Posts Tagged ‘Care’
Posted by kathavarta on October 22, 2008
Day: 1: Dhanteras
www.KathaVarta.org has already published one post regarding this 1st day of the Diwali Celebration, visit Dhanvantari: First Teacher of Ayurveda.
Dhanteras marks the first day of five-days-long Diwali Festival. Dhanteras Festival, also known as Dhantrayodashi or Dhanwantari Triodasi, falls on the auspicious thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the Hindu month of Kartik (October/November). In the word Dhanteras, “Dhan” stands for wealth. On Dhanteras Goddess Laxmi is worshiped to provide prosperity and well being. Hence Dhan Teras holds a lot more significance for the business community.
Dhanteras Legends
A very interesting story about Dhanteras Festival says that once the sixteen year old son of King Hima. was doomed to die by a snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage as per his horoscope. On that particular fourth day of his marriage his young wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid all the ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a big heap at the entrance of her husband’s boudoir and lighted innumerable lamps all over the place. And she went on telling stories and singing songs.
When Yama, the god of Death arrived there in the guise of a Serpent his eyes got blinded by that dazzle of those brilliant lights and he could not enter the Prince’s chamber. So he climbed on top of the heap of the ornaments and coins and sat there whole night listening to the melodious songs. In the morning he quietly went away. Thus the young wife saved her husband from the clutches of death. Since then this day of Dhanteras came to be known as the day of “Yamadeepdaan” and lamps are kept burning throughout the night in reverential adoration to Yam, the god of Death.
According to another popular legend, when the gods and demons churned the ocean for Amrit or nectar, Dhanavantri (the physician of the gods and an incarnation of Vishnu) emerged carrying a jar of the elixir on the day of Dhanteras.
Dhanteras Preparations
To mark the auspicious day, houses and business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the nights.
Dhanteras Traditions
On Dhanteras Hindus consider it auspicious to purchase gold or silver articles or at least one or two new utensils. It is believed that new “Dhan” or some form of precious metal is a sign of good luck. “Laxmi-Puja” is performed in the evenings when tiny Diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. “Bhajans”-devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are also sung.
Dhanteras Celebrations
Dhanteras is celebrated with gusto and enthusiasm. “Lakshmi-Puja” is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. Bhajans ir devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and “Naivedya” of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya.
In villages cattle are adorned and worshiped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshiped on this day.
Source: www.diwalifestival.org, you can also visit www.etirth.com for more religious stories.
Posted in Hindu story, Katha, Religious, Story for Adult, Varta | Tagged: Ancient peoples, Ayurveda, Care, Dhanteras, Dhanvantari, Faith, Festival, God, Health, Help, Hindu, Indian, Katha, Kindness, Knowledge, Lakshmi, Narayan, Prosperity, Teacher, Vishnu, Wealth, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »
Posted by kathavarta on October 21, 2008
The Festival of Lights is for All
Why do we celebrate Diwali? It’s not just the festive mood in the air that makes you happy, or just that it’s a good time to enjoy before the advent of winter. There are 10 mythical and historical reasons why Diwali is a great time to celebrate. And there are good reasons not just for Hindus but also for all others to celebrate this great Festival of Lights.
1. Goddess Lakshmi’s Birthday: The Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi incarnated on the new moon day (amaavasyaa) of the Kartik month during the churning of the ocean (samudra-manthan), hence the association of Diwali with Lakshmi.
2. Vishnu Rescued Lakshmi: On this very day (Diwali day), Lord Vishnu in his fifth incarnation as Vaman-avtaara rescued Lakshmi from the prison of King Bali and this is another reason of worshipping Ma Larkshmi on Diwali.
3. Krishna Killed Narakaasur: On the day preceding Diwali, Lord Krishna killed the demon king Narakaasur and rescued 16,000 women from his captivity. The celebration of this freedom went on for two days including the Diwali day as a victory festival.
4. The Return of the Pandavas: According to the great epic ‘Mahabharata’, it was ‘Kartik Amavashya’ when the Pandavas appeared from their 12 years of banishment as a result of their defeat in the hands of the Kauravas at the game of dice (gambling). The subjects who loved the Pandavas celebrated the day by lighting the earthen lamps.
5. The Victory of Rama: According to the epic ‘Ramayana’, it was the new moon day of Kartik when Lord Ram, Ma Sita and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya after vanquishing Ravana and conquering Lanka. The citizens of Ayodhya decorated the entire city with the earthen lamps and illuminated it like never before.
6. Coronation of Vikramaditya: One of the greatest Hindu King Vikramaditya was coroneted on the Diwali day, hence Diwali became a historical event as well.
7. Special Day for the Arya Samaj: It was the new moon day of Kartik (Diwali day) when Maharshi Dayananda, one of the greatest reformers of Hinduism and the founder of Arya Samaj attained his nirvana.
8. Special Day for the Jains: Mahavir Tirthankar, considered to be the founder of modern Jainism also attained his nirvana on Diwali day.
9. Special Day for the Sikhs: The third Sikh Guru Amar Das institutionalized Diwali as a Red-Letter Day when all Sikhs would gather to receive the Gurus blessings. In 1577, the foundation stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid on Diwali. In 1619, the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind, who was held by the Mughal Emperor Jahengir, was released from the Gwalior fort along with 52 kings.
10. The Pope’s Diwali Speech: In 1999, Pope John Paul II performed a special Eucharist in an Indian church where the altar was decorated with Diwali lamps, the Pope had a ‘tilak’ marked on his forehead and his speech was bristled with references to the festival of light.
By: Subhamoy Das, for About.com
Posted in Children story, Hindu story, Jainism, Katha, Religious, Sikhism, Story for Adult, Varta | Tagged: Ancient peoples, Care, Celebration, Deepavali, Diwali, Enlightenment, Faith, Festival, God, Health, Help, Hindu, Indian, Jain, King Bali, Krishna, Krishna Avatar, Light, Mahavira, Narayan, Pope John Paul, Prosperity, Rama, Reason, Sikh, Sita, Vamana Avatar, Vishnu, Wealth, Wisdom | 1 Comment »
Posted by kathavarta on October 21, 2008
An Ant, going to a river to drink water, fell in, and was carried along in the stream.
A Dove pitied her condition, and threw into the river a small bough, by means of which the Ant gained the shore.
The Ant afterward, seeing a man with a fowling-piece aiming at the Dove, stung him in the foot sharply, and made him miss his aim, and so saved the Dove’s life.
Moral:
Little friends may prove great friends.
Posted in Aesop Fable, Children story, Fables, Moral story, Varta | Tagged: Accuracy, Act, Advice, Aesop Fables, Ant, Care, Children, Dove, Enlightenment, Experience, Fables, Friend, Help, Reward, Short Story, Thankful, Varta, Wise | Leave a Comment »
Posted by kathavarta on October 20, 2008
The history of Diwali is replete with legends and these legends are moored to the stories of Hindu religious scriptures, mostly the Puranas. Though the central theme of all legends point out to the classic truth of the victory of the good over the evils, the mode of their presentation and the characters differ. Diwali, being the festival of lights, lighting the lamp of knowledge within us means to understand and reflect upon the significant purpose of each of the five days of festivities and to bring those thoughts in to the day to day lives.
The five day of Diwali
The first day of Diwali is called Dhanvantari Triodasi or Dhanwantari Triodasi also called Dhan Theras. The second day of Diwali is called Narak Chaturdasi. It is the fourteenth lunar day (thithi) of the dark forthnight of the month of Kartik and the eve of Diwali. On this day Lord Krishna destroyed the demon Narakasur and made the world free from fear. The third day of Diwali is the actual Diwali. This is the day when worship for Mother Lakshmi is performed. On the fourth day of Diwali, Goverdhan Pooja is performed. The fifth day of the diwali is called Bhratri Dooj. It is a day dedicated to sisters.
Hindu Mythology
The Story of Rama and Sita:
Lord Rama was a great warrior King who was exiled by his father Dashratha, the King of Ayodhya, along with his wife Sita and his younger brother Lakshman, on his wife’s insistence. Lord Rama returned to his Kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, in which he put an end to the demon Ravana of Lanka, who was a great Pundit, highly learned but still evil dominated his mind. After this victory of Good over Evil, Rama returned to Ayodhya. In Ayodhya, the people welcomed them by lighting rows of clay lamps. So, it is an occasion in honor of Rama’s victory over Ravana; of Truth’s victory over Evil.
The Story of King Bali and Vamana Avatar(the Dwarf):
The other story concerns King Bali, who was a generous ruler. But he was also very ambitious. Some of the Gods pleaded Vishnu to check King Bali’s power. Vishnu came to earth in the form of a Vamana(dwarf) dressed as priest. The dwarf approached King Bali and said “You are the ruler of the three worlds: the Earth, the world above the skies and the underworld. Would you give me the space that I could cover with three strides?” King Bali laughed. Surely a dwarf could not cover much ground, thought the King, who agreed to dwarf’s request. At this point, the dwarf changed into Vishnu and his three strides covered the Earth, the Skies and the whole Universe! King Bali was send to the underworld. As part of Diwali celebrations, some Hindus remember King Bali.
The Defeat of Narkasur by Lord Krishna:
Lord Vishnu in his 8th incarnation as Krishna destroyed the demon Narkasura, who was causing great unhappiness amongst the people of the world. Narkasura was believed to be a demon of filth, covered in dirt. He used to kidnap beautiful young women and force them to live with him. Eventually, their cries for rescue were heard by Vishnu, who came in the form of Krishna. First, Krishna had to fight with a five-headed monster who guarded the demon’s home. Narkasura hoped that his death might bring joy to others. Krishna granted his request and the women were freed. For Hindus, this story is a reminder that good can still come out of evil.
Krishna and The Mountain:
In the village of Gokula, many years ago, the people prayed to the God Indra. They believed that Indra sent the rains, which made their crops, grow. But Krishna came along and persuaded the people to worship the mountain Govardhan, because the mountain and the land around it were fertile. This did not please Indra. He sent thunder and torrential rain down on the village. The people cried to Krishna to help. Krishna saved the villagers by lifting the top of the mountain with his finger. The offering of food to God on this day of Diwali is a reminder to Hindus of the importance of food and it is a time for being thankful to God for the bounty of nature.
Sikh Festival Diwali
In Sikh perspective, Diwali is celebrated as the return of the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji from the captivity of the city, Gwalior. To commemorate his undying love for Sikhism, the towns people lit the way to, Harmandhir Sahib (referred to as the Golden Temple), in his honour.
Jain Festival Diwali
Among the Jain festivals, Diwali is one of the most important one. For on this occasion we celebrate the Nirvana of Lord Mahavira who established the dharma as we follow it. Lord Mahavira was born as Vardhamana on Chaitra Shukla 13th in the Nata clan at Khattiya-kundapura, near Vaishali. He obtained Kevala Gyana on Vishakha Shukla 10 at the Jambhraka village on the banks of Rijukula river at the age of 42.
Sources: www.diwalifestival.org.
You can also visit www.eTirth.com for more religious Stories and Festivals.
Posted in Arati, Children story, Hindu story, Jainism, Katha, Religious, Sikhism, Story for Adult, Varta | Tagged: Ancient peoples, Care, Deepavali, Diwali, Enlightenment, Faith, Festival, God, Health, Help, Hindu, Indian, Jain, Kindness, King Bali, Knowledge, Krishna, Krishna Avatar, Light, Mahavira, Narayan, Prosperity, Rama, Sikh, Sita, Vamana Avatar, Vishnu, Wealth, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »
Posted by kathavarta on October 18, 2008
During a propaganda tour, President Bush visits a school to explain his Politics to kids. He invites the kids to ask him questions. Bobby stands Up and tells him “Mr. President, I got 3 questions:”
(1) How come, that although the count of votes was not in your favor, you Still won the election?
(2) Why do you want to attack Iraq without an imminent reason?
(3) Don’t you also consider the bombing of Hiroshima the biggest terrorist attack of all times?
Before the president can answer, the recess bell rings, and the kids leave the room. After they came back, Bush invited them again to ask questions. Joey stands up and tells him “Mr. President, I got 5 questions:”
(1) How come, that although the count of votes was not in your favor, you Still won the election?
(2) Why do you want to attack Iraq without an imminent reason?
(3) Don’t you also consider the bombing of Hiroshima the biggest terrorist Attack of all times?
(4) Why did the recess bell ring 20 minutes early?
(5) Where’s Bobby?
By: Jagadeesh, for www.19.5degs.com
Posted in Funny Story, Story for Adult, Varta | Tagged: Accuracy, Act, Advice, Alert, Care, Confusion, Election, Emptiness, Experience, Humour, Loyal, Politics, Propaganda, Punishment, Story for Adult, US, Varta, War, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »
Posted by kathavarta on October 18, 2008
A lot of students around the country protested the war today.
The National Youth and Student Peace Coalition sponsored an anti-war organization called ‘Books Not Bombs.’
President Bush’s response: “Why do you want to drop books on them?”
By: Jagadeesh, for www.19.5degs.com
Posted in Funny Story, Story for Adult, Varta | Tagged: Accuracy, Act, Advice, Alert, Anger, Care, Confusion, Emptiness, Experience, Humour, Loyal, Politics, Protest, Punishment, Story for Adult, US, Varta, War, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »
