On Shingon

Acalanatha, the wrathful manifestation of Mahavairocana, and the principal deity invoked during the goma ritual.

Shingon Buddhism

Shingon Buddhism (真言宗 Shingon-shū) is one of the mainstream major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks such as Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra. Known in Chinese as the Tangmi, these Esoteric teachings would later flourish in Japan under the auspices of a Buddhist monk named Kūkai (空海), who traveled to Tang China to acquire and request transmission of the esoteric teachings. For that reason, it is often called Japanese Esoteric Buddhism, or Orthodox Esoteric Buddhism.

The word “Shingon” is the Japanese reading of Chinese: 真言 Zhēnyán “True Words”, which in turn is the Chinese translation of the Sanskrit word “mantra” (मन्त्र).

Naga

The Nagas
From Khandro Website

The word Naga comes from the Sanskrit, and nag is still the word for snake, especially the cobra, in most of the languages of India.

When we come upon the word in Buddhist writings, it is not always clear whether the term refers to a cobra, an elephant (perhaps this usage relates to its snake-like trunk, or the pachyderm’s association with forest-dwelling peoples of north-eastern India called Nagas), or even a mysterious person of nobility.

It is a term used for unseen beings associated with water and fluid energy, and also with persons having powerful animal-like qualities or conversely, an impressive animal with human qualities.

Rahu and Ketu

Rahu & Ketu
By C. Hartley, 1997

According to the Sanskrit epic poem, the Mahabharata, the Hindu gods decided to mix up a batch of soma, the elixir of immortality. The gods were to drink the elixir to become immortal. The gods needed help from the demons to stir up the oceans to produce the elixir.

Out of the churning oceans the Sun, Moon, many goddess, and magic things were produced along with the soma. Vishnu took charge of distributing the freshly made soma to the gods but while it was being passed out the demons started battling with the gods for a taste of the elixir and in the confusion one of the demons, Rahu, disguised himself as a god and drank some of the elixir.

Kali

Kali the Goddess: Gentle Mother, Fierce Warrior
By Madhuri Guin

O Kali, my mother full of bliss! Enchantress of the almighty Shiva!
In Thy delirious joy Thou dancest, clapping Thy hands together!
Thou art the Mover of all that move, and we are but Thy helpless toys.
— Ramakrishna Paramhans

Kali is one of the most well known and worshipped Hindu Goddesses. The name Kali is derived from the Hindu word that means “time”, and that also means “black”.

Kali in Hinduism, is a manifestation of the Divine Mother, which represents the female principle. Frequently, those not comprehending her many roles in life call Kali the goddess of destruction. She destroys only to recreate, and what she destroys is sin, ignorance and decay. She is equated with the eternal night, is the transcendent power of time, and is the consort of the god Shiva.

Rahu and Ketu Kala Sarpa

12 Types of Kalsarpa Yoga in Astrology
From Hindu Devotional Blog

The person who has Kala Sarpa Yoga in his horoscope will suffer from various problems in life. Hence Kala Sarpa Yogam or Kalsarpa Yoga is regarded as a deadly yoga in Hindu astrology. Kala Sarpa Yoga is formed when all the planets are hemmed between the Navagraha Planets Lord Rahu and Lord Ketu in one’s horoscope.

There are mainly 12 types of Kala Sarpa Yoga. Below are the details of the twelve Kala Sarpa Yogas and the positives and negatives of the yogas.

Anant Kalsarpa Yoga

Yama

Yama
by Sumanta Sanyal, 1997

Yama is the much-feared Hindu god of death who lives in his gloomy palace Kalichi situated somewhere in the nether regions or the Hindu Patala. He is the regent of the Southern quarter of the compass. Yama has a number of attendants to assist him in his many tasks. In his palace he keeps a register called the “Book of Destiny” in which each person’s span of life is recorded. This is maintained by one of the god’s attendants and the servant is predictably as gloomy of countenance as his master. When a person’s span of life is over Yama sends some of his more robust attendants up to earth to haul the person down to his palace.

One Tricky Man

A Mantrik or mantric is someone who specializes in practicing mantra. In India the word mantrik & similar names are synonymous with magician in different languages. Generally a mantrik is supposed to derive his powers from the use of charms, mantras, spells and other methods. A Hindu mantrik is known to worship Kali and is often mentioned in the same breath as tantric, though there are subtle differences.

A Mantrik is one who chants to please a god or evil spirit for his benefit. Mantras are sacred chantings containing magical

Jyotisha – Hindu Astrology

Hindu astronomy an astrology

Jyotisha (jyótis- “light, heavenly body”) is the traditional Hindu system of astronomy and astrology. Also known as Hindu astrology, more recently Vedic astrology, It has three branches:

• Siddhānta: Indian astronomy.
• Saṁhitā: Mundane astrology, predicting important events related to countries such as war, earthquakes, political events, financial positions, electional astrology, house and construction related matters (Vāstu Śāstra), animals, portents, omens, and so on.
• Horā: Predictive astrology in detail.

The foundation of Hindu astrology is the notion of bandhu of the Vedas (scriptures), which is the connection between the microcosm and the macrocosm. Practice relies primarily on the sidereal zodiac, which is different from the tropical zodiac used in Western (Hellenistic) astrology in that an ayanāṁśa adjustment is made for the gradual precession of the vernal equinox.

Navagraha Deities

The Navagraha

In Hindu astrology, the Navagraha (Sanskrit: नवग्रह, nine seizers or nine influencers) are major influencers on the living beings of mother Bhumi (Earth). They themselves are not causative elements but can be compared to traffic signs.

The Navagraha denote the nine celestial bodies – not the nine planets as it is frequently erroneously translated – which are central to astrological calculations (and beliefs). The Navagrahas are: the sun, the moon, mars, mercury, jupiter, venus, saturn, and the two shadow planets Rahu and Ketu.

Surya
Surya is the chief, the solar deity, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives – Aditi, Indra or Dyaus Pitar (depending on the version). He has hair and arms of gold. His chariot is pulled by seven horses, which represent the seven chakras. He presides as “Ravi” over “Ravi-var” or Sunday.

arthaSaSatra

Arthaśāstra

The Arthaśāstra is an Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy. The author of the Arthashastra refers to himself as ‘Kautilya’, while the last verse mentions the name ‘Vishnupgupta’. Many scholars believe that the former was the gotra of the author, while the latter was his personal name. Most scholars, though not all, also believe that these names refer to Chāṇakya (c. 350–283 BCE), who was a scholar at Takshashila and the teacher and guardian of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of Mauryan Empire. Thus, the Arthasastra is dated 4th century BCE.

Some scholars believe that Arthasastra was written at a later stage. While the doctrines of the ‘Arthaśāstra’ may have been written by Chanakya in the 4th century BCE, the treatise we know today may have been edited or condensed by another author in the 2nd century AD. This would explain, some affinities with smrtis and references in the Arthaśāstra which would be anachronistic for the 4th century BCE.