GRAHANA – FOR
9HRS BEFORE THE START OF A LUNAR ECLIPSE, AND FOR 12HRS
BEFORE START OF SOLAR ECLIPSE, NEITHER SRADDHA NOR MEALS ARE ALLOWED: ONLY
AFTER THE ECLIPSE HAS FINALIZED, THE PERSON HAS TO TAKE A BATH AND THEN- MEAL
IS ALLOWED.
Since ancient times, Grahanas or Eclipses of the Sun
and the Moon have been looked upon as sacred
occasions. Bath
before and after the Grahana, fasting, worship of one's deity, giving gifts and
breaking the fast only after cooking the food a fresh after the eclipse are
generally prescribed for all the eclipses.
People offer libations
to the souls of their departed ancestors and offer, water to the Sun
and the Moon. On
the occasion of the eclipse people observe strict fast. People in general are
prohibited from sleeping, going to the toilet and touching the image of a deity.
Bhajan, kirtan, Jap, meditation, recitation of scriptures, bathing, charity,
libation to the dead ancestor's etc., are highly recommended during the eclipse.
It is an inter- related to the 13 month. This
month, in which the sun does not move from one position of sign into the
other, is know as Mal-mas. This generally occurs
after every 32 months, 16 days and 1hr and 46 Mts.
And the Moon in which the sun passes into
another sign- twice is known as Kshaya- mas. This
occurs after 141 years and then after 19yrs.
During the Mal- mas religious ceremonies should
be done. The fasts observed and the charity performed during the Mal-mas are
said to highly auspicious. During this time sins are destroyed. Gifts of ghee,
grain and jaggery should be given to the Brahmins in charity.
In Mal-mas marriages are
not performed, but libations and oblation are specially offered to the
pitrus. When Mal-mas occurs in the month of Vaishaka or
Jeth and Ashadh months, this are considered inauspicious.
The month of Chaitra is
medium. In the rest of the months it is always good.
Gayatari
Anushthan
One japams of Gayatri destroys the day's sin
and 10 Japams of Gayatari destroys day and night sins.
One hundred of Gayatri Japams destroys one
month's sins.
One thousand of japams destroys one-year sins.
One lakh of Japams destroys the sins of the
past birth.
Ten lakhs of Japams destroys the sins of the
other birth.
One hundred Lakhs of Japams destroys the sins
of all the birth.
Anusthan can be started in any month. Panchmi
the 5th tithi, Ekadashi the 11th
tithi and Purnima the full
Moon day are considered auspicious days to begin them.
The Durga, Saraswati
and Laxmi are prominent on these days.
The months of Ashwin
and Chaitra are also auspicious.The first tithi of
the Shukla Paksha to Navmi
and Chaitra is the best time for Gayatri Sadhana.
SOMAVATI –
AMAVASYA
When amavasya falls on a
Monday, it is considered very holy. On this day
if a woman worships Vishnu and Laksmi under an
asvattha tree and circumambulates it 108 times, she will get good children and
also destroy her sins.
SANKRANTIS –
SUN'S INGRESS IN A SIGN
Sankranti occurring during daylight, it should be
observed as closely as possible to the day. After
sunset, it is kept on the first day in the case of Sankrantis occurring before
midnight: otherwise, next day. When at midnight, it may be kept, at either
day.
Sankaranti means solar ingress, which means the
entry of the Sun into the first point of a sign of the Zodiac.
The most important are those into the four
cardinal movable signs Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. When Sankranti
occurs during daylight, it should be observed as closely as possible to the
day.
After sunset, it is kept on the first day in
the case of Sankranti occurring before midnight: otherwise, next day. When at
midnight, it may be kept, at either day.
Sankaranthi in the forenoon signifies
destruction and it is bad time for Kshatriyas. At noon, grief and bad time for
Brahmins In the after-noon it indicates well being and for Vaisyas
And at night prosperity and at sunset (between
4.30 and 6.00pm) to Sudras.
Sankaranti, which occurs between Pisces and
cancer – the earth gets heated intensely, People who give in charity cool
water, will get happiness for 14 Indras life periods. Person becomes devoted
to Lord Shiva and energetic and expert in Vedas.
Sankaranti, which occurs at Pradosha time,
adversely affects devils and spirits; this encounters evil FORCES if it occurs
at mid night.
Sankaranti occurring after midnight shows ill
effect for the dancers.
Sankaranti occurring at daybreak, this will
effect the shepherds.
Sankaranti into the Sign of Aries during the
daytime creates unrest and rise in prices.
Sankaranti into Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn
causes destruction of sins.
Sankaranti into Sagittarius, Pisces and Aries
denotes out break of war.
Sankaranti into Libra, Gemini and Aquarius is
auspicious.
Sankaranti into Scorpio, Cancer or Leo gives
wealth.
Sankrama on a Sunday – signifies little
rainfall and disastrous for cows.
Person who performs the worship of the Sun on Sunday's
Sankranti (when the Sun goes from one sign to another) and the bright seventh
Tithi, according to due rules and ceremonies and eats the food called
Havisyanna (rice boiled in ghee), dwells in the Suryaloka for 14 Indra's life
periods. And he becomes free from all diseases and becomes prosperous.
On a Monday – prosperity and bad time
for Vaisyas. On
a Tuesday – unrest and harmful. On
a Wednesday – storm and bad for rulers.
On Thursday – Growth of medicinal Herbs.
On Friday – rainfall and bad
for cows. On Saturday –
Universal calamity.
TAURUS, LEO, SCOPRIO, AQUARIUS, SANKRANTIS
(STHIRA RASI) ARE CALLED VISHNUPADA.
GEMINI, VIRGO, SAGITTURIUS, PISICES
(DVISVABHAVA RASIS) ARE CALLED SHADASITI PUNYAKALA
ARIES AND LIBRA SANKRANTIS ARE CALLED VISHUVAT
PUNYAKALA. CANCER AND CAPRICORN SANKRANTIS ARE RESPECTIVELY CALLED
DAKSHINAYANA AND UTTARAYANA PUNYAKALA
MAKAR SANKRANTI-
MAGH JAN
SALUTATIONS and adoration's to the Supreme Lord, the
primordial power that divided the year into the four seasons. Salutations to
Surya, the Sun God, who on this great day embarks on his northward journey.
The Sanskrit term "Shankramana" means "to
begin to move". The day on which the sun begins to move northwards is
called Makara Shankranti.
Among the Tamilians in South India this festival is called
the Pongal. To many people, especially the Tamilians, Makara Shankranti ushers
in the New Year.
The corn that is harvested is cooked for the first time on
that day. Joyous festivities mark the celebration in every home. Servants,
farmers and the poor are fed and clothed and given presents. On the next day,
the cow, which is regarded as the symbol of the Holy Mother, is worshipped.
Then there is the feeding of birds and animals.
As Shankranti is also the beginning of the month, Brahmins
offer oblations to departed ancestors. Thus, all the great sacrifices enjoined
upon man find their due place in this grand celebration.
To the spiritual aspirants this day has a special
significance. The six-month period during which the sun travels northwards is
highly favorable to them in their march towards the goal of life.
When the renowned Bhishma, the grandfather of the Pandavas,
was fatally wounded during the war of the Mahabharata, he waited on his
deathbed of arrows for the onset of this season, before finally departing from
the earth-plane. Let us on this great day pay our homage to him and strive to
become men of firm resolve.
As already mentioned, this is the Pongal festival in South
India. It is closely connected with agriculture. To the agriculturist, it is a
day of triumph. Symbolically, the first harvest is offered to the
Almighty—and that is Pongal. To toil was his task, his duty, but the fruit
is now offered to the Lord. This is the spirit of Karma Yoga.
The first day is Bhogi Pongal, the Pongal of Joy. On this
day people exchange visits sweets and presents.
The second day is Surya-Pongal. This day is dedicated to the
Sun. People get up early in the morning and first of all have their baths.
Married women then put rice to boil in milk. This is then
offered to sun and Ganesh and a portion of it is also given to the cows.
The third Pongal – the cows and oxen are worshipped. Their
horns are painted in various colors, and garlands of flowers are hung round
their necks.
The day prior to the Makara Shankranti is called the Bhogi
festival. On this day, old, worn-out and dirty things are discarded and burnt.
Homes are cleaned and whitewashed and lovely designs are drawn with rice-flour
on the door front. The roads are swept clean.
When the milk in which the rice is being cooked boils over,
the ladies and the children assemble round the pot and shout with great joy
and devotion, "Pongal Pongal!"
WOMEN prepare various special dishes, like sweet rice, sour
rice, rice with coconut, etc., and take them to the bank of a river or tank.
They feed the birds, fish and other creatures with the various items. It is a
very colorful ceremony. Crows appear in large numbers and partake of the food.
They call their mates before beginning to eat. All the time a valuable lesson
is driven into our minds—"Share what you have with all".
Both these days, which are family re-union days, are
regarded as being inauspicious for travel. This is to prevent us from going
away from home on such days.
When you celebrate the Shankranti or Pongal in this manner,
your sense of value changes. You begin to understand that your real wealth is
the goodwill and friendship of your relatives, friends, neighbors and
servants.
Hindus celebrate Makar Sankranti on 12th Jan
and between 14th Jan. The Sun in this rashi bestows the Merit to those who
follow the rules of the festival, which includes having a bath in the rivers
or tanks. Worship of the Sun by offering Water to the Sun God. Till ladoos are
made. Sankranti is sometimes identified with Durga herself.
The 'punyakala' (auspicious time) in a Sankranti is generally spread over 6 hours and 24 minutes), on either side of
the actual moment of crossing of the Sun from previous rasi into the next.
This time is to be used for fasting, japa and Dana (giving gifts) only and not
for anything else.
It is a day of charity: - Khichri. (Rice and Moong Dal mixed)
Ghee or Cooking oil. Salt. Papad. Till ladoos are offered. Some rice and water
in a small Vessel are offered to the birds. On this particular day, the
housewife performs the puja in the morning.
The rites prescribed for Makara
Sankranti are to take a bath and make offerings with water to gods and manes,
fasting, homa and gifts to worthy Brahmins and other deserving persons.
