Satyanarayana Pooja

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

It is in my "to do" list.

 

Yes, the stories are for increasing the faith. They are also for some subtle messages. For example, you can see that the stories cover a Brahman, a shoodra (wood-cutter), a vaishya (businessman named Sadhu) and a kshatriya (king names Tungadhwaja). The shoodra and vaishya learned the procedure and did it themselves (instead of hiring a priest like people do these days). It means that anybody can do this ritual and do it by themselves, to the best of their ability.

 

The businessman tried to do business with god. Instead of performing the ritual with a desire in mind, he asked for his desire and took a vow that he will do the ritual IF a child is born. He asked god to first give a result. Even after he got a child, he postponed it saying he will do it at his daughter's marriage. He tried to haggle with god and extract the most. If you have a vaishya's temperament, you should guard against the tendency to do business with god.

 

The king was arrogant and egoistic. He ignored the ritual performed by cowboys because they were using clay idols and clay pots and he did not think much of them or their ritual. He did not bow to the god and rejected the prasad given by them. If you have a kshatriya's temperament, you should guard against the tendency towards arrogance, ego, pride and belittling of others.

 

Like this, there are some hidden messages that you can get by pondering on the stories.

 

Of course, when I mention the castes here, I do not necessarily mean the caste of birth. In the old days, people got their caste from father, but it became clear in time as their own temperament and aptitude developed. One interested in only knowledge is a braahmana. One interested in power, authority and control over others is a kshatriya. One interested in money and more money is a vaishya. One interested mainly in physical pleasures is a shoodra. One's caste is decided by one's attitude and aptitude. Valmiki was born as a shoodra, but became a braahmana later and also a maharshi. Vishwamitra was born as a kshatriya, but became a braahmana later and also a maharshi. In the old days, the concept of caste mobility was very much there and caste was not a rigid concept like today. What I said above regarding the weaknesses that people of different castes should try to overcome should be seen in that context and not from the context of a fixed caste based on birth in a family.

 

Best regards,NarasimhaDo a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homamDo Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpanaSpirituality: Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.netFree Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.orgSri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org

 

-

 

 

 

Dear Narasimha garu,Is it possible to create a manual on the procedure for Satyanarayana pooja, just like the Homam manuals ? What is the significance of reading the stories glorifying the Satyanarayana Vratam at the end of the pooja? This some how seems to be unique only for this pooja. Is it just meant for deepening the faith in the pooja ?Regards,<deleted>