воскресенье, 29 сентября 2013 г.

"Shree Maha Lakshmi Ashtakam" and "Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi Stuti" - PDF For printing only pages 1-2 on one list of quality 2-sided (also known as “double-sided”) photo matte A4 paper


I am printing all the Prayers on quality matte photo paper. 

The format I love the most is just 1 matte list with Prayers, printed on both sides in multi-coloured font. 

This is PDF-file from my collection. The Printed Variant of "Shree Maha Lakshmi Ashtakam" and "Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi Stuti" is always with me, because I sing These 2 Prayers every day. 

As you see it is in Blue-Violet-Black colours, which look very beautiful on the matte paper and printed by COLOUR PRINTER

DOWNLOAD (PDF + WORD):

For printing only pages 1-2 on one list of quality 2-sided (also known as “double-sided”) photo matte A4 paper (please use COLOUR PRINTER, so the Prayers will look very beautiful)

I have not proofread these Variants, there are some not crucial mistakes in transliteration, but I have accustomed to these Variants, so I did not revise

Box

Dropbox

Google

Skydrive

Cubby

GE.TT

Yandex

COPY

The cat guest of Maha-Lakshmi-Vrata 2013 (the cat finds Shelter at the Lotus Feet of Shreemati Maha-Lakshmi-Devi)


On the 3rd Day of Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi Vrata 2013 (16th September, 2013) a completely black homeless cat appeared at the door of my flat. 

She was very malnutritioned and meowed in the way she has been seeking for shelter and support.

Neighbours said, she was playing with big black dog, which lives on the 3rd floor of our house and then travelled to our floor (5th). 

At first I just provided her with some food, thinking that as any homeless cat she will leave soon, but she was very eager to enter into my flat. 

What amazed me the most is her behaviour. Usually cats are afraid of people, but she, au contraire, asked me to carry her in the hands and did not want to walk away from my legs and purred, while being stroked.

So, as I understood, previously she was a domestic cat, but either she fell out of window (cats usually disappear, just falling out, for example, from 3rd floor of the house) or just had been chucked out by the previous owners.

I thought, that she had no chance to survive in the streets due to her kind approach, because there are too much angry dogs and sadistically-inclined idiots on the streets. 

So, I have decided to adopt her. She is very smart and now it's 2 weeks she is in my house. 

I have called her Tiffany, because I have mistaken in determining the breed (because of her dishevelled street look, I thought she was Shantilya Tiffany at first, but she turned out to be the pure Bombay cat).

Later I found out, that Tiffany means "GOD's Revelation" and, by the way, in the Numerology this name is governed by digit 7 and the Mercury (the Mercury is my Atma-Karaka). 

At first she was very skinny, but now she feels much better: the fur is shiny, the character is very friendly and playful.

Like all the Bombay cats she behaves more like dogs, that is she adores you and clings to you.  

The cat lives in my Ashram now, she listens to the Hymns of Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi (performed by me too!) and participates in the Worship too.

She loves to be kissed and stroked very much. I spend around 2 hours per day playing with her.

As I have huge apartments, we have a lot of space to run and play!

It's very interesting to note, that black cat is considered to be the Token of Luck in many countries. 

The most striking fact is that she appeared in my house at the 3rd Day of Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi Vrata 2013, as if seeking Shelter and Support at the Lotus Feet of Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi. 

Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi never shuns anybody, as well as me (a humble dasi of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi), so Tiffany is under Our Protection for the rest of her life. 

The second day of the adoption: Tiffany sleeps in the pile of my clothes
One of the best photos, but it is blurred due the the lack of photo flash (because I don't want to scare Tiffany with photo flashes)


Two weeks passed from the adoption - as you see Tiffany is completely recovered: the fur is shining and the weight is gained

The incredible Song, devoted to Shreemati Saraswati-Devi


I am preparing to Saraswati Puja these days (Saraswati Puja is from 10-15 October this year - link to drikpanchang)

I am going to read "Shree Saraswati Shat-Ashtottara Namavali" ("108 Names of Shreemati Saraswati-Devi") in the mornings and some other Prayers, devoted to Shreemati Saraswati-Devi.

Shreemati Saraswati-Devi and Shreemati Yamuna-Devi (and Some Ashta-Gopis, I am sorry, but I am too shy to share Their Names) are My Favourite Goddesses after Shreemati Maha-Lakshmi-Devi.

And if we remember the Taratamya of Shree Shreemad Madhwa-Acharya, then we can see that Shreemati Saraswati-Devi is on the 4th place!!!!!!!!


1. Bhagavan Shree Vishnu
2. Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi
3. Brahma and Vayu and all Rijus
4. Shreemati Sarasvati-Devi and Shreemati Bharati-Devi and Wifes of all R^ijus (THE COMPLETE TARATAMYA LIST ON www.uttaradimath.org)





As for the Incredible Song, devoted to Shreemati Saraswati-Devi, here is the link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3diZ6cum1kw


I am listening to this Song around 10 times a day!

Sorrowfully, but I can't trace who is the Author of the Song, but the perfomance is top-notch (very mild and tender, but not sentimental) with the melody line so beautiful and unordinary, that it totally eats up your mind (actually, when your mind is eaten up by some aesthetic experience, then it is called "LAYA" - लय in Sanskrit - see the arthas of the "LAYA" here)

That's how all the Hymns devoted to Shreemati Saraswati-Devi must sound!

THE HYMN ALSO CAN BE FOUND IN MY FOLDERS (FLV+MP4+MP3):

Box

Dropbox

Google

Skydrive

Cubby

GE.TT

Yandex 

воскресенье, 22 сентября 2013 г.

Images for the Bhakti-Yoga, dedicated to Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi and how I print them

This month I have decided to renew my Images of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi. 

I have a Golden Yantra (and the Golden Image of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi), but I have decided to make one more Altar. 

For this Altar Images, compiled and printed out by me, are being used, as well as Electric Oil Lamp (I love to offer to Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi and to Bhagavan Shree Vishnu as much warming Aroma Oils as I can, because it is rather cold in Moscow in autumn). 

4 Images were selected by me for the new Altar:


1) The Images of Shreemati Ashta Lakshmi-Devi in black colours

2) The Image of Bhagavan Shree Vishnu and Shreemati Ashta Lakshmi-Devi. 

3) The Foot of Bhagavan Shree Rama, which I fell in love with, when saw it. 

4) The Image of Shreemati Ashta Lakshmi-Devi in Red Colour (this is one of my favourite Images)

The Foot of Bhagavan Shree Rama is of special significance, as Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi is in Insane Love with the Foot of Her Beloved Bhagavan Shree Narayana.

And as you know from "Venkatesha-Mahatmyam" Bhagavan Shree Narayana specially carries the Image of Padma (Lotus) on His Feet, because the Padma on His Feet is actually devoted only to Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi. 

Thus, Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi Loves to Sleep not only on the Chest of Bhagavan Shree Narayana, but on His Feet too!!!!!!!!!

HOW I PREPARE IMAGES FOR PRINT: 

As you know most of the images found on the web of rather bad quality (because for quality print you need CMYK-images in 300Dpi and etc.)

One way to handle this problem is to process the Images in Photoshop. I do the following:

Click to enlarge

1) I always test "Auto Tone", "Auto Contrast" and "Auto-Colour" in Photoshop. Usually, only the one of them, not all at simaltenously. Usually "Auto-Colour" is very beneficial.

Smart Sharpen
2) Then I apply "Smart-Sharpen" Filtre (the tab "Filter - Sharpen - Smart Sharpen") and I use Default Photoshop Settings without changing the parametres.

3) Most of the Images in the Internet are of very small size (something like 600X600 pixels, 72DPI). If you print them on A4-list, the result will be very grotesque. Way-out?

Don't print large images. The Images sized 1/3 or 1/2 of A4 are even better for the Altar.

See the printed photo of The Foot of Bhagavan Shree Rama: it is on about 1/6 of A4 list, but it gorgeosly suits to my Altar. 

I print all the Images in IrfanView and when you press "Print" in the programme you will see the following tab (see "CUSTOM" with red square):

Printing in Irfan-View, see "CUSTOM" and change parametres in order to diminish the will-be-printed size of the Image
Then just change the Custom parametre in order to diminish the will-be-printed size of the Image.

4) I use Canon IP-1900 printer and native cartridges for it (the printer and cartridges are very cheap). As for the settings of the printer, I use the "High" settings. 

5) I use GLOSS (yes gloss, not matte) photo-paper. I still own a lot of Lomond Glossy Inkjet paper (160 g/m2, A4) which gives very good result along with Canon IP-1900. 

6) For the print I save only in BMP in Photoshop. 

7) For the Altar, I am writing about, I needed good Collage-Editor, because the Main Altar Image is the Combined Image of Shreemati Ashta-Lakshmi and Two Yantras of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi. 

 All online Collage-editors turned out to be very bad (because they usually hide the the part of the photo). 

But the Collage.com is very good (in spite of the fact you need to sign in). When your combined Image on collage.com is ready just click on the Image and "Save as Image". Then it would be better to process the Image in the Photoshop. 

See how beatifully the Images of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi and 2 Yantras had been arranged!


OK, all the Images are printed out by me now, they have been drying up, while I have been writing the article.

What more?

As this article was about the technology, the first Puja will be very in techology key too, because I will offer to Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi and to Bhagavan Shree Vishnu the aroma oil (lemon) in electric oil lamp (the lamp is Oregon Scientific WSII2A).



If you need the processed Images for your Altar too, please don't hesitate to download):

Dropbox

Box

Cubby

Google

Skydrive

Yandex

GE.TT

Copy

The Incredible Images of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi

The following Images of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi are truly incredible and I dreamt of the Images like these all my life. 

I have made the Collage from these Images, but I will tell about the Collage in the next post. 

The very unusual feature of these Images is Shreemati Karunya Lakshmi-Devi (usually, Shreemati Karunya Lakshmi-Devi is not painted among Ashta-Lakshmis). 



As for my Favourite and insanely Adored Shreemati Veera Lakshmi-Devi, some alteration is observed here too, because Shreemati Vijaya Lakshmi-Devi is painted in lieu of!


If you love Dhyana-Yoga, dedicated to Shreemati Veera Lakshmi-Devi, then you will notice, that there are some changes in the Weapons and their Order!!! 

For example, Shreemati Veera Lakshmi-Devi usually carries the Chakra in the Upper Right Hand, but here we can see that Shreemati Vijaya Lakshmi-Devi carries the Dagger in Her the Upper Right Hand. 

Then Shreemati Veera Lakshmi-Devi never carries the Shield, but Shreemati Vijaya Lakshmi-Devi does not neglect this Defense Armour (see the Lower Left Hand of Shreemati Vijaya Lakshmi-Devi). 

OK, ENOUGH TALK, THE IMAGES. 










пятница, 20 сентября 2013 г.

Hymns for Dhyana-Yoga, devoted to Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi


When I was younger, I used to practice the Pure Dhyana-Yoga, that is I usually visualized Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi or Bhagavan Shree Narayana (or Shreemati Maha Lakshmi-Devi and Bhagavan Shree Narayana Together) and repeated Mantras mentally meanwhile. 

I love Dhyana-Yoga, devoted to Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi very much, but I like listening to the Hymns, devoted to Our Precious Devi as well. 

So, I have decided to follow 3 Agnas of Bhakti-Yoga simaltenously, that is:

1) I listen to the Hymns of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi and at the same time 

2) I repeat the Mantra, devoted to Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi

3) And I practice mental visualisation of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi

Someone may think, that this method is difficult to follow, but it is very easy. 

In this post I would like to share the Most Beautiful Hymns of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi, which I use in my everyday sadhana. 

Some Hymns from the list are very good for the Dhyana-Yoga, devoted to Shreemati Veera-Lakshmi (because they are solemn, that is they are in the Mood of Shreemati Veera-Lakshmi). 

Now, the list of the Hymns (see the link to Youtube and then the links to my folders, I have saved the Hymns in my folder, because sometimes clips can vanish from youtube, all the Hymns are from Shangu Chakra Gadha Padmam Channel, except "Shree Ashta Lakshmi Stotram", because this clip is from BhakthiOneTelugu)

I have also downloaded the clips and MP3 from Youtube, see the links to FLV and MP3 files in the end of the article. 

001_Divine Sanskrit Hymn on Sri Mahalakshmi (Shree) -  Sri Lakshmi Sahasranama Sthotram  (Skanda Purana).mp4


Usually I start my day with the listening to "Shree Lakshmi-Sahasranam". 

This Hymn is incredible and fits to all the types of Dhyana-Yoga, even for Dhyana-Yoga, devoted to Shreemati Veera Lakshmi-Devi. 

The Hymn is very beautifully sung, the vocal transitions are very unordinary and exhilarating. 

002_Medieval Sanskrit Hymn (Prayer Chant) on Sri Mahalakshmi -  Sri Sthuthi  (Swami Vedanta Desika).mp4


"Shree Stuti" by Shree Shreemad Vedanta Desika. The manner of singing is very solemn, so the Hymn is very good for Bhakti-Yoga, devoted to Shreemati Veera-Lakshmi. 

003_Sanskrit Prayer (Hymn) in Octet on Sri Mahalakshmi (Cosmic Mother) -  Sri Mahalakshmi Ashtakam.flv


The manner of singing is very serene and tranquil, so the Hymn is very good for the Dhyana-Yoga, devoted to Shreemati Karunya Lakshmi-Devi or to Shreemati Radharani-Devi. 

The Images of Shreemati Karunya Lakshmi-Devi or Shreemati Radharani-Devi in blue dress are very much recommended by me for Dhyana-Yoga and this Hymn.



004_Devotional Carnatic Krithi on Sri Mahalakshmi -  Mahalakshmi Karuna Rasa  (Muthuswami Dikshitar).flv


The separate article has been devoted to "Shree Mahalakshmi Karuna Rasa" - http://vishnudut1926.blogspot.ru/2013/09/maha-lakshmi-karuna-rasa-power-of-lady.html

005_Sacred Hymns on Sri Mahalakshmi -  Kanakadhara Sthotram & Sri Suktham & Lakshmi Ashtothram .flv


The First Hymn was composed by Shree Shreemad Shankara-Acharya. This is one of my Main Hymns, which accompanies my Bhakti-Yoga, dedicated to Shreemati Veera Lakshmi-Devi. 

006_Carnatic Compositions on  Shree  (Sri Mahalakshmi) -  Varalakshmi Namosthuthe  (Mysore Vasudevachar).flv


Carnatic Hymn. The Mood varies very much: sometimes the Hymn seems to remind about Shreemati Karunya Lakshmi-Devi or Shreemati Veera Lakshmi-Devi, sometimes about Shreemati Adi Lakshmi-Devi. Very unusual and unordinary Hymn. 

007_Collection of Divine Sanskrit Hymns & Chants on Sri Mahalakshmi - Sri Mahalakshmi Sthothramala.flv


Very beatiful Hymn, it is very good for Dhyana-Yoga devoted to Shreemati Aishvarya Lakshmi-Devi. 

I often listen to this Hymn, when I write the articles or just reading Bhakti Books. 

008_Shri Ashta Lakshmi Stotram


This is the version of "Shree Ashta Lakshmi Stotram" from BhakthiTVTelugu. 

The melody is very beautiful and very easy to follow, so if you are very ardous to learn the "Shreemati Ashta Lakshmi Stotram" by heart or if you just like to repeat "Shreemati Ashta Lakshmi Stotram" in front of Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi, then just follow this melody and this version will help you very much. 

ALL THE HYMNS IN THE FOLDERS:




Pati-Vratã (serving to Bhagavan Shree Krishna as to Husband), Seva (Dasya-Bhava) and Atma-Nishtha in the words of PurnaPurushottam Shree Shreemad SwamiNarayan


This is one of my favourite Darshans by PurnaPurushottam Shree Shreemad SwamiNarayan. 

As you know, Pati-Vrati (speaking about Pati-Vrata I imply only Pati-Vrata, which is devoted only to Bhagavan Shree Krishna) does not differ from Dasya-Bhava in Vaidik Tradition, that's why:


the obedient wife of Bhagavan Shree Krishna = obedient dasi of Bhagavan Shree Krishna (female servant). 

That's why after speaking about Pati-Vrata, Shree Shreemad SwamiNarayan speaks about Dasya-Bhava as well, because these two notions are more than interlinked. 



Vachanmrut, Gadhada 2 - 62 "Atma-Nishtha, Pati-Vrata, Seva" (page 575, link to "Vachanmrut")


62.7.  Having  answered  their  questions,  Shreeji  Mahãrãj  then  said,  “Since the day I began thinking about it, I have noticed that there are three strengths which lead to kalyãn and which lead to extreme bliss. 

Of these,  the  first  is  the  strength  of  intense  ãtmã-nishthã,  which  is  to believe a person’s true self to be the ãtmã and engage in worship of Bhagvãn,  like  Shukji.   

The  second  is  like  the  strength  of  Pati-Vratã, which is to worship Bhagvãn as if He is his Husband, just as the gopis did.  

The third is the strength of sevã, which is to worship Bhagvãn as His  dãs,  just  like  Hanumãnji  and  Uddhavji.    

Without  these  three strengths, there is no way in which the jeev can attain kalyãn.  In fact, I, myself have firmly developed all three of these strengths.  Even if a person  possesses  one  of  these  strengths  firmly,  he  becomes absolutely fulfilled.

62.8.  “I  shall  now  describe  the  characteristics  of  these  three  strengths individually.  

Firstly, the following are the characteristics of a person who has realised the ãtmã. On one side there is the ãtmã and on the other side is the crowd of Mãyã – the body, the indriyas, the antah-karans, the three gun, and the panch-vishays.  

The thought that rests between the two is full of gnãn.  

This thought remains steady, just as the tip of a flame remains steady in the absence of wind.  It is this 
thought  which  prevents  the  body,  indriyas,  and  antah-karans  from becoming one with the ãtmã.  In fact, even the thought itself does not become one with the ãtmã. 

62.9.  “When the jeev attains this thought, its vruttis, which once reached all the way to Kãshi, recede to reach only as far as Vadtãl.  

When that thought is strengthened, the vruttis then recede from Vadtãl to reach only as far as Gadhadã.  

Then, from reaching as far as Gadhadã, they recede and come into the vicinity of  the body.  From the body, the vruttis recede further and rest in the organs of the indriyas. 

From the organs of the indriyas, the vruttis of the indriyas turn inward towards the antah-karans.  

Finally, the vruttis of the indriyas and antah-karans become absorbed in the ãtmã.  It is then that the jeev’s kãran body, which is full of worldly desires, is said to be destroyed. 

62.10.  “Furthermore, when this thought meets with the ãtmã, divine light is generated in the heart of the thinker, and he understands himself as being brahm-rup.  

In addition, he also has the realisation of Parbrahm Nãrãyan,  who  resides  within  that  brahm.    

A  person  who  has  this realisation  feels,  ‘I  am  the  ãtmã,  and  Paramãtmã  eternally  resides within  me’.    

Such  a  sustained  state  is  the  highest  level  of  ãtmã-nishthã. 

THE STRENGTH OF A PERSON WITH PATI-VRATÃ

62.11.  “Secondly, the strength of a person with Pati-Vratã should be like that of the gopis of Vraj.  

For example, from the day the gopis touched the Holy  Feet  of  Shree  Krishna  Bhagvãn,  all  the  pleasures  of  this  world became like poison to them.  

In this way, if a pati-vratã wife sees a man who is as handsome as Indra, or who is like a dev or some king, 
then  she  would  withdraw  her  eyes,  just  as  when  a  person  sees  a rotting  dog  or  some  faeces  and  becomes  extremely  disgusted  and looks  away.   

This  is  the  highest  level  of  Pati-Vratã.    

Therefore,  if  a person attaches his vruttis to Bhagvãn just as a Pati-Vratã wife does with  her  Husband,  his  mind  would  never  become  pleased  upon seeing anyone else. 

62.12.  “Thirdly,  a  person  who  has  a  strength  of  offering  bhakti  with  sevã would  like  the  darshan  only  of  his  Ishta-Dev;  

he would  like  to hear talks  only  about  Him;  

he  would  like  His  Ishtadev’s  nature;  and  

he would also prefer to stay only with Him.  

However, even though he has such love, for  the sake of serving his  Ishta-Dev and earning His pleasure, he wishes day and night, ‘If my Ishta-Dev were to command me, I would follow that command most happily’.  

If his Ishta-Dev was to give a command that would force him to stay far away, he would stay there happily, but in no way would he be disheartened.  

In fact, he finds  supreme  bliss  in  following  the  command  itself.    

This  is  the highest level of sevã.  

Today, Gopãlãnand Swãmi and also Muktãnand Swãmi have the strength of offering bhakti with sevã. 

62.13.  “Among  the  bhaktas  of  Bhagvãn  who  possess  one  of  these  three strengths,  there  are  three  levels  –  uttam,  madhyam,  and  kanishth.  

Those who are not found in any one of these categories can only be called wretched.  Therefore, it is only proper to die after a person has thoroughly developed one of the three strengths; it is not appropriate to die if a person has not completely developed any single one of the three.  

Instead, it would be better if a person lives five days longer to dispel  his  misunderstandings  and  strengthen  at  least  one  of  these three inclinations, and then die.”