Raksha Bandhan - Festival for Brother and Sister

Raksha Bandhan:

Raksha Bandhan is a festival which is the celebration for brother and sister. Raksha is protection and bandhan is relation so it tells us the protection of relation. This falls on the pournami for Shravana Masam. This festival shows the affection and praying for well being for happiness between the brother and sister. Sister ties a thread (Rakhi) to the brother wrist and pray to god to protect their brothers from the evil and brother’s promise to protect them from all the troubles.

Cultural Beliefs:

• In mahabhartha sri Krishna had a small cut on his finger when he took the sudarshana chakra to kill Shishupala. Draupadi who saw this immediately tore her dress and tied knot to sri Krishna to stop the bleeding from the cut. By this act Sri Krishna promised her to protect her from all troubles. Sri Krishna protected her by providing saree in the episode of Hastinapura.
• Indra wife Shachi tied a thread to Indra, to enhance the mind power to defeat the demons.
• Goddess Lakshmi tied knot to king Bali,a great devotee of Lord Vishnu.

 In the ancient times while tying rakhi the following mantra was recited:

“Yena baddho Balee raajaa daanavendro mahaabalah
tena twaam anubadhnaami rakshe maa chala maa chala”

Interesting Facts:

• There are also examples for the rakhi festival where rakhi can be tied by wife, daughter and mother.
• In the ancient times rishis tied rakhi to people who come for blessings.
• Sages tied rakhi to themselves to safeguard from the evil.

Scientific Reasons: 

• The festival is popularized by Rabindranath to promote the unity and commitment of society to protect each other.
• The festival is important because it unites the family together in the bond of love.

Sleeping Direction, Awakening at right side, rubbing palms

Sleeping Direction:

There is a tradition that we shouldn’t keep our head facing north while sleeping. Before knowing the reason for this, we need to know our body construction. Also as per tradition, we have to rub our palms and press our eyes to open them.

Cultural Importance:

Our ancestors used to tell us to get up from sleep towards of our right direction by pressing parts on right side of the body. Body metabolism will be very low when our body takes rest. When we get up from the bed it immediately speeds up. If we get up from left side our heart faces unexpected stress as it is resided at left side of the body. Tradition states that direction South is ruled by Lord Yama who is god of death, facing feet to the south consider as a sin and Lord Yama will take that person to death soon.Hindus fear to face the feet to south, they keep only dead bodies facing feet towards south. A popular story of Lord Ganesha will tell about sleeping in direction of north(facing head towards north) Shiva gana (Servants of Lord Shiva) will cut the head facing north. Vaastu Shastra also strictly says beds should be placed in direction when one should sleep in direction facing head other than north direction.

Mantra while going to sleep
Karacharana Kritam VaaKaayajam Karmajam Vaa
Shravana Nayanajam VaaMaanasam Vaa Paraadham
Vihitama Vihitam VaaSarvame TatKshamasva
Jaya Jaya Karunaabdhe
Shri Mahaadeva Shambhoo
Meaning of mantra :O Mahadev please forgive all sins committed in the day and bless with good sleep.

Sleeping in Shavaasana posture(sleeping on back) is best to rest the body on bed.If you have snoring problem or in pregnancy period sleeping on side position is best

Scientific Reasons:

• The most important part in body is heart, which is placed almost 3parts uppermost of the body. It is not easy circulating blood to the upper parts of body when compared to down parts because of earth gravitational force. In our body, blood vessels in the upper parts are sensitive than the blood vessels in lower part. Blood vessels become vey minute when it goes to upperparts and even if a drop of excess blood in that vessel creates blood clot in the brain. Generally many people face blood clots in brain. They usually occur in minor but affect the complete person and make them lazier. So if we don’t follow any measures, we lose our remembrance after 35 years of age.
• As earth has got magnetic power if we are sleeping towards north our blood vessels in brain get attracted to it and results in blood clots. This is all because of iron content in blood, the medicine for blood loss (anemic).
• As our nerves end at our palms, when rubbed to each other they get activated so that the whole body get active. As to move full body from the sleeping state firstly we have to activate our body and the brain.

Read Sleeping Directions for more Information

Shravana Masam - Month of Love & Prosperity

Shravana Masam:

Shravana Mas is a very special month for newly married woman . This month comes usually in the month of August. Full moon day occurring with the Shravana star is known as Shravana Masam. Every day of this month is very auspicious.

Cultural Beliefs:

Shravan star is believed to be very auspicious star in which Lord Vishnu was born. Also, Lord Brahma had seen Lord Vishnu for the first time on the day of Shravan star. Lord Govinda form also took place in the same time. Lord Govinda stepped in Tirumala hill in search of Goddess Maha Lakshmi on the day of Shravan star.

In olden days Shravan mas is meant to be auspicious month to start learning so upakarma takes place in this month to start studying Vedas,

Shravana Masam is very special for Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Gowri Devi.

Significance:
Ashada masam, known for separating newly married couples where as Shravanam joins them. Festivals' beauty is brought by Shravanam. It is so precious. Shravana means listening and this is an art. A good listener is a good decision maker.

As a wife known for forming a good family, she likes Shravana amongst all. The festival in this month are so popular and precious. Monday is precious in Karthika Masam, Thursday is precious in Margasira Masam, likewise all Mondays,Tuesdays,Fridays,Saturdays are precious in Shravanam.

Festivals of Shravana Masam:

Shravan is the most important month for women. Women who perform vrathams in this month will bestowed with all happiness and  prosperity.

Varalakshmi Vratam:
The first and foremost festival in Shravanam is Garuda Panchami. Lord Garuda, who had worked hard to release his mother from servant work, and so had become the vahanam(vehicle) for Lord Vishnu and a purana is named after him, Garuda Purana.This day(Shravana Sudha Panchami) we should pray Lord Garuda to get (Win) strength ,Courage.

Shravana Sudha Saptami is good for praying  Lord Surya(sun). Shravana Sudha Ekadashi (Putradhi Ekadashi)  is well known for Ekadashi vratam to be booned with children for childless.Donating umbrella is precious.Shravana Sudha dwadashi(Damodara Dwadashi) for praying Lord Sri Hari and to pray Goddess Parvathi and Lord Shiva on Tryodashi and Chaturdashi.

Varalakshmi vratam has to be done on the friday before shravana pournami. This vrat is been preached by Lord Shiva to Parvathi. By doing this vrat all married women believe in their good lives with husband, children and prosperity.

Mangala Gowri:
New married women should perform Mangala Gowri vratham for longetivity and welfare of their husband.This vrat is to be performed on all tuesdays of shravanam as parvathi stops Shiva taking poision while churning milky ocean.This vrat to be performed by all married ladies. Gowri named after Goddess Parvathi done Tapas for changing her complextion from black to red (Goura Varnam).So, Shiva preached that praying Lord Gowri on Shravana Tuesdays will give all happiness and prosperity.

Mondays(Lord Shiva) and Saturdays(Family ilavelpu) are precious in shravanam. Pournami in shravanam is also known as Rakhi Pournami or Jandhyala pournami. Rakhi Pournami, the day on which sisters tie a raksha bandhan(rakhi) to their brothers which means brothers have to safeguard their sisters' lives. Jandhyala Pournami, a festival for a married man who has got the upanayanam done and he has to change his jandhyam or Yagnopavetham on this auspicious day and do Gayathri mantra Japam. Hayagriva (Knowledge god) and Santoshi Matha had taken their forms on this auspicious day. Maa Lakshmi had been given control on money and Maa Sarawasthi had been given control on Education (Knowledge) by Hayagriva on this day. Sage Agasthya preached with Lalitha Sahasranamam by Hayagriva on this special day.

Performing Sankata Hara Chathurdhi in this month is equivalent performing it in the whole year every month and even when not done all along the year are being blessed by Lord Ganesha.

Shravana Shukla Ashtami is known as Krishnashtami or Gokulashtami(the birthday of Lord Krishna). We have to pray Lord Govinda and offer him milk, fruits,cheese and butter. Ekadashi followed by fulfills our wishes if performed with Ekadashi Vrat. Butter to be donated which results in precious wishes fulfilled.

Shravana Bahula Amavasya is known as Polala Amavasya and all Farm Animals will be prayed on this day.

Kanwar yatra is famous in north India traveling long distance on bare foot to bring Ganga water by reciting BAM BAM BOLE. It was stated in skanda purana the people who succeeds this yatra will gain virtues of Ashwamedha Yagna when done with Shiva Abhishekam.

Interesting Facts:

Additionally, in this significant month some special fifteen days are really important to worship God for that particular day:

Tithi- God

Padyami – Lord Brahma

Vidiya - Sriyahpati

Tadiya - Goddess Parvati

Chaturthi - Ganesha

Panchami - Shashi

Sashti – Naga Devatalu

Saptami - The Sun

Ashtami - Durga

Navami – Matru Devatalu

Dashami - Dharmaraju

Ekadashi - Rushis

Dwadashi - Srimahavisnuvu

Trayodasi - Anangudu

Chaturdasi - Lord Shiva

Purnima - Ancestors

Shravana Masam Pooja Procedure:

• House should be clean and tidy.
• Observe fasting on Mondays if possible to perform somavara vratham. Unmarried girls who perform somavara vratham will get a good husband.
• Take one day meals. Fasting during day time and eating at night time is prescribed.
• Try to avoid taking non vegetarian food.
• Wear Rudraksha and use rudraksha for japa mala
• Try to chant Shiva chalisa and maha mrutuyumjaya mantra
• After performing vratha thread has to be soaked in turmeric water and need to tied to the wrist of the hand

Scientific Reasons:

• Shravana start falls in the Capricorn which is ruled by Saturn. Shravana Masam is very auspicious for beginning any new ventures as the sun transits in to the Capricorn and comes opposite to Shravana star the doors of vaikuntam will be opened.
• Shravana Masam is very special for good deeds.
• As per Hindu astrology people born in Shravana masam are honored by the world.
• Shravana month comes in Monsoon Season where there is less sunlight thus effects digestive system to function weakly. so people will eat less on the name of fasting.
• Water Borne diseases will spread rapidly in this month.Fasting will boost the immunity system to prevent diseases. The inner meaning eat less and live more.
• Eating non-veg is strictly prohibited because possibly they may affected from bacteria and virus which will take birth in this season.
• According to Ayurveda, mind will more unstable in this season due to vata imbalance in the body hence these festivals came to existence to control mind.
• This month is also known as month of love, most of the mammals will breed in this month so hunting and eating mammals is a great sin.  
• These weeping sounds which ends with nasal constant(MMMM in BAM BAM BOLE) will bring calmness and control on mind