10 Avatars of Sri MahaVishnu/Narayana

                                                                1)  Matsya Avatar (Fish)

In Matsya Avatar, Lord Vishnu appeared as a one-horned fish and warned about the Mahapralaya (cosmic deluge) and also rescued the Vedas from Demon Damanaka

                                                           2) Kurma Avatar  (The Tortoise)

Vishnu took the form of a tortoise in order to retrieve amritha from the cosmic flood. This amritha was essential for the gods to preserve their youth. On the back of Kurma the gods placed Mount Mandara and tied the divine snake Vasuki around the mountain. With snake acting as the rope to twirl the mountain, the ocean was churned, when the amritha appeared.

3) Varaha Avatar (The Boar)

The asura Hiranyaksh's drastic growth was becoming a cause of worry for the Devas. He had received a boon from Brahma, and was now busy proving his dominance over the 3 worlds.

While Brahma was asleep, the asura took Mother Earth (Bhoodevi) along with all the Vedas and sacred texts, and pushed them to the bottom of the ocean. All the devas went to Lord Vishnu to request his help in getting the earth back. It was then that the Lord assumed the form of a boar, to lift Bhoodevi out of the seas.

4) Narasimha Avatar (Man Lion)

Narasimha, emerging after tearing the pillar into two. He puts Hiranyakasipu on his lap and kills him by his bare claws. As the story goes, Prahlad, son of an evil and powerful king, is a pious boy devoted to Vishnu. His father tried to discourage his pious inclination and inflicted on his cruel punishments. Finally, he decided to kill him. Hiranyakasipu himself was invincible, having received a boon that he could not be killed by day or night, by man or beast, inside nor outside, or by any weapon. Hence Vishnu as Narasimha, appear as neither man nor beast, kills him with his claws at the hour of twilight, within a pillar. Not flaying any of the conditions of the boon Vishnu kills him and saves Prahlad, his devotee.

5) Vamana Avatar (Dwarf Priest)

BALI, the grandson of Prahlada was a very valorous and mighty asura. By his penance and might, he conquered the whole world. Indra and other gods fearing that he and asuras would conquer all the three worlds, went to Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu was then born as a dwarf Vamana in the household of a brahmana(priest). He went to Bali on growing up and asked for alms. Bali was delighted to offer him anything he requested even though his priest warned him that it was Lord Vishnu.
Vamana then requested for the amount of land that could come under his three feet. Bali gracefully agreed. Lord Vishnu then grew in size and covered the earth and heaven in two strides. And due to lack of space, he put his third leg on Bali himself and crushed Bali to the nether or the Patala loka(underground world), thus helping the Gods out. 

                                                   6) Parasurama Avatar ( Rama with Axe)


Parasurama was the great-grandson of Maharishi Bhragu. He was a Brahmin who was blessed to be born with Kshatriya qualities. He learnt all the arts of warfare directly from Lord Shiva after performing tough penance.

7) Sri Rama Avatar( Perfect Man)

Lord Rama (the perfect man, king of Ayodha): King who uploads old rules at the cost of personal life.

8) Sri BalaRama Avatar(Shesha)

Balarama is acknowledged as being a manifestation of Shesha, the divine serpent on whom Vishnu rests

9) Sri Krishna Avatar ( Uphold Dharma)

10) Sri Kalki Avatar ( Dark Age)

Kalki Avatar, the last of the Maha Avatars of Vishnu, is yet to appear towards the end of the Kali Yuga or the Dark Age. The Kali Yuga is the Iron Age. So Kalki will be the Avatar or the Incarnation in the age of machines.

He is described in the Vishudharmottara Purana as a robust young man, riding on his white horse, Devadutta and with a shiny sword raised in his hand. While some sketch him as being four-armed, most of the records focuss on him as a two-armed. The scriptures picturize Kalki`s emergence "as a blazing Light" when He descends from heaven.

Whats in Bhavishya puran Prophet Muhammad or Demon Mahamad?

Original Sanskrit Version
Bhavishya Puran: Prati Sarg: Part III:3,3 5-27

This is the text of pratisarg 1 2 3

mahamadh ithi khayat, shishya-sakha-samniviyath 5


....... mahadev marusthal nivasinam.


mahadevthe snanya-pya punch-gavua samnivithya

tripurarsur-nashav bahu-maya pravathiney 7

malech-dharma shav shudhaya sat-chit-anandaya swarupye,

thva ma hei kinkare vidhii sharanaghatham 8

sooth uchav: ithi shurthiya sthav deva shabadh-mah nupaya tam,

gath-vaya bhojraj-ney mahakhaleshwar-sthale 9

malech-shu dhushita bhumi-vahika nam-vishritha

arya dharma hi nav-vathra vahike desh-darunya 10

vamu-vatra maha-mayi yo-sav dagdho myaa pura

tripuro bali-daithyane proshith punaragath 11

ayoni sa varo math prasava daithyo-vrudhan

mahamadh ithi khayath , paishacha-kruthi thathpar 12

nagathvaya thvya bhup paisachae desh-vartake

math prasadhayane bhupal tav shudhii prajayathe 13

thi shruthva nupshav svadesha-napu maragmath

mahamadh toi sdhav sindhu-thir mupaye-yav 14

uchav bhupati premane mahamadh-virshad

tva deva maharaja das-tva magath 15

mamo-chit sabhu jiya-dhatha tatpashya bho nup


ithi shruthya ththa hata para vismaya-magath16

malechdhano mathi-shasi-tatsaya bhupasaya darutho17


tucha tva kalidas-sthu rusha praah mahamadham

maya-thei nirmithi dhutharya nush-mohan-hethvei 18

hanishyami-duravara vahik purusha-dhamum

ityak va sa jidh shrimanava-raja-tathpar 19

japthya dush-sah-trayach tah-sahansh juhav sa

bhasm mutva sa mayavi malech-dev-tva-magath 20

maybhithashtu tachya-shyaa desh vahii-kamayuuah



guhitva svaguro-bhasm madaheen tva-magatham 21

swapiit tav bhu-ghyot-thro-shrumadh-tathpara


madaheen puro jath thosha trith sayam smurthaum 22

rathri sa dev-roop-shav bahu-maya-virshad

paisacha deha-marathaya bhojraj hi so trivith23

arya-dharmo hei to raja-sarvoutham smurth

ishapraya karinayami paishacha dharma darunbhu24

linga-chedri shikhaheen shamshu dhaari sa dhushak

yukhalapi sarva bhakshi bhavishyat jano maum25

vina kaul cha pashav-thosha bhakshava matha maum

muslanav sanskar kushariv bhavishyat 26

tasman-musal-vanto hi jathiyo dharma dhushika

ithi pishacha-dharma mya kruth

Translation

[From the third part of the Pratisarga Parva.]

Shri Suta Gosvami said: In the dynasty of king Shalivahana, there were ten kings who went to the heavenly planets after ruling for over 500 years. Then gradually the morality declined on the earth. At that time Bhojaraja was the tenth of the kings on the earth. When he saw that the moral law of conduct was declining he went to conquer all the directions of his country with ten-thousand soldiers commanded by Kalidasa. He crossed the river Sindhu and conquered over the gandharas, mlecchas, shakas, kasmiris, naravas and sathas. Crossing the Sindhu, he conquered the ‘Mlencch’ in Gandhar and the ‘Shath’ in Kashmir. King Bhoj grabbed their treasure and then punished them.
In the mean time, an illusory mlencch named Mahamadh arrived with his preceptor (acharya) and his disciples to him. King Bhoj worshiped the idol of Lord Mahadev in the Marusthal (land of deserts). He bathed Lord Shiva with Ganges water and worshipped him in his mind with pancagavya (milk, ghee, yoghurt, cow dung, and cow urine) and sandalwood paste, etc. After he offered some prayers and pleased him. King Bhoj prayed to Lord Mahadev, “O Girijanath who stays in the marusthal (land of deserts), I offer my prayers to you. You have forced maya to destroy Tripurasur; but the mlencchs are worshiping you. You are pure and sacchidanand swaroop. I am your sevak. I have come under your protection.” 

Suta Goswami said: After hearing the king’s prayers, Lord Shiva said: Let the King go to Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain). O King, the land where you are standing, that is popular by the name of Bahik (Baltic), has been polluted by the mlencchs. In that terrible country there no longer exists dharma. There was a mystic demon named Tripura(Tripurasura), whom I have already burnt to ashes, he has come again by the order of Bali. He has no origin but he achieved a benediction from me. His name is Mahamada(Muhammad) and his deeds are like that of a ghost. Therefore, O king, you should not go to this land of the evil ghost. By my mercy your intelligence will be purified. Hearing this the king came back to his country and Mahamada(Muhammad) came with them to the bank of the river Sindhu. He was expert in expanding illusion, so he said to the king very pleasingly: O great king, your god has become my servant. Just see, as he eats my remnants, so I will show you. The king became surprised when he saw this just before them. Then in anger Kalidasa rebuked Mahamada(Muhammad) “O rascal, you have created an illusion to bewilder the king, I will kill you, you are the lowest..."

That city is known as their site of pilgrimage, a place which was Madina or free from intoxication. Having a form of a ghost (Bhuta), the expert illusionist Mahamada(Muhammad) appeared at night in front of king Bhojaraja and said: O king, your religion is of course known as the best religion among all. Still I am going to establish a terrible and demoniac religion by the order of the Lord . The symptoms of my followers will be that they first of all will cut their genitals, have no shikha, but having beard, be wicked, make noise loudly and eat everything. They should eat animals without performing any rituals. This is my opinion. They will perform purificatory act with the musala or a pestle as you purify your things with kusha. Therefore, they will be known as musalman, the corrupters of religion. Thus the demoniac religion will be founded by me. After having heard all this the king came back to his palace and that ghost(Muhammad) went back to his place.

The intelligent king, Bhojaraj established the language of Sanskrit in three varnas - the brahmanas, kshatriyas and vaisyas - and for the shudras he established prakrita-bhasha, the ordinary language spoken by common men. After ruling his kingdom for 50 years, he went to the heavenly planet. The moral laws established by him were honored even by the demigods. The arya-varta, the pious land is situated between Vindhyacala and Himacala or the mountains known as Vindhya and Himalaya. The Aryans reside there, but varna-sankaras reside on the lower part of Vindhya. The musalman people were kept on the other side of the river Sindhu.

On the island of Barbara, Tusha and many others also the followers of Isamsiha were also situated as they were managed by a king or demigods.

Tripurasura's Past life 

Tripurasur was the son of Sage Gritsamad. One day the sage sneezed and from this was created a young boy who the Sage brought up as his own son. The sage taught the boy the Ganana Twam, Ganesh Mantra. Equipped with this mantra the boy meditated intensely on Lord Ganesh who ultimately blessed him. He was given three pura-s of gold silver and iron. Since he was the owner of these three pura-s he was given the name Tripur. Ganesh also bestowed on Tripur to be the most powerful, who none but Lord Shiva himself could destroy and after being destroyed by Lord Shiva he would attain mukti-salvation.

This boon made Tripur proud and he brought havoc in the entire world. He conquered the Nether world and then proceeded to takeover Heaven. He defeated Indra the king of heaven. His aggression made Lord Brahma hide in a lotus and Lord Vishnu in the Shirsagar. He soon also took over Lord Shiva’s Kailash Parvat and thus became the King of all the three worlds. The gods wondered on how to vanquish Tripurasur. Lord Narada told them that, since he had been granted a boon by Lord Ganesh himself it would be very difficult to vanquish him. He advised them to meditate on Lord Ganesh. Pleased Lord Ganesh decided to help the Gods. 

Disguised as brahmin he visited Tripurasur and told him that he was a very enlightened Brahmin and could make for him three flying planes. Riding these he woud be able to go anywhere he wished within minutes. The planes could only be destroyed by Shiva.In return Lord Ganesh asked him to get him the statue of Chintamani which was at the Kailash Mountain. Lord Shiva refused to give the statue to Tripurasur’s messenger. The angry Tripurasur himself went to get the statue. A fierce battle started between him and Lord Shiva. He destroyed everything that belonged to the Lord Shiva who too retired to the Girikandar. 

Lord Shiva too realized that he was unable to destroy Tripurasur because he had not paid his respects to Lord Ganesh. He recited the Shadaakshar Mantra to invoke Ganesh. On doing so from his mouth emerged Gajanan to grant Shiva a boon. Shiva continued his invocation of Ganesh who ultimately directed him on how Tripurasur could be killed. Lord Shiva was asked to recite the Sahastranam and then direct an arrow at the three pura-s of Tripurasur.

Lord Shiva followed these instructions and finally vanquished Tripurasur.

The place where Lord Shiva invoked Lord Ganesh he also created a temple for him. The town surrounding this temple was called Manipur. The village Ranjangaon is considered to be the place where Lord Shiva himself sought the blessings of Ganesh and ultimately destroyed Tripurasur.

Mahamada (Incarnation of Tripurasura the demon) = Dharmadushika (Polluter of righteousness)

Religion founded by Mahamada = Paisachyadharama (demoniac religion)

Lord Shiva

Ascetic traits: Shiva covers himself with ash from dead bodies, this rejecting symbolically the material world and expressing his disdain for its transience. He prefers being identified with the permanent soul that lies untainted within the body.

Shiva is always seen depicted wearing venomous serpents as if they were jewellery. Snakes, especially cobras can be seen around Shiva’s neck, slithering down this body, reflecting his absolute renunciation, his refusal to react or respond to any threat or temptation. He is Nageshvar, lord of serpents. The serpent also represents the coiled energy of Kundalini, the power that enables seeds to germinate and animals to conceive. Shiva as lord of herbs and master of beasts, the primordial ‘shaman’ in touch with nature’s mysteries, has a close relationship with serpents. The serpent is also said to be ananta sesha, the great serpent of eternity, within whose coils rests the universe.

Shiva usually carries a human skull in his hand to confront the world with its mortality. Sometimes he uses the skull-cap as a drinking bowl. Shiva always carries a trident, trishul, whose three prongs are said to represent the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvar (shiva). A crescent moon crowns Shiva’s head earning him the title of Chandrachuda. Like the waxing and waning of the moon, Shiva is in tune with the activity and passivity of the cosmos. On this moon grows the herb soma whose sap is the favorite drink of the gods. As Trimbaka, the three-eyes god, he uses his cosmic inner eye to distinguish truth from illusion and to destroy lust that seduces man into samsara. His third eye endorses his position as lord of yoga.

Shiva the transcendent: Shiva means the auspicious one. Yet, everything about him seems inauspicious: he dwells in isolated hills, dark caves and dense jungles. He dances amidst funeral pyres, rattling bells and drums, wearing animal hide, if anything at all; he stinks like a goat, smears himself with ash, carries skulls, drinks poison, smokes narcotics, enjoys intoxicants, hangs out with ghosts, ghouls and goblins, demands worship during the dark half of the lunar month. Shiva thus transcends the duality of good-bad, right-wrong, holy-unholy, auspicious-inauspicious. Shiva stands above it all, accepting, loving all.

Shiva the teacher: Shiva is the fountainhead of all wisdom. The Knowledge he imparts helps man to live a richer and fuller life. He is the lord of the performing arts, fine arts, martial arts, literature, science, mysticism and philosophy. He taught man the secrets of herbs along with the cycles of nature and the cosmos.

Shiva the outsider: Shiva, is the rebel who challenges orthodoxy. He is a nonconformist, the refuge of all outsiders, individuals who feel alienated in a traditional society. He is the lord of the demons, of yakshas, asuras, danavas, rakshasas, all creatures deemed evil by society simply because their nature is not in accordance with the needs of civilization.

Shiva the man: Shiva symbolizes cosmic virility. He is the cosmic man in eternal union with the cosmic women. He is thus the father-god, who complements the mother-goddess. If he is the seed, she is the field; he is the sky, she is the earth; if he is stillness, she is movement; if he is the axle she is the wheel; if he is the linga, she is the yoni. Together they are fused, two halves of the whole.

Shiva the destroyer: Brahma creates the world, Vishnu sustains it, Shiva destroys it. Together this holy trinity ensures the rotation of the cycle of life. Shiva accepts all that us foul, unclean, dirty, rejected; he destroys the corruptions within them all and prepares them for rebirth. He is thus the renewer, the regenerator, the transformer.

Shiva the soul: Shiva is the cosmic spirit untouched by material transformations. He stands beyond gender, space and time, yet permeates the entire cosmos. He is the vitality of life, the source of all things and their final destination. He is the sad-chitta-ananda: absolute truth, pure consciousness, eternal bliss. Union with him is the ultimate aim of all creatures.

Shiva the godhead: Shiva is the supreme being. He has five aspects representing creation, preservation, destruction, oblivion and grace. He has eight forms representing the soul, the sun, the moon, and the elements: earth, fire, water, wind and ether. He is the totality of all manifestation, the meaning of all existence. He is a mystery waiting to be unfathomed, just like life. To understand him is to understand the ultimate reality the governs the cosmos: the eternal absolute truth, sanatan dharma.

The Origin of Vishnu's Sudarshana Chakra

This is the story of how MahaVishnu's(Narayana) Sudarshana Chakra came into existence. The asuras, or demons, were extremely bad. They always tortured the cosmic gods. At one time, the cosmic gods were suffering so much from the attacks of the demons that they went to see Lord Vishnu. They wanted to seek his help in defeating the demons.

MahaVishnu said to them, "I do not have enough power to defeat or destroy the demons. I must seek help from Shiva. I will ask him to give me a special weapon that will help me defeat the demons."

When MahaVishnu went to Shiva, he found Lord Shiva in trance. Vishnu did not want to disturb Shiva's meditation, so he started praying and praying to Shiva with the hope that one day he would come out of his trance.

Every day, for years and years, MahaVishnu prayed to Shiva, meditated on Shiva and chanted Shiva's name very devotedly. He offered one thousand lotus blossoms to Shiva every day. Each time he offered Shiva a lotus blossom, he would chant Shiva's name.

This went on for such a long time and still Shiva remained rapt in trance. Poor MahaVishnu was helpless! The gods(DEVAS) were being mercilessly tortured by the demons and he was unable to save them.

Finally, after many long years, Shiva came out of his trance. MahaVishnu's joy knew no bounds. He ran to gather one thousand lotus blossoms so that he could worship Lord Shiva and ask for a special boon.

Shiva had already decided that he would grant MahaVishnu the boon, but first he wanted to play a trick on MahaVishnu. He secretly went to the spot where MahaVishnu had placed the lotus flowers and stole one flower. Now there were only 999 flowers.

After making all his preparations, MahaVishnu began to worship Shiva most devotedly. One by one, he offered the lotus flowers and chanted Shiva's name. When he came to the end, he realised that one flower was missing. He had only counted 999. That meant he had to go and find one more lotus. Instead of doing that, he immediately plucked out one of his eyes and placed it before Shiva.

When Shiva saw that MahaVishnu had such devotion for him, he said, "I will grant you anything that you ask for."

"Please give me something that will help me to conquer the asuras," said MahaVishnu.

Shiva replied, "I give you this round disc. It will help you to conquer all your enemies. No matter how many demons come to attack you and the other gods, you will be able to defeat them all with this disc."

The name of the disc was the Sudarshana Chakra. When Lord Krishna took incarnation, MahaVishnu gave him this chakra, because Krishna was the embodiment of Vishnu. Krishna could immediately use the chakra at any time; it was his own property. Sri Chaitanya also used the Sudarshana Chakra a few times. He was able to invoke it and it would come to him. When he wanted to kill Jagai and Madhai, for example, he invoked it. These two ruffians saw it coming from Heaven and became extremely frightened. Before it reached them, they surrendered to Sri Chaitanya.

The Sudarshana Chakra is not thrown. With will-power it is sent against the enemy. It rotates very, very fast after leaving the finger and chases the enemy. The chakra itself is round and has something like the points of arrows all around its edge. It has tremendous occult and spiritual power to destroy everything. Nobody can stand against the Sudarshana Chakra.

How To Remove Common Misconceptions About Hinduism

Hinduism is a vast religion with multiple facets. It is the oldest religions in the world. For the less informed, Hinduism may look too confusing, too complicated to understand, and too contradictory in its precepts and practices. Even many Hindus do not know the exalted philosophies of the religion. Naturally, there are many misconceptions commonly prevalent about Hinduism, some propagated by vested interests, some by ill-informed westerners and some by self-doubting Hindus. Here is an attempt to clear up some of those misconceptions.

1) Know that Hinduism does not have 330 million Gods.

As per Hindu mythology, this count actually refers to Devas - celestial beings - but not Gods. Deva is a Sanskrit term that at times is used to glorify Gods, but not to represent Gods. This usage has led to the mischievous misinterpretation by westerners to denounce Hinduism as a religion of 330 million gods. Unfortunately, many ill-informed Hindus, too, have taken to believe in this misperception. Devas, according to mythology, live in Indralokha (or Devalokha, an equivalent of Heaven) and they are none other than human beings in earlier births who did extraordinarily good deeds with a desire to enjoy the fruits of such deeds. They enjoy the fruits of those deeds in Deva Lokha, and once exhausted, they have to take birth again in this world. According to the mythology, this cycle is an ongoing phenomenon.

2) Know that Hinduism, in its essence, is not a religion of multiple Gods.

Hinduism permits worship of multiple God forms, endowed with different looks, powers, and attributes, who, in reality, represent the One God, known as Brahman, or Parabrahman, Paramatma or Satchidananda. Hinduism accepts the basic differences in every person in taste, temperament and capacity of intake in the matter of religion. A woman found distasteful to one person can be the soul-stirring sweetheart of another person. When such a difference in taste can exist, why not allow different tastes in the worshiping of God? Thus Hinduism permits you to choose a specific God form most appealing and lovable to you; it encourages you to believe wholeheartedly that that particular God form indeed is the one supreme God. A chaste woman considers her husband alone to be the most handsome and most wonderful person; likewise, at the lower echelons of religion, a believer's conviction that his personal God alone is the most powerful and the "only true God" is also encouraged.

As a person matures in his religious progress, he surpasses his narrow convictions. He understands by experience that one supreme lord has, by His grace, adapted to come in the form of his personal God and that He presents Himself in other forms to satisfy other sects of believers. At the ultimate level of experience, the seeker perceives that the whole universe is simply nothing other than God and it includes his own soul, too.

3) Know that Hinduism has not ordained that the society should be caste-based with all the concomitant discriminations.

Hinduism had accepted the practical fact that there will always be differences among persons in intellectual, physical and mental capabilities. For the society to run smoothly like well-oiled machinery, there has to be a well-defined division of labor. The society needs all sorts of people who do their jobs to the best of their ability doing those activities best suited to them. The society needs peasants and artisans (‘Shudra'), traders (‘Vysya'), intellectuals and teachers (‘Brahmin'), and warriors (‘Kshatriya'). Each class requires its own skill sets, physical and mental capabilities, food habits, ethical and moral codes of conduct and the Hindu Dharma has provided these guidelines. What is best suited to one class need not be a benchmark for another. The society at large accepted these classifications as matters of fact (without acrimony) in ancient days. It is also said that such a division of labor was not originally based on family lineage. But when followed over generations, it gradually turned into a caste system and further degenerated into upper and lower classes with discrimination

and acrimony between them. This is actually a sociological phenomenon and it is incorrect to blame the religion for it.

4) Know that Hinduism, by its Karma theory and the concept of rebirth, does not say that one has to gradually take birth "from lower to upper class"

before attaining Moksha. Hinduism says that as long as one has desires, one has to take rebirth. The rebirth can be in any class of the society and even a rebirth as an animal is not ruled out. Even a highly spiritually oriented Brahmin may get a rebirth in the form of an animal just to satiate some odd, unquenched desires of the previous birth.

5) Know that Hinduism does not say that the experience of God is reserved for Brahmins (the upper class/priest class) only.

Traditionally, Brahmins, by virtue of their social status, had the exclusive access to the highest scriptural knowledge (of Vedas) in those days. That way, they were better informed of the nuances of the highest religious facts. But that never made them exclusively able to attain the vision of God. The knowledge about swimming acquired by a person by reading books, but without any exposure to water, is useless. Likewise, in Hinduism, the personal experience of God is what really matters (and not the scriptural knowledge).

There are countless great masters in Hinduism who have experienced God without any theoretical knowledge of scriptures. Traditionally, even great pundits and Brahmin scholars kneel before these unlettered divine souls, many of whom are not Brahmins by birth, to learn about the true experience of God from them. Umpteen examples are available in Indian history on this count. The phenomenon of Brahmins dominating the religious scenario and showing discrimination towards other castes is again a sociological development and not a religiously ordained one.

6) Know that Hinduism is not totally anti-materialistic and does not totally discourage enjoyment.

What Hinduism says is that materialistic pursuits or running behind sensual pleasures is not going to fetch you everlasting happiness. It only says that behind any unbridled searching for enjoyment, there is always a pain lurking behind. Hinduism advises one to practice moderation, to be watchful, and not to get carried away. Hinduism does place liberation - ‘Moksha' as the ultimate goal of life and for the majority, the path of progress towards the goal (Moksha) includes Dharma (righteousness), Artha (materialism) and Kama (sensual enjoyments). The important point is that the materialistic and sensual enjoyments (Artha and Kama) must always be guided by righteousness (Dharma). Leading a life this way, one can gradually understand the transient nature of worldly life, acquire dispassion (‘Vairagya') and the mind then yearns for liberation (Moksha), the ultimate goal.

It is no doubt that Hinduism gives the highest regard to renunciation. But again, for the society at large, the recommended way of living so as to attain the supreme goal starts at ‘Brahmacharya' (celibacy at a young age while acquiring education), followed by ‘Grihasta' (married life of a householder), ‘Vanaprasta' (living frugally in a secluded way at the forest, once the couple has completed their duty toward their offspring) and finally ‘Sanyasa' (total renunciation). When an earnest seeker is mature enough to comprehend the transient nature of worldly life, has a high degree of discrimination and dispassion and yearns for God, he can opt to renounce much earlier, without going through all these stages one by one.

7) Know that Hinduism does not preach fatalism and does not negate self-effort.

It is wrong to think that by advocating Karma theory (which says that for every action in the past, one has to face the reaction inescapably in the future and this cycle transcends births over births), Hinduism encourages a fatalistic attitude. What Hinduism says is that one cannot have freedom of choice in facing the repercussions of past actions, but one does have the free will to choose his present actions. It is quite obvious that only because we have the freedom of choice of action, we have accumulated our past Karmas!

The essence of Hinduism on this matter is two-fold. One: The reactions to our past actions are not entirely self-propelling; they are indeed executed by the will of God; the more one surrenders to God and the more one accepts with humility the divine dispensation, the more one gets relief from the impinging effects of Karma. Two: By carefully choosing one's present actions based on Dharma, by doing acts with dispassion and a sense of surrender to the supreme, one paves the way for escaping from the evil effects of his present actions in the future

8) Know that Hinduism does not say that faith and surrender to a Hindu God alone are the way to salvation. 

Hinduism has two major approaches to the concept of God. One starts by negating "I" and the other starts and ends with "I".

In the first school (Bhakti Yoga - the path of love), the whole universe is God; It is God who creates, preserves and destroys. He is omnipresent and omnipotent. In front of him, "I" am nothing. I have no individuality. I, too, am part of him. He, the Paramatman, is the true existence. I, the Atman, am part and parcel of (and subservient to) Him.

In the second school (Gnyana Yoga - the path of Wisdom), the seeker thinks "I don't know whether a God exists; whether he is with form or without form; I don't know whether the world is his creation; But one thing I know; I exist. In waking, dreaming or deep sleep, I am aware of my existence. When I think, "I am," at that moment, everything else also comes into existence. When my mind ceases to function (as in deep sleep), the whole world, the entire creation vanishes. Everything - the world, the cosmos, the personal God of worship - everything is a product of the mind. When the seeker inquires to find ‘Who am I?" and truly experiences this reality in a truly "mindless" state, he grasps the fact that his soul, Atman, is none other than the Brahman, the supreme soul.

9) Hinduism does not say that possession of occult powers is an indication that one has attained God realization.

Occult

powers (Siddhi) may develop in a person who is deeply involved in spiritual practices with single-pointed concentration. But it has to be understood that presence of Siddhi is not an indication of a person's attainment of true spiritual wisdom. The highest goal being God realization in Hinduism, obtaining Siddhis in fact can distract a person from his goal and cause spiritual downfall. This is the warning given by all great spiritual masters of Hinduism. But a person who has reached his goal, may still have Siddhis in him but he cares the least about them. It is up to him to use them for the good of others or not.

10) Know that Hinduism does not say that one should blindly believe his Guru to attain salvation.

For an earnest seeker who is convinced that attaining Moksha - salvation/God realization/self-realization - is the goal of life, Hinduism emphasizes the need for surrendering to a Guru (rather to a Satguru - a Guru of the highest order who has personally experienced the Supreme Truth). Hinduism encourages one to do all the questioning and doubting before selecting a Guru; After surrendering to a Guru, asking probing questions of the Guru until getting convincing answers is also encouraged. At the same time, Hinduism is very clear that egotism is one of the greatest impediments to attaining the supreme truth. That's why great masters say that unconditional surrender (rather than egotistic arguments and doubting) is the best option to receive the grace of the Satguru.

Other than the above, there are always differences of opinions among various schools of philosophies in Hinduism about the interpretation of scripture. But these are quite normal and acceptable in a vast religion like Hinduism. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to say, "Until one gets the vision of God, there will always be lurking doubts; Once divine vision is had, all doubts will vanish once for all."

Ten Questions About Hinduism & Ten Answers

1) Why Does Hinduism have so many Gods?

Hindus all believe in One Supreme God who created the Universe. He is all-pervasive. He created many Gods, highly advanced spiritual beings, to be His helpers.

Hindus all worship the One Supreme God, called by Various Names, depending on their Denomination. and they revere a multitude of angelic beings, which they call Gods. The central Figure is - Lord Shiva, worshipped as the Supreme Almighty by Saivites and many other Hindus. Cradled in His hands are other Great Beings, known as Gods(trinity) including Lord Ganesha( son of Lord Shiva).










2) Why Do Hindus worship the COW?

Hindus don't worship Cows. We respect , honour and adore the Cow. By honoring this gebtle animal, Who Gives more than She Takes, We honor all Creatures.

Hindus Never worship Cows, but they do revere them as perfect example of Divinity in all forms of Life. Here is a Girl garlands a Cow whose Horns are painted and Adorned with brass tips and tassels. Her sister offers fresh grass. In India, the Cow is honored , adored and protected as a Symbol of wealth , strength , abundance, selfless giving and a full Earthly Life.












3) Do Hindus believe in Reincarnation?

Yes, We believe the Soul is immortal and takes Birth time and time again. Through this process, we have Experience, learn Lessons and evolve spiritually. Finally we graduate from Physical Birth.

Each Soul by experiencing many Varied lives through reincarnation, called "Punarjanam" in Sanskrit, the process wherein the soul repeatedly takes on a Physical Body through being born on Earth. Here, a soul, represented by the ray of Light, is shown in seven succesive lives. Reincarnation is a purposeful maturing process Governed by the Laws of Karma.












4) Are Hindus IDOL Worshiper?

Hindus do not worship a Stone or Metal "idol" as God. We worship God through the image. We invoke the presence of God from the higher, unseen Worlds, into the image so that we can commune with Him and receive His blessings.

A Devotee looks within and beyond the Bronze danzing Shiva to behold God in His spiritual body of Light. Dressed in Traditional Hindu Garb, the man is performing his daily puja in his home shrine- chanting Sankrit mantras, offering fruit, water, flowers, incense and light - worshiping devoutly, beseeching God to send blessing through the Enshrined Image.











5) What is Karma?

Karma is the Universal Principle of Cause and Effect. Our Actions, both Good or Bad, come back to US in the future, helping us to learn from life's lessons and become better people.

One of the best examples of Karma is that you can't give anything away but that Generosity will return to you, with interest. Here , in the upper scene, a Lady happily gives clothing to a youth. Below, She receives an unexpected Gift from a neighbour as the Karma of her good deed bring its natural reward. By wisely heeding Karma's ways, we Thread the Path of Dharma.












6) Are Hindus Forbidden to eat Meat?

Hindusim Teaches Vegeterianism as a Way to live with a Minimum of Hurt to Other Beings. But in todays's world not all Hindus are Vegeterians.

Vendors at a market are selling fruits, vegetables, grains, spices and sweet-a potpourri of food that a great Cooks creatively combine in one of the World's most Sumptuous Cuisines. Hindus understand the sound reasons against eating meat, and many abstain entirely. With such a Savory and Healthy Diet, there is no need to consume FLESH.










7) Do Hindus have Bible?

Our "Bible" is called the Veda. The Veda, which means "Wisdom"', is comprised of the Four ancient and Holy Scriptures which all Hindus revere as the revealed word of God.

The Vedas are Revealed Scriptures, meaning they were issued Forth by God through Enlightened Sages or Rishsis. This Divine transmission is depicted here as Lord Shiva bestows the Four book of Veda to Four Rishis. the Sacred Knowledge, passed orally for most of History, was finally scribed in Sanskrit on "Palm Leaves" to share and preserve it.














8) Why do many Hindus wear a Dot near the middle of their forehead?

The Dot worn on the Forehead is a Religious Symbol. It represents Divine sight and shows one is Hindu. For Woman it is also a beauty mark.

Decorating the Face and Body with Colorful paints is a Universal Human practice, often a cultural rite expressing one's tribe, beliefs, and identity. The forehead dot shows that one is proud to be a Hindu and bespeaks mystical seeing beyond the five senses. Here , in a simple, daily act, a woman is obligingly applies a red bindi to her sister's forehead.











9) Are Gods of Hinduism Really Married?

It is True that God is often Depicted with a Spouse in our traditional stories. However, on deeper philosophical level, the Supreme Being and the Gods are neither Male or Female and therefore not Married.

Through History , Hindus have depicted God as Ardhanarishvara, which literally means "half- female Lord"- Shiva as male on the right and female on the left. This vision of the Divine as our Mother-Father God supersedes the Popular, mythological notion of Marriage of a God and Goddess, Declaring that God and His energy are ONE. ( Equality for both men n Women in hinduism)












10) What about Caste and untouchabilty?

Caste is the hereditary Division of Indian Society bassed on Occupation. The lowest caste, deemed untouchables, suffer from discrimination and mistreatment. It is illegal in India to discriminate against , abuse or insult anyone of basis of caste.

Representatives of the Four castes or Varna are shown here. They 1st Priest 2nd king/warriors 3rd merchants 4th workers. These are Natural Divisions which appears in all nations and societies as shown by the Universal existence, in the form of Religious ministers, armies/police , businessman's association and labour unions.











                 LAW OF RETURNS
  "This Law is Simple. It is the Law of Returns.
You Get what you Give. Those who Give little,
Gets little in return, whether as Work or Elsewhere.
Those who Go the Extra Mile will be Rewarded sooner or Later."

Ten Questions About Hinduism & Ten Answers

Muslim Protesters threaten bloodshed over Hindu temple

SHAH ALAM, Aug 28 — A group of Malay-Muslim protesters claiming to be residents of Section 23 have threatened bloodshed unless the state government stopped the construction of a Hindu Temple.

Amid chants of "Allahuakbar," the group also left the severed head of a cow at the entrance of the State Secretariat here as a warning to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

The group making their way to the Selangor secretariat building after their prayers. - Picture by Choo Choy May

The "residents" said that the construction of a Hindu temple in a 90 per cent Malay- Muslim neighbourhood was insensitive because activities there would disrupt their lives.

They claimed that the "noise" from the temple would disturb their own praying, and that they would not be able to function properly as Muslims.

The group of 50 over protestors marched shortly after Friday prayers from the Shah Alam State mosque to the State Secretariat.

“I challenge YB Khalid, YB Rodziah and Xavier Jeyakumar to go on with the temple construction. I guarantee bloodshed and racial tension will happen if this goes on, and the state will be held responsible,” shouted Ibrahim Haji Sabri amid strong chants of “Allahu Akbar!”

Ibrahim identified himself as the Deputy Chairman of the Resident’s Committee against the building of the temple in S23 here, which is perceived by some as being a Muslim majority area.

He told the press that the state should move the temple to Section 22 as ‘originally planned’, and also labelled Khalid a “traitor to the Malay race and Islam”.

It is understood that the protest is an immediate reaction towards the Selangor MB’s visit to the Hindu temple site yesterday, an act seen by the "residents" as disrespectful to the Muslims of the community.

Mohd. Zurit Bin Ramli, who claims to be the secretary of the "Coalition of Malaysian NGOs" echoed Ibrahim’s stand on the matter, saying that it was irresponsible on the part of the state government to approve the construction as there was apparently a “90 per cent” majority Muslim population in Section 23.

“With a temple on our residential area, we cannot function properly as Muslims. The temple will disrupt our daily activities like prayers in the Surau. We cannot concentrate with the sounds coming from the temple,” stated Zurit.

When asked whether members of the protest were affiliated with any organisations or movements, Ibrahim claimed that the people present today were members of PAS, PKR as well as Umno who are “united in the name of Islam and the Malay spirit.”

The state government was also accused of lying to the people of Selangor.

The Chairman of the Residents Committee, Mahyuddin Manaf excitedly proclaimed that the committee would uncover “the lies” and find proof of the state’s misconduct.

“Khalid Ibrahim wears a mask of a Muslim, but in truth he is a liberal. PAS stands to lose out as a result. I voted for PAS as well as Khalid in the past elections,” Mahyuddin claimed.

The issue first cropped up when the Selangor government proposed that the Sri Mariamman temple be relocated from Section 19 to Section 23.

Lingashtakam

Text One

brahma muraari suraarchita lingam
nirmala bhashita shobhita lingam
janmaja dukha vinaashaka lingam
tat pranamaami sadaa shiva lingam

I bow before that Sada Shiva Linga, which is adored by Brahma, Vishnu and other Gods, which is praised by pure and holy speeches and which destroys the cycle of births and deaths.

Text Two

devamuni pravaraarchita lingam
kaamadaham karunaakara lingam
raavana darpa vinaashaka lingam
tat pranamaami sada shiva lingam

 

I bow before that Sada Shiva Linga, which is the destroyer of desires, which the Devas and the sages worship, which is infinitely compassionate and which subdued the pride of Raavana.

Text Three

sarva sugandha sulepitha lingam
buddhi vivardhana kaarana lingam
siddha suraasura vanditha lingam
tat pranamaami sadaa shiva lingam 

 

I bow before that Sada Shiva Linga, which is lavishly smeared with variegated perfumes and scents, which elevates the power of thought and enkindles the light of discrimination, and before which the Siddhas and Suras and Asuras prostrate.

Text Four

kanaka mahaamani bhushitha lingam
phanipathi veshtitha shobhitha lingam
daksha suyajna vinaashaka lingam
tat pranamaami sadaa shiva lingam 

 

I bow before that Sada Shiva Linga, the destroyer of Dakshas sacrifice, which is decorated with various ornaments, studded with different gems and rubies and which glows with the garland of the serpent Lord coiled around it.

Text Five

kumkuma chandana lepitha lingam
pankaja haara sushobhitha lingam
sanchitha paapa vinaashaka lingam
tat pranamaami sadaa shiva lingam 

I bow before that Sada Shiva Linga, which is smeared with saffron and sandal paste, which is decorated with lotus garlands and which wipes out all accumulated sins.

Text Six

devaganaarchitha sevitha lingam
bhaavair bhakti bhirevacha lingam
dinakara koti prabhakara lingam
tat pranamaami sadaa shiva lingam

I bow before that Sada Shiva Linga which is worshipped by the multitude of Gods with genuine thoughts full of faith and devotion and whose splendor is like that of a million suns.

Text Seven

ashta dalopari veshtitha lingam
sarva samudbhava kaarana lingam
ashta daridra vinaashaka lingam
tat pranamaami sadaa shiva lingam 

I bow before that Sada Shiva Linga, destroyer of all poverty and misery in its eight aspects, which is the cause of all creation and which stands on the eight petalled Lotus.

Text Eight

suraguru suravara pujitha lingam
suravana pushpa sadaarchitha lingam
paraatparam paramatmaka lingam
tat pranamaami sadaa shiva lingam 

I bow before that Sada Shiva Linga which is the Transcendent Being and the Supreme Self, worshipped by all Suras and their preceptor (Brhaspathi), with innumerable flowers from the celestial gardens.

Text Nine

lingashtakamidam punyam
ya:pathaet sivasannidau .
sivalokamavapnoti sivena saha modatae. 

Whoever recites these eight slokas, in praise of the Shivalinga with the presence of Lord Shiva, attains that Supreme abode of Shiva and enjoys everlasting bliss with Him.

Lord Shiva

Lord Shiva or Siva is considered as the destroyer of the world. Shiva is one of the most popular gods of the Hindu religion. Lord Siva forms the part of the Trimurti (Trinity), the other being Brahma, the creator and Vishnu, the preserver. Shiva is known for the complexity of his nature, representing contradictory qualities. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the kind herdsman of souls and a wrathful avenger.

Lord Shiva- The Role

Lord Shiva represents the vital goodness in the form of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram i.e.; Truth, Goodness and Beauty .Lord Shiva performs a celestial role of dissolution and recreation of the universe, that's why; he is mostly associated with the words, like destroyer and destruction. The role of Shiva is often confused with these terms and the difficulty arises, when the significance of his celestial role is not understood.

The conception is clear itself by a slight balance between the opposing forces of good and evil. When this balance gets disturbed and continuation of life becomes unfeasible, Lord Shiva dissolves the universe. This is known as '' pralay '' and it is done in order to create another cycle .So that the unliberated souls will get another opportunity to liberate themselves from the bondage of the material world. To put succinctly, Siva protects the souls from pain and suffering that is generated by the unhealthy universe.

Shiva - The Giver

Lord Shiva is known as the ''giver god'', lord of mercy and kindness. He always protects his devotees from evil forces like lust, greed and anger. He is the most kind -hearted God who grants boons and bestows grace to his devotees.

Shiva - The Image

Lord Shiva has the unclad body covered with ashes symbolizing the transcendental aspect of the universe. Siva's three matted locks represent the integration of the mental, physical and spiritual energies. The crescent moon becomes the part of lord's ornament symbolizing the time cycle through which creation evolves from the beginning to the end. The three eyes of Lord Shiva suggest: the Sun is his right eye, the Moon is the left eye and fire, the third eye.


The Snake around his neck symbolizes the yogic power, which he uses to dissolve and recreate the universe. The Rudraksha necklace worn by the lord shows that he uses his celestial powers without compromise,to maintain law and order. The trishula (trident), symbolizes the Lord's three fundamental powers of will (iccha), action (kriya) and knowledge (gyana).The damaru (drum) and its two sides separated from each other symbolizes the two entirely dissimilar states of existence, invisible and evident.

The bull, Nandi is linked with Shiva and it is considered as his vehicle. The bull symbolizes both power and ignorance. Tiger's skin makes Lord Shiva's clothing and his seat, which illustrates the idea that he is the source of potential energy during the dissolution of the universe. Thus, Lord Shiva is well-regarded as the ultimate organizer of the birth and death in the corporeal world.

Shiva - The Lingam

Story of Shiva Lingam - Why Shiva is worshipped in the Phallic Form
This is an interesting story regarding the worship of Lord Shiva in the phallic form. It is believed that once Brahma and Vishnu, the two deities of the Trinity, got into an argument regarding their supremacy. Lord Brahma declared himself to be more admired, being the creator. While the preserver, Vishnu, pronounced that he commanded more admiration. Just then a huge pillar of fire (lingam), called as Jyotirlinga, appeared in flames, before them. This Lingam enthralled both Brahma and Vishnu, with its hastily increasing size.

With this incident, they forgot their quarrel and decided to find its size. Vishnu took the form of boar and went to the netherworld. Brahma assumed the form of a Swan and flew to the skies. However both of them were unsuccessful in completing the self-assumed tasks. At that time, Shiva appeared out of the lingam and acknowledged that he was the progenitor of both, Brahma and Vishnu. So, he should be worshipped in his phallic (lingam) form, and not in the anthropomorphic form.

Names of Shiva

Lord Shiva is considered as the destroyer of the Universe as per the Hindu Mythology. Shiva is one of the most popular gods of the Hindus. Lord Shiva is a complex god like goddess Kali, being destroyer and restorer at the same time. Shiva is also known as Bhole Shankar, the innocent god, who gets appeased easily. Shiv Shambhu is also recognized as an ascetic, as he resides on Mount Kailash in meditation. God Shiv is worshipped usually in his phallic (Lingam) form. Special Worship of Shiva can be seen during the month of Saawan (July-August) of Hinduism. Lord Shiva is known by many different names. This list contains 108 names of Lord Shiva with their meanings:

Names	Meanings
Aashutosh	One Who Fulfills Wishes at once
Aja	Unborn
Akshayaguna	God with Numberless Attributes
Anagha	Without Any error
Anantadrishti	of Infinite Vision
Augadh	One Who Revels All the Time
Avyayaprabhu	Everlasting Lord
Bhairav	Lord of Terror
Bhalanetra	One Who Has an Eye in the Forehead
Bholenath	Kind Hearted Lord
Bhooteshwara	Lord of Ghosts and Evil Beings
Bhudeva	Lord of the Earth
Bhutapala	Protector of the Ghosts
Chandrapal	Master Of The Moon
Chandraprakash	One Who Has Moon As A Crest
Dayalu	Compassionate
Devadeva	Lord Of The Lords
Dhanadeepa	Lord Of Affluence
Dhyanadeep	Icon Of Meditation And Concentration
Dhyutidhara	Lord Of Radiance
Digambara	Ascetic Without Any Clothes
Durjaneeya	Difficult To Be Known
Durjaya	Unvanquished
Gangadhara	God Of River Ganga
Girijapati	Husband Of Girija (Parvati)
Gunagrahin	Acceptor Of Gunas
Gurudeva	Master Of All
Hara	Remover Of Sins
Jagadisha	Master Of The Universe
Jaradhishamana	Redeemer From Afflictions
Jatin	One Who Has Knotted Hair
Kailas	One Who Bestows Peace
Kailashadhipati	Lord Of Mount Kailash
Kailashnath	Master Of Mount Kailash
Kamalakshana	Lotus-Eyed Lord
Kantha	Ever-Radiant
Kapalin	One WhoWears A Necklace Of Skulls
Khatvangin	One Who Has The Missile (Khatvangin) In His Hand
Kundalin	One Who Wears Earrings
Lalataksha	One Who Has An Eye In The Forehead
Lingadhyaksha	Lord Of The Lingas
Lingaraja	Lord Of The Lingas
Lokankara	Maker Of The Three Worlds
Lokapal	One Who Takes Care Of The World
Mahabuddhi	Exceptionally Intelligent
Mahadeva	Greatest God
Mahakala	Lord Of All Times
Mahamaya	Of Great Illusions
Mahamrityunjaya	Great Victor Of Death
Mahanidhi	Great Storehouse
Mahashaktimaya	One Who Has Infinite Powers
Mahayogi	Supreme of All Gods
Mahesha	The Almighty
Maheshwara	Lord of the Lords
Nagabhushana	One Who Has Snakes as Ornaments
Nataraja	King of the Art of Dancing
Nilakantha	Blue Necked Lord
Nityasundara	Ever Beautiful
Nrityapriya	Lover of Dance
Omkara	Originator of OM
Palanhaar	One Who Protects Everyone
Parameshwara	First among All Gods
Paramjyoti	Greatest Splendor
Pashupati	Lord of All Living Beings
Pinakin	One Who Has a Bow In His Hand
Pranava	Originator of the Syllable of OM
Priyabhakta	Favorite of the Devotees
Priyadarshana	of Loving Vision
Pushkara	One Who Gives Nourishment
Pushpalochana	One Who Has Eyes like Flowers
Ravilochana	Having Sun as the Eye
Rudra	the Dreadful
Rudraksha	One Who Has Eyes like Rudra
Sadashiva	Eternal God
Sanatana	Eternal Lord
Sarvacharya	Preceptor of All
Sarvashiva	Always Chaste
Sarvatapana	Scorcher of All
Sarvayoni	Source of Everything
Sarveshwara	Lord of All Gods
Shambhu	One Who Bestows Prosperity
Shankara	One Who Gives Happiness
Shiva	Always Pure
Shoolin	One Who Has a Trident (Trishool)
Shrikantha	of Magnificent Neck
Shrutiprakasha	Illuminator of the Vedas
Shuddhavigraha	One Who Has a Pure Body
Skandaguru	Preceptor of Skanda
Someshwara	Lord of All Gods
Sukhada	Bestower of Happiness
Suprita	Well Pleased
Suragana	Having Gods As Attendants
Sureshwara	Lord Of All Gods
Swayambhu	Self-Manifested
Tejaswani	One Who Spreads Illumination
Trilochana	Three-Eyed Lord
Trilokpati	Master of All the Three Worlds
Tripurari	Enemy of Tripura
Trishoolin	One Who Has a Trident in His Hands
Umapati	Husband of Uma (Parvati)
Vachaspati	Lord of Speech
Vajrahasta	One Who Has a Thunderbolt in His Hands
Varada	Granter of Boons
Vedakarta	Creator of the Vedas
Veerabhadra	Supreme Lord of the Nether World
Vishalaksha	Wide-Eyed Lord s
Vishveshwara	Lord of the Universe
Vrishavahana	One Who Has Bull as His Mount