ANDAL THIRUKALYANAM

Andal was discovered under a tulasi plant in the temple garden of Srivilliputtur, by Vishnuchitta who was one of the most revered saints in Hinduism, Perialwar. She was named Kothai or Goda.

KRISHNA BHAKTHI

Perialwar showered all his love and affection on Kothai. Along with food, Perialwar also fed Krishna Bhakthi to Kothai. He would always tell "Govardhana" with his single finger, Kothai felt as if she was standing under the "Govardhana" along with Krishna and other gopikas. Kothai's mind was always occupied by Krishna only. Due to her influence, even her pet parrot would always say Krishna's various names.

As Kothai grew into a young girl, her Krishna Bhakthi transformed into love towards Krishna. Like her father, even Kothai started writing hymns on Krishna. She would also accompany her father to the garden to gather flowers for "Vadapathrasayee Perumal".

KOTHAI and PERUMAL's GARLAND

One night, Kothai dreamt that she was marrying lord Krishna. The dream made her very happy. But she was not sure whether she would make a perfect match for Krishna.

She found a flower garland tied by her father for "Vadapathrasayee". She thought if she were to be the bride for Krishna, she should look beautiful with the garland. She took the garland in her hand and adorned herself. She wanted to check her beauty. She went straight to the well in her backyard. The well water reflected her beauty.

Once she saw her image in the water, she was satisfied that she would be a perfect match for Krishna. She removed the garland and placed it in the same place where it was before. Unaware of all these, Perialwar took the garland and offered it to "Vadapathrasayee". He felt Perumal looked more beautiful than ever before. This was happenning for quite few days without Perialwar's knowledge.

ANDAL

One fine day Perialwar saw Kothai wearing the garland. He scolded Kothai for wearing Perumal's garland. With tears in her eyes, Kothai collected flowers again and made a new garland and offered it to Perumal.

The same day night, "Vadapathrasayee" appeared in Perialwar's dream. He liked only the garland worn by Kothai, he said. With that, Perialwar woke up. He called Kothai and told all about his dream. Kothai was very happy. Since Kothai ruled "Vadapathrasayee" with her affection, Perialwar started calling her "Andal" - one who rules.

THIRUPPAVAI

After this incidence Kothai alias Andal became more devoted to Krishna. When Perialwar started looking bridegrooms for Andal, Andal said that she would marry only Krishna and not any other normal human being. She also told Perialwar that she dreamt that Krishna was marrying her. Andal's Krishna bhakthi has matured into love.

During Krishna avatar, all gopikas performed a fast in the month of margazhi in order to marry Krishna. Since Andal wanted to marry Krishna, she followed their foot steps and started the fast in the month of margazhi, singing a new hymn everyday. Thus she sang 30 hymns for 30 days that was collectively called as "Thiruppavai".

PERIALWAR's DREAM

One night, Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam appeared in Perialwar's dream and asked him to bring Andal to Srirangam fully dressed as a bride. Sri Ranganatha also appeared in the King's dream ( who was ruling Srivilliputhur) and asked him to make arrangements for Andal's Kalyanam.

Perialwar wiped his eyes and told Andal about the dream. Finally her wish was coming true. Perialwar asked her to get dressed soon. Meanwhile, the king decorated the whole of Srivilliputhur with flowers. The king then sent a palanquin to Andal's house. Andal dressed like a bride got into the palanquin. With Perialwar, King and people following, the palanquin reached Srirangam.

ANDAL KALYANAM

The palanquin stopped in front of Sri Ranganatha's temple in Srirangam. Andal got out of the palanquin. The priests received Andal with due respect. Andal stepped into the temple and slowly walked towards the main sanctum. Of all these days, Andal was only hearing about Sri Ranganatha from her father, but today she was going to see him in person. She entered into the Santum Sanctorum. The sanctum was pretty dark but for a little oil lamp. With the help of the lamp, she saw the big black divine deity of Sri Ranganatha. Her eyes stopped to blink. Andal slowly walked towards Sri Ranganatha and with trembling hands, she touched his lotus feet. Lo and behold! Andal disappeared. 

At that very moment, Perialwar and rest of the people entered the sanctum. Perialwar witnessed Andal disappearing just in front of his own eyes.

VOICE of SRI RANGANATHA

Voice of Sri Ranganatha said that Andal was Boodevi's descent. Andal descended to earth to show the human kind, the way to reach god - That is LOVE.

Perialwar realized that his daughter had married the King of the Universe.

Perialwar transformed his house into a temple for Andal and SriRanganatha. Sri Ranganatha is called as RangaMannar in this temple.

Success need sticking to your commitment

Arthur Gordon author of the book " A touch of Wonder" said.

Nothing is easier than saying words.
Nothing is harder than living them,day after day.

Success need Work Ethics

Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote:

" The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by Sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night. "

About my Hubby! (என்னவர்!)

தாகம் என்று சொல்கிறேன் மரகன்று ஒன்று தருகிறாய்!
பசிக்குது என்று சொல்கிறேன் நெல்மணி ஒன்று தருகிறாய்!
உந்தன் கைவிரல் பிடிக்கையில் புதிதாய் நம்பிக்கை பிறக்குதே!
உந்தன் கூட நடக்கையில் ஒன்பதாம் திசையும் திறக்குதே!
என் பயணத்தில் எல்லாம் நீ கைகாட்டி மரமாய் முளைத்தாய்!
என் மனதை உழுது நீ நல்ல விதைகளை விதைத்தாய்!
என்னை நானே செதுக்க நீ உன்னையே உளியாய் அளித்தாய்!
என் பலம் எதுவென்று எனக்கு இன்று தான் உணர வைத்தாய்! அன்பு தோழா!

"Rosh Hashanah"- Jewish Celebration Days--New year festival

It is strange but True. Jewish people also celebrate the 10 days of " our Dhasshera", "Navarathiri" as " High Holy Days".

All these are reinstating that " All religion is one. All God is one.. God is omnipresent.

Rosh's Real History


Date: 09/19/2009 United States of America

Strange but true. Though "Rosh Hashanah" heralds the beginning of the pious 10-day period of 'High Holy Days' it is not found in the Torah's discussion.Torah is a compilation of moral and practical code of living the Hebrews had developed over the centuries and its development continued even after Moses. The basis of the Torah is laid in the first five books of the Old Testament (i.e. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy).

If Torah refers to Rosh Hashanah as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (a day of Shofar blowing), it appears twice in the Torah. One time it is mentioned in Vayikra 23:24 - "...In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall you have a sabbath, a remembrance of blowing of horns ("zikhron teru'ah"), a holy gathering...". Again it is found in Bamidbar 29:1 - "...It is a day of blowing the horn ("yom teru'ah") to you".

Now, the Torah gives no specific reason why the shofar is blown on Rosh Hashana. Rosh Hodesh in biblical times was celebrated in a far more festive fashion than it is today and the blowing on Rosh Hodesh is defined as "a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Yaakov".

Thus, blowing horns is not particular to Rosh Hashana, but rather is a characteristic to every Rosh Hodesh (new month) - in the form of the blowing of the trumpets. It is blown as an act of remembrance. Why then Rosh is exclusively called a festival of Shofar? It is also possible that blowing the Shofar on Rosh Hashana has special significance beyond that of every Rosh Hodesh.

The meaning of remembrance here is special attention. Zikaron implies that special attention is paid to the object of remembrance as the attention of God is sought for Noah [Bereishit 8:1] as well as Avraham [ibid. 19:28] and Rachel [ibid. 30:22]. The Torah is teaching us that from that moment onwards special providence and close guidance ('hashgaha') was provided for those individuals.

Following the period of Bnei Yisrael's servitude in Egypt, the time comes for their salvation - "And God remembered his covenant... and God knew" [Shmot 2:24-25]. From that moment, Bnei Yisrael were under Hashem's special 'hashgaha'.

History of Hebrews:
According to the great Jewish scholar, Rambam (Maimondies), the Shofar is blown on Rosh Hashana to say, "Wake up! Wake up, everyone who is asleep! Remember your Creator! Instead of going around doing things that are not important or worthwhile, take some time to think about what you can do to make yourself into a better person. Give up doing bad things!"

Rav Saadia Gaon gave many reasons for blowing the Shofar, here are some: "...Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the world. The Shofar reminds us of Akeidas Yitzchak, (the Binding of Isaac) where Abraham sacrificed a ram in the place of his son. The shofar reminds us that Hashem will redeem the Jewish people. The shofar is the call of redemption. The shofar is not blown if Rosh Hashana falls on a Shabbat..."

As a result, "all the practical individuality - of keeping Torah and mitzvot in their individual detail and conceptual individuality the beliefs concerning the individual's personal connection with eternal life and the individual striving towards it - which had formerly revealed itself and existed as the manifestation of the Divine Idea... now, with the disappearance of the great light of the nation during the time of the Second Temple, was confined and manifest in its special individual character." Israel lost its nationhood, and now each individual stood on his own merit.

From then on, G_d did not "remember" Am Israel as a whole, but rather "remembered" each individual separately.

And when each person is judged individually, the Day of Remembrance obviously takes on a much more profound aspect of judgement, and fear replaces joy. The individual is no longer able to hide himself among the many - he stands alone before the King of Judgment.

History of Yom Kippur




Date: 09/28/2009 United States of America

Yom Kippur, the Day of atonement, is the most sacred of the Jewish holidays. It is regarded as the "Sabbath of Sabbaths." By Yom Kippur the 40 days of repentance, that begin with the first of Elul, have passed. On Rosh Hashanah the God Almighty has judged most of mankind and has recorded his judgment in the Book of Life. But he has given a 10 day reprieve. On Yom Kippur these 10 days of reprieve ends and the Book of Life is closed and sealed. Those who have repented for their sins are granted a good and happy New Year. Since Yom Kippur is the day to ask forgiveness for promises broken to God, the day before is reserved for asking forgiveness for broken promises between people, as God cannot forgive broken promises between people.

The Customs or Minhagim: Yom Kippur is a day of "NOT" doing. There is no blowing of the Shofar and Jews may not eat or drink, as fasting is the rule. It is believed that to fast on Yom Kippur is to emulate the angels in heaven, who do not eat, drink, or wash.

The Five Prohibitions of Yom Kippur: Eating and drinking, Anointing with perfumes or lotions, Marital relations, Washing and Wearing leather shoes.


Fasting: While Yom Kippur is devoted to fasting, the day before is devoted to eating. According to the The Talmud the person "who eats on the ninth of Tishri (and fasts on the tenth), it is as if he had fasted both the ninth and tenth." Prayer is also down played so that Jews can concentrate on eating and preparing for the fast.

The Prayer and Confession: On the eve of Yom Kippur the community joins at the synagogue. Men put on prayer shawls (not usually worn in the evenings). Then as the night falls the cantor begins the "Kol Nidre", it is repeated 3 times, each time in a louder voice. The Kol Nidre emphasizes the importance in keeping vows, as violating an oath is one of the worst sins.

An important part of the Yom Kippur service is the "Vidui" (Viduy) or confession. The confessions serve to help reflect on ones misdeeds and to confess them verbally is part of the formal repentance in asking G-d's forgiveness. Because community and unity are an important part of Jewish Life, the confessions are said in the plural (We are guilty).

As Yom Kippur ends, at the last hour a service called "Ne'ila" (Neilah) offers a final opportunity for repentance. It is the only service of the year during which the doors to the Ark (where the Torah scrolls are stored) remain open from the beginning to end of the service, signifying that the gates of Heaven are open at this time.

If you don"t go after what you want, you'll never have it.
If you don"t ask, the answer is always no.
If you don"t step forward, you"re always in the same place...

The Power of Encouragement

The eagle gently coaxed her offspring toward the edge of the nest.

Her heart quivered with conflicting emotions as she felt their resistance to her persistent nudging.

Why does the "thrill of soaring" have to begin with the "fear of falling?" she thought.

This ageless question was still unanswered for her.

As in the tradition of the species, her nest was located high upon the shelf of a sheer rock face.

Below there was nothing but air to support the wings of each child.

"Is it possible that this time it will not work?" she thought.

Despite her fears, the eagle knew it was time. Her parental mission was all but complete.

There remained one final task...
THE PUSH.
The eagle drew courage from
an innate wisdom.Until her children discovered their wings,there was no purpose for their lives.

Until they learned how to soar,they would fail
to understand the privilege it was to have
been born an eagle.
THE PUSH
was the greatest gift
she had to offer.It was her supreme act of love.
And so, one by one she PUSHED them ...
AND THEY FLEW

THE PUSH
SOMETIMES WE NEED IT
SOMETIMES WE NEED TO GIVE IT


It can be the greatest gift you ever give
it will change a life forever.