My Spiritual Musings

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My Poem to Arunachalam

Arunachalesvara temple is an important Shiva temple located in Thiruvanamalai which is about 130 miles from Chennai. The Arunachalesvara temple is one of the Panch Boota Stalas , or five Shiva temples, with each a manifestation of a natural element: earth, water, air, sky and fire. Arunachalesvara temple represents the fire element. The main lingam in the shrine is referred as Agni Lingam. The temple is located at the foothills of the Arunachalam hills. Every year during Karthigai Deepam a huge flame is lit atop Arunachalam hills. Thiruvanamalai is also the town where the modern day saint Ramana Maharishi lived. A view of the Main Gopuram of Arunachalesvara Temple A view of all the gopurams of Arunachalesvara Temple from Arunachalam Hills In 2020, during a meditation session with my spiritual mentor, Teja Anand, I had a beautiful vision of the sanctum sanctorum of Arunachalesvara temple. I was seated at the feet of Lord Arunachalesvara. After the meditation I felt ecstatic

The Mystical Shiva Lingam

It was Dec 11th, 2019. A month before my toe bunion surgery. I had started a major kitchen remodeling project that had turned into a fiasco. My mother was visiting me from India to help me recuperate from my surgery. I was in deep turmoil wondering how I would manage surgery, mom without a fully functional kitchen. All the appliances had been ripped off and the contractor was not motivated to complete the project. I also had other challenges going on in my personal life. My mind was in turmoil. I prayed to the Almighty for guidance and solace. One of my ex-colleagues, Anmolji, was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and Ramana Maharishi. We had exchanged a few emails and interacted across various discussion forums. On Dec 11th, 2019 Anmolji told me he would call me after he finished chanting Rudram. Rudram is a divine chant to Lord Shiva. He called me up and suddenly at the start of the conversation he exclaimed loudly, "Laksh I cannot believe my eyes. Let me send you a picture. Can

Life is so Fragile

Two decades back I picked up a quaint little book called "Spiritual Diary" from a book store. Back then we had many brick and mortar bookstores and it used to be a joy to spend hours together at book stores pouring over various book. The Spiritual Diary is a cute, little book with spiritual inspirations for each day. They were primarily drawn from teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda. It just had a little saying to focus on each day. Simple and clear instructions for every day. A few days back I found this book tucked inside my book shelve. In it I had written some prayers and incidents from circa 2001-2002. I was doing my Masters at that time adjusting to a new life in the US. I had a very demanding work-study schedule. Below I have penned a prayer of how fragile life can be around 2002 Thanksgiving. The deep realization that a simple lane change can be deadly enough to change our life forever. When I read my prayers again I was happy that the core of me has remai

Developing the Right Attitude Towards Prayer and Worship

One of the major reasons why there is a lot of stress in our life is because we have a lot of difficulty in accepting life as it is manifests to us. We want our life to be a certain way but the reality does not meet our expectations. Frustration and disappointment sets in. Accepting the reality of the present moment as it has manifested and not as what we would like it to be is easier said than done. Why is acceptance and surrender so important? When the reality is not to our expectations then often times we react impulsively rather than responding appropriately to the present moment. We have a knee jerk reaction to every unpleasant incident. Something as simple as as reckless driver cutting across our lane triggers us. I am guilty of the same fault. But hey life will constantly throw curve balls at us. How do we develop equanimity? Acceptance to the NOW helps us to stop reacting and respond appropriately. The religious amongst us seek solace in temples and o

Love is God and God is Love

Pure, unconditional love is the ultimate energy. The sum toto of all Existence. It describes this "God energy" that pervades this universe. Without love and kindness everyone will wither away. When the mind is firmly established in equanimity then love, kindness and compassion flow naturally from our Being. We can harm no one and no one can harm us. Kanda Guru Kavacham beautifully describes love in the following words: படர்ந்த அன்பினை நீ பரப்பிரம்மம் என்றனையே உலகெங்கு முள்ளது ஒருபொருள் அன்பேதான் உள்ளுயிராகி இருப்பதும் அன்பென்றாய் You (Skanda) said that spreading love is Para Brahma The only thing around this world is Love. And Love is the only thing that is like a soul within us. அன்பே குமரன் அன்பே ஸ்கந்தன் அன்பே ஓமெனும் அருள்மந்திரம் என்றாய் அன்பை உளத்திலே அசையாது அமர்த்திடுமோர் Love is Kumara, Love is Skanda You told me that Love is the holy chant Om Make love a stable power in my mind. அன்பே சிவமும்; அன்பே சக்தியும் அன்பே ஹரியும்; அன்பே பிரம்மனும் அன்

Seeing the Oneness in Creation - Kanda Guru Kavacham

Kanda Guru Kavacham is a prayer of deep love and devotion dedicated to Lord Muruga. It was composed by Sri Saanthaanantha Swaamigal who is a great saint and devotee of Lord Skanda . Sri Saanthaanantha Swaamigal established a temple called Skandasramam in Salem, India. Lord Muruga or Lord Skanda or Karthikeya is the son of Shiva. He is a dharma guardian. When you reach out to him with a sincere heart and mind, he will reach out to you to fill you with inner wisdom, protect and guide you in the right path. He is revered not only in Hinduism but also in Mahayana Buddhism. In Mahayana Buddhism, Skanda or Weituo Boddhisattva is the dharma guardian of monasteries and religious education. Chanting Kanda Guru Kavacham fills me with a deep peace of mind and an inexpressible happiness. It teaches me how to pray to God and see the Oneness in all creation. Who is God? Is God someone up in the heavens with a white beard, or is he just within the stone idols in our temples. God is th