Mylapore Adikesava Perumal Temple, Chennai

Long ago sage Bhrigu and a host of rishis were engrossed in a severe penance at a spot located near Brindaranya kshetra. An execrable and depraved by robust demon named Madhu disgorged the sages from their hermitage.

The demon was entranced by the picturesque spot. He directed the asura architect Mayan to create a splendid city which he named Mayurapuri. It became the metropolis of the asuras domains

The sages who were the victims of the asura’s wrath sought asylum at the lotus feet of Kshirapthi Natha. Mahavishnu allayed their apprehensions and vanquished the demons. The sages conducted a ‘Sayana Yajna’ in honor of the victory.

The Lord appeared before the sages thereby glorified as ‘Sayana Keshava’. The place where the Almighty gave darshan to the sages is the present day Mylapore, a bustling and populous part of Chennai.

Mayurapuri Mahatmaya, an integral part of the Garuda Purana, furnishes a descriptive account of this episode. The fourth chapter of Garuda Purana narrates how Goddess Lakshmi took up her residence at this hallowed place under the name Mayuravalli Thayar.

Sage Bhrigyu observed a meticulous penance invoking Mahavishnu. The Lord bade Mahalakshmi to appear as a child in the sage’s hermitage.

Adikeshava Perumal temple is situated at a distance of one furlong from the renowned Kapaleeswara temple in Chennai. The temple occupying an area of 1.5 acres houses two main sanctums and numerous shrines dedicated to subsidiary deities.

Worship is conducted six time a day adhering to the principles of Vaikanasa Agama.

Proof of Reincarnation

Proof of reincarnation can be logically derived at. The Indian subcontinent is the origin of the Reincarnation theory. 'Is it true or not' is not my argument here for you may agree or disagree with the following proofs of reincarnation. But I would like one to see the depth of this theory. The following are the propositions.

• if the mankind is coming from the same maker why is there disparity in birth?
• why is someone born to rich parents and someone else to poor parents?
• why is someone dead few minutes after he is born and the other gets to live for more than 100 years?
• On what basis has the maker formulated the differences and why am I suffering (why not my neighbor)
  
  The reincarnation theory comes handy to answer these questions.
  
  It says men are different as a result of their good and bad activities preformed in their previous lives. It sounds logical. This in itself is a proof that reincarnation is the answer to our questions.

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.52

This is a discourse on Srimad Bhagavatam canto 1, chapter 8, verse 52 given by HG Stoka Krishna Prabhu in Chennai.

In the war of Kurukshetra 64 crore people were killed on either side. Maharaja Yudhisthira is feeling sorry that so many were killed for the sake enthroning him as the king. After considering himself to be responsible for killing so many, he says performance of Ashvamedha Yajna cannot counteract what has already been done.

Yudhisthira Maharaj compares this kind of atonement to a muddy cloth that cannot be used for filtering muddy water and wine bottle used to clean another wine glass.

It is generally accepted that if you do some sinful activity, to nullify the sinful reaction you can do prayachita or atonement. But it doesn’t work so easily because the nature of material activity is such that one action gives rise to another reaction and that gives rise to another action.

This action and reaction is like a chain. This is explained in the 5th canto of Bhagavatam by Sukadeva Goswami. When one does prayachita, one may get from the reaction but the tendency to do sinful reaction is not cleared from his heart.

How will the sinful mentality be corrected?
One remedy suggested is to cultivate knowledge. By the knowledge of the consequences of such sinful activities one may refrain from doing it. But what if a person with knowledge is forced to commit sinful activities? Arjuna asks this question in Bhagavad Gita. Why is one as if by force committing sinful activities?

Lord Krishna answers that the cause for being forced to commit sin is Kama or lust. Until one becomes free from kama, one cannot become free from sinful activities. Kama is opposite to Prema. Prema is love for Krishna. So the deteriorated form of love for Krishna is kama.

Lust has to be purified. Kama must be turned in to Prema. This is the only remedy. Out of ignorance people think what they feel for someone is love but actually it is only lust. That’s why they commit sinful activities.

To become free from lust we have to awaken love for Krishna. The only method to awaken love for Krishna is Bhakti. The fundamental principle of bhakti is that we have forgotten Krishna and we have developed desire to enjoy in the material world. This is the cause of lust.

We have to give up this desire to enjoy. This is the not possible without devotional service practiced under a bonafide spiritual master. This is the only way to conquer lust. Other methods are not effective in Kaliyuga.

The second aspect of this verse is that animal killing doesn’t work in Kaliyuga. In Kaliyuga animal sacrifices are forbidden. The only recommended sacrifice is Harinama yajna. But at the same time Prabhupada warns that performing Harinama and at the same time performing sinful activities will not work.

One has to stop sinful activities, particularly meat eating, intoxication, gambling and illicit sex and perform harinama. By doing so, the tendency to commit other sinful activities will also vanish gradually because chanting cleanses the desire to commit sinful activities.

This chanting is very simple. One has to simply vibrate the tongue and hear. People are faithless so they do not chant. The next category is that they may have faith but may not be able to chant. If people associate with devotees, they will start to chant. Hence Prabhupada said that he has created this movement to give association to people so that they may chant.

This process is simple but when one starts to do it, there will be so many impediments. If one chants without involving the consciousness, chanting becomes mechanical. The consciousness is not in contact with the mahamantra.

The mechanism of the sound vibration should touch the consciousness, the soul. The sign of progress in this process is the reduction of material desires. We can be honest with ourselves and check our progress.

Material desires are of many varieties. Some times people mistake material desires to spiritual desire. A person growing paddy should be careful to remove the weeds in the field. Similarly we should weed out material desires from our heart. It is a tapasya that can be performed with the help of association of devotees.

Salient features of Soul

• Soul is eternal.


• It transmigrates into another body at death.


• The symptom of soul is consciousness.


• There is no birth or death at any time for the soul.


• Soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn and immutable.


• Soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.


• Soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.Soul is invisible, inconceivable and immutable.

Hence,

Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2.

Acne Treatment in Ayurveda

Ayurveda has been considered as one of the best remedies for getting acne free skin. Acne problem which is prevalent amongst teenagers as well as adults include pimples, white-heads, blackheads, acne spots and acne scars.

In Ayurveda, acne is treated with the help of natural detoxifier and blood purifier such as neem. Thus, neem is one of the important ingredients in various Ayurvedic products such as ointments and oral medicines that are available in the market. Also, in Ayurveda, acne treatment is done by correcting doshas: kaptha, vata and Rakhta dhatu.

According to Ayurveda, acne is caused due to two doshas: Kaptha and Vata. Besides, acne is also caused by Rakta dhatu which means blood. Ayurveda says that vata gets defected when somebody does not follow a healthy lifestyle. Defect in vata sequentially provoke two more doshas: kapha and pitta. It is the pitta which affects the blood or rakta dhatu. Thus, all these factors ultimately result in the flawed blood. It is due to flawed blood which makes sebaceous glands secrete oil in excess.

Kapha having oil property is forced to make the oil secreted by sebaceous gland, sticky in such a case. It is this stickiness which results in the clogging of pores on our skin and ultimately results in acne.

The main reason for defect of vata is unhealthy lifestyle followed by a person. Therefore one of the simple methods to correct it is to follow a healthy lifestyle. Leading healthy lifestyle includes eating right kind of food, taking enough sleep and living a stress free life. All these factors will help in balancing doshas.

Massage of face with the help of herbal oils such as laaksha, madhuka and matuluga help a great deal in balancing doshas.

After the massage, ayurvedic face pack should also be used for the same purpose. One of the best ways ayurvedic face packs for treating acne includes herbs such as kushta, masoora and kaaliyaka.

Using the combination of massage and face pack for seven days continuously, as mentioned above, is considered to be helpful in getting an acne free skin.
Another face pack which can be used for getting an acne free skin and removing black spots caused due to acne is made with the help of herbs such as Vacha, Lodhra and Jatiphala. The English names for these herbs are Acorus Calamus, Symplocus racemosus and Myristica fragrance respectively. To purify blood in order to correct rakta dhatu, some blood purifiers are used like Anantmula, and Sariva, better known as Tylophora Asthmatica and Hemidesmus Indicus respectively.

Besides these, paste made of turmeric, soft neem leaves and fenu greek leaves is also found to be effective in acne treatment. You can also make ayurvedic face pack at home using gram flour, rosewater and ripe tomato pulp. Using relaxation techniques which can help you handle stress in an effective manner can do wonders in Ayurveda treatment for acne free skin.
Therefore we can say that Ayurveda is one of the best remedies for getting acne free skin provided one has complete and correct knowledge about it.