Ganesha: the remover of obstacles

 Hari Aum.

Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah.

I would like to write a brief post on Lord Ganesha today. I recently completed my first ever performance of Bharatanatyam dance on stage with my dance classmates and it was a beautiful (though slightly nerve wracking!) experience. 

This piece was dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the beloved older son of Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati, the One who is worshipped as the embodiment of wisdom and remover of obstacles.

In the Vedic tradition, Ganesha is always worshipped first, before any other form of the Divine (though they are all equal and One). He is worshipped before the performance of any significant or auspicious event, be it for a material or spiritual purpose, because He embodies that aspect of the Divine which removes all obstacles to success. Every important activity in the yogic or Vedic tradition begins with invoking and honouring Ganesha. 

He has the head of an elephant, symbolising great intelligence. In each of His four hands, He holds an object symbolising divine grace and protection.

In His upper right and left hands, He holds divine weapons (the axe and the rope), respectively symbolising the destruction of material desires and binding of the lower ego. 

In His left lower hand, He holds a bowl of delicious sweets (known as 'modaka' in Sanskrit) which symbolises Divine grace and auspiciousness (the sweetness of life, both material and spiritual).

His right lower hand is held in 'abhaya mudra' or the gesture of blessing and granting protection/fearlessness. This gesture symbolises His commitment to protect His devotees and grant blessings, both material and spiritual, including the great spiritual goal of Self-realisation.

I have been worshipping Lord Ganesha a bit more in the past couple of months since my dance teacher announced that He wanted our class to perform a piece dedicated to Him (the performance was to be part of a cultural programme including a Christmas celebration). This was a 'Ganesha vandana' including a 'pushpanjali' (worship of Ganesha with symbolic offering of flowers).

As mentioned previously in October, I had no plans to perform in public anytime soon and was quite nervous at the idea of appearing on stage this month. As our first ever dance performance would be dedicated to Lord Ganesha, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to develop a closer bond with this form of the Divine. 

I have always recited the mantra of Ganesha before conducting any worship of any other deity, including Narayana, but I have never before undertaken a specific tapas or spiritual practice dedicated to Him. 

To invoke the blessings and protection of Ganesha, to request Him to bless me that I may be able to perform this dance without any obstacles, I started to recite His mantra (Om Gum Ganapataye Namah) on certain days (in the past week or two, I recited a mini-mala of 27 recitations daily along with my usual japa sadhana, and did a puja for Ganesha).

The interesting thing is that there were plenty of obstacles in the path of my dance practice in the past six weeks-- some expected and some completely unexpected! These did create some stress but I felt that, due to the grace of God, particularly as Ganesha, I was able to cope relatively well and managed to do some regular dance practice despite it all! 

My dance classmates too would have had their own share of challenges as they come from various backgrounds (many are working women like me and also have families, and some are students)-- but we all managed to practice and learn the dance to a reasonable level by the grace of God. We certainly needed divine grace as our dance Guru tweaked and changed bits of the choreography right until the eve of the performance!

And, finally, when the day of our performance arrived earlier this month, I felt nervous but as ready as I felt as I could be (for a beginner!). The preparation for the performance, the repeated training over and over again (both in class and at home), the sheer effort involved (our teacher is quite tough in a good way and pushed us to our limits!), felt like a tapas or spiritual practice in itself. It felt like both the preparation and the performance itself were a form of worship of the Divine (and not merely a form of entertainment).

I have enjoyed watching Bharatanatyam so many times, and this felt like a beautiful opportunity to be on the other side of the fence-- to share the beauty of this dance with the audience who would be watching, to depict the beauty and glory of Lord Ganesha and hopefully provide spiritual inspiration (even as I have been inspired so many times when I have watched dance performances).

Before entering the stage, I mentally invoked Ganesha, my Guru Sivananda, Shiva/Nataraja, Durga, Sarasvati, Radha and Krishna/Narayana and dedicated the dance to the Divine in all these forms. I asked Sivananda especially to be present with me throughout the performance and I have no doubt that it was he who helped me stay (relatively!) calm and do my best on the day.

Our class had performed a lovely group puja to Lord Nataraja just before the performance. This is an ancient tradition-- we offer worship to God and honour our dance Guru before our first ever performance by offering our dancing/ankle bells to the Divine. This was a lovely and very calming ritual but, by the time we were waiting in the wings to enter the stage, we were all a bit nervous again, and it was helpful to have another round of mantra chanting and divine invocations to calm down!

The actual event itself went off relatively smoothly and we felt very grateful to receive some positive and encouraging feedback from the audience afterwards. Our teacher also said he was satisfied on the whole with our performance (but of course, in true Guru-style, declared that he wanted us to continue to improve and build upon our skills--as we still have a some more years of training to undergo before we can hope to be really good dancers!).

I will conclude this post by quoting the main sloka or prayer upon which our dance was based:

"Mooshika vahana, modaka hasta, 

Chamara karna, vilambita sutra, 

Vamana rupa, Maheshvara putra, 

Vighna vinayaka, pada namaste".

This means:

"To the One who has the mouse as His divine vehicle (the mouse represents the ego that has been brought under control by Ganesha), 

To Him who holds sweets in His hand (symbolising divine blessings and grace),

To the One who has large ears (of an elephant, symbolising His willingness to lend a compassionate listening ear to His devotees), 

To the One who wears the sacred thread (symbolising spiritual wisdom/Divine intelligence),

To the One who has the form of an adorable young child, 

Who is the beloved son of Lord Shiva (Maheshvara),

Who is the destroyer of all obstacles, 

To His holy feet, I offer worship."

This is a music video of the sloka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoiBNxlgc8k

Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah.

I wish all readers a very happy Christmas and New Year. Let us continue to recite mantras and prayers for inner peace and world peace. 

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Twin soul energy- the higher and lower mind

 Hari Aum.

As I have mentioned previously on this blog, the twin soul journey is one type of spiritual path. Like others who have experienced this journey, I too realised at one stage that this is likely to be the reason for some of the events and experiences that have occurred in my life.

I want to write down, very bluntly, what I feel many twin souls go through on the journey, some of their thoughts and feelings, some of the reasons why they may feel the need to be in separation, and possible events that may lead to a harmonious reunion. (Note: as before, I will leave this post on here for as long or short a time that I feel is appropriate).

There are, as I have already explained in previous posts, two aspects to the mind: the higher and the lower. Both are a part of the Divine, and both play a part in our spiritual evolution. The lower mind seems to act as a source of inner challenges that the higher mind has to learn to deal with to grow stronger.

So, based upon what I have seen so far, let me share the typical thoughts and feelings that exist within twin souls (at least the feminine aspect) for their counterparts.

The higher mind's thoughts and feelings towards the twin soul counterpart:

A twin soul connection seems to exist here. It is a mystery and words cannot explain it; it just exists.

There must be a higher spiritual purpose to this connection. This needs to be figured out. 

We need to act in accordance with the will of the Divine.

Let us embrace the 5D connection, and let the 3D connection manifest in accordance with the will of God, whatever that may be. 

Everything is as it should be and things will turn out well in the end because we are accepting Divine will (and not attempting to live based upon our own little wills).

The overall feelings are of love, peace, wellbeing, trust in the Divine that the protection and grace of the Divine is with one at every step (and from this, is created great courage and inner strength to continue walking the spiritual path, including the twin soul path).

The lower mind's thoughts and feelings towards the twin soul counterpart:

There are mixed feelings: anger, confusion, fear, blame, guilt, regret, denial, disbelief, outrage, desire to run/chase, desire to cut off and 'be free'. 

There is a sense of victimhood ('Poor me', 'Why is this happening to me? Why is the universe doing this to me?'). There is a huge pain related to separation (a sort of 'separation sickness') that can manifest as health issues.

There is a general sense of the unfairness and strangeness of it all. 

A sense of confusion--- "What on Earth is this?!"

A sense of anger-- "I just wanted to live a normal life (including a normal married/monastic life). Why has the universe created this?"

A sense of betrayal- "If this connection exists, why could the universe not have permitted it to manifest in a 'normal relationship'; why did this weird astral connection alone have to exist!?

A sense of fear- "People will not understand me, they will judge/blame me." "This connection is so intense, it feels scary"

A sense of suspicion - "I don't trust him/her, and with very good reason based on what has already occurred!"

A sense of feeling unwell- "This connection makes me feel ill. It is bad for my health!"

A sense of despair- "Is my whole life going to be like this? When will this end? Please God, save me!"

So, in general, the higher mind (governed by the spiritual heart) in the twin soul feels love that is unconditional for their counterpart, and accepts this as a spiritual connection that has been created in accordance with Divine will. The higher mind is prepared to trust the Divine, and its own connection with the Divine, and 'go with the flow' i.e. accept the will of God whatever that may be.

In contrast, the lower mind (governed by the intellect and lower emotions) cycles through various highs and lows as it tries to make sense of a spiritual connection that cannot be explained intellectually (as this can only be understood by experience).

This is not an easy experience as one may imagine. It is very, very difficult to handle a connection like this. Based on my own experience, I have great sympathy and empathy with every twin soul on the planet. 

I can only say, for all of us, that there surely is a higher divine purpose to this connection. And time will reveal what that is for each one of us. In the meantime, we need to tune into the higher mind and its connection with the Divine. And also, accept the lower mind and handle it very gently (as this is understandably very challenging, from a 'normal' material perspective).

Once again, I would like to say that the energy of Mother Radha in particularly is helpful to soothe twin souls in separation. Reciting any mantra or name of Hers daily grants spiritual strength and some inner peace.

Om Sri Radhikayai Namah.

Om Sri Radha-Krishnabhyam Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

A collective sadhana for world peace

 Hari Aum.

I have written previously on this blog (please see post below) regarding the need to chant mantras and recite prayers for world peace based on the advice of our Gurus. 

Feb 2020:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/page/edit/803812822913447625/7314221788620127005

This is just a short post to request all readers to please dedicate even a short period of time daily for this purpose. As per Sivananda and other Gurus, this does have an effect.

This world does not belong to the negative forces that seek to destroy it. It belongs to the Divine. It was created by the Divine (not by negative, destructive energies that constantly seek war).

These negative forces appear to be powerful outwardly but in truth, this is an illusion; because they do not have the support of the Divine. Without Divine support, ultimately they will never win. 

Today, in both East and West, on our planet, there are negative forces whose actions indicate that they seek only to escalate tensions; they work against those who strive for peace. There are war-mongering people in numerous countries.

There is increasing discussion that we are heading towards another World War. This is an unthinkable situation, especially in a world that has extremely destructive (e.g. nuclear) weapons. There will be no winners in such a war; everyone will ultimately lose. Our beautiful planet with its amazing nature, ecosystems, birds and animals will be destroyed for centuries to come, in addition to the unthinkable suffering that will be experienced by numerous souls.

This is the reason the saints and sages of all spiritual traditions advise us to pray and meditate at times like this to seek Divine help and intervention.

In the Gita, Krishna says "Do your duty without expectation of any specific results. Do it as an offering to Me (and let Me decide what the results will be)." Let us trust Him. Let us repeat any mantras and prayers from any spiritual tradition of our liking for peace on our planet.

In medicine we often say that, if a patient has previously had a particular medical condition, they are at much higher risk of developing this again. The same seems to apply to humanity's propensity for wars, especially World Wars. We have already had two World Wars in around a hundred years, and multiple other smaller ones. We are apparently at high risk of another World War in the present time.

This world was not created for war. It is a place for spiritual evolution. It was not meant to be destroyed for the sake of a few egoistic individuals who wield some degree of material power. There are far greater forces at play behind the scenes. 

There are numerous saints and yogis from all spiritual traditions working to prevent humanity committing yet another horrific act of self-destruction. They say that this sort of self-destruction of entire planets has occurred previously in other parts of the cosmos and was a great tragedy. It is therefore something that they are determined to prevent from happening here. However, we too need to do our little part to support them. Please can we all therefore obey their instructions and pray for peace. 

Can we please do a collective sadhana for world peace? Every day, 5-10 minutes of chanting Om Namo Narayanaya (or other mantra/prayer as per one's inclination) for world peace. Please let us do this. 

Remember, it is not the result that matters, it is the trying that matters, it is the intention that matters in the eyes of the Divine. Let us do our best and leave the rest in His/Her hands.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

May He give good sense and peace to all beings.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. Group chanting is powerful. If you live with people who are also interested in mantras/prayers for peace, then please chant with them as often as you are able (the individual practice should also be done daily even if it is very brief).

Also if you have a twin soul, and feel the energetic (so-called '5D') presence of your counterpart, do consider inviting them to meditate with you for spiritual progress and world peace. This is one positive action that I feel twin souls should do together (even if it is remotely)-- meditate for world peace. 

This would be the single most beneficial and useful aspect of this connection. I intuitively feel that the joint meditation of twin soul pairs (even if occurring separately in the 3D, but together in the 5D aspect) will be a useful contribution towards peace on this planet. 

How to meditate with the 5D aspect of your twin? It is very simple-- just visualise them seated in meditation next to you (in the ajna or anahata chakra space, or literally next to you if you prefer) and in the presence of the Divine (e.g. sitting at the feet of a form of the Divine that appeals to you, or before Divine Light if you prefer the formless aspect). Visualise positive energies being created as a result of your meditation that are pleasing to the Divine, and which envelop and benefit the world as a whole. And that is essentially it.

Let us hope and pray that positive peace-loving energies are victorious over the negative war-mongering ones.

Om Namo Narayanaya. Om Namo Narayanaya. Om Namo Narayanaya.

P.P.S. Related posts:

Japa yoga benefits:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/page/edit/803812822913447625/7353920146197961036

The squirrel and the bridge of Rama:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/803812822913447625/1077962471447608568

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Sri Rama: fear and courage

 Hari Aum.

In the last post on the Ramayana, we saw how Lord Rama, manifestation of Lord Narayana, reached Mithila, the place where Mother Sita, His wife-to-be resided. He took up the divine bow of none other than Lord Shiva Himself (they are One of course in reality though appear to be two separate forms) and proceeded to demonstrate His immense physical prowess by breaking it.

Imagine the scene, the drama! The bow of Lord Shiva, the great Lord, the great Destroyer, the One who is worshipped by Lord Rama Himself (and the One who worships Lord Rama in turn)-- put asunder! Broken-- just like that. The energy released, the deafening sound, the earthquake, the shock of the witnesses! The admiration at the sheer power and glory of the Divine avatar! 

Dear me, how amazing.

Yet, those of us who know the legend of Sri Rama, know some truths about Him that are less savoury. He will say that He was not to blame, but can we fully agree, can we entirely understand His perspective, and can we entirely empathise? 

Or do we feel that He should have shown greater backbone, greater courage, especially for One who can break even the bow of Shiva. 

(As devotees, there are times when we praise the Divine and times when we berate Him/Her. The moods of devotion have many flavours. Today, for some reason, I happen to be in a somewhat berating mood with regard to Sri Rama-- please do not be offended, this too shall pass!)

I am not going to explain the part of the Ramayana that I am referring to here; those of you who know the whole story will be aware of the portion that I am referring to when I ask these questions-- the events that took place towards the end in relation to Sita (this is because I am in the process of reading and writing on this blog, the entire Ramayana in a condensed form; will likely take some time though!). 

However, as I read the story, I reflect upon it, and various thoughts and feelings are generated. Some of these I feel I would like to share here (these may resonate with you-- or they may not, and that is ok. Everything does not need to resonate with everyone all the time).

So, let me continue my reflections on Lord Rama....my questioning of Him.....

Is this Rama, the divine bow-breaker, who was famous for His physical power, not the One who shivered and shook before the people of Ayodhya upon returning home from Lanka? Did He not tremble with fear at their unmerited criticism? Is He not the One who abandoned His own wife in the most appalling manner in the process?

Is this not the Lord, who is known as Satya, the embodiment of Truth, who did not dare to speak His own truth? Is He not the One who, not only tolerated and accepted the unjust public insult and humiliation of His own wife, but who actively participated in it?

An avatar with such physical strength but yet so weak at heart-- how extraordinary! He is often referred to as the 'ideal man' but is He really so?  

One who cannot even acknowledge His own Truth-- that He loved His wife and that She was not at fault (despite what the ignorant public thought)-- can there be anything more weak, anything more tragic, pathetic and pitiable than this? One feels compassion and pity, not admiration, for such a lamentably weak hero. 

To live His life pleasing those who did not deserve to be pleased, while inflicting endless pain upon His consort-- is this the nature of a true hero, an ideal man?

Can One who is so weak at heart, One who cannot admit His Truth, One who shivers and trembles within at the prospect of being criticised by others even when He has done nothing wrong and in fact, always acted in accordance with dharma-- can such a One really be called true and courageous? 

Is it possible, that His wife, Sita, so frail externally, One whom many in the world would call 'a weak woman' in appearance, actually had more strength in Her little finger that He had in the whole of His body? And was not Her heart a million times stronger and braver than His trembling, fearful one? 

After all, She underwent a trial by fire for His sake-- literally (in physical terms)! And, also mentally, emotionally and spiritually during Her lifetime. She may have been none other than an incarnation of Mother Lakshmi but She underwent a very human experience filled with some joy and tremendous sorrow. 

After undergoing numerous trials and tribulations in life, She emerged strong and powerful. In the end, though She loved Him, She had to leave Him forever-- and who can blame Her? 

For who can remain with One who is so weak at heart, so lacking in courage, so lacking in expression of His own Truth, and who inflicts such pain in the process? Who can remain with One who cannot face reality, who cannot stand up for Himself and His own divine consort and protect Her and His own honour? 

It is said in the Puranas that every man is a form of Narayana/Shiva and every woman is a form of Lakshmi/Parvati. Let us hope that this is not a reference to Their avatars as Rama and Sita. Because, it would be a tragedy for every woman to suffer as Sita did, and for every man to be as fearful and pitiably weak at heart as Rama was when it comes to living a life based upon love and truth (and facing unjust public criticism).

It would be far better if the men of the world could have the courage of Narasimha, another avatar of Narayana (who was strong both in body and mind/ heart; Who knew exactly how to protect His beloved devotee, Prahlada). And for every woman to have the good fortune of Mother Parvati, the divine consort of Lord Shiva.

I dedicate this post to Sri Rama; I know that He will not be offended by this-- because, I feel that, in His heart, He will Himself agree with every word that I have written here. I will give Him at least that much credit for acknowledging the truth.

Om Sri Sita-Ramabhyam Namah. Om Namo Bhagavate Narasimhaya.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Bala Kanda Part 8: Breaking the bow

 Hari Aum.

Om Sri Ramaya Namah.

I hope all readers had a wonderful Diwali celebration. Let us continue our study of the Ramayana of sage Valmiki.

In the previous post, we saw Sri Rama, Lakshmana and the sages arrive at the kingdom of Mithila (also known as Videha). 

Within this fortunate land, lived Sita, incarnation of Mother Lakshmi and daughter of the ruler, King Janaka. As the land was inhabited by an incarnation of the Goddess of spiritual and material wealth Herself, it was no wonder that it shone with an extraordinary divine splendour. 

The sages, accompanied by the Princes, entered the kingdom praising it for its great beauty. They made their way to an area where worship was being conducted by the King. Upon being informed of the arrival of the sages, King Janaka was filled with delight and hastened to welcome them. 

The King himself was no ordinary ruler; he was a 'rajarshi' (or 'raja-rishi'; in Sanskrit, 'rajah' means 'king' and 'rishi' means 'sage') , i.e. a kingly sage, a man of great spiritual wisdom (Self-Realisation). He embraced Vishvamitra and the other sages with great joy. Then, in accordance with tradition, he reverentially worshipped them, offering them a seat, food and drink.

After they were all well-rested, and had exchanged pleasantries, the King curiously asked about the origin of the two Princes. Remarking that they resembled the demi-gods in appearance and prowess, he asked sage Vishvamitra to tell him who they were.

Sage Vishvamitra explained that they were the children of King Dasharatha. He went on to tell the King and his entourage about the various valorous deeds performed by them including vanquishing negative forces and offering protection to the sages in the forests. He then went on to narrate the redemption of Ahalya that had occurred as a result of her meeting Sri Rama. 

The family priest and chief sage at the palace of King Janaka, Shutananda, was none other than the son of Ahalya and her husband, sage Gautama. He was overcome with joy and wonder upon hearing that his mother had received the fruit of her many years of penance, and that she had been reunited with his father.

Exclaiming that the arrival of Sri Rama was a great blessing, he praised both Him and sage Vishvamitra. Declaring that Sri Rama was very fortunate to have Vishvamitra as His Guru, he went on to tell Him about the greatness of His Guru. 

He explained in great detail how the former King Vishvamitra had decided to abandon his royal riches, and embark upon a very lengthy and extraordinarily intense course of austerities that had led to him finally becoming a great sage. (This is a long story and I am not going to explain it in full here as I want to remain focused mainly on the legend of Sri Rama Himself). 

In essence, Vishvamitra had discovered that sages had much greater powers than kings after foolishly trying to battle with one of them (the great sage, Vasishtha). He then decided that it was futile to continue to be a king and performed great tapas to become a sage. He finally succeeded after numerous  failures (including overcoming the loss of his spiritual power due to being seduced by the celestial dancer, Menaka, an apsara who had been sent by Indra to distract him from his penance).

After the narration of the great deeds of Vishvamitra was completed, King Janaka praised him greatly saying there was no end to his glories. However, as it was now dusk and time to perform the evening worship, he sought the sage's permission to depart, saying they should meet again in the morning. He then went around sage Vishvamitra along with his entourage as a mark of respect, received his blessings and left for his home. 

After a restful night, they met again the next morning in the outdoor place of worship. Vishvamitra then told the King that Sri Rama and Lakshmana were very eager to see the great bow of Lord Shiva and requested him to show it to them.

King Janaka was very pleased to hear this and told them a bit about the bow. This had been given as a gift by Lord Shiva to the demi-gods. They, in turn, had given it to King Devarata, an ancient ancestor of Janaka, for safekeeping, and the bow had remained in the care of their family ever since. It was exceptionally large and heavy and had been placed inside a strong chest made of iron. 

The King explained that he had declared that the man who could lift and string the bow of Lord Shiva alone would be a fit suitor for his daughter, Princess Sita (there is a legend that says the reason for this is that he had once seen Her lift the bow in play as a child while searching for a missing toy). 

Many kings and princes had attempted to this task desiring to win the hand of the Princess but their efforts had all been in vain. Far from being able to lift and string the bow, they had not been able to even move it. After their failure, some of them had become enraged at the perceived insult to their prowess and had attacked Mithila. The King had been compelled to seek the help of the demi-gods to defend his kingdom.

Janaka then told them about his daughter, Sita. One day, he had been ploughing a field in which some worship was due to be performed. In the furrow that he had created, he had noticed a tiny baby girl. As he and his wife had not had any children of their own at the time, they had resolved to adopt this little girl as their own daughter and named Her 'Sita' (this means 'furrow' in Sanskrit).  The baby girl had grown up unusually quickly (this was usually the case with divine beings) and was now a beautiful young woman. 

Saying that if Sri Rama could lift the divine bow, He would win the hand of his daughter, Sita, in marriage, King Janaka commanded the bow to be presented to Him. Several thousand strong and well-built men were required to perform the task of bringing the bow before Sri Rama. A large group of citizens from the kingdom of Mithila also gathered around with great interest to watch the events.

The chest was opened and the divine bow of Lord Shiva was revealed to Sri Rama. As He gazed upon it, King Janaka declared that when numerous beings with great divine powers such as the demi-gods, Gandharvas, Nagas and Yakshas had found it impossible to lift the bow, let alone string it, a mere human being could not be expected to achieve this task!   

Sage Vishvamitra now addressed Sri Rama saying "Dear child, behold the divine bow!".

Sri Rama, gazing at the bow, declared His intention to lift the bow, toss it in the air and string it! He then grasped the bow firmly in the middle, and lifting it, strung it with ease making the entire process appear like child's play. 

As He bent the bow while tying the string, it broke into two pieces due to the force that He had applied! As the divine bow broke, a terrific sound was produced (like an enormous crash of thunder) that reverberated in all directions. This was rapidly followed by a great earthquake that led to most people falling over except for sage Vishvamitra, Sri Rama, Lakshmana and King Janaka!

After everyone had recovered somewhat from the shock of these events, King Janaka addressed Sage Vishvamitra. He declared that it was simply extraordinary that this had taken place. Never in his wildest imagination could he have even contemplated such a thing happening he said! 

Saying that he was in no doubt about Sri Rama's power and glory, he declared that He would be a most fitting husband for his daughter, Princess Sita. Having secured Him as Her husband, She would no doubt be most fortunate, he declared!

He stated that he wished to immediately send his eminent ministers as messengers to King Dasharatha to inform him of the wonderful events that had occurred. They were to tell Dasharatha that Sri Rama had won the hand of Princess Sita in marriage and invite him to Mithila to have the wedding conducted without any delay!

Vishvamitra agreed to these plans and King Janaka's ministers were sent to the palace of King Dasharatha in Ayodhya. Upon hearing this news, King Dasharatha was filled with immense joy and excitement! 

He informed his own ministers, and they delightedly agreed to the alliance between Sri Rama and Princess Sita. King Dasharatha then declared that they would travel to Mithila the very next day! They would be accompanied by a number of sages and priests, carrying a great number of gifts and be protected by a sizeable portion of their army. 

The ministers of King Janaka were exceedingly pleased with the highly favourable response from King Dasharatha. They spent the night at the palace in Ayodhya while preparations were made for the journey the next day.

To be continued.....

Om Sri Ramaya Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Kartika and Radha mantra sadhana

 Hari Aum.

We are currently in an especially auspicious and sacred lunar month known as 'Kartika'. This began a week ago and will end on November 15 which is a full moon day; this final full-moon day of this month is known as 'Kartika purnima' and is excellent for spiritual practices.

This month is strongly associated with Lord Krishna and is a time when His devotees take up additional spiritual practices as these are said to yield greater benefits. In ancient times, when the Krishna avatar was physically present on Earth, the gopis of Vrindavana, including Radha, conducted a special sadhana dedicated to the Goddess Katyayani (a form of Mother Parvati) during this month. The purpose of their sadhana was to acquire Krishna as their 'husband' and they achieved their goal (this later led to the well-known 'rasa lila' dances).

I admit that, while I have been an enthusiastic Krishna worshipper over the years, I never really felt a deep bond with Mother Radha in the past. I certainly felt a very close bond to other forms of the Divine Mother, especially Durga, and also Lakshmi. However, I greatly respected Radha and worshipped Her along with Krishna (mainly because She was associated with Him). 

There was no deep love in my heart for Radha however; in fact, I will honestly admit that I was actually a tiny bit jealous of Her initially (despite my not wanting to feel this way!). 

However, as I saw Her and Durga as One, and felt a deep love for Durga, I hoped She would pardon me (and I have had the impression that She had; in fact, She Herself is famous for being in a virtually perpetual state of jealousy-- of a spiritual nature (!)-- of any lady who remotely approached Lord Krishna!).

Anyway, the situation has changed and I find myself currently to be more of a Radha devotee than a Krishna one (they are One of course). This transformation occurred around ten days ago, when I found myself in bed with a particularly unpleasant migraine which lasted a couple of days. During this experience during which I felt very unwell, I had the feeling (completely out-of-the-blue) that Mother Radha's energy was the solution. I therefore spent some time thinking deeply about Her for the first time in my life.

Two days later, after I had recovered from the migraine, I was tidying and de-cluttering a bookcase and by coincidence (perhaps not really a coincidence but rather, divine grace) came across a book known as the 'Narada Pancharatra' (In Sanskrit, 'pancha' means 'five' and 'ratra' means 'night'). 

I had purchased this book (it is actually printed in two volumes) quite some years ago as it is known to be a valuable resource for devotional practices and mantras related to Radha and Krishna. I had found the book interesting at the time, but did not feel particularly connected to any of the spiritual practices or mantras described and did not feel the need to take any of them up previously.

However, around ten days ago, after my migraine and interest in Mother Radha, I found myself drawn to this book and spent some time reading certain sections. I will not describe the entire book in detail here (might do this in another post sometime) but essentially, it consists of a wonderful conversation between Lord Shiva and sage Narada on the subject of devotion, and the worship of Radha-Krishna/Narayana (Shiva is Narada's Guru here) in particular.

There is one major section in particular dedicated to the worship of Mother Radha. Within this, there is a description of certain mantras related to Her worship; I read this section mainly last week. 

(After reading this, I wondered if I should share these mantras on this site and feel I received a sign from my Guru that I should, and hence the reason for this post.)

In this section, Lord Shiva outlines four key mantras for Sri Radha. He greatly praises these, declaring that (like other mantras of the Divine), they grant great spiritual and material blessings (including true devotion and spiritual liberation)

I will outline these mantras here. They contain 'bija' (seed) syllables, and in accordance to my Guru Sivananda's advice, should be chanted in large numbers only under the guidance of a suitable Guru. 

(Note- extensive chanting of bija mantras can awaken the kundalini energy rapidly which can be harmful to the unprepared spiritual seeker; the guidance of a Guru is essential therefore. One should never chant bija mantras for prolonged periods and in large numbers without a true Guru).

The mantras for Radha mentioned in the Narada Pancharatra are (in the order that they appear in the book):

1. Shreem Radhayai Svaha: known as the 'shadakshara' or six-syllabled mantra. 

Lord Shiva explains to Narada that this mantra originates from the Sama Veda and grants true devotion. He praises it greatly, saying that it is very dear to Lord Krishna/Narayana Himself and grants all spiritual and material blessings. 

He states that chanting this mantra during the full moon of the month of Kartika in particular is highly auspicious (destroys negative karma and grants spiritual liberation). 

2. Om Hreem Shreem Shreem Aim Krishna Pranadhikayai Svaha: known as the 'fourteen syllabled mantra'. 

Lord Shiva explains that this mantra was chanted by the great sages known as the Sanat Kumara in ancient times. 

3. Om Shreem Hreem Aim Krishnapriyayai Svaha: the 'eleven syllabled' mantra

This mantra was chanted by Goddess Ganga.

4. Om Shreem Shreem Aim Sarvadyayai Svaha. 

This mantra was chanted by Goddess Tulasi.

Lord Shiva praises all four mantras greatly, declaring that they each grant the four goals of human life (dharma, artha, kama and moksha) along with bhakti (devotion).

Note:

'Shreem' and 'Hreem' are bija mantras for Mother Lakshmi (Radha is Her manifestation)

'Aim' is the bija mantra for Sarasvati 

'Svaha' is the energy associated with Agni, the deity associated with fire.

After reading this section of the Narada Pancharatra related to the worship of Mother Radha, I was drawn to the six syllabled mantra in particular. 

I decided to do a small sadhana with this mantra during this auspicious month of Kartika to acquire the grace of Mother Radha (1 mala a day for 40 days, in addition to the usual ashtakshara chanting; I feel I received a sign from my Guru Sivananda that I could chant this and am currently in the midst of this sadhana). 

One week after chanting this mantra daily, I felt some significant benefits in terms of general wellbeing. The energy associated with Mother Radha is healing and also love, particularly unconditional love.

Prior to chanting this mantra, I offered Mother Radha an apology for not being able to feel a better connection with Her in the past. Based on my experience of chanting Her mantra, I feel She is an extremely forgiving, compassionate, nurturing and gentle form of the Divine Mother.

She is exactly what exhausted spiritual seekers require to heal and recover from the ordeal of the spiritual journey. I also feel that She has a special role to play for twin souls who are in a painful separation phase. I feel Her worship holds the key to twin souls achieving inner peace and wellbeing.

Based on my experience, and if one's Guru/intuition permits, I would recommend chanting the shadakshara mantra of Mother Radha daily (for example, either a 'mini mala' of 27 recitations, or a full mala of 108 recitations) during this sacred month of Kartika. 

I pray to Mother Radha to heal and protect all beings (including all twin souls) generally on this planet who are undergoing various ordeals and challenges (especially in this complex time of various conflicts in the world). 

May the Grace of Mother Radha protect us all, may She bless us all with unconditional love and healing.

I wish all of you a spiritually fulfilling month of Kartika. May Radha-Krishna bless us all.

Om Sri Radha-Krishnabhyam Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Vijaya dashami greetings and the comfort zone

 Hari Aum.

Tomorrow is the tenth day of celebration known as 'Vijaya Dashami' that occurs after the auspicious nine nights of Navaratri. This is a highly auspicious day according to the Vedic calendar. Any material or spiritual venture that commences on this day is said to have the blessings of the Divine and will be successful (according to the principles of Vedic astrology).

It is a perfect day (muhurtha) to begin a spiritual practice such as mantra japa or purascharana. It is a wonderful day to renew our spiritual resolves. On a more material level, it is an excellent day to start a new project or take up anything new related to our personal wellbeing.

This day is especially associated with the worship of Mother Sarasvati, the Goddess of wisdom, the One who presides over education and the arts. It is a day of great celebration across various schools of yoga as well as those related to classical music and dance in India. 

It is a day to express our gratitude to our Gurus, both in spiritual and material life. It is a day to celebrate our teachers, to pay our respects to them, and to please them by committing to study the subjects that they teach us with renewed zeal and enthusiasm.

Like many yogis everywhere, I hope to celebrate this highly auspicious day by worshipping Mother Sarasvati. I will also be attending my usual music and dance classes on this day and will have an opportunity to give thanks to my Gurus. I remember my spiritual Guru, Sivananda, in particular on this auspicious day-- he is the source of all blessings, both spiritual and material, in my life.

This is also a good day to challenge oneself, to take up something that we want to do but have not yet managed to, something that may place us a little outside our comfort zone. This may involve deciding to cultivate a new skill, take up a new hobby, or do something that challenges us in a positive way-- something that helps us to grow and develop further. This can help us in our spiritual lives by giving us opportunities to cultivate various positive qualities.

The universe has recently provided me with an opportunity to step out of one of my comfort zones; this is related to the field of dance. I am generally not too comfortable with the idea of performing anything on stage (this is related to various childhood experiences including being raised in a home where the expectation was that I would be 'seen and not heard' and also an unpleasant experience of public speaking at school as a young child!). While I am generally comfortable with chatting with people one-to-one or in a small group, I feel distinctly uneasy at the prospect of public speaking or performing before a larger group!

When I first started learning Bharatanatyam a couple of years ago, my intention was to take up a much-loved hobby for the improvement of my own wellbeing and health. It was also to be able to explore an art form that has a very beautiful spiritual and devotional dimension. I felt this could be a valuable addition to my bhakti yoga practice and this has indeed turned out the case (I practice dance at home in front of an altar or temple with various forms of the Divine and also my Guru-- I always feel that They are very supportive and appreciative even at this very early stage in my learning!).

As I was struggling to keep motivated with learning dance (due to various other commitments) while having only individual classes, I switched to learning in a group from late last year (and supplement this with individual classes too when needed). 

However, I had no intention whatsoever of taking any dance examinations (in fact, I firmly told my teacher at the outset that I would not do these as I was only learning dance as a hobby and not to obtain a qualification!). And I certainly did not anticipate performing for a long time to come! 

But we are influenced by the company we keep (a key part of spiritual life too of course-- hence the great value of satsanga!). 

And my fellow dance students are not only highly enthusiastic--some of them are positively eager to get onto the stage! It was because of my dance classmates that I felt inspired to take the dance examination in summer this year (this compelled me to practice more seriously so was very useful). 

And now, our dance teacher has announced, quite unexpectedly, that he wants our class to do a little performance on stage in a few months (this is a lot sooner than I had expected-- I was under the impression that we would not be expected to perform until towards the end of next year which felt like a long way away!). 

After this announcement, I privately shared my wariness of being on stage with my teacher; his response was to reassure me, saying there was nothing to worry about as he would train us all very well and I would be performing in a group (and not alone-- thankfully!). 

I have decided to trust him (and myself-- for now anyway!); this is because I have seen his other students perform, and I know he sets a relatively high standard and ensures his students are ready (regardless of their stage in learning)! So, I now find myself being swept up in a current of preparing for a mini-dance performance and have decided to simply go with the flow! 

I am trying to find time to practice dance in the midst of other commitments related to home and work. As the saying goes, 'where there is a will, there is a way'!  (Again, here too, I am inspired by my fellow students who also have other commitments based upon their own stage in life, including those related to family, work and education). 

As Lord Ganesha is traditionally worshipped first in any venture in the Vedic spiritual tradition, the first devotional piece we will be performing will be dedicated to Him. I am praying to Ganesha, the Divine remover of obstacles, to remove all obstacles in the path of my satisfactory performance of this piece as a form of devotion to Him!

And, as the auspicious Vijaya Dashami day approaches, I am also praying to Mother Sarasvati, the Goddess of the arts, to bless me with the ability to perform dance (and vocal music which I am also learning and which is mandatory for Bharatanatyam) to an acceptable level and in a manner that is pleasing to the Divine (with a decent level of skill, but without any unhelpful ego!). I would like Her to help me step out of one of my comfort zones (I feel this will also be of benefit to me spiritually). We shall see what She says-- only time will tell!

I hope you too will be inspired on this beautiful day to take up something new of value, especially related to spiritual life and possibly even comfort zones! May Mother Sarasvati bless us all with spiritual progress and grant us success in learning in all aspects of life!

Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah.

Om Sri Sarasvatyai Namah.

Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundayai Vicche.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. Vijaya Dashami is also celebrated as 'Dussehra', the day when Lord Rama defeated the demon-King Ravana and was re-united with His wife, Sita. It is a day of the victory of good over evil. It is a wonderful day to worship this great avatar of Lord Narayana. 

Om Sri Rama, Jaya Rama, Jaya Jaya Rama.

Hari Aum Tat Sat. 

The glories of the ashtakshara mantra: Part 2

 Hari Aum.

Around four years ago, I attempted to provide a translation of the 'Ashtakshara mahatmyam" to the best of my ability based upon a modest grasp of the Sanskrit language.  This consists of a conversation between sage Vyasa and his son, Shuka, and describes the many spiritual and material benefits of reciting the ashtakshara mantra of Lord Narayana (the link to the post is below). 

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/803812822913447625/787398039754352026

The ashtakshara mahatyam describes the theory of spiritual practice with regard to this mantra, i.e. what should happen over time as we recite it. The practical side of this is left to us-- the rishis intended that we would practice this mantra regularly and gradually experience the benefits they described for ourselves.

As we all know, spiritual life is not easy. It involves work, a lot of work-- largely done by ourselves upon ourselves, with the help of God and (if we have one) Guru. The spiritual journey is also usually a long one (lasting a lifetime or more). 

If we have already done a lot of spiritual work in previous lifetimes, then the amount left for this lifetime may only be a little and we will attain the spiritual goal relatively soon. But, for the majority of seekers, there is still plenty of spiritual development to be done in this lifetime. And, for that, we have no option but to commit to a regular, daily spiritual practice (there are, of course, no shortcuts on the spiritual path).

Over the years, I have written on this blog about some of the highs and lows of spiritual life that I have experienced. For example, in the post below, I provided a summary of some of the positive benefits and also the challenges that I have experienced while reciting this mantra for some years. 

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/803812822913447625/6488796706028449058

There are two main challenges as far as I can see on the spiritual path. One is having to deal with past karmas. The other is inner and outer obstacles. However, the mantra helps one to handle both of these. I would like to explain this a bit further.

If a spiritual aspirant decides they wish to attain knowledge of their true spiritual nature in this lifetime (and this is the goal generally advised by all Gurus), then all their past negative karmas from countless previous lifetimes need to be purged in one lifetime. This will not be easy or pleasant.

Very few, if any, spiritual seekers attain God after a pleasant, comfortable life. Most of them undergo all sorts of experiences that would generally be regarded as unpleasant from a material perspective, that produce mental and physical suffering. This is not only a chance to purge karmas but an opportunity to develop faith in God and form a close bond with Him/Her (the ishta devata) who helps one through these.

This is where the glory of mantras, and in my experience, the ashtakshara mantra, comes in. Based on some recent events, I would like to write a little more about the practical benefits of reciting this mantra. 

It is said that the mantra itself is the devata; it is itself the very deity one is worshipping, in the form of sound. As Vyasa explains in the ashtakshara mahatmyam, this mantra helps us to destroy past negative karma, protects the mind from creating new negative karma, and also actively creates good karma and thus material happiness. 

But, most of all, it helps us transcend all karma, both good and bad, to create a bond with God, a spiritual connection with that Being who resides within each one of us. And, eventually, it helps us realise that we are one with that Being, that is our true essence, our true nature.

I would say that the universe allowed me to settle into a habit of repeating the mantra daily for a few years before unleashing a huge amount of karmic purging onto me. If the significant challenges had come up as soon as I started the practice, I may have simply given up, or perhaps not, I really don't know. 

But in any case, I am very grateful to have been permitted by God to have developed a habit of daily mantra japa and to have experienced some of the positive benefits of mantra chanting before the real spiritual challenges started some years ago. 

It is the recitation of this mantra alone that has helped me to cope with everything that I have faced in life. This mantra, given by my Guru, I feel has connected me to both my Guru and the Divine (both as Mother and Father).

Why am I writing a second post on the glories of this mantra now? Well, the reason is that I have further experienced some of its glories! 

Last month, I wrote a post saying the spiritual 'silver jubilee' that is occurring this month was not sweet at all. Only Diwali sweets were in sight (and I've already had plenty of those over the years!), but no darshan of Narayana, no sign of Him at all, either in dream or in the waking state. 

I was very frustrated, upset and annoyed with Him at the time of writing that post. This was mainly because I felt ignored by Him. Nothing happens without the will of God. It was He who must have created in me a desire to have His darshan at the present time-- and that wish had not been fulfilled (I last dreamt of Him ages ago). I was beginning to feel quite abandoned and that was not a good feeling.

During this Navaratri, which began last week, I had a dream of Lakshmi, and then later (in the same dream) of Her and Narayana together. It was a very simple but beautiful dream and I woke up feeling very happy. 

After this dream, I felt that Narayana had finally listened and responded-- He had heard me when I said I wanted a darshan of Him in some form. This felt necessary for encouragement (especially after dealing with all the challenges in recent times) to keep going on the spiritual path. (I also see this dream as indicating that I should continue with my regular worship of the Divine Mother, particularly as Lakshmi).

Despite my being grumpy with Him at times, despite my various flaws and imperfections, despite my lower mind (with all the 'shad ripus') being alive and kicking, despite all this, He heard me and He showed up in my dream in accordance with my request.

I am writing this post only to say that He hears us when we are frustrated, He hears us when we are angry, He is sympathetic, He is kind and compassionate. It is true that He does not just show up every day in our dreams or in the waking state when we demand it, but He does show up when we really need Him to, when we need encouragement to keep going upon the spiritual path. This has been my experience.

And the ashtakshara mantra connects us with Him. It helps us to form a close bond with Him. It draws His grace upon us.

The main positive feature about my spiritual life is that I repeat the ashtakshara mantra every single day (while attempting to follow the yogic ethics), come hell or high water. The capacity to do this, despite living a fairly busy 'worldly life', is in my view, due to the protecting grace of my Guru and the Divine Mother. 

Every morning and every evening I sit down for at least a few minutes and recite this mantra no matter what condition I find myself in (currently sticking with the 7 malas per day which is quite modest, and of course, frequent remembrance during the day as far as possible). If there is no time to have a seated session (fortunately that is unusual), I walk about and recite this mantra silently or aloud (if there is nobody about) to myself while performing various chores. If it is late at night, and I am very sleepy, I do not generally give in to the lower mind's wish to sleep unless the mantra japa for the day has been completed.

So, japa of the ashtakshara mantra remains a top priority in my life. I feel it is the basis of all other dharmas, all artha, kama and the quest for moksha and parabhakti. As sage Vyasa says, the four goals of human life (dharma, artha, kama and moksha) are rooted in the recitation of the ashtakshara mantra which grants all these. I feel this mantra has greatly benefited me both spiritually and materially over the years.

So, in summary, all that I can say, is that the ashtakshara mantra is wonderful, it is glorious. It connects us with the Divine, and allows us to feel His grace and blessings and His living response to our call to Him. 

I would therefore say that it is well worth reciting this mantra daily (and I will very much continue to do so, God willing). (Of course, our Gurus say that all names and mantras of the Divine, including from other spiritual traditions, are equally powerful and protective-- so some form of daily recitation of these based upon our own inclination would be wise).

Om Shri Lakshmi-Narayanabhyam Namah. I wish all of you a very happy Navaratri. Let us continue to pray for our own spiritual progress and the welfare of all beings.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Eclipse and Navaratri sadhana

 Hari Aum.

There is a solar eclipse tomorrow in the sign of Virgo. This is a very good time to do a variety of spiritual practices, including japa, kirtan and tarpanam.

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2024-october-2

At this volatile time in world politics, I would like to share some quotations on peace by Swami Sivananda and other Gurus. It is good to remind ourselves of their advice and teachings at this time.

Yogananda:

"Change yourself and you have done your part in changing the world. Every individual must change his own life if he wants to live in a peaceful world. The world cannot become peaceful unless and until you yourself begin to work toward peace."

"Meditate often and hold on to the peaceful aftereffects. We must send out thoughts of love, goodwill, harmony. In the temple of meditation, with the light of intuition burning on the altar, there is no restlessness, no nervous striving or searching. Man is truly home at last, in a sanctuary not made with hands, but with God-peace."

"I believe that if every citizen in the world is taught to commune with God (not merely to know Him intellectually), then peace can reign; not before. When by persistence in meditation you realize God through communion with Him, your heart is prepared to embrace all humanity."

Anandamayi Ma:

"Without the repetition of the name and the remembrance of God, there is no hope of peace on earth. Let duty come first and foremost."

"It is possible to practice God's name under the most adverse circumstances. He causes everything to happen and is therefore ever near."

"By your japa [repetition of the Lord’s name] and meditation those who are close to you will also benefit through the helpful influence of your presence. In order to develop a taste for meditation you have to make a deliberate and sustained effort, just as children have to be made to sit and study, be it by persuasion or coercion."

"By taking medicine or having injections a patient may get well; even if you do not feel inclined to meditate, conquer your reluctance and make an attempt. The habit of countless lives is pulling you in the opposite direction and making it difficult for you – persevere in spite of it! By your tenacity you will gain strength and be moulded; that is to say, you will develop the capability to perform spiritual disciplines. Make up your mind that however arduous the task, it will have to be accomplished. Recognition and fame last for a short time only, they do not accompany you when you leave this world. If your thought does not naturally flow towards the Eternal, fix it there by an effort of will."

"In order to pluck a rose, one has to put one's hand into the midst of thorns. But if the rose is a person's aim and he has a keen desire to pluck it, he will not refrain from doing so for fear of being pricked. Moreover, the Reality arranges whatever is necessary for each one. It certainly knows the real need of every individual. If one has at least this much faith, there is no reason at all to feel distressed."

Sivananda:

"World peace is possible when all the people of the world wake up to the facts governing universal life and when there is a heart-to-heart feeling of goodness, love and oneness among the inhabitants of the world. Peace, to be lasting and constructive, must be achieved through God. There can be no peace without the Lord or God. God is peace. Root yourself in Peace or God. Now you are fit to radiate peace."

On this note, it is the auspicious day of Sarva Pitru Amavasya tomorrow and, as mentioned previously, there will also be a solar eclipse on this day. An eclipse is said to magnify energy, both light and dark. According to the yogis, those who harbour thoughts of violence will be more prone to evil thoughts during an eclipse. Equally, those who generate thoughts of goodwill and peace during this time will themselves benefit and also be of use to others.

We should obviously do some mantra japa for world peace during this time. The more the better. However, even a few minutes will have a positive effect. Any mantra or name of God from any spiritual tradition can be chanted as per our Gurus. 

Wars are never truly fought due to any religion. They are fought due to the love of one's own ego masquerading as devotion to God. Where there is true devotion, there can never be war; there can only be goodwill. 

The sacred time of Navaratri starts the day-after-tomorrow. This is a deeply auspicious time to worship the Divine Mother and chant Her mantras, especially the Navarna. Let us invoke the Divine Mother during this time and gain Her blessings for ourselves and the planet. 

As Krishna says is the Gita, we have a duty to act in accordance with the principles of dharma/righteousness, but it is not up to us to decide the results of our actions; that remains in the hands of God. At times like this, in accordance with the teachings of all Gurus in all spiritual traditions, we absolutely have a duty to chant mantras and prayers for inner and world peace. 

Om Namo Narayanaya. Om Sri Durgayai Namah. Om Namah Shivaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Tarpanam and ancestral karma

 Hari Aum.

According to the yogis, our ancestors leave a very deep imprint upon our material existence. Modern science has shown that we carry the genes of our parents; we obtain half our genes from our mothers and the other half from our fathers. They, in turn, obtained their genes from their own parents, who in turn obtained theirs from their parents-- and so on and so forth. So, we carry within our physical bodies, genetic material that has been passed down through countless generations.

While it is true that genes are 'shuffled' from generation to generation, we still have extremely similar genes and traits compared to our ancestors. Some genes may be 'expressed' while others may exist in apparent silence within our physical being. We may thus look and perhaps even behave in a similar way to some of our ancestors, even a generation or two before that of our parents. All of this is on a physical level. 

However, the yogis say our connection with our ancestors is much deeper than the blueprint for our physical bodies that they give us.

The  yogis tell us that the thoughts, feelings and lives as a whole lived by our ancestors shaped not only their destinies but also those of their descendants, namely ourselves. 

We inherit not only their genes, but to a significant extent, their karma; our karma is intertwined deeply with theirs. It is not only raised cholesterol, diabetes and various diseases that can run in families. The yogis say, spiritual and material traits can also very much run in families. 

They tell us that souls are not randomly born in families-- they are allocated by the universe to those families where they can receive the results of their own past karmas.

Why should we bother with our ancestral karma as spiritual seekers? Well, the yogis say, this is actually an important topic from the point of view of spiritual progress.

We can only be spiritually free or 'liberated' or 'Self-realised' once we have released all of our own karma. But, we carry within ourselves, the karma of our ancestors to a great extent. (This is why, the yogis say, there can be repeating patterns in families, not only of disease, but also other life events).

The yogis say that our ancestors, being souls, are still very much alive in other realms. One name for this realm of the ancestors is known as 'Pitru loka' (in Sanskrit, 'Pitru' means 'ancestor', and 'loka' means 'realm').

From the realms that they inhabit (outside the Earthly plane), our ancestors are said to be able observe us, their descendants. They are said to be aware of our deeds, and generally take an interest in our welfare.

However, like us, they too are bound souls, trapped within the material realms of samsara (the cycle of birth and death). And they too have minds with their own thoughts and feelings (comprising the 'astral' or subtle/non-physical aspect of their existence).

As we are deeply connected to them, not only physically, but also subtly (through the subconscious layers of our minds), it is said that their unfulfilled desires manifest within us. These can and do influence us according to the yogis.

Gurus, including Sivananda and others, have said that it is our duty to pray for the welfare of these souls who are our ancestors. 

And, in the Vedic tradition, there are various special prayers and spiritual rituals that have been performed since time immemorial for the welfare of one's ancestors and the release of our karmic debt towards them. These are very useful for spiritual progress.

One particularly popular one is known as 'tarpanam' or the water ritual. I would like to explain a bit about this here, particularly as we are currently in a sacred period of time known as 'Pitru paksha' or the fortnight dedicated to the ancestors in the Vedic calendar. This occurs in autumn every year and is a particularly good time to perform the tarpanam ritual. 

(Note- this ritual applies to householder spiritual seekers; it does not apply to monks/nuns/Swamis who renounce their families and perform another spiritual ritual for their karma).

Just as fire can be used for worship (for example, by performing homams/havans, the sacred fire ritual), so also water can be used for worship in tarpanam. Unlike homams which can be more complex and time consuming, a tarpanam can be a relatively quick and simple procedure (lasting from a couple of minutes to an hour depending upon the time available).

In essence, the tarpanam ritual involves pouring water while reciting specific mantras. The water is poured over the right hand so that it flows in a particular manner.

The human hand, according to the yogis, is not merely a vital structure required for the performance of actions in the material world. It is, they say, a portal to the realms of the demi-gods and ancestors. How so? The tarpanam water ritual provides the answer.

In essence, when one pours water over different parts of the right hand, while chanting specific (simple) mantras, the water is said to purify and bring peace to the souls of our ancestors. Three generations of ancestors on the maternal and paternal sides of the family are traditionally made water offerings in the tarpanam ritual. 

Many years ago, I discovered an excellent website with a detailed description on how to perform tarpanam for one's ancestors (it is the same site that I have previously shared on this blog that contains the manuals for the fire ritual or homam). I am referring to the website of Sri PVR Narasimha Rao-- please see below for the link. Just as for homams, he provides free manuals for simple and more complex tarpanam rituals.

https://www.vedicastrologer.org/tarpana/download.htm

I personally perform the simplest version (as this works for me due to my current schedule and commitments; in total this takes me around 5-10 minutes as I pour water a few more times than mentioned in the manual). I admit I do not perform the tarpanam ritual regularly throughout the year but I do try my best to perform this quite a few times during the pitru paksha period. 

I have therefore been doing the tarpanam ritual in the past few days in addition to my daily mantra japa. I have found that this simple five minute ritual brings me great peace and makes me feel connected in a positive way to my ancestors (particularly my grandparents who have passed away). I intend to make a greater effort to perform this more regularly in the coming year.

I would recommend performing the tarpanam ritual during this sacred time. The pitru paksha period culminates in an auspicious date known as 'Sarva pitru amavasya' (the new moon day of the lunar fortnight) which occurs on October 2 this year (it varies slightly each year based on the lunar calendar). 

This auspicious day in particular is said to be excellent for spiritual practices and especially for tarpanam (like other new moon days, it is not regarded as being particularly auspicious for material activities in accordance with the principles of Vedic astrology). In fact, if there is one day in the year when one should perform tarpanam, it is said to be the day of Sarva pitru amavasya.

This year, it so happens that a solar eclipse will take place on October 2. An eclipse is also a very good time to perform tarpanam (in addition to mantra japa) according to the yogis. So this year's Sarva pitru amavasya is particularly special for worship of God and performance of tarpanam based on the Vedic calendar.

May the souls of our ancestors be at peace, may they be released from their karmas, and may they bless us all with peace, joy and spiritual progress.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Note- if readers are not comfortable with the Sanskrit mantras for tarpanam, but would like to perform the water ritual, I feel that is perfectly acceptable and would recommend saying the prayers (equivalent to the meaning of the mantras) in your own language. 

While Sanskrit mantras do have their own value and effect, one's thoughts and feelings also have a powerful effect. While performing the water ritual (and pouring water in the manner described by Sri Rao), I feel it is quite reasonable to make the prayers in one's own native language (if one is not at ease with Sanskrit. However, the mantras for the simplest version of tarpanam, on the website mentioned above, are relatively easy and worth learning if at all possible).

Om Namo Narayanaya.

The not-so-sweet spiritual silver jubilee

 Hari Aum.

I was reflecting that it is nearly twenty-five years since I first developed an interest in worshipping Lord Krishna. During this period, I have experimented with various spiritual practices, ranging from meditation, to mantra japa, to kirtan, to yoga asanas to pranayamas, homams, pujas and more.

But there no sign of Him yet. This makes the mind pensive. He has given me all sorts of things I never asked for. All sorts of people have come and gone in my life. But no sign of Him yet. And I wonder, what is the use of all these people, if You have not yet come as You? (Yes, it is true that all the souls whom I have met are all manifestations of God-- and are just wonderful and fantastic of course, whether they came into my life invited or uninvited!- but where are You?!)

I ask God pensively, "What have I not endured for Your sake, honestly?! What have I not gone through? What further troubles are You plotting? Is what You have supplied already not enough!".

Another dark night of the soul....surely not. I have to admit, I am tired. Fed up of this spiritual path that is so long and dreary.

On some level, I feel I should celebrate. To keep up spiritual life, with all its ups and downs, for approximately two and a half decades in the midst of all sorts of worldly challenges has not been easy (I have been consistent with daily mantra japa in particular for nearly thirteen years). I am grateful to God and Guru for allowing this to happen. But I am getting a bit irritable at present. 

How long does one have to wait for a darshan of God?!

He has provided a whole bunch of people I never asked for, including soul mates, karmics, toxics, twin souls and other randoms-- I am very respectful of them all generally, but honestly, there comes a time when one's patience begins to run out! What is the use of all of them if there is no Vishnu/Krishna in sight?!

I can honestly say today, that I am thoroughly fed up of spiritual life. Tired of striving, tired of battling, tired of this Maya jugglery. 

I am reminded of the original Vishnupriya (the Goddess Tulasi) who found it in herself to pronounce a curse on Lord Vishnu Himself. There are times when I wish I could do the same-- heartless God with no compassion, endlessly making His devotees run like hamsters in this dreaded wheel of samsara.

Day after day, night after night...the same old drama....the same sadhana....but no sight of God. No darshan, no prospect of one at all. It is unbelievable.

I know the Gurus tell us to be patient. But for how long is a soul to be patient! Ramakrishna famously advised his students to tell God "I have said Your name, so how can I be a sinner? How can I be in bondage anymore?"

I feel like saying the same to God. "I am really very tired and I require a darshan of You. It is very simple really. Just show up. Like You did for Sivananda and others. And don't tell me I have not done enough to please You-- I simply refuse to believe it!" I could be wrong, but I totally feel that God should now give me His darshan!

I am happy to continue all the purascharanas that I have committed to even after the darshan-- I really am. I just need to have a darshan around now, not in another lifetime or when I am very, very aged (assuming I even live that long). (If you have had His darshan, can you please pass on my message-- I would really appreciate it!)

So, as this 'silver jubilee' of spiritual life approaches (around next month), I must say that I am not pleased with Vishnu. Not at all pleased. No amount of "Om Namo Narayanaya" has led to His darshan. All sorts of other, wanted and unwanted, 'darshans' have taken place-- but of Him, no!

And the tragedy in all of this, is that He leaves His devotees with no choice at all. There is no option but to carry on. What can be gained by stopping on this spiritual journey? The answer is clearly nothing at all. 

There is no lasting permanent peace or happiness in this world filled with Maya. And the Lord of this Maya has placed us all in this quicksand of samsara and cheerfully walked off (He may be everywhere, but, as we are not aware of this most of the time, this is what He has effectively done!).

An acquaintance was telling me today of the tragic death of her middle-aged son last year. He had developed a health issue that did not at all fit with the typical picture of the illness. Life is full of such unfortunate events. There is no certainty at all here.

As Sivananda says, life here is essentially a mixture of one part of happiness and sixteen parts of problems. That is the ratio. When this is the case, we need to ask ourselves what we are really doing with our time. What is the use of running around day and night in this material world? It really makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Anyway, I am determined to celebrate my silver jubilee of being a Krishna devotee-- even if there is no sign of Krishna whatsoever! I plan to gift myself an excellent box of chocolates and other sweet treats (it helps that Diwali is not far off!). I will enjoy eating these sweets in the midst of chanting "Om Namo Narayanaya!" (and will not take kindly to any questions being asked by my Higher Self/ God/ Guru about my devotion or self-control!). I will take this as a sort of prasad!

I really hope all of you are having a better time with your sadhana than I am. If there are other souls who have also been walking this spiritual path for a long time and are also exhausted, I can only say that I greatly sympathise with you. We just have to keep going. Have some chocolate (or similar) and carry on-- it is not as if there are any other options available anyway!

On that note, I am going to do a little japa and go off to sleep! 

Om Namo Narayanaya. Om Namo Narayanaya. Om Namo Narayanaya!

Hari Aum Tat Sat.