Apara Ekaadasi on May 20,2009

Dear Members:

Apara Ekadasi falls on the 11th thithi of the dark half of the lunar month Jyeshta (Pournimaath calendar - calculated from Prathama thithi after Full Moon day). The auspicious Apara Ekaadasi falls on May 20, 2009 this year. (It is to be observed on the same date all over the world).

Significance of this Apara Ekaadasi:

This Ekadasi is specifically recommended for those who are suffering from pangs of anxiety rising out of past short-comings in performing one's rightful duties (out of negligence or other pressing practical circumstances). If you have committed some major sins knowingly or unknowingly and are suffering from remorse for those sinful activities, and want to be freed from the psychological pangs now, observance of this Ekadasi will help. This Ekaadasi can free one from sins like Brahmahati (that can cause depressive tendencies and may even lead to more serious psychological disturbances as a consequence of one's sins), Gohatya and other major sins.

Apara Ekaadasi punya is equivalent to all the following meritorious religious activities taken together!....

1) Bathing in the Holy Pushkara thrice a day, everyday throughout the lunar month of Kaarthika;
2) Having Maagha snaana at Holy Prayaag.
3) Performing Seva to Lord Shiva at Vaaranaasi kshetra during shiva Raatri;
4) Gaya shraddam for one's ancestors;
5) Bathing in the Holy Gautami River during Jupiter's transit into Simha rashi;
6) Having Shri Kedaarnaath darshan.
7) Having Badrinaath darshan during the kumba maasa (sun in kumbha raashi)
8) Taking a bath in Kurukshetra during solar eclipse and donating cows, elephants, and gold in charity to worthy Brahmins.
9) Donating a pregnant cow, along with gold and fertile land.

Method of observing Ekaadasi vratham:

Try to limit intake of food slowly starting from the previous day (dasami) itself. Avoid consuming honey, onion, garlic, and such ritually impure items on dasami day (the day before ekaadasi fast) itself and also prepare yourself mentally too by meditating on Lord Hari.

On the day of Ekaadasi fast, you must get up early in the morning, take a bath, and with full intent maintain the fast. Ideally, the fast should be complete - avoiding even drinking water. However, if this is not possible, you may water-down the intensity of the fast like - a fruit-only fast, juice-only fast, milk-only fast, or whatever depending on your health condition. On Ekaadasi day, pulses and grains should be strictly avoided (especially Rice). This Ekaadasi is mandatory for all believers with good health between the ages 7 and 70. (Pregnant women, old aged persons, and ailing persons are exempt these; even women in their monthly periods can fast on ekaadasi and meditate on Lord Hari silently without chanting mantras!)

On the night of Ekaadasi fast, it is recommended to keep a whole night vigil - listening to Lord's wonderful leelaas from various scriptures, or reading Bhagavat Gitaa, or simply chanting Lord's names like Hari, Raam, Krishna, Hare Ramakrishna, etc.

On Dwaadasi - the day after the fast, the fast should be broken within 2 hours 24 mins. after sunrise at your place, at an auspicious time. Those who have maintained a full fast (without even water) can break the fast by just consuming Tulsi teertham (Tulsi-soaked water). Others can break fast by eating fruits.

On Dwaadasi thithi, tamarind and chillies should be avoided while cooking. Lemon can be used instead of Tamarind; pepper can be used instead of chillies to flavour the food-items.

It is good to consume Amla on dwaadasi thithi as this endears one to Lord Krishna.

One who maintains this fast of Apara Ekaadasi will win fame and reknown besides cutting off the roots of all negative karmaas. May all our members undertake this Holy Fast and relieve themselves of all negative karmaas.

Blessed be.

Pandit R.DAKSHINAMOORTHI
Astrological and Remedial consultant

www.liveperson.com/pandit-dakshinamoorthi

dakshinastrologer@yahoo.co.in

Vishnupati Punyakaalam on May 14, 2009

Dear Members:



The auspicious Vishnupati Punya kaalam falls on May 14, 2009 (this is one of the 4 vishnupati punya kaalams that fall in a year) for major parts of the world including USA, Canada, Carribean Isles, UK, African countries, Gulf Countries, India, China, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, Singapore, etc. For those in Far East countries (Japan, Koreas, etc.) and for those in Australia and New Zealand, the Vishnupati Punya kaalam should be observed on May 15, 2009 [This is as per Brihaspati smriti doctrines that suggest that if Sun's entry happens after 45th ghati, the punya kaalam should be observed on the following day; this condition prevails for Far East countries while calculating the punyakaalam this time].



Dharma shaastra says that any meritorious deed done during periods like Vishnupati Punya kaalam will ensure Divine Protection for the next 7 years. Also, the results of the meritorious deeds (punya) get multiplied 1000 times!



The whole day is auspicious and you may perform special worships or charities at any time from dawn of the date mentioned (14th May or 15th May, 2009 depending on your geographical location) till the sunrise of the next day. So, even those of you who may have busy schedules should make it a point to some how squeeze time to do special prayers/ meditation on this punya kaalam day and become recipients of Divine Grace.



Reciting sthothras like Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam, Shrimad Bhaagavatam, Shrimad Raamaayanam, Shrimad Bhagavat Geetha, etc. will be very auspicious on this Vishnupati period. Also, it will be auspicious to offer oblations in Honour of Deities, Sages, and ancestors during this Punya kaalam.



The least you can do is to recite "Raama Raama" whenever you get time throughout the day.



Japa, Tapa, HOma, and Dhaana are the limbs of punya, and by performing any of these on Holy Days like these, we can erase the tough writings of Lord Brahma from our foreheads and have our Destiny rewritten favourably by the Golden nib of the Lord. May our members indulge in charitable/ religious deeds on this Holy Day and become recipients of Divine Grace. Divine Grace is the only Wealth that will never get eroded by "recession" or "macro economic factors." May we earn this Wealth of Divine Grace zealously on Holy Days like these and invest in our own bright future (it is punya that gets translated as good luck - sooner or later!).



Om Namah Shivaya

Om NamO Naaraayanaaya

Shri Raam Jaya Raam Jaya Jaya Raam.



Blessed be

Pandit R. DAKSHINAMOORTHI

www.liveperson.com/pandit-dakshinamoorthi

Chitra Pournami on May 08, 2009

Dear members:

The auspicious Chitra Pournami vrattam falls on May 08, 2009 this year. For those in India who are performing regular Pournami Pooja every month, the monthly Pournami Pooja should be done on May 08, 2009 night while the Chitra Gupta Pooja should be done on May 09, 2009 morning. The fast for the chitra Pournami should be undertaken on May 08, 2009, and it should be broken after the chitragupta pooja on May 09, 2009 morning. The same applies to countries to those living in Gulf countires, and countries to the east of INdia like China, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

For those in the US and European countries both Chitra Pournami fast and Chitra Gupta Pooja fall on the same day, i.e.on May 08, 2009.

Austerities in connection with Chitrapournami/ chitragupta pooja:


It is customary to eat curd rice (preferably curd of buffalo!) without salt on that day and to fast without eating anything else. In any case, avoiding salt in food items throughout the day is recommended on that day, if possible.

Special worship is done in Honour of Lord ChitraGupta - the Divine Accountant - who keeps an account of our karmas, and appeals for forgiveness for our shortcomings are raised on this day. Those who can afford a visit, should pay a visit to Kanchipuram Chitra Gupta temple -an ancient one which is very ancient and powerful.

In Madurai Meenakshi amman temple, DevEndr Pooja is done on Chitra Pournami day (it is believed that it is on this day Indra came across a Golden Lotus in a pond with which He worshipped Lord Shiva of the temple; the temple tank of Madurai Meenaakshi amman temple is called Golden Lotus tank still). So, paying a visit to Shri Meenaakshi SundarEshwara temple today is also auspicious and can relieve one of the sins such as insult to Gurus (In fact, Indra did the pooja on Chitra Pournami to propitiate Lord Shiva and get remedied from burden of sins that He committed in the absence of His Guru Brihaspati, who was incognito for some period following an argument with Indra).


Chitra Gupta can be easily pleased by uttering the following names:

"Om Chitraaya namah"
"Om Chitraguptaaya namah"
"Om Karma saakshine namah"
"Om nirdoshaaya namah"
"Om Kaarunya roopine namah"
"Om Dharmaraaja parivaarakaaya namah"

While reciting these names, Chitra Gupta should be meditated upon as a short human form attired in traditional Indian attire with a turban, shining ear rings, and having a bunch of palm leaf scrolls and a pen for writing karmic accounts. His consort is Goddess Karnaambikai.

Mantra for praising and saluting Shri Chitragupta

"Chitragupta namastubhyam lEkaaksharadaayakam

LEkanii katinii hasta chitragupta namOastutE"

The day should be spent by giving contributions to charities, doing meritorious deeds as per one's convenience, and spending the day in contemplation and introspection with the firm affirmation to reduce performance of sinful activities in the coming year.

Performance of this Chitra Pournami vrattam is a powerful remedy for afflictions of ketu in the horoscope. So, those under ketu dasa/ bhukti or those suffering from marital difficulties or delay in progeny caused by affliction of ketu in horoscopes can benefit much by this Chitra Pournami vratta and Chitragupta poojaa.

May our members celebrate this Holy Day and get relief from burden of sins.

Blessed be.
Pandit R. DAKSHINAMOORTHI
www.liveperson.com/pandit-dakshinamoorthi