Science vs spirituality

Upper-lower?

 Here is what I conclude- the moment someone uses "Upper" "Lower" castes in Hinduism - they have no idea about hinduism.

Or follow other version and pave path for conversion. That's what missionaries are doing - show that you are lower while others are upper , come we will make you upper in our religion , 😝😄 narrative made true -upper lower materialised .

While I am talking we all belong to a culture which promotes harmony n equality, other are of opinion it promotes inequality.

Last time a guy said about upper caste, I told him there is no caste, n there is no upper or lower. Only occupation based division is what is truth & as long as human society exists there will be need for different  occupations, each one will be important.

A guy: It's not a talk.. it's a fact.. why are temples cleansed if a dalit by chance visit's.. why are different dinning provisions based on the caste.. sir you don't know ground reality.. all you know is to Google get some links and post them claiming to be facts.. your facts are no where even mapped.to what's happening on the ground..

I am not saying they are right. If people are cleaning etc, they also don't know their dharma. If someone wears a janeu doesnt make him brahmin, any one who has gone past hand to mouth job - basic life form to a higher path of dharma - safeguarding interest of society, should wear janeu - irrespective of occupation. And brahmin doesnt mean one with a thread or surname. Brahmin means a learned scholar - like PhD Dr etc - if the society respected them it's good - but if the practice is limited to thread-bearers or surnames only , it's wrong. Son of Dr need not be Dr & need not deserve social recognition, likewise.

A guy: Yes it's important as we will always need others to do the dirty work.. clean gutters, mend  shoes, dress hair, sweep and clean door fronts, toil in the sun n rain to feed, die for by waging wars.. as it is convient..  never let people from those segments raise as it will create unrest to the so called intellectuals as all they will do is seek knowledge to ensure no one else seeks knowledge ..

" ensure no one else seeks knowledge" is part of that false narrative which states - upper-lower.

"Once Raja Bhoj went around his kingdom to see for himself the condition of his subjects. Seeing a frail woodcutter burdened by the weight of the log on his head, the king asked him solicitously, “किम्‌ ते बाधति भारम्‌?” Does the weight hurt you? The anguished woodcutter replied somewhat sharply: “भारम्‌ न बाधते राजन्‌ यथा ‘बाधति’ बाधते.” I am not hurt so much by the weight on my head as by your use of ‘बाधति’ instead of (the correct form) बाधते. The story is used at two levels. One, to make the political point that Sanskrit was a language of the masses at some point of time. But its practical purpose was to illustrate the point of Sanskrit grammar"

Raja bhoj ki kahani mat sunana.. go around the matts, temples today to see what's the fact

oh they don't let anyone enter? The very temples were centers of culture, are being seriously impacted, & are major targets of missionaries , instead of being ridiculed, they need right direction - and people who generalise all the temples due to few, and blame the entire dharma - I can't really comment - they are part of the problem instead of solution.

the day is not very far when this narrative & proponents of such a narrative will materialise the problem - the problem is very deep - never had I thought someone can have such a negative image of Hinduism - I have friends from different sects of Hinduism - each one facing different problems , but none really rediculed it, even though would have ridiculed the actors involved but not the culture and above all none said colonisation was good & was solution for all the problems culture faced🙂 .  Even Muslim friends have extremely good outlook towards Hinduism. But OK, it's an eye-opener that people with varying opinions exist & eventually they all join their real group based on their nature & opinions.

When someone stated "We only have two lives. The second one begins when you realize there is only one !!!" 

I stated: 

Those who works/earns/lives without greater purpose (even though can be very skilful)-merely for survival purpose- is called Shudra. Only when one realises the real purpose he/she will be called Dwija - born 2nd time - then decides whether he/she wants to live to spread knowledge (Brahmin), Safeguard people's interest (Kshatriya) , Spread prosperity (Vaishya)

Nature's Defence mechanism

Porcupine shoots it's quill to safeguard itself. But is it voluntary or involuntary act. Creature or nature who is safeguarding itself??

Root cause analysis of conversion

My Root cause analysis of conversion in AP & other parts

While the missionaries have money as their motto, driving force.

This is view from/for individuals who are gullible to conversion.

1. If people think Dharma is a Company they will leave it, at a drop of a hat.

2.If they think temple priest is the gatekeeper of dharma, & he mistreats a person, they will leave dharma.

3.If the devil comes in a nice attire, talks sweet, give gifts, people do fall for it & leave dharma.

4. Just going to temple is considered dharma by many.

5. If a community doesn't treat one well he joins another community even though they may have hidden agenda.

6.people like short term gain even for long term loss.

Conclusion: Anyone who does above is anyway not on the path of Dharma. Because above are attributes of Adharma. Dharma is not bound by temple, priest or rituals. Dharma is related to Karma. Dharma/Karma is sticking to your side & fight to best of your abilities, till death... Because Death of Body is not the death at all,Life springs back again - That is Dharma-Karma Cycle.

Yoga - The Power Source

 Think of yourself as electronic device (mobile, laptop..) , think of Yoga as power supply.  

Imagine device is on , but not connected to the power source- it will run for some time (depending on internal battery capacity) , but eventually run out of charge. 

Consider this lockdown time as night-time when you are not using the device extensively , and power cable is lying right next to it but not connected (happens sometimes). 

In the morning you wake up and try to switch on the device to find out it is out of power! 

How will you feel? 

Oh I should have connected it , whole night it would have been charged, such a waste of time ! 

So make use of this Lockdown time, connect to the power source - Yoga ! 

Get Fully Charged !! 

Dharma & Adharma

(it is of utmost importance to read the following neutrally to get the point) 

Details: It is natural to humans to get into Superior-Inferior mindset - but thankfully Sanatana Dharma - Eternal Universal Law - asks one to be humble - all of our (bhartiya people) epics have 1 teaching - one who thinks he is superior & other inferior - is doing adharma & if he goes onto exploiting the other is calling for his own end. Ramayan, Mahabharat are good examples. Dharma is not religion. Dharma is Universal - based on action consequences. Religion is brain child of lesser people - is much more narrow minded concept-you, me, ours, mine, yours , superior, inferior, inheritence, nepotism etc... In real sense this is Adharm in itself. This Adharm got codified as Religion - only mine is correct, we are superior etc... - Thanks to lesser minds of desert religions. 

Spread of Adharm is nothing but what we call Colonisation. Was Adharma  not there before Colonisation ?- of course as long as human race is there - there will be adharma - but it was much controlled & clear - epics were written to highlight this. Now when Adharma spreads it's wings - starting from central asia/europe - becoming a new norm - eat meat, destroy other cultures, steal , suppress, unnecessary voilence, exploit - saying week/strong, superior/inferior , survival of the fittest, might is right etc.. these are all nothing but Adharma & wrong understanding texts, be it gita/bible/quran can be a means to spread adharma. Wrong understanding itself is basis of Adharma - ignorance, darkness. 

This Adharma was spreading it's wings throught out the worlds,  till then people were living peacefully throughout the planet (even with internal differences- which is true in any family or individual for that matter). Spread of Adharma/Colonisation not only made adharma a norm but also promoted it whatever form it was existing. If a person thinks he is brahmin birth he is wrong - because he doesn't know the shastra. If a person thinks he is superior or inferior by birth he is wrong - he doesn't know shastra/dharma. If a person thinks this is the case or this was the case in past - he doesn't know shastra/dharma either. If a person thinks any of those & has a firm belief in these mindset be sure he is totally engulfed by Adharma - & he better read shastras to clarify. Effect of Adharma is dense, illusion - so much so that Bhishma said - the reason he didn't have clarity in his thoughts when Dhraupadi was being insulted was because he was already engulfed in Adharma - it took thousands of arrows and drying of adharmik blood for days before it all got clear on his death bed.

Sanatan System - Jiva to Shiva

Who am I?
Where do I come from?
Where was I before my birth?
Where will I be after my death?
What is this place/planet I am on?
How thankful I am to this life-giving planet I am on?
How thankful I am to the life-giving Sun?
How thankful I am to the life-giving Trees?
How thankful I am to the life-giving/sustaining Environment & all other creatures?
What happens to this world  after I die?
Did the God create me or I created the God?
Did the world create me or I created the world around me?

These are some of the fundamental questions a person can/should ask self before jumping the bandwagon of belief system. A self created belief system based on confirmed experiences by self &/or based on genuine sources (parents, grandparents, ancestors) clubbed with understanding of the circumstances under which such a belief was created. Note: "right" understanding of circumstances is very important to create/follow a belief.

The biggest mystery in this world is not something out there, but inside me.
I am the biggest mystery. "Answer is not out there" , "Answer is in here". The questions asked above, have less to do with the things around, one can make up a system to explain how Earth, Sun, Planets, Start etc. were created, how body is created, but conciousness - how do you explain conciousness - the real self? What happens to conciousness before Birth, what happens to it after death?This conciousness is real me, the one that is aware, the one that is experiencing the world around.
The 5 sensory organs(eyes, nose, ears, toungue skin) recieve (signals) mainly from the external environment,  pass it on to brain, where these signals are stored along with certain meta data (background, environment, actions etc..). Mind judges them, experiences them at varying degree of happiness (positve or negative), but it is only looking for happiness (Anand).
In this entire process of sensory organs interacting with environment - there is a witness - the self that is Observing. Every action is being observed, this witness-self is untouched by external world, but is all observant-alert-aware-concious of every action or inaction be it in awake or sleep state.

This witness-self is awake during sleep state as well as-while we are dreaming, this witness-self even though the reality of awake state with which the sensory organs, body interacts are all switched-off.

This witness-self never sleeps in any creature. (Read https://evolution-nature.blogspot.com - for knowing details of other creatures)

What is this whole witness thing all about? Why is every creature (Jiva) witnessing each of these experiences?
This process of witnessing is for raising Jiva to status of Shiva. Jiva is limited conciousness, limited by own experiences, limited by thought processes, limited to self; Shiva is unlimited conciouness, unbound by the experiences, expanding/spread throughout the Universe & beyond.

Every creature is evolving just to realise the higher-self, the all prevading conciousness, the conciousness that connects everything inside & outside of witness-self. Human life is bestowed with all the capabilities & powers to tap into that all prevading conciousness, ability to connect to all the creatures & the creators.

Moksha is that state of witness-self (and not mind alone) in which self is all prevading, one is able to experience life in much more broader sense that spans across the Universe, starts seeing creature, every action/inaction as extension of self, because without which the self won't exist.

How does one reach to that state of Moksha?

Conciousness - Starting as a sub-atomic force/particle (Shakti-Shiva), has evolved to single-celled organism to complex creatures & eventually to this multi-universe of a system called Human. How does it evolve into the higher state?

Start with the beginning.
As the Vedas clearly state, every human is born as a Shudra ( ) - the basic, the miniumum yet the most fundamental of human existance. Ensuring personal hygine, ensuring community hygine, ensuring mundane tasks are well taken care of, growing of Food to sustain life, creating basic infrastructure to sustain life - food, clothing, shelter - and all the associated activities ( different types of food, different types of clothing, different types of shelter & beautifying them, maintaining them).
These are the most fundamental duties every human on this planet has to take care of, without these human life/society won't sustain.
While at an individual level or at social level one has to maintain the tasks of Shudra, because they are the fundamental activities  - some people take few of these tasks as their profession - these are the most profitable tasks - evergreen - these businesses will never go out-of-business.
The Mathematics, science or any other educational knowledge is primary & mostly on daily usage.
Basic medical knowledge, law system at individual/family level, between neighbours - is a norm.
While most of the people will mind-their own business , parallel to this there will be few in the society who are little bit more skillful, artistic, thoughtful; few will be aggressive; few will be diplomatic, profit-minded. 

Once the society or an individual has taken care of all the basics of life, the system is self-sustaining, the evolution doesn't stop, the system continues to grow - it starts looking for more, better- things, processes, feelings, experiences, ways-to-live, explore, grow, prosper. These are some of the attributes of Vaishya. Note - This level won't exist without the previous level & spins out only as evolution from the 1st level. To say this level is higher that the 1st level is as good as saying Pot is better than the Clay that it is made up of- without clay there is no pot; likewise without Shudra-level there won't be a Vaishya-level.
(Note: There is no "upper", "lower" in this - a narrative imposed on by colonialist/lesser minds who never understood the Varnashram)

Now the individual or the society has taken care of the basics, the most fundamental of the duties, it's time to move to next level of prospering, exploring - creating a new type of individual or Individuals, who go out of their social circles, geographical boundaries - learn from other systems/societies &/or become part of social exchanges- things one society is devoid of or has abandance of - transportation, dealing, profit/loss, be it barter system or concept of money - they evolve here.
These external dealings, explorations creates activies across the self-sustaining societies whose needs now go beyond the basic/fundamental necessities/activities.
These create self-sustaining system of societies - villages, cities.

Considering the complexities have increased more types of jobs get created, more types of needs get created - documentation, more complex Mathematics etc...
Medical knowledge is exchanged, law system at town level- is a norm.

While most of the people will mind-their own business , parallel to this there will be few in the society who are little bit more skillful, artistic, thoughtful; few will be aggressive; few will be diplomatic, profit-minded. 

Once the interaction between societies start, there is bound to be conflict, thus a conflict resolution body is created, a body to overlook the entire happenings  - the a governing body, set of rules & regulations is/are created.

Once there are multiple such societies, cities with multiple governing bodies across varying geographical locations, there bound to have conflicts between governing bodies of 2 different systems, if these systems can be resolved amicably then good, but if not then force is required.
This leads to creation of Armed Forces - the Kshatriyas.

This level of society or part of society deals with those situations where the muscle power is needed.
This level is required to safeguard individual society. This level of society is part of the ongoing evolution - imagine the society that has not taken care of it's basic necessities (level-1), that has not prospered (level-2) won't have to safeguard itself - it is the prospering societies that have to safeguard themselves from predatory forces  - be it other competitive societies or the jealous/envious societies brought up with low standards of living &/or values who tend to capture the more prospering society for personal benefits or have destructive tendencies due to their low standards/understanding.

These armed forces keep anti-forces at bay & fight when required. These fights, battles, wars are not the best of the human behaviours but can't be avoided as self-defense , self-protection, self-propagation is part of evolution & can conflict with other similar force, process.
Many times just having these Armed forces will avoid many conflicts, because other side won't dare to attack. Else every weak, feeble creature can be attacked upon, but nature has bestowed each creature with it's own defence/offense mechanism - thus, an individual or society has to have these mechanism to evolve further.
(Note: Nature never says Ahimsa Parmo Dharmah in a sense of self-annihilation, instead nature gives powers to use them for self-preservation)
Analogy: Once the Clay pot is created it has to be protected from damage.

Now geo-political boundaries are created, rules & regulations are extended, strategies are created , documented, art of war, art of weaponary etc.. are created ,wars are fought, boundaries extended, merged.
Medical systems have to evolve considering the war injuries, Shudra level has to improvise to reconstruction, damage, more technology to create faster & more efficient weapons, armour etc...
Vaishya level has to improve how to minimise their losses.

While most of the people will mind-their own business , parallel to this there will be few in the society who are little bit more skillful, artistic, thoughtful; few will be aggressive; few will be diplomatic, profit-minded. 

Considering everything & everyone goes hand in hand, no one is disconnected, this is in line with the initial point - that we are all prevading conciousness, one thing gets affected, everything gets affected - directly or indirectly - more or less - high-priority or low-priority - can ignore or can't ignore.

Alright, now the society has all the basic needs taken care of by Shudra level, Vaishya is ensuring prosperity & Kshatriya is safegaurding the borders. System is self-sustaining everyone is happy, properous. Day-1 all good , day-2 all good, day-100 all good, day-10000 all good - life-time. Eventually one starts questioning, how did this all start- once all the necessities of life are taken care of , mind starts to get into profound thought - Evolution continues, body, society, has been taken care of merely for the sake of mind - witness-self; now the witness-self starts to think about the creation the existance, stumble upon the questions about the creator.
Analogy- Pot is created - Pot is gaurded. Question : Who created the clay? Who placed it on Earth? Who created Earth? and the questions go on.

The Shudras having taken care of all the basics of life, the Vaishyas having taken care of all the developments in society, explored the geographies, the Kshatriyas having safegaurded the society - the geographies.
The "Thoughtful" section of the society, having taken care of their basic necessities, starts to explore further. Thus, creation of a new section of society - The Brahmans.
The Brahmins, question the unseen, try to see the unseen, find means to experience what is beyond the obvious. This section of society Questions, finds the answers, if satisfied by the answer & shares it with the society, thus spinning up more questions & more thoughtful debates, documents, philosophies. It is worth noting, the human society wouldn't evolve this section if level-1,2,3 hadn't evolved.

Note: All the sections of society were always having these 4 types of people, it was just a matter of time that one section evolved, considering the nature of existance, it propagates in certain way.

As Bhagawat Geeta, clearly states, one is Shudra, Vaishya, Kshatriya or Brahmin based on their innate qualites, each one has his/her role to play as mentioned above, to ensure the society sustains itself. (Contrary to the misinterpreted version by the those who never followed Varnashram or saw it from their perspective -where society were more of a power-play, act of survival, aggression, show-off - such systems even though aggressive weren't self-sustaining because lack of system, lack of understanding- itself opens the doors of it's own destruction).
[A society based on principles of peace n progression with a very constructive mindset , all pervasive, all inclusive, mindful of it's progression, safegaurded by it's belief system & by it's own people is any day much more demanding/needed in Nature that the aggressive, offensive ones. Note: the latter is also required for the former to be on it's toes , to be alert, to be thoughful, to value peace, prosperity. It is nature's way of self-valuing, without the latter the former will become complacent.]

The Rishis, The Munis, The Sadhus, The Sanyasis, The Gurus are the ones looking out for the Ultimate Truth- The purpose behind all the existance, the force behind the existance, the unseen that is driving the seen, experience the unexperienced, things beyond the 5 senses - that are windows of experience with their own limitations, to experience the unlimited - beyond the limitations of sensory organs.

Each individual level of society mentioned above also is a phase in each individual's life - Every one is born a Shudra (Janmana jayate sudrah ), person propers, person defends/offends, and ones all sustained, thinks about the Divine powers. Note - just like in society, the individual always had all the 4 qualities since birth, but different phases of life brings out different personas in him/her - this is balance of life- all inclusiveness of life.

Each Seeker, takes a path based on own experiences & based on experiences shared by his/her Guru (the darkness-remover, the path-shower, the light-giver), thereby if all done correctly - experiencing the All-pervading conciousness - thus eventually merging with Shiva.

This is the journey of Jiva to Shiva.

All creatures are in different stages of evolution, so are human beings, each individual is in some stage & want to go to next, some are happy with wherever they are but Nature decides the course of evolution while the witness-self enjoys the process of evolution - the Journey from Jiva to Shiva.

In 4-13 Krishna says that the chaturvarnya is his creation.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।

तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥ ४- १३ ॥

“The fourfold order was created by Me according to the divisions of quality and work. Though I am its creator, know Me to be incapable of action or change.”

Modern -Colonist or the Varnashram interpretation by those who don't understand it. 

This is complete rubbish to decide the varna of a person based on hereditary - though various of family traits, occupation may develop certain the qualities, but one father can have 4 children - 1 good with say carpentry, farming; 1 with money ; one good with fighting; one is spiritual seeker - 4 children belonging to 4 different occupation and also as said earlier one person may be in one phase at a certain period of life. 

E.g. person's name say Trivedi - means one who knows 3 vedas - but his son need not have the same surname if he has no understanding of Vedas - if son is an Iron Smith - his surname will be Lohar & vice versa. Name is a means to address a person, certain parts of India & other parts of the world people have similar names - Gardner, Smith, Upadhyay, Tendulkar(Works with Tendu plants) etc...

Because a father would most probably teach the same things that he has learnt, the probability of the child learning the same is highest. Thus, over a period of time the occupations have become family businesses - unless someone has high inclination towards other fields of learning or occupations - but these fields are not forbidden. 

In current times , if one has to address Ramesh - 1, Ramesh -2 (2 with same name) , you call them based on their address, location &/or occupation, or what they sell. Indian Surnames & in other parts of the world, that's the case - surnames like Menasinkai (Chilli), Baloli ( Garlic) , Ullagaddi (Onion) are common in Northern part of Karnataka. People in these business have become synonymous with these entities that they deal with & thus it has become part of their identity. 

Now if for 2 generations the people in family are not dealing with these, the surname is for namesake, children may be software engineers, but currently we don't have a means to have surnames based on occupation else one will be called say Ramesh Software Engineer etc... 

No-Upper-Lower   

As discussed earlier, each occupation has it's own value & serves it's purpose in various stages of life.  Is one section of society more important than others? Technically not. At least at the level at which the 4 varnas were made, each one is important to sustain the society. Hence there is no point of Upper-Lower. Upper - Lower is an European interpretation of their class society. European society was divided as Upper -Lower, Rich-poor, State-Church likewise. I am not saying they were wrong, but that was their model of society. When they invaded India, they applied the same logic, dividing/interpreting the Varnas, the temples & other system based on their understand; looking through their own glasses. Did lot of research , wrote lot of books, but note these were all written through the view of their tainted glasses - they never saw the truth, or rather it was their truth, their view of truth.
(In above case , Ramesh-1 is no lesser than Ramesh-2 - they are just numbered to distinguish them ; but the tained mind can see Ramesh-1 is better so he got number 1 , and other one is not so got 2 - but that's not true)

Because this was new, fresh perpective from new set of eyes, people who are in the age old Indian system, who wanted to see new things, wanted a new perspective, read their books, bought in the idea, and accepted them & propagated them as well - they were also rewarded, given big titles by europeans. These people didn't realise that while there was economical drain from India, accepting to these false, tainted ideas was intellectual drain - instead of arguing with the European mindset & giving them a clearer understanding, the lesser minds bought in these ideas & also propagated them.
Again, this is in Nature, birds of same feather flock together. Even though geographies divided them but their mindset united them - whatever be the underlying reason.

It is like a parent scolding their child, so that the child behaves well - another person comes and tells parent not to scold as this is bad, child buys in the external interpretation, because it is beneficial for quick gain, & continues to misbehave. Short term gain, long term loss or Long term gain for short term loss?
People saw this change as refreshing, without even realising it's impact- most common of human feelings. Ideas of discrimation instead of Diversity crept in & was propagated - of course it would serve the purpose of political gains by the invaders- making it much easier to take control of the Diversity protrayed as Differences - all these done very tactfully , in a very calculated fashion - because they came from such a society where might-is-right decides everything; Good clothing decides status of a person; Uniformity is the norm; Material gain is the only aim.

All these ideas crept in , propagated - shown as the new idea, new world. With the propagators - promoted & highlighted, the younger generations saw dropping their ancient teachings as bondages instead of seeing them as tried and tested means to lead a happy life  & to ensure better society, city, country over thousands of years, those that had worked well for that environment & for those kind of people.

But these ideas in the name of change, brought in downside of the entire society, the misunderstandings, the misinterpretations, the falsehood, the tained glasses were sold like hot-cakes - wearing these glasses became the norm, anyone without these glasses was being seen as an outlaw.
Anyone who is not sticking to this confirmity is seen as ignorant.
But to understand, one has to remove these tained glass that have been part of education system, media & other influencial means to influence peoples minds.

Untouchability 

Being brought-up in a modern society & what I know of the past, this is again something specific to a section of society. May be a few ignorant ones practicing it, or may be a few cleanliness-freaks practicing it.
Corona phase in modern times has highlighted the importance of social distancing. If one person doesn't like to touch other one because say one is a handyman - would it be seen as discrimination?
I am talking of the practice in moderation. There were few section of society & continues to be some - who are cleanliness-freaks - they not only treat their family members as untouchables - considering they follow strick and stringent cleanliness practices, they don't eat out, they don't interact with others etc... for excessive cleanlines practices - whether they were right or wrong - the current COVID-19 situation is a good proof. Me like many of you wouldn't have dreamt that we will see such a day; but now that we have, does it prove that a person not ready to touch another is justified?
Technically a Doctor should be fine to dine with a drain-cleaner - from social, human level. But, if the doctor refuses to because it will threaten his/her health along with thousands of patients that he cures - is it justified?
People in India used to wash their hands & legs outside the house before entering the house - these were the cleanliness standards. Were these practices made after they went through a pendemic?

People belonging to certain occupation - not a sect were given different water-well to use - for hygine purpose - to limit the future outbreak?
These could be few of the practices by certain section of the society - but not very predominant through-out the society. Such people were all over the world but to hightlight these practices as the norm is wrong - we don't know what those societies had gone through to have such practices - but one thing is evident it would be for hygine reasons & not discriminatory on any other grounds.
Over a period of time, which practice was highlighted, misinterpreted, propagated is all left to the foreign eyes, their agenda, their motive, their goals, their objectives.
Did anyone try to question their reasoning, did anyone try to reason their questioning, or try to correct them?
Or did we take their interpretation of Untouchability as a norm? These practices were very subjective & were practices by miniscule population & I would like to think for some genuine reason & not for discriminatory purpose.

Hereditary Becoming the Norm

From my study of Indian History, Hereditary was never a norm for anything, especially the occupation - of course how can it be? Not every child is an obidient child & a civilisation as advanced as Indian - has always acknowledged these. In fact kingship was also not hereditary, one had to claim it & prove himself worthy of the throne.
Apart from certain sects of society & situations - especially commoners transfer of knowledge over generations would be the norm, but these things can't be imposed - no parent can be as efficient &/or no child would be as obedient :-)
Nature guides each individual, not the society, society itself is a product of nature, nature balances itself out - people move across the geographies, across occupations for various reasons - individual skills are developed, new skills are created these are not politically backed, but instead natural phenomenon.
Who were these dumb people with miniscule intelligence with uninformed societies looking for information & interpreting it as misinformation and eventually for propagation - who made hereditary as a trait - these european societies continue to value Hereditary for throne(England). What do you expect of these lesser minds apart from misunderstanding, misinterpreting the vastness of Indian Knowledge system?
Once the Indian people realise this, they will have to find the right interpretation of their practices, knowledge, sciences and come up with the right and apt interpretation rather than banking on those from others.



Vikas (Development) is the underlying process for everything in & around us. Vikas is ingrained in every step of the process that I am or anyone talks.
If Krishna has to say in Geeta  (in Birds I am Garuda, In stars I am Sun etc..), he would say In Processes I am Vikas.


-----------From Geeta : 

But be that as it may, what is clear so far is: 1. The society is divided into four varnas. 2. These varnas are not equal in their gunas, karmas and spiritual merit. And 3. Women are more towards sudras than towards Brahmans.

Now let’s see how Krishna himself explains the working of the three gunas of prakriti and their relation to birth. 

इति क्षेत्रं तथा ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं चोक्तं समासतः ।

मद्भक्त एतद्विज्ञाय मद्भावायोपपद्यते ॥ १३- १९ ॥

“Know thou that prakrti (nature) and purusha (soul) are both beginningless; and know also that the forms and modes are born of prakrti (nature).” (SR)

प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि ।

विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसम्भवान् ॥ १३- २० ॥

“Nature is said to be the cause of effect, instrument and agent (ness) and the soul is said to be the cause, in regard to the experience of pleasure and pain.” (SR)

कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते ।

पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते ॥ १३- २१ ॥

“The soul in nature enjoys the modes born of nature. Attachment to the modes is the cause of its births in good and evil wombs.” (SR)

Let’s try to connect all this: HE, the Lord Krishna, caused the four varna system; yes, on the basis of karma and gunas. Women, viashyas and shudras are born in ‘papayoni’ (or are like them in spirituality) because of their karmas. The soul is born into “good or evil womb” according to its karmas of the past lives and gunas (what SR calls “aptitudes”) and karmas are determined by this birth in “good or evil womb”. I do not know how one can doubt the conclusion without a liberal doze of dogma!

Next we need to move to their swabhava (nature) and swadharma (duties) in this life. It is established that: vaishya, shudra and women are born of ‘low’ birth or are in the same category. It is because of their karmas in past lives, their nature (swabhava) is determined by their birth, through the kind of womb they get; and this play happens through the three gunas of prakriti. In simpler words: their past lives determine their birth, and their gunas. And they fit into the chaturvarna. Shlokas 18:40 to 18:47 tell the ‘swabhava’ and ‘swadharma’ of the four varnas. Those who obey their swadharma with devotion to the lord get united with HIM. Moral of the story: do the duties assigned by your varnas; if you want to unite with the Brahmn do not disturb the varna hierarchy.

How it comes from the horse’s mouth is given below.

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः ।

सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्त्रिभिर्गुणैः ॥ १८- ४० ॥

“There is no creature either on earth or again among the gods in heaven, which is free from the three modes born of nature.” (SR)

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप ।

कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः ॥ १८- ४१ ॥

“Of Brahmins, of Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas as also of Sudras. o Conqueror of the foe (Arjuna), the activities are distinguished, in accordance with the qualities born of their nature.” (SR)

Remember that “their nature” is determined by the attachment they felt for the pleasures of prakriti in their past life. That attachment determined the womb they are born in. That birth is determined by their nature.

शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च ।

ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम् ॥ १८- ४२ ॥

“Serenity, self-control, austerity, purity, forbearance and uprightness, wisdom, knowledge and faith in religion, these are the duties of the Brahmin, born of his nature.” (SR)

शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् ।

दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ॥ १८- ४३ ॥

“Heroism, vigour, steadiness, resourcefulness, not fleeing even in a battle, generosity and leadership, these are the duties of a Kshatriya born of his nature.” (SR)

कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् ।

परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ॥ १८- ४४ ॥

“Agriculture, tending cattle and trade are the duties of a Vaisya born of his nature; work of the character of service is the duty of a Sudra born of his nature.” (SR)

And then comes the moral of the story:

स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः ।

स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु ॥ १८- ४५ ॥

“Devoted each to his own duty man attains perfection. How one, devoted to one’s own duty, attains perfection, that do thou hear.” (SR)

यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।

स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः ॥ १८- ४६ ॥

“He from whom all beings arise and by whom all this is pervaded-by worshipping Him through the performance of his own duty does man attain perfection.” (SR)

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।

स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ १८- ४७ ॥

“Better is one’s own law though imperfectly carried out than the law of another carried out perfectly. One does not incur sin when one does the duty ordained by one’s own nature.” (SR)

It seems to be clear to me that the Gita: 1. Recognises varana-vyavastha. 2. Varna’s are determined by birth, through a complex mechanism of karma-theory and workings of the prakriti and purushs (the soul). 3. Varna’s are not equal in spiritual merit, social standing, swabhava and swadharma. 4. However, all can redeem themselves by devotion to HIM and through following their duty; the path to salvation is closed to none. 5. But to achieve this they have to accept their station in the society and their duties to Him and other people in the society. I do not know how one can escape these conclusions.

https://rohitdhankar.com/2015/04/22/bhagavad-gita-2-varna-based-on-birth-or-individual-qualities/

शिव

प्राचीनकाल की महत्वपूर्ण पुस्तकें

1-अष्टाध्यायी               पाणिनी

2-रामायण                    वाल्मीकि

3-महाभारत                  वेदव्यास

4-अर्थशास्त्र                  चाणक्य

5-महाभाष्य                  पतंजलि

6-सत्सहसारिका सूत्र      नागार्जुन

7-बुद्धचरित                  अश्वघोष

8-सौंदरानन्द                 अश्वघोष

9-महाविभाषाशास्त्र        वसुमित्र

10- स्वप्नवासवदत्ता        भास

11-कामसूत्र                  वात्स्यायन

12-कुमारसंभवम्           कालिदास

13-अभिज्ञानशकुंतलम्    कालिदास  

14-विक्रमोउर्वशियां        कालिदास

15-मेघदूत                    कालिदास

16-रघुवंशम्                  कालिदास

17-मालविकाग्निमित्रम्   कालिदास

18-नाट्यशास्त्र              भरतमुनि

19-देवीचंद्रगुप्तम          विशाखदत्त

20-मृच्छकटिकम्          शूद्रक

21-सूर्य सिद्धान्त           आर्यभट्ट

22-वृहतसिंता               बरामिहिर

23-पंचतंत्र।                  विष्णु शर्मा

24-कथासरित्सागर        सोमदेव

25-अभिधम्मकोश         वसुबन्धु

26-मुद्राराक्षस               विशाखदत्त

27-रावणवध।              भटिट

28-किरातार्जुनीयम्       भारवि

29-दशकुमारचरितम्     दंडी

30-हर्षचरित                वाणभट्ट

31-कादंबरी                वाणभट्ट

32-वासवदत्ता             सुबंधु

33-नागानंद                हर्षवधन

34-रत्नावली               हर्षवर्धन

35-प्रियदर्शिका            हर्षवर्धन

36-मालतीमाधव         भवभूति

37-पृथ्वीराज विजय     जयानक

38-कर्पूरमंजरी            राजशेखर

39-काव्यमीमांसा         राजशेखर

40-नवसहसांक चरित   पदम् गुप्त

41-शब्दानुशासन         राजभोज

42-वृहतकथामंजरी      क्षेमेन्द्र

43-नैषधचरितम           श्रीहर्ष

44-विक्रमांकदेवचरित   बिल्हण

45-कुमारपालचरित      हेमचन्द्र

46-गीतगोविन्द            जयदेव

47-पृथ्वीराजरासो         चंदरवरदाई

48-राजतरंगिणी           कल्हण

49-रासमाला               सोमेश्वर

50-शिशुपाल वध          माघ

51-गौडवाहो                वाकपति

52-रामचरित                सन्धयाकरनंदी

53-द्वयाश्रय काव्य         हेमचन्द्र

वेद-ज्ञान:-

प्र.1-  वेद किसे कहते है ?

उत्तर-  ईश्वरीय ज्ञान की पुस्तक को वेद कहते है।

प्र.2-  वेद-ज्ञान किसने दिया ?

उत्तर-  ईश्वर ने दिया।

प्र.3-  ईश्वर ने वेद-ज्ञान कब दिया ?

उत्तर-  ईश्वर ने सृष्टि के आरंभ में वेद-ज्ञान दिया।

प्र.4-  ईश्वर ने वेद ज्ञान क्यों दिया ?

उत्तर- मनुष्य-मात्र के कल्याण         के लिए।

प्र.5-  वेद कितने है ?

उत्तर- चार ।                                                  

1-ऋग्वेद 

2-यजुर्वेद  

3-सामवेद

4-अथर्ववेद

प्र.6-  वेदों के ब्राह्मण ।

        वेद              ब्राह्मण

1 - ऋग्वेद      -     ऐतरेय

2 - यजुर्वेद      -     शतपथ

3 - सामवेद     -    तांड्य

4 - अथर्ववेद   -   गोपथ

प्र.7-  वेदों के उपवेद कितने है।

उत्तर -  चार।

      वेद                     उपवेद

    1- ऋग्वेद       -     आयुर्वेद

    2- यजुर्वेद       -    धनुर्वेद

    3 -सामवेद      -     गंधर्ववेद

    4- अथर्ववेद    -     अर्थवेद

प्र 8-  वेदों के अंग हैं ।

उत्तर -  छः ।

1 - शिक्षा

2 - कल्प

3 - निरूक्त

4 - व्याकरण

5 - छंद

6 - ज्योतिष

प्र.9- वेदों का ज्ञान ईश्वर ने किन किन ऋषियो को दिया ?

उत्तर- चार ऋषियों को।

         वेद                ऋषि

1- ऋग्वेद         -      अग्नि

2 - यजुर्वेद       -       वायु

3 - सामवेद      -      आदित्य

4 - अथर्ववेद    -     अंगिरा

प्र.10-  वेदों का ज्ञान ईश्वर ने ऋषियों को कैसे दिया ?

उत्तर- समाधि की अवस्था में।

प्र.11-  वेदों में कैसे ज्ञान है ?

उत्तर-  सब सत्य विद्याओं का ज्ञान-विज्ञान।

प्र.12-  वेदो के विषय कौन-कौन से हैं ?

उत्तर-   चार ।

        ऋषि        विषय

1-  ऋग्वेद    -    ज्ञान

2-  यजुर्वेद    -    कर्म

3-  सामवे     -    उपासना

4-  अथर्ववेद -    विज्ञान

प्र.13-  वेदों में।

ऋग्वेद में।

1-  मंडल      -  10

2 - अष्टक     -   08

3 - सूक्त        -  1028

4 - अनुवाक  -   85 

5 - ऋचाएं     -  10589

यजुर्वेद में।

1- अध्याय    -  40

2- मंत्र           - 1975

सामवेद में।

1-  आरचिक   -  06

2 - अध्याय     -   06

3-  ऋचाएं       -  1875

अथर्ववेद में।

1- कांड      -    20

2- सूक्त      -   731

3 - मंत्र       -   5977

          

प्र.14-  वेद पढ़ने का अधिकार किसको है ?                                                                                                                                                              उत्तर-  मनुष्य-मात्र को वेद पढ़ने का अधिकार है।

प्र.15-  क्या वेदों में मूर्तिपूजा का विधान है ?

उत्तर-  बिलकुल भी नहीं।

प्र.16-  क्या वेदों में अवतारवाद का प्रमाण है ?

उत्तर-  नहीं।

प्र.17-  सबसे बड़ा वेद कौन-सा है ?

उत्तर-  ऋग्वेद।

प्र.18-  वेदों की उत्पत्ति कब हुई ?

उत्तर-  वेदो की उत्पत्ति सृष्टि के आदि से परमात्मा द्वारा हुई । अर्थात 1 अरब 96 करोड़ 8 लाख 43 हजार वर्ष पूर्व । 

प्र.19-  वेद-ज्ञान के सहायक दर्शन-शास्त्र ( उपअंग ) कितने हैं और उनके लेखकों का क्या नाम है ?

उत्तर- 

1-  न्याय दर्शन  - गौतम मुनि।

2- वैशेषिक दर्शन  - कणाद मुनि।

3- योगदर्शन  - पतंजलि मुनि।

4- मीमांसा दर्शन  - जैमिनी मुनि।

5- सांख्य दर्शन  - कपिल मुनि।

6- वेदांत दर्शन  - व्यास मुनि।

प्र.20-  शास्त्रों के विषय क्या है ?

उत्तर-  आत्मा,  परमात्मा, प्रकृति,  जगत की उत्पत्ति,  मुक्ति अर्थात सब प्रकार का भौतिक व आध्यात्मिक  ज्ञान-विज्ञान आदि।

प्र.21-  प्रामाणिक उपनिषदे कितनी है ?

उत्तर-  केवल ग्यारह।

प्र.22-  उपनिषदों के नाम बतावे ?

उत्तर-  

01-ईश ( ईशावास्य )  

02-केन  

03-कठ  

04-प्रश्न  

05-मुंडक  

06-मांडू  

07-ऐतरेय  

08-तैत्तिरीय 

09-छांदोग्य 

10-वृहदारण्यक 

11-श्वेताश्वतर ।

प्र.23-  उपनिषदों के विषय कहाँ से लिए गए है ?

उत्तर- वेदों से।

प्र.24- चार वर्ण।

उत्तर- 

1- ब्राह्मण

2- क्षत्रिय

3- वैश्य

4- शूद्र

प्र.25- चार युग।

1- सतयुग - 17,28000  वर्षों का नाम ( सतयुग ) रखा है।

2- त्रेतायुग- 12,96000  वर्षों का नाम ( त्रेतायुग ) रखा है।

3- द्वापरयुग- 8,64000  वर्षों का नाम है।

4- कलयुग- 4,32000  वर्षों का नाम है।

कलयुग के  4,976  वर्षों का भोग हो चुका है अभी तक।

4,27024 वर्षों का भोग होना है। 

पंच महायज्ञ

       1- ब्रह्मयज्ञ   

       2- देवयज्ञ

       3- पितृयज्ञ

       4- बलिवैश्वदेवयज्ञ

       5- अतिथियज्ञ

   

स्वर्ग  -  जहाँ सुख है।

नरक  -  जहाँ दुःख है।.

*#भगवान_शिव के  "35" रहस्य!!!!!!!!

भगवान शिव अर्थात पार्वती के पति शंकर जिन्हें महादेव, भोलेनाथ, आदिनाथ आदि कहा जाता है।

*🔱1. आदिनाथ शिव : -* सर्वप्रथम शिव ने ही धरती पर जीवन के प्रचार-प्रसार का प्रयास किया इसलिए उन्हें 'आदिदेव' भी कहा जाता है। 'आदि' का अर्थ प्रारंभ। आदिनाथ होने के कारण उनका एक नाम 'आदिश' भी है।

*🔱2. शिव के अस्त्र-शस्त्र : -* शिव का धनुष पिनाक, चक्र भवरेंदु और सुदर्शन, अस्त्र पाशुपतास्त्र और शस्त्र त्रिशूल है। उक्त सभी का उन्होंने ही निर्माण किया था।

*🔱3. भगवान शिव का नाग : -* शिव के गले में जो नाग लिपटा रहता है उसका नाम वासुकि है। वासुकि के बड़े भाई का नाम शेषनाग है।

*🔱4. शिव की अर्द्धांगिनी : -* शिव की पहली पत्नी सती ने ही अगले जन्म में पार्वती के रूप में जन्म लिया और वही उमा, उर्मि, काली कही गई हैं।

*🔱5. शिव के पुत्र : -* शिव के प्रमुख 6 पुत्र हैं- गणेश, कार्तिकेय, सुकेश, जलंधर, अयप्पा और भूमा। सभी के जन्म की कथा रोचक है।

*🔱6. शिव के शिष्य : -* शिव के 7 शिष्य हैं जिन्हें प्रारंभिक सप्तऋषि माना गया है। इन ऋषियों ने ही शिव के ज्ञान को संपूर्ण धरती पर प्रचारित किया जिसके चलते भिन्न-भिन्न धर्म और संस्कृतियों की उत्पत्ति हुई। शिव ने ही गुरु और शिष्य परंपरा की शुरुआत की थी। शिव के शिष्य हैं- बृहस्पति, विशालाक्ष, शुक्र, सहस्राक्ष, महेन्द्र, प्राचेतस मनु, भरद्वाज इसके अलावा 8वें गौरशिरस मुनि भी थे।

*🔱7. शिव के गण : -* शिव के गणों में भैरव, वीरभद्र, मणिभद्र, चंदिस, नंदी, श्रृंगी, भृगिरिटी, शैल, गोकर्ण, घंटाकर्ण, जय और विजय प्रमुख हैं। इसके अलावा, पिशाच, दैत्य और नाग-नागिन, पशुओं को भी शिव का गण माना जाता है। 

*🔱8. शिव पंचायत : -* भगवान सूर्य, गणपति, देवी, रुद्र और विष्णु ये शिव पंचायत कहलाते हैं।

*🔱9. शिव के द्वारपाल : -* नंदी, स्कंद, रिटी, वृषभ, भृंगी, गणेश, उमा-महेश्वर और महाकाल।

*🔱10. शिव पार्षद : -* जिस तरह जय और विजय विष्णु के पार्षद हैं उसी तरह बाण, रावण, चंड, नंदी, भृंगी आदि शिव के पार्षद हैं।

*🔱11. सभी धर्मों का केंद्र शिव : -* शिव की वेशभूषा ऐसी है कि प्रत्येक धर्म के लोग उनमें अपने प्रतीक ढूंढ सकते हैं। मुशरिक, यजीदी, साबिईन, सुबी, इब्राहीमी धर्मों में शिव के होने की छाप स्पष्ट रूप से देखी जा सकती है। शिव के शिष्यों से एक ऐसी परंपरा की शुरुआत हुई, जो आगे चलकर शैव, सिद्ध, नाथ, दिगंबर और सूफी संप्रदाय में वि‍भक्त हो गई।

*🔱12. बौद्ध साहित्य के मर्मज्ञ अंतरराष्ट्रीय : -*  ख्यातिप्राप्त विद्वान प्रोफेसर उपासक का मानना है कि शंकर ने ही बुद्ध के रूप में जन्म लिया था। उन्होंने पालि ग्रंथों में वर्णित 27 बुद्धों का उल्लेख करते हुए बताया कि इनमें बुद्ध के 3 नाम अतिप्राचीन हैं- तणंकर, शणंकर और मेघंकर।

*🔱13. देवता और असुर दोनों के प्रिय शिव : -* भगवान शिव को देवों के साथ असुर, दानव, राक्षस, पिशाच, गंधर्व, यक्ष आदि सभी पूजते हैं। वे रावण को भी वरदान देते हैं और राम को भी। उन्होंने भस्मासुर, शुक्राचार्य आदि कई असुरों को वरदान दिया था। शिव, सभी आदिवासी, वनवासी जाति, वर्ण, धर्म और समाज के सर्वोच्च देवता हैं।

*🔱14. शिव चिह्न : -* वनवासी से लेकर सभी साधारण व्‍यक्ति जिस चिह्न की पूजा कर सकें, उस पत्‍थर के ढेले, बटिया को शिव का चिह्न माना जाता है। इसके अलावा रुद्राक्ष और त्रिशूल को भी शिव का चिह्न माना गया है। कुछ लोग डमरू और अर्द्ध चन्द्र को भी शिव का चिह्न मानते हैं, हालांकि ज्यादातर लोग शिवलिंग अर्थात शिव की ज्योति का पूजन करते हैं।

*🔱15. शिव की गुफा : -* शिव ने भस्मासुर से बचने के लिए एक पहाड़ी में अपने त्रिशूल से एक गुफा बनाई और वे फिर उसी गुफा में छिप गए। वह गुफा जम्मू से 150 किलोमीटर दूर त्रिकूटा की पहाड़ियों पर है। दूसरी ओर भगवान शिव ने जहां पार्वती को अमृत ज्ञान दिया था वह गुफा 'अमरनाथ गुफा' के नाम से प्रसिद्ध है।

*🔱16. शिव के पैरों के निशान : -* श्रीपद- श्रीलंका में रतन द्वीप पहाड़ की चोटी पर स्थित श्रीपद नामक मंदिर में शिव के पैरों के निशान हैं। ये पदचिह्न 5 फुट 7 इंच लंबे और 2 फुट 6 इंच चौड़े हैं। इस स्थान को सिवानोलीपदम कहते हैं। कुछ लोग इसे आदम पीक कहते हैं।

रुद्र पद- तमिलनाडु के नागपट्टीनम जिले के थिरुवेंगडू क्षेत्र में श्रीस्वेदारण्येश्‍वर का मंदिर में शिव के पदचिह्न हैं जिसे 'रुद्र पदम' कहा जाता है। इसके अलावा थिरुवन्नामलाई में भी एक स्थान पर शिव के पदचिह्न हैं।

तेजपुर- असम के तेजपुर में ब्रह्मपुत्र नदी के पास स्थित रुद्रपद मंदिर में शिव के दाएं पैर का निशान है।

जागेश्वर- उत्तराखंड के अल्मोड़ा से 36 किलोमीटर दूर जागेश्वर मंदिर की पहाड़ी से लगभग साढ़े 4 किलोमीटर दूर जंगल में भीम के मंदिर के पास शिव के पदचिह्न हैं। पांडवों को दर्शन देने से बचने के लिए उन्होंने अपना एक पैर यहां और दूसरा कैलाश में रखा था।

रांची- झारखंड के रांची रेलवे स्टेशन से 7 किलोमीटर की दूरी पर 'रांची हिल' पर शिवजी के पैरों के निशान हैं। इस स्थान को 'पहाड़ी बाबा मंदिर' कहा जाता है।

*🔱17. शिव के अवतार : -* वीरभद्र, पिप्पलाद, नंदी, भैरव, महेश, अश्वत्थामा, शरभावतार, गृहपति, दुर्वासा, हनुमान, वृषभ, यतिनाथ, कृष्णदर्शन, अवधूत, भिक्षुवर्य, सुरेश्वर, किरात, सुनटनर्तक, ब्रह्मचारी, यक्ष, वैश्यानाथ, द्विजेश्वर, हंसरूप, द्विज, नतेश्वर आदि हुए हैं। वेदों में रुद्रों का जिक्र है। रुद्र 11 बताए जाते हैं- कपाली, पिंगल, भीम, विरुपाक्ष, विलोहित, शास्ता, अजपाद, आपिर्बुध्य, शंभू, चण्ड तथा भव।

*🔱18. शिव का विरोधाभासिक परिवार : -* शिवपुत्र कार्तिकेय का वाहन मयूर है, जबकि शिव के गले में वासुकि नाग है। स्वभाव से मयूर और नाग आपस में दुश्मन हैं। इधर गणपति का वाहन चूहा है, जबकि सांप मूषकभक्षी जीव है। पार्वती का वाहन शेर है, लेकिन शिवजी का वाहन तो नंदी बैल है। इस विरोधाभास या वैचारिक भिन्नता के बावजूद परिवार में एकता है।

*🔱19.*  ति‍ब्बत स्थित कैलाश पर्वत पर उनका निवास है। जहां पर शिव विराजमान हैं उस पर्वत के ठीक नीचे पाताल लोक है जो भगवान विष्णु का स्थान है। शिव के आसन के ऊपर वायुमंडल के पार क्रमश: स्वर्ग लोक और फिर ब्रह्माजी का स्थान है।

*🔱20.शिव भक्त : -* ब्रह्मा, विष्णु और सभी देवी-देवताओं सहित भगवान राम और कृष्ण भी शिव भक्त है। हरिवंश पुराण के अनुसार, कैलास पर्वत पर कृष्ण ने शिव को प्रसन्न करने के लिए तपस्या की थी। भगवान राम ने रामेश्वरम में शिवलिंग स्थापित कर उनकी पूजा-अर्चना की थी।

*🔱21.शिव ध्यान : -* शिव की भक्ति हेतु शिव का ध्यान-पूजन किया जाता है। शिवलिंग को बिल्वपत्र चढ़ाकर शिवलिंग के समीप मंत्र जाप या ध्यान करने से मोक्ष का मार्ग पुष्ट होता है।

*🔱22.शिव मंत्र : -* दो ही शिव के मंत्र हैं पहला- ॐ नम: शिवाय। दूसरा महामृत्युंजय मंत्र- ॐ ह्रौं जू सः। ॐ भूः भुवः स्वः। ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्‌। उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात्‌। स्वः भुवः भूः ॐ। सः जू ह्रौं ॐ ॥ है।

*🔱23.शिव व्रत और त्योहार : -* सोमवार, प्रदोष और श्रावण मास में शिव व्रत रखे जाते हैं। शिवरात्रि और महाशिवरात्रि शिव का प्रमुख पर्व त्योहार है।

*🔱24.शिव प्रचारक : -* भगवान शंकर की परंपरा को उनके शिष्यों बृहस्पति, विशालाक्ष (शिव), शुक्र, सहस्राक्ष, महेन्द्र, प्राचेतस मनु, भरद्वाज, अगस्त्य मुनि, गौरशिरस मुनि, नंदी, कार्तिकेय, भैरवनाथ आदि ने आगे बढ़ाया। इसके अलावा वीरभद्र, मणिभद्र, चंदिस, नंदी, श्रृंगी, भृगिरिटी, शैल, गोकर्ण, घंटाकर्ण, बाण, रावण, जय और विजय ने भी शैवपंथ का प्रचार किया। इस परंपरा में सबसे बड़ा नाम आदिगुरु भगवान दत्तात्रेय का आता है। दत्तात्रेय के बाद आदि शंकराचार्य, मत्स्येन्द्रनाथ और गुरु गुरुगोरखनाथ का नाम प्रमुखता से लिया जाता है।

*🔱25.शिव महिमा : -* शिव ने कालकूट नामक विष पिया था जो अमृत मंथन के दौरान निकला था। शिव ने भस्मासुर जैसे कई असुरों को वरदान दिया था। शिव ने कामदेव को भस्म कर दिया था। शिव ने गणेश और राजा दक्ष के सिर को जोड़ दिया था। ब्रह्मा द्वारा छल किए जाने पर शिव ने ब्रह्मा का पांचवां सिर काट दिया था।

*🔱26.शैव परम्परा : -* दसनामी, शाक्त, सिद्ध, दिगंबर, नाथ, लिंगायत, तमिल शैव, कालमुख शैव, कश्मीरी शैव, वीरशैव, नाग, लकुलीश, पाशुपत, कापालिक, कालदमन और महेश्वर सभी शैव परंपरा से हैं। चंद्रवंशी, सूर्यवंशी, अग्निवंशी और नागवंशी भी शिव की परंपरा से ही माने जाते हैं। भारत की असुर, रक्ष और आदिवासी जाति के आराध्य देव शिव ही हैं। शैव धर्म भारत के आदिवासियों का धर्म है।

*🔱27.शिव के प्रमुख नाम : -*  शिव के वैसे तो अनेक नाम हैं जिनमें 108 नामों का उल्लेख पुराणों में मिलता है लेकिन यहां प्रचलित नाम जानें- महेश, नीलकंठ, महादेव, महाकाल, शंकर, पशुपतिनाथ, गंगाधर, नटराज, त्रिनेत्र, भोलेनाथ, आदिदेव, आदिनाथ, त्रियंबक, त्रिलोकेश, जटाशंकर, जगदीश, प्रलयंकर, विश्वनाथ, विश्वेश्वर, हर, शिवशंभु, भूतनाथ और रुद्र।

*🔱28.अमरनाथ के अमृत वचन : -* शिव ने अपनी अर्धांगिनी पार्वती को मोक्ष हेतु अमरनाथ की गुफा में जो ज्ञान दिया उस ज्ञान की आज अनेकानेक शाखाएं हो चली हैं। वह ज्ञानयोग और तंत्र के मूल सूत्रों में शामिल है। 'विज्ञान भैरव तंत्र' एक ऐसा ग्रंथ है, जिसमें भगवान शिव द्वारा पार्वती को बताए गए 112 ध्यान सूत्रों का संकलन है।

*🔱29.शिव ग्रंथ : -* वेद और उपनिषद सहित विज्ञान भैरव तंत्र, शिव पुराण और शिव संहिता में शिव की संपूर्ण शिक्षा और दीक्षा समाई हुई है। तंत्र के अनेक ग्रंथों में उनकी शिक्षा का विस्तार हुआ है।

*🔱30.शिवलिंग : -* वायु पुराण के अनुसार प्रलयकाल में समस्त सृष्टि जिसमें लीन हो जाती है और पुन: सृष्टिकाल में जिससे प्रकट होती है, उसे लिंग कहते हैं। इस प्रकार विश्व की संपूर्ण ऊर्जा ही लिंग की प्रतीक है। वस्तुत: यह संपूर्ण सृष्टि बिंदु-नाद स्वरूप है। बिंदु शक्ति है और नाद शिव। बिंदु अर्थात ऊर्जा और नाद अर्थात ध्वनि। यही दो संपूर्ण ब्रह्मांड का आधार है। इसी कारण प्रतीक स्वरूप शिवलिंग की पूजा-अर्चना है।

*🔱31.बारह ज्योतिर्लिंग : -* सोमनाथ, मल्लिकार्जुन, महाकालेश्वर, ॐकारेश्वर, वैद्यनाथ, भीमशंकर, रामेश्वर, नागेश्वर, विश्वनाथजी, त्र्यम्बकेश्वर, केदारनाथ, घृष्णेश्वर। ज्योतिर्लिंग उत्पत्ति के संबंध में अनेकों मान्यताएं प्रचलित है। ज्योतिर्लिंग यानी 'व्यापक ब्रह्मात्मलिंग' जिसका अर्थ है 'व्यापक प्रकाश'। जो शिवलिंग के बारह खंड हैं। शिवपुराण के अनुसार ब्रह्म, माया, जीव, मन, बुद्धि, चित्त, अहंकार, आकाश, वायु, अग्नि, जल और पृथ्वी को ज्योतिर्लिंग या ज्योति पिंड कहा गया है।

 दूसरी मान्यता अनुसार शिव पुराण के अनुसार प्राचीनकाल में आकाश से ज्‍योति पिंड पृथ्‍वी पर गिरे और उनसे थोड़ी देर के लिए प्रकाश फैल गया। इस तरह के अनेकों उल्का पिंड आकाश से धरती पर गिरे थे। भारत में गिरे अनेकों पिंडों में से प्रमुख बारह पिंड को ही ज्‍योतिर्लिंग में शामिल किया गया।

*🔱32.शिव का दर्शन : -* शिव के जीवन और दर्शन को जो लोग यथार्थ दृष्टि से देखते हैं वे सही बुद्धि वाले और यथार्थ को पकड़ने वाले शिवभक्त हैं, क्योंकि शिव का दर्शन कहता है कि यथार्थ में जियो, वर्तमान में जियो, अपनी चित्तवृत्तियों से लड़ो मत, उन्हें अजनबी बनकर देखो और कल्पना का भी यथार्थ के लिए उपयोग करो। आइंस्टीन से पूर्व शिव ने ही कहा था कि कल्पना ज्ञान से ज्यादा महत्वपूर्ण है।

*🔱33.शिव और शंकर : -* शिव का नाम शंकर के साथ जोड़ा जाता है। लोग कहते हैं- शिव, शंकर, भोलेनाथ। इस तरह अनजाने ही कई लोग शिव और शंकर को एक ही सत्ता के दो नाम बताते हैं। असल में, दोनों की प्रतिमाएं अलग-अलग आकृति की हैं। शंकर को हमेशा तपस्वी रूप में दिखाया जाता है। कई जगह तो शंकर को शिवलिंग का ध्यान करते हुए दिखाया गया है। अत: शिव और शंकर दो अलग अलग सत्ताएं है। हालांकि शंकर को भी शिवरूप माना गया है। माना जाता है कि महेष (नंदी) और महाकाल भगवान शंकर के द्वारपाल हैं। रुद्र देवता शंकर की पंचायत के सदस्य हैं।

*🔱34. देवों के देव महादेव :* देवताओं की दैत्यों से प्रतिस्पर्धा चलती रहती थी। ऐसे में जब भी देवताओं पर घोर संकट आता था तो वे सभी देवाधिदेव महादेव के पास जाते थे। दैत्यों, राक्षसों सहित देवताओं ने भी शिव को कई बार चुनौती दी, लेकिन वे सभी परास्त होकर शिव के समक्ष झुक गए इसीलिए शिव हैं देवों के देव महादेव। वे दैत्यों, दानवों और भूतों के भी प्रिय भगवान हैं। वे राम को भी वरदान देते हैं और रावण को भी।

*🔱35. शिव हर काल में : -* भगवान शिव ने हर काल में लोगों को दर्शन दिए हैं। राम के समय भी शिव थे। महाभारत काल में भी शिव थे और विक्रमादित्य के काल में भी शिव के दर्शन होने का उल्लेख मिलता है। भविष्य पुराण अनुसार राजा हर्षवर्धन को भी भगवान शिव ने दर्शन दिये थे।।

-साभार

Aum (OM)🕉️

My interpretation : OM if we see as just the sound humans can make using their vocal chord - will immensely limit it's scope & that perspective can't extended OM beyond human realm. There are only limited frequencies that 5 senses can catch/interpret, thus the "sound" only interpretation can be said if one had to BEST express the whole universe through their vocal chord would be sound OM.  Every car that passes by makes OM sound, every machine from start to end makes OM sound, basically from 0 to peak & then peak to 0 is OM. Everything goes through this cycle at various realms. Fan in room may hum Om,  so would the motor in it, the blades on it, so would the noise making cars, the city that starts in the morning , peak , before it goes to sleep. Then the earth, the sun, solar system, the galaxy, cosmos everything that is moving has a frequency associated , has a beginning, a peak & end of that frequency this Bell Curve is best expressed as AUM using vocal chord.  Not only objects but also processes undergo same Bell Curve, this AUM is imbibed in Nature. Whatever we see/feel/is in & around us is following the same AUM pattern (BELL Curve) . Each pattern interacting with other thus resulting in its resultant that in turn spinning of another AUM pattern. Cycle continues till the encapsulating AUM diminishes. Aum inside,  AUM around & AUM beyond 🕉🕉🕉