Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Hinduism is a fascinating religion and it has meaningful ties with the elements of nature. Hinduism has a deep connection with mother nature. Vedic culture has been worshiper of nature, in this culture all the elements of nature like water (Varun), air (Vayudev), fire (Agnidev), rain (Indra), sun, moon, etc. Plants and animals have been mentioned innumerable times within our holy texts, for a variety of different reasons. Certain trees, plants and leaves enjoy an exalted, sacred status (has been worshiped as a deity), there are many such trees and plants, which are given importance religiously and spiritually, the eight trees (peepal, banyan, neem, tulsi, kaith, bael, amla and mango) of nature, worship has an important contribution in environmental protection.   These trees, plants, leaves, flowers and fruits are form of / part and parcel of many rituals and poojas and hence, are vital to the daily life of a Hindu in scientific ways. We are all familiar with plants like tulsi,...

A Hindu temple is a divine and yogic representation of a human being with the Deity in the temple representing the God as indweller in humans and all beings (soul). Shilpa Shastras (शिल्प शास्त्र) literally means the Science of arts and crafts), an ancient umbrella term for numerous Hindu texts that describe arts, crafts, and their design rules, principles and standards.  In the context of temple design, Shilpa Shastras were manuals for sculpture and Hindu iconography, prescribing among other things, the proportions of a sculptured figure, composition, principles, meaning, as well as rules of architecture. Sixty-four techniques for such arts or crafts, sometimes called bahya-kala (external or practical arts), are traditionally enumerated, including carpentry, architecture, jewelry, farriery, acting, dancing, music, medicine, poetry etc., besides sixty-four abhyantara-kala or secret arts, which include mostly erotic arts. All the various parts of the temple structure correspond to v...

Shri Vishnu, namely both the spiritual and the material dimensions (Aneka Roopa Rupaya Visnave Prabha Visnave), there is mention of 3 Vishnus in Srimad Bhagavata or vedas. Srimad Bhagavata is the essence of all the vedic literatures. This original Vishnu is beyond the material world, but in order to give his children the opportunity to evolve, he manifests himself as the purusha avataras in the material dimension. The first of these purusha avataras is Karanodakasayi (Karanarnavasayi etc) also called Maha Vishnu.  He sleeps in the ocean of causes (karana) and at each breathing cycle the pores of his body emanate and reabsorb all the innumerable universes, similar to golden eggs. This Vishnu is also the guna avatara of sattva, as he exists permanently in the material world beyond creation and annihilation. This causal ocean is also called mahat tattva, and is the primordial formless form of the material energy, Viraja, or eternal Time, mother Kali. Garbhodakasayi Vishnu originates a...

Lord Vishnu incarnated innumerable times on the earth. His twenty-four Avatar forms are also very popular in Hinduism. These are: Adi Purush, Four Kumars, Narada, Nara Narayana, Kapila, Dattatraya, Yajna, Rishava, Prithu, Dhanvantari, Mohini, Hayagreeva, Vyasa, Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narsimha, Bamana, Parashurama, Rama, Balarama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki (also Known as Nishkalank Avatar). परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्‌ । धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥ "To protect Sadhus, and to destroy evil-doers, to well-establish dharma, I appear from time to time" Yes, he descends out of his free-will to destroy bad people. Yes, he can destroy them just by his sankalpam sitting high up in vaikuntam, and there is no need for him to descend. But if you notice what he said, killing demons is not his first priority, his first priority is to protect sadhus. The main objective of Kalki Avatar will be to re-establish Brahmanism by removing the ungodly, atheists and wicked peop...

Parliament House at Sansad Marg in New Delhi was (constructed between 1921-1927) inspired by the design of 11th century Chausath Yogini Temple at Mitaoli in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, also well known by the name of Ekattarso Temple. The temple is circular with a radius of 170 feet. It has 65 chambers out of which 64 are for yoginis and one in the centre is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Yoginis symbolize feminine force and are considered masters of Yoga. They appear as Goddesses in Hindu culture. The Chausath Yogini Temple is said to have been the venue for providing education in astrology and mathematics based on the transit of the Sun. This also explains why the temple is predominantly an open-air structure. Only the 65 chambers have flat roofs while the rest of the premises are open. The circular shape is likely to have represented a Sri-Yantra in which the Yoginis reside, with the Supreme Yogini or Maha Sakti residing in the centre (represented by the circular central...

There is a profound difference between the ordinary goodness in the material world and the pure goodness of the transcendental plane of consciousness. The root of this difference has to do with our intentions.  When the root of our intention is to benefit ourselves, we are capable of action in the mode of goodness, but such action is still contaminated with the conception of selfishness. Pure goodness, on the other hand, is bereft of all sense of self-benefit, and seeks only to benefit the beloved or object of service. Verse reveal nine symptoms which can be seen in the character of one who has achieved the stage of bhava.  Bhakti is a path based purely on the faith. It assumes that what the knowledge traditions assert as the one ultimate reality, is right (logic) that you don’t need to delve into the abstract details of the knowledge or philosophy underlying the faith. All that is needed is a few simple ritual practices of spiritual development in order to progress towards mo...

गुणात्मनस्तेऽपि गुणान् विमातुं हितावतीर्णस्य क ईशिरेऽस्य । कालेन यैर्वा विमिता: सुकल्पै- र्भूपांशव: खे मिहिका द्युभास: ॥ (Bhagavatha Puran 10.14.7) Great scientists in the long run might succeed in counting all the particles of the earth, the sky, the snow and the light of the stars. But who can count all the qualities of You, you have unlimited transcendental qualities, You (Krishna), who descended for the benefit of all living beings. Many festivals of Puri are related to Shri Jagannath temple, out of which one most important festival is 'Chandan Yatra'. In the metaphysical system the festivals are known as 'Yatra'. This summer Festival of Lord Jagannath falls on Akshaya Trutiya i.e, the 3rd day of the bright fort night of the month of Baisakha.  This auspicious day also marks the beginning of the construction of the chariots for the ceremonial sojourn of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra to the Gundicha Temple on the day of car festival. As per the Odiya traditions ...

Understanding the concept of Devas is not easy, because in our ordinary experience we develop relationships with different individuals, each one of them having specific qualities and characteristics, abilities and tendencies.  These are all different persons, each endowed with the specific power that can fulfill one of your wishes, and you approach them one by one according to the circumstances. When you have obtained what you wanted, you may be somehow grateful but generally the relationship remains superficial. Materialistic people project the same scenario on the religious level. According to Hindu Philosophy the understanding of demigod is used to refer to deities who were once human and later became devas (Gods) would be somebody like the Pandavas; the sons of Kunti conceived with divine personalities such as Surya, Yama, Vayu, Indra and the Asvini kumaras. There are two notable demigods in Vedic Scriptures; Nandi (the divine vehicle of Shiva), and Garuda (the divine steed of ...