Devi Mandir

Temple of Divine Mother

Rudraksha related questions

In the video “Om Namah Shivaya”, I noticed that Maa uses the thumb and index fingers to move the mala. I have heard that index fingers are not to touch the mala. Can Swamiji please comment.
Swamiji says:
That is the method that Shree Maa uses to worship Shiva. But the important thing is not which finger you use, but that you do the japa. So many people waste so much time debating which finger to use, that they do not perform the practices.

Could Rudraksha beads be used for Narasimha mantras, and Ganesha/Lakshmi mantras?
Swamiji says:
Yes. More traditional would be a tulasi mala, but followers of Shiva and Shakti can definitely use rudraksha.

Is it forbidden to eat meat when using Rudraksha?
Swamiji says:
Is the question, “At the same time,” or “While wearing?”
Generally, there are vegetarians and non-vegetarians. There is nothing “Forbidden.” It is just a question of the practices one observes.
Vaishnavas forbid. Shaivites and Shaktis request us to use our discrimination.

Story of Jayant as a Crow

~~OM~~ One time Indra’s son Jayant assumed the form of a crow. And he was playing with Ram and Sita, and then he pecked Sita’s foot. And Ram got mad, […]

Swamiji at the Monroe Institute

~~OM~~

In 1987, while on one of their several tours throughout the United States visiting devotees, spiritual communities, and seekers; Shree Maa and Swami Satyananda met Robert Monroe at his institute in Virginia Beach.

Throughout the years, Mr. Monroe has written several books documenting his, originally, spontaneous out of body experiences. Over time he discovered a relatively simple process for inducing various levels of meditation and even out of body experiences in virtually anyone. He called this process Hemi-sync, and established an institute devoted to researching the ever increasing therapeutic uses of his discovery.

Briefly, Mr. Monroe discovered that by synchronizing brain waves of the two hemispheres of the brain, by means of playing separate pulses through earphones into each ear of a subject; one could be brought to ever deeper levels of meditation and finally to a full out of body experience.

This tape is a record of Swami Satyananda’s experience with Hemi-sync. And, it should be said that though Mr. Monroe has, over the years, guided hundreds of explorers to the farthest reaches of the Universe and to many levels of subtlety, the Swami’s experience was unique.

What Mr. Monroe heard was as follows. For devotees of the Mother Goddess, it speaks for itself.

Listen to Swami Satyananda at the Monroe Institute:

“I exist everywhere, in every time, in every object, in every form. But especially in those who know me in love and delight. Those who come to peace can come to love; those who are devoid of their own selves. Open your hearts and share with one another. Know that each and every form that you see is merely my reflection. Take joy in life. Be at peace. Be happy and share.. ” Download transcript: DOC

Story of How Narada Curses Vishnu

~~OM~~ Narada Muni went to meditate in a special grove which Shiva had blessed. And Shiva said, “This Tapovan, is this forest for tapasya, I am giving a special blessing, […]

Radha and Krishna

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Photo of Devi Mandir residents
(taken at the Devi Mandir in November 2007)

Maa rings the bells


Photo of the week – Nov 30 – Dec 6, 2007
(Picture taken October 2007 at Devi Mandir, Napa, CA)

May Divine Mother ring the bells that purify our souls

Story of Horse Sacrifice

~~OM~~

Ashwamedh means the use of wisdom for the benefit of society. It’s the horse sacrifice. The use of the wisdom of uccishrava, the horse of wisdom, which symbolized the dominion of the kingdom.

In the old Ashwamedha Yagya, a horse was set free, well adorned and decorated, followed by a great army. And wherever the horse roamed into the neighboring kingdoms, those kings would come out and they would either challenge and stop the horse which meant that they would do battle with the army; or they would accept the horse as an emblem of wisdom and they would surrender and unify the kingdoms into an empire.

And that way they reduced the amount of conflict in all the neighboring states by creating a unity in wisdom.

Story of Tantrik sadhak

~~OM~~ There was once a sadhak, a tapasyak, a tantrik sadhak. He was doing this tremendous Smashan Shav Kriya, where you sit in the cremation grounds upon a corpse and […]

Blessings All Around!


Photo of the week – Nov 9 – Nov 15, 2007
(Picture taken October 2007 at Devi Mandir, Napa, CA)

Take Diwali blessings to all.

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