Abode Dictionary

Hindu Quotes: Practice of Meditation

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(See also: Hinduism Archives, Hindu Quotes, Inspirational Quotes, Love Quotes, Friendship Quotes, Life Quotes)

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�Brahmarandhra� means the hole of Brahman. It is the dwelling house of the human soul. This is also known as �Dasamadvara,� the tenth opening or the tenth door. The hollow place in the crown of the head known as anterior fontanelle in the new-born child is the Brahmarandhra.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Brahmarandhra: The Brahmarandhra and Kundalini

.Prayer can perform miracle. There is no better meditation technique than sincere prayer.

"We may love God as a parent, as our child, as our beloved or even our friend". Says Amma, "Contemplate Him as your creator, protector and the final abode to where you will return. Open your heart and pray to Him. He cannot sit silent and unmoved when somebody calls Him like that...Without love for God, no amount of meditation will bear fruit.

Rowing a boat against the current is difficult but if there is a sail, it becomes easy. Love for God is like a sail that helps the boat move forward".

(See also: Praying with emotions , Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Praying with emotions: Surrender to God With True Prayer  

Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express themselves through a sickly body. Thoughts of fear have been known to kill a man as speedily as a bullet, and they are continually killing thousands of people just as surely though less rapidly. The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it. Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to the entrance of disease, while impure thoughts, even if not physically indulged, will soon shatter the nervous system.

Read more here: » Power of Thought: Effect of Thought on Health and the Body

Since our current thoughts, words and deeds are far from reaching that state of perfection, we need to adopt the path shown by Prophet Zarathushtra: cultivating the habit of truthfulness at all times, and developing the moral courage to publicly accept our failure when we get diverted from this difficult practice.

Read more here: » Zarathushtra: Good Thoughts, Words, Deeds and More

The actual method of awakening the Kundalini Shakti and uniting Her with the Lord in the Sahasrara can only be learnt from a Guru. I give here a general outline of the Yogic practice that will enable the Sadhaka to realise the Chit.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Kundalini Awakening: Some Practical Hints on Kundalini Awakening

Andhra Pradesh is the home of many religious pilgrim centers. Tirupati, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, has the richest and most visited Hindu temple in India. Srisailam, the abode of Sri Mallikarjuna, is one of the twelve Jyothirlingams in India and Yadagirigutta, the abode of an avatara of Vishnu, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha. Puttaparthi hosts the ashram of popular guru Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The Ramappa temple at Warangal is famous for some fine temple carvings. The state has numerous Buddhist centers at Amaravati, Bh ...

See also:

Andhra Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh - History, Andhra Pradesh - The Colonial Era, Andhra Pradesh - Post-Independence, Andhra Pradesh - Other articles about Andhra Pradesh History, Andhra Pradesh - Dynasties, Andhra Pradesh - Geography, Andhra Pradesh - Regions, Andhra Pradesh - Languages in Andhra Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh - Important Cities/Towns, Andhra Pradesh - Districts, Andhra Pradesh - Politics, Andhra Pradesh - The Beginning of Multi-Party Politics, Andhra Pradesh - Economy, Andhra Pradesh - Recent Economic Progress, Andhra Pradesh - Urban Centers of Economic Importance, Andhra Pradesh - Culture, Andhra Pradesh - Language, Andhra Pradesh - Movies, Andhra Pradesh - Music, Andhra Pradesh - Literature, Andhra Pradesh - Dance, Andhra Pradesh - Cultural Institutions, Andhra Pradesh - Newspapers, Andhra Pradesh - Other elements of Culture, Andhra Pradesh - Festivals, Andhra Pradesh - Food, Andhra Pradesh - Tourism, Andhra Pradesh - Famous personalities from Andhra Pradesh

Read more here: » Andhra Pradesh: Encyclopedia II - Andhra Pradesh - Tourism

A clear understanding of mans relation to God is a matter of momentous importance to students of philosophy and to all aspirants. Philosophers, prophets, saints, sages, thinkers, Acharyas and great religious leaders of the world have tried to explain the relation of man to God and the universe. Various schools of philosophy and different kinds of religious beliefs have come into existence, on account of various explanations given by different philosophers.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu Philosophy: Hindu Philosophy and its Various Schools and Systems

The word Jain has been derived from Jina, which means conqueror, implying one who has overcome all human passions. The Tattvarth Sutra, a book of supreme wisdom, was written by Umaswati, Kundkundacharya's disciple.

The opening aphorism of Tattvarth Sutra talks about enlightened faith, knowledge and conduct leading to final emancipation. The enlightened faith comprises Jiva or life, Ajiva or non-life, Asharva or flow of karma, Bandha or bondage of karma, Samvar or shedding of karma-particles and Moksha.

(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Life and Death: Prevent the Influx of Karma Particles

Purushottama, the holy month, occurs once every three years. Devotional practice during the month is said to bring to offenders the chance to be forgiven.

According to the Indian Almanac, every three years, an extra month, Purushottama, is included in the year in order to harmonise the lunar month with the solar month. It is technically called an 'intercalary month'.

According to the Smarta school of thought this month is unholy, as they refer to it as being 'tarnished'. Prescribing various holy functions for all months of the year, they left this additional 'unholy' month out of their plans.

(See also: Purushottama , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Purushottama: Krishna Purushottama, The Extra Month  

The name Malwa is derived from the ancient Aryan tribe of Malavas, about whom very little is known apart from the fact that they founded the Vikrama Samvat; this is a calendar dating from 57 BCE that is widely used in India and that is popularly associated with the king Chandragupta Vikramaditya. The name Malava is derived from the Sanskrit term Malav, and means “part of the abode of Lakshmi”[1]. The location of the Malwa ...

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Malwa, Malwa - History, Malwa - Geography, Malwa - Demographics, Malwa - Economy, Malwa - Culture, Malwa - Tourism, Malwa - Notes

Read more here: » Malwa: Encyclopedia II - Malwa - History

The Subtle Bodies: The Yogic Anatomy of Human Potentialities

Through exceedingly detailed meditations over thousands of hours, the yogis determined that the human body is far more than a configuration of fleshy organs, bones, and fluids. Composed of five gradients or koshas, literally, "sheaths," with each one more interior and more subtle than the previous one, we are the actual "bridge" from the physical to the spiritual. Each sheath exerts a guiding intelligence over the next more dense sheath in the following order: the individual soul and causal body (jiva and anandamaya kosha), the reflective-intellectual body (vijnanamaya kosha), mental-emotional body (manomaya kosha), vital energy body (pranamaya kosha),and the physical body (annamaya kosha). Through this anatomy of increasingly interior bodies, yoga maps the emotionality and sentient capacities of the intimus itself and thus the way toward deepening our intimacy with one another and the world.

Read more here: » The Subtle Bodies: The Yogic Anatomy of Human Potentialities

The legend states dances in the Indian subcontinent originated in the abode of Lord Shiva - the Himalayas, and the Himalayan Kingdome of Nepal - where he performed the tandava dance, and this indicates that dance traditions of Nepal are of very ancient origin. With altitudes and the ethnicity, dances of Nepal slightly change, in style as well as in the costume. Accompanying music and musical instruments also change in tune with the themes, which revolve round topics like crop harvestings, marriage rites, war stories, a lonely girl’s yearning for her love, and several other ...

See also:

Culture of Nepal, Culture of Nepal - Tribes & ethnic groups, Culture of Nepal - High Himalayas, Culture of Nepal - Temperate zone, Culture of Nepal - Terai region, Culture of Nepal - Music & dance, Culture of Nepal - Art & Craft, Culture of Nepal - Folklores & folktales, Culture of Nepal - Languages & literatures, Culture of Nepal - Religions & philosophy, Culture of Nepal - Festivals & celebrations, Culture of Nepal - Food and drink

Read more here: » Culture of Nepal: Encyclopedia II - Culture of Nepal - Music & dance

According to Greek mythology, Arcadia of Peloponnesus was the domain of Pan, the virgin wilderness home of the god of the forest and his court of dryads, nymphs and other spirits of nature. It was a version of paradise, though only in the sense of being the abode of supernatural entities, not an afterlife for deceased mortals. Arcadia has remained a popular artistic subject since antiquity, both in visual arts and literature. Images of beautiful nymphs frolicking in lush forests have been a frequent source of inspiration for painters ...

See also:

Arcadia utopia, Arcadia utopia - The historical Arcadia, Arcadia utopia - Modern usage

Read more here: » Arcadia utopia: Encyclopedia II - Arcadia utopia - The historical Arcadia

Mandala, which literally means circle, largely associated with religions and cults of India and Tibet, was also used as a potent symbol by the American Indians, the original inhabitants of Central America, and by the aborigines of Australia.

Across cultures, the universe is represented as a series of concentric circles, maybe as a model of the solar system. In Tantra, the central point represents Mount Meru around which the earth is situated, and the concentric circles represent the cosmic aspects of the universe, like energy fields and atmospheric zones. In Hindu and Buddhist interpretations, the centre of the Mandala is the ultimate divine principle uniting the object and the subject as they spin out of the centre. This may refer to the cosmos or to the human body.

Read more here: » Mandala: Mandala as Symbol of the Universe

Why are wars waged? Why are some conflicts never resolved? All fanaticism, militancy, terrorism and war are flashpoints of ativada. An ativadi is one who carries an opinion, viewpoint, argument or a case of grievance to excess.

That's why sages have said: Ati sarvatra varjayet - avoid excesses everywhere. No case or argument is strong enough to be an excuse for excess, for breaking peace. A mantra in the Mundaka Upanishad says: "It is one and the same life-force that shines forth as all these beings. One who realises this never becomes an ativadi" (3.1.4).

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Peace on Earth: Do Not Be Driven by Sentiment

John Zachary DeLorean was born on January 6, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan, the eldest of four sons of Zachary and Kathryn Pribak DeLorean. The DeLoreans lived in a small house at 17199 Marx, near the corner of Six Mile Road and Dequindre in Detroit’s Near East Side. It was a three bedroom abode in a tough, lower-middle-class neighborhood. A millwright by trade, Zachary DeLorean was an immigrant from Romania. Born youngest of thirteen boys, he came to America when he was twenty, spending time in Montana and Gary, Indiana before moving t ...

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John De Lorean, John De Lorean - Childhood, John De Lorean - Education, John De Lorean - Professional life, John De Lorean - Packard Motor Company, John De Lorean - General Motors, John De Lorean - De Lorean Motor Company, John De Lorean - Delorean DeLorean or De Lorean?, John De Lorean - Sources

Read more here: » John De Lorean: Encyclopedia II - John De Lorean - Childhood

Sri Madhvacharya, the 13th century dvaita philosopher, is believed to have his divine origin from Mukhyaprana or Vayu, who had in earlier yugas been born as Hanuman, the attendant of Lord Rama and Bhimasena, celebrated in the Mahabharata as the mightiest man, the destroyer of asuras born as kings.

Sri Madhva was a dualist who believed in the verity of God, jeeva and matter existing eternally as distinct entities. His philosophy is a realistic and theistic philosophy. He advocated an active life emphasising duty, devotion and dedication.

(See also: Sri Madhvacharya , Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Sri Madhvacharya: Madhva Siddhant - Bhakti and Gnana  

Site Testing

In order to identity an ideal building site, a square pit of one square built (1 cubit x 1 cubit) should be dug out at the centre of the building site, meditating mentally upon the Goddess Earth and praying for plenty of wealth and grains at this site. This is to be performed at an auspicious hour, when the lunar day (thithi) lunar asterism (Natchatram), the astrological dicisious of tone and the rising of the zodiac sign (lagnam) above the horizon are favourably placed.

Read more here: » Vastu Shastra: Site Testing in Vastu

For the mountain in Tanzania, see Mount Meru, Tanzania. Mount Meru or Mount Sumeru is a sacred mountain in Hindu and Buddhist mythology considered to be the center of the universe. It is believed to be the abode of Brahma and other deities of both religions. The mountain is said to be 80,000 leagues (450,000 km) high and located in Jambudvipa, one of the continents on earth in Hindu mythology. Angkor Wat, the principal temple of Angkor in Cambodia, was built as a symbolic representation of Mount Meru. Including:

• Mount Meru Mythology - Legends
• Mount Meru Mythology - Meru Vayu and Lanka
• Mount Meru Mythology - Meru Agastya and the Vindhya mountains
• Mount Meru Mythology - Beliefs

Read more here: » Mount Meru Mythology: Encyclopedia - Mount Meru Mythology

FAQs on Feng Shui

Here are some FAQs or frequently asked questions regarding feng shui.

Read more here: » Feng Shui: FAQs on Feng Shui

Pitri Loka is also known by the name of Chandraloka, wherein the forefathers, or Pitris, live. This is also a heaven. Those who perform sacrifices and charitable deeds with selfish motives (Ishtapurtam), such as digging wells, building rest-houses and laying out parks or gardens for the public, enter this Loka. The ruler of this world is Lord Yama, son of Surya. The Jivas come back to this world after the fruits of their actions have been exhausted.

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Pitri Loka