Devshayani Ekadashi

Ashadh Ekadashi also known as Devshayani Ekadashi, Padma Ekadashi, Ashadhi, Maha Ekadashi, Prathama Ekadashi or Hari Shayani Ekadashi is celebrated by Hindus on the eleventh day of the Shukla Paksha.  In Telugu, it is known as Toli Ekadashi.

देवउठनी एकादशी पर क्यों होता है तुलसी विवाह?

आज कार्तिक मास के शुक्ल पक्ष की एकादशी है। कहते है भगवान विष्णु अपनी चार महीने की निद्रा से आज उठते है इसीलिए इसे देवउठनी एकादशी या  प्रबोधिनी एकादशी भी कहा जाता है ।

भगवान विष्‍णु को जगाने का मंत्र 

भगवान् को निंद्रा से उठाने के लिए इस मन्त्र का जप करें, अगर उच्चारण न कर पाए तो 'उठो देवा, जागो देवा, बैठो देवा' कहकर श्रीनारायण को उठाएं।

उत्तिष्ठ गोविन्द त्यज निद्रां जगत्पतये। त्वयि सुप्ते जगन्नाथ जगत् सुप्तं भवेदिदम्॥
उत्थिते चेष्टते सर्वमुत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ माधव। गतामेघा वियच्चैव निर्मलं निर्मलादिशः॥
शारदानि च पुष्पाणि गृहाण मम केशव।

तुलसी विवाह क्यों?

प्रबोधिनी एकादशी के दिन तुलसी जी का विवाह भगवान शालिग्राम के साथ करवाने की भी परंपरा है।

देवशयनी एकदाशी..

आज आषाढ़ मास की शुक्ल पक्ष की एकादशी तिथि है। इस एकादशी को शास्त्रों में देवशयनी एकदाशी, पद्म एकदाशी, हरी शयनी एकदाशी या आषाढी एकदाशी कहा गया है। कहते है आज के दिन भगवान् विष्णु चार मास के लिए योग निद्रा करने जाते है और देवप्रबोधिनी एकदाशी के दिन उठते है।

Who delivered the Green Tea?

I had ordered green tea from Amazon on Saturday. And on Sunday I got the message that it has been handed directly to the customer, although I haven't received it. I checked with my roommate, neighbor and the security guard,  they were clueless about it.

Later, I called the Amazon Customer support team, they said it will take atleast 1 business day to check with the courier team. I called them again yesterday, they assured that they will get back to me on Tuesday. 

Morning Stroll with Lord Krishna(02-12-2018)

Love these Hibiscus (Gudhal) flowers

Tum haath pakadna mera jab main boodha ho jaaun..

We all have a few dreams, which might look laugh-worthy, stupid, funny or foolish from someone else perspective, but they hold a special place in your heart. One of the dreams in my bucket list, is to sing 'Tujhe Suraj Kahoon Ya Chanda', while holding my baby.

Damodarastakam (दामोदर अष्टकम) lyrics and translation in Hindi & English..

Lord Krishna declares Kartik Maas to be his favorite month in the Padma Purana's Uttara Khanda. It is also believed to represent Shri Radha Rani, who is most dear to Lord Krishna. I recently came across the 'Damodarastakam,' a wonderful, amazing prayer that Krsna followers all over the world read, recite, and sing every autumn during the holy month of Kartik (also known as the month of Damodara or Damodar Maas).

In Sanskrit, Damodara literally means 'Rope tied around the belly' where 'Dam' refers to a rope or cord and 'udara' refers to the stomach.

IN PICS: Mahabharat's Krishna aka Saurabh Raaj Jain

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Mokshada Ekadashi..

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Mokshada Ekadashi
Mokshada Ekadashi is the most special Ekadashi, which falls on the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in Margashirsh month.

Mokshada Ekadashi Also Referred As ‘Gita Jayanti’
Lord Krishna preached Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna during the Kurukshetra War. Hence Mokshada Ekadashi is also referred to as Gita Jayanti.

Mokshada Ekadasi’s Significance
In ‘Brahmanda Purana’, Shri Krishna described Mokshada Ekadasi’s significance to Yudhishtira.


Yudhisthira asked, “O Krishna!! please tell me for the benefit of all living entities, what is the name of the Ekadashi that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Margashirsha and removes all sins? How does one observe it?”

ALSO READ  : Damodarastakam lyrics and translation..

To which Bhagwaan Krishna replied, “Dear Yudhishthira, I shall tell you about this Ekadashi that is famous as Mokshada as it purifies the faithful devotee of all sinful reactions and bestows liberation. The worshipable Deity of this day is Lord Damodara. One should worship Him with incense, a ghee lamp, fragrant flowers and Tulasi buds."

Krishna further added, "O Yudhishthira, whosoever strictly observes the sacred Mokshada Ekadashi, achieves full and perfect liberation after death. There is no better fasting day than this Ekadashi of the light fortnight of the month of Margashirsha. Whoever faithfully observes this fast, obtains special merit that can elevate one from hellish life to the heavenly planets, and for one who observes Ekadashi for his own spiritual benefit, this elevates one to go back to Godhead, never to return to this material world.”

It is believed that observing this Ekadasi fast helps in granting heaven for the souls of dead ancestors which helps in prosperity for the living ones.

According to The Vishnu Purana, fasting on Vaikuntha Ekadashi is equivalent to fasting on the remaining 23 Ekadashis of the (Hindu) year.

On this day Lord Vishnu opened Vaikunta dwar for two demons in spite of them being against the Lord. They also asked for the boon that those listen to their story and see the Vaikunth Dwar will reach Vaikunth as well!

Mokshada Ekadashi Katha
Once there was a beautiful city called Champakanagar, inhabited by devoted Vaishnavas. Maharaj Vaikhanasa, ruled over his subjects as if they were his own children. The brahmins were all expert in Vedic knowledge.

King Vaikanasa had a dream one night in which his father was suffering in hell, which is ruled over by Yamaraj. The next morning, Maharaj Vaikhanasa described what he had seen in his dream to his council of ministers.

He told them his father was crying out to him to deliver him from that hellish condition. He said that even his own wife and sons, have become a source of unhappiness since he saw his father suffering the tortures. He asked them to tell him what kind of charity, what mode of fasting, what austerity, or what else he may have to perform to deliver his father from that agony.

The ministers replied, “In the nearby mountainous forest is the ashram of Parvata Muni. He is trikala jnani (Parvata Muni has the ability to visualize past, present and futur) and can help you.”

On getting this advice, the suffering King Vaikanasa immediately went to the ashram of Parvata Muni. The king saw Parvata Muni seated among the assembly of sages adorned with hundreds of tilaks like another Brahma or Vyasa.

Maharaj Vaikhanasa offered his modest obeisance’s to the sage. After the king was seated, the Parvata Muni asked him about the welfare of his kingdom.

The king replied,”hey Muni Shree!!..by your mercy my kingdom is doing very well. But there is a problem that has arisen, and to solve it I have come to you, for help.”

Parvata Muni, then closed his eyes and meditated on the king’s past, present and future. After a few moments he said, “Your father is suffering the results of committing a great sin. In his previous life he quarrelled with his wife and forcibly enjoyed her sexually during her menstrual period. It is on account of this sin that your father is now suffering.”

King Vaikhanasa then asked, “How may I liberate my father from such a condition?’ Parvata Muni replied, ‘During the light fortnight of the month of Margashirsha there occurs an Ekadashi called Mokshada. If you observe it with a full fast, and give directly to your suffering father the merit you will thus obtain, he will be freed of his torment.”

After thanking Parvata Muni, Maharaj Vaikhanasa returned to his palace. When the light part of the month of Margashirsha arrived, Maharaj Vaikhanasa waited for the Ekadashi tithi to arrive. With full faith he observed the Ekadashi fast with his wife, children, and other relatives. He gave the merit from this fast to his father. The king’s father was then praised by the messengers of the devas and escorted to the celestial region.

Finally, the king’s father reached the heavenly realm from where he could again with his newly acquired merit perform devotional service to Krishna and in due course return back home, back to Godhead.

Mokshada Ekadashi Dates

• 2021: 14 December (Tuesday)
• 2015: 21 December(Monday)
• 2014: 02 December(Tuesday)
• 2013: 13 December(Friday) 

Tulsi Vivaah...

Today in our India, festival of Tulsi Vivaah is celebrated. Tulsi Vivaah is the marriage of tulsi plant with lord Vishnu or his incarnation Krishna. From the 11th moonlit fortnight, also known as Prabhodini or Devuthni Gyarash [Dev + Utnhi + Gyarash means God(…Dev) wakes up(..uthna) on 11th (…Gyarah) day after Diwali], till the full moon or Pournima of kartik for five days, there continues a tradition of a ritual marriage of the tulsi with Krishna.

Tulsi or tulas is the herb plant and regarded as a holy household plant in our India. It is believed to be a destroyer of demons and evil spirits. Unmarried girls worship it for a happy married life(...unmarried guys wont pray? they dont want happy married life?), married women to be blessed with children and widows to attain salvation(….I think Widower already got salvation that’s why only Widows are supposed to do all the rituals).

It is difficult to find a Hindu house without the Tulsi Vrindavan (…Pedestal). Earlier the pedestal where the tulsi was planted was manually made of clay. Watering the Tulsi Vrindavan, applying sandalwood paste, turmeric and red powder (…kumkum) and also adorning it with flowers and lamps is a tradition observed even today among Hindu women.

During chavath, a canopy(…a.k.a matoli in some places) is erected in front of the Tulsi vrundavan with a variety of fruits and flowers. The Prabodhini ekadishi (….or Devuthni Gyarash)is celebrated as vhodli or dev diwali or choti diwali. It marks the conclusion of chaturmas, a four month period when Lord Vishnu is believed to take a long sleep on ashad shuddha ekadashi and awakens on kartik shuddha ekadashi. Tulsi lagna(…Tusli Marriage) is one of the most important festivals. No marriage ceremony will be held before Tulsi lagna as it does not enjoy religious sanction among Hindus. The clay pedestal(…Tulsi Vrindavan) has today been replaced by a concrete one that varies in shape, size and color. Every year before the Tulsi lagna, the pedestal is painted and decorated. In rural areas, women make square shaped pedestals of clay and apply a paste of cow dung to them. This Tulsi Vrindavan is then decorated with wild flowers and yellow coloured marigold. On tulsi lagna, a tender stick of dino (Leea indica or Bandicoot berry) is brought and designs carved on it.



DINO or Leea Indica

This dino stick symbolically represents the bride groom of the tulsi vrindavan. The Tulsi vrindavan is decorated like a bride. Inside the pedestal in some areas a wild plants along with pods is planted which is decorated with marigold flowers. A stem of sugarcane is also planted. Fruits of Amla (Emblica Officinalis) and Tamarind (…Tamarindus indica) are placed inside the pedestal. Head gears made from pseudo banana stems are tied during the marriage ceremony to the Tulsi as well as dino plants. Akshatas(… or rice grains) are thrown to solemnize the marriage. All marriage rituals are performed on this occasion. Chanting of holy hymns known as mangalashtakas accord a sense of sanctity, associating it with the feelings of having performed a pious deed.

In some areas after solemnizing the marriage, married women light lakshavat ( … wicks of hands spun cotton threads on banana pseudo-stems). The wick bundles (…alos known as Jodvi) are allowed to burn completely. Women then go round the pedestal performing Pradakshina. Married women fast for two days, on tulsi vivah and the day prior to it. They eat vegetarian food which mainly consist of sweet potatoes, tuber roots, fruits and sweet dishes.

Cheers,

-K Himaanshu Shuklaa..

Read More:

• Lyrics & Translation of Jago Durga..
• अबकी बार किस वाहन से आएंगी-जाएंगी मां दुर्गा ?
• देवशयनी एकदाशी..
• पितृगमन और माँ दुर्गा की यात्रा के आरम्भ का दिन है महालया
• देवउठनी एकादशी पर क्यों होता है तुलसी विवाह?
• Tulsi Vivaah...