Vageesh Express

Significance of the Month of August in Hindu Calendar

Raksha Bandan - Aug 9^th, Krishna Janmashtami - Aug 16^th and Vinayak/Ganesh Chaturthi - Aug 27^th

The Significance of Raksha Bandan!

Rakhi - The thread of love! (Raksha means Protection. Bandhan means bond) The chaste bond of love between a brother and a sister is one of the deepest and noblest of human emotions. 'Raksha Bandan' or 'Rakhi' is a special occasion to celebrate this emotional bonding by tying a holy thread around the wrist. This thread, which pulsates with sisterly love and sublime sentiments, is rightly called the ‘Rakhi’. It means 'a bond of protection'. Raksha Bandhan is known by various names: Vish Tarak - the destroyer of venom, Punya Pradayak - the bestower of boons, and Pap Nashak - the destroyer of sins.

Sisters tie colourful 'Rakhi' on the wrists of their brothers and ask their brothers to protect them from harm. It represents one of the most sentimental festivals of India. It is based on the emotional ties that bind a brother and sister in a very close bond - the most sacred relationship of life, without any ulterior motive or demand of any kind. It is a day of festivity and pure joy. The ritual is observed on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravan, on which sisters tie the sacred Rakhi string on their brothers' right wrists, and pray, for their long life. Rakhis are ideally made of silk with gold and silver threads, beautifully crafted embroidered sequins, and studded with semi precious stones. This ritual not only strengthens the bond of love between brothers and sisters, but also transcends the confines of the family. When a Rakhi is tied on the wrists of close friends and neighbors, it underscores the need for a harmonious social life, where every individual co-exist peacefully as brothers and sisters. It won’t be wrong to say the fashionable friendship band in vogue today is an extension of the Rakhi custom.

According to the custom for all festivals and pujas, the lady of the house dresses up early in the morning in fine clothes and bathes the gods and the goddesses. The Puja thaal - with water, roli, rice, flowers, coconut, and Rakhi is placed before the gods. After worshipping the gods the sister applies the tilak on the forehead of her brother, and then little rice is stuck onto the tilak. The Rakhi then is tied on the wrists of the brother and the brother acknowledges this relationship by accepting it with grace and love. Sisters also put some "mithai" in his mouth and bless him. With this Rakhi, she grants deep affection and blessings on her brother so as to guard him against all harm, and prays to the Almighty to bless her brother. These feelings are the ones that symbolise Raksha Bandhan.

In Northern India, Rakhi Purnima is also called Kajri Purnima or Kajri Navami, when wheat or barley is sown, and goddess Bhagwati is worshipped. In Western states, the festival is called Nariyal Purnima or the Coconut Full Moon. In Southern India, Shravan Purnima is an important religious occasion and is called Avani Avittam. This falls on the full moon day of the month of Shravan (August-September). The men observing the festival wear a new holy thread and offer libations of water to the ancient Rishis on this day. This festival is also known as Upakarmam.

According to one mythological allusion, Rakhi was intended to be the worship of the sea-god Varuna. Hence, offerings of coconut to Varuna, ceremonial bathing and fairs at waterfronts accompany this festival. There are also myths that describe the ritual as observed by Indrani and Yamuna for their respective brothers Indra and Yama.Once, Lord Indra stood almost vanquished in a long-drawn battle against the demons. Full of remorse, he sought the advice of Guru Brihaspati, who suggested for his sortie the auspicious day of Shravan Purnima (fullmoon day of the month of Shravan). On that day, Indra's wife and Brihaspati tied a sacred thread on the wrist of Indra, who then attacked the demon with renewed force and routed him. Thus the Raksha Bhandhan symbolizes all aspects of protection of the good from evil forces.

Rituals like Rakhi, there is no doubt, help ease out various societal strains, induce fellow-feeling, open up channels of expression, and give us an opportunity to rework on our role as human beings and, most importantly, bring joy in our mundane lives.

Janmashtami

“ I am the conscience in the heart of all creatures
I am their beginning, their being, their end
I am the mind of the senses,
I am the radiant sun among lights
I am the song in sacred lore,
I am the king of deities
I am the priest of great seers…"

This is how Lord Krishna describes God in the Holy Bhagavad Gita. And to most Hindus he is the God himself, the Supreme Being, the Absolute, the Brahman, and the Purna Purushotam. The great exponent of the Gita, Krishna is the complete incarnate of Vishnu, the Godhead of the Hindu Trinity of deities. Of all the Vishnu avatars he is the most popular, and perhaps of all Hindu gods the one closest to the heart of the masses. Krishna has influenced the Indian thought, life and culture in myriad ways. He has influenced not only its religion and philosophy, but also into its mysticism and literature, painting and sculpture, dance and music, and all aspects of Indian folklore. The birthday of such a favorite deity is bound to be a special occasion for the Hindus, who consider Krishna their leader, hero, protector, philosopher, teacher and friend all rolled into one.

Time of the Lord - Krishna took birth at midnight on the ashtami or the 8th day of the Krishnapaksha or dark fortnight in the Hidu month of Shravan (August-September). This auspicious day is called Janmashthami. It is believed that Mother Earth, unable to bear the burden of sins committed by evil kings and rulers, appealed to Brahma, the Creator for help. Brahma prayed to the Supreme Lord Vishnu, who assured him that he would soon be born on earth to annihilate tyrannical forces. One such evil force was Kamsa, the ruler of Mathura (in northern India). His sunjects were utterly terrified of him. On the day Kamsa's sister Devaki was married off to Vasudeva, an akashvani or voice from the sky was heard prophesying that Devaki's 8th son would be the destroyer of Kamsa. The frightened Kamsa immediately unsheathed his sword to kill his sister but Vasudeva intervened and implored Kamsa to spare his bride, and promised to hand over every new born child to him. Kamsa relented but imprisoned both Devaki and her husband Vasudeva.

When Devaki gave birth to her first child, Kamsa came to the prison cell and slaughtered the newborn. In this way, he killed the first six sons of Devaki. Even before her 8th child was born, Devaki and Vasudeva started lamenting its fate and theirs. Then suddenly Lord Vishnu appeared before them and said he himself was coming to rescue them and the people of Mathura. He asked Vasudeva to carry him to the house of his friend, the cowherd chief Nanda in Gokula right after his birth, where Nanda's wife Yashoda had given birth to a daughter. He was to exchange his boy and bring Yashoda's baby daughter back to the prison. Vishnu assured them that "nothing shall bar your path".

At midnight on ashtami, the divine baby was born in Kamsa's prison. Remembering the divine instructions, Vasudeva clasped the child to his bosom and started for Gokula, but found that his legs were in chains. He jerked his legs and was unfettered! The massive iron-barred doors unlocked and opened up. While crossing river Yamuna, Vasudeva held his baby high over his head. The rain fell in torrents and the river was in spate. But the water made way for Vasudeva and miraculously a five-mouthed snake followed him from behind and provided shelter over the baby.

When Vasudeva reached Gokula, he found the door of Nanda's house open. He exchanged the babies and hurried back to the prison of Kamsa with the baby girl. Early in the morning, all the people at Gokula rejoiced the birth of Nanda's beautiful male child. Vasudeva came back to Mathura and as he entered, the doors of the prison closed themselves. When Kamsa came to know about the birth, he rushed inside the prison and tried to kill the baby, but this time it skipped from his hand and reaching the sky. She was transformed into the goddess Yogamaya, who told Kansa: "O foolish! What will you get by killing me? Your nemesis is already born somewhere else." In his youth Krishna killed Kamsa along with all his cruel associates, liberated his parents from prison, and reinstated Ugrasen as the King of Mathura.

Whether he was a human being or God-incarnate, there is no gainsaying the fact that he has been ruling the hearts of millions for over three millennia. In the words of Swami Harshananda, "If a person can affect such a profound impact on the Hindu race affecting its psyche and ethos and all aspects of its life for centuries, he is no less than God."

Source: http://hinduism.about.com

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