Ravi S. Iyer: Spiritual

I finished reading Kamala Subramaniam's Mahabharata in English a few days back. My post: Have started reading Kamala Subramaniam's abridged English translation of Mahabharata, an easy and interesting read so far, https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2022/03/have-started-reading-kamala.html , 27th March 2022 has some pics and some details of the book. The Mahabharata Hindu epic is relevant even today among Hindus, with many Hindus knowing about the main characters and events in it, including, of course, the vital role Krishna played in the Mahabharata war to ensure victory of the good Pandavas over the bad Kauravas who were their cousins. In the foreword to the book, Dr. K.M.Munshi writes, 'To an English reader, this volume will bring home the validity of the comment made by generations of Indian authors that "what is not there is nowhere to be found."' Mahabharata's characters and events capture a wide variety of human weakness and goodness, with more coverage ...

Last updated on 2nd June 2022 Thirty six years after the Mahabharata war, as cursed by Gandhari as well as by Durvasa and other rishis, the men of the Vrishnis clan of Krishna & Balarama, killed each other (in a "drunken brawl"), excepting for a few which included Krishna, Balarama and their father Vasudev. Kamala Subramaniam writes that "Disgusted with the drunken brawl, Balarama had already left the place (Prabhaasa near Dwarka) and reached the sea-shore. He had decided to give up his life. He was sitting in the yoga trance."  Krishna asked Balarama to wait for him (to die/give up his body). Meanwhile Krishna instructed his charioteer Daruka to go to Hastinapura and inform the Pandavas of the horrific and tragic events and also to take care of the women and children left behind in Dwaraka, the capital of the Vrishnis. Krishna also had to inform his father Vasudeva about the horrific events. After Krishna informs Vasudeva and comes back to Balarama, Kamala Subr...

I have seen only a few videos of Mooji and not read any of his works, and so do not know much of his spiritual life & teachings. I am sharing the below video as I found it to be very nice. Mooji speaks and behaves very lovingly towards the people of Tiruvannamalai. I was touched by that.  I also felt very comfy with his West Indian style of speaking and interacting. Now I don't know any West Indians personally but as a cricket fan in my childhood and youth, I have followed a lot of West Indian cricket especially when it involved matches with India. The impression I formed of West Indians was based on this and it was a largely positive impression. In later life, I came across Bob Marley's music which I liked a lot. So overall my impression of West Indians is largely positive. I was utterly fascinated to know of a West Indian (Jamaican) spiritual leader who talks of Ramana Maharshi and others' self-inquiry spiritual processes and sings songs about Hindu deities like Shiva...

This event happened on the 14th day of Mahabharata war. After the fall of Bheeshma, from the 10th day onwards, Drona was the chief commander of the Kauravas, and under Drona's leadership the Kauravas were flouting the rules of Dharma in the war. Abhimanyu's killing on the 13th day of the war by trapping him in the Chakravyuhu and then being attacked by many Kaurava warriors together, was a prime example of how the Mahabharata war had turned savage with rules of war being flouted, after the 10th day. Arjuna, father of Abhimanyu, had taken an oath to kill Jayadratha who was the key Kaurava warrior who had blocked the other Pandavas from following Abhimanyu into the Chakravyuhu, thereby isolating Abhimanyu within the Chakravyuhu which was full of Kaurava warriors. The oath was that he would kill Jayadratha by sundown on the next day, 14th day, or else Arjuna would give up his life. The Kaurava plan was to protect Jayadratha on the 14th day and that if they succeeded in protecting ...

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 may have to copy-paste links from this post onto a browser link box and then browse to that link. Note that my Facebook activity in January and February 2022 was very limited. ==========================================   Around 8 mins. video, Death is NOT an Endpoint - Zach Bush MD Will Blow Your Mind, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTz425YOsAw --------- Short video (7 min. 12 secs.) which gives interesting messages from Yogi & Mystic Gopi Krishna: Gopi Krishna : Meditation & Activating Kundalini Centers - Kundalini Awakening, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6CAU8o4BUM , 7 min. 12 secs. ... The full account of Gopi Krishna on his first experience of expanded consciousness (in 1937) is given here: https://realization.org/p/gopi-krishna/krishna.awaken...

Finished reading 'Death; An Inside Story' by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. It is a comprehensive book covering various spiritual aspects of death in detail, as per views of Sadhguru Vasudev. The preparation for spiritually 'good' death part is also very interesting. The chapters and sections include 'What is Death', 'Process of Death', Pancha Pranas and Chakras which are the gateways of exit, types of death, suicide, seeking immortality, Mahasamadhi, 'Enlightenment and Death', 'Preparing for a Good Death', Vanaprastha ashrama, Sallekhana, dying in Kashi, 'Assistance for the Dying', grief and mourning, ghosts, reincarnation and exploring past lives.  Death is a topic usually avoided by most people. Note that readers may or may not agree with or accept some or all of the views expressed in the book but I think it is very good that a contemporary spiritual master has addressed this topic of death in great detail. After all, death cannot be...

Krishna's Vishwaroopa in Kaurava court during Krishna's peace mission is viewed as a great blessing by Dhritharashtra, Bheeshma, Drona, Vidura and rishis assembled there, but Duryodhana is not impressed! While Kamala Subramaniam's description of this Vishwaroopa (in her book, Mahabaharata) runs into a few paragraphs, even wikipedia has a short description of it. Given below is an extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishvarupa : When negotiations between Pandavas and Kauravas break down with Krishna as the Pandava messenger, Krishna declares that he is more than human and displays his cosmic form to the Kaurava leader Duryodhana and his assembly. Vishvarupa-Krishna appears with many arms and holds many weapons and attributes traditionally associated with Vishnu like the conch, the Sudarshana chakra, the gada (mace), his bow, his sword Nandaka. The inside of his body is described. Various deities (including Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, Dikapalas), sages and tribes (especia...

Last updated on 2nd June 2022 In Upaplavya, a city in Matsya kingdom of King Virata, just before Kurukshetra/Mahabharata war, Yudhishtira holds a council where the peace mission of Krishna to Hastinapura (Kaurava capital) is discussed. I found an exchange between Arjuna and Krishna in this council to be very interesting. Please see pic of main part of that exchange given below from page 425 of Kamala Subramaniam's Mahabharata. [On PC desktop, to open pic in larger resolution (if available), 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.] Key parts of what Arjuna tells Krishna: "You can make people do what you want them to do." ... "If you think that the war should be averted you can certainly make them all think so, even Duryodhana." Key parts of Krishna's response: "Arjuna, you are not quite right. I know that fate is more powerful than all the work of man." ... ...

Over the past few days, I have been exploring the Internet for techniques followed by various groups for rising above body consciousness during meditation. Let me share a couple of YouTube videos about this topic, which were interesting to me. 1) 10 Minute Meditation for Expanding Your Consciousness, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbp_rgBZ4mo , 11 min. 11 secs, published by Great Meditation on 16th March 2021. A transcript snippet of above video related to rising above body consciousness is given below (slightly edited for better readability): [Timestamp: 1:44] You may even feel your palms tingling a little bit as you begin to open up, welcoming in a connection to your consciousness. You feel yourself merging into the vastness of your truest identity, this limitless consciousness, eternal, all wise, all loving. As you feel yourself tune into this, you let yourself let go of any connection to your physical body. You feel a sense of weightlessness as if you're simultaneously both l...

I learned through my ongoing reading of Mahabharata by Kamala Subramaniam that Duryodhana wanted to do Prayopavesa! I either had not read this in my earlier Mahabharata (abridged versions) readings or had forgotten about it. Firstly, what is prayopavesa? From the wiki page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayopavesa ,"Prayopavesa (Sanskrit: प्रायोपवेशनम्, IAST prāyopaveśanam, literally resolving to die through fasting)[1][2] is a practice in Hinduism that denotes the suicide by fasting of a person who has no desire or ambition left, and no responsibilities remaining in life.[3]"  [References: 1. Monier-Williams, Monier (2008) [1899]. Monier Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Universität zu Köln. p. 708. Retrieved August 21, 2011. abstaining from food and awaiting in a sitting posture the approach of death 2. "Prayopavesa". Orientalia. Archived from the original on 2013-07-06. 3. "Hinduism - Euthanasia and Suicide". BBC. 2009-08-25.] --- end wiki extract...

Last updated on 2nd June 2022 In the book, "Death, An Inside Story", Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev writes in the book section, 'The Riddle of Reincarnation' on page 306 (Paperback): "Most people are unable to handle the memories, thoughts and emotions of one lifetime. So opening up many will not bring well-being." He writes a little earlier, "What you are right now, what you have made out of your life right now is the most significant thing. So don't waste your time and life digging into the past." He also mentions some exception situations where digging into past lives may be okay. But for "Most people", the advice clearly is to not dig into past lives. Good to see such clear views expressed publicly by a contemporary spiritual master/teacher on this topic which I think intrigues many spiritual aspirants (me included!).  =========================== In response to a comment on associated Facebook post,  https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7...

Last updated on 9th April 2022 Sutra 1.2 (in Sanskrit): योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥  English Transliteration: Yogaschittavrittinirodhah. English translation (with little bit of editing by me): Yoga is hindering (controlling/preventing) the Chitta from taking various forms(Vrittis) (stilling thoughts/fluctuations of mind). ... Sutra 2.29 (in Sanskrit): यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि॥ English Transliteration: Yamaniyamaasanpraanayaamapratyaahaaradharanaadhyaanasamaadhyooashtaavangaani. English translation (with little bit of editing by me): Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are the eight limbs of Yoga. Source for above sutras:  https://tfi-store.com/yoga-slokas-in-sanskrit-patanjali-yoga-sutra/ Little more explanation of above from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtanga_(eight_limbs_of_yoga) : "The eight limbs of yoga are yama (abstinences), niyama (observances), asana (yoga postures), pranayama (breath control), praty...

As scheduled, Sri Sathya Sai district was inaugurated/formed today, 4th April 2022. The video (streamed live) of inauguration of all the 13 new districts of Andhra Pradesh state including Sri Sathya Sai district, done via video conference, can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/ysjagan/videos/1486238305106231 . The video of the inauguration programme of Sri Sathya Sai district can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/SreedharReddyYSRCP/videos/1166738963864436 . The A.P. government gazette notification for formation of Sri Sathya Sai district is available here: https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s3647bba344396e7c8170902bcf2e15551/uploads/2022/04/2022040376.pdf  . My previous post,  https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2022/04/gazette-notification-by-andhra-pradesh.html , shares some key info from this gazette notification. The top officers for the district which are the collector, the SP (Superintendent of Police) and the joint collector, are listed here in the official Andhra P...

Last updated on 4th April 2022 Firstly I want to share my happiness at Bhagavan's holy name being name of the new district to be created tomorrow, 4th April 2022. I think that is a great recognition from Andhra Pradesh government of the wonderful work done by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for the people in this area and beyond. I will be very happy to write 'Sri Sathya Sai district' as part of my address from tomorrow.    I thank Hon'ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Sri Jagan Mohan Reddy garu, and other ministers and government officials involved in this matter, who have provided this great recognition to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, my beloved and revered Gurudev. I also thank all the persons of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT) including the Managing Trustee, Sri R.J. Rathnakar, who interacted with the A.P. government on this matter, and helped to make this happen. I thank M.L.A. of our Puttaparthi assembly constituency, Sri Duddukunta Sreedhar Reddy, for ...