Gajamukha ganapage namo namo

Ganesha Stuti

Composer : Harapanahalli Bheemavva

(1823 – 1903) 

Ankita : Bheemesha Krishna

Most Popular song: Mangalaruthi Thandu Belagire

ಮಂಗಳಾರತಿ ತಂದು ಬೆಳಗಿರೆ

Gouri Devige Sakhi Tare Aaruthi Video

I had posted the lyrics last year. Just got time to record the same.

https://meerasubbarao.wordpress.com/2021/06/04/gouri-devige-sakhi-tare-aaruthi/

Sreenivasa Stotra by Sree Vyasarajaru Audio Video

I had posted the Sreenivasa Stotra for quite some time. I just got time to record the audio as a small seva for Vaikunta Ekadashi.

The lyrics can be found here:

Sreenivasa Stotra by Sree Vyasarajaru

 

Lord Dhanvantari Stotra and Song

Anayasena Maranam Sloka

As I was wishing my Father and telling him how much I adore him, how much I respect him, how much I love him, he recited a sloka which was so powerful.

I have seen so many deaths in my life now. And we are getting old day by day. I have seen just a handful who I can say had “Anayasena Maraṇam”. My Elder brother-in-law, my Aunt, and two other relatives. Everyone else had some suffering in their last few days or months including my own Mother.

So, from now on, I am going to include this sloka as well in my daily prayers. I know everything is predetermined, how we are going to be born, who will be our parents, who will be our relatives, who will be our kids, we can’t choose anything here, and so can we not choose how we die. But we believe in prayers once we are born, so maybe God will lessen the pain we go through, who knows.

अनायासेन मरणं विनादैन्येन जीवनं |
देहि मे कृपया शम्भो त्वयि भक्तिं अचन्चलं ॥

Anayasena maranam vinadainyena jivanam |

dehi me krupaya shambho twayi bhaktim achanchalam ||

Lord Shiva give me a painless, peaceful death without any trouble, give me a life without having to ask anyone for money my basic needs, a life without poverty. Give me total bhakti towards you Lord Shiva.

Pitru Devo Bhava

Today 8th January is my Father’s birthday. He turns today 88 years old. If you follow my blogs, you know everything I have learned is from my Father. Yes, we all learn life sessions from our Parents. But for me, my Father is also my spiritual guide, my one and only one Guru. From teaching me how to do Naivedya to what stotra to recite while doing Mangalaruthi, he is my God. He is my Father and he is also my Mother since the day we lost our Amma.

During his bday I would like to dedicate a sloka which is so appropriate for everything that my Father has done to me and is still doing and helping us in our Spiritual journey.

The sloka brought tears to me because it is everything that I would like to convey to my Father. My sister echoes the same sentiments and so does my brother.

Such an amazing sloka, saw it somewhere that it is from Mahabharatha.

पिता स्वर्गः पिता धर्मः पिता परमकं तपः ।
पितरि प्रीतिमापन्ने सर्वाः प्रीयन्ति देवताः ॥

pitā swargaḥ pitā dharmaḥ pitā paramakaṃ tapaḥ |
pitari prītimāpanne sarvāḥ prīyanti devatāḥ ||

My Father is my heaven my father is my dharma my father is the ultimate penance of my life. If a father is happy, all Gods are pleased.

I dedicate this blog to my Father. He is my Father, he is my Mother, he is my guide, he is my Spiritual Guru.

Here it is WISHING MY FATHER A VERY VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Makara Sankranthi – Jan 14 2022

The 2nd week of January is the festival “Makara Sankranthi”. This year it is on 14th, which is a Friday here in USA.

P.S: Please check your local calendars and temples to see the exact date.

Makara Sankranthi is a widely celebrated festival in different parts of India.  On this day,  Lord Surya or Sun is worshiped.  It is also celebrated as a harvest festival in many parts of India. On this day, Sun begins his journey to the Northern Hemisphere, most commonly called as Uttharayana.  As with all other festivals, this festival also has many legends, two such commonly told legends are:

1. Lord Surya or Sun visits Shani on this day.

2. Bheeshma Pithamaha, who was able to choose when he will die, chose this day to end his life.

The house is cleaned, and decorated with fresh green mango leaves tied as thorana to the front door. Beautiful, and colorful rangoli is drawn at the front of the house.  After performing the pooja, yellu(Sesame seeds) and Bella(Jaggery) is offered to God. Usually it is prepared by mixing Till, finely chopped Jaggery, roasted groundnuts cut into small peices, with finely chopped dried coconut, and Putani, also called as Hurigadale.

Attached below are the pictures and the steps to making Yellu Bella.

I use the following proportion to prepare the yellu:

* 1/2 cup Yellu or Sesame Seeds
* 1 cup Groundnuts or peanuts ( Fried, skin removed and cut into half)
* 1 cup Dhalia or hurigadale
* 1 cup finely chopped dry coconut
* 1 cup Jaggery, finely chopped

Usually the Sesame seeds are cleaned, washed and dried. Later, they are fried. I skip this step, and just fry the Sesame seeds for a few minutes.

Next, grate the black portion of the dry coconut. Chop them into squares as shown in the above picture. Chop the Jaggery also and make sure they are dry. My mom used to keep it in the sun for a few days.

Mix, all the ingredients together. Distribute to your family and friends. If all the ingredients are dry, it will stay for months.

Here is the recipe for Yellu Unde/Burfi:

Ingredients:

1. Sesame Seeds/Yellu – 1 cup
2. Peanuts – 1 cup
3. Dhalia – 1 cup
4. Jaggery – 2cups
5. Grated Coconut – 2 tsp
6. 7-8 cardamom – ground finely
7. 2 tsp Oil or Ghee(I never use Ghee)

Method:

• Fry the Sesame seeds for 4-5 minutes. Take out in a plate.
• In a pan, heat oil or ghee. Now add the jaggery. Add just enough water so that the Jaggery dissolves.
• Keep stirring for almost 9-10 minutes until the jaggery starts leaving the sides.
• Next, add peanuts, sesame seeds, dhalia and mix well. Let it continue on the stove top for another 3-4 minutes. Add in the cardamom as well.
• Turn off the stove. Grease a tray, and pour the mixture. Let it cool a little bit.
• Cut squares. ANd the left over, was formed to a round shape.
• Finally garnish with grated coconut.

I called it Yellu Burfi, and everyone called it Sesame Squares.

Most dishes prepared during this day are made out of Yellu or Sesame seeds and Rice. It is also tradition to prepare Sweet and Khara Pongal during this festival. The recipes are posted here in the blog and are attached below for your convenience:

• Sweet Pongal

• Khara Pongal

• Gojju

• Kosambari

• Ambode

If you wish to cook elaborate dishes during Sankranthi, many authentic recipes are posted here:

• Authentic Madhwa Recipes

And you can find various Rangoli designs here:

• Rangoli Designs

Vaikunta Ekadashi – January 13th 2022

January 13th 2022 Thursday

P.S: Please check your local calendars and temples to see the exact date for Vaikunta Ekadashi. If you plan on going to temple, please make sure you wear a mask, social distance and wash your hands often.

Vaikunta Ekadashi falls in the month December-January. This year it falls on January 13th 2022 Thursday. This is observed with all solemnity in the temples of Lord Vishnu. Please check your local calendars to see when it falls.

Vaikunta Ekadashi is of great significance at the Tirupati Balaji Temple, and also all Balaji temples. They prepare what is called a “Swargada Bagilu” also called as ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ or ‘the gate to the heaven‘ This gate is opened on this day. This is the passage encircling the innermost sanctum of the Lord. Scores of devotees queue up to pass through the Gate of Vaikunta in the temples.

For the devotees of Lord Vishnu, every Ekadashi is a very sacred day No rice should be eaten on Ekadashi days. This is very important.

Those who are unable to fast completely can take some light fruit and milk. So you may ask why we shouldn’t eat rice, so here comes the story for the same.

The sweat that fell down from the head of Brahma assumed the form of a demon and said to the Lord, “O Lord! now give me an abode to dwell.” Brahma replied, “O demon! go and dwell in the rice particles eaten by men on Ekadashi day and become worms in their stomach.” For this reason rice is prohibited on Ekadashi.

If you don’t believe in this story, just think of all the benefits you can get from fasting.

Fasting makes a man strong, both spiritually and mentally.Fasting controls passion. It checks the emotions. It controls the senses also. It is good to fast once in a while as it recuperates the body. Ekadashi observance cleans our body and the digestive organs get much needed rest.

Those people suffering from ailments and on medications should take the advice of a doctor before fasting. Never torture your body in the name of religion. There is nothing wrong in having fruits or milk. And you can bring a certain amount of flexibility in the way it is observed.

Have a Blessed 2022

2021 was tough for many of us. It was COVID doing it’s turn with different variants, and also loss of several lives. I lost so many relatives and the most devastating one was My Mysore Ajji, who we lost in May of 2021. We were coming to terms with the loss of my Mother when we lost Ajji. It was very tough since the entire India was in lockdown.

We hope to travel to India at least for the 2nd anniversary of our Mother in early March. 2022 No idea what rules will be in place for COVID and what new variant will come.

As you all know, I make no new year’s resolution. If I need to change anything, I try to do it today and not wait for New Years. Hopefully, all of you will have a blessed 2022. Hopefully, COVID will slowly become an Endemic instead of continuing as a Pandemic.

I promise to continue to write more and more in the year 2022. I hope I can travel to several of places I want to visit in India and post about them. I hope I can learn more about our scriptures and share them in my own language which inspires many. I hope I can continue to learn lot more from my Father and keep posting those amazing snippets he shares with me.

Once again, Have a blessed 2022. Stay safe, stay vaccinated, stay healthy, stay blessed, and stay connected.