साबुत उड़द की काली दाल के 38 और चावल के 40 दाने मिलाकर किसी गड्ढे में दबा दें और ऊपर से नीबू निचोड़ दें। नीबू निचोड़ते समय शत्रु का नाम लेते रहें, उसका शमन होगा और वह आपके विरुद्ध कोई कदमनहींउठाएगा।
अकारण परेशान करने वाले व्यक्ति से शीघ्र छुटकारा पाने के लिए :
यदि कोई व्यक्ति बगैर किसी कारण के परेशान कर रहा हो, तो शौच क्रिया काल में शौचालय में बैठे-बैठे वहीं के पानी से उस व्यक्ति का नाम लिखें और बाहर निकलने से पूर्व जहां पानी से नाम लिखा था, उस स्थान पर अप बाएं पैर से तीन बार ठोकर मारें। ध्यान रहे, यहप्रयोग स्वार्थवश न करें, अन्यथा हानि हो सकती
kary Sidhi K liye - to accomplish the task -कार्य की सिद्धि के लिए
किसी कार्य की सिद्धि के लिए जाते समय घर से निकलने से पूर्व ही अपने हाथ में रोटी ले लें। मार्ग में जहां भी कौए दिखलाई दें, वहां उस रोटी के टुकड़े कर के डाल दें और आगे बढ़ जाएं। इससे सफलता प्राप्त होती है।
॰ किसी भी आवश्यक कार्य के लिए घर से निकलते समय घर की देहली के बाहर, पूर्व दिशा की ओर, एक मुट्ठी घुघंची को रख कर अपना कार्य बोलते हुए, उस पर बलपूर्वक पैर रख कर, कार्य हेतु निकल जाएं, तो अवश्य ही कार्य में सफलता मिलती है।
॰ अगर किसी काम से जाना हो, तो एक नींबू लें। उसपर 4 लौंग गाड़ दें तथा इस मंत्र का जाप करें : `ॐ श्री हनुमते नम:´। 21 बार जाप करने के बाद उसको साथ ले कर जाएं। काम में किसी प्रकार की बाधा नहीं आएगी।
॰ चुटकी भर हींग अपने ऊपर से वार कर उत्तर दिशा में फेंक दें। प्रात:काल तीन हरी इलायची को दाएँ हाथ में रखकर “श्रीं श्रीं´´ बोलें, उसे खा लें, फिर बाहर जाए¡।
प्रातः सोकर उठने के बाद नियमित रूप से अपनी हथेलियों को ध्यानपूर्वक देखें और तीन बार चूमें। ऐसा करने से हर कार्य में सफलता मिलती है। यह क्रिया शनिवार से शुरू करें।
॰ किसी भी आवश्यक कार्य के लिए घर से निकलते समय घर की देहली के बाहर, पूर्व दिशा की ओर, एक मुट्ठी घुघंची को रख कर अपना कार्य बोलते हुए, उस पर बलपूर्वक पैर रख कर, कार्य हेतु निकल जाएं, तो अवश्य ही कार्य में सफलता मिलती है।
॰ अगर किसी काम से जाना हो, तो एक नींबू लें। उसपर 4 लौंग गाड़ दें तथा इस मंत्र का जाप करें : `ॐ श्री हनुमते नम:´। 21 बार जाप करने के बाद उसको साथ ले कर जाएं। काम में किसी प्रकार की बाधा नहीं आएगी।
॰ चुटकी भर हींग अपने ऊपर से वार कर उत्तर दिशा में फेंक दें। प्रात:काल तीन हरी इलायची को दाएँ हाथ में रखकर “श्रीं श्रीं´´ बोलें, उसे खा लें, फिर बाहर जाए¡।
प्रातः सोकर उठने के बाद नियमित रूप से अपनी हथेलियों को ध्यानपूर्वक देखें और तीन बार चूमें। ऐसा करने से हर कार्य में सफलता मिलती है। यह क्रिया शनिवार से शुरू करें।
भगवान ब्रह्मा का कुल Clan of Lord Brahma
ब्रह्मा हिन्दू धर्म में एक प्रमुख देवता हैं। वे हिन्दुओं के तीन प्रमुख देवताओं (ब्रह्मा, विष्णु, महेश) में से एक हैं। ब्रह्मा को सृष्टि का रचयिता कहा जाता है। सृष्टि का रचयिता से आशय सिर्फ जीवों की सृष्टि से है। पुराणों ने इनकी कहानी को मिथकरूप में लिखा।
प्रमुख देवता होने पर भी इनकी पूजा बहुत कम होती है। इसका एक कारण यह बताया जाता है कि इन्होंने अपनी पुत्री सरस्वती पर कु्दृष्टि डाली थी। दूसरा कारण यह कि ब्रह्मांड की थाह लेने के लिए जब भगवान शिव ने विष्णु और ब्रह्मा को भेजा तो ब्रह्मा ने वापस लौटकर शिव से असत्य वचन कहा था। इनका अकेला लेकिन प्रमुख मंदिर राजस्थान में पुष्कर नामक स्थान पर है। कई लोग गलती से इन्हें 'ब्रह्म' भी मान लेते हैं। जबकि 'ब्रह्म' शब्द 'ईश्वर' के लिए प्रयुक्त होता है।
पुराणों के अनुसार ब्रह्माजी के मानस पुत्र:- मन से मारिचि, नेत्र से अत्रि, मुख से अंगिरस, कान से पुलस्त्य, नाभि से पुलह, हाथ से कृतु, त्वचा से भृगु, प्राण से वशिष्ठ, अंगुषठ से दक्ष, छाया से कंदर्भ, गोद से नारद, इच्छा से सनक, सनन्दन, सनातन, सनतकुमार, शरीर से स्वायंभुव मनु, ध्यान से चित्रगुप्त आदि।
पुराणों में ब्रह्मा-पुत्रों को 'ब्रह्म आत्मा वै जायते पुत्र:' ही कहा गया है। ब्रह्मा ने सर्वप्रथम जिन चार-सनक, सनन्दन, सनातन और सनत्कुमार पुत्रों का सृजन किया। उनकी सृष्टि रचना के कार्य में कोई रुचि नहीं थी। वे ब्रह्मचर्य रहकर ब्रह्म तत्व को जानने में ही मगन रहते थे।
इन वीतराग पुत्रों के इस निरपेक्ष व्यवहार पर ब्रह्मा को महान क्रोध उत्पन्न हुआ। ब्रह्मा के उस क्रोध से एक प्रचंड ज्योति ने जन्म लिया। उस समय क्रोध से जलते ब्रह्मा के मस्तक से अर्धनारीश्वर रुद्र उत्पन्न हुआ। ब्रह्मा ने उस अर्धनारीश्वर रुद्र को स्त्री और पुरुष दो भागों में विभक्त कर दिया। पुरुष का नाम 'का' और स्त्री का नाम 'या' रखा।
प्रजापत्य कल्प में ब्रह्मा ने रुद्र रूप को ही स्वयंभु मनु और स्त्री रूप में शतरूपा को प्रकट किया। इन दोनों ने ही प्रियव्रत, उत्तानपाद, प्रसूति और आकूति नाम की संतानों को जन्म दिया। फिर आकूति का विवाह रुचि से और प्रसूति का विवाह दक्ष से किया गया।
दक्ष ने प्रसूति से 24 कन्याओं को जन्म दिया। इसके नाम श्रद्धा, लक्ष्मी, पुष्टि, धुति, तुष्टि, मेधा, क्रिया, बुद्धि, लज्जा, वपु, शान्ति, ऋद्धि, और कीर्ति हैं। तेरह का विवाह धर्म से किया और फिर भृगु से ख्याति का, शिव से सती का, मरीचि से सम्भूति का, अंगिरा से स्मृति का, पुलस्त्य से प्रीति का पुलह से क्षमा का, कृति से सन्नति का, अत्रि से अनसूया का, वशिष्ट से ऊर्जा का, वह्व से स्वाह का तथा पितरों से स्वधा का विवाह किया। आगे आने वाली सृष्टि इन्हीं से विकसित हुई।
ब्रह्मा के उक्त कुल पर शोध किए जाने की आवश्यकता है, क्योंकि पुराणों में इनके कुल के संबंध में विरोधाभाषिक बातें हैं। कोई दस मानस पुत्र बताता है, कोई सत्रह तो कोई सिर्फ नौ। साथ ही पुराणकारों ने इनके कुल को मिथकीय विस्तार भी दिया जिससे इनकी ऐतिहासिकता स्पष्ट नहीं हो पाती है।
वराह कल्प का पहला मानव 'स्वायंभुव'
वैवस्वत मनु के इतिहास की रूपरेखा
प्रमुख देवता होने पर भी इनकी पूजा बहुत कम होती है। इसका एक कारण यह बताया जाता है कि इन्होंने अपनी पुत्री सरस्वती पर कु्दृष्टि डाली थी। दूसरा कारण यह कि ब्रह्मांड की थाह लेने के लिए जब भगवान शिव ने विष्णु और ब्रह्मा को भेजा तो ब्रह्मा ने वापस लौटकर शिव से असत्य वचन कहा था। इनका अकेला लेकिन प्रमुख मंदिर राजस्थान में पुष्कर नामक स्थान पर है। कई लोग गलती से इन्हें 'ब्रह्म' भी मान लेते हैं। जबकि 'ब्रह्म' शब्द 'ईश्वर' के लिए प्रयुक्त होता है।
पुराणों के अनुसार ब्रह्माजी के मानस पुत्र:- मन से मारिचि, नेत्र से अत्रि, मुख से अंगिरस, कान से पुलस्त्य, नाभि से पुलह, हाथ से कृतु, त्वचा से भृगु, प्राण से वशिष्ठ, अंगुषठ से दक्ष, छाया से कंदर्भ, गोद से नारद, इच्छा से सनक, सनन्दन, सनातन, सनतकुमार, शरीर से स्वायंभुव मनु, ध्यान से चित्रगुप्त आदि।
पुराणों में ब्रह्मा-पुत्रों को 'ब्रह्म आत्मा वै जायते पुत्र:' ही कहा गया है। ब्रह्मा ने सर्वप्रथम जिन चार-सनक, सनन्दन, सनातन और सनत्कुमार पुत्रों का सृजन किया। उनकी सृष्टि रचना के कार्य में कोई रुचि नहीं थी। वे ब्रह्मचर्य रहकर ब्रह्म तत्व को जानने में ही मगन रहते थे।
इन वीतराग पुत्रों के इस निरपेक्ष व्यवहार पर ब्रह्मा को महान क्रोध उत्पन्न हुआ। ब्रह्मा के उस क्रोध से एक प्रचंड ज्योति ने जन्म लिया। उस समय क्रोध से जलते ब्रह्मा के मस्तक से अर्धनारीश्वर रुद्र उत्पन्न हुआ। ब्रह्मा ने उस अर्धनारीश्वर रुद्र को स्त्री और पुरुष दो भागों में विभक्त कर दिया। पुरुष का नाम 'का' और स्त्री का नाम 'या' रखा।
प्रजापत्य कल्प में ब्रह्मा ने रुद्र रूप को ही स्वयंभु मनु और स्त्री रूप में शतरूपा को प्रकट किया। इन दोनों ने ही प्रियव्रत, उत्तानपाद, प्रसूति और आकूति नाम की संतानों को जन्म दिया। फिर आकूति का विवाह रुचि से और प्रसूति का विवाह दक्ष से किया गया।
दक्ष ने प्रसूति से 24 कन्याओं को जन्म दिया। इसके नाम श्रद्धा, लक्ष्मी, पुष्टि, धुति, तुष्टि, मेधा, क्रिया, बुद्धि, लज्जा, वपु, शान्ति, ऋद्धि, और कीर्ति हैं। तेरह का विवाह धर्म से किया और फिर भृगु से ख्याति का, शिव से सती का, मरीचि से सम्भूति का, अंगिरा से स्मृति का, पुलस्त्य से प्रीति का पुलह से क्षमा का, कृति से सन्नति का, अत्रि से अनसूया का, वशिष्ट से ऊर्जा का, वह्व से स्वाह का तथा पितरों से स्वधा का विवाह किया। आगे आने वाली सृष्टि इन्हीं से विकसित हुई।
ब्रह्मा के उक्त कुल पर शोध किए जाने की आवश्यकता है, क्योंकि पुराणों में इनके कुल के संबंध में विरोधाभाषिक बातें हैं। कोई दस मानस पुत्र बताता है, कोई सत्रह तो कोई सिर्फ नौ। साथ ही पुराणकारों ने इनके कुल को मिथकीय विस्तार भी दिया जिससे इनकी ऐतिहासिकता स्पष्ट नहीं हो पाती है।
वराह कल्प का पहला मानव 'स्वायंभुव'
वैवस्वत मनु के इतिहास की रूपरेखा
मौत के बाद क्या होता है? What happens after death?
'न तो यह शरीर तुम्हारा है और न ही तुम इस शरीर के हो। यह शरीर पांच तत्वों से बना है- अग्नि, जल, वायु, पृथ्वी और आकाश। एक दिन यह शरीर इन्हीं पांच तत्वों में विलीन हो जाएगा।'- भगवान कृष्ण
जब शरीर छूटता है तो व्यक्ति के साथ क्या होता है यह सवाल सदियों पुराना है। इस संबंध में जनमानस के चित्त पर रहस्य का पर्दा आज भी कायम है जबकि इसका हल खोज लिया गया है। फिर भी यह बात विज्ञान सम्मत नहीं मानी जाती, क्योंकि यह धर्म का विषय है।
मुख्यत: तीन तरह के शरीर होते हैं- स्थूल, सूक्ष्म और कारण। व्यक्ति जब मरता है तो स्थूल शरीर छोड़कर पूर्णत: सूक्ष्म में ही विराजमान हो जाता है। सूक्ष्म शरीर के विसरित होने के बाद व्यक्ति दूसरा शरीर धारण कर लेता है, लेकिन कारण शरीर बीज रूप है जो अनंत जन्मों तक हमारे साथ रहता है।
आत्मा पर छाई धुंध : व्यक्ति रोज मरता है और रोज पैदा होता है, लेकिन उसे इस बात का आभास नहीं होता। प्रतिपल व्यक्ति जाग्रत, स्वप्न और फिर सुषुप्ति अवस्था में जिता है। मरने के बाद क्या होता है यह जानने के लिए सर्वप्रथम व्यक्ति के चित्त की अवस्था जानना जरूरी है या कहना चाहिए की आत्मा के ऊपर छाई भाव, विचार, पदार्थ और इंद्रियों के अनुभव की धुंध का जानना जरूरी है।
आत्मा शरीर में रहकर चार स्तर से गुजरती है : छांदोग्य उपनिषद (8-7) के अनुसार आत्मा चार स्तरों में स्वयं के होने का अनुभव करती है- (1)जाग्रत (2)स्वप्न (3)सुषुप्ति और (4)तुरीय अवस्था।
तीन स्तरों का अनुभव प्रत्येक जन्म लिए हुए मनुष्य को अनुभव होता ही है, लेकिन चौथे स्तर में वही होता है जो आत्मवान हो गया है या जिसने मोक्ष पा लिया है। वह शुद्ध तुरीय अवस्था में होता है जहां न तो जाग्रति है, न स्वप्न, न सुषुप्ति ऐसे मनुष्य सिर्फ दृष्टा होते हैं- जिसे पूर्ण-जागरण की अवस्था भी कहा जाता है।
होश का स्तर तय करता गति : प्रथम तीनों अवस्थाओं के कई स्तर है। कोई जाग्रत रहकर भी स्वप्न जैसा जीवन जिता है, जैसे खयाली राम या कल्पना में ही जीने वाला। कोई चलते-फिरते भी नींद में रहता है, जैसे कोई नशे में धुत्त, चिंताओं से घिरा या फिर जिसे कहते हैं तामसिक।
हमारे आसपास जो पशु-पक्षी हैं वे भी जाग्रत हैं, लेकिन हम उनसे कुछ ज्यादा होश में हैं तभी तो हम मानव हैं। जब होश का स्तर गिरता है तब हम पशुवत हो जाते हैं। कहते भी हैं कि व्यक्ति नशे में व्यक्ति जानवर बन जाता है।
पेड़-पौधे और भी गहरी बेहोशी में हैं। मरने के बाद व्यक्ति का जागरण, स्मृति कोष और भाव तय करता है कि इसे किस योनी में जन्म लेना चाहिए। इसीलिए वेद कहते हैं कि जागने का सतत अभ्यास करो। जागरण ही तुम्हें प्रकृति से मुक्त कर सकता है।
क्या होता है मरने के बाद : सामान्य व्यक्ति जैसे ही शरीर छोड़ता है, सर्वप्रथम तो उसकी आंखों के सामने गहरा अंधेरा छा जाता है, जहां उसे कुछ भी अनुभव नहीं होता। कुछ समय तक कुछ आवाजें सुनाई देती है कुछ दृश्य दिखाई देते हैं जैसा कि स्वप्न में होता है और फिर धीरे-धीरे वह गहरी सुषुप्ति में खो जाता है, जैसे कोई कोमा में चला जाता है।
गहरी सुषुप्ति में कुछ लोग अनंतकाल के लिए खो जाते हैं, तो कुछ इस अवस्था में ही किसी दूसरे गर्भ में जन्म ले लेते हैं। प्रकृति उन्हें उनके भाव, विचार और जागरण की अवस्था अनुसार गर्भ उपलब्ध करा देती है। जिसकी जैसी योग्यता वैसा गर्भ या जिसकी जैसी गति वैसी सुगति या दुर्गति। गति का संबंध मति से होता है। सुमति तो सुगति।
लेकिन यदि व्यक्ति स्मृतिवान (चाहे अच्छा हो या बुरा) है तो सुषुप्ति में जागकर चीजों को समझने का प्रयास करता है। फिर भी वह जाग्रत और स्वप्न अवस्था में भेद नहीं कर पाता है। वह कुछ-कुछ जागा हुआ और कुछ-कुछ सोया हुआ सा रहता है, लेकिन उसे उसके मरने की खबर रहती है। ऐसा व्यक्ति तब तक जन्म नहीं ले सकता जब तक की उसकी इस जन्म की स्मृतियों का नाश नहीं हो जाता। कुछ अपवाद स्वरूप जन्म ले लेते हैं जिन्हें पूर्व जन्म का ज्ञान हो जाता है।
लेकिन जो व्यक्ति बहुत ही ज्यादा स्मृतिवान, जाग्रत या ध्यानी है उसके लिए दूसरा जन्म लेने में कठिनाइयां खड़ी हो जाता है, क्योंकि प्राकृतिक प्रोसेस अनुसार दूसरे जन्म के लिए बेहोश और स्मृतिहीन रहना जरूरी है।
इनमें से कुछ लोग जो सिर्फ स्मृतिवान हैं वे भूत, प्रेत या पितर योनी में रहते हैं और जो जाग्रत हैं वे कुछ काल तक अच्छे गर्भ की तलाश का इंतजार करते हैं। लेकिन जो सिर्फ ध्यानी है या जिन्होंने गहरा ध्यान किया है वे अपनी इच्छा अनुसार कहीं भी और कभी भी जन्म लेने के लिए स्वतंत्र हैं। यह प्राथमिक तौर पर किए गए तीन तरह के विभाजन है। विभाजन और भी होते हैं जिनका वेदों में उल्लेख मिलता है।
जब हम गति की बात करते हैं तो तीन तरह की गति होती है। सामान्य गति, सद्गगति और दुर्गति। तामसिक प्रवृत्ति व कर्म से दुर्गति ही प्राप्त होती है, अर्थात इसकी कोई ग्यारंटी नहीं है कि व्यक्ति कब, कहां और कैसी योनी में जन्म ले। यह चेतना में डिमोशन जैसा है, लेकिन कभी-कभी व्यक्ति की किस्मत भी काम कर जाती है।
सचमुच प्रकृति में किसी भी प्रकार का कोई नियम काम नहीं करता क्योंकि कभी-कभी व्यक्ति की योग्यता भी असफलता का द्वार खोल देती है और अयोग्य व्यक्ति यदि अच्छी चाहत और सकारात्म विचारों वाला है तो सद्गति को प्राप्त हो जाता है। प्रकृति को चाहिए जागरण, समर्पण और संकल्प। तो संकल्प लें की आज से हम विचार और भाव के जाल को काटकर सिर्फ दृष्टा होने का अभ्यास करेंगे।
जब शरीर छूटता है तो व्यक्ति के साथ क्या होता है यह सवाल सदियों पुराना है। इस संबंध में जनमानस के चित्त पर रहस्य का पर्दा आज भी कायम है जबकि इसका हल खोज लिया गया है। फिर भी यह बात विज्ञान सम्मत नहीं मानी जाती, क्योंकि यह धर्म का विषय है।
मुख्यत: तीन तरह के शरीर होते हैं- स्थूल, सूक्ष्म और कारण। व्यक्ति जब मरता है तो स्थूल शरीर छोड़कर पूर्णत: सूक्ष्म में ही विराजमान हो जाता है। सूक्ष्म शरीर के विसरित होने के बाद व्यक्ति दूसरा शरीर धारण कर लेता है, लेकिन कारण शरीर बीज रूप है जो अनंत जन्मों तक हमारे साथ रहता है।
आत्मा पर छाई धुंध : व्यक्ति रोज मरता है और रोज पैदा होता है, लेकिन उसे इस बात का आभास नहीं होता। प्रतिपल व्यक्ति जाग्रत, स्वप्न और फिर सुषुप्ति अवस्था में जिता है। मरने के बाद क्या होता है यह जानने के लिए सर्वप्रथम व्यक्ति के चित्त की अवस्था जानना जरूरी है या कहना चाहिए की आत्मा के ऊपर छाई भाव, विचार, पदार्थ और इंद्रियों के अनुभव की धुंध का जानना जरूरी है।
आत्मा शरीर में रहकर चार स्तर से गुजरती है : छांदोग्य उपनिषद (8-7) के अनुसार आत्मा चार स्तरों में स्वयं के होने का अनुभव करती है- (1)जाग्रत (2)स्वप्न (3)सुषुप्ति और (4)तुरीय अवस्था।
तीन स्तरों का अनुभव प्रत्येक जन्म लिए हुए मनुष्य को अनुभव होता ही है, लेकिन चौथे स्तर में वही होता है जो आत्मवान हो गया है या जिसने मोक्ष पा लिया है। वह शुद्ध तुरीय अवस्था में होता है जहां न तो जाग्रति है, न स्वप्न, न सुषुप्ति ऐसे मनुष्य सिर्फ दृष्टा होते हैं- जिसे पूर्ण-जागरण की अवस्था भी कहा जाता है।
होश का स्तर तय करता गति : प्रथम तीनों अवस्थाओं के कई स्तर है। कोई जाग्रत रहकर भी स्वप्न जैसा जीवन जिता है, जैसे खयाली राम या कल्पना में ही जीने वाला। कोई चलते-फिरते भी नींद में रहता है, जैसे कोई नशे में धुत्त, चिंताओं से घिरा या फिर जिसे कहते हैं तामसिक।
हमारे आसपास जो पशु-पक्षी हैं वे भी जाग्रत हैं, लेकिन हम उनसे कुछ ज्यादा होश में हैं तभी तो हम मानव हैं। जब होश का स्तर गिरता है तब हम पशुवत हो जाते हैं। कहते भी हैं कि व्यक्ति नशे में व्यक्ति जानवर बन जाता है।
पेड़-पौधे और भी गहरी बेहोशी में हैं। मरने के बाद व्यक्ति का जागरण, स्मृति कोष और भाव तय करता है कि इसे किस योनी में जन्म लेना चाहिए। इसीलिए वेद कहते हैं कि जागने का सतत अभ्यास करो। जागरण ही तुम्हें प्रकृति से मुक्त कर सकता है।
क्या होता है मरने के बाद : सामान्य व्यक्ति जैसे ही शरीर छोड़ता है, सर्वप्रथम तो उसकी आंखों के सामने गहरा अंधेरा छा जाता है, जहां उसे कुछ भी अनुभव नहीं होता। कुछ समय तक कुछ आवाजें सुनाई देती है कुछ दृश्य दिखाई देते हैं जैसा कि स्वप्न में होता है और फिर धीरे-धीरे वह गहरी सुषुप्ति में खो जाता है, जैसे कोई कोमा में चला जाता है।
गहरी सुषुप्ति में कुछ लोग अनंतकाल के लिए खो जाते हैं, तो कुछ इस अवस्था में ही किसी दूसरे गर्भ में जन्म ले लेते हैं। प्रकृति उन्हें उनके भाव, विचार और जागरण की अवस्था अनुसार गर्भ उपलब्ध करा देती है। जिसकी जैसी योग्यता वैसा गर्भ या जिसकी जैसी गति वैसी सुगति या दुर्गति। गति का संबंध मति से होता है। सुमति तो सुगति।
लेकिन यदि व्यक्ति स्मृतिवान (चाहे अच्छा हो या बुरा) है तो सुषुप्ति में जागकर चीजों को समझने का प्रयास करता है। फिर भी वह जाग्रत और स्वप्न अवस्था में भेद नहीं कर पाता है। वह कुछ-कुछ जागा हुआ और कुछ-कुछ सोया हुआ सा रहता है, लेकिन उसे उसके मरने की खबर रहती है। ऐसा व्यक्ति तब तक जन्म नहीं ले सकता जब तक की उसकी इस जन्म की स्मृतियों का नाश नहीं हो जाता। कुछ अपवाद स्वरूप जन्म ले लेते हैं जिन्हें पूर्व जन्म का ज्ञान हो जाता है।
लेकिन जो व्यक्ति बहुत ही ज्यादा स्मृतिवान, जाग्रत या ध्यानी है उसके लिए दूसरा जन्म लेने में कठिनाइयां खड़ी हो जाता है, क्योंकि प्राकृतिक प्रोसेस अनुसार दूसरे जन्म के लिए बेहोश और स्मृतिहीन रहना जरूरी है।
इनमें से कुछ लोग जो सिर्फ स्मृतिवान हैं वे भूत, प्रेत या पितर योनी में रहते हैं और जो जाग्रत हैं वे कुछ काल तक अच्छे गर्भ की तलाश का इंतजार करते हैं। लेकिन जो सिर्फ ध्यानी है या जिन्होंने गहरा ध्यान किया है वे अपनी इच्छा अनुसार कहीं भी और कभी भी जन्म लेने के लिए स्वतंत्र हैं। यह प्राथमिक तौर पर किए गए तीन तरह के विभाजन है। विभाजन और भी होते हैं जिनका वेदों में उल्लेख मिलता है।
जब हम गति की बात करते हैं तो तीन तरह की गति होती है। सामान्य गति, सद्गगति और दुर्गति। तामसिक प्रवृत्ति व कर्म से दुर्गति ही प्राप्त होती है, अर्थात इसकी कोई ग्यारंटी नहीं है कि व्यक्ति कब, कहां और कैसी योनी में जन्म ले। यह चेतना में डिमोशन जैसा है, लेकिन कभी-कभी व्यक्ति की किस्मत भी काम कर जाती है।
सचमुच प्रकृति में किसी भी प्रकार का कोई नियम काम नहीं करता क्योंकि कभी-कभी व्यक्ति की योग्यता भी असफलता का द्वार खोल देती है और अयोग्य व्यक्ति यदि अच्छी चाहत और सकारात्म विचारों वाला है तो सद्गति को प्राप्त हो जाता है। प्रकृति को चाहिए जागरण, समर्पण और संकल्प। तो संकल्प लें की आज से हम विचार और भाव के जाल को काटकर सिर्फ दृष्टा होने का अभ्यास करेंगे।
ॐ के उच्चारण का रहस्य ॐ है एक मात्र मंत्र, यही है आत्मा का संगीत The secret of pronunciation of Om is the only mantra, this is the music of the soul.
ॐ को ओम लिखने की मजबूरी है अन्यथा तो यह ॐ ही है। अब आप ही सोचे इसे कैसे उच्चारित करें? ओम का यह चिन्ह 'ॐ' अद्भुत है। यह संपूर्ण ब्रह्मांड का प्रतीक है। बहुत-सी आकाश गंगाएँ इसी तरह फैली हुई है। ब्रह्म का अर्थ होता है विस्तार, फैलाव और फैलना। ओंकार ध्वनि के 100 से भी अधिक अर्थ दिए गए हैं। यह अनादि और अनंत तथा निर्वाण की अवस्था का प्रतीक है।
आइंसटाइन भी यही कह कर गए हैं कि ब्राह्मांड फैल रहा है। आइंसटाइन से पूर्व भगवान महावीर ने कहा था। महावीर से पूर्व वेदों में इसका उल्लेख मिलता है। महावीर ने वेदों को पढ़कर नहीं कहा, उन्होंने तो ध्यान की अतल गहराइयों में उतर कर देखा तब कहा।
ॐ को ओम कहा जाता है। उसमें भी बोलते वक्त 'ओ' पर ज्यादा जोर होता है। इसे प्रणव मंत्र भी कहते हैं। यही है √ मंत्र बाकी सभी × है। इस मंत्र का प्रारंभ है अंत नहीं। यह ब्रह्मांड की अनाहत ध्वनि है। अनाहत अर्थात किसी भी प्रकार की टकराहट या दो चीजों या हाथों के संयोग के उत्पन्न ध्वनि नहीं। इसे अनहद भी कहते हैं। संपूर्ण ब्रह्मांड में यह अनवरत जारी है।
तपस्वी और ध्यानियों ने जब ध्यान की गहरी अवस्था में सुना की कोई एक ऐसी ध्वनि है जो लगातार सुनाई देती रहती है शरीर के भीतर भी और बाहर भी। हर कहीं, वही ध्वनि निरंतर जारी है और उसे सुनते रहने से मन और आत्मा शांती महसूस करती है तो उन्होंने उस ध्वनि को नाम दिया ओम।
साधारण मनुष्य उस ध्वनि को सुन नहीं सकता, लेकिन जो भी ओम का उच्चारण करता रहता है उसके आसपास सकारात्मक ऊर्जा का विकास होने लगता है। फिर भी उस ध्वनि को सुनने के लिए तो पूर्णत: मौन और ध्यान में होना जरूरी है। जो भी उस ध्वनि को सुनने लगता है वह परमात्मा से सीधा जुड़ने लगता है। परमात्मा से जुड़ने का साधारण तरीका है ॐ का उच्चारण करते रहना।
*त्रिदेव और त्रेलोक्य का प्रतीक :
ॐ शब्द तीन ध्वनियों से बना हुआ है- अ, उ, म इन तीनों ध्वनियों का अर्थ उपनिषद में भी आता है। यह ब्रह्मा, विष्णु और महेश का प्रतीक भी है और यह भू: लोक, भूव: लोक और स्वर्ग लोग का प्रतीक है।
*बीमारी दूर भगाएँ : तंत्र योग में एकाक्षर मंत्रों का भी विशेष महत्व है। देवनागरी लिपि के प्रत्येक शब्द में अनुस्वार लगाकर उन्हें मंत्र का स्वरूप दिया गया है। उदाहरण के तौर पर कं, खं, गं, घं आदि। इसी तरह श्रीं, क्लीं, ह्रीं, हूं, फट् आदि भी एकाक्षरी मंत्रों में गिने जाते हैं।
सभी मंत्रों का उच्चारण जीभ, होंठ, तालू, दाँत, कंठ और फेफड़ों से निकलने वाली वायु के सम्मिलित प्रभाव से संभव होता है। इससे निकलने वाली ध्वनि शरीर के सभी चक्रों और हारमोन स्राव करने वाली ग्रंथियों से टकराती है। इन ग्रंथिंयों के स्राव को नियंत्रित करके बीमारियों को दूर भगाया जा सकता है।
*उच्चारण की विधि : प्रातः उठकर पवित्र होकर ओंकार ध्वनि का उच्चारण करें। ॐ का उच्चारण पद्मासन, अर्धपद्मासन, सुखासन, वज्रासन में बैठकर कर सकते हैं। इसका उच्चारण 5, 7, 10, 21 बार अपने समयानुसार कर सकते हैं। ॐ जोर से बोल सकते हैं, धीरे-धीरे बोल सकते हैं। ॐ जप माला से भी कर सकते हैं।
*इसके लाभ : इससे शरीर और मन को एकाग्र करने में मदद मिलेगी। दिल की धड़कन और रक्तसंचार व्यवस्थित होगा। इससे मानसिक बीमारियाँ दूर होती हैं। काम करने की शक्ति बढ़ जाती है। इसका उच्चारण करने वाला और इसे सुनने वाला दोनों ही लाभांवित होते हैं। इसके उच्चारण में पवित्रता का ध्यान रखा जाता है।
*शरीर में आवेगों का उतार-चढ़ाव :
प्रिय या अप्रिय शब्दों की ध्वनि से श्रोता और वक्ता दोनों हर्ष, विषाद, क्रोध, घृणा, भय तथा कामेच्छा के आवेगों को महसूस करते हैं। अप्रिय शब्दों से निकलने वाली ध्वनि से मस्तिष्क में उत्पन्न काम, क्रोध, मोह, भय लोभ आदि की भावना से दिल की धड़कन तेज हो जाती है जिससे रक्त में 'टॉक्सिक' पदार्थ पैदा होने लगते हैं। इसी तरह प्रिय और मंगलमय शब्दों की ध्वनि मस्तिष्क, हृदय और रक्त पर अमृत की तरह आल्हादकारी रसायन की वर्षा करती है।
आइंसटाइन भी यही कह कर गए हैं कि ब्राह्मांड फैल रहा है। आइंसटाइन से पूर्व भगवान महावीर ने कहा था। महावीर से पूर्व वेदों में इसका उल्लेख मिलता है। महावीर ने वेदों को पढ़कर नहीं कहा, उन्होंने तो ध्यान की अतल गहराइयों में उतर कर देखा तब कहा।
ॐ को ओम कहा जाता है। उसमें भी बोलते वक्त 'ओ' पर ज्यादा जोर होता है। इसे प्रणव मंत्र भी कहते हैं। यही है √ मंत्र बाकी सभी × है। इस मंत्र का प्रारंभ है अंत नहीं। यह ब्रह्मांड की अनाहत ध्वनि है। अनाहत अर्थात किसी भी प्रकार की टकराहट या दो चीजों या हाथों के संयोग के उत्पन्न ध्वनि नहीं। इसे अनहद भी कहते हैं। संपूर्ण ब्रह्मांड में यह अनवरत जारी है।
तपस्वी और ध्यानियों ने जब ध्यान की गहरी अवस्था में सुना की कोई एक ऐसी ध्वनि है जो लगातार सुनाई देती रहती है शरीर के भीतर भी और बाहर भी। हर कहीं, वही ध्वनि निरंतर जारी है और उसे सुनते रहने से मन और आत्मा शांती महसूस करती है तो उन्होंने उस ध्वनि को नाम दिया ओम।
साधारण मनुष्य उस ध्वनि को सुन नहीं सकता, लेकिन जो भी ओम का उच्चारण करता रहता है उसके आसपास सकारात्मक ऊर्जा का विकास होने लगता है। फिर भी उस ध्वनि को सुनने के लिए तो पूर्णत: मौन और ध्यान में होना जरूरी है। जो भी उस ध्वनि को सुनने लगता है वह परमात्मा से सीधा जुड़ने लगता है। परमात्मा से जुड़ने का साधारण तरीका है ॐ का उच्चारण करते रहना।
*त्रिदेव और त्रेलोक्य का प्रतीक :
ॐ शब्द तीन ध्वनियों से बना हुआ है- अ, उ, म इन तीनों ध्वनियों का अर्थ उपनिषद में भी आता है। यह ब्रह्मा, विष्णु और महेश का प्रतीक भी है और यह भू: लोक, भूव: लोक और स्वर्ग लोग का प्रतीक है।
*बीमारी दूर भगाएँ : तंत्र योग में एकाक्षर मंत्रों का भी विशेष महत्व है। देवनागरी लिपि के प्रत्येक शब्द में अनुस्वार लगाकर उन्हें मंत्र का स्वरूप दिया गया है। उदाहरण के तौर पर कं, खं, गं, घं आदि। इसी तरह श्रीं, क्लीं, ह्रीं, हूं, फट् आदि भी एकाक्षरी मंत्रों में गिने जाते हैं।
सभी मंत्रों का उच्चारण जीभ, होंठ, तालू, दाँत, कंठ और फेफड़ों से निकलने वाली वायु के सम्मिलित प्रभाव से संभव होता है। इससे निकलने वाली ध्वनि शरीर के सभी चक्रों और हारमोन स्राव करने वाली ग्रंथियों से टकराती है। इन ग्रंथिंयों के स्राव को नियंत्रित करके बीमारियों को दूर भगाया जा सकता है।
*उच्चारण की विधि : प्रातः उठकर पवित्र होकर ओंकार ध्वनि का उच्चारण करें। ॐ का उच्चारण पद्मासन, अर्धपद्मासन, सुखासन, वज्रासन में बैठकर कर सकते हैं। इसका उच्चारण 5, 7, 10, 21 बार अपने समयानुसार कर सकते हैं। ॐ जोर से बोल सकते हैं, धीरे-धीरे बोल सकते हैं। ॐ जप माला से भी कर सकते हैं।
*इसके लाभ : इससे शरीर और मन को एकाग्र करने में मदद मिलेगी। दिल की धड़कन और रक्तसंचार व्यवस्थित होगा। इससे मानसिक बीमारियाँ दूर होती हैं। काम करने की शक्ति बढ़ जाती है। इसका उच्चारण करने वाला और इसे सुनने वाला दोनों ही लाभांवित होते हैं। इसके उच्चारण में पवित्रता का ध्यान रखा जाता है।
*शरीर में आवेगों का उतार-चढ़ाव :
प्रिय या अप्रिय शब्दों की ध्वनि से श्रोता और वक्ता दोनों हर्ष, विषाद, क्रोध, घृणा, भय तथा कामेच्छा के आवेगों को महसूस करते हैं। अप्रिय शब्दों से निकलने वाली ध्वनि से मस्तिष्क में उत्पन्न काम, क्रोध, मोह, भय लोभ आदि की भावना से दिल की धड़कन तेज हो जाती है जिससे रक्त में 'टॉक्सिक' पदार्थ पैदा होने लगते हैं। इसी तरह प्रिय और मंगलमय शब्दों की ध्वनि मस्तिष्क, हृदय और रक्त पर अमृत की तरह आल्हादकारी रसायन की वर्षा करती है।
नहाने के बाद बोलें यह सरस्वती मंत्र..दिमाग चलेगा कम्प्यूटर से भी तेज Chant this Saraswati Mantra after bathing. Your brain will work faster than a computer.
शक्ति, धन के साथ विद्या व बुद्धि का बेहतर तालमेल सफलतम जीवन का सूत्र है। जगतजननी दुर्गा के तीन स्वरूपों महाकाली, महालक्ष्मी के संग महासरस्वती की आराधना शक्ति, पवित्रता, वैभव के साथ ज्ञान को जीवन में उतारने का ही संदेश देती है।
जगतजननी दुर्गा का ज्ञान स्वरूप महासरस्वती के रूप में पूजनीय है। महासरस्वती विद्या, ज्ञान, कला व वाणी की अधिष्ठात्री मानी गई है। यही कारण है कि आज के भाग-दौड़ भरे दौर में भी सफल, यशस्वी व प्रतिष्ठित जीवन की कामना पूरी करने के लिए मां सरस्वती का स्मरण बहुत जरूरी हो जाता है।
ज्ञान की कमी से मन व बुद्धि की कमजोरी आलस्य, कर्महीनता व दरिद्रता की ओर धकेलती है। वहीं वाणी व बुद्धि बल तन व धन की कमी को भी पाट देता है। देवी सरस्वती का ध्यान मन, बुद्धि को शक्ति प्रदान करता है। जिसके लिए नवमी, पंचमी, शुक्रवार के अलावा हर रोज स्नान के बाद देवी का शास्त्रों में बताए एक विशेष मंत्र से ध्यान ऐसी ही कामनासिद्धि करने वाला माना गया है।
जानते हैं यह देवी सरस्वती मंत्र व आसान विधि -
- देवी सरस्वती के स्मरण के बेहद आसान तरीकों में सुबह स्नान कर स्वच्छ सफेद वस्त्र पहने, देवी प्रतिमा पर सफेद फूल अर्पित करे, दीप व अगरबत्ती लगाकर नीचे लिखे का मंत्र का श्रद्धा से बुद्धि, यश व सफलता की कामना से स्मरण करें -
सरस्वत्यै नमो नित्यं भद्रकाल्यै नमो नम:।
वेद वेदान्त वेदांग विद्यास्थानेभ्य एव च।।
सरस्वति महाभागे विद्ये कमललोचने।
विद्यारूपे विशालाक्षी विद्यां देहि नमोस्तुते।।
अगर आपकी धर्म और उपासना से जुड़ी कोई जिज्ञासा हो या कोई जानकारी चाहते हैं तो इस आर्टिकल पर टिप्पणी के साथ नीचे कमेंट बाक्स के जरिए हमें भेजें।
जगतजननी दुर्गा का ज्ञान स्वरूप महासरस्वती के रूप में पूजनीय है। महासरस्वती विद्या, ज्ञान, कला व वाणी की अधिष्ठात्री मानी गई है। यही कारण है कि आज के भाग-दौड़ भरे दौर में भी सफल, यशस्वी व प्रतिष्ठित जीवन की कामना पूरी करने के लिए मां सरस्वती का स्मरण बहुत जरूरी हो जाता है।
ज्ञान की कमी से मन व बुद्धि की कमजोरी आलस्य, कर्महीनता व दरिद्रता की ओर धकेलती है। वहीं वाणी व बुद्धि बल तन व धन की कमी को भी पाट देता है। देवी सरस्वती का ध्यान मन, बुद्धि को शक्ति प्रदान करता है। जिसके लिए नवमी, पंचमी, शुक्रवार के अलावा हर रोज स्नान के बाद देवी का शास्त्रों में बताए एक विशेष मंत्र से ध्यान ऐसी ही कामनासिद्धि करने वाला माना गया है।
जानते हैं यह देवी सरस्वती मंत्र व आसान विधि -
- देवी सरस्वती के स्मरण के बेहद आसान तरीकों में सुबह स्नान कर स्वच्छ सफेद वस्त्र पहने, देवी प्रतिमा पर सफेद फूल अर्पित करे, दीप व अगरबत्ती लगाकर नीचे लिखे का मंत्र का श्रद्धा से बुद्धि, यश व सफलता की कामना से स्मरण करें -
सरस्वत्यै नमो नित्यं भद्रकाल्यै नमो नम:।
वेद वेदान्त वेदांग विद्यास्थानेभ्य एव च।।
सरस्वति महाभागे विद्ये कमललोचने।
विद्यारूपे विशालाक्षी विद्यां देहि नमोस्तुते।।
अगर आपकी धर्म और उपासना से जुड़ी कोई जिज्ञासा हो या कोई जानकारी चाहते हैं तो इस आर्टिकल पर टिप्पणी के साथ नीचे कमेंट बाक्स के जरिए हमें भेजें।
इन शालग्राम शिलाओं को सिर्फ छूने से ही होता ये चमत्कार..! This miracle happens just by touching these Shalagram stones..!
आज देवउठनी एकादशी है। पौराणिक मान्यता के मुताबिक यह जगतपालक भगवान विष्णु के शयन से जागने की शुभ घड़ी है। इसी तरह यह तिथि विष्णु स्वरूप शालग्राम व तुलसी विवाह का मंगलकारी अवसर भी है।
पुराण प्रसंग के मुताबिक शंखचूड़ जैसी दानवी शक्तियों से मुक्ति और जगत कल्याण के लिए ही भगवान विष्णु को शालग्राम शिला का स्वरूप प्राप्त हुआ। यही नहीं दानव राज की पत्नी तुलसी ने श्री विष्णु कृपा के साथ देव वृक्ष तुलसी व गण्डकी नदी का रूप प्राप्त किया। इसलिए गण्डकी नदी और उसके आस-पास पाए जानी वाली शालग्राम शिलाएं बहुत ही पुण्यदायी मानी गई है। साथ ही विष्णु और तुलसी का किसी भी स्थान पर होना सुख-समृद्धि देने वाला माना जाता है।
नारायण स्वरूप यही शालग्राम शिलाएं इस पर बनने वाले चक्र के आधार पर विष्णु के अलग-अलग रूप व अवतारों के नाम वाली होती हैं, जो इतनी चमत्कारी भी मानी गई है कि इनकी पूजा ही नहीं बल्कि छूने मात्र से बड़े से बड़े पापों का अंत हो जाता है। जानते हैं कि ऐसी ही विलक्षण शालग्राम शिलाओं का स्वरूप कैसा होता है?
मत्स्य - कमल के आकार वाली शिला।
कूर्म - नीले रंग, तीन रेखा और बिन्दुओं से अंकित शिला।
ह्ययग्रीव शिला - जिस शिला पर पांच रेखाएं व अंकुश का आकार हो।
नृसिंह - जिस शिला के बीच गदा जैसी रेखा, नाभिचक्र और फैले हुए वक्षस्थल का आकार दिखाई दे।
वामन - छोटी और गोलाकार शिला।
वाराह - विषम आकार व बीच में दो चक्रों के चिन्ह वाली शिला।
कृष्ण - गोलाकार और पीछे की ओर का हिस्सा झुका हुआ हो।
दामोदर - नीले रंग व बीच में भी नीले रंग के च्रकवाली शिला।
अनन्तक - अनेक रंग, रूप व जिस पर नाग जैसे फण अंकित हो।
लक्ष्मीनारायण - दो चक्रों वाली शिला।
इसी प्रकार शंख, गदा, पद्म चिन्हों और चक्र अंकित शालग्राम शिलाएं विष्णु के अनेक नामों से जानी जाती है। जिनकी पूजा हर तरह से मंगल व कल्याण करने वाली मानी जाती है।
पुराण प्रसंग के मुताबिक शंखचूड़ जैसी दानवी शक्तियों से मुक्ति और जगत कल्याण के लिए ही भगवान विष्णु को शालग्राम शिला का स्वरूप प्राप्त हुआ। यही नहीं दानव राज की पत्नी तुलसी ने श्री विष्णु कृपा के साथ देव वृक्ष तुलसी व गण्डकी नदी का रूप प्राप्त किया। इसलिए गण्डकी नदी और उसके आस-पास पाए जानी वाली शालग्राम शिलाएं बहुत ही पुण्यदायी मानी गई है। साथ ही विष्णु और तुलसी का किसी भी स्थान पर होना सुख-समृद्धि देने वाला माना जाता है।
नारायण स्वरूप यही शालग्राम शिलाएं इस पर बनने वाले चक्र के आधार पर विष्णु के अलग-अलग रूप व अवतारों के नाम वाली होती हैं, जो इतनी चमत्कारी भी मानी गई है कि इनकी पूजा ही नहीं बल्कि छूने मात्र से बड़े से बड़े पापों का अंत हो जाता है। जानते हैं कि ऐसी ही विलक्षण शालग्राम शिलाओं का स्वरूप कैसा होता है?
मत्स्य - कमल के आकार वाली शिला।
कूर्म - नीले रंग, तीन रेखा और बिन्दुओं से अंकित शिला।
ह्ययग्रीव शिला - जिस शिला पर पांच रेखाएं व अंकुश का आकार हो।
नृसिंह - जिस शिला के बीच गदा जैसी रेखा, नाभिचक्र और फैले हुए वक्षस्थल का आकार दिखाई दे।
वामन - छोटी और गोलाकार शिला।
वाराह - विषम आकार व बीच में दो चक्रों के चिन्ह वाली शिला।
कृष्ण - गोलाकार और पीछे की ओर का हिस्सा झुका हुआ हो।
दामोदर - नीले रंग व बीच में भी नीले रंग के च्रकवाली शिला।
अनन्तक - अनेक रंग, रूप व जिस पर नाग जैसे फण अंकित हो।
लक्ष्मीनारायण - दो चक्रों वाली शिला।
इसी प्रकार शंख, गदा, पद्म चिन्हों और चक्र अंकित शालग्राम शिलाएं विष्णु के अनेक नामों से जानी जाती है। जिनकी पूजा हर तरह से मंगल व कल्याण करने वाली मानी जाती है।
पानी पीने के इस तरीके को अपनाकर मोटापे से छुटकारा पाएं हमेशा के लिए Get rid of obesity forever by adopting this method of drinking water.
कहते हैं ज्यादा पानी पीने के ढेरों फायदें हैं। चिकित्सक भी ये मानते हैं कि ज्यादा पानी पीने से कई बीमारियां अपने आप ही समाप्त हो जाती हैं। लेकिन पानी को अगर सही तरी के से और सही तरीके से पीया जाए तो आपको मोटापा कंट्रोल करने में भी अधिक मेहनत नहीं करनी पड़ेगी। हमारे शरीर की आवश्यकता खाना खाने से पहले दो गिलास पानी पीने की आदत न सिर्फ आपके वजन को नियंत्रित करती है, बल्कि लंबे समय तक आपको फिट बनाने के लिए भी कारगर है। एक शोध के अनुसार जिन डाइटर्स ने कैलोरी काउंट के तहत आधार लेने पर ध्यान दिया उनके मुकाबले वैसे डाइटर्स का वजन तेजी से घटा, जिन्होंने खाने से पहले दो गिलास पानी पीने का फंडा अपनाया उनका वजन आसानी से घट गया। पानी वजन घटाने का सबसे सस्ता उपाय है। पानी को कैलोरी फ्री आहार भी माना जा सकता है। पानी कम मात्रा में पानी पीने से शरीर में वसा ऊर्जा के रूप में जलने के बजाय एकत्रित होनी शुरू हो जाती है।
इसका कारण है शरीर में मौजूद वसा का ऊर्जा में परिवर्तन आपके शरीर में मौजूद पानी की मात्रा पर निर्भर करता है। जितना अधिक पानी आप पीएंगे, उतनी ही अधिक वसा आप खर्च कर पाएंगे। वह के समय एक गिलास गुनगुने पानी में दो टीस्पून शहद डालकर पीने से वजन नियंत्रित रहता है। यदि इसमें एक टी स्पून नींबू का ताजा रस डाल दिया जाए तो कहना ही क्या। आप चाहे तो दिन में कई बार इसका सेवन कर सकती है।हर एक घंटे में एक गिलास पानी का सेवन आपके शरीर के लिए चमत्कार कर सकता है । यह आपको भूख का एहसास न कराते हुए कम खाने में आपकी मदद करता है । अधिक मात्रा में ग्रहण किया हुआ पानी शरीर से अवांछित अवशेषों को बाहर निकालता है और पाचन प्रक्रिया में अपना सहयोग देता है।
इसका कारण है शरीर में मौजूद वसा का ऊर्जा में परिवर्तन आपके शरीर में मौजूद पानी की मात्रा पर निर्भर करता है। जितना अधिक पानी आप पीएंगे, उतनी ही अधिक वसा आप खर्च कर पाएंगे। वह के समय एक गिलास गुनगुने पानी में दो टीस्पून शहद डालकर पीने से वजन नियंत्रित रहता है। यदि इसमें एक टी स्पून नींबू का ताजा रस डाल दिया जाए तो कहना ही क्या। आप चाहे तो दिन में कई बार इसका सेवन कर सकती है।हर एक घंटे में एक गिलास पानी का सेवन आपके शरीर के लिए चमत्कार कर सकता है । यह आपको भूख का एहसास न कराते हुए कम खाने में आपकी मदद करता है । अधिक मात्रा में ग्रहण किया हुआ पानी शरीर से अवांछित अवशेषों को बाहर निकालता है और पाचन प्रक्रिया में अपना सहयोग देता है।
Sri Gurudeva Datta Vaibhavam
Sri Gurudeva Datta Vaibhavam
By : Sri Mahabhashyam. Rangacharya.
Sages and Seers Of Datta Guru Parampara Bharat and Bharatiyas have a great common heritage. The heritage of perfection is called Guru Parampara. The Siddha heritage has Lord Dattatreya as its pinnacle, being the Guru of Gurus. Understandably, we never call Brahma, Vishnu, Shankara, Ganesha as Gurudevas. But we call Dattatreya as "Sri Guru Deva Datta". Lord Dattatreya is a "Smartugami". you "just remember Him. He is there'. He is an ever living incarnation. In such an illustrious Guru Parampara there have been great sages and seers who were all guided by this heritage. Records of most of them are not available. But by the grace of Lord Dattatreya, the life-stories of a few Siddhas/Mahatmas, are available. Shri Shripada Shri Vallabha is the one, who is an incarnation of Datta Himself.
1 . Sri Sripada Shri Vallabha
We have already seen how the worship of Dattatreya developed with the progress of time. Right from the Puranic age, kings like KartaveeryaArjuna , Ayu Alarka, Yadu and Puranic personalities like Parasurama, Pingala, Prahlada, and later even the historical personalities like Goraknath and others, the name of Dattatreya hovered over the pages of spiritual history with splendour of rare effulgence. Round about 1300 A.D. - A brahmin, learned and well versed in sastras, in philosophy, by name Appala Raja, lived in Pithapuram, a town on the east coast, in Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. His wife Sumati was a great Sati devoted and chaste, really a Sumati i.e. of good and refined disposition. She used to adore her husband with great reverence and follow the dictates of her husband meticulously and scrupulously. Sri Kshetra Pithapuram is a town (a Railway Station) on the east coast in Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. The holy place, Pithapuram, abounds in temples of Shiva (Kukkuteswara) and Vishnu (Kuntl Madhava) and also famous for Padagaya tank, where Shraddhas are performed with Pinda Pradana drawing people from all over India. According to the Puranic legend, the demon Gayasura was slained by Lord Vishnu and his mortal remains were strewned all over in a number of places. Afterwards these places came to be reckoned very holy. They are now famous Shiro-Gaya, Nabhi Gaya and Padagaya. This Kshetra Pithapurarn is considered to be as holy as Kashi (Benaras). Skanda Purana mentions that whosoever performs Shraddha wiih Pinda- dana at this holy kund of Pada - Gaya where the feet of Gayasura are supposed to be embedded the Jeevatmas of his forefathers in Pitru-loka get salvation. This holy place is the birth place of Shree Pada Vallaba. Appalaraja and Sumathi were an ideal couple of highest piety and purity. As misfortune would have it, they had two children both of them handicapped one blind and the other without legs. So the couple spent most of their time in looking after them. Their piety, particularly Sumati's sublime minded service bore fruit one day. It was a Shraddha day of the father of Appala Raja. Sumati woke up very early before sunrise as usual and that morning got herself immersed in preparing the food necessities, particularly required for the Shraddha Day. At mid-day when the sun was at the apex, Appalaraja left home to fetch Shraddha-bhoktas. Raja implies King not only in name but also in disposition and behaviour. Though he had no worldly wealth, he was rich in piety and righreousness. Sumati just finished the preparation of food requirements, when she heard the words at the door-step "O please give me cooked food". She found a hermit at the door-step with rare splendour of divine effulgence, face, joyful beaming brighter than that of the sun-glow, Sumati reverentially bowed down and felt that Lord Dattatreya came in that guise of a hermit. He asked for alms and Sumati without hesitation or a second thought brought the food she prepared for the Shraddha and offered in great reverence and saluted him again and again. The hermit was extremely pleased and said Oh! mother, ask me for whatever you wish". Sumati in great ecstasy, prayerfully said "Oh! Lord of Lords, you, all – merciful have called me mother, let those words come true. I wish to have a son like you, universally revered and compassionate to all. The hermit, who is no other than Lord Dattatreya said Be it so and in a twinkle disappeared. Sumati stood at the doorstep alone bewildered and overwhelmed with indescribable joy shedding tears of joy. After inviting, the Bhoktas to attend the Shraddha ceremony, Appala Raja returned home. He was surprised to see Sumati standing at the door - steps in a stupefied condition. After a while recognising her-Raja's return, she told him all that happened and apologtically said "Oh ! my Lord, I have committed a great mistake in giving away the Shraddha food to the hermit, who was just a few minutes before, asking for alms. Please wait for a while I shall re-cook for the Shraddha". Looking at Sumati, Appala Raja was intensely moved and said "Oh ! you have been most lucky, you have done no wrong. To give food to the hungry is the best and greatest of all donations, My forefathers must have been amply and really satisfied with this dana of yours. I feel that you have seen Shri Vishnu Himself in the form of Shri Datta, the incarnate of the Trinity. Days passed on the Lord himself had entered into the body of Sumati and her physical demeanour, day by day grew in divine lustre, She was spending all her time in deep meditation of Sri Datta Prabhu. She couldsee all pervading Digambara Datta in her heart and outside as well. She delivered in the tenth month a divine son. A kind of heavenly delight filled the home. The whole universe appeared to enjoy the sacred event. His Jataka was foretold. He was to be a very great (Tapasvi) ascetic. The child was called Sripada as the emblems of Chakra and Shanka were found in his feet. The splendour of his body so beautiful, so charming with divine lustre his parents named him Shree Vallabha. As it is customary, in his seventh year he was invested with the sacred thread (Upanayanam). Whatever words Shripada spoke had profound significance and he was (Eka Santagrahi) able to memorise anything just by a single reading or on hearing. In very shot time he completed learning Veda Sastras. His learning, maturity of knowledge, erudition in all Vedas and scriptures was stupendous. Thus he grew upto his sixteenth year, when his parents thought of marrying him. Learning the intention of the parents, Sreepada Sree Vallabha, endearingly told them, "1 am already married to renunciation". "1 am an ascentic, I have to be in Nivrithi Marg and so I am not to marry. " Hearing these words of her son, Sumati remembered the words of the hermit who blessed her and thought to herself Yes, the hermit told me of this and it is coming true now". The parents had an affectionate and kindly look at their son and said "Oh ! hermit son . We are extremely fortunate to have you with us and it was to be only for a short time of sixteen years. Whatever is Lord's design it should be carried out. Shripada Yati embraced his mother who in tears of joy and pure love bathed her godly son. The mother in anguish pointed towards her two sons, maimed and blind, and looked appealingly to her son. Lo ! Sripada Sreevallabha by a mere look at the blind brother blessed him with sight and the legless brother endowed with legs. The joy of the parents knew no bounds to find their hitherto, handicapped children, now physically fit and bright. Later they became very learned too. Sreepada, bade good-bye to his joyful parents and started on a pilgrimage. He went to Kashi, Badrinath, and Kedarnath in Himalayas, guiding and imparting Jnana to the Saints. Then coming down visited all the pilgrim centres on the west coast, reached Gokarna and finally retired to Kuruvapur, an island in river Krishna. He was enlightening and giving solace to people wherever he went. His desire was to dispense happiness to one and all, by freeing them from the shackles of worldly attachment and disappointments. By his blessings he made a delinquent, mentally retarded child quite normal and learned like the child's father (who was a great scholar of Vedas) at the request of the widow-mother Ambika and benevolently promised to born as her son in her next Janma. In another case, one day a Muslim Nawab came to river Krishna in a ferry boat with his wives for a joyful float.A washerman who was then washing clothes in the river water seeing the grandeur of the Nawab, felt utter contempt for his own poverty and miserable life. At the same moment Sripada Sri Vallabha Yati happened to come to the river for taking his daily bath as usual. The Yati who could easily read and understand the mind of the washerman and his mental anguish said "Oh! washerman, your mind is yearning for a life of luxury. You will get the same state as that Nawab in your next life." True, the washerman later was born to the Muslim Nawab of Bidar, enjoyed all the royal luxuries and also the grace of Sri Nrisimha Saraswati, who was a reincarnate of Sreepada Sree Vallabha Yati. Sripada Yati fixed a day for his Samadhi. It was on the twelth day of the dark half of month Ashwin, of Margasira Constellation on Thursday, saluted mother Ganga and sat for Samadhi on river-water and disappeared and got merged into Brahman, wherefrom He came in human form on the earth as Sreepada Sree Vallabha. Desires always come in the way of liberation and saints like Sri Sripada Sri Vallabha, have pointed out the ways and process to be free completely from them. Guru Charitha suggests the probable date of Sripada Vallabha as 1300 A.D. but it cannot be taken with any definiteness. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the condition of the country was in a great flux. It will be interesting to have a glimpse of the contemporary conditions of the country in general and Maharashtra then, in particular, the rule of the Mohammedans was not generally very popular. The Mohammedan rulers tried to attract people towards them by offers of power and pelf. At this time in the interest of humanity there was a pressing need of a powerful personality who would not only wean them away from the prevailing powerful enticements, but to put them on the right track. Sri Nrisimha Saraswati was such a personality.
2 . Shri Nrisimha Saraswati Swami
Nrisimha Saraswati was born in a brahmin family at Karanjananagar in the Varad district of Maharastra. His father's name was Madhav who belonged to the Vajasaneyi branch of the Vedas, and his mother's name was Amba almost of the same name Ambika, who got a boon from Sri Srivallabha to be born as her son in next life. In that way Nrisimha Saraswati, whose original name was Saligrama, is supposed to be the reincarnation of Sri Sreepada Sree Vallabha. The boy Nrisimha Saraswati, strangely till the time of his sacred thread ceremony (Upanayana) was uttering only "OM" and nothing else. At the time of the thread-ceremony he further surprised the people reciting the sacred hymns from Vedas. Promising his parents to return after twenty years, he went away only to fulfil his lifemission. He came to Benaras and was immersed in practice of Yoga and penance. It was Sri Krishna Saraswathi an old Sanyasin of high spiritual attainments, belonging to a venerable order of Sanyasins, gave diksha. He scrupulously observed the tenets of Sanyasin, observing, never to stay for more than a couple of days in a particular place, and kept on moving. Wherever he went, gave boons to many explained the real meaning behind the external practices prescribed in the scriptures in relation to mundane and spiritual life. He encouraged the performance of Yagnas(sacrifices). The Bhasma and Rudraksha wearing were highly recommended. The grace of God is always there for the good and it does not discriminate between the rich and the poor. Nrisimha Saraswati placed Sanyasamarga on a high pedestal and on solid foundation. Gurucharitra narrates the story. Chandala with Bhasma obtained from His Guru, who defeated two arrogant and learned Brahmins in discourses and of a Sati whose deceased husband was brought to life by the grace of Guru Nrisimha Saraswathi. We see during his life time, he not only stopped many a person changing his religion for the sake of worldly benefits. He was a poineer in advocating the line of thought put forward by Dattatreya in this Kali Age, like that of Rama worship by Tulsidasa, flourished with great force, inspiring many personalities. The worship of Dattatreya developed considerably with the advent of Nrisimha Saraswai and inspired many saints particularly, in Maharastra.
Later on and even at the time of Nrisimha Saraswati, the worship of a Guru, gained prominece. Guru Charitra speaks very highly -about the glorification of Guru and Guru-Gita as a part of the same. Gradually, thus the prefix Shri Guru Deva gained popularity before the thought of Sri Datta Prabhu. From vedic times, it can be gleaned that faith itself formed a part of reasoning from "Acharya Devo Bhava" mentioned in Taittiriya Upanishad, we find that Svetaketu, very highly well-versed in all the scriptures lacked spiritual knowledge, and had to approach a Guru to obtain it. It is rightly said that Guru, Vedanta and Iswara the trinity of spiritual Sadhana is of utmost importance. God's incarnation in Datta and Shri Guru is one and the same, "God is Trinity is Guru". Nrisimha Saraswati elevated this principle highly, reminding the sloka "Guru is Brahma, Vishnu Maheswar and Guru is nothing but really Parabrahman" Dattatreya is Guru Avatara and later times, invocationJai Guru Dev Datta became an essential, in the Datta worship. A guru is Brahma though he has only one face, instead of four of Brahma; he is Vishnu with two hands instead of four hands and he is Siva with only two eyes, instead of three eyes of Siva. The grace of Sadguru is the primary necessity of life. The yati marga initiated by Sree Pada Sree Vallabha gradually underwent a change into Guru-marga, considering it synonymous with yati marga, in contrast to Vaidika marga which had a firm hold, previously.
Nrisimha Saraswathi, with his yogic powers and penance, represented himself as one who had come, for mankind, to save it from clutches of narrow mindedness, ignorance, who wrongly considered "body" as god and "eating" as prayer. Before the advent of Nrisimha Saraswathi, Karma kanda had its predominance in every religious aspect of a Hindu. There was high stress on Vratas, Prayaschitta, etc., even though tall talks on higest highest philosophical doctrines were conspicuous without any Chitta Suddhi. Behind each and every miracle associated with the name of Sri Nrisimha Saraswati, one thing was emphasized that the pleasures and pains of life are inevitable and are of no value but only the real value lies in attaining the ultimate goal of life, self-realisation, the final emancipation. The self alone is real and all actions are meant for purifying mind. Gradually due to his influence, people's minds got broadened and difference between different sections of the people were bridged over.
3 . Manika Prabhu (1817 -1865 A.D.)
Manohara Nayaka Harakude, a Srivatsa gotra, Desastha Brahmin and Baya Devi of Ladavanti were the parents of Manik Prabhu, their illustrious son. Harakude and Baya Devi were very pious and they did
Parayana of Guru Charitra for over sixteen years continously with rigid observance of the rules of worship indicated in Guru Charitra. Afterwards Lord Dattatreya appeared in a dream gave darshan to Harakude and Baya Devi and asked them to choose a boon. Both like Atri and Anasuya, desired to have a son like the Lord and nothing else. Thus the birth of Manika Prabhu came into existence in the world in the year 1817A.D. From the very childhood Manika Prabhu was known for his worth in yoga, enrapturing his mother Baya Devi like Yasoda Devi, the mother of Lord Krishna by his divine nature. When on Thursdays people flocking together and approaching the child for something or other and their wishes being fulfilled was an exciting scene. Child Manika Prabhu, though he never attended a school, learnt many languages like Kanarese, Urdu, Marathee, Persian, Sanskrit by himself and even acquired proficiency in them. Baya Devi was widowed just when Manika Prabhu was ten years old and so his maternal uncle was his guardian. Manika Prabhu was found wandering here and there doing things quite contrary to the sacred traditions of Hindu religion. For instance, once Manika Prabhu was found putting all his clothes and his chappals on the head of Maruti idol in a temple. His settlement at Manikanagar is quite interesting. Once a certain Brahmin family started for Darshana of Manika Prabhu. On their way at Humnabad there was a temple and there they were resting for the night without knowing that it was the meeting place of thieves. That night a batch of dacoits visited the temple as usual and finding the family resting therein, wanted to loot them. The Brahmin family startled by their presence began crying out "Hei ! Manika Prabhu, Manika Prabhu" for helping them out of the great danger they could sense. Soon a miracle happened and the thieves saw a. great yogi, bedecked with gorgeous jewellery in front, standing at the threshold of the temple. The thieves preferred to loot the person with plenty of jewellery over his body than the humble brahmin family. When the thieves ran after him he disappeared and they found 'themselves benumbed completely, and slowly they sneaked out away, lest something more harm should happen to them. In fact, Manika Prabhu appeared in person there soon after and made the place his permanent abode. The forest surounding the temple was cleared and soon a township sprang up. The place became in a little time, a centre where people saw both renunciation and enjoyment harmoniously blended. Manika Prabhu never ate the rich food prepared for the devotees thronged, but always lived on Madhukari food brought by his disciples, begging from house to house. Some times he went for alms in that way. The paradox was people could see a rich beggar with all his royal pomp was full of simplicity and humility. In him one could see, the effulgence of a saint with the halo of worldly luxury, completely detached. An unbroken celibacy even amidst women and wealth was conspicuous in him strictly avoiding association with ladies in loneliness. He showed tothe world that even ladies with proper direction could attain the highest knowledge of Atman the Absolute, if the director is careful about his ownself. He could freely mix with non Hindus, specially Mohammedans, for he evinced equal care and interest in the welfare of one and all. Thus like Nrisimha Saraswati he influenced both the Hindus and Mohammedans alike. The founder of Sikhism has considered Manika Prabhu as "an incarnation of Dattatreya", while Col.Alkot. of Theosophical Society, Basaveswara the founder of Lingayat sect, gave glorious accounts of Manika Prabhu, as an incarnation born in the world for the good of the people. His wisdom, catholicity and foresight in handling different kinds of people under one banner, is strikingly, significant. In fact his whole life passed in such activity of longing in a fusion of so called opposites in faiths and cults. It is (Sakalamata sthapana) universally of religions, his seeing no conflict between activity (Pravitti) and inaction (nivritti) was his greatest contribution to the society and mankind.
Manika Prabhu had many contemporaries. Of course the followers and disciples of each saint consider them as different Avataras of Dattatreya. For instance, Sri Baka Prabhu among Lingayats, Sri Alam Prabhu among Yavanas, Sri Swami of Akkalkot were all illustrious in their own way.
These saints who were contemporary always considered the worth of one another and never talked of their own greatness. They never cared for fame. Though, inspite of their dislike for it, it came to them and clung to their names even after their departure from the world. They were born for a particular mission and they accomplished it in their own way by giving things to the needy and enlightenment to those who sought for it. For instance, Manika Prabhu in the task of enhancing the power of Sidhas, helped Hamsaraja Swami in his pursuit of self realisation. Manik Prabhu's connection with Sidhas, like Alam Prabhu, Revana Siddha, Suraja Sadananda was mysteriously startling. Manika Prabhu wrote a book called kalpataru which contains the knowledge he desired to impart. Moreover many padas, Artis were composed by him. The subject of Gopi Krishna's equisitively inter-woven in many of his padas in great depth. Manika Prabhu took Samadhi at Manikanagar in 1865, at the age of 48, the news of which was kept a secret at the behest of Manika Prabhu at the time of his taking Samadhi, to allow the people gathered for Datta- Jayanthi to celebrate without marring their joy which would have been upset if the news of his passing away was made public. Manikanagar has become place of pilagrimage, where people throng from all parts of country for the fulfilment of their cherished desires.
4 . Swami of Akkalkot
Lord Dattatreya is an incarnation of the Trinity, the three highest Gods. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Their Shakti, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati, being highly chaste women follow their husbands and shower their grace (Anugraha) on the devotees of their Lords. Thus the grace of goddess Saraswati as regards knowledge is fully showered upon as soon as a call is heard from the Guru Dattatreya. Thus we find that devotees of Lord Dattatreya were blessed by Saraswati and they produced monumental works. For instance, Gangadhara Saraswati's Guru Charitra, Dasopanta's Gitarnava, Niranjana's commentaries, Vasudevananda Saraswati's Dattatreya- Mahatmya, inspiring works have been the result of Saraswati's blessings and they contributed considerably to the literature dealing with the process of liberation (Mumukshutva). In the same way Goddess Lakshmi always remained at hand to bestow inexhaustible mines of wealth for advancement of Bhaktas towards their spiritual goal. The life of Manika Prabhu is an instance. The same is the case with Goddess Annapurna (Parvathi) in the role of mother of Universe (Uma) provides food unlimited by her divine grace without knowing wherefrom it comes and how it is managed. The prominence of the three Goddesses varies according to the needs of time and place. Yet all the three are one and the same. Just like the grace of the Goddess of the three principal deities, we often come across the characteristic features of one or theother of three Gods in the lives of these saints. In Sree Pada Sree Vallabha the Avadhuta aspect, in Nrisimha Saraswati the paramahamsa aspect, in the Swami of Akkalkot the child-like (Bala) aspect and mad life (Unmatta), and in Shirdi Sai a peculiar synthesis of all these aspects of Dattatreya are discernible. Various different accounts evolved out of the biographical versions about the birth of the Swami Samartha as pronounced by him at several times. Firstly he told a Pujari of Ganagapur that his name was Nrisimha-bana and that he was born 450 years ago. Secondly, he told a Parsi gentleman that he was from Kadalivana moved to various places, Haridwar. Kedareswara, Pandharpur and finally settled at Akkalkot. Thirdly, he told a devotee Shri Darve that his caste was a Brahmin of Yajurveda branch Kasyapa Gotra. Fourthly, he told a wine merchant that himself an originator having his bed on a leaf of a banyan tree at Dattanagar, and another time told that he was an outcast (Chamar) and his parents belong to the caste of Mahar. Just as his statements regarding his name and caste are varied, his behaviour and daily-life actions happened to be strange and even at times transcending bounds of decency. But nobody ever reported that he behaved against the common rules of the society. Every body in fact respected him as a great saint of unfathomable behaviour and absolutely unconcerned and unattached attitude to the objects, men or environment around him. The life of Swami Samartha was full of miracles and thousands of people gathered around him solely for fulfilment of their worldly desires, while none went to him for spiritual progress. Each utterance of the Swami was regarded to contain some deep secret meaning or reference to a certain incident of the future. According to Swami Shivananda Saraswati, "These sages are absolutely free from selfish desires, They simply witted at times to do good to humanity and every thing came to pass instantaneously". In this aspect, a saint differs from a juggler who performs magic with a selfish motive of earning for his livelihood, and moreover, the action created is an illusion created by him while in the case of a saint it is distinctly different. Swami Samartha discriminated between a righteous desire and an unrighteous one. His refusal of his grace to bless, the revolutionary design of V.D.Phadke, to the Gaeckwad of Baroda who tried to tempt him with wealth and position and so many others who approached him
with mundane motives illustrates the sublime consideration with which he bestowed his anugraham. His life inspired and led many disciples on the path of liberation. Nrisimha Bharati of Alandi, Baba Sabnis are some of them. The highly spiritual life of Samartha was conspicuous in his daily routine. He did each and every work only when he had a mind to do it. Numerous people were miraculously cured by the grace of Swami. The medicines he prescribed varied with the faith of the patient from the juice of a lemon to a remedy prescribed of putting a hand bitten by a scorpion inside a shoe for relief. Many a devotee connected with places sacred to Dattatreya such as Ganagapur, Narsoba Wadi got mysterious calls from their deity to go to the Swami at Akkalkot for his blessings. By his grace he brought about a fundamental change in the lives of many (Hridaya Parivartan) by influencing their minds and hearts to get over their weaknesses and blemishes. In short Swami emphasised the essentiality of purity of mind. He had love and compassion for all cretures without any distinction. Such a personality remarkable both from physical and spiritual aspects, passed away in April 30, 1878 A.D. The Swami wrote nothing yet his whole life inspired many works in this school. While residing both at Akkala (Buddhi) and at kot (Avarna) as a mere witness of both mind and environment around, he dispelled ignorance and showed a clear way of envisioning the reality behind and beyond all things.
5 . Samartha Sadguru Sai Baba
In the unbroken line of sages and saints of Bharat Varsha, who held aloft the torch of spirituality in all climes and ages, the sage of Shirdi, occupies a very significant position. He is a very mysterious personality whom everybody interprets in his own way but no interpetation could give a complete picture of the saint. This is perhaps the reason why he is Rama, Krishna, Hanuman, Sankara, Ganpathi, Dattatreyaall rolled in one according to the Samskar and desire of different devotees. To comprehend the divine nature of Sainath in its entirety is a stupendous exercise in the subtle realm of intuition, experience and realisation. His birth is shrowded in great mystery for no one knew his parentage nor the place of his birth. Possibly, the view held by some that he is a "Ayoni Sambhav" (not born from human womb) be the case, like Lord Dattatreya. Rightly SaiBaba, a Sampurna Avatar of Lord Dattatreya, has his centre every where without a limiting circumference anywhere. When he was asked about his parent-hood, he said "The world is my village, Brahma the father and Maya the Mother". His effulgent complexion was said to be strikingly captivating and endearingly charmful. It is said that particularly, the lustrous golden-hued-body and brilliantly beaming face were remarkably arresting one's attention and they were considered to be the significatnt features of a Tapasvi observing the Mahavrat comprising of Ahimsa, Satya, Astheya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha, Another distinctive feature was Sai's most brilliant and enchanting eyes beaming out cascades of love compassion and solace. Lo! just a glance of his was enough to dispel all baffling doubts and distressing problems. Significantly, Sai was easily accessible equally to the pauper and the prince, the illiterate and the learned, the young and the old, the atheist and the theist. Sai the arch-alchemist could in the crucible of his irresistible and incissive look and words of divine wisom, transmute the faulty and the fallen, the base metals into precious ones, using the chemical of his grace endowed with compassion and love. The sublime concept of 'Vasudhaika Kutumbam" one world one humanity has been the cardinal principle of the glorious heritage of spirtual and social culture of Bharat Varsha all through the millenniums of the past. In this aspect "Tat-Twam Asi" "Thou Art that" represents the fundamental identity of macrocosm and microcosm and having the same natural characterstics, which are in constant dynamic contact with each other. Sai laid stress on constant faith (Nista) and patience (Saburi) as he demanded always these "two coins" from his devotees. Performance of one's own duty and worship of one's own family deity with pure heart had his appreciation, though at times Sai gave rude shocks to narrow-minded orthodoxy. Yet he never encouraged nor approved anybody changing his religion or his traditional mode of worship. This way of handling the two divine influence over them. His catholicity of outlook, harmonious synthesis of univarsal religion which is as much, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Zorasterian, even the monism derived from the 19th and early 20th century scientific and technological development, storming the intellectual world, is akin to his tenets. Many great Mahatmas from time to time effected changes in the mode of thinking, worship and ways of life. As a result of their teachings new traditions, new concepts and perceptions have sprung up. Unfortunately, certain aberrations too have crept in. But the life -teachings of Sai are singularly free from these defects.
Sai's grace is like the sea-wind, always blowing from the sea, fresh and envigouration. The Ahimsa aspect of Jainism, the renunciation aspect of Buddhism, the Dharmic aspect of Lord Rama the Nishkama-Karma aspect of Lord Krishna, the universal-love aspect of Jesus, the universalbrotherhood aspect of Islam-all are found harmoniously blended in Sai Nath's way of life, Strikingly in him, the qualities of an Avadhuta and Sanyasin the salient features of sufism, of a hazrat, a parvardigar, a bhikku are easily discernible, Sai is like an oasis in a desert, which provides cool shelter and a refreshing drink to parched souls treading the scorching sands of sansaric life. Truely, there can be no better healing balm than Sai's grace for bleeding hearts badly mauled and wounded in the battles of life. Sai incessantly emphasised the fundamental oneness of all religions. Sai never prescribed a particular mode or method of worship nor initiated with mantra to any one, nor asked to perform any creedal religious rituals. He wrote nothing though his thoughts and flashy sayings are divine in nature and prophetic in result. He is rightly considered to have incarnated in Kali Age as an Avatar of redemption. Even the refuse and the reprobate looked down by the society readily received his Anugraha equally with the righteous and the high. There was no exclusive-ness in His benign concern for the suffering. His grace, was magnanimously pervasive and captivatingly persuasive. "If any child gets covered with mud and dust, is it not my duty like a mother to cleanse him and take him on my lap" typically illustrates the trait of Shri Sai Baba's mercy and concern for the penitent and defaulter, In all the known Avatars of the yore. "Sistha Rakshana and Dustha Sikshana" prevailed as the specific mission of the Avatar. But, singularly Sri Sai, a unique Avatar of Redemption of Kaliyug, redeemed in his own uninimitable way, the faulty the perfidy and even the felon by curtailing their innate tendencies and propensities and effected a complete transformation in the course of their lives. He considered every one without distinction as his child and as mother to her children, to correct, protect and enliven, was his mission. He finished his work left his corporeal body, (which he assumed of his own volition) on Vijaya Dasami, and entered into Mahasamadhi in 1918 a day which significantly happenened to be Bhagawan Buddha's Nirvana, Muharam and Dassarah important and significant to Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists alike. His samadhi at Shirdi acquired importance next to Tirupathi, the abode of Lord Venkateswara in the aspect of huge concourse of devotees ever increasing in number day after day, flocking to Shirdi for solace and fulfilment of their desires, temporal and spiritual as well. In the words of Swami Abhedananda, "Sai Baba is the one great ever bright luminary, still having unparalleled existence, ever shedding his resplendent rays to illuminate every nook and corner of the world". The significant nature of Shirdi Sai's manifestation, at once draws our attention to the distinctive feature of the emergence of numerous temples with Vigraha of Sai installed and worshipped with usual agamic rites and rituals observed in the temples of all Hindu pantheon, Vishnu, Siva, Rama, Krishna, etc.. From all over India and abroad devotees are found flocking at Shirdi in thousands and thousands visiting His Samadhi in the Mandir and Dwarakamayi where he stayed mostly. Sri Sai is a beacon light, a prophet not to proselytise but to help, not to concert but to transform, not to subdue but to elevate, not merely to preach but to live accordingly. His cosmic message of universal brotherhood and endearing humanism and love for all beings, is eternal.
"Pranamyam Deena Bandho Praseeda Mama Rakshaka Namo, Namo Sai Natha Sai Baba Saranam Mama".
By : Sri Mahabhashyam. Rangacharya.
Sages and Seers Of Datta Guru Parampara Bharat and Bharatiyas have a great common heritage. The heritage of perfection is called Guru Parampara. The Siddha heritage has Lord Dattatreya as its pinnacle, being the Guru of Gurus. Understandably, we never call Brahma, Vishnu, Shankara, Ganesha as Gurudevas. But we call Dattatreya as "Sri Guru Deva Datta". Lord Dattatreya is a "Smartugami". you "just remember Him. He is there'. He is an ever living incarnation. In such an illustrious Guru Parampara there have been great sages and seers who were all guided by this heritage. Records of most of them are not available. But by the grace of Lord Dattatreya, the life-stories of a few Siddhas/Mahatmas, are available. Shri Shripada Shri Vallabha is the one, who is an incarnation of Datta Himself.
1 . Sri Sripada Shri Vallabha
We have already seen how the worship of Dattatreya developed with the progress of time. Right from the Puranic age, kings like KartaveeryaArjuna , Ayu Alarka, Yadu and Puranic personalities like Parasurama, Pingala, Prahlada, and later even the historical personalities like Goraknath and others, the name of Dattatreya hovered over the pages of spiritual history with splendour of rare effulgence. Round about 1300 A.D. - A brahmin, learned and well versed in sastras, in philosophy, by name Appala Raja, lived in Pithapuram, a town on the east coast, in Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. His wife Sumati was a great Sati devoted and chaste, really a Sumati i.e. of good and refined disposition. She used to adore her husband with great reverence and follow the dictates of her husband meticulously and scrupulously. Sri Kshetra Pithapuram is a town (a Railway Station) on the east coast in Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. The holy place, Pithapuram, abounds in temples of Shiva (Kukkuteswara) and Vishnu (Kuntl Madhava) and also famous for Padagaya tank, where Shraddhas are performed with Pinda Pradana drawing people from all over India. According to the Puranic legend, the demon Gayasura was slained by Lord Vishnu and his mortal remains were strewned all over in a number of places. Afterwards these places came to be reckoned very holy. They are now famous Shiro-Gaya, Nabhi Gaya and Padagaya. This Kshetra Pithapurarn is considered to be as holy as Kashi (Benaras). Skanda Purana mentions that whosoever performs Shraddha wiih Pinda- dana at this holy kund of Pada - Gaya where the feet of Gayasura are supposed to be embedded the Jeevatmas of his forefathers in Pitru-loka get salvation. This holy place is the birth place of Shree Pada Vallaba. Appalaraja and Sumathi were an ideal couple of highest piety and purity. As misfortune would have it, they had two children both of them handicapped one blind and the other without legs. So the couple spent most of their time in looking after them. Their piety, particularly Sumati's sublime minded service bore fruit one day. It was a Shraddha day of the father of Appala Raja. Sumati woke up very early before sunrise as usual and that morning got herself immersed in preparing the food necessities, particularly required for the Shraddha Day. At mid-day when the sun was at the apex, Appalaraja left home to fetch Shraddha-bhoktas. Raja implies King not only in name but also in disposition and behaviour. Though he had no worldly wealth, he was rich in piety and righreousness. Sumati just finished the preparation of food requirements, when she heard the words at the door-step "O please give me cooked food". She found a hermit at the door-step with rare splendour of divine effulgence, face, joyful beaming brighter than that of the sun-glow, Sumati reverentially bowed down and felt that Lord Dattatreya came in that guise of a hermit. He asked for alms and Sumati without hesitation or a second thought brought the food she prepared for the Shraddha and offered in great reverence and saluted him again and again. The hermit was extremely pleased and said Oh! mother, ask me for whatever you wish". Sumati in great ecstasy, prayerfully said "Oh! Lord of Lords, you, all – merciful have called me mother, let those words come true. I wish to have a son like you, universally revered and compassionate to all. The hermit, who is no other than Lord Dattatreya said Be it so and in a twinkle disappeared. Sumati stood at the doorstep alone bewildered and overwhelmed with indescribable joy shedding tears of joy. After inviting, the Bhoktas to attend the Shraddha ceremony, Appala Raja returned home. He was surprised to see Sumati standing at the door - steps in a stupefied condition. After a while recognising her-Raja's return, she told him all that happened and apologtically said "Oh ! my Lord, I have committed a great mistake in giving away the Shraddha food to the hermit, who was just a few minutes before, asking for alms. Please wait for a while I shall re-cook for the Shraddha". Looking at Sumati, Appala Raja was intensely moved and said "Oh ! you have been most lucky, you have done no wrong. To give food to the hungry is the best and greatest of all donations, My forefathers must have been amply and really satisfied with this dana of yours. I feel that you have seen Shri Vishnu Himself in the form of Shri Datta, the incarnate of the Trinity. Days passed on the Lord himself had entered into the body of Sumati and her physical demeanour, day by day grew in divine lustre, She was spending all her time in deep meditation of Sri Datta Prabhu. She couldsee all pervading Digambara Datta in her heart and outside as well. She delivered in the tenth month a divine son. A kind of heavenly delight filled the home. The whole universe appeared to enjoy the sacred event. His Jataka was foretold. He was to be a very great (Tapasvi) ascetic. The child was called Sripada as the emblems of Chakra and Shanka were found in his feet. The splendour of his body so beautiful, so charming with divine lustre his parents named him Shree Vallabha. As it is customary, in his seventh year he was invested with the sacred thread (Upanayanam). Whatever words Shripada spoke had profound significance and he was (Eka Santagrahi) able to memorise anything just by a single reading or on hearing. In very shot time he completed learning Veda Sastras. His learning, maturity of knowledge, erudition in all Vedas and scriptures was stupendous. Thus he grew upto his sixteenth year, when his parents thought of marrying him. Learning the intention of the parents, Sreepada Sree Vallabha, endearingly told them, "1 am already married to renunciation". "1 am an ascentic, I have to be in Nivrithi Marg and so I am not to marry. " Hearing these words of her son, Sumati remembered the words of the hermit who blessed her and thought to herself Yes, the hermit told me of this and it is coming true now". The parents had an affectionate and kindly look at their son and said "Oh ! hermit son . We are extremely fortunate to have you with us and it was to be only for a short time of sixteen years. Whatever is Lord's design it should be carried out. Shripada Yati embraced his mother who in tears of joy and pure love bathed her godly son. The mother in anguish pointed towards her two sons, maimed and blind, and looked appealingly to her son. Lo ! Sripada Sreevallabha by a mere look at the blind brother blessed him with sight and the legless brother endowed with legs. The joy of the parents knew no bounds to find their hitherto, handicapped children, now physically fit and bright. Later they became very learned too. Sreepada, bade good-bye to his joyful parents and started on a pilgrimage. He went to Kashi, Badrinath, and Kedarnath in Himalayas, guiding and imparting Jnana to the Saints. Then coming down visited all the pilgrim centres on the west coast, reached Gokarna and finally retired to Kuruvapur, an island in river Krishna. He was enlightening and giving solace to people wherever he went. His desire was to dispense happiness to one and all, by freeing them from the shackles of worldly attachment and disappointments. By his blessings he made a delinquent, mentally retarded child quite normal and learned like the child's father (who was a great scholar of Vedas) at the request of the widow-mother Ambika and benevolently promised to born as her son in her next Janma. In another case, one day a Muslim Nawab came to river Krishna in a ferry boat with his wives for a joyful float.A washerman who was then washing clothes in the river water seeing the grandeur of the Nawab, felt utter contempt for his own poverty and miserable life. At the same moment Sripada Sri Vallabha Yati happened to come to the river for taking his daily bath as usual. The Yati who could easily read and understand the mind of the washerman and his mental anguish said "Oh! washerman, your mind is yearning for a life of luxury. You will get the same state as that Nawab in your next life." True, the washerman later was born to the Muslim Nawab of Bidar, enjoyed all the royal luxuries and also the grace of Sri Nrisimha Saraswati, who was a reincarnate of Sreepada Sree Vallabha Yati. Sripada Yati fixed a day for his Samadhi. It was on the twelth day of the dark half of month Ashwin, of Margasira Constellation on Thursday, saluted mother Ganga and sat for Samadhi on river-water and disappeared and got merged into Brahman, wherefrom He came in human form on the earth as Sreepada Sree Vallabha. Desires always come in the way of liberation and saints like Sri Sripada Sri Vallabha, have pointed out the ways and process to be free completely from them. Guru Charitha suggests the probable date of Sripada Vallabha as 1300 A.D. but it cannot be taken with any definiteness. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the condition of the country was in a great flux. It will be interesting to have a glimpse of the contemporary conditions of the country in general and Maharashtra then, in particular, the rule of the Mohammedans was not generally very popular. The Mohammedan rulers tried to attract people towards them by offers of power and pelf. At this time in the interest of humanity there was a pressing need of a powerful personality who would not only wean them away from the prevailing powerful enticements, but to put them on the right track. Sri Nrisimha Saraswati was such a personality.
2 . Shri Nrisimha Saraswati Swami
Nrisimha Saraswati was born in a brahmin family at Karanjananagar in the Varad district of Maharastra. His father's name was Madhav who belonged to the Vajasaneyi branch of the Vedas, and his mother's name was Amba almost of the same name Ambika, who got a boon from Sri Srivallabha to be born as her son in next life. In that way Nrisimha Saraswati, whose original name was Saligrama, is supposed to be the reincarnation of Sri Sreepada Sree Vallabha. The boy Nrisimha Saraswati, strangely till the time of his sacred thread ceremony (Upanayana) was uttering only "OM" and nothing else. At the time of the thread-ceremony he further surprised the people reciting the sacred hymns from Vedas. Promising his parents to return after twenty years, he went away only to fulfil his lifemission. He came to Benaras and was immersed in practice of Yoga and penance. It was Sri Krishna Saraswathi an old Sanyasin of high spiritual attainments, belonging to a venerable order of Sanyasins, gave diksha. He scrupulously observed the tenets of Sanyasin, observing, never to stay for more than a couple of days in a particular place, and kept on moving. Wherever he went, gave boons to many explained the real meaning behind the external practices prescribed in the scriptures in relation to mundane and spiritual life. He encouraged the performance of Yagnas(sacrifices). The Bhasma and Rudraksha wearing were highly recommended. The grace of God is always there for the good and it does not discriminate between the rich and the poor. Nrisimha Saraswati placed Sanyasamarga on a high pedestal and on solid foundation. Gurucharitra narrates the story. Chandala with Bhasma obtained from His Guru, who defeated two arrogant and learned Brahmins in discourses and of a Sati whose deceased husband was brought to life by the grace of Guru Nrisimha Saraswathi. We see during his life time, he not only stopped many a person changing his religion for the sake of worldly benefits. He was a poineer in advocating the line of thought put forward by Dattatreya in this Kali Age, like that of Rama worship by Tulsidasa, flourished with great force, inspiring many personalities. The worship of Dattatreya developed considerably with the advent of Nrisimha Saraswai and inspired many saints particularly, in Maharastra.
Later on and even at the time of Nrisimha Saraswati, the worship of a Guru, gained prominece. Guru Charitra speaks very highly -about the glorification of Guru and Guru-Gita as a part of the same. Gradually, thus the prefix Shri Guru Deva gained popularity before the thought of Sri Datta Prabhu. From vedic times, it can be gleaned that faith itself formed a part of reasoning from "Acharya Devo Bhava" mentioned in Taittiriya Upanishad, we find that Svetaketu, very highly well-versed in all the scriptures lacked spiritual knowledge, and had to approach a Guru to obtain it. It is rightly said that Guru, Vedanta and Iswara the trinity of spiritual Sadhana is of utmost importance. God's incarnation in Datta and Shri Guru is one and the same, "God is Trinity is Guru". Nrisimha Saraswati elevated this principle highly, reminding the sloka "Guru is Brahma, Vishnu Maheswar and Guru is nothing but really Parabrahman" Dattatreya is Guru Avatara and later times, invocationJai Guru Dev Datta became an essential, in the Datta worship. A guru is Brahma though he has only one face, instead of four of Brahma; he is Vishnu with two hands instead of four hands and he is Siva with only two eyes, instead of three eyes of Siva. The grace of Sadguru is the primary necessity of life. The yati marga initiated by Sree Pada Sree Vallabha gradually underwent a change into Guru-marga, considering it synonymous with yati marga, in contrast to Vaidika marga which had a firm hold, previously.
Nrisimha Saraswathi, with his yogic powers and penance, represented himself as one who had come, for mankind, to save it from clutches of narrow mindedness, ignorance, who wrongly considered "body" as god and "eating" as prayer. Before the advent of Nrisimha Saraswathi, Karma kanda had its predominance in every religious aspect of a Hindu. There was high stress on Vratas, Prayaschitta, etc., even though tall talks on higest highest philosophical doctrines were conspicuous without any Chitta Suddhi. Behind each and every miracle associated with the name of Sri Nrisimha Saraswati, one thing was emphasized that the pleasures and pains of life are inevitable and are of no value but only the real value lies in attaining the ultimate goal of life, self-realisation, the final emancipation. The self alone is real and all actions are meant for purifying mind. Gradually due to his influence, people's minds got broadened and difference between different sections of the people were bridged over.
3 . Manika Prabhu (1817 -1865 A.D.)
Manohara Nayaka Harakude, a Srivatsa gotra, Desastha Brahmin and Baya Devi of Ladavanti were the parents of Manik Prabhu, their illustrious son. Harakude and Baya Devi were very pious and they did
Parayana of Guru Charitra for over sixteen years continously with rigid observance of the rules of worship indicated in Guru Charitra. Afterwards Lord Dattatreya appeared in a dream gave darshan to Harakude and Baya Devi and asked them to choose a boon. Both like Atri and Anasuya, desired to have a son like the Lord and nothing else. Thus the birth of Manika Prabhu came into existence in the world in the year 1817A.D. From the very childhood Manika Prabhu was known for his worth in yoga, enrapturing his mother Baya Devi like Yasoda Devi, the mother of Lord Krishna by his divine nature. When on Thursdays people flocking together and approaching the child for something or other and their wishes being fulfilled was an exciting scene. Child Manika Prabhu, though he never attended a school, learnt many languages like Kanarese, Urdu, Marathee, Persian, Sanskrit by himself and even acquired proficiency in them. Baya Devi was widowed just when Manika Prabhu was ten years old and so his maternal uncle was his guardian. Manika Prabhu was found wandering here and there doing things quite contrary to the sacred traditions of Hindu religion. For instance, once Manika Prabhu was found putting all his clothes and his chappals on the head of Maruti idol in a temple. His settlement at Manikanagar is quite interesting. Once a certain Brahmin family started for Darshana of Manika Prabhu. On their way at Humnabad there was a temple and there they were resting for the night without knowing that it was the meeting place of thieves. That night a batch of dacoits visited the temple as usual and finding the family resting therein, wanted to loot them. The Brahmin family startled by their presence began crying out "Hei ! Manika Prabhu, Manika Prabhu" for helping them out of the great danger they could sense. Soon a miracle happened and the thieves saw a. great yogi, bedecked with gorgeous jewellery in front, standing at the threshold of the temple. The thieves preferred to loot the person with plenty of jewellery over his body than the humble brahmin family. When the thieves ran after him he disappeared and they found 'themselves benumbed completely, and slowly they sneaked out away, lest something more harm should happen to them. In fact, Manika Prabhu appeared in person there soon after and made the place his permanent abode. The forest surounding the temple was cleared and soon a township sprang up. The place became in a little time, a centre where people saw both renunciation and enjoyment harmoniously blended. Manika Prabhu never ate the rich food prepared for the devotees thronged, but always lived on Madhukari food brought by his disciples, begging from house to house. Some times he went for alms in that way. The paradox was people could see a rich beggar with all his royal pomp was full of simplicity and humility. In him one could see, the effulgence of a saint with the halo of worldly luxury, completely detached. An unbroken celibacy even amidst women and wealth was conspicuous in him strictly avoiding association with ladies in loneliness. He showed tothe world that even ladies with proper direction could attain the highest knowledge of Atman the Absolute, if the director is careful about his ownself. He could freely mix with non Hindus, specially Mohammedans, for he evinced equal care and interest in the welfare of one and all. Thus like Nrisimha Saraswati he influenced both the Hindus and Mohammedans alike. The founder of Sikhism has considered Manika Prabhu as "an incarnation of Dattatreya", while Col.Alkot. of Theosophical Society, Basaveswara the founder of Lingayat sect, gave glorious accounts of Manika Prabhu, as an incarnation born in the world for the good of the people. His wisdom, catholicity and foresight in handling different kinds of people under one banner, is strikingly, significant. In fact his whole life passed in such activity of longing in a fusion of so called opposites in faiths and cults. It is (Sakalamata sthapana) universally of religions, his seeing no conflict between activity (Pravitti) and inaction (nivritti) was his greatest contribution to the society and mankind.
Manika Prabhu had many contemporaries. Of course the followers and disciples of each saint consider them as different Avataras of Dattatreya. For instance, Sri Baka Prabhu among Lingayats, Sri Alam Prabhu among Yavanas, Sri Swami of Akkalkot were all illustrious in their own way.
These saints who were contemporary always considered the worth of one another and never talked of their own greatness. They never cared for fame. Though, inspite of their dislike for it, it came to them and clung to their names even after their departure from the world. They were born for a particular mission and they accomplished it in their own way by giving things to the needy and enlightenment to those who sought for it. For instance, Manika Prabhu in the task of enhancing the power of Sidhas, helped Hamsaraja Swami in his pursuit of self realisation. Manik Prabhu's connection with Sidhas, like Alam Prabhu, Revana Siddha, Suraja Sadananda was mysteriously startling. Manika Prabhu wrote a book called kalpataru which contains the knowledge he desired to impart. Moreover many padas, Artis were composed by him. The subject of Gopi Krishna's equisitively inter-woven in many of his padas in great depth. Manika Prabhu took Samadhi at Manikanagar in 1865, at the age of 48, the news of which was kept a secret at the behest of Manika Prabhu at the time of his taking Samadhi, to allow the people gathered for Datta- Jayanthi to celebrate without marring their joy which would have been upset if the news of his passing away was made public. Manikanagar has become place of pilagrimage, where people throng from all parts of country for the fulfilment of their cherished desires.
4 . Swami of Akkalkot
Lord Dattatreya is an incarnation of the Trinity, the three highest Gods. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Their Shakti, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati, being highly chaste women follow their husbands and shower their grace (Anugraha) on the devotees of their Lords. Thus the grace of goddess Saraswati as regards knowledge is fully showered upon as soon as a call is heard from the Guru Dattatreya. Thus we find that devotees of Lord Dattatreya were blessed by Saraswati and they produced monumental works. For instance, Gangadhara Saraswati's Guru Charitra, Dasopanta's Gitarnava, Niranjana's commentaries, Vasudevananda Saraswati's Dattatreya- Mahatmya, inspiring works have been the result of Saraswati's blessings and they contributed considerably to the literature dealing with the process of liberation (Mumukshutva). In the same way Goddess Lakshmi always remained at hand to bestow inexhaustible mines of wealth for advancement of Bhaktas towards their spiritual goal. The life of Manika Prabhu is an instance. The same is the case with Goddess Annapurna (Parvathi) in the role of mother of Universe (Uma) provides food unlimited by her divine grace without knowing wherefrom it comes and how it is managed. The prominence of the three Goddesses varies according to the needs of time and place. Yet all the three are one and the same. Just like the grace of the Goddess of the three principal deities, we often come across the characteristic features of one or theother of three Gods in the lives of these saints. In Sree Pada Sree Vallabha the Avadhuta aspect, in Nrisimha Saraswati the paramahamsa aspect, in the Swami of Akkalkot the child-like (Bala) aspect and mad life (Unmatta), and in Shirdi Sai a peculiar synthesis of all these aspects of Dattatreya are discernible. Various different accounts evolved out of the biographical versions about the birth of the Swami Samartha as pronounced by him at several times. Firstly he told a Pujari of Ganagapur that his name was Nrisimha-bana and that he was born 450 years ago. Secondly, he told a Parsi gentleman that he was from Kadalivana moved to various places, Haridwar. Kedareswara, Pandharpur and finally settled at Akkalkot. Thirdly, he told a devotee Shri Darve that his caste was a Brahmin of Yajurveda branch Kasyapa Gotra. Fourthly, he told a wine merchant that himself an originator having his bed on a leaf of a banyan tree at Dattanagar, and another time told that he was an outcast (Chamar) and his parents belong to the caste of Mahar. Just as his statements regarding his name and caste are varied, his behaviour and daily-life actions happened to be strange and even at times transcending bounds of decency. But nobody ever reported that he behaved against the common rules of the society. Every body in fact respected him as a great saint of unfathomable behaviour and absolutely unconcerned and unattached attitude to the objects, men or environment around him. The life of Swami Samartha was full of miracles and thousands of people gathered around him solely for fulfilment of their worldly desires, while none went to him for spiritual progress. Each utterance of the Swami was regarded to contain some deep secret meaning or reference to a certain incident of the future. According to Swami Shivananda Saraswati, "These sages are absolutely free from selfish desires, They simply witted at times to do good to humanity and every thing came to pass instantaneously". In this aspect, a saint differs from a juggler who performs magic with a selfish motive of earning for his livelihood, and moreover, the action created is an illusion created by him while in the case of a saint it is distinctly different. Swami Samartha discriminated between a righteous desire and an unrighteous one. His refusal of his grace to bless, the revolutionary design of V.D.Phadke, to the Gaeckwad of Baroda who tried to tempt him with wealth and position and so many others who approached him
with mundane motives illustrates the sublime consideration with which he bestowed his anugraham. His life inspired and led many disciples on the path of liberation. Nrisimha Bharati of Alandi, Baba Sabnis are some of them. The highly spiritual life of Samartha was conspicuous in his daily routine. He did each and every work only when he had a mind to do it. Numerous people were miraculously cured by the grace of Swami. The medicines he prescribed varied with the faith of the patient from the juice of a lemon to a remedy prescribed of putting a hand bitten by a scorpion inside a shoe for relief. Many a devotee connected with places sacred to Dattatreya such as Ganagapur, Narsoba Wadi got mysterious calls from their deity to go to the Swami at Akkalkot for his blessings. By his grace he brought about a fundamental change in the lives of many (Hridaya Parivartan) by influencing their minds and hearts to get over their weaknesses and blemishes. In short Swami emphasised the essentiality of purity of mind. He had love and compassion for all cretures without any distinction. Such a personality remarkable both from physical and spiritual aspects, passed away in April 30, 1878 A.D. The Swami wrote nothing yet his whole life inspired many works in this school. While residing both at Akkala (Buddhi) and at kot (Avarna) as a mere witness of both mind and environment around, he dispelled ignorance and showed a clear way of envisioning the reality behind and beyond all things.
5 . Samartha Sadguru Sai Baba
In the unbroken line of sages and saints of Bharat Varsha, who held aloft the torch of spirituality in all climes and ages, the sage of Shirdi, occupies a very significant position. He is a very mysterious personality whom everybody interprets in his own way but no interpetation could give a complete picture of the saint. This is perhaps the reason why he is Rama, Krishna, Hanuman, Sankara, Ganpathi, Dattatreyaall rolled in one according to the Samskar and desire of different devotees. To comprehend the divine nature of Sainath in its entirety is a stupendous exercise in the subtle realm of intuition, experience and realisation. His birth is shrowded in great mystery for no one knew his parentage nor the place of his birth. Possibly, the view held by some that he is a "Ayoni Sambhav" (not born from human womb) be the case, like Lord Dattatreya. Rightly SaiBaba, a Sampurna Avatar of Lord Dattatreya, has his centre every where without a limiting circumference anywhere. When he was asked about his parent-hood, he said "The world is my village, Brahma the father and Maya the Mother". His effulgent complexion was said to be strikingly captivating and endearingly charmful. It is said that particularly, the lustrous golden-hued-body and brilliantly beaming face were remarkably arresting one's attention and they were considered to be the significatnt features of a Tapasvi observing the Mahavrat comprising of Ahimsa, Satya, Astheya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha, Another distinctive feature was Sai's most brilliant and enchanting eyes beaming out cascades of love compassion and solace. Lo! just a glance of his was enough to dispel all baffling doubts and distressing problems. Significantly, Sai was easily accessible equally to the pauper and the prince, the illiterate and the learned, the young and the old, the atheist and the theist. Sai the arch-alchemist could in the crucible of his irresistible and incissive look and words of divine wisom, transmute the faulty and the fallen, the base metals into precious ones, using the chemical of his grace endowed with compassion and love. The sublime concept of 'Vasudhaika Kutumbam" one world one humanity has been the cardinal principle of the glorious heritage of spirtual and social culture of Bharat Varsha all through the millenniums of the past. In this aspect "Tat-Twam Asi" "Thou Art that" represents the fundamental identity of macrocosm and microcosm and having the same natural characterstics, which are in constant dynamic contact with each other. Sai laid stress on constant faith (Nista) and patience (Saburi) as he demanded always these "two coins" from his devotees. Performance of one's own duty and worship of one's own family deity with pure heart had his appreciation, though at times Sai gave rude shocks to narrow-minded orthodoxy. Yet he never encouraged nor approved anybody changing his religion or his traditional mode of worship. This way of handling the two divine influence over them. His catholicity of outlook, harmonious synthesis of univarsal religion which is as much, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Zorasterian, even the monism derived from the 19th and early 20th century scientific and technological development, storming the intellectual world, is akin to his tenets. Many great Mahatmas from time to time effected changes in the mode of thinking, worship and ways of life. As a result of their teachings new traditions, new concepts and perceptions have sprung up. Unfortunately, certain aberrations too have crept in. But the life -teachings of Sai are singularly free from these defects.
Sai's grace is like the sea-wind, always blowing from the sea, fresh and envigouration. The Ahimsa aspect of Jainism, the renunciation aspect of Buddhism, the Dharmic aspect of Lord Rama the Nishkama-Karma aspect of Lord Krishna, the universal-love aspect of Jesus, the universalbrotherhood aspect of Islam-all are found harmoniously blended in Sai Nath's way of life, Strikingly in him, the qualities of an Avadhuta and Sanyasin the salient features of sufism, of a hazrat, a parvardigar, a bhikku are easily discernible, Sai is like an oasis in a desert, which provides cool shelter and a refreshing drink to parched souls treading the scorching sands of sansaric life. Truely, there can be no better healing balm than Sai's grace for bleeding hearts badly mauled and wounded in the battles of life. Sai incessantly emphasised the fundamental oneness of all religions. Sai never prescribed a particular mode or method of worship nor initiated with mantra to any one, nor asked to perform any creedal religious rituals. He wrote nothing though his thoughts and flashy sayings are divine in nature and prophetic in result. He is rightly considered to have incarnated in Kali Age as an Avatar of redemption. Even the refuse and the reprobate looked down by the society readily received his Anugraha equally with the righteous and the high. There was no exclusive-ness in His benign concern for the suffering. His grace, was magnanimously pervasive and captivatingly persuasive. "If any child gets covered with mud and dust, is it not my duty like a mother to cleanse him and take him on my lap" typically illustrates the trait of Shri Sai Baba's mercy and concern for the penitent and defaulter, In all the known Avatars of the yore. "Sistha Rakshana and Dustha Sikshana" prevailed as the specific mission of the Avatar. But, singularly Sri Sai, a unique Avatar of Redemption of Kaliyug, redeemed in his own uninimitable way, the faulty the perfidy and even the felon by curtailing their innate tendencies and propensities and effected a complete transformation in the course of their lives. He considered every one without distinction as his child and as mother to her children, to correct, protect and enliven, was his mission. He finished his work left his corporeal body, (which he assumed of his own volition) on Vijaya Dasami, and entered into Mahasamadhi in 1918 a day which significantly happenened to be Bhagawan Buddha's Nirvana, Muharam and Dassarah important and significant to Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists alike. His samadhi at Shirdi acquired importance next to Tirupathi, the abode of Lord Venkateswara in the aspect of huge concourse of devotees ever increasing in number day after day, flocking to Shirdi for solace and fulfilment of their desires, temporal and spiritual as well. In the words of Swami Abhedananda, "Sai Baba is the one great ever bright luminary, still having unparalleled existence, ever shedding his resplendent rays to illuminate every nook and corner of the world". The significant nature of Shirdi Sai's manifestation, at once draws our attention to the distinctive feature of the emergence of numerous temples with Vigraha of Sai installed and worshipped with usual agamic rites and rituals observed in the temples of all Hindu pantheon, Vishnu, Siva, Rama, Krishna, etc.. From all over India and abroad devotees are found flocking at Shirdi in thousands and thousands visiting His Samadhi in the Mandir and Dwarakamayi where he stayed mostly. Sri Sai is a beacon light, a prophet not to proselytise but to help, not to concert but to transform, not to subdue but to elevate, not merely to preach but to live accordingly. His cosmic message of universal brotherhood and endearing humanism and love for all beings, is eternal.
"Pranamyam Deena Bandho Praseeda Mama Rakshaka Namo, Namo Sai Natha Sai Baba Saranam Mama".
लक्ष्मीजी की प्रचलित लोककथा दिवाली पर देवी लक्ष्मी की कथा Popular folk tale of Lakshmiji Story of Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali
हमारी लोक संस्कृति में इसी त्योहार और माता लक्ष्मी की बड़ी भोली व सौंधी सी कथा प्रचलित है। एक बार कार्तिक मास की अमावस को लक्ष्मीजी भ्रमण पर निकलीं। चारों ओर अंधकार व्याप्त था। वे रास्ता भूल गईं। उन्होंने निश्चय किया कि रात्रि वे मृत्युलोक में गुजार लेंगी और सूर्योदय के पश्चात बैकुंठधाम लौट जाएंगी, किंतु उन्होंने पाया कि सभी लोग अपने-अपने घरों में द्वार बंद कर सो रहे हैं।
तभी अंधकार के उस साम्राज्य में उन्हें एक द्वार खुला दिखा जिसमें एक दीपक की लौ टिमटिमा रही थी। वे उस प्रकाश की ओर चल दीं। वहां उन्होंने एक वृद्ध महिला को चरखा चलाते देखा। रात्रि विश्राम की अनुमति मांग कर वे उस बुढ़िया की कुटिया में रुकीं।
वृ्द्ध महिला लक्ष्मीदेवी को बिस्तर प्रदान कर पुन: अपने कार्य में व्यस्त हो गई। चरखा चलाते-चलाते वृ्द्धा की आंख लग गई। दूसरे दिन उठने पर उसने पाया कि अतिथि महिला जा चुकी है किंतु कुटिया के स्थान पर महल खड़ा था। चारों ओर धन-धान्य, रत्न-जेवरात बिखरे हुए थे।
कथा की फलश्रुति यह है कि मां लक्ष्मीदेवी जैसी उस वृद्धा पर प्रसन्न हुईं वैसी सब पर हों। और तभी से कार्तिक अमावस की रात को दीप जलाने की प्रथा चल पड़ी। लोग द्वार खोलकर लक्ष्मीदेवी के आगमन की प्रतीक्षा करने लगे।
किंतु मानव समाज यह तथ्य नहीं समझ सका कि मात्र दीप जलाने और द्वार खोलने से महालक्ष्मी घर में प्रवेश नहीं करेंगी। बल्कि सारी रात परिश्रम करने वाली वृद्धा की तरह कर्म करने पर और अंधेरी राहों पर भटक जाने वाले पथिकों के लिए दीपकों का प्रकाश फैलाने पर घरों में लक्ष्मी विश्राम करेंगी। ध्यान दिया जाए कि वे विश्राम करेंगी, निवास नहीं। क्योंकि लक्ष्मी का दूसरा नाम ही चंचला है। अर्थात् अस्थिर रहना उनकी प्रकृति है।
इस दीपोत्सव पर कामना करें कि राष्ट्रीय एकता का स्वर्णदीप युगों-युगों तक अखंड बना रहे। हम ग्रहण कर सकें नन्हे-से दीप की कोमल-सी बाती का गहरा-सा संदेश कि बस अंधकार को पराजित करना है और नैतिकता के सौम्य उजास से भर उठना है। लक्ष्मी सूक्त का पाठ करें और मां लक्ष्मी से दिव्यता का आशीष प्राप्त करें।
।। न क्रोधो न च मात्सर्य
न लोभो ना शुभामति:
भवन्ति कृत पुण्यानां
भक्तानां सूक्त जापिनाम्।।
अर्थात् लक्ष्मी सूक्त का पाठ करने वाले की क्रोध, मत्सर, लोभ व अन्य अशुभ कर्मों में वृत्ति नहीं रहती। वे सत्कर्मों की ओर प्रेरित होते हैं।
तभी अंधकार के उस साम्राज्य में उन्हें एक द्वार खुला दिखा जिसमें एक दीपक की लौ टिमटिमा रही थी। वे उस प्रकाश की ओर चल दीं। वहां उन्होंने एक वृद्ध महिला को चरखा चलाते देखा। रात्रि विश्राम की अनुमति मांग कर वे उस बुढ़िया की कुटिया में रुकीं।
वृ्द्ध महिला लक्ष्मीदेवी को बिस्तर प्रदान कर पुन: अपने कार्य में व्यस्त हो गई। चरखा चलाते-चलाते वृ्द्धा की आंख लग गई। दूसरे दिन उठने पर उसने पाया कि अतिथि महिला जा चुकी है किंतु कुटिया के स्थान पर महल खड़ा था। चारों ओर धन-धान्य, रत्न-जेवरात बिखरे हुए थे।
कथा की फलश्रुति यह है कि मां लक्ष्मीदेवी जैसी उस वृद्धा पर प्रसन्न हुईं वैसी सब पर हों। और तभी से कार्तिक अमावस की रात को दीप जलाने की प्रथा चल पड़ी। लोग द्वार खोलकर लक्ष्मीदेवी के आगमन की प्रतीक्षा करने लगे।
किंतु मानव समाज यह तथ्य नहीं समझ सका कि मात्र दीप जलाने और द्वार खोलने से महालक्ष्मी घर में प्रवेश नहीं करेंगी। बल्कि सारी रात परिश्रम करने वाली वृद्धा की तरह कर्म करने पर और अंधेरी राहों पर भटक जाने वाले पथिकों के लिए दीपकों का प्रकाश फैलाने पर घरों में लक्ष्मी विश्राम करेंगी। ध्यान दिया जाए कि वे विश्राम करेंगी, निवास नहीं। क्योंकि लक्ष्मी का दूसरा नाम ही चंचला है। अर्थात् अस्थिर रहना उनकी प्रकृति है।
इस दीपोत्सव पर कामना करें कि राष्ट्रीय एकता का स्वर्णदीप युगों-युगों तक अखंड बना रहे। हम ग्रहण कर सकें नन्हे-से दीप की कोमल-सी बाती का गहरा-सा संदेश कि बस अंधकार को पराजित करना है और नैतिकता के सौम्य उजास से भर उठना है। लक्ष्मी सूक्त का पाठ करें और मां लक्ष्मी से दिव्यता का आशीष प्राप्त करें।
।। न क्रोधो न च मात्सर्य
न लोभो ना शुभामति:
भवन्ति कृत पुण्यानां
भक्तानां सूक्त जापिनाम्।।
अर्थात् लक्ष्मी सूक्त का पाठ करने वाले की क्रोध, मत्सर, लोभ व अन्य अशुभ कर्मों में वृत्ति नहीं रहती। वे सत्कर्मों की ओर प्रेरित होते हैं।
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