--> Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from November 14, 2014


Ahi Budhnya in Vedas – About the Vedic God Ahi Budhnya

A Vedic God, Ahi Budhnya finds mention in the Rig Veda. He is the snake of the deep world. Some scholars suggest he is the serpent of the atmospheric ocean. He is invoked to gain blessings and not to be harmful to the people. It looks like Ahirbudhnya  deity was symbolic representation of water snake or some reptile in the water that might have harmed the people. Vishnu Purana mentions that He was the son of Vishwakarma, the divine architect. In the Mahabharata, Ahi Budhnya is one of the eleven Rudras and is also one of the eleven Maruts. Thus by the Mahabharata period the deity is related to Rudra or Shiva. In the Rig Veda, the name is only mentioned in the hymns dedicated to Visvedevas. Only in three verses in the Rig Veda Ahi Budhnya is invoked alone. He is associated five times with Aja Ekapad, three times with Apam Napat, three times with Samudra and two times with Savitr.

Asha Rani Rai of Kanpur – A Woman Who Performs All Vedic Pujas

It is not written in Hindu scriptures that woman cannot perform Vedic pujas, sanskars and funeral rituals. But Hindu women are not allowed to perform pujas and rituals as it still remains the domain of male priests. Asha Rani Rai of Kanpur is doing pujas for the past 35 years and continues to fight social hypocrisy and male domination. Times of India reports  A woman has come forward to break the myth that women cannot perform a funeral or other 'sanskars'. Asha Rani Rai has been doing this from past 35 years. Chanting of Ved mantras, each mantra followed by 'swaha' has become an integral part of her life.  Rai said when she was young, she was curious to know why women are not allowed to perform `hawans' and `sanskars'. "I read all the religious books including the four Vedas. None of the 'Shastras' say that women can't perform funeral or sanskar. It is a taboo created by the society. "In a quest to debunk the myth, I started perf

Vyatipata Yoga Meaning – Vyatipata Yog in Hindu Astrology

Vyatipata Yoga, also known as Vyatipat Yog, is an inauspicious period in a Tithi or day as per Hindu astrology. The meaning of the term Vyatipata is ‘a period of calamity.’ It is bad for new beginnings, ceremonies, travel etc. Rudra is the Lord of the Yoga. It is calculated by the degrees of moon and sun starting from Ashwini Nakshatra. Vyatipata Yoga is there for nearly 24 hours once in a lunar month as per traditional Hindu calendar and Panchang. The popular belief is that new beginnings and ceremonies performed during the Vyatipata period will run into troubles. Those people who were born during the Vyatipata Yoga period might face difficulties in life as per Hindu astrology. Offering prayers to Shiva and chanting 'On Namah Shivaya' is considered a remedy for problem associated with the Yoga. You can also do food donation and cloth donation to poor children as remedy.

Baba Kaal Bhairav Temple at Varanasi

Baba Kaal Bhairav is the fierce manifestation of Shiva. He is worshipped as the Kotwal (guard) of Varanasi . It is believed that darshan of Kashi Vishwanath is incomplete without the darshan at Baba Kaal Bhairav Temple . Legend has it that Baba Kaal Bhairav appeared from the third eye of Shiva to cut off the fifth head of Brahma, who was not bothered about the suffering of living beings he created. No one is allowed to reside in Kashi without the blessing of Baba Kaal Bhairav. Invaders attempted to destroy the temple many times but were unsuccessful. The present temple was built in 1879. The murti of Baba Kaal Bhairav in the temple is south facing towards the Manikarnika Ghat and only silver plated face is visible to devotees. The deity sits on a black dog, His vehicle. The murti holds Khapar, trishul and damaroo. A unique aspect of the murti of Baba Kaal Bhairav is that He wears anklets. Thus He is also a form of Nataraj Shiva. The main sanctum also has murti