Rationalizing Hindusim - Kumkuma, Bindi

I'll continue to rationalize and make meaning out of the various inexplicable things about Hindusim. I have now earned the sobriquet "Rational Hindu" which doubly makes sense because I also work at the Rational group in IBM.

Almost every one of us here have been asked about the red dot we keep on our forehead. Growing up in India, we simply took that for granted. If we asked, we were simply told that it was religious reasons. That did it. No further questions were (to be) asked, for asking so would have been looked upon as sacrilegious. But now we are really forced to think. Why really do we keep it ?

What do Hindusim's chakras, New Age Spirituality, Japanese Reiki, Tibetan Tantra and Chinese Quigong all have in common ? They all believe in a concept where the physical body is said to have energy centers. They are considered the focal points for the reception and transmission of energies. Seven major chakras or energy centers are generally believed to exist, located within the subtle body.

These seven chakras are located along the spinal column starting from the tail bone and going all the way to top of the head. One school of thought believes that these chakra are related to the body's ductless endocrine glands and lymphatic system since a major endocrine gland is present in the vicinity of each chakra.

Another school of thought believes that these chakras are related to the nerve ganglia or plexuses. Strong energy centers or chakras are formed at the points where the sympatic (Ida nadi), parasympatic (pingala nadi) and central nervous system (shushumna nadi) criss cross one another.

The following are the seven primary chakras with the endocrine glands they relate to in ( )
1. Muladhara: Base or Root Chakra (ovaries/prostate)
2. Swadhisthana: Sacral Chakra (pancreas)
3. Manipura: Solar Plexus Chakra (adrenal gland)
4. Anahata: Heart Chakra (thymus)
5. Vishuddha: Throat Chakra (thyroid)
6. Ajna: Brow or Third Eye Chakra (pineal gland)
7. Sahasrara: Crown Chakra (pitutary gland)


"The Aagna chakra, located between the brows is linked to the pineal gland which may inform a model of its envisioning. The pineal gland is a light sensitive gland that produces the hormone melatonin which regulates sleep and waking up. Ajna is symbolised by a lotus with two petals, and corresponds to the colour white, indigo or deep blue. Ajna's key issues involve balancing the higher & lower selves and trusting inner guidance. Ajna's inner aspect relates to the access of intuition. Emotionally, Ajna deals with clarity on an intuitive level."

Interesingly, Aagna chakra is also called Bhru-Madhya (in the middle of the brow). Hmmm, does the English word "brow" trace it's origin to the Sanskri word 'Bhru' ? I digress.

The Lalitha Sahasranama also talks about these chakras in 2 different set of verses.
Aagna chakarantharalastha Rudra granthi vibhedini - 103
Aagna chakrabjanilaya, shukla varna, shadanana - 521

So could the reason to keep the kumkuma possibly be to stimulate the Aagna chakra ? By thus stimulating the Aagna chakra, isit possible to stimulate the pineal gland ? If it does, then regulating your sleep and wake cycles should give us good sleep when we do and keep us alert when we are not. Maybe it could lead to a clarity of thought and perception.

The primary scientific reason could have been to stimulate this chakra every day. Now turmeric, out of which kumkuma is made, also happens to be a very good epilator. Isn't it doubly convenient that as you are stimulating the Aagna chakra, you are also giving yourself a cosmetic treatment.

With time, the real benefits and reasons for keeping the kumkuma may have been lost. It got reduced a symbolic act. And once it got reduced to symbolism, it was just a forehead marking. It morphed into different markings, each a club membership to a different sect. Speak about wearing the religion on a sleeve, we took it to a whole new level (pun intended), to the forehead.

Rationalizing Hinduism - Theertha & Arathi

I grew up believing and sometimes blindly following a lot of Hindu rituals. Some of them I just took it for granted. Some, I wondered but not enough to dig deeper and find a satisfactory answer. Life, they say, is a wonderful teacher. Experience, they say, gives a better perspective. So, over the years I have begun to rationalize a lot of things in Hinduism. These are reasonings and conclusions that I have deduced. I welcome your comments and corrections with an open mind.

What Hinduism has is empirical data, and that it has in abundance. With an unbroken civilization dating back to at least 5000 years ago it has the wisdom of experience on its side. And it has a lot of data from these very many centuries. What it has lacked is the ability to form a scientific proof. So while it is easier to believe a proven concept, always relying on centuries old empirical data seems anachronistic.

For example, take the very same people you know today and turn the clock back to some 5 centuries ago. Except for the technological advancements, nothing would be much different from a social and civilization aspect. Some people would still be indifferent to the rituals, and some would still follow it because that is how it has always been. But most don't question because that would be tantamount to questioning the very existence of God !

This has been the modus operandi of most religions, Hinduism as the oldest being no exception. Bind every shastra (community law) and ritual to the religion and you'll have people following it blindly for the fear of God. You may believe in God but by questioning the purported God-given law (shastra) or the God-proscribed ritual, you are questioning the Supreme authority. How dare you ?

However empirical data and experience suggests that some rituals are indeed beneficial. In this blog I'll try to make sense out of the most common of our everyday religious rite - the mangalarthi and theertha.

ಮಂಗಳಾರತಿ ತೊಗೊಂಡರೆ ಉಷ್ಣ ; ತೀರ್ಥ ತೊಗೊಂಡರೆ ಶೀತ.
While the above proverb is a hyperbole depicting an extremely delicate constitution of a person, I have reasons to believe that mangalarati and teertha actually make and keep a person very healthy.

Temples of yore had a very dark sanctum sanctorum. To show the deity to the visiting devotees the priest would have show a lamp. So the mangalarthi served a very practical purpose of illuminating the deity in a dark sanctum sanctorum. However what about the ritual of "taking the arathi" ? What about the ritual of "taking the teertha" ?

Have you woken up on a morning with a cold and stuffy nose ? The cold and cogestion causes early morning cough. According to Ayurveda, Kapha (phlegm) is one of the 3 main doshas (regulatory principles) that govern the human body. Cold, stuffy nose and cough are all associated with accumulation of phlegm.

Try adding a few drops of Vicks VapoSteam to your vaporizer or warm-steam humidifier. You'll wake up without the cold, stuffy nose and cough. What's in the VapoSteam liquid ? Camphor. Camphor is an active ingredient (along with menthol) in vapor-steam products, such as Vicks VapoRub, and it is effective as a cough suppressant. This must have been the very idea behind these every day rituals. By "taking the mangalarathi " every morning you inhale the fumes of a burning camphor. Crushed camphor along with Tulsi is added to the theertha. By taking the teertha, you are small quantities of camphor.

Camphor is readily absorbed through the skin and produces a feeling of cooling similar to that of menthol and acts as slight local anesthetic and antimicrobial substance. It may also be administered orally in small quantities (50 mg) for minor heart symptoms and fatigue.

Tulsi (Holy Basil) is undisputably a medicinal plant. It's healing properties are endless. So I'll just point you to an external link. Along with camphor, Tulsi also decreases phlegm and thus is an effective remedy for coughs and cold.

Thus a daily regimen of taking the mangalarthi and theertha seems like a good prescription for a healthy and long life.

Kannada Proverbs

When I was growing up (not that I am done growing now.. but that is the topic of another blog), I heard my grandmother use a proverb in almost every conversation. I am sure most of us have a similar experience. To revive the nostalgia, I decided to start a collection of Kannada proverbs here. Together let's grow this list.

1. ವೇದ ಸುಳ್ಳಾದ್ರು ಗಾದೆ ಸುಳ್ಳಾಗೊಲ್ಲ.
2. ಪಾಪಿ ಸಮುದ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋದ್ರೂ ಮೊಣಕಾಲಶ್ಟೆ ನೀರು.
3. ಇಟ್ಟು ಕೊಂಡಿರೋಳು ಇರೋತನಕ, ಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಂಡಿರೋಳು ಕೊನೆ ತನಕ.
4. ಮುತ್ತು ಕೊಡುವಳು ಬಂದಾಗ ತುತ್ತು ಕೊಟ್ಟವಳ ಮರತಂತೆ.
5. ದೂರದ ಬೆಟ್ಟ ಕಣ್ಣಿಗೆ ನುಣ್ಣಗೆ.
6. ಕುಣಿಲಾರದ ಸೂಳೆ ನೆಲ ಡೊಂಕೆಂದಳಂತೆ.
   

Vedic Astrology

Vedic Astrology

Astrology! Horoscope! Sometimes this topic is discussed for fun in social gatherings. Sometimes it is discussed thoughtfully among the people that believe in the topic. It is very likely the topic gets more attention when someone is getting married by matches arranged by the prospect’s parents or immediate family members. Some people use Astrology as a means to find some solution to their problems, if they are running through tough times of life. Whatever the context the topic is discussed or used, the mere words - Astrology and Horoscope carry mystic attraction towards them and many people, do get drawn it.

As proponents of Astrology support, it is a science based on the planet, stars and their positions with respect to time. The literary meaning of Astro from Cambridge dictionary is ‘relating to space, the planets, stars or other objects in space, or to a structure in the shape of a star’. This meaning does translate Astrology as a study of stars, planet with respect to time. If Astrology was something false or hoax, then it would have not existed for thousands of years nor do you see so many advertisements of Astrologers on TV. Astrology is so popular that some universities even offer Doctoral degree programs in the field.

There are several approaches to the study and practice of Astrology across the world including the Indian Vedic, western, Greek, Middle Eastern and Chinese system. The study that originated from India is the Vedic Astrology. As implicit from the name, Vedic Astrology is the Study of planets, stars and their positions based on the teachings provide ancient Vedas in India. Most commonly used Vedic Astrology tool by the people in/from India and anyone across the world who believe in Vedic Astrology is the Vedic Horoscope.

Vedic Horoscope is in its true meaning, is the construction of a person’s birth chart which shows the exact location of planets in a preset format based on the teachings provided in Vedas. To construct a Vedic Horoscope of a person you need three important things – person’s date of birth, time of birth and place of birth. Construction of a Vedic Horoscope used to take minutes to months depending the skill and knowledge of the person constructing it. Normally the horoscopes were constructed by Vedic Astrologers and some scholars that were knowledgeable about Vedic Astrology. The person constructing the horoscope has to be skilled in math as it involves many, many calculations including local time and latitude/longitude of place of birth and position of planets at the time of birth and many more. After construction of the Horoscope, the usage comes in the form and response of interpretations. The important parts in the horoscope are Lagna Kundali(chart that shows Ascendent, position of planets at time of birth) and Amsha Kundali and dasha periods. The Janma kundali has Janma Lagna(Ascendent), Janma Rashi(Star constellation of Moon) and 12 houses known as Bhavas.

Computers have made the construction of the Vedic Horoscope easier with availability of software tools. The advent of internet and adoption by Astrologers has made not just life easier for the construction of the Vedic Horoscope but also in interpretation of the Horoscope. There are innumerous websites that describe what the Vedic Astrology and Horoscope mean. Some sites provide education about the Vedic Astrology and Horoscope.

Using the Vedic Horoscope falls in the need of the person for whom it is constructed. The interpretation of the horoscope is generally called reading. It ranges from generic reading (that is advised only once) to specific situations and contexts of life. Generic reading helps the person to know the type of personality of person, any health issues, defect in horoscope or to know the reasons for why some events happen certain in life. Examples of specific contexts may be like changing jobs, getting married or going through a rough phase in lifer. Reading and interpreting of Horoscope should always be done using a knowledgeable Astrologer. Reading and/or Interpretation really helps to find three things - any defects that are in the horoscope at the time of birth, the influence that is felt in current time/context and influences that can be seen in future. It also forms the basis for suggestions of possible remedy in case of any defect.

A person believing in Horoscope should get it constructed and have at least a generic reading done. It is good to use the horoscope and readings as a guide in contexts of Life Events like getting married, changing jobs or when life is taking you through rough ride. Any good astrologer will strongly advise you against using horoscope for fun or getting addicted to it without putting any human efforts to take care of life.

Horoscope readings by half-baked astrologers or greedy ones is dangerous. For example the horoscope of people born between October 15 and November 14 of the year will have Sun in the sign of Libra. In the sign of Libra, Sun is debilated and does not do much good as it is weak. As sun provides energy to all the planets and source of energy for the solar system, it gives a feeling that all the people born in this period are affected big time in a negative way. But it does not explain the position and achievements of people born in the mentioned period. Some notable examples born in this period are Shah Rukh Khan, Margret Thatcher and Jawaharlal Nehru. Saturn is the planet that has bad / negative influences in life but when it is exalted and positioned in the 10^th house of the horoscope makes a person one have scholarship, intelligence, virility and will be the leader of assemblies, Will be well off in life, Will change professions often. So it is important to get horoscope constructed and interpreted by a knowledgeable astrologers.

The mystic attraction of the topic Astrology is such that, even non believers do read about it. It survived thousands of year and will survive the years to come.

Suggest topics here.

Welcome to Sampige Samvada (ಸಂಪಿಗೆ ಸಂವಾದ). We'll use this forum to have an interactive discussion about various topics. So please suggest topics here about which you'd like to share your thoughts and are interested to know what others think too.

If you don't have a Google account already, you can sign in using any email address and picking your own password. This will become your new Google account.

If you wish to write a blog and start a discussion, you can either send us an email to sampigeeditor@gmail.com or simply express your wish here. You will be granted author privileges to write and start a topic.

Let's get started !