Here is a message that was given by Swami Sivananda on the occasion of Ramanavami day, which talks of the glory of Ramanama (name of Lord Rama). Lord Rama was the prince of the Ikshvaku race. He was virtuous and of manly strength. He was the Lord of the mind and the senses. Brave and…
Category: Gods and Goddesses
Shiva by Swami Chinmayananda
Shiva, one of the members of the Hindu Trinity, represents the supreme Reality in its aspect of annihilator, the other two aspects being those of maintainer (Vishnu) and creator (Brahma). Shiva symbolises constructive destruction in the continuous process of creation, preservation, destruction and re-creation. The Annihilator The supreme Reality (Brahman) is described as the substratum…
Ashtavinayak Temples in Maharashtra
The destroyer of all evil and undoubtedly the most beloved God in the Hindu Mythology is Lord Ganesha. While famous temples with an astounding history behind them are scattered all across the country, there are eight Ganesha temples in Maharashtra known as ‘Ashtavinayak’, which hold a special place in the hearts of devotees. The Ashtavinayak…
Invoking Lord Ganesha – by Swami Tejomayananda
Here is a beautiful song invoking Lord Ganesha… Gaie Ganapati jagavandana Sankara suvana bhavani nandana Gaie Ganapati jagavandana… (Praise be to Ganapati, the son of Shankara and Parvati, worshipped by the whole world) Siddisadana gajavadana vinayaka Kripasindhu sundara saba layaka Gaie Ganapati jagavandana (Praise be to Ganapati with the elephant face, the abode of success,…
Worship Guru as God – Why and How?
Why should we worship Guru as God? And How should that worship be? This is beautifully explained by the Master Himself, Swami Chinmayananda. Let us read and be ever grateful to Him. Guru and God The teacher is none other than the Supreme, who manifested Himself to bless the struggling aspirant, in the divine form…
Hanuman – the Greatest Devotee
In this world, it is almost impossible for an individual to lead a perfect, blemish-free life – a life that is above criticism. Studying the great epic, Ramayana, we find that even Lord Rama, an incarnation of dharma and righteousness, and the divine Mother Sita, the very personification devotion and purity, were not spared. They…
Siva and Sakti
Sakti Tattva is really the negative aspect of the Siva Tattva. Though they are spoken of separately they are really one. Sakti Tattva is the will of Shiva. Amba, Ambika, Gauri, Gnanambika, Durga, Kali, Rajesvari, Tripurasundari are all other names for Sakti. Sakti is Herself pure, blissful consciousness and is nature itself born of the…
Siva and Parvati
O Devi! All auspicious one, the giver of success and prosperity, we bow to Thee! Shower peace and amity on this earth and protect us ever more by Your kind compassion at a glance! The daughter of the king of Parvatas, Himavan is Parvati. She is the wife or Sakti of Lord Siva. She is…
Philosophy of Symbols
Lord Siva represents the destructive aspect of Brahman. That portion of Brahman that is enveloped by Tamo-Guna-Pradhana Maya is Lord Siva, who is the all-pervading Isvara and who also dwells in Mount Kailash. He is the Bhandara or store-house for wisdom. Siva minus Parvati or Kali or Durga is Nirguna Brahman Himself. With Maya-Parvati He…
Goddess Durga – An Introduction
The Name ‘Durga’ ‘Durga’, in Sanskrit, means “she who is incomprehensible or difficult to reach.” Goddess Durga is a form of shakti, worshipped for her gracious as well as terrifying, as the mother of the Universe; she represents the infinite power of the Universe and is a symbol of a female dynamism. The manifestation of…