Janakpuri Temple, Nepal The city of Janakpur, 135 kilometers (84 miles) southeast of Kathmandu is doubly famous as the birthplace of the Hindu goddess Sita, as well as being the site where she was married to Lord Rama.
According to the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, the original city of Janakpur was named after King Janak of the Mithila kingdom. Janak found the baby Sita in a furrow of a field and raised her as his daughter. When Sita (also called Janaki) was about sixteen, the king announced that she could be married to whoever was able to string the divine bow of Shiva. Though many royal suitors tried, only Lord Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, was successful. And not only did he string the bow, he also snapped it in two. Thus, Lord Rama won the hand of Sita.
Historical sources indicate that the Mithila Kingdom controlled a large part of northern India between the tenth and third centuries BC when it came under the control of the Mauryan Empire (321 to 185 BC). The two great Mauryan emperors, Chandragupta and Ashoka, favored the religions of Jainism and Buddhism, and both the great saints Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism, and Vardamana Mahavira, the 24th and final Tirthankara (an enlightened sage) of the Jain religion, are said to have lived in Mithila/Janakpur. Following the decline of the Mauryan Empire, Janakpur languished as a religious site for two millennia until the seventeenth century.
Janakpuri Temple Gate, NepalIn 1657, the great saint and poet Sannyasi Shurkishordas discovered a golden statue of the Goddess Sita at the exact place where she was born, which ultimately became the location of the current Janaki Mandir, the Temple of Sita. Shurkishordas is considered to be the founder of modern Janakpur.
Queen Brisabhanu Kunwari of Tikamgarh built the Janaki Mandir in 1911. The temple is architecturally unique in Nepal. Its inner sanctum contains a flower-bedecked statue of Sita that was miraculously found in the Saryu River near Ayodhya. Statues of Rama and his half-brothers Lakshman, Bharat, and Satrughna stand by Sita. Early evenings are the best times to visit, for then the temple is lit with colorful lights and filled with hundreds of pilgrims expressing devotion for Sita and Rama. The temple is particularly popular with women, who wear their best clothes when visiting the shrine. Adjacent to the Janaki Mandir is the Rama Sita Bibaha Mandir, a building that marks the place where Rama and Sita were married.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims visit Janakpur to pay homage to Sitaat the time of Vivah Panchami, the marriage day of Sita and Ram (the fifth day of the Shukla Paksha or waxing phase of moon in November/December) and on Ram Navami, the birthday of Lord Rama (the ninth day of the Hindu month of Chaitra, which begins with the new moon in March/April).
Janakpuri Main Temple, Nepal
Additional periods for large celebrations in Janakpur are Holi, the festival of colors in March; Diwali, the festival of lights in early November; and Chhath, a four-day festival celebrated by the local Mithila people in May and November.
Other important religious sites in the city include the Danush Sagar and Ganga Sagar ritual bathing tanks near the Janaki Mandir, and the winding streets surrounding the temple are filled with shops selling garlands of colorful flowers, pictures of various Hindu deities, and ritual objects for prayers.
Near Janakpur lies the ancient place of Dhanushadham, another important religious site for the Hindus. The Dhanusha pond is believed to have been made by the pieces of arrow broken by the Rama in Janakpur.
TB Joshua: Megachurch leader raped and tortured worshippers
TB Joshua founded the hugely popular Synagogue Church of all Nations
Evidence of widespread abuse and torture by the founder of one of the world’s biggest Christian evangelical churches has been uncovered by the BBC.
Dozens of ex-Synagogue Church of all Nations members – five British – allege atrocities, including rape and forced abortions, by Nigeria’s late TB Joshua.
The allegations of abuse in a secretive Lagos compound span almost 20 years.
The Synagogue Church of All Nations did not respond to the allegations but said previous claims have been unfounded.
TB Joshua, who died in 2021, was a charismatic and hugely successful preacher and televangelist who had an immense global following.
The BBC’s findings over a two-year investigation include:
Dozens of eyewitness accounts of physical violence or torture carried out by Joshua, including instances of child abuse and people being whipped and chained
Numerous women who say they were sexually assaulted by Joshua, with a number claiming they were repeatedly raped for years inside the compound
Multiple allegations of forced abortions inside the church following the alleged rapes by Joshua, including one woman who says she had five terminations
Multiple first-hand accounts detailing how Joshua faked his “miracle healings”, which were broadcast to millions of people around the world
One of the victims, a British woman, called Rae, was 21 years old when she abandoned her degree at Brighton University in 2002 and was recruited into the church. She spent the next 12 years as one of Joshua’s so-called “disciples” inside his maze-like concrete compound in Lagos.
“We all thought we were in heaven, but we were in hell, and in hell terrible things happen,” she told the BBC.
Rae says she was sexually assaulted by Joshua and subjected to a form of solitary confinement for two years. The abuse was so severe, she says she attempted suicide multiple times inside the compound.
The Synagogue Church of All Nations [Scoan] has a global following, operating a Christian TV channel called Emmanuel TV and social media networks with millions of viewers. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, tens of thousands of pilgrims from Europe, the Americas, South East Asia and Africa travelled to the church in Nigeria to witness Joshua performing “healing miracles”. At least 150 visitors lived with him as disciples inside his compound in Lagos, sometimes for decades.
More than 25 former “disciples” spoke to the BBC – from the UK, Nigeria, US, South Africa, Ghana, Namibia and Germany – giving powerful corroborating testimony about their experiences within the church, with the most recent experiences in 2019. Many victims were in their teens when they first joined. In some of the British cases, their transport to Lagos was paid for by Joshua, in co-ordination with other UK churches.
Rae and multiple other interviewees compared their experiences to being in a cult.
Jessica Kaimu, from Namibia, says her ordeal lasted more than five years. She says she was 17 when Joshua first raped her, and that subsequent instances of rape by TB Joshua led to her having five forced abortions while there.
“These were backdoor type… medical treatments that we were going through… it could have killed us,” she told the BBC.
Other interviewees say they were stripped and beaten with electrical cables and horse whips, and routinely denied sleep.
A shocking journey into a maze of manipulation and terrifying abuse perpetrated by one of the most powerful religious figures of the 21st Century
A nine-episode season – a shocking journey into a maze of manipulation and terrifying abuse
On his death in June 2021, TB Joshua was hailed as one of the most influential pastors in African history. Rising from poverty, he built an evangelical empire that counted dozens of political leaders, celebrities and international footballers among his associates.
He did, however, attract some controversy during his lifetime when a guesthouse for church pilgrims collapsed in 2014, killing at least 116 people.
The BBC’s investigation, which was carried out with international media platform Open Democracy, is the first time multiple former church insiders have come forward to speak on the record. They say they’ve spent years trying to raise the alarm, but have effectively been silenced.
A number of our witnesses in Nigeria claim they were physically attacked, and in one case shot at, after previously speaking out against the abuse and posting videos containing allegations on YouTube.
A BBC crew that attempted to record footage of the church’s Lagos compound from a public street in March 2022 was also fired at by the church’s security, and was detained for a number of hours.
The BBC contacted Scoan with the allegations in our investigation. It did not respond to them, but denied previous claims against TB Joshua.
“Making unfounded allegations against Prophet TB Joshua is not a new occurrence… None of the allegations was ever substantiated,” it wrote.
Four of the British citizens who spoke to the BBC say they reported the abuse to the UK authorities after escaping the church. They say no further action was taken.
In addition, a British man and his wife emailed eyewitness accounts of their ordeal and video evidence – including recordings of being held at gunpoint by men describing themselves as police who are also members of Scoan – to the British High Commission in Nigeria in March 2010 after fleeing the church. In his email, the man said his wife had been repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped by Joshua. He warned the commission that other British nationals were still inside the compound facing atrocities.
He also says no action was taken.
The UK Foreign Office did not respond to these claims, but told the BBC that it takes all reports of crime, including sexual assault and violence against British nationals overseas, very seriously.
Scoan continues to thrive today, under the leadership of Joshua’s widow, Evelyn. In July 2023, she led a tour of Spain.
Anneka, who left Derby in the UK to join Scoan at the age of 17, told the BBC she believes there are many other victims who have yet to speak out. She hopes further steps will be taken to uncover Joshua’s actions.
“I believe the Synagogue Church of All Nations needs a thorough investigation into why this man was able to function for so long the way he did,” she said.
Death is separation of the soul from the physical body. Death becomes the starting point of a new life. Death merely opens the door to a higher and fuller form of life. Birth and death are jugglery of Maya. He who is born begins to die. He who dies begins to live. Life is death and death is life. No one comes, no one goes. Brahman or the eternal alone exists.
Just as you move from one house to another, the soul passes from one body to another to gain experience. Just as a man casting off worn-out garments takes new ones, so the dweller in this body, casting off worn-out bodies, enters into others which are new.
Life is a continuum. Death is necessary for further evolution. Dissolution of the body is no more than sleep. Birth is like waking up. Death brings new life. A man of discrimination is not afraid of death. Death unlocks the door to a wider existence. The soul is a circle whose circumference is nowhere but its Centre is in the body. Death means the change of this center from one body to another.
The supreme soul or paramatman is deathless, decayless, timeless, causeless and spaceless.It is the source and substratum for body, mind and world. There is death for the physical body, a compound of five elements. The eternal soul is beyond time, space and causation.
To free yourself from birth and death, you must become body-less. Body is the result of karmas or actions. If you free yourself from raga-dvesha, or likes and dislikes, you will be free from karma. If you annihilate ignorance through knowledge of the imperishable, you can annihilate the ego. The root cause for this body is ignorance. He who realizes the eternal soul, which is formless and attribute less, infinite and unchanging, frees himself from death.
The individual souls or jivas build various bodies to display their activities and gain experience from this world.They enter the bodies and leave them. The process goes on. This is known as transmigration of souls.The entrance of a soul into a body is called birth. The soul’s departure from the body is death.
Man has always tried to know what happens after the death of an individual. Science has been struggling to unravel the mystery of what lies beyond death. Experiments have yielded many interesting facts. Natural death, it is said, is unknown to unicellular organization. When life on earth consisted of these creatures, death was unknown. The phenomenon appeared only when from unicellular the multicellular evolved.
Laboratory experiments have shown that whole organs such as thyroid glands, the ovary, suprarenal gland, the spleen, heart and kidneys isolated from the body of a cat or a fowl, can be kept alive in vitro to show increase in size or weight due to the appearance of new cells or tissues.
It is also known that after the cessation of an individual parts of the organization can continue to function.The white corpuscles of the blood, if cared for, can live for months after the body from which they were withdrawn has been cremated. Death is not the end of life. It is merely cessation of an individuality. Life flows on to achieve the universal till it merges in the eternal.
Everything you need to know about Ayodhya Ram Mandir
Prime minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Ayodhya Ram Temple on January 22, 2024. During the pran-partisha (consecration) ceremony, the idol of Ram Lalla will be installed in the sanctum- sanctorum (garbha-griha) of the temple. Devotees on the other hand will be allowed entry to the grand temple from January 24.
Table of Contents
Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Background
One of the biggest temples to be built in India after Independence, the Ayodhya Ram Temple is touted to be a combination of new-age technological conveniences and age-old Indian traditions.
Between 1528 and 1529, the Babri Masjid was built by the Mughal emperor Babur. However, members of the Hindu community also sought possession of the site, claiming it to be the birthplace of Lord Ram. The site subsequently became a disputed site and a long, legal battle ensued. Ending the title dispute on November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court accepted the 2.77 acres of disputed location as the birthplace of Lord Ram, paving the way for the construction of the Ram Mandir.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir foundation stone-laying ceremony
After the SC verdict, prime minister Narendra Modi performed the Bhumi Poojan ceremony on August 5, 2020, and laid the foundation stone of the temple.
Ayodhya Temple area and capacity
Spanning 54,700 sq ft, the temple area covers nearly 2.7 acres of land. The entire Ram Mandir Complex would be spread over nearly 70 acres and will be equipped to host about a million devotees at any time.
Ayodhya Ram Temple: Agency overseeing construction
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is supervising the temple’s construction.
Ayodhya Mandir: Estimated cost and funding
The construction work of the temple is likely to take between Rs 1,400 crore to Rs 1,800 crore. The temple trust is receiving between Rs 60-70 lakh in donations for building the grand temple, officials of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Nyas say.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Building material
Bansi Paharpur Sandstone
The superstructure of the Ram Mandir will be made of carved Rajasthan Bansi Paharpur stone, the rare pink marble stones, world-renowned for its beauty and strength. It will require a total of 4 lakh sq ft of stone.
The Bansi Paharpur Sandstone is found in the Bayana Tehsil of Bharatpur District in Rajasthan and it is available in hues of pink and red. The centre, in 2021, gave an in-principal approval to convert 398 hectares of protected forest land into revenue land to allow the mining of the pink sandstone in the vicinity of the Band Baretha Wildlife Sanctuary in Bharatpur, reversing the ban on mining put in place in 2016.
The Bansi Pahadpur Sandstone has been used in various grand structures of the country, including the Akshardham Temple, the Parliament Complex and the Lal Quila of Agra. Steel or bricks would not be used in the construction of the Ram Mandir.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Builders
While Larsen & Toubro are responsible for building the main structure, Tata Consultancy Engineers Ltd would develop the allied facilities.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Interior
Specifications
The upcoming temple is 360 ft long, 235 ft wide and 161 ft high. In height, the temple will three times the height of existing structure n the old city.
Style
The temple is designed by chief architect, Chandrakant Bhai Sompura, whose grandfather, Prabhakarji Sompura, had designed the Somnath Temple, along with his son, Ashish Sompura. The 79-year-old architect was appointed in 1992. Sompura mentioned that the Ram Mandir is being built in the Nagara style, following the principles of Vastu Shastra. The entrance on the east would be built in the Gopuram style, which represents the temples of the south. The walls of the temple would display artworks depicting the life of Lord Ram.
Shape
The sanctorum of the mandir would be octagonal-shaped, while the structure perimeter would be circular.
Floors
The mandir will have five domes and one tower with a height of 161 ft. The 3-floor temple will have a centre – Garbh Griha – built to allow sun rays to fall on the idol of Ram Lalla, the infant embodiment of the Lord. Like the sanctorum, the Griha Mandap would be fully covered, while the Keertan Mandap, the Nritya Mandap, the Rang Mandap and the two Prarthana Mandaps on each side would be open areas.
Ram Lalla idol
There will be two idols of Lord Ram. One will be the actual idol found in 1949 and has been in the tent for decades. The other will be a huge statue which will be visible from a long distance, says Jagdish Afle, project manager of the ram Mandir construction work.
The temple bell
A 2,100-kg bell for the Ram Temple is being brought from Etah, a well-known destination for bell manufacturing in India. The 6-ft tall and 5-ft wide bell would cost Rs 21 lakh.
Doors and window
To build the windows and doors, Teak wood (Sagwan) has been procured from Maharashtra’s Chandrapur. Not an ordinary wood, Teak has a life span of over 100 years. Work on building the grand doors and windows is expected to start between June 26 and 30 after a ceremonial ritual.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Lifespan
The grand structure is being built to have a lifespan of over 1,000 years. “Each material, which is being used…each design and drawing that is being used…is being done in IIT Chennai. They are the initiators. That is then tested by L&T and TCE. Finally, we have given the stability test for this agenda of 1,000 years to the Central Research Building Institute. The CRBI has tested the entire load that will come onto the structure through simulations. In short, we are dependent on the best brains of this country. There is just one objective – how to make this temple durable for 1,000 years and unique,” Nripendra Misra, the chairman of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s temple construction committee, said.
Number of pilgrims to Ayodhya Ram Mandir
Over 50,000 people visit the temple every day. This number is expected to increase to 100,000 once the temple is inaugurated.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Timeline
1528-1529: Mughal emperor Babur builds Babri Masjid
1850s: Start of communal violence over the land
1949: Ram Idol found inside the mosque, intensifying communal tension
1950: Two suits filed in Faizabad civil court seeking permission to worship the idol
1961: UP Sunni Central Wakf Board demands the removal of the idol
1986: District Court opens the site for Hindu worshippers
1992: Babri masjid demolished on December 6
2010: Allahabad HC rules three-way division of disputed area among Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla
2011: SC stays Allahabad HC order
2016: Subramanian Swamy files plea in SC, seeks the construction of Ram Temple
2019: SC accepts Ayodhya was the birthplace of Lord Ram, hands over the entire 2.77 acres of disputed land to the trust and orders the government to give 5-acre land to Sunni Waqf Board as an alternate site
2020: PM Modi performs Bhumi Poojan and lays the foundation stone
How to reach Ayodhya?
Air: You can book flights to the Ayodhya Airport from every major Indian city. The airport is conveniently connected to the city centre through the modes of taxi and auto rickshaws.
Road: Ayodhya is well-connected by road to nearby cities and towns. You can hire a taxi or use public transportation like buses to reach Ayodhya from nearby locations. The airport is located approximately 8-10 km from the city centre.
Train: The nearest major railway station to Ayodhya is the Ayodhya Junction. From there, you can take a taxi or an auto-rickshaw to reach Ayodhya Airport. The distance is around 6-8 km.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Impact on real estate
Land rates in and around Ayodhya have risen by up to 10 times in the past decade, property dealers and brokers active in the area inform.
“Land bought for lakhs in the city before the announcement of the temple construction overnight became crore-worthy after the Supreme Court verdict. With big developers showing interest in property here, rates have gone up further, brining the city on a par with state capital Lucknow, to say the least,” says Lal Babu Pandey, an Ayodhya resident who worked only as a part-time property dealer earlier.
The interest in land is now so much that that it has turned into a full-time occupation for me and is enough to support my family, informs Pandey.
To find a land parcel within a radius of 5-10 km of the temple a buyer will have to spend at least Rs 2,000 per square foot while rates might go as high as Rs 18,000 per square foot. Prices for commercial plots start at Rs 4,000 per square foot, and can go up to Rs 20,000 per square foot. In some pockets, the rate for one biswa of land is now over Rs 60 lakh which used to be Rs 5 lakh till 2018.
Latest photos of Ayodhya Ram Mandir
Views of Ram Mandir Sinh Dwar; carvings on Nritya Mandap
Natives with Mahapadam Kalsarpa yoga have a great chance to win over their enemies and can expect sudden gains too. However, this particular yoga also has some negative influences that can make one go through a demanding period in life. Here are the causes, effects, and remedies of Mahapadam Kalsarpa yoga.
The Mahapadam Kalsarpa Dosha occurs when Rahu is sitting in the Sixth House (House of Debt, Health, and Enemy) and Ketu is placed in the Twelfth House (House of Spirituality, Expenses and Overseas Travels) and the other Seven Planets (Sun, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and Moon)encircle between the Sixth and the Twelfth House.
According to Mythology, Mahapadam of one of the many snake sons of the Great Rishi Kashyap and his wife Kadru and hence this Yoga gets named after him.
Negative effects of Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga
Old Age May Become Difficult
May Be Deceived by Own People
Might Get Over-Indulgent in Various Sexual Activities
Feeling of Despair in Mind May Arise
May Become Suspicious
Lack of Peace in the Family
Cheated by their Own Kith and Kin
Mental Depression
A Constant Feeling of Animosity Envelops the Native
Suspension from Workplace
Huge Financial Debts
May Go Through Many Ups and Downs
Less Favorable for Bed Comforts
Problems Related to Domestic Life May Arise
Bankruptcy Might Knock at the Door
Probability of Divorce
Possibility of Litigation of Contract Breakage Exist
Positive Effects of Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga
Rahu in the Sixth House and Ketu in the Twelfth House both bring good and positive results mostly to the life of the native in this Yoga. The Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga even though is one of the most feared Yogas in Vedic Astrology still, it bestows many positive effects on the native and following are the few such benefits of being born in this Yoga.
Enemy Won’t Stand A Ground Against Native
Native Will Rise Victorious IN Different Aspects of Life
Good for Settlement in Foreign Land
Major Financial Gains and Business from Foreign Land
High Level of Enjoyment In Life
Increase in the Spiritual Belief
Expenses related toward Good Deed May Rise
Interest in Social Work and Welfare will Increase
Sudden Gains
Effects of Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga on Native’s Life
Rahu is considered beneficial in the Sixth House in the natal chart of the native. Hence, it means good news for the native! As it is the House of Debts, Enemies and Health, the native will have the upper hand with the enemies and will be able to rise up out of all the situations as a phoenix even when meets the worst. The native will win against his or her enemies with the power of wisdom.
Those native with Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga in their chart may have high chances of permanently settling in any foreign country. It also brings many befits both financial and materialistic from the overseas business and projects.
The native may wish to acquire servitude related privileges in his or her life in this Yoga. He or she will receive success in various endeavors through service of others but only after a period of struggles and tribulations. They mostly have an affinity of getting involved in various sorts of arguments that may be beyond their command.
Such people involve them in disruptive activities in the repressive field such as poverty, servitude, divorce, drug, illness, war and oppression. Native may tend to have a disadvantageous bond with the servants, employees and maternal relatives. They also believe in challenging the traditional and conventional methods and rules of the way society functions with respect to the formation of alliance and conflict management.
Effects of Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga on the Spirituality of the Native
The Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga is considered to be on the positive side of this Yoga in the horoscope. Since Ketu in the Twelfth House is considered good. It gives a spiritual bent of mind to the native while their actions are steered toward enlightenment thus becoming the ultimate goal or ambition of life.
Twelfth House where Ketu is placed is also the house of expense therefore; expenses related to good deeds are possible. Native may also spend on various religious rituals, customs, and traditions as well. These natives never let anyone know about their expenses to others and it becomes their best-kept secret of life. Even though Ketu brings a lot of good things on the plate but is a malefic planet, it can never be all positive. It leads to loss of sleep because of which the native lacks or has troubles with the bed comforts. In some rare cases, eye problems also are experienced. Just in case that the planet is afflicted in the Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga in the chart the native become a frequent visitor at the hospital and medical centers due to bad health conditions. This will further increase the expenses of the native.
Precautions
Maintain Safe Distance from Litigation Charges: There are chances of getting into a bad legal situation and into a fixed situation from which it will be hard to get out. Therefore, it is imperative that the native avoids getting into any kind of legal troubles completely.
Avoid Borrowing Money and Loans: once a person borrows money, one also needs to keep in mind that it needs to be returned. And if one delays the payment of borrowed money, the interest on the money keeps increasing for the money as long as he or she doesn’t start paying it. Since Sixth House stands for debt and Twelfth for expenses, it is highly advised for the native to avoid taking any kind of financial loan or borrowing money from anyone as the expenses will always remain high making it difficult to return the borrowed or loaned money and will face severe problems in returning the same.
Exercise Regularly or Stay Active: People born under the Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga are prone to have severe joint pains and other joint related issues at any point in time. Therefore, it will be a good idea to get into a habit of exercising regularly or following a fitness regime in order to keep bones healthy. Along with regular exercise, leading a healthy lifestyle is also a bonus for native with this Yoga in their charts. Eating healthy and refraining in getting into bad habits of drinking and smoking will also reduce the chances of having bad joint pains.
Avoid Trusting Others Blindly: Thinking that the other person is close to you and therefore you can trust him is a completely wrong attitude for those who have Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga as the closest people may deceive you when you may need them the most. Therefore, in order to save yourself from this heartache, avoid trusting anyone but you.
Try and Lead a Healthy Sleeping Regime: With Ketu in the twelfth house under the Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga may cause issues of sleeplessness making it difficult for the native to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Hence, it will be good if the native tried getting into a physical fitness regime as it will help the body to relax and get into a proper sleep schedule which will be beneficial for him or her in the long run.
Avoid Over Spending: expenses need to be under control for people who are born under this Yoga as if the expense increases beyond the earning capability, one may have to borrow or loan money which will be another financial burden on the native. So it is best that the native keep a tab on their expenses and refrains from over spending money on unnecessary things.
Maintain Cordial Relationships with Colleagues and Seniors at Workplace: there are possibilities of facing controversies at the workplace with colleagues and senior and the native may fall prey to the office politics. So, the best way to avoid getting into this mess is to share a cordial and friendly relationship with colleagues while keeping it strictly professional and not stretching this friendship beyond the office hours in their life as that too may become a problem in future.
Thus, if the above-mentioned precautions are practiced thoroughly and consistently then it may help you to lessen the effects of Mahapadam Kalsarpa Yoga in your natal charts.
Satsang is the starting point of the journey of self-realization, yet it is seen that not all are able to benefit equally from it. Pujya Gurudevshri explains how various types of people derive different gains from Satsang.
There are five types of people attending Satsang–deluded, student, seeker, disciple and devotee.
(1)Deluded-He is someone who comes to Satsang without any purpose. Like a stick floating in water ends up on the banks due to the current, he reaches the lotus feet of a saint due to past meritorious deeds. But he has no purpose, no thirst, no choice. If the crowd is going to Satsang, he goes. Due to pressure from friends, spouse, or the family he reaches there. There is no interest in spirituality behind his coming to Satsang. He comes without purpose and so leaves without benefiting from it.
(2)Student – A student is one who has come out of intellectual curiosity. It is as though an itching has arisen! Just as scratching an itch feels good but it does no good, and at times even harms; in the same way, the student gets an intellectual itch – of curiosity, so he arrives at the Satsang. Satisfying this curiosity may seem good but it does not bring any benefit; may even result in loss. He comes to Satsang to gather information. He attends Satsang to increase his memory, enrich his vocabulary, augment his knowledge of logic and examples, nurture his ego, and develop his intellect. Thus, he comes with curiosity and leaves with an enhanced vocabulary, but with no spiritual benefits.
(3)Seeker-A seeker wants to be liberated. He comes to the Satsang to understand how he can become free. He wants to transform his life and experience the Self. He reveres Satsang. His inner state gets elevated, a resolve arises in him and he starts experimenting. But he is unable to put his full strength into it. Just as water does not vaporize until it reaches 100 degrees Celsius, so also, one does not transform without 100 per cent commitment. A seeker of this level cannot muster the courage to reach 100 percent dedication. During the process, he tends to become cowardly. There is a desire for food. To cook food, he lights the fire too. But when a little smoke rises and goes into his eyes, tears flow from the eyes and his spirit loosens. There is no depth-profundity in his effort. He does not remain steadfast in austerities. For some reason or the other, he gives up his efforts. Thus, the seeker comes with the purpose of spirituality alone, but goes away with no benefit other than strengthening the desire for liberation.
(4)Disciple – A disciple is one who is ready to learn the art of self-realization. He comes to Satsang with such eagerness that at any cost, even if he must bear great difficulties, he wants to experience what his Sadguru has realized. He listens to it with single-pointed attentiveness. He becomes very happy on listening to Satsang, a firm determination arises because of which he also undertakes experimental study, and even if there are hindrances, he does not lose patience or courage. Where does this courage come from? From complete surrender ship to the Guru! From his life wandering goes and stability comes, roaming goes and reveling stays. He remains steadfast in obedience to the commands of the Guru. By passing through ordeals he purifies himself. He puts his desires, energy, and life at stake and remains engaged in spiritual practices. Therefore, to enable the completion of his work, for his benefit, when the Guru becomes tough and attacks his ego, he continues to realize his faults and remove them. He knows that the Guru only removes the outer, false veils. A garment is only a covering, and it does not cause discomfort to a person while taking it off. But if there is such an identification formed with it that it has become skin-like, then that person experiences pain while it is being removed. He feels as if someone is scraping off his skin. But these veils have to be taken off – the ‘surgery’ has to be done! When the Guru, like a surgeon, performs this surgery, the disciple cooperates in this work. Thus, the disciple comes with the purpose of purification and therefore gains that kind of benefit.
(5)Devotee –The disciple is one who understands that purification is not possible without putting his life at stake, without obedience to the Guru’s commands. He knows this, believes in it, and acts accordingly. But when some impression latent in his subconscious gets aroused, his ego also arises. There is still the duality – I am the one who is putting myself at stake, who is surrendering; and the one to whom I surrender is the Guru. But a devotee has melted away because of his devotion. Just as ice melts in water, the ego of the devotee has melted away. Just as the river merges into the ocean and has no separate existence, when the ‘I-ness’ melts away the devotee becomes non-dual, the feeling of duality ends. He effortlessly abides in the divine. He does not consider anything as his own, which he can put at stake! He has become completely one with the divine. He had come only for this spiritual purpose, and he gets the ultimate benefit.
The disciple must pass through the purifying ordeals devised by the Guru. While the devotee has not remained, there is no one left to be tested. Seeing the surrender ship of the disciple, the Guru gets ready to carve out an idol out of stone and commences the process of making it. In the process, he also becomes tough at times, but there is nothing within Him except selfless compassion. He is concerned not about the disciple’s mind, but his soul and his spiritual welfare.
A scholar came to Raman Maharshi. He had a huge ego due to his scriptural knowledge. Sitting next to Maharshi, he said, ‘I want to have a little discussion with you.’ Maharshi only said, ‘Meditate.’
He said, ‘I just want to discuss Vedas. I will not talk about any trivial matter. ‘Maharshi stopped him and said, ‘Meditate.’ The scholar said, ‘But why do you disagree to discuss? The scriptures themselves, in several places, have said to discuss. ‘
Maharshi again asks him to meditate, but he refuses to understand. At last, Maharshi picks up a stick and runs after him, assuming a very angry form. The scholar is running ahead and Maharshi is chasing him! Not only the scholar but even Maharshi’s followers present in the ashram are stunned to see this form of his.
After a while Maharshi returns to the room, puts the stick aside, laughs out loud and says, ‘He gave so much importance to the worthless. His tendency to store intellectual knowledge is of no use. So, to make him understand, it was necessary to show some harshness.’
Thus, the Guru, the embodiment of compassion, even if He has to play a harsh role, He adopts the same and guides the disciple on the path of spiritual welfare. In reciprocation, the disciple’s duty must be to follow the Guru’s commands without delay and with zeal, for Satsang to confer the fruit of self-realization.
Janakpuri Temple, Nepal
