Tuesday, 17 January 2017

Memory Booster! : Healthy Brain Foods





The brain is a vital organ of the body. We often hear someone telling that the person is very sharp and intelligent; their IQ levels are too high. Well, the brain is responsible for multiple functions in the body and specially performs the role of co-ordination. Hence, we bring for you the list of some essential and healthy brain foods.



Ever wondered how to keep the brain healthy and increase memory power! The answer lies in the food we intake and the healthy choices we make.


Here we talk about some of the super foods (brain foods)to boost memory power and keep the brain healthy.


1. Dark Chocolates


This is a yummy treat for the brain!!

Dark chocolates are full of flavonols, an element responsible for controlling the blood pressure. This in turn, helps to circulate blood to the brain and aids in the normal functioning.

You can munch on some dark chocolates several times in a week. As a caution, always prefer dark chocolates which have 70-80% cocoa. These chocolates have a slightly bitter taste but are excellent for the mind and body.

2. Coconut Oil


Always listen to your mom when she tells about the varied uses of coconut oil. It is not just a natural beauty product but also one of the best oils for the brain.

Thankfully, coconut oil is a natural agent to boost memory power and acts as an anti-inflammatory substance to prevent inflammation of cells.

Include coconut oil regularly in your diet. Cook food using coconut oil to see its benefits in the long run.

3. Eggs


Being very high in protein, it is one of the healthy brain foods.

There are several myths regarding eggs. Some people say eggs contribute to the cholesterol level whereas others prefer eating the egg whites only as the yolk generates lot of heat in the body. Well, think about it again!!

The egg yolk is rich in Choline which is responsible for brain development in both the children and the adults. It is why pregnant ladies are often advised to have eggs several times a week.

Also, eggs can keep you happy!! You heard it right; eggs break down the hormones in the body which make you happy. So eat an egg and stay happy all day
.

4. Broccoli


Have you made faces when your mom asked you to have broccoli? Well, we all do the same.

Broccoli is considered to be an excellent brain foods. After all, it has a high content of vitamin K and Choline in it to sharpen the memory power.


Next time before going for exams, you definitely know what you should eat!!

5. Blueberries


Blueberries are one such example of healthy brain foods which do not spoil the taste buds.

Munch on some blueberries regularly for a healthy brain. They are rich in all the essential vitamins and fibre. It is a kind of citrus fruit and hence has abundant of vitamin C and vitamin K which relieves stress from the brain. It helps in regeneration of brain cells thereby keeping your brain healthy.

6. Celery


Celery is a wonder food. It has zero cholesterol, less in calories, packed with essential vitamins and minerals and a super food for the brain.

Celery has anti-inflammatory properties which prevent inflammation of the brain cells and keeps them healthy. It is also rich in anti-oxidants and has lot of benefits.

The good news is one cup of celery hardly has 16-20 calories. So eating celery in your breakfast is excellent for a great mind and a good body.

7. Avocado


It is essential to include avocado in your diet because it prevents blood clotting in the brain. Hence, you have minimal chances of getting a brain stroke in your life.

It has high content of essential Vitamins like Vitamin B, C, K and boosts memory power. Eat fresh avocado directly as a fruit or have a milkshake multiple times in a week to maintain brain health.

8. Olive Oil


Olive oil is one of the best oil for both brain and the body. The extra virgin olive oil is immensely useful for curing brain diseases like Alzheimer’s as it inhibits the toxins entering the brain.

Include extra virgin olive oil in your salads and noodles to increase memory power.

As a caution, it is always better to intake olive oil directly like using it as a dressing in salads. Do not cook in olive oil as cooking on very high-temperature mars the benefits of this oil.

9. Leafy Vegetables


Leafy vegetables are rich in Vitamins. It prevents degeneration of brain cells and restores the mental ability.

It is therefore, advisable for older people to include a lot of sage, spinach, kale in their diet. This helps to boost memory power and slows down the process of degeneration.

It is mostly recommended to have at least 2 servings of green leafy vegetables in a day to prevent inflammation of brain cells and keep the brain healthy.

10. Salmon


Salmons are a healthy treat for non-vegetarians. It is one of the complete brain foods, very rich in omega-3 fatty acid which improves concentration. It is a great food to fight against cancer and brain tumors.

Include salmon in your diet and you could see a big difference in your memory power and simultaneously prevent any diseases related to the brain.
Conclusion

Our diet is an important factor in our well being. We should always make the right choices for a healthy living.

Along with good food, incorporating some form of exercise keeps our mind and soul healthy. This in turn, keeps us fit for a long time and slows down the degeneration process. The brain plays a critical role in the body and we are solely responsible for taking care of it.

Hope you have found this brain foods article useful. In case of any suggestion or feedback, please feel free to share the same in the comments section below.

Friday, 7 October 2016

Navratri Vrat Recipes



Navratri festivities give you a chance to get back to the roots and deviate from the day-to-day affair. Ingredients like kuttu atta, singhara atta, fresh vegetables, milk, yogurt andmakhanas are preferred as they are light on the stomach and can be digested easily. Instead of regular salt, rock salt or sendha namak is used as it is pure and unprocessed. Those who do not wish to fast may follow a vegetarian satvik diet where ingredients like garlic and onions that produce heat in the body are avoided to allow your body to detox.

Embrace the joy of the festival with the best of our fasting recipes. From old favourites to newer ones, indulge in a lot more than just the usual fare.

1. Sabudana Khichdi

Recipe by Niru Gupta

Sabudana is full of starch or carbohydrates which gives you the much needed energy boost while fasting. A light dish made with sabudana, peanuts and mild spices.







2. Kuttu Ka Dosa

Recipe by Gunjan Goela

This Navratri move over the usual kuttu puris and rustle up something different. A crisp dosa recipe made of kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour) with a potato filling.






3. Singhare ke Atte ka Samosa

Recipe by Niru Gupta

Feast while fasting! Your favorite tea time snack made with fasting ingredients like water chestnut flour, sendha namak and a filling of spiced chironji.





4. Aloo ki Kadhi

Recipe by Niru Gupta

Tuck into the soothing flavors of this light and lovely curry made with the ever-so-versatile potatoes.





5. Low Fat Makhana Kheer

Recipe by Gunjan Goela

Desserts inspire a cheer, here's for you low fat kheer recipe made with makhana and nuts. Indulge without worrying about the weighing scale!






6. Khire ke Pakode

Recipe by Niru Gupta

Cool cucumbers fried crisp! These pakoras are one of the most loved fasting recipes. We bet you cannot stop at one bite!






7. Banana Walnut Lassi

Recipe by Aditya Bal & Devanshi

Charge up with this nourishing drink. Lassi made with the goodness of yogurt, bananas, honey  and walnuts.

Banana Walnut Lassi Recipe Video




8. Vratwale Chawal Ka Dhokla

Recipe by Niru Gupta
rice dhokla



A fresh recipe that gives you a break from the usual fried pakoras and puris. Steamed dhoklasmade with samwat ke chawal. A healthy way to fast.




9. Kebab-e-Kela

Recipe by Niru Gupta

Fasting need not be boring anymore! Spiced banana kebabs that perfectly melt in your mouth and please your soul.




10. Chironji Ki Dal

Recipe by Niru Gupta
navratri dal



Slurp on something different during your fasting days. Here's a quick serving of dal made with chironji or chironji seeds.
source


Thursday, 29 September 2016

Green Fat Burner


Bedtime Detox Drink


Detoxification can help eliminate toxins and cancer causing compounds and improve your body’s absorption power. This beverage will boost metabolism, immunity, detoxification and promote fat burn.

Excess fat around your belly is linked to an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Numerous studies have linked obesity with Type 2 Diabetes. According to one study published in The Journal Hearth magazine, excess belly fat is a potent factor in sudden heart failure.

Ingredients


½ lemon
1 cucumber
1 tablespoon grated ginger
Handful parsley leaves
1/3 cup of water

Instructions


Blend ½ lemon, 1 cucumber, 1 tbsp grated ginger, a handful of parsley leaves and 1/3 cup of water. Drink this every night before going to bed. This drink triggers the body's detoxification process, fires up your metabolism, improves immunity and promotes quick fat burn, especially around the belly. It also helps the body absorb nutrients better. consume it every night before going to bed.

Thursday, 22 September 2016

Life-changing lessons from Bhagavad Gita




The Bhagavad Gita is one of the greatest religious books of the Hindus. The Bhagavad Gita reveals the path to the lost, provides clarity to the confused, and wisdom to all. Here are some of the most popular and important teachings from one of the greatest spiritual books the world has ever known…



“Surrender the fruits of your actions.”



When we work keeping the fruits of our labour in mind, we can never really give our best. It’s because we are overly obsessed with the possible rewards. We are worried be our best in it. It also gives us a lot of worries about the result. We may also feel disheartened if our task or action does not yield good outputs. Therefore, just doing our work without really thinking about its result should be our motive. Find contentment in the journey you are on, regardless of the outcome!



“Life is a battlefield: Fight boldly”



Even when the walls are crumbling around you and the earth is cracking beneath your feet, do not expect or fear anything. Expectations and fears limit our possibilities.

“Our soul never dies”



Our soul never dies. Even after our death, it continues to exist. It is immortal. It just changes bodies after the death of a person. Moreover, our body is made up of ‘agni’ (fire), ‘jal’ (water), ‘vayu’(wind), ‘prithvi’ (earth) and it combines with them after death

“Accept the dualities of life”



Imagine your most disgraceful moment and then imagine yourself at ease in it, sitting quietly while the leaves of worry float away in the breeze. Feeling sad about your losses will only way you down. Accept your desire without coveting or needing that which you want.

“We all have to die one day”



This world is not immortal. One who takes birth, has to die one day. That is the ultimate truth of this world. Nothing exists permanently. One has to leave this world, even though he wishes not to. No magic can actually help a person to stay forever. Everyone has their set life periods.

“Accept the equanimity of life”



When you see all beings as equal in suffering and in joy, when you are rooted in the oneness of all beings, you cannot love or hate anyone because it is all part of the same thing. In other words, love your enemy as yourself. Refuse to speak badly about those who hurt you or your enemies.

“Progress and development are the rules of this Universe”



Things may not be the same, the way they used to be. Things and circumstances change. We should neither expect people, nor surroundings, not even society, to be the same. They all change with time. We move ahead. The Universe forgets old things and moves forwards, so do we. We should not stick to one place. That will make our existence much more problematic in this world.

“Every action and deed of ours should be dedicated to Krishna”



Whatever we do in the course of our lifetime should be dedicated to the supreme personality of Godhead. This will always result in giving us peace and satisfaction. One should remember Krishna during every action of ours. This makes us feel God’s presence with us all the time, making all our actions turn out to be positive.

“Krishna is always there for you”



Krishna is the ultimate support of any human being. Our fellow humans may not care for us or support as or may even leave us in our bad times, but Krishna is always there for us. The person who knows this truth is never really troubled by sadness or grief.


“Krishna is the supreme”



Krishna is the supreme personality of Godhead. He is the original cause of all causes. He starts everything and ends everything too. He is there everywhere. He is omnipresent and omnipotent. We are just puppets whom he controls. He is divine and transcendental.

“Desires come and go”



Desires come and go, but one should remain a dispassionate witness, simply watching and enjoying the show. Everyone experiences desires but one should not be moved by them. They should not bother a person. People sometimes undertake really evil actions because of their desires. One should simply not get caught in the chains of desire.


“A mind obsessed with money cannot meditate”



Bhagavad Gita talks a lot about meditation and its importance. Meditation is considered extremely helpful for inner peace and‘sadhna’. Moreover, a person who thinks about making money all the time cannot really engage in meditation. When a person’s mind is not stable and he or she thinks only about money, then meditation would be a failed effort for such a person.


“Life is a battlefield: Fight boldly”


Even when the walls are crumbling around you and the earth is cracking beneath your feet, do not expect or fear anything. Expectations and fears limit our possibilities.

Wednesday, 14 September 2016

5 Foods to Avoid this Monsoon: Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy

Have the monsoon showers got you reaching out for that cup of garam chai and a steaming plate of pakodas? Halt right there! While the rain may bring you respite from the scorching heat, it also brings with it a series of infections and the occasional flu. It is important to arm ourselves against these ailments to make the most of the lovely weather. So before you set out on a long drive to that cosy, obscure café that serves chai and snacks just the way you like them, read through this list of food items you should avoid in the rainy season.



Leafy Vegetables




It may seem counter intuitive because all our lives we have been instructed about the importance of eating leafy vegetables. However, in the monsoon, they are best avoided. The grime and dampness present in them makes them highly susceptible to germs. Say no to vegetables like spinach, cabbage and cauliflower this season. Instead, go for pungent vegetables like bitter gourd, ghiya, tori or tinda. Make sure all vegetables are thoroughly washed and cooked well.




Fresh Juice and Fruit from Roadside Vendors




Any fresh food items that have had a long exposure to the monsoon air should be avoided. Roadside vendors have the fruits cut up well in advance, which could have come in contact with contaminated air. Stick to fresh fruit juice prepared at home and consume it instantly.

Quick Tip: Even at home, make sure you don’t leave cut fruits out for very long. Any prolonged exposure to the air can cause contamination. Cut it fresh and consume immediately.

Sea Food




Monsoon is the breeding season for fish and prawns so they are best avoided this time of the year. Stick to chicken and mutton to satiate your craving for non-vegetarian food. However, if it absolutely essential to have sea food, make sure you only consume the freshest variety of it, taking extra care to cook them well.

Fried Food




Yes, you read that right. Fried food is one of the food items you should absolutely avoid this rainy season and science backs me up on this too. The highly humid monsoon weather causes our digestion process to slow down. However irresistible that spread of pakodas, samosas and kachodi may seem, they could cause gastronomical complications like bloating and stomach upset. Extra salty food also causes water retention.

Dr. Simran Saini, nutritionist at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi, recommends, “I would strongly advise everyone to stay away from street food, especially items like gol gappa where water is used. The season brings with itself lots of bacteria and insects, which can cause severe infection.”


Fizzy Drinks




Fizzy drinks reduce minerals in our body, which in turn leads to reduction of enzyme activity. This is highly undesirable with an already weak digestive system. Keep a bottle of water or nimbu paani handy or stick to warm beverages like ginger tea. Your digestive system will thank you for it.
Similarly, Dr. Saini also says, “This season renders our digestive system sensitive. I would advise everyone to go easy on dairy products too as they can take a toll on digestion. Instead, go for nimbu paani or shikanjvi. Plenty of boiled, clear water should be consumed.”



To make the most of your favourite season, follow these quick but essential tips.

1. Forego a heavy meal and keep a light diet. The joy of eating that comforting plate of roadside chola bhatura will only be momentary because of a vulnerable digestive system during the monsoons.

2. Don’t let the rains make you lazy. Keep up that exercise regime and sweat out that extra moisture and potentially harmful bacteria.

3. Personal hygiene is paramount in this season. There is no chance you wouldn’t have stepped in a grimy puddle in the course of the day. Washing with just water is not enough. Use an anti-bacterial solution or soap to clean out all those germs.

4. The season brings with it infections galore! Cases of ear infections, flu, common cold and eye infections like conjunctivitis multiply in number and no signs should be ignored.

5. Keep drinking water, and then some more. You may not feel too thirsty but you should keep hydrating the body, otherwise it may lead to a drop in the immunity and make you lethargic.

source

Wednesday, 7 September 2016

Peace Comes From within do not seek it with out





Don’t you find life to always be filled with stress? Doesn’t it seem like there is always something that happens which encompasses our entire attention, and thus drain our positive energy? As our society grows more and more complex, finding true peace becomes more like trying to find an oasis in the desert. My life is a busy one as well, as running a company and all of the stress & demands that comes with it, definitely takes its toll over time. Therefore, I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some of the methods that I use in my life to find peace and disconnect from the daily routine:



Accept what is


There is only so much we can affect. What we cannot change, what we cannot influence no matter what, should not be a concern to us. This is what I notice with so many people, in that we focus and linger on things which we have no control over. Why worry about something that all the worrying in the world will not change? Why care about what other people think of us when we’re not even sure what it is they are actually thinking? Once you open the blinds to this fact, and start accepting what is that you cannot change, you automatically relieve yourself of a mountain of stress and anxiety. It’s like a huge weight has been lifted from your shoulders. Taking this path is following a road towards peace.

Meditate


If you do not meditate yet, you are missing out on a very important activity that can change your life. Meditating for 20 minutes daily can have an enormous impact in all areas of your life.  If you have a lot on your mind and you feel like your thoughts are driving you crazy, meditation can help you find peace. Simply close everything, sit back, close your eyes, and clear your mind of every single thought. Focus on the emptiness. You will be surprised what a mere 20 minutes of meditation can do to turn things around for you. which will help you get used to this level of peacefulness



Spend time in nature



We spend so much time confined in buildings of steel and concrete and bricks that we quickly forget where we come from. It is natural for us to be in nature, and this is why it feels so good and it is so peaceful when you take a walk in a park or bike on a trail in the forest. As I am typing this blog, I am looking out my window to this gigantic tree in front of my house. Watching its stillness, with the wind blowing through its branches calmly, it is a sight that not only inspires me, but that I find peace within it. I have blogged before about how I enjoy biking and one of the reasons is that it brings me closer to nature. It is something you just can’t experience in a car. If you feel overwhelmed, take a stroll outside where there are tons of trees and far from the city. Be there and just enjoy the sights, the sounds, and the peace.

Learn the power of a smile



Whenever you are laughing or smiling, something interesting happens. Not only does something happen on a chemical level to make you feel better, but it also stops all stress and negativity from entering your psyche. A simple smile can make such a difference. For example, the other day I mishandled a dish and it fell on the floor, breaking into pieces, creating a big mess. Now, I could have been angry with myself for being clumsy and thinking “here’s another reason why life sucks!”. But I did the opposite. I began to smile and kind of make fun of myself for not being able to hold on to that plate properly. As I cleaned up the mess, there was no bitterness or anger. As a matter of fact, I did it with a smile on my face…I did it with peace. So whenever you find yourself in a similar predicament, just think of the silver lining, and don’t be shy to poke fun at yourself. You will quickly realize that peace finds its way much more easily to you when you smile.

Think outwardly



What I mean by this is that most of the time, we are so consumed within our own problems that we can no longer see the forest from the trees. Therefore, it helps to remind ourselves how big the world is. Take a moment and read up about some other countries, cultures, and the likes. Be aware that the world does not revolve around your problems. I find that when I hear about a tsunami or an earthquake killing hundreds of thousands of people on the other side of the world, my problems aren’t really “problems”. Looking beyond ourselves is very important in finding peace and it leads me to my next point.

Care about others



You will never find peace by being self-consumed and only worrying about your own needs and wants. When you begin to genuinely care about other people, so much goodness comes right out. This only helps into solidifying your inner peace. It can be people close to you or pure strangers, but any act of kindness and goodwill eases your way towards peace. When I help other people, I stop focusing on my so-called problems and realize that my life isn’t so bad after all. This rids my entire being of all the stress and feelings of overwhelm. There is great peace and wisdom in thinking and caring about other people, which we are blind to when we are too deep within our own selfish ways.

Never lose hope


Hope is something you can never afford to lose. With hope you always have a path towards peace. Whenever we get too stressed out and overwhelmed within our own life, we forget that hope. We forget that the sun always shines after a rainy day, and that this is merely a bump in the road. I find immense peace in just knowing, deep within my heart, that everything will be ok. With hope, I know that whatever is seemingly terrible, is only temporary and that soon enough, things will be just fine. This lifts off all of that negativity from my entire being, and I feel better pretty much instantly.

Embrace your beliefs


I am not one to pick or favor one belief system over another, so whatever it is that you believe in, embrace it with your entire being. Be within your faith 100% and peace will find its way into your heart. Now, we may all disagree on each other’s beliefs but one thing we must all agree on is that having a solid, healthy faith is crucial in founding a proper conscience that helps into guiding us towards peace and wisdom. There is a reason why research has shown that people that are deeply devoted to their faith have a higher life expectancy and are less likely to have diseases such as cancer. This is because they experience more inner peace, which is important if you want to increase the quality of your life.

Keep learning


One thing that provides us with much stress in life is the fact that we always worry about not having all the answers. Just accepting that you do not know everything, and that you are open to always keep learning is a tremendous step to take towards achieving inner peace. I find great joy in learning all kinds of different things, and just being aware that I am growing as a person each and every day provides me with great feelings of peace. Accept that life is one big journey of never-ending learning and you will find yourself closer to experiencing true peace within yourself.

Live in the present moment


Most of the time, what we worry about is relating to something either in the past, or something that hasn’t happened. Living in the present moment erases all such thoughts. Why worry about something in the past that we cannot ever change? (see point #1, accept what is). Why worry about something that we are not even sure will happen or not? This is why in the present moment, you find true inner peace. In the present moment, there are no problems and no concerns. There is only stillness, and it is within that stillness that you can uncover peace. I used to be such a person that worried all the time, to the point where I had trouble sleeping. Once I learned to live in the present moment, I stopped thinking about the past and any potential future, and just worried about being ever-present in each and every moment. My life is definitely more peaceful since then!

Saturday, 27 August 2016

Who was Patañjali ? Do you know ???



Take enough yoga classes and you’ll eventually hear one of your teachers quote from the Yoga Sutra, which is the guidebook of classical, or raja (royal), yoga. Written at least 1,700 years ago, it’s made up of 195 aphorisms (sutras), or words of wisdom. But do you know anything about Patanjali, the person who supposedly compiled these verses?

About Patanjali



It is believed that Maharishi Patanjali was the avatar of Adi Shesha - the Infinite Cosmic Serpent upon whom Lord Vishnu rests. He is considered to be the compiler of the Yoga Sutras, along with being the author of a commentary on Panini's Ashtadhyayi, known as Mahabhasya. He is also supposed to be the writer of a work on the ancient Indian medicine system, Ayurveda. Read on this biography further to know more about Maharishi Patanjali and his philosophy. His Life The life history of Patanjali is full of legends and contradictions. There are no authentic records regarding his birth. As per one legend, he fell (pata) into the hands (anjali) of a woman, thus giving him the name Patanjali. Patanjali Yoga Sutras It is said that once, while watching a dance by Lord Shiva, Adi Shesha found it unbearable to support the weight of Lord Vishnu. Amazed at this, he asked Lord Vishnu the reason for the same. Lord Vishnu said that this was because of his harmony with Lord Shiva's energy state, owing to the practice of Yoga. Realizing the value and benefits of Yoga, Adi Shesha decided to be born amongst humans as 'Patanjali', to teach them the great art. Yoga Sutras are considered to serve as the basis of the yogic techniques. Maharishi Patanjali, "The Father of Yoga", compiled 195 sutras, which serve as a framework for integrating Yoga into the daily routine and leading an ethical life. The exact date of the compilation of the Yoga Sutras is not known. However, it is believed that they were written somewhere around 200 BC. The core of Patanjali's teachings lies in the eightfold path of yoga. The path shows the way to live a better life through yoga.


Maharishi Patanjali is a saint who is believed to have lived some time during the 2nd century BCE. Known for his treatise on Yoga, entitled “Patanjali Yoga Sutra”, he was not only an authority on the Science of Yoga, but was also a scientist and a doctor whose clarity and wisdom was remarkable.

Tradition says that Patanjali was also the author of the treatise “Mahaabhaashya” which is an exposition on Paanini’s “Ashtaadhyaayi”, although there has been considerable debate as to whether the two works “Yoga Sutras” and Mahaabhaashya” are by the same author. In addition, tradition claims that he has to his credit, a medical text “Charakapratisamskrtah”, which is a revision of the medical treatise of Charaka – however this work was lost.

Hence tradition extolls Patanjali thus, “I bow with my hands together, to the eminent Patanjali, who removed the impurities of the mind through Yoga, of speech through Grammar, and of the body through medicine” (Translation of the verse from Bhoja Rajamaarttaanda Commentary on the Yoga Sutras).

But the question as to whether all the three treatises belong to the same author remains unanswered. There are a number of legends regarding his parentage. One popular legend says that he was the son of Atri, and Anasuya.


Maharishi Patanjali is said to be the incarnation of Anantha, the holy serpent on whom Maha Vishnu reclines in Yoga Nidra. According to another legend, seeing Vishnu enraptured watching the dance of Siva, Adisesha wanted to learn the dance so that he could please his Lord. Impressed by this, Vishnu blessed Adisesha and said that Lord Siva would bless him for his devotion. He would take birth so that he could bless the human race and master the Art of Dance, said the Lord. It was at this time that a virtuous woman named Gonika, who was totally devoted to Yoga, was praying for a worthy son, with a handful of water, when she saw a tiny serpent moving in her hand. Very soon, it turned to human form. This serpent was none other than Adisesha, who had incarnated as Patanjali.


As to the place of his birth, tradition says that he was not born in any ordinary place. He was from an exalted place, an ethereal celestial abode. how Patanjali taught the Science of Yoga thus: Maharishi Patanjali decided that he should have thousand students to learn the science. People from different parts of the land came to him as students. They all gathered in the Southern part of the Vindhya Mountains. Before beginning to teach, Patanjali put a curtain between him and his students. He also put forward a condition that none of his students shall leave the hall during the class. He also said that none should peer through to the other side of the curtain. The students agreed.

The knowledge flowing from the other side was astoundingly profound. At this juncture, one of the students could not resist nature’s call. He went out thinking that the Master seated on the other side would not know that he had left the hall. At the same time, another student, inquisitive to know what was going on, on the other side, lifted the curtain. At that moment, the nine hundred and ninety nine students were turned to ashes. It was then that the person who went out, returned to the hall.

Patanjali, with compassion, told the remaining person that he would share the knowledge with him. But since he had not obeyed the instruction of the Master, he would be turned into a Brahma Raakshasa. He would be free from the curse only if he gets a student to whom he could transmit the knowledge acquired from Patanjali. Saying this, Patanjali disappeared. The Brahma Raakshasa waited for a student for a long time until Patanjali, out of compassion came disguised as a student and freed him from the curse. The student in disguise, wrote the knowledge he got, on leaves. Half of the leaves were eaten by a goat. It is said that Patanjali collected the remaining notes and went to the Himalayas.

The Jeeva Samadhi of Patanjali is believed to be in Tirupattur Brahmapureswara Temple.
source