Shalini Modi's Blog

I will be present at Kunzum book store, M-block market, GK-2, tomorrow, Sunday, 25th for interaction and book signing of my book, Seven Immortals, Immortality: Curse or Boon.

Ras Leela of Lord Krishna has always been enjoyed by his devotees. I too grew up listening to them as Krishna’s naughtiness appealed to me as a child. Leela is the ancient name for the theater of life. The material life is an illusion behind which we can find the ultimate truth of pure Being. Life is a divine theater, a spiritual game played by us, the actors. Yoga allows us to hold on to the blissful truth while playing the game. That is the meaning of Leela Yoga, nothing more, nothing less.

As Lord Rama fought the battle with Ravana, he felt fatigue in mind and body. Rishi Agastya then appeared and told him to chant the Aditya Hridayam stotra dedicated to the Sun god. After chanting it Lord Rama was infused with a new energy and confidence to fight his mighty opponent, Ravana. Chanting this stotra 3 times a day is highly beneficial. Sun is the atmakarak as per Vedic astrology and amongst other things it promises confidence and energy.

With anant chaturdashi yesterday ganapati took away all difficulties which may strike us from countless directions and forms...with shraadh entering today on poornima its time to thank the departed ancestors for their legacy.
The Shrishti was created by Lord Brahma and lot of importance has been given to sustaining. Therefore, the emphasis on reproduction and need to carry forward the lineage. The concept of Pitra dosh in Vedic astrology too has its roots in the need to have progeny to do your last rites. We owe this to our ancestors and is called Pitri Rin or ancestral debt. These rights help you in your after life and lives after. There is a story which explains that since Yamraj, the Dharmaraj himself never married, had progeny, he could never leave Yamlok.

Mahabali, one of the most powerful kings of Asuras was blessed with immortality by Lord Vishnu for his generosity. He lives in the realms below earth called Suthala. He was a very popular king and he too loved his subjects dearly. Therefore, it is a belief that he took permission from Lord Vishnu to visit them yearly. Onam is the most important harvest festival of Kerala. It is celebrated to honor King Mahabali who visits “Kerala” at that time. Kerala opens up with an entirely new world of an exotic taste, exquisite fragrances, and an enchanting display of beauty for the tourists when Onam is being celebrated.
My book seven immortals narrates tales of his interesting and eventful life. Available on Amazon and many book stores across Delhi and other cities.

Sthapana and Visarjan of Ganesh idols symbolise the cycle of life and death, impermanence and constant change. The idols are immersed in water just like the ashes of the deceased are immersed in the river after the cremation. The sthapna and visarjan are both done with equal fervour to encourages us to celebrate both life and death as the soul never dies. It returns back just like the Ganeshji a year later.

Ganapati a perfect amalgamation of attributes of goddess Saraswati with Laxmi, wealth and brains. Quote from my book-“ Vinayak is also invoked for knowledge and expertise in anything we do as he himself possesses these qualities. He is worshipped for good communication and writing skills. He is connected to prosperity and wealth too. Ganpati, with his wives Ridhi and Sidhi, and sons Shubh and Labh, depicts a perfect amalgamation of the attributes of goddesses Saraswati and Laxmi. Intelligence and expertise in any field equals Siddhi. Siddhi in turn helps us gain wealth, which is Riddhi. Shubh is auspiciousness and Labh is benefits and gains.”

Ganesh Chaturthi is on the 31st of August this month. Therefore, wanted to share this picture of the Moti Dongri Ganesha in Jaipur, Mangal roop of the Lord. Every Ganesh Chaturthi they decorate the temple with large sized laddoos, his favourite prashad. The history associated with the Moti Dungari Ganesh shrine:
It is said that the King of Mewar was heading back to his palace after a long tired trip and had placed gigantic Ganesh idol on a bullock cart. The king had decided that he would build a temple for the idol of Lord Ganesh wherever the bullock cart stopped and the cart stopped at the foot of the Moti Doongri hill, where the temple is situated today. Then temple construction was entrusted to Seth Jairam Paliwal and Mahant Shiv Narain who built this temple in four years and completed in 1761.

A must visit to remove obstacles in your materialistic and spiritual growth. I love going there during my visit to Jaipur.
If you visit on 31st, you can catch this sight.

Exile to forest life, Aranya, a popular concept in both our epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana. Lord Ram and the Pandavas both were sent to spend time in exile.
Forests offered them interaction with realised souls and sages with lot of spiritual power. This helped them in their personal growth.
Life in the forest taught them to live a minimalist life very different to the palatial house they were used to living in. They evolved as people.

Life and death, beginning and end, creation and destruction are the rule of nature. Many of our traditions depict this concept like sthapana, placing god's idol and visarjan, immersing it in water. This is repeated every year forming a cycle. However, the concept of immortality and Amrit, nectar in our scriptures denies this law of nature, Prakriti.

There are seven immortals in our mythology which are male characters from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. They have either been blessed or cursed to live on earth till pralay. Immortal yet for a fixed period of time. Why is immortality coveted and how can it become a curse or boon?

You might find your answer in my book, Seven Immortals.