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Strange Similarities Between Greek And Indian Mythology



Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and the nature of the world, the lives and activities of deities, heroes, and mythological creatures, and the origins and significance of the ancient Greeks' own cult and ritual practices. Modern scholars study the myths in an attempt to shed light on the religious and political institutions of ancient Greece and its civilization and to gain an understanding of the nature of myth-making itself.

The Greek myths were initially propagated in an oral-poetic tradition most likely by Minoan and Mycenaean singers starting in the 18th century BC; eventually, the myths of the heroes of the Trojan War and its aftermath became part of the oral tradition of Homer's epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. Two poems by Homer's near contemporary Hesiod, the Theogony and the Works and Days, contain accounts of the genesis of the world, the succession of divine rulers, the succession of human ages, the origin of human woes, and the origin of sacrificial practices. Myths are also preserved in the Homeric Hymns, in fragments of epic poems of the Epic Cycle, in lyric poems, in the works of the tragedians and comedians of the fifth century BC, in writings of scholars and poets of the Hellenistic Age, and in texts from the time of the Roman Empire by writers such as Plutarch and Pausanias.

Aside from this narrative deposit in ancient Greek literature, pictorial representations of gods, heroes, and mythic episodes featured prominently in ancient vase paintings and the decoration of votive gifts and many other artifacts. Geometric designs on pottery of the eighth century BC depict scenes from the Trojan cycle as well as the adventures of Heracles. In the succeeding Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods, Homeric and various other mythological scenes appear, supplementing the existing literary evidence.

Greek mythology has had an extensive influence on the culture, arts, and literature of Western civilization and remains part of Western heritage and language. Poets and artists from ancient times to the present have derived inspiration from Greek mythology and have discovered contemporary significance and relevance in the themes.


Greek and Indian Mythology are two of the oldest mythologies known to man. Although both of these mythologies have no established connection with each other, yet they share some striking similarities.

In this Video, they’re going to compare 10 Greek Gods and/or heroes with their best possible match from Indian mythology. Some of the comparisons indicate towards a parallelism between the two cultures, while other comparisons hint towards a direct collaboration/inoculation of the deities/heroes from one culture to another. No matter the thousands of miles’ distance between the two, the parallelism is certainly striking and some fuel to the thoughts.

Spiritual Journey of Singer Kondaveeti Jyothirmayi


Amma Jyotirmayi (born Jan 14, 1973) is a renowned vocalist and an exemplary devotional singer dedicating her services for a mission to spread Telugu Literature of Annamacharya Sankeerthanas.
Living the spirit of the confluence of Holy Rivers, Amma is a unique blend combining the Devotion, Musical mastery, Literary Grandeur, Social responsibility and is a scholar in Annmacharya Renaissance Project by Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD).

Inspired by Sri Annamacharya who sculptured poems with the lifestyle of rural brothers and sisters, she makes a unique blend of Sankeerthana and Satkarma.
Amma is the Founder of Amma Kondaveeti Jyotirmaye Central Trust, working for a noble mission to pray for the Universal Peace through promoting Telugu Annamacharya literature all over the world while emphasizing on ‘Karma’ as the essence of Salvation.
She toured extensively in United States of America, Singapore, Kuwait and many other countries, Amma serves through concerts and literary promotional activities to propagate Annamaacharya Telugu Literature across world; Amma with her active association with various Causes spread to Human, Animal and Environment Care is stretching her efforts towards spreading the essence of Love through Sankeerthana and Satkarma. Along with her goal of expanding Music and Social service, she also spreads the essence of spiritual practice propagating that all three together lays path towards Salvation.

5 tips to get rid of our ego by Nitai Sevini Mataji



The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organisation. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who is worshipped by followers as Guru and spiritual master. Its core beliefs are based on select traditional scriptures, particularly the Bhagavad-gītā and the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. ISKCON is a direct descendant of Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. The appearance of the movement and its culture come from the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, which has had adherents in India since the late 15th century and American and European converts since the early 1900s in North America, and in England in the 1930s.
ISKCON was formed to spread the practice of bhakti yoga, in which those involved (bhaktas) dedicate their thoughts and actions towards pleasing the Supreme Lord, Krishna. ISKCON as of 2009 is a worldwide confederation of more than 650 temples and centres, including 60 farm communities, some aiming for self-sufficiency, 50 schools, and 90 restaurants. Its most rapid expansions as in membership as of 2007 have been within India and, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe.

Mystery of Panakala Narasimha Swamy in Mangalagiri


Mangalagiri is a town in Guntur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The town is the headquarters of Mangalagiri mandal under Guntur revenue division. It also forms a part of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region. It is situated on National Highway 5 between Vijayawada and Guntur. The town was known to have existed since 225 B.C.. It is also a part of Andhra Pradesh Capital Region with a population of 73,613.
Lakshmi Narasimha Temple is a vaishnavite temple and one of the eight sacred places of Lord Vishnu in India. It is situated at the foot of the Auspicious Hill in Mangalagiri of Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the temple in the series of three temples located on and at the bottom of the hill, the other two being Panakala Narasimha Temple on the hill and Gandala Narasimha Temple at the top of the hill.

Gita Sastram Idam Punyam

Part 1


Part 2



The Bhagavad Gita "Song of the Lord", often referred to as simply the Gita, is a 700 verse Hindu scripture in Sanskrit that is part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata (chapters 23–40 of the 6th book of Mahabharata).
The Gita is set in a narrative framework of a dialogue between Pandava prince Arjuna and his guide and charioteer Lord Krishna. Facing the duty as a warrior to fight the Dharma Yudhha or righteous war between Pandavas and Kauravas, Arjuna is counselled by Lord Krishna to "fulfill his Kshatriya (warrior) duty as a warrior and establish Dharma." Inserted in this appeal to kshatriya dharma (chivalry) is "a dialogue ... between diverging attitudes concerning methods toward the attainment of liberation (moksha)". The Bhagavad Gita was exposed to the world through Sanjaya, who senses and cognises all the events of the battlefield. Sanjaya is Dhritarashtra's advisor and also his charioteer.

Chaganti gari Pravachanamu at Koti Deepothsavam



Karthikai Deepam (கார்த்திகை தீபம்) or Karthikai Vilakkidu (கார்த்திகை விளக்கீடு) is a Festival of Lights. The festival is observed in most Tamil homes and every Tamil temple of Tamil Nadu, Sri Lankaand Kerala, and falls in the month of Kārttikai (mid-November to mid-December) as per Tamil calendar. This occurs on the day when the moon is in conjunction with the constellation Karthigai (Pleiades) and pournami. This constellation appears as a group of six stars in the firmament in the shape of a pendant from the ear. In Kerala, this festival is known as Thrikkarthika. In the rest of India, a related festival called Kartik Purnima is celebrated in a different date.

Garikapati gari Pravachanamu at Koti Deepothsavam

Brahmasri Kakunuri Suryanarayana Murthy Pravachanam at 10th Day Bhakthi TV KotiDeepotsavam 2017

How was India before Independence ?


Old Madurai, South India, in 1945

- Courtesy Michael Rogge

Greatness Of Srilanka and Facts about Ravanasura


Greatness Of Srilanka and Facts about Ravanasura Wonder full speech Swami Paripoornananda

Are you sick of India and Indians - Documentary by Karolina Goswami


India is not safe and I would end up getting sick if I go there-This is a common perception about India in the west. So, what is the reality? Contribute on this link to make us self-sustainable- https://www.patreon.com/indiaindetails
I am Karolina Goswami. I have been talking to the world about India through YouTube, Facebook and other social media platforms for a while. There are billions of people around the world who have no idea what India is really about. The mainstream international media has largely failed to give a balanced coverage to all sides of this country.

Paripoornananda Swami Warning To Kancha Ilaiah over caste controversy

 Kancha Ilaiah over caste controversy

Kancha Ilaiah (born 5 October 1952) is an Indian political theorist, writer and activist for Dalit rights. He is a prolific writer in both English as well as Telugu.
Kancha Ilaiah was born in the village of Papaiahpet, Warangal district in erstwhile Hyderabad State. His family belonged to the sheep-grazing Kuruma Golla caste, a community designated by the Government of India as an Other Backward Class group. Ilaiah credited his mother, Kancha Kattamma, as pivotal in shaping his political thought. According to Ilaiah, she was at the forefront of the Kurumas' struggle against the forest guards' discriminatory behaviour. Kancha Kattamma was killed during a violent confrontation while protesting against police brutality.
Kancha Ilaiah is often identified as a Dalit in the news reports, although he is not a Dalit but rather a member of an Other Backward Class.

ఎడ్ల రామదాసు Yedla Raamadaasu

Chaganti garu at IMPACT 2017



Cattle, or cows, are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos taurus.

Cattle are commonly raised as livestock for meat (beef or veal, see beef cattle), for milk (see dairy cattle), and for hides, which are used to make leather. They are used as riding animals and draft animals (oxen or bullocks, which pull carts, plows and other implements). Another product of cattle is dung, which can be used to create manure or fuel. In some regions, such as parts of India, cattle have significant religious meaning. Cattle, mostly small breeds such as the Miniature Zebu, are also kept as pets.


Around 10,500 years ago, cattle were domesticated from as few as 80 progenitors in central Anatolia, the Levant and Western Iran. According to an estimate from 2011, there are 1.4 billion cattle in the world. In 2009, cattle became one of the first livestock animals to have a fully mapped genome.

Under natural conditions, calves stay with their mother until weaning at 8 to 11 months. Heifer and bull calves are equally attached to their mothers in the first few months of life. Cattle are considered to be "hider" type animals,[clarification needed] but in the artificial environment of small calving pens, close proximity between cow and calf is maintained by the mother at the first three calvings but this changes to being mediated by the calf after these. Primiparous dams show a higher incidence of abnormal maternal behavior.

Beef-calves reared on the range suckle an average of 5.0 times every 24 hours with an average total time of 46 min spent suckling. There is a diurnal rhythm in suckling activity with peaks between 05:00–07:00, 10:00–13:00 and 17:00–21:00.

Studies on the natural weaning of zebu cattle (Bos indicus) have shown that the cow weans her calves over a 2-week period, but after that, she continues to show strong affiliatory behavior with her offspring and preferentially chooses them for grooming and as grazing partners for at least 4–5 years.

K Viswanath Exclusive Interview with Yamuna Kishore


Kasinadhuni Viswanath (born 19 February 1930) is an Indian film, sound designer turned director and actor known for his works in Telugu Cinema, Tamil Cinema and Hindi Cinema. He is the recipient of five National Film Awards, six state Nandi Awards, ten Filmfare Awards, and a Bollywood Filmfare Award. Viswanath's Hindi films include Sargam, Kaamchor, Sanjog, Jaag Utha Insan, Eeshwar, Sur Sangam, Shubh Kaamna, Sangeet and Dhanwaan. Viswanath has received international recognition for his works, and is known for blending parallel cinema elements with mainstream commercial cinema.

Viswanath's classical films Sankarabharanam (1979) and Sagara Sangamam (1983) were included among CNN-IBN's list of hundred greatest Indian films of all time. His directorial works Sankarabharanam and Saptapadi, have garnered the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Feature Film on National Integration, respectively. Sankarabharanam, was premiered at the 8th International Film Festival of India, the Tashkent Film Festival, and the Moscow International Film Festival held in May 1980, and has also won the Prize of the Public at the Besancon Film Festival of France in the year 1981.

Viswanath's Swati Mutyam was India's official entry to the 59th Academy Awards. Swati Mutyam, Sagara Sangamam and Sirivennela were premiered at the Asia Pacific Film Festival. Swayam Krushi was premiered to special mention at the Moscow International Film Festival. Sankarabharanam, Sagara Sangamam, Shrutilayalu, Swarnakamalam and Swati Kiranam were premiered in the Indian Panorama section at International Film Festival of India, and AISFM Film Festiva.
K Viswanath is passed away

Why is the international media unfair to India? - by Karolina Goswami


In this documentary, the globe citizens will be seeing what their country's media purposely has been hiding from them. After all, why the mainstream international media does not give enough coverage to the brighter or the developed side of India? Karolina Goswami is finding the facts.
It's time that the globe citizens stand against the vested interests of the biased media around them and stand by the truth and fairness.

Who is Karolina Goswami?
Born in Poland, 27-year-old Karolina Goswami visited India two years ago and fell in love with it. Married to an Indian national, she claims to be enjoying her life in a country which is full of contrasts. She credits her husband for helping her out to understand the country.
“After spending a few months there I realized that people in Europe are not aware of the beauty of this country and most of them were biased because of media,” she wrote on her website.
Adding further, Karolina lamented on how most of the people criticised India despite not having visited here even once. However, Karolina says she is not biased and will give a clear picture of India, the one her children will call it their homeland.

The Polish-Indian traveler says she will share with the viewers the things she does not like about India, but only on the basis of facts.

India's Solar Power House - National Geographic Megastructures Documentary (Adani Power Limited)



Adani Power Limited is the power business subsidiary of Indian conglomerate Adani Group with head office at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The company is India's largest private power producer, with capacity of 10,440 MW and also it is the largest solar power producer of India with a capacity of 688 MW. Adani Power Limited is ranked 334th in the top companies in India in Fortune India 500 list of 2011.
The company operates five supercritical boilers of 660 MW each (as per March 2012) at Mundra Gujarat & Five 660 MW units(as per May 2015) at Tiroda, Maharashtra. It also operates a mega solar plant of 40 MW at Naliya, Bitta, Kutch, Gujarat. It is India's first company to achieve the supercritical technology. The plant is the only thermal power plant in India to be certified by UN under CDM.
The company is implementing 16500 MW at different stages of construction. Its mission is to achieve 20000 MW by 2020. 100 MW of solar power station is also under advanced stage of implementation at Surendranagar in Gujarat out of which 40 MW is already commissioned. The company has gone to long term PPAs of about 7200 MW of its 9280 MW with government of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Solar power in India is a fast-growing industry and as of 30 September 2016, the country's solar grid had a cumulative capacity of 8,626 megawatts (MW) or 8.63 gigawatts (GW). In January 2015, the Indian government expanded its solar plans, targeting US$100 billion of investment and 100 GW of solar capacity, including 40 GW's directly from rooftop solar, by 2022. The rapid growth in deployment of solar power is recorded and updated monthly on the Indian Government's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy website. Large scale solar power deployment began only as recently as 2010, yet the ambitious targets would see India installing more than double that achieved by world leaders China or Germany in all of the period up to 2015 year end.
In addition to the large-scale grid connected solar PV initiative, India is continuing to develop the use of off-grid solar power for localized energy needs. India has a poor electrification rate in rural areas. In 2015, only 55% of all rural households had access to electricity, and 85% of rural households depended on solid fuel for cooking. Solar products have increasingly helped to meet rural needs, and by the end of 2015, a cumulative total of just under 1 million solar lanterns had been sold in the country, reducing the need for expensive kerosene. In addition, a cumulative total of 30,256 solar powered water pumps for agriculture and drinking water had been installed. During 2015 alone, 118,700 solar home lighting systems were installed, and 46,655 solar street lighting installations were provided under a national program. The same year saw just over 1.4 million solar cookers distributed or sold in India.
In January 2016, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and the President of France, Mr. François Hollande laid the foundation stone for the headquarters of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in Gwalpahari, Gurgaon. The ISA will focus on promoting and developing solar energy and solar products for countries lying wholly or partially between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The alliance of over 120 countries was announced at the Paris COP21 climate summit. One of the hopes of the ISA is that wider deployment will reduce production and development costs, and thus facilitate increased deployment of solar technologies, including in poor and remote regions.
India is ranked number one in solar electricity production per watt installed, with an insolation of 1700 to 1900 kilowatt hours per kilowatt peak (kWh/KWp). On 16 May 2011, India’s first solar power project (with a capacity of 5 MW) was registered under the Clean Development Mechanism. The project is in Sivagangai Village, Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu. India saw a sudden rise in use of solar electricity in 2010, when 25.1 MW was added to the grid, and the trend accelerated when 468.3 MW was added in 2011. Recent growth has been over 3,000 MW per year (see table below) and is set to increase yet further. Government-funded solar electricity in India was just 6.4 MW per year in 2005.

Saraswati Sanatana Pravahini

The Sarasvati River is one of the main Rigvedic rivers mentioned in the scripture Rig Veda and later Vedic and post-Vedic texts. It plays an important role in Hinduism, since Vedic Sanskrit and the first part of the Rig Veda are regarded to have originated when the Vedic people lived on its banks, during the 2nd millennium BCE. The goddess Sarasvati was originally a personification of this river, but later developed an independent identity. The Nadistuti hymn in the Rigveda (10.75) mentions the Sarasvati between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west. Later Vedic texts like the Tandya and Jaiminiya Brahmanas, as well as the Mahabharata, mention that the Sarasvati dried up in a desert. The Sarasvati is also considered by Hindus to exist in a metaphysical form, in which it formed a confluence with the sacred rivers Ganges and Yamuna, at the Triveni Sangam. The name Sarasvati was also given to a formation in the Milky Way.

Modern scholars have identified the Sarasvati River with the Ghaggar-Hakra River system, which flows through northwestern India and Pakistan. This was proposed by several scholars in the 19th and early 20th century. More recently, satellite images have confirmed that a more significant river once followed the course of the present day Ghaggar River. Indian Remote Sensing satellite data, along with digital elevation models, were combined with historical maps, archaeological sites, hydro-geological and drilling data to chart this river's course. It was observed that major Indus Valley Civilization sites at Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Banawali and Rakhigarhi (Haryana), Dholavira and Lothal (Gujarat) also lay along this course.
Another theory suggests that the Helmand River of southern Afghanistan corresponds to the Sarasvati River.

From A Priest To A Chief Minister: Know About Yogi Adityanath

Yogi Adityanath was born as Ajay Singh Bisht into a Garhwali Rajput family on 5 June 1972 in the village of Panchur, in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand (formerly in Uttar Pradesh). His father Anand Singh Bisht was a forest ranger. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from the Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University in Uttarakhand.
He left home around 1990s to join the Ayodhya Ram temple movement. He came under the influence of Mahant Avaidyanath, the chief priest of the Gorakhnath Math, and became his disciple. Subsequently he was given the name 'Yogi Adityanath' and designated as the successor of the Mahant Avaidyanath. While based in Gorakhpur after his initiation, Adityanath has often visited his ancestral village, establishing a school there in 1998.
Adityanath renounced his family at the age of 21 and became a disciple of Mahant Avaidyanath, then the head priest of Gorakhnath Math. He was promoted to the rank of Mahant of Guru Gorakhnath Temple, following the death of Mahant Aavaidyanath on 12 September 2014. Yogi Adityanath was made Peethadhishwar of Gorakhnath Temple amid traditional rituals of the Nath sect on 14 September 2014.




Science of Consciousness - Vigyan Bhairav


Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to speak on Vigyan Bhairav - The Science of Conciousness from 28 - 30 April, 2017.
Vigyan Bhairav is an ancient scripture on meditation. It is a dialogue between lord Shiva and his wife Parvati (refer to as Devi in this scripture), where she asks Shiva, "How one can go beyond space and time to understand this truth?", and Shiva reveals her how one can realize this reality through 112 techniques of Meditation.
Khurshed Batliwala and Dinesh Ghodke, Faculties of Art of Living and Authors of Ready, Study, Go! talks on why one should attend the upcoming event "Unveiling Infinity - bitly.com/unveiling-infinity" happening in Mumbai.

The Science of Consciousness (TSC) is the world’s largest and longest-running interdisciplinary conference on all aspects of the nature of conscious awareness, feelings and existence.
These include how the brain produces consciousness, how consciousness can causally affect brain processes, the best empirical theories, do we have free will, evolution of life and consciousness, the origins of moral and aesthetic values, how to improve mental, physical and cognitive function, and whether consciousness can persist after bodily death, e.g. through “uploading” to machines, or via mental processes tied to the structure of reality. These and other relevant questions are approached through many disciplines in science, philosophy, business, the arts and contemplative practices.
TSC began in 1994 at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, and returns to Tucson in even-numbered years, alternating with TSC conferences around the globe (Italy, Denmark, Japan, Hungary, Hong Kong, Sweden, Czech Republic, India and, most recently, Helsinki, Finland in 2015). Now, co-sponsored by the Center for Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona, and Crystal Globe, Shanghai, China, the 23rd annual TSC will be held at the new Shanghai Disneyland Resort, June 6-9, 2017, emphasizing modern concepts in the light of ancient traditions.

Cattle Sale Ban in India


The Union government’s new notification banning the sale of cows and buffaloes for slaughter is a “fascist and anti-federal move” and the Centre can’t prepare a menu for the people of the country, Kerala’s Left government said on Friday.

“We will not allow the (central) government to enforce fascist policies of the RSS and other fringe outfits. Let it issue many such notifications, we will not follow them,” said Kerala’s agriculture minister VS Sunil Kumar.

The Kerala Chief Minister’s Office also criticized the slaughter ban, saying “Cattle slaughter becomes illegal at a time when manslaughter happens in the name of cow”.

Inside Tirumala Tirupathi by National Geographic Channel

Tirumala is a census town in Chittoor district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The town is a part of Tirupati Urban Development Authority and located in Tirupati (rural) mandal of Tirupati revenue division. It is a hill town where Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is located, which is the abode of Lord Venkateswara.
Venkateswara also known as Śrīnivāsa, Bālājī, Veṅkaṭā,Venkata Ramana and Veṅkaṭācalapati, Govindha is a form of the Hindu god Vishnu. Venkateswara's most prominent shrine is the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple located in Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh in Southern India.

Unwavering Focus by Dandapani in TEDxReno



We become good at what we practice and most of us are experts at practicing distraction. We live in a society that trains us to multi-task and jump from one thing to another in an uncontrolled way. The great panacea for a world plagued by distraction is learning and practicing the art of concentration. Living as a Hindu monk for 10 years Dandapani was trained in understanding the mind. There he learned and practiced the fine art of bringing concentration into everyday life. In this talk, Dandapani will share spiritual tools to learn to create unwavering focus in our lives and the boundless benefits that result from it.

Dandapani is a Hindu priest, speaker on self development and an entrepreneur. Of Sri Lankan ancestry, he grew up in Australia and after graduating university with a degree in Electrical Engineering he left it all behind to become a Hindu monk under the guidance of one of Hinduism’s foremost spiritual leaders of our time, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. For 10 years he lived a life of serious personal discipline and training at his guru’s cloistered monastery in Hawaii.

When his vows expired seven years ago he chose to venture out into the world on his own. He made New York City his new home, determined to live and practice himself everything he teaches in the most invigorating and challenging city in the world. He works with a variety of individuals, companies and organizations around the world conducting training through workshops, retreats and exclusive coaching circles.

Approachable, practical and funny, he has a unique ability to simplify the understanding of the mind, make spiritual tools practically applicable in every day life, create systematic approaches to self development that allows for sustainable change and relate what he teaches to every day life. All this and more make him a much sought after speaker and coach on self development.

About Dandapani LINK

All About You by Khurshid Batliwala at TEDx Manipal University Jaipur


Khurshed Batliwala or Bawa as he is so dotingly called, in this TEDx talk plays multiple roles and as you move from sentence to sentence you will sail through them. You will come across beautiful stories that reflect him as a pianist, a great cook, a mathematician, a meditator, a teacher and a devotee.As he takes us through this journey he helps us in understanding and reinventing ourself.

With a post-graduate in Mathematics from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Khurshed Batliwala, or "Bawa" as he is fondly called, says that he decided to teach meditation over mathematics. "It was better to teach people meditation and make them happy rather teach mathematics and make them miserable,” he quips.One of the designers of the youth workshop, YES!+ (Youth Empowerment and Skills), he inspires young people the world over, empowering them to lead the lives they want to lead rather than getting stuck with the lives they have to lead!.
Khurshed Batliwala conducts interesting workshops such as the Mathemagic, the financial literacy workshop, an introductory workshop on western classical music appreciation. He has recently even put together.

Spiritual teachings of Radhanath Swami at TEDx London Business School


Radhanath Swami has been a Bhakti Yoga practitioner for more than 40 years, and is one of today's most beloved and respected spiritual teachers. He is a guide, community builder, activist, and acclaimed author. Rooted in his study of ancient India's mystic devotional, Radhanath's message is simple: by cultivating a genuine practice of service, we can become instruments of compassion and agents of sustainable change in the world. Born into a Jewish family in Chicago, his journey began when he was 19 when he set off to hitchhike across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. In India he studied some of the foremost spiritual and yoga masters before returning to the West to share his gifts of wisdom. Today Radhanath is the founder and coordinator of multiple spiritual talks around the world. His work includes support for missionary hospitals, orphanages, schools and emergency relief programmes.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.(Subject to certain rules and regulations)

About Radhanath Swami
Radhanath Swami (born December 7, 1950) is a guide, community builder, activist, and an acclaimed author. He has been a Bhakti Yoga practitioner and a spiritual teacher for more than 40 years. He is the inspiration behind ISKCON's free midday meal for 1.2 million school kids across India, and he has been instrumental in founding the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai.[4] He works largely from Mumbai in India, and travels extensively throughout Europe and America. In the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), he serves as a member of the Governing Body Commission. Steven J. Rosen described Radhanath Swami as a "saintly person respected by the mass of ISKCON devotees today."

Shani Mantra 108 times by Suresh Wadkar


Shani (शनि, Śani) refers to planet Saturn, and is one of the 9 heavenly objects known as Navagraha in Hindu astrology. Shani is also a male deity in the Puranas, whose iconography consists of a handsome dark (black) figure carrying a sword (or another weapon) and sitting on a buffalo (or crow or vulture). He is also regarded as the karmic teacher as he sees on regard to a person's karma cycle. He is the spiritual karma guru as per indian mythology wherein he gives fruits on the basis of a person's karma.

Where is Saleshwaram Temple ?


Umamaheshwaram (also known as Maheshwaram and Umamaheshrum) is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva in Telangana, India. It is in the picturesque Nallamala forest range around 100 kilometers away from Hyderabad on the Hyderabad-Srisailam highway.

Umamaheshwaram is the northern gateway of Srisailam — one of the jyotirlingas. It is mentioned in many Vedas that visit to a Srisailam without Umamaheswaram is incomplete. It is atop the hill properly covered by huge trees. Hill ranges shields the temple and 500 metres of stretch to PapaNasanam. Through the day hardly any sunlight falls on this stretch, thus maintaining the temperature below normal year round. It is popularly known as Poor Man’s Ooti.

Info about Srisailam


The town of Srisailam is reputed for the shrine of Lord Mallikarjuna on the flat top of Nallamala Hills. It has played a dominant role in the Hindu religious, cultural and social history since ancient times. The epigraphical evidence reveals that the history of Srisailam began with the Satavahanas who were the first empire builders in South India. The earliest known historical mention of the hill, Srisailam, can be traced to the King Vasishthiputra Pulumavi's Nasik inscription of 1st Century A.D. Srisailam or Srisailamu is situated in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is on the banks of the Krishna River about 212 km south of Hyderabad and 179 km from Kurnool. It is spelled as Shrishailam.
There is a saying in Sanskrit about Srisailam :
" श्रीशैल शिखर दृष्ट्वा पुनः जन्म न विद्यते । "
In native script,
"శ్రీశైల శిఖర దృష్ట్వా పునః జన్మ న విద్యతే ।"
"śrīśaila śikhara dṛṣṭvā punaḥ janma na vidyate ।"
Meaning "By seeing the śikhara or the peak of Srisailam, (one releases himself from the cycle of birth and death) one is not born again."

The shrine of GOD Mallikarjuna picturesquely situated on a flat top of Nallamalai Hills, Srisailam is reputed to be one of the most ancient kshetras in India. It is on the right side of the River Krishna in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh. This celebrated mountain is also named as Siridhan, Srigiri, Sirigiri, Sriparvatha and Srinagam. It has been a popular centre of Saivite pilgrimage for centuries.
The prominence of this Divya Kshetram is highlighted by the fact that while performing our daily household rituals we specify place of location of our existence with reference to Srisailam.

Why Karolina Goswami love India

About Karolina Goswami in her words.
"My name is Karolina Goswami. I am not an Indian. I am not biased. I am a typical European girl who never even tried Indian food a few years ago. Earlier in my life, I had never even dreamt of visiting India, but life is full of surprises. I fell in love with an Indian man who never wanted to live outside his country. So I visited India for the first time in 2014. It was not love at the first sight but every day I was discovering Indian reality that I have never been aware of and slowly I started to enjoy life in this country which is full-of-contrast. India has changed me and exposed me to a totally out of the ordinary world. The world where everything began.
I needed months to understand this country and feel here like I am at home. But I was not alone there. My husband was always there for me when I needed more information and I was curious about so many unusual (for me) things. After spending a few months there I realized that people in Europe are not aware of the beauty of this country and most of them were biased because of media. All the time I was facing one question: “Do you feel safe in India? Men are rapists there and for sure you, as a white skin blond hair girl, are much more in danger.” People fail to understand that in a country which is like a continent itself any kind of event can happen. What was more shocking to me is that so many people were criticizing this country even though they have never visited it. The streets were dirty and unsafe, people unfriendly… information that they were giving were trumped up and were not based on facts and proper research. That is why I decided to dig really deep and get to know the real truth about this country and this is exactly what my blog is all about.
I am not biased. I want to give you the truth about the place that I live in, about the place that my future children will call their motherland. I will not praise India. This is not a paradise. I will give the information that you need to understand this country, this society, these people. I will tell you why we all should thank India for what they gave us. I will explain to you why we have so many things in common with today’s India. There are many things that I don’t like about India and trust me I will share this with you. But remember my posts will always be based on facts, information and data.
In my life I have never been just a believer. I am a seeker and this attribute of mine remained the same even when I left my home country to discover the world. In my quest for truth-seeking, I learned and gained knowledge during my amazing experiences. And all I can say is, a person who is interested in only the truth or in other words a real truth-seeker will always find ways to access it. And I have always been able to find my ways.
-Karolina Goswami
(indiaindetails@gmail.com)
I am a Polish girl who comes from the Southeast part of Poland. I have traveled a lot around Europe in my life. India was the first country that I visited in Asia. I came to India around 2 years ago with my fiancée who later became my husband. He is an Indian national who is a furniture designer and his name is Anurag Goswami."

History of Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple in Vemulawada


Vemulawada is a census town in Rajanna Sircilla district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is notable for the Sri Raja Rajeshwara temple, a site of pilgrimage for Hindu worshipers.
Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Devasthanam – Abode of Lord Eashwara – at Vemulawada village of Karimangar District in Andhra Pradesh State is one of the ancient and famous Shivate temples. The Institution was categorized as Regional Joint Commissioner Cadre Temple under G.O.Ms.No: 262, Revenue Department, dated 10/03/1992. The shrine deserves a special mention in terms of its architectural grandeur and spiritual sanctity and is one of the famous Shivate Temples in Andhra Pradesh State. Existence of this shrine is lost in the mists of antiquity and even Puranas mention the existence of the Deity.
The presiding Deity – Lord Raja Rajeshwara in the form of “Neela Lohitha Siva Lingam is known for his boundless benevolence in fulfilling the wishes of the devotees.
This Shrine is popularly known as ‘Dakshina Kasi’ [Southern Banaras] and also as “Harihara Kshetram” for their being two Vaisnava Temples in main Temple complex i.e., Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple and Sri Seetharama Chandra Swamy Temple and Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy is Kesthra Palaka of this Temple being consecrated with Pujas/ festive rituals [both Shivate and Vaisnavate festivals] and Sreerama Navami is the 2nd major festival in this temple.
A Dargah within the precincts of the temple stands as an ample evidence for religious tolerance.
Bhavishyothara Purana mentions that the Sun-God [Surya Bhagavan] recovered from disability by praying at the shrine here and so this shrine is termed “Bhaskara Kshethram”. And, Indra- the King of Astadikpalaka by devoutly worshipping Lord Sri Raja Rajeshwara-the presiding deity of the shrine, purified himself from Brahmahatya Dosham.
Further, It is said that during 750 to 973 AD this temple was built by Raja Narendra-the grandson of Parikshit who in turn the grandson of Arjuna, was not only cured of Leprosy by which he was afflicted by virtue of killing Muniputra accidentally, by taking bath in Dharmagundam [Pushkarni] but also seen Lord Sri Raja Rajeshwara and Goddess Sri Raja Rajehwari Devi in a vision and received blessings with directions to build a temple and install ‘ Siva Lingam’ which was laying in the bed of the Pushkarni.
Historical Importance: Historically this place was the capital of the Vemulawada Chalukyas who ruled from AD 750 to AD 973. Rock cut inscriptions found in this place, however refer to the village as Lemulavatika.
Literary and Traditional Importance: Tradition associate with this place with famous Telugu poet “Bheemakavi” but there is more definite proof of the famous Kannada poet “Pampa” living here as the court poet of Arikesari – II and dedicated his “Kannada Bharatha” to his royal patronage.
Inside Temples in Complex:
The Temple picturesquely stands on the bank of a large Tank which is called as Gudicheruvu. The Garbha – Griha [Mahamandapam] has “Sri Lakshmi Ganapathi”; Lord Raja Rajeshwara in the form of Neelalohitha Siva Linga ; Goddess Sri Raja Rajeshwari Devi and Nandeeshwara facing the Lord. The sanctum sanatorium encloses Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple; Sri Seetharama Chandra Swamy Temple; Sri Anjaneya Sahitha Kasi Visweswara Swamy
Temple; Sri Dakshina Murthy Temple; Sreeevalli Devasena Sametha Subramanya Swamy Temple; Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi Temple; Sri Someshwaralayam; Sri Uma Maheshwaralayam; Sri Mahisasura Mardhani Temple; Kotilingalu; Sri Kala Bhairava Swamy Temple.
In this shrine, Pujas / Rituals are performed according to Smartha Agama and however in Vaisnavate temples located in temple complex, Pujas / rituals are performed according to Pancharathra Agama. The icon of Lord Raja Rajeshwara is consecrated with Chatukala Pujas i.e., Prathakala Puja; Madhyahnika Puja; Pradosakala Puja and Nishikala Puja etc., every day along with Goddess Sri Raja Rajeshwari Devi Sri Lakshmi Ganapathi located in Maha Mandapam.
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Hevilambi nama Samvatsara Raasi Phalalu by Mulugu


Hevilambi nama Samvatsara Raasi Phalalu by Mulugu Ramalingeswara Sidhanthi garu,

Swami Paripoornananda Swami Panchanga Sravanam


Paripoornananda Swami is a renowned Saint, Scholar and Visionary was born on 1st November 1972 in a traditional family.
After his formal education, he joined a vedic school to study Krishna Yajurveda. Not being satisfied with mere recitation of vedic hymns, he developed a keen interest to pursue the meaning of vedic philosophy in depth, under the able guidance of Pujyasri Swami Dayananda Saraswathi a well renowned sage of India, hailing from the lineage of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
Being inspired by the teachings of his Guru, Swami Paripoornananda Saraswathi realised the need for balancing the society by imparting knowledge and to render services, Pujyasri Swamiji established Sreepeetham as the hub of all spiritual and service activities.Since then he has been promoting and propagating the Advaita Philosophy and the principles of Sanatana Dharma by going to every nook and corner of India.

Hemalambi Ugadi Yearly Predictions for 2017-18 by C V B Subrahmanyam


Dr. C V B Subrahmanyam is a Vedic astrologer and the Head of the department of Astrology, Potti Sri Ramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad. He is the Member of Theosophical Society and Universal Brotherhood, Madras and the Member of the International Council of Astrological and Occult Sciences. He has done research activities in literature and astrology, poetry, talks on epics; Bharatam, Bhagavatham, Ramayanam, medical astrology practice (Jyothirvaidyam). Some of his famous works include: Introduction to Astrology, Talks on Astrology in Foreign Countries, Hora Saram, Jaimini Hridayam, Eastern and Western Astrologies, C.V.B. Editorials (All in Telugu). He has received several awards and honours to his credit like Ugadi Puraskar, Jyotirvidya Ratna, World Peace Award, Jyotisha Kesari, Asthana Jyotisha Pandit, Jyotish Mahamahopadhyaya, Excellency Award in Jyothisha.

Ugadi Panchanga Sravanam 2017-18 by Vyshali

Yanambakam Vyshali Jyothishi Venkata Jyothisyam


Ugadi Panchanga Sravanam 2017-18 by Yaanambakam Vyshali Jyothishi, Venkata Jyothishyam

2017 Ugadi Rasi Phalalu by Kodumagulla Venu Gopala Charya Siddanthi


Ugadi Rasi Phalalu(Raasi Phalalu)- Ugadi Predictions for the Year 2017 - 2018. Telugu New Year Sri Hevilambi Nama Samvatsara Rasi Phalalu and Telugu Astrology By Sriman Daivajna Kodumagulla Venu Gopala Charya Siddanthi in TeluguOne.

Vaaranasi Ghat




Varanasi (also known as Benares or Kashi), is a city on the banks of the Ganges in the Uttar Pradesh state of North India, 320 kilometres (200 mi) south-east of the state capital, Lucknow, and 121 kilometres (75 mi) east of Allahabad. The spiritual capital of India, it is the holiest of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) in Hinduism and Jainism, and played an important role in the development of Buddhism. Varanasi lies along National Highway 2, which connects it to Kolkata, Kanpur, Agra, and Delhi, and is served by Varanasi Junction and Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport.

Varanasi is also one of 72 districts in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. At the time of the 2011 census, there were a total 8 blocks and 1329 villages in this district.

Varanasi grew as an important industrial centre, famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. Buddha is believed to have founded Buddhism here around 528 BC when he gave his first sermon, "The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma", at nearby Sarnath. The city's religious importance continued to grow in the 8th century, when Adi Shankara established the worship of Shiva as an official sect of Varanasi. Despite the Muslim rule, Varanasi remained the centre of activity for Hindu intellectuals and theologians during the Middle Ages, which further contributed to its reputation as a cultural centre of religion and education. Tulsidas wrote his epic poem on Rama's life called Ram Charit Manas in Varanasi. Several other major figures of the Bhakti movement were born in Varanasi, including Kabir and Ravidas. Guru Nanak Dev visited Varanasi for Shivratri in 1507, a trip that played a large role in the founding of Sikhism. In the 16th century, Varanasi experienced a cultural revival under the Muslim Mughal emperor Akbar who invested in the city, and built two large temples dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu, though much of modern Varanasi was built during the 18th century, by the Maratha and Bhumihar kings. The kingdom of Benares was given official status by the Mughals in 1737, and continued as a dynasty-governed area until Indian independence in 1947. The city is governed by the Varanasi Nagar Nigam (Municipal Corporation) and is represented in the Parliament of India by the current Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, who won the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 by a huge margin. Silk weaving, carpets and crafts and tourism employ a significant number of the local population, as do the Diesel Locomotive Works and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited. Varanasi Hospital was established in 1964.

Varanasi has been a cultural centre of North India for several thousand years, and is closely associated with the Ganges. Hindus believe that death in the city will bring salvation, making it a major centre for pilgrimage. The city is known worldwide for its many ghats, embankments made in steps of stone slabs along the river bank where pilgrims perform ritual ablutions. Of particular note are the Dashashwamedh Ghat, the Panchganga Ghat, the Manikarnika Ghat and the Harishchandra Ghat, the last two being where Hindus cremate their dead. The Ramnagar Fort, near the eastern bank of the Ganges, was built in the 18th century in the Mughal style of architecture with carved balconies, open courtyards, and scenic pavilions. Among the estimated 23,000 temples in Varanasi are Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Shiva, the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, and the Durga Temple. The Kashi Naresh (Maharaja of Kashi) is the chief cultural patron of Varanasi, and an essential part of all religious celebrations. An educational and musical centre, many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians live or have lived in the city, and it was the place where the Benares Gharana form of Hindustani classical music was developed. One of Asia's largest residential universities is Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The Hindi-language nationalist newspaper, Aj, was first published in 1920.

S P Balasubrahmanyam Exclusive Interview With Yamuna Kishore



Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam born 4 June 1946, is an Indian film playback singer, actor, music director, voice actor, and film producer. He is mostly referred to as S. P. B. or Balu. He has won the Guinness World Record for recording the highest number of songs. He has garnered six National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer, and twenty-five Nandi Awards for his works towards Telugu cinema.

He has recorded over 40,000 songs in various Indian languages. He has won National Film Awards across four languages, as well as a Bollywood Filmfare Award, five Filmfare Awards South, and numerous state awards from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. He is a recipient of civilian awards such as Padmashri (2001) and Padma Bhushan (2011) from the government of India. In 2016, he was honored with the inaugural Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the year at the 47th International Film Festival of India.
Recent S P Balu Health Staus Picture

Lyricist Sirivennela Seetarama Sastry Exclusive Interview With Yamuna Kishore


Chembolu Seetharama Sastry (popularly known as Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry) (born 1955) is an Indian lyricist known for his works in Telugu cinema. He won the Nandi Award for Best Lyricist 10 times and Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist – Telugu 4 times. He was the keynote speaker at the Telugu Association of North America's celebrations held in Chicago Illinois, U.S. July 2–4, 2009. He is currently the highest paid film lyricist in Andhra Pradesh, India. Recently, He was also felicitated by the Bay Area Telugu association.

Uranta Sankranti Celebrations

Makar Sankranti (also known as Makara Sankranti) marks the transition of the sun into the zodiacal sign of Makara (Capricorn) on its celestial path, which is the first change in the zodiac after the winter solstice. The festival is celebrated in various parts of the Indian subcontinent to observe the day which marks the shift of the sun into ever-lengthening days. The festival is a seasonal observance as well as a religious celebration. Makara Sankranti is a solar event making it one of the few Hindu festivals which fall on the same date in local calendars every year: 14 January, with some exceptions when the festival is celebrated on 15 January.

Who is Adiyogi Shiva: The First & Ultimate Zen Master


Questioner: Sadhguru, you place great importance in Shiva. Why didn’t other masters like Jesus, Buddha, or the Zen Masters mention or use him in their teachings?

Sadhguru: These questions and these thoughts are coming from a mindset which has grown in organized religions. We are not talking about Shiva versus somebody else because that you refer to as Shiva includes all these things that you are talking about. Just one little dimension, this or that they found out and they started talking about it and they became popular. I am not trying to belittle them; they are all wonderful human beings who’ve done great service to humanity. But I am saying in terms of perception, there hasn’t been another being like him. And perception is all that I value and that’s all you should value. Rest can be made up, rest is just frills.

So you are talking about Zen. What greater master than of Zen than Shiva himself? That somebody comes, his own son, he doesn’t get the point – you’ve heard of Gutei, the Zen Master? Gutei always did this (Gestures). He will be talking (Gestures), people look at it, ‘Okay why he is showing his finger to me?’ The thing is he is always trying to say everything is one, this is the teaching. Rest of what I say is not important, this is the teaching. So there was a little boy because in these Buddhists monasteries, Zen monasteries little boys become monks, four, five year olds. So the little boy who is growing up in the monastery, he saw Gutei and you know the boy takes to him. So this boy is going about (Gestures), if anybody says anything (Showing one finger), (Laughter) not this finger. (Applause) So he started doing this. So Gutei watched this. He waited for him to become sixteen. One day he called the boy and he did this (Gestures), the boy instinctively because he has been doing it all over the place, he also did this. He took out a knife and chopped off his finger and they say he attained. He suddenly saw the point that it’s not about one, it’s about nothing. (Applause)

Shiva went further long time ago. He came back from somewhere, he always carried a trishool – do we have a trishool here? No trishool in the hall? Hmm? They removed it? So trishool is a trident. He is always carrying the trident to show people there are three dimensions – yourself, your way of being, what you know and what you do not know, and what you do not know rules, not what you know. So one day he came back after a long break. He has not seen this boy, his son. Now he is ten, eleven years of age. When Shiva came, this boy is carrying a little trident, with that he tries to stop him. He looked at him and took off his head, not his trident. (Laughs) Then whatever drama happened and then he put another head, a Gana’s head on top of him and he became such a brilliant boy. Even today in India if people want to start education, anything first thing is they will worship this boy which that Gana has become gaja – a Gana’s head has become instead of Ganesha he’s become Gajesha now. They kind of modified it and made it into an elephant head but he became the very embodiment of intelligence and brilliance. They said there was nothing that he did not know.

What Is The Way of Shiva and Buddha


A questioner wonders, what is the difference between the way of Buddha and of Shiva? Sadhguru answers, it is not a question of difference, rather, of which aspect of Shiva that Buddha explored. He describes the way in which the spine of the spiritual process offered by Shiva was spread through the work of Agastya Muni, Buddha and others.
Yogi, mystic and visionary, Sadhguru is a spiritual master with a difference. An arresting blend of profundity and pragmatism, his life and work serves as a reminder that yoga is a contemporary science, vitally relevant to our times.

Significance of Vaikunta Ekadasi


Vaikuntha Ekadashi is the Shukla paksha Ekadashi that occurs during the Dhanur month in the Hindu calendar (corresponding to late December - January in English calendar).


Vaishnavism (Worship of Vishnu) culture believes that ‘Vaikuntha Dwaram’ or ‘the gate to Lord's Inner Sanctum’ is opened on this day. The Margashirsha shukla paksha ekadashi in lunar calendar is known as a 'Mokshada Ekadashi'. Special prayers, yagnas, discourses and speeches are arranged at Vishnu temples across the world on this auspicious day.
According to the Vishnu Purana, fasting on Vaikuntha Ekadashi is equivalent to fasting on the remaining 23 Ekadashis of the (Hindu) year. However, according to Vaishnava tradition fasting is mandatory on all Ekadashi of both Shukla paksha and Krishna paksha. Fasting on Ekadashi is considered holier than any other religious observation.
Vishnu opened the gate of Vaikuntham (his abode) for two demons in spite of their being against him. They also asked for the boon that whoever listens to their story and sees the image of Vishnu coming out of the door (called Dwar), called Vaikunth Dwar, will reach Vaikunth as well. Temples all over India make a door kind of structure on this day for devotees to walk through.
According to Padma Purana, the female energy of Vishnu slayed the demon Muran and protects the 'Devas'. This happened on the eleventh day of lunar month during the sun's journey in the Dhanurrashi or Dhanu Rashi. Impressed by the act, Vishnu names her as 'Ekadashi' and gives her the boon that those who worship 'Ekadashi' on the day of her victory over Muran would reach 'Vaikunth' (His abode).
Vaikuntha Ekadashi is one of the important and auspicious days for Hindus. It is dedicated to Vishnu. It occurs in the Hindu calendar, in the month of Margashirsha (between December and January). When observed, it bestows liberation from the cycle of birth and death.


Significance:

The significance of Vaikuntha Ekadashi is mentioned in the Padma Purana. The legend says that the Devas were unable to bear the tyranny of 'Muran', a demon, approached Shiva, who directed them to Vishnu. A battle ensued between Vishnu and the demon and Vishnu realized that a new weapon was needed to slay Muran. In order to take rest and create a new weapon, Vishnu retired to a cave named for the goddess Haimavati in Bhadrikashrama. When Muran tried to slay Vishnu, who was sleeping, the female power that emerged from Vishnu burned Muran to ashes with her glance. Vishnu, who was pleased, named the goddess 'Ekadashi' and asked her to claim a boon. Ekadashi, instead, beseeched Vishnu that people who observed a fast on that day should be redeemed of their sins. Vishnu thus declared that people who observed a fast on that day and worshipped Ekadashi, would attain Vaikuntha. Thus came into being the first Ekadashi, which was a Dhanurmasa Shukla Paksha Ekadashi.
The demon Muran stands for the Rajasic and Tamasic qualities in people, attributed to lust, passion, inertia, arrogance etc. When one conquers these tendencies, one attains the purity of mind, Satva, indispensable for attaining of moksha, the liberation or realization of the self. For realizing the self as pure awareness, purity of mind is required. Fasting helps to keep at bay tendencies which could be triggered by intake of certain foods. Keeping vigil in the night is symbolic of awareness, or being watchful of the contents of the mind. When the mind is looked at, it becomes still. To abide in the stillness is to attain freedom or peace, acquired through merging of the mind with the self. This is symbolic of the mind automatically being absorbed at the sight of Vishnu after the arduous fast and vigil.
The belief that rice is prohibited, because Muran dwells in it, symbolically signifies that the eating of rice makes one feel heavy and hampers the vigil. This signifies that entertaining negative tendencies could hamper one's progress towards awareness or consciousness. Observance of the rituals on this auspicious day even without understanding their importance is beneficial. Hence the merit accrued through observing them with piety is believed to be immeasurable. In the Mahabarata, Bhagavad Gita the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna at the beginning of Kurukshetra War is said to have occurred on this day.

Fasting on Ekadashi:

Vaikuntha Ekadashi fasting is an important aspect of those associated with it. People fast the whole day and keep vigil. Special prayers are offered to Vishnu and devotees engage in Japa (chanting of Vishnu's name) and Dhyana (Meditation). On 'Dashami', the previous day of the observance, devotees who take up Vaikuntha Ekadashi fasting are to take only lunch. On Ekadashi, the next day, they have to maintain a complete fast and engage in prayers and meditation of Vishnu. They are strictly prohibited from taking rice. That night, people keep vigil the whole night and visit the temple of Vishnu, mostly in the wee hours of the morning.
On this day, the Vaikuntha Dwaram or the Vaikuntha Vaasal, 'The Gates of Vaikundam' are believed to be kept open. The area encircling the sanctum is referred to Vaikuntha Vaasal and devotees throng to gain entry into the temple, to seek Vishnu.

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