Is there a God to be Worshipped

 Is there a God who is to be Worshipped?

It is okay to define god as the 'causeless cause of all causes'.  But to believe that he created all that is seen and experienced, for the creation to sing songs of praise and flattery is the illogical part.  That he created the universe for the benefit of human beings alone is the illogical part!! That the multiverses that we find astronomical years away, have been created for the use and benefit of that miniscule & insignificant creation called humans, is the illogical part!!. That after death we travel to some place only to enjoy the exclusive manly instincts of attraction to females and specified in numbers as funny as 72, along with rivers of intoxicants, is the illogical part!!.

Can imperfection come from perfection? Don't we  see so many animals & people suffering in many ways, right from their birth? If there is a judgement day after death, then the initial foundation or premise must be the same for a level playing field, isn't it?. 

Can god create a rich and a poor and ill treat the poor after his death for stealing from the rich? 

Thus if logic had to be applied for the creator, it has to be applied for the created as well, isn't it?

In that case, you might bring-in the law of karma - specifically that which gets attached not to the body, but to the consciousness (the 'I' feeling) and therefore as the reason for the cause of suffering in the new creation (birth). Definitely, that the law of karma works clearly with matter is a known fact and doesn't need any explanation!!, for example, if a finger is brought to a fire, the finger burns and causes pain as well as damage to itself and the body.

If therefore, such injustice of creator is justified by telling that the creator has no explicit role, but that everything works by the system established by that God, then certainly it would be illogical to have a judgement day, & rather it would be more reasonable to assume the law of karma, or the law of cause and effect, not as an explicit act of god, but an implicit reaction out of the rules of that established system.

Thus therefore, once the system has taken over the duty of performing the actions (karma), due delegation is just a consequence, since there are multitude of subsystems within that system. Hence, unless those subsystems are not kept in the right spirits (call it keeping them 'happy'), the expected results would not be obtained and there could be chaos within subsystems that might effect at least insignificantly, if not  causing interference significantly, and such repeated incidents could affect higher subsystems in the hierarchy.

Therefore, as can be seen, the original creator is beyond the silly pleasures of praise or flattery while it is the sub-creators and the mainteners who enjoy the praise and flattery. They would therefore bestow the necessary 'good luck' that we attribute to them!

In short, if at all anyone is to be worshipped, it is the demi-gods who have to be worshipped and not the original creator. And for the purpose of sustenance, health and happiness, it is necessary that the demi-gods be worshipped suitably well.

To add to that, it is not just the humans who worship the demi gods, but even the plants, animals, birds too as well as the inanimate mountains, solar system, universe, multiverse, etc. do. Worship is the act of keeping the worshipped in peace and happiness. A jar of cold water can be heated and it's peace disturbed, so that a frog or a fish dropped into it immediately jumps out. Any element of nature is worshippable. To give a modern day example, non-worship involves acts of throwing non-decomposable plastic into the earth or in the rivers or oceans!

Hence even the so-called atheists obey and have to obey the rules of nature, thereby worshipping  and following them (the demi gods) though not by daily praises or flattery, but at least by imbibing the essence of sustenance thanks to their understanding the laws of karma thru proper reason and logic. 

Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa

Swamiye! Saranam Ayyappa!

Sabarimala is a historically sacred & significant place, even referred to in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

The temple of Ayyappa has its praana pratishtta (प्राण प्रतिष्ठा) conceived (संकल्प) as 'Naishttika' brahmachaari as the deity (देव). Naishttika (नैष्ठिक) is about Nishta (निष्ठा) or rigourousness & religiosity of following something  particularly. Brahmacharyam (ब्रह्मचर्यम् ) is moving (चर) along with Brahman (ब्रह्म). 

Therefore as per the idea conceived by the founding fathers (तन्त्रि = he who prescribes on how to liberate or तरति cross over the तनु body) the devotee is supposed to have been practicing  renunciation of all modes, religiously during the 41 day period before he climbs up the 18 steps to realization. However, dwelling immensely in  samsaara (संसार - where whatever one does has a सार meaning! i.e. this network of worlds) of bondages, it may not be possible for everyone to achieve that state of Tattwamasi (तत्त्वमसि = तत् त्वं आसि that thou art) to be able to renounce completely. "Experience makes man perfect." Therefore, to become to that state of Tattwamasi, to turn oneself into the Swami (i.e. the Lord / God / Creator - omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent), is a strife and may be achieved thru repetition of that practice & therefore may require to be continued year on year. It was perhaps thought, that the right time was indeed after Onam, when the granaries have been sufficiently taken care for feeding families & animals for at least a year, thereby after feeling relaxed of the family responsibilities. It also means that renunciation is not about running away from work or responsibilities, but undertaking the duties with renunciation (just as the Gita observes).

Thence, the males observed the strict vows for 41 days, & the women participated thru relaxing, keeping away from men and involving in prayers. The vow also requires self discipline, cooking, vegetarian intake, undertaking the daily chores & individual necessities by oneself. It is also necessary it seems, that when the pilgrimage is completed, getting down the hill and upon reaching the pampa river, there should be just enough food and money left with him, to reach back home!!

Thus, those who could go to Sabarimala are those who are freed (or attempting to free themselves) of bondages. While the men need to observe strict vow, boys and girls less than 10 yrs were exempted, considering that they are generally already free from bondage. Women above 50, who wish to treck to the temple, are also considered to be free from bondage and already in a state of renunciation. (Women generally are considered to be more spiritual by design, as they are for giving (deliver) and not for taking (picking) unlike men who are designed to pick-up (earn) - of course for self and family. The only period when the women are otherwise, is when they bear and rear children). They love to live in their own dynamic  world just as are children. That is perhaps why, most religious texts of the world on the subject of renunciation reflect more upon what men should do!!

Having said that, we find that the three categories of humans satisfying the necessary qualifications to climb up to the sanctum sanctorum of the seat of renunciation (Tattwamasi), are children below 10, women above 50 and boys and men of all ages who follow the prescribed austerities.

On the contrary, in the practical scheme of things, if a woman between 10 & 50 has to go, they generally are accompanied by men who are close relatives. This puts an additional burden of responsibility on those men, which is nothing but attachment (and is counter to renunciation!) - thereby defeating the entire purpose of that man's visit and practice. 

The temple is not open every day. Earlier it used to be open only during the month of Makara (mid-January). When people started visiting without undertaking the prescribed austerities, it was initially decided to open a side entry. When the crowd grew further, it was extended for those without following the austerities, for the first of every Malayalam month (usually the 15/16/17 th of Gregorian calendar) thru the side entry. Now with the women also allowed, it would be better to open throughout the year for side entry. 

Perhaps, it would be good to continue to restrict women between 10-50 yrs to enter thru the main entrance so as to keep up, respect and appreciate the  idea of the original designer and the founding father of that temple. (In other words let them be restricted of irumudikkettu, that is essential for climbing the 18 steps). That would leave for any learned posterity, at least a fine thread about the logic on the concept and meaning of the pilgrimage.

Sabarimala Ayyappa temple is a pilgrimage to self control, detachment and renunciation. It is not about fulfilling of prayers and wishes, rather it is about overcoming wishes and desires. Only those who have no wishes (not even the wish to pray) and those who wish to come out of desires should undertake the prescribed austerities and go there. That is also why, this temple is open to everyone of all faiths and beliefs, because self realization (Tattwamasi) is the ultimate goal of all faiths and beliefs!! The restrictions for women as well as the austerities for men, therefore may have been conceived intentional to societal progress and not discriminatory, and is especially significant when rising trends of atrocities towards women may be on the rise.

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Trimurty of Human Life

Trimurty of Human Life

This seems interesting!!.

Vishnu is Hrishikesh (=the Lord of the 💓 heart).

Rama is red in color. Krishna is blue in color.

During the manthan where the white corpuscles (suras) and the red corpuscles (asuras) participate, the poison that comes out affects Vishnu who turns blue. Vishnu is the sustainer of life.

Shiva is Lord of purification (crematory). He is covered by dust (bhasma) and is lord of nature (Parvati = Shakti). He is clothed on  blood dripping skin (cells). He is lord of Yoga & Prana. He is the Lord of lungs. It is he who pushes the elements (of nature) required to purification for sustaining life. He is the Lord of Samskaaram (purification).  It is when Shiva consumes the poison of the manthan, that Vishnu retains the red. 

The manthan, therefore is a continuous process within each one of us.

Brahma is the Lord of knowledge & consciousness. He is the Lord of brain. The brahma as brain, has four heads. Two parts of the front and two parts of the rear. The four Vedas or knowledge have come out of those four parts. He is the Lord of existence and creation. Creation is connected to the naval stem cell, where the secret of regeneration and codification of cell is available and is also solution to curing most diseases. He therefore is connected as he sits upon the naval stem (cell) supported by Vishnu, the heart.

Hence, if there is any chance of recovery from probable death, it is Brahma who decides, because it is Brahma who decides time of creation and time of cessation.

This is the secret of the Trimurty (Trinity) within us. Don't you think so?

The combination of the Trimurty is Ganesha, or Ganapati who is lord of all, the eka-naayakam (the single leader and the redeemer). Therefore, he is represented by the pranava ॐ

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Guru Poornima

Guru Poornima

This Guru-poornima of today, which coincides with a red lunar eclipse reflects a different full moon (poornima). It is a red moon!!

Amongst the ancient Rishis and gurus of India, the re-affirmation & re-establishment of the essential fundamentals of Vedic knowledge drawn down thru a parampara of saints and gurus, was by Adi-Sankara.  The Vedic way prescribed the four Varna-Aashramaas, namely Brahma-charyam, Gaarhyastyam,  Vana-prastham & Sannyaasam.  Adi-Sankara debated throughout to establish Vedic way of life. However, in his lovely life of 32 years, it seems to me that he transgressed thru the four Aashrams in the opposite order, i.e.,  from Sannyaasam to Vanaprastham, to Gaarhastyam, to Brahmacharyam.

So as to say, that when he was hardly eight years of age, he renounced the world after obtaining permission from his mother for his Sannyaasam, thereby relieving himself from the crocodile that caught him at the now famous crocodile ghat (Mutala-kkadavu = in Malayalam, may be translated also as, three headed/staged transgression!! or in Sanskrit, crocodile is known as a makara; मकरः = म {not} + करः {do / perform} i.e., caught in a river bank, bereft of work, non-performance, or in other words, inertia) at Kaladi in Kerala; thereafter, performed Vanaprastham - travelled the length and breadth of India, not just once, but more than once, debated with the greatest scholars, established study centers at pivotal places; thereafter during the course of debates entered Gaarhastyam,  unconventionally transmigrating into the body of a King and in the end, set in to the path of ultimate devotion, set up and prescribed temples all over India writing & reciting the many haloed poems of his, attributing to Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu & Devi, treading the path of Brahma-charyam and then climbing  up the steps of ultimate knowledge (Sarvajna peethom), before his Samadhi at the age of just 32.

That in short was a progress from renunciation (Sannyasi) to dolls (idols / Vigrahas) - as we may call it.

Whereas, his knowledge and logic was exquisite & without parallels, and confirming to scientific discoveries & truths that even today, there hasn't been any other philosophy capable enough to surpass the depth and universality of the understanding set forth by him, be it thru scientific pursuit or thru interpretations by Orthodox faiths.

The temples that he setup are testimony to the fact that he realized that, though in the abstract level, the concept of universality can be spoken thru Prajnaanam Brahma, Aham brahmaasmi, Tat-twamAsi, &  Ayamaatmaa Brahma, uncovered by the Upanishads of Rg, Yajur, Saama, Atharva Vedas,  in the common parlance, people can be lead more easily to absolute truth, thru Idols of wood or stone, those gullible or otherwise.  And that, just as an architect's presentation,  the 'Saguna' stone model of the Absolute, happens to become easily understandable to majority of humans, than the abstract 'Nirguna' definitions by the Vedas or the Upanishads.  That might seem defying the very ideology that he professed, but in reality, he showed us that he does not, and none should, have any fundamentalistic assertion onto alternate understanding of Brahman or upon the practice or the worship of the same. (While for a mathematician, it may be akin to the assumption of the unknown variable as x, and finally the value of that x is found. Needles to say, that once found, the x loses it's significance)

Therefore those gurus are adorable and respectable, who care for the universal jnaana and understanding.

Hence, my humble salutations to the great gurus!!!

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The Trinity Magic

The Trinity Magic

Three letters of Sanskrit have been instrumental in changing the conveniences of modern human life. That conspicuous manifest, could be found in the development of computing through electronics. The binary system of arithmetic was transformed through symbols and signals and the world was transformed from absolute arithmetic to symbolic computing. Further developments, applied that arithmetic to almost every happening in this world today - from calculators to computers to smart TVs, to washing machines to refrigerators and even to electric fans and lights that obey commands given even through our speech! - not to mention air travel or a launch to outer space in the skies!.

The basic composition of logic based on which the entire computer systems work are formed out of a combination of three logical operations namely:-  OR, AND & NOT.

Those three, are known as 'gates' in modern electronics and they are very fundamental to computer science. In fact, computer science starts with creating a 'truth' table, defining the arithmetic operations of those three.

The language of the Gods, as it is rightly known, Sanskrit has three letters that correspond to these. They are:- Va (व), Cha (च) & Na (न). Together they may be called as Vachana (व + च + न = वचन). 

In the Bible, it is believed that, "in the beginning, there was only the 'Word'". Wasn't hitherto aware that Biblical writers too, like the authors of  the Quran who adopted the  Sanskrit word 'Allah' for God (http://sunambiar.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-sanskrit-word-allah.html?m=1) had in fact, also followed original Sanskrit principles and the Vedic religion per-se giving credentials to and reaffirming that the Sanskrit language is indeed 'DevaNaagari' (language of the Kingdom of Gods & Godesses).

In Sanskrit, 'Vachana' (वचन) means 'Word'. 

How is it that in Sanskrit, Vachana represents OR, AND, NOT?  Let us examine right away. 

Typically, in Sanskrit vocabulary, the letter 'VA' is used as a conjunct with the meaning OR; while the letter 'CHA' is used as a conjunct with the meaning AND; whereas, the letter 'NA' means NOT.

Therefore one could say, that the very foundations of computers is also based on the Trinity letters VA+CHA+NA, together known as VACHANA meaning WORD. 

Isn't it a fact, that a word is nothing but a set of letters? Unlike in many other languages, in Sanskrit, there are a lot of letters that are words themselves. (Very few letters like 'I' & 'a' have corresponding meanings as 'myself' & 'one'/'single' respectively in English language). Right from the vowels in Sanskrit to the consonants, Sanskrit alphabet have corresponding meanings and are used to describe and even denote many attributes of this universe. Many such letters are used extensively in tantric discussions.

Therefore, this relationship, if at all, it is not incidental, whether or not it was accidental, (from a language described worldwide as the language of the computers - Sanskrit), is left to the imagination of common human intelligence.

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Life Principles

 Communication & Networking is the basis of Life

Life is about communication & networking. The millions of cells and other living objects in each of us communicate constantly and therefore there is continuity of life.

Death is, we may say, discontinuity in communication.

Communication is such that a group of cells and some living objects talk to each other and help each other in a particular way so that overall, the organization or the body, displays itself as another type of life.

Therefore life is a conglomerate of many lives. Each cell in our body has a soul within itself which gives life and death at specific cycles of time. New cells are created and those souls jump into new ones (cells), when the old starts debilitating. The time gap between such rebirth according to Vedic scriptures, is almost immediate - just as short a time required for a caterpillar to move from one leaf to another, leaving the former. Thus rebirth is a continuous phenomena that cannot be denied.

When the cells in our body fail in their proper communication; i.e., when there is a probable communication breakdown, so to say, we say, we are unhealthy and there is some disease in us. If we aren't able to bring in consonance so that the communication is restored properly & timely, then we say we decided to choose a new organization or body! (Just as we switch new jobs!!)

 What more to say, our brain itself maintains memory and intelligence thru it's own unique communication network unmatched even today by any modern day computers

Why then, some love to  blame God for such of our incompetence in communication?

Shiva-Shakti ~ Radha-Krishna

 Shiva-Shakti ~ Radha-Krishna

From the static Shiva (Sat-chit-Aananda) came dynamic Shakti (Parvati). Similarly from static Raadhaa came dynamic Krishna.

Both the concepts are  similar.

Raadhaa is obstruction - that is static. Dhaaraa (is the opposite of Raadhaa) is flow and is about dynamics.
Krishna is what attracts and melts down Raadhaa. That is why Raadhaa (static) goes to Krishna (the attractive [force]).

In the former, the dynamic Shakti is attracted to static Shiva. Whereas in the latter, the static Raadhaa is attracted to dynamic Krishna.

In physics, an object brought from (ananta) infinity is enlivened by what is known as potential energy. And there is a continuous tendency to return to its original place. (That is why we die). This infinity stretches like the long serpent Ananta (=infinity) of Vishnu (=omnipresent, that which is filled throughout the Vishwam i.e. universe). SkyBlue is the colour of the universe. It was caused by the Visham (poison) of Vasuki serpent (during churning of the Milky way). Vasu is matter. That's why vasudha in some context also means earth. Visham is what comes out when matter is churned. Energy is that what comes from matter. So Visham is energy. That Visham covered Vishnu (=everywhere) and therefore Vishnu turned SkyBlue. Shiva drank (absorbed) that Visham (energy from matter) to neutralized it. Shakti however caught his throat with both her (electro-magnetic) hands and coagulated that Visham to concentrate and remain passive at a single point.

And the universe was perhaps created thus!!
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(This is symbolic)

Intelligence, Faith & Management of Duty

 Intelligence, Faith & Management of Duty

Intelligence is one among the many things that is distributed unequally amongst creatures of this world (and interestingly, for which no rights activists have ever fought for!!) Others  may be ignorance, stupidity, wisdom, etc. All these are activities of brain. We do not really know whether intelligence is trainable like that of any other physical activity of physiology. That is to say, we could train for physical fitness, but not really with intelligence. Some day, perhaps that method might also be discovered.

Therefore, inorder to contain ill effects of a debilitated intelligence, intelligent people all over the world have devised a temporary solution which we call as 'Faith'.

Because, the amount of intelligence varies in different people (or even animals, birds etc.), communication often becomes a problem. This is because each one tends to understand things in the perspective of vision limited by one's own intelligence. To resolve this differential communication, some or a group of intellectuals have many times in history sat together to scribble such areas of concern in communication and those scripts were later compiled and called as scriptures.  The idea of writing those scriptures were to ask the lesser intelligent to keep away their reasoning and follow the scriptures whenever in doubt. Such an activity is termed as faith. But the problem faced by them was, as to how to inject faith? They found that faith could be injected by stories and that the stories influenced the mind. The mind is a mystery and a good psychiatrist could direct it to everyone's benefit. Hence, we find that most scriptures are backed by stories to add faith.

When a small group of people nowadays assemble to attempt to create such scriptures, they are called cult leaders or godmen. While they essentially derive from the extant scriptures only, they try to adapt and interpret in line with modern terms, as they think they communicate that way better.

To improve the quality of faith, they add extra 'nutrients' with 'salt' and 'pepper' too and create the effect of calling themselves as avatars.

(All these contribute to enhancing the faith. However, being human, they may err on certain other moral values and occasionally end up in captivity by law enforcing agencies!!)

Let us also broadly understand the miseries of humans & the Hierarchy of Human control system.

Taapa-trayam ताप त्रयं  are Tri-dukham त्रिदु:खं which are of three types:-

Aadhi-aatmikam (caused by oneself - birth, death etc),

Aadhi-Bhautikam (those caused by external materials - animals, metals, chemicals etc.),

Aadhi-Daivikam (those caused by the gods - air, wind, storm, water, fire, electricity, lightning, earthquake, etc.)

Is there any means to control these difficulties (dukham दु:खं) ?

Perhaps knowing the organizational hierarchy of our self & body organs might help. Let us ponder a bit about them.

Karma-indriya (5 Nos. Organs of Action) are controlled by Jnana-Indriya (5 Nos.).

Jnana-Indriyas (Organs of Sense/Perception) are controlled by Praana (Praanic Energy).

Praana (life energy) is controlled by Manas (mind).

Manas is controlled by Buddhi (intellect).

Buddhi is controlled by Aatma (soul).

Aatma is controlled by Aham (Self).

Aham is none but Brahma.

In other words, the Chairman of our body is Brahma / Parabrahma.

The lowest in the hierarchy are the Karmendriyas.

Therefore, we could say, that all our actions are actually performed by para-Brahma only. (who might have of course down-delegated to others in the hierarchy - but essentially, the doer is HIM/THAT only).

Therefore inorder to contribute to the requirement of the Isha (controller), faith is necessary and absolutely necessary where individual intelligence tend to fail. Intelligence is necessary to understand the hierarchy and once the hierarchy is properly understood, faith and trust is one of the primary guiding principles of successful living.

For example, a new employee to an organization needs to seek and understand the objectives, mission and vision of the Chairman of that organization.  Once understood, there can be unlimited faith in that Chairman. Otherwise, the limbs of action would lead the organization to hell and not heaven.

This may be the concept of Brahma-jnaanam - that of Jnaana-yoga, Bhakti-yoga as well as Karma/Raaja-Yoga.

The understanding of the hierarchy is Jnaana-yoga, the unconditional faith in the supreme personality is Bhakti-yoga, and the resulting work/karma or duty that is performed in accordance and in synergy with the Jnaana & Bhakti is the Karma/Raaja Yoga. Karma/Raaja yoga may lead one to prosperity (heaven) or otherwise delusion (hell) - based on the balance sheet prepared by none other than Chitra-Gupta (the secret cinematographer)!!.

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Moksha & the Escape Velocity of an Aatma

Moksha - & the Escape Velocity of an Aatma

Like a satellite that is controlled by a space station, the Aatma, from a distance or otherwise, controls the life of matter. When it controls a biological matter, we call that as posessing life.

The Aatma distributes energy that activates biological matter of the like of humans, animals, plants, etc.

That control of the Aatma on the matter continues in cycles, until the Aatma is released out of, like that of 'escape velocity'. Those cycles of events when the Aatma regulates and deregulates matter may be known as birth and death.

To be released from the cycle of birth and death, it needs to attain at least (in astronomical terms) an escape velocity.

That escape velocity enables Aatma to escape from its attachment to matter so as to enable itself for moksha.

That is essentially why ancient India spoke about detachment and ways to achieve it for moksha. That state is better still than the state of heaven or hell.
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Spare the rod and Spoil the child

Spare the rod and Spoil the child - An Indian Perspective

Maha-Nirvana-Tantra :

चतुर्वर्षावधि सुताँल्लालयेत् पालयेत् पिता।
ततः षोडशपर्यन्तं गुणान् विद्यां च शिक्षयेत्॥

लालयेत् पञ्च वर्षाणि दश वर्षाणि ताडयेत् / प्राप्ते तु षोडशे वर्षे पुत्रं मित्रवदाचरेत्

"Indulge our children upto the age of five years, teach them to be disciplined between five to fifteen years, and beyond sixteen years we should treat them as a friend."

Many descriptions even in the internet about the above verse impresses the word 'Taadayet' to mean discipline by the stick. Something that seems to have come as 'parampara' from "Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child" hypothesis.

If we avoid & keep aside those kind of interpretations, and try to find the real meaning of the word 'Taadayet', we may like to understand as below.

The Dhyaana Shlokam of Bhagawad Gita has the mention of this word 'tata':
भीष्मद्रोणतटा जयद्रथजला गान्धारनीलोपला
शल्यग्राहवती कृपेण वहनी कर्णेन वेलाकुला।
अश्वत्थामविकर्णघोरमकरा दुर्योधनावर्तिनी
सोत्तीर्णा खलु पान्डवै रणनदी कैवर्तकः केशवः॥६॥

"Bhishma Drona tataa Jayadratha jala Gandhara Nilotpala
Salya Grahavati krpena vahant karnena velakula
Asvathama Vikarna ghora makara Duryodhanavartini
Sottirna khalu Pandavai Rana nadi Kaivartakah Kesavah.

The battle (river) whose banks were Bhishma and Drona, whose water was Jayadratha, whose blue-lily was the King Gandhara, whose crocodile was Salya, whose current was Kripa, whose billow was Karna, whose terrible alligators were Asvatthama & Vikarna, whose whirlpool was Duryodhana - even such was crossed over by the Pandavas, with Kesava as the ferry man".

It describes Bhishma and Drona of the Mahabharata epic, as the 'tata' or bank of the waters.

The word 'Tada' may have come from the word 'Tata' meaning bank/embankment or bund. (Perhaps that sounds more appropriate.) For a fish swimming in the river, the bunds create obstacles inorder to direct/re-direct, prompting it, sometimes to flow over and sometimes to adopt diversions. Therefore it educates the little one about the nuances of proper learning and living. The bunds are also obstacles purposefully created so that the young one overcomes it, finding ways genuine to its intellect. Therefore, the word 'Taadayet', may not have a negative significance at all as many pandits believe it to be; rather may have a purely positive meaning, enough to prove that the "rod is not at all required, but only the bund".

One could imagine a small tiger cub being caressed by its mother until a few days later, when it starts fighting with its fellows, helping itself experience and gain that knowledge about living. While the elder looks on and occasionally moves its paws to create obstacles when straying away. That is perhaps the real meaning of 'Taadayet' is my opinion.

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Vyasa Vishaala-Budhe

Namostu Vyaasa Vishaala Budhe

I have wondered often as to why Indians have so many gods and why there are so many religions in this world.

Maharishi Vyasa is addressed as 'vishaala-budhe' thanks to his superior intellect. Certainly, he is the only one of the kind in the history of mankind who exhibited exceptional intellect.

He compiled the four Vedas, he wrote more than 108 (known) Upanishads and multiple Puranas including the great, Mahabharata, MahaBhagavata, Adhyatma Ramayana etc., so much so that people wonder whether he indeed was a human or not!! While the Vedas and the Upanishads seem to be focused in same direction, the Puraanas may quite confuse common seeker because, each Puraana exemplifies a different God; while the puraana itself is, usually named by that referred God.

It would indeed have been a herculean task for him to create so many gods. I was told that similar attempt in not so far off times, was made by the author of the many Theyyams of North Malabar (& thottams including their unique facial-drawings, so that each one was different from all others in the specifics & story) as it seems, all those were written in very short time.

There is virakti in abundance or plenitude, whereas attachment in scarcity. In attachment there is selfishness. In selfishness there is clash of egos. In egoism there is hatred. In hatred there is conflict. In conflict there is fight. In fight there is disaster. In disaster there is chaos. In chaos there is annihilation/death.

Veda-Vyasa understood the psychology of humans very well and therefore prescribed multitude of gods to attend to the _monkey_ like mind of humans. Mind is easwara (commander) of the body. Hence, if the mind is controlled, everything falls well in place. Concentration is certainly a big difficulty and therefore not very easy. Multi-tasking is inherent in humans. Hence, one light is not enough, rather, many lights are needed to focus towards one's progress (pragati). Each such light is known as divine or Deva or Devi (div = that which shines and emits / blesses). Just as there is a lot of difference between one LED & group of LEDs - and lo! what a beauty! if all were twinkling !!

Vyasa therefore bestowed upon us 'Twinkle-twinkle wonderful gods' thru the various Puraanas!! Though the essence is vedaanta (Upanishads) and the Vedas (science). Just as we don't need to know the chemical composition of LPG inorder to cook our daily meal, though however, knowing it definitely would only enhance our 'love', appreciation and affection for that LPG; and not knowing however, will not starve us from the experience of having sumptuously!!

At the same time, the connoisseur of food needn't ignore the properties of his intake and get into health issues thru consumption of junk food that is not backed by a scientific (Vedic) culture!!

We are indeed fortunate to have had the benefit of the benevolence of the great Maharshi Veda Vyasa who encoded the entire concepts in the most cultured & scientific language called Sanskrit - especially designed for such purposes. (Today we have many computer languages each capable in its own way and competent to handle our commands according to the requirement & use of the technology prevalent of that time. From simple procedural language to object oriented and purely object, loaded with statistical & analytical capabilities for artificial or machine learning intelligence and so on and so forth). The Sanskrit language is the language of science and spirituality as both can be expressed simultaneously using similar words that provoke intellectual activity and resolve their meanings unambiguously. It understands the language in which God codified His creation, so much so, that it is also called Deva-Bhaasha and usually written in Deva-Nagiri script.

The saints, pious and the learned from Kerala were perhaps the least affected by the onslaught of various religions that mis-interpreted or were not properly understood in the correct sense as proposed by Veda Vyasa. Ezhuthachan, the Father of Malayalam literature, Poonthanam, Melpathur etc., were the few who understood Maharshi Veda Vyasa rightly, that their contributions reflect the original thought and his Prescription. That is why, Poonthanam uses Soham as the ultimate understanding in his 'Poetry of Nectar of Knowledge'.

"മോഹംതീർന്നു മനസ്സു ലയിക്കുമ്പോൾ
സോഹമെന്നിട കൂടുന്നു ജീവനും".
"Desires having saturated, the mind dissolves,
That the Soul merges as HE = I".

Two great symbols of India are the Hamsa and the Padma.

Hamsah may be closely translated as Swan, which is attributed with the capabilities of even separating essence of milk from water!! Great saints are referred to as 'ParamaHamsas'. It is said as per himdu mythology that in the Manasarovar (= pool {Sarovar} of the mind {Manas}) in Kailasa mountains, many swans live with that quality.

Going by the Sanskrit language technique of swapping letters, we see that Hamsa हंस: is that which identifies things separately - like the swan (meaning Dvaita bhava) while (स: + अहम् = सोहम्) soham means one with HIM (Advaita bhava).

Further, Paramahamsa may be seen as Param + Aham + Sa (परम् अहम् स: = परमहंसः ) meaning ultimately I is HE.

Padma (=lotus) blooms in dirty waters. People generally tend to see dirt more clearly. An exception to that is when they look at lotus bloomed in dirty waters - when they tend to admire only the lotus and ignore the dirty waters.

That is why, Lotus has lot of meaning in Hindu philosophy. Our happiness lies in seeing the lotus in everything (be it dirty or clean). He who wears spectacles of such (lotus) vision over his eyes is the one who is Lotus-eyed. He who sees the lotus (niceties, goodness) even in the foot (dirty, beneath, down and trodden) is to be known as Padma-paada (with the Lotus Feet).

Happiness is when Lotus blooms in all of us and we can see the Lotus even in the feet of others!!

And that may come from soham (identifying the other as oneself) by inclusiveness of all that living or non living. Then we become Paramahamsa.

I therefore salute the Lotus eyed Vyaasa who is indeed Paramahamasa.

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Cleanliness is Godliness

Cleanliness is Godliness.

There are two aspects of rules. One known as Yama and the other known as Niyama.  Yama is Self-imposed while Niyama is imposed by another. Godliness is attained by following both. Yama is imposed by oneself, for the benefit of others & indirectly benefiting oneself. Niyama is for the benefit of us but imposed by other.

This is a Sanatana Dharma (eternal principle) and therefore applies not only to humans. In the context of cleanliness, let us see how the laws of nature follow the eternal principles of cleanliness. In the natural world, it may be also known as 'scavenging'. Therefore, the fundamental principle adopted here may be that, "a discard of one is a need of another'. In simple terms, it is similar to the popular concept of the food chain / cycle amongst the creatures - though, the said principle applies to non living as well. For example, the small stones falling off from the mountains reach the sea bed to help preserve the waters. 

Cleanliness also follows this principle. What is unclean for one may not be unclean for someone else. Further, what was considered unclean earlier might not be unclean now. A mother has no issues  / qualms in cleaning up her baby until the baby grows of age. Has the object that was unclean got impurified over time? A child wouldn't interact too closely with a new born as much as he would have, had the new born been another child of his or near his age. A small child eats even mud; while we won't, unless it is part of a medical treatment!.

Thus, is the mud unclean by itself? Then why is the house made of mud clean? (May substitute mud with cement if necessary). 

Human faeces is eaten by dogs or pigs. Is the pig unclean? Pork (meat of pigs) is eaten by humans. Therefore it seems that cleanliness though a feeling, cannot be attained thru Yama alone, rather by following Niyama too.

Systemic Niyama can be achieved only by enforcing it subconsciously. How can we achieve that in the context of cleanliness?  As mentioned above, if we can create a need for someone else, in the discard of some other, then recycling could become part of a system. 

Scavenging is one of the best methods of nature's way of maintaining cleanliness. (Even rain is one form of scavenging. Haven't we noted that places that have enough rain are found to be much cleaner than there aren't).

In modern day world, plastic has become a menace. Recycling of plastic is the biggest problem facing humans and others alike. Developing countries like India that have huge population below poverty line, may be able to overcome by creating a need for some (especially the poor) in waste-plastic. Food being the primary need for the poor, and since plastic can't be had as it is, (though we do see cattle feeding on plastic sometimes) if plastic-waste could be turned to finance food, then there would be some relief. Hence if it be insisted that gold grains  (say) be embedded in plastic of the bags and items made of plastic so as to improve the value of the plastic, then there is greater chance for the plastic to get recycled.

In essence, this means that subjects like cleanliness can gather dust  unless the need for scavenging is not seminally enabled as an underlying principle. 

There isn't any doubt that enforcement is one of the biggest problem faced by humanity as well as God almighty.

Sometimes, one might be also inclined to believe that untouchability in India might have been an outcome of extreme belief in cleanliness. The conscious cleanliness observed by the brahmins in temples in contrast to the unclean living standards of 'mlaechas' (mala+icha, meaning those who love to be in dirty environment) adds reason for such doubt.  Though undoubtedly, it has been a cause for many wrongs committed to Indians as a whole, it also underlines that the sense of cleanliness was not brought in to India by the Moghuls or the British.

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Nostalgic Story of an epic project

Nostalgic Story of an epic project.


It was decided to start a project and a team was formed of some of the most brilliant names who were undoubtedly known to be very knowledgeable and hard-working.

As it started gaining momentum, some started eyeing golden opportunities within. Many team leaders started eating the others. Then a newly formed team-lead who initially had very insignificant role, grew large enough day by day and swallowed them one by one. The project moved forward. It started producing good as well as bad results after all the members were taken into confidence and therefore results started becoming visible. Suddenly,  and unforeseen, the core team started sinking and a new leader emerged from nowhere to take charge & held it on his back to prevent the sinking.

After a while, the results were distributed and accolades were handed over to many. Some however, felt ignored or that they weren't rewarded well and therefore decided to leave the project after a bit of fight.

Perhaps as if by a curse or that they were indeed really eligible to have been recognized better, the entire project submerged into the waters!!

A newly appointed leader dived deep into that dirty and stinking ocean and redeemed the project and everyone praised him for that.

As the project stabilized, new 'Kings' arose, with their own self declared small kingdoms and started causing tremendous trouble to the smooth functioning. Suddenly a devout & otherwise pious person turned violent and decided to remove those Kings one by one. After replacing each, similar ones sprung up again and again. He anulled them as well. It is told that he conducted that as a passion for as many as 21 times!!

Having brought it to a logical conclusion, he became very egoistic - no doubt he had achieved an otherwise impossible task. A new leader came up then, who was also challenged by that great reviver, as the new one was also thought to be one amongst the trouble-making Kings. In a straight fight where the predecessor challenged the successor, the successor proved his material and the take-over thereafter, was rather smooth without any bloodshed. The predecessor willfully handed over the mantle to the new incumbent. The new leader was greatly respected, was well behaved, simple & humble, yet powerful and determined. He brought about stability and made rules and regulations so as to establish a system that would work in order.

Everything went well for a long time until, noises arose within, and rules started getting flouted gradually. Situation worsened & turned ugly and anarchy became the order of the day, and a statesman cum reformist new leader brought about sanity & sanctified it through a total revamp of the system, also defining value systems and properly defining duties and responsibilities, in the process, displacing all men and material that came in the way, though resorting to a remarkable bloodshed war.

Now the system is moving with nostalgic memoirs of the past, expecting a final Terminator.

If you find this story and wish to name it Dasha-Avatar, it is only a coincidence!

Purpose of Life

Purpose of Life

What is the purpose of Life?

Let us try answering this question from various perspectives and known sources of answers.  

1. Some say, God created life to show HIS prowess !!

2. Some say, God wished to do something creative and therefore created!!

3. Some say, God just wished and therefore it came!!

4. Some say, There is no real reason, but it is God's leela.

5. Some say, There is no God, it just evolved from original cause

6. Some say, God wanted to teach a lesson to the original sinners

and so on and so forth.

Most of these beliefs are based on what they have perceived in their life on Earth.  It was not possible for them to think beyond the life on Earth.

In my school days, as part of history studies, we had chapters on Jainism & Budhism. And then we also read Amar Chitra Katha pictorial story books.  We read that Prince Sidhartha, once when he went out into the streets in his chariot, saw a sick man and he asked his charioteer, why he was not walking properly. The charioteer replied that it was because he was sick, tired and weak. Then saw a procession and when enquired as to what it was, the charioteer replied that the man who was being carried was dead. Sidhaartha then asked why do people fall sick? And why do people die? And why do people suffer?
The charioteer didn't have any answer to the young seeker.

As I read those stories, I used to think what stupid questions were those that the 'supposedly' great man asking?.  But when I contemplate on those now, there is more clarity to my humble vision.

When Siddhartha became Budha, the enlightened, he deduced few simple tricks to be followed that would deliver anyone from innumerable suffering.

My simple & innocent understanding as I crossed my half century yesterday, is that (contrary to common reasoning & arguments about a cause and effect) we have been created with a higher purpose that we are not very clear about. Whatever be that purpose, (and that I would attempt to elaborate later on below), the success of that purpose lies in maintaining this body of ours until it depreciates and disperses back into the components by which it has been made or created. An energy by whatever name it could be understood (if at all), derives or otherwise maintains infinite knowledge within us through our existence. Therefore it is our responsibility to maintain that data base and help preserve it to the best of our abilities. For this, we should take care of our body like a temple (the word Kshetra, incidently denotes both temple as well as the body). Unless we take care of the temple properly we can't take care of the energy source inside its sanctum sanctorum.

It is this, that gives happiness to that energy and also to us equally.  Happiness induces vibrations that maintain peace and tranquility.

While we take care of the body thru proper food, exercise and the like, we also need to take care of the mind and thoughts thru techniques like meditation, self introspection, and self control (Yama) thru rules (Niyama) if necessary. Such Yama and Niyama bring about a sustained energy within us and controls unnecessary controversies & life conflicts with anyone or anything (including nature) around us.

Only a healthy body has a healthy mind.

Buddha didn't speak about existence or non existence of a God. It was for him, not necessary to have one, as we are ordained to conduct our duty that is to maintain healthy happiness thru a healthy body and a happy mind.

When we are created in our mother's wombs there are many physical qualities that get added; at the same time, few errors or noises or impurities also get added. We call them as inherited attributes. Thus, many of our concerns are about those we inherited (paramparaa). Others are acquired over a period of time due to our living conditions, environment, situations, interactions with others, behaviourial etc. (praarabdha : praayaena labhadhae).

A gradual decease of the body ensures a smooth switch over from one data body to another.

Therefore our duty lies solely on maintaining a fit physical infrastructure (body) and a stable & happy mind.

The principles of achieving those lies in proper yoga & exercises and meditation and sama-bhaava for an all encompassing feeling of love that we know as Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

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Evolution of Religions

Evolution of Religions

Man created the idea of God.

He who has a मन​: (Manah) is मनुष्य​: (Manushyah  = Man)

मन​:  (Manah) in Sanskrit means Mind. नमः (Namah) is the reverse of Manah and it indicates veneration.

Let us trace the man from the start of creation.  Hindu texts point to creation in large numbers and not through a single father & mother.

With the assumption that Man was created or at least came into being somehow, let us sew a story around man.

Having landed on Earth, he was initially a nomad and wandered upon Earth.

He grew lot of hair to protect himself from heat and cold.

He found many animals around him; some lovable and others not.

He lived in great fear from predators; just like any other animal.
Unfortunately, he was not blessed with natural protection faculties that we find in other animals like fir all over body, thick skin, tail as a balancer while escaping, horns or tusks for defense, protective shoes etc.  Therefore, what developed in him more than any part was his intellect. 

Thanks to intellectual development, he started finding means to protect himself from the predators and also the forces of nature viz cold heat fire rains and flood etc

He cut out stones, spears, and then discovered fire too, which he used for his defence.

Though he lived on fruits initially, after he killed his enemies/predators and then, happened to taste cooked meat (cooked probably out of forest fire) he became non-vegetarian.

However some travelled and settled near river banks and lived on grains of rice, wheat and barley.

This group were vegetarians and satwic in nature. Basically agrarian, they invented techniques in tilling and farming. They met other similar gotras and decided to fix rules for inter gotra marriage - viz. people from the same gotra shouldn't marry and the like. This was to ensure that better peace prevailed thru inclusion.

Later on, they observed that one man couldn't conduct everything own his own, and therefore delegation of responsibilities was required. Thus they decided and divided themselves into broadly four colours or varnas. One Varna took care of education and preservation of extant knowledge and improvement on the same. Another took care of safety from predators and execution and implementation of rules, another took care of economics and commerce while another took care of production. This became the Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vysya and Shudra varnaas, classified based on temperament of one's aptitude and nature of occupation.

None needed God or perhaps ever had the concept of it.

Each progressed in their own varnas.

Science developed to great heights.

Governance to exemplary heights with knowledge of even warfare of probably Air Force & Atomic warfare

Commerce involved even through naval means apart from surface.

Produce was exemplary and none starved and had aplenty.

With saturation at every field, the scientists and the teachers needed a way out to preserve the great knowledge. Thus they developed a language called Sanskrit that had great potential to encapsulate different streams of knowledge in short words. They further developed the idea of sutras wherein The interpreter of the sutras could easily gather and elaborate upon the deeper meanings. Thus the Vedas were formed. As it was derived from accumulated wisdom of thousands of years, they weren't written by any one and therefore called apaurusheya.

At the zenith of luxury, when desires were reasonably fulfilled, in that golden era, the scientists started thinking inwards as well, and then the question of why we are born, what is the reason of our existence, what am I, who am I and so on were asked. This resulted in the Upanishads and the discovery of God. To explain science along with philosophy, puranas were introduced with many gods with different qualities relevant to the story that was discussed.

Every cycle has a zenith/crest and then the trough. The terrible war of Kurukshetra might have ruined the entire progress and growth.  The slow-down started and interpretations started failing for want of proper teachers. Enforcement became tough by men or even Kings. Thus the idea of fear was introduced. And so the Gods turned fiery.

The wonderful One God now turned to be a commander and the ten commandments of old testament came into being. Like the small baby who is shown and told the stories about the crow, the cat or even the devil, Fear of hell was introduced so that people's emotions could be adapted for the population good.

Along with the commandments, Christianity spoke more of love and cordiality, but rules were flouted (because, wherever there is an obstruction, there can be found a diversion). These commandments were an attempt to external enforcement.

Islam emphasized more on and secretly adopted psychology and took to the technique that was more of a kind of 'hypnotizing the reader' and attempted to enforce stricter rules to hold back the ones straying away.

Sadly though, what resulted is that we have now the many fans associations of gods fighting with each other; or rather, in fact have a set of warring groups not on the path of progress at all, but on total destruction through terrorist mindset.

The need of the hour is that Someone should disassemble the human brain again to completely unlearn and relearn from the basic rules of the original Vedas. Otherwise we would continue to be in a fools paradise never to climb the walls of the enclosed well that we now live in, (koopa mandooka - that the Upanishads spoke of) to see the beautiful universe outside.

Jai Vijaya Dashami.

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Who am I

Who am I

The thought and search for 'Who am I' started with the Upanishads which are known as Vedanta or the final part of the Veda (knowledge).

Rightly so, That thought of What and Why we are, would come only after rational & scientific pursuit of knowledge.

Let us examine ourselves scientifically.

There is this body that is a beautiful system by itself - with most of it being self assisted and sustained. The component & process of birth and death happens in every molecule within the body, each element though having a different time span or Kaala.

This body is essentially a universe unto itself; a habitat of lots of other vegetation and not vegetation. Many viruses and bacterial clusters are populated and multiply regularly in this body. Blood corpuscles of different nature, red and white, provide security from succumbing to external influences.  Many energies flow in and out as 'bhootas' (called rightly so because they soon become a thing of past); Air, Water, Fire and Matter gets created & destroyed quickly. 

Such being the system, let us consider another subtle aspect called the mind. Mind is result of various chemical and electrical changes that happen inside the brain. They function as responses to the sense organs. (The karmaendriyas and jnaanaendriyas).

The feeling of I and Me is thus inflicted upon the brain through the ceremonies conducted by the indriyas. So we think that it is:  my hand, my leg, my eye etc.   However, when the brain also receives impulses from external elements like mother, father, brother, sister, spouse, son daughter, relatives, boss, subordinate, pet, etc. The feeling of I and mine gradually extends to encompass and encircles those elements as well. For each individual, that Circle is different and therefore, the feeling of responsibility and ownership is limited to only as much.

Anything outside of that Circle is considered yours or theirs.

The concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam comes when that Circle grows to infinity thereby engulfing the entire universe.

Whenever that Circle is achieved, the Adwaita sets in. This is absolute knowledge.

Where the level expands to finiteness, there Dwaita sets in.

Dwaita is in individuality. Adwaita is in beyond individuality.

Due to the individual nature of Dwaita, the concept of God is necessary. Otherwise, it is not possible to explain existence.  As the Circle for each human is different in say radius, each one has a different concept of God and therefore, each human being in this universe follows a different God, however similar one might think them to be.  Only that the radius starts from zero to infinity.

Whereas in Advaita, the concept of God itself may not be necessary and therefore if at all it is required, it is one with the I or the Me.

The Upanishads highlight that Oneness thru various stories.  The Vedas say: That cannot be known by anyone. Who knows? even That might not know Itself.

Naasadiya Sukta (ná ásat - not non-existent), also known as the Hymn of Creation : (129th hymn of the tenth Mandala of the RgVeda (10:129) talks thus about cosmology and the origin of the universe:-

इयं विसृष्टिर्यत आबभूव यदि वा दधे यदि वा न |
यो अस्याध्यक्षः परमे व्योमन्सो अङ्ग वेद यदि वा न वेद ॥७॥

Whence all creation had its origin,
he, whether he fashioned it or whether he did not,
he, who surveys it all from highest heaven,
he knows - or maybe even he does not know.

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Krishna Janma-Ashtami-Rohini

Krishna Janma-Ashtami-Rohini

Today (12 Sep 2017) is Shri Krishna Ashtami Rohini. Ashtami in the Zodiac means that, the Moon is about 3 raasis away from Sun and therefore at right angles to Sun.  The Moon can be at right angles to the Sun either on the front side or on the rear side. On the front side, when it moves away from the Sun, it is called Shukla Paksham  (White side - Waxing) and on the rear side when it approaches the Sun, it is called Krishna Paksham (Black side - Waning).  Why is it that when the Moon goes towards the Sun, it is Waning and Krishna? It is because, it is then that there is a combined effect of the Moon and Sun on the Earth so that there is added attraction - Krishna means attracting; Krishna also means Blue and therefore the culmination of the waning moon is the Blue Moon or the New Moon or Amaavaasi.  On Amaavaasi, the Sun-Moon-Earth are almost linear in that order.

In North India (as well as in the West), the calendar followed is Solar. While in South India, a Lunar calendar is followed.  In the strict sense the Hindu Calendar is based on a far star and therefore known as the Sidereal System.  The West usually follows the Tropical System that is based entirely on the Sun.  (It is generally believed that in 290CE, both had coincided).  The North adopts the Eighth phase of Krishna Paksham (waning) Moon in the month of Shraavanam, as Krishna Ashtami. Whereas in the South, it is the Krishna paksham Eighth phase of the Moon in the month of Simham (Chingam) that usually coincides on Rohini Nakshatra as well.

The Southern calendar lays stress additionally on the Nakshatram (star) and therefore, require that the Moon reach the Rohini star inorder that Shri Krishna Jayanti be celebrated.  Only then would the Ashtami (8th phase of the Moon) be located in the Krishna Paksha (Waning phase) of Simha month. Therefore, this time round, the North celebrated Krishna Ashtami on 15th August 2017 while the South celebrated on 12th September 2017.

As an aside, it needs to be mentioned that there is a view that it was on Rohini star that the Universe came into existence.  The concept is based on the Moola-aadhaara Zodiac which says that the Nakshatra opposite to the 4th Paada of Moolam Nakshatram (which is incidently Rohini) is the point in time of the creation of the universe.  (May also note that the Moolaadhaara of the Kundalini placed upon the Vaastu Purusha on the Zodiac coincides with the Moolam Nakshatram of the Raasi-Chakram).  That date when the Moon traverses the Rohini Nakshatra in the month of Simha is Sri Krishna Jayanti as Lord Vishnu is considered to be the Sustainer of the Universe.   The Zodiac had started on Rohini at that point of time; however, due to the Sun's precession, the epoch of the start of the year has migrated to that of Ashwini (Ashwati) in the Mesha Raasi.  The Rohini Nakshatra is the sector between 10deg 0min and 13deg 20min of the Raasi-Chakram (Hindu Zodiac) and falls in the Vrishabha (Bull) Raasi (House). 

Another point to note is that the Sidereal calendar has a shift of nearly 24-25 days for the Summer Equinox (Vishu).  This is because of the precession of the Sun - The Solar Calendar of the North & the West, still follows March 21st as the start of Mesha.  The Lunar Calendar of the South has it between April 14 to April 16 which is approximately the Ayanamsa of about 24 degrees. This is generally the difference between the Tropical and the Sidereal calendars.

As per astrological terms, the Lord of the Rohini Nakshatra is Moon (denoting Love & Emotions); Raasi is Bull (of Cow or गौ family) and Shri Krishna is also known as Govinda, Gopaala, Govardhaka;  the Deity is Brahma or Prajapati - meaning the Creator; the Symbol is Chariot, Temple or Banyan Tree (very prominent symbols related to Shri Krishna - the Charioteer of Arjuna, the propounder of the Kshetra-Kshetrajna Yoga that considers the created Body as a Temple as mentioned in the Bhagawad Geeta, the symbol of  the inverted Banyan Tree in the Bhagawad Geeta as well as the Vision to Manu at the start of creation as a small baby on a Banyan Leaf - all reminds us of Shri Krishna).

The First Paada of Rohini is called ओ (English letter O) which refers to the Pranava Mantram ॐ.

Hence, Shri Krishna Janma-Ashtami-Rohini. (ie. Janma-Ashtami ~ Ashtami Rohini)

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Brahma Satyam; Jagat Mithyaa

Brahma Satyam; Jagat Mithyaa

Jagat (जगत्) is composed of ja (ज) meaning knowledge and gat (गत्) meaning movement or going. Thus जगत् means that which is in movement (i.e in time) - which may be loosely interpreted as universe.

Jaagrat (जाग्रत् derived from jagat) is Awareness of jagat (जगत्). Without that awareness, certainly, there cannot be a concept of matter or universe. 

We are aware of this jagat because we are able to differentiate between the pancha bhootas (five elements) namely Earth, Water, Fire, Air & Space (पृथ्व्यब्तेजोवाय्वाकाश in that order)

A lowly intelligent robot or a metallic / wooden object, we may say, does not differentiate between Fire (agnih अग्नि:), Air (vaayuh वायु:) or  Space (aakaasah आकाश:).  But can differentiate from Earth (prithvi पृथ्वि) and Water (jalam जलम्) as there is some difference in say, the density of matter in them.  It may rest on earth or float on water.

As the robot becomes (artificially) intelligent, it could even differentiate between agnih, vaayuh and aakaasah. Humans being more intelligent may be able to differentiate and understand even beyond the pancha bhootas (पञ्च भूता).

Thus every object assumes reality to the heights of its own intelligence and not beyond.

Beyond that, it assumes to be non existing and therefore terms it as mithyaa (मिथ्या) or illusion.

Therefore, the mithya level (or mithyaa layer) of each object is different.  As the understanding  (of satyam / truth) increases from dimension to dimension, the understander realizes that what lay in the lower dimension is only a lesser expression of that lying in the higher dimension. In other words, objects in a 2D (2nd Dimension) talam (layer तलम्), understands that the 2D objects are made up of many objects of the 1D talam.  That object in the 3D talam understands all that is known by the 2D objects as before (mentioned in the previous sentence), as well as that the 3D objects are made up of many objects of the 2D talam; that in the 4D talam understands all those properly understood by 3D objects and that the 4D objects are made up of many objects of the 3D talam and so on.  

At the same time, those objects in a particular talam do not natively understand those objects in higher talam. Therefore it understands all that is existing in the higher talams to be mithyaa (illusion).

Hence for that pure energy that is zero (percent) matter, and therefore existing in the 0D talam would only understand anything in any higher talam as Mithyaa.  At that talam therefore, entire universe is Mithyaa.

And since that pure energy is known as Brahma, in that state of Brahma-Jnaanam (ब्रह्म ज्ञानम्), the entire awareness of jagat, is verily mithyaa. That state of Brahma that is Brahma-Jnaanam is where the quest of 'Who-Am-I' realizes to 'I-am-Brahma' (Aham-Brahama-Asmi अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि) & 'You-are-That' (Tat-Twam-Asi तत् त्वमसि).

If one were to consider an object in that highest talam (infinity talam), where all talams are readily experienceable (thanks to the relative position of all other talams falling below it), one might be tempted to also say 'Jagat Satyam Brahma Mithyaa' (Universe is True, Energy is Illusion). Both would nearly mean the same.  However, at the point of singularity, where there is verily no jagat, it would be wiser to understand that Brahma is Satyam (सत्यम्) and Jagat is Mithyaa (मिथ्या) and not the other way round.

x -- 0 -- x -- 0 -- x

Pranava Mantram & Daiva Mantram

Pranava Mantram & Daiva Mantram

In Kathopanishad, Yama (the lord of Death) tells Nachiketa that ॐ (Aum) is verily Brahman, this word is the highest and he who knows this word obtains whatever he desires.

The syllable ॐ  arises from the Sanskrit root अव्  which means to Protect.  Protection of the universe is that inclusive part of Sustenance.  Hence etymology of Pranavam says: "प्राणन सर्वान परमात्मनि प्रणामयति इति प्रणवम् " - That which is always to be revered (bowed before), is Pranavam.   Also,  प्रकर्षेण नवमिति प्रणवम् - That which is eternally new is Pranavam.

The tantric concept of Life as a dot (Bindu) and as a Circle that expands from that dot (Bindu) to that Circle and thereafter returns to that Bindu is about the Creation (Bindu) & Preservation/Sustenance (the Circle).

The Circle can be further divided horizontally into two parts, the lower semi-circle being Preservation/Sustenance and the upper semi-circle being Beyond Existence.  The lower part of the Life is Soorya governed (Solar) and  the upper part is Chandra (Moon) governed (Lunar). We can see this division in the Jyotisha (Zodiac division) as well - the Raasis from Simha to Makara governed by Sun and from Kumbha to Karkataka governed by Moon.   The Solar is what you are and what you experience as material.  The Lunar is that beyond our normal existence.  The Solar is day and Lunar is night. The Solar is Sura and the Lunar is Asura.  Solar is Presevation/Sustenance and Lunar is Beyond Existence. Solar is Vishnu,  Lunar is Shiva.  Solar is Physical, Lunar is Abstract. Solar is Body, Lunar is Mind, Solar is Experiential while Lunar is Imaginable.

The Pranava Mantram is  ॐ  and the Daiva Mantram is अऌः .

ॐ is VaiShnava & अऌः is ShaiVa.  They are two parts of the same circle.  Vishnu is comprised of व & श  while Shiva is comprised of  श & व.   शव्  in Sanskrit also means dead.  Thus Shiva is also the Lord beyond Death and his abode is the Cremation ground (grave-yard).  वश्  in Sanskrit also means attraction (possession) - Vishnu is also Krishna - the attracting. When the Praana is kept attracted (attached/possessed) to the material body, there is the feeling of Existence. It is Vishnu that keeps it attached (until decided to liberate) and it is Shiva that takes care of it when it is liberated.  Vishnu has his consort as Lakshmi (prosperity).  Shiva lost Sati and thereafter is an ascetic who is consorted by the very nature of the existence Paarvati (Prakriti).

Shivam means  मङ्गलम् (Mangalam - Happiness & Well-being). Shiva is the one who consumed विषम् (poison) for the well-being (शिवम्) of all.

The following table details the same.

Pranava Mantram	Daiva Mantram
ॐ	अऌः
Lower Semi-circle   ँ	Upper Semi-circle   ऀ
Sandalwood Paste with Kumkum above	Bhasma (Ash) with Kumkum below
Solar	Lunar
Direct influence	Indirect (Reflective) influence
Simha to Makara	Kumbha to Karkataka
Light	Dark
Lord of the Day	Lord of the Night
Heat	Cold
Physical	Abstract
Existence	Beyond Existense
Experiential	Imaginable
Experienceable	Not Experienceable
Known	Unknown
Knowable	Beyond Knowledge
Attached / Attracted to Physical	Liberated from Physical  Attachments/Attractions
Consorted by Prosperity	Consorted by Prakriti (Nature)
Lakshmi	Parvati
Samsaara (Bondage)	Samskaara (Liberation)
Sura	Asura
Vishnu (Sustenance)	Shiva (Destroyed)
वश् (Attracted/Attached)	शव् (Liberated)
Vishnu (विष्णु - Prevailing)	Shiva (शिवम् / मंगलम्  - Happiness)
Active	Passive
Energized	Neutralized
(Controls the विषम्  Poison of Life)	Consumed विषम् (Destroyer of विषम् Poison)
with प्राण (with Praana / Life)	bereft of प्राण (without Praana / Life)
अ  + उ  +  अम्	अ + ऌ + अ:

As Pranavam is related to Vishnu, Vaishnavites usually adorn their forehead, a 'gopi' - an upward open crescent with Saffron Kumkum dot above it.  Shaivites on the other hand adorn their forehead with a long drawn Bhasma (hot ash - ideally from the cremation grounds) which forms a downward open crescent with Saffron Kumkum dot below it.  The Kumkum indicates the Female power - Shakti. The Sandalwood paste cools the heat of the Sun and the Bhasma heats the cold nature of the Moon (Chandra).  Thus they are used as compensating factors.

We can also see that the representation of अऌः resembles the figure of Ganesha with the visarga turned anti-clockwise to form the eyes of the elephant god; the ऌ  forming the head and the trunk; and also including the अ placed anti-clockwise to form a straight line umbrella on top of the head.  The upper semi-circle with the bindu (dot) below it, depicts the large belly of the Ganesha.  Incidentally, there is also a close connection between Ganesha and the Moon (Chandra) as can be seen in the Vinayaka Chaturthi story. 

Considering that the ॐ and Ganesha are declared to be revered, venerated & invoked before any action/invocation that is intended to be undertaken, it implies therefore that Ganesha or Vigneshwara (the remover of obstacles) is none but अऌः.   Ganesha is also considered to be the Pranavam ॐ.  The elephant trunk and the belly is depicted in the script of ॐ.  In otherwords, it could be said that Ganesha is a confluence of the Vaishnavaite and Shaivite principles uniquely representing both ॐ and अऌः in one symbol.  (May also wish to know that on the same lines, Ganesha's brother Subrahmania is a confluence of Shiva and Brahma!)


While  ॐ  is Pranava mantra, अऌः is Daiva mantra. 

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Ref: Yoga-Vasishtam : https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/yoga-vasistha-volume-1/d/doc117974.html