Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja.

[Guest guest]

“All ways of knowledge are your aspects, O Devi; so are all women in the world,

endowed with various attributes. By you alone, O Mother, this world is filled”-

Chandi, II, 6

 

One of the fast growing pooja of Devi is the Ragu Kalam Durga pooja. Held weekly

on every Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, this pooja attracts many people- Young

people who perform this Pooja will excel in studies while the unmarried will be

able to find a good life partner, married ladies will have a happy married life

and their families will proper, the childless will have children and have a

happy and prosperous life. Of all the days, Tuesday is the most auspicious day.

The time is fixed viz: 3.00 pm and 4.30 pm on Tuesdays, 10.30 am and 12.00 pm on

Fridays and 4.30 pm and 6.00 pm on Sundays. All the times that I mentioned are

the Ragu Neeram ( the time of the Ragu ). Of all the Devi`s Pooja ( Varalakshmi

Pooja, Pournami Pooja, Thiruvilaku Pooja ), Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja is the most

simplest one.Utensils and sundries needed for the pooja are – Limes ( lime cut

into a bit more than half and invert it )-( odd numbers ( a maximum of 9 )),

wick, ghee and turmeric rice ,a tambalam ( silver plate ) and prasadam (

fruits, betel leaves and Areca nut ). The pooja is normally conducted in Amman

temples and procedures are quite different from one temple to another, but it

follows exactly the same way of offering “mavuvilaku”. There are no specific

mantras but in temples devotees will conduct banjans and chant the name of Durga

Matha. At the end of the pooja, one is required to do “ Sangkalpam “.Lime is

always been used in medication because of its acidity that can cure many

diseases. One who wants to perform this pooja needs to invert the lime after it

has been cut into half. Remember , this is the most difficult part, if you cut a

unripe lime, U cant invert it and the same goes to a ripen lime. So the

selection of the lime is very much needed. The main purpose is to bring out the

dermis part of the lime which is usually white in colour. The lime is resembling

us and we need show the inner part of us to God. Garment of illusion, greedy,

lust and angriness need to throw away before God. The white dermis of the lime

shows our pure conscious and the darker part ( green in colour which is hidden

inside ) is our Maya. One can use any type of wicks in this pooja and I have

listed out some of the wicks and its significance. Wick made of banana stem

fibre removes offences before God and ancestral curse, cotton wick- obtains all

good fortune, lotus stem fibre ( wick ) – removes karma from pervious birth and

establishes a happy and prosperous life, white madder plant –pulp of the bark –

increase wealth and dispels misfortunes, new yellow cotton cloth – obtains the

grace of Goddess Parasakti and frees one from entanglements and will not be

affected by further misfortunes and New Red cotton cloth- removes any marriage

obstacles and child bearing obstacles, keep on free from spells, mantras and

tantras. The wick is a symbol of energy and light where alight emits brightness.

The point of the wick tells us that God is everywhere. The tambalam ( silver

plates) reflect Brahma ( creator ) and the Turmeric rice ( uncooked rice )

resemble Maha Vishnu. The turmeric rice stabilise the lime and it acts exactly

as God Vishnu who is a preserver and stabilise between born ( Brahma ) and death

( Rudra ). The top of the half cut inverted lime signifies Shiva. As the oil (

ghee ) is contained, just like Lord’s Shiva contained Ganga ( the river ) in His

hair. The ghee and the flame signifies Goddess Laxmi who blessed us with her

wealth, the brightness of the flame resemble Goddess Saraswathy who blessed us

with education and knowledge and the heat from the flame signifies Mother Durga.

 

The pooja is nothing if we don’t understand the truth of this pooja. Ragu

Kalam Durga Pooja is a typical South Indian way of worshiping Mother Durga.

Mother Durga is well-known to the Northern Indian through their Durga Pooja or

Navarathiri which held 4 times a year. There is a verbal story that somehow

connects to this Pooja. Navagrahas the planet deities of which the first seven

are Sun ( Surya ), Moon ( Soma ), Mars ( Mangal), Mercury ( Budha ), Jupiter (

Brishpati ), Venus( Sukra), Saturn ( Shani ) give names to the days of the week:

Sunday to Saturday respectively. The other two Ragu (Ascending node) and Ketu

(Descending node) are also fabled as planets, the former as a planet with a head

and no body and the latter as a planet with a body and no head. In the Puranas,

they are all represented as deities borne in cars. The planet Sun travels in

some zodiac point each month. Similarly, the other planets have their times of

travel through the zodiac assigned to them. As the planets travel through a

particular zodiac signs, their relative positions with respect to each other

changes and is supposed to determine the fate of the human affairs. An

astrologer can draw up a horoscope of a person based on his time of birth and

calculate the relative positions of the planets relative to this horoscope. The

planets are also believed to influence the outcomes of historical events of

entire nations and the Earth. Each planet has its own mode of circumambulation -

clockwise or anti-clockwise. Each planet faces a different direction. In

religious rites, beetle nuts represent the planets and the priest invites each

planet to be present there and witness and bless the pooja. So the story goes

like this- “ A couple blessed with a child after their continuous prayers to

Divine Mother. The child reached her puberty age and the parents decided to seek

an astrologer to ask the fate of the child in future. The couple was shocked to

get to know that their daughter has “ Ragu Thosam ( very bad time –Ragu is

controlling her time ) and the ninth day from her birthday, a black serpent

will bite her to death. Hearing this, the couple rushed to get the protection

and remedies from Mother Durga. At this moment, Goddess Parvathy was outcast

from Kailash Mountain ( because She closed the eyes of Shiva with her palms )

and wander as a saint in earth to help her devotees and Parvathy took the vow to

save the child to show to Shiva that She is everything. The time comes and as

predicted before , Ragu ( the serpent-head ) changes himself as a serpent and

try his very best to kill the girl. Each of his attempt been blocked by Sakti

and at last Sakti herself reincarnate as the girl and Ragu mistakenly bite Sakti

thus made a sinful act. Ragu beg for forgiveness and as a reward he let go the

girl. In forgiving his mistakes, Durga Matha remind him that Ragu thosam and

Ragu`s influences will ease for those who are performing Pooja for her at Ragu

Neeram ( a bad time ) and those who are conducting the pooja will be blessed by

Mother Durga.

 

Why Ragu Neeram, why cant Emakandam neeram ( the time of Semi-god Yama

)? Both as been accepted as inauspicious time. It seems The North Node of the

Moon is called Ragu in Vedic astrology and the South Node is called ketu. They

are called dark or shadow planets, because of the Nodes' association the

phenomena of eclipses.

They have no sign ruler ships, although they are said to favour Mercury and

Jupiter's signs according to some authorities, while others claim that Ragu

favours the sign of Aquarius and Ketu sign of Scorpio. Ragu, the North Node of

the Moon means to conceal, engulf or hide in Sanskrit. This Graha is associated

with the world of material manifestation and worldly desire. Ragu is associated

with the spiritual process of involution, or the engrossing of spirit in

materialization. Ragu is a karaka, or indicator, of worldly desire, fame, greed,

high intelligence, manipulation, obsessive behaviour, foreigners, mass disease,

dementia and inertia. The nature of this Graha is Vata, or Airy. These qualities

of Ragu are with us. The Ken Upanishad, part three known as Yaksha Prashna says

that The Supreme power of God is manifested as knowledge, activity and strength.

The Bhagavad-Gita describes the same in different words ( Ch 17, Verse 5-

“Purity, passion and inertia – these qualities , born of nature bind fast in the

body. Purity known as Sattwa , passion known as Rajas and the inertia known as

Tamas. Each of these three gunas represented by colour, Sattwa is white ( colour

of purity )- represented by that aspect of mother Durga we worship as Goddess

Saraswati. The colour of Rajas is red represented by that aspect of mother Durga

we worship as Goddess Lakshmi and Tamas is black, represented by the aspect of

mother Durga we worship as Goddess Kali. Ragu attribute Tamas to our life. Tamas

is born of ignorance , deluding all embodied beings. Tamas binds fast in

heedlessness , sleep, and indolence, laziness (Bhagavad-Gita , Ch 14 verse 8 ).

Tamas is that binding force with a tendency to lethargy ( lack of energy,

vitality ), sloth and foolish actions. It causes non-discrimination or delusion.

It binds one who is associates with self with the Body. A tasmasic person act

under the compulsion of the body. He has no power of judgement. His actions are

not guided by reasons. His senses are dull. These are all baser animal qualities

( Ragu –serpent head ( half human and half animal form ), the lower diabolical

nature in man. We pray to mother Kali as Durga as the supreme force and power to

destroy all our impurities, our vices, and our defects. She is to fight and

annihilate these demons. This is the strength aspect of Sakti as mentioned in

the Upanishad . Mother Durga is the power that guides and protects the devotee’s

spiritual practice form its many danger and pitfalls. So, by performing this

Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja, Mother Durga will bestow peace and prosperity in our

life.

 

 

 

 

 

“mm Kala abhraham kata akshair, arikula bhaya dam, mauli bad-dhendu rekham

shankam chakram kripanan tri-shikha –mapi karair, udvahantim trinetram,

Simha-skanda –adhirudham tribuvanam akhilam purayanthim, Dhyayed Durga jaya

akhyam Tri-dasha pati nutam sevitam seddhi kamaih’ which means “ I pray to

thee O Mother Durga, with my folded hands and head on your lotus feet. You are ,

O Mother, known as Jaya ( victorious ), honoured and saluted by Lord of heaven

name Indra and served by the devotees, wishing their success. You beam like

thick and black clouds. You could terrify enemies even with a flash of your

look. You are adorned with crown set of cresent moon on your head. You hold the

conch, the chakra ( wheel ).the sword and the spear . You have three eyes, O

Mother and on the back of the lion, your vahana. The whole world is filled with

your great splendour , I pray thee, O mother Durga.

 

Happy performing Ragu kalam Durga Pooja

 

By the way, I am new to your group. I wish all the best.

 

 

Hare Durga!

 

Vijayendran Govindasamy

Ipoh, Malaysia

 

 

 

 

Mail - For a better Internet experience

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Pranam.

*The North Node in Vedic astrology is called RAHU. This writer keeps referring

to it as Ragu (which is the ancestral name of Prince Rama's family). A mistake?

A varient?*

In Tamil, one would say Raagu. Hence, it is different from Ragu kula of Sri

Ramachandra. Hope this helps

 

*.Evidently the limes are not to be turned upside down, but inside out? I'd need

a demonstration of how to do this.*

 

If there are any Tamilians around your place, they should be able to help. It is

actually not that difficult.

 

And, this pooja really does work. My mom used to do this pooja before she got

married. At exactly the end of the ninth week pooja, my dad came to see her.(It

was an arranged marriage) Usually, people do this for nine weeks without a

break. My sister, our friend and myself did this pooja when we were at school.

It is really very competitive in Singapore;-))

 

With Love

 

Shankaree

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mail - For a better Internet experience

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Kalipadma : Evidently the limes are not to be turned upside down, but

inside out? I'd need a demonstration of how to do this.*

 

Shankaree : If there are any Tamilians around your place, they should

be able to help. It is actually not that difficult.

 

And, this pooja really does work. My mom used to do this pooja before

she got married. At exactly the end of the ninth week pooja, my dad

came to see her.(It was an arranged marriage) Usually, people do this

for nine weeks without a break. My sister, our friend and myself did

this pooja when we were at school.

Thank you Vijay for the detail information on Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja.

 

If you cant find any Tamilans to show you how to do it, perhaps I can

take some pictures with my digital camera and put it in the Group

photo gallery. I do Kalam Durga Pooja at home every Tuesday for the

past few years. Not as elaborate as that in the temple but a very

simple affair. I was told by my spiritual mother that its for my own

general goodness : studies, career, family life etc. Best time is in

the evening as said by Vijay between 3 pm to 4.30 pm.

 

It is really very competitive in Singapore.

LOL Shankaree, it is indeed. But I think it is the same as any cities

like Japan, HongKong. But we always have a choice didn't we : to

join

in the race or to strike it on our own and move at our own pace

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

Rahu is the western given name, just like the word "Hinduism". I wrote the

name Ragu following my native language. And of course Rama came from the

Raagunath dynasty but I was not refering Ragu for Raagu or Rahu ( which you have

mentioned. The same goes to this word.. Krshna, Krishna, krista, krsna. The

word Krisra means Christ and not Krshna .‘Ragu’s’ mother is ‘Sinhika’ who was

the wife of ‘Viprachitti’ and was the daughter of Hiranyakashipu. Ragu is also

known as ‘Sainhikeya’, which is based on his mother’s name. Ragu had one hundred

brothers, but he was the most capable and powerful among all of them.

(Shrimadbhagawat 6/6/36). ). Durga Mother is the ruling deity over Ragu or Rahu

that you have mentioned to me. The over ruler is "Sarpa". I admit that there is

a mistake in using of this word "invert", I am sorry for that. The dermis part (

should be inner layer ) have to come out and the outer layer goes inside. I

think demostration available freely for you at any nearby Amman temples at your

place. But be sure to you go during Ragu Neram. One more thing, Ragu Kalam Durga

Poojai should not be conducted at home. I wish you all the best. Hare Durga !

 

 

 

 

Black Lotus L Rosenberg <kalipadma wrote:

This is interesting, if way over my head.

 

The North Node in Vedic astrology is called RAHU. This writer keeps

referring to it as Ragu (which is the ancestral name of Prince Rama's

family). A mistake? A varient?

 

I was born with my Moon in the Lunar Mansion of Svati, which is ruled by

Rahu. A Vedic astrologer said that because of this, I should always

resort to Ma Durga when I am in trouble. Durga is invoked to battle

Rahu... perhaps because she rides a tiger, and Rahu's demon mother was

named Simhika (Tigress or Lioness).

 

Evidently the limes are not to be turned upside down, but inside out?

I'd need a demonstration of how to do this.

 

Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the first night of Durga Navaratri.

 

-- Len/ Kalipadma

 

(Om. I take refuge at the lotus feet of Durga Devi)

 

 

 

On Tue, 1 Apr 2003 11:24:58 +0100 (BST) =?iso-8859-1?q?Vijay=5FforU?=

writes:

>

> “All ways of knowledge are your aspects, O Devi; so are all women in

> the world, endowed with various attributes. By you alone, O Mother,

> this world is filled”- Chandi, II, 6

>

> One of the fast growing pooja of Devi is the Ragu Kalam Durga pooja.

> Held weekly on every Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, this pooja

> attracts many people- Young people who perform this Pooja will excel

> in studies while the unmarried will be able to find a good life

> partner, married ladies will have a happy married life and their

> families will proper, the childless will have children and have a

> happy and prosperous life. Of all the days, Tuesday is the most

> auspicious day. The time is fixed viz: 3.00 pm and 4.30 pm on

> Tuesdays, 10.30 am and 12.00 pm on Fridays and 4.30 pm and 6.00 pm

> on Sundays. All the times that I mentioned are the Ragu Neeram ( the

> time of the Ragu ). Of all the Devi`s Pooja ( Varalakshmi Pooja,

> Pournami Pooja, Thiruvilaku Pooja ), Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja is the

> most simplest one.Utensils and sundries needed for the pooja are –

> Limes ( lime cut into a bit more than half and invert it )-( odd

> numbers ( a maximum of 9 )), wick, ghee and turmeric rice ,a

> tambalam ( silver plate ) and prasadam ( fruits, betel leaves and

> Areca nut ). The pooja is normally conducted in Amman temples and

> procedures are quite different from one temple to another, but it

> follows exactly the same way of offering “mavuvilaku”. There are no

> specific mantras but in temples devotees will conduct banjans and

> chant the name of Durga Matha. At the end of the pooja, one is

> required to do “ Sangkalpam “.Lime is always been used in medication

> because of its acidity that can cure many diseases. One who wants to

> perform this pooja needs to invert the lime after it has been cut

> into half. Remember , this is the most difficult part, if you cut a

> unripe lime, U cant invert it and the same goes to a ripen lime. So

> the selection of the lime is very much needed. The main purpose is

> to bring out the dermis part of the lime which is usually white in

> colour. The lime is resembling us and we need show the inner part of

> us to God. Garment of illusion, greedy, lust and angriness need to

> throw away before God. The white dermis of the lime shows our pure

> conscious and the darker part ( green in colour which is hidden

> inside ) is our Maya. One can use any type of wicks in this pooja

> and I have listed out some of the wicks and its significance. Wick

> made of banana stem fibre removes offences before God and ancestral

> curse, cotton wick- obtains all good fortune, lotus stem fibre (

> wick ) – removes karma from pervious birth and establishes a happy

> and prosperous life, white madder plant –pulp of the bark – increase

> wealth and dispels misfortunes, new yellow cotton cloth – obtains

> the grace of Goddess Parasakti and frees one from entanglements and

> will not be affected by further misfortunes and New Red cotton

> cloth- removes any marriage obstacles and child bearing obstacles,

> keep on free from spells, mantras and tantras. The wick is a symbol

> of energy and light where alight emits brightness. The point of the

> wick tells us that God is everywhere. The tambalam ( silver plates)

> reflect Brahma ( creator ) and the Turmeric rice ( uncooked rice )

> resemble Maha Vishnu. The turmeric rice stabilise the lime and it

> acts exactly as God Vishnu who is a preserver and stabilise between

> born ( Brahma ) and death ( Rudra ). The top of the half cut

> inverted lime signifies Shiva. As the oil ( ghee ) is contained,

> just like Lord’s Shiva contained Ganga ( the river ) in His hair.

> The ghee and the flame signifies Goddess Laxmi who blessed us with

> her wealth, the brightness of the flame resemble Goddess Saraswathy

> who blessed us with education and knowledge and the heat from the

> flame signifies Mother Durga.

>

> The pooja is nothing if we don’t understand the truth of this

> pooja. Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja is a typical South Indian way of

> worshiping Mother Durga. Mother Durga is well-known to the Northern

> Indian through their Durga Pooja or Navarathiri which held 4 times a

> year. There is a verbal story that somehow connects to this Pooja.

> Navagrahas the planet deities of which the first seven are Sun (

> Surya ), Moon ( Soma ), Mars ( Mangal), Mercury ( Budha ), Jupiter (

> Brishpati ), Venus( Sukra), Saturn ( Shani ) give names to the days

> of the week: Sunday to Saturday respectively. The other two Ragu

> (Ascending node) and Ketu (Descending node) are also fabled as

> planets, the former as a planet with a head and no body and the

> latter as a planet with a body and no head. In the Puranas, they are

> all represented as deities borne in cars. The planet Sun travels in

> some zodiac point each month. Similarly, the other planets have

> their times of travel through the zodiac assigned to them. As the

> planets travel through a particular zodiac signs, their relative

> positions with respect to each other changes and is supposed to

> determine the fate of the human affairs. An astrologer can draw up a

> horoscope of a person based on his time of birth and calculate the

> relative positions of the planets relative to this horoscope. The

> planets are also believed to influence the outcomes of historical

> events of entire nations and the Earth. Each planet has its own mode

> of circumambulation - clockwise or anti-clockwise. Each planet faces

> a different direction. In religious rites, beetle nuts represent the

> planets and the priest invites each planet to be present there and

> witness and bless the pooja. So the story goes like this- “ A couple

> blessed with a child after their continuous prayers to Divine

> Mother. The child reached her puberty age and the parents decided to

> seek an astrologer to ask the fate of the child in future. The

> couple was shocked to get to know that their daughter has “ Ragu

> Thosam ( very bad time –Ragu is controlling her time ) and the

> ninth day from her birthday, a black serpent will bite her to death.

> Hearing this, the couple rushed to get the protection and remedies

> from Mother Durga. At this moment, Goddess Parvathy was outcast from

> Kailash Mountain ( because She closed the eyes of Shiva with her

> palms ) and wander as a saint in earth to help her devotees and

> Parvathy took the vow to save the child to show to Shiva that She is

> everything. The time comes and as predicted before , Ragu ( the

> serpent-head ) changes himself as a serpent and try his very best to

> kill the girl. Each of his attempt been blocked by Sakti and at last

> Sakti herself reincarnate as the girl and Ragu mistakenly bite Sakti

> thus made a sinful act. Ragu beg for forgiveness and as a reward he

> let go the girl. In forgiving his mistakes, Durga Matha remind him

> that Ragu thosam and Ragu`s influences will ease for those who are

> performing Pooja for her at Ragu Neeram ( a bad time ) and those who

> are conducting the pooja will be blessed by Mother Durga.

>

> Why Ragu Neeram, why cant Emakandam neeram ( the time of

> Semi-god Yama )? Both as been accepted as inauspicious time. It

> seems The North Node of the Moon is called Ragu in Vedic astrology

> and the South Node is called ketu. They are called dark or shadow

> planets, because of the Nodes' association the phenomena of

> eclipses.

> They have no sign ruler ships, although they are said to favour

> Mercury and Jupiter's signs according to some authorities, while

> others claim that Ragu favours the sign of Aquarius and Ketu sign

> of Scorpio. Ragu, the North Node of the Moon means to conceal,

> engulf or hide in Sanskrit. This Graha is associated with the world

> of material manifestation and worldly desire. Ragu is associated

> with the spiritual process of involution, or the engrossing of

> spirit in materialization. Ragu is a karaka, or indicator, of

> worldly desire, fame, greed, high intelligence, manipulation,

> obsessive behaviour, foreigners, mass disease, dementia and inertia.

> The nature of this Graha is Vata, or Airy. These qualities of Ragu

> are with us. The Ken Upanishad, part three known as Yaksha Prashna

> says that The Supreme power of God is manifested as knowledge,

> activity and strength. The Bhagavad-Gita describes the same in

> different words ( Ch 17, Verse 5- “Purity, passion and inertia –

> these qualities , born of nature bind fast in the body. Purity known

> as Sattwa , passion known as Rajas and the inertia known as Tamas.

> Each of these three gunas represented by colour, Sattwa is white (

> colour of purity )- represented by that aspect of mother Durga we

> worship as Goddess Saraswati. The colour of Rajas is red represented

> by that aspect of mother Durga we worship as Goddess Lakshmi and

> Tamas is black, represented by the aspect of mother Durga we worship

> as Goddess Kali. Ragu attribute Tamas to our life. Tamas is born of

> ignorance , deluding all embodied beings. Tamas binds fast in

> heedlessness , sleep, and indolence, laziness (Bhagavad-Gita , Ch 14

> verse 8 ). Tamas is that binding force with a tendency to lethargy (

> lack of energy, vitality ), sloth and foolish actions. It causes

> non-discrimination or delusion. It binds one who is associates with

> self with the Body. A tasmasic person act under the compulsion of

> the body. He has no power of judgement. His actions are not guided

> by reasons. His senses are dull. These are all baser animal

> qualities ( Ragu –serpent head ( half human and half animal form ),

> the lower diabolical nature in man. We pray to mother Kali as Durga

> as the supreme force and power to destroy all our impurities, our

> vices, and our defects. She is to fight and annihilate these demons.

> This is the strength aspect of Sakti as mentioned in the Upanishad .

> Mother Durga is the power that guides and protects the devotee’s

> spiritual practice form its many danger and pitfalls. So, by

> performing this Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja, Mother Durga will bestow

> peace and prosperity in our life.

>

>

>

>

>

> “mm Kala abhraham kata akshair, arikula bhaya dam, mauli bad-dhendu

> rekham shankam chakram kripanan tri-shikha –mapi karair, udvahantim

> trinetram, Simha-skanda –adhirudham tribuvanam akhilam purayanthim,

> Dhyayed Durga jaya akhyam Tri-dasha pati nutam sevitam seddhi

> kamaih’ which means “ I pray to thee O Mother Durga, with my

> folded hands and head on your lotus feet. You are , O Mother, known

> as Jaya ( victorious ), honoured and saluted by Lord of heaven

> name Indra and served by the devotees, wishing their success. You

> beam like thick and black clouds. You could terrify enemies even

> with a flash of your look. You are adorned with crown set of cresent

> moon on your head. You hold the conch, the chakra ( wheel ).the

> sword and the spear . You have three eyes, O Mother and on the back

> of the lion, your vahana. The whole world is filled with your great

> splendour , I pray thee, O mother Durga.

>

> Happy performing Ragu kalam Durga Pooja

>

> By the way, I am new to your group. I wish all the best.

>

>

> Hare Durga!

>

> Vijayendran Govindasamy

> Ipoh, Malaysia

>

>

>

>

> Mail - For a better Internet experience

>

>

>

>

>

>

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Hare Durga!

 

Vijayendran Govindasamy

Ipoh, Malaysia

 

 

 

 

Mail - For a better Internet experience

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

This is interesting, if way over my head.

 

The North Node in Vedic astrology is called RAHU. This writer keeps

referring to it as Ragu (which is the ancestral name of Prince Rama's

family). A mistake? A varient?

 

I was born with my Moon in the Lunar Mansion of Svati, which is ruled by

Rahu. A Vedic astrologer said that because of this, I should always

resort to Ma Durga when I am in trouble. Durga is invoked to battle

Rahu... perhaps because she rides a tiger, and Rahu's demon mother was

named Simhika (Tigress or Lioness).

 

Evidently the limes are not to be turned upside down, but inside out?

I'd need a demonstration of how to do this.

 

Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the first night of Durga Navaratri.

 

-- Len/ Kalipadma

<om durgam devim sharanam aham prapadye>

(Om. I take refuge at the lotus feet of Durga Devi)

 

 

 

On Tue, 1 Apr 2003 11:24:58 +0100 (BST) =?iso-8859-1?q?Vijay=5FforU?=

<vijay0701 writes:

>

> “All ways of knowledge are your aspects, O Devi; so are all women in

> the world, endowed with various attributes. By you alone, O Mother,

> this world is filled”- Chandi, II, 6

>

> One of the fast growing pooja of Devi is the Ragu Kalam Durga pooja.

> Held weekly on every Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, this pooja

> attracts many people- Young people who perform this Pooja will excel

> in studies while the unmarried will be able to find a good life

> partner, married ladies will have a happy married life and their

> families will proper, the childless will have children and have a

> happy and prosperous life. Of all the days, Tuesday is the most

> auspicious day. The time is fixed viz: 3.00 pm and 4.30 pm on

> Tuesdays, 10.30 am and 12.00 pm on Fridays and 4.30 pm and 6.00 pm

> on Sundays. All the times that I mentioned are the Ragu Neeram ( the

> time of the Ragu ). Of all the Devi`s Pooja ( Varalakshmi Pooja,

> Pournami Pooja, Thiruvilaku Pooja ), Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja is the

> most simplest one.Utensils and sundries needed for the pooja are –

> Limes ( lime cut into a bit more than half and invert it )-( odd

> numbers ( a maximum of 9 )), wick, ghee and turmeric rice ,a

> tambalam ( silver plate ) and prasadam ( fruits, betel leaves and

> Areca nut ). The pooja is normally conducted in Amman temples and

> procedures are quite different from one temple to another, but it

> follows exactly the same way of offering “mavuvilaku”. There are no

> specific mantras but in temples devotees will conduct banjans and

> chant the name of Durga Matha. At the end of the pooja, one is

> required to do “ Sangkalpam “.Lime is always been used in medication

> because of its acidity that can cure many diseases. One who wants to

> perform this pooja needs to invert the lime after it has been cut

> into half. Remember , this is the most difficult part, if you cut a

> unripe lime, U cant invert it and the same goes to a ripen lime. So

> the selection of the lime is very much needed. The main purpose is

> to bring out the dermis part of the lime which is usually white in

> colour. The lime is resembling us and we need show the inner part of

> us to God. Garment of illusion, greedy, lust and angriness need to

> throw away before God. The white dermis of the lime shows our pure

> conscious and the darker part ( green in colour which is hidden

> inside ) is our Maya. One can use any type of wicks in this pooja

> and I have listed out some of the wicks and its significance. Wick

> made of banana stem fibre removes offences before God and ancestral

> curse, cotton wick- obtains all good fortune, lotus stem fibre (

> wick ) – removes karma from pervious birth and establishes a happy

> and prosperous life, white madder plant –pulp of the bark – increase

> wealth and dispels misfortunes, new yellow cotton cloth – obtains

> the grace of Goddess Parasakti and frees one from entanglements and

> will not be affected by further misfortunes and New Red cotton

> cloth- removes any marriage obstacles and child bearing obstacles,

> keep on free from spells, mantras and tantras. The wick is a symbol

> of energy and light where alight emits brightness. The point of the

> wick tells us that God is everywhere. The tambalam ( silver plates)

> reflect Brahma ( creator ) and the Turmeric rice ( uncooked rice )

> resemble Maha Vishnu. The turmeric rice stabilise the lime and it

> acts exactly as God Vishnu who is a preserver and stabilise between

> born ( Brahma ) and death ( Rudra ). The top of the half cut

> inverted lime signifies Shiva. As the oil ( ghee ) is contained,

> just like Lord’s Shiva contained Ganga ( the river ) in His hair.

> The ghee and the flame signifies Goddess Laxmi who blessed us with

> her wealth, the brightness of the flame resemble Goddess Saraswathy

> who blessed us with education and knowledge and the heat from the

> flame signifies Mother Durga.

>

> The pooja is nothing if we don’t understand the truth of this

> pooja. Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja is a typical South Indian way of

> worshiping Mother Durga. Mother Durga is well-known to the Northern

> Indian through their Durga Pooja or Navarathiri which held 4 times a

> year. There is a verbal story that somehow connects to this Pooja.

> Navagrahas the planet deities of which the first seven are Sun (

> Surya ), Moon ( Soma ), Mars ( Mangal), Mercury ( Budha ), Jupiter (

> Brishpati ), Venus( Sukra), Saturn ( Shani ) give names to the days

> of the week: Sunday to Saturday respectively. The other two Ragu

> (Ascending node) and Ketu (Descending node) are also fabled as

> planets, the former as a planet with a head and no body and the

> latter as a planet with a body and no head. In the Puranas, they are

> all represented as deities borne in cars. The planet Sun travels in

> some zodiac point each month. Similarly, the other planets have

> their times of travel through the zodiac assigned to them. As the

> planets travel through a particular zodiac signs, their relative

> positions with respect to each other changes and is supposed to

> determine the fate of the human affairs. An astrologer can draw up a

> horoscope of a person based on his time of birth and calculate the

> relative positions of the planets relative to this horoscope. The

> planets are also believed to influence the outcomes of historical

> events of entire nations and the Earth. Each planet has its own mode

> of circumambulation - clockwise or anti-clockwise. Each planet faces

> a different direction. In religious rites, beetle nuts represent the

> planets and the priest invites each planet to be present there and

> witness and bless the pooja. So the story goes like this- “ A couple

> blessed with a child after their continuous prayers to Divine

> Mother. The child reached her puberty age and the parents decided to

> seek an astrologer to ask the fate of the child in future. The

> couple was shocked to get to know that their daughter has “ Ragu

> Thosam ( very bad time –Ragu is controlling her time ) and the

> ninth day from her birthday, a black serpent will bite her to death.

> Hearing this, the couple rushed to get the protection and remedies

> from Mother Durga. At this moment, Goddess Parvathy was outcast from

> Kailash Mountain ( because She closed the eyes of Shiva with her

> palms ) and wander as a saint in earth to help her devotees and

> Parvathy took the vow to save the child to show to Shiva that She is

> everything. The time comes and as predicted before , Ragu ( the

> serpent-head ) changes himself as a serpent and try his very best to

> kill the girl. Each of his attempt been blocked by Sakti and at last

> Sakti herself reincarnate as the girl and Ragu mistakenly bite Sakti

> thus made a sinful act. Ragu beg for forgiveness and as a reward he

> let go the girl. In forgiving his mistakes, Durga Matha remind him

> that Ragu thosam and Ragu`s influences will ease for those who are

> performing Pooja for her at Ragu Neeram ( a bad time ) and those who

> are conducting the pooja will be blessed by Mother Durga.

>

> Why Ragu Neeram, why cant Emakandam neeram ( the time of

> Semi-god Yama )? Both as been accepted as inauspicious time. It

> seems The North Node of the Moon is called Ragu in Vedic astrology

> and the South Node is called ketu. They are called dark or shadow

> planets, because of the Nodes' association the phenomena of

> eclipses.

> They have no sign ruler ships, although they are said to favour

> Mercury and Jupiter's signs according to some authorities, while

> others claim that Ragu favours the sign of Aquarius and Ketu sign

> of Scorpio. Ragu, the North Node of the Moon means to conceal,

> engulf or hide in Sanskrit. This Graha is associated with the world

> of material manifestation and worldly desire. Ragu is associated

> with the spiritual process of involution, or the engrossing of

> spirit in materialization. Ragu is a karaka, or indicator, of

> worldly desire, fame, greed, high intelligence, manipulation,

> obsessive behaviour, foreigners, mass disease, dementia and inertia.

> The nature of this Graha is Vata, or Airy. These qualities of Ragu

> are with us. The Ken Upanishad, part three known as Yaksha Prashna

> says that The Supreme power of God is manifested as knowledge,

> activity and strength. The Bhagavad-Gita describes the same in

> different words ( Ch 17, Verse 5- “Purity, passion and inertia –

> these qualities , born of nature bind fast in the body. Purity known

> as Sattwa , passion known as Rajas and the inertia known as Tamas.

> Each of these three gunas represented by colour, Sattwa is white (

> colour of purity )- represented by that aspect of mother Durga we

> worship as Goddess Saraswati. The colour of Rajas is red represented

> by that aspect of mother Durga we worship as Goddess Lakshmi and

> Tamas is black, represented by the aspect of mother Durga we worship

> as Goddess Kali. Ragu attribute Tamas to our life. Tamas is born of

> ignorance , deluding all embodied beings. Tamas binds fast in

> heedlessness , sleep, and indolence, laziness (Bhagavad-Gita , Ch 14

> verse 8 ). Tamas is that binding force with a tendency to lethargy (

> lack of energy, vitality ), sloth and foolish actions. It causes

> non-discrimination or delusion. It binds one who is associates with

> self with the Body. A tasmasic person act under the compulsion of

> the body. He has no power of judgement. His actions are not guided

> by reasons. His senses are dull. These are all baser animal

> qualities ( Ragu –serpent head ( half human and half animal form ),

> the lower diabolical nature in man. We pray to mother Kali as Durga

> as the supreme force and power to destroy all our impurities, our

> vices, and our defects. She is to fight and annihilate these demons.

> This is the strength aspect of Sakti as mentioned in the Upanishad .

> Mother Durga is the power that guides and protects the devotee’s

> spiritual practice form its many danger and pitfalls. So, by

> performing this Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja, Mother Durga will bestow

> peace and prosperity in our life.

>

>

>

>

>

> “mm Kala abhraham kata akshair, arikula bhaya dam, mauli bad-dhendu

> rekham shankam chakram kripanan tri-shikha –mapi karair, udvahantim

> trinetram, Simha-skanda –adhirudham tribuvanam akhilam purayanthim,

> Dhyayed Durga jaya akhyam Tri-dasha pati nutam sevitam seddhi

> kamaih’ which means “ I pray to thee O Mother Durga, with my

> folded hands and head on your lotus feet. You are , O Mother, known

> as Jaya ( victorious ), honoured and saluted by Lord of heaven

> name Indra and served by the devotees, wishing their success. You

> beam like thick and black clouds. You could terrify enemies even

> with a flash of your look. You are adorned with crown set of cresent

> moon on your head. You hold the conch, the chakra ( wheel ).the

> sword and the spear . You have three eyes, O Mother and on the back

> of the lion, your vahana. The whole world is filled with your great

> splendour , I pray thee, O mother Durga.

>

> Happy performing Ragu kalam Durga Pooja

>

> By the way, I am new to your group. I wish all the best.

>

>

> Hare Durga!

>

> Vijayendran Govindasamy

> Ipoh, Malaysia

>

>

>

>

> Mail - For a better Internet experience

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ------------------------ Sponsor

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Your use of is subject to

>

>

>

>

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Why should this not be performed at home?

 

prainbow

 

 

, Vijay_forU <vijay0701>

wrote:

>

> Namaste,

> Rahu is the western given name, just like the word "Hinduism". I

wrote the name Ragu following my native language. And of course Rama

came from the Raagunath dynasty but I was not refering Ragu for Raagu

or Rahu ( which you have mentioned. The same goes to this word..

Krshna, Krishna, krista, krsna. The word Krisra means Christ and not

Krshna .`Ragu's' mother is `Sinhika' who was the wife

of `Viprachitti' and was the daughter of Hiranyakashipu. Ragu is also

known as `Sainhikeya', which is based on his mother's name. Ragu had

one hundred brothers, but he was the most capable and powerful among

all of them. (Shrimadbhagawat 6/6/36). ). Durga Mother is the ruling

deity over Ragu or Rahu that you have mentioned to me. The over ruler

is "Sarpa". I admit that there is a mistake in using of this

word "invert", I am sorry for that. The dermis part ( should be inner

layer ) have to come out and the outer layer goes inside. I think

demostration available freely for you at any nearby Amman temples at

your place. But be sure to you go during Ragu Neram. One more thing,

Ragu Kalam Durga Poojai should not be conducted at home. I wish you

all the best. Hare Durga !

>

>

>

>

> Black Lotus L Rosenberg <kalipadma@j...> wrote:

> This is interesting, if way over my head.

>

> The North Node in Vedic astrology is called RAHU. This writer keeps

> referring to it as Ragu (which is the ancestral name of Prince

Rama's

> family). A mistake? A varient?

>

> I was born with my Moon in the Lunar Mansion of Svati, which is

ruled by

> Rahu. A Vedic astrologer said that because of this, I should always

> resort to Ma Durga when I am in trouble. Durga is invoked to battle

> Rahu... perhaps because she rides a tiger, and Rahu's demon mother

was

> named Simhika (Tigress or Lioness).

>

> Evidently the limes are not to be turned upside down, but inside

out?

> I'd need a demonstration of how to do this.

>

> Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the first night of Durga Navaratri.

>

> -- Len/ Kalipadma

>

> (Om. I take refuge at the lotus feet of Durga Devi)

>

>

>

> On Tue, 1 Apr 2003 11:24:58 +0100 (BST) =?iso-8859-1?q?Vijay=5FforU?

=

> writes:

> >

> > "All ways of knowledge are your aspects, O Devi; so are all women

in

> > the world, endowed with various attributes. By you alone, O

Mother,

> > this world is filled"- Chandi, II, 6

> >

> > One of the fast growing pooja of Devi is the Ragu Kalam Durga

pooja.

> > Held weekly on every Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, this pooja

> > attracts many people- Young people who perform this Pooja will

excel

> > in studies while the unmarried will be able to find a good life

> > partner, married ladies will have a happy married life and their

> > families will proper, the childless will have children and have a

> > happy and prosperous life. Of all the days, Tuesday is the most

> > auspicious day. The time is fixed viz: 3.00 pm and 4.30 pm on

> > Tuesdays, 10.30 am and 12.00 pm on Fridays and 4.30 pm and 6.00

pm

> > on Sundays. All the times that I mentioned are the Ragu Neeram (

the

> > time of the Ragu ). Of all the Devi`s Pooja ( Varalakshmi Pooja,

> > Pournami Pooja, Thiruvilaku Pooja ), Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja is

the

> > most simplest one.Utensils and sundries needed for the pooja are –

> > Limes ( lime cut into a bit more than half and invert it )-( odd

> > numbers ( a maximum of 9 )), wick, ghee and turmeric rice ,a

> > tambalam ( silver plate ) and prasadam ( fruits, betel leaves and

> > Areca nut ). The pooja is normally conducted in Amman temples and

> > procedures are quite different from one temple to another, but it

> > follows exactly the same way of offering "mavuvilaku". There are

no

> > specific mantras but in temples devotees will conduct banjans and

> > chant the name of Durga Matha. At the end of the pooja, one is

> > required to do " Sangkalpam ".Lime is always been used in

medication

> > because of its acidity that can cure many diseases. One who wants

to

> > perform this pooja needs to invert the lime after it has been cut

> > into half. Remember , this is the most difficult part, if you cut

a

> > unripe lime, U cant invert it and the same goes to a ripen lime.

So

> > the selection of the lime is very much needed. The main purpose

is

> > to bring out the dermis part of the lime which is usually white

in

> > colour. The lime is resembling us and we need show the inner part

of

> > us to God. Garment of illusion, greedy, lust and angriness need

to

> > throw away before God. The white dermis of the lime shows our

pure

> > conscious and the darker part ( green in colour which is hidden

> > inside ) is our Maya. One can use any type of wicks in this pooja

> > and I have listed out some of the wicks and its significance.

Wick

> > made of banana stem fibre removes offences before God and

ancestral

> > curse, cotton wick- obtains all good fortune, lotus stem fibre (

> > wick ) – removes karma from pervious birth and establishes a

happy

> > and prosperous life, white madder plant –pulp of the bark –

increase

> > wealth and dispels misfortunes, new yellow cotton cloth – obtains

> > the grace of Goddess Parasakti and frees one from entanglements

and

> > will not be affected by further misfortunes and New Red cotton

> > cloth- removes any marriage obstacles and child bearing

obstacles,

> > keep on free from spells, mantras and tantras. The wick is a

symbol

> > of energy and light where alight emits brightness. The point of

the

> > wick tells us that God is everywhere. The tambalam ( silver

plates)

> > reflect Brahma ( creator ) and the Turmeric rice ( uncooked

rice )

> > resemble Maha Vishnu. The turmeric rice stabilise the lime and it

> > acts exactly as God Vishnu who is a preserver and stabilise

between

> > born ( Brahma ) and death ( Rudra ). The top of the half cut

> > inverted lime signifies Shiva. As the oil ( ghee ) is contained,

> > just like Lord's Shiva contained Ganga ( the river ) in His hair.

> > The ghee and the flame signifies Goddess Laxmi who blessed us

with

> > her wealth, the brightness of the flame resemble Goddess

Saraswathy

> > who blessed us with education and knowledge and the heat from the

> > flame signifies Mother Durga.

> >

> > The pooja is nothing if we don't understand the truth of this

> > pooja. Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja is a typical South Indian way of

> > worshiping Mother Durga. Mother Durga is well-known to the

Northern

> > Indian through their Durga Pooja or Navarathiri which held 4

times a

> > year. There is a verbal story that somehow connects to this

Pooja.

> > Navagrahas the planet deities of which the first seven are Sun (

> > Surya ), Moon ( Soma ), Mars ( Mangal), Mercury ( Budha ),

Jupiter (

> > Brishpati ), Venus( Sukra), Saturn ( Shani ) give names to the

days

> > of the week: Sunday to Saturday respectively. The other two Ragu

> > (Ascending node) and Ketu (Descending node) are also fabled as

> > planets, the former as a planet with a head and no body and the

> > latter as a planet with a body and no head. In the Puranas, they

are

> > all represented as deities borne in cars. The planet Sun travels

in

> > some zodiac point each month. Similarly, the other planets have

> > their times of travel through the zodiac assigned to them. As the

> > planets travel through a particular zodiac signs, their relative

> > positions with respect to each other changes and is supposed to

> > determine the fate of the human affairs. An astrologer can draw

up a

> > horoscope of a person based on his time of birth and calculate

the

> > relative positions of the planets relative to this horoscope. The

> > planets are also believed to influence the outcomes of historical

> > events of entire nations and the Earth. Each planet has its own

mode

> > of circumambulation - clockwise or anti-clockwise. Each planet

faces

> > a different direction. In religious rites, beetle nuts represent

the

> > planets and the priest invites each planet to be present there

and

> > witness and bless the pooja. So the story goes like this- " A

couple

> > blessed with a child after their continuous prayers to Divine

> > Mother. The child reached her puberty age and the parents decided

to

> > seek an astrologer to ask the fate of the child in future. The

> > couple was shocked to get to know that their daughter has " Ragu

> > Thosam ( very bad time –Ragu is controlling her time ) and the

> > ninth day from her birthday, a black serpent will bite her to

death.

> > Hearing this, the couple rushed to get the protection and

remedies

> > from Mother Durga. At this moment, Goddess Parvathy was outcast

from

> > Kailash Mountain ( because She closed the eyes of Shiva with her

> > palms ) and wander as a saint in earth to help her devotees and

> > Parvathy took the vow to save the child to show to Shiva that She

is

> > everything. The time comes and as predicted before , Ragu ( the

> > serpent-head ) changes himself as a serpent and try his very best

to

> > kill the girl. Each of his attempt been blocked by Sakti and at

last

> > Sakti herself reincarnate as the girl and Ragu mistakenly bite

Sakti

> > thus made a sinful act. Ragu beg for forgiveness and as a reward

he

> > let go the girl. In forgiving his mistakes, Durga Matha remind

him

> > that Ragu thosam and Ragu`s influences will ease for those who

are

> > performing Pooja for her at Ragu Neeram ( a bad time ) and those

who

> > are conducting the pooja will be blessed by Mother Durga.

> >

> > Why Ragu Neeram, why cant Emakandam neeram ( the time of

> > Semi-god Yama )? Both as been accepted as inauspicious time. It

> > seems The North Node of the Moon is called Ragu in Vedic

astrology

> > and the South Node is called ketu. They are called dark or shadow

> > planets, because of the Nodes' association the phenomena of

> > eclipses.

> > They have no sign ruler ships, although they are said to favour

> > Mercury and Jupiter's signs according to some authorities, while

> > others claim that Ragu favours the sign of Aquarius and Ketu sign

> > of Scorpio. Ragu, the North Node of the Moon means to conceal,

> > engulf or hide in Sanskrit. This Graha is associated with the

world

> > of material manifestation and worldly desire. Ragu is associated

> > with the spiritual process of involution, or the engrossing of

> > spirit in materialization. Ragu is a karaka, or indicator, of

> > worldly desire, fame, greed, high intelligence, manipulation,

> > obsessive behaviour, foreigners, mass disease, dementia and

inertia.

> > The nature of this Graha is Vata, or Airy. These qualities of

Ragu

> > are with us. The Ken Upanishad, part three known as Yaksha

Prashna

> > says that The Supreme power of God is manifested as knowledge,

> > activity and strength. The Bhagavad-Gita describes the same in

> > different words ( Ch 17, Verse 5- "Purity, passion and inertia –

> > these qualities , born of nature bind fast in the body. Purity

known

> > as Sattwa , passion known as Rajas and the inertia known as

Tamas.

> > Each of these three gunas represented by colour, Sattwa is white

(

> > colour of purity )- represented by that aspect of mother Durga we

> > worship as Goddess Saraswati. The colour of Rajas is red

represented

> > by that aspect of mother Durga we worship as Goddess Lakshmi and

> > Tamas is black, represented by the aspect of mother Durga we

worship

> > as Goddess Kali. Ragu attribute Tamas to our life. Tamas is born

of

> > ignorance , deluding all embodied beings. Tamas binds fast in

> > heedlessness , sleep, and indolence, laziness (Bhagavad-Gita , Ch

14

> > verse 8 ). Tamas is that binding force with a tendency to

lethargy (

> > lack of energy, vitality ), sloth and foolish actions. It causes

> > non-discrimination or delusion. It binds one who is associates

with

> > self with the Body. A tasmasic person act under the compulsion of

> > the body. He has no power of judgement. His actions are not

guided

> > by reasons. His senses are dull. These are all baser animal

> > qualities ( Ragu –serpent head ( half human and half animal

form ),

> > the lower diabolical nature in man. We pray to mother Kali as

Durga

> > as the supreme force and power to destroy all our impurities, our

> > vices, and our defects. She is to fight and annihilate these

demons.

> > This is the strength aspect of Sakti as mentioned in the

Upanishad .

> > Mother Durga is the power that guides and protects the devotee's

> > spiritual practice form its many danger and pitfalls. So, by

> > performing this Ragu Kalam Durga Pooja, Mother Durga will bestow

> > peace and prosperity in our life.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > "mm Kala abhraham kata akshair, arikula bhaya dam, mauli bad-

dhendu

> > rekham shankam chakram kripanan tri-shikha –mapi karair,

udvahantim

> > trinetram, Simha-skanda –adhirudham tribuvanam akhilam

purayanthim,

> > Dhyayed Durga jaya akhyam Tri-dasha pati nutam sevitam seddhi

> > kamaih' which means " I pray to thee O Mother Durga, with my

> > folded hands and head on your lotus feet. You are , O Mother,

known

> > as Jaya ( victorious ), honoured and saluted by Lord of heaven

> > name Indra and served by the devotees, wishing their success. You

> > beam like thick and black clouds. You could terrify enemies even

> > with a flash of your look. You are adorned with crown set of

cresent

> > moon on your head. You hold the conch, the chakra ( wheel ).the

> > sword and the spear . You have three eyes, O Mother and on the

back

> > of the lion, your vahana. The whole world is filled with your

great

> > splendour , I pray thee, O mother Durga.

> >

> > Happy performing Ragu kalam Durga Pooja

> >

> > By the way, I am new to your group. I wish all the best.

> >

> >

> > Hare Durga!

> >

> > Vijayendran Govindasamy

> > Ipoh, Malaysia

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Mail - For a better Internet experience

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ------------------------ Sponsor

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Your use of is subject to

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

> ______________

> Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today

> Only $9.95 per month!

> Visit www.juno.com

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Your use of is subject to

>

>

>

> Hare Durga!

>

> Vijayendran Govindasamy

> Ipoh, Malaysia

>

>

>

>

> Mail - For a better Internet experience

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

"Why should this not be performed at home?"

 

Hello Prainbow,

 

Vijay replied to this in his message 5706. Nevertheless I tends to

disagree on his explaination. Will try to reason out why I disagree

later on. Im on a remote right now.

[Guest guest]

"Here is his method: The lime has to be thin skinned. It should

be

rolled around a little bit to make it more flexible. The lime should

be cut in half horizontally, not vertically. The juice should be

squeezed out. Then the half lime should be turned inside-out and

the "fruit" removed, leaving a nice bowl. Then that bowl should be

filled with ghee or oil, a wick put in the ghee/oil and lit. The rest

as has already been described. Perhaps there is more than one way to

turn a lime inside-out, but that is what they do at this particular

temple."

 

The method describe here is almost the same way as how I would

usually do. I would choose a bigger type of lime ( neither too green

nor too yellow ) and yes! I would rolled around because it will make

the skin of the lime softer and cut it horizontally. Removed the

inner contents of the lime first, then turn it inside out. I know not

of other way.

 

"This is because it is conducted in an inauspicious time. You

can't

provoke your aura at this time. Your environent is full of bad energy

and it's very hard to for you to concentrate ( at home ). A new

poojai should not be start in this time. In temples , we

have "Balipeedam" . "Balipeedam" is a place of

sacrifice but not of

lives. In this your negative thoughts that you have to sacrifice.

When you are in a temple, and start to worship God, it seems your bad

aura ( energy ) will be absorbed by "Balipeedam" and enable

you to

worship God with single-minded devotion. "Poojai" itself is a

declaration of faith to God and making your wish. In order to make a

wish in an inauspicious time, you need to have the right place to ask

for it."

 

I tends to disagree on this statement because I personally believe

the home is the best place for one to conduct any pooja. If you

cannot concentrate at home what makes you think that you can

concentrate better in the temple. I find there are more distraction

in the temple then at home.

[Guest guest]

Namaste Noraji,

 

it is regarding the rahu kalam durga pooja...it is again and again

revisiting..i remember sometime back sankareeji has posted some info

on this.....the correct position is as under

 

The durga pooja can be done at home and it will be very effective if

its done during the rahu kalam. But lighting of lemon lamps at house

during the pooja is not permittable as per shastra...and it has got

some reasoning also...

 

Normally durga pooja during rahu kalam is suggested to overcome ill

effects of rahu and saturn. The Lemon is believed to be an attracting

medium of energies and hence when we are doing pooja to overcome our

ill effects, the lighting of lemon lamps is suggested...which will

absorb all the ill effects and burn away the same. But since it is

burning away the ill effects created by rahu and saturn..it is better

to be done at temple wherein the bad energy released will be

neutralised in the power of the divinity. That is the basic reason

for not permitting the same at home...i hope this clarifies and

clears.

 

pranam

 

swam

 

 

 

 

 

-

-- In , "Nora"

<ashwini_puralasamy> wrote:

> "Why should this not be performed at home?"

>

> Hello Prainbow,

>

> Vijay replied to this in his message 5706. Nevertheless I tends to

> disagree on his explaination. Will try to reason out why I disagree

> later on. Im on a remote right now.

[Guest guest]

Thank you swam_15 for your response, but i have one question thou'

 

you said : "But lighting of lemon lamps at house during the pooja is

not permittable as per shastra"

 

You like to quote for me which shastra you are refering to?

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Hey, listen, I already went out and bought a thin skinned lime, and

I have ghee and I adore Durga. So, what *can* I safely do at home.

I'm really charmed by the idea of the little lime lamps.

 

I'll hold off until somebody can clarify.

 

Blessings,

 

prainbow

 

, "swam_15" <swam_15>

wrote:

> Namaste Noraji,

>

> it is regarding the rahu kalam durga pooja...it is again and again

> revisiting..i remember sometime back sankareeji has posted some

info

> on this.....the correct position is as under

>

> The durga pooja can be done at home and it will be very effective

if

> its done during the rahu kalam. But lighting of lemon lamps at

house

> during the pooja is not permittable as per shastra...and it has

got

> some reasoning also...

>

> Normally durga pooja during rahu kalam is suggested to overcome

ill

> effects of rahu and saturn. The Lemon is believed to be an

attracting

> medium of energies and hence when we are doing pooja to overcome

our

> ill effects, the lighting of lemon lamps is suggested...which will

> absorb all the ill effects and burn away the same. But since it is

> burning away the ill effects created by rahu and saturn..it is

better

> to be done at temple wherein the bad energy released will be

> neutralised in the power of the divinity. That is the basic reason

> for not permitting the same at home...i hope this clarifies and

> clears.

>

> pranam

>

> swam

>

>

>

>

>

> -

> -- In , "Nora"

> <ashwini_puralasamy> wrote:

> > "Why should this not be performed at home?"

> >

> > Hello Prainbow,

> >

> > Vijay replied to this in his message 5706. Nevertheless I tends

to

> > disagree on his explaination. Will try to reason out why I

disagree

> > later on. Im on a remote right now.

[Guest guest]

Dear Noraji,

 

I am not exactly sure about it...because i am very young and yet to

learn all the shastras. But these things have been told to us by our

mother when ever we ask them why we should not do this and then in

the process i use to search for scientific reasoning to get correct

response either through my own self or through various teachers.

 

Cutting personal history...coming to your question...i think there is

pooja vidhi book which prescribes how to do poojas according to rules

(vidhi)..may be pooja vidhanam or so...sometimes u get clarifications

from Kanchi Sankaracharya also when u put across questions to him...u

can try...there are infinite collections of his works wherein u may

get exact answers...i hope me clarified your doubts....

 

thanks

 

swam

[Guest guest]

Hi, Prainbow...

 

Please note that there is no such thing called thin or thick skinned

lime...u can use any lime for this purpose because all limes are same

and one can easily make diva out of it...

 

second regarding your question...u r fascinated with the concept and

want to go ahead ...let me know about urself first...means..where are

u living...which country..what is your belief system...what kind of

flowers available over there and what time u want to light, are there

any children in the home...etc.,

 

on seeing your mail...i will reply

 

pranam

 

swam

[Guest guest]

Vanakkam Swam

 

"I am not exactly sure about it...because i am very young and yet to

learn all the shastras. But these things have been told to us by our

mother when ..."

 

Thank you, you have clarify my doubts.

 

Indeed our mothers are our first guru. We learn a lot from our

mothers. I too learn from other Mothers too who have been kind enough

to guide and be with me when I do the Pooja at my own home. The most

important thing is that you must have an understanding of what you

are doing, do them appropriately according to the ** Shastras ** as

you mention and not just do things blindly. I have nothing against

temple but I believe if you cant find divinity in your own Home

Temple, what makes you think you can find one in the other temple.

Everything begins at home.

 

So becareful when you use certain terms like "the research says"

because next somebody will be asking : state this research claim in

detail ( the researcher, the methodology used in this research, the

outcome etc )Many a times people like to used bombastic terms they

have no understanding just to impress others.

[Guest guest]

well, one can have a temple at home!

 

- Prakash

[Guest guest]

Namaste swam,

 

With great respect to you, I beg to differ about the limes. Like all

citrus fruits some have thick skins and some have thinner skins,

even within the same variety. I carefully held the limes available

at the local market and the lime I selected seemed to have a thinner

skin, one that would be less likely to crack or pull apart when

being turned inside out.

 

I am in Colorado, there are no children in my home. I have not

decided on a time or day for this petition to Maa. As I'm unfamiliar

with this particular puja, and somewhat new to puja in general I

want to hear what persons familiar with this puja advise.

Particularly I want clarification about not doing it in the house.

There is no temple to Durga within 200 km of me. There is a Hindu

temple far south but it is not for Durga and I'm not familiar with

it anyway.

 

Though it occurs to me that I should know more about them...

 

Perhaps I can call on them this weekend and find out more about my

Hindu neighbors, somewhat distant though they may be.

 

Bright Blessings,

 

prainbow

 

, "swam_15" <swam_15>

wrote:

> Hi, Prainbow...

>

> Please note that there is no such thing called thin or thick

skinned

> lime...u can use any lime for this purpose because all limes are

same

> and one can easily make diva out of it...

>

> second regarding your question...u r fascinated with the concept

and

> want to go ahead ...let me know about urself first...means..where

are

> u living...which country..what is your belief system...what kind

of

> flowers available over there and what time u want to light, are

there

> any children in the home...etc.,

>

> on seeing your mail...i will reply

>

> pranam

>

> swam

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

The reason why Rahu Kalam Durga Poojai shouldn't be conducted at

home because a new poojai should not begin at home at an inauspicious

time. Please not that Indian believes in good and bad time. People

usually will go start something before this time, example- you want

to go out or visit someone , everything that we do, we should not

start at Rahu or Emakandam neeram. This thing is understood by

everyone. For this reason Rahu Kalam Poojai should not be conducted

at home. Temples are different because they have "arra-kaalam poojai"

They have continuous poojai – 3.30 am ( bathing the idols ), 6.30

am. poojai ( dawn ), 12.00 pm ( uchi Poojai ), 3.30 pm, ( bathing

the idols ) , 6.30 pm. ( dusk ) and then 9.00 pm ( the last poojai

of the day ). So Rahu kalam Durga poojai always But one thing about

this poojai is that it is there is no proper way to conduct this

poojai. In many Amman temples ( Malaysia ), women will light up the

lamp made of limes and then they sing devotional songs while the

priest will conduct the bathing ceremony, decorate the idols and at

about 4.30 pm, the priest will conduct Karpoora Aarathy and then

Prasadam will be given out. So, usually in temples this poojai

usually joins together with other daily poojai.

But one can conduct Durga Poojai at home. You can conduct this

poojai every Fridays ( during dusk ). Durgai Poojai has a proper way

to perform it. You start the Poojai with Ganapathy Stothram, Maha

Durga Devi Sangkalpam, Dhyaanam- Avaahanam, Jabam( meditation upon

Durga Devi ), Recite Devi Sthuthi slokas, recite Durga Ashtotra Satha

Namavali, Bhajans and end your poojai with Mantra Pushpam,Karpoora

Aarthy, Samarppanan and Mangalam. And you can light up the lights (

made of limes ). The peak of this poojai will be the syamala

navathiri (Navarathiri September-October)where 2 things are added to

this poojai- Chant the Devi Mahatmyam-gita and conduct Lectumi and

Saraswathy poojai. So, you still can conduct Durga Poojai at home -

is matter of time, that's all. Besides that, temples are the place

for Indians to reunite especially people like me , a Diaspora. There

are not many Indians in my country and poojas are the gateway for us

to unite and so on. So, this may be one of the reasons why it should

not be conducted at home.

But frankly speak, my mother won't follow all this, sometimes

she does it at home and sometimes at temple. Normally people will do

this poojai for nine weeks continuously and my mother done the first

nine weeks at home and then she continously conducting it for the

past 6 years. I asked what she got from this, she told me " look at

yourself", and so I came to know she was praying for me. My sister

got married just after my mother finished her 9th poojai at home. So,

this poojai really has something worth. So, I think Devi is there for

us, no matter what time we are praying to Her, She is the time and

she is beyond Good and Bad. Mother will help us in any time, she

won't select.. "okay you are in bad time or praying at bad time .. I

shall not help you"… That's ridiculous isn't it. So, it is all in our

own perception. We have the reasons why we should not conduct it at

home but we have to think and judge the information that been

forwarded to us. At this juncture I would like to repeat a scriptural

stanza in which a Guru told his inquisitive disciple-

Nobody knows what is right or what is wrong,

Nobody knows what is good or what is bad,

There is a deity residing within you,

Find it out and obey its commands.

What I would to stress is that, it is our own perception just

like Nora told me, it is up to you whether you want to conduct the

poojai at home or at temple. I hope I am neither discouraging nor

encouraging anyone to conduct this poojai at home. Home Temple is

your first temple and I would like to add my opinion in this. I think

our heart is the very first temple of God. The poojai room or even

temples are showing our dirt, a dirt of ignorance. Everything need to

start from us, we need to install a good environment within

ourselves. God's first abode is our heart.

[Guest guest]

Hello: prainbow

 

I have been in the same place as yourself wishing to celebrate Maa

and call upon her as she has so obviously called upon you and I,

within a ritual. Then of course the question arises in the mind, how

can I do this in a way that is real, authentic, meaningful and

relating to your and my situation, where you live and who you are.

What is meaningful? Maa called you within the karma you have now,

where you are now and within what means you have now at this time to

celebrate and express your devotion to her. Obviously too Maa was not

concerned with who your are or where you are or with what you know

about official practices toward her from within the many Dharma based

practices within Mother India. So there you are with the need to do

ritual and wishing to fulfill this. Then you ask those around you

within this Shakta community what is best to do.

 

The answer will be hard to get since each person in this community is

representing a different culture with differing ways of expressing

ritual. Each culture has certain "official" ways of doing these

rituals or poojas. Each has a traditional approach and one that each

tradition feels is correct and handed down to them from Maa herself -

through the examination of scriptures. So some will say only a temple

is good, or some will say only a certain time is acceptable, or some

will say only a priest can do such and so. But what is lost in this

rush to do things right is that Maa called you where you are and as

who you are. Maa did not call you to change your heritage, or beliefs

or gender or place of origin there where you are. She called to you

to do celebration and devotion to her and with her. She called you

into her arms and to sit in her lap and learn of her. So in light of

all this careful official approach to Maa --- Maa is doing a silly

thing by calling you as you are and where you are and within the

culture you are in. No really it is not silly, she has called you to

herself -- Maa does not expect you to respond as or like anyone else -

-- just as yourself. She is delighted you are wishing to do a pooja

like that of her daughters and sons in Mother India - but she does

not expect it to be just like that group of children. So in light of

who your are and where you are and the fact that Maa is calling YOU.

Then do what she places in your heart and from what she places in

your hands. Some will say this is delusional - no it is a calling to

each heart from Maa and has to do with her and the soul where it is,

at this time.

 

I say, do the lime candle and pooja as you have it now. I say yes it

would be good to call the Hindu Temple near you and find our more

about them - even if they are not Shakta oriented. I myself was able

to be in, my one and only official pooja, last year at a temple miles

from here, to hear my Swamiji speak upon his visit here from India

and it was a Vishnu pooja. I was asked at the door why I was here and

who I was devoted too -- I said Maa Kali and the priest said you are

most welcome here in our temple. Now no one talked to me after that

since it was obvious I did not quite fit in due to my dress and

cultural difference and not having family there, but I was welcome

and my Swamiji blessed me and spoke to me. Maa was with me too. It

was a blessing. But I "felt" outside the situation the whole time I

was there except for when I sat at the feet of my Swamiji at his

teachings.

 

Some will say oh you are ignoring the Dharma and creating dangers. Or

you are ignorant and unworthy and not appropriate in your devotions

to Maa. But call me what you may --- it was Maa who called me where I

am at and within this form I am in now, with the tools at hand now

and the knowledge at hand now -- and the thing is, she does not

obviously wish to wait for me to learn the proper way as it is

called. She is grabbing me and pulling me up into her lap and calling

me her own. So I celebrate her here in my home with my children in my

lap, with flowers from my yard and food from my kitchen and incense

and candles lite by my hands and words of devotion from my lips to

her. She called me. So I say answer her call - learn what you can and

from what others feel they are allowed to say - then celebrate and

show devotion to your Mother Durga. She is the silly one who called

you and stirs her heart with her pooja and with the need to light

lime lamps. It is she who walks with us who live far from lands where

the Dharma is taught - it is she who is being silly or ignorant by

calling to us sisters far from the shores of Mother India. I am so

glad she did.

 

So go girl, light those lime lamps and have a pooja.

 

I wanted to answer your request for information and give you my two

cents worth because in reality that is all they are and all I have in

my hands as I sit in my Mother's lap.

 

with palms together

BB

Yeshe

Memphis, TN usa

 

 

, "prainbow61" <paulie-

rainbow@u...> wrote:

> Namaste swam,

>

> With great respect to you, I beg to differ about the limes. Like

all

> citrus fruits some have thick skins and some have thinner skins,

> even within the same variety. I carefully held the limes available

> at the local market and the lime I selected seemed to have a

thinner

> skin, one that would be less likely to crack or pull apart when

> being turned inside out.

>

> I am in Colorado, there are no children in my home. I have not

> decided on a time or day for this petition to Maa. As I'm

unfamiliar

> with this particular puja, and somewhat new to puja in general I

> want to hear what persons familiar with this puja advise.

> Particularly I want clarification about not doing it in the house.

> There is no temple to Durga within 200 km of me. There is a Hindu

> temple far south but it is not for Durga and I'm not familiar with

> it anyway.

>

> Though it occurs to me that I should know more about them...

>

> Perhaps I can call on them this weekend and find out more about my

> Hindu neighbors, somewhat distant though they may be.

>

> Bright Blessings,

>

> prainbow

[Guest guest]

Namashkar Yeshe!

 

A very sensible post. It is all about celebration-the essence of the divine

Motherhood.

 

As long as one experiences the outpouring of love and devotion

towards the Divine Mother , it does not matter where you pray or how

you pray or when you pray. So all this talk about whether Lime or

lemon should be thick skinned or thin skinned , green or yellow, ripe

or raw are all matters of technical details. Light the lamp of love

and devotion in the inner shrine of your heart, Maa will appear in

all her divine manifestation. She is very approachable . She is very

attainable. Above all, she is available to all those who genuinely

seek her.

 

Distraction is in the mind. As long as one has eka-chitta vairaghya, (one

pointedness), every place becomes a place of worship.

 

Thank you for this highly devotional post.

 

Jai MAA!

[Guest guest]

YeShe Dearest, Thank you for that wonderful post of yours.