[Update] Pages with TOC are now working

Namaste,

It has been some time now since the Blog was updated. It came to my notice that many Links in the Horizontal Menu Bar are not working. These are TOCs (Table of Contents) of various labels. Today, I have managed to find a script and modify it so as to list posts of selected Labels. These links are now working.

Updated Pages are:

1. Kathamrita
2. Q and A
3. Bhakti
4. Meditation
5. TOC - Labels (sorted by Labels / Categories)
6. TOC - Date (Sortable TOC by Date and Label) - Recommended
7. Ramana Maharshi Life and Works (not in menu bar, but in side bar)
8. Advaita Vedanta Basics (not in menu bar, but in side bar)
9. Spirituality (not in menu bar, but in side bar)

Pages are not indexed by Blogger. Blogger allows maximum 10 Pages. 10th page which does not need to be updated is Guidelines for submitting Blogs to Spiritual Blogs of Note

(Other links like 'Quotes' are not Auto generated TOCs)

I personally recommend TOC - Date, as it is a sortable TOC in which reader can sort date-wise and filter posts tagged with a particular label. Instructions are provided on the page on how to use TOC

Since one post can have more than one label, hence the script categorize posts under label. Though it is confusing, script does not show posts that do not fall under selected Label.

Note: Wordpress has both categories and Labels. One category can have more than one label. Blogger uses the word 'Label' for 'Category'. Hence I use both words interchangeably.

Hope you find this useful.

For seekers, below information can be skipped. For interested readers who wish to know more about blogging and scripts, please continue to read

 

Some more info about Pages for interested Readers:

 

Pages are not indexed by blogger and hence they are not shown in archives. They are static pages which are either updated regularly like TOC or Index of Selected Posts that are manually updated by Blogger or static pages like 'About Us' or 'Contact Me' which technically do not fit into blog niche but are necessary. 

Pages have /p/ in URL after the main blog address 

(https://indiaspirituality.blogspot.in in our case)

For example, TOC - Date has URL - https://indiaspirituality.blogspot.in/p/table-of-contents-sorted-by-date.html

I myself do not periodically check links on the blog. Some links in the 'Downloads' Post (technically it's not a page) may have outdated or broken or missing links. 

Some details about scripts:

Indiaspirituality Blog also uses third party scripts which are freely available on net. Scripts are used in Auto generation of TOC. There are other scripts like Auto changing Quotes of the Day widget. 

There are two types of scripts (jscript or java script or HTML code)

1. First type of script is which is completely embedded into Blog's code. Whole script or code is available with Blogger, as in case of Quote of the Day widget / gadget like 'Gems of Gospel'. A responsible blogger will verify script before using it on blog as it may contain virus or a malware.
2. Second type is which has hotlinks. Coder may give a small script to embed into blogger's HTML. This script points to a hotlinked script which has full code. It is this script which a blogger has no control. 

Many bloggers are not programmers and they are dependent upon others for code. Blogger allows 3rd party scripts to be added. Blogger also has it's own gallery of gadgets, but at times, a blogger may not find what s/he wants. Hence we look for 3rd party coders. In case of part time blogger, especially in spiritual field like me are laymen and blog only as a hobby and not as a source of earning. Hence we try to minimize our expenses. Blogger gives space for free. Coders give useful scripts for free and in return we thank them by giving them recognition by back-linking to their post or blog  home page.

Though it looks all good here, some bloggers may not get enough encouragement or recognition of their hard work. Some bloggers who host script may loose interest in blogging their script stops working for some reason like discontinue to pay for server space, etc. 

Some times, scripts stop working as Google regularly updates Blogger interface and or one changes from HTTP to HTTPS (Secured Protocol) which increases safety of both bloggers and readers.

Due to shortage of time, I am not able to verify all the links. It has been more than nine years since the first post was published. As on today, the blog was 699 Posts (Including this post). 

Some info about Chances of being affected by Viruses and Malware

At times the server on which the code is hosted may get affected by virus or malware. It may affect blogger who use the code too. We we know, no security is bullef proof. Even Bank accounts and Bank servers are cracked.

Wordpress do not allow use of unverified 3rd party scripts. It mostly used and recommended by professionals as a better alternative to Blogger. Howeer, I am comfortable with blogger. To migrate a blog with about 700 posts is pretty much hectic.

Note: 

Hacking is a wrong terminology. Remember pirated softwares has cracks and not hacks. Hacker is a security expert who will to the reverse engineering and debug a software or a code, find loop holes, report it to the technical team and possibly give a patch to plug the hole. Since word Hacker is now-a-days is demeaned as it is used in place of 'cracker' hence Genuine Hackers identify themselves 'Ethical Hackers'. The word 'Hacker' has lost it's pride due to wrong use. Crackers, on the other hand, use their extraordinary knowledge for destructive purpose.

For extra cautious readers, 

I have a clone blog: 

https://indiaspirituality3.blogspot.com/ 

This is a private blog i.e. it is not indexed by Google. You cannot get email updates from this blog. It uses only 1 third party script - horizontal menu. Code is completely embedded into blogger. All other scripts like 'Google Custom Search' and 'Contributors' are provided by Blogger and are as safe as Google's other services like Gmail, Blogger and Google+

Thank you

Pranams

Sri Ramana Maharshi on Many Gods, Relative Existence and Supreme Truth

Legends:

D: Devotee

B: Bhagavan (Sri Ramana Maharshi)

Sometimes questions were also asked about the multiple gods of Hinduism. In this connection it should be explained that Hindus, like Christians or Muslims worship the One God.Some of the questions about God recorded above were put by Hindus. However, they also worship God manifested in various forms, one possibility or name or form or viewpoint not negating another.

D.: Why are so many gods mentioned?

B.: The body is only one, but how many functions are performed by it! The source of all these functions is one. It is the same with the gods.

It would sometimes be asked whether the various gods and their heavens were real. But such a question starts from the presumption of the reality of this physical world and the questioner’s body – a presumption which Bhagavan would not admit. Instead, he would turn this question, like all others, to the quest for Reality.

D.: Are the Gods, Ishvara and Vishnu, and their heavens, Kailas and Vaikuntha, real?

B.: As real as you are in this body.

D.: I mean, have they got a phenomenal existence like my body, or are they pure fictions like the horns of a hare?

B.: They do exist.

D.: If so, they must be somewhere; where are they?

B.: In you.

D.: Then they are only my idea; something which I create and control?

B.: Everything is.

D.: But I can create a pure fiction like the horns of a hare, or a partial truth, like a mirage; while there are also facts which exist irrespective of my imagination. Do the gods, Ishvara and Vishnu, exist like that?

B.: Yes.

D.: Is God subject to cosmic dissolution at the end of a cycle?

B.: Why should He be? A man who realises the Self transcends cosmic dissolution and is liberated; why should not Ishvara (God) who is infinitely wiser and abler than a man?

D.: Do gods and devils also exist?

B.: Yes.

D.: How are we to conceive of Supreme Divine Consciousness?

B.: As that which is.

Particularly interesting are the questions asked by a Muslim professor about the hymns which Bhagavan wrote to God in the form of Arunachala.

D.: I have been reading the Five Hymns. I find that the hymns are addressed by you to Arunachala. But you are a non-dualist, so how can you address God as a separate Being?

B.: The devotee, God and the hymns are all the Self.

D.: But you are addressing God. You are specifying this Arunachala Hill as God.

B.: You can identify the Self with the body, so why shouldn’t the devotees identify the Self with Arunachala?

D.: If Arunachala is the Self, why should it be specifically picked out among so many other hills? God is everywhere. Why do you specify Him as Arunachala?

B.: What has attracted you from Allahabad to this place? What has attracted all these people around?

D.: Sri Bhagavan.

B.: How was I attracted here? By Arunachala. The Power cannot be denied. Again Arunachala is within and not without. The Self is Arunachala.

D.: Several terms are used in the holy books. Atman, Paramatman, Para, etc. What is the gradation among them?

B.: They mean the same to the user of the words but they are understood differently by various persons according to their development.

D.: But why do you use so many words to mean the same thing?

B.: It depends on the circumstances. They all mean the Self. Para means not relative, or beyond the relative, that is to say the Absolute.

Bogger's Note: In this Q and A i.e. conversation, 

• Bhagavan  gives importance to going deep within i.e. becoming introvert.
• For this to happen, outside world and other subtle worlds are to be neglected. Focus has to be on SELF, 'I' or Brahman
• Yet on vyavahArika satya i.e. empirical reality, our own existence, existence of various Gods and Goddesses and demi-gods and demi-godesses and their worlds is accepted.
• The power of God is also accepted and revered. It cannot be neglected. Hence hymns on Arunachala were composed. But from standpoint of Atma-sthiti i.e. Supreme Reality, only one tatva exists. It is 'I' or 'Atman' or Brahman. SAntam Sivam Advaitam. Here Siva is not Lord Rudra or Shankara Bhagavan, but nirguNa and nirAkAra tatva i.e. attribuless, formless pure consciousness

Source: Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi in his own words – Arthur Osborne

Sri Ramakrishna on Bhakti and Importance of Vairagya

After his meal Sri Ramakrishna rested a little on the small couch. Inside and outside his room crowded the devotees, among them Kedar, Suresh, Ram, Manomohan, Girindra, Rakhal, Bhavanath, and M. Rakhal's father was also present.

A Vaishnava goswami was seated in the room. Sri Ramakrishna said to him:

"Well, what do you say? What is the way?"

Goswami: "Sir, the chanting of God's name is enough. The scriptures emphasize the sanctity of God's name for the Kaliyuga."


Sri Ramakrishna: "Yes, there is no doubt about the sanctity of God's name. But can a mere name achieve anything, without the yearning love of the devotee behind it? One should feel great restlessness of soul for the vision of God. Suppose a man repeats the name of God mechanically, while his mind is absorbed in 'woman and gold'. Can he achieve anything? Mere muttering of magic words doesn't cure one of the pain of a spider or scorpion sting. One must also apply the smoke of burning cow-dung." (A primitive medicine used by the villagers for scorpion bites.)

Goswami: "But what about Ajamila then? He was a great sinner; there was no sin he had not indulged in. But he uttered the name of Narayana on his death-bed, calling his son, who also had that name. And thus he was liberated."

Sri Ramakrishna: "Perhaps Ajamila had done many spiritual things in his past births. It is also said that he once practised austerity; besides, those were the last moments of his life. What is the use of giving an elephant a bath? It will cover itself with dirt and dust again and become its former self. But if someone removes the dust from its body and gives it a bath just before it enters the stable, then the elephant remains clean.

"Suppose a man becomes pure by chanting the holy name of God, but immediately afterwards commits many sins. He has no strength of mind. He doesn't take a vow not to repeat his sins. A bath in the Ganges undoubtedly absolves one of all sins; but what does that avail? They say that the sins perch on the trees along the bank of the Ganges. No sooner does the man come back from the holy waters than the old sins jump on his shoulders from the trees. (All laugh.) The same old sins take possession of him again. He is hardly out of the water before they fall upon him.

"Therefore I say, chant the name of God, and with it pray to Him that you may have love for Him. Pray to God that your attachment to such transitory things as wealth, name, and creature comforts may become less and less every day.

Source: Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna