05
Oct
Shanti Mantras are prayers for peace . These mantras are mentioned in the Upanishads which are usually recited at the beginning and end of religious rituals and discourses to create peace vibrations for individuals , the environment around and entire universe
Shanti mantra is chanted three times as ‘Om Shanti, Om Shanti Om Shanti’. Sometimes, ‘Om’ is said once and ” Shanti “is repeated thrice after that. ” Shanti ” is repeated thrice since it is chanted for peace in the body, mind and spirit, and also to make the past, present and future peaceful. Shanti Mantra 1 ( Yajurveda) : – ॐ द्यौः शान्तिरन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः
पृथिवी शान्तिरापः शान्तिरोषधयः शान्तिः ।
वनस्पतयः शान्तिर्विश्वेदेवाः शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्तिः
सर्वं शान्तिः शान्तिरेव शान्तिः सा मा शान्तिरेधि ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
— यजुर्वेद Om Dyau Shanti-Rantariksha-Gwam Shantih,
Prithvi Shanti-Rapah Shanti-Roshadhayah Shantih।
Vanas-Patayah Shanti-Vishwed Devah Shanti-Brahma Shantih,
Sarvag-Wam Shantih Shanti-Reva Shantih Sa Ma Shanti-Redhi॥
Om Shantih Shantih Shantih Om॥
Meaning of Shanti Mantra:
ॐ द्यौ: शान्तिरन्तरिक्षँ शान्ति:,
May harmony transmit there in the entire sky just as in the tremendous ethereal space all over the place.
पृथ्वी शान्तिराप: शान्तिरोषधय: शान्ति: ।
May harmony rule all over this world, in water and in all herbs, trees and creepers.
वनस्पतय: शान्तिर्विश्वे देवा: शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्ति:,
May harmony stream over the entire universe. May harmony be in the Supreme Being Brahman.
सर्वँ शान्ति:, शान्तिरेव शान्ति:, सा मा शान्तिरेधि ॥
Also, may there consistently exist in all harmony and harmony alone.
ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: ॥
Aum harmony, harmony, and harmony to us and all creatures!
Benefits of Shanti Mantra:
Shanti mantra streamlines and improves all the real capacities and empowers the diverse interior organs to work up to their ideal limits. At the point when recited, the Shanti mantra can soothingly affect the psyche and lead to profound unwinding.
When to chant Shanti Mantra :
It is advisable that you chant the Shanti Mantra during the early morning hours between 6 am and 8 am so that you can stay calm throughout the day. Significance of chanting Shanti Mantra?
Through the Shanti Mantra, we look for assurance from त्रिविध तापा: (three scorchers) of the idea of –
अध्यात्मि-क (inconvenience caused ‘inside’ oneself at the body level and psyche level)
आधिभौति-(inconvenience brought about by observed substances for example people around us)
आधिदैविक (inconvenience brought about by ‘inconspicuous’ for example which comes to us from natural disasters, we have no influence over)
Power of the Shanti Mantra?
Shanti mantras are very powerful and are said to be miraculous.
Shanti mantras are not exclusively to bring peace to your home and heart, yet additionally to break the blocks and obstacles to allow energy to free flow and your problems to calm down.
VAIRAGYA
Vairagya or Detachment does not mean renouncing from your world, but to develop non attachment or dispassion towards the (Vrittis) fluctuations of mind. Complete cessation of fluctuations of mind is achieved by ” Abhyasa “
Vrittis or fluctuations can be understood as ” fickle thought impulses which clutter the mind.
Vairagya or Detachment should not be taken as an escaping act to run away from your duty. Instead through practicing vairagya you perform your worldly duties better because you are not being attached to the outcome or fruits of it. Shree Krishna assures Arjun in Shrimad Bhagwat Gita that the mind can be controlled by vairāgya and abhyās.
Vairāgya means detachment. We observe that the mind runs toward the objects of its attachment, toward the direction it has been habituated to running in the past. The elimination of attachment eradicates the unnecessary wanderings of the mind,
which is attained with practice ” Abhyasa”.
EKADASHI
Ekadashi meaning and significance : Ekadashi is considered to be an auspicious day in Hindu and Jain culture. It takes place on the eleventh day of the two lunar cycles of the month, Krishna & Shukla Paksha. Spiritually, Ekadashi symbolizes eleven senses constituting five sense organs, five action organs and one mind. In Vedic Culture, Yogis and sages had been giving the importance for diverting sense actions from materialism to divinity. Ekadashi fasting is one of that spiritual practice.
As per Hindu scripture, there are two words in Ekadashi Eka (1) and Dasha (10). Transforming actions of ten senses and mind from worldly objects to God is the true Ekadashi.
Ekadashi means we should control our 10 senses & 1 mind. One must not let vicious thoughts regarding lust, anger avarice, etc. enter in mind. Ekadashi is a penance that should be done only to realize & please God.
The History of Ekadashi
In Satyuga, there lived a demon called Murdanav. He terrorized all good people and devotees on the earth as well as he scared all the Devaas also. So Devaas left heaven and took refuge to Lord Vishnu. They prayed lord Vishnu to protect them. God’s mercy towards his devotees is limitless. So he took off immediately on His fastest vehicle “Garuda”. He fought continuously for 1000 years with Murdanav of unbelievable strength and still he was fighting with full energy and power. So Lord Vishnu decided to change his strategy.
Lord Vishnu acted as if He was exhausted by the battle and hid in a cave in Himalayas. He decided to take a nap in this huge cave. Lord Vishnu along with all his ten senses and the mind inside, was taking a rest.
Murdanav reached to the cave by chasing lord Vishnu. He saw him sleeping inside the cave and followed Him. He took his sword to kill lord Vishnu. As he was about to swing the sword, suddenly an extremely beautiful & luminous lady playing with a sword emerged from lord Vishnu’s body.
Murdanav lured to her beauty & asked her to marry him. She said, “I would marry who can defeat me in battle” Murdanav agreed to her proposal. He started fighting with that divine lady. Eventually during the fight that divine lady defeated & slayed Murdanav.
Hearing the noise of fight, lord Vishnu woke up and saw that lady who killed Murdanav. Lord Vishnu called that lady, who emerged from Himself, by the name Ekadashi. That was the eleventh day of the waxing moon. Lord Vishnu pleased by her deed & said to ask a boon. The Ekadashi asked to Lord Vishnu that ‘as I evolved from your Ekadash Indriyas (eleven senses of the body) I shall be known as Ekadashi. I am filled with penance so I desire that people should observe Ekadashi Vrat and control their Ekadash Indriyas (Senses) on this day. On the day of my Vrat, no one should consume grains such as rice, wheat, beans etc.
Lord Vishnu agreed and ever since all Hindus perform Ekadashi Vrat by fasting or eating Falahari foods on the 11th day of bright half of the moon & dark half of the moon. Also Lord Vishnu said that devotees who observe the Ekadashi day with fasting and prayers would have his choicest blessings! This story is based on Padama Puranam, a Hindu Scripture.
Meaning behind the story
If we disconnect the senses and mind from the materialistic world, spiritual power is being generated. The more we enjoy the sense objects, the more stupid, wicked and powerless we become.
It is not that we are relishing the sense objects. In fact, sense objects are relishing us and once it sucks us completely, it just throws us away.
Rishis and Munis like Vasishth Muni, Vishwamitra Muni were all householders, yet they were in complete control of themselves. They direct all the senses and mind towards God. Being in household, they controlled senses and mind. When they controlled senses and mind, power gets created for them that in turn makes them stronger towards God.
Why other Upavas (fastings) do not considered equal to Ekadashi?
The Vedic cosmology is deeper than other cosmologies. As per this, there is some period of time pious and some are not, it depends upon position of stars and zodiacs, Ekadashi day has positive effects on our body and brain, therefore fasting done on Ekadashi is more effective than day of regular.
Ekadashi fasting (Upavas) is Agna (command) of God, so it is best option for Devotee. Ekadashi fasting is considered equal to bath done crores of time in holy river Ganga. Ekadashi fasting is considered equal to cows donation done crores of time. Because purpose of cow donations and Ganga Snan (bath) is controlling senses and pleasing of God, that both happens herein Ekadashi fasting. Ekadashi is considered as a Maha-vrat (greatest of all). As per Vedic calendar, every vrat (fasting and rituals) has specific deities; The head of Ekadashi Vrat is Bhagavan Narayan Himself
MEDITATION
Meditate as Nandi : Shiva’s vahan Nandi
is a symbol of endless waiting. Waiting has been considered the greatest virtue in Indian culture. One who knows to just sit quietly and wait can be naturally meditative. Nandi does not expect that Shiva will come tomorrow. He does not anticipate or expect anything. He just waits. He will always wait. This quality is the basic element of receptivity. Nandi is Shiva’s closest companion because he has the qualities of receptiveness. To go to a temple, you must have the quality of Nandi. So that you can just sit. Having this quality means – you will not try to go to heaven, you will not try to get this or that – you will just sit there. People have always misunderstood that meditation is some kind of action. No – this is a quality. This is the basic difference. Prayer means that you are trying to talk to God. Meditation means that you want to listen to God. You just want to listen to existence, the ultimate nature of creation. You have nothing to say, you just listen. This is the quality of Nandi, he just sits alert. This is very important – he is alert, not dull. He is not sitting like a lazy. He is fully active, fully alert, full of life, this is what meditation is …