Showing posts with label Hinduism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hinduism. Show all posts

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Sanskrit Shlokas on Mothers Day

Here are few lovely Sanskrit shloka on MOTHER to share with you on Mother's Day! This will help us realize how we treated or expected to be treated 'mother' and 'women' in our society during ancient days.

1. आयु: पुमान् यश: स्वर्ग कीर्ति पुण्यं बलं श्रियं ।
    पशु सुखं धनं धान्यं प्राप्नुयान्मातृ वन्दनात् ।।


A man who serve mother truthfully will be blessed with long life, success, haven, fame, Laxmi, wealth, cattle, food grain, and everything.



2. जननि जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसि 

After Ravana's defeat, lord Rama said to Laxman, "Own Mother and birthplace are beautiful and greater than haven."
When Laxman, younger brother of Rama asked Lord Rama to acquire the kingdom (Sri-Lanka) after they had defeated and killed Ravana in the war, Lord Rama advised him to hand over the kingdom to Bibhishan, Ravana's younger brother, a rightful king as it was his mother land and Bibhishan inherited it after his elder brother's death. We must respect others' land or wealth (or women) without thinking of acquiring it in anyway. 

3. मातृपितृकृताभ्यासो गुणितामेति बालकः । 
    न गर्भच्युतिमात्रेण पुत्रो भवति पण्डितः ।।

Indian mother and father insist on studies so that their child gain adequate knowledge and skill to lead a respectable life. There is a saying - a king is respected within his kingdom, but a knowledgeable person is respected everywhere.

4. मातृवत परदारेषु परद्रव्येषु लोष्टवत्। आत्मवत् सर्वभूतेषु यः पश्यति स पंडितः।। 

A noble people treat and respect all the women (except his own wife) as mothers. They consider others' wealth as dust and have no intention of acquiring it in anyway. In addition, they also treat and love every living-being or creature and cause no harm to them in anyway.

5. माता मित्रं पिता चेति स्वभावात् त्रतयं हितम् |
    कार्यकारणतश्चान्ये भवन्ति हितबुद्धय: ||

Mother, father and friends are the only people who are interested in your well-being in real way. Thinking of 'good' about you is part of their nature and they do it without any condition or expectation or personal gain. So, value them as others in your life may have business/professional relationship based on certain spoken or unspoken terms and condition/benefits.

6. आदौ माता गुरौ पत्नी ब्राह्मणी राजपत्निका
    धेनुर्धात्री तथा प्रथ्वी सप्तैता मातरः स्मृतः

The ancient Indian tradition teaches us to respect our own mother first, then others in following order - teacher's wife (a brahmin lady), a queen, a cow, a foster mother and the mother earth.  We consider them as MOTHER and respect them at par...


7. मातृदेवीम नमस्तुभ्यं मम जन्मदात्रिम त्वम् नमो नमः ।
    बाल्यकाले मां पालन कृत्वा मातृकाभ्यो त्वम् नमाम्यहम ॥

I salute my mother who gave me birth; I also salute my other mothers (women) who added knowledge and wisdom to my actions and life to make me a good human being.

8. मातृ देवो भव् पितृ देवो भव्
    आचार्य देवो भव्, अतिथि देवो भव्

Let you be one who worships mother, father, teachers and guests as 'God'.

When we study our ancient scripture, we realize that there is profound respect given to mother and women in general. So, read the original scripture to know yourself.

Mother's Day

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Importance of visiting temple and following rituals.

I have been asked several times by my foreign  friends - Why Hindus visit temples?
After researching and talking to few experts, I found few reasons. Apart from spiritual need, people went to temple for social and scientific reasons.

Darshan: We visit temple for Darshana or see the 'sight' of the supreme lord. This helps the devotee to connect the god mentally and emotionally. It also help in concentrating fully with god and forgetting the rest of the universe around us. This 'Dhyana' or mediation creates vacuum in our continuous flow of thoughts that facilitate to attain peace.

Idol: God is humanized in the form of 'idol' that helps devotee to concentrate on an object. It gives a definite shape or form to our imaginary thoughts. In addition, every god or supreme power has certain characteristic to his/her personality and we ultimately wish to have them or improve in those area.

Rituals: Rituals in Hinduism are in different form. One set of rules are for temples and another for personal life. Temple rituals revolves around "pranpratishtha" or installing the idol of a deity in the temple with proper rituals of invoking god/goddess with sanskrit chanting, bathing the idol with milk, water, honey, clarified butter and yogurt (panchamrut i.e. 5 nectors or liquids), dressing up with cloth, flowers, ornaments, offering food and singing bhajan (devotional songs).

Every ritual invokes human 5 senses - touching(touching the deity), seeing(seeing the deity), tasting (panchamrut), smelling (flowers, camphor, and other things), hearing (the chanting, arti, bhanjan)...bring 'self' the present state or in temple completely.

On daily basis the worshiping is done in smaller scale to invoke and sleep the god in the form of idol. The same process is followed at home in much smaller scale.

There are other rituals in Hinduism are meant for social occasions such as marriage, and death and so on... this signifies the life and meaning we have for every part of the life and the way we accept and respect it. These rituals associated with the special occasions reminds us our duty or role or 'dharma' during that phase. Most of them are beneficial and scientifically  proven. For example, the silver toe rings are part of acupuncture  therapy that regulates uterus function in women and avoid diseases associated with. It also improve a sexual desire in women and therefore forbidden for unmarried  or widows to wear them.

Concept of Brahma: This concept remind us the value of I. I am Brahma. So do others. The temple may have one of more deities whom we worship or devote ourself with the concept of I am one part of the universe. I am also God. The devotion teaches us to let go off "I" that is main cause of stress and conflict in the personal and professional life.

Architecture: Most ancient temples have magnificent architecture that have scientific as well as spiritual significance. The scientific meaning of the temple architecture is associated with the scientific construction that includes the decor, angles, lights, the environment and the other things.

The common features of the temples are:
1. Central sanctum enshrines for the main deity
2. Secondary sanctums are for other deities such as Ganesha, Nandi and so on...
3. The space for the trained priest to perform rituals
4. The space in-front of the main deity is for devotees to stand/sit to worship or attend the Arti
5. The outside areas  either within the temple premises or outside the temple premises meant for public for attending social functions or discourse
6. There is additional space for devotees for pradkshana or parikrama or walk around the garbha graham or main section of the temple, but this is within the premises/external boundaries of the temple.

Pradaksihina or Parikrama: The reasons behind pradkshana is - we consider god is center part of our action, our thought and our world. When we go around, we keep the deity at the center of the gravity and consider it as the main focus of our existence. This concept usually helps devotees to consider to take life as it comes or consider this is devoted to the god /universe and we all are part of it. This is one of the ways to keep our mind balanced and peaceful by removing the focus from 'self' or 'I'.

The role Temples in Society: Temples, in general, played a larger role in the society that provided educational, social support in addition to providing them an emotional, and a spiritual support. Most temples in ancient India were also served as educational institutes or gurukul and the center for social gathering in the evening. The additional space within the temple is provided to people to held social rituals and ceremonies. The spiritual guru used the same space to give the discourse that taught most to stay away from materialistic, physical or emotional vices. The environment also helped to inculcate the basic virtue through friendship, forgiveness, humility, tolerance, courage, guidance and more...thus improving overall improvement.




http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=5315


Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Respecting Women is an old Indian tradition...

Respecting women is always been part of our culture since it's origin...
यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः ।
यत्रैतास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्राफलाः क्रियाः ॥
he divine are extremely happy where women are respected ;
where they are not, all actions (projects) are fruitless.
या श्री: स्वयं सुकृतिनां भवनेषु
Who is the Goddess of Fortune Herself in the families of the meritorious
अलक्ष्मीः पापात्मनां
The Goddess of ill luck in the homes of the sinful
त्वं श्रीस्त्वमीश्वरी त्वं ह्रीः
Thou art the Goddess of Fortune, Thou art the supreme Goddess, Thou art Modesty
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता
The Goddess who resides in all beings as Power
त्वं स्त्रि त्बं पुमानसि त्वं कुमार उत वा कुमारी
Thou art the woman, Thou art the man, Thou art the boy and the girl as well.
Source: Internet

#Ancient #Hindu #Knowledge #customs #Hindu #Hinduism #India #lifestyle #culture #women #respect #international #women #day

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Aryabhat and his work in Mathematics

Most of us know the invention of zero ‘0’ by Aryabhat in India; but very few know about him or his real work in detail. Aryabhat was a famous Indian mathematician and an astronomer who lived between 476 – 550 CE. Most of his work was done towards end of 4th century CE.
He received his early education in Kusumpura, which is now known as Patna in Bihar.
He had done enormous work in mathematics and astronomy that is complied into two major works and few notes. One of the major works is known as “Aryabhatiya” that has survived the passage of time. 

However, his other work in astronomical computation that is known, as ‘Arya-siddhanta’ could not survive.
Aryabhatiya mainly focuses on mathematics and astronomy and it consists of 4 parts:
1. The Dasagitika Sutra: It has 33 verses that defines the basics of astronomical tables
2. Ganita – Mathematics: This section has 33 verses that give 66 mathematical rules.
3. Kalakriya – The measure of time: This section has 25 verses that describe time, its measurement and planetary models.
4. Gola – The spherics: This section has 50 verses those details on sphere and eclipses.
Here is the extract of some of his work for us to gauge the depth of knowledge that India lost over a period of time.

i. Most basic & famous example of binomial:

(a + b) ² = a² + 2ab + b²
Or
a X b = (a+b)2  - (a2 – b2)
------------------------
2

ii. Value of Pi:


abhi svav Rushtim madey ays yudhyato raghveeriva pravaNe samsrutaya: | indro yad vajree dhRuSHamANo andhasA behind valasya paridheemriva trita: ||
paridhi m. circumference Paridhih +iva+ tritah. Paridhih means circumference, iva means like or for example, tritah means by 3. Thus, like circumference by three.



haturadhikam śatamaṣṭaguṇam dvāṣaṣṭistathā sahasrāṇāmayutadvayaviṣkambhasyāsanno vṛttapariṇāhaḥ.
"
Add four to 100, multiply by eight, and then add 62,000. By this rule the circumference of a circle with a diameter of 20,000 can be approached."

This implies that the ratio of the circumference to the diameter is:
((4 + 100) × 8 + 62000)/20000
= 62832/20000
= 3.14159265 i.e. the value of π is correct to 8 places

iii. The value of pie upto
गोपीभाग्य मधुव्रातः श्रुंगशोदधि संधिगः |
खलजीवितखाताव गलहाला रसंधरः ||
gopeebhaagya maDhuvraathaH shruMgashodhaDhi saMDhigaH
khalajeevithakhaathaava galahaalaa rasaMDharaH
ga-3, pa-1, bha-4, ya -1, ma-5, Dhu-9, ra-2, tha-6, shru-5, ga-3, sho-5, dha-8, Dhi -9, sa-7, Dha- 9, ga-3, kha-2, la-3, jee-8, vi-4, tha-6, kha-2, tha-6, va-4, ga-3, la-3, ha-8, la-3, ra-2, sa-7, Dha-9, ra-2
π  = 3.1415926535897932384626433832792...

iv. Measurement of earth:
About the circumference of the earth, Aryabhat measured as 4 967 yojanas (1 yojana = 5 miles) and its diameter as 1 5811/24 yojanas.
5 x 1 5811/24
= 24835
And, today it is measured as 24 902 miles (using all the advanced equipment, technologies)
Sine differences: The rules says each sine-difference reduced by quotients of all the previous differences and itself by the first difference.
d2 (sin x)
--------------   = - Sin x
dx2
For example, check the numbers - 51, 37, 22, 7

v. Earth and planetary light:
Aryabhat has mentioned that the Moon and planets shine by reflected sunlight.
vi. Rotation of earth:
In his golapada stanza 9, he wrote:


He also mentioned the unconventional discovery about the rotation of the heavens was due to the axial rotation of the Earth on daily basis; that apparently was accepted much later by the West.
Acknowledging Aryabhat’s contribution in mathematics and astronomy, India honored him by naming its first satellite as ‘Aryabhat.’
If the Indian government takes interest in teaching ancient languages and investing into ancient scientific scriptures, it can build stronger scientific base in future. Apparently, it was believed that Germans learned Sanskrit to rediscover Indian scientific and technological advancement in aeronautical field and they succeeded in building an advanced plane. That knowledge was eventually taken by NASA scientists after World War II and used in their research.
Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
References:
  • J. J. O'Connor and E. F. Robertson, Aryabhata the Elder, MacTutor History of Mathematics archive
  • http://www.ms.uky.edu/~sohum/AAK/pdf%20files/aryabhatta.pdf_
  • Understanding (Third Edition). New York: W.H. Freeman and Company. p. 70. ISBN 0-7167-4361-2
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryabhata
  • http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Biographies/Aryabhata_I.html