Electricity & the underlying power

What is this bizarre thing? It can heat stoves & cool refrigerators. It can generate light or sound. It can move things around. It can attract or repel some metals. It takes on multiple forms. Does it have a name or form of its own?

It is nameless & formless. We can give it a name, Electricity. Tamil has an interesting name for it: மின்சாரம். This means, the essence of that which can't be seen.

Say there are isolated tribes, who have never experienced electricity may say that it doesn't exist. They may say, let me see it, hear it or touch it. What, I can't do that? Maybe it doesn't exist.

Maybe we touch a small battery, don't feel anything. We can touch & perceive a high voltage line, once.

If someone takes a bulb & complains that it doesn't amplify sound, or takes a speaker & complains that it doesn't make light, how would that appear?

This underlying unseen power flows through everything, but it is dependent on the device that uses this power. They can emit different types or forms of light. Some are like a 0W night lamp, some are 50W, 100W, 500W or 1000W. A fused bulb may emit no light. Is that a problem with the bulb or the electricity?

Now, imagine that there is a power, that is the source of electricity & everything there is, that flows through everything in the universe. Imagine applying the same analogies on this power.

Reference:
Haridas Giri Upanyasam

Our strange world of M

In the recent Kashmir hearings & protests, there was simply no voice for the Kashmiri Pandits. The media, the governments, the UN & the courts ignored them. The Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition from the Pandits that simply sought an investigation into their gruesome murders & rapes. The unfortunate Yazidis have met with a similar fate. Similarly, the voices of the ancient cultures of Europe, Africa, Americas & Asia have been silenced in the narratives. Why?

Welcome to our strange world of M.

The Majority in our world comprise of the totalitarian ideologies of Marx, Missionaries & Mullahs. Together, they control the Mainstream Media and other organizations. And they attack the global Minorities with the eventual goal of 'join us or get wiped out'.

Totalitarian ideologies have a intolerant concept of us vs them. The others are dehumanized with terms such as heathens/heretics, Kafirs & reactionaries/bourgeois. When such terms are no longer popular, terms such as savages, ignorant, primitive, barbaric, Nazis, supremacists, fascists & nationalists are used. Faults of the totalitarian ideologies are ascribed to the others. Anti-semitic people will use the term Zionists, since they'll look bad if they say that they hate Jews. Hinduphobic people will use the term Hindutva or Brahminism, since they'll look bad if they say that they hate Hindus. Such terms will be used to attack the others in a systemic manner by setting negative narratives. Physical violence against them will be dealt with silence or justified.

Totalitarian ideologies don't allow for any competing voices to exist. The ancient diverse faiths of the lands controlled by the M gang have been uprooted. Whenever the totalitarian ideologies come into contact with each other, they seek to completely destroy the other. Examples are the Reconquista in Crusades, Jihad by the Ottoman Empire, Chinese treatment of Uighurs, Islamic treatment of the communists in Central Asia and surrounding countries. In areas where they don't have complete control, they work with each other in trying to uproot the other ancient cultures. Their internal fight can wait for later.

Such is the way our current world works, our strange world of M.

The lotus in the swamp

There was a swamp. There were fish & frogs living in the swamp.

From this dirty mud and water, there grew a lotus. There was dirt all around. It did not matter to the lotus. The water did not stick to the leaves. It would form small droplets that would eventually slide away.

The lotus flowered. There was nectar in it.

From the trees nearby, there were bees. They came over sensing the nectar. They collected the nectar and took it away to their hives.

The fish & frogs in the swamp saw the lotus. But they did not know about the nectar, nor did they seem to care, though the lotus was right there with them.

Reference:
Swami Haridas Giri Upanyasam, referring to a story by his Guru, Gnanananda Giri

Stealing donations

स्वदत्ताम् परदत्ताम् वा यो हरेत वसुंधरा ।
शष्ठिवर्षसहस्राणि विश्ठायाम् जायते क्रिमिः ॥

Thieves who steal donations will be reborn as a worm living in excrement for 60k years.

The shaved Swami & the industrialist

Haridas Giri had just completed an Upanyasam in the North. He returned to Tapovanam. He tonsured his head & shaved off his moustache & beard.

Suddenly, there was a guest at the Matam (Mutt). It was Durga Das, an industrialist from Bengal.

"Can I meet Guruji"?

Haridas thought that he had come to meet his Guru, Swami Gnananada Giri. "Guruji has gone out and should be back in the evening."

"What can I have for lunch here?"

Haridas talked about the lunch being served in the Matam & about nearby hotels. Durga Das gave Haridas some money & asked him to get some Masala Dosas for him & the people with him. Haridas returned with the Dosas & some change.

"Keep the change!"

"No, no. My Gurunathar will not like it." And he returned the change.

In the evening, Gnananada returned. Sishyas welcomed Guruji. But Durga Das was puzzled. This is not the person he had seen. He explained. He had gone to an Upanyasam/Pravachan and was extremely impressed with Guruji's eloquence. He had come all the way to Tapovanam in the south to meet Guruji.

Gnananada gently guided him to the truth. It was Haridas he had come to see. He simply failed to recognize him owing to his changed appearance.

Durga Das was horrified. What had he done?

Haridas had indeed realized who Durga Das had come to see sometime after the initial conversation, but he had decided to let things play out until his Guru returned.

Maybe he just had fun serving his devotee. Not unlike the Puranic stories where Bhagawan serves his Bhakthas (devotees).

Reference:
Haridas Giri Upanyasam, where he narrated this experience, in the context of Puranic stories where we don't recognize who we came to see.

The Vishnu temple procession-meaning

In Tamil Nadu, in Vishnu temple, periodically, the Utsava Murti is taken in a public procession.

In the front, people will be chanting the Tamil 4000 Divya Prabandam. They will be followed people carrying the Utsava Murti. They will be followed by people chanting the Vedas.

Why?

The Divya Prabandham chanters represent the supreme Bhaktas, the Azhwars. Bhagawan follows the Bhaktas (devotees). The Vedas follow Bhagawan.

Source: Haridas Giri Upanyasam

Chennai Express-Thirupanazhwar Pasarum

Research credit: @TrueIndology

The song Titli in the Hindi movie, Chennai Express, starts with a Tamil verse of sublime beauty.

கொண்டல் வண்ணனைக் கோவலனாய் வெண்ணெய்

உண்டவாயன் என் உள்ளம் கவர்ந்தானை

அண்டர்கோன் அணி அரங்கன் என் அமுதினை

கண்ட கண்கள் மற்றொன்றினைக் காணாதே.

One can sense immediately that there is something special in this verse. This was composed by Thiruppanazhwar (திருப்பாணாழ்வார்), one of the greatest Bhakthi saints of India. 

English fails to convey the beauty of this verse. He sings of the dark skinned divinity who has stolen his heart, who is his immortal nectar, who after been sighted, the eyes don't want to see anything else.

Who was Thiruppanazhwar? He was a Bhaktha (devotee) who sung melodious songs on Srirangam Ranganathar. However, he was also a Dalit. He would sing across the Cauvery river but not come near the temple. The head priest of Srirangam has a dream, where Ranganatha commands him to fetch Thiruppanazhwar. When Thiruppanazhwar is unwilling owing to his untouchability, the priest convinces him citing Ranganatha's command and carries him into the temple.

This painting from the ancient Uraiyur temple depicts this event.

Thiruppanazhwar then sings the Amalanadhi Piran poem describing Ranganathan. This is part of the 4000 Tamil Divya Prabandham recited at Tirupati, Srirangam and other prominent Vaishnava temples everyday. One of the verses is sung in the Chennai Express Titli song.

This is the earliest reference to the story from the manuscripts-researcher John Strawley.

Over the next millennium, secondary fictional atrocity literature was created.

The favorable winds

Consider this saying.
காற்றுள்ள போதே தூற்றிக்கொள்

When the winds are in your favor, use it. This is a common phrase used to advice people to seize an opportunity that presents itself.

However, like many Tamil sayings, this has a deeper Vedantic meaning.

While the body has breath in it, use the opportunity of this life to realize the inner fundamental truth.

Source: Haridas Giri Upanyasam

Male & female divinity

Continued from The Secret of the Rasa Krida

In Hindu religious thought, what is considered male? What is female? What is its creation story?

From the formless nameless divine of eternal bliss, a thought came. Bliss desired to experience bliss. How is that possible?

This desire became Kama. Bliss was covered by non-bliss, which now thought it was not bliss. It always wanted to experience something new, something different, constantly kept moving around. Now, the non-bliss experiences happiness & sadness. And finally, has to shed itself of its own covering, and become bliss, which is its true self. This is the path it has to take; there is simply no other way.

In Kapila Kardama's Samkya & Patanjali's AshtAnga Yoga (two early philosophies), there is the non-material Purusha and the material Prakriti. Purusha is male while Prakriti is female. 

In Shaiva Sampradaya (tradition), the eternal unmoving bliss itself is Shiva. This is male.

The primordial constantly moving power that caused the covering over Shiva is Shakti. It is feminine. It itself has a male & female component. The female is Narayani; the male is Narayana.

Shiva is also called AmmaiAppan (mother & father) and Ardha-Narishwara (half female lord). There is no Shakti without Shiva & no Shiva without Shakti. In the Thiru-thondar Puranam (Periya Puranam), Karaikkal Ammaiyaar, the naked saint who performed her Tapasya (penance) to go to Shiva is addressed as Ammaiye (mother). The supreme Bhakta (devotee) who can show the path to the divine is considered the mother of the unborn divine.

Hari (Narayana) is the feminine word for Hara (Shiva). In the Puranas, Hari takes the form of Mohini from time to time. Mohini (seductress) is derived from Moha, which means delusion. The constantly changing material world which keeps us constantly engrossed & interested is Mohini.  In the Ayyappa/Dharma Shastha Puranam, Shastha is born from Hara & Hari (as Mohini), and is called HariHaraSutan. He then proceeds to destroy Mahishi, a symbol of Tamas with qualities such as laziness & ignorance, represented by the symbol of the Indian water buffalo.

In Srimath Bhagavatham, Krishna (Hari) multiplies himself & dances with 108 Gopikas. This is the Rasa-Kreeda or Rasa-Lila. Rasa is what we experience in the material world. Lila is play & Kreeda means crown. 108 is a sacred & special number with multiple esoteric meanings.

Rasas are defined in Bharatha Muni's Natya Shastra, the treatise on dance. They are created by a Bhaava or state of mind. The Bhaavas are Rati (love), Hasya (laughter), Shoka (sorrow), Krodha (anger), Utsaha (energy-similar to the Tamil Urchaham), Bhaya (fear), Jugupsa (disgust) & Vismaya (astonishment). The Rasas are Shrungaaram (beautification), Haasyam (comedy), Raudram (anger), Kaarunyam (compassion), Bibhatsam (disgust), Bhaayanakam (fear), Veeram (valor) & Adbhutham (wonder). There is one final Rasa not caused by a Bhaava, rather one that exists outside of Bhaavas. This is called Shaantham (peace). All these Rasas are called the Nava-Rasas (nine emotions).

The Rasa-Lila represents the dance of life that all of us undergo experiencing all our Rasa & Bhavas. We life forms experience the 9 Rasas for 12 months of the year. 9*12=108. This is one of the meanings of the number 108.

Krishna is the male Narayana Paramatma. Each Gopika thinks that she alone has Krishna. The Gopikas are the female Jivatmas, dancing their own individual dance of life. This is also celebrated as the Raas Garba during Navaratri.

In another story, Narada visits Krishna with his 16,108 wives. Per Yogis, the body has 16,108 Nadis which transmit the force of Shakti. Of these, the most important are three, which are part of the Kundalini, called Ida, Pingala & Sushumna. Usually, male deities in their various forms represent Sushumna & they have two consorts, Ida & Pingala.

Each wife thinks that Krishna is living with her alone. Narada visits one after the other, and sees him leading a separate life with each. Each of us are living our own lives with the divine within. Narada finally finds out it was all a Maya (illusion).

In the beginning of Srimath Bhagavatham, Parikshit is born burnt owing to the power of the Brahmashiranamakastra (celestial weapon) unleashed by Ashwatthama on the Pandavas' progeny. Krishna says that if he has practiced Brahmacharya, then let the child become normal. Parikshit turns normal. Brahmacharya means celibacy. In the stories, Krishna has children. How then could he be practicing Brahmacharya? Here, the implication is that the divine bliss itself has nothing else to unite to; it is a Brahmachari. It itself has a covering of ego, mind & senses. Once removed, it will revert to its original state of pure divine bliss.

In Vaishnava Sampradaya (tradition), all life forms are female, while Narayana is the only Purusha (male). Ramanuja, Ramananda, Vallaba, Kabir, Ravidas, Mirabai, Surdas & other devotees in the Vaishnava Sampradaya have all sung of themselves as the female pining to join with the male Narayana. Akka Mahadevi sings in a similar manner, in the Shaiva Sampradaya.

In Hindu marriages, mantras are chanted with the implication that the bride marries Narayana in the form of the groom. All the respects performed to the groom is to Narayana within the groom. Even the day to day greeting of Namaskaram or Namaste is to the divine within.

Joe De Cruz: visiting temples & churches with friends

Joe De Cruz, Tamil writer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73QUxSSBWUc

"

When I was young, I would sometimes visit temples with my Hindu friends. They were amazed that I, a Catholic Christian, would come to the kovil (temple).

However, I was the one truly amazed. My Hindu friends, when they came to a church, would pray with the same Bhakthi (devotion) that they would in a Shiva kovil, Sandana-Mariamma kovil or Mutharamman kovil.

However, when I would go to a Shiva temple, say the Svayambu Linga Swami kovil, once the temple of the Parathavas, I would only admire the sculpture or architecture. I would not pray. But not anymore. With folded hands and a melting mind, I do pray. (Quotes from Manikkavasagar's Thiruvasagam).

ஓம் நம சிவாய

நமசிவாய வாழ்க நாதன் தாள் வாழ்க

இமைப்பொழுதும் என் நெஞ்சில் நீங்காதான் தாள் வாழ்க

ஏகன் அனேகன் இறைவன் அடி வாழ்க

"

The two birds

This is a story from the Upanishads.

There was a bird in a tree. It hopped around eating fruits. It would sometimes get a sweet fruit & sometimes a bitter fruit. Occasionally, after eating an extremely bitter fruit, it looked around. It saw another bird. That bird was calm & utterly unaffected by any of the fruits. The agitated bird with the bitter experience wondered about the calm bird. Over time, the bird learnt to accept all types of fruits without getting too affected. And it finally realized that it was itself the calm bird all along.

The calm bird is the Atma (or Ishwara). The agitated bird is the Jeeva (Jeeva Shakti or Jeevatma). When the Kundalini Shakti establishes life in the material world and is a dormant coiled serpent, the Jeeva goes around following its desires with good & bad experiences. The Jeeva is the constantly moving feminine Shakti. The Atma is the calm masculine Shiva. The Paramatma has itself become the Atma & Jeeva. Finally, when the Kundalini is awakened through Yoga, the Jeeva merges with the Atma which is none other than Paramatma.

Now, let us corrupt this story and take it literally.

Let Atma become Adam. J was the last letter added to the English alphabet in 1524 by Trissino. Let Jeeva become Eva/Eve. The undesirable fruits, instead of being indifferent through realization, are now prohibited. The dormant serpent entices Eve & Adam to eat the fruits. Instead of our own desire keeping us from divinity, a God now banishes and curses Adam & Eve. Add to this story the concept of original sin. Brahmacharya (celibacy) which comes with realization, is now an imposition, fighting against life's most powerful instinct. Such a simple perversion with far reaching consequences.

Hindu student questionnaire

Suggested questionnaire for hiring researchers for Hinduism topics.

Name some of your favorite philosophers or saints with reasoning.
Name some of your favorite warriors with reasoning.
How many of your favorites so far were men or women? Do you have some favorites in the opposite gender?
What is your opinion on God or divinity?
What is your opinion on religion?
What are your favorite religions & are there any religions you dislike? Why?
What do you think about equality? How is it dealt with in different cultures?
What topic would you like to research on?

Visiting Tara

She was a dhyana (meditation) practitioner for decades. She could now help solve minor issues for people. She could also perceive things. She perceived something. It was time to talk to her brother.

He was a brilliant engineer with multiple patents to his name and a hobbyist historian with a photographic memory. He was also a Yoga & Dhyana practitioner. His sister spoke to him. It was about their mother. She did not have much time left.

He wrapped up & returned. They all spent time together. They went on a pilgrimage.

He had read the book, Aghora, by Robert Svoboda, who documented learnings from the Aghori, Vimalananda. Aghoris follow the Vama marga (left path) as opposed to the Dakshina marga (right path) such as Yoga & meditation. Vimalananda worshipped Tara, a fierce form of Shakti, one of the ten forms (Mahavidya).

There was a temple to Tara in a Smashanam (cremation ground) in Bengal. They were in a car asking directions to the Smashanam. She said that she could perceive the high pitched cackles & shrieks of the spirits and pointed in a direction. The driver asked around, found the place & drove over. It was exactly where she had pointed it.

They went to the temple & worshipped. The Pujari (priest) told them that tonight was Ammavasya (the new moon) & there was a special Netra Puja ritual at midnight. He invited them to come.

They went back to the hotel. It grew dark. They prepared to return. The hotel owner was surprised to see them leave late. On realizing that they were going to the Smashanam, he was shocked. "It is scary to go there in the day. It is crazy to go in the night! Why?" They explained the invite to the special Puja.

They reached the Smashanam. They heard loud sounds with cries of "Jai Mata". It was scary. They made their way to the temple. The Pujari performed the puja. He finished. He put his head on Tara's feet. The mother was next. He was next. Finally, she.

When she put her forehead to the feet, she was physically thrown back a few feet. And there was a big red mark on her forehead. Everyone, including the Pujari were startled.

Then, the Puja was over. They made their way back to the car. On their way back, they met with an accident. The mother was injured & hospitalized. Others were unhurt. Would the mother survive? Was this was she had perceived?

However, the mother recovered. And she could no longer perceive anything foreboding in the mother's future.

Did Tara simply reduce the bad Karma of an impending end to mere injuries and hospitalization? Why did Tara physically throw her back? Was it just removal of bad Karma? Only Tara, the divine mother herself with her mysterious nature knows.

The four Vairagyas

Vairagya means determination. Pursuing a spiritual path requires Vairagya. There are four Vairagyas.

1. Prasava Vairagyam: When one is pregnant, the desire for a safe pregnancy can lead some on the spiritual path temporarily.

2. PurAna/UpanyAsa Vairagyam: Puranas are old spiritual texts. Listening to spiritual talks, reading spiritual works can help the restless mind focus temporarily on a spiritual goal. This is the easiest path, but requires repeated reminders, by repeated reading & listening.

3. Smashana Vairagyam: Smashanam means cremation ground. A close encounter with death can result in one turning spiritual. This can also happen when death or a close encounter visits close family or friends. This is likely to exist longer, but will still be temporary in nature.

4. Gnana Vairagyam: Gnanam means knowledge. Once people realize the inner truth for themselves, they know. There are people who meditate for long periods of time, and have done so consistently for decades. They have realized the value & persist with their practice. Their practice becomes a Sadhana, which means achievement, also implying the only achievement that truly matters.

Source: Haridas Giri Upanyasam

Bharathi-Chinna Payal

Bharathi when asked to say the deprecating பாரதி சின்னப் பயல் (Bharathi is a small boy), did a play on the words:
காந்திமதிநாதனைப் பார் அதி சின்னப் பயல் (Gandhimathinathan is the smallest boy in the world-BhAr).

Realizing immediately that he had disrespected an elder, modified it to the original request, deprecating himself, as per the original request.
காந்திமதி நாதனைப் பாரதி சின்னப் பயல்

The full verses:
"ஆண்டில் இளையவன் என்ற‌ந்தோ அகந்தையினால் ஈண்டிங்கு இகழ்ந்தென்னை ஏளனம்செய் ‍ மாண்பற்ற‌ காரிருள்போல் உள்ளத்தான் காந்திமதி நாதனைப் பாரதி சின்னப் பயல்"

"ஆண்டில் இளையவன் என்றுஐய அருமையினால் ஈண்டின்று என்றன்தன்னை நீயேந்தினையால் மாண்புற்ற‌ காரதுபோல் உள்ளத்தான் காந்திமதி நாதற்கு பாரதி சின்னப் பயல்"

Ayodhya-ownership history

Ayodhya land ownership summary: A temple is built. Demolished. The land bought back by the Hindus. A mosque called Masjid-I-Janmastan is constructed after the buy-back. Still, the Hindus aren't allowed to own the land.

Details:

Hindus construct a Rama temple in Ayodhya. Demolished. Suspect is Babar, but during British rule, the Ayodhya pages in the Babar Nama go missing. Travelers (William Finch (1611), Jonnes De Laet (1631), Thomas Herbert (1640)) who describe Ayodhya in detail record no mosque. 

Hindus are prevented from worshipping there.

Amber Rajput Raja, Sawai Jai Singh buys the land from the Mughals in 1717 CE, recorded in Mughal records in the Kapad Dwar map as Janmasthan. Temple spires are shown. Hindus commence worship.

The temple spires are demolished. A mosque is built, called Masjid-I-Janmasthan. Suspect is Aurangzeb per oral history, but no primary sources.

Hindus worship inside the mosque.

British ban Hindu entry into the mosque in 1858. Hindus worship outside.

In 1946, British records are forged (with different ink) to rename the mosque from Masjid-I-Janmasthan to Babri Masjid. A copy of the records without the forgery exist, which establishes the forgery.

In 1991, the Indian government revokes legal ownership of all demolished & converted Hindu structures, except Ayodhya, unless a temple is excavated. This was the Places of worship act, 1991. The ASI excavates a temple. Nothing happens.

Analogy-issues

"Humans are the only species to drink the milk of another species beyond infancy."
"Humans do other things that other species can't do. So, it is ok".

What can we learn from this?

The UpamAna PramAnam (Analogy) is the 4th way of acquiring knowledge.

Carvaka (atheism), Vaiseshika (study of material world), Samkya/Yoga (remove the material to realize the non-material divine) don't accept analogies as a valid way of acquiring knowledge.

Analogies, by definition, are never a perfect match. A non-truth seeking debater (Jalpa or Vithanda VAdham) can always find imperfections in an analogy based argument. If you're using analogies in social media, this would be the common nature of the counter.

For a truth-seeker debate (Sam VAtham), analogies are valid. NyAya, (Purva) MimAmsa & VedAnta/Uttara MimAmsa all accept analogies as a valid way of acquiring knowledge.

Parathavar customs

Joe De Cruz: https://youtu.be/Ciu6N80jOWo

In Uvari, a Catholic village of Paravathars, I'd posted the story of how the drunkard Alec Pitchai was banished for visiting the Mutharamman temple. The Mutharamman vigraha had refused to move until she was touched by Alec.

Though the village council banished Alec, what were their customs? When large fish like sharks or whales played near their boats, my brothers, father, grandfather, his brother & all ancestors have a practice that is still followed.

They would place their hand on the head of the whale/shark & say: On my Kumari Aatha, I swear that I will not bother you; you shouldn't bother me.

On the boat, when we see Colombo, we break a coconut for Murugan. When we see Kanyakumari, we break a coconut for Kumari Aatha.

My grandma would sing a lullaby for me. Having the Parathi, Devayani, already as his wife, our Macchaan (brother-in-law) Velavan (Murugan) took a tribal disguise for the Korathi, Valli.

During the rule of the Pandyas, the Parathavas had ruling rights over the pearl coast. They used to worship Madurai Meenakshi, Uttarakosamangai Mangaleshwari, Korkai (Thoothukkudi) Sandana Mariamman, Kanyakumari Aatha since time immemorial.

Given the customs that the Parathavars are still following, is it logical for them to banish Alec for visiting a temple?

Untruth & truth-Tamil saying

Tamizh (தமிழ்) saying: கண்ணால் காண்பதும் பொய், காதால் கேட்பதும் பொய், தீர விசாரிப்பதே மெய்

Many Tamizh sayings are multi-layered with material & spiritual meanings.

Meaning: What you see or hear is false, what you investigate in-depth is the truth.

In essence, don't believe what you see or hear, investigate for the truth.

Vedantic: What you see, hear or perceive of this world is ultimately false. Investigate in-depth who you truly are within, and you'll know the truth.

Reminded of Adi Shankara:
श्लोकार्घेन प्रवक्ष्यामि यदुक्तं ग्रन्थकोटिभिः।
ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्मैव नापरः।

Vivekananda-oranges in Chicago

Once Vivekananda was invited to a party in Chicago. He requested vegetarian food. There was no cooked vegetarian food available. He was fine with just fruits. He was given oranges.

A guy named Francis, came over, and started chatting with Vivekananda, while he was peeling & eating the oranges.
"I pity you."
"Why?"
"Looks like you don't know the science. The orange skin has far more nutrients than the flesh of the fruit. The skin is the best part of the orange."
Vivekananda calmly ate the orange pulp, peeling them off. He then offered the orange skin.
"I'm a Hindu, and we always share the best of what we have with our friends. Dear friend, I'm sharing the best part of the oranges with you."

Source: Haridas Giri Upanyasam on Devi Navaratnamala

Ayutha Puja

In Navaratri, on the 9th day, there is Ayutha Puja (also called Shastra Puja or Saraswati Puja). Ayutha or Shastra means weapon or tool. Weapons, tools, machines & vehicles are all given a rest day, and also celebrated and worshipped, with flowers, turmeric/kumkumam, camphor & incense sticks.

In some cultures, there are no weapons worshipped. Only books, as Saraswati Puja. Why? Because books and knowledge are themselves the weapon.

The buffalo-Kala, Kali & Durga

Kala means time. It also means death. He is shown as riding the Indian water buffalo, which walks slowly. Time & death comes for everyone & everything. Slowly & surely.

Kali represents the female form of time. She destroys the Rakta Bhijasura, the seed demon, who replicates himself. All species replicate themselves. She who destroys everything, species, empires, dynasties, civilizations, ideologies, faiths, religions. This also represents our own mind. One thought leads to another & yet another, constantly replicating. She destroys the chatter in our own mind, leading us to know who we truly are.

Durga is Mahishasura Mardhini, the destroyer of the the Mahisha (buffalo) demon. Mahisha represents the Tamasa Guna (the Guna that represents laziness, ignorance and the inability to differentiate between right and wrong). Durga means difficult to reach. Durga is our own inner Shakti, who is difficult to reach, but once reached through Yoga, is who destroys our Tamasa Guna.

Thiruvannamalai Siddhar-from arrogance to insanity

In Thiruvannamalai, a Devi Upasaka was doing his Girivalam (walking around the holy mountain). He had walked till the Isanya Lingam. This was the olden days, when it was still forested and not as densely populated.
It was hot. He was thirsty. Not a soul in sight. He called out: "Mother, I'm thirsty. Can anyone offer me some water?"
Suddenly, he hears a voice: "Ayya".
He turns around. He sees a Harijan Stree (woman) carrying a pot of water. "Would you like some water?"
He stepped back. How could he accept the water? He refused.
She laughed & vanished right in front of his eyes.
He grew insane. He roamed the streets as a madman. Whenever he saw any woman on the street, he would run and fall at her feet. In his insanity, he saw the divine mother in all women.
One day, he called some people. He said: "Mother is calling me" and instructed them to dig a pit. He went into it. Instructed them to close it. His Samadhi is still there in Thiruvannamalai.

Source: Haridas Giri Upanyasam on Devi Mahatmyam