Ramanisblog

Tag: Vishnu

  • God Gets Married Madurai Chithirai Fesival

    Goddess Meenakshi weds Lord Sunareswarar in Madurai.

    Lord Vishnu gives His younger sister Goddess Meenakshi away to lord Shiva, Sundareswarar  in Madurai.

    This festival is celebrated in Madurai,Tamil Nadu, India in the month of Chithirai(April end)

    This is combined with Lord Vishnu entering Madurai from Kallazhagar temple on a Horse to provide salvation to Manduka Rishi.

    People throng the city to watch the wedding.

    Yet another instance of the Hindus treating God as one of their family.

    Worth a visit.

    Marriage of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar.
    Marriage of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar.
    Sri Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple:

    14 April 2013 – Sunday – Chithirai Thiruvizha Kodiyetram (Flag Hoisting) between 10.46 am to 11.10 am IST – Karpaga Vriksha, Simha Vahanam

    15 April, 2013 – Monday – Bootha, Anna Vahanam

    16 April 2013- Tuesday – Kailasa Parvadham, Kamadhenu Vahanam

    17 Apr 2013 – Wednesday – Thanga Pallakku

    18 April 2013 – Thursday – Vedar Pari Leelai – Thanga Guthirai Vahanam

    19-4-2013 – Friday – Saiva Samaya Sthabitha Varalatru Leelai – Rishaba Vahanam

    20 April 2013 – Saturday – Nantheekeshwarar, Yaali Vahanam

    21 April 2013 – Sunday – Sree Meenakshi Pattabhishekam – between 7.35 pm to 7.59 pm IST – Velli Simhasana Ula

    22 April 2013 – Monday – Sree Meenakshi Digvijayam – Indra Vimana Ula

    23 April 2013 – Tuesday – Sree Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Thirukalyanam between 8.17 am to 8.41 am IST (Celestial Wedding); Yaanai Vahanam, Pushpa Pallakku

    24 April 2013 – Wednesday – Thiru Ther – Therottam at 6 am IST (Ratha Utsavam, Chariot, Car Festival) – Sapthavarna Chapram

    25 April 2013 – Thursday – Theertham; Velli Virutchaba Sevai

    Kallazhagar or Kallalagar

    24-4-2013 – Wednesday – Thallakulathil Edhir Sevai

    25 April 2013 – Thursday – Sri Kallazhagar Vaigai Aatril Ezhuntharural

    26 April 2013 – Friday – Thirumalirunsolai Sri Kal Azhagar – Vandiyur Thenur Mandapam – Sesha Vahanam in Morning – Garuda Vahanam in the afternoon – Moksham for Manduga Maharishi – Dasavathara Katchi at Ramarayar Mandapam in Night

    27 April 2013 – Saturday – Morning Mohanaavatharam – Night Kallazhagar Thirukollam in Pushpa Pallakku at Mysore Mandapam

    28 April 2013 – Sunday – Sri Kal Azhagar Thirumalai Eluntharural

    Listen to the way people in all walks of Life are mentioned in the Sankalpa.

    “Historically it was two separate events. The first is Meenakshi festival that was celebrated on a different month and Alagar festival celebrated on a different month as two separate celebrations.

    Meenakshi is the daughter of Pandya king Malayathuvaja Pandian and his queen Kanchanamalai, The royal couples didn’t have a child for a long time. So, he did special pujas and offered his prayers to the God. During the puja a small girl came out of the fire and sat on the lap of the king. At that time a divine voice from the sky told them that this child is avatar of Sakthi (Wife of Lord Shiva) and Lord Shiva will come to marry her at the right age. Meenakshi became a young women and was trained in all warfare and she was crowned as Queen of Pandya kingdom after her father. She conquered the whole world with her extraordinary war skill and at last she went to Kailayam (The Place of Lord Shiva) to conquer it. When Meenakshi meet Lord Shiva at the battlefield she fell in love with him and realised that She is an avatar of Sakthi, Lord Shiva’s wife).

    Lord Shiva assured Meenakshi that he will come to Madurai to marry her. As promised Lord Shiva along with all the Devas and rishi’s came to Madurai to attend the holy wedding. Lord Shiva married Meenakshi and ruled the Pandya kingdom under the name Sundara Pandyan.

    This is a Separate celebration that was celebrated by Saivaites (Followers of Lord Shiva). The below is the story of Alagar festival that is celebrated by Vaishnavite (Followers of Lord Vishnu)(wiki) http://browse.feedreader.com/c/Live_Trend-1/302640645

    Live coverage of the festival;

    http://lookup.feedreader.com/Jaya_Tv_Meenakshi_Kalyanam_2013

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  • When God Rushes Across The River Chithirai Festival Madurai

    Ever heard of God rushing across the River to provide Salvation?

    Lord Vishnu Does.

    Every year Lord Vishnu,Kallazhakar from  Azahkar Koil, near Madurai,Tamil  Nadu,India, on the Pradhamai(the next Day after Full Moon in the month  of Chiththirai-April end) after adorning himself with the Garland prepared for him by Andal(Srivilliputhur, 48 Km from Madurai) who pined for him  eventually married Him) rushes to Madurai from Azhagar Koil, visits  Suthapas , a Rishi, who was cursed by Sage Dhurvasa for having failed to respect him.

    Suthapas was born as a Frog(Mandukam) and was in penance in Madurai.

    Dhurvasa had decreed that Suthapas shall obtain salvation  by Lord Vishnu when He crosses the River Vedavathi,Vaigai now.

    True to Dharma Lord Vishnu gets down the river  on a horse and enters Madurai.

    Lord Vishnu gets down the River, riding a Horse.
    Lord Vishnu gets down the River, riding a Horse.

    Being the elder brother of Goddess Uma, He is being accorded all the respects due to a brother by Goddess Uma,Meenakshiamman, Madurai.

    Temple priests offer the Obeisance on behalf of Goddess Uma.

    The festival coincides with Meenakshiamman Thirukkalyanam in Madurai.

    Legend has it , as the elder brother of Uma, Lord Vishnu , gave Her away to Lord Siva, Chokkanathar(Godenhued) on this day.

    Earlier the marriage was celebrated in Madurai in Maasi (about two months earlier)

    King Tirumalai Naicker, to build unity among Saivite and Vaishnavas , merged these two festivals into one and had it celebrated in Chithirai.

    Madurai will be brimming with Devotees from the day Lord Vishnu enters the River(அழகர் ஆற்றில் இறங்குதல் ).

    Live telecast of this Fesival On Vasanth TV on 24 April 2013 ,17 hours IST

    Related;

    http://temple.dinamalar.com/New.php?id=695

    மூலவர் : பரமஸ்வாமி
    உற்சவர் : சுந்தர்ராஜப் பெருமாள் ( ரிஷபத்ரிநாதர்), கல்யாணசுந்தர வல்லி
    அம்மன்/தாயார் : ஸ்ரீதேவி, பூதேவி
    தல விருட்சம் : ஜோதி விருட்சம், சந்தனமரம்.
    தீர்த்தம் : நூபுர கங்கை
    ஆகமம்/பூஜை : –
    பழமை : 1000-2000 வருடங்களுக்கு முன்
    புராண பெயர் : திருமாலிருஞ்சோலை
    ஊர் : அழகர்கோவில்
    மாவட்டம் : மதுரை
    மாநிலம் : தமிழ்நா

     

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  • God Is Not Above The Cosmic Law Krishna’s Death

    After I finished posting the blog ‘ When Rama Realized he Was Brahman’. I recalled another one from the Puranas.

    This incident explains the law of Karma(Please read my posts on this under Hinduism)

    Lord Krishna spent a long time  on the Earth during the Dwapara Yuga and the Devas were concerned about his absence from the Vaikunta, the Abode of Lord Vishnu.

    They consulted the Great  Dhurvasa Rishi and he consoled them saying the time for Krishna was fast approaching.

    The Devas asked him,

    ‘No body can kill Krishna and we dare not ask him for Dehavyhoam (leaving the Body)

    Dhurvasa smiled and told them to watch.

    After the Mahabharata War was over, the Pandavas and what remained of the Kauravas , along with the Yadavas (Krishna’s Clan) , were sitting together and fooling around the banks of the River Yamuna.

    All of them were drunk.

    Lord Krishna’s son, Sambhavan, playful by nature, dressed himself as a pregnant woman and with his cronies approached a group of Seers(Rishis) and prostrated before them and requested,

    ‘Please Bless Me for Safe delivery’

    The Rishis said,

    ‘We know, you are the son of Lord Krishna, yet, we Bless you with Safe Delivery of a Wooden ladle(உலக்கை ) and your Clan will be destroyed by it’

    உலக்கை,Ulakkai
    உலக்கை,Ulakkai

    When Lord Krishna was told of it, he shrugged and said he could do nothing about it!

    They had a  Wooden ladle delivered after nine months, and to ensure that it was destroyed, they broke it into pieces and immersed it in the river.

    The bottom portion ,made of iron was swallowed by a Shark and it was caught by a Fisherman.

    While seasoning the Fish, the fisherman found the iron piece and sold it to a Hunter.

    The Hunter , his fixed it to the tip of his Arrow.

    After some time, the same group was engaged in a drinking bout at the same place.

    Salliya, the Man who drove and deserted Karna in the Battle field at a crucial juncture was there.

    Salliya was the Father in Law of Karna.

    Lord Krishna.
    Lord Krishna.

    One among the gathering remarked,

    ‘Look,here is a fellow who deserted his king and relative at a critical time, who was on the losing side ,eating and drinking with us, the Victors’

    Salliya retorted saying , ‘A bunch of Herdsman need not talk about a Kshatriya’

    And a Battle of words soon became a full-fledged fight among all.

    They went on attacking each other.

    As they had no Arms,they plucked the ‘கோரைப்புல்’-Nut Grass  around them and attacked each other with the Nut Grass,

    As soon as they plucked them they became the Wooden Ladles and killed those attacked with them.

    Barring Krishna, the Yadava Clan was wiped out.

    (The Immersed wooden pieces , on reaching the shores , grew into Nut Grass and became weapons; that is the reason why Nut Grass is not used in Religious Ceremonies but Kusa Grass is used).

    Some time later when Lord Krishna was roaming the Forests , he became tired and rested under a Tree, lying in a Fetal Position.

    The Hunter saw, what looked like a Deer from a distance’ sent an Arrow.

    It struck Krishna at the Center of His Foot and He lay dying.

    The Hunter , on reaching Krishna begged for Mercy and felt remorse.

    Krishna said to him,

    ” Don’t worry, it is not your fault.

    During Ramavataras Rama,, I killed Vaali, hiding behind a Tree.

    Now I am repaying it.

    I fulfilled my duty of serving Lakshmana who served me as a younger brother during Ramavatar, as Bala rama as my elder brother in this Avatar as Krishna and breathed his last.

    Even God can not escape the Law of Karma, once born!

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  • When Lord Rama Realized He Was ‘Brahman’

    One of the differences between the Avatars Rama and Lord Krishna(both being the Avatars of Vishnu) is that Lord Krishna  was aware all the time He was the Avatar of Vishnu, while Lord Rama was not aware of it.

    Lord Sri Rama
    Lord Sri Rama

    Excepting in one instance.

    Lord Rama was facing Ravana in the Final battle in the penultimate day before the death of Ravana in the Battle field.

    The battle was fierce and both Rama and Ravana were fighting each other fiercely.

    Ravana was matching Rama arrow for arrow(Astra) and Castra(Divine Weapons).

    Rama got weary and sent his Rama Bana, which can never return unconquered.

    There is famous saying about Lord Rama in Telugu,

    Oka Mata,Oka Bana, Oka Baarya’

    One word, One Arrow, One Wife -That’s Sri Rama.

    This Rama Bana went screaming at Ravana.

    Ravana saw this and realized he could do nothing about it.

    He remembered the Sathi Ayudha, given to him by his Grand Father, Lord Brahma, who told him thus,

    “In  battle field when everything fails for you, you us e this.

    Nothing can stop it. It will destroy everything’

    Ravana sends it across.

    It meets up with the Rama Bana and goes past it towards Lord Rama.

    Lord Rama was stunned.

    He was helpless.

    It was nearing his neck.

    Without being Conscious, He utters the Pranava ‘Om from His Navel (Nabhi)

    Pranava, coming from the Reality, shatters the Sakthi Ayudha.

    Rama realizes He is more than the son of Dasaratha, husbanf Sita or the Preceptor of Hanuman.

    Ravana recalls the second part of his Grand father‘s Boon,

    ‘ If and when this Sakthi Ayudha fails, understand thatwho is facing yoyu is Para Brahman‘

    Ravana gets down from his chariot and prostrates  before Lord Rama, saying,

    ‘ Now In Know You are The Brahman,

    I can not win you,

    Dying in Your hands will grant me Mukthi.

    I can not surrender for people have died, including my brothers and son,s for Me.

    I can not sully them’

    Ram replies,

    .’Ravana, you are with out Arms to-day,

    Go to-day and come forth prepared to morrow’

    Related:

    Following is the procedure for performing Sri Rama Navami Pooja.

    For Sankalpam, please refer my blog on Sarasvati Pooja and make necessary changes-Kara nama Samvatsaram,Punarvasu,Ashtami/Navami)

    Astothram. Click The Link below.

    http://ramanisblog.in/2012/03/31/sri-rama-navami-pooja-details-with-mantras/

    Birth Date of Lord Rama.

    As for as The Ramayana goes, external evidence is provided in the Puranas(means ‘ very old’) , Eighteen in Number( in Sanskrit) and in regional Languages of India, be it Tamil,Telugu,Kannada, Malayalam,Hindi,Bengali,Oriya,other languages .

    In addition Dialects of India have this spread through word of mouth.

    Though the versions vary in embellishments, the basic fact that there was a King called Rama , he had been sent to forest with his wife called Sita by his father who wanted to appease his wife(not Rama’s mother),she was abducted by a Chieftain called Ravana of Sri Lanka and he was killed by Rama , never varies.(History of The Tamils by P.T.Srinivasa Iyengar)

    http://ramanisblog.in/2011/03/13/birth-date-of-lord-ramaroute-taken-by-him-to-sri-lanka-maps/

     

  • God As Mother

    As I have been mentioning in my posts, Hinduism relates to God in a very personal way, though The Vedas declare that The Reality .is Formless, Attribute-less’

    Yet Worship of  Personal God(Iswara) is encouraged as it disciplines the mind to shed off its encumbrances.

    And Hindus relate to God in  very intimately.

    God is seen as Mother, Father,Lover,Child, Preceptor and Friend.

    As there are many individuals , all of them being unique, so are their dispositions.

    You feel close to your father, Mother, Lover or friend.

    You relate to God at that level.

    Mother!

    Goddess Lalitha
    Goddess Lalitha

    Who can replace Mother?

    One who suffered, at the time of pregnancy, forsakse her pleasures for us,

    Gave us her food,

    Never slept when we were awake or asleep,

    Made us eat when she had nothing to eat,

    Weathered the storms of Life,

    Suffered when we were in Pain,

    Never left us even as we kick her around,

    We remain  her infants even when we become grand parents,

    Would we ever replace her?

    “

    Having Borne (me) for ten months braving all discomforts, happy at having
    begotten (me) taking me in both her arms and giving her precious breastfeed, such a
    one will I ever see in any other birth?
    2. Having borne me for 300 days after doing penance to Lord Shiva day and night, can
    I apply fire to such a mother?
    3. Fondling me on the cot in her lap, on her person with love, protecting me always,
    how can I light the pyre to such a mother?
    4. Having Borne (me) bearing the pain at delivery and giving me her milk cheerfully
    day and night protecting me, how can I apply fire to such a body?
    5. How can I, instead of getting happy with rich offerings to her, offer rice to the
    mouth which lovingly called me as honey, nectar, fragrant flower etc.?
    6. After showering rice on mother’s head how can I place the burning ember on it
    without flinching , which lovingly kissed me, calling me endearingly “my son”.
    7. The earliest fire lit was to Tripura, the next one was in Lanka, and third was the
    spark lit in the mother’s womb, let the fire lit by me now be over.
    8. Alas! The hand that fondled me is now being roasted in fire. What a cruel sinner I
    am?
    9. O Lord of “Shonagiri”, has she been burnt and taken refuge at Your Feet, one who
    did penance to you ‘day and night’ to beget me?
    10.Mother was alive yesterday at home or in the street, today she is consumed by fire
    and has become ashes. Come ye, one and all without hesitation, to sprinkle milk.
    Every thing in the world is Shiva’s Form (Shiva Mayam). – Pattinathar

    That’s Mother.

    Can there be anything more natural than identifying God as Mother?

    When we can say thus about a Human Mother, what can we say about the Mother who gives Birth to the Universe?

    She is the One who creates The Universe within a fraction of batting of an eyelid.

    ‘Unmesha nimishodhpanna Vibanna Bhunavali” lailitha Sahasranama.

    She reaches to you even as you disown Her.

    When your Mother leaves you, she reaches out to you as she did for Gnana Sambandar whom she gave her Milk, which she didd not to her son, Lord Subramanya!

    Lord Siva reached out to a woman in Labor when she called out to Him !

    Lord Subramanya called out to Avvaiyar, a Tamil Saint ‘Mother’.

    Lord Vishnu made ‘Vakula Devi, as his Foster Mother(In Lord Balaji of Tirupati Avatar) for he wanted to repay the debt of having been brought up by Deakai in Krishnavatara.

    He was both a Mother  and Father to Dhruva.

    Lord Siva is called  Muniye Mukknnappa( Yogi ,My Father with the Third Eye)

    The Great Kalidasa calls Kali as ‘Matha, marakathasyama’ in Shymala Dandakam.

    Lalitha Sahasranama starts with ‘Sri Matha“

    Abirami Bhattar calls her mother in His Abirami Andhadhi.

    Such is his devotion to Lord Abirami as His mother,

    He calls her as ‘ My father’s wife’சுந்தரி எந்தை துணைவி ‘

    Father is difficult to approach.

    As children we approach our Mother to intercede on our behalf for getting any thing done.

    Sri Vaishanavas call Lakshmi as ‘Thayaar’ , Mother. as they are convinced it is She who can represent us to Him.

    Abirami Bhattar leaves evry thing to her saying,

    ‘ I have given everything to you, even if I were to be stranded in the midst of an Ocean to see me ashore is Yours”

    If one were to have such Faith?

    Listen to Abirami Andhadi by Sirkazhi here.

    http://www.hummaa.com/player/player.php

    http://www.hummaa.com/music/album/abirami-andhadhi-vol1/24028

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