Karkataka Rashi, also written and pronounced as Karkatakam, Karka or Kark Rashi, is the fourth Zodiac sign in Hindu astrology. It is known as Cancer in English. The longitude of Karka Rashi is 30 degrees and it extends from 90 degrees from the vernal equinox to 120 degrees. The birth stars or nakshatras that constitutes this sign are: The last quarter of Punarvasu or punirtham nakshatra All four quarters of Pushya or Poosam or Pooyam nakshatra All four quarters of Aslesha or Ayiliyam nakshatra Karka is a northern sign of the zodiac and its influential direction is north. Symbol of Karka Rashi is crab and it represents the arms of Kalapurusha (eternal time). The symbol crab has nothing to do with the characteristics of people born in the Rashi. The ruler of the Rashi is Moon or Chandra. Guru (Brihaspati) or Jupiter is exalted and Angarak or Mangal (Mars is debilitated) in the Rashi. As moon is the ruler of the Rashi, it has not hostile to any of grahas. The Ras...

We fall in love, make friends and get into a relationship in places where our ego is satisfied. Such relationships are nothing but merely an extension of our ego. Initially, the other person also responds to the ego as the person also finds the arrangement comfortable. Then one day one of the people in the relationship realizes that there is something beyond the ego and comfort level. Soon the love and relationship turn sour. Love dies. Happiness because of possessiveness is not true joy. It is also not true love. It is just a refined form of fear. Happiness from possession is filled with the fear of losing what we have. We always remain alert so that no one steals our possessions. We waste our whole life and energy guarding love and wealth. We need to discover bliss which can never be taken away from us. To find true love and wealth we need free our soul from all kinds of attachments. True love is liberation or moksha. When we allow the soul to fly, without any limits and obs...

Janardhana is one among the numerous forms of Vishnu. In this form, Srihari Vishnu destroys demons like Madhu and Kaitabha. In the Janardhana form, Vishnu has four hands. He holds Sudarshana Chakra (discus) and padma (lotus flower) in his right hands. In his left hands, he holds Shankh (conch) and gada (mace). He takes the form to destroy various demons living in water. These demons cause harm to demigods, saints and living beings. Worship of this form of Srihari Vishnu frees living beings from rebirth. He blesses his true devotees with liberation and frees them from worldly sufferings. In the Gayatri Mantra, he is the governing deity of the letter ‘pra.’ He is also the lord of the southwest cornor. As this form is associated with water, He helps in curing diseases related to salt.

Vakri Shani in Hindu astrology is associated with Shani Bhagavan – one of the nine planets or navgrahas. Shani is believed to be a malevolent planet in Hinduism. What is Vakri Shani? It is the upside down movement of Shani. The planet will move in the reverse direction during Vakri Shani period. Here are the remedies to Vakri Shani. There is a widespread belief that Vakri Shani entering a rashi can help a person achieve success in money related matters. When Vakri Shani is passing through the person’s rashi, the person should light a lamp using mustard oil (sarsom ka tel). Donating mustard oil is also considered highly meritorious. This will help in solving financial problems and there will be no debt. The easiest and most powerful way to overcome Vakri Shani is to visit and offer prayers in a Hanuman Temple on all Tuesdays and Saturdays. Offering Sindhoor and Jasmine oil to Hanuman on Tuesdays or Saturdays will help in fulfillment of desires. Chant the following mantra ...

Worshipping Goddess Ishwari is believed to bring wisdom, inner strength, protection, and spiritual growth. In Hindu tradition, Goddess Ishwari represents the Divine Mother, embodying power, compassion, and universal wisdom. This guide provides a step-by-step approach to worshipping Goddess Ishwari, including details on preparation, eco-friendly items, mantras, offerings, and concluding the ritual in a respectful and environmentally conscious way. 1. Preparation and Cleanliness Personal Hygiene : Begin by taking a bath to purify the body and mind. Wear fresh clothes, and if possible, abstain from eating before the puja to maintain a sense of spiritual focus. Puja Space Cleanliness : Clean the area where you plan to perform the puja, ideally a peaceful spot with minimal disturbances. Altar Setup : Place an image or idol of Goddess Ishwari on a clean, preferably raised platform. Decorate it with flowers, and keep the surroundings neat and clutter-free to honor the Goddess. 2. Best Time fo...

Beauty spot or til on nose is not interrupted as bad in Hinduism. It is neither good. The position of beauty spot or mole, locally known as til, has specific meaning to certain Hindu communities. It is also only given importance in certain regions. The person with til on nose will be continuously traveling. This can be interrupted as the person will get a job which demands constant travel. It can also mean that the person will not be able to stay in a place for very long time. Another very weird belief is that the person with til on nose will have too much interest in sex related matters. It must be remembered that the use of beauty spot to determine future etc is not followed by majority of Hindus. It is limited to certain communities and regions. There are also no references in Hindu scriptures which talk about the importance of beauty spot. It would be wise if you do not follow such things and concentrate on your studies and career.

Numerous rituals, pujas and festivals are observed in Dhanurmasa at Tirumala – Tirupati Balaji Temple. Dhanurmasa (mid December to mid January) is considered as highly auspicious for the devotees of Lord Vishnu. The beginning of Dhanurmasam is marked by the transit of the Sun into ‘Dhanu’ rashi. This is also called ‘Dhanus Sankramana’. Reason For Importance Of Dhanurmasam In Tirupati As per Hinduism, Devas (demigods) wake up early in the morning during this month. They perform special prayers to Sri Mahavishnu during the auspicious period of ‘Brahma Muhurta’, one and half hours before sunrise. Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita says - ‘Maasaanaam Maarga Seershoham....’ I manifest more in Margashirsha masam among the different months of the year. Worshipping Lord Vishnu on a single day during Dhanurmasam is equal to worshipping Vishnu with devotion for 1000 years. Special worship is conducted in all ancient Vishnu shrines throughout South India and some parts of North India. T...

Gondhal is one of the Kulachara or Kula dharmas, that is, the family traditions of certain Brahmin and Maratha families in Maharashtra. After an auspicious event such as upanayana (initiation into studentship) or marriage, a gondhal needs to be performed to express gratitude to the kuladevata (patron deity of the family). The ritual is either dedicated to Khandoba or any of the Goddesses worshiped by Hindus in Maharashtra. Certain families perform gondhal as their traditional occupation. The men who perform gondhala are called gondhalis. History Of Gondhal Scholars trace the origin of gondhal in the worship of Bhavani and Renuka. Some trace it to the gondhali nritya (dance with ghost like drapery), others to the Mahanubhava literature which mentions Chakragondhala, and others as bhutamata utsava (ghost mother festival) mentioned in 1240 AD. In short the historical origin of Gondhal is uncertain and vague.  How Is Gondhal Performed?   At the time of performance,...

Hinduism teachings on the importance of positive self esteem in life. Having a positive self-esteem is of the utmost importance if we have to not be obsessed with our body. One of the first things that this needs is that we treat body with respect no matter, how ugly it might look in the popular perception. We should never try to control our body rather, we should eat healthy food and exercise regularly because that would keep our body healthy and would also make us feel good. Our world view should not be one that judges every person or even an object based just on its form. We should not try to fit in clothes not designed for the present state of the bodies. Just like we do not wear the clothes that we wore when we were children, we should not try to wear clothes that we used when we were of a different form. We should ignore the critical comments or the critical outlook people have on particular body shapes. We should be careful not to be apologetic about our body ...

What keep us separated from god is our cravings - Hindu wisdom. Eating, sleeping, fear, copulation— these are the common characteristics of man and beast. We differ from the beasts in that we can discriminate between right and wrong. If one lives on a low plane of consciousness, one finds pleasure in the senses. With spiritual growth, one experiences happiness in subtler things. Then the person no longer finds enjoyment in the gross. Most people live the lives of beasts—drinking, hunting, running after a mate. If one cannot rise to a higher plane of consciousness, human birth is wasted. “Meditate! Meditate! Be absorbed in His consciousness! If you can think single-mindedly of the Master for five years, you will achieve everything. Then it does not matter where you live. East and West will be the same to you. Know that God alone is real. Nothing else matters. There is the ocean of infinite existence, infinite consciousness, and infinite bliss, seemingly divided by the stick of...