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Showing posts from March 16, 2016


Story of Goddess Lakshmi, Ganga and Saraswati as Wives of Lord Vishnu

The story of Goddess Lakshmi, Ganga and Saraswati as wives of Lord Vishnu is mentioned in the Brahmavaivarta Purana and Devi Bhagavatam. There was no unity among the three wives. Arguments and quarrels were a constant feature. Once, a major quarrel broke out between Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Ganga. Both were feisty and temperamental. Goddess Lakshmi attempted to make peace between the two but she was ignored. The fight took a real ugly turn and the two cursed each other to become rivers on earth and absorb sins of the people who bathed in them. Lord Vishnu failed to control his two tempestuous wives. He abandoned the two and decided to have only Lakshmi as his wife. Later, Brahma gave refuge to Saraswati and Shiva gave refuge to Ganga. Such stories in Puranas are a warning to human beings who engage in multiple relationships. The story symbolically states that even Gods cannot be happy with multiple wives or husbands.

Svaha – Importance, Meaning And Symbolism Of Term Svaha In Hindu Pujas

Svaha is a word repeatedly used in Hindu rituals and pujas especially during Yajnas. It is mainly repeated again and again when offerings are made into Agni or fire. As per Satapatha Brahmana, Svaha is acclaimed to be the glory of Prajapati. If Om is the primordial sound, Svaha is the sound associated with all yajnas and offerings to Gods. Svaha is also a personified as a female deity in some scriptures. Her role is to transmit the offerings made by humans to the gods. She helps in pleasing the gods and thereby devotees get good fortune and also their desires are fulfilled. She is the vital element of truth, reclining on Brahman’s inherent nature. She flashes with radiance of three colors – white, red and yellow. Svaha is mentioned in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana as the daughter of Prajapati and his wife Prasuti. She officiated the coronation ceremony of Kartik, when he became the commander of Gods or Devas. Devi Bhagavata extols the importance and spiritual symbolism