Decluttering life

This week, I dedicated most of my time in de-cluttering my home. I felt really much much better, when I finally arranged my kitchen, gave it a new and perhaps a better well organized look. This was something that I wanted to do from quiet a long time. But, may be circumstances or may be I being lazy, postponed this for a long time.

 Finally, I decided one thing, everything, every situation good or bad will come and go, and I need to see something better each day when I cook . I want to feel enthusiastic while cooking... after all I don't want a messy kitchen...Most importantly my day starts with kitchen after all... I want my day to look beautiful and feel happier... Thankfully, I did it...

After, I completed de-cluttering kitchen, this automatically made me enthusiastic enough to de-clutter and rearrange all my rooms. Well, I have completed almost all rooms.... only one more room is left and I am dedicated to finish the stuff by this weekend....

Suddenly today, a thought erupted.... had it been that easy to de-clutter emotions.... just let go of all the experiences....good or bad.... but this does not happen that easily.... though I have somehow learnt to give up all the bad and negative feelings.... it is really very difficult to let go the good ones... the ones that made me laugh... the one that made me feel important....

Why I still remember my first school, my friends with whom I am not in touch.... why I tend to remember them.... simply why???? I wish it was as simple as de-cluttering my kitchen and getting rid of all those unused things of past.... and making it simpler and beautiful....

I know I have to be strict with myself, I have to avoid and put a full stop on all those things of past.... all emotional and sentimental feelings that is just left inside me...
 

"Mantra" - A powerfull & effective prayer.

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"'Prayer is the very breath of God'. Therefore it is possible to experience ones personal God through the mystic sound of Mantras. Since God is all-pervading, he also exists in the form of the vibration of all sounds.The simplest and most powerful Mantra is Om.

It is easier to achieve ones objective when one has faith, and also when the prayer is uttered with sincerity.One generally prays when one has realized that for achieving that, which one desires, one needs to rely upon a Higher Power.The above attitude, weakens our ego and purifies us, as we acknowledge our shortcomings.Below are the mantras that one can chant for health, prosperity, success and strength and peace.

Mantra for Health:

• Shortest Mantra for Health: 'Aham Aarogyam' meaning I am healthy.
• Other 'Mahamrityunjay' Mantra For health:

“Om! Tryambakam Yajaamahe Sugandhim Pushtee Vardhanam
Urva ruka meva Bandhanaat Mrityor Muksheeya Ma amrutaat”

Om Tryambakam: The 3-eyed One i.e. Lord Shiva
Yajaamahe: We all worship
Sugandhim: Full of Fragrance
Pushti: Strength
Vardhanam: One who increases
Urvaa: Ripe cucumber
Arukam: Ready to be plucked
Eva: Just like
Bandhanaat: From bondage
Mrityo: Of death
Muksheeya: Bestower of salvation
Ma: Never
Amrutaat: Towards Eternity

Om! We worship Lord Shiva (The 3-Eyed One) who is full of fragrance and who nourishes all beings; may He liberate me from death, bestow salvation and (lead me) towards Eternity (Make me immortal) just as the ripe cucumber is severed (from the creeper) of its bondage.

Mantra for Success:

"Krishna Krishna Mahaayogin Bhaktaanaam Bhayankara
Govinda Parmaananda Sarvey Mey Vash Maanay"

O Krishan, O Krishna!
Thou art the Yogi of Yogis.
Thou bestoweth fearlessness on Thy devotees.
O Govinda! Thou art the giver of Supreme Bliss.
Bring everything to my favour.

Mantra for Improving Life:

The following mantra can help improve one's life or to help secure what your heart desire's. More than just a mantra, it requires a surrendering of oneself to the Lord.

This Mantra is from Chapter IX of the Bhagvad Geeta. It is the Verse 22:

Ananyaa shchinta yanto maam
Ye janaah paryupaasatey
Teshaam nityaa bhiyuktaa naam
Yogakshemam Vahaamyaham

It means:
To those men who worship Me alone,
thinking of no other, of those ever-united,
(To those men, ever-united in love, who surrender to Me, after having done their best)
I secure what is not already possessed,
and preserve what they already possess.

 

Mantra For Peace :

"Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Santu Niramayah
Sarve Bhadrani Pasyantu
Ma Kaschid-Duhkha-Bhag-Bhavet"

May all be happy;
May all be free from disabilities
May all behold what is auspicious;
May none suffer from sorrow.

Mantra For Prosperity:

Aayur dehee Dhanam Dehee
Vidyaam dehee Maheshwari
Samastamakhilam dehee
dehee mey Parameshwari

It means:
Give me long life
Give me wealth,
Give me knowledge, O Maheshwari (Mother Goddess)
O Parmeshwari, give me also
everything else that I desire

 

 Mantra for having child :

 

"Om Shreeng Hreeng Kleeng Glaung Devakisut Govind Vasudev Jagatpate Dehi Me Tanayam Krishn Tvaamaham Sharanam Gatah "

Gauri Mantra for achieving child, son, spouse, prosperity:

Gauraageem Dhrut Pankaja
Trinaya naam Shvetaambaraam
Sinha gaam Chandrod Bhaashit Shekharaam Smit mukheem
Dobhhyarhu vahteem gadaam
Vidhi Chandraambuj yochi kaam tridasheiha
Sampoojitaam dhrid va yom Gaureem
Maana sapam kaje Bhagavateem Bhakteshta daam taam bhaje

It means:
The Mantra describes the smiling countenance of Gauri Mata and requests the fulfillment of the desire.

The beej (seed) Mantra of Gauri Mata:
Aum Hreem Shreem Glaum ga Gaureem Geem Svaahaa

 

Maa Mangala

Om Sarva Mangla Mangaley, Shiva Sarvartha Sadhike!
Sarnya Traymbake Gauri Narayani Namostute!!

Maa Mangala is the local goddess in Odisha, she is one form of Durga or Parvati. It is believed that Maa Mangala originated in the epic battle between Maa Durga and Mahisasura. She is mentioned in the Devi - Mahatmya as the twelve forms of Devi Durga. She has more connection found in the Mangala Mahapurana the Odia version that is being sold in pamphlets all over Odisha. It states that Maa Durga is called Mangala because one day during the battle with Mahisasura, she became tired but the demon Mahisasura was full of energy and he dropped her in middle of Ocean. Durga breathed out and gave birth to a baby girl, who immediately grew to yet another goddess the Goddess Mangala. Durga and Mangala both pulled Mahisasura out of ocean and killed her. Because she benefited everyone she was named Mangala (the auspicious one).

Maa Mangala of Kakatpur is also associated with the Goddess Tara who was brought from Srilanka and is believed to be Buddhist goddess by some scholars. Maa Mangala of Kakatpur has a special place in her devotees heart, as she is associated with the Nabakalebar of Lord Shree Jagannath. Nabakalebar or the new look of god which is performed every 12 years, the daitapati and head priest of Lord Shree Jagannath temple, prays to Maa Mangala of  Kakatpur to show him direction to search the sacred trees from which the lords body could be carved. She comes in dream and guides the priest towards the tree and its location. 

Mahima Dharma - Joranda Mela

Hi Readers,

Today, is the auspicious day of Agnisama Purnima( full moon night) the day when Joranda Magha Mela is done with full phase.I am going to write about Mahima Dharma(Mahima Cult). People of Odisha and neighboring states must be well acquainted with Mahima Dharma . I am going to write it so that anyone who has never seen or heard of Mahima could get a simple understanding of what is Mahima Dharma. 

If you happen to see a Baba( typical Hindu priest) in Saffron clothes, having knotted hair on his head, using a palm leaf umbrella to protect from Sun and singing Bhima Bhoi's devotional song, and eating from a earthen pot or from leaf plates and sleeping under open sky near burning log or Dhuni, you can conclude he is a Mahima Baba. Mahima Baba's look more or less like the Naga Sadhu's. The difference is in their belief of God. Mahima Dharma entertain no caste-ism. They do not worship any Idol and believe in Supreme power who has no form or shape. They eat once a day before sunset and get up early at 4am and do Surya darshan. They do not stay in a particular place for two consecutive days and do not beg food from same family twice consecutively. Mahima dharma bans adultery. 

It resembles Christianity in its belief of one god and one caste, but its God is Alekh or the Supreme power. They practice truth and non-violence and believe in immortality and re-birth. 

The philosophical truth on which Mahima Dharma was founded is that " The ultimate reality is one and only one." Mahima Dharma was propagated by Mahima Baba or Mahima Gosain. The religion which he preached through some of his disciples is pure monotheism identical with the doctrine of the Vedanta or Upanishad. The Sanyasi in Mahima Dharma are broadly divided into two catagories, Kopindhari Mahima Samaj and Balkadhari Mahima Samaj. The Kopindhari Mahima Samaj Sanayasi have no more gradation while Balkadhari Mahima Sanyasi are broadly divided into three catagories, the Bairagi Sanyasi, Apara Sanyasi and Para Sanyasi.

Main Temple at Joranda- Mahima Gadi

During 18th Century, Mahima Goswain had done great penance in Himalaya and then he reached Puri. By that time Swami settled on the dusty road of Puri. People used to ask him queries on their well being and, surprisingly, it all happened to true. From Puri Swami moved to hill caves of Khandagiri, Dhauligiri, Nilagiri etc. near Bhubaneswar (capital of Orissa state). During those days Swami lived on water alone for 12 years and people used to call him Nirahari Gosain. In 1838 Swami moved to Kapilash hill of Dhenkanal district of Orissa and spent 21 days in atma yoga samadhi (unification of human mind) with Balkal of kumbhi tree  leaving cloth on a huge round stone. The great seven-hooded snake spread its hood covering His head. The nearby area of the forest was illuminated by the luster of the body of Swami. On the 21st day a tribal, Sadananda of nearby Deogram village, discovered and witnessed the magnificent atma yoga samadhi of Swami and served fruits for 12 years during the stay of Swami at Kapilas hill. Swami was known was Phalahari Gosain on those days. Next Swami spent 12 years with cow milk alone rendered as service by the ruler of Dhenkanal: those days King Bhagirathi Bhramarbar Bahadur. Both king and queen had the luck and opportunity to witness Swami on top of Kapilas hill and served milk on new earthen pots.
During those days Swami moved to Kakanpada village of Rairakhol with his first disciple sidha Govinda Baba and made his appearance to blindBhima Bhoi and blessed him with eyesight. Bhima visualised Swami and next moment with all humbleness prayed Swami to make him blind again as the torture of mankind was intolerable. Swami blessed him for composing poem on Nirguna Brahma to spread the Mahima cult. Swami then went back to Kapilas hill. The journey of Swami to Rairakhol was through sky not by foot.
After spending 12 years in Kapilash hill Mahima Prabhu travelled around 24 years as Brahmabadhuta  and spread Mahima Dharma in Orissa and neighboring states before taking samadhi at Joranda, Dhenkanal, of Odisha on the 10th day after the new moon of 1876. The place where Mahima Swami disappeared (merged Himself in the Mahanityapura) is called Mahima Gadi. It is the heart of all Mahima movement around world.

I had visited Joranda Gadi some 8 yrs ago with my family. My grandfather was a follower of Mahima Dharma. It was a wonderful experience to visit the temples with just a big lamp within. We stayed in the ashram of Baba whom my Grand father had followed. The Baba served us their meal which had less spices, salt and sugar in it. I got one day to watch them closely. It was a wonderful experience. We also saw the Sandhya Arati at the Mahima Gadi and returned from Joranda. 

Burning of Jajnan Khund on  eve of Magha Mela

Today, as it stands to be the most important day of Mahima Dharma, huge crowd of devotees have reached Joranda to celebrate the annual festival Magha Mela. During the Joranda Mela several religious rituals are being performed by the priests and the people of this religion. One such prime ritual is the burning enough amount of ghee in Jajnan Khund. The people believes that this yagan will in bringing peace back to the earth. The devotees offer their prayer to their god by saying.‘Alekh Brahma’. They believe that all these devotion will refine our earth and will provide the people with all their basic needs that are required for in their daily lives. It is during this period that the initiation for promoting "Bairagi" to "Apara Sanyasi" (superior caste of disciples in Mahima Sect) takes place.

Pranika aarata dhukha Apramita 

Dekhu dekhu keba saahu

Mo jibana pachhe narke padi thau

Jagat udhar heu...

Ashok Sundari - Daughter of Lord Shiva

Sometimes back Ashok Sundari made an appearance in TV serial Devon ke dev in Life Ok. I had never heard of Shiva fathering a daughter before. From my childhood I knew Shiva and Parvati had only one son whom Shiva had fathered "Karthik" and Ganesha was son of Parvati alone as he was brought to life from the turmeric paste idol that Parvati made before bathing.

I tried searching for Ashok Sundari in net and found out that she is rarely known. In fact, her name does not appear in Vedas and Purana's. She is mentioned in Gujarati folk lore and was created by Parvati in same way as Ganesha. 

Parvati had created Ganesha out of the turmeric paste (ubtan) that she used to bath. She created a baby boy and then gave him life and called him Ganesha. She wanted Ganesha to protect her and not let anyone enter her bathing place without her consent. In same way, Parvati created Ashok Sundari out of a tree, to find a companion in her. She named her Ashok Sundari, meaning one beautiful lady who can take all grief and sorrows. 

In north India, Kartikey is known as Shiva's elder son and Ganesha younger, however, in south particularly in Tamil Nadu, Ganesha is known to be the elder son of Shiva and Kartikey his younger son. 
In Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, one occasionally comes across Jyoti, the goddess of light, who emerges from Shiva’s halo and is the physical manifestation of his grace. She is commonly associated with Kartikey.
The idea of devotees ‘creating’ gods and goddess is not unknown to Hinduism. Few realize that Santoshi-maa did not exist in the Hindu landscape before the famous film in the 1970s. Is Ashok Sundari the next of our 330 million gods?

Handmade card

Hi,

I am posting some pictures of my recent handmade cards. Please have a look and give your valuable feedback.

Help arrives in hopeless situation

Hi Readers,

Today, Morning I got up too early, I must not hesitate to admit, I almost ended up not taking rest all throughout the night. It was morning 5 Am and I was feeling quiet suffocated even though it is mid of winter. I prepared a cup of tea and switch on the TV to make my mind not wander in troubles, for which I can not do anything.

I have several times felt when I feel helpless, then help comes on it's own which helps me to calm down my mind. This again happened today. I watched a program, where a spiritual Guru spoke up about 'Atman' the soul. She explained nicely, that when we confine our-self to just the body, then we start to reason everything that bother us. When we try to think from a broader prospect that our soul is wearing this body for the current birth and my aim should be to attain all the good aspect(Sanskara) from this perishable world, then our aim to solve the problems of everyday life, does not bother us too hard. We realize the good aspect of every situation and take it along with us while leaving behind the bad.

Soon, the program ended and was followed by another Spiritual Guru who spoke of Nishkam and Sakam Bhakti and the way Bhakti helps us not only in this life but in all the births that we will take after this birth. He spoke about the story of Gajaraja (elephant) & Kumbhira ( crocodile). Below, is few lines from the Odia Bhajan by Bhakta Salabega on this,

" Gajaraja Chinta kala thai Ghora Jalena, Chakra pesi nakra nasi udharila apana... ahe nila saila...."

I am describing the brief story about this below.

Once open a time, when a elephant entered a river to drink water, suddenly it was attacked by a crocodile and the crocodile captured the elephant's trunk. He made all his attempts, to pull his trunk from the crocodile's mouth. However, it was a difficult task. He started to roar and all his fellow mates came running for his help. However, they could not help him. In this helpless situation, suddenly, Gajaraja or the elephant remembered Vishnu(as he was a devotee in his earlier birth). When he remembered Vishnu, the Lord sent his Sudarshan Chakra to kill the crocodile and save his devotee. Here, you can question, how come a form devotee was born as a elephant in his succeeding birth? This is because, when a devotee does wrong or falls from his spiritual awakening, he gets the result according to his deed. However, god still listens to him and help him when he is in need.

Below, is a beautiful quote from Mahatma Gandhi on spirituality.

“When every hope is gone, 'when helpers fail and comforts flee,' I find that help arrives somehow, from I know not where. Supplication, worship, prayer are no superstition; they are acts more real than the acts of eating, drinking, sitting or walking. It is no exaggeration to say that they alone are real, all else is unreal.”  - Mahatma Gandhi

There are many slokas on the 12th chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita (Bhakti Khanda) about Nishkam and Sakama Bhakti. Nishkam bhakti is one in which we pray to god to make him feel good. We are not praying for our needs but to appease our lord. And Sakama Bhakti is one in which we pray to God to get something in return. It may be wealth, health, recognition, love ...etc. God listens to all his devotees and he fulfills their desires. It could be that he will fulfill the desire in next succeeding birth. Nishkam Bhakti is something that God loves the most. The person doing Nishkam Bhakti is born in a family where he can get good Sanskara and these people, show Bhakti towards the Lord without even having any Guru to guide them. The people engaged in Sakama Bhakti is born in a family where he can get what he wanted. If it is wealth, then he is born in wealthy family. In this way, god comes for every kind of devotee, be it Nishkam or Sakama. When in need God saves all his devotees, like the elephant in the story.

I felt good after hearing this and also the Guru spoke about the Natya or acting skill of God. Sometimes, God portrays himself as an innocent child and sometimes as the wisdom himself. In same way, we all are acting in the perishable world and we need to hone this acting skill in such a way that we could help our-self in need.