Gita's Message!

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

I was one question, about what you posted, if you don't mind. How is one to

restrain the senses in order to keep the mind in the heart, I've repeatedly

seen that written in the Bhagavad Gita, to control and restrain the senses,

how is this accomplished? Thank you.

 

peace always

 

Prem

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste:

 

This is the continuation of my earlier post and at this time, I want

to get back to the discussion on the questions that I posed in my

previous post. For advaitins, Gita is a great resource to look for

answers for all spiritual questions. Gita contains complete answers

to the stated questions and for other questions in various chapters

both implicitly and explicitly.

 

(1) Is it possible to perform an action without any desire?

(2) Is the root problem desire or lack of noble desires?

(3) Will noble desires remove the ill effects of any action?

(4) Is the ultimate goal of life desireless?

 

Gita considers action as inevitable and there can be no excuses for

avoiding one's duty. The entire dialog between Arjun and Lord

Krishna started because Arjun tried to abandon his duty as the

warrior. The karma yogi as stipulated by Gita conducts actions

without "selfish desires." This message is subtle because karma yogi

acts `without looking for rewards,' and this yagna spirit frees the

yogi from attachments to the outcome (material benefits or losses).

Desire is the indicator (symptom) of the level of attachments to

material objects and the karma yogi in the frame work of karma yoga

is free from desires! All the above four questions become irrelevant

when we have in depth understanding of the well known verses 55 to 72

of chapter 2 where Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of a

Perfect Yogi or Stithaprajna. The list had lengthy discussions on

Stithaprajna and they are available in the list archives. The Key to

Liberation is beautifully stated in Chapter 2, verses 67 & 68: When

the mind runs after rowing senses it carries away intelligence, just

as the wind carries away a ship on the waters. By withdrawing our

senses from objects we can firmly set our intelligence!

 

Gita is a great guide for the Truth Seekers and the essence of Gita's

messges are described below:

 

What is Balanced Mind? (5 - 22 & 23) Those who realize that real

happiness does not born out of the pleasures from contacts with

objects and who are able to resist the rush of desire and anger will

have a balanced mind.

 

What is Meditation? (6 - 18, 24, 25) Meditation is the liberation of

mind from all desires and the establishment of the mind on Self

alone. Such a Yogi will be self content and self-controlled with

unshakable determination.

 

Goal of Human Life ( 7 - 10) God is the strength of the strong,

devoid of desire and passion. The desire for union with God is the

only desire that will fulfil the goal of having no desire and it will

not be contrary to the Goal.

 

Practice of Yoga Sastraa to Control Body: (8 - 12) All the gates of

the body restrained, the mind confined within the heart, one's life

force fixed in the head, established in concentration by Yoga (The

physical body is called the nine-gated city!)

 

What is Yoga of Sovereign Mystery (Devotion)? (9 - 34) The way to

rise out of our ego-centered consciousness to the divine plane is

through focusing of all our energies, intellectual, emotional and

volitional on God. Knowledge, love and power get fused in supreme

unification. Bliss through Total Surrender and Complete Detachment

from desires.

 

What is Buddhi Yoga? (10 - 9 & 10) The devotion of mind by which the

disciple gains the wisdom which sees the one in all the forms which

change and pass. By diverting the rowing mind on God the disciple

controls the senses.

 

What is Devotion (Bhakti)? (11 - 55) The essence of Bhakti is to

carry out the duties, directing the spirit to God and with a complete

detachment from all interest in the things of the world and also free

from enmity toward others.

 

Who is a True Devotee? (12 - 13 & 14) The person with no ill will to

any being, who is friendly and compassionate, free from egoism and

self -sense, even-minded in pain and pleasure, tolerant and self-

controlled is a True Devotee!

 

What is True Wisdom ? (13 - 13 & 14) Humility, integrity,

nonviolence, patience, uprightness, service of teacher, purity,

steadfastness, self-control, indifference to the objects of sense,

self-effacement and the perception of the evil of birth, death, old

age, sickness and pain, non-attachment to spouse, children, and other

possessions, and a constant equal-mindedness to all desirable and

undesirable happenings.

 

The True Human Nature (Stithaprajna) (14 - 24 to 26) The person who

regards pain and pleasure alike, who dwells in own self, who looks

upon a clod, a stone, apiece of gold as of equal worth, who remains

the same amidst the pleasant and the unpleasant things, who is firm

of mind, who regards both blame and praise as one, who is the same in

honor and dishonor, who treats friends and foes same, who has given

up all initiative of action and who serves God with unfailing

devotion of love is said to have risen above the three modes.

 

What is Liberation? (15 - 5) Those who are freed from pride and

delusion, who have conquered the evil of attachment, who have frozen

their desires, who are ever devoted to the Supreme Spirit are

liberated from the dualities known as pleasure and pain and are

undeluded, go to that eternal state of Brahman.

 

Divinity in Human Nature (16 - 2 & 3) The virtues that include

Nonviolence, truth, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquility,

aversion to fault finding, compassion to living beings, freedom from

covetousness, gentleness, modesty and steadiness, vigor, forgiveness,

fortitude, purity, freedom from malice and excessive pride belong to

True Human nature unified with Divinity.

 

Qualities of a Perfect Human Being (17 - 14 to 16) Worship of the

Gods, of the twice-born, of teachers and of the wise, purity,

uprightness, austerity and nonviolence, the utterance of non-

offensive speech, serenity of mind, gentleness, silence and self-

control are the necessary standard to become more perfect.

 

Who is a Perfect Yogi? (18 - 51 to 53) A Yogi endowed with a pure

understanding, firmly restraining oneself, turning away from sound

and other objects of sense, casting aside attraction and aversion,

dwelling in solitude, controlling speech, body and mind, engaged in

meditation and concentration, free from self-sense, arrogance,

violence, desire, anger, possession, ego-less and with total peace of

mind.

 

In conclusion, Vedic spirituality is not narrowly confined to any

specific religion or belief. Divinity is always present when a person

lives a spiritual life. It hardly matters whether that person

believes in God. Belief in God is an inference and is not a

statement! If I live according to the rules defined by Lord Krishna

in Bhagavad Geeta, I implicitly believe in Lord Krishna. It hardly

matters whether I state I believe in Lord Krishna or do not believe

in Lord Krishna. Similarly if I state that I believe in Lord Krishna

and if all my actions contradict my statement then by inference I am

a nonbeliever.

 

It is my opinion that the subtle message of Bhagavad Geeta

is: "Actions are inevitable and excuses are indefensible." When

actions are conducted spontaneously without looking for rewards we

are truly liberated!

 

Warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

 

advaitin, "ramvchandran" <rchandran@c...> wrote:

>

> (To be continued in the second post)

[Guest guest]

Namaste Premiji

 

One way is to perform ONLY our swadharma and do only what's required. And

here's another quote from the Gita:

 

"Let the scriptures be the authority in determining what ought to be done

and what ought not to be done"- Bhagavad Gita 18:24

 

>

> ObtainingMoksha [sMTP:ObtainingMoksha]

> Friday, July 12, 2002 11:48 AM

> advaitin

> Re: Gita's Message!

>

> Namaste,

>

> I was one question, about what you posted, if you don't mind. How is one

> to

> restrain the senses in order to keep the mind in the heart, I've

> repeatedly

> seen that written in the Bhagavad Gita, to control and restrain the

> senses,

> how is this accomplished? Thank you.

>

> peace always

>

> Prem

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of

> Atman and Brahman.

> Advaitin List Archives available at:

> http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/

> To Post a message send an email to : advaitin

> Messages Archived at: advaitin/messages

>

>

>

> Your use of is subject to

>

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sri Sunder,

 

Thank you for that. I understand now.

 

peace

 

Prem

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sri Ram Chandran,

 

Okay thank you!

 

peace

 

Prem

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Gita - Ch. 6 : v. 25 and 35 give the gist:

 

 

shanaiH shanairuparamed.h bud.hdhyaa dhR^itigR^ihiitayaa .

aatmasa.nsthaM manaH kR^itvaa na ki.nchidapi chintayet.h .. 6\.25..

 

25. One should gradually withdraw with the intellect endowed with

steadiness. Making the mind fixed in the Self, one should not think

of anything whatsoever.

 

Tyaktva, by eschewing; asesatah, totally, without a trace; sarvan,

all; the kamam, desires; sankalpa-prabhavan, which arise from

thoughts; and further, viniyamya, restraining; manasa eva, with the

mind itself, with the mind endued with discrimination; indriya-

gramam, all the organs; samantatah, from every side; uparamet, one

should withdraw, abstain; sanaih sanaih, gradually, not suddenly;-

with what?-buddhya, with the intellect;- possessed of what

distinction?-dhrti-grhitaya, endowed with steadiness, i.e. with

fortitude.

 

Krtva, making manah, the mind; atma-samstham, fixed in the Self, with

the idea, 'The Self alone is all; there is nothing apart from It'-

thus fixing the mind on the Self; na cintayet, one should not think

of; kincit api, anything whatsoever.

 

This is the highest instruction about Yoga.

 

asa.nshayaM mahaabaaho mano durnigraha.n chalam.h .

abhyaasena tu kaunteya vairaagyeNa cha gR^ihyate .. 6\.35..

 

35. O mighty-armed one, undoubtedly the mind is untractable and

restless. But, O son of Kunti, it is brought under control through

practice and detachment.

 

Mahabaho, O mighty-armed one; asamsayam, undoubtedly-there is no

doubt with regard to this; that the manah, mind; is durnigraham,

untractable; and calm, restless. Tu, but; it-the modifications of

the mind in the form of distractions-grhyate, is brought under

control; abhyasena, through practice- abhyasa means repetition of

some idea or thought of the mind one some mental plane ['Some mental

plane' suggests some object of concentration.]-; and vairagyena,

through detachment-vairagya means absence of hankering for enjoyment

of desirable things, seen or unseen, as a result of the practice of

discerning their defect.

 

That mind is thus brought undr control, restrained, i.e. completely

subdued.

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

 

 

advaitin, ObtainingMoksha@a... wrote:

> Namaste,

>

> I was one question, about what you posted, if you don't mind. How

is one to

> restrain the senses in order to keep the mind in the heart, I've

repeatedly

> seen that written in the Bhagavad Gita, to control and restrain the

senses,

> how is this accomplished? Thank you.

>

> peace always

>

> Prem

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Namaste:

 

You have raised an important questions and the answers to this

question has to come within one's own heart after meditative

comtemplation. We need to restore Divinity in our heart and this can

be accomplished by removing 'ego.' Ego is responsible for the

dualistic perceptions - good and bad, right and wrong, joy and sorrow

etc and sense organs are misused to create those perceptions!

 

A good example is the computer and most of the time we blame the

computer for 'our' failures. Computers and sense organs are just

machines and their existence is to help and it is upto the user to

program them appropriately. Gita can be considered as a manual to

help us to fine tune our attitude to act appropriately. In sailing

through the journey of life we are endowed with the instruments

(sense organs)as His gift. According to Gita any misuse of those

precious gifts can endanger our journey with sorrow and confusion.

 

Gita's approach to the controlling the sense organs can be summarized

as the "yoga sadhana.' This may explain why Gita is well known as

Yoga Sastra in addition to its other attribute as "Dharma Shastra."

In Gita, Yoga Sadhana is described by three classifications - Karma

Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga. We should remind ourselves that

even though these divisions may appear as distinct entities,

utlimately they are indistinguishable! Gitacharya understands

that "one-size doesn't fit all" and consequently fulfills the needs

of persons at level of spiritual maturity. Another important point

that we need to remember is that this manual of self unfoldment

becomes meaningless if we don't observe "dharma." I highly recommend

the book "A Manual of Self-unfoldment," written by Swami

Chinmayananda for those who want to understand Vedanta through Gita.

This book is available at Chinmaya Mission Centers and at leading

book stores. We should not forget the fact that Yoga and Dharma are

inseparable entities.

 

In various chapters of Gita approaches the question of control of

sense organs to suit people with different Gunas (attitudes).

Gitacharya doesn't really provide any prescriptions but pose the

advantages and disadvanatages of behaving differently at various

situations. The message is quite subtle but at the same time quite

powerful. Gitacharya portrays the transformation of Arjun

from "egpcentric person endowed with confusion confounded by fear

and ignorance" to a "person free of ego with true wisdom" and the

messge is symbolic. We are all Arjuns and the Mahabharat war is the

representation of our daily struggle of life and if we keep the faith

in Gita, we can also transform our attitude and behavior and liberate

our sorrow, fear and confusion confounded by our ignorance.!

 

Warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin, ObtainingMoksha@a... wrote:

> How is one to restrain the senses in order to keep the mind in the

> heart, I've repeatedly seen that

> written in the Bhagavad Gita, to control and restrain the senses,

> how is this accomplished? Thank you.

>

> peace always

>

> Prem

[Guest guest]

advaitin, ObtainingMoksha@a... wrote:

> Namaste,

>

> I was one question, about what you posted, if you don't mind. How

is one to

> restrain the senses in order to keep the mind in the heart, I've

repeatedly

> seen that written in the Bhagavad Gita, to control and restrain the

senses,

> how is this accomplished? Thank you.

>

 

Pranaam,

 

In Sankara's great work "ATMABODHA" in the very first verse the

master gives the qualifications necessary for a student to study

Vedanta and these are :

 

1. Annihilation of Sins through practice of austerities

2. Calming the mind

3. Freedom from desires, and

4. Yearning for liberation

 

Your query relates to point (3) vitaraginam, for which the

explanation given is that a desire is basically a plan developed by

the intellect to fill the 'void' felt within us. Much as we may try

this 'void' can never be successfully filled through sense objects.

Its like quich-sand. Desires can only multiply....As long as these

desires are entertained we remain agitated. Our identification,

focus, must shift from the material to the higher reality.

 

Swami Vivekananda once said that the intense desires for the sense

objects must be converted to the intense desire for self realisation.

Then alone will we find peace and calm the mind.

 

The other way is to simplr "grow" out of these desires through

abhyasa and sadhana. At some point in our lives a bicycle or a bag of

marbles were the most important things to us....we have outgrown

these, haven't we? Same can be achieved in the spiritual pursuit, too.

 

Best regards,

 

Kamal

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Well I wasn't exactly sure what it meant by restraining the senses because

that statement gives the notion of in meditation kind of...how to explain

it...like ignoring all yoru senses so that you have no attention to them,

like, you can't see anything or hear anything or feel anything. That is the

perception I got from it. But thank you for that clarification.

 

peace

 

Prem

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hari Om !!

 

advaitin, ObtainingMoksha@a... wrote:

> Namaste,

>

> I was one question, about what you posted, if you don't mind. How

is one to

> restrain the senses in order to keep the mind in the heart, I've

repeatedly

> seen that written in the Bhagavad Gita, to control and restrain the

senses,

> how is this accomplished? Thank you.

>

> peace always

>

> Prem

 

Your question is very valid. I too find that it is not 100 % clear

what it means when we hear 'keep senses withdrawn'; more difficult is

the question as to what to do to 'keep the senses withdrawn'.

 

On my recent readings, I found a practical suggestion in 'Sushka

Vedanta Tamo Bhaskaramu' of Sri Malayala Swami of Vyasa Asramam,

Erpedu, Chittor Dist., AP, India.

 

The Holy Swami says that our Vasanas find expression in company of

people who have similar vasanas. So, the best idea to keep the senses

under control is to identify as such sensual thoughts raise, and

leave the place. This gives an opportunity so that we can check the

mind and bring its attention back to Self.

 

Om Namo Narayanaya !!

 

Srikrishna

[Guest guest]

Hari Om !!

 

advaitin, ObtainingMoksha@a... wrote:

> Namaste,

>

> Well I wasn't exactly sure what it meant by restraining the senses

because

> that statement gives the notion of in meditation kind of...how to

explain

> it...like ignoring all yoru senses so that you have no attention to

them,

> like, you can't see anything or hear anything or feel anything.

That is the

> perception I got from it. But thank you for that clarification.

>

> peace

>

> Prem

 

The technique need not be limited to meditation time.

 

It is natural that the mind out of its usual habits keeps on dwelling

on things (sense impulses) which have deper impressions on it.

 

It could be simply thinking of certain tasty and choice food of

yours, at a time which is not the food time. It could be at a time

when you are doing meditation or working at office or some thing

else. Lingering of a fragrant coffee could trigger desire for coffee

of your choice (of that taste of your memory) or desire to listen to

some thing which gave a prior soothing experience, or that comfort of

touch or expression of desire to sex. All these are natural. Given

your regular environment these sensual desires are under check or

work within the domain of prescribed Dharma. All this is good.

 

But,, once you meet people of excessive desires, we lose control on

our regular 'Dharmic' living of enjoying these sense pleasures and

get carried away by those desires, as we identify with them suddenly.

They way to check such surge is to seek good company.

 

Many people get carried away and lose control when we see explicit

pictures. We identify with our body and forget that we are the Self,

and at least a human being of righteous conduct, and imagine vulgar

things. What is the solution for it. Only keeping away from such

environment, as soon as you identify such thoughts raising in our

mind. Let this trickle not become a flood and submerge you.

 

(substitute my name wherever I used 'you')

 

Om Namo Narayanaya !!

 

Srikrishna

[Guest guest]

--- srikrishna_ghadiyaram

<srikrishna_ghadiyaram wrote:

> Hari Om !!

>

> advaitin, ObtainingMoksha@a... wrote:

> > Namaste,

> >

> > Well I wasn't exactly sure what it meant by

> restraining the senses

> because

> > that statement gives the notion of in meditation

> kind of...how to

 

Shree Srikrishna has provided Shree Krishna's message

in a nut shell. The problem you mentioned is a

universal problem and every one has go through that

process - This is what is discussed as the sadhana

chatushhTayam - the four-fold sadhana - the very first

two addresses the question you have raised - By

stating up-front as the very first two requirements,

one can see their importance. It is only by abhyaasa

or constant practice- one can overcome the pressures

of these vasana-s. These are part of the labour pains

that one has to go through in life. They are called

shama and dama - one is the physically restraining it

by avoiding the environment that is conducive for the

dissipation of the energies and the other is mentally

restraining it by withdrawing the mind. The first one

leads slowly to the next one. Hence a disciplined

life is essential for a seeker.

 

There are two sloka-s in Geeta that Shree Krishna

emphasizes.

 

yato yato nischarati manas chancalam astiram

tatastato niyamyaitat aatmanyeva vasham nahet||

 

Wheever whenever the mind drifts towards the sense

objects, then and then itself it needs to be brought

back to redirect towards the supreme self.

 

Drifting towards the objects is natural and that is

the nature of the mind - redirecting the mind back to

the goal is the discipline required. this is true

even for material success - is it not. How to do? -

the goal itslef should provide the needed energy to do

that. If I want to accomplish even materialistically,

I have to discipline my mind and redirect all my

efforts towards the goal. Higher the goal greater the

energy that I can tap to accomplish that - Only those

who are goal-oriented can succeed in life. If this is

so true even for materialistic accomplishments, how

true it is for very subtle but supreme goal of life

itself.

 

Shree Krishana gives the recipe too-

 

... abyaasenatu kounteya vairaagyena ca gRihyate|

 

one by continous practice and two by detachment one

can succeed in redirecting the mind.

 

Detachment from lower comes by attachment to higher -

hence we are back to the goal - Hence this is

emphasized as mumukshutvam - the intense desire to

reach for realisation.

 

Do not worry - everyone is in the same boat and

everyone has to make that attempt to cross that ocean.

 

Hari OM!

Sadananda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autos - Get free new car price quotes

http://autos.

[Guest guest]

Namaste Ram Chandran,

 

That clarifies it, thank you. It seems like a difficult thing to do, needing

a lot of practice, probably because we've spent all our lives building these

mental perceptions around everything.

 

peace

 

Prem

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Shraddha does sound important if I'm understanding it right. Certainly one

can't get anywhere if they don't care the slightest bit if they spiritually

grow or not! May I ask a question? Well I've seen the prefix of "Sri"

before, before a name, and was told that this was out of respect for someone,

but I've never seen "JI", like when you said "Premji". is this sort of the

same thing?

 

peace

 

Prem

 

peace

 

prem

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

> advaitin, ObtainingMoksha@a... wrote:

> Namaste,

>

> Well I wasn't exactly sure what it meant by restraining the senses

> because that statement gives the notion of in meditation kind

> of...how to explain it...like ignoring all yoru senses so that

> you have no attention to them,

> like, you can't see anything or hear anything or feel anything.

> That is the perception I got from it.

 

Namaste:

 

The question of restraining the senses is quite important but it is

complex because addresses multiple situations in one stroke.

Gitacharya answers this question both implicitly and explicitly in

various chapters.

 

The restraining senses should be viewed as an outcome of spiritual

maturity and let me give some examples. The father gave his toddler a

colorful balloon to play with and while playing the balloon with the

child, the balloon got busted! The toddler who became very fond of

the balloon couldn't accept the loss of the balloon and started

crying. The joy of touching and playing with the colorful balloon

had impacted the child much more than the father. The child couldn't

understand that the balloon is fragile and is likely to bust within a

short span of time. But the matured father had no difficulty in

accepting the loss because he was matured and reasonable.

Everything that occurs in the nature always has an explanation, some

accept the events without any reservations, some with reservations

and others get agitated! Everything that happens in the nature

is `God's creation – Ishwara Sristi..' Our reaction to such

happenings is our creation (Jiva Sristi.) For example, banana is

Ishwara Sristi and our reactions such as `good banana,' `bad

banana,' `I like banana,' `I hate banana' are Jiva Sristi. The Jiva

Sristi is the perception created through the sense organs by touch,

taste, etc. According to Gitacharya, controlling the senses is to

avoid creating our own perception of the Ishwara Sristis. Hunger is

a part of human nature and eating when hungry is human dharma. A

spiritually matured person eats the banana as Ishwara Prasad (gift

and grace of god) and accepts without any reservation and without

creating images of its shape and taste. Such a person will have

little difficulty in eating an apple instead of banana and he/she may

not longing only for banana. A person who possesses such an attitude

of equanimity is free from the spell of mAyA (mental creations or

images accrued through the sense organs). In Vedantic terminology

such a yogi is known as the `Nithya Sanyasi.!' Such a yogi sees,

touches, tastes, eats, drinks, sleeps like everyone else but frees

the mind from building images or perceptions that accrued through the

sense organs. Lord Krishna is known as the `Nithya Brahmachari' even

though he married Radha and Rukmani!

 

Warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

Note: Swami Dayananda Saraswati (Paramacharya of Arsha Vidya

Gurukulam)'s detailed home-study Gita notes contain detailed answer

to the above question and he has profound explanations on

distinguishing between Ishwara Sristi and Jiva Sristi. Ideally, one

should listen to him because by reading alone, we can't get his full

message. There is no substitute for an `Oral expression,' and that

may explain why the Vedas have been transmitted from generation to

generation orally!

[Guest guest]

Namaste, Is Namaskar similar to the meaning of Namaste? I like the meanings

of those words and gestures. They seem quite meaningful. Well that is, if

people recognize tat meaning when doing it and not just do it out of a feel

to need to do it.

 

peace

 

Prem

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste Premji:

 

Your point is well taken and that is why our scriptures insists

on 'shraddha.' No english translation can fully incorporate the

implied term and it combines three words faith, conviction and

determination and all the three at the supremum level! There can be

no 'sadhana' without 'shraddha.' To be a yogi, one has to perform

the 'sadhana' with 'shraddha.'

 

warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin, ObtainingMoksha@a... wrote:

> Namaste Ram Chandran,

>

> That clarifies it, thank you. It seems like a difficult thing to

do, needing

> a lot of practice, probably because we've spent all our lives

building these

> mental perceptions around everything.

>

> peace

>

> Prem

[Guest guest]

Namaskar Premji:

 

There is a saying, never say, 'never!.' We have addressed our great

leaders as Gandhiji, Nethaji, Swamiji, etc. Certainly such addresses

show our respect to them and also shows our humility. Let me also

summarize other symbolic gestures while greeting others. It is a

Vedic custom to greet a friend or a relative by joining our hands

(palms together), bow down in front of the other person, and say

Namaskar or Pranam. The Lord dwells in the heart of all living

beings. The joining of hands symbolizes reverent Salutations and the

ultimate Unity of Souls. Bowing down and joining the hands shows

humility and when we say Namaskar, we express our vision of the

divinity in the other person. By saying Pranam we convey that the

person in front is the all pervading Brahman. According to Vedas,

Brahman's breathing (Pranam) symbolizes the creation. Om (Aum) is

the symbolic representation of the supreme reality (Brahman). The

recitation of `Om' is known as the `Pranav manthra,' which again

represents the creation of the universe.

 

Our heritatge and culture is second to none and when we understand

the hidden meaning behind those gestures, we certainly can cultivate

universal friendship and understanding,

 

warmest greetings,

 

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin, ObtainingMoksha@a... wrote:

> Namaste,

> May I ask a question? Well I've seen the prefix of "Sri"

> before, before a name, and was told that this was out of respect

> for someone, but I've never seen "JI",

[Guest guest]

Namaste Premji:

 

Namaste, Namaskar, Namaskaram, pranAm are all equivalent. Your last

statement is quite important and if confirms with the scriptural

statement that most important ingredient for any 'sadhana'

is 'shraddha.'

 

warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin, ObtainingMoksha@a... wrote:

> Namaste, Is Namaskar similar to the meaning of Namaste? I like

> the meanings of those words and gestures.

> They seem quite meaningful. Well that is, if people recognize

> that meaning when doing it and not just do it out of a feel

> to need to do it.

[amol]

i am amol, by chance i have fallen into love with a girl and she also loves me. but my senses r towards material gains instead of true love. what should and how to have control on my senses. i want to marry her but with this attitude i won't