God and Man

God is the abode of Truth, consciousness and Bliss (Bhagvad-Gita-VIII, 9). He is born of none, beginingless and the cause of everything (X, 3). According to the Holy Qur'an - "God is one without a second". In the Bible there are references to the threefold nature of God as Father, Son and Holy Ghost - (John 5:22; 1:18; 14:26). God the Father is the Absolute Unmanifested. God the Son is the Christ consciousness existing within vibratory creation. Holy Ghost is the "Word" - the sole causative and activating force that upholds all creation through vibration: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Work was God" - John 1:1 (Bible). The "Word" corresponds to "Aum" of Hindu scripture. Atheists do not believe in God, but the idea of God preoccupies their minds more than that of the common believers. God has never been away from the minds of men and women. Even Chairman Mao had said (though sarcastically) during his last days that he was going to "meet God soon". God cannot be proved; but His existence needs no proof. The existence of God is not mere opinion. It is a matter of faith. More than that, it is a matter of personal experience and actual perception (Anubhav). Lalleshwari, Sai Baba of Shirdi, Parmahansa Rama Krishna, Maharishi Raman, to name only a few, are no pre-historic personages or characters from mythology. The lives of these saints of recent past leave no doubt in our minds about their attainment of God Realization. Religions which are silent about God speak of the Self (soul). The realization of the Self is the realization of God. However, it is one thing to talk of God or even to believe in God and quite another thing to be aware of the presence of God within oneself. Men and women use the idea of God in innumerable ways. Some use Him as a shield against many fears, real or imaginary, like the fear of the unknown. They invoke the protection of God against unforeseen misfortunes, enemies, ghosts and even death. The symbols of God's attributes are extensively used by people to sell their goods. Many "Gurus" use His name to earn easy money and material comforts. Dacoits and criminals worship the images of different "gods" and "goddesses" before going out to commit heinous crimes. Terrorist kill innocent men, women and children with God's name on their (terrorist's) lips. As far as we know, man is the best of God's creation: "Ashraf-ul-Makhlukat". Tennyson calls him the "crown and glory of things". According to Tulsidas, "Man is very fortunate in being born with a human body". Why is man superior to all other living beings? Man is "superior" because he is not only aware of the material reality in him but also capable of realizing the non-material reality of his existence. All other creatures possess only the awareness - "I am". Man with his mind and intellect (both material stuff) probes the mysteries of the material reality within and outside him. He has unraveled innumerable secrets of Nature. His knowledge about his own body and the universe around him is immense. He has succeeded in harnessing the forces of Nature to his advantage, and for his own comfort. But still he is more miserable than happy: "Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansar". Why is man unhappy? He is unhappy because his life is not in tune with his spontaneous self. The spontaneous self (soul) has precedence over material self. Man ignores the promptings of his soul or fails to interpret them. The mechanical-material mind remains his only guide and the habits of mind direct the course of his life. He may find pleasure or satisfaction now and then. The pleasures or satisfactions, however, are transitory. But at some stage of spiritual development, some men and women ask themselves the question: "Who am I?" Gradually they become aware of their inner self. Meditation on the inner self silences the noise of the mind. The mind is relieved of the role of the director of life, and it confines itself to its real role as the instrument of adjustment to the outer world. Thus, these spiritually awakened people do only that which their inner self wants done. They do not stop working, but work more efficiently than before without getting elated by success or depressed by failure. Work becomes worship for them, and ultimately they reach the state of Bliss (Ananda), where sorrow cannot touch them.

Phalsa cultivation in Jammu

We can redress the problem of ecology and economy in Jammu region to a greater extent, if we go for Phalsa cultivation. Phalsa is a type of berry found in Shivaliks of Jammu.Firstly for ecology of the Shivaliks it is a soil binder, prevents erosion, it helps in recharging ground water by harvesting rain water thereby preventing flash floods and conserves water. By itself it is drought resistant and can survive even thrive on rainfall of the Shivaliks which is over 1200 mm yearly. Its leaves are ideal fodder. It does not demand any special effort except a fence to protect it from cattle.

It is a medicinal plant with the following characteristics and usages:-
* Leaves are known to have antibiotic action and are applied on skin eruptions.
* Fruits are a cooling tonic and aphrodisiac; they allay thirst and burning sensations, remove biliousness, cure inflammation, heart and blood disorders and fevers. The fruit is astringent and stomachic.
* Administered in respiratory, cardiac and blood disorders as well in fever reduction.
* Infusion of bark is given as demulcent, febrifuge and treatment for diarrheoa. It cures urinary troubles and relieves burning in the vagina. The root bark is employed in treating rheumatism.
* The phalsa seeds produce approximately 5% yield of a bright yellow oil that contains % palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and major component is linoleic acid

Secondly, Economy : It is planted 10 feet apart line to line and plant to plant with a density of 1000 plants per Hectare (50 plants per kanal & 400 per acre). Each plant gives an average of 4 kg of fruit in the month of Jun which is selling at Rs. 100 per kg today in Jammu i.e. Rs. 400 per plant worth Rs. 4 lacs per Hectare. Even if the farmer gets Rs. 50 per kg he would earn 2 lacs every year besides providing Rs. 60,000 to the local landless labour particularly women who pluck the fruit at Rs. 15 per kg at Suchani. There cannot be anything better for income generation in Kandi area which has a very large population without resource and sources of income generation and employment. Hamdard and other herbal industry including Pepsi are interested in developing Phalsa as herbal drink "Shivalik Berry" like Leh Berry now selling in Army Canteen, Airways & Railways.

It has a great potential and now Ghulam Nabi Azad Union Minister for Health has promised full support to develop herbal and medicinal plants in the State and at the same time Phalsa has been included in the State Horticulture programme. Now is the time to go all out and plant hundreds of acres of phalsa in the kandi which should extend to thousands and later lacs of acres of phalsa cultivation from Ravi to Rajouri which is the answer to our economy (employment) and ecology and environment of a tourist State which has a ready market of a crore of pilgrims to Sri Mata Vaishno Devi,Shri Amarnath Ji and other shrines and tourists for these herbal products through kiosks on the National Highway from Lakhanpur to Katra, Pahalgam and Baltal offering Aloevera juice,Ashwagandha andTrifla churans which have already caught the imagination of the health conscious Indians, Thanks to Swami Ram Dev and the call for Ayurveda from the West. Let us make our State a herbal State and start with Jammu region this year 2009.ious Indians. Thanks to Swami Ram Dev Ji and the call from Ayurveda from the West. Let us make the State a herbal State and start with Jammu region this year 2009.

Let Phalsa (Shivalik Berry) be on focus in the Shivaliks during the Environment Month this year.It can indeed transform the Shivalik Kandi into a green oasis which will take care of ecology and economy of the region through self employment.

Historical Temple Nara Nag in Kashmir

The Valley of Kashmir is known not only for its lush green meadows, snow-capped mountains but also for its historical and religious places. There is a temple complex called Nara Nag which evokes awe and is a devotee's delight. There is a small hamlet called wangath which lies in the Ganderbal district - 50 kms from Kashmir on Srinagar - Leh National Highway. The highway bifurcates at a particular place and there is a sign board which reads Wangath. The village of Wangat lies along the dense forests on the periphery of Bhuteshwara mountain range along the terrace of the Kanka River, a tributary of Sindh River. Five miles or eight Kms to the east of Wangath or Vasishthashrama, higher up in the Sind Valley, lies the scared Nara Nag. According to the traditions the water of the spring comes from the Gangabal Lake, as the spring is located at the foot of the Bhutsher or Bhuteshwara, a spur of the Haramukha peaks. They are two groups of temples situated at a distance of about 100 yards from each other. The moonlight in the valley of the Nara Nag is a mesmerizing experience in the month of November as the snow on the higher peaks reflects the full moonlight in the sky, beauty is further added by the tortuous course of the Kanka River torrent whose white and foaming water epitomize the moon silver light on the earth. The fast gale, silver moon light and sound of the gushing water of the Kanka River is a commemorative sight for the Nara Nag group of temples. The small tank with perennial water of Nara Nag has refreshing, digestive properties. At a further distance there is a temple dedicated to Bhairva. The western group identified with the temple is dedicated to Lord Siva. Lalitaditya Muktapida eighth century King of Kashmir erected a temple of Lord Shiva here. The King Avantivarman paid a visit and donated a pedestal with a silver conduct for bathing at Bhutsher. These temples are built of grayish granite found in abundance in neighborhood and their different architectural entities as evidently prove that they are of a different era. The Sodaratirtha referred in the Nilamata Purana is among the scared tiratha in Kashmir Valley presently known as Nara Nag. Till the last quarter of 20th century, out of religious beliefs, local Kashmir Pandits after consecrating the ashes of their relatives in the Gangabal Lake come to perform the last rites for the peace of departed soul. The first group consists of seven temples, the largest temple of the group has two entrances opposite to each other in north-east and south-west direction. The temple is built of huge rectangular stones laid in dry masonry with inter locking system. The interior is square and ceiling is domical built of horizontal kanjur stones and the apex stone crowned by a full blown lotus. The galvanized sheets roofing is of later addition. All the temples had conical stone roof of a single stone, the evidence of which are available on the site. The center is an unpaved square space for missing image of principle diety in the interior. The closed doors embellished with trefoil arches and pediment reflect the Greco-Roman influence on the Kashmiri Temple architecture. The closed arches decorated with square topped arches meant to carry sculptures. Besides the main temple, there are six other miniature shrines placed in an unsymmetrical manner in the compound intended as subsidiary shrines. These subsidiary shrines were probably erected by various groups of pilgrims as a mark of reverence after returning from Gangabal Lake in form of "votive offering" after successful accomplishment of the hazardous ascent to Gangabal Lake. About one hundred meters below towards the River Bed , the second group of temples is enclosed by two chambered huge gateway of similar size and shape as of Avantipur temple. The roofless two chambered gateway were once supported by four pillars, the base of which are in situ. In this group there are about six small roofless temples with high plinths. The main shrine has only huge arched entrance and other three sides have closed doors with trefoil arches encased in triangular encasing. The ceiling of the grabha-griha or the Cella rounded off with rubble lime motar, probably of the later period, converting the square into a circle originally the triangular slabs springs the domical roof by corners of Kanjur stones. The three exterior trefoil niches once had a large image which is no more extant. A huge rectangular tank scooped out from a single rock into a water tank exists on the south face of the principal temple. The whole group encircled is by the remains of rectangular wall of huge stones of which the foundation could be traced, together with several base of pillars and fluted pillars similar to the Avantiswamin Temple, just opposite to the main entrance. There is a large platform with evidence of twelve pedestals of pillars, eight in number four on the longer side and four on the shorter side. The flight of stairs is built between the central pair of columns facing the first group of temple. The 100` ft long by 67` broad pillared hall is a remarkable architecture feat of the whole group of temples. The temples were plundered in the days of Jyasimha in Kalhana's time. The temple of Naranag suffered many misfortunes as mentioned in Khalhana's Rajatarangani during the reign of Sangramaraja (11th century). The temple- was plundered by Bhandesvara, a Minister of the King. For the period of the reign of Uchchala (12th century) a conflagration caused much damage to the building and during the reign of Jayasimha Hayavadava(12th century), a rebel minister also attacked these temples. Nara Nag is the base camp of the Gangabal Lake' it takes 8-10 hour on foot or on horse back to reach the lake. During the June-Oct the village acts as host for thousands of foreign tourists who visit the beautiful Gangabal Lake.