Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (November 18, 1888 – February 28, 1989) was an Indian Yoga teacher, Ayurvedic healer and scholar. Often referred to as "The Father of Modern Yoga”, Krishnamacharya is widely regarded as one of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century and is credited with the revival of Hatha Yoga.
Whether you practice the dynamic series of Pattabhi Jois, the refined alignments of B. K. S. Iyengar, the classical postures of Indra Devi, or the customized vinyasa of Viniyoga, your practice stems from one source: a five-foot, two-inch Brahmin born more than one hundred years ago in a small South Indian village. By developing and refining different approaches, Krishnamacharya made yoga accessible to millions around the globe.
Krishnamacharya believed that Yoga is India’s greatest gift to the world. His yoga instruction reflected his conviction that yoga could be both a spiritual practice and a mode of physical healing. Krishnmamacharya based his teachings on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. He also respected his students’ varying religious beliefs, or non beliefs - a former student recalls that while leading a meditation, Krishnamacharya instructed students to close their eyes and “think of God… If not God, the sun… If not the sun, your parents”. This throws light on the belief that the most important aspect of teaching yoga was that the student be taught according to his or her individual capacity at any given time.

The Hindu trinity is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. They are respectively the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe. Each God in the trinity has his consort. To Brahma is Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge. For Vishnu is Lakshmi - the Goddess of love, beauty and delight. For Shiva is Kali or Parvati, the Goddess of power, destruction and transformation. The three Goddesses are often worshipped in their own right as well as along with their spouses.
It is believed that the triple deities exist in space and time that makes it difficult to explain the true nature of their existence, as well as their true potentials since they allegedly belong to the very highest realms of creation. The spiritual significance of the Trimurti remains that these are the three aspects of supreme reality, like a mighty flow of energy that branches out into three different streams with human awareness being the point of contact.
Brahma the creator - refers to the pursuit of knowledge and creativity, while Vishnu is the preserver - the protector of universal order, the fine balance between karma and dharma. Shiva is the god of destruction - an essential aspect of creation because without destruction you cannot really create anything, such is also the process of inner transformation.

Shilajit is a mineral deposit that is made up of humus and decomposed plant remains. When these components get pressed between layers of rocks for millions of years, they are converted into a gummy substance found at high altitudes in mountains. Research and analysis shows that Shilajit contains triterpenes, fulvic acid and humic acids, Other than which it is a rich source of minerals; which are preserved in their ionic form. That is why when it is consumed it becomes readily active, and starts its work.
The many benefits of Shilajit begin with it’s anti-aging and bio-generative properties which promote cell regeneration and maintenance. It’s rejuvenation properties are effective for energy synthesis and metabolism.
It purifies blood and enhances the immune and circulation system. It has been known to help with diabetes and also solves bone related problems.

Mount Kailash is a sacred place that is shrouded in mystery and legend.
It is considered as the holiest place on earth and some even believe that it is the abode of Lord Shiva.
This peak is unconquered and there have been no recorded attempts to climb Mount Kailash due to its near perpendicular wall faces and death-defying weather. Its distinct shape of four sheer faces marking the cardinal points of the compass. The religious significance of the peak is also the main reason for people not attempting to summit it. The Brahmaputra, Sutlej and Indus rivers have their sources in the Kailash range.
Ravana, the King of Lanka wanted to take Mount Kailas to his kingdom. He tried to up Mount Kailas and leave for Lanka but could not lift it. Why a King wanted to take Mount when he had everything in world. It may be because Kailas was a nuclear power plant which Ravana wanted to place in Lanka. After touching radioactive source, Ravana carried nuclear residue which was left in Lake RakshasTaal after he bathed in it. Now it is believed that whoever bathes in radioactive water gets disfigured due to ill effects of radiation.
A single circumambulation of the peak equals one turn of the Wheel of Life and will wipe away the sins of one’s life, twelve circumambulations will purify one’s karma for all past and future lives, enlightenment is attained after 108. Even one khora presents an extremely difficult task since the mountain is difficult to access and in extremely dangerous terrain.

Since ages, Indians have believed in the power of chanting the sacred word OM, which is generally referred to as Hindu’s religious symbol. For many of us, it may be just a word created out of our rich mythological past. But you will be amazed to know that even science has agreed with the therapeutic, psychological and spiritual benefits that you derive from chanting OM. AUM chanting is a potent tonic which increases the efficiency of the human organism in a profound manner.
If you utter the word OM without using your tongue, you will feel a certain amount of vibration in your body. Over the time, the chanting of OM has popularised even in western cultures and has become an integral part of meditation. The sacred word has been proven to provide a certain degree of peace and purification to the mind and soul. From sages to yoga practitioners to monks, everyone chants this Sanskrit word for various benefits. The OM mantra has astounding benefits that can heal the stress accumulation in the minds of people living in this ultra modern and busy life.

Enhancing akash means moving towards your original nature, both spiritually and physiologically - when the spiritual longing overrides all other needs. When akash is the dominant element in your system, physical aspects become less important. This does not mean neglecting physicality but transcending it. Transcendence means to rise above present limitations. People generally define themselves based on their racial, religious, national, or gender identifications, or personality traits. Essentially, you define yourself through your limitations, or the boundaries that you have set for yourself. Increasing the proportion of akash and turning spiritual means defining yourself through boundlessness. And boundlessness does not have any definition.
Once your perception rises beyond the physical nature, there is no male or female. There is just a human form that can be made competent in many different ways. Competence is not just in terms action but also perception. You can increase your competence not only as a person but as a life. You can become more alive. Every human being is capable of knowing life in a larger dimension. The aspiration to transcend is latently present in everyone. If you give yourself some time off from your office, family, friends, social media, phones, and computers, you will realize the need to transcend your present limitations. This does not require any teaching or goading. Every human being will know the limitations of their existence if they give themselves the needed time. Once you become conscious of your own boundaries, the longing to go Beyond is a natural outcome.

Also known as Yoga Mountain Pose, Tadasana is the basic standing form of the human body.
While it sounds simple - just stand there, there is a huge difference when you are practising this asana!
Here’s how to embody your Tadasana:
Lift up your toes, and spread them wide, feeling all four corners of your feet engaging the ground. Feel your arches naturally lift.
Let your toes release onto the ground while maintaining the evenly grounded feet.
Line your ankles, knees and hips up so they stack one on top of the other.
Engage your quadriceps and feel them lifting up toward your pelvis.
Release your pelvis down toward the earth – not tucking under, but extending.
Extend your spine toward the sky and broaden your collarbones.
Relax and soften your shoulders, letting the shoulder blades slide down the back of your spine.
A strong, supple Tadasana is the perfect base posture to explore pranayamas. Each of these has a slightly different effect. Be aware of the grounding action through the pelvis, legs and feet, and the ascending, lifting action of the spine.
This asana works on your muscles so that your posture is not only better, but also pain-free while you are at your sedentary desk job. It works to align your skeleton and bring it back to a neutral stance. When this happens, your body comes in to the start point for all the other asanas to follow. However basic - this asana combats our excessive smartphone usage and unhealthy sitting postures at work because of which there is always a tight muscle or some alignment amiss. This asana corrects them all. It is the muscular effort that it takes to get into this asana that helps strengthen the core and straighten rounded, weak backs.

Formal study of Buddhism nearly always begins with the Four Noble Truths. The Truths are something like hypotheses presented by the Buddha in his first sermon after his enlightenment, and all of his subsequent teachings support those hypotheses. Buddhism might be defined as a process of verifying and realising the truth of the Truths.
Unfortunately, when they are not properly taught the Truths can sound ridiculous. A common, sloppy rendering of the Truths tells us that life is suffering, suffering is caused by greed, suffering ends when we stop being greedy, and the way to do that is to follow something called the Eightfold Path. Often people get hung up on "life is suffering" and decide Buddhism isn't for them.
However, if you take the time to appreciate what the Four Noble Truths are really about, everything else about Buddhism will be much clearer.
The First Noble Truth: Life Is Dukkha
The Second Noble Truth: The Origin of Dukkha
The Third Noble Truth: The Cessation of Craving
The Fourth Noble Truth: Practicing the Eightfold Path
The Buddha spent the last 45 or so years of his life giving sermons on aspects of the Four Noble Truths, and most of these sermons were about the Fourth Truth -- the path (magga).The path is eight broad areas of practice that touch on every part of one's life, from study to ethical conduct to what you do for a living to moment-to-moment mindfulness. Every action of body, speech, and mind are addressed by the path. It is a path of exploration and discipline to be walked for the rest of one's life.
Without the path, the first three Truths would just be theory; something for philosophers to argue about. Practice of the Eightfold Path brings the dharma into one's life and makes it bloom.

Sing the song of celestial love, O singer! May the divine fountain of eternal grace and joy enter your soul. May Brahma, (the Divine One), pluck the strings of your inner soul with his celestial fingers, And feel his own presence within. Bless us with a divine voice That we may tune the harp-strings of our life To sing songs of Love to you.

A large underwater city exists off the coast of Gujarat in India, that has been submerged for thousands of years. For decades archaeologists have argued about the origins of the mysterious “Harappan” (Indus Valley) civilisation that flourished across what is now Pakistan and northwest India. New findings by Indian scientists working in the Gulf of Cambay suggest that the Harappans were descended from an advanced mother culture that flourished at the end of the last Ice Age that was then submerged by rising sea levels before ‘history’ began.
According to marine scientists in India, archaeological remains of this lost city have been discovered 36 metres (120 feet) underwater in the Gulf of Cambay off the western coast of India. And carbon dating says that they are 9,500 years old.
This news completely contradicts the position of most Western historians and archaeologists, who (because it did not fit their theories) have always rejected, ignored, or suppressed evidence of an older view of mankind's existence on planet Earth. Human civilization is now probably much more ancient than many have believed.

The giant stone statues (Moai) of Easter Island have been a mystery for a known about them. Although it was thought at first that the statues were merely heads, excavation has shown almost all of them to have bodies. Very few of the statues were ever actually erected; most were left in quarries, or abandoned during transport.
Archeologists don’t know why the statues were built, how they were transported and erected, or why they were abandoned unfinished. There is a form of hieroglyphic writing on some of the statues, which nobody has been able to translate. The people of Easter Island themselves are something of a mystery; it remains unclear where they originally came from. Although they don’t know why they were built, archaeologists suggest that the statues were symbols of authority and power, both religious and political. To the people who erected and used them, they were actual repositories of sacred spirit. Carved stone and wooden objects in ancient Polynesian religions, when properly fashioned and ritually prepared, were believed to be charged by a magical spiritual essence called mana. Archaeologists believe that the statues were a representation of the ancient Polynesians' ancestors. The moai statues face away from the ocean and towards the villages as if to watch over the people. The exception is the seven Ahu Akivi which face out to sea to help travelers find the island. There is a legend that says there were seven men who waited for their king to arrive. One of the wildest theories about Easter Island has it that the island is actually the peak of an underwater mountain—and all that remains of the lost civilization of Mu.

Also known as Laya Yoga, this school of Yoga is influenced by Shaktism. It derives it’s name as it is the process of awakening kundalini energy through the regular practice of meditation, pranayama, chanting mantras and yoga asana.
This Yoga of Awareness aims to cultivate the creative spiritual potential of a human to uphold values, speak truth, and focus on the compassion and consciousness needed to serve and heal others.
The practice of Kundalini meditation is designed to raise complete body awareness and prepare the body, nervous system and mind to handle the energy of Kundalini rising. The majority of the physical postures focus on navel activity, activity of the spine and selective pressurisation of body points and meridians.

Om Mani Padme Hum is a six syllabled Tibetan - Sanskrit Mantra.
It is said that all the teachings of the Buddha are within this mantra. According to Buddhism, all beings have the Buddha nature. We all have within us the seed of purity that is to be transformed and developed into Buddhahood.
The first word “Om” is a sacred syllable that repeats itself through the Vedas in many Indian religions. The word “Mani” means jewel or bead and “Padme” is the lotus flower. “Hum” represents the spirit of enlightenment.
The Mantra is commonly carved into rocks known as ‘Mani stones”, or is written on paper with is inserted into prayer wheels. When an individual spins the wheel, it is said that the effect is the same as reciting the mantra as many times as the wheel spins.

The oldest temple in the world.
Turkey's stunning Göbekli Tepe contests the conventional view of the rise of human civilisation. These massive carved stones are about 11,000 years old and predate Stonehenge by 6,000 years.
Archaeologically categorised as a site of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic Period (c. 9600–7300 BC) Göbekli Tepe is a series of mainly circular and oval-shaped structures set on the top of a hill. There is archaeological proof that these installations were not used for domestic use, but predominantly for ritual or religious purposes. Subsequently it became apparent that Göbekli Tepe consists of not only one, but many of such stone age temples. Based on what has been unearthed so far, the pattern principle seems to be that there are two huge monumental pillars in the center of each installation, surrounded by enclosures and walls.
Each T-shaped pillar varies between 40 to 60 tonnes, leaving us wondering how on they accomplished such an impossible feat. In a time when even simple hand tools were hard to come by, how did they get these stone blocks there, and how did they erect them? With no settlement or society to speak of, with farming still a far cry away, in a world of only roaming hunter-gatherers, the complexity and developed blueprints of these temples represented another enigma for archeologists. Do we have to change our vision of how and when civilized human history began? The plot thickens..

"The passage through successive states of mundane existence"
Saṃsāra is a Sanskrit term that means "wandering", as well as "world”. The term connotes "cyclic change", a transmigration or metamorphosis - a circuit of living where one repeats previous states, from one body to another. It speaks of our worldly life of constant change, delicately encapsulated by rebirth, growth, decay and redeath.
The concept of Samsara developed in the Vedic times, and is traceable to the Rig Veda. While the idea is mentioned in the Samhita layers of the Vedas, there is lack of clear explanation there, and the idea fully develops only in the early Upanishads.
According to Hindu tradition, the body dies, but not the soul. The soul assumes eternal reality, and is indestructible and always in a state of bliss. The concept of samsara is closely associated with the belief that the person continues to be born and reborn in various realms and forms.
The aim of spiritual quest in the Upanishadic traditions is find the true self within and to know one's soul. A state that leads to a blissful state of freedom - moksha. Saṃsāra is the journey of the soul.

The Hamsa, also known as the Hand of Fatima is Middle Eastern and North African protection symbol. It appears as a hand, with the last two fingers on either side facing up or down. The center of the hand often contains an eye, although that differs from culture to culture. It brings its owner happiness, luck, health and good fortune.
This symbol relates to the belief that God exists in everything. Another popular meaning of this symbol refers to the sun and the moon - the eyes of Horus, referring to how humans cannot escape from the eyes of conscience. The Hand of Fatima also represents feminity and is found similar to a woman’s holy hand. The five fingers of the hand are further associated with the five pillars of Islam. While the Quran prohibits the wearing of charms and amulets, the Hamsa symbol is often depicted in and associated with the Islamic cultures.
It is also painted in red - on the walls of houses to ward off evil. But most importantly, the Hamsa is in the process of transcending it's origins to become a symbol of peace in war-torn Middle East, and many Jews and Arabs wear the Hamsa to demonstrate the common ground shared by them and the common source from which their religions spring. No longer just a talisman, the Hamsa has instead become a symbol of hope and peace in the modern world.

This Yantra is a geometric symbol that represents Kali - the Hindu Goddess of time. The Kali Yantra contains within it the transformative energy of change and any person wearing it is protected against planetary malevolence, as well as from accidents, misfortunes and dangers. Since Saturn is the planet of longevity, it has the additional benefit of bestowing a long life on the person who adorns this Yantra.
In the center of this Yantra is a group of five triangles, to represent the five senses. The inversion of the triangle represents the female regenerative power. Each point represents one of the 15 Kali Nityas – one for each day of the waning moon. The 2 circles symbolize the cycle of birth and death.
The Goddess Maha Kali is a fierce killer of demons. It is believed that trusting in her bestows spiritual power and results in fulfillment of desires and increase in wealth and comforts of life. The mantra ‘Om Kreeng Kalikaye Namah’ is used to worship with this Yantra.

Ashwagandha has been used for Ayurvedic healing since ancient times for a wide variety of conditions, and is most well known for its restorative benefits. It is prescribed to help people strengthen their immune system after an illness.
Ashwagandha is most powerful against stress and fatigue. Regular use of the herb basically works on improving brain function. It has been widely proven that Ashwagandha has anxiolytic and anti-depressant properties without any toxicity or side effects.
There’s only so much that any medicine can do though. It’s important to keep your body free from toxins such as caffeine, nicotine and drugs. Sleeping is an essential part of mental health too, as is having a solid exercise routine.

Yantras are sacred geometrical designs imprinted on a copper or silver plate. These sacred symbols are regarded as devices for devotional sadhanas or practices, and as objects to direct our mind during worship.
Sri Yantra, also known as Sri Chakra, is the mother of all Yantras because all other yantras are derived from it. In its three dimensional form - Sri Yantra is said to represent Mount Meru, the cosmic mountain at the center of the universe.
Of all the different Yantras, the one believed to be the most powerful, is the Shri Yantra. It is a diagram formed by 9 interlocking triangles that radiate from a central bindu point.
Shri Yantra is one of the most auspicious and important of the Yantras - and is the source of attaining all worldly desires and fulfilling all wishes for wealth of both the material and spiritual kind.
The Vedas say that all the gods and goddesses reside in this Yantra. It is said to have the origin and development of the universe depicted in it.

Chakra cleansing and clearing can be the missing piece to achieve the perfect health you’ve desired. Healing & balancing your chakras, can raise your overall state of mind, leaving you healthier, happier and more fulfilled from life. You can cleanse your own chakras, as part of your nightly or weekly meditation, and you can do so as a general upkeep mechanism, or with the intention to free stagnant energy to heal a particular issue you are facing. Breathe gently and deeply as you imagine divine light entering through your crown chakra, removing any blockages or negative energy. Stay mindful and let it move through your body, pausing briefly at every chakra, filling and clearing each one. When you reach the base of your spine, feel gentle release into the earth and ground yourself. Do this as many times as necessary, and give thanks to the higher power once you feel your meditation is complete.

Breathing supplies our body with Oxygen, which is vital for our survival. Breathing is the link between the body and our mind, and for both to function well; one must know how to breathe. For example when your mind is nervous or agitated your breathing is short and quick. Practicing simple breathing exercises that can be done any time of the day and anywhere would benefit you in more ways than one. Vietnamese Zen Master and author Thich Nhat Hanh talks about breathing as a way to develop deep insight, which leads to awakening and enlightenment. Meditative breathing, he says, is a tool to calm the mind so it can see into itself and gain that insight. It strengthens mind concentration and stimulates compassion, awakening each person’s true nature.

Giloy (Tinospora Cordifolia) is a herb that has been praised and advocated by Indian medicine for centuries. In Sanskrit, Giloy is called ‘Amrita’, which literally translates to ‘the root of immortality’. Giloy is a universal herb that helps boost immunity. It is a powerhouse of antioxidants that fight disease. It keeps your cells healthy and helps remove toxins while purifying blood, and even combats liver diseases and urinary tract infections. Giloy is used by experts in treating heart related conditions, and is also found useful in treating infertility. It also contains anti- aging properties that help reduce dark spots, pimples, fine lines and wrinkles. The most fascinating thing about this herb is that it grows freely across India and as abundantly as the money plant or aloe Vera. It’s flowers are beautiful too and compliment any surrounding!

Sushruta was an ancient Indian physician, and the main author of the treatise ‘The Compendium of Sushruta’.  The Compendium is one of the most important surviving ancient treatises on medicine and is considered to be the foundational text of Ayurveda. The treatise addresses all aspects of general medicine and dubs Sushruta as ‘the father of surgery’. 

The document is extraordinarily accurate and has detailed descriptions of illnesses, medicinal plants, preparations from minerals and preparations from animals. The text discusses surgical techniques of making incisions, extractions and cauterisation and many other specialised surgeries like hernias, fractures of the bone, caesarian and intestinal obstructions. 

The Mahabharata represents him as the son of Vishwamitra, the legendary sage and progenitor of all brahmans. The name Sushruta appears in later literature in the Bower Manuscript (600 AD), where Sushruta is listed as one of the ten sages residing in the himalayas. 

Vishwamitra is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of ancient times in India. He is also the credited author of Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gayatri Mantra. 

According to the Ramayana, Sage Vishwamitra created a parallel heaven, known as Trishanku Swarga, for King Trishanku. It is also believed that in the great epic Ramayana, Vishvamitra was born as Lakshmana, the brother of Lord Rama. He gave his brothers the knowledge of the Devastras (celestial weaponry), trained them in advanced religion and taught them how to kill powerful demons.

The Devastras feature in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, where they are used in great battles. They are projectile missiles that are invoked by reciting hymns. They are depicted by archers such as Parashurama, Rama, Lakshman and other warriors. Brahma for example would destroy entire hosts at once and counter most other astras. Sage Vishwamitra, satisfied with the behaviour of Rama in obliging the orders of elders and performing the acts assigned to him, gives him many astras. This was the role he played in the Divine Play. 

Bhaskaracharya was an Indian mathematician and astronomer. His works represent a significant contribution to mathematical and astronomical knowledge in the 12th century. He has been called the greatest mathematician of medieval India. There is strong evidence to suggest that Bhaskara was a pioneer in some of the principles of differential calculus. He was perhaps the first to conceive the differential coefficient and differential calculus. 

In the Surya Siddhanta, dated 400-500 AD Bhaskaracharya wrote - “objects fall on the earth due to a force of attraction by the earth. Therefore, the earth, planets, constellations, moon and sun are held in orbit due to this attraction.“  It wasn’t till approximately 1200 years later that Newton stumbled upon his theory of gravity. 

Other than his many contributions to Algebra and Mathematics, he also made some huge leaps in Astronomy. Based on Brahmagupta’s astronomical model from the 7th century, Bhaskara accurately defined many astronomical qualities like the time taken for the earth to orbit the sun. His epic text ’Siddhanta Shiromani’ is written in two parts: the first part on mathematical astronomy and the second part on the sphere that is our planet. 

The Gitopanishad, popularly known as the Bhagavad-Gita is considered by seers and sages alike as the essence of all Vedic knowledge.  However, in today’s day and age, it can be rather captivating and indeed gratifying for one to lick the outer surface of the honey anodyne of the Vedic literature. On the other hand, sowing the seed of enlightenment apart from properly nourishing and protecting the spirit of the Sanatana teachings from external and widespread influences such as Mayavada or the impersonal aspect of the Absolute Truth and Shunyavada (the void-ist conceptualization) of the same by the Buddhists becomes tentative.

The Supreme Authority

 The Acaryas (ideal teachers or Gurus), however advise us to follow the directions on the label of the honey bottle as given by the physician himself before consuming the medicine. In the Shastras, which are the corollaries of the Vedas, that Supreme practitioner or Bhagavana is Lord Krishna.  

Spiritual masters such as Shankaracarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarkacarya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and other Vedic authorities validated and indeed preached this great truth unequivocally. As far as the historical dating is concerned, Lord Krishna himself says to Arjuna that the great truth or yoga he is propounding was first spoken to the Sun god, Vivasvan eons ago.

That Supreme Yoga was reinvoked and reinvigorated on the battlefield of Kurukshetra for the benefit of humanity and the annihilation of evil personified in the form the vicious Kuru dynasty. Indeed, the human form of life is considered most auspicious for realization of the Absolute Truth and hence, one is advised not to waste it on trivial matters by quarreling like dogs and cats.

The analogy of the banyan tree with the entanglement of the material world presents a stark reality of life. The middle section of the Gita, however, illuminates with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness of the bodily concept of life and also the light--way out of it.

The imperishable Banyan Tree

“Bhagavan said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree whose roots are upwards and branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One, who knows this tree, is the Knower of the Vedas.”

The Gita is crystal clear in that for one engaged in Karmic activities, there is no relief/respite. The person wanders from one branch to another like a bird albeit an aimless one. The leaves which are compared to Vedic hymns are meant for uplifting one from the morass of material life. The roots grow upwards because the tree is the perverted reflection of the spiritual world (sat-chit-ananda). In other words, this is the indestructible tree of illusion.

Lord Krishna is asking us to break attachment with this material tree through the weapon of detachment. But for nescience to obviate, knowledge has to be instilled and realized. To reach that end, Lord Krishna further elucidates upon the subject:

“The branches of this tree extend downwards and upwards, nourished by the modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the senses. The tree also has roots going downwards, and is bound by the fruitive actions of human society.”

In the lower part of the tree are situated lower forms of life whereas the demigods and other evolved forms of life are situated on the upper parts. Like a real tree nourished by water, this tree is nourished by the modes of nature:  goodness, passion and ignorance. The twigs are considered as sense objects towards which the tips of branches or the senses develop raga (attachment) or dvesha (aversion). Our attachment or aversion to sense objects is the root cause of temporal happiness and suffering.

Through the analogy of the banyan tree, it can be concurred that the human form of life is the field of activities wherein we enjoy the fruits of happiness and misery.

Breaking free from the Banyan Tree

After explaining the nature of the banyan tree, Lord Krishna further high-lightens the fact that the real form of this banyan tree cannot be perceived by those already enmeshed within its roots.  However, with the axe of detachment and determination one must cut down the strongly rooted illusory tree. Detachment implies breaking free from the trappings of sense gratification and surrender to the Supreme Person and Place from where, having gone once, one never returns.

Lord Krishna, is that Supreme Person because the Gitopanishad declares boldly that everything began from Him and everything else is an extension of His material energy or ­Maya.

When one surrenders to that Superior authority, he is relinquished from his past sins of ignorance and selfish cravings. The deeply embedded banyan tree in the consciousness of the person is cast far away and the objective reality of who we really are is revealed within the core of his heart.

The last section of the Gita confirms the aforementioned truth, when Lord Krishna states the following:

“Abandon all varieties of religion and surrender unto me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not Fear.”

*based on the commentaries of Vaishnava Acharyas

What is a Yantra ?
Yantra literally means “support” and “instrument”. A Yantra is a geometric design acting as a highly efficient tool for contemplation, concentration and meditation. Yantras carry spiritual significance : there is a specific meaning that pertains to higher levels of consciousness.

The Yantra provides a focal point that is a window into the absolute. When the mind is concentrated on a single, simple object (in this case a Yantra), the mental chatter ceases. Eventually, the object is dropped when the mind can remain empty and silent without help. In the most advanced phases, it is possible to attain union with God by the geometric visualization of a Yantra.

The Yantra is like a microcosmic picture of the Macrocosm. It is a focusing point and an outer and inner doorway. The Yantras are often focused on a specific deity and so. By tuning into the different Yantras you can tap into certain deities or creative force centers in the universe.

Yantras are usually designed so that the eye is carried into the center, and very often they are symmetrical. They can be drawn on paper, wood, metal, or earth, or they can be three-dimensional.

The most celebrated Yantra in India is the Shri- Yantra, the Yantra of Tripura Sundari. It is a symbol of the entire cosmos that serves to remind the practitioner of the non difference between subject and object.

How do Yantras work ?
At the basis of Yantra operation is something called “shape energy” or “form energy”. The idea is that every shape emits a very specific frequency and energy pattern. Examples of old beliefs in shape energy are the Yantra and mandalas of eastern philosophies, the star of David, the five pointed star (pentagon), the Christian cross, the pyramids and so on. Certain ‘powers’ are ascribed to the various shapes. Some have ‘evil’ or negative energies and some ‘good’ or positive energies, but in Yantra yoga only the beneficial and harmonious energies are used.

When one focuses on a YANTRA, his mind is automatically “tuned in” by resonance into the specific form energy of that Yantra. The process of Resonance is then maintained and amplified. The Yantra acts only as a “tune in” mechanism or a doorway. The subtle energy does not come from the YANTRA itself, but from the Macrocosm.

Basically Yantras are secret keys for establishing resonance with the beneficial energies of the Macrocosm. Very often the Yantras can put us in contact with extremely elevated energies and entities, beings of invaluable help on the spiritual path.

YANTRAS are poorly known in the West
At this moment, there is little known about Yantras in the Western world. Many people consider them just pretty pictures and some artists claim to draw “Yantras” from their imagination. They are very far from the true meaning and use of Yantras. First of all, Yantra cannot simply be invented from imagination. Every specific mood and emotion has an associated form energy and shape. This unequivocally determines the form of the Yantra associated to that mood. The traditional Yantras were discovered through revelation, by clairvoyance, not invented. One needs to be a true spiritual master, a tantric guru, to be able to reveal a new Yantra to the world.

Search the Internet and the libraries and you will find very little consistent knowledge about Yantras. Some people placed Yantras upside down, a monument of their ignorance. You cannot place a Yantra just any way you please. Anyone knows that when the cross is held upside down, it is no longer a beneficial symbol. A Yantra put upside down is no longer the same Yantra.

“Dissecting” a YANTRA
The power of Yantra to induce resonance  is based on the specific form of its appearance. Such a diagram can be composed from one or more geometrical shapes which combine into a precise model representing and transfiguring in essence, at the level of the physical universe, the subtle sphere of force corresponding to the invoked deity. From this point of view we can argue that the Yantra functions similarly to a Mantra (sacred word). By resonance, a certain energy from the practitioner’s microcosm vibrates on the same wavelength with the corresponding infinite energy present in the macrocosm, energy which is represented in the physical plane by the Yantra. The principle of resonance with any deity, cosmic wisdom, aspect, phenomenon or energy owes its universal applicability to the perfect correspondence existing between the human being (seen as a true microcosm) and the creation as a whole (Macrocosm).

The Yantric Contour
Every Yantra is delimited from the exterior by a line or a group of lines forming its perimeter. These marginal lines have the function to maintain, contain and prevent the loss of the magical forces represented by the core structure of the Yantra, usually the central dot. They also have the function to increase its magical and subtle force.

The core of the Yantra is composed of one or several simple geometrical shapes : dots, lines, triangles, squares, circles and lotuses representing in different ways the subtle energies.

The Dot (Bindu)
For example the dot (Bindu) signifies the focalized energy and its intense concentration. It can be envisaged as a kind of energy deposit which can in turn radiate energy under other forms. The dot is usually surrounded by different surfaces, either a triangle, a hexagon, a circle etc. These forms depend on the characteristic of the deity or aspect represented by the Yantra. In the tantric iconography, the dot is named Bindu; in tantra Bindu is symbolically considered to be Shiva himself, the source of the whole creation.

The Triangle (TRIKONA)
The triangle (Trikona) is the symbol of Shakti, the feminine energy or aspect of creation. The triangle pointing down represents the Yoni, the feminine sexual organ and the symbol of the supreme source of the Universe, and when the triangle is pointing upwards it signifies intense spiritual aspiration, the sublimation of one’s nature into the most subtle planes and the element of fire (Agni Tattva). The fire is always oriented upwards, thus the co-relation with the upward triangle – Shiva Kona. On the other hand, the downward pointing triangle signifies the element of water which always tends to flow and occupy the lowest possible position. This triangle is known as Shiva Kona.

The intersection of two geometric forms (lines, triangles, circles, etc.) represents forces that are even more intense than those generated by the simple forms. Such an inter-penetration indicates a high level in the dynamic interaction of the correspondent energies. The empty spaces generated by such combinations are described as very efficient operational fields of the forces emanating from the central point of the Yantra. That is why we can very often encounter representations of Mantras in such spaces. Yantra and Mantra are complementary aspects of Shiva and their use together is much more efficient than the use of one alone.

The Six-Pointed Star (SHATKONA)
A typical combination often found in the graphical structure of a Yantra is the superposition of two triangles, one pointing upwards and the other downwards, forming a star with six points (Shatkona), also known as David’s Star. This form symbolically represents the union of PURUSHA and PRAKRITI or Shiva-Shakti, without which there could be no Creation.

The Circle (CHAKRA)
Another simple geometrical shape often used in Yantras is the circle, representing the rotation, a movement closely linked to the shape of spiral which is fundamental in the Macrocosmic evolution. At the same time, the circle represents perfection and the blissful creative void. In the series of the five fundamental elements it represents air (Vayu Tattva).

The Square (BHUPURA)
Between the simple geometrical elements that compose Yantra, there is also the square (BHUPURA). The square is usually the exterior limit of the Yantra and symbolically, it represents the element earth (Prithvi Tattva).

Every Yantra starts from the center, often marked by a central dot (Bindu) and ends with the outer square. This represents the sense of universal evolution, starting from the subtle and ending with the coarse, starting from “ether” and ending with “earth”.

Even though most of the times Yantras are composed of these simple geometrical shapes, sometimes we encounter other elements such as arrow points, tridents, swords, spikes included in the design of a Yantra with the purpose of representing vectors and directions of action for the Yantric energies.

The Lotus (PADMA)
The lotus symbol (or its petals) is both a symbol of purity and variety, every lotus petal representing a distinct aspect. The inclusion of a lotus in a YANTRA represents freedom from multiple interference with the exterior (purity) and expresses the absolute force of the Supreme Self.

In conclusion, a Yantra is a very complex spiritual instrument in the tantric practice (Sadhana). It can calm and focus the activities of the mind, and by its positive auto-suggestion it has a beneficial impact on the health and psychic well being of a person.

A Yantras alone represents nothing. Only when it is awakened by mental concentration and meditation will the process of Resonance appear and the beneficial macrocosmic energies will manifest themselves in the practitioner’s Microcosm.

How to Use Yantras
As shown above, the secret key to using Yantras in meditation is Resonance. The process of Resonance is established by mental focus on the image of the Yantra. As long as the mind is tuned into the specific mood associated to that Yantra, the energy flows, but when the Resonance  is stopped, the energy disappears.

Instructions for Yantra meditation :

·         Hang the Yantra on a wall facing North or East, placing the center of the Yantra  at the level of your eyes

·         Adopt your favourite posture or, if you want, sit on a chair maintaining your spine straight

·         Breath in through the nose and out through the mouth, but do not force at all, just let the breath flow normally

·         Look into the center of the Yantra, trying to blink as rarely as possible; you don’t want to look at the particular details of the Yantra, just keep your sight right in the center and observe the whole Yantra at once

·         This exercise should last at least 15-30 minutes every day; the experience will be indescribable

·         In time, after at least seven days of  Yantra meditation you will be able to tap into the same yantric energy even without a Yantra (at the beginning you may fix your sight on an exterior or imaginary point or evoke the Yantra with your eyes closed)

·         Do not forget to consecrate the fruits of this practice to God (karma yoga); you should not chase any objective when doing Yantra meditation, just let it gradually guide you towards the sublime energies of the Macrocosm

·         When executing this techniques it is recommended that we maintain a state of aspiration and intense longing for experiencing the beatific energies of the consciousness

·         In superior phases the Yantra absorbs the practitioner’s complete attention, and he can no longer tell if the Yantra is within himself or if he is within theYantra; this is the state of non-duality.

The Battle of Kurukshetra marked a turning epoch in the history of mankind wherein a philosophical and religious dialogue ensued between a great warrior named Arjuna and the mystical supreme character worshipped by many as Lord Krishna.

Whereas for the most part, the dialogue was initiated in the form of Arjuna asking Krishna queries related to the fundamental nature of being to phenomenological inquiries and their practical application in life, the middle section of the Gitopanishad begins with Krishna elucidating spontaneously the knowledge of the Absolute.

“Now hear, O son of Prtha, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free of doubt.”

The words ‘Now hear’ bear great significance as they signify the correct method of receiving such knowledge (by hearing in a humble state of mind). In other words, bhakti or devotion begins with hearing from/about Krishna.

Underlying the distinction from theoretical philosophy, Krishna declares such knowledge to be both ‘phenomenal’ (perceptible through direct experience)  and ‘numinous’ (indicating presence of divinity). Krishna further emphasizes the importance of such knowledge, by stating, “This being known, nothing further shall remain for you to know”.

Herein, the difference between Gyana and Vigyana is clearly outlined. Whereas Gyana is referred to as the knowledge of the difference between the body and soul, Vigyana goes a step further in that it is defined as the knowledge of the Supreme or Krishna consciousness. Such knowledge is corroborated by seers such as Ramanujacarya, Madhavacharya and other great saints.

Furthermore, the sublimity of such knowledge is high-lightened by the following verse: “Out of thousands among men, one my endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.”

Here, Krishna does not intend to overwhelm and hence discourage us from realizing the truth but instead accentuates and glorifies the superiority of Bhakti, in the face of the Brahman realized impersonalist and the Paramatma( Super-soul) realized Yogi. Even demigods, what to speak of great scholars and philosophers, fail to comprehend the Supreme Truth as the son of Nanda and the charioteer of Arjuna.

Therefore, one who understands Krishna as the Supreme Absolute Truth is indeed a rare soul. Be that as it may, devotees can easily understand Him through the spotless process of devotional service.

Henceforth, Krishna summarizes the material world and its workings, in connection with His own being—“Earth, air, fire, water, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego-all together constitute My separated energies”.

Herein, the material world is reduced to its gross and subtle constituents, in concurrence with the 24 elements defined by Sankhya-Yoga. The word ‘separated’ is noteworthy because Krishna has allowed the material world to move independently of His direct control.

After succinctly defining the elemental parts of the material world, Krishna elucidates on the subject matter of a ‘superior’ energy of His; the living entity or jiva-atma.

“Besides these, O mighty armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature.”

The living entities are His superior energy because the quality of their existence is one and the same with the Supreme, but they are never equal to Him in quantity of power. Due to the mindless exploitation of the gross and subtle inferior energy, the Superior energy or the living entity forgets his real spiritual nature.

Due to avidya (ignorance or forgetfulness) covering his real spiritual form, the living entity undergoes  manifold miseries and sufferings in the form of birth, old age, disease and death. Such forgetfulness is due to the influence of matter on spirit. However, as soon as all material ideas are erased, the atman begins to manifest its eternal, full of knowledge and blissful essence.  That is to say, the living entity is a fragmental part and parcel of the Supreme Consciousness. Realization of this fact entails liberation or mukti.

That the living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme whole or Krishna is elucidated by His own words,  “All created beings have their source in these two natures. Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in the world, know for certain that I am both the origin and dissolution”. From this verse, it is to be understood that Krishna is the creator and also the destroyer (for which he assumes different forms).

Exercising His literary powers, Krishna then goes a step further to embed the notion of being the maintainer of everything as well. “O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, like pearls are strung on a thread.”

From the aforementioned verse, it can be clearly deciphered that the Absolute Truth is a person. The Brahma-Samhita further corroborates this fact : “The Supreme Absolute Truth is Krishna, who is the primeval Lord, the reservoir of all pleasures, Govinda, and the eternal form of complete bliss and knowledge”. (ishvarah paramah krshnah sac-cid-aananda-vigrahah).

Just as no one can see the thread that holds a pearl necklace together, Krishna maintains everything covertly. We can see Him everywhere by Hearing from and/or about Him from an authorized source. Indeed, hearing is one of the most crucial components of the sublime creeper of devotional service.

Shailputri
The first form of Goddess Durga is referred to as Shailputri or Daughter of the Mountain. She is a daughter of the Himalayas. In her previous birth, she was born as Sati-Bhavani, the daughter of Daksha. She had married Lord Shiva, without her father's consent. One fine day, Daksha organized a Yagna, wherein he didn't invite Lord Shiva. Since Sati was obstinate, she went to her father's place and attended the Yagna. Thereupon, Daksha insulted Lord Shiva. Humiliated and angered by her father, because he insulted her husband, Sati burnt herself in the fire of the Yagna.

Brahmacharini
The second form of Goddess Durga is called 'Brahmacharini'. Her name is derived from the word 'Brahma', which means 'Tapas' or penance. She holds a rosary in her right hand, while Kamandal in her left hand. Full of merriment, Brahmacharini is worshipped on the second day of Durga Puja. According to the legend, she was born as Parvati Hemavati, the daughter of Himvan. One fine day, when Parvati was playing with her friends, sage Narada approached her and told that she would marry her husband from her previous birth on a condition that she would have to observe penance. After hearing this, she decided that she would tie the wedding knot with none other than Shambhu (Lord Shiva), her husband in the previous birth. After saying this, she went to observe penance. This is the reason, why she is referred as Tapacharini or Brahmnacharini. since then, she also came to be known as Uma.

Chandraghanta
The third form of Goddess Durga, referred to as Chandraghanta, represents bravery. The charming, bright Chandraghanta looks gorgeous. She has a half-circular moon in her forehead, hence the name 'Chandraghanta'. With three eyes, she is golden in color. Ten types of weapons, including sword and arrows are held by her ten hands. Seated on a lion, she is always ready to go to war. The unprecedented bravery of Chandraghanta is worshipped on the third day of Durga Puja.

Kushmanda
Kushmanda, the fourth form of Goddess Durga, resides in solar systems. It is believed that Kushmanda is the creator of the entire Universe. According to the legends, she created the Universe by merely laughing. She hands eight hands out of which, seven hold weapons and the eighth one bears a string of beads. With rosary in her right hand, she sits on a Lion. The deity is worshipped on the fourth day of Durga Pooja.

Skanda Mata
In her fifth form, Goddess Durga is known as 'Skanda Mata'. After observing penance, Goddess Parvati tied the wedding knot with Lord Shiva. Their son is Skanda, the leader of the army of Gods. Therefore, the fourth form of Goddess Durga is referred to as Skanda Mata, the Mother of Skanda. The deity of fire - Skanda Mata - is white in color, has three eyes and four hand. She is seated on a lion, with her son (Skanda), on her lap.

Katyayani
Katyayani is the sixth form of Goddess Durga. As per the legends, Rishi Katyayan was born in his 'Katya' lineage. He observed penance, because he wanted to get paramba as his daughter. Pleased with her prayers, Goddess Durga blessed him and took birth as his daughter. The daughter was then named 'Katyayani'. Seated on her vehicle lion, Katyayani has three eyes and four hands.

Kalratri
The seventh form of Goddess Durga is popularly known as 'Kalratri'. As the name suggests, Kalrati is as black as a dark night. With bountiful unlocked hair, Kalratri wears necklaces that shine like lightening. She is personified as the deity of power, with large eyes and fire that is breathed by her. Kalratri is also referred to as Shubhamkari, as she makes her devotees fearless. She has four hands, with a sharp sword in her left hand and a burning torch in her lower left hand, her lower and upper right hand that shows blessings.

Maha Gauri
The eighth form of Ma Durga is called 'Maha Gauri'. She is as white as a conch and is eight years old. She is clad in a snow white cloth and is accessorized with white colored ornaments. With three eyes and four hands, she rides on a bull. Her left hand shows the fearless Mudra, while her lower left hand holds a Trishul. Calm and peaceful Maha Gauri observed penance. According to the legends, when she observed penance and got dirty due to dust, Lord Shiva cleansed her body with the Holy Water of Ganges, flowing through his head.

Siddhidatri
The ninth and last form of Goddess Durga is known as Siddhidatri. It is believed that Lord Shiva attained all the eight Siddhis (Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Lishitya and Vashitva) by offering prayers to Maha Shakti. With her gratitude, the half portion of the body of Lord Shiva became of Goddess Shakti. Hence, he is called 'Ardhanarishwaran'. Siddhidatri has all the eight Siddhis. She rides on a lotus. Siddhidatri is worshipped by all the other Gods and the Rishis-Munis, Siddhas, Sadhakas and Yogis.

In the West we lovingly celebrate days dedicated to our parents. These days are known as Father’s Day and Mother’s Day. On these days we go to our parents and greet them. We are expressing our gratitude to them for being the instruments of our birth in a body temple and for facilitating the play of the soul on the altar of the earth. Gratitude is the charm in life that diminishes ego and brings love. The Taittariya Upanishad (I:2:2) declares, matr devo bhava, pitr devo bhava, acharya devo bharva: “Love mother as the Divine, love father as the Divine, and love the guru-preceptor as the Divine.” The guru-preceptor is considered the mother and the father at the same time, because guru is the instrument for spiritual rebirth (dvija) of the person. Initiation is the rebirth, and guru’s guidance and practical instructions are the divine nourishment for our spiritual life.

 For several thousand years in India people have been celebrating Master’s Day ― the Guru Purnima. It is a day dedicated to the divine guru-preceptor who has dedicated his or her life to the spiritual evolution of the disciple children. On this day, disciples come to the guru-preceptor and offer thankfulness with love and devotion for what has been bestowed on him or her through the grace of the master and his teachings.

 This Guru Purnima, the Master’s Day, falls on the day of the full moon in the month of July. This is the birthday of the great sage Maharshi Vyasa, author of the Mahabharata, (which includes the Bhagavad Gita), the Bhagavatam, the Brahmasutras, eighteen Puranas, and the editor of the Vedas. (For details on the life of Vyasa, please see Soul Culture Vol 7.3, p.20-28.) On the full moon day there is light in the day as well as night, symbolizing knowledge or enlightenment. Just as the light dispels darkness, so ignorance disappears with knowledge. Self-knowledge is the light that makes us free from the groping darkness of suffering and unhappiness in life.

The Mundaka Upanishad (1:2:12) directs, tad vijnanartham sa furm eva abhigacchet samit-panih srotriyam brahma nistham: “For acquiring the knowledge of That, let him only approach, with the sacrificial fuel in hand, a guru-preceptor who is learned in the scripture and established in Brahman.” Here, two qualities of the divine preceptor are highlighted as: srotriya, a person with Self-knowledge, and brahmanistha, one who is always absorbed in God consciousness.

With the Firewood

 In the Vedic age, the rishis lived in hermitages usually situated in the forest on the bank of a river or a mountainside where there was an abundance of firewood. Similarly, the disciple approaches the guru-preceptor with firewood for sacrificial fire. The guru-preceptor is a burning flame, burning with the eternal light of knowledge and the warmth of love. This flame can burn everything it touches, including all negative propensities. If a disciple is like dry firewood, free from all ego, he or she will readily catch fire and be purified. Conversely, the student who is full of ego is like wet wood, which only makes smoke. In wood, fire is hidden, unmanifest.

The Upanishad speaks:

"tilesu tailam, dahhiniva sarpih

apah stroasu aranisu ca agnih"

 Like oil in the sesame seed, butter in milk, water in the river stream, and fire in the wood, so the soul is unseen in each person’s life. Upon meeting the guru-preceptor, dry firewood and fire unite. This is a sacrificial fire ― an offering of all negatives with a prayer for purification. When ignorance is offered into the light and heat of love, the offering becomes a holy communion of transformation.

Chaturmasyam, the Holy Four Months

 In India, July to September are considered the monsoon months, when there is extreme rain and flooding. In the old times, spiritual aspirants were usually wandering mendicants traveling far and wide, as was the guru-preceptor. They were usually monks, never attached to any place, who roamed and distributed the divine nectar of knowledge. But during the four-month rainy season, the guru-preceptor and the seeker disciples lived in one place and underwent rigorous training. This tradition known as chaturmasya-vratam is found even today. It begins on the Guru Purnima.

Although the lives of the teacher and the disciple are united for life, for truth, these four months in monsoon have a deep spiritual message. After the scorching summer months, tropical, torrential rain brings new life to plants, flooding the river and cooling the earth. Every person is scorched with tri-tapas: adhibhatiaka (material), adhidavivika (psychological), and adtyatmita (unforeseen) sufferings. Through the guru’s grace, the disciple’s mind is freed from hatred, anger, jealousy, ego, and so forth with the outpouring of divine love. This is rain. With showers of love, the tree of life is blossoming and fruitful. Knowledge dawns. Just as the flooded river rushes toward the ocean, individual life consciousness merges in the ocean of cosmic consciousness.

The four months training enable a disciple to be equipped with the fourfold qualities of discipleship (sadhana chatustayay) and purify or even eliminate the fourfold inner instruments (antah karana catustaya).

The fourfold qualities of the disciple are:

1.Viveka ― discrimination to know what is good and bad, to know what is real and unreal;

2.Vairagya ― no attachment, to live a life of inner detachment;

3.Shrama damadi sat sampati ― the sixfold wealth of mind control, control over the senses, love for a higher purpose of life, faith in the teachings of scriptures and teachers, forbearance, and balance in life;

4. Mumuksutvam ― desire for liberation.

The four inner instruments are:

 * Mind

 * Intellect

* Ego

* Memory

 

The Guru and the Disciple

 The relationship of the guru-preceptor and the disciple is divine, aiming only at Self-unfolding. They serve each other to their own ability, and the goal is always spiritual. During the four-month training period, the disciple through service and humility, learns the spiritual lifestyle under the direct supervision of the master. The master works to transform the life of the student by removing ego and ignorance.

 There is a beautiful story about Sage Vyasa and his disciple Jainini. Jainini was a great scholar and a sincere disciple of Sage Vyasa, but he had some ego regarding his own intellectual knowledge. One day Sage Vyasa was dictating on a scripture and Jainini was taking notes. Sage Vyasa composed a verse making the point, valavad indriya gramam panditan apakarsant: “The senses are so powerful that the man of knowledge also sometimes commits mistakes.”

Upon hearing this, Jainini thought, “It is not possible. If a person is a man of knowledge, how can he be overpowered with the temptation of the senses? Rather, he will overcome them.” With this thought, he modified the verse to say, valavad indriya granam panditanapakarsanti: “Even though the senses are powerful, the man of knowledge is free from mistakes.”

Omniscient Sage Vyasa did not impart anything. He wanted to teach the disciple the truth of life in a different way. That afternoon, Sage Vyasa told Jainini that he must leave for some urgent work to a distant place, and he might be absent for several days. He entrusted Jainini to take care of the sacrificial fire. Then Sage Vyasa left. That evening after prayer Jainini retired to the room of the sacrificial fire to meditate. There was a storm and rain outside and very strong wind. Jainini heard someone knocking at the door. He opened the door and saw a pretty, young woman. He inquired what he could do for her.

She said, “I am on the way to my village, but because of the rain and storm I cannot go. Can you please give me shelter for the night?” Jainini, out of hospitality, allowed her to come inside and spend the night in the cottage. The young woman said that it was not good for a brahmachari (celibate) to be in the same room at night. So, Jainini went out and tried to sleep outside.

Now, the play of delusion started. Jainini sat silently, but his mind was running toward this youthful woman and her beauty. He thought to himself, “It would be good to spend the lonely night conversing with her.” So he knocked on the door and told her that it was cold outside, and it would be nice to be inside.

She protested, but Jaimini insistently entered anyway. He tried to talk with her and was constantly looking at her, which she did not like. Slowly his senses were growing powerful and clouding his conscience. He went close to her and touched her and told her that he wanted them to be together for a while.

She said, “You are a brahmachari, you should not think like this. It is not good.” Being blinded with passion, he touched her feet and asked for her approval. She at last agreed with the condition that he should bend down and walk like a horse, and she would sit on his back, and he should make seven rounds near the sacrificial fire. Then he could have her. Jaimini agreed.

While Jaimini was trying to walk like an animal with the woman sitting on his back, she started murmuring the verse that Sage Vyasa dictated in the morning that Jaimini had modified, “Even though the senses are powerful, a man of knowledge does not commit mistake.” When Jaimini heard this, he realized his own weakness. He stood up to leave her, but her two big arms clasped him and held him. They were not the tempting arms of the maiden, but the arms of his loving guru, Sage Vyasa.

Thus Sage Vyasa taught his disciple the truth of life and how to be always careful and watchful in every step of life. The guru transforms the life of the disciple to make it more spiritual and precious.

Let the blessings of God, Sage Vyasa, and all divine masters shower the life of each spiritual seeker and empower them to reach the goal of life. With abundance of peace, bliss, and joy on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima, the Master’s Day, let us all offer the flower of devotion and love at the Divine feet of the Master and seek their divine guidance in every step of our lives.

Source:Prajnana Mission| Kriya Yoga Institute 

Zentori, a poem describing the Zen in the heart

I see the pond 

I see the images in the pond, 

is the image the pond ?

is the pond the image?

then what are these two?

independent or one?

who is the seer?

If the seer did not exist would the pond exist?

would the image in the pond exist?

so only if the seer exists , does the pond and the image exist

does the pond feel the same joy the seer  feels when the seer  sees  the pond?

or the image  in the pond ? 

yet  the seer feels joy

............ Is the seer and the pond one?

if not why would i feel joy for an image in something else

Is the image in the pond ,and the pond .......................an image in the seer?

So is the seer , the pond and the image in the pond........one?

There are ripples in the pond

So the image in the pond , the pond , the ripples in the pond and the seer are one?

do all feel joy together? 

or is it just the seer who feels joy? 

Or is the joy .........the image in the pond, and seer just observes the joy?

 Is the seer all the ripples on the pond, Or does he just identify with one ripple?

All the ripples always die, replaced by new ripples, 

so why do most seers identify with one ripple? 

The seer is  the pond and the ripples in the pond , and the images in the pond?

Which then is the space in which this seer exists ?

Is there another seer , who sees the seer ?

the question arises 

who is the seer , or what is the seer ? 

or ........................where is the seer?

If i write this note , writing about the seer in abstract 

can I be the seer of the seer ? 

all lines are blurred between the pond the image in the pond , the seer and the I observing the seer

I dont even know where is the emotion. 

In me?, or the seer who observes the pond ?, or in the pond where the seer observes the joy in the pond?

Thoughts are futile .

Why  think?

............ just be

just be the joy that spontaneously erupts

understand there are no lines , everything is one

you are the image, the pond the joy the seer and the observer of the seer

everything is one

in silence

be in the moment with no thoughts

Satori

The Possible meanings of the Title Zentory

 肚裏 "tori" means "in the heart" So Zentory, means Zen in the Heart

A torii (鳥居?, lit. bird abode, /ˈtɔəri.iː/) is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred………………………….which would mean a  zen transition from the profane to the sacred.

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Though these two disciplines may seem similar, there’s fundamental difference in both philosophies

HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE? 

Bishwaroop recounts his experiences at the Kumbh, where existence appears to be the divine One.

Breath is the very essence of our being. Reap its benefits by harnessing its power.

The Yantra provides a focal point that is a window into the absolute. The time has come for people to realize the actual significance of the Yantras and to shed light on this ancient super-science. The core of the Yantra may be composed of one or more shapes like the dot, lines, squares, triangles, circles and lotuses of which each have their own purpose and energy.  

Atharva Veda dwells on death in an all-encompassing manner to make the departed soul’s journey comfortable