Embodied Philosophy
About Shiva
Shiva is the principal god of the Shaiva Religion of Hinduism. There are many iconographic similarities between Shiva and various Buddhist deities such as Avalokiteshvara and Chakrasamvara.
Powerful Mantra Om Namah Shivaya
Om Namah Shivaya is an important and popular mantra in Hinduism and Shaivism. It is the mantra dedicated to Lord Shiva. Shaivism is a sect that claims that the most important God is Shiva. The origin of this mantra dates back to thousands of years and is mentioned Krishna Yajurveda in the Shree Rudram hymn. And also in Rudrashtadhyayi which is a part of the Shukla Yajurveda.
It is referred to as Shiva Panchakshara or simply Panchakshara, meaning the mantra of "five syllables" (excluding Om).
The Gem of All Life (Jiva-Ratnam) is said to be the name of Shiva. 'Shiva' simply means auspicious. The Lord is so full of love that it's said that love itself is Shiva.
Who is Lord Shiva?
Copper Statue of Shiva Mahadev Painted Face
Shiva .
Trimurti – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva
The Trimurti is a concept in Hinduism in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver and Shiva the destroyer or transformer. These three deities have been called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity". However, the ancient and medieval texts of Hinduism feature many triads of gods and goddesses, some of which do not include Shiva.
Trimurti - The supreme lords
The Hindu .
Chinnamasta Shivashakti
Chinnamasta is the Hindu Goddess of transformation. She is one of the Mahavidyas, the wisdom Goddesses, and is probably the most terrifying of them. She is depicted holding her own head, which she has just cut off.
Origin
Stories of her origin vary, but one relates that Parvati was bathing with two attendants, Jaya, and Vijaya when the attendants asked the Goddess to satisfy their hunger. After putting them off several times, Parvati looked all around .
Dhanusha the bow of Lord Shiva
Dhanusha also called Pinaka or Shiva Dhanush is the bow of Lord Shiva. It is generally carried in the left hand. Lord Shiva uses Dhanusha for the destruction of the "Pralaya."
There is an epic story behind the Dhanusa. As mentioned in Ramayana, Lord Vishwakarma (The principal architect of the universe) crafted two divine Dhanush. The first one was named "Sharanga" and was given to Lord Vishnu. The second one was named "Pinaka" and was .
Muktinath and the Muktikshetra in Mustang
The holy water from Gandaki river gushing out of the 108 water spouts are said to cleanse the devotees of their sins and set them on a path to salvation. The waters are sacred to Buddhists as well and it’s called 'Chumig Gyatsa' in Tibetan language meaning "a hundred springs".
The Muktinath pilgrimage
The Himalayas are believed to be terrestrial dwelling place of saints and the home of the gods. The Muktinath temple situated at an .
The Ancient Town of Panauti and its Heritage
Panauti is one of the oldest towns in Nepal situated at the confluence of the two rivers Punyamata and Rosi. Legend has it that a third invisible river also meets with the two rivers, making it a Triveni (a scared place where three rivers meet). Many believe Panauti was named after the Punyamata river. Moreover, Panauti has been called by different names throughout history like Punyawati, Punyamatinagar, Panchal desh, Punanti and Palaati.
The Ancient Town
The .
Gokarneshwar – A sacred site on the bank of the Bagmati River
The Bagmati River is a sacred body of water to Hindus. A holy dip in the Bagmati river is said to free people from all the sins they have committed in this lifetime. There are numerous legends surrounding the formation of the river and the creation of temples on its banks.
Along with the great Pashupatinath temple, Gokarneshwar, also known as Gokarna is one of the holiest places located on the banks of river .
Doleshwor Mahadev: The forgotten Head of Kedarnath
After a treacherous trip up the mountains, Bhimsen, one of the five Pandavas spotted a gigantic looking bull in a distance which he knew was Shiva in disguise. Bhimsen known for his brute strength, forcefully caught the bull. When the bull was caught, he tried to escape but unfortunately, the bull was torn into several parts because of Bhimsen’s strength.
Mahabharata, the Sanskrit epic depicts the struggle for power and conflict between two groups of .
The Sheshnaryan Temple & Rigzin Drubte Ghatshal Monastery
In the same complex, close to the the Sheshnarayan Temple is the oldest monastery in Pharping, Rigzin Drubte Ghatshal Monastery. It is a great example of religious and cultural pluralism in Nepal.
A God, a King and a prophetic vision
Lord Vishnu is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is part of the holy trinity that consists of three gods — Brahma, the creator, Shiva, the god of destruction and Vishnu who is responsible .
Ram Mandir and the legend of Battisputali
There were 32 scupltures of fairies placed inside the inner walls of Ram Mandir which led to the place being called Battisputali (32 fairies with butterfly wings). There is an enthralling story behind the fairies installed here.
The ancient Sanskrit epic Ramayana written by Valmiki has captivated people from all over the world for centuries. Lord Ram is believed to be the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is worshipped by Hindus from all over .