Amar Bharati

Last updated
Amar Bharati at the Kumbha Mela 2001, having raised his arm for 25 years Kumbh011.jpg
Amar Bharati at the Kumbha Mela 2001, having raised his arm for 25 years

Amar Bharati is an Indian Sadhu or ascetic who is known for claiming to have kept his right arm raised for 50 years in a testament of his devotion to the Hindu deity Shiva, and as a call for world peace. [1]

Description

Bharati worked as a clerk in New Delhi until he quit his job and left his family and friends in 1970 in order to develop his devotion to Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hinduism. After quitting his job, he felt like he was still connected to his old life and raised his arm starting in 1973 as a sign of his devotion and "to militate against wars and support world peace". [2] [3] He spent two years of his life in severe pain by doing this, but later lost all sensation in his arm. The muscles in his arm atrophied during this time. [4] [5] Many of his followers have taken inspiration from his actions, calling it a "beacon of hope" and even raising their own arms for years. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shiva</span> Major deity in Hinduism

Shiva, also known as Mahadeva or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parvati</span> Major goddess in Hinduism

Parvati, also known as Uma and Gauri, is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. Along with Lakshmi and Sarasvati, she forms the trinity, known as the Tridevi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanuman</span> Hindu god and a companion of the god Rama

Hanuman, also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine vanara, and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the Ramayana, Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotion to Rama and is considered a chiranjivi. He is traditionally believed to be the spiritual offspring of the wind deity Vayu, who is said to have played a significant role in his birth. In Shaiva tradition, he is regarded to be an incarnation of Shiva, while in most of the Vaishnava traditions he is the son and incarnation of Vayu. His tales are recounted not only in the Ramayana but also in the Mahabharata and various Puranas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ardhanarishvara</span> Composite form of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati

Ardhanarishvara, is a form of the Hindu deity Shiva combined with his consort Parvati. Ardhanarishvara is depicted as half-male and half-female, equally split down the middle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ayyappan</span> Hindu deity

Ayyappan, also known as Dharmasastha and Manikandan, is the Hindu deity of truth and righteousness. According to Hindu theology, he is described as the son of Shiva and Mohini, thus representing a bridge between Shaivism and Vaishnavism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basava</span> Indian philosopher and reformer (1131–1196)

Basava (1131–1196), also called Basavēśvara and Basavaṇṇa, was an Indian philosopher, poet, Lingayat social reformer in the Shiva-focused bhakti movement, and a Hindu Shaivite social reformer during the reign of the Kalyani Chalukya/Kalachuri dynasty. Basava was active during the rule of both dynasties but reached the peak of his influence during the rule of King Bijjala II in Karnataka, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamadeva</span> Hindu god of love

Kama, also known as Kamadeva and Manmatha, is the Hindu god of erotic love, desire, pleasure and beauty. He is depicted as a handsome young man decked with ornaments and flowers, armed with a bow of sugarcane and shooting arrows of flowers. He often portrayed alongside his consort and female counterpart, Rati.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohini</span> Hindu goddess of enchantment, the only female avatar of Vishnu

Mohini is the Hindu goddess of enchantment. She is the only female avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. She is portrayed as a femme fatale, an enchantress, who maddens lovers and demons, sometimes leading them to their doom. Mohini is introduced into Hinduism in the narrative epic of the Mahabharata. Here, she appears as a form of Vishnu following the Churning of the Ocean, a mesmerising beauty who distributes the amrita to the weakened devas (gods) and depriving it to the dominant asuras (demons), allowing the former to defeat the latter with their newfound immortality.

<i>Vahana</i> Mounts of Hindu deities

Vāhana or vahanam denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical entity, a particular Hindu deity is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vāhana is often called the deity's "mount". Upon the partnership between the deity and his vāhana is woven much iconography and Hindu theology. Deities are often depicted riding the vāhana. Other times, the vāhana is depicted at the deity's side or symbolically represented as a divine attribute. The vāhana may be considered an accoutrement of the deity: though the vāhana may act independently, they are still functionally emblematic or even syntagmatic of their "rider". The deity may be seen sitting or standing on the vāhana. They may be sitting on a small platform, or riding on a saddle or bareback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nara-Narayana</span> Hindu divine sages

Naranarayana, also rendered Nara-Narayana, is a Hindu duo of sage-brothers. Generally regarded to be the partial-incarnation (aṃśa-avatara) of the preserver deity, Vishnu, on earth, Nara-Narayana are described to be the sons of Dharma and Ahimsa.

The following list consists of notable concepts that are derived from Hindu culture and associated cultures’ traditions, which are expressed as words in Sanskrit or other Indic languages and Dravidian languages. The main purpose of this list is to disambiguate multiple spellings, to make note of spellings no longer in use for these concepts, to define the concept in one or two lines, to make it easy for one to find and pin down specific concepts, and to provide a guide to unique concepts of Hinduism all in one place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aghori</span> Tantric Shaivite tradition and monastic order

The Aghori are a monastic order of ascetic Shaivite sadhus based in Uttar Pradesh, India. They are the only surviving sect derived from the Kāpālika tradition, a Tantric, non-Puranic form of Shaivism which originated in Medieval India between the 4th and 8th century CE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dakshinamurti</span> Aspect of the Hindu god Shiva as a guru

Dakshinamurti is an aspect of the Hindu god Shiva as a guru (teacher). He is regarded to be the personification of the supreme or the ultimate awareness, understanding, and knowledge. Dakshinamurti represents Shiva as a teacher of yoga, music, and wisdom, offering an exposition of the Shastras. He is worshipped as the god of wisdom and meditation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anasuya</span> Wife of Sage Atri in Hinduism

Anasuya is an ascetic, and the wife of Sage Atri in Hinduism. She is the daughter of Devahuti and the Prajapati Kardama in Hindu texts. In the Ramayana, she lives with her husband in a small hermitage on the southern border of the Chitrakuta forest. A pious woman who leads an austere life, she is described as having miraculous powers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nandanar</span> Nayanar saint

Nandanar, also known as Thirunaallaippovaar and Tirunallaipovar Nayanar, was a Nayanar saint, who is venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the eighteenth in the list of 63 Nayanars. Like the other Nayanars, he was a devout devotee of the god Shiva.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brahma</span> Creator god in Hinduism

Brahma is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva. He is associated with creation, knowledge, and the Vedas. Brahma is prominently mentioned in creation legends. In some Puranas, he created himself in a golden embryo known as the Hiranyagarbha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ekapada</span> Aspect of the Hindu god Shiva

Ekapada is the one-footed aspect of the Hindu god Shiva. This form is primarily found in South India and Orissa, but also occasionally in Rajasthan and Nepal.

<i>Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev</i> Indian mythological television series

Devon Ke Dev… Mahadev, often abbreviated as DKDM, is a series based on Mahadev, one of the main deities of Hinduism. It premiered on 18 December 2011, airing Monday to Friday nights on Life OK. The 820-episode series concluded on 14 December 2014. The entire series has been made available on Disney+ Hotstar and Hulu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalyanasundara</span> Iconographical depiction of the wedding of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati

Kalyanasundara, also spelt as Kalyansundar and Kalyana Sundara, and known as Kalyanasundara-murti, Vaivahika-murti and Panigrahana-murti ( पाणिंग्रहण-मूर्ति), is the iconographical depiction of the wedding of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati. The couple are often depicted performing the panigrahana ritual of a Hindu wedding, where the groom accepts the bride by taking her right hand in his.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tirunilakanta Nayanar</span> Nayanar, Hindu saint

Tirunilakanta Nayanar, also known as Tirunilakanta, Nilakantan and Tirunilakantar (Thiruneelakandar) was a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the second in the list of 63 Nayanars.

References

  1. https://greekreporter.com/2023/08/25/indian-ascetic-holding-arm-up-world-peace/
  2. Ali, Mehr (2021-12-16). "Man has held his hand raised for more than 45 years". The Khaama Press News Agency. Archived from the original on 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  3. "Meet the man whose arm has been raised for almost 50 years". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  4. Andrei Tapalaga. "The Man Who Held His Hand Raised for 45 Years". historyofyesterday.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  5. "La historia de Amar Bharati, el hombre que tiene levantado su brazo hace 49 años". www.airedesantafe.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  6. "Man raises arm for 38 years". au.news.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2023-07-25. Retrieved 2022-11-01.