GITA ABHYAS - Bhagavad Gita in Practice

Many of you might have read Bhagavad Gita but after reading it, are you able to keep it in practice? Are you able to follow what is told in Bhagavad Gita in your daily life? If you are not able to keep Bhagavad Gita in practice then mere reading will not help.

In Bhaja Govindam Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya mentioned that by practicing even a little of Bhagavad Gita one can get out of the life and death cycle and attain moksha. By this we can understand how important it is to keep Bhagavad Gita in practice.

Do you want to practice what is told in the Bhagavad Gita and change your life? But don’t know how to keep it in practice?

Then the story GITA ABHYAS – Bhagavad Gita in Practice will teach you how to keep Bhagavad Gita in practice

Partha was a university gold medalist who refused to attend the campus placements as it was his dream to become an IAS officer and serve the nation. So immediately after graduation, he started preparing for civils. One year back, he was able to qualify in the preliminary exam but was not able to crack the mains. But this year he was not even able to qualify for the preliminary exam

This continues failure made him depressed and Partha thinks to himself “Two years ago I was a gold medalist, but now, after 2 years of preparation, I am not able to crack the preliminary exam. What happened to me? All my friends are doing good jobs and a few of them are in the US doing higher education. But what have I achieved in the last 2 years? Maybe God doesn’t want me to be successful. I have believed him so much but he cheated me. Maybe my fate is not good.”

The next day after the results visiting a 200-year-old Hanuman temple has changed his life forever.

So the book is mainly about “Whom he met in the Hanuman Temple, what that person has taught to Partha and how did Partha’s life changed after practicing those teachings ?”

In this book concepts of Bhagavad Gita like Karma yoga, Bhakthi yoga, Indriya nigraha, karma phala sanyasa yoga etc are explained in an easy and simple way by giving many practical examples. After reading this book you will not only understand the concepts of Bhagavad Gita but also you will be able to practice them as its clearly mentioned

Gita Abhyas

This book is for people

• – Who want to understand and keep Bhagavad Gita in Practice
• – Who want to achieve great things and success in life
• – Who are seeking spiritual and religious knowledge

Order book on Amazon to start you life journey by practicing GITA. Click here

Navaratri Significance and how to do Pooja at home

Navaratri is a Sanskrit word which literally translates to nine nights (Nava means ‘9’ and ratri means ‘nights’). It is a 9 day long festival observed by the Hindus. This festival symbolizes the victory of good over evil.

Generally sharadnavaratri is observed in the month of September / October. It starts on Aswayuja padyami (first day of Aswayuja masam) and ends on Aswayuja Navami (Ninth day of Aswayuja masam). Chaitra Navaratri is also celebrated during March/April. 

Reason behind Navaratri festival:

Once there was a demon named mahishasura who was granted immortality by lord brahma on a condition that he could only be defeated by a woman. Considering no woman could kill him, he started troubling everyone in trilok (earth, heaven and hell) and no one was able to defeat him. Finally Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva together created goddess Durga who finally defeated Mahishasura. She fought with him for 9 long days.

During the fight the clever mahishasura kept changing his form to confuse goddess Durga. Ultimately on the 10th day when he took the form of Buffalo, goddess Durga pierced his chest with her trishul and killed him.

 So we worship goddess Durga these nine days in nine different forms known as ‘Nava Durga’

1st day: on the very first day Maa Durga is worshipped as ‘Shailaputri’, daughter of king of mountains. We worship Devi Shailaputri to attain highest state of consciousness.

2nd day: on the second day goddess ‘Brahmacharini’, the second avatar of Maa Durga is worshipped to explore our inner divinity. She is store house of knowledge and wisdom.

3rd day: on the third day we worship goddess ‘Chandra ganta’ for peace, tranquillity and prosperity in life.

4th day: on the fourth day we worship goddess ‘Kushmanda’. She is considered as originator of universe.

5th day: Fifth day is dedicated to goddess ‘Skandamatha’. Skandamatha means mother of skanda (Karthikeya). She represents mother who can fight anyone when need arises to protect her kids (devotees). Worshiping this form of Maa Durga brings abundance of wisdom, wealth, power, prosperity and liberation.

6th day: Devi ‘Katyayani’ is worshipped on the sixth day to put an end to all our inner foes that are an obstacle on the path of spiritual evolution.

7th day: on the seventh day we invoke Devi ‘Kalaratri’. Kalaratri is a fierce form of Devi which represents the dark night. Maa Kalaratri is known for destroying ignorance and removing darkness from universe.

8th day: on the eighth day goddess ‘Maha Gauri’ is worshipped. She is that energy which propels our lives and also liberates us.

9th day: on ninth day we worship Devi ‘Siddhidatri’. Siddhi means perfection. Devi siddhidatri brings perfection in our life. She makes the impossible possible. She takes us beyond the ever reasoning logical mind to explore the realm beyond time and space.

In some places on these 9 days Maa Durga is also worshipped as Balatripurasundari, Annapurna Devi, Gayathri, Lalitha Devi, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga, Mahishasura mardini and Rajarajeshwari

 The 10th day is celebrated as ‘Vijayadashami’ or ‘Dussera’ where Maa Durga killed mahishasura signifying victory of good over evil.

How to perform Navaratri puja:

Chandi saptha shathi Parayana (reading Chandi saptha shathi in Sanskrit) is done during the Navaratri under the guidance of Guru. If your family has any fixed tradition of worshipping goddess during Navaratri you follow your family tradition. If you can’t do Chandi Saptha shathi Parayana, you can follow a simple worship by which you can get the blessing of Maa Durga

Daily morning and evening after the bath, you lite a lamp in front of Goddess Murthi and offer a fruit or sweet (prepared with care at home).

Then you can chant below stotram 

1. Argala stotram
2. Aparajita stotram
3. Devi Keelakam
4. Mahishasura Mardini stotram,
5. durga kavacham

Not only above, there are many stotras of goddess. You can read them as well. If you can’t read all the stotram reading Atleast one of them is good. If you feel chanting stotram difficult you can also chant any name of Maa Durga or Maa Laxmi or Maa Saraswati for 108 or 1008 or more times with devotion. You can also visit any goddess temple and offer your prayers.

If in case anyone is unable to follow 9days of puja, we can start atleast from the 3rd day or 5th day or 7th day which also gives the same result. It is also told that at least the last three days i.e., Durgashtami, Maharnavami and Vijayadashami should be observed and we should worship Maa Durga to get her blessings.

Kanya Pooja

On the eighth day of Navaratri puja, invite nine small girls to your home (if you are not able to get 9 girls you can invite Atleast 1 or 3 or 5 girls). They are considered to be the nine forms of Maa Durga. Wash their feet and treat them with special meal and give them some small gifts they would like (include bangles and flowers). This ritual is called ‘Kanya puja’.

Also read understanding hindu calender (panchang)

Celebrations:

People together worship Maa Durga by keeping Durga idols in societies. After Durga Pooja in the Pandal people play garba, dandiya, bathukamma and dunchi (some of the dance forms)

Digital Detox - An experience you should try for sure

In this current generation, we cannot imagine a life without technology. Right from the time, we wake up to the time we sleep, and even while sleeping we are dependent on technology in one or another way. With the help of technology, we are able to do many things with less effort and there is an increase in comfort level as well.

This is one side of the coin, but on the other side, it has made us mentally and physically weak. Many people are happy with technology but somewhere inside everyone is fed up with it. Most of the people want a temporary break where they want to go to a remote place where there will be no technology and wanted to stay there peacefully for some time. I think you might also have the same thought if I am not wrong. But how often we can go to such places? So is there any alternative? Yes… Digital detox or technology detox.
Now let us learn how to do it. Most people consider avoiding mobile as digital detox but let us go beyond to experience more.
First, select a day on the weekend or any other day when you will be free. And a family can do it together it will be more fun. A day before doing this activity, you can inform your close ones that you will not be available for a day. So that they don’t feel worried if your phone is switched off.
On the day of detox, early morning after you wake up switch off your phone, off all electrical devices like fans, AC, lights, etc. And you should not use them till the next day morning.
Hmm…I know you might be thinking I am crazy but believe me you will love the experience.
[ Note: Take care of water supply and you can use electricity for it else it will be a problem ]

Digital detox

OK, you have turned off your phone and all other electrical devices, now what to do? You Can do many things which you don’t do on a normal day. Most of the days we bathe in hurry, that day take your time and do a satisfying bath.
If you like reading books you can read one or you can do any activity you like or you can spend quality time with your family by playing some indoor or outdoor games. You can cook your favorite dish and can enjoy it. And at night you can sleep early which most people forgot to do nowadays. You might be thinking that avoiding mobile and TV is OK but how difficult it is to stay without a fan and AC? Yeah, I understand it is difficult but you can make use of windows and you can use hand fans.
At night use oil lamps instead of lights. It will be a different experience and you will like it.
So what are the benefits you will get if you do it? Hmm, I don’t want to mention any benefits. I  want you to try and share your experience and how beneficial you felt (in the comment section). But I can say for sure you will get a relaxing experience. You will not listen to any unwanted or negative information as you don’t use TV and social media, you will get from relief the spam, or time pass calls and your body will get in sync with nature as we are not giving it any artificial luxury.

And one special thing is you will get time to think and talk to yourself. By doing this, you will get more clarity about your life, what you need and will help you in understanding yourself more. If you understand the entire world but can’t understand yourself then there will not be any meaning to your life and you can never be happy.

Also, read Organic lifestyle

If you like the experience you can keep doing it once a month or more as you like. And there are no hard and fast rules, you can modify the detox plan as per your situation but try to avoid electric gadgets as much as possible. Hope you will try and enjoy the experience.

know this Weight loss story if you want to lose weight

There were two people Tinku and Minku. One fine day, they have realized that their weight was more than normal and decided that they should reduce their weight.

Minku was more serious about his weight reduction and wanted to become thin as soon as possible. So initially Minku skipped his meals and reduced intake of food as much as possible. In a week he reduced almost 1.5kg, but he started feeling weak, and his craving for food
Increased. He felt happy that he reduced his weight by 1.5kg, but he was not able to continue after one and a half weeks. Again he started eating normally and after two more weeks, he again gained weight.

Then he thought, it will not work like this, I should do something new. Then he started eating only vegetables and fruits. It was very effective but he was not able to continue it. After discontinuing he again gained weight.
Like this, he tried different ways but he was not able to continue them. So in 6 months, he was not able to effectively reduce any weight.

Minku weight loss journey

Tinku on other hand wanted to make changes which he can follow without much difficulty. He decided to follow only two things
1. 15 minutes work out morning and evening
2. Eating not more than 70% of his capacity

After doing this for one week he didn’t find any big change in his weight. But by doing the above two he used to feel active and good. So he continued doing it even though he didn’t get much improvement. After a month his weight reduced by 1.5kg. As doing the above two, is not very difficult, he was able to continue them for a long and they became a part of his life.
After 6 months he was able to reduce 7kg weight and he also became fit and active and he is still continuing it.

Tinku weight loss story

Also, read organic life

But Minku even after trying so many things was not able to get any permanent results.
If you are also trying to reduce your weight, try to follow the things which can become a part of your daily routine and which can be followed forever so that you will also get permanent results.