Monday, October 31, 2011

OM NAMAH SIVAYA!

A benediction song on Lord Shiva that I heard in one of the Bhakthi TV channels.
ఓం మంగళం ఓంకార మంగళం
ఓం నమశ్శివాయ మంగళం
 మంగళం న కార మంగళం|| నాదబిందు కలాతీత దేవ మంగళం
 మంగళం మ కార మంగళం|| మహిమాన్విత దేవ నీకు మంగళం
శి మంగళం శి కార మంగళం|| శిద్ద బుద్ధ యోగ దేవ పరబ్రహ్మ మంగళం
మంగళం వ కార మంగళం|| వాద భేదరహిత పరబ్రహ్మ మంగళం
మంగళం య కార మంగళం || యదార్థ గ్యానస్వరూపాయ దేవ మంగళం
ఓం మగళం ఓంకార మంగళం
ఓం నమశ్శివాయ మంగళం||
Let me know if there are any mistakes, I have transcribed from an audio file.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Karthikam-the eight month of the Hindu lunar calendar (October 27- November 25)

Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati and Marathi calendars observe this month as Karthika maasam.  It is named after Kruthika star which falls on full moon day (pournami) of this month. This month is considered holy month of the year as it is dedicated to both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Performing Shivalinga puja, and lighting lamps near holy tulasi plant while the stars are visible in the sky is auspicious. Fasting is common on important days, especially on Nagula Chavithi (October 30), Ekadasi (November 6), full moon day (November 10) and all the Mondays of the month (October 31, November 7, 14, 21). Karthika Puranam (sacred scripture about the importance of the month) is read throughout the month. Taking bath in holy rivers like Ganga, Godavari, Krishna etc. is considered a pious act.                                           

Nagula Chavithi (October 30) is observed on the fourth day after amavasya in Karthika maasam dedicated to Nagas or Snakes. Some regions perform this festival on the fifth day of Sravana maasam. The worship of snakes is part of nature worship and it is meant to give the message that each aspect of nature is crucial for the survival of the other. Imbalance in nature will lead to total destruction of all living beings. Snake God is offered milk, fruits, special naivedyam chalimidi (rice flour and jaggery) and chimmili (made of sesame and jaggery) near snake pit or in the home it self, devotees eat only the special naivedyam, fruits and fast for the day.

Uthana Ekadasi (November 6) - Chaturmasa begins on the Ekadasi day after the amavasya in the month of Ashada and ends on the Ekadasi in the first fortnight in the month of Karthika.  Lord Vishnu remains in deep slumber during the period. He wakes up on the Karthika Shukla (first fortnight after amavasya) Ekadasi and this day is observed as Dev Uthana Ekadasi. The importance of Uthana Ekadasi is narrated to Sage Narada by Brahma. The divine conversation is found in the Skanda Purana. Observing this Ekadasi is believed to help in getting rid of the guilt associated with sins committed and is also a path to liberation. As any of the ekadasi and specially this ekadasi falls in Karthika maasa, devotees of Vishnu observe fast on this day.

Ksheerabdi Dwadasi (November 7) - Tulasi Vivah is an age-old tradition and is mentioned in the Padma Purana and other ancient scriptures. Tulsi, or the Holy Basil, is the sacred plant of the Hindus and symbolizes purity and is famous for its medicinal properties. According to several Puranas, Lord Vishnu, who woke up from cosmic sleep on Uthana Ekadashi (the day before ksheerabdi dwadasi), comes to Vrindavan or Brundavan along with Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Brahma. Hence, worshipping Tulasi plant along with Sri Maha Vishnu on this day gives many meritorious results. Those who protect the deepam (diya) lightened by others will also get good benefits. Tulsi Damodar Vivah is done today in most of the places. To me lighting many deepams near Tulasi plant brings solace, the practice I have seen and adopted observing my grandmother since my middle school days.(Below is a classic song on Tulasi plant rarely seen in today's world)

Karthika pournami (full moon day) (November 10) in the month of Karthika, is the most auspicious day of the most auspicious month. This day is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion. Many Hindus consider fasting on this if they could not fast on any other auspicious day in this month. Devotees also make it a point to take a holy dip in the sacred rivers. In the evening prayers are offered to Moon God, 365 wicks are immersed in ghee or sesame oil and are lit in the home altar or in the temple. In the temple arena, lights are lit in rows and hung on stands representing as ‘jwala thoranam’ (lighted garland). Later the cooked food is offered to God and prasadam is taken.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Happy Deepavali!

||దీపం జ్యోతి పరబ్రహ్మమ్ దీపం సర్వతమోహరమ్
దీపేన సాధ్యతే సర్వమ్ సంధ్యా దీపం నమామ్యహమ్||
"Let the lamplight bring auspiciousness, prosperity, good health and abundance of wealth. Salutation to you for the destruction of enemies. I bow to the lamplight in the evening again and again."

May the Supreme light of lights enlighten our understanding and fill our hearts with peace and love. 
Wishing you all the joy of celebrating Deepavali! 

"The significance of Deepavali is the removal of darkness and ignorance from the mind and filling it with goodness."
–Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi, the sage of Kanchi

Friday, October 21, 2011

A True Gem!

Last week I was browsing some old telugu magazines which I borrowed from my friend. Reading this story from a "rushipeetham" magazine, I was stuck and wanted to share it here. The location in the story is a village backdrop; you can change the location to the place wherever you are. The essence does not change. Now read it for yourself.

Ladies in the neighborhood gathered near a well to fetch water. Everyone was talking about their family welfare and other happenings in their life. One of the old gentlemen taking care of his work in the backyard of his house extended his ear to hear their conversation.
Natural conversation, common to a mother, was centered around kids. Each one of them was excited to share about their children’s accomplishments. One lady started saying, “My son sings well, everyone likes to listen to his beautiful voice.”  Some of the ladies agreed upon that they have also heard. The lady standing next to her commented, “Yeah, he has melodious voice, time just flies the moment he starts singing. He is a gem.”
Another lady praises his son by saying that, “My son's true talent, he can write poems- a rare art form.” Everyone agrees that he must be child prodigy to have such talent at young age and agrees that he is a gem to have.
Listening to this the lady who just walks in declares that her son is a great boxer and none in the neighboring villages can win over him. Nothing else to say all the ladies praised her son, congratulated and agreed upon for having a gem. Everyone had their stories of their children, but for one lady was standing quietly in between them. They all turned to her and pressed to tell about her son. In a low tone she said, “He is an ordinary child, not much educated or talented but a very good child.” Even before the ladies could comment "what a child....", the singer boy was passing by the ladies group singing a song. 
The moment he saw his mother, in a cranky tone he said, “Don’t you know I have performance this evening, what is this you are gossiping with the ladies, when will you fetch the water, cook for me and feed?” The mother of the singer felt ashamed and left the place hurriedly with the water pot. After a while the poet boy  arrived and in an irritable voice, “What is this mom, you are leisurely chatting with ladies, come home fast and cook dinner for me I am hungry, I need to write a couple of poems and send to the poetry competition for a magazine.” Without a word his mother ran home with the water pot. Mean while the boxer boy seeing his mother near the well, furiously said, “You know I am hungry the moment I come home, if you are still here when are you going to cook for me.” Out of fear his mother left the place with the heavy pot. Pin drop silence surrounded the place. 
The normal child was slowly walking towards the ladies near the well. He took the pot from his mother’s hand filled it with water, when his mother was stopping him from doing so he said, “Mom, why do you have to get strained when I am here for you, Do you think I like to see you suffer this way, come we will go home leisurely talking on the way home. Even after going home I will help you, I don’t like you to take all the burden of household work. To help you bring water from the well I hurriedly came home. I don’t want you to carry the heavy water pot.”
The old gentleman who was listening to the ladies conversation, came out of his backyard to tell the mother of the ordinary child, “All the ladies were boasting that their children’ were gems but your son is the “true gem”.” courtesy rushipeetham magazine
Isn’t it true, the talent of children is of no use if they cannot understand the pain their parents go through? The ones who share, help and love their parents are the “true gems”.

"Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence."
- Plato
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
-Mark Twain