Prayers - why do I?

There have been several occasions in my life when I have been asked 2 questions –

1. What is the need for prayers or prarthana?
2. Why do I pray?

Out of curiosity, I did a short introspection and here are my findings. Most major religions in the world involve prayer in one way or another in their rituals. Prayer is considered to be an integral part of the Hindu way of living. The Gita and the Vedas play a vital role in Hinduism in the rituals of prayers. The chanting of mantras is the most popular form of praying in Hinduism. The word ‘Prarthana (prayer) is derived from 2 words - ‘pra’ & ‘artha’ meaning pleading fervently.

• In other words, Prayer includes respect, love, pleading and faith and involves asking The Lord for something with intense yearning. 
• The words used in prayer may take the form of intercession, a hymn, chanting words of gratitude, or a spontaneous utterance in the person’s praying words.
• Praying is done in public, as a group, or in private and has different forms which include prayers reflecting praise, requesting guidance or assistance, confessing sins or an expression of one’s thoughts and emotions.

In addition to these conclusions, I wish to offer my own thoughts on why I pray:

1. Prayer is my first resort rather than my last resort to ensure God always guides me, not by preventing problems for me but by providing solutions for the problems constantly.
2. Through a prayer I wish I succeed in expressing my helplessness and thus endow the task for help to God.
3. I pray for wisdom and guidance through the maze of life that is always sidetracked with a lot of distractions and diversions. 
4. I pray to build bonds with Him in good times rather than run to Him only as bad times.
5. I pray so that I get to know God better and request for an altruistic relationship with all.
6. I pray to ask for strength to overcome trying times. 
7. I pray because when there is no crutch, prayers offer me solace and the belief that my words for help will be heeded.
8. Another reason for me to pray is for the purpose of repentance.
9. Praying permits me to seek God's help the purpose of my life. I think one of the most important purposes of prayer is to bring my will into synchronized correspondence with God’s will.
10. After all, hope keeps the world alive. My hopes lie in the strength of my prayers in the language that I do not understand but which I find pleasing to my ears – Sanskrit.

The Bhagavata Purana [Srimad Bhagavatam] - What, why & how?

The Bhagavata Purana [Srimad Bhagavatam] - What? why and how?

“The Srimad Bhagavatam is the very essence of all the Vedanta literature. One who has enjoyed the nectar of its rasa never has any desire for anything else."

• The Bhagavata Purana also known as Srimad Bhagavatam or Bhagavata, literally meaning Divine-Eternal tales of Supreme God) is one of the maha (prefix meaning great) Puranic texts of Hinduism, with its focus on bhakti (religious devotion) to Supreme God Vishnu (Narayana), primarily focusing on Krishna. 
• The Bhagavata is a product of oral tradition, its extant version usually dated between 4th or 10th century CE and Sage Veda Vyasa is accredited for being the author of Bhagavata Purana. 
• The Bhagavata Purana includes many stories well known in Hinduism, including the various avatars of Vishnu and the life and pastimes of his complete incarnation, Krishna. 
• The Bhagavata is widely recognized as the best known and most influential of the Puranas, & is at times referred to as the "5th Veda" along with itihasa + other puranas. 
• The Bhagavata is unique in Indian religious literature; and is primarily a bhakti text, with an emphasis emphasis on the practice of bhakti and achieving moksha through cultivating a personal relationship with Vishnu in the form of Krishna, compared to the more theoretical bhakti of the Bhagavad Gita. In fact, the Padma Purana categorizes Bhagavata Purana as a Sattva Purana (Purana which represents goodness and purity).
• The Bhagavata teaches that simply following Vedic injunctions that do not produce devotion towards God, is of transitory benefit and so is considered to be fruitless labour The Bhagavata extends the concept of dharma that had previously been regarded either as the duty to follow Vedic injunctions, as a moral code that emphasizes ahimsa (non-injury), and satya (truthfullness), into the idea of self-realization through yoga. While classical yoga attempts to shut down the mind and senses, the Bhakti Yoga in the Bhagavata teaches that the focus of the mind is transformed by filling the mind with thoughts of Krishna. The Bhagavata also considers dharma to consist of sincere worship and devotion towards God without any ulterior motive.
• The Bhagavata Purana is considered to be the purest and greatest of all the puranas since it invokes intense devotion and personal bhakti toward Krishna as Lord Vishnu and his various incarnations in human form but primarily focusing on Krishna since he was the complete incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
• The Bhagavata Purana declares Lord Vishnu (Narayana) as Param Brahman  or Supreme Lord who creates unlimited universes and enters each one of them as Lord of Universe. 
• The Bhagavata Purana truly reveals the means for becoming free from all material work, together with the processes of pure transcendental knowledge, renunciation and devotion to Lord Vishnu and anyone who seriously tries to understand, hears and chants the verses of the Bhagavata Purana with devotion to Lord Vishnu, becomes completely liberated from material bondage and attains moksha or liberation from the cycle of births and deaths in the material world.
• Lord Vishnu engages in creation of 14 worlds within the universe as Brahma when he deliberately accepts rajas guna. Lord Vishnu himself sustains, maintains and preserves the universe as Vishnu when he accepts sattva guna and annihilates the universe at the end of maha-kalpa as Shiva or Rudra when he accepts tamas guna.
• The tenth book (or canto), which is dedicated to Krishna, takes up about one quarter of the entire Bhagavata. It includes the most comprehensive collection of stories about the life of Krishna, showing him in all the stages and conditions of human life. It also includes instruction in the practice of bhakti, an analysis of bhakti, and descriptions of the different types of bhakti. 
• Many Vaishnavas consider Srimad Bhagvatam to be non-different from Krishna and to be the literary form of Krishna. In fact, the Bhagavata, along with the Bhagavad Gita, are the main sources of scriptural authority used by Vaishnavas for demonstrating the devotion to Hari.
• The Bhagavata is a recounting of events by the storyteller Ugrasrava Sauti (Sūta) to Shaunaka and other sages assembled in the Naimisha Forest. 
• As a composer, Veda Vyasa re-edited the vedas which was a single unit into 4 units - Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva, so that the four kinds of officiating priests may perform and the vedas do not disappear. 
• Vyasa also wrote Mahabharata for the people who were debarred from studying vedas to understand Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha principles. 
• As Sūta explains, Veda Vyasa was still very dissatisfied, even after he made divine knowledge available to humans by writing the Vedas and the Mahabharata.
• As he was contemplating the source of his distress in the banks of river Saraswati, Sage Narada arrived and Vyasa Maharshi confesses that he was unhappy and that he does not feel any joy or satisfaction within himself. He asks Sage Narada for advice. 
• Narada asks Veda Vyasa to create an epic (divine sacred text) which would describe the unsullied glory of Lord Vasudeva (Vishnu) and sing the glory of the Omnipresent Hari since it is only devotion which would please the Lord and nothing else. Agreeing to which, thereupon, Vyasa wrote Bhagavata Purana and attained perfect peace of mind
• Sūta recounts this Bhagavata in the form of a story recounting Vyasa's work being recited for the first time by his son Shuka to the dying King Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna, who owes his life to Krishna first recital of Vyasa's work, given by Vyasa's son Shuka to King. Parikshit is the son of Abhimanyu and Krishna protected him in his mother's womb from the Brahmastra weapon of Ashwatthama.
• Parikshit had angered a rishi's son for being disrespectful to the rishi's father. He was cursed to be bitten by a poisonous snake and had only 7 days to live. 
• Fasting by the banks of the Ganges River, and with Krishna no longer alive, Parikshit longed to hear of him. Longing to hear of Krishna before he dies, Parikshit hears the Bhagavata recited by Shuka, including questions by the king and replies by the sage, over the course of 7 days.
• The Bhāgavata introduces the life of Parikshit as background, thus bringing Krishna into the story, and is presented as part of Shuka's recital over the course of 7 days. Shuka tells Parikishit that when one is about to die, they should become free of the fear of death and let go of all attachments to pleasure, home, and family. They should control the breath and mind and concentrate on the sacred Aum. The development of yoga and bhakti, different types of dharana, the nature of Bhagavan, and the liberation of a yogi upon his death are also explained by Shuka. In response to Parikshit's questions, Shuka describes creation and the avatars of Vishnu, concluding with a description of the ten characteristics of a Purana.
• It concludes with Shuka asking Parikshit the standard, "What more do you want?" Completely satisfied with what he has heard and his purpose in life fulfilled, Parikshit dies.
• The Narayaneeyam is a condensed Sanskrit version of Srimad Bhagavatam composed by Melpathur Bhattathiri of Kerala in 1586.

Introspection - my perception

Introspection – my perception

Although revolutions are of various types like political, economic, industrial, scientific, artistic, the “human revolution” is, I believe, the most fundamental and most vital of all revolutions. Why so? No matter how external factors change, the world will never get better as long as people remain selfish and apathetic.

An inner change for the better in a single person is the essential first turn of the wheel in the process of making the human race stronger and wiser. This revolution - an inner process of self-reformation - can only occur as a byproduct of introspection. So, what exactly is introspection? Introspection is the tendency or ability to indulge in the act of looking within oneself and focusing on mental experiences such as sensations or feelings and examine one's examining ones conscious mental states and thinking processes, etc. This soul-searching, self-examination is a fantastic revolution since it is not only completely bloodless but peaceful, too where everyone, at the end, emerges a winner. The next natural question is why is introspection valuable? Introspection permits a regular check on self development and helps us to analyze what we have achieved so far and thereby modify ourselves at critical junctures to realize our goals. Introspection allows us to self- reflect, to assess our state of mind, understanding of the situation, and the planned course of action.

The introspective ability is an essential balance to our free will, allowing us the opportunity to check our thoughts and plans and thus to be responsible for them. After all, life is a struggle with ourselves; a tug-of-war between treading the tough and slipping smooth across terrains of temptations. The real issue is to change for the better rather than the worse and whether or not we succeed in enlarging our narrow, self-centred focus to take a broader view is directly proportionate to our introspection ability. Getting better to be positively engaged with others turns us into better and more disciplined people. The happiness we create as individuals, and the strong bonds we create with each other, result in the happiness of all mankind. Transforming our own lives at the most fundamental level actually holds the key to changing society. A deep change in our outlook, the inner reality of our life, produces changes in the external workings of our life, in other people, and our community. I firmly believe that a great human revolution in just a single individual can help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and enable a change in all humankind. After all, we live in an ever-expanding, unlimited Universe where the possibilities available to us are far beyond what our human minds can imagine. The only thing that ever limits us is our thinking. Our thoughts are so precious. Every thought we think is creating our future. Every thought! The rewaring outcome of such introspection is that we get to watch our lives turn into the most joyous, loving, healthy, prosperous, fabulous experiences that will last for all the rest of our days. So train yourself to Introspect and correct! This will enrich your life and only make you feel good.

As my idle mind ruminates

As my idle mind ruminates

An idle mind is not always a home for fertile imagination but weird thoughts. And, I stick to this thinking because it is what I believe in. Since nowadays, I’m busy most of the time; my mind wanders off to all imaginable and unimaginable events and places, at the easiest opportunity. I was thinking to myself, what if I could time travel to the past, where would I go, and what would I do?

My first stop would be to meet and discuss life with Ashoka the great; because I sincerely feel that introspection is one of the biggest strengths of any person. The fact that he did introspect, stop killing and offer penance is, according to me, one of the greatest acts of any blood seeking, kingdom expanding monarch.

The next stop definitely has to be India during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, how the hell did he manage to shift the entire population from Delhi to Daulatabad and back to Delhi again.

I would then head off to the midnight of August 14th 1947, to hear Pandit Nehru, give his famous ” Tryst with Destiny”  speech, to see India awaken to its freedom.  I would then happily join Martin Luther King as he inspires the world with his “I have a dream.”.the Wild West, an era that fascinates me till no end.

I would then travel through the mountains and valleys as the British did on the good old days when traffic was less and crowds were in the plains only. What a life I would lead as I would then be making a stop to the life of a benevolent, Bengalee zamindar who does nothing but attend famous parties, go for hunting rides and look for a rich life of great foods. As I visualize all this, and have just reached the 21st century; the cell phone rings getting my feet back to terra firma. Sometimes I hate these modern wonders, I could have gone on and on. Well, maybe next time!

Narayaneeyam

Narayaneeyam

• "Narayaneeyam" is the masterly work of Melpathur Narayana Bhattatiri - a great devotee-poet who lived in Kerala during the 16th century AD. As a Namboodiri Brahmin of Kerala born 442 years ago in AD 1560.
• It is the condensed form of the famous Bhagavata Purana where the subject matter of the extensive Bhagavata is epitomized and recast in Narayaneeyam.
• This immortal composition, Narayaneeyam, is so named for 2 reasons as mentioned by the poet himself in the 100th canto. 

1. It is about Lord Narayana, and secondly because 
2. it was composed by Narayana Bhattatiri.

• The Bhagavata consisting of 18,000 verses has been summarized in this work in 1034 verses. divided into 100  Dasakas  (cantos), both as a poem  (Kavya) and as a devotional hymn,
• Narayaneeyam occupies a very high place in Sanskrit literature as unlike other hymns, it also exposes great truths of Vedanta.
• It is a rare literary masterpiece in Sanskrit using as many as 18 meters and using poetic devices for creating sound effects through Anuprasa, Yamaka etc and using effective use of figures of speech, puns, witticism, etc.
• It is also a rare hymn of devotion--probably the longest hymn in Sanskrit.
• The young Narayana, after marriage led a profligate life of sensual enjoyments for some time. The turning point in Bhattatiri's life came one day the great grammarian, Achyuta Pisharadi, scolded him in the presence of his students for his irreligious life.
• It touched his heart very much and as a result, he then and there accepted Achyuta Pisharadi as his Guru to learn Sanskrit Grammar and this changed his outlook completely as he became a serious student and never cared for his physical comforts.
• During this time Achyuta Pisharadi fell a victim to a severe attack of paralysis and suffered unbearable pain.
• Bhattatiri, the devoted disciple could not bear the suffering of his Guru. He, therefore, fervently prayed that the disease may be transferred to him and his Guru freed of suffering.
• Bhattatiri accepted the “Karmavipaka Dana" by which the sins of his Guru were transferred to him.
• It happened as he wanted and soon while Pisharadi recovered, the disease made Bhattatiri a cripple.
• A "Bhajanam" in the temple of Guruvayoor was considered as a sure cure for paralysis and so Bhattatiri went to Guruvayoor for 100 days of "Bhajanam"
• Here, he wrote the famous hymn "Narayaneeyam" describing the Avatars of Vishnu starting with "fish", i.e. Matsya Avatar.
• During the 100 days of his Bhajanam at the temple of Guruvayoor, he summarized the entire Bhagavata Purana in 1034 verses at the rate of one Dasaka (canto) consisting generally of 10 verses every day.
• Each Dasaka ended with a prayer to the Lord of Guruvayoor to cure him of his illness.
• On the hundredth day he had a vision of the Lord in the form of Venugopala.
• The 100th canto composed on that day gives a graphic description of this form of the Lord from the head to the foot. On that day he became completely cured of his disease. Bhattatiri completed Narayaneeyam on the 27th of November 1587

O Lord of Guruvayoor! You are an ocean of kindness!

Let those who read these episodes with devotion be freed

from all diseases, mental and physical!

Let them have longevity, health,

and everlasting happiness --"Ayurarogyasoukhyam"!

Know what is unique about Narayaneeyam?

The unique features of Narayananeeyam, which endear it to all are – 

1. Firstly it has been written in great pain and agony and so echoes the poet’s heart felt prayer and high devotion. 
2. Secondly it is written in first person singular as a direct conversation with the Lord. So anybody reading it would also be addressing the Lord directly in person. This has a magnetic effect of the devotee’s nearness to the Lord. 
3. Thirdly, since this hymn has practically demonstrated the cure of the poet’s disease, tonic for – Aayu, Aarogya, Sauchyam – longevity, health and happiness, for all those who approach it with sincerity of faith and devotion.

My illness

My illness

I think I have an illness. I suffer from chronic foot-in-mouth disease (popularly called ‘CFMD’), and spend ages brooding over what I said, wishing desperately I had not said it or said it in a more refined manner. “Mulling over a verbal faux pas is mortifying”, and of course, the time that I spend brooding could be better spent on thinking about those statements before I uttered them. But this is easier said than done. However, it is a wonder that not many folks take this issue as seriously as other communication issues considering the fact that the after-effects of CFMD range from momentary embarrassment and mental stress to relationship issues in the long run.

Most people often speak impulsively without pausing to consider that the impact of their words may be inappropriate or hurtful to others. And, that way, they put their foot in their mouth occasionally, making insensitive, inane, embarrassing or infuriating comments. A scientific observation by American neuro-psychiatrist and author Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell makes lot of sense. He says - “We think we make conscious decisions, but actually, most of these decisions are made subconsciously.” So measured speech can’t be achieved by just monitoring words before they leave our mouth. It has to be worked on, by disciplining the mind and correcting irksome speech habits that we have picked up along the way.

As for me, I say things at times without meaning to be disparaging just to fill in the silence, rather than seem non-communicative. Introspection helps improvement and the good news is that a calm mind can be cultivated to avoid such verbal faux pas. Breathing exercises or ‘pranayama’ (the rhythmic breathing exercise in which exhalation is twice as long as the inhalation) is one way. “In yogic philosophy, we say, ‘as the breath is, so the mind is’. When the breath becomes longer and steadier, the mind also becomes calm and steady. So if you take care of your breath, the mind is taken care of automatically. In fact, breath has a great influence on all our physiological functions, not just on the mind and emotions. A 20-minute breathing exercise session every day can improve our breathing pattern through the day, and our mind will grow calm and strong.

There are some quick fixes for emergencies too. When one feels agitated, taking a few seconds to watch your breath and then taking a few deep breaths will calm one down considerably. When we are calm, we don’t rush to make statements. This is akin to an ace cricketer who to takes time to study the ball, rather than rush to hit it. Staying calm gives a person that extra moment to think of the words before they spill out of the mouth.

Avoiding FMD situations is not easy. I am sure it also calls for learning and practising etiquette during a conversation: realizing that it is better to stay silent than to talk nonsense - that a rejoinder is not always required for every statement made to us; that non-committal grunts and exclamations can be used to say nothing, and yet not seem to be unresponsive and aloof.

MANTRAS AND JAPAM

Mantras

·     The word mantra comes from the Sanskrit "mantrana", which means advice or suggestion.

·     In a sense, every word is a mantra. Mantras affect both the one who chants them as the one who hears them.

·   Each mantra or word is a sound pattern that suggests to the mind the meanings inherent in it, and the mind immediately responds.Mantras can excite the emotions and give suggestions to one’s own mind. That is why it makes sense to chant mantras even if you do not comprehend their meaning and depth.

·        According to Ramana Maharshi, repetition of mantras (japa), with attention directed to the source of the sound, completely engages the mind. This is Tapas (penance).

·        The source is not in the vocal chords alone, but also the idea of the sound is in the mind, whose source is self. Thus the practice of mantra repetition is more than a suggestion, a bit of advice or an idea. It is a means of getting in touch with our self.

·      Mantras may be used for religious worship, for japa (repetition), for healing, to help spiritual evolution, for purification, for making offerings and in Mantra Yoga.

·    Some mantras are only chants or expressions of nearness to the Divine. But some saints who were inspired by divine love and unshakable faith used these mantras in their own spiritual practice and their followers afterwards started using those mantras, calling them mahamantras or great mantras.

·     Primarily it is faith which creates the effect of mantras. Melody, intonation, pronunciation, whether silently or aloud, all are important in the recitation of mantras. Moreover, the beat cycle in which mantras are recited is important, but it changes according to the state of consciousness of the one who is chanting.

·  An increase in the speed of chanting increases the speed of mind, heartbeat and respiration. The beat cycle of the mantras affects the emotions.

·      A fast speed sometimes creates a continuous vibration and when it is done in groups it creates a good effect, because the mind works in synchronization with the beat cycle and has no time to fantasize. Fast chanting of mantras exhausts the mind, heart and breath and relaxation comes after the chanting is over.

·  Slowing the beat cycle of mantras also creates the same continuous vibration, but it slows down the speed of mind, heart and breath while the chanting is going on.

·   It induces a hypnagogic state, but it is good only when the chanting of mantras is done individually.

·    A medium-speed beat cycle is good for group and individual chanting of mantras. It does not disturb the heartbeat or breathing pattern and makes the mind more awake, alert and conscious.

·    The place from which the sound emanates influences its' tonal quality. Deep tones are produced by the vocal chords in conjunction with the abdominal region, middletones in conjunction with the chest, heart and throat regions and high-pitched tones in conjunction with the upper region of the body.

·    Indian classical music uses all three regions in a gradual order, but the middle region is used most and produces a greater emotional impact on the listeners.

·        Mantra shakti - There is a Sakti or power in every word. The Name of God, chanted correctly or incorrectly, knowingly or unknowingly, carefully, is sure to give the desired result. The glory of the Name of God cannot be established through reasoning and intellect. It can be experienced or realized only through devotion, faith and constant repetition of the Name. By Mantra japa, you can attain peace of mind quickly. By prolonged and constant practice the inherent power of the Mantra (Mantra-Sakti) will be awakened, which will fill your very existence with the Divinity of the Mantra.

·       Use a rudraksha or tulsi mala of 108 beads. Do not allow the mala to hang below the navel. Keep the hand near the heart or the nose. The mala must not be visible to you or to others. Cover it with a towel or handkerchief, which must be clean and washed daily. Use the middle finger and the thumb of the right to roll the beads. The use of the index finger is prohibited.

·   Select any Mantra or Name of God, preferably that given to you by your Guru, and repeat it from 108 to 1,080 times daily (one to ten malas).

·  The early morning period (Brahmamuhurta) and dusk is the most favourable time for Japa and meditation as this is when Sattva (purity or steadiness) is predominant. Facing east during the practice enhances the efficacy of the Japa.

PLANETS	RULING DEITY	OVER RULER	GRAINS	YANTRAS
SUN	AGNI, GOD OF FIRE	SHIVA	WHEAT	SURYA YANTRA, GAYATRI YANTRA, VISHNU YANTRA
MOON	APAS, WATER GODDESS	PARVATI	WHITE RICE	SRI YANTRA, LAXMI YANTRA
MARS	BHUMI, EARTH GODDESS	SKANDA	RED DHAL	MANGALA YANTRA
MERCURY	VISHNU, THE MAINTAINER	NARAYANA	MUNG BEANS	VISHNU YANTRA
JUPITER	INDRA, KING OF GODS	BRAHMA	CHICK PEAS	GANESH YANTRA
VENUS	INDRANI, QUEEN OF GODS	INDRA	LIMA BEANS	SRI YANTRA, LAXMI YANTRA
SATURN	YAMA, GOD OF DEATH	PRAJAPATI	SESAME SEEDS	SRI SHANI YANTRA
RAHU	DURGA, GODDESS OF POWER	SARPA	BLACK GRAM	KALI AND DURGA YANTRA
KETU	CHITRA GUPTA, GOD OF KARMA	BRAHMA	HORSE GRAM (KULATTHA)	MAHAMRITYUNJAYA YANTRA

·     Maintain a steady pose. Attain mastery of the posture. You must be able to sit in Padmasana, Siddhasana or Sukhasana for hours at a strech. Recite some prayers before starting the Japa. Resolve to complete a certain minimum number of malas before leaving your seat.

·      Do mental Japa for sometimes without a mala. When the mind wanders, do the Japa aloud, or whisper the Mantra for some time and come back to mental Japa again as soon as possible.

·   Do not do the Japa in a hurried manner. Do it slowly with feeling, one-pointedness of mind and single-minded devotion. Pronounce the Mantra distinctly and without any mistakes. Repeat it neither too slowly nor too fast. Increase the speed only when the mind wanders. Be vigilant and alert during Japa. Stand up when sleep tries to overpower you.

·      Try to associate the Japa with the rhythm of the breath and meditate in the form of your Deity. Keep a picture or idol of the Deity in front of you. Think of the meaning of the Mantra while repeating it. Regularity in Japa Sadhana is most essential if success is to be achieved.

·      It is important not to leave the place at once after the Japa is over and mix with everyone or plunge into worldly activity. Sit very quietly for at least ten minutes, humming some prayer, remembering the Lord and reflecting upon His infinite love. Then, after devout prostration, leave the place and commence your routine duties and activities.