WHETHER THE FORMS OF GODS ARE TO BE CONSTRUED AS ENERGY FORMS ?

Whatever covered in authenticated PurANas and Itihasas are to be taken as history based on actual happenings.

The Supreme Purusha is behind the prakriti as the nimitta and upAdAna kAraNa. The Deity is very important for us.

There is a subtle meaning as well in each avatAra for our understanding and practice .

All the avatAras of Gods are meant for our reflection, contemplation and learning.


In SrIVaishnAva tradition, SrI viSvaksena is worshipped. He is the Supreme Commander.

yasya dvirata vaktrAdyA: pArishadyA: paraSSatam !
vighnam nighnanti satatam viSvaksenam tamASraye !!

As far as SrI GaneSa:

He is GaNapati -- Lord of Demi-Gods

He is VinAyaka --- Leader par excellence.

He is VignarAja--- Remover of all obstacles

His big ears for open-mindedness -- Quality to listen to others--Answers the prayers of Devotees
KarNabhyAm bhUri Visruvam
Bhadram karNebhi: SruNuyAma deva:

His sharp eyes for grace --- a mix of Sun and Moon.

His Trunk for flexibility --- power to handle the heaviest and the subtlest things


His big stomach -- power to assimilate and digest varied forms of knowledge

MoshikaVAhana --- He makes the best use of available resources

He is Modakapriya --- Lover and bestower of joy

He is the bestower of Siddhi as well as Buddhi.

-----------And so on --------


Om MahA GaNapataye Namah !

durgAm vinAyakam vyAsam viSvaksenam gurUn surAn !
sve sve sthane tvabhimukhAn pUjayet prokshanAdibhi: !!
---- SrImad bhAgavatam

HAPPY RADHASHTAMI

SrIgovindapriyAm rAjñIm brundAvanamanoharIm !
krupAsvarUpiNIm divyAm RAdhA DevIm namAmyaham!!

I pray to the Goddess SrI RAdhA DevI, SrIKrishNa’s beloved Queen, the source of the beauty of BrindAvan, who is auspicious and is of the form of mercy.


SrI RAdhA is none other than SrI MahAlakshmi, who out of great compassion, facilitates the individual Self to get the divine grace of BhagavAn SrI KrishNa, the glorious Yogesvara. According to the Scriptures, the best way to approach SrI KrishNa is through obtaining the grace of SrI RAdhA. Let us not miss this opportunity today (15th September,2010) to offer our humble and sincere prayers. On this most auspicious Radhashtami day, may SrI RAdhAKrishNa shower blessings on all.
Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe !

WHAT THE VARIOUS TYPES OF BRAHMANAS?

According to Devala, there are eight types of BrAhmaNas as follows in the ascending order of greatness:

(1)MAtra
(2)BrAhmaNa
(3)Srotiya
(4)anUcAna
(5)BhrUNA

(6)Rishikalpa
(7)Rishi
(8)Muni

MAtra means one who is born in a BrAhmaNa family who has not undergone upanayanam and not following any ansuhthAna.

BrAhmaNa is one who has done some veda adhyayana, who has ACara, SAnti, Satyam, dayA.

Srotriya is one who has done the Veda adhyayanam of one SakhA along with kalpasUtra or six vedAngas, knower of dharma, performer of six karmas like yajanam.

anUCAna is one who is vedavedAnga tatvajna, Suddha citta, devoid of Sins and having the qualities of Srotriya.

BhruNa is one who is vrataguNopeta, follower of niyamas in yajnas and vedAdhyayana, devapitruSishtAnna BhojI, jitendriya.

Rishikalpa is one who has all vaidika and laukika jnAna, Asramastha, jitendriya.

Rishi is one who is Urdharetas, tapasvI, follower of AhAra niyama, powerful to give SApa and anugraha, satyasandha.

Muni is one who is not attached towards vishayas, knower of all tatvas, without KAma and krodha, dhyAnastha, nishkriya, jitendriya, viewer of gold or sand equally.

PREDICTIVE ASTROLOGY

Predictive aspect of jyotisha is nothing but predicting the karmaphala in various points of time. The karmas done by a person in the previous births yield fruits in the form of sukha or dukha.

Based on SAstras, the interpretation of the karma phala cannot be done casually or through computer programs. Thus a well-versed person who knows karma siddhAnta, nyAya siddhAnta, vedAnta siddhAnta, dharma SAstra, Ayurveda and so on, who is good at inference and deduction and who is having Mantra Siddhi alone can be a reliable and authentic astrologer.

Aneka horA tattvajnah Panca-siddhAnta kovidah !

Uhapoha patuh Siddhah Mantro jAnAti jAtakam !!

Astrology is like a lamp which can only reveal the objects as they are in the dark. Beyond that it is only by karmaphala that one's life and circumstances are determined.

Yaduparjitam anya janmani subhAsubham tasya karmaNah patim !

Vynjayati SAstrametat Tamasi dravyaNi dIpa iva !!

The predominant objective of VedAnga jyotisham is about determining the kAla for performance of yajnas. This has got lesser to do with individual horoscope based interpretations. The ancient Smritis also do not highlight horoscope based matching for the purpose of marriage.

jyotishAm ayanam puNyam pravakshAmyanu pUrvaSah !

sammatam brAhmaNendrANAm YajnakAlArtha siddhaye !!

WHAT IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF VEDANGA JYOTISHA?

Vedas are intended for the performance of yajnas.

VedAnga Jyotisha is also known as KAla vidhAna SAstram as understanding time is necessary for performance of yajnAs.

vedA hi yajnArtham abhipravruttAh
kAlAnupUrvyA vihitAsca yajnAh !
tasmAd idam kAlavidhAna SAstram
Yo jyotisham veda sa veda yajnAn !!

WHAT ARE VEDANGAS? WHETHER THEY ARE MORE AUTHENTIC THAN VEDAS?

There are six limbs of the Vedas, known as VedAngas. They symbolically represent the organs of the Veda Purusha.

1. SikshA -- Nose
2. Chandas -- Feet
3.VyAkaraNa -- Mouth
4. Nirukta -- Ears
5. Jyotisha -- Eyes
6.Kalpa -- Arms

SikshA is the science which deals with articulation and pronunciation.

Chandas is the science of metrics. It deals with Vedic metres.

VyAkaraNa is the science of grammar.

Nirukta is the science which deals with the etymological interpretation of words.

Jyotisha is the science of astronomy. It is primarily oriented towards determining the most appropriate time for performance of Vedic sacrifices and rituals.

Kalpa is the science which deals with rituals and prescribes rituals for sacrificial acts.
The Srauta sUtras contain a detailed description of sacrifices.
The Grihya SUtras prescribe rules for conducting various ceremonies pertaining to domestic life.
The Dharma SUtras consist of laws governing religious ways of life and secular matters as well.
The Sulva sUtras deal with the architecture of sacrificial altars for undertaking different kinds of sacrifices.


The VedAngas greatly help us in proper understanding and application of the Vedas. In case there is a difference between the two, Vedas will always prevail over the VedAngas . Thus Sruti PramANam is the most authentic pramANa.

HOW TO PERFORM BHISHMASHTAMI TARPANAM ?

Ratha SaptamI is for invoking Sun God.

TarpaNam to SrI BhIshma has to be offered on BhIshmAshtamI which is normally the day next to ratha saptamI.


Procedure:

(a)On BhIshmAShtamI day morning, perform sandhyA vandanAdi nitya karmas.

(b)Be seated facing East .

(c) Say the sankalpa " BhIshmAshtamI puNyakAle BhIshma TarpaNam karishye"

(d) Having YajnopavIta in NivIta mode, offer Arghyam by both hands in pure water without mixing tila by chanting the following Slokas:

1. bhIshmah SAntanavo vIrah satyavAdI jitendriyah !
AbhiradbhiravApnotu putrapautrocitAm kriYAm !!

bhIshmAya namah idamarghyam !

2. vaiyAghrapAda gotrAya sAnkritya pravarAya ca !
aputrAya dadAmyarghyam salilam bhIshma varmaNe !!

bhIshmAya namah idamarghyam !

3. gangAputrAya SAntAya Santanoh AtmajAya ca !
aputrAya dadAmyarghyam salilam bhIshma varmaNe !!

bhIshmAya namah idamarghyam !
anena arghyapradAnena bhIshmah PrIyatAm !

In fact all BrahmaNas should necessarily offer their respects to SrI BhIshma pitAmaha. In my humble view, he alone deserves the first praise of honour by all vipras as he considers them dearer than his own father.

My respectful salutations to SrI BhIshma.