Shri Renukaji Fair dedicated to the mother of Lord Parashuram (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) is held during the last five days of Kartik Month as per traditional Hindu calendar followed in Himachal Pradesh. Shri Renuka Fair 2023 is from November 23 to November 27. On the Ekadasi day during the fair (November 23), Lord Parashuram visits his mother Goddess Renuka who is worshipped in the form of lake – Renuka Lake – here. Shri Renukaji Fair Legend In one of the most famous stories in Hindu Puranas, Renuka the wife of Rishi Jamdagni and mother of Lord Parshuram was suspected for infidelity. Obeying his father’s orders, Lord Parashuram beheaded his mother. But later Rishi Jamdagni regretted his anger and asked Lord Parshuram to bring her back to life and he brought her back to life immediately. ( There are several versions of this story ). After the incident Lord Parshuram left to live a life of solitude in Mahendra Mountain and promised to visit his mother on the Karti

Kshana is accepted as a reality in which everything has its existence, persistence and finally dissolution. As per Yoga Sutra, “Therefore, the present indeed, the singleness of the moment, is Kshana.” (Yogasutra III. 52.) In order to clarify the concept Vyasa, the commentator of Yoga Sutra further states that a small portion of material can be divided into half and further sub-divided continuously until there remains only the atom. That indivisible, extremely minute unit of a substance is known as Paramanu. So Kshana is the minutest available indivisible unit of time (Pramapakrsha paryantah kalah kshanah) (Yogasutra III. 52.) To the Vaisesika thinkers, the atom or paramanu is the basis of the superstructure of matter; but yet according to the doctrine, parimandalya (term used by Raghunatha Siromani – a logician of the 16 th century, i.e. paramanu) is not accepted as the cause of matter; the triad trasarenu is the cause. In the same way, Kshana should not be thought of as

Bhumi Pujan is worshipping the Mother Earth. In Hindu religion, it is based on the concept of panchamahabhutas (the five elements – fire, water, air, earth and ether.) These form the base of the creation structure in the universe. In Hinduism, earth is worshipped as Mother. All our karmas (acts) including karmas of the daily routine such as sandhyavandanam (worshipping the twilight) will only be fruitful after the purification of earth or salutation of earth. Therefore prayers are offered to Earth. O Goddess, you are borne by Vishnu. You bear all the sphere. Therefore, you give us shelter. Make my seat situated on you pure. Bhumi pujan among Hindus is today more popular during the construction of any new building especially homes. Worship of the Earth before the construction of buildings of all varieties is prescribed in the scriptures. Bhumi puja is performed for peace and prosperity in the newly constructed house. It is performed to remove all kinds of negative

Skanda Shasti festival like most other Hindu festivals celebrates the victory of good over evil. Skanda is also known as Lord Muruga, Subramanya, Kartikeya and Kartik. Skanda Puranam narrates the origin of Kanda Sashti fasting. According to Skanda Puranam, the longest of the 18 Mahapuranas, the demons under the leadership of Surapadman, Simhamukha and Tarakasura defeated the Devas and took over the earth. They found immense pleasure in torturing the Devas and humans. They went on a massive rampage and destroyed anything that belonged to Devas. Surapadman had got the boon that only a son of Shiva will kill him. The demon had thought that Shiva who had gone into deep meditation after death of Goddess Sati will never return to earthly life. Devas took refuge at the feet of Lord Shiva but Shiva was in deep meditation. On the advice of Lord Brahma, Devas took the help of Kamdev or Manmatha to incite sexual desire in Shiva. Kamdev succeeded in his mission but an angry Shiv

Yoga Taravali of Adi Shankaracharya is one of the best dissertation on the message of yoga. There are 29 verses in Yoga Taravali that discuss yogic practices   such as bandhas   and advanced spiritual experiences like Samadhi. The English translation of Yoga Taravali is by Swami Narasimhananda. Yoga Taravali of Adi Shankaracharya I salute the lotus-feet of my guru that have experienced the knowledge and bliss of Atman, and that serve as a doctor for removing the delusion of people caused by the poison of samsara. (1) In this world, there are 125,000 laya-yoga — the yoga of absorption in nature – meditations told by Lord Shiva. Of these, I consider the samadhi brought about by the meditation on the anahata sound to be the best. (2) When by the rechaka, exhalation; puraka, inhalation; and kumbhaka, retention of air, all the nadis, channels for prana’s flow, are purified, then knowledge rises of its own from the lotus of anahata chakra; this knowledge can only be known by