#SatiSavitri #RealLifeExperiences #BharatDarshana

Bharat Darshana publishes a small monthly magazine which has some very interesting puranic anecdotes and snippets.

When I picked up this month's magazine, I was intrigued by a story which I want to share as below

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#Ramayana #LecturesOnTheRamayana

Today, I will quote a few verses on Lakshmana's famous anger and his unflinching devotion towards Sri Rama. There are couple of instances where his Bhakti towards his brother is intense.

Thread below

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In Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Lakshmana on being told about the course of events goes into his famous rage. He even threatens to kill anyone who supports Bharatha.

However, what he says to Kausalya is what touches one's soul. A couple of shlokas below

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अनुरक्तोऽस्मि भावेन भ्रातरं देवि तत्त्वतः।
सत्येन धनुषा चैव दत्तेनेष्टेन ते शपे।।16।।

O mother, (Lakshmana says to Kausalya) I am truly loyal to my brother from the bottom of my heart. I swear this by my bow, on my merits earned through charity, ...

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by my truthfulness & by the good deeds I have done

दीप्तमग्निमरण्यं वा यदि रामः प्रवेक्ष्यति।
प्रविष्टं तत्र मां देवि त्वं पूर्वमवधारय।।17।।

O mother rest assured should Rama enter a blazing fire or a forest I must have already entered it

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This is fiercely violent sentiment .. One of pure unbridled emotion where he swears by all his karma that he will be the first face dangers before Rama has to endure it.

Is this unlimited Bhakti ? Or protective nature towards his Rama?

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#Ramayana #LecturesOnTheRamayana

In today's thread and perhaps some subsequent threads, we will start looking into Rama as a person. The author clearly tries to bring out the human aspect of Rama captured beautifully in some of the verses.

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Please note, the discussion is NEVER challenging the supreme divinity of the person, but tries to capture the nuances or the finer points of the Bhagwan.

Sri Rama had extra-ordinary merit - Unequalled, Unmatched merit. He always remained at his own highest level.

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He seldom fell below it at times, wherein one can spot the conditions that led to the decline. In these conditions, he did & said things that his own higher nature would never approve.

Sri Rama was indeed the guardian and embodiment in himself of Dharma.

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Some incidents bring out the very best in him where he is able to uphold his own moral ideal.

For ex, when Vibhishina sought asylum, he held a council of war with all eminent counsellors. Except Hanuman whose advice was considered weak, rest all including Lakshmana ..

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recommended him to reject Vibhishina, with a few even ordering killing him.

He listened to this charged conversation (a skill where we humans utterly lack today) & said the famous words:
" No man shall seek my protection in vain. No matter who, how undeserving, how wicked..

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#Ramayana #LecturesOnTheRamayana

In the past, we had a glimpse of Lakshmana's devotion towards Sri Rama, his brother and father figure.

However, it is interesting to note his unique relationship with Sita, especially as seen by from her perspective.

Thread below

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We all know about the Golden Deer / Maricha incident and the way Sita influences Lakshmana to go in search of his brother.

Personally, I am unable to get 2 strong emotional points in one thread and hence, I will skip this incident for today.

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In Sundara Kanda, when Hanuman meets Sita, she says the following

सिंहस्कन्धो महाबाहुर्मनस्वी प्रियदर्शिनः।
पितृवद्वर्तते रामे मातृवन्मां समाचरन्।।

Lakshmana, who has lionshoulders and strong arms, who is handsome, who takes Rama as his father & treats me as his own mother

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ह्रियमाणां तदा वीरो न तु मां वेद लक्ष्मणः।
वृद्धोपसेवी लक्ष्मीवान् शक्तो न बहुभाषिता।।

Heroic Lakshmana, did not know while I was borne away. He is prosperous, foremost in serving elders. He is energetic and reserved in his speech like my father-in-law ..

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He is a prince dear (to his brother).

These are from Sarga-38, shlokas 60 and 61.

There are 3 distinct points which I want to draw the attention of the reader to.

1. She also compares Lakshmana to Dasaratha much like how Rama did when he constructed the hut in panchavati

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#Spirituality #Shloka #Shlokas

Master thread of all Spirituality articles - Part of pinned thread

#AithiyaMaala #ViwamangalamSwamiyar

Vilwamangalam Swamiyar is one of the most revered saints in Kerala's history. He was famous as one of the few who could see Gods, Goddess, Celestial beings in their flesh and blood form. Thread below about his mahima

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1. Vaddakkumanathan Temple

During Vrishchikka masa, Karthika star day is considered to be the birthday of Karthiayani devi in Kumaranallur.

On this day, Swamiyar visited the temple to offer his prayers, but doesn't find the lord in garbha griha

PC: Google

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After searching all around, he observes Mahadeva sitting on the southern compound wall and watching something in distance.

Swamiyar asks, "Oh lord ! Why are you sitting here"

Mahadeva says "I am watching the Aarattu (ceremonial bathing during festival) of my consort"

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Swamiyar says, "In that case, let me not disturb you".

He bows and immediately goes to the temple authorities and describes what transpired.

Immediately, a priest performed a pooja at the southern compound wall which continues till date on that specific day

🕉️

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2. Vaikkom Temple

Vaikkasthashtami Festival (was on 8-Dec this year) is one of the major festivals in this majestic Shiva kshetrams. Swamiyar visited this temple and went to worship the lord, but as usual, he didn't find the Bhagwan

PC: TOI

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@TalhaAhsanEsq It's a very good question, and a complicated one. For starters, the Islamic manuscript tradition is vast both in terms of timespan and geography. As Dr. Shamsy points out in his latest book, the Arabic manuscript tradition is the most vast of any language in the world.

Why are some things given more prioritisation for publication than others? Why are some aspects of the tradition more emphasised than others. There's no single cause behind it.

And there is not necessarily always a sinister motive behind the suppression of some things, but sometimes there is...

It is true that the Hanbalis and Ash'aris had a very contentious and at times acrimonious relationship for much of their history. In later centuries, a sort of truce was reached. Al-Zabidi has said similar in his sharh of Ihya about the identification of 3 groups as Ahl al-Sunna

It seems that these truce efforts also spawned a number of works seeking to mediate the Hanbali-Ash'ari dispute over the nature of Divine Speech, the most contentious of issues between the two camps. A couple of these have been recently published.

Ever heard of a temple where the statue of the Goddess was found in a field in 1936 after spending almost a millenia under the soil?And is worshipped as the Tri-Sakthi-Swaroopini?
No?
I shall narrate the story of Nidadavole Kota Satthema temple in West Godavari district, Andhra

Nidadavole is a sleepy little town in the district of West Godavari, located a few kilometres from the Godavari. Among other things, it is famous for its Gramadevatha and Kshetrapalika, the Goddess Kota Satthema

In the tenth century, Nidadavole was known as Nirvadhyapuram, and was under the rule of the Eastern Chalukyas. They were nominal feudatories of the Kakatiyas of Warangal. The local Sthalapurana indicates that the original temple was built by one king called Virabhadra.

This Virabhadra has been identified as the husband and royal regent of the Kakatiya Empress, Rani Rudramadevi who ruled Central Deccan during the period. The original stone figure of the Goddess was built within a fort during his reign.

The goddess was worshipped as the Shakti of the Fort. Over time the name entered the vernacular parlance as Kota (the telugu word for Fort) and Satthema (a local vulgarisation of the word Shakti).

[THREAD: HISTORY OF THE HINDU TEMPLE]
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Four hours south of Aswan in Lower Nubia, right by the Nile, is a region dotted with temple complexes built more than 3,000 years ago. Some like the temples of Amada, Derr, and Beit el-Wali go as far back as 1500 BC.

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A little further south, not far from the border with Sudan, is another complex dedicated to Ramses II, Hathor, and Nefertari in the village of Ipsambul, better known locally as Abu Sunbul and internationally as Abu Simbel. These go back to the 13th century BC.

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Djeser-Djeseru, also known as the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut in Upper Egypt also dates to 1400 BC. Over 500 years older is the nearby Mentuhotep II, also a mortuary temple. Both were dedicated to the cult of Amun Ra, besides their respective pharaohs.

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Far older is the Ġgantija complex of Malta. Going as far back as 3600 BC, this one comprises of two temples entirely made of stone and enclosed in a stone wall. From the figures therein, it's understood to be a site of some kind of a fertility cult worship.

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Dating from the same period are the limestone megaliths of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, both said to have once hosted ritualistic sacrifices as part of the same fertility cult worship as found in the Ġgantija complex. Malta has some of the oldest temple complexes in Europe.

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,

@Hadithoftheday Jannah.
Jannah (Paradise/Heaven) has eight gates while as Jahannam (Hell) has seven gates.
Allah in His mercy has made more entry points to Jannah than Jahannam.

Eight gates of Jannah are:
1.Bab-As-Salat
2.Bab-al- jihad
3.Bab-al- sadaqah
4.Bab-Ar-Rayyan
5.Bab-al-kazimeen-al-ghaiz-wal-aafina-anin-naas
6.Bab-al-hajj
7.bab-al-iman
8.bab-al-dhikr
Each gate has a name describing the kinds of people who will enter through these

Seven gates or levels of Hell/Jahannam are:
1. Jahannam
2. Ladha'
3. Saqar
4. Al-Hutamah
5. Jaheem
6. Sa'eer
7. Al-Haawiyah

Allah mentions seven gates of Hell in Surah Hijr of Glorious Qur'an.

Allah says in Qur'an:
"And indeed, Hell is the promised place for them all."
"It has seven gates; for every gate is of them a portion designated."
(Qur'an :Al-Hijr 15: Verse 43,44)

Each level of Jahannam not only contains different temperature, but also have different punishments and also contain different people.
The gates of Hell are structured one gate below the other descending.