Vetrilai-valli kodi

Scientific name : Tinospora Cripa Miers

Ayurveda : Chilahinta

Siddha medicine : Kattu-kodi

Tamil : Vetrilai-valli-kodi

 

The plant is easily recognizable  - rough stem , broad leaves and vine life on the fence .

Absurdly bitter taste.

Medicinal use

 

* Root, rod and leaves used to treat polyuria, aczema, dysuria, abdominal disorders, chronic rheumatisam,

   arthritis. malarial fevers, piles, syphilis, and blood disorders.

* Also good for skin treatment on matured women

* used as tonic, antiperiodic and diuretic

* for treating diabetis, hypertension and back pain

 

* mixture of stem, root and leaves also used to cure insect bites and snake bites

 

* pounded leaves for external injuries and skin irritation and itchiness

 

Preparation method

 

1. used as cordial for stomach problem, indigestion, diarrhoea and ulcers.

 

2. powder form for fevers

3. preparation with coconut oil for rheumatism and flatulance

 

4. fresh root mixed goat's milk and pepper for rheumatism

 

5. leaves cooked as vegetables for rheumatism

6. boiled leaves sweetened with sugar for gonorrhoea

7. pounded leaves for prurigo, eczema, impetigo

Sanathana Dharma

Science in Hinduism

1. Astronomical evidence in Vedas shows that Rig Veda is 
    composed around 23720 years B.C.
 

2. All the Nakshatras are named in our Vedas.
 

3. Amavasya (new moon day in English) is the day when the Sun 
    and Moon reside together. The word Amavasya is more scientific 
    name  where 'ama' means together and  'vasya' is to reside.
 

4. Vedas have arranged Lunar as well as Solar, seasonal  months.
 

5. The Solstices and Equinoxes were known and the Sun's position 
    on these is recorded.
 

6. The record of season described in Rig Veda about rainy seasons 
    and the beginning of the new Year in Yajur  Veda shows the 
    development of astronomical knowledge in Hinduism  dated 25 
    000 years ago.
 

7. Nasadeeya Sukta tells how the Universe came into being, a 
    concept same as the recent  Big Bang Theory.

 

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa 

1. Born Gadadhar Chattopadhyay (18 Februari 1836- 16 August 1886)

2. Birthplace Kamarpukur, West Bengal, India.

3. A priest of the Dahshineswar Kali temple, Calcutta.

4. His wife and spiritual counterpart, Saradha Devi (1853- 1920).

5. His spiritual teachers are :-

   a. Bhairavi Brahmani

       -Tantrism - focus on worship of shakti.
         It see all aspects of the natural world as manifestation of divine shakti.

   b. Totapuri 

       - Advaita Vedanta - a philosophy which emphasis on non dualism. 

        "Brahman alone is real, and the world is illusory; I have no separate               existence; I am that Brahman alone."

6. Totapuri initiated Ramakrishna into Sanyasa.

7.Ramakrishana's teaching - 'All the religion lead to the same God'.

8. His religious thought led to the formation of the Ramakrishna Mission.

9. Most prominent disciples is Swami Vivekananda ( 1863- 1902).

                                                                Monastic disciples

                                             Swami Vivekananda (sitting at the centre)

Food Culture

Rules of Manu

1. Food must be cooked after the prayers
2. Food must be cooked at daily basis
3. Food should be offered to the sages, the manes, the gods, the Bhutas and guests;
    hence he who knows (the law), must give to them (what is due to each) :-

i.   sages - private recitation of Veda
ii.  the gods - burnt oblations
iii.  the manes - funeral offerings
iv. men -  food (Sraddha)
v.  Bhutas - Bali offerings

4. Let him offer, in accordance with the rule, to the guest who has come a saet and water,
    as well as food (garnished with seasoning), acccording with his ability.
5. Things to offer without fail to a guest are ;-
i. seat
ii. room (for resting)
iii. water
iv. kind words
6. He must not eat any (dainty) food which he does not offer to his guest.

Who is Atithi (the guest)?
1. a good person
2. the one come with his own accord (not invited)
3. a good person who stays one night only
4. the one come after the sun setting (evening)
5. not a relative (anithyam)
6. not from the same village
7. not the one who seek the livelyhood by social intercourse

Food serving order
1. to newly married women
2. to infants
3. to the sick
4. to pregnant women
5. to guests
6. the kinsmen
7. servants
8. the householder

Our food

Indian culture regards food as the main source of all life - a vital need, a fundamental right, an embodiment of culture and nature, called ‘prana’. A whole hyme in  praise of food in Rig Veda.  It is called Prajapathi or Lord of all creatures. 

Taitreya Upanishad has stated: "From food all creatures are produced. Being are born from food, live by food, on being deceased, they enter into food". All the species are connected in the web of life, and its food that spin the web. In Prasna Upanishad, it is stated that God created food and humans vigour, rituals and activities depend on food. Chandokya Upanishad says that man uses all his indriyas through food. Thus purity of the food is very importanta for self development of every individuals.

Indians’ staple diets are high in carbohydrates and fiber. Their consumption is more on coarse grains such as rice, sorghum, barley, rye, maize and millet. The rice and vegetarian curry meal is traditionally eaten at midday, although it may also be served in the evening. Curd, a yogurt made from the fermented milk is often served during the meal.

 The traditional morning and evening meals are usually composed of a traditional staple, such as  uppma, iddiappam (fresh rice noodles), paniaram (cup-shaped pancakes), roti (flat bread), idli or thosai (sourdough pancakes), served with a chutneys (a mixture of hot peppers and other vegetables, served cool) and one or two vegetable curries.

Preserving nature

 

 

Our Vedas and Upanishads laid a strong rationale for the conservation and preservation of nature. They even prescribed that divinity should not be segregated from creation and all-embracing presence should be constantly felt. it teaches that everything is inter-related and inter-dependent.

 

 It is reflected in a our Upanishads:-

 “…This Universe is the creation of Supreme power meant for the benefit of all His [sic] creation. Each individual life form must therefore learn to enjoy its benefit by forming part of the system in close relation with other species. Let not any one species encroach upon the rights of the others. The universe along with its creatures, belong to the Lord. No creature is superior to any other. Human beings should not be above nature. Let no one species encroach over the rights and privileges of other species..”. 

 

In the beginning was only Being 

One without a second

Out of himself he brought forth the cosmos

And entered into everything in it.

There is nothing that does not

come out of him. 

                                                               (Chandokya Upanishad)

Environmental values in Hinduism

The empathy and compassion to all living and non-living things and to live harmoniously with nature is inbuilt in Hindu tradition. A Hindu address his tradition as manava dharma or human culture. Dharma connotes moral value that shows the essentiality to uphold, maintain, support or nourish the human needs.

Thus, dharma is  implied in every Hindu peoples' daily practices as he sees everything he acquires in abundance belongs to the almighty. For example in Atharva Veda 12.1 it is stated that :-

Earth, in which lie the sea, the river, and other waters,
            in which food and cornfields have come to be,
            in which live all that breathes and that moves,
            may she confer on us the finest of her yield....

            Set me, O Earth, amidst what is thy center and thy navel,
            and vitalizing forces that emanate from thy body.
            Purify us from all sides. Earth is my Mother; her son am I;
            and Heaven my Father: may he fill us with plenty....
                                                                                                  Atharva Veda 12.1

Karma Yoga

Karma = action
Yoga = union
Literally, Kama Yoga means union through action.

Karma Yoga includes both action and the fruit of the action.

What ever action perform with our body, mind, speech, intellect (theham, manam ,vakku, buthi) either intentionally or unintentionally is dedicated to the Supreme Lord. In Bhagavat Gita, Krishna says to Arjuna

"... O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethargy, fight."

4 ways to be a Karma Yogi :-

1. Reduce Adharmik activities
2. Increase Dharmik activities
3. Dedicate all our actions to the Supreme Lord
4. Experience everything and every happenings as prasada

Language

Sanskrit Language

Sanskrita  means polished, complete. Technically, Sanskrit Language is the root of the Indo-European tongues. The language was a spoken language and preserved through time in the literature. Now, its alphabetical script is written in 'Devanagari'.

Sanskrit literature encompasses rich traditions of science (astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, architecture, engineering, medicine), humanities (history, political, economy, law), metaphysical subjects ( Vedas, Upanishads, Granthas, Aranyakas, Sutra literatures, religious mantras and hymns,Yoga, Tathva) and art (theatre, dance, music and sculpture). Till now, Sanskrit is the ceremonial language for the Hindu rituals and prayers.

Panini (probably lived in 4th century BC) is the great philologist who has contributed in enriching the sanskrit language besides many other eminent authors such as Khasyapa, Bradwaj and Shonaka etc. His book Ashtadhyayi is the oldest complete grammar available.

Indian homes

             Looking for an Indian house in Malaysia..........

Well, one can identify an Indian house just by addressing the mango leaves. Why mango leaves? Cleanliness is an important value in Indian community. Thus, mango leaves are considered disinfectant. 

The leaves are commonly  colored with red and yellow using sandal powder or tumeric and kumkum. Use of bright colors like red, yellow and green for decoration and also for other occasions sub-consciously also reminds people of sun (power and strength), whereas turmeric and mango leaves induces a psychological feeling of well-being. 

At times, neem or margosa leaves are added together with mango leaves. It is  antifungal and antibacterial.

Sanathana Dharma/ Hinduism

Sanathana = eternal (never beginning nor ends)

Dharma = dhri (hold together or to sustain)

This religion is;-

a) Experince based not belief based

b) No historical date of founding

c) Love all and exclude none

d) God centred not the prophets

e) Both immanent(sarvikalpa) and trancedent (nirvikalpa)