Hanuman and Goddess Shyama – Khir Bhawani

The story of Khir Bhawani (Goddess Shyama) and Hanuman is found in some versions of Ramayana. Legend has it that Ravana to increase his powers propitiated Shiva by doing intense austerities. Shiva asks Ravana to appease Goddess Shyama, an incarnation of Goddess Shakti.

Ravana offers intense austerities for several years and Goddess Shyama agrees to reside at Lanka. With the presence of Goddess Shyama, Ravana becomes more powerful.

Goddess Shyama resides at Lanka with thousands of nagas. Ravana defeats his all his enemies and conquers heaven during this period. There was no one as powerful as Ravana.

But Goddess Shyama disagrees to Ravana kidnapping Mata Sita.

When Sri Ram arrives at Lanka to rescue Mata Sita, Goddess Shyama decides to abandon Lanka.

She requests the help of Hanuman to carry her and nagas from the Island.

Hanuman carries Goddess Shyama and nagas on his back and reaches the Himalayas. He finds a huge marshy area and a river there. Goddess Shyama agrees to reside there as it is an ideal place for nagas.

It is believed that this marshy area is located in present day Kashmir.

Ravana used to propitiate the goddess by offering animals sacrifices.

After residing in new place, the goddess stopped accepting sacrifices and from then onwards only accepted milk, sugar and butter as offerings.

Hanuman also remains as a doorkeeper at the temple.

Special Diet Food to be served in Community Kitchens to Amarnath Pilgrims

Amarnath pilgrims visiting the Holy Cave Shrine to have darshan of the naturally formed ice Shivling from 2012 will be served special diet food which will help the devotees in sustaining the harsh climate and the tough trek. Amarnath Yatra is held annually from end of june to August (Raksha Bandhan day).

Annually more than 500,000 pilgrims visit the holy cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Zeenews reports
 Pilgrims undertaking the arduous trek to the cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas will be served food by community kitchens according to a standard diet chart prepared by the Shrine Board.

Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has prescribed a standard diet chart to be followed from this year by community kitchens that serve food to lakhs of pilgrims visiting the 3,888-meter high cave shrine. 

Jwalamukhi Yoga February 2012 date and time

Jwalamukhi Yoga is a bad period as per Hindu astrology. It is not considered auspicious and no new beginnings are made during the period. Jwalamukhi Yoga February 2012 time and date is February 27. Time is from 10:54 AM to 12:22 PM.

This particular yog in February 2012 is the result of the combination of Panchami and Bharani Nakshatra.

It is believed that result of all actions performed during the period is negative.

Aurobindo’s Answer to those who view Vedic hymns as primitive and childish

The poet has to express a spiritual and psychical knowledge and experience and he cannot do it altogether or in the abstract language of a philosophical thinker, for he has to bring out, not just the naked idea of it, but also its very life and the most intimate touches as vividly as possible.

He has to reveal in one way or another a whole world within him and the quiet inner and spiritual significances of the world around him and also, it may well be the Godheads, powers, visions, and experiences of planes of consciousness other than the one that our normal minds are familiar with.

He uses or starts with the images taken from his own normal and outward life and that of humanity and from visible nature, and though they do not of themselves actually express, yet obliges them to express by implication or to figure the spiritual and psychic idea and experience.

He takes them selecting freely his notation of images according to his insight or imagination and transmutes them into instruments of another significance and at the same time pours a direct spiritual meaning into the nature and life to which they belong, applies outward figures nearest to the inward experience, its material counterpart is taken throughout and used with such realism and consistency that while it indicates to those who possess it the spiritual experience, it means only the external thing to others.

Today’s Hindu Calendar – January 31, 2012 – Tithi, Vrat, Nakshatra, Rashi and Festival

Tithi in Hindu Calendar on January 31, 2012 – Shukla Paksha Ashtami or the eighth day during the waxing phase of moon in Hindu calendar and Panchang in all places. It is Shukla Paksha Ashtami tithi till 9:23 PM on January 31, 2012. Afterwards it is Shukla Paksha Navami or the ninth day during the light phase of moon. All time based on India Standard Time.

Nakshatra – Ashwini Nakshatra till 2:11 AM on January 31, 2012. Then onwards it is BharaniNakshatra

Rashi or Moon Sign – Mesha Rashi.

Festivals, Vrat and Auspicious days – Bhishma Ashtami

Magh Shukla Paksha Ashtami Tithi or the eighth day during the waxing phase of moon in Magh month in calendars followed in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa.

Magh Shukla Paksha Ashtami Tithi or the eighth day during the light phase of moon in Magh month in calendars followed in Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jammu and Kashmir.

17th day of Thai Masam in Tamil Calendar followed in Tamil Nadu.

17th day of Makara Masam in Malayalam Calendar in Kerala.

16th day of Magh month in Bengali Calendar.

Vyatipata Yoga February 2012 Date and Time

Vyatipata Yoga Tithi is an inauspicious day (tithi) or bad period as per Hindu calendar and Panchang. The popular belief is that things performed during the period will not be successful. In February 2012 Vyatipata Yoga date is on February 19, 2012 and time is from 1:18 AM to 11:37 PM.

The time period of Vyatipat is known as a period of calamity.

Those people who were born during the Vyatipata Yog period might face difficulties in life as per Hindu astrology. The solution is to offer prayers to Ganesha.

All auspicious activities like opening, entering new home, buying are avoided during the period.

Galungan Festival in Bali Hindu Culture

Galungan Festival is an important annual ceremony in the Hindu culture in the Bali Island of Indonesia and it celebrates the victory of the good (Dharma) over bad (Adharma). In 2012, Galungan Festival begins on February 1. The ritual and festival is also dedicated to various gods in Hindu pantheon and to the dead ancestors. The 10-day festival is observed once in 210 days in Balinese calendar. It is based on the legend that gods visit people on earth during the period and ancestors visit their relatives.

Like all Hindu festivals, the important aspect of the festival is the victory of the good over evil. Here it is represented by the death of demonic ruler Mayadenawa

The 10-day festival begins on a Wednesday. A thanksgiving ritual is performed a day before on Tuesday.

Galungan represents ‘Pawedalan Jagat.’ The day before the ten-day festival begins; Balinese Hindus thank Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva for the creations on earth. They also invite the Gods in Hindu pantheon to join the celebrations. As part the rituals, the worshiping murtis and thrones are given ceremonial bath in the sea.

The ancestors are also offered food and water by relatives. It is also a period when all Balinese people make it to be present in their traditional family home.

Apart from the pujas, rituals and feasting the highlight of the festival is the penjor created in front of each home. A Penjor is made of a long bamboo pole with a curved end. The curved end forms like an arc when it is tastefully decorated with rice plants, corn, coconut, leaves, colorful clothes etc.