Upakarma(Rigveda and Yajurveda) – August 3rd Monday 2020

Upakarma is one of the ancient Vedic rituals practiced to date by every Brahmin. It is done once a year, during Shravana Masa- which is usually in August or September. The main activity performed in an Upakarma is the changing of the Janivara or Holy Thread. This year the dates are as follows:

August 3rd Monday 2020 – Rigvedics  and Yajurvedis Upakarma same day in USA

Check your local panchanga to find out the exact date.

Did you know that Upakarma means “Beginning” in Sanskrit.

And the procedure is very well explained in Sumadhwaseva web site. It has the YAGNOPAVEETA DHARANA VIDHI in Kannada, Sanskrit, Telugu and English.

Attached below is the link:

• www.sumadhwaseva.com

Now that we have all the details for the Upakarma, how about Raksha Bhandan? Raksha” means protection, “bandhan” means bound or binding. During this festival brothers and sisters show that they care for each other; include your cousins also. A sister will tie the rakhi, which is made of thread around her brother’s right wrist, usually with flowers attached to it. In return, her brother will give sweets, or money to show that they will love and protect them.

As with any other festival, there are many legends for this festival as well.

1. In ancient times a woman tied a ‘rakshaa’ on her husband’s wrist to protect him from evil. Later, she tied a ‘rakshaa’ on her brother’s right wrist, to protect him from evil influence and those factors which may taint his character, and to strengthen the bond of sibling love between them.

2. Vishnu helped the wife of Indra, to aid her husband in his battle against the demon Bali. Bali had driven Indra out of heaven. Vishnu gave Indra’s wife a silk thread to put on Indra’s wrist as a lucky charm. It enabled him to defeat Bali and regain his kingdom.

3. During the battle of Mahabharat,Queen Kunti tied a raksha on her grandson Abhimanyu to protect him in battle.

Animittha Bandhu By Shree Vyasarajaru

Over the past several months, I have been taking some time to record rare songs my Father sings. He has learnt numerous songs while we went to Purana in 4th block Jayanagar. He used to recite it every single day after performing Saligrama Pooje and Mom used to enjoy listening.

This is a very rare composition of Shree Vyasarajaru. Video on youtube and lyrics in English below.

Januma janumadallu kodu kandya hariye animittha bandhu 

Shree Krishna dayadindalenege ||

Mereva Urdhvapundra yeradaaru naamavu koralolu Tulasiya vanamaaleyu

Mereva shankha chakra bhujadolopuuta nimma smarisuttha higguva Vaishana janumava

Januma janumadallu kodu kandya hariye animittha bandhu 

Shree Krishna dayadindalenege ||

Hariye sarvottama Hariye sarvottama rani lakumi bomma hara Indraadhyakhilaru tava sevakaru

Vara taaratamya panchabhedha satyavendu nere pelava vayumatadha sugjnaanava

Januma janumadallu kodu kandya hariye animittha bandhu 

Shree Krishna dayadindalenege ||

Sakala vibhdottamaralli namrateya Sakala vibhdottamaralli namrateya sukhatheertharalli mukhya guru bhaavaneyue sukhatheertharalli mukhya guru bhaavaneyue 

mukuthi pradaayaka mukuthi pradaayaka srikrishna ninnalli 

mukuthi pradaayaka srikrishna ninnalli 

akalankavaada navavidha bhakutiyannu

Januma janumadallu kodu kandya hariye animittha bandhu 

Shree Krishna dayadindalenege ||

Naga chaturthi story and procedures in tamil

Ms. Chitra Pranesh shared the Naga chaturthi story and procedures in tamil. I am sharing the same with you all. All credit to Ms. Chitra, and thanks so much.

P.S: 2020 Pooje pictures from my home.

349th ARADHANA OF RAYARU

This year Aradhana of our beloved Rayaru is coming soon, August 4th, 5th and 6th. Please celebrate aradhana at your own houses with great devotion and Bhakti. We will definitely miss going to the temples, but we have to listen to our own governments and follow the rules strictly to avoid getting infected and being sick. And if and when you have to go out, please do wear a mask.

However, due to coronavirus, the following message has been shared by the mutta.

Subscribe to the youtube channel and watch all the festivities from the safe comfort of your own home.

Bhimana Amavase or Gandana pooje – July 20th 2020

Bhimana Amavase or Gandana pooje, is an important pooje performed by unmarried women and newly married women for 9 years after their marriage. It is performed on the new moon day or amavase in the month of Aashada masa. This year it is on July 20th 2020 Monday

This pooje is also called Bheemeshwarana pooje. This pooje is dedicated to God Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Mud models of Shiva and Parvathi in the form of a cone with a flat base are made, kept in the sun to dry and decorated with white dots made out of limestone paste, or sometimes with akki hittu(rice flour) mixed with milk. A thread immersed in turmeric paste, a flower and sometimes turmeric root are tied around the model for Parvathi. After the pooje, usually either the girls Mom or Mother-in-Law ties this thread to the girls wrists.

Those who have brothers, later in the evening worship the hosthilu or threshold of their house. They call it “Bhandara vadiyodu“. The girls brother brakes the bhandara and gives money to his sister.

The story for Bhimana Amavase goes like this:

In a city there was a king called Vajrabahu. He had one and only son called Vijayashekara, who dies suddenly while still young. The king and queen decide to perform his marriage; even though he is dead. But, who would marry a corpse, right? No one comes forward to marry him. A Brahmin couple, named Madhava and his wife Sushila have five daughters and nine sons. They are extremely poor and they decide to marry one of their daughters in marriage to the dead prince; in return they would get lot of money and can use it to feed their family.

This girl is left with her dead husband and than she prays to God Shiva and Goddess Parvathi with great devotion. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi ask her to perform this pooje; since she is in the forest and doesn’t have any money she uses clay or mud and performs the pooje. The dead prince comes back to life. The king, queen and everyone is now happy to see their son come back to life.

Now that you know why and how to do the pooje, tell the significance of this story to your daughter, perform the pooje, tie the thread across her wrist and bless her with all your heart.

Happy Gandana Pooje.

Here below is the step by step procedure to perform Diwasi Gowri pooje as per the book I have now:

1. Clean the place where you are going to perform the pooja, put an elaborate rangoli (ರಂಗವಲ್ಲಿ). Find links to various rangoli (ರಂಗವಲ್ಲಿ) here:

• Rangoli (ರಂಗವಲ್ಲಿ)

2. Place a wooden plank called Mane(ಮಣೆ).
3. On this Mane, place a silver plate and within the plate, keep the idols of Diwasi Gowri and Managal Gowri( if you are performing Managal Gowri).
4. Also keep 1 dry cocnout (Kobbari Battalu ಕೊಬ್ಬರಿ ಬಟ್ಟಲು) as it is called in Kannada, 10 betel nut (adike ಅಡಿಕೆ), 10 betel leaves (villedele ವಿಳೇದೆಲೆ), 10 rounds of thread ದಾರ.
5. Now, worship the gowri and offer her 10 Kucchida Kadabu (ಕುಚ್ಚಿದ ಕಡಬು).
6. Next, tie 10 knots on the thread immersed in turmeric paste, a flower and sometimes turmeric root. For married ladies, 10 knots and unmarried girls 5 knots, and 5 rounds of thread.
7. Put this on the Gowri idol.
8. Perform Aarthi to Gowri. Offer your prayers, and do namaskaras.
8. Once, you finish all the pooja, usually either the girls Mom or Mother-in-Law ties this thread to the girls wrists or can also put it around her neck.

108 Daily Shloka rendition by Dr.Vidhyabhushan

As you can see from the comment below, Ms. Nirupama has provided the Slokas in English. It is a great compilation to teach kids also, small Slokas and tune rendered by Dr.Vidhyabhushan

How blessed we are to have such great people who share their time and energy and compile such amazing scripts to benefit one and all. Thanks a million Nirupama Avare.

Click the link below for the PDF script.

108-Daily-Shlokas
And here is the link for the audio:

Namaste Meeraji,

Thanks for posting the Festival Calendar. You are doing such a wonderful job in keeping us informed about our Madhwa tradition. You are my go to source for pooja vidhana, lyrics and Madhwa recipes.

I recently came across 108 Daily Shloka rendition by Dr.Vidhyabhushan, loved it, link given below. I was able to compile the script for the shlokas. Please provide me your email ID so i can email you the file and you can post it on your site.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzd1Y70pATU&t=1511s

Nirupama

From our garden to ….

Spring and summer is just beautiful in our house with lots of flowers, Tulasi and many vegetables. And it is during this time we have so many festivals also. This year, since there has been no travel and no going to work either at least until November, I get to enjoy the garden the most.

Some amazing clicks from our garden. I am eagerly waiting to offer the flowers and Tulasi during the festivals especially Shravana Friday Lakshi Pooje,  Rayaru Aaradhane, Shree Krishnajanmasthami and Ganesha Festival.

Upcoming Shravana Masa Festivals – July/August 2020

 

As per Uttaradimatta Panchanga, this year in Shravari Nama Samvatsara, Shravana Masa starts from July 21st and ends on August 18th.

There are many festivals during this month and as always I will re-post slokas, pooja details and many more details a few days before each of these important dates. Here is a list of important dates and festivals during Shravana Masa 2019.

Mangala Gowri Vrata

All details for this festival can be found here:

Vrata Details.

• July 21st – Tuesday

• July 28th – Tuesday

• August 4th – Tuesday

• August 11th – Tuesday

• August 18th – Tuesday

Nagara Chathurthi & Panchami

Pooja Details.

• July 23rd Thursday – Nagara Chathurthi

• July 24th Friday – Nagara Panchami

Shravana Masa Lakshmi Pooja

 

Pooja Details.

• July 24th– Friday

• July 31st – Friday

• August 7th – Friday

• August 14th – Friday

Vara MahaLakshmi  Pooja Vrata

Vrata Details.

• July 31st – Friday

Sree Raghavendra Swamy  Aaradhane

 

Aaradhane Details

• August 4th – Tuesday– Sree Raghavendra Swamy Poorva Aaradhane

• August 5th – Wednesday – Sree Raghavendra Swamy Madya Aaradhane

• August 6th – Thursday– Sree Raghavendra Swamy Uttara Aaradhane

Sree Krishna Jayanthi – Sri Krishna Janmashtami

Janmashtami Pooja Details

• August 11th– Tuesday

 Please refer to the closet temple or other calendar to find the dates of the festivals in the country you are living. These dates posted are based on Indian Standard Time.

Abundance of Tulasi and Flowers

This year, there is abundance of Tulasi and also Kanakambara flowers growing at our garden. We are able to offer Tulasi everyday to God and also to our beloved Rayaru. My father is just amazed how the plants are growing.

We also have two Kanakambara plants, and they had so many flowers. So, on Thursday when my father finished Saligrama Pooja, I was able to tie a garland and offer to our beloved Rayaru.

Feel blessed seeing our God and beloved Rayaru in Kanakambhara flowers.

Blog Hits a New Record -1.4 Crore 14 Million Views

 

Its been a long time since I posted anything.I haven’t been logging into the blog at all. Have lost interest in everything. I don’t talk much, I don’t go often on WhatsApp, unless addressed to me I don’t reply to any messages. It is going to take time to recover from not having my mother around.

It is going to take time to heal. I know it is not going to be easy. But, I need to get back to my blog which my Mom also loved. She used to keep asking me what new things I had posted, what new songs I had learnt, what new food I was posting.

If not for me at least for her sake and all of you who have been asking me how I am doing, why I haven’t posted anything, I have to and will try to get back.

In a few weeks it will be the month of Shravana Masa and I will start posting again all the details.

In the meantime, as I logged I saw the blog had reached a new milestone. 1.4 crores or 14 million plus hits. Truly remarkable. And I definitely need to thank you all my extended family for supporting me not just during good times, but all during my tough times.

I have read all your emails, messages, texts so many times. I am blessed to have you all and I promise I am back now.

Once again a BIG THANKS TO ALL OF YOU. THIS BLOG WOULDN’T HAVE REACHED WHERE IT IS WITHOUT ALL OF YOU.

And it goes without saying, my sincere namaskaras to Lord Almighty and our beloved beloved RAYARU.

MAY THIS BLOG CONTINUE ITS JOURNEY TOWARDS REACHING 2 CRORES OR 20 MILLION HITS.