The Sons and Daughters of Shiva

The most famous sons of Shiva are Ganesha, Karthikeya and Ayyappa. He has other sons and daughters, who are lesser known. We will look at them one by one.

Ayyappa /Sastav, who is now enshrined in the famous temple of Sabarimala in Kerala is an offspring of Shiva and Vishnu, when he took the form of beautiful Mohini to lure the asuras away from Amrut, an elixir which was the output of the churning of the ocean of milk and also to kill Narakasura. Ayyappa was a great warrior trained by Parashurama.

Andhaka, as the name suggests was blind, was a son of Shiva. He was raised by a demon named Hiranyaksha who was childless. He was killed by Shiva himself when he tried to molest Parvathi. 

Bhauma was another son of Shiva. He was born when three drops of Shiva's sweat fell on earth /Bhumi. He was a beautiful red-skinned infant with four arms. Since Shiva was in deep meditation Bhumi raised the kid. When he grew up he did severe penance to please Shiva and Shiva granted him the Mangala Loka. He established himself in the Solar System as planet Mars/ Mangala.
Khuja is also Shiva's son, who is worshiped as the 'Lord of Iron'. Bhauma and Khuja appears to be one and the same. 

Nandi was also Shiva's son. In Shiva Purana, as a boon Shiva promised Shiladra that he will be born as his son. 

Veerabhadra was born of a lock of Shiva's hair. He destroyed Daksha's yagna. 

Ganesha, Shiva's most popular son. The elephant headed God.The most intelligent /illuminated one. The remover of sorrows and hurdles. Ganesha wrote down the epic Mahabharatha, while Vyasa dictated it. Padmapurana says Ganesha was married to sisters Riddhi and Siddhi ( Siddhi and Buddhi ). It is said that you should not keep more than one Ganesh idol in your Puja Room. 

Karthikeya was born to slay the demon called Tarak and his army. He is worshiped more in South India where he is  known as Murugan /Subhramanian /Senthil etc. His appearance is that of a teenager holding a spear, with a peacock and a snake on the ground -symbolizing the two extremes of spirituality- Shiva and Shakti. He was the incarnation of an already illuminated soul. He is also called Guru.

Ashoka Sundhari:- When  Lord Ganesh and Karthikeya were grown up, maa Parvathi started feeling lonely. She went to the famous Kalpavriksha tree and asked for a boon and wished for a daughter. Thus Ashoka Sundhari was born. Ashoka meaning, she removed the 'shok' or sadness from Parvathi's life and Sundhari because she was a beautiful young girl. Ashoka Sundhari was later married to Nahusha of the lunar dynasty. Ashoka Sundhari is considered to be the mother of Yayati and a hundred daughters. Devi Ashoka Sundhari is worshiped in Gujarat. She is associated with salt. 

Jyothi is the goddess of light.The deity can be found in a few temples in Tamil Nadu. She emerged from Shiva's halo and is a physical manifestation of His grace. 

Mansa /Manasa is a goddess who cures snake bites in Bengali folk lore. She is the sister of Vasuki, the king of snakes. She was born when Shiva's semen touched a statue carved by Kadru, the mother of snakes. She  was a very unhappy and bad tempered goddess. Parvathi /Chandi, her stepmother hated her. Chandi burnt one of her eyes, so she is also known as the 'one-eyed goddess'.She is also the goddess of fertility and marriage rites. She was the one who saved Shiva when he drank poison. She is depicted as a woman covered with snakes sitting on a lotus / standing on a snake under a canopy of seven cobras. Sometimes she is depicted with a child on her lap, believed to be her son.

Ganesha - The Story of His Birth

One day in Mount Kailash, the abode of Shiva. Parvathi, Shiva's consort was alone and she wanted to take bath. So she asked Nandi, the bull to guard the entrance. Nandi was the vehicle of Shiva. She instructed him not to allow anyone inside without her consent. When Shiva came home, Nandi allowed him to go inside, being more loyal to Shiva. Parvathi was so angry. Next time when she was alone, she created a boy out of her sweat,who would be a very loyal son to her and named him Ganesha. ( There is another version that says the boy was created out of the turmeric paste which Parvathi used to apply on her body before taking bath.) She asked the boy to guard the door. When Shiva came the boy did not allow Shiva to go inside. In the ensuing fight the boy defeated all of Shiva's army. Shiva was so enraged that he beheaded the boy.

When Parvathi came to know this, she became so angry that she promised to destroy all Creation. Many ferocious multi-armed forms emerged from her body. Lord Brahma, the Creator pleaded with her to maintain her calm. Finally she agreed on two conditions : First, the boy should be brought back to life. Second one was, she wanted him to be worshiped before all Gods, forever.

Shiva agreed to these conditions and asked Brahma to bring the head of the first creature he saw, who is lying with his head in the north direction. Lord Brahma brought the head of an elephant. Shiva placed the head on Ganesha's body and brought him back to life. Shiva also accepted him as his son. He declared that from henceforth Ganesha would be worshiped before all Gods and he was made the leader of all *Ganas, So Ganesha is also known as Ganapathi. This version of the story is from Shiva Purana. There are many other versions too.

There is a symbolic aspect to this story. Ganesha created by Parvathi represents the ordinary person.Shiva is the spiritual aspect and Parvathi is Shakti. Ganesha did not have the spiritual essence of Shiva. The fight between Shiva and Ganesha is the fight between the higher soul and lower nature and finally the higher soul prevails. The slaying of original Ganesha symbolizes the slaying of one's lower nature and accepting /becoming one with the higher soul, Shiva. Thus becoming the real son of Shiva.



*different classes of beings

Ashtanga Yoga

Patanjali, the ancient sage in his book Yoga Sutra explains the Ashtanga Yoga. Ashta is sanskrit for eight and anga means limbs, That is one has to follow the eight limb /eight fold path to attain yoga. The eight fold path to be followed are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyan and Samadhi. 

We will look at it one by one:

Yama (the principles of moral code) : There are five, Ahimsa (non-violance), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non stealing), Brahmacharya (celibacy) and Aparigah (non hoarding/possessiveness). 

Niyama (Personal discipline ): Also five: Shoucha (purity/ cleanliness ), Santhosha (Happiness/ Contentment ), Tapa (Endurance/ Stoicism ), Swadhyaya (self-study) and  Eshwar Pranidhan (dedication). 

Asana (Posture ) : A comfortable posture that keeps you stable, so that you can concentrate on your meditation. 

Pranayama (Yogic Breathing ) : Controlling you inhalations and exhalations. 

Pratyahara (Withdrawal of senses ) : By withdrawing ones senses one is able to increase the power of ones mind. 

Dharana (concentration ) : Concentrating ones mind on an object and things associated with it. 

Dhyan (Meditation) : Concentrating on one point and nothing else. 

Samadhi (Moksha / Salvation ) A state of supreme bliss, union of the individual consciousness with the Cosmic consciousness, the union of Shiva and Shakti. A state of realization of God, which is the ultimate achievement of human birth. 





Thanks to Yoga VidyaGurukul

Meet your Consciousness

The first meditation that was taught in the Basic Pranic Healing Class was The Meditation of Twin Hearts, a guided meditation in our Guru's own voice. This meditation is not only a technique for achieving illumination, but also a service to the world, as the earth is blessed with loving-kindness.

 Usually the teachers ask us to study / read about the topic before experimenting. This was one thing i never followed, i don't know why. Especially if its spirituality - spiritual practices, i just go for it. My point is this: through different life times i might have acquired some knowledge and i preferred to bank on it. So when i started meditating regularly, i was totally unaware of what was in store for me. 

In the beginning everything was erratic, especially the time of meditation. Gradually i settled into a pattern. I started enjoying the blissful stillness. Then i realised that i had been through similar experiences throughout my life, never recognising what it was. I thought the blue pearl was a vision defect. 

Very rarely i saw images in my meditation. Then, one day during meditation a very beautiful blue face emerged. I had never seen anything so divinely beautiful. 

A few weeks later, i was reading a book, one of Master's. In it, there was an explanation to the blue imagery. It is your individual consciousness. 

Different people see different images.

Universal Truth - Spiritual Symbolism in other Cultures and religions.

When we look deeper into different cultures and religions, we will find that the underlying concept is the same - to raise the consciousness. All different paths lead to the same destination. All disputes and rivalry in the name of culture and religion arise from superficial misinterpretations of the same.

In my previous blog Shiva and Shakti - A spiritual symbolism, the concept of Shiva and Shakti was explained. In Indian mythology Shiva represents the spiritual energy and Shakti represents the divine feminine or Kundalini . 

In Christianity, the Holy Spirit represents the spiritual energy and the Sacred fire represents the Kundalini. When these two powers unite, the results is enlightenment. 

In Buddhist, Taoist and Chinese tradition bai hui (crown chakra ) is opened to bring down the tian chi (spiritual energy). 

In Europe the "live happily ever after" fairy tales represents the same concept. Here the spiritual energy is the "Prince Charming" and the kundalini energy is the "Sleeping Beauty". 

From all the above, we can understand that the spiritual truths are not confined to a particular culture or religion. They are universal.


Indebted to Grand Master Choa Kok Sui.

Espoused - A Spiritual Journey

The word "growing" implies process. Growing implies mistakes.....we all make mistakes! Do not make a big fuss when you make a mistake. Just keep going. Do not be too hard on yourself.                  
- GMCKS


How important is a life partner? Is there any other relationship in this planet that is more important and total?  There might be exceptions depending on ones outlook and perception. Here i am talking not about the exceptions, but about the majority to which i belong. 

When i look back now, i could see that myself and my husband had more differences than similarities. The relationship was built on similarities and little things like the love of home-made food, a cozy home and listening intently when the other person talked, whether you liked /understood the subject or not. Meanwhile we tried sincerely to work out our differences, and over the course of time we reached amicable solutions. Rome was not built in a day!

This is one relationship where you get to do multiple roles: such as a lover and a loved one, ego and alter ego, parent and child, a teacher and student etc etc. Here is a relationship that brings forth many qualities, you thought you never had. This is a space where two souls grow up into more perfect souls in the company of each other. This relationship is the greatest investment of a life time, not only world-wise, but also spiritually. This relationship is nothing less than a sadhana - an ego transcending spiritual practice.

Many a time a life partner, whether husband or wife, is taken for granted or idolized, which is like being a spectator,rather. Please don't do that. You were not brought together for a passive existence. Delve deep into the life given to you. Experience it with an open mind, work on it with patience and love, improve your perception-live and let live. Look at your partner as your friend and equal. Overcome the hurdles together. Enjoy the togetherness and thank each other for everything. 

Inverted tree of life - Bhagvad Gita -Chapter 15

My blog 'Tree of Life - An Introduction' deals with the various symbols of the Tree of Life in various cultures and religions, in general. In Chapter - 15 of Bhagvad Gita Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna about the Inverted Tree of Life, which represents human existence. 

The Inverted Tree of Life is pictured as an eternal Banyan Tree with its roots above in the air, hitched to the all-pervading Almighty and branches growing downwards. The leaves of the tree are the Vedic Hymns. One who knows this tree knows the Vedas. 

The branches of this Banyan tree grow upwards and down wards as a result of the three *gunas (Rajas, tamas and sattva ). The ones who do good karmas are spiritually elevated to celestial abodes , which is represented by the upward growing branches, the downward growing branches represent those who commit sins. They are incarnated as lower species or are send to the nether worlds. The sprouting buds of the tree symbolises desires and the aerial roots feed those desires. Banyan trees has this quality of producing aerial roots and increasing the size of its trunk. Metaphorically speaking the aerial roots that feed the desires and grow in size entangle the soul in material consciousness. 

No one can perceive the form of this tree, nor understand the beginning, the end or the foundation of this tree. But if one wants to release oneself from this material world and attain Supreme Bliss one must, with great determination, cut down this tree with the weapon of Detachment. Thus elevating oneself spiritually and surrendering to the Supreme Godhead, who is the eternal source of everything. 

*Rajas - Passion, Tamas - Inertia, Sattva - Purity.

Vishu

Vishu is a festival of Kerala celebrated on the first day of the malayalam month Medam, Astronomical New year and Mesha Sankranthi. In the Gregorian calender, vishu falls on the second week of April. It is also a harvesting festival. Like Onam. vishu too is a festival of plenty celebrated with great joy. There are some rituals associated with Vishu which one can't do without.

Vishu Kani also known as kani kanal refers to the first thing you see in the morning. If the first thing you see in the morning of Vishu is auspicious, it is believed, the whole year will be auspicious. The preparations for the Kani are made on the previous night itself. The puja room is cleaned and an idol or photo of Sri Krishna is established.It is then garlanded. Two lamps are kept on either side. Then in an uruli some raw rice or paddy is placed; a new, white or off-white folded cloth and things like old palm-leaf (cadjan) book, gold ornaments, yellow cucumber, Konna poovu (cassia fistula flowers), jackfruit, coconut halved, ripe banana/plantains, raw mangoes and all seasonal fruits are placed in the uruli. On the top or behind the uruli a mirror is placed. If you have a metal mirror (aranmula kannadi) use that. Usual things used in puja such as water, incense sticks, arecanuts, betel leaves etc etc. are needed. 

In the morning the lady of the house lights the lamp and bring the members of the house blindfolded to the puja room. There they take off the blind-fold and see the auspicious kani. Then it is the time for Kai-neetom. The head of the family gives some money to each and every member of the house and also to the poor and needy. It is believed that this distribution of money will bring good luck and prosperity to the giver as well as the receivers. Nowadays many people visit the temple to see the kani. 

After bath they wear brand new dress (kodi ).Some people recite the Ramayana. Then there is a sumptuous feast (Sadya) made from seasonal vegetables. In the evening some crackers are burst. 

Vishu marks the beginning of new hopes and aspirations. 

Tree of Life - An Introduction

When we go through the history of religions, as well as ancient cultures, we will find one thing in common - the symbol of a tree. Most of the cultures referred to it as the Tree of Life. In most cultures the tree was a symbol of immortality. Currently, it is considered as a symbol of the Creator of the Universe - that divine energy that interconnects each and every being. 

The most popular tree symbol is the Tree of life in the Garden of Eden ( Hebrew legend ), guarded by a snake. Another popular one is the Cross of Christ, which is considered as a tree of life. Cross symbolizes the meeting of Heaven and Earth, the union of the holy spirit and the heart (Orthodox Church). Kabbalah's symbol of the Tree of life and knowledge, depicts the flow of creation from the Divine to Earth and back to the Divine. 

Mayan tree of life is a cross with it center being the point of 'absolute beginning', the source of all creation and its branches passing through each of the three layers of existence - Underworld, earth and the sky. Tin- tir-ki, the old name of Babylon, means 'the place of the tree of life. The magical fruits of the tree of life in Babylon could only be picked by the Gods. The early Sumerian art depicts a pole or tree intertwined by a pair of snakes. This tree is known as 'axis-mundi'. This tree connects all the three cosmic planes - heaven, earth and underworld. The Assyrians substituted the tree for the caduceus (winged staff) with coiled snakes circling around the wooden staff. The snake - a symbol of underworld consciousness, climbs up the staff - representing earth and transcends to winged reality - the heaven. 

The Egyptian tree of life is Acacia. The first couple Isis and Osiris emerged from it. According to them life and death are enclosed in the tree of life. In Nordic cultures too there is a tree of life - Yggdrasil. It is a huge Ash tree which provides the water of knowledge. There is an eagle (symbol of Thor) on the top of the tree and a snake coiled at the roots. Two dogs guard the tree. Gods daily meet on this tree. 

In pre-Islamic Persian mythology, there is a reference to a Haoma tree which bears all seeds. A drink made out of the plant provided immortality and essential qualities needed.

In Baha'i faith writings there is a reference to a tree of life which is planted in Paradise. The tree represents the spiritual realm. 

In Buddhism there is the Bodhi Tree (Ficus religiosa ) under which Buddha sat when he got enlightened. 

Chinese tree of life has a phoenix and dragon. The dragon at the bottom symbolises immortality. 

Taoists' tree of life produces a peach every 3000 years. The person who eats the peach achieves immortality. 

The Inverted Tree of Life in Bhagvad Gita*.  

* http://ashasnair.blogspot.com/2016/04/inverted-tree-of-life-bhagvad-gita.html

Spirituality

Spirituality leads to the union of the Individual consciousness with the divine consciousness, the state of oneness. This dissolution of the duality is Yoga. 

The yogi who pursues spirituality has to free himself from the clutches of illusion / Maya and should be able to see the reality. With total faith and patience he must follow the spiritual path. He should practice meditation daily. And, thus achieve his life purpose - Nirvana. 

Spirituality is reaching out to  the inner divine.

Spirituality is not something that you can buy over the counter. Spirituality is not something you can snatch from another person. Spirituality is not a paid or unpaid service. It is not a legacy. Each soul has to earn its own Moksha.


Spirituality is a conscious and difficult walk-back to the Source, which is the  Divine Consciousness/ Shiva.

Shiva and Shakti - The spiritual symbolism

Shiva and Shakti represents the masculine and feminine aspects on all levels of existence. The self-complementary Ardhanareeswara (half man, half woman) concept. 

In Yoga, Shakti is known as Kundalini. And in Tantra it is known as Shakti. Kundalini is the energy of the prana. It flows through the nadis ( channels ). The intersection of these channels where the energy concentrates are known as Chakras (energy centers).  Shakti or Kundalini lies dormant in every being, which can be unleashed through Yogic or Tantric practises.

Shiva represents consciousness - divine consciousness or the Self and Shakthi represents energy, vitality -feminine creative power. Or Shiva is Purusha (consciousness) and Shakti is Prakriti (nature). Or Shiva is the Unmanifest (formless) and Shakti is the Manifest (formed). Everything we see around us is Shakti, from a grain of sand to the Sun. Every sound, every thought, every feeling, every act is Shakti. She can enslave you as well as free you. She is the illusion (Maya ) and She is the reality. Shiva is latent, Shakti is active. Shiva represents the constitutive elements of the Universe and Shakti is the dynamic potency which makes these elements come to life. Shiva can experience himself only through Shakti. 

Each world, each being, in short, every aspect of the Universe has its Shiva and Shakti - a complementary duality of Being and its power of Becoming. Through Her He assumes the form of the Universe. Because Consciousness without energy is dormant and Energy without consciousness is blind or aimless. 

In this world the subtle energies condense to form the Panchabhootha; through the Panchabhootha we are able to experience the gross world. To get out of this Gross Existence, we have to awaken our Kundalini which is lying dormant in the Mooladhara chakra, at the tip of the spine. This can be done through Yogic or Tantric practises. This is the universal goal of spiritual life. Through constant practice the Kundalini/Shakti rises to the Sahasrara Chakra, the seat of the divine consciousness / Shiva. The union of Shiva and Shakti symbolises the coming together of the feminine and masculine energies within a person, as well as the creation of the world. The supreme bliss of the union of Shiva and Shakti is pregnant with the eternal truth - Love. The supreme state when Shiva merges with Shakti is known as Nirvana, Oneness, Enlightenment, Moksha etc. 

The union of Shiva and Shakti is also known as dance of Shiva and Shakthi. Both the genders have both the masculine and feminine aspects in them. The inner masculine and the inner feminine meet each other on equal terms. All the limiting belief systems and inequality of genders have to go . The dance of ecstasy cannot happen if one of these aspects is seen as better than the other.

How to Meditate - Bhagwad Gita Chapter 6

A yogi who is detached and who has control over his body and mind should remain in a secluded place and concentrate on the self. 

The yogi should remain in a clean place, on a seat that is neither too high  nor too low, that is covered with kusa grass, a deer skin and a cloth. His mind focused and all the activities of his senses controlled he should sit on this seat and engage in yoga for the sake of self-purification. 

The yogi should hold his head and neck erect and sit motionless, and concentrate on the tip of his nose. 

The yogi should observe a vow of chastity. 

Such a self-disciplined yogi, who, in all devotion, holds the Supreme Parabrahman as the highest object will attain Supreme peace which is beyond all material existence. 

Yoga is the state, where all sorrow arising due to material  contact dissolves, where the mind of the self controlled person comes to a halt. In such a state he sees the Self by the Self and is self satisfied and comes to know the immeasurable joy that is beyond the comprehension of the senses - which can be understood only by the pure intelligence of the soul - in which once established he never wavers from the truth, a state in which nothing can perturb him. 

To attain such a state, a person should practice yoga with determination, his mind always confident of the success of his endeavors. 

Super Brain Yoga

There are many things we do, but do not know the significance behind those. Thoppu karanam/ Super brain Yoga, as it is known today, is one of them. In schools it was a punishment and when done before Lord Ganesha it was an act of reverence. Now it is said that it is an exercise for the brain. So when teachers made you do it as a punishment, they were, inadvertently helping to enhance your brain power. Lord Ganesha being the god of wisdom and intelligence, it is a salutation to Him, which helped you to become smarter.

I came to know about the benefits of Super Brain Yoga when i joined my Pranic Healing class. To get the full benefit it should be done systematically. There is a certain procedure you have to follow. Grand Master Choa Kok Sui has explained it very clearly.  

1. Face East. People above 40 yrs, face North.
2. Connect your tongue to the palate. 
3. Invoke for divine blessing. (optional) 
4. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
5.*Squeeze the right ear lobe with your left thumb and left index finger.
6.*Then squeeze your left ear lobe with your right thumb and right index finger. 
7. *The left arm must be inside and right arm outside. This is the correct position.
* See the picture below:

8. When Squatting down, inhale simultaneously.
9. When standing up, exhale simultaneously.

10. Repeat steps 8 and 9, 14 times per session.
11. Release your fingers from your ear lobes. 
12. Say a short prayer of thanksgiving. (optional) 

When done exactly as explained above, the energy from the lower chakras rise to the upper chakras and energises them. This exercise benefits young and old alike.Many diseases associated with brain development and brain degeneration are cured. (ADD, ADHD, Alzheimer's, Down syndrome etc.) Super brain yoga synchronizes the left and right hemispheres of the brain. 

*Ladies must not do Super Brain Yoga during menstruation.
*Preferably vegetarian diet. Non-vegetarian's avoid pork, cat fish and other fish without scales.

Ugadi / Yugadi

Ugadi /Yugadi is the First Day of the New Year according to the Hindu / Saka / Lunar Calendar. The month of Chaitra being the first month and Ugadi being the first day of the month. The name Yugadi is coined from two Sanskrit words Yuga and Adi. Yuga means age /year and Adi means beginning. 

Yugadi is usually celebrated on the day after the New Moon in the month of Chaitra. So the date is not fixed. According to Gregorian Calendar it is celebrated in March or April. Yugadi Coincides with the Spring Equinox. Some Indians celebrate Yugadi on the day after the Spring Equinox. This year it falls on April 8, in India.

Ugadi / Yugadi is celebrated in the Deccan region in India, where Lunar Calendar is followed. The states of Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa celebrate Ugadi. In Maharashtra the festival is known as Gudi Padwa. Many other states too celebrate their New Year on the same day. 

In Andhra Pradesh and Telengana a ceremonial dish known as Ugadi Pachadi is prepared. It is a confluence of six different tastes - sweet, sour, spice, salt, tangy and bitter, symbolising happiness, disgust, anger, fear, surprise and sadness respectively.  The materials used in the preparation are fresh jaggery, fresh tamarind juice, chilly/pepper, salt, raw mango and neem flowers. The preparation of the pachadi vary from region to region. The ugadi pachadi symbolises human life.  

Many other special dishes are prepared. These too vary from place to place. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and merriment. Later people gather in temples to hear the New year forecast (Panjanga Sravanam ).

Who is a Yogi? - Bhagvad Gita Chapter 6

Yoga of Self -Control 

One who does his duties properly and renounces the fruit of his action is a renunciant and a yogi

When all attachments towards sense objects and actions cease, and when all material impulses stop, one attains yoga. A person who has disciplined his mind can attain the supreme form of peace, that is part of the Supreme Parabrahman. So whether one attains elevation or degradation is up to one's mind. A mind that is under control is a friend, otherwise it is a foe. 

A great yogi is impartial, he sees everything equally. It doesn't matter to him whether it is a friend or a foe, stone or precious metal, saint or sinner. He treats everyone equally.

The yogi who considers the pain and pleasure of others as his own is considered to be the best of all. That yogi who worships the Supreme Parabrahman in the oneness of understanding lives in Him, regardless of how his actions are. 

A yogi who abides in the Supreme Parabrahman with full faith and devotion is most intimately united with the Supreme Parabrahman and considered the best of all, 

A yogi with constant practice of meditation, free from any trace of evil, easily reaches Brahman and thus attains boundless happiness.

A sincere yogi, even if he falls from the path of yoga attains heaven. He stays there for eternity. Then he  is allowed to be born in a congenial environment, where he can complete his practice and attain perfection. Such a birth is rare.

For someone who has just begun yoga, accomplishment of yoga can be attained only by action and for the one who has already attained yoga, perfection is possible through the termination of all activity. 

Even one who merely enquires about yoga, transcends the ritualistic recitation of the Vedas.  

Jnana and Nishkama karma  are most important.

Oneness / Vasudeva Kudumbakam

What is the measure of spirituality???

Is it the knowledge and mastery of the Scriptures? OR is it measured by the number of pilgrimages undertaken? The Bhagvad Gita gives the answer. 

When the Divine Energy/Light enters the physical realm of this planet, it is refracted and scattered like the light ray which is passed through a prism. A human being sees this scattered light/ diversity and assumes it as the reality. He can observe only differences. Differences lead to comparisons and finally conflict. This makes life on earth Hell. 

On a physical level, if a person is able to raise himself above this chaos and confusion and see the oneness between him and his fellow beings, he will attain peace and tranquility. When he understands that and when he starts believing in Vasudeva Kudumbakam (World as a single family), peace will prevail. This feeling of oneness is the greatest measure of one's spirituality.

On a spiritual level meditation on the Supreme Parabrahman raises one's consciousness. And finally, one is able to become one with the Supreme Parabrahman and attain Moksha.

Bye for Now, Sweet Friend

Yesterday night one of my friends passed away leaving behind her two girls, her parents, siblings, her husband, her friends and all her students, who hoped against hope for her recovery. She suffered from lung cancer. 

We met in Hyderabad a decade ago. Unlike me, she was a very articulate person and made friends very quickly.  She worked as lecturer in a reputed college until she left Hyderabad a few years back. Next thing i heard was that she suffered from lung cancer - fourth stage. That was unbelievable. She had left Hyderabad as a healthy and robust person. 

Lung Cancer is a silent killer. Only three-fourth of the affected people show some symptoms like cough, coughing up blood or rust colored sputum, weight loss, hoarseness, wheezing, shortness of breath etc. These symptoms too appear in the advance stages. For my friend, she coughed up blood along with sputum. The diagnosis was fourth stage lung cancer. 

When i met her later, she didn't look like she had that fatal disease. As usual she was talking continuously - her dreams about her girls, her writing during her remission, her work as a counsellor in the hospital and about friends and students, her well wishers. She inspired her fellow patients to lead a quality life. Like a true teacher, she lifted them up from depths of depression. She lead by example.  She was an epitome of Hope.  A life well spent. Bye for now, sweet friend. 

The Soul or the Self cannot be killed..
It cannot be slain...
It cannot be drowned..
And it cannot be burned..
Just as a person changes his garments from day to day -
A person changes his body from incarnation to incarnation.
The Soul...that I AM is immortal.

- The Bhagvad Gita, Chapter 1