Raja Sankranti is a three-day festival dedicated to girls and women in Orissa. Raja Sankranti 2023 date is June 15. It is a three-day festival and the first day is known as Pahili Sankranti (June 14, 2023). The festival also welcomes the impending monsoon season and people do not indulge in farming. Mother earth is given three days rest. The third day of the festival is known as Basi Raja (June 16, 2023). A major highlight of the festival is the special swings prepared for women and girls on huge banyan trees in villages. Numerous different types of swings are prepared for the festival. Women indulge in merry making and swinging on all the three-days. Women do not perform any puja and do not visit temples during the period. There is a popular belief that the three-day period of Raja Sankranti is meant for unmarried girls who will be getting married in the coming year. Women are seen in colorful dresses and well-groomed on all the three days. The festival is asso

Maitreya, an ancient sage in Hinduism, was renowned as a prominent jnani (scholar) and parama bhakta (an inspired devotee) of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. He had studied Vedas (Shrutis), Vedangas and Dharmashastras (Smritis) systematically under the guidance of Sage Parasara. Maitreya was an inspired devotee (anuragi bhakta) of Bhagwan. He was always in a state of ecstasy. He was not only a contemporary of Sage Vyasa but also a satirthya (a fellow religious student) of Parasara. Maitreya was one of the advisors present in court of Yudhisthira in the Mahabharata. He had once requested Duryodhana and Dhritarashtra to be on good terms with the Pandavas, and also cursed Duryodhana for neglecting his advice. The entire Vishnu Purana is a conversation between Parasara and Maitreya, who was the srota (listener) in this conversation. The knowledge gained thus from Parasara was used by him to answer the questions of Vidura as narrated in Bhagavata Purana. Maitreya was in Haridwar when Vidura app

Daksha Prajapati was the manasaputra or mind born son of Brahma. So too was Narada. There is an interesting story in the Puranas which talks about Daksha cursing Narada. Daksha was given the role of procreating living beings on earth by Brahma. Daksha Prajapati fathered five thousand children, called the Haryaswaas. This he did, not through conjugal relationship with his wife, Prasooti Devi, but by exercising his will or through Sankalpa Srishti. Daksha was not supposed to father children through Sankalpa Srishti. He was to father children through Samparka Srishti – create progeny through union with his wife. Sage Narada, who heard about this transgression of Daksha, met the five thousand Haryaswas and won their hearts with his spiritual discourse. Sage Narada exhorted them to strive after knowledge and seek to decipher the secrets of the cosmos. Haryaswas were convinced by the teaching of Narada and they set out in search of enlightenment and lost themselves in their eternal quest

There is an interesting conversation between Sage Vyasa and Maitreya in the Anusasana Parva of the Mahabharata. On a question from Maitreya, Vyasa stated the following three principles as characteristic of an exemplary life: One should not betray. One should practice charity. One should be truthful. Maitreya Teachings to Vidura of Mahabharata as found in Bhagavata Purana: The root cause of grief is selfishness. Prayer and charity bring peace. Follow the preaching of elders and the guru (teacher) to realize God. Prayer keeps god always in our heart. Asritavatsalattva (protecting the surrendered) is the main swarupa (image) of Bhagavan. Bhagavan comes down to Earth in different avataras whenever there is a decline of righteousness. The creation of the universe (jagat srishti) commences after dissolution (pralaya). Yogamaya is a silent witness to the karma vasyata (bounded by actions) of his devotees. God manifests in different forms by His truthfulness (satya sa

Dreaming of empty house is a bad sign as per dream meaning and interpretation. The dream means you might soon feel lonely or you might be abandoned by people whom you expected to stand with you. Dreams of empty house also means family fights or people going away from home for some reason for a longer period. Dream of empty house and it is your own house means unexpected crisis in family. It might also mean natural calamity or attack. Dreaming of empty house but it is not yours means you will get stuck in a location that you do not like. It also means being cheated. Dreams of empty house and you wake up happy or smiling means you will soon achieve success in something that is bit out of the way. Your pranks might be successful.

Tithi in Panchang – Hindu Calendar on Thursday, 16 June 2022 – It is Krishna Paksha Dwitiya tithi or the second day during the waning or dark phase of moon in Hindu calendar and Panchang in most regions. It is Krishna Paksha Dwitiya tithi or the second day during the waning or dark phase of moon till 12:22 PM on June 16. Then onward it is Krishna Paksha Tritiya tithi or the third day during the waning or dark phase of moon till 9:56 AM on June 17. (Time applicable in all north, south and eastern parts of India. All time based on India Standard Time.  Good – Auspicious time on June 16, 2022 as per Hindu Calendar – There is no good and auspicious time on the full day.  Nakshatra  – Purva Shada or Pooradam nakshatra till 3:47 PM on June 16. Then onward it is Uttarashada or Uthradam nakshatra till 2:15 PM on June 17. (Time applicable in north, south and eastern parts of India).  In western parts of India (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, north Karnataka and south Rajasthan), Pur