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1St OCtober, 2015

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Navaratri Kolu - Sreelatha Parasu

Navratri is celebrated to then followed by other during the evenings. They Inside this issue honor The Divine Mother dolls. It is an ancient cus- light the lamps, prepare Goddess , whose tom related to this wood- special food and keep gifts Kolu 1 prime reason of incarnation en couple. In olden days, ready to be given to the was to kill the demon this wooden couple repre- guests. The host requests Upcoming events 1 Mahishasura. The three sented the King and the guests to sing and chant in October Goddesses namely Parva- Queen. People prayed for devotional hymns and slo- Pitru Samskaras / 2 thi, Lakshmi and Saraswathi their well being and for kas and distribute gifts with Shraddha Rituals merge together to form the prosperity of the king- haldi and kumkum. Food Goddess Durga. Due to the dom. items are first offered to the Sri Sai Satcharit in 3 complexity of the boon he Gods and Goddesses and our daily life was awarded, the com- then distributed to the bined strength of three guests. Word Search 3 Goddesses were needed to rescue this world and the Saraswati Puja is celebrated Jeopardy 3 nether worlds from the on the 9th day, special pujas cruel hands of Mahi- are offered to Goddess Panchatantra 4 Saraswati, to bestow upon shasura. The word Navarat- Answer Key for 4 ri means Nine nights, and us wisdom and enlighten- September edi- these nine days are split ment. Books, musical instru- tion into sets of three, three ments, and tools, are all placed in the puja and wor- days to honor each God- Padi is displayed with the Temple Services 4 dess. First three days for deities at the topmost. It is shipped as they all repre- Parvathi, second three days the tallest figurine in size sent the source of for Lakshmi and third three and followed by other knowledge. The next day U p c o m i n g days for Saraswati. Fol- dolls and figurines. Scenes (10th day) is Vijayadasami, events in Octo- lowed by Vijayadasami, the most auspicious day, on from the Epics and other b e r : celebrating the victory on holy scriptures, Dasa ava- which evil was finally de- stroyed by good. Hence it the tenth day. taras of , idols of  September 27th — the Trinities with their marks the prosperous be- October 12th: Bommai Kolu or Doll Festi- consorts,figurines of fa- ginning. Children begin val is celebrated as part of mous temples, Krishna and tutoring classes for fine arts  M a h a l a y a Navaratri Kolu. Elderly his leelas, figurines of and education. Adults com- Paksham person in the family begins great saints and seers, mence new ventures on this  Abishekam for the Navaratri celebration day to flourish and prosper. everyday scenes, wedding Padukas by performing a Ganapathi processions, marketplace, In the evening of Vijaya- everyday Pooja, then a Kalasa Pooja miniature kitchen sets, and dasami day, symbolically the welcoming the three God- all that a young girl would kalasa and one doll from the  October 13th— desses. Later Kolu Padi, love to play with is por- Kolu is moved and prayers 21st: Navaratri steps with wooden planks trayed in the display. Now- are offered to thank God for Celebrations are set up in odd numbers the successful completion of adays real miniature fields,  Bommala Koluvu and is layered with the nice with sprouts of different that year and hoping the fabric for the dolls, figu- spices and grains, amuse- following one will be suc-  M o r n i n g s - rines, and different deities ment parks and railway cessful too. Then the Kolu is Special abhishekam to be displayed. As per the tracks with trains etc. are disassembled and packed for Sai Amrutha traditional practice wooden added in the display. for the next year. Narayana, Prathy- Bride and Groom known as amgira, Maha Me- "Marapachi Bommai" deco- Women in the neighbor- Navaratri is celebrated with ru, Maha Lakshmi rated with new fine clothes hood invite each other to such enthusiasm and excite- each year is placed first and view Kolu in their homes ment, cont’d on page 2 and Venkatachala- pathy. We welcome you to share your personal experiences in the form  E v e n i n g s — of articles, poems, paintings etc. Please email us your articles, by Cultural Programs

15th of each month, at [email protected] Sai Amrutha Jyothi http://srisainarayana.org http://sriamruthasai.org 2

Importance of Pitru Samskaras/Shraddha Rituals – B a b u J a m m i

(An article based on teachings of HH Pujyasri tives. I am my own mother side male and their want the letter to be delivered correctly. Similarly, V. V. Sridhar Guruji, and from the ‘Hindu wife’s relatives. It is ultimately the Lord’s while offering your , you need to perform it Dharma – The universal way of life’ from Voice Grace that I am born ever as myself every- according to the rules given in the shastras. of the Guru Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Sar- where as ‘aham’. - By HH Pujya Sri V.V.Sridhar asvati Svami) Guruji (excerpts from Sridharaamritam – Sun- Our Guruji always puts lots of emphasis on perform- day April 6, 2013) ing our duties towards our parents and says we all All human beings must express their gratitude must take good care of them, and once they depart to their fathers (pitrus) and to the gods – they Some people ridicule this ritual of performing this life, offer them their due rites according to Shas- have a debt to pay their fathers, rites to per- Shrardha, pointing that “the sesame (til) seeds tra. At our temple, Guruji, purposefully did the form for the gods. We must treat our parents you offer, the water, the balls of rice, the plan- pratishta of Gurupadukas in Gurustanam in such a with respect and do all we can to keep them in tains and other items of food remain here,” or way that, people get blessings of their forefathers comfort. We cannot make sufficient recom- “we see someone removing them before our when they bow their heads here and do the pra- pense for all the sacrifices they make on our own eyes, or eating them. You say that the dakshina. When someone wants to perform their behalf. After they depart from this world we departed parents are born again in this world. pitru karmas, we get water from the nearby waterfall must without fail offer libations to them and If this is true, is it not madness to claim that and offer abhishekams to the Guru Padukas, as part perform Shraddha ceremony, all in the man- what is offered here will reach them?” Consid- of this ceremony. ner prescribed in shastras. er this situation to address such comments. Mahaalaya / / Shraddha days - With bhakti you do Yagnam... Consider a simple act of sending money to is the period where we can offer homage to all our someone. When you want to send money to ancestors, not just to our father and/or mother. With Shradda you do Shrardham.... someone in a distant city, you take the cash to Mahaalaya paksha is a 15 day period in the month of In fact shraddham is called technically ‘pitru a post-office and give the money to the clerk, Bhadrapada according to lunar calendar, beginning yagnam’. with instructions to send it to the person you with the day. want. Upon completing required paper work, you are assured that the money will be sent to In 2015 the Mahaalaya paksha is starting from Sep- Pitru Dhyanam: the person you wanted it to go. However, the tember 27th and ending on October 12th. The last cash given to the clerk physically remains in day is the most significant day of pitru paksha and is “Pitrubhya Swadavibya Swada Namah that office only, but through some means the commonly known as Mahaalaya or Sarva Pitamahebhya Swadavibya Swada Namah money is still transferred, and of course the pitru paksha. During this period we all should be person gets the cash at the other end. Is it paying homage to our ancestors by offering prayers Prapithamahebhya Swadavibya Swada Namah not? and seek their blessings. Akshan Pitharaha.. Offering libations (Shrardham) to one’s fathers At our temple, we perform mahaalaya paksha rituals Akshan Mathuhu Pitharaha.. is similar. If this rite is performed according to every year and we encourage all to come and per- the shastras, the deities concerned will convey form abhishekams to Gurupadukas and offer pitru Gyathagyatha Pithrun Swada Namas Tharpaya- them to those for whom they are meant. If tarpanams and seek blessings of their ancestors. mi the fathers are reborn as cows the offerings Gyathagyatha Mathru Pithrun Swada Namas made to them will be taken to them in the Please contact the temple for additional information Tharpayami form of hay or grass. The deities in charge on this. carry out the orders of the parmataman. So Navaratri Kolu, continued... Gyathagyatha Pithru Patni Swada Namas the father or the mother whose Shraddha is Tharpayami performed need not personally come to re- in the temples and some houses with singing, danc- Gyathagyatha Mathru Pithru Patni Swada ceive the offering. ing, and distribution of gifts and specially prepared Namas Tharpayami…” food. Women and children love to dress up in lovely When sending the money, if the addressee colorful traditional attire, and are happy to visit and resides in a foreign country our currency will enjoy singing and receiving gifts. In our temple too not be valid there. If rupees are paid here Meaning: Salutations to my father, grandfa- we set up the Navaratri Kolu. On all nine days of the arrangements are made to pay the money in Navaratri, cultural programs will be held in the eve- ther, and great grandfather. They are my line- dollars, pounds, or whatever. The things age of forefathers. My forefathers themselves nings. Lalitha Sahasranama chanting and Kumkuma offered to the fathers according to the shas- puja will be performed every evening on all the nine were born as their forefathers. So eventually I tras are conveyed in a form suitable to them. was also in the lineage of these forefathers. I days. Come, One and all, let us celebrate the auspi- What is important here is a sense of gratitude cious occasion of Navaratri together! am myself born in several janmas as myself. to our fathers and faith in the shastras. Shrad- The true self the Lord is responsible for this dha means ‘that which is done in faith.’ Faith Sarva mangala mangalye shive sarvaartha saadhike cycle of births. So I am myself born across in is of utmost importance. If we do something Sharanye trayambake Gauri the cosmos in different ways and combina- we must do it according to the rules laid down Narayani namosthute tions. I go back into fire, I go back into water, I for it. go back into earth, I go back into air, I go back Sridharamrutham into space and I am back in many forms. I am When you write a letter, for the letter to reach my own great grandfather, I am my own moth- the addressee, aren’t you required to provide “God's love has no limits.... God's er, I am my own grandmother, I am my own the address in a specific format and put it in a grace has no measure.. God's power has great grandmother. I am my own father’s side post-box? You cannot put the letter in any box no boundaries.....Let God always bless relatives and mother’s side relatives. I am my or write the address in a format of your own fathers’ side male and their wife’s rela- choice. So you have to follow the rules if you you.... today and always! “ http://srisainarayana.org http://sriamruthasai.org 3

Sri Sai Satcharit in our daily life - Sankar Kumar

Once, Baba told Das Ganu Maharaj to recite in lights were burning. Baba told the people the Lord of Pandharpur’s name continuously that it was His guru’s place and asked them with earnestness and devotion for 7 days to close it back. Devotees still worship that and promised that Vithal will give darshan neem tree and the cellar site. to him. At its completion, Vithal did mani- fest in Shirdi! While Kakasaheb Dixit, anoth- Three wadas were built over a course of time er devotee of Lord Sai was in meditation, he to shelter the devotees who thronged to had a vision of Vithal. Baba asked him if he Shirdi . Sathe Wada, Dixit Wada and Booty saw Vithal and told him to catch Him imme- Wada, which is the present resting place of diately or else He would escape if he be even SaiBaba are the three main wadas in Shirdi. a little inattentive. That evening a vendor More leelas will be told in the next chapter. came to Shirdi selling pictures Lord Vithal! Similarly, once when the son of His devotee Bow to Shri Sai – Peace be to all Om Sri SaiRam. [Late] Bhagwantrao Kshirsagar came to see Him, Baba accepted his offerings and told Life applications: I bow to Sri Sai and all of you. that He pulled him to Shirdi as the son for- got his duty of offering annual ceremony to 1. Recite God’s name all the time, when- CHAPTER 4. his father! ever possible. This is a sure and simple way to earn God’s Grace. Just as Lord Krishna said in , that Once, when Das Ganu sought Baba’s permis- He re-incarnates time and time again to protect sion to visit Prayag to dip in the holy waters, Praying sincerely to SaiBaba with devo- Dharma and eradicate the evils, so many saints Baba told him that He would bring Prayag 2. have descended this earth for the same purpose. here in Shirdi itself and outflowed Holy tion will grant your wishes fulfilled. Our Lord Sai Maharaj is also one such avatar. He Ganges water from His two great toes! appeared in Shirdi on the banks of river Godavari 3. Never question to inquire on any and due to His presence, Shirdi became a holy No one know where SaiBaba was born. He Saints’ past life . kshetra. He displayed so many characteristics be- just manifested Himself under a neem tree one day! Nana Chopdar’s mom describes His having like a man but in essence, He was a great 4. Involving oneself in service of the dev- njaani. One 95 year old Goulibuva , who was a beautiful young face she saw. He just sat otees’ comforts is pleasing to SaiBaba regular visitor to Pandharpur, proclaimed that there; demanded nothing from anyone. One and will win His Grace. SaiBaba was none other than Pandharinath Vithal. day, Lord Khandoba came on a man and asked the people to dig at a particular place, Sri Satchitananda SadGuru Sainath SaiBaba was very fond of reciting God’s name. where they found a cellar with steps. There- Maharaj ki Jai!

Saiamrutham — “When you see with your inner eye then you realize that you are God and not different from Him.”

Jeapordy! Word Search! - Chaitanya Chandra 1) 'Garba' is the folk dance of this In- Search for the words chosen from Sri Shirdi Sai Satcharit!!! dian state 2) This historic city in Karnataka is G K I V J A O R L R LEGEND famous for its elephant processions on the occasion of Dussehra G O U L I B U V A O Chavadi 3) Vaishno Devi shrine is situated in this state W P D F Y T D W I Q Godavari 4) Dussehra is celebrated on this day of the bright half of the Hindu J Goulibuva A C A K A H D A S month of Ashwayuja Q Jnaneshwar 5) In Nepal Dussehra is known as this R H I V S K A Q I 6) At night, the effigies of these three Kopargaon mythological characters are burnt T G A D E A U L L D Lendi 7) This word is used for enactment of M the life of Lord Ram A V N Y M R M A D Sadhaka 8) This brother of Ravana helped Lord F O A E N S L I C H Samsar Ram in the battle against Ravana 9) In , this Goddess is wor- B N D L V A J D V A Siddha shipped during the 9 days of Dussehra J D I X J R V F H M Vithal http://srisainarayana.org http://sriamruthasai.org 4

Panchatantra: The ’s Gift http://www. tal esofpanchatantra.c om

In a small village, there lived a Brahmin, by the Shame on you!" name of Mitra Sharma. He was a worshipper of Fire-God. One day, during monsoons, when the The Brahmin got even angrier, "Are you sky was overcast with cloud, he decided to blind? Can't you see it is a goat and not a conduct a certain sacrificial ritual. dead calf?"

The Brahmin travelled to a nearby village, to To this the second crook replied, "Have it visit a devotee, to request for a goat that he anyway you want it to be, please don't get will offer it as a sacrifice to the Gods. On his angry on me." arrival, he requested the devotee, "Son, I want When the Brahmin had gone a little further, to perform a sacrificial ritual on this auspicious the third crook accosted him, "Oh Brahmin. time. Please offer me with a well-fed goat." This is highly improper for you do something The devotee agreed and offered him with one like this. Why do you carry a donkey on your of his best goats. The Brahmin started his jour- shoulders? Put him down, before anyone sees ders, approached him, he queried, "Oh Brahmin, Why is ney homewards. He carried the goat on his you doing this!" it that you behave so ridiculously?" "Why on earth are shoulders, so that he did not have problems in you carrying a profane dog on your shoulders?" Now, the Brahmin started thinking how can controlling the animal on the way home. three different persons not see that he was On hearing this, the Brahmin got angry, he replied, On his way home, three crooks watched him carrying a goat? He thought that he must be "How can you not see any difference between a goat from a distance. They were almost starving, carrying a goblin, which is changing shape all and a dog? Are you blind? Can't you see I am carrying a and the Brahmin had a goat and he was all the while. Fearing so, he put the goat down sacrificial goat?" alone. They discussed, "We will be saved from on the ground and ran home terrified. the fangs of hunger in this cold monsoon, if we The crook had played his part, and replied, "Please The crooks had succeeded in their plan. The can lay our hands on this goat that the Brahmin don't get angry on me. You may have it anyway you crooks caught the goat at once, and feasted is carrying." They decided to trick the Brahmin, want. Please carry on with your journey". on the goat to their heart's content. in order to gain the goat for themselves. A little further, he was approached by the second The wise indeed say: As planned, the first of the crooks stood in the crook, who said, "Oh Brahmin, shame on you! How can Untruth spoken repeatedly appears to be Brahmin's path, by taking a shorter road. you carry this dead calf on your shoulders like that? When the Brahmin, with the goat on his shoul- truth.

Answer Key from September edition: Word Search Services in the temple

A Z S K A Y Q X D G Priests services like Yantra B N M M A G A J H K LEGEND Puja, Gruha Pravesham, J Q A G R Y O Y Y Q AVIDYA DHARANA Satyanarayana Vratam, Pitru

P C Y R D I H Y A A Karma, Seemantham, DHYANA DURBUDDHI Upanayanm, Vahana Puja R A Z I A B T L N L etc., are available which will KALMA ROHILLA G A V T F H R I A L be performed at devotees A D I homes for their good wealth B Y Y X E F I SHRUTI SMRITI I H D D U B R U D H and prosperity. We also do archanas, abhishekam's for YAGYA YOGA S H R U T I K F Y O all our deities.

A M L A K V V B F R Seva (Volunteering) oppor- Answer key to Jeopardy! tunities are also available at the temple. 1. Vishwamitra trained Lord Ram and and Lord Krishna Lakshman to be expert archers 5. Gandhiva was presented to Arjuna by For more details please vis- 2. Ravana was he grandson of sage Pulas- Lord Varuna it http://sriamruthasai.org/ tya 6. Mareecha took the form of the deer 3. was born with the divine armor to lure away Lord Ram and Lakshma- services/. Or contact the and ear rings na from Sita Temple at 804-708-0867. 4. Narakasura was killed by Satyabhama 7. Panchavati means five Banyan trees http://srisainarayana.org http://sriamruthasai.org