Spiritual Guide For All: 01/10/2013

29.10.13

DEEPAVALI:2013

HAPPY DEEPAVALI TO ALL READERS. MAY LAKSHMI BLESS YOU WITH PEROSPERITY AND ENLIGHTENMENT.

Deepavali or Diwali is one of the most important festivals for Hindus. It means 'Row of Lamps/Lights'. It celebrates the victory of Goodness over Evil and Light over Darkness. Not only Hindus but Sikhs and Jains also celebrate this festival.

In West Bengal Diwali is celebrated as Kali Puja and whole night puja is performed.

LINK TO BELUR MATH KALI PUJA LIVE:
click this link :http://new.livestream.com/belurmathorg/events/2501075
DATE/ TIME: Sat Nov 2, 2013/ 9:00 pm- Sun Nov 3, 2013/ 4:30 am

Kali Image of Belur Math

KALI PUJA PANDEL ARRANGEMENTS IN KOLKATA DUM DUM AREA

Kali Image Kept ready for Puja

Swami Vivekananda

Sister Nivedita

Lord Shiva

Divine Mother

In Sothern parts of India Deepavali celebrations begin with waking up early in the morning, before sun rise, followed by an oil-bath. Then new clothes are worn and crackers and lights are used extensively as a part of celebrations.

Deepavali is a 4 days festival as Deepavali, Lakshmi Puja, Kartika Shuddha Padwa and Yama Dvitiya.

Deepavali 2013 Dates:

Sat, 02 November, 2013 - Deepavali (Naraka Chaturdasi)

Sun, 03 November, 2013 - Lakshmi Puja

Mon, 04 November, 2013 - Kartika Shuddha Padwa (Bali Padyami)

Tue, 05 November, 2013 - Yama Dvitiya

Note: In South India Deepavali starts one day earlier.

Day 1: Deepavali (Naraka Chaturdasi)

Commemorates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Naraka. People taking a bath in the early morning before sunrise while the stars are still shining in the sky.

Day 2: Lakshmi Puja

Goddess Lakshmi emerged from Kshira Sagara (Ocean of Milk). Lakshmi Pooja is performed on this day.

Day 3: Kartika Shuddha Padwa/Bali Padyami

Celebrates the victory of god Vishnu in his dwarf incarnation Vamana over the daemon king Bali. Honours Bali's return to earth for his devotion to the Lord and for his noble deeds to his people. First day of the Hindu month Kartika.

Day 4: Yama Dvitiya

Yama (God of Death) had a feast with his sister Yami. She put an auspicious tilak mark on his forehead for his well-being. On this day sisters pray for well-being of their brothers. In return brothers giving gifts to their sisters.

Significant events associated with Diwali:

v The return of Rama after 14 years of Vanvas (exile). To welcome his return, diyas (ghee lamps) are lit in total of 14.

v Return of Pandavas after 12 years of Vanvas and one year of agyatavas (living incognito).

v The killing of Narakasura: Celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi, one day before Diwali, it commemorates the killing of the evil demon Narakasura, who wreaked havoc. In different versions, either Krishna or Krishna's wife Satyabhama killed Narakasura during the Dwapara yuga.

COURTESY:deepavali.net; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali.

22.10.13

THE GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

CHAPTER-7: THE MASTER AND VIJAY GOSWAMI (PART-III)
Ego alone the cause of bondage:

VIJAY: "Sir, why are we bound like this? Why don't we see God?"

Sri Ramakrishna

MASTER : "Maya is nothing but the egotism of the embodied soul. This

Vijay Goswami

egotism has covered everything like a veil. 'All troubles come to an end when the ego dies.' If by the grace of God a man but once realizes that he is not the doer, then he at once becomes a Jivanmukta. Though living in the body, he is liberated. He has nothing else to fear.

"This maya, that is to say, the ego, is like a cloud. The sun cannot be seen on account of a thin patch of cloud; when that disappears one sees the sun. If by the grace of the guru one's ego vanishes, then one sees God.

"Rama, who is God Himself, was only two and a half cubits ahead of Lakshmana. But Lakshmana couldn't see Him because Sita stood between them. Lakshmana may be compared to the jiva, and Sita to maya. Man cannot see God on account of the barrier of maya. Just look: I am creating a barrier in front of my face with this towel. Now you can't see me, even though I am so near. Likewise, God is the nearest of all, but we cannot see Him on account of this covering of maya.

Maya creates upadhis:

"The jiva is nothing but the embodiment of Satchidananda. But since maya, or ego, has created various upadhis, he has forgotten his real Self.

"Each upadhi changes man's nature. If he wears a fine black-bordered cloth, you will at once find him humming Nidhu Babu's love-songs. Then playing-cards and a walking-stick follow. If even a sickly man puts on high boots, he begins to whistle and climbs the stairs like an Englishman, jumping from one step to another. If a man but holds a pen in his hand, he scribbles on any paper he can get hold of-such is the power of the pen!

"Money is also a great upadhi. The possession of money makes such a difference in a man! He is no longer the same person. A brahmin used to frequent the temple garden. Outwardly he was very modest. One day I went to Konnagar with Hriday. No sooner did we get off the boat than we noticed the brahmin seated on the bank of the Ganges. We thought he had been enjoying the fresh air. Looking at us, he said: 'Hello there, priest! How do you do?' I marked his tone and said to Hriday: 'The man must have got some money. That's why he talks that way.' Hriday laughed.

"A frog had a rupee, which he kept in his hole. One day an elephant was going over the hole, and the frog, coming out in a fit of anger, raised his foot, as if to kick the elephant, and said, 'How dare you walk over my head?' Such is the pride that money begets!

"One can get rid of the ego after the attainment of Knowledge. On attaining Knowledge one goes into samādhi, and the ego disappears. But it is very difficult to obtain such Knowledge.

Seven planes of the mind:

"It is said in the Vedas that a man experiences samādhi when his mind ascends to the seventh plane. The ego can disappear only when one goes into samādhi. Where does the mind of a man ordinarily dwell? In the first three planes. These are at the organs of evacuation and generation, and at the navel. Then the mind is immersed only in worldliness, attached to 'woman and gold'. A man sees the light of God when his mind dwells in the plane of the heart. He sees the light and exclaims: 'Ah! What is this? What is this?' The next plane is at the throat. When the mind dwells there he likes to hear and talk only of God. When the mind ascends to the next plane, in the forehead, between the eyebrows, he sees the form of Satchidānanda and desires to touch and embrace It. But he is unable to do so. It is like the light in a lantern, which you can see but cannot touch. You feel as if you were touching the light, but in reality you are not. When the mind reaches the seventh plane, then the ego vanishes completely and the man goes into samādhi."

Indescribability of highest plane:

VIJAY: "What does a man see when he attains the Knowledge of Brahman after reaching the seventh plane?"

MASTER: "What happens when the mind reaches the seventh plane cannot be described.

"Once a boat enters the 'black waters' of the ocean, it does not return. Nobody knows what happens to the boat after that. Therefore the boat cannot give us any information about the ocean.

"Once a salt doll went to measure the depth of the ocean. No sooner did it enter the water than it melted. Now who could tell how deep the ocean was? That which could have told about its depth had melted. Reaching the seventh plane, the mind is annihilated; man goes into samādhi. What he feels then cannot be described in words.

The "wicked I":

"The 'I' that makes one a worldly person and attaches one to 'woman and gold' is the 'wicked I'. The intervention of this ego creates the difference between jiva and Ātman. Water appears to be divided into two parts if one puts a stick across it. But in reality there is only one water. It appears as two on account of the stick. This 'I' is the stick. Remove the stick and there remains only one water as before.

"Now, what is this 'wicked I'? It is the ego that says: 'What? Don't they know me? I have so much money! Who is wealthier than I?' If a thief robs such a man of only ten rupees, first of all he wrings the money out of the thief, then he gives him a good beating. But the matter doesn't end there: the thief is handed over to the police and is eventually sent to jail. The 'wicked I' says: 'What? Doesn't the rogue know whom he has robbed? To steal my ten rupees! How dare he?' "

VIJAY: "If without destroying the 'I' a man cannot get rid of attachment to the world and consequently cannot experience samādhi, then it would be wise for him to follow the path of Brahmajnāna to attain samādhi. If the 'I' persists in the path of devotion, then one should rather choose the path of knowledge."

SOURCE: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

18.10.13

SRI LAKSHMI PUJA:2013

TODAY IS SRI LAKSHMI PUJA. MAY GODDESS SRI LAKSHMI BLESS YOU ALL WITH JOY, WEALTH AND PROSPERITY.

Goddess Lakshmi means Good Luck to Hindus. The word 'Lakshmi' is derived from the Sanskrit word "Laksya", meaning 'aim' or 'goal'. She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual.

Lakshmi is the household goddess of most Hindu families, and a favorite of women. The importance attached to the presence of Lakshmi in every household makes her an essentially domestic deity. Householders worship Lakshmi for the wellbeing and prosperity of the family. Businessmen and women also regard her equally and offer her daily prayers.

WORSHIP OF LAKSHMI:

Although Lakshmi is worshipped daily, the festive month of October is Lakshmi's special month.On the full moon night following Dusshera or Durga Puja, Hindus worship Lakshmi ceremonially at home, pray for her blessings, and invite neighbors to attend the puja. It is believed that on this full moon night the goddess herself visits the homes and replenishes the inhabitants with wealth. A special worship is also offered to Lakshmi on the auspicious Diwali night.
A Few Photos of worship of Lakshmi at Belur Math:

A MOTHER GODDESS:

Worship of a mother goddess has been a part of Indian tradition since its earliest times. Lakshmi is one of the mother Goddesses and is addressed as "mata" (mother) instead of just "devi" (goddess).

As a female counterpart of Lord Vishnu, Mata Lakshmi is also called 'Shri', the female energy of the Supreme Being. She is the goddess of prosperity, wealth, purity, generosity, and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm.

Lakshmi represents the beautiful and bountiful aspect of nature. As Bhoodevi, the earth-goddess, she nurtures life; as Shreedevi, the goddess of fortune, she bestows power, pleasure and prosperity on those who deserve her grace. To realize her, one must respect the laws of life and appreciate the wonders of existence.

THE LAKSHMI FORM:

Lakshmi is depicted as a beautiful woman of golden complexion, with four hands, sitting or standing on a full-bloomed lotus and holding a lotus bud, which stands for beauty, purity and fertility. Her four hands represent the four ends of human life: dharma or righteousness, "kama" or desires, "artha" or wealth, and "moksha" or liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Cascades of gold coins are seen flowing from her hands, suggesting that those who worship her gain wealth. She always wears gold embroidered red clothes. Red symbolizes activity and the golden lining indicates prosperity. Lakshmi is the active energy of Vishnu, and also appears as Lakshmi-Narayan - Lakshmi accompanying Vishnu.

Two elephants are often shown standing next to the goddess and spraying water. This denotes that ceaseless effort, in accordance with one's dharma and governed by wisdom and purity, leads to both material and spiritual prosperity.

COURTESY:hinduism.about.com; lotussculpture.com; desiglitters.com

8.10.13

DURGA PUJA:2013

MAY MOTHER BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WITH DEVOTION, JOY AND PROSPERITY

The worship of the Divine Mother Sri Sri Durga will be celebrated at Belur Math as per programme given below.

COURTESY: Youtube

Click here to see 'Online Durga Puja at Belur Math'
or click below
http://new.livestream.com/belurmathorg/events/2449138

SRI SRI DURGA PUJA:2013-BELUR MATH PROGRAMME
Thursday, October 10 SHASTHI	Kalparambha 6:30 am
	Bodhana, Amantrana &; Adhivasa After evening Arati of Sri Sri Thakur
Friday, October 11 SAPTAMI	Puja begins at 5:35 am
Saturday, October 12 MAHASHTAMI	Puja begins at 5:35 am
KUMARI PUJA	9:00 am
SANDHI PUJA	3:03 pm - 3:51 pm
Sunday, October 13 MAHANAVAMI	Puja begins at 5.35 am
HOMA	After Bhogarati of Sri Sri Devi
Monday, October 14 VIJAYA DASHAMI	Puja begins at 6.30 am Immersion and Shantivari After Evening Arati of Sri Sri Thakur.
*PUSHPANJALI* : Daily after Bhogarati of Sri Sri Durga Devi