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 Matsya Avatar

In Hindu mythology, Matsya is the first avatar of Vishnu. According to ancient texts, Vishnu appeared in the form of a fish during the Satya Yuga to save living beings from a great flood – a story that has striking similarities with the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark. The great flood is mentioned in texts such as the Satapatha Brahmana, where the Matsya Avatar appears to save the pious and the first man, Manu, and advises him to build a great boat.

According to the Matsya Purana, the king of pre-ancient Dravida and a Vishnu devotee, Satyavrata – who was later known as Manu – was washing his hands in a river when a fish swam into his hands and pleaded with him to save its life. Satyavrata put the fish in a jar. As the fish began growing, Satyavrata moved it to a tank and then to a river. But there was no vessel big enough to contain the fish. The fish then revealed itself to be Vishnu and prophesied that a deluge would occur within seven days and destroy all life on earth. Satyavrata was instructed to build a boat that could accommodate ‘all medicinal herbs, all the varieties of seeds, and accompanied by the seven saints’ along with the serpent Vasuki and other animals.

The Matsya Avatar of Vishnu is usually represented as a four-armed figure with the upper torso of a man and the lower body of a fish. The importance of the fish in many Indian cultures is often linked to this avatar. The fish is also seen as a symbol of constant renewal and plays a major role in wedding ceremonies in many parts of India.

Blessed Be!

Worship as Act of Living

Worship or adoration of the Divine has the potential to bring one nearer to God. This could take many forms – rituals, prayer, chanting, service and contemplation, to name a few. What is important, however, is how you seek God.

True worship is to realize that every individual is essentially divine. We see others only as good or bad, ugly or beautiful, rich or poor and we treat them accordingly. We miss out the essential core of being, which is divinity. True worship is when we see God in everyone. If worship of God is restricted only to an image, neglecting God’s living images ( all beings (, such worship is incomplete and imperfect.

Swami Vivekananda said, “ If you can not see God in the human face, how can you see Him in the clouds, or in the images made of dull, dead matter, or in mere fictitious stories of our brain? When you see man as God, everything even the tiger, will be welcome. Whatever comes to you is but the Lord, the Eternal, the Blessed One, appearing to us in various forms, as our father, mother, friend and child – they are our own soul playing with us.”

Blessed Be!

Source: Swami Atmashraddhananda

A Creed for Those Who Have Suffered

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.

I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey...

I asked for health, that I might do greater things.

I was given infirmity, that I might do better things...

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.

I was given poverty, that I might be wise...

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.

I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God...

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.

I was given life, that I might enjoy all things...

I got nothing I asked for - but everything I hoped for.

Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I, among all men, am most richly blessed!

Blessed Be!

Veda Wisdom…

Restrain the mind until it dissolves in the consciousness. This is wisdom, this is meditation. The rest is all logic and verbal extensions.

By getting up early in the morning one also gets more time at his disposal for work as compared to late-risers. Scholars and thinkers get up early in the morning and contemplate.

In real worship, we just not do ritualistic worship but we try to imbibe the qualities of the one we are worshipping.

Those who do not perform their duties and lack a sense of responsibility can never succeed in their lives.

Laziness erodes a person of his enthusiasm and energy. As a result, the person loses all opportunities and finally becomes dejected and frustrated. The worst thing is that he stops believing in himself.

Beautifully crafted words have the power to captivate the mind of anybody. A sweet-tongued man is loved by one and all. Audience is always attracted towards those who can speak efficiently and effectively.

People, who rise above their petty individual selfishness and work for the welfare of society are considered patriots.

Blessed Be!

Love Yourself…

People feel lonely; they need somebody to fill their loneliness. They call it love. They show love because that is the only way to hook the other. The other also calls it love because that is the only way to hook you. Bit who knows whether there is love or not? Love is just a game. Real love is possible, but that happens only when you don’t need anybody.

If you go to a bank and you need money, they will not give you any. If you don’t need money, you have enough, they will come to you and they will always be ready to give you. 

When you don’t need a person at all, when you are totally sufficient unto yourself, when you can be alone and tremendously happy and ecstatic, then love is possible. But then too you can be certain about only one thing: whether your love is real. How can you be certain about the other? But then there is no need. 

This continuous anxiety – whether the other’s love is real or not – simply shows one thing: that your love is not real. Why be worried about it? Enjoy it while it lasts! Be together while you can be together! It is a fiction, but you need fiction. Behind declarations of love there is nothing but need. You want your lover to be with you to fill your emptiness and so too is the case with her. You are both trying to use each other as a means. 

Do you love yourself? You have not even asked the question. When you are really blissful on your own, you don’t want to use anybody. You simply want to share it. And you will feel thankful that somebody was ready to receive. That is the full point. 

Blessed Be!

: Osho

Live Life…

Turn the mind inward and cease thinking of yourself and the body; thereby you will come to know that the self is happy. Neither grief nor misery is experienced in this state. You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it.



That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing and dance, and write poems, and suffer, and understand for all that is life…. Surely, life is not merely a job, an occupation; life is something extraordinarily wide and profound.

Life is a great mystery, a vast realm in which we function as human beings. It is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways. As Buddha said centuries ago, “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly”.


Blessed Be!

Quotes of Wisdom from Atharva Veda

Life without goodness, good thoughts, good actions and good words is like the sky in the night without the moon or stars. It is like a wheel without a hub or spokes! No one can push a boulder away while standing on it; you cannot be free from anxiety while all the entrances through which it sneaks in are open.


The person, who causes the downfall of a noble woman... who causes loss to his friend...who despite of his superiority is ignorant; is called a fallen man.


One, who earns leadership of the masses by working ceaselessly for people's welfare finally realizes that he has been rewarded with many added advantages.


In pursuit of money, man descends to the level of the beast. Money is of the nature of manure. Piled up in one place, it pollutes the air. Spread it wide; scatter it over fields; it rewards you with a bumper harvest.


A person should refrain from all those things that take him towards fallacy, misery, ignorance and degradation.


The blossom of Love will make the air fragrant; the river of Love will murmur along the valleys; and every bird, beast and child will sing the song of Love.

Contemplating and meditating on the 'real-self' accelerates this process of self-development and makes liberation possible.


One, who acquires knowledge and then pass it on to others, gets all his wishes fulfilled and achieves success, happiness and prosperity in his life.


Money and mansions are not the only wealth. Hoard the wealth of the Spirit. Character is wealth; good conduct is wealth; and spiritual wisdom is wealth.


Anxiety is removed by faith in the Lord; the faith that tells you that whatever happens is for the best and that the Lord's will be done.


Develop the inner vision and the habit of listening to the inner Voice; and you are assured of unshakable Peace and infinite Joy.



Om Namo Narayanaya!
Blessed Be!

Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivratri is a festival celebrated every year on the 6th night of the dark Phalgun (Feb or March) every year.The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bael (Bilva) leaves to Lord Shiva, all day fasting and an all night long vigil. Devotees observe fast and keep vigil all night. Per scriptural and discipleship traditions, the penances are performed in order to gain boons in the practice of Yoga and meditation, in order to reach the goal more swiftly and avoid rebirth.


Maha Shivaratri marks the night when Lord Shiva performed the 'Tandava'. It is also believed that on this day Lord Shiva was married to Godess Parvati. There are several legends and stories which relate to the celebration of this festival. Some people believe that Maha Shivratri marks the wedding ceremony of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Others believe that, it was on this day that Lord Shiva consumed the pot of poison that emerged during the Samudra Manthan, to protect the world.

The day is observed with immense devotion. Celebrations begin at dawn, where people cleanse themselves with a bath, preferably in the Ganges River, which Hindus regard as holy. Then, they bathe the Shiv Lingam with milk and holy waters. Priests lead chants of various hymns, with “Om Namah Shivaya” being the main one.


According to the Hindu religion, praying to Lord Shiva during this festival will grant devotees blessings and forgiveness for their sins. It’s also said that those, who observe the day with the utmost devotion, are freed from the cycles of birth and death that make up reincarnation. Women, who pray with devotion and honesty to Goddess Parvati, are said to attain marital bliss and wonderful husbands.



Om Namah Shivaya !
Blessed be !

Vasant Panchami and Saraswati Puja

Vasant Panchami is a festival that worships Goddess Saraswati as well as it signifies the beginning of Vasant Ritu (the spring season). Magh Sud 5 (5th day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magh – falls usually in the month of  January or February) is the day of Vasant Panchami and is also celebrated as Shree Panchami or Saraswati Puja in West Bengal, Bihar and few other states.


Amongst all the Hindu deities, Saraswati is the goddess for Education, Arts and Crafts. According to the Matsya Purana, Goddess Saraswati evolved from the mouth of Lord Brahma. She was the most unique creation of Lord Brahma. Godess Saraswati is also known by the names of  Bakdevi, Biraj, Sharada, Brahmi, Satarupa, Mahashweta, Sarbasukia, Prithudar, Bagishwari and Veena Pani. On this day Goddess Saraswati is worshipped in various names and fames - the Goddess of Learning, the deity of Gayatri, the fountain of fine arts and science, and the symbol of supreme vedantic knowledge.


The image of Goddess Saraswati depicts her sitting on a vehicle that symbolizes her supreme power. The white swan of Saraswati symbolizes Satwa Guna (purity and discrimination), the lotus of Lakshmi the Rajas Guna and the tiger of Durga the Tamas Guna. Saraswati is shown possessing four hands and plays "Veena", an Indian string musical instrument.

Vasant Panchami or Saraswati Puja is celebrated with great enthusiasm and Hindu temples and households are full of activity on this day. This is also a special day for school children as they observe it with great reverence.  It is a festival celebrated by the youth, particularly students who invoke the blessings of the goddess for success in learning, arts and crafts.


More than any other state, Saraswati Puja is celebrated in West Bengal and Bihar in a splendid manner. Next to West Bengal and Bihar, it is celebrated in southern states of India such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh etc. in schools, colleges and homes. Saraswati Pooja is celebrated as Basant Punchami or Vasanat Puncami in many states of India.


Jai Maa Saraswati !
Blessed Be !

A Life Free of Burden

The reason why people do not progress quickly is that they are loaded with a pile of external opinions and thoughts. If you go for a walk in the morning and someone asks you where you are going, you reply cheerfully that you are taking a walk. How cheerful your face looks! At 10 or 11 am, if you are going the same route and someone asks you the same question, you answer dispiritedly: “I am going to office.” You no longer exude cheer. Why? Because your mind is full of all kinds of ideas- “I have to do this, I have to do that…” – you are burdened with the sense of doer-ship. This is not the way. Go to the office or your shop, but plan your day in such a way as if you were a prince at play. You should take all your duties as if they are acts of amusement.

You may think, “If I take my work like pastime, my business will suffer.” You’re wrong. If you free yourself from anxiety and stress, you will work better. Why should you worry? You have seen the events of the past, you are seeing the present and you will also see what will come to pass in the future. At the most, you will die, and die you must some day or the other. Don’t be afraid of death; don’t try to save yourself from death, and don’t try to escape it either. Invite and welcome troubles with a challenging and playful curiosity. Then they will lose their severity.

Many people are in the perpetual fear of being insulted. Insult is far better than the fear of insult. Death is preferable to the fear of death. Criticism is better than the fear of criticism. Fear fans the fire of distressing thoughts; it diminishes your energy. So live life free of fear, worry and stress.





: Sant Asaram Bapu
Blessed Be !