Gananam Tva & Prano Devi Sarasvati Word to Word Meanings And Commentary

@ Ulu Sawah ValMuni Temple, Negeri Sembilan

This gaNanaam tva mantra is recited at the start of Vedic recitation as a custom.

How Did Surgeons Perform Operation Before The Invention of Modern Anesthesia?

John Evelyn, the writer diaries : 

That morning my Chirurgeon cut off a poore creaturs Leg, a little under the knee, first cutting the living and untainted flesh above the Gangreene with a sharp knife, and then sawing off the bone in an instant; then with searing and stoopes stanching the blood, which issued abudantly; the stout and gallant man, enduring it with incredible patience, and that without being bound to his chaire, as is usual in such painefull operations, or hardly making a face or crying oh.

- 1672 

Tirumantiram and Rig Veda Hold A Common Verse Which Reveals A Mysterious Being

Tirumular is recognised as one of the prominent Tamizh Siddhas. He is also one of the 63 revered Nayanars.

Karikala Chola's Obsession With Vedic Rituals

Karikala Chola was one of the prominent Tamizh Kings who patronised grandiose Vedic rituals

Secrets of Conch ( Shankha ) - The Cosmic Blueprint

The Universe as we know,is governed by waveforms.

Surya Upanishad,Atharva Veda - Lyrics with Meanings

The 5 Facets of Shiva

The Linga is the form of the absolute consciousness of the Universe - Shiva.The Linga denotes the form given to 'that which is beyond forms'.

Deepavali Vs Divali : Know the Difference

An annual vocabulary dispute inevitably surfaces with the celebrative 'festival of lights'

Silapaddikaram's Manimekalai Revered in Penang's Buddhist Temple

Silapaddikaram, the ancient Tamizh Epic introduces Manimekalai - a not so famous personality today.

The Chola King Who Married a Naga From Patala Loka

As per Hinduism, the Nagas are beings who live in Patala - a loka that exists below the plane of Bhu Loka.

My Internship Experience @ Puttaparthi's Super Speciality Hospital

Shri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences - The temple of healing

Karikala Cholan's Achievement In Stopping The Overflow of Kaveri River

Karikaala Cholan and Kallanai Dam.This article is not about Kallanai Dam.Image purposed as an eye-candy

Difference between Vedas and Puranas

Purana is an umbrella term that houses ancient literature of the Vedic tradition. Each Purana glorifies a particular principle or form as supreme - which creates  contradiction.

Dravidian Movement's Attempt To Atheise Thiruvalluvar

 The anti-Hindu elements progress insidiously to atheise Tamilakam

Hidden Secrets And Meaning of Vinayaka Agaval

Considered to be one of Poet Avvaiyar's greatest compositions, Vinayaka Agaval contains some of the deepest revelations of the yogic system. It poetically glorifies Lord Ganapati and the science He reveals to Poet Avvaiyar.

Vaidyanatha Munishwara # Mystical Temples of Malaysia

Physician in d'house 

Who would have guessed a healing hub to preside within the deep greens of Tanjung Rambutan, Perak ?

Poet Vaali Lyricised LGBT 16 years ago !

Boys (Film: 2003 ) by Shankar created a paradigm shift in the early 2000s. The movie revolves around the new-gen and an unorthodox display of the youth culture.

Shri Rudram Namakam Lyrics With Meanings

Rudram is also referred to as Namakam. It occurs in all branches of the Krishna Yajur Veda. The common recitation done in south comes under the Taittiriya Samhita of Krishna Yajur Veda.

The Significance of Pitṛ Tarpaṇa And Why You Should Perform It

 When Amavasya or pitṛ Pakṣa arrives, 'tarpaṇa' get expressed in the vocab of many. 

Why You Should Stop Watching Shirdi Sai TV Serials

Alarming: The age of projecting divinity on-screen

Quickest & Guaranteed Way to Access Karuppar

One of ,or probably THE quickest way to squeeze yourself under the umbrella of Karuppanaswamy's grace is selfless service.

Do Aliens visit Earth ? # Galactic Federation Inc

The role of Alien Beings in our planet 

The universe functions

How Did Thirumoolar Enter A Dead Body ? # Siddha Feat Inc

 Thirumoolar holds position as a prominent figure in Shaivism.He is one of the 18 revered Siddhas of the Tamizh tradition and stands as one of the Nayaanars ( 63 revered Saints of Shaivism )

Big Bang Theory in Rig Veda - Nāsadīya Sūktam

The Big Bang Model

The Big Bang theory illustrates the origin of creation.The entirety of spacetime and the elements within it has a common source of origin.

Rhythm ( 2000 ) - A Musical On Panchabhootas

Rhythm - A musical drama that will ever be deeply engraved in the consciousness of us 90's kids

Why are Women Not Allowed into Temples During Menstruation ?

Is it taboo for a bleeding women to enter a place of worship ?

Definitely

Kupang Mariamman, Kedah # Mystical Temples of Malaysia

Kupang Mariamman, one of the only Hindu temples in the hamlet.

Kupang, of the Baling district in Kedah, houses a minimal population of Malaysians of the Indian ethnicity.

Kailaya Vathiyam - The Echoes of Kailasa

Video : Kailaya Vathiyam in Brickfields Kandaswamy Temple,Malaysia

The very amalgamation of instrumental echoes that energise the contemporary ether to turn any atmosphere to an experiential Kailasa - that's what 'Kailaya Vathiyam' stands for.

Bukit Selarong Karumariamman # Mystical Temples of Malaysia

The rural landscapes that branch the surface of this nation is synonymous with mysticism.Every state in Malaysia still preserves the aura of its ancient folklore which would raise anyone's brows and even send a chilly impulse down the spine.

11 Ways of Reading Vedas - Significance of Ghanapatham

History of Vedas : A Brief Introduction

The entire cosmos is a reverberation. Reverberation means sound energy. In other words, what you perceive as the cosmos is simply a hologram projected from core vibrations.

Alakshmirme or Lakshmirme ? Shri Suktam Clarification

Shri Suktam is a portion of the Vedas attributed to the aspect of wealth and the expression of Lakshmi.

The Consequence of Forgetting One's Kula Devata

  ''Staying away from worshiping Kula devatā is like keeping a vessel with a hole. Nothing will stay on the vessel with a hole.

Likewise, no good thing will dawn on the person who does not worship his Kula devata.”

- Kāñcī Periyavā

Correct Way to Pronounce OM GAM GANAPATAYE NAMAHA - Gam,Gan or Gang ?

'GAM' - the secret key to access Lord Ganesha's grace is widely used across the globe.

Penang Theppa Thiruvilla : When the Beach Gets Coloured

 Singamukha Kaliamman Temple, Teluk Bahang, Penang

 This more than a century beach side temple has its vast perimeter footed by thousands during the auspicious 'magi masam Theppa Thiruvilla'.

Behind Pulwama Attack : Is China Involved ?

 The death of at least 40 paramilitary heroes is creating headlines on the international platform as thousands mourn over this emotional crisis that is backed by staunch patriotism.

This Vegan Stall in Penang will make your tastebuds go frenzy

This newly erected cruelty-free stall will open a new dimension within your tastebuds and turn your pseudo-grave guts into an inhabitable botanical garden with their Middle Eastern delicacies.

Varsity Students in KL Are Rushing To The Toilet and its Reason will Shock you !

Students in the urbanised landscapes of Malaysia are lately visiting local clinics - hoping to find remedy for their bladder from ringing the pee green light too often.

History of Datuk Gong

Image: A Datuk shrine at my hometown, Subang Jaya

Being Malaysian, it is inevitable for one to ignore shrines that resemble the one above.

My interest in Datuk Gong initiated with an intrigue when I noticed a shrine in my campus' temple ( I mistook Datuk Gong shrines to be a branch of Chinese ancestral worship earlier ). My quest explored and I finally solved the mystery behind this ubiquitous deity.

 Datuk in the campus periphery of AIMST University, my Alma Mater

Datuk Gong shrines are widespread across the width and breadth of this nation, occupying any possible space - Under trees, hotels, malls, houses, temples, forests and even by the roadside to quote a few.

Image: A Datuk shrine inside a roadside Muniandy temple, Sungai Lalang, Sungai Petani

Who is Datuk Gong ?

Datuk Gong is a consciousness worshiped for mundane purposes. Common examples include protection, wealth, and health.

For instance, people worship Datuk Gong before going for a job interview. Commoner examples of course include for the purpose of winning a lottery.

The term 'Datuk Gong' is an amalgamation of two cultures. Datuk refers to a honorable title in the Malay language while 'Gong' refers to the same in the Chinese dialect. As it is obvious-this deity represents the Malaysian culture for reasons we shall see.

A Datuk shrine or idol represents an individual consciousness. This consciousness would be that of a prominent figure in the society who has walked the timeline of history. For instance, healers, martial artists, philanthropists across all ages.

A Datuk is not confined to a particular race or religion. For those who are aware of Dargahs in India, Datuk Gong worship is a Malaysian equivalent to it - just that we find their presence in small erected shrines rather than their actual samadhi ( grave ) 

Image: Attankarai Dargah, Thirunelveli, India

A Dargah is a shrine built over the samadhi ( grave ) of a Sufi Saint who has attained an eminent spiritual awakening. When such beings leave the body, their remains continue to serve as a hub of their attained state. Those who come in proximity to their space will benefit from this state. Dargahs have a mystical ambiance and are frequented by people from different religious backgrounds.

Many seekers even opt for Dargahs as a spot for meditation.

Image: Nagore Sheriff Dargah, Georgetown, Penang. This Malaysian counterpart of the Dargah in India was constructed centuries back. The soil from the Dargah in India was used as a foundation to replicate the aura.

This Dargah is presided by the Sufi Saint, Shahul Hamid Badusha Kaadiri. He was trained in various arts. He was revered as Nagore Andavar ( the ruler of Nagore ).

Image: A Crocodile as Datuk - Datuk Buaya in Sarawak. Credits: Biapol ( Instagram ).

So to put it simple - Datuk Gong represents a saintly personality who has attained spiritual awakening or Who possesses a mystical attribute, thus preserving a very vibrant consciousness upon leaving the body, which can confer help to us. One of the quickest paths to spiritual awakening is selfless service. This is one reason why most Datuks were once someone who had rendered selfless help and service to humanity.

Image: Datuk Karpal Singh, now worshiped.

There are no strict regulations and protocols as to how one should worship the deity. Importantly, you should do the necessary rituals to preserve their aura in that area.

Image: Datuk Gong and Muniandy co-existing in a temple in Ipoh.

Commonly, worshipers offer black coffee ( Kopi O ) and traditional Malay delicacies. Lamps and incense are very crucial - incense smoke in particular. The nature of the Datuk must be understood as well. If the consciousness is that of a personality who was once a Muslim, offering of pork and alcohol is strictly taboo.

Image: Datuk Hijau in Sunway Hotel, Perai, Penang

Unfortunately, we have reduced the position of Datuks to that of a mere provider of wealth. Most seek such shrines hoping to win the lottery.

What I would recommend you to do if you pass by a Datuk Shrine : 

*This is applicable to shrines you are comfortable with. If the shrine appears fishy, it is best to avoid it. Not all shrines are presided by a deity despite the established form*

(1) Send immense gratitude. Every Datuk functions as a protector of a particular area. Just send immense gratitude for His compassionate consciousness. None of us are aware as to who was saved from mishaps thanks to the grace of a Datuk.

(2) Look at the deity and pour love. If you are comfortable and if it is permissible, offer simple snacks or black coffee. With time, this simple act of serving will amplify within you and you will start radiating compassion to all beings around you. This is the magic of Datuk - where He can help awaken humanity in you. This is utmost important. Love all, serve all.

Image above: You can see Sultan Abdul Samad now a worshiped Datuk in Banting

ALSO READ :

(1) Danger of Stepping into Random Shrines in Malaysia