sanatan dharma – psychologically astrology

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

March 25, 2023astrologerbydefault

‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ is common phrase where we Bharatiya people are encouraged to think of the entire Earth as our family. This line is repeated everywhere without understanding its origin, its reference, its usage and always to the detriment of our nation and our people.

Right now the average Hindu/ follower of Sanatan Dharma is highly confused, mainly due to a lack of genuine teachers, Gurus, Acharyas, Brahmins etc. The invaders killed our teachers and thus our entire Dharmic, ethical/moral and sensible way of life is fading. And also due to a proliferation of ‘masters’ or foreign agents who ‘re-interpret’ our spiritual concepts in ‘modern terms’ and try to brainwash us. These are also agents of the invaders who work with a fixed agenda of subversion and destruction.

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So let’s try and understand ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ in the correct perspective.

First,

Our Bharatiya society has 4 distinct layers /ashram to it. Balyashram is all the children, they are naturally dependant on their parents and are expected to study. Then comes the Gruhastashram which is the life of a householder. He/she performs karma as per the Vedpurva, works, earns money etc to support the family and the entire society. Then comes Vanprasthashram, the life of a retired person, here he/she starts reading the Vedant and starts doing Upasana. And finally comes Sanyasashram when the person completely dedicates the remaining life to the Vedant and understanding the Self, doing Shravan, Manan and Nididhyasan.

The Gruhast is the most important practical stage of life as the entire society rests on the householder’s shoulders (This is us. All of us who are reading this blog are Gruhast, householders.) The other 3 ashrams/ stages are dependant on this one Gruhast. The Gruhast has to follow the Vedpurva and to live his practical life he has take help from the practical stories of Panchatantra and Hitopadesha. He cannot and must not try to apply the ideas of the Vedant in his practical life. If he does so the entire Hindu society will come crashing down. And this is exactly what is happening with ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.

This phrase ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ is originally from the Maha Upanishad and the context is the mindset and behaviour of the Atmajnyani Mahapurush who has reached the Brahmi sthiti. This Brahmi sthiti is also described in depth in the Bhagwat Gita (detailed discussion starts from 2.54 and culminates in 2.72.). There are 5 stages to realization of the Self and the Brahmi sthiti is the 4^th one in sequence (beyond the Brahmi sthiti is the 5^th stage of the pure Advaita). It is only a extremely highly elevated Mahapurush who sees the entire Earth as his own family.

This line ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ is applicable only and only to the highest level of Mahapurush, the Sanyasi of the highest level. It is a philosophy from the Vedant and only applicable for the genuine Sanyasi. It is not applicable to even those who are starting their journey and absolutely not applicable to us, householders. ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ is not an ideal for householders to aim for. It is the inherent nature of the highest Mahapurush and they are naturally or inherently in this state because of their complete identification with the Brahmi sthiti. We must not confuse the householder with this level of Mahapurush.

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Now let’s analyse what our Acharyas have said about ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ in the context of the householder. Let’s refer to the ‘standard manual’ for behaviour for the Gruhast, ie the basic Panchatantra and the later Hitopadesh, both of which are based on Acharya Chanakya’s Arthshastra. This quote ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ is mentioned in a few stories here. Briefly, a couple of the stories,

The quote is recited by a knowledgeable but stupid Brahmin man for getting the support of his two equally knowledgeable and stupid friends for resurrecting a dead lion in a forest. Their fourth friend who is also a Brahmin but has common sense tries to stop them. But the 3 stupid Brahmins speak with idealism and preach the romance of universal brotherhood to their 4th sensible friend. They quote‘ Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and carry on. The fourth Brahmin then climbs a tree for safety. The 3 Brahmins soon bring the lion’s carcass back to life and as expected, after the lion becomes alive, it kills and eats all three of them.
In another story, a jackal wants to eat a deer. He recites this line to convince the deer to become his friend. He also talks about universal brotherhood etc in persuasive language. The deer is swayed by these beautiful words and agrees to the friendship. The deer’s true friends try to get the deer to see sense. But the jackal’s logic is sounds so elevated, spiritual and enticing that the deer sticks with the jackal. Soon the jackal lures the deer into a trap, then kills and eats him.

The point made in these stories is that one must know where and when to apply philosophy. Also one must never befriend or trust someone just because he quotes the Vedant shloks. Common sense is always better than impracticality and illogically applied vedantic concepts. One should be careful of people who preach ‘universal brotherhood’ or speak sweetly as spiritual concepts are often used as a means of subversion by enemies. Finally, those people who do not understand ‘context’ are always destroyed.

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The Panchatantra and its variant the Hitopadesh must be read by children and their parents too. These stories are composed by the Acharyas, Vishnusharma and Narayanpandit who understood ‘context’. Hitopadesh is based on the Panchatantra. And Acharya Vishnusharma has acknowledged that he wrote the Panchatantra only after studying Acharya Chanakya’s Arthashastra. And in turn Acharya Chanakya has written the Arthashastra only after studying ancient Acharyas before him, including Pitamah Bhisma’s teachings in the Mahabharat, the customs of both Uttar and Dakshin Bharat, the books available, the politics around him, the mindsets, the motives etc of people against a very practical backdrop. These works are by Acharyas who had studied human nature in depth, had the complete understanding of Dharma and the intelligence to practice it in real life.

True intelligence is knowing what should be applied, when, how, and in which situation. Eg if someone is entering your house to loot your money or to steal your wife/children, you cannot welcome them reciting ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ or ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. In this situation you must follow the practical concepts of the Arthashastra, Panchatantra or Hitopadesh. No Acharya has ever recommended this quote ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ for householders and in fact they have consistently expressed their contempt for using spiritual concepts in practical life.

Every household must have a full set of these books on practical life and every parent must make sure that the kids read and understand these stories. And as householders if you want to read the Vedant, then as long as you are in the Gruhast state, keep these spiritual concepts limited only to your internal mind. And when you come across phrases, quotes or shlokas which encourage you to behave in impractical, illogical ways, you must think twice. ‘Context’ is all important.

Finally try to learn Sanskrit. Unless we are able to read and write in our own mother tongue, read our own books in the original, we will be taken for a ride by enemies and people who want to subvert our society. We should be proud of our own Devbhasha Samskrutam, understand the books by our Acharyas and practice their practical advice so that our nation, Bharat can progress in the real sense.

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(This is again in response to a question and I felt that I had to answer it in detail.)

Anteyshti Dharma and the Shmashan

July 15, 2022July 22, 2022astrologerbydefault58 Comments

For a follower of Sanatan Dharma his life on this Martyalok is sandwiched between the 1st and the 16th Sanskar.

The Garbhadhan is the mantra of conception, where the parents-to-be invite individual soul of the baby-to-be for its incarnation here on Martyalok. Mantra power the intention and Agni carries it to the designated jivatma, fortifying it and then bringing it into Martyalok, establishing it within the astral bodies of the parents-to-be.
And after the designated lifetime of work is done, it is back to Pitrulok with the last Antim Sanskar, the Anteyshthi. The rightful heir offers the discarded physical body/sthool sharir to Agni at the Shmashan bhoomi. The mantra power the intention and Agni carries the jivatma back to Pitrulok.

We adore Agni, the Jaatved, the primordial energy, the power of motion. He is the start, the continuation, the end of illusion and also exists beyond the end of illusion.

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The Shmashan श्मशान is a high energy environment superficially turbulent and dangerous but subtly silent and very still. On the energy level, the Shmashan bhoomi is a specific location, ‘made with mantras’, ie we do not perform Anteyshthi at any random place. There are criteria for selection and a process which changes the energy of a generic plot of land into a Shmashan. A flat land with flowing water/ sea next to it. Mantra are used to invoke and install the energies of the Shmashan Devata here and only then it does it become a Shmashan bhoomi. Bhagwan Mahakaal, Devi Shmashankali and their Gan are present here in all their fierce awareness.

This physical land resonates with the inner Maha Shmashan at the third eye. This is why doing Sadhana reduces all attachments to the created world. You offer your Karma (imbalances) and Vasana (conditionings, desires) to Bhagwan Mahakaal sitting at your 3rd eye in your own Maha Shmashan. As your accumulated baggage burns, you realise that your family, job, identity, everything is an illusion. As the limited self ego burns the Eternal Advaita emerges. When you do your daily pujas, the act of applying Bhasma to your forehead indicates your intention to resonate with the Bhagwan Mahakaal within you.

After physical death, the soul has to safely traverse from the Martyalok to the Pitrulok. Burning the body in the Agni, in a proper Shmashan, with the proper mantra and by the correct heir gives a tremendous energy boost to the departed soul, helping it reach Pitrulok easily. If this is not done systematically, the jivatma suffers and sometimes remains trapped here in Martyalok as a ghost.

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There are a few rules to be followed in a Shmashan bhoomi. The energies are violent, catastrophic and dangerous, so women and small children are generally not allowed inside. They are more susceptible to this turbulence and can more easily influenced by the entities who reside here. (This not a fantasy, am sure everyone has seen what happens when a living person gets influenced by an entity.) Only exception to this rule is when the Guru allows them to enter here under his protection. This Bhoomi is the visible environment of the 8^th house, death, occult, final exits, dangerous travel through unimaginable routes, destruction, conscious fire, Agni etc. The energies of the purest Vishuddha Tamogun or the destructive Tandav are clearly evident available here.

Even for the men who go there for the Anteyshthis of their family/ friends should be careful as this land creates a temporary but intense sense of detachment, this is called Shmashan vairagya. Seeing the bodies of loved ones being consumed by the Agni is in itself an unsettling experience on the physical level. Added to this is the continuous bombardment of energy as the energies of the Shmashan are the gateway between the Martyalok/ Pitrulok. Plus the intense energies of the spirits and other beings who reside here. Very rarely, this Shmashan vairagya can get so intense that it can convert into genuine Vairagya and the person does not return to the society, ie takes up Sanyas and remains as a devotee of Shri Mahakaal.

If you go here on specific times, nights, midnights, twilights or even midday, you will see occult aspirants doing their practices. The Agni of the Anteyshthi and the Shmashan bhoomi is very high energy, very quick results can be achieved here. But quick results always means extreme danger, tremendous energy, strict rules, high levels of control and rapid transformations. Best keep a safe distance from such aspirants in this location.

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Boys above the age of 6yrs, ie after wearing the Yajnopavit sutra and doing their Gayatri mantra can go to the Shmashan if there is an Anteyshti in their family. If they participate in some way, they will get merit/ punya from the activities here. Helping out at Anteyshtis of family members, friends, people in the neighbourhood, etc is a chance to balance karma before the departed jivatma leaves for Pitrulok. This type of Punya especially ensures the birth of healthy children and the continuity of the lineage. For those who go to the Shmashan, remember that it is the domain of the Bhagwan Mahakaal. So before going there, ensure that you have created the proper mindset within your self. Pray to him, ie recite your personal mantra or the Mahamrytunjai mantra etc. Offer a few coins to the Shmashan. Then do whatever you have come here to do. Avoid unnecessary interactions with strangers or unnecessary activities here. When you go back home, sprinkle Ganga water or clean water on yourself, wash your hands, feet, face (ideally take a bath) before entering your house. This refreshes the aura, ie the occult energies you have picked up from the Shmashan are replaced by your regular aura.

In the past decade, the media is subtly encouraging women to perform Anteyshti for their departed family members. A woman is not the proper heir for this purpose and her doing this subtly damages her and her future generations. Also the departed soul is deprived of the complete merit / punya from the Anteyshti Sanskar of the body it has discarded thus may face obstacles on its onward way. And by doing this, she will have prevented the proper heir from performing his duty, another negative against her. (If you know someone like this around you, observe for yourself how her life unfolds.)

The proper heir for these activities is the nearest male relative from the same gotra. There will be some cultural differences but the following is generally applicable.

For a man, this would be his son, adopted son, grandson, paternal brothers and their sons, etc.
For a married woman, this is the men from her husband’s gotra, ie her husband, her son, adopted son, grandson, husband’s brother and his son etc.
For an unmarried woman, this would be the men from her own gotra, ie her father, her brother and his son, her male cousins from her father’s side and their sons etc.
If the deceased has no sons and has daughters then the daughter’s husband or her son can perform the Anteyshthi (but not the daughter herself).
And if there is no male relative of any sort to do this final Sanskar for the departed soul, then any man can perform it with due respect in his heart.
If this too is not possible, then the attendants at the Shmashan will take on this responsibility and help the jivatma reach Pitrulok.

Whoever does this, gets a huge chunk of punya /merit for himself and his entire family.

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Another unsettling trend in these recent times is that if the son is abroad then the deceased’s body is kept in a morgue till he arrives. The morgue is the filthiest place imaginable with negative entities of the higher sort roaming around in search of victims. Leaving your loved one’s physical body here is equivalent to putting his individual soul alone with no protection in a jail with hardened criminals. The practices that we follow after physical death are intended to protect both, the family members and the departed jivatma, and there is a reason for everything, these are not meaningless ‘rituals’.

The Anteyshti should be performed as soon as practically possible. The nearest eligible male who is available at the spot should perform it and close the issue. The departed soul cannot be left lingering around semi-attached to the body, as during this time it is susceptible to attacks from the several negative things roaming around in this Martyalok. It needs to go to the Pitrulok as soon as possible, to first rest and then to continue its activities there.

Generally physical death is projected as a sad event. But if you deeply think, it is not really sad. Whatever work the individual soul had decided on before entering Martyalok, it has successfully completed it and is now going back. We come here to work off our karma, not for entertainment. As per some local traditions, drums are played, people are called to sing bhajans etc while taking the dead body to the Shmashan bhoomi.

Then there are several misconceptions regarding the people who serve in the Shmashan. That they are unclean or somehow impure. This is incorrect. On the energy levels they are practically the Gan of Bhagwan Mahakaal, so do respect them. They maintain the Shmashan bhoomi, His residence. They live and work in an environment where normal people think twice before going. They have the capacity to remain calm in the face of such intense catastrophic turbulence. They are on a different level of spirituality which regular people cannot even imagine. Nor understand. If you cannot respect them then at least do not insult them.

A bit on Sanyasis. Sanyasis formally discard the society and dedicate themselves to finding the Self. I have mentioned in some post that a Sanyasi can neither be considered to be ‘alive’ nor ‘dead’. And every follower of the Sanatan Dharm is supposed to take on Sanyas-ashram at the last quarter of his/her life, ie accept Sanyas. Ever wondered how Sanyas is ‘taken’? It is described beautifully in the Mahabharat, the Sanyas ashram of the Pandavs and their wife Draupadi.

Agni is the foundation of Sanatan Dharma. Every householder after his/ her Vivah sanskar has to maintain the Agni of their vivah for a life time, it embodies the Gruhast ashram. It is used to perform the daily Agnihotra and all the other pujas/ yajnyas where Agni is needed. All the Sanskars which follow their marriage in their and their unmarried children’s lives are performed using this same Agni. Even for the Anteyshti of a family member this same blazing Agni is taken to the Shmashan in an earthen pot.

In the Mahabharat, the Pandavs assiduously kept their Agni throughout their long and eventful life. Can you imagine the power of this continuously burning Agni? Even in the one year of Ajnyatvaas, when it would have been difficult to maintain it, the Agni was sent to their father in law Dhrupad’s home where he maintained it for them. But at end, when the Pandavs and their wife took up Sanyas ashram, this Agni was ‘taken’ within them. ie in a formal setting, this Agni of the Gruhast ashram of the Pandavs and Draupadi was put into water, extinguished. An Agni burning, blazing for decades, physically extinguished and ‘taken inside into oneself’. They had taken their Anteyshti Agni within themselves. Now onwards the Pandavs and their wife Draupadi were technically Sanyasi, they would continually burn in the fire of their own Anteyshthi until they exited the physical shell.

And it is the same thing when someone genuinely takes up Sanyas even today, he formally takes within him the conscious Agni of his own Anteyshthi. His tiny sense of the individual self is continually being consumed by the Anteyshthi which he has himself lit in his own third eye, in his own Mahashmashan. He has awakened the Shri Mahakaal within him, who will burn out his sense of ‘jiv’ and thus the ‘Shiv’ within will be evident. This is why they are not considered to be residents of either martyalok nor pitrulok, they are ‘existing’ continually in their own Maha shmashans.

My Sat Guru had formally taken Sanyas at the age of 17yrs.

My grand Guru, Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj’s samadhi is at the Banganga Shmashan bhoomi, Mumbai, right on the Sindhu sagar (Arabian Sea). My Sat Guru and his Guru-brothers would go here very often with their disciples, (this pic is over 20yrs old). My Guru’s Guru-brother Shri Ranjit Maharaj’s samadhi was subsequently made at the same place.

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(There were a few questions on Anteyshthi and the Shmashan bhoomi, thus this post)

Your birth chart and your birth

February 14, 2021May 20, 2022astrologerbydefault

Your horoscope defines your own personality and how your whole life is going to unfold. The instant of your physical birth to the moment of the physical death and everything that happens in between. So today a study type of a post which will help you appreciate the accuracy of your horoscope.

The horoscope indicates the energy of the instant of your birth, ie the moment when your umbilical cord was cut and you became an individual, separate from your mother. The energies of this moment are also subtly connected to the moment of your real birth ie the instant of your conception. In Jyotish, the instant of the release of the sperms is considered as the time of conception, the energy of this moment is the entire life energy of the baby. You can choose this time of conception for your future children if you wish.

If you read our Itihas analytically, you will realise that children were very often created with desired qualities programmed into them. The Rishis ‘designed’ children for specific purposes. Examples are, Rishi Vishvamitra, Rishi Jamadagni, Draupadi, Drishtyadyumna, Dronacharya, the Kauravs and Dusshala (100 boys 1 girl), the Pandavs (6 boys including Karna), Dhritarashtra, Pandu, Shri Ram and his 3 brothers, Maruti etc. There are several events from ancient history where Kings and Rishis would perform a Putra-kameshti yajnya where the desired child (boy/girl) was created by the power of the mantra. eg Draupadi and Drishtyadyumna emerged full-grown from the yajnya-kund, no mother or father. Dronacharya had no mother, he was created from his father. The Pandav-s directly created from mantras. These are neither fantasy nor mythological stories, they are history, Itihas. (Modern science is trying to replicate these types of births now.)

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Now, Garbha-daan pujas are performed with the marriage to ensure that the couple is blessed with a healthy baby. This is an essential Sanskar in Sanatan Dharma. This ensures that the parents-to-be have the best possible energy, there is auspiciousness around them and the child also will have auspicious qualities in life.

The energy around the time of conception is similar to the energy around at the time of birth. If you know when your child was conceived and the events around you at that time, you can tally this with the child’s birth chart. Whatever was actually happening around the parents at the time of conception will repeat in some way around the time of birth too. If the parents were happy, unhappy or there was trauma, arguments or inauspiciousness etc around them. What the parents, grandparents and other relatives were doing/ thinking/ feeling. It is repeated. And all this can be seen in the baby’s horoscope, it is a part of the baby, it is the energy with which he will live out a lifetime. It might sound unbelievable, but it is true.

The birth horoscope is the configuration of the planets as you were born. This also reflects what was physically happening around you as you were actually being born. eg, for a child born on a festival day or a puja day where lots of relatives etc have met, the 11th house will show a lot of auspicious planets. And this baby must have been conceived on a similar auspicious day where friends/family had met with his parents.

Your every relative can be seen from your birth chart. eg Moon-mother, Sun-father, Mars-brothers/ sisters, Mercury-maternal uncles, cousins, Jupiter – elders in the family or Guru, Venus-women in the family, Saturn-father especially for night births, aged persons, servants, etc. Rahu is paternal grandparents, Ketu – maternal grandparents. (This is the generic list, these will vary as per the individual chart.) If you analyse the planets in your chart, you can clearly analyse what these relatives were doing when you were being conceived/ born.

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All these following examples are from the charts I have seen in real life. These people, or their parents, knew the actual day of conception and what was happening on that day around them, this is a rare data. Everyone knows their and their children’s birth dates and generally what was happening at that time.

eg. One woman was living alone because her husband was posted on the border. Conception was when he was on a brief leave and delivery too when she was alone. The child has the Moon alone/ kemadruma and un-aspected. Even the lord of the birth Moon sign is in the 6th house. Indicative of the loneliness the mother had faced, the burden she must have felt and this emotion is now part of the child’s lifetime energy.

eg. Too many planets in the 6^th house of a child indicate that the parents did not receive blessings from others and/or close family members disapproved of their marriage. ie There were people in the house who were ill-wishing the parents the day conception/ birth took place. Check which planets are in the 6^th house to get a more detailed idea on which relatives were involved. Eg Mercury will indicate the extended family/ uncles/ aunts of the child. Rahu/ Ketu will indicate the grandparents. Sun/ Saturn in the 6^th can indicate that the father was in unbearable stress. Moon here will indicate that the mother was in turmoil etc. And the baby will not really get along with these relatives in his life time.

eg. A 4^th house with an afflicted Mercury in it, the maternal relatives had a serious argument inside the house the day the baby was conceived and also later when he was being born. This child did not have a happy relationship with them. These relatives were around this child when he was younger but left him with unhappy memories. Later in life, these relations snapped.

eg. Ketu represents maternal grandparents, so if he is in the ascendant sign or with the ascendant lord, they were actively interested in the mother’s pregnancy/ delivery. They were physically in the same house with her. And the baby will be closer to them in his life. They will have a key role in shaping his personality, perhaps will give him a spiritual foundation if Ketu is auspicious for the chart.

Rahu represents paternal grandparents. I have observed this difference between maternal and paternal grandparents, paternal ones are more materialistic than the maternal ones, the maternal ones are more spiritual. It is strange, but evident if you observe. The same grandparents, the same persons, behave differently with their grandchildren by their daughters and with their grandchildren by their sons.

eg. There are a lot of inter-faith, inter-religion etc marriages these days. If you can collect a study sample of such children, you will find Jupiter in these charts will be afflicted/ uncomfortable in some way. Especially if one parent was from the Sanatan Dharma/ Hindu and the other parent was from an Abrahmic religion where the fundamental philosophies are radically different. The subtle conflict between the spiritual/religious values of the parents/ families will be reflected here in the Jupiter’s position.

eg. There are so many Caesarean deliveries these days, study several such charts. Babies delivered in such a way will have their Moon in dushamsthans, Moon aspected by or conjunct malefics, etc typical positions which indicate stress to the mother. Mars and Rahu will be in prominent positions indicating cuts, blood and pain, especially will be connected to the 5^th, 8^th houses. Or in the house 8th from the birth Moon. This will be seen either in the main chart or even in the D9 navmasha chart. (If seen in both the D1 and the D9 it means a deep set karma from several lives.) Such combinations indicate that the mother was suffering and the rest of the family was also in stress physically/ emotionally during the birth. If the mother can remember the day/ events when she conceived, she will have 100% had some emotional stress, injury, cuts, etc on this day.

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If you analyse the sixteen Sanskar-s, compulsory for all who follow Sanatan Dharm, three of these are connected with conception/ pregnancy. Garbhadharan is pre-conception puja performed on the day chosen for conception (these days its done at the time of marriage itself). Then Pumsavan and Seemantonayan are performed during pregnancy. Till the baby is 1yr old, there are six more Sanskar-s to be performed on him. These Sanskar-s enhance auspiciousness of the baby and reduce the malefic influences on him. I have seen a very significant difference in charts of people whose parents had performed the correct sequence of Sanskar-s. These horoscopes were better balanced and there were lesser inauspicious effects seen in them. (Or perhaps it is the other way around, ie the charts were better balanced so the parents performed the necessary Sanskar-s on the new baby. Maybe you can do your own research and come to your own conclusions.)

The energy of the horoscope is the energy of the moment of birth in so many ways. So when there is a marriage in your family make it a point to genuinely bless the couple. And later when their baby is being born, pray for an easy delivery and a happy baby. You may be an uncle, aunt, grandparent etc to this baby. The actions you undertake during this time will affect the baby’s horoscope in a very visible manner and also indicate the quality of relationship you will share with this child throughout his life.

And if you intend to have a baby yourself, do so with positive mind-set and try to follow the Sanskar-s. If you cannot do the full-fledged pujas at least pray to your favourite deity, universe, source of faith etc before doing anything. If you invest some time and energy in this, you will have a life-time blessing in the form of a happy and auspicious child.

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(I saw a news item, a young woman was giving birth as the Beirut explosion was occurring. This child’s choice of birth energy!)

Daily pujas

October 20, 2020December 1, 2021astrologerbydefault21 Comments

A short post.

Someone asked me what daily pujas should a follower of the Sanatan Dharma aka Hinduism perform. This can become a complex answer depending on individual inclinations and family traditions etc. Sanatan Dharma allows all sorts of variations, the only requirement being that your inner self, Conscience, Antaratma should be satisfied. But because there was a question, here is a simple routine which you can consider adopting/ adapting.

Lunar eclipse midnight 5th - 6th June 2020

In the morning,

First is to wake up before sunrise, freshen up, have a bath etc. Put a tilak (post here) on yourself.
Exact sunrise is for the morning Agnihotra Homa, compulsory for householders. (This post) You require desi cow’s cowdung cakes and ghee made from the desi cow milk, earlier these items were easily available but the so-called white revolution has made the desi-cow, ie cows with a prominent hump very rare. This is an irreparable loss (post here). If you do not have these items from a desi cow you cannot do the Agnihotra Homa.
Next is to give Argya to the Sun. (This post)
Then do pujas of your household deities. The simplest procedure is something like this. Light a Deepak (post here) and incense. Wash the deities moorti-s with clean water, dry them, put kumkum, saffron, sandalwood, bhasma, flowers as per availability. Offer some naivedya/ food to the deities. Do an Arti with camphor (post here) etc. (There are specific arti/shlok/stotra etc to be recited while doing this but you can keep it simple and say a prayer in the language you are comfortable in.)
Then recite the Gayatri mantra (post here), ideally 108 times. “Om, Bhuh Bhuvah Swah, Om Tat Savitur Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi, Dhiyo Yo nah Prachodayat, Om” ॐ भूः भुवः स्वः । ॐ तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात॥ ॐ You can use a mala (post here) to count or use your fingers (post here). Reciting it mentally is ideal.
After all this do your Dhyan with your Soham mantra. (post here).

Then comes midday.

The Gayatri mantra is to be recited again, ideally 108 times and mentally. Most of us are in office at this time, so if you can take a 10 mins break, you can do this sitting at your office desk itself.

Then is the sun-set.

Before the actual sun-set, light a Deepak/ incense before the household deities.
In Hindu houses, there will be a Tulsi plant (post here) in the house, so keep a deepak in front of this plant.
Again Arghya is to be offered to the setting Sun at the west horizon.
The exact moment of sun-set is the evening Agnihotra Homa.
Then 108 times Gayatri mantra jaap.
Followed by your evening time Dhyan.

If you are in office at the sunset time then obviously you cannot do all this. But try to do the Gayatri mantra jaap at least. Take a 10mins break and do it sitting at your desk.

Night time, before going to bed. Listen to the Ratri sukta (post here) or, if you can, recite it. It will protect you as you sleep, reduce nightmares, sleep paralysis, astral attacks etc so that you can actually rest.

For women specifically, they are exempted from all this for the 5 days of the monthly cycle. During this period, the chakras are moving anti-clockwise, the movement of the pran is affected, there is destruction going on in the body and you should rest it out.

For children below 6yrs there is no compulsion to do anything. Doing namaskar to the family deities and to the parents/grandparents should be taught and they can observe their parents do the daily routine. When the child becomes 6yrs old, he/she should be taught the Gayatri mantra. And now onwards he/she can also give Arghya to the Sun, do pujas etc. Gayatri mantra is most important. Initially the child can recite it 3/27/54 times as 108 times might be difficult to begin with. (In Hindu families who follow the Sanskar-s, boys will wear the Yadnopaveet sutra now onwards.) For Dhyan, it can be started after 6yrs if the child can understand how to do it. Initially he/she can do it for 3/27/54 counts as 108 times may be too tedious to begin with. (I started with my Dhyan-mantra when I was 2yrs old.)

This is the very basic minimum that a person following the Sanatan Dharma aka Hinduism should do daily. Obviously you must add other things as per your personal/ family traditions. And is also possible that you might not be able to do even this much… Follow your conscience always and in all ways.

Judge a true Ascetic from the horoscope

Then is some confusion regarding which deity to worship.

Every family has its own family deity, so you should have his/ her moorti in your puja-ghar. This is necessary. Unfortunately some people do not know who their family deities are. So first try to find out, ask your paternal grandparents or anyone from your father’s family if they know. Or trace your ancestral village if someone there knows. Married women worship the family deities of the husband’s family.

If you cannot trace your family deity, then as a second option you can worship a deity you feel drawn to. Devi Sarasvati, Devi Laxmi, Devi Parvati, Bhagwan Shankar or Bhagwan Vishnu or their Saumya-roop/ gentle forms are better. Avoid their Ugra-roop/ terrible forms, unless you are sure that you can assimilate their fierce energies. Eg Saumya roop for Bhagwan Vishnu would be Shri Krishna, Shri Ram, and Ugra-roop would be Shri Narasimha, Shri Varaha etc. Get small silver moorti-s (post here) of the deities you wish to worship, about 2 inches in size is best. (If you have any specific family tradition regarding moorti-s then follow that.)

In Sanatan Dharma, all married women worship Shri Ganapati, Devi Annapurna and Shri Baal-Krishna (Baal is his child form). This reduces hardships, ensures prosperity in the family and most importantly increases auspiciousness from the children.

Judge a true Ascetic from the horoscope

There is some misunderstanding about the pujas of Brahmadev. Popularly people believe that Brahmadev was cursed! But the actual reason is that we humans are so degraded in this Kali-yug that we are incapable of performing his pujas. So generally Brahmadev is not worshipped in households. Brahmadev is the potential energy, the stability of Raja-gun. His wife, Devi Sarasvati is worshipped in the form of the Gayatri Mantra. (However in special anushthans, eg Yadnopaveet sanskar, he is worshipped in a typical form created using Darbha grass. It looks like this.)

As the Kali-yug deepens, humans will become even more damaged and the simplest pujas will also stop being available. What we are seeing now is just a prelude. The genuine Tantra has already vanished. The yantra-s are on the verge of being forgotten. Most of the mantras are gone. The fundamental Pranav Mantra Om itself has been corrupted, people have converted it to meaningless sounds. When we stop our daily mantras, we actively destroy ourselves. Even the DNA gets damaged. Mantras in Sanskrit are the only way of protecting our DNA. It is essential for everyone above the age of 6yrs to recite the Gayatri mantra daily. It is especially imperative for the boys who have the more delicate Y-chromosome in them.

And if this was not enough, we have accelerated the damage to ourselves. Various pollutants in our food/ water/ air. The electro-magnetic pollution of radio-waves, discordant sound, negative thought patterns and the rest of it is creating a vicious cycle which will drag the human race even lower. Injecting unknown animal proteins/ DNA into our bodies. (If you are from an immunology background, am sure you can comprehend the dangers of contaminated cell-lines, latent retroviruses from the DNA of animals used in cell lines, the possible danger of the future m-RNA based vaccines.) DNA damage is irreversible, there is no solution for genetic damage in modern science.

The only way of protecting our DNA, body, mind and emotions and also repairing them is Mantra. So adopt a simple puja routine daily if you can. It will help you live a more healthier and happier life. (Despite writing all this, I am sure that only those who have a strong 9th house will actually be able to do any of this.)

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Temples in India where I have been to

June 30, 2020August 17, 2022astrologerbydefault4 Comments

Since I wrote on the 9th house and the deeper meanings of travel and pilgrimages, I got a question on how many temples, pilgrimages, I have been to. I had never really listed them out so was a fun exercise for me and perhaps an interesting reading for you.

Judge a true Ascetic from the horoscope

Devi Kalika, Haat Pithoragad, Uttarakhand – Been here a few times. It is a yantra installed in a temple in the middle of the Deodar forests. The yantra is carved on a rock in the floor of the inner sanctum, it is beyond powerful. There is an additional moorthi of the Devi Kali, but the power is in the yantra. Most people do not notice it. It is beyond powerful, it feels like Kali Herself is standing there in all her magnificent terribleness. But so full of love. I have lost track of time whenever I have stood in this temple located in a valley of Deodar trees. In these mountains the separation between dimensions is very thin. You can sense the presence of other beings called Naag, Yaksha, Gandharva etc here (Similarly in the nearby temple of Kotgadi).
Devi Kasar, Almora, Uttarakhand – You can feel golden pran radiating from a small tunnel into the earth. The people have placed a Moorti of Devi in front of the tunnel, most worshippers look at this moorti and ignore the tunnel and the energies whirling out from it. Very welcoming, loving and you feel it, a huge dense quantum of energy beneath the earth, it silences the mind. And you can feel the presence of other dimensional beings here too. This temple belongs to the Yaksha.
Shri Badrinath, Uttarakhand – This is one of the Char-Dhaams of India, located on the west coast (the others being Somnath, Jagannath, Rameshwaram). Been here thrice in this life. It is a black moorthi of Shri Vishnu. Very high energy and very gentle, a compulsory pilgrimage for all Hindus. River Saraswati flows here for a bit (Brahmakapal) and then vanishes underground. This is the place where the final death related rituals/ tarpan are performed for the deceased ancestors. The entire place throbs with energy, and those who can see auras can see the brilliant golden shine of the moorthi and also the entire village and the surroundings. Was able to go here three times in this life.
Shri Kshetra Yamunotri, Uttarakhand – The origin of the river Yamuna in Uttarakhand. Another must visit location, the energy is awesome, shiny, sparkly. There is a temple here dedicated to the Devi Yamuna and the prasad that you get here is a small pouch of uncooked rice, you then dip it in the nearby hot spring, it gets cooked and you eat it with the blessings of Devi. It was the tastiest spoonful of rice I have ever eaten. Ice cold Yamuna and the boiling hot spring are a few meters apart. Nature is so cryptic!
The Mahakumbh – I have been to Haridwar during the Brahmamuhurt of the Makar Sankranti at the start of the 2010 Mahakumbh. Ice-cold water. The Ganga is exceptionally loaded with pran during the Mahakumbh time, so a dip in these waters is a must for every Hindu. It can be a life-time recharge if you do it with intention. I was able to go to the 2021 Mahakumbh too.
Shri Kshetra Gaumukh, Uttarakhand – the origin of the river Ganga at the base of the Gangotri glacier. Ganga wherever she flows, Devprayag, Rishikesh, Hardwar, Kashi etc. brings in her tremendous quantum of pran. As you go nearer to her source, the higher the energy of her waters. The Gangotri glacier feels like a chunk of gold and the the flowing waters rippling gold/ silver pran. Do visit it if you are physically able to, if you keep putting it off to the next year, chances are you will never visit. The Gangotri temple is on the way to Gaumukh and this too is a beautiful place. The entire Himalaya are a huge source of power and energy in itself.
Shri Kedarnath, Uttarakhand – The top of the mountain is the pyramidal Shivlingam on which the temple is built. It is mind-boggling, I think the entire mountain you climb is the lower part of the massive Shivlingam. The very top is worshipped in the temple. The temple was there for thousands of years, first the Pandavs worshipped here, it was renovated a few thousands of years ago by Adi Shankaracharya and then by Shrimant Ahilyabai Holkar a couple of centuries ago. Been here twice, a must visit. After you do the Darshan, just sit outside the temple and soak everything in, if you do this with full intention, this ‘recharge’ will last several life times. I have been here three times in this lifetime.
- Then there is the Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya nearby. One of the most important Sat-Guru is relatively recent history (a couple of thousand years ago). And you can feel his blessings/energy here.
- Enlightened Gurus in Sanatan Dharm/Hinduism are special, after they discard their physical body, it is entombed above ground/’Samadhi’ and Anteyshti is not performed. When a soul attains moksh, it is not linked to the energy structure of the body, the brahmanadi has fused, the circuit is complete. The individual soul does not exist as it has realised itself as the Ultimate. The energy of anteyshti breaks the soul’s bonds to the physical body. But a real Sat-Guru has already broken this bond to ‘Creation’ by the energy of his internal fire, Dhyan. The real reason for the Samadhi system is different. It is a threat, if some common human fools others into believing that he is a Guru, his disciples will give him a Samadhi after his physical death and he will remain tied to the physical body, a ghost with no scope of evolution. The worst possible punishment.
- This is an aerial view of the Kedarnath temple in deep winter, you can just see the top of the temple as the entire town is under snow. Our ancient Rishis identified Shiv-lingams and built temples in such locations several thousand years ago, it is mind-boggling.
Devi Dhaari, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand – This is one of the fiercest Kali temples I have ever visited. The moorthi is just the head of the Devi, and She seems to shoot volcanoes from her eyes! I love Her in Her every mood, so enjoyed sitting in front of Her and soaking in her blessings. This temple is in the middle of the Alakhnanda river, and is energy-linked to Kedarnath, She is His Wife. Whenever people have tried to shift this temple for hydel power projects, Kedarnath has showed His displeasure, last was in 2013. They shifted the Moorthi and on that same day clouds burst bringing in disaster.
Shri Jageshwar Shivlingam, Uttarakhand – This is a Shivlingam in the Deodar forests of Almoda district. I think this is the Daruka-van Jyotirlingam as Deodar trees are called Daruka in Sanskrit. It is a very high energy location and is very beautiful too.
Shri Hemkund saheb, Uttarakhand – This is a pristine lake and a Gurudwara. The lake water is very high energy. It is said that Pandu from the Mahabharat worshipped the Devi here. Also Lakshman from the Ramayan did some pujas here. It is a hard trek, especially the last few kilometers, so you need to be physically fit. But you can also visit the Valley of Flowers which is near here, which is an added advantage.
Devi Chandrabadni, Tehri – The Himalaya is home to highly aware energies. In this temple, She is in her Yantra form. The temple is on a very tall peak sharply rising above the surrounding peaks. The Devi is in a very small cave like structure at the very top. No one can see this Yantra and it is always covered, in addition the ceiling of the cave is also always covered with cloth. If anyone tries to see Her, the overwhelming energy will be enough to kill him on the spot. It is her kindness that She has at least allowed us to adore her through this veil of red cloth.
Devi Varahi, Devidhura, Uttarakhand – The Ugra form of Devi Laxmi and Bhu Devi who is married to the Vishnu in the Varaha avtar is here in the form of a Shila. The Shila is never left uncovered, it is veiled with a red cloth always. And another moorti of the Devi Varahi is always kept locked in a chest. Its worshipped only once a year on the Rakhi Pournima, by one Brahmin who keeps his eyes blindfolded during the process. It is a very intense energy but still very gentle and loving. The Himalay is home to such terrific energies that I think people born and living in his shelter with Dharma are the truly blessed ones.
Devi Vaishno, Katra, Jammu & Kashmir – The deity of this shrine is a rock, which is a part of the mountain itself. This shrine is very famous, a regular very dense concentrated Himalay energy added to the energy of the Devi.
Shri Kshetra Pushkar, Rajasthan – It is a very cryptic dense energy, not for everyone. There is a misconception that the pujas of Brahmadev is forbidden. But it is actually that the we, the current humans, are so degraded that we are incapable of performing his ultra intense pujas. Performing the Gayatri puja properly is in itself a feat for the humans of today, and so the puja of Brahmadev is another level altogether. There is an entire Brahma-tantra and all Rishis and Sadhaks of the earlier ages did pujas of Brahmadev to attain Moksha on a fast track. Today you won’t get anyone who understands the use of even the Gayatri-tantra. (Brahmdev and Devi Sarasvati are the stable and the kinetic parts of Raja-gun. If you consciously control ‘movement’, you Realise your Self.)
Devi Ashapura, Bhuj, Gujarat – The deity in this temple is a huge rock, there is no separate Moorthi. This rock is placed in a temple. It is so utterly powerful that the few minutes I stood stupefied. Such tremendous energy. Something like the energy of the 10 Mahavidya Devi-s. If you are the slightest bit insincere she will cut off your head then and there. But if you are sincere she will pick you up in her arms like a mother loves a child and give you whatever you want. The entire area for kilometers was resonating with her energy. The rock does not seem to be from this Earth, more likely it is a meteorite, but very conscious, very very aware and very dangerous.
Shri Koteshwar Mahadev, Bhuj, Gujarat – A wonderful location on the sea-shore with extremely high levels of pran. The Shivlingam was also quite powerful gave off cool, peaceful pran. Loved watching the Dhwaj/ flag on the temple swirling in the wind. This is the last temple on the west coast, the land beyond is Pakistan.
Shri Dwarkadheesh, Jamnagar, Gujarat – This temple is dedicated to Shri Krishna, a lovely moorti made of black rock. Highly energy and very calm gentle, it soothed the soul. Do visit this temple if you can. But avoid the priests who try to try to fleece the tourists outside the temple. Keep your mind on your mantra and the deity in the temple. Try to mentally recite your mantra 108 times in the temple complex, while you wait in the lines etc, it is an energy rush. And around these temples and pilgrimage site you will also find petty pickpockets and such, so take care. It always surprises me that these people forget Who is watching them. Shri Krishna could give them anything they want but they are more interested in the tourists and their money than the deity Himself.
Shri Naagnath Shivlingam, Gujarat – This is near Dwarka and said to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingams. It is a newly constructed temple and is energies are average. In Sanatan Dharm/ Hinduism, a Shivlingam is not carried into a temple. A temple is always built over a Shivlingam. This means that our ancient Rishis/ seers, ‘saw’ the energies and identified stones which had the energy of a Lingam and constructed the temples over them. It is always to go to temples which are old, older the better for that high energy rush.
Shri Somnaath Jyotirlingam, Veraval, Gujarat – I have been to this temple 4 times in this life and each time it is a home-coming. Very high levels of energy flow from the Shivlingam, very gentle and conscious. I can never pray for things in temples. What should I pray for? He knows everything. This is a must visit temple for all Hindus.
Shri Siddhivinayak, Mumbai, Maharashtra – Have been to this temple several times. It feels like he is angrier every time I see him. This Ganapati moorthi has his truck folded towards his right side. Embodiment of ‘nivrutti’, destruction of Illusion, destruction of the material and tearing apart of the veils of Maya, the highly disciplined Sanyasi, ‘Brahmachari form of Ganapati. If you are not prepared to leave Her ‘funfair’, praying to such a moorti can be quite traumatic on the material levels. It is the same effect as blowing on a left-handed conch (Dakshinavarti). It will destroy the material and bring in the spiritual, in any way possible. In our homes we do not keep a moorthi or photo of Ganapati with the trunk at the right side. In temples it requires specific pujas and there are several restrictions on what is allowed in such temples.
Shri Trayambakeshwar Jyotirlingam, Nashik, Maharashtra – Extraordinary high levels of energy. It is such an old temple, all stone. The stones of the temple itself have absorbed the energies of the pujas and the whole structure is one conscious entity. The Shivlingam radiates huge chunks of energy, not as peaceful as Somnath. The energies can be used for ‘destruction’ related pujas too. Bhagwan Shiv is more serious here, more turned inwards, more intense. I have been here a few times and it is always beautiful.
Shri Bhimashankar Jyotirlingam, Maharashtra. This is located in a the middle of the forests, with a river flowing near it. All Hindu temples need to have a natural source of water at its north-east side, it is compulsory. This Shivlingam has a rather secretive energy. I think there must have been intensive practices of tantra, mantra, yantra in this temple. Perhaps no one knows or does this now, but the ancient past is felt in the energy of the temple and its stones too.
Shri Kailas, Ellora, Maharashtra – This architectural marvel is very famous, our ancient Rishis 3D printed in the igneous rock, no one knows how. But the Shivlingam! It is a good 5 plus feet tall and loaded with power, I went silent in front of its energy, the mind was completely silent. I wonder how the ancients knew that this stone under the hard lava stones of the Deccan plateau was the Shivlingam and they created the temple around it. It is the most fascinating Shiv temples I have ever been to. Ellora was called Elapuri earlier, the ‘town of the Devi’.
Shri Ghrishneshwar Shivlingam, Ellora, Maharashtra – This temple is very ancient, but felt low on energy, not what I expect a Jyotirlingam to be. I think that perhaps the actual ‘Jyotirlingam’ is the one inside the Kailas temple less than a km away.
Shri Kshetra Siddhagiri, Kolhapur, Maharashtra – This Shivlingam has always showered me with love and ‘home-coming’ energies. Just like a father giving gifts to his child. Beautiful old temple and with routine pujas being performed. My Sat-Guru was the 26th Mathadhipati of this Math. When I was a child my family would stay here for a couple of weeks every year, these are the most precious moments of my life as I would get to see my Guru every day and several times a day.
Shri Khandoba, Maharashtra – His temple is located on a plateau of lava-basaltic rock. There are moortis in the temple, but the energy comes from a yantra set into the floor of the temple. The mountain is alive with very intense energies. Exceptionally fierce. If you wish for protection and the energy to fight, he is more than willing to give it to you. He is the Kuldevata of most Marathi people so this temple is always bustling with people and jai-kaara of ‘Jai Malhar’.
Then the several temples in Goa, the more famous Devi Shanta-Durga, Shri Mangeushi and my mother’s ancestral god Shri Narsimha at Veling. I always feel a deep rooted sadness whenever I go to Goa. Perhaps my DNA picks up things or remembers them. The Portuguese invaded Goa and killed our temple Brahmins, carried out an Inquisition here, killed most of the Hindus in horrible gruesome ways. Some Hindus and Brahmin priests escaped to Maharashtra and remained alive albeit as farmers and traders, some of them my mother’s ancestors.
Shri Kshetra Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu – it is a magical place, there was no need for a formal temple, the oceans themselves are alive here, Bhagwan Varun in all his glory. The temple of the Devi is peaceful, gentle energy, it is like She is relaxed, watching the waters play around Her. Outside, the south-most tip of India, where 3 waters meet. It has to be experienced, the clean freshness is so deeply peaceful yet so full of high intensity energy. More white than gold pran, so much and so freely available!
Shri Thirupati temple, Andhra Pradesh – A very famous Vishnu temple (but I feel it more like a Shiv temple and they are all ultimately the same Non dual energy, one Eternal Illumination). Humongous amounts of energy. The lines are so long that they don’t let you stand for very long in front of the moorti, but even standing in line within the stone walls of the temple is a high energy experience. I have been here twice in this life.
Shri Jagannath, Puri, Odisha – One of the Char-Dham-s, I have been here twice, a very enigmatic temple. The idols of the deities are one thing, but the real energy is from inside the ground under the sanctum sanctorum. I make it a point to sit down somewhere inside the temple and recite my mantras for 5 mins, if I can. What one sees in these 5mins in such powerful temples is indescribable. If you go here, do a Namaskar for the Sudarshan chakra on the temple top, it radiates power.
Devi Kamakhya temple, Guwahati, Assam – She is extremely no-nonsense here. She is not in her ‘kind-mood’. Visiting this temple is not for everyone. This was the first temple where I saw her in her really strange virakt mood, so has made a life-time impression on me. Devi Sati in her Jal roop. She is so beautiful. The second time I was summoned by her, she was in a very different mood, all ready to give her blessings. Each time it was a home coming. There is also a powerful temple of Devi Tara and the other Mahavidyas in the same complex which one should visit.
Shri Hayagreev Madhav temple, Guwahati, Assam – It is in a place called Hajo, a hour’s drive from the city. He is in his shila form, very powerful and aware. There is a pond nearby with turtles and fishes which are worshipped as the Matysa and Koorma avtars of Shri Vishnu. A must visit. The energy of this pond is similar to the power of the Manomaya chakra pond in Naimisharanya, very auspicious.
Shri Vishveshwar Jyoptirlingam, Kashi, Uttar Pradesh – The best part is that they let you touch the Shivlingam. Everyone should visit here once in a lifetime. Bhagwan Shiv is very kind here, it is like coming back home. The original temple was destroyed by the mughals. This current Shivlingam was installed and this temple was built by Shrimant Ahilyadevi Holkar. This entire city is pure, no other word, it is pure, bright very very clean on the energy planes. Try to book a seat for viewing the Saptarshi Arti if you can. And touch the Shivlingam, Darshan and Sparshan both are necessary.
Shri Kshetra Kashi – The Devi Ganga flowing northwards here is in herself a Tirth, a temple and her Ghats, there are several but each has its own very different and specific energy. Book a boat and go for a boat ride on the river from Varuna to Assi. Read the names of the Ghats and do your namaskars to the important ones. If you can try to walk to the important Ghats and sit there, meditate on your mantra, let the energy of the presiding deity enter your soul. I have been here twice in this life.
Temples in Kashi – There are several temples here, it is the city of temples and Ghats. Of these very many temples I have been to the ones where I was to go and the deities have been so very kind. Shri Kaalbhairav, Devi Annapurna, Devi Vishalakshi, Devi Varahi, Shri Sankat Mochan Hanuman each one of these is in itself a source of power.
Samadhis in Kashi – Several Rishis, Sants Sadhus have lived in this Anandvan Kashi. Doing namaskar at the Samadhis of Guru Kinaram Baba and Guru Telang Swami was like going home to my loved parent. A very powerful but a very gentle parent. I went and did namaskar to Shri Lahiri Mahashay’s house too. I had a neutral view of him because I had read the ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ where Yogananda refers to him as his Guru and I know that the meditation technique which Yogananda’s Society is teaching is incorrect. When I stood in front of Lahiri Mahashaya’s house, I touched the steps of the locked house I felt his presence, a Realised Soul, his students later distorted his teachings. The house is always locked and in a state of disrepair.
Shri Kshetra Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The name is in itself so evocative and with the temple under construction I am expecting so much for our Bharat. Here the Shri Hanuman mandir has very deep energy as if Maruti himself is in deep Dhyan here. And of course seeing the moortis of Shri Ram and his brothers was a very moving experience. I prayed for Shri Raam to come out of his child-form, ‘Ram-lalla’ form and assume his Raja Ram form, so that we can all experience Ram-Rajya once more. The banks of the river Sharayu are always bursting with power and blessings.
Shri Kshetra Nimisharanya Uttar Pradesh – This is a rather secretive place, very much on the map but with very cryptic energies. If feels like this place is not fully on this earth, the dimensions overlap here especially at the central pond, ie the Manomaya chakra of Brahmadev. The shakti-peeth of Devi Lalita here is also very radiant. However the temple priests are an utter nuisance, a disgrace, the worst I have seen till now.
Shri Kshetra Girnar mountain, Gujarat – The entire mountain is full of energy, I don’t know how such a huge mountain can even geologically exist in that flat place. If you ever travel to Junagad to visit the Gir National Park, do try to at least travel to its foot and feel its energy. There are very high number of spirits and beings from other dimensions here. In fact the first time I ‘saw’ these beings it was here. Been here a few times in this life.
Devi Baglamukhi and Devi Dhoomavati Datia, Madhya Pradesh – Both Devis are the Dasha mahavidyas and are very very dangerously awake here. Visit only and only if you have a clear conscience, no more can be said, there are secrets here which are not for everyone. I was summoned here twice in this life.
Shri Raja Ram temple Orchha, Madhya Pradesh – I had the good fortune to visit this utterly beautiful place on the day celebrated as the marriage of Shri Ram and Devi Sita. The celebration here on this day is a must see. Been here twice in this life.
Devi Amba bai, Kolhapur, Maharashtra – I have loved this temple since I was a child, She has summoned me here several times, most significantly after I got married. She is quite powerful here and quite ready to grant blessings. But one must not really ask for anything in such temples, simply put yourself in her hands and let her decide what is best for you.
Devi Vajreshwari, Kangra Himachal Pradesh. This is a beautiful ancient temple spread over a large area. The Devi is in her shila form here, very caring and protective, it is a Shakti peeth. Apart from the power of the main temple, I saw immense two Peepal and a Banyan trees their branches touching each other in this temple complex. Their energy is stupendous.
Devi Jwalamukhi, Kangra Himachal Pradesh. Again a Shakti peeth, Devi Sati is in her Agni form here, very intense. A must visit, but obviously you can come here only if she summons you. Interesting to see a Mimusops elengi tree right in front of the temple. In the south, the flowers of this tree are specifically offered to the Devi. If you go there, collect a few flowers from here to keep in your puja ghar. And remember to go to the temple of her Shri Bhairav too, it is located some distance away from the main temple. This Shri Bhairav temple felt like he was waiting for me and by doing Namaskar to him, I have achieved something that cannot be put in words. The love radiating from him was so intense.
Devi Baglamukhi Kangra Himachal Pradesh. Devi Baglamukhi is very dear to me, she is just so protective, gentle and strong. (There are three main temples in Bharat, Datia MP, Nalkheda – MP and Kangra – HP). In this temple, she is in her shila form. There is also a Shri Bankhandeshwar Mahadev temple with a huge 4 ft Shivlingam in the same complex.
Shri Kshetra Dakshineshwar, West Bengal – It is a very famous temple, Devi Kalika is utterly magnificent here. The temple is always bustling with devotees. It was established by Shri Ramkrishna Parmahans. Interestingly his Guru Totapuri Swami’s Guru was Shri Kaamraj Maharaj who had established the Shri Dakshineshwari Kali temple in Haridwar. Devi in all her forms is essentially the same.
Shri Kshetra Kali Ghat, West Bengal – This was one of the most memorable darshans for me were the Devi Kalika allowed me and my family to perform an Arti for her. She is in her Shila roop, so exponentially powerful in her glory but so kind, so loving, the mother of all creation.
Shri Kshetra Tarapeeth, West Bengal – This is the most powerful location for sadhaks who revere the Devi Tara and it is not for the faint hearted. She is in her extremely Ugra form. If you go for darshan after 9:30pm, her Shila roop is uncovered and you might get to touch her Shila roop, this is an out of the world experience. Her temple is located next to her Mahashmashan. Here you can do darshan at the samadhi of Gurudev Vamdev Baba, but enter the Mahashmashan only if you feel up to it and after invoking her name and protection.
Shri Kapil Muni Ashram, Gangasagar, West Bengal – We all know the story of Sagar, the ancestor of Shri Ram. The 60000 Sagarputra were burnt by Kapil Muni at this location which led to the eventual descent of the river Ganga on the earth. The Gangasagar island is located at the boundary of Bharat and Bangladesh. One must try to visit this ultra high energy location if possible.
Shri Tarakeshwar Mahadev, West Bengal – A very high energy location, in fact all the old temples in West Bengal are very highly potent with energy. When you go to a temple with a Shiv lingam, you must try to touch it, Darshan must be completed with Sparshan. The first time I went to this temple, only Darshan was allowed because of the pandemic. Later I was summoned once more to complete the sparshan. Several temples have stopped Sparshan and allow only Darshan. This is a disservice that they are doing for the devotees who come for worshipping the Shivah.

Here are some of the well-known temples that I am sure you must be aware of. And there were several smaller ones and high energy places which I have not listed here. I keep adding more as I keep going to do Darshan at even more temples. Temples are energy banks, they recharge me on so many levels.

We are Hindus, followers of Sanatan Dharma, our ‘god’ is the Parabrahma, the Nirvishesh Brahma the Conscious Intelligence but these temples are necessary as they contain a part of this Awareness and going to temples reinforces the Bhaav, ‘feeling of Self’ within you. Pilgrimages are necessary for all spiritual aspirants and if you have the time and the inclination you must do Tirthatan.

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