Krishna 360 Degrees by Devdutt Pattnaik

I had just finished the podcast on Audible named 'Krishna 360 degrees' written and narrated by Devdutt Pattnaik. The author has done a detailed research on Lord Krishna as an infant, prankster, cowherd, beloved, refugee, householder, charioteer and avatar. Krishna manages both rural and urban responsibilities well because he is a cowherd in Vrindavan and a king in Dwarka. It is a deep dive into the life of Krishna as a kid, a toddler, a teenager, a cowherd, a statesman, a lover, a husband, a father, and a god-on-earth.

Fall in love with Krishna from every conceivable perspective as the distinct and captivating way of expression will keep you interested and engaged throughout. :)

If you enjoyed reading this then by the same author you will also like this. :)

My Spiritual Experience of Watching Sri Hari's Aarti Live

Date - 17.3.23

Place - My home

I could not sing a single word of aarti as I was crying horribly. As soon as I saw the alluring Sri Hari Bhagwan during the live telecast of Aarti from Sri Badrika Ashram then tears welled up in my eyes and I started crying uncontrollably. Dark skinned Bhagwan's hands, feet, face and eyes resemble red lotus flowers in the black tinted water of Yamuna river. 

With a mere glance from His big eyes He destroyed the darkness, ignorance, loneliness of His devotees filling their lives with bright crimson colored joy, happiness and optimism. He subdued Kaliya Naag, the serpent who resided in Yamuna river, a representation of coiled serpent of Kundalini energy by channelizing its poison of hatred into bliss and enjoyment.

Pic - Sri Hari Bhagwan

Live Telecast of Aarti From Sri Badrika Ashram

On 16th March, 2023, as Sri Hari's Aarti began, I started crying loudly. I experienced it while watching the live telecast of Aarti from Sri Badrika Ashram. My eyes were filled with tears and they overflowed wetting my soft cheeks. Black complexion of Sri Hari Bhagwan is like dark clouds carrying rains of love. His Pitambar, the yellow silk dress, is like a lightning of blessing among those black clouds. I was absorbed in His mesmerizing form. Surprisingly I cried only during the live telecast and not while watching the recording of Aarti! :)

Pic - Sri Hari Bhagwan

WHEN You Eat is More Important Than WHAT You Eat.

What is the longest time gap between your two meals?

Mine is 24 hours which means I only take one meal per day. For the past 14 months, I am comfortable practicing it. Sometimes when I am in a mood to do tapas then I even skip that one meal, which means that I have my meal after 48 hours. My plate consists of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, fats, vitamins and fibers. To everyone's surprise, I consume butter, ghee, sweets and fried foods on a regular basis. But it doesn't affect my health as there is a huge time gap between the two meals. If the gap between two meals is very less, even cucumbers will give belly fat. :)

If the gap is more than 9 hours then you are living a healthy life. But if it is less than 9 hours then you should increase the gap by delaying your breakfast or taking your dinner earlier. You can slowly shift it half an hour or so till you reach your goal. The gap between the two meals is necessary for the stomach to take rest and not to produce hormones like insulin frequently. You can increase this gap from 9 hours to 12 hours. In the early days, the people used to have their meals before sunset and only after sunrise. But after the invention of electricity there is no such time restraint, one eats whenever one feels like.

So, WHEN you eat is more important than WHAT you eat. :)

Pic - Pixabay

Conquer Insomnia!

Many years back, I was struggling with insomnia. I could neither sleep at the proper time nor could I experience sound sleep. I made some changes in my lifestyle to overcome this problem. These were as follows :-

1. I stopped taking a nap during the daytime and utilized that time in exercising regularly. Either I did yoga or walking or both. When my body got tired, I could very easily slip into sleep. You can take the help of any Health App to keep a track of your exercise progress.

2. Before sleeping, I started chanting mantras while concentrating on each and every word. Soon my mind would be exhausted and needed rest. You can select any mantra from Sadhana App and can chant it visualizing each letter of the mantra in your mind.

3. I started doing shavasana. While focusing and relaxing each and every part of the body, very quickly I felt drowsy. You can do yoga Nidra in Black Lotus App, it is a really very effective way of relaxing.

All Pics - Pexels

Sri Suktam Live Yagna Day 10 with Om Swamiji

Wow! A feline beauty on a catwalk!

On the day 10 of the live telecast of Sri Suktam Yagna, a blackish cat placidly entered from the right side of the screen. It was not only a beauty with brains but a charm with calmness. It meekly sat behind Om Swamiji who was doing the preparations for the yagna by placing firewood in the firepit and was humming ‘Jai Ambe Hare Jagdambe Hare’. On realizing its presence near Him, a delicate smile appeared on His glowing face. A powerful smile that can eradicate all sorrows, sadness and ignorance from one’s life!

The feline took a round and went away from where it had come. As usual the yagna began with the ahutis with ghee. The same mantras were repeated, the same ingredients were poured one after the another, the same monotonous process. I followed Swamiji’s instructions. Swamiji poured ghee, I did too. He poured havan samagri, I did too. He offered firewood, I did too. I acted in accordance with Him and performed the whole process like a copycat.

As soon as Swamiji started chanting the 15 mantras of Devi Ma taken from Lakshmi Tantram, I started feeling uneasy.

नमो नित्यानवद्याय जगतः सर्वहेतवे। 

ज्ञानाय निस्तरङ्गाय लक्ष्मीनारायणात्मने ॥१ ॥ 

नमस्ते सिन्धुसम्भूते नमस्ते पद्मसम्भवे । 

नमः सरोरुहावासे नारायणकुटुम्बिनि ॥ २  ॥

क्षीरोदमथनायासफलरूपे मधुद्विषः । 

नमचन्द्रसहोदर्यै नमस्तेऽमृतयोनये ॥ ३  ॥

नमः सरोरुहावासे नमोः नारायण आश्रय 

नमो नित्यानवद्यायै कल्याण गुण सिन्धवे || ४ || 

नमस्ते पद्मसम्भूते नमः कमलमालिनि ।।

नमः कमलवासिन्यै गोविन्दगृहमेधिनि ॥५ ॥

नमस्ते कमलावासे जनन्यै सर्वदेहिनाम् । 

गृहिण्यै पद्मनाभस्य नमस्ते सरसीरुहे ॥ ६  ॥

नमोः निखिलनिर्माणत्राणसंहारशक्तये ।

हरेः स्वरूपभूतायै नमस्ते ज्ञानरूपिणि ॥ ७  ॥

शब्दार्थव्यक्तिरूपायै षडध्वपरिवर्तिनि ।

अध्वातीतावबोधाख्ये नमस्ते हरिवल्लभे ॥८ ॥

परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पद्मस्थे पद्ममालिनि ।

नमस्ते पद्मजे पद्मे गोविन्दगृहमेधिनि॥९ ॥ 

नमस्तुभ्यं जगन्नाथे पुण्डरीकाक्षवल्लभे ।

अशेषजगदीशाने सर्वज्ञे सर्वभाविनि ॥ १०  ॥ 

शुद्धा शुद्ध षडध्वाख्याचित्रनिर्माण भितये 

नमः श्रीवैसभावीन्य भव संताप शान्तायै || ११  || 

नमो नित्यानवद्यायै जनन्यै सर्वदेहिनाम् ।

आधारेशात्मरूपायै शुद्धाशुद्धाखिलाध्वनाम्॥ १२ ॥

नमस्ते सचिदचिद्वर्गसंरक्षणविचक्षणे ।

जगद्विधानशिल्पिन्यै विष्णुपत्न्यै नमोऽस्तु ते ॥१३  ॥

विश्वारणे नमस्तुभ्यं नमो विश्वविभूतये ।

सर्वासामपि सिद्धीनां नमस्ते मूलहेतवे ॥१४॥ 

आदिदेवात्मभूतायै नारायणकुटुम्बिनि ।

समस्तजगदाराध्ये नमस्ते पद्मयोनये ॥ १५॥

The burning sensation around my heart chakra appeared all of a sudden. I found myself gasping for breath. I could not breathe from my nose. It became hard for me to even press the jaggery icon in one of the options on Sadhana App. As the chants became louder my discomfort multiplied further. I was breathless. With great difficulty in breathing from my nose, I opened my mouth for some more oxygen.

Are You Disheartened on Rejection of Initiation Request?

 

Are you disheartened, eh?

Many mails are pouring in my inbox after the rejection of their initiation request from Om Swamiji as they have not met Him in person. It is true that we all feel low when our request is declined. We all adore Him and want to be initiated by Him or wish to be jumped at higher level of initiation.

It is the need of the hour that we must understand that initiation means connecting a bond with the lineage which means leading a disciplined life. It is the responsibility not the leisure or fun. Ask yourself what responsibility you are ready to take for the welfare of the society and for the self-transformation. If you can do even minor changes in your lifestyle, you will be amazed that the lineage blesses you with the immense power and success in any and all endeavors of your life - materialistic as well as spiritual.

I would recommend some minor changes. They are as follows:

A. Just before sleeping and soon after waking up chant any of the following mantra just for 5 minutes. Please pick one and then daily chant it. Also bow down to Om Swamiji.

1. Navarana Mantra in Sadhana App (It will connect you with Mother Divine)

2. Siddha Surya Mantra in Sadhana App (It will connect you with the lineage)

3. ॐ सर्वमंगल मांगल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके।

शरण्ये त्रयम्बके गौरी नारायणी नमोस्तुते।। 

(Om Sarva Mangal Mangalye Shive Sarvartha Sadhike.
Sharanye Trymbake Gauri Narayani Namoastutte.) in Black Lotus App (It will connect you with Om Swamiji)

B. You can chant the same mantra while doing daily chores, walking, waiting for somebody, while travelling etc. The more you chant the mantra the more connected you will be with Om Swamiji.

C. If you are strongly determined for the initiation then the recommendation is that you must start using Sadhana App for Japa, Nitya Pooja, Abhishekam, Yajna and Sadhana. You will find that there is a Leader Board in the App which show the 100 names of the topmost performers for the Japa, Nitya Pooja, Abhishekam, Yajna and Sadhana respectively. Are you really serious? Then work hard so that your name is reflected in the top 10 names not 100. With my experience, I could say that He keeps a keen track on each and every person’s progress in the Sadhana App as well as in the Black Lotus App.

D. Daily do at least one Random Act of Kindness in Black Lotus App.

It is time to work hard and not to cry over the spilt milk.

You can read more about me here, here and here.