Ganesh Chaturthi Story and Shamantakamani Jewel

The story of Ganesh Chaturthi is an important part of the festival. It is believed that no one should see the moon without reading or hearing the story of Ganesha and Krishna's ShamantakamaNi episode. Otherwise, they will suffer from unnecessary blame and indignity due to Goddess Parvati's curse on the Moon.

So, we should tell the story of Ganesha's attaining his title as "Lord of GaNas", why Parvati curses Moon, and the after-effects of that curse. Lord Krishna was kind enough to turn this curse ineffective for those who read, tell, or remember this story on this day and put some akshata on their heads after performing the Ganesh Puja and hearing the story.

I am sharing this story in a simple format for everyone's benefit.

The Story of Ganesha, Krishna, and Shamantakamani

The whole story of the Ganesh Chauth celebration has many points that emphasize the importance of observing this ritual.

There is the birth of Ganesha, his appointment as Lord of GaNas and Obstacles, the Curse on the Moon, the story of Sri Krishna getting affected by the curse, and his solution in relaxing the powers and effects of the curse. I am telling all these incidents with suitable headings in the following paragraphs.

The Story of Gajasura & Ganesha's Birth

According to an incident from Shiv Purana, the story goes that Lord Shiva granted a boon to a demon Gajaasura (an ardent devotee of Shiva) to reside in his belly and protect him from enemies. When Parvati could not find her consort, Shiva, she approached Brahma, Vishnu, and others for help. Lord Vishnu crafts a plan to save him and all of them reach Gajasura's city. They reach Gajasura's court in disguised forms with musical instruments, decorating the divine Nandi as a bull. The bull dances to their musical performance. Gajasura was pleased and asked them to tell their wish as he wanted to award them. Vishnu asked for Shiva's release after revealing their identities. Gajasura couldn't retreat from his word. So, he allowed Nandi to break open his belly for the release of Shiva on the condition that his head would be provided a worthy status of reverence and kept with Lord Shiva.

Hearing about the news of Lord Shiva's release, Parvati gets joyous and decides to have a bath to get herself ready to welcome him. Before going to bath, she made the figure of a child with the sandalwood paste that she used to apply to her skin while bathing, breathed life into it, and kept the child as a guard at the doors to not allow anybody while bathing.

 When Lord Shiva enters, the boy stops him as he does not know him. Shiva gets enraged beheads the child and enters in. Knowing this, Parvati weeps for the child. Realizing his mistake, Shiva orders his ganas (or troops) to bring the head of Gajasura (whom he had given a boon before Lord Vishnu ordered Nandi to break open his womb for Shiva's release) and joins the head to the body of the child and makes him alive. From that time, Ganesha came to be known as Gajaanan.

Ganesha Becomes Lord of GaNas & Protector From Obstacles

Parvati gets happy and celebrates the occasion inviting all angels, sages, etc. The Devatas and Rishis request Lord Shiva for a Protector who can safeguard them from Obstacles during their daily activities and rituals.

Lord Shiva chooses Ganesha as the head of the ganas and appoints him as the Protector from Obstacles as he wins the test of bathing in all the rivers of the world and returns first to his parents before his brother Kumaraswamy (with the help of the Narayana mantra bestowed to him by Lord Shiva because of his humbleness and respect to his parents).

The Curse on the Moon

 All the angels and the troops celebrate the occasion by offering various kinds of food and fruits to Ganesha. After eating all those offerings, Ganesha returns to his parents and tries to bend down to pay obeisance to them seeking blessings. But due to his heavy belly (after eating so much food offered by so many beings), he experiences much difficulty in bowing to them. 

Witnessing Ganesha's inability to bend his body, the Moon on the head of Lord Shiva breaks into laughter. Immediately the stomach of Ganesha breaks out and he falls down unconscious on the floor with all food scattered out from his belly. Goddess Parvati gets very angry at this with the Moon and curses him, saying that whoever sees him will get a bad name and ill luck thereafter.

Lord Shiva cools Parvati and makes Ganesha alive again using his powers on the advice of Brahma, Vishnu, and others.

Parvati Relaxed Curse, But Krishna Became a Victim of the Curse

 

Later, all people, including sages, approached Parvati and requested her to take back her curse upon the Moon as it is not possible to live in the world without seeing the moon. Parvati realized their problem and said that her curse could not be taken back, but she could relax it. The Curse would be applicable for one day only on this day of Ganesh Chaturthi tithi each year, on which day nobody should witness the moon. They all were pleased and observed the practice as per her instructions.

Later, after many years, Lord Krishna happens to see the moon in the milk while he was churning the cows, on this day of Ganesh Chauth. He becomes worried about this sight and foresees that he is also not spared from being affected by that curse.

It happened that one king Satrajit once pleased Sun God through his prayers and got a golden jewel known as Shamantakamani. It has some magical powers of producing gold of 160 tulas (one Tula is equal to 10 grams) daily for whoever keeps the jewel with him. After possessing it, the king once visited Lord Krishna and revealed the secrets of his possession. Krishna asks him to give it to him. But the king does not agree and returns home. 

After that incident, one day Satrajit's brother happens to wear it and go hunting in the forests where he gets killed by a lion. The lion swallowed the jewel thinking it to be meat. Jambavantha, an immortal vanara in the shape of a bear of the Ramayana period, was roaming around at that time. He sees the dazzling jewel in the belly of the lion and kills it. Jambavantha ties the jewel to the cradle of his small daughter to play with it.

When Satrajit finds his brother missing, he accuses Lord Krishna of killing his brother and stealing the jewel. Krishna realizes that he got this false accusation because of the curse on the Moon as he witnessed the moon in the milk.

 

Krishna's Fight With Jambavantha & Relaxation of the Curse

 

So Krishna immediately goes in search of Satrajit's brother to prove himself innocent and finds the dead body of the person and the body of a lion at some distance. Then following the footprints, he reaches the cave of Jambavantha wherein the jewel was shining brilliantly like a sun tied to the cradle of Jaambavan's daughter. When he snatches the jewel, the child cries and Jambavantha comes there and fights with Sri Krishna fiercely. The battle takes place continuously for 21 days while nobody gives in.  Jambavantha realizes that it must be Sri Rama of the Ramayana period with whom he had requested foolishly for a fight when he was asked to seek a reward for his services. So he realizes his mistake and bows to Sri Krishna and seeks his forgiveness for his sin and returns him the jewel and along with it his daughter also as a gift.

Sri Krishna returns the jewel to King Satrajit after telling him all that had happened. The king feels ashamed for his action and seeks forgiveness from Krishna and gives the jewel to him as a repentance and also requests him to marry his daughter Satyabhama. Lord Krishna accepts Satyabhama but returns back the jewel to keep with Satrajit.

When all the angels, sages, and human beings come to know of these incidents, they reach Sri Krishna and ask for his help in seeking a remedy for saving themselves also from the curse of Goddess Parvati. Then Sri Krishna gets pity on them and tells them to remember this story and read it or hear it from others on this day of Ganesh Chaturthi each year after offering prayers to Ganesha and take the prasadam and then they will not get any bad name on seeing the moon on that day. 

So from that day onwards, everybody began performing Ganesh Pooja and hearing the story of Lord Ganesha and the Shamanthakamani story of Sri Krishna each year on this auspicious day.

Thiruppavai Thaniyan and Meaning of Taniyan

What is Taniyan

A taniyan is a composition glorifying a Guru, an Acharyan, or the author of a spiritual rendition. It is a song or hymn paying respects in cognizance of the reverential intellectual being.

In Tamil literature, according to their grammatical rules, there are prefatory verses/songs known as "Paayirams". These Paayirams are known as Taniyans in the Vaishnava Sampradayam.

Taniyan is composed at the beginning of any divine or literary composition. It has been an obligatory ritual to revere the great seers of divine literature before presenting their works in script form.

The name or title "taniyan" is a Tamil word. It combines the words "tani" and "yaan". Tani means that which stands alone or unique. The suffix of "yan" is an affectionate personification mark.

Thiruppavai Thaniyans

Thiruppavai taniyans are hymns composed in praise and reverence of Sri AandaL who provided us a holy composition of 30 hymns glorifying an observance known as "Paavai' or Vrat by performing which a devotee can attain moksha or reunion with God.

These taniyans were composed by ParAshara Bhattar and Uyyakondar swAmigaL during the 12th century and 9th century AD, respectively.

We sing ParAshara Bhattar's taniyan first and, then, 2 taniyans of Uyyakondar before starting Thiruppavai. In all, three hymns are sung before starting the Dhanurmasam Vrat.

I am presenting the taniyans in order of rendition, the first one from ParAshara Bhattar and the other two taniyans from Uyyakondar.

NeeLAtungastana giritatee suptamudbhOdhya krishNam

paarArthyam svam shruti shata Sirah siddham adhyApayantee|

svOcchishtAyAm sraji nigaLitam yaa balAkritya bhunktE

gOdA tasyai nama idamidam bhooya EvAstu bhooyaha|| (1)

Meaning:

Awakening Krishna who was resting on the breasts of NeeLa, and imparting him the truth of her own (Goda's) dependence on Him as established by the hundreds of hymns from the crowns of Vedas (namely Upanishads, Vedanta, etc.), Goda Devi forcefully enjoys Krishna by binding him with the flower garlands (which she tests herself by wearing them before offering to him).

I pay my respects to such Goda Devi again and again.

Here, Krishna was blissfully sleeping with NeeLa Devi when Goda Devi arrived to offer her services to Him. She reminds him of her dependence on Him (that she is living only to do services to Him) and thus binds Krishna with her love and bhakti.

annavayal puduvai AndAL arangarku 

pannu tiruppAvai palpadiyam innisaiyaal

pAdikoduttAL narpAmAlai poomAlai

choodi koduttALai sollu || (2)

Meaning:

Annavayalai refers to the Swan (annam) and paddy or green (vayal) fields. Puduvai refers to Srivilliputtur where AndAL was born. Goda Devi was born in the beautiful place of Srivilliputtur where there was an abundance of paddy fields and lakes full of swans, She offered a garland of melodious Thiruppavai songs and garlands of flowers to God. Let us pray to her (sollu) and sing her poems.

Goda Devi was born and walked through the green fields of Srivilliputtor like swans. She composed the beautiful Thiruppavai Paasurams and sang them melodiously to God Sri Krishna. She offered Him flower garlands, after wearing them with love, and thus bonded Krishna to marry her. Let us pray to her and sing her songs so that she can lead us to Moksha.

choodi kodutta sudarkodiyE tolpAvai

paadi yaruLavalla palvaLayAi naadi nee 

vEnkadavaRku ennai vidhi enra immAtram

nAm kadavA vaNNamE nalgu || (3)

Meaning:

O AndAL, shining like a flare of lightning, you are the first one to offer garlands adorned by you to God! You composed songs and sang them melodiously like the sounds of beautiful bangles to please God. Just like you obtained Lord Venkata's grace, please take us also to His abode with your graceful guidance.

Goda Devi was the first blessed being to offer garlands worn by her to God. She tested the flower garlands by wearing them on her neck and around her bun (she used to tie her hair into a bun similar to Krishna who used to wear a peacock feather in his tied-up bun). So the embedded hair of Goda used to glow like a lighting spark. Her colorful bangles used to make beautiful sounds while she sang her composed hymns. Lord Venkateswara refers to Lord Krishna as both are the forms of The Supreme God.

So, above are the important taniyans to be recited while performing the Thiruppavai recitation. Even though these taniyans are perhaps intended for the Dhanurmasam Vratam, I sing these three taniyans daily during my everyday worship. These three taniyans and the concluding hymns from Thiruppavai (Paasurams 29 and 30) are performed by me daily. It gives much satisfaction.

Hari Ashtakam - Sri Hari Worship Chanting 8 Hymns

Hari is one of the names of Lord Vishnu. Literally, Hari means evaporator or remover. He dispels our ignorance and sins if we believe and worship Him. Hari means Green color also. It points to his body hue. Hari is sometimes understood as an enemy of devils, sins, and darkness.

In this post, I am sharing a prayer containing hymns rendered to Vishnu, who is in the form of Hari.

 

Ashtakam refers to a composition of eight hymns. But sometimes, it may have 9 or 10 hymns also. 

In this composition of Hari Ashtakam, 9 hymns glorify the greatness of chanting Hari's name, and a further concluding hymn mentions the fruits obtained by reciting this prayer.

Hari Ashtakam

harir harati paapaani dushta chittair api smrutha

anichhayaapi samsprushtO dahatyEva hi paavaka (1)

Meaning: 

Sri Hari removes sins from even the bad ones who meditate on Him, similar to the fire that burns one who touches it unknowingly.

sa Gangaa sa Gayaa sEthu sa Kaasee sa cha pushkaram

jihwaagrE varthatE yasya hari rithyakshara dvayam (2)

Meaning:

He is the Ganga, Gaya, Sethu, Kashi, and Pushkaram whose tongue's tip resides the two letters of "Hari". Pushkaram refers to the Holy Waters. Ganga is the sacred Ganges river. Gaya is a Holy place where the last rites are performed for the attainment of Moksha. Kashi is a divine city from where people directly reach Heaven. Sethu refers to the bridge through which a person reaches Heaven.

vaaraaNasyaam, kurukshEtrE, naimishaaraNya Evacha

yatkrutam thEna yEnOktam hari rithyakshara dvayam (3)

Meaning:

All the good results got by visiting holy places like Varanasi, Kurukshetra, and Naimishaaranya are possessed by him who recites the two letters of Hari.

pruthvyam yaani theerthaani puNyaa nyaayathaani cha

taani sarvaa NyashEshaani hari rithyakshara dvayam (4)

Meaning:

The holy waters from all rivers of the world reach themselves to him who chants the two letters of Hari.

gavaam kOti sahasraaNi hEmakanyaa sahasrakam

dattam syaattEna yEnoktam hari rithyakshara dvayam (5)

Meaning:

The fruits of donating a thousand crores of cows, gold coins, and virgins are obtained by chanting the two letters of Hari.

rigvEdO athah yajurvEda saama vEdOpyaadharvaNa,

adheetasthEna yEnOktam hari rithyakshara dvayam (6)

Meaning:

He who recites the two letters of Hari, all the four Vedas of Rig, Yajur, Saama, and Atharva dwell in his control.

ashvamEdhair mahaayajnair naramEdhasthaiva cha

ishtam syaattEna yEnOktam hari rithyakshara dvayam (7)

Meaning:

The fruits of performing great yajnas like Ashwamedha and other sacrificial yajnas will befit him whoever recites the two letters of Hari.

praaNa prayaaNa paadhEyam samsaara vyaadhinaashanam

dukhaatyanta paritraaNam hari rithyakshara dvayam (8)

Meaning:

The two letters of Hari are the sustenance for the journey of the Soul, the cure for worldly diseases, and the protection against sorrows.

baddha parikarastEna mOkshaaya gamanam prati

sakruduchaaritam yEna hari rithyakshara dvayam (9)

Meaning:

He is treated as ready to attain moksha, whoever spells the two letters of Hari devotedly.

haryashtakam idam puNyam praatarutthaaya yah pathEth

aayushyam balamaarOgyam yashO vruddhi shriyaavaham (10)

Meaning:

Whoever recites these two letters of Hari is gifted with virtues, long life, strength/valor, health, and fame.

itihi prahlaada kruta shri haryashtakam sampoorNam ||

Meaning:

Here concludes the octave of Hari which was scripted by Prahlada.

Purification of Water for Daily Puja Performance

God's puja or worship is done by sprinkling purified water over the puja sthal, puja items, and God's idols/images.

During ancient times, people used to live around river basins. River waters were considered to be holy in those days.

Our grandparents used to keep a stock of Ganga water for performing religious rituals. Even now, we can buy Ganga water online if we like it. But it is not possible at short notices.

To overcome these difficulties and hindrances, our rishis and sages have developed a simple mantra invoking the sacred rivers for the purification of water in our puja pot.

Mantra for Purification of Water

To purify water before the start of puja, this mantra/sloka is to be recited:

"GangEcha, YamunEchaiva, GOdAvaree, Saraswatee,

Narmadaa, Sindhu, KaavEree jalasmin sannidhim kuru"

The meaning of the above Mantra is as follows:

O Lord, be kind! Please bring the waters from the rivers of Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu, and Kaveri into this puja pot.

By chanting this mantra, it is believed that the water in your puja pot gets purified and you can use that water for performing the puja rituals. 

Place your palm over the top of the pot while chanting the above sloka with complete belief in God.

The Seven Rivers mentioned in the above sloka (Saptanadhi) are considered holy rivers by all epics of Hinduism.

This is a simple procedure of purification for daily puja purposes. When sacred rituals and special pujas are performed by employing priests, they may suggest a complete Udaka Shanthi Puja which involves a lengthy procedure of purifying water and then sprinkling it all over the house, and for executing other rituals like Griha Pravesham, Upanayanam, Marriage, etc.

Sri Krishna Janmashtami - How to Worship Lord Krishna Performing Sixteen Sevas

Sri Krishna Janmashtami falls on 26th August 2024 this year and is observed till 27th morning.

His birth took place at midnight on Shravana Krishna Paksha Ashtami tithi with Rohini Nakshatra (Bhadrapada month for North Indians), exactly the midnight between Ashtami and Navami days.

Most of us celebrate this festival when the Ashtami tithi coincides with the Shravana Nakshatra. So, there can be a difference of 2 weeks to 4 weeks in celebrating this festival, if the Krishna Paksha Ashtami does not happen to be a Rohini Nakshatra.

People celebrate this occasion with bhajans/prayers and worship throughout the night. During this festival, many varieties of sweet and milk dishes are prepared and offered as naivedyam to Krishna.

How to Celebrate Sri Krishna Janmashtami

• On this Ashtami day, get up early, have a full bath (oil bath), wear clean clothes, and make preparations for the celebration.
• Clean the entire house by giving it a wash. Decorate the puja place with flower garlands, etc. Wash/clean the idol of Lord Krishna and wear clothes if possible. Apply tilak to His forehead and wear a garland.
• You can perform the special puja in the morning or at night, according to your interests and convenience.
• If you think of keeping awake till midnight, you may do normal worship in the morning and indulge in the special puja in the evening/night.
• The special puja involves bhajans and recitation of Vishnu Sahasranamam, Sri Krishna Ashtottara Shata Namam, etc. 
• Offer flowers, kumkuma, and akshata while chanting the names of the God.
• Kirtan and Bhajan are performed throughout the night by many devotees who stay awake throughout the period.
• There is a custom of offering 21 food items to Sri Krishna as naivedyam after the puja is complete. Kirtan and Bhajan can be done after eating the prasadam.

How to Worship Krishna Offering 16 Services (Shodashopachara Puja)

A complete Puja involves sixteen services to God. If you are a daily worshiper, you need not perform the 2nd and 3rd steps mentioned below.

1. Dhyaanam: Close your eyes and invoke God in your mind.
2. Aavaahanam: Welcome/Invite God to your house.
3. Aasanam: Offer a seat/throne. This is done by placing a flower or leaf before your Puja God.
4. Arghyam: Offer drops of water to God's hand.
5. Paadyam: Offer drops of water to the feet of God.
6. Snaanam: Sprinkle water over the entire body of God.
7. Vastram: Offer some clothes to God. You may offer a flower or a flattened piece of cotton.
8. Aachamanam: Offer water 3 times to the mouth of God.
9. Kumkumam/Gandham: Apply a tilak on God's forehead with kumkum and/or sandal paste.
10. Pushpam: Offer flowers. Place flowers over his head and/or around Him.
11. Archanam: Worship God starting with 24 names of Kesava and other stotras. You may do the Kesava naama archana with kumkum and flowers. Thereafter, do the rest of the worship.
12. Dhoopam: Light incense sticks and show them around God.
13. Deepam: Show the lighted diyas towards God's face with your right palm.
14. Naivedyam: Offer the naivedyam to God. If you continue the worship later, doing Sahasranamam, etc., a small naivedyam is offered at this stage like two bananas or some jaggery. The cooked dishes will be offered as Mahanaivedyam after the completion of the special puja.
15. Aachamanam: Offer water to God for drinking. This is done 3 times like the first aachamanam.
16. Mangala Haarati: Light camphor and circle it around God chanting the mangaLa haarathi slokas.

At this stage, you can take the prasadam of jaggery or banana offered to God sharing with your family members. 

The special puja can be continued now or at a later stage according to your convenience.

Whenever I indulge in a special puja, I start with Sri Lakshmi Ashtottara Shata Naama stotram and then chant the 1000 names of Vishnu known as Vishnusahasranaamam. After that, I perform the bhajan with the following bhajan/kirtans.

The bhajan is performed by repeating these lines continuously: 
"harE krishNa harE krishNa krishNa KrishNa harE harE|
 harE raam harE raam raama raama harE harE"||

For Kirtan's performance, I recommend this beautiful rhyming rendition of "Govind Bolo Hari, Gopal Bolo" lyrics which are available at this link.

For me, I do not indulge in the nighttime pujas. I observe all celebrations during the morning times only except the Deepavali puja. But, as far as possible, I try my best to perform the ceremonies at the concluding portion of any tithi. 

If I have to recite the Vishnu Sahasranamam, I do it in the evening Puja time which is performed without changing into the silk dhoti attire. I simply chant the prayers at this time without touching God. Though I offer banana naivedyam after the chants.

We observe the Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebration when both Ashtami tithi and Rohini nakshatra coincide. This year, they are coinciding on 26th August 2024.