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Showing posts from June 27, 2020


Upcoming Hindu Festivals in July 2020 – Hindu Vrat – Fasting – Rituals in July 2020

Dates of important upcoming festivals and fasting associated with Hinduism in July 2020 – based on major Hindu calendars and Panchang used in India. The festivals, Vrats and ritual days are based on Indian Standard Time (IST). July 1 – Ekadasi Fasting – Devshayani Ekadasi July 1 – Ashadi Ekadasi July 1 – Gauri Vrat begins in Gujarat July 2 – Chaturmas Begins July 2 – Pradosh - Vaman Dwadashi - Sri Krishna Dwadashi July 3 – Jaya Parvati vrat begins in Gujarat July 4 – Kokila Vrat July 4 – Purnima fasting July 5 – Gauri Vrat ends in Gujarat July 5 – Guru Purnima - Vyasa Puja July 5 – Shirdi Sai Baba utsav in Shirdi July 6 – Shravan month begins in North India July 6 – Shravan Somvar Vrat in North India July 6 – Ashunya Shayan Vrat July 6 – Hindola begins in Gujarat July 7 – Mangala Gauri Vrat in North India July 7 – Jaya Parvati Vrat Jagran July 8 – Sankashti Chaturthi Vrat - moonrise 9:32 PM July 10 - Manasa Devi Puja in Bengal July 12 – Bhanu Sap

Symbolism Of Skull In The Hands Of Shiva – Kapala Of Shiva

Symbolically, the kapala or skull in the hands of Shiva represents   all the world which remains in his hands. There is a story that explains this symbolism. The story of creation from thigh of Shiva is found in the Kathasaritasagara. Once at the end of Kalpa (a cycle of creation) a great deluge happened and the earth was covered with water. Now it was time for next cycle of creation to begin. Shiva then cut open his thigh and dropped a drop of blood in the water and it turned into an egg. Breaking it open a male emerged from it. Seeing him Shiva created Prakriti, the female principle. Both created prajapatis, the progenitors. They gave rise to Praja, living beings.  Being ancient among them all the creation the very first man became known in the world as Pitamaha, supreme father. His mind was filled with pride for his act of creation of the world As per Kathasaritasagara, this account was given by Shiva in the cremation ground in Ujjain. Related Chandi

Life Story Of Purandaradasa – His Journey From Miser To Saint Poet

Purandaradasa (1484 AD – 1565 AD) was a Vaishnava poet, saint, social reformer and a renowned composer of Carnatic music. His life story is the journey of a miserly wealthy merchant to renowned saint poet. As per history, Purandaradasa was in the beginning a wealthy and miserly merchant. His was known then as Srinivasa Nayak. Srinivasa Nayak had attained the title of Navakoti Narayana as his wealth was worth 90 million (9 crores). One day, a poor Brahmin approached Srinivasa Nayak and requested him financial help to conduct the sacred thread ceremony of his son. Srinivasa Nayak refused to help the poor man, despite his several pleas. In despair, the poor man approached Saraswati, wife of Srinivas Nayak. She was a pious and devout wife. She helped the poor man by giving him her nose stud. The poor man took the nose stud to the ornament shop of Srinivasa Nayak to sell it to raise the money required for thread ceremony. Srinivasa Nayak recognized the nose stud and

Man Who Did His Dharma By Telling A Lie – When It Is Okay To Lie

There was an assembly of saints who used to ask questions, and one man used to play the wise guy and answer the questions. When he was asked under which circumstances it is okay to tell a lie, he told the following story. There was a man who followed dharma by following honesty and truthfulness. All his life he lived in a hut near the village practicing dharma. He spend his time meditating, reading or helping others. He never spoke a lie and never did anything wrong. One day he saw a cow running. She passed his hut and disappeared into the jungle. After a few minutes some people came with swords in their hands. They were searching for the cow and wanted to slaughter it. They knew the honest man never spoke a lie and asked him if he had seen a cow passing by. He said he had, but when they asked him which direction it had gone, he pointed in two opposite directions. The butchers could not understand him and they left. A little later one of them came back and asked w