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Ravishankar.G's Blog (137)

RISE ABOVE THE TWO MOODS

Dear All,

In vedanta there are only two kinds of moods - joy, exultation or exhilaration and grief or depression. Now there is joy and five minutes later there is depression - the currents alternate. They belong to the sad-urmis (six waves, i.e. grief, delusion, hunger, thirst, decay and death). People of gloomy moods attract gloomy thoughts from others and from the akasic (etheric) records in the…

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Added by Ravishankar.G on December 17, 2010 at 2:11am — 1 Comment

(Basil) Thulasi the Healer

Dear all,

1. Thulasi,when taken along with pepper in the evenings for three days consecutively, treats cold, cough and fever.

2. Irritation in the urinary tract is healed when the juice of Thulasi and cow's buttermilk mixed together are taken thrice a day.

3. When the…

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Added by Ravishankar.G on December 11, 2010 at 1:30am — No Comments

Three Types of Pleasure from B.Gita Chapter XVIII: 37-39 -By Swami Venkatesananda

Dear All,

That which is like poison at first but in the end like nectar - that pleasure is declared to be sattvika, born of the purity of one's own mind due to self-realization.

That pleasure which arises from the contact of the sense organs with the objects, which is at first like nectar, and in the end like poison - that is declared to be rajasa.

That pleasure which at first and in the sequel is delusive of the self, arising from sleep, indolence and heedlessness…

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Added by Ravishankar.G on December 11, 2010 at 12:57am — No Comments

Mind - The Key to Life - Last Part By Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

Dear all,

We should understand that just as the body suffers from small troubles like headache, cold, etc. to more serious ones like cancer, kidney failure, etc., so too, does the mind suffer from ill health. Our ancient Ayurvedic Texts have spoken about these. While bodily afflictions are called 'vyaadi', mental afflictions are called 'aadi'. Further, in Srimad Bhaagavatam is found a sloka that says, 'in Kali Yuga many people will be mentally afflicted.' From this, we learn that our… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on November 18, 2010 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Mind - The Key to Life - Part I By Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

Dear all,

From time to time, Sri Sri Swamiji has been writing on topics of spiritual significance which are very much relevant in today's context.

If there is one topic that has confounded the smartest of scientists even today, it is most certainly the 'human mind' - An artifact whose nature and working has been studied and researched on since ages, and is continuing till day....

Interestingly, the mind is the key to the treasure-chest called… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on November 13, 2010 at 2:00am — 1 Comment

We have fallen into this gutter of Family Life.. Discourse Excerpts by Sri Sri Muralidhara swamiji

Dear All,

We have fallen into this gutter of Family Life. It is out of sheer compassion that the Guru’s lean down to look at us. They tell us, "Oh! Child! You have fallen into this gutter. Let me help you out of it!"

But, what does the man inside say?

He says, "Oh! Swami! You desire to lift me out. But, what if you fall into it while trying to lift me out?"

This is because he is unable to develop faith in the Guru.

The Mahan says, "Don't you think… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on November 9, 2010 at 1:48am — No Comments

DEEPAVALI By Swami Sivananda

Dear All,

Happy Diwali to All my brothers & Sisters.....

DEEPAVALI or Diwali means "a row of lights". It falls on the last two days of the dark half of Kartik (October-November). For some it is a three-day festival. It commences with the Dhan-Teras, on the 13th day of

the dark half of Kartik, followed the next day by the Narak Chaudas, the 14th day, and by Deepavali proper on the 15th day.… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on November 5, 2010 at 1:30am — No Comments

Inner Transformation Series - 6 - Acceptance: A Vital Step to Inner Transformation - Last Part

Dear All,

Inner Transformation-6 Contd...

When I first started working in the corporate world, I was given a raise at the end of my first year, even though I did not do anything outstanding. The next year, I really worked hard. But then they said I was not good at communication and was denied a promotion! The first thought in my head was “Why? Why did they do this to me?” But then I immediately wondered, “Why didn’t I ask this… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on October 10, 2010 at 3:00am — No Comments

Inner Transformation Series - 6 - Acceptance: A Vital Step to Inner Transformation - Part-1

Dear All,

Everyone knows what he should be. What someone is and what he should be are never the same. There is always a gap. When someone is not what he should be, he becomes miserable and angry; and he feels jealous when he sees someone else where he thinks he himself should be.

A vital step in inner transformation is one simple truth: If we cannot accept ourselves, we cannot accept anybody else. We have to teach ourselves to accept what we are right now, to start… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on October 3, 2010 at 5:47am — No Comments

Inner Transformation Series – 5 - The Protection Shield – Last Part

Dear All,

Contd...

Just as it is wiser to protect the sweet by making a fort with water rather than try to drive away the ants, it is wiser to protect our inherent divinity by chanting the Divine Names of the Lord and making a fort of it instead of trying to fight each of our negativities. Following dharma itself is a fort. But if we find it tough to adhere to

some dharma, the easiest dharma that can be adopted by all is the dharma of Nama kirtan, chanting the Names… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on September 4, 2010 at 3:00am — No Comments

Inner Transformation Series – 5 - The Protection Shield - Part 2

Dear All,

Contd....

Newspapers show us the state of the world. The world and its happenings scorch us! Virtues have gone to the winds. This state of the world is burning us like the sun from above and the sands from below. In such a

situation, it would be very pleasant to hear someone say that the world should be a better place or that the world should be changed or people should be more virtuous, etc. But is it possible to change the world in even an entire lifetime?… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on August 29, 2010 at 3:00am — No Comments

Inner Transformation Series – 5 - The Protection Shield - Part 1

Dear All,

Once, someone gave me some sweet prasad (consecrated offering) in a bag. Since it was the Lord's divine prasad, I placed it carefully in a corner, so that I could partake of it later. A few minutes later I turned to find a whole horde of little black ants marching towards the bag. As these ants are harmless and don’t bite, they are generally not killed in India. So I picked up a brush and patiently tried to push them away. But the ants were quite determined and persisted on… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on August 24, 2010 at 11:00am — No Comments

Inner Transformation Series – 4 - Why Undergo Suffering? - Last Part

Dear All,

Contd from Part-2

Sant Kabir das says the very same thing in his couplet,

'dukh me sumiran sab karey sukh me kare na koi'

Everyone remembers God when they suffer and pray to Him for relief. It's a fact however that one does not think of the Lord as much when he is happy as when he faces some trouble.

Swami Vivekananda has said that adversity is a better teacher than prosperity. Joy does not teach us… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on July 21, 2010 at 4:30pm — No Comments

Inner Transformation Series – 4 - Why Undergo Suffering? - Part-2

Dear All,

Contd from Part-1

Ashwatthama with a wicked intention, aimed a Brahmastra again, this time at Uttara's womb. Sri Krishna was at that time preparing to return home to Dwaraka. Uttara, who like the rest of her family knew that her sole refuge was Lord Krishna, came running to Him and surrendered at His Feet saying, "Oh Preceptor of the universe! The greatest of all Yogis! Please save me! Even if I can’t be saved it is okay.… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on July 17, 2010 at 1:30am — No Comments

Inner Transformation Series – 4 - Why Undergo Suffering? - Part-1

Dear All,

In this article in the Inner Transformation series, we will tell you a story. It is a slightly long story but it is one worth remembering and it gives us a wonderful lesson on inner transformation.

After the Pandavas (the five righteous princes of ancient India) had won the Mahabharata war, everyone was exhausted and asleep in their tents near the battlefield. Ashwatthama, the son of Dronacharya (the teacher of the royal princes) and staunch friend of Duryodhana… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on July 13, 2010 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Inner Transformation Series – 3 - The Secret to Dharma - Part 2

Dear All,

Contd from last part...

When we understand the subtle aspect of dharma do we understand why we should be good, why we should not lie, why we should not appropriate others' wealth, why we should not look at another man's wife with lust,

and so on. It is simply because we don't want all of this to happen to us!

If you want others to love you, love others.

If you want others… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on June 30, 2010 at 12:00am — No Comments

Inner Transformation -3 - The Secret to Dharma

Dear All,

In the previous articles in this series, we saw that our vision is always tinted with what is inside us. If there is goodness in us, we see goodness around us; if there is deviousness or weakness in us, we see the same in others outside. So the converse is also true: the qualities we see in others are really inside us. When we realize this dramatic truth, a great secret is revealed—to change the world, all we have to do is change ourselves.

Mahatma Gandhi said,… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on June 25, 2010 at 7:30pm — No Comments

Handling A Situation - An Incident from Swami Vivekananda's Life

Dear All,

Good morning to all of you and have a divine blessed day ahead...

Handling A Situation

When Swami Vivekananda went to USA, a lady asked him to marry her. When Swami asked the lady about what made her ask him such question. The lady replied that she was fascinated by his intellect. She wanted a

child of such an intellect. So she asked Swami, whether he could marry

her and give a child like him.

He said to that lady, that… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on June 16, 2010 at 2:55pm — No Comments

BENEFITS OF JAPA

Dear All,

Good evening / Morning and enjoy a divine blessed day ahead....

Japa (repetition of the mantra checks the force of the thought current moving towards objects. It forces the mind to move towards God, towards the attainment of eternal bliss. Eventually it helps us to have the darsana (vision) of God. The mantra-power is hidden in every mantra. Whenever the spiritual aspirant shows lack of vigour in his sadhana (practice), the power of the mantra reinforces the… Continue

Added by Ravishankar.G on June 13, 2010 at 4:30am — 1 Comment

Inner Transformation Series – 2 - It's a Perfect World

Dear All,

In the first article in this series we saw how, in order to change the world, we first have to change ourselves; for the world is only the way we are. Only what is inside us manifests itself on the outside.

A kind,…

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Added by Ravishankar.G on June 11, 2010 at 1:30pm — No Comments