Sunday, October 26, 2008

What is the total number of Verses in the Puranas?

The total number of verses in all the 18 Puranas is 4,00,000. The break-up of the same is as follows:

Brahma Purana ---10,000
Padma Purana ---55,000
Sri Vishnu Purana ---23,000
Siva Purana ---24,000
Srimad Bhagavatam ---18,000
Narada Purana ---25,000
Markandeya Purana --- 9,000
Agni Purana ---15,400
Bhavishya Purana ---14,500
Brahma Vaivarta Purana ---18,000
Linga Purana ---11,000
Varaha Purana ---24,000
Skanda Purana ---81,100
Vamana Purana ---10,000
Kurma Purana ---17,000
Matsya Purana ---14,000
Garuda Purana ---19,000
Brahmanda Purana ---12.000

Total No of Verses --- 4,00,000

Saturday, October 18, 2008

RIG VEDA – PRAYER TO VARUNA FOR CLEANSING THE SINS

RIG VEDA PRAYERS v-85-7 , v-85-8

Varuna is worshipped for removing the sin committed by a person against his friend, brother, comrade, neighbor or stranger.

aryamyam varuna mitryam vā sakhāyam vā sadam id bhrātaram vā !
veśam vā nityam varunāranam vā yat sīm āghaś cakramā śiśrathas tat !!

Varuna is prayed for cleansing the sin due to cheating or misdeed or any Wrong committed.

kitavāso yad riripur na dīvi yad vā ghā satyam uta yan na vidma !
sarvā tā vi shya śithireva devādhā te syāma varuna priyāsah !!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Whether Bhagavad Gita talks about Ahimsa (non-violence)?

Ahimsa (non-violence) is hailed in the Bhagavad Gita. It represents causing no injury to any living being at any point of time either by thought, speech or action.
Ahimsa (non-violence) is referred to directly in four places in the Bhagavad Gita.

1.Chapter X-5 mentions that non-violence emanates from the Supreme.

ahiḿsā samatā tuṣṭis tapo dānaḿ yaśo 'yaśaḥ
bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāḿ matta eva pṛthag-vidhāḥ

2.Chapter XIII-8 indicates that non-violence is a Satvic quality

amānitvam adambhitvam ahiḿsā kṣāntir ārjavam
ācāryopāsanaḿ śaucaḿ sthairyam ātma-vinigrahaḥ

3.Chapter XVI- 2 praises that non-violence is a divine quality

svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam ahiḿsā satyam akrodhas
tyāgaḥ śāntir apaiśunam dayā bhūteṣv aloluptvaḿ

4.Chapter XVII-14 states that non-violence is an austerity (tapa).

deva-dvija-guru-prājña-pūjanaḿ śaucam ārjavam
brahmacaryam ahiḿsā ca śārīraḿ tapa ucyate

Sunday, October 5, 2008

SHANTI MANTRAS -- BHADRAM KARNEBHIH

Om Bhadram Karnebhih Srunuyama Devah!

Bhadram Pasyemakshabhiryajatrah!

Sthirairangaistushtuvamsastanobhih!

Vyasema Devahitam Yadayuh!

Svasti Na Indro Vriddhasravah!

Svasti Nah Pusha Vishwavedah !

Svasti Nastarkshyo Arishtanemih!

Svasti No Brihaspatir Dadhatu!

Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantih!


O Gods! Let us hear auspicious words through our ears.
Let us see auspicious things through our eyes in the sacrifices.
Let us enjoy a life that is beneficial to Gods.
Let us praise the Gods with bodies having strong limbs.
Let Indra of ancient fame be propitious to us.
May the all-knowing Pusha be auspicious to us.
Let Garuda, who destroys evils, be favorably disposed towards us.

Let Brhaspati grant us welfare.

This Shanti (Peace) invocation appears in the Mundaka, Mandukya and Prasna Upanishads. This Peace Chant ends with the prayer for protection from the Tapatrayas (Threefold miseries) Adhyatmika (Body, Mind), Adhi Bhautika (Animals, other living Beings) and Adhi Daivika ( Natural calamities like Earthquake, Flood,Tsunami, etc.)