SLOKAS ON SRI GANESHA

SLOKAS ON SRI GANESHA

ॐ गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहे कविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम् ।
ज्येष्ठराजं ब्रह्मणाम् ब्रह्मणस्पत आ नः शृण्वन्नूतिभिःसीदसादनम् ॥1
ॐ महागणाधिपतये नमः ॥

Ganaanaam Twam Ganapathi Gam Havaamahe Kavim Kaveenaam Upamasra Vastamam
Jyeshta Raajam Brahmanaam Brahmanaspatha Aanashrunvanna Oothibhi Seedha Saadanam

The Lord of spiritual faith, son of Lord Shiva, is the wisest among the wise. Ganesha has no comparison. He is the senior Lord of the Vedic mantras, who listens to the devotee's prayers. I invite Lord Ganesha to visit my home with prosperous things and be seated here.

शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् । प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥ 2.

Shukla-Ambara-Dharam Vissnnum Shashi-Varnnam Catur-Bhujam |
Prasanna-Vadanam Dhyaayet Sarva-Vighno[a-U]pashaantaye ||

 (We Meditate on Sri Ganesha) Who is Wearing White Clothes, Who is All-Pervading, Who is Bright in Appearance like the Moon and Who is Having Four Hands Who is Having a Compassionate and Gracious Face, Let us Meditate on Him To Ward of all Obstacles.

अगजानन पद्मार्कं गजाननं अहर्निशम् ।
अनेकदंतं भक्तानां एकदन्तं उपास्महे ॥ 3

Agaja-[A]anana Padma-Arkam Gaja-[A]ananam Aharnisham |
Aneka-Dam-Tam Bhaktaanaam Eka-Dantam Upaasmahe ||

 As the Rays from the Lotus-Face of Gauri (Devi Parvati) is Always on Her Beloved Son Gajanana ( Who is having theFace of an Elephant ) Similarly, the Grace of Sri Ganesha is Always on His Devotees; Granting their Many Prayers; the Devotees who with deep devotion Worship the Ekadanta ( Who is having a Single Tusk ).

गजाननं भूतगणादि सेवितं कपित्थ जम्बूफलसार भक्षितम्
उमासुतं शोक विनाशकारणं नमामि विघ्नेश्वर पादपङ्कजम् ॥ 4

Gaja-[A]ananam Bhuuta-Ganna-[A]adi Sevitam Kapittha Jambuu-Phala-Saara Bhakssitam
Umaa-Sutam Shoka Vinaasha-Kaarannam Namaami Vighne[a-I]shvara Paada-Pangkajam ||

(I Salute)  Sri Gajananam  ( Who is having an Elephant Face ), is  who  Served by the BhutaGanas (Celestial Attendants or Followers) and Others,    who eats the  core of Kapittha  (Wood Apple) and Jambu (Rose Apple) Fruits,  Who is the Son of Devi Uma (Devi Parvati) and the Cause of Destruction of Sorrows,  I Prostrate at the Lotus- feet  of Vigneshwara ( the God Who Removes Obstacles ).

मूषिकवाहन मोदकहस्त चामरकर्ण विलम्बितसूत्र ।
वामनरूप महेस्वरपुत्र विघ्नविनायक पाद नमस्ते ॥ 5

Muussika-Vaahana Modaka-Hasta Caamara-Karnna Vilambita-Suutra |
Vaamana-Ruupa Mahesvara-Putra Vighna-Vinaayaka Paada Namaste ||

 (Salutations to Sri Vighna Vinayaka) Whose Vehicle is the Mouse and Who has the Modaka in His Hand Whose Large Ears are like Fans and Who Wears a Long Sacred Thread, Who is Short in Stature and is the  Son of Sri Maheswara (Lord Shiva), Prostrations at the Feet of Sri Vighna Vinayaka, the Remover of the Obstacles of His Devotees.

वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सुर्यकोटि समप्रभ निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा 6

Vakra-Tunndda Maha-Kaaya Surya-Kotti Samaprabha Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kaaryessu Sarvadaa

 O Lord Ganesha, of Curved Trunk, Large Body, and with the Brilliance of a Million Suns, 
 Please Make All my Works Free of Obstacles, Always.

OUR RELIGIOUS AND MEDICINAL PLANTS-4 NEEM TREE.

OUR RELIGIOUS AND MEDICINAL PLANTS-4

NEEM TREE.

  Neem in Hindu Religion:

 The Hindus on the first day of Chaitra Masam worship the Neem and eat its leaves, mixed with pepper and sugar, as a safeguard from fever. The neem tree besides having various medicinal benefits is a highly revered tree among the Hindus because it is a manifestation of "Goddess Durga" or "Maa Kali". That is why the tree is sometimes referred to as Neemari Devi. Tamil Ladies, while worshiping Maa kali dress in red, carry branches of the Neem tree, and dance in public places swishing the branches as an act of exorcism and to purify the world. The multi-headed occult goddess Yellamma  sometimes assumes the appearance of a young neem tree. Young maidens worship this Goddess by cladding themselves all over in neem branches. In Bengal, neem is considered to be the tree which is the abode of "Sitala" (the great Pox-mother who can cause or cure disease). The customary treatment of pox is therefore to rub the body with neem leaves while making prayers to Sitala. It is also said that the smoke of burning neem protects both the living and the dead from evil spirits.   Gudhi Padwa festival is especially dedicated to the worship of Lord Brahma. Maharashtrians see the gudhi as a symbol of victory associated with the conquests of the Maratha forces lead by the great hero Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Traditionally, families are supposed to begin the festivities by eating the bittersweet leaves of the neem tree. Sometimes, a paste of neem leaves is prepared and mixed with ajwain, gur, and tamarind. All the members of the family consume this paste, which is believed to purify the blood and strengthen the body’s immune system against diseases. 

  People in many villages in south India continue to live by the belief that their traditional practices, rituals and superstitions will invariably help them lead a better life. In one such instance, people in a Coimbatore village organised a symbolic wedding of a Neem and Banyan tree on June 2009 to appease Rain God. 

Indra - the king of Celestials - bestowed neem with its incredible power while returning to heaven on a sacred white elephant after retrieving a golden pot of ambrosia from the demons. He spilled the ambrosia on a neem, making it a tree blessed with virtuous qualities that could remove all diseases. In another story, insects are said to be the creation of evil demons, and neem protects people from them by weakening the insect's life patterns.

The Vedas, the oldest of the Hindu sacred texts and the basis of the Ayurvedic tradition, detail the use of neem as a medicinal herb. Brihat Samhita, the ancient text written by Varahamihira (505 AD) and sometimes called "the encyclopedia of Indian Culture," includes a chapter on medicinal herbs that highly recommends neem.  In Sanskrit, neem is translated as "nimba" and becomes the basis of an ancient saying "nimbati ivasthyamdadati," or "Neem, to give good health." Another ancient name is "Sarvo Roga Nivarins" - or "the curer of all ailments."

Thousands of years later, neem still plays an important role in healthcare and religion in many Indian households to such a degree that it's almost "cradle-to-grave" healthcare insurance. For instance, families often bathe new-born babies in water that has been boiled with neem leaves because of its medicinal and refreshing qualities. In South India, when a mother leaves a baby unattended, she often leaves a small twig of neem leaves near the baby for protection. Thousands of Indians use neem twigs to brush their teeth every day (a tradition recognized by the Indian subsidiary of international giant Unlived that created a neem-based toothpaste).

Another ritual called the "Ashwatta Narayana Puja" is used by couples who want to conceive a child. They perform a "marriage" of neem and the banyan tree and go around these seven times every morning for seven days.

Other ventures may start by propitiating Lord Vigneshwara to remove obstacles and for the smooth completion of the event. For the Siddhi Vinayaka Puja twenty types of flower are offered at the feet of the Lord, including neem flowers.

At funerals, the Puranas urge that family and friends chew neem leaves to protect against lingering infections, and spread more leaves at the threshold of the house where the death occurred - a tradition based on neem's healing powers and dating back to the days when many people died in epidemics.

Rural residents of India have a festival called "ghatashapana" in which neem leaves are used to sanctify the water-pot. The Gamits of Gujarat offer neem juice to God, and then cattle and lastly take it themselves.

Many Hindus around the world celebrate the New Year or ugadhi or Chaitra Vishnu, which comes in March/ April when the Sun enters the sign of Aries, by eating the bitter leaves of neem with a little jaggery to symbolize acceptance of the good with the bad. The tradition also signals the beginning of a season when neem is to be used regularly, since the period after the onset of the New Year is the season when Pitta dosha is aggravated. As per the Ayurvedic tradition, Neem helps to keep Pitta in check.

  Mahatma Gandhi was a believer in neem. Prayer meetings he conducted at the Sabarmati Ashram were held under a neem tree and a neem leaf chutney was a part of his everyday diet.

People all over India worship neem tree. The Hindu goddess Arulmigu Mariamman is synonymous with the neem tree and is worshipped for her curative powers. In many communities neem leaves are hung in bunches at the entrance to the house as a symbolic way to keep out infestations and evil spirit.