Shree Sanwaliyaji

Shravan Month (July – August) is one of the holiest months in a traditional Hindu calendar. Each region in India considers this month as holy and numerous vrats and rituals are performed during the period. Shravan is the 10th month in a traditional Gujarati calendar and numerous Vrat and rituals are observed in the month. In 2009, Shravan Month in Gujarat begins on July 22 and ends on August 20.
Mondays in Shravan month is dedicated to Lord Shiva and devout Hindus perform the Shravan Somvar Vrat and continue it on all Mondays in Sawan. Some people observe it for years on the Shravan month. Usually, Shravan somwar Vrat is observed to get a good husband or for the welfare and long life of husbands and for a peaceful and happy life. Some couples also observe the fasting for saving their sons and daughters from serious diseases.Fasting, pujas and rituals on Saturdays in Shravan month is observed to escape from the bad influence of Lord ShaniVeerpasli is a vrat observed on the first Sunday of Shravan and is continued for next eight days for the welfare of male members in the family.

The Mahābhārata, is the greatest, longest and one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Rāmāyana. With more than 74,000 verses, plus long prose passages, or some 1.8 million words in total, it is one of the longest epic poems in the world.

It contains eighteen Parvas or sections viz., Adi Parva, Sabha Parva, Vana Parva, Virata Parva, Udyoga Parva, Bhishma Parva, Drona Parva, Karna Parva, Shalya Parva, Sauptika Parva, Stree Parva, Shanti Parva, Anushasana Parva, Asvamedha Parva, Ashramavasika Parva, Mausala Parva, Mahaprasthanika Parva and Swargarohanika Parva. Each Parvacontains many sub-Parvas or subsections.

This wonderful book was composed by Sri Vyasa (Krishna Dvaipayana) who was the grandfather of the heroes of the epic. He taught this epic to his son Suka and his disciples Vaisampayana and others. King Janamejaya, son of Parikshit, the grandson of the heroes of the epic, performed a great sacrifice. The epic was recited by Vaisampayana to Janamejaya at the command of Vyasa. Later on, Suta recited the Mahabharata as was done by Vaisampayana to Janamejaya, to Saunaka and others, during a sacrifice performed by Saunaka in Naimisaranya, which is near Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh.

Gupt Navratri,comes  in the Hindi month of Ashada  aor (June – July). Gupt Navaratri is observed during the Ashada Shukla Paksha .From   tomorrow  Gupt Navratri begins  and ends on July 19 2010.It is also known as  Gayatri or Ashada Navratri, is nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti.

Some people fast on certain days of Gupt Navratri and vegetarian food is consumed during the period. The most important event during the nine-day period is community worship of the nine forms of Durga or Shakti. Women in a locality gather in a household during evening and worship Mother Goddess.

The other famous Navratri falls  during September – October and is celebrated throughout India.

Shri is the sacred sound of cosmic auspiciousness and abundance in Hindu religion. Written as Sri or Shree or Sree or Shri, it stands for abundance, auspiciousness, affluence, grace, wealth, light, luster, splendor, beauty, loveliness and authority. The symbol has been used since Vedic times. Holiness is attached to the word when written or spoken. It is also added before a name to show respect.

shree, shri, sri

Sri is also the sacred symbol of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. The symbol is therefore written atop of ledgers and documents.

Sri is used to address gods in Hindu pantheon, elders, Gurus, teachers, holy men and any individual. When addressing individuals, ‘Shriman’ is used to address male members and Shrimati is used address female members in a society.

Ramayana exists at various levels:
Firstly it has the religious connotation but goes much beyond it.
Next, it is mega entertainment. The story was told to groups of people in the family, village and in satsangs. It was also performed on the stage with drama, music and dance.
Then it was a kind of instructional material that sets moral standards for human behaviour at different strata of the society under varying circumstances, and demonstrates ideal relationships within the family.
Fourthly it integrates Rama’s entourage with the animal kingdom in the form of an army of monkeys under that eternal loyalist Bhakta Hanuman, who assumes superman proportions.
Ramayana is a link for Hindus all over the world. Even the poor indentured labour sent to Mauritius and Fiji carried something of the Ramayana with them, while they had no other worldly possession to take with them.
It has permanence—it is relevant at all times, in all places and in all ages.

The fruit from the Ramayana
The Ramayana is the source of many stories told to adults and children.
It teaches:

importance of duty
correct behaviour
parental reverence
piety
friendship
justice
governance
peaceful co-existence between all God’s creatures
the respect and need to preserve the ecological balance and natural order of things.
The epic’s appeal lies in the human frailties it explores.
It is finally the victory of good over evil.
It is the viability of the utopian concept of ‘Rama Rajya’, in which Rama, the perfect and just
king ruled over a happy kingdom, free from want and war.

Ramayana: ramayan is one of the two greatest Indian Epics which teaches Humanity about the science of living!
How one must interact with another, relationships between different beings, respect one must pay to Parents and Gurus, all the while fulfilling the desires of the Lord (upholding Dharma at each and every stage) … Is the message conveyed!!
Nothing can be more pious and sacred than reading or hearing Ramayana! Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads (with deeper meaning) can not be understood by a common man but ramayana, in the dialect of a common man can be easily assimilated by all!

Origins of the Ramayana
The Ramayana is a Sanskrit kavya (poetry) and is part of the smritis.
It consists of 24,000 couplets and is believed to have been first written around the third century BC.
The incidents it narrates are said to have occurred in the Treta Yuga.
The epic tells the story of Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, who was born on earth to liberate mankind from the demon king Ravana of Lanka, and to re-establish righteousness in the world.
Along with Mahabharata and Bhagavat Gita, it has had a decisive influence in shaping the nature of Indian civilization.