Eibar sango holo pujor bela...
Aaj Bijoyadasami. It is the tenth day today, after the
nine auspicious nights (Navratr or Navratri).
Aaj Dasha-hara (Dussehra, Dashera,
Vijaya Dashami, Dasara, or Dashain).
Tai, wish you all a Shubh Dussehra. Shubh Vijayadasami.
Shubho Bijoya-r priti o shubhechcha.
Ayigiri Nandini Nandita Medini
by Gayathri Devi and Saindhavi:
Dasha-hara is Sanskrit, and means "remover
of negativity".
May
Maa Durga help subdue all the negativity within and around us. May She dispel the darkness within us. May She bless
us with inner power, peace and determination.
May the divine Mother, the Mother
of this Creation and the Energy behind the cosmos, Maa Durga (or Maa
Shakti) bless us with the bounty of eternal bliss of self-realization
i.e. Sat-cit-ānanda (pronounced as: sach-chid-ānanda). Sat describes an
essence that is pure and timeless; cit is consciousness; ānanda
is absolute bliss.
May the devi bless us all; may She
bestow upon us the gift of perception and introspection. May She destroy all
negative (aasuric) traits within us, such as: selfishness, jealousy, greed,
resentment, prejudice, hatred and anger. May the divine Mother free us
from ego (ahamkara). May She fill our lives with goodness (daaivic or
noble traits) and positivity. May our lives resonate with joy, peace, love,
hope, humility, kindness, empathy and truth. May Maa Durga the
"Durgatinashini" (the eliminator of sufferings) eliminate our
sufferings and remove all hurdles in the path of knowledge and reason. May the
three-eyed (Triyambake) Maa Bhavani (the Mother of this Bhuvan;
the one who can "see" the past, the present and the future) open our
mind's eye (manas chokhshu or divya drishti).
Yaa Devii Sarva-Bhutessu Buddhi-Ruupenna Samsthitaa |
Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah ||8||
Yaa Devii Sarva-Bhutessu Shakti-Ruupenna Samsthitaa |
Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah ||12||
Yaa Devii Sarva-Bhutessu Shaanti-Ruupenna Samsthitaa |
Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah ||17||
Yaa Devii Sarva-Bhutessu Shraddhaa-Ruupenna Samsthitaa |
Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah ||18||
Yaa Devii Sarva-Bhutessu Dayaa-Ruupenna Samsthitaa |
Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah ||23||
Yaa Devii Sarva-Bhutessu Maatr-Ruupenna Samsthitaa |
Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah ||25||
[Ya Devi Sarvabhutesu - from Devi Mahatmyam]
The Gayathri Manthra:
May Shri Hanuman bless us always and remove
all difficulties (sankatmochan) from our lives:
manojavaM mArutatulya vegaM,
jitendriyaM buddhimatAM varishThaM ।
vAtAtmajaM vAnarayuth mukhyaM,
shri rAm dutaM sharaNaM prapadye ॥
[Translated: I seek refuge (sharaNaM prapadye) in Shri Ram's Envoy (shri rAm dutaM); who is swift as thought (manojavaM), powerful and swift as the
wind (mArutatulya vegaM), in control of his senses (jitendriyaM), supremely intelligent (buddhimatAM varishThaM), commander of the army of
forest-dwellers (vAnarayuth mukhyaM), and son of the wind-god (vAtAtmajaM).]
Jai
Bajrangbali!
[Please note: the "son" of the wind-god or
Pavandev = a metaphor. Shri Hanuman was the finest pilot of his era. Yes, the Ramayan clearly refers to various types of air-crafts. The Ramayan is not "mythology" or "epic" but the
comprehensive itihasa (history) of the 2nd era - the Treta Yug.
The 2nd Pandav, Bheem, too was the finest pilot of his era - the Dwapar Yug, i.e. the 3rd era. And hence Bheem and Shri Hanuman are "brothers".]
The 2nd Pandav, Bheem, too was the finest pilot of his era - the Dwapar Yug, i.e. the 3rd era. And hence Bheem and Shri Hanuman are "brothers".]
Sri Hanumaan Chalisa by Pt. Rajan and Sajan Mishra:
Shri Ram Jay Ram - Pt. Bhimsen Joshi and Lata
Mangeshkar (Bhajan):
Sri Ram Sloka:
॥ जय श्री राम ॥
ईश्वर उवाच
श्री राम राम रामेति रमे राम मनोरमे ।
सहस्त्रनाम ततुल्यं राम नाम वरानने ॥
श्री रामनाम वरानन ॐ नमः इति ॥
ईश्वर उवाच
श्री राम राम रामेति रमे राम मनोरमे ।
सहस्त्रनाम ततुल्यं राम नाम वरानने ॥
श्री रामनाम वरानन ॐ नमः इति ॥
॥ Jai Shri Ram ॥ Īśvara uvaacha: Sri Ram Ram Rameti Rame Ram Manorame । Sahastranaam ta tuliyam Ram naam Varaanane ॥ Shri Ram naam Varaanan AUM Namah Iti ॥
[Glory to Shri Ram. Īśvara uvaacha: The very name of Shri Ram is serene, it gladdens the heart and touches the soul. This name has many hues. Uttering the name of Shri Ram once is equivalent to chanting a sloka or a hymn a thousand times. This is because of Shri Ram's greatness and the glory of His deeds, His keerti, due to which He has been accepted by the people of the Treta Yug (the second era) ... and beyond as an "avatar" or a "manifestation" of the cosmic force or energy - known as "Vishnu". And since the cosmic energies known as "Shiv" and "Vishnu" are one and the same, therefore, the name of Shri Ram encompasses Creation Itself. AUM. We bow to thee.]
[Glory to Shri Ram. Īśvara uvaacha: The very name of Shri Ram is serene, it gladdens the heart and touches the soul. This name has many hues. Uttering the name of Shri Ram once is equivalent to chanting a sloka or a hymn a thousand times. This is because of Shri Ram's greatness and the glory of His deeds, His keerti, due to which He has been accepted by the people of the Treta Yug (the second era) ... and beyond as an "avatar" or a "manifestation" of the cosmic force or energy - known as "Vishnu". And since the cosmic energies known as "Shiv" and "Vishnu" are one and the same, therefore, the name of Shri Ram encompasses Creation Itself. AUM. We bow to thee.]
Let me end this post with the following sloka:
॥ हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण
कृष्ण हरे हरे । हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ॥
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare |
Hare Ram Hare Ram
Ram Ram Hare Hare ||
My humble attempt at translating the above couplet: "Hare" is Hari, i.e. Shri Vishnu, the name our ancients gave to one of the major force or energy behind the cosmos. "Hari" means green. Another major force or energy behind the cosmos is "Shiv", who is also known as "Hara" and that too means "green". Vishnu and Shiv are "Hari-Hara"; one and the same. The two "avatars" - Shri Ram and Shri Krishna are one and the same (i.e., "avatars" of Hari or Shri Vishnu, and by default that of Shiv as well - since Shiv and Vishnu are one and the same). Shri Ram and Sri Krishna have been accepted by the people of the Treta Yug (the second era) and the Dwapar Yug (the third era) ... and beyond - as "manifestations" of the cosmic forces or energies - known as "Shiv" and "Vishnu". This was due to the greatness of their deeds (Karm Yog and keerti) - that helped maintain the balance in society, thereby also helping civilization to flourish well. Both, Shri Ram and Shri Krishna have prayed to that immense (feminine) force or energy behind the cosmos, the one that our ancients called: "Maa Shakti".
In the Treta Yug (the 2nd era), Shri Ram invoked Maa Shakti or Maa Durga and sought her blessings. Until then, our ancients invoked the divine Mother during the month of Chaitra (Chaitra maas). Shri Ram invoked Her before time - Akal Bodhan (untimely invocation). Since then, the divine Mother is being worshiped during the month of Ashwin (Ashwin maas) instead of during the month of Chaitra. This also helped agriculturists or farmers. Here's why: The idols were made of soil, mud or terracotta taken from the banks of the sacred river Ganga (Maa Ganga;
whose waters are known for their bactericidal properties) or its many tributaries. The colours
used on the idols were derived from nature (i.e. they were natural or
vegetable colours, prepared from leaves, flowers, vegetables and their
extracts, and even from rocks, stones and kohl or kajal).
On the tenth day, when the idols were immersed in various water-bodies
(visharjan), the mud and colours of the idols blended with the waters
and killed harmful germs. This water was then used by the farmers to
irrigate their fields. Thus, the waters acted as natural insecticide or
pesticide (no chemicals were used as pesticide or fertilizer). The same thoughts and principles were applicable for all idols that were worshiped throughout the year. Also, unlike what is done these days, our ancients did not
use chemicals to prepare patakas (crackers) that were burst during the puja season. They used natural ingredients; and that kept the noise level at a minimum, while the smoke emitted by these patakas killed many harmful insects. The festivals (e.g. Holi) and the pujas (e.g. Dussehra/Durga Puja or Diwali/Kali Puja, etc) were also done keeping in mind the various seasons and what they signified (e.g. ailments, crop sowing or harvesting and so on) - and accordingly a natural "remedy" was employed. Even the colours used during Holi were herbal or natural colours, made from specific leaves, flowers, vegetables and their
extracts; and they not only killed the germs (in the air, soil or the waters) but also improved the immunity of the people (since they applied these colours on each other). Also: specific diet was followed during each season, and this automatically raised the immunity levels and ensured good health.
Shubh Dussehra. Shubh Vijayadasami.
Shubho Bijoya-r priti o shubhechcha.
For further reading:
1. You may read Shubho Mahalaya - Maa aaschhen: HERE.
2. The
ever-mesmerizing Bhavani Dayani can be read: HERE.
3. Shubho Maha
Saptami: Who or rather what are Maa Adi Shakti and Maa Kaalraatri? can be read: HERE.
4. Do read Joi Maa
Durga: Notes on "Idol Worship" (Part-I): HERE.
Pictures: Found while trawling the net, don't remember the links :(
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