Navaraathri pooja

Hail the victory of Godess Durga over the raakshasa Mahishan, throughout these nine days starting from today... Please do not forget to share your golu photos with us!!! Once Lord Shiva got elated at the pure bakthi of Mahishan he blessed him with the power of eternity. Finally Godess Durga put a full stop to all his attrocities thereafter.

Pournami Pooja- tommorow

Pournami day is special for many reasons. The sheer pleasure derived from watching a full moon itself is special. In many Shiva temples special pooja is performed on full moon day. People pray for longevity of life to ChitraGupta on this poornima. Here I describe the way we pray the Moon God(Chandran) on this day. We place a mirror in such a way that full moon is seen in the mirror to the performer of this pooja. The mirror is treated like Moon God. It is adorned with garland(Maalai). All rituals that are performed normally for any Moorthy is performed for the Mirror. After Aarathi all those attending the pooja will come near the mirror to see the bimba(image) of moon in the mirror to offer their prayer. Prashaadham is distributed to all those who attended the pooja. Chandran gives us creativity, intelligence, etc., So get ready for tommorow's pournami pooja. A full moon day falling on a Monday is very special!!!

Sani Pradhosham

Today is sani pradhosham.Every triytodashi is a pradhosham. Every KrishnaPaksha triyodasi is Maasa Sivaraathri. When saturday and pradhosham comes on a same day, we call it sani pradhosham. The poison spewed by the venomous snake vaasuki was consumed by Lord Shiva. Lord Paarvaty rushed to save Shiva. She wanted the poison not to spread any further. Hence she held his neck tight. Shiva became blue till his neck. This is why he got the name NEELAKANDAN. (Neela-Blue. Kandam-Throat). He slept in Paarvathy's lap(Surutapalli). He was happy when he rose back and granted all wished to bakthakodis. Hence the evening after sunset is considered very auspicious. Next sani Pradhosham is on 13th November 2009. Got ready for Powrnami Pooja this coming Monday(06.07.2009)? Meet you tommorrow with the instructions :) Babye...

July 3rd

Today is the first friday of this month. I 'm eagerly waiting for the last friday of this month. Yes!!! It is Varalakshmi Vratham. Last year, it was observed on our independence day(15th August). This year it falls on July 31st, 2009. I'l share the vratha kaalam, procedure and vrathabalan in detail. You can also share your comments and suggestions with me.

Thiruchendur kumbaabishegam - today's special

Today is the kumba-abishegam festival for the Senthil Aandavar(Lord Muruga) temple of Tiruchendur. After 12 long years, kumbaabishegam occurs here,today. Kumbaabishegam is called kudamuzhukku in Tamil. The darshan of Kumbaabishegam is believed to give us 12 more years of life.

Sthala Puraanam of Tiruchendur:

This shrine of Tiruchendur is believed to be liked by Lord Muruga, the Tamil God and has been given the second place among His shrines in the Skanda puranam, the first being Palani. Tamils worshipped Nature as Murugu (a Tamil word meaning: 'youthfulness, tenderness, fragrance, etc'). According to the physiographical five-fold division of land, Muruga is assigned the hill country, Kurinji, and his shrines are invariably situated amidst mountains or forests as such places are dear to him. The deviation from the usual, in this case, is due to the mission that he undertook in behalf of the devas.

Just as Surapadman was troubling the devas in the South, another demon named Tarakasura, brother of Surapadman, was troubling them in the North. Muruga killed Tarakasura at Cambay, situated between Mahe and Sabaramati rivers, known in olden days as Kambhat, and erected a pillar of victory (sthamba) in commemoration of his success. Similarly the Tiruchendur temple also may be considered as a commemoration of the defeat of Surapadman in the South.As Surapadman was a Brahman, the sin of Brahma Hatti affected Subrahmanya. He became pitch black in complexion and his beautiful shape was changed. As a result of this he prayed at Sikkal, took bath in the tank made out of the milk of Kamadhenu, the celestial Cow, and got back his original beautiful form and complexion. This is why Muruga is worshipped as Singaravelar at Sikkal in the Tanjore District.

The guru of Devas Lord Prahaspati, Lord Indra, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and all the Devas hailed Lord Murugan's victory and worshipped him nine times (Nava Kala Pooja). Lord Murugan in turn worshipped Lord Shiva in the form of Linga called Sivalinga. You can find Panchalinga inside this shrine. Since Lord Murugan and the devas emerged victorious at Tiruchendur, it is also called as Jayanthi Nagar as Jaya means victory.

July 1st

Today (the day I started blogging here), is my parents' wedding day. This day has got one more significance that it is called Canada Day-Canada's national day, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the 1 July 1867 enactment of the British North America Act, which united Canada as a single country of four provinces. Happy reading!!!

Pranaya

Mangalya sthavam is a great prayer addressed to several avatharas of Lord Vishnu occurring in the forty third chapter of the Vishnu Dharmotharam Ithihasam. It is a conversation between Sage Pulasthya and his disciple sage Dhaulabhya. On being asked about the most suitable prayer to drive away bad dreams and for being able to complete all jobs in a proper fashion by Dhaulabhya, Pulasthya tells him that only a prayer to Lord Vishnu would help him achieve that. We recite this prayer before starting any important work. I have given only a part here.

Karyarambeshu sarveshu....ya japthavyam thaduchatham?

(What is the most proper verse or chant to be chanted....at the beginning of any work)

Sarveshu Kaaleshu sarva deseshu,
Aasesha karyeshu thada eswareswara,
Sarvai swaroopai bhagwan anadhiman,
Mamasthu mangalya vivrudhaye hari.
-Maangalya Sthavam

(One who is the god of gods for every one,

At all times, in all regions of the world,
And in all types of actions and who is,
The God with all types of forms and shapes
And who is without end nor beginning,
Is Hari, who will help me in increasing auspiciousness. )

Source of English translation: http://www.celextel.org