THE STORY OF BRAHMIN SHATANAND IN SATYANARAYAN KATHA.

We already know that this katha was narrated by Vishnu ji to Narad Muni. So once a Brahmin named Shatanand, who lived in Kashi, went out to gather Bhiksha for his son Kaltraadi. Shatanand was an ardent devotee of Vishnu ji.

BRAHMA VAIVARTA PURAN: IMPORTANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS.

This Puran introduces us to way of Vedas. On the request of Narad Muni Bhagwan Saavarni had preached this Puran. It is a summary of Dharma, Arth, Moksha etc.

Listening to this Puran one gets automatically attached to Vishnu and Shiva and realize that there is no difference between them. Vyasji divided this book into four parts. It has eighteen thousand shlokas. This whole book is in the form of dialogue between Suutji and Maharishi's.

The first part Brahmkhand, consists of Shrishti description. Here Shri is known as Para Brahma and description of Gokul is also mentioned, It also narrates the argument between Brahma and Narad in which both were defeated, and then Narad went to Shiva to attain more gyan.

Shivji advised him to go to Bhagwan Saavarni for this. Narad goes to Saavarni ashram to seek Knowledge and is totally amazed by the sorroundings.

Next is Prakriti khand which consists of dialogue between Narad and Saavarni where they discuss the

Importance of Shri Krishna through various stories. Then there is the discussion of Prakriti and its various hues. Listening to this gets you wealth.
Next is Ganesh Khand which describes the Punyak vrat done by Parvati ji. After this it narrates the birth of Kartikeya and Ganesh.

THE STRUCTURE, IMPORTANCE AND ADVANTAGES OF VISHNU PURAN.

Vishnu puran has twenty three thousand shlokas. It has the power to destroy all your sins. In its first part it contains the dialogue between Parashar rishi and Maitrey rishi.

The main topics discussed here are Aadikaraan sarg, origin of devtas, Samudra manthan, the vansh of Daksh, stories of Dhruv and Pruthu, Prachetas analysis, Prahlads story, the distribution of different powers to the various sections of society.

The second part consists of description of Priyavrat vansh, description of Dweeps, Varsh, Swarg, Narak, description of various planet movements, Bharat charitra, Muktimarg and dialogue between Nidhag and Ribhu.
Next is the description of Manvantars, avtaar of Vedvyas,

and ways to get freedom from Narak. Then we find a dialogue between Sagar & Aurva rishi, structure of Dharma, Shradh Kalp,Varnashram dharma, good behavior and story of Maya & Moha.

In the 4th part we find the description of Chandra vansh along with the description of its rulers.

Next are the questions regarding Krishnavtar, Gokul, the slaying of Putna, atrocities of demon Aghasur, Killing of Kansa, leela in Mathura, demons slayed by Krishna in order to ease the load of Prithvi, Krisha's marriages and sermon by Ashtavakra.

STORY OF PURANAS AND SUB PURANA (उप पुराण).

We have already gone through the series on importance & characteristics of all the eighteen Purans. We also know that originally there were hundred crore shlokas but were divided by Vyas in each Kalp and was compiled as eighteen Purans

for the common people to understand it properly and now their total is about four lakhs.

In Brahm Puran, Brahma preached this to Marichi. So this Puran of ten thousand shlokas is called Brahm Puran.

In Padma Puran, the base of the story is the appearance of Brahma on a lotus(Padm) from Vishnu' s navel.This has fifty five thousand shlokas.

Vishnu Puran is primarily based in Varah kalp. This book is on Vishnu and this book has twenty three thousand shlokas.

Vaayu Puran is written in Shwet Kalp and has twenty four thousand shlokas. Here Vayudev preaches about Dharma.

In Bhagwat Puran, which is written with the base of Gayatri mantra describes Dharma extensively. It has 18000 shlokas. It also mentions the story of Vritrasur.

In Narad Puran, which has twenty five thousand shlokas, is a sermon on Dharma by Narad based in Brihad Kalp.

Markandeya Puran has nine thousand shlokas and here it is through the birds that Dharma is described.

चन्द्र-दर्शन का निषेध वर्णन।

उक्त व्रत-पूजन प्रतिवर्ष एक दिन किया जाता है। उसे पाँच वर्ष तक तो करे ही, अधिक करे तो अधिक फल होता है। इस व्रत के फलस्वरूप उपासक को गणेशजी के स्वानन्द लोक की प्राप्ति होती है। यह गणेश व्रत अत्यन्त प्रभावशाली है ।

किन्तु नारदजी ! इस चतुर्थी में रात्रि समय चन्द्रमा का दर्शन न करे। क्योंकि उस दिन चन्द्र-दर्शन से मिथ्या अभियोग लग जाता है तथा अन्य अनिष्टों की भी सम्भावना रहती है। यदि भूल से चन्द्रमा का दर्शन हो जाये तो उसके दोष निवारणार्थ भगवान् गणेश्वर का चिन्तन करे।

निम्न श्लोक का पाठ चन्द्र-दर्शन के दोष निवारण में बहुत महत्त्वपूर्ण है

सिंहप्रसेनमधीत् सिंहो जाम्बवता हतः ।

सुकुमारक मा रोदीस्तव ह्येष स्यमन्तकः ॥ हे नारदजी ! अब आश्विन मास की चतुर्थी के व्रत का फल कहता हूँ ।

उस दिन भगवान् कपिर्दीश विनायक का षोड़शोपचार से पूजन करे तो सर्वप्राप्ति कराता है। कार्तिक मास की चतुर्थी करका चतुर्थी या 'करवा चौथ' कहलाती है। यह व्रत प्रायः महिलाएँ करती हैं। उन्हें शुद्ध जल से स्नान कर नवीन वस्त्र धारण करने चाहिए।

तदुपरान्त प्रसन्नचित्त से गणपति का पूजन करे और चौदह थालियों में स्वादिष्ट पकवान ब्राह्मणों को दे हे मुने ! सामर्थ्य के अनुसार ही दान करना चाहिए। कम देने की शक्ति हो तो चौदह स्थानों पर कुछ दे कुछ विद्वान् दस स्थानों पर देने का विधान बताते हैं।

SHRI RAMANUJACHARYA

Ramanujacharya was a great scholar with lot of patience, was simple and generous. He belonged to the Allavandar tradition. His father was Keshav bhatt who stayed in southern region of Terunkudur. Ramanuj lost his father at a very young age.

He went to study under the tutelage of a guru named Yadav Prakash. Ramanuj was a sharp student who now started taking out mistakes from his guru's wrong teachings. So the guru,on pretext of sending his disciples to Kashi,conspired with Ramanuj's cousin to kill him in deep forest.

But he was saved by a hunter and his wife. Later he acquired many siddhi's and cured the Princess of Kanchi.

When the sage Allavandar was on his deathbed, he sent his disciple to call Ramanuj. But before Ramanuj could reach , Allavandar was no more.

On reaching Shrirangam, Ramanuj noticed that three fingers of Allavandar were turned. Only Ramanuj understood it's significance that his guru had entrusted him the work of analysing Brahmsutra, Vishnusahastranaam and Divya Prabhandam.

Ramanuj vowed there to get these works completed. The guru's finger now were straight. He took Vaishnav diksha from the main disciple of Allavandar whose name was Periyanambi.

Although he was married but he decided to become sanyasi under Yatiraj.

1. Father God, it is our declaration and our stance that we will not fear bc You r w us. We thank You that You strengthen God-fearing Americans and harden us to the current and coming difficulties. You help us! You hold us in Your righteous right hand of justice. We appropriate

IMPORTANCE OF SATYA NARAYAN KATHA AND ITS ORIGIN.

We all have heard and read the Satyanarayan katha. But none of us dont know the original stories that Shatanand or Sadhu or Kalavati must have heard. Also, as a habit we hear or read this katha

but dont know the proper way it should be conducted.

We find its mention in Skanda puraan(Reva khand) and Bhavishya Puraan(Pratisarg parva).
Both Bhagwatam and Gita call Bhagwan Narayan as Satv or Truth. So Satyanarayan denotes this name as the one which is Truth incarnate.

The story began in Naimisharanya when Vyasji asked Sutji about a way to eliminate all the sorrows and fulfill all the desires and about who is the devta who can grant these at the same time.

So Suutji first prayed to Bhagwan Satyanarayan who is no one else but Vishnu ji.

Then he remembered all his avatars.After that he narrated the story of Narad. Once while visiting Mrityulok, Naradji was pained to see the sufferings of People around. He was deeply moved by these sufferings and wanted to know the means by which we could rid ourselves from these.

So he went to Vishnu ji and after paying his respects stood in front of him. Naradji narrated the purpose of his visit.

So Bhagwan Vishnu said to him that in Satyug and Tretayug, Bhagwan eliminates sorrow in Vishnuswarup. In Dwapar he assumes different forms to help people.

THE NOTICEABLE SIGNS OBSERVED ON IMPENDING DEATH(मृत्यु के संकेत या चिन्ह)

As per Skanda Puran, Kartikeya had narrated to Muni Agastya about the signs of the coming death. This is as per this ancient scripture.

If one experiences the air coming out of right nostril continuously then it is observed that the person dies within three years. If the breathing is continuous towards upper side from both the nostrils, then the person can die within two three days.

If the breathing is through the mouth instead of the nostrils then the person may live only for two days. The person should take into coignance these signs of the occurance of any sudden death.

As per astrology when the Surya is in the 7th house and Chandrama is in its own house and the breathing is only through the right nostril then the danger exists. If you see a yellow black coloured figure who becomes invisible immediately then the life span is limited to 2 years.

If any person sneezes, passes urine, stool and semen all together he has only a year more to live. If a person sees blue coloured snakes flying in the sky then he has only six more months to live. If a person sees any thing opposite to its real self like colours

RISHI ASHTAVAKRA(DEVAL)

Those who are well versed in our ancient scriptures must definitely have come across the name of Ashtavakra Muni. Who was he and what is the story behind his body getting crooked from all sides.

Muni Asit was the son of Pracheta Rishi.

He was childless and this caused a lot of worry to him. But an Akashvani assured him that he should go to Shivji to get all his
worries nullified.

So he along with his wife go to Shivji and after paying him obeisance start singing Shivji's praises.

He describes Shiv as the one who is beyond any other thing, whose glory has no words to describe. After this the couple stands with folded hands in front of Rudradev. The strotras sung in praise of Shiv possess magical qualities even today.

Shiv gets satisfied by them soon and is ready to grant a boon.

Shiva told him that, he very well knew what the Muni desired. He then gives him the "Sansaar Vijay' mantra and asks him to keep reciting it. The Isht devi would come at an appropriate time and fulfill his wish.

Asit Muni kept reciting this mantra for hundred years. The Devi appeared and granted him the boon of a son as a Shivansh. A son was born and was named as Deval. He grew upto be a great scholar well versed and a handsome young man. Asit Muni got him married to Ratnamalavati.