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.

Naamkaran Ceremony - The Naming Ceremony of Baby

Naamakarana Ceremony is the naming ceremony of a child after its birth. It is also known as "Barasala". This ceremony is a religious ritual practiced by most Orthodox Hindu families. It usually takes place on the 12th day of the child.

After the birth of a child, male or female, the child and the mother are kept in seclusion for 11 days. Most of the orthodox communities believe this period to be an inauspicious time and treat the mother to be impure and unhygienic. But, the fact is otherwise. Both the mother and the child are protected from infections. This tradition of keeping them in seclusion for 11 days is practiced to protect the child who is very sensitive and needs to adjust to the external environment after coming out from the womb. 

Only a close relative (preferably the grandmother, maternal/paternal, will attend to the needs of the child and the mother during these 11 days.

Generally, the baby becomes habituated to the external environment by the 11th day. After the 11th day, he/she can come out of the protected atmosphere and mingle with the family and neighbors.

So, this naamkaran ceremony is held on the 12th day inviting family members/relatives and the neighbors. Some people may celebrate it on the 16th or 21st day.

How to Perform the Naamkaran Ritual

On the 11th and 12th day after the child's birth, the mother and the child are given oil baths. They are offered sambrani/loban dhoop and dress in new clothes.

A priest/pundit is booked for the ceremony in advance. Neighbors, relatives, and close friends are invited to the ceremony. The entire house is washed and decorated for the occasion.

• The child is adored in new clothes on the 12th day. A thread (usually black or red) is tied around the baby's waist and a black spot is made on the cheek and/or forehead of the baby (with kajal/kohl/kaatuka) to protect it from evil spirits. (For your information, I wear a black thread even now at the age of 72 years. I keep changing it every 5 years or so.)
• At the time of the ceremony, the mother, father, and close relatives sit at the sanctum sanctorum. The baby is held by the mother in her lap.
• The Preist may perform "Udaka Santhi" puja at first to purify the house. A sacred fire is ignited and Vedic hymns are recited invoking Gods to purify water kept in a steel pot. The water is then sprinkled all over the house and on the heads of the people gathered there.
• The naamakarana ritual involves the calculation of the tides and positions of the nine planets known as nava grahas, and performing shanti puja. Using the astrological rules, the priest calculates what the first letter of the baby's name should be. The father or grandfather suggests a name using that letter and the others may approve it or suggest modifications. But, the final choice depends on the decision of the parents and grandparents of the baby.
• The name is, thereafter, written by the father on a plate filled with rice. The mother of the baby will hold his hand while it gets written.
• The name is whispered into the right ear of the baby (covering the other ear with a betel leaf). The procedure gets repeated to the left ear also.
• After the ceremony is complete, the baby is put into a cradle so that all guests can have access to the baby to greet him/her.
• Each guest, present there, will utter the name one by one.
• Thereafter, Puja prasadam is distributed among the gathering.
• Guests may gift the baby and the parents if they wish.
• Dinner/banquet may be arranged for the guests, or satisfy with sweets distribution.

This is the main procedure of performing the naamkaran ceremony. You may simply or elaborate it according to your convenience.

Sri Rama Bhajan Lyrics, Mantras, and Hare Krishna Bhajan

Bhajan is a type of worship in which the same name of God, or the same mantra or verse of God is uttered repeatedly for a certain number of times during each session. Some people keep reciting God's name throughout the day and their entire lives. This is also known as Bhajan.

You can keep repeating the word "Rama or Ram" as often as possible from your early morning hours till you go to bed.

To inculcate the habit of indulgence in Bhajan or repeated chanting of God's name, some spiritual saints and devotees have created slokas and hymns for the benefit of people. 

In this post, I am sharing some bhajans of Shri Rama.

Sri Rama Mantra Sloka Recitation

Rama mantra is a divine utterance provided by Lord Shiva at the request of Goddess Parvati. 

Mother Parvati always thinks of her devotees. One day, she was much disturbed by the fact that whoever recites Vishnu Sahasranamam will attain moksha unconditionally. It was a guarantee provided by Sri Krishna in the Mahabharat Epic. But it was a lengthy and time-consuming rendition.

Parvati was afraid that due to ignorance and lack of time in this worldly life, her devotees couldn't recite the entire Vishnu Sahasranamam with full dedication. So, she requests her consort Shiva to show some easier method of attaining moksha. Lord Shiva tells her that whoever utters the name of Rama with dedication 3 times will acquire the benefits of reciting sahasranamams (the thousand names of Vishnu) and thus attain moksha.

The following is the sloka through which Lord Shiva imparted this fact to Parvati.

"sri raama raama raamEti ramE raamE manOramE sahasranaama tattulyam raama naama varaananE".

Meaning:

O, Dear Parvati! Whoever recites raama, raama, raama, he will receive the results of reciting Sahasranamam. Thus, is the Rama name gifted.

Sri Rama Bhajans

Bhajan (1)

Reciting this rhyming two-liner will provide you much peace of mind and happiness. You can sing it whenever you want mental peace.

raama raama raama raama raam raajaaraam |

raama raama raama raama raam seetaaraam ||

Bhajan (2)

Another bhajan that can be recited often daily, three times, or eleven times per session.

raamaa raamaa dasharatha raamaa tEhe raajaa raamaa, tEhe seetaaraamaa ||

Hare Krishna Hare Ram Bhajan

This bhajan is a popular bhajan throughout the world. The Hare Krishna Movement also adopted this bhajan. It is performed at all events and gatherings by the devotees. It brings people into a spiritual and blissful mood.

Here is the bhajan:

harE raam harE raam, raama raama harE harE

harE krishna harE krishna, krishna krishna harE harE ||

You simply repeat these two lines eternally and enjoy the Bliss.

Naga Panchami Festival and The Story of Snakes

Naga Panchami is to be celebrated on the 9th of August in 2024.

Naga Panchami is a popular festival in India and Nepal. It falls on the 5th day of the ascending moon fortnight (shukla paksha) in Shravana month. Snakes are worshiped on this day.

People keep celibacy on this day and worship snakes offering them flowers and milk.

They eat vegetarian food, visit temples, and maintain pureness of body and mind throughout this day in reverence of Manasa Devi and Shiva. Lord Shiva wears a snake on his neck. Lord Vishnu is depicted sleeping on Adi Seshu, a huge and noble serpent.

The Story of Snakes & Takshaka

Snakes are believed to be the children of Kadruva, a wife of Kashyapa Prajapati, per legends. Takshaka, Vasuki, etc. were famous among them. Another wife of Kashyapa was Vinata who gave birth to Garuda, the carrier of Lord Vishnu. Kashyapa Prajapati's noble wife Aditi gave birth to the angels like Indra, Surya, Chandra, Agni, etc. Another wife, Diti, gave birth to the demons.

Manasa Devi is the protector of snakes. So, snakes are considered Gods and worshiped as such by the devotees on this day. They are believed to be deities of the Naaga Lok (Paatal Lok).

There is a story behind the celebration of this festival.

After the great war of Mahabharata was over, Parikshit (Grandson of Arjuna) was born to Abhimanyu and Uttara. He was a renowned and powerful king. One day when he was on his usual horse ride along with his attendants through the forests, he gets tired and thirsty. So he went to the hermitage of a sage (named Samika, perhaps), and requested for water. But, the sage was in deep meditation and didn't notice his presence. Parikshit felt frustrated and threw a snake over his neck and returned. The sage's son got angry and cursed him to be bitten by a snake.

Due to the influence of the curse, Parikshit dies bitten by a powerful snake called Takshaka. As Parikshit was residing in a single-towered building amid the sea, Takshak entered the building through the fruits carried by his attendants who were taking care of his security. So, Parikshit's son organized a ritual of Snake Sacrifice to avenge his father's death.

In that sacrificial ritual, while the priests were uttering mantras, the snakes began to fall into the sacrificial fire, one by one. Most of the snakes get killed in that sacrifice. Fearing death, Takshaka runs to Indra for help. Indra was afraid and did not want to help him. The mantras were getting powerful and began to drag Takshaka towards the fire. So, Takshaka coils himself around Indra and holds him tightly. But, the power of the mantras is so strong that even Indra gets dragged toward the fire. Fearing calamity, the angels along with Brahma go to Manasa Devi, the Goddess of Snakes, and pray for the stoppage of the sacrificial ritual. She sends her son Astika to impress Janamejaya with his knowledge and thereby get the sacrifice stopped. Janamejaya is a great scholar and he admires the astounding wisdom of Astika. He asks him to seek something worthy of him as a gift. Astika seeks for the stoppage of the ritual and Janamejaya could not refuse because he is a keeper of his words. Thus, the Sarpa Yaga (the sacrificial ceremony) was stopped.

From that day, Snakes were regarded as forms of angels. This incident took place on a Panchami Day of the Shravana (month). So, snakes were worshiped each year on this day remembering Manasa Devi and Takshaka. 

Takshaka was only an instrument in the death of Parikshit as it was fate. Nobody can escape fate. So, the Sacrificial Ceremony performed by Janamejaya was unwarranted.