Significance Of Holi

Significance of Holi
In spite of being such a colourful and gay festival, there are various aspects of Holi which makes it so significant for our lives. Though they might not be so apparent but a closer look and a little thought will reveal the significance of Holi in more ways than meets the eyes. Ranging from socio-cultural, religious to biological there is every reason why we must heartily enjoy the festival and cherish the reasons for its celebrations.
So when, its time for Holi, please don't hold yourself back and enjoy the festival to the hilt by participating with full enthusiasm in every small tradition related to the festival.
Mythological Significance
Holi gets us close to our religion and our mythology as it is essentially the celebration of various legends associated with the festival.
Foremost is the legend of Prahlad and Hiranyakshyap. The legend says there once lived a devil and powerful king, Hiranyakshyap who considered himself a god and wanted everybody to worship him. To his great ire, his son, Prahlad began to worship, Lord Vishnu. To get rid of his son, Hiranyakshyap asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap, as she had a boon to enter fire unscathed. Legend has it that Prahlad was saved for his extreme devotion for the lord while Holika paid a price for her sinister desire. The tradition of burning Holika or the 'Holika dahan' comes mainly from this legend.
Holi also celebrates the legend of Radha and Krishna which describes the extreme delight, Krishna took in applying colour on Radha and other gopis. This prank of Krishna later, became a trend and a part of the Holi festivities.
Mythology also states that Holi is the celebration of death of Ogress Pootana who tried to kill infant, Krishna by feeding poisonous milk to it.
Another legend of Holi which is extremely popular in Southern India is that of Lord Shiva and Kaamadeva. According to the legend, people in south celebrate the sacrifice of Lord of Passion Kaamadeva who risked his life to revoke Lord Shiva from meditation and save the world.
Also, popular is the legend of Ogress Dhundhi who used to trouble children in the kingdom of Raghu and was ultimately chased away by the pranks of the children on the day of Holi. Showing their belief in the legend, children till date play pranks and hurl abuses at the time of Holika Dahan.
Cultural Significance
Celebration of the various legends associated with Holi reassure the people of the power of the truth as the moral of all these legends is the ultimate victory of good over evil. The legend of Hiranyakashyap and Prahlad also points to the fact that extreme devotion to god pays as god always takes his true devotee in his shelter.
All these legends help the people to follow a good conduct in their lives and believe in the virtue of being truthful. This is extremely important in the modern day society when so many people resort to evil practices for small gains and torture one who is honest. Holi helps the people to believe in the virtue of being truthful and honest and also to fight away the evil.
Besides, holi is celebrated at a time of the year when the fields are in full bloom and people are expecting a good harvest. This gives a people a good reason to rejoice, make merry and submerge themselves in the spirit of Holi.
Social Significance
Holi helps to bring the society together and strengthen the secular fabric of our country. For, the festival is celebrated by non-Hindus also as everybody like to be a part of such a colouful and joyous festival.
Also, the tradition of the Holi is that even the enemies turn friends on Holi and forget any feeling of hardship that may be present. Besides, on this day people do not differentiate between the rich and poor and everybody celebrate the festival together with a spirit of bonhomie and brotherhood.
In the evening people visit friends and relatives and exchange gifts, sweets and greetings. This helps in revatalising relationships and strengthening emotional bonds between people.
Biological Significance
It is interesting to note that the festival of Holi is significant for our lives and body in many other ways than providing joy and fun.
We also need to thank our forefathers who started the trend of celebrating Holi at such a scientifically accurate time. And, also for incorporating so much fun in the festival.
As Holi comes at a time of the year when people have a tendency to feel sleepy and lazy. This is natural for the body to experiences some tardiness due to the change from the cold to the heat in the atmosphere. To counteract this tardiness of the body, people sing loudly or even speak loudly. Their movements are brisk and their music is loud. All of this helps to rejuvenate the system of the human body.
Besides, the colours when sprayed on the body have a great impact on it. Biologists believe the liquid dye or Abeer penetrates the body and enters into the pores. It has the effect of strengthening the ions in the body and adds health and beauty to it.
There is yet another scientific reason for celebrating the Holi, this however pertains to the tradition of Holika Dahan. The mutation period of winter and spring, induces the growth of bacteria in the atmosphere as well as in the body. When Holika is burnt, temperature rises to about 145 degrees Fahrenhiet. Following the tradition when people perform Parikrima (circumambulation or going around) around the fire, the heat from the fire kills the bacteria in the body thus, cleansing it.
The way Holi is celebrated in south, the festival also promotes good health. For, the day after the burning of Holika people put ash (Vibhuti) on their forehead and they would mix Chandan (sandalpaste) with the young leaves and flowers of the Mango tree and consume it to promote good health.
Some also believe that play with colours help to promote good health as colours are said to have great impact on our body and our health. Western-Physicians and doctors believe that for a healthy body, colours too have an important place besides the other vital elements. Deficiency of a particular colour in our body causes ailment, which can be cured only after supplementing the body with that particular colour.
People also clean-up their houses on Holi which helps in clearing up the dust and mess in the house and get rid of mosquitoes and others pests. A clean house generally makes the residents feel good and generate positive energies.

Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskara was a part of the daily ritual of our ancients. It is a wonderful regular routine of exercise, prayer and worship given in the scriptures of ancient of India. Surya Namaskara means salutations to Lord Surya. Stand facing the east at dawn and recite the mantras to pray Lord Surya and offer red sandals, flowers, rice grains (Akshatas) with water or simply water as libation and perform Surya Namaskara. It must be performed before the sunrise.
Take water in a pot and mix all the materials in it and hold the pot in your fingers, keeping the thumbs aside and face the east. Chant the following Mantra and offer the libation thrice.
Ehi Soorya sahastransho tejorashe jagatpate
Anukampaya mam bhaktya grihanarghyam divakara
Then offer the following prayer to Lord Surya.
Dhyaeah sada savitri mandala madhyavarti
Narayanah sarashija sanasanni vishtha
Keyurvan makara kundalavan kireeti
Hari hiranyamaya vapurdhrit shankha chakrah
Surya Namaskaras
There are twelve positions in Surya Namaskara. Twenty-five such Namaskaras form one Avriti (frequency). Surya Namaskara must be performed preferably in an open and airy place. Perform Surya Namaskara slowly without exerting too much or panting and puffing. There is one Mantra for each of the twelve Namaskaras- there by you also recite the dwadasa namas of Sun.
1st Position - Dakshasana
Mantra: Om Mitraya Namah
Procedure : In the first position of Surya Namaskara contemplate the virtues of Lord Surya with concentrated mind and feel that you are the friend of everybody and have friendship with every creature on the earth. Immersing yourself with these feelings stand erect stretching your hands, neck and all other parts of your body. Stretching both of your arms, touch your thighs with palms and inflate the chest and point your vision on the tip of the nose. This is a position of attention.
Benefits: Disorders of the skin and waists are corrected, the back and the legs become strong. Focusing of the vision on nose helps to control the mind. It is an easy and effective way of attaining good health and development of personality for the students. Meditating with concentrated mind enhances confidence.
2nd Position: Namaskarasana
Mantra : Om Ravaye Namah
Procedure : Fold together both of your hands in such a way that that both the thumbs begin to touch your chest. Expand your chest and pull in the belly as far as possible. Look straight ahead. The head, the neck and the body should remain in a straight line. Closing the mouth inhale the breath and hold it inside as far as possible and then expose the breath.
Benefits: Good for the diseases of the throat and voice is enhanced. Both mind and body become healthy.
3rd Position: Parvatasana
Mantra : Om Suryaya Namah
Procedure: Raising the arms up, stretch whole of your body backward while gazing at the sky with open eyes. Bend backward as mush as possible, inhale and expand your chest at the same time.
Benefits: Both the shoulders and the food pipe (Esophagus) get exercise and diseases related to them are corrected. Eyesight is also improved.
4th Position: Namaskara Hastapadasana
Mantra: Om Bhanave Namah
Procedure: Inhale deeply, retain the breath and bend forward without folding the knees. Rest both your palms on the ground and touch your knees with your forehead or the nose and exhale the breath with audible sound. In the beginning if you can't rest your palms on the ground, just touch the ground with fingers.
Benefits : Disorders of the belly and digestive system are corrected. The chest and hands become stronger and you become well balanced, beautiful and good looking. Diseases of the feet and fingers are also corrected.
5th Position: Ekapada Prasaranasana
Mantra : Om Khagaye Namah
Procedure: Inhale and pull your right leg backward in such a way that the knee and the fingers of the foot touch the ground. The abdomen and belly must be pressing hard into the left leg. Raise your head as high as possible and look upwards. Push the waist down and hold the breath and stay in the posture as long as you can - comfortably.
Benefits : The posture stretches the small intestine and the seminal vesicles. Hence this posture helps in correcting the constipation and diseases of the liver. Thinness of the semen is also corrected. Diseases of the throat are also corrected.
6th Position: Bhudharasana
Mantra : Om Pushne Namah
Procedure: Inhale the breath deeply and hold it and pull both of your legs backward, so that the thumbs of the feet, ankles and knees touch each other. Stabilizing the feet and keeping the head, waist, the back and the elbows in a line bend forward and resting both the palms on the ground keep your body like a bow.
Benefits : One gets relief from the pains - specially of arms, legs and the knees. Bulging waist is trimmed and it is good for the abdominal disorders.
7th Position: Ashthanga Pranipatasana
Mantra: Om Hiranyagarbhaya Namah
Procedure: Holding the breath, rest both your knees on the ground. Touch the ground with your chest and touch the lower part of the neck with chin. Also touch the ground with the upper part of the forehead and the nose. Please note that the abdomen should not touch the ground. It should be pulled in. Then exhale the breath. Both the hands/palms must be on the side of the chest.
Benefits : This posture makes the arms strong. If ladies perform this Asana before getting pregnant, the breast fed babies could be saved from the attacks of many diseases.
8th Position: Bhujangasana
Mantra : Om Marichye Namah
Procedure: Keeping the legs, palms and knees as in Ashtanga prampatasana position above, unfold the arms and rise inhaling the breath, push the chest out and bend the waist in a circle backward. Then rise and bend your head backwards looking up and back as much up as possible and exhale the breath.
Benefits : Tones up the body and the back muscles and improves the eyesight. Corrects all kinds of disorders related to the reproductive system, corrects the irregularities in females menstrual cycles. Blood circulation is also improved.
9th Position: Bhudharasana
Mantra : Om Adityaya Namah
Repeat the process of Bhudharasana as described in the step six - Inhale the breath deeply and hold it and pull both of your legs backward, so that the thumbs of the feet, ankles and knees touch each other. Stabilizing the feet and keeping the head, waist, the back and the elbows in a line bend forward and resting both the palms on the ground keep your body like a bow.
Benefits : One gets relief from the pains - specially of arms, legs and the knees. Bulging waist is trimmed and it is good for the abdominal disorders.
10th Position: Ekapada Prasaranasana
Mantra: Om Savitre Namah
Procedure: Repeat the process of the fifth Namaskara as described in the fifth position but just reverse the position of the legs.
11th Position: Namaskara Hastapadasana
Mantra : Om Arkaya Namah
Repeat the process described in the fourth position.
12th Position: Parvatasana
Mantra: Om Bhaskaraya Namah
Procedure : Same as position 2
Then come back to the 1st position and repeat the full round once more. Our ancients used to do 25 rounds of Surya Namaskaras, called one Avriti. Can you?!
As per the scriptures one who performs the Surya Namaskaras daily does not get poor in a thousand births.
Surya Namaskar and Spirituality
Surya Namaskar will provide health benefits for individuals regardless of their level of interest in its spiritual benefits or their religious beliefs. Whether you consider it of spiritual benefit or not, learning the poses and practicing them regularly is incredibly gratifying and humbling.
Over time, Surya Namaskar will help you achieve a sense of well-being and purpose. It is a spiritually uplifting exercise and promotes a keen awareness of the interconnectedness of your body, mind and breath.
Aum Mitraya Namah:
The sun is your friend. HE is called Jaganmitra. HE is lovable like a true friend. You miss HIM in his absence. You ever long to experience the joy of his warmth and affection. If the sun is not in the sky you get disturbed – bodily and mentally. Your appetite is lost. Nervousness takes hold of your activities. You gather friends to restore your mood. You eat hot and drink hot and talk a lot to compensate the absence of the warmth and joy of the Sun God. Now you can understand why the people from far off countries come to India to enjoy SunBath. The touch of twilight has dramatic effect on our body. It is a touch of warmth and care. It is a magic touch. It is a healing touch. It is the touch of mother that calms down the crying child instantly. The touch of love and affection of the Sun God cures our physical and mental worries. The Sun God is to us as Lord Krishna is to Arjuna. Pray the sun God who is intimate and dear to us.
॥ ॐ ध्येयः सदा सवित्र मण्डल मध्यवर्ती नारायण सरसिजा सनसन्नि विष्टः
केयूरवान मकरकुण्डलवान किरीटी हारी हिरण्मय वपुर धृतशंख चक्रः ॥

ॐ मित्राय नमः।
ॐ रवये नमः।
ॐ सूर्याय नमः।
ॐ भानवे नमः।
ॐ खगाय नमः।
ॐ पुषणे नमः।
ॐ हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः।
ॐ मरीचये नमः।
ॐ आदित्याय नमः।
ॐ सवित्रे नमः।
ॐ अर्काय नमः।
ॐ भास्कराय नमः।
ॐ श्रीसवित्रसूर्यनारायणाय नमः।

॥ आदित्यस्य नमस्कारन् ये कुर्वन्ति दिने दिने
आयुः प्रज्ञा बलम् वीर्यम् तेजस्तेशान् च जायते !!

Eighth Jyotir Linga Kedarnath Dham

This is a one of my friend's friend's visit to Kedarnath and his summary of the visit.The Samadhi of Sri Adi Sankaracharya is supposed to be there in Kedarnath, you will find the statue of Sri Sankara in the photograph presnted here in the blog.

8th Jyotirlinga- Kedareshwar
As usual, click on any of the above pictures to see the larger view or to save them to your computer.
Today, we will be visiting the very famous kedarnath temple which is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located atop the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India
Beautiful Sunrise at Kedarnath : Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April to start of November. Here god Shiva is worshipped as Kedarnath, the 'Lord of Kedar Khand', the historical name of the region
Built in 8th Century AD, The Kedarnath shrine, one of the 12 jyotirlings of Lord Shiva, is a scenic spot situated, against the backdrop of the majestic Kedarnath range
There are more than hundreds shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in region, the most important one is Kedarnath. According to legend, the Pandavas after having won over the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war, felt quilty of having killed their own relative and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva Moksh.
At the end of their life, the Pandavas decided to give up their kingdom and go to the Himalayas and meditate on their favourite deity, Lord Shiva. So they set out accompanied by their wife, Draupadi. When they reached the place called Rudraprayag, they thought they had a glimpse of Lord Shiva. They tried to chase him but he took on the form of a buffalo and dashed off towards the north. They followed in hot pursuit and eventually caught up with him at the place that is now known as Kedarnath. The Lord now dived into the earth. Only the hind portion of the buffalo was sticking out. This was caught by one of the brothers called, Bhima. But pull as he might, he couldn’t get the rest of the buffalo out of the ground. The hump now turned into a Shiva Lingam and remained at this place. Each of the other parts appeared at four other places and came to be collectively known as the Panch Kedars or the five Kedars. All these lie in the Garwal Himalayas in the modern state known as Uttranchal
As a matter of fact, as one enters the main temple, the first hall contains statues of the five Pandava brothers, Lord Krishna, Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva and Virabhadra, one of the greatest guards of Shiva. An unusual feature of the temple is the head of a man carved in the triangular stone fascia of the temple. Such a head is seen carved in another temple nearby constructed on the site where the the marriage of Shiva and Parvati was held.
The spire of the Kedarnath Temple with the Kedarnath Mountain in the background. The temple is devoted to Siva.
Gaurikund to Kedarnath trail : The actual temple, an impressive stone edifice of unknown date, is accessible only after a steep 14 km walk (horses or palanquins are available for rent).
The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath is flanked by breathtaking snow-capped peaks.
This is a part of 14km trek from Gourikund to Kedarnath.
Beautiful trek towards Kedarnath
This is the beautiful trek towards the Kedarnath temple. The Holy river Mandakini accompanies the trekkers throughout the tough, but rewarding journey.
The trail to Kedarnath, part of the Char Dham pilgrimage through the Indian Himalayas.
On the way to Ramwara to reach reach Kedarnath
Path from Ramwara to Garur Chatti - On way to Kedarnath
Garur Chatti : Let us all pray at this sacred temple for all our loved ones
The last phase of journey to Shri Kedarnath.
The awesome majesty of Kedarnath is first experienced at this place, ca. 1.5 kms from Kedarnath.
Kedarnath (11,753 ft.) is sacred for a temple to the god Shiva, in his form as Kedarnath (the "Lord of Kedar"). The snow on the peaks behind never melts.
Besides its affiliation with Shiva, Kedarnath is also believed to be the site of Sankaracaraya's samadhi (achievement of beatified afterlife).
Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath
Kedarnath temple door
Kedarnath temple shikhar
A Saadhu , who is all immersed in his daily pooja (ritual to worship Lord Shiva) just in front the famous Kedarnath temple in Uttaranchal
Nandi - Bull of Lord Shiva guarding the doors at Kedarnath temple
Kedarnath Lingam- My heartfelt pranams to this form of Lord Shiva. I thank him for all the happiness and blessings that He has showered upon me and I pray to Him to forgive me and all His devotees for all the sins and bad karmas that we have done out of our sheer stupidity.
This is one of the demons guarding a small temple with a hot spring in Kedarnath. Amrit kund behind Kedarnath temple -
Eshaneshwar temple inside the Kedarnath temple complex -
Panch Kedar (Sanskrit: पंचकेदार) refers to five Hindu temples or holy places of the Shaivite sect dedicated to god Shiva. They are located in the Garhwa Himalayan region in Uttarakhand, India. They are the subject of many legends that directly link their creation to Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata
The five temples designated in the strict pecking order to be followed for pilgrimage for worship are the Kedarnath (Sanskrit: केदारनाथ) at an altitude of 3,583 m (11,760 ft), the Tungnath (तुंगनाथ)(3,680 m/12,100 ft), Rudranath (रुद्रनाथ) (2,286 m/7,500 ft), Madhyamaheshwar (मध्यमहेश्वर) or Madmaheshwar (3,490 m/11,500 ft) and Kalpeshwar (कल्पेश्वर) (2,200 m/7,200 ft).
Kedarnath – 1st Panch Kedar
Kedarnath, at the head of the Mandakini River, is amongst the holiest pilgrimages for the devout Hindu. The temple, believed to be very ancient, has been continually renovated over the centuries. The lingam at Kedarnath, unlike its usual form, is pyramidal and is regarded as one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Situated at an altitude of 3,581 mts. Kedar is another name of Lord Shiva the protector and the destroyer. Shiva, is considered the embodiment of all passions-love, hatred, fear, death and mysticism that are expressed through his various forms
Kalpa Vriksha (Jyotir Math) - wish fulfilling tree of this age. The first Shankaracharya (Adhi Shankara) attained enlightenment under this tree at the age of 16
Valley of flowers
Trishul
Nandi Devi (7816 meters)
Chaukamba Devi
Rudraprayag
Bhagirathi
Tungnath - 2nd Panch Kedar [ On the way to Tungnath temple]
Set on the crest of a hill at an altitude of 3,886 meters, Tungnath is the highest temple in India. Legend has it that the arm of Shiva appeared here. Ravana, of the Ramayana, is said to have performed penance at this temple to propitiate Shiva. The high altitude temple is a Seat of Swyambhu Linga or the Lord Shiva Incarnate. The temple, one of the Panchakedars or one of the five Shiva temples, is situated in Chamoli district of the Uttarakhand region.
Final steps to reach the Tungstan temple
Rear view of the Tungnath temple
The mythology has it that Lord Shiva was enraged at the act of homicide enacted by the Pandavas by killing their brethren in the grand battle of Mahabharata. Aware of Shiva's annoyance, the Pandavas built the temple to please Lord Shiva and for their own salvation. Others claim that the Adi Shankaracharya during his historic visit to the region had got it built. They cite the presence of Adi Shankaracharya's image in the garbha-griha or the sanctum of the temple. However, it also houses images of the Pandavas. Besides, the ashtadhatu images of Kaal Bhairava and Veda Vyasa are among the multitude of images there. A dark left-tilting one-foot high linga is the centre of attraction. The locals describe it as an arm of Lord Shiva. The arm of Lord Shiva is also associated with a legend.
Tunganath Temple at 12,400 Ft
Other temples
Built of stone, this temple is a fine model of ancient architecture. Facing the gate of the temple is Nandi, the Divine Bull and Shiva's vehicle. There are two smaller temples dedicated to Parvati and Vyas in a small courtyard. The temple of Tungnath, at a little over 12, 000 feet, is the highest shrine on the inner Himalayan range. It lies just below the Chandrashila peak
My Heartfelt pranams to Lord Shiva in Tungnath temple
Path to Rudranath Temple-14 300 Ft
Rudranath – 3rd Pancha Kedar
The face of Lord Shiva is worshipped at Rudranath temple in a natural rock temple as Neelkantha Mahadeva. Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Neelkantha. The temple is situated amid thick forest at a height 2286 mtrs. From Gopeshwar 4 kms drivable road is available upto village Sagar from where 20 kms. trek leads to Rudranath and can be approached from Joshimath as well, by trekking about 45 kms. The temple provides magnificent view of Hathi Parvat , Nandadevi, NandaGhunti, Trishuli and many other.
There are numbers of holy Kunds (Tanks) near Rudranath temple namely Suryakund, Chandrakund, Tarakund etc. The Baitarini, the divine river flows pass behind the temple. Anusuya Devi temple is located on the trek to Rudranath involving an additional trek of 3km.
Rudranath shrine : This is the only temple in India where the image of Shiva is worshipped as a symbol of his face, a sublime, tender aspect of Shiva, unusual, serene and beautiful indeed to behold.Devotees come to Rudranath to offer ritual obeisance to their ancestors, for it is here, at Vaitarani river (the water of salvation), that the souls of the dead cross when changing world.
Guptakashi temple:Kashi is the old name for Varanasi and “gupta” means secret or hidden. Guptakashi has an ancient temple of Shiva and derives its name from the fact that this is the place where Shiva is supposed to have hidden himself when the Pandavas chased him. At this place he disappeared and hid himself in a cave.
Hence this place is known as Guptakashi or the “hidden Kashi”.
Entrance to kalimath.Kalimath is situated close to Ukhimath, and Guptakashi.

It is one of the “Siddha Peeths” of the region and is held in high religious esteem. The temple of Goddess Kali located here is visited by a large number of devotees round the year and specially during the “Navratras”.
My heartfelt pranams to the idol at Kailmath temple
Chandi Devi Temple : Legend goes that the Goddess Chandi Devi was sitting on a rock, combing her hair when two demons that were the servitors of the two brothers Shumba and Nishumba saw her and were totally captivated by her intoxicating beauty. They ran back to their masters and reported the matter to them. The whole story is narrated in the Devi Mahatmyam. The rock on which she was sitting is close to this temple.
Ransi temple on the way to Madhyamaheshwar
Ransi temple on the way to Madhyamaheshwar
Madhyamaheshwar–4th Pancha Kedar
Nandi Kund
The stomach of Shiva is believed to have emerged at Madmaheshwar. The temple of Madmaheshwar is located at an altitude of 3,289 m. above sea level, on the slope of a ridge, 25 km northeast of Guptakashi. There is a motorable road from Guptakashi to Kalimath.
The best statue of Har Gauri in India measuring over a metre high is found in the Kali temple. The trek from Kalimath to Madmaheshwar is distinguished by wild unparalleled scenic beauty and engulfed by Chaukhamba, Kedarnath and Neelkanth peaks. Gaundar at the confluence of Madmaheshwar Ganga and Markanga Ganga, is the last settlement before one reaches Madmaheshwar.
Located at the base of Chaukhamba peak at an altitude of 3289 m the classic temple architecture belongs to the North-Indian style. So sanctified is the water here that even a few drops are considered sufficient for ablution. The natural scenery is dramatically wild, with deep gorges & valleys, mountain sides flung upwards towards the skies, the forests where the snow lies thick in winter, only to be replaced by a carpet of greenery in the summer. Kedarnath & Neelkanth peaks are visible from here, the entire ring of mountains associated with the life & times of Shiva. The confluence of Madmaheshwar Ganga just short of the temple, is one of the prettiest spots in the region.
Har-Parvati at Madhyamaheshwara
Lord Shiva-(Dakshina murti) at Madhyamaheshwara
Kalpeshwar –5th Pancha Kedar [On the way]
The hardier tourist may like to trek about 35 km to Kalpeshwar, where the locks (hair) and head, of Lord Shiva are worshipped as JATADHAR.
Located in Urgam Valley at an altitude of 2,134 m. above sea level, the temple is a further 10 km trek from Rudranath to Helong, the motor head on Rishikesh-Badrinath route. The small rock temple of Kalpeshwar is where the Hair appeared. Short of Kalpeshwar is the picturesque valley of Urgam.
It is a favorite location of meditating sages. Legend has it that the sage Arghya had performed austerities here and created the nymph, Urvashi. Rishi Durvasa is also believed to have meditated here under the wish-fulfilling tree, Kalpavriksha. The sage had given Kunti the boon that she could invoke any of the forces of nature and they would appear before her and grant whatever she desired. Known for his quick temper, Rishi Durvasa is often recalled in context of the incident when, along with several disciples, he visited Kunti's sons, while they were in exile. He indicated that he and his disciples expected food. There was not a grain to cook. Lord Krishna who appeared and miraculously solved the problem answered an anxious Draupadi’s prayers
My Heart felt pranams to the Panch kedars.May lord Shiva always guide us to the path that will lead us to his sacred feet.

Bagavatham.Org

Dear All this is a web site created by a grandson for his grand father, please read the lovely stories of Bagavatham in the web site created by Mr.Natarajan the grand son.Incidentally Mr.Natarajan is maths teacher in Beharain.

http://www.bagavatham.org/

You are now about to begin your mystical journey. This adventure will take you through powerful gods,terrorizing demons,Noble kings,benevolent saints and some just ordinary people. These stories sparkle not only in adventure,romance and intrigue but also have timeless wisdom and deep spiritual meaning.
A tip on how to use this website
You may first go the page of contents where there is a brief discription of each story.
You may then go to the respective chapter and have a detailed reading.
Enjoy every word of this classic and be blessed.
Parents can also read these aloud for their children.

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Sri P.S.Krishna Iyer was a mathematics teacher in the Government Trainning College , Trichur. He retired from the Government college Madapally in 1964 . At an age of ninety two he started writing the book " Tales From The Bhagavatham" Retold For children and completed it in two years. Presently he resides at Palaghat , Kerala

He has written this book when he was 95.
> He is now 101 and resides at palaghat

Maha Shivaratri

Mahashivaratri Festival
Mahashivaratri Festival or the ‘The Night of Shiva’ is celebrated with devotion and religious fervor in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity. Shivaratri falls on the moonless 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun, which corresponds to the month of February - March in English Calendar. Celebrating the festival of Shivaratri devotees observe day and night fast and perform ritual worship of Shiva Lingam to appease Lord Shiva.

Legends of Mahashivratri
There are various interesting legends related to the festival of Maha Shivaratri. According to one of the most popular legends, Shivaratri marks the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Some believe that it was on the auspicious night of Shivaratri that Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction. Another popular Shivratri legend stated in Linga Purana states that it was on Shivaratri that Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of a Linga. Hence the day is considered to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and they celebrate it as Mahashivaratri - the grand night of Shiva.

Traditions and Customs of Shivaratri
Various traditions and customs related to Shivaratri Festival are dutifully followed by the worshippers of Lord Shiva. Devotees observe strict fast in honor of Shiva, though many go on a diet of fruits and milk some do not consume even a drop of water. Devotees strongly believe that sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivaratri, absolves a person of sins and liberates him from the cycle of birth and death. Shivaratri is considered especially auspicious for women. While married women pray for the well being of their husbands unmarried women pray for a husband like Lord Shiva, who is regarded as the ideal husband.

To mark the Shivratri festival, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, preferably in river Ganga. After wearing fresh new clothes devotees visit the nearest Shiva temple to give ritual bath to the Shiva Lingum with milk, honey, water etc.

On Shivaratri, worship of Lord Shiva continues all through the day and night. Every three hours priests perform ritual pooja of Shivalingam by bathing it with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water amidst the chanting of “Om Namah Shivaya’ and ringing of temple bells. Nightlong vigil or jaagran is also observed in Shiva temples where large number of devotees spend the night singing hymns and devotional songs in praise of Lord Shiva. It is only on the following morning that devotee break their fast by partaking prasad offered to the deity.

Moving Thoughts

Please click on the above picture to read the thoughts.

Bhairavar

Bhairava is the guardian deity of the abode of God shiva. So he is called Kshetrapala. The term Bhairava means "Terrific". As the guardian of the abode of Lord, his form is very fierce, with ery many kind of weapons, naked and decorated with skull and having a smileShuna vahanar. on the face that threatens the wrong doers and protects the devotees. He has a dog as his vehicle. So he is referred as bhairava is not a form of Lord shiva, but a form very closely associated and he is one of the powers assigned by the Lord. It is the custom that the keys of the temple are submitted to bhairava after the pujas are completed for the day and again taken from him the next morning before the opening. As the guardian deity he is also worshipped after any of the festivals at the temple. bhairava would be having an abode naturally in all the Lord shiva temples. The Kasiaranasi) abode is much renowned abode of bhairav, as he is the protector of that whole city - the holy land of the Lord Vishvanath. Adishankara has sung a stotra in praise of Kala Bhairava of Kashi. (V
Purana of the deity
When brahma and Vishnu were got into an argument who is the supreme, Lord shiva appeared as the column of fire in between them. Kala Bhairava cut off the fifth head of brahma that lied in ego and he having that skull of brahma as the bowl, bhairava took the blood of Maha Vishnu in that. The two got to understand their mistake and worshipped Lord shiva. God appointed bhairava to be the protector deity. He also appointed him as the protector of the town Kashi. Bhairava ensures that nobody misuses the belongings of Lord Shiva and he is dreaded to punish and correct those who misuse the temple properties.
Various Bhairava Murthams
Kalabhairavar
Acithanga Bhairavar
Krotha Bhairavar
Kanda Bhairavar
Unmaththa Bhairavar
Kapala Bhairavar
Vibushana Bhairavar
Marththanda Bhairavar
Suthandhira Bhairavar
Svecca Bhairavar
Loka Bhairavar
Ugra Bhairavar
Praccaiya Bhairvar
Ninmanava Bhairavar
Bushana Bhairavar
This deity who appears terrific is the protector of the devotees. His valour gives courage to good people and deterence to those who do the wrong things so that they get corrected.

Rishi Patanjali

To the noblest of Sages, Patanjali, who gave Yoga for serenity of mind, grammar for purity of speech, and medicine for the health of the body, I prostrate with folded hands. To this white Patanjali, who has a human form, holding conch, disc and sword and having a thousand heads, I bow.

Patanjali, undoubtedly the greatest expounder of Yoga, lived sometime between 500 and 200 B.C. The life of Patanjali is an enigma to modern historians, and almost nothing is known about this great Master who epitomizes Yoga. It is only with the help of legends that one can draw inferences about him. Undoubtedly he was a great Yoga adept and was perhaps the head of a school in which “Swadhyaya”, study of the Self, was regarded as an important aspect of spiritual practice.

Indian history is presumptive of several individuals by the name of Patanjali. Three of them were well-known; the first one being the famous grammarian who wrote the commentary on Panini’s Ashtadhyayi (the Mahabhashya) and compiled the Yoga Sutras, the classical text on Raja Yoga. The Mahabhashya symbolises the perfection of the discipline in grammar. The object of grammar is to supply rules for control of current speech (laukika) for the preservation of the integrity of the Vedas and the comprehension of proper meaning. The second person named Patanjali wrote the Nidana-Sutras, considered indispensable for the study of the Vedic ritual literature; while the third was a well-known teacher of Samkhya Philosophy. The above three people, in the historian's view, happen to come from different time periods and are considered to be different personalities. The Indian Tradition however, differs in opinion strongly and advocates that the above different treatises were done by a single person and even further, attributes various medical treatises to him.

In the Indian tradition, Patanjali is said to be self-born, swayambhu. He was a highly-evolved soul who incarnated of his own will in a human form to help humanity.

He is also considered an incarnation of Ananta, the source of all wisdom (Jnana) and of Shesha, the thousand-headed ruler of the serpent race, which is thought to guard the hidden treasures of the earth. Ananta depicts a couch on which God Vishnu reclines. He is the Lord of serpents and his many heads symbolize Infinity or Omnipresence. Many yogis bow to Ananta before they begin their daily yogic practice.

In one of the legends, it is said that Lord Vishnu was seated on Adishesha, the Lord of serpents as His couch, watching the enchanting dance of Lord Shiva. Lord Vishnu was so totally absorbed in the dance of Lord Shiva, that His body began to vibrate to its rhythm. This vibration made Him heavier and heavier, causing Adishesha to feel so uncomfortable that he was gasping for breath and was on the point of collapse. The moment the dance came to an end, Lord Vishnu’s body became light again. Adishesha was amazed and asked his master the cause of these stupendous changes. The Lord explained that the grace, beauty, majesty and grandeur of Lord Shiva’s dance had created corresponding vibrations in His own body, making it heavy. Marvelling at this, Adishesha professed a desire to learn dance so as to exalt his Lord. Vishnu then became thoughtful, and predicted that soon Lord Shiva would grace Adishesha to write a commentary on grammar, and that he would then also be able to devote himself to perfection in the art of dance. Adishesha was overjoyed by these words and looked forward to the descent of Lord Shiva’s grace.

Adishesha then began to meditate to ascertain who would be his mother on earth. In meditation, he had the vision of a yogini by the name of Gonika who was praying for a worthy son to whom she could impart her knowledge and wisdom. He at once realized that she would be a worthy mother for him, and awaited an auspicious moment to become her son.

Gonika, thinking that her earthly life was approaching its end, and that her desire of finding a worthy son would remain unfulfilled; now, as a last resort looked to the Sun God, the living witness of God on earth and prayed to Him to fulfil her desire. She took a handful of water as a final oblation to Him, closed her eyes and meditated on the Sun. As she was about to offer the water, she opened her eyes and looked at her palms. To her surprise, she saw a tiny snake moving in her palms, who soon took on a human form. This tiny male human being prostrated to Gonika and asked her to accept him as her son. This she did and named him Patanjali because her hands had been in the prayerful gesture (anjali) and he had fallen (pat) from heaven.*

Another incidence is said to have happened in Chidambaram (also known as Thillai ) located about a hundred miles from Madras. Chidambaram is considered to be one of the holiest temples in India. In this temple, Lord Nataraja is present in his cosmic-dancing form. The story goes that once in Darukavanam, Shiva wished to teach a lesson to the Rishis who were proud of their learning. Shiva took the form of a mendicant with a begging bowl in hand, accompanied by Vishnu disguised as Mohini. The rishipatnis (wives of the Rishis) were attracted by the sight of this beautiful pair.

The Rishis grew angry and tried to destroy the pair. They performed a sacrificial fire and raised a tiger from the fire, which sprang at Shiva. Shiva pealed off the skin of the tiger and wrapped it round his waist. Then again the Rishis sent a poisonous serpent and Shiva tied it round his neck. Then the Rishis sent against Shiva an Apasmara Purusha, Muyalaka, whom Lord Shiva crushed by pressing him to the ground with his foot.

At this, the Rishis confessed defeat and Shiva started to dance before all the Gods and Rishis. Lord Adishesha heard the description of Shiva’s dance at Darukavanam from Vishnu and requested Vishnu to allow him to witness the dance himself. Vishnu agreed to this. Adishesha performed penance and prayed to Shiva to allow him to see the dance. Being pleased with his penance, Shiva appeared to him and promised that he would dance at Tillai (Chidambaram). Accordingly, Adishesha was born as a human being, as Patanjali, and went to the forest of Tillai.

At this time a certain sage, Vyaghrapada, also lived in this forest. Vyaghrapada was the son of Madhyandina Rishi who lived on the banks of the Ganga. He came to the South under the directions of his father and started praying to the Swayambhulinga under a banyan tree near a tank in this Tillai forest. He used to collect flowers for puja and he prayed for the boon of getting tiger’s feet and claws, so that he could easily climb up the trees and pluck plenty of flowers. He also prayed for the eyes of bees, so that he could collect the flowers before any bee could taste the honey in them. His prayer for these two blessings was granted, and since he had the feet of a tiger, he was called Vyaghrapada.

Each constructed his own hermitage, Patanjali at Ananteeswaram and Vyaghrapada at Tirupuleeswaram in Chidambaram. They started worshipping Shiva in the form of the Swayambhulinga in Tillai forest. Days passed and when the time came for Shiva to give them Darshan, the guardian Goddess of the place, Kalika Devi, interfered and did not allow Shiva to give His Darshan.

Shortly afterwards, Shiva and Devi agreed that they should participate in a dance contest and that the winner should have undisputed possession of Tillai. So the dance started. At one moment during the dance, the Lord’s earrings fell down, but the Lord took them up from the floor in such a way that nobody could notice the loss and the recovery. This dance is called Urdhva Tandavam in which Shiva defeated Kalika Devi.

Now Nataraja performed the Ananda Tandavam, i.e. the Dance of Bliss, in the presence of Shivakamasundari and all the Gods and Rishis, and at the same time fulfilled the wish of the two devotees, Patanjali and Vyaghrapada, by allowing them to witness it and thus satisfying them.

Another story tells that once upon a time Nandi, Shiva’s carrier, would not allow Patanjali Muni to have Darshan of Lord Shiva (Nataraja of Chidambaram). In order to reach Lord Shiva, Patanjali, with his mastery over grammatical forms, spontaneously composed a prayer in praise of the Lord without using any extended (Dirgha) syllable, (without Charana and Shringa) i.e. leg and horn, to tease Nandi.

Shiva was quickly pleased, gave Darshan to the devotee and danced to the lilting tune of this song.

These three short legends throw some light upon Patanjali and his greatness. Today unfortunately even Patanjali’s lineage does not appear to exist anymore. Patanjali’s life is obscure, with precise details about his place of birth, life and personality missing; this uncertainty however does not detract the great merit of the Patanjali Yoga-Sutras. It is the most condensed traditional outline of the yogic path and should be studied in depth by all serious students of Yoga. Yogacharya B.K.S Iyengar, who is definitely one of the greatest exponents of Patanjali Yoga Sutras, is responsible for shedding much light on the greatness of Patanjali and his writings. It is his great vision that brought to the forefront, the science of Patanjali Yoga Sutras and its benefit to our daily lives.
atanjali, undoubtedly the greatest expounder of Yoga, lived sometime between 500 and 200 B.C. The life of Patanjali is an enigma to modern historians, and almost nothing is known about this great Master who epitomizes Yoga. It is only with the help of legends that one can draw inferences about him. Undoubtedly he was a great Yoga adept and was perhaps the head of a school in which “Swadhyaya”, study of the Self, was regarded as an important aspect of spiritual practice.

Indian history is presumptive of several individuals by the name of Patanjali. Three of them were well-known; the first one being the famous grammarian who wrote the commentary on Panini’s Ashtadhyayi (the Mahabhashya) and compiled the Yoga Sutras, the classical text on Raja Yoga. The Mahabhashya symbolises the perfection of the discipline in grammar. The object of grammar is to supply rules for control of current speech (laukika) for the preservation of the integrity of the Vedas and the comprehension of proper meaning. The second person named Patanjali wrote the Nidana-Sutras, considered indispensable for the study of the Vedic ritual literature; while the third was a well-known teacher of Samkhya Philosophy. The above three people, in the historian's view, happen to come from different time periods and are considered to be different personalities. The Indian Tradition however, differs in opinion strongly and advocates that the above different treatises were done by a single person and even further, attributes various medical treatises to him.

In the Indian tradition, Patanjali is said to be self-born, swayambhu. He was a highly-evolved soul who incarnated of his own will in a human form to help humanity.

He is also considered an incarnation of Ananta, the source of all wisdom (Jnana) and of Shesha, the thousand-headed ruler of the serpent race, which is thought to guard the hidden treasures of the earth. Ananta depicts a couch on which God Vishnu reclines. He is the Lord of serpents and his many heads symbolize Infinity or Omnipresence. Many yogis bow to Ananta before they begin their daily yogic practice.

In one of the legends, it is said that Lord Vishnu was seated on Adishesha, the Lord of serpents as His couch, watching the enchanting dance of Lord Shiva. Lord Vishnu was so totally absorbed in the dance of Lord Shiva, that His body began to vibrate to its rhythm. This vibration made Him heavier and heavier, causing Adishesha to feel so uncomfortable that he was gasping for breath and was on the point of collapse. The moment the dance came to an end, Lord Vishnu’s body became light again. Adishesha was amazed and asked his master the cause of these stupendous changes. The Lord explained that the grace, beauty, majesty and grandeur of Lord Shiva’s dance had created corresponding vibrations in His own body, making it heavy. Marvelling at this, Adishesha professed a desire to learn dance so as to exalt his Lord. Vishnu then became thoughtful, and predicted that soon Lord Shiva would grace Adishesha to write a commentary on grammar, and that he would then also be able to devote himself to perfection in the art of dance. Adishesha was overjoyed by these words and looked forward to the descent of Lord Shiva’s grace.

Adishesha then began to meditate to ascertain who would be his mother on earth. In meditation, he had the vision of a yogini by the name of Gonika who was praying for a worthy son to whom she could impart her knowledge and wisdom. He at once realized that she would be a worthy mother for him, and awaited an auspicious moment to become her son.

Gonika, thinking that her earthly life was approaching its end, and that her desire of finding a worthy son would remain unfulfilled; now, as a last resort looked to the Sun God, the living witness of God on earth and prayed to Him to fulfil her desire. She took a handful of water as a final oblation to Him, closed her eyes and meditated on the Sun. As she was about to offer the water, she opened her eyes and looked at her palms. To her surprise, she saw a tiny snake moving in her palms, who soon took on a human form. This tiny male human being prostrated to Gonika and asked her to accept him as her son. This she did and named him Patanjali because her hands had been in the prayerful gesture (anjali) and he had fallen (pat) from heaven.*

Another incidence is said to have happened in Chidambaram (also known as Thillai ) located about a hundred miles from Madras. Chidambaram is considered to be one of the holiest temples in India. In this temple, Lord Nataraja is present in his cosmic-dancing form. The story goes that once in Darukavanam, Shiva wished to teach a lesson to the Rishis who were proud of their learning. Shiva took the form of a mendicant with a begging bowl in hand, accompanied by Vishnu disguised as Mohini. The rishipatnis (wives of the Rishis) were attracted by the sight of this beautiful pair.

The Rishis grew angry and tried to destroy the pair. They performed a sacrificial fire and raised a tiger from the fire, which sprang at Shiva. Shiva pealed off the skin of the tiger and wrapped it round his waist. Then again the Rishis sent a poisonous serpent and Shiva tied it round his neck. Then the Rishis sent against Shiva an Apasmara Purusha, Muyalaka, whom Lord Shiva crushed by pressing him to the ground with his foot.

At this, the Rishis confessed defeat and Shiva started to dance before all the Gods and Rishis. Lord Adishesha heard the description of Shiva’s dance at Darukavanam from Vishnu and requested Vishnu to allow him to witness the dance himself. Vishnu agreed to this. Adishesha performed penance and prayed to Shiva to allow him to see the dance. Being pleased with his penance, Shiva appeared to him and promised that he would dance at Tillai (Chidambaram). Accordingly, Adishesha was born as a human being, as Patanjali, and went to the forest of Tillai.

At this time a certain sage, Vyaghrapada, also lived in this forest. Vyaghrapada was the son of Madhyandina Rishi who lived on the banks of the Ganga. He came to the South under the directions of his father and started praying to the Swayambhulinga under a banyan tree near a tank in this Tillai forest. He used to collect flowers for puja and he prayed for the boon of getting tiger’s feet and claws, so that he could easily climb up the trees and pluck plenty of flowers. He also prayed for the eyes of bees, so that he could collect the flowers before any bee could taste the honey in them. His prayer for these two blessings was granted, and since he had the feet of a tiger, he was called Vyaghrapada.

Each constructed his own hermitage, Patanjali at Ananteeswaram and Vyaghrapada at Tirupuleeswaram in Chidambaram. They started worshipping Shiva in the form of the Swayambhulinga in Tillai forest. Days passed and when the time came for Shiva to give them Darshan, the guardian Goddess of the place, Kalika Devi, interfered and did not allow Shiva to give His Darshan.

Shortly afterwards, Shiva and Devi agreed that they should participate in a dance contest and that the winner should have undisputed possession of Tillai. So the dance started. At one moment during the dance, the Lord’s earrings fell down, but the Lord took them up from the floor in such a way that nobody could notice the loss and the recovery. This dance is called Urdhva Tandavam in which Shiva defeated Kalika Devi.

Now Nataraja performed the Ananda Tandavam, i.e. the Dance of Bliss, in the presence of Shivakamasundari and all the Gods and Rishis, and at the same time fulfilled the wish of the two devotees, Patanjali and Vyaghrapada, by allowing them to witness it and thus satisfying them.

Another story tells that once upon a time Nandi, Shiva’s carrier, would not allow Patanjali Muni to have Darshan of Lord Shiva (Nataraja of Chidambaram). In order to reach Lord Shiva, Patanjali, with his mastery over grammatical forms, spontaneously composed a prayer in praise of the Lord without using any extended (Dirgha) syllable, (without Charana and Shringa) i.e. leg and horn, to tease Nandi.

Shiva was quickly pleased, gave Darshan to the devotee and danced to the lilting tune of this song.

These three short legends throw some light upon Patanjali and his greatness. Today unfortunately even Patanjali’s lineage does not appear to exist anymore. Patanjali’s life is obscure, with precise details about his place of birth, life and personality missing; this uncertainty however does not detract the great merit of the Patanjali Yoga-Sutras. It is the most condensed traditional outline of the yogic path and should be studied in depth by all serious students of Yoga. Yogacharya B.K.S Iyengar, who is definitely one of the greatest exponents of Patanjali Yoga Sutras, is responsible for shedding much light on the greatness of Patanjali and his writings. It is his great vision that brought to the forefront, the science of Patanjali Yoga Sutras and its benefit to our daily lives.