Shradh Puja

विक्रम सम्वत् 2072
भाद्रपद शुक्ल पू./ प्रति.
से
आश्विन कृष्ण अमावस

Shradh Puja

27th September 2015
To
12th October 2015

Shradh is not just a day to donate lumps of grains or just feed a pandit with Indian cultural food. It has a deep spiritual as well as philosophical meaning. From spiritual point of view, by performing Shradh via reciting proper Mantras and give tribute to our ancestors. This way they bless us. On the other hand, a Shradh is the chance to distribute our wealth in society in some form to help needy. This day helps in enhancing the righteousness in our nature. And it takes us closer to God.

Brahminis and Brahmans are also feed, as it is believed that anything feed to Brahminis this day directly goes to the ancestor’s soul. There are many other things too for offering to our ancestors. As Shradh is the time to pay tribute to the dead ones, buying new clothes and getting a haircut or even cutting toe nails is strictly prohibited during this period. On the day of Shradh, women don’t wash their hair, men don’t even shave.

These days are considered for the remembrance and Tarpan of our ancestors and saints. Shradh is – “Shradhya Yatha Kriyata Tat”, which means ‘something that is offered with devotion is known as Shradh.’ Ancestors, who put their endeavor for our welfare, who worked throughout their whole lives for us, we should remember them with faith. And, in whatever Yoni they are, we should pray for their happiness and peace. All these things are possible by doing Pind Daan as well as Tarpan. When soul goes away leaving its body, then it’s smallest of the smallest part wanders around everywhere and they get salvation as per their deeds. Unsatisfied souls keep on wandering around. However, souls who get their Shradh done properly at places like Gaya, Prayag, Ujjain and allied places, goes to heaven.

A small portion of the food is also offered to the crows, cows and dogs that is considered as a connection between the world of the living and our ancestors before offering it to Brahmin. Round balls of rice and flour, called pinda, are also offered, along with the sacred kusha grass and flowers, amidst sprinkling of water and chanting of mantras.

On each day of the dark fortnight (Pitra Paksha), special offerings are made to the ancestors whose lunar date (Tithi) of death corresponds to that particular day. One must offer food to Brahmin and donate Yatha Shakti.

Rushi Panchami

विक्रम सम्वत् 2072
भाद्रपद शुक्ल पंचमी

ऋषि पंचमी

18th September 2015

भाद्रपद माह के शुक्ल पक्ष की पंचमी ऋषि पंचमी के रुप में मनाई जाती है. ऋषि पंचमी का व्रत सभी के लिए फल दायक होता है. इस व्रत को श्रद्धा व भक्ति के साथ मनाया जाता है. आज के दिन ऋषियों का पूर्ण विधि-विधान से पूजन कर कथा श्रवण करने का बहुत महत्व होता है. यह व्रत पापों का नाश करने वाला व श्रेष्ठ फलदायी है. यह व्रत और ऋषियों के प्रति श्रद्धा, कृतज्ञता, समर्पण एवं सम्मान की भावना को प्रदर्शित करने का महत्वपूर्ण आधार बनता है.

ऋषि पंचमी पूजन | 

पूर्वकाल में यह व्रत समस्त वर्णों के पुरुषों के लिए बताया गया था, किन्तु समय के साथ साथ अब यह अधिकांशत: स्त्रियों द्वारा किया जाता है. इस दिन पवित्र नदीयों में स्नान का भी बहुत महत्व होता है. सप्तऋषियों की प्रतिमाओं को स्थापित करके उन्हें पंचामृत में स्नान करना चाहिए. तत्पश्चात उन पर चन्दन का लेप लगाना चाहिए और फूलों एवं सुगन्धित पदार्थों, धूप, दीप, इत्यादि अर्पण करने चाहिए तथा श्वेत वस्त्रों, नैवेद्य से पूजा और मन्त्रो का जाप करना चाहिए.

ऋषि पंचमी कथा 

एक समय विदर्भ देश में उत्तक नाम का ब्राह्मण अपनी पतिव्रता पत्नी के साथ निवास करता था. उसके परिवार में एक पुत्र व एक पुत्री थी. ब्राह्मण ने अपनी पुत्री का विवाह अच्छे ब्राह्मण कुल में कर दिया परंतु काल के प्रभाव स्वरुप कन्या का पति अकाल मृत्यु को प्राप्त हो गया, और राजा की पुत्री विधवा हो गयी तथा अपने पिता के घर लौट आती है. एक दिन आधी रात में लड़की के शरीर में कीड़े उत्पन्न होने लगते है अपनी कन्या के शरीर पर कीड़े देखकर माता पिता दुख से व्यथित हो जाते हैं और पुत्री को उत्तक ॠषि के पास ले जाते हैं. अपनी पुत्री की इस हालत के विषय में जानने की प्रयास करते हैं. उत्तक ऋषि अपने ज्ञान से उस कन्या के पूर्व जन्म का पूर्ण विवरण उसके माता पिता को बताते हैं और कहते हैं कि कन्या पूर्व जन्म में ब्राह्मणी थी और इसने एक बार रजस्वला होने पर भी घर के बर्तन इत्यादि छू लिये थे और काम करने लगी बस इसी पाप के कारण इसके शरीर पर कीड़े पड़ गये हैं.

शास्त्रों के अनुसार रजस्वला स्त्री का कार्य करना निषेध है परंतु इसने इस बात पर ध्यान नहीं दिया और इसे इसका दण्ड भोगना पड़ रहा है. ऋषि कहते हैं की यदि यह कन्या ऋषि पंचमी का व्रत करे और श्रद्धा भाव के साथ पूजा तथा क्षमा प्रार्थना करे तो उसे अपने पापों से मुक्ति प्राप्त हो जाएगी. इस प्रकार कन्या द्वारा ऋषि पंचमी का व्रत करने से उसे अपने पाप से मुक्ति प्राप्त होती है.

एक अन्य कथा के अनुसार यह कथा श्री कृष्ण ने युधिष्ठर को सुनाई थी. कथा अनुसार जब वृजासुर का वध करने के कारण इन्द्र को ब्रह्म हत्या का महान पाप लगा तो उसने इस पाप से मुक्ति पाने के लिए ब्रह्मा जी से प्रार्थना की. ब्रह्मा जी ने उस पर कृपा करके उस पाप को चार भाग में बांट दिया था जिसमें प्रथम भाग अग्नि की ज्वाला में, दूसरा नदियों के लिए वर्षा के जल में, तीसरे पर्वतों में और चौथे भाग को स्त्री के रज में विभाजित करके इंद्र को शाप से मुक्ति प्रदान करवाई थी. इसलिए उस पाप को शुद्धि के लिए ही हर स्त्री को ॠषि पंचमी का व्रत करना चाहिए.

Krishna Janmashtami

विक्रम सम्वत् 2072
भाद्रपद कृष्ण अष्टमी
5th September 2015

Sri Krishna Janmashtami is one of the important Hindu festival being celebrated all across India. This festival is  celebrated with much pomp and gaiety. According to antecedents, Sri Krishna Janmashtami is the birthday of  Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. The festival is observed on the eighth day of the dark half i.e.,  Krishna Paksh, Shravan Maas as per Hindu calendar when the Rohini Star is ascendant.

 The festival is observed by fasting on the previous day of Saptami day (the seventh day). This is followed by a  night long vigil commemorating the birth of Lord Krishna at night and his immediate removal by his father to a fosterer home for safe keeping. At midnight, the deity of the infant Krishna is bathed, placed in a cradle and worshiped amidst the blowing of conch shells and the ringing of bells.

In the early morning, ladies draw patterns of little children's feet outside the house with rice-flour paste, walking towards the house. Earlier kids are dressed and decorated as the Lord Krishna during his childhood. This symbolizes the entry of the infant Krishna into his foster-home. This custom is popular in some communities of South India. After ablutions, morning prayers and worship, the devout break their fast with prasadam, food that has first been offered to God. During the fore-noon hours, the "Dahi-Handi" custom is celebrated in some parts of the Deccan with many different groups of young men making human pyramid and climbing up high to break the earthen pot which carries rewards and gifts. Basically a symbol of celebration to mark the occasion by enacting childhood plays of Krishna eating butter and curd from earthen pots. This is followed by sumptuous mid-day feasts, where extended families friends and community gathers to celebrate. Sweets made of milk and butter is traditionally prepared on this occasion and offered to all who come for the event.

In Northern India, the festival is celebrated a little differently. The temples at Vrindavan and Mathura witness a colorful, even boisterous celebration on this occasion, and festivities at these places may extend for several days. Devotional songs and dances mark the celebration. The Rasa Lila is performed to recreate incidents from the life of Krishna and commemorate his love for Radha. Care is taken among certain circles not to imitate the Rasa Lila in a mundane way. It is said that one should not imitate the Rasa Lila even in dreams. The idea is that Krishna, or God's pastimes cannot be understood by the mundane mind-set and discussing them should therefore be avoided altogether. Krishna's pastimes with Shrimati Radha can never be understood by materialistic people, they are transcendental and great care should be taken to present them in such manner.

While the Rasa Lila recreates the youthful Krishna's dalliance with the milkmaids of his native land, the "Dahi-Handi" tradition of Maharashtra re-enacts his childhood pranks, wherein Lord Krishna and his young friends helped themselves to butter and other goodies in the houses of their neighbors. Dahi Handi (or simply Human Tower / Pyramid) is celebrated on the second day of Janmashtami. Clay earthern pots called "Handi" are filled with curd, butter, milk and dry fruits. The pot is then suspended high above the ground at a height of about 20 - 30 feet. Silver coins are decorated round the handi to make it more decorative. To a constant chorus of "Govinda, Govinda" or "Ala re ala, Govinda ala" from all those present around, teams of young men form human pyramids to reach the pot and break it, to the merriment of the youths and of the assembly. In some parts of the country, the teams of young men tour the locality in a specially decorated truck called the Govinda Pathakas breaking the pots setup at every street corner. The silver coins etched to the handi are later shared amongst the team members after breaking the pot. The prize for the team sometimes touches few Lakhs of rupees too, a part of which is sponsored by local political parties.

The festival is thus celebrated with great joy and communal togetherness by one and all.