THE STORY OF BRAHMIN SHATANAND IN SATYANARAYAN KATHA.

We already know that this katha was narrated by Vishnu ji to Narad Muni. So once a Brahmin named Shatanand, who lived in Kashi, went out to gather Bhiksha for his son Kaltraadi. Shatanand was an ardent devotee of Vishnu ji.

SHRI GOSWAMI TULSIDAS

It is believed that whenever society is oppressed, depressed and feels helpless, it calls out for help from Parmatma. The cries and pleas, when mixed with true devotion and true feelings are always answered by Parmatma.

Either he comes as avtaar or he sends his Representative to heal the society.

So when Goswami ji appeared the society was facing the same type of crisis. He brought about a calmness through his healing touch expressed through his writings which oozed positivity.

He presented Ishwar as saviour who always stood for his bhakts. His language of writing was the then used dialect understood by all. Anyone could read and find answers and solace in it. Other poets were busy pleasing the wily rulers.

Tulsidas is believed to be avtaar of Valmiki.

He was born in Vikram samvat 1554 in Banda district in a village called Rajapur to Atma ram Dubey and Hulsi. He was born with all his teeth intact and did not cry at birth. He was named Tularam.

Goswami ji himself mentioned his date of birth.

पंद्रह से चौवन बिषै, कालिंदी के तीर।
स्त्रावन शुक्ला सप्तमी, तुलसी धरेउ सरीर।।

He was married to Budhimati in Vikram samvat 1583. He was very attached to his wife.

Rig Ved 1.40.6

For the purification, beautification and cleansing of our chitta(चित्त) and to make our inner self full of prem(Love), to make Stuti bhaavmay(भावमय) and rasmay(रसमय) stuti is a Prayer that takes us to Parmatma. Since Parmatma is omnipresent,

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our prayers are definitely heard. Parmatma is Chaitanya, present everywhere. In terms of Kaal or time he is always there. In terms of Desh or place he is everywhere and in terms of vastu or thing he is chaitanya. So if our prayers go to him, they are definitely heard.

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तमिद्वो॑चेमा वि॒दथे॑षु शं॒भुवं॒ मंत्रं॑ देवा अने॒हसं॑ ।
इ॒मां च॒ वाचं॑ प्रति॒हर्य॑थाव नरो॒ विश्वेद्वा॒मा वो॑ अश्नवत् ॥

Translation:

देवाः '- Oh the leader devtas!

तम इत् - This.

शंभुवम - Wishing for happiness.

अनेहसम् - Without any flaws.

मन्त्रम् - Of mantras.

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विदथेषु - In yagya.

वोचेन - Us.

नरः - Oh leaders!

इमाम् - This.

वाचन - Of speech.

च - If.

प्रतिहर्यथ - If you wish.

विश्वा इत् - All.

वामा - Beautiful words.

वः - Yours.

अश्नवत् - To get.

Explanation: Oh the leader devtas! We are offering mantras for

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happiness and destruction of difficulties. Oh leaders! If you wish for these mantras respectfully, then these Beautiful mantras are devoted to you.

Deep meaning:For the purification, beautification and cleansing of our chitta(चित्त) and to make our inner

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HOW MAHABHARAT BOOK WAS CREATED AND ITS ORIGIN

#MahabharatSeries

Once upon a time in Naimisharanya, many Sages were sitting and doing Tapasya. That time Sage Ugrashrava(Son of Lomharshan) happened to come there, He was a scholar of Purans and also a Kathavachak.

Everybody was overjoyed and wanted to hear from him. All Munis welcomed him and asked from where did this lucky feet of yours is coming from?

Ugrashrava ji replied that he was coming from the place where Ved Vyas had narrated Mahabharat granth systematically.

All Munis requested that they too wanted to hear this Mahabharat where Deep meaning of Vedas were mentioned.

Ugrashrava ji said "Mahabharat Shlokas is there with combination of Laukik-Vedic Sanskrit."

After the creation of Mahabharat Ved Vyas thought in his mind as to

how should this creation made public and in what manner should my disciples study this Mahabharat and how to make this book reach to public. Hence Brahma ji decided to meet Ved Vyas to clarify his doubts. Ved Vyas then welcomed Brahma ji and said that "I have created a sacred

Mahakavya where deep meaning of Vedas is mentioned and Upanishads are explained in detail.
Brahma ji replied that since you have called your creation as Kavya hence in future it will be famous as Kavya. Brahma ji requested Vyas ji to write this Mahabharat by invoking Ganeshji.

Chennakeshava Temple, Somanathapura, Karnataka.

This temple, not to be confused with the Belur Chennakeshava temple, was built during the Hoysala period by a Hoysala general named Dandanayaka Somanatha. The temple dedicated to lord Vishnu was consecrated in 1258.

Dandanayaka Somanatha established a village named Somanathapura on the banks of river Kaveri. He sought the permission of King Narasimha III, to begin construction of a grand temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu that would also showcase the might of Hoysalas.(1)

The temple rests on a high star shaped platform (jagati) with 3 sanctums (garbha griha) making it a trikuta, set in a square matrix oriented along the east west and north south axes.(2)

The western sanctum is dedicated to Kesava, the northern sanctum to Janardhana and the southern sanctum to Venugopala, all are forms of lord Vishnu.(3)

The sanctums share a common community hall (sabha mandapa) with many pillars. Above each of these sanctums rise the 16 pointed star shaped tower called vimana or shikara.(4)

@Kate_SdE @PriyamvadaGopal @ChathamHouse @AdomGetachew Hindu nationalism should not have a negative connotation. It’s not exclusivist because Hinduism isn’t a religion - rather, it’s a way of life, and the term “Hindu” refer broadly to the people around and east of the Sindhu. This transcends the modern construct of religions.

@PriyamvadaGopal @ChathamHouse @AdomGetachew For “Hindus” - a broad-brush stroke for a people whose culture is underpinned by a knowledge system that provides logical structure for adopters of a plethora of philosophies, “Hindu nationalism” by definition, is inclusive and pluralistic. It gives space to everyone.

@PriyamvadaGopal @ChathamHouse @AdomGetachew If Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Purva-Mimamsa, Buddhist and Jain philosophies are studied in comparison with Abrahamic faiths, India’s unique Carl Popper Paradox comes to light. The imposition of a western matrix of secularism on a pluralistic culture has done much harm.

@PriyamvadaGopal @ChathamHouse @AdomGetachew Because the traditions are rooted in universalist philosophies, India gladly hosts followers of non-proselytizing faiths. Supremacist theocratic ideologies find little resonance with the people of the land. To understand “Hindu nationalism,” one has to study Indic philosophy.

@PriyamvadaGopal @ChathamHouse @AdomGetachew Equally, it is important to view history objectively, know the excesses of supremacist invaders/colonizers, and importantly, understand the asymmetries created by the “secular” state which structurally disadvantage the vastly heterogeneous so-called “Hindu” majority.

Knowledge & Bharat : Part V

The Curriculum of Vedic Education :
According to the Ancient Indian theory of education, the training of the mind & the process of thinking, are essential for the acquisition of knowledge.

#Thread

Vedic Education System delivered outstanding results.  These were an outcome of the context in which it functioned.  Understanding them is critical in the revival of such a system in modern times. 
The Shanthi Mantra spells out the context of the Vedic Education System.

It says:

ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

“Aum. May we both (the guru and disciples) together be protected. May we both be nourished and enriched. May we both bring our hands together and work

with great energy, strength and enthusiasm from the space of powerfulness. May our study and learning together illuminate both with a sharp, absolute light of higher intelligence. So be it.”

The students started the recitation of the Vedic hymns in early hours of morning.

The chanting of Mantras had been evolved into the form of a fine art. Special attention was paid to the correct pronunciation of words, Pada or even letters. The Vedic knowledge was imparted by the Guru or the teacher to the pupil through regulated and prescribed pronunciation,