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Photo reblogged from India Incredible
In Hinduism Saraswati (Sanskrit: सरस्वती, Sarasvatī), is the goddess of education, knowledge, music, arts and science. (Photo via flickr.com)
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Photo reblogged from India Incredible
Mandala “OM”
Om, Aum, Ohm is a holy meditation symbol of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism with a profusion of esoteric and exoteric meanings. In modern usage Om means the Word, the “parnava,” the eternal. Various accounts are given of its origin; one that it is the term of assent used by the gods, and probably an old contracted form of the Sanskirt word “evam” meaning “thus.” The laws of the “Manu” say that the word was formed by Brahma himself, who extracted the letters “a” “u” “m” from the “Vedas,” one from each; and they thus explain its mysterious power and sanctity. “Om” is also the name given by the Hindus to the spiritual sun, as opposed to “Sooruj,” the natural sun. The word is Sanskrit. It is pronounced at the beginning and end of every lesson in the “Veda” and it is also the introductory word of the “Puranas.” It is said in the “Katha-Upanishad”: “Whoever knows this syllable obtains whatever he wishes.” This is because all words are said to be but various forms of the one sound, “om”, according to the “Upanishads.” It represents the divine and the power of God. It is the sound-symbol for the ultimate reality.
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Maa Kali is the fearful and ferocious form of the mother goddess. She assumed the form of a powerful goddess and became popular with the composition of the Devi Mahatmya ,Here she is depicted as having born from the brow of Goddess Durga during one of her battles with the evil forces. As the legend goes, in the battle, Kali was so much involved in the killing spree that she got carried away and began destroying everything in sight. To stop her, Lord Shiva threw himself under her feet. Shocked at this sight, Kali stuck out her tongue in astonishment, and put an end to her homicidal rampage. Hence the common image of Kali shows her in her mêlée mood, standing with one foot on Shiva’s chest, with her enormous tongue stuck out.
