Simple ritual to improve mental functions

The Banyan tree has great significance in Hinduism. Even in a scientific perspective, Banyan trees are of great value to the environment. They are one of the longest living things in the world (there have been claims of banyan trees that are more than 2500 years old !!!). The large foliage cover and plentiful fruits that they provide act as mini ecosystems on their own by providing shelter to a large number of animals. Also, it is even said that Banyan trees are on par with the Ozone layer in terms of purification and protection. These may be some of the reasons why our great sages conferred so much respect and importance to the Banyan tree.

The following is a simple ritual to counter the malefic effects of mercury and to improve peace of mind, intelligence, mental functioning, reduce tensions, etc. This ritual is highly beneficial for young employees and students. Every day, after bathing in the morning, stand in front of a banyan tree and chant the following mantras (3 times each) :

om buudesaya namah

om sravyaya namah

om sreyaya namah

om aiswaryavaradaya namah

om gyanamayaya namah

om prathama poojithaya namah

om viswasthannave namah 

om aanandapoorithaya namah

om shaddguna sevyaya namah

om kanakadarine namah

om vishnuve namah

om paramatmane namah

Then while chanting 'om shree paramatmane namah' , perform a circumambulation (pradakshina) of the the Banyan tree 7 times.

Repeat this simple prayer for 11 consecutive days. Make sure that you perform the ritual and the chanting slowly , without being in any haste. Try to breathe slowly and deeply and clear your mind of any negative thoughts. It is also highly recommended to sit under a Banyan tree and chant the mantra for a few mins.

Wishing You All A Very Happy Diwali/Deepavali

The Mahamantra given below is one that is very powerful and highly effective in removing all aspects of poverty. This rare wealth mantra of Lakshmi Devi will bring infinite prosperity,auspiciousness and welfare to any who chants it regularly. May you be blessed with all these benefits and more this Diwali/Deepavali. 

Where Is God ? - Swami Padmanabha

[This is a Guest Post by Swami Padmanabha. You can also submit your guest posts to be published by visiting the YOUR CONTENT page]

WHERE IS GOD ? WHERE IS GOD ? WHERE IS GOD ? This is a question which i come across almost on a daily basis in my ashram. Almost every alternate person who visits me seems to have this same question in their mind. I feel that onlyhinduism is the most appropriate portal to answer this question and let fellow Hindus know of my opinion.

We are so involved in the legends and puranas that a majority of us believe that God is only in heaven and will descend to Earth only in the form of an avatar. And we expect that such avatars will come only when evil has reached it's zenith. I always advice people that, God resides in our mind from the moment that we are born. As we increase our consciousness, we begin to know that God better. We start giving God different names and become closer to a particular physical form of God which appeals to us the most.

God always guides us as part of our conscience, and always leads us towards the path of righteousness. But, it is us who seldom pay heed to those words and continue our sins. Even when a robber is about steal something for the first time, his conscience will surely try to prevent him from doing so. Only when he pushes aside that divine guidance, he ends up being a sinner.

I am of the opinion that we will never find God if we look around for God to come in his 'divine avatar', with four hands or snakes as ornaments or riding a lion. Those are all projections of divinity which help us to bring more respect and awe in our mind. God has given us a sound min through which he/she constantly contacts us. So keep that mind pure and receptive to the divine guidance of God. Try to identify the good in everything and everyone and to make practical considerations while taking decisions, then you will be blessed by God in all your endeavors.

Instead of asking 'where is God?', it would be more apt to ask 'where not is God?', for God is everywhere and God is everything. Om namah.

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Nag Panchami

Nag Panchami (falls on July 8th in 2012 ) is a festival of great significance in many parts of India. Since time immemorial, snakes have been revered and feared due to their mysterious movement and toxic venom. Nag Panchami is an occasion to show respect and appease the snake gods. Many households do pooja on this day to protect their families from snake bites and to get rid of Kaal Sarpa Dosha. Nag Panchami is celebrated differently in various parts of India and Nepal. But, one common custom on Nag Panchami, is to feed snakes with milk and to pray at temples of Lord Shiva.

According to some legends, it is said that Lord Krishna's famous conquest of the dreaded snake Kalia took place on Nag Panchami. It is also said to be an auspicious time to bring welfare into the family.

Unmarried women may use Nag Panchami as a holy occasion to appease the Gods and get a good husband. On the day of Nag Panchami, one should get up early in the morning and finish bathing. Then take a bowl of milk to a nearby Shiva or Murugan temple and give for abhisheka. Then after returning from the temple, the devotee may have the milk as prasad. The rest of the day should involve prayers to Lord Shiva or Lord Murugan. In the evening, the devotee may keep a bowl of milk with a teaspoon of honey beside a lamp and chant mantras of Lord Shiva. This will help to relieve the effects of any dosha that is acting as a hurdle in getting married.

Nagas or Snakes are said to be present in the pathala loka. The following is a mantra that contains the name of the great nagas according to scriptures. It is said that chanting this mantra will help to appease the revered snakes and will bring welfare to the family.

अनन्तं वासुकिं शेषं पद्मनाभं च कम्बलम् 

शंखपालं धार्तराष्ट्रं तक्षकं कालियं तथा

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This is a guest post by Mr.Tharun Kumar. If you would like to submit guest posts please visit the YOUR CONTENT page.

Happy Onam

ഓം നമോ നാരായണായ

ഓണാശംസകള്‍ 

HINDU – The Amazing Coconut

The following is a guest post by Mr.P.R.Rajeevkumar. You can also submit your views on Hinduism and related topics by going to the YOUR CONTENT page. 

(The views expressed in the post are those of the author. Kindly share your views in the comments below, and have a healthy discussion)

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Dear Gurudevs,

I have seen a posting in another group criticizing badly the eating and drinking habits of people as a hindrance to the Hindu unity, which made me write this.
Hindu is not an individual; Hindu is a society(samooham)!

The best comparison is the Coconut. Coconut has many parts – The outer covering with ‘coir’. Inside it the hard shell. Within that the sweet, soft, clean and white fruit & the sweet, clean and refreshing juice.
The white fruitious part can be compared to the knowledgeable persons [let us term it the brahmins] and the juice ‘the Customs & Rituals’. 

The Brahmins are CREATED from the nectar(customs & rituals). Thus the term ‘Dwija(born again)’. All are born as ‘human’; by virtues become ‘brahmin’. They get mature immersed in the sweet & pure nectar, while a part also contributes to the hard shell. The hard shell & ‘coir’cover protect the brahmins(or the Jnanis, or temples, or Sanathana Dharma). The protection can be physical and/or economical. In return the brahmins keep-up their own quality and impart or radiate good quality upto the outer shell. (If you doubt that the inner fruit does not affect the coir cover, just ask the coconut vender next time you go to drink a tender coconut). 

The ‘coir’ cover is the 1st layer of protection. It is vulnerable and not hard. But being numerous & fibrous it does not allow easy aggression. Only through determined action can this part be removed. It may get bruised; still the coconut is good. It keeps the coconut floating even in a flood. But once the coir cover is gone, the coconut is under attack. One can remove the nectar easily. A coconut from which the nectar is removed, decays fast. Hence it is the necessity of brahmins to upkeep the ‘less knowledged’ around them. They cannot simply be expelled telling that they are unclean & unsweet. It is not in their nature. A thing cannot be soft as well as strong at the same time. They ought to be as they are, but should be imparted knowledge to keep them in their own good health. 

The coconut is WHOLE with the crown. 
Without the crown also it is called a ‘coconut’.
Without the coir shell is also called a ‘coconut’.
Without the nectar is also called a ‘coconut’.
Without the hard shell is also called a ‘coconut’.

But,

Coir shell without the ‘white fruit’ is called just ‘coir’.
Hard shell alone is called just ‘hard shell’.
White fruit alone is still called ‘coconut’.

However,
Big and beautiful the whole coconut be, if the white fruit is bad, the coconut is termed bad.
The outer shell and inner shell are still used for coir making and burning.

Bad(improper) nectar (customs & rituals) can decay the white fruit.
Decayed white fruit decays the nectar. 
The decayed white part is simply thrown away with a curse.

So it is a must for the ‘Hindus’ to co-exist looking after their respective dharmas. 
Everyone should know that they are born in their status due to their ‘poorva janma karmaphala’. So the ‘luckier’ should further improve their status by continuing ‘good karmas’ and the ‘unlucky’ do more ‘good karmas’ without complaints to compensate for their previous debt.
AND ALL BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE WIDE SPREAD FELLING OF THE TENDER COCONUTS, NOT ALLOWING THEM TO MATURE. VOLANTARILY SOME COCONUTS BE AVAILABLE TO BE USED AS SEEDS. 

Sreekrishnarppanamasthu,

Pranams,
RAJEEVKUMAR

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How To Get Rid Of Ghosts & Evil Entities

How to get rid of ghosts , is not a question that all of us necessarily relate to, but there a large number of people who may be forced to find the answer to such a critical dilemma. The presence of a ghost may not necessarily be very evident in all situations. Depending on why the soul is existing in the 'preta avasta' (state of a ghost), the ghost may be violent or peaceful. You may have frequent ailments, repeated accidents or unexplainable fears as a result of the presence of ghosts in your house. The following is a powerful ritual that will help to get rid of ghosts and other evil entities from your house.

On a Friday morning , after finishing your bath, select an appropriate location in your house to perform the ritual/pooja (preferably in the north-east corner or any other clean area). Then wipe the floor with a wet and clean cloth. Now place a lamp in the center of the cleaned area. Place 5 threads with ghee(clarified butter) and light the lamp.The lamp should be kept alight throughout the day. Now place 3 fistfuls of rock salt in a copper bowl and take a few lemons (one lemon for each room in your house, plus 4 extra lemons). Place the lemons on a plate beside the lamp. Now take a few toothpicks and poke each lemon. Then keep some bananas on a plate, beside the lamp.

Now place a photo of Lord Narasimha / Nrisimha behind the lamp. Then take a pinch of rock salt with the ring finger,index finger and thumb of your right hand. Now chant the following mantra :

om ugrasimhaya ugrarowdraya maha moorthaye raksha raksha narasimha devaya namah 

ॐ उग्रसिम्हाया उग्ररोव्द्राया महा मूर्थये रक्ष रक्ष नरसिम्हा देवाय नमः 

Then put the salt over the poked lemons. Repeat this process until all the rock salt in the bowl is over. Now light some camphor in front of the lamp and pray to Lord Narasimha for protection. Then keep chanting om maha narasimhaya namaha ॐ महा नरसिम्हाय नमः  , and take the bowl of salt in your left hand. Now go around your house and sprinkle a pinch of the salt after every step that you take. Then place the lemons, one each, in your rooms. The extra four lemons have to be buried in the four sides of your house, at a depth of 4-5cm. [For people living in apartments/flats, sprinkle the salt around the border walls of your flat, and hang the lemons in the four sides of the flat]. Then wash your hands and feet thoroughly. Give the banana away to animals/birds. This ritual helps to form a powerful shield from ghosts for your house. Also, later when you invoke the power of Lord Narasimha into the home, it will form a container for the immense positive power, and hence help to vanquish the ghosts. At noon, light some incense sticks beside the lamp, and light some camphor in front of the lamp.

In the evening, after you finish bathing, sit beside the lamp. Take a clay pot (or any other vessel which can bear heat) and place it beside the lamp. Now place some camphor and wooden chips in the pot and light it. Light another lamp beside the pot. Then take a fistful of dried whole black pepper on a plate. Now take each pepper in your right hand hand chant the following mantra :

om veerasimhaya ugrasimhaya rowdrasimhaya narasimhaya swaha

ॐ वीरसिम्हाय उग्रसिम्हाय रोव्द्रसिम्हाय नरसिम्हाय स्वः

After chanting the mantra, put the pepper into the pot. Keep repeating the ritual until all the peppers are over. (Put few wood chips in between to keep the fire burning). Then take 3 fistfuls of rice in a bowl. Keep chanting the mantra used for the black peppers and put a grain of rice into the pot after each repetition.

Now take a bowl of water in your right hand. Take some water in your right hand and chant the following mantra : om maha narasimhaya namah ॐ महा नरसिम्हाय नमः , and sprinkle the water all around and inside the house. Sprinkle everywhere in your house, including all metal objects, dresses and mirrors.

With the infinite grace of Lord Narasimha , the ghosts / evil entities will not be able to stay in or at the premises of your house anymore. Om

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The Akshaya Tritiya List

Though Akshaya Tritiya is known as a good day to buy gold and start businesses, it is also an auspicious day to start saadhana of a mantra and/or gain knowledge. This post is a list of some rituals and mantras from this blog, that help to get prosperity, health, success,safety and wealth. Hope it will facilitate you on this Akshaya Tritiya to get a mantra/ritual specific to your needs.


Lord Ganesha Mantra - For success in Business and Jobs

Brahma Mantra - For increasing productivity

Lord Kubera Sloka - For unbound wealth and prosperity

Lakshmi-Nrisimha Stotra - To remove debts and to bring prosperity

Vagwadhini Mantra - To remove obstacles in education

Hanuman Mantra - For promotions and success in examinations

Vishnu Pooja - For safety and happiness

Benefits Of Different Donations / Dhaana

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Kubera Pooja On Akshaya Tritiya

Lord Kubera is said to be in-charge of all wealth and prosperity. Hence it is naturally considered auspicious to appease Lord Kubera on Akshaya Tritiya. With the blessings of Lord Kubera, any business or investment you do on Akshaya Tritiya will turn into a flourishing success. The following is a simple ritual that is greatly powerful and can be performed by anyone to please Lord Kubera.

Light a lamp with the threads lying in the east-west direction. Now sit facing the east direction and take a bowl of sugar. Now place the lamp on a separate plate. Then take some sugar with the index finger,thumb and ring finger of your right hand . Now chant the following mantra : 

Om shiva bakthaya kuberaya namah om dhana akarshaya akarshaya namah 

ॐ शिवबक्थाया कुबेराय नमः ॐ धन आकर्शय आकर्शय नमः 

Repeat this ritual until the bowl of sugar gets over. Then light some camphor and pray to Lord Kubera that this Akshaya Tritiya should be a wonderful beginning to a happy and prosperous life. Then take the sugar from the plate and use it to make some dessert, which can be given to family members as prasad.

It is believed that any charity / dhaana given on Akshaya Tritiya will atone for all sins and bring happiness for many births. So please think about your fellow brothers and sisters, and help them in whatever way possible.

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Vishnu-Lakshmi Pooja On Akshaya Tritiya

Lord Vishnu is associated with Akshaya Tritiya (Read About It Here : Akshaya Tritiya- Legends Of Origin) in most regions , and it is believed that Lord Vishnu fulfills his devotees desires on this holy day. Also, Devi Mahalakshmi is Lord Vishnu's consort and is said to bestow her devotees with unbound prosperity and wealth when prayed to on Akshaya Tritiya. Even Lord Kubera is said to pray to Devi Mahalakshmi on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya. The following is a very simple pooja that can be performed to get the blessings of Lord Vishnu and Devi Mahalakshmi.

Light a lamp in front of A photo or idol of Lord Vishnu and Devi Mahalakshmi, and place the lamp on a plate. Then, take a bowl/glass of water and put 5 Tulsi (ocimum sanctum) leaves in the water. Now, cover the mouth of the bowl/glass with the palm of your right hand. Keep your left hand on top of your right hand, and chant the following mantras 9 times :

om namo vasudevaya namah      ॐ नमो वासुदेवाय नमः 

 om namo vishnudevaya namah    ॐ नमो विष्णुदेवाय नमः 

 om shree shree lakshmi deviye namah    ॐ श्री श्री लक्ष्मिदेविये नमः 

Then take the bowl/glass of water and slowly pour it on the base of the lamp while chanting :

  om namo bhagawathe vasudevaya     ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय 

Now take a fistful of rice and place it in a bowl. Now take few grains of rice with the ring finger and thumb of your right hand. Then chant the following mantra :

om shree lakshmisametha narayana namah      ॐ श्री लक्ष्मिसमेता नारायणा नमः 

Then shower the base of the lamp with the rice in your right hand. Repeat this ritual until all the rice in the bowl is over. After that, shower the photo of Lord Vishnu and Devi Mahalakshmi with flowers while chanting : 

om namo narayanaya.     ॐ नमो नारायणाय 

Then light some camphor and pray sincerely to God that this Akshaya Tritiya should bring your family happiness and success. Then take the rice from the plate below the lamp, and cook it. This cooked rice should be distributed as prasad among the family members.

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Ganesha Pooja On Akshaya Tritiya

Akshaya Tritiya (24th April in 2012) is a once in a year opportunity to easily atone for your sins and get rid of your miseries. This post is about a simple yet powerful ritual to please Lord Ganesha , that can be performed to bring success in your businesses. Of course you must also bear in mind that no single day or ritual will make any change in your life unless you show true devotion to God. Moreover, Akshaya Tritiya is a chance to atone for all your sins by undertaking suitable charitable work. Please do think about your fellow brothers and sisters, and help them in any way possible.

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In the morning of Akshaya Tritiya, while taking bath, chant  narayana नारायणा as you pour water on yourself. It is also advisable to perform the poojas with all family members since the collective devotion will bring more sincerity.

GANESHA POOJA

Light a lamp in front of a photo of Lord Ganesha. Take a few bananas and keep them on a plate beside the lamp. Now place a bowl of water beside the plate. Take some water in your right palm, and revolve your hand thrice around the plate of bananas, while chanting the following : 

om gum ganapathaye namah.        ॐ गं गणपथये नमः 

Now peel the top half of the bananas and place your right hand over the bananas, without touching them, and chant the following mantra 11 times :

om ganeshaya samarpayami   ॐ गणेशाय समर्पयामि 

om lambhodaraya samarpayami   ॐ लम्बोदराय समर्पयामि 

om vighnavinashakaya samarpayami    ॐ विग्नविनाशकाय समर्पयामि 

Now wash your palm with water. Then shower the base of the lamp with flowers while chanting
                            om namo raja ganapathaye namah      ॐ नमो राज गणपथाये नमः 

Then light some camphor and distribute the bananas among your family members. Thank Lord Ganesha from your heart and ask for his infinite grace to make your Akshaya Tritiya a wonderful step to success.

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Akshaya Tritiya : Legends Of Origin and Benefits

Akshaya Tritiya has many legends that are related to it's origin. But all of them suggest that it is an auspicious day of great significance. It is believed that Akshaya Tritiya is most appropriate for starting anything new, whether it is a business, an investment, studying a new art, or ploughing a farm. Donations/Charitable work are considered to be most beneficial when performed on Akshaya Tritiya. [Check out this previous post to know more about donations : Specific Benefits Of Different Donations]

Some people believe that Akshaya Tritiya is the day that Lord Vishnu took the avatar of Lord Parashurama. It is also believed that the Treta Yuga started on Akshaya Tritiya, and it is also celebrated for this reason. There is also a belief that the Pandavas received the 'Akshaya Patra' on this day.

One legend associated with Akshaya Tritiya is the famous story of Sudama / Kuchela. Kuchela / Sudama was Lord Krishna's childhood friend, and was very poor. When his poverty reached it's brink, Kuchela decided to go meet his old friend Krishna and ask for some help. As a gift for Lord Krishna, Kuchela took a pouch of 'flattened rice' (avil / poha) with him. Upon reaching the palace of Lord Krishna, Kuchela hid the pouch out of embarrassment , since he felt that it was insignificant when compared to the riches which Lord Krishna had. Lord Krishna was delighted to see Kuchela and embraced him lovingly. Lord Krishna cunningly found the pouch of flattened rice and happily ate it. Kuchela's heart was filled with happiness and he left Lord Krishna's palace to go home. Upon reaching the his house, Kuchela was amazed on seeing that his house had transformed into a magnificent palace. His wife and children came running towards him, and they were now wearing dresses made of the finest silk. There were hundreds of cows behind the palace, in a beautiful cow shed. Kuchela realized that this magical transformation was due to the blessings of Lord Krishna, and he thanked him with his whole heart. It is said that this incident took place on the holy day of Akshaya Tritiya. Thus it is believed that when devotees pray to Lord Krishna on this day with devotion, he will bless his devotees with prosperity and wealth.

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Another legend which 'some people' relate to Akshaya Tritiya is about the Kanakadhara Stotra . Once Adi Shankaracharya went to a house for alms. There was only one lady in the house and she was very poor and didn't have any food in the house to give Adi Shankaracharya. She frantically searched the house and found a gooseberry(amla/nellikai). She went and gave the gooseberry to Adi Shankaracharya. Adi Shankaracharya was greatly pleased at the woman's willingness to donate the only piece of food she had, and he wished to make her life happier. Adi Shankaracharya immediately recited the Kanakadhara Stotra and invoked Devi Mahalakshmi. Devi Mahalakshmi was greatly pleased and showered the lady's house with golden gooseberries. This incident is said to have happened on Akshaya Tritiya.

It is thus said that even little acts of charity / donation performed on Akshaya Tritiya will bring manifold returns . Any charity performed on this holy day can help in bringing bliss that can last for several births, by washing away our sins.It is not the quantity of donation which matters, but rather the willingness to give back to our needy brothers and sisters.

Wish Happy New Year With A Mantra e-Card

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Bhagawad Gita Quotes (By Non-Indians)

The Bhagawad Gita is considered by many to be a supreme scripture of Hinduism, which deals with almost every aspect of a human's life. More than a devotional script, the Bhagawad Gita is a guide for mankind to live righteously and happily on this earth. We young Indians often have the tendency to attribute greatness to anything, only if it is recognized by a foreigner, and hence i am contributing this collection of quotes by famous non-Indians.I would also like to add that it is definitely a shame that we fail to recognize the infinite greatness of our Indian scriptures unless told to do so by someone else.

Albert Einstein (controversial) : When i read the Bhagawad Gita an reflect about how God created this universe everything else seems so superfluous


Ralph Waldo Emerson : The Bhagawad Gita is an empire of thought and in its philosophical teachings Krishna has all the attributes of the full-fledged monotheistic deity and at the same time the attributes of the Upanishadic absolute.

Herman Hesse : The marvel of the Bhagawad Gita is its truly beautiful revelation of life wisdom which enables philosophy to blossom into religion

Henry David Thoreau : In the morning i bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagawad Gita , in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seems puny and trivial

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This post is contributed by Mr.Manohar. You can also contribute any mantras, slokas, rituals, articles relevant to Hindus through the YOUR CONTENT page.

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Please add any other quotes about Bhagawad Gita in the comments below 

POLI'TICKS' FEEDS ON CASTE

India was not bought by the British; it would be more apt to say that India was sold by Indians. Along with India, Hinduism has also been shattered into pieces. Hinduism is by itself facing a lot of threats in today's world. But, still we keep quarreling about castes, while the greatness which can be achieved through unity is not looked into.

The greedy landlords of pre-British India were more than willing to part with the labour and dignity of their inhabitants in return for personal wealth and protection. Like blood sucking ticks, the British kept jumping to different landlords disguised as help and then left them desolate.

The administrators exploited the caste system as a means to heave some luxury by enforcing themselves as supreme. They divided the society and introduced unspeakable norms. This process greatly hampered unity and created a social structure as fragile and instable as a house of cards.     

Lets first trace the caste system to it’s origins. We find the birth of caste in the long departed days of Indian supremacy. A society is an intricate network of inter-dependant layers. Our ancestors realised this essential factor and hence divided groups of people based on how proficient they were in various occupations. Theses people had a natural inclination towards their profession and were already well skilled in them. Each individual used his lifetime to fine-tune their abilities and then passed on the modified knowledge to their progeny. This led to the creation of an exponential improvement in knowledge and skill in each and every field. The groups of people started being identified by their professions and this lead to the establishment of a caste. A caste was just an easy indication to what line of work the individual belongs to.

An insight about the vital need of each profession and how it is all of equal importance for the smooth development of society as a whole, is inevitable. We should be able to appreciate and respect each individual equally, based only on his/her character and not on his/her work. There should just be a single class of people called 'Hindus', i.e, those that prefer to follow the Hindu 'way of life'.

What is even worse is that the politicians of today still wield the same weapon of caste and have managed to blow it up to a nuke. They keep instilling the divide-and-rule policy of the British. But, in their unrelenting quest for power, politicians perform heinous crimes that put even the British to shame. The luxury of money and the adrenalin that power brings keeps them addicted. Wannabe politicians make caste as their warhead to victory in vote-bank politics. The people are dealt with as animals to be sacrificed. They are fed with promises of uplift, and decorated with the glorification of caste. But, after the candidate rises victoriously, the people are ultimately looted and sacrificed. So, do you still wish to voluntarily have your life sucked out by the new breed of ‘poli-ticks’.? Save Hinduism...Save Humanity...

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This post was submitted by Shyamsunder. Thank you. Dear Readers, you can also submit your articles, mantras, slokas or any other information relevant to Hinduism, through the YOUR CONTENT page

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Thank You Mr.Death

Death has a very charming way of being the most familiar guest in the living kingdom but the one who is most snubbed. But as a story once made famous, 'death is the only force that acts equal to all'. It is nature's little reminder that no matter how advanced we think we are, she still has a trump card under her sleeve.

The way death knocks at the door when least expected and refuses to leave alone is what makes it an unforgivable enemy. We all know for certain that death will hunt us down one day or the other, but still refuse to make the available time worthwhile. We neglect how fortunate we are to even be born as humans and be the only species capable of thoroughly enjoying nature. Instead we continue to cling on to our ego, hatred and greed.  We are not ready to make these few years in the beautiful home we call earth, as a happy stay.

Sure there is a lot of suffering and poverty in the world. But, wouldn't most of our problems be solved if we all just had a little more understanding and let go of our personal greed? Do we need to have death looming over the shoulder to realize how fortunate we are to be living?

Quite frankly, thats the best part about death. It serves as a constant reminder to try and keep people sane. It is the inevitable destination that everyone aboard the train called life is heading to. So while you are on the trip, you might as well be helpful and happy with your fellow passengers.

But putting all that aside, what really makes death stand-out from the crowd is the mystery surrounding it. The irony that you have to experience to know but can't tell once you experience it, ensures that nobody will and nobody should know. And if we really did know better about death, then it would certainly lead to a grave imbalance of society and everything in it. We wouldn't have anything to fear, wouldn't have anything to control and correct us. It would lead to the ultimate extinction of everything pure and noble. In a way, it is death itself or the fear of it, which keeps us grounded and prevents us from wrecking life completely.

For those of you who are wondering how this is all related to Hinduism, i would like to add that the base of Hinduism is to live a wholesome life along with making sure we do whatever help we can for our fellow living creatures. And, thats the basic message of this article :-)


So Mr.Death, thank you for being there, but you are still not welcome home. 

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This is a guest post by Mr.Ramkumar. Thank you. You can submit your articles, mantras, slokas or anything relevant to Hinduism through the YOUR CONTENT page

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Lord Vishwakarma - Mantra and Introduction

Lord Vishwakarma is a deity who is seldom remembered by the general Hindu community. Vishwakarma is known as the Lord of arts, architecture,crafts and creation in general. He is known as the son of Lord Brahma in some puranas, while others refer to him as a supreme independent deity.

Lord Vishwakarma is said to be responsible for all the miraculous creations of this universe. Raavana's Lanka is said to be designed and created by Viswakarma. Viswakarma is also attributed to having built Dwaraka and Lord Krishna's palace in it.  It is also believed that most of the divine weapons that various deities yield, have been created by Lord Viswakarma. The 'vajra ayudha' of Lord Indra is a famous example of one such weapon. Other examples include the MahaSudarshana chakra of Lord Vishnu, the trident of Lord Shiva and  the 'vetri vel' of Lord Murugan.

Lord Viswakarma is described as having 5 heads and 4 hands. The following 5 prajapathis are said to have originated from the 5 heads of Lord Vishwakarma : Manu, Maya, Twosta, Silpy and Viswajna. 

It is said that all architects and artists should pray to Lord Vishwakarma beofre they start any new projects or ventures. The following is a simple mantra of Lord Vishwakarma which can be chanted in such occasions.

Om shree shrishtinathaya sarvasidhhaya vishwakarmaya namo namah

Chant the above mantra 7 times before you start any new ventures. 

Please do share this post with any architects, artists and engineers that you know. Om

Life After Death Explained

Life after death is a topic that divides many religions and cultures. The fear that death strikes in us, and the wonder of being alive are two things which are present in everyone. The mystery surrounding death has been tried to be explained by many scholars, but the irony remains, that you cannot explain clearly until you experience death, and you cannot explain once you experience death. But, our Hindusim has a remarkable explanation for what happens after death and about the cycle of life and death, almost unlike the concepts found in other religious system.

It is said that every deed/action that we perform on this earth leads to the accumulation of 'karma'. This karma is allotted, based on whether the deed was good or bad. When the permitted living time is over, an estimation of a final 'karma' is made for the particular individual, and he/she is reborn on this earth based on his karma. The good deeds lead to positive karma while bad deeds obviously lead to negative karma. The karma from previous lives are almost accumulated throughout the following births. This accumulated karma helps in deciding the status and fate in the next birth. This process continues until the soul attains a stage where only positive karma is there.This particular stage is called 'moksha' or salvation.

It is said that it takes thousands of births for a soul to pass from animals to humans, and it takes even longer for the soul to go from a normal human to a good natured human . Thus, a soul is trapped in this almost never ending to and fro journey between bodies. Only god has the power to make changes in this journey of the soul.  The fastest way to attain moksha (or) salvation in this kali yuga , is said to be devotion. Sincere devotion is like a large saw which chops away chunks of bad karma. No amount of temple visits, nor expenses can replace the simple emotion of devotion.

Thus, according to our Hinduism, there definitely is life after death, the only difference is that we consider life and death as a continuous cycle which complement each other. So, every birth is for a new death and every death is for a new life, and hence these terms almost seem meaningless.

Hope to know the views and opinions of the fellow readers on OnlyHinduism. Long live Hinduism
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This post was submitted by Mr.Rajesh Pillai . You can also submit your articles to be published on the site  through the YOUR CONTENT page.

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WISHING EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY HOLI

The following Mahamantra of Lord Krishna is rare and powerful. The chanting of this mantra even once with devotion is said to remove all sins. It is highly advisable for getting Lord Krishna's blessings for the family's safety, health, unity, success and happiness. May this Holi make everyone get all these benefits and much more. Om .

Wish your near and dear ones a Happy Holi with this special mantra card.