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Showing posts from October 18, 2018


Story of Goddess Durga and Demon Durgama

There are numerous stories regarding how Mother Goddess Shakti came to be called Goddess Durga. One such story states that Goddess got the name Durga after annihilating the demon Durgamma. Legend has it Asura Durgamma was born in the lineage of Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha. Durgama soon realized that the reason for the invincibility of Devas and Saints is Vedas. So he did intense penance with aim to steal Vedas. Brahma could no longer ignore the intense Tapas of Durgamma and appeared before him. The demon asked Brahma for the total control of Vedas and also that he will not be killed by gods, men, gandharvas, yakshas, nagas or animals. Brahma granted the boon. Soon Durgama took control over the Vedas and hid it in a cave in the Himalayas . Saints forgot all the mantras and Devas started to lose their powers. Soon Durgamma and his forces overpowered heaven. With Vedas gone there was no havan or japa or yajna as a result there was total chaos in all the worlds.

Pancha Upanishad – A Set of Five Upanishads in Hinduism

The term pancha Upanishad indicates a set of five Upanishads. These five Upanishads indicate the supremacy of Narayana. The five Upanishads are: Ishavasya Narayana Aitareya Taittiriya Mahanarayana The important points about the supremacy of Narayana are: Absence of bad qualities Sri’s consort The sole cause of the universe Treasure house of everything Representing all knowledge and bliss The very source of all good attributes Endowed with special qualities of the two genders Ishavasya Upanishad states that everything is pervaded by God and nothing is separate from That. Do all work dedicated to god to escape from suffering and endless cycle of birth and death. Narayana Upanishad states that Narayana desired to create the world. Everything born is his swarupa. Aitareya Upanishad states that the entire world is held by Paramatma, the Supreme Being, and He is the refuge of all. This knowledge leads one to eternity. Taittiriya Upanishad states abou

Solah Somvar Vrat – Sixteen Monday fasting dedicated to Lord Shiva

Solah Somvar Vrat is observed for sixteen consecutive Mondays and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. A devotee can start Solah Somvar Vrat on the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in any month. But devotees usually begin the fasting in Shravan or Kartik month . Solah Somvar Vrat is observed by women to get good husbands and many also observe it when they are blessed with a good married life. It is also believed that observing this Vrat will help in getting one’s wishes fulfilled. Legend has it that moon (Chandra or Soma) was cursed by Daksha that his body will fade away. It is said that Chandra escaped from this curse after observing the Somvar Vrat. Many devotees choose the Chaturmas period to observe the Solah Somvar Vrat. Solah Somvar fasting begins at sunrise and ends at sunset. Some devotees observe 24-hour fast and they only consume water or tender coconut or copra. Some devotees opt for nuts, milk and fruits while fasting. On the 17

Goddess Jaladurga - Information About Hindu Goddess Jaladurga

Goddess Jaladurga is a manifestation of Mother Goddess Shakti. Legend has it that Mother Goddess got the name Jaladurga after she made water her abode. Mother Goddess appeared as Bhadrakali to annihilate demon Darigasura (Darika). The demon had got the boon that he will not be killed by men and gods. Dharika believed he was invincible and created havoc on the world. The Gods took refuge at the feet of Shiva. Shiva then opened his third eye and Mother Goddess appeared as Bhadrakali. Bhadrakali, being a Goddess, was exempt from the boon granted by Brahma to Dharika that, neither man nor God could kill him. Bhadrakali overpowered Dharika and to cool her anger (Roudra Bhavam) against demonic forces she made water her abode. Temples of Goddess Jaladurga are found to be on the banks of ponds and rivers. The most famous temple is Kuzhuppilly Kavu Jaladurga Temple at Perumbavoor near Kochi in Kerala. Here the murti of Mother Goddess is located inside a pond. Another

Kullu Dussehra 2024 – Dussehra Festival at Kullu in Himachal Pradesh

Talk about Dasara and the first thing that comes to mind is burning of the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath. But this image of effigy burning does not apply to Kullu Dussehra in Himachal Pradesh. Kullu Dussehra 2024 begins on October 12 to October 17. In Kullu Dussehra, Lord Raghunath (Lord Ram) is worshipped and the Dasara festivities begin on Vijayadasami day – when the Dussehra festivities end in other of India . The popular legend of Kullu Dussehra is associated with Raja Jagat Singh who unknowingly became responsible for the death of a family and to overcome the remorse he was advised to worship Lord Ram. The King was able to overcome remorse and depression through the worship of Lord Ram. As a thanksgiving, the King invited all the deities in the Kullu valley to participate in Lord Ram worship on Vijayadasami day. The next 7-days were dedicated to worship and celebration. Dussehra at Kullu commences on the Vijayadashmi with the arrival of Goddess

Shri Shri Nimishananda Quotes - A Collection of Thoughts and Teachings of Shri Shri Nimishananda

Your life starts from a thought. The thinking process keeps generating thoughts. When you enact these thoughts you experience the fruition of your actions. Thought is the root and the outcome of action is the fruit. Life is evolving; it is changing constantly from the root to its fruit. Between the roots and fruits lie the trunk, branches, leaves, buds and flowers. These are our various thought processes. Thoughts make the mind. As are your thoughts and thinking, so is your mind. And that is your life. The 'tree' of life. Your mind and intellect together generate strong likes and dislikes – raag and dvesh – which create intense beliefs and disbeliefs. These lead us to love and hate relationships with fellow human beings and also with Divinity. When we understand this true aspect we can clearly see that our life is based on our mind, level of intelligence, strong beliefs and disbeliefs. Each one of us experiences a pull towards Divinity sometime in life. The pull