Aum Gung Ganapathaye Namah
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma-sambuddhassa
Homage to The Blessed One, Accomplished and Fully Enlightened
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious,
Most Merciful
Meenakshi
A Collection of Articles, Notes and References
References
(Revised: Thursday, February 08, 2007)
References Edited by
An Indian Yogi
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.
- William Shakespeare
Copyright © 2007-2010 An Indian Yogi
The following educational writings are STRICTLY for
academic research purposes ONLY.
Should NOT be used for commercial, political or any other
purposes.
(The following notes are
subject to update and revision)
For free distribution only.
You may
print copies of this work for free distribution.
You may re-format and
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Otherwise, all
rights reserved.
8 "... Freely you
received, freely give”.
- Matthew 10:8 ::
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
1
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
2
People will be lovers
of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive,
disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3
without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control,
brutal, not lovers of the good,
4
treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers
of God—
5 having a form of godliness
but denying
its power. Have nothing to do with them.
6
They are the
kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,
7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.
8
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth--men of depraved minds,
who, as far as
the faith is concerned, are rejected.
9
But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.”
- 2 Timothy 3:1-9 ::
New International Version (NIV)
6
As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
- Hebrews 5:6 ::
King James Version (KJV)
Therefore,
I say:
Know your enemy and know yourself;
in a hundred battles, you
will never be defeated.
When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself,
your chances of winning or
losing are equal.
If
ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself,
you are sure to be defeated in every battle.
-- Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c. 500bc
There
are two ends not to be served by a wanderer. What are these two? The pursuit of desires and
of the pleasure which springs from desire, which is base, common, leading to
rebirth, ignoble, and unprofitable;
and the
pursuit of pain and hardship, which is grievous, ignoble, and unprofitable.
- The Blessed One, Lord Buddha
Contents
Color Code
A Brief Word on Copyright
References
Educational Copy of Some of the
References
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A
Brief Word on Copyright
Many of
the articles whose educational copies are given below are copyrighted by their
respective authors as well as the respective publishers. Some contain messages
of warning, as follows:
Republication
or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited
without the written consent of “so and so”.
According
to the concept of “fair use” in US copyright Law,
The
reproduction, redistribution and/or exploitation of any materials and/or
content (data, text, images, marks or logos) for personal or commercial gain is not permitted. Provided the source is cited, personal, educational and non-commercial use (as defined by fair use in US copyright law) is permitted.
Moreover,
I
believe that satisfies the conditions for copyright and non-plagiarism.
References
Some of
the links may not be active (de-activated) due to various reasons,
like removal of the concerned information from the source database. So an
educational copy is also provided, along with the link.
If the
link is active, do cross-check/validate/confirm the educational copy of the
article provided along.
References
Meenakshi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meenakshi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meenakshi_temple
Dr.
S. Chidambarathanu Pillai. (1991) Siddha System of Life. (1/e)
Brunton, Paul. (1962) A Search in Secret
Brunton, Paul. (1991) A Search in Secret
Steven Lee Myers. (Tuesday,
October 1, 2002)
A Russian Lama's Body, and His Faith, Defy Time.
http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/Russian%20lama.htm
V M Kulkarni. (1931) Naturopathy: The Art of Drugless Healing.
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Educational
Copy of Some of the References
FOR
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
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Reference
Meenakshi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meenakshi
Meenakshi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Picture
Meenakshi deity at the Meenakshi temple in
Picture
Meenakshi deity at the
Meenakshi temple in
Meenakshi, according to Hindu mythology, is a deity;
a
Goddess who is related to two of the three Godheads - Vishnu and
Shiva. She is the
sister of Lord Vishnu,
and wife
of Lord Shiva. She is also
one of the few goddesses who has a temple devoted to
her- the famed
Meenakshi temple in
There is a legend that Meenakshi was a princess, who was born with
fish-shaped eyes
and fishy
smell. After
seeking advice from holy men, she was told that the fishy smell would disappear
when she met her future husband.
She was also told that the fish-like
qualities would transform into beauty. This duly happened when she met the god Shiva, whom she
married eight days later in
Contents
1 The legend of Meenakshi
2 Metaphorical representation
3 Meenakshi Devi
4 Literary references
5 References
The legend of Meenakshi
Long ago Indra had killed a demon, even though
the demon did not harm anyone. This act brought a curse upon Indra that forced him to
continue wandering until he was redeemed from his sin. After
much wandering Indra was freed from his suffering
through the power of a Shivalingam in a forest and so built a small
temple at that site.
It so happened that at that time in
The king was childless and sought an heir for the
kingdom. Shiva granted him his prayers through an Ayonija child (one born not
from the womb).
This child was three years old and actually the incarnation of goddess Parvati
the wife of Shiva. She was born with three breasts and fish-shaped
eyes. It was
said that the extra breast would disappear when she met her future
husband. She
was named Meenakshi, (meaning fish eyed) from the words Meen (meaning
fish) and akshi (meaning monarchy).
Picture
Shiva the Natarajan
performing the Universal dance.
She grew up to be a Shiva-Shakti personification. After the death of the
king, she ruled the kingdom with skillful administration.
In one of her expeditions she went to
the
Picture
Gopuram of Madhurai Meenakshi temple built for
Meenakshi.
At the wedding celebrations the Gods
refused to have the served food unless Shiva performed a majestic dance for everybody gathered at the
place. At this
there was the dance of Chidambaram, the cosmic dance in front of his wife Meenakshi. It epitomised and merged all
life force and beauty into one whole. In the end Meenakshi was merged with the
shivalingam and
became the representation of life and beauty.
There is another legend that talks about why the
Metaphorical representation
The story describes the early understanding of
beauty and growth
and the
processes of life and creation in mythical metaphors.
Meenakshi Devi
Minakshi Devi is another name for the Goddess. As a
mark of respect, Meenakshi's full title is Sri Minakshi Devi. Like a fish, Minakshi
Devi's eyes are always open, watching over her devotees. Her eyes are fabled to bring life to the unborn.
Though written Minakshi, the word is pronounced meen
(fish) aakshi (eyes).
The stotram Meenakshi Pancha Ratnam (five jewels
of Meenakshi)
[1] is an incantation to her.
Literary references
A remarkable Tamil poem shows the goddess
Meenakshi as a girl washing crockery and pots (which consist of all the
worlds). This is a
daily task, because her
husband Shiva repeatedly messes up the universe, which
Meenakshi must once more sort out and clean.
Shiva wanders through the courtyard of space
destroying your work
again and again,
and then comes
before you dancing.
You never get angry.
Every day, you just pick up the
vessels.
In thirty words, Meenakshi becomes a global icon for all who
deal with 'impossible' children (or husbands).[1] Themes and activities of early childhood run
through the poems. God in the little child is worshipped and protected amidst the toys in the
kitchen and back yard.
Winning over maya (illusion) is just the
realisation of Truth.
This is what the Lord can do for us. This is the purpose of all scriptures. This Realisation
is the
establishment of the symbol (Linga-sthApanaM) of the Light of the Self. Lord Rama did this on the
shores of the Ocean just before He crossed over to Lanka. The Lord Shiva as
Sundaresvara did a similar pratiSThApanaM (winning over maya) on the day of his wedding
with the Goddess Minakshi. Throughout the three worlds the establishment of the
sphaTika-lingaM as the unique expression of the Truth in one’s heart augurs for the victory
over the mysterious prakRti.[2]
References
1. Richman, Paula (1997). Extraordinary Child: Poems from a South Asian
devotional genre.
2. Visvanatha
Sastri, R. (1954). The Great
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Reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meenakshi_temple
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Meenakshi temple)
Picture
Meenakshi Amman koil
Name: Meenakshi Amman koil
Creator: Pandya Kings
Date built: recent construction around 17th century
AD
Primary deity: Sundareshwara(Shiva)
and Meenakshi(Parvati)
Architecture: South Indian, Kovil
Location:
The Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple or Meenakshi
Amman Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva
and goddess Parvati located in the holy city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It
is commonly referred to as the Meenakshi temple.
The main deity Sundareswarar means the Beautiful
Lord and His
divine wife Meenakshi means One who rules the world through her eyesight[citation needed] and Koil
means temple in Tamil. The temple forms the heart and lifeline for the 2500 year
old city of
The temple has a stunning architecture and was a
frontrunner in the election for the modern seven wonders of the world for its
architectural importance[2] [3] [4] [5]. The complex
houses 12 magnificient gopurams or towers that are elaborately scultptured and
painted. The temple is a significant symbol for Tamil people, and has been mentioned
since antiquity in Tamil literature, though the present structure is believed to
have been built only in the early 17th century.
Contents
1 History
1.1 Mythology
1.2 Modern History
2 The temple structure
2.1 Shrines
2.2 The
2.3 Thousand Pillar Hall
3 Festivals
4 References
5 External links
History
Mythology
Picture
The divine marriage where brother Vishnu hands his
sister Parvati to Shiva (from left, Vishnu, Meenkashi, Shiva)
According to Hindu legend, the Lord Shiva came down
to earth in the form of Sundareswarar to marry the goddess Meenakshi, who is a
form of Parvati, Shiva's divine consort. Parvathi had earlier descended to
earth in the form of a small kid in response to the great penance of
Malayadwaja Pandya, the ruler of
Both the marriage and the Vishnu's passification are
still celebrated as the biggest festival in
The divine couple are
believed to have ruled the region for a long time and it is not clear what
happened to the place after they left. Another legend says that the Shiva's
deity in the form of Linga was discovered by the god of heaven, Indra who built
the original temple. This tradition is still followed in the temple with the deity is
accompanied by a model of Indra's vehicle, during festive processions.
Picture
Meenakshi deity at the temple
Modern History
The history of the original structure is not
properly known, while the Tamil literature speaks about temple for the last
couple of millennia. Thirugnanasambandar, the famous Hindu saint of Shaiva philosophy
has mentioned
this temple as early as the seventh century and describes the Lord as Aalavai Iraivan[8]. The temple was believed to have been sacked by the
infamous Muslim invader Malik Kafur in the 1310[8] and all the ancient elements were
destroyed. The
initiative to rebuild the structure was taken by Arya Natha Mudaliyar, the
Prime Minister of the first Nayak of
The temple structure
The temple is a massive structure measuring 254 by 237
meters. The
temple is surrounded by 12 towers
the tallest
of which, the
famous Southern tower, rises to over 170 ft high [9].
Picture
Shrines
The
Shiva shrine lies at the centre of the complex, suggesting that the ritual
dominance of the goddess developed later. The Shiva shrine also consists of an unusual
sculpture of the Hindu god Nataraja. This famous Hindu marquee and a dancing form
of Shiva that normally has his left foot raised, has his right foot raised in this temple. According to the legend,
this is on the request of the Rajasekara Pandya king who asked the Lord to
change His position, as he felt that always keeping a single foot raised will
pose enormous stress on that, based on his personal experiments in dancing[10]. This massive Nataraja sculpture is enclosed in
a huge silver altar and hence called Velli Ambalam (Silver abode). Outside the Shrine, lies huge
scultptures carved of single stone and there is a shrine for a giant Ganesh
temple, called the Mukuruny
Vinayakar. This
idol is believed to have been found during an excavation process to dig the
temple lake
[9]. The
Meenkashi shrine is on the left of the Shiva shrine and is of scultpturally
less valuable than the Shiva shrine.
The lake Potramarai
Potramarai Kulam, the sacred pond measuring 165 ft *
120 ft [6], inside the temple is a very holy site for the devotees and people
go around the lake before entering the main shrine. The etymology for the word
means, the Pond with the Golden Lily and as the Lily that grows in it has a golden
color.
According to the legend, Lord Shiva promised to a stork that no fish or other
marine life would grow here and thus no marine animals are found in the lake
[11]. In the Tamil legends, the lake is supposed to be a judge for
judging a worth of a new literature. Thus, authors place their works here and the
poorly written works are supposed to sunk and the scholastic ones are supposed
to float[12] [6].
Thousand Pillar Hall
The Aiyaram Kaal Mandapam or thousand pillar hall is
of very high sculptural importance that contains 985 (instead of 1000)
magnificiently carved pillars and maintained by the Archaelogical Survey of
Festivals
The most important festival associated with the
temple is the Meenakshi Thirukalyanam (The divine marriage of Meenkashi) that
is celebrated in April every year. During that one month period, in which
most Tamilnadu temples celebrate their annual festivals, there are a number of
events including the Ther Thiruvizhah(Chariot
festival) and Theppa Thiruvizhah (Float festival) are celebrated. Apart from
this, major Hindu festivals like Navrathri, Shivrathri are celebrated in a
grand manner. Like most Shakti temples in Tamilnadu, the fridays
during the Tamil months of Aadi (July 15 - Aug 17) and Thai (Jan 15 to Feb 15) are popularly celebrated
with thousands of devotees thronging to the temple. A detailed description of
the festivals at this temple can be found here.
References
1. India heritage - Meenakshi temple,
2. The top 77 nominees.
3. Meenakshi temple a world wonder?.
4. South
5. Popular demand: Meenakshi temple in the race for
7 wonders.
6. a b c MAKING OF THE
MAGNIFICENT
7. "
8. a b Official temple
site.
9. a b Madurai.com - The
meenakshi temple.
10. Velliambalam.
11.
12. Sanga Thamizh.
External links
Official site
About.com article
Nice images portraying the temple architecture
Dravidian
Meenakshi Temple Photo Gallery
http://www.madurai.com/meena.htm
Indhistory page
http://www.webindia123.com/tourism/pilgrim/meena.htm
Meenakshi Amman Temple travel guide from Wikitravel
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Cross Reference
Dr.
S. Chidambarathanu Pillai. (1991) Siddha System of Life. (1/e)
Page 5
The Siddhas were those who had renounced the world after
experiencing its instability and uncertainity. They practised the eight kinds of
yogas and wrought great miracles, imbued with divine power. They were
super- or god-like men who
were one with God, realized the
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Cross Reference
Meenakshi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meenakshi
...
Meenakshi, according to Hindu mythology, is a deity;
a
Goddess who is related to two of the three Godheads - Vishnu and
Shiva. She is the
sister of Lord Vishnu,
and wife of Lord Shiva.
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Cross Reference
18 Flee
fornication. Every sin that
a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that
your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought
with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are
God's.
- 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 :: King James Version (KJV)
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Page 5-6
Big Hindu temples sprang up over their
samathis, and
are centres
of devout worship
even today. They form the most important temples in
Page 32
The rare findings of Siddhars are that they seldom
consider body has separate entity from the life. Sri Thirumoolar says that, “Physical body
is the
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Cross Reference
16 Know ye not that ye are the
17 If any man defile the
- 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 :: King James Version (KJV)
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According to Siddha Philosophy the people are
responsible for their death and life. If they cannot conquer their death, they can
atleast certainly postpone their death for centuries.
Page 86
THE BIRTH, AGE AND PLACE OF SAMADHI OF
EIGHTEEN SIDDHAS
No Name
of the Month Natchithram Kaal Age Decades Place
Siddhas of Birth (Stars) of Samathi
1 Nandeesar Vaikasi Visakam 4 680 3 Kailasam
2 Thirumoolar Kaarthigai Poosam 3 200 27 Chidambaram
3 Agasthiar Maarkali Aayilam 3 4 Yugam 48 Ananthasayanam
(Thiruvananthapuram)
4 Sattaimuni Aavani Maheram 3 800 14 Seerkazhi
(Thirunarangam)
5 Karuvoorar Chithirai Astham 2 300 42 Thanjavur
6 Pulasthiyar Aavani Anusham 4 660 8 Aavudaiyarkoil
(Papanasam)
7 Korakkar Kaarthigai Aayilam 2 80 11 Thirukonamalai
(Poigai Nallur)
8 Kamalamuni Vaikasi Poosam 2 4000 12 Thiruvarur
9 Paampatti Kaarthigai Maheram 3 163 4 Thirugnanam –
Thuvaragai
Maruthamalai
10 Edaikkadar Puratassi Thiruvathirai
2 100 18 Thiruvannamalai
(Arunai)
11 Sivavakkiar Thai Maham 2 81 20 Kumbakkonam
12 Konganar Chithirai Uthiradam 2 1200 11 Tirupathi
13 Bogar Vaikasi Parani 2 300 18 Pazhani
14 Machamuni Aadi Rohini 1 300 62 Thirupparankuntram
15 Punnakkeesar Vaikasi Chithirai 2 112 18 Changanacheri
(Nannavur)
16 Kalangi Chithirai Asuvathi 4 3000 10 Kancheepuram
(Kanjamalai)
17 Sundarar Aavani Revathi 3 800 28
(Sri Vallabha
Siddhar)
18 Theraiyar Pankuni Moolam 2 700 90 Pothigaimalai
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Cross Reference
Brunton, Paul. (1962) A Search in Secret
Page 280-281
“Therefore, I repeat that foreigners who for the sake
of hidden treasures,
or that exaggerated curiosity which often disguises itself as scientific
enquiry, seek to exploit
any ancient country where magic was much understood and practised, take grave risks. There are
secret tombs of the great Lamas at Lhassa, in
Page 281
“In ancient times,
“Let this warning go out through your pen. Now you
may understand why we have met. Even if it be scorned and ignored, my duty and
yours – if you
will accept it – shall have been done. Nature’s
laws do not pardon ignorance; but even that excuse shall have gone.”
Thus ended Ra-Mak-Hotep’s
message.
I
have faithfully transcribed it and have set it down here for what it is worth.
We met a few more times, the Adept and I, and then I
was called away to pursue my travels farther south. At each of our meetings he stored my
head with information about the tenets of the mysterious fraternity to which he
belonged. It
was during a reference to some experiences of mine in India,
where I had met a young Yogi who claimed that his Master was more than four
hundred years old,
that Ra-Mak-Hotep gravely announced the startling and incredible information
that some
Adepts who had lived and moved in ancient Egypt were still alive!
I shall not quickly forget the exclamations of
astonishment with which I greeted his statement.
The pith of his assertions was that there are Adepts
whose bodies lie in a comatose state in certain Egyptian tombs which have not
yet been discovered, and which, he claimed, would never be discovered by the ordinary archaeologist.
Page 281-282
“The tombs of these great Adepts are too
well-guarded and
will
never be found by your ‘diggers’,” he explained. “Those tombs are not tombs of the
dead, but of the living. They contain, not mummies, but the bodies of Adepts in
a unique state which the word ‘trance’ most nearly describes. You have
discovered in
Page 282-283
“Moreover, there is one vital difference between
them and those Hindu fakirs. The latter fall into a totally unconscious state during their burial, and remember
nothing until they awaken again – unless
they are Adepts, in which case they could never be persuaded to give a public
demonstration of their powers. The Egyptian Adepts, however, remain fully
conscious during their interment, and although their bodies are in coma, their
spirits are free and working. In India you visited the Sage Who Never Speaks, who lives near
Madras, and on the first occasion you found him in a profound trance, seemingly
as though dead. Yet you must know that his mind was very much alive, because
on your second visit he not only knew all about your first one, but mentioned
his objection to your having attempted to take his photograph then. Such a man
functions in the inner realms of being, or even on the physical realm by using
an etheric body.
The buried Egyptian Adepts are mentally in a similar condition while physically their
bodies are, of course, much more profoundly entranced. Their
spirits move and travel, their minds think in a condition of full consciousness
and they have the advantage of being aware of two worlds – the material and the
spirit worlds.
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Cross Reference
Meenakshi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meenakshi
...
Meenakshi, according to Hindu mythology, is a deity;
a
Goddess who is related to two of the three Godheads - Vishnu and
Shiva. She is the sister of Lord Vishnu,...
...
Like a fish, Minakshi
Devi's eyes are always open, watching over her
devotees.
Her
eyes are fabled to bring life to the unborn.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Page 283
“Their bodies are hidden in undiscoverable tombs,
which await the return of their spirits. One day the latter will re-animate
those comatose bodies, which will then step forth into the outer world again.
The process of re-animation will have to be performed by the right persons, who
possess the necessary knowledge. Part of the ritual of awakening will consist
in chanting certain secret ‘Words of Power’. It may seem curious to you, but
their bodies are apparently embalmed, for they lie swathed in linen and enclosed
in mummy coffins. There is, however, the vital difference that they have
never had their hearts cut out as was done with real mummies. All their vital
organs remain intact,
except that they have collapsed stomachs, due to the fact that no food has been
intaken since the beginning of their entrancement. Another difference is that the living
Adepts have had their faces and bodies entirely covered with a coating of wax. This coating was applied
after the state of entrancement had been induced.
Page 283-284
“Their tombs are well concealed, and their number
is extremely small
– naturally, for only highly advanced Adepts could enter this state and not all
Adepts are willing to do so. I do not like to use the word ‘trance’ in their case because it
gives a wrong impression, but I know no other word which can fitly be employed.
Their condition is quite different, for instance, from the trance of
spiritualist mediums and hypnotic subjects. There are really profound degrees of
trance which modern investigators have never traced. All such conditions which
they have contacted are superficial in comparison with the profound and unique
condition of the entombed Egyptian Adepts. In the repose of the latter
there
is really much activity; they are not really in trance states, as the world
understands that word.
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Reference
WordWeb 4.5 Dictionary
repose
Lean in a comfortable resting position
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Page 285
“There is one Adept who has been in his tomb since 260 B.C.; another
since more than 3000 B.C.; still another who has lain there for 10,000
years! They are all
working very actively in secret for the spiritual welfare of mankind. They know what is going on in the entire world, despite the fact that their bodies are interred. They are perfect men. By that I mean that their bodies cannot
be touched –
not even by any insect or parasite – such is the tremendous radiation of
their spiritual forces.
Moreover, they are in constant telepathic communication with certain
living Adepts of our time who themselves possess a functioning body. The spiritual
treasures preserved by those ancient Egyptian Adepts are handed over to these
living Adepts. When the time
comes to awaken them,
the ritual of arousal will have to be performed by one of the latter.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cross Reference
Meenakshi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meenakshi
...
Meenakshi, according to Hindu mythology, is a deity;
a
Goddess who is related to two of the three Godheads - Vishnu and
Shiva. She is the sister of Lord Vishnu,...
...
Like a fish, Minakshi
Devi's eyes are always open, watching over her
devotees.
Her
eyes are fabled to bring life to the unborn.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Page 282
¹ In my account of
the Indian Yogis, A Search in Secret
India,
a reference to one of these fakirs appears on page 93. It may be of interest to
supplement that reference with the following further details, which I have
taken from Sir Claude Wade’s official account.
The fakir was buried alive in a box
which was placed in a cell three feet below the floor and with a guard
comprising two companies of soldiers. Four sentries were furnished and relieved
every two hours, night and day to guard the building from intrusion.
“On opening the box,” wrote Sir
Claude, “we saw the figure enclosed in a bag of white linen fastened by a
string over the head. The servant began pouring warm water over the figure – the legs and
arms of the body were shrivelled and stiff, the face full, the head reclining
on the shoulder like that of a corpse. I then called to the medical
gentleman who was attending me to come down and inspect the body, which he did,
but could discover no pulsation in the heart, temples or arm. There was, however, a heat about the region of the
brain which existed in no other part of the body. The process of resuscitation
including bathing with hot water, friction, the removal of wax and cotton
pledgets from the nostrils and ears, the rubbing of the eyelids with clarified
butter, and, what will appear most curious to many, the
application of a hot wheaten cake about an inch thick to the top of the head. After the
cake had been applied for the third time, the body was violently convulsed, the
nostrils became inflated, the respiration ensued, and the limbs assumed a
natural fullness, but the pulsation was still faintly perceptible. The tongue
was then annointed with clarified butter, the eyeballs became dilated and
recovered their natural colour, and the fakir recognized those present and
spoke.”
I remember a very old Indian, who had
witnessed a case of burying a Yogi alive for twenty-seven days. He told me
that when the man had been disinterred and resuscitated, the air rushed
into his lungs with a whistling noise, like that of a steam-whistle.
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Cross Reference
Brunton, Paul. (1991) A Search in Secret
Chapter VI The
Yoga Which Conquers Death
...
Page 93
Does it not recall to memory the idle
dreams of our European
alchemists of medieval times, dreamers who sought an elixir of life, but who
succumbed to the sickle of death one by one? But if Brama is not self-deceived, why should he
seek to deceive me.
He
has not sought my company
and he
makes no effort to acquire disciples.
A strange fear touches my brain. What if he is
merely mad? No – he seems so
sensible and rational in other matters. Would it not be better to regard him as mistaken?
Yet something in me doubts even that conclusion. I am bewildered.
“Can I not convince you?” He speaks again. “Have you
not heard the story of the faqueer who was buried by Ranjeet Singh in a vault at
A pregnant silence follows our conversation.
¹ I have since verified this reference
and find that the actual episode occurred in 1837 at
Page 93-94
“There exist other strange powers which can be
acquired by the way of our Yoga, but who, in these degenerate days, will pay the heavy price
to obtain them?”
Page 94
There is another pause.
“We who live and work in the everyday world have
sufficient to do without seeking such powers,” I venture, in defence of my epoch.
“Yes,” agrees Brama, “this path of Body Control is only for the
few. Therefore the
teachers of our science have kept it a silent secret through the centuries. It is not
often that they seek after pupils; pupils must seek after them.”
The next time we meet, Brama visits my quarters. It
is evening and we soon adjourn for dinner. After the meal and a short rest, we
go out on the moonlit veranda where I plant myself in a deck chair, while the Yogi finds
a mat on the floor more comfortable.
For several minutes we silently enjoy the bright
radiance of the full moon.
As I have not forgotten the astonishing events of
our last meeting, it is not long before I broach anew this incredible matter of
men
who snap their fingers at death.
“Why not?” Brama asks his favourite
question. “There is an
adept in our Yoga of Body Control who is hidden among the Neilgherry Hills, here in the South. He
never stirs from his retreat. In the North, there lives another whose home is a
cave upon the snowy
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Cross Reference
The Nilgiris District
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nilgiris_District
The Nilgiris District
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Nilgiris District is in the Indian state of
Tamil Nadu. The Nilgiri (Tamil : நீலகிரி) or Blue Mountains are also the name given to
a range of mountains panning across the states of Tamilnadu and Kerala and are part of a
larger mountain chain known as the Western Ghats. The highest point is the
Contents
1
2 Tribes
3 Ecoregions
4 History
5 Transport
6 See also
7 External links
Main features
Tea is grown at elevations of 1,000 to above 2,500
metres. The area also produces eucalyptus oil and temperate zone vegetables. Parts of many
Indian movies are filmed in the Nilgiris.
The altitude of the Nilgiris results in a much
cooler wetter climate than the surrounding plains, and so the area is popular
as a retreat from the summer heat. The rolling hills of the Downs look very
similar to the Downs in
The principal town of the area is
Ootacamund, or Udagamandalam. In the town there are many buildings which look very
"British", in particular the Churches. There is even a road junction
known as
The other main towns in the Nilgiris
are Coonoor, Kotagiri, Gudalur and Aruvankadu. The famous tourist spot in Coonoor are
Lamesrock and Sims park. In Sims park,
every year they conducting "Fruit Show" function during summer
season. All the varieties of fruit are shown during that time. This park is
situated on the way of Kotagiri.
Tribes
Picture
Hut of Toda tribe in the Nilgiris
There are several tribes living in the Nilgiris,
whose origins are uncertain. The best known of these are the Toda people, whose
culture is based upon cattle, and whose red, black and white embroidered
shawls, and silver jewelry is much sought after.
There is a railway running from
Mettupalayam to Udhagamandalam via Coonoor, which is a great tourist attraction. It was used
in the film A Passage to
Ecoregions
Two ecoregions cover portions of the
Nilgiris. The
The
Much of the native forest has been cleared for
grazing cattle, or for plantations of tea, Eucalyptus and Acacia. Two national
parks protect portions of the Nilgiris. Mudumalai National Park lies in the northern part
of the range
where Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu meet, and covers an area of 321 km². Mukurthi
National Park
lies in the southwest of the range, in Kerala, and covers an area of 78.5 km², which includes intact shola-grassland
mosaic, habitat for the Nilgiri tahr. The entire range, together with portions of the
Western Ghats to the northwest and southwest, was included in the Nilgiri
Biosphere Reserve in 1986,
The region has given its name to a number of
bird species,
including the Nilgiri Pipit, Nilgiri Woodpigeon and Nilgiri Blackbird.
History
The Nilgiri hills have a history
going back a good many centuries. It is not known why they were called the
It was originally tribal land and was occupied by the
Todas around what is now the Ooty area and the Kotas around what is now the
Kotagiri area. The Badagas appeared here much later from the Mysore Plateau,
the unconfirmed date being 1550. Although the Nilgiri hills are mentioned in the
Ramayana of Valmiki
(estimated by Western scholars to have been recorded in the second century
B.C.E.), they remained all but undiscovered by Europeans until 1602. This was when
the first European set foot into the jungles. A Portuguese priest going by the
name of Ferreiri resolved to explore the hills and succeeded. He came upon a community of
people calling themselves the "Toda." This priest seems to have
been the
only European to have explored this area. The Europeans in
It was only around the beginning of the 1800s
that the English unsuccessfully considered surveying this area. Around
1810 or so the East India Company deceided to delve into the jungles here.
An Englishman Francis Buchanan made a failed expedition. John Sullivan who was then
the Collector of Coimbatore, just south of the Nilgiris, sent two surveyors to
make a comprehensive study of the hills. They went as far as the
lower level of Ooty,
but failed
to see the complete valley. The two men were Keys and Macmohan (their first names seem to be
lost to the annals of history)and their mission was
significant because they were the first Englishmen to set foot in the Nilgiri hills
which soon led to the complete opening up of the area.
The original discovery however,is
attributed to J.C.Whish and N.W.Kindersley, working for the
The first European resident of the hills was John
Sullivan, the Collector of
By the end of the 19th century, the
Nilgiri hills were completely accessible with the laying of roads and the
railway line.
Transport
The Nilgiri Ghat Roads link the district with the
nearest cities in Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
The
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“You really believe this?” I exclaim in deferential
doubt.
“Without a doubt! Have I not the visible
example of my own master?”
A question which has been on my mind for many days, presses itself to the fore again. Hitherto I
have hesitated in voicing it, but now that our friendship has come so close I decide to
give the query a bold outlet. I look earnestly at the Yogi and ask him:
“Brama, who is your master?”
For a while he returns my gaze, but yields no
answer. He looks at me hesitatingly.
Page 95
When he speaks, his voice is slow and grave:
“He is known to his Southern disciples as Yerumbu
Swami, meaning The Ant Teacher.”
“What a curious name!” I exclaim involuntarily.
“My master always carries a bag of rice powder from
which he feeds the ants wherever he may be. But in the North and among the Himalayan villages
where he sometimes stays, he bears another name.”
“Is he, then, perfect in your Yoga of Body Control?”
“Even so.”
“And you believe that he has lived ____?”
“I believe that he is over four hundred years old!” Brama quietly finishes the
sentence for me.
There is a tense pause.
I stare at him in bewilderment.
“Many a time he has described to me what happened
during the reigns of the Moghul Emperors,” supplements the Yogi. “And he has told me stories
of the days when your English India Company first came to
Sceptical Western ears are unable to
accept these statements.
“But any child who has read a history book
could tell you such things,” I counter.
Brama ignores my remark. He goes on:
“My master remembers clearly the first battle of
Panipat¹ and he has not forgotten the days of the battle of Plassey². I
recollect how he once referred to a brother disciple, one Beshudananda, as a mere child
of eighty years!”
In the clear moonlight I notice that Brama’s swarthy,
broad-nosed countenance
remains
peculiarly unmoved while he utters these strange words. How can my brain, nurtured in the strict methods of inquiry which
modern science has called forth, entertain
such assertions? After all, Brama is a Hindu
and must possess some of the legend-swallowing
ability of his people. It
is useless to contend with him: I shall remain silent.
¹ In 1526, the invading
army of Baber, a descendant of the ruthless Tamerlane, and the forces of the
King of
² This famous battle, which opened the
British path to power in
Page 95-96
The Yogi continues:
“For more than eleven years my master was spiritual
adviser to one of the old Maharajahs of
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Cross Reference
19 Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost:
- Matthew 28:19
:: King James Version (KJV)
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Page 96
“How is it possible for a man to live so long?” My
thoughts involuntarily voice themselves again.
Brama looks away, seems to forget my presence.
“There are three ways in which this is possible. The
first is to practise all the postures, all the breathing exercises and all the secret
exercises which
comprise our system of Body Control. This practice must take place until
one is perfect,
which
can be done only under a proper master who can show you in his own body what he
teaches. The
second way is to partake regularly of some rare herbs which are known only to
the adepts who have studied this matter. These adepts carry the herbs secretly,
or hide them in their robes when travelling. When time arrives for the final
disappearance of such an adept, he selects a worthy disciple, makes the secret known to him,
and presents him with the herbs. To none else are they given. The third way is not easy
to explain.” Brama stops abruptly.
“Will you not try?” I urge.
“It is possible that you will laugh at my words.”
I assure him that, on the contrary, I shall treat
his explanation with due respect.
Page 96-97
“Very well. There exists a tiny hole inside the brain of man.¹ Within this hole dwells the soul. There is also a kind of valve which protects
this hole. At
the bottom of the spine there comes into being the unseeable life-current which I have
mentioned to you more than once. The constant loss of this current causes the body
to grow old, but its control fills the flesh with new life and perpetuates it.
When a man has conquered himself, he can begin to get this control by certain
practices which
are known only to advanced Yogis of our school. And when he
can withdraw this life-current up his spine, he may then try to concentrate it
into the hole in the brain. But, unless he finds a master who will assist him to open the
protecting valve, he cannot succeed. If he finds a master who is willing to do
this, then the unseeable current will enter the hole and turn into the Nectar of
Longevity, as
we name it. It is no easy task, for ruin waits in ambush for the man who
attempts it alone.
But the
man who succeeds can induce a condition similar to death whenever he pleases, and so obtains the
victor’s power when real death seeks him out. In fact, he
can choose the exact moment of his death at any time, and to the
severest examination he will appear to
have died naturally. One who has all these three
methods at his command can live for many hundred years. So have I been
taught. Even when he dies, the worms will refrain from
attacking his body. A century later his flesh will still be free from decay.”
¹ It is possible that Brama refers to
the cavity caused by the four inter-communicating ventricles of the brain, but
I am not sure.
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Cross Reference
Bhishma
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhishma
Bhishma
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bhishma (Sanskrit: भीष्म, bhīshma) born as Devavrata (देवव्रत, dévavrata), is one of the
major characters of the Mahabharata.
Contents
1 Early life
2 Bhishma's vow
3 In the Mahabharata War
4 External links
Early life
Bhishma was the eldest son of Shantanu by his first
wife
Bhishma's vow
'Bhishma' means 'He of the
terrible oath',
referring to his vow of life-long celibacy. Devavrata became known as Bhishma because he took
the bhishan
pratigya — the
vow of life-long celibacy and of service to whoever sat on the throne of his
father (the throne of Hastinapura). This was because when his father Shantanu
wanted to marry a fisherwoman Satyavati, her father refused, saying that his
daughter's children would never be rulers because Shantanu already had a son (i,e., Devavrata). This made Shantanu despondent. To placate
Satyavati's father, Devavrata promised that he would never stake a claim to the
throne, implying that the child born of Shantanu and Satyavati would become the
ruler after Shantanu. At this, Satyavati's father retorted that even if
Devavrata gave up his claim to the throne, it was still possible that his (Devavrata's)
children would claim the throne. At this, Devavrata, to make his father happy,
took the terrible vow, thus sacrificing his crown-prince title, and denying himself the pleasures of intercourse. This gave him
immediate recognition among the gods. His father granted him the boon of Ichcha Mrityu (control over his own death — he could choose the
time of his death,
but not, as may be suggested, one of immortality).
Bhishma was a great archer and a
warrior of peerless valour and courage. In the process of finding a bride for the young
king Vichitravirya for whom he was the regent, Bhishma challenged the assembled suitors at
the swayamvara
of the Kashi princesses Amba, Ambika and Ambalika and defeated all
of them. Unknown to Bhishma,
Salya, the ruler of Saubala is in love with Amba the
eldest princess who reciprocates his feelings. While on the way to Hastinapura with
the princesses, Bhishma is confronted by Salya who challenges him to a battle for the hand
of Amba in marriage. After a hard fight, Salya is vanquished and admits defeat. Upon reaching
Hastinapura Amba confides in Bhishma that she wished to wed Salya and no other. When Bhishma
sends her to Salya, the vanquished ruler turns her down in shame of
losing the combat. Upon being turned down by Vichitravirya too, as a maiden
who had loved another man, Amba is incensed at Bhishma, whose
interference she perceives as the root cause of her troubles. She performs
penance to Shiva, and obtains the boon to one day be instrumental in Bhishma's death. Amba would be
born as a Panchala princess in the house of King Drupada, who as a consequence
of another boon would be transformed into Shikhandi and be the root cause of Bhishma's
death.
In the Mahabharata War
He is the one who witnessed the
Mahabharata completely from the beginning since the rule of the Shantanu.
In the great battle at Kurukshetra, Bhishma, bound by his
oath to serve the ruler of Hastinapura, fought very reluctantly on the side of the
Kauravas;
nevertheless, he gave it his best effort. At one stage, his impeccable military prowess, combined with Arjuna's
disinclination to fight him, almost made Lord Krishna break His vow of not actually fighting in the
war.
Bhishma was finally grievously wounded on the tenth
day of the battle
by Arjuna, who hid behind another warrior Shikhandi, and rained arrows
on the grandsire.
Bhishma
knew that Shikhandi was born a woman and to strike a woman
he deemed unworthy of the chivalrous. Thus, the warrior did not resist but merely remarked to
Dushasana, "These are Arjuna's arrows, they cannot be Shikhandi's
because they tear my flesh as a crab's young ones tear their mother's body." Of all of
Duryodhana's commander-in-chiefs, Bhishma had held off the inevitable defeat the longest. He was the
supreme commander of the Kaurava forces for ten days compared to
Drona's five, Karna's two and Salya on the
final day. Bhishma fell,
his entire body a pincushion of Arjuna's arrows. After that Drona become the commannder in
chief of kaurav army. After his demise Karna replaced him. Soon after this, Karna, who in the face of
Bhishma's criticism had sworn his vow to keep out of the Kurukshetra till
the withdrawal of Bhishma, approached the grandsire to seek his
blessing.
Bhishma reveals to Karna that he always knew the truth of the latter's parentage and implored him to
persuade Duryodhana (at this point he also told Karna that he had not
allowed to fight him under his command as he did not wanted the real brothers
to fight with each other)to end the carnage that had already resulted in such
great slaughter. Upon Karna's refusal and insistence to remain true to Duryodhana, he
nevertheless received the grandsire's blessing. He lay on the 'bed of arrows' till the
end of the battle, and chose
to die only after learning that the Pandavas had won, as he was now
assured that the throne of Hastinapura was in safe hands. In his last days before he ascended to heaven, he
recited to Yudhisthira the famous hymn to Vishnu, the Vishnu sahasranama.
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Cross Reference
Steven Lee Myers. (Tuesday,
October 1, 2002)
A Russian Lama's Body, and His Faith, Defy Time.
http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/Russian%20lama.htm
October 1, 2002
IVOLGINSK JOURNAL
A Russian Lama's Body, and His Faith, Defy Time
By STEVEN LEE MYERS
Picture
James Hill for The New York
Times
A young Buddhist monk at the
Involginsk Monastery in Buryatia.
Picture
The New York Times
To Buddhists in
VOLGINSK,
The story begins in 1927, when a spiritual leader of
The years that followed were difficult for all
faiths in
After World War II, Stalin relented
somewhat and allowed the
Buddhists to rebuild their monastery outside Ivolginsk, along a low,
desolate valley 22 miles from Buryatia's capital, Ulan-Ude. But religious practice
remained tightly restricted.
When the 30 years had passed — it might have been
28; the details are murky — Itigilov's followers did what he had asked, exhuming
his remains from a cemetery in Khukhe-Zurkhen. What they found, as the story goes, was Itigilov's
body, still in the lotus position, still perfectly intact, having
defied nature's imperative to decay.
Stalin was dead, but Soviet power
remained absolute,
and so the Buddhists reburied Itigilov — and the secret — in an unmarked
grave, packing his wooden coffin with salt. (That may be important, or not.) "Nobody
could talk about it then," said the current Pandito Hambo Lama, the 25th, Damba Ayusheyev. "To bring
him back to the temple — it was forbidden, impossible. So he was put
back."
Unlike supreme Tibetan lamas, who are
considered reincarnations of previous lamas and are enthroned for life, Pandito
Hambo Lamas are elected by other lamas, serve relatively short terms and are
free to step down.
The story might have ended with the reburial had not
a
young lama, Bimba Dorzhiyev, turned his curiosity for history into a quest to
resolve the mystery of Itigilov. He found an 88-year-old believer, Amgalan
Dabayev, whose father-in-law had been there when the coffin had been opened and
who himself had seen Itigilov. He led them to the grave.
On Sept. 11, 75 years after Itigilov's death, the body was once again
lifted from the earth. This time there was a record of the event: a dozen witnesses,
including two forensic experts and a photographer. The lamas who
opened the coffin wore surgical masks, but they need not have. Itigilov's
body remained preserved.
The current Hambo Lama ordered the
body brought to Ivolginsk, where it was greeted with fanfare, ringing bells and lulling chants. He ordered the
body placed on the second floor of one of the monastery's four temples, where it
remains today, secreted behind heavy curtains and locked doors. The
monastery's 150 students keep a vigil on the first floor, praying around the
clock, though only
the lamas may see the body.
"To me it is the greatest miracle in
life," said Hambo Lama Ayusheyev, the spiritual leader since 1995. "It turns
out there are things on
which time has no power."
The 12th Hambo Lama was born in 1852 in Czarist
Most of
In the years since the Soviet collapse, Buryatia has
remained a republic of the
The Ivolginsk monastery is
In Moscow, Vladislav L. Kozeltsev, an expert at
the Center for Biomedical Technologies, the institute that keeps the body of Lenin — who died in 1924 — in state on Red
Square, said the salt in
the coffin might have slowed the decay but could not alone explain the
preservation of the lama's body. Other factors may include the soil and the
condition of the coffin.
More likely, Mr. Kozeltsev said, Itigilov suffered from a defect in the
gene that hastens the decomposition of the body's cellular structure after
death. He
added, "You cannot rule out some secret process of
embalming."
Hambo Lama Ayusheyev says the body was
preserved because Itigilov achieved a heightened state of existence through
meditation known as shunyata, or emptiness. He acknowledged that there
would be skepticism. When greeted with it, he relented on his own order and led
a visitor into the temple, up a flight of narrow wooden stairs, past a locked door and into the darkened chamber where Itigilov sits atop a simple table, surrounded by candles and metal bowls
holding oils.
The lamas have dressed his body in a
golden robe, with a blue sash laid across his lap. His eyes are closed, his features
blurred, though the shape of his face and his nose certainly resemble the 1913
photograph. His hands remain flexible, his nails perfectly trimmed. His skin
is leathery but soft. His head is still covered in short-trimmed hair.
"Many people don't see what's obvious,"
Hambo Lama Ayusheyev said. "Many people won't understand even if they
see him."
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Page 97
I thank Brama for his explanation, but I wonder. I am
profoundly interested, but I am not convinced. Anatomy does not know this current of
which he talks, and it has certainly never known his Nectar. Are these stories of
physiological marvels mere superstitious misunderstandings? With them one
returns to the age of fable, the ancient days of long-lived wizards and
magicians who hold the elixir of life. Yet the demonstrations of breath and blood control
which Brama has given me provide some assurance that Yogic powers are not mere chimeras,
that these powers can undoubtedly be responsible for the performance of feats
which must appear fabulous to the uninitiated. Beyond
this point I find it difficult to walk with him.¹
I
remain respectfully silent, careful not
to allow my intellectual struggles
betray themselves on my face.
“Such powers as these would be much desired by men
who are nearing the grave,”
Brama resumes, “but forget not that the way to them is full of danger. Can you wonder that our
masters say of these exercises: ‘Keep them as secret as you would keep
a box of diamonds.’”
“So
you are unlikely to reveal them to me?”
“Those who wish to become adepts should first learn
to walk before they try to run?” he replies, with a faint smile.
“A last question, Brama.”
The Yogi nods.
“Where is your master now living?”
“He has entered a temple retreat in the
mountains of
¹ The entire conversation, with its
amazing statements and cool assertions, now seems like a fantastic
dream. My attempt to transfer it to paper is a task which, more
than once, makes me contemplate omitting it completely from this book as I have
perforce to omit many other conversations. I do not doubt but that it
will cause many superior European lips to curl in contempt of Asiatic
superstition. If I finally let it pass into publication, it is at the
bidding of other judgments than mine.
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Cross Reference
Madhesh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhesh
Madhesh
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Picture
A Madheshi woman from eastern Madhesh
Madhesh (ne:मधेश), also known as Terai or Tarai, is the flat
southern region of
The Madhesh is a 20 to 30 km wide broad belt of flat
and fertile land
stretching from east to west of Nepal. Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar
and
Contrary to the frequent image of
The eastern part of Madhesh was a part of the ancient
kingdon Mithila
with Janakpur as its capital.
Contents
1 Origin of Word Madhesh and Variants
2 Geography
3 Climate
4 People
5 Politics
6 Economy
7 Tourism
8 Important Localities
9 See Also
10 External links
Origin of Word Madhesh and Variants
Terai is used to refer to all the Indo-Gangetic
Plain region of northern
In
There are a number of dialectical forms and Western
spellings in use which refer to the population of the Madhesh: Madheshi,
Madhesi, Madesi, Mahadhesi.
Geography
Madhesh goes along the northern edge of the Gangetic
plain. The Gangetic plain goes far into
The Terai of
The Terai makes up 17% of the area in
Climate
The Terai has a subtropical climate and it can often
be humid. The best weather is from November to
February, when day temperatures are from the mid 20º to the high 20º and it is cool,
sometimes cold at night.
It very seldom rains at this time.
From late April to the beginning of September the
weather is mild,
often going over 40ºC. The monsoon goes from mid-June to mid-September, and this not a
good time to visit.
Most areas in the Terai get over 1500mm of rain in a year.
People
Picture
Janaki Mandir of Janakpur, Nepal, is an icon of
Madhesh.
The people in the region are mostly Indo-Aryan,
whose culture background and ethnicity can be traced with the people
in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in
The people in Madhesh traditionally wear Dhoti and Kurta. The main
religion is Hinduism.
Politics
In January of 2007 there were protests by the
population in the Madhesh region demanding greater autonomy within
In response, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula
stated that additional electoral constituencies would be added for elections to
be held before June 2007, and that "in principle we have agreed to
establish a federal state of government but the new constitution to be formed
by the constituent assembly will decide on the structure"[1].
Economy
Economically Madhesh is the most
productive region of
Agriculture is the main economic stake
of the region. Main crops are paddy, wheat, pulses, moong, sugarcane, jute,
tobacco, and maize. Many agro-based industries like jute factories,
sugar mills, rice mills and tobacco factories are established throughout the
region.
Tourism
The main places to visit in Madhesh are
The main east–west road through
Important Localities
Biratnagar
Rajbiraj
Janakpur
Birganj
Siddhartanagar
Lumbini
Nepalgunj
Mahendranagar
Butwal
Mechinagar
Lahan
Dhangadhi
Dharan
Ithahari
See Also
Geography of
Janaki Mandir
External links
Terai pictures at Flickr.com
Butwal Today, a daily newspaper from Madhesh
News, Discussions and Library of Madhesh
Government of
BBC Nepali Service
Kantipur Online
Conference on Tarai
Association of Nepali Teraian in
Nepalgunj Business and Information Portal
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Page 98
“Is he likely to return to the plains again?”
“Who can foretell his movements? He may remain
in
Brama reverts to silence. I guess that he is
dwelling in devoted thought upon this enigmatic figure of his master. Ah! if these things I have heard to-night are more real than
legendary, then, indeed,
one may catch a glimpse of what is around the corner – Man, Ageless
and Immortal!
Page 115
Chapter VII The
Sage Who Never Speaks
...
When we emerge from the compound, Brama, the Adyar
anchorite, turns to me and says, in a quiet voice:
“This Yogi has reached a high state, although not
the final goal. He possesses occult gifts, but is keener to perfect his
spirituality. His fine
bodily condition I attribute to his long practice of the Yoga of Body Control, though I now
observe that he has advanced into the art of Mind Control. I knew him before.”
“When?”
“I discovered him some years ago near here, when he
lived in the open field without a cottage. I recognized him for what he was – a
practising Yogi following my path. I shall also tell you that he informed me –
through writing, of course – that in early life he was a Sepoy in the army.
After his period of service came to an end, he wearied of this worldly life and
embraced solitude.
It was then that he met the renowned faqueer Marakayar and became his
disciple.”
We proceed in silence across the fields and then
rejoin the dusty road. I do not mention to anyone the unexpected
and inexplicable experience which came to me in the cottage. I want to muse over it while
its echoes are yet sounding fresh within me.
Page 115-116
I never see the Sage again. He does not
wish me to intrude upon his secluded life and I must respect his wish. I leave him to
his lonely meditations, wrapped in his mantle of impenetrability. He has no
desire to found a school or collect a following, and his ambitions seem to
stretch no farther than passing unobtrusively through life. He has nothing
to add to what he has already said to me. He does not make an art of conversation for its own
sake, as we do in the West.
Page 197
Chapter XI The
Wonder-Worker of
...
He tells me his birthplace was in
A Yogi sat on the banks of the river and watched the
proceedings. He got up and predicted that the boy was reserved to live and
achieve greatness, and that his destiny was most fortunate, inasmuch as
he would become a famous Yogi. The man then rubbed some herbs on the poisoned wound and went
away. Seven days later he returned and told the parents that the boy was now
quite cured, and indeed it was so. But, during the interim a strange thing had
happened to the child. His entire mentality and character had changed, and instead of
being content to remain at home with his parents, he thirsted to become a
wandering Yogi.
Henceforth he worried his mother constantly until, a few years later, she
granted him permission to leave home. He went forth in quest of the Yoga
adepts.
Page 197-198
He made his way to
Page 198
Years passed uneventfully, yet his desire found no
abatement. Once more he crossed the border and wandered the bleak
wastes of
I hear, next, one of those incredible statements which might
once have moved me to satiric laughter, but now actually startles me. For I am solemnly assured that this Tibetan
master is no less than one thousand two hundred years old! The assertion is
made as calmly as a prosaic Westerner might mention that he is forty.
This amazing legend of longevity has cropped has cropped up
at least twice before. Brama, the Yogi of the Adyar river, once told me that his master in
Nepal was over four hundred years old, while a holy man whom I encountered in Western
India said that there was a Yogi living in an almost inaccessible
mountain cave on the Himalayas who was so old – over one thousand years, was the figure given me – that the lids
of his eyes actually drooped heavily with age! I had dismissed both these assertions as
being too fantastic,
but now
I must again entertain a repetition of them, for this man before me hints at being on
the track of the elixir of life.
The Tibetan teacher initiated young Vishudhananda
into the principles and practices of the Yoga of Body Control. Under this
rigorous training, the disciple developed powers of the body and mind which were supernormal. He was also initiated into
a strange art
which he calls
Solar Science. For twelve years, despite the hardships of life in a snow-bound region, he continued his pupilage at the feet of
the Tibetan possessor of immortal life. His training finished, he was sent back to
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Cross Reference
V M Kulkarni. (1931) Naturopathy: The Art of Drugless Healing.
Page 260-261
The Natural mode of living not only confers immunity
from disease but also ensures a long and a healthy life. The lion known as the
king of beasts and the tiger, match to the lion in strength, feed on raw
flesh; but they live about 25
years only;
while some African apes such as chempanzies and gorillas who feed on raw fruits
and nuts are more than a match for the lion and the tiger in strength and
stratagem; further they live for more than 200 years; they also possess strength enough to easily bend
and break to pieces the heaviest of the guns of the lion and ape-hunters. Men
who lead a natural life and subsist on fruits, nuts and vegetables lead a hearty and healthy
life and live more than a century. Democritus and Hippocrates the Greek
naturalists lived one hundred and nine years of a happy and joyous life without
any illness. The Sweedish veteran Mittelsted who during his military career of
67 years had fought in 17 battles and who led mostly a natural life lived 112
years without any illness. Effingham, our English soldier who subsisted mostly
on milk,
fruits and nuts
died at the ripe age of 144 years. Thomas Parr lived 152 years; he used to subsist on
milk and fruits
and was always in good health. King Charles heard of him, sent for him, and in order to do
him honour had a splendid repast set before him. This caused his death for the
post mortem examination showed that it was due to disturbed digestion while both of his internal
and external organs were in good condition.
The Norwegian Drakenberg died at the age of 146.
Joseph Surringtion died at the age of 150. The Hungarian Bowin died in 1750 at
the ripe age of 172. Another authentic instance may be mentioned of a Russian
veteran who was born in 1623 and died in 1825 aged 202. (Herald
of Health Aug. 1920).
In the records of St. Leonard’s Church, London, there
may be seen an entry of a birth and death which one might be tempted to doubt
if it were not invested with full official authority, that of Thomas Carn born
January 25, 1588 and died 1795 aged 207 years; he saw 12 sovereigns occupying
the British throne.
People of one hundred years of age and
upwards are by no means rare in the rural population of the
Page 262
Ivan Kusmin a peasant aged 138 years was admitted
into the Obuchow hospital in
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Published on internet: Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Revised: Thursday, February 08, 2007
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“Thou
belongest to That Which Is Undying, and not
merely to time alone,”
murmured the Sphinx, breaking its muteness at last. “Thou art eternal, and not merely of the vanishing flesh. The soul in man cannot be
killed, cannot die. It waits, shroud-wrapped, in thy heart, as I waited, sand-wrapped, in thy world. Know thyself,
O mortal! For there is One within thee, as in all men, that comes and stands at
the bar and bears
witness that there IS a God!”
(Reference: Brunton, Paul. (1962) A Search in Secret
Amen