Dream Dictionary Abode

Sandhini - this refers to svarupa-sakti which is predominated by sandhini (see svarupa-sakti). Sandhini is the potency which relates to the sat, or existential aspect of Sri Bhagavan. This is the potency by which He maintains His own existence and the existence of others. When the sandhini potency is prominent in visuddha-sattva, it is known as adhara-sakti, the all-accomodating potency. The spiritual abode of the Lord and His associates are manifest by this adhara-sakti.

(See also: Sandhini , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Trees of Life. From the highest antiquity trees were connected with the gods and mystical forces in nature.

Every nation had its sacred tree, with its peculiar characteristics and attributes based on natural, and also occasionally on occult properties, as expounded in the esoteric teachings. Thus the peepul or Ashvattha of India, the abode of Pitris (elementals in fact) of a lower order, became the Bo-tree or ficus religiosa of the Buddhists the world over, since Gautama Buddha reached the highest knowledge and Nirvana under such a tree. The ash tree, Yggdrasil, is the world-tree of the Norsemen or Scandinavians.

The banyan tree is the symbol of spirit and matter, descending to the earth, striking root, and then re-ascending heavenward again. The triple-leaved palasa is a symbol of the triple essence in the Universe - Spirit, Soul, Matter.

The dark cypress was the world-tree of Mexico, and is now with the Christians and Mahomedans the emblem of death, of peace and rest. The fir was held sacred in Egypt, and its cone was carried in religious processions, though now it has almost disappeared from the land of the mummies; so also was the sycamore, the tamarisk, the palm and the vine.

The sycamore was the Tree of Life in Egypt, and also in Assyria. It was sacred to Hathor at Heliopolis; and is now sacred in the same place to the Virgin Mary. Its juice was precious by virtue of its occult powers, as the Soma is with Brahmans, and Haoma with the Parsis. " The fruit and sap of the Tree of Life bestow immortality." A large volume might be written upon these sacred trees of antiquity, the reverence for some of which has survived to this day, without exhausting the subject.

(See also: Trees of Life , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

Dhama - a holy place of pilgrimage; the abode of the Lord where He appears and enacts His transcendental pastimes.

(See also: Dhama , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

A dictionary Of Siddha Yoga Terminology. From Abhanga to Yogini.

Please note that all words in grey, like "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

Enchanting Abode of The Double Devta

Having been born into a secular Hindu family which venerates a Sufi saint, I have always thought I had a special advantage over my friends whose faith in their respective religions would perhaps be more limiting than mine. So, while we commemorate the Urs of our Pir, we also celebrate Diwali and New Year at his shrine. Are we Muslim, Hindu, Sufi or Christian?

Read more here: » Islam and Hinduism: Enchanting Abode of The Double Devta

A Dictionary of Spiritual Terms. From Acupuncture to Zoroaster.

Please note that all words in grey, like "yoga", "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

Kathirgama Purana: (Sanskrit) A secondary scripture regarding the famous central Sri Lankan abode of Lord Murugan (Karttikeya).

(See also: Kathirgama Purana , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Chaar Dhaam & chaar yuga

There are 4 most important places in Sanaatan dharma (= religion of truth; The Hindu religion is rooted from Satya Sanaatana religion which is the root of all religions), to where each Hindu (who has Hindu religion) is supposed to make pilgrimage at least once in life. These 4 places are called chaar dhaam (chaar = 4, dhaam = abode or place).

These are:

1. Badrinaath (Tehri-Garhwal district of the mighty Himaalayas, North India)

2. Raameshwaram (South India)

3. Dwaarka (West India), and

4. Jagannaath Dhaam Puri (Orissa, East India)

The ancient Epics also relate the history of the chaar dhaam with the widely accepted Four Yugas (Yuga = era). The chaar yuga s are:

Satya yuga, Tretayaa yuga, Dwaapara yuga, and Kali yuga. According to the epics, the relation of yuga with dhaama are as follows:

Badrinaath » Satya yuga,

Rameshwaram » Tretayaa yuga,

Dwaarka » Dwaapara yuga, and

Jagannaath » Kali yuga.

The present age is approaching the end of Kali yuga. It is widely believed in the Hindu mythology that towards the end of Kali yuga, Lord Vishnu (Lord Jagannaath is a form of Lord Vishnu) will appear as Kalki Avataar to save the saints (good) and destroy the sinners (evil). This will happen at a time when the Sin will be at it's peak, i.e. at the worst time of this Kali yuga. As he will come to destroy the Kalanka (= blemishes of and on the humanity), he is called Kalki avataar.€€€

(See also: Chaar Dhaam,  chaar yuga , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

You must have a pure mind if you want to realise the Self. Unless the mind is set free and casts away all desires, cravings, worries, delusion, pride, lust, attachment, likes and dislikes, it cannot enter into the domain of Supreme Peace and unalloyed felicity of the Immortal Abode.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Mind: Purification of Mind

Raghunath ki Kahani - Epic for All Time

The Ramayana is one of the most popular epics of India. Ramayana-lovers are to be found all over the world. All are not necessarily followers of Hinduism. With its engaging storyline, it holds readers of all denominations and backgrounds spellbound. Narrated in an engaging fashion, the story of Rama entertains as well as informs, while presenting to us the model of an ideal human being.

Read more here: » Ramayana: Raghunath ki Kahani - Epic for All Time

Hamsa yogis are believed to exist even today in the Himalayan region and it was to their abode in the rarer regions that I made my pilgrimage. What's life about anyway, I mused. Suddenly I found myself in a dream within a dream universe. The universe was but a pale phantom of a deeper order.

Ever engaged in spiritual practices and meditations, these yogis were called Hamsa or Swan, represented for the inhaled and the exhaled breath of one's self.

(See also: Hamsa yogis , 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: » Hamsa yogis: Land of the Hamsas  

The Blessed Lord said: “Many births have been left behind by Me and by thee, O Arjuna, I know them all, but thou knowest not thine, O Parantapa.

The death and dying and the life after death has always fascinated man. This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Soul After Death: What Does The Gita Say On Life After Death

In today's fast-changing world, materialism and stress have become part of our everyday lives. We are constantly looking for answers: How to live a successful and happy life?

One way of finding out answers to this question could be to explore the Spiritual Quotient (SQ), relating to our ability to understand and comprehend the spiritual aspects of life, which, contrary to popular belief, are not necessarily connected to religion.

(See also: Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Love and Happiness: Surrender the Ego, Attain Happiness

Lal Ded's Vaakhs and Kashmir Shaivism

Kashmir, often described as the abode of saints, has produced a number of spiritually evolved persons. Among them Lal Ded, better known as Lalla Yogeshwari, ranks as a great mystic poetess of the 14th century.

She was an ardent practitioner of Kashmir Shaivism which is also known as Trika Shastra founded by Vasu Gupta. Lal Ded took Shaktipat Diksha from her guru, Sri Neel Kanth.

Read more here: » Kashmir Shaivism: Lal Ded's Vaakhs and Kashmir Shaivism

Sahasrara Chakra is the abode of Lord Siva. This corresponds to Satya Loka. This is situated at the crown of the head. When Kundalini is united with Lord Siva at the Sahasrara Chakra, the Yogi enjoys the Supreme Bliss, Parama Ananda. When Kundalini is taken to Sahasrara Chakra, the Yogi attains the superconscious state and the Highest Knowledge. He becomes a Brahmavidvarishtha or a full-blown Jnani.

Read more here: » Sahasrara Chakra: Sahasrara Chakra and the Kundalini

Men pass, mountains remain. Little wonder, why mountains are a sign of solidity and stability. They tower over us, touching the sky, sometimes through clouds ... they convey a sense of mystery.

In fact, philosophers say that the mountain is the point where heaven and earth meet. Mountains, therefore, are considered holy in many faiths. They are believed to be the abode of gods, even a place where one can find salvation.

Christian literature reveals the symbolic role of mountains. In the Old Testament, God was depicted as God of the mountains. But God was also a God of the valleys.

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

Read more here: » Peace of Mind: Mountains - Source of Divine Inspiration

Recently, 65-year-old Kuttu Bai of Madhya Pradesh immolated herself on her husband’s pyre, sending shock waves across the country. There were a few, however, who remained unmoved.

Was sati really a part of Hindu religion, as is claimed by some?

Parvati, Shiva’s consort, is often referred to as ' Sati ’. Once, she went uninvited to attend a yagna her father was conducting. On hearing him speak derogatorily of Shiva, an upset and angry Parvati jumped into the fire. In another story, ' Sati ’ Savitri, a princess whose husband died barely a year after they got married, confronted Yamraj, the God of Death. Because of sheer persistence, Savitri managed to extract from him a boon of longevity for her husband. In return, she offered to follow Yamraj to his abode. However, there is no scriptural evidence of any woman committing sati on her dead husband’s pyre.

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

Read more here: » Sati: Two Kinds of Values: Eternal & Transitory  

Earth, water, fire, wind, sky, the astral bodies, dawn, night, thunderstorms and lightning are all worshipped and deified in Hinduism. If God is 'all’, then where is his abode?

"The Hindu firmly believes that the countless viewpoints of God (the different religions) are all valid and will lead us to the same God. The ultimate experience is beyond the pale of the ego; but the highest spiritual experiences, too, may differ from person to person, as is revealed in the different religions... "Even they who seek material gains - or even spiritual perfection - resort to God only through the various divinities; and God responds to them through the same channel. We adore God in various ways. This knowledge frees us from fear, attachment, anger, intolerance and proselytism".

(See also: Gods in Hinduism , God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Gods in Hinduism: Multiple Paths To The Supreme One  

That part of the great Aryan race which migrated from Central Asia, through the mountain passes into India, settled first in the districts near the river Sindhu, now called the Indus, on the other side of the river. The Persians pronounced the word Sindhu as Hindu, and named their Aryan brethren Hindus. Hindu is only a corrupt form of Sindhu.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu: Origin And Significance Of The Term Hindu

In 61 aphorisms, the Nirvanopanishad describes the attributes of one who has achieved Jivanmukti or liberation, while remaining in the physical body. At the very beginning, this Upanishad makes it clear that when one says: “Brahman encompasses the universe”, one is still assuming that there is duality, of the Brahman and the universe. The Jivanmukta, or the realised one, does not see the Brahman as being separate from the universe. For him, the universe does not exist. Therefore, he himself does not exist. The only existence is of the Brahman.

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

Read more here: » Jivanmukti: A Jivanmukta Lives In Non-duality  

God as Mother: Celebration of the Mother Principle

Durga Puja is to Bengal what Ganesh Chaturthi is to Maharashtra - an occasion to celebrate, worship, bond together, to get festive, to exhibit one's artistic abilities, and all in the name of the Divine Mother.

Relating to God as Mother forges a personalised relationship, strengthening the bond between bhakta and bhagvan, as between a child and mother. Celebrated as Navratri in other parts of India, these nine nights are devoted to the worship of the Divine Mother - some do it through dancing the Garba or Dandiya Raas as in Gujarat, and some do it through austerities and fasting.

Read more here: » God as Mother: Celebration of the Mother Principle