Seesanthi ambaram; Shivaratri ambaram

What is the link between Gokulashtami and Ghulam Khader?

What is the link between Shivaratri and Shri Jayanti?

Till about a 100 years ago, on Shivaratri day, kids in groups would go from house to house, and collect a ladle or two of lamp oil, while chanting the slogan Seesanthi ambaaram, Shivaratri ambaram. They would reach it all, to a Shiva temple. 

And lamps would glow all night. 

But why invoke the day, of Shri Jayanti on Shivaratri?

Gokulashtami is the darkening third quarter. Maha-Shivaratri is the day before new moon.

Both these days whirl, at diametric segments of earth's orbit - in sidereal Aquarius and sidereal Leo. They are more or less 180 degrees/ days apart - in darkening whirls after summer solstice, and in brightening whirls after winter solstice. 

We know that Arjuna is terrified by fierce Rudra forms, in the Vishwarupa darshana of Battleground Counsel. And he requests Krishna, to take on a pleasing form, of four armed Wishnu.

- Shri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati, Kanchi

Lent Wrat

One who longs not, for comforts of the earth and  also heaven, is a wairagi - the dispassionate.

Non-identification with one's disposable body and flux-prone mind, is wairagya. 

I am young, old, healthy, bachelor, householder, monk, etc., are identities with the body.

I am virtuous, I am a sinner, are identities with mind.  If you identify with your mind and it's vaasanas, you are a Pashu. 

I am aware, I am unaware are identities with buddhi, the intellect. 

Your self is neither virtuous, nor a sinner, nor young, old, sick, healthy, or a yogi. 

The matrix of body and  mind, is what we call as the living self, or Jiva. 

- How can you usher in discrimination & dispassion?

Epiphany

Image of Self,  reflected in the mirror of mind, is called Jeeva - individual life form.

Jeeva is a matrix of 

a.) body, 

b.) five sense faculties and perceptions,

c.) mind and it's components.

Atma or Self is neither born, nor does it die.

Images of the Self, the Jeevas, take birth, and they die. 

Greatest ignorance of a Jeeva is, identification with it's body. 

Mirror of mind, is often distorted by three gunas - sloth, passion, luminosity. 

Communion with Truth,     December 23, 2022

Dies Natalis Solis Invicti

Deus Sol Invictus - invincible Sun God - was a title applied to at least 3 distinct deities, during the later Roman Empire.

 
Earlier cult of Sol Indiges was agrarian.

Romans held a festival on December 25,  Dies Natalis Solis Invicti - birthday of the invincible Sun. 

Emperor Elagabalus introduced the festival and it reached the height of popularity under Aurelian. He promoted it as an empire-wide holiday - a possible inspiration of Christmas. 

-  Wikipedia

Mokshada Ekadashi

When the wise, witness that in all their activity, there is no agent of action other than, three hues of  mind; 

They realize the Self, to be beyond these hues, and attain to the Supreme Self 

- Battleground Counsel,  Chapter 14,  Verse 19

------------------------------------------

If your mind is in trouble, pain, misery, bondage, confusion, complications, this is an emergency; you are drowning yourself. And you need to help yourself first.

Your need to hold on to people, control people and things, punishes you. Your possessiveness punishes you. And the leash of your own mind, slips away from you. 

When one's five sense organs/perceptions, and one's mind are not leashed, these six elements cause suffering. 

-  Communion with Truth,      November 25, 26,   2022

Karunya pitris

Maha-Vishnu is deemed protector of Maha-laya shrardhas. 

Great-Vishnu is Lord of  Mercury, ruler of Gemini and exalted Virgo.

Maha-laya Amavasya / New moon of great harmony, is when Maatri moon and Pitri sun are conjunct, at the zenithal constellation of Virgo; when blue Earth transits it's orbital nadir at the funeral cot legs - Bhadra-pada -, or Pegasus. 

The darkening fortnight that precedes this new moon day, is Pitri Paksha, the ancestors' fortnight. 

- as held in tradition. 

Bhuvaneswari jayanti

Nawa Durgaam Maha Kaalim 

Brahma Wishnu Shiwathmikam

Trikala Gnana Sampanaam

Namami Bhuwaneswarim 

Ever new Durga; the Great Time

Self of Brahma, Wishnu, Shiva

Knower of  the happened, happening, yet to happen

Obeisance to Ishwari of  Universe