Best wishes for coming Raksha Bandhan to all of you

जानिए कैसे मनाए रक्षा बंधन का पर्व

रक्षा बंधन के पर्व की वैदिक विधि 

-वैदिक रक्षा सूत्र बनाने की विधि :

इसके लिए ५ वस्तुओं की आवश्यकता होती है -

(१) दूर्वा (घास) 

(२) अक्षत (चावल) 

(३) केसर 

(४) चन्दन 

(५) सरसों के दाने ।

इन ५ वस्तुओं को रेशम के कपड़े में लेकर उसे बांध दें या सिलाई कर दें, फिर उसे कलावा में पिरो दें, इस प्रकार वैदिक राखी तैयार हो जाएगी ।

इन पांच वस्तुओं का महत्त्व -

(१) दूर्वा - जिस प्रकार दूर्वा का एक अंकुर बो देने पर तेज़ी से फैलता है और हज़ारों की संख्या में उग जाता है, उसी प्रकार मेरे भाई का वंश और उसमे सदगुणों का विकास तेज़ी से हो । सदाचार, मन की पवित्रता तीव्रता से बदता जाए । दूर्वा गणेश जी को प्रिय है अर्थात हम जिसे राखी बाँध रहे हैं, उनके जीवन में विघ्नों का नाश हो जाए ।

(२) अक्षत - हमारी गुरुदेव के प्रति श्रद्धा कभी क्षत-विक्षत ना हो सदा अक्षत रहे ।

(३) केसर - केसर की प्रकृति तेज़ होती है अर्थात हम जिसे राखी बाँध रहे हैं, वह तेजस्वी हो । उनके जीवन में आध्यात्मिकता का तेज, भक्ति का तेज कभी कम ना हो ।

(४) चन्दन - चन्दन की प्रकृति तेज होती है और यह सुगंध देता है । उसी प्रकार उनके जीवन में शीतलता बनी रहे, कभी मानसिक तनाव ना हो । साथ ही उनके जीवन में परोपकार, सदाचार और संयम की सुगंध फैलती रहे ।

(५) सरसों के दाने - सरसों की प्रकृति तीक्ष्ण होती है अर्थात इससे यह संकेत मिलता है कि समाज के दुर्गुणों को, कंटकों को समाप्त करने में हम तीक्ष्ण बनें ।

इस प्रकार इन पांच वस्तुओं से बनी हुई एक राखी को सर्वप्रथम भगवान -चित्र पर अर्पित करें । फिर बहनें अपने भाई को, माता अपने बच्चों को, दादी अपने पोते को शुभ संकल्प करके बांधे ।

इस प्रकार इन पांच वस्तुओं से बनी हुई वैदिक राखी को शास्त्रोक्त नियमानुसार बांधते हैं हम पुत्र-पौत्र एवं बंधुजनों सहित वर्ष भर सूखी रहते हैं ।

राखी बाँधते समय बहन यह मंत्र बोले –

येन बद्धो बली राजा दानवेन्द्रो महाबल: |

तेन त्वां अभिबन्धामि रक्षे मा चल मा चल ||

शिष्य गुरु को रक्षासूत्र बाँधते समय – 

‘अभिबन्धामि ‘ के स्थान पर ‘रक्षबन्धामि’ कहे |

और चाकलेट ना खिलाकर भारतीय मिठाई या गुड से मुहं मीठा कराएँ।

अपना देश अपनी सभ्यता अपनी संस्कृति अपनी भाषा अपना गौरव!!! 

वन्दे मातरम्

Best wishes for the Childern's Day! On this day, lets talk about Child Behaviour

Thirukkural^* written by Thiruvalluvar more than 5000 yrs ago, but not even One Kural of total 1337 have become irrelevant now. It's one of the ancient science on Human behaviour, which has not changed in-spite of environment & technology !

SOME GOLDEN THOUGHTS TO PONDER :-

1. If your child lies to you often, it is because you over-react too harshly to their inappropriate behaviour.
2. If your child is not taught to confide in you about their mistakes, you've lost them.
3. If your child had poor self-esteem, it is because you advice them more than you encourage them.
4. If your child does not stand up for themselves, it is because from a young age you have disciplined them regularly in public.
5. If your child takes things that do not belong to them, it is because when you buy them things, you don't let them chose what they want.
6. If your child is cowardly, it is because you help them too quickly.
7. If your child does not respect other people's feelings, it is because instead of speaking to your child, you order and command them.
8. If your child is too quick to anger, it is because you give too much attention to misbehaviour and you give little attention to good behaviour.
9. If your child is excessively jealous, it is because you only congratulate them when they successfully complete something and not when they improve at something even if they don't successfully complete it.
10. If your child intentionally disturbs you, it is because you are not physically affectionate enough.
11. If your child is openly defied, it is because you openly threaten to do something but don't follow through.
12. If your child is secretive, it is because they don't trust that you won't blow things out of proportion.
13. If your child talks back to you, it is because they watch you do it to others and think its normal behaviour.
14. If your child doesn't listen to you but listens to others, it is because you are too quick to make decisions.
15. If your child rebels it is because they know you care more about what others think than what is right or wrong.

Change starts at home. Try a few if not all and see the sea change in the relations.

-Dr. Riddhish K. Maru, Psychiatrist

Here your child is to be read as our child.

* Thirukkural is a classic Tamil sangam literature. To know more you can visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirukkural

#Child #Thirukkural #Behaviour #Psychology #Kural

Touching elders' feet (Pranāma / Charan Sparsh^*) is the first lesson in manners and etiquette that all Indian children are taught, specially in Hinduism. It is not uncommon (at least till today) to see Hindus touching feet of elder or respected people. Children touching the feet of their parents, grandparents and teachers, wife touching the feet of her husband and folks touching feet of any elder, pious or revered human being are a part of our lives. 

When an elder person's feet are being touched, he /she, in turn, is supposed to touch the head of the person doing the act and bless (Ashirwad) him /her for long life, fortune and prosperity. It also gives the feeling of comfort, confidence and sense of protection to the young one's that an elder is always there to look after them.

Rules are prescribed in our scriptures as to who should prostrate to whom. Wealth, family name, age, moral strength and spiritual knowledge in ascending order of importance qualified men to receive respect. This is why a king though the ruler of the land, would prostrate before a spiritual master. Epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata have many stories highlighting this aspect.

Abhimanyu, touching feet of her mother before his marriage

True, it’s a gesture of showing respect. But why can’t we touch a calf or a thigh or a shoulder or any other body part for showing respect? Like countless allegorical conundrums of Hindu tradition, touching feet too conceals a scientific benefit with a rational explanation.

The Right Way of Touching Feet

To understand this, we must first know the right way of touching one’s feet. Bend the upper half of your body, ideally without bending your knees, and stretch both your arms – with your head between them – to touch the feet of the elder. Obvious that it is, the fingertips of your left hand should touch the right foot of the elder and your right hand should be on their left foot. The elder person should now touch the top of your head with their right hand.

The Traditional explanation of touching feet

On the human body, one's head is considered the most honorable part, where your knowledge, mind, consciousness reside, and the feet are considered least honorable, as they are closest to the ground, dirt, elements. 

Touching an elder's feet is a huge sign of respect, you're effectively communicating that, even their most dishonorable part is respected by you and is higher than your most honorable part. It's a sort of bowing down to the experience and wisdom of the other person. 

Pranam Practice

The good wishes (Sankalpa) and blessings (Aashirvaada) of elders are highly valued in India. We prostrate to seek them.

The Scientific explanation of touching feet

Aura transfer:

The nerves that start from our brain spread across all your body. These nerves or wires end in the fingertips of your hand and feet. When you join the fingertips of your hand to those of their opposite feet, a circuit is immediately formed and the energies of two bodies are connected. Your fingers and palms become the ‘receptor’ of energy and the feet of other person become the ‘giver’ of energy.

Usually, the person of whose feet you are touching is either old or pious. When they accept your respect which came from your reduced ego (and is called your shraddha) their hearts emit positive thoughts and energy (which is called their karuna) which reaches you through their hands and toes.

In essence, the completed circuit enables flow of energy and increases cosmic energy, switching on a quick connect between two minds and hearts. To an extent, the same is achieved through handshakes and hugs. Ever wondered why you suddenly feel better after a firm handshake or an affectionate hug? Now you know. You should feel the same after touching feet of a good soul, provided you do it the right way.

Exercise:

If you actually touch the feet of someone and not merely in the modern way of half way through the act, you tend to bent forward. This is a sort of a yogic posture which helps you healthwise and stretches your spine and acts as a sort of exercise in disguise.

Ego:

When you touch feet of a respected person, you are helping to sublime your own ego to a certain extent thereby making to purer and more calm person. In Indian joint family, it helped a lot where elder/more experience person was consider as final verdict.

An Appeal To You

At the cost of being personal, I appeal you not to bow to a person merely because he/she is old. Not all old people are pious or good. Imagine politicians, murderers, criminals and wrongdoers. Will they automatically become good on growing old? The concept came from a period where old people were either in their vanprasth or sanyas ashram stage of life, and were therefore good and worth our reverence.

Let your hunch or instinct (that too is partially scientific you see!) tell you whether the person in front is worthy of touching feet. If he/she is, never hesitate.

* Charan Sparsh - “Charan” means “feet” and “sparsh” means “to touch”. Together they mean “to touch one’s feet”.

Image Courtesy: Wikimedia 
Contents Courtesy:
http://hindulegends.com/science-behind-touching-feet-in-india/
http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-traditions/touching-feet.html
http://www.quora.com/How-did-the-Indian-tradition-of-touching-ones-elders-feet-originate-What-is-the-significance-behind-the-custom
http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Charan_Sparsh
http://www.metaphysics-knowledge.com/miscellaneous/touching-feet-of-elders-mere-tradition-or-science.html/

‘Namaste’ or ‘namaskar’ is the Indian way of greeting each other. Wherever they are – on the street, in the house, in public transport, on vacation or on the phone – when Hindus meet people they know or strangers with whom they want to initiate a conversation, namaste is the customary courtesy greeting to begin with and often to end with. It is not a superficial gesture or a mere word, and is for all people - young and old, friends and strangers.

Namaste According to the Scriptures

Namaste and its common variants ‘namaskar,’ ‘namaskaara’ or ‘namaskaram’, is one of the five forms of formal traditional greeting mentioned in the Vedas. This is normally understood as prostration but it actually refers to paying homage or showing respect to one another, as is the practice today, when we greet each other. 

The Meaning of Namaste

In Sanskrit (Devnagiri script) the word is namah + te = namaste which means “I bow to you” - my greetings, salutations or prostration to you. The word ‘namaha’ can also be literally interpreted as "na ma" (not mine). It has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one's ego in the presence of another.

Vedic way to do Namaste

When meeting someone, do Namaskar by bending the arms from the elbow upwards and joining the fingers and placing tips of the thumbs on the Anahat chakra (at the centre of the chest). Place the two palms together and keep the folded palms in front of the chest. Utter the word 'namaste' and while saying the word, you must have a smile on your face and you also must bow down your head slightly. 

The gesture is often accompanied by words like "Ram Ram,” "Jai Shri Krishna", "Namo Narayana", "Jai Siya Ram", "Om Shanti" etc - indicating the recognition of this divinity.

The Traditional explanation of Namaste

Namaste or namaskar is used as a respectful form of greeting, acknowledging and welcoming a relative, guest or stranger. It is used with good byes as well. In some contexts, namaste is used by one person to express gratitude for assistance offered or given, and to thank the other person's for his or her generous kindness. It is an acknowledgement and appreciation of the fact that there is a God in all of us and we must respect that.

The real meeting between people is the meeting of their minds. When we greet another, we do so with namaste, which means, "may our minds meet,"

Namaskar is also part of the 16 upacharas used inside temples or any place of formal Puja (worship). Namaste in the context of deity worship, conclude scholars, has the same function as one in greeting a guest or anyone else. It expresses politeness, courtesy, honor, and hospitality from one person to the other. This is sometimes expressed, in ancient Hindu scriptures such as Taittiriya Upanishad, as Atithi Devo Bhav (literally, the guest is god).

Namaste is one of the six forms of pranama, and in parts of India these terms are used synonymously.

The Scientific explanation of Namaste

Aura transfer: 

Namaskar increases the spiritual emotion of humility in the embodied soul. Sattva frequencies from the universe are attracted by the fingers (which act as an antenna) and are then transmitted to the entire body through the thumbs which have awakened the Anahat chakra. This activates the soul energy of the embodied soul. In addition, by doing Namaskar in this manner to each other, frequencies of blessings are also transmitted.

Exercise:

Joining both hands ensures joining the tips of all the fingers together; which are denoted to the pressure points of eyes, ears, and mind. Pressing them together is said to activate the pressure points which helps us remember that person for a long time. It also reduces stress; helps to focus; increases the flexibility of the hands, wrist and the fingers; can improve the concentration and can help to increase the influence of meditation on the mind and body of the person.

In today's world, people are addicted to computer and mobile, Due to long use of this, there wrist and palm starting paining. On consultation, may physiotherapist has suggest them to do one of the exercise that is similar to Namaste gesture (without words).

Ego:

As the word Namaste itself explains. When one has already said and feel 'I blow to you', he/she has already reduced one's ego in front of another.

Health:

No germs since we don’t make any physical contact! It is believe that will doing hand shake. It is, indeed, a more hygienic, non-aggressive, and graceful way of greeting than the Western custom of shaking hands or hugging.

Handshake transfers undesirable raja-tama components!

In short, in a handshake, the raja-tama components in one person may get transferred to the other person, thereby lowering his sattvikta (Purity levels). While practising Spirituality, our objective is to perform acts which increase our sattvikta.

An Appeal To You 

In today's world, where western influence is more on us (Indian's) and our children's. Where we have started greeting by doing hand-shake, hug or kiss on the person's chick. Not for our culture, but at least for our health, let us follow and greet by doing Namaste.

Contains and Image Courtesy:
http://hinduism.about.com/od/artculture/p/namaste.htm
http://www.metaphysics-knowledge.com/customstraditions/the-essence-of-namaste.html/
https://www.boddunan.com/articles/people-places/59-customs-and-culture/13416-indian-customs-vs-scientific-reasons.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaste
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/why-namaskar-and-not-a-hand-shake.html

|| Jai Shree Ganesha ||

To start my blog with the blessing of Lord Ganesha, let my first blog be an homage to Him

How Ganesh Chaturthi celebration started in Pandal^* ?

Ganesh Chaturthi is said to have been celebrated since the days of Maratha rulers: Satavahana, Chalukya and Rashtrakuta. Mainly celebrated in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh with a lot of zeal and splendour, Ganesh Chaturthi is the most popular festival of Maharashtra. 

Ganesh Chaturthi was started by Chhatrapati Shivaji as a public event to promote traditions and nationalism, this festival was even celebrated by Peshwas to worship Ganapati as their family deity. 

The festivities remained a family affair until the festival was revitalised by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in the late 19th Century, to take the message of freedom struggle to all Indians. This festival brought in a feeling of unity and togetherness in Indians that helped in revival of their patriotic spirit. Through the medium of this festival he brought together all the classes of societies against British by getting rid of the caste differences. He stressed on it that Ganesh Chaturthi was a festival for everyone irrespective of the caste or class, and so he organised cultural events like dance dramas, musical nights, and religious gatherings on this festival. That was the time when social and political gatherings weren't allowed by the British. Festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi that continued for ten days gave people of every religion the scope to interact and know each other. It is from that time this festival has been celebrated every year with great fervour all over the country.

* Pandal means A large temporary structure erected during various religious festivals.

The above contains was taken from http://www.ganeshchaturthigifts.com/ganesh-chaturthi-history.html