Ravi S. Iyer: Spiritual

The quotes below are from Shivaratri Feb. 1969 divine discourse of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume09/sss09-03.pdf . Linga is the Form Symbol of God This is a day dedicated to the Shiva that is in each of you. From the Himaalayan ranges down to Cape Kanyaakumari, the entire land is resounding today to the authentic Declaration "Shivoham" "Shivoham" and to the adoration, "Om Namasshivaaya." Since thousands pray here, and elsewhere in lakhs and crores, the Linga is emanating from Me, so that you may derive the Bliss that pervades the World through Lingodhbhava (emergence of the Linga). The manifestation of the Linga is a part of My Nature. These Pandiths (scholars of spirituality) explain it as reminiscent of an epochal event in the past when Shiva challenged Brahma and Vishnu to gauge the height and depth of the Linga Form He assumed. They failed and had to accept defeat. But, the Linga emerges, as a result of pray...

As we approach Mahashivaratri (21st. Feb. 2020 I think is the date agreed upon by most in India), I thought of sharing two of my posts on Shiva Lingam worship which have been highly ranked by search engines for related search terms. Search on the term: Sathya Sai Baba on Shiva Lingam worship gives my post: Sathya Sai Baba Lingodhbhavam and his views on Shiva Linga worship, http://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2014/10/sathya-sai-baba-lingodhbhavam-and-his.html , 5th Oct. 2014, as the second result in Google search and first result in Bing search. [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.] Search on the term: Prof. Diana Eck on Shiva linga gives my post: Harvard Prof. Diana Eck on Shiva Linga worship, http://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2014/10/harvard-prof-diana-eck-on-shiva-linga.html , 4th Oct. 2014, as the first result in both Google and Bing search. ...

Last updated on 14th Feb. 2020 In the context of spirituality and religion, what is the meaning of the English word, revelation? https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/revelation gives the meaning as: "The divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence or the world." [Note that lexico.com is powered by Oxford free English dictionary, https://www.lexico.com/about .] https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/revelation states: "A divine revelation is a sign or explanation from God about his nature or purpose." From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revelation : "In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities." The wiki page further states: Some religions have religious texts which they view as divinely or supernaturally revealed or inspired. For instance, Orthodox Jews, ...

This post follows up on my post: Sharing my satisfaction about my Chandogya Upanishad Chapter 6 posts being ranked high by Google Search, resulting in regular visits; ..., http://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2018/11/sharing-my-satisfaction-about-my.html , 11th Nov. 2018 which states that my 'Chandogya Upanishad – Chapter 6 (Dialogue between Uddalaka and Svetaketu) – Some Shlokas' pdf document ( https://iami1.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/chandogyachapter6someshlokas.pdf ) was 4th result in Google search. This pdf document written by me in June 2010, captures the vital part of Chandogya Upanishad's Advaita teachings including its most famous Tat Tvam Asi (You are that) Mahavakya. It has commentaries of some famous spiritual writers on Upanishads including Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. I have also provided some comments about my understanding of the verses and the commentaries. This pdf document continues to be in top-ten results in Google Search now in Feb. 2020 for the term: ...

Last updated on 31st March 2020 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. ========================================== Hmm. That's quite astonishing! Good for Jainism which has a solid reputation for discipline and asceticism among its religious leaders and followers in India. I am very respectful of devout Jains based on my interactions with some of them, and what I observed of the Jain community in Mumbai/Bombay & Dombivli (near Mumbai) in the past. "In a new wave of religious tourism, thousands of Japanese nationals have travelled to India and adopted Jainism in recent years.", https://www.facebook.com/TimesofIndia/videos/581305975932804/?t=0 -------- Fascinating story of how Bha...

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. ========================================== Good to know that more Indian Muslims are able to perform Hajj pilgrimage. "On the special request of my government, Saudi Arabia increased Hajj quota unprecedentedly, due to which a record 2 lakh Indian Muslims performed Hajj this time.", https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-first-country-to-digitise-entire-hajj-process-says-president/articleshow/73795761.cms. ------- For readers who may not know, "dargah" means Muslim shrine. In this non-Muslim village, Hindus preserve a 200-year old dargah, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/in-this-non-muslim-village-hindus-preserve-a-2...