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Miscellanea-2
From Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
1. What is the reason behind our practice of offering food to crow before we take meal?
The single most noticeable trait in a crow is that when food is offered,
it never devours it alone. It calls all other crows in the vicinity and
the food is shared by all. To inculcate this good quality in every one of
us, the practice of giving food to the crow before we eat has been prescribed
in our religion.
2. Why do we have many Gods in our religion?
Our religion also speaks of one supreme God only. In the ladder called
creation, human beings constitute the middle rung. Below us, we find
numerous microbes, insects and animals ranging from mice and rabbits to
lions, tigers and elephants. Above us, we find higher beings such as our
ancestors, Dev, Gandharv, Devataa, so on and so forth, all the way up to
the supreme Brahman which is verily God who is infinite, limitless and
beyond name and form. Since it is common practice to prefix the title God
to anything that is more powerful than us, it appears as though our religion
speaks of many Gods. God is that one Supreme Being.
3. While describing the Sun (Soorya)
our scriptures say that he rides in a chariot that is drawn by 7 horses. A friend once
asked me in a sarcastic tone, if there were a road in the sky where the Sun could ride
in his chariot. Can you explain this?
The uniqueness of our religion lies in the manner in which the highest
truths are described in the most artistic manner. The greatest scientific
concepts are embedded in our scriptures in the form of stories, poems,
riddles and the like. We find many ancient paintings that represent the Sun
in his chariot with 7 horses. If we take a closer look, we find that the
horses are colored in the VIBGYOR pattern. It is a scientific fact that when
white light passes through a prism, it splits into VIBGYOR pattern. The same
has been represented by the 7 horses that draw a chariot of Soorya, the source
of light. Those who do not go deeper into the facts, fail to comprehend such
meaningful representations.
4. Does sound posses special power?
Definitely, Yes! It has been proven that dogs respond differently to dog
whistles of different frequencies. Deer are known to be attracted to sounds
produced by special horns that are used by hunters. A snake sways to the
tune of a snake charmer's flute. Therefore, it is clear that sounds posses
special powers. In fact, all 'Mantras' are nothing but special sounds that
enable us to harness the cosmic power.
5. Why is it advised that the month
'Aadi' / 'Aashaadh' (as per the Indian calendar corresponds to the period from mid July
to mid August) is inauspicious for a women to conceive?
The month of Aadi in our world corresponds to the evening time in the realm
of the Devtaa (Dev Lok). As per our scriptures, children that are begotten
in the evening possess demonic (evil) tendencies. This is the reason why conception
in the month of Aadi is considered as inauspicious.
6. What do the four faces of Lord Brahmaa represent?
The four faces of Lord Brahma represents the four Yug.
7. Goddess Saraswatee is the divine
consort of Lord Brahmaa. What does this signify?
To create anything one must essentially posses the knowledge to do so. This
is the reason why Brahmaa who takes care of creation has Saraswatee, the
Goddess of knowledge as his consort. Knowledge must be pure. Hence, Goddess
Saraswatee is symbolically represented in white attire seated on a white Lotus,
wearing a Sphatik Maalaa (garland of spotless crystals) around her neck. She
is the personification of purity.
8. Naaraayan has eight Lakshmee's
(Asht Lakshmee) as his Divine consorts. What does this represents?
Naaraayan is responsible for sustenance of the world. In order to do so, one
requires eight attributes, namely, wealth, food, courage, knowledge, victory,
offspring, liberation and fortune. And all those eight attributes are in those
eight Lakshmee. This is why Lord Naaraayan has the eight Lakshmee as his consorts.
9. What is the logic behind representing
Goddess Shakti as the divine consort of Shiv?
If a person wants to destroy something he does not need to possess knowledge
about the object. He does not require any wealth. All that is needed to
destroy an object is power. Shiv is responsible for dissolution of the
world. Therefore, he has Goddess Shakti, the source of limitless power as
his divine consort.
10. Why to take vegetarian food while doing Saadhanaa?
(1) On a physical level, non-vegetarian diets full of spices, tobacco as
well as alcohol affects our blood circulation systems, nerve system, digestive
system and make our minds and hearts disturbed and unstable. It badly affects
our concentration level. In such a disturbed and unstable conditions, reciting
any Mantra or Shlok in a proper way would be a difficult task. That is why,
vegetarian diet is recommended to those who intend to go for mediation as
vegetarian diet (with less spices) keep the brain and heart in a cool condition
and help the person to concentrate better.
(2) On a mental level,
purity of mind and heart is also suggested, besides purity in diet, to have
calm mind. If we indulge ourselves in activities (Karm) which are full of
greed, ego, anger, lust, it will always keep our hearts & minds disturbed.
With disturbed mind and hearts, we will not be able to give our 100%
concentration in reciting Shlok or Mantra. We must know that reciting
mantras and Shlok with full mental concentration, emits waves' energies
around us which helps in keeping negative energies at a distance. Disturbed
waves of sound and mind's electric waves will never bring results as is
desired.
So far as celibacy is
concerned, it also has scientific reason behind that. It is related to the
science of "Divine Energy" (i.e. Praan Shakti) which keeps us alive
normally flows from top to downwards through 7 chakras (i..e Consciousness)
of our Kundalinee, i.e. from "Sahasraar Chakra" (7th Chakra) to
"Moolaadhaar Chakra" (1st Chakra). When a person meditate (or
concentrate on any deity, even Lord Hanumaan), the aim is to reach to the
highest level of Chakra or Consciousness, i.e. Sahasraar to have Divine
Enlightenment. During this process the Divine Energy ( i.e. Praan Shakti)
starts flowing or moving from below to upwards. Celibacy is recommended only
to prevent the Divine Energy to flow from top to bottom which comes in the
way of achieving the 7th level of Consciousness (Chakra) which is the seat
of Enlightenment".
Since everyone does not understand the intricacies of the scientific
analysis of all these, it is normally said by the priests that if such and
such practice is not followed, God will punish. This is just like case when
we try to keep a child's activities under control on road by threatening him
that if he doesn't behave properly, police will take him away. On the path
of spiritual achievement, we are just like a child who have wavering minds,
have childish behavior, who do not understand the intricacies of the whole
science.
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