Satyam Shivam Sundaram

Aum Namah Shivaya

2011-03-02T06:03:00.000-08:00

In a few hours Krisha Chaturdashi of Magha will begin, please Chant the Shadakshari mantra - Aum Namah Shivaya and remember the Adi Guru for all His blessings on us.

Aum Namah Shivaya!

Shubha Maha Shiva Ratri!

Apurva - Dhak (drum) - ঢাক

2010-10-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

Andanda Utsav -Devi Durga

2010-10-14T12:17:00.001-07:00

Dear readers,

It is again that time of the year when the fall colors bring a sweet flavor of festivity. Yes, it is Durgotsav (Durga Puja).

I wish all readers a blessed Durga Pujo.

Two videos below will surely make your day.

~ Souvik

Art - Indian but not in India

2010-10-03T06:57:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

I was once told that ancient Indian art is preserved outside India than in India.

I saw it as a true statement when I visited the Art Institute of Chicago recently.

From 1st, 2nd century CE to 17th., 18th. century CE, India art is displayed in the main hall in the Art Institute.

Some (very few) of the pictures I took are being put on this.

~ Souvik

Ganesha with attendants, from India.

Uma-Maheshwara, Madhya Pradesh, India, 9th century CE

Vinadhara, Uttarakhand, India, 10/11th century CE

Ekamukhalingam, Uttar Pradesh, India, 5th century CE

Brahma, Cambodia

Vishnu, Nepal

Durga, Madhya Pradesh

Art Institute of Chicago - Public Notice 3

2010-10-03T06:35:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

If you are in Chicago, please visit the Art Institute of Chicago. It is free on Thursdays between 5PM - 8 PM CDT.

When you enter the Art Institute, the first thing that will grab your attention is the "Public Notice 3" by Jitesh Khallat.

He brings a very interesting point to public notice. It was on September 11, 1893 that Swami Vivekananda spoke in Chicago, IL, USA about religious tolerance and it was on September 11, 108 years later that the world saw the evil result of religious intolerance (terrorism) in form of WTC.

The speech of Vivekanda can be heard from the below link -

The same speech is on the stairway of the main hall in the Art Institute of Chicago.

~ Souvik

Aradhana -Saptharisheeswara - The Eshwara (God) of the Seven Sages

2010-09-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

Sri Saptharisheeswarar temple is located in Thiruthavathurai (Lalgudi), Tiruchi district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is in this temple that the seven sages (Saptarishis) worshipped Shiva to remove the curse on them.The legend goes that Kartikeya (Murugan, Skanda) after killing Tarakasura was fondly given to the Sapatarishis for nurturing. However, Arundhati and other woves of the Sapatarishis were a little negligent of their duties towards Skanda.This came to the notice of the Seven Sages, the progenitors of the human race and the wise ones infuriated by their spouses cursed them and asked them to leave home.When Kartikeya came to know of this, he in turn was in rage because of the misconduct of the Saptarishis towards their wives and in turn cursed them to be born on Earth. It was only after doing severe penance at the temple location of the Saptaisheshwara that the wise ones achieved the favor of Shiva and returned back to their heavenly abode and united with their spouses.
The sanctum of the Saptharisheeswarar temple is facing west and the Amman shrine the east. The five-tier majestic Rajagopuram with beautiful sculptures welcomes the devotees.
As one enters the temple via the Thiruvathirai mandapam, one can see the 12 rasis engraved on the ceiling. Separate shrines for Mahalakshmi and Saraswathi in the Maha Mandapam are special features. Close-by are the idols of Athri, Brigu, Pulasthiyar, Vasishtar, Gowthamar, Angeerasar and Marichi offering worship to the Lord.

A word or two

2010-09-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,
Please accept my heartfelt apologies for not being able to devote much time on the blog as I could do (and did) earlier.
The reasons are manifold but I would like to reiterate that I remain the same person with same values and the same servant of the Lord.
I also apologize to many who had commented on my blog articles with questions and queries but I could not respond to them earlier.
I have responded to many posts today, please do check the article you commented on to see my response on them.
Solah Somvar Vrat has become a world-wide movement today. My friends, my colleagues, my lawyer, my doctor, my realtor, my on-line friends, my readers, my relations, my clients - everyone is getting benefited by this vrat and I am so glad that Shiva gave me an opportunity to spread this word, the little that I could.
Please do the Solah Somvar Vrat, please spread the word so that everyone can be benefited by this vrat.
I will soon write from the numerous mails I have received from people all around the world on this.
Love and share love!
~ Souvik

Ananda Utsav

2010-09-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Happy Janmashtami to you and your loved ones!

"Yatra Yogeshwarah Krishno, Yatra Partho Dhanurdhara:Tatra Shreer Vijayo Bhooti:, Dhruvaa Neetir Matir Mama."

Wherever there is Yogeshwar Krishna and Dhanurdhar (the Great Archer) Arjuna, there exists prosperity, success and justice.

~ Souvik

Adbhut Sur

2010-02-11T05:38:00.000-08:00

Ricardo Calazans from Brazil wanted me to share his Shiva bhajan with you on my blog.
Wish you all a blessed Shiva Ratri!

Ananda Utsav - How to celebrate Shiva Ratri?

2010-02-04T12:59:00.000-08:00

Feb 11 night (Feb 11 around 15:00 hrs CST to Feb 12 18:00 hrs CST) CST is Maha Shiva Ratri.

People in USA should not get confused with Indian time slots of festivals.

Festivals be it anywhere are based on the soli-lunar calender. Mahashivaratri is celebrated on Krishna Chaturdasi night in the month of Magha.

How to celebrate?

Sanatan Dharma has rules of worship. Many stick to rules and I respect their views as well. However, I don't believe in rules which I don't understand. For me what matters is devotion, what matters is doing the right thing, what matters is what makes me feel closer to Him - my Shiva!

Worship is a very personal thing. For me what matters most is devotion. If my intention is clean and my devotion profound I can be closer to God more than one who is ritualistic but doesn't have the intention and devotion as I do. This is my belief.

Shiva is all about Love. There cannot be any Shiva if there is no Shakti and vice versa. Shiva doesn't exist without Shakti. When Sati self-sacrified herself in Daksha's Yajna, Shiva took samadhi. The same samadhi was broken only the reincarnation of Shakti again as Parvati. Thus, if anyone wishes to please Shiva, one should try to please his/her loved ones. Shiva is also the Guru. He is the Adi Guru. Thus, in life, Shiva stands for our teachers and our elders.

Understanding Shiva requires de-understanding one self and re-understanding others who matter in our lives.

I can give you twenty mantras and a manual of rituals to do on Shiva ratri but all that is useless unless you understand the true philosophy of Shiva, the true essence of Shiva Tattwa - which is love.

So, if you want to really please Shiva on Shiva ratri, just show affection to your loved ones, show that you care, give a call to an old teacher, shed a tear drop remembering your grandparents - that will bring you blessings far more than doing a ritualistic puja of 45 minutes in which neither understood the mantras nor understood the whole purpose behind the ritual.

Love your loved ones and share goodness around!

Aum Namah Shivay!

~ Souvik

A Delightful Day

2009-10-17T22:26:00.001-07:00

Dear readers,

I celebrated Diwali with my loved ones today.

Just wanted to share a few memorable flicks with you.

Happy Diwali to one and all

~ Souvik

Ajaya - Shubho Vijaya!

2009-09-28T06:35:00.000-07:00

Adbhut Karma

2009-09-02T16:58:00.000-07:00

Anusandhan

2009-06-02T08:48:00.001-07:00

Dear readers,

Happy Ganga Dashami to all!

Love,

Souvik

Astrology in the age of Renaissance

2009-04-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

This article is a tribute to my some of my friends who have selflessly devoted their life to the practice of various ancient Indian traditions.

Many might already know this, but few may also be unaware about the change happening around the world in the mindset of astrology and its practice.

In Chicago, IL my friend Jim (James Kulackoski), a multifaceted personality is starting a center of Vedic sciences. Some of the courses like Sanskrit learning, Jyotish etc. can be taken online. Here is the link for that. It is indeed a great opportunity for people in and around Chicago.

Saptarishis Astrology has completely changed the face of astrological research in the present era. Be it detailed research platform, be revealing ancient and obscure texts or be it a platform to showcase your genuine astrological talent, Saptarishis has created a brand name. They are detailed, hard-working and motivated individuals and there is not a name in modern astrological practice that would not want to associate with them. If something can be called as the future of astrology, then this it. Please visit their website and see it for yourself. Please don't forget to check their bookstore, you will never get those prices anywhere else!

Times are changing and so is the face of astrology!

~ Souvik

An Aries Sun

2009-04-15T05:11:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,
Call it Vishu, Baishak or Aries Sun month, it all means the same, it all gives us a reason to celebrate. Sun has entered Aries. Actually as per CST (Central Time, US) it entered on April 13, 2009. Sun will be in deep exaltation on April 23 2009 (CST). Till the time Sun is in Aries and more so in the Ashwini nakshatra, healing activities would surely cure patients suffering from a long time.
Till Sun is in Ashwini, readers can consider self-cleansing exercises like meditation and yoga.

Happy Cleansing!
Shubho Nobo Borsho!
Happy Vishu!

Love and Peace,

~ Souvik

Are you ready to face the truth - II ?

2009-04-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

I have been thinking of writing the Part II of my article "Are you ready to face the Truth" for quite sometime now.

Today seemed just fine to do it.

In the part I for this series in March, 2007 I had mentioned about some dates. I will carry on from where I had left.

All views expressed in this article are just mine and need not be believed by you. I hold no authority in any matter of spiritual or religious origin and in fact have minuscule understanding of religious, spiritual, astrological and metaphysical matters compared to many knowledgeable souls around.

Again, as I had stated earlier in part I of this series, there is no copyright on this material and you are free to reproduce this article anywhere and copy any part of this article. You absolutely don't need to cite this blog reference or my name as the author for this article when you produce it.

Rudra
Rudra is responsible for cleaning up the stage for any new beginning. Here it is important to see Rudra as an aspect and not as a deity. Rudra as an aspect can be studied in us with the help of a tool called as astrology. In astrology, Rudra aspect is depicted by Mars. Hence for any major calamity Mars becomes an important factor. Lets hold on to this truth and I will come back to this when I try to tie all the strings together.

New Moon (Lunar Cycles)
Every time a mass destruction has taken place on Earth, it was more or less near a New Moon cycle. Recently they showed a program in the History channel where statistical study had shown that crime rates rise during Full Moon and New Moon nights.

Astronomy
We all know about the galactic alignment in 2012. However, what we might have to look out for in the night sky is the appearance of any new star (or spot) in the any constellation. We may also have to keep a close watch at NEOs. According to the most accepted theory dinosaurs were wiped out by a comet collision. Is something heading our way too?

Astrology
What does various astrology methods tell us about 2012? What exactly was the long count Mayan Calender based on? Is there any astrological significance to it? These questions if answered can take us closer to the truth.

Religion and Religious texts
Almost every religion has an open promise of the return of a Godly being. Why does religion give this hope to humanity? Is there a reason for this hope?

Common Sense
If the new age or the Golden Age or the end of Time as we know it is to begin on Dec 21, 2012 then how can it happen. How can bad people suddenly change to good people? After all it is the people who make up the society and hence the era. What event can change the most notorious person you know into a good man? Death? or fear of death?
There was this wonderful film I saw called "The Day the Earth stood still" in which it was said that any civilization evolves to the next stage when it is at the "brink of extinction". It is indeed a very thought provoking line. How will the stock market react to extinction of human race or would it have to time to react?

Science and physics
Solar flare activity will be at its maximum in 2012. This is already a known thing to many. What makes it even worse is that NASA has detected a breach in Earth's magnetic field which was detected by NASA and announced to the public on Dec 16, 2008.
Here is the news from the NASA website - It took NASA scientists by surprise!

Now, why am I just throwing questions at you when you are actually expecting answers. Well, even if I know the answers, nothing is going to change the fate of humanity if really something bad is going to happen on Dec 12, 2012 (some even say it is a 2 year date range of Dec 12, 2012 to July 27, 2014).

I think even if we are at the brink of extinction, some of us are still going to think that we should have really taken that home loan! :)

To be Continued in Part III...

~Souvik

A good man

2009-04-10T09:01:00.001-07:00

Dear reader,

Today is Good Friday.

The message is simple - Let us think of the selfless love of Christ.

Let us think today of our actions in the past when we have blamed an innocent person for something he/she has not done. The time we have cursed someone we later realized was innocent.

The reasons for doing such an act could have been anything anger, greed, lust, ego but the reason can never justify the wrong action.

Everytime we have thrown a stone at someone else, abused a life, taken advantage of a mute humble innocent man- we have crucified the Christ in us.

We are all humans and yes we all do err. Today is the day we should think about such an action we did and say two simple words to the Christ in us who we crucified that day - "Forgive me"!

I have sinned too and if I have hurt you my reader in any way, please do forgive me today!

Let us remember today of all sins we have done!

Let us pray for "the good man", "The Christ" who is no where other than in us!

Let us promise ourselves today that we will try never to crucify the "good" in us, the "selflessness" is us, the Christ in us!

Love and Peace

~ Souvik

"The Kingdom of God is within you" ~ Luke, Chapter XVI I, verses 20-21

Abhay daan

2009-04-08T05:27:00.000-07:00

Jai Hanuman!

Anjaneya

2009-04-07T05:54:00.001-07:00

Dear readers,

Hanuman Jayanti starts on
Date: April 8, 2009
Time: 10:45:00 hrs CST

Wish all a happy Hanuman Jayanti!

Ages fall short in describing the tales of Maruti, so to keep it short and sweet, we can say that as long as there is even one soul on Earth that has "bhakti" in his heart, Bajrangbali will protect us.
Devotion pleases Anjaneya a lot, so one way to get his blessings is to show utmost devotion to someone you care about. Determination of purpose is another thing Pawanputra has taught us.

Jai Bajrangbali!

~Souvik

Aum Shri Ram Jay Siya Ram!

2009-04-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

April 2, 2009 19:45 hrs CST Ram Navami begins.

Wish all readers a wonderful Ram Navami!

Even if you don't get time to listen to Ramayana, please do atleast say out loud "Jay Shri Ram"!

If you are a married man then something simple can please Lord Rama very much - do express your love for your spouse in words. What many of us fail to realize is that how much Shri Ram suffered in His life due to His separation from His beloved wife - Shri Sita mata.

Being Purushottam was not an easy task and the biggest sacrifice the Lord had to make was His love of life. Let us all bow down to His sacrifice and ask Him and Sita Mata to bless us with a prosperous and happy life.

Also, we should learn from examples of Lakshman, the great Bharat and ofcourse Ramdut Hanuman!

Jai Shri Ram!

Love,

Souvik

Anandam Paramam Shukham

2009-03-10T17:59:00.001-07:00

Dear readers,

Wish you all a Happy Holi!

Let us join together to celebrate the advent of Spring,
Let us burn our past baggage of guilt and misdeeds,
Let us dance to the tunes of Krishna,
Let the innocence in us re-live the day,
Let us be children again,
Let the colors we play with teach us that our diversity is our strength,
Let the water we mix the colors in teach us that only mutual tolerance is the road to communal survival,
Let us dance, be merry and throw a "gulal" on a loved one!

Be with your loved ones, love your loved ones, play with your loved ones today!

Love,

~ Souvik

Aacharan-Tulsi Ramayan

2009-03-08T13:26:00.001-07:00

Discover Mukesh!

Avishwas

2009-03-02T12:17:00.000-08:00

Moko Kahan Dhundhere Bande Mein To Tere Paas Mein

Na Teerath Mein, Na Moorat Mein Na Ekant Niwas Mein

Na Mandir Mein, Na Masjid Mein Na Kabe Kailas Mein

Mein To Tere Paas Mein Bande

Mein To Tere Paas Mein

Na Mein Jap Mein, Na Mein Tap Mein

Na Mein Barat Upaas Mein

Na Mein Kiriya Karm Mein Rehta

Nahin Jog Sanyas Mein

Nahin Pran Mein Nahin Pind Mein

Na Brahmand Akas Mein

Na Mein Prakuti Prawar Gufa Mein

Nahin Swasan Ki Swans Mein

Khoji Hoye Turat Mil Jaoon Ik Pal Ki Talas Mein

Kahet Kabir Suno Bhai Sadho Mein To Hun Viswas Mein

Translation

Where do you search me?I am with you

Not in pilgrimage, nor in icons

Neither in solitudesNot in temples, nor in mosques

Neither in Kaba nor in KailashI am with you o man

I am with you

Not in prayers, nor in meditation

Neither in fasting

Not in yogic exercises

Neither in renunciation

Neither in the vital force nor in the body Not even in the ethereal space

Neither in the womb of Nature

Not in the breath of the breath

Seek earnestly and discoverIn but a moment of search

Says Kabir, Listen with care

Where your faith is, I am there.

This is one of best poems I ever read. This one poem describes God in the best possible way, this poem makes God a very personal God, a God who is in the belief of the devotee.

Enjoy this poem and feel Sant Kabir's depth of realization.

~Souvik

Aadar Satkar

2009-02-16T12:01:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,
2009 is a Mars predominant year and thus Rudra (Shiva) needs to be pleased to end our misery this year.

People often misunderstand Shiva as only a mythological character. I have always said that Shiva is so much more than that. How else can one explain the lines of Atmashtakam?

I am absolutely no authority on religion or Shiva. I am just a simple learner who wishes to keep the soul of Shiva burning in him forever. Neither am I a Guru nor a learned man. I pray each day that I always remain a student for He alone can be the Guru, the shower of light.

With my very minuscule understanding of religion and Shiva, I would recommend the following for my readers on Feb 22, 2009 night (USA time). For India time, it would Feb 23, 2009 night.

For readers who believe in rituals and religion: Fasting till the Tithi ends if possible is the best possible thing. However, if this cannot be done then pouring water on a Shiv Linga on Feb 23 morning before going for work is strongly advised. Even if that is not possible, in the whole time of the Tithi, even if once recites the Panchaksari mantra "Aum Namah Shivay", that itself can do wonders.

For readers who are atheists or don't believe in religion: Calling up old teachers (Gurus), parents and grandparents and showing them respect and love can do wonders on this Tithi. If possible, donations done on Old Age homes or little things done for an elderly person can result in utmost blessings from Shiva. Shiva is all about Love, so please try to be with your family, spouse and children on this Tithi - this pleases Him the most. If you have been planning on watching a film or dining out then Feb 22 evening is the best time to do so with your loved ones.

Happy Maha Shiv Ratri in advance!

~Souvik

Aradhana-Maha Shiv Ratri

2009-02-16T10:47:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

Maha Shiv Ratri is celebrated on the night of Krishna Chaturdasi in Phalgun.

As per the Hindu Calender 2009, Krishna Chaturdasi starts Feb 22, 2009 around 1700 hrs CST and ends Feb 23, 2009 around 1800 hrs CST.

To technically the night of Maha Shiv Ratri for devotees in USA is the night of Feb 22, 2009.

Wish all a happy Maha Shiv Ratri!

Regards,

Souvik

Arambh

2008-12-31T13:35:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

Wish you and your loved ones a peaceful and prosperous 2009!

Jai Shiv Shambhu!

Jai Mahamaya!

~ Souvik

A mate search

2008-11-27T15:34:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

Please take this article in a lighter note.

Who among us can say a mate search is easy? No, it is not.

So, what options do we have, which abstraction do go after?

Well, there is basically the trinity available here for comparison.

For females, choices of men:

Brahma type - Extremely potent, a well-versed in his academics, has a great job, extremely innovative, has great contacts.
Strength : potency, creativity
Weakness : too concentrated on progeny, not so much a romantic type, sometimes lusty (for other women)

Vishnu type - Handsome, rich and very well mannered. Excellent speaker and articulate in almost all matters. Liked by all
Strength : Very caring
Weakness : Little indifferent with respect to continuous attention to partner because has many matters to look into.

Shiva type - Handsome, total out caste, has weird friends and circle. Knowledgeable and seemingly arrogant.
Strength : Cannot live without his love, extremely potent
Weakness : Totally engrossed in partner, his life is his love

For males, choices of females:

Saraswati : Intelligent, extremely talented, working woman and very independent.
Strength : Innovative
Weakness : Career centric

Lakshmi : Wealthy, capricious, moody, sober and very pretty
Strength : Lovely
Weakness : Looks conscious, figure conscious, may take time to get into progeny

Parvati : Sensual, well-to-do, home-maker and yet believes in equality in home between man and woman
Strength: Perfect Home-maker
Weakness : I could fine none :)

From ages when couples married, elders blessed them to be like "Shiva Parvati"!

In many parts of India, unmarried girls fast on Shiva-ratri to get a husband like Shiva.

In matters of marriage, Shiva-Parvati seems to be the best choice for a traditional family. However, the other types are also not too difficult to see around us.

Jai Shiva Shambhu!

~ Souvik

Aradhanam Govindam!

2008-11-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

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Achyutam Keshavam

2008-11-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

This song is melodiously sung by Vikram Hazra of Art Of Living.
Let the bhakti flow!
Jai Shri Krishna!

Alaap

2008-11-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

Loved this title song from good old days!
Jai Shree Krishna!

Aum Namah Shivay!

2008-11-03T06:28:00.000-08:00

Aum Namah Shivay!
1 Aashutosh One who fulfills wishes instantly
2 Aja Unborn
3 Akshayaguna God with limitless attributes
4 Anagha Without any fault
5 Anantadrishti Of infinite vision
6 Augadh One who revels all the time
7 Avyayaprabhu Imperishable Lord
8 Bhairav Lord of terror
9 Bhalanetra One who has an eye in the forehead
10 Bholenath Kind hearted Lord
11 Bhooteshwara Lord of ghosts and evil beings
12 Bhudeva Lord of the earth
13 Bhutapala Protector of the ghosts
14 Chandrapal Master of the moon
15 Chandraprakash One who has moon as a crest
16 Dayalu Compassionate
17 Devadeva Lord of the Lords
18 Dhanadeepa Lord of Wealth
19 Dhyanadeep Icon of meditation and concentration
20 Dhyutidhara Lord of Brilliance
21 Digambara One who has the skies as his clothes
22 Durjaneeya Difficult to be known
23 Durjaya Unvanquished
24 Gangadhara Lord of River Ganga
25 Girijapati Consort of Girija
26 Gunagrahin Acceptor of Gunas
27 Gurudeva Master of All
28 Hara Remover of Sins
29 Jagadisha Master of the Universe
30 Jaradhishamana Redeemer from Afflictions
31 Jatin One who has matted hair
32 Kailas One Who Bestows Peace
33 Kailashadhipati Lord of Mount Kailash
34 Kailashnath Master of Mount Kailash
35 Kamalakshana Lotus-eyed Lord
36 Kantha Ever-Radiant
37 Kapalin One who wears a necklace of skulls
38 Khatvangin One who has the missile khatvangin in his hand
39 Kundalin One who wears earrings
40 Lalataksha One who has an eye in the forehead
41 Lingadhyaksha Lord of the Lingas
42 Lingaraja Lord of the Lingas
43 Lokankara Creator of the Three Worlds
44 Lokapal One who takes care of the world
45 Mahabuddhi Extremely intelligent
46 Mahadeva Greatest God
47 Mahakala Lord of All Times
48 Mahamaya Of great illusions
49 Mahamrityunjaya Great victor of death
50 Mahanidhi Great storehouse
51 Mahashaktimaya One who has boundless energies
52 Mahayogi Greatest of all Gods
53 Mahesha Supreme Lord
54 Maheshwara Lord of Gods
55 Nagabhushana One who has serpents as ornaments
56 Nataraja King of the art of dancing
57 Nilakantha The one with a blue throat
58 Nityasundara Ever beautiful
59 Nrityapriya Lover of Dance
60 Omkara Creator of OM
61 Palanhaar One who protects everyone
62 Parameshwara First among all gods First among all gods
63 Paramjyoti Greatest splendor
64 Pashupati Lord of all living beings
65 Pinakin One who has a bow in his hand
66 Pranava Originator of the syllable of OM
67 Priyabhakta Favorite of the devotees
68 Priyadarshana Of loving vision
69 Pushkara One who gives nourishment
70 Pushpalochana One who has eyes like flowers
71 Ravilochana Having sun as the eye
72 Rudra The terrible
73 Rudraksha One who has eyes like Rudra
74 Sadashiva Eternal God
75 Sanatana Eternal Lord
76 Sarvacharya Preceptor of All
77 Sarvashiva Always Pure
78 Sarvatapana Scorcher of All
79 Sarvayoni Source of Everything
80 Sarveshwara Lord of All Gods
81 Shambhu Abode of Joy
82 Shankara Giver of Joy
83 Shiva Always Pure
84 Shoolin One who has a trident
85 Shrikantha Of glorious neck
86 Shrutiprakasha Illuminator of the Vedas
87 Shuddhavigraha One who has a pure body
88 Skandaguru Preceptor of Skanda
89 Someshwara Lord of All Gods
90 Sukhada Bestower of happiness
91 Suprita Well pleased
92 Suragana Having Gods as attendants
93 Sureshwara Lord of All Gods
94 Swayambhu Self-Manifested
95 Tejaswani One who spreads illumination
96 Trilochana Three-Eyed Lord
97 Trilokpati Master of all the Three Worlds
98 Tripurari Enemy of Tripura
99 Trishoolin One who has a trident in his hands
100 Umapati Consort of Uma
101 Vachaspati Lord of Speech
102 Vajrahasta One who has a thunderbolt in his hands
103 Varada Granter of Boons
104 Vedakarta Originator of the Vedas
105 Veerabhadra Supreme Lord of the Nether World
106 Vishalaksha Wide-eyed Lord
107 Vishveshwara Lord of the Universe
108 Vrishavahana One who has bull as his vehicle

Adbhut Vani

2008-11-03T06:09:00.000-08:00

Govinda Bolo Hari Gopal Bolo!

Amar Chicago Barir Kali Pujo

2008-10-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Wish you, your family and friends a very prosperous Diwali and a Shubho Maha Kali Pujo.

Today I celebrated Kali Pujo with some friends at my apartment in Chicago downtown. Below are some of the snaps of Diwali@Chicago.

Regards,

Souvik

A song - Satyam Shivam Sundaram

2008-10-19T14:06:00.000-07:00

Satyam Shivam Sundaram!

Aaradhana Re-visited : Solah Somvar Vrat

2008-10-16T14:53:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

I have a karmic debt to fulfill- replying to my numerous fellow Shiv bhakts on the mahima of infallible Solah Somvar Vrat and its katha.

I have completed this vrat once and have completely achieved a goal which not only seemed impossible to me but was regarded by many great advisers of mine. The whole credit goes to Kaleshwar Devadidev Mahadev's blessings, blessings of my pitrs, my grand-parents, my parents, and my elders and Gurus, well-wishers, relations and friends.

Even during this vrat, I faced many obstacles, temptations which were forcing me to break my vrat, but with Kalptaru's blessings I succeeded in vanquishing such hindrances.

I have recently started this vrat the second time and thus it is karmic debt that I reply to the queries of all my fellow Shiv bhakts on this matter.

I am no scholar. I have very minuscule understanding of spirituality and religion compared to most learned Gurus around. So, please pardon my lack of understanding in this article. I am just putting forth what I think is right and what I practice for the great Solah Somvar Vrat, which in incomparable in its results and the completion of which gives the greatest pleasure to Umapati.

In today's age and time, most of the readers who will read this blog article either have a business or are office-goers. However, there may be women readers who are home-makers. In either cases it is highly improbable that the bhakt will stay at home the whole time. So, I shall write my views on this in as much practical sense as possible.

Q) Can anyone do this?
A) Yes.
Just as Shiv is in every living soul, just as every life is a proof of Shiva's existence, so can any living soul do this vrat and gain His blessings.

Q) What is the procedure of doing this vrat?
A) Can there be any fixed procedure for showing one's compassion to one's Aaradhya? So, there is no fixed procedure to do this procedure, atleast none that I know of. However, I will share how I perform this vrat.
Every Monday I wake up filled with joy that today I get to do something for my Shiva, my soul. I wake up with Aum Namah Shivay mantra. I look at the rising Sun and raise a glass of water and ask Shiva to give me strength to complete today's vrat and drink the glass of water remembering Him. Then I finish off toilet, have my bath and go to work.
At work I avoid any confrontation on Mondays, avoid bad words, avoid group gossip. I have my ipod which I listen to Shiva mantras while working. I don't go for lunch with my work colleagues on Mondays. I talk as little as possible. I concentrate on my dharma, which at that moment is my work, my assignments for the day. If I have meetings, I stick to my agenda and generally tend to talk less. The reason is that speech is the source of all trouble (remember Dakshinamurthy teaching through silence).
At around Madhyanya (mid-day around 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm depending on the zone of Earth where one resides), I have some fruits. Sometimes I even skip this and just carry on with water. I generally leave work at 5:00 pm on Mondays and come home before sunset. At sunset I remember if I have objected my Lord in anyway during the day and seek forgiveness for all sins done. I pray to Shiva with MahaMrityunjaya mantra and take some fruits and a glass of milk.
In the evening I skip social get-together on Mondays and avoid lies. I generally try to do something that pleases the Lord very much. I generally call up my grandparents and chat with them, I call up my parents and tell them how much I miss them. One should remember the story of Ganesha's parikrama of his mother and father as He regarded them as the Universe and how much it pleased Shiva and Parvati. Karma is the best way to appease the Lord, much superior than elaborate rituals. Doing something good for elders, Gurus and parents and pleasing them pleases the Lord automatically.
I sleep around 10:00 Pm peaceful, placid and contended and with a prayer that the Lord keep showering His merciful blessings on His bhakts.
I try to observe satwick lifestyle during the vrat and avoid lies. Satya or truth is loved Shiva and thus one should avoid telling a single lie during the vrat.

Q)How is this vrat possible for women if it has to be continuous?
A)Menstrual cycle shouldn't matter - This is the one word answer to this question.
Mother who is the Jagadjanini, who we worship daily -have we asked if we should avoid worshiping her during certain days? If mother can be worshiped, then mother-kind can worship too. I strongly oppose this idea of banning women from worship on certain days of the month. The reason that it was brought in place was very different - places of worship would become untidy as most modern measures used today were not present. Those days have long gone and makes ZERO sense in today's age and time. So mother-kind, please do not hesitate to do this vrat.

Q)The question of upvas-What should we eat and what we shouldn't?
A)Anything that makes you feel that you are sacrificing something by not eating it, shouldn't be eaten.
Lets us understand the word Upvas and the meaning associated with it. Upvas means living with the Lord. If the Lord comes to your house, you will be so pre-occupied by attending to Him that you will forget to attend to yourself i.e. your dress, your food, your laundry, your movies, your social functions, your meetings etc.
Eating is just a part of living. During this vrat, the essence of Upvas has to be lived-which is control of instincts. If you cannot live without non-veg food, the you cannot eat it during this vrat. If you are a vegetarian, then you have to sacrifice what you eat normally. If you eat cronflakes every morning, you have control your instinct and avoid eating it during this vrat days. If you eat rice, roti etc. as a habit then you have to control it during this vrat. This is the essence of upvas that we should all understand. However, please remember that control of instincts doesn't mean killing oneself or punishing one's body beyond tolerance. Gastractive patients should eat what is necessary for them. Shiva is also one's own self. So to punish one's own self to the point beyond tolerance is also annoying Shiva. The intention is not control one's natural instinct without causing harm to typical bodily functions.
I don't eat fruits much on usual days so during this vrat, I take only fruits and milk once. One should make this judgement himself/herself and in accordance with one's own conscience.

Q)What mantras should I chant?
A)Anything that pleases your soul.
The word mantra means something that pleases the maan, the mind. Even if you donot chant a single mantra and at the end of the day said "I love you" to your parents, that is much more pleasing to the Lord than even a Rudrabhishekam. The single teardrop of joy from your grand-father's eyes when he receives your call will send your vrat message directly to Shiva more than reciting any Rudra Chamakam. Deeds please the Lord more than any ritual. However, if you are interested in the sanskrit mantras, you can use a variety of options available on the web. I always beileved in keeping it simple, so I have only chanted Panchaksari mantra during the sixteen Mondays. Although I do listen to a lot of bhajans and stotras during the day.

Q)Do I have to fast?
A)No, you don't need to do. Please refer to my earlier explanation of upvas.

Q)Can women do this vrat?
A)Very much. Monthly cycles is a natural phenomenon and how can Pashupatinath (the ruler of all animal kingdom, human included) have a problem with that?

Q)What do I do on the 17th. Monday?
A)Whatever you do, make sure you are seeking blessings of your elders. Without that you shall not receive the blessings of Shiva, the Adi Guru.
I shall mention what I did. I called my friends (as I was away from home) to my place. I performed Rudrabhishekam. I made the Shivlinga out of atta, turmeric and chandan. I called my elders at home to seek their blessings. I shared the story of Solah Somvar Vrat with them.
My friends had brought cooked food with them. We all sat and ate together chanting Aum Namah Shivay.

Q)Where can I find the story of Solah Somvar Vrat Katha?
A) http://satyamshivamsundaram.blogspot.com/2005/11/aaradhana.html#comments

Spread the word, please the Lord and be Happy!

~ Souvik

Aradhana - Devi Sooktam

2008-10-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

Devi Sooktam!

Aayo Devi Mahima Gaye!

2008-10-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

Sing Along Devi's Mahima!

Aradhya Devi Maha Maya

2008-10-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

Jai Jai Hey Mahishasura Mardini!

Aadar

2008-10-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

Jai Shiv Shambhu!

Anta Hoyeo Anta Noy- Shubho Bijoya

2008-10-08T22:04:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Dasamai is here and tears have already started rolling down the cheeks of millions. Its time to say good bye to the Mother.

However, there is still reason to celebrate. It is after all Bijoya-the victory of Good over Evil.

Shubho Bijoya to all readers!

~ Souvik

An Email from the Goddess Herself!

2008-10-07T12:01:00.001-07:00

From here.

Dear readers,

This is not my article. It is written by Sandip Roy and Illustration by Uttam Ghosh.

Please take this email from Mahamaya in a very light note. She had just come out from a quarrel with Shambhu before writing this email! :)

~ Souvik

In the olden days whenever I, Durga, came down to earth to visit my father's home, the astrologers and priests would figure out how I was coming each year.
Was it by boat? Oh no, that meant floods
Was it by elephant? That meant good harvests.

It was not easy going all over India on an elephant from the pandals in Chittaranjan Park's Bengali corner in New Delhi to Jaymahal in Bangalore and of course, the hundreds of pujas all over Kolkata.

But now it's truly getting out of hand! America, Canada, London, Tokyo.
How is one goddess, even with 10 arms supposed to keep up with all this?

The problem, dear Bengali in the Diaspora, is I know how much all this means to you. And I hate to disappoint you. So I come every year across oceans and continents.

But here is my Pujo list of things that would make my life easier:

~ I know Kolkata shuts down for five days during Durga Puja. But now it's turned into a month long affair with you Diasporan types. I am sorry, I just went through my booking schedule. I have to be on call from September 27 in Hayward, California to October 19 in Torrance, California. In between I am going to have to make it to Phoenix, Stamford, Atlanta, Tampa, Chicago, St Louis, Washington DC, Dallas and more. I love you all but it's getting a bit too much. Really, does one Bay Area need five Pujos one the weekend before the actual dates, one on the days of, one the weekend after and two others just because you are too lazy to drive to the other three? I mean what next? You'll be having Durga Puja in your private two-car garages. Remember I am a festival, not a block party.

~ All your children are very talented and I bless them all but they don't all need to be in the song and dance show. I cannot, just cannot sit through another talent competition listening to your little darlings lisp through Bengali songs. And most of all I am afraid that the stampede of mothers in their new saris trying to make sure their Pinky or Neel gets the limelight is going to knock me off the stage. And don't even get me started on the daddies in their raw silk kurtas trampling over each other as they try to get the best view of the stage with their camcorders.

~ It took me the longest time to get those Calcuttans off the what-can-we-make-Ma-Durga-out-of-this-time gimmick. I've suffered, yes suffered as I've been made out of newspapers, matchboxes, bottles, pins and god knows what else. But just as we were all getting back to good old fashioned clay here you guys come. I am not a plaster of Paris goddess. I am not a fiber glass goddess. You can paint me all you like to look like the earthen goddess I am. But I know my smile is painted on as I stand in some draughty school auditorium. Inside I am just fiberglass.

~ I don't really mind the two-day Pujo. But ohh the jet lag, the jet lag. I just can't be blessing you in Los Angeles one day and take the red-eye to New Jersey. It's not easy to travel with an entire family and pets, you know, not to mention a demon. Could you guys coordinate with each other a little more? The Bangla bands you are flying in from Kolkata also told me to tell you the same thing.

~ And did I mention what a pain it is to fly these days? I mean gone are the days when all I worried about was whether or not someone had booked the Hindu vegetarian meal for all of us, except for Mahisasura who eats anything. Now there are all these baggage charges. I mean charging for the first bag! My heavens, I cannot believe it. And have you ever tried to get your array of weapons through the X-ray? Good luck. I am sorry but I was asked by YOU to come save mankind. Now I am being treated as a potential terrorist. And what about those immigration people asking me every single time if I am bringing animal or plant products into the United States?

~ Also could you people stop fighting? I don't care whose wife said what. I don't care if you think because you are vice president for sales at Intel Corporation and got an ad for that programme brochure you should have more clout on the Puja committee. I come home once a year and I would like a little less bickering please. Let me make this clear. I don't know why the Bengali Association of New England won't talk to the Bangla Sangha of New England and I don't care. But I'd rather not be in the middle of your little tug-o-war. Could you sort that out before I get there, please?

~ No more bad tinny Rabindrasangeet. And absolutely no more also-rans from Zee's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa contest. A contestant on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is NOT Manna Dey! It gives me a headache because you can wander in and out and go queue up for shingara and chai. I have to just stand there and suffer.

~ Please stop with those e-mail Bijoya cards that burst into loud dhaaker-drumbeats as soon as you open them at the office. If you want to wish someone happy Bijoya, call them, write them, go visit them with some Sondesh. Don't spam them. It doesn't make me feel more benevolent towards you. Stop. Right now.

~ Figure out the food please and the parking. This is my party and I have had enough of all those complaints about how the food line is too long, how the food ran out, how the mutton curry tasted Punjabi not Bengali like your mother made it in Shyambazar! And if you overflow from the parking lot don't park in places you are not supposed to park and then complain when the city gives you a ticket. I am a goddess, I am not a parking ticket miracle worker. I have other demons to slay.

~ I know at the end of it all you are going to pack me into a big box and load me into someone's garage for a year. I know it. I am resigned to it. But could I get a television in there? With cable? (Give me a break, I have five children to entertain!)

Anondo Sommelan

2008-10-07T06:27:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

On Oct., 4th. & Oct 5th., the University students in Chicago organized a homely Durga Pujo.

On the left is the Sandhya Pradip.

Below is Mahamaya Durga's Pandal and decoration. In the last snap I am with my childhood friend Ani.

Jai Durga!

Souvik

Aadanda Utsav

2008-10-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Live Durga Pujo from Kolkata - click here.

Sharadiyo Shubhechcha!

Souvik

Aagamani

2008-10-01T06:34:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Devi Paksha began on September 29th., 2008.

Wish all a very auspicious Durga Puja and Navratri!

Regards, Souvik

Alochana-What, Who and How is Durga?

2008-09-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

This article is not strictly religious and completely my views on Mahamaya Maa Durga and DurgaPujo.

You have every right not to agree with me and I absolutely respect any different opinion on this topic.

This is a original article and no part of this article is taken from any website.

This is a thought that came to me on my 29th. birthday and I had to express it in my blog.

Symbolism of Durga

Let us first visit the story of Mahamaya Maa Durga.
Rambha, (boon gainer from Agni Dev), fell in love with a Mahisha and through their union was born Mahisasur. After severe austerities Mahisasura was given a boon by the creator Brahma that no man or God would be able to kill him.

Mahish or the Bull is indicative of desire, lust, craving, intertia - the most basic of human instincts.
The very nature of this instinct is that it cannot be killed by a man or a God. It is immune to punishment, hard-work, stress etc.
The only aspect this instinct is stimulus to is that to the object of its deep rooted desire - its object of lust, in this case a woman.

When MahaDevi appeared before Mahisasura, he wanted to mate with Her and make Her his wife. Thus, this instinct fails to realize and undermines the fact that the very object of its affection can cause its demise.

Durga crumbles this ego in humans. Durga stands for the fact that one's own desire can be the cause of one's end. Desire, interia, unquenched thirst is represented by the Bull, Mahisa. The vahana of Mahamaya is the Lion, the symbolic of the soul.

When the soul realises that the desire is improper, then only can it pounce upon it and Devi kills it.

Improper desire, passion etc. rise in the human mind every time. However, the soul has to be shaken, the consciousness has to fight it and there by making the Lion pounce upon the Bull.
It is this very soul that differentiates us from lesser species which acts only based on instinct. This consciousness is our touch with the divine.

The Devi is within all of us, Durga is in all of us and the battle with Mahisasura is being fought every day, every hour and every minute.

It is important we see this battle and make Durga win every time.

Regards,

Souvik

Aagamani

2008-09-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

Pitr-Paksha begins: Tuesday, 16-09-2008

~ Souvik

Arambha Utsav

2008-09-02T19:23:00.001-07:00

Wishing all readers a Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!

Jai Shree Ganesh!

~ Souvik

Adbhut Lila

2008-08-24T09:26:00.001-07:00

Dear reader,

Happy Janmashtami to all!

~ Souvik

o maiyyā morī, maiń nahiń mākhan khāyo

(1)

bhor bhayo gaiyana ke pāche

(tune) madhubana mohi paṭhāyo

cara prahara vaḿśī vata bhaṭakyo

sāñjha pade ghara āyo

(maiyyā, maiń kab mākhan khāyo)

(2)

maiń bālaka vahi yan ko choṭo choṭo

yeh chīko vidhī pāyo

yeh gvāla bāla sab bair pade haiń

bar-bas mukha lapaṭāyo

(3)

yeh le apani lakuṭa kambalīya

bahuta hī nāca nacāyo

jiye tere kuch bheda upaj hai

tuhe mohe jāñyo, parayo jāñyo

sūra dāsa tab hasī yaśodā

le ura kaṇṭha lagāyo

(naina nīra bharī āyo)

(te nahin mākhan khāyo)

Alochana-Capillary Action

2008-08-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

‘Milk-gulping’ Shiva
Thursday August 14 2008 10:55 IST
ROURKELA: Call it a scientific process or a miracle, stone images of Lord Shiva and His carrier Nandi reportedly gulped milk in Sundargarh district. Hundreds of devotees thronged the Shiva temple at Gopabandhupali here and reportedly fed both the divine objects milk and water. Scientists attributed the cause to capillary action.

This is not the first time this incident has happened. September 21st., 1995-Hindus all over the world observed this phenomenon.

To read the details about the incident, please click here.

I guess it is time that we realised two things:
1) Science either has an explanation about the things we call "miracles" or there exists one but it still hasn't be discovered.
2) We don't need miracles to have faith

~Souvik

Aadi Shakti

2008-06-09T23:55:00.000-07:00

Image from here.

To read Durga Saptashati in Sanskrit click here.

To read the interpretation click here.

The story:

Before the creation of the world, Lord Vishnu lay in deep meditative sleep on his serpent coiled in the form of a couch. A lotus then sprang from his navel, on which was seated the god of creation Brahma. No sooner had this happened than two demons named Madhu and Kaitabh also sprang from the earwax of Vishnu, intending to kill Brahma.

Brahma tried to awaken Lord Vishnu by shaking the stalk of the lotus he was sitting on, but in vain. He then realized that the sleep that had settled on Vishnu’s eyes was the Great Goddess in her form of Mahamaya, an expression of the divine mother’s power of delusion. Brahma then worshipped her with an inspiring hymn of praise, asking her to release Vishnu from his slumber. The ever-compassionate goddess obliged.
Awakening, Vishnu held Madhu Kaitabh and engaged them in a combat, which went on for five thousand years. The two demons then puffed up with pride, thinking themselves invincible. It was at this moment that the great goddess struck at the duo with her maya, making them vain enough to say to Lord Vishnu himself:
"We are pleased with your power and strength. Go ahead and ask for a boon."
Vishnu immediately seized the opportunity and asked for the boon that they be slain by him then and there. Indeed, one should always watch out for those moments of pride, which are the opportune instances for maya to delude us.

Thus cornered, the duo realized their folly; but seeing water everywhere, were wise enough to ask that they be killed only in a dry place. Vishnu then sat down in the water itself. However, like the auspicious lotus remains untouched by the water it grows in, similarly did Vishnu’s lotus like body remain untainted. He then proceeded to place both of them on either thigh, and cut off their heads.

I have found two interpretations of the Madhu Kaitabha story on the internet.

Version 1 from here:

Madhu actually means honey and he represents attachment (raag) to this world, which seems sweet to us. Kaitabh means a pricking thorn and signifies our aversion (dvesha) to things we deem as unpleasant. Both of these traits, which do much to make up our overall nature or temperament (prakriti or svabhav), is a residue carried over from numerous previous births. Both are products of maya and need to be annihilated.
In another interpretation, Madhu is honeyed praise, while Kaitabh is sour criticism, both of which enter through our ears, but are two side of the same mayic coin and need to be discarded. In either of the interpretations, the two demons attack our intelligence, symbolized by Brahma who is the patron deity of intellect. The Bhagavad Gita says:
"When your intellect, though perplexed by what you have heard, shall stand immovable and steady, then shall you attain self-realization". (2.53)

The goddess as restful sleep is an apt metaphor signifying her motherhood. When a mother sees her small child tired after playing in the fierce sun, she catches hold of him, feeds him and pats him to sleep, even against his own wishes, knowing very well that the sleep will restore his energy. Indeed, while our whole day is spent in emptying our shakti, the compassionate goddess takes it on herself to continue replenishing it. So she puts Vishnu to rest, tired after the exhausting task of maintaining the universe, and when the next creative cycle begins, relieves him from his slumber.
However, we cannot win over the two demons of attachment/aversion or praise/criticism, relying solely on our own powers, like Lord Vishnu who was unable to defeat them even after many years of fierce battle. The only way to win over maya is to surrender ourselves to Mahamaya, the goddess who created it in the first place. The fact that the two demons asked to be killed in a dry spot is also loaded with spiritual symbolism. Both these pairs of traits can only be destroyed on the ground of Vairagya (disenchantment), which is the dry state of existence, devoid of all worldly rasa.
However, the state of the goddess symbolized by sleep is not her brightest manifestation. The Gita says:
"The pleasure arising from sleep is known as tamasic." (18.39)

Version 2 from here:

Madhu means honey. "Madhu keeta" means an insect of honey, i.e. honey bee. Madhukaita means belonging to honey bees. It can be the qualities or nature of honeybees. One of the meanings of "bha" is "having a similarity to". Thus, in myjudgment, "Madhu Kaitabha" means "having a semblance to the nature of honeybees".

Madhu Kaitabhameans "having a semblance to the quality of honeybees". What is the quality ofhoney bees? Well, they keep working hard to accumulate the sweet honey! They arenot intelligent enough to think about any higher things in life. Thus, MadhuKaitabha are an allegory to the quality within us which makes us work hard, likehoneybees, with a single-minded focus on accumulating material comforts. Likehoneybees accumulate honey, we accumulate material objects and spend whole lifeworking hard doing just that.

Vishnu is a personification of the sattwa guna of the Parama Purusha(Universal/Absolute Being). Within us, Vishnu is an allegory to the sattwa gunawithin us. Madhu Kaitabha were born from Vishnu's earwax when He was alseep. Theability to work hard like a bee is not really a terrible thing. This ability isessentially born from the sattwa guna within us, when it is in deep slumber(i.e. sattwa guna covered by taamasi shakti, i.e. sattwa guna that "manifests"in a taamasik way).

There are so many good people in this world, who just spend their entire livesin honest labor like the honeybees and accumulate things for themselves andothers around them. Their sattwa is in deep sleep and Madhu Kaitabha born fromthat asleep sattva are very much active.

The problem with this focus on hard work and accumulation of material objects isthat it keeps us away from supreme bliss. Madhu Kaitabha's attack on Brahma andVedas is symbolic of that. Vedas symbolize the supreme and liberating knowledgeof self and Brahma, the carrier of Vedas, symbolizes the sadhana to achieve thesupreme knowledge. The focus on working like honeybees and accumulating materialobjects tries to kills one's ability to do sadhana and obtain supreme knowledgeof self.

Vishnu battles Madhu Kaitabha for 5,000 years. Devi Bhagavatam even describesthat Vishnu wondered in the middle how to defeat Madhu Kaitabha, as He findsthem quite formidable! Even when the sattva in us awakens, it is difficult forit to overcome the formidable instinct to lead the life of a honeybee and toaccumulate the material objects for oneself and others.

When Madhu Kaitabha finally agree to be slain by Vishnu, they ask Him to killthem in a place where there is no water. They see that there is water all aroundand think that there is no place where there is no water. The Mooladhara,Swadhishthana, Manipoora, Anahata and Visuddhi chakras are the seats of earthy,watery, fiery, airy and ethery elements respectively. Swadhishthana chakra issupposed to control desires and hence water symbolizes desire. As long as thereis desire, it is tough to overcome the instinct of just working for materialobjects!

When they want a place that has no water, Vishnu shows his thighs. There is nowater there and only earthy element. This suggests that Parama Purusha'sMooladhara chakra is in the thighs of Vishu.

According to Parasara, thighs are seen from the 9th house of dharma. The earthyelement symbolizes the commitment and stability. The fact that earthy elementcame from the thighs of Vishnu shows that it is the dharma of sattwa gunasustaining this universe that ensures that there is commitment and stability inthis creation.

Moreover, it is apt that someone born in the ears (3rd house) of Vishnu foundend in the thighs (9th house, i.e. 7th house of death from the 3rd house) ofVishnu! Similarly, Brahma, who is born from the navel (6th house) of Vishnu should naturally find His end in the 12th house of Vishnu (feet), which is the7th house of death from the 6th house! That may be why Vishnu goes to sleep,when there is a change of Brahma.

Thus, the instinct within us to keep accumulating material objects like honeybees accumulate honey finds its end in the dharma of the sattwa guna, i.e. whenthe sattwa guna within us follows its dharma. Then we are fully awakespiritually. Naturally, the path to self-knowledge becomes open then and Brahmabecomes elated.

Thus, the story of Madhu-Kaitabha refers, allegorically, to the instinct most ofus have towards leading a "regular" life, working hard like honeybees andaccumulating objects for self and others and how that instinct needs to bedefeated by waking up the sattwa guna and allowing to perform its dharma.

Advent into Aries

2008-04-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

Shubho Noboborsho and Happy Mesh Shankranti to all readers!

~ Souvik

Add a little color!

2008-03-21T23:33:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Wish you and your loved ones Happy Holi!

Here's a little about Holi.

Regards,

Souvik

Astral Details

2008-03-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

Maha Shiv Ratri timings (USA, CST)

Start:
Date: March 5, 2008
Time: 14:01:45
Time Zone: 6:00:00 (West of GMT)
Place: 87 W 39' 00", 41 N 51' 00"
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Altitude: 596.00 meters
Tithi: Krishna Chaturdasi (Ve) (100.00% left)
Vedic Weekday: Wednesday (Me)
Nakshatra: Dhanishtha (Ma) (67.55% left)
Yoga: Siva (Me) (55.09% left)
Karana: Vishti (Sa) (99.99% left)
Hora Lord: Mercury (5 min sign: Ar)

End:
Date: March 6, 2008
Time: 12:55:29
Time Zone: 6:00:00 (West of GMT)
Place: 87 W 39' 00", 41 N 51' 00"
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Altitude: 596.00 meters
Tithi: Krishna Chaturdasi (Ve) (0.00% left)
Vedic Weekday: Thursday (Ju)
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Maha Shivratri or Maha Sivaratri or Shivaratri or Sivaratri (Night of Shiva) is a Hindu festival celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha of the month Maagha (as per Shalivahana) or Phalguna (as per Vikrama) in the Hindu Calendar.

Advent of the Event

2008-03-03T19:59:00.000-08:00

Date: 6th. day of March, 2008

Day: Thursday

The Event: Maha Shiv Ratri

From here

The term ‘Shiva' is a confluence of two syllables, ‘Shi' and ‘Va', meaning the ‘redeemer of sins' and ‘liberator of sufferings'.

The Shvetashvetara Upanishad says, "Shiva is more minute than the minutest".

He is often considered to convey a divine dot, a point or seed of cosmic creation, sustenance and conclusion. In numerical counting, the devout Hindus says ‘Shiva' instead of uttering ‘one' which points to His position in the universe as the originator.

Shivapurana mentions the oval flame or jyotirlinga form of Shiva. The Sanskrit suffix linga signifies mark, sign, symbol, quality or characteristics of an entity that has two phonetic parts: lin or laya and gam or agaman respectively, referring to the process of destruction and recreation which Shiva epitomises.

Shiva is effulgent and beyond three attributes of sattva , rajas and tamas . With rajas in the form of Brahma, He creates; with sattva in the form of Vishnu, He preserves, and with tamas in the form of Rudra, He destroys. When the world is in darkness of ignorance Shiva appears in the form of a column of light, Jyotirlinga , in front of deities Brahma and Vishnu. In the race to prove their superiority they try to fathom the column of light, but fail. Shiva, along with all human souls, dwells in the supreme abode of divine illumination and complete silence. It is called Shanti Dham or Param Dham and is located amidst the sixth element of sacred light, far beyond the physical universe.

Localised in incarnated bodies through successive births and interaction with material world, humans experience entropy and complete loss of all available energy. They pray for divine intervention and help. In human ignorance, Jyotirlinga Shiva descends on earth in the corporeal body of Prajapita Brahma and reveals His sacred knowledge about soul, supreme soul, world drama, law of karma and raja-yoga meditation for recharging human souls by linking their minds to the supreme source of spiritual energies. His divine knowledge, revealed through Brahma, gives us insight to see the self and other beings as soul (tiny conscient point of divine light in the forehead) and to experience its innate and original qualities of purity, peace, love, bliss, knowledge, power and happiness. The regular practice of such soul consciousness would make you so light, positive, peaceful, blissful and powerful that your meditation and contemplation become effortless.

Cultivation of soul consciousness would also foster essential unity, harmony and brotherhood of mankind under the spiritual fatherhood of one incorporeal Supreme Being. By seeking the companionship of Supreme Soul Shiva in meditation, we need not make special efforts to weed out unwanted, negative and harmful personality traits, habits, leanings and dependencies as they would automatically not only get sublimated in the subtle fire of intellectual communion or yoga of our inner self with the divine being, but would also be substituted with the natural, pure, positive, healthy and benevolent qualities, powers and proclivities. Being firmly seated in the joyful experience of our inner-self, we can smoothly connect and commune with the Almighty who is the eternal source of infinite spiritual knowledge, virtues and strength. By this simple and natural process of introspection and contemplation on self and the Supreme, we can empower ourselves and become one with Sat-Chit-Anand , truth-consciousness-bliss.

From here

Shiva is 'Shakti', Shiva is power, Shiva is the destroyer, the most powerful god of the Hindu pantheon and one of the godheads in the Hindu Trinity. Known by many names - Mahadeva, Mahayogi, Pashupati, Nataraja, Bhairava, Vishwanath, Bhava, Bhole Nath - Lord Shiva is perhaps the most complex of Hindu deities.
Hindus recognize this by putting his shrine in the temple separate from those of other deities. Shiva, in temples is usually found as a phallic symbol of the linga, which represents the energies necessary for life on both the microcosmic and the macrocosmic levels, that is, the world in which we live and the world which constitutes the whole of the universe.
In a Shaivite temple, the linga is placed in the centre underneath the spire, where it symbolizes the naval of the earth. The actual image of Shiva is also distinct from other deities: his hair piled high on the top of his head, with a crescent tucked into it and the river Ganges tumbling from his hairs. Around his neck is a coiled serpent representing Kundalini or the spiritual energy within life.
He holds a trident in his left hand in which is bound the 'damroo' (small leather drum). He sits on a tiger skin and on his right is a water pot. He wears the 'Rudraksha' beads and his whole body is smeared with ash.
Shiva is believed to be at the core of the centrifugal force of the universe, because of his responsibility for death and destruction. Unlike the godhead Brahma, the Creator, Shiva is the dissolving force in life. But Shiva dissolves in order to create, since death is the medium for rebirth into a new life. So the opposites of life and death and creation and destruction both reside in his character.
He is also often portrayed as the supreme ascetic with a passive and composed disposition. Sometimes he is depicted riding a bull called Nandi decked in garlands. Although a very complicated deity, Shiva is one of the most fascinating of Hindu gods.
Since Shiva is regarded as a mighty destructive power, to numb his negative potentials he is fed with opium and is also termed as Bhole Shankar, one who is oblivious of the world. Therefore, on Maha Shivratri, the night of Shiva worship, devotees, especially the men folk, prepare an intoxicating drink called Thandai (made from cannabis, almonds, and milk) sing songs in praise of the Lord and dance to the rhythm of the drums.
Maha Shivratri, the night of the worship of Shiva, occurs on the 14th night of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Phalguna. It falls on a moonless February night, when Hindus offer special prayer to the lord of destruction.
Shivratri is the night when he is said to have performed the Tandava Nritya or the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. The festival is observed for one day and one night only. According to the Puranas, during the great mythical churning of the ocean called Samudra Manthan, a pot of poison emerged from the ocean.
The gods and the demons were terrified as it could destroy the entire world. When they ran to Shiva for help, he in order to protect the world, drank the deadly poison but held it in his throat instead of swallowing it.
This turned his throat blue, and since then he came to be known as Nilkantha, the blue-throated one. Shivratri celebrates this event by which Shiva saved the world. Shivratri is considered especially auspicious for women.
Married women pray for the well being of their husbands and sons, while unmarried women pray for an ideal husband like Shiva, who is the spouse of Kali, Parvati and Durga. But generally it is believed that anyone who utters the name of Shiva during Shivratri with pure devotion is freed from all sins.
He or she reaches the abode of Shiva and is liberated from the cycle of birth and death. On the day of Shivratri, a three-tiered platform is built around a fire. The topmost plank represents swargaloka (heaven), the middle one antarikshaloka (space) and the bottom one bhuloka (earth).
Eleven urns or kalash, are kept on the swargaloka plank symbolizing the eleven manifestations of the Rudra Shiva. These are decorated with bilva (woodapple leaves) and mango leaves atop a coconut representing the head of Shiva.
The uncut shank of the coconut symbolizes his tangled hair and the three spots on the fruit Shiva's three eyes.

From here

167 Hindu pilgrims arrive in Lahore

LAHORE: About 167 Hindu pilgrims crossed into Pakistan on a special train from Wagha Border on Monday to celebrate Maha Shivratri. The pilgrims will stay till March 10. Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) officials Syed Faraz Abbass, Syed Raghib Ali and Azhar Abbass received the guests and accompanied them to Gurdwara Dera Sahib, where the ETPB had made arrangements for their stay. About 200 pilgrims were expected to visit Pakistan to celebrate Maha Shivratri, but only 167 pilgrims arrived. ETPB official Aslam said the pilgrims would stay at Gurdwara Dera Sahib for a night and then would proceed to Katas Raj Temples, Chakwal, on Tuesday. He said the pilgrims would stay at the temple till March 7. He said the pilgrims would then return to Lahore. The pilgrims would stay in Lahore on March 8 and March 9, and then would visit Krishna Mandar. He said the pilgrims would leave for India on March 10. He said the authorities concerned had made special security arrangement for the pilgrims. The ETPB authorities have set up a medical dispensary, deputed Rescue 1122 squads and made provision for langar (charity meal). The word Maha Shivratri means the night of Shiva, and ceremonies are pre-arranged chiefly at nighttime. Maha Shivratri is the night on which lord Shiva and Parvati got married. Maha Shivratri falls on the 13th (or 14th) day of the dark half of ‘Phalgun’ (February-March). The event marks the night when lord Shiva performed the Tandav dance (the dance of destruction).

A Quest Beyond Astrology

2008-01-11T04:34:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

Today I started my new yahoo group "A Quest Beyond Astrology"

All the questioning minds can join the group with and contribute their views on the subject of astrology based on modern science.

Here is the link to the group.

Below is the description of my group:

"It is indeed very difficult to explain the astrological phenomenon. I am not in the least disposed to an either-or explanation. I always say that with a psychological explanation there is only the alternative: either and or! This seems to me to be the case with astrology too."

~ Carl G. Jung in a letter to Hans Bender, April 10, 1958, Carl G. Jung Letters, Volume 2, 1951-1961, p. 428.

"I know nothing of the science of astrology and I consider it to be a science, if it is a science, of doubtful value, to be severely left alone by those who have any faith in Providence."

~ Mahatma Gandhi

"We should take astrology seriously. No, I don't mean we should believe in it. I am talking about fighting it seriously instead of humouring it as a piece of harmless fun."

~ Richard Dawkins, British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and popular science

"Courteous Reader, Astrology is one of the most ancient Sciences, held in high esteem of old, by the Wise and the Great. Formerly, no Prince would make War or Peace, nor any General fight in Battle, in short, no important affair was undertaken without first consulting an Astrologer."

~ Benjamin Franklin, among many other things one of the Founding Fathers of United States of America.

We can love it or hate it but no one can deny its existence. Astrology has survived through ages and in diverse geographical locations.It is practiced in many different countries of the world and in numerous different methods.Belief is a personal choice but truth has to stand to the test of science and logic.How true is astrology? Is their any truth in it in terms of modern science? Is it science at all? Is it philosophy, psychology, art or mere gibberish?Facts, figures and references in this forum has to be concrete with authentic, recognized and respected sources and it has to be backed by science and over all logic.Join me in a quest beyond astrology to share, discuss and find the truth behind this subject.

Ashtradharini

2008-01-07T21:17:00.000-08:00

(Image from here)

On 31st. eve, a group of 70-80 men ran after and molested two girls for 15 minutes by pinning down their male friends to the ground in Mumbai, India.

Similar incidents of molesting girls or attempts to do so occured all around the country.

And we also know that this is not the first time such incidents have happened.

So, what should we do about it?

Well, these are a few things that are available for self-defense in some countries.

TASER

Stunt Guns

Other common ones are pepper spray etc.

For a country like India where population is way beyond the control of police, women needs to be empowered.

I think its high-time to legalize self-dense weapons to women with some registration code to keep track of the items being used.

Wish draupadi had a stunt gun to immobilize Dushashan.

Its time we gave Durga the trishul she deserves.

~ Souvik

Aanta-Shubho Bijoya and Happy Dusshera

2007-10-28T10:04:00.000-07:00

Shubho bijoya and happy dusshera to all readers!

~ Souvik

Aaj Shubho Nobomi-Pala prai shesh

2007-10-20T07:52:00.001-07:00

Aaj Moha Nobomi

Bangali'r mon ta jeno kharap kharap

Utsav prai shesh

Maa jeno Shob Bangali'r Maa'er kachey eki kamona

Maa, Nobomi'r ta jeno tartari shesh na hoi

Utsav kay dhore rakhar ek ontim proyash

Shubho Nobomi to all!

Jay Durga!

~ Souvik

Ananda Utsav-BAGC Durga Pujo

2007-10-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

I went to the BAGC Moha Ashthomi anushthan yesterday.

Here are some pics from the pujo and the function.

Maa Durga with her family killing Mahishashur.

Pujo shonkha and Bengali DVD/CD stall

Saree'r stall. How can Bengali women be kept away from buying sarees?

The great Indian dancer Tanushree Shankar doing the Surya Mantra dance depicting the dance associated with the dawn.

Tanushree's troupe doing the "Reincarnation" dance.

Shubhomita with her beautiful voice singing songs from her albums.

Ananda Utsav-Kolkata 'r Pandal

2007-10-19T12:44:00.001-07:00

Dear readers,

If you wish to see Kolkata's pandals, please click here.

Jai Durga!

Souvik

Aaj Moha Ashtomi - E-Porikroma

2007-10-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

For E-porikroma of Siliguri mandaps, click here.

Enjoy Ashtomi!

Jai Maa Durga!

~ Souvik

Aaj Moha Ashtomi - E-Anjali is ready

2007-10-19T08:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Durga Bhakts,

E-anjali and E-tours of temple mandaps are ready by a great effort by the Siliguri Team.

For E-anjali, click here.

Jai Durga!

Shubho Moha Ashtomi!

~ Souvik

Aaj Moha Shoptami - Pujor Shomoy

2007-10-18T08:56:00.001-07:00

Shubho Shoptomi!

Jai Durga!

Aaj Moha Shoptami - Pujor Manei ki?

2007-10-18T08:23:00.001-07:00

Pujo manei pujor kodin porashuno bondho

pujo manei shat shokale shiuliphuler gondho........

pujo manei shondhyebela thakur dekhar bheer

hoichoi aar utshobete chardeek awsthir ..............

pujo manei patshalate bajlo chhutir ghonta

pujo elei chhelebelay paliye phere monta..........

pujo manei ma duggar ahsur nidhon pala

anjali aar proshad petam pujor dupurbela..........

pujo manei notun jama notun notun shaaj

alpona aar thakurdalan daaker shaajer kaaj.........

pujo manei pujoshonkhya didir shathe aari

didi ekhon onek dure,didir shwoshurbari............

pujo manei mahalaya kashphule math shada

pujo manei aponjoner tane poruk badha..........

pujo manei shagor pahar ekchhutetei pari

shwapne kokhon pouchhe jetam meghbhashano bari.........

pujo manei dhaker baddi,pujor bishorjon

ashchhe bochhor abar esho monkharaper mon..........

ajke pujo onyorokom onnobhabe ashe

bhorer bela shishir pore? shiuli gondho bhashe?????????

hoyto ashe! hoyto shobai bodle gechhi aaj

bohumulya shomoy ekhon shobar bheeshon kaaj............

bhalo theko bondhura shob bondhu thakuk mone..........

pujor dine chhelebela abar poruk mone.........

Aagamani

2007-10-14T21:50:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

A must watch!

2004 Mahalaya Programme (Doordarshan)

Part 1

Part 2

2001 Mahalaya Programme (Doordarshan)

Part 1

Part 2

2000 Mahalaya Programme (Doordarshan)

Part 1

1994 Mahalaya Programme (Doordarshan)

Part 1

Jai Durga Durgatinashini Maa!

~ Souvik

Ananda Utsav-Bengali in Chicago Durga Pujo

2007-10-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

First time in Downtown Chicago, UIC along with the help of six other Universities organized Devi pujo and cultural function on Oct, 13th., 2007.

It was a great attempt and it felt great to be a part of the function and darshan Maa's protima.

Jai Durga!

Souvik

The details of this community's is in the following website on Durga Pujo 2007.

click here.

Awahan-Devi Durga

2007-10-12T06:08:00.000-07:00

Dear members,

To hear the legendary Mahishashur Mardini, you may refer to any of the following links.

Link 1

Link 2

Jai Durga!

Souvik

Aagaman-Devi Paksha

2007-10-05T06:32:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Its knocking!

Jai Durga!

Some important Dates:

Pitr-Paksha begins
Thursday
27-09-2007

Pitr-Paksha ends / Mahalaya
Thursday
11-10-2007

Durga Puja begins (Maha Saptami)
Friday
18-10-2007

Vijaya Dashami/Dusshera
Sunday
21-10-2007

Here is a link to some beautiful music on Maa Jagadambey!

Jai Durga!

Souvik

Again Home- Kolkata Bhromon

2007-06-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

May 31st., 2007 to June 25th., 2007 I took a vacation from work and visited India and my home town Kolkata.

Here is a brief of some of the places I visited.

City Centre, Salt Lake City- Really a cool place to hang out. Inox is good.
Forum- Another cool place. Inox is good.
Hakka Restaurant, City Centre- Average. Good decor but I wasn't really impressed with the food.
La Terrasse, Grand Hotel- Splendid. Loved it.
Eden Pavillion, Sonar Bangla- Ok. Excellent Decor but didn't get too impressed with the food.
Dakshineshwar Kali Bari- As usual my favourite place from childhood. Had a darshan of Maa on Amavasya (pure coincidence). Did a pradikshin of the dwadash shiva lingas (used to do it from childhood). Loved the renovated decor of the mandir. Did Maha Mantra kirtan with devotees. Visited Krishna mandir and Thakur's room. As usual it was an experience beyond words.
Tara peeth- Suddenly decided to visit Tara peeth. Took an A/C chair car ticket and went to Rampurhat. Had a car take me to Tara peeth. I was extremely lucky to have a "onabrito" darshan of Maa's "prokrito" rupa.

Spent a lot of time with family and near and dear ones.

In short my home visit after 2.5 years was a great experience. I loved it!

Regards,

Souvik

Aloukik

2007-05-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

A glimpse at these eyes, a pinch of reverence and a drop of devotion in a heart full of selflessness and you get nothing short of an ecstasy!

Shivoham!

I bow to the Shiva in you!

Amrit(a)-The nectar of immortality, the goal of life

2007-04-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

(From here)

Amrita or Amrit (Sanskrit: अमृत; Punjabi: ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ) is, according to Dharmic religions, immortal nectar or ambrosia (of which it is a cognate). It is the drink of the gods, which grants them immortality. In Sanskrit the word amrita literally means "without death", and is often referred to in texts as nectar.

In Hinduism
Amrit features in the Samudra manthan myth, where the gods, because of a curse from the sage Durvasa, begin to lose their immortality. With the help of the asuras (demons), they churned the sea in order to find the nectar of immortality, amrit. After drinking it, the gods regained their immortality and defeated the demons.

In Hinduism, Samudra manthan (Devanagari: समुद्र मंथन) or The churning of the ocean of milk is one of the most famous episodes in the Puranas and is celebrated in a major way every twelve years in the festival known as Kumbha Mela. The story is related in the Srimad Bhagavatam, a major work that describes the avataras in great detail.
Samudra manthan is also known as —
Samudra manthanam — Manthanam is the Sanskrit equivalent of Manthan meaning 'to churn'.
Sagar manthan — Sagar is another word for Samudra, both meaning an ocean or large water body.
Ksheersagar manthan — Ksheersagar literally means the ocean of milk. Ksheersagar = Ksheer (milk) + Sagar (ocean)

The story of Samudra manthan
The story begins with Indra riding his elephant. He came upon a sage named Durvasa. The sage decided to honor Indra by giving him a scented garland. Indra took the garland, but placed it on the forehead of his elephant. The elephant was irritated by the scent and threw the garland off, trampling on it. The angry sage cursed Indra and the Adityas(Gods)to lose all their wealth. Indra was thus immediately dispossesed of all his wealth and treasures.

Appeal to Brahma
Indra then approached Brahma to help him regain his treasures who suggested him to churn the Ocean of Milk in order to regain his treasures and obtain the Nectar of Immortality. However, such a stupendous task could not be performed by the Adityas (Gods) themselves so they sought the help of their enemies, the Asuras, with the understanding that the Asuras would be allowed to partake a portion of the Amrutha (divine nectar of immortality).

Churning the Milky Ocean
The Ocean was churned by using the Mount Mandara as the pole and the king of snakes, Vasuki as the rope which was wrapped around the mountain. The Gods held the tail of the snake while the demons(Asuras) held the head end of the snake and pulled on it alternately, causing the mountain to rotate, which in turn would caused the Ocean to be churned. However, once the mountain was put on the Ocean, it began to sink. Then came Vishnu in his second incarnation, the form of a turtle Kurma, to support the mountain on his shell back.

Halahal
As the ocean was churned, a deadly poison known as Halahala emerged. This poison threatened to suffocate all living things. In response to various prayers, Shiva drank the poison; his wife Parvati, alarmed, stopped it in his throat with her hands. This caused the throat to turn blue. Due to this, he is called Nīlakantha (nīla = "blue", kantha = "throat"). Then, various treasures (ratnas) emerged from the ocean of milk.

The 14 Ratnas were:
Sura, goddess and creator of wine
Apsarases, various divine nymphs like Rambha, Menaka
Kaustubha, the most valuable jewel in the world
Uchhaishravas, the divine 7-headed horse
Kalpavriksha, the wish-granting tree
Kamadhenu, the first cow and mother of all other cows
Airavata, the elephant which is the steed of Indra
Lakshmi, the Goddess of Fortune and Wealth
Parijat vriksh (tree)
Halahala or Kaalkut poison
Chandra, the moon
Dhanvantari with
Amrita

The nectar of immortality
Finally, Dhanvantari, the Heavenly Physician, emerged with a pot containing amrita, the heavenly nectar of immortality. As the Asuras rushed to take the nectar, the frightened Adityas appealed to Vishnu, who then took the form of Mohini. As a beautiful and enchanting damsel, Mohini distracted the Asuras, took the amrita and distributed it amongst the Adityas who drank it. One Asura, Rahu, disguised himself as an Aditya, and drank some Nectar. But before the Nectar could pass his throat, Mohini cut off his head with Her Sudarshana Chakra. The head, due to its contact with the amrita, remained immortal. It is believed that this immortal head occasionally swallows the sun or the moon, causing eclipses. Then, the sun or moon passes through the opening at the neck, ending the eclipse.
The story ends with the rejuvenated Adityas defeating the Asuras.

Symbolism of Samudra manthan
The story represents the spiritual endeavor of a person to achieve self-realisation through concentration of mind, withdrawal of senses, control of desires and practice of austerities and asceticism.
The Devas and Asuras represent the positives and negatives respectively of one's personality. The participation of both the Devas and the Asuras signifies that when one is seeking bliss through spiritual practice, one has to integrate and harmonise both the positive and negative aspects and put both the energies to work for the common goal.
The ocean of milk is the mind or the human consciousness. The mind is like an ocean while the thoughts and emotions are the waves in the ocean.
Mandhara, the mountain symbolises concentration. The word Mandhara is made up of two words Mana (mind) and Dhara (a single line) which means holding the mind in one line. This is possible only by concentration.
Mount Mandhara was upheld by Lord Vishnu as a Kurma (tortoise). The tortoise here symbolises the withdrawal of the senses into oneself (just as a tortoise withdraws its head into its shell) as one practices mental concentration and meditation or contemplation.
Vasuki symbolises desire. Vasuki used in the churning of the ocean denotes that the Devas and the demons held desire (to seek immortality) as a rope and churned the mind with the help of concentration and withdrawal of the senses. Desire, if not controlled will overpower and destroy an individual.
The Halahala poison symbolises suffering and pain (counter-reaction of the mind and body) that one undergoes at the beginning of spiritual sadhana (practice). When the mind is subjected to intense concentration, the first thing that comes out of the process is intense suffering and great inner turmoil. These must be resolved otherwise further progress is not possible.
Lord Shiva symbolises the ascetic principle. His role in this story as the consumer of poison suggests that one can deal with the early problems of spiritual life by cultivating the qualities of Lord Shiva, namely, courage, initiative, willingness, discipline, simplicity, austerity, detachment, compassion, pure love and asceticism.
The various precious objects that come out of the ocean during the churning stand for the psychic or spiritual powers (Siddhis) which one gains as s/he progresses spiritually from stage to stage. The seeker should be careful about these powers as they can hamper her/his progress unless s/he uses them judiciously, not for selfish gains but for others' welfare. This is the reason why the Gods and demons distributed these objects as they did not want to lose sight of their original aim which was to gain immortality.
Dhanvantari symbolises health and signifies that immortality (longevity, to be correct) or spiritual success can be achieved only when the body and the mind are in a perfect state of health.
Mohini symbolises delusion of the mind in the form of (or originating from) pride. It is the pride of achievement to which the asuras or the demons succumbed and thus lost sight of their goal. Pride and egoism are the last hurdles one has to overcome in spiritual life before experiencing self-realisation.
The Amrit(a) symbolises the ultimate achievement of the goal of self-realistion.

In yogic philosophy (see yoga, Hindu philosophy) amrita is a fluid that can flow from the pineal gland down the throat in deep states of meditation. It is considered quite a boon: some yogic texts say that one drop is enough to conquer death and achieve immortality.

In Sikhism
Amrit is the name of the holy water used in the baptism ceremony (known as Amrit Sanchar or Amrit Chhakhna by the Sikhs). This ceremony is observed to initiate the Sikhs into the Khalsa brotherhood. The ceremony requires the drinking of the Amrit. This water is created by mixing a number of soluble ingredients, including sugar, and is then mixed with a Khanda (a type of sword) with the accompaniment of scriptural recitation of five sacred Banis (chants).

In Buddhism
Amrita, under its Tibetan name of dutsi, also features in Tibetan Buddhist mythology, where it is linked to the killing of the monster Rahu by Vajrapani, whose blood dripped onto the surface of this earth, causing all kinds of medicinal plants to grow - which are now used to make dutsi.

Arambh

2007-04-15T00:32:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Wish all of you Shubho Noboborsho!

Lets celebrate the exalted Sun!

Regards,

Souvik

Atom and the Shiv Linga

2007-04-01T00:16:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

I recommend a good video link ( here )

Regards,

Souvik

Are you ready to face the truth?

2007-03-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

Recently I have been accused of not paying too much attention to my blogs and my yahoo group. Well there is truth to some extent to this but there are justifiable reasons to this too - some personal and some official.

However, in this article I would try to make up for my lack of projected devotion to my "alternative" life.

As I have restated time and again, that to me Shiva is not just a mythological figure and I have time and again tried to delve deeper into Him in cosmological perspective.

2012 has been an extremely intriguing subject for me for long. Recently an episode on the History Channel reignited this interest again.

The below article is completely my research and has absolutely no copyright. Anybody can reproduce it, make copies as many as they like and share it with anyone (even put their names as the author as I don't really care about it). The intention is to bring forth my ideas and the substantial evidence to support my claims. This is my view-point and the reader is absolutely free to disregard it as non-sense. I have tried to stick to references from reliable sources (websites) rather than "personal websites" which may indulge in their biased views (which may or may not be universally accepted).

Shiva as the centre of the galaxy-The Black hole!
We all know the very popular mythological tale of Ganesha winning a contest against his brother Murugan (Kartikeya) by cirumbulating the Shiva and Parvati as the center of the universe.
Was this tale just a mythological lesson of respect to one's parents or was there more to it than this?
(Link from here)
February 29, 2000 -- The core of the Milky Way galaxy is a busy place. It's filled with giant molecular clouds, the remnants of exploding stars, and mysterious filaments hundreds of light years long. At the center of this menagerie lies an object radio astronomers call Sagittarius A*. Sag A* is a radio source that looks like a faint quasar. Scientists have long suspected that it is powered by a supermassive black hole with 2.6 million times the mass of our Sun.

In the diagram above (taken from the NASA website), a few things caught my sight.
The snake, the mouse and the location of the "black hole" in constellation of Saggitarius.
I am sure most readers are well aquainted with the symbolism of Snakes with Shiva and mouse with Ganesha. Was this story of circumbulating Shiva by Ganesha actually trying to project this cosmic phenomenon?

In Hindu astrological system, the Dwi-bhava Rasis (Dual zodiac signs) have been designated to be ruled by Shiva. Pisces, Saggitarius, Gemini and Virgo being the four Dual signs. Out of these four signs, the sign with Agni tattwa (Firy sign) is Saggitarius. Most of us are aware of the association of Shiva with the third eye and fire. Is this just another coincidence?

2012/2013/2014
Extremely intruiging are these three years. Here is the summary of why I belive these three years are quite important.

2012
The Legend: Readers are just requested to google "Mayan + 2012" or any such sensible words and there are tons of websites where the readers would find intelligible material on this calender and this year. The summary is that Mayans along with some other ancient civilizations (mentioned in I-Ching) have predicted the end of the world (as we know of today) on 21st. December, 2012.
The Science: Astronomers believe that on this very day, the Earth, the Sun (our Sun) and the Black hole at the centre of our galaxy would come in perfect alignment. The results are yet unknown. Most scientists believe that the process would cause polar reversals and some claim that the process has already begun. In lay man terms, it could mean a topographical reconstruction of the Earth's outer strata (well not so lay man terms I guess).

2013
The reversal of this date gives an extremely interesting number. If 2013 is mirrored it gives the number 3102. It is believed by most Hindu ancient scholars that Kali Yug began after the "death" of Sri Krishna and the date is speculated to have been 18th. February, 3102 B.C.
A mirror image of the end of Kali yuga but is that the only reason why this year is special, if at all we can say it is. The below analysis of number is my personal observation and if I am lucky you may not have seen this earlier.
3102 B.C. to 0 B.C. (A.D.) = 3102 years
2013 A.D. to 0 A.D. (B.C.) = 2013 years
Total years = 5115 years
This year from again the ZERO B.C. (A.D.) line seems to have a special significance (under margins of error).

The expected birth year of Sri Rama (the avataar of Vishnu ) by most ancient scholars is 10th. January, 5114 B.C.
5114 years is approximately (within an error margin of 1 year ~ 5115) the total of time difference between the beginning of Kali Yuga and its error image year. Another coincidence perhaps!

2014
I have written about this year years ago in many astrological groups I was a member of. This relates to the Srimad Bhagvatam - the appearance of Kalki.
When Sun, Moon and Jupiter together enters Pushya nakshatra then would appear Kalki...it goes to give the description of his birth etc.
This astrological phenomenon happens on 26/27th. July 2014 A.D.

Interested in more...then please await my next article...trust me this is just the tip of the iceberg!

~ Souvik

Ang se Ang lagana-Holi Hay!

2007-03-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

In Vaishnava Theology, Hiranyakashipu is the king of demons, and he had been granted a boon by Brahma, which made it almost impossible for him to be killed. The boon was due to his long penance, after which he had demanded that he not be killed "during day or night; inside the home or outside; not on earth or on sky; neither by a man nor an animal; neither by astra nor by shastra". Consequently, he grew arrogant, and attacked the Heavens and the Earth. He demanded that people stop worshipping gods and start praying to him.
Despite this, Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlad, was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. In spite of several threats from Hiranyakashipu, Prahlad continued offering prayers to Lord Vishnu. He was poisoned but the poison turned to nectar in his mouth. He was ordered to be trampled by elephants yet remained unharmed. He was put in a room with hungry, poisonous snakes and survived. All of Hiranyakashipu's attempts to kill his son failed. Finally, he ordered young Prahlad to sit on a pyre on the lap of his sister, Holika, who could not die by fire by virtue of a shawl which would prevent fire affecting the person wearing it. Prahlad readily accepted his father's orders, and prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as the shawl flew from Holika, who then was burnt to death, while Prahlad survived unharmed, after the shawl moved to cover him. The burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi.
It is also said that later Lord Vishnu came in the form of a Narasimha (who is half-man and half-lion) and killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk (which was neither day nor night), on the steps of the porch of his house (which was neither inside the house nor outside) by restraining him on his lap (which is neither in the sky nor on the earth) and mauling him with his claws (which are neither astra nor shastra).

In Vrindavan and Mathura, where Lord Krishna grew up, the festival is celebrated for 16 days (until Rangpanchmi in commemoration of the divine love of Radha for Krishna). Lord Krishna is believed to have popularized the festival by playing pranks on the gopis here. Krishna is believed to be complained to his mother about the contrast between his dark colour and his consort Radha's fair colour. Krishna's mother decided to apply colour to Radha's face. The celebrations officially usher in spring, the celebrated season of love.

There is another story about the origin of holi. Kamadeva is a god of love. Kama's body was destroyed when he shot his weapon at Shiva in order to disrupt his penance and help Parvati to marry Shiva. Shiva then opened his third eye, the gaze of which was so powerful that Kama's body was reduced to ashes. For the sake of Kama's wife Rati (passion), Shiva restored him, but only as a mental image, representing the true emotional and mental state of love rather than physical lust. The Holi bonfire is believed to be celebrated in commeration of this event.

~Wish all readers a safe and happy holi!

Ananda Utsav

2007-02-16T14:07:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

On this auspicious ocassion, please accept a humble gift from me.

Click on the link below to download the Sacred Chants of Shiva!

Here

Shivoham!

Souvik

Archana

2007-02-15T20:19:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

Har Har Mahadev!

Please enjoy your day and seek the blessings of elders on this auspicious day of Shiv Ratri!

Om Namah Shivay!

~Souvik

Aagaman

2007-01-30T19:16:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

February 16th., 2007 is Maha Shiva Ratri.

As I have always said, Shiva (and Shakti) are much more than just mythological figures and spans across the limited man-made boundaries of religion, society and rituals. However, given an ocassion to celebrate and dance to the tunes of damru, one would be a fool not to rejoice in the festivity.

There is no place that does not have Shiva's presence. Life is just another name of Shiva. Swami Vivekananda just said "Shiva Jnaney Jeeva Puja".

Shivoham!

~ Souvik

Alochana-Arambh

2007-01-11T16:56:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

A very happy and prosperous new year to you!

Happy 2007!

Regards,

Souvik

Alochana-The origin of Christmas, Surya Dev and Makar Sankranti

2006-12-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

The Origin of Christmas

From here and here

Origin of Christmas - The Traditions and ControversiesFor today's Christian, the origin of Christmas is, and should be, the birth of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. Nothing more and nothing less. However, most of what we witness on December 25th each year has absolutely nothing to do with that blessed day, which probably occurred in late summer or early fall about 2,000 years ago. In fact, most of the customs and traditions of Christmas actually pre-date the birth of Jesus, and many of them are downright deceptive in their meaning and origin. Here are a few examples: The date of December 25th probably originated with the ancient "birthday" of the son-god, Mithra, a pagan deity whose religious influence became widespread in the Roman Empire during the first few centuries A.D. Mithra was related to the Semitic sun-god, Shamash, and his worship spread throughout Asia to Europe where he was called Deus Sol Invictus Mithras. Rome was well-known for absorbing the pagan religions and rituals of its widespread empire. As such, Rome converted this pagan legacy to a celebration of the god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god during the winter solstice period. The winter holiday became known as Saturnalia and began the week prior to December 25th. The festival was characterized by gift-giving, feasting, singing and downright debauchery, as the priests of Saturn carried wreaths of evergreen boughs in procession throughout the Roman temples. Variations of this pagan holiday flourished throughout the first few centuries after Jesus Christ, but it probably wasn't until 336 AD that Emperor Constantine officially converted this pagan tradition into the "Christian" holiday of Christmas.

The Sun god (Surya Dev)
25 December was also associated with Mithras, as he was Sun god.
The Catholic liturgist Mario Righetti (in addition to Duchesne and also Cullman) held that:
After the peace of the Church of Rome, to facilitate the acceptance of the faith by the pagan masses, found it convenient (sic) to institute the 25th of December as the feast of the temporal birth of Christ, to divert them from the pagan feast, celebrated on the same day in honour of the "Invincible Sun" Mithras, the conqueror of darkness (fn 74, II, p. 67 quote also in Bacchiocchi, From Sabbath to Sunday, Pontifical Gregorian University Press, Rome, 1977, p. 260).
Thus, Mithras was the god of the festival of the solstice on 25th December, which followed immediately on from the Saturnalia. With this deity, we see Sunday worship emerge in Rome.
The dedications to Mithra was as Soli invicto Mithrae or the Invincible Sun – the Unconquered Sun as Frazer terms it (p. 304). It was also related to him as Sol Invictus Elagabal in the public form of the religion.
The term Father was a rank held by the priests of Mithra. The term is forbidden to Christians (Mat. 23:9). It entered Christianity with the Mystery cults.
What actually occurred was that the original calendars of the Roman system began the week on Saturday and were in use in the first years of the Augustan era (27 BCE to 14 CE) following the discovery of the calendar of Nola (cf. A Degrassi, fn. 26, p. 104; cf. Bacchiocchi, ibid., p. 244). This structure appears to be related to the system of Mithras (as we know from the Epicurean Celcus (c. 140-180 CE) where the Sun occupied the highest place on the ladder of ascent through the seven gates of the Mithraic ladder from Saturn to the Sun. This is classic Shamanism and is practiced by animistic religion throughout the world. In Origen Contra Celsum, 6,21-22 we see that Celsus lists the planets in the reverse order enabling the Sun to occupy the significant seventh position.
We later see this system emerge as the eight-day symbolism in the Roman system for the week beginning on Saturn’s day or Saturday and ending with the day of the Sun or Sunday, which was always a holiday. The planetary week was also not in the accepted order of the planets and people could not account for the difference (cf. Plutarch Complete Works, III, p. 230; cf. Bacchiocchi, ibid., p. 246).
The differences can be seen also by comparison with the Ziggurat of the Babylonian system and the seven levels of ascent to the Moon god there (cf. the paper The Golden Calf (No. 222)).
The statement of Tertullian (Ad Nationes, 1, 13, ANF, III, p. 123), attempts to refute the charge of Sun-worship. Tertullian admits that, by then, Christians had commenced praying towards the east and made Sunday a day of festivity. He directly places the responsibility for Sunday worship over the Sabbath on the Sun-worshipping cults where he says they selected its day in preference to the previous day of the week (i.e. the Sabbath or Saturday) (cf. Bacchiocchi, pp. 248-249). However, by then, they were both worshipping on that day as well as the Christian Sabbath.
Prayer to the Sun in the east
Apparently, prayer to the east originated by prayer towards Jerusalem as Irenaeus mentions being the custom of the Ebionites (Adv. Her., 1,26, ANF, I, p. 352). By the time of Clement of Alexandria and Origen, we see the orientation to be towards the source of light that dispels the darkness of the night although Clement still mentions the ancient temples (Stromateis, 7,7,43, GCS, 3, 32; cf. Bacchiocchi, p. 255).
Bacchiocchi makes it clear that the association between the Christian Sunday and the pagan veneration of the day of the Sun is not explicit before the time of Eusebius (c. 260-340 CE). Although previous writers associated him as true light and sun of justice, no deliberate attempt prior to Eusebius was made to justify Sunday observance by means of the symbology of the day of the Sun (ibid., p. 261).
The process thus entered Christianity by means of the earlier December festival, which was originally derived from the worship of Saturn and Opis in the Saturnalia, and its association with the Heavenly Virgin or Mother goddess and her infant child.
The gospels say nothing as to the day of Christ’s birth and the early Church did not celebrate it.
The custom of celebrating Christ’s birth began in Egypt, being derived from the Mother goddess cult there, and the Christians there celebrated it on 6 January. By the fourth century it had become generally established in the East (Frazer, v, p. 304). The western church had never recognised 6 January as the true date and, in time, its decision was accepted by the eastern church. At Antioch this change was not introduced until about 375 CE (Frazer, ibid.).
The origin of the practice is plainly recorded by the Syrian Christians as we see from Frazer quoting also Credner and Momsen and also Usener (v, pp. 304-305).
The reason why the fathers transferred the celebration of the sixth of January to the twenty fifth of December was this. It was a custom of the heathen to celebrate on the same twenty-fifth of December the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these solemnities and festivities the Christians also took part. Accordingly when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnized on that day and the festival of the Epiphany on the sixth of January. Accordingly, along with this custom, the practice has prevailed of kindling fires till the sixth.
Thus, the Saturnalia led up to the solstice when presents were given to children from 23 December or now Christmas Eve on 24 December in the Gregorian calendar. The rites of the solstice then took over from the original Saturnalia but the period then became lengthened from three to seven days to which was added the twelve days.
When we count five days from 25 December we come to 31 December from which some of the Celts and Germans begin the count. The addition of St Stephen’s Day (or Boxing Day) brings the five-day period from 27 December in line to 1 January.
The pagan origin of Christmas is also evident in Augustine when he exhorts his brethren not to celebrate this solemn day like the heathen on account of the Sun but on account of him who made the Sun (Augustine Serm., cxc, 1; in Migne Patriologia Latina, xxxviii, 1007). Leo called the Great likewise rebuked the pestilent belief that Christmas was solemnised because of the birth of the new Sun, and not because of the nativity of Christ (Frazer, ibid.; cf. Leo the Great Serm., xxii (al xxi) 6 and Migne, liv, 198).
However, by then, it was a hopeless cause. The entire system was endemic to Christianity and the Mother goddess cult was entrenched.
Frazer says:
Thus it appears that the Christian Church chose to celebrate the birthday of its Founder on the twenty-fifth of December in order to transfer the devotion of the heathen from the Sun to him who was called the Sun of Righteousness (p. 305).
There was a theory put forward by one Mgr Duchesne that 25 December arose from the conformity with the equinox on 25 March and this was the day on which Christ was killed and also on which his mother conceived. This digs an even deeper pit because 25 March was indeed initially adopted in Africa and elsewhere as the date of the crucifixion. However, it was on a Sunday in the only year that 14 Nisan could have fallen on 25 March. It is thus destructive to the theory. Moreover, 25 March is associated with the festival of the god Attis as Frazer notes in his footnote to page 305. We will examine this in the sections below.

Makar Sanktranti and Uttarayan

From here and here

Makar Sankranti coincides with the beginning of the Sun's northward journey or the movement of the Sun to the Northern hemisphere(Uttarayan); it is the most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar. Falling on the 15th January. This day has a very special implication because the day and night on Makar Sankrant are of precisely of equal hours. This day is celebrated as a festival right from the times of the Aryans. Makar accurately means "Capricorn" and Sankranti is the day when the Sun changes it's position from one sign of the Zodiac to the other. Even though Sankranti comes every month, but in the month of "Magha" (January) auspicious it coincides with the crop season and marks the end of the winter season and then celebrated largely.

Meaning of Uttarayana (Makar Sankranti) :Uttar-Ayan (Northern-Arrival of the Sun)----Uttrayana marks the end of a long winter with the return of the sun tothe Northern Hemisphere and hence the name Uttarayan.Makara Sankranti: In terms of Zodaic sign, on this day, the sun makes atransition to Capricorn from Sagittarius----Agriculturual Importance:Around this time winter (Kharif) crops are ready and are reaped.Celebrated on:14th January, every year.How is it celebrated in Gujarat:Kite flying:One of the most celebrated festivals of Gujarat. People in large numbersgather on terraces, grounds to fly kites of various colors, sizes and shapes tocelebrate Uttrayana, the welcome to the sun after the cold winter months. Theatmosphere at the festival is electrifying-glass strengthened threads of theIndian fighter kites are matched against each other in the air (act called "paich ladava-no"or dual), and the kite fighter who cuts the other thread is thevictor.It is celebrated all over Gujarat but the excitement runs highest atAhmedabad, Surat (known particularly for the strong string which is made byapplying glass powder on the row thread to provide it a cutting edge) Nadiadand Vadodara. To be in any one of these places during this festival is to feelthe heart and pulse of Gujarat and its people.The excitement continues with the onset of night. As the sun sets and darknesshovers over, youngsters continue competing each other in supremacy in thesky, now with the paper lanterns tied to their kite-strings. These lanterns
known as tukkal swaying at the mild stroke of wind presents a lovely imagewhile some try to cut off these tukkals and enjoy the fun.The fun continues on the next day too. 15th January is called "VaasiUttrayana". During this day, people still continue kite flying fun. Most of thepeople try to use up all their kites and threads, but, many kids would savethem for next year’s pre-Uttrayana kite-flying. (Pre-Uttrayana - most of thepeople start the warm-up by 1st week of January and are geared up for 14thJan)The festival draws expert kite-makers and flyers not only from cities of Indiabut also from around the world. Designer's Kites of infinite variety aredisplayed at the venue. Gujarat Tourism also hosts the International KiteFestival drawing crowds to witness the show of eminent kitists from manystates and countries. This International Kite Festival is always held atAhmedabad on January 14, to coincide with the festival of Uttarayan or MakarSankranti.Harvest:In an economy which is purely agricultural, domestic animals are not forgottenand grass is freely distributed to the village cattle. Uttarayan, thus, becomes aharvest festival in the true sense of the term.In Gujarat grain from the new harvest is used to cook 'khichdo'. Typical foodlike Undiya, sugar cane juice and local sweets are served to celebrate the day.Cows and trees are also offered pujan since man's existence depends on them.And of course, there are sweets too: Tal-Sankdi (made from sesame seeds),Chiki (made from peanuts) and mamra-n-ladvaa.Celebrations in other parts of India:North India:Lohri - the popular bonfire festival of North India is celebrated on 13th Januaryevery year. As the date of Lohri is decided according to the position of the sunits date remains fixed. Lohri marks the coldest day of winter.East India:Gangasagar Mela is the largest fair celebrated in West Bengal. This fair is heldwhere the Ganga and the Bay of Bengal form a nexus. Hence the nameGangasagar Mela.
South India:It is celebrated as a three-day festival and the fourth day is a day for outdoorsand excursions.Bhogi Pongal (Day-1):It is usually meant for domestic activities and of being together with the familymembers. On this day before sunrise a huge bonfire is lit in front of the housesSurya Pongal (Day-2):The "Puja" of the Sun God starts after the auspicious moment of the birth ofthe new month Thai. Prayers are rendered to the Sun God to seek hisbenedictions.Mattu Pongal (Day-3):Festival of cattle. To the village people cow, the giver of milk and the bullwhich draws the plough in the fields are very valuable and therefore thefarmers honor their dumb friends by celebrating it as a day of thanks-giving tothem.This day is also known by the name of Kanu Pongal when colored balls ofcooked rice are placed in the open air by girls for the birds and crows to eat.With each ball of rice that the sister makes she prays for her brother'shappiness and the brothers and sisters wherever they may be remember eachother.Tamil Nadu:Thai Pongal is a harvest festival - the Tamil equivalent of Thanksgiving. It isheld to honor the Sun, for a bountiful harvest. Families gather to rejoice andshare their joy and their harvests with others. Thai Pusam occurs on January 31a fortnight before the Mahasivarathri which is on February 14th, 2002.Celebrating in BayArea:Since celebrating this festival mainly involves kite-flying and having energybars(tal-sankdi, chiki, mamra-na-ladvaa), it can be celebrated as half daypicnic in park or at bay (weather permitting).You can buy kites from walmart, target, kmart or frys (!!!) or amazon rangingfrom $8 to $20. Try making an Indian-kite (use plastic instead of paper). It isvery simple to make and needs less wind to fly as compared to Chinese orAmerican kites. You can use any nylon thread. Many stores (try Albertson) carrykite-flying spool (it is exactly a firki --- nylon string-spool).

Is there any connection between these festivals?

~ Souvik

Alochana-Buddha as the 9th. Avataar of Vishnu

2006-11-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

From here

Buddhism is a dharmic religion. The systems of Buddhism and Hinduism must not be considered to be either contradictory to one another or completely self contained. Coomaraswamy wrote:
"The more supreficially one studies Buddhism, the more it seems to differ from Brahmanism in which it originated; the more profound our study, the more difficult it becomes to distinguish Buddhism from Brahmanism, or to say in what respects, if any, Buddhism is really unorthodox." [2]
Buddhist scholar Rahula Vipola wrote that the Buddha was trying to shed the true meaning of the Vedas. Buddha is said to be a knower of the Veda (vedajña) or of the Vedanta (vedântajña) (Sa.myutta, i. 168) and (Sutta Nipâta, 463).

Hinduism and Buddhism share many common features including Sanskrit, yoga, karma and dharma. Indians such as Ashoka the great and B.R. Ambedkar took to Buddism. India also is home to the government of Tibet in exile under Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama.

In addition, Siddhartha Gautama is seen in Hinduism as the ninth avatar of Vishnu.

Buddha (meaning 'the enlightened one') appeared in the Kali Yuga (specifically as Siddhartha Gautama).

From here

The Buddha in Puranic scripture

Amongst the MahaPuranas he is mentioned as one of the ten Avataras:

The description of Buddha incorporated in ten incarnations in Puranas comes with slight difference here and there in various Puranas like,
Harivamsha (1.41),
Vishnu Purana (3.18),
Bhagavata Purana (1.3.24, 2.7,37, 11,4.23) [7],
Garuda Purana (1.1),
Agni Purana (16),
Narada Purana (2.72),
Linga Purana (2.71),
Padma Purana (3.252) etc. (Dhere Ramchandra Chintaman) [8]
Other important scriptures which mention him is an Avatar are Rishi Parashara's Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra(2:1-5/7)

During the Guptas, one of the nine gems of the court of the king, Amarasimha refers to the Buddha in the following commentary: Amarakosha-grantha (Sanskrit dictionary) list many of the names and epithets by which the Buddha is traditionally known:

sarvajnah sugato buddho dharmarajastathagatah
samastabhadro bhagavan marajillokajijjinah
shadabhijno dasabalo ’dvayavadi vinayakah
munindrah srighanah sasta munih sakyamunistu yah

All-knowing, transcendental, awakened, king of righteousness, he who has come, beneficent, all-encompassing, lord, conqueror of the god of love-mara, victorious of three worlds, he who controls his senses, protector from the six enemies, possessor of the ten powers, speaker of non-dualism, teacher, lord of the sages, embodiment of splendor and eminent saint.

sa sakyasimhah sarvarthasiddhah sauddhodanisca sah
gautamascarkabandhusca mayadevisutasca sah
teacher of the sakyas, lion of the sakyas, accomplisher of all goals, son of suddhodana, of Gautama’s line, friend of scholars, son of mayadevi.

In some of the Puranas, in one he is described as having taken birth to "mislead the demons":
mohanartham danavanam balarupi pathisthitah
putram tam kalpayamasa mudhabudhirjinah svayam
tatah sammohayamasa jinadyana suramsakan
bhagavan vagbhirugrabhirahimsa vacibhirharih
(Brahmanda Purana)

In order to delude the demons, he (Lord Buddha) was present in the form of a child on the way while the fool, jina (a demon), imagined him to be his son. Later on, Lord Sri Hari (as avatara-buddha) expertly deluded jina and other demons by his strong words of non-violence.

A similar episode is found in the Linga Purana, which says Sakyamuni was sent to preach in the demon realms, which resulted in Shiva being able to destroy Tripura.

The name of the Buddha appears in the verse that describes the ten avataras in Srimad Bhagavatam:

matsya kurmo varahasca nrisimha vamanastatha
ramo ramasca ramasca buddha kalki ca te dasah
Here the Buddha is said to have taken birth to restore the 'Devas'.
tatah kalau sampravritte sammohaya sura-dvisham
buddho namnanjana-sutah kikateshu bhavishyati
(srimad-bhagavatam 1.3.24)

Then, in the beginning of Kali-yuga the Lord will appear as Lord Buddha, the son of Anjana, in the province of Gaya (Bihar) just for the purpose of infatuating those who are envious of the devas.

This topic as been much of debate.

Some have even claimed Balarama to be the 9th. incarnation of Vishnu and not Buddha.

However, the concept of God incarnating to lull people into darkness is indeed an interesting concept. It does bring a a parallel between Mohini and Buddha on these grounds. However, it would be extremely unfair to draw such a parallel here because the perfection of spiritualism taught by Buddha seems to be an extremely unlikely a work of deceit.

Views are most welcome on this subject.

~Souvik

Anadamoyee Maa

2006-10-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Happy Diwali to all!

Along with Diwali, Anandamoyee Maa Maha Kali is also worshipped during this time.

I miss my ancestral home and my 200 years tradition of Kali pujo like anything this time of the year.

Here's a video of my mother doing "boron" of the Eternal Mother.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SmIUX51VCQ

Jay Maa Kali!

~ Souvik

Ai Kavi

2006-10-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Today is Valmiki Jayanti (October 7th., 2006).

From here

The birthday of the Ai Kavi (the first poet), Valmiki is celebrated on the full moon day of Ashvina (September - October). Valmiki is the author of the so-celebrated Ramayana in Sanskrit. He was contemporary of Rama, the hero of the Ramayana. Valmiki himself represented as taking part in some of these scenes he relates. He received the banished Sita into his hermitage and educated her twin sons Kusha and lava. The invention of the "Shioka" (epic meter) is attributed to Valmiki.Originally, Valmiki belonged to a depressed class and was a sort of robber. He robbed and even killed the people passing through the forest, but because of the influence of some sages, he repented and betook himself to a hermitage on a hill in the district of Bonda in Bundelkhanda. There, he is said to have eventually received Sita, when banished by Rama.He got his name "Valmiki" because when immersed in meditation, he allowed himself to be overrun with ants like an anthill. His original name was "Ratnakar". Many depressed classes in the country trace their lineage to Valmiki. On his birthday he is worshipped and prayed and his portraits are taken out in processions through the and streets. Kirtans are also held in Valmiki temples.

From here

The story of Valmiki is steeped in legend. One version has it that Valmiki was originally a dalit dacoit called Ratna who haunted the forests and preyed upon the unwary travellers. One day a sage called Narada passed through the forest. Ratna saw him and immediately attacked him. Narada asked him why he did his foul deeds to which Ratna replied that it was to take care of his family, which consisted of his aged parents, wife and children. The sage then wanted to know if they would be willing to share in the punishment for his misdeeds. Ratna was sure they would but the sage advised him to go and ask them. Ratna tied the sage to a tree and ran home to ask his family if they would share in his punishments. His family replied in the negative, saying that it was Ratna's duty to take care of them and they were not responsible for the path he chose to do so. Disappointed, Ratna returned to the forest and confessed to the sage. The sage told him to repent for his sins and to stop his evil ways and to chant the name of Lord Rama. Legend has it that Valmiki meditated in one place till an ant-hill formed on top of him without him realising it. Hence the name Valmiki (from 'Valmik' which means ant-hill in Sanskrit). Valmiki became a maharishi (great sage).
There is another legend behind his writing the Ramayana. According to this legend, Valmiki was in the forest one day, when a hunter shot a bird. Valmiki was so touched by the pain of the bird that he composed and sang a sad song. Brahma was greatly moved by the touching song. He appeared before Valmiki and asked him to compose the life of Sri Rama in a similar verse. This is how maharishi valmiki started to write Ramayana
Brahma gave the gift of insight of Sri Rama's life to Valmiki. Valmiki began to compose the great eternal song and poem of the life of Sri Rama—The Ramayana. Valmiki's Ramayana is the very first poem in Sanskrit. Therefore, it is called the Adikavya or "The first poem" and Valmiki is also known as the Adikavi, which means "The first poet".
Legend has it that it was Maharshi Valmiki who offered refuge to Sita the wife of Lord Rama, and the queen of Ayodhya when she was banished from the kingdom. It was in his hermitage in the forest that Rama and Sita's twin sons Lava and Kusha were born and brought up.
Maharishi Valmik is accepted by many Indian communities as the author of the Yoga Vasistha, this particular piece of work was taught to Rama when he was disillusioned with the world in large . The Yoga Vasistha is an incredible piece of text which discusses a wide array of philosophical issues. Moreover, it appears to have been written over 5000 years ago

Abhinandan-Shubho Bijoya

2006-10-04T16:35:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Shubho Bijoya to all!

Here's a small write up on Bijoya.

From here

The tenth day or Dashami is also known as Bijoya Dashami, as this was the day on which Devi Durga attained victory over buffalo demon Mahishasura. This day also coincides with Dussehra, the tenth day of Navaratri celebration. Durga Puja is not just a religious celebration. It is a social and cultural celebration. This is the occasion to send invitations and spend some quality time with your friends, family and acquaintances, to let them know your appreciation and wish each other Shubho Bijoya, the common phrase used to wish someone, a blessed bijoya.

This is also the last day of worshipping Maa Durga, this is the day when idol of Goddess Durga will be immersed in the near by river. With colorful and majestic parade accompanied by Dhunuchi dance, a kind of ritualistic dance and beating of the dhaak, the idol is taken to the near by river. With the believers yelling loudly, proclaiming, next year it’ll happen once again, the idol is immersed in the river water. A sense of sadness suddenly overshadows the festive mood as one has to wait for another year to feel the elation associated with Durga Puja celebration.

Several emotional and ritualistic customs take place on Bijoya Dashami before the idol of Maa Durga is taken for immersion. One such colorful and emotional custom is “Sindoor Khela” - “The Game of Vermillion”. This custom is practiced exclusively by the married women. Before the idol of Durga leaves for immersion they put sweet on the lips of the clay idol and wipe the corner of the eyes as someone wipes off the tears before bidding goodbye for a long time. Vermilion which is a symbol of marital bliss is applied on the forehead of the Goddess and among each other. The vermilion powder is applied at the parting of women’s hair which symbolizes to strengthen the marital bond. The sindoor is also applied on the red and white traditional bangles and on the ‘loha’ which is an iron bangle interlaced with gold or silver, presented to the bride by her mother in law as an acknowledgement of marriage. All these rituals are performed along with the friends and family, though every one can not take part in it but it is a wonderful experience to witness this living theatre of color, life and emotion.

This is also the time to meet up with friends and relatives living far off places, as they try to come back to their loved ones at this time of the year. In the evening they enjoy a hearty conversation or light hearted chit chats with their friends and family members, whom they missed all year long.

On Shubho Bijoya people invite others to come to their place and spend joyous time in the spirit of the celebration.They also visit the homes of their friends and acquaintances to thank them for there care and wish them shubho bijoya. Adults embrace each other with warm wishes, exchange gifts and greet Shubho Bijoya to each other, which is known as KolaKuli in Bengali. The children in an expression to show respect toward the elders touch the feet and seek their blessings.

The sumptuous dishes and mouth watering sweetmeats prepared for this special occasion are an integral part of Shubho Bijoya. Such yummy treats like ‘malpoa’ and probably the most popular snack, ‘Nimki’ are among the regular items in the Shubho Bijoya menu. Nowadays people buy the sweets and snacks straight from the market and don’t go in to all the trouble of making it at home. Friends and family devour these special treats, enjoy the festivity, catch up with friends and soak up the spirit of celebration.

~ Souvik

Ashtami Puja

2006-10-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Houston Durga Bari is famous for its Durga Puja all over the United States.

I was fortunate to attend and be a part of it this year. Thanks to Tampi and Ani!

Here are some photographs of Maa's Ashtami Puja.

Ashtami sandhya aarati

Maa's mandap

Chandi paath

Ashtami Dhunuchi Nach

2006-10-01T10:28:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Yesterday at Houston Durga Bari I participated in a dhunichi dance competetion and won a trophy.

Winning was not at all important but the feeling of performing infront of Jagadambey Maa Durga was very fulfilling experience.

I humbly present the video recording for your viewing.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9TT40bEBXow

Shubho Navami to all!

Dhunuchi nach-some facts:

Dhunuchi Naach - the dance with effervescent smokeIndia is known for her diverse traditions and this diverse tradition is the origin of the folk art. Folk Dances are based on religious and festive occasions. They reflect the basics of life. Folk dances are aimed at providing entertainment and which involves group participation. The dances are very rhythmic and the lyrics and music have the typical overtone of the specific locality or festival.'Dhunuchi nritya' or ‘the dance with effervescent smoke' is a traditional dance form from Bengal,which is performed in front of the idol to the sound of dhak, the traditional drums.In the evenings, an elaborate aaarti is performed. After the aaarti, young men perform Dhunuchi Naach (Dhunuchi Dance) before the Goddess Durga.

In Houston Durga bari due to unavailability of Dhunuchi, dhoop sticks were used to subsitute dhunichi in the dance.

Jay Durga!

Souvik

Ananda Utsav

2006-09-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Jay Durga!

Some bengali durga pujo mandaps!

http://www.geocities.com/durgotshob/

Shubho Saptami!

Thanks

Souvik

Anuprerna-Pitr-Paksha

2006-09-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Pitr-Paksha begins Friday 08-09-2006 & Pitr-Paksha ends Friday 22-09-2006.

~Souvik

Pitr-Paksha

Introduction
The dark fortnight which falls in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapad (September) is known as Pitr-Paksha or Mahalay Paksha all over the Hindu World. This period is regarded to be an ideal occasion to perform rites for the deceased ancestors to keep their spirit gratified for years.

Significance
It is a traditional religious belief that deceased ancestors from Lord Yamaraja's region visit their homes on earth during this time. So, if the rite of shraddha is performed on one of the days in the fortnight, then the subtle bodies of ancestors is considered to remain gratified for years. Pitru Paksha reminds us of our subtle existence and requirement of our subtle or spiritual needs in the form of rites like shraddha to ensure a smooth passage from physical existence to the subtle planes.By focusing solely on gross sciences, many of these subtle measures are not practiced, even forgotten in western countries. Funeral rites and Shraddha are differentiable funeral rites are considered inauspicious, Shraddha is auspicious and gratifying.

Observance
Pitrapaksha gives a chance to repay debt to our deceased ancestors by gratifying their spirits. As such, Shraddha is a "debt of the dead"or "ceremonies of the dead" which should be performed, assuming that the dead ones are alive amongst us. The Lord of death, Yamaraja enables the dead ones to come to earth and receive offers from the descendants.This practice is made to the dead petras and pitras. It is believed that one owes three main debts, first to Devarina(Debt to the gods ), Rishirina (Debt to the Guru) and Petranina (Debt to the forefathers).While most people prefer to perform Shraddhas' at their homes, the most devout perform Shraddha at the designated holy place. Only after the Shraddha, he/she attains a position among the Petris or Divine Fathers in their blissful abode called Pitri-loka. Generally, considered most desirable and efficacious when Shraddha is performed by a son. Ritual of Shraddha should be performed for one's grandfather, father on the paternal side and the mother etc on the maternal side. Names of all livings persons should not be associated with the rituals.

Anushthan-Ganesh Chaturthi

2006-08-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Aug 27th. is Ganesh Chaturthi.

Wish all readers a peaceful and joyful Ganesh Chaturthi.

May Vighneshwer remove the obstacles in your life.

Regards,

Souvik

From here.

Festivals and Worship of Ganesha

In India, there is an important festival honouring Lord Ganesha. While it is most popular in the state of Maharashtra, it is performed all over India. It is celebrated for ten days starting from Ganesh Chaturthi. This was introduced by Balgangadhar Tilak as a means of promoting nationalist sentiment when India was ruled by the British. This festival is celebrated and it culminates on the day of Ananta Chaturdashi when the murti of Lord Ganesha is immersed into the most convenient body of water. In Mumbai (earlier known as Bombay), the murti is immersed in the Arabian Sea and in Pune the Mula-Mutha river. In various North and East Indian cities, like Kolkata, they are immersed in the holy Ganga river. One who really wants to taste the festival needs to come down to the city of Mumbai; particularly at Lalbaug where the divine idol of Lalbaugcha raja (The Lord Of Lalbaug, as Ganesha is fondly called) is set.

The Ganesha festival starts on Ganesh Chaturthi (fourth day of Hindu calendar month Bhadrapada) and ends on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of Bhadrapada). It is widely believed that every wish one expresses to Lord Ganesha must come true. All devotees from every corner of the globe gather at Lalbaug for the festival.

Representations of Shri Ganesh are based on thousands of years of religious symbolism that resulted in the figure of an elephant-head god. In India, the statues are impressions of symbolic significance and thus have never been claimed to be exact replications of a living figure. Ganesh is seen not as a physical entity but a higher spiritual being, and murtis, or statue-representations, act as signifiers of him as an ideal. Thus, to refer to the murtis as idols betrays Western Judeo-Christian understandings of insubstantial object worship whereas in India, Hindu deities are seen to be accessed through points of symbolic focus known as murtis. For this reason, the immersion of the murtis of Ganesh in nearby holy rivers is undertaken since the murtis are acknowledged to be only temporal understandings of a higher being as opposed to being 'idols,' which have traditionally been seen as objects worshipped for their own sake as divine.

The worship of Ganesha in Japan has been traced back to 806.

Resurgence of Popularity

Recently, there has been a resurgence of Ganesha worship and an increased interest in the "Western world" due to a spate of alleged miracles in September 1995. On September 21 1995, according to Hinduism Today magazine (www.hinduismtoday.com), Ganesh statues (as well as other statues) in India began spontaneously drinking milk when a spoonful was placed near the mouth of statues honoring the elephant god. The phenomena spread from New Delhi to New York, Canada, Mauritius, Kenya, Australia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Hong Kong, Trinidad, Grenada and Italy among other reported places. This was seen as a miracle by many although skeptics contend that this was another example of collective hysteria. Some scientific experiments conducted in that time frame suggested capillary action as an explanation for this phenomenon. It had remained a mystery why such capillary action did not repeated itself [2] until the same thing happened again on 21 August 2006 [3]. Of course, now the question is why it happened again.
The book Ganesha, Remover of Obstacles by Manuela Dunn Mascetti is another of many resources that testify to the Hindu milk miracle.

Ganesha has two Siddhis (symbolically represented as wives or consorts): Siddhi (success) and Riddhi (prosperity). It is widely believed that "Wherever there is Ganesh, there is Success and Prosperity" and "Wherever there is Success and Prosperity there is Ganesh". This is why Ganesh is believed to be the harbinger of good fortune, and why he is invoked first at any ritual or ceremony. Whether it is diwali puja, a new house, a new vehicle, students praying before the exams, or people praying before job interviews, it is Ganesha they pray to, because it is believed that he will come to their aid and grant them success in their endeavor.
Ganesha is worshipped as Vinayak (knowledgeable) and Vighneshwer (remover of obstacles). It is believed that he blesses those who meditate upon him. Ganesha, in astrology, is believed to help people know what can be achieved and what cannot be.