The Holy month of Kartik

Worship of Lord Shiva on Mondays is a must with Rudram

This is usually in October/November, and widely respected by Hindus the world over as a time for intense sadhana, worship of Lord Shiva, especially fasting and performing abhisheka to Shiva Lingam with Rudreeya hymn on Mondays. Worship of Lord Vishnu is also popular, as of Mother Lakshmi and Tulsi Maata! It is also very auspicious to bathe in holy rivers like our own Aripo, the Ganges, Kaveri etc., and worship Sri Kartikeya, also known as Muruga and Subrahmanya Swamy on Poornima or full moon day. This month it is easier to realise the Oneness of the Supreme through rituals, japam, or even mental worship, study of Scriptures, charity, yagna, and love towards everyone and everything! It is truly a most enlightening month, with lighting of deyas( deep daan) being extremely prominent....!

Lakshmi Puja on Thursday, November 4, 2021at POS. Lakshmi Puja Muhurat - 05:41 PM to 08:08 PM Duration - 02 Hours 27 Mins

Pradosh Kaal - 05:41 PM to 08:08 PM Vrishabha Kaal - 06:22 PM to 08:25 PM Amavasya Tithi doesn't overlap with Pradosh

Amavasya Tithi Begins - 08:33 PM on Nov 03, 2021 Amavasya Tithi Ends - 05:14 PM on Nov 04, 2021

Subrahmaya Swamy and Sri DattaVenkatesha Swami

“….Wherever you go, learn to enquire about the history about the place. In this Ashram,(Mysore), with great effort and for your benefit Swamiji has built the Museum, the Nakshatra Garden, and Bonsai Garden….We now have a Subrahmaya Swamy temple within the Datta Venkateshwara Swamy Temple complex. Subrahmanya Swamy is the form of Fire. He first emerged in the form of a jyoti(light) directly from Shiva’s brilliance (Tejas). He is Swayambhu/self-manifested. He is also the form of Pranava or OM. Pranava mantra/Omkara represents Guru.

There is also a close link between Venkataramana Swamy and Datta. Datta is none other than Venkateshwara….a close relationship also exists between the latter and Subrahmanya Swamy who represents the six chakras(He has six heads). Over and above these is the Sahasrara chakra. If this is considered as the seventh Chakra, then the Trirupati Venkateshwara Temple , located on the seventh hill is proof of the relationship between Subrahmanya and Venkateshwara….They are both same.”

"At this Datta Venkateshwara Temple here,( Mysore) to represent the seven hills, seven steps at the Temple entrance have been built. Whenever you climb the steps, feel that you are climbing the seven hills. This feeling is very important. Every task that Swamiji does is based on yantra, mantra, tantra or Vedic knowledge. For every step you should say, “ Venkataramana Govinda….Swamy also means Sri Chakra (Devi), Sri Yantra and Jnana Rakshana Yantra. Another meaning is truth….Venkata also means one who destroys the sins accumulated across births….Even though he is Hari(Vishnu or Venkata(, he has come here in Shiva form (Ishwara)…. There is no difference between Vishnu and Shiva….Sankata also means sins committed across many births,…past sins and present sins will also get washed away (by Sri Venkataramana.)

Subramanya Swami –Jnana/wisdom and Yoga

Murugan or Subrahmanya Swamy both mean Jnana/knowledge/wisdom. He removes all sins or doshas. Forever remaining in the form of a small boy here, this Bala Murugan removes all kinds of evils and troubles in life. By Darshan, worship and abhishekha, all different pujas all the childhood disorders as well as other problems will be removed and your wishes will be fulfilled. Mental problems will be solved…by Darshan and mantra unmarried girls will get married….this Swamy also teaches Jnana and Yoga.”

Story from Skanda Purana

Lord Shiva asked the small boy Kartikeya to study under Lord Brahma. Kartikeya asked Lord Brahma,

“Please tell me the meaning of OM.” Lord Brahma replied, “First learn the alphabets.” But Kartikeya said, “No, I want to know first about Om.” He told Sri Brahma, “How will you teach me if you yourself do not know?” So he returned to his father, and Lord Brahma told Lord Shiva, “ Whatever I say, your son says the opposite. I won’t be able to teach him.” Lord Shiva gently asked his son what happened, and Kartikeya explained that he wanted to know the meaning of OM. “Please father, please tell me the meaning of Om,” he then asked Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva smiled and said, “ Even I don’t know. You maybe are knowing it, so you tell me the meaning.”

Kartikeya replied, “ I can’t tell you like this. You have to give me the place of the Guru. Only if you put me on a higher seat, can I tell you.” Lord Shiva could not find a higher seat that He Himself, for He is the greatest of gods. But He understood that the teacher has to sit higher than the student who must be on a lower level. So Lord Shiva lifted the young Kartikeya onto his shoulders and then his son explained the meaning of the Pranava Mantra Om to Him in His ears.

Meaning of OM Sri Kartikeya said,“The entire creation exists in OM. The Trinity, Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are contained in Om. OM signifies the Divine Eternal Truth and Love and Bliss of That Supreme God, the Highest Consciousness beyond all names and forms, though pervading everything and everyone!”

This highest consciousness manifests as the Supreme Mother worshipped in Sree Chakra by our beloved Sadguru, who is in total Oneness with Her!

Lakshmi Maata—the embodiment of Light of Wisdom and truth

Kartik Masa

The celebration of Divali not only in Trinidad, but the world over, is another important festival for all devotees. Recently, our Sadguru explained in one of his Sooktis ( 23rd October 2021):

“… Lakshmi is where truth is. She always dances in the home where the vow of Truth is observed. Lakshmi is not just the bestower of wealth or money as a lot of people think—but She is all auspiciousness, everything good. So we must be truthful. Small donation is called charity. But giving without desire is called tyaga /sacrifice. Therefore, the home that has truth has prosperity and happiness, all comforts as well. Even though Harishchandra of Ikshvakku lineage suffered a lot initially, he experienced great happiness afterwards, owing to his vow of truth. When a sage wedded to truth is hurt and utters words in anger, those words come true. That is called a curse. Their words gain that power due to their vow of truth.…”

Lakshmi is sacrifice/noble actions without desire

“Giving a portion of what we have is charity, while offering all we have is sacrifice….The latter bestows all fruits (of Lakshmi)despite the sacrifice being without desire. Constant practice enhances intellect….You need the power of mantras, do mantra, meditation, mauna, for more and more intelligence(not merely book knowledge)….Whatever we do is a result of our karma. One who does good deeds will have a pure intellect….Dharmaraja fully believed and knew that gambling was one of the seven forbidden vices…yet he played and gambled Draupadi and lost her as well(as the kingdom)….That is why, it is said, buddhi/intellect follows karma….Every action done by us turns into our intelligence and will lead us to do similar actions in future. If actions are good, our intelligence will grow, and we’ll do more good….stay peaceful, don’t show ego. ”

Deep Daan

Happy Kartik and happy Deepavali to everyone! We pray Sadguru to shower blessings of Pure Intelligence, Light of Truth and Divine Love and Bliss on all devotees, and to the entire world!

Sri Guru Datta! Jaya Lakshmi Maata!

(Excerpt from Discourse of Avadhoota Param Poojya Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji-BhaktiMala July 2006).

Subrahmanya Swami