Kartik Poornima

KARTIK POORNIMA

The full moon of today is a joyful occasion that takes us all to the days of our ancient rishis.

Popularly known as "Kartik snan", this day is observed as the day for beginning the life of a mendicant. During the rainy days, which normally extend up to 4 months, the monks of all orders do not move but settle down in one place and observe a special rite as "Chathurmas vrata". Actually the previous Ekadashi day is known as "Prabodhini Ekadasi" which is believed to be the day on which the resting period comes to a close and all the ascetics start to move around to different places of pilgrimage. Since all the hermits start to move out, the householders also take bath in Ganges or in any other nearby river and feel a sense of purging of all their misdeeds done during the course of the year. In north India, especially in Bihar and U P people throng to the rivers for a dip on this day.

Incidentally, it was on this day, the famous Ras Lila of Lord Krishna has also taken place. The sportive play of the individual soul with cosmic soul is depicted in this sport between Krishna and Radha.

It is also the birth day of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Guru Nanak's contribution to the world deserves a greater degree of appreciation and gratefulness from humanity. He rejected idolatry and propounded instead a simple monotheism. His spirituality was based on work ethics. Working hard, sharing with the others whatever we have and reciting the name of the Lord are some of his unique teachings. It was thus the "guru-ka-langar" has got its birth. The Langar is a community-kitchen, where all were welcomed with open arms. The event of "tera" in his life, is on eye-opener to every one. When he was working as a shopkeeper, while weighing the objects, on reaching the number 13( tera, a word that denotes the numerals as well as meaning 'yours'). He would often slip into trance and repeatedly chant: "Teara, tera, tera- - -everything is yours, everything is yours, God. When he received invitation to stay with the rich mallick, Bhago, he would say,"The bread served by carpenter Lalo, though earned by the sweat of his brow, is like sweet milk but what you offer me is the blood of the poor."

Guru Nanak Jayanthi reassures the way to salvation to men in the world but mind given to the Almighty.

Swami Nishthatmananda

Muzaffarpur