WISH YOU ALL HAPPY YUGADI !

 1. What is Yuga:di ?

2. Why do we celebrate Yuga:di ?

3. How do we celebrate Yuga:di

4. What is Pancha:nga Sravanam ?

5. What is Nimbakusuma Bhakshanam ?

 

1. What is Yuga:di ?

A.  Time is  one of   the auspicious forms of Lord Narayana  according to Veda.   Yuga + A:di  becomes  Yuga:di.  It means the  beginning of a new era.  According to Vedic system,  a new time period starts from this Yuga:di day.
                                           All the stars that  can be observed  by  human beings  from anywhere  round  this Earth,  spread all over the sky are divided into 27 groups called  Nakshathras.   That is,  the whole of sky visible to humanbeings from  round the Earth is divided into 27 parts.  All these parts are fixed in their positions. Each segment  is given a name, in general, called Nakshathram.   Moon  will be in the area of one of the Nakshathras for few hours (nearly a day).  Vedic Rishis who realised this wonderful arrangement, have  found out that each Nakshathram   was  referred to by  these  Vedic hymns with perfectly suitable names.   When it is full Moon day on  Chiththa Nakshathram, then the month is called Chaithra Month.  Similarly when the Visakha  Nakshathram is on Full Moon day then it is called Vaisakha Month.  Like that  12 months will make one year.  In every month, 15 days before Full Moon  is called Sukla Paksham and 15 days after is called Krushna Paksham.
                                          This is the day, upon the request of  four headed  Bramha,  Lord Narayana came down from Pa:lakadali (Milk Ocean) as  Lord Ranganatha (who is now in Srirangam)  onto this Earth.  This is the first Archa:vatha:ram (deity form) descended  on this Earth. This  day  is hence Lord  Rangana:ttha:'s birth day.  The day when Lord came onto this Earth is marked the auspicious beginning of the era, the new year.

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2. Why   do we celebrate Yuga:di ?

A.  To mark the auspicious occasion of Lord's descendance onto this Earth,  people  celebrate Yuga:di.   From this day, the whole Nature changes its colour.   Nature serves  Lord  by  commencing  its new cycle of seasons from this day.   Lord,  just out of  Love and unconditional mercy, to save the bound souls,  came  down  to Earth  in Archa  form.   Realised  sages and great rishis who understood  this,  ear marked  this  great  occasion  and  thus  everyone  celebrate Yuga:di.  Lord Rama, Ideal Man,  was born on 9th day after this Yugadi.  Sri Rama's marriage with Sitha was also performed on this 9th day from Yugadi only.

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3. How do we celebrate Yuga:di ?

A. On Yuga:di  day  people  celebrate the occasion by  performing the following:  Mainly, People  take full shower, wear new clothes, offer prayers to God,  eat a  simple  special  preparation that  has all  6 tastes, thus sharing the  joy  along  with all the family members, relatives and friends.  People listen to  Pancha:ngam from the  devoted   Purohits who prepare traditional calenders.  Basing on the broad consensus of the results of the Pancha:ngam of  coming year, people plan their major undertakings and other  activities.   Students / disciples  honour  their  Teachers and  Gurus with their best offerings and take their blessings.  People offer Puja to cows, big trees etc.  Farmers  sow the seeds in a specially prepared  area  to test the strength of their seeds and the  fertility of their lands.  Artists  give  performances,   inaugurating their gratitude towards God and His subjects.  Scholars were invited to  participate in  scholastic  discussions and discourses  on  Vedas,  Puranas,  Ithihasas, Sasthras  etc.  Poetic convocations (Kavi Sammelans) and  Brilliant literary feats ( Avadhanas )  will be conducted on the occasion.  This occasion marks a great significance for performances  and  fresh starts of   native  cultural  activities.  All these are  group activities that enhance mutual relationship, moral standards and improve harmony among people in the society.  
                           People in  traditional  families  chant Sri Ramayana from this day and understand  the subteleties of one's duty and purpose of living  to lead an  ideal life.

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4.  What is Pancha:nga Sravanam ?

A. There are  five prime  attributes of time,  Titthi ( Time based on Moon's phase), Va:ra (Time based on planet's influence) , Nakshathra (Time based on specific Nakshathra under influence,  Yo:ga (Time based on different conjunctions)  and Karana (Time based on several predetermined constants).  Basing on these attributes and the Planets'  nature of  influence, a broad   forecast is made regarding  major factors of  environmental changes, rains, growth of different grains, profits and losses of different  stocks, occurance of solar or lunar eclipses etc..  in the near future. Great  Scholars who know the science of planets and nakshathras will calculate different  factors based on Vedic principles.  It's customary for people to listen to the revealings of  those  scholars  with  Divine  Motive  and  thus plan their future  with a pre-emptive preparedness and caution in rendering their services to Lord through  their regular  duties and  other projects.  Thus Pancha:nga Sravanam ( listening to the Pancha:ngam )  is considered an auspicious act  by people which inspires and assures the noble mission of  planned achievements in the coming year.

                                It's like assessing the environment, pitch and the ground, before players enter the ground, owing to many influencing factors and constants.

                                The Pancha:nga karthas calculate eclipses exactly  just using the principles of Vedic Mathematics !     The  calculations of scientists and their heavy equipment may fail at times !  But  the calculations of an authentic scholar of Vedic tradition who just calculates in his room just  on a  paper using  the facts given in Sasthras, observing the movements of  Sun, Moon, requires no equipment or  formulae or data of today's modern science !!  What a great science it is ?  Instead of appreciating it and knowing the greatness of our Vedic  science, some pseudo rationalists started  questioning the Pancha:ngam.

Note:    Panchangam  and  Jyothisham  share  common science of our Sasthras, Puranas.  They are not meant to be interpreted  for selfish  benefits. No science is bad.  It depends on how the science is used.  No technology is bad, it depends on how it is used. Isn't it?  It's not the technology and science that need to be questioned, but, its practical  usage and implementation aspect  that needs to be guarded.

                                 However, these days, as many people who claim themselves  scholars, posing  much in media  with  good  make up, clad in Vedic attire,  though  they  by themselves never follow basic Vedic principles either  in their conduct or in their attitude,  started to poke their nose into this sacred science, started to take advantage of weaknesses of people.  When  such  misleading  people  hold  big  positions in society  or have strong political/ financial backup  started  using  this  pancha:ngam  solely  for  more and more profitable business,  the sanctity of this science was ruined and  unfortunately  common man was misled who started doubting the very  science which is still practical and proven.  

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5. What is Nimbakusuma Bhakshanam ?

A. In every home, they  prepare a nice mixture using fresh  sugarcane pieces, neem flowers, tamarind fruits, new mango pieces, jaggery, banana pieces,  few  green chillies,  little ginger,  salt,  cardomom, elaichi ....  taken  all afresh,  natural and unprocessed.  Of course, they are all mixed in judicial proportions to make the mixture reflect all the tastes.   This will have all  6 tastes of  sweet, hot, sour, bitter, salt, acrid. 

               It appears that it is  meant to remind us that life is a mixture of all the tastes and experiences.  One should be able to face them all and handle the situations smartly and successfully in progressing towards the goal of life. 

              This mixture is called Nimbakusuma Bhakshanam.  Eating  this mixture is also Nimbakusuma Bhakshanam.  The major content is fresh neem flowers called Nimbakusuma.  Bhakshanam means a dish. Bhakshanam also means eating.

 

             Wishing you all a happy Yuga:di.

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=srikaryam=