Over the past few days, we in our Rayaru satsangha group had been discussing about Dr.Rajkumar’s devotional songs on our beloved Rayaru. We have all grown up listening to Dr. Rajkumar’s song on the radio. My sister and I used to recite the songs during the Bhajane we used to have at our place. Even though it doesn’t have any ankitha, it just brings back such great emotion and Bhakti listening to his songs.
Yesterday during satsangha, we decided to sing at least one song and I started with Nee Thande Na Kandha. However, we couldn’t get the lyrics for any of the songs sung by Dr. Rajkumar. So, I decided to post all of them one after another here and here comes the very first one.
The blog has reached 13 million( 130 lakhs) visitors. It is just mind blowing to even see that number. Even more so when so many of you have become my extended family. The love and affection I have received from you all is something only 1 in that 13 million can get and I am humbled to be that one person.
Also, last post I had informed about my Mom. By your prayers she is getting better, takes time. Your prayers have been heard. The emails you all sent was truly a blessing from our beloved Rayaru. My namaskars to you all.
And finally, below are some pictures from the Tulasi Vivaha. It has been a hectic few months with work pressure, but it was Friday evening and we were able to perform the pooje.
Once again, my heartfelt namaskars to you all. Since it is winter all plants have come inside now.
Dasara is celebrated all over India as a religious as well as a social festival. Nava means nine and rathri means night and so Navarathri means nine nights. Some call it as Navarathri, some as Vijaya Dashami, and some as Dussehra. Doesn’t matter what you call, does it?
This year Dasara is celebrated from September 29th October 8th 2019. Please check the dates in the country you are residing.
From day one of the festival, it is customary to keep a Kalasha (ಕಲಶ), this is filled with water(ನೀರು) and 4 betel leaves(ವೀಳೆದೆಲೇ) are arranged as shown below in the pictures.Apply Haldi (ಆರಿಶಿನ) , Kumkum(ಕುಂಕುಮ), and flowers, gejje vastra (ಗೆಜ್ಜೆ ವಸ್ತ್ರ) as shown again. This Kalasha is kept in front of the Pattada Gombe (ಪಟ್ಟದ ಗೊಂಬೆ) which is given during the marriage to the bride. This ಪಟ್ಟದ ಗೊಂಬೆ signifies Lord Srinivasa and Goddess Padmavathi. Again, see pictures below. These ಪಟ್ಟದ ಗೊಂಬೆ are decorated with different jewelery, crown, bangles, dresses every few years.
If you are keeping an elaborate Gombe (Dolls), than the Kalasha and the Pattada Bombe are placed on the top shelf. And all other arrangements follow next.
Even though all the 10 days and nine nights are important, there are a few major days where pooja is done with great devotion and pomp.
Those days are as follows:
Saraswathi Pooja – October 6th Read more about Saraswathi Pooje here.
Durgasthami – October 6th
Ayoodha Pooja – Mahanavami – October 7th. Read more about Ayoodha Pooja here.
Hope you all had a wonderful Gowri and Ganesha festival. As we do every year, we visited performed Gowri Pooje at my sisters place. Ganesha festival was done at my place. I had my Sister’s family in the morning, and a few of my friends in the evening for pooje. The Ganesha idol was prepared by my niece Shwetha.
It was quite hectic performing the pooje, and cooking all the items. We missed having our daughter since she already started her residency.
Attached are a few pictures. I am late this time, since was sick after the Ganesha festival and also got very busy with work.
This year Gowri Ganesha Festival is celebrated on September 1st and 2nd 2019.
So, this post is to help all of you prep for this festival and get the blessings of Gowri and Ganesha.
Gowri Habba Preparation:
Prep for all the pooja items like Haldi, Kumkum, Mantrakshate, Gejje Vastra.
Make sure you have Rangoli, if you don’t have the dry powder, use Kundan Rangoli, a chalk and draw. If even that is not available, take some printouts and use them. I have used a combination of all of them as seen below. Draw small feet of Lord Ganesha from the front door.
Make sure you have camphor, Agarbathi and also soaked cotton for Mangalaruthi.
Buy all the ingredients required for the Maradha Bhagina. The two posts which have already been published are linked below:
Gejje Vastra and Flowers getting ready to be offered to God.
Fruits and coconut for Lord Ganesha:
Kadabu, Modaka and Idli for Lord.
After the morning pooja and naivedya.
Close up of the Lord.
Evening Pooje.
Chakkali prepared by my Husband for the Lord.
Mangalaruthi and evening naivedya chakali for the Lord to request him to come home every year.
The Ganesha festival falls on the fourth day Bhadrapada Masa. That’s why we say “Bhadrapada Shulkada Chauthi Aamdu”. Swarna Gouri Vrata and Ganesha Festival is celebrated on September 1st and 2nd.
As always, check your closet temple to find the correct dates.
An idol of Gowri made of clay is brought two days before the Ganesha festival. Gowri is an incarnation of Parvathi. Gowri Habba, also called as Swarna Gowri Habba is celebrated one day before Ganesha Festival.
The Legend:
Goddess Gowri, while taking shower, created Ganesha out of the mud of and placed him at the entrance of the house. She told him not to allow anyone to enter while she went inside for a bath. Lord Shiva returned home and was stopped by Ganesha at the gate. Shiva became angry and cut off Ganesha’s head. When Gauri came to know of this she was grieved.
Lord Shiva ordered his servants to cut off and bring to him the head of any creature that might be sleeping with its head facing north. The servants went on their mission and found only an elephant in that position. Lord Shiva then joined the elephant’s head onto the body of Ganesha.
Mr. Lakshmisha P, had left a comment here that he had the pdf files for the Swarnagowri vratha puja & katha. Attached below are the links for both the pdf files he has provided.
Thanks so much Me. Lakshmisha for all the support and also the time you have taken to convert this into pdf.
We used to sing at the top of our voice “Ganesha bhanda, kai kadubu tinda, chikka kerele edda, dodda kereli bidda”.
Lord Ganesha is not just worshiped on this day, but is worshiped first in all occasions since he is considered to be the remover of all obstacles, one who brings good luck on new activities or endeavors.
As always links for several resources songs, lyrics and stotras are posted on this blog.
P.S: If you would like to get email updates on when new articles are added, you can subscribe by clicking on the left hand side on the “RSS Feed“. It will take you to a new page, and you can enter your email ID.
And here comes the link which has colorful and many designs for drawing Rangoli
P.S: The above sloka in Kannada is exactly as it is in the Uttaradi Matta Panchanga. Rather than taking a picture, I typed in the words. The English translation is done from the Kannada sloka to the best of my knowledge.
As always no food is prepared with onion or garlic.
Hope you all had a wonderful and joyous Shree Krishna Jayanthi/Janmasthami. The festival was on a Friday, so I tool two days off on Thursday and Friday.
Last year I had just recovered from my ankle fracture, so this year I had so much enthusiasm to celebrate and welcome our Lord. Didn’t even have a drop of water.
My own blog helped in getting all the links for songs, food items and recipes.
Food prepration like you see were items such as:
Moong dal Kosambari
Channa dal Kosambari
Uppittu or Upma
Avalakki
Sweet Avalakki
Thengolu
Om Pudi
Shankar Poli
Chakli
Rava Laddoo
Besan Laddoo
I had brought the Mantapa my Late brother-in-law used to perform Shree Satyanarayana Pooje. We were able polish the same, and use it for this festival and will keep using it for all upcoming festivals. I just couldn’t take away my eyes from the Pooje we did. It was truly humbling.
Some picture from this year. You can click on pictures to see them enlarged.
Pooje preparation:
Close up of our Mantapa and the Lord.
And of course food.
Now for the next big festival Shree Gowri Ganesha Festival. We have holiday even for Gowri and Ganesha festival so that’s super awesome.
Will post all links and recipes as we approach the festival.
Update: Rayaru today at Mantralaya – July 4th 2019.
The common interpretation of Pushyaarka Yoga is the combination of Pushya Nakshatra and Thursday or Sunday.This common interpretation is when moon entering Pushya nakshatra on Thursday or Sunday is PushyArka yoga .
July 4th 2019 is Pushya Nakshatra and Thursday.
Raghavendra Mutta says “On this Holy day one should Recite or Chant Guru Stotra ( Raghavendra Stotra)s, Singing songs will bring happiness and prosperity in your life.”
The significance of this day is also mentioned in Rayara Stotra – 27th Stanza.
Anyone who recites this holy Sri Raghavendra Stotram 108 times with intense devotion, on the occasion of solar/lunar eclipse or the combination of Sunday with the star Pushya, will be relieved of all evil influence, e.g., haunting etc. (27)
You can find more details about this great day below in the link:
This day signifies the appearance of Lord Narasimha on the planet. Lord Narasimha is the fourth and the greatest incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is believed to have appeared to protect his devotee, Prahlada, from his father Hiranyakashyapu .
If you listen to the song ” Narashima Nembo davana” posted on youtube, there is a paragraph which explains how Lord Narashima came from the pillar. Hiranyakashyapu pointed out at a pillar in his palace and asked Prahalada whether Lord Vishnu was present in it pillar. Prahalada who was a great devotee said yes. Next, you know Hiranyakashyapu uses his Gadha and broke open the pillar and there emerged our Lord Narasimha who than slained Hiranyakashyapu using his sharp paws.
The day signifies the triumph of good over evil and the eagerness of the lord to protect his devotees from evil.
When my Parents visited us last year, my Father recited the “Bhagavatha Purana” for three weeks at my place. The way my Dad explained this part of the Purana, brings tears to my eyes every time I listen “Narashima Nembo Devana”. The greatest mistake I made was to not record the purana. Hopefully will record the next time my Father visits us.
About Narasimha Jayanthi: Ms. Lakshmi’s write up summary from the book “ಭಾರತೀಯ ಹಬ್ಬ ಹರಿದಿನಗಳು” by ಶ್ರೀ ಶ್ರೀ ರಂಗಪ್ರಿಯ ಮಹಾದೇಷಿಕ ಸ್ವಾಮಿಗಳು.
“The pillar in evil Hiranyakashipu’s royal court, signifies the ṃērusthambha, the central backbone system. Through the central nervous system called ṣuśumna, the brilliant light emanated. The energy associated came out in its full fierce glory as Narasimha and later transformed into the peaceful form after the destruction of evil force.”
When is Narasimha Jayanthi celebrated?
Narasimha Jayanthi is one of the important festivals of Vaiśnavas. It is
celebrated in the vaiśāka māsam,on ṣukla pakśa chaturdaśi, after akśhaya thrithēya, svāti nakśatra, siddha Yōga, vanija karanam. The date is determined according to chāndramāna system. Since the inception of this avatāram is in the evening, the worship is done in the evening. It is considered to be more auspicious if this day coincides with sōmavasarē, Monday or ṣanivasarē, Saturday. It is a sacred day to remember Lord Narasimha’s sarva vyāpakatva- all pervading – spiritual knowledge,
wealth, strength, valor, splendor, and compassion toward His devotees.
Which are the major manifestations of Lord Narasimha?
There are three major forms of Lord Narasimha.
1. Ugra-Narasimha – His fierce form: In this form He has conch – ṣanka, discus – chakra, mace – gada, bow – chāpa, bells – ghanta-, trident like – ankuśa, and his two hands ready to chisel the demon heart, as His āyudhams – weapons. This form is worshipped in the evenings.
2. Lakshmi Narasimha: In this form he is very peaceful – ṣanta – with His consort – Sri Lakshmi sitting on his left lap, with ādiseṣa on his head as umbrella, and Prahallāda standing in his front praying with his folded hands. This manifestation is followed after his fierce form– as a result, he is worshipped in the morning.
3. Yoga Narasimha – meditative: Here, He is in his Meditative form for those who aspire for results of Yoga.
What are the various ways of experiencing Lord Narasimha?
Sāligrāma – sacred stone that pervades the presence of the deity
Narasimha mantra – sacred chant
Idol worshipping
Fire – agni – by performing homam.
Reading scriptures such as the Upaniśad and ṣruthi – sacred knowledge orally transmitted by the Brahmans from generation to generation.
What are the items are offered to Lord Narasimha?
There following items are offered to Lord Narasimha:
– Incense, lamplight, flowers and ṣrigandha or perfume.-
tuḻasi or Holy Basil — Since he has the element of both viśnu and rudra-
kamalam – Lotus,
bilva daḻam – leaves of stone apple,
japākusumam- red hibiscus can be offered to the Lord.
What kinds of food can be offered to Lord Narasimha?
Athirasa – fried cake made with jaggery and rice flour.
Pāyasa – milk puddings made out of any of moong dal, channa dal, and – – – Pānaka – typically made with jaggery water and pepper, or fruit juice like lemonade.
Any sātvik food can be offered with great devotion by chanting the Narasimha Mantra. sātvik food is that food creates an internal calmness and balance, when one consumes it.
The lord graciously accepts devotees’ service and reverence. All worship should be followed by distribution of Prasāda or food offered to God.
How do we worship Lord Narasimha?
Lord Narasimha can be worshipped in two ways. The first is detailed below:
Along with firm faith, worship of Narasimha is associated with rigid criteria.
This is explained in detail below
1. ācharana ṣuddhi – Requires strict adherence to performance.
2. Cleanliness of ḍravya- physical things like utensils, lamps, ingredients.
3. Inner sanctity of five senses – body, intellect, mind, place, and act of worship
4. Chastity of Mind, speech and deeds unification, compassion, calmness of virtuous soul within. These are to prevent any glitches that might distract the mind while doing the worship.
5. Taking bath and starting with daily routine worship followed by pūja sankalpa-declaration to do worship, and completion without break with little or no food intake till then.
6. Bodily calmness in turn calms the mind. This helps to open up the channel that leads to internal visualization and realization of Narasimha.
These are things that keep body, mind and intellect in balance to further the pursuit of (worship til)attaining perfection.
7. Those who seek Salvation, do fasting till worship is over in the evening.Those who seek all types of desire fulfillment do fasting till the next day morning worship and follow with chanting of Narasimha mantra.
8. To do further, people could do hōma – oblation and read “Nrsimhatāpini ” upaniśad.
9. An idol of Narasimha can be donated to someone who has great respect and potential to worship the idol.
The second means of worship is detailed for those who find it difficult to adhere to the above strict rules, can do the following steps
1. ḍhyāna or meditation – along with imagining the worship of Narasimha with the above said flowers etc.
2. Acts of mind and soul offered to God is also oblation. This is equivalent to hōmam.
3.Various purifying actions performed during puja
a. snānha – ablution, pāna – intake of water and food offered to God
b. pādya – chant with clean and clear heart and intellect
c. arghya – water offered with respect from the river of faith
d. āchamana – water used for sipping same river
e. abhiśeka – for the lord
f. Mind filled with the flow of thoughts of God from the river of faith,
ṣraddha – as the water for cleansing.
4. ātma – Offer sacred soul which is inside the body.
5. bow and perform salutation with state of equanimity
6. ṣaranāgati– self surrender to the Lord
With pure mind and internal contemplation there is no need for external rituals to be performed. Pāramārthika or worship of realizing supreme alone with internal purity surpasses all other forms of worship. That is, true worship with internal purity is more powerful than the external rituals.
As part of worship, singing, listening to discourse is recommended at the end of the worship.
What is the power of worshipping Lord Narasimha?
Lord Narasimha destroys sins, grants virtues, grants moral religious merits, grants objects of human pursuit – Puruśhartha. The lord grants ultimate peace, knowledge, and joy. He fulfills wishes for the seekers of the worldly desires.
Insight about this incarnation of ṣri mahāviśnu:
The brilliant form of Narasimha is described as comprising of three entities. 1. Brahma from feet to naval, 2. Vishnu–naval to neck 3. Rudra–neck unto head., From there onwards– it is the supreme Godhead, Parabrahma.
Narasimha is personification of truth–perceived and experienced by those who are in the state of union with divine, and that, which is beyond senses – Yoga Samādhi.
The brilliant form of Narasimha is also considered and viewed as an internal phenomenon.
Please check with your local calendar to find out about the same.
Akshaya Tritiya ಅಕ್ಷಯ ತೃತಿಯಾ is the most important day in the hindu calendar. Akshaya means growth and tritiya is the third day of the month in Vaishaka Masa. They say that in order to perform any major function like marriage, gruhapravesha you don’t even have to check your horoscope for finding a good Muhurtham. Any ritual or religious function performed on this day leads to growth.
The Uttaradi matta panchanga also mentions it is very important to apply gandha ಗಂಧ to the Lord. So, if you have access to the same, please do that as well.
On this day, many ladies give thambula including blouse piece, and other items. Any thing you give or donate they say becomes akshaya. Meaning infinite or one that never diminishes.
So, if you have decided to do anything new this year, this is the right day to get started.
Image Credit: Our SBAT Rayaru in Maryland, golden Kavacha during Aaradhane.
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