Bahula Ashtami is observed on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha or waxing phase of moon in Kartik Month as per traditional Hindu calendar followed in North India . Bahula Ashtami 2023 date is November 5. The rituals on the day are associated with Radha and Krishna and are observed by the Vaishnavas. It is believed that the Radha Kund and Shyama Kund – two ponds named after Radha and Krishna appeared on Bahula Ashtami day. The ponds are located at Vrindavan. Thousands of devotees arrive at the ponds to take a holy dip on the day. It is believed that all the sacred waters in world appeared to fill the Radhakund. You can read about the story associated with Radhakund here in this earlier article. Please note that Bahula is a term used to refer to the waning phase of moon in South India – especially in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. 

Diwali is a festival of light and no where in Hindu Scriptures is mentioned of cracker usage. But today for many people Diwali celebration is unimaginable without firecrackers. But there are people who relate the play with firecrackers to the killing of demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna and Satyabhama. The firecrackers are regarded as the effigies of Narakasura who was killed on the day. Thus firecrackers symbolize the victory of the good over evil and restoration of Dharma. A couple of years ago while explaining the significance of firecrackers during Diwali, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said – Watching the firecrackers gives a relief to the explosive tendencies inside. When the explosion happens outside, the explosion inside is diffused.

Purvashada Nakshatra 2020 dates based on traditional Hindu calendar, Astrology and Panchangam. Purvashada Birth Star, also known as Pooradam, is the 20th Nakshatra among the 27 Nakshatras. Below are Purvashada Nakshatra dates in 2020. The astrological prediction of the birth star as per Moon Sign is that of Dhanu Rashi. Jupiter or Guru is the Lord of Dhanu Rashi. The color of the nakshatra is black. Purvashada 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 23, 2020, Thursday Time is from 12:36 AM on January 23 to 1:03 AM on January 24, 2020 February 20, 2020, Thursday Time is from 8:15 AM

Mata Amritanandamayi on Hindu idol worship The formless and omnipotent God can easily assume form for the sake of devotees. An ordinary individual may not develop love as easily for the formless aspect of God (Brahman), as he/she would, if worshiped with form. So the need for idol worship. We should worship him seeing all forms as different aspects of the same God….See Brahman in everything and everyone. Whomsoever you see, remember god’s form. Then everything will rise up from within. When our mind becomes expansive, we can merge with the infinite. Amritanandamayi on Self Sacrifice Human beings can learn many things from Nature. For example, take an apple tree. It gives all its fruits to others, taking nothing for itself. Its very existence is for other living beings. Likewise, a river. Everyone comes and bathes in it. It washes away everyone's dirt, expecting nothing. It willingly accepts all the impurities and returns purity, sacrificing everything for others