Saturday, November 19, 2011

Satyam Shivam Sundaram

satyam shivam sundramSatyam Shivam Sundaram
                              Satyam Shivam Sundaram by Swami Krsna
                             Devi Parvati and Lord Shiva

Truth (Satyam) is God (Shiva) and God (Shiva) is Beautiful (Sundaram).

 Beauty of God in Truth, the Beauty of Shiva, the Ultimate Truth of Realization, the Most Gracious among the Graceful!
To Him I bow, Who is born of none, Who is God of Gods, Who is giver of boons, Who is the conqueror of death, Who was, is and shall be even after eternity, Who is in me and I in Him. He's my very own, my Super self!


Lord Shiva and Devi Ganga

Lord Shiva in lotus position
Lord Shiva in lotus position

Lord Shiva meditating

The 12 Jyotir-Lingams

Lord Shiva in meditation

The 12 Jyotir Lingams
The 12 Jyotir Lingams

Lord Shiva - the greatest Vaishnava

Greatestvaishnav Lord ShivaLord Shiva - the greatest Vaishnava
Om Vishnupad 108 Tridandi Swami Sri Srimat Bhakti Sravan Tirtha Goswami Maharaj ki Jai !!
Wherever Lord Krishna is there Lord Shiva also dwells and wherever Mahadev Shambhu is there Sri Hari also dwells.

The loving bond between Sri Krishna and Sri Shiva proves the Lord's words that "My devotees are always absorbed in thinking about me and I am always absorbed in thinking about them."

In the Brihad Bhagawatamrita, Lord Brahma says to Devrishi Narada, "O Narada, I have never seen anyone more dear to the Lord than Shiva. Shivaji is constantly absorbed in the nectarean mellows emenating from Lord Krishna.

In the Chaitanya Charitamrita, it is written:

Krishna-preme unmatta, vihvala digambara
nirantara kahe shiva "murli krishna dasa"

Immersed in the love of Krishna, an agitated Shiva constantly chants 'I am Krishna's servant.'

Lord Shiva is the embodiment of supreme detachment. He smears his body with ashes and wears a garland of bones. A deadly cobra encircles his neck and his matted hair flails wildly as he dances his tandava nritya with joyful abandon.
Lord Shiva carries the sacred Ganga, which emenates from the toe of Lord Vishnu, on his head in his thickly matted hair. Mahadeva Shiva is universally worshipped as the greatest devotee of Sri Krishna, Vaishnavaanaam yatha shumbuh (Srimad Bhagavatam 12.13.16).

When Lord Krishna appeared in Gokula, Lord Shiva could not contain himself. Dressed as a sadhu, He went to Gokula and stood at the door of Nanda Baba's house asking to see the new-born. Both mother Yasoda and Rohini eyed the wild looking sadhu suspiciously and felt that his appearance would frighten their little Kanha. They refused to let Him see the baby.
Lord Shiva tried in many ways to get them to change their mind and when they didn't allow him He was crushed. Lord Krishna knew that His devotee, His dear Sadashiv was eager to have His darshan. So right at that moment, He started crying very fiercely and loudly. Yasoda mata tried her best to pacify Him, but to no avail. Then finally, thinking that the sadhu baba might atleast distract the child, she brought Him to the courtyard and let Lord Shiva see the divine child. Both Bhakta and Bhagwan were happy to have darshan of each other and immediately baby Krishna stopped crying.
Lord Shiva is usually an integral part of Lord Krishna's leelas. Easily pleased and hence called Ashutosh, Lord Shiva generally ends up giving some belligerent rakshasa a boon that causes Lord Krishna to appear. But Lord Shiva is very clever. He appears to give a boon, but it is actually a punishment. Lord Shiva has two types of mercy, sakapat kripa (mercy with cheating) and nishkapat kripa (mercy without duplicity). To the danavas and rakshasas who always pray for power, strength, invincibility, weapons and material opulance, He gives sakapat kripa.

When He granted the wishes of danavas like Ravana and Vrikaasura, Lord Mahadeva gave sakapat kripa. Those who are innimical to Lord Vishnu but worship Lord Shiva, always get the Lord's sakapat kripa. Similarly, those Vaishnavas who ignore Lord Shiva's pre-eminent position and worship Lord Vishnu, are deluded all to easily by the Lord's maya.

In Brihad Bhagavatamrita, Lord Brahma says to Narada Rishi "One should not differentiate between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu or Krishna. Krishna may forgive one who commits offences at His own lotus feet. But He never forgives one who commits offences at the lotus feet of Lord Shiva. Shiva is Vaishnava agraganya, the greatest Vaishnava.

To devotees of Lord Hari, He awards nishkapat kripa. Every devotee of Lord Krishna has to pass the quality test of Lord Shiva before Lord Krishna accepts them.

A visit to the Braja Mandala region needs Lord Shiva’s permission. In Mathura Lord Shiva's temples surround the town in all the four corners. There are 4 Shiva lingas located in the four corners to protect the city. These lingas are called the dik-pala of Mathura. These lingas are called Gokarnesvara Mahadeva in the north, Pippalesvara Mahadeva in the east, Rangesvara Mahadeva in the south and Bhutesvara Mahadeva in the west.

Indeed the whole of Braja mandala abounds in temples of Lord Shiva; Chakleshwar Mahadeva near Govardhan, Nandishwar Mahadeva in Nandgaon, Gopeshwar Mahadev and Bankhandi Mahadev in Vrindavan, Kundeshwar Mahadev in Radha Kund, Kedareshwar Mahadev, the Kedarnath temple located in a remote corner in the Braj mandala parikrama marg, Kameshwar Mahadev and many others.

In the Brahma-vaivarta purana, Lord Shiva spoke to the demigods, the devas, about the glories of chanting Sri Krishna's names:
adhunaa pancha-vaktrena yan naama-guna-kirtanam
gaayan bhramaami sarvatra nishprhah sarva karmasu

With my five faces I chant His name and qualities while I wander everywhere without involving myself in anything

matto yaati ca mrtyush cha yan naama-guna-kirtanam
shaasvaj japantam tan naama drshtavaa mrtyuh palaayate

Because I constantly chant His name and qualities, death does not touch me. Death runs away from that person who chants his name.

sarva brahmaanda samhartaapy aham krtyunjayaabhidhah
schiram tapasaa yasya guna-naamaanu-kirtanaat

By reciting His name and qualities while performing my austerities for a long time, I have achieved the power to destroy all the universes and have conquered even death.



Sadhakas in the raganuga marg pray to Lord Gopeshwar Mahadeva to bless them with gopi rupa and gopi bhava and permit them to enter into the Lord's maharaas.



Gopeshwar Mahadev ki Jai

Jai Jai Sri Radhey !!

Jai Guru !!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Oam Namah Shivay


Om Namah Shivaya

chorus
Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya / Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya
1st verse
Now I bow to Shiva with love and respect / I invoke him with this slogan so I’m open to
connect / with devotion cuz I’m knowin that he’s always in effect / in deep meditation
with a snake around his neck / he’s the husband of Parvati Maha Shakti / & he rides
a white bull the vehicle Nandi / he’s Ganapati’s father mister Mahadev / and the Ganges
flow down from the crown of his head /a crescent moon rests right next to his dreads
he’s the god of the dead covered in ash / with a smile on his face his compassion is vast
living in a place called Mount Kailash /in the Himalayan kingdom known as his home
& in the shape of a lingam he’s a rolling stone / to the king of all yogis Shankara
Shambo / Om Namah Shivaya, Shivaya Namah Om
chorus
Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya / Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya
2nd verse
To Shiva Shankar, the yoga master / known as Nataraja the cosmic dancer
lord of destruction, god of disaster / and if you don’t invite him he’s the of party crasher
to the old school mystic, who’s non dualistic / Shiva guides my mind so that I can shift it
away from a place that’s materialistic / into a space that’s more holistic / magnetic ascetic
you make the soul shine / you awaken the snake at the base of the spine / third eye wide
open in a yoga pose / you show us how to focus so the lotus unfolds / in deep
concentration
with breath control / returning to the source now we feel the force flow
when the Jiva meets Shiva opposites become whole /
Om Namah Shivaya Shivaya Namah Om
chorus
Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya / Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya
3rd verse
Om Namah Shivaya the flames get higher / as the corpse gets burned on the funeral pyre
the soul never dies so it won’t expire / when it’s time to die just take off this attire
exhale to let go of the ego’s desire / let your soul be inspired to shine even brighter
like Shiva Nataraja the one that I admire / dancing on a demon in a burning ring of fire
Mahadev it’s been said that your pure auspiciousness /and your known as Truth Bliss
& Consciousness, /creating, devastating and always transformation / you save the whole
world when you swallowed up the poison / destroying bad habits ignorance, and greed
practicing detachment, compassion, and peace / to the king of all yogi’s we offer these
prayers / to the lord of meditation living in the Himalayas
chorus
Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya / Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya

Monday, November 7, 2011

श्रीरुद्राष्टकम् – Shiva Rudrashtakam

श्रीरुद्राष्टकम् – Shiva Rudrashtakam





Rudrashtakam – Eightfold Hymn of praise to please Lord Shiva

श्रीरुद्राष्टकम्

नमामीशमीशान निर्वाणरूपं। विभुं व्यापकं ब्रह्मवेदस्वरूपं।

निजं निर्गुणं निर्विकल्पं निरीहं। चिदाकाशमाकाशवासं भजे हं॥1॥

निराकारमोंकारमूलं तुरीयं। गिरा ग्यान गोतीतमीशं गिरीशं।

करालं महाकाल कालं कृपालं। गुणागार संसारपारं नतो हं॥2॥

तुषाराद्रि संकाश गौरं गम्भीरं। मनोभूत कोटि प्रभा श्री शरीरं।

स्फुरन्मौलि कल्लोलिनी चारु गंगा। लसद्भालबालेन्दु कण्ठे भुजंगा॥3॥

चलत्कुण्डलं भ्रू सुनेत्रं विशालं। प्रसन्नाननं नीलकण्ठं दयालं।

मृगाधीशचर्माम्बरं मुण्डमालं। प्रियं शंकरं सर्वनाथं भजामि॥4॥

प्रचण्डं प्रकृष्टं प्रगल्भं परेशं। अखण्डं अजं भानुकोटिप्रकाशम्।

त्रय: शूल निर्मूलनं शूलपाणिं। भजे हं भवानीपतिं भावगम्यं॥5॥

कलातीत कल्याण कल्पांतकारी। सदासज्जनानन्ददाता पुरारी।

चिदानन्द संदोह मोहापहारी। प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो मन्मथारी॥6॥

न यावद् उमानाथ पादारविंदं। भजंतीह लोके परे वा नराणां।

न तावत्सुखं शान्ति सन्तापनाशं। प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वभूताधिवासं॥7॥

न जानामि योगं जपं नैव पूजां। नतो हं सदा सर्वदा शम्भु तुभ्यं।

जराजन्म दु:खौघ तातप्यमानं। प्रभो पाहि आपन्न्मामीश शंभो॥8॥

रुद्राष्टकमिदं प्रोक्तं विप्रेण हरतोषये।

ये पठन्ति नरा भक्तया तेषां शम्भु: प्रसीदति॥

Meaning:

I bow to the Ruler of the Universe, whose very form is Liberation,the omnipotent and all pervading Brahma, manifest as the Vedas. I worship Shiva, shining in his own glory, without physical qualities,Undifferentiated, desireless, all pervading sky of consciousness and wearing the sky itself as His garment. ||1||

I bow to the supreme Lord who is the formless source of “OM” The Self of All, transcending all conditions and states,
Beyond speech, understanding and sense perception, Awe-full, but gracious, the ruler of Kailash, Devourer of Death, the immortal abode of all virtues. ||2||

I worship Shankara, whose form is white as the Himalyan snow, Radiant with the beauty of countless Cupids, Whose head sparkles with the Ganga. With crescent moon adorning his brow and snakes coiling his neck ||3||

The beloved Lord of All, with shimmering pendants hanging from his ears, Beautiful eyebrows and large eyes, Full of Mercy with a cheerful countenance and a blue speck on his throat. ||4||

I worship Shankara, Bhavani’s husband,The fierce, exalted, luminous supreme Lord.Indivisible, unborn and radiant with the glory of a million suns; Who, holding a trident, tears out the root of the three-fold suffering,And who is reached only through Love. ||5||

You who are without parts, ever blessed, The cause of universal destruction at the end of each round of creation, A source of perpetual delight to the pure of heart,Slayer of the demon, Tripura, consciousness and bliss personified,
Dispeller of delusion Have mercy on me, foe of Lust. ||6||

Oh Lord of Uma, so long as you are not worshipped there is no happiness, peace or freedom from suffering in this world or the next. You who dwell in the hearts of all living beings, and in whom all beings have their existence, Have mercy on me, Lord. ||7||

I don’t know yoga, prayer or rituals, But everywhere and at every moment, I bow to you, Shambhu! Protect me my Lord, miserable and afflicted as I am with the sufferings of birth, old-age and death. ||8||

This eightfold hymn of praise was sung by the Brahman to please Shankara. Shambhu will be pleased with whomever heartfully recites it.

Tulsi Vivah, Bhisma Panchak, Baikunth Chaturdashi and Kartika पूर्णिमा


Tulsi Vivah, Bhisma Panchak, Baikunth Chaturdashi and Kartika पूर्णिमा


Tulsi Vivah on Mon, 7 November 2011

कार्तिक Kartika शुक्ल एकादशी को शालिग्राम और तुलसी का विवाह रचाया जाता है। मान्यता है कि कार्तिक मास में जो व्यक्ति तुलसी का विवाह भगवान विष्णु से रचाता है उसके पिछले जन्मों का पाप नष्ट हो जाता है।

Dev Prabodhini Ekadashi Vrat: Sun, 6 Nov 2011

Bhisma Panchak from 6 Nov 2011 to 10 November 2011 (refer hindu panchang)

यह व्रत कार्तिक शुक्ल एकादशी से प्रारंभ होकर पूर्णिमा तक चलता है। कहा जाता है कि महाभारत (Mahabharata) काल में जब देवव्रत भीष्म सूर्य के उत्रायण (Uttarayana – from Makar Sankranti) होने की प्रतिक्छा में शर शय्या पर थे तो उनही पांच दिनों के दौरान उन्होने पांडवों को राज धर्म, वर्ण धर्म, मोक्छ Moksha धर्म आदि पर उपदेश दिया था। श्री कृष्ण Krishna ने उनकी स्मृति में भीष्म पंचक व्रत की आयोजना की।

Baikuntha Chaturdashi Vrat on Tue, 8 Nov 2011

Baikunth Chaturdashi : Wed, 9 Nov 2011 (अरुणोदयव्यापिनी, भगवान शिव और विष्णु की पूजा करनी चाहिये)

कार्तिक Kartika मास के शुक्ल पक्छ Paksh की चतुर्दशी (a day before kartika purnima) को यह व्रत fast किया जाता है। ऐसी मान्यता है की निःसंतान लोग यदि रात्रि के समय किसी नदी या तीर्थ में पूरी रात्रि तक खडे होकर हाथों में दीपक जलाएं तो संतान की प्राप्ति होती है।

Kartika Purnima (Maha Kartiki) on Thu, 10 Nov 2011

कार्तिक पूर्णिमा पवित्र पुनीत पर्व है। इसमें किये गये यग्य Yagya, दान, स्नान, साधना का फल असीम होता है। उस दिन यदि कृतिका नक्शत्र Nakshtra हो तो महाकार्तिकी होती है। इसी दिन सायंकाल के समय मतस्यावतार हुआ था। अत: इस दिन किये गये दान का फल दस यग्यों के फल के बराबर है। इस दिन हरिद्वार haridwar, काशी Varanasi, प्रयाग Allahabad, पुष्कर Pushkar आदि पुण्य तिर्थों Tirth में श्रध्दापूर्वक स्नान, दान करने से महा पुण्य फल की प्राप्ति होती है।

PRADOSHA VRATA – Worship of Lord Shiva for Victory & Success

PRADOSHA VRATA – Worship of Lord Shiva for Victory & Success





Om Nanah Shivay

SHIVA VRAT & PUJA

ALL THINGS in this vast creation function upon definite laws. There is always a beautiful system and sound rationale governing every phenomenon and process, mundane or mystical. Just as the gross elements and physical forces operate differently under different states and conditions, so also the subtler and higher forces respond and react in the inner mystic planes, and in the purely spiritual processes like meditation, prayer, worship, etc. Therefore, you will find definite injunctions for performing certain types of worship in the morning, certain other injunctions for the midday prayers, and still others for the evening worship. Again, some observances are meant to be performed during certain phases of the moon, some when a particular star is in the ascendant, or at the time of a particular conjunction of planets.

The PRADOSHA worship is to be done in the evening twilight on the 13th day of each lunar fortnight.

It is the worship of Lord Shiva for victory and success in all undertakings, and the fulfilment of all your heart’s cherished desires. When you desire to obtain a favour from a superior person, don’t you naturally approach him at a moment when he is likely to be in a very pleasant frame of mind? You will perhaps see him after he has had a good dinner and is happily chatting with a friend in a hearty, expansive mood. Even so, the Hindu, especially the Hindu who is engaged in the motivated type of worship, usually selects the most pleasant aspect of God for his worship. He performs it at a time which the ancient Rishis experienced as being the most helpful and efficacious in propitiating the Deity. The Pradosha worship is based on such mystic psychology.

Pradosha is the worship of Lord Shiva and Parvati when they both are in an extremely propitious mood. Repeatedly worsted in war by the demons, the gods approached Lord Shiva to bless them with a leader for their celestial hosts. They came to the Lord at twilight on the thirteenth day of the lunar fortnight and found Him in the blissful company of His consort, Parvati. Hymned and glorified by them, Siva immediately granted their prayerful request. Hence, the extreme auspiciousness of the period.

The Skanda Purana relates how Sandilya Muni prescribed this Vrata (fasts) to a certain Brahmin lady. She came to the sage with two boys, her son, Suchivrata, and an orphan prince, Dharmagupta, whose father was slain in battle and the kingdom overrun by enemies. Acting upon the advice of the sage, the woman and the boys performed the Vrata with great devotion. After four months, that is, in the eighth Pradosha, Suchivrata obtained a pot of nectar and drank the divine ambrosia. Prince Dharmagupta won the hand of a celestial princess and, as ordered by Lord Siva, with the help of the celestial king himself, his enemies were slain and his kingdom restored to him. Then Dharmagupta attained the Lord’s supreme abode.

So easily, and yet so greatly is the Lord of Kailash pleased by this Vrata (fasts). One who takes this Vrata (fasts) on that day, and keeps vigil at night after the fast is over. Bathing an hour before sunset, the worshipper first performs a preliminary worship of Lord Shiva, together with all the others of His divine family, namely, Parvati, Ganesha, Skanda and Nandi. After the worship of Ganesha, Lord Shiva is invoked in the special kalasha placed on a square mandala with a lotus drawn in it and spread over with darbha grass. After the formal worship has been completed, a Pradosha storyMaha Mrityunjaya Mantra 108 times. In the end the sacred kalasha water is partaken of, the sacred ash is applied to the forehead, and the water which was used to bathe the Lord, is drunk. is read and heard by the devotees. This is followed by the recitation of the

A gift of a pot, a cloth and an image of the Lord is given to a Brahmin to conclude the worship. A very important point to be remembered in this connection is that during this auspicious period all the hosts of celestial beings and gods come down from the heavens and attend the worship in their subtle forms. This adds immensely to the sanctity of the worship. This Vrata is highly lauded by the scriptures and is of very great sanctity and importance to worshippers of Lord Shiva. The mere sight of the Deity in a temple during this period will destroy all sins and bestow bountiful blessings and Grace upon the fortunate beholder. Even a single bael leaf (leaf taken from the wood-apple tree) offered to the Lord at this unique, auspicious moment equals a hundred Mahapujas.

It is usual to have special additional lights in the shrine during the Pradosha. To light even a single wick at this juncture is highly meritorious and productive of untold benefits, spiritual as well as material. Most fortunate and blessed is the person who performs the Pradosha Vrata, for upon him Lord Shiva showers His choicest Grace and blessings in a very short time.

Lord Shiva & Parvati


Parvati was born a maiden of the mountain. The mighty god Shiva was practicing meditation in the dense forest. Desiring to win over Shiva, Parvati went to serve him. But Shiva paid no attention to her.

At this time, the gods were being tortured by an invincible demon, so the prayed to the supreme god for a savior. He assured them that the son of Shiva and Parvati would be the one.

So the gods sent Kama, the god of love, to lead Shiva into marrying Parvati. But when the god of love worked his charm, Shiva was disturbed and turned him to ashes. Parvati redoubled her efforts at penance. One day a young hermit approached her berating her for wasting efforts on the uncouth Shiva. Parvati refuted the hermit�s challenge and was pleasantly surprised to find the hermit to be Shiva in disguise. She asked him to approach the elders. That done, Shiva and Parvati were married.

VANDE MATRAM




वन्दे मातरम्
सुजलां सुफलां मलयजशीतलाम्
शस्यशामलां मातरम् ।
शुभ्रज्योत्स्नापुलकितयामिनीं
फुल्लकुसुमितद्रुमदलशोभिनीं
सुहासिनीं सुमधुर भाषिणीं
सुखदां वरदां मातरम् ।। १ ।। वन्दे मातरम् ।

Oam Namah Shivay

ॐ नमः शिवाय
वन्दे शम्भुं उमा-पतिं सुर-गुरुं वन्दे जगत्कारणम्
वन्दे पन्नग-भूषणं मृगधरं वन्दे पशूनां पतिम् ।
वन्दे सूर्य-शशांक-वह्नि-नयनं वन्दे मुकुन्द-प्रियम्
वन्दे भक्त-जनाश्रयं च वरदं वन्दे शिवं शंकरम् ॥