IMPORTANCE, ADVANTAGES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF BHAGWAT PURAN

It was Ved Vyas who edited the eighteen thousand shlokas of Bhagwat. This book destroys all your sins. It has twelve parts which are like kalpvraksh.

In the first skandh, the importance of Vedvyas

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.

In fact he and his wife both worshipped Vishnu ji. Shatanand met an old Brahmin on the way. The old man asked him as to where was he going. Shatanand replied that he was going to collect Bhiksha for his son. So the old man replied that for a long time Shatanand's family was

in a poor condition. To get rid of this poverty, he should take refuge at the lotus feet of Kamal nayan who is Known as Bhagwan Satyanarayan.
The old Brahmin then revealed his identity. Shatanand realized that the old man was no one else, but Vishnu ji himself.

Shatanand fell on his feet and started singing his praises. He was ecstatic to listen to the voice of Parmatma and get his darshan directly. He felt he was the luckiest being living on this planet.

Vishnu ji advised him to perform Satyanarayan puja with whatever

bhiksha he would receive today. Bhagwan Narayan also told him that this puja did not require an elaborate preparation. But its benefit were manifold. We just have to gather all the materials. Just a panjiri or coarse powder of wheat mixed with sugar and milk should be

SHAKTA DHARMA AND THEIR ACHARYAS

Śhākta or Shakti or Devi pooja is not a new upasana. It is being carried out right from the time of Vedic period. Puran's tell us that Rishi Vashishth would worship Tara devi. Parshuram ji worshipped Tripura devi,

Agastya learned the secrets of Shri Vidya from Vishnu ji in Hayagriva avtaar. Bhagwan Ram, Laxman and Krishna too learned the tantrik vidya. Even Rig Ved 7.103.5 Sayan Bhasya also mentions about Śhākta/शाक्त(शाक्तस्येव शक्तिमतः).

Then we find that in the Harrappan excavations many figurines depicting Shakti were found. So in that age too, which was supposedly an urban city shakti was being worshipped. So naturally this tradition would be prevalent in rural areas too.

It is wrong to say that shakti puja originated from Bengal although it was popular there. Matsyendranath received this vidya from Maheshwari herself in Kamrup. We know that Shakti pooja is practised all over India.

Not much is known about the Śhākta saints in other parts of India in the middle ages.

Adi Shankaracharya wrote Pramanech saar named book on tantra and Anand lahri book on Devi strotras. Then there were Acharya Shankar, Bhaskar Rai, Laxman, Deshikendra, Raghav Bhatt, Krishnand,

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.

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।

INTRODUCTION TO FEW IMPORTANT SNAKES RESIDING IN NAAG LOK / KADRU'S SONS

1)Sheshnaag was the biggest
2)Vasuki.
3)Airavata,
4)Takshaka,
5)Karkotaka,
5)Dhananjaya,
6)Kalakeya,
7)Mani,
8)Purana,
9)Pinjaraka,
10)Elapatra,
11)Vamana,
12)Nila,
13)Anila,
14)Kalmasha,

15)Savala,
16)Aryaka,
17)Ugra,
18)Kalasapotaka,
19)Suramukha,
20)Dadhimukha,
21)Vimalapindaka,
22)Apta,
23)Karotaka,
24)Samkha,
25)Valisikha,
26)Nisthanaka,
27)Hemaguha,
28)Nahusha,
29)Pingala,
30)Vahyakarna,
31)Hastipada,
32)Mudgarapindaka,
33)Kamvala Aswatara,

33)Kaliyaka,
34)Vritta,
35)Samvartaka,
36)Padma,
37)Mahapadma,
38)Sankhamukha,
39)Kushmandaka,
40)Kshemaka,
41)Pindaraka,
42)Karavira,
43)Pushpadanshtraka,
44)Vilwaka,
45)Vilwapandara,
46)Mushikada,
47)Sankhasiras,
48)Purnabhadra,
49)Haridraka,
50)Aparajita,

51)Jyotika,
52)Srivaha,
53)Kauravya,
54)Dhritarashtra, 55)Sankhapinda,
56)Virajas,
57)Suvahu,
58)Salipinda,
59)Prabhakara,
60)Hastipinda,
61)Pitharaka,
62)Sumuksha, 63)Kaunapashana,
64)Kuthara,
65)Kunjara,
66)Kumuda,
67)Kumudaksha,
68)Tittri,
69)Halika,

70)Kardama,
71)Vahumulaka,
72)Karkara,
73)Akarkara,
74)Kundodara, and
75)Mahodara. 
70)Kardama,
71)Vahumulaka,
72)Karkara,
73)Akarkara,
74)Kundodara, and
75)Mahodara.

#DoYouKnow -The place where
Lalitha Sahasranamam -1000 names of Devi originated.

It is in Lalithambigai temple -Thirumeeyachur,Near Mayiladuthurai,TN

There is a Legend #story & it is related to this beautiful #sculpture of Kshetrapuraneswarar & Ambal Lalithambigai #Thread 👇

#Legend #story
It is believed that this is birth place of Kashyapa Maharishi’s sons, Arunan& Garudan. Arunan(charioteer of Surya)was physically handicapped.He was a Shiva devotee.Arunan wanted to visit Kailash to have Shiva Darshan,but Surya Dev denied permission.

So Arunan disguised as a girl & was on his way to Kailash.On the way Surya Dev saw this girl & outraged her modesty.Shiva was very angry with Suryan for misbehaviour & cursed him to get darkened. Whole world plunged into darkness.Surya Dev pleaded to Bhagwan Shiv to forgive him.

Shiva Bhagwan asked him to go to Thirumiyachur & worship him there. As advised, Surya Dev performed rigorous penance, placed murthi of Shiva& Parvathy on an elephant & took them to the clouds.Shiva in this temple is known as Meganathaswamy,Devi is known as Lalithambigai

Even after severe penance,Shiva does appear,so Surya Dev cries out in agony.Disturbed by his call, Parvathy protests.Siva pacifies her & offers relief to Surya Dev.The sculpture of Shiva pacifying Ambal shows her sullen from one angle &smiling from another.

TYPES OF SINS(PAAP) AS PER SKAND PURAN.

There are three types of Adharma- Sthool, Sukshma and Ati Sukshma. The group of Sins in the Sthul section carries you to Narak. These sins are committed through your thoughts, words and deeds.

It is of four types.

1)First is the sin committed by your mental state-
Thinking about woman other then your spouse.

A)Resolution to amass wealth from others.

B)Thinking ill about others.

C)Thinking of doing a forbidden or unworthy deed.

2)Second is the sin that you commit through your words :-

A)Talking irrelevant things.

B)Telling a lie.

C)Speaking harshly.

D)Talking ill about others.

3)Third type of sin is committed through your body actions-

A)Eating food not prescribed to you or forbidden.

B)Violence.

C)Eating fancier food.

D)Acquiring other's wealth.

So these twelve types of sins.

There are six types of sinners or Mahapatak

1)One not bowing his head in front of a temple.

2)Never praise Shiva.

3)People who behave untowardly way in front of Ishwar.

4)People who do not show respect to Ishwar, guru or one who are undignified.

5)One who do not behave properly.

6)One who is jealous of other bhakts.

Below is the list of sins which people may commit.

1)One who does not help a needy person or a person in pain,

1/15 Self-loathing (self-hating) #Jews and the existence of #Israel. After WW2 a lot of #Jewish survivors denied their #Jewishness all together. Converted to Protestantism, became hardcore socialists or even communists. Pretending to by one of the many, instead one of the few.

2/15 Examples in my little family. Another hiding place was to marry non-Jews. Male Jew & non-Jewish woman broke the bloodline. Female #Jew & non-Jewish male was a reason to not follow Jewish traditions. No Brit Milah, no Bar/Bat Mitswah, nada. Also examples in my little family.

3/15 Remember this was in the early 1950/60’s and the man of the house decided most. The deeper thought, no, the huge fear that something like the #Holocaust could happen again was the reason for this. Don’t show the outside world you’re a #Jew, you could be round up next time.

4/15 Same attitude was transferred to their children. Don’t show your Magen David (if you ever got one), don’t tell your Jewish. Hide, hide, hide. But indoors a few customs were kept. Friday night family night, Matzohs at Easter(!) – not Pesach, some kosher food with birthdays.

5/15 Their childrens children are now the so-called #leftist, #progressive Jews who deny their #Jewishness wholehearted. Code Pink, Jstreet, JVP… you name them. #Israel is their greatest fear aka Jews with self-determination, which triggers even more #antisemitism.

Don't act smart with Shankaracharya, you will get roasted...

This is a very interesting story from ShankarDigvijaya where Mandan Mishra tries to insult Shankaracharya but gets insulted in return.

The fun lies in the twisting of meanings of Sanskrit words by Shankaracharya.I will try my best to translate while preserving the real meaning.

Shankaracharya went to house of Mandan Mishra to debate with him, but he found the door locked so he took alternate way and went in

The conversation that followed went somewhat like this...

On seeing Shankaracharya

Mandan(angrily)- From where did you come, you bald fellow?

Shankar - I am bald till neck.

(He said कुतो मुण्ड्य Shankar took meaning as, 'How far are you shaven?' so he replied till neck. )

Mandan - I did not ask this, I asked your way

Shankar - Then what did the way reply?

(Mandan ment "I asked about your way" (From where did you come?) Shankar twisted meaning as 'I asked your way' so he said "What did the way reply?")

Mandan (frustrated) - It said, your mother is bald.

Shankar - But you asked it, it must be talking about your mother not mine.