Tag: Maha Vishnu

Significance of Phalguna masa

Significance of Phalguna masa

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Phalguna masa

Generally every month in our Hindu calendar is specified to a certain vow or worship. In that way, Phalguna masa is specified to the worship of Lord Maha Vishnu. Phalguna masa is the last month of the year according to the Telugu calendar.

As a full moon day occurs either in Purva Phalguni or in Uttara Phalguni during this month, it is called ‘Phalguna masa’.

Important Vows

There are two important vows, dedicated to Lord Vishnu in Phalguna masa. One is Ekadasi vratam and another is Payovratam.

Ekadasi Vratam

Usually, Ekadasi tithi (11th day) in every fortnight of every month is considered very auspicious for worshipping Lord Maha Vishnu. Overall there are 24 Ekadasis in a year and additionally two when adhika masa occurs. Each of these Ekadasis has a specific name and has its significance.

Lord Vishnu - Karthika Masam

Amlaka Ekadasi & Vijaya Ekadasi

The suklapaksha (bright fortnight) Ekadasi of Phalguna masa is called Amlaka Ekadasi and the Krishnapaksha (dark fortnight) Ekadasi of Phalguna masa is called Vijaya Ekadasi.

Usually, the followers of Ekadasi vratam do fast on Ekadasi tithi and do parana on Dwadasi tithi. Parana means breaking the fast. The Sanskrit word for fast is ‘upavasa’. Upa means near and vasa means to stay. The complete meaning of upavasa is to sit or stay near God.

11 Organs in our body

Spiritually Ekadasi symbolizes the eleven organs in our body.

They are five jnanendriyas (sense organs) and five karmendriyas (action organs) and the mind. The followers of Ekadasi vratam should spend the whole day in Hari namasmarana by keeping these 11 organs in control and by consuming very little permitted food (milk and fruits). This is the real meaning of upavasa.

On the next day (on Dwadasi tithi) after sunrise they perform shodasopachara pooja to Lord Maha Vishnu and read vratakatha of the specific month. Then they take ordinary food after taking three spoons of Tulasi (basil) water. With this, the vratam will conclude for that month. This Ekadasi vratam can be continued as long as possible.

Payovratam

This vow is observed by married couples for progeny. It is also like Ekadasi vratam but it is observed for 12 days which starts on Phalguna Sukla Padyami and ends on Phalguna Sukla Dwadasi. During these days Lord Vishnu is worshipped along with Goddess Lakshmi Devi and offered Goksheerannam as naivedyam. On the last day homam (a sacred fire) is conducted at home by the priest.

Donations like cows, clothes, and money are also given to the Brahmins.

In Sanskrit, payas means milk. Payovratam means subsisting on mere milk. i.e. the observers of this vow take milk only as food during these days. According to Bhagavata Purana, this vow is observed by maa Adithi (the mother of gods) to propitiate Lord Vishnu. As a result of this vow, she got Vamana (the fifth incarnation of Vishnu) as her son.

Holi

One of the festivals that is being celebrated with pompous excitement is Holi, the festival of colors. It is celebrated every year on Phalguna Pournami.

Holi - Every year on Phalguna pournami.

Other Vows

In addition to these, some other vows are performed during Phalguna masa.

They are

  1. Phalguna sukla triteeya Madhooka triteeya vratam (dedicated to goddess Parvati).
  2. Phalguna sukla chaviti Putra Ganapati vratam.
  3. Phalguna sukla ashtami (if it comes on Wednesday) – Bhudashtami vratam (dedicated to planet Mercury).
  4. Phalguna sukla navami – Ananda Navami vratam (dedicated to goddess Saraswati).
Maha Vishnu - Srinivasa

Maha Vishnu – Srinivasa

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Lord Maha Vishnu

All the Vedas unanimously declare that Lord Vishnu is prominent among the Vedic Gods. Agni is considered to be the last and Mahavishnu the Highest.

Lord Vishnu is eulogized as one who demonstrated the celebrated three strides (Vikrama) Trivikrama and consequently acquired the honorific name as Trivikrama throughout Vedic literature, He is figuratively mentioned as the sacrifice itself ‘Yagno Vaivishnuh’ which categorically signifies that He is the Supreme Deity to be propitiated.

Everywhere He is much praised for His extreme goodness of disposition towards His devotees and acknowledged as the only deity who pervades, preserves, and controls the whole universe.

The Vedas (Samhitas and Brahmanas) enumerate Vishnu as one of the important deities. The later portions namely the Upanishads and Vedantas identify Him with Parabrahman, the life-giving and life-sustaining center which is responsible for the evolution (sristi) preservation (sthithi), and involution (laya) of the entire Universe.

The terms Vishnu and Brahman are synonymous by their respective deviations. Brahman means that which is un-surpassingly great in form possession of virtues and Vishnu connotes that which is all pervading. That the terms Vishnu and Brahman are synonymous can be evidenced by the concluding aphorisms of Devata kanda of Kasa Krishna.

Brahman is characterized as Satyam Jnanam and anantam and the characteristics of all pervasiveness connected by the term Vishnu is indicated by the attribute anantam which means freedom from the limitations of time, space, and conditions.

Lord Vishnu held in high esteem and special emphasis held or laid that the ultimate goal of human life reaches the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu where eternally unbound souls (suris or nitya suris) see Him and enjoy Him.

(Tadvisho paramapadam). In the ultimate chapters of the Vedas, Lord Vishnu who is identical with Brahman is characterized as the highest personality equal to whom and higher than whom there is nothing. He is inseparably related to the Universe (Jagat) consisting of the animate and the inanimate (chetana and Achetana). The Universe is considered to be His body (Sarira) of which He is the only Soul (Saririn).

Thus it can be deduced that every entity that attains the characteristic of substances (Vastutva) is God-filled and that the import conveyed by that Vastu shall primarily mean Him as He is the owner of the world (Isavasyamidam Sarvam).

It is with careful study of the Upanishads about the significance of words and their imports our forefathers have wisely named us Krishna, Gopala, Srinivasa, Ranganatha or Venkatesa to make us realize at every step that the individual soul which has no individuality without Him should be named after Him who is the real owner of all the animate and inanimate.

Vishnu who is identified with Brahman is again identified with Srimanarayana, who is the abode or resting place of men. One of the Rigvedic texts declares that He is one with Sri or Lakshmi and that Brahman signifies dual deity or Divya dampathi or divine couple.

Srimannarayana who is supposed to manifest Himself in fivefold modes such as para, vyuha, vibhava Antaryami, and Archa, has assumed His archa mode in this attractive resplendent, blissful, and auspicious form and stationed Himself on the peak of Sesha hill to be visible to one and all.

Lord Vishnu is considered to be the Lord of all mountains and this is the reason why he selected this sacred hill for His abode (Vishnuhu Parvatanam Adhipathihi). click here for seven hills.

It is stated in Venkatachala mahatmyam that para manifestation of the Lord is shifted to His Sankalpa to the terrestrial world (Mayavee Paramanadam Tyaktva Vaikuntamuthamam) It is also stated that Lord Krishna roamed about on this hill (Evam Sri Krishna rupena kreeditam venkatachala).

The Lord on the hill is Srimannarayana or Lord Vishnu who though all pervasive assumes a loveable and beautiful form to manifest His Divinity in this Kaliyuga by removing the afflictions of His Devotee and granting boons to the extent of attaining Him in His abode which is Kaliyuga Vaikuntam or Parampada.

He is the only Lord to Protect His devotees and save them from all difficulties. Devotees throng to Lord Srinivasa at Tirumala temple, and day by day the rush of the devotees increases as He calls them to have His Blessings and redeem them from all types of Bondage.

*Source: Saptagiri Magazine