Hinduism - A way of Life - Service

What gives inner pleasure?  We might not have thought about it.   We feel an untold peace/happiness when we do something good for someone whom we don't even know.   As per Hindu dharma shastras which I learnt from Periva.org, each individual person is supposed to serve their community for its prosperity personally.  According to Maha Periva (He was the Jagat Guru of Kanchi kamakoti Peedham), we should spend atleast 2 hrs every week on public service.   I never realized till I read that till about an year ago.   Reading/hearing spiritual thing does make a difference.   There are so many choices that we can choose from to lend our time for a good cause:

1.  Clean/Serve at your local temple
2.   Teach divine hymns/bajans
3.  Serve un-previliged children or old age people
4.  Go to local school/Ashram and find out if they need any help
5.  Teach maids
6.  Keep your environment clean with the help of others (removal of garbage)
7.  Prepare and serve food to hungry people

Imagine how peaceful our community would be if all of us lend our hand.   I know all of us are extremely busy on this techie world where we have machine/tool for everything.   It is our core responsibility to spare some time out for the world that we live on.   Let us set an example for the following generation.

I am not asked by anyone to post this.  It is just my opinion.

Hinduism-Way of Life- Offering Food to God

Traditionally, food is offered to God before it is  consumed.   Food includes fruits, dried fruits and nuts, cooked grains except garlic, onion, egg and meat.

Why should we offer food to God?

God has everything, why should we offer him?   He does'nt even eat a morsel.

We were taught that offering food to God means being thankful for.   For the sake of argument, you can say Thanks for offering Food just before eating as well.

There are more logical reasons behind this act,  Our ancestors wanted us to lead a healthy life, they knew the value of freshly cooked food.  When we have to cook just for us, we will not be worried if it is freshly made or not but when we cook something to be offered to God, then we take bath and make it in the morning so that it is ready to be offered.  This ritual had been followed religiously for so many centuries until the present generation.   We should remember that our ancestors never had any of the fancy kitchen gadgets that we are surrounded with.

We dont even need to chant any special verses, just say "Om, om,om, God, Please accept the food that I made and bless us healthy and peaceful life"

The objective of this post is to remind the value of fresh food and when you offer it to God,  it becomes divine.   This divine food will surely purify our soul and lead us to a peaceful life.   

Hinduism-Way of Living-Repeat Naamaas

We might remember seeing our grandparents chanting Rama naamaa repeatedly.    Gandhiji started chanting Rama Naamaaa at a very young age around 13 yrs, same with Maha Perivaa too.  Rama naamaa was the first slogam that he learnt.   In one of the discourses, he tells us to train our mind to keep repeating the naamaas in between our tasks or even better in the background most of the times.   Choose any God name,   put a conscious thought in your mind to repeat it.   You might get distracted and get along with the flow of other things but slowly you will be used to repeat it often.  


Why should we repeat God names? 


In the stressful life, we process thousands of thoughts every day, most of them are unwanted.  These unwanted thoughts takes away your brain power.  We keep thinking about what happened in the past and how the future would be?  Is this of any use?   Some words are very powerful, again our Rishis/Gurus have given us a way of living to keep us happy.  When you repeat the naamaas when you cook, clean, fold clothes, drive, wash dishes, it calms your mind and cleans up the clutter.   


We should teach our kids also to keep chanting.    It will help them to stay focused and have a clean mind.   

Hinduism - way of living - day to day routine

Hinduism is a way of living put together by our great rishis and saints.  It is all ways of life when you look things at a closer view.  I am going to write small posts about day to day living and its benefits.

We have left few things behind thinking that it was applicable only for old generations (our parents and forefathers) and it is not applicable anymore for the fast paced life of Modern generation.   I just wanted to remind all my fellow people that most of them are very much applicable for our current day to day living for a healthy and peaceful life.


Hinduism - simple day to day routine:

            1.    Wake up - Scrub your hands and keep it on your eyes.   Pray - Think about your favorite God/Guru or just wish for a peaceful day and wellness and safety of your family.

            2.    Look at a God picture hanging on the wall.

            3.    Use restroom and wash your legs.

            4.    Brush/Wash your face well, Comb your hair

            5.    Wash and do rangoli outside the door or atleast on the step

            6.    Light diyas (Sesame oil or ghee)

            7.    Offer heated milk with Sugar/Honey to God before you drink

            8.    Take bath and cook

            9.    Listen/Chant divine songs while you cook.   It spreads the positive energy around the                          house and makes your food divine too.

            10.  Offer rice or anything that you have made without onion/garlic to God with love.  Sprinkle a drop of ghee before serving.  


Benefits:

 You follow the  age old tradition.   I know we dont get convinced.   The facts are more psychological. Our mind is more powerful  than any other body part.   We train our mind thru these simple routine to have good spirit.   Physically,  you clean yourself before you cook.  When we want to feel fresh when we eat why not make it with clean body!

Note about myself:   

All of the things that I am discussing with you are practiced by me for the last 5+ years if not before.   Awareness of these things created the difference in me.   I am writing these posts to create awareness and hoping it will help you to lead peaceful life.
 

Thought about the Modern Wedding Menu's - Pledge for Simple Food !

Marriage menus have gone way too exhaustive just in the last 10 years especially in India.  Starting with starters to dessert, the number of items in each category has gone beyond the limit of the small tummy (supposed to be).    Food expense has become the major budget of any marriage.  All the middle class weddings food is served like that of the king.  Well, it is a proud think to feel but it is actually not.  

How many of us think about it in first place?   What steps could we take?  

Some of you might wonder why I am so furious about this topic?  

The reasons are quite simple

1.  Our body does'nt need so much
2.  Not many could stop the temptations of all the desserts or perhaps many unhealthy items served           on the plate.  It shows in the size of the body
3.  The most painful thing is the wastage from every single plate


Please think and letz do something about this! Ask for simple food when you plan your next family event.   Please be considerate about other's health as well as yours.   Keep it simple.   It is good for you as well for your pocket!

Where to start?

Literally, most of us are running an endless race every day!   Yes, we do want to lead a peaceful life.  Who would say "No" to that.  But "how" is a beautiful question.   I truly believe in God, the supreme power who if we surrender we would definitely be put on the path of peace.  You name your God.   It does'nt matter.  You will see unbelievable changes in your own way of life before and after this switch.

First,  start listening to the stories of God.  Stories are quite simple and not abstract.  They are interesting.
You can choose the teacher, no one is forcing you.  

I was introduced to the preachings of Sri Velukudi swamigal at first when I went with my brother on a drive.  Seriously, I could'nt follow.  It was on a continuous pace.  Later, I realized how intelligent he must be to give such a great delivery.   I started listening to him now and then.   They were quite fascinating.  I wanted to give my undivided attn..  Where do we get that?  I used to listen to music while working out in the gym.   I felt that is the best time to put something good on my head.  It did work.   My brother got me his recordings on Ramayana, Vidhura nithi, bagavatham.   In one of those renderings, he himself says that we should listen to them again and again. I do that.  To a normal human mind like me, listening anything once would'nt make any difference.  I am still understanding all the principles that the orator wants to convey.

Next, my mom introduced me to Visaka hari's renderings.  You start listening to them, it makes you want to listen more and more!  

With all these listenings, I am still correcting a lot on the course of this fast paced modern lifestyle.

Do not wait for someone to knock at your door and say 'Start Now'.  We don't need to wait till we are 60 to become devotional.  The earlier you start, it is better for all.    Our wants will reduce.  We will adopt the simplicity and try to find peace in whatever we do!

Happy Reading!  More to come on these topics. Stay Tuned.

Why should we follow local panchangam(calendar)?

This post is intended gnrlly for people who are living outside India.  Other curious readers might also read it.

I believe in understanding the underlying principles rather than just following.   I thought about this first time when I went to Germany and had to do a pooja based on some time.  I downloaded the panchangam from himalayanacademy website.  I also cross verify with the calendars on the local temple website.

Panchangam is the local calendar which has the details about a day like the sunrise, sunset,  star, thithi.  Lot of important events are based on the thithi.   I have seen most of the people living abroad to follow the calendar from India as such.   It is not right.  

Few reasons!

• Based on the place, the sunrise and sunset time is going to be different.  This changes many things.
• Thithi is going to start at the same time as India which means if Ekadasi starts at 7 pm(IST) on a day then it starts at 6.30AM (PST).  

Sources:

1.  Download panchangam for your place from Himalayan academy website

2.  Verify with the temple calendar of your area

Conflict resolution:

1. Once Ekadasi was spanning across 2 days, Gnrlly to do the vratham, EKADASI thithi should have been there with the sunrise

2.  Dwadasi should be there the following day until 10AM or so.

I hope this post clarifies the doubts.  If not, let me know.  I will try to correct my presentation.