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Showing posts from March 29, 2015


Navadanya for Navgrahas – the Nine Grains Used in Hindu Rituals – Navadhanya

Navadhanya are the nine grains that are offered to the Navagrahas. They are also part of other Hindu pujas and rituals. The Navdanya includes Bengal Gram, Wheat, Horse Gram, Green Gram, Rice, White beans, Black Sesame seeds, Chickpeas, Black Gram. Bengal Gram is offered to Jupiter or Guru or Brihaspati. Wheat is offered to Sun or Surya Horse Gram is offered to Ketu Green Gram is offered to Mercury or Budh Rice is offered to moon or Chandra or Soma White beans is offered to Venus or Shukra Black Sesame is offered to Shani or Saturn Chickpeas or Chickpea is offered to Mars or Mangal Black Gram is offered to Rahu In some regions the Navadanya are rice, wheat, thoor dal, moong dal, chana dal, rajma, sesame, urud dal, horse gram. You may also like to read Nabapatrika in Durga Puja - Nine Leaves used in Durga Puja

Why is Goddess Kali portrayed as drinking blood?

Talk about Goddess Kali and the image that comes to our mind is that of a fierce woman with blood dripping tongue. But why does Goddess Kali drink blood? Demons or Asuras through severe austerities obtain boons from Brahma. The demons often try to attain boons of immortality but Brahma often denies it. Instead the demons are given death under specific circumstances. The Asura Raktabeeja obtained a boon from Brahma that every drop of blood that falls on earth from his body will produce more demons. The Devas could no longer fight Rakthabeeja and were on the receiving end. Finally, Mother Durga appeared as the terrifying Goddess Kali, who sucked up every blood that fell from Raktabeeja. After destroying Raktabeeja, Goddess Kali remained blood thirsty and a horror to humans. Finally, Lord Shiva had to come down to earth to control her. This is the reason why images of Goddess Kali are shown with blood red protruding tongue.