The Advaitist

Below I will give a list of yajnas and their fruits. Yajna is a Hindu Vedic ritual in which at a physical level offerings are made to fires during a ceremony  officiated  by priests known as Ritwiks. The sacrificer known as Yajamana expects some sort of result in return. Yajna is accompanied by the pouring of oblation into ritual fire, the divine Agni . In this post I will talk about 5 such Vedic rituals and share a list of Yajnas and their fruits. # 1 List of Yajnas - Annakameshti Yagya When one desires plenty of food, he should undertake Annakameshti Yagya (Sanskrit: अन्नकामेश्टि यज्ञ , Bengali : অন্নকামেশ্টি যজ্ঞ). # 2 List of Yajnas - Ayushkameshti Yagya Image Courtesy: National Geographic When one desires long life, he should undertake Ayushkameshti Yagya (Sanskrit: आयुष्कामेष्टि यज्ञ , Bengali : আযুষ্কামেষ্টি যজ্ঞ). # 3 List of Yajnas - Darhsa Purnamasa Yagya Image Courtesy: Ayushwellness When one desires to go to heaven (what the Hi...

In this post I will talk about some amazing facts about Atharva Veda (Sanskrit: अथर्ववेद, Bengali: অথর্ববেদ ). The Atharva Veda is a sacred Hindu Veda text. The others are Rig Veda , Yajur Veda and Sama Veda . #1 Amazing Facts about Atharva Veda Atharva Veda is one of the earliest Indo-European texts the bulk of which is from 1500 BC to 1000 BC. It predates Bible by 1500 years and Koran by 2000 years! #2 Amazing Facts about Atharva Veda Atharva Veda is the oldest book in the world which treats the Earth as an organic entity, which is self-sustaining and has a life of its own. Modern day movements like GAIA pale in comparison to the Bhumi Sukta of the Atharva Veda. Photo Coutesy: Angelicview #3 Amazing Facts about Atharva Veda The sages in Atharva Veda understood the abstract concept of time, and in hymns 19.53 and 19.54 state that all existences are defined in time. This is what modern Big Bang Theorists say. That there was no concept of time before Big ...

Yajnavalkya (Sanskrit: याज्ञवल्क्य , Bengali: যাজ্ঞবল্ক্য ) was a Brahmin Vedic Rishi who lived in ancient India in pre-Buddhistic times. He is believed to have lived around 7th century BC. As per Radha Kumud Mookerji, Yajnavalkya "was a representative man of his age, one of the most typical embodiment of all that was best and highest in Vedic culture and civilization". Yajnavalkya is the first reputed author of the Shukla Yajur Veda , and was an authority figure as far as rituals in the Shatpatha Brahmana and the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad are concerned. Yajnavalkya belonged to eastern part of India because books which talk about him refer to eastern Indian regions like Kuru - Panchala , Kosala-Videha, Shvikna and Srinjaya. Yajnavalkya was a student of Uddalaka Aruni (Sanskrit: उद्दालक आरुनि , Bengali: উদ্দালক আরুনি ) a Brahmin scholar from Kuru-Panchala region. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, vi , 3,7) Yajnavalkya was a contemporary of Shvetaketu Aruneya (Sans...

Sueksha Bharadvaja (Sanskrit: सुकेश भारद्वाज , Bengali : সুকেশ ভারদ্বাজ ) is a Vedic Rishi whom we encounter in Prashna Upanishad . He belonged to the Bharadvaja family of Vedic seers. He was contemporary of the following people. Shaibya Satyakama (Sanskrit: शैब्य सत्यकाम , Bengali : শৈব্য সত্যকাম ) Sauryayani Gargya (Sanskrit: सौर्यायाणि गार्ग्य , Bengali : সৌর্যায়াণি গার্গ্য ) Kaushalya Ashvalayana (Sanskrit: कौशल्य आश्वलायन , Bengali : কৌশল্য আশ্বলায়ন ) Bhargava Vaidharbi (Sanskrit: भार्गव वैधर्बि , Bengali : ভার্গব বৈধর্বি ) Kabandhi Katyayana (Sanskrit: कबन्धि कात्यायन , Bengali : কবন্ধি কাত্যায়ন ) They were seekers of Brahman and together they approached Sage Pippalada (Sanskrit: पिप्पलाद, Bengali : পিপ্পলাদ ) to inquire about Brahman . Sukesha informed Pippalada that Hiranyabha (Sanskrit: हिरण्याभ , Bengali : হিরণ্যাভ ) the Prince of Kosala had aproached him with a phiolsophical question on the person with sixteen parts and hence he came to Pippalada get it ...

In this post I will talk about Vedic Sacrifices known as Yajnas and on where details of such Yagyas are found. During the Vedic age (4000 BC onwards) a number  of Vedic Sacrifices were in vogue. As per the Shatpatha Brahmana , Yajna is the necessary duty of man as it is the only way on which he, age can be paid to Gods. Some of the more important Vedic Sacrifices were: Darshapurnamasa (Sanskrit: दर्शपूर्णमास , Bengali: দর্শপূর্ণমাস ) Agnyadhana (Sanskrit: अग्न्याधान , Bengali: অগ্ন্যাধান ) Agnishtoma (Sanskrit: अग्निष्टोम , Bengali: অগ্নিষ্টোম ) Vajapeya (Sanskrit: वाजपेय , Bengali: নাজপেয় ) Rajasuya (Sanskrit: राजसूय , Bengali: রাজসূয় ) Sautramani (Sanskrit: सौत्रामनी , Bengali: সৌত্রামনী ) Chayana (Sanskrit: चयन , Bengali: চয়ন ) Ashvamdeha Yagya (Sanskrit: अश्वमेध , Bengali: অশ্বমেধ ) Purushamedha Yajna (Sanskrit: पुरुषमेध , Bengali: পুরুষমেধ ) Sarvamedha Yagya (Sanskrit: सर्वमेध , Bengali: সর্বমেধ ) Somayaga (Sanskrit: सोमयाग , Bengali: সোময়াগ ) The met...

Shiva Tantra ( Sanskrit: शिव तन्त्र , Bengali: শিব তন্ত্র ), also known as Agama Shastra (आगम शास्त्र / আগম শাস্ত্র), is the religious literature associated with the Pashupata school of Shaivism as discussed earlier. The Shiva Tantra texts contain guidelines for worship and rituals, prayogas using various mantra, holy places, festivals, philosophy and spirituality and temple building. Pashupata was the oldest form of Shaiva Tantra prevalent in Northern India during latter Mahabharata times and is also known as Agamanta Shaivism. As per the Mahabharata, the Pashupata Shaivism doctrine of Tantra was first proclaimed by Bhagavat Shrikanthanatha (Sanskrit: भगवत् श्रीकण्ठनाथ, Bengali: ভগবত্ শ্রীকণ্ঠনাথ ) As per P C Bagchi's research, there were 18 or 28 Shiva Tantra texts depending on different traditions. Shiva Tantra Texts based on Rudra Tradition The 18 Shiva Tantra texts are also known as Agama Shastra . As per Nishvasa Agama or Nishvasa Tantra, these 18 S...

A lot of people have requested me for online Adya Stotram in Bengali font . That is why I am presenting the same here. The Adya Stotram / আদ্যা স্তোত্র / आद्या स्तोत्रम्  is a hymn in praise of Adya Ma.  It is very popular in West Bengal, among Hindu Bengalis in Islamic Bangladesh and worldwide. There are a number if positive side effects of daily reciting Adya stotram Daily recitation of Adya Stotram protects from sickness, danger during travel especially by water,  during wars and during troubled times One will receive the same amount of blessing as undertaking holy pilgrimage if one recites Adya Stotram daily Below I am presenting Adya Stotram in Bengali font for the benefit of my Bengali friends.   To know more about Adya Stotram you may read the following. Introduction to Adya Stotram English translation of Adya Stotram 01 02 03 04 05 Introduction and explanation of Adya Stotram with Sanskrit, Bengali and English text You can listen to...

In this post I will talk about the purpose of Hindu Philosophy . As a religion Hinduism is very tolerant and quite different from intolerant and closed religions like Islam and Christianity . They have one book and one prophet and almost no philosophy so to speak, except for pre-Christian Greeks . Hinduism is like an ocean with hundreds of prophets, thousands of books and philosophy. In all this vastness, people get confused as to the purpose of Hindu Philosophy . 1. The purpose of Hindu Philosophy is the removal of sorrow and sufferings. As per all schools of Hindu philosophy, the cause of sorrow and sufferings is ignorance. When one is ignorant of the true nature of things, he is strapped in an illusion, similar to a fly caught in a spider's web. Photo Courtesy: geograph In order to remove sorrow and suffering, one must acquire knowledge of the true nature of things. 2. The purpose of Hindu philosophy is to provide a scientific framework using which one can...

In this article I will talk about some very useful books on Vedas . These books will give you a solid foundation on Vedas, what they are, the different books like Rig Veda , Sama Veda , Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda , key symbolism and their significance in modern age. Books on Vedas # 1 A New Light on the Veda   Most English translations of the Vedas have talked only of the ritualistic interpretation of the Vedas which was useful for the common man. However, every Vedic text also had a symbolic interpretation for higher students of spirituality. The purpose of this book is to unveil the secrets in the Veda. Shri Kapali Sastry, following in the footsteps of his Master Sri Aurobindo, deciphers the hidden symbolism of the Vedas and brings to forefront the signs of an advanced cultured Hindu civilization. Books on Vedas # 2 Semantics of Rig Veda This book is written by Prof R L Kashyap. Rig Veda is the oldest existing text in any Indo-European language . Rig Veda...