21st December 2014 Amavasya Amavasya is the Indian name for a new moon. It is well thought-out to be a very auspicious day. In many Hindu households it is a day of fasting. On this day many years back the ancients considered this day with a lot of fear and trepidation because they had thought that the moon had been swallowed by the sun. But in fact the new moon is the lunar phase that occurs when the moon is in it’s monthly orbital around the earth, as it lies between the earth and sun, it is therefore in conjunction with the sun as seen from the earth. At this time the dark portion of the moon faces almost directly toward earth so that the moon is not visible to the naked eye!!! Amavasya is the fifteenth day of the dark half of the lunar month. The occurrence of amavasya is based on the lunar calendar, which works on the 30 day lunar cycle. Amavasya or the new moon is the last day of the waning moon. The first day of the waning moon cycle is actually a full moon day. Which is also called Purnima. According to the Vishnu Dharma Shastra this day is dedicated to the remembrance or worship of our forefathers. As you know this day is very auspicious for performing puja for our departed ancestors, Pitra. This custom of honouring our forefathers have gone on for many generations and will continue going on in very many years to come. Pitra Bhog The food which is dedicated to Pitra is known as Pitra Bhog. They generally accept sweets especially Kheer(Rice Boiled in Milk with Sugar). How to offer Pitra Bhog Burn a piece of dry cow dung in a dedicated area where you intend to offer the Pitra Bhog. Turn some pure water in palm of your hand around the burning cow dung. This will make the place Holy. While pouring kheer over the burning cow dung, family members join hands and remembering the Pitra by name, ask that the food offered be accepted and blessings be bestowed upon the family. When is Pitra Bhog given This is given once in a month during Amaavasyaa - Pitra only accept their stuff once a month. In any family the departed souls are respected, in most cases a person born in a family line is none other than one of his own ancestors. For example a person born in a family line is usually one of the forefathers of that family who has reborn in that family again. According to the theory of Karmic astrology, most of the people are born in the same family lines with same friends and same enemies in so many of their lives until their Karmic debts, duties and rewards are all cleared from that particular group of people or we can call them particular group of Souls. Where ancestors are not respected, enemies are born as our own children. A highly realized person can experience these through regression. In the human body there is a natural upsurge of energies that take place on these auspicious days. On new moon and full moon days the spiritual seeker attains peace and tranquillity in doing certain puja at these times. You may have heard that at these times that if a people are a little mentally imbalanced they become more imbalanced. Why is this so you ask? Well it is because the gravitational impact of the moon that is working on our planet. So it ends up pulling everything upward for example the oceans are trying to rise, but also our blood! it tries to rise due to the moon’s gravitation. Our emotions play a big role on amavasya as well as they say that: If you are happy, you will become more happy and if you are unhappy, you will become more unhappy. Whatever your quality may be, it gets a little enhanced on these days as the blood in your body and the water are rising and being pulled upward. Therefore all our energy is being pulled some way or the other. These two days are like a boon from nature for any spiritual seeker as any puja done on new moon and full moon days have a great impact on the system of your life. On this day of shani amavasya many people worship lord shani, who is the supreme god in one’s fortune. The importance and significance of the shani amavasya puja is that many devotees believe that the shani amaavas day is to please and pacify lord shani. Worshiping shani bhagvan and offering him naivedya can reduce all the bad effects in there lives. Those who are suffering from several doshas such as pitra dosha and kaala sarpa dosha perform remedial puja’s for lord shani. It is said that if you listen to the shani mantra on this specific day it cleanses your spirit and helps you on your spiritual journey of self discovery. The importance of amavasya is that it is a day of new beginnings. It is a time to discard all our old habits, thought processes, failures and negative influences. Whilst it also bestows upon us the lesson of embracing the promise of a new light that the new moon brings to us. Those who worship surya bhagvan or the sun god recognise amavasya to be a very powerful and auspicious day.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 14:41:09 +0000
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