Sani Pradosham on October 31, 2009

Dear Members:

Pradosham - as you might all be aware is an auspicious vrattam for pleasing Lord Shiva. This day is the mark of our Lord's Grace to all living beings; He willingly lapped up the "Alahaala poison" emitted by the Giant Snake Vasuki during the process of churning of Milk Ocean by the Demons and Devas to save everyone from the malefic effects of that highly potent poison. Goddess Parvati, with great presence of mind, applied pressure on His neck, and the poison got stuck up on His Neck - giving His Neck the Blue Hue and thus He is Hailed by the name "Neelakanta." That Blue Neck is the testimony of the fact that the Lord willingly took up the ordeal of tasting Poison so that Nectar could be enjoyed by other Celestials. Lord Shiva swooned (to comply with the laws of nature - though He is above all that!) and rested on the lap of Goddess Parvati. He regained consciousness on the twilight of TrayOdashi thithi and broke into a Divine Cosmic Dance of sheer ecstasy (as the dangerous Haalahaala poison had turned into Amruta due to the touch of Goddess), and this is observed as Pradosha Vrat twice a fortnight.

As the original event happened on a Saturday, Pradosha falling on Saturdays is considered auspicious. A Sani Pradosha falling on the bright half of the solar month of Tula is called Uttama Sani Pradosha; thus this pradosha is a Sani Uttama PradOsha - which is very efficacious.

Lord Shiva is easily pleased by devotion, and any austerity performed during this day in His Honour is sure to make us dear to Him, and to help us balance our karmic balance-sheets with more positive karmic balance!

There are two ways of observing this Pradosham fast:

1) You can fast from sunrise till sunset. Break the fast after sunset and after completion of PradOsha Pooja to Lord Shiva, Goddess Shakti, Lord Ganesha, Lord Skanda, and importantly - Lord Nandi - the Divine Bull. Those who observe this fast should take a bath about 1-1/2 hours before sunset, and offer shiva pooja from about 1 hour before sunset till sunset, and break the fast at sunset. It is auspicious to have a darshan of Lord Shiva through the Horns of the Divine Bull on Pradosha days. Recite only Shiva mantra in Nandi's ears (many people recite their woes and prayer requests to Nandi; shastras indicate reciting shiva mantra in Nandi's ears is the right practice; you can then pray for other requests standing at a respectable distance from the Nandi and not straight into His ears - that are so Holy and which deserve the respect of being adorned by Shiva mantras and not to be sullied by our mundane requests that are endless and many times - undeserved!).

2) The second method is to continue the austerities even after sunset; you may break the fast - but maintain an all-night vigil reciting Shiva mantras till next day's sunrise.

You may adopt any of the above two methods of Pradosha vrat.

Those who cannot fast may simply abstain from ritually impure foods (onions, garlics, meat products, eggs, etc.) and visit Shiva shrines nearby and take part in the Pradosha festivities.

During Pradosha period all the Divine Energies (devas, yakshas, gandharvas, and all the demi-gods apart from Shri Vishnu and Shri Brahma - the other moorthis of the Divine Trinity) assemble in Lord Shiva's presence. So, offering Shiva Pooja on Pradosha day is akin to Honouring all Divine Forces. It is the practical experience of millions of people that pradosha vrat is a vrat par excellence in granting all boons - because Lord Shiva and His Divine Energies are said to be in the most blissful Form during this period.


We intend to visit the Holy Parvata Malai - hailed as Southern Kailaasa and offer special pooja in this connection for the welfare of all in general and our Paaraayanam group members in particular.

May our members also be blessed with His Grace by observing this Holiest of Fasts/ Austerities.


Om Namah shivaya.

Om Neelakantaaya sambhavE

Hara Hara Mahaa DEvaa.

Blessed be.
Pandit R. DAKSHINAMOORTHI.

Vaikaasi visakham today (5th June 2009)

Dear Members:

The auspicious Vaikaasi Visakham festival is celebrated today. This is the birthday of Shri Subramanya (also known as Skanda, Kaartikeya, Muruga, etc.). He had His Genesis from the Third Eye of Lord Shivaa (as many of you might be aware, the Third Eye is the symbol of Wisdom and Divine Knowledge/ Powers). Thus Skanda is the perfect Gnaana Moorthi - as He had His Genesis from the flames of the Third Eye of Lord Shiva Himself. He manifested to destroy the evil forces headed by Soorapadman and his brothers who had a boon that he can be destroyed only by a son of Lord Shiva. Worshipping Lord Skanda on this auspicious day will help us to destroy the demons of our mind and personality - like anger, lust, and delusion (In fact mystic experts opine that the demons Soorapadman and his brothers signify Aanavam, Kanmam, and Maayai - and Lord Skanda signifies Absolute Knowledge and Wisdom which can vanquish those evils).

Reciting Skanda Sahasranaamam, Subramanya Bhujangam (By Shri Aadi Shankarar), Kandar Anubhooti (By Shri Arunagirinaathar), Tirumurugaarrupadai (by Nakeerar), Tirupugazh (By Arunagirinaathar), Kanda Shashti kavacham (Shri Baala Devaraayar swaamigal), and such other devotional works on Lord Skandaa today will be auspicious.

Those who can't recite the elaborate scriptures mentioned above may benefit by chanting simple names such as
1) Om Skandaaya namah (to improve physical strength).
2) Om Kumaaraya namah (for progenic happiness)
3) Om Valliimanavaalaaya namah (for success in romantic matters and good luck in marital life)
4) Om DevasEnaapatayE namah (for overcoming the evil designs of enemies).
5) Om SkandaGuravE namah (for getting Divine Guidance).
6) Om Shakti hastaaya namah (for getting Divine Protection).
7) Om Shiva Gnaana Desikaaya namah/ Om Gnaana Panditaaya namah (mastery over esoteric knowledge)

This is an auspicious day to get deeksha into beeja mantras related to Shri Kartikeya from suitable Gurus(there are shadakshari mantra, Panchadasaakshari mantra, etc. on Lord Skandaa that should be chanted after initiation).

Worship of Lord Skandaa can be a good remedy for Sarpa Dosha and Mars dosha in horoscopes, and can bless a person with peace and prosperous life materialistically, and Divine Wisdom - spiritually.

Special poojas are being conducted on this occasion at our residence at chennai for Universal Welfare.

Members of paaraayanam group please note that you will be automatically included as honorary beneficiaries in the poojas done today.

Pandit R.DAKSHINAMOORTHI

Astrological and Remedial consultant

www.liveperson.com/pandit-dakshinamoorthi