Aditya's Mythology Blog

Monday, 13 January 2020

Life Lessons from Dhritarashtra

Many people will say that Duryodhana was the worst character in Mahabharata. Some would opt for Shakuni.

For me, the worst character in Mahabharata is none other than Dhritarashtra.

In entire Mahabharata, Dhritarashtra proved that his blindness was not limited up to his physique. He was blind by his mind too.

He was blind in his love for his son: He couldn’t see the evil nature of his son which was gradually growing. He never guided his son in right path. Instead, he was so blind in his love for his son that he remained silent when his son was reaching new heights of notoriety. It was not only Duryodhana, but all his sons (except Yuyutsu) were evil by nature because being a father, he failed to guide them in right path. His blind love and silence over his son’s wrong deeds actually encouraged them to carry on their deeds.
He had lust for the throne for his family: He was always after the throne whose frustration and greed led to the fall of the dynasty. Vidura, in past, suggested to make Pandu the king because of Dhritarashtra’s blindness. That time Dhritarashtra saw the throne slipping out of his hand and he became bitter at the result. He conceded the crown, but this later resulted in protectiveness for his crown which he had gained in his later life.
Wanted to name his son the king even after he was not worthy: Dhritarashtra became Pandu’s heir and ruled Hastinapur when he was not present. After Pandu’s death, he became the de facto king. When his sons were born, he favored his eldest son Duryodhana to be his heir. But when Pandu’s family came, he again saw the history repeating itself and the crown again slipping away. He wanted his son to be the next king. But the Brahmin council, Vidura and Bhishma pressurized him to declare Yudhisthira to be the next king due to his merits. Keeping the grudge within himself, he agreed.
Gave ruined piece of land to Pandavas in the name of property sharing: After the ‘Lakshagriha’ incident, he was quick to crown Duryodhana his heir. When Pandavas revealed that they survived, Duryodhana refused to concede the throne. Dhritarashtra didn’t want his son to concede the throne. He couldn’t force him to give up the claim. He split the kingdom into two part and gave Hastinapur to Kauravas and Khandavprasta to Pandavas. He intentionally gave Khandavprastha to Pandavas because it was a ruined land surrounded by forest ‘Khandav’. This shows his utmost partiality towards his sons.
Remained silent when Draupadi was disrobed in assembly hall in front of everybody: When Draupadi was disrobed in the assembly hall in front of everybody, people like Dronacharya, Bhishma, Vidura, etc were mute spectator even though they were against it. That is because of their obligations towards the throne of Hastinapur. Bhishma took oath to be loyal to the throne, so he couldn’t stop this forcefully. Dronacharya was employee of imperial family so he was obliged to the throne, too. Same issue was with Vidura. The only person who could have done something was Dhritarashtra. Duryodhana was not the king. He was Yuvraaj (crowned prince). That means only Dhritarashtra had more authority and power than Duryodhana. He could have protested against the crowned prince, but he didn’t.
He showed his selfishness when Draupadi was to curse Kuru vansh: As already said above, Dhritarashtra didn’t intervene when Draupadi was disrobed. But when Draupadi was about to curse the Kuru Vansh, Dhritarashtra and Gandhari were quick to ask her not to curse them.
He didn’t intervene against his son’s misdeeds but holds grudge against people who fought for their right: In the entire Mahabharata, Dhritarashrta never advised his son to walk on the path of dharma. It was his inability to guide his son which led into the Kurukshetra war. When Pandavas emerged victorious and all his sons were slain by Bheema, only then he got the time to act and decided to take revenge for the death of his evil sons. He tried to crush Bheema with his bare hands, but thanks to Krishna who switched Bheema with an iron model.

Dhritarashtra is indeed the worst character in Mahabharata, not because of his inability but because of his lack of will to stand for good cause.

Wednesday, 24 January 2018

These 5 Hanuman Chalisa Chaupaais can fulfill your biggest desire

PRIYANSHI LAL, MAR 02, 2017 01:20PM 1863K 157

Miraculous benefits of Hanuman Chalisa

Monday, 22 January 2018

The festival to nurture intellect, health and good resolve

The festival to nurture intellect, health and good resolve

(Makar Sankranti: 14th January)

On Makar Sankranti, the presiding divinity of intellect, Surya (the Sun-God) enters into the Makar (i.e. Capricorn) sign of zodiac. It is a festival as well as a transitional religious festival for making good resolve and worshiping the Sun-God. One gives oblation to the Sun for fulfilment of one’s wishes, while one meditates and takes sunbath for health benefits.

Pray and make sacred resolutions

From this day onwards, the Sun begins its journey from the South towards the North. Similarly, our thoughts and our mind should journey upwards; South denotes the lower region (base nature) while the North denotes the upper region (higher nature). So you ask from the Sun at the dawn of that day, “O Effulgence of Knowledge, Lord! Please grace us so that all our desires get destroyed and we attain God-realization. Please help us in this endeavour. Whenever we are troubled by Ahankara (ego), desires or by demons of the subtle world, please help us remove them.”

Sun-God also gives health

One should also benefit from the soft sunrays today. Sunbathing can cure a lot of diseases. Lie down in the gentle sunrays after properly covering your head. Sunbathing done while lying down is especially beneficial. Cover your head and lie down in the soft sun rays. Ensure that the entire body is exposed to the sun rays so that any colour imbalances in the different organs, any imbalance of vata, pitta and kapha in the body can start getting balanced. Sunbath is taken also to cure indigestion. Surya namaskar (Sun salutation) is performed to increase one’s strength, vigour and Ojas. Sesame seeds and jaggery are given and received as gifts everywhere today, which brings sweetness and harmony in our lives.

Behold the Unmanifest in the manifest forms

People do not have the ability to worship the supreme Ruler and Controller, omnipresent Lord of the World everywhere. So the wise and learned sages of our Sanatana Dharma have instituted a system through which even the most ordinary person can attain the Supreme State by beholding the Unmanifest in manifest form and worshipping it. God is present in all - land and water but one can’t worship land and water, so they arranged for Shaligram (black round smooth piece of stone worshipped as the symbol of Lord Vishnu). The Lord of All beings is present in the molecule and the atom but where His light is more luminous, we salute Him saying: Om Ravaye Namah, Om Suryaaya Namah etc.
Though the recipient of our salutations is the Sun-God, we receive the benefit of awakening our Life-Energy. Though the recipients of our salutations are our parents and Guru, we receive the benefit of increase in our longevity, intellect and ability.

Objectives of the Great Men

The sun moves from the South towards the North, but then again leaves the North and moves to the South. Similarly, saints after having travelled to the North i.e. having attained the lofty goal of God-realization come to the south i.e. come to live among us so that we can join them to travel to the North (to set out on spiritual journey). What a valuable festival Uttarayana is!
This festival of Makar Sankranti also brings us the message of change of seasons, change of our nature. Don’t become overjoyed or sad in ordinary pleasant and unpleasant conditions respectively. All these conditions will keep coming and going, your Atman, the witness consciousness will remain unchanged.

Source : http://www.ashram.org

बुद्धि, स्वास्थ्य व सत्संकल्प के पोषण का पर्व

मकर संक्रांति : 14 जनवरी

मकर संक्रांति के दिन से बुद्धि के अधिष्ठाता देव सूर्यनारायण मकर राशि में प्रवेश करते हैं । यह त्यौहार भी है, सत्संकल्प व सूर्योपासना करने की प्रेरणा देनेवाला पर्व भी है । मनोकामनापूर्ति के लिए सूर्य को अर्घ्य दिया जाता है, स्वास्थ्य के लिए सूर्यस्नान और ध्यान किया जाता है ।

सत्संकल्प व प्रार्थना करें

इस दिन से सूर्य दक्षिण दिशा को छोड़कर उत्तर की तरफ बढ़ेगा । ऐसे ही हमारे चित्त की वृत्तियाँ, हमारा मन ऊपर की यात्राओं में बढ़े; दक्षिण अर्थात् नीचे का भाग, उत्तर माना ऊँचा भाग । इस हेतु सुबह-सुबह तुम यही माँगना कि ‘हे ज्ञानप्रकाश प्रभो ! ऐसी कृपा करो कि सब वासनाएँ खत्म होकर हम परमात्म-साक्षात्कार करें । उसमें तुम सहयोग दो । जब हमें अहंकार सताये, वासनाएँ सतायें, सूक्ष्म जगत के असुर-राक्षस सतायें तो तुम उनको दूर करने में सहयोग देना ।’

निरोगता भी देते हैं सूर्यनारायण

इस दिन सूर्यनारायण की कोमल किरणों का फायदा उठायें । सूर्यस्नान से बहुत सारे रोग मिटते हैं । लेटे-लेटे किया गया सूर्यस्नान विशेष फायदा करता है । सिर को ढककर सूर्य की कोमल किरणों में लेट जाओ । सारे शरीर को सूर्य की किरणें मिलें, जिससे अंगों में जिन रंगों की कमी है, वात-पित्त-कफ का जो असंतुलन है वह ठीक होने लगे । मंदाग्नि दूर करने हेतु भी सूर्यस्नान किया जाता है और सूर्यनमस्कार करके बल, ओज और तेज बढ़ाया जाता है । इस दिन तिल और गुड़ देते-लेते हैं, जिससे हमारे जीवन में स्निग्धता व मधुरता आये ।

अव्यक्त को व्यक्त के रूप में देखें

सर्वनियंता, सर्वव्यापी जगदीश्वर को सर्वत्र पूजने की क्षमता लोगों की नहीं है तो सनातन धर्म के मनीषियों ने ऐसी व्यवस्था की है कि उस अव्यक्त को व्यक्त के रूप में देखकर पूजा करते-करते साधारण-से-साधारण व्यक्ति भी परम पद को पा सकता है । है तो जल-थल में परमात्मा पर सब जल-थल को पूज नहीं सकते तो शालिग्राम की व्यवस्था कर दी । है तो वह सर्वेश्वर अणु-परमाणु में लेकिन जहाँ विशेष चमका है, उसे ॐ रवये नमः, ॐ सूर्याय नमः आदि कह के नमन करते हैं ।

नमन तो सूर्यनारायण को करते हैं लेकिन जीवनशक्ति अपनी जागृत होती है । नमन तो माता-पिता, गुरु को करते हैं लेकिन आयुष्य, बुद्धि, योग्यता अपनी बढ़ती है ।

महापुरुषों का उद्देश्य

जैसे सूर्य उत्तर को छोड़कर दक्षिण में आता है और दक्षिण में जी के फिर उत्तर की तरफ चलता है, ऐसे ही महापुरुष उत्तर (परमात्म-ऊँचाई) की यात्रा करते हुए भी फिर दक्षिण की तरफ आते हैं अर्थात् हम लोगों के बीच आते हैं ताकि हम उनके साथ चल पड़ें और उत्तर की यात्रा कर लें । उत्तरायण कितना मूल्यवान पर्व है !

यह मकर संक्रांति पर्व ऋतु-बदलाव का, स्वभाव-बदलाव का संदेश लेकर आता है । जरा-जरा परिस्थिति को सत्य मानकर सिकुड़ो या फूलो मत । ये सब परिस्थितियाँ आती-जाती रहेंगी लेकिन तुम्हारा आत्मसाक्षी ज्यों-का-त्यों रहेगा ।

Source : http://www.ashram.org

Monday, 13 January 2020

Life Lessons from Dhritarashtra

Wednesday, 24 January 2018

These 5 Hanuman Chalisa Chaupaais can fulfill your biggest desire

These 5 Hanuman Chalisa Chaupaais can fulfill your biggest desire

40 Chaupaais hold secret power

Hanuman as Lord Rama's biggest Bhakt

40 hymns in Hanuman Chalisa

Magical Hanuman Chalisa

What to do before starting chanting any Chaupaai

Hanuman Puja

1st Chuapaai - Hanuman Chalisa

2nd Chupaai - Hanuman Chalisa

3rd Chaupaai - Hanuman Chalisa

4th Chaupaai - Hanuman Chalisa

5th Chaupaai - Hanuman Chalisa

Secrets of Chaupaai present in Hanuman Chalisa

Let Hanumanji shower blessing on you

Miraculous benefits of Hanuman Chalisa

Benefits of Hanuman Chalisa

The legend behind Hanuman Chalisa

When to read Hanuman Chalisa

To reduce the effects of Saturn

To deflect evil spirits - Hanuman Chalisa Benefits

To pray for forgiveness - Hanuman Chalisa Benefits

To destroy hindrances - Hanuman Chalisa Benefits

To de-stress - Hanuman Chalisa Benefits

To have a safe journey - Hanuman Chalisa Benefits

To fulfill all our wishes - Hanuman Chalisa Benefits

To gain wisdom and strength

To gain divine spiritual knowledge

To reform a person - Hanuman Chalisa Benefits

To promote unity - Hanuman Chalisa Benefits

To ward off negative energies

Monday, 22 January 2018

The festival to nurture intellect, health and good resolve

बुद्धि, स्वास्थ्य व सत्संकल्प के पोषण का पर्व

बुद्धि, स्वास्थ्य व सत्संकल्प के पोषण का पर्व