Rajju porutham is an important aspect in horoscope matching for marriage especially in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, parts of Telangana and parts of Karnataka. There are five divisions of Nakshatras in Rajju Padha Rajju – Ashwini (Ashwathy), Aslesha (Ayiliyam), Magha (Makam), Jyeshta (Kettai), Moola (Moolam) and Revati. Ooroo Rajju – Bharani, Pushya (Poosam or Pooyam), Purva Phalguni (Pooram), Anuradha (Anizham), Purvashada (pooradam) and Uttara Bhadra (Uthrittathi) Nabhi Rajju – Kritika (Kartika), Punarvasu (Punirtham), Uttara Phalguni (Uthiram), Vishaka (Vishakam), Uttara Shada (Uthradam) and Purva Bhadrapada (Pooruruttathi). Kanta Rajju – Rohini, Ardra (Thiruvathira or Arudara), Hasta (Atham), Swati (Chothi), Shravan (Thiruonam or Sravana) and Shatabhisha (Sadayam or Chathayam) Siro Rajju – Mrigashirsha (Makayiram), Chithra (Chithirai) and Dhanishta (Sravishta or Avittam) If the nakshatras of the couple come under Padha Rajju they will travel...

Kanaka Durga is a benign, kind and loving form of Mother Goddess Durga and she is worshipped for attaining worldly success and prosperity. Below is Kanaka Durga puja vidhi or procedure along with mantra. This is a simple guide on how to perform Goddess Kanak Durga Devi Puja and is ideal for performing it at home.  Kanaka Durga Mantra ॐ   कन्यकायै   दुर्गाय   नमः॥ When to Perform Goddess Kanaka Durga Puja? Ideal day to perform the puja: Shukla Paksha Dasami Tithi – tenth day during the light or waxing phase of moon. Ashwini or Ashwathy Nakshtra day in a month. It is doubly auspicious to perform the puja when Ashwini or Ashwathy Nakshtra coincides with Dasami tithi. Benefits of Performing Kanak Durga Devi Puja For fulfillment of desires. Career progress. Peace and prosperity. Even the toughest problems in life becomes easy after offering prayers to this form of Durga. Arjuna offered prayers to the Goddess to attain Pashupatastra from Shi...

The story of Gokarna is found in the Padma Purana. The story has it that there lived a learned person named Atmadeva on the banks of Tungabhadra River who followed Dharma. He was rich and scholarly but his wife, Dhundhuli, was ill-tempered and quarrelsome. The couple did not have any child even after years of marriage. Atmadeva decided to perform intense penance to have a child. While on his way to the forest, he met an ascetic and told him about his problems in life and his decision to do penance to fulfill the desire of having a child. The ascetic had the capacity to see past, present and future. He knew that Atmadeva would not have a child. But still he gave Atmadeva a magic fruit for his wife to eat. Atmadeva’s wife was not interested in having a child as she considered children as burden. She was not ready to spoil her beauty and health. To keep away from the troublesome life of raising a child, she gave the fruit to the cow in the house. In due course, ...

What is perfect for you is not perfect for another person. Your definition of perfection is not universal. The definition of perfection varies from people to people. Perfection simply does not exist it is an illusion. This is the reason why avatars of gods and goddesses in Hinduism are not perfect beings. They have their imperfections. These imperfections pave the way for universal truth. Bhagavad Gita clearly tells that a person has to follow dharma. Bhagavad Gita does not ask Arjuna to be perfect. He is asked to do his duty. Upholding dharma is his duty not to be perfect. The mad craze for perfection in modern world leads to a permanent feeling of incompleteness. We are always made to feel that we are inadequate. The modern day perfection is directly associated with materialism. It is more related to more and more buying and throwing away old things. It is purely market driven. There are people who change their entire furniture every year. People change their smartphon...

Staunch Vaishnava devotees wear tilak on twelve parts of the body. It is believed that Vishnu in twelve forms resides in these twelve parts of the body. Twelve forms of Vishnu residing in the twelve parts of the body are: Keshav resides on forehead Narayana in belly region Madhava in heart (chest) Govinda in throat (hollow of the throat) Vishnu on right side of belly Madhusudan right upper arm Trivikram in right shoulder (in some texts it is ears) Vaman in the left belly region Shridhar in left arm Hrishikesh in left shoulder (if Trivikram is for ears then both shoulders are believed to for Hrishikesh) Padmanabha on upper back Damodar on lower back. Thirteenth Spot - Note some people also put a tilak on the tuft (hair) and it is dedicated to Vasudeva. The twelve mantras to be chanted while applying Tilak are Om Keshavaya Namah Om Narayanaya Namah Om Madhavaya Namah Om Govindaya Namah Om Vishnuve Namah Om Madhusudanaya Namah Om Trivikramaya Namah ...

Shikhandi, the transgender in the Mahabharata, was the cause of Bhishma’s death. The reason for birth of Amba as Shikhandi was to defeat the invincible warrior, Bhishma. The story of Shikhandi’s half-woman, half-man persona is found in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata. Amba was the eldest daughter of the King of Kashi. She along with two of her sisters were forcibly be taken away by Bhishma from the Swayamvara to be the wives of King Vichitravirya. But on the day when the marriage was to be performed Amba informed Bhishma that she had given her mind to King of Shalva and she be sent to him. On realizing the mistake, Bhishma sent her to the King of Salwa. But the King of Shalva was not ready to accept a woman who had entered the home of another person. Amba had now nowhere to go. Bhishma would not marry her as he had taken the vow of celibacy. King Vichitravirya would not accept her as he was in love with someone else. Determined to avenge her humiliation, she searched ...

Baglamukhi Mata Ji Temple at Nalkheda in Madhya Pradesh is a temple whose legend is associated with the Mahabharata. The temple is located in a graveyard and it is believed that the Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandavas, installed the murti of Baglamukhi Mata Ji on the 12th day of the Kurukshetra battle. This was done on the advice of Sri Krishna to attain victory in the Great War in the Mahabharata. The temple is around 105 km northeast of Ujjain. This is an important Siddh Peeth. The popular belief is that there is only three ancient temples dedicated to Baglamukhi Mata and the Nalkheda Temple is one among the three. The other two temples are located at Datia in Madhya Pradesh and Kangra in Himachal Pradesh. The murti of Goddess Baglamukhi at Nalkheda Temple is Swayambhu – divine appearance. The deity worshiped here has three faces. Thus, she is also known Trishakti Mata. An important center of Tantric worship, the shrine is on the banks of Lakhundar River. The sub...

Man’s attitude towards God depends on his attitude towards himself and towards the world. According to the Gita, four kinds of people worship God: (1) the afflicted who pray for a cure; (2) those after worldly prosperity: wealth, power, position, name, fame and so on; (3) jijnasus, seekers of spiritual Knowledge; and  (4) the jnani, the man of spiritual Knowledge. While Sri Krishna considers all of them noble, he reserves the pride of place to the jnani and considers him His very Self. A spiritual aspirant needs to be clear that the first two kinds of worshippers are still worldly, using God for their worldly ends; only their worldliness has a spiritual veneer. He needs to consciously belong to the third group. To such a seeker of knowledge every problem, every experience, is grist to his mill: he understands the evanescence of the world and uses his experiences to turn to God all the more. He does not give up his devotion because his prayers remain u...

Have you ever wondered why Scorpion is the sign of Scorpio Zodiac? It is widely believed that it was ancient Hindus and Egyptians who divided a year into spring, summer, autumn and winter and assigned to each season three constellations through which the Sun passed. The reason and origin of Scorpion Sign of Scorpio is amusing but apt. The reason for the name Scorpio is because sun retreats during the period and this gives rise to various diseases; hence poisonous like the scorpion. Scorpio is also referred as Scorpion (October 24 – November 22) as per Solar Calendar.

Anjani, mother of Hanuman, performed intense austerity to get a powerful son. She had to undergo numerous trials before she gave birth to Hanuman, an amsha avatar of Shiva. Anjani and Kesari were married for a long time. However, they did not have any children. Anjani then visited the ashram of Sage Matangi. Here the sage advised her to undertake a severe penance for giving birth to a powerful child. Matangi Rishi asked Anjani to go to Narayan Mountain located near Narasimha Ashram on the banks of Pampa in South India. Here she was asked to perform intense Tapas for 12 years to propitiate Shiva by sustaining only on Vayu (air). At the end of 12 years, impressed by her perseverance, determination and devotion, Shiva asked Vayu to deposit Shiva Anu (atom of Shiva) in the womb of Anjana. As a result of it was born Hanuman. 

Sugganahalli Lakshmi Narasimha Temple is an ancient temple of Chola period. It is dedicated to Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and is located at Sugganahalli Magadi Taluk of Ramanagara District in Karnataka. This is a very rare temple in which Garuda is worshipped daily. You can find daily puja timings, history and other details below: Sugganahalli Narasimha Temple Timings 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM  (Morning Darshan Timings) 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM (Evening Darshan Timings) During Jathra and special occasions temple will be opened whole day. Sugganahalli Lakshmi Narasimha Temple is around 8 km from Kudur and 20 km from Tumkur. Sugganahalli Lakshmi Narasimha Murti The consecrated murti of Bhagavan Lakshmi Narasimha is in standing position facing west. The general rule regarding Lakshmi Narasimha murti is that the deity is in sitting position and facing east. The murti worshipped here thus does not follow the general rule. Garuda, the vahana of Lord Vishnu, is worshippe...

Rudra Gayatri Mantra is a powerful mantra dedicated to Rudra form of Shiva and it is a powerful mantra based on the Gayatri mantra found in the Rig Veda. Below you can read about how to chant the mantra and the benefits of Rudra Gayatri Mantra. Rudra Gayatri Mantra ॐ तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे महादेवाय धीमहि तन्नो रुद्रः प्रचोदयात्॥ Om Tatpurushaya Vidmahe Mahadevaya Deemahi Tanno Rudra Prachodayat When to Chant Rudra Gayatri Mantra? It can be chanted on all Mondays in the morning or during Pradosha period (starting 1.5 hours before sunset). It can be chanted on Trayodasi (thirteenth day of a lunar fortnight) and Chaturdasi (fourteenth day of a lunar fortnight). It is also considered auspicious to chant the mantra on full moon days. Rudra Gayatri Mantra Benefits It is chanted for desire fulfillment. It is chanted for early cure from a life-threatening disease. It is chanted to solve all kinds of financial problems and to get rich. How to Chant Rudra Gaya...

Purnima, the full moon day, in a Hindu Lunar Fortnight is considered auspicious to perform Goddess Lakshmi puja. There is a popular belief that if a family performs Lakshmi puja on full moon night together then they will always have the blessings of Maa Laxmi. Goddess Lakshmi Mantra on Purnima Om Shree Mahalakshmayee Namah ॐ श्री महालक्ष्म्यै नमः।  Importance of Goddess Lakshmi Puja on Full Moon Day Two of the important pujas dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the Kojagri Lakshmi puja and Gajalaxmi puja is observed on full moon night. It is meritorious to perform Lakshmi Puja on the full moon day in Kartik Month. Goddess Lakshmi is offered special pujas on full moon day by chanting the Sri Suktam and Lakshmi stotra. Legend It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi visits earth on full moon day. She visits homes that are neat and clean. She resides in homes of devotees who have unwavering devotion. She abandons fickle minded people who curse on the slightest misfor...

Brahma Kund at Rajgir in Nalanda, Bihar, is an important spiritual center in Hindu religion. A holy pond here named Brahma Kund gains spiritual significance especially during Mal Maas or Adhik Masa – the extra month in Hindu lunar calendar.   This extra month is known as Purushottam Maas and is dedicated Lord Vishnu. Story of Brahma Kund at Rajgir Legend has it Raja Vasu, a mind born son of Lord Brahma, performed a maha yajna (great sacrifice here). All gods and goddess in Hindu pantheon were present at the yajna. All the saints, holy persons, demigods and demons too participated in the penance. There was only a single pond and it was impossible for all the divine beings to take a holy dip. To solve the problem Brahma created 22 ponds and 54 springs to fill the ponds. According to the Ramayan, Vasu was the fourth mind born son of Brahma and he established the city by the name of Vasumati here. Spiritual Significance of Rajgir Brahma Kund Snan The pond was creat...

What is the significance of dreams, especially those of gods and goddesses? Swami Vireswarananda Maharaj: Dreams do not always indicate anything except that your mind is changing for the better. Generally, dreams are but mental impressions of the waking state seen, as it were, in sleep. So, dreams of gods and goddesses show that your mind is now thinking of higher things and is being impressed by such thoughts instead of worldly thoughts. Question: Sometimes, we dream of Sri Ramakrishna; is it a measure of our spiritual progress? Swami Vireswarananda Maharaj: To dream of Sri Ramakrishna is good, but do not give too much importance to such things. What is important is how do you feel about the change in your mindset, whether dispassion, love for God, sympathy for others and so on are on the rise or not. These are surer milestones in your spiritual progress. Question: But Maharaj, on being asked by a disciple whether dreams of enlightened souls or Divine Incarnatio...

 Worshiping Goddess Jwalamalini Devi, a fierce aspect of the Divine Mother, is believed to bring immense spiritual benefits, including protection from negative energies, purification of the mind and spirit, and the awakening of inner strength. She is revered in Hinduism, particularly within the Jain and Shakti traditions, as a powerful goddess associated with flames and purification. This comprehensive guide provides you with details on how to conduct a simple, eco-friendly worship of Goddess Jwalamalini Devi, covering the importance of cleanliness, the best times for puja, clothing, items required, mantras, prasad preparation, and final offerings. 1. Significance of Worshiping Goddess Jwalamalini Devi Worshiping Jwalamalini Devi is associated with: Protection from Negative Energies : She is known to ward off evil spirits and protect her devotees from harm. Inner Strength : Invoking her energy helps devotees gain courage and resilience. Purification : The fire element of the goddes...

Worshiping Goddess Khodiyar Mata, a revered Hindu deity, brings blessings of protection, prosperity, health, and family welfare. Here is a comprehensive guide to performing a traditional yet eco-friendly Khodiyar Mata puja, focusing on simplicity, devotion, and sustainability. 1. Importance and Benefits of Worshiping Khodiyar Mata Worshiping Khodiyar Mata is believed to bring the following benefits: Protection: Goddess Khodiyar is known as a fierce protector who shields devotees from evil forces and dangers. Prosperity and Success: Devotees believe that her blessings open doors to success in personal and professional life. Health and Family Well-being: The goddess bestows blessings for the physical and mental well-being of devotees and their families. Spiritual Strength: Devotees experience a boost in their spiritual strength, which helps them face life’s challenges with courage. 2. Preparing for the Puja Cleanliness and Clothing: Cleanliness : Begin by taking a bath and wearing fr...

The swastika symbol is widely used in Hindu religion. Here are some of the uses of swastik in Hindu religion. It is used for many purposes especially to avoid vastu dosha, and for solving financial problems. Those people and family suffering from pitru dosh will get relief if they make swastika-using gobbar (cow dung) on the external walls of the house. Making and wearing swastika on bhojpatra using the coal that remains after holi festival bonfire will keep out evil eye. It will also usher in prosperity. Making upside down swastika using dried cow dung will help in having wishes fulfilled. Making swastika on bed using index finger before sleeping will help in getting good sleep. Sleep will not be disturbed by bad dreams. Making swastika on pyramid and keeping it on the south side of the house will help in removing all types of Vastu Dosh. Before starting prayers or bhajan, making swastika under the seat using haldi or chandan will help in getting the prayers fu...

Sitaphal, popularly known as custard apple, is a fruit named after Mata Sita in the Ramayana. The fruit is noted for its high nutritional value. The fruit known as Cherimoya is a native of South America and belongs to the genus Annona. Seeta-phal (fruit of Sita) is not found in the Ramayan but it reached India through the Portuguese in the 17th Century. Sitaphal was recently ranked second among 100 nutritional foods in the world, published by BBC , with a nutritional score of ninety-six. Badam (almond) with a nutritional score of 97 was the ranked one. Sitaphal is rich in sugar (glucose and sucrose) and vitamins A, C, B1, B2 and potassium. Name of it Sitaphal in Regional Languages Ata or Ataphal – Bengali Custard Apple – English Sharifa or Sitaphal – English Seetha Phala – Kananda Seetha Pandu – Telugu Tamil – Seema Atha Malayalam – Seema Atha or Seetha Pazham – Atha chaka Gujarati – Sithaphal Marathi – Sitaphal Konkani - Atha Medicinal Properties of ...

The question should have been not ‘is masturbation a sin in Hinduism’ but ‘why masturbation is not a sin in Hinduism?’ Sex is not considered sin in Hindu religion. But sex without consent is Adharma and it leads to total annihilation. Masturbation is widely mentioned in Hindu Puranas and Epics though not directly. Stories of saints, rishis, who have lost control of their will power and resulting in their semen falling out is found throughout Puranas. The villain in most cases is Indra, the king of Demigods. He gets the service of Apsaras or heavenly maidens for the purpose. There are also stories of women who have amorous feelings for men and them getting lost in their thoughts. Here too masturbation is not directly mentioned but we can read it between the lines. Masturbation is not a sin in Hinduism but there is energy loss. This energy loss results in saints and holy women losing their powers. Indra specifically wants this to happen. When single-minded focus is lost the...

Fear of the unknown is the mother of all fears. Much of our anxiety and dread pertains to things and events of which we have no good knowledge. Looking these fears squarely in the face can often make them vanish into thin air, or at least make them appear less formidable. ………………… For although we take joy and hope to be synonymous with life; pain, affliction, evil and injustice regularly impinge on our lives to shock us out of such notions. …………………………. The pursuit of happiness is a basic teleological urge motivating all human behavior. The reveler in the streets, the scientist involved in cutting-edge research, the connoisseur of art and the meditation adept, each derives immediate or prospective pleasure from his or her specific engagement physical, intellectual, emotional or spiritual. But that pleasure is never unmixed. ............................ In its classificatory scheme of happiness (sukha) based on the three gunas, the Bhagavad Gita tells us that satt...

In some pictures, Shiva is depicted as wearing a garland made of skulls. This necklace is referred as Mund Mala. The story of the skull garland was narrated by Shiva to Goddess Sati. Sage Narada was eager to know about the secret of mund mala. Therefore, he incited Goddess Sati to find out the secret. When Mata Sati kept asking about the Mund Mala, Shiva revealed the secret. Shiva told Mata Sati that the skulls in the garland are hers. There are 107 skulls and therefore Mother Goddess had appeared 107 times. Mata Sati then wanted to know why she has several births and Shiva has only one birth. Shiva then told Sati that he knew the secret of immortality. Sati then wanted to hear the secret of immortality. Shiva started narrating it but fell asleep in between and the secret was never revealed. Mata Sati then self-immolated at the Daksha Yajna. Thus, she became the 108th skull in the garland. Later Mother Goddess Sati appeared as Maa Parvati. But she liste...

Janakpur Dham in Nepal is associated with Ramayana and it was the city of Raja Janak and Mata Sita. There are numerous holy places in Janakpur and thousands of Hindus arrive daily to have darshan of these religious sites. There is no dearth of Hindu temples in this ancient temple town. The most famous temple in Janakpur is the Janaki Mandir it is dedicated to Bhagavan Sri Ram, Mata Sita, and Lakshman. There are specially designated areas in the shrine known as Patti. Thus Ram Patti is the area where there is the temple of Bhagavan Sri Ram. In Sita Patti it is the temple of Mata Sita. There is also a Lakshman Patti. Janakpur Dham is spread over a large area – 15 km in all four directions. On the west side, the important shrines are Galeshwar Nath Mahadev and Mandeshwar Nath Mahadev. On the north side, the important shrines are Shireshwar Nath and Parvatheshwar Nath. On the east side, Singheshwar Nath and Maheshwar Nath Mahadev. On the south side, Kalyaneshwar Nath and...

Writers and speakers generally say that Indian culture is spiritual. What does it mean? Does it mean that all the people of India are spiritual? India has its own share of wicked people, non-spiritual people, evil people. But if this statement has any meaning, it means this: that the direction of Indian culture is towards the high spiritual Truth hidden in every human being and that the honor the nation gives to any person depends upon the spiritual quality of that person. You can study a culture by asking the question: What is the highest human excellence that is appreciated in that culture? In one culture it is the military power, in another culture it is the intellectual strength, in another, it may be money. In India, all these are respected, but the highest respect goes to a person of God, one who has realized oneness with all through spiritual development. Throughout history, India has maintained this quality; the highest person in India is a person of God, a person of spir...