Enjoy three beautiful pictures of three beautiful mornings and do continue further and read my musings on Sandhya Vandanam.
As the weather has improved and become pleasantly cool, we have managed to get out sooner for our walks. The day before I captured a half moon that was about to set. Yesterday I captured a hazy morning as there was a slight drizzle. Today was a crisp cool morning with a reddish glow announcing the arrival of Surya Deva.
Beautiful Mornings 🙂
I was remembering the practise of Sandhya Vandanam that Prof Mahadevan spoke about during Foundations of Sanatana Dharma course conducted by Vyoma Labs. All life on Earth is because of the Sun. The food we eat, the water we drink, the air that we breathe all become available courtesy the Sun. If the Sun were to disappear, life would disappear. The practise of Sandhya Vandanam is first and foremost saying “thank you” to Surya Deva for giving us life.
Do read Prof Mahadevan’s article – Thoughts on Sandhya Vandanam.
Vedic Way of Life
Our ancient practices were so meaningful and very scientific. Over the last 1000 years we have steadily been forced to forget/misunderstand them as “superstition” or regressive practices.
The Western world today is talking of daily gratitude in our personal life and sustainability for the planet. In the Vedic way of life,both these concepts were built into our daily activities. Sandhya Vandanam, is daily gratitude to the Sun for giving us our very life.
Sustainability is making sure that our carbon footprint was negligible. Our forefathers didn’t store cooked food. Leftovers were either given to “night” beggars who specifically came at night or the rice was soaked in water and salt to be given as a nutritious breakfast for children the next day. Both my grandmothers have never used a refrigerator.
We had no need for a freezer or a refrigerator. Food made freshly and eaten on steel/silver plates or leaf plates leaving no trace behind. Water from the well was completely potable and the rivers were clean !
The pandemic has shown us that Mother Earth is able to renew herself as soon as human beings are kept locked up. We don’t have to talk of sustainability, we just have to get out of Nature’s way :(.
Even as you enjoy the photographs of beautiful mornings, do reflect upon our Vedic way of life. Maybe its time to start living that way again, with gratitude and sustainably.