Hindu Temple of Lubbock TX

Class 10 April 9 , 2017 The Five Senses

• Five Elements (Panchabhutam) • Five Senses (Pancha+Indriyam = Panchendriyam) • Smell, See, Taste, hear and Touch

• Smell (Earth); See (Fire); Taste (Water), hear(Sky) and Touch (Wind)

What is the Sixth Sense?

• Sixth Sense = Something that can control all the five senses…who is that? MIND

• Use your mind in a positive way to control the senses

• The Indriyas cannot do any independent work without direct help from the mind

• Jeetendriya- One who has conquered all the senses. Very Important for Spirituality

• Who is this Goddess?

Name this bird The Swan of Hindu Mythology

1. Swan = “Hamsa”; Ham + Sa. Ham is the short form of Aham which means I and Sa refers to “He” meaning God • Hamsa= Aham+Sa, I am He or I am one with God 2. The color of the bird is white • White = keeping the mind peaceful, clean and pure 3. She can survive all types of weather- meaning adjusting with all in daily life and being flexible in attitude

4. Loves to swim, but water does not touch the swan- meaning she is detached from the surrounding

5. Swan does not sink, she floats on the water and if necessary she can also fly- meaning we have to survive in the ocean of life/ world. There will be ups and downs, we should float always in the ocean or fly above, this is art of living

• 6. What happens if you give a bowl of milk to the Swan?

• She has a skill by which she takes in only the cream of the milk and leaves the water behind- meaning take only what is good and needed and leave behind the unwanted or unnecessary things

6. Parashurama Avtar • Parashurama Jayanti- Birth of parashurama • Vaishakha maasa, shukla tritiya (third day in waxing moon phase, month Vaishakha which is April) • 2017- April 28. The day is also known as “Akshaya” Tritiya • Very auspicious to start new important activities, everything yields prosperity. Buying Gold is common

• Parashurama was born to Rishi Jamadagni and Renuka (Renuka was not the daughter of a Sage. She was the daughter of a warrior) • Sages are usually referred to as brahmins, they were learned in vedas and devoted their time in teaching and meditating on the supreme God. They are very powerful, have the ability to curse or bless • Warriors are usually referred to as “Kshatriyas”. They ruled and fought to conquer or to achieve power. The kings are kshatriyas • Parashurama was learned like his father and behaved violent and aggressive like the warriors • He is the first “brahmakshatriya” both sage and warrior

• He received “parashu” or the axe from Lord Shiva. Nobody can defeat Parashurama. He is “immortal” • Sage Jamadagni had command over fire element. Renuka had command over water element. She had the ability to fill water in a clay pot • Once Jamadagni asked her to fetch water in the pot. She did not pay attention, the clay pot broke. The sage got very angry • He called all their five sons and asked them to cut off their mother Renuka’s head as a punishment • Parashurama did. The father was pleased and gave him a boon. Parashurama asked his father to bring his mother back. He did !!

Parashurama had a great trust in his father and loved his father so much. He knew his Father will not ask the children to kill their mother !! • The parents were very happy to have a blessed and divine child like Parashurama

• They were also gifted with “kamadhenu”, the cow that gave (from churning of the milk ocean in Kurma avtar) • Kartavirya Sahasrarjun was a very powerful king (Kshatriya). Once his men were out in the forest. They were looking for food and entered the ashram of Sage Jamadagni. The sage was not there • (sahasra= 1000. He is described as having 1000 hands)

• Renuka fed all of them with help from the divine cow. They stole the cow for their king because she refused to give the cow to them • Parashurama came to know of this, attacked and killed all of the army and got back the cow.

• Kartavirya Sahasrarjun’s son killed Sage Jamadagni. Parashurama took a revenge by killing all the sons of the king , then cut off all the 1000 hands of the king and eventually killed him too • Parashurama then took an oath to kill all the kshatriya kings on Earth because they were too arrogant and they were using their powers to harm innocent people and sages. • He also Vowed to teach only “Brahmins” and no Kshatriyas ……(keep this point in mind )

• He became the most powerful Warrior. He arrives again in Ramavtar, Krishnavtar and also in Mahabharat…..we will see as we learn more !!