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Cosmic metrics Unit Definition Divine Years Solar Years [a] Mahā-kalpa 36 000 Kalpa + 36 000 Pralaya 864 000 000 000 311 040 000 000 0...
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Har Har Mahadev!!! Because of the first line people might think I might say it is Lord Shiva. But no. It’s both of them. Both, Lord Shiva ...
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Yagnopaveetham is a triple stranded sacrificial filament joined by a knot called Brahmagranthi that is worn by those initiated into the Ga...
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All Hindu temples have a perimeter around the vigraha for parikrama (circumabulation) and the convention is to keep the object that is bei...
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Were There Two Buddhas? By Stephen Knapp I was asked to look into this a few years ago by someone who knew of my research abilities....
All Hindu temples have a perimeter around the vigraha for parikrama (circumabulation) and the convention is to keep the object that is being respected “to the right” which is the meaning of pradakshina, a Samskritam word.
This mirrors the geometry of the Saptarishi Mandala in the night sky across the 4 seasons: Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall.
First, here is an image of the saptarshi mandala, commonly known in the western world as “the big dipper” comprised of multiple stars which form a panhandle:
Second, this is the configuration / orientation of the saptarishi mandala at different times of the year, in relation to the “pole star” or “Dhruva tara” (Dhruva nakshatra):
You will notice that this rotational pattern around the pole star is really just the Hindu svastika (sauvastika):
Dhruva nakshatra is one of the most important nakshatras in our calculations, because the entire night sky rotates around this star (due to the orientation of the earth in relation to it … it is directly above). The actual tilt of the earth’s axis produces a precession which is measured in relation to this dhruva nakshatra, resulting in the familiar 26,000 year cycle which measures the passage of the 4 yugas across history.
These astronomical cycles have tremendous significance in the changes in human consciousness, as per the changes in the yugas themselves: satya [krita] yuga, treta yuga, dvapara yuga, and kali yuga. The passage through these 4 yugas comprises a mahayuga. When 2000 cycles of these mahayugas have completed, this is one kalpa.
This svastika has many spiritual meanings, including ‘dharma’ and ‘kala’ (mahakala or ‘Great Time’). These 4 branches represent the 4 pillars or 4 legs of the Bull of Dharma. This svastika also symbolizes the sudharshana chakra of Sri Maha Vishnu.
The significance of Dhruva tara is understood when reading the related purana of the child sage Dhruva, who represents total bhakti (to Sri Maha Vishnu). Dhruva’s Narayana bhakti is most famous and became legend. It is that supreme bhakti which is the ultimate aim of Hindus. So the svastika symbolizes that bhakti, and the rotation (parikrama) “to the right” (pradakshina) keeping the ishta devata in the center, is the hidden inner meaning of this symbol. That bhakti is the highest goal, and is equivalent to moksha or mukthi. The physical action of circumambulation is a symbolic equivalent of seeking total freedom (mukthi) from the bondages of samsara. It is a silent prayer. When Hindus do ‘atma pradakshina’ this shows us our self (atma), if we pay attention to our awareness as we do it. This is atma darshana.
Whatever Hindus do has tremendous practical significance to the spiritual process. Nothing we do is meaningless. No words we use are meaningless or frivolous.
Here, Nilesh Oak walks us through the Hindu calendar:
You should also watch this:
The view of traditional Hinduism is that breatharianism, or indefinite survival on breath alone without the consumption of food, is possible. Prana from sunlight and Soma from moonlight alone can sustain one’s bodily life if assimilated efficiently enough. Hindu texts like the Patanjali Yoga Sutras state that the mastery of Samyama, the integration of Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi, liberates the yogi from the need to consume food for survival. It is the supreme level of self-control. Some call this practice Prana Yoga. Instead of eating, one practices deep breathing and sun-gazing at dawn and sunset. At the most advanced level even water is not needed.
This practice is referenced in various Hindu texts. For example in the Valmiki Ramayana, kanda 3, chapter 6, the ashrama of Sharabhanga is said to include “saints who live on rays of the sun and moon… whose nourishment is supplied by pure Prana” among its inhabitants. In chapter 11 the hermit Mandakarni is said to have lived for many years eating nothing but air. Such descriptions are common throughout the literature of Hinduism when describing the Tapasya of advanced ascetics.
Various modern yogis have practiced this technique as well, like Hari Giri Bala, Therese Neumann, Devraha Baba, Prahlad Jani, many Jain monks, and others.
However, the traditional view of Hinduism never recommends for people to try this practice. Forgoing food is obviously dangerous to one’s health. This is the kind of expert practice that should of course only be attempted under expert supervision, and it is not necessarily to the attainment of Moksha.
