Moon or Chandra is associated with emotional intelligence in Hinduism. Thus moon is linked with depression and other mental illnesses. It has been observed that some people become more aggressive prior to Amavasya. This is associated with the moon. Such people should chant ‘Om Namah Shivaya.’ Wear white color clothes and sit in meditation facing east. Come out of the small world you have created for yourself. Try to see yourself in all animate and inanimate. Try to focus on the image of Shiva on a calm and peaceful night. Mediate for few minutes and chant the mantra any number of times you want. A proper understanding of how your mind works is necessary to overcome the problem. See how thoughts are arising in the mind. Try to find the source. Eliminate all those sources that are temporary and has no real value. Focus on the only real one - Shiva.

Shani Amavasya is observed when a part or whole tithi of Amavasya falls on Saturday. Many people have doubts regarding what to donate on Shani Amavasya. On reader wanted to know - is it good to donate white and black cloth on Shani Amavasya? White color should not be donated on Shani Amavasya. Only black color things are to be donated like – black cloth, black sesame seeds, iron, black color materials, black color umbrella etc. White and black should be donated together as per elders and astrologers. White is associated with Chandra or moon in Hinduism. Black is associated with Shani Bhagavan.

Pulastya Rishi is the father of a community of rakshasas. Mahabharata (Adi Parva, chapter 67) describes the class of Pulastya. Ravana, the king of Lanka, was born in this family. Vayu Purana (61.84) says that Pulastya was one of the seven great sages. Brahmanda Purana (3.1.50) considers him in the race of rishis – Maricha, Bhargava, Angirasa, Pulastya, Paulahas and Vasishta. Brahmanda Purana (7.162) mentions that Pulastya belonged to the rakshasa community. According to an account in Brahmanda Purana (8.62), there are mainly four kinds of rakshasas and Pulastya is one of them. The other races of rakshasas are Naibhtas, Gastyas and Kaisikas. Each of them has been further divided into seven sub races. According to Vayu Purana, the Pulastyas were born during the Svayambhuva Manvantara. Brahmanda Purana says that Pulastya was born from the fire, which was blown into the eyes of Pulastya. Brahmanda Purana (2.12.30) gives another meaning to Pulastya as the one who

When pradosh falls on Thursday it is of great importance and is known as Guru Pradosh. The day is ideal for propitiating Shiva and getting wishes fulfilled. Here is a look at mantra, puja, rituals and other offerings to be done when pradosh vrat falls on Thursday. Pradosh Vrat Thursday Mantra ॐ जूं सः Om Jhoom Sa Important Puja - Offerings - Rituals Offering a drop of milk on Shivling and later offering the milk to poor and needy children will help in solving all problems related to marriage. Feeding fishes on the day will help in solving financial difficulties and it also helps in solving problems related to property. For fulfillment of desires write om namah shivaya in white color on 21 bilva leaves and offer it on Shivling. Feeding green grass to cow or bull on the day will help in achieving peace and prosperity. Feeding poor on the day will grant happiness to pitr (dead ancestors). This kind act will also make sure that there will be no shortag

Why do I suffer? Ignorance of our real nature and potentiality is an important cause of human suffering. It is a mystery of human nature that even though the soul is possessed of an immense and inexhaustible source of power like a dynamo, yet one forgets all about it. The Vedanta philosophers account for this anomaly by positing an entity called maya. The word means that which, ya, is not, ma (maya – that which is not). They went on to demonstrate a twofold function of this strange entity: covering the real nature of things, avarana, and making things appear as something else, vikshepa. Everything in the universe, both gross and subtle, come under the purview of maya. Under its spell one’s real identity shrinks and one projects one’s infinite power into the worldly perspective. It is through maya that a person forgets one’s nature and starts wallowing in the mire of the world through various ‘dances of death’ expressed in competition, jealousy, power-mongering, and othe