Burn the incense to get the fragrance

[Guest guest]

Dear All,Hari Om.Forwarding what I received from Swami Chidananda of Varanasi.With Love & Pranams,LakshmyBURN THE INCENSE TO GET THE FRAGRANCE    

                Mere words take you nowhere; live them and then you know the great beauty of spiritual wisdom. Just as you have to burn incense sticks to get their fragrant fumes, you have to burn the words in the flame of actual living to feel their great power.

                “bhuktaye, na tu muktaye”

said Shri Shankaracharya in his Viveka-Chudamani, which means, “Verbal

scholarship can only give some amount of worldly enjoyment but not

inner freedom”. Like singers, dancers and other performers, speakers on

spiritual topics become heroes in this mad world. Masses see in these

people larger-than-life figures; they almost become living gods

in the eyes of their fans and admirers. They suffer privately from

their human frailties. They can neither be comfortable in their role

(as it is not natural or normal for them) nor can they easily extricate

themselves from the artificial structures around them.

                One in a hundred, however, walks out. She intensifies her efforts towards living the

core teachings. She stands guard, for example, against her habitual

tendencies to seek “reward, recognition, fame and name” in all that she

does. That is phala-tyaga of the Bhagavad-Geeta. To let go of the urge for praise is more valuable than giving a hundred discourses on one of those Geeta shlokas

that talk about such “renunciation of fruits of action”. She does not

hesitate to cancel a public talk if some difficulty arises in the

organizing of it but takes extra care not postpone her  inquiry

or meditation. She saves energy by withdrawing from egotistic

activities and invests it in actual, inner exploration. In speech, food

and sleep, she avoids excess and gently trains her body and mind to

come upon a natural state of harmony.

                Plenty of opportunities to do real sadhana come to us in our privacy. No wonder Bernard Shaw remarked, “A man’s character is to be judged by what he does when he thinks nobody is watching him.” Real sadhana does

not compartmentalize life into public and private domains. The earnest

seeker has no dual policies for these two spheres. If he likes to read

some magazines for half an hour, for example, he does so – irrespective

of whether someone is watching him or not. His true values and

understanding determine his behaviour; the fear of being judged or the

desire to impress people does not. All this is possible if a certain

inner cleansing has taken place. This cleansing takes place when we

give space to ourselves, to watch and to learn. Much before the big

question “Who am I?” could be asked, we must ask, “What am I doing?

What do I fear? Why am I compromising?” Rather than going into a long,

verbal analysis or commentary on our own behaviour, we must inquire

with a silent mind. It is not in elaborate thinking but in simple, direct seeing that false fears flee. Contradictions disappear; integration of personality takes place.

                Living

the spiritual teachings thus is not about conforming to some precepts

or formulas. The core of the great teachings seldom stresses on dos and

don’ts. It rather asks us to find out what is right. The light within

us guides us. The silent mind – free from personal likes and dislikes –

is the springboard of right action. The best judgment arises from the

non-judgmental state of mind.

    Swami Chidananda

Varanasi

 

www.j-krishnamurti.org (KFI, Varanasi)                                                           

www.fowai.org (Fowai Forum)

[Guest guest]

Dear Lakshmyji,

 

Thank you very much for sharing Chidanandaji's words. They are so powerful and thought provoking. The actual renunciation of fruits or " phalathyaaga " is very rarely seen. It is even harder to discriminate who is a thyagi and who is not a thyagi. That is why we have so many living Gods in the present time. May Guruvayurappan bless and guide us to stay close to Him!

 

Regards and prayers

 

Savitri 

On Sun, Sep 13, 2009 at 7:35 PM, Lakshmy Prakash <lakshmygprakash wrote:

 

 

 

 

Dear All,Hari Om.Forwarding what I received from Swami Chidananda of Varanasi.With Love & Pranams,Lakshmy

BURN THE INCENSE TO GET THE FRAGRANCE

 

 

                Mere words take you nowhere; live them and then you know the great beauty of spiritual wisdom. Just as you have to burn incense sticks to get their fragrant fumes, you have to burn the words in the flame of actual living to feel their great power.

                “bhuktaye, na tu muktaye” said Shri Shankaracharya in his Viveka-Chudamani, which means, “Verbal scholarship can only give some amount of worldly enjoyment but not inner freedom”. Like singers, dancers and other performers, speakers on spiritual topics become heroes in this mad world. Masses see in these people larger-than-life figures; they almost become living gods in the eyes of their fans and admirers. They suffer privately from their human frailties. They can neither be comfortable in their role (as it is not natural or normal for them) nor can they easily extricate themselves from the artificial structures around them.

                One in a hundred, however, walks out. She intensifies her efforts towards living the core teachings. She stands guard, for example, against her habitual tendencies to seek “reward, recognition, fame and name” in all that she does. That is phala-tyaga of the Bhagavad-Geeta. To let go of the urge for praise is more valuable than giving a hundred discourses on one of those Geeta shlokas that talk about such “renunciation of fruits of action”. She does not hesitate to cancel a public talk if some difficulty arises in the organizing of it but takes extra care not postpone her  inquiry or meditation. She saves energy by withdrawing from egotistic activities and invests it in actual, inner exploration. In speech, food and sleep, she avoids excess and gently trains her body and mind to come upon a natural state of harmony.

                Plenty of opportunities to do real sadhana come to us in our privacy. No wonder Bernard Shaw remarked, “A man’s character is to be judged by what he does when he thinks nobody is watching him.” Real sadhana does not compartmentalize life into public and private domains. The earnest seeker has no dual policies for these two spheres. If he likes to read some magazines for half an hour, for example, he does so – irrespective of whether someone is watching him or not. His true values and understanding determine his behaviour; the fear of being judged or the desire to impress people does not. All this is possible if a certain inner cleansing has taken place. This cleansing takes place when we give space to ourselves, to watch and to learn. Much before the big question “Who am I?” could be asked, we must ask, “What am I doing? What do I fear? Why am I compromising?” Rather than going into a long, verbal analysis or commentary on our own behaviour, we must inquire with a silent mind. It is not in elaborate thinking but in simple, direct seeing that false fears flee. Contradictions disappear; integration of personality takes place.

                Living the spiritual teachings thus is not about conforming to some precepts or formulas. The core of the great teachings seldom stresses on dos and don’ts. It rather asks us to find out what is right. The light within us guides us. The silent mind – free from personal likes and dislikes – is the springboard of right action. The best judgment arises from the non-judgmental state of mind.

 

 

Swami Chidananda

Varanasi

 

www.j-krishnamurti.org (KFI, Varanasi)                                                            www.fowai.org (Fowai Forum)

[Guest guest]

Dear Savitriji, Lekshmiji and others,Burn the incense, but be careful, now a days almost all incense are also loaded with toxic substance, just like the “Verbal

scholarship" holders..Thanks Sincerely,Udayabhanu Panickaraum namaH ShivaayaOUR BODY IS THE ABODE OF THE JEEVATMAN, WHICH IS IN

FACT THE PARABRAHMAN. LET US NOT MAKE IT A GRAVEYARD. LET US NOT EAT FLESH.. LET US BE VEGETARIANS AND STAY HEALTHY. Animals are to be loved, not eaten.Eating flesh is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, not even for the body. It distorts the basic character of human. --- On Mon, 9/14/09, Savitri Puram <savitriopuram wrote:Savitri Puram <savitriopuramRe: [Guruvayur] Burn the incense to get the fragranceguruvayur Date: Monday, September 14, 2009, 7:45 AM

 

 

Dear Lakshmyji,

 

Thank you very much for sharing Chidanandaji's words. They are so powerful and thought provoking. The actual renunciation of fruits or "phalathyaaga" is very rarely seen. It is even harder to discriminate who is a thyagi and who is not a thyagi. That is why we have so many living Gods in the present time. May Guruvayurappan bless and guide us to stay close to Him!

 

Regards and prayers

 

Savitri

On Sun, Sep 13, 2009 at 7:35 PM, Lakshmy Prakash <lakshmygprakash@ gmail.com> wrote:

 

 

 

Dear All,Hari Om.Forwarding what I received from Swami Chidananda of Varanasi.With Love & Pranams,Lakshmy

BURN THE INCENSE TO GET THE FRAGRANCE

Mere words take you nowhere; live them and then you know the great beauty of spiritual wisdom. Just as you have to burn incense sticks to get their fragrant fumes, you have to burn the words in the flame of actual living to feel their great power.

“bhuktaye, na tu muktaye†said Shri Shankaracharya in his Viveka-Chudamani, which means, “Verbal scholarship can only give some amount of worldly enjoyment but not inner freedomâ€. Like singers, dancers and other performers, speakers on spiritual topics become heroes in this mad world. Masses see in these people larger-than- life figures; they almost become living gods in the eyes of their fans and admirers. They suffer privately from their human frailties. They can neither be comfortable in their role (as it is not natural or normal for them) nor can they easily extricate themselves from the artificial structures around them.

One in a hundred, however, walks out. She intensifies her efforts towards living the core teachings. She stands guard, for example, against her habitual tendencies to seek “reward, recognition, fame and name†in all that she does. That is phala-tyaga of the Bhagavad-Geeta. To let go of the urge for praise is more valuable than giving a hundred discourses on one of those Geeta shlokas that talk about such “renunciation of fruits of actionâ€. She does not hesitate to cancel a public talk if some difficulty arises in the organizing of it but takes extra care not postpone her inquiry or meditation. She saves energy by withdrawing from egotistic activities and invests it in actual, inner exploration. In speech, food and sleep, she

avoids excess and gently trains her body and mind to come upon a natural state of harmony.

Plenty of opportunities to do real sadhana come to us in our privacy. No wonder Bernard Shaw remarked, “A man’s character is to be judged by what he does when he thinks nobody is watching him.†Real sadhana does not compartmentalize life into public and private domains. The earnest seeker has no dual policies for these two spheres. If he likes to read some magazines for half an hour, for example, he does so – irrespective of whether someone is watching him or not. His true values and understanding determine his behaviour; the fear of being judged or the desire to impress people does not. All this is possible if a certain inner cleansing has taken place. This cleansing takes place when we give space to ourselves, to watch and to learn. Much before the big

question “Who am I?†could be asked, we must ask, “What am I doing? What do I fear? Why am I compromising?†Rather than going into a long, verbal analysis or commentary on our own behaviour, we must inquire with a silent mind. It is not in elaborate thinking but in simple, direct seeing that false fears flee. Contradictions disappear; integration of personality takes place.

Living the spiritual teachings thus is not about conforming to some precepts or formulas. The core of the great teachings seldom stresses on dos and don’ts. It rather asks us to find out what is right. The light within us guides us. The silent mind – free from personal likes and dislikes – is the springboard of right action. The best judgment arises from the non-judgmental state of mind.

Swami Chidananda

Varanasi

 

www.j-krishnamurti. org (KFI, Varanasi) www.fowai.org (Fowai Forum)

[Guest guest]

HARI AUM

 

Reaching the non-judgemental state is the GOAL. As Swamiji rightly said the guidance is already available within. It is fitted as a 'OE (original equipment) by 'him' in all of us at the time of birth itself. One can 'listen' to that guidance at all times too - mostly it is feeble. One will have to strain oneself. Feed it by reading scriptures, Bhakthi, good thoughts and deeds & association.

 

BG 13/23 - "upadraShTAnumantA cha .......dehe.asminpuruShaH paraH" - beautifully describes how 'he' sitting within reacts / proacts to one's thoughts and deeds - as a Spectator, Permitter, Supporter, Enjoyer, Great Lord and the Supreme SELF

 

Regards

 

Balagopal

 

NARAYANA NARAYANA NARAYANA

 

 

Connect more, do more and share more with India Mail. Learn more.

[Guest guest]

Hari-Om

 

In the olden days we burnt incence sticks , camphor etc in front of the deities

and it spread the frgrance all around creating an aura of divine presence. In

those days they were made of sandal wood paste and they were called

Chandanathiri. They were made by Karnataka Soaps and cosmetics. Only pure sandal

wood powder/ paste was used.

At present Only God knows ( doubtful ) what these sticks are made of.

But one thing is sure with commercialism, they do use a lot of cheap perfume and

harmful chemicals. So Beware !Inhale everyday and it might be a one way ticket

to heaven.

I all Krishna temples, they give as prasada, a lump of sndalewood paste and a

few thulsi leaves and flowers.

I know some cases where the poojari gives out a paste msde FROM tiny tender

coconuts. Economy ?

In the famous Pazhavangdi Ganapathy Kovil , Trivandrum, the shanthikaran will

give prasadam to only those who tip (dakshina ) him before-hand. This is true

at Kanyakumari, Kumarakovil, and so on.

On the other hand the poojari at Neyyantinkra Sree krishna temple , trivandrum

dist,

is a very honest and dedicated devotee of the Lord.

 

when you break a coconut (at Pazhvangadi temple) the devotee is not allowed to

take a small piece from it but accept what the Contractor offers with his dirty

hands !

In some temples they use recycled thulsi mala and thulsi leaves.

 

 

jai shree krishna !

 

Achuthan Nair

 

guruvayur , Lakshmy Prakash <lakshmygprakash wrote:

>

> Dear All,

>

> Hari Om.

>

> Forwarding what I received from Swami Chidananda of Varanasi.

>

> With Love & Pranams,

> Lakshmy

>

> BURN THE INCENSE TO GET THE FRAGRANCE

>

>

>

>

>

> Mere words take you nowhere; live them and then you know the

> great beauty of spiritual wisdom. Just as you have to *burn *incense sticks

> to get their fragrant fumes, you have to *burn *the words in the flame of

> actual living to feel their great power.

>

> " *bhuktaye, na tu muktaye* " said Shri Shankaracharya in his

> Viveka-Chudamani, which means, " Verbal scholarship can only give some amount

> of worldly enjoyment but not inner freedom " . Like singers, dancers and other

> performers, speakers on spiritual topics become heroes in this mad world.

> Masses see in these people *larger-than-life *figures; they almost become

> living gods in the eyes of their fans and admirers. They suffer privately

> from their human frailties. They can neither be comfortable in their role

> (as it is not natural or normal for them) nor can they easily extricate

> themselves from the artificial structures around them.

>

> One in a hundred, however, walks out. She intensifies her

> efforts towards *living** *the core teachings. She stands guard, for

> example, against her habitual tendencies to seek " reward, recognition, fame

> and name " in all that she does. That is *phala-tyaga *of the Bhagavad-Geeta.

> To let go of the urge for praise is more valuable than giving a hundred

> discourses on one of those Geeta *shlokas* that talk about such

> " renunciation of fruits of action " . She does not hesitate to cancel a public

> talk if some difficulty arises in the organizing of it but takes extra care

> not postpone her inquiry or meditation. She saves energy by withdrawing

> from egotistic activities and invests it in actual, inner exploration. In

> speech, food and sleep, she avoids excess and gently trains her body and

> mind to come upon a natural state of harmony.

>

> Plenty of opportunities to do real *sadhana* come to us in

> our privacy. No wonder Bernard Shaw remarked, " A man's character is to be

> judged by what he does when he *thinks *nobody is watching him. " Real *sadhana

> *does not compartmentalize life into public and private domains. The earnest

> seeker has no dual policies for these two spheres. If he likes to read some

> magazines for half an hour, for example, he does so – irrespective of

> whether someone is watching him or not. His true values and understanding

> determine his behaviour; the fear of being judged or the desire to impress

> people does not. All this is possible if a certain inner cleansing has taken

> place. This cleansing takes place when we give space to ourselves, to watch

> and to learn. Much before the big question " Who am I? " could be asked, we

> must ask, " What am I doing? What do I fear? Why am I compromising? " Rather

> than going into a long, verbal analysis or commentary on our own behaviour,

> we must inquire with a silent mind. It is not in elaborate thinking but in

> simple, *direct* *seeing* that false fears flee. Contradictions disappear;

> integration of personality takes place.

>

> Living the spiritual teachings thus is not about conforming

> to some precepts or formulas. The core of the great teachings seldom

> stresses on dos and don'ts. It rather asks us to find out what is right. The

> light within us guides us. The silent mind – free from personal likes and

> dislikes – is the springboard of right action. The best judgment arises from

> the non-judgmental state of mind.

>

>

>

>

>

> Swami Chidananda

>

> Varanasi

>

>

>

>

> www.j-krishnamurti.org (KFI, Varanasi)

>

> www.fowai.org(Fowai Forum)

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Achuthan Nair and Others,Earlier I tried to give the il effects of incense burning in one sentence. Now I am attaching an article along with this for detailed information. As Mr Achuthan Nair said we don't know what is used in those incense sticks. Definitely there are toxic substance in them. If you can not get pure chandanatthiri or similar pure non toxic substance, please do not burn them at home. HE will understand, because HE never want HIS loved ones to get cancer.ThanksSincerely,Udayabhanu Panickaraum namaH ShivaayaOUR BODY IS THE ABODE OF THE JEEVATMAN, WHICH IS IN FACT THE PARABRAHMAN. LET US NOT MAKE IT A GRAVEYARD. LET US NOT EAT FLESH. LET US BE VEGETARIANS AND STAY HEALTHY. Animals are to be loved, not eaten.Eating flesh is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, not even for the body. It distorts the basic character of human. --- On Tue, 9/15/09, anair1101 <anair1101 wrote:anair1101 <anair1101[Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragranceguruvayur Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 7:37 PM

 

 

Hari-Om

 

In the olden days we burnt incence sticks , camphor etc in front of the deities and it spread the frgrance all around creating an aura of divine presence. In those days they were made of sandal wood paste and they were called Chandanathiri. They were made by Karnataka Soaps and cosmetics. Only pure sandal wood powder/ paste was used.

At present Only God knows ( doubtful ) what these sticks are made of.

But one thing is sure with commercialism, they do use a lot of cheap perfume and harmful chemicals. So Beware !Inhale everyday and it might be a one way ticket to heaven.

I all Krishna temples, they give as prasada, a lump of sndalewood paste and a few thulsi leaves and flowers.

I know some cases where the poojari gives out a paste msde FROM tiny tender coconuts. Economy ?

In the famous Pazhavangdi Ganapathy Kovil , Trivandrum, the shanthikaran will give prasadam to only those who tip (dakshina ) him before-hand. This is true at Kanyakumari, Kumarakovil, and so on.

On the other hand the poojari at Neyyantinkra Sree krishna temple , trivandrum dist,

is a very honest and dedicated devotee of the Lord.

 

when you break a coconut (at Pazhvangadi temple) the devotee is not allowed to take a small piece from it but accept what the Contractor offers with his dirty hands !

In some temples they use recycled thulsi mala and thulsi leaves.

 

jai shree krishna !

 

Achuthan Nair

 

guruvayur@grou ps.com, Lakshmy Prakash <lakshmygprakash@ ...> wrote:

>

> Dear All,

>

> Hari Om.

>

> Forwarding what I received from Swami Chidananda of Varanasi.

>

> With Love & Pranams,

> Lakshmy

>

> BURN THE INCENSE TO GET THE FRAGRANCE

>

>

>

>

>

> Mere words take you nowhere; live them and then you know the

> great beauty of spiritual wisdom. Just as you have to *burn *incense sticks

> to get their fragrant fumes, you have to *burn *the words in the flame of

> actual living to feel their great power.

>

> "*bhuktaye, na tu muktaye*" said Shri Shankaracharya in his

> Viveka-Chudamani, which means, "Verbal scholarship can only give some amount

> of worldly enjoyment but not inner freedom". Like singers, dancers and other

> performers, speakers on spiritual topics become heroes in this mad world.

> Masses see in these people *larger-than- life *figures; they almost become

> living gods in the eyes of their fans and admirers. They suffer privately

> from their human frailties. They can neither be comfortable in their role

> (as it is not natural or normal for them) nor can they easily extricate

> themselves from the artificial structures around them.

>

> One in a hundred, however, walks out. She intensifies her

> efforts towards *living** *the core teachings. She stands guard, for

> example, against her habitual tendencies to seek "reward, recognition, fame

> and name" in all that she does. That is *phala-tyaga *of the Bhagavad-Geeta.

> To let go of the urge for praise is more valuable than giving a hundred

> discourses on one of those Geeta *shlokas* that talk about such

> "renunciation of fruits of action". She does not hesitate to cancel a public

> talk if some difficulty arises in the organizing of it but takes extra care

> not postpone her inquiry or meditation. She saves energy by withdrawing

> from egotistic activities and invests it in actual, inner exploration. In

> speech, food and sleep, she avoids excess and gently trains her body and

> mind to come upon a natural state of harmony.

>

> Plenty of opportunities to do real *sadhana* come to us in

> our privacy. No wonder Bernard Shaw remarked, "A man's character is to be

> judged by what he does when he *thinks *nobody is watching him." Real *sadhana

> *does not compartmentalize life into public and private domains. The earnest

> seeker has no dual policies for these two spheres. If he likes to read some

> magazines for half an hour, for example, he does so – irrespective of

> whether someone is watching him or not. His true values and understanding

> determine his behaviour; the fear of being judged or the desire to impress

> people does not. All this is possible if a certain inner cleansing has taken

> place. This cleansing takes place when we give space to ourselves, to watch

> and to learn. Much before the big question "Who am I?" could be asked, we

> must ask, "What am I doing? What do I fear? Why am I compromising? " Rather

> than going into a long, verbal analysis or commentary on our own behaviour,

> we must inquire with a silent mind. It is not in elaborate thinking but in

> simple, *direct* *seeing* that false fears flee. Contradictions disappear;

> integration of personality takes place.

>

> Living the spiritual teachings thus is not about conforming

> to some precepts or formulas. The core of the great teachings seldom

> stresses on dos and don'ts. It rather asks us to find out what is right. The

> light within us guides us. The silent mind – free from personal likes and

> dislikes – is the springboard of right action. The best judgment arises from

> the non-judgmental state of mind.

>

>

>

>

>

> Swami Chidananda

>

> Varanasi

>

>

>

>

> www.j-krishnamurti. org (KFI, Varanasi)

>

> www.fowai.org( Fowai Forum)

>

 

 

 

1 of 1 File(s)

 

 

 

 

 

Toxins in Burning Candles Candle Wicks and Incense.pdf

[Guest guest]

A 2005 study done here in Singapore says

 

Singapore's paper consumption per capita = 144kg/person/year

which means 3.8 tress are cut to produce every 144kg of paper product.

 

Singapore has a population of 4.48million people which equals to about 17 million trees being felled for paper.

 

The Amazon rain forests is being savagely cut down to create space to rear cows for their meat, which is now known as "RAINFOREST BEEF".

 

Every second, an area of rainforest the size of a football field is destroyed for ever.

 

55sq ft of tropical rainfoest (an area the size of a small kitchen) are destroyed for the production of ONE fast food hamburger. If one takes a count of hamburgers consumed worldwide per day, rain forest would soon be full of cows.

 

The same would apply for the Chandana thiri. The Sandal wood forests would be clean if only pure sandalwood was used to make the Chandana thiri.

 

Oil used for prayer lamps come from tress. As demand increases, production plants need to improve tree outputs/additional fertilizers/ additives...

 

Fruits, vegetables, floweres all belong to same process. Refrigerated flowers,garlands is common now a days and they remain fresh with all the additives for even upto a week!

 

To save the planet, maybe we need to move towards Nama japam only with no light and fragrence in kali yuga?

 

Or be self sufficient,returning back to the Golden age when all people were happy with the things which were available locally with no imports/exports required.

 

 

 

 

 

8a.

Re: Burn the incense to get the fragrance

Posted by: "balagopal ramakrishnan" rbalpal rbalpal

Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:15 am (PDT)

HARI AUM Reaching the non-judgemental state is the GOAL. As Swamiji rightly said the guidance is already available within. It is fitted as a 'OE (original equipment) by 'him' in all of us at the time of birth itself. One can 'listen' to that guidance at all times too - mostly it is feeble. One will have to strain oneself. Feed it by reading scriptures, Bhakthi, good thoughts and deeds & association. BG 13/23 - "upadraShTAnumantA cha .......dehe. asminpuruShaH paraH" - beautifully describes how 'he' sitting within reacts / proacts to one's thoughts and deeds - as a Spectator, Permitter, Supporter, Enjoyer, Great Lord and the Supreme SELF Regards Balagopal NARAYANA NARAYANA NARAYANA Connect more, do more and share more with India Mail. Learn

more. http://in.overview. mail.. com/

 

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8b.

Re: Burn the incense to get the fragrance

Posted by: "anair1101" anair1101 anair1101

Tue Sep 15, 2009 4:56 pm (PDT)

Hari-OmIn the olden days we burnt incence sticks , camphor etc in front of the deities and it spread the frgrance all around creating an aura of divine presence. In those days they were made of sandal wood paste and they were called Chandanathiri. They were made by Karnataka Soaps and cosmetics. Only pure sandal wood powder/ paste was used. At present Only God knows ( doubtful ) what these sticks are made of.But one thing is sure with commercialism, they do use a lot of cheap perfume and harmful chemicals. So Beware !Inhale everyday and it might be a one way ticket to heaven. I all Krishna temples, they give as prasada, a lump of sndalewood paste and a few thulsi leaves and flowers. I know some cases where the poojari gives out a paste msde FROM tiny tender coconuts. Economy ?In the famous Pazhavangdi Ganapathy Kovil , Trivandrum,

the shanthikaran will give prasadam to only those who tip (dakshina ) him before-hand. This is true at Kanyakumari, Kumarakovil, and so on.On the other hand the poojari at Neyyantinkra Sree krishna temple , trivandrum dist,is a very honest and dedicated devotee of the Lord.when you break a coconut (at Pazhvangadi temple) the devotee is not allowed to take a small piece from it but accept what the Contractor offers with his dirty hands !In some temples they use recycled thulsi mala and thulsi leaves. jai shree krishna !Achuthan Nair>

 

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8c.

Re: Burn the incense to get the fragrance

Posted by: "Udayabhanu Panickar" udhayabhanupanickar udhayabhanupanickar

Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:51 pm (PDT)

[Attachment(s) from Udayabhanu Panickar included below] Dear Achuthan Nair and Others,Earlier I tried to give the il effects of incense burning in one sentence. Now I am attaching an article along with this for detailed information. As Mr Achuthan Nair said we don't know what is used in those incense sticks. Definitely there are toxic substance in them. If you can not get pure chandanatthiri or similar pure non toxic substance, please do not burn them at home. HE will understand, because HE never want HIS loved ones to get cancer.ThanksSincerely,Udayabhanu Panickar

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,If it is not the non-toxic thiri, don't burn it in side the home. HE will understand the problem. HE will never with hold HIS blessings because of this act. Sincerely,Udayabhanu Panickaraum namaH ShivaayaOUR BODY IS THE ABODE OF THE JEEVATMAN, WHICH IS IN FACT THE PARABRAHMAN. LET US NOT MAKE IT A GRAVEYARD. LET US NOT EAT FLESH. LET US BE VEGETARIANS AND STAY HEALTHY. Animals are to be loved, not eaten.Eating flesh is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, not even for the body. It distorts the basic character of human.

--- On Wed, 9/16/09, ramachandra menon <ramachandramenon wrote:ramachandra menon <ramachandramenonRe: [Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragranceguruvayur Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 2:06 AM

 

 

Nairji,

It is amusing to read about your apprehensions. The sandal sticks (chandana thiri) are all made out of cow dung. This is a cottage industry in Karnataka. Many poor families are engaged in this business. The take long strips of bamboo and smear it with wet cow dung and dry it. They may be adding some adhesive to it. Then they apply some perfume and sell it in the market. Sandal is a scarce commodity because the bulk of it goes to make sandal oil for export for making perfume.. The sandal paste given as prasadam in many temples is just a duplicate product. Kalabham is also a duplicate product. In Guruvayoor temple, the forest dept of Karnataka govt. allots certain tons of sandal wood and hence the kalabham you get there is almost original. The the one which is used to perform abhishekam to the Lord is pure sandal with Kesar added. This item is seldom available outside. You have to approach the melsanthi to get

it.

 

Ramachandra Menon

 

--- On Wed, 16/9/09, Udayabhanu Panickar <udhayabhanupanickar @> wrote:

Udayabhanu Panickar <udhayabhanupanickar @>Re: [Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragrance [1 Attachment]guruvayur@grou ps.comWednesday, 16 September, 2009, 6:14 AM

 

 

 

 

Dear Achuthan Nair and Others,Earlier I tried to give the il effects of incense burning in one sentence. Now I am attaching an article along with this for detailed information. As Mr Achuthan Nair said we don't know what is used in those incense sticks. Definitely there are toxic substance in them. If you can not get pure chandanatthiri or similar pure non toxic substance, please do not burn them at home. HE will understand, because HE never want HIS loved ones to get cancer.Thanks

Sincerely,Udayabhanu Panickaraum namaH ShivaayaOUR BODY IS THE ABODE OF THE JEEVATMAN, WHICH IS IN FACT THE PARABRAHMAN. LET US NOT MAKE IT A GRAVEYARD. LET US NOT EAT FLESH. LET US BE VEGETARIANS AND STAY HEALTHY. Animals are to be loved, not eaten.Eating flesh is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, not even for the body. It distorts the basic character of human.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--- On Tue, 9/15/09, anair1101 <anair1101 > wrote:

anair1101 <anair1101 (AT) (DOT) .com>[Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragranceguruvayur@grou ps.comTuesday, September 15, 2009, 7:37 PM

Hari-OmIn the olden days we burnt incence sticks , camphor etc in front of the deities and it spread the frgrance all around creating an aura of divine presence. In those days they were made of sandal wood paste and they were called Chandanathiri. They were made by Karnataka Soaps and cosmetics. Only pure sandal wood powder/ paste was used. At present Only God knows ( doubtful ) what these sticks are made of.But one thing is sure with commercialism, they do use a lot of cheap perfume and harmful chemicals. So Beware !Inhale everyday and it might be a one way ticket to heaven. I all Krishna temples, they give as prasada, a lump of sndalewood paste and a few thulsi leaves and flowers. I know some cases where the poojari gives out a paste msde FROM tiny tender coconuts. Economy ?In the famous Pazhavangdi Ganapathy Kovil , Trivandrum, the shanthikaran will give prasadam to only those who tip (dakshina ) him before-hand. This

is true at Kanyakumari, Kumarakovil, and so on.On the other hand the poojari at Neyyantinkra Sree krishna temple , trivandrum dist,is a very honest and dedicated devotee of the Lord.when you break a coconut (at Pazhvangadi temple) the devotee is not allowed to take a small piece from it but accept what the Contractor offers with his dirty hands !In some temples they use recycled thulsi mala and thulsi leaves. jai shree krishna !Achuthan Nairguruvayur@grou ps.com, Lakshmy Prakash <lakshmygprakash@ ...> wrote:>> Dear All,> > Hari Om.> > Forwarding what I received from Swami Chidananda of Varanasi.> > With Love & Pranams,> Lakshmy> > BURN THE INCENSE TO GET THE FRAGRANCE> > > > > > Mere words take you nowhere; live them and then you know the>

great

beauty of spiritual wisdom. Just as you have to *burn *incense sticks> to get their fragrant fumes, you have to *burn *the words in the flame of> actual living to feel their great power.> > "*bhuktaye, na tu muktaye*" said Shri Shankaracharya in his> Viveka-Chudamani, which means, "Verbal scholarship can only give some amount> of worldly enjoyment but not inner freedom". Like singers, dancers and other> performers, speakers on spiritual topics become heroes in this mad world.> Masses see in these people *larger-than- life *figures; they almost become> living gods in the eyes of their fans and admirers. They suffer privately> from their human frailties. They can neither be comfortable in their role> (as it is not natural or normal for them) nor can they easily extricate> themselves from the artificial structures around them.> > One in a hundred, however,

walks out. She intensifies her> efforts towards *living** *the core teachings. She stands guard, for> example, against her habitual tendencies to seek "reward, recognition, fame> and name" in all that she does. That is *phala-tyaga *of the Bhagavad-Geeta.> To let go of the urge for praise is more valuable than giving a hundred> discourses on one of those Geeta *shlokas* that talk about such> "renunciation of fruits of action". She does not hesitate to cancel a public> talk if some difficulty arises in the organizing of it but takes extra care> not postpone her inquiry or meditation. She saves energy by withdrawing> from egotistic activities and invests it in actual, inner exploration. In> speech, food and sleep, she avoids excess and gently trains her body and> mind to come upon a natural state of harmony.> > Plenty of opportunities to do real *sadhana* come to us

in> our privacy. No wonder Bernard Shaw remarked, "A man's character is to be> judged by what he does when he *thinks *nobody is watching him." Real *sadhana> *does not compartmentalize life into public and private domains. The earnest> seeker has no dual policies for these two spheres. If he likes to read some> magazines for half an hour, for example, he does so – irrespective of> whether someone is watching him or not. His true values and understanding> determine his behaviour; the fear of being judged or the desire to impress> people does not. All this is possible if a certain inner cleansing has taken> place. This cleansing takes place when we give space to ourselves, to watch> and to learn. Much before the big question "Who am I?" could be asked, we> must ask, "What am I doing? What do I fear? Why am I compromising? " Rather> than going into a long, verbal

analysis or commentary on our own behaviour,> we must inquire with a silent mind. It is not in elaborate thinking but in> simple, *direct* *seeing* that false fears flee. Contradictions disappear;> integration of personality takes place.> > Living the spiritual teachings thus is not about conforming> to some precepts or formulas. The core of the great teachings seldom> stresses on dos and don'ts. It rather asks us to find out what is right. The> light within us guides us. The silent mind – free from personal likes and> dislikes – is the springboard of right action. The best judgment arises from> the non-judgmental state of mind.> > > > > > Swami Chidananda> > Varanasi> > > > > www.j-krishnamurti. org (KFI, Varanasi)> > www.fowai.org( Fowai

Forum)>

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[Guest guest]

Dear Achuettan,

 

I was facinated on going through your mail dated 17.09.2009. It was an eye opener. I have been going to Sabarimala for the last 12 years and have faced numerous problems that are created by people and not by God. I feel, the Administration at Guruvayur is much better than that of Sabarimala.

 

The issue of payment of dollars and currencies, you hit the nail on the head with that. For that sake you visit any temple during the Sabarimala Season, one sees these sights where everything is up for sale (clandestinely)/ (openly) with active co-operation of the people who are appointed to safeguard the traditions.

 

But we devotees do not create a hue and cry because we do not have time for petty things and ignore all these and go our way as we reside far away and only visit these places once a year or so. This is the advantage being used by unscrupulous people for their vested interests. (please correct me if I am wrong).

 

Hari Om

 

Shankaran Unni --- On Thu, 17/9/09, Achuthan Nair <anair1101 wrote:

Achuthan Nair <anair1101[Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragranceguruvayur Date: Thursday, 17 September, 2009, 9:11 PM

Hari-Om=======Thank you Menonji.Very interesting. When I was young, we had a block of Sandlwood at home and my grandama would wet-rub the block on a flat stone ( chaana kallu) to make our own sandalwood paste. The same methods were used in all the temples. It was the kizhshanti's work to grind the make the paste. It was tiring work, took hours of toil. That was then ; times have changed. Grandma is gone, and I crossed the oceans in search of life's necesities.. Every one works like robots, love, bhakti, compassion , these all have become alien words.Words such as Corruption, greed, bribery have overtaken them. No wonder a few of the devotees get prefrred VIP treatment at temples such s Guruvyur and Thirupaty. Pay dollars and one can get ahead of thousands of devotees who had been lining up for hours.Contact the Poojari at Guruvayur and one can

obtain the original chandana kalabham used for kalabhabhishekam. Go to shabarimala and we get factory produced , canned, Aravana payasam , pre-packed in plastic conatainers. What next ? May be soon these so-called prasadams will be displayed on the supermarket shelves! Krishna, is it not time for you to reappear ? How long will you be a silent witness to all these? May Bhagavan's holy naame be glorified !jai shree krishna !Achuthan Nairguruvayur , ramachandra menon <ramachandramenon wrote:>> Nairji,>      It is amusing to read about your apprehensions. The sandal sticks (chandana thiri) are all made out of cow dung. This is a cottage industry in Karnataka. Many poor

families are engaged in this business. The take long strips of bamboo and smear it with wet cow dung and dry it. They may be adding some adhesive to it. Then they apply some perfume and sell it in the market. Sandal is a scarce commodity because the bulk of it goes to make sandal oil for export for making perfume. The sandal paste given as prasadam in many temples is just a duplicate product.. Kalabham is also a duplicate product. In Guruvayoor temple, the forest dept of Karnataka govt. allots certain tons of sandal wood and hence the kalabham you get there is almost original. The the one which is used to perform abhishekam to the Lord is pure sandal with Kesar added. This item is seldom available outside. You have to approach the melsanthi to get it. > Â > Ramachandra Menon> Â > > --- On Wed, 16/9/09, Udayabhanu Panickar <udhayabhanupanickar wrote:> > > Udayabhanu

Panickar <udhayabhanupanickar> Re: [Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragrance [1 Attachment]> guruvayur > Wednesday, 16 September, 2009, 6:14 AM> > > Â > > > [Attachment(s) from Udayabhanu Panickar included below] > > > > > > > Dear Achuthan Nair and Others,> > Earlier I tried to give the il effects of incense burning in one sentence. Now I am attaching an article along with this for detailed information. As Mr Achuthan Nair said we don't know what is used in those incense sticks. Definitely there are toxic substance in them. If you can not get pure chandanatthiri or similar pure non toxic substance, please do not burn them at home. HE will

understand, because HE never want HIS loved ones to get cancer.> > Thanks> > > Sincerely,> Udayabhanu Panickar> aum namaH Shivaaya> OUR BODY IS THE ABODE OF THE JEEVATMAN, WHICH IS IN FACT THE PARABRAHMAN. LET US NOT MAKE IT A GRAVEYARD. LET US NOT EAT FLESH. LET US BE VEGETARIANS AND STAY HEALTHY. Animals are to be loved, not eaten.Eating flesh is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, not even for the body. It distorts the basic character of human.> > > > > > > > > > > > --- On Tue, 9/15/09, anair1101 <anair1101 > wrote:> > > anair1101 <anair1101 (AT) (DOT) .com>> [Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragrance> guruvayur@grou ps.com> Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 7:37 PM> > >

 > > Hari-Om> > In the olden days we burnt incence sticks , camphor etc in front of the deities and it spread the frgrance all around creating an aura of divine presence. In those days they were made of sandal wood paste and they were called Chandanathiri. They were made by Karnataka Soaps and cosmetics. Only pure sandal wood powder/ paste was used. > At present Only God knows ( doubtful ) what these sticks are made of.> But one thing is sure with commercialism, they do use a lot of cheap perfume and harmful chemicals. So Beware !Inhale everyday and it might be a one way ticket to heaven. > I all Krishna temples, they give as prasada, a lump of sndalewood paste and a few thulsi leaves and flowers. > I know some cases where the poojari gives out a paste msde FROM tiny tender coconuts. Economy ?> In the famous Pazhavangdi Ganapathy Kovil , Trivandrum, the shanthikaran will give

prasadam to only those who tip (dakshina ) him before-hand. This is true at Kanyakumari, Kumarakovil, and so on.> On the other hand the poojari at Neyyantinkra Sree krishna temple , trivandrum dist,> is a very honest and dedicated devotee of the Lord.> > when you break a coconut (at Pazhvangadi temple) the devotee is not allowed to take a small piece from it but accept what the Contractor offers with his dirty hands !> In some temples they use recycled thulsi mala and thulsi leaves. > > jai shree krishna !> > Achuthan Nair> > guruvayur@grou ps.com, Lakshmy Prakash <lakshmygprakash@ ...> wrote:> >> > Dear All,> > > > Hari Om.> > > > Forwarding what I received from Swami Chidananda of Varanasi.> > > > With Love & Pranams,> > Lakshmy> > > > BURN THE

INCENSE TO GET THE FRAGRANCE> > > > > > > > > > > > Mere words take you nowhere; live them and then you know the> > great beauty of spiritual wisdom. Just as you have to *burn *incense sticks> > to get their fragrant fumes, you have to *burn *the words in the flame of> > actual living to feel their great power.> > > > "*bhuktaye, na tu muktaye*" said Shri Shankaracharya in his> > Viveka-Chudamani, which means, "Verbal scholarship can only give some amount> > of worldly enjoyment but not inner freedom". Like singers, dancers and other> > performers, speakers on spiritual topics become heroes in this mad world.> > Masses see in these people *larger-than- life *figures; they almost become> > living gods in the eyes of their fans and admirers. They suffer privately> > from their human

frailties. They can neither be comfortable in their role> > (as it is not natural or normal for them) nor can they easily extricate> > themselves from the artificial structures around them.> > > > One in a hundred, however, walks out. She intensifies her> > efforts towards *living** *the core teachings. She stands guard, for> > example, against her habitual tendencies to seek "reward, recognition, fame> > and name" in all that she does. That is *phala-tyaga *of the Bhagavad-Geeta.> > To let go of the urge for praise is more valuable than giving a hundred> > discourses on one of those Geeta *shlokas* that talk about such> > "renunciation of fruits of action". She does not hesitate to cancel a public> > talk if some difficulty arises in the organizing of it but takes extra care> > not postpone her inquiry or meditation. She saves energy

by withdrawing> > from egotistic activities and invests it in actual, inner exploration. In> > speech, food and sleep, she avoids excess and gently trains her body and> > mind to come upon a natural state of harmony.> > > > Plenty of opportunities to do real *sadhana* come to us in> > our privacy. No wonder Bernard Shaw remarked, "A man's character is to be> > judged by what he does when he *thinks *nobody is watching him." Real *sadhana> > *does not compartmentalize life into public and private domains. The earnest> > seeker has no dual policies for these two spheres. If he likes to read some> > magazines for half an hour, for example, he does so â€" irrespective of> > whether someone is watching him or not. His true values and understanding> > determine his behaviour; the fear of being judged or the desire to impress> >

people does not. All this is possible if a certain inner cleansing has taken> > place. This cleansing takes place when we give space to ourselves, to watch> > and to learn. Much before the big question "Who am I?" could be asked, we> > must ask, "What am I doing? What do I fear? Why am I compromising? " Rather> > than going into a long, verbal analysis or commentary on our own behaviour,> > we must inquire with a silent mind. It is not in elaborate thinking but in> > simple, *direct* *seeing* that false fears flee. Contradictions disappear;> > integration of personality takes place.> > > > Living the spiritual teachings thus is not about conforming> > to some precepts or formulas. The core of the great teachings seldom> > stresses on dos and don'ts. It rather asks us to find out what is right. The> > light within us guides us. The

silent mind â€" free from personal likes and> > dislikes â€" is the springboard of right action. The best judgment arises from> > the non-judgmental state of mind.> > > > > > > > > > > > Swami Chidananda> > > > Varanasi> > > > > > > > > > www.j-krishnamurti. org (KFI, Varanasi)> > > > www.fowai.org( Fowai Forum)> >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Connect more, do more and share more with India Mail. Learn more. http://in.overview.mail./>---Om Namo Narayanaya:

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[Guest guest]

My Dear Friends,The best prasadam is the one we make with your own hands and offer to the Almighty and take with HIS blessing.Sincerely,Udayabhanu Panickaraum namaH ShivaayaOUR BODY IS

THE ABODE OF THE JEEVATMAN, WHICH IS IN FACT THE PARABRAHMAN. LET US NOT MAKE IT A GRAVEYARD. LET US NOT EAT FLESH. LET US BE VEGETARIANS AND STAY HEALTHY. Animals are to be loved, not eaten.Eating flesh is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, not even for the body. It distorts the basic character of human. --- On Fri, 9/18/09, shankaran unni tharagar <shankaranunnitharagar wrote:shankaran unni tharagar <shankaranunnitharagarRe: [Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragranceguruvayur Date: Friday, September 18, 2009, 1:32 AM

 

 

Dear Achuettan,

 

I was facinated on going through your mail dated 17.09.2009. It was an eye opener. I have been going to Sabarimala for the last 12 years and have faced numerous problems that are created by people and not by God. I feel, the Administration at Guruvayur is much better than that of Sabarimala.

 

The issue of payment of dollars and currencies, you hit the nail on the head with that. For that sake you visit any temple during the Sabarimala Season, one sees these sights where everything is up for sale (clandestinely) / (openly) with active co-operation of the people who are appointed to safeguard the traditions.

 

But we devotees do not create a hue and cry because we do not have time for petty things and ignore all these and go our way as we reside far away and only visit these places once a year or so. This is the advantage being used by unscrupulous people for their vested interests. (please correct me if I am wrong).

 

Hari Om

 

Shankaran Unni --- On Thu, 17/9/09, Achuthan Nair <anair1101 > wrote:

Achuthan Nair <anair1101 >[Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragranceguruvayur@grou ps.comThursday, 17 September, 2009, 9:11 PM

Hari-Om=======Thank you Menonji.Very interesting. When I was young, we had a block of Sandlwood at home and my grandama would wet-rub the block on a flat stone ( chaana kallu) to make our own sandalwood paste. The same methods were used in all the temples. It was the kizhshanti's work to grind the make the paste. It was tiring work, took hours of toil. That was then ; times have changed. Grandma is gone, and I crossed the oceans in search of life's necesities.. Every one works like robots, love, bhakti, compassion , these all have become alien words.Words such as Corruption, greed, bribery have overtaken them. No wonder a few of the devotees get prefrred VIP treatment at temples such s Guruvyur and Thirupaty. Pay dollars and one can get ahead of thousands of devotees who had been lining up for hours.Contact the Poojari at Guruvayur and one can

obtain the original chandana kalabham used for kalabhabhishekam. Go to shabarimala and we get factory produced , canned, Aravana payasam , pre-packed in plastic conatainers. What next ? May be soon these so-called prasadams will be displayed on the supermarket shelves! Krishna, is it not time for you to reappear ? How long will you be a silent witness to all these? May Bhagavan's holy naame be glorified !jai shree krishna !Achuthan Nairguruvayur@grou ps.com, ramachandra menon <ramachandramenon@ ...> wrote:>> Nairji,>      It is amusing to read about your apprehensions. The sandal sticks (chandana thiri) are all made out of cow dung. This is a cottage industry in Karnataka. Many poor

families are engaged in this business. The take long strips of bamboo and smear it with wet cow dung and dry it. They may be adding some adhesive to it. Then they apply some perfume and sell it in the market. Sandal is a scarce commodity because the bulk of it goes to make sandal oil for export for making perfume. The sandal paste given as prasadam in many temples is just a duplicate product.. Kalabham is also a duplicate product. In Guruvayoor temple, the forest dept of Karnataka govt. allots certain tons of sandal wood and hence the kalabham you get there is almost original. The the one which is used to perform abhishekam to the Lord is pure sandal with Kesar added. This item is seldom available outside. You have to approach the melsanthi to get it. > Â > Ramachandra Menon> Â > > --- On Wed, 16/9/09, Udayabhanu Panickar <udhayabhanupanickar wrote:> > > Udayabhanu

Panickar <udhayabhanupanickar > Re: [Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragrance [1 Attachment]> guruvayur@grou ps.com> Wednesday, 16 September, 2009, 6:14 AM> > > Â > > > [Attachment( s) from Udayabhanu Panickar included below] > > > > > > > Dear Achuthan Nair and Others,> > Earlier I tried to give the il effects of incense burning in one sentence. Now I am attaching an article along with this for detailed information. As Mr Achuthan Nair said we don't know what is used in those incense sticks. Definitely there are toxic substance in them. If you can not get pure chandanatthiri or similar pure non toxic substance, please do not burn them at home. HE will

understand, because HE never want HIS loved ones to get cancer.> > Thanks> > > Sincerely,> Udayabhanu Panickar> aum namaH Shivaaya> OUR BODY IS THE ABODE OF THE JEEVATMAN, WHICH IS IN FACT THE PARABRAHMAN. LET US NOT MAKE IT A GRAVEYARD. LET US NOT EAT FLESH. LET US BE VEGETARIANS AND STAY HEALTHY. Animals are to be loved, not eaten.Eating flesh is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, not even for the body. It distorts the basic character of human.> > > > > > > > > > > > --- On Tue, 9/15/09, anair1101 <anair1101 > wrote:> > > anair1101 <anair1101 (AT) (DOT) .com>> [Guruvayur] Re: Burn the incense to get the fragrance> guruvayur@grou ps.com> Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 7:37 PM> > >

 > > Hari-Om> > In the olden days we burnt incence sticks , camphor etc in front of the deities and it spread the frgrance all around creating an aura of divine presence. In those days they were made of sandal wood paste and they were called Chandanathiri. They were made by Karnataka Soaps and cosmetics. Only pure sandal wood powder/ paste was used. > At present Only God knows ( doubtful ) what these sticks are made of.> But one thing is sure with commercialism, they do use a lot of cheap perfume and harmful chemicals. So Beware !Inhale everyday and it might be a one way ticket to heaven. > I all Krishna temples, they give as prasada, a lump of sndalewood paste and a few thulsi leaves and flowers. > I know some cases where the poojari gives out a paste msde FROM tiny tender coconuts. Economy ?> In the famous Pazhavangdi Ganapathy Kovil , Trivandrum, the shanthikaran will give

prasadam to only those who tip (dakshina ) him before-hand. This is true at Kanyakumari, Kumarakovil, and so on.> On the other hand the poojari at Neyyantinkra Sree krishna temple , trivandrum dist,> is a very honest and dedicated devotee of the Lord.> > when you break a coconut (at Pazhvangadi temple) the devotee is not allowed to take a small piece from it but accept what the Contractor offers with his dirty hands !> In some temples they use recycled thulsi mala and thulsi leaves. > > jai shree krishna !> > Achuthan Nair> > guruvayur@grou ps.com, Lakshmy Prakash <lakshmygprakash@ ...> wrote:> >> > Dear All,> > > > Hari Om.> > > > Forwarding what I received from Swami Chidananda of Varanasi.> > > > With Love & Pranams,> > Lakshmy> > > > BURN THE

INCENSE TO GET THE FRAGRANCE> > > > > > > > > > > > Mere words take you nowhere; live them and then you know the> > great beauty of spiritual wisdom. Just as you have to *burn *incense sticks> > to get their fragrant fumes, you have to *burn *the words in the flame of> > actual living to feel their great power.> > > > "*bhuktaye, na tu muktaye*" said Shri Shankaracharya in his> > Viveka-Chudamani, which means, "Verbal scholarship can only give some amount> > of worldly enjoyment but not inner freedom". Like singers, dancers and other> > performers, speakers on spiritual topics become heroes in this mad world.> > Masses see in these people *larger-than- life *figures; they almost become> > living gods in the eyes of their fans and admirers. They suffer privately> > from their human

frailties. They can neither be comfortable in their role> > (as it is not natural or normal for them) nor can they easily extricate> > themselves from the artificial structures around them.> > > > One in a hundred, however, walks out. She intensifies her> > efforts towards *living** *the core teachings. She stands guard, for> > example, against her habitual tendencies to seek "reward, recognition, fame> > and name" in all that she does. That is *phala-tyaga *of the Bhagavad-Geeta.> > To let go of the urge for praise is more valuable than giving a hundred> > discourses on one of those Geeta *shlokas* that talk about such> > "renunciation of fruits of action". She does not hesitate to cancel a public> > talk if some difficulty arises in the organizing of it but takes extra care> > not postpone her inquiry or meditation. She saves energy

by withdrawing> > from egotistic activities and invests it in actual, inner exploration. In> > speech, food and sleep, she avoids excess and gently trains her body and> > mind to come upon a natural state of harmony.> > > > Plenty of opportunities to do real *sadhana* come to us in> > our privacy. No wonder Bernard Shaw remarked, "A man's character is to be> > judged by what he does when he *thinks *nobody is watching him." Real *sadhana> > *does not compartmentalize life into public and private domains. The earnest> > seeker has no dual policies for these two spheres. If he likes to read some> > magazines for half an hour, for example, he does so â€" irrespective of> > whether someone is watching him or not. His true values and understanding> > determine his behaviour; the fear of being judged or the desire to impress> >

people does not. All this is possible if a certain inner cleansing has taken> > place. This cleansing takes place when we give space to ourselves, to watch> > and to learn. Much before the big question "Who am I?" could be asked, we> > must ask, "What am I doing? What do I fear? Why am I compromising? " Rather> > than going into a long, verbal analysis or commentary on our own behaviour,> > we must inquire with a silent mind. It is not in elaborate thinking but in> > simple, *direct* *seeing* that false fears flee. Contradictions disappear;> > integration of personality takes place.> > > > Living the spiritual teachings thus is not about conforming> > to some precepts or formulas. The core of the great teachings seldom> > stresses on dos and don'ts. It rather asks us to find out what is right. The> > light within us guides us. The

silent mind â€" free from personal likes and> > dislikes â€" is the springboard of right action. The best judgment arises from> > the non-judgmental state of mind.> > > > > > > > > > > > Swami Chidananda> > > > Varanasi> > > > > > > > > > www.j-krishnamurti. org (KFI, Varanasi)> > > > www.fowai.org( Fowai Forum)> >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Connect more, do more and share more with India Mail. Learn more. http://in.overview. mail.. com/>------------ --------- --------- ------Om Namo

Narayanaya:

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