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CHITRA PURNIMA
Based on : Lunar Calendar
Religion : HIndu
Celebrated on : The full moon day during the ascendancy
of the Chitra star
Worship offered to : The god of death
THE TWELVE months of the Hindu year, based on the lunar
calendar, are named after that star during whose
ascendancy the full moon of that month occurs. The full
moon day of Chaitra month, that is, the Purnima during
the ascendancy of the Chitra star is particularly sacred
to the Chitra Guptas, the recording angels of the Hindu
pantheon. A special worship is offered to these
celestial representatives of the god of death, and an
offering of spiced rice is prepared and later
distributed as prasad or holy sacrament. A fire worship
is done at the close of the ritualistic worship. By the
performance of this religious observance annually, these
angels of the other world are greatly pleased and judge
mans actions with more sympathy.
The psychological effect of this worship, done on the
very first full moon day of every year (Chaitra is the
first of the twelve months), is to vividly remind us of
the higher power that maintains a constant watch over
every act of ours on this earth-plane. This memory
serves as an invisible check oh ones conduct. The
conception of the Chitra Guptas as located within each
shoulder is a powerful inducement to keep oneself
engaged in constantly doing god actions only.
The term Chitra Gupta means "hidden picture". A true
picture of all our god and evil actions is preserved in
the ethereal records. The Hindu personifies it for the
sake of worship. The real significance of the worship of
the Chitra Guptas is beautifully brought out in the
following story connected with it.
Brihaspati is the Guru or preceptor of Indra, the king
of the gods. Indra disobeyed Brihaspati on one occasion
and the Guru relinquished his task of instructing Indra
in what he should and should not do. During & period of
the Gurus absence, Indra did many evil deeds. When the
compassionate Gma resumed his duty again, Indra wanted
to know what he should do to expiate the wrongs he had
done in his Gurus absence. Brihaspati asked Indra to
undertake a pilgrimage.
While Indra was on pilgrimage, he suddenly felt the load
of sins taken off his shoulders at a certain place (near
Madurai in South India), and he discovered a Shiva
Lingam there. He attributed the miracle to this Lingam
and canted to build a temple for it He had this
constructed immediately. Now he wished to perform the
worship of the Lingam; the Lord Himself caused golden
lotuses to appear in a nearby pond. Indra was greatly
pleased and blessed. The day on which he thus worshipped
the Lord was Chitn Purnima.
When you perform worship on the Chitra Purnima day,
remember this story. If you have intense faith, if you
feel with a contrite heart that you have committed sin
on account of ignorance, if you pray with faith and
devotion to the Lord to forgive your sins, if you
resolve never to commit them in the future, and if you
resolve to be obedient to your Guru and never to flout
his counsel, then your sine will be forgiven. There is
no doubt about this. This is the significance of the
above story of Indra. Meditate on this story on Chitra
Purnima day.
The Hindu scriptures prescribe elaborate worship of the
Chitra Guptas on this day. The Deity is invoked in an
image or a kalasa (vessel filled with water) and then
worshipped with all the rituals and formalities of the
worship offered to Gods image. Meditate on Chita Gupta,
reciting the following verse:
Chitra guptam mahaa praajnam lekhaneepatra dhaarinam;
Chirta-rtnaambara-dhaaram madhyastham sarvadehinaam.
Then offer ritualistic worship with incense, camphor,
flowers, etc. Feed some Brahmins, the poor and the
needy. Give bountifully in charity and receive the Lords
blessings.
MAHALAYA AMAVASYA
Based on : Appearance of Moon
Religion : Hindu
Celebrated on : New Moon Light
Mahalaya Amavasya
The dark fortnight of Aswayuja is known as the Mahalaya
Paksha or the fortnight specially sacred for offering
oblations to the departed ancestors. The last day of
this period, the new moon day, is considered as the most
important day in the year for performing obsequies and
rites.
The renowned hero of the Mahabharata, Karna, when he
left the mortal coil, ascended to the higher worlds and
the great charity he had done here was returned to him
hundredfold. But, it was all gold and silver; there was
no food, as he had not done any food-charity! He prayed
to the god of death. So, he was sent back to earth for
fourteen days, to make up for this deficiency.
For fourteen days, he fed Brahmins and the poor, and
offered oblations of water. On his return to the higher
regions, he had food in plenty. It is these fourteen
days that are commemorated in the Mahalaya Paksha. Due
to the grace of the god of death, it has been ordained
that offerings made during this period benefit all the
departed souls, whether they are connected to you or
not.
Charity in the form of food is important during this
observance. Life depends upon food. You cannot preach
religion to empty stomachs. This human body is the most
important vehicle for realising God. How precious must
food be which keeps the body fit for Yogal The gift of
food is the greatest gift. Therefore, give food in
plenty, not only during the Mahalaya fortnight but all
through the year.
Om Tat Sat Brahmaparnamastu
DIWALI / DEEPAWALI
Meaning : A row of lights
Celebrated due to : The return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya
Religion : Hindu
In the month of : October - November
DEEPAVALI or Diwali means "a row of lights". It falls on
the last two days of the dark half of Kartik
(October-November). For some it is a three-day festival.
It commences with the Dhan-Teras, on the 13th day of the
dark half of Kartik, followed the next day by the Narak
Chaudas the 14th day, and by Deepavali proper on the
15th day.
There are various alleged origins attributed to this
festival. Some hold that they celebrate the marriage of
Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. In Bengal the festival is
dedicated to the worship of Kali. It also commemorates
that blessed day on which the triumphant Lord Rama
returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. On this day
also Sri Krishna killed the demon Narakasura.
In South India people take an oil bath in the morning
and wear new clothes. They partake of sweetmeats. They
light fireworks which are regarded as the effigies of
Narakasura who was Killed on this day. They greet one
another, asking, "Have you had your Ganges bath?" which
actually refers to the oil bath that morning as it is
regarded as purifying as a bath in the holy Ganges.
Everyone forgets and forgives the wrongs done by others.
There is an air of freedom, festivity and friendliness
everywhere. This festival brings about unity. It
instills charity in the hearts of people. Everyone buys
new clothes for the family. Employers, too, purchase new
clothes for their employees.
Waking up during the Brahmamuhurta (at 4 a.m.) is a
great blessing from the standpoint of health, ethical
discipline, efficiency in work and spiritual
advancement. It is on Deepavali that everyone wakes up
early in the morning. The sages who instituted this
custom must have cherished the hope that their
descendents would realise its benefits and make it a
regular habit in their lives.
In a happy mood of great rejoicing village folk move
about freely, mixing with one another without any
reserve, all enmity forgotten. People embrace one
another with love. Deepwali is a great unifying force.
Those with keen inner spiritual ears will clearly hear
the voice of the saga "O Children of God! unite, and
love all". The vibrations produced by the greetings of
love which fill the atmosphere are powerful enough to
bring about a change of heart in every man and woman in
the world. Alas! That heart has considerably hardened,
and only a continuous celebration of Deepavali in our
homes can rekindle in us the urgent need of turning away
from the ruinous path of hatred.
On this day Hindu merchants in North India open their
new account hooks and pray for success and prosperity
during the coming year. The homes are cleaned and
decorated by day and illuminated by night with earthern
oil-lamps. The best and finest illuminations are to be
seen in Bombay and Amritsar. The famous Golden Temple at
Amritsar is lit in the evening with thousands of lamps
placed an over the steps of the big tank. Vaishnavites
celebrate the Govardhan Puja and feed the poor on a
large scale.
O Ram! The light of light the self-luminous inner light
of the self is ever shining steadily in the chamber of
your heart. Sit quietly. Close your eyes. Withdraw the
senses. Fix the mind on this supreme light and enjoy the
real Deepavali by attaining illumination of the soul.
He who Himself sees all but whom no one beholds, who
illumines the intellect, the sun, the moon and the stars
and the whole universe but whom they cannot illumine. He
indeed is Brahman, He is the inner Self Celebrate the
real Deepavali by living in Brahman, and enjoy the
eternal bliss of the soul.
The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the
stars, nor do lightings shine and much less fire. All
the lights of the world cannot he compared even to a ray
of the inner light of the self. Merge yourself in this
light of lights and enjoy the supreme Deepavali.
Many Deepavali festivals have come and gone. Yet the
hearts of the vast majority are as dark as the night of
the new moon. The house is lit with lamp, but the heart
is full of the darkness of ignorance. O man! wake up
from the plumber of ignorance. Realise the constant and
eternal light of the Soul which neither rises nor set
through meditation and deep enquiry.
May you an attain full inner illumination! May the
supreme light of lights enlighten your understandingl
May you all attain the inexhaustible spiritual wealth of
the self! May you all prosper gloriously on the material
as well as spiritual planes!
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