Venu Payyanur

Seven – Seven is a sacred number representing the union of divinity (number three) and earth (number 4). The meaning of seven reminds us that there is symmetry, reason, and order within the structure of the Universe.

  • There are seven basic swaras [saptaswaras] in Indian Carnatic music.
  • The Seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride.
  • The Seven Virtues: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, kindness, patience, and humility.
  • Celestial group of seven stars are named as “Sapta Rishi” based on the seven great saints. They are Vasistha, Bharadwaja, Jamadagni, Gautama, Atri, Visvamitra, and Agastya.
  • According to Hinduism, there are seven worlds in the universe and seven seas in the world.
  • There are seven primary chakras are in a human body as explained in Tantric and Yogic traditions. They are Muladhara, Base or Root Chakra, Swadhisthana, Sacral Chakra (last bone in spinal cord, the coccyx), Manipura, Solar Plexus Chakra (navel area), Anahata, Heart Chakra (heart area), Vishuddha, Throat Chakra (throat and neck area), Ajna, Brow or Third Eye Chakra (pineal gland or third eye) and Sahasrara Crown Chakra (top of the head; ‘soft spot’ of a new-born).
  • There are seven colours in the rainbow; they are red, yellow, green, blue, violet, orange and indigo.
  • Surya, the Sun God, rides on a chariot pulled by seven horses, each corresponding to a particular day of the week.
  • In Devi ‘Mahatmyam’, the Goddess takes the form of seven mothers (saptamathas) to kill the asura. They are called Brahmani, Sivani, Kaumari, Varahi, Narasimhi, Vaishnavi and Indrani.
  • Each of the four phases of the moon last seven days, 7×4 = 28, number of days in a Lunar month.
  • There are seven wonders in the ancient world.
  • Seven stages of human life cycle –Infant, childhood, teenager, youth, adulthood, middle age and  old age.
  • Seven things to do to attain a happier life – do good deeds, donate only to deserving people, control internal sense organs, control external sense organs, be ashamed to commit unethical deeds, be kind to all and lead a clear life.
  • There are seven gates through which admission may be gained to heaven. They are asceticism, benevolence, and tranquillity of mind, self-control, modesty, simplicity and kindness to all creatures.
  • In ancient kingdoms, these were the seven principle officers of the state – the Governor of the Citadel, the commander in chief, the Chief Judge, the chief priest, the general in interior command and the chief astrologer.

Eight – Represents eternity and infinity. In fact in mathematics the symbol for infinity is the number 8 laid down. Eight is considered a lucky number in Chinese culture because it sounds like the word meaning to generate wealth. So is in Hindu culture as Goddess Lakshmi has eight forms.

  • The eight parts of the way which leads to the nirvana, according to the Buddhist doctrines: the faith, the right judgement, the right language, a right and pure action, a right profession, the application of the spirit to all the precepts of the law, the right memory and the right meditation.
  • The Yoga counts eight training courses: Yama, the restriction; Niyama, religious observances; Asana, the posture; Pranayama, the control of the breathing; Praty-ahara, the restriction of senses; Dharana, the concentration; Dhyana, the contemplation and Samadhi, the ecstasy.
    • There are eight types of marriages described in ancient Hindu texts.  They are Rite of Brahmana (Brahma) – where the father of the bride invites a man learned in the Vedas and a good conduct, and gives his daughter in marriage to him after decking her with jewels and costly garments, Rite of the Gods (Daiva) – where the daughter is groomed with ornaments and given to a priest who duly officiates at a sacrifice during the course of its performance of this rite, Rite of the Rishis (Arsha) – when the father gives away his daughter after receiving a cow and a bull from the brightgroom, Rite of the Prajapati – (Prajapatya) where the father gives away his daughter after blessing the couple with the text “May both of you perform together your duties”, Rite of the Asura (Demons) – when the bridegroom receives a maiden after bestowing wealth to the kinsmen and to the bride according to his own will, Rite of the Gandharva – the voluntary union of a maiden and her lover, which arises from desire and sexual intercourse for its purpose, Rite of the Rakshasa – forcible abduction of a maiden from her home after her kinsmen have been slain or wounded and their houses broken open, Rite of the Pisaka – when a man by stealth seduces a girl who is sleeping or intoxicated or is mentally imbalanced or handicapped.
    • There are eight types of intelligence. They are Linguistic Intelligence :the gift of words, Linguistically intelligent people best understand the world through the spoken and written word, Visual/Spatial Intelligence :the gift of pictures, visually intelligent people best understand the world through visualization and spatial orientation, Musical :The gift of music, musically intelligent people best understand the world through rhythm and melody, Bodily Kinaesthetic Intelligence :the gift of body, physically intelligent people best understand the world through physicality, Logical/Mathematical :the gift of logic and number, mathematically and Logically intelligent people best understand the world through cause and effect, Interpersonal Intelligence :the gift of people, socially intelligent people best understand the world through the eyes of others, Intrapersonal :the gift of self, Intra-personally intelligent people best understand the world from their unique point of view, Naturalist Intelligence :the gift of nature, environmentally intelligent people best understand the world through their own environment.
    • There are eight types of waste as described by lean manufacturing. Waste can be viewed as the single hurdle that can limit a business over time, unless they are identified and systematically eliminated. They are Overproduction: Making more than is required by the next process, Waiting: Any idle time created when waiting, Transportation: Any movement of materials or people around a plant that does not add value to the product or service, Non-Value-Added processing: Any effort that adds no value to the product or service, Inventory: Any supply in excess of a one-piece flow through the manufacturing process, Under Utilizing People: The waste of not using people to the best of their unique abilities, Defects: Inspection and repair of materials in inventory, Motion: Any movement of people or machines that does not add value to the product or service.
    • Eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi are Adi Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi, Dhairya Lakshmi, Gaja Lakshmi, Santana Lakshmi, Vijaya Lakshmi, Vidya Lakshmi and Dhana Lakshmi.
    • There are Eight Dikpalakas, Lords of Directions and play a very important role in Vastu sastra. They are Indra (east), Varuna (west), Kubera (north), Yama (south), Agni (south east), Niruthi (south west), Isana (north east) and Vayu (North West).
    • There are eight methods of worship by offering water, sandal paste, flowers, incense, grain, light, sweets and fruits.
    • In computer technology, a byte refers to 8 bits.
    • In mathematics, the symbol Infinity is represented by an 8 laid down.
    • Ashtagandha is mixture of eight fragrant herbs – Chandan, Kesar, Bhimseni Camphor, Heena, Agar, Tulsi, Bel and Durva.

Nine – Nine is a sacred number; three multiplied by itself to give eternity, completion and fulfilment and it is considered a good number in Chinese culture because it sounds the same as the word “long lasting”.

  • The nine planets discovered in our solar system, are in the order starting from Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.
  • There are nine forms of devotion – Sravana (hearing of God’s Lilas and stories), Kirtana (singing of His glories), Smarana (remembrance of His name and presence), Padasevana (service of His feet), Archana (worship of God), Vandana (prostration to Lord), Dasya (cultivating the Bhava of a servant with God), Sakhya (cultivation of the friend-Bhava) and Atmanivedana (complete surrender of the self). A devotee can practice any method of Bhakti which suits him best. Through that he will attain Divine illumination.
  • Human body is considered as a city with nine gates – navadware pure dehe. The nine openings are ears (2), eyes (2), nostrils (2), mouth and two excretory openings.
  • Goddess Durga is worshipped for nine days during Navrathri festivals.
  • There are many common saying such as
    • A stitch in time saves nine
    • I am in cloud nine
    • A cat has nine lives.
    • They fell like nine pins.

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Venu Payyanur

Numbers represents more than quantity: they have quality and meaning. In many cultures and religions, numbers have many symbolic meaning and it is particularly true in Hinduism. However the meaning is subject to interpretation and misunderstanding based on the faith and knowledge of the readers.

Zero – Zero, it is said, was invented in India and represents a continuous circle. It symbolises ‘nirguna brahman’, or the brahman without a form and qualities. It represents ‘non-being’ and eternity. It is very difficult to say the exact value of zero, as any number that you multiply with zero becomes zero, but used correctly, it can also enhance the value infinitely. Simply put, Zero represents ‘GOD’, without it you are nothing, used properly; you can achieve anything in this world.

One – symbolic representation of ‘saguna brahman’, or brahman with qualities and form. Like GOD, it is the first number and symbolises the state of non-duality that you, the individual atman is same as the param atman. One represents the beginning and the symbol of creation. It represents human being, the only creation on earth to stand up straight on two legs. It represents the leader.

Two – Number 2 is a symbolic representation of the state of duality, which we experience through our mind and senses. It represents separation, division and disunity. It can be seen as opposing dualities or complimentary pairs. Purusha and Prakriti, life and death, day and night, cause and effect, right and wrong, good and evil, yin and yang, etc.

Three – three symbolises Divine perfection and completeness. It is the symbolic representation of the Trinity in many religions. In Hinduism, it is the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. In Christianity it is the trinity of Father, son and the Holy Spirit. No 3 is also a symbol for Siva because he is the third in the trinity, has three eyes (trinetra), carries a weapon called Trisul and has three braids (trijada). The number three also represents AUM, as it represents three states of consciousness.

Other representations of the number three are

  • Three goddesses – Saraswati, Lakhsmi, Parvathi
  • Three goddesses of knowledge – Gayathri, Savithri, Saraswati (goddess of mind, goddess of deed and goddess of word)
  • Triple qualities of mind – Sattva, Rajas, Tamas.
  • Three states of consciousness – awake, sleep and dream.
  • Triple divisions of time – past, present, future.
  • Triple periods of the day – morning, noon and evening.
  • Triple worlds of heaven, earth and hell.
  • Triple control of thoughts, words and action.
  • Three doshas (problems) in Ayurveda – vata, pitta and kapha.
  • Three doshas in spirituality – aadhyatmikam, aadhibaudhikam, aadhidaivikam.
  • Three attachments in life – attachment to your body, your friends and relatives and your wealth.
  • One should not indulge in these three activities before noon – drinking alcohol, sex and gambling.

Four – in Christianity number 4 is symbolically linked to the Cross and employed to signify what is solid and that which could be touched and felt. Four also has many symbolic significance and meaning in Hinduism.

  • The aim of life (purusharthas) is four – dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), Kama (desire), and moksha (salvation).
  • Four stages (ashram) in life – brahmacharya (student life), grihastha (householder), vanaprastha (retirement), and sanyasa (renunciation).
  • Four varnas as told by Krishna – Brahmin, Kshatriya, vaisya, sudra.
  • Brahma has four faces and four hands.
  • Four directions – north, east, west and south.
  • Four ways of influencing and motivating others – being generous, uttering kind words, giving appropriate teachings and being consistent with words and actions.
  • Four sights that affected Siddhartha deeply and made him realise the sufferings of all beings that compelled him to begin the spiritual journey – an old man, a sick man, a dead man and an ascetic.
  • Most vehicles have 4 wheels.
  • Four basic functions in mathematics – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
  • Four seasons – spring, summer, autumn and winter.
  • Four yuga – satyayuga, dwaparayuga, tredhayuga and Kaliyuga.
  • Four vedas – rig, yajur, sama and atharva
  • Four types of relationships – spiritual, sensual, sensical and exemplary.
  • Four debts we all have and must be repaid – debt to our ancestors, debt to God, debt to Rishis and debt to other living creatures.
  • Excess of these four destroys a person – hunting (shopping), drinking, womanising and gambling.

Five – It is a symbol for man. On a figure of man, a line joining head to outstretched arms and legs forms a pentagram. It also represents Earth.

  • There are five elements that constitute the entire universe – akasha (ether), air, fire, water and earth.
  • Human body has five jnanedriyas(sense organs) and five karmedriyas (functional organs)
  • Five sense organs are ear, eye, nose, tongue and skin representing hearing, vision, smelling, tasting and touching.
  • Five karmedriyas are Hand, legs, mouth, genital and anus and does the functions of grasping, walking, speaking, procreation and excretion.
  • The Hindu calendar is called Panchang because it has five parts. They are Thithi (date), vara (day of the week), nakshatra (star), karana (half a thithi) and yoga(auspicious moments).
  • In Kamba Ramayanam (in Tamil), the significance of number five is beautifully narrated as follows: The son of one of the five (son of wind – that is Pavana Thanaya), crossed one of the five (water – the ocean), through one of the five (sky), met daughter of one of the five (daughter of the earth – Sita Devi), burnt down Lanka by one of the five (fire). Here five means the five elements. Therefore, it is considered auspicious to go around His idol 5 times.
  • In Hindu temples, the deities are offered food made of five sweet items called ‘panchamruta’.
  • Five tantric substances are called ‘panchamakara’. They are matsya(fish), mamsa(meat), madira(wine), maithuna(sexual intercourse) and mudra(parched cereals).
  • Five breaths of life are prana, apana, vyana, udhana and samana.
  • Five ideal wives as per Hindu scriptures are – Ahalya, Draupadi, Sita, Tara and Mandodhari.
  • Five Great sins (Panchamahapataka) as per scriptures are – Brahma hatya (killing of a brahman), Shishu Hatya (killing of an infant), Sura Pana (drinking alcohol), Swarna steya (stealing of Gold) and Guru Talpa Gamana (having sex with Guru’s wife).
  • Muslims pray 5 times in a day.
  • Five major disasters – war, epidemics, famine, pollution and poverty.
  • Five Yamas (code of conduct as per Patanjali) – Ahimsa (non violence), Brahmacharya (abstain from sexual intercourse), Asteya (non – stealing), Satya (truth in words and thoughts) and Aparagraha (absence of avarice).
  • Five sacred symbols of Sikh religion as prescribed by Guru Gobind Singh known as Panj Karas or five ‘k’s are – Kesh (uncut hair), Kangha (comb), Kara   (steel bracelet), kachha (soldiers shorts) and kirpan (sword).
  • Five basic tastes – sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savouriness.
  • Pancha Mahayagyas (“Five Great Yajnas”). These sacrifices are to be performed daily by all “householders” (married couples) daily to best of one’s ability: Devayagya- worship of the gods (devas) through the twilight prayers (sandhya), aupasana, and agnihotra, Pitryagya- offering libations to ancestors or pitrs, Bhutayagya- offering food (“bali”) to animals, Manushyayagya- charitable offerings of food to fellow humans, Brahmayagya- respecting the Rishis of yore by recitating a section of  Veda (“bráhman”).
  • Panchopachara – five ways of offering daily prayer to the God – Gandha- The worshipper offers sandal paste to the deity, Pushpa – The worshipper offers flowers to the deity, Dhupa – Lighting of incense sticks and placing them in front of the deity. Deepa – Lighting a lamp and Naivedya – Offering of food to the deity.

Six – the number six is a symbolic representation of human mind, as it is the sixth sense organ. According to bible, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day.

  • Our mind has six faculties – reason, emotion, thought, awareness, knowledge and intelligence.
  • Six enemies of mind or impurities of mind are lust, anger, greed, pride, delusion and envy.
  • Six virtues one must have to lead a successful and happy life:  generosity, self-discipline, patience, effort, concentration and compassion.
  • Six attributes a king (manager) must have – cleverness of speech, readiness in providing means, intelligence in dealing with foe, memory and full understanding of the morals and politics.
  • Six articles of faith in Muslim religion are – belief in God, belief in angels, belief in books(Quran), belief in messengers sent by Allah(including Mohammad, Jesus, etc), belief in the day of judgement and resurrection and belief in destiny.

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Venu Payyanur

In the previous article we discussed about the benefits of taking bath everyday morning. There are few more important points that one must take into consideration while taking bath. Though it can sound superstitious or irrational, I felt it is important to mention it here and you are welcome to accept it or reject it based on your own intelligence and understanding.

  • Olden days, people used to take their morning bath either in a pond or in river near their homes. The morning walk that one must do to reach the ponds or rivers is certainly very good for the health, particularly for those who usually do not do any exercise.
  • After taking bath, in ponds and rivers, the person use to stand for few minutes giving ‘tharpana’, to the forefathers, facing south. Whatever may be the scientific or spiritual explanation of this ritual; this gives us an opportunity to remember the sacrifices made by our forefathers for bringing us up. It also reminds us on our responsibility to the next generation.
  • Even if you are taking bath in your own bathroom, girls are not supposed to take bath completely naked. In olden days it is said that sky travelling ‘Gandharvas’ could get attracted to those beautiful girls and possess them thereby losing their virginity unknowingly. However these days we have different types of Gandharvas who are walking with portable camcorders and other video recording equipment ready to get cheap popularity by publishing them through MMS, internet, etc. Such stories are so many these days and no amount of care and precaution is unreasonable.
  • It is better to face east while taking bath in the morning particularly if you are taking bath in the open. One can also recite many mantra while bathing and most popular one is

Gange cha Yamune chaiva Godavari Saraswati,

Narmade Sindhu Kaveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru

In this water, I invoke the presence of holy waters from the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri. Another mantra that makes us environmentally conscious and friendly and those believe in these rituals must also do whatever is possible to protect our rivers from all kinds of pollution.

  • Which part of the body you must wipe first after the bath? Usually we do not think about it and most start with the face and head. But scriptures suggest that one should never wipe the face first, instead wipe the back, squeeze that water out from the towel and then wipe your face and head. There are two ‘Devi’, ‘Sridevi’ and ‘Moodevi’ waiting to reside in your body as soon as it is clean and ‘Moodevi’ always wins. That means if you wipe your face first, ‘Moodevi’ takes position there and your day will be spoiled. If you wipe your face after wiping the back, ‘Moodevi’ sits at the back and ‘Sridevi’ sits on your face guaranteeing a wonderful day for you. This has also a scientific backing. Your back, which is the place above your buttocks to the neck, has the largest area which is exposed and wet now. The water would evaporate and cooling your spinal cord, resulting in many backbone related diseases. By wiping your back first, you are eliminating any potential health problems in future.

Prayer follows bath. After cleaning the body externally, it is time to cleanse the mind through prayers. Chanting Om is the first step towards meditation. All that you need to do is to sit in a peaceful place, on the floor, gently close your eyes, take a deep breath and chant Om. While doing so, completely relax your muscles. Don’t tighten your muscles; otherwise you won’t be able to feel the energizing effect of chanting Om. Meditation on Om will revitalize your energy and rejuvenate you completely. One must chant ‘om’ a minimum of 7 times, but can be 10 or 30 minutes based on the time available and the many benefits that you will receive once you start this practice. You can also recite other mantras based on instructions from your Guru or knowledge.

After Japa, it is time for meditation. Meditation for 10 – 15 minutes is very good for the activation and refreshing of the brain. If you have one, place a mat on the ground and sit upright with your legs crossed and your hands in your lap. If you like, you can hold your thumbs and forefingers together. This posture prepares you for meditation by making a circle of energy from the base of the spine to the top of the head. The beta level of brain is a state when the brain produces electric waves of 13.5 and above cycles per second (cps). Alpha state produces 8.5 – 13 .5 cps waves; it is a shallow state of meditation. The delta state goes further down to a medium state of mediation. Going further down to theta level is very difficult for common man. But in these meditation states, the brain cells and the body get fully activated. Memory, thinking capability and temper affect very positively by morning meditation. Meditation cleanses, purifies and strengthens the mind.

After the Japa and meditation, next step is refreshing and toning the muscles and bones. Most of us are not in the habit of doing exercise in the morning. This generally leads to rigidity in the skeleton joints. A hard and strenuous exercise can lead to over strain to heart muscles and other parts of the body, leading to heart problem and BP. The best and harmonious exercise for the body is said to be Suryanamaskar. This is a combination of seven yoga asanas and known as the king of the exercises. Hence performing Suryanamaskara (depending upon your age, physiological conditions and health the number can vary from four to ten) will give flexibility to muscles, cleaning the muscles, smoothening the skeleton joins and also purification of blood due to increased blood circulation to all the tissue corners of the body. However never start this yoga asana without the guidance of a matured and experienced ‘Guru’.Savasana and Pranayama could be performed after Suryanamaskara. One can also visit temples or other places of worship before sitting down for pure vegetarian breakfast. Alternately one can also perform aerobic exercises like brisk walking or jogging in the morning or evening to maintain a healthy body and happy mind.

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Venu Payyanur

Modern life is beset with innumerable problems. Some of the most common issues are

  • Physical, mental and emotional stress
  • Health problems.
  • Sleeplessness.
  • Disturbed family relations.
  • Addiction to alcohol, drugs, etc.
  • Violence in the society.
  • Corruption, dishonest and immoral behaviour.
  • Environmental and ecological problems.
  • Lack of basic values in life.
  • Lack of self-discipline
  • Any many more.

How can we overcome all these difficulties and lead a peaceful, happy and healthy life. The Rishis of yore has studied the human life for ages and have suggested a scientific way of living that will help us achieve all these and more. Those who follow such practices regularly and with discipline and devotion have been found to possess immense health, wealth and prosperity and always lead a happy and successful life.

The suggestions given below are not new to humanity and have been in vogue for hundreds of years; however lack of awareness has pushed this sacred knowledge to the archives. It is time for all of us to practice these and gain immensely.

  1. “Brahma Muhurtam” is the best time to get up. This is approximately 3 hours before sunrise. During this period, our brain and mind is very peaceful and have maximum positive energy. This is also the best time for meditation and studies particularly for students. However in this modern world, this is the time most people go to bed after the night long party or such other activities. Hence it will be considered impractical and shunned by every one of you. The least one can do is to wake up 30 minutes before the sunrise.
  2. One should lie down in the bed for another 2 – 3 minutes before getting up. Those who have faith in prayer can utilise this time conveniently for prayer. In Hindu way of life this prayer is adopted while sitting on the bed at the time of waking up in the morning :

        karagre vasathey Lakshmi, kara madhye saraswati

        karamoole sthithaa gouri prabhate kara darsanam …

 The meaning is very simple: knowledge, power and wealth depend on the work with your hand. Hence work hard and achieve whatever you want in life.

  1. Modern scientific studies have proven that about 23 % of the heart attacks take place in the early morning when people suddenly get up from the bed or chair, after a long duration of rest/lying/sitting position. Hence this prayer has a physiological benefit as far as health point of view is concerned. During sleep in the night, we are lying parallel to the earth (horizontal) for about 4 – 8 hrs. and in this lying position, the heart requires less force to pump the blood to other part of the body. But when we wake up and stand all of a sudden, the heart has to exert more pressure for pumping the blood to the vertical body. This is because; when we stand the blood circulation is in favour and also against the gravitational force of the earth. This naturally increases the work force of the heart as compared to the lying stature on the bed. To avoid the sudden change of the pressure, the lying posture should be changed to vertical posture slowly. Hence it is advised to sit on the bed for two to three minutes. The prayer helps us to achieve the same. Those who do not believe in prayers can make other commitments such as “I will do my duty diligently and faithfully today, I will treat everyone with respect by being courteous and polite and will not harm anyone. I will constantly seek opportunity to serve the society and will do my best today”.

For making us sit for some more time the second part of the prayer is added:

Samudra vasane devi parvatha sthana mandithe

vishnu pathni namasthubhyam paada sparsam kshamaswame.

Oh! Mother earth, where the mountains are part of your body and you are the wife of Lord Mahavishnu. May I perform my pranam to you! While praying these lines, almost 60 seconds duration of leisure is given to the heart to change the state of work from a lower load to a higher level and the heart gets accustomed with this.

This prayer also signifies our care and commitment to mother earth and environment. The sea and the rivers are the dresses worn by our mother and we should not make it dirty by polluting it. The mountains are our mother’s body part, hence let us not cut the trees and destroy the mountains! How noble, how considerate! Much before the environmentalists talked about forest covers and water pollutions, our rishis have prescribed a way of life for us to protect the same!

Once the prayer is recited, we are supposed to touch the floor with our right hand before keeping our feet on the ground, as a mark of respect for our mother earth. This also has a scientific significance. During the long sleep, static electricity may be generated in our body, particularly if the climatic condition is dry and if lying is on the synthetic fibre bed. This electricity is generated because of the rubbing of the body with the bed surface which is better to be released through fingers, instead of feet. This way your body is strengthened and not weakened.

Many have the habit of drinking their first cup of tea/coffee in the bed even before cleaning their mouth. This is absolutely wrong. Brushing your teeth after dinner, before going to bed, every night is very important, there would still be contamination in your mouth, teeth and tough due to bacteria produced while sleeping. If you have not brushed properly then the contamination could be much higher due to residual food left in your mouth. By drinking coffee without cleaning your mouth, these bacteria enter your stomach and can result in many different diseases in your body.

After brushing your teeth properly, the next step is to use the toilets. But always remember to wash your hands with soap and gargle your mouth with water after passing urine or stool. Normally when urine or stool is passed, this is contaminated and waste, gas travel upwards to your mouth and nose which is also contaminated. You remove this toxic gas by gargling and keep your mouth fresh without foul smells.

Taking bath everyday morning is mandatory, for hygiene as well as health reasons and cold water is preferred unless one is sick or old. Indian climate is generally warm and hot at other times and we all sweat a lot. Sweat gets dried and the salt contents block the pores impacting the skin function and lustre. The benefit of cold water bath is increased blood circulation and metabolism in your body. Cold water reduces the body temperature near the skin level and to maintain the normal temperature our blood circulation increases thereby improving your metabolism and wellbeing. Exercise, pranayama, prayers, meditation, etc. are the next steps to be discussed later.