Adi Anadi

"Although Nirguna (formless), I am Saguna (with form) too and the author of dissolution, maintenance and creation. I am the Supreme Brahmn without decay and change. Existence, knowledge and bliss are my characteristics... I manifest myself in the forms of Brahma, Vishnu and Hara."

~Shiva, Rudra Samhita, Shiva Purana

"The seer and the object are like the rope and the snake. Just as the know-ledge of the rope which is the substratum will not arise unless the false knowledge of the illusory serpent goes, so the realisation of the Self which is the substratum will not be gained unless the belief that the world's real is removed."

~Ramana Maharshi

"I am neither death nor doubt. I do not possess the distinction of any species. Neither do I have a father or mother, nor birth. Neither a relative nor a friend, nor a disciple.I am verily the auspiciousness of the form of consciousness-bliss. I am indeterminate, not having any form because (I am) the Lord of all the organs everywhere. I am neither that which is disunited nor liberation nor bondage. I am verily the auspiciousness of the form of consciousness-bliss. "

~Adi Sankara, Nirvanasatkam

Alochana-Some news

Dear readers,
Some news (few unpleasant incidents as well).
Regards,Souvik

1) Lightning strikes idol of Lord Shiva at Murdeshwar (here), June 18th. 2006
Bhatkal: The 123-foot idol of Lord Shiva at the Murdeshwar, claimed to be Asia’s third biggest, was struck by lightning in the wee hours of Saturday. Later in the evening one of the four hands bearing the small drum broke into pieces. It is understood that on Saturday between 3 and 4 am, lightning struck Bhatkal; the idol, made of cement and steel, was not spared. By Saturday evening one of the hands shattered. As the hand collapsed, tourists ran helter skelter. There was so much debris that it needed a lorry to cart it away. The cement debris fell on an adjoining pipeline, which too broke and water started gushing out. Engineers from Hubli have arrived and are investigating. The sculptor who created the idol Kashinath, from Bangalore, is also expected to arrive. It is learnt that the sculptor had guaranteed that the Shiva idol was lightning-proof and that it would stand for 100 years.

2) Ancient Hindu Temple Damaged in Indonesian Earthquake (here), June 4th. 2006
Parts of the world famous Prambanan temple complex in Central Java crumbled during last week's 6.3 magnitude earthquake. Archaeologists are assessing damage to the UNESCO World Heritage site, but fear the foundations of the ancient stone structures may be severely weakened.This is the largest temple complex in Indonesia dedicated to the Hindu divinity of Shiva. It has eight main structures and more than 250 smaller ones. The compound underwent extensive reconstruction from 1918 to 1953 and now much of that work has been undone.

3) Man-made Shiva lingam betrays faith at Amarnath caves (here and here), June 18th.,2006
AMRITSAR/SRINAGAR: It's a story of faith betrayed. Pilgrims braving a dangerous journey to the Amarnath caves this year found to their utter shock that the natural Shiva lingam was missing. In its place was a crude man-made ice stupa that was being passed off as the holy lingam. The shocking discovery has caused widespread outrage with pilgrims accusing the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board of trifling with their faith.

4)Demolition men call on temple (here), May 18th.,2006
It took more than two hours for the BMC demolition squad to demolish a temple near Vikhroli bus depot on LBS Marg. The Nateshwar temple of Lord Shiva located near the BEST depot on LBS Marg was demolished on Thursday after the civic body had given instruction to take action against illegal shrines and temples obstructing roads and footpaths. The BMC had prepared a new list of around 300 illegal shrines and temples across the city obstructing the road and footpaths, which will be demolished. Assistant Municipal Commissioner from ‘N ward Govind Rathod said, "The demolition was completed peacefully without any untoward incident. There were no protests either from local residents. Seventy personnel attached with the State Reserve Police Force, including senior police officers from the Vikhroli Park Site police stations, were present." Municipal commissioner Johny Joseph said, "We’ve given instruction to ward officers in the city to take action against illegal shrines and temples obstructing road and footpaths."

5)Hindu deity's statue made whole again (here) May 19th.,2006
PARIS, May 19 (UPI) -- It was as if the 500-year-old headless statue of a Cambodian Hindu goddess at a Paris museum had willed the discovery of her head to become whole again. The museum Musee Guiment is ecstatic over a chance chain of events leading to the restoration of the 15th-century Cambodian masterpiece dedicated to the wife of Hinduism's most revered god Shiva.

6)Local history, Shiva among the nominees (here) June 11th., 2006
FIVE-FACED LINGAM (EIGHTH CENTURY) God head: The Indian red sandstone lingam illustrates the various aspects of the Hindu god Shiva as the absolute totality, who creates, defines and encompasses the universe. Air sign: The primary image, the youthful Tatpurusa (right), is associated with air. His hairstyle is that of an ascetic: thick, matted locks adorned with a diadem. Water maiden: To the left is the elegant Vamadeva, the goddess associated with water. Not seen: Aghora, or Bhairava, the demonic form of Shiva, who is associated with fire. The fourth face, which has been defaced, depicts Sadyojata, the manifestation of Shiva associated with earth. The creator: The fifth aspect of Shiva, Isana, is not a literal face. It's represented by the curved summit of the phallus. Associated with ether or space, it represents Shiva as creator.

Aagaman

Image from here

Dear readers,

June 6th., 2006 is Ganga Dashami.

This day Ganga descended to Earth.

Please find a wonderful picture story from here.

Image from here

Please do accept a small gift from me on this ocassion.

It is wonderful stotra from the "Om 2" album of Swagata Lakshmi Dasgupta.

The file can be downloaded from here

Devi Sureshwari Bhagawati Gangey

Tribhuvana tarini tarala tarangey

Shankara mouli nivasini vimaley

Mamamati rastang taba pada kamaley!!

Jay Maa Ganga!!

~ Souvik

Anada Utsav

(Here)

Celestial wedding in Orissa town Sambalpur (Orissa): Lakhs of people poured into this western Orissa cultural hub to witness the 'celestial wedding' of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati today with priests chanting slokas on 'Sital Sashthi'.The 'wedding' took place at three places in the city with the rituals continuing through the night to culminate this morning.As per tradition, couples from different localities in the town don the role of bride Parvati's parents and the barat accompanying the idol of Lord Shiva is taken out with much pomp and ceremony.Sambalpur city has been teeming with large crowds since yesterday as the region celebrated its biggest religious event with hundreds of people arriving to take part in the night-long festivities.But the highpoint of the celebration would be the procession to be taken out tonight when the town would throb to the beats of the 'madal' and a variety of instruments.

(Here)

Celestial wedding
Lakhs of people poured into Sambalpur, Orissa, to witness the 'celestial wedding' of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati on Thursday with priests chanting slokas on 'Sital Sashthi'.
The 'wedding' took place at three places in the city with the rituals continuing through the night to culminate this morning. As per tradition, couples from different localities in the town don the role of bride Parvati's parents and the barat accompanying the idol of Lord Shiva is taken out with much pomp and ceremony.
While one barat was taken out from the Balunkeswar temple at Nandapada, the other two processions began from the Loknath temple at Jhaduapada and Jageswar temple in the city. Feasts were thrown by the host couples to celebrate the event in the same fashion as traditional marriages are held. New couples are chosen to be hosts every year. About Rs 23 lakh is spent on the weddings.

Thanks

Souvik