Saturday, February 10, 2024

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN RAMAYAN AND MAHABHARAT

    The story of Mahabharat is so large that it is largest poetry in any language. So does it have any connection with each other . There are many characters  in both Ramayana and also in Mahabharat. The concept of DASHAWATAR or 10 AWATARAS or reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, have take place in different YUGAS .So is there any character that crosses different Yugas ? The Varman Avatar took place in SATYA YUGA . The Rama was in TRETA YUGA and the KRISHNA was in DWAPAR YUGA . We have known Hanuman who was with Rama also has stories meeting BHIMA and ARJUNA . I have written about that ,but is there someone who was in all 3 Yugas . The answer is yes . JAMBUWANT was there in all 3 Yugas. 

  Jambuvant was born from yawning of Brahmadeo and he was ? BEAR/MONKEY . He was very powerful  and he was present when Vamana went to King Bali. As one may recollect , Vamana asked for 3 and half  steps size of land . When King Bali gave him that he started becoming huge . and with each foot worth he occupied earth , heaven and  the one step for atmosphere. and then he asked as to where to put his foot for half the step  and Bali pointed to his head . When Vaman who was dwarf , started getting bigger Jambuvant did 3 circles around him - 3 PRADAKSHINAS  and so he got tremendous strength He  was one of the 3 who went to look for SEETA  and when they knew that she was in Lanka , they - HANUMAN, ANGAD AND JAMBUVANT were to decide who can jump over the ocean and reach Lanka Jamabuvant suggested Hanuman should do it as he knew that is what Lord Rama wanted . 

  He had a fight with Lord Krishna in  DWAPAR YUGA. Hanuman was very mischievous when he was growing up and so he was cursed that he will forget about his strength and he will be reminded by someone about his strength, he will regain the strength .Jambuvant did that and then Hanuman jumped the ocean.

Sunday, January 28, 2024

BRAIN CHEMICALS AND MEDITATION

  The PATNAJALI Sutra Yoga is also called Raj Yoga Sutra  and has instruction for mediation and what happens when you have achieved highest levels of concentration or Samadhi. But modern day science has done some investigation on the meditation and try to find it's effects on mind and body. There are many chemicals that are involved in brain function or the response of the brain to certain situations. It is well known that the mediation causes mind to be calmer and the blood pressure  and heart rate are down  and there are certain health benefits of the meditation. So, I thought of talking about the science of these chemicals . 

  There are many chemicals in brain , but some important ones are DOPAMIN which has function of pleasure , SEROTOTINE which has function in happiness  and then there is GABA which is related to Calmness of the mind . The NOR-EPINEPHRIN is a chemical which is related to physical or mental agitation and it is increased in conditions like Anxiety disorder or PTSD. So the studies have been done on these chemicals and it was noted that those who did the mediations for longer time years etc. had higher levels of Serotonin and that was detected before mediation and it increased after meditation. The urinary excretion was increased . As mentioned above serotonin is related to HAPPINESS. The good chemicals Dopamine, Serotonin, GABA - all were increased and when functional MRI was done then  it showed certain areas of the brain light up showing increased blood flow and then secretions of these chemicals . So the effect on Body and Mind was that of lower blood pressure , heart rate  and calmness of the mind . The blood sugar was also lower as cortisol levels were also reduced . The cortisol is a stress hormone as we need higher blood pressure and heart rate  and sugar to fight physical stress .  

    So the chemicals that make us agitated are reduced and chemicals that make us calmer are increased. But the areas of brain are involved in decision making, are also improved. So the mediation has value in our modern day stressful life to handle mental and physical stress. 

Sunday, January 7, 2024

SOME SYMBOLISM IN RAMAYAN

   Lot has ben talked about the Symbolism in Mahabharata .and not much in Ramayana and many of us have several questions about the the  things that has happened in Ramayana. Again I have tried to find out the reasoning  and some answers to the questions about the behavior of Lord Rama towards Seeta.I have not come to 100 % explanation. But some things we can agree and some may sound like good explanation. The 4 brothers Rama, Lakshmana , Bharat and Shatrughna  represent 4 PURUSHARTH. But that maybe for some other time . Today I will talk about Ravana. The Ravana's father was sage Vishrava and his father was one of the sons of Brahma - MANAS PUTRA -born of mind . He is also one of the 7 starts or Rushi in SAPTARUSHI . He was married to a Rakshasa princes named KAIKASHI. They had 4 main or commonly known children.(There are more ) I thinks these represent mixture of 3 Gunas. The father was sage  and mi=other was daughter of a Rakshsha King  and so we may have mixture of Satvic and Tamasic Gunas As all of us have all 3 Gunas all the time with predominance of one at a given time. So the children born of these  had the same . The Bibhishan was more Satvic . The Kumbhakarn was more Tamasic . The Ravan was mixture of Rajasic and Tamasic. and Shurpankha was same combination but more Tamasik than Rajasic.

     The 4 sons of Dasharatha represent 4 Purusharth ,namely DHARM,ARTH ,KAMA AND MOKSHA. Lord Rama represent DHARMA righteous action. The Lakshmana represents KAMA or attachment ,the Bharata represents MOKSHA and Shatrugnha represents ARTH. All the behavior good or bad has some desires behind it and so Rama and Lakshman were together . Moksha is devotion for the Lord and so Bharata  did not rule or had any earthly pleasures but was working as King with Rama's PADUKA on the throne. 

  The 3wifes or the queens represent 3 GUNAS The Lord Rama's mothe KAUSALYA represents Satvic Guna. The KAIKAI represents Tamasic Guna and SUMITRA the mother of twins Lakshmana and Shatrugnha represent Rajasic Guna. (her sons had KAMA and ARTH as Purusharth) Why was Kaikai's son was Bharata who wants MOKSHA , I do not have answer.

  I may do little deatil on this some other time .  

Sunday, December 3, 2023

WHY DO WE DIE?

    This question may sound kind of stupid . People die as their heart stops or they have stroke or have heart attack or the breathing stops. Sometimes that happens suddenly due to car accident or over period of time due to cancer and other diseases. We have seen cause of death being told by family member as 'old age'. But the question that I am asking is not that, but why do people die at different ages  and sometimes we do not even know why the hear stopped or someone dies in sleep. My question is more theological then the simple answer that we give or get.

   To answer this question, I have to go back to my other blogs and know about the concept of 3 bodies and consciousness. It may sound like repetition but not really. We have 3 bodies namely the Physical or Gross body also known as STHUL SHARIR. We all know that and I do not need to explain this . Then there is a SUBTLE BODY or also called SUKSHMA SHARIR. The mind and intellect  and that also includes feeling and emotions etc. And we also have a CAUSAL BODY also called KARAN SHARIR. So when the physical body dies ,we still have the Subtle body and Causal body. The mind and intellect and feeling and impressions from our actions are stored in the complex of Subtle and Causal bodies . The causal body is called causal body , as it is the CAUSE of other 2 bodies. So, when we die or to specify when the physical body dies , we still have 2 other bodies but the connection is gone. The consciousness is there but without physical body it can not express. We are born with certain karmas coming to fruition. We have done thousands of karmas and each has impression and effects. They have to come to fruition. But all cannot come to fruition when we are born in a particular life. So we are born with CERTAIN KARMAS that need to come to fruition and that is called PRARABDH karma. We continue to do more Karmas called KRIYAMAN KARMA. Some of these Kriyaman Karmas, come to fruition in this life and some will be stored . The stored karmas are called SANCHIT .So our present life is there as long as the effects of our stored Karmas that we are born with and will have effects on this life plus the Karmas that we did in this life that will have effects in this life. Once this stock of karmas are done with the physical body dies as there is no function or work left for 'this body' ,And until we get new physical bodies rest of the karmas cannot come to fruition .  .

   We will continue to have new physical body as the causal body continue to store effects of our karmas  and so we will be born again. The present life is determined by what we have to experience in this lofe. When that is done - we die. 

Saturday, November 4, 2023

SUSHUMNA,IDA AND PINGALA NADI

     In Vedic religion, we have 3 bodies namely Gross , Astral and Causal bodies - also known as STHUL SUKSHMA AND KARAN SHARIR. In that concept we also have concept of Physical Brain and also Astral Brain. The concept of NADI is also well known  and There are 72000 Nadis and some feel that we have more than 72000 Nadis .So in Astral spine there are 3 Nadis which are  main  The SUSHUMNA is the central one and on it's each side is IDA , which is one left side  and PINGALA , which is on right side of the Sushumna nadi. I think that may be the replication of physical spine and which is SUSHUMNA  and the sympathetic chain and parasympathetic nervous system may be the IDA and PINGALA. Some feel that IDA and PINGALA are duality like SHIV and SHAKT  or Feminine  and Masculine  or Intellect and Intuition . 

   The SUSHUMNA  extends from MULADHAR CHAKRA which is at coccygeal area to Brain. It provides power of expansion, contraction all the activities of motion of Astral spine.  Within the SUSHUMNA is the spine called VAJRA and that extends from SWADHISTAN CHAKRA  which is at sacral spine area Within the VAJRA is the CHITRA SPINE . which controls the spiritual activities . The VAJRA spine is helpful for motion of the astral body and  provides power of expansion and contraction of the astral spine. 

   The BRAHMANADI is described as inside CHITRA spine . It could be considered as spine from CAUSAL BODY or KARAN SHARIR. It is  thoughts, vibration or consciousness. When we say 'inside ' it is not physically inside , but for out concept we use the terms like 'inside' and 'outside'. 

    The Astral Brain has the Consciousness or Reflected Consciousness. It descends through the spine and gives the qualities of each Center or CHAKRA .It manifests as Wisdom in Causal Brain, Intuition in Medulla, Calmness in cervical center ,Self control in lumbar area and Restraint in Coccygeal center.

   The BRAHMARANDRAH is the opening on the top of skull through with the energy enters the spine. It is present in new born infant and then it closes in physical body. The same thing can be said in Astral Brain and spine. 

Sunday, October 15, 2023

THE DIFFERENT CONCH AND THEIR MEANING IN MAHABHARAT

    In the Bhagavat Geeta, in chapter 1,verses 15 to 18 there is mention of different warriors  from Pandava's side blowing their conches. It is difficult to understand what exactly is the meaning of theses conches ,if any. But if one considers the concept that the whole war was a symbolic of OUR OWN FIGHT between ego and our tendencies from our senses and trying to uplift in meditation, then theses things make sense. So when the Pandavas blow the conches there is a meaning and I will talk about it. This is from what Yoganand states and I felt that was very well thought out. 

  Nakul and Sahadeo represent lowest of the 2 Chakras and they also represent WATER or AAP and Earth - PRUTHVI Elements of the PANCH MAHABHUTAS respectively . The conch of Sahadeo is named MANIPUSGPAJA .and the conch of Nakul is named SUGHOSH. When we do mediation and then coiled up KUNDALINI gets uncoiled and starts  ascending and goes through various Chakras, one hears the different sounds .MANIPUSHPAJA means "that which manifests by sound and so with concentration on Muladhar Chakra , one hears the sounds of DRONE OF HONEY BEES'. The SUGHOSH means 'that which sounds clearly and sweetly '. So when one concentrates on the SWADHISHTAN Chakra one hears sound of Flute.

   The next one is Arjuna. His conch is named DHANAJAYA which means 'winner of wealth' Arjun represents Fire or TEJAS element of PANCH MAHABHUTAS. He represents MANIPOOR CHAKRA. When one concentrates on this Chakra, he  hears sounds of Harp or VEENA .

   The next one is Bhima and his conch is named PAUNDRA which means 'that which disintegrates lower states'. He represents VAYU of PANCH MAHABHUTAS. He represents ANAHAT CHAKRA. When one concentrates on that Chakra he hears AUM sound. 

 The next one is Yudhistira  His conch is named ANANTAVIJAYA, which means 'that which concurs infinity'. He represents AKASH or Space - Either element of the PANCH MAHABHUTAS. He represents VISHUDHAN CHAKRA . When one concentrates on that chakra he hears all pervading eheric vibration of AUM sounds like distant ocean.

  So the war is our own way of conquering our Ego -Bhishma -the Universal Ego and our own Saunskaras or impressions from last life -DRONA with the help of Meditation.

Saturday, September 9, 2023

5 SHEATHS OR COVERING --PANCHKOSH

   In the concept of Hindu religion , we have 5 sheaths or coverings that are described . The five are very easy to understand. They are 

1. ANNAMAYA KOSH,

2PRANAMAY KOSH,

3 MANOMAY KOSH

4DNYANAMAY KOSH 

5 ANANDMAY KOSH

The names are self explanatory as to what theses coverings are . Each is inner than the previous or subtler to be more accurate in stating. Translating it in English theses are

   1 FOOD SHEATH

   2. ENERGY SHEATH

   3MAIND SHEATH

   4INTECT SHEATH 

   5BLOSS SHEATH

The food sheath or Annamay Kosh is gross  and seen be seen by everyone, but the other 4 are not seen and are subtle sheaths. The Food sheath or ANNAMAYA Kosh is given that name as the physical body need or is build by food that we eat. It depends upon the  food and so it is called Food sheath or Annamay KOSH. 

   The energy that every living being has is called PRANA in Hindu religion. The life is other way to look at. In Indian languages when we say PRANA has left , we are talking about life has left or someone is dead .(But please do not misunderstand this PRANA for the Consciousness) So it is easy to understand that we call this PRANMAY KOSH or energy sheath .It has 5 different functions and names - so called PRANA, APAN,VYAN,UDAN AND SAMAN. Each has different bodily function and there can be defects in them . The location of theses PRANA is also different. When someone dies, each Prana leaves the body at different times - not all of them leave at the same time . One may have observed that the facial hair and nails grow for few days even after the so called physical body and that is due to the VYAN leaving at 14 days. Just a note - PRANA leaves in 48 to 64 minutes- less than an hour, APAN leaves in 8 to 18 hours , UDAN leaves in 6-12 hours , SAMAN leaves body in 20 minutes. 

     The MANOMAYA KOSH or the MIND sheath is the next one and is more subtle and one cannot see it but knows about it. We all now the mind  and that is is part of the PRAKRUTI or the Nature. It is to some extent controlled by Intellect or BUDHHI .

    The DNYANAMAY KOSH or Intellect is inner to Mind  and it is not affected by emotions . The emotions affect Mind but the Intellect being superior to that is not affected  and in a way it is due to the experience that we have had. Learning is  a form of experience. My old example is when we go t a supermarket and see cookies, we do not grab and eat as we are told by our previous experience - The Intellect, that we must pay first and then eat it . The child who has not had that experience , will grab and eat . So the mind wants to eat and Intellect tells the Mind to wait till we have paid for it. 

   The inner to that or subtle to that is the BLOSS or ANANDMAY KOSH. This is the bliss beyond the Mind -Intellect and so it is called ANANDMAY KOSH.