Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Chapter 3 - Rejoice Without Conflict  Day 14 When you are in love, nothing is a burden to you. When nothing is a burden, how can anything take away the freedom from you? You lose freedom when something is a burden to you. So love in turn brings that freedom.  When a rule is imposed on you by someone else, then it is restricting to you. But when you have taken a rule on yourself, on your own, it is not any restriction, it is not suffocating to you.  Like when you take on the rule of driving on the right side of the road, then that is it. Discipline (rules) bring more freedom to us although, on the surface, it appears to restrict freedom. But if you go a little deeper, you will see that your own rules, your own disciplines bring you freedom.  Though you are beyond all discipline, yet it is good to have your own discipline. Though it doesn’t matter to you what you do, when you rise, what you eat etc., it is better to have a certain discipline because that gi...

Bilva Tree and  Maha Shivaratri... Maha Shivaratri is considered the most auspicious time to please Lord Shiva to gain his blessings. What is the simplest way of appeasing Lord Shiva? Offer him Bilva leaves. The most terrible karma is destroyed when a Bilva leaf is offered to Lord Shiva. The unbelievable merits one receives on offering a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva are described in the 9 verses of the sacred hymn known as Bilvashtakam. Glory of the Bilva Tree Scientific Name – Aegle Mermelos English Name – Golden Apple/ Stone Apple Just like Tulsi plant is sacred to Lord Krishna and Durva grass is sacred to Lord Ganesha, Bilva tree is sacred to Lord Shiva. Since the Bilva leaf has such significance in the worship of Lord Shiva, it is common to find Bilva trees cultivated in the vicinity of Shiva temples. According to Shiva Purana, the great epic on Lord Shiva, the Bilva tree is the manifest form of Lord Shiva himself, while all the great tirthas (pilgrim...

LORD GANESHA EKA VIMSANTHI PATRA POOJA (21 SACRED LEAVES WORSHIP) Ganesha, also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.   Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains and Buddhists. Although he is known by many attributes, Ganesha’s elephant head makes him easy to identify.  Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the deva of intellect and wisdom.  As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies. Ganesha is also invoked as patron of letters and learning during writing sessions. Several texts relate mythological anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and explain his distinct iconography.   In the 1000 names of Lord Ganesha, ‘OM OSHADHI PATAYE NAMAHA’ is one. Means he is ...

Meaning and Benefits of Dhanvantri Mantra for Health – Om Shree Dhanvantre Namaha Lord Dhanvantri Dhanvantari is the God of healing. He is also considered as the divine physician, the doctor of the Gods. He is regarded as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the God of protection and sustenance. He is also believed to be the one, who created Ayurveda, the ancient system of medicine and gave that for the benefit of the humanity. Hence, he is gratefully remembered as the God of Ayurveda. Dhanvantri’s Depiction Dhanvantari is shown as strong in physique, handsome in appearance, somewhat dark in complexion and wearing yellow clothes. He is four-armed, in one of which he holds a pot containing the precious Amrut, the liquid of immortality. In another hand, he holds a leech, the blood-sucking insect, which is believed to have played a crucial role in the ancient systems of medical treatment. The depictions also show him as a form of Lord Vishnu himself with his usual conch and discus, ...

Prakruti & Vikruti According to Ayurveda, ‘Prakruti’ means the physical constitution of a person and ‘vikruti’ means the state of disease. Prakruti is the science of nature which determines the innate character, physical constitution or disposition of a person. It helps in deciding the ideal lifestyle and therapeutic regimen for an individual. Depending on the predominance of a single dosha, or different permutations and combinations, Prakruti could be of seven types out of which the three main types are vata, pitta and kapha whereas Vikruti has several types and can be determined only through thorough examinations. Read to explore more about ‘Prakruti’ and ‘Vikruti’. Meaning of Prakruti The term Prakruti is a Sanskrit word that literally means, ‘nature,’ or ‘basic trait’. The combination of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha which is present in the individual at the time of conception is maintained throughout his lifetime. Different persons can have different combination of Vata, ...

Mantras Mantra is a religious or mystical syllable or poem, typically from the Sanskrit language. Mantras are primarily used as spiritual conduits, words or vibrations that inculcate concentration in the devotee. Mantras are also integrated in religious rituals to remove obstacles, avoid danger, reduce foes, or accumulate wealth. Mantras got their origin from the Vedas of India.  Mantra - The Word The word "Mantra" has been derived from Sanskrit. Mantra contains two words - "man" which means "to think" (also in manas "mind") and suffix "tra" which means "tool", hence a literal translation would be "instrument of thought". A mantra is a powerful word or phrase that may or may not have meaning in the same way as a sentence.  What is Mantra? Mantras are single or strung together syllables. It is important to pronounce the mantra properly with an understanding of its meaning. Improper pronunciation of Mantra ...

Upavaasa (Fasting) Fasting in Sanskrit is called Upavaasa. Upa means "near" + vaasa means "to stay". Upavaasa therefore means staying near (the Lord), meaning the attainment of close mental proximity with the Lord. Most devout Indians fast regularly or on special occasions like festivals. On such days they do not eat at all, eat once or make do with fruits or a special diet of simple food. Then what has upavaasa to do with food? According to Hindu philosophy, food means satisfaction of the sense organs, and to starve the senses means to elevates them to contemplation. Fasting in Hinduism, is a method to attain control over one's desires and senses for the sake of spiritual gain. Doing it for a cause has always strengthened people's minds to attain their goals. Fasting in Hinduism indicates the denial of the physical needs of the body for the sake of spiritual gains. According to the scriptures, fasting helps create an attunement with the Absolute...