The Gayatri Mantra


The vedic form of the famous Gayatri mantra:

ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्यः धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्

Aum bhur-bhuvah-swah tat savitur varenyam
bhargo devasya dheemahi dhiyo yo nah Prachodayat
.

Summary of the Mantra:

May we meditate on the Glory of the Lord, the Remover of pains and sorrows, the Bestower of happiness, Who has created the universe, and Who is the embodiment of knowledge and light. May the Lord, enlighten our intellect in the right direction by destroying all our sins and ignorance.

Meaning of each letter in mantra:

---------------------------------
OM = Almighty God
BHOOR = Embodiment of vital or spiritual energy
BHUVAHA = Destroyer of suffering
SWAHA = Embodiment of happiness
TAT = That (indicating God)
SAVITUR = Bright, luminous, like and sun
VARENIYAM = Supreme, best
BARGO = Destroyer of sins
DEVASYA = Divine
DHEEMAHI = May receive
DHIYO = Intellect
YO = Who
NAHA = Our
PRACHODAYAT = May inspire


AUMGRANTHI�POWERMEANING
TATTAPINISUCCESS
SASUCCESSBRAVERY (PARAKRAM)
VIVISHWAMAINTENANCE� (PALAN)
TURTUSHTIWELFARE (KALYAN)
VAVARDAMARYADA
REYOGSELF RESTRAINT��(SANYAM)
NIREVATISFUTA
YAMLOVE (PREM)TAP
BHARSOOKSHMAMEDHA
GOMONEYFOR SIGHT
DEGYANAYOGMAYA
VABRILLIANCE (TEJ)JAGRITI (AWAKENING)
SYABHARGAYOGINI
DHEEDEFENCE (RAKSHA)CREATION (PRODUCTION)
MAGOMATIDHARINI
HIINTELLECT (BUDDHI)SARASTA��(SWEETNESS)
DHIDEVIKAPRABHAVA
YOSUPPRESSION (DAMAN)IDEAL
YOVARAHIOOSHMA
NAHADEVOTION (NISTHA)COURAGE
PRASINHANIDRASHYA
CHODHARNA�(POWER OF RETENTION)WISDOM (VIVEK)
DADHYANNIRANJAN
YATPRANSEWA (SERVICE)

गायत्री मंत्र का वर्णं

ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्यः धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् 

गायत्री मंत्र संक्षेप में

गायत्री मंत्र (वेद ग्रंथ की माता) को हिन्दू धर्म में सबसे उत्तम मंत्र माना जाता है. यह मंत्र हमें ज्ञान प्रदान करता है. इस मंत्र का मतलब है - हे प्रभु, क्रिपा करके हमारी बुद्धि को उजाला प्रदान कीजिये और हमें धर्म का सही रास्ता दिखाईये. यह मंत्र सूर्य देवता (सवितुर) के लिये प्रार्थना रूप से भी माना जाता है.

हे प्रभु! आप हमारे जीवन के दाता हैं
आप हमारे दुख़ और दर्द का निवारण करने वाले हैं
आप हमें सुख़ और शांति प्रदान करने वाले हैं
हे संसार के विधाता
हमें शक्ति दो कि हम आपकी उज्जवल शक्ति प्राप्त कर सकें
क्रिपा करके हमारी बुद्धि को सही रास्ता दिखायें
मंत्र के प्रत्येक शब्द की व्याख्या

गायत्री मंत्र के पहले नौं शब्द प्रभु के गुणों की व्याख्या करते हैं

ॐ = प्रणव भूर = मनुष्य को प्राण प्रदाण करने वाला
भुवः = दुख़ों का नाश करने वाला
 स्वः = सुख़ प्रदाण करने वाला
 तत = वह, 
सवितुर = सूर्य की भांति उज्जवल
 वरेण्यं = सबसे उत्तम
 भर्गो = कर्मों का उद्धार करने वाला
 देवस्य = प्रभु
 धीमहि = आत्म चिंतन के योग्य (ध्यान)
 धियो = बुद्धि, 
यो = जो,
 नः = हमारी, 
प्रचोदयात् = हमें शक्ति दें (प्रार्थना)

Easy Steps For Meditation At Work

If a harassed office worker keeps on piling on work without taking the time for a break, he will find himself burnt out. Five to ten minutes of meditation a day can actually help an office worker create a space of peace and quiet even if he doesn’t leave his desk.

An Ancient Practice In A Modern World

Meditation has been around for centuries. Most major religions around the world, including Christianity, include meditation as part of their practice. Meditation has often been equated with praying. However, even non-believers can actually practice meditation.

The staying power of meditation through the ages just shows how much it has stayed relevant to human beings even in this digital era. In fact, now more than ever, meditation is a balm to our information laden and time starved lifestyles.

Seven Easy Steps To Meditate In The Workplace

It doesn’t matter if the office worker has a room or is situated in a cubicle. It’s possible for anyone to enjoy the state of meditation even with their eyes open.

  1. The office worker just needs to set his alarm for at least ten minutes during the day. This should be scheduled in his calendar to make it a daily habit.
  2. He should clear his mind of any concerns or thoughts. Thoughts must be treated as external barriers that need to be acknowledged and then set aside.
  3. He should be aware that he is producing deep breaths that come from the diaphragm.
  4. He can choose an object to focus on. It might be the corner of a room or a picture frame. He can also choose a peaceful looking screensaver or web page on his computer. It doesn’t matter what he is looking at as long as he is just focused on one point.
  5. He needs to keep his gaze steady without thinking of anything in particular.
  6. Once he has established that his mind is clear, he should then focus on one thought. For some, this can be called a mantra. It doesn’t have to be said out loud. It is a powerful thought that the office worker would like to bring into being such as: “I am a fully empowered individual” or “I will be peaceful and focused today.”
  7. After focusing on the thought, the office worker can visualize the thought becoming part of his actions for the day. This can lead to the end of his meditation exercise.

How To Make Meditation A Habit

It’s definitely not easy to make meditation a habit. Many people actually fall back into old habits and don't follow through on resolutions. One way for an office worker to ensure that this is part of his daily routine is to actually schedule it in his calendar as if he is going to a ten-minute meeting. This exercise needs to be treated as if it is an ongoing part of an office worker’s operations. Instead of taking a cigarette break or a snack break, he can, instead, focus on his inner well-being and take time to calm his busy mind.

आरती कैसे करनी चाहिये

आरती कैसे करनी चाहिये

आरती पूजन के अन्त में इष्टदेवता की प्रसन्नता के हेतु की जाती है।

इसमें इष्टदेव को दीपक दिखाने के साथ उनका स्तवन तथा गुणगान

किया जाता है।


आरती में पहले मूलमंत्र (जिस देवता का जिस मन्त्र से पूजन किया

गया हो,

उस मन्त्र)- के द्वारा तीन बार पुष्पांजलि देनी चाहिये और

ढोल, नगारे, शंख, घड़ियाल

आदि महावाद्यों तथा जय-जयकार के शब्द

के साथ शुभ पात्र में घृत से या कपूर से

विषम संख्या की बत्तियाँ

जलाकर आरती करनी चाहिये।


साधारणत: पाँच बत्तियों से आरती की जाती है, इसे पंचप्रदीपभी कहते

हैं। एक, सात या उससे भी अधिक बत्तियों से आरती की जाती है। कपूर

से भी आरती होती है।

पद्मपुराण में आया है।

कुंकुम, अगर, कपूर, घृत और चन्दन की सात या

पाँच बत्तियाँ बनाकर अथवा रुई और घी की बत्तियाँ बनाकर शंख, घण्टा

आदि बाजे बजाते हुए आरती करनी चाहिए।


आरती के पाँच अंग होते हैं-

प्रथम दीप माला के द्वारा, दूसरे जल युक्त शंख से, तीसरे धुले हुए वस्त्र से,

चौथे आम और पीपल आदि के पत्तों से और पाँचवें साष्टांग दण्डवत् से

आरती करें।

आरती उतारते समय सर्वप्रथम भगवान् की प्रतिमा के चरणों

में चार बार, नाभि देश में दो बार, मुखमण्डल पर एक बार और समस्त अंगों

पर सात बार घुमाये।

आरती के दो भाव है जो क्रमश: नीराजनऔर आरतीशब्द से व्यक्त हुए

हैं। नीराजन (नि:शेषेण राजनं प्रकाशनम्)- का अर्थ है- विशेषरूप से, नि:शेष

रूप से प्रकाशित करना। अनेक दीप बत्तियाँ जलाकर विग्रह के चारों ओर घुमाने

का अभिप्राय यही है कि पूरा-का-पूरा विग्रह एड़ी से चोटी तक प्रकाशित हो

उठे- चमक उठे, अंग-प्रत्यंग स्पष्ट रूप से उद्भासित हो जाय, जिसमें दर्शक या

उपासक भलीभाँति देवता की रूप-छटा को निहार सके, हृदयंग्म कर सके।


दूसरा आरतीशब्द (जो संस्कृत) के आर्तिका प्राकृत रूप है और जिसका

अर्थ है- अरिष्ट) विशेषत: माधुर्य उपासना से संबंधित है।


भगवान् के पूजन के अन्त में आरती की जाती है। पूजन में जो त्रुटि रह

जाती है, आरती से उसकी पूर्ति हो जाती है। शास्त्रों में आरती का विशेष

महत्त्व बताया गया है। पूजन में यदि मन्त्र और क्रिया में किसी प्रकार की

कमी रह जाती है तो भी आरती कर लेने पर उसकी पूर्ति हो जाती है।


आरती करने का ही नहीं, आरती देखने का भी बहुत बड़ा पुण्य है। जो

नित्य भगवान् की आरती देखता है और दोनों हाथों से आरती लेता है,

वह अपनी करोड़ पीढ़ियों का उद्धार करता है तथा अन्त में भगवान् के

परम पद को प्राप्त हो जाता है। अत: अत्यन्त ही श्रद्धा-भक्ति से अपने

इष्टदेव की नित्य आरती करनी चाहिये।

Why do we apply Vibhuti or Holy Ash over our body?

Vibhuti (meaning glory) or Bhasma (that by which our sins are destroyed and the Lord is remembered) is the holy ash that Hindus apply over their forehead and body. This holy ash is created by burning cow dung along with milk, ghee, honey, etc. It is a principle sacrament in the worship of Lord Siva, representing His burning away of our ignorance to ashes.

The cow dung is obtained from a cows that are fed sixteen varieties of medicinal leaves. The dung of these cows are collected after allowing sufficient time for digestion. The collected dung would then be formed into flat cakes and dried in the sun. 108 types of herbs, and twigs ['Samithi'] of high medicinal value are used in the homa in which the dried dung cakes are added. Six types of medicinal leaves are burnt along with these. The significance of using ash from the homa is that the impurities - physical and mental (ego, desires) are burnt off in the fire, and what remains is now pure - and the application of this ash serves as a reminder of this. The vibhuti we apply indicates that we should burn false identification with body and become free of the limitations of birth and death.
Applying vibhuti is a much more common practice amognst Shivites.

Vibhuti or Bhasma has medicinal properties and is used in many ayurvedic medicines. It absorbs excess moisture from the body and prevents colds and headches.

Shivling Puja – How to Worship Shivling at Home?

Shivling or Shiva lingam connects a devotee with the Supreme Being – Lord Shiva. The lingam is the symbol of Lord Shiva and the lingam puja helps the devotee in understanding Lord Shiva. The Lord cannot be described but still we say he is without a beginning and an end and is without a form. It is difficult for a devotee to understand this formless nature. Therefore Lord Shiva appeared in the form of Jyotirlinga before Brahma and Vishnu. The Lingam thus is a symbol of Lord Shiva. Each Lingam puja, step by step, takes the devotee to the eternal truth – that he/she is part of the Supreme Being.

Worshipping Shivling at Home

Before starting the Puja, the devotee takes a bath and wear freshly washed clothes. Hymns praising Lord Shiva or the mantra ‘om namaha shivayaa’ are repeated to create a mood for worship. Then, the devotee sits in front of the lingam and blows conch or ring bells. This indicates the beginning of the Puja.

First it is the panchamrit abhishek - the libation of five holy liquids over the lingam. The libation can consist of any five of the following – water from river Ganga, honey, sugarcane juice, milk, yogurt, ghee, seawater, coconut water or milk, fragrant oils, rose water or other precious liquids. Usually, only milk of cow is used. While pouring the liquid, om namah shivaya is uttered. Some devotees utter the Lord’s name 108 times and some 1008 times. There is no fixed rule.

After the panchamrit abhishek, the lingam is cleaned with water from Ganga. (This is might not be possible always so just normal water.) After this the lingam is smeared with sandalwood paste and is decked with flowers. Water and sandalwood paste is used to keep the lingam cool, as Lord Shiva is always in a highly inflammable state. In some Shiva temples, cooling liquid constantly drops from pot hung above the Lingam.

Next, sweets, coconut and fruits are offered to the Lord. Camphor and incense are lit and ‘arati’ is conducted. Some devotees fan the lingam and sing praises of the lord.

Finally, ringing of bells or blowing of conch indicates the end of Puja. White ash (vibhuti) is rubbed on the forehead and it is also distributed. Fruits, sweets and coconut are distributed as ‘prasad.’

karma & reincarnation

Reincarnation

As per Hinduism, the life on earth is not a discrete one time event. It is just one episode in the play. There would be multiple appearances (births) before the soul finally takes leave from the cycle. The birth is not just limited to being born as human, it includes the births as the animals, plants, even as the divines who rule the parts of nature ! After-all, all these things have a life. The appearance of the soul in any of such forms is called reincarnation. After so many births when the soul is freed of any more reincarnation, it is in the state of mukti or liberation. This is the ultimate state.

karma

As the soul moves from one body to another, it carries forward something along with it, which is nothing but what it has accumulated performing various deeds. This can be thought of as a global account that each soul is associated with, irrespective of the place it is in currently. This account would have both the logs of good and bad deeds it performed similar to the credit and liabilities. This account is what is called karma.

This karma is further categorized. In the example let us assume the person on moving to the new place gets a new local account into which initially some of the credits and liabilities from the global account get transferred to start with. Subsequently till the person is in that location the day to day transactions occur onto that local account. Similarly from the global account of karma, which is known as prArabdham, some portion is transferred to the new local account when the soul reincarnates into a new body and this portion of karma is called sanchitham. In the day to day affairs the soul enjoys the fruits of the good deeds from the karma bank and suffers the fruits of bad deeds. In the process due to the deeds it performs the soul accumulates new good and bad karma to add to its account. This newly earned karma is called AkAmiyam. When the soul leaves that body the balance gets transferred back into the global account. The journey goes on.

Why is it so ?

In the life we see in this world, we work to get the results. The work is the action and the result is fruit of it. This is exactly what is karma. The fruit may come in a minute in a day, in a week, in a year or much much later that the delay may even make one forget the action that triggered the fruit got ! If there is no correlation between the action and the fruit, won't the world be in a mess ?! This theory would also explain why unexpected things happen - either good or bad. (As the situation undergoing due to the function of various past deeds.)

The reincarnation (in conjunction with karma) explains why some people never gets to see the fruits of their action in their life time and why some children die when they have committed no sin. When the karma exist one would have to undergo the fruits of it for which one may have to go through multiple births in multiple forms - plants, animals... The bank doesn't let you go unless the account is settled !