St. Francis of Assisi

Painting by Francisco de Zurbaran

Lord, grant that I might not so much seek to be loved as to love.

In 1205, one young gallant with a yen for glory, riding off to war at 22, heard a voice ask, "Why do you desert the Lord?" Not long after, Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) turned to prayer and fasting. Hauled into an episcopal court for selling some of his merchant father's best fabrics to help a poor priest, he stepped out of his fine clothes before the stunned bishop and handed them back to his father. Thenceforth he renounced the ways of the world. In a few years Francis and his order of Frati Minori, or Little Brothers (they did not at first aspire to the priesthood), had become a mass movement dedicated to holy poverty. When Francis got around to writing down a formal rule for his order, he prescribed "vile vestments" and, in preaching, "brief discourses, because the Lord while on earth talked briefly."

The Canticle of the Sun, is a beautiful religious song composed by Saint Francis of Assisi.

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord!
All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing.

To you, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
and clouds and storms, and all the weather,
through which you give your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water;
she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you brighten the night.
He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth,
who feeds us and rules us,
and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you;
through those who endure sickness and trial.

Happy those who endure in peace,
for by you, Most High, they will be crowned.

Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whose embrace no living person can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those she finds doing your most holy will.
The second death can do no harm to them.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks,
and serve him with great humility.

Brihadeeswarar Temple

I love this temple very much. The tranquility of Brihadeeswarar Temple creates a perfect atmosphere and ambience for people to do their prayers and also to meditate. And this atmosphere is so unique as though gives more transparent air. But even if you are not in spiritual mood there is much to look and be surprised here.
It is also called the Rajarajeshwara temple after the name of king Rajaraja Chola, one of the greatest Tamil emperors, who built it in honour of Lord Shiva in about 1009 A.D. The temple is constructed with  magnificent architectural taste and refinement, but the main thing - with big religious fidelity to Lord Shiva.
I cut for you a fragment from old tamil film "Rajaraja Cholan" where the great moment of opening of a temple is shown. It is a song  ‘thanjai periya kOvil pallaaNdu vaazhgavE’ that celebrates one of the greatest architectural marvels and bespeaks the greatness of the mighty king who caused the mighty edifice to be erected. Seergazhi Govindarajan begins with ‘nanjaikazhanigaLin naayganE nee vaazhga’,
T.R. Mahalingam follows with ‘nadanamidum kaavErikkaavalanE nee vaazhga’ and
S. Varalakshmi is not far behind with her ‘thanjamena varuvOrkku thanjam vazhangugindRa thanjai peruvudaiya thalaivanE nee vaazhga’ followed by a glorious moment where the 3 golden tenors chant in unison….venjamaril vetRikaNdu anjalikkum makkaLukkOr viNNuyar periya kOyil thandha veera raja raja chOzhanE nee vaazhga...’ great!



The plan of Big Temple is simple. Also it is that case when tell "Everything of Genius Is Simple".



The gopuram is really a marvellous piece of architecture. Inside main temple is a huge stone linga. The barrel vault contains 1008 Lingams. I will never forget the feeling of peace here. You will feel it - just going around!

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

Through the Pain

Jacob Epstein’s sculpture ‘Jacob and the Angel’

There is a cruelty and morbidity in any development, in any exit from a condition of  rest and immovability. Any ascension from the tamas should pass through a pain of the rajas. The heroic (vira) beginning is the cruel beginning. Movement with effort is already painful. And so before the most higher displays of spiritual life. And that who wants a fulfilment of destiny is obliged to accept a cruelty and a pain. If I cannot chain myself in the reservation, I should accept that beats me to revive anew. Same who does not want any cruelty and a pain, - does not want to move and to develop up, and wants that his life would remains in a condition of tamas and that anything new did not arise. Pain and suffering are the necessary accompaniment of the personality’s attempt at self-fulfillment. That transfers pain to a greater depth, to freedom which is prior to being and deeper than it. Such is an inevitable metaphysical conclusion.

Varalakshmi Vratam

varanasi 2012

Varalakshmi Puja 2014 date is August 8. 
Lakshmi is symbolic of eight forces -
wealth (shrI), earth (bhU), learning (sarasvati), love (prIti), fame (kIrti), peace (shAnti), pleasure (tuShTi), and strength (puShTi). Each of these forces is called a Lakshmi, and collectively they are known as ashTa lakshmi.

ashtalakshmi stotram

adilakshmi

sumanasavandita sundari madhavi

candra sahodari hemamaye |

muniganamandita mokshapradayini

manjuLabhashini vedanute

pankajavasini devasupujita

sadgunavarshini santiyute |

jayajaya he madhusudana kamini

dharialakshmi sada palaya mam

dhanyalakshmi

ayi kalikalmasanasini kamini

vaidikarupini vedamaye |

ksırasamudbhava mangalarupini

mantranivasini mantranute

mangaladayini ambujavasini

devaganasrita padayute |

jayajaya he madhusudana kamini

dhanyalakshmi sada palaya mam

dhairyalakshmi

jayavaravarnini vaisnavi bhargavi

mantrasvarupini mantramaye |

suraganapujita sıghraphalaprada

jnanavikasini sastranute

bhavabhayaharini papavimocani

sadhujanasrita padayute |

jayajaya hemadhusudana kamini

dhairyalakshmi sada palaya mam

gajalakshmi

jayajaya durgatinasini kamini

sarvaphalaprada sastramaye |

rathagaja turagapadadi samavrta

parijanamandita lokanute

harihara brahma supujita sevita

tapanivarini padayute |

jayajaya he madhusudana kamini

gajalakshmi rupena palaya mam

santanalakshmi

ayi khagavahini mohini cakrini

ragavivardhini jnanamaye |

gunaganavaridhi lokahitaisini

svarasapta bhusita gananute

sakala surasura devamunısvara

manavavandita padayute |

jayajaya he madhusudana kamini

santanalakshmi sada palaya mam

vijayalakshmi

jaya kamalasani sadgatidayini

jnanavikasini ganamaye |

anudinamarcita kunkumadhusara

bhusita vasita vadyanute

kanakadharastuti vaibhava vandita

sankara desika manya pade |

jayajaya he madhusudana kamini

vijayalakshmi sada palaya mam 

vidyalakshmi

pranata suresvari bharati bhargavi

sokavinasini ratnamaye |

manimayabhusita karnavibhusana

santisamavrta hasyamukhe

navanidhidayini kalimalaharini

kamita phalaprada hastayute |

jayajaya he madhusudana kamini

vidyalakshmi sada palaya mam 

dhanalakshmi

dhimidhimi dhindhimi dhindhimi dhindhimi

dundubhi nada supurnamaye |

ghumaghuma ghumghuma ghumghuma ghumghuma

sankhaninada suvadyanute

vedapuranetihasa supujita

vaidikamarga pradarsayute |

jayajaya he madhusudana kamini

dhanalakshmirupena palaya mam

Varalakshmi Astottaranamavali

Om Prakrutyai namaha 

Om Vikrutyai namaha 

Om Vidyayai namaha

Om Sarwabhoota hita pradyai namaha 

Om Sraddayai namaha

Om Vibootyai namaha  

Om Surabhyai namaha  

Om Paramatmikamyai namaha  

Om Vache namaha

Om Padmalyai namaha  

Om Padmyai namaha  

Om Suchyai namaha  

Om Swahyai namaha  

Om Swathatyai namaha  

Om Dhanyai namaha

Om Hiranmyai namaha  

Om Lakshmyai namaha  

Om Nityapushatyai namaha  

Om Vibhaavarayai namaha

Om Adityai namaha

Om Deeptai namaha

Om Vasudayai namaha  

Om Kamalayai namaha

Om Kantayai namaha

Om Kamakshyai namaha  

Om Rakrodasambhavai namaha

Om Anugrahapradayai namaha

Om Buddyai namaha  

Om Anughooyai namaha  

Om Harivallabhyai namaha  

Om Asokhyai namaha  

Om Amrutyai namaha  

Om Deeptyai namaha  

Om Lokasokavinasinyai namaha  

Om Dharmanilayai namaha

Om Karunyai namaha  

Om Lokamatryai namaha  

Om Padmapriyai namaha

Om Padmahastyai namaha  

Om Padmashyai namaha  

Om Padmasundryai namaha  

Om Padmodbhavyai namaha  

Om Padmamukhyai namaha  

Om Padmamaladharyai namaha  

Om Ramaayai namaha  

Om Daivyai namaha  

Om Padminyai namaha  

Om Padmagandhinyai namaha  

Om Punyagandhayai namaha

Om Suprasannyai namaha  

Om Prasadabhimukhyai namaha  

Om Prabhyai namaha  

Om Chandravadanyai namaha  

Om Chandryai namaha  

Om Chandrasahodaryai namaha  

Om Chaturbhujyai namaha  

Om Chandraroopyai namaha  

Om Indiryai namaha  

Om Induseetalyai namaha  

Om Ahladajannyai namaha  

Om Pushtyai namaha  

Om Sivyai namaha  

Om Sivakartyai namaha  

Om Satyai namaha  

Om Vimalyai namaha  

Om Viswajannyai namaha  

Om Pushtyai namaha  

Om Daridraynasinyai namaha  

Om Preetipushkaranyai namaha  

Om Santyai namaha  

Om Sukla malyambaryai namaha  

Om Srivyai namaha  

Om Bhaskaryai namaha  

Om Bilwanilayai namaha

Om Vararohyai namaha  

Om Yasiswyai namaha  

Om Vasunadharyai namaha  

Om Vudaaragyai namaha  

Om Harinyai namaha

Om Hemamalinyai namaha  

Om Dhanadhayakartyai namaha  

Om Sidhyai namaha  

Om Shtanasowmayai namaha

Om Subhapradyai namaha  

Om Nrumavesmagataa nandanyai namaha  

Om Varalakshmyai namaha  

Om Vasupradayai namaha  

Om Hiranyaprakryai namaha  

Om Samudratanyai namaha  

Om Jayai namaha

Om Mangaladevyai namaha  

Om Mangalyai namaha  

Om Devayai namaha

Om Vishnuvakshastalastityai namaha  

Om Vishnupatnyai namaha  

Om Prasannshyai namaha  

Om Nnarayana samasritryai namaha  

Om Daridradamsyai namaha  

Om Daivyai namaha  

Om Sarvopradavarinyai namaha  

Om Navadurgyai namaha  

Om Mahakalyai namaha  

Om Brahamavishnusivatmikyai namaha  

Om Trikalagyana sampanyai namaha  

Om Bhuvaneswaryai namaha  

Om Varalakshmyai namaha:

Jai Ma Lakshmi!

Mystic and mystification

Magritte's Painting: "The False Mirror"

In our dark times many fans to make itself more significant readily pass themselves off as mystics, and frequently they express mystical pretensions.
In select, the "esoteric" circles they speak much on mystical themes, they employ mystical terminology, but they speak in too artificial a fashion, they display too egoistical an attitude. It becomes strange, when one ceases really to differentiate mystical words from mystical activity, when one fails to distinguish imitation from being, the refined materialists from the genuine mystics, when everything is veiled over by a cloud, when the foggy mist of household magic and fashion is passed off as mysticism. In the new-agers experiences, the person is disintegrated into momentary instants, impressions, fragmented conditions, with the loss of the centre for the person and its own organic connections to life.
The new-ager's world-perception jumbles together the "I" with the "not-I", it mixes together that, which is, with that, which is not. Often people fond of modern mystifications are as it were afraid of real encounters, they want to reserve for themselves the possibility to say, what is not reality, what is nothing, they have an aversion towards a connectedness with anything real. The mystifier experiencings too much reckon upon the possibility of enlarging the extent of the person, by an acknowledging of illusory being, having abolished all  the boundaries of the fictitious but not of the real, surmounting these limits in a transient mindset and word, but not in an eternal actuality. These people have hopelessly confused mysticism with a psychological subtlety of refinement, with the discovering of new empirical states, and upon this jumbled confusion they have based their mystical pretensions. Probably they have ceased to be able to differentiate the light of the moon from the billboard lighting. 

We all make mistakes, and there is no resumption that we are responsible when we do. But self-deception is a peculiar kind of mistake, for which the victim must bear much of the responsibility.
Perhaps she is the innocent victim of deception, but by the same token, she is also the guilty perpetrator of falsehoods. The mystic Abu Bakr has perfectly taught that: “the spiritual warrior has no outside enemies.”
It is impossible to confuse the mystically real with a mere experience, with a testing of factual conditions, with a subjective given. The most vivid, the most powerful, the most irrational experience is still not reality and is still not mysticism. While there are numerous paths in both the East and the West that one may follow in order to attain this union with God, in essence all true paths are similar. The paths of mysticism differ solely in their form, not in their goals.

Kumkum, Bindu and Sindur

Haridraachumasamyuktam kunkumam kaamadaayakam I

vastraalamkaranan Sarvam devi tvam pratigrhyatam I

amukudevyai namah I kunkumam samarpayaami I
Goddess, accept all, garments, and ornaments and kumkum accompanied with turmeric powder which grants desires, salutation to the Goddess so and so I offer kumkum

The use of kumkum in Hindu temples is of inexorable importance especially in the temples dedicated to Shakti. The red Sindhura is particularly favoured by Goddess Lalitha and used by women during lalitha-vrata. The object is to create harmony, and to entrap and concentrate power which is in the kumkum for the benefit of the community. Kumkum is veritably derived from turmeric and is coloured red for application and also for offering to God, which is expounded by many as substitute for former blood sacrifice.
The place where the kumkum is worn i.e., in between the eyebrows is of considerable significance too. The area between the eyebrows is known as the Ajna (6th chakra) meaning command. It controls the various states of concentration realised through meditation. It has a central point called Bindu where at all experience, all being is compacted into its utmost concentration. 

The Brahmavaivarti purana states that after taking a bath one has to make a tilaka on the root of his arms, on the forehead, on the neck and on the chest. One's snana, dana, tapa, homa becomes fruitless if one does not make a tilaka - made of the following - gorocana (cow bile) with cow's urine, warm cow dung, these two along with curds and sandal should be marked on the forehead. This tilaka is conducive to prosperity and health. The tilaka, also called tika, is a ritual mark made on the forehead, arms, or chest with red, yellow or white pigment i.e., with Sindhur, sandalwood paste or ashes (vibhuti) to designate one's sect. Even women, it is believed sported these marks for the same purpose. The marks may be horizontal or perpendicular lines, dots, rectangles, circles, oblongs or triangles.
Human body has been likened several times to a temple, a place where God resides. Just as the temple is cleaned every morning and an attractive Rangoli is delineated to adorn the entrance and to welcome devotees, so also the human body is expected to be bathed and the tilaka is marked over the body before submitting to God in a state of goodness and sincere devotion. Lack of it all only denoted emptiness.

In the olden days, a variety of tilaka marks were borne by men. The Skanda purana and the Brahmavaivarti purana mentions the usage of different tilaka marks. Each mark had a significance attached to it. A person putting the trisula mark would hold the pradhana principle that is composed of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, a white disc mark denoted the Sun and full of Brahman lustre. There is also mention of the marks of the conch, the disc, the mace, the lotus etc. The Skanda purana mentions of a crescent mark that is worn by couples at the time of marriage. It is believed that this mark is conducive to the growth of male progeny and the destroyer of all sorrows and diseases. The colour of these forehead marks were believed to be symbolic too. The black colour was for pacification, red for control, yellow for wealth, white for release (moksha) and so on. The Svetasvatara upanishad mentions that the colours also represent the three forces as red for rajas, black for tamas and white for the cohesive sattva.

The red colour of the kumkum is also said to symbolize love and as the yellow of the turmeric has the power to influence the intellect, the y are usually placed side by side before serving to God, or to women visitors at the time of taking leave to show good will and wishing for the lasting of the good fortune. 

Good luck to you all!

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

Ravana's love

Why Ravana, the king of Lanka, the inventor and the scientist, the author of the magnificent Shiva Tandava Stotram, reached such heights in religion, has suffered a cruel defeat eventually? If its love for God, for Seeta, was true - why it has fallen by hand of God? Certainly, it was a rajasic love and one expression of this love is when in seeking God, we are secretly motivated by some ego drive of our own. In occultism, some turn to God with the ultimate goal of acquiring supernatural or occult powers. The ulterior motive of others it's to expand domination. Then it is possible to name it a fanaticism. I think this is a negative faith without love.

A believing, an unselfish, an intellectual man can become a fanatic, and commit the greatest of cruelties. To devote oneself without reservations to God or to an idea, substituting for God, whilst ignoring man, is to transform a man into a means and a weapon for the glory of God or for the realisation of the idea, and it means to become a fanatic -- wild-eyed and even a monster. 

The man, in whom intolerance reaches the point of flaming up, of fanaticism, is like a jealous person, and he sees everywhere only one thing, only the treason, the betrayal, only the breaking of fidelity to this single thing, he becomes suspicious and mistrustful, he discovers everywhere conspiracies against his beloved idea, against the object of his faith and love. The man fanatically intolerant, just like the jealous person, is very difficult to bring back to reality. The fanatic, obsessed with a maniac pursuit, sees all around the snares of the devil, but he is always the one who himself persecutes, torments and executes. The man, in the grip of a persecution mania, and who senses enemies all around him, -- is a very dangerous being, he always becomes the persecutor, he it is that persecutes, rather than that they are persecuting him.

The hostile powers become blended together and present themselves as a single enemy. This is entirely like, as if a man were to make the division not into the I and a multiplicity of other I’s, but rather into the I and the not-I’s, wherein the not-I presents itself to him as a single being. This strange simplification facilitates the struggle. Torquemada was a non-avaricious and unselfish man, he wanted nothing for himself, he devoted himself entirely to his idea, his faith; in torturing people, he made his service to God, he did everything exclusively for the glory of God, and in him there was even a soft spot, he felt malice and hostility towards no one, and he was of his kind a “fine” man.

The fanatic -- is an egocentric. He, certainly, is prepared to acknowledge himself a sinner, but can never acknowledge himself as having fallen into error, into self-deception, into self-smugness. Which is why he considers it possible, amidst his own sinfulness, to torment and pursue others. The egocentrism of the fanatic of whatever the sort of idea, of whatever the sort of teaching, expresses itself in this, that he does not see the human person, he is inattentive to the human personal path, that he is unable to establish any sort of relationship to the world of persons, to the living, concrete human world. He altogether is unwilling to induce the truthfulness of something, he is altogether uninterested in truth.  

A man always reacts with force out of fear. There is nothing stronger than fear. A maniacal idea, inspired by fear, also is quite extreme a danger. The spiritual healing from fear is necessary for every man. But There is no fear in love. And I trust that the Love can cure . The love for man, for women, for thought, for cognitive knowing, is likewise a love for criticism, for the developement of dialogue, a love for thoughts foreign to one, and not only one’s own. Love for God and Love of God.

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

Struggle and Contemplation

 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42).

Struggle and contemplation - it is impossible to separate from each other and to oppose them each other. The human spirit has two orientations: to struggle and to contemplation. Our human activity proceeds both in struggle, and in contemplation. In activity there is an anxiety. Contemplation is the moment of approach of rest. The person is a being called for struggle and to detection of the creative force, to a gain of a regal place in a universe, in the nature. And the person is a being called for mystical contemplation of God and inner worlds. Contemplation is represented passive to us, inactive only in comparison with activity of the struggle directed on the world. But a contemplation it is the creative activity directed on God. The affinity to God cannot be won through the active struggle similar to what we spend with nature.
But contemplation of God which love is the creative answer to an appeal Divine. Contemplation only also can be understood as love as love ecstasy. This contemplation, this ecstasy of love it is possible not only in the relation to God, but in the relation to the nature and people. The human soul rises upwards, uphill, goes to God but do descends in the world, shares lot of the world and people, aspires to help the brothers, gives them the spiritual energy which has been saved up in movement of soul upwards, in spiritual force's reception. It  is impossible one without another. It is shortage of love when my proud spirit comes off from the world and people, and it is greed to refuse to divide riches with others. There is light hidden in us and it opens the way forward, the way for each person and for all humanity.

Glory of Night

Having received some letters with questions why I do not write further, I want to thank first of all those who reads this blog and supports me despite my silence. Thank you - Hari, Serge, Rene, Radek, Nathalie, John, Nicholas ... and many fine people whom I meet on favour divine. I cannot answer your questions now because I have no rights obviously on it. An experience of everyone is so individual and who can give advice if itself is ignorant simply? But also this night is a part of the divine plan in us and it is blessing certainly. Therefore I dedicate this letter to Great Night.

“When they are going about these spiritual exercises with the greatest delight and pleasure, and when they believe that the sun of divine  favor is shining most brightly upon them, God turns all this light of theirs into darkness ... and leaves them ... completely in the dark.” St.Juan de la Cruz

How it is possible though something to tell about experience even in its 'light' phase? The irreducible immediacy of experience itself which, however exhaustively described, however carefully nuanced, remains not just primarily, but essentially, an incommunicable experience. These fleeting touches of union are occasioned solely by God and depend totally upon the divine will. The mystic of himself cannot produce or reproduce these experiences that are independently and actively conveyed to it by the agency of God that itself is perfectly free. The extraordinary nature of this experience derives from the fact that it is not our experience – and this is to say that the experience is entirely contingent – contingent upon the will of God – who, moreover, within himself comprehends perfect freedom such that no constraint conceived as external to God necessitates this extraordinary experience independent of the self-legislating will of God.
And it is not always possible to draw a hard and fast distinction between that which experiences and that which is experienced – although in fact such a distinction unmistakably exists – especially in this state of proximity which is difficult for describing to me, and which must not be confused with enlightenment or other conditions higher than mine.  I think that the invitation to union is far more common than we suppose. That it is a perception we are likely to distort, resist, or even arrogantly dismiss. And this invitation continues to beckon us, despite the disdain, even the reproach of reason, to something beyond ourselves, something infinitely greater than our selves. And our reluctance to respond to this invitation seems, in the end, to be rooted in fear. Many of us simply are not prepared to make a commitment as absolute as the invitation requires. For ultimately, we realize, it entails far more than our heart, embracing, as it does, the totality of our being in the totality of His love. Love should not be afraid and I trust absolutely to that condition of darkness also. 

Once in the dark of night,
Inflamed with love and wanting, I arose
(O coming of delight!)
And went, as no one knows,
When all my house lay long in deep repose

All in the dark went right,
Down secret steps, disguised in other clothes,
(O coming of delight!)
In dark when no one knows,
When all my house lay long in deep repose.

And in the luck of night
In secret places where no other spied
I went without my sight
Without a light to guide
Except the heart that lit me from inside.

It guided me and shone
Surer than noonday sunlight over me,
And lead me to the one
Whom only I could see
Deep in a place where only we could be.

O guiding dark of night!
O dark of night more darling than the dawn!
O night that can unite
A lover and loved one,
A lover and loved one moved in unison.

And on my flowering breast
Which I had kept for him and him alone
He slept as I caressed
And loved him for my own,
Breathing an air from redolent cedars blown.

And from the castle wall
The wind came down to winnow through his hair
Bidding his fingers fall,
Searing my throat with air
And all my senses were suspended there.

I stayed there to forget.
There on my lover, face to face, I lay.
All ended, and I let
My cares all fall away
Forgotten in the lilies on that day.

The Dark Night Of The Soul
By Saint John of the Cross
Translated by A.Z. Foreman