Ravi S. Iyer: Spiritual

O Sheronwali Navaratri Devi Mata dandiya song & dance with Amitabh and Rekha as on-screen stars from 1979 Hindi film Suhaag, sung by Mohd. Rafi and Asha Bhosle, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV6-R_y9cNg , 5 min. 18 secs. --- Aigiri Nandini also known as Mahishasura mardini stotram (Sanskrit hymn of praise) is wonderful worship of Aadi Parashakti (I think that means ancient great divine power) as Jagadamba (I think that means mother goddess of the world/universe), as the consort of Lord Shiva (Parvati), as the destroyer of demon Mahishasura, and much more. I think in Eastern parts of India, the same goddess (Devi) is known as Durga. An extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga : Durga (Sanskrit: दुर्गा, IAST: Durgā), identified as Adi Parashakti, is a principal and popular form of the Hindu Goddess.[3][4][5] She is a goddess of war, the warrior form of Parvati, whose mythology centres around combating evils and demonic forces that threaten peace, prosperity, and Dh...

Readers may want to see my recent post on another blog of mine: My thoughts on John Perkins' book: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man; Are politicians to blame for all problems in democracies?; Thoughts about authoritarianism dangers in socialism, https://ravisiyermisc.blogspot.com/2019/09/my-thoughts-on-john-perkinss-book.html

Recently in Kamala Subramaniam's Ramayana (abridged English version), I read the account of Lord Rama lifting, stringing and in the process, breaking the bow of Lord Shiva kept with King Janaka. I wanted to look up and share the important Sanskrit shokas (verses) from Valmiki Ramayan related to this account. The Sanskrit verses and English translation have been taken from https://www.valmiki.iitk.ac.in (IIT Kanpur website). The English translation is slightly edited in a few places. Comments of mine are prefixed with Ravi: एवमुक्तस्तु जनक: प्रत्युवाच महामुनिम्। श्रूयतामस्य धनुषो यदर्थमिह तिष्ठति।।1.66.7।। Thus addressed by the mighty ascetic Janaka replied, "I shall tell you how this bow came to be deposited here". --- देवरात इति ख्यातो निमेष्षष्ठो महीपति:। न्यासोऽयं तस्य भगवन् हस्ते दत्तो महात्मना।।1.66.8।। "O Adorable one there was a famous king named Devarata, sixth in line from Nimi. This bow was kept with him in trust by the exalted lord (Shiv...

Last updated on 17th Sept. 2019 Recently in Kamala Subramaniam's Ramayana (abridged version in English), I read about the great battle between Sage Viswamitra and Sage Vasishta. As per Kamala Subramaniam's account, Viswamitra was a king named Kaushika earlier. As King Kaushika he goes to Sage Vasishta's ashram and eventually has a big fight with him and loses to him. Later Kaushika becomes a Sage, named Viswamitra. As Sage Viswamitra he has another big battle with Sage Vasishta, where Viswamitra utilizes all the divine astras (weapons) he has gained from his Tapas (austerities) done to please Mahadev. Sage Vasishta simply uses his baton, called Brahmadanda, to absorb all the divine weapons (astras) including the Brahmastra that Viswamitra attacks him with! Viswamitra is amazed at the power that Vasishta has in nullifying all these divine weapons simply by using his baton! The power that Viswamitra used was the warrior's power (Kshatriya balam) which was easily...

Firstly, I would like to give Jerry Falwell Jr.'s reported response to the article which is covered at least to some extent here: Falwell won't 'turn the other cheek' on media reports; student protest planned at Liberty University, https://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/falwell-won-t-turn-the-other-cheek-on-media-reports/article_2f60c54e-4644-5ec6-bd93-1c3d4aa9ad96.html . The article states that Jerry Falwell said, “If it was me, I’d turn the other cheek but this is not me” ... “This is Liberty University and I have no choice but to do what is in the best interest of the university and that means unfortunately taking action against these people.” The article also states that in an interview with the article's publishers, "Falwell disputed the allegations in the magazine and said the university’s board of trustees has instructed him to pursue civil litigation against who he believes is responsible for sharing university emails to reporters." Now I wi...

Yesterday, in Kamala Subramaniam's Ramayana, I read the part of Ahalya being freed from her curse by Lord Rama. In this book/version, Lord Rama enters the ashram and that releases Ahalya from her husband Sage Gautama's curse. There is no mention of a stone which Rama touches (with his feet) resulting in Ahalya emerging from it. I also looked at Valmiki Ramayan shlokas on the net here: https://www.valmikiramayan.net/ . That too does not mention such a stone. The wiki page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahalya , tells us that some scriptural accounts (Ahalya's story is in Brahmanas, Ramayana, Puranas etc.) have the stone version whereas some don't. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's account in Rama Katha Rasa Vahini, http://www.sssbpt.info/vahinis/RamakathaI/Ramakatha1-07.pdf states, 'Until that moment, Ahalya was immersed in austerity; she was far away from the eyes of gods, demons, and men; she had forgotten her name and lost her form; she had no concern with ...

Last updated on 3rd Nov. 2019 Update on 3rd Nov. 2019: I did get the 2 replacement copies which were printed properly (by Manipal printer) in end Sept./early Oct. 2019. So Notion Press resolved the issue to my satisfaction. ------ Update on 14th Sept. 2019. Notion Press has said it will send me 2 replacement copies for the 2 copies that I found with bad printing of some pics issues. I am satisfied by that commitment from Notion Press. These copies are to be sent to me along with an order of 12 copies (minimum author copy order) that I recently made with Notion Press and which will be printed by the first printer (based in Manipal) who had delivered two sets of good paperback copies in the past, without such bad printing of pics issues. ------ Update on 9th Sept. 2019: Feedback from some recent recipients of my part autobio book is that their copies do not have the dark patches problem for many pics printed in the book. One said that his copy is fine. Another said that only on...

Last updated on 14th Sep. 2019 [To open pic in larger resolution, right-click on pic followed by open link (NOT image) in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.] In associated Facebook post of mine,  https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2586374368245791 , I made the following comment (slightly edited) in response to a question: Chitravathi Harathi point is a place where bhajans are held every Thursday. It is at the end of Chitravathi Road at the point it meets the Chitravathi river bed (now usually dry river bed). The bhajans here was started by a devoted ashram staff (Shopping Centre staff, if I recall correctly), in the immediate period after Mahasamadhi (in 2012 perhaps), when this platform construction was not there, and, if I recall correctly, it was just sand. Initially when he started this event, he made a small altar using low-cost material and after the bhajan was over, they would offer arathi (harathi). That'...

When author of post or comment is not mentioned, it should be assumed that it is me (Ravi S. Iyer). To save time, I am usually not providing my FB post links but only contents. I am also not hyperlinking links. So readers will have to copy-paste links from this post onto a browser link box and then browse to that link. The simple and plain truth of the matter about fear of death being there so long as there is (mistaken under influence of Maya) identification of oneself with the body-mind (instead of the accurate/truthful identification with the eternal, indestructible and changeless awareness - Atma/Self)! Update: Note the body-mind of oneself is an instrument, a device which one's Atma uses. So the instrument has its benefits and has to be maintained well but the crucial mistake under influence of Maya is to identify one's reality/one's being as this mind-body instrument and NOT as the awareness/Atma that is one's ultimate reality and that continues even after ...