#guru and disciple

[xatmaa]

[sspacegodd]

There are hundreds of paths to the top of the mountain.

The only person wasting time is the one who runs around and around the mountain, telling everyone else that their path is wrong.

[iyemarathichiyenagari1971]

गुरूचे मौन आणि कृपा यातूनच खरी अनुभूती

अर्जुना एऱ्हवीं तरी । इया अभिप्रायाचा जे गर्वु धरी ।ते पाहें पां वैखरी । दुरी ठेली ।। ३१२ ।। ज्ञानेश्वरी अध्याय सहावा ओवीचा अर्थ – अर्जुना, सहज विचार करून पाहिले तर हा अभिप्राय सांगण्याचा गर्व जी वैखरी धरते, ती वाचा या ब्रह्मस्थितीपासून फार दूर राहिली. अर्जुना, सामान्य विचार केला तर दिसून येईल की, ‘माझा अभिप्राय महत्वाचा आहे’, ‘माझं मत सांगणं आवश्यक आहे’ – हा जो गर्व आहे, तो फक्त ‘बोलणं’…

[bhishmsharma95]

Chapter 8: The Kamandalu Moment and Classroom Tensions

A day of dull lessons and chalk dust was suddenly illumined by an innocent quip that would live in Ishaan’s memory for years. The moment came during a chemistry lab session, when he reached for an oddly shaped glassware item—a distillation flask, curved and elegant, with a handle-like projection. Myra, ever attuned to symbolism and irreverent wit, chuckled and said, “Is that Baba’s…

[valenentinaforeverfriend]

Life & Death

Protectors of Heaven, Earth, Hell

And everything in between

Masters of science and space

Creators of animals, plants and humans

Clairvoyants, Story Tellers and Prophets

Teachers of Faith

Come follow us through this gateway

These doors leading to paradise

So much love and beauty

Awaits

Hither

With Speed

[nataliaofearth]

Oh, How I Miss the Mountains So...

It’s funny how the more we get used to things, the more our perception about them changes. When I first moved to the San Gabriel Valley, I would stare at the mountains that were so close to me, imagining my Sensei somewhere out there. The more I hiked those mountains over the years, the more dirt and sand I found. My Baba Ram Dass would tell me the Guru is always with you, even if He isn’t in…

[sigappurojakal]

Importance of relation between Guru and disciple from Ramayana to Mahabharata...Guru-disciple tradition has a special importance in ancient Indian history and culture. The teacher is the source of knowledge and the disciple is considered the character of that knowledge. We get to see this tradition everywhere from epic Ramayana to Mahabharata. In this context, the story of Lord Hanuman and Lav-Kush also explains us the importance of the relation between Guru and disciple.When the war of Ramayana ended and Shriram accepted Sita, Lav and Kush were born. Love and Kush studied knowledge, martial arts and Vedas at Valmiki Ashram. Valmiki gave him full knowledge of Ramayana and prepared him for his duties towards society. They were strong, heroic and fearless, but their training and intellectual growth took place completely under the guidance of their Guru Valmiki.Love and Kush also fought with Shriram's army showing valour, but still, temples of Luv-Kush are rarely seen in India. There is a deep spiritual and cultural education hidden behind this.Now see Hanumanji on the other side. Respect and devotion towards Hanumanji can be seen all over India. Hanumanji attained his immortality because of his service, loyalty and dedication towards Lord Ram. They were not only devotees of Ram, but also the greatest disciples of Ram. Hanumanji got great life lessons from Shriram and put it in his actions.This devotion and dedication of Hanumanji made him a precious disciple of God. That is why you will find temples of Hanumanji in every corner of India. People worship Hanumanji because he established the symbol of selfless service and devotion towards his Guru, Lord Ram.Love and Kush were brave and great, but their place is not as high as the tradition of Guru-Disciple, as Hanumanji. Because Hanumanji taught us that no knowledge or valour is complete without devotion, loyalty and dedication. Knowledge and guidance obtained from the Guru is the path to true success in life.It is clear through this narrative that the relationship between teacher and disciple is given the most importance in India. Hanumanji's selfless dedication and service towards Ram teaches us that Guru's guidance and dedication of disciple gives right direction to life. This is why Hanumanji's temples are available everywhere in India, but the temples of Love and Kush are limited. This culture repeatedly reminds us that the existence of a disciple is incomplete without a teacher.

[subhashdagar123]

[ashasworld]

[nerdyfanwhispers]

#What_Is_Meditation

Radha Soami guru gives 5 names ( panch naam) in their naam diksha ( initiation) .Apart from this disciples are also taught to do Surat Shabad Yoga.

To know more must read the secred book GYAN GANGA 📚

Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj

[iyemarathichiyenagari1971]

गुरुकृपा ही फक्त मार्गदर्शन नसून प्रत्यक्ष ब्रह्मसाक्षात्कार घडवून आणणारी शक्ती

तैसा सद् गुरुकृपा होये । तरी करितां काय आपु नोहे ।म्हणऊनि ते अपार मातें आहे । ज्ञानदेवो म्हणे ।। ३५ ।। ज्ञानेश्वरी अध्याय सहावा ओवीचा अर्थ – त्या सद् गुरुकृपेच्या आधारावर मी व्याख्यान करीन व माझ्या व्याख्यानात अरूप ब्रह्माचें स्पष्ट रूप दाखवीन आणि जरी तें ब्रह्म इंद्रियांना गोचर होण्यापलीकडचें आहे, तरी त्याचाहि अनुभव इंद्रियांना येईल, असें मी करीन. संत ज्ञानेश्वरांनी येथे सद्गुरुच्या कृपेचं…

[chaitanyavijnanam]

🎵 1. ఆత్మ స్వరూప ధ్యాన గీతం Meditative Song on the Form of the Self as Shiva

🌹 🎵 1. ఆత్మ స్వరూప ధ్యాన గీతం - శివోహం, చిన్మాత్రానందరూపః 🌹 🍀 Meditative Song on the Form of the Self as Shiva 🍀 రచన, స్వరకర్త, ప్రచురణ : ప్రసాద్ భరధ్వాజ 🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀

[adimaitreya]

The Importance of Readiness in Finding a True Guru

In the journey of self-discovery and spiritual evolution, the role of a guru is often seen as essential. A true guru is not just a teacher. They are a guiding light. They serve as a mirror that reflects your inner truth. They are a catalyst for transformation. However, a major misconception in the spiritual path is that you can choose someone to be your guru. Many people mistakenly believe this…

[simpishly]

Simpishly's Salad Dressing Legacy Challenge

After confessing a favorite childhood meal involving peanut butter sandwiches and ranch dressing, horror--and inspiration--struck. I present to you: a salad dressing-themed legacy challenge for The Sims 4.

this is the most ridiculous thing I'll probably ever create for the Sims lol

Guidelines

You only need to complete 7 generations, because I think 7 salad meals in a row is about the maximum I could handle.

Generations can be played in any order.

The goals for each generation are straightforward. Your heir must:

Have the generation traits

Live in the generation world

Reach the top of the generation career

Max the generation skill

Complete the generation aspiration

The rest is up to you! Just like the amount of dressing you put on your leafy greens!

You'll find the rules (and dressing bottle-shaped graphics I had entirely too much fun making) below the cut.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Generation

The favorite dressing of crunchy moms and influencers.

Packs Needed: Spa Day, Lovestruck

Traits: Charismatic, Active, High Maintenance

World: Ciudad Enamorada

Career: Style Influencer (Trendsetter Branch)

Skill: Wellness

Aspiration: Zen Guru

Blue Cheese Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of dark souls and adults only.

Packs Needed: Life and Death

Traits: Macabre, Hates Children, Slob

World: Ravenwood

Career: Reaper

Skill: Writing

Aspiration: Ghost Historian

Caesar Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of emperors who were stabbed.

Packs Needed: City Living, StrangerVille

Traits: Bro, Paranoid, Ambitious

World: San Myshuno

Career: Politics (Politician Branch)

Skill: Charisma

Aspiration: Friend of the World

French Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of French stereotypes.

Packs Needed: Lovestruck

Traits: Gloomy, Romantic, Creative

World: Willow Creek

Career: Painter

Skill: Romance

Aspiration: Romantic Explorer

Green Goddess Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of PlantSims.

Packs Needed: Eco Lifestyle, Cottage Living

Traits: Recycle Disciple, Lactose Intolerant, Vegetarian

World: Evergreen Harbor

Career: Freelancer (Crafter)

Skill: Fabrication

Aspiration: Master Maker

Honey Mustard Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of bees and hot dogs.

Packs Needed: Cottage Living

Traits: Good, Non-Committal, Cheerful

World: Henford-on-Bagley

Career: Any / Multiple + Completing Townie Errands

Skill: Gardening

Aspiration: Renaissance Sim

Italian Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of Olive Garden.

Packs Needed: Get Together, City Living

Traits: Insider, Foodie, Perfectionist

World: Windenburg

Career: Critic (Food)

Skill: Gourmet Cooking

Aspiration: Leader of the Pack

Poppyseed Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of bagels.

Packs Needed: Businesses and Hobbies

Traits: Bookworm, Idealist OR Shady, Materialistic

World: Nordhaven

Career: Small Business Owner

Skill: Tattooing

Aspiration: Master Mentor

Ranch Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of correct people.

Packs Needed: Horse Ranch, Cottage Living

Traits: Rancher, Animal Enthusiast, Snob

World: Chestnut Ridge

Career: Self-Employed

Skill: Guitar

Aspiration: Championship Rider

Russian Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of Rasputin and Stu from What We Do in the Shadows.

Packs Needed: Get Together, Vampires

Traits: Dance Machine, Glutton, Erratic

World: Forgotten Hollow

Career: Tech Guru (Start-Up Entrepreneur Branch)

Skill: Programming

Aspiration: Party Animal

Thousand Island Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of In-n-Out.

Packs Needed: Island Living

Traits: Kleptomaniac, Child of the Islands, Self-Assured

World: Sulani*

Career: Diver

Skill: Fishing

Aspiration: The Curator

*I would have done Tomorang but I know residential rentals have been super glitchy and save-breaking, so I did Sulani instead!

Wafu Dressing Generation

The favorite dressing of Japanese salads.

Packs Needed: Snowy Escape

Traits: Geek, Genius, Loner

World: Mt. Komorebi

Career: Secret Agent

Skill: Video Gaming

Aspiration: Nerd Brain

[burst-of-iridescent]

South Asian and Hindu Influences in ATLA (Part 2)

disclaimer: i was raised culturally and religiously hindu, and though i've tried to do my research for this post and pair it with my own cultural knowledge, i'm not an expert on hinduism by any means. should i mess up, please let me know.

please also be aware that many of the concepts discussed in this post overlap heavily with religions such as buddhism and jainism, which might have different interpretations and representations. as i'm not from those religions or cultures, i don't want to speak on them, but if anyone with that knowledge wishes to add on, please feel free.

Part 1

In the previous post, I discussed some of the things ATLA got right in its depictions of desi and hindu cultures. unfortunately, they also got plenty of things wrong - often in ways that leaned towards racist caricatures - so let's break them down, starting with...

Guru Pathik

both the word "guru" and name "pathik" come from sanskrit. pathik means "traveler" or "he who knows the way" while guru is a term for a guide or mentor, similar to a teacher.

gurus were responsible for the very first education systems in ancient india, setting up institutions called gurukuls. students, referred to as disciples, would often spend years living with and learning from their gurus in these gurukuls, studying vedic and buddhist texts, philosophy, music and even martial arts.

however, their learning was not limited merely to academic study, as gurus were also responsible for guiding the spiritual evolution of their disciples. it was common for disciples to meditate, practice yoga, fast for days or weeks, and complete mundane household chores every day in order to instill them with self-discipline and help them achieve enlightenment and spiritual awareness. the relationship between a guru and his disciple was considered a sacred, holy bond, far exceeding that of a mere teacher and student.

aang's training with guru pathik mirrors some of these elements. similar to real gurus, pathik takes on the role of aang's spiritual mentor. he guides aang in unblocking his chakras and mastering the avatar state through meditation, fasting, and self-reflection - all of which are practices that would have likely been encouraged in disciples by their gurus.

pathik's design also takes inspiration from sadhus, holy men who renounced their worldly ties to follow a path of spiritual discipline. the guru's simple, nondescript clothing and hair are reflective of the ascetic lifestyle sadhus are expected to lead, giving up material belongings and desires in order to achieve spiritual enlightenment and, ultimately, liberation from the reincarnation cycle.

unfortunately, this is where the respectful references end because everything else about guru pathik was insensitive at best and stereotypical at worst.

it is extremely distasteful that the guru speaks with an overexaggerated indian accent, even though the iranian-indian actor who plays him has a naturally british accent. why not just hire an actual indian voice actor if the intention was to make pathik sound authentic? besides, i doubt authenticity was the sole intention, given that the purposeful distortion of indian accents was a common racist trope played for comedy in early 2000s children's media (see: phineas and ferb, diary of a wimpy kid, jessie... the list goes on).

furthermore, while pathik is presented a wise and respected figure within this episode, his next (and last) appearance in the show is entirely the opposite.

in the episode nightmares and daydreams, pathik appears in aang's nightmare with six hands, holding what appears to be a veena (a classical indian music instrument). this references the iconography of the hindu deity Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge. the embodiment of divine enlightenment, learning, insight and truth, Saraswati is a member of the Tridevi (the female version of the Trimurti), one of the most respected and revered goddesses in the Hindu pantheon... and her likeness is used for a cheap laugh on a character who's already treated as a caricature.

that's bad enough on its own, but when you consider that guru pathik is the only explicitly south asian coded character in the entire show, it's downright insulting. for a show that took so many of its foundational concepts from south asia and hinduism and yet provided almost no desi representation in return, this is just rubbing salt in the wound.

Chakras

"chakra", meaning "circle" or "wheel of life" in sanskrit, refers to sources of energy found in the human body. chakra points are aligned along the spine, with energy flowing from the lowest to the highest point. the energy pooled at the lowest chakra is called kundalini, and the aim is to release this energy to the highest chakra in order to achieve spiritual enlightenment and consciousness.

the number of chakras varies in different religions, with buddhism referencing five chakras while hinduism has seven. atla draws from the latter influence, so let's take a look at the seven chakras:

Muladhara (the Root Chakra). located at the base of the spine, this chakra deals with our basest instincts and is linked to the element of earth.

Swadhisthana (the Sacral Chakra). located just below the navel, this chakra deals with emotional intensity and pleasure and is linked to the element of water.

Manipura (the Solar Plexus Chakra). located in the stomach, this chakra deals with willpower and self-acceptance and is linked to the element of fire.

Anahata (the Heart Chakra). located in the heart, this chakra deals with love, compassion and forgiveness and is linked to the element of air. in the show, this chakra is blocked by aang's grief over the loss of the air nomads, which is a nice elemental allusion.

Vishudda (the Throat Chakra). located at the base of the throat, this chakra deals with communication and honesty and is linked to the fifth classical element of space. the show calls this the Sound Chakra, though i'm unsure where they got that from.

Ajna (the Third Eye Chakra). located in the centre of the forehead, this chakra deals with spirituality and insight and is also linked to the element of space. the show calls it the Light Chakra, which is fairly close.

Sahasrara (the Crown Chakra). located at the very top of the head, this chakra deals with pure cosmic consciousness and is also linked to the element of space. it makes perfect sense that this would be the final chakra aang has to unblock in order to connect with the avatar spirit, since the crown chakra is meant to be the point of communion with one's deepest, truest self.

the show follows these associations and descriptions almost verbatim, and does a good job linking the individual chakras to their associated struggles in aang's arc.

Cosmic Energy

the idea of chakras is associated with the concept of shakti, which refers to the life-giving energy that flows throughout the universe and within every individual.

the idea of shakti is a fundamentally unifying one, stating that all living beings are connected to one another and the universe through the cosmic energy that flows through us all. this philosophy is referenced both in the swamp episode and in guru pathik telling aang that the greatest illusion in the world is that of separation - after all, how can there be any real separation when every life is sustained by the same force?

this is also why aang needing to let go of katara did not, as he mistakenly assumed, mean he had to stop loving her. rather, the point of shedding earthly attachment is to allow one to become more attuned to shakti, both within oneself and others. ironically, in letting go of katara and allowing himself to commune with the divine energy of the universe instead, aang would have been more connected to her - not less.

The Avatar State

according to hinduism, there are five classical elements known as pancha bhuta that form the foundations of all creation: air, water, earth, fire, and space/atmosphere.

obviously, atla borrows this concept in making a world entirely based on the four classical elements. but looking at how the avatar spirit is portrayed as a giant version of aang suspended in mid-air, far above the earth, it's possible that this could reference the fifth liminal element of space as well.

admittedly this might be a bit of a reach, but personally i find it a neat piece of worldbuilding that could further explain the power of the avatar. compared to anyone else who might be able to master only one element, mastering all five means having control of every building block of the world. this would allow the avatar to be far more attuned to the spiritual energy within the universe - and themselves - as a result, setting in motion the endless cycle of death and rebirth that would connect their soul even across lifetimes.