|| Shlok 1 ||

Om, Hiranya varnam harinim
Suvarna rajatasrajam
Chandraam hiranmayim
Lakshmim jatavedo ma avaha

Translation

O all-knowing fire-god (Agni), would you kindly propitiate Mahalakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity, one whose body has the golden color; one who is decked with gold and silver garlands; one whose sari is yellow colored and one Whose face is like the full moon and whose eyes bless humanity with soothing grace. O Jata Veda, the fire-god, kindly tell Her of our supplications.

Respect, Thankfulness and Glorious life

It is foremost to understand that why Shri Suktam starts by invoking Agni (God representing fire) before we try to understand economics of life. Not only in Shri Suktam but every ritual that I read or observed, it is very common to invoke God Agni (Fire) first. Here is the humble effort to understand Shlok 1 on the basis of science of evolution and psychology.

Agni-Fire

When I was in school, I was taught that �Fire� is one of those basic discoveries by which Humans had changed living remarkably. Imagine their wonder when they first saw Fire spark! The first ever fire in the history of human life!I think, it was godly feeling for them who never experienced Fire before, power which is beyond their imagination. Certainly, over the period of time, with new learnings, they came across many such superpowers, externally (Wind-Pavan, Air-Vayu, Surya-Sun) as well as internally (Knowledge � Saraswati, Intellect �Pragna, Vak � Speech); they might have started giving respect to those extraordinary learnings, they gave them human form, they worshiped them to express gratitude and yet they did not forget basics that how fire helped them exploring all these new ways to live life better way. And that might be the reason for fire worship known not only in Vedic culture but in various other cultures across this planet in different times (Evidences found in Jews, Zoroastrians, Hebrew Bible, Graeco-Roman tradition, The Greeks etc.). Agni is considered as messenger for all other known super-natural strengths. So, to even understand Goddess of wealth, Shri Lakshmi, We invoke God Agni first. A highest way to express gratitude by highest intellects!

Lakshmi � motherly figure

Personification of qualities is very essential when we want to convey great qualities to forthcoming generations. And when those qualities are pure and unconditional love, joy, care � to me, it is well understood by feminine figure. In psychology, they have similar concept called �archetype�. An archetype is an original model of person, object, or concept from which similar instances are derived or patterned or emulated. In this sense, motherly figure is described by all above mentioned qualities. And when we are talking about Goddess of wealth, her description in Shri Suktam identifies mother figure with certain additional qualities like Gold, Silver, glory on face, humanity in eyes and soothing grace. Learning starts with behavior of acceptance. So, we need to open ourselves and remove all doubts to learn lessons of life. We will make every effort to provide you brighter vision in this fuzzy atmosphere.

First shlok gives us one sure message that economics of life is about gratitude, blessings, humanity, and glory. Also, last but not the least, Gold and Silver.

My Life Learning – The economics way

• Respect nature, they are our highest wealth.
• When I say God is within me, Fire(Feelings of great warmth and intensity) must prevail in me and my actions. Actions ignited by fire within and my readiness to worship mother Lakshmi will only determine my richness and not laziness or blemish lifestyle.

Are we ready to understand importance of different types of wealth, beyond and above Paper money? Yes is the answer for those who wants to understand economics of happiness.

Stay tuned for shlok 2 next week!

{Images :

1) http://www.askganesha.com/images/Lakshmi.jpg

2) http://www.flickr.com/photos/dragoncito/166536062/}

���� Connect the dots�to enlighten!

���� Wow, �Fear of unknown origin�, sounds like a plan. I think it is a disease or illusion but let me�think as i am surviving another Friday evening. Yes, Its 7:00 PM and I grounded another difficult case. I did what I can do but still there is a fear on back of my mind that did I screwed more than what I think? I don�t know what that is but for now I would like to name it as, �fear of unknown origin.��My internal scorpion�had already started chanting the tunes�of denial in order to increase my level of confidence in this moment of quite. And, to distract myself from this, I started working on my Vedic learning task. I thought of searching online the relevance of Spirituality and economy.�

�������The Network of Spiritual Progressives defines spiritual people as �all those whose deepest values lead them to challenge the ethos of selfishness and materialism that has led people into a frantic search for money and power and away from a life that places love, kindness, generosity, peace, non-violence, social justice, awe and wonder at the grandeur of creation, thanksgiving, humility and joy at the center of our lives.��

���� …Philosophers learned from Kant that ethics is autonomous with respect to religion�

���� �Plato created the figure of king-philosopher, combining power and wisdom as the excellent leader. Spirituality was for Plato an intellectual and emotional search for an inner enlightenment. A physical, mental and spiritual training was needed to reach enlightenment and to become a good leader�

���� Have you felt that sometimes you are so much involved in minute details that you miss the boat? That�s what happening here. We know everything while knowing nothing and vice versa.

���� Well, let�s try to connect the dots, my fear, definition of spiritual people & quotes from Plato and Kant as well as missing the main problem has one motive which inclines me to work more and more on our ancient literature. I am thankful to Nisarg for raising the question to involve Sri Suktam in our Monday learning. We need that enlightenment in the form of our remaining spiritual training so as to become king-philosopher.

���� As per economy, ecology & spirituality: Toward a theory and practice of sustainability, there is a growing gap between rich and poor and accelerating environmental and social disintegration which offer powerful testimony to the failure of conventional development practice in countries of both South and North. This failure has given birth to a global effort to build commitment to an alternative citizen’s vision of human progress grounded in commitment to just, inclusive, and sustainable human societies. Most of the times we do things because someone told us, we heard or�read somewhere. That means someone drives your life and not you. Yes, everybody is driving someone else. Countries are landing their products and money to other country for survival. And still we are having falling stock market, rising prices, layoffs and decreasing spirituality?

���� Remember as Richard Saul Wurman well said, �Learning can be defined as the process of remembering what you are interested in.� Sri suktam brings spirituality and materialistic life together as close as anybody can get. So, what now? We need help and nobody is helping us. This situation requires self-learning and enlightenment. We think on materialistic life but forget our self and vice versa. Yes, we are so away from self that even while calling our own number from our own cell phone states , � please check the number and dial again� or � this number is busy please dial after sometime.� We have to call our self from our internal spiritual network as the outer cell phones (materialistic world) don�t connect us to our self before we leave materialistic world (die). Happiness is inside and we had to reveal and cherish that. More inclination towards the outer world causes loss of attachment of self and increasing confusions. And, that�s what the essence of Sri Suktam is.

���� So, let�s gather on the common spiritual background of Vedic learnings and try to understand the maze of life, economy and spirituality with the help of Sri Suktam.�

���� We invite your dear suggestions and warm critics.

~ Taral Sharma

-image courtesy: flickr

|| Shri Suktam ||

Linking broken links � Economics, Life and Happppppppppiness!

�Even if all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion.�

� George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw can utter above statement but I cannot. I cannot because I don�t even know one line definition of economics in present context. But, I do have urge to understand it as I feel that it has keys to resolve human race�s trivial and fundamental issue � Pursuit of Happiness!

Recently, I watched latest Bond movie – Quantum of solace. You might not like this bond movie if you are pre-conceived about typical Bond-type movies and so I also did not like movie without cars, gadgets and high-tech action. But, at the end, it surely gave spark to let me started thinking about present days Oil economy (by comparing it with Water Economy) and so called Economic crisis. Movie talks about mafias in water economy age (Age when now easily available water will have highest market value! And so people around the world do business on water. Futuristic but hope that we don�t observe WW1 � Water War 1).Giants reporting bankruptcy, Stock markets across the world started sinking, following Wall Street way, credit gambling, rising unemployment, slow growth in developing countries, reduced trade volume, income insecurity are few buzz headlines hitting news every day since last six months. These all lead me to start thinking on this front and explore more in details.

Mind you, we are here, not to give any remedy or discuss why it happened and how bleak or bright future will be�.we are here to see world economy with different perspectives. We are here to understand what actually mean by word �Economy� and different segments of economy. We are here to connect broken links between Economics and allied sciences. We are simply here to sing a song of Economics known as �Shri Suktam� and put earnest efforts to design ways to pursue happiness.

Some people say that Adam Smith (1723-90) is father of economics. I respect Adam Smith for his efforts and would say that He is path finder for Modern Economics. Before Smith, Hobbes� Leviathan (1588-1679) was considered as some base for economics which explains power of common wealth. Again, I haven�t read any of them but I would surely believe that it is time to go back, go back and re-search our roots. If we have to go-back then why not start with well known Sanskrit devotional hymn �Shri Suktam� and understand ways towards happy life. Why not to understand true meaning of Goddess Lakshmi and bless our life with rich wealth?

Lakshmi in Sanskrit is derived from its elemental form “lakS,” meaning to perceive or observe.^[2] This is synonymous with “lakSya,” meaning aim or objective. Lakshmi is thus goddess of the means to achieving objectives, including prosperity in the lives of mankind.

By singing �Shri Suktam� along with Vedic Learnings team, I am confident that this musical journey will surely help in exploring economics of life.

~ Nisarg Joshi

Followed to this article, we are committed explore more about economics, life and happiness! Stay Tuned!

Kalasha, also spelled as Kalash (literally “pitcher, pot”), is a metal (brass, copper, silver or gold) pot with a large base and small mouth, large enough to hold a coconut. Sometimes “Kalasha” also refers to such a pot filled with water and topped with a coronet of mango leaves and a coconut.

Sanskrit is a poetically strong language with mysterious power to describe most complex ideas by simplest examples. Since the time of Rigveda, Kalash is used to explain basic sources of life. And no doubt, it depicts very nature of nature.

Pot represents the container of the fertility (Prosperity). Place to create new world. Place to give birth to world. Womb that nurtures and nourishes life. The water in the kalasha symbolizes place from where entire creation emerged. It is the giver of life to all and has the potential of creating innumerable names and forms, the inert objects and the sentient beings and all that is auspicious in the world from the energy behind the universe. The coconut, a cash crop, represents prosperity and power. The water in the pot represents the life-giving ability of Nature. The mango leaves and the thread represent the love that “binds” all in creation.

The kalasha is therefore considered auspicious and worshipped. The waters from all the holy rivers, the knowledge of all the Vedas and the blessings of all the deities are invoked in the kalasha and its water is thereafter used for all the rituals, including the abhisheka.

Thus the kalasha also symbolizes immortality. Men of wisdom are full and complete as they identify with the infinite Truth. They brim with joy and love and respect all that is auspicious. We greet them with a purnakumbha (“full pot”) acknowledging their greatness and as a sign of respectful and reverential welcome, with a “full heart”.

Image @ http://www.dollsofindia.com/dollsofindiaimages/handicrafts/copper_kalash_SP56_l.jpg

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Om is one of the most chanted sound symbols in India. It has a profound effect on the body and mind of the one who chants and also on the surroundings. Most mantras and vedic prayers start with Om.

All auspicious actions begin with Om. It is even used as a greeting – Om, Hari Om etc. It is repeated as a mantra or meditated upon. Its form is worshipped, contemplated upon or used as an auspicious sign.

Om is the universal name of the Lord. It is made up of the letters A (phonetically as in “around”), U (phonetically as in “put”) and M (phonetically as in “mum”). The sound emerging from the vocal chords starts from the base of the throat as “A”. With the coming together of the lips, “U” is formed and when the lips are closed, all sounds end in “M”.

The three letters symbolize the three states (waking, dream and deep sleep), the three deities (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva), the three Vedas (Rig, Yajur and Sama) the three worlds (Bhuh, Bhuvah, Suvah) etc. The Lord is all these and beyond.

The formless, attributeless Lord (Brahman) is represented by the silence between two Om Chants. Om is also called pranava that means, “that (symbol or sound) by which the Lord is praised”. The entire essence of the Vedas is enshrined in the word Om. It is said that the Lord started creating the world after chanting Om and atha. Hence its sound is considered to create an auspicious beginning for any task that we undertake. The Om chant should have the resounding sound of a bell (aaooommm).

Om is written in different ways in different places. The most common form symbolizes Lord Ganesha�s. The upper curve is the head; the lower large one, the stomach; the side one, the trunk; and the semi-circular mark with the dot, the sweetmeat ball (modaka) in Lord Ganesha’s hand. Thus Om symbolizes everything – the means and the goal of life, the world and the Truth behind it, the material and the Sacred, all form and the Formless.

(Photo courtesy: profile.myspace.com)

Coconut is one of the most offerings in a temple. The coconut is broken and placed before the Lord. It is later distributed as prasaada. We also offer it on celebrations of weddings, festivals; on purchase of new vehicle and on ceremony of new house, road or bridge. It is also offered in the sacrificial fire whilst performing homa.

The fibers covering of the dried coconut is removed except for a tuft on the top. The marks on the coconut make it look like the head of a human being. The coconut is broken, symbolizing the breaking of the ego. The juice within, representing the inner tendencies (vaasanas) is offered along with the white kernel – the mind, to the Lord. A mind (white kernel) thus purified by the touch of the Lord is used as prasaada (a holy gift).

In the traditional abhishekha ritual done in all temples and many homes, several materials are poured over the deity like milk, curd, honey, tender coconut water, sandal paste, holy ash etc. Each material has a specific significance of bestowing certain benefits on worshippers. Tender coconut water is used in abhisheka rituals since it is believed to bestow spiritual growth on the seeker.

The coconut also symbolizes selfless service. Every part of the tree -the trunk, leaves, fruit, coir etc. is used in innumerable ways like thatches, mats, tasty dishes, oil, soap etc. It takes in even salty water from the earth and converts it into sweet nutritive water that is especially beneficial to sick people. It is used in the preparation of many ayurvedic medicines and in other alternative medicinal systems.

The marks on the coconut are even thought to represent the three-eyed Lord Shiva and therefore it is considered to be a means to fulfill our desires.

(Image courtesy: http://i.pbase.com/u25/dannysmythe/upload/40709058.Coconut.jpg)

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The lotus is nominated as Indian National Flower since just last century but if we check some sources from ancient past, the lotus is associated with several Hindu deities. Krishna is described as the “Lotus-Eyed One,” referring to his divine beauty. Brahma and Lakshmi, the deities of potencies and wealth, are often seen with the lotus symbol. Other deities associated with the lotus include Vishnu and Sarasvati. There is a story that it arose from the navel of God Vishnu, and at the center of the flower sat Brahma. Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Protector) and Siva (the Merger) are associated with this plant. There are also accounts of the world born through a “Golden Lotus” and Padmakalpa, the Lotus Age in the Padmapurana (678 ce).

Stories apart, if we want to represent The God qualities like truth, auspiciousness and beauty (Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram), The lotus in forms of lotus feet, lotus hands, the lotus of the heart etc. symbolizes all qualities incisively.

Similar to the Lotus blooming with the rising sun and close at night, human mind has tendency to open up and expand with the light of knowledge and remain close in darkness of ignorance. The lotus grows in slushy areas. It remains beautiful and untainted despite its surroundings, reminding us that we too can and should strive to remain pure and beautiful within, under all circumstances.

One of the peculiar qualities of the lotus leaf is that it never gets wet even though it is always in water. It symbolizes the man of wisdom (gyaani) who remains ever joyous, unaffected by the world of sorrow and change. This is revealed in a shloka from the Bhagwad-Geeta:

Brahmanyaadhaaya karmaani,
Sangam tyaktvaa karoti yaha;
Lipyate na sa paapena,
Padma patram ivaambhasaa.

�He who does actions, offering them to Brahman (the Supreme), abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf remains unaffected by the water on it.�

One more intellectually influenced analogies used to understand human mind-body working is Lotus <-> Center of consciousness analogy. While doing Yoga Exercises, it is very important to be alert and be conscious of what we are doing. Concentration and relaxation play a vital role in the practice of yoga. In different postures of Yoga, The cross-legged sitting posture, the lotus position aasana is known as �Padmasana� and is adopted by those striving to reach the highest level of concentration. It is also said that Lotus like sitting portion corrects common ailments like weakness of heart and lungs, abdominal disorders, constipation, blood disorders, skin diseases, flatulence, cough, chronic fever, liver disorders, mal-functioning of spleen.

I think, by understanding and adapting qualities from the Lotus into daily life style will certainly help to live better future ahead. God gives us opportunities to learn but at the end, it is up to us, how we connect ourselves with nature and live life with.

Original Image copyrighted @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/97968921@N00/

This week�s Prashn Manjusha

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