:: चीनी साहित्य में राम कथा ::

चीनी साहित्य राम कथा पर आधारित कोई मौलिक रचना नहीं हैं। बौद्ध धर्म ग्रंथ त्रिपिटक के चीनी संस्करण में रामायण से संबद्ध दो रचनाएँ मिलती हैं। 'अनामकं जातकम्' और 'दशरथ कथानम्'। फादर कामिल लुल्के के अनुसार तीसरी शताब्दी ईस्वी में 'अनामकं जातकम्' का कांग-सेंग-हुई द्वारा चीनी भाषा में अनुवाद हुआ था जिसका मूल भारतीय पाठ अप्राप्य है। चीनी अनुवाद लियेऊ-तुत्सी-किंग नामक पुस्तक में सुरक्षित है।

'अनामकं जातकम्' में किसी पात्र का नामोल्लेख नहीं हुआ है, किंतु कथा के रचनात्मक स्वरुप से ज्ञात होता है कि यह रामायण पर आधारित है, क्योंकि इसमें राम वन गमन, सीता हरण, सुग्रीव मैत्री, सेतुबंधष लंका विजय आदि प्रमुख घटनाओं का स्पष्ट संकेत मिलता है। नायिका विहीन 'अनामकं जातकम्', जानकी हरण, वालि वध, लंका दहन, सेतुबंध, रावण वध आदि प्रमुख घटनाओं के अभाव के बावजूद वाल्मीकि रामायण के निकट जान पड़ता है। अहिंसा की प्रमुखता के कारण चीनी राम कथाओं पर बौद्ध धर्म का प्रभाव स्पष्ट रुप से परिलक्षित होता है।

'दशरथ कथानम्' के अनुसार राजा दशरथ जंबू द्वीप के सम्राट थे। राजा की प्रधान रानी के पुत्र का नाम लोमो (राम)। दूसरी रानी के पुत्र का नाम लो-मन (लक्ष्मण) था। राजकुमार लोमो में ना-लो-येन (नारायण) का बल और पराक्रम था। उनमें 'सेन' और 'रा' नामक अलौकिक शक्ति थी तीसरी रानी के पुत्र का ना पो-लो-रो (भरत) और चौथी रानी के पुत्र का नाम शत्रुघ्न था।
राजा तीसरी रानी पर आसक्त थे। वे उसकी इच्छापूर्ति हेतु सर्व न्योछावर करने की बात करते थे। रानी ने उनके वचन को धरोहर के रुप में रख छोड़ा था। कालांतर में राजा बीमार हो गये। उन्होंने राजकुमार लोमो को राजा बना दिया। उनके बालों को रेशम की डोरी से बांधा गया और सिर पर दिव्य मुकुट पहना दिया गया। छोटी रानी को लोमो का राजा बनना रास नहीं आया। राजा के कुछ स्वस्थ होने पर उसने पूर्व में दिये गये वचन के अनुसार अपने पुत्र पो-लो-रो को राजा बनाने के लिए कहा। राजा को अपने ज्येष्ठ पुत्र पर पूरा भरोसा था। उन्होंने उसे अपदस्थ कर पो-लो-रो को राजा बना दिया।

लोमो के अनुज ने उनसे इसका विरोध करने के लिए कहा, क्योंकि उनके पास 'सेन' और 'रा' नामक अलौकिक शक्ति थी, किंतु उन्होंने उत्तर दिया कि आज्ञाकारी पुत्र को पिता की इच्छा के प्रतिकूल आचरण नहीं करना चाहिए। छोटी माता को मेरे पूज्य पिता का स्नेह प्राप्त है। इसलिए वही सच्ची माता हैं। रामानुज चुप हो गये। पिता के आदेशानुसार वे दोनों बारह वर्षों के लिए वन चले गये।
राजा का स्वर्गवास हो गया। उस समय पो-लो-रो दूसरे देश में थे। उन्हें स्वदेश बुलाया गया और राजा बना दिया गया, किंतु परंपरा के प्रतिकूल आग्रज को अपदस्थ कर उन्हें राजा बनाया गया था। इसलिए उनके मन में अपनी माता के प्रति घृणा उत्पन्न हो गयी। वे सेना के साथ अपने अग्रज से मिलने पहाड़ परगये। लो-मन के मन में संदेह हुआ, किंतु लोमो के मन में किसी प्रकार का भ्रम उत्पन्न नहीं हुआ। उन्होंने पो-लो-रो से सेना के साथ आने का कारण पूछा,तो उसने बताया कि मार्ग में लुटेरों से बचने के लिए उसने ऐसा किया। उसने अपने अग्रज से स्वदेश लौटकर राज्य का शासन संभालने के लिए बार-बार अनुरोध किया, किंतु लोमो ने पिता की आज्ञा का उल्लंघन करना उचित नहीं समझा। अंतत: पो-लो-रो अपने अग्रज की चरण पादुका लेकर घर लौट गये और उन्हें राज सिंहासन पर स्थापित कर दिया।
पो-लो-रो चरण पादुका की पूजा करते थे और उससे आदेश लेकर शासन संचालन करते थे। लोमो को मालूम हो गया था कि पो-लो-रो उनकी चरण पादुका को आग्रज की तरह सम्मान देते हैं। इसलिए समय पूरा होने पर वे घर लौट गये। राजा का पद ग्रहण करने से इन्कार करने पर पो-लो-रो ने उन्हें यह कहकर निरुत्तर कर दिया कि परंपरानुसार ज्येष्ठ पुत्र ही राज सिंहासन का उत्तराधिकारी होता है। परंपरा भंग करना उचित नहीं है। लोमो राजा बने। देश धन-धान्य से परिपूर्ण हो गया। कोई किसी रोग से पीड़ित नहीं रहा। जंबू द्वीप के लोगों की सुख-समृद्धि पहले से दस  गुनी हो गयी

Hinduism Symbols-- What they actually mean??

In Hinduism much importance is given to the symbols than most other religions. The Hindu symbols range from the mark one puts on the forehead to the idols of the deities that get worshipped by the ardent Hindu devotees. Each one has its own significance.

Why do Hindus regard symbols so much ??

Hinduism at its core maintains that there is one God and many see It in different ways (Ekam sad viprAH bahuta vadanti). This God is Formless and is beyond the limitations of the comprehension. This is the basis on which many of the great sages meditate on this Supreme Being That is beyond any contours. So why are so many forms ? The God in Its natural form being very difficult to comprehend, leave alone loving that God and worshiping with devotion, the simple minds would certainly need a way through which they could worship the Boundless God in a fairly simplified manner. But at the same time it should not contradict the basis that the God is beyond forms in any way. Hinduism maintains that because of the abundant Grace of the God, It revealed Itself in the Holy symbols for the humans and other creatures to worship. These symbols are easy to comprehend for the minds of the normal human beings, but at the same time they are just symbols than objects themselves, which means that they symbolically indicate the God, Which is beyond the exploration of knowledge. Such symbols are the praNava (aum) which is held in high esteem by all sects of Hindus and the glorious shiva lingam  (meaning symbol of Shiva, the God) that is considered the most sacred symbol of worship for the Shaivites. The intention is that the Formless Supreme could be achieved by simpler means of these formless-forms - the symbols.

In a way these Hindu symbols are abstract representation of the God. These are quite closer to the ideal as they form a bridge between the Formless one and the mind that expects a form. The simpler minds benefit better if the God could be correlated with the day to day lives they interact with. The God certainly is Graceful to the upliftment of the creatures, It took various forms in various occasions blessing either in valorous or joyful or yogic postures. There are numerous of these forms that Hindus worship in their temples, which are built in a gigantic manner with the patronage of various emperors that stand as the glorious homes of art and architecture. The mAhEshvara mUrthams  are good examples of such forms of God.

In fact the Hindus wear various marks on their forehead that also have spiritual significance. For example the ash that the Shaivites wear represents the ash that the Supreme Flame - Lord Shiva has smeared on Him always. The same way the shrIchUrNa and the tilak have their significance and indications. In essence Hindus achieve the Supreme Things, by simple ways following the symbols.


Oh God, Your Feet is beyond the worlds beneath 
and Your Crown beyond the universes above ! 
You are Immeasurable, Unexplorable, Unimaginable ! 
But how simple You have come as a shivalinga in my hand !! 

- basavaNNa

Common questions on Sanatan Dharma

Why should not the ordinary spoken language be used in worship instead of Sanskrit? Will this not enable us to understand and follow these rites better? ?

Pita (worship), Homa (sacrifice) and other similar religious rites are considered as sacred and holy acts. It is the Rishis (sages), the originators of our religious traditions, that have given us these rites including the procedure and the mantras to be used. Hence it is quite proper that we conform strictly to the pattern of the rites and the language in which they have been transmitted to us. This produces a solemn and sacred atmosphere.
Again, according to the science of the Mantras, the various Mantras used in the rites have a special potency. When they are pronounced and intoned properly, they exert a salutary effect on the minds of those who hear them. Hence, if translations or versions in the spoken language are used, they will just be translations only and do not act as Mantras. 

It would, perhaps, be helpful if a general description of the rites and the meaning of the mantras are given first in the spoken language, followed by the rituals in the traditional manner. The rites would then become more intelligible to the votaries. 

It should not be forgotten here that even in other religions, the religious rites and ceremonies are being conducted in the language of the original scriptures. 


Are non Hindus permitted into Hindu temples??

Of late, non Hindus also are being permitted to enter many Hindu temples. In some temples, however, admission is restricted to certain parts of the temple only. Even if their entry is completely prohibited it will not be unjustified.
The reason is simple: If the non Hindus visit our temples with the same faith they show while visiting the places of worship of their own religions, feeling that these temples are also holy, there should be no objection to their being admitted.

However, if they come without being endowed with such faith, just out of curiosity or for fun, or even to find fault, then, they would not be benefited in the least by such visits. On the other hand, it could hurt the religious feelings and sentiments of the Hindus visiting the temples. Frankly speaking, let us learn first to admit all sections of Hindus, without any distinction, into temples and see that such visits take place in a more organized and solemn way.

We can consider the admission of others later on. This is certainly not a matter of great concern for the present. 

Sushruta: ‘The Father of Surgery’ :: 300 different types Operations, and 125 Surgical Instruments

2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted complicated surgeries like cesareans, cataract, artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones and even plastic surgery and brain surgery. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India. Over 125 surgical equipment were used. Deep knowledge of anatomy, etiology, embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and immunity is also found in many texts.

Sushruta (also spelt Susruta or Sushrutha) (c. 6th century BC) was a surgeon who lived in ancient India and is the author of the book Sushruta Samhita, in which he describes over 120 surgical instruments, 300 surgical procedures and classifies human surgery in 8 categories. He lived and taught and practiced his art on the banks of the Ganges in the area that corresponds to the present day city of Varanasi in North India.

In the Sushruta school, the first person to expound Āyurvedic knowledge was Dhanvantari who then taught it to Divodasa who, in turn, taught it to Sushruta, Aupadhenava, Aurabhra, Paushakalāvata, Gopurarakshita, and Bhoja.

Because of his seminal and numerous contributions to the science and art of surgery he is also known by the title “Father of Surgery.” Much of what is known about this inventive surgeon is contained in a series of volumes he authored, which are collectively known as the Susrutha Samhita. The “Samhita” has some writings that date as late as the 1st century, and some scholars believe that there were contributions and additions to his teachings from generations of his students and disciples. Susrutha is also the father of Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Surgery since his technique of forehead flap rhinoplasty (repairing the disfigured nose with a flap of skin from the forehead),that he used to reconstruct noses that were amputated as a punishment for crimes, is practiced almost unchanged in technique to this day. The Susrutha Samhita contains the first known description of several operations, including the uniting of bowel, the removal of the prostate gland, the removal of cataract lenses and the draining of abscesses. Susrutha was also the first surgeon to advocate the practice of operations on inanimate objects such as watermelons, clay plots and reeds; thus predating the modern practice of the surgical workshop by half a millenium.

The Sushruta Samhita is one of two early texts that form the cornerstone of the Indian medical tradition of Ayurveda (Ayurveda means science of life). The other treatise is called the Charaka Samhita. Samhita is Sanskrit for compendium, and Sushruta and Charaka are proper names. So thetitles translate as “Sushruta’s Compendium” and “Charaka’s Compendium.” Likethe Charaka Samhita, the Sushruta Samhita made revisions and alterations to an earlier text on which it is based, in this case, the writingsof Divodasa Dhanvantari, the author’s teacher. The author, Sushruta, is identified as the son of the Vedic sage Visvamitra. The text is long, running over 1,700 pages in English translation. The exact date of its composition is unknown, but is generally thought to be around 100 A.D.

Like the Charaka Samhita, the Sushruta Samhita refers to the eight branches of Ayurvedic medicine. Sushruta is organized similarly toCharaka, but in addition to emphasizing therapeutics, it also discusses surgery, which Charaka barely mentions. The text is divided into six sections and 184 chapters. In another major departure from Charaka,Sushruta describes the need for and way to conduct dissections on human cadavers to gain knowledge of anatomy. Students might practice on natural and artificial objects, for example, vegetables and leather bags full of water. Quartered sacrifical animals were used to study different kinds of anatomy.

Sushruta details about 650 drugs of animal, plant, and mineral origin.In addition, it describes more than 300 kinds of operations that call for 42different surgical processes and 121 different types of instruments. Other chapters in Sushruta make clear the high value put on the well-being ofchildren, and on that of expectant mothers. Sushruta’s coverage of toxicology (the study of poisons) is more extensive than that in Charaka, and goes into great detail regarding symptoms, first-aid measures, and long-term treatment, as well as classification of poisons and methods of poisoning.

In keeping with the Ayurvedic philosophy of preserving life and preventing the infirmity of old age, Sushruta extols the benefits of clean living,pure thinking, good habits and regular exercise, and special diets and drug preparations. A plant called soma that is described in the early texts but hasnever been clearly identified was recommended as a treatment for rejuvenating body and mind. Sushruta explains the need of all living creatures tosleep and to dream as a function of two principles of the mind that give glimpses of previous existences or warn of future ill health. When both principles are weakened, coma results.

Sushruta explains the origins of disease as imbalances of vital humorsthat occur either individually or in combination, and that originate from within the body or outside of it, or for no known reason. It discusses the useof surgical devices such as tourniquets and setting plasters, and surgical tools and procedures. Operations are described for amputations, hemorrhoids, hernia repair, eye surgery, and Cesarean section. An operation using skin flaps, for example, to repair a nose, was also described in Sushruta. The procedure was observed in India by a British surgeon in 1793 and published inLondon the following year, thus changing the course of plastic surgery in Europe.

 Sushruta also admits members of the lowest of the four classes. However, such persons would be excluded from special ceremonies accorded to students of more respectable parentage. Sushruta describesthe day-to-day life of the physician in ancient India, who made the rounds ofpatients’ residences and also maintained a consulting room in his own home,complete with a storeroom of drugs and equipment. Although doctors could command a good living, they might also treat learned brahmins–priests–and the poor for free. Sushruta describes the ideal qualities of a nurse, and suggests that doctors may have been required to have licenses.

The drugs described in Sushruta include 395 plant substances, 57 substances of animal origin, and 64 mineral substances, metals, and so on. Many ofthe complicated procedures for dissolving, macerating, extracting, and combusting a variety of solid, squashy, and liquid substances remain part of modern Ayurvedic pharmacological practice.

The conquest by Arabs of the Indian province of Sind (now a part of Pakistan)in the eighth century unleashed a scholarly exchange of scientific ideas. The Sushruta samhita was translated into Arabic and later into Persian.These translations, as well as those of Charaka, helped to spread thescience of Ayurveda far beyond India.

Surgery: 300 different types Operations, and 125 Surgical Instruments::

The ancient Indians were also the first to perform amputation, cesarean surgery and cranial surgery. Sushruta as early as 600 BC used cheek skin to perform plastic surgery to restore and reshape human nose, ears, and lips with incredible results. In his treatise, Shushruta Samhita, he classified surgery into eight types:

aaharya (extracting solid bodies),
bhedya (excision),
eshya (probing),
lekhya (sarification),
vedhya (puncturing),
visravya (extracting fluids), and
sivya (suturing).

Shushruta describes the details of more than 300 operations such as extracting solid bodies, excision, incision, probing, puncturing, evacuating fluids and suturing. Ancient Indians were also the first to perform amputations, caesarean and cranall surgeries with 42 surgical processes. He worked with 125 kinds of surgical instruments including scalpels, lancets, needles, catheters, etc. Sushruta even devised non-invasive surgical treatments with the aid of light rays and heat. Sushrata & his team conducted complicated surgeries like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones and also plastic surgery and brain surgeries.

Chanakya's Arthashãstra describes post-mortems, and Bhoja Prabandha describes brain surgery, successfully performed in 927 AD by two surgeons on King Bhoja to remove a growth from his brain. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India medicine. Detailed knowledge of anatomy, embryology, digestion, metabolism, physiology, etiology, genetics and immunity is also found in many ancient Indian texts.

हिन्दू धर्म प़र ऊँगली उठाने वालो के लिये एक लेख

मेरी यह पोस्ट उन लोगो के लिये है जो लोग अक्सर हिन्दू धर्म प़र ऊँगली उठाते है और प्रतिदिन बखेड़ा खड़े करे रहते है . तभी कुछ दिनों से मै भी कुछ सवालों के जवाब तलाशने की कोशिश कर रहा था . जो मेरे ही नही हर हिन्दू के मन में भी उठते है . उन सवालों के जवाब तलाशने के लिये मै कई साधुओ के पास गया और जितनी जानकारी मै एकत्रित कर सका वह प्रस्तुत है उसके कुछ अंश .मै समझता हूँ टीवी प़र धारावाहिकों के माध्यम से हिन्दू धर्म प़र जो दुष्प्रचार किया जा रहा है वह भ्रम लोगो में फैलना कम होगा और लोग जागृत होंगे .
क्यों करते है तुलसी है पूजा =हिन्दू स्तरीय तुलसी की पूजा अपने सोभाग्य एवं वंश वृद्धि के लिये करती है . रामायण कथा में वर्णित एक परसंग के अनुसार राम दूत हनुमान जी जब सीता का पता लगाने गये तो वहा उन्होंने एक घर के आंगन में तुलसी का पोधा देखा जो की विभिष्ण का घर था उन्होंने तुरंत अनुमान लगा लिया की यह किसी धर्म परायण व्यक्ति का घर है अर्थात तुलसी पूजा की प्रथा प्राचीन काल से चली आ रही है .
वज्ञानिक अर्थ = तुलसी की पतियों में स्क्राम्क ‘ कितानुओ ‘ को मारने की अद्भुत शक्ति होती है . तुलसी एक दिव्य ओषधि का पोधा है . जुकाम खासी , मलेरिया आदि में लाभदायक है . इतना ही नही केंसर जैसी भयानक बिमारी में भी ठीक करने में लाभदायक है .
क्यों हिन्दू धर्म में मृतक की अस्थियो को गंगा में प्रवाहित करते है = हिन्दुओ की धार्मिक आस्था के अनुसार मृतक की अस्थियो को गंगा में प्रवाहित करने से मृतक की आत्मा को शान्ति मिलती है .
वज्ञानिक अर्थ = वज्ञानिक परीक्षणों से यह निष्कर्ष निकला है की अस्थियो में फास्फोरस अत्याधिक मात्रा में पायी जाती है जो खाद के रूप में भूमि को उपजाऊ बनाने में सहायक है . गंगा नदी के जल से हमारी अन्न उपजाने वाली जमीन की सिचाई होती है . जमीन की उर्वरा शक्ति बढाने में फास्फोरस सहायक है जो की गंगा के जल में अस्थिया प्रवाहित करने के कारण बहुत अधिक मात्रा में निहित है
आज के लिये इतना ही वक्त की कमी के कारण बाकी का लेख कल लिखा जाएगा . लेकिन इन दो बातो से भी यह प्रमाणित होता है की जिन बातो को आज रुढ़िवादी बताया जा रहा है और प्रहार किये जा रहे है वे बिलकुल निराधर है और ऋषि मुनियों ने जो परम्पराए बनाई है उनका वज्ञानिक अर्थ भी है


भूलिये नहीं ! हिन्दू धर्म के बिना भारत का कोई भविष्य नहीं है। हिन्दू धर्म वह भूमि है जिसमे भारत की जड़े गहरी जमी हुई हैं और यदि इस भूमि से इसे उखाड़ा गया तो भारत वैसे ही सूख जायेगा जैसे कोई वृक्ष भूमि से उखाड़ने पर सूख जाता है। भारत में अनेक मत,संप्रदाय और वंशों के लोग पनप रहे हैं,किन्तु उनमे से कोई भी न तो भारत के अतीत के उषा काल में था, न उनमे कोई राष्ट्र के रूप में उसके स्थायित्व के लिए अनिवार्यत: आवयशक है। 
यदि आप हिन्दू धर्म छोड़ते है तो आप अपनी भारत माता के ह्रदय में छुरा घोंपते हैं।यदि भारत माता के जीवन-रक्त स्वरुप हिन्दू धर्म निकल जाता है तो माता गत-प्राण हो जाएगी। आर्य जाती की यह माता ,यह पद्भ्रष्ट जगत -सम्राज्ञी पहले ही आहत क्षत-विक्षत ,विजित और अवनत हुई है। किन्तु हिन्दू धर्म उसे जीवित रखे हुए है,अन्यथा उसकी गर्णा म्रतों में हुई होती। 

यदि आप अपने भविष्य को मूल्यवान समझते हैं, अपनी मात्रभूमि से प्रेम करते हैं,तो अपने प्राचीन धर्म की अपनी पकड़ को छोडिये नहीं,उस निष्ठां से अलग मत होइए जिस पर भारत के प्राण निर्भर हैं। हिन्दू धर्म के अतिरिक्त अन्य किसी मत की रक्त -वाहिनिया ऐसी स्वर्ण सी ,ऐसी अमूल्य नहीं हैं,जिनमे आध्यात्मिक जीवन का रक्त प्रवाहित किया जा सके। 

परन्तु एक धोखा है --

-- एक वास्तविक और भारी धोखा --- कि भारत से कभी हिन्दू धर्म का लोप न हो जाए ,
नए -पुराने के झगडे में कहीं हिन्दू धर्म ही नष्ट न हो जाए। यदि हिन्दू ही हिन्दू धर्म को न बचा सके तो और कोन बचाएगा ? यदि भारत की संतान अपने धर्म पर अडिग नहीं रही तो कोन उस धर्म कीरक्षा करेगा ?भारत और हिन्दू धर्म एक रूप हैं। मै यह कार्य भार aapko de रही हूँ,कि हिन्दू धर्म के प्रति निष्ठावान रहो,वही आपका सच्चा जीवन है। कोई भ्रष्ट मत या विकृत धर्म अपने कलंकित हाथों से आपको सोंपी गयी इस पवित्र धरोहर को स्पर्श न कर सके। 

Common questions on Sanatan Dharma

It is customary to install these images in temples which millions of Hindus visit to offer worship. What is the justification for this? Also, what is the significance of a temple??


God exists. He is the creator and controller. His grace gives us happiness and peace. His wrath brings about sorrow and suffering. Mankind all over the world has cherished this belief in some form or other. Once it is conceded that such a God exists, there must be an easy means of approaching Him and propitiating Him. That is the temple. The temple is the structure we put up with devotion for the residence of God when He descends to this world for our sake. It is something like the camping of the king of a State in a part of his territory.
The essential parts of a temple are: the Garbhagriha housing the icon of the deity, the Shukanasi and Antarala which are the adjoining passages, the Navaranga or Mantapa which serves as a multipurpose hall for religio cultural activities, the Dhvajastambha or flag post and the Balipitha or the pedestal for offerings. Bigger temples have smaller shrines for the minor deities associated with the chief deity. high walls surrounding the whole campus, places reserved for performing sacrificial rites and cooking, for housing the deity (taken in procession), sheds for the temple car, wells and tanks, as also gardens.

The structure of a temple is highly symbolical. Primarily it indicates God as the Cosmic Person. The Garbhagriha or sanctum sanctorum is His head, the Gopura (tower at the main entrance) is His feet, the Shukanasi His nose, the Antarala His neck, the Prakaras (the surrounding high walls) His hands and so on. Alternatively it represents the body of man, with God residing in his heart. The temple may also represent the whole creation.

In temples consecrated according to scriptural rites, the images are considered to be alive. Hence, formal worship is a must. This worship ranges from one to nine times per day, depending on the extent and resources of the temple. On special festival days, celebrations are conducted. lie biggest of such celebrations is termed Brahmotsava (brahma=big). The Rathotsava or temple car festival is also held during this period. The temple car is a moving symbol of the temple.

Those who want to visit the temple are expected to enter it physically clean and with the proper mood of faith and devotion. Walking silently straight to the sanctorum, and after offering, they should come out and then circumambulate the shrine. Formal obeisance should be done from a place outside the flag post. Then, they should visit the minor shrines and spend some time in meditation, sitting in a secluded spot on the north eastern side of the temple. it is incumbent on the visiting devotees to .maintain the purity and sanctity of the temple.



What is the significance of worship, whether at home or at the temple? Is there any prescribed method for doing it?


Puja or worship is a loving entertainment of God, even as we entertain our friends and relatives whom we love.
The several steps involved in such worship may be briefly stated as follows:

Avahana (invoking the presence of God in the image or symbol), Asana (offering a seat), Padya and Arghya (giving water for washing feet and hands), Snana or Abhisheka (ceremonial bath), Vastra (offering Clothes), Candana (smearing sandal paste and other unguents), Pushpa (offering of flowers and garlands), Dhupa (burning incense),Dipa (waving of light), Naivedya (food offering), and finally Visarjana (bidding goodbye).

In the temples, the Abhisheka (bathing) of the image and its decoration are done more elaborately. If worship is performed with faith and devotion, it generates peace and joy in our minds. It is to be stated here that , according to the Agamas, God manifests Himself in a subtle form in the image or symbol duly consecrated and accepts the worship thus offered. 

What is the real relationship between Radha and Sri Krushna ?

1. Birth

Krushna belonged to the royal dynasty while Radha to an ordinary milkman’s family. Like Sita, She too was born out of a resolve (sankalpa).
2. Special features

Radha is the manifest form of devotion unto Krushna. In response to the question ‘How devoted should one be ?’ the Naradbhaktisutra writes ‘Like the gopis (wives of the cowherds) of Vraj (यथा व्रजगोपिकानाम्‌)’. Krushna Himself sent His great friend Uddhav to the gopis to teach him what devotion meant. The incident goes as follows -

Once to display the devotion of the gopis to others Krushna pretended that He had intense headache which did not respond to any medicine. Then He pronounced, ‘Krushna’s pain will vanish with the application of mud beneath anyone’s feet. However the one giving the mud beneath his feet will die. Proclaim this and then bring the mud which someone gives.’ No one was prepared to give the mud from under his feet.

On entering Gokul when Uddhav asked this question to the first gopi that he met, she replied, “If the mud under my feet will relieve Krushna’s headache then I am even prepared to go to hell.”

The devotion of the gopis is an illustration of ultimate devotion. Radha among them was like a jewel in the crown.
3. Futility of misinterpretation of the Radha-Krushna relationship

Radha’s spiritual love (priti), that is devotion unto Krushna has been misinterpreted as love in the Radha-Krushna relationship. Its futility will be realised if one considers Krushna’s age at that time. When Krushna left Gokul permanently He was only seven years old; thus His relationship with Radha was only during the period when He was three to seven years old.
4. The flute

The sound of the flute means the anahat sound. That sound had maddened all the gopis (wives of the cowherds). So one will realise how highly spiritually evolved they were. When leaving Gokul, Krushna gave His flute to Radha and never played it again. Thus He made sure that She constantly got the spiritual experience of Absoluteness (Purnatva) which is superior to anahat sound.
5. Implied meaning

5.1. ‘Water flows from a higher to a lower level. It is called a stream (dhara). When the letters of the word dhara (धारा) are reversed the word becomes radha (राधा). That stream which flows from below upwards is called radhagati. When it reaches the origin, it gets a spiritual experience of being Radha Herself. Acquisition of this state itself is called “blending into zero” or “sainthood”. In other words Radha and Krushna were one and the same. Krushna had Himself assumed Radha’s form to love Himself. Hence although Radha had merged into Krushna, She continued to worship Him for the sake of guiding the other gopis, that is attitudes. One will think that once a gopi reaches the zenith she will see several Radhas. Those following Radha, that is those seekers following the Path of Devotion will see only one Radha because there is no duality in spiritual love, only non-duality.’ - H.H. Kane Maharaj, Narayangaon

5.2. According to the Tantrik and Vaishnavite sects Rukmini representing the Energy of opulence is one of the two Divine Energies (Shaktis) of Krushna while Radha is the Blissful Energy (Ahladini).

A. The Energy of opulence: ‘When Sudama came to meet Krushna he brought along four handfuls of puffed rice. Even that was borrowed by his wife, from a neighbour. After Krushna had eaten just a pinch of the puffed rice Rukmini snatched it from His hands and said, “We are 16,008 in number. Let us all partake of atleast one grain.” She did this because She knew that if Krushna ate even a pinch, Sudama’s city would turn into gold. So if He were to eat everything then the eight supernatural powers along with the entire wealth from the three regions - earth, nether world and heaven would have to serve Sudama all their lives. So great would be the opulence that he would acquire. Rukmini did this because She was the Energy of opulence rather the deity of wealth, Lakshmi. If a devotee of The Lord has devotion with expectation (sakam) then it is only the Energy of opulence which stops him from acquiring all types of opulence totally.’ - H.H. Kane Maharaj, Narayangaon. In short, the Energy of opulence helps in endowing a devotee having expectation with some opulence while the Blissful Energy imparts the spiritual experience of Bliss to the devotee without expectation (nishkam).

B. The Blissful Energy: Radha was the Blissful Energy. She never intervened when The Lord endowed someone with riches because Her incarnation was meant for spiritual emotion generated from devotion. Hence that spiritual emotion (bhav) is referred to as Radhabhav. The spiritual emotion of Radha (Radhabhav) or Radha refers to the Adnya chakra.The implied meaning behind this is when a worldly person or a Guru merges into Krushna when carrying out worldly transactions or preaching to disciples respectively they descend to the level of the Adnya chakra.

This stream of spiritual emotion progressing from below upwards in other words is the progress of the devotee towards Self-realisation. Radha being Krushna Himself was a devotee who remained absorbed in Bliss. She certainly does not obstruct someone from being gifted with opulence. Even if God were to endow someone with Bliss She would not stop Him because Her Bliss never declines. The moral behind this is that by giving opulence to others it decreases, Bliss does not.

In reality, internally were Rukmini and Radha distinct from each other? Certainly not. But They behaved according to the mission of Krushna’s incarnation. Though They were merged into Krushna They did not become separate because to become separate one needs to have ego. Since The Lord does not have ego His actions (karmas) are referred to as divine play (lila) and the play of man are called actions because of his ego.

5.3. ‘Radha was first created in the Go region (Golok) and then became Krushna’s lover. Later She was born in Vrundavan to the cowherd (gopa), Vrushbhanu and became the idol of the devotees in Vrajamandal. She married a Vaishya (businessman) youth named Shashan; actually it was only Her replica which married him. Keeping Her image in Her physical body Radha left that body and merged Herself into Krushna’s heart in Her primal form.’
6. The divine play of Lord Krushna (rasalila)

The word rasa (रस) has originated from two sources - (रसानां समूह:) means the collection of nine rasas and (रस: उत्‍पद्यते यस्‍मात्‌) means that from which ras is generated. The rasa dance (rasakrida) is a beautiful event in the lives of Krushna and the gopis (wives of the cowherds). During the dance Krushna endowed them with the spiritual experience of non-duality (advait).

Reference: 'Vishnu and His forms', Published by Sanatan Sanstha