--> Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from November 25, 2020


Azhakam Devi Temple - History - Ayyappan Vilakku Festival

Azhakam Devi temple is located at Kodakara in Thrissur District. The shrine is one kilometer south of Kodakara. The Ayyappan vilakku festival is held on the first Saturday of Dhanu Masam. This is a Durga temple and it is believed to be one of the 108 Durga temples in Kerala. The small temple belonged to the Azhakathu Mana. Othu Uttu with Yajur Veda was performed in the shrine in olden days.

Yanai Pandigai in Tamil Nadu – Aanai Pandigai Puja to Elephants on Karthigai Purnima

Yanai Pandigai is observed on the full moon day (or Purnima) in Karthigai Masam in Tamil Nadu. Yanai Pandigai 2024 date is December 15. The ritual lasts for three days. In the ritual, small elephants are made of clay and are decorated as per Vaishnava traditions and are arranged for puja on Kartik Pournami. Apart from the clay elephants, small elephants made of gold, silver, bronze, wood etc are also displayed. In the first year after wedding, Yanai Pandigai festival is observed elaborately with Arathi to the new bride in husband’s home. The legend associated with Yanai Pandigai is associated with Gandhari and Kunti of Mahabharata. Gandhari, mother of Kauravas, performed Yanai Pandigai to the royal elephants and gold elephants to show her might and influence. She purposefully did not invite Kunti, mother of Pandavas, for the ceremony. Kunti was saddened by this behavior of Gandhari. Arjuna who came to know about this brought Airavata (Indira’s white elephant) to ear

Surya Grahan 2021 In India – Solar Eclipse Dates And Time In 2021 in India – Surya Grahanam

Surya Grahan 2021 in India (Solar Eclipse dates) based on Hindu calendar and panchang – India Standard Time. There are two solar eclipses in 2021 - Surya Grahanam - June 10 and December 4, 2021. Both the eclipses are not visible in India. Detail dates of Surya Grahan in 2021 are given below: Solar Eclipse on June 10, 2021 (Annular) (Not Visible In India) Surya Grahan on June 10 is not visible in India. This Grahan is not followed in India and temples will not be closed as per tradition. All rituals for Hindus living in North America and Europe including holy dip, charity should be completed before the Grahan ends. Those Hindus who perform fasting need to start it before 9 hours of the beginning of the eclipse. This Grahan is mainly visible in North America, Canada, Greenland and Russia. Solar Eclipse on December 4, 2021 (Total Eclipse) (Not Visible In India) Surya Grahan on December 4 is not visible in India. This Grahan is not followed in India and temples will not be c

Kakshivanta – A Great Vedic Sage

Kakshivanta was a great vedic sage and he was frequently mentioned in Rig Veda and other Vedic scriptures. Kakshivanta’s epithet Pajriya (Rig Veda I.116.7; 117, 6) indicates that he was from a Pajra family. In the entire Vedic literature, except in one mentioned along with Dirghatamas (VII.9, 10), he is not connected with any sage anywhere. The descendents of Kakshivanta are called Pajras. In Brihaddevata, Kakshivanta appears as the son born of a female slave named Usij. He had a miraculous birth from the Kakshi (armpit) and hence got his name Kakshivanta. In one of the hymns of Rig Veda (I.126), he is shown to celebrate his patron prince Svanaya Bhavya, who dwelt on Sindhu (Indus), and bestowed magnificent gifts on him.  The list of narasamas (praises of heroes) in Sankhayana Srautasutra (XVI. 4, 5) also mentions Kakshivanta Ausija in honor of Svanaya Bhavayavya. He obtained a maiden named Vrichaya as his wife in his old age (Rig Veda VI.51, 13). He appears to have

Book On Astrology By Kalidasa – Information On Jataka Chandrika

Jataka Chandrika is a short but famous book on astrology credited to famous poet Kalidasa who wrote Raghuvamsam and Shakuntala. There are several commentaries on Jataka Chandrika by different authors. Jataka Chandrika text contains four chapters and deals with the basics of astrology like – Royal combinations Death inflicting periods Bad or good time segments. The author has divided the twelve bhavas (stellar houses) into six groups Trikona (houses 5 and 9) Kendra(houses 1, 4, 7, and 10) Trisadya (houses 3, 6, 11) Netra(houses 2 and 12) Astama Lagna The planets (lords) are treated as shubha (auspicious) or ashubha (inauspicious), and also as saumya (good) and papi (bad) in a general sense. Five planets, namely, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn, own two houses, and their twin lordships decide their subhatva (goodness) for a lagna (nativity). Trikona lords are always shubha, while trisadya lords are always ashubha. In the case of Kendra lords, papi

Vichar Sagar Teachings

A collection of teachings from  Vichar Sagar  of Nishchal Das (1791-1863) I am that undiluted Infinite Bliss that is eternal, self-effulgent, and all-pervading substratum of name and form; which the intellect conceives not but which conceives the intellect. Of the nature of an infinite ocean am I and like its waves are Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Surya, Chandra, Varuna, Yama, Shakti, Kubera, and Ganesh. The gracious omniscient Ishvara, conditioned by adjuncts, who becomes the object of meditation of sages is also reflected as an illusion in me. Just as a rope appears as a snake when the knowledge of the former is absent, and the latter disappears with the knowledge of reality, similarly this world [of names and forms] disappears when the realization of ‘I am He’ dawns. That Rama [without attributes], whom the pious sages worship without motive in order to attain enlightenment, is my Self. Whom then may I salute?