Friday 31 May 2013

What the Brahman is Like

You may tend to think, "I know well what the Brahman is like". But if that is the case, you have merely got to know the minutest forms of the Brahman that pervade physical bodies and the celestial sphere. You still have to meditate on what the Brahman is like.

I do not think that I have got to know the nature of the brahman well. I do not think that I know the brahman. But nor do I think that I do not know the brahman. He who realises the significance of the statement, "I know and I do not know". he alone is the one who has got to know the Brahman.

"Upanishad"

Thursday 30 May 2013

Happiness

The atman which is in knowledge unites with the atman which is in the mind . But apart from this, a part of the atman is in happiness. The atman which is in happiness merge with the atman which is in knowledge. The atman which is in happiness also has the form of a bird. happiness from seeing objects of desire is the head, happiness from obtaining objects of desire is the right wing, happiness from savouring objects of desire is the left wing, and ordinary happiness is the centre of the body. happiness from uniting with the brahman is the tail.

"Upanishads"


 

Tuesday 28 May 2013

The Brahman is the Creator

There are those who find the origin of the universe in material causes. There are those who trace the origin of the universe to time. But the Brahman is the creator. The Brahman's wheel goes round and round. He pervades everything and sees all that there is to see. He is the wise one who is the creator of time. He is the pure one. It is form him that the forms of the earth, the water, the fire, the wind and the sky originate. It is on these aspects that the wise ones meditate.
"Upanishads"
Beautiful carving

Monday 27 May 2013

Brahmanas Present

There will be Brahmanas present who will be pure, wise, learned, righteous and free from desire. One should always perform acts and rites that are recommended by such Brahmanas. If there is doubt about the acts or rites performed by others, one should resort for advice to Brahmanas who are pur, wise, learned, righteous and free from desire. That is what is recommended. That is the advice given. That is what the Vedas say. That is the will of the gods.All rites must be performed in accordance with this dictum.

"Upanishads"
Dancing Gopies

Sunday 26 May 2013

The Brahman is Supreme

The Brahman goes everywhere. he is present in heaven as the sun . He establishes everyone and is present in the atmosphere as Vayu. he is present on earth as Agni. He is the soma juice (a drink) in pots. The Brahman is present in men, in gods and in the sky. He is established in all that is true. He is in the water in the conch-shells and in the rivers that flow down from the mountains. He is present in rocks and in sacrifices. the Brahman is everywhere, and yet, he is present only in his own pure form. The Brahman is Supreme.


"Upanishads"
 
Shani temple

Friday 24 May 2013

Only Brahman

The universe is immersed in the Brahman. Pure is his radiance. The Brahman is the sole refuge of learned ones. Those who worship such learned ones, do not have to be born again.

Material objects have different qualities. Those who desire the qualities of material objects, are born in the material world. They are immersed in desire.

But those who have merged into the Brahman, overcome all desire. In this life itself, such learned ones triumph over desire.

The Brahman cannot be realised by reading the sacred texts. the Brahman cannot be realised through thingking or hearing. He who worships the brahman, realises him, The brahman is the only object that such a person desire.

"Upanishads"
Ganesha Dancing at Boat

Thursday 23 May 2013

Breath of Life

The breath of life is itself untouched by good deeds or evil ones. It is through the breath of life that the other senses are nurtured. the sages Angira, Brihaspati, Ayasya and Vaka worshipped the breath of life as a chorister. it was for this reason that these sages came to be revered by all the other sages who lived in the natmisha forest. he who knows the qualities of the breath of life, obtains all the objects of his desire.

Savita is the sun-god and he must be worshipped as s chorister. he is the one who banishes fear and darkness. Savita is identical with the breath of life. both bring warmth. Speech symbolize the mantras of the Rig Veda and sama hymns are identical with the mantras of the Rig Veda.

"Upanishads"

Gopis Playing with Instruments


Wednesday 22 May 2013

Knowledge Provides Salvation

The Brahman alone is an object of desire. men perform sacrifices and offer oblations, but the fruits accrue to the gods. Men study the Vedas, but the fruits accrue to the sages. Men give alms and have sons, but the fruits accrue to the ancestors. Men offer refuge to other men, but the fruits accrue to those other men. Men offer fodder and water to animals, but the fruits accrue to the animals. Ants and birds and other beings find food in the house of a householder. But none of the fruit accrues to the householder. The god design it so that men are distracted by these actions and are diverted from the path of true knowledge. The gods do not desire men to know about the nature of the Brahman. It is this knowledge that provides salvation.


"Upanishads"
Florida Temple

Tuesday 21 May 2013

Brahman Grant Us Wisdom

May the unique brahman grant us wisdom. At the time of creation, he creates diverse objects. At the time of preservation, the entire universe finds refuge in him. At the time of destruction, the entire universe merge into his being.

the brahman is the fire, the sun, the wind, the moon, the stars and the water. he is hiranyagarbha, the creator. he is born and accepts different forms. he is man and woman, young and old. he is the blue bee, the green parrot, the cloud full of lightning and the seasons and the oceans. he has no origin and is present everywhere. It is form him that the universe was created.

"Upanishads"

Radha-Krishna Swing Carved Panel at temple

Monday 20 May 2013

Brahman Who Created The Universe

Before the universe was created, only the, Brahman existed. It was the Brahman who created the universe. it was the Brahman who created himself.

The creator is the juice of the universe. living beings obtain that juice and attain bliss. had this source of unmitigated happiness not been in the heart, living beings would not have inhaled or exhaled. the Brahman has no form, he cannot be seen. the Brahman cannot be described, he cannot be contained. When a worshipper visualizes the Brahman, he becomes free from all fear. ignorant ones do not realize that the Brahman is everywhere and are scared. the Brahman is then a source of fear. but those who realize the unity of the Brahman overcome all fear.

"Upanishads"
Dancing Krishna Carving

Sunday 19 May 2013

Know that to be the Brahman



The Brahman cannot be described with words. The Brahman is the one who makes words and speech manifest. Know that to be the Brahman. Men worship that which is distinct from the human soul. But such an object of worship is not the Brahman.

The Brahman is that which cannot be thought of by the mind. But the Brahman is that which lights up the mind. So say those who know of the Brahman.  Know that to be the Brahman. Men worship that which is distinct from the human soul. But such an object of worship is not the Brahman.

The Brahman is that which cannot be heard by the ear. But the Brahman is that which gives hearing to the ears. Know that to be the Brahman. Men worship that which is distinct from the human soul. But such an object of worship is not the Brahman.

The Brahman is that which one cannot smell. But the Brahman is that which gives the power to smell. Know that to be the Brahman. Men worshipthat which is distinct from the human soul. But such an object of worship is not the Brahman.

"Upanishads"
Florida Temple
 

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Atman and the Brahman

Before one can attain yoga (union) between the Atman and the Brahman, may the sun-god help us to control our minds and our senses. may the gods who rule over the senses enable us to control them. through the grace of the sun-god, we will concentrate our minds on meditation. may the sun-god bless those who concentrate their minds and their senses on realizing the supreme bliss that is the Brahman. Brahmanas, who seek to focus their minds on the brahman, pray to the sun-god as he is the driving force behind all action and sacrifices.

"Upanishads"
Dancing three Headed Lord Ganesha Carving

Monday 13 May 2013

Brahman is the Supreme

The Brahman is the only one in this universe. He is in the fire and in the water. It is through knowing him that one becomes immortal. There is no other way. He rules over sentient and insentient objects. He is the one who frees one from the world. He is the omniscient creator, the supreme origin. He presides over time. He is the immortal one who is the road to salvation. He presides over this universe, there is no one else.

The Brahman is the supreme origin. He is the cause of good deeds and evil ones. He is more than the past, the present and the future. He is truth itself. He is beyond time and beyond the world. He is the immortal one who sustains the universe. He is wisdom and intelligence. Worship him thus.
"Upanishads"
Colorful carving Panel
 

Sunday 12 May 2013

No other Path to Immortality



“The Brahman is constant and does not get destroyed. When he adopts two different forms, that is known as the state of being in twain (dvaita). (This means the Brahman and the atman.) One (the atman) can then see, smell, taste, hear, touch and know the other (the Brahman). One can talk to or think about the other. But when the two merge and become one, how can one see, smell, taste, hear, touch or know the other? How can one think about the other? The Brahman is the one who has been described by the expression neti, He has no destruction or decay. He is unattached and alone. If you realise the union, you will not talk about realsing the Brahman. I have now instructed you. There is no other road to immortality.”

"Upanishads"

Saturday 11 May 2013

Attains Fame and Energy

The mind and the sky must be worshipped as the Brahman.  The powers of speech, hearing, smell and sight are all parts of the Brahman. Who is in the mind. Fire, wind, the sun and the directions are all parts of the Brahman who is in the sky. The power of speech is ignited with the power of fire. He who knows this, attains fame and energy. The power of smell obtains its force from wind. He who knows this, attains fame and energy. The power of sight is energized by the sun. he who this, attains fame and energy. The power of hearing obtains its force from the directions. He who knows this, attains fame and energy.
"Upanishads"
Ganesha Carving on Temple in Fort Myers, FL
 

Thursday 9 May 2013

Brahman Attains Eminence Everywhere

He(the Brahman) divided himself into three. One part was the sun, a second part was the wind, and a third part was the fire. His head was towards the east, his arms were to the north-east and south-east, his arms were to the north-east and south-east, his rear was to the west, his legs were to the north-west and south-west and his sides were to the north and south. The heaven was his back, the atmosphere was his stomach, and the earth was his chest. (All of this is an image of the Brahman.) In his excellence, the Brahman is present in the water. He who knows this attains eminence everywhere.

"Upanishads"
Temple in Fort Myers, FL

Wednesday 8 May 2013

Lord of all the gods

He is the Lord of all the gods. We know him to be the radiant one. He has no body or senses. Yet, there is nothing that is superior to him. It is known that he is creator of all illusion. It is known that he is wisdom itself. He has no lord, nor can anything control him. He is the origin. But he himself has no origin. Like a web emanating from a spider, the universe and its forms and action, emanate out of the Brahman. May the Brahman help us to seek union with him.

"Upanishads"
Navagraha Temple in Fort Myers, FL

Tuesday 7 May 2013

The World of the Brahman

There are veins in the heart and it is along these veins that the rays of the sun course. It is these veins that unite the solar circle with the heart. When a person is asleep, he enters the heart through these veins. And it is there that he unites with the Brahman. There are one hundreds and one major veins in the heart. One of these ascends upwards and enters the head. When a learned person dies, he ascends upwards along this vein and attains immortality. He utters the sacred syllable oum and unites with the sun. The sun is the gate to the world of the Brahman. But this gate is closed to those who are ignorant.

"Upanishads"
Beautiful Carving Temple in Fort Myers, FL

Greatness is the Brahman

“Greatness is immortality. Greatness is the Brahman. He is above and below, to the front and behind, to the north and the south. I am the Brahman. I am he. I am above and below, to the front and behind, to the north and the south. I am the Brahman and the atman. I am everywhere. A learned one who realizes this union, attains bliss and can travel anywhere in the various worlds. But those who are ignorant, are restrained. Learned ones realize that it is form the atman that one derives the breath of life, hope, memory, the sky, energy, water, arrival, disappearance, foodgrains, power, knowledge, resolution, the mind, speech, names, the mantras and all action. The atman is everything. He who realizes this, knows no misery, disease or death. He obtains all that is to be desired.”

"Upanishads"
Krishna Carving on Temple in Fort Myers, FL

Sunday 5 May 2013

Nature of the Brahman

He who knows the nature of the Brahman, merges into the Brahman. It has been said that the Brahman is truth, wisdom, and all that is eternal. The heart is like a vast sky and intelligence is like a cave in the heart. He who visualizes the Brahman in one’s heart, sees the Brahman in all objects of the universe. He obtains all that may be desired. The sky was created from the Brahman. From the sky was created the wind, the wind created fire, fire created water, water created the earth, the earth created herbs, herbs created foodgrains, and food grains created man. Man can be compared to a bird. The right hand is the right wing and the left hand is the left wing. The part of the body that is below the navel is like a tail.

"Upanishads"
Temple in Fort Myers, FL

Friday 3 May 2013

Entire Universe Worships

Divine life force enters his body from water and from the moon. Divine life force ensures that a person is never hurt and never destroyed. Such a learned person realise the identity of his individual soul with the souls of all other beings and becomes like the brahman himself. The entire universe worships such a learned person as if he were the brahman himself. Although such a learned person identifies himself with all other living beings, their sorrows touch him not. Only the good deeds that other living beings perform merge into him. The gods are untouched by all manner of sin.

"Upanishads"
Temple in Fort Myers, FL

Thursday 2 May 2013

The Brahman

“When a person is about to die, he can no longer see and the god of sight deserts the body. The dying person ceases to see, inhale, talk, hear, think, touch or know. The outlet from the heart lights up and the minute being ascends upwards in a blaze of light. When the Brahman leaves the body, the life force also leaves. And subsequently, the atman enters a new body, depending on the action that was performed in the earlier life. A leech uses a blade of grass to move to another blade of grass. Like that, the atman uses one physical body to move to another physical body. A jeweler uses a little bit of gold to fashion out better and better ornaments. Like that, the atman uses this physical body to attain better and better worlds and better and better lives.”

"Upanishads"

Wednesday 1 May 2013

Lord of All the Gods

He is the lord of all the gods. We know him to be the radiant one. He has no body or senses. Yet, there is nothing that is superior to him. It is known that he is the creator of all illusion. It is known that he is wisdom itself. He has no Lord, nor can anything control him. He is the origin. But he himself has no origin. Like a web emanating from a spider, the universe and its forms and action, emante out of the Brahman. May the brahman help us to seek union with him.

"Upanishads"