Tuesday, 1 April 2025

Sandhya Vandanam as Per Shaiva Tantra

Let us understand Sandhya vandanam itself in detail.

Firstly, what is Sandhya?

Sandhya is defined as the junction between two time period. When one period of time overlaps the other, that junction is sandhya.

Friday, 28 March 2025

History Taking for Fracture Case

This article is catered for medical students during the orthopaedics posting. The rationale is to understand the mechanism of fracture and to note relevant points in history to arrive at a proximate diagnosis prior to imaging modalities.

Details of Patient

  • Name ( Always address the patient with due respect. Use 'sir', 'mdm', 'gentleman' etc. They are not your servants to be addressed with name directly. )

  • Age: It is important to ask for age as it tallies with the mechanism of fracture. An old patient at their 7th decade of life would be having primary osteoporosis. A female patient beyond her 5th decade of life is probably post-menopausal. These are risk factors for pathological fractures. So you would anticipate a low-energy trauma from their history.

*Osteoporosis is the reduction of volume and density of the bones which otherwise have a normal histology. It has primary and secondary causes*
  • Occupation 

Saturday, 22 March 2025

Applying Vibhuti as Per Shaiva Tantra

The detailed explanation on bhasma application can be found in the snāna vidhiḥ of Kāmika Āgama, Pūrva pāda. For ritual purposes, bhasma must be adorned at at least 16 places.

Tuesday, 18 February 2025

5 Kala in Shaiva Tantra


Image source: himalayanacademy

This article is an expansion from the writeup on Tattvas in Shaivism. You will not understand this article without reading the mentioned article.

All the tattva-s in Shaivism come from the five kalā-s, which represent different states of consciousness and planes of existence.

Monday, 28 October 2024

Scriptural References for Deepavali


Dīpāvali (दीपावली) comes from the roots:

1. Dīpa (दीप) – From the root dīp (दीप्), which means "to shine" or "to illuminate."

2. Āvali (आवली) – meaning "a row" or "a series".

Tuesday, 20 August 2024

The 36 Tattvas of Shaivism


तत्त्वं यद्वस्तुरूपं स्यात्स्वधर्म प्रकटात्मकम्। तत्त्वं वस्तुपदं व्यक्तं स्फुटमाम्नायदर्शनात्॥ 3
tattvaṃ yadvasturūpaṃ syātsvadharma prakaṭātmakam। tattvaṃ vastupadaṃ vyaktaṃ sphuṭamāmnāyadarśanāt॥ 3

Meaning: The principle (tattva) that assumes the form of reality, manifesting its inherent nature, is called tattva. This principle is the manifest, clear expression of the underlying reality, as revealed by the scriptures

यदच्युतं स्वकाद्वृत्तात्ततः शाक्तवशं जगत्। ततमन्येन वा यत्स्यात्तत्तत्त्वं तत्त्वसन्ततौ॥ 4
yadacyutaṃ svakādvṛttāttataḥ śāktavaśaṃ jagat। tatamanyena vā yatsyāt tattattvaṃ tattvasantatau॥ 4

Meaning: When the immutable (acyuta) deviates from its original state and the world falls under the influence of Śakti, whatever form it may take thereafter, that is considered a tattva in the continuum of principles.

Mṛgendra Āgama, (Mataṅga Pārameśvaram Vidyā Pādaḥ 5th Paṭalaḥ) verses 3 & 4

Wednesday, 31 July 2024

Mystical Kedah and My Nomadic Rituals

Image: Kodiang mountain. Let's go catch a geodude.

Rural Kedah is a world of its own. It is heavily concentrated with mysticism. It is no wonder that this kṣetra finds her unique reference in ancient texts.

Monday, 1 July 2024

Nyasam: The Science of Performing Prana Pratishtha on Self

यत् देवं अर्चयेत् त्वात् तद् देवं आत्म भावन

yat devaṃ arcayet tvāt tad devaṃ ātma bhāvana

Meaning: Whichever deity one worships, he must transform into the deity