Zig-zagging at 9500’ above sea level in the Himalayas, unmindful of fatigue through forested, narrow paths that climbed and descended, we were suddenly pelted with hailstones.
There was no place for refuge and we plodded on. The skies opened up just as we walked into a wide, open space that was unbelievably flat given the surroundings. In front of us, a lake shimmered in the sun, golden sequins on a fluid deep blue. A little shrine was to the left. This is Dodital, in Uttarakhand, a lake, pristine and sacred. Dodital is the lake in which Parvati had bathed after instructing her son to stand guard and not let anyone in. The sannyasi who stays here permanently, tells us that surveyors have failed to fathom the lake. He has seen Parvati come as a swan, dive into the centre of the lake and offer prayers to a Shivalinga that is supposed to be in its depths. The temple itself is tiny, and a small amorphous looking stone is its most sacred emblem. This is supposed to be the head of Parvati’s child, after Shiva had severed it off during their battle.
Ganesha is the child created by Parvati and restored to life by Shiva with an elephant’s head. His Jayanthi is celebrated on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi, the fourth day of the waxing moon in the Bhadrapada month (Aug - Sept). Several questions arise on Ganesha’s birth and battle. Why did he fight Shiva? Why did Shiva sever his head? Why is he venerated before we pray to anyone else?
Denne historien er fra September 2018-utgaven av The Vedanta Kesari.
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Denne historien er fra September 2018-utgaven av The Vedanta Kesari.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Panchakroshi Parikrama of Varanasi
At the snow-capped Kailas, the Divine Lord Shiva was seated with Mother Parvati.
Gadai and the Monks
A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Sri Ramakrishna.
Chintayo momo maanosho Hori...
Sri Ramakrishna loved songs. There probably was no normal day when he did not sing some songs.
The Vedanta Vaccine
The world is still struggling under the impact of the pandemic due to Covid-19 for the last three years.
Chandrakirti's Chariot: Self in Madhyamaka Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta
The goal in Advaita Vedanta is the cessation of suffering and the attainment of true fulfillment. Suffering, according to this school, is due to ignorance of the true nature of the self and consequent erroneous identification with the body-mind.
Reminiscences of Sargachhi
Question: यद्यदाचरतत श्रेष्ठसतत्तदरेवरेतरो जनिः। ‘Whatever a superior person does, others do the same thing!’ (Gita 3:21) – What does this statement mean?
THE AUTUMN FESTIVAL
A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Sri Ramakrishna.
Bards of Guruvayur: Vilwamangalam II
Saints of India
In the Universal Mother’s Divine Playground
Swami Vivekananda never taught the worship of Mother Kali. In a letter to Mary Hale he writes, “Kali worship is not a necessary step in any religion.
Swami Vivekananda: A Sportsman Par Excellence
In various books and articles, Swami Vivekananda has been called a spiritual leader, a prophet, a patriot, a social reformer, a philosopher, a yogi, a writer, an orator, an educationist, a musician, and so on.
