Sunday, April 26, 2009

akshaya trithiyai

It is well known that Indians believe passionately in the theory of muhurts
or auspicious times to perform sacraments, to make major purchases or
to begin new ventures. Inspite of modern technology and changing
lifeviews, this dedication to auspicious time is a prominent feature
of Indian life.
Akshaya tritiya, the third day of the bright half of Vaishakh, is considered
one of the four most sacred days of the vear, when the Sun and Moon are
in exaltation; they are simultaneously at their peak of brightness, which
happens only once every year. Every year, Akshaya tritiya falls between
April 14th and May 14th This year Akshaya Tritiya falls on 27th april 2009
on Monday.
The word Akshaya means that which never diminishes - hence beginnings
made or valuables bought on this day are considered certain to bring luck
and success. All over India people celebrate weddings, plan new business
ventures, long journeys and other events on this day. Like Diwali, Dussera
and Gudi Padva. Akshava Tritiva is reserved for buying gold, silver and
other assets. As the Sun, the lord of the planets and the Moon the lord of
creativity(sense) are exalted,the day is considered to be an auspicious
day in India.If the tritiya day falls on a wednesday or Friday when moon
is in Rohini or 4th constellation, the day becomes specially sacred.

Akshaya Tritiya, also known as "Akha Teej", is traditionally the birthday
of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The Puranas
tell how he reclaimed land from the sea along the west coast of India
by his valour. Even today Goa and the Konkan are called Parshurama
Kshetra. He then settled 96 selected families there, called Shahanavkuli
Brahmins, who are said to have created the cultural heritage of this nart
of India. People conduct special Pujas on this day, bathe in holy rivers,
make a charity, offer barley in a sacred fire, and worship Lord Ganesha
& Devi Lakshmi on this day.
The day also marks the beginning of the "SatyaYug" or the Golden Age
- the first of the four Yugas. In the "Puranas", the holy Hindu scriptures,
there is a story that says that on this day of Akshay Tritiya Vedavyas
along with Lord Ganesha started writing the great epic Mahabharata.
Ganga Devi or Mother Ganges also descended to earth on this day.
It is also believed that people born during this time shine bright in life.
Many luminaries were born during this period:
Basaveshwara born on May 4,Ramanujacharya and Adi Shankaracharya
on May 6, Swami Chinmayananda on May 8 and Lord Buddha on May 16.
Story:Whatever one does for devotees, and for Krsna that person will get
more benefit and it is eternal benefit and never lost. He said one story of
a Brahmana: there was a brahmana who had a very good wife and was
poor. Whatever little money he got would get spent somehow. Also he
did not have children. So under the strong request of his wife he went
to Vasishta muni to know the reason for his suffering. Vasishta muni told
him that in his previous life he was very rich and also had many children.
But he was very stingy, he was not even spending for his own children.
This is the reason for his being poor, also without children. Then that
brahmana asked Vasishta muni why he got a good wife. So that Muni
replied that somehow with some reason, he observed that the vrata
of Vaishaka month for the last 5 days. So he got a good wife and also
the brahmana birth. Then the muni advised him to follow at least the
last 7 days left of Vaishaka month, with devotion to Lord Krsna.Since
that brahmana observed the vrata of Vaishaka month for that at least
the left out 7 days, he got sons, he became rich, ultimately he got
Love of Godhead and went back to the spiritual world!It is important
to hear such a story/pastimes as this so that at least by hearing this,
we engage ourselves in the service of Guru,and lord Krsna.
The various homams that can be performed on that day are
1. Akshaya Tritiya Special homa homam - For the well being of
your family.
2 . Shatru shanti homa - To safeguard from ill effects and enemies.
3 . Visit Lord Balaji & Ashtalakshmi temple.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

sucess of a prayer

Hi all ,
Earlier i have posted a Prayer Request send to G.P.sinhaji by Mr.Sri ram .he gota job and he is settled now.
this is the forwarded message from G.P.sinhaji
Dear Baba Devotees,
I have a good news for all of you.
Sri Ramji has been in touch with me regularly keeping me appraised of his situation.
Baba has heard our prayers as Sri Ramji had two job offers last week. He has chosen the one which he thinks will help him and the organisation better. His new boss is Sai himself. The owner of the hospital is Doctor Sai.
Sri Ram ji is thrilled and believes that our prayers have helped him immensely and he requests that we continue to pray for him.

I would like to thank all those who have joined me in my prayers for Sri Ramji.

May Baba bless you all.

Edited message from Sri Ramji is quoted below:

Om Sai Ram Sinhaji,
It was great hearing you and still greater hearing your Mrs, when you called on 11th April.
First and foremost forgive me for my inability in emailing you. Coming to the net browsing centre daily between 10 pm and 11 pm IST, which was my usual timings, has been totally ruled out.
I joined at ........Hospital on 14th April-- Tamil New Year. Im forcefully woken up at 6 am, get ready and it takes 1 to 1/2 hrs and by changing 2 buses to reach my work place, by atleast 8.45am. Similarly I return from there around 4.30pm, and reach around 6.30 pm. Standing in the bus, things that I havent been used to. My energy gets sapped, then sit at my clinic, till 9 pm. Not able to come to the net after my clinic hours.
Today Sunday was a working day for me, plan to take a day off sometime during the week, I prefer to take it on Thursday, so that I would be able to go to Baba's temple atleast. Physically worn out. Since I dont practise here on Sunday evening, taken this as and opportunity to mail you, and inform all my well wishers on how Sai Himself has become my boss.
True to his name, my boss Dr. Sai Kishore, like Baba is kind hearted and always thinks well for all his employees and his partner Dr. too. .
Please Thank all my well wishers who have been praying for me and Baba himself being my boss.
Please cotinue to pray for me that all the opposition at the new place dies down and all co-operate.
Once again forgive me for the late mail. I will sms your Mrs. to update you as the developments take place.
Regards,

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

prayer to sai

Prayer to Sai
Translation By P. R. Ramachander
[Here is a very beautiful prayer to Sai Baba of Shirdi in Hindi)
Dheena Dukhiyom se Prem Kao,
Sai Prasanna Hoga,
Prem Karo, Prem Karo, Prem Karo,
Sai Prasanna hoga,
Love the oppressed,Love those who are sad,Sai would be pleased with you,
Love, love and Love,Sai would be pleased with you.

Sai Meraa, Main theraa,
Yeh prem ki bhakthi dhara,
sai prem ki bhakthi dhara

Sai belongs to me,And I belong to Sai,This is the stream of love,
This is the stream of love of Sai.

Dhayaa karo, Kripa karo,Sai
Raksha karo, Mere Sai,
Raksha karo, Mere Sai
Oh Sai, Show kindness, show mercy,Oh my Sai, protect me,
Oh, my Sai, protect me.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Garbha Raksha stotram

Garbha Raksha Stotram:
Prayer for safe delivery - To be recited by Pregnant Mothers
By Sage Sounaka
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

Ehyehi Bhagawan Brahman,
Praja kartha, praja pathe,
Pragruhsheeniva balim cha imam,
Aaapathyaam raksha garbhineem.

1Please accept this sacred Offering, Lord Brahma,Who creates people,
And who is the lord of the people,And be pleased to protect,
This lady who is in the family way,From all dangers.

Aswini deva devesou,
Pragrhneethaam balim dwimam,
Saapathyaam Garbhineem cha imam,
Cha Rakshatham pooja yanaya.

2)Oh Aswini Devas,
Who are the doctors of Gods,
Please accept this sacred offering,
And be pleased to protect,This lady who is in the family way.Because of this worship offered to you.From all dangers.

Rudraascha ekaadasa prokthaa,
Pragruhananthu balim dwimam,
Yushmaakam preethaye vrutham,
Nithyam rakshathu Garbineem.
3)Oh Holy Rudras who are eleven,Please accept this sacred offering,
Which has been made as per your wish,To get your mercy and blessing
,And be pleased to protect daily,This lady who is in the family way.

Aadhithya dwadasa prokthaa,
Pragrahneethwam balim dwimam,
Yushmagam thejasaam vrudhya,
Nithyam rakshatha garbhineem.
4)Oh Holy Sun Gods who are twelve,Please accept this offering,
So that your great luster increases,Be pleased to accept this
sacred offering,And be pleased to protect daily,This lady who is
in the family way.

Vinayaka Ganadhyaksha,
Shiva Puthra Maha Bala,
Pragrahneeshwa balim cha imam,
Sapathyam raksha garbhineem.
5)Oh Vinayaka, Oh Ganesa,Oh Son of Lord Shiva,Oh God who is very
strong,Please accept this sacred offering,And be pleased to protect,
This lady who is in the family way.From all dangers.

Skanda Shanmukha Devesa,
Puthra preethi vivardhana,
Pragrahneeshwa Balim cha imam,
Sapathyaam raksha Garbhineem.
6)Oh Skanda, Oh God with six heads,Oh God who is the chief of devas,
Oh God who increases the love for our sons,Please accept this sacred
offering,And be pleased to protect,This lady who is in the family way,
From all dangers.

Prabhaasa, Prabhavassyama,
Prathyoosho maruth nala,
Druvoo dhura dhuraschaiva ,
Vasavoshtou prakeerthitha,
Pragrahnee thwam Balim cha imam,
Nithyam raksha garbhineem.
7)Oh Prabhasa, Oh Prabhava, Oh Syama, Of Prathyusha,Oh Marutha,
Oh Anala, Oh Dhruva, Oh Dhuradhura,Who are the eight sacred Vasus,
Please accept this sacred offering,And be pleased to protect daily,This
lady who is in the family way.

Pithur devi, Pithusreshte,
Bahu puthri, maha bale,
Bhootha sreshte Nisa vase,
Nirvruthe, sounaka priye,
Pragrahneeshwa balim cha imam,
Sapathyam raksha garbhineem.
8)Oh Goddess of my manes, Oh Goddess who is greater than my
manes,Oh Goddess who has all women as daughters,Oh Goddess
who is very strong,Oh Goddess who is greater than all beings,
Oh Goddess who protects us at night,Oh Goddess, who does not
have any blemishes,Oh Goddess who was worshipped by Sounaka,
Please accept this sacred offering,And be pleased to protect,This
lady who is in the family way,From all dangers.

Raksha Raksha Mahadeva,
Baktha anugraha Karaka,
Pakshi vahana Govinda,
Sapathyam raksha Garbhineem.
9)Oh God who is greatest,Be pleased to protect and protect,
Oh God who showers blessing on his devotees,Oh Govinda,
who rides on a bird,Be pleased to protect,This lady who is
in the family way,From all dangers

* Daily sit in front of a photo of Goddess with any small offering
(Fruits, milk or any other food article) and recite as follows:
During the second month read the first two slokas 108 times daily;
During the third month read the first three slokas 108 times daily;
During the fourth month read the first four slokas 108 times daily;
During the fifth month read the first five slokas 108 times daily;
During the sixth month read the first six slokas 108 times daily;
During the seventh month read the first seven slokas 108 times daily;
During the eighth month read the first eight slokas 108 times daily;
During the ninth month read all the nine slokas 108 times daily;
It is believed that this would ensure safe delivery.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

vishu on April 14th:Wish You all A Happy and Prosperous Vishu and Tamil New Year




vishukani


cassia fistula




vishu:
If your first step is wrong, the whole journey will be wrong. World over an emphasis is put on beginnings. Getting off to a good start is essential, as the beginning is the foundation upon which everything that comes after rests. Indian culture, perhaps more than any other, stresses the importance of beginning things properly. The position of the stars and planets is taken into consideration to insure auspicious beginnings, homas are performed and stotrams are chanted to Lord Ganesha in order to remove potential obstacles before the start of any undertaking. Prayers to God are always offered. Even when studying the Upanishads, which declare the only true power to be our own Self, shanti mantras are chanted before beginning each session of study.
Ultimately, all these are ways of humbly admitting our finitude, the limited nature of our efforts, and are a means of supplicating to the Divine for favourable outcome. "Grace alone is the deciding factor." By taking into consideration even subtle nuances beyond our intellectual understanding when we begin a project, we are both showing the sincerity of our effort as well as our faith in the words of the scriptures and the Guru.

Vishu is one of the important festivals of Kerala. It comes in the month of April usually on the 14th, when the sun enters into Sidereal Aries, Ashwini nakshatra—is celebrated as Vishu. According to the traditional Malayalam calendar, it is the 1st day of Malayalam month Medam which is the astronomical New Year. Traditional rituals are followed to bring in another year of prosperity.
It is said that what one sees when one first opens one's eyes on Vishu morning is an indication of what one can expect in the year to come. Thus on Vishu, effort is made to assure one opens one's eyes before an auspicious image—the Vishukkani.
While the festival is called "Vishu" only in Kerala, across India festivals sharing the same spirit—such as Ugadhi in Andhra Pradesh and in Karnataka, Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Bihu in Assam and Baisakhi in Punjab—are celebrated around the same time of year.The Malayalam word kani literally means "that which is seen first," so "Vishukkani" means "that which is seen first on Vishu."
The Malayalam word kani literally means "that which is seen first," so "Vishukkani" means "that which is seen first on Vishu.The night before Vishu, the mistress of the house prepare the Kani. In a big pot, coconuts, a gold ornament, a new cloth, fruits, cereals and Konna (cassia fistula) flower is kept. Behind the pot a mirror and the garlanded deity of Krishna is kept. Around the deity, lighted lamps will be arranged. Early morning on the Vishu day, the master of the house sees the Kani and then the rest of the family follows. Children's are brought blind folded from their beds to where the Kani is kept.
Lord Vishnu, the preserver of creation, is the aspect of the Paramatman that is focused upon during Vishu. In jyotish, Indian astrology, Vishnu is seen as the head of Kaala Purusha, the God of Time. As Vishu marks the first day of the Zodiac New Year, it is an appropriate time to offer oblations to Lord Vishnu.
Akshatam, a mixture of rice and turmeric, which is divided into halves of husked and un-husked rice, is placed in a special bowl called an uruli. The uruli traditionally is made of panchaloham, an aggregate of five metals. Panchaloham being symbolic of the universe, which is comprised of the five great elements—earth, water, fire, air and space.
A nice, well-starched cloth is then pleated fan-like and inserted into a highly polished brass kindi (a spouted puja vessel used for pouring sacred water). The val-kannadi, a special type of mirror with an extremely long and thin handle, often decorated with gold, is also inserted into the kindi. The kindi is then placed in the uruli on top of the rice.
Two deepams, which are fashioned from the two halves of a split coconut, are also kept in the uruli. The wicks are made from pieces of starched cloth that are folded into bulbs at the base. These bulbs are placed into the coconut oil that fills the deepams, anchoring the wicks in place. The starch helps the rest of the wick to extend straight upwards so that they will properly burn. The lighting of the deepam welcomes God into our lives and is also symbolic of spiritual knowledge—the remover of the darkness of ignorance.
Gold—both in colour and in coin—is central to the Vishukkani. Kanikkonna, a golden-yellow flower associated with Sri Krishna is used liberally throughout the puja room. This flower only blooms when the sun is in its most exalted position astrologically—the month surrounding Vishu. In the puja room, the flower verily represents the sun itself, the eyes of Lord Vishnu. Gold coins are symbols of monetary affluence, as well as cultural and spiritual wealth, which the elders of the family must share freely with the younger generation. Vishukkaineettam, the distribution of wealth, is another aspect of the festival. It should be given freely and accepted with reverence. On Vishu, the highly affluent families will not only give money to their children but also their neighbours, perhaps the entire village.
The Vishukkani will also be laden with gold-coloured fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, jackfruit, golden cucumber, etc. The akshatam, as it is full of turmeric, also is gold in colour, as is the shiny brass of the kindi, the panchaloham and the reflection of the mirror.
Last but not least, a spiritual book, such as the Bhagavad-Gita, should be made part of the arrangement. The book is the pramanam—the instrument used for attaining the eternal, non-perishable wisdom of the Rishis—as well as a symbol of that knowledge itself.
The grandmother or mother who arranges the Vishukkani will sleep in the puja room after she is finished and then, waking during the auspicious hour of the Brahma muhurata (4:00 to 6:00 a.m.), she will light the oil-lamp wicks and take in the auspicious sight. She will then walk to the rooms where the rest of the family is sleeping and wake them. Covering their eyes, she will then lead them to the puja room, where she will allow them to take in the auspicious sight.
Upon opening one's eyes, one is overwhelmed with the glorious darshan of the Lord. The mirror—which is symbolic of Bhagavati (Devi), not only increases the lustre of the Vishukkani via the reflection it offers, but also shows our own face, reminding us that God is not someone sitting in the heavens upon a golden throne, but the pure consciousness that is our true nature. The mirror also points to the importance of making our mind pure enough to render this truth unadulterated.
The Vishukkani is not reserved only for those who come to the puja room, but is taken around—for the viewing of the elderly and sick who are perhaps too frail to come to the shrine. It is also brought outside and shown to the family cows. As it is brought to the cowshed, it in fact is on display for the birds, the trees, for all of nature to see.
Vishukkani points to a year of abundance—both spiritually and materially. Food, light, money, knowledge—all should fill our life. Taking in the Vishukkani we should pray that the vision remains with us throughout the year. It is not enough that the joy we take from viewing the Vishukkani comes only to our eyes. It must reflect in our thoughts and in our actions. The auspicious start of the year—which has come to us due to the grace of beginning it with a divine vision—is not for us alone. It is up to us to spread this love, happiness and hope to the rest of society. In Kerala, the Kani in the temples of
Guruvayur, Ambalapuzha and Sabarimala are famous. Special pujas are held in these temples where the people go to worship and pray for a prosperous New Year.
The families then celebrate the day with joyous abandon by bursting fire crackers. The feast or the 'sadya' is prepared by the women of the household and the whole family sits down to enjoy the vishu lunch together.


Wish You all A Happy and Prosperous Vishu and Tamil New Year







Siddi Vinayak Live Darshan

Darshan from Shiridi

Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir - Live!!