Source of Happiness

Aug 21, 2015 @Source of Happiness!  Blog by Neela Iyer 21122 VIEWS 90 COMMENTS Source of Happiness All of us want to be happy. When asked about what he wants in life, every person replies: I want to be happy. We link happiness with material things. We believe that money and relationships are the source of happiness. Definitely, money is essential to fulfill our basic wants and keep us in comfort. We need loving relationships which support and lift us in life. Good health, good looks, power, prestige - all give happiness. But it is short lived. The happiness that comes from all these vanishes quickly and we keep yearning for more possessions, power etc., as others have more than us. When we look around, we see powerful people, many with good health and wealth, others having relationships with many loving people. We find that most of them are always angry and irritated and not happy. The source of happiness is Self. We have to make up our minds to be happy and we become happy. The soul within is Bliss. This bliss is covered with layers of negative emotions and desires of mind. When we shift aside these layers by will and determination, with a smiling positive attitude, we become happy. We all know these truths but generally choose to ignore them. Let us see the story of the happy monk and the reasons for his happiness: Once upon a time, there was a monk in the forest. He meditated sincerely and over a period of time, developed his mind. He freed himself from unwholesome and ugly thoughts and became content and happy. His peaceful nature and friendliness drew others to him and he had several hundred disciples living with him. Most monks in his group were dignified and serious. But there was one monk, though dignified, was always smiling. No matter what happened, he never lost this glimmer of inner happiness. When it was a happy occasion, his laughter rang out merrily. At times the other monks would ask him why he was so happy and smiling. The happy monk smiled more broadly and told them that they would not believe him and if they thought he spoke a lie, that would be a dishonour to his master. Seeing his constant smiling face, his master knew this monk had found the source of happiness within and made him his primary assistant. Once, the entire group of monks went to the city. The King permitted them to live in his pleasure garden for the spring time. When summer approached, the monks got ready to return to the forest. The King was concerned about the health and well being of the leader of the monks as he was now old and not keeping good health. He requested him to stay in the city and send the other monks back. The leader accepted the King’s request and made the happy monk the new group leader and sent them back. The happy monk practiced intense meditation and gained more wisdom and insight in life and reality. His inner happiness always shone on his face. He missed his master and wished to share his new experiences and insights with him. So he went to the city. When he arrived, he sat at the feet of his master. They did not speak much but every now and then the happy monk would say: What happiness! O what happiness! The King came for a visit then. He paid his respects to the old leader. However, the happy monk did not get up and show proper respect to the King. He sat there with a broad smile and kept saying – o what happiness! The King felt angry and insulted. He had the burden of the entire kingdom on his head and was stressed out. Yet he had made time to visit the monk and was not given due respect. He asked the old leader if the happy monk was stupid from overeating and lying around all time. The old leader replied: O King, this man was a mighty, powerful and wealthy King like you. He became a monk and his old happiness is nothing compared to his state of joy now. He used to be surrounded by armed men, who guarded and protected him. Now, he sits alone in the forest with nothing to fear. He has given up the burden of worrying about wealth that has to be protected. He is free of the worry of wealth and the fear of power. His wisdom protects himself and others. He advances in meditation to such inner peace, that he cannot keep from saying: O what happiness! The King understood the message. He stayed with the monks for some time and received advice from them. He was at peace. When we get wealth and power, we fear for their safety and we lose our happiness. The only wealth which increases with time and for which we do not have to fear is the Holy name of God. The source of all happiness is Love of God. Let us do bhakti, the SitaRam Mantra and meditation and live in peace and happiness. From the teachings of Dhyanyogi Omdasji http://www.divineomdasj- isoundmeditation.com/, http :/ /www.divinebrahmnaad.com/

Lord's Promise

The Lord promised " I come into manifest form through my own magical power. Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and a rise of unrighteousness, then I send forth myself as a man among men. For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of righteousness, I come into expression from age to age." Gita, CH.4 Shlokas 7&8 Explanation The obvious question arises as to why God has to incarnate on earth? Can't He destroy the wicked and establish 'Dharma' without taking birth in human flesh? Yes, He can. After all, He is Almighty. But if He did that, He would not be able to demonstrate the right way to soul-freedom. Ignorant and misguided souls will not be able to understand the message of Truth due to the negative mental influences created by the wicked people. God, therefore, has to incarnate to uplift, to instruct, to root out negative influences and restore order in the world. Comparison with the Weeds Take for example, your gardens; will the healthy green grass grow if there are too many weeds? Similarly, if there are too many wicked people in the world, will the Dharma survive? As the weeds have to be destroyed in order to have a beautiful lawn, so are the wicked people to be destroyed to put in order all deviations in the practice of Dharma. One person, regardless of how enlightened he is, cannot turn the tide, but a full incarnation of God can, by virtue of His immense divine power. Remember also, incarnations are no threat to those who are on the path of righteousness. God has promised to be their saviour. It is only the wicked people God intends to destroy. Of all the incarnations of God, Lord Krishna's incarnation is unique. The purpose of his incarnation was threefold: to destroy the wicked demons, to take the leading part in the great war fought on the battlefield of Kurukshetra where He sang His divine message of the Gita, and to teach us the power of love and devotion.

Lord Krishna by Gyaan Ranjhan

Tomorrow and day after many Hindus and non-Hindus worldwide will be celebrating Sri Krishna Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna, hence I would like to talk about two myths related to Lord Krishna's life. 1. Krishna lustfully played with the Gopis in Brindavan. The first question that must be asked in this context is “What was the age of Lord Krishna at that time?” Was he not a boy of seven? Could there be any trace of passion in Him? It was only the Gopis who could understand the secret of Rasalila (the culmination of highest Bhakti, Atmanivedan or total surrender to the Lord) because only they were qualified for this. From the beginning of His divine birth, Lord Krishna performed miracles because He was the incarnation of the Lord Supreme. For example, He showed Virat Darshan to His mother when He was a baby. He performed a cosmic dance on the head of the most venomous Kaliya serpent. He multiplied himself into countless Krishnas to dance with each Gopi individually during the Rasalila dance. Who were the Gopis? Were they not intensely God-loving beings who saw only Krishna everywhere, and saw themselves as Krishna? The sound of the Murali (flute) could throw them in a state of divine ecstasy or Holy Communion. There was no consciousness of a body and its adornments. Lord Krishna took away their clothes from the shores while they were bathing nude in the river. There is a great philosophy in this. He taught Gopis to have no attachment for worldly things. Forsake all thoughts related to body and sex and attain Immortal Atman. The Gopis showed complete self-surrender (Atmanivedan) in its truest sense, and did not even care for their lives. In order to attain the Lord, one must serve Him like a Gopi, and must adore Him with the mental attitude of a Gopi. The devotee who worships the Lord with the Gopi- Bhava or earnestness of a Gopi, will enjoys permanent bliss. Lord Krishna who incarnated for the sake of eradicating evil and protecting righteousness could not be associated with the sexual instinct or passion towards the Gopis. He is the slave of His devotees. 2.Lord Krishna & His 16,108 wives Once again, the first question that must be asked in this context is “Why did Sri Krishna marry so many women?” Bhaumasura, a wicked and tyrant king had kidnapped and made captive over sixteen thousand princesses by collecting them from the palaces of various kings. Lord Krishna killed Bhaumasura and entered the palace of Bhaumasura. When the princesses saw Krishna enter the palace, they were captivated by the beauty of the Lord, and prayed that He would become their husband. They laid their heart at His feet and Krishna, being omniscient, understood their pure desire and so agreed to accept them as His wives. In the Vedic system, if a girl were touched by a man nobody would marry her. Bhaumasur had already touched them. They, therefore, pleaded with Lord Krishna to marry them. Krishna arranged to marry the 16,108 girls brought from the custody of Bhaumasura. By manifesting Himself in 16,108 forms, He simultaneously married them all in different palaces at the same auspicious moment. The beauty and riches of all the palaces of over 16, 000 queens of Krishna were unparallel. The newlywed queens of Krishna were all manifestations of the Goddess of fortune, Lakshmi, In the Vedic system, a Kshatriya could have more than one wife, and we find many examples of this. (When Krishna accepted wives, he did so in His Lila as a king, or Kshatriya.) Even so, we cannot find anyone marrying 16,108 wives! To satisfy all of His queens, Krishna manifested Himself in multiple forms to reside with each queen, simultaneously! This is but one demonstration of the unique opulence and unlimited potency of Krishna. “Why only 16,108 wives?” Srila Prabhupada would sometimes remark about Krishna’s marriages “Everything and everyone ultimately are His property and He is the ultimate enjoyer”.

Heaven and hell

× Speaking Tree App Get The Best Experience With Our Android App Install App SpeakingTree.in more... home articles blogs Spiritual Blogs Mysticism The Hindu Concept of Heaven and Hell By Gyan Rajhans Posted on Aug 09, 2013 at 05:44 pm Comments 50 | 3574 Views Basically there are two views of heaven and hell according to the Hindu scholars: Read this blog in a beautiful, all new Speaking Tree app 1. One point of view suggests that there is no such place as hell or heaven, where you go after you die. Both heaven and hell are on this earth while you are living. Based on your past karmas you create your own hell and heaven in this life. If you are leading a miserable life, you are in hell. If you have all the amenities of life and have achieved inner peace, you are in heaven. and 2. Another point of view refers to the Vedas, Upanishads, the Bhagvad Gita and the Puranas and suggests that heaven or hell is situated somewhere up there. The king of gods, Indra reigns in heaven and the Lord of death, Yama rules hell. What’s heaven like? Swami Shivananda of Rishikesh, India described heaven based on the Puranas: “The heaven of the Hindus is a place where the departed souls go to reap the fruits of their virtuous deeds. They remain there for some time till the fruits of their virtuous actions are exhausted. Then they come back to this world. They eat in heaven the divine feasts of the Shining Ones or the Devas. They move in celestial cars. Indra is the Lord of heaven or Svarga. Various kinds of Devas (gods) dwell here. Celestial damsels like Urvasi, Rambha dance here. The Gandharvas sing. There is no disease here. There is no trouble of hunger and thirst. The inhabitants are endowed with a brilliant subtle body. They are adorned with shining garments. Heaven is a thought-world, a realm of intense ideations. Whatever one wishes, he gets it at once, by immediate materialization. So it is a happier world than the earth-plane.” What’s hell like? Again based on the Puranas and other Hindu Scriptures, Swami Shivananda wrote: “Hindu Puranas have been very clear on the question of heaven and hell. Writers of law-books or Smritis (see the article on the Immensity of Hindu Scriptures), like Yajnavalkya and Vishnu, have given serious description of the various hells and the various pleasures of heaven. Yogi Yajnavalkya mentions 21 hells in his law book, viz., Raurava, Kumbhipaka, Maharaurava, Tamisra, Andha Tamisra, etc. The author of Vishnu Smriti also has written the same thing. A hell is a region of sharp, severe, intense pain. The evil-doers suffer for a period. Bad action is worked out in that state and then the evil-doers come back to earth-plane. They get another chance. The Ruler of Hell is Lord Yama. He is assisted by Chitragupta. Hell is a particular locality which is walled off from the surrounding regions of space by the messengers of Yama. Sinners get a thick body called ‘Yatana-Deha’ when they are punished. The punishment in hell is not remembered by the soul when it is reborn. The punishment in hell is reformatory and educative. The permanent educative effect remains in conscience. The innate fear which some souls feel at the sight of temptation of sin is due to the finer development of conscience in the furnace of hell-fire. This is the permanent gain acquired by the soul. The soul is reborn with keener conscience after being purified by hell-fire. He can make better use of his faculties in the next birth.” Fundamental Difference Although the above descriptions of heaven and hell very much resemble like their descriptions in the western religions, there is one fundamental difference. Hindu heaven or hell is not a final dwelling place for an individual soul as stated in the western religions. After the term of good or bad deeds are over, even the most pious or the most evil person is turned out of heaven or hell as the case may be to once again participate in the cycle of reincarnation until he or she reaches moksha or liberation from the endless chain of deaths and rebirths. Attainment of Heaven and Hell Although several Hindu scriptures refer to the gateways to heaven and hell by good and bad deeds, I will quote here only the Bhagvad Gita that I have studied for the last 32 years while presenting my Gita discourses on weekly spiritual broadcasts (www.bhajanawali.com). Gita, 6:41 says: “The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.” In the above shloka “the planets of the pious living entities” means heaven where doers of meritorious deeds go. But that heaven is not eternal. When the merit capital which took that person there is exhausted, the person comes back to the human world, and is reborn in a pure and prosperous family. Thus, he or she starts the life’s journey once again, where he or she had left off. Nothing of what he or she has done is lost. Gita, 14:14 says: “When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great sages.” What the above shloka implies is that there are different kinds of planets for different kinds of living entities. Those who die in the mode of goodness are elevated to the planets where great sages and great devotees live. Gita, 16:16 says: “Thus perplexed by various anxieties and bound by a network of illusions, they become too strongly attached to sense enjoyment and fall down into hell.” and Gita, 16:21 says: “There are three gates leading to this hell—lust, anger and greed. Every sane man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul.” What the above shlokas are saying is that if a man or woman wants to avoid hell, he or she must try to give up lust, anger and greed, which can kill the self to such an extent that there will be no possibility of liberation from this material entanglement. WE RECOMMEND Your birth date can be the key to your destiny Blog The best job for your zodiac sign Spiritual Blogs 5 reasons why menstruation is awesome!! Despite what we have been told Spiritual Blogs MARRIAGE IS HELL OR HEAVEN ? Spiritual Blogs FROM AROUND THE WEB 11 Of The Most Evil Women In History TheRichest 7 Stars Who Take Their Religion Seriously Fame10 14 Most Disturbing Drawings Done by Children Answers.com 10 People That Hid Their True Racial Identity LOLWOT Recommended by Comments (50) Mike Mar 21, 2014 at 02:57 pm Do you cross the road using faith or do you look both ways before crossing the road? Why do you do this? Do you count your change when you have paid for something or do you just put the change in your purse and take it on faith that the change is correct? Why do you do this? Have you ever noticed how faith is rejected for things and actions that can have a real negative effect in this life that we have. The religious only use faith for things that have no effect on this life, such as the so called next life. Why is that? Gudrun Hille Aug 30, 2013 at 01:03 am it seems there is no likely escape from the never ending cycle of reincarnation except for the small number of the chosen ones + MORE COMMENTS Subscribe to SpeakingTree.in on + View full site Facebook Twitter Google Terms of Use | Privacy Policy ©2014 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.

Meaning of Namaskar

  NAMASKAR – YOGA FOR ALL “The simplest form of yoga is Namaskar. Put your hands together and unite the polarities within and without.” – Sadhguru In a busy and divisive world, Sadhguru offers a simple but powerful way to experience peace, love and an overall connectedness with everything else. The process takes just 3-5 minutes and can be done anywhere, anytime.  International Day of Yoga Namaskar – Yoga for All 5 Minute Practices Find a Workshop Host a Workshop Teach Workshops Namaste/Namaskar – What Is The Meaning Of Namaskar? When you see a person, whether it is in your workplace, on the street, at home or anywhere else, the nature of human intellect is such, the moment it sees, it will make a judgment – “this is okay in that person, this is not okay in that person. He is good, he is not good, he is beautiful, he is ugly” – all kinds of things. You don’t even have to consciously think all this. In a moment, these assessments and judgments are made. And your judgments may be completely wrong because they all are coming from your past experiences of life. They will not allow you to experience something or someone the way they are right now, which is very important. If you want to work effectively in any field, one thing is, if someone comes in front of you, to be able to grasp them the way they are right now is most important. How they were yesterday does not matter. How they are this moment is important. So, the first thing is you bow down. Once you bow down, your likes and dislikes become mild, not strong, because you recognize the source of creation within them. This is the intention behind doing namaskar The Hand Of The Creator There is no piece of creation without the hand of the creator operating in it. The source of creation is operating within every cell and atom. This is why in Indian culture, if you look up at the sky, the culture taught you to bow down. If you look down at the earth, you bow down. If you see a man, a woman, a child, a cow, a tree or whatever, you bow down. And it is a constant reminder that the source of creation is within you too. If you recognize this, you are paving the way towards your ultimate nature every time you do namaskar. There is another aspect to this. Your palms have a lot of nerve endings – something that medical science has also discovered today. Actually, your hands speak more than your tongue and your voice. There is a whole science of mudras in yoga. Just by holding your hand in certain ways, you can make your whole system function in different ways. The moment you place your hands together, your dualities, your likes and dislikes, your cravings and aversions, all these things are leveled out. There is a certain oneness to the expression of who you are. The energies are functioning as one. Making Yourself Into An Offering So namaskar is not just a cultural aspect. There is a science behind it. If you are doing your sadhana, every time you bring your palms together, there is a crackle of energy – a boom is happening. On the level of your life energy, there is a giving, or you are making yourself into an offering to the other person. In that giving, you will make the other being into a life that will cooperate with you. Only if you are in a state of giving, things around will work out for you. This is so for every life. Only if it gets the cooperation of all life around itself, it manages to prosper. Join Our Mailing List Sign up to our mailing list for important updates regarding the event. Email City Country  5-Minutes For     More Wisdom Sadhguru on Youtube Over 800 Videos Isha Blog Thousands of articles, videos & podcasts Mystic Quotes Sadhguru’s wisdom daily by email or smartphone  Get Ready For International Day Of Yoga June 21 is the first International Day of Yoga. Join us through yoga workshops and special online events to make the most of this powerful science of inner wellbeing. Learn more 201 Shares Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Linkedin     ISHA Isha Yoga Program Global Centers Social Outreach Offerings & Celebrations Health Offerings Isha Blog CONNECT Subscribe Volunteer Donate Mobile Apps INFORMATION Sadhguru’s Schedule Isha News Press & Media Contact Us Isha Links SADHGURU Man Mystic Mission Subscribe to Mystic Quotes A to Z Videos   © 2015 Sadhguru All rights reserved 

Panchmukh

The origin of Sri Panchamukhs Hanuman can be traced to a story in Ramayana. During the war between Lord Rama and Ravana. Ravana took help of Mahiravanka who is the king of pathala.

Lord Hanuman in order to protect Lord Ram and Lakshman formed a fortress with his tail. Mahiravana took the form of Vibeeshana and took Lord Ram and Lakshman to pathala loka.
Hanuman entered pathala loka in search of Rama and Lakshmana, He found out that to kill Mahiravana he had to extinguish five lamps burning in five different directions at the same time, so he has taken the Panchamukha form with Hanuman, Hayagriva, Narasimha, Garuda and Varaha faces and extinguished the lamps and killed Mahiravana.

According to Hanumath Prakaranam in Sri Vidyarnavatantram, Anjaneya has five faces (Pancha Mukha) and ten weapons. The five faces are that of Lord Hanuman, Lord Narasimha, Lord Adivaraha, Lord Hayagriva, and Lord Garuda.

Hanuman is a great yogi (mystic) having transcended the five senses (Pancha Indriyas).

In Kamba Ramayanam (in Tamil), the significance of number five is beautifully narrated as follows:

The son of one of the five elements (son of wind - Pavana Thanaya)crossed one of the five elements (water – the ocean),met daughter of one of the five elements (daughter of earth - Sita Devi)burnt down Lanka by one of the five elements (fire).

Sundara Kandam, which highlights the heroic exploits of Lord Hanuman at Lanka is the fifth canto in the Ramayana. Therefore, it is considered auspicious to go around His idol 5 times, 14 times, 23 times, 32 times or with such numbers the digits of which add to five.

The pancha mukha hanuman is rare idol of Hanuman. There are many legends and interpretations to this.

The legend

Lord Hanuman is said to have appeared before Raghavendraswamy in a unique way amalgamating within him the avataras of "varaha, garuda, anjaneya, narasimha and hayagreeva", thus five-headed. Panchamukhi, located on the south bank of river Tungabhadra near Manchala now known as Mantralayam is where Raghavendraswamy performed penance for 12 long years in a cave. In appreciation of his Yoga, Lord Panchamukhi Pranadevaru, Kollahpura Mahalakshmi, Lord Venkateshwara of Tirupati and Kurmavathara gave darshan to him. Then he left for Mantralaya where he entered into Samadhi. A temple has been constructed at the spot where he performed penance known as the Panchamukhi Anjaneyaswamy temple.

The details of Panchamukaa are:

East facing Anjaneya to grant humanity Ishta Siddhi.South facing Karala Ugraveera Narasimha to grant humanity Abhista Siddhi.West facing Mahaveera Garuda to grant humanity Sakala Sowbhagya.North facing Lakshmi Varaha to grant humanity Dhana Prapthi.Urdhva Mukha {atop} being Hayagriva to grant humanity Sarva Vidya Jaya Prapthi.

The interpretations

1. There are five ways of prayer to the Lord. They are Naman, Smaran, Keerthanam, Yachanam and Arpanam. The five faces depict these five forms. Lord Hanuman always used to Naman, Smaran and Keerthanam of Lord Sri Rama. He totally surrendered (Arpanam) to his Master Sri Ram. He also begged (yachanam) Sri Rama to bless him the undivided love.

2. In Bhagavat Gita Lord Krishna says to Arjun, "He who acts for me, who is engrossed in me, who is my devotee, who is free from attachment, he reaches me" . We find all these 5 qualities enshrined in Hanuman. Each of his face explains the five divine qualifications. May be an artist thought over about this before making the Vigraham.

There is a belief that one of the faces is that of Sri Vinayaka. The idol of Adyanta Maha Prabhu depicts a figure of half Anjaneya and half Vinayaka.
Half Ganesha and half Hanuman At Madya Kailas temple Adyar Madras
The idol is an amalgam of Sri vigneshwara and Sri Anjaneya on the lines of Ardhanareeswara ( Siva and Parvati) and Sri Sankaranarayana (combination of Siva and narayana).
The word Aadiyantha stands for "begining to end" (Aadi = begining & Antha = end). There is a Tamil saying "Begin with Ganesa and end up with Anjaneya". Many people visit the temple to get blessing of the "Twins" against the influence of Navagrahas. The importance of the idol is that Sri Vigneswara and Sri Anjaneya are the only two deities who are totally free from any influence over them whatsoever by the Navagrahas. It is believed that, the devotees can and do influence the Navagrahas themselves proportionate to the devoutness with which the devotees address themselves to Sri Aadiyanta Prabhu!

Panchmukha Hanuman

The origin of Sri Panchamukhs Hanuman can be traced to a story in Ramayana. During the war between Lord Rama and Ravana. Ravana took help of Mahiravanka who is the king of pathala.

Lord Hanuman in order to protect Lord Ram and Lakshman formed a fortress with his tail. Mahiravana took the form of Vibeeshana and took Lord Ram and Lakshman to pathala loka.
Hanuman entered pathala loka in search of Rama and Lakshmana, He found out that to kill Mahiravana he had to extinguish five lamps burning in five different directions at the same time, so he has taken the Panchamukha form with Hanuman, Hayagriva, Narasimha, Garuda and Varaha faces and extinguished the lamps and killed Mahiravana.

According to Hanumath Prakaranam in Sri Vidyarnavatantram, Anjaneya has five faces (Pancha Mukha) and ten weapons. The five faces are that of Lord Hanuman, Lord Narasimha, Lord Adivaraha, Lord Hayagriva, and Lord Garuda.

Hanuman is a great yogi (mystic) having transcended the five senses (Pancha Indriyas).

In Kamba Ramayanam (in Tamil), the significance of number five is beautifully narrated as follows:

The son of one of the five elements (son of wind - Pavana Thanaya)crossed one of the five elements (water – the ocean),met daughter of one of the five elements (daughter of earth - Sita Devi)burnt down Lanka by one of the five elements (fire).

Sundara Kandam, which highlights the heroic exploits of Lord Hanuman at Lanka is the fifth canto in the Ramayana. Therefore, it is considered auspicious to go around His idol 5 times, 14 times, 23 times, 32 times or with such numbers the digits of which add to five.

The pancha mukha hanuman is rare idol of Hanuman. There are many legends and interpretations to this.

The legend

Lord Hanuman is said to have appeared before Raghavendraswamy in a unique way amalgamating within him the avataras of "varaha, garuda, anjaneya, narasimha and hayagreeva", thus five-headed. Panchamukhi, located on the south bank of river Tungabhadra near Manchala now known as Mantralayam is where Raghavendraswamy performed penance for 12 long years in a cave. In appreciation of his Yoga, Lord Panchamukhi Pranadevaru, Kollahpura Mahalakshmi, Lord Venkateshwara of Tirupati and Kurmavathara gave darshan to him. Then he left for Mantralaya where he entered into Samadhi. A temple has been constructed at the spot where he performed penance known as the Panchamukhi Anjaneyaswamy temple.

The details of Panchamukaa are:

East facing Anjaneya to grant humanity Ishta Siddhi.South facing Karala Ugraveera Narasimha to grant humanity Abhista Siddhi.West facing Mahaveera Garuda to grant humanity Sakala Sowbhagya.North facing Lakshmi Varaha to grant humanity Dhana Prapthi.Urdhva Mukha {atop} being Hayagriva to grant humanity Sarva Vidya Jaya Prapthi.

The interpretations

1. There are five ways of prayer to the Lord. They are Naman, Smaran, Keerthanam, Yachanam and Arpanam. The five faces depict these five forms. Lord Hanuman always used to Naman, Smaran and Keerthanam of Lord Sri Rama. He totally surrendered (Arpanam) to his Master Sri Ram. He also begged (yachanam) Sri Rama to bless him the undivided love.

2. In Bhagavat Gita Lord Krishna says to Arjun, "He who acts for me, who is engrossed in me, who is my devotee, who is free from attachment, he reaches me" . We find all these 5 qualities enshrined in Hanuman. Each of his face explains the five divine qualifications. May be an artist thought over about this before making the Vigraham.

There is a belief that one of the faces is that of Sri Vinayaka. The idol of Adyanta Maha Prabhu depicts a figure of half Anjaneya and half Vinayaka.
Half Ganesha and half Hanuman At Madya Kailas temple Adyar Madras
The idol is an amalgam of Sri vigneshwara and Sri Anjaneya on the lines of Ardhanareeswara ( Siva and Parvati) and Sri Sankaranarayana (combination of Siva and narayana).
The word Aadiyantha stands for "begining to end" (Aadi = begining & Antha = end). There is a Tamil saying "Begin with Ganesa and end up with Anjaneya". Many people visit the temple to get blessing of the "Twins" against the influence of Navagrahas. The importance of the idol is that Sri Vigneswara and Sri Anjaneya are the only two deities who are totally free from any influence over them whatsoever by the Navagrahas. It is believed that, the devotees can and do influence the Navagrahas themselves proportionate to the devoutness with which the devotees address themselves to Sri Aadiyanta Prabhu!

Joy

If you want to get your joy back, you 1) admit it’s gone, then you 2) analyze the cause. Then, 3) correct what’s wrong, and 4) get an attitude of gratitude. There are three more steps to recovering your joy that we’ll talk about today. First, you have to spend time with God every day. It may be hard to imagine that God wants to spend time with you. He’s got a whole lot of things going on, doesn’t he? But throughout Scripture, God invites us to come into his presence. And there’s a joy that comes when we spend time with God in a daily quiet time, because we learn to hear his voice and find out what he wants us to do with our lives. The more time you spend with God, the deeper your friendship with him develops. Second, you need to find a way to give back. The Bible says this in Ephesians 2:10: “He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (NLT). In tough times, it’s very easy to get self-centered. But the truth is, the more you focus on yourself, the more joy you lose. I’ve traveled around the world, and I’ve been in many closed countries where people are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. You know what I’ve discovered? The persecuted Christians are the most joyful people in the world. Why? Because it means something to them. They’re not casual, “take it or leave it” Christians. The right to worship and their freedom in Christ means something to them. And, they’re far more joyful. You need to find a way to give back. Once you take the focus off yourself, you’ll find your joy returning. Finally, to recover your joy, you need to tell somebody about Jesus. Nothing will restore your joy faster than becoming concerned about the salvation of a friend. The Bible says that every time somebody accepts the Lord, they throw a party in Heaven. Did you know that? Luke 15:7 says, “There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes his heart and life” (NCV). The day you stepped across the line, they threw a party in Heaven for you. And the day you help somebody come to know the Lord, there’s going to be a party in your heart. The joy returns as you share with others. Pray this prayer today: “Father, help me to return love for hate, joy for grief, and kindness for apathy. May the joy of the Lord be so evident on my face that people will want to know why and know the hope that is in me. Help me to be obedient to what you have told me to do. Help me to focus on your blessings in my life so that I will have an attitude of gratitude for your faithfulness. Restore the joy of my salvation so that I can share that joy with others and help them to find their own joy through a relationship with you. Thank you that I can have hope and joy through Jesus Christ. Amen.”

GRACE & DIVINITY OF HANUMANJI

GRACE & DIVINITY OF HANUMANJI

Lifting a mountain
Shri Hanuman
Ravana, upon learning that Kalanemi has been slain by Hanuman, summons Surya to rise before its appointed time because the physician Sushena had said that Lakshmana would perish if untreated by daybreak. Hanuman realizes the danger, however, and, becoming many times his normal size, detains the Sun God to prevent the break of day. He then resumes his search for the precious herb, but, when he finds himself unable to identify which herb it is, he lifts the entire mountain and delivers it to the battlefield in Lanka. Sushena then identifies and administers the herb, and Lakshmana is saved. Rama embraces Hanuman, declaring him as dear to him as his own brother. Hanuman releases Surya from his grip, and asks forgiveness, as the Sun was also his Guru.

Hanuman was also called"langra veer"; langra in Hindi means lame and veer means"bravest of brave". The story behind Hanuman being called langra is as follows. He was injured when he was crossing the Ayodhya with the mountain in his hands. As he was crossing over Ayodhya, Bharat, Rama's young brother, saw him and assumed that some Rakshasa was taking this mountain to attack Ayodhya. Bharat then shot Rama with an arrow, which was engraved with Rama's name. Hanuman did not stop this arrow as it had Rama's name written on it, and it injured his leg. Hanuman landed and explained to Bharat that he was moving the mountain to save his own brother, Lakshmana. Bharat, very sorry, offered to fire an arrow to Lanka, which Hanuman could ride in order to reach his destination more easily. But Hanuman declined the offer, preferring to fly on his own, and he continued his journey with his injured leg.

Patala incident

In another incident during the war, Rama and Lakshmana are captured by the rakshasa Mahiravana (or Ahiravan), brother of Ravana, who held them captive in their palace in Patala (or Patalpuri)—the netherworld. Mahiravana keeps them as offerings to his deity. Searching for them, Hanuman reaches Patala, the gates of which are guarded by a young creature called Makardhwaja (known also as Makar-Dhwaja or Magar Dhwaja), who is part reptile and part Vanara.

The story of Makardhwaja's birth is said to be that when Hanuman extinguished his burning tail in the ocean, a drop of his sweat fell into the waters, eventually becoming Makardhwaja, who perceives Hanuman as his father. When Hanuman introduces himself to Makardhwaja, the latter asks his blessings, but fights him to fulfill the task of guarding the gate. Hanuman defeats and imprisons him to gain entry.

Upon entering Patala, Hanuman discovers that to kill Mahiravana, he must simultaneously extinguish five lamps burning in different directions. Hanuman assumes the Panchamukha or five-faced form of Sri Varaha facing north, Sri Narasimha facing south, Sri Garuda facing west, Sri Hayagriva facing the sky and his own facing the east, and blows out the lamps. Hanuman then rescues Rama and Lakshmana. Afterwards, Rama asks Hanuman to crown Makardhwaja king of Patala. Hanuman then instructs Makardhwaja to rule Patala with justice and wisdom.

Bharata's vow

When the war ends, Rama's 14-year exile has almost elapsed. Rama then remembers Bharata's vow to immolate himself if Rama does not return to rule Ayodhya immediately, on completion of the stipulated period. Realising that it would be a little later than the last day of the 14 years when he would reach Ayodhya, Rama is anxious to prevent Bharata from giving up his life. Hanuman therefore flies to Ayodhya to inform Bharata that Rama is on his way home.

Honored, after he is crowned Emperor upon his return to Ayodhya, Rama decides to ceremoniously reward all his well-wishers. At a grand ceremony in his court, all his friends and allies take turns being honoured at the throne. Hanuman approaches without desiring a reward. Seeing Hanuman come up to him, an emotionally overwhelmed Rama embraces him warmly, declaring that he could never adequately honour or repay Hanuman for the help and services he received from the noble Vanara. Sita, however, insists that Hanuman deserved honour more than anyone else, and Sita gives him a necklace of precious stones adorning her neck.

When he receives it, Hanuman immediately takes it apart, and peers into each stone. Taken aback, many of those present demand to know why he is destroying the precious gift. Hanuman answers that he was looking into the stones to make sure that Rama and Sita are in them, because if they are not, the necklace is of no value to him. At this, a few mock Hanuman, saying his reverence and love for Rama and Sita could not possibly be as deep as he implies. In response, Hanuman tears his chest open, and everyone is stunned to see Rama and Sita literally in his heart.

Hanuman Ramayana
After the victory of Rama over Ravana, Hanuman went to the Himalayas to continue his worship of the Lord. There he scripted a version of the Ramayana on the Himalayan mountains using his nails, recording every detail of Rama's deeds. When Maharishi Valmiki visited him to show him his own version of the Ramayana, he saw Hanuman's version and became very disappointed.

When Hanuman asked Valmiki the cause of his sorrow, the sage said that his version, which he had created very laboriously, was no match for the splendour of Hanuman's, and would therefore go ignored. At this, Hanuman discarded his own version, which is called the Hanumad Ramayana. Maharishi Valmiki was so taken aback that he said he would take another birth to sing the glory of Hanuman which he had understated in his version.

Later, one tablet is said to have floated ashore during the period of Mahakavi Kalidasa, and hung at a public place to be deciphered by scholars. Kalidasa is said to have deciphered it and recognised that it was from the Hanumad Ramayana recorded by Hanuman in an extinct script, and considered himself very fortunate to see at least one pada of the stanza.

After the Ramayana war
After the war, and after reigning for several years, the time arrived for Rama to depart to his heavenly abode. Many of Rama's entourage, including Sugriva, decided to depart with him. Hanuman, however, requested to remain on earth as long as Rama's name was venerated by people. Sita accorded Hanuman that desire, and granted that his image would be installed at various public places, so he could listen to people chantingRama's name. He is one of the immortals of Hinduismf Aum Jai Sri Rama.

Katha message

Why do we go to temples?....... The archana that is performed consists the holy names of the Lord and they have a specific pattern! They glorify the Lord's avathara, his kalyana gunas, his daya, Karunya, and also an assurance that what is sought is definitely obtained! Then the sevarthy's specific need is addressed. As Bagavan has pointed out in Bagavat Gita : "chatur-vidhya bhajante mam janah sukritino arjuna arto jijnasur artharthi jnani cha bharatarsabha” There are four types of devotees they are Artha, Artharti, Jigyasu, and Jnani! The first one wants his distress alleviated the second wants to fulfill his desire, the third wants none of the above but is curious of knowing more about the concept of God and divinity! and the fourth is a realized soul! Similarly our ancestors have designed the timing of worship and also provided a method to continue the worship at home by way of Aradhana for an image of the Lord at home! If you carefully observe the temple timings are spread over the entire day! making it accessible to all. For instance a farmer can not visit the temple in the morning as he has to tend to his fields, similarly so many can not undertake this visit in the morning for them the time slots between the early morning and Artha jama may be convenient. As Lord is beyond time and space he could not be confined to these time intervals but to make the devotee come to Him without any hassles, these were put in place! During some period one may not be able to visit the temple at all, for them specific days listed as holy in the almanac are kept to come to the temple and offer his prayers. People due to their occupation leave their home town and stay for long outside their home town, for them it would be convenient to come during the annual festivals and derive the benefit of god's grace! If you carefully look at these festivities you would know that they provide for participation of all these people. Festivals like Anna koota, Naraimani, etc are evolved with these people like farmers or growers in mind. Similarly the temple rituals accommodate men women, children, young, old, and different asramas like Brahmacharya, Grhastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa too. These festivals also provide opportunity to vidyarthis to come to the temple and recite Vedic portions that they have learnt in Patasalas, and give opportunity to others who have learnt fine arts, harikatha, dance drama, music exponents, purohitas who have learnt agama sastras, grammarians and other literary experts to come and present their skills as an offering to the Lord! Now you probably get a fair idea of how the image and temple worship has been a great boon to our religion and society and serve the purpose of elevating our consciousness to a higher level!