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Tag: Lord Vishnu

  • Serious Illness Ward Off Black Magic Ashu Garuda Dandakam

     

     

    Garuda, Carrier of Lord Vishnu.
    Garuda, Carrier of Lord Vishnu. Image Credit. http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/features/07-09/features1448.htm

     

    Ashu Garuda Mantra.jpg
    Ashu Garuda Mantra.

     

     

    Garuda Gayatri.

     

    Garuda Gayatri

    Om Thathpurushaya Vidhmahe
Suvarna Pakshaya Dheemahe
Thanno Garuda Prachodayath.

    Garuda Dandaka by Sri Vedanata Desika.

     

    Garuda  is the Carrier or the Vechicle  of Lord Vishnu.

     

    He is regarded as Periya Tiruvadi, the Great Foot of the Lord Vishnu, the other being Lord Hanuman.

     

    Garuda is the son of Sage Kashyapa and Vinathai and his step brothers are the serpents.

     

    As the Serpents insulted his Mother, he is the enemy of the Serpents. yet He is with the Adiseha on which Lord Vishnu reclines.

     

    There is also a view that He is an Avatar or Amsa of Rudra.

     

    There are some rare Mantras of Garuda.

     

    One such is the Garuda Dandakam by Swami Desikan.

     

    This mantra shall ward of evils, the effects of Black magic, remove fear and protect from Snakes.

     

     

     

    Nama: pannaganaddhaaya vaikunta vasavardhineh
    Sruti-sindhu Sudhothpaada-mandaraaya Garutmathe

    • My salutations to Garuda with the beautiful wings. His limbs are adorned by the mighty serpents that he has conquered in battle. They are his jewellery. He does all the intimate kainkaryas to his Lord and is His Antharanga dhaasan. Garuda is devoted always to the Lord and His services. He is adept like the Mandara Mountain in churning the milky ocean of Vedas and to bring out the Brahma Vidyas. We can get the benefits of these Brahma Vidyas by offering our worship to him. My salutations are to him.
    • Dhandakam Paada 1
    • Garudamakhila Veda NeeDadhirooDam Dhvishath Peedanothkantithaakunta
      vaikuntapeetikrta skandhameedhe SvaneeDaa gatipreetha Rudraa Sukeerthi
      sthanaabhoga-gaaDopakuDa sphuratkantakavraata veda vyataavepamaana
      dhvijihavaadhikalpa vishppaaryamaaNa sphataavatikaa ratna rochischataa raaji-
      neerajitham kaanti kallolinee raajitam
    • Sri Garudans wives Rudrai, Sukeerthi – Bindignavile
    • Garuda Bhagavan has designed the Vedas as his cage and uses that cage as his seat. (This suggests that the Vedas sing his praise). His Lord Sriman Narayana is bent upon destroying the enemies of His devotees. No one can stop Sriman Narayana in these endeavors. When He sets about to destroy the enemies of His devotees, he uses the shoulders of Garuda as his transport. When Garuda transports his Lord on His missions, his wives-Rudrai and Sukeerthi– miss his absence from home. When the Lord’s mission is successfully concluded, Garuda returns to his wives and they embrace him intimately with affection. In that ecstatic state, the hairs on the body of Garuda become stiff like thorns. This in turn hurts the serpents, which are covering his body. The serpents are overcome with fear and they raise their hoods. On those occasions, the ratnas positioned on their hoods radiate their brilliant red rays. That splendorous group of red rays appear at that time as the mangala Aarathi to Garuda and he sparkles in that flood of red light.
    • Dhandakam Paada 2
    • Jaya Garuda Suparna Darveekaraahaara Devaadhipaahaarahaarin diwowkaspati
      Kshipta Dambholi Dhaaraa kinaakalpa Kalpaantha Vatoola Kalpodhayaanalpa
      Veerayithoodhyacchamatkaara Dhaityaari Jaitra Dhwajaarohanirdhaaritothkarsha
      Sankarshanaatman Garutman Marutpanchakaadheesa Sathyaathimurthe na Kascchit
      samas te namaste punaste nama
    • O Garuda Bhagavan! You have been named Suparna, because of the beauty of your wings. Serpents of immense size serve as your food. You brought Nectar, the food of the Devas- from Indra Loka to release your mother from the bonds of servitude. Indra got angry at you during that time and threw his Vajra weapon at you. The sharp edge of that powerful weapon caused wounds on your wings and rest of the body. The welts from those wounds look today as pieces of jewellery on your body and attest to your heroic deed in defeating Indra. Your other heroic deeds stand out like the mighty winds that sweep the universe during the time of the great deluge. You are sitting on the flag of your Lord, which denotes His victory over His enemies; from your position on the flag of your Lord, we are able to infer your glories. You have incarnated as Sankarshana among the four Vyuha Murthys of Sriman Narayana, which are Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradhumna and Aniruddha.
    • You have divided yourself into five forms– Satyar, Suparnar, Garudar, Taarkshyar and Vihageswarar– and matched those five forms with the five Vayus (Praanan, Apaanan, Samaanan, Udhaanan and Vyaanan) and shine thereafter as a supreme Devan. O Lord with the most exquisitely beautiful golden Wings! There is none, who is equal to you. I offer my salutations to you first and then again repeat my salutations.
    • Dhandakam Paada 3
    • Nama Idhamajahath-saparyaaya Paryaaya-niryaata- pakshaanilaasppalanodhvela
      PaToti Veechi- chapetaahataagaadha paatala Bhankara sankruttha nagendra
      peetaasrunee bhaava bhasvannakhasreNayE chandatundaaya nrtyat bhujanga
      bhruve vajrine dhamshtrayaa thubhyam Adhyaatmavidyaa vidheyaa vidheyaa
      bhavath dhasyamaapaadhayeta dhayaTaasccha meh
    • O Garuda Bhagavan! Learned scholars offer their uninterrupted worships to you. Your wings in flight generate mighty winds that stir up all the oceans and make them flow over their boundaries. The waves that rise and fall from those powerful winds reach down to the netherworld (Paatalam) and the effect is like a violent blow given by the palm of one’s hand.
    • A frightening sound heard as “Bhaam” reverberates around the world at that time. The mighty elephants guarding the quarters are shaken up by this mighty sound of “Bhaam” and run to attack you, the generator of that sound. Your rows of sharp nails acting as the elephant goad attack those angry elephants of the quarters and repulse them. Your mighty beak raises terror in the minds of your enemies. When you knot your brows, it looks like the movement of the hood of a Cobra. Your canine teeth look like the Vajra weapon of Indra and strikes terror in the hearts of your enemies. My salutations to you of such limitless glory! May thou bless me so that Brahma Vidyas become easy to be possessed by me! Please bless me out of your infinite compassion so that I can have the good fortune to offer kainkaryams to you.
    • Dhandakam Paada 3
    • Manuranugata Pakshi-vaktra sphurattharakas taavakaschitrabhanupriyaa
      sekharastthrayathaam nasthrivargaapavarga prasuthi: paravyoma dhaaman
      valadhveshidharpajjvalath Vaalakilya PratigynaavatheerNa sTiraam tatvabuddhim
      paraam bhaktidhenum jaganmoolakandhe Mukundhe mahaanandadhogdhreem
      dhatiTaa mudhaakaamaheenamaheenaanthaka
    • O Garuda Bhagavan residing permanently in Sri Vaikuntam! Your mantram confers to the reciters the four fold (Dharma-Artha-Kama -Moksha) goals of Life. That mantram of yours made up of 5 syllables, has the Pranavam as its first syllable. At the end, it carries the syllable associated with the wife of Agni. May the mantram of that structure protect us! Once, Devendran became arrogant over his powers and insulted the Sages with the name of Vaalakilyas. (The sages got angry and cursed Indra. They cursed that Indra’s arrogance be destroyed by an incarnation of Sankarshana (Garuda) on a future date). You were born from the vow made by the Vaalakilyas that you destroy the mighty arrogance of Indra and you made their words come true. You serve as the lord of Death for mighty serpents that challenged you.
    • Please bless me with the discriminating knowledge to distinguish between true (superior) and false (inferior) knowledge. Your Lord is the fundamental and principal cause of all the universes. Please bless me to have the cow representing the limitless devotion to your Lord, so that it can yield for me its delectable milk. May that devotion of mine be free from the distractions of the insignificant and evanescent pleasures of life! May thou confer on me the boon of possessing such a superior devotion to your Lord and True Knowledge about Him!
    • Sloka 2
    • Shat-thrhimsathgana-charanoh nara paripaati naveena Ghumbhagana:
      Vishnurata-dhandakoyam Vigatayathu vipaksha Vaahini Vyuham
    • This entire Garuda Dhandakam is of the form of one slokam. This has four Paadas. Each of the Paadas has 36 GaNaas. Each Gana has three syllables. This Dhandakam follows strictly the rules of composing Dhandakams and has the NagaNaas and RagaNaas in each of the Paadas and yields novel word constructions. When one recites this Garuda Dhandakam, it will destroy the formations of the enemies, who have assembled to do battle with us and scatter them to the winds.
    • Concluding Sloka
    • Vichitra siddhidada: soyam Venkatesa Vipascchitaa
      Garudadhwaja-thoshaaya Gheetho Garudadhandaka
    • “Bless us with the superior devotion to your Lord – Garudan, Pomona”
    • This Garuda Dhandakam was composed and sung by adiyen, the Vidwan known as Venkatesa to please the Lord, who has Garuda on His flagstaff. The recitation of this Garuda Dhandakam will confer on the reciter multifold blessings and fulfill their heartfelt wishes of every kind..

    There is also a mention of Garuda Vidya.

     

    This is a Sadhana for realization.

     

    I shall be posting on this.

     

    Please see the image in the Post.

     

    That is Ashu Garuda Mantra to ward of dangerous illnesses and effects of Black Magic.

     

     

     

     

    http://bakthitoday.blogspot.in/2013/02/padarasa-garuda.html

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  • Lord Vishnu 96 Names By Veda Vyasa

    A special stotra by By Veda Vyasa , listing the 100 names of Lord Vishnu.

     

    Only 96 are available.

     

    Lord Vishnu.jpg
    Lord Vishnu. Image Credit.http://daewallpapers.tk/

     

    ‘

    Vasudevam, Hrishi kesam, vamanam, jalasayinam,
Janardhanam, Harim, Krishnam, Sreepaksham, Garuda dwajam., 1

    He who hides the world by illusion, He who controls his five senses,
    He who is a dwarf, He who lies down on water,
    He who troubles bad people, He who is remover of death and birth,
    He who is black, He who is on the side of Lakshmi,
    He who has the Bird Garuda on his flag.

    Varaham. Pundareekaksham,Nrusimham, narakanthakam,
Avyaktham, Saswatham, Vishnum, anantham, avyayam., 2

    He who is a boar, He who has lotus like eyes,
    He who is the man-lion, He who puts an end to hell,
    He who is not clear to us, He who is permanent,
    He who is Vishnu, He who is endless, He who is without change,

    Narayanam, Gadadhyaksham, Govindam, Keerthi bhajanam,
Govardhanodharam, devam, bhoodharam, Bhuvaneswaram., 3

    He who was born out of water, He who is an expert in mace,
    He who looks after all beings, He who is the one with fame.
    He who is the Lord, He who lifted Govardhana mountain,
    He who lifted the earth, He who is the Lord of universe,

    Vethaaram, yagna purusham, yagnesam, Yagna vahakam,
Chakrapanim, Gadhapanim, Sankhapanim, Narothamam., 4

    He who is meditated by sages, He who is addressed by Yagnas,
    He who is the Lord of the Yagna, He who is the vehicle of Yagna,
    He who holds the wheel, He who holds the mace,
    He who holds the conch, He who is the greatest among men,

    Vaikuntam, Dushta dhamanam,, Bhoogarbham, Peetha vasasam,
Trivikramam, Trikalagnam,Trimurthim, Nandakeswaram., 5

    He who lives in Vaikunta, He who controls bad people,
    He who holds earth inside his Tummy, He who wears red cloths,
    He who is Trivikrama[1], He who is the past, present and future,
    He who is the holy trinity, He who is the Lord of Yadavas,

    Ramam, ramam Hayagreevam, Bheemam, Roudhram,Bhavothbhavam,
Sripathim, Sridharam, Sreesam, Mangalam, Mangalayudham., 6

    He who is Sri Rama, He who is Parasu Rama, He who is Hayagreeva,
    He who is gross, He who is angry, He who was produced before everything,
    He who is the consort of Lakshmi, He who carries Lakshmi, He who is the Lord of Lakshmi,
    He who does only good, He who has weapons for doing good only,

    Dhamodharam, Dhamopetham, Kesavam, Kesi Soodhanam,
Varenyam, Varadam, Vishnumanandam, Vasudevajam., 7

    He who was tied by a rope in the belly, He who cuts off bondage,
    He who has a pretty hair, He who killed the asura Kesi,
    He who should be prayed to, He who blesses,
    He who is Vishnu, He who is joy, He who is the son of Vasudeva,

    Hiranyarethasam, Deeptham, Puranam, Purushothamam,
Sakalam, Nishkalam, Shuddham, Nirgunam, Guna Saswatham., 8

    He who has golden virility, He who enlightens, He who is ancient,
    He who is greatest among men, He who is everything, He who does not have stain,
    He who is pure, He who does not have any properties, He who has stable characters,

    Hiranya thanu sankasam, Suryayaytha sama prabham,
Megha shyamam,Chathur bahum, kusalam, Kamalekshanam., 9

    He who has gold like body, He who shines like the Sun,
    He who is black like a cloud, He who has four hands,
    He who is always all right, He who has lotus like eyes,

    Jyothiroopam, aroopancha, swaroopam, roopa samsthitham,
Sarvagnam, Sarva roopstham, Sarvesam, Sarvathomukham., 10

    He who is like flame, He who does not have any shape,
    He who has a form, He who is blessed with good form,
    He who knows everything, He who assumes all forms,
    He who is the God of all, He who sees in all directions,

    Jnanam kootastham, achalam Jnanadham,Paramam, Prabhum,
Yogesam, Yoga nishnaatham, yoginam, yoga roopinam., 11

    He who is wisdom, He who is steady, He who is stable,
    He who is full of wisdom, He who is the divine, He who is the Lord,
    He who is the chief of Yoga, He who is the ultimate lord of Yoga,
    He who is a Yogi, He who is personification of Yoga,

    Iswaram sarva bhoothaanaam, Vande bhootha mayam Prabhum,
Ithi nama satham divyam Vaishnavam Khalu papakam., 12

    He who is the God of all beings, Salutations the Lord who pervades everywhere,
    These are the hundred names of Vishnu which removes specially sins.

    Vyasena khaditham poorvam Sarva papa prnasanam,
Ya padeth prathar uthaya, sa Bhaved Vaishnavo nara., 13

    This which was told by Vyasa long ago, kills all sins.
    If read as soon as one gets up in the morning,He would become a man of Vishnu,

    Sarva papa visudhathma, Vishnu sayujam aapnuyath,
Chandrayana Sahasrani, Kanya dhana sathani cha., 14

    Gavaam Laksha sahasraani, Mukthi bhagi bhaven nara,
Aswamedhayutham punyam, phalam prapnothi manava., 15

    He would become purified from all sins and would become one with Vishnu,
    He would get the effect of performing one thousand Chandrayanas[2],
    And he would get the effect of performing one hundred marriages,
    He would give the effect of giving away hundreds of lakhs of cows,
    And also get the effect of performing an Aswamedha Yaga.

     

    By Veda Vyasa

    Translated By P.R.Ramachander

     

    Ref:

     

     

     

     

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  • Vishnu Goes To Sleep Shayani/Aashad Ekadasi

    The eleventh day of the movement of the Moon is called Ekadasi.

    The Eleventh day from New Moon is Shukla Paksha Ekadasi and the during the waning of the Moon Krishna Paksha.

    Shukla means white, Krishna, Black.

    Hinduism recommends fasting and the chanting of Vishnu’s name during this period.

    Aashada Ekadasi Pandharpur Festival.Image.jpg.
    Aashada Ekadasi Pandharpur Festival

    Though there are many Ekadasis some are special, Vaikunta Ekadasi for instance.

    Equally sacred is the Shayani Ekadasi or Aashada Ekadasi.

    On this day, it is believed that Lord Vishnu goes to sleep.

    This description is  not technically correct.

    Sayana means lying down .

    śayana — sleeping; SB 1.10.11-12
    śayana — lying down; SB 1.11.16-17
    śava-śayana — dead bodies; SB 4.7.33
    śayana — lying down; SB 5.8.11
    śayana — lying down; SB 7.5.38
    śayana — beds; SB 10.48.2
    śayana — putting to bed; SB 10.59.45
    śayana — arranging His bed; SB 10.61.6
    śayana — in taking rest; SB 11.5.47
    śayana — in the activities of lying down; SB 11.5.48
    śayana — rest; SB 12.3.39-40
    karena śayana — lies down; CC Adi 5.55
    śayana — on the bed; CC Adi 5.99

    Hindu Gods do not sleep

    Only when these Gods manifest, to follow Human Norms they perform activities of Man.

    What this means is that Vishnu enters His Yoga Nidra.

    Looks asleep yet completely with Pure Consciousness.

    Lord Vishnu the Para Brahma Swarpa, how can He sleep?

    Many translate this Yoga Nidra as  ari thuyil, using the soft ‘R’ Itayinam.

    It should be the vallinam , R aRi thuyil.

    The former means Vishnu’s Sleep, while the later, which is correct, means , Sleeping with Awareness.

    ”

    Vaishnava Devshayani Ekadashi = 09/07/2014
    Next Day Parana Time for Vaishnava Ekadashi = 06:03 to 08:35
    On Parana Day Dwadashi would be over before Sunrise
    Ekadashi Tithi Begins = 05:56 on 8/Jul/2014
    Ekadashi Tithi Ends = 04:39 on 9/Jul/2014

    Shayani Ekadashi (lit. “sleeping eleventh”) or Maha-ekadashi (lit. “The great eleventh”) or Prathama-ekadashi (lit. “The first eleventh”)

    or Padma Ekadashi or Devshayani Ekadashi or Devpodhi Ekadashi is the eleventh lunar day (Ekadashi) of the bright fortnight (Shukla paksha)

    of the Hindu month of Ashadha (June – July).

    Thus it is also known as Ashadhi Ekadashi or Ashadhi.

    This holy day is of special significance to Vaishnavas, followers of Hindu preserver god Vishnu.

    On this day images of Vishnu and Lakshmiare worshipped, the entire night is spent singing prayers, and devotees keep fast and take vows on this day, to be observed during the entire chaturmas, the holy four month period of rainy season.

    These may include, giving up a food item or fasting on every Ekadashi day.

    It is believed that Vishnu falls asleep in Ksheersagar – cosmic ocean of milk – on Shesha nāga, the cosmic serpent.

    Thus the day is also called Dev-Shayani Ekadashi (lit. “god-sleeping eleventh”) or Hari-shayani Ekadashi (lit. “Vishnu-sleeping eleventh“) or Shayana Ekadashi. Vishnu finally awakens from his slumber four months later on Prabodhini Ekadashi – eleventh day of bright fortnight in the Hindu month Kartik (October–November).

    This period is known as Chaturmas (lit. “four months”) and coincides with the rainy season.

    Thus, Shayani Ekadashi is the beginning of Chaturmas. Devotees start observing the Chaturmas vrata (vow) to please Vishnu on this day.

    A fast is observed on Shayani Ekadashi. The fast demands abstainance from all grains, beans, cereals, certain vegetables like onions .

    The recommended diet.

    Shaka[vegetables], dadhi[curd], kshira[milk] and dvidala [di-cotyledons and multiseeded
    products] are the four vratas observed in these four months. Each vrata is commenced
    with a sankalpa, and at the end of chaturmasya it is concluded with homa and Brahmana
    puja. During this time, Sanyasi-s stay in one place and follow special procedures as a
    worship to Lord. Snana, japa, and dana done during these four months get immense
    phala.

    The first month is shAka vrata, where all vegetables are given up to please Lord Sri
    Shridhara, the niyamaka for this month.

    Dadhi vrata is the second one and all items of curd are given up to get special blessings
    from Sri Hrishikesha, the niyamaka.

    During Kshira vrata, all milk items are given up to get the prasada of Sri Padmanabha.

    The last vrata is Dvidala and bahubhija where all di-cots and multi seeded items are given
    up to get the grace of Sri Damodhara.

    Celebrations.

    This is celebrated on a grand scale in Maharashtra and Goa.

    This day, a huge yatra or religious procession of pilgrims known as Pandharpur Ashadi Ekadasi Waari Yatra culminates at Pandharpur, in Solapur district in south Maharashtra, situated on the banks of the ChandraBhaga River.

    Pandharpur is main center of worship of the deityVithoba, a local form of Vishnu. lacs of pilgrims come to Pandharpur on this day from different parts of Maharashtra.

    Some of them carry Palkhis(palanquins) with the images of the saints of Maharashtra. Dnyaneshwar‘s image is carried from Alandi, Tukaram‘s from Dehu, Eknath‘s fromPaithan, Nivruttinath‘s from Trimbakeshwar, Muktabai‘s from Muktainagar, Sopan‘s from Sasvad and Saint Gajanan Maharaj from Shegaon.

    These pilgrims are referred to as Warkaris. They sing Abhangas (chanting hymns) of Saint Tukaram and Saint Dnyaneshwar, dedicated to Vithoba.

    Yogini Ekadasi.

    Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Supreme Lord, I have heard the glories of the Nirjala Ekadasi, which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha (May – June).
    Now I wish to hear from You about the suddha Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Ashadha (June – July).
    Kindly describe to me all about it in detail, Oh killer of the Madhu demon (Madhusudana).”

    The Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, then replied, “Oh king, I shall indeed tell you about the best of all fasting days, the Ekadasi that comes during the dark part of the month of Ashadha.
    Famous as Yogini Ekadasi, it removes all kinds of sinful reactions and awards supreme liberation.
    “Oh best of kings, this Ekadasi delivers people who are drowning in the vast ocean of material existence and transports them to the shore of the spiritual world.
    In all the three worlds, it is the chief of all sacred fasting days.
    I shall now reveal this truth to you by narrating a history recounted in the Puranas.

    “The king of Alakapuri – Kuvera, the treasurer of the devas (demigods) – was a steadfast devotee of lord Shiva.
    He employed a servant named Hemamali as his personal gardener.
    Hemamali, a Yaksha like Kuvera, was very lustfully attracted to his gorgeous wife, Swarupavatii, who had large, enchanting eyes.
    “Hemamali’s daily duty was to visit Manasarovara Lake and bring back flowers for his master, Kuvera, with which he would use them in the puja offerings to lord Shiva.
    One day, after picking the flowers, Hemamali went to his wife instead of returning directly to his master and fulfilling his duty by bringing the flowers for the puja.
    Absorbed in loving affairs of a bodily nature with his wife, he forgot to return to the abode of Kuvera.
    “Oh king, while Hemamali was enjoying with his wife, Kuvera had begun the worship of lord Shiva as normal in his palace and soon discovered that there were no flowers ready to be offered in the midday puja.
    The lack of such an important item (upachara) angered the great Koshad-yaksha (treasurer of the devas) even more, and he asked a Yaksha messenger, ‘Why has dirty-hearted Hemamali not come with the daily offering of flowers?
    Go find out the exact reason and report back to me in person with your findings.’
    The Yaksha returned and told Kuvera, ‘Oh dear lord, Hemamali has become lost in freely enjoying coitus with his wife.’

    “Kuvera became extremely angry when he heard this and at once summoned lowly Hemamali before him.
    Knowing that he had been remiss and dawdling in his duty and exposed as meditating on his wife’s body, Hemamali approached his master in great fear.
    The gardener first paid his obeisances and then stood before his lord, whose eyes had become red with anger and whose lips trembled in rage.
    So enraged, Kuvera cried out to Hemamali, ‘Oh you sinful rascal! Oh destroyer of religious principles! You are a walking offense to the devas!
    I therefore curse you to suffer from white leprosy and to become separated from your beloved wife! Only great suffering is deservedly yours!
    Oh lowborn fool, leave this place immediately and betake yourself to the lower planets to suffer!’

    “And so Hemamali fell at once from grace in Alakapuri and became ill with the terrible affliction of white leprosy.
    He awoke in a dense and fearful forest, where there was nothing to eat or drink.
    Thus he passed his days in misery, unable to sleep at night due to pain.
    He suffered in both winter and summer season, but because he continued to worship lord Shiva himself with faith, his consciousness remained purely fixed and steady.
    Although implicated by great sin and its attendant reactions, he remembered his past life because of his piety.

    “After wandering for some time here and there, over mountains and across plains, Hemamali eventually came upon the vast expanse of the Himalayan mountain ranges.
    There he had the wonderful good fortune to come in contact with the great saintly soul Markandeya Rishi, the best of ascetics, whose duration of life it is said, extends to seven of the days of Brahma.

    “Markandeya Rishi was seated peacefully at his Ashrama, looking as effulgent as a second Brahma.
    Hemamali, feeling very sinful, stood at a distance from the magnificent sage and offered his humble obeisances and choice prayers.
    Always interested in the welfare of others, Markandeya Rishi saw the leper and called him near, “Oh you, what sort of sinful deeds have you done to earn this dreadful affliction?’

    “Hearing this, Hemamali painfully and ashamed replied, ‘Dear sir, I am a Yaksha servant of lord Kuvera, and my name is Hemamali.
    It was my daily service to pick the flowers from the Manasarovara lake for my master’s worship of lord Shiva, but one day I was negligent and was late in returning with the offering because I had become overwhelmed with lusty passion for enjoying bodily pleasures with my wife.
    When my master discovered why I was late, he cursed me in great anger to be as I am before you.
    Thus I am now bereft of my home, my wife, and my service.
    But fortunately I have come upon you, and now I hope to receive from you an auspicious benediction, for I know that devotees such as you are as merciful as the Supreme Lord (Bhakta Vatsala) and always carry the interest of others uppermost in their hearts.
    That is their – your nature. Oh best of sages, please help me!’

    “Softhearted Markandeya Rishi replied, ‘Because you have told me the truth, I shall tell you about a fast day that will benefit you greatly.
    If you fast on the Ekadasi that comes during the dark fortnight of the month of Ashadha, you will surely be freed of this terrible curse.’

    Hemamali fell to the ground in complete gratitude and offered him his humble obeisances again and again.
    But Markandeya Rishi stood there and lifted poor Hemamali to his feet, filling him with inexpressible happiness.

    “Thus, as the sage had instructed him, Hemamali dutifully observed the Ekadasi fast, and by its influence he again became a handsome Yaksha.
    Then he returned home, where he lived very happily with his wife.”

    Lord Sri Krishna concluded, “So, you can readily see, Oh Yudhishthira that fasting on Yogini Ekadasi is very powerful and auspicious.
    Whatever merit one obtains by feeding eighty-eight thousand brahmins is also obtained simply by observing a strict fast on Yogini Ekadasi.
    For one who fasts on this sacred Ekadasi, she (Ekadasi Devi), destroys heaps of past sinful reactions and makes him most pious.
    Oh King, thus I have explained to you the purity of Yogini Ekadasi.”

    Thus ends the narration of the glories of Ashadha-krishna Ekadasii, or Yogini Ekadasi, from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.

    Citation.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shayani_Ekadashi

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/page/yogini-ekadasi

    Image credit.

    http://ramanisblog.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/0eeb0-3748731049_6be962c23a.jpg

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  • Prahlada Born In Multan Pakistan

    I recently wrote an article ‘No Avatar of Vishnu Shiva In South Why‘.

     

    There , as the title implies, there seems to be no Avatar of Vishnu and Shiva in the South.

     

    I have receive a spate of comments in the Facebook community, curiously none from the readers of my blog directly.

     

    These quoted verses in Tamil stating that the Narasimha Avatar took place in Ahobilam,Andhra Pradesh.

     

    There is also an Ukra Sthamba, the pillar from where Lord Narasimha manifested.

     

    I have provided these comments towards the close of the Post.

     

    I had visited the place and there is a Post on this.

     

    I did not strike me then.

     

    There are comments that the Kalki Avatar will take place in South India.

     

    That the Narasimha Avatar took  place in Ahobilam is referred in the Koorma Purana.

     

    I checked  the Koorma  Purana and the more detailed one the Vishnu Purana.

     

    There seems to be no mention of the place of Hiranyakasipu‘s specifically , though there is a detailed description of  his palace.

     

    There is also the reference of Hirayaksha brother of Hiranya having been killed by Varaha in Eastern Nepal.

     

     

    ”

    Varahakshetra, at the confluence of the Saptakoshi and Koka rivers, is 20 km from a town in eastern Nepal – Dharan. . Here, the Boar- Varaha,

     

    an incarnation of Lord Vishnu has been said to have killed the demon-Hiranyaksha.”

     

    There are also other Temples dedicated to Narasimha near Kathmandu, Nepal.

     

    Considering the genealogy of Daksha and Hirannya, it looks that these Kings must have lived in the north of the Vindhyas, somewhere near the foothills

    of the Himalayas.

    Prahaladapuri Temple.Image.jpg.
    Prahaladapuri Temple.

     

    Now there is a reference to Prahalada, son of Hiranyakasipu having built the city f Multan In Pakistan.

     

    ”

    According to the opinion of some historians, Prahlada Maharaja was born in Treta-yuga in the city of Multan, in the state of Punjab. He was born of Hiranyakashipu, a king of the dynasty of Kashyapa. Prahlada Maharaja was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu, but his father was very much against Vishnu. Because the father and son thus differed in their consciousness, the demon father inflicted all kinds of bodily pain upon Prahlada. When this torture became intolerable, the Supreme Lord appeared as Narasimhadeva and killed the great demon Hiranyakashipu… – Sri Chaitanya-caritamrita, Antya 9.10

     

    Prahladpuri Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in Multan (now in Pakistan), earlier known as Kashyapapur. It is named after Prahlada and dedicated to Lord Narasimha. The temple of Prahladpuri is said to have been built by Prahlada Maharaj in honor of Lord Narasimha.

     

    The Prahladapuri temple like the Sun Temple of Multan had been destroyed after Muslim conquest of Multan, suffered several material losses and was reduced to a nondescript shrine by the 19th century.

     

    The temple was built on a high platform inside Multan Fort, adjacent to tomb of Hazrat Baha’ul Haq Zakariya, and was before 1992 a prominent landmark of Multan. It had a main hall, circumlocutory and skylights and a large mandapa. The central hall had a replica of the deity under a baldachin (a luxurious type of cloth from Bagdad). Adjacent to temple was dharamshala complex.

     

    ..

    Traditions, however, claim that the original temple was a columnar structure and both the roof and the columns supporting it were made of pure gold. It is further stated that for some unknown reason, this entire building sank into ground and over it was built a new temple.

     

    After the partition of India, many Hindus migrated and the affairs of temple were managed by minority Hindus of city. The original deity of Lord Narasimha was brought to India by Baba Narayan Das Batra from Multan at the time of partition in 1947. The deity is now at Haridwar (Narasimhadham Road).

     

    In 1992, the temple was completely destroyed by mob in retaliation of news of Babri Masjid demolition in India. Many peaceful protests were held by minority organizations and have requested the government of Pakistan to restore this ancient temple of importance

     

    .

    I am checking the Puranas for clarity.

     

    Readers may send their information with references from The Vedas and Puranas.

     

    I am not sure about the authenticity of the Sthala  Puranas as some of thm are blatantly at variance with the Puranas.

     

    A Post on this subject follows..

     

    More curious Vasishta is from South India follows.

     

    Prahladapuri Temple.

     

    The original temple of Prahladpuri is said to have been built by Prahlad, son of Hiranyakashipu, the king of Multan (Kashya-papura)[1] in honor of Narsing Avatar, an incarnation of Hindu god Vishnu, who emerged from the pillar to save Prahlada.[2][3][4][5]

    The Prahladapuri temple like the Sun Temple of Multan had been destroyed after Muslim conquest of Multan, suffered several material losses and was reduced to a nondescript shrine by the 19th century.

     

    It is located on top of a raised platform inside the Fort of Multan, adjacent to tomb of Hazrat Baha’ul Haq Zakariya.

     

    A mosque has subsequently built adjacent to temple.[6] The records suggested by Dr. A.N. Khan say that temple was once rebuilt in decade of 1810, when area was under rule of Sikhs.

    However, Alexander Burnes, who visited the temple in 1831, said that he found it deserted and without a roof. Later, in year 1849, when British laid siege of Multan Fort against Mul Raj, a shell fired by British army fell on gunpowder store within the fort, thus destroying almost all of the fort except the mausoleums of Bahauddin Zakaria and his sons and the Prahladpuri temple complex. …

     

    However, the temple was soon rebuilt by then prosperous Hindu community of Multan and was managed by the community, who regulated Mahant of Prahladpuri temple.

     

     

    After the partition of India, many Hindus migrated and the affairs of temple were managed by minority Hindus of city.

     

    The original idols of Lord Narasimha was brought to India by Baba Narayan Das Batra from Multan at the time of partition in 1947.

    They are now placed in a temple at Haridwar.

    In 1992, the temple was completely destroyed by mob in retaliation of news of Babri Masjid demolition in India.(Wiki)

     

    Citations.

     

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/profiles/blogs/prahladpuri-temple-multan

     

    http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/features/03-13/features2767.htm

     

    Facebook Comments.

     

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/196612973849565/permalink/291958187648376/

     


    Aanandh Padmanaban 18 June 09:12
    ஸ்ரீ மத் பாகவத புராணத்திலும் ஸ்ரீ விஷ்ணுபுராணம் ஸ்ரீ ஹரி வம்சம் இவைகளிலே உள்ளது……மதுரை கூடல அழகர் கோவில் புராணம்,,,ஸ்ரீ முஷ்ண மாஹத்மியம்,,,அகோபிலமஹாத்மியம் ,,ஸ்ரீ கூர்ம புராணம் இவைகளிலே உள்ளது…
    Venkat Ramanan
    Venkat Ramanan 17 June 22:31
    Can you tell me the Purana source please. it will be helpful

    2014-06-17 22:18 GMT+05:30 Aanandh Padmanaban <
    Aanandh Padmanaban
    Aanandh Padmanaban 17 June 22:18
    நாராயணனின் முதல் நான்கோவதாரங்கலுமே தென்னகத்திலேதான்….மத்ஸ்ய அவதாரம் வைகை நதியிலே கூர்ம அவதாரம் ஸ்ரீ கூர்மம் இப்போ ஆந்திரம்./..வரஹா அவதாரம் ஸ்ரீ முஷ்ணம்……..நரசிம்ம அவதாரம், அஹோபிலம்……கல்கி அவதாரமும் பாண்டிய நாட்டிலேதான்.
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  • Shiva And Vishnu Advice To Each Others Devotees

    Those who do not understand or refuse or pretend  not to understand that there is no difference between Lord Shiva and Vishnu.

     

    They refuse o read the Vedas or the Purans.

     

    Shiva and Vishnu One Form.Image.jpg
    Shiva and Vishnu One Form.T

     

    Some go the extent of saying that , for a Vaishnavite, visiting Shiva’s Temple is equivalent to getting afflicted with Brahmahathi Dosha!

     

    This was sent to me by a Vaishnavite friend of Mine, I am more ofa Vaishnavite in terms of understanding Their sampraday as I am from Srivilliputtur, and   sent a detailed reply quoting the Vedas and Purans.

     

    The gentleman who said so, I was informed grinned sheepishly and told my friend,

     

    “Who is going to read all this?’

     

     

    I am passing on what is being practiced, it is good for us!’

     

    I have recently posted articles on Siva Stuthi by Krishna and Vishnu Stuthi By Shiva.

     

    Let me quote from Srimad Bhagatham, the greatest Puran among all the Purans as it speaks of the Devotees of Lord Vishnu.

     

    It is the greatest among the Purans as the Devotee is Greater that the God.

     

    ”

    Shiva works for the benefit of everyone, and tries to help the living beings make spiritual advancement. This is why he has his own line of disciplic succession. This is also why he says to thesons of King Pracinibarhi, “Any person who is surrendered to the Supreme Personality of God, Lord Krishna, the controller of everything, is very dear to me.”1

           The sons of the King were going to practice austerities to worship Lord Vishnu and while searching for a suitable place happened to find Lord Shiva. His bodily luster was like molten gold, his throat was bluish, he had three eyes, and was accompanied by musicians who were glorifying him. Shiva is the protector of the pious and those of gentle behavior. So he was pleased to speak to the princes the way he did. He continued in this way:

           “A person who is directly surrendered to Lord Krishna, or Vishnu, in unalloyed devotional service is immediately promoted to the spiritual planets. I, Lord Shiva, and other demigods attain these planets only after the destruction of the material world. You are all devotees of the Lord, and as such I appreciate that you are as respectable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. I know in this way that the devotees also respect me and that I am dear to them. Thus no one can be as dear to the devotees as I am.”2

           In this way, a devotee of Krishna does not disrespect Lord Shiva, but worships him as the greatest of devotees of Lord Krishna. A Krishna bhakta also prays to Lord Shiva, but asks Shiva to assist him in attaining the favor of Lord Krishna, and not merely for material benefits. As we find in the Tulasi Ramayana (Uttara-Kanda, Doha 45), Lord Rama says “With joined palms I lay before you another secret doctrine: without adoring Sankara (Lord Shiva) man cannot attain devotion to Me.” So in this way, Shiva can assist us in attaining devotion to Lord Krishna and His expansions.

           After Lord Shiva had spoken to the sons of King Pracinabarhi, he relates a particular mantra for their benefit, which is pure and auspicious for anyone who wants to attain the ultimate goal of life. This mantra is called Shiva’s Song, and consists of verses 33 to 79 of the Twenty-fourth Chapter of the Forth Canto in Srimad-Bhagavatam. He starts his prayer with this verse:

           “O Supreme Personality of Godhead, all glories unto You. You are the most exalted of all self-realized souls. Since You are always auspicious for the self-realized, I wish that You be auspicious to me. You are worshipable by virtue of the all perfect instructions You give. You are the Supersoul; therefore I offer my obeisances unto You as the supreme living bring.”

           Through the remaining 45 verses of this prayer, Lord Shiva praises the many qualities, characteristics, and powers of the Supreme Being in the form of Lord Krishna. At the end of many years in which the sons of the King, called the Pracetas, repeated this prayer everyday, Lord Vishnu Himself appeared to them. He said, “Those who will offer Me the prayers composed by Lord Shiva, both in the morning and in the evening, will be given benedictions by Me. In this way they can both fulfill their desires and attain good intelligence.”3

           Also in the Bhagavatam (4.6.42-53), we can see Lord Shiva’s greatness among the demigods. During the disastrous ritual of Daksha, who displayed great dislike toward Shiva and Shiva’s wife, Durga (Sati) immolated herself in fire. Sati was Daksha’s own daughter and could not tolerate the insults her father made toward her husband, Shiva. So while in meditation she burst into flames. Thereafter, Lord Brahma and the demigods went to pacify Lord Shiva. Brahma consoled Shiva and addressed him as “My dear Lord,” and called him the controller of the entire universe, the combination of mother and father of the universe, and the Supreme Brahman, beyond this creation. Therein we can see that Brahma, the partial creator of the universe, offers praises to Lord Shiva as a superior. This is to appease Lord Shiva, since it is known that his anger can annihilate the universe.

           When the ritual was able to continue and Daksha offered the clarified butter with the mantras from the Yajur-veda, Lord Vishnu appeared there in His original form as Narayana. As described in the Bhagavatam (4.7.18-29) as soon as Lord Vishnu appeared, all the demigods, including Lord Brahma, Shiva, the Gandharvas and sages, immediately offered their respectful obeisances. In the presence of Lord Vishnu’s glaring effulgence from His body, everyone else’s luster faded. Everyone offered their prayers to Him. Therein, Lord Shiva addresses Lord Vishnu, “My dear Lord, my mind and consciousness are always fixed on Your lotus feet, which, as the source of all benediction and the fulfillment of all desires, are worshiped by all liberated sages because Your lotus feet are worthy of worship. With my mind fixed on Your lotus feet, I am no longer disturbed by persons who blaspheme me, claiming that my activities are not purified. I do not mind their accusations, and I excuse them out of compassion, just as You exhibit compassion toward all living entities.”

           After all the personalities had offered their prayers to Lord Vishnu, He replied to Daksha, “Brahma, Shiva and I are the supreme cause of the material manifestation. I am the Supersoul, the self-effulgent witness. But impersonally there is no difference between Brahma, Lord Shiva and Me. I am the original Personality of Godhead, but in order to create, maintain and annihilate this cosmic manifestation, I act through My material energy, and according to different grades of activity, My representations are equally named. One who is not in proper knowledge thinks that the demigods like Brahma and Shiva are independent, or he even thinks that the living entities are independent. A person with average intelligence does not think the head and other parts of the body to be separate. Similarly, My devotee does not differentiate Vishnu, the all-pervading Personality, from anything or any living entity. One who does not consider Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva or the living entities in general to be separate from the Supreme, and who knows Brahman, actually realizes peace; others do not.” 4

           What this indicates is the interdependence of the demigods on Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu is the ultimate cause of the universal creation. Lord Brahma was born out of Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva was born from Lord Brahma. It is the energy that comes from Lord Vishnu, in the form of Lord Brahma and Shiva, that creates and annihilates the universe. Lord Brahma is manifested for the continuation of the creation, while Lord Shiva assists in the annihilation. In this way, they are interconnected and work together like parts of a single body. Yet, they all play distinct and significant roles in the affairs of the cosmos, but are dependent on Lord Vishnu. When we see that all living beings are expansions from the Supreme Lord and His energy, then one can achieve real peace.

           In fact, it is said that these sages and devotees who see with such equal vision become worshipable by Lord Shiva, Brahma and Lord Vishnu. Once when Lord Shiva was traveling, he met the great sage Markandeya as he was coming out of his yogic trance. At that time, Markandeya offered prayers to Lord Shiva who blessed the sage and then asked if there were any benedictions that the sage wanted. As described in the Bhagavatam (12.10.19-22) Suta Gosvami said: “Lord Shiva, the foremost demigod and the shelter of the saintly devotees, was satisfied by Markandeya’s praise. Pleased, he smiled and addressed the sage. Lord Shiva said: Please ask me for some benediction, since among all givers of benedictions, we three–Brahma, Vishnu and I–are the best. Seeing us never goes in vain, because simply by seeing us a mortal achieves immortality. The inhabitants and ruling demigods of all planets, along with Lord Brahma, the Supreme Lord Hari and I, glorify, worship and assist those brahmanas who are saintly, always peaceful, free of material attachment, compassionate to all living beings, purely devoted to us, devoid of hatred and endowed with equal vision. These devotees do not differentiate between Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma and me, nor do they differentiate between themselves and other living beings. Therefore, because you are this kind of saintly devotee, we worship you.”

     

     

    Citation.

     

    Stephen Knapp

     

    Srimad Bhagavatham.

     

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