Maareech
Maareech Raakshas was the maternal uncle of Raavan and disturbed the Yagya of Muni
Vishwaamitra Jee by the order of Raavan. Taadakaa was his mother.
When Vishwaamitra Jee took
Shree Raam and Lakshman to protect their Yagya, Shree Raam shot a
blunt arrow at Maareech and he fell down 100 Yojan far in the sea. Maareech remembered that arrow and
understood that Ram was not an ordinary prince.
Maatali
Maatali is Indra's Saarathee (chariot driver). Indra sent him to help Raam while Raam got ready to
fight with Raavan.
Man,
Vachan and Karm
It means with all resources. There are three resources with a man - Man (heart), Vachan
(speech) and Karm (action). One should do the Karm with full heart and sweet
words. In Sanskrit it is said - Manasaa, Vaachaa, Karmanaa.
My Bow
Parashuraam Jee's bow was Vishnu's bow, so by pulling its string, He wanted to
test Raam if He was really Vishnu's Avataar.
Nine
Qualities
These are the nine qualities:
(1) Sham - Calmness (Hindu scriptures put great emphasis on Sham which brings
internal peace. It brings the reward of happiness and gives the person the
ability to face difficulties and unpleasant events in life, to conquer anger and
to think of the meaning of the life.
(2) Dam - Self-control, see also Yam below
(3) Tap - Penance
(4) Shauch - Purification, Cleanliness
(5) Kshamaa - Forgiveness
(6) Saralataa - Simplicity
(7) Gyan - Knowledge
(8) Vigyaan - Elemental knowledge
(9) Aastiktaa - Belief in Bhagvaan
Nine
Ras
There are
several meaning of Ras.
(1) to feel
(2) juice, essence, sap, taste
(3) sentiments in poetry. In Hindi literature there are nine main Ras - nine types of feelings
(some say eleven) :-
(i) Shringaar Ras (sexual love - two types, Sanyog and Viyog, means meeting and separation ),
(ii) Veer Ras (heroic)
(iii) Veebhats Ras (disgust)
(iv) Raudra Ras (anger)
(v) Haasya Ras (comic and humor)
(vi) Bhayaanak Ras (fright)
(vii) Karun Ras (pity)
(viii) Adbhut Ras (wonder)
(ix) Shaant Ras (peace)
(x) Vaatsalya (parental love)
(xi) Bhakti Ras (love to God)
Niyam
Control, Restraint, Regulation,
Paaras
Mani
Paaras is a type of stone which turns iron into gold at a touch.
Prayaag
see Sangam
Pushpak
Vimaan
Pushpak Vimaan (airplane) was of Kuber (the treasurer of Bhagvaan). When Raavan conquered Kuber, he brought his
Vimaan to his Lankaa Puree.
Raahu
does not eat the Moon
Here the meaning is that when the Moon is in Retrograde position, there is no
Lunar Eclipse.
Rati
Rati is the wife of Kaam Dev. Both are supposed to be the most beautiful man and
woman, so whenever the beauty of any woman is compared, it is compared with Rati.
Kaam Dev is the Devtaa of Kaam (love).
San
Tree
San is a kind of tree whose bark is used to make ropes in India. This metaphor
means as this tree gives its skin to tie others.
Sangam
Sangam means "meeting". In Allahabad, UP, three rivers meet
- Gangaa, Yamunaa and Saraswatee (a hiddeen river). Where these three rivers meet
that place is called Sangam. This is one of the very important Teerth (holy
place) of Hindu people. It is called Trivenee, and Prayaag too. It is one of the four places where
Kumbh falls. Other three places are
at Kshipraa river at Ujjain (MP), at Gangaa river at Haridwaar (Uttaraanchal), and at
Godaavaree river at Naasik (Mahaaraashtra).
Sapt
Rishi
Sapt means seven, and Rishi means saints. There are two lists found. The first list names: Atri, Angiras, Kratu,
Mareechi, Pulastya, Pulah, and Vashishth. The second list names: Atri,
Bharadwaaj, Gautam, Jamdagni, Kashyap, Vashishth, and Vishwaamitra. The seven
Rishi are represented in the sky by the seven stars of the Great Bear. They are
different in every Manvantar.
Shabaree
Shabaree was a Bheel (a very low tribe of India, they live on prey) woman who
was a great Bhakt of Raam. She used to work in Matang Muni's Aashram. When
Matang Muni left for Swarg, he told her to stay back in Dandak Van and wait
for Raam's Darshan. She was getting old waiting for Him. When He came to her
Aashram, searching for Seetaa, she served them with wild berries. The stories goes that Shabaree tasted
every berry before serving them to Raam to ensure that they were all sweet. This
story, however, is not mentioned either in Vaalmeeki Raamaayan or Tulasee's Raam
Charit Maanas.
She
was an Evil Person
One-eyed, lames, and humpbacks should be known as cunning and evil-doers. Among
them women are more and among the women also maidservants are more prone to this.
Two
Boons
Once Raajaa Dashrath went to help Devtaa in Dev-Asur Sangraam (war). Kaikeyee
was a very good Saarathee (chariot driver in war), so Raajaa chose her as his
Saarathee. In the war he became wounded and Kaikeyee saved his life in the
battlefield. Pleased with this Raajaa asked her to ask for two Var (boons or
wishes). At that time Kaikeyee couldn't think of any so she told him that she
would ask them later. Here Mantharaa is reminding her for the same two Var.
Vaat,
Pitt and Kaph,
According to ancient Indian medical system, Aayurved, imbalance among these
three, Vaat, Pitt and Kaph, is the basis of all diseases. Doctors of this
system cure the diseases by balancing these three in the body.
Varmaalaa
Varmaalaa literally means, Var means groom, Maalaa means garland, i.e. that garland which is
put on in groom's neck by the bride at the time of marriage. This tradition in Hindu
society is very old and has been in use since. It is known as Jayamaalaa
also.
Yam
(1) to sustain, to support, to hold
(2) rein, charioteer
(3) self-control - These are 10 types (Brahmcharya, Dayaa, Shaanti, Daan, Satya,
Arjav, Ahinsaa, Asteya, Maadhurya, and Dam
(4) The ruler of the blessed dead. He gives the dead a resting place and
prepares an abode for him. Although Yam rules the dead, he is not feared, rather
loved, because of the belief that upon death a person joins his ancestor in
heaven. Yam is also regarded as Dharmraaj or Devtaa of justice. Yam is mentioned
in Rig Ved as one of the sons of Vivaswat, a human being. Puraan say that he is
the son of Soorya (Vivaswaan) and Chhaayaa. Yam and his sister Yamee are
also found in Paarasee scriptures too as Yim and Yimeh. In Hindu society, incest is
considered great sin. In order to illustrate this, a dialog between Yam and
Yamee is described in Rig Ved wherein Yamee wants to seduce her brother, but Yam
successfully repulses her by pointing out the sinfulness of such a course. (Rig
Ved 10:10)
Yogee
Person in union with God.
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