One Step A Time

Northern European practicing Hinduism (Saiva Siddhanta) since 2010. Interested in filmmaking since 2006. This is a secondary blog.

[purplebuddhaproject]

[hinducosmos]

Lord Ganesha (via ebay: Indian_ash)

[rememberingma]

Om Ganesha

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[alishanataraja]

Happy late Ganesha Chaturthi <3

[bhagatkapil]

Gangadhar गंगाधर : Bearer of Sacred Ganges

Chandrashekhar चन्द्रशेखर : One who holds moon in his hair knot

BhujagendraHaram भुजगेन्द्रहारम् : The one with the serpent king as garland

Neelkanth नीलकण्ठ :  Blue throted

Trilochana त्रिलोचन : Three-Eyed One  

reblogging old series

[alishanataraja]

[alishanataraja]

[alishanataraja]

[alishanataraja]

Done by me, based on http://www.siddha.com.my/

[alishanataraja]

Done by me.

[newshour]

Diwali celebrations dazzle Hindu devotees worldwide

Millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains all over the world this week celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights and the victory of good over evil.

See the full photo essay here.

[bhagatkapil]

Nava Durga: Nine forms of godess Durga.

I was thinking to post Durga illustration on each day of Navaratri, but was not feeling well, somehow attempted these since yesterday, using circles, half/quarter circles. 

© Kapil Bhagat

[brahmaanda]

“Om is the primal mystical sound of Hinduism. It is a verbal form of Brahman, the supreme divine principle. It is exclaimed at the start of most hymns, almost serving as a verbal herald that creates an aura of auspiciousness into which the rest of the hymn can follow. Rishis believed it was the first sound that the cosmos produced when it moved from inertia into activity. Scriptures like the Mandukya Upanishad are devoted entirely to the explanation of this syllable. It is composed of three sounds — A, U and M – which represent creation, preservation and destruction. So sacred is this sound, that it is celebrated in all religions that took shape in India, not just Hinduism, but also Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism.”

– Devdutt Pattanaik

[brahmaanda]

Shri, also transliterated as Sree or Sri or Shree is a word of Sanskrit origin, used in the Indian subcontinent as a polite form of address, or as a title of veneration for deities. Śri is used in most languages of the Indian subcontinent and Seri is used in most of the languages of southeast Asia.

Shri, along with the forms Srimati (for married women, equivalent to English Mrs.) and Sushri, is often used by Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains as a respectful affix to the names of celebrated or revered persons. The honorific can also be applied to objects and concepts that are widely respected, such as the Sikh religious text, the Shri Guru Granth Sahib. Similarly, when the Ramlila tradition of reenacting the Ramayana is referred to as an institution, the term Shri Ramlila is frequently used.

“The word ‘Shri’ means material auspiciousness. It has to be contrasted with ‘Om’, which is a primal sound, less material, more mystical. Shri is associated with wealth, bounty and affluence. When a man marries a woman, he becomes Shriman, a man with access to Shri, and his wife becomes Srimati, a woman with access to Shri, for in the Hindu scheme of things a man and woman have rights to material pleasures and wealth only after marriage. Traditionally, the word Shri is written on top of certificates, contracts and key documents. The word Shri is seen on top of wedding cards even today. It heralds prosperity and joy and good luck. Shri is another name for Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity.”

– Devdutt Pattanaik

[ivarshiva]

Bholenath

[ivarshiva]

Murugan

[genndroid]

Just a few highlights from my space folder

[maetyu]

I wish I could just be one of those stars

[unruly-like-my-hair]

‘Bharatanatyam’ by Michael Maczuga

[brahmaanda]

Guru Purnima: honoring the teachers in our lives

Hindu scriptures assert that more valuable than gold, and far more rare, is a guru, a knower of spiritual truths. Hindus consider the mother to be a child’s first guru. She and the father are responsible for their childrens’ upbringing, welfare and education. Upon coming of age, youth may turn to a guru to begin their spiritual training.

A guru is the devotee’s best friend, a father and a mother, a trusted confidant and a demanding mentor and guide on the path to God. The guru embodies all that the spiritual seeker aspires to be; in the guru, one sees their own infinite potential. Hindus honor these rare leaders on Guru Purnima, the full moon day in June/July, the Hindu month of Ashada. In 2015, Guru Purnima is being celebrated on Friday, July 31st.

What is Guru Purnima?

Guru Purnima is the annual festival which honors teachers, preceptors and mentors who dispel the darkness of ignorance by bringing forth wisdom and illumination. “Purnima” is the Sanskrit word for full moon.

What are the customs of Guru Purnima?

On this special day all of one’s thoughts are focused on the holy preceptor, tuning into their mind, meditating on their teachings and expressing gratitude for their blessings and guidance. In ashrams, monasteries, halls and home shrines, Hindus gather to venerate the guru of their lineage. The day’s primary activity is a formal ritual, called puja, in which the guru’s holy feet or a pair of their sandals are honored. At the guru’s major centers, the puja is a grand event, preceded by a festive procession. It is especially auspicious to pilgrimage to the guru’s ashram or monastery on this day.

Why is the full moon of Ashada the day of the guru?

In India, this day marks the start of the four-month monsoon season. Traditionally, mendicant saints do not wander during this inclement time, but settle in temporary camps where devotees gather to partake of their wisdom. The first day of learning was dedicated to honoring the preceptor, and it is believed this custom became established as Guru Purnima. The full moon is also known as a propitious time for attaining fulfillment, completeness and spiritual advancement, and for beginning all new endeavors.

Are gurus worshiped as God?

A few Hindu denominations worship their gurus as the embodiment of God, and may even revere him or her as an avatar. But most Hindus see their guru as a great illumined soul in whom God’s presence is most powerfully apparent. (source)