A new angle.

Azhvars and Acharyas have shown us their bhakti through the way they served Him. In Srirangam, when prasada prepared in the temple kitchen was taken every day to be offered to the Lord, Ramanujacharya would wait till the priest came out of the sanctum sanctorum. Ramanuja would then look at the prasada to check if the Lord’s fingers had left an impression in the food!

Seeing the absence of finger marks, he would say that Lord had not touched the food for lack of bhakti! That kind of involvement is needed in serving the Lord.

Live as if you are being watched.

Life must be lived as if one is being watched continuously in action deed and thought as well. once you are able to achieve this life becomes a pleasure. you seem a changed person. you become an open book so to say there is nothing you need hide or be afraid of. life becomes a pleasant journey and you become charged to direct the direction you would take. you can try it consciously for a day you will definitely notice the difference you will enjoy it all false hood negative feelings will vanish you will become a changed person in full control of your life. its a beautiful feeling make it a practice by extending it yes thought too should be controlled. its marvellous this is a sure road to realisation.

In the middle of difficulties lies opportunity

The Vedas prescribe a variety of yagnas or sacrifices for the attainment of many goals in life, ranging from the materialistic to the spiritual. Many purifying ceremonies and disciplined and austere practices are to be observed during the performance of a yagna. But the truth that the entire yagna and the offering is for the Lord who accepts it and grants the wishes should not be ignored and Krishna teaches this subtle wisdom during one of His treks along with the cowherd boys in Brindavan, said Srimati Prema Pandurang in a discourse.

The trek led them to a place where learned rishis were engaged in a yagna. The boys were hungry and Krishna asked them to go the place of sacrifice and ask for food in the name of Krishna and Balarama. The rishis did not hear the appeal as they were engaged in the elaborate rituals. It was a pity that they failed to recognise that this was a direct request from the very Lord whom they were propitiating. They missed the chance to make the offering to the Lord who had come in person since they mistook Him for a mere mortal. When Krishna was told about their reaction, He asked the boys to make the same request to their wives who were preparing the offerings. The women folk were devout and steeped in love of Krishna and willingly brought the food prepared as offering for the yagna. The all-knowing Krishna was impressed by their pure love for Him and accepted the food. He also knew that the women feared the consequences of going against the command of their husbands, kith and kin and hesitated to return to the place of sacrifice. Krishna blessed them and also removed the ignorance of the rishis who now regretted their foolish behaviour.

praanee

Toraa Man Darpan Kahalaaye

Bhale, Bure Saare, Karamon Ko Dekhe Aaur Dikhaaye

Man Hee Dewataa, Man Hee Eeshwar

Man Se Badaa Naa Koee

Man Ujiyaaraa, Jab Jab Faile

Jag Ujiyaaraa Hoye

Is Ujale Darpan Par Praanee, Dhool Naa Jamane Paaye

Sukh Kee Kaliyaan, Dukh Ke Kaante

Man Sab Kaa Aadhaar

Man Se Koee, Baat Chhoope Naa

Man Ke Nain Hajaar

Jag Se Chaahe Bhaag Le Koee, Man Se Bhaag Naa Paaye

Silence is golden speech is silver. ID.

Mauna Vratha literally means a vow to keep silent. For spiritual growth it is essential that one’s speech must be pure. To acquire purity of speech the practice of silence is important. Hindu religious texts commend mauna-vratha for this purpose.

In Bhadra, sixth month of the Hindu calendar, 16 days of mauna-vratha are said to be useful. It is believed that through silence one is able to achieve one’s desire. One attains the abode of Lord Shiva. Along with mauna-vratha it is essential that some time must be spent in offering prayers.

In Bhagavad Gita, 17/16, it is said:

manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaḿ
maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ
bhāva-saḿśuddhir ity etat
tapo mānasam ucyate

Contentment of the mind, amiable temperament, silence, religious meditation and good thoughts reflect austerity of the mind.

Silence is placed mid-way between other qualities. It begins with control of the mind. once the mind is controlled, one becomes friendly. One begins to look kindly towards others. One cuts down on useless speech and thinks more of God. One begins to generate good thoughts.

In Chanakya Niti, 11/9, it is said:

Whoever can remain silent everyday for a full year becomes worthy of thousands of years of praise in heaven.

Silence can change the personality of an individual. Through silence a person controls anger and speech. One grows stronger through greater determination and self-confidence. One is more at peace and free of tension. There is conservation of energy and a person experiences greater inner strength, helping one develop into a better person.

We all know that if speech is silvern, silence is golden. Silence helps to conserve energy, to concentrate and introspect. It helps one in the search of divinity. By observing silence one gains goals easily.

In Mahabharata, there is a story pertaining to silence. After Maharishi Vedavyas had dictated the last shloka and Lord Ganesh had noted it down on the bhojpatra, Maharishi Vedavyas said,
“Vighneshwar! Blessed is your writing! The Supreme Spirit has created the Mahabharata and you have written it. What is more amazing is your silence. During dictation I must have spoken almost twenty hundred thousand words, but all along I did not hear a single word from you.”

Lord Ganesh thoughtfully responded, “Badarayana! Some lamps have a lot of oil; others have only a little. No lamp has a continuous supply of oil. In the same way, gods, mankind and demons have a limited life. Only those who have self-control and use their powers with patience and understanding can fully benefit from their life. The first step to self-control is to control one’s speech. Whoever cannot control his speech loses energy unnecessarily. Through control of speech one avoids such a loss. I have always believed in the power of silence.”

Lets give them the credit they do deserve it.

Warning do not read further if you are a male chauvinist.

Highly intelligent disciplined and spiritual. Bent on improving themselves and all who they associate with. determined to make a better life for themselves and will work hard to achieve their goal. strong powerful commanding bold but very proud probably because so much goes into grooming them from a very young age. What a lot of difference this makes is surely to be noted. women though stronger and more intelligent than the men folk but some how get subdued, the community does not give them a chance. Right from the temple where both go to pray the demarcation is made. The men form a barricade as it were to protect their god from the women folk not realising the God who they think they protect is charmed by the women folk. yes and another draw back is the men take longer to get dressed and ready than the women folk.  They lead a simple though a meaningful life. even when they get rich they stick to their roots of simple living and high thinking. rarely can one find some one who is not aware of their superiority over other class of men on a one to one basis. yes and they are good looking as well. they seem to be a blessed lot probably the mantras they recite from a very young age itself makes them stand out with the extra shine they seem to possess. they are a blessed lot. they form a bridge as it were for a commoner to understand life its purpose and the ultimate truth to reach God. no wonder they are known as twice born. Yes this is associated with the Gayathri innerciation at a very young age. but what about the women folk? may be the divide happens from then on. in olden times women were treated on par with the men folk. even without the cast mark these folks can be easily identified by their well developed thighs, for as the saying goes   --------- thighs.

To be continued.

Brahmin. (P)

Who are they?

The Brahmin people are a prominent community spread across the whole of India. The Brahmin are the highest of the four Hindu castes, made up of priests and scholars of Vedic literature and their traditional occupation is to concern themselves with the spiritual guidance of the people, conduct rites at marriages, births, deaths and other auspicious occasions.

In practice the caste and the profession are not to be treated as one. All Brahmin are not priests. In fact, a majority of them are not and there is a striking range of diversities in terms of status and occupation among the Brahmin all over the country.

Origin

They are also identified by names such as Pandit, Purohit, Pujari and Shastri. Two broad territorial divisions exist among the Brahmin: the Panch Gour (Five Northerner) and the Panch Dravida (Five Southerner). These two groups are separated by the central Indian Vindhya mountain range that almost bisects the country into two equal parts. The five northern divisions are Saraswat (belonging to Punjab and named after the mythical Saraswati River), Gaur (in the Delhi region), Kanyakubja (named after the ancient city of Kanauj in present day Uttar Pradesh on the banks of the holy Ganges River), Maithili (in the region north of the Ganges in Bihar) and Utkal (an ancient name of Orissa).

The term Brahmin meant originally “one possessed of Brahman” – a mysterious magical force widely known to modern anthropologists by the Melanesian word mana. The name Brahmin was given to the first specially trained priest who superintended the sacrifice. By the end of the Rig Vedic period dating 1500-1000 BC, the term was used for all members of the priestly class. Within the order there were other divisions. The Brahmins of the later Vedic period dating 900-600 BC were divided into exogamous clans that restricted matrimonial choice and dictated ritual. This system, which was copied in part by other classes, has survived to the present day. Later the Brahmin formed many associate castes, linked together by endogamy and other common practices.

The Rig Veda is the oldest and perhaps the most sacred of all Hindu scriptures. It contains the mythological origin of the Brahmin which is most interesting. According to the “Hymn of the Primeval Man” in the Rig Veda, the god Prajapati (Lord of Beings), who is often identified with Brahma, the creator in the Hindu trinity – was sacrificed by his children. From this sacrifice the universe was produced, and the Brahmin originated from his mouth.

According to Hindu law and tradition, the spiritual and intellectual power of the Brahmin is strictly separate from the temporal power of the Kshatriya, the ruler or warrior class. However, over time, the two have maintained an alliance. The answer to the question ‘who is a Brahmin?’ emphasizes that character and spiritual inclination, rather than caste is what makes a Brahmin. Despite this, Indian society continues to place a premium on the status at birth.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Brahmin’s traditional occupation is that of a priest. Brahmins have a variety of occupations. In Orissa, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, many Brahmin own land and practice agriculture, but an increasing number are also in white-collar jobs, government service, business, household industry and astrology. In Rajasthan, agriculture forms their primary occupation but a few are traders, bankers, sculptors of idols and makers of wooden seats for the idols. In Chandigarh the Brahmin are gradually diversifying into administration, teaching, business, and the legal profession.

Although the Brahmin can follow any profession or means of livelihood, no one except a Brahmin can be a socially accepted priest. This was the main reason why many opposed the decision by the BJP government to offer a university degree in Hindu priesthood. The wider community would never accept the services of a non-Brahmin or lower caste priest.

The Brahmin has always taken an active part in politics. During the British period, Brahmins were the first to respond to English education and the first to benefit from political and administrative power. Since India’s independence in 1947 there has been large numbers of Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers, MPs and Members of the State Legislative Assemblies (MLAs). The first and longest-ruling Prime Minister of India, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru was a Brahmin. The current Chief Minister of Uttaranchal is also a Brahmin.

The Brahmin community is predominantly strict vegetarians. In Punjab and Himachal Pradesh the younger generation eats meat. Rice, wheat and maize are the staple cereals. In arid regions such as Rajasthan, coarse cereals like bajra and jowar, which are millets, form an important part of the diet as well as lentils, seasonal vegetables and fruit and milk and dairy products. Most Brahmin men usually abstain from alcohol and smoking but for women, it is strictly forbidden. It is customary for a Brahmin to be given a good feast at ceremonies. Brahma-Bhojana or feeding Brahmins is a socio-spiritual obligation.

Literacy levels among the Brahmin both sexes are very high as compared to those of other communities. They favor family planning and use modern medical facilities as well as traditional Ayurvedic remedies. The Brahmin is major beneficiaries of the federal government’s development programmes and has used them to their profit.

The acceptable age for marriage for women is eighteen and older for men. Marriages are arranged by parents and monogamy is the norm. The ancestral property is inherited equally by sons only – the eldest son succeeding as head of the family. Interfamily alliances are based on socio-religious and economic cooperation.

Marriage symbols for women are the mangalsutra, which is a gold and black bead necklace. Wives smear vermilion powder (sindur) along the hair parting and wear toe rings. Payment of dowry is both in cash and goods. Divorce is rare and remarriage for widows is prohibited. Widowers however, are allowed to remarry.

Though the status of women is secondary to men, they have a relatively higher level of education and awareness than other women in Indian society. Brahmin women do not have to work and play a bigger role in ritual, social and religious spheres than women from other castes and communities. Many women have excelled in fields as diverse as social service, literature, theology and academics. Pandita Ramabai was a Brahmin woman who began work among oppressed Hindu widows after becoming a follower of Christ.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Brahmin people are Hindu and due to their privileged priestly position, are sought by others for religious guidance. As custodians of Hinduism they worship deities on a larger scale. Regional variations are present as prominence is given to a particular deity. For example among the Maithili Brahmin of Bihar worship of Shiva (destroyer of the Hindu trinity) is widespread, involving the daily worship of shivalingams (phallic symbols of Shiva).

Another major god is Vishnu, whose symbol – a black pebble from a certain river is found in every Brahmin home. Brahmin from the northeast like Tripura mostly worships the mother goddess Shakti. Kali and Durga (a ten-handed form of Kali who rides a tiger) are revered in West Bengal. Family and clan deities, along with village and regional deities are also worshiped.

The Brahmin strictly adheres to important life-cycle rituals based on the sacred texts though variations are seen from region to region. Birth and death pollution are observed for specified time periods. The dead are cremated and the ashes immersed in a river, preferably the holy Ganges at the sacred cities of Haridwar or Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

Some Brahmin of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are Roman Catholics whose conversion took place in late19th century. Until recently they had continued to wear the Hindu sacred thread with a locket containing the pictures of the Virgin Mary or Jesus Christ.

The Brahmin has an iconic status in Hindu society. They are generally intelligent, prosperous and influential. As guardians of religion and leaders of society, they influence social conduct and morality by the example they set.

Strictly speaking only Brahmins can be priests and as such they usually are the main and major component of Hindu priesthood. But many other castes also have “sacred specialists” or priests of their own who perform their community rituals. Their standing, however, is far below that of the Brahmin.

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