Given the symbolic representation of the 3 main areas of Omkara, Vishwanath and Kedara marking Lord Shiva’s trident, it brings to mind something very uncanny. I would defer with the theory that the three sacred areas are edged on Lord Shivas’s trident.
Why? These 3 areas on the Gangetic plains with the river Ganges flowing surprisingly South to North within this ancient city of Kashi, as the river meanders through to the Bay of Bengal, resemble something equally spectacular far away in ancient Egypt.
Click on the map for enlarged viewIn the early months of spring, in March when one stands along the banks of the Nile, we can witness a cluster of stars meandering through the skies above. Among these very stars is the famous constellation of Orion, who is identified by the 3 belt stars and the 4 stars that mark his body from shoulders to knees. Orion is one of the most ancient Egyptian Gods, revered and honored in the same way as Aton (Sun god) and Horus (Falcon god). The ancient Egyptians meticulously constructed these pyramids, not just to bury their dead but also to study what is beyond death and recorded them in their Book of the Dead. The 3 pyramids of Giza along the Nile are a mirror image of the 3 belt stars of Orion constellation along the Milkyway galaxy in the months of spring.
Varanasi has a few very striking similarities with Egypt, one which is the very placement of 3 sacred shrines along the river Ganges, mirroring the 3 belt stars of Orion along the cluster of stars of the Milkyway, through the Ganges which surprisingly flows south to north in this city too. It might be taken as coincidence, but a bit of deeper thinking increases the importance of Orion to much more than a mere constellation. Varanasi is the land of the dead, where it is considered a blessing to die in this land and be burnt here. Varanasi might throw light on the importance of obvious constellations, the mirroring of which on earth is still unknown, though meticulously done on the banks of the river Nile and the Ganges possibly.It is also interesting to note other strange similarities found in the left hand path of the worship (Aghora) of Lord Shiva and Kali that involved sadhanas in burial grounds, which was performed in ancient days by Tantriks. This sadhana brought alive the Goddess, Shamshan Tara, before whom appeared a Jackal - a messenger of the Goddess during the ritual. Strangely the description given by various sadhakas regarding the blue hued jackal bears striking resemblance with the jackal god Anubis, who is the god of death and embalming in ancient Egypt.
Could it be that the ancient Hindus and Egyptians had found out some deeper truths that we are completely unaware of today? Could they have been involved in practices and rituals that woke the power of these deities and have them recorded in ancient paintings left behind all over their tomb walls and scriptures for us to see and understand? Is there more to the constellation Orion than 3 belt stars in the night sky?
Varanasi is as much a reflection of the Milkyway galaxy (alias the cosmic ocean) on earth as much as the ancient city of Giza is along the river Nile. The Ganges is as sacred as the Nile and “3 points” were considered the most sacred to both ancient worlds as the belt stars of Orion. While in the case of one civilization these stars represented death marked by pyramids, in the case of the other they celebrated the miracle of life marked by sacred shrines. Each interpreted the science in their own ways, but maybe the truth is the same. What is that truth or science?
We may need to wonder about the cosmic ocean by night more than just lay the ashes to rest into a watery bed of peace.
Click here for more on Shamshan Tara
Disclaimer: This link might hurt religious sentiments, it requires an open mind.
Also read about the life and works of Artist Silpi
44 comments:
Yes, Kavitha, Although night sky has apparently interested many ‘advanced’ contemporary civilizations on the globe, ‘Brahmins of Varanasi’, with their almanacs carried forth since time immemorial, are accepted even by the ‘present day’ astronomers and scientists also to have been highly advanced once upon a time.
Orion, the Hunter, with its famous Belt makes the hunter easy to find in the night sky. It is recognized as the most famous seasonal constellation. No other is more distinguishable or bright as this northern winter constellation.
The ancient Egyptians believed the stars represented the god Osiris. And ancient ‘Indians’ called the constellation as ‘Prajapati’, perhaps based on its appearance like that of a butterfly also (and ‘prajapati’ means Creator, or Brahma, or King, and Lord Shiva’s original consort Sati’s father was also called Daksha Prajapati, while a butterfly in Bengali is also ‘prajapati’!)
As per 'Hindu Mythology', it is conveyed cryptically that one day Prajapati was chasing after one of his daughters. The star Sirius was angered by this, and shot an arrow at the lord. The arrow pierced his waist and remains as his belt!
If due to some reason ‘saptarishis’ the Ursula Major is not visible, the Orion constellation is used as a substitute pointer to the Pole Star…
Sorry! Please read 'Ursa' in place of Ursula!
‘Krishna’, literally ‘Black’ the mysterious, as in ‘Black Art’ and Ma Kali the dark skinned goddess of red tongue, the favourite of Bengalis/ Assamese tantriks - who believably dwells within us as per the Gita - advises each one of us to remain unmoved under all circumstances, through thick and thin.
And, in terms of the dark space or ‘night sky’, the story in the ‘Hindu Mythology’, as a cryptic clue indicates the example of Dhruva Tara the pole star, that is, the ‘fixed star’ identified with the help of two of the pointer stars of Ursa Major, or the Great Bear, to the ‘west’. It is about a truthful King and the ‘seven sages’ the ‘saptarishis’ to us in the the ‘east’, indicated in the story related with Matsyavatar of Vishnu who at the end of the Yuga reached the sky to guide humans on earth, eternally.
Thus, ‘wise Hindus’ perhaps indicated the Pole Star as the believable ‘Heaven in the sky’ (and therefore the advice to Hindus to pray facing either north direction, where ‘Himalaya’ the snowy abode of immortal Shiva-Parvati is, or East where our nearly permanent sun is seen to rise in the morning - both directions thus signifying yoga of Mothers Gouri & Kali), as an image of the centre of our planet Earth, the physical form of Nadbindu or heaven inside earth, the abode of Sati/ Kali who resides in the heart of Shiva!
Talking of Heaven on surface of earth, the story of Pandavas indicates Yamraja the Dharmraja, the agent of death, to have accompanied the five brothers in the form of a dog (symbolically god, written in reverse order – or god’s image!) to the Himalayas, but only the truthful Yudhister believably eventually reached ‘Heaven’ (8 ‘H’s symbolically helping make the ladder to the 'Heaven' that is 'Head' within human form)!
Coming now to dog, members of the dog family recognized today are: Dogs, wolves, coyotes, jackals and foxes – collectively called canids, found almost all over the world and are known for great endurance - rather than sudden bursts of speeds - and for opportunistic and adaptable behaviour. And, side-striped jackals are found in central, east, and southern Africa the 'Dark Continent'…
Nile, literally the blue river in Egypt / Blue jackal of tantriks obviously reflects ‘Neelkantha Shiva’s image’ – projected by Bhootnath Shiva!
its amazing.........to even think such a huge connection......also tells us how small we are in comparison to all the universe.
The interesting part, similar to ‘Hindu belief’ of crematorium as the favourite place of Bhootnath Shiva and also the belief of ‘Trimurty Shiva’, or three-in-one God, that is, Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesha, ‘I’ noticed in the ancient Egyptian necropolis, which consists of the Pyramid of Khufu (the Great Pyramid or the Pyramid of Cheops), the smaller Pyramid of Khafre (or Chephren, and 'sifar' in Urdu, or chiffre in French, means ‘zero’, thus representing the neutral/ detached that is ‘Nirguna’ Shiva) a few hundred metres to the south-west, and the relatively modest-size Pyramid of Menkaure (or Mykerinus) a few hundred meters further south-west…with the Great Sphinx lying on the east side of the complex, facing east, and it is believed that the head of the Great Sphinx is that of Khafre (zero!)...
Yes you are right Shri DS – that’s why when someone appreciates creation of an Urdu language poet, that is, a ‘shayar’, he/ she calls it ‘zarranavazi’, that is the poem to be merely an atom, a dust particle compared to the infinite universe of the Creator!
And, Yogis advised one to remain unmoved under all circumstances – without allowing any ego to imbalance one - a 'tight-rope walker' in human life!
Hanuman is cited as a typical example of surrender in the Formless in the form of a devotee of Lord Rama in Tretayuga and Ganesha the devotee of his mother, Parvati, in Satyuga - to emulate!
'India', therefore, provided the freedom to worship the Creator through any physical form, or pray to Him directly, by surrendering in Him!
Kavitha, Sory! On review ‘I’ find that there is a correction. Chiffre, in French, means numerals (and not zero, which has the same spelling as in English, but with an acent over e’). It needs to be replaced by ‘cipher’, that is, the archaic form of the numerical character ‘0’…
What do you think about this?
"The occasion of Lord Nataraja [Chidambaram] circumambulating the town on his chariot is performed under the constellation of Mrigashira: three stars in the shape of a deer's head, or Orion's head...the old Tamil book showed me that the constellation Orion is the dancing Shiva...
"[another parallel with Egypt is that] the Shiva Nataraja temple has a pair of sphinxes guarding the temple [lion bodies with human faces]..."
-- from a blogger on Sulekha
Mr. Raja Deekshitar
"Everywhere is the Holy Form. Everywhere is Shiva Shakti. Everywhere is Chidambaram. Everywhere is Divine Dance."
--Tirumantiram 2722
I wonder if Orion is indeed not a "hunter" [per the Greeks] at all but in fact a form of our own adorable dancing Shiva Nataraja, Lord of Animals!
The constellation Betelgeuse is already part of it and rules Ardra or the tears of Rudra. And the Chidambaram festival of the Tiruvembalai happens on the Ardra
nakshatra hmm?
And the young unmarried girls rise every morning of the festival to sing mantras to obtain good husbands like Shiva, hmm?
So wonder if the Bull Taurus nearby is actually Nandi then?
When I look at Nandi/ Taurus I see the Pleiades at where his heart would be...and some seers think that the Pleiades are where Kartikkeya same from [--source: Dancing with Shiva].
Well anyways is always nice to have an excuse to think and talk about Shiva. Please excuse if I have given the wrong information or have the wrong views, I am not an expert in this!
Aum Namah Shivaya!
Hi Anonymous,
Nice to have you back. Joshi uncle will have some good company when it comes to comments.
Raja Deekshitar is a fantastic personality. I had the good fortune to meet him at Chidambaram. He has shared his links on teh Sphinx of India on my blog. You can go through it in detail.
I was quite intrigued by the comparison of Orion with Lord Shiva. It enhances a lot fo things in my theory of Varanasi and Giza.
Thanks a lot for that.
Regds
Kavitha
Yes, Shri Anon, Like all roads once were believed to lead to Rome, all physical forms according to 'H' for 'Hindus' believably lead to the one and only Shiva the immortal Bhootnath, the Adbhutnath, the Mahakal, and so on...the Supreme Being/ Supreme Knowledge...
Yogis, who apparently realized man as a model of the universe or an image of God, reportedly exclaimed, "SHIVOHAM!" That is, "I am Shiva!"
Perhaps one could see an image of ‘Digamber Shiva’ - whose garment believably is the blue sky only - in Archemedes (the absent-minded professor, the Greek mathematician, 287-212 B.C.), who reportedly ran straightaway from his bath tub into the streets, after discovering the fraud, crying “Eureka” that is “I have discovered it” when he was seiged with the problem of finding if the King Hieron’s (?) crown was really made from gold by the jeweler and that he had not mixed some siver in it, as was suspected by the King!
Happy Shivaratri!
And this afternoon, during the India-Australia match at Gabba, Brisbane, one saw a few 'streakers' also, similarly in natural clothing, run towards the pitch when the match was in progress!
And, 'I' had earlier also elsewhere indicated 'my' observation regarding the shape of Australia (Down Under country) appearing to me like it was sculpted by the 'panchabhootas' in the form of a Bull's head - perhaps as an image of Nandi the believable vehicle of Shiva! (That is Bhootnath Shiva with His abode at Varanasi, 'India', located in the Northern Hemisphere!)
'I' had elsewhere also indicated how the game of Cricket reflects our Milky Way Galaxy!
All said and done all physical forms apparent in the universe were conveyed as illusory – mere projections of innumerable images by the ‘Third eye’, a dot and also viewed by the ‘Third Eye’, but as innumerable dots (just as 'I' apparenty receive 10 thoughts on the same issue at the same time), which represent Bhootnath Shiva the immortal Supreme Soul, and His transient images respectively!
Dandabat pranam ~
Wow you wouldn't believe what happened! I found a postcard from a university Institute for Astronomy! And guess what it shows: "The Orion Nebula"!
I am not making this up! And on the back says this cute thing: "Infrared image of part of the Orion Nebula that is actively forming new stars."
Wow! That is our adorable Shivji then!
"As a spider spins and withdraws its web , as herbs grow on the earth, as hair groes on the head and body of a person, so also from the Imperishable arises this universe." --Atharva Veda, Mundu 1.1.7.bo UpR, 673
"The knower, the author of time, the possessor of qualities and all knowledge, it is He who envelopes the universe. Controlled by Him, this work of creation unfolds itself--that which is regarded as earth, fire, air, and ether." --Krishan Yajur Veda, Svetu 6.2. UpR, 743
"Behold the universe in the glory of God: and all that lives and moves on earth. Leaving the transient, find joy in the Eternal." --Shukla Yajur Veda, Isau 1. UpM, 49
"Truly God is one, there can be no second. He alone governs these worlds with his powers. He stands facing beings. He, the herdsman, after bringing forth all worlds, reabsorbs them at the end of time." --Krishna Yajur Veda, Sevtu 3.2. VE, 621
"The birth of the world, its maintenance, its destruction, the soul's obscuration and liberation are the five acts of His dance."
--Mrigendra Agama Jnan Pada 2.A3. MA, 58
You look at this postcard and is so beautiful. What do you think, Kavitha didi? Random accident and coincidence, Divine reciprocation?
Spooky: like Shivji listening in or something! Cool also!
Whatever it is: I think most people can agree when they look out at the heavens is awe-inspiring and makes people wonder where do we come from. It's so amazing to think there is a nursery in the universe and baby stars being born.
And our Shivji right there where the action is! His loving glance...
Hope you will have many lovely realizations this Shiv Ratri! And thanks for telling me about meeting Raja Deekshitar and where!
Woohoooweee! You are definitely the girl of the hour!
he Vishwanatha namah Shivaya!
Aum Namah Shivaya
Pranams ~
Uncle Joshi you are adorable, like Srimati Radharani always in ecstasy everything she sees and hears remind her of Krishna.
The Tamal tree she mistake for him and embrace it, the bumblebee she think is a messenger from him and she have lengthy conversation with the bumblebee.
That's a nice sharing about Australia looks like Nandi, now I am going to think about that every time I look at a map of the world.
Here's a sharing back at 'cha: "In the gloom of fear, His six-fold face gleams. In perils unbounded, His vel betokens, 'Fear not.' "
-- Tirumurai 11. KD, 224
Have a blissful Shiv Ratri ~
Aum Namah Shivaya
Dear Shri Anon, Thanks for the greetings! And also for the various quotes – essences realzed by various souls at different ‘apparent times’, for Time is zero for Bhootnath!
As ‘I’ said elsewhere also many times since 2005 in Kavitha’s blog [that ‘I’ came across ‘accidentally’, and thought that whatever ‘I’ as a seeker of truth had so far come to believe ‘I’ should pass on, lest like me the gennext blames their predecessors for withholding knowledge, as comments - which Kavitha hasn’t had time to go through entirely still, because of the ‘generation gap’, perhaps, and for want of time!], ‘I’ believe to have been taken around the whole universe within my mind, particularly since the Eighties. And, ‘I’ believed that if He is alone, how bored He must feel despite being Supreme Knowledge! And, that’s why He perhaps made man a ‘social animal’ and shares knowledge with them, according to each individual’s design capacity, that is, He uses them as ‘different generation computers’ - for retrieval of requisite information from time to time!
Best Wishes!
Hi Joshi Uncle,
Much as I have been through a lot of your comments, (apart from the lack of time to respond to each one of them) I also understand that your comments require a certain mindset as well as some level of knowledge to understand them.
I am just lucky that you have chosen my blog to let out your knowledge in the form of comments. I am all too glad that "Anonymous" has caught on and is close to being a relugar on the site.
Regds
Kavitha
Kavitha, That’s what ‘I’ meant, and said in brief. When she/ they were staying with me, even my daughter(s) used to have no time to hear from me ‘my’ views on ‘spiritual’ matters. 'I' was therefore surprised to read your blog and your interest in 'spiritual' matters!
And, my children never saw me perform rituals independently, which ‘I’ in my childhood had the opportunity to observe because my parents belonged to a typical ‘north Indian brahmin family’, but turned liberal in respect of their children because of the capital’s cosmopolitan environment!
Even ‘I’ got channeled into in-depth study only after certain strange happenings/ events in the northeast, which also then obliged me to recapitulate certain past events also.
As ‘I’ told you earlier also, ‘I’ have enjoyed reading about ‘Hindu Beliefs’ through ‘different eyes’, wherever available, and commenting in the blog(s)/ reacting to newspaper articles, although, as you also perhaps know, there was a pressure on me from certain quarters to start my own blog.
However, ‘I’ didn’t want it to become an obligation – ‘I’ wanted to maintain detachment with attachment, in the ‘true Hindu Belief’ as long as it is possible!
In fact, with my impulsive nature, 'I' hadn't expected 'I' would continue this long and that too regularly - already over three years! Prabhu's Maya!
Best wishes for a Happy Shivaratri!
Happy Shiv Ratri all!
Blissful blessings and love to all!
Uncle Joshi, do you remember you were telling us Orion [Shiva!] has the two dogs Canis Major and Minor.
And we know that Yudhisthira could not get rid of the dog following him to heaven. And in fact was a god testing him? [I am sorry I forget which one].
Then you were telling us dogs are in the family of wolves? Well there is a very interesting book you might like an idea from, the title is a bit bizarre but please bear with me. Is called "Women Who Run with the Wolves" by Clarissa Pinkola Estes PhD.
In it she says that the oral traditions of the world are there to tell us many secrets and truths. And one of the secrets is that we each belong to a tribe.
So is interesting what you were describing why you appreciate Kavithaji's blog is you can share your heart, your knowledge, your chit and ananda with us.
The basic idea is each soul has its own tribe. I believe is a poem by Emily Dickinson like that: "The soul selects its own society."
So perhaps that is one of the little miracles of when you can find a safe place in which to share your heart and very soul nature. That is what Dr. Pinkola Estes is saying in her work. She says that the ancient stories are ways in which our ancestors were giving hints how to find our tribe.
And sometimes the dominant culture, if it was corrupt or under the influence of Kali yuga, perhaps it mess up the stories a bit, just to control or manipulate people more easily. So her life's work is to share how to recognize the truth, how to intuit it: the chit and ananda and sat behind it.
Well that's just one thing. I love the idea that Shiva is The Divine Who Runs with the Wolves, as Orion. Because only a very special man can be so hip and sensitive! And if Shiva is the ultimate and topmost of everything, must be the most hip person also!
Now to my dear Kavitha didi and Uncle Joshi. I feel like to get that postcard of Orion is like to receive a kiss from Shiva. Like the Seal song "Kiss of a Rose". Or like The Police song, "Message in a Bottle".
And Uncle Joshi I love your idea that the Divine longing to have other minds to interact with. Yes don't you think so? I think so totally! And at every moment is the goal of the yogi, to be in communication with Shiva. I think is saturated with love or prema.
Now for both, a question: when I hear Nadi it sounds like radio waves. So is this like coming from another universe, Nada Loka? In your opinion what can you tell me?
All of my life I try to learn more about this. Is it like Aum and the sound of everything: all the three worlds in harmony?
Is it like a kiss from father Shiva to the baby jeeva, on the forehead, from the Orion nebula? And from inner space and the realms beyond the 36 tattvas that are the sheaths or sariras surrounding the ananda-maya kosha?
Anyway sorry if I ask too many questions.
Aum Namah Shivaya
He Vishwanatha Om Namah Shivaya
Namaskar,
Joshi uncle, u have mentioned in ur previous comments that you witnessed some strange happenings in the northeast......Can you please share it with us, if you don't ming.........even i am interested in knowing more about the spiritual side of Hinduism, which unfortunately is getting hidden.....
Shri DS, ‘I’ think ‘I’ have already written how ‘I’ believed for many years that there was some supreme being that was taking care of the entire universe - from a mouse to an elephant, from a dust particle to a nebula. And that it didn’t need me to advise Him in His day-to-day works! ‘I’ could never believe that ‘I’ could in some way, in fact, be closely related with Him - the Supreme Being! “Kahan Gangua teli/ Kahan Raja Bhoj!” That’s the saying in Hindustani, to the effect that there is no comparison between a valiant King and some inferior or negligible character in his empire! And, because of a parrot, in Shimla where 'I was born, generally called Gangaram, 'I' apparently also was came to be called 'Gangu', in short in the childhood!
Of course, in my childhood, ‘I’ was told by someone that Shiva’s ‘rashi’ is ‘Makar’ (Moon in the tenth house), the same as mine, and the astrologer who had cast my horoscope had indicated one of my names suggested as ‘Bholaram’! And, my siblings used to make fun of me because of it as it indicated to them a simple or foolish person!
Although, ‘I’ have already elsewhere repeated it, ‘I’ believe the apparent ‘turning pont’ in my present life was the ‘spiritual’ incident when my then youngest, a little over 10-year-old daughter, on 8th Dec ’81, asked me if my flight to Imphal from Guwahati was cancelled! And ‘I’ hadn’t even left for Borjhar Airport (‘Borjhar’ in Assamese means ‘ber tree’, and the bigger sized ‘shalagram’ shaped version of this red coloured (Kali’s-tongue-like) fruit is associated with Shiva). And, when ‘I’ reached the airport, ‘I’ learnt that the flight was delayed, as it hadn’t started at the scheduled time from New Delhi due to some mechanical defect (and that was perhaps the time when she had asked me that). And even when the plane arrived, for the disappointment of all passengers, the pilot declared he wasn’t going to Imphal and would return from Gauhati itself!
It was only after many hours of pondering over it, ‘I’ realized that the date happened to be the same as ‘my’ mother’s 3rd death anniversary (by Gregorian calendar), and New Delhi happened to be the location where her physical body had spent most of the time since 1940 when my father was transferred from Shimla, in the now Himachal Pradesh (Punjab then).
And also, numerologically, the magical figure ‘8’ ('eight, the child of fate') happens to be my number – and it is associated with ‘anant’ or infinity (when made to lie down!), and also with Krishna the ‘eighth and the lucky son’ of Ma Devki! And my mother also had eight children, two of whom saw sunlight for just over 1 year or so!
In short, ‘I’ came to realize this as a communication from Kamakhya/ Kali/ Krishna/ Bhootnath, for ‘I’ had seen my parents fasting on birthdays of Krishna (Janmashtami) and Shiva (Ratri) only, which ‘I’ too did for long and discontinued when ‘I’ was getting educated in Civil Engineering and staying in a hostel with students belonging to different regions/ religions…
Shri Anon, Now let’s come to the ‘wild wolf’ and the domesticated, or evolved, version of it, that is, the faithful most animal, ‘dog’!
And, a Hindu perhaps knows that Bhairavnath, or child Shiva, is symbolically represented in the human form as a person (please refer Kavitha’s posting about it) with disheveled fiery hairs, and attached through a leash to a ‘dog’, or maybe a ‘wild wolf’ (‘I’ relate it with the paper-kite & the kite-flier also, before it takes off high, and higher into the air - to touch or kiss the ‘sky’ - thus acting as a link between earth and sky!).
However, with the background 'scientific' knowledge of Moon to have evolved from our once upon a time original planet, Earth-Moon itself, (Ardhanarishwar to a Hindu perhaps), and also the story of Shiva lifting Sati’s mortal body (that originally was at His heart, that is core of earth), that is, His original consort’s body from the ‘sacred fire’ (a volcano for a ‘scientist) on His shoulder until it was cut away by Narayana with his ‘chakra’, ‘I’ could also relate the phenomenon with Earth (Green) & Moon (Yellow, the Guru), or Shiva, and Parvati, Shiva’s second consort, believably another form of Sati Herself!
“Bird’s of the same feather, gather together,” could perhaps indicate, similarly, that ‘similar souls gather together’, that is, 'like-minded' people gather together – perhaps in some ‘gangster’s den’, or in some ‘Ashram on Ganga’s banks’!
Further from Mumbai, if and when ‘I’ have access to a computer.
Till then Happy Shiva-ratri to all!
Read flock for gather pl!
Joshi Uncle ~
Is your daughter still psychic like that ["flight delayed, Dad"]?
Many cultures have this idea that the departed communicate with us. In India is there a concept on the death anniversary do some samskara or mentally communicate with the ancestors on Pitrloka?
In Japan and Buddhism has this concept. You have a memorial service on the different anniversaries of the passing.
Although in Tibetan Buddhism they believe that soul-to-soul communication in form of heartfelt sentiments and prayers may be even more powerful than that of a paid priest, just because of the heart connection.
In Hawaii has the concept also of those who have passed on have different ways of communicating with the living. One way is if you see a small rainbow standing on its end, from the ground, about the size of a person or deva, then "that is your ancestors trying to communicate with you, give you blessings".
So also perhaps was your mom her spirit very powerful saying "I love you, never forget me, I never forget you." In many stories has the idea the force of a woman's love is so strong. For example in Hinduism one lady's love keep the sun from setting in the sky [Savitri?]. And even in modern films one movie "LA Story" with Steve Martin and Victoria Tennant, has a scene her airplane is forced to turn around and go back to LA because how strong is love. And has some mystical music by Enya to illustrate the concept also.
Okay one last thing I enjoy your idea to "kiss the sky". It remind me of Jimi Hendrix "Xcuse me while I kiss the sky". The devotee receive postcard from Shiva "Miss you, wish you wre here in Orion Nebula with me. Love Shiva" and the devotee kiss the sky.
Anyway is kind of fun to remember Shiva.
Also about civil engineer/ silpin sampradaya, my son has PhD in that, and works in university civil engineer department. And is the kind of person like he came to this planet to do that job. As soon as he saw contest to design a bridge for kids, he cannot rest until he produce the best and win even over the older children. And he married into a family the father of his wife a civil engineer.
I believe in Hinduism is some punya that job to build bridges, roads, etc. hmm? And of course the big boss Vishwakarma. And I really admire any civil engineer, I think they are like demigods can make stone lighter than air, one of the siddhis.
Aum Namah Shivaya
Pranams all ~
I was wondering if the three cities' locations occur on the micro level as well, in addition to the famous Indian and Egyptian macro locations.
I was thinking about Uncle's comment that each Hindu sees the Divine everywhere. Then remembering that each society which came under the influence of Hinduism has a Meru somewhere.
When I was younger I was like ~ how can there be so many Merus? Which one does Shiva live at? and "Oh those poor poor people who don't really have the real Meru" [!]
But then as I got older, many guru-didi and guru-bhai acquaintances and I noticed that we could see the equivalent of Braj Mandala everywhere. We asked our mentor about it, he said, "Oh yes, I see Braj everywhere, I am never separated from it." We were astonished even the examples he gave. Then we started applying the same concept.
So I became curious, took out the map of where I live, and I notice this same structure also of how the cities and sacred spots all lined up in similar row as Kasi/ Varanasi and the Pyramids.
In fact is so obvious I wonder why I never notice it before!
Anyway this is a fun thing, now when I travel hither and thither in my own part of the world I will think, "I am going to Kasi".
This relate to Kavithaji' sharing of how we are so much under the influence of the stars. Already I feel like idiot because as soon as I say, "Oh Rahu is nothing" then I remember "Is only nothing because you are out of grip of that hellish Saturn-Rahu period. How easily we forget! Shame on you!"
So I noticed in a book about the Chinese Mystery schools of Taoism, they think the entire universe has very strong affect on us. Not only every planet but every star. Is there for the serious astrologers also: you can calculate asteroids, fixed stars on www.astro.com even.
So now I am wondering if those three stars exert some kind of influence on Bhu-loka, that causes things below to line up aligned with them.
That's why I appreciate Uncle's bhasya and sharings on Kavithaji's blog. I like thinking of how the teachings happen on many levels. That was another thing we learn from our mentor: how there are deeper and deeper meanings to everything.
So I enjoy reading Uncle's different spins on everything. Because at some point if only cling to the external and literal stories then we may become all like, "Huh? What? That doesn't make any sense! How can that have happened? Oh these are just stories."
So I appreciate these different interpretations, then makes more sense to me. Can appreciate life on the inner level. That's what I notice happens alot on this site, why I was drawn to it. Has a very big archive of the inner mystical explanations.
Aum Namah Shivaya!
Pranams all~
Another "postcard from Shiva" today. This time a book "Ceremony" by Leslie Marmon Silko. Author rec'd a five year MacArthur Foundation "genius" award in 1983.
pg 1: "Ts'ts'tsi'nako, Thought-Woman, is sitting in her room and whatever she thinks appears. She thought of her sisters Nau'ts'ity'i and I'tcts'ity'i and together they created the Universe...Thought-woman, the spider, named things and she named them as they appeared..."
This remninded me of in the archives of this blog describes the Pakshi Sastra and how a spider on your altar is auspicious...
p.170-176
A Native American legend about how to break out of delusion [paraphrased and summarized].
In the native American version, Maya is represented by a magician called Kaup'a'ta or the Gambler.
In this legend, how a person becomes free of the influence of maya or delusion is they must guess what is in the Gambler's bag.
Spider Woman aka Mother Goddess of the Universe tells Earth planet personified that the way to have more magic than the Gambler is when he quizzes you what is in his bag of tricks, you must shout out, "The Pleiades!" and to the second trick question he gives you, you must guess "Orion!".
"And then EVERYTHING-his clothes, his beads, his heart and the rainclouds will be yours."
The earth planet personified did this, was able to break the spell of delusion of the Gambler, "then he opened the doors of the four rooms" and called out "My children! I have found you! come home, children, come home."
Aum Namah Shivaya
Hi S/ Shri Anon, DS and all! 'I' am now here with my daughter in Mumbai. Although 'I' can't say why, she perhaps acted as a medium to convince me of the existence of the supreme being.
The incident cited acted as an 'eye opener', so to say. 'I' wondered why SHE didn't communicate with me directly? why through my daughter? But, anyway, it acted as an event that made my thoughts dwell more upon the 'super natural' - unllike in the past, when 'I' thought it wasn't my concern.
It was only after about 18 months ofr that particular incident that 'I' felt SHE did speak to me directly - when she apparently told me what 'I' was supposed to buy from the market! 'I' have elsewhere narrated that incident earlier also - a remarkable phenomenon for me, but an ordinary happening for my wife and others who heard of it. They thought maybe some person in the vicinity had said 'koni' (egg in ASssamesse) and 'I' believed it as hearing it spoken by some one or something about 4 inches above my left ear!
But, the phenomenon had a repetition of some sort when 'I' heard some song in a female voice issuing from a typical colour used by females, ie, a magenta shawl used by a male standing close to me in a city bus in New Delhi, that had passengers packed like sardines ('I' have earlier also narrated that incident)!
More later...
'Shivoham!' But, the imperfect one!
Namaskar Joshi Uncle, Kavitha di and Shri Anon.
Even i had a similar experience a month back, when i was describing to my friends how people say that once u visit shirdi u are bound to visit again, and i havnt gone there since my first visit which was 11 years ago.......I was just showing my disbelief in the saying.........and the next week suddenly my nephew asked me to join their group which was bound for shirdi over the weekend, and i felt as if Sai Baba has truly called me to visit him.........
I was always a religious plus spiritual person, but now due to this incidence I have started believing more in spirituality and I am really proud to be following a religion which allows me the freedom for quest and is also ready to answer any question that i might have.......I am also thankful to have reached this blog where i have got so much insight into life because of kavitha di's beautiful articles.........
The interesting part is that 'I' attracted queries even from five-year-old grand daughter of my elder sister once that 'I' narrated earlier also elsewhere. 'I' thouight it was a 'wrong number' when 'I' heard a child' voice on phone many years ago and surprisingly learnt it was her(she is 11 now)! The conversation led to God! 'I' asked her if she knew where God lived? She said that all those who die go to the sky. But, she didn't know where God went (meaning that she was aware that God doesn't die)!!!
'I' told her He was within everyone! In response to which she asked why she didn't see Him then! 'I' told her that if she closed teh eye, she would see light - and that it is Him! She excitedly said she saw te light, but then why He didn't fulfil her wish!!!
That was a difficult question to answer, even to a grown up! So, 'I' told her that He has not only her to look after but the whole universe - the stars, planets, insects, animals, and billions other humans. Therefore, He can't fulfil all the wishes of just one person...
'I' was happy that she didn't pursue it further!!!
'I' had earlier also narrated how another small girl in the neighbourhood had surprised me by reading my 'mind'!!!
'Krishna', 'I' then had felt was definitely mischievous as 'I' wondered whether 'I' had an ESP by virtue of which 'I' had managed to implant my thought in her brain, or was she a more evoloved soul than 'me'!
Shri Anon, The youngest daughter, like her eldest sister who is now in the USA with her family, has grown into a graphic designer and has been engaged with design works related with publication of travel guides, brochures, and so on. And, now for a few months only she is engaged with the publication of a fortnightly magazine, besides taking care of her nine-month-old son in a Metropolis of great distances and different modes of transport and irregular working hours.
'I' have learnt a lot from her about practical use of the digital computer, although 'I' also attended a week's course on PC, whereas 'I' had the opportunity to use big computers for a few years where we used to write programmes ourselves for solving certain problems related with design of structures, and was involved with design of bridges also...but was involved with construction of temporary bridges with logs of wood in a hilly river.
Yes, it gives a feeling of happiness a gardner also perhaps derives when he sows a seed, and before the tree can start yielding fruits he moves to some other barren field! And, Krishna says one shouldn't bother for fruits - and leave those for him to decide, perhaps because we can't know good from bad and get tempted by the 'forbidden fruits' only!
Hi Joshi Uncle, Sri Anon, D Streaks,
Just wanted to wish everyone a Belated Happy Shivaratri. To say the least it was the most peaceful evening ever :)
Also wanted to thank Sri Anon and D Streaks for bringing alive the discussions with Joshi Uncle.
Regds
Kavitha
Pranams all ~
Thanks Kavitha, I feel happy also to have found snigda and [?sorry I forget the other Sanskrit word ~ is it sahaja ?] "like-minded and affectionate" association which is required for the development of bhakti. Glad your Shiv Ratri was full of peace and contentment: santi and santosha. Bright blessings to you, didi!
Uncle Joshi, love all of your responses. Thank you for your sharing. That's another coincidence now, in the past one of my jobs was graphic designer.
The most satisfying was winning design contests and doing design work for charities and non-profit organizations. And my son's wife's brother is a graphic designer also.
Seems there is a connection between the silpins and the graphic designers as creativity and visualization is involved. But alas I lack the math and physics aptitude.
My son also has some psychic ability as indicated in his chart. When he was in the first grade and he told his little friends: "Something bad happened to my mom today." And right when he told them that, I had been in a car accident.
Also when he was older he and his wife were on vacation. They are both engineers and very practical minded people, so they both were alarmed when they BOTH saw a ghost in their hotel room. And BOTH saw the ghost pick up a pillow and move it across the room.
Then in the middle of the night I get phone call, "Mom, Mom, we saw a ghost, what should we do?!!!"
I replied, "You have to go to the hotel restaurant and get some salt. Then go to the room saying (a) name(s) of God and sprinkle the salt in all the corners of the room".
In the Garuda Purana it mentions the manes [ghosts] love salt and many other cultures have this tradition: the native Hawaiians sprinkle salt in all the corners of the room to purify a home, and the Japanese make little piles of salt outside buildings for the same purpose. Is so cute like how wasabi is piled up on your plate of sushi into a mini-pyramid [oh my god there's Giza again! heh heh]
Anyways they tried that and it worked. They both [!] literally saw the ghost grab the salt and fly out the window. Now my daughter-in-law always carries salt with her wherever she goes!
So although I am math and physics impaired, my son said is nice to have an expert in metaphysics he can call and can give free advice during non-office hours in the family!
Bright blessings to all...
Aum Namah Shivaya!
Pranams ~
Joshi Uncle, with regards to why God does not fulfill our wishes, I like this response I read in "Loving Ganesha". I don't know if it's true or not, but the idea of it gave me some comfort.
The idea proposed was Ganesha and the devas listen to our prayers or receive our written prayers in a homa. Then they look at our karmas 100 years in the past and 100 years into the future. Then based on they can see the bigger picture, they arrange for what will go best with the future prarabdha karmas.
Also same author proposed that the Istha Devata will sometimes make a major correction in the devotee's life. It is to avoid a mental abyss or similar situation not harmonious with our future karmas.
Well that's a few explanations I ran into. I like the idea that SOMEONE knows what is going on with me!!! And I like the idea that alot of people are working on it also.
The author explains that in the Devaloka that there are councils of devas who work telepathically on our requests. We ask Ganesha, Lord of Categories, then He has his middle managers: the demigods and devas, and they have their assistants who make everything happen. Kavithaji mentioned even all of the planets are involved.
So doesn't that make you feel like a Bollywood or Hollywoood A List celebrity or Superstar?!! That we each have so many "handlers"! And so many people are working on us. Is kind of funny.
Even there is a song out like that now ~ is it by U2? "If you are who you say you are, a Superstar, then have no fear..."
That is why it makes sense Uncle puts "I" into quotation marks. Because he is understanding that Joshi Uncle Superstar is different from the pure soul in its body of bliss, the ananda-maya-kosha. The hype and the spin of the ahamkara tattva [external ego] is different from the real self relaxed and at peace.
Have a nice Amavasya and Dvitiya: the outbreath of the old lunar cycle and inbreath of another
new beginning
Aum Namah Shivaya
Hi all! The essence of 'Hindu belief' that 'I' ('aham' in the evolved language, Sanskrit, meaning both, the first person as well as pride - to make one conscious of ego, likely to creep into one's head) came to realize was that we all were believed to be 'bhootas' or 'ghosts'. However, the luckier ones appear to have human forms, although having hierarchy in status in between them also, along with inferior animal forms, and some still inferior, like low battery charge cells, appearing only as 'bad instruments' or what we call them alone as 'ghosts' or poorest souls having no apparent physical form!
Pyramid (literally 'fire within')shape itself, irrespective of material used, even salt say that believably cannot be repaid if ingested by a person, is found to act as a form that can help entrap energy within it - and thus used as a 'burial ground' for the 'rich and famous' at any time - with the hope and belief that at some stage the same entrapped soul would find a body with a superior elevation because of rest, or relatively more elevated soul again.
Yogis also used to be buried, and not cremated, with the hope that only good souls should reappear in new bodies in 'future' to help evolution with time and not deterioration...
And, Yogis - the wisest of wise men - realized man as an eight-storeyed civil engineering structure, a bottle-shaped creation complete with a stopper, in the form of a head (reflections seen in the various 'Djinn in bottle' stories!). A reflection of which is seen in man-made medicine/ alcohol bottle that has eight or so doses marked by lines on the bottle itself or on pasted paper strip to indicate the doses, one each to be consumed at regular intervals during a day!
The 'astrologers', among them, considered man similarly to be formed of essences of selected members of the solar system, or 'grahas' in which energy/ information is locked up ('graha' also meaning crocodile, a wonderfully designed aquatic animal that has a solid grip in its jaws, capable of locking even an elephant).
Palmists saw the fingers represent the basic planets, represented by primary colours, yellow (Index finger), red (little finger) and blue (the middle finger), and white (Ring finger). While the thumb represented Orange colour (yoga or union of Red + Yellow, associated with Hanuman/ Ganesha). The three blank spaces between the four fingers, each appears to stand for Ketu (infrared), Rahu (ultra violet), and the neutral colour Green, whereas the blank space between thumb and index finger represents the Absolute neutral or zero that forms the base for Head and Life lines, whereas the outer-most line of the palm below the little finger forms the base of apparent zero that is the centre of our earth, the heart of Shiva, reflected by the Heart line!
Thus the likely behaviour of the concerned instrument apparently could be easily read, but by 'expert Palmists' only...who are rare specimens today...
Thank you for sharing all that knowledge!
Aum Namah Shivaya
Hi! There is generally a term used, "Thumb Rule" in the 'scientific field' also.
The Thumb Rule about the lines on the palm that 'I' realized was that the 'life line' throughout its length, in the ideal case in both palms (that reflect the two hemispheres of the universe/ earth), should encircle the thumb (indicating firm attachment with mooladhar or base); Head LIne shoiuld run straight to the inner end of the palm while Heart line, on the other half should run straight to the outer end of the palm.
But, they normally won't and there would be seen innumerable variations from one person to another, and from one palm to the other of the same person as part of the 'grand design' - the reflection of the designed variation is seen in water, where it is the impurities within tolerable range in water render taste to it as compared to distilled water, which is tasteless! And God, the Formless, also believably is inert or 'nirguna'!
Thus man is expected to remain unmoved under all circumstances while constantly learning from 'Nature' and appreciating the wonderful design, just as we appreciate 'man-made creations'...even MF Hussain's paintings, say, when those are within our tolerance limit, which unfortunately is the lowest in Kaliyuga!
Sri Anon, Joshi Uncle
I have heard that in UK during the ancient times, when a dead body was taken out of the house, the family would put salt at the back door and also hang down a horse shoe magnet over the door, so that the spirit was happy and never bothered them after that.
I have also heard independently that spirits do not leave the location straight after death but hang around for 13 days before they are gone.
During this time the family keeps them happy offering food etc, lighting a lamp etc till the spirit of the dead has truly left.
Its during this period that the garuda purana is read. It is not meant to be read on any other occasion.
Regds
Kavitha
Kavitha, Shri Anon, In the northeast, due to a catastrophic earthquakes in June 1897, a large part of Meghalaya and Assam experienced destruction of all masonry structures, which led to light bamboo matting walls etc being put to use. And, again in August 1950, the old Sadiya Town was comploetely washed away due to resultant floods in River Brahmaputra due to landslides in its upper reaches in Arunachal Pradesh on account of yet another earthquake. Besides these two historical earthquakes, the northeast region of the Lower Himalayas is known to be highly earthquake prone. It is thus also understood as one of the many energy centres or 'shakti pithas' and has the Kamakhya Temple located at the place where believably the genitals of Sati had fallen when Narayana had cut away her dead body into 51 pieces with His 'chakra'!
And, 'scientists' have known Himalayas to have been formed because of tectonic movements of plates under the bed rocks and the rocks folding up from under the seabed in the North of Jambudweep, the island that 'India' was known to have been in the long lost past...thus all hills are believed to house energy centres and had been considered as ideal locations for temples everywhere in the country in order to receive energy within self - like a mobile phone needs to be charged from time to time!
Kavitha, 13 days was generally considered the period during which the soul that was once entrapped for long within a human body believably hovered around 'due to slavery of time, after its death. And, hence the need to redirect it towards 'heaven' after which the concerned soul would be rid of the eternal cycle of birth and death in animal forms...and hence the proper last rites suggested...
Only those souls that had originally been inside young bodies and, therefore, hadn't matured enough, believably functioned like 'low battery mobiles' that still needed to be charged after accidental release from the original bodies...and thus those believably sought to displace some inferior souls within weak human bodies that aren't trained enough to take precautionary/ remedial measures...
The ancient Hindus had apparently gained in-depth knowledge on such matters and the knowledge was apparently disseminated all over the country - a wonderful system of communication was thus apparently developed in the country! And we believe them to have been fools who adopted practices blindly!
Pranams all!~
Hi hi Kavithaji, thanks the info on the British were using salt for purification back in the day. It's interesting to me these universal concepts especially when they are also part of the Sanatana Dharma.
Joshi Uncle, if I may humbly ask, you know so much about the hand analysis, is there a particular source that you studied to learn all of this knowledge? For example is it from oral history of your childhood, or a teacher, or books, or all of the above? Thanks.
To all ~ I noticed a day is coming up soon I do not know too much about: Panguni Uttiram. I was wondering Joshi Uncle or Kavithaji
what can you tell me about the special metaphysics behind this festival? Thanks!
I found out the basics from a google search, but would like to know more so I can be more in tune with the special day when it arrives on March 21. Thank you!
I hope everyone is doing well; tonight I saw the beautiful sliver of moon, look like a happy face smile, peek from behind the dark cloud at sunset that was hiding it.
I feel happy our discussions here; when I saw it I think about the playfulness of the Divine that we were discussing and thought the cloud was playing with the moon.
And also played a game with little kid who can see the first star of the evening. When we saw it, I thought about our talks about Orion and how the vastness of space is hidden from our vision but yet is still there regardless.
So is nice this blog, I feel a deeper kinship with nature and its beauty when I remember our talks.
Also, do you know there was a TV show called "Cheers" is about a place you can go to chat and relax "where everyone knows your name". So is interesting the name you assign to me is the nickname [first part] that my grandmother gave to me out of affection.
That is why I hesitated to give my name, I wanted to know: do YOU know my name, what name do YOU give me? So is nice I like the name you give me and is same [first part] nickname as from grandmother! Because no one call me that name since she has passed on, so is a special thing to me.
Well, is like one more reason why it feels like "home" here, just checking in with old friends!
I also like the "Anon" part you added; is similar to how Uncle use his quotation marks around the word "I". And humorous, I enjoy it!
Well, bright blessings everyone ~ all the best!
Aum Shanti Shanti Aum
Aum Namah Shivaya
Shri Anon, It was our eldest brother who once upon a time acted as the Guru of all his siblings. It was he who during one summer vacation, perhaps in the early Fifties, intiated 'me', his assistant, into the subject of palm reading when he brought home Cheiro's book. He later on discontinued, but 'I' happened to continue with it.
In this process 'I' have as an amateur palmist seen many palms and the different apparent variations.
'Krishna' within 'me' had apparently shown his presence when my mother on a Janmashtammi day took me along as an escort to Lakshaminarayan Temple near our residence and once there suggested 'me' to go ahead on my own to view the scenes believably related with the mythological stories on the life of Krishna.
'I' have described elsewhere earlier how 'I' was virtually crushed between innumerable visitors on the staircase and thought 'I' was dead! For, 'I' was carried up in absolute darkness without my feet touching the steps!
Later in the Eighties only 'I' read how a massive star gets transformmed into a Black Hole towards its end of life as a star! And, then only 'I' was in a position to correlate the childhood phenomenon as a communication from 'Krishna' and also the realization that the wise ancients had also realized Krishna as the Black Hole that is believably housed at the centre of our galaxy!
'I' had found it funny when a lady staff member on my transfer in the year '75 had presented me with the Gita! And, the next 9 years or so later 'I' read its essence when 'I' had finally returned back to New Delhi, and wondered why 'I' hadn't read it earlier!
'Holi', the festival of colours (contaqined in white light) in the month of 'Phalguna', on the Full Moon day following Mahashivaratri (birthday of Swayambhu Shiva, the one who appeared on His Own, the unborn and unending) on the New Moon day before it, is associated with 'Krishna' the representative of Vishnu and the milkmaids of Gokul and Brindaban. And, in Dwaperyuga in human form Krishna the flute player and having the conch-shell that was called 'panch-janya' (producer of panchabhootas) was the best friend of Arjuna (a typical model of our Sun) and his brother Pandavas, Yudhister related with Earth, Bhima related with Mars...
Its amazing to see such a blog which is trying to bring the TRUTH out.
I recommend u to visit the following link to understand more about Shiva, Orion, ardra and their connection.
http://www.socionix.com/misc/astro/06%20Ardra.htm
This link is about the connections between Shiva natraja in chidambaram temple of tamilnadu and the pyramids of egypt, written by a Deekshitar (gaurdian) of the temple.
http://www.rramakrishnan.com/Articles/Hinduism/Orions-Cosmic.txt
astrology is a very important part of hinduism. There are astrological connections for lord Ganesh, lord Indra, lord Vishnu, Brahma and the like.
We still need to find those!
Its amazing to see such a blog which is trying to bring the TRUTH out.
I recommend u to visit the following link to understand more about Shiva, Orion, ardra and their connection.
http://www.socionix.com/misc/astro/06%20Ardra.htm
This link is about the connections between Shiva natraja in chidambaram temple of tamilnadu and the pyramids of egypt, written by a Deekshitar (gaurdian) of the temple.
http://www.rramakrishnan.com/Articles/Hinduism/Orions-Cosmic.txt
Astrology plays a major role in Hinduism.
there are astrological connections between lord Ganesh, lord VIshnu, Brahma, Indra, Hanuman. We need to find those!
Its amazing to see such a blog which is trying to bring the TRUTH out.
I recommend u to visit the following link to understand more about Shiva, Orion, ardra and their connection.
http://www.socionix.com/misc/astro/06%20Ardra.htm
This link is about the connections between Shiva natraja in chidambaram temple of tamilnadu and the pyramids of egypt, written by a Deekshitar (gaurdian) of the temple.
http://www.rramakrishnan.com/Articles/Hinduism/Orions-Cosmic.txt
Astrology plays a major role in Hinduism.
there are astrological connections between lord Ganesh, lord VIshnu, Brahma, Indra, Hanuman. We need to find those!
Its amazing to see such a blog which is trying to bring the TRUTH out.
I recommend u to visit the following link to understand more about Shiva, Orion, ardra and their connection.
http://www.socionix.com/misc/astro/06%20Ardra.htm
This link is about the connections between Shiva natraja in chidambaram temple of tamilnadu and the pyramids of egypt, written by a Deekshitar (gaurdian) of the temple.
http://www.rramakrishnan.com/Articles/Hinduism/Orions-Cosmic.txt
Astrology plays a major role in Hinduism.
there are astrological connections between lord Ganesh, lord VIshnu, Brahma, Indra, Hanuman. We need to find those!
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