Gurukkal Blogs

    Gurukkal   Elevating the Self: Enhancing Pancha Koshas through Kalari Mastery Author Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh           T he Pancha Koshas, or five sheaths, are fundamental concepts in spirituality  that describe the layers or dimensions of the human being. Each sheath represents a different aspect of existence, ranging from the physical to the spiritual, and understanding them is crucial for holistic well-being and self-realization.            Rooted in this philosophy, the practice of Kalari Sadhana, within the realm of Kalaripayattu, serves as a transformative journey that addresses and enhances each of these sheaths.    Gurukkal Annamaya Kosha (Physical Sheath):           The journey begins with the Annamaya Kosha, the physical sheath, where practitioners cultivate strength and agility through rigorous kalari training. As you know The Annamaya Kosha is the outermost layer and is associated with the physical body.It is made up of the food we eat, hence it

Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh with Sword   The Philosophy of Kalaripayattu Weapons Author Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh           Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh is an Indian Martial arts Guru, renowned for his expertise in ancient Indian martial arts, kalaripayattu. He is a fifth-generation Kalaripayattu Guru, who leads Agastyam Kalaripayattu, boasting a remarkable legacy of 127 years. Beyond martial arts, he is also a filmmaker, media personality, and writer, with a strong commitment to promote Kalaripayattu as a foundation for a healthy lifestyle.   Kalari weapons             K alaripayattu isn't just about physical combat; it embodies a profound philosophy of discipline, self-control, and respect for life. Weapons training teaches practitioners to be responsible and ethical warriors, emphasizing the importance of preserving  life and using their skills for protection only when necessary.  Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh with Sword and Shield               Kalaripayattu, originated in t

  Agasthyar sidhar Agasthyar sidhar In Ramayana Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh N amaste           In Ramayana, we find the meeting of Agasthya and Rama at two points. The portion which I recited now is from Aranyakandam. It is the section of the epic in which Sri Rama, Sita Devi and Lakshmana are travelling through the forest. They visit Agasthya’s ashram. This episode illustrates Agasthya seeing Rama for the first time and the joy it brings him.            Agasthya appears later at a totally different location in the epic. Where? There Agasthya teaches Rama the Aditya Hridaya Mantra which praises the Sun God. In part that I recited, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana are in the forest with Sutheeshna and they reach Agasthya’s ashram. We can see Agasthya appears in Ramayana, Mahabharata, the Vedas and the Upanishads.As we are now celebrating Ramayana month of Karkidaka in Kerala,             it is auspicious to reflect on Agasthya’s important presence in the Ramayana.           Agasthya has

  Importance of Guru in Life Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh   N amaskaram everyone! From the moment of birth, man possesses a compelling desire. Do you know why? In reality, the desire pertains to survival. In order to ensure survival, he will strive to acquire knowledge. When a baby is born, it inhales, and widens eyes to survey the surroundings. During that moment, his mind assess and comprehend what he has observed in his surroundings Sometimes, it's the sense of vision. Sometimes it’s the sound. Thus, upon hearing a sound, the ear becomes attentive, eyes widen to see, and the tongue extends to explore taste. Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh   All of these actions intend to assimilate information. We say ‘each life starts with a refresher course!’ Every birth begins with a quest for knowledge. While we often assume that the pursuit of knowledge starts only after birth. Scientific evidence suggests that this quest actually begins within the womb itself. The stress a

  Conscious Mind Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh   N amaskaram everyone!             The conscious mind, mostly, is either in our past or our future.That’s in fact a limitation of our conscious mind. Either we worry about our future, which mostly culminates into a form of stress, anxiety or unhappiness or we think of our past through our memories.           We could have had several unpleasant events or even sometimes some good memories. So, what I am trying to say is that our conscious mind has two capacities. One is memorising and second is imagination.   Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh               The conscious mind can be described as relatively small in size.If we were to measure the extent of the mind, we could compare the conscious mind to merely the tip of an iceberg. Beneath that, there is vast space of the unconscious mind. Martial arts train the subconscious mind. Let us look at the fight-flight responses. In any situation, a martial artist's imme