Ayyappa also explained how the Sabarimala pilgrimage shall be undertaken, emphasizing the importance of 'vrutham' and what the devotees can attain by His 'darshan'.

The Lord further consoled the King saying that the devotees who held him and his descendants in 'bhakthi' shall happen to be devoted to Him as well. Manikantan then blessed the King and all others assembled there, and vanished. The King duly constructed the temple at Sabarimala, dedicated to Him.
There are various lore’s connected with Lord Ayyappa. These relate to discovery of the child at Pampa, Manikantan's youthful days in the Pandalam palace, bestowing the power of hearing and speaking upon the deaf and dumb son of His teacher as Guru-dakshina, His friendship with Vaver, bringing the leopard's milk, accomplishing His divinely destined mission of annihilation of the demoness Mahishi, eliminating the forest-thug Udayanan, bestowing immortality on Sabari, blessing His foster-father with immortality and so on. Legend also goes to say that Manikantan was the incarnation of Lord DharmaSastha. Raja Rajasekhara was in his previous birth a rich and pious 'brahmin ' by name Vijayan who was a very strong believer and devotee of Lord Dharma Sastha. Such was Vijayan's ' bhakthi' towards the Lord that He blessed the brahmin by granting his wish to be born as his son in his next birth when the Lord would offer him "moksha'.

Why do we fast on Ekadashi

It is a common practice in most hindu households to observe fast on ekadashi. What is special about this day?

Ekadasi in Sanskrit means eleven. ‘Eka’ means “one” and ‘dasi’ is the feminine form of the word “dasa”, which means “ten”. Ekadasi is thus the eleventh day of both the dark and light fortnight of each month. On these special days, devotees fast from grains and beans and make an extra effort to be in service to the Divine.

There is a beautiful story about the origin of Ekadasi fasting. Once, in the Satya-yuga (the golden age) Lord Narayana was enagaged in battle with a demon called Mura. Feeling tired, the Lord decided to rest from the long battle. However, mura wanted to kill the Lord while he was sleeping. Suddenly from the body of the Lord manifested a young girl, who slayed the demon, Mura. This girl was the Mahasakti…. Pleased, Narayana gave her the name Ekadasi( as she appeared on the eleventh day of the waning moon). He also granted her the boon that anyone who fasts on Ekadasi will become free from sin and attain His transcendental abode.

There are certain rules regarding fasting on this day. For eg., one must strictly avoid eating grains and beans on Ekadasi. Fasting generally means completely abstaining from both food and drink. If this is difficult, one may eat a single nongrain meal once in the afternoon or in the evening.

According to scriptures, one who observes fasting on Ekadasi is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and advances in spiritual life. These sacred fasting days greatly help any sincere soul achieve, even within this present lifetime, liberation from the cycle of birth and death, it is said… therefore, Ekadasi gives one a real taste of renunciation, thus helping one give up trying to enjoy illusory sense gratification of this material world.

Both western and ayurvedic medicine recommend fasting to maintain and improve health. Indeed modern medial experts and ancient sages agree that fasting benefits one, both physically and mentally. Even from the economic point of view, two such fasting days in a month will save tons of food.

The basic principle is not just to fast, but to increase one’s faith and love for the Divine. The real reason for observing fasting on ekadasi is to minimize the demands of the body and to engage our time in the service of the Divine.

Symbolism is employed to its acme in Hinduism

Every tradition in the world employs symbolism but the symbolism is employed to its acme in Hinduism. If one has to appreciate the real essence of Hinduism, one must learn to appreciate this science of periphery of Hinduism will appear funny, unintelligent and absurd. In the meaning of the real Hindu tradition which apparently appears to be superficial.

For example, let us take the ritual of going to a temple. This is one of the simple rituals which a Hindu generally is supposed to perform. This ritual is very symbolic in nature. If one enters an orthodox Hindu temple, the inside of the temple is absolutely dark. There is an idol in the temple but you cannot see it because it is enveloped by darkness. You go to the priest and hand over the camphor and coconut you have brought. The priest burns the camphor. The moment the camphor is burnt, the light dispels the darkness enveloped the area Once the darkness is dispelled, the idol is visible in front. Earlier, even though the idol was in front of you, you could not see it due to the darkness.

The priest then breaks the coconut given by you - the devotee. Once it is broken, the sweet water that emerges is taken as ‘Tirtha’.

The beauty of this ritual can be comprehended only when you understand the symbolism behind this which is as follows:-

Going to the temple is like entering into this world, just as there is darkness in the temple when you enter, so also when we are born, we are bon with darkness, which is the form of ignorance.

Just as the presence of darkness you cannot see the idol, which is right in front of you, so also you are not in a position to see what is right in front of you due to ignorance.

Lord Krishna in the Gita says ‘Ajnane Na Tu Jnanam Tena Muhyanti Jantavah’. By ignorance one’s intellect is covered, hence the delusion.

You can not see what ‘IS’ because your discretion is enveloped by your ignorance.

In such a state, you go to the priest and hand over the camphor and coconut. The priest symbolizes the master ‘Guru’. The camphor stands for all our Samskaras & Vasanas i.e., the whole bundle of your past – your notions, dogmas, conclusions, beliefs etc. when camphor is given to the priest, it means you are surrendering all this past of yours to the master. The teacher or master in Sanskrit is called ‘Guru’ there are two letters in the word GURU viz. ‘GU’ stands for ignorance and ‘RU’ stands for the wchich eliminates this ignorance. “Gukaro Tu Andhakarah Rukaro T Tak Nivartakah”.

The priest burns this camphor in the fire. The fire here stands for fire of knowledge – Jnanagnih. Agni always stands for knowledge. In the fire of knowledge, fire of wisdom, fire of enquiry the priest burns all our past (notions, beliefs, conclusions etc). the moment the camphor is burnt, the light emerged out of the fire dispels darkness. Just as darkness is dispelled in the presence of light, Ignorance is dispelled in the fire of wisdom. The act of burning of camphor stands for Guru Upadesha. As dawns and this cognition which is the fire of wisdom burn away the ignorance and you become aware of your true self i.e., the murti becomes visible before you.

The priest breaks the coconut and once the coconut is broken the sweet water in the coconut comes out which is taken as Tirtha. Coconut represents Ahankara (EGO) and with the support of the master this coconut is broken in front of the idol i.e., at the altar of truth. The sweet water of happiness, the sweet water of joy becomes the Tirtha.

Just as Ahankara is hard to break, the coconut is also hard to break. Every time a coconut is broken it is a suggestion that Ego has to be broken. The water in the coconut existed even before it was broken but you were not able to experience it, because of the hard shell covering it.

Similarly, in our lives also the sweet water of happiness exists but the shell of our ego is so hard that it us from experiencing it.
deprives
Thus, this simple ritual of going to a temple has a profound connotation which unveils itself only when one explores and attempts to understand it.

Me in Mauritius