Hinduism – Advanced Topics

Namste
Om
Hinduism – Advanced Topics
by
Koti Sreekrishna, Ph.D
Senior Scientist
513-290-3064
tatachar@aol.com
Namste
The contents of this article cannot be reproduced for commercial purposes without the permission of the author (tatachar@aol.com)
The BHAGAVAD-GITA (The Song Divine)
• Essential summary of Hinduism
• One of the most popular Hindu scriptures
• Longest Philosophical song (700 verses) in the
world literature
• Many Hindus swear on it in a court of law
•A dialogue between Lord Krishna and prince
Arjuna at the outset of Ma-haa-bhaa-ra-ta
war [a royal family feud which resulted in a
wholesale war that lasted for 18 days (Nov 22-
Dec 9; 3067 BCE) in Ku-ru-kSHe-tra (a place
near India's capital New Delhi)]
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•Krishna says to Arjuna that He had given the
same message long ago (since times immemorial)!
The message was passed on in succession for
many generations through the lineage of
philosopher kings of the solar dynasty.
However, with time, the essence was lost.
“I have appeared in the human form as your
friend to revive it"
• Yes, that revival of Hinduism has been
happening in every generation. This makes
Hinduism a vibrant (dynamic) religion
(old and new at the same time!)
*God is the source of everything.
*God is the best
*God is omnipotent and omnipresent.
*True knowledge is to know God.
*Death is only to the body. Soul takes on new
forms until it is liberated.
*Once we surrender to God, we are free from
cycles of birth and death.
*The good wins over evil.
*God reincarnates, when needed to establish
dharma (that which is beneficial to everyone).
*The form of God we worship, God fixes our
faith in that very form.
*All pray to the same God.
*True believers of God never fail.
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*Action is inevitable. No one can keep quiet.
*Balanced, hyper active and lazy are human nature
(“The Good, the bad and the ugly”). Try to be(come) more
balanced in every way (thoughts, words & deeds).
* Rise above dualities (pain & pleasure, love & hate,
good & bad, gain & loss, …)
*Do your work without greed. Don't be lazy.
* Do the work that suits you best.
*Dedicate all your actions to God.
* You have control only on your actions and not
on the result- Five factors govern the outcome all
actions (good or bad): Context, individual, tools at one’s
disposal, how the tools are used, and the unknowable
(luck, fate, karma, natural calamities, etc).
*Share your fortunes with others, otherwise
you are like a thief, who only exploits.
*Always support what is right.
*Follow moderation. Maintain a good balance of
work, leisure, food and pleasure.
*Be an example for good.
*Be humble and tolerant.
*Lust, anger, and greed lead to sorrow.
*Love (faith), light (knowledge) and life
(selfless work) are the ways to God.
*Love all. See ONE in all and all in ONE.
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*You are your best friend and your worst enemy.
*Only few people truly realize the truth.
*December month and the spring season are very
dear to God.
*Easy to please God. Just offer some water, or a
flower, or a leaf with faith or just think of God.
*Wisdom + Action = Success.
*The greatest Mantra is Om (AUM)
OM (AUM)
Om or AUM consisting of four parts A-U-M & silence is of
paramount importance in Hinduism.
It is also called ―praNava‖, to mean that it pervades life and runs
through our praaNa or breath.
Om is the w(Om)b of everything.
Om is an eternal syllable. It represents ―Brahman‖ the absolute
GOD — omnipotent, omnipresent, and the source of all manifest
existence.
GOD is incomprehensible; so a symbol helps us to link with the
Unknowable.
Om, therefore, represents both the un-manifest (nirguna) and
manifest (saguna) aspects of GOD.
Om is also sacred to every one of the religions (Jainism, Buddhism,
and Sikhism) that took shape in the Indian sub-continent.
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OM (AUM)
Every Vedic chant begins and ends with Om. Not only that, it is the
supreme mantra in itself. In the Bhagavad-Gita (7:8), Lord
identifies himself as ―Om‖ amongst Vedic hymns (praNavah sarva
Vedeshu – ―Om‖ in all the Vedas).
The ideal way to say O(a-u)m is to first take a deep breadth, as
deep as you can, and then start the chant and keep chanting O (a-u)
as long as you can, finally ending with ―m‖ followed by silence.
(When you listen to the way the Tibetan monks chant ―Om‖ you will
know what I am talking about!). As you hit ‖m‖ you can feel the
resonance in your brain; you will have exhausted your breath so fully
that silence becomes inevitable. Even if someone offers you
$1billion at that moment, you will not be able to say ―yes‖. That may
not be good for business, but certainly a good ―Om‖!
OM (AUM)
Thus, a good Om runs through every part of our vocal chord, until
we run out of breath! In other words, we use every part of our vocal
chord. All the primary vowel sounds including silence (no sound) are
contained within it. Bhagavad-Gita says that every word is nothing
but a fragment of Om (among words, I am the single syllable ‗Om‘;
BG10:25)! If we learn to chant Om properly, we will have excellent
vocal variety and a better ability to articulate our words!
During meditation, when we chant Om, we create within ourselves a
vibration that is in tune with the cosmic vibration and we start
thinking universally. The momentary silence between each chant
becomes palpable. Mind moves between the opposites of sound and
silence until, at last, it ceases the sound. In the silence, the single
thought—Om—is quenched; there is no thought. This is the state of
trance, where the mind and the intellect are transcended as the
individual self merges with the Infinite Self in the pious moment of
realization. It is a moment when the petty worldly affairs are lost in
the desire for the universal. Such is the immeasurable power of Om.
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OM (AUM)
A simpler metaphor for Om is ―tree‖.
We can think of:
A as ―spring‖ (tree budding with fresh leaves),
U as ―summer‖ (growth- rich with leaves),
M as autumn (letting go gracefully-fall foliage),
and silence as ―winter‖(leafless- not life less).
The tree looking dead in winter springs back. That silence
represents immortality or eternity.
OM (AUM)
We read the most elaborate exposition of the four parts of Om in
MaanDukaya Upanishad, which is summarized below:
First is Waking / Gross: The first aspect of Atman is the Self in
the Waking state. In this first state, consciousness is turned
outward to the external world and the atman experiences the gross
objects of the phenomenal world.
Second is Dreaming / Subtle: In this second state, consciousness
is turned towards the inner world. Using the very same faculties as
in above, the atman experiences the subtle objects of the mental
realm.
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OM (AUM)
Third is Deep Sleep / Causal: The third aspect of Atman is the
Self operating in the Deep Sleep state, Prajna. In this third state,
there is neither the desire for any gross or subtle object, nor any
dream sequences. In deep sleep, all such experiences have receded
or merged into the ground of undifferentiated consciousness. Here,
one is filled with the experience of bliss, and can also find the way
to clearer knowledge of the two preceding states.
The Fourth Aspect is Turiya: In this fourth state, consciousness is
neither turned outward nor inward. Nor is it both outward and
inward; it is beyond both cognition and the absence of cognition.
This fourth state of Turiya cannot be experienced through the
senses or known by comparison, deductive reasoning or inference; it
is indescribable, incomprehensible, and unthinkable with the mind.
This is Pure Consciousness itself. This is the real Self. It is within
the cessation of all phenomena. It is serene, tranquil, filled with
bliss, and is one without second. This is the real or true Self that is
to be realized.
OM (AUM)
OM at your finger tips- How to Type it on your Computer?
To get the Om symbol on your computer screen, open MS Word and
key in backslash ( \ ) in Wingdings font. You will type in Om!
\
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Om parvat (aka Adikailash, little Kailash,
Baba Kailash, Chhota Kailash) a Mountain
top (20,312 feet) Om carved by nature in
Pithoragash district of Uttarkhand is an
ancient holy Hindu mountain in the Himalayan
mountain range, lying in the Pithoragarh
district of Uttarakhand, near Sinla pass.
Its appearance is distinctly similar to Mount
Kailash in Tibet.In addition, its snow deposition
pattern appears as the Hindu sacred syllable
―AUM‖. Near Om Parvat lie Parvati Lake and
Jonglingkong Lake. Jonglingkong Lake is
sacred, like Mansarovar, to the Hindus.
Opposite to this peak is a mountain called
Parwati Muhar, whose snow shines like a crown
in the sun.
Gaayatri mantra (Rig Veda 3.62.10)
Meaning and Discussion
Om bhU-r-bhuva-s-suvaH ||
ta-thsa-vi-tu(r)-va-raE-Nyam | bha(r)gO-daE-va-sya-dhI-ma-hi|
dhi-yO-yO-naH:-pra-cO-da-yA-t||
Brahman, Earth, Space, and Heaven!
May He stimulate our intellect
We meditate on that adorable light of the divine sun
Om = Brahman, bhUH=Earth, bhuvaH= Space, suvaH=Heaven
tat=that, savituH=Sun, varaENyam= adorable, bhargO=light,
daEvasya= of divine, dhImahi= we meditate
dhiyO=Intellect, yO=He, naH:= Our, pracOdayAt= Stimulate
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Gaayatri mantra (Rig Veda 3.62.10)
Meaning and Discussion
gaayantam traayate iti gaayati
Gaayatri is that which protects those who recite it
Arrangement of verses in a particular rhythmic or measured
pattern is called a poetic meter. There are many such meters, and
one among them is the gaayatri meter. This meter has 24 syllables
(axara). Lord declares it as the best (gaayatri chhandasaam aham =
"Of meters, I am gaayatri": BG, Ch. 10 v.35).
Gaayatri mantra has three functions:
First it wakes us up.
Next it stimulates us to
connect with the path of Divinity.
Finally it surrenders us to Divinity; we are united with the Divine.
Om bhU-r-bhuva-s-suvaH ||
Gaayatri mantra (Rig Veda 3.62.10)
Meaning and Discussion
[Om = Brahman, bhUH=Earth, bhuvaH= Space, suvaH=Heaven]
Brahman, Earth, Space, and Heaven!
(We are immersed in our own little world. By invoking some of the
great spheres of existence and the all-pervading Lord, we wake up
to a greater reality of our existence. All the mundane things that
used to haunt us become insignificant. This awakening is the first
step in spiritual progression. This single stride itself brings
about a lofty transformation in our life).
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Gaayatri mantra (Rig Veda 3.62.10)
Meaning and Discussion
ta-thsa-vi-tu(r)-va-raE-Nyam | bha(r)gO-daE-va-sya-dhI-ma-hi|
[tat=that, savituH=Sun, varaENyam= adorable, bhargO=light,
daEvasya= of divine, dhImahi= we meditate]
We meditate on that adorable light of the divine sun
[We are now aroused to connect with the divine. In this gaayatri
mantra, the object of reverence is "solar brilliance" that sustains
life. Thus, this mantra is also called the savitaa gaayatri mantra.
We have gaayatri mantras for viSHNu, shiva,
gaNEsha, subrahmaNya, laxmi, durga, sarasvati, hamsa, agni,
narasimha, garuDa, brahma, pranava and so on. In fact gaayatri
mantra can be tailor-made to any deity, person or object of
reverence.
Gaayatri mantra (Rig Veda 3.62.10)
Meaning and Discussion
As we progress, divinity becomes our habit. Once it is A HABIT, it
is very hard to break. If we take A out, HABIT remains, if we take
B out, ABIT remains, if we take A out BIT remains, if we take B out,
IT remains. I is ego which is very hard to break, thus IT remains!]
dhi-yO-yO-naH:-pra-cO-da-yA-t||
[dhiyO=Intellect, yO=He, naH:= Our, pracOdayAt= Stimulate]
May He stimulate our intellect
[The final step is total surrender to the divine. Seeker unites with
the sought. We become a habitat for divinity.
A person with Brahman-consciousness is ever happy! This person
rejoices, rejoices and rejoices (nandati nandati nandati eva) under
all circumstances (Adi Shankaracharya in Bhaja Govindam)].
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Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free,
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
-by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arm towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the
-dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward
by thee into ever-widening thought and action-
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
-From Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore
- Nobel Prize winner for literature in 1913
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1913/tagore-bio.html
Kolu (Dolls)
Celebrated as part
of “Navaratri”
-A popular 10 days
festival
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