ABOUT DHANURMASA - II

This is about Dhanurvayateepata and Dhanurdhruti.

YOgEshu parvakAlaha syAt vyateepAtashcha vAiDhrutihi say Smrutis. Therefore, both VyateepAta and VaiDhruti are ranked as Yogas and Parvakala. These are Pitrudinas or those very beloved to ancestors or

forefathers.

Yoga is one of the components of Panchanga, along with Tithi, Vara, Nakshatra (star) and Karana. Yoga is different from Aanandaadi Yogas or Gauri Panchanga that is usually mentioned in every Panchanga. Yoga represents the sum of longitudes of the Sun and the Moon for a given lunar day. Like Nakshatras or constellations, Yogas too are 27 in number and their duration is 13.20 degrees each that keep happening every day on a cyclical basis in a specific sequence starting from Vishkambha and ending with Vydruti Yoga. Although Yoga is given secondary importance in the ordinary parlance of Astrology, some of them, especially the Vyateepata and Vydruthi are forbidden for auspicious events.

Vyateepaata actually means great calamity or prone to sudden mishaps or chaos. Vyateepaata Yoga is in the 17^th position in the list of 27 Yogas. Like Nakshatras, Yogas also have presiding deities or Abhimani Devatas) and Vishwedevatas are the presiding (abhimani) deities for Vyateepata Yoga. Though Yogas like Vyateepata and Vaidhruti are not considered good for auspicious events, they are highly appropriate, auspicious and special for ceremonies, especially those related to Pitrus or ancestors or forefathers.  

Generally, 12 or more Vyateepata days occur in a year. If it is associated with Dhanurmasa, it is called Dhanur-Vyateepata Yoga, which is most significant for performing Pitru-related activities. It is said that any Pitru karya or charity given in respectful reverence to one’s Pitrus on the sacred day of Dhanur Vyateepata Yoga during Dhanurmasa is considered 1000 times more meritorious than the one performed during Ardhodhayaadi parva kala.

On this day of Vyateepata, after the early morning pujas akin to Dhanurmasa, Tarpana should be offered to the Pitrus, followed by Arghya. Sankalpa shloka is as follows:

DhanrmAsaniyAmaka SankarShaNaprEraNayA SankarShaNarUpee ParamAtmapreetyarTham DhanurvyateepAtaparvakAlE pitrutarpaNAKhyam karma kartum Adau vyateepAtArGhyadAnam KariShyE||

VyateepAta mahAsatwa sarvapApapraNAshan|

SahasrabAhO VishwAtman gruhANArGhyam namO(a)stu tE||

VyateepAta namastE(a)stu namastE vishwamangala|

ViShNuchakraswarUpAya namastE divyatEjasE||

Reciting the above hymns and keeping water in the palm, the Arghya should be given as is done during the Mahalaya and Tarpana should be offered to all Pitrus in the same order.

Prayer:

ViShNupriya vyateepAta pitruNAmAnRuNaprada|

PitrUNAm mama VaikunTham prayachCha Bhagavan HarE||

TwatprasAdEna mE BhaktirastvEvamanapAyinee|

JnAnavijnAnavairAgyam prayachChaBhagavan mama||

AnEna DhanurvyateepAtapUjArGhyatilatarpaNAdikarmakaraNEna ViShNuchakrAntahasThitasudarshanAtmaka SankarShaNarUpiparmAtmA preeyatAm||Sri KriShNArpaNamastu||

GANGAVATARANA - II

Hearing the words of chief priests and Rutvijas, Sagara, who was sitting in the Yaga Mantap, summoned his 60,000 children and told them:

“Dear children, although this great sacrifice⁴ is being conducted by most virtuous, pious and expert priests and Rutvijas, the sacrificial horse has been stolen due to the mystic powers of demons, leaving me in a state of confusion as to what I should do next. Therefore, all of you should immediately go round the sea-surrounded globe, find the horse and bring it back. I wish you good luck. In case the horse is not found anywhere on Earth, then, under my instructions, dig up the Earth in search of the kidnapper till you find the horse. As I have taken the pledge⁵ (Yagnadeeksha) of performing the sacrifice, it is not proper on my part to come with you. Therefore, I, along with my grandson, priests and Rutvijas, will stay here till the horse is seen by me once again. I wish you good luck and please start off for now.”   

Raghava, having been instructed by their father Sagara, the highly powerful and strong 60,000 children went in different directions of the globe in search of the horse, with a pure sense of satisfaction. They searched for the sacrificial horse in all places on Earth. But, the horse was not seen. Later, as directed by their father, each one of them chose an area of one Yojana long and one Yojana wide and started digging the earth with their nails that were like the thunderbolt (Vajrayudha), spikes that produced sounds like lightning and giant ploughs that could easily plough the Earth. Getting dug and shattered by them, Goddess Earth screamed horribly. When those sixty thousand princes were digging the Earth, the screaming sounds of most powerful serpents, Asuras, who were living under ground and were then dying due to the onslaught of the prices, was reverberating. Within a very short period, the 60,000 brave children of Sagara Maharaja had dug up the land measuring 60,000 yojanas wide and 60,000 yojanas deep, as though they wanted to win a war against the under world⁶. Ramabhadra, the children of Sagara thus dug Jambudweepa in this manner and moved everywhere, in search of the horse. Seeing thousands of inhabitants of Patala Loka (under world) like serpents, Asuras and Rakshasas being killed by the children of Sagara, the deities, Gandharvas, Apsaras, serpent gods, who were all perplexed and terrified, went to Pitamaha Brahma. They offered worship and honored him with Stotras and prayers. The perturbed deities told Brahma, wearing bleak faces:

 “Oh Great Lord, the 60,000 children of Sagara are digging up this Jambudweepa. As a result, lakhs of great beings are being destroyed. Oh revered, they are catching anyone they find while digging the underworld and saying ‘he is the one who has stolen our horse and therefore he has spoiled the sacrifice’ and killing that person. Thus, they have been torturing all the animals.” (to be continued…) SHARE IT IF YOU LIKE IT PLEASE   

ABOUT DHANURMASA

Piercing and shearing cold marks the transit of Sun into Sagittarius or Dhanus Rashi and that is why it is called Dhanur(s) Masa. The body refuses to get out of bed or even uncover itself from the comfort of the blanket, which is the first symptom of laziness. The body bends like a bow which is why it is called Dhanur Masa. The Rishis and Munis have therefore prescribed two important things for Dhanrmasa. One is performance of puja before sunrise and the other is consumption of Mudganna or Huggi after offering it to the Lord as Naivedya.

Dhanurmasa is the Ushahkala or the early hours of the morning for deities. When the Sun moves to Makara that marks the Uttarayana, it becomes daytime for deities. It is our bounden duty to perform puja before daybreak when it is also pre-daybreak for deities.

Mudga means green gram and a dish prepared with equal quantity of green gram and rice with spcies, prominently pepper, is called Mudganna. This is mandatorily the item to be offered as Naivedya during Dhanurmasa.

Anyone offering Mudganna to the Lord as Naivedya before sunrise during Dhanurmas attracts the Punya that is equivalent to the Punya secured through Puja offered for one thousand years.

KOdanDasThE savitari mudgAnnam yO nivEdayEt|

SahasravArShikee pUjA dinEnaikEna sidDhyati||AjnEya PurANa||

Points to remember:

Dhanurmasa puja performed at a time when stars are still glittering in the sky is highly meritorious; puja performed when no stars are seen is mediocre and that offered after sunrise is worse. However, puja performed in the noon or later is totally futile.

If Dhanurmsa Puja cannot offered for any reason, at least watching it being performed by others is meritorious or advisable. Puja can be watched after taking bath.

In unavoidable circumstances, Dhanurmasa puja can be performed first before sunrise and lather Sandhyavandana can be performed.

After performing Dhanurmasa puja, feeding Brahmin with Mudganna and consuming the same by self before sunrise is the correct or prescribed tradition.

The Vyateepata and VaiDhruti Yogas that occur during Dhanurmas are considered to be very sacred, auspicious and meritorious Parva Kala and certain special norms and tradition have been prescribed to be observed during that period.

Shall furnish details about Dhanurvyateepata and DhanurvaiDhruti in the next posting. SHARE IT IF YOU LIKE IT PLEASE   

JADABHARATOPAKHYANA - XV

JADABHARATOPAKHYANA - XV

The next question of Rahuguna to Jadabharata was: “The being (Jeeva) struggles while doing the Karma, but gets satisfaction or happiness or the good or bad or medium ‘result’ (Phala). To that extent, he is the ‘performer’ and he has that sense of ‘having achieved or performed’ (Kartrutva). Even then, based on your own line of thinking (Jadabharata’s), if the being is ‘not independent’, why should it be said that he/she is the ‘performer’?”

Jadabharata replies:

Ayam janO nAma chalan priThivyAm yaha pArThivaha parThiva kasya hEtoho|

TasyApi chAnChryOraDhi gulPhajanGhAjAnUrumDhyOrashirODharamsAha||

AmsE cha dArvee shibikAm cha yasyAm sauveerarAjEtyapadesha AstE|

Yasmin BhavAn rUDhanijABhimAnO rAjA(a)smi sinDhuShwiti durmadAnDhaha||  

“Paramatma is the primary performer (Karta). Ignoring his status as primary performer and assuming self as ‘another performer’ is untenable. If the ‘primary performer’ status is not accepted, how do you (Rahugana) say that you are walking? It is far from truth because, on the ground or the surface, my two feet are lying; above them, my ankles, knees, thighs, waist, stomach, chest, shoulders, neck and then the head. In such a case, how do you define yourself or at least your walking? Are you walking on the feet, the ankles, knees, thighs and so on? How do you presume that you are walking? This is because the feet or knees are not the ones that are sheltering me. It is the earth, which is my primary shelter. But, Paramatma is the shelter for that Earth too.

Thus, when someone says ‘King Rahugana is coming’, the primary sense of the Paramatma ‘driving’ Rahugana should also be conceived. Moreover, the wooden palanquin is lying on our shoulders and we are the four carriers. In that palanquin, your body is lying, which is being identified as a king and you happen to be a ‘titular king’ by chance. You have rooted in that body your sense of being a king of Sindhu Empire. You have become blind with that false pride or vanity. Why no one mentions that king Rahugana is coming on the shoulders of four carriers? If the Earth is perceived as primary shelter or performer, then Paramatma, who is the ultimate ‘performer’, should be conceived as ‘The Performer”. Similarly, Paramatma is more important than the Earth. Therefore, even if the being has the tangential feeling of being the performer, the ultimate truth that Paramatma is the ‘only performer’ should always kept in the mind and everything correlated to it. (contd…)      PLEASE SHARE THIS IF YOU LIKE IT

GANGAVATARANA

GANGAVATARANA

(Chapter 39 of Balakanda in Ramayana provides insight into Gangavatarana. PLEASE SHARE IT IF YOU LIKE IT)

VishwAmitra vachaha shrutwA kathAntE RaGhunandana|
UvAcha paramapreetO munim deeptamivAnalam||1||

ShrOtumichchAmi bhadram tE vistarENa kathamimAm|
PUrwakO mE katham Brahmnyajnam vai samupAharat||2||

Tasya tadwachanam shrutwA kautUhalasamanwitam|
VishwAmitrstu KAkutsthamuvAcha prahasanniva|
ShrUyatAm vistarO RAma sagarasya mahAtmanaha||3||

ShankarashwashurO nAmnA himavAniti vishrutaha|
VindhyaparwatamAsAdya nireekShEtE parasparam||4||

TayOrmadhyE pravruttO(a)bhUdyajnaha sa puruShOttama|
Sa hi dEshO naravyAGhraprashastO yajna karmaNi||5||

Delighted by hearing the fact that King Sagara began preparations for performing a Yagna that Vishwamitra said at the end of the narration, Raghava told the sage, who was glowing with high radiation and sitting there:
“Great sage, good wishes to you. I am desirous of knowing in detail how our ancestor Sagara, began the Yagna, completed it. Please tell it.”
Hearing the words of Ramachandra, curious Vishwamitra smiled and told Sri Rama:
“Rama, I will tell you in detail the story of the sacrifice performed by Sagara. Listen to me carefully. Father-in-law of Mahadeva Shankara, who is popularly known as Himavanta goes near the king of mountains Vindhya to see the latter. Vindhya too goes very close to see Himavanta, who is charming with high towers1. Purushd arrange to retrieve the horse. If the sacrificial horse is not brought back, the sacrifice will get obstructed. This is inauspicious and a bad omen for the performer (Yajamana) as well as us (Rutvijas). Therefore, ensure that the sacrifice is undisturbed.”ottama, the Aryavarta2, the region between Vindhya and Himalaya, is very suitable for performing sacrifices. The sacrifice desired by Sagara was begun at this place. Sagara began the performance of sacrifice and as per the norms; he sent away the sacrificial horse (Yagnashwa) on the expedition3. The Stallion was being guarded by the valorous and obedient heir of Sagara, Amshumanta (Son of Asamanja). Indra, who wanted to disturb the sacrifice, assumed the form of a demon on the day the sacrificial horse was set free and kidnapped the horse. Perturbed by the loss of sacrificial horse, all Rutvijas came to performer of sacrifice, Sagara, and said: 

“Maharaja, someone has abducted our sacrificial horse on the day of its launching in lightning speed. Please immediately initiate steps to catch and destroy the culprit, who has stolen the horse an

Dwarakanath Simogga

JADABHARATOPAKHYANA - XIV

(Jadabharata continues to provide insight into the lessons of philosophy to Rahugana. SHARE IT IF YOU LIKE)

“It is but natural for all the beings to have the feeling of ‘mine’ and ‘my’, the symptoms of ego, pride, vanity. It is not advisable to ignore such feelings. B

ut, such feelings should be overpowered, erased and destroyed by serving Lord Hari and the Gurus or Lord Vishnu and Lord Vayu. That alone can ensure salvation,” says Jadabharata. 

BhrAtruvyamEnam twamadaBhraveeryamupEkshayA(a)pyEDhitamapramattaha|

GurOrharEshcharaNOpAsanAstrO jahi vyaLeekam swamAtmamOham||

The word Atmamoha means self-esteem or the sense of ego. Jadabharata is telling Rahugana to shun the sense of self-esteem or egoism, self-pride, selfishness. When Jadabharata had earlier told Rahugana that even though born with a body or physique, he (Jadabharata) had no misery that is always attached and inherent with the body, the king had asked “How is it possible?” Rahugana had further argued: “When the existence of body is true, the related misery or distress comes along with it.” 

Different doctrines or schools of thought contend that what Jadabharata meant was to rid the ego, pride, self-esteem etc., by considering the existence of body as false. The line of such argument is called falsification or Mithyavada. However, Sri Madhwacharya advises ‘AtmamOham jahi” or win over the false pride about the body. Moha means passion and Atmamoha means passion for self, which drives human mind towards passion towards the body, which is often mistaken as soul. The capacity to drive away the passion over self comes with passion one develops towards the Lord, which is inculcated with the belief that Lord alone is independent and all our bodies and their actions are driven, mentored and monitored by Lord. 

Jadabharata tells to Rahugana: AbhimAnAdEva samskArO(a)nyaThA nEti parihAraha| 

Earlier, Jadabharata had said “DEhEna jAtasya hi mE na santi” and the king had in turn asked “How is it possible”. Jadabharata replies as above. “Misery grips family life due to passion or attachment. Once the passion is won over, there is no room for misery” and such a state can be attained only by passionate devotion towards the Lord. (Contd….)

BIRTH OF KARTHIKEYA

(The story of birth of Karthikeya and the Birth of Ganga or Gangavatharana as narrated by Sri Valmeeki through a conversation between Vishwamira and Srirama. PLEASE SHARE IT IF YOU LIKE)

TAm kathAm KaushikO RAmE nivEdya madhurAkSharAm|

PunarEvAparam vAkyam KAkutsthamidamabraveet||1||

AyOdhyAdhipatihi shUraha pUrvamAseennarAdhipaha|
SagarO nAma dharmAtmA prajAkAmaha sa chAprajAha||2||

VaidarbhaduhitA RAma kEshinee RAma nAmataha|
JyEShThA sagarapatnee sA dharmiShTA satyavAdinee||3||

AriShTanEmErduhitA suparNabhaginee tu sA|
DwiteeyA sagarasyAseetpatnee sumatisanjnitA||4||

TAbhyAm saha mahArAjaha patneebhyAm taptavAmstapaha|
Himavantam samAsAdya BhruguprasravaNE girau||5||

For the question “TeenpaThO hEtunA kEna?” that Rama asked, which meant “Why Ganga flew in three ways?” Vishwamitra explained to Rama how Ganga went to Devaloka. He narrated the details of the birth of Kartikeya as it was related to the same story. Subsequently, he started telling another incident related to the reasons for Ganga to flow down to the Earth and the Patala Loka in very sweet words. 

“Dear son, once a pious, brave and popular king called Sagara was the King of Ayodhya. He did not have children for a very long time. A zest to get children developed in him. Keshini, a virtuous, righteous and truthful daughter of the then king of Vidarbha, was the eldest wife of Sagara. Sumati, who was one of the daughters of Arishtanemi (Kashyapa) and sister of Garuda, the golden eagle, was the second wife of Sagara. Sagara, along with his two wives, began a penance in a sub-mountain called Bhrugupravana, which was adjacent to Mount Himalaya, in the name of Bhrugu Maharshi seeking children. Worshipped for a period of one hundred years through penance, Bhrugu Maharshi, a great person among those known for the virtue of being truthful, got impressed and gave a boon to the king: 

ApatyalABhaha sumahAnBhviShyati tavAnaGha|

Keertim chApratimAm lOkE prApsyasE puruSharShaBha||7||

“Oh great man without any stain of sin, several children, who will earn the praise of universe, will be born to you and from those children, you will earn unmatched fame. One of your two wives will give birth to only one child and the other will beget 60,000 children.” Delighted and pleased with Bhrugu Maharshi for bestowing the boon, the two princesses Keshini and Sumati, honored and worshipped the sage in appropriate manner and told him with folded hands: 

“Oh revered, May your boon become a reality. But, we want to know from you as which one of us will beget one son and who will beget sixty thousand children.”

Hearing their words, most pious Bhrugu Maharshi, replied to them in these interesting and good words: 

“Oh princesses, this subject is entirely left to your desire. You have to decide about your desires.” 

Rama, after hearing the words of Bhrugu Maharshi, Vidarbha princess Keshini expressed her desire in front of Sagara to have only one son. Sister of Garuda, Sumati, heartily welcomed the other option to have enthusiastic and respectable sixty thousand children. Later, Sagara revolved around Bhrugu Maharshi, prostrated before him and saluted the sage and returned to Ayodhya, along with his two wives. With the passage of time, eldest wife Keshini delivered the famous son called “Asamanja”. Sumati, on the other hand, delivered a bottle gourd-like embryo. Sixty thousand children came out after breaking it. Female nurses nurtured those 60,000 children by keeping in separate pots filled with ghee. After they were nurtured for several years, the babies which were in the form atoms, gradually developed and got human form. Later, they became young and efficient children. Did I not tell you earlier that Sagara begot a son called Asamanja from his eldest wife Keshini? Every day, he used to throw children playing on streets into Sarayu River and laughing at those children fluttering in waters, screaming, crying and drowning in the river. It was all a fun for him (Asamanja). Sagara being a pious king, who was always thinking of the welfare of his subject, once extradited Asamanja from the kingdom as he was committing grave crimes every day, was always thinking of torturing the people and was a scourge of virtuous citizens. Asamanja had a son called Amshumanta, who was brave, soft spoken and a beloved of all the people. 

After the passage of several years, Sagara got a desire to perform a sacrifice. Endowed with the knowledge of Vedas, Sagara decided to perform the Yajna and began preparations for it, along with the Rutvijas.