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Benefits of various utensils used for eating and drinking

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We are often awestruck by the sheer looks of the golden or silverwares that the royal/aristocratic people often used in the past for eating and drinking purposes. We wonder what was the purpose of using these costly utensils for eating and drinking when a cheaper metal could have been used for the same purpose. And we conclude that it was just a show-off and nothing else. But that conclusion of ours is wrong if we study the Ayurvedic texts that explain the useful properties of various types of utensils that we use while eating and drinking. Ayurveda says - Properties of Utensils used for eating food - * Eating in Golden utensils removes all insufficiencies in diet, is beneficial for the eyes and enhances the qualities of the food served in them. * Eating in Silver utensils is beneficial for the eyes, pacifies Pitta, increases Kapha and Vata (Vata, Pitta and Kapha are biological humors). * Eating in Kansa (Bronze) utensils enhances intellect, enhances the taste of the food and c
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Happy Doctor's Day

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नार्थार्थं नापि कामार्थमथ भूतदयां प्रति| वर्तते यश्चिकित्सायां स सर्वमतिवर्तते||५८|| [Charak Chikitsa 1.4.58] A person who pursues medical profession just out of compassion for the living being and not for Artha (wealth) or Kama (satisfaction of the worldly desires) excels all others. ଯେଉଁ ଚିକିତ୍ସକ ନା ଅର୍ଥ ନିମନ୍ତେ, ନା କୌଣସି ମନୋରଥର ପ୍ରାପ୍ତି ନିମନ୍ତେ, ବରଂ ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରାଣୀଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଦୟା ଭାଵ ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନ କରିବା ନିମିତ୍ତ ଏହି ବୃତ୍ତିକୁ ଆଦରି ନେଇ ଥାଆନ୍ତି, ସେ ଅନ୍ୟ ସମସ୍ତ ଚିକିତ୍ସକଙ୍କୁ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରି ନିଜ ସମାଜରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ସ୍ଥାନ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିଥାନ୍ତି । कुर्वते ये तु वृत्त्यर्थं चिकित्सापण्यविक्रयम्| ते हित्वाकाञ्चनं राशिं पांशुराशिमुपासते||५९|| [Charak Chikitsa 1.4.59] A physician, who practices his profession as a commercial commodity for earning wealth, is (as a matter of fact) running after heap of ash instead of gold. ଯେଉଁ ଚିକିତ୍ସକ ଏହି ଆଦର୍ଶ ବୃତ୍ତିକୁ କେବଳ ମାତ୍ର ନିଜର ଜୀବିକା ନିର୍ବାହ ପାଇଁ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରି ଏହାକୁ ଏକ ପଣ୍ୟ ଦ୍ରବ୍ୟ ରୂପେ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରନ୍ତି, ସେ ସୁବର୍ଣ୍ଣ ରାଶି ପ୍ରତିବଦଳରେ କେବଳ ଧୂଳିକଣା ହିଁ ସଂଗ୍ରହ କରିଥାନ୍ତି । [English Text Sourc
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Which books one should read to know about Lord Shiva

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Answer:  My first advice - Never ever refer to the “Shiva Trilogy” series by Amish Tripathi. They are mere works of fiction and present distorted facts on Lord Shiva. Period! My second advice - Leelas or stories of Lord Shiva are endless. That’s why in the ‘Shiva Mahimna’ stotra, it is written that - ‘If the ocean is made the inkpot, the branch of the mythical Parijata tree made the pen and Goddess Saraswati (The Goddess of Knowledge) embarks to write the glory of Lord (Shiva), it still will be impossible to comprehend the greatness of the Lord fully’. Still the following books can be referred to know about Lord Shiva in detail. 1. Shiva Purana 2. Linga Purana 3. Skanda Purana 4. Shivank (in Hindi, Published by Gita Press) 5. Shiva Upasanank (in Hindi, Published by Gita Press) 6. Siva Number (Kalyan Kalpataru, October 1990, Published by Gita Press) 7. Lord Siva and His Worship (Swami Sivananda Saraswati) 8. Shiva Stotra Ratnakara (Hymns on Lord Shiva, Published by Gita Press) My last a
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Kanyadaan - its significance

Of late many people especially the celebrities have raised their voice strongly against the age-old tradition of Kanyadaan ritual which is performed during a Hindu marriage ceremony. Even they have decided not to include it as a part of their marriage ceremonial procedures. The reason behind this is - Daan means gift or giving away; so when Kanyadaan ritual is performed, it literally means gifting or giving away a daughter which is objectionable as a daughter or a woman is not a commodity to be gifted or given away. Now let us analyse this issue from different angles. There are three main points to be discussed in this issue - 1) How marriage is viewed in Hinduism, what are the different forms of marriages under it and what is the role of Kanyadaan in them 2) Whether a daughter or a woman is treated like a commodity during the Kanyadaan ritual? 3) Whether to include or not, the Kanyadaan ritual as a part of a Hindu marriage ceremony? First let us discuss on the importance of marriage,
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Reason behind the presence of erotic sculptures on the walls of a Temple

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According to a text named "Shilpa Saarani", there should be sculptures on the walls of a temple to satisfy 14 different types of species so that no species should be deprived from getting material pleasure arising out of seeing these statues or sculptures. On the walls of a temple, 1. There should be Deva Murties (sculptures of Gods) for the pleasure of Devas. 2. There should be Vikata Murties (Vikata - horrific) for the pleasure of Asuras (Demons). 3. There should be Yaksha Murties (sculptures of Yakshas) for the pleasure of Yakshas. 4. There should be Nritya Murties (sculptures of different poses of dance) for the pleasure of Gandharvas. 5. There should be Kinnari Murties (sculptures of Kinnaris) for the pleasure of Kinnaras. 6. There should be Naga Bandha (sculptures of bonding of serpents) for the pleasure of the serpents. 7. There should be Pashu Bandha (sculptures of bonding of animals) for the pleasure of the animals. 8. There should be Pakshee Bandha (Sculptures of bo
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Ishta Deva of Lord Jagannath

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Lord Jagannath or the Lord of the Universe is regarded as the supreme deity amongst the Hindus. But the beauty lies in the fact that even Lord Jagannath has his Ishta Deva - Lord Ishaneshwar (Lord Shiva). In Shivashtakam it is written that - प्रभुं प्राणनाथं विभुं विश्वनाथं जगन्नाथ नाथं सदानन्द भाजाम् । भवद्भव्य भूतॆश्वरं भूतनाथं, शिवं शङ्करं शम्भु मीशानमीडॆ I pray to You, Shiva, Shankara, Shambhu, Who is the Lord, Who is the Lord of our lives, Who is Vibhu, Who is the Lord of the world, Who is the Lord of Jagannatha (Vishnu), Who is always dwelling in happiness, Who imparts light or shine to everything, Who is the Lord of living beings, Who is the Lord of ghosts, and Who is the Lord of everyone. It is futile to debate who is superior to whom, as the trinities in Hinduism - Lords Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar (Shiva) are basically inseparable and appear as different depending upon their attributes and roles in this cosmic play. Once Lord Shiva was asked at the time of His marr
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Why Ravana should not be glorified

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Now a days it has become a trend to glorify certain traits of Ravana like he never violated the modesty of Sita though he abducted her and he was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. And this discussion comes up especially during the time of Dussehra when Ravana's efigy is burnt. Many people oppose this tradition by giving examples about the positive traits of Ravana as described earlier. Now I am not raising an argument about whether Ravana's efigy should be burnt or not, rather I would like to clear the misconceptions about the positive traits of Ravana which he never had. Myth #1: Ravana never violated the modesty of Sita. Fact: It is true that Ravana never violated the modesty of Sita, but it was not due to his greatness, rather it was due to a curse inflicted upon him for which he didn't dare to do so. Once Ravana came across Rambha, the celestial damsel. Charmed by her beauty, he got hold of her and expressed his desire to make love to her. But Rambha resisted
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