DIWALI 2012 – DIWALI POOJA MUHURAT – LAL KITAB TIPS/REMEDIES FOR DIWALI – HAPPY DIWALI

INTRODUCTION

The word "Diwali" is a contraction of "Deepavali", originating from the Sanskrit word Dipavali (दीपावली) which can be translated to "Row of Lights". Hence the Diwali Festival is also called the "Festival of Lights". Diwali is the name for the festival in North-India. In South-India the festival is called "Deepavali".

This year Diwali will be celebrated on Tuesday, 13th of November 2012. 

Legends behind celebration of Diwali

Diwali celebrates to victory of the Good over the Evil and Light over Darkness. Is has a major religious significance for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains alike - not only in India, but also for Indians living abroad. The day of Diwali falls on Ashvina Amavasya and this date also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year, and many businesses in India starting a new accounting year on the Diwali holiday. Diwali is actually celebrated in honor of Lord Rama and His wife Sita returning to their kingdom of Ayodhya, after defeating demon King Ravana.

Diwali marks the end of the harvest season in most of India. Farmers give thanks for the bounty of the year gone by, and pray for a good harvest for the year to come. Traditionally this marked the closing of accounts for businesses dependent on the agrarian cycle, and is the last major celebration before winter. Maa Lakshmi symbolizes wealth and prosperity, and her blessings are invoked for a good year ahead. There are two legends that associate the worship of Lakshmi on this day. According to the first legend, on this day, Lakshmi emerged from Kshira Sagar, the Ocean of Milk, during the great churning of the oceans, Samudra manthan. The second legend (more popular in western India) relates to the Vamana avatar of the Lord Vishnu, the incarnation he assumed to kill the demon king Bali. On this day, Vishnu came back to his abode the Vaikuntha; so those who worship Lakshmi receive the benefit of her benevolent mood, and are blessed with mental, physical and material well-being. Lord Ganesha is also worshipped along with Maa Lakshmi because he is treated as remover of all obstacles and worshipped before all the Gods.

Diwali Puja Muhurat

Lakshmi Puja should be done during Pradosh Kaal which starts after sunset and approximately lasts for 2 hours and 24 minutes. This year the auspicious time for Diwali Poojan is given below:

Maa Lakshmi Puja Muhurta = 17:47:13 to 19:45:15

It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi visits homes during Diwali time so everyone likes to clean and decorate their homes in the best way possible. From whitewashing to buying new furnishings, people love to work on their homes during Diwali. You can use your creativity and decorate your home with flowers and rangoli patterns this Diwali and you will feel the presence of nature in your home. The sweet fragrance of flowers enhances the aesthetic appeal on the rangoli patterns and the combination looks magnificent on the front door of a home. Besides flowers and rangoli patterns, place electric lights in appropriate places in your home as well. Be careful with the placement of candles and diyas and ensure that they are kept away from curtains and other flammable things.

On Diwali evening, it is customary to start the celebrations with a Lakshmi Puja. Decorate the puja thali and clean the temple beforehand. Start with Ganesh Puja and move on to Lakshmi Puja. Distribute the puja prasad to all family members after the puja is complete.

Important points to be kept in mind for Diwali Puja & Lal Kitab Tips/Remedies for Diwali

1.      On the night of Diwali, listen or read Vishnu Sahasra Naam and Shree Sukta

2.      Purchase a new broom on Diwali and use it to clean the place where pooja has to be done. You can use it regularly from next day onwards. It will help in improving prosperity.

3.      Try to offer homemade Rice or Sabudaana Kheer to Maa Lakshmi instead of offering sweets available in market.

4.      If it is possible, have 11 Abhimantri “Gomti Chakra” and keep them in a red cloth bag. Treat these Gomti Chakra as Maa Lakshmi and worship them in your pooja. After doing pooja, you can keep these Gomti Chakras in your locker or almirah or the place where you keep your money. This will help you in gaining wealth and prosperity. People whose business is not growing must do this to gain benefit.

5.      Most Important for all of you is to install a Crystal or Sphatik Shree Yantra on Diwali at your house. If you have this yantra, then after undertaking panchabhishek (washing with milk, ghee, honey, curd and gangajal) worship it. Maa Lakshmi resides in Shree Yantra and it will definitely bestow peace, happiness and blessings of Maa Lakshmi on you.

6.      There are many people who are facing unemployment or their want is always wandering here and there. They should wear Shree Yantra Abhimantrit Locket which will help them in gaining wealth and good intelligence. People who want to have promotion can also wear this locket or alternatively install Abhimantrit Shree Yantra at their house.

7.      If possible while doing Diwali Pooja wear Sphatik Bead mala. It will increase the effect of Diwali Pooja many times. Alternatively wear Lakshmi Narain Pendant which is a combination of Seven Mukhi and Ten Mukhi Rudraksha denoting Maa Lakshmi and Vishnu Ji respectively.

8.      On all days starting from Dhan Teras till Bhaiya Dhuj, try to light a diya near the Tulsi plant. Pushkar Puran states, “The person who lights the lamp of sesame (til) oil in the name of Lord Shri Hari in the month of Kartik (during Sandhya) gets unlimited prosperity, beauty, blessedness and wealth”. So if possible try to lit lamp of sesame (til) oil in evening during the whole month of Kartik (i.e. from 29^th October 2012 to 28^th November 2012). 

“       HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL OF YOU & YOUR FAMILY

""Hari Om Tat Sat"

Acharya Vikas Malhotra

Astrologer, Numerologist and Spiritual Healer

{MBA, LLB, FCS, MA (Public Admn), FIII, JYOTISH VISHARAD} 
 lalkitabastro.com

CELEBERATE DHAN TERAS & GET HEALTH, WEALTH AND PROSPERITY FOR YOU & YOUR FAMILY

DHAN TERAS DATE IN 2012 – Sunday, 11^TH NOVEMBER 2012            

About the Festival – Dhan Triyodashi, Yamdeep Daan, Kuber Puja, Dhanwantri Puja

Dhanteras the festival of wealth and prosperity is celebrated two days before Diwali festival in India. Dhanteras is also known as Dhantrayodashi, and takes place two days before Diwali, in honour of Dhanavantri, the physician of the gods and an incarnation of Vishnu. Dhanteras marks the beginning of Diwali festival. Dhan means “wealth” and Teras denotes “trayodashi”. The festival is observed on the 13^th lunar day of dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) in the month of Kartik.

On this day, the main doors of houses and offices are decorated with flowers lights and rangolis. An extensive pooja is organized in all households where people worship Goddess Laxmi with their purchase of the day (utensil/Jewellery).

Legends Associated with Dhan Teras

Yamadeep Daan

There are two legends associated with this festival. The first is that there was a 16 year old son of King Hima whose horoscope predicted his early death by a snake-bite on the fourth day of his wedding. On that particular fourth day of his marriage, his young wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid all the ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a big heap at the entrance of her husband’s boudoir and lighted innumerable lamps all over the place. And she went on telling stories and singing songs. When Yam, the god of death arrived there in the guise of a serpent his eyes got blinded by that dazzle of those brilliant lights and he could not enter the prince’s chamber. So he climbed on top of the heap of the ornaments and coins and sat there whole night listening to the melodious songs. In the morning he quietly went away. Thus the young wife saved her husband from the clutches of death. Since then this day of Dhanteras came to be known as the day of "YAMADEEPDAAN" and lamps are kept burning throughout the night in reverential adoration to Yam, the god of death.

Legend of Samudramanthan or Sea Churning

Another legend of Samudramanthan shows that at the time of sea churning or samudramanthan, Lord Dhanwantri appeared in sea with an urn, hence, there is a tradition of buying utensils of this day. It is believed buying utensils or silver increases their count by 13 times. Also, buying seeds of dried coriander and keeping them in house increases wealth. On the day of Diwali, these seeds are sown in garden or farms. These seeds are the symbol of growth and wealth increment in a person’s life.

What to purchase on Dhanteras

In the past few years, the tradition of purchasing utensils and jewellery has become popular on this day. The real significance of Dhan Teras lies in worshipping Lord Dhanvantri so that good health is bestowed on the worshipper and ultimately “Health is Wealth.” The best way to celebrate Dhan Teras apart from worshipping Maa Lakshmi, Kuber Ji, Lord Yama and Lord Dhanvantri is to give any gift to your family doctor or physician. In addition you can purchase small utensil/s of silver/steel/copper as per your need and budget. Please remember that do not purchase a utensil with holes like tea filter.   You can purchase a copper/silver bowl and after puja you can use it for drinking water. If it is a copper utensil you can dip five mukhi rudraksha in it in night and early morning have this water and it will solve your diabetes and blood pressure problem. Alternatively you can bring home the silver idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha which increases wealth, success and growth at house, offices and business organisation.

Dhanteras Pujan

The worship  on Dhanteras should be done in Subh Muhurat. First of all 13 lamps should be lighted and Lord Kuber in the Locker should be worshipped. Lord Kuber is worshipped and offered flowers and it is said that “I worship you Lord Kuber who sits on the best plane similar to Garudamani, holding Gadha in both the hands and wearing crown on head, dear friend of lord Shiva”. After this worship with incense sticks, lamps, Navedha (sweets) and chant the following mantra

'यक्षाय कुबेराय वैश्रवणाय धन-धान्य अधिपतये
धन-धान्य समृद्धि मे देहि दापय स्वाहा ।'

Auspicious Muhurat for Puja in the Evening

The time of Pradosh Kal,fixed Lagna from 19:05 to 20:08 (07:05 p.m. to 08:08 p.m.) will be the most auspicious for the Pujan of Dhanteras. Auspicious muhurat for shopping on Dhan Teras is after 01.30 p.m. on 11^th November 2012.

Method of Deep Daan

In the evening have mitti ka Deepak and fill it with Til oil. Have new cotton in it and lit it. Lit an incense stick also and recite following mantra looking at South Direction:         

‘मृत्युना दण्डपाशाभ्यां कालेन श्यामया सह ।

त्रयोदश्यां दीपदानात्‌ सूर्यजः प्रीयतां मम ॥’                                 

Now do deep daan and release diyas into water or leave them at pipal tree. 

HAPPY DHAN TERAS

"Hari Om Tat Sat"

Acharya Vikas Malhotra

Astrologer, Numerologist and Spiritual Healer

{MBA, LLB, FCS, MA (Public Admn), FIII, JYOTISH VISHARAD} 
 lalkitabastro.com

 

Free Vaastu Tips for Peace, Success and Prosperity

I have added some of the useful Vaastu tips at my website. You can visit the following page for reading such tips.

http://lalkitabastro.com/Vaastu.php

"Hari Om Tat Sat"

Acharya Vikas Malhotra

Astrologer, Numerologist and Spiritual Healer 

{MBA, LLB, FCS, MA (Public Admn), FIII, JYOTISH VISHARAD} 

                                             lalkitabastro.com

PITRA PAKSHA 2012 – Pitra Paksha significance, Importance of offering Shraddha to your ancestors

Introduction

Pitru Paksha/Pitr Paksha also known as Mahalaya Paksha or Shraaddh Paksha or Kanagat, is a period of fifteen days dedicated to dead ancestors and forefathers. It is the period in which we pay homage to our ancestors by remembering them and by offering food and other things to them. This period is also treated as an occasion to perform rites for the departed ancestors to keep their souls indebted for years. The word ‘Pitr Paksha’ comprises of two words ‘Pitr’ which means ancestors and the ‘Paksha’ which means phase of the moon. “Pitr” embraces God in all His aspects, the earliest sages, and our immediate ancestors to the third generation, and all our departed friends and relatives. This year Pitra Paksa period is between 30th September 2012 to 15th October 2012.

Legend behind Pitra Paksha

            In the above section, I have dealt with the importance of Pitra Paksha briefly. Now the question arises, why this period of 15 days is specifically referred as Pitra Paksha or what is the significance of Pitra Paksha. The answer to the question why specifically this period has been chosen lies in the ancient story relating to the Mahabharata hero, “Karna”. According to tradition, Karna could not get any food to eat when he went after his death to the higher regions, though he could get plenty of silver and gold there. This was because he had donated plenty of gold and silver but not food during his lifetime. Distressed much he prayed to Lord Yama, the god of death, and through his grace, returned to this earth during this paksha or the fortnight. He then gifted plenty of food to the hungry and reached back to his allotted higher plane. Hence Annadaana or giving food to the hungry has become the central part of the rituals during these days. Yama also ordained that offerings made on these days would benefit all departed souls whether they were related to the donor or not.

 Importance of offering Shraddha

Shraddha or homage to your ancestors should be done with full belief and faith. It refers to a series of ceremonies performed at various times of the year and during one's lifetime as homage and salutation to one's ancestors. These ceremonies can be defined, as offerings of food to one's pitras, by feeding Brahmins or even certain animals, like dogs, cats, crows and snakes.

On all fifteen days of Pitra Paksha, offerings are made to the departed manes, including those whose names or manner of death are not known. In these days tarpan, shraaddha and pinda daan are performed daily according to the procedures under the guidance of a priest. Although these rites are to be carried out daily in this fortnight, it is considered that to perform them on the last day i.e. on Mahalaya Amavasya or Sarva Pitru Amavasya is considered extremely important and highly sacred. Sarvapitri amavasya ("all fathers' new moon day") is intended for all ancestors, irrespective of the lunar day they died. It is the most important day of the Pitru Paksha. Those who have missed performing shraddha for any unavoidable reason can do so on this day. Those persons who do not know the tithi of death of their ancestors can also perform shraddha on Amavasya. In 2012, Mahalaya Amavasya or Sarva Pitru Amavasya is on 15^th October 2012. It is called as Mahalaya because the word ‘Maha’ means great or big or large and ‘Laya’ means destruction. Mahalaya therefore means great destruction caused during the war between Deities and Demons wherein large number of Devathas and Rishis had died in the hands of Rakshasas during the period starting from Bhadrapada Bahula Paadyami to Amavasya. These Deities and Rishis are like our forefathers and it is befitting to worship such departed souls during this fortnight that coincides with Mahalaya. Hence, this fortnight has become very sacred and celestial for performing sacred rites to forefathers.

 

How to conduct Shraddha rituals

Food prepared on the day you are performing Shraddha must firstly be offered to any God in which you have belief because this food becomes sanctified food (Prashad) and only then must that prashad be offered to the ancestors. By performing it in this way the ancestors bless that family immensely since they are eating Lord prashad, which relieves them very quickly, from whatever bad situation they are in. The prashad must be offered in the daylight hours as it is believed that Yama releases our ancestors at sunrise and they must return to Pitr-Loka (the ancestor world) at sunset.

Method:

On a tray place a banana leaf. On the banana leaf place a tablespoon of all the food that was cooked. Go to your prayer place and offer the food first to God. Leave the food at the prayer place for about 10 minutes. Now take the tray with the food and go to a corner of your yard facing South in a clean place and offer the food together with a small cup of water or milk. Say “all my ancestors please partake in this prashad”. Then leave that food. You can later on offer this food to a priest or alternatively offer food to crows. It is believed that the pitras take the form of crows to eat the offerings made to them. One should do this for 15 days. On the last day (the 15th October before 14hr01) you can either perform a havan or donate charity (whichever suits you and can afford – like 3 three types of grains, fruits, vegetables…) to your family priest or a poor person. Please note that on the 11th October is Indira Ekadashi. On this day you must only offer your Pitr's Ekadashi (non-grain) food.

You can also prepare rice balls on the day you are performing Shraadha ceremony. Offer one rice ball to fire in havan kund and after conducting puja and havan, rest of the rice balls could be offered to crows and cows. I think what matters most is your devotion and sincerity. Whatever you do with sincerity and devotion is accepted by God and your ancestors. Focus more on remembering and paying homage to your ancestors with full devotion rather than indulging in just formality in conducting Shraadha to your ancestors.

"Hari Om Tat Sat"

Acharya Vikas Malhotra

Astrologer, Numerologist and Spiritual Healer

{MBA, LLB, FCS, MA (Public Admn), FIII, JYOTISH VISHARAD} 
 lalkitabastro.com