Month: November 2015

A number of tales and holy rituals are associated with this pious day. Known as the day of illumination, Kartik Purnima fills life of one and all with the light of prosperity and luxuries.

The full Moon day in the month of Kartik is known as Kartik Purnima. This day is considered as one of the most auspicious days in India. On this day, people bathe in holy rivers. After taking bath, devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. Few people observe Satyanarayana Vrat on this day and perform Satyanarayana Katha. Apart from this, making donation and performing Rudrabhishek is considered auspicious on this day. Any auspicious ceremony performed on this day is considered to be equivalent to 10 Yajnas.

This festival is also known as Tripuri Purnima and Dev Diwali (Diwali of the Gods). The name ‘Tripuri Purnima’ has been derived from Tripurari, which is the name of the foe of Tripurasura. According to Hindu scriptures, Tripurari is the name given to Lord Shiva as he defeated Tripurasura. On this day, Lord Shiva incarnated himself as Tripurakanta and killed Tripurasura. In some legends describing Kartik Purnima, the term ‘Tripurari’ denotes the 3 sons of Tarakasur.

Tripurasura defeated all Gods and conquered the entire world. Apart from this, he created 3 cities in space and called them ‘Tripura’. Lord Shiva came to the rescue of Gods and killed Tripurasura. Other than this, he demolished Tripura with one arrow and pronounced the day to be celebrated as festival of illuminations. This day is also considered as Dev Diwali (Diwali of Gods).

Apart from this, Kartik Purnima is also known as the birthday of Matsya (incarnation of Lord Vishnu as fish). Also, it is the birthday of Vrinda who is the personification of Tulsi plant. Not only this; Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva and God of war was also born on this day.

On the other hand, this day has special importance for Goddess Radha, lover of Krishna (the incarnation of Lord Vishnu). It is believed that on this day, Lord Krishna worshiped Goddess Radha and performed Rasalila.

This day is also dedicated to the dead ancestors, known as Pitr.

The day of Kartik Purnima is associated with Prabodhini Ekadashi. Chaturmas, the 4 month period of Lord Vishnu’s sleep ends on the last day of Prabodhini Ekadashi. As an auspicious time begins with Prabodhini Ekadashi, many fairs begin from this day and end on Kartika Purnima. Day of Kartika Poornima is considered as the most important day of the fair. As the fair closes on this day, the festival is followed with the celebration including Prabodhini Ekadashi. Also, Kartik Purnima is the last day of Tulsi Vivah, which starts with Prabodhini Ekadashi.

On the day of Kartik Poornima, devotees take holy bath at sacred water body. This bath is considered as the most auspicious bath of the year and is known as ‘Kartik Snaan’. This bath is taken at sunrise as well as moonrise of the day.

In the evening after moonrise bath, devotees offer homage to the Almighty via 6 prayers, like Shiva Sambuti, Satait and allied prayers.

Annakoot (holy food) is offered to the Almighty at the place of worship. Any type of violence is prohibited on this day. Apart from this, hair cutting, shaving, tree cutting, flower and fruit plucking, crop cutting and sexual union are prohibited on this day. It is believed that making donation on this day fetches blessings of the Almighty. Especially, when one donates cows, feeds Brahmins and observes fast. Gifting gold is believed to fulfil all the wishes and desires.

Tripuri Purnima is celebrated just the day after Maha Shivratri. As this day is celebrated to commemorate the defeat of Tripurasura by Tripurari, Lord Shiva is worshipped. Lamps are lit at temples for the entire night, as it is the day of illumination. People light 360 or 720 wicks at the place of worship in hope of getting salvation after death. 720 wicks symbolize the 360 days and nights of the years. During this time, all religious and spiritual places become alive with the lights of lamps, especially the Ghats of Varanasi. Devotees give lamps to the priests as gift. This day is also known as ‘Kartika Diparatna’ and lamps look like jewels in the month of Kartik.

The Diyas are also flown in small boats in water. Area around holy trees like Tulsi, sacred Fig and Amla are also kept lighted. It is believed that this light of lamps help creatures like fishes, birds and insects in attaining salvation by seeing the holy light.

In the Rig Veda the goddess Usha is consistently associated with and often identified with the dawn. She reveals herself in the daily coming of light to the world. She has been described in the Rig Veda as a young maiden drawn by one hundred horses. She brings forth light and is followed by the sun who urges her onwards. She is praised for driving away, or is petitioned to drive away, the oppressive darkness. She is asked to chase away evil demons. As the dawn she is said to rouse all life, to set all things in motion and to send people off to do their duties. She sends the curled-up sleepers on their way to offer their sacrifices and thus render service to the other gods.

Usha gives strength and fame. She is that which impels life and is associated with the breath and life of all living creatures. She is associated with, or moves with cosmic, social and moral order. As the regularly recurring dawn she reveals and participates in cosmic order and is the foe of chaotic forces that threaten the world. Usha is generally held as an auspicious goddess associated with light and wealth, and is often likened to a cow.

In the Rig Veda she is also called ‘the mother of cows’ and like a cow that yields its udder for the benefit of people, so Usha bares her breasts to bring light for the benefit of human kind. Although she is usually described as a young and beautiful maiden, she is also called ‘the mother of the gods and the ashwins’. Considered as mother by her petitioners she tends to all things like a good matron and goddess of the earth. She is said to be ‘the eye of the gods’ and is referred to as ‘she who sees all’, but is rarely invoked to forgive human transgressions. It is more typical to invoke her in times of need to drive away or punish one’s enemies.

Usha is known as the goddess, reality or presence that bears away youth. She is described as ‘a skilled huntress who wastes away the lives of people’. In accordance with the ways of Rita she wakes all living things but does not disturb the person who sleeps in death. As the recurring dawn, Usha is not only celebrated for bringing light from darkness, she is also petitioned to grant long life, as she is a constant reminder of peoples’ limited time on earth. She is the mistress or marker of time.

The ancient Vedic tradition has viewed Usha as the harbinger of light, awareness, activity. People divided time into the form of day and night. At night all creation rests and in the day the whole of creation is active. The transformation which takes place from night to day is known to be the attribute of Usha, the awareness that stirs up the activity of creation, the light that gives sight to the eyes, that gives power to the senses, that gives power to the mind and intellect, Usha has been regarded as the light, or the dawn of human consciousness.

Another goddess commonly referred to in the Rig Veda is the goddess Prithvi who is nearly always associated with the earth, the terrestrial sphere where human beings live. In the Rig Veda furthermore she is always coupled with Dyaus the male deity associated with the sky. So dependent are these two deities in the Rig Veda that Prithvi is rarely addressed alone but almost always as part of the dual compound Dyaus-Prithvi, Sky-Earth. Together they are said to kiss the centre of the world. They sanctify each other in their complementary relationship. Together they are said to be the universal parents who created the world and the gods. As might be expected, Dyaus is often called ‘father’ and Prithvi ‘mother’.

In addition to her maternal productive characteristics, Prithvi usually, along with Dyaus in the Rig Veda is praised for her supportive nature. She is frequently called ‘firm’, ‘she who upholds and supports all things’. She encompasses all things, is broad and wide, and is motionless. Although elsewhere she is said to move freely, Prithvi with Dyaus is often petitioned for wealth, riches and power. The waters they produce together are described as ‘fat, full, nourishing and fertile’. They are also petitioned to protect people from danger, to expiate sin and to bring happiness. Together they represent a wide, firm realm of abundance and safety, a realm pervaded by the order of Rita, which they strengthen and nourish. They are un-wasting, inexhaustible and rich in gems.

In a funeral hymn the dead one is asked to go now to the lap of his mother earth, Prithvi who is described as gracious and kind. She is asked not to press down too heavily upon the dead person but to cover him gently as a mother covers her child with her skirt. The most extended hymn in praise of Prithvi in vedic literature is found in the Atharva Veda. The hymn is dedicated to Prithvi alone and no mention is made of Dyaus. The mighty god Indra is her consort and prefects her from all dangers. Vishnu strides over her, and Parjanya. Prajapati and Vishwakarma all either protect her, provide for her or are her consorts. Agni is said to pervade her. Despite this association with male deities, the hymn makes it clear that Prithvi is a great deity in her own right. The hymn repeatedly emphasises Prithvi’s fertility. She is the source of all plants, crops, and nourishes all creatures that live upon her. She is described as patient and strong, supporting the wicked and the good, the demons and the gods, She is frequently addressed as ‘Mother’ and is called to nurse all living things.