What Is The Significance Of Devshayani Ekadashi?

Devshayani Ekadashi, also known as Padma Ekadashi, Toli Ekadashi, Ashadi Ekadashi, Devpodhi Ekadashi, and Hari Shayani Ekadashi in various parts of India, falls on the 11^th day of the dark fortnight of the Ashadha month of the Hindu calendar. It comes after the famous Jagannath Rathyatra, and falls in the month of June/July of the English calendar; this year to fall on 4^th July 2017. This day depicts the beginning of the Chaturmas, a holy period of four months of the Hindu calendar, namely Ashadha, Shravan, Bhadarva, and Aaso. These four months signify the period when people can engage in extra devotion, and can gain control over sense gratification. The holy day of Devshayani Ekadashi is of special significance to the Vaishnavas, the followers of Lord Vishnu.

What is the significance of Devshayani Ekadashi?

It is believed that on the day of Devshayani Ekadashi, Lord Vishnu falls asleep in the Kheer Sagar – the cosmic ocean of milk, on the back of Shesha Naag – the comic serpent. He observes this Divine Sleep for a period of four months, and wakes up on the day of Prabhodini Ekadashi in the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar. However, Lord Vishnu never abandons his devotees even in his state of sleep. This is why Vaishnavas observe fasting on the day of Devshayani Ekadashi to honour Lord Vishnu and seek his blessings.

What is the legend behind Devshayani Ekadashi?

Once, there was a king named Mandata who always kept his kingdom and his people happy. However, there came an unfortunate time when his kingdom faced severe drought, starvation, and illness. The king left his kingdom in search of finding a solution to this adverse period, when he met a learned sage called Angira on his journey. The sage, after learning about his situation, advised him to observe a fast on the day of Devshayani Ekadashi, as it was only Lord Vishnu who could help him bring back the glory to his kingdom. As directed, King Mandata observed the fast and strictly followed all the rituals, following which he saw miracles happening! The rains returned to his kingdom, trade flourished, and his people were blessed with glorious riches.

What are the benefits of observing Devshayani Ekadashi?

Those who fast on Devshayani Ekadashi and pray to Lord Vishnu to seek his divine blessings can attain salvation and freedom from worldly avarice. Fasting on this day also frees one from his past sins, provides energy to face every challenge of life, enhances the physiological functions of the body, improves emotional stability, and helps strengthen one’s self-control. To attain these benefits, you must also observe a fast on this day, knowing that Lord Vishnu – the Master of the Universe – will answer all the prayers of a true devotee. Another way of pleasing Lord Vishnu is by performing a Satyanarayan Katha, where devotees worship the Narayan form of Lord Vishnu. You can hire MakeMyPuja Pandits to help you arrange for such a Katha at your home or office to offer gratitude to the Lord for all the pleasures and happiness he has given you.

The special Pandharpur Yatra

In the Solapur district of South Maharashtra, a huge religious processions of pilgrims known as Pandharpur Yatra is carried out along the banks of the River Chandrabhaga. Here, Lord Vishnu is worshipped in his local form known as Vitthal. Lakhs of pilgrims join this Yatra, carrying palanquins with images of various saints of Maharashtra. The pilgrims also chant hymns dedicated to Lord Vitthal.

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Get All Your Home And Office Pujas Done With MakeMyPuja

For each one of us, especially those who belong to the middle class, buying a new home or starting off with a new office is a big achievement. Even if it is our second or third home/office, we treat the accomplishment with equal enthusiasm and joy. And, when we belong to the Hindu religion, we know how important it is to thank the Gods and seek their blessings for such great ventures in our life. So, if you have already bought or are on the verge of finalizing a home/office space for yourself, we suggest you to have an appropriate Puja done for the same before you start to utilize the space. In fact, even if you have bought a piece of land to have your customized home, office, or manufacturing unit built over it, you must pray to Mother Earth through a Bhoomi Puja to seek her blessings before starting any form of construction on the land. Whatever the case, and whatever kind of Puja you wish to perform for your possession, you can completely rely upon MakeMyPuja Pandits to have the most appropriate Puja done with the right rituals and prayers to achieve immense blessings from the deities for your new undertaking. Let us take a brief look into all the different kinds of Pujas you can perform for your new space.

Bhoomi Puja

If you possess a land on which you want a residential or commercial space built, it is advisable to perform a Bhoomi Puja first wherein Mother Earth is worshipped to seek her blessings and ensure the safety and well-being of the people who are going to reside within the structure. The Puja also helps to ask for forgiveness of Mother Earth for the brutality she will have to bear during the constructional phase; and also for disturbing the habitat of innumerable creatures living on that piece of land. The Bhoomi Puja also requests all the spirits and ghosts to leave the site to that the structure can be built, wherein people can reside in peace.

Griha Pravesam (Vastu Puja / House Warming)

This Puja must be performed before starting to reside in a new home. It is performed outside the house before the actual entry into the house, wherein Lord Ganesha is primarily worshipped to remove any kind of obstacles. The Vastu Shanti Havan is also performed to prevent harmful influences of the planets and create a peaceful environment within the home by removing all sorts of negative vibrations from within. Other Pujas like Ganpati Puja, Satyanarayan Puja, and Lakshmi Puja can also be performed along with the Vastu Puja, if the owners of the home wish to.

New Business Puja

As the name suggests, this Puja is done before starting any new business. It is done mainly to offer prayers to Lord Ganesha to remove the ‘Drishti-Dosham’ and collect the positive energy around. This Puja builds up an optimistic environment and guarantees an upliftment in the new business that is to begin there. Other than the Puja offered to Lord Ganesha, even Lakshmi Puja and Navgraha Puja can be performed to remove adverse effects that may be faced in the business.

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Celebrate All Rituals For Your Child With MakeMyPuja

Hinduism is the religion that has innumerous rituals, customs, and traditions followed, right from the time a child is born, up till the rituals after death are completed. Every child who is born into a Hindu family has to undergo quite a lot of rituals in his first year itself; the first one being Namkaran, followed by Annaprashana, and then Mundan. This blog will take you through the journey of all of these rituals to help you understand how you can perform these rituals with the help of MakeMyPuja Pandits to make them the most beneficial and promising ones for your child.

Namkaran – Naming the child

Namkaran is the Indian practice of naming a baby on the 12^th day after birth, because the first ten days after the baby’s birth are considered to be a period of impurity for both the mother and the child. The ceremony is held at home or in a temple in the presence of a Pandit, who prays to Agnidev – the lord of fire, the Pancha bhoothas – the five elements, and to the Pitru – the ancestors who are considered present in spirit form, to seek their blessings for the child, requesting them to protect the newborn. He also draws out the child’s horoscope that depicts all the positive and negative aspects of his life, along with the initials after which a child can be named. As per the initial, the child’s name is decided, and the father or maternal uncle whispers the name into the child’s ear to bring it into effect. Performing a Namkaran Puja as per the rituals and rules of the Vedas can bring good luck, fortune, and success into a child’s life. So, book MakeMyPuja Pandits to have your baby’s Namkaran ceremony performed in the most auspicious way so as to seek blessings from the deities for a healthy and prosperous life for your child.

Annaprashana – Feeding the child for the first time

This is the time when the baby is for the first time weaned away from the mother’s milk, and is made to eat solid food like boiled rice or rice kheer. This ritual is carried out when the child is 6 to 8 months old, with odd months for girls, and even months for boys. MakeMyPuja Pandits can help invoke the Gods and deities to seek blessings for the child so that all his senses are gratified, leading him to live a happy and contented life in the future. The Pandit also performs a Havan for a healthy and auspicious start of the child’s new phase.

Mundan – Shaving off the hair

The next ritual on the list for the little ones in Hinduism is the Mundan, which involves shaving off the hair from the child’s head for the first time after birth. It is believed in Hinduism that a soul passes through 84 lakh yonis before acquiring the human form. Therefore, this ritual is believed to have the child getting rid of all the sins and bad influences of the past lives to help lead his current life afresh. Thus, we can say that the Mundan ceremony is a purification act performed to cleanse the baby of all the unwanted elements of past births. Many people have this ritual done in the first year itself, but it can also be performed in the 3^rd, 5^th, or 7^th year. A MakeMyPuja Pandit can help you decide on the most appropriate date and year for your child’s Mundan depending upon the position of the Nakshatras.

Birthday – Completion of the first year

Although this is not a necessary ritual, but it is advised that you celebrate your child’s first birthday by praying to God and thanking him for the wonderful life he has given to your child. Also, you can hire MakeMyPuja Pandits to help you perform a Janamdin Puja wherein he can pray to God to remove all the negative effects of the stars in your child’s horoscope that may affect his life and fate in the future. Performing the Ganpati Sthapna, followed by Navagraha Sthapna, Kalash Sthapna, Deep Prajjawalit, Shodhashopchar Puja, and Aarti in the right way can help bring prosperity, physical wellness, and mental welfare for your child, along with blessings for a longer life.

So, whether it is Namkaran, Annaprashana, Mundan, Janamdin Puja, or anything else, you can always rely on MakeMyPuja to have it done in the most appropriate manner for the best results.

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Cleanse Yourself From All Your Sins On Yogini Ekadashi

Ekadashis are the most important fasting days for Hindus all across the globe. There are two Ekadashis in every month, dedicated especially to Lord Vishnu. If you are a ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, you must make it a point to worship him and observe a fast on these auspicious days. Although all Ekadashis are likely to eliminate the ill-effects of one's past sins, but Yogini Ekadashi has its own great significance. This day is especially for those who have problems of the skin and other related diseases because of the legend behind the day. Those who are attracted towards materialism and wish to walk the path of spirituality can also observe fast on this day. Yogini Ekadashi falls on the 11th day of Krishna Paksha during the Hindu month of Ashadha; and this year the date is to be 20th June 2017.

Yogini Ekadashi is one of the most promising days for observing fast in the most sacred way by young and old alike to gain maximum benefits from it. Like any other Ekadashi fast, in this fast too, devotees need to abstain themselves from any form of grains and pulses, and can consume only milk and fruits. They must begin their day by worshipping Lord Vishnu and then observing fast for the entire day, which can be broken only the next morning. When performed in the right way, devotees who observe fast can be relieved from all sorts of materialistic desires, evil thoughts, and greed. One can be rewarded with good health, and elimination of all sorts of ill-effects of past sins and wrong deeds.

Why is Yogini Ekadashi especially beneficial for those with skin related diseases?

There is a specific legend associated with the auspicious day that had cured someone from a cursed disease of leprosy. It dates back to the time when King Kubera, the official treasurer of Gods, ruled Alakapuri. The king was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, and used to worship him every day by offering him fresh flowers. His concierge Hemamali was given the duty of collecting flowers everyday for the king, which he would offer to Lord Shiva. One day, after collecting flowers, Hemamali went home to his wife instead of delivering the flowers to the king, and got engaged in relishing the worldly joys with her. When the king sat for worship and found the flowers missing, he sent for Hemamali. After learning about the wrong deed he had done, the king abandoned him from the kingdom and cursed him with leprosy. After years of spending a life full of disease and misery, Hemamali came across Sage Markandeya, and asked him for a solution. The sage after learning about the entire story advised him to observe a fast on Yogini Ekadashi to relieve him from his mistakes, and cleanse his bad karma and sins. Doing as advised, Hemamali was freed from his disease of leprosy, and was forgiven by the king, and made to join his kingdom again. Ever since, it is believed that fasting on Yogini Ekadashi can relieve one form his past wrong deeds, and also cure skin related diseases.

Whether or not you suffer from any such disease, it is obvious that you may have done some wrong deeds in the past, no matter how appalling or reasonable. Therefore, it is advised that you also perform the rituals of Yogini Ekadashi to eliminate all such ill-effects from your life by pleasing Lord Vishnu. Another way of pleasing Lord Vishnu and offering gratitude to him is by hiring experts like MakeMyPuja Pandits and performing a Satyanarayan Puja on any Purnima, which pleases Satyanarayan, the Narayan form of Lord Vishnu.

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What Is The Importance Of Yogini Ekadashi?

Yogini Ekadashi is one of the most auspicious occasions for Hindus to cleanse themselves of all their past sins. This day is important for those who are attracted towards materialism, and wish to walk the path of spirituality. It is one of the most promising days for observing fast in the most sacred way with immense benefits being obtained from it. It falls on the 11^th day of Krishna Paksha during the Hindu month of Ashadha; this year falling on 20^th June. Like various other fasts, this is a significant holy day on which devotees observe fast to relieve themselves of materialistic desires, evil thoughts, and greed. The rituals associated with this fast are just like those followed in any other fast of the Hindu mythology. The fast can be observed by anyone – young or old; especially those who are suffering from health problems and skin diseases. Yogini Ekadashi rewards the devotee with good health, and removes the ill-effects of all past sins and wrong deeds.

What is the legend behind Yogini Ekadashi?

The legend behind this auspicious day is related to the times when King Kubera, the official treasurer of Gods, ruled Alakapuri. Along with being a king, he was also a devoted follower of Lord Shiva. Every day he would offer flowers to the Lord and worship him wholeheartedly. It was the duty of his concierge named Hemamali to collect flowers from the Mansarovar for the king to be offered to Lord Shiva during worship. One day, after collecting flowers, instead of delivering the flowers to the king, Hemamali went to his wife and got indulged in relishing the worldly joys with her. On finding out, the king called for Hemamli and cursed him to become a victim of leprosy. He was also abandoned from the kingdom, and was sent to live in the jungle. After years of misery, he came across Sage Markandeya, who after listening to his story, advised him to observe the Yogini Ekadashi fast to relive himself from his mistakes, and cleanse his bad karma and sins.

How important is Yogini Ekadashi?

Yogini Ekadashi helps devotees untangle from their past sins and evil deeds/thoughts. It is believed that observing this fast is equivalent to feeding 88,000 Brahmins! People who observe fast apply mud paste and bathe early at sunrise, and worship Lord Vishnu throughout the day. They believe that doing so will help them cleanse their bodies and souls thoroughly, after which they can lead a life with no ill-effects of the past. Along with observing a fast, devotees listen to the Yogini ekadashi Vrat Katha in detail. They do so because it is believed that Lord Krishna also narrated this story and the importance of the Yogini Ekadashi fast to King Yudhishtira.

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Book Your Child’s Naming Ceremony With MakeMyPuja

Namkaran or naming ceremony is the Indian practice of naming a baby in Hinduism. ‘Nama’ means name, and ‘Karana’ means to do; thus ‘Namkaran’ means to name a child. This ceremony is held at home or in a temple in the presence of a priest who carries out the appropriate procedures, after which the father of the child or the maternal uncle whispers the child’s name into his right ear, to bring the name into effect. Apart from the priest and family, even relatives and friends are invited to celebrate the Namkaran ceremony. The naming of the baby is done with lots of enthusiasm and ordeal because the new life brought into a home brings immense joy to the complete household. You can book a MakeMyPuja Pandit to have your baby’s naming ceremony done in the most auspicious and appropriate way so as to seek blessings from all the Gods and deities for a healthy and prosperous life ahead for your child.

The Namkaran ceremony is the first real ceremony held for the newborn child. It usually takes place on the 12^th day after birth because it is considered that the first ten days after a baby’s birth are a period of impurity; and the Namkaran cleanses the baby and the mother by giving them an oil bath. For any possible reason, if the ceremony cannot take place on the 12^th day, it can be held anytime after that, but before the completion of one year of the baby.

The Namkaran is followed by a few Hindu rules known as the ‘Samskaras’ that are several in number, revolving around a Hindu’s life. The priest prays to Agnidev – the lord of fire, the Pancha bhoothas – the five elements, and to the Pitru – the ancestors who are considered present in spirit form. He invokes all their blessings for the child and requests them to protect the newborn.

Different cultures and religions follow different practices when it comes to naming their child. Some people name the child according to the deity the household believes in. There are others who name the first child after his grandfather, or even his father. However, according to the Grihyasutras, there are five fundamentals for selecting a baby’s name that depends on the culture, religion, education, and caste of the family. These five fundamentals are –

·        The name of the baby should begin with his particular Nakshatra, and must contain a specific set of syllables and vowels.

·        The name of the baby should indicate the sex of the newborn.

·        The name of the baby should sound pleasant, and be easy to pronounce.

·        The name of the baby should indicate the caste of the family.

·        The name of the baby should signify power, wealth, and fame.

However, in this modern age, not everybody believes in following these rituals. People name their baby as per their wish, and try to make their name sound modern and unique. However, for those who are still completely Hindu at heart, you must name your child as per his/her Nakshatra, and make sure it identifies his caste, and holds a meaning.

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Importance Of The Vat Purnima Vrat

‘Vat Purnima Vrat’ is one of the most important festivals celebrated by married women across India on the Purnima day of the Jyeshtha month of the Hindu lunar calendar. This year, this festival is to fall on 8^th June 2017. This day is based on a legend of Savitri and Satyavan in the age of Mahabharata. As per the legend, Savitri tricked Lord Yamraj, the lord of death, and compelled him to return the life of her husband Satyavan. This is why married women across the country observe the Vat Purnima Vrat for the well-being and long life of their husband.

The legend behind the Vat Purnima Vrat

During the times of Mahabharata, there was a princess named Savitri who had chosen a prince named Satyavan as her husband, even after knowing from Narad Muni that Satyavan would not live for more than one year from that day onwards. One fine day, Satyavan was resting on Savitri’s lap under a banyan tree, when he passed away. When Lord Yamraj came to take Satyavan’s soul along with him, Savitri refused to part with her husband. As Yamraj carried her husband’s soul with him, Savitri followed him and started offering him praise. Yamraj, impressed by the content and style of her words, granted her any boon, with the condition that she would not ask for the life of Satyavan. Making a smart decision, Savitri first asked for the eyesight and restoration of the kingdom of her blind father-in-law. Secondly, she asked for children for her father. And third, she said that she would love to have children. Yamraj, without giving the boons enough thought, granted all of them. Ultimately, to grant her third boon, Yamraj had to grant the life of Satyavan. This way, Savitri very intelligently brought back the life of Satyavan, after which Yamraj blessed her life with eternal happiness.

Celebrating the Vat Purnima Vrat

To pray for the long life of their husband, just like Savitri did, married Indian women fast and pay offerings to the Banyan tree. They dress up in beautiful red sarees, wear dazzling ornaments, and approach the Banyan tree with Puja thaalis. After sprinkling kumkum on the trunk, offering flowers, rice, and water, and lighting a diya, they tie a cotton thread on the trunk, and circle around the tree with the thread seven times. They then join their hands and pray to the tree for the long life and well-being of their husband.

Why only the Banyan tree?

The Banyan tree in Hinduism is a symbolic depiction of the three superior lords – Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh (Shiva). The root of the tree is considered to be Lord Brahma, the stem is believed to be Lord Vishnu, and the upper portion is regarded as Lord Shiva. It is believed that offering prayers to this tree on the Purnima of the Jyeshtha month of the Hindu calendar grants long life to the husband and prosperity to the entire family. Although the tree does not play a significant role in the story of Savitri mentioned above, it is worshipped in the memory that the entire legendary story happened under the Banyan tree. Also, the fact that the Banyan tree has a long life adds great significance to this entire story.

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