Legends Of Lord Ganesh Part 4
June 30, 2007
Enjoy the wonderful legends of Lord Ganesh which teaches us many lessons and how we can become His ardent devotees.
Lord Mahodara Strikes Mohasura:
The teacher of the demons, Shukracharya had a student named Mohasura. Under his guidance, Mohasura did Aradhana (Worship) of Surya Dev (Sun god). His severe austerities pleased him and he blessed Mohasura with the boon that he will always be victorious in every battle.
The euphoric and satisfied Mohasura returned home. Shukracharya coronated him as Daitya Raja (King Of Demons). Soon, he demonstrated the intensity of the blessing by conquering the three worlds. Fearing his rule, the gods and sages hid in the mountains and ocean. Mohasura along with his wife Madira ruled fearlessly without anyone’s interference. Dharma (Right Conduct), pious deeds, sacrificial worship and all religious practices languished. The unhappy, helpless gods and Rishis (Saints) decided to seek help from Surya Dev. They hoped that he would be able to solve this unstoppable and disastrous situation.
Surya Dev gave them a monosyllable mantra and encouraged them to reiterate this to please Lord Ganesh. The gods and humans together began calling out to Lord Mahodara with great reverence. Their unwavering appeal pleased Lord Mahodara and He appeared before them. The devotees were ecstatic with the manifestation of their Lord and sang glories in His praise.“Do not lament. Mohasura will be killed.”
Consoling His devotees, our Lord rode on His mouse and went to fight the tyrant demon king. Meanwhile, Sage Narada approached Mohasura to inform him about the powers of divine Lord Mahodara. Shukrarcharya advised his disciple to seek refuge at the feet of this Avatar. At that same instant, Lord Vishnu appeared as the Lord’s messenger.
“You will attain boundless power if you befriend Lord Mahodara. It will be in your best interest if you take refuge in the Lord and allow the humans and the gods to lead a pious life. You must promise never to create any problems again. The almighty Lord will forgive you if you keep your word. But if you defy Him and continue with your atrocities then saving you in the battlefield will be impossible,” said Lord Vishnu.These words crumbled Mohasura’s ego.
“O Lord Vishnu, please invite the omnipotent Lord to my city and grant me the opportunity to be graced by His presence.” Lord Mahodara visited the demon’s city and graced the place with His divine feet. Young demon girls showered Him with petals and Mohasura welcomed Him amidst elegance and grandeur. The demon king humbly offered his prayers with great devotion and chanting His praises said, “O Lord, unknowingly and without thinking of the consequences I have committed endless mistakes. Please forgive those sins. I promise to obey all your commands. Henceforth, I will never come near any humans or gods and will never create any obstacles in the path of righteousness.”
The ever-forgiving Lord was extremely pleased with the demon king’s humbleness and blessed him. With Mohasura’s powers subdued, the humans, sages, gods and the entire cosmos rejoiced. They all bowed and sang the glories of this gallant Avatar of Lord Ganesh.
©Nayna, 2007. All Rights Reserved.
Daily Headaches? Learn How To Manage Them
June 29, 2007
Do people believe you when you say you are suffering from a headache or think it’s your favorite excuse? If headache plays a prominent role in your life then you need to understand the type of headache you are suffering from. Tackling headaches is not as simple as it used to be. It gets triggered with various foods, drinks and even change in temperature.Understanding headaches and what causes them is the first step in treating them.There are different types of headaches:
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Headaches Triggered By Foods
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Medications Causing Headaches
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Toxin Headaches
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Hunger Headaches
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Activity Headaches
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Hangover Headaches
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Tension Headaches
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Migraine – The Killer Headache
Headaches are sometimes taken for granted and the rest of the times treated casually without identifying the cause. Popping pills is not the answer but finding the cause to avoid it in the future is the key to healthy living. The side effects of many such over the counter headache medicines triggers gastric pain, indigestion and this further creates complications in the stomach lining. At times, the body gets immune to such medications and don’t bring any relief. I hope that through this article, you are able to identify some of the common headaches that we all face in our day to day living.
Headaches Triggered By Food:
Certain food or combination of foods causes headaches. Dairy products like cheese are very common. Apart from that chocolates, citrus fruits, tomatoes, figs and milk together and many more. Too much intake of sugar results in a rapid increase in the blood sugar level and triggers a high level of insulin; eventually this causes the blood sugar to fall even lower than before and a headache sets in.If you are able to pinpoint the ache after particular intake of food, then changing your diet can resolve this at an early stage. Sometimes extreme cold temperatures and food like ice cream or a cold drink can cause numbness and trigger the pain. Others are affected by junk food and Chinese food which have a high content of monosodium glumate (MSG).
Another classic reason for headache is caffeine abuse. People who consume plenty of tea, coffee, colas and chocolate are prone to this. It is an addiction and the moment they stop drinking the required amount for the day, they suffer headaches as a sign of withdrawal symptom. Smoking also triggers aches in many people accompanied with the burning sensation of the eyes. The best solution would be to give up smoking or limit it as much as possible.
Medications Causing Headaches:
There are many victims of headaches who start taking pills even before the onset of one. A slight stressful situation and they pop couple of them. But actually if you reduce the intake of such medications, the headaches will become less frequent. Most medications taken are anti-inflammatory drugs. They seem to give the relief but they actually damage the lining of the stomach, liver and in some cases even kidneys. Regular intake of these tablets may give rise to analgesic abuse headache. The best way to handle this is have green tea or hot milk with honey which create a soothing effect on the nerves. Some people get relaxed with cold water or ice packs placed on their head. Try as much as possible to reduce the pain with external methods rather than giving up and grabbing the bottle of pills.
Toxin Headaches:
Severe constipation can also trigger headache. The toxins accumulated for a long period of time do not get a release and that leads to various side effects. A diet with a lot of fibre helps to solve this. Fruits like banana, apples and papaya work wonders. Along with that one needs to drink minimum eight glasses of water daily.
Hunger Headaches:
This is extremely common when people skip breakfast or lunches and even those who crash diet. The level of sugar in the body gets lowered because of lack of nutrition; it leads to the ache. The person also suffers from irritability and mood swings. Eating a balanced meal and at regular intervals can easily cure this pain attack.
Activity Headaches:
The things we love doing the most sometimes gives rise to headaches like watching television for a long time or working on the computer. The glare of the screen fatigues the eyes, causes strain and gives rise to the headache. Similarly listening to loud music, or even using headphones causes similar throbbing pain. Sun exposure for a long time triggers the ache. In such situations, try to sit in the shade, drink plenty of fluids and relax. Wear sunglasses or some kind of headgear like hat or scarf so that you can enjoy playing your favorite sport like golf, tennis or even enjoy shopping in the sun.
Hangover Headaches:
Weekend partying or pub hopping can result in too much drinking. The excess intake of alcohol causes dehydration. It also affects the sleep and causes lowering of the blood sugar level. An additive called congeners present in certain brands of alcohol is known to cause this pain. If you can limit your drinking and keep the body hydrated with a lot of water then this headache can be managed.
Tension Headaches:
This is very common and it starts off with a mild throbbing and then intensifies as the day progresses and becomes unbearable by evening. Sometimes this extends to the neck causes stiffness and soreness. The only way to manage this is relax, learn some breathing exercises or take a walk. Seek advice from colleagues and friends to resolve the problem and feel at ease again.
Migraine – The Killer Headache:
This is the most painful headache of all. Its classic symptoms are severe pain on one side of the head. It lingers for three to four days constantly. The sufferer feels nauseous or has a gastric problem and is affected by noise and light. These get triggered with various foods like cheese, chocolate, citrus fruits etc. There are medications available which should be consulted with the doctor before consumption. Studies have shown that women get three times more headache than men and usually more of migraine. It is recommended that sufferers should eat well-balanced meals at proper intervals, exercise regularly and get sufficient hours of sleep. If you are unable to bear the pain and find the frequency of headache increased then it is best to seek a doctor’s advice.
Life has many ups and downs and such pains do interrupt us from our normal routine but precautions can be taken to maintain a successful and accomplished existence.
©Nayna, 2007. All Rights Reserved.
7 Tips To Manage Body Odour
June 29, 2007
Body odour is an embarrassment which many face from time to time. It can get you an awkward moment and can be a total turn off whether you are on a date or at a job interview. If you are secretly laughed at then here are some tips to help you manage your body odour.
1) Shower regularly and if possible two times a day. It is very important that you bathe after working out or playing any sport.
2) The underarms tend to accumulate more sweat so removing the hair from that area can help prevent sweat rings.
3) Change socks and undergarments daily. Clothing made of cotton and linen are more absorbent and they are able to soak in sweat better than other fabrics.
4) Deodorants do help to mask body odour.
5) There are some people whose body odour is too strong and deodorants and perfumes don’t work on them. While others have very sensitive skins and these deodorants cause irritations. In such cases, they can use antibacterial soaps. Talcum powder also helps to absorb the sweat and gives a feeling of freshness.
6) People enjoying certain pungent foods like hot peppers, garlic, onions and certain spices maybe emitting these odours from their body.
7) Drinking plenty of water and fresh vegetable juices are known to reduce sweating and hydrate the body.
Hope these seven tips to manage body odour have given an insight on how to tackle this common problem. But if it becomes unmanageable then it is recommended that you seek a doctor’s advice.
©Nayna, 2007. All Rights Reserved.
