CHINMAYA SHIVAM

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Please support this podcast by pressing the follow button and support Chinmaya Mission Mumbai projects taken up by Swami Swatmananda, through generous donations. Contribution by Indians in INR can be made online using this link: https://bit.ly/gdswatman

Donors outside India who would like to offer any Gurudakshina/donation can send an email to [email protected] with a cc to [email protected] to get further details.

These podcasts @ChinmayaShivam are also available on Spotify, Apple iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Podomatic, Amazon music and Google Podcast

FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ChinmayaShivampage

Insta: https://instagram.com/chinmayashivam?igshid=1twbki0v3vomt

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chinmayashivam

Blog: https://notesnmusings.blogspot.com

LinkedIN: www.linkedin.com/in/swatmananda

‘Akshaya’ signifies immortality or that which is indestructible. ‘Tritiyaa' is the third lunar day as per the Hindu calendar.
We explore the Vedantic Significance of Akshay Tritiya here in this podcast. 

● It is believed that all sadhanas like Charity, holy bath in sacred rivers, Havan, Japa, Pooja etc. gives Infinite(Akshay) result and merit(punya).

● It is also celebrated as Nara-Narayan Jayanti, Parashuram Jayanti & Hayagriva Jayanti.

● Buying gold and silver jewelry is a key tradition of Akshaya Tritiya as Gold & Silver are noble metals and do not oxidize or corrode, indicating Eternity. They also symbolize abundance and good fortune.

● In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas in exile were gifted a vessel called Akshay Patra by Lord Surya on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. This Divine Vessel offered inexhaustible supply of food.

● The day is also known for the reunion of Lord Krishna and Sudama, who were childhood friends.

● The Chota Char Dham (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri & Yamunotri) open on the Akshaya Tritiyaa after the Winter break.  The deities are brought down from these 4 places after Diwali and again taken back to the temples a few days before Akshaya Tritiyaa.

● On this day, devotees offer prayers to Lord Vishnu, Goddess Vaibhav Lakshmi and Lord Krishna by observing a fast and performing puja.

● Individuals also donate clothes, ghee, rice, fruits, salt, and vegetables to the needy on this auspicious day.

Abhishekam means “sprinkling” or “wetting,” and refers to the ritual of pouring water or other sacred substances on a Linga while chanting Vedic mantras or shlokas. Whatever is offered in abhisheka gets charged with powerful vibrations of the chanting and the touch of the Divine symbol. Of the items that are offered, the sacred water and other substances which are edible, like sugarcane juice, coconut water, Panchamrta-Milk, honey, curd, ghee& sugar are then distributed as Tirtha or Prasad. Haldi, Kumkum, chandan, bhasma etc. are poured for gardening. Nothing is wasted.

Why is Abhisheka done?
1. To express our love and gratitude to the Lord
2. To pray to the Lord to purify our mind and bless us with more devotion, knowledge and selfless service.
3. It represents continuous flow of thoughts to the Positive& Divine.
4. Helps one to invoke Divine Grace for fulfilment of material and spiritual desires.
5. The best of substances - chandan, kumkum, haldi - are poured in devotion on Him. The best in us must be poured in HIS seva.
6. The greatest and the highest Abhisheka is to pour the waters of pure love on the Lord in one’s heart. External abhisheka leads to internal abhisheka eventually and unites one with the Lord.

#Shivaratri #mahashivaratri #abhisheka #shiva

Ganga means one who speeds up our journey or evolution and who unites us with the Goal OF life. She flows from Brahmaji’s kalash to Vishnu Bhagwan’s foot during the Vamana Avatar and from there to the jata of Shivji before flowing on the earth due to Bhagirath’s penance. So she is symbolic of Jnana, Bhakti and Seva.

She is held by Bhagawan Shiva in his jata symbolic of humbling of her pride and power of Shiva ji’s tapasya. Another symbolism is Gangaji is symbolic of Brahmavidya or the knowledge of the Self which is very subtle & difficult to understand. Bhagawan Shiva is the Adi Guru who has realised this knowledge through tapas or austerity and brings this knowledge to the disciples in small understandable doses. Har Har Gange.

#ganga #shiva #riverganga #river #vedanta #oneness #puranas #bhakti #seva #jnana #jnanayoga

[ganges, austerity, peace, tradition, guruparampara, vedas, vedic wisdom]

Väsuki is the eldest son of Rishi Kashyapa and Kadrů. Vasuki went through all pain for others to get Amrit. He did not ask what will i get out of it. Selfless people who see oneness and operate love go through difficulties joyously because of this vision of oneness and love.

In Tripura-dahana, Vasuki becomes the bow-string of Shiva’a bow(Pinaka) and as the axle of his chariot.

The nāgas anointed Vasuki as their King. He is one of the 7 nagas to hold up the earth. When Balabhadra went to Patala after his work on earth, Vasuki went to receive him.

Comment “Vasuki” to know more about Vasuki and his length and how Garuda was humbled by Vasuki.

#mahakumbh #mahakumbh2025 #vasuki #shiva #serpent#naga #snake #selfless #strength

[snake, selfless, churning, ocean, struggle, life, service, love, oneness]

Bhagawan Shiva is Shashi-shekhara. Shashi is a name given for the moon . The meaning of the word is one who has a rabbit like mark . Moon shows a rabbit like mark when seen from earth so it is given that name . Shekara means crest or crest ornament. One who wears moon as an ornament in his crest is called shashishekara .

Moon is the presiding deity of the mind.  The crescent moon is symbolic of our mind being steady. The moon goes through waxing and waning but the moon on Lord Shiva’s jata does not go through any modification. It remains steady. Vedanta says Manaso Devataa Chandramaaha. In the Vedas, Shiva Sankalpa sukta’s each mantra ends with the line – Tan me manah Shiva-sankalpam astu. May my mind have an auspicious resolve. By the grace of Lord Shiva, may our mind have positive and auspicious resolve. May we not fall for negative thinking. May we continue to lift ourselves higher and higher.

Moon also is a symbol of coolness. As seekers, we have to keep our mind cool and calm. Though Lord Shiva is known for anger or Rudra Tandava, yet he is calm, composed and equanimous. He is a yogi whose mind is very calm. Bhagawad Geeta says - Prashanta manasam hyenam, yoginam sukham uttamam. The calm mind of a yogi experiences Supreme Bliss. Shivagamas say that chandra is the symbol of Jnana or ultimate wisdom. Moon is also symbol of yogic bliss. Lord Shiva is the greatest yogi so he bears moon ( divine bliss ) on his crest. The scriptures describing yoga shaastra also compares moon with unmani sthithi (thoughtless state beyond the mind). Advaita speaks of it as Amani bhaava(state of Consciousness, beyond thoughts).

Comment “Chandra” to get the story of how moon came to adorn Bhagawan’s crest and why He is called Chandrashekhara

#shiva #chandra #moon #mahadev #yogalife #yogic #bliss#advaita #mindset #mind #mindfulness #spirituality

RUDRAKSHA JABALA UPANISHAD says
Bhusunda questioned Lord Kalagnirudra: What is the beginning of Rudraksha beads? What is the benefit of wearing them on the body?
Lord Kalagnirudra answered him thus: “I closed my eyes for the sake of destroying the Tripura Asuras. From my eyes thus closed, drops of water fell on the earth. These drops of tears turned into Rudrakshas.
By the mere utterance of the name of ‘Rudraksha’, one acquires the benefit of giving ten cows in charity. By seeing and touching it, one attains double that benefit.
I closed my eyes one thousand celestial years. Then from my eyelids, drops of water dropped down and attained the state of immobility for blessing the devoted persons
This Rudraksha destroys the devotees’ sins that are committed both night and day, by wearing it.
By mere vision of the Rudraksha, the benefit will be say, a lac. But by wearing them, it will be a crore. Why, it will be equal to hundred crores. But it will be a thousand lacs of crores and hundred lacs of crores times powerful when one does Japa with Rudraksha and wears it at all times.
Among Rudrakshas, one as big as Amalaka (myrobalan), is considered to be the best. One as big as the Badari fruit (Indian berry) is considered to be of the middle sort. But that as big as Chana (Bengal gram) is considered to be the worst of all. This is my idea about the size of Rudraksha beads.

A worshipper of Siva should wear Rudraksha all over the body.
The base of the Rudraksha bead is Brahma, its navel is Vishnu, its face is Rudra and its hole consists of all gods.

One who wears Rudrakshas, should not use intoxicants, meat, garlic, onions and all such prohibited things.”

#shiva #rudraksha #rudrakshapower #rudra #mahadev#mala #tears #haraharamahadev #harharmahadev

Bhagawan Shiva wears Bhasma (sacred ash) as a powerful symbol of detachment, destruction of ego, and transcendence over Maya (illusion). Here’s why:
1. Symbol of Impermanence – Bhasma represents the fact that everything material will turn to ash. It reminds us that worldly attachments are temporary, urging seekers to focus on the eternal truth—Brahman.
2. Victory Over Death – Shiva is Mahakaal, the Lord of Time and Death. By smearing ashes, He signifies that He has conquered Kala (time) actions(karma) and Yama (death), remaining ever free.
3. Destruction of Ego and Desire – Bhasma is a reminder to burn the false sense of “I” (Ahamkara) and worldly desires in the fire of knowledge and devotion.
4. Purification and Tapas (Austerity) – Ash represents purity and renunciation. Shiva, as the supreme Yogi, lives in the cremation ground, showing that He is beyond worldly distinctions.

He applies bhasma all over the body and also as tripundra(3 lines) on the forehead. 3 lines symbolise destruction of 3 karmas- sanchita(accumulated karma of the past), Prarabdha(present karma) and agami(future karma). It symbolises destruction of 3 bodies- gross, subtle and causal, of 3 states - waking, dream and deep sleep, of 3 desires - desire for progeny, popularity, power or wealth.

Attachments bring sorrow. Detachment is the way to happiness. May we live in this spirit of detachment and realise Shiva-Tattva. Hara Hara Mahadeva.

#shiva #mahadev #mahakal #bhasma #bhasmaarti #ash#sacredash #detach #detachment #attach #attachments#renunciation #yogi

Halahal is also called Kālakūta. Owing to the curse of Durvasa, the Devas were subjected to symptoms of old age, and to produce amṛta (nectar) as remedy for this unfortunate development, the churning of Kşīrā-bdhi (ocean of milk) was started. Vasuki, the snake, was used as cord to rotate mount Mandara, which was used as the churning rod. When the churning became very intense, the mortal poison Kālakūta emerged out of Vasuki’s mouth. (Another view is held that Kālakūța rose out of the milk-sea). On the emergence of the deadly poison the asuras ran off in great fear, the Devas got bewildered, Bali and Sugrīva too got frightened and without exhibiting his fright Vişnu covered his face; on the whole it appeared as though the entire world would be reduced to ashes.

At this critical moment, Siva, reputed for his daring, put all the Kālakūța into his mouth. Frightened at it Parvati held Śiva’s throat by her hands so that the poison did not enter his stomach. At the same time Mahāvişnu covered with his hands Śiva’s mouth so that the poison was not spitted out. Kālakūța thus prevented from going down into the stomach or being vomited from Siva’s throat got itself digested in the throat giving it a blue colour. Thus did Siva become Nilakantha (of the blue throat). Vişnu and Pārvatī who were affected by the flames of the poison became Nilavarņan and Kālī respectively. (Kamba Rāmāyaņa, Yuddhakānda).

#neelkanth #mahadev #shiva #compassion #blue