History of Yoga

Yoga as a Hindu philosophy ("darshana") derives from prehistoric roots and develops out of Ancient Indian ascetic practices (tapas). Several steatite seals discovered at Indus Valley Civilization sites depict figures in a yoga- or meditation-like posture. Lord Shiva is regarded as the first yogic Guru or the Adi Guru of yoga. The seal of Mohenjodaro in the Indus Valley Civilization depicting the yogic posture of Shiva, sitting in a meditative pose, is believed to be the oldest record of existence of Yoga in India.

Yoga is mentioned in the earliest literature, the Vedas. A Rig Vedic cosmogonic myth declares an ascetic with "folded legs, soles turned upwards" as per his name. Yoga is discussed quite frequently in Upanishads which predate Patanjali's Sutras. An early reference to meditation is made in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which is the earliest Upanishad. However, the actual term "yoga" first occurs in the Katha Upanishad. The main textual sources for the evolving concept of Yoga are the middle Upanishads, the Mahabharata including the Bhagavad Gita, and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Yoga Sutras written by Maharshi Patanjali is the foundational text for Yoga which amidst its antiquity is still regarded as the fundamental text of Yoga. All yoga forms practiced today are based on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. The Patanjali “Yoga Sutras” is divided into four chapters or padas namely Samadhi pada (on contemplation), Sadhana pada (on practice), Vibhuti pada (on properties and powers) and Kaivalya pada (on emancipation and freedom).There are around 196 sutras in the Patanjali yoga sutras. These sutras are absolutely compact, accurate, reflective and devout in approach. Each sutra of the Patanjali yoga sutra is enlightening and is filled with prosperity of knowledge and wisdom.

During the period 1800 and 1900, the teachers of yoga started traveling to the west to attract followers. In the west, yoga evolved as an exercise-related and posture-related technique that involves gentle stretching, breath control and meditation. Later, various other western and Indian teachers became the pioneers who popularized the Hatha Yoga and gained millions of followers. Now the Hatha Yoga has various different schools or styles, which emphasize the various aspects of the practice. Yoga has also been combined with various other exercise techniques to produce “fusion” classes, for example Yogalates, Body Balancing and Body Conditioning. Today, there are millions of people in the U S and the U K practicing Hatha Yoga and other forms of yoga.


Om Namah Shivaya !
Blessed Be !

Guru Parab - The Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak

Guru Parab is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first or the founder guru of Sikhs, on the full moon day of Kartika (October-November). Guru Parab, also known as Jyototsava, is one of the most sacred festivals of the Sikhs.
Guru Nanak was born at Talwandi, in 1469, about 45 kms from Lahore, which is known as Nankana Sahib today. Guru Nanak was the founder of the Sikh religion, and also a great philosopher, a social reformer, a poet and a teacher. Guru Nanak said that one need not become a sanyasi sacrificing one's family, to please God. Those who practice devotion, whose mind is pure and who have sympathy, patience and honesty, are in no way inferior to a sanyasi. He preached that we should not ask someone’s caste or creed because those, whose devotion is accepted by God, are good people. God appreciates those who have conquered the 'I' and 'greed'.
A few days before Guru Parab, people take out Prabhat Pheris, or the early morning processions, from Gurdwaras. They go around their locality singing shabd or the religious hymns. Later in the day, special kirtans are arranged in the Gurdwaras. The devotees attend langar or the common meals where everyone eats the same food irrespective of caste, class, or creed. Devotees offer their services for cooking food, cleaning the Gurdwara or carrying out other chores. This is called the Kar Seva.

The celebrations begin with the Akhand path or the continuous reading of Guru Granth Saheb, the sacred book of the Sikhs, three days before Guru Nanak Jayanti. The sacred scripture is read non-stop from beginning to end. The recital lasts for 48 hours and is accompanied by with langar for the devotees attending it. During the Akhand Path, it is customary for the devotees to voluntarily serve food to other devotees. The Akhand Path culminates on the day of the Guru Parab and the holy book is then taken out in a procession, or Nagar Kirtan. It is beautifully decorated with flowers and carried on a float. Five armed guards who are called the panj pyare lead the procession. At the head of the procession is the Nishan Saheb or the Sikh flag.


Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal !
Blessed Be !

The Chhath Puja - Worship of the Sun God

Chhath is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to Surya, the Hindu Sun God. The Chhath puja is performed on Kartik Shukala Shashti, which is the sixth day of the month of Kartik in the Hindu Calendar. This falls typically in the month of October or November in the Gregorian Calendar. The Chhath Puja is performed in order to thank Surya for sustaining life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes. The Sun, considered the god of energy and of the life-force, is worshiped during the Chhath fesival to promote well-being, prosperity and progress. In Hindu mythology, Sun worship is believed to help cure a variety of diseases, including leprosy, and helps ensure the longevity and prosperity of family members, friends, and elders.
It is believed that the ritual of Chhath puja may even predate the ancient Vedas texts, as the Rigveda contains hymns worshiping the Sun god and describes similar rituals. The rituals also find reference in the Sanskrit epic poem Mahābhārata in which Draupadi is depicted as observing similar rites. It is also believed that Chhath was started by Karna, the son of Surya Putra Karna who ruled over the Anga Desh (present day Bhagalpur district of Bihar) during the Mahabharat Age. He was a great warrior and fought against the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War.
Its yogic/scientific history dates back to the Vedic times. The rishis of yore used this method to remain without any external intake of food as they were able to obtain energy directly from the sun's rays. This was done through the Chhath method.
The word chhath denotes the number 6 in Hindi and the festival is celebrated on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik. The word Chhath is also a compound of two words: "Chah" meaning "six stages", and "Hath" refers to the science of Hath Yog (austerity). The word Chhath refers to the process of consciously obtaining the solar energy through six stages involving the methods of Hath Yog. "Hath" here refers to the austerities such as fasting and standing in water.

The rituals of the festival are rigorous and are observed over a period of four days. They include holy bathing, fasting and abstaining from drinking water (Vratta), standing in water for long periods of time, and offering prashad (prayer offerings) and arghya to the setting and rising sun. Chhath is a ritual bathing festival that follows a period of abstinence and ritual segregation of the worshiper from the main household for four days. During this period, the worshiper observes ritual purity, and sleeps on the floor on a single blanket.This is the only holy festival which has no involvement of any pandit (priest). The devotees offer their prayers to the setting sun and then the rising sun in celebrating its glory as the cycle of birth starts with death. It is seen as the most glorious form of Sun worship.
The Chhath Puja is celebrated primarily in Bihar, Jharkhand and the Terai regions of Nepal, and is more prevalent in areas where migrants from those areas have a presence.  It is also celebrated in all regions and major urban centers in India. This festival is celebrated in the regions including but not exclusive to the northeast region of India, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Delhi, Mumbai and Mauritius.

Om Shree Bhaskaray Namah !
Blessed Be !

Diwali - The Festival of Lights

Diwali , the Indian festival of lights, falls on the day of 'Amavasyaa', when the moon does not rise and there is darkness all around. Light, which is symbol of hope and positive energy, indicates the victory of good over evil. By spreading light in every corner of our homes, we try to destroy the reign of darkness, on the night of Diwali.
To Hindus, darkness represents ignorance, and light is a metaphor for knowledge. Therefore, lighting a lamp symbolizes the destruction, through knowledge, of all negative forces- wickedness, violence, lust, anger, envy, greed, bigotry, fear, injustice, oppression and suffering, etc.
While Deepavali is popularly known as the "festival of lights", the most significant spiritual meaning is "the awareness of the inner light". Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Diwali is the celebration of this inner light, in particular the knowing of which outshines all darkness (removes all obstacles and dispels all ignorance), awakening the individual to one's true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With the realization of the Atman comes universal compassion, love, and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This brings Ananda (joy or peace). While the story behind Deepavali and the manner of celebration varies from region to region (festive fireworks, worship, lights, sharing of sweets), the essence is the same – to rejoice in the Inner Light (Atman) or the underlying reality of all things (Brahman).

 

Lakshmi Puja (30 Ashvin or 15 Krishna Paksha Ashvin): Lakshmi Puja marks the most important day of Diwali celebrations in North India. Hindu homes worship Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Ganesh, the God of auspicious beginnings, and then light lamps in the streets and homes to welcome prosperity and well-being.

 

Significant events associated with Diwali:

The return of Lord Shree Ram after 14 years of Vanvas (banishment), and the death of Ravana. To welcome his return, candles were lit in rows of 20.

The killing of Narakasura: Celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi, one day before Deepavali, it commemorates the killing of the evil demon Narakasura, who wreaked havoc. Krishna's wife Satyabhama killed Narakasura during the Dwapara yuga. In another version of the belief, the demon was killed by Krishna or Krishna provoked his wife Satyabhama to kill Narshna, defeating Indra.


Jai Shree Ram !
Blessed Be !

The Gayatri Mantra

Gayatri Mantra (the mother of the Vedas), the foremost mantra in Hinduism and Hindu beliefs, inspires wisdom. It is a highly revered mantra, based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rigveda (3.62.10), attributed to the rishi Vishwamitra. The mantra is named for its vedic gayatri metre. As the verse invokes the deva Savitr, it is also called Savitri. The Gayatri Mantra is repeated and cited very widely in vedic literature, and praised in several well-known classical Hindu texts such as Manusmriti, Harivamsa, and the Bhagavad Gita. The mantra is an important part of the Upanayanam ceremony for young males in Hinduism, and has long been recited by Brahmin males as part of their daily rituals. Modern Hindu reform movements spread the practice of the mantra to include women and all castes and its use is now very widespread.

The Mantra : 

Maa Gayatri :

English pronunciation :

OM BHOOR BHUWAH SWAHA,
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASAYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODAYAT.

Meaning : 

1. Swami Vivekananda: We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe; may He enlighten our minds.

2. S. Radhakrishnan: We meditate on the effulgent glory of the divine Light; may he inspire our understanding.

3. The Arya Samaj interpretation: O God ! Giver of life, Remover of all pain and sorrows, Bestower of happiness, the Creator of the Universe, Thou art most luminous, adorable and destroyer of sins. We meditate upon thee. May thou inspire, enlighten and guide our intellect in the right direction.

4. The Brahmo Samaj interpretation: We meditate on the worshipable power and glory of Him who has created the earth, the nether world and the heavens (i.e. the universe), and who directs our understanding.


Jai Maa Gayatri !
Blessed Be !