Varalakshmi Puja or Varalakshmi Vratham is an important ritual observed by married women in South India and Maharashtra for the prosperity and welfare of their families. The date of Varalakshmi Vratham in 2027 is August 13. Varalakshmi Puja falls on a Friday in the month of August and the preparations for the puja begin on Thursday. All the necessary items needed for the pooja are collected by Thursday evening.  Early Morning Preparations Devotees wake up early in the morning, ideally during Brahma Muhurtham (approximately 4:00-6:00 AM), which is considered the most auspicious time for spiritual practices. After taking a purifying bath, the designated puja area and entire house are thoroughly cleaned to create a sacred atmosphere. A beautiful kolam (rangoli) is drawn at the intended place of worship using rice flour or colored powders. This decorative pattern not only beautifies the space but also invites positive energy and divine blessings. Setting Up the Sac...

Varalakshmi Vratam is a popular ritual observed by married women in South India and Maharashtra . Pujas and prayers are offered to Goddess Lakshmi – the goddess of wealth and prosperity on the day. There a couple of popular stories associated with Varalakshmi Vratham. The most important among them are story of Charumati and that of Shyamabala. Story of Charumati and Varamahalakshmi According to Skanda Purana, once Goddess Parvati asked Lord Shiva about a vrata that will be beneficial to women. Lord Shiva then mentioned the importance of Varalakshmi Vrata, which is most beneficial Vrata for women. To illustrate the importance of the Varamahalakshmi Vrat, Lord Shiva narrated the story of Charumati. Pleased with Charumati’s devotion to her husband and family, Goddess Lakshmi appeared in her dream and asked her to perform the Varalakshmi Vratha. She explained to her the procedures of the Vrata. The pious Charumati invited all her neighbors, friends and rel...

This particular Durga Puja ritual is named Sandhi Puja because it is performed at the juncture (Sandhikshana) of Ashtami and Maha Navami (the eighth and ninth lunar days). The Puja lasts for a total of 48 minutes: the last 24 minutes of the Ashtami Tithi (lunar day) and the first 24 minutes of the Maha Navami Tithi. Tanbi Bosano ritual in Sandhi Puja is the measuring of the sacred time using a circular copper bowl with a very small hole. The Reason For Sandhi Puja During Sandhi Puja, Goddess Durga is worshipped in her form as Chamunda. At this time, she is the Sarvasangharini (destroyer of all). According to Puranic tales, while Goddess Durga was battling the demon Mahishasura, she was attacked by his two general demons, Chanda and Munda. It was at a great juncture (Mahasandhikshana) that the Goddess, in her form as Chamunda, slew Chanda and Munda. Sandhi Puja is performed to commemorate this event. Measuring the Sacred Time This special Puja must be completed within the 48 mi...

None is there but will be compelled, in the long run, to give up everything. And the more one struggles against this law, the more miserable one feels. It is because we dare not give, because we are not resigned enough to accede to this grand demand of nature, that we are miserable. The wood is gone, but we get heat in return. The sun is taking up water from the ocean, to return it in showers. You are a machine for taking and giving: you take, in order to give. Ask, therefore, nothing in return; but the more you give, the more will come to you. The quicker you can empty the air out of this room, the quicker it will be filled up by the external air; and if you close all the doors and every aperture, that which is within will remain, but that which is outside will never come in, and that which is within will stagnate, degenerate, and become poisoned. A river is continually emptying itself into the ocean and is continually filling up again. Swami Vivekananda...

Karma means action of the body, mind or speech. It is not possible to be without action even for a few moments. Karma Yoga, as explained in the Bhagavad Gita, is skill in action. Skill here consists in remaining unaffected, unsmitten by the effects of actions. For understanding this skill it is necessary to understand the doctrine of karma, which is one of the fundamental assertions of Hindu philosophy. It says that an individual is accountable for each one of the multifarious deeds or actions performed in life, and one has necessarily to enjoy the fruits or effects, which may be good or bad, of each karma. They may be obtained in this life or in a future life. And during the present life, the fruits of karmas of past lives are obtained. Each karma leaves its trace in the mind, and that has a binding effect on the mind, because unless one enjoys the fruit of that trace, that keeps on sullying the mind by its presence. Thus at anytime the mind of everyone of us is a vast st...

Real treasure is not gold or diamond but everlasting bliss which cannot be extinguished by any earthly force. Ramana Maharshi distributed the real treasure for free during his lifetime. Here is a miniscule part of that treasure. If we progress, the world progresses. As you are, so is the world. Without understanding the Self, what is the use of understanding the world ? Without Self Knowledge, the knowledge of the world is of no use. Dive within and see the treasures that are locked up there. Cut open your heart and see the world through the eyes of your Supreme Self. Tear down the veils and you will see the divine majesty of your own Self. People that are on the lower rungs of the ladder waste their energies by being preoccupied with questions like will there be a prophet, will someone come to save the world, will the world will be rejuvenated…etc. Everyone is an Avatar of God. One who knows the Truth sees everyone else as a manifestation of God. Those who have eyes ca...

Dushana is the name of two demons in Hindu religions stories. One is mentioned in the epic Ramayana and the other is associated with the Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Temple. In the Ramayana, Dushana was one of the generals of Ravana. He was the companion of Khara, brother of Ravana. Dushana along with Khara attacked Rama in retaliation of cutting of the nose of Surpanakha, sister of Ravana. The demon was killed by Rama in the Dandaka forest. Dushana, another powerful demon, lived during the Satya Yuga in the Ratnamala hills near Avanti, the present day Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. He killed all the living beings that came across his way. He ate the flesh of human beings. The people in the region were terrified and took the help of a pious Shiva devotee meditating in a cave on the hills. To defeat cannibal Dushana, he performed intense austerities with Shiva in mind. Soon Shiva appeared on the Ratnamala hills and annihilated the demon. The pious Shiva devotee and the people of the regio...

Yaksha Prashna is the famous incident in the Mahabharata. It is found in the Aranya Parva. Failing to answer the question of yaksha, Nakula, Sahadeva, Arjuna and Bhima are killed, but are restored to life when Yudhisthira answers the questions correctly. The full questions yaksha asked Yudhisthira can be found below: Yaksha – What makes the sun rise and who are those near him? What makes him set and on what is he established? Yudhisthira – Brahma makes the sun rise and the gods remain near him. Dharma makes him set and he is established in Truth. Yaksha – How does one become learned? How does one attain greatness? How does one obtain a second? How does one become intelligent? Yudhisthira – One becomes learned through the sacred texts. One attains greatness through austerities. One obtains a second through perseverance. One becomes intelligent by serving the elders. Yaksha – What is the divine trait of Brahmanas? What dharma of theirs is like that of the virtuous...

Ganga Panchami is observed on the fifth day of Bhadrapad month as per traditional Hindu lunar calendar followed in North India. Although the festival is named after Ganga, it is dedicated to Nagas – snakes. Naga Devatas are propitiated on the occasion for the welfare of the family. Panchami or the fifth day in the month of Ashada, Shravan and Bhadrapad are dedicated to Nagas or serpents. In Hinduism, snakes are one of the most ancient symbols of fertility. Nagas are powerful gods, capable of both curses and blessings. Therefore they are worshipped and given a space (grooves) by Hindus. The snakes has ever been believed to be associated not only with sexual reproduction i.e. human fertility but also with the fertility of the soil.

In Hindu religion, Kshudra Devata are a class of semi divine beings. In the wide band of the creation, ranging from gods in heaven to demons in the patala loka (netherworlds) with human in the middle world, the place of Kshudra Devatas is above the earth. As per Hindu scriptures, Kshudra Devatas are attendant deities of more powerful deities and divinities in heaven and netherworld. For example, the yakshas are one of the groups belonging to Kshudra Devata category. These yakshas are subordinate to Kubera. Kubera is subordinate to other powerful gods in Hindu pantheon like Ganesha and Shiva. The semi divine beings that are part of the classification are gandharvas, siddhas, kinnaras, vidyadharas, apsaras and similar divine beings. Many of these beings are temperamental, helpful to their devotees and interested in the pleasures of the fine arts. They are afraid of losing their pleasure possessions. They are attacked by the demons. They are cursed by demigods (devas) fo...