DIVINE INFORMATION PART 70 Respectedfriends,
While going through oneof my external memory device, I came across some good information stored from websites. Ithought of sharing interesting ones from them as a series. In part 70, I am starting with 268th item in this posting. Kindly note the series is a compilation. Sincerely, GopalaKrishnan 02-08-21 268 PANCHA MAHA YAJNA-(The Five Great Daily Sacrifices) There exists a Law of Yajna (Sacrifice) and man's glory isto voluntarily work with it. Let us concentrate on the 5 great sacrifices onlyfor the time being: | 1. The Sacrifice to Rishis or Vedas | 2. The Sacrifice to Devas | | 3. The Sacrifice to Pitrus | 4. The Sacrifice to Men | | 5. The Sacrifice to Bhutas | | Eachof these has an outer form and inner meaning. Let us try to understand both: | Sacrifice to | Outer form | Inner meaning | | Rishis or Vedas | Study some sacred book daily.Share the knowledge with others "Adhyapanam Brahmayajnah" | All study should be a sacrifice, learning in order that we may teach | | Devas | Homa Recognition and repayment "Homo Daivo" | Realization of the relations Inter-dependence of the world’s Harmony with nature | | Pitrus | Tarpana to the older generations of our family to our ancestors "Pitruyajnastu Tarpanam" | Recognition of the great debt we owe to the past who occupied the earth before us their posterity | | Men | Hospitality Feed someone poorer "Narayajno Athithi Pujanam" | Serving and helping humanity Feeding the hungry Clothing the naked Sheltering the homeless Comforting the sad Rich are the stewards of the poor | | Bhuta | Feeding the creatures (Bali) Feeding poor, animals, birds "Bali Bhauto" | Caring those who are beneath us in human and lower kingdoms Recognizing our debt to them for their services to us Showing kindness and consideration towards them | Thus thefive great sacrifices teach man his relations, with all around him, with hissuperiors, his equals and his inferiors. They establish the harmoniousrelations on which the happiness and prosperity of families and of nationsdepend. They turn the wheel of life in accord with the will of Ishwara, and sohelp on the evolution of the worlds. They teach each individual that he is notan isolated unit, but a part of a great whole. The law of sacrifice liftsa man upwards and enables him to reach union with the Divine. All theworld is bound by a law of interdependence. You cannot live alone in a world offorms. All lives are bound by a golden chain-law of sacrifice. We should do thePancha Maha yajna every day. 269 Thulasi *Thulasi - The HolyPlant* Retold By P. R. Ramachander Thulasi (ocimum sanctum) is possibly the holiest plant for the Hindus.There is a story in Devi Bhagavatam about her. Long long ago Lord Vishnu had three wives viz., Lakshmi,Saraswathi and Ganga. (I have verified this in several sources.) One day Ganga looked at LordVishnu with lot of passion when the other two were present. A big quarrel erupted between them. WhenSaraswathi attacked Ganga, Lakshmi tried to separate them. Saraswathi gotinfuriated and cursedLakshmi that she should be born as a plant in earth. Ganga cursed Saraswathi, thatshe should become a river and Saraswathi in turn cursed Ganga that she shouldbecome an ever flowing river. Lakshmi, who was loved a lot by Lord Vishnu, told her, Please do notworry. You would be first born as a daughter of a very pious soul called DharmaDwaja and later marry an Asura called Shanka Chooda, who would be one of myincarnations. Later you would come and join me in Vaikunta after becoming the holyplant Thulasi. There was a great king calledRudra Savarni, in his clan was born a great king called Vrusha Dwaja. VrushaDwaja was a very great devotee of Lord Shiva. Because of this he banned worshipof all other Gods except Lord Shiva in his kingdom. Due to non worship of Goddess Lakshmi during theKanya (October-November) month, there was a great famine in his country. Apart from that Lord Surya, whowas also not worshipped, cursed the king that he would become a wretch. Thisinfuriated Lord Shiva. He sent his Trident against Lord Surya. Lord Surya, afraid of Shivastrident ran to his father Kashyapa Prajapathi for help. Since he was not in a position to help, both of them approached LordBrahma. He also expressed his helplessness to protect Lord Surya and all ofthem together went to meet Lord Vishnu. Lord Shiva also came there. Then Lord Vishnupointed out that since the time of Devas was very much different, thousands ofyears have passed in the earth and Vrusha Dwaja was no more. He requested Lord Shiva to take backhis trident. Then Lord Vishnu told them that in the clan of Vrusha Dwaja, twokings viz., Dharma Dwaja and, Kusa Dwaja were remaining and both of them weredoing extreme penance to Goddess Lakshmi so that she would bless their kingdom. Goddess Lakshmi appeared beforethem and blessed them saying that she would be born as daughter to them andwith this their country would become fertile and rich. Kusa dwaja married alady called Malawathi and a daughter Veda Vathi was born to them. When Veda Vathi was doing Thapas(penance), Ravana tried to rape her. She cursed Ravana that if he touches anylady without their consent his head will beak in to thousand pieces. She thenjumped in to the sacrificial fire and died. Ravana took the ashes of the fire, put them in a box and threw it inthe sea. This box was swept ashore in the kingdom of Mithila and was found byJanaka. Vedavathi was inside the box inthe form of a girl child. Shewas called Sita, who later became the wife of Lord Rama. Dharma dwaja married a lady called Madhawi and GoddessLakshmi was born to them as a girl child. Since she was an incomparable beauty,they called her Thula Si (Incomparable one). Thulasi grew up in to lady as soon as she was born and left her kingdomand started doing Thapas in Bhadrinath with a wish to marry Lord Vishnu. Shedid Thapas in the middle of fire all round her in summer and under water inwinter. She did Thapasfor twenty four thousand years eating only fruits. Another thirty six thousand years eating only leaves, another fortyfour thousand years eating only air and the last ten thousand years withouteating anything. Lord Brahma, appeared before her and asked her what shewanted. She told him that she wanted to become the wife of Lord Vishnu. LordBrahma told her, HeyThulasi, Lord Sudhama who was a part of Lord Krishna is now born as an Asuracalled Shanka Chooda. He is a part incarnation of Lord Vishnu. You wouldfirst become his wife. Later you would become the wife of Lord Narayana. While going back, a part of youwould remain in this world as a holy plant called Thulasi. Any worshipwhich does not include worship with the leaves of Thulasi, would be incompleteand would not be accepted by Gods. My note- Probably on this account sandal paste and thulsi is given inSiva temples also in Kerala Shanka Chooda at that time had pleased Lord Brahma by hisThapas and was given a Vishnu kavacha (armour) and a boon that unless the armouris removed from his body and till his wife looses her virtue (Pathivruthya), nobody can kill him. Shanka Chooda requested Thulasi to marry him and both were married.They lead an extremely happy life. This time Shanka Chooda started givingtrouble to the Devas. Devas accompanied by Lord Shiva approached Lord Vishnufor a solution. Lord Vishnu gave his spear to Lord Shiva so that he can break theVishnu Kavacha, which Shanka Chooda was wearing, when Lord Shiva and ShankaChooda were engaged in a fierce battle and Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Shanka Chooda and went toShanka Choodas palace. When they entered the bed roomThulasi started suspecting Lord Vishnu. Then Lord Vishnu took his real form andtold her, Lakshmi, you have been doing great penance to marry me. By Now Shanka Chooda would have been killed by Lord Shiva and it istime for you to leave this body and come as Lakshmi to Vaikunta and be with me. Your body which you leave here willbecome a great river called Gandaki and your hair would transform itself in toa holy plant Thulasi. This plant wouldbecome the holiest among plants. lord Vishnu and goddess Lakshmireturned to Vaikunta My note- Even when cleaning workersdo not remove Tulsi plant unless it had to be plantedelsewhere. I will continue in next posting -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to thatha_patty+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. 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