Monthly Archives: August 2012

The story behind moon’s waxing and waning

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Moon’s waxing and waning and Somnath jyotirlinga

We all know that moon waxes and wanes cyclically. There is a mythological story behind this.

Moon or Chandra was the son of Athvi and Ansuya. He was married to 27 daughters of Daksha (Ashwinit to Revati). Out of his 27 wives, he loved Rohini the most. Soon, other sisters did not like this and they decided to complain to their father, Daksha.

Moon or Chandra

Moon or Chandra

Daksha requested and warned his Moon to devote himself equally to all twenty-seven wives. But Chandra was in no mood to listen.

Daksha thereupon cursed Chandra that he would gradually fade away. Chandra didn’t know what to do. He went and sought advice from Brahma. The moon then sent the deities to lord Brahma to seek his help. At first, lord Brahma became very angry with Moon, but later on he cooled down and told the deities, that Moon can get liberated from the curse, if he chants ‘Mahamrityunjaya mantra’. Chandra went to Prabhasa tirtha and made a linga on the banks of the river Sarasvati. He prayed to Lord Shiva for six months. This shivlinga is said to be the Somnath jyotirlinga.

Somnath jyotirlinga temple

Somnath jyotirlinga temple

At the end of the penance, Shiva appeared before Chandra and offered to grant him a boon. Chandra explained what the problem was.

Well, said Shiva, Daksha’s curse cannot be entirely ignored. But a middle path can be taken. During krishna paksha you will wane. And during shuklapaksha (the bright part of the lunar fortnight) you will wax. That should satisfy everybody.

Chandra has been also guilty of abducting Brishaspati’s wife, Tara and having a son , Buddha (planet mercury with him). This situation escalated into a war like situation, where Shukra was fighting from Moon’s side and other gods from Brihaspati. Lord Vishnu, mediated and solved this dangerous situation.

Independence Day, 15 August

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15th August is a glorious day in Indian history. This day in 1947 India got Independence. India was colonised by British Empire for more than 200 years, and after a prolonged struggle for freedom, India got Independence on 15 August, 1947. This has come at a price, as India was divided into two parts, Hindu dominated -India and Muslim dominated-Pakistan. This unfortunate event is known as ‘partition’.
There are many men and women, who sacrifice their whole life for attaining freedom. Today is the day to remember all these people, who fought for this cause.
On this auspicious day, festival type atmosphere is found every where. People eat delicious Jalebi and Poori. Kites are flown today. In fact, Kite flying is an Independence Day sport in India.
Here are some glimpses of the olden/golden time.
Pandit Nehru

Pandit Nehru

Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru taking oath as India’s first Prime Minister
Nehru taking oath on first independence day

Nehru taking oath on first independence day

 
Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru with Lord and Lady Mountbatten
 

Prisoners being released on Independence Day

prisoners being released

Birth of Hiranyakashyap and Hiranyaksha and curse of Jaya and Vijaya

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The curse on Jaya and Vijaya

There is a curse behind the birth of Hiranyakashyap and Hiranyaksha.

Jaya and Vijaya were the gatekeepers of Vishnu. Once they diasllowed sanath kumaras from meeting Vishnu. Sanath Kumaras cursed them to become mortals. Vishnu provided them some relief. Later Vishnu took four avatars to relieve them of their curse.

After the sanathh kumaras cursed Jaya and Vijaya, they requested Vishnu to lift the curse of the Kumaras. Vishnu says curse of Kumaras cannot be reverted. Instead, he gives Jaya and Vijaya two options. The first option is to take seven births on Earth as a devotee of Vishnu. Another options  is to take three births as his enemy. After serving either of these sentences, they can re-attain their stature at Vaikuntha and be with him permanently. Jaya and Vijaya cannot bear the thought of staying away from Vishnu for seven lives. As a result, they choose to be born three times on Earth even though it would have to be as enemies of Vishnu.

Jaya born as Hiranyakashyap, Ravana and Shishupala in various births while Vijaya born as Hiranyaksha, Kumbhkarna and Dantavakra. They killed by Varaha avatar, Narsingh avatar, Rama avatar and Shri Krishna avatar of Lord Vishnu.

There curse has been completed after the killing of Shishupala and Dantavakra. After the death of Dantavakra, just as at the time of Shisupala’s death, in the presence of all persons standing there, a small particle of spiritual effulgence came out of the demon’s body and merged into the body of Lord Krishna. Thus Jaya and Vijaya were united with their lord.

This is noted that the demons power have diminished during their subsequent births. Though killing of Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashyap was the sole aim of dashavatars, but in dwapar yuga, Shri Krishna avatar had bigger motives than killing of Shishupal and Dantavakra.

Shri Krishna killing Dantavakra

This story is available in Bhagwat Purana.

The story of Baidyanath Jyotirlinga at Deoghar

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 Baidyanath Jyotirlinga and Deoghar

The ninth incarnation of Shiva was as Baidyanath at Deoghar in Bihar. This Jyotirlinga was established by the demon King Ravana. A devotee who worships this Jyotirlinga gets all of his wishes fulfilled. Because of this, it ia also known as Kamanalinga. Devotees carry the holy water of the Ganges from Sultanganj and for the idol of Baidyanath in the months of Shravana and Bhadrapaksha according to the Hindu calendar.

How Baidyanath sateyd at Deoghar

Once, Ravana did a tremendous penance to please lord Shiva and to get a boon from him. Even after his severe penance when lord Shiva did still not appear, he started offering his heads one by one to lord Shiva. This way he already severed his nine heads and offered them to Shiva. When he was about to severe his last remaining head, just the lord Shiva appeared before him. He blessed Ravana with unparalleled power and strength. Lord Shiva also made him a ten headed demon once again.
But Ravana was not satisfied. He requested lord Shiva to come along with him to Lanka. Lord Shiva gave Ravana s Shivalinga and warned him against keeping it on the earth, as then no power on the earth could lift that Shivalinga from there.

Baidyanath Jyotirlinga and Ravana

Baidyanath Jyotirlinga and Ravana

Ravana proceeded with the Shivalinga. On the way he felt the urge to urinate. Ravana gave that Shivalinga to a cowherd boy and went to urinate. The cowherd boy held the Shivalinga for sometime. He felt that the Shivalinga was becoming heavier and heavier. He could not bear the weight of the Shivalinga for too long. He kept it on the ground. When Ravana returned he became very sad after seeing the Shivalinga on the ground. He knew that, now it was impossible to lift it from that place. Ravana established the Shivalinga there, which became famous as ‘Baidyanath jyotirlinga’.

This Jyotirling (Shiv’s idol) here is in the form of a Vaidya (doctor). He is supposed to relieve the devotees of their dreadful diseases. According to the Shakt following, the place where the heart of Bhagwati Sati had fallen is considered as the Mahashakti peeth.

Pictures of Shri Krishna exploits

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Shri Krishna and his exploits

His teacher – Sandipani. Sage Sandipani taught Balrama and Shri Krishna.

Shri Krishna and Balrama took education under sage Sandipani. There is famous story how he paid his gurudakshina to his teacher.

Sage Sandipani – teacher of Krishna and Balrama

Kansa tried hard to kill the Bal Krihsna and employed various demons. First was Pootna, who visited Nand gram and on pretence of feeding him, tried to poison. The kid took the life out of her.

 Pootna (putna) was appointed by Kansa to kill Krishna

Kansa appointed Putna to kill Shri Krishna

But she was killed by kid Krishna.

Putna killed by Shri Krishna

God Indra got angry and directed rains to flood the village. He held the mountain as an umbrella on on finger and saved his village, gokul. From his childhood only, he defeated and killed many demons. Suktasoor, Trinawurut are few of them.

in his childhood, he ate mud. After scolded by his mother, he showed three worlds in his mouth. Yashoda understood and said to herself “I am a great fool in looking upon the lord of the three worlds as my son.”

he liberated Jumlajoorun from a curse from Narada, who were born as trees in gokul. These were two sons of Kuber, who were playing in water, did not pay attention to Narada.

Krishna helping villagers by holding govardhan parvat(mountain)

Govardhan Parvat

He killed Aghasura, Dhenukasura who have terrorised the gokul dham.

Krishna taming Kaliya

Killing of Kaliya Nag

There is an interesting story of why Kaliya nag was residing in Yamuna (Gokul).

Shri Krishna and Balrama killing Channura and Mushtika.

Killing of Chhannura and Mushtika

 Krishna killing Keshi

Kesi vadh by Krishna

Kesi vadh

he also killed Vatasur and Vyomasur.

Killing of Bakasura

Bakasura Death

Kansa wanted to kill Krishna. One day, he called the demon Bakasura and asked him to go and kill the infant Krishna. Bakasura, decided to take the form of a huge bird to frighten young Krishna.

One day Krishna was playing with his friends in the forests of Gokul, when he saw a giant bird swooping down on them. Krishna at once understood that a demon sent by Kansa to kill him.

As the giant bird came closer,  Krishna caught its beak and quickly got inside it. Inside the beak, Krishna wriggled around so much that Bakasura’s beak was broken. Exhausted, Bakasura died after some time and fell to the ground.

 

 Krishna killing Kansa

As per Shrimad Bhagavata Purana, Shri Krishna was 12 when he was finally being recalled to Mathura, by his Maamaa Kansa – so that he could get killed. While Keshav ended up killing Kansa as prophesized, we know that he also liberated Vasudeva and Devaki from prison upon killing his Maternal Uncle Kansa.

Killing of Kansa

Eid-ul-fitr festival

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Festival of Eid-ul-Fitr

The Eid ul-fitr festival is the most important muslim festival. It was originated by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. This is observed on the first of the month of Shawwal and marks end of the holy month of Ramadan in which the believers undergo a period of fasting.

The Legend behind this festival

According to certain belief, these festivals were initiated in Madinah after the Muhammad left Mecca. The legend behind the Ramadan fast is that Prophet Mohammed along with other Muslims went to Medina in 622 CE to avoid the persecutions in Mecca. Many years later he got a revelation from God stating that all Muslims should fast for a certain number of days to develop self control, purify one’s soul and come closer to Allah.

Another legend is that Angel Gabriel descended from heaven with white clothes for each of prophet Muhammad’s grandsons during this time – thus the tradition of wearing white clothes associated with this festival.

 Rituals performed on this festival

Typically, Muslims wake up early in the morning—always before sunrise— offer Salatul Fajr (the pre-sunrise prayer), and in keeping with the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad clean their teeth with a toothbrush (Arabic: Miswaak), take a shower (Arabic: Ghusul) before prayers, put on new clothes (or the best available), and apply perfume.

Prayers on Id-ul-fitr at Mosque

Eid-Ul-Fitr Recipes

Delicious dishes like semiya payasam, vermicelli and kheer (sweetened milk) are prepared and distributed among friends and relatives in social get togethers. Besides this, various non vegetarian dishes like chicken, mutton etc. are also an integral part of Eid cuisine. Most popular dishes are Butter Chicken, Nawabi Biryani, Chicken Tikkas, Seekh Kebab etc. On this day Muslims distribute a kind of gifts in form of food, clothes or cash to the needy person.

Legend of Id-Ul-Fitr 

Id Ul Fitr is celebrated at the end of the Ramzan which is the most pious month in Islami Calendar. According to the legend, one day Prophet Muhammad had a vision in which the angel Jibril told him how Allah wanted people to live. Then Allah’s words were revealed to Muhammad through the angel during the month of Ramzan, and the words were written down to form the holy Qur’an. Prophet Muhammad declared the last day of Ramzan to celebrate Id Ul Fitr and strengthening the feeling of brotherhood.

Bal Kand story in pictures (Bala Kanda)

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In Indian mythology, there are two major epics. The Ramayana, and the Mahabharat. In Treta yuga, the story of Rama and his wife Sita, is the main story around which the Ramayana is written. This epic was written by Sage Valmiki, who himself was a robber, but later mended his ways to become a sage. Later Swami Tulsidas also written this epic which is known as Ram Charita Manas.

Bal Kand

Amazing book on BalaKanda in Telugu

Dashrath organizes Putra Kameshti Yagya

King Dashrath, the king of Ayodhya did not have any son. To address this, he organised yagna with a desire for son. Agni, the god of fire presented him with a bowl of kheer(sweet rice). Upon comsumption of kheer, Dashratha would beget sons.

The Prasad was given to three wives of Dashrath

The Kheer or payasam, thus obtained, was distributed among Dashrath’s three wives, Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra. Soon enough, these queens have been blessed with sons, Rama, Bharat, Laxman and Shatrughan.

Princes Rama, Lakshmana, Bharat and Shatrughana as newborn.

Learning at Sage Vasistha’s ashram

Sage Vasistha was the teacher of four brothers. He taught them all the skills required by them as the princes.

Education of princes by sage Vasistha in the Ramayana

Helping Sage Vishwamitra

Rama and Laksham helped sage Vishwamitra. Rakshasas were creating problems for him. Sages were unable to perform yagna. Sage asked Dashrath to give Rama and Lakshman to help him. Dashrath was initially worried. Persuaded by Vasistha, he agreed. This helped the princes as Vishwamitra trained them in warfare. Both brothers killed Taraka and Subahu among other demons.

Swayamvar of Sita and liberation of Ahalya

Vishwamitra received invitation from King Janak for Sita’s swayamvar. He asked  Rama and Lakshman to accompany him. Along the way, they came to a place where Ahilya was present in a form of stone. Rama liberated her on advise of sage. She was serving a curse of sage Gautam, who was her husband.

Sita Swayamvar

At Mithila, the challenge of Sita swayamvar was to tie the string of Shiva’s bow. Many warriors including Ravana has failed in even moving the bow. However, Rama could easily lift the bow. While trying to string the bow, it broken into two pieces. Sita got Rama as her husband.

Rama breaking Pinaka bow in Sita Swayamvar

However, this brought Lord Parshurama to the ceremony. There was the classic confrontation between two avatars of Vishnu. Rama succeeded in pacifying Parshurama.

Wedding of Rama and Sita

Finally, the wedding of Rama and Sita took place. All four brother were married. Lakshman was married with Urmila, Janak’s second daughter and Bharat and Shatrughna with Mandavi and Shrutikirti, the daughters of Janak’s younger brother Kushadhwaj.

Sita Swayamvar story

Amul ads on cricket

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Over the years, Amul Ads have been known to hit their mark often. Below are few of them.

Sachin’s first double ton

It was a long awaited one. But fittingly, Sachin was the one to score the first double hundred in ODIs.

Sachin’s double ton in gwalior

Indian vs pakistan in cricket world cup

Indian beat pakistan again in world cup. Interestingly, till date, India have always beaten pakistan in a world cup game, including T20s.

India packed pakistan in cricket world cup, again!

IPL

Indian premier league burns out the players very often. Amul has aptly come up an ad for this situation as well.

Injuries in Indian premier league – IPL

Ball tampering

These ads have addressed issues like ball tampering as well. Can you identify the player and the incident.

What an appetizer?

Wedding of Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik

Amul ads have come up with an appropriate punch line on the wedding of pakistan cricket player Shoaib Malik and indian tennis player Sania mirza.

Wedding of two sportpersons

Sachin and Kambli

Following is in response to the statement which Kambli given in a television programme. He later retracted his statement and clarified on newspaper. Sachin and Kambli were school buddies and they scored 674 runs in a famous partnership, playing for sharda-ashram school. Their teacher was Ramakant Achrekar.

Sachin and Kambli