Types of Naraka (Hell)

According to the Garuda Purana there are a total of 28 Narakas.  Sinners are sent to various Narakas (Hells) by Yamaraja according to the nature and seriousness of their sins.

They are as follows-

(1) Tamisram (Heavy flogging) -Those who rob others of their wealth are bound with ropes by Yama’s Servants and cast into the Naraka known as Tamisram. There, they are given a thrashing until they bleed and faint. When they recover their senses, the beating is repeated. This is done until their time is up.

(2) Andhatamtrsam (Flogging) -This Hell is reserved for the Husband or the Wife who only treat their spouses well when they are to profit or pleasure to them. Those who forsake their wives and husbands for no apparent reasons are also sent here. The punishment is almost the same as Tamisram, but the excruciating pain, suffered by the victims on being tied fast, makes them fall down senseless.

(3) Rauravam (torment of snakes) – This is the hell for sinners who seize and enjoy another man’s property or resources. When these people are thrown into this hell, those whom they have cheated, assume the the shape of “Ruru”, a dreadful serpent. The serpent(s) will torment them severely until their time is up.

(4) Mahararuravam (death by snakes) – Here there is also Ruru serpents but more fiercer. Those who deny the legitimate heirs, their inheritance and possess and enjoy others property will be squeezed and bitten non stop by this terrible serpents coiling around them. Those who steal another man’s wife or lover will also be thrown here.

(5) Kumbhipakam (cooked by oil) – This is the hell for those who kill animals for pleasure. Here oil is kept boiled in huge vessels and sinners are plunged in this vessels.

(6) Kalasutram (Hot as hell) – This hell is terribly hot. Those who don’t respect their elders esp. when their elders have done their duties are sent here. Here they are made to run around in this unbearable heat and drop down exhausted from time to time.

(7) Asitapatram (sharp flogging) – This is the hell in which sinners abandon one’s own duty. They are flogged by Yama’s Servants with whips made of asipatra (sharp-edged sword-shaped leaves). If they run about under the flogging, they will trip over the stones and thorns, to fall on their faces. Then they are stabbed with knives until they drop unconscious, When they recover, the same process is repeated until their time is up in this Naraka.

(8)Sukaramukham (Crushed and tormented) – Rulers who neglect their duties and oppress their subjects by misrule, are punished in this hell. They are crushed to a pulp by heavy beating.When they recover, it is repeated until their time is up.

(9) Andhakupam (Attack of the animals) – This is hell for those who oppress the good people and not helping them if requested despite having the resources. They will be pushed into a well, where beasts like Lions, tigers, eagles and venomous creatures like snakes and scorpions. The sinners have to endure the constant attacks of this creatures until the expiry of the period of their punishment.

(10) Taptamurti (Burnt Alive) – Those who plunder or steal Gold and jewels are cast into the furnaces of this Naraka which always remains hot in blazing fire.

(11) Krimibhojanam (Food for worms) – Those who do not honour their Guests and make use of men or women only for their own gain, are thrown into this Naraka. Worms, insects and serpents eat them alive. Once their bodies are completely eaten up, the sinners are provided with new bodies, which are also eaten up in the above manner. This continues, till the end of their term of punishment.

(12) Salmali (Embracing hot images) -This Naraka is intended for men and women who have committed adultery. A figure made of iron, heated red-hot is placed there. The sinner is forced to embrace it, while Yama’s servants flog the victim behind.

(13) Vajrakantakasali (Embracing sharp images) – This Naraka is the punishment for Sinners who have unnatural intercourse with animals. Here, they are made to embrace iron images full of sharp diamond needles that pierce through their bodies.

(14) Vaitarani (River of Filth) – Rulers who abuse their power and adulterers are thrown here. It is the most terrible place of punishment. It is a river which is filled with human excreta, blood, hair, bones, nails, flesh and all kinds of dirty substances. There are various kinds of terrible beasts as well. Those who are cast into it are attacked and mauled by these creatures from all sides. The sinners have to spend the term of their punishment, feeding upon the contents of this river.

(15) Puyodakam (Well of hell) – This is a well filled with excreta, urine, blood, phlegm. Men who have intercourse and cheat women with no intention of marrying them are considered like animals. Those who wander about irresponsibly like animals are thrown in this well to get polluted by it’s contents. They are to remain here till their time is up.

(16) Pranarodham (Piece by Piece) – This Naraka is for those who keep dogs and other mean animals and constantly hunt and kill animals for food. Here the servants of Yama, gather around the sinners and cut them limb to limb while subjecting them to constant insult.

(17) Visasanam (Bashing from Clubs) – This Naraka is for the torture of those rich people who look down at the poor and spend excessively just to display their wealth and splendour. They have to remain here at the whole term of their punishment where they will be bashed non stop from heavy clubs from Yama’s Servants.

(18) Lalabhaksam (River of semen) – This is the Naraka for lustful men. The lascivious fellow who makes his wife swallow his semen, is cast into this hell. Lalabhaksam is a sea of semen. The sinner lies in it, feeding upon semen alone until his period of punishment.

(19) Sarameyasanam (Torment from dogs) – Those guilty of unsocial acts like poisoning food, mass slaughter, ruining the country are cast into this hell. There is nothing but the flesh of dogs for food. There are thousands of dogs in this Naraka and they attack the sinners and tear their flesh from their bodies with their teeth.

(20) Avici (turned into dust) – This Naraka is for those who are guilty for false witness and false swearing. There are hurled from a great height and they are utterly smashed into dust when they reached the ground. They are again restored to life and the punishment is repeated till the end of their time.

(21) Ayahpanam (Drinking of burning substances)- Those who consume alcohol and other intoxicating drinks are sent here. The women are forced to drink melted iron in liquid form, whereas the men will be forced to drink hot liquid molten lava for every time they consume a alcoholic drink in their earthly lives.

(22) Raksobjaksam (Revenge attacks)- Those who do animal and human sacrifices and eat the flesh after the sacrifice will be thrown in this hell. All the living beings they killed before would be there and they will join together to attacking, biting, and mauling the sinners. Their cries and complaints would be no avail here.

(23) Sulaprotam (Trident Torture)- People who take the lives of others who have done no harm to them and those who deceives others by treachery are sent to this “Sulaportam” hell. Here they are impaled on a trident and they are forced to spend their whole term of their punishment in that position, suffering intense hunger and thirst, as well as enduring all the tortures inflicted on them.

(24) Ksharakardamam (hanged upside down) -Braggarts and those who insult good people are cast into this hell. Yama’s servants keep the sinners upside down and torture them in many ways.

(25) Dandasukam (eaten alive)- Sinners who persecute others like animals will be sent here. There are many beasts here. They will be eaten alive by this beasts.

(26) Vatarodham (weapon torture)- This hell is for those who persecute animals which live in forrests, mountain peaks and trees. After throwing them in this hell, sinners are tortured with fire, poison and various weapons during their time here in this Naraka.

(27) Paryavartanakam (torture from birds)- One who denies food to a hungry person and abuses him is thrown here. The moment the sinner arrives here ,his eyes are put by being pierced the beaks of birds like the crows and eagles. They will be pierced later on by this birds till the end of their punishment.

(28) Sucimukham (Tortured by needles)- Proud and Miserly people who refuse to spend money even for the basic necessities of life, like better food or buying food for their relations or friends will find their place in this hell. Those who do not repay the money they have borrowed will also be cast into this hell. Here, their bodies will be constantly be pricked and pierced by needles.

Matsya Dwadashi

Matsya is the avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu in the form of a fish. Often listed as the first avatar in the lists of the ten primary avatars of Vishnu, Matsya is described to have rescued the first man, Manu, from a great deluge. Matsya may be depicted as a giant fish, or anthropomorphically with a human torso connected to the rear half of a fish.

The earliest accounts of the legend associate Matsya with the creator god Prajapati (identified with Brahma). However, Puranic scriptures incorporate Matsya as an avatar of Vishnu. Matsya forewarns Manu about an impending catastrophic flood and orders him to collect all the grains of the world in a boat; in some forms of the story, all living creatures are also to be preserved in the boat. When the flood destroys the world, Manu - in some versions accompanied by the seven great sages - survives by boarding the ark, which Matsya pulls to safety. In later versions of this story, the sacred texts Vedas are hidden by a demon, whom Matsya slays: Manu is rescued and the scriptures are recovered. The tale is in the tradition of the family of flood myths, common across cultures.

Matsya is depicted in two forms: as a zoomorphic fish or in an anthropomorphic form. In the latter form, the upper half is that of the four-armed man and the lower half is a fish (an exception is a sculpture in the Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura, which is Matsya as a fish-headed human.) The upper half resembles Vishnu and wears the traditional ornaments and the kirita-makuta (tall conical crown) as worn by Vishnu. He holds in two of his hands the Sudarshana chakra (discus) and a shankha (conch), the usual weapons of Vishnu. The other two hands make the gestures of varadamudra, which grants boons to the devotee, and abhayamudra, which reassures the devotee of protection. In another configuration, he might have all four attributes of Vishnu, namely the Sudarshana chakra, a shankha, a gada (mace) and a lotus.The human torso generally wears a shawl and a garland. The shawl, worn over his elbows, may be wrapped such that the switch between the human torso and fish half is hidden. Matsya may be depicted alone or in a scene depicting his combat with a demon. A demon called Shankhasura emerging from a conch is sometimes depicted attacking Matsya with a sword as Matsya combats or kills him. Both of them may be depicted in the ocean, while the god Brahma and/or manuscripts or four men, symbolizing the Vedas may be depicted in the background. In some scenes, Matsya is depicted as a fish pulling the boat with Manu and the seven great sages (Saptarishi) on it.

Early accounts of the Deluge equate Matsya with the Vedic deity Prajapati (who was identified with the creator god Brahma in post-Vedic era). The Shatapatha Brahmana is the earliest extant text to mention Matsya and the flood myth in Hinduism. It identifies the fish with Prajapati-Brahma. The central characters are the fish (Matsya) and Vaivasvata Manu or Satyavrata who becomes the progenitor of mankind. In this version, Vaivasvata Manu, the legislator and the ancestor of two mythical royal dynasties and who later become the progenitor of mankind. In this version, water is brought to Manu for his ablutions and while Manu was washing and taking bath, he caught a small fish in his hands. The tiny fish appealed to Manu to protect him so that he was not eaten by a bigger fish and in return promised to rescue Manu from an impending flood. The fish requested Manu to keep him in a jar and allow him to grow, and thereafter dig a pit and transfer him there. As he outgrew the pit to transfer him into the ocean, where as a large fish, he will then become indestructible. He also informed the time when the great deluge will occur. He then asked Manu to build a ship for the flood to save himself and call him when the ship was ready. Manu rears the fish as instructed and then leaves it free in the ocean. On the predicted day, the devastating floods came and Manu entered the ship he built, as the waters rose. The fish then swam to the ship and Manu tied the rope of the ship to his horn. The fish took it to safety to the high grounds of the northern mountains (interpreted as Himalayas). The ship was then tied to a tree and the fish instructs Manu to get off the ship and slowly descend the mountain as the water retreats. After Manu descended the mountain after the water subsided, he was the sole survivor on earth, as all other creatures had been washed away by the floods. Manu then took upon the task of creating the new human race. Seeking procreation, he then started austerities and worshipped gods by performing sacrifices, offering butter, milk, curds and ghee (clarified butter) to the sacrificial fire. Within a year, his prayers were answered. A beautiful woman called Ida appeared and he married her, and together they initiated the race of Manu, as Aryans called themselves.

The tale of Matsya in the Vana Parva Book of the epic Mahabharata is similar to the Shatapatha Brahmana version but also differs in some ways. Manu is introduced as Vaivasvata Manu - Vaivasvata being a patronymic - the son of the sun god Vivasvan (Surya) and a powerful rishi (sage) equal to Brahma in glory. While Manu is performing religious rituals on the banks of the Chervi, he finds the fish. The legend moves in the same vein with minor modifications in that the fish grows in size, gets transferred from an earthen pot to a tank or lake and then to the mighty Ganges River (called the spouse of the Ocean) and finally to the sea. When Manu left the fish in the sea, it warned of impending danger of a catastrophic flood event, which would submerge the whole universe. The fish advised Manu to be prepared to face the catastrophe by building a massive boat to save himself and the Saptarishi (the seven great sages) and collect all seeds of the world and promised to appear when called by him as a huge horned fish to save them. As in the Shatapatha Brahmana, the horned fish appeared and the boat was tied to his horn. The fish navigated it with great force through the turbulent and salty waters of the ocean and reached the safe heights of the Himalayas. As directed by the fish, the vessel was tied to the peak of the Himalayas, which became known as the Naubandhana (the harbour). Matsya tells the sages that he is Prajapati Brahma, the lord of all beings and their saviour who rescued them from danger in the form of a fish. The fish informed that Manu would create all beings - gods, demons and men and other movable and immovable things - by the power of his austerities. The fish vanished and Manu acted on the advice of Brahma, creating all beings.

Matsya pulling Manu's boat

The Matsya Purana initiates the Purana scripture tradition of identifying the fish (Matsya) with Vishnu instead of Brahma. The Purana derives its name from Matsya. It starts with the legend of Manu. King Manu renounced the world, handing his throne to his son and set off to the Malaya Mountains to perform tapas (austerities). Pleased with the austerities, Brahma granted his wish to rescue the world at the time of pralaya (dissolution of the universe). Like in the other accounts, Manu meets the tiny fish. The fish is placed in a jar, in a reservoir that is two yojanas in height, and eventually ends up in the ocean. Astonished by the fish's growth, Manu realizes that the fish is the god Vishnu. Vishnu as Matsya reveals his real identity and informs Manu that a pralaya would soon come as a yuga (epoch) and a kalpa (aeon equal to Brahma's day) would soon end. Brahma sleeps in his night and his creation dissolves, submerging the earth and all the other worlds in the cosmos in the primeval ocean. Vishnu promises to return to rescue Manu at the time of pralaya and orders him to bring all living creatures and seeds of all trees on a boat, which the gods would gift him. As pralaya came, Matsya came and pulled the boat with the serpent Shesha as the rope, fastened to his horn. In the journey towards the top of the Malaya mountains, Manu asks Matsya questions and their ensuing dialogue constitutes the rest of the text.

Matsya preparing to slay the demon.

The Bhagavata Purana adds another reason for Vishnu to appear as Matsya. At the end of a kalpa, a danava (demon) called Hayagriva ("horse-faced") steals the sacred Veda texts when they come out of Brahma's mouth when he yawns at the start of his night, fatigued by the creation of the universe. Meanwhile, Satyavrata (also known as Vaivasvata Manu), who was the current Manu (there are multiple Manus in Puranic texts), and the king of Dravida country (South India), was performing severe austerities, sustaining only on water. Once when he was offering water oblation in the Kritamala River, a tiny shaphari fish was caught in his folded hands. As the king was about to throw away the fish, the fish pleaded to be not thrown in the water, where larger fishes would devour it. Assuring the fish protection, the king put it in a small jar and took it with him. But the fish grew larger and requested for more space, the king moved it in a small pond, but the fish soon outgrew it. As the fish outgrew water reservoirs, Satyavrata transferred it to a lake, then to larger reservoirs and subsequently to the ocean. But the fish requested Satyavrata that it was afraid of the dangerous marine predators of the ocean. Bewildered by these words, the king asked the fish to reveal his true identity, but soon deduced that this supernatural fish was none other than Vishnu and surrendered to him. Matsya-Vishnu declared that a great flood would come seven days from then and engulf the universe. He ordered Satyavrata to assemble the seven great sages and with their counsel, gather all kinds of seeds, herbs and various beings to load them on a boat, that would be sent by Vishnu on the fateful day. He instructed that the serpent Vasuki should be used as a rope to tie the boat to his fish-horn. Promising that he would sail the boat through the waters throughout the night of Brahma, Matsya disappeared after his revelation and reappeared as a horned fish on the day of the Deluge, when torrential rains drenched the earth. Satyavrata did as Vishnu instructed and fastened the boat to the horned fish (Matsya). As Matsya swam through the flood waters, he discoursed the king on various topics and revealed to him knowledge of the Vedas, Puranas, Samhitas as well as the Supreme Truth. After last wave of the flood ended, Matsya slew Hayagriva and rescued the Vedas and handed them over to Brahma, who woke after his night. The narrative ends with the narrator Sage Shuka praying to Matsya and declaring that whoever listens to this tale is absolved of sin and remembering Matsya daily grants success to the devotee.

The Agni Purana version is similar to the Bhagavata Purana version, but mentions Vaivasvata Manu only collecting all seeds (not living beings) and assembling the seven great sages similar to the Mahabharata version. It also adds the basis of the Matsya Purana, being the discourse of Matsya to Manu, to the Bhagavata Purana version.

The story of a great Deluge is found in many civilizations across the earth. It is often related to the Genesis narrative of the flood and Noah's Ark. The fish motif reminds readers of the Biblical 'Jonah and the Whale' narrative as well; this fish narrative, as well as the saving of the scriptures from a demon, are specifically Hindu traditions of this style of the flood narrative.  Similar flood myths also exist in tales from ancient Sumer and Babylonia, Greece, the Maya of Americas and the Yoruba of Africa.

Matsya is believed to symbolise the first stage of evolution, as aquatic life was the first beings on earth. The tale of Matsya may be interpreted as a creation myth where Manu creates beings of the world and men after they destroyed in the flood, though the creation is never the focus of the legend. Some authors consider the tale not a flood myth, but symbolic in nature. Manu's boat is representative of moksha (salvation), which helps one to cross over. Himalayas is treated as a boundary between the earthly existence and land of salvation beyond. God as the fish guides one to salvation. The horn of the fish is symbolic of "sacrificial values". The presence of fish seems to be an allusion to the Indian "law of the fishes", an equivalent to the "law of the jungle", when the fish seeks protection from being eaten by a larger fish. Treated as a parable, the tale advises a good king should protect the weak from the mighty, reversing the "law of fishes" and uphold dharma, like Manu, the progenitor of mankind and in particular two royal dynasties, thus an ideal king. In the tales where the demon hides the Vedas, dharma is threatened and Vishnu as the divine Saviour, rescues dharma, aided by his earthly counterpart, Manu - the king.

There are very few temples dedicated to Matsya. Prominent ones include the Shankhodara temple in Bet Dwarka and Vedanarayana Temple in Nagalapuram. The Koneswaram Matsyakeswaram temple in Trincomalee is now destroyed. Matsya is generally enlisted as the first avatar of Vishnu, especially in Dashavatara (ten major avatars of Vishnu) lists. However, that was not always the case. Some lists do not list Matsya as first, only later texts start the trend of Matsya as the first avatar.

Matsya is the patron deity of the Meenas, who claim descent from the deity. The Meenas call Matsya Meenesh, the Lord of the Meenas or the fish (Meena) Lord. In Rajasthan there are many temples of Meenesh, but the first Meenesh temple was in Pushkar, Rajasthan. A Meenesh temple is also situated in Malarana chour village of Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan. Other temples include Meenangadi Matsyavathra Mahavishnu Temple and Matsya Narayana Temple, Bangalore.

मोक्षदा एकादशी

हिंदू धर्म में एकादशी का व्रत महत्वपूर्ण स्थान रखता है. प्रत्येक वर्ष चौबीस एकादशियाँ होती हैं. मार्गशीर्ष मास के शुक्ल पक्ष की एकादशी को मोक्षदा एकादशी के रुप में जाना जाता है.  मार्गशीर्ष माह के शुक्ल पक्ष की एकादशी अनेकों पापों को नष्ट करने वाली है. मोक्षदा एकादशी  को दक्षिण भारत में वैकुण्ठ एकादशी के नाम से भी जाना जाता है. इसी दिन भगवान श्री कृष्ण ने महाभारत के प्रारम्भ होने से पूर्व अर्जुन को गीता का उपदेश दिया था.

 पद्मपुराणमें भगवान श्रीकृष्ण धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर से कहते हैं-इस दिन तुलसी की मंजरी, धूप-दीप आदि से भगवान दामोदर का पूजन करना चाहिए. मोक्षदाएकादशी बड़े-बड़े पातकों का नाश करने वाली है. इस दिन उपवास रखकर श्रीहरिके नाम का संकीर्तन, भक्तिगीत, नृत्य करते हुए रात्रि में जागरण करें. व्रत का पारण भी निश्चित समय में किया जाना चाहिए तथा इस एकादशी के व्रत का पारण 1 दिसम्बर को प्रात: 9.39 से पहले करना चाहिए.

पूर्वकाल में वैखानस नामक राजा ने पर्वत मुनि के द्वारा बताए जाने पर अपने पितरों की मुक्ति के उद्देश्य से इस एकादशी का सविधि व्रत किया था. इस व्रत के पुण्य-प्रताप से राजा वैखानस के पितरोंका नरक से उद्धार हो गया. जो इस कल्याणमयीमोक्षदा एकादशी का व्रत करता है, उसके सारे पाप नष्ट हो जाते हैं. प्राणियों को भवबंधन से मुक्ति देने वाली यह एकादशी चिन्तामणि के समान समस्त कामनाओं को पूर्ण करने वाली है. मोक्षदा एकादशी की पौराणिक कथा पढने-सुनने से वाजपेय यज्ञ का पुण्य फल मिलता है.

मार्गशीर्ष शुक्ल एकादशी के दिन ही कुरुक्षेत्र में भगवान श्रीकृष्ण ने अर्जुन को श्रीमद्भगवद्गीताका उपदेश दिया था. अत:यह तिथि गीता जयंती के नाम से विख्यात हो गई. इस दिन से गीता-पाठ का अनुष्ठान प्रारंभ करें तथा प्रतिदिन थोड़ी देर गीता अवश्य पढें. गीतारूपीसूर्य के प्रकाश से अज्ञानरूपीअंधकार नष्ट हो जाएगा.

इस दिन श्री कृष्ण व गीता का पूजन शुभ फलदायक होता है. ब्राह्राण भोजन कराकर दान आदि कार्य करने से विशेष फल प्राप्त होते है. यह एकादशी मोक्षदा के नाम से प्रसिद्ध है. इस दिन भगवान श्री दामोदर की पूजा, धूप, दीप नैवेद्ध आदि से भक्ति पूर्वक करनी चाहिए.

मोक्षदा एकादशी व्रत कथा

महाराज युधिष्ठिर ने कहा- हे भगवन! आप तीनों लोकों के स्वामी, सबको सुख देने वाले और जगत के पति हैं। मैं आपको नमस्कार करता हूँ। हे देव! आप सबके हितैषी हैं अत: मेरे संशय को दूर कर मुझे बताइए कि मार्गशीर्ष एकादशी का क्या नाम है?

उस दिन कौन से देवता का पूजन किया जाता है और उसकी क्या विधि है? कृपया मुझे बताएँ। भक्तवत्सल भगवान श्रीकृष्ण कहने लगे कि धर्मराज, तुमने बड़ा ही उत्तम प्रश्न किया है। इसके सुनने से तुम्हारा यश संसार में फैलेगा। मार्गशीर्ष शुक्ल एकादशी अनेक पापों को नष्ट करने वाली है। इसका नाम मोक्षदा एकादशी है।

इस दिन दामोदर भगवान की धूप-दीप, नैवेद्य आदि से भक्तिपूर्वक पूजा करनी चाहिए। अब इस विषय में मैं एक पुराणों की कथा कहता हूँ। गोकुल नाम के नगर में वैखानस नामक राजा राज्य करता था। उसके राज्य में चारों वेदों के ज्ञाता ब्राह्मण रहते थे। वह राजा अपनी प्रजा का पुत्रवत पालन करता था। एक बार रात्रि में राजा ने एक स्वप्न देखा कि उसके पिता नरक में हैं। उसे बड़ा आश्चर्य हुआ।

प्रात: वह विद्वान ब्राह्मणों के पास गया और अपना स्वप्न सुनाया। कहा- मैंने अपने पिता को नरक में कष्ट उठाते देखा है। उन्होंने मुझसे कहा कि हे पुत्र मैं नरक में पड़ा हूँ। यहाँ से तुम मुझे मुक्त कराओ। जब से मैंने ये वचन सुने हैं तब से मैं बहुत बेचैन हूँ। चित्त में बड़ी अशांति हो रही है। मुझे इस राज्य, धन, पुत्र, स्त्री, हाथी, घोड़े आदि में कुछ भी सुख प्रतीत नहीं होता। क्या करूँ?

राजा ने कहा- हे ब्राह्मण देवताओं! इस दु:ख के कारण मेरा सारा शरीर जल रहा है। अब आप कृपा करके कोई तप, दान, व्रत आदि ऐसा उपाय बताइए जिससे मेरे पिता को मुक्ति मिल जाए। उस पुत्र का जीवन व्यर्थ है जो अपने माता-पिता का उद्धार न कर सके। एक उत्तम पुत्र जो अपने माता-पिता तथा पूर्वजों का उद्धार करता है, वह हजार मुर्ख पुत्रों से अच्छा है। जैसे एक चंद्रमा सारे जगत में प्रकाश कर देता है, परंतु हजारों तारे नहीं कर सकते। ब्राह्मणों ने कहा- हे राजन! यहाँ पास ही भूत, भविष्य, वर्तमान के ज्ञाता पर्वत ऋषि का आश्रम है। आपकी समस्या का हल वे जरूर करेंगे।

ऐसा सुनकर राजा मुनि के आश्रम पर गया। उस आश्रम में अनेक शांत चित्त योगी और मुनि तपस्या कर रहे थे। उसी जगह पर्वत मुनि बैठे थे। राजा ने मुनि को साष्टांग दंडवत किया। मुनि ने राजा से सांगोपांग कुशल पूछी। राजा ने कहा कि महाराज आपकी कृपा से मेरे राज्य में सब कुशल हैं, लेकिन अकस्मात मेरे च्ति में अत्यंत अशांति होने लगी है। ऐसा सुनकर पर्वत मुनि ने आँखें बंद की और भूत विचारने लगे। फिर बोले हे राजन! मैंने योग के बल से तुम्हारे पिता के कुकर्मों को जान लिया है। उन्होंने पूर्व जन्म में कामातुर होकर एक पत्नी को रति दी किंतु सौत के कहने पर दूसरे पत्नी को ऋतुदान माँगने पर भी नहीं दिया। उसी पापकर्म के कारण तुम्हारे पिता को नर्क में जाना पड़ा।

तब राजा ने कहा ‍इसका कोई उपाय बताइए। मुनि बोले- हे राजन! आप मार्गशीर्ष एकादशी का उपवास करें और उस उपवास के पुण्य को अपने पिता को संकल्प कर दें। इसके प्रभाव से आपके पिता की अवश्य नर्क से मुक्ति होगी। मुनि के ये वचन सुनकर राजा महल में आया और मुनि के कहने अनुसार कुटुम्ब सहित मोक्षदा एकादशी का व्रत किया। इसके उपवास का पुण्य उसने पिता को अर्पण कर दिया। इसके प्रभाव से उसके पिता को मुक्ति मिल गई और स्वर्ग में जाते हुए वे पुत्र से कहने लगे- हे पुत्र तेरा कल्याण हो। यह कहकर स्वर्ग चले गए।

मार्गशीर्ष मास की शुक्ल पक्ष की मोक्षदा एकादशी का जो व्रत करते हैं, उनके समस्त पाप नष्ट हो जाते हैं। इस व्रत से बढ़कर मोक्ष देने वाला और कोई व्रत नहीं है। इस कथा को पढ़ने या सुनने से वायपेय यज्ञ का फल मिलता है। यह व्रत मोक्ष देने वाला तथा चिंतामणि के समान सब कामनाएँ पूर्ण करने वाला है।

इस दिन भगवान श्रीकृष्‍ण ने अर्जुन को दिया था गीता का संदेश

भगवत गीता हिन्दू धर्म का बहुत ही प्रमुख ग्रंथ है। महाभारत युद्ध में जब पांडव और कौरव आमने-सामने हुए थे तो अपने सगे संबंधियों के खिलाफ शस्‍त्र उठाने को लेकर अर्जुन असमंजस में पड़ गए। अर्जुन को इस मोह और दुविधा से निकालने के लिए भगवान श्री कृष्ण ने अर्जुन को नीति ज्ञान दिया। इस नीति ज्ञान का संकलन भगवत गीता के नाम से जाना जाता है। श्री कृष्ण के मुख कही गई बातों का संकलन होने के कारण इसे भगवान की वाणी भी माना जाता है। जिस दिन भगवान श्री कृष्ण ने अर्जुन को गीता का संदेश दिया था वह मार्गशीर्ष एकादशी का दिन था। इसलिए इस दिन मोक्षदा एकादशी भी कहा जाता है। अठारह अध्यायों में संकलित भगवद गीता दर्शनशास्त्र का अद्भुत संकलन है, जो मनुष्य को कर्म करते हुए मोक्ष प्राप्ति की राह दिखाता है। माना जाता है कि मोक्षदा एकादशी के दिन जो व्यक्ति गीता का पाठ करता है उसे पूर्व में किए कई पापों से मुक्ति मिल जाती है। इसलिए इस दिन को गीता जयंती के नाम से भी जाना जाता है। शास्त्रों में बताया गया है कि गीता जयंती यानी मोक्षदा एकादशी के दिन भगवत गीता की पूजा करके  आरती करनी चाहिए, इसके पश्चात गीता का पाठ करना चाहिए। इससे महापुण्य की प्राप्त होती है।

शास्त्रों में बताया गया है कि जो व्यक्ति इस एकादशी का व्रत रखकर भगवान विष्णु की पूजा करता है और भगवत गीता के ग्यारहवें अध्याय का पाठ करता है उसके कई जन्मों के पाप कट जाते हैं। ग्यारहवें अध्याय में भगवान श्री कृष्ण द्वारा अर्जुन को विश्वरूप के दर्शन का वर्णन किया गया है। इस अध्याय में बताया गया है कि अर्जुन ने भगवान श्री कृष्ण को संपूर्ण ब्रह्माण्ड में व्याप्त देखा। श्री कृष्ण में ही अर्जुन ने भगवान शिव, ब्रह्मा एवं जीवन मृत्यु के चक्र को भी देखा। इस अध्याय में भगवान श्री कृष्ण अपने परब्रह्म रूप को व्यक्त करते हैं, जिसे देखकर अर्जुन का मोह भंग हो गया और वह युद्घ करने के लिए तैयार हो गए। इसलिए इस अध्याय का नियमित पाठ बड़ा ही उत्तम फलदायी माना गया है। शास्त्रों के अनुसार जो व्यक्ति नियमित गीता के ग्यारहवें अध्याय का पाठ करता है, उसे भगवान विष्णु के दर्शन का पुण्य प्राप्त होता है।

ऐसे व्यक्ति की आत्मा मृत्यु के पश्चात परमात्मा के स्वरूप में विलीन हो जाती है अर्थात उन्हें मोक्ष मिल जाता है। गीता का अठारवां अध्याय मोक्ष संयास योग के नाम से जाना जाता है। जो व्यक्ति समय के अभाव में संपूर्ण गीता का पाठ नहीं कर पाता हैं वह केवल अठारवें अध्याय का पाठ करें तो उन्हें संपूर्ण गीता पाठ का लाभ मिल जाता है। 

मोक्षदा एकादशी को श्री कृष्ण का पूजन कर व्रत रखने का विधान है इस व्रत को करने से मोक्ष की प्राप्ति होती है। ग्रह शांति के लिए इस व्रत को करने से उत्तम फलों की प्राप्ति होती है। घर पर मंडरा रहे संकटों के बादल समाप्त होते हैं और स्थिर लक्ष्मी का वास होता है।

इस दिन श्रीकृष्ण व गीता का पूजन शुभ फलदायक होता है। ब्राह्मण भोजन कराकर दान आदि कार्य करने से विशेष फल प्राप्त होते हैं। यह एकादशी मोक्षदा के नाम से प्रसिद्ध है। इस दिन भगवान श्रीदामोदर की पूजा, धूप, दीप नैवेद्ध आदि से भक्ति पूर्वक करनी चाहिए। व्रत के दिन स्नान करने के बाद ही मंदिर में पूजा करने के लिये जाना चाहिए। मंदिर या घर में श्रीविष्णु पाठ करना चाहिए और भगवान के सामने व्रत का संकल्प लेना चाहिए। इस व्रत का समापन द्वादशी तिथि के दिन ब्राह्मणों को दान-दक्षिणा देने के बाद ही होता है। व्रत की रात्रि में जागरण करने से व्रत से मिलने वाले शुभ फलों में वृद्धि होती है। मोक्षदा एकादशी व्रत को करने से व्यक्ति के पूर्वज जो नरक में चले गए हैं, उन्हें स्वर्ग की प्राप्ति होती है।

इस एकादशी के दिन पान न खाएं, किसी की निन्दा न करें, क्रोध न करें, झूठ न बोलें, दिन के समय न सोएं, तेल में बना हुआ खाना न खाएं, कांसे के बर्तनों का इस्तेमाल न करें, व्रत न रख सकें तो प्याज, लहसुन और चावल का सेवन न करें।

Sahasra purna chandrodayam

Sahasra purna chandrodayam is the celebration of a person's 1000th full moon during his or her life as a special occasion. This is a custom in India and Nepal. As the time between similar lunar phases, the synodic month, is on average 29.53 days, this is celebrated 3 full moons before your 81st Birthday. This ritual is also known as Sahasra Chandra Darshan (सहस्र-(पूर्ण)चन्द्र-दर्शन) or Chandra Ratharohan. Gautam Buddha is supposed to have lived up to his 1000th full moon. Recently, this ceremony got publicity due to felicitations of Atal BihariVajpayee (2005), Satya Sai Baba (2008) & Lata Mangeshkar (2010).

In Sanskrit sahasra means 1000, purna means full, and chandrodyam means dawn of moon. Viewing a full moon every month and twelve such in a year, a person who completes eighty two years of age would have beheld 1000 full moons after subsequent inclusion of a few months following completion. This occasion, often a rarity, calls for an elaborate celebration where the kith and kin of the person conduct rituals as stated in the scriptures.

With reference to Vedic astrology, it is believed that the nine planets take 120 years to complete a cycle around the Sun; likewise a human is bestowed with a life expectancy of 120 years. After fifty years of age, every tenth birthday thereafter is deemed as a blessing of the gods and the milestone is celebrated with great pomp and vigour.

On completing sixty years, people conduct the Ugra Ratha Shanti seeking divine benediction, popularly known as Shashti Poorthi. As the landmark of 70 years is crossed, Bheema Ratha Shanti is ceremoniously conducted in honour of "Bheema ratha", Lord Shiva the embodiment of time. On successful completion of 82 years of age, the Sahasra Chandra Darshanam is celebrated. Vedas refer to this as ‘Aseetidwayam’ which is also referred to as Vedayushya.

Man, according to Vedaantha and Yoga philosophies, is charged with a spark of the universal soul. Therefore, such functions are conducted to worship the atman residing in him so that he can unite with it ultimately. Every yajna has two phases, a preparatory phase and an executive phase. Thus, in consonance with tradition, the person completing 82 years would be given a ceremonial shower with honey, milk and water and be decked in new clothes for the ceremony. This would be followed by a rendition of Vedic hymns and chants by scholars.

Consecutively, a consecrated vessel, symbolic of Lord Mahavishnu would be worshipped alongside the Sun and the Moon who represent the passage of time. As this ritual nears completion, the holy water collected in the kalasham (brass pot) would be sanctified using the sacred leaves- mango, peepal, banyan, basil, and sacred fig. Subsequently, the nine planets would be pleased by performing a sacrifice to ward off the evil eye.

After these rituals, the holy ablutions would be offered to Lord Shiva after invoking His divine presence by reciting the Rudram. Here ends the preparatory phase.

In the executive phase of the yajna, the beneficiary is made to occupy a throne positioned in a prominent place for all to see. He is bathed with holy waters from all the sacred rivers along with many other precious gems etc though a sieve. Following which, Gandham (sandal paste representing earth), Pushpam (flowers representing Aakaasam, the sky) are offered first. Then, Dhoopam (fragrant fumes representing air) and Deepam (the lighted lamp) are also offered, accompanied by ringing of the hand bell- all representing fertility and abundance.

The entire executive phase of the yagna is brought to an end when all the Vedic scholars are honored with generous gifts. They are usually gifted with dhanam and dhaanyam - wealth and grains. In ancient practices, cows and large areas of land were also given as a token of gratitude. This generosity is believed to cleanse all the sins and grant liberation. The mere sight of the person who undertakes this Vedic exercise is believed to confer immense good fortune.

Generally, such an activity is organized by the relatives of the elderly and is undertaken for one’s own benefit. But the yajna in Puttaparthi held to glorify the Lord of the Universe is conducted for a greater purpose- to bring upon peace and happiness in the world, and redeem man from the vicious cycle of birth and death. This is the distinction between an ordinary individual and a divine incarnation.

This is a yajna where God is both the host and guest. He will bathe in the nectar of devotion, be crowned by the jewels of truth, righteousness, peace, love, and nonviolence and will be seated on a throne in every devotee’s heart. As devotees from far and wide converge to behold the biggest event chronicled in the cosmic diary, it is time for us to pause for a moment and reflect on what our beloved Swami has come to teach us for a lifetime.

To say that such an auspicious event is being celebrated with fanfare and gaiety is an understatement. It is an occasion of sanctified mayhem. It is a happening that no mortal can fathom. Only a divine scribe can pen incessantly the splendour and magnitude of this yagna. The Sahasra Poorna Chandra Darshanam is a celebration of life and is an open invitation to everybody residing in all worlds.

Sages and seers of the yester years have taken the form of purohits to perform the rituals. The Vedas and the creator Brahma are the priests and heaven will be the audience. The sky will act as the sieve into which the gods and goddesses will pour perennial waters; the Lord will be studded and bedecked with precious diamonds, rubies and emeralds. For it is to you oh Lord, that the universe belongs to.

It is a fortune of many a lifetime for us to witness this yagna where divinity is a symbol of universal integration. Time and again, the formless has assumed form to avert a moral disaster and protect dharma. This yajna is yet another chance for us humans to redeem ourselves from earthly ties and dedicate our lives to the service of the Lord.

Chandra, the moon god signifies coolness and acts as a source of joy to all the worlds. Ever since Krita yuga, the creator has incarnated every time to elevate his children from dust to diamond. To uphold truth he came as Satya Harischandra, and in the Tretha yuga, he assumed the beautiful form of Sri Ramachandra to soothe the world of the wounds of vices. He was then known as Sri Krishna Chandra whose glory has been scripted in the Srimad Bhagavatham.

The effulgence of divinity over aeons has been bestowed as a solace for minds that have been scorched by the heat of enmity and greed. Today, we are the luckiest of the lot as we have here amidst us the creator of the Poorna Chandra, the Poornaavataara Himself! The brilliance and luster of love walking on two feet has spread far and wide spreading joy and happiness to one and all. The memoirs of eighty years have transformed many a soul to follow the path of love and service. He has taught an instant formula to happiness by asking us to ‘love all and serve all’. By instituting a temple of learning, Bhagawan has granted thousands of students the knowledge that will provide them sustenance for a life and a living.

The divine master has baptized us as His messengers by sprinkling discourses of love and compassion. He spoketh forty volumes which show the path to righteous living to shield ourselves from mental destruction. To help one and all recognize the divinity in the poor and needy has been His aim. To uplift the downtrodden and console the disconsolate is His mission. He has not only cured the ills of the unhealthy, but also conferred upon them the panacea for life.

Replete with love, our Lord has incarnated to teach the world that there is only one religion- the religion of love; there is only caste- the caste of humanity; there is only language-the language of the heart; there is only one God- He is Supreme. He has quenched the thirst of many a land and people by planting the twin seeds of bhakti and seva in their hearts.

As the much awaited event will unfold in all splendour, we, your loving children promise that ‘Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’. We can now faintly understand that this yajna is nothing but moksha served on a different platter for our palates. Come all- king and paupers, young and old, reformers and scientists, evangelists and monks to experience another feel of heaven to taste nectarine love. Let us all submit to our Lord and tread the path of love, weed out jealousy and hatred and supplant the seeds of bhakti in our hearts.

You are the Satchitananda Swaroopa, you are the omnipresent, omniscient and the omnipotent one. We pray that we be addressed eternally as ‘bangaru’ so that we may pave our way seizing this golden opportunity of Your descent. Unto Thee we humbly submit ourselves with hearts full of fervent prayer:

Oh Lord, take my love and let in flow in fullness of devotion to Thee

Oh Lord, take my hands and let them work incessantly for Thee,

Oh Lord, take my soul and let it be merged in one with Thee,

Oh Lord, take my mind and thoughts and let them be in tune with Thee,

Oh Lord, take my everything and let me an instrument to work for Thee.

All physical items are measured using different yardsticks for the purpose of comparison and accurately dealing with them.  In fact, the word "yardstick" used so frequently is itself a measure of length or distance.  In the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London,  metal pieces measuring a yard (3 feet), 2 feet, one foot and six inches are displayed on the wall.  One yard is equal to 0.9144 meters.  Similar measures are used for measuring weight, volume etc.  Such a unit of measurement is also required to measure another important dimension, the "time".  The best resource available to man for measuring time is the movement of the Earth, Sun and Moon.  Time between one Sunrise to the next Sunrise is considered a "day".  Movement of the moon provides another important source to measure time.  Unlike Sun, the shape and size of Moon which changes each day and is clearly visible to a man on the earth provides an excellent measure to define a month.  A full moon night to a new moon night is a fortnight and a new moon night to another full moon night is another fortnight.   In other words, a full moon night to another full moon night, which is easily visible to the naked eye from the earth,  is a Lunar month.  A Lunar month has 29.53 days and a 12 month Lunar year thus has 354 days.  In comparison a Solar year, which is the time covered by sun to complete a cycle of 12 houses of the Zodiac, has 365 days.  In order to reconcile the difference between the 354-day Lunar year and 365-day Solar year, an extra month is added to the Lunar calender once in 33 months.  This is similar to the leap year when February has 29 days.  The difference of 11 days is thus covered by the "Leap Month" called "Adhika Maasa"or "Mala Maasa".  This is also called as Mala Maasa, mala meaning impurity or sin, as this month is believed to be excellent for doing good deeds to wash off all impurities and sins.  "Purushottama" is considered as the "Maasaniyamaka" for this month.  It is believed that any daana (offerings) made or good deed done during this month gives additional (adhika) punya and hence the saying "Adhikasya Adhikam Phalam".  As there is no "Sankramana" in this leap month, it is not considered for other auspicious functions like marriage etc.  Sankramana is the time during which Sun moves from one house in the Zodiac to another house.  The entire leap lunar month falls between two sankramanas or when the Sun stays in one house.  With the concept of leap month in place, a Lunar calender synchronizes completely with the Solar calender once in sixty years.

When a person reaches 80 years of age, he would have seen 960 (80x12) plus 29 full moons due to leap months, thus making an aggregate of 989 full moons.  The 1000th Full Moon would have been sighted in the 81st year.  A leap month actually arrives sometimes in 29 months and sometimes gets extended up to 35 months.  In order to provide for such contingency, this milestone is deemed to have been crossed after completion of 81 years.  As per the saying, to err on the right side.  In all Panchaangas (Lunar calenders especially) on the padya or bidige (first or second day of the fortnight cycle after new moon day) of shukla paksha, notation of "Chandra Darshanam" will be made to indicate sighting of the moon after the preceding new moon day.  Whether the person has actually seen the full moons or not, he has lived the time span covering 1000 full moons when he crosses 81 years. Hence "Sahasra Chandra Darshana Shanti" is conducted  one or two months after the completion of 81 years.  After the milestones of 60 years and 70 years, the next natural and logical milestone ought to have been 80 years.  But sighting of 1000th Full Moon is so close to 80 years and also a much better occasion to celebrate and hence has received wide acceptance.

All other aspects of this celebration are the same as being done when crossing the first and second milestones.  Invitations are made out in the name of the sons or daughters of the person crossing the milestone.  The concept and details of the functions and the shanti karmas are the same.  Mrutyunjaya and other deities are invoked in the kalashas and worshiped in the same manner.  Holy water from the kalashas is sprinkled on the person crossing the milestone and his immediate family members.  Sieve is again used to protect the gold items from being washed away or misplaced and also to ensure proper and longer sprinkling of holy water.  The usual sumptuous feast brings the climax.  Cultural programmes are arranged in the afternoon sessions to enable friends and relatives to enjoy the occasion for a longer duration of time.  To seek the blessings of a person crossing such a milestone is considered as a rare privilege for younger members of the family and community.  A person is said to have become "Vruddha" or "" Elder" on two counts; one by age and another by the level of  knowledge or wisdom.  "Vayo vruddha" for being elder by age and "Jnana vruddha" for being elder by knowledge or wisdom.  A person reaching this level is naturally Vayovruddha and he is expected to be a Jnanavruddha also.  Such functions have now become rare as arranging such functions in the family requires dedication and commitment from the younger generation.  Those who have participated in such functions know the dignity of the occasion as well as the pleasure derived by participating in them.  Sighting 1000 moons is no mean achievement and it requires good health, a sound mind and contribution of many from the family and society.

There can be the usual question about the celebration for women when they reach this stage.  There should be no bar and the logic of celebrating for men should be equally applicable for women.  If both partners among the elderly couple are alive, they sit together for the rituals.  Otherwise one of the other available couple in the family perform the rituals.  Maarjana or sprinkling is done with the persons crossing the milestone in the center and other members of the family around him.