WHETHER SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGION ARE DIFFERENT?

Modern people think that spirituality is different and that it begins only when religion ends. This is due to wrong understanding of the principles of sanAtana dharma. According to us both are complimentary and not contradictory.

As our Religion is based on the foundation of dharma, there is no disjoint between religion and spirituality. In fact, the path of karma yoga representing rituals as ordained in the Scriptures followed in the spirit of selflessness without getting attached to the results and offered as dedication to the Supreme purifies the TrikaraNas constituting the mind, speech and action.

Only when the vAsanas get extinguished and the sway towards rajas and tamas gets corrected , one can achieve tranquility. The day to day practice of dharma plays a pivotal role in shaping the inner core of the person and lifts him up from the terrestial to the transcendental plane , from physics to metaphysics and from entertainment to enlightenment.

Thus there is no dichotomy between religion and spirituality.

Also certain people think that those who practice dharma are inferior to those who talk about spiritual pursuits. This assumption is also wrong as a religious person who follows dharma SAstras can attain the abode of the Supreme by his steadfastness, dedication and devotion.

DEEPAVALI FESTIVAL

I. Caturdasi

(i)Early Morning GangA snAnam

By doing dIpAvali- GangA snAnam in the early morning during naraka caturdaSi , one does not see yamaloka.

Taile lakshmIrjale gangA dIpAvalyAScaturdaSIm !
PrAta: snAnam ya: kuryAt sa: yamalokam na paSyati !!

Oil – Lakshmi Water – GangA

II. Amavasai

(i)Damodara pUjA
Recite dAmodarAshtakam and perform dAmodara pUjA


(ii)KetAra GaurI Vratam

SUlam damarukam caiva dadhAnam hasta yugmake !
ketAra devamISAnam dhyAyet tripura ghAtinam!!

Ayusca vidyAm ca tathA sukanca saubhAgya vriddhim kuru deva deva !
samsAra ghorAmbunidhau nimagnam mAm raksha kedAra namo namaste!!

(iii)Evening Lighting dIpam

Lighting Dipam in the house and temples, one gets rid of naraka bhayam and enjoys happiness

Datto dIpaScaturdaSyAm narakaprItaye mayA !
Caturvarti samAyuktah sarva pApAnuttaye!!

(iv)Evening Lakshmi kubera pUjA


Pradosha samaye lakshmIm pUjayitvA tata: kramAt !
dIpa vrukshASca dAtavyA: SaktyA deva gruheshu ca !!
svalankrutena bhoktavyam sita vastropa SobhinA !!

WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS BHAVAS WHILE WORSHIPPING SRI KRISHNA?

There are many BhAvas with which a person can worship SrI KrishNa. The main among them are as follows:

(a) SAnta bhAva (Serene Relationship) reflecting an attitude of peace and tranquility towards the Supreme.

(b) DAsya bhAva (Master - Servant Relationship) representing that of a faithful servant respectfully serving his master .

(c) sakhya bhAva (Friend- Friend Relationship) denoting a feeling of a person towards his dear friend.

(d) VAtsalya bhAva (Parent-Child Relationship) presented in terms of a person towards his affectionate child.

(e) MAdhurya bhAva (Lover-Beloved Relationship) expressed as selfless and unconditional intimate love. This is known as premabhakti and is considered to be supreme.

SRI RADHA AND SRI GODA

SrI RAdhA is MahAlakshmi in the form of NIlA Devi. She is worshipped with intense bhakti bhAva by AlvArs and AndAl (GodA) as Nappinnai. She is also fondly adored as Pinnai.

Along with chanting of TiruppAvai , chanting of SrI RAdhA KrupA katAksha Stava helps one to gain the bliss of Krishna katAksha and His divine association.

SrIgovindapriyAm rAjnIm brundAvana manoharIm !
KrupAsvarUpiNIm divyAM RAdhA DevIm namAmyaham !!

I offer my respectful obeisances to the Goddess Sri Radha Devi, Sri Krishna’s beloved Queen, the source of the beauty of Brindavan, who is auspicious and is of the form of mercy.

SrIRAdhikAkruPAPAtrAM VishNucittasutAm sudhAm !
SrIKrishNapremamagnAm tAm GodA Devim namAmyaham !!

I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Goda Devi (AndAl) who is blessed by Sri Radha Devi (in the form of Nila Devi), the nectar like daughter of Sri Vishnu citta (Perialvar), immersed in Sri Krishna Prema Bhakti.

Jay Jay SrI RAdhe !