Practical remedies irrespective of birth chart

[elipsis]

I concur, I generally don't prescribe expensive remedies(just a few million bucks)- the problem is people spend a lot before they find the right remedy or an astrologer, even that is karma.

[sinecurve]

Excellent post !

14a) Please also treat Men with dignity and respect, not just women.

Best remedies for weak luminaries as prescribed by traditional astrologers was to touch your parents feet every morning. I understand that its more common in hindu religion to touch elders feet, but Moon represents mother and Sun represents father...so what could be a better remedy than taking their blessings every morning. Noone suggests this remedy these day...who knows may be some self-acclaimed genius extended the remedy for weak VE as well, that touch your wifes feet every morning and take her blessings to make your VE strong...Case closed !

[basab14]

Good post, Sri Rama. I agree with you fully on everything you said.

[swamykool]

who knows may be some self-acclaimed genius extended the remedy for weak VE as well, that touch your wifes feet every morning and take her blessings to make your VE strong...Case closed !

[anuradha]

- WHO KNOWS THIS IS ALSO GOING TO BE DELTED.

[2002diksha]

sir,
how do you relate freewill and fate to a bad a marriage. when your husband constantly misunderstands you and gives you stress then what do think should work freewill fate.
regards

[basab14]

The second quote is really superb, Sri Rama. Just loved it! Thanks for sharing it.

[123]

Respectful Astroboy Ji,
That attachment of KN Rao's was pure gold. I wanted to save it but had to attend to something else for a while and now when I have come back it is not there anymore. I was wondering if it is still saved in your computer, and if so, if it is okay for me to ask you to send it to me by whatever means if convenient to you. If it is not okay, I was wondering if you can direct me elsewhere.


123

[Sudarshang]

Somehow in all these "humane" discussions about charity, forgiveness etc, the dharma-shastras and their role in the day-to-day life are completed ignored! While being "humane" is a nice to have, one's varna-ashrama dharma as prescribed in the dharma shastras is of paramount importance to practice. Otherwise one is going on accumulating papa-karma unknowingly, day by day, - somethings that he/she cannot counter with donating even millions of dollars in charity!

For example: let us take something as simple as eating food. When we feel hungry we eat food - what would that have to do with dharma-shastra?, you might ask. The vedas say, "Snaathva Bhunjheeta" i.e eat only after taking bath. Aligned with that, Krishna says in BG, one who eats food without first offering to me, is swallowing paap! Our ancestors combined all these teaching to evolve the Hindu life style - of first taking bath in the morning, then cooking (if you are going to offer food to the Lord, you are not going to cook it without taking bath...), then doing the daily thiruvaaraadanam (prayer), as part of the prayer is included the ritual of offering food to the Lord, then offering a ball of rice to the crows, and then sitting down to eat.

Of course, since Krishna says, one who is eating food not offered to me is eating sin, the question of "eating-out" in a restaurant is completely ruled out!

There may be many that regularly eat out, and eat before taking bath or eat without offering food to the Lord - blissfully unware of the above rules/procedure. They incur multiple counts of paapa karma unknowingly. And in this case, not knowing is not an excuse - the result of this paapa karma has to be lived by that person in this or next or subsequent life!

Dharma shastras have even described rules for charity! if those rules are not followed, millions of dollars given in charity by the well known billionaires of the world would end up earning them not punya but paapa!

I donot mean to sound scary - but it is equally important for Hindus to learn/understand our Dharma-shastras equally as much as we show interest in learning jyotish-shastras, and practice them in day-to-day life. This will only help us develop as better individuals. IF we followed dharma-shastras we cannot go wrong and eventually we will learn the technique of reducing our karma and attain moksha!

[Sudarshang]

sir,
how do you relate freewill and fate to a bad a marriage. when your husband constantly misunderstands you and gives you stress then what do think should work freewill fate.
regards

diksha, there is a section called stree-dharma in dharma-shastras that tell how Hindu women should live - including situations like what you call as bad-marriage. perhaps you can research on the internet to learn about it.

[Saindhavi]

Stree-Dharma in Dharma Shashtara is an outdated, anti-democratic concept devised to keep women under shackles.

In fact stree-dharma is a degraded version of Hinduism which came about in later centuries.

In the Vedic period women had power, autonomy and the right to make their own decisions of their lives. They composed hymns which are included in the earliest sections of the Vedas and which are included amongst the most important hymns in the Vedic canon.

Anyone who talks about free will and also Stree Dharma in Dharma Shastras doesn't understand the very basis of free will, which treats all men and women as equal, rational human beings, who have equal access to opportunities by exercising their right to use free will, rather than following any decadent, outdated religious dogma. The very concept of free will evolved as an opposition against religious dogmas.

Ideally, if one believes in free will then one should prescribe marriage counselling to such husbands who mistreat their wives and legal protection to wives, not stree dharma to the mistreated wives.

Astrology is a kind of para-counselling evolved in India, where such couples can get advice. Of course the modern approach based on free will is marriage counselling.

And those who think Hindus should bind themselves by Dharma Shastras don't understand the essential spirit of Hinduism - which allows complete freedom to all individuals to follow whatever path they like. This is why there are multiple traditions of ideas in Hinduism. Different texts advocate different ways of living. Even different Dharma Shastras proffess different ways to conduct oneself in the world - they are not similar or identical in all matters. Hinduism has never prescribed a single rule for all like Islam or Christianity. Hinduism works on the idea that each one of us can guide ourselves and find our own path.

Dharma Shastras were just a few steps in this stage of evolution of Hinduism, where some individuals wrote down what they felt should be followed. Dharma Shastras were never the strictly ordained codes and were never expected to be followed by all. It was always understood that some people wrote the Dharma Shastras, but these were not the end of the journey for Hinduism - future generations were free to evolve their own paths.

It is absolutely essential for dogmatic Hindus to understand this wide latitude of freedom which has always existed in Hinduism. Those who don't understand this, don't understand the spirit of Hinduism and they are actually doing a disservice to Hinduism by advocating everyone to follow Dharma Shasaras as closed-ended texts. Dharma Shastras were never meant as closed-ended texts. That's why so many texts evolved even after Dharma Shastras. It shows a continuously evolving tradition of Hinduism.

[ravi_iyer]

Completely agree with Saindhavi!

[basab14]

Wonderful post by you, Saindhavi. I agree with everything you have said in it.

[astroboy]

123,
http://www.lightonvedicastrology.com/ph ... 40#p122240

[Saindhavi]

Ravi_iyer and Yellow,

Thanks!

[Sudarshang]

Ravi_iyer and Yellow,

Thanks!

Saindhavi-ji, with due respects to you freedom of thoughts and expression:

It is one's individual free-will choice to follow or not to follow dharma-shastras wholly or partly. Many of the so called remedies that see posted on this forum are actually part of what dharma-shastras say should be followed everyday by individuals. If one were a follower of dharma shastras, they would not have been in the position to consult someone for remedies is the point I would like to make. Still one cannot escape the consequences of his/her past/present karma.

When shastras say "Satyam Vada | Dharmam Chara |", one should think about what is this "dharma" that the vedas are asking one to follow? The answer to that vedic statement is - "follow one's varna-ashrama dharma" as stated in the dharma-shastras. "But these shastras are vast and practically impossible for follow" says Arjuna to Krishna. And Krishna replies, "Even if you try a little bit, Arjuna, I am happy".

One may, by free-will, avoid those that one finds offensive to his/her sensibilities and try to follow only those that are possible/feasible - then also Krishna is pleased. For example, Stree Dharma says a married woman should always wake up before the husband, and before sunrise - is that offensive? Stree-dharma says after waking up the woman should perform achaman stating the names achyuta, ananta, govinda (without the pranavam before it). is that offensive? Stree-dharma states that ladies should offer one argya to the Sun early morning, mid afternoon and late evening. This arghya it says can be offered without chanting any mantras. Is that offensive?

What is the importance of offering arghya to sun? This story explain why! The Asuras did penance and acquired the boon from Brahma that they can fight and defeat the sun. But then if the Sun is defeated the world cannot live - therefore Brahma gave a counter boon to Sun that people should offer arghya and each drop of that arghya will become a lightning bolt and destroy the asuras. Therefore by giving arghya we are all helping the sun fight his war against the asuras. Pleased with the arghya we offer, the sun bestows us benefic results (because we have helped him in the war).

These are some simple remedies already enshrined in the dharma shastras for those who desire to follow. Of course, if you find these offensive to your sensitivities, please by all means ignore them. Individual choice = Individual karma = karmic consequences!

[Sudarshang]

Stree-Dharma in Dharma Shashtara is an outdated, anti-democratic concept devised to keep women under shackles.

In fact stree-dharma is a degraded version of Hinduism which came about in later centuries.

Sandhavi-ji, I would like to hear from you what you have read that makes you say this...obviously you have read something that have affected your sensitivities. imho, dharma shastras are not irrelevant even in present kaliyuga. The invaders did their best to subvert Hindu scriptures, perhaps you read one of those subverted translations?

On another note, we are going to live the same vaivasvatha manu's manu-dharma-shastra for another 43 mahayugas. There is no escape from that...we are only living in the kaliyuga of the 28th chaturyuga of the 8th manvantara of the rule of Vaivasvata Manu. And what Manu has given us is nothing but an essence of what is told in the Vedas. Of course, as Hindus, Vedas are our holy scriptures unless you feel otherwise.

[Tiwari]

Stree-Dharma in Dharma Shashtara is an outdated, anti-democratic concept devised to keep women under shackles.

In fact stree-dharma is a degraded version of Hinduism which came about in later centuries.

Saindhavi wrote:Stree-Dharma in Dharma Shashtara is an outdated, anti-democratic concept devised to keep women under shackles.

In fact stree-dharma is a degraded version of Hinduism which came about in later centuries.



Sandhavi-ji, I would like to hear from you what you have read that makes you say this...obviously you have read something that have affected your sensitivities. imho, dharma shastras are not irrelevant even in present kaliyuga. The invaders did their best to subvert Hindu scriptures, perhaps you read one of those subverted translations?

There is a brilliant essay by Uma Chakravarthy on "Whatever Happened to Vedic Dasi ?"

[Sudarshang]

There is a brilliant essay by Uma Chakravarthy on "Whatever Happened to Vedic Dasi ?"

Tiwari-ji

These modern discussions use the subverted versions for base arguments and lead nowhere. their primary theme is one of social justice centered around discussions on Sati etc. Their primary purpose was to portray the rich ancient Hindu culture as barbaric so that the colonists could conveniently carry on their work of conversion to other religions. Since there are many subverted versions of Manu dharma shastra around they lose the primary plot of day-to-day usage and utility in life. Many social practices evolved over time for which shastras cannot be blamed.

Works of latter day acharyas like Srivaishnava Dinacharya by Injimettu Azhagiya Singar (published in 1980s) have adapted the essence of all dharma shastras for day-today modern usage, even for women. Our rich culture has always been respectful of women and will always remain so.

[Saindhavi]

Tiwari,

I have read that essay and also critiqued it.

Vedic Dasi doesn't negate the fact that women had right to compose hymns and to make decisions about their lives.

All women were not dasis. The trouble with stree shastra is that it virtually treats all women as dasis of the men in their families.

Sudarshang,

That's precisely what I said - it's everyone's free will to decide what s/he wants to follow. You said that everyone must follow the Dharmashastra, whether one likes it or not.

Don't change your argument now.

My keyboard is not working. I'm not able to type more.

[Tiwari]

Vedic Dasi doesn't negate the fact that women had right to compose hymns and to make decisions about their lives.

All women were not dasis. The trouble with stree shastra is that it virtually treats all women as dasis of the men in their families.

Agreed.

The essay doesn't address a lot of things, neverthless is a classic.

[Sudarshang]

Sudarshang,

That's precisely what I said - it's everyone's free will to decide what s/he wants to follow. You said that everyone must follow the Dharmashastra, whether one likes it or not.

Please

Don't change your argument now.

My keyboard is not working. I'm not able to type more. [/color]

Please kindly show where I have said "must follow".... and "whether one likes it or not". But I still maintain, individual choice = individual karma = karmic consequences.

[Dev]

Hi SriRama:

What you said is interesting and an ideal situation.

A positive frame of mind which has shed ego, anger and revenge attitude and does charity of course satvik charity meaning there is no ego in giving away the charity and does it without any publicity, treating all alike whether male or female, young or old, educated or otherwise, poor or rich, ugly or beautiful and so on, helping innocent and helpless animals like cows (who are also holy) and others like dogs, cats, crows etc would help significantly in burning away prarabhda when done using your freewill without bothering about your past karmas or horoscope and making this as a habit. But it is easier said than done.

Dev

[2002diksha]

sir,
hinduism is the best religion till date because of its ever evolving nature and the degree of protection and safety it offers to women.no religion can boost to treat women with dignity and respect . off course there are abberations. but if see the overall way hindu men treat women it is very much superior and they treat women with much dignity. so hindu and astrology as its branch helps to maintain the exact fabric of society by laying our strict rules for conduct for both man and women. coming to freewill and fate,i think in bad marriages freewill should work because it is the only way to work with a positive frame of mind and offer solutions to a swinging marriage. fate does its job but its the quota of freewill that will help a person to see things in a fresh light and solve problem in a straight manner.
regards

[Hari76]

Dear Sri Rama,

May I add a couple more effective remedies for "mental peace" -

Don't compare yourself with others beyond a reasonable extent. (Now what is reasonable!)
Don't live per the expectations of others beyond a reasonable extent (Now what is reasonable! That one has to decide)