Saturday, March 24, 2012

Moksha


Moksha is a term that refers to liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. Every person must strive hard and perform good deeds, so that his soul may rest in peace after his death. A person, who attains Moksha, gets freedom from all sorts of sufferings and pain. When a person gives away the materialist pleasures of life and gets involved in social activities to serve mankind, he heads his way towards heaven. Well, Moksha is a very broad term which encompasses numerous aspects like peace, knowledge and enlightenment. In this article, we will tell you the exact meaning of Moksha.

In this section, we will throw light on various aspects of Moksha, which will enable you to clearly understand as to what is Moksha all about.
How to Attain Moksha
In Hindu religion, self realization is considered to be the best means to achieve Moksha. The Hindu Dharma preaches the path of Karma and Bhakti. Well, there can be different ways of achieving salvation. In totality, there are four paths of attaining liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth, namely, selfless work, self dissolving love, deep meditation and total discernment.

Moksha in Different Religions
In the Hindu religion, Moksha is associated with the concept of self realization, in which an individual understands the purpose why he is being sent on earth. When a person realizes the power of God and understands his ultimate goal, he strives hard to reach his final destination, i.e. Moksha or salvation. Among Hindus, Moksha is viewed as the unification of man and God.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

HOW DURGA BECAME SO STRONG

Power corruts and absolute power cooupts absolutely-this is a popular saying which has a strong element of truth in it. In every sphere we come across powerfull and corrupt people who,to serve their own intrests,stop to any extent.They could threaten a vulnerable,honest person to implicate him in a case of corruption.Often even if the actual culprit happens to get caught,the umbrella of power is there to provide protection.Power begets power.The most dangerous are those who are powerful and corrupt as well as intelligent. Intellect is a double-edge sword - it can cut in either way. It could even justify a wrong-doing. Articulation and skilful presentation could make untruth appear like truth.

That is why Ramakrishna did not give much importance to a learned person; he respected realised souls. A pundit might be capable of engaging in any discussion relentlessly. However, from the spiritual point of view, this is of no consequence. A realised soul talks less, but in his deliberation there is strength because it is not based on what he has memorised or the information he has gathered. When Herman Hesse in his work describes Gautama, the Illustrious One, this aspect comes out sharply.

Since there will always be powerful and corrupt persons in life, the crucial question is, how should we handle them?

Two paths are before us. One is to unite yourself with others as per the old saying united we stand divided we fall. It will be possible to find like-minded people who have respect for truth and ethical values. It is not as though society is full of corrupt people; they are fewer in number but they seem to dominate because of the strong nexus they have with the powerful. If only the honest ones keep their ego under check and come together to overthrow the corrupt, the problem of corruption can be overcome.

Here is an example from the Durga Saptasati. As long as devtas fought Mahisasura individually, none could defeat him. The moment they came out of their individual ego and decided to act together, the result was tremendous it led to the arising of the eternal Goddess Durga. Each devta empowered her with the strength that they had individually. That collective force rose up to meet the challenge posed by negativity.

The message is clear: Evil cannot be destroyed completely, but it can be kept under control. It's important not to remain indifferent when faced with corruption but to speak out and do what one can to make a difference.

Several temptations will come your way that could distract you from the task at hand. These offers are likely to be substantial in terms of the material. However, the need is to cultivate equipoise and not surrender to temptation. Not even a few of us might have the resilience and strength of a Gandhi or have the will to follow in the footsteps of a Christ. But one can try, and perhaps make a difference, however small, so that eventually, taken in the collective, there comes a time when the force of honesty and goodness gathers sufficient momentum to root out corruption wherever possible.
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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Message of Islam

 

  • The prime message of Islam is the Unity of God, that the Creator of the world is One and He alone is worthy of worship.
  • Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) is His Messenger and great Human.
  • The follower of this belief is thus a Muslim –
    • A Muslim’s other beliefs are: God’s angels,
    • Previously revealed Books of God,
    • All the prophets, from Adam to Jesus (peace be on them both),
    • The Day of Judgment,
    • And indeed the Decree of God.
  • A Muslim has five main duties to perform;
    • bearing witness to the Unity of God and Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) as His Messenger,
    • Performing the prescribed prayer,
    • payment of Zakaat,
    • keeping the fasts of Ramadan,
    • Performing the pilgrimage to Mecca.
    At present there are 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide and they form the majority in more than 50 countries of the world. Today Islam is the fastest growing faith in the world - its beautiful message is reaching millions in the far corner of the earth.

ISLAM

The literal meaning of Islam is peace; surrender of one’s will that’s is ALLAH, i.e. losing oneself for the sake of God and surrendering one’s own pleasure for the pleasure of God. The message of Islam was revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) 1400 years ago. It was revealed through angel Gabriel (on whom be peace) and was thus preserved in the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran carries a Divine guarantee of safeguard from interpolation and it claims that it combines the best features of the earlier scriptures.

Teaching of Islam

 

  • Islam’s main message is to worship God and to treat all God’s creation with kindness and compassion.
  • Islam teaches that the path to spiritual development is open to all. Any individual who searches the One Creator can seek nearness to God through sincere and earnest worship; it is central to establishing a relationship with the Almighty. This positive message for humanity fills hearts with hope and courage.
  • Islam believes that each person is born pure. The Holy Quran tells us that God has given human beings a choice between good and evil and to seek God’s pleasure through faith, prayer and charity.
  • Islam believes that God created mankind in His image and by imbuing the attributes of God on a human level mankind can attain His nearness.
  • Rights of parents in old age, orphans and the needy are clearly stated. Women’s rights were safeguarded 1,400 years ago when the rest of the world was in total darkness about emancipation.
  • As the entire message of Islam is derived from the Holy Quran and indeed the Sunnah and Hadith (the traditions and practices of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings on him) it is immutable in the face of change in time and place. It may appear rigid to the casual eye, in actual fact it is most certainly an adaptable way of life regardless of human changes.

Pillars of Islam

  1. To bear witness that there is none worthy of worship only Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah.
  2. To observe Prayer (Salat).
  3. To Pay Zakat (Alms giving)
  4. To Observe fasting during Ramadhan(Roza).
  5. To perform the Pilgrimage to the House of Allah (Hajj).

Fasting (Roza)


Namaz is one of the five pillars of Islam; it is a most important constituent of the faith. It is prayer of a very high level. The Holy Quran repeatedly enjoins the offering of Salat or Namaz and indeed declares it to be a fundamental trait of a believer. The benefits of salat are countless.
God created man to worship Him and salat is the most excellent kind of worship

Obligation of Fasting:

  1. A fast is kept in the month of Ramadan with the intention of keeping a fast of Ramadan.
  2. The person keeping the fast is a resident and not a traveler (traveler can keep the fast if he/she has no problem).
  3. The person is an adult and is sane (if a child or madman breaks the fast then Kaffara is not necessary).
  4. The intention for the fast of Ramadan was done at night (if the intention for the fast was made in the day before midday and then broken then only Qaza is necessary not Kaffara).
After breaking the fast an act occurred which gives reason to miss a fast which you had no control over such as an illness occurred where it is allowed to miss a fast then the Kaffara will not be necessary. If however, after breaking the fast a person became a Ma'zoor (had a problem) which was within their control such as a person injured themselves and therefore became Ma'zoor or became a traveler then the Kaffara will not be cancelled as these things are within their control and Kaffara becomes necessary

Rules of Fasting:

  • The rule for Fasting is similar to Namaz and is Farz-e-Ain and those who reject to believe it as obligatory (Farz) is a Kafir and those who miss it without genuine reason is a big sinner and will receive punishment in hell. Those children who have the strength should be made to keep fast and strong boys and girls should be forced to keep a fast. Fasting for the whole month of Ramadan is obligatory.
  • According to Shariat, the definition of a fast is make the intention to fast for the sake of Allah from the break of dawn to sunset and to refrain from eating, drinking or having sexual deeds. Fasting is not obligatory for children or for an insane person as long as they remain insane for the whole month of Ramadan, and if they gain sanity any period in the middle and it is still within the allocated time for intention, then they must make the intention and fast from that day onwards and the Qaza is necessary for the whole month.
  • A person fasting purposely eat or drank some medicine or tablets or drank water or had something to eat or drink for pleasure then in all these situations both Qaza and Kaffara is necessary.

Prayer (Namaz)

Namaz is one of the five pillars of Islam; it is a most important constituent of the faith. It is prayer of a very high level. The Holy Quran repeatedly enjoins the offering of Salat or Namaz and indeed declares it to be a fundamental trait of a believer. The benefits of salat are countless.
God created man to worship Him and salat is the most excellent kind of worship

Five Daily Prayers :

Salat, the obligatory Muslim prayer, is said at appointed time fixed in relation to the sun's position.
Fajr:
The time of Fajr, the morning prayer begins at dawn and ends just before sunrise.
Zuhr:
The time of Zuhr, the midday prayer, begins after the sun has crossed the zenith point and has begun to decline.
Asr:
The Asr prayer is said when the sun has further advanced in decline, in the late afternoon.
Maghrib:
The time of the Maghrib prayer begins immediately after sunset. It lasts till dusk.
Isha': The Isha’ prayer can be said after dusk has finally disappeared, giving way to darkness of the night.

Benefits of Prayers:

Those who regularly pray in this world will be rewarded with a festival in the Hereafter for prayer includes the meaning to lead the servant to perfection and Divine reward.
Prayer provides the following Physical benefits:
  • Prayer requires physical acts that are healthy for the body. It also organizes one’s time during the day and regularizes one’s entire life.

Prayer provides Spiritual benefits as follows:
  • It provides, when performed properly, the joy of being in Allah’s presence, meditation, comfort in the time of fear, pleasure in the time of joy, sustaining the spiritual character of the soul, maintenance of faith, and a good relationship with the Divine Being.

Prayer provides the following Sociological benefits:
  • The sense of coming together, knowing one another, friendship, and reinforcement of the bonds of brotherhood.

It must be stated here that no excuse is acceptable for not attempting to offer prayer. Even those who are on the battlefield are supposed to pray by turns. And there can be no excuse for women as well, apart from those related to female health.
The Prophet (pbuh) was so serious about prayer that he warned us even when he was in his last moments of life:
“Be careful about prayer!”

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Bhagavan Mahavira and Jain Dharma

 

The last (twenty-fourth) Tirthankara, Mahavira, was a historical personality. He was born in 599 BC at Kshatriya Kund in the democratic republic of Vaishali (Bihar), the son of King Siddharth and Queen Trishla Devi. His original name was Vardhman. From his childhood, he was soft, kind-hearted. He was very upset by the ritual sacrifice of animals, and vowed to fight for the rights of animals. He also wished to fight for the advancement of women and untouchables. He left his kingdom at the age of thirty to begin an ascetic life. He entered the forest to commune with all living beings, including animals, trees, and other plants. He practiced meditation, austerity, and samadhi for twelve and a half years, getting enlightenment. By self-purification and severe spiritual practices, finally, at the age of forty-two, Mahavira attained Kaivalya (perfection).
For the next thirty years, Mahavira spread the message of Ahimsa non-violence , truth, non-stealing, right conduct, and non possession. He campaigned against the barriers of caste, creed, and faith. He also advocated protecting all living creatures. Lord Mahavira gave us several analytical theories of Karma, multiplicity of truth etc. All these theories helped people to reach higher levels of consciousness and to create happiness and peace in society. His doctrines of Right Knowing, Right Vision, and Right Conduct are considered the three Jewels of Jain philosophy, by which to achieve the ultimate goal in life.



Bhagavan Mahavira and Jain Dharm
Bhagavan Mahavira made religion simple and natural, free from elaborate rituals. His teachings reflect the internal beauty and harmony of the soul.
Bhagavan Mahavira taught the idea of supremacy of human life and stressed the importance of a positive attitude towards life.
Bhagavan Mahavir's message of nonviolence (Ahimsä), truth (Satya), non-stealing (Achaurya), celibacy (Brahmacharya), and non-possession (Aparigraha) is full of universal compassion.
Bhagavan Mahavira said that, "A living body is not merely an integration of limbs and flesh but it is the abode of the soul which potentially has infinite perception (Anantdarshana), infinite knowledge (Anantjnäna), infinite power (Anantvirya), and infinite bliss (Anantsukha). Mahavir's message reflects freedom and spiritual joy of the living being.
Bhagavan Mahavira emphasized that all-living beings, irrespective of their size, shape, form, and how spiritually developed or undeveloped, are equal and we should love and respect them. In this way, he preached the universal love.
Bhagavan Mahavira taught that the true nature of reality is timeless, with no beginning or end and rejected the concept of God as a creator, a protector, and a destroyer of the universe. He also taught that worshiping heavenly gods and goddesses, as a means of material gain and personal benefits is contrary to the path of liberation.
One time Bhagavan Mahavira was asked what is the religion from a realistic point of view. Bhagavan Mahavira said, “ the realistic religion consists of four parts:
1) equality of all living ones, 2) every living soul has right to put self-effort to improve itself and should not to be stripped of that right, 3) no one should rule over other living beings, and 4) all situations should be viewed with equanimity - without like or dislike." If one adopts only one of these four, other three will automatically be adopted.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Vasant Panchami

Vasant Panchami (Devnagari:वसन्त पञ्चमी), sometimes referred to as Vasant Panchami or Shree Panchami (Devnagari:श्रीपञ्चमी), is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day (Panchami) of the Indian month Magh (January-February), the first day of spring. Traditionally during this festival children are taught to write their first words; brahmins are fed; ancestor worship (Pitr-tarpan) is performed; the god of love Kamadeva is worshipped; and most educational institutions organise special prayer for Saraswati. The color yellow also plays an important role in this festival, in that people usually wear yellow garments, Saraswati is worshipped dressed in yellow, and yellow sweets are consumed within the families. Children love flying kites . They enjoy the festival with great fun and enthusiasm.

 Goddess Saraswati

Saraswati (in Sanskrit sara means essence and swa means self) meaning eis traditionally depicted with a serene and calm expression with a majestic air. She is seated on a white lotus in Padmasana, adorned by a pure white silk sari, has a book in her lower left hand, her lower right hand showing the chinmudra, Aksharamala in her right upper hand, and Amrithakalasam in her left upper hand. Both eyes are full of compassion. The vehicle assigned to each of the three goddesses also symbolically represent their special powers.
Goddess Saraswati is the consort of Lord Brahma (Lord of Creation) and is the goddess of wisdom and learning. Saraswati is the one who gives the essence (sara) of our own self (swa). She is considered as the personification of all knowledge - arts, sciences, crafts and other skills. She has a beautiful and elegant presence, is pure white in colour, clad in a white sari, seated on a white lotus, representing purity and brilliance. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has the sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus (a symbol of true knowledge) in the second. With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on the veena.
She is dressed in white (sign of purity) and rides on a white goose (swan). The swan is known for its peculiar characteristic of being capable of separating water from milk, indicating that we should possess discrimination in separating the bad from the good. The seat being a lotus or peacock implies that the teacher is well-established in the subjective experience of truth. When sitting on a peacock she reminds us that wisdom suppresses ego.
Devotees worship her in temples, often by keeping books underneath her idol. In October, Durga Puja (Navaratri) is celebrated by people all over India to offer their prayers for a successful and fruitful year. However, Saraswati does have a temple in Koothanur in Tanjavur district (Tamil Nadu.) The most famous Sarsawati temple in India is situated in Shringeri, Karnataka Shringeri sharadamba temple. This was established by Shankaracharya in the 8th century. There is an important Basar Saraswati Temple in Basar at a distance of 40 km from Nizamabad in Adilabad District, Andhra Pradesh on the banks of Godavari River. There is also a small but very old temple in Hasanpur and a relatively renovated one in Bakhri Bazar, Bihar. Wargal Saraswati Temple is located in Medak district in AP.
Vasant Panchami is celebrated in January-February all over the country with great fervor and vigor.

 Kite festival
In Ferozepur (Punjab) it is also as a Kite Festival in Border Area city of Punjab Ferozepur, This Festival is very famous in the city as boys and girls buy Dora (Thread) and Gude aka Patang (Kites) in huge quantity to fly. Children as well as young boys like this festival very much. Young boys by putting sound system on their terrace start dancing right from the evening of the previous day of Basant (vasant panchami), colour full kites in the sky makes the sky very colour full and worth seeing. People from all around the world come to enjoy this festival. It feels as if this festival is most popular festival in ferozepur than in any other city. Basant Panchami has a specific meaning, Basant means Spring, whereas Panchami means the fifth day of the spring. It falls on Panchami - on the Waxing Moon. The festival lies in the month of January or February. The young girls dressed in the diverse shades of yellow magnify the splendor of nature. Kite flying, a popular sport in India, is associated with the Basant Panchami day. It is a day for young crowd - no routine work, no studies, only merry making.

Friday, March 9, 2012

ETYMOLOGY

The word Hindu is derived from the Sanskrit word Sindhu', the historic local appellation for the Indus River in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent and is first mentioned in the Rig Veda.
The word Hindu was first used by Arab invaders and then went further west by the Arabic term al-Hind referring to the land of the people who live across river Indus. and the Persian term Hindū referring to all Indians. By the 13th century, Hindustān emerged as a popular alternative name of India, meaning the "land of Hindus".
The term Hinduism also occurs sporadically in Sanskrit texts such as the later Rajataranginis of Kashmir (Hinduka, c. 1450), some 16th-18th century Bengali Gaudiya Vaishnava texts, including Chaitanya Charitamrita and Chaitanya Bhagavata, usually to contrast Hindus with Yavanas or Mlecchas. It was only towards the end of the 18th century that the European merchants and colonists referred collectively to the followers of Indian religions as Hindus. The term Hinduism was introduced into the English language in the 19th century to denote the religious, philosophical, and cultural traditions native to India.