Hindu Community and Cultural Center 1232 Arrowhead Ave, Livermore, CA 94551 A Non-Profit Organization since 1977 Tax ID# 94-2427126; Inc# D0821589 Shiva-Vishnu Temple Tel: 925-449-6255; Fax: 925-455-0404 Om Namah Shivaya Om Namo Narayanaya Web: http://www.livermoretemple.org KAILASA VAIBHAVAM Besides serving the extended Bay Area community in various spheres, Shiva-Vishnu Temple, Livermore, CA plays a key role in providing religious services, offering discourses, conducting yagnas and other dharmic activities to the larger Northern California Hindu community. It stands out among North America temples for performing kainkaryams to the deities in authentic fashion respecting agamic traditions. Devotees throng the temple to participate and witness various sevas and celebrations. Many a time, they have to leave with just a quick darshan on account of time constraints. Bowing to the overwhelming response from devotees, Shiva-Vishnu Temple, Livermore, CA has been conducting sevas and kalyanams in various parts of the extended Bay Area for the benefit of local residents. Local residents welcome such opportunities to witness celestial weddings of divine couples, delight in satsang opportunities with fellow community members, and enthusiastically take up the preservation of shared ideals of Sanathana Dharma and the Hindu way of life, thereby contributing to peace and prosperity in our communities. Please come to Washington High School (WHS), Fremont, CA, on Saturday, June 25, 2016 and share a very special “Shiva Upasana” day in satsang with Bay Area Shiva and Parvati devotees. This “Kailasa Vaibhavotsavam” or “One day Shiva Upasana” event, organized by Hindu Community and Cultural Center (HCCC) will consist of four segments so that devotees will have the flexibility to select the segments they wish to sponsor and participate in. The program starts by invoking Lord Shiva, his Dwadasha Jyotir Linga manifestations, and Goddess Parvathi Devi, into various Kalashams. The highlight of the first segment is Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Aradhana, venerating the twelve auspicious shrines of Lord Shiva in India. The second segment is Kedara Gouri vratam. Legend has it that Goddess Parvati observed this vratam (vow) with such devotion that Lord Shiva invited her to inhabit one half of his body, resulting in Arthanarishwara, the union of Shiva and Shakti. The highlight of this segment is that 108 dampathis (couples), each with a Kalasham, will perform the Kedara Gouri Vratam. In the afternoon, the third segment starts with priests performing abhishekam using 108 conches (shankhas) to the Shiva and Parvati Utsava Moortis. After this, Gouri-Shankara Kalyana Utsavam will be performed followed by Dolotsavam and Maha Mangala Arati. Please come with your family on June 25, 2016 to WHS in Fremont, CA and go home with the divine blessings of Shiva and Parvati. The religious significance and background behind the planned activities are covered in this document. अुरां िदिश देवताा िहमालयो नाम नगािधराजः । पूवापरौ वार िनधीम् िवगा थतः पृिथा इव मानदः । Astyuttarasyaam disi devataatmaa Himaalayo naama Nagaadhiraajah Poorvaaparou vaari nidhiim vigaahya sthitah prithivyaa iva maanadandah. Hindu Community and Cultural Center 1232 Arrowhead Ave, Livermore, CA 94551 A Non-Profit Organization since 1977 Tax ID# 94-2427126; Inc# D0821589 Shiva-Vishnu Temple Tel: 925-449-6255; Fax: 925-455-0404 Om Namah Shivaya Om Namo Narayanaya Web: http://www.livermoretemple.org The renowned Himalayas, considered the heart land of Gods, serves as the northern boundary of India. It intercalates itself between the eastern and western oceans like a measuring stick of the Earth. Mount Kailas, nestled among these Himalayan mountains, is the abode of Lord Shiva. Legend has it that this holy mountain is considered as Meru (Parvata), the center of the universe. It is regarded by Hindus as the celestial place of worship and pilgrimage. It is flanked by Lake Mana Sarovar which is the source of the Sapta Sindhu rivers that are acclaimed in the Rigveda. This holy place is Lord Shiva’s residential palace. His nobility is explained in the following shloka: कै लसाचल सानु वास रिसकं गौरी मनो नायकं भालोकन तरं सकलदं काायनी ककम् िदा िद कळा िवलास वपुषम् ैलो संसेिवतं वे Z हं सकलाित भंजनकरं लोके रं शंकरं । Kailaasachala saanu vaasa rasikam Gourii mano naayakam Bhaktaalokana tatparam sakaladam kaatyaayanii kalpakam Divyaa divya kalaa vilaasa vapusham trailokya samsevitam Vandeham sakalaarti bhanjanakaram lokeshwaram Shankaram. Arthanarishwara Tattwam The underlying theme is Arthanarishwara Tattwam of the Lord - half feminine and half masculine. The philosophy behind this concept can be explained by invoking the most famous opening shlokam of Kalidasa’s Kavya, Raghuvamsam: वागथा िवव सं पृ ौ वागथ ितपयेत् । जगतः िपतरौ वंदे पावती परमेरौ । Vaagarthaa viva sampruktou vaagartha pratipattayet Jagatah pitarou vande Parvatii Parameswarou I pray to Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathi, who are parents of the world and inseparable as speech and its meaning. Just as the word and its meaning are one and the same, Lord Shiva and Parvati are one and the same. I prostrate before that Oneness to bestow knowledge of speech and its meaning upon me. Dwadasha Jyotir Linga Archana and its significance According to Shiva Puranam, a dispute occurred between Brahma the creator, and Vishnu the preserver, over which of them was superior. In order to settle the argument, Lord Shiva pierced the three worlds and manifested himself as a column of light. The Gods requested Brahma and Vishnu to find out the beginning and the end of this column of light or Jyothir Linga. When both, Brahma and Vishnu, conceded defeat, the bulk of the column of light is said to have cooled off in Arunachalam (refers to the holy hill at Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu) but several pieces are believed to have scattered elsewhere. Arunachalam is venerated as Shiva himself whereas twelve of these pieces are considered the holiest shrines, jyothir lingas, each a different Hindu Community and Cultural Center 1232 Arrowhead Ave, Livermore, CA 94551 A Non-Profit Organization since 1977 Tax ID# 94-2427126; Inc# D0821589 Shiva-Vishnu Temple Tel: 925-449-6255; Fax: 925-455-0404 Om Namah Shivaya Om Namo Narayanaya Web: http://www.livermoretemple.org manifestation of Lord Shiva. The belief is that one who visits these places or recites the names, washes away the sins accumulated over seven births as mentioned in the following Shloka: सौरा े सोम नाथंच, ीशैले मकाजुनं । उियां महाकालं,ॐ कारं मामलेरं । पलयम् वैनाधंच,दािम् भीम शंकरं । सेतुबेतु रामेशं, नागेशं दाकावने । वारणांतु िवेशं, कं गौतमी तटे । हयमालयेतु के दारं घृेशंच िशवालये. । एतािन ोितिलगािन, सायं ातः पठे रः । स ज कृतं पापं रणेन िवनित । Souraashtre Somanaathamcha, Shriishaile Mallikarjunam. Ujjayanyaam Mahaa kaalam, Omkaaram Maamaleshwaram Parliiyam Vaidyanaadhamcha, Daakshinyaam Bhiima Samkaram, Setubandhetu Raamesham, Nagesham Daarukaavane, Vaaranaasyantu Vishwesham, Tryambakam Goutamii tate, Himaalayetu Kedaaram, Ghrishnesamcha Sivaalaye. Yetaani Jyotirlingaani Saayam Praatah pathennarah. Sapta janma kritam paapam smaranena vinashyati. The 12 Jyotir Linga shrines are: 1. Somanatha in Somanath, Gujarat 2. Mallikarjuna in Srisailam, AP 3. Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, MP 4. Omkareshwar in Mandhata near Indore, MP 5. Vaidyanath in Parli * 6. Bhimashankar in Dakshinya * 7. Rameshwar in Rameshwaram, TN 8. Nageshwar in Darukavan * 9. Vishveshwar in Varanasi, UP 10. Tryambakeshwar near Nasik, Maharashtra 11. Kedarnath in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand 12. Ghrishneshwar in Verul near Aurangabad, Maharashtra * These exact locations of these Jyothir Lingas are disputed Kedara Gouri Vratam by 108 couples Shiva emerges as Arthanarishwara on Kedara Gouri Vratam day. Legend has it that Gouri, wife of Shiva, wanted to become closer to Lord Shiva. He advised her to observe great penance as per the instructions of Maharishi Goutama. Accordingly, she departed Kailasa for Varanasi and desired to start her penance. However, Varanasi was hit by famine at that time. Katyayani Hindu Community and Cultural Center 1232 Arrowhead Ave, Livermore, CA 94551 A Non-Profit Organization since 1977 Tax ID# 94-2427126; Inc# D0821589 Shiva-Vishnu Temple Tel: 925-449-6255; Fax: 925-455-0404 Om Namah Shivaya Om Namo Narayanaya Web: http://www.livermoretemple.org (another name for Parvati) became Annapurna and served food to all people in the city until normalcy was restored. She then headed for Kanchipuram. There she consecrated a Shiva Linga made of sand on the banks of the River Kampa and started observing the penance. This was interrupted by massive floods. She then travelled to Arunachala with the intention of meeting Rishi Goutama as per Shiva’s command. Sage Goutama was very happy to meet the Goddess. He advised her to observe Kedara vratam. Pleased with her tapas, Shiva awarded her the boon of her choice; thus Gouri became one half of Shiva’s body and has never separated since, just like word and its meaning. Normally, women in South India perform this vratam over the course of 21 days during the Kartika month. Shiva-Vishnu temple is including this vratam as a part of Kailasa Vaibhavotsavam to enable direct participation and sponsorship by 108 dampatis or couples. During the pooja, Lord Arthanarishwara is invoked in the waters contained in the 108 kalashas. Ashtotara Shata Shankha Abhishekam for the Lord Shiva As most devotees know, Shiva is Abhisheka Priya. Therefore, the Livermore Shiva-Vishnu temple performs Abhishekam to Lord Shiva every day. However, Shankha Abhishekam is generally associated with Lord Vishnu as the Conch is one of Vishnu’s ayudham. But there are examples of Shankha Abhishekam for Shiva as well. In a city by name Thriprangodu in Kerala State, Sage Markandeya became Chiranjeevi (obtained immortality as a boon) by conducting Shankha Abhishekam in a Shiva temple.