Hindu Students: Are Hindu Scriptures Mythologies?

Namaste, Hari Om,

Great explanation on Hindu Scriptures, its just the tip of the ice-berg, but gives a great introduction in such a small amount of time.

Puranas contain links to other scriptures that are fact, therefore it would be misleading to call it a complete Myth. Furthermore there are factual representations heavily linked to historical Ittihas books i.e. The Ramayana, such as the fortelling of Ravanas kingdom and Rams coming. 18 major puranas are of true nature, but the points proven in the Puranas are built on examples to paint pictures of things that are linked to other great books.


Jai Shri Krishna
-SimpleHinduBhai


Click to See the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf9A_hhDZ0I&feature=channel_video_title

From the Youtube Info Bar: http://www.youtube.com/user/Hindustudents

Mythologies are stories regarding a person, a religion, or a culture which are exaggerated or fictitious. Young Hindu adults often ask: "Are Hindu scriptures merely mythologies?" Swami Sarveshananda enlightens us that if we take mythologies to mean, "fictitious" then Hindu scriptures are not just "mythologies."

Hindu Dharma has incredibly rich collection of texts. Hindu texts are categorized as, Shruti, that which is heard, and smriti, that which is remembered. Shruti consists of the four Vedas, Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva Veda (Veda comes from a sanskrit term Ved which means to know) which are the most authoritative texts for all Hindus. The Upanishads, are important part of the Vedas, which explains the core philosophy of Vedas, Upanishads are also known as Vedanta. Vedanta means the philosophical summary of the Vedas. 

The Smriti's are scriptures that the sage wrote from their experience. Smriti's usually deal with the history, ayurveda, astrology, music, dance, architecture, statecraft, domestic duty and law. Smritis consists of Puranas, Itihasas, Vedangas, and Upavedas. The Puranas are encyclopedic accounts of the forms and avatars of God.

When Shruti and Smirit conflict, the authority is always Shrutis.

The Ramayana and Mahabharata are two sacred epic histories of India. The Ramayana is the story of Lord Rama, who is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and his divine wife Sita. This 24,000-verse poem describes Prince Rama's birth, His banishment to a forest for 14 years, the abduction of Sita by the demon Ravana and Rama's victory over Ravana. The Ramayana remains immensely popular to this day in India and Southeast Asia.

The Mahabharata, "Great India, " is a 78,000-verse story of a massive war that took place in ancient times between the Pandavas and their cousins, the Kauravas, for the throne of a great kingdom. It also describes the nature of self and the world, karma, important family lineages of India, human loyalties, saints and sages, devotion to God and the ideals of dharma. Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is a key figure in the epic. A central episode called the Bhagavad Gita narrates Krishna's dialogue with the Pandava archer, Arjuna, on the day of the battle.

For more information visit:

http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_3/vol_3_frame.htm

http://www.hinduismtoday.com/pdf_downloads/what_is_hinduism/Sec1/WIH_Sec1_Cha...

http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1501

Patanjali Teachings

Namaste, Hari Om,

The heart and mind can find peace and harmony by contemplating that transcendental nature of the true self as supreme effulgent light.

Undisturbed peace of mind is attained by the cultivation of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the happy, delight in the virtuous and indifference in the evil.

Practice is the repeated effort to follow the disciplines which give permanent control of the thought waves of the mind. Practice becomes firmly grounded when it has been cultivated for a long time, uninterruptedly, with earnest devotion.

Patanjali

Found on Hindu-Blog:  http://www.hindu-blog.com/2011/07/patanjali-teachings.html

Hindu Blog: Download Govinda Ashtakam Lyrics in pdf – English – Telugu – Tamil

Namaste, Hari Om,

Via Hindu-Blog:

Govinda Ashtakam is a prayer dedicated to Sri Krishna and is believed to have been composed by Jagad Guru Adi Shankaracharya. The prayer is a praise to wonderful aspects and leelas of Govinda. Prapatti website is now offering the lyrics of Govinda Ashtakam in English, Telugu and Tamil. You can download it in pdf format.

Link - Govinda Ashtakam in Telugu

Link – Govinda Ashtakam Lyrics in Tamil

Link – Govinda Ashtakam English

http://www.hindu-blog.com/2011/07/download-govinda-ashtakam-lyrics-in-pdf.html

What is Yoga? Answered by Hindu Students Association

Shri Patanjali the Giver of Yoga

Namaste, Hari Om,

Excellent video on Yoga and the types of Yoga. This video is an initiative by Hindu Students Association to bring proper understanding of Hindu philosophy and practices to Hindus and non-Hindus.

What is Yoga? from HinduStudents on Vimeo.

From the Website: http://vimeo.com/25539466

From Julia Roberts to a college student it seems like everyone is doing Yoga! Some practice
Yoga to help them deal with the day to day stress of a hectic life while for others it’s a means of physical
wellbeing. The health benefits of Yoga are numerous, helping some people lose weight and others
breathe properly to improve their attention. Yoga has become the tool to help your mind and body stay
healthy. But Yoga's higher purpose is to attain a state of perfect spiritual insight; its true purpose is to
assist a Yogi, a practitioner of Yoga, connect to the Divine within! Yoga stems from the Sanskrit word
Yuj, meaning to "join" or "get united." The ultimate goal of Yoga is to unite one’s soul with the Brahman,
the Absolute Reality.

The word, "Yoga" first appears in the Hindu scripture, Katha Upanishad, in Chapter 3 verse 11. The
verse tells us the meaning and purpose of the Yoga, it says,

“(10) When the five senses are stilled, when the mind
Is stilled, when the intellect is stilled,
That is called the highest state by the wise.
(11)They say YOGA is this complete stillness
In which one enters the unitive state,
Never to become separate again.
If one is not established in this state,
The sense of unity will come and go.”

Yoga philosophy recognizes that as there are many different types of individuals so there are many
different paths to the Brahman, an individual may follow a path based on their temperament. All these
paths are categorized in four practices, Gyan Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Raja Yoga.

Here is how, Swami Vivekanada described each Yoga.

Gyan Yoga (aka Jnana Yoga): First: hearing the truth — that the Atman is the only reality and that
everything else is Mâyâ (relativity). Second: reasoning upon this philosophy from all points of view.
Third: giving up all further argumentation and realizing the truth. This realization comes from (1) being
certain that Brahman is real and everything else is unreal; (2) giving up all desire for enjoyment; (3)
controlling the senses and the mind; (4) intense desire to be free. Meditating on this reality always and
reminding the soul of its real nature are the only ways in this Yoga.

Karma Yoga: Karma-Yoga is purifying the mind by means of work. The watchword of the Karma-Yogi
is "not I, but Thou", and no amount of self-sacrifice is too much for him. But he does this without any
desire to go to heaven, or gain name or fame or any other benefit in this world.

Bhakti Yoga: Bhakti or worship or love in some form or other is the easiest, most pleasant and most natural way of man. The natural state of this universe is attraction; and that is surely followed by an ultimate disunion. Even so, love is the natural impetus of union in the human heart; and though itself a great cause of misery, properly directed towards the proper object, it brings deliverance. The object of Bhakti is God. Love cannot be without a subject and an object. The object of love again must be at first a being who can reciprocate our love. Therefore the God of love must be in some sense a human God.
He must be a God of love. Aside from the question whether such a God exists or not, it is a fact that to
those who have love in their heart this Absolute appears as a God of love, as personal.

Raja Yoga: As each science has its particular method of investigation, so is this Raja-Yoga the method of
religion. This science also is variously applied according to various constitutions. The chief parts are the
Prânâyâma, concentration, and meditation. For those who believe in God, a symbolical name, such as
Om or other sacred words received from a Guru, will be very helpful. Aum is the greatest, meaning the
Absolute. Meditating on the meaning of these holy names while repeating them is the chief practice of
Raja Yoga.

This video is an initiative by Hindu Students Association to bring proper understanding of Hindu
philosophy and practices to Hindus and non-Hindus. We would like to thank Dr. Pankaj Jain, Professor
of Hinduism at University of North Texas, for his assistance in giving us academic advice in the
production of this video.

HSA E-mail: info@hsamail.org

HSA Website: HinduStudentsAssociation.org

Twitter: twitter.com/​HinduStudents

YouTube: youtube.com/​user/​Hindustudents

Your Home = Your Temple (Introduction to the Vastu Shastra)

Budhanilkantha Temple (Sleeping Vishnu) - Nepal

Namaste, Hari Om,

What is a temple? Like many religions there is a place of worship, whether its at home or at a central point in the community, it is deemed a holy place.

For many people going to a place of worship or somewhere peaceful like a garden or waterfall, helps to ease our mind and bring good energy. This energy helps us understand the world better as our mind thinks at a different rate, there is no pollution or distractions at these peaceful places.

If we spend more time at home than at a place of worship or a peaceful place, shouldn't our home be like a temple? The answer is yes it should be, our home represents our mind, its an outer expression of our thinking and well being. If your home is painted with red walls and no pictures some can see you as a monotone person with no expression - this could very well be true.

Your home should be your temple, every wall should make you feel at ease, every room should make you feel  happy. Gods name should be remembered at all times, this is why we decorate our houses with Gods pictures. A wise man once told me, ''People hang pictures of their family members up, today I like my cousin, sister etc.. then tomorrow we get into a fight, i take the picture down. The next day I like that person etc.. The  relationship is ever changing a people constantly change, where as God does not". Reminding our selves of the guiding force will help our mind in case of tensions and bring good energy to us.

A home should be welcoming, one that is filled with the intangible welcome scents, sight, sounds and taste will bring a calm state of mind to those who dwell there. There is no limitation that energy found at a temple can not live in your home, with the proper practice and maintenance, your home can equal your Temple.

Dont hide your love for God to a small place, let it shine through out the home. Just as you try to keep your body pure, so should your temple, avoid meat, alcohol, and harmful smoking etc..  Do not argue or say vulgar words, always be pleasant. Why keep such things in your home and have an altar? We must rid our life of duality (having bad and good things) - stick to the good things only.

Lastly, following a Vastu guide will also help:

"Vastu is an inherent energy concept of science. We cannot see energy with our naked eyes but we can realize and see its application in different forms and fashions. Universe is one of the beautiful creations of nature and everything stands alive only in the limelight of truth. Just like every subject of human aspect is governed with rules, regulations & acts, similarly the nature has also got certain key factor principles for smooth governing of its residents, in which "Vastu stands for nature law" and ignorance of law is not an excuse anywhere. Here are some of the basic rules that everyone should follow" - Source (http://www.vaastu-shastra.com/vastu-tips.html) 

The position of certain objects in your house can channel energy in a special way - Having the right position and direction can create great energy.

Jai Jai Shri Devi Maa
- SimpleHinduBhai


Read more below - http://www.stephen-knapp.com/vastu_shastra.htm

Tips From Vastu

1. The main entrance should be in the East or North but it should not be in front of the compound wall.
2. The wall of the house in the North-Eastern side should have minimum height.
3. If the wall of the house in the East is tall, it stalls the entry of prosperity, the Goddess Laxmi, into the house. Therefore, it should be small in height.
4. The southern side of the house should be as tall and heavy as possible.
   In any room of the house the beam or column should not cross in the center.
5. Terrace or balcony in the house should be either in the East or the North.
6. A well, pole or a temple should not be there in front of the main entrance of the house.
7. The slope of the house should be towards East, North or North-East.
   Similarly, the slope of the plinth also should be towards East, North or North-East.
8. The height of the plinth should be maximum in the direction of South-West.
9. The main entrance of the house should not be in front of that of the opposite house.
10. The house should be equipped with the protective wall.
11. The upper storeys of the house should be constructed on the Southern or Western part.
12. The cupboard in the wall should be the Southern or Western part direction of the house.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Why Follow Vastu?
    God is present in the direction of North-East, it is believed. That is why our ancestors always insisted on having a body of water in this direction to ensure prosperity. Now see the geographical location of a small nation like Japan one of the largest bodies of water in the form of the Pacific Ocean which explains the reason of its growing prosperity.
    Take the example of Mumbai city. On its South-East side where Agni is located, is the atomic power plant and in the direction of North-East is the body of water, which is why when it is compared to other ports, Mumbai port is more prosperous.
    The city of London is famous and rich because it is situated on more or less the ideal principles of Vastu Shastra.
    It is found that at the root of the progress and prosperity of the cities like New York, London, Mumbai, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc. are always the benedictory principles of Vastu Shastra. It is also found that as one progresses towards the North-East in the United States of America the land becomes richer and richer.
    Study the location and construction of the famous temple of Tirupati from the angle of Vastu Shastra. Its legendary prosperity is thanks mainly to the exemplary implementation of the principles of Vastu Shastra. The main temple is situated on the South-West side of the temple precinct. On its North-East direction is a lake and pond. The dining hall of the temple is on South-East side while the North-West and North side of the temple is allocated to the godown (storage place) for grains and items require in the kitchen. The entire temple precinct is of square shape as a result of which its axis and that of the Earth are perpendicular to each other. The main temple is occupying only the one fourth area of the total precinct and on its Eastern and Northern side is an  open area. Thus the Tirupati temple of Lord Balaji is an ideal place according to the norms of Vastu Shastra which is why it is the most prosperous temple on earth.
    
    
    

Nirjala Ekadasi June 11, 2011 – The Importance of this Ekadashi

Namaste, Hari Om,

Calendar Date of Fast: June 11, 2011 - ‘Nirjala’ means without water and devotees do not drink water on the day of fasting. The greatness of Nirjala Ekadasi was explained to Bhima, the second of the Pandava Brothers, by Sage Vyasa. (below talks about Ekadashi, and how to observe it)

Ekadashi is very important, its stated in many books including the Ramayana; The chapter on the importance of Ekadashi was read: ‘The merit gained by performing a hundred Rajsuya yagnas or a thousand Ashwamedh yagnas don’t come into comparison with even a 16th of the merit gained by performing the Ekadashi vrat.’


Again we always should ask why is this important to me? And why should I do this, understanding these questions will make us believe what we do even more, it becomes non mechanical and spiritual. 


Fasting on these days are important because it does many things, it conditions the mind and body for looking within and meditating. Secondly its important to you because its another way of feeling and showing devotion to that almighty power. We can build connections and understanding with the special power of the universe by connecting with thy name while performing various tasks in our mind. For those that challenge fasting, devotion and contemplation of God, they should first try to do these things with a clear calm mind. Having a truthful mind will always make your mind calm, when your mind is calm the benefits (both physical and spiritual) will enhance your everyday outlook. Following Ekadashi is spoken by the very words of Lord Vishnu, in our lives we are given moments to propel our dedication and these days of Ekadashi we can do this by vrat or fasting and contemplation of the Lord. 


Scientifically there are special energies, atoms or light that is on earth due to the star/planet alignment - Thus having our bodies and minds in a special condition causes a better receptor to this energy that cleanses our being. 


There is a nice post on Hindu Blog that talks about this fast, its equivalent to fasting for all 24 Ekadashi's, if you fast on this very day. Continue reading, hopefully we all can follow this Vrat. 


**Remember: What is more important is devotion and not the severity of the fasting. Dont feel that you have to give up your life to attain a connection, #1 that connection exists, #2 feel the love in what we do, this is more important than anything else. 


Jai Shri SitaRam
- SimpleHinduBhai






From Hindu-Blog.com: 

Nirjala Ekadashi is very popular Ekadasi fasting and it is performed by man Hindus without even drinking water. Nirjala Ekadasi June 2011 date is June 12 [SHB Note - June 11 for US Folks]. Nirjala Ekadasi fasting is very tough and different from the usual Ekadasi fasting method. Devotees do not drink water on the day. Neither do they eat anything for the entire day. The fasting is from sunrise to next day (Dwadasi) morning sunrise.

The popular belief is that observing Bhim Ekadasi is equal to observing all the 24 Ekadasis in a year.

Nirjala Ekadasi Story

Nirjala Ekadasi is associated with Bhima, the second of the five Pandava brothers. There is a popular story associated with Bhim Ekadasi. Bhima was always hungry and he could not fast during Ekadasi. Therefore he wanted to find a solution to fast on Ekadasi by consuming food and he went to Sage Vyasa to find a solution Veda Vyasa advised Bhima to observe Nirjala Ekadasi falling in the Shukla Paksha of Jyeshta Month. It has the benefits of observing all the 24 Ekadasis in a year.

How to Observe Nirjala Ekadashi: 

http://www.hindu-blog.com/2009/06/how-to-observe-nirjala-ekadasi-or.html

Nirjala Ekadasi, or Pandav Bhim Ekadashi, is observed during the Jyeshta Shukla Paksha – waxing phase of moon in Jyeshta month, which falls during (May end or June beginning). The Ekadasi fasting method for Nirjala Ekadashi is different from the usual practice. In 2011, the date of Nirjala Pandav Bhim Ekadasi is June 12.

Nirjala Ekadasi is one of the toughest fasting in Hinduism. ‘Nirjala’ means without water and devotees do not drink water on the day of fasting. The greatness of Nirjala Ekadasi was explained to Bhima, the second of the Pandava Brothers, by Sage Vyasa.

It is said that one should not drink water from the moment of sunrise on the Ekadasi day and should drink water only on the sunrise on the day of Dvadasi (next day morning). Devotees also do not eat food on the day.

In the scriptures, it is said that a devotee should perform the purification ritual by drinking water that can immerse a single mustard seed.

Devotees spend the day at Vishnu temples or listening to stories from Bhagavad Purana or by chanting bhajans dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Vishnu Sahasranama and other sholkas dedicated to Lord Vishnu are chanted on the day.

It is strongly advised that those who are under medications and have some ailments should not observe Nirjala Ekadasi.

Those devotees who want to observe this particular Ekadasi but can’t follow the rule of not drinking and not eating on the day can observe a partial fast. What is more important is devotion and not the severity of the fasting.

This Ekadasi fasting happens before the starting of the monsoon season and therefore it is also meant in helping in cleansing the body.

Pranayam: Breathing Exercise - Alternate Nostril (Anuloma Viloma)

Namaste, Hari Om,

"Pranayam, or control/regulation of the life force is thus the fourth step in the ashtanga yog system laid down by Patanjali. It comes after yam, niyam and asan.  So the first indicator is, it should be undertaken after getting at least reasonable degree of proficiency in the asans. Control of the body through posture is the first step, control of the breath is the second, which will eventually lead to the control of the pran or life force." 

We will talk more about breathing (Pranayam) styles in a future post, but wanted to quickly high light Pranayam basics.

So many of us go about life not breathing right, this effects the way we act, look and more importantly think. Breath is so critical, it keeps us going everyday and it is linked to every emotion. When you are angry you breathe heavier and shorter breaths are taken, before you (almost) get in an accident you take that initial quick inhalation which rushes air to the brain for quick thinking.

Control of the mind leads to wonderful things, we can unlock our true potential if we can control the life (breath). Its true we only use a small percentage of our mental power, through Pranayam we can use more. Below is a guide to Alternate Nostril Breathing, its the basic introduction thats really easy to start, you can start feeling the effects fast, calming and slower more profound thinking and emotionally you will start to become happier. For those with tests, interviews or performances, Pranayam can really help to alleviate stress and anxiety.

It makes perfect sense to do this, we can ease our body and mind, breathing is strongly linked to chakra wakening as well, the power within the chakras (if done under a proper teacher and right mindset) will enhance our lives even more. I am truly blessed to have a great yoga guru, a teacher that can open your mind to the scientific and spiritual reasons for asanas, pranayam and physical movements will help you to move forward in Yogic practice. Everything is within us, we just have to have the will to look within, the energy, guidance and love will come once we have the desire to look within.

Nice guide thanks to; http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/pranayama/basic/viloma.asp Below information and steps comes from this site, please enjoy.

Jai Shri Krishna, Hari Om Tat Sat
-SimpleHinduBhai

One Round of Anuloma Viloma (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

	Inhale through the left nostril, closing the right with the thumb, to the count of four.
	Hold the breath, closing both nostrils, to the count of sixteen.
	Exhale through the right nostril, closing the left with the ring and little fingers, to the count of eight.
	Inhale through the right nostril, keeping the left nostril closed with the ring and little fingers, to the count of four.
	Hold the breath, closing both nostrils, to the count of sixteen.
	Exhale through the left nostril, keeping the right closed with the thumb, to the count of eight.

Benefits of Anuloma Viloma

The exercise of the Anuloma Viloma produces optimum function to both sides of the brain: that is optimum creativity and optimum logical verbal activity. This will make both sides of the brain, the left side which is responsible for logical thinking and the right side which is responsible for creative thinking to function properly. This will lead to a balance between a person's creative and logical thinking. The Yogis consider this to be the best technique to calm the mind and the Nervous System. 

Anuloma Viloma: The Scientific Confirmation

Medical science has recently discovered the nasal cycle, something that was already discovered by the Yogis thousands of years ago. Modern scientists found out that we do not breathe equally on both nostrils, that is one nostril is much easier to breathe through than the other at any particular time. Each nostril alternates about every three hours. The Yogis claim that the natural period is every two hours, but we must remember these studies were done on people who do not have an optimum Health level. 

Scientists also discovered that the nasal cycle corresponds with brain function. The electrical activity of the brain was found to be greater on the side opposite the less congested nostril. The right side of the brain controls creative activity, while the left side controls logical verbal activity. The research showed that when the left nostril was less obstructed, the right side of the brain was predominant. Test subjects were indeed found to do better on creative tests. Similarly when the right nostril was less obstructed the left side of the brain was predominant. Test subjects did better on verbal skills. 

Medical science has not quite caught up with the ancient Yogis yet. The Ancient Yogis even went one step further. They observed that a lot of diseases were due to disturbances of the nasal cycle or if a person breathe for too long through one nostril. To prevent and correct this condition, they developed the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. This clears any blockage the airflow in the nostrils and reestablishes the natural nasal cycle. For example, the Yogis have known for a long time that prolonged breathing through the left nostril only (over a period of years) will cause Asthma. They also know that this so-called incurable disease can be easily treated by teaching the patient to breathe through the right nostril until the Asthma is cured and prevent it from recurring by doing the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. The Yogis also believe that Diabetes is caused, to a large extent, by breathing mainly through the right nostril.  

He is formless and with form and many are His forms which no one knows - Sri Ramakrishna Thoughts

Sri Ramakrishna Thoughts


Two persons were hotly disputing as to the color of a chameleon. One said, ‘The chameleon on the palm tree is of a beautiful red color.’ The other, contradicting him, said, ‘You are mistaken, the chameleon is not red but blue.’ Not being able to settle the matter by arguments, both went to the person who always lived under that tree and had watched the chameleon in all its phases of color.

One of them said, “Sir, is not the chameleon on that tree of a red color?’ The person replied ‘Yes, it is.’ The other disputant said, ‘I am sure it is not red, it is blue.’ The person said ‘Yes, it is.’ The person who resided under the tree knew that chameleon is an animal that constantly changes its color.

The Sat-Chit-Ananda likewise has countless forms. The devotee who has seen God in one aspect only, knows Him in that aspect alone. But he who has seen Him in manifold aspects is alone in a position to say, “All these forms are of one God and God is multiform.’ He is formless and with form and many are His forms which no one knows.
- Sri Ramakrishna

Art such as, Dance, Music, A Path to God-Realisation?

Bharatanatyam Dancer Displaying the Vishnuswaroopa.

 Namaste, Hari Om,

 Can liberation be found through the Arts (i.e. Dancing, Music and even painting)? Yes.

The medium of devotion will always be different, praying sitting, standing, dancing, painting or playing an instrument etc.. But the feeling (Bhava) will be the same devotional love. I have met a classically trained Bharatanatyam dancer who have explained the emotions during a devotional dance, its the same as someone reciting mantras, playing an instrument or even meditating (More on Bharatanatyam later on). The love through dance is a devotional and spiritual aspect that allows the dancer to connect with a higher power. Same for the musical instrumnets as you will read below.

The Swaha International Article adds to the point above. Music is also looked upon as a spiritual connection just like Bharatnatyam. Article Can be found here also pasted below from the Swaha International Site;
http://www.swahainternational.org/articles/music-a-path-to-god-realisation/  

-SimpleHinduBhai
___________________________________________________

Article from Swaha International:

There are various routes to God-realisation; Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga and various other pathways, but one of the easiest, cheapest, quickest, safest and surest way to attain God-realisation is Sankirtan Yoga. It is a universally-accepted fact that sangeet or music is the fountain-source of all our being. The emotional appeal that it arouses embellishes the inner aspiration of humanity. The science of music goes hand in hand with Bhakti Yoga. “Music is a synthesis of the various Yogas or paths to God-realisation” (Swami Sivananda.)


The art or science of music is a means of shuffling of this mortal coil, and for enjoying a sacred pleasure while yet living. Music is Naada Yoga and many adepts in Yoga have recognized that there are vital centres in the subtle body of man which vibrate and produce certain astral sounds. Great minstrels of the Lord such as Mirabai, Purandaradas, Surdas and Narsi communed with their Master through music. When Mantras are chanted or kirtan sung, these inner vital centres are influenced and the spiritual power latent in them is made manifest. This power enables the Nadopasaka-(the spiritual aspirant who has made music his spiritual Sadhana) to acquire absolute control over his mind and senses, thereby enabling him to ascend to the super conscious realms of Samadhi(total absorption in Divinity).
Sangeet breaks the three Granthies or knots of ignorance: Brahma Granthi, Vishnu Granthi and Rudra Granthi. It purifies the Naaries (Naari Shuddhi) and the Praanamaya-Kosha (vital air sheath) and easily awakens the dormant Kundalini that is coiled up in Muladhaara Chakra and eventually induces a divine ecstatic mood (Bhava Samadhi).
In addition, music also destroys the Rajas(materialism) and Tamas(sluggishness) modes of nature and fills the mind with Sattwa (truth). The aspirant who practices this ‘Naad Yoga’ succeeds in rising above Dehadyaasa(identification of body) ,shifting his focus to the spiritual. His choice of music, songs, etc. is guided by ‘bhakti ras’- the essence of devotion. Here it is noteworthy to remember that vulgar music and obscene songs which are usually accompanied by intoxicants is invariably the outcome of passion and base thoughts and has a deep tinge of lust and other negativities. Such songs and music appeal to the gross, lower animal instincts that arouse likewise behavior.

The Lord says to Saint Narada, “I dwell not in Vaikuntha (Heaven), nor in the hearts of Sages and Saints, but where my devotees sing. There I am, O Narada.” Music is not to be neglected or brushed aside. It must be a legitimate ambition of everyone, to be able to sing or play some instrument. Music gives peace and tranquilizes our minds when we are agitated. It is the duty of every one of us to lose no time to earn and keep this rare means with which to propitiate God and enter “Vaikuntha,” the highest aim of life in this human birth. Music is a sacred science, its goal being God- Consciousness.

Importance of an Open Mind

Namaste, Hari Om,

This is a nice question to ask, what is the importance of an open mind. Why should we have an open mind? This quote from Paramahansa Yogananda will set the tone;

"Those who seek prosperity for themselves alone are in the end bound to become poor, or to suffer from mental inharmony; but those who consider the whole world as their home, and who really care and work for group or world prosperity, activate astral forces that lead them ultimately to the place where they can find the individual prosperity that is legitimately theirs. This is a sure and secret law."

— Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons 
Copyright © 2011 Self-Realization Fellowship. All Rights Reserved. 

To many times in our lives we come across things that takes us out of our comfort zone, generally we do not like to be out of our comfort zone due to a different feeling or view. Having an open mind challenges our perception and makes us grow once we overcome the challenge of our own perception.

Breaking the daily routine of our life can develop our brains in greater ways, also it will allow us to look at the world from a different view. For example, if we are used to doing the same thing every morning, afternoon and night then we would become mechanical and almost complete these tasks without thinking. If we change our route, read a different book or stimulate our metal capacity by engaging in new topics we can develop our mind and also see our "routine" from a different view.

Try it during your daily routine, instead of driving one way to a location, take an alternative route, your brain will become much more stimulated as the pattern is broken and thinking has increased.

The same should be done for how we look at the world, take your thoughts in a different direction in your daily routine. If you are used to seeing someone for who they are, take a different turn in your thoughts, you might see things you have never seen in someone before.

Traveling is another great way to have an open mind, when someone travels they can see the world from different views while challenging their own mental capacity to process differences. Its always said everything in the world can be found in India, its a figure of speech as not everything in the world can actually be found their. If you look at the land it contains a vast array of culture, biodiversity and conditions.

Take this one step further, traveling and seeing the world will open your mind as with exposure comes experience and growth - But what about traveling within? Looking within to gain spiritual connections and exposure to grow from within? There are many people who find peace from within, the mind is an extremely powerful origin. The below quote is from the Huffpost Living Source site, the author Ed and Deb Shapiro do a great job of taking something deep and making it simple.

"Thoughts may be even subtler, but when used purposefully, they are equally powerful. As we think, so we become: like a domino effect, our thoughts influence our feelings; from our feeling are born our words and our actions; our thoughts affect our behavior and beliefs, whom we care for and whom we dismiss. They also affect the unseen and unknown as we send our thought waves and energy out into the universe. The greatest discovery is that we can change our life and the world by changing the way we are thinking. If we think it's impossible, it's impossible; if we think it's possible, then it becomes highly probable.
"We need to understand our own minds; we need to see our own patterns and expressions," says Joseph Goldstein in "Be the Change." "In a way it is so obvious. If we are full of judgment or anger or fear, we are just contributing to the problem. And if we let judgment go and become more loving and accepting and compassionate in ourselves, then that is what we give to the world." - Huffpost living Source; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-and-deb-shapiro/know-you-have-three-great_b_852919.html 

Meditation helps us keep our open mind, we should never judge or cast a negative view on others. When we can recognize each other as a divine spark of light, then we will say, "What does this physical world matter anymore"? What are we really seeing when we see someone else? Always allow yourself to be kind to others, its a hard habit to develop but we all can strive day by day. The power of meditation can go beyond the physical world to help develop our minds to become open. The power of the Chakras (More on this later) will bring your awareness to new levels. The more we look within and reflect upon our actions to others we will become a lighthouse of goodness as we will create positive energy. Someone at a satsang I went to said, "Negative energy is always attracted to positive energy, and if that positive energy is larger, then the negative will loose its effect and eventually become negative" - she was right in this saying because if someone is boiling with a temper, by keeping your cool and calm mind open, you can lower the boiling temper with kind sweet words.

The importance of an open mind will help us transcend and grow past the physical world, we should all try to change our habits to get out of our comfort zone. Not everyone can have life changing events lined up, but it all starts from within, change the way you think or view things and you will see the importance of an open mind.

Jai Shri SitaRama,
- SimpleHinduBhai

Hinduism Today: "What is Hinduism" Video

Namaste, Hari Om,

Great video from Hinduism Today, click below.

http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/xoopstube/viewcat.php?cid=24

Spiritual Book: "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda

Namaste, Hari Om,

I have been blessed to come in contact with this amazing book. To call it a book is an understatement, the meaning and emotions contained within the pages go beyond time and expand our very own ideas of this world. This spiritual treasure is a gift to the world, it shows the world that attaining the love of God (no matter what form you call God) is possible. I previously wrote about it in a prior post; http://simplehindubhai.blogspot.com/2011/01/why-god-permits-evil-and-how-to-rise.html, its a gift to the world from the spiritual masters who go beyond time and mortality.

The story is told through various phases of Paramahansa Yogananda's life, each step of the way you feel as if you are next to him witnessing every event. The profound and deep stories touch our lives in many ways. No matter what your background or expectations of life, this great treasure will indeed touch you.

There are numerous lessons to live by in this book, the teachings are simple and contain a sweet story to go along. Every page has a lesson to learn from and a story to smile at.

One of the key points I noted after reading this great work was that it reminded us that we are all special. Within us sits this super power that is waiting to come alive and help us navigate the pathway of life. The stories offer inspiration and insight into a spiritual world that is within our reach. Some of us think that the spiritual powers or strengths are only for very high spiritual people meditating everyday while sitting in a forest.  This book proves that even in our daily lives we can set ourselves free from the daily troubles by going within. The spiritual masters in this book held normal lives as well, they were not forest dwellers meditating for hours upon hours, they were part of the common folks but kept their vision and mind on a higher power.

The simplicity of the book helps us to understand who we are and that we are all truly one on this earth. The stories are touching and the reality of going to higher levels in our lives is painted beautifully. Please read this wonderful book, it will speak to you in so many ways, questions you have on your mind will be answered as you read page after page. The grace of God is upon us all, this great spiritual treasure serves as a beautiful reminder of that grace. There are truly no words to describe the meaning of this book, it is beyond words and feelings, it contains spiritual energy in itself as a booster to our daily path towards spirituality.

Autobiography of a Yogi is available at most bookstores, or may be ordered directly from Self-Realization Fellowship. http://www.yogananda-srf.org/tmp/py.aspx?id=51 ((Self-Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, California.  All rights reserved).)

Jai Shri Krishna,

SimpleHinduBhai

Yoga Asana: "Sarvangasana" (Shoulder Stand)

Namaste,Hari Om,

This will be one of the many Yoga postings,

This post focuses on the Sarvangasana, otherwise known as the Shoulder Stand. I have encountered many yoga instructors that have stated that this is one of the most important asanas (postures) in yoga.

Its benefits are numerous, the blood flow in the shoulder stand helps to clean out the organs of any old blood thus rejuvinating the organs and internals to become stronger.

Here is a step by step guide on how to do the Shoulder Stand; http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice/shoulderstand.asp

here is a video on how to do this also; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CiaHCD5Iig.

Yoga is encouraged as it can help your daily living quality and most importantly your mental awareness and stability.

Some more benefits are outlined at the following link (and below): http://www.yogatohealth.com/Shoulder_Stand_Instructions.html

Shoulder stand traditionally benefits:

• allergies
• asthma
• stimulating the thyroid gland
• calming the nervous system
• increases circulation
• supports the endocrine system
• stimulates the kidneys
• throat problems
• can be good for headaches, but don't do it whilst you have one!
• common colds
• irritability, nervous problems
• bowels
• insomnia
• energy levels
• urinary problems
• uterine displacement
• menstrual problems
• hernias
• epilepsy
• anemia
• confidence
• colitis
• severe pains in the abdomen
• intestinal ulcers
• stomach ulcers
• preventing varicose veins
• strengthening the arms, shoulders and upper back
• relaxing internal organs

Jai Shri Ram,

SimpleHinduBhai