Story of King Ambarisha is part of many Puranas and it explains the greatness of Ekadashi fasting. The story teaches us the importance and rewards of devotion and the folly of jealousy and unchecked anger. King Ambarisha was an ardent devotee of Hindu God Vishnu and performed the Ekadasi fasting without a break. Pleased with his devotion and piety, Vishnu honored him with the ability to control Sudarshana Chakra. The Story of Ambarisha is that of jealous Indra using Durvasa Maharishi to put an end to the Ekadasi fasting of King Ambarisha. Indra felt threatened by the piety by King Ambarisha. He instigated Durvasa Maharishi against King Ambarisha. Durvasa arrived at the palace of King Ambarisha when he was about to break his Ekadasi fasting. He was received warmly by the king. Rishi was invited for taking food. The Rishi then went to take bath in the Kalindi River and for his prayers. Durvasa deliberately took longer time to spoil the Ekadasi fasting of King Ambaris

Tula Sankranti is an important day in traditional Hindu calendar and on the day sun enters the Tula Rashi (Libra Zodiac). In 2022, the date of Tula Sankranti is October 18. Sankranti time is at 9:40 AM on October 18. The day is of great significance in Odisha and Karnataka. On the Tula Sankranti day the Sun fully rests on the equator and on the day the length of day and night remain equal. In many regions in  India , on Tula Sankranti day Surya (Sun God) is worshipped. Prayers are offered to Surya and people also take dip in holy rivers.Performing Shradh for departed souls on the day is considered highly meritorious. Tula Sankranti is known as Garbhana Sankranti and is an important festival of Odisha. Special prayers are offered to Goddess Lakshmi on the day for a good harvest. In Karnataka, the day is celebrated as Kaveri Sankramana. People take holy dip on the day in the holy water that gushes from Brahmakundike, a small concave shape hole, on the Brahmagiri Hills at Ta

Garuda, eagle, is the Vahana or Vehicle of Lord Vishnu. Puranas narrate in detail on how Garuda became the Vahana of Lord Vishnu but what is more interesting and thought provoking is the hidden symbolism. It is said that a man who does not deviate from the path of Dharma develops the two wings of devotion and knowledge and the tail that propels him forward is the Karma Yoga. Such an individual rises like an eagle with Lord Vishnu always on top and the Lord helps him in navigating through the tough terrains of earthly existence before merging with the Supreme Soul. Writing on the concept of Garuda as the Vahana of Vishnu, Swamini Sarada Priyananda says that An individual in the world really sustains the continuity of the world. His three aspects, as Knower through the intellect, as Enjoyer through his mind and as Doer through his body, demand the continuation of the world. The knowledge and enjoyment are interdependent and vary simultaneously, while the actions of a

Ekarnavasayin form of Vishnu is associated with creation in Hinduism. As Ekarnavasayin, Vishnu sleeps on the primeval waters. This is the first form of life on earth. All creations start and end in the Ekarnavasayin. This form of Vishnu is unimaginable to the human mind. It is the seed that will result in all future life forms. This is one of the thirty nine avatars enumerated in the Ahirbudhnya Samhita. The origin and nature of this avatar is shrouded with mysterious mythological episodes and is found in the Agamas and Puranas. The avatars of Vishnu as Ekarnavasayin and Nyagrodhasayin (infant floating on nyagrodha leaf) was witnessed only by Sage Markandeya. He had discovered the dissolved universe in the mouth of Vishnu as Ekarnavasayin. 

Swati Nakshatra 2020 dates based on traditional Hindu calendar, Astrology and Panchangam. Swati Birth Star, also known as Swathi in South India, is the 15th Nakshatra among the 27 Nakshatras. Below are Swati Nakshatra dates in 2020. The astrological prediction of the birth star Swati as per Moon Sign is that of Tula Rashi (Libra Zodiac). Venus or Shukra is the Lord of Thula. The color of Swati is black. Swathi - Chothi Nakshatra 2020 Date and Time - North - East - South of India This time is applicable in Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Pondicherry, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Andaman and Nicobar. January 18, 2020, Saturday Time is from 4:28 AM on January 18 to 3:04 AM on January 19, 2020 February 15, 2020, Saturday Time is from

Jagannatha Dasa Bhagavata is the Odia version of the Srimad Bhagavad Purana. It holds a pre-eminent position among all the writings of Jagannatha Dasa. The work is so famous and good that if this had been his only literary work, it would have ensured him immortality. Jagannatha Dasa Bhagavata is not merely a literary classic but contains ethical principles, philosophical ideas and spiritual values. It is presumed that the composition of Jagannatha Dasa Bhagavata took place a litter before the 16 th century AD. It is reasonably certain that Jagannatha Dasa completed the Bhagabata in eleven volumes and that the twelfth and thirteenth volumes were later additions by less gifted poets. From the arrangement of the theme in Bhagabata, the eleventh volume appears to be the last because it describes the departure of Krishna for his heavenly abode. Jagannatha Dasa’s Bhagabata in eleven skandhas in Odia containing 329 chapters, whereas the original Sanskrit work contains 322 chapt

Kartik mahina is the eighth month in a traditional Hindu calendar followed in  North India . Kartik Month 2023 begins on October 29 and ends on November 27. Karva Chauth and Diwali are the most important festivals observed in this month. This calendar is followed mainly in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana,  Bihar  and Chhattisgarh and other North Indian states. A month in these regions is calculated from the day after Purnima or full moon to the next Purnima. The current year in the Hindi Calendar is Saka 2080. What to do on Kartik Mahina? People take bath early morning at home or perform holy dip in sacred rivers. They then chant the holy names of Lord Vishnu or chant Damodarastakam. People offer arghya or puja to Vishnu and Surya in the morning. Reading Holy Scriptures of Vishnu in this month is meritorious. Some people only eat vegetarian food in the month. Some people opt for only a single meal during the entire month

A collection of quotes and teachings of A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Since you are a living being, you must always have desires. If your desires are stopped, you become like a stone. So instead of trying to put an end to all desires, you should try to cleanse the diseased form of desire. That cleansing process is Krishna Consciousness (Bhakti). All material activities, subtle or gross, are manifestations of various dreamlike desires. The dreamer is the factual living entity; but we say that the dream of this material world is not false – but temporary. Therefore the dreamer has to come to the real, eternal spiritual platform so that this flickering material dreams can be extinguished. Pleasures and pains come and go in due course, they are not the reality. So why bother about them? If I feel pain, let me tolerate it and go about my business of serving Krishna. Real happiness means to be relieved of suffering permanently, not for just a few moments. The per

Swami Vireswarananda Maharaj (1892 to 1985), 10th President of the Ramakrishna Order, answers the question we all have - how to overcome obstacles in spiritual life? It is nothing; it is your own mind; your mind is playing truant with you. Try to overcome it with determination and earnestness without resorting to negative ways. Work hard and struggle utmost; you shall be able to bring your mind under control. It is as if going against the wind or swimming upstream; it is as if walking on the sharp edge of a razor. You should go slowly with full alertness. You see, the whole sadhana is nothing but getting rid of vasanas. So, in every action, in everything, you have to be conscious and get rid of the vasanas by practice, vairagya (dispassion) and the spirit of renunciation. There is no other way. As regards japa, the more you do, the better. But then, there is no use repeating the mantra mechanically a large number of times. Instead, if you repeat it with devotion and fervor a lim