Prayer for New Year

SUN GOD

VANDEHAM SACCHIDANANDAM BHEDATITAM JAGATGURUM

NITYAM PURNAM NIRAKARAM

NIRGUNAM SVATMASARVA SAMASTHITAM

ASTOMA SADGAMAYA
TAMASOMA JYOTIRGAMAYA
AMRITYORMA AMRITANGAMAYA

OM
SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI

THE MEANING OF THE ABOVE SHLOKA IS AS FOLLOWS
I BOW DOWN TO THE UNIVERSAL TEACHER
WHO IS ABSOLUTE TRUTH, PURE CONCIOUSNESS, AND BLISS
WHO IS BEYOND ALL DIFFERENCES
WHO IS EVER FULL,WITHOUT ATTRIBUTES,FORMLESS
WHO IS ALL PERVADING AND EVER CENTTERED IN THE SELF

LEAD US FROM UNREALITY TO REALITY
LEAD US FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
LEAD US FROM DEATH TO IMMORTALITY
OM
SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI
THE DEITY SHOWN IN THE PICTURE IS THE SUN GOD AT ARSAVALLI SRIKAKULAM IN ANDHRA PRADESH, SRIKAKULAM IS ON THE WAY TO VISHAKAPATNAM FROM CHENNAI.

Ketu

Ketu
Ketu brings prosperity to the devotee's family removes the effect of snakebite and illness arising out of poisonous matter entering one's body He grants good health, wealth, cattle and all around prosperity. Lunar and solar eclipses are said to occur because of Rahu and Ketu.

The Temple for Ketu is at Keezperumpallam in Tamil Nadu near Myalduthurai.

Chandra or Moon

Chandra or Moon
CHANDRA (MOON) is a lovable God - a loving god. Pleasing to children as well as elders universally appealing to everyone whatever may bthe religion of the onlooker. Sages and devotees invoke the Goddess Mother in Chandra and meditate for hours.This griho (Moon) causes nightfall strengthens the mind, purifies the blood and is considered as the mother who radiates nectar (Amrut). Worship of this griha is said to be beneficial for relief e from all sorrows, helps in curing mental afflictions. etc. His cool rays radiate happiness around. He adores the head of Lord Siva. Worshipping Chandra on Mondays is said to be very effective in getting one's prayers answered. In the Zodiac he is the lord of Cancer. He stays 2 1/4 days in each Rasi completing a round of the 12 Rasis in 27 days .

The Temple for Chandra or Moon is at Thingaloor on the way to Tiruvayyaru from Swamy Malai.

Budha or Mercury

Budha or Mercury

BUDHA or MERCURY is considered as the greatest among the wise. This Devata bestows wisdom and wealth etc. on his devotees. He removes evil thoughts from their minds. He is the chief among Gnanis ( Realized souls). He is considered Vishnu Rupi, because of his beauty and resemblance A prayer to Him, especially on Wednesdays brings in manifold benefits like removal of all obstacles, helps one to get a progeny, possession of fertile lands etc. In the Zodiac this devata is the Lord of Mithuna and Kanya. He stays like the Sun, one month in each Rasi completes the cycle in 12 months, more or less closely in the footsteps of the Sun.

The Temple for Budha is in Tiruverkadu near to Myladuthurai in Tamilnadu.

Brhaspathi Or Guru Bhagawan

Deity of Brahaspathi

Worship of BRIHASPATI or GURU (JUPITER) Devata results in a cure from ailments affecting the stomach and helps one to ward off his/her sins, helps him/her in gaining strength, valor, longevity etc. He grants the boon of father-hood to the childless, good education (Vidya). He is revered as the Guru of Devas, protector of the world and is a Sreshta among the wise. Kind-hearted he is considered the Loka Guru and dispenser of justice and can be known only by a proper study of the Vedas. Thursdays are considered to be the best day for the worship of Jupiter. In the Zodiac. He is the Lord of Dhanus and Meena. Guru stays for one year in each Rasi, taking 12 years to complete the cycle.

There is a temple for Brhaspati at Alangudi In Tamilnadu on the way to Mannargudi from Kumbakonam.

Mars or Sevvai Graha

Deity of Mars

In the Zodiac. ANGARAKA or MARS is regarded as a God of martial character, red in every aspect. Even the Romans held him as their Guru. A prayer to this planet frees one from debts, poverty and illness afflicting the skin. This griha bestows property and conveyance Locomotion). Loss of eyesight can be restored by a prayer to Angaraka. Tuesdays are intended for the worship of Angaraka who loves the chanting of Sama Veda. In the Zodiac, He is the Lord of "Mesha" and "Vrischika". He stays 1 1/2 months in each Rasi taking 18 months to complete the cycle.
He has a separate shrine at Vaitheeswaran Koil in Tamii Nadu. .

Nava Grahas

Surya Bhagwan

We shall see a brief account of Navagrahas in the postings to follow in this blog hope you will like the same.

He is the God - a living God - whom everyone can see, perceive and pray. Though he is visible, he also has been presented in a variety of forms. He is the life-giver and time-giver.
In the six sects established by Adi Sankara, Souram is one devoted to Sun God. Even in other religions, Sun worship has place. In the Zodiac, Sun occupies a prominent place - the Center. The griha is the source of life and He is therefore described as the life-giver (Pranadhata). He helps one gain his eyesight and Suryanamaskar (worship by prostration) will strengthen one's bones, cure illness, however sever it may be, cleanses the devotee from his sins and bestows on him progeny, wealth, good-health and long life. He is the cause for rain-fall benefiting the world.
The Vedas adore him as a witness of all actions (Sakshi). Worship of this devata on Sunday is supposed to bring in manifold benefits to the worshippers. He is the lord of Leo in the Zodiac. He stays one month in each Rasi and takes 365 days or 12 months to complete a round of 12 Rasis.
Suryanarayana Temple - Tamil Nadu Suryanarayana Temple, popluarly known as Suryanar-Koil, is about 3 kms. from the Aduturai railway station on the Southern Railway main line from Madras to Thanjavur. About 10 km from Kumbakonam.
There are also temples to Sun at Konark in Orissa and Modhera in Gujarat

Arudhra Darshnam @ Chidamabaram

You must all be aware of the Kalee prepared on the full moon day in the month of Margahsi,the day on which Lord Natraja is worshipped and the the darshan is called Arudhra Darshanam, we all enjoy the Kalee and the special Sambar which is offered as prasda to the deity.Here is a write up on the celebrations.

Two annual Bhrammotsavams at Chidambaram are of great significance, as they involve colorful processions of festival deities in the car streets. The grandest of these occurs in the month of Margazhi (Dec 15 - Jan 15), concluding on the full moon day corresponding to the Arudra Darisanam festival (Arudra Darisanam is celebrated in Saivite temples all over Tamilnadu). This ten day festival at Chidambaram involves a grand scheme of traditional observances commencing with the hoisting of the temple flag on the first day, followed by colorful procesions of the five deities (Pancha Murthys) on the first eight days on various mounts. The fifth day features Mount Kailasam, while the sixth day features the elephant mount. It is only on the ninth day that Nataraja leaves his sanctum, and is taken in a procession through the car streets, in the grand temple car. This is a special occasion and crowds throng to see it. Local fishermen communities traditionally offer gifts to Nataraja during this procession. Nataraja then returns to the Raja Sabha of the temple, where in the pre-dawn hours of the next day, while the moon is full, special abhishekams are performed to Nataraja, in the presence of thousands of devotees, and this ritual is followed by the royal audience of Nataraja in the Raja Sabha. In the afternoon, Nataraja returns to the shrine ceremoniously from the Raja Sabha, amidst an enactment of the Ananda Tandavam or the Dance of Bliss.
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A Story Of Hanuman

In May, 2001, an obscure village in India's southern state of Karnataka was in news for suddenly turning into a Hindu pilgrimage — by accident! Thousands of people are still thronging to this hamlet called Theranya in Hassan district to worship a 40-feet green granite block weighing around 100 tonne that slipped off a truck while being transported to a temple in Tamil Nadu for carving out a statue of Hanuman — the monkey god. Even an unsculpted piece of rock can become a deity when it comes to the reverence shown by Hindus towards this simian icon.
Embodiment of Strength & TenacityHanuman, the mighty ape that aided Lord Rama in his expedition against evil forces, is one of the most popular idols in the Hindu pantheon. Believed to be an avatar of Lord Shiva, Hanuman is worshipped as a symbol of physical strength, perseverance and devotion.
Hanuman's tale in the epic Ramayana — wherein he is assigned the responsibility to locate Rama's wife Sita abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka — is known for its astounding ability to inspire and equip a reader with all the ingredients needed to face ordeals and conquer obstructions in the way of the world.
Worshipping the Monkey GodOn Saturdays and Tuesdays many people keep fast in honour of Hanuman and give special offerings to him. In times of trouble, it is a common faith among Hindus to chant the name of Hanuman or sing his hymn ("Hanuman Chalisa") and proclaim "Bajrangbali Ki Jai" — "victory to thy thunderbolt strength". Once every year — on the full-moon day of Chaitra (April) at sunrise — "Hanuman Jayanti" is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Hanuman. Hanuman temples are among the most common public shrines found in India.
The Power of DevotionThe character of Hanuman teaches us of the unlimited power that lies unused within each one of us. Hanuman directed all his energies towards the worship of Lord Rama, and his undying devotion made him such that he became free from all physical fatigue. And Hanuman's only desire was to go on serving Rama. Hanuman perfectly exemplifies "Dasyabhava" devotion — one of the nine types of devotions — that bonds the master and the servant. His greatness lies in his complete merger with his Lord, which also formed the base of his genial qualities.

on 8th January 2008 is the Hanumanth Jayanthi the Amavasya day in the month of Margishi every year. Pray to hanuman for health wealth and proseperity

STORY OF GANESHA

The Story of Ganesh As an apt choice we have chosen the story of Lord Ganesha as the first sources stress the need for recitation of the name of Lord Ganesh before starting any work. The relevance of this becomes clear as the story of Lord Ganesh unfolds in the following pagaraphs. Lord Ganesh is the virtual son of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvathi. The story of creation of ganesh is a very fascinating one.
A long long time ago when Lord Shiva, was away fighting for the gods, the lady of the house, goddess Parvathi was alone at home. On one occasion, she needed someone to gaurd the house when she was going for a bath. Unable to think of an alternative, she used her powers to create a son, Ganesh. She instructed Ganesh to keep strict vigil on the entrance to the house and not to allow anyone into the house. Ganesh agreed and stayed on the strictest of strict vigils.
In the meantime Lord Shiva returned happy after a glorious victory for the gods, only to be stopped at the entrance by Ganesh. Ganesh, acting on Parvathi's orders verbatim, did not allow Shiva to enter the house. Lord Shiva was enraged beyond control and in a fit of rage slashed the head of Ganesh. In the meantime Paravti came out from her bath and was aghast at the scene. She was very very angry at her lordship for what had happened and explained him the situation.
Lord Shiva wanted to make it up to Parvathi very badly and agreed to put life back into Ganesha by putting the head of the first sleeping living creature that came in sight which was sleeping with its head to the north. He sent his soldiers to go in search of the creature. The first creature which came in sight was an elephant. So Lord Shiva re-created his son with the head of the elephant. Hence the trunk of Lord Ganesha. Parvathi was still not totally happy with the deal and wanted more. Then Shiva granted Ganesha a boon that before beginning of any undertaking or task people would worship Lord Ganesh. Thus the reason for worship of ganesha before start of any work. There are many stories about Lord Ganesh about his later part of life. We shall be adding more stories of Lord Ganesh in due course of time.
GANAPATI BAPPA MOURAYYA

Vaikunta Ekadasi

Here is write up on the significance of Vaikunta Ekadasi

Vaikunta Ekadasi is an important festival dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the Tamil month of Margazhi December-January). Vaikunda Ekadesi festival is of great significance at the Tirupati Balaji Temple, Srirangam Sri Ranganatha Temple and at the Bhadrachalam Temple. In Kerala, it is known as Swarga Vathil Ekadashi.
The significance of Vaikunta Ekadasi can be traced back to the Padma Purana. The Purana indicates that Lord Vishnu took the form of ‘Ekadasi’ – female energy – to kill demon Muran. This happened during the month of Margazhi. Impressed by ‘Ekadasi,’ Lord Vishnu told her that whoever worships him on this day will reach ‘Vaikunta’ (heaven).
Like all Ekadasi days, devotees fast on this day and observe vigil the whole night. Some people indulge in meditation, Japa and singing of Hari Kirtan. Rice is avoided during ekadashi days as it is believed that the demon Mura finds a dwelling in the rice eaten on Ekadasi day.
It is widely believed that the gates to the heaven open - the Gate of Vaikuntha - on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day. It is one of the most auspicious days in Lord Vishnu Temples in South India.
The ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ or ‘the gate to the heaven’ is opened on this day. This is the passage encircling the innermost sanctum of the Lord. Scores of devotees queue up to pass through the Gate of Vaikunta in the temples.
Vaikunta Ekadasi occurs in December or early January.

Shanti Mantra

At the conclusion of various avataras of Vishnu, the following shloka from yujurveda seems to be apt.

"Om purnam adah purnam idampurnat purnam udacyate, Purnasya purnamadaya purnam evavasisyate" Om Shantih Shantih Shantih!

The meaning of the above shloka is as follows.

That Paramatma is infinite,This jivatma is infinite, The jivatma arises out of the Parmatma . When Parmatma is taken away from the Jivatma, Parmatma alone remains.( Yujerveda).

Kalki Avatara

The tenth and the last avatar of Vishnu, Kalki, is yet to appear. Kalki will appear at the end of the Kalyuga. This avatar will appear seated on a white horse with a drawn sword blazing like a comet. He shall come finally to destroy the wicked, to restart the new creation and to restore the purity of conduct in people's lives .

Krishna Avatara

Because of his great Godly power, Lord Krishna is another of the most commonly worshipped deities in the Hindu faith. He is considered to be the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Shree Krishna delivered Bhagwad Gita on battlefield to Arjun. He, like Lord Rama, is also known for his bravery in destroying evil powers throughout his life. The Lord is usually depictted as play ing the flute (murali), indicating spread of the melody of love to people. He is also shown with his childhood devotee Radha. The Lord is usually remembered and worshipped as Radha-Krishna. The pair symbolizes the eternal love between people and god. Lord Krishna is also shown with his pet cow, his childhood favorite. Lord Krishna performed many divine sports (leela) as a child.

Balaram & Budha Avataras

Balaram was the older brother of Shri Krishna. He was so powerful that he, single handedly, at a very tender age, killed the great demon, Asuradhenuka, who had the form of a ass. Another demon tried to carry off Balaram on his shoulders, but the young boy beat out the demon's brain with his fist. When Shri Krishna went to Mathura, Balaram accompanied him and supported him till Kamsa was killed by Shri Krishna. He also taught Duryodhan and Bheem, the use of the mace. His chief weapon is ploughshare (hal) and therefore called Haldhar. Those who hold the view that Balaram was not incarnation of Lord Vishnu but of the great serpent Sesha on whom Lord Vishnu reclines, claim that the ninth avatar is Buddha.

With the departure of Lord Krihsna (Krishna Avatar), the age of Kali set in, in this age, the true devotion to vedas was replaced by empty rituals. To enlighten the world in such times, Lord Vishnu descended the earth as Buddha, the enlightened one.
Lord Buddha was born to Mayadevi, the wife of Sakya King Shuddhodana, in the Lumbini forest, and named Siddhartha.
Buddha advocated the Middle Path, in which he offered a balanced, harmonious way of life, steering between two extremes of self-indulgence and total abstinence. Buddhism rests upon four Noble Truths:
Suffering is universal,
It is caused by desire and yearning
Suffering can be prevented and overcome and
Eradication of desires can lead to removal of suffering.
To prevent suffering one has to conquer craving and desire and this conquest leads to the attainment of nirvana or complete enlightenment

Parsurama & Rama Avataras

Parsu is the name of an axe-like weapon adopted by this incarnation. Parasuram was a brahmin who manifested himself at the close of the satya-yug. This appearance was for the purpose of defeating the tyranny of the power-drunk kshatriyas. When the kshatriya kings of the earth and their ministers became very corrupt and tyrannical, the goddess Prithvi (Mother Earth) went to Lord Vishnu and prayed for relief. Lord Vishnu answered the prayer and appeared on the earth as a descendant of the great sage Brigu. Parasuram avenged the gruesome murder of his father by a kshatriya king and freed the earth of oppression perpetrated by the rulers by clearing the earth of kshatriyas.

Lord Rama is one of the most commonly adored gods of Hindus and is known as an ideal man and hero of the epic Ramayana. He is always holding a bow and arrow indicating his readiness to destroy evils. He is also called "Shri Rama". More commonly he is pictured in a family style, (Ram Parivar) with his wife Sita, brother Lakshman and devotee Hanuman who is sitting near Lord Rama's feet.

Narasimha & Vamana Avatara

This special form was adopted by Lord Vishnu to kill a demoniac ruler Hiranyakashyap, who had pleased the Lord Brahma with his religious offerings. Lord Brahma had given him the blessings that no known man or animal born in the natural process could kill him, that he could not die in the day or in the night, on earth or in heavens, either by fire, water or by any weapon. It was to kill such a tyrant and to remove him from the earth that Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Narasingh which was neither man nor animal, came out of a broken pillar, laid hold of the demon king by its teeth, put him up on his thighs and tore him up in the middle by his claws. It was evening time (twilight) - neither day nor night.

The fourth lineal descendant of Hiranyakashyap, named Bali, through his devotion and penance defeated Indra, the god of firmament, humbled other gods and extended his authority over the three worlds. All the gods appealed to Lord Vishnu for protection and He became manifest in His Dwarf Avatar of Vaman for the purpose of restraining Bali. Once when this king was making a great religious offering, Lord Vishnu in the form of Vaman appeared before him in the company of other brahmins. Bali was extremely pleased to see a holy man with such a diminutive form and promised to give him whatever he should ask. Lord Vishnu asked only for as much land as he could measure by three steps. Bali laughingly agreed to grant the boon of three steps. Lord Vishnu as dwarf stepped over heaven in first stride and earth in the second stride. Then out of respect to Bali's kindness and his grandfather Prahlad's great virtues, Lord Vishnu stopped short and left him in pathal, the subterranean region. Bali's capital was Mahabalipuram.

Kurma Avatara And Varha Avatara

In Kurma avatar, Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a tortoise and took the newly created earth on his back in order to render stability to the trembling globe. It is believed that even to this day the earth is supported on the back of this tortoise.

In periodical destruction of the world, once the earth sunk into the deep waters. Lord Vishnu, the great preserver, taking the form of a boar (Varaha), descended into the waters and drew up the earth with the help of his tusks.

Matsya Avatar

Before the latest creation of the present universe, the four Vedas (the holy books delivered from the mouth of the Supreme-God) remained drowned in the waters. It was necessary to get hold of them to instruct Brahma about the work of creation. Vishnu was therefore appointed to bring up the Vedas from the deep. He took the form of a fish (matsya), descended into the waters and brought up these sacred books.

The following sloka is addressed to siva where we pray for forgiveness from the Lord.

Karacharankritam vkkayajam karmajam va,

sravanayanjam va manasam vapradham

Vihitam avihitham va sarvam etat ksamasva,

jaya jaya karunabdhe srimahadeva, oh Sambho

The meaning is as follows.

Whataever mistakes I have committed with my hands and feet.with my words or deeds,through my eyes or ears,or even with my thoughts,whether by omission or commission,please forgive me Oh Great Lord, for you are the ocean of Mercy! Glory to You, Oh Mahadeva, Oh Sambho!

Vishnu Avatars

Lord Vishnu's preserving, protecting powers have been manifested to the world in a variety of forms, called Avatars, in which one or more of his divine attributes were embodied in the shape of a human being or an animal or a human-animal combined form, possessing great and sometimes supernatural powers. All these Avatars of Vishnu appeared in the world either to correct some great evil or to effect some great good on earth. These avatars are ten in number, however, the Bhag wad Purana increases them to twenty two and adds further that are innumerable.Of the ten universally recognized avatars, nine have already manifested whereas the tenth is yet to appear. It is important to note that the all the Avatars are earthly form of Lord Vishnu , who himself is eternal, unchangeable and immutable. Parashurama shows the man of power, Rama the Divine warrior and protector, Krishna the Divine lover, Buddha the Divine sage, and Kalki the completer and saviour . In this scheme we see the idea of the evolution of the soul from the animal re alms to perfect spiritual knowledge. The idea of the messiah came to the western religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam from the Zoroastrian religion of ancient Persia. Zoroastrianism has similar incarnations of Vrithragna (Indra). Hence it is related to the avatar idea of the Hindus.

The various Avatars of vishnu will be posted in this block in the coming days, hope the younger generation likes the blog.

Spirituality Practices

Practices
A large Ganesha murti from a Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai
Main articles: Puja, Yajna, Murti, Mandir, Hindu iconography, Japa, and Mantra
Hindu practices generally involve seeking awareness of God and sometimes also seeking blessings from Devas. Therefore, Hinduism has developed numerous practices meant to help one think of divinity in the midst of everyday life. Hindus can engage in pūjā (worship or veneration),[20]) either at home or at a temple. At home, Hindus often create a shrine with icons dedicated to the individual's chosen form(s) of God. Temples are usually dedicated to a primary deity along with associated subordinate deities though some commemorate multiple deities. Visiting temples is not obligatory. [72] In fact, many visit temples only during religious festivals. Hindus perform their worship through icons (murtis). The icon serves as a tangible link between the worshiper and God.[73] The image is often considered a manifestation of God, since God is immanent. The Padma Purana states that the mūrti is not to be thought of as mere stone or wood but as a manifest form of the Divinity.[74] A few Hindu sects, such as the Ārya Samāj, do not believe in worshiping God through icons.
Hinduism has a developed system of symbolism and iconography to represent the sacred in art, architecture, literature and worship. These symbols gain their meaning from the scriptures, mythology, or cultural traditions. The syllable Om (which represents the Parabrahman) and the Swastika sign (which symbolizes auspiciousness) have grown to represent Hinduism itself, while other markings such as tilaka identify a follower of the faith. Hinduism associates many symbols, which include the lotus, chakra and veena, with particular deities.
Mantras are invocations, praise and prayers that through their meaning, sound, and chanting style help a devotee focus the mind on holy thoughts or express devotion to God/the deities. Many devotees perform morning ablutions at the bank of a sacred river while chanting the Gayatri Mantra or Mahamrityunjaya mantras.[citation needed] The epic Mahabharata extolls Japa (ritualistic chanting) as the greatest duty in the Kali Yuga (what Hindus believe to be the current age).[citation needed] Many adopt Japa as their primary spiritual practice.[citation needed]

This is the message of Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the Spirituality and describes the same in a fine way in the Bhagwat Gita.

Spirituality

This is the message of Lord Krishna to Arjuna on Spiriyuality, in the couplet one word prani is left out in the print in the first stanza, which may please be included while reading the couplet.