vedabhASya - Vedic Studies

mAyA is the process that creates self-identities (maya) and perspectives (aham-kAra) and thus 'differentiates' (vi-bheda). These differentiated identities and perspectives then interact and evolve to create more and more identities and perspectives. This process masks the actual existence underneath and creates various perceptions (bhrama) or illusion or delusion in us.  In modern parlance, mAyA is the evolutionary process. The effect of mAyA, the evolutionary process can only be uncovered or burnt up through Knowledge or jnAnA.  mAyA panchakam describes mAyA, the evolutionary process that hides the reality behind, deludes us by making layers over layers in five different ways of diversification, errors, union of heterogeneous entities, division of homogeneous entities and adaptation to laws. mAyA panchakam translation sung in tamil, essence in english, with relevant speeches of mahA-periyavA.

Background Manisha panchakam is a set of 5 stanzas in which Shankara talks of his 5 opinions. The story goes like this. Shankara is going somewhere and he faces a person coming opposite to him. The person seems like a 'Chandala'. Shankara asks him to move to give way for him. The 'Chandala' questions Shankara or more precisely puts forward 5 statements. Shankara gives his opinion on them in 5 stanzas.  This conversation helps Shankara to ground his advaita principle, gleamed from the understanding of vedic texts, in social terms, to be practiced in our daily lives. That's the significance of manisha panchakam. Executive Summary of Manisha Panchakam Our perceptions about external forms (like learned, powerful, chandala etc) are our creations. When one's knowledge matures into a detached thought like that of Yogis, beyond all the perceptions and pleasures,  they become the Brahman, that expands/creates everything and is present in all matter and beings. When Shank

In vedic traditions, all divinities are based on some existing natural force (that’s why the multiplicity) and the idea is to invoke those forces in us through bhakti, learn from these forces, to help facilitate evolve. That’s how the bhakti tradition is very rational. (like the karma and jnAna approaches). Mahisasura mardhini stotra is all about overcoming or defeating or destroying our barriers, barriers that stop us from evolving. Appearance of durgA is the conversion of potential to kinetic or breaking of the potential barriers that exists in the way of this conversion. In matter domain, Shiva is the property of Energy. It manifests as Uma, the potential energy and durgA, the kinetic energy. Breaking the potential barriers and conversion of potential to kinetic is the appearance of durgA that drives away powerful (mahiSa) yet non-evolving (asura) matter forms. In biological domain, Shiva is the consciousness. Uma are our thought potentials and durgA is the kinetic actions. Breaking

  Background Shiva is the 'property' of Energy. Uma is Quiet/potential energy. durgA is impassable/kinetic energy (whose zero cannot be achieved). Uma the potential energy manifests as pArvati. pArvati means 'knotty'. It is the energy in the molecular bonds in any object. Different atoms/molecules combine and create matter/biological forms, like hills knot/bond together on a plain and create a hilly range. Hence pArvati is known as the daughter of the mountains. Easwari - nArAyaNi - Internal energy Every matter form has an internal energy which is called 'nArAyaNi' or 'Easwari'. This internal energy is a combination of potential energy (Uma/pArvati) and kinetic energy (durgA/Ganga). Anna-Poorna-Easwari - Enthalpy - Total energy Every matter/biological form becomes the 'food' or 'anna' of other matter/biological forms. (Simply put, we are all food of each, we consume each other and grow). This process of becoming food (annam) of each other

Shiva is the property of Energy. Uma is quiet, potential energy. durgA is impassable the kinetic energy which cannot be made zero (absolute zero impossible).  Universe matter forms evolve on the matted hair of Shiva.  Refer Shiva thandava stotram here.   https://youtu.be/j8ud8dC5IaY   This evolution is driven by durgA, the kinetic energy, who makes the matted hair of Shiva beautiful by enabling evolution of newer and newer matter forms. durgA does this by winning over powerful (mahiSa) non-evolving (asura) matter forms. This is the crux of mahisasura mardhini stotram.  Uma is the potential in us. We invoke this durgA, the kinetic energy, by utilizing our potential, and win over powerful (mahiSa) non-evolving (asura) characteristics in us. 

Introduction The sequence of kanyA dAnam, pAni grahaNam and sapta-padi convey a specific set of meanings. They have to be seen together as a series of steps and not stand alone procedures. These are common across different grhya sutras that different  communities follow. Often people say that kanyA dAnam is a regressive patriarchal procedure as kanyA is traded as a property or given out (dAsyami) by father to a groom.  Is that what is conveyed by our grhya sutras..? Let's see. What is kanyA dAnam..? Human beings are supposed to have evolved from primates like chimpanzees. It is estimated that  70% of human genome could be  similar to that Chimps (15% to that of gorillas), stating how closely we were to Chimpanzees in evolutionary tree (2). Chimpanzees have a patrilinear society in which males tend to stay together in groups, while females move out into other groups(1). This helps avoid in-breeding and enables better natural selection processes. So humans have followed and develope

Universe's evolution is driven by a design pattern of an external observer driving the evolution, just by observation. We call this observer, the Atman and the evolution as Brahman. If we develop that detached observation capability in us, the ultimate isolation of mind (ekAnta), then we are in a state similar to that of Atman. There are five phases in this process.  The first phase is do our work with knowledge, but without desires. At the same time, remove all defects in our work to wash away sins.   The second phase is to develop devotion to an external god so that we don't get attached to the results of our work. It is also the time we learn the vedic verses from other learned people.  The third phase is to understand the vedic verses on our own, understanding other arguments and comparing it with vedic revelations. It is also the time to develop that 'Iam Brahman' attitude and abandon the 'I am body' attitude.   The fourth phase is to eat food as medicine,