Adishesha – The Divine Serpent

Lord Vishnu is one of the most important Hindu Gods to many devotees across the world. He is a part of the Trimurti of Hindu Gods along with Shiva and Brahma. While Brahma is known as the Creator and Shiva as the Destroyer; Vishnu is the Preserver of our Universe.

Throughout the ages Lord Vishnu has manifested in different Avatars either on earth or in heaven. His purpose has always been the restoration of Dharma or ‘the path of Righteousness’ and the destruction of evil. There are many legends associated with him that cement his status as the Swayam Bhagwan.

The most common form of Vishnu is him lying on a huge five-headed snake with Lakshmi sitting near his feet. Now most people consider Garuda to be the Vahana of Vishnu and that is accurate to some extent. But there is some underlying importance regarding Sheshnag the snake.

Why Does Vishnu Lie On A Five-Headed Snake

1. Sesha Naga is the king of all Nagas (snakes) and was one of the primary beings present during the Creation of the Universe.

2. He is an expression of Lord Vishnu himself which forms a coiled seat for Vishnu to rest on.

3. According to the Puranas, Shesh holds all the planets of the Universe under his hood and keeps singing the praise of Lord Vishnu with all his mouths.

4. This same snake had provided shelter to Vasudeva as he carried baby Krishna to Gokul through the waters of Yamuna during a terrific storm.

5. He is also known as Ananta-Shesha or Adishesha and signifies the moving forward of time. Ananta-Shesha is infinite and will exist even after the destruction of the Universe.

6. Shesha had manifested as Balarama, the bother of Krishna and Lakshman, the brother of Rama; both important characters in Hindu mythology.

7. Owing to the legends of Sheshnag, snakes are revered by most Hindus nowadays. Even Lord Shiva has a snake around his neck and Manasa Devi is worshipped a lot.

8. Shesha Nag’s brother Vasuki was used as the rope that churned the ocean of milk during Samudra Manthan; an important incident in Hinduism.

Adi Shankara

Indian philosopher

Adi Shankara or Shankara, was an early 8th century Indian philosopher and theologian who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He is credited with unifying and establishing the main currents of thought in Hinduism.

Born: Kalady

Died: 820 AD, Kedarnath

Guru: Govinda Bhagavatpada

Philosophy: Advaita Vedanta

Parents: Aryamba, Sivaguru

The very fact that Hinduism is still a dynamic and all-encompassing religion stands as ample testimony to the deeds of Adi Shankaracharya. Apart from being the champion of Advaita philosophy, one of his invaluable contributions towards Hinduism was the reordering and restructuring of the ancient Sannyasa order.

Bhagavan Adi Shankaracharya is considered to be the ideal Sannyasi. It is commonly accepted that he lived about one thousand two hundred years ago though there are historical sources which indicate that he lived in a earlier period. He was born in Kalady, Kerala and in his short life span of 32 years, his accomplishments seem a marvel even today, with our modern conveyances and other facilities. At the tender age of eight, burning with the desire for Liberation, he left home in search of his Guru.

From the southern state of Kerala, the young Shankara walked about 2000 kilometers— to the banks of the river Narmada, in the central plains of India, to his Guru— Govindapada. He stayed there serving his Guru for four years. Under his teacher’s compassionate guidance, the young Shankaracharya mastered all the Vedic scriptures.

At the age of twelve, his Guru deemed that Shankara was ready to write commentaries on major scriptural texts. At his Guru’s command Shankara wrote commentaries elucidating the subtle meanings hidden in the teachings of the scriptures. At the age of sixteen, he dropped his pen having completed writing all the major treatises.

Final rites of his mother

Shankaracharya was some where in North India when he came to know of his mother’s impending death.  By using his Yogic powers, travelled through the air to reach her quickly. At her request he granted her divine visions.

When he tried to arrange the cremation of his mother’s body, his relatives refused to help him on the grounds that as a Sannyasi he was not permitted to perform funeral rites. Normally this would have been a serious setback as a cremation involves rituals, which would require physical assistance by a few people. So Shankaracharya  performed a miracle. He made a funeral pyre out of plantain stalks. After placing the body on the pyre he took some water and after chanting a few mantras he sprinkled the water on the pyre. Immediately the pyre caught fire. Thus he was able to complete the funeral rites without help.

Adi Shankara  or Shankara, was an early 8th century Indian philosopher and theologian who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He is credited with unifying and establishing the main currents of thought in Hinduism.

  He wrote copious commentaries on the Vedic canon (Brahma Sutras, Principal Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita) in support of his thesis . His works elaborate on ideas found in the Upanishads. Shankara's publications criticised the ritually-oriented Mīmāṃsā school of Hinduism. He also explained the key difference between Hinduism and Buddhism, stating that Hinduism asserts "Atman (Soul, Self) exists", while Buddhism asserts that there is "no Soul, no Self.

Shankara travelled across the Indian subcontinent to propagate his philosophy through discourses and debates with other thinkers. He established the importance of monastic life as sanctioned in the Upanishads and Brahma Sutra, in a time when the Mīmāṃsā school established strict ritualism and ridiculed monasticism. He is reputed to have founded four mathas ("monasteries"), which helped in the historical development, revival and spread of Advaita Vedanta of which he is known as the greatest revivalist. 

Shankara was most likely born in the southern Indian state of Kerala, according to the oldest biographies in a village named Kaladi sometimes spelled as Kalati or Karati, but some texts suggest the birthplace to be Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. His father died while Shankara was very young. Shankara's upanayanam, the initiation into student-life, had to be delayed due to the death of his father, and was then performed by his mother.  

Shankara's hagiography describe him as someone who was attracted to the life of Sannyasa(hermit) from early childhood. His mother disapproved. A story, found in all hagiographies, describe Shankara at age eight going to a river with his mother, Sivataraka, to bathe, and where he is caught by a crocodile. Shankara called out to his mother to give him permission to become a Sannyasin or else the crocodile will kill him. The mother agrees, Shankara is freed and leaves his home for education. He reaches a Saivite sanctuary along a river in a north-central state of India, and becomes the disciple of a teacher named Govinda Bhagavatpada. The stories in various hagiographies diverge in details about the first meeting between Shankara and his Guru, where they met, as well as what happened later. Several texts suggest Shankara schooling with Govindapada happened along the river Narmada in Omkareshwar, a few place it along river Ganges in Kashi (Varanasi) as well as Badari (Badrinath in the Himalayas)

 Adi Sankara is believed to have died aged 32, at Kedarnath in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, a Hindu pilgrimage site in the Himalayas. Some texts locate his death in alternate locations such as Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) and somewhere in the state of Kerala.

DIRECTION	South India	West India	North India	East India
PLACE	Sringeri	Dwaraka	Badrinath	Puri
MATH NAME	Sringeri Math	Sarada Math	Jyotir Math	Govardhan Math
VEDA	Yagur	Sama	Atharva	Rik

Atma Shatkam (The song of the Self):

I am Consciousness, I am Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Without hate, without infatuation, without craving, without greed;
Neither arrogance, nor conceit, never jealous I am;
Neither dharma, nor artha, neither kama, nor moksha am I;
I am Consciousness, I am Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Without sins, without merits, without elation, without sorrow;
Neither mantra, nor rituals, neither pilgrimage, nor Vedas;
Neither the experiencer, nor experienced, nor the experience am I,
I am Consciousness, I am Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Without fear, without death, without discrimination, without caste;
Neither father, nor mother, never born I am;
Neither kith, nor kin, neither teacher, nor student am I;
I am Consciousness, I am Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Without form, without figure, without resemblance am I;
Vitality of all senses, in everything I am;
Neither attached, nor released am I;

I am Consciousness, I am Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

—Adi Shankara, Nirvana Shatakam, Hym

BRAIN(PART 2)

WATER

According to The Guardian, 75% of our brain is made up of water.

WEIGHT

According to the Express, our brain weighs approximately 1.5 kg and represents 2 to 3% of our body mass. In addition, it consumes about 20% of our oxygen.

STORAGE

Our brain is capable of storing the equivalent of 1,000 terabytes of information, according to the Daily Galaxy.

CONNECTIONS

The Daily Galaxy reports that the human brain has more connections than the number of stars in our galaxy.

CONSCIOUSNESS

Consciousness allows us to experience and react in a seemingly self-directed way. However, neuroscientists still can't explain how sensations are processed and translated into subjective impressions.

MEMORY

Human memory is characterized by the ability of humans to 'encode, store, retain and recall information' through neurobiological devices and social interaction.

INTELIGENCE

Intelligence has been popularly defined as one's ability for logic, abstraction, memorization, understanding, self-knowledge, communication, learning, emotional control, planning, and problem solving, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

PERCEPTION

The main function of the brain is to convert our senses into experiences. This ability to perceive allows us to organize, identify, and interpret sensory information in a way that helps us build and understand our world, according to Utne Reader.

DÉJÀ VU

It's a psychological reaction where the brain transmits the feeling that we've been in a place or have seen a person before, even though we never did. The phenomenon is actually a fault in the brain where the facts that are happening are stored directly in long or medium term memory when the information should go into short-term memory - hence the feeling that we've experienced the situation before, says The Conversation.

DREAMS

Freud and psychoanalysis claim that dreams have the function of 'releasing' repressed desires and fears that embarrass us but are deeply present in our psyche.

REALITY VS. IMAGINATION

When we look at an object, we request a sequence of neurons and patterns from our brains. If we're imagining an object, the process is the same: the same brain sequence will create a representation of the object. Therefore, the brain does not differentiate between reality and imagination.

MOVEMENT

One of the mysteries of the mind is that we manage to move in a controlled and precise manner, even though our motor nerve impulses are considered slow, random, and unpredictable.

PERSONALITY

A study revealed that the shape of our brains can reveal a lot about our behavior and the risks of developing mental disorders.

HOW MUSIC AFFECTS OUR EMOTIONS

Music affects the nervous system directly through the thalamus, so the center of our emotions and feelings can be stimulated, says HealthLine.

PHOBIAS

Over 400 different types of phobias are recognized. According to a study by the Emory University School of Medicine, phobias can be directly related to genetics, the memory of a negative experience recorded in the DNA and passed on from generation to generation.

EXTRASENSORY PERCEPTION

It is the human capacity to acquire information without using any of the five senses. It's like using a sixth sense, says The Telegraph.

PRECOGNITION

Known as premonition, people who claim to experience it get information about future events without having indications in the present that would allow them to come to such conclusion. Premonition can manifest through dreams, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

TELEPATHY

It is usually characterized by the interaction between two minds, including the transmission of thoughts, memories, or images, according to IFL Science.

BRAIN.

The brain is one of the largest and most complex organs in the human body.
It is made up of more than 100 billion nerves that communicate in trillions of connections called synapses.

The brain is made up of many specialized areas that work together:
• The cortex is the outermost layer of brain cells. Thinking and voluntary movements begin in the cortex.
• The brain stem is between the spinal cord and the rest of the brain. Basic functions like breathing and sleep are controlled here.
• The basal ganglia are a cluster of structures in the center of the brain. The basal ganglia coordinate messages between multiple other brain areas.
• The cerebellum is at the base and the back of the brain. The cerebellum is responsible for coordination and balance.

The brain is also divided into several lobes:
• The frontal lobes are responsible for problem solving and judgment and motor function.
• The parietal lobes manage sensation, handwriting, and body position.
• The temporal lobes are involved with memory and hearing.
• The occipital lobes contain the brain's visual processing system.

The brain is surrounded by a layer of tissue called the meninges. The skull (cranium) helps protect the brain from injury.

Brain Conditions

• Headache: There are many types of headaches; some can be serious but most are not and are generally treated with analgesics/painkillers.
• Stroke (brain infarction): Blood flow and oxygen are suddenly interrupted to an area of brain tissue, which then dies. A blood clot or bleeding in the brain, are the cause of most strokes.
• Brain aneurysm: An artery in the brain develops a weak area that swells, balloon-like. A brain aneurysm rupture can cause a stroke.
• Concussion: A brain injury that causes a temporary disturbance in brain function. Traumatic head injuries cause most concussions.
• Cerebral edema: Swelling of the brain tissue in response to injury or electrolyte imbalances.
• Brain tumor: Any abnormal tissue growth inside the brain. Whether malignant (cancer) or benign, brain tumors usually cause problems by the pressure they exert on the normal brain.
• Meningitis: Inflammation of the lining around the brain or spinal cord, usually from infection. Stiff neck, neck pain, headache, fever, and sleepiness are common symptoms.
• Encephalitis: Inflammation of the brain tissue, usually from infection with a virus. Fever, headache, and confusion are common symptoms.
• Traumatic brain injury: Permanent brain damage from a traumatic head injury. Obvious mental impairment, or more subtle personality and mood changes can occur.
• Parkinson's disease: Nerves in a central area of the brain degenerate slowly, causing problems with movement and coordination. A tremor of the hands is a common early sign.
• Epilepsy: The tendency to have seizures. Head injuries and strokes may cause epilepsy, but usually no cause is identified.
• Dementia: A decline in cognitive function resulting from death or malfunction of nerve cells in the brain. Conditions in which nerves in the brain degenerate, as well as alcohol abuse and strokes, can cause dementia.
• Alzheimer’s disease: For unclear reasons, nerves in certain brain areas degenerate, causing progressive dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.
• Brain abscess: A pocket of infection in the brain, usually by bacteria. Antibiotics and surgical drainage of the area are often necessary.

   

CHANAKYA.

Who was Chanakya?

Chanakya was an Indian teacher, philosopher, economist, jurist and royal advisor. He is traditionally identified as Kauṭilya or Vishnu Gupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise, the Arthashastra.

Pearls of wisdom

During his lifetime -which lasted 350–283 BCE- he was an adviser, strategist, author and politician. His thoughts on various subjects prove to be beneficial if adopted by people even today. A wise man, he had an opinion on various things in the world.

What you should not discuss?

A wise man, he has written about a lot of things in life. Below are the four pointers Chanakya thought you should not discuss with anyone if you want to lead a happy life.

1)      Money loss

The first thing that Chanakya said not to discuss with people is a financial crunch. If you are going through a financial loss, keep it to yourself.

No one helps

The reason for this is that when people come to know about your money problem, they will never help you and even if they show their support, it is fake.

Poor and downtrodden

According to him, the poor in the society are not respected. So, one should keep his poverty to himself.

2)      Personal problems

The second thing that has to be kept as a secret always according to Chanakya is your personal problems.

Ridiculed by people

Chanakya says, that people who share their personal problems with others are always ridiculed and looked down upon. People laugh at them behind their back.

3)      Character of your wife

The third thing that needs to be kept as a secret is the character of one’s wife. Those who keep this a secret are wise men at the end of the day.

Blabber unwanted things

He said that men who talk about their wives in front of others might say something they did not intend to.

Dire consequences

This can in a later stage result in a dire consequence for them.

4)      Insult by the poor

The fourth thing that should always remain as a secret is one’s insult by down trodden or the "neglected" of the society. Chanakya thought if you do share such an incident , people might make fun of you.

Pride and ego

This will eventually harm your pride and ego, leading to loss in self confidence.

Other names	Kauṭilya, Vishnugupta
Occupation	Advisor of Chandragupta Maurya
Known for	Prominent role in the foundation of the Maurya Empire
Notable work	Arthashastra, Chanakya Niti

Chanakya . 4th century BCE, was an Indian teacher, philosopher, economist, jurist and royal advisor. He is traditionally identified as Kauṭilya or Vishnugupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise, the Arthashastra. As such, he is considered the pioneer of the field of political science and economics in India, and his work is thought of as an important precursor to classical economics His works were lost near the end of the Gupta Empire and not rediscovered until the early twentieth century

Chanakya assisted the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta in his rise to power. He is widely credited for having played an important role in the establishment of the Maurya Empire. Chanakya served as the chief advisor to both emperors Chandragupta and his son Bindusara.

Literary works

Two books are attributed to Chanakya: Arthashastra and Chanakya Niti, also known as Chanakya Neeti-shastra. The Arthashastra was discovered in 1905 by librarian Rudrapatna Shamasastry in an uncatalogued group of ancient palm-leaf manuscripts donated by an unknown pandit to the Oriental Research Institute Mysore.

The Arthashastra discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare, international relations, and war strategies in detail. The text also outlines the duties of a ruler. Some scholars believe that Arthashastra is actually a compilation of a number of earlier texts written by various authors, and Chanakya might have been one of these authors.

Chanakya Niti is a collection of aphorisms, said to be selected by Chanakya from the various shastras.

Chanakya is regarded as a great thinker and diplomat in India. Many Indian nationalists regard him as one of the earliest people who envisaged the united India spanning the entire subcontinent.

#1. Keeping regrets

The first and foremost quality that distinguishes a successful person from the rest is ‘Not regretting’. Anyone who laments for the time they wasted, or the decision they took or, could never be successful. Chanakya explains that remembering the past is futile to regret. If you made a mistake in the past, to remember that would bring you nothing in life, but try to optimize the good learning from it for the present.

#2 Greed for black money

Money acquired through deceiving anyone, or earned after sacrificing your values and principles, due to closeness with people who demand to rule over your soul, is nothing but a poison for your success. Acharya Chanakya warns about the true nature of a poison i.e. it tastes good initially, but leaves you with nothing but brutal end. Therefore, one must no fascinate about power and money, acquired through uncompromising means.

#3. Always asks these 3 questions to themselves

It is very important to deeply think about setting your foot out, before taking an important decision and speaking words out your mouth. A person who questions these 3 questions to himself/herself, before making a decision, can never go wrong in their life; What Do I Need To Do? What Will Be The Outcome? What Will Be Its Worth? Chanakya explains that every word that comes out of our or any decision that we take, not only has an impact on our life, but also risks the lives and integrity of other.

#4. Never jeopardise your stand

Even a non-venomous snake will never ditch itself, by revealing it isn’t poisonous enough to kill you. He will never put himself in a situation that would harm him in the end. Likewise, a person should never give-in to a situation that they cannot handle. Chanakya explains a successful person, no matter how deeply in debt or suffering through a personal crisis, would never let display a hint in their actions or on their face. He says face is the first thing that cheats you out in front of others.

#5. Never chases appreciation

For an aroma to reach your sense of smell, it may require the support of air, but a successful person never awaits appreciation or support of others, to speak high of him/her. They do not believe in chasing accolades; instead, spend more time finessing them. Chanakya says, when people start talking about you- good or bad, it means you have set on the right path. Do not wait for people to applaud, or appreciate your effort, concentrate on your work and let things follow.

#6. Never underestimate the weak

It’s always good to keep friends close, but great to keep your enemies closer. Animosity with a weak person, can prove dangerous than a sting of scorpion. Never forget or ignore a person who is weak, while you are riding high, neither share feeling of hatred, as their way of revenge is the meanest of all. Chanakya explains that a weak person knows he can’t compete with you, so instead of running parallel with you, they would start cutting you from back. It’s not wise to turn you back on weak, because they always patiently wait for the right time to strike back. Weak people never live to become successful, they always plan to them down