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Archive for October, 2007

In reply to VT…the Kundalini Awakening Series

October 25, 2007 By: Sahiti Bharadwaj Category: The Hindu Science

In reply to one of my posts about kundalini awakening, VT said:

 

“The Kundalini thing does sound curious. I once attended a kundalini jagran session at one famous Nationally famous guru’’s shivir… a friend tried to bully me into it. Just plain curiosity could not hold me for long. I ”felt” nothing for 10 days and found it a complete waste of time, (no hot air coming out the head and palms and all). Having said that- I still remain curious, in the Shivir, no one provided me an answer to the simple questions. What exactly ”happens” when the kundalini is ”awakened”? What new thing do the ”awaked ones” do? What great contributions have they made? I only got vague replies like ‘’spiritual awakening”! I know modern science does not acknowledge any such thing… but I am sure there is more to it that meets the eye! I personally think all this is hogwash, but who cares about my openion. Provide some ”to the point” info about this thing Sahiti. “

 

I believe that was an honest attempt to know and i did some reading and i am trying to answer. So, as always do take what i write with couple of bags of salt :o) One post shall not suffice for explanation. I shall surely give “To the point” answers to all the above questions, but before that, the back ground needs to be set. The next few posts will have the data on the science of kundalini, the objective, logical info i found on the subject. Even if you think sth is not “objective” enough right now, just mark it in the comments section and we shall visit it after the series is over. Here I go…

 

Conceptually, a person whose kundalini is awakened would become healthy at every level…body-mind-soul. His true potential will be realized. He will be able to perform things which ordinary ppl consider miracles. There is a list called “Vibhudis” which are the result of spiritual sadhana. (This answers in away, what extra a kundalini awkending person CAN do,ie capable of doing, that we normal ppl cant. Either u can search for the list online, or I shall provide it soon)  It may include simple things like knowing what the other person is thinking to materializing things out of no where. Yes these can be done and it is a “science”, as in there is a defined procedure.

 

First let me briefly dwell on ur experience at camp…of having no result!

 

The power of Kundalini awakening is like a grenade or a double edged knife. Great skill and guidance is needed to manage so much power once one acquires it. How can handling a grenade by novice or ignorant person made safe? By a safety pin! As long as the pin is in place, even a kid can play with it safely! Its purpose is not realized, but there is no harm done either! It will just provide some useless time-pass, some amusement!!! That's it!!! I guess thatz what u had at the camp…some time-pass and some amusement :o))

 

As there is a safety pin for the grenade there are safety pins at different levels of spiritual evolution.  The first step of qualification are The Yama and niyamas…You are going to acquire the power thru which whatever u say comes true!!!!! How truthful, balanced and in-control should ur thoughts-words-acts be! How gigantic is the responsibility that comes with such a power? How dangerous can a seemingly innocuous swear word become if all and sundry get that power The whole world would become ulta-pulta if a handful of unworthy ppl get their hands on it.

So there are safety valves.  Every one may do the same sadhana, repeat the same mantra, but the result depends on the extent of evolution of the person, his worthiness

 

Yamas: (Behavior restraints.)

 

Ethical guidelines for the yogi pertaining to her relationship with others in society, the outer environment, or Nature. All the yamas apply to actions, words, and thoughts.

Ahimsa (Non-harming): Loving kindness to others, not blocking or obstructing the flow of Nature, compassion, mercy, gentleness.
Satya (Truthfulness): Being genuine and authentic to our inner nature, having integrity, honesty, being honorable, not lying, not concealing the truth, not downplaying or exaggerating.
Asteya (Non-stealing): Not taking what is not yours?money, goods, or credit. Not robbing people of their own experiences and freedom. Non-desire for another's possessions, qualities, or status..
Brahmacharya (Celibacy/chastity, Literally means, Brahma+ charaya, which means, Walking or having ethical conduct like God): Relating to another with unconditional love and integrity, without selfishness or manipulation. Practicing sexual moderation, restraining from sexual misconduct, and avoiding lustful behavior.
Aparigraha (Non-clinging): Non-grasping, non-receiving, non-possessiveness, voluntary simplicity, not accumulating things beyond what is necessary, non-attachment to possessions, greedlessness. Non-covetousness.

 

Niyamas: (Internal-restraints):

 

Ethical guidelines for the yogi pertaining to her daily activities. Observances of one's own physical appearance, actions, words and thoughts.

Shauca (Purity): Cleanliness, orderliness, precision, clarity, balance. Internal and external purification. Cleanliness.
Santosa (Contentment): Equanimity, peace, tranquility, acceptance of the way things are. Contentment.
Tapas (Heat): Burning desire for reunion with God expressed through self-discipline, purification, willpower, austerity, and patience. Self-mortification.
Svadhyaya (Study of the Self): Self-inquiry, mindfulness, self-study, study of the scriptures, chanting and recitation of the scriptures. Searching for the Unknown (divinity) in the Known (physical world). Scriptural Study.
Ishvara Pranidhana (Devotional offering to the Lord): Surrender to God, open-heartedness, love, "not my will, but Thy will be done," willingness to serve the Lord. Surrender to God.

 

One should grade where one stands with respect to the above code of conduct before demanding result! Others had done it is proof that it can be done. There is no God sitting there to give u the boons. It is science. You do the required things, you get the result. But before that, the laboratory, the body, should become clean of all the above! You do know that highly sensitive experiments, scientific processes need controlled environment, right? For example, the extreme cleanliness at the places where the silicon chips are made? One impurity and the whole batch of chips may bcom useless!

 

Can the above qualifications can be by-passed?

Of course yes! Great skill is required even to by pass them. Ordinary ppl like us cannot do that. But it is in our better interest not to try to do so.  It is like a person trying to make a bomb, without adequate protective gear and without the required equipment. It means only inviting greater danger and risk!!!! It is done as a kind of tantric sadhana where impure ppl do the kundalini awakeneing for wrong reasons. If they succeed, good for them and woe to the society. But the moment they falter will be their final one, for, they have already removed the safety pin!!!!

 

My All time favourtie songs…

October 24, 2007 By: Sahiti Bharadwaj Category: Personal

I am a die-hard fan of Old hindi songs. These are two of my ALL TIME favourites…both on number 1 consistantly for as long as i can remember.. :-)

My fav lines in the song: khoya khoya chand

Hum mit chale hai jinke liye

Bin kuch kahe voh chup chup rahe

koi jara ye vunse kahe

Na aise aajmae…

Wow! Match that!!!!

I like the love & jest that go hand in hand in the song….


 

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I rate this is as the most romantic song that i have ever heard! 

I love each and every line of the lyrics and the way it is screened…

Abhi na jaayo chhodh kar
ke dil abhi bhara nahi

abhi abhi to aayi ho
abhi abhi to
abhi abhi to aayi ho
bahaar ban ke chaayi ho
Hawa zara mahek to le
nazar zara bahek to le
Yeh shaam dhal to le zara
yeh shaam dhal to le zara
yeh dil sambhal to le zara
main thodi der jee to loon
nashe ke ghoont pi to loon
nashe ke ghoont pi to loon
abhi to kuch kaha nahi
abhi to kuch suna nahi
abhi na jaayo chhodh kar
ke dil abhi bhara nahi

Sitaare jhilmila uthe
Sitaare jhilmila uthe
chirag jagmaga uthe
bas ab na mujhko tokna
bas ab na mujhko tokna
na badhke raah rokna
Agar main ruk gayi abhi
to jaa naa paoungi kabhi
yahi kahoge tum sada
ke dil abhi nahi bhara
jo khatam ho kisi jageh
yeh aisa silsila nahi

abhi nahi abhi nahi
nahi nahi nahi nahi

abhi na jaayo chhodh kar
ke dil abhi bhara nahi
http://www.free-lyrics.org/19148-Mohd.-Rafi-&Asha-Bhosle.html

Adhuri aas
Adhuri aas chhodh ke
adhuri pyaas chhodh ke
jo roz yuhi jaayogi
to kis tarah nibhaayogi
ke zindagi ki raaha mein
jawaan dilon ki chaha mein
kayi makaam aayenge
jo humko aazmaayenge
bura na maano baat ka
yeh pyar hai gila nahi

haan yehi kahoge tum sada
ke dil abhi bhara nahi

Haan dil abhi bhara nahi
Nahi nahi nahi nahi

 

The GeethaFanClub is Active again!

October 18, 2007 By: Sahiti Bharadwaj Category: The Gita

Dear friends,

After a long hiatus, I have taken up posting on my favourite subject, Bhagavad Gita at my iland "TheGeethaFanClub" once gain.

In logical continuation of what I have been writing here, on and off, about Gita, I  want to start at chapter 13 of Gita. From chapter 13 to chapter 17 is the Jnana Yoga. In these chapters, Krishna explains the classifications/differences etc.

 

Chapter 13: Ksetra-Ksetrajna Vibhaga Yoga, 34 slokas

In this chapter Krishna talks about the body being the Kshetra(field or tool) and the soul being the Kshetrajna the occupant of the body. He differentiates the observer and the observed. As most modern meditation techniques say, meditation is "when the observer becomes observed" i.e. when one concentrates and turns inwards to observe THAT force or occupant of the body. This concept is explained in detail in this chapter.

 

Chapter 14: Gunatraya-Vibhaga Yoga, 27 slokas

This chapter explains the famous tri-gunas, Sattva, Rajasic and Tamasic. The classification, identification, purification, purpose etc

 

Chapter 15: Purusottama PraptiYoga, 20 slokas

This is a beautiful chapter where Krishna illustrates where, He, The Absolute, stands with respect to the Three Gunas explained in the previous chapter. How the world manifests itself from Him, and how one-is-all and all-is-one and yet so very different.

 

Chapter 16: Daivasura-Sampad-Vibhaga Yoga, 24 slokas

In humans there are Divine tendencies as well as demonic tendencies. Only their proportions vary from one person to the other. In this chapter, Krishna classifies what qualities of a person are daivi sampatti and which of them are asuri-sampatti. There would be heaven on earth if ppl honestly self-introspect and cull the asuri-sampatti in them and strengthen the divine qualities.

 

Chapter 17: Sraddhatraya-Vibhaga Yoga, 28 slokas

If there are 3 types of persons, there would naturally be three kinds of faith or shradha. Krishna talks about them, their qualities and classification. The rituals, pujas, formful worshipvs the formless worship are discussed.

 

These chapters as they say are Jnana Yoga and should/would be logical and appeal to the intellect or objectivity in a person. So hopefully we will have alot to discuss, debate and learn from one and all :-)

Yes, Believe only what you "see", but….!

October 17, 2007 By: Sahiti Bharadwaj Category: The Gita

The one single point that draws my attention to Gita time and again is the plain logic and practical application of abstract philosophical concepts that it offers. Gita was not taught at a remote cave in a distance forest. It was the guide at the moment of crisis in the midst of war for a family man like Arjuna!

 

It has to be noted that time and again Krishna doesn't say that the elightened men "know" or "believe" the fact that it is THAT that occupies the body, enjoys through the senses and leaves the body at death. He says that the fact is "seen" by the enlightened!!! So it is not knowing that makes one enlightened or learned or pandit, but it is the implementation or realization of what is read.

 

Here it is not out of place to enumerate the three kinds of ”gyan”:

 

  • ‘’shrut gyan” - that which has been heard or read and is, thus, second-hand, not directly experienced by oneself;

 

  • ”chintan-mannan gyan” - that which has been received second-hand but then processed by the intellect to see whether it holds any promise of giving us direction towards the TRUTH (it is still only intellectual, not one’’s own direct experience;

 

  • Finally, ”pratyaksh gyan” - that which is experienced directly by oneself.

 

The first two can help the traveler by pointing out a way but can also become the biggest hindrances if the traveler feels that he has understood the TRUTH by merely hearing or reading about it and, perhaps, inspecting intellectually that which he has heard or read. The need to actually walk the path with the truth at every step all the way to the final TRUTH is lost upon the one who feels he has read/heard about it and understood it all.

 

All over Gita, Krishna insists on "Pratyaksh gyan", the realization of what is learnt in the other two ways. It is a fact that cannot be over emphasized and the fact that every sincere reader needs to bear in mind for every single sloka!

 

But taking the "Pratyaksh gyan" as the only proof, some declare that they will believe only in a God that can be seen or demonstrated. This is the usual argument of the worldly minded. But it is not easy to see, with gross physical eyes, the Param + aatma, which is subtler than the subtlest, the same way as you cannot see the Param+anu, the atom with naked eyes!

 

To see an atom or Paramaanu, you must first get command over a powerful microscope, fit for the purpose. Similarly the microscope used to "see" the "Paramatma" is the "jnana chakshu" or "prema chakshu", the ONLY tools to "see" the all pervading Lord! Yes, "Pratyaksh gyan" is the only proof, but get the tools first!!! Don't be an ignorant villager who insists that there can be no atom because he cannot see it! Come to think of it, he cannot "see" it even if he is given the most powerful microscope or even shown the "atom" by someone, because he doesn't know what he is looking for!!!! To "see" an atom or anything, one should first know how the object he is looking for looks like!!!! The ‘’shrut gyan” and ”chintan-mannan gyan” are required for that! So do demand to see or experience something before you embrace it completely, but get the knowledge and the equipment first!!! 

 

Significance of Navratris

October 10, 2007 By: Sahiti Bharadwaj Category: Hinduism

I have heard/read time and again that Navratris are auspicious periods for spiritual advancement bcos these periods are so conducive for any spiritual “sadhana” (which need not essentially mean some great compilcated practice, or repitition of mantra or performing rituals. It can be as simple as contemplation, self-analysis and any form  of meditation) , that a little sadhana during this period will give enoromous results.

I started to dig on the subject and this is some reasonable info that i could find. There are two Navratris. SriRama Navaratris and Durga Navratris. (Actually three, if we count ganesh navratri also)

One is Durga Navaratri or Navdurga Parva that falls during the first nine days of lunar month of Ashwin according the Hindu Calendar.(Ends with celebration of Mahar navami and vijaya dasami). Another Navaratri period spans the first nine days of lunar month of Chaitra, which is the day of Ugadi and this Navaratri ends with “Srirama Navami “

Quote Begins

The festivals of Navaratri are auspicious occasions for the purpose of sadhana. They fall around the two main six-monthly equinoctial divisions of the year and have special temporal and spiritual significance. The importance of morning and evening sandhya (specific prayer-rituals) at the junctures of day and night in daily life is also because of this. The wise do not waste this time in eating, sleeping and other mundane affairs. Rather they use this time for prayers and meditation like sandhya-vandan, self-contemplation and self-refinement, because at a subtle level these times are so charged with harmonizing vibrations that even small effort in sadhana bear extraordinary fruit.
According to arogyashastra (the normative science of health), too, this nine-day period generates a tidal wave in the physical life force, which nullifies and expels whatever toxic elements had accumulated in the body during the preceding six months on account of irregularities in food and living schedule. Routine bodily imbalances like fever, cough, cold, etc. should be considered a natural symptom of this elimination process. Similarly, there is an enhanced flow of vital spiritual energy all around during the Navaratri period. Therefore, sadhana done during this period fructifies with multiple benefits ranging from expulsion of toxic wastes from the body and mind to the bestowal of divine gifts of fulfillment of noble aspirations. Those with intuitive insight (prajna) never miss the special occasion of Shakti- sadhana (Shakti - the energy aspect of Divinity) during the Navaratri Parvas.
 
This sadhana takes different forms. The devotees of Ram read the Ramayana while that of Krishna, the Gita or Srimadbhagvat. The Devi-worshippers devote themselves to different forms of Durga-stuti. Ascetics undertake rigorous penance and austeristies.

In tantric cults, Shava- sadhana (sadhana with a corpse), Kumari-pujan (worship of a maiden), Kundalini-jagaran (awakening the kundalini), chakra-vedhan (piercing extra-sensory energy centres) and other such practices are especially undertaken during this period. The prajna-parijans perform the mini anusthana of Gayatri Sadhana in the form of 24 thousand mantra-japas.

It is necessary to grasp the essence of Navaratri -anusthana propounded by our rishis. According to them, Navaratri symbolizes the nine doors (Nava randhras or nine holes, 2 eyes, 2 nostrils, 2 ears, 1 mouth and 2 excretory organs) or sense organs, which are situated in the Ayodhya of the human body. Through misuse or abuse, bred by ignorance, they are clogged with dross. Hence, through anusthana, we have to reflect on all the doors (one door each night) and by cleansing them awaken the divine potencies latent in them. Indeed, this is the real meaning of  Navaratri - sadhana. For want of self-restraint and discipline, all the inner energy gets drained out of these outlets making the individual emaciated, feeble and poor. Through sadhana, this wasteful discharge of energy is checked and the purpose of Shakti- sadhana fulfilled. “
 
 
If someone knows the significance/ relevance of these Navaratris to us, rationally and scientifically, can you please enlighten me? :-)
Is there any symbolism behind the stories of Rama Navami and Durgastami? We all know them as normal stories with moral, “Good triumphs over the Bad” but is there sth more to learn from them?
 
I am probing more, but am hard pressed for time. So do share what you know with me.