Why the Shraddha must be done- Part II

 

Why the Shraddha must be done- Part II

I had   written a Blog a couple of days back (titled as Shraddha Part -1) on this subject.  I am writing this again in a bit of a hurry since the Pitri paksh (The time for propiate the ancestors) is to start in a few days time.   In my last Blog, I had given my humble suggestions, as to how the same should be done.  In the above Blog, I had described a method for doing the Shraddha of the departed, who have expired more than a year ago i.e. before Shraddha dates of 2010.  I had   mentioned that there is a different procedure to do for those who have expired from the above date to now.

It is important   to understand the process of dying and immediate ‘after death’ states. All religions of the world have some or the other system, by which the just released soul, is to be guided to find its place in the astral regions.  In the Tibetan lore, the departed soul is called ‘Bardo’.  There are fairly detailed rituals to be done for a period of 12 days after the death - to guide the soul in the astral realms.  There is an excellent book on the subject- “ The Tibetan book of the dead” wherein after death states have been described in detail. Similarly, the Hindu religion has a book called “ Garud Puran’ wherein detailed description of the process is mentioned.  Somewhat similar methods are there in all the religions

From a spiritualist angle, the following process takes place-

a) The Prana is withdrawn to the Brmharandhra (A subtle portal at the top of the skull). As the life force ebbs, the circulation of the blood in the body system gradually stops   and the blood pressure keeps on falling, causing death.

b) The soul gets the awareness of its subtle state and virtually stands next to the dead body wondering what to do. It has lived and used this body system over a lifetime and as such, it desperately wants to re enter the body. However, as per the law of the nature, the same is not possible.

c) The soul is yet connected to the physical body- since the subtle thread of Dhnanjay Pran, still connects it to the body. The soul finds itself alone and can see and feel   the wailing   and sorrow of the relatives.  It desperately wants to tell   the weeping relatives, that all is well and that death is a mere change of state.   However, since   there are no speech organs in that state, it is unable to convey this to the mourners.  It feels utterly helpless.

d) When the   body is taken for the cremation, the soul also floats besides the coffin.  At crematorium, there are other entities in a similar state and some of this start bothering the newly released soul (Unless the soul is that of an evolved Sadhak). At this time, there is an acute feeling of thirst. The grieving relatives must place a separate pitcher of water for the departed and for this, the departed is immensely grateful.

e) The body is then cremated and the Kapal Kriya (breaking of the skull) is done.  Once the skull structure is broken, the last connection with the body is destroyed and the soul finds itself absolutely lonely and helpless, since the known environments   are not there and the future seems so foreboding and uncertain.

f) After the cremation, the ashes are immersed   and Pinda Daan done. The soul is now free from the physical, but its attachments to its worldly environments do not allow it to ascends and move further.

It is   at his point of time   that the decedents should do the following Kriya-

a) Go to a   calm and secluded spot   when the sun has ascended a bit say before 12 00 Hrs.  Take some water in a water bottle as also sweets and fruit.  Recite a mantra   three times while offering water to the sun.  If you have a Guru, you should recite the Guru mantra. If not, you can recite Surya mantra, Shiva mantra or Gayatri mantra.

b) Pray to   the Sun or any deity in which you have the faith like Lord Rama, Krishna, and Shiva and request them to be witness to this Kriya and help in the   same.

c) Sit down at a   quiet place, light an Agarbatti (Incense), go to the meditative mode   and with all humility, invoke   and address your departed and mentally say,  “ I, your …………………hereby release you from   the effects of all the karmas that I may have done   for you.  By the grace of............................. You are free now   and you may, as per the Law of nature, proceed to your designated place in the cosmos.

d) In the same posture, say, “ I………………….., your …………., release myself from the effect of all the Karma that you may have   done for me. Now I free you to move on to   your destiny as per the will of the Lord.

e) Speak your mantra mentally   and with each chant offer the water to the Sun God and pray that these offerings may give peace to the departed and help him along with his journey.  Do it 7 to 11 times.

f) Having done so, reaffirm as, “I…………………, offer the merit of the offering just made to you for your peace   and evolution.  I also offer you the fruits and incense. Please accept these offerings and move on to your journey, since your connection to this physical domain ends here. If you have any desire left, please appear in our dream state and we will try (Never say I will) our best to fulfill   the same.

g) After   this, sit in meditation for a while and   then get up   and feed the fruits   to a cow or leave it at   a place where the birds can eat the offerings.

These simple steps will go a long way for the propiation and to show directions to the departed. It is a ridiculous belief that   the ladies are debarred   from doing this or any such Puja. Of course, the ladies should not do any such Kriya during their periods.  There is a reason for the same and this is not the place to explain the same.

When   someone leaves the body, there is sorrow all round. In effect, only a handful of the crowd feels the deep pangs of sorrow. For some, the life is never the same again. In such a case, I would advice that they should take a mixture of the flower remedies called  “ Star of Bethleham” and  “Walnut” mixed together in a single bottle- to be taken 8 to 10 drops   in half a glass of water three times a day for about a week.  The sense of sorrow will go away and individual will be able to move on the road of life to fulfill his karma.

Karma is bondage and it entraps a soul in to eternal rounds of life and physical death.  One cannot be free of these eternal cycles of karma, life and death, unless one knows the method to undo the bondage. There are methods to do this and achieve emancipation in a single lifetime. But this needs commitment, one’s own effort and the grace of Mahayogi - The realized master and a Himalayan Siddha.

THE IMMORTALS OF MELUHA- LORD SHIVA

It was the other day   that a loving niece of mine presented me the above book.  She knows that I have a streak of spiritualism (whatever this term may mean to anyone) and was kind and thoughtful enough to present me the above book.  She told me that this book was a best seller and that I would find it to be an interesting reading.  I  read the gleaming reviews of this book  and was quite impressed with the same.

I browsed through this volume, written by one Sh Amish ex IIM Calcutta. I am not a religious die-hard and now KNOW that the good Lord has made each individual differently in wisdom, delusion as also in foolishness.  I did read a few pages and compliment Mr. Amish in spinning a readable piece of   fiction.  This piece of fiction excites the external mind of the reader  and make it to clamor for more.  I am told this is the first part of a series to come in future.

Shiva and Kailash are interlinked since Kailash is said to be the abode of Lord Shiva.  Mansarovar and adjoining region is also connected to Kailash - and hence to Lord Shiva.  Sh Amish have been honest enough to state that his book on Lord Shiva is a piece of fiction.

First of all, let us try to know who is Shiva from the standpoint of Himalayan Siddha Yoga. Before we talk on this subject, we have to understand that the cosmos is full of so many dimensions.  As we cross the barriers between successive dimensions, the secrets hitherto hidden from the science (as we know of today) are revealed. When you go in to quantum physics, the journey to Nano particle has revealed many secrets.  As the science progresses from the Nano to the subtlest Nano (Nano of the Nano), many more secrets would be revealed in the coming centuries. A Himalayan Siddha Yogi, by his capacity to go in to hyperspace knows about these secrets by his own “real time experience”.  My revered teacher known to the world as Mahayogi Kapil Advait (Pilot Baba) is an adept of this art –having taken live Samadhi for over 100 times under full public gaze.  He has traversed the Kailash and Mansarovar regions barefoot many a times, having crossed over difficult snowy mountain passes –unknown to   most. The Himalayan region is a living entity and many a saints of the yore frequent and travel in this region in subtle and many times in physical forms.  The names like Shambhala, Gyanganj and Siddhashram are not mere fables, these are real places in fourth dimension and they have the power to   reduce their vibratory rate to appear in our world of three dimensions.  I would suggest Sh Amish to read a travelogue written on Kailash Mansarovar By Mahayogi Pilot Baba.  It is available in Kindle format at www.amazon.com.  It can also be purchased in PDF format through our web site www.nav-nirman.com.  Reading this priceless volume will clarify some of the aspects and maybe, give the right direction   to the fertile imagination of the writer.

About 60 years ago, I had seen a movie – “The Lost Horizon”.  It was the story of a British diplomat who had been to   this fabled land.  This movie was probably based on the life of Dr Nikoli Roreich, who had traveled all across Himalayas and had walked from India to Russia via Tibet and Inner Mongolia.  

Coming back to Lord Shiva.

There is a trilogy that manifests the entire cosmos.  The trilogy is- Bramha (The creative Principle), Vishnu (the Sustaining Principle) and Shiva (The destructive principle).  This system  universally prevails in the entire cosmos. In three dimensional human body system, the Shakti ( female principle) resides in Muladhar Chakra( The lowermost Chakra) and Shiva ( The male principle) resides in Sahsrar chakra- the topmost chakra.  The human body is existing in many dimensions.   There is a very intricate system and science behind the human existence in the cosmos.  Mere language, as above, is so pitifully inadequate to describe the total phenomenon.  The truth can only be learnt and experienced  at the feet of a Realized master.

It is one thing to churn out a fiction and gain materially and quite another thing to move on the inner journey- to be one with Shiva on the path to self-realization. The former is related to the external mind whereas, for the later - you have to get   connected to the inner mind.

The Lord has made us free and whether we use this freedom for the good of the world or otherwise, is our own choice. We have the free choice to make good use of this incarnation or otherwise. One day this body will certainly fall and this incarnation  will come to a close. All those who remember this fact will be impelled to move on the evolutionary path.

Lord Shiva residing in Kailash does not care one way or the other. The author of the fiction is quite welcome   to his fiction. The Law of karma is supreme.

WHY MUST THE SHRADDH BE DONE

As per the Hindu traditions, the souls of one’s forefathers have to be propiated every year. There is a specified period of 15 days within which this needs to be done- so is the belief.  There are some who ridicule the idea and think that this is just a waste of time.  I do not blame such people. How can you blame a child for being a child? Can you?  Surely, the child will grow some day and become more mature as he grows up. In the physical existence, we think that the growth is limited to a few years. However, the spiritualists believe that the growth is an on going process and will continue for eons of time- over thousands of years.

We have to understand this point from the metaphysical angle.  We know   that a human body is a seven dimensional existence.  When the life ends, the physical part is destroyed but the rest remains- to live in a subtle form until it is time for the soul to be reborn again to pay back and enjoy the results of the past karmas.  So the endless cycle goes on – until the awareness comes to a soul and one questions the purpose and necessicity of this madness- born out of illusion. When we die and go to subtle realms, we become the Pitars or Pitrus.  Different religions pay respects to their departed ones  in different ways but the purpose of doing so is essentially the same.

Without going in to the nuances of Himalayan Siddha Yoga, I will come to the main point- the propiation of Pitars (The by gone ancestors)

There are different explanations about the logic of doing   the Shraddh on specific dates.  As per the subtle anatomy of the Cosmos, it may well be that the Pitars are given a window during this specific period when they are able to get the awareness of the three dimensional world. These subtle states are the realms of light and emotion. Hence, in all religions of the world, the incense sticks and the lamps are lighted in all  religious ceremonies.

In certain cases, some of the Pitars (depending on their state of evolution) have got the power to bless their decedents.  For example, the Kaal Sarpa Dosha in a horoscope can be removed by propiating the Pitars. I may be writing on Kaal Sarpa Yoga at a later date when I have the time and the inclination to do so.

Many people believe that one should have a formal Puja done by a Panditji for the happiness of the Pitars. It is all a matter of faith and what happiness one can find out of the same. However, faith and science are two different things.  One is quite welcome to do what one thinks one should do.

A spiritualist believes that-

a) The Pitars   exist in higher and more subtle dimensions (state of Existence)

b) One can touch upon the subtle realms by thought; it is for this reason that Dharna (the focuses d thought) is a basic requirement for all Raj Yoga exercises.

c) When we pray to  Lord ( call it a Devi or a Devta), it is by mental thought  we do so and  we find peace in  doing so.  The basis of any meditation is thought.  The Panditji is also doing the same thing in Sanskrit by reciting some mantras. But his prayers lack emotion, which triggers and act on the higher dimensions. Surely when, one pays   respects to one’s parents, the emotion level will certainly be higher then   that of a Panditji, who would do the prayer on a commercial basis.

d) Some people do the Shraddh as a matter of duty   and want to get it over with by paying some money to   the  Panditji.  This small article is not meant for such people and they better not waste time on reading this – money cannot replace or buy emotions.

e) There is another misgiving that only the eldest child will do the Shraddha, as also that the daughters are barred from doing so. Nothing could be more ridiculous. The male and female difference does not exist at causal and Atmic and higher levels. Anyone can remember and pay respects to his or her Pitars. However, the ladies are barred to do so during their cyclic periods. There is a reason for above and the same can be scientifically explained, but this is not the place and the time to discus the same.

As per the tradition of Himalaya Siddha Yoga, the following must be done by every one for all the ancestors, whether they be on the maternal side or paternal side. Whichever side they be, they have been karmically connected to you. Is it not?  The suggested method is as below-

a) Please go to an open space where you can see the sun- do not have to look directly at the sun. Recount and request Sun to be a witness to the Kriya.

b) Close your eyes and invoke all your Pitrus on your mental frame.

c) Do a salutation (pranam) to them.

d) Recite your Guru mantra or surya mantra and after each recital offer the water to the Sun. Do it seven to eleven times

e) Offer the Punya (Merit) of this   to your Pitars   and mentally say ” I offer the Punya accrued by my this offerings to all Pitars for their peace, happiness and well being.   The water offered to the sun should fall in a place where the same is not defiles or stepped upon by anyone.

f) Offer some sweetsd mentally to   the Pitars   and then ask for their blessings and help for the year to come.  This piece of sweet can then be fed to a cow or to the birds.

This Kriya can be done on the day of the last Shraddha, - the Sarv Pitar Shraddha and this should be adequate.

There is different method for the recently departed for the first year.  It is only after the first year that they will become the Pitars.   It is a separate topic and I will write more on this at a later date.

The Shraddha start from 12 Sept and finish on 27 Sept 2011. The Sarv Pitru Shraddha is on 27^th Sept and the above Kriya should be done before 1200 Hrs on 27 Sept 2011.

 In the bygone times, the Purohits were highly evolved and they could invoke the departed ones in to their own body system. There was a lot of merit in serving them and taking their blessings at that time. Such exercise were called " Avishkar".  In the present times, it is not so. The commercial  greed  has totally replaced  honesty. The religions have replaced spirituality.  Hypocrisy has replaced truthfulness

I have nothing against the Panditji. They are doing no harm to anyone by eating at someone's invitation.  There is no merit or demerit in feeding someone. Good Luck to them. God has made them so. They also have to earn their livelihood. Is it not?

The Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan - The future and what can be done about it

Japan has gone through a lot of pain and turmoil. I have always appreciated Japanese for their discipline, commitment and all those values, which make them excellent human beings. No Tsunami can put down this wonderful nation. Many a countries including mine can learn a lesson or two from Japan. Make no mistake about it, the Japanese will rise again and life will mostly be on an even keel within a year’s time. May the Lord bless this brave nation-all our prayers are with them. They are going through this tough time without a whimper.

However, the purpose of writing this Blog is different. Many a times isolated events in one’s life are a part of the jigsaw puzzle and at some point of time when all the pieces are in place, the picture becomes clear.  In my case, I ran in to the first part of the jigsaw in the year 1974.  I have always been interested in the esoteric literature-may be there was a past life connection which made me read the mystique with great interest.  I had gone to a bookstore and was casually browsing through the shelves, where a title named “ Shambhala” caught my eye. The book has been written by Andrew Tomas   and the same had been published by four square publication based in UK. This book is now out of print. I am fortunate to have a copy-my prized possession.

Ay the end of the books, the author was taken to one of the Gompa in the far reaches of Sikkim in Indian Union. There is a subterranean pool over there   where an oracle can be invoked. The author was made to look in to the pool and  could see the beautiful blue earth in the inky black sky – like a classic Nasa photograph. As the Lama intoned mantras, the beautiful shell of the earth was surrounded by black, brown and muddy colour smoke. As the oracle was finished, the author was told that he had been given this experience to warn the human beings that their evil and negative thoughts and actions had polluted the earth’s aura and the same will have retribution. The warning looked serious and ominous.

The life moved on and as the time went by, I forgot all about the subject and may be dismissed it as just another prophesy- there are so many of them these days.

The second part of he jigsaw came my way when I ran in to a book named, “ We-The Arcturians”-written by Dr Norma Milanovich. In this book, the beings in fifth dimension contacted Dr Norma through her ESP capability   and gave very convincing answers to various questions put to them. They state that one of their space ships is located in the inner space between earth and moon and they would like to help the mankind by raising the understanding of humanity about the subtle truths. This book made a lot of impact and set one to think seriously about the subject.

The third part of the jigsaw came my way in the recent past when I was roaming around in Badrinath area. It is holiest of the holy place for Hindus and many an ancient adepts are said to be visiting this area.  I had a chance meeting with a gentlemen in white  who appeared to be   a renunciant but not a sadhu. Sadhus you find, a dime a dozen there but this one was different. He had a quiet dignity about him and his gaze was full of power. There is no point in  describing all nitty girttys of this chance meeting. Amongst many things he talked about yoga , mankind and the human karma. He made a statement which I reproduce as below…

“  I  would advice the one on spiritual path to do the Karma with a sankalpa. It is perfectly possible to be rid of the Karma. One has to learn to pay back the Karmic dues happily to become free of the debts.  Remember that a Sadhak never stops but ever moves on   in the path of Sadhana.  You will come across nothingness and you have to go beyond   this also.  It is your conscious mind, which makes you run here and there. When it happens , just put yourself aloof and start watching the mind from distance and the mind will settle down.

The earth is on the brink of massive destruction.  The Rishis   and the Himalayan Siddhas want the existence of the human species to continue.  As to what where and who will be destroyed is not hidden in the future vale of time- it is in the hand of humanity.  The use of the atomic weapons is not the cause of worry.  The danger lies in the changes in the great depths near core of the earth.  It is much more dangerous than the global warming.  The human level of understanding the esoteric truths will also increase for some.  There will be change in the genes. The Himalayan Siddhas would like to help but the human beings will have to make efforts to save their  only home-the earth.  This is   the minimum that can be expected from the human race.  There will be excessive rains and floods as also massive volcanic   activity along with the earthquakes.  Mahakaal has woken up. The clarion call has been made   and the nature is getting progressively violent. Who knows how much time is left. But those who know, what are they waiting for?  This is the time of “Sadhana”.  There is virtually no time left.

I was stunned for a while and asked this evolved person as to what ordinary persons like me should do to help. He somehow know that I know Pranic Healing and said, “ Practice Twin heart Meditation and bless the earth   and visualize   that   the aura of the earth is becoming bright white or golden yellow and   the grey band of sick energy is dissipating. 

To simplify the matter- you do not have to learn the Twin heart healing technique. The practice above simply means that you can close your eyes and  visualize   the round ball of the earth   and feel that a band of electric violet light sounds the same and that the grey and muddy brown energy is getting cleansed. Anyone can do it, while travelling in a train or whenever there is nothing else to do. One has to make it a habit to stay in this frame of mind- it will help and do a lot of good to you as also to the world.

The jigsaw is complete at my level of understanding and I would take the advice very seriously. In my case I have had the fortune to be guided by the world Master HH Rajrishi Kapil Advait (Pilot Babaji), the Mahayogi from Siddha Bhumi Himalayas.  As one progresses in serious Sadhana, many a questions are resolved.  However, this is not the forum to write about that.

In the meantime, it is  each one for his own Karma. God Bless and all the best

The inward journey: The inward journey: Purpose of this blog

The inward journey: The inward journey: Purpose of this blog: "The inward journey: Purpose of this blog: 'Well, its been a lifetime's experience. Some experiences gained, some truths verified and the rea..."

The inward journey: The inward journey: How to ...

The inward journey: The inward journey: <!--StartFragment--> How to ...: "Tale of the Tiger Mother I read the above caption in the newspaper and it immediately caught my attention. I never thought it could be ..."

The inward journey: How to go in the presence ...

Tale of the Tiger Mother

I read the above caption in the newspaper and it immediately caught my attention. I never thought it could be an article about a human being- a mother. I read through and found that this was the story of a Chinese lady who had brought up her children with an Iron Fist- a fist-stronger than that of a Dictator. Nothing wrong with the Chinese. I know many of them who are so affectionate, kindly and loving. Such a specimen can come from any community or nation.

The more I read through, the more I was astonished at the depravity of human mind. I could not imagine that a mother would prevent her own children from going to the rest room until they mastered a complicated lesson of Piano. How would this lady feel, if she were to be prevented from going to the loo unless she learnt to play Mah-Jong.

Someone has said,” the good lord must be very humorus – for look at what all variety he has produced”. There are the good ones, the bad ones, tall and the short ones, happy and the sorry ones, beautiful and the ugly ones, good and the evil ones……………..all product of their old Sanskars. This particular specimen is certainly collecting a lot of Karma to be paid back in future lives.

Let us look at the problem from a holistic angle. My revered Gurudeva has taught that every human being is a matrix of seven different planes/dimensions-each more subtle than the previous one. One of these is called the Emotional plane. This emotional body of the children is too soft and fragile and once the same is damaged, it can leave emotional scars for a lifetime. These are difficult to heal and only holistic methods can heal these. Not very many people are aware of these methods. In India, a mother is compared to a big banyan tree under whose shade the weary children find protection and the shade. Even in ancient Hindu religion, the mother aspect of the Lord is considered to be superior to other aspects. Will a mother ever harm her child?-never.

In India, there is also a saying that’ “Spare the rod an spoil the child”. This is absolutely true. I see many parents who are so unconcerned when their children spoil public property or misbehave at home and in school and the parents look the other way. This again is a crime and involves Karma. Is it not the responsibility of parents to imbibe good human values in to their offspring and to make sure they become good human beings (and therefore good citizens)? At such moments, the rod must be used decisively with a telling effect. For this, the parents themselves have to know as to what values are important and what are not. At such time the dad or the mom should ‘appear to be a tiger’ but not become a ‘tiger’. A human being cannot be a ‘tiger’ all the time. The human emotions of Love, Compassion and affection go to a dustbin in case a person is a tiger most of the time. A tiger is by nature, a vicious and cruel animal. How can a human being claim to be so, justify this depravity in media and glorify and bask oneself in the evil light of a heinous behaviour. All my sympathies go to the little children who have so suffered and a prayer for this “Tiger Mom” –for the Lord to throw some divine light on her sick psyche. She is fortunate to have loyal children who have stood by her in front of media-probably to save the family honour, which is sacroscent to most cultures.

Amidst the conflicting views given by me above, the solution lies in Bhagwad Gita - where the Lord has advised an aspirant to do one’s duty and take a middle path, while doing the duty.

A mother is full of love, divinity and such higher emotions. It is all that the motherhood aspect is about. I do agree that discipline of mind and body is required to make an intense effort. However, the same is not to be at the cost of damage to human psyche. In my times, in our old fashioned household, there was strict discipline but our parents were very tender hearted and intensely loving in all other aspects. Preventing a child from going to the rest room tantamount to Torture.

Love is a great force and with divine quality of the Love, one can achieve the Lord. Material results can be achieved to a greater extent through ‘Love’

Hence, my advice to all mothers is-

“ Be a tiger when you need to be one. Never become a ‘tiger’ by nature or in heart. Shed the ‘tiger’ when the aim of disciplining the child is achieved and revert to being an affectionate and loving mother- apply the soft balm of love and affection once the correction has been made.

To illustrate this point further, we had a teacher who used to use a rod to give us children corporal punishment for not doing homework. It was the same teacher, who would miss his mid break lunch to guide us through the difficulty and make sure we were at the level of the rest of the class-because he loved each child of his class. These days it will be rare to find a teacher with such sterling quality I still remember him with a fond respect. Many times I pray for him that his soul may rest in Peace in the higher realms.

Times have changed now. We all have to take our Karmic responsibility. Is it not?

What can be the best prayer for the humanity? It is this

“ O Lord! Give us all a discriminative mind so that we may identify right from the wrong and take the correct decision, which will translate in to “Liberating Karma.”

May the blessing of my Sudguru ever be on all