Sri Narasimha

Om Narasimhaya Namah

"All glories to you, O Lord of the universe, who took the form of a man-lion. As easily as crushing a wasp between your fingers, you tore apart the demon Hiranyakashipu with the pointed nails of your bare hands, which are beautiful like the lotus flower".
"The Man-Lion (Narasimha): a demon had been granted the boon that it could not be killed by man or animal; inside or outside its house; by day or by night. It roamed the world causing distress and chaos. Vishnu became half-man, half-lion to kill the demon. He was neither man nor animal. He executed the demon on its threshold, neither in nor out of the house, at sunset - neither day nor night".

108 Names of Lord Narasimhadev

1. Om narasimhaya namah
Obeisances unto the half-man half-lion Lord
2. Om mahasimhaya namah
Obeisances to the great lion
3. Om divya-simhaya namah
Obeisances to the Divine lion
4. Om mahabalaya namah
Obeisances to the greatly powerful
5. Om ugra-simhaya namah
Obeisances to the angry terrifying lion
6. Om mahadevaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord of lords
7. Om stambha-jaaya namah
Obeisances to One who appeared from the pillar
8. Om ugra-locanaya namah
Obeisances to one who possesses terrifying eyes
9. Om raudraya namah
Obeisances to the angry one
10. Om sarvadbhutaya namah
Obeisances to one who is wonderful in every way
11. Om srimanaya namah
Obeisances to the most beautiful
12. Om yoganandaya namah
Obeisances to the source of yogic bliss
13. Om trivikramaya namah
Obeisances to Lord Vamana
14. Om harine namah
Obeisances to Sri Hari
15. Om kolahalaya namah
Obeisances to the roaring (Varahadeva - Varaha-nrisimha)
16. Om cakrine namah
Obeisances to Him Who carries the disk
17. Om vijayaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is always victorious
18. Om jaya-vardhanaya namah
Obeisances unto Him Who has ever increasing glories
19. Om panchananaya namah
Obeisances unto Him Who is five-headed
20. Om param-brahmaaya namah
Obeisances unto Supreme Absolute Truth
21. Om aghoraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who for His devotees is not horrible
22. Om ghora-vikramaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who has terrifying activities
23. Om jvalan-mukhaya namah
Obeisances to One Who has an effulgent face
24. Om jvala-maline namah
Obeisances to Him with effulgent garland of flames
25. Om mahajvalaya namah
Obeisances to He Who is most effulgent
26. Om maha-prabhuhaya namah
Obeisances to the Supreme Master
27. Om niti-laksaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who possesses all good qualities
28. Om sahasraksaya namah
Obeisances to the thousand-eyed One
29. Om durniriksyaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is difficult to see
30. Om pratapanaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who oppresses His enemies with great heat
31. Om mahadamstraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who possesses huge teeth
32. Om yudha-prajnaya namah
Obeisances to the Supremely intelligent in battle
33. Om canda-kopine namah
Obeisances to Him Who is likened to an angry moon
34. Om sada-sivaya namah
Obeisances to the All auspicious Lord
35. Om hiranyakasipu-dhvamsine namah
Obeisance to Him Who destroys Hiranyakasipu
36. Om daitya-danava-bhanjanaya namah
Obeisances to He Who destroys the masses of the race of demons and giants
37. Om guna-bhadraya namah
Obeisances unto Narasimha Who is full of wonderful qualities
38. Om mahabhadraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is very auspicious
39. Om bala-bhadraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is auspiciously powerful
40. Om subhadrakaya namah
Obeisances to the extremely auspicious One
41. Om karalaya namah
Obeisances to He Who possesses a wide open mouth
42. Om vikaralaya namah
Obeisances to Him with very wide open mouth
43. Om vikartaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who performs wonderful activities
44. Om sarva-kartrikaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who performs all activities
45. Om sisumaraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who also appears as Matsya
46. Om trilokatmaya namah
Obeisances to the Soul of the three worlds
47. Om isaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord known as the controller
48. Om sarvesvaraya namah
Obeisances to that supreme controller
49. Om vibhuaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who is the Best
50. Om bhaivaradambaraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who causes terror by roaring in the sky
51. Om divyaya namah
Obeisances to That Divine Person Narasimha
52. Om acyutaya namah
Obeisances to our infallible Lord Narasimha
53. Om kavine namah
Obeisances to the Supreme intelligent (poet)
54. Om madhavaya namah
Obeisances to the husband of Srimati Lakshmi Devi
55. Om adhoksajaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is beyond understanding
56. Om aksaraya namah
Obeisances to the infallible One
57. Om sarvaya namah
Obeisances to He Who is the origin of everything
58. Om vanamaline namah
Obeisances to Him Who wears garland of forest flowers
59. Om varapradaya namah
Obeisances to the Merciful Lord Who grants boons to the deserving like Prahlada
60. Om visvambaraya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who maintains the universe
61. Om adbhutaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is wonderful
62. Om bhavyaya namah
Obeisances to He Who determines the future (Who is the future for His devotees)
63. Om sri-visnave namah
Obeisances to that Narasimha Who is the all pervading Lord Vishnu
64. Om purusottamaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who is the Supreme Enjoyer
65. Om anaghastra namah
Obeisances to Him Who can never be wounded by weapons
66. Om nakhastraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who has sharp nails for weapons
67. Om surya-jyotine namah
Obeisances to Narasimha the source of Suns rays
68. Om suresvaraya namah
Obeisances to Narasimhadev, Lord of devatas
69. Om sahasra-bahuaya namah
Obeisances to Nara-hari the thousand-armed Lord
70. Om sarva-jnaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is the all-knowing
71. Om sarva-siddhi-pradayakaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who awards all perfections to the sadhakas
72. Om vajra-damstraya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who has teeth like lightning bolts
73. Om vajra-nakhaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who possesses nails like piercing lightning bolts
74. Om mahanandaya namah
Obeisances to the source of supreme bliss - Atmananda - Narasimha
75. Om param-tapaya namah
Obeisances to the source of All austerities, spiritual energy (and taptah - heat)
76. Om sarva-mantraika-rupa namah
Obeisances to that Divine Personality Who although one, he appears as the many mantrika formulas
77. Om sarva-yantra-vidaramaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who destroys all machines (demoniac plans/arrangements/vehicles for demoniac works)
78. Om sarva-tantratmakaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha the essence of, and proprioter of all tantras (ritual rites - pujas)
79. Om avyaktaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who appears unmanifest
80. Om suvyaktaya namah
Obeisances unto Nara-simha Who for His devotees becomes wonderfully manifest from the pillar (or when needed)
81. Om bhakta-vatsala namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who always has the well-being of His devotee at heart
82. Om vaisakha-sukla-bhototthaya namah
Obeisances to That Narasimhadeva Who appeared during waxing moon of the month of Visakha (April-May)
83. Om saranagata-vatsalaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who is kind to those surrendered to Him
84. Om udara-kirtine namah
Obeisances to Nara-simha Who is universally famous
85. Om punyatmaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is the essence of piety
86. Om mahatmaya namah
Obeisances to That great personality, Nara-simha
87. Om candra-vikramaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is the performer of moonlike or great deeds, or who performs deeds that eclipse all others.
88. Om vedatrayaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord of the three original Vedas (Rg, Yajur, Sama)
89. Om prapujyaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who is supremely worshipable
90. Om bhagavanaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha the Supreme Personality of Godhead
91. Om paramesvaraya namah
Obeisances to He Who is the Supreme Controller (Nara-simha-deva)
92. Om srivatsamkaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who is just like Krishna, being marked with symbol of Lakshmi
93. Om jagat-vyapine namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who pervades the entire universe
94. Om jagan-mayaya namah
Obeisances to the Supreme Mystic Who makes the material world seem real
95. Om jagat-palaya namah
Obeisances to the protector of the universe (Nara-simha)
96. Om jagannathaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord of Universe
97. Om mahakhagaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who moves in the air or with the movement of the air (is everywhere)
98. Om dvi-rupa-bhrtaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who has double form (man-lion)
99. Om paramatmaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is the Supersoul of All beings
100. Om param-jyotine namah
Obeisances to Him Whose effulgence is the source of Brahman
101. Om nirgunaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who possesses transcendental qualities (not those of the material nature)
102. Om nrkesarine namah
Obeisances unto Him man-lion (or having a lion's mane while appearing part human)
103. Om para-tattvaya namah
Obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth (One Who is of the Supreme nature)
104. Om param-dhamaya namah
Obeisances to He Who comes from the Supreme Abode
105. Om sat-cit-ananda-vigrahaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Whose Form is made of eternal knowledge and bliss
106. Om laksmi-nrsimhaya namah
Obeisances unto the Man-Lion Form together with the Supreme Goddess of Fortune Srimati Laksmi-devi
107. Om sarvatmaya namah
Obeisances unto the universal, primeval soul (the Supreme Personality of Godhead - Narasimhadeva)
108. Om dhiraya namah
Obeisances unto Narasimha who is always sober (being never bewildered)



Sri Nrisimha Kavacha of Prahlad from Brahmanada Purana.

.. shrii nR^isi.nhakavachastotram.h ..
nR^isi.nhakavachaM vakshye
prahlaadenoditaM puraa .
sarvarakshakaraM puNyaM
sarvopadravanaashanam.h .. 1 ..
I shall now recite the Narasimha-kavacha, formerly spoken by Prahlaada Mahaaraaja. It is most pious, vanquishes all kinds of impediments, and provides one all protection.
sarva sampatkaraM chaiva
svargamokshapradaayakam.h .
dhyaatvaa nR^isi.nhaM deveshaM
hemasi.nhaasanasthitam.h .. 2 ..
It bestows upon one all opulences and can give one elevation to the heavenly planets or liberation. One should meditate on Lord Narasimha, Lord of the universe, seated upon a golden throne.
trinayanaM sharadindusamaprabham.h .
lakshmyaaliN^gitavaamaaN^gam.h
vibhuutibhirupaashritam.h .. 3 ..
 His mouth is wide open, He has three eyes, and He is as radiant as the autumn moon. He is embraced by Lakshmiidevii on his left side, and His form is the shelter of all opulences, both material and spiritual.
chaturbhujaM komalaaN^gaM
svarNakuNDalashobhitam.h .
sarojashobitoraskaM
ratnakeyuuramudritam.h .. 4 ..
The Lord has four arms, and His limbs are very soft. He is decorated with golden earrings. His chest is resplendent like the lotus flower, and His arms are decorated with jewel-studded ornaments.
kaaJNchanasankaashaM
piitanirmalavaasasam.h .
indraadisuramaulishhThaH
sphuranmaaNikyadiiptibhiH .. 5 ..
He is dressed in a spotless yellow garment, which exactly resembles molten gold. He is the original cause of existence, beyond the mundane sphere, for the great demigods headed by Indra. He appears bedecked with rubies which are blazingly effulgent.
virajitapadadvandvam.h sankhachakradihetibhiH .
garutmatma cha vinayat.h
stuyamanam.h mudanvitam.h .. 6 ..
His two feet are very attractive, and He is armed with various weapons such as the conch, disc, etc. GaruDa joyfully offers prayers with great reverence.
kamalasamvaasaM kR^itvaa tu kavachaM pathet.h .. 7 ..
 Having seated Lord Narasimhadeva upon the lotus of one's heart, one should recite the following mantra:

me shiraH paatu lokarakshaarthasambhavaH .. 8 ..
May Lord Narasimha, who protects all the planetary systems, protect my head.
.api stambhavaasaH
phalaM me rakshatu dhvanim.h .
nR^isi.nho me dR^ishau paatu
somasuuryaagnilochanaH .. 9 ..
Although the Lord is all-pervading, He hid Himself within a pillar. May He protect my speech and the results of my activities. May Lord Narasimha, whose eyes are the sun, and fire, protect my eyes.
paatu nR^ihariH munivaaryastutipriyaH .
naasaM me si.nhanaashastu
mukhaM lakshmiimukhapriyaH .. 10 ..
 May Lord Nrihari, who is pleased by the prayers offered by the best of sages, protect my memory. May He who has the nose of a lion protect my nose, and may He whose face is very dear to the goddess of fortune protect my mouth.
vidyaadhipaH paatu
nR^isi.nho rasanaM mama .
vaktraM paatvinduvadanaM
sadaa prahlaadavanditaH .. 11 ..
May Lord Narasimha, who is the knower of all sciences, protect my sense of taste. May He whose face is beautiful as the full moon and who is offered prayers by Prahlaada Mahaaraaja protect my face.
paatu me kaNThaM
skandhau bhuubhR^idanantakR^it.h .
divyaastrashobhitabhujaH
nR^isi.nhaH paatu me bhujau .. 12 ..
May Lord Narasimha protect my throat. He is the sustainer of the earth and the performer of unlimitedly wonderful activities. May He protect my shoulders. His arms are resplendent with transcendental weapons. May He protect my shoulders.
devavarado
nR^isi.nhaH paatu sarvataH .
hR^idayaM yogisaadhyashcha
nivaasaM paatu me hariH .. 13 ..
May the Lord, who bestows benedictions upon the demigods, protect my hands, and may He protect me from all sides. May He who is achieved by the perfect yogiis protect my heart, and may Lord Hari protect my dwelling place.
paatu hiraNyaaksha\-
vakshaHkukshividaaraNaH .
naabhiM me paatu nR^ihariH
svanaabhibrahmasa.nstutaH .. 14 ..
 May He who ripped apart the chest and abdomen of the great demon HiraNyaaksha protect my waist, and may Lord Nrihari protect my navel. He is offered prayers by Lord Brahmaa, who has sprung from his own navel.
koTayaH kaTyaaM
yasyaasau paatu me kaTim.h .
guhyaM me paatu guhyaanaaM
mantraanaaM guhyaruupadR^ik.h .. 15 ..
 May He on whose hips rest all the universes protect my hips. May the Lord protect my private parts. He is the knower of all mantras and all mysteries, but He Himself is not visible.
manobhavaH paatu
jaanunii nararuupadR^ik.h .
jaN^ghe paatu dharaabhara\-
hartaa yo.asau nR^ikesharii .. 16 ..
May He who is the original Cupid protect my thighs. May He who exhibits a human-like form protect my knees. May the remover of the burden of the earth, who appears in a form which is half-man and half-lion, protect my calves.
raajyapradaH paatu
paadau me nR^ihariishvaraH .
sahasrashiirshhaapurushhaH
paatu me sarvashastanum.h .. 17 ..
May the bestower of heavenly opulence protect my feet. He is the Supreme Controller in the form of a man and lion combined. May the thousand-headed Supreme enjoyer protect my body from all sides and in all respects.
puurvataH paatu
mahaaviiraagrajo.agnitaH .
mahaavishhNurdakshiNe tu
mahaajvalastu nairR^itaH .. 18 ..
May that most ferocious personality protect me from the east. May He who is superior to the greatest heroes protect me from the southeast, which is presided over by Agni. May the Supreme Vishnu protect me from the south, and may that person of blazing luster protect me from the southwest.
paatu sarvesho
dishi me sarvatomukhaH .
nR^isi.nhaH paatu vaayavyaaM
saumyaaM bhuushhaNavigrahaH .. 19 ..
 May the Lord of everything protect me from the west. His faces are everywhere, so please may He protect me from this direction. May Lord Narasimha protect me from the northwest, which is predominated by Vaayu, and may He whose form is in itself the supreme ornament protect me from the north, where Soma resides.
paatu bhadro me
sarvamaN^galadaayakaH .
sa.nsaarabhayataH paatu
mR^ityor.h mR^ityur.h nR^ikesharii .. 20 ..
May the all-auspicious Lord, who Himself bestows all-auspiciousness, protect from the northeast, the direction of the sun-god, and may He who is death personified protect me from fear of death and rotation in this material world.
nR^isi.nhakavachaM
prahlaadamukhamaNDitam.h .
bhaktimaan.h yaH pathenaityaM
sarvapaapaiH pramuchyate .. 21 ..
This Narasimha-kavacha has been ornamented by issuing from the mouth of Prahlaada Mahaaraaja. A devotee who reads this becomes freed from all sins.
dhanavaan.h loke
diirghaayurupajaayate .
kaamayate yaM yaM kaamaM
taM taM praapnotyasa.nshayam.h .. 22 ..
Whatever one desires in this world he can attain without doubt. One can have wealth, many sons, and a long life.
jayamaapnoti sarvatra vijayii bhavet.h .
bhuumyantariikshadivyaanaaM
grahaanaaM vinivaaraNam.h .. 23 ..
 He becomes victorious who desires victory, and indeed becomes a conqueror. He wards off the influence of all planets, earthly, heavenly, and everything in between.
vR^ishchikoragasambhuuta\-
vishhaapaharaNaM param.h .
brahmaraakshasayakshaaNaaM
duurotsaaraNakaaraNam.h .. 24 ..
This is the supreme remedy for the poisonous effects of serpents and scorpions, and Brahma-raakshasa ghosts and Yakshas are driven away.
talapaatre vaa
kavachaM likhitaM shubham.h .
karamuule dhR^itaM yena
sidhyeyuH karmasiddhayaH .. 25 ..
 One may write this most auspicious prayer on his arm, or inscribe it on a palm-leaf and attach it to his wrist, and all his activities will become perfect.
manushhyeshhu svaM svameva jayaM labhet.h .
ekasandhyaM trisandhyaM vaa
yaH paThenniyato naraH .. 26 ..
One who regularly chants this prayer, whether once or thrice (daily), he becomes victorious whether among demigods, demons, or human beings.
maN^galamaN^galyaM
bhuktiM muktiM cha vindati .
dvaatri.nshatisahasraaNi
pathet.h shuddhaatmanaaM nR^iNaam .. 27 ..
One who with purified heart recites this prayer 32,000 times attains the most auspicious of all auspicious things, and material enjoyment and liberation are already understood to be available to such a person.
kavachasyaasya mantrasya mantrasiddhiH prajaayate .
anena mantraraajena
kR^itvaa bhasmaabhirmantraanaam.h .. 28 ..
This Kavacha-mantra is the king of all mantras. One attains by it what would be attained by anointing oneself with ashes and chanting all other mantras.
vinyasedyastu asya grahabhayaM haret.h .
trivaaraM japamaanastu dattaM vaaryaabhimantrya cha .. 29 ..
Having marked ones body with tilaka, taking aachamana with water, and reciting this mantra three times, one will find that the fear of all inauspicious planets is removed.
yo naro mantraM nR^isi.nhadhyaanamaacharet.h .
tasya rogaH praNashyanti ye cha syuH kukshisambhavaaH .. 30 ..
 That person who recites this mantra, meditating upon Lord Narasimhadeva, has all of his diseases vanquished, including those ofthe abdomen.
garjantaM gaarjayantaM nijabhujapatalaM sphoTayantaM hatantaM
ruupyantaM taapayantaM divi bhuvi ditijaM kshepayantam kshipantam.h .
krandantaM roshhayantaM dishi dishi satataM sa.nharantaM bharantaM
viikshantaM puurNayantaM karanikarashatairdivyasi.nhaM namaami .. 31 ..
Lord Narasimha roars loudly and causes others to roar. With His mulitudes of arms He tears the demons asunder and kills them in this way. He is always seeking out and tormenting the demonic descendants of Diti, both on this earth planet and in the higher planets, and Hs throws them down and scatters them. He cries with great anger as He destroys the demons in all directions, yet with His unlimited hands He sustains, protects, and nourishes the cosmic manifestation. I offer my respectful obeisances to the Lord, who has assumed the form of a transcendental lion.
.. iti shriibrahmaaNDapuraaNe prahlaadoktaM
shriinR^isi.nhakavachaM sampuurNam.h ..
Thus ends the Narasimha-kavacha as it is described by Prahlaada Mahaaraaja in the BrahmaaNDa PuraaNa.

Dogon

The Dogon it's a West African tribe in Mali living mainly along a 90 mile escarpment of canyon, cliffs, and plateau called the Cliffs of Bandiagara. The Dogon number approximately 300,000 and are well known for their ornate ritual masks, costumes, and dance.
Dogon’s mythology is remarkably rich and centers around the idea of language. It is the “word” that manifests itself in every aspect of creation: “The constituent materials and morphology of speech are seen to correspond to those of cereals, of man, of woven cloth, of the whole cosmos. The same intricate harmony of images is drawn down and across from one level of experience to the next. Reading it is like gazing through a microscope at a flourishing form of life...” (anthropologist Mary Douglas). According to this eschatology the word is the manifestation of cosmic energy stewarded by the nommo, divine beings who are both part and participant of continual creation. For the Dogon, the word is not just speech, but also action and ritual. Speech, action, and ritual all reflect the primary interrelatedness the individual has with cosmos and vice versa. The grain of millet, the foetus in the womb, and the earth under heaven are all the same thing, differentiated only by a slight oscillation of the primordial word. Such an ontological understanding has enduring consequences. For the Dogon, to say something is to make and/or do it.
The Dogon mask and accompanying ritual are representations/manifestations of the word. Wearing a mask and performing the rite associated with the mask re-establishes sacred time and space (Eliade), pronounces the creative word (Douglas), initiates the mask-wearer as a co-creator of the cosmos (Grillo), which provokes a cosmic harmony ideally at every level of nature (Griaule).

Symbolism of Lord Hanuman

writed by Jayaram V from http://www.hinduwebsite.com

Lord Hanuman symbolically stands for pure devotion, complete surrender and absence of ego or the lower self. His character tells us what we can do in our lives by becoming pure devotees of God, aligning ourselves with the forces of good, helping the weak, with self control, unconditional faith and total surrender. As a prominent warrior of the monkey race, he symbolically represents the lower or animal (neanderthal) nature in man, which when refined and transformed becomes stabilized in God and serves the divine cause in total surrender, just as it happened in case of Hanuman. As the son of Vayu, he represents symbolically the subtle bodies, namely the breath body, the mental body and the intelligence body. The breath body is responsible for the movement of life energy or prana in our bodies. It is especially strong in people who lead ethically clean and celibate lives, performing austerities, for which Anjaneya was particularly famous. The mental body is made up of the thought currents that float in our chitta or consciousness. It is responsible for our imagination, astral travel and dream experiences. The intelligence body is made up of buddhi or discretionary intelligence, which is considered one of the highest tattvas or principles of Nature. Our buddhi is said to be a direct reflection of divine intelligence. It is responsible for our decision making ability, rational thinking and conscience. As an epitome of virtue and supernatural prowess, Hanuman represents all these abilities. In this article we will examine the symbolic significance of Hanuman as the mental body representing the human mind and its various qualities and powers.

The mind is fickle (like a monkey) and jumps from place to place, going after things, engaging itself in innumerable activities that disturb the peace of the place. The mind, like Hanuman can also travel where it wants to. It can fly in the air, cross the continents and the worlds in an instant with the speed of thought and reach any one and anything it wants to mentally.
It can also expand or contracts itself at will (again like Hanuman). So long as it remains under the control of pure animal passions and the activities of the sense, it remains unstable and mischievous, causing a lot of the disturbance in the world of the individual.
But once it surrenders to the inner self and becomes devoted to it completely and unconditionally, it assumes miraculous powers and performs stupendous feats like Hanuman, working for the divine cause helping the lower self (Sita) and the Soul (Rama) to come together and become united.
By killing all the evil thoughts with its determination, it also lays a firm foundation for the kingdom of God (Ramarajya) to become established in the body. Hanuman is thus symbolically the mind principle ever absorbed in the contemplation of God and totally surrendered to Him.

But this is not the only interpretation available for Hanuman. As "Hanuman", he is the one without any doubt (anuman) as to the existence of Rama (God). As anjaniputra, he is the one who comes accidentally into this world, but by his efforts ascends to the greater heights of spiritual evolution.

Hanuman is known by many names. When he is cheerful he is called Prasannanjaneya. When he is in a ferocious mood he is called Veeranjaneya. When he is in a meditative mood he is called Dhayananjaney and when he is absorbed in devotion he is called Bhaktanjaneya.

As Vayuputra he is the breath body in us and can help the lower self (Sita) that is lost to ignorance to reunite with its true companion, the inner soul (Rama). As Veeranjaneya, he is the source of courage and confidence for many a timid heart.

As Bhajarangbali, he is strong in both devotion and physical strength. He is an ocean of virtues and friend of the pure hearted. He loves the ascetic qualities in man because only those who are detached and mentally free from the luxuries of life and desires of their bodies can truly concentrate on the divine and attain Him.

Hanuman is regarded as the Superman, the perfect man, the knowledge body (gnana guna sagara) in man, the immortal man (chiranjeevi), the animal man and the flying human (va+nara).
He is a perfect example of true devotion and complete surrender. He also symbolizes the story of animal man in us who through the path of devotion and service to God, can purify himself and attain immortality.
Truly in the entire Hindu pantheon there in none like Shri Hanuman, for he was an evolved God, born strangely as a manifestation of Lord Shiva, but became a great devotee of Shri Mahavishnu through Lord Rama.

JAI HANUMAN!

Two Dionysius

Dionysius the Areopagite (born - unknown/died - unknown)was the judge of the Areopagus who, as related in the Acts of the Apostles,was converted to Christianity by the preaching of the Apostle Paul.
In the early 6th century, a series of famous writings of a mystical nature, employing Neoplatonic language to elucidate Christian theological and mystical ideas, was ascribed to the Areopagite. They have long been recognized as pseudepigrapha and are now attributed to "Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite".
His works are mystical and show strong Neoplatonic influence. Dionysius' portrayal of the "via negativa" was particularly influential among contemplatives and mystical theologians.

He is neither number nor order; nor greatness nor smallness; nor equality nor inequality; nor similarity nor dissimilarity; neither is He still, nor moving, nor at rest; neither has He power nor is power, nor is light; neither does He live nor is He life; neither is He essence, nor eternity nor time; nor is He subject to intelligible contact; nor is He science nor truth, nor a king, nor wisdom; neither one nor oneness, nor godhead nor goodness; nor is He spirit according to our understanding, nor a son, nor a father; nor anything else known to us or to any other of the beings or creatures that are or are not; ...
... He suffers no change, corruption, division, privation or flux; none of these things can either be identified with or attributed to Him

He is super-essentially exalted above created things, and reveals Himself in His naked Truth to those alone who pass beyond all that is pure or impure, and ascend above the topmost altitudes of holy things, and who, leaving behind them all divine light and sound and heavenly utterances, plunge into the Darkness where truly dwells, as the Oracles declare, that ONE who is beyond all.

That divine Darkness is the unapproachable light in which God dwells. Into this Darkness, rendered invisible by its own excessive brilliance and unapproachable by the intensity of its transcendent flood of light, come to be all those who are worthy to know and to see God.
We pray that we may come unto this Darkness which is beyond light, and without seeing and without knowing, to see and to know That which is above vision and above knowledge
The higher we soar in contemplation, the more limited become our expressions of that which is purely intelligible; even as now, when plunging into the Darkness which is above the intellect, we pass not merely into brevity of speech, but even into absolute silence, of thoughts as well as of words ... and, according to the degree of transcendence, so our speech is restrained until, the entire ascent being accomplished, we become wholly voiceless, inasmuch as we are absorbed in Him who is totally ineffable.

Leave the senses and the workings of the intellect, and all that the sense and the intellect can perceive, and all that is not and that is; and through unknowing reach out, so far as this is possible, toward oneness with him who is beyond all being and knowledge. In this way, through an uncompromising, absolute, and pure detachment from yourself and from all things, transcending all things and released from all, you will be led upwards toward that radiance of the divine darkness that is beyond all being.
Entering the darkness that surpasses understanding, we shall find ourselves brought, not just to brevity of speech, but to perfect silence and unknowing.
Emptied of all knowledge, man is joined in the highest part of himself, not with any created thing, nor with himself, nor with another, but with the one who is altogether
unknowable; and in knowing nothing, he knows in a manner that surpasses understanding.

Song of Dakini

I am the Vajra Dakini, of light the color of crimson roses and flowing blood
I transmute the life energies into their spiritual origin
By filtering out gross elements, and giving them form
By changing weak currents into strong ones, dribbling energy into pounding waves
Opening blocks and barriers so that pain and pleasure may be experienced in their full strength

I cause dry channels to become full, dying plants to become lush
Weak reed stalks to become as trees, redwoods in strength and beauty
I am the guide and introducer of men to the spiritual path
I strengthen and purify them that they may encounter the great Buddhas of Light
I prepare them for the Great Awakening

I am visualized as such: The heart is cleared of all attachments
A mandala of a circle within a square is placed within it
It is surrounded by fragrant flowers, roses and lotuses, whose scent rises to the heavens
The mantra Ram encircles the whole in a ring of fire
Within the mandala is my throne
I act as teacher as well as dancer
The lotus throne lies within the dark waters at the mandala's center
Around it are triangles, looking like lightning in the waters
From here I judge and send out rays of compassion
Within the waters are distant sparks of light
Which, when approached, turn into the lotuses of Buddhas and enlightened beings

Within the mandala I stand
I harmonize the spiritual striving of all beings
I call them forth, into the realms of the enlightened ones
That they may pass through the dangerous waters
To watch the rising of the sun upon the other shore

Blessings of the roses of passionate love
within the silken scarves of the mind