30.8 C
Powai
Friday, March 29, 2024

Buy now

Maharashtra Celebrates Janmashtami

Maharashtra celebrated Janmashtami, birth of Lord Krishna.

The birth of Krishna is in itself a transcendental phenomenon that generates awe among the Hindus and overwhelms one and all with its supra mundane happenings.

Mother Earth, unable to bear the burden of sins committed by evil kings and rulers, appealed to Brahma, the Creator for help. Brahma prayed to the Supreme Lord Vishnu, who assured him that he would soon be born on earth to annihilate tyrannical forces.

 

 

One such evil force was Kamsa, the ruler of Mathura (in northern India) and his people were utterly terrified of him. On the day Kamsa’s sister Devaki was married off to Vasudeva, an akashvani or voice from the sky was heard prophesying that Devaki’s 8th son would be the destroyer of Kamsa. The frightened Kamsa immediately unsheathed his sword to kill his sister but Vasudeva intervened and implored Kamsa to spare his bride, and promised to hand over every new born child to him. Kamsa relented but imprisoned both Devaki and her husband Vasudeva.

When Devaki gave birth to her first child, Kamsa came to the prison cell and slaughtered the newborn. In this way, he killed the first six sons of Devaki. Even before her 8th child was born, Devaki and Vasudeva started lamenting its fate and theirs. Then suddenly Lord Vishnu appeared before them and said he himself was coming to rescue them and the people of Mathura. He asked Vasudeva to carry him to the house of his friend, the cowherd chief Nanda in Gokula right after his birth, where Nanda’s wife Yashoda had given birth to a daughter.

He was to exchange his boy and bring Yashoda’s baby daughter back to the prison. Vishnu assured them that “nothing shall bar your path”.

At midnight on ashtami, the divine baby was born in Kamsa’s prison. Remembering the divine instructions, Vasudeva clasped the child to his bosom and started for Gokula, but found that his legs were in chains. He jerked his legs and was unfettered! The massive iron-barred doors unlocked and opened up.

 

While crossing river Yamuna, Vasudeva held his baby high over his head. The rain fell in torrents and the river was in spate. But the water made way for Vasudeva and miraculously a five-mouthed snake followed him from behind and provided shelter over the baby.

When Vasudeva reached Gokula, he found the door of Nanda’s house open. He exchanged the babies and hurried back to the prison of Kamsa with the baby girl. Early in the morning, all the people at Gokula rejoiced the birth of Nanda’s beautiful male child. Vasudeva came back to Mathura and as he entered, the doors of the prison closed themselves.


 

When Kamsa came to know about the birth, he rushed inside the prison and tried to kill the baby. But this time it skipped from his hand and reaching the sky. She was transformed into the goddess Yogamaya, who told Kamsa: “O foolish! What will you get by killing me? Your nemesis is already born somewhere else.”

In his youth Krishna killed Kamsa along with all his cruel associates, liberated his parents from prison, and reinstated Ugrasen as the King of Mathura.

Source: www.about.com

 

Story of Panduranga Vittala

It is said that the devotee Pundalik founded Pandharpur. His father Janudeva and mother Satyavati lived in a thick forest called Dandirvan.

Pundalik was a devoted son but soon after his marriage he began to ill-treat his parents. To escape from this misery, the parents decided to go on a pilgrimage to Kashi. When Pundalik’s wife learnt about this, she also decided to go. She and her husband joined the same group of pilgrims on horseback. While the son and his wife rode on horseback, the old couple walked. Every evening when the party camped for the night, the son forced his parents to groom the horses and do other jobs. The poor parents cursed the day they decided to go on a pilgrimage.

vitthal2.jpg (16992 bytes)

Soon the party reached the ashrama of the great sage Kukkutswami. There they decided to spend a couple of nights. They were all tired and soon fell asleep-except Pundalik who could not sleep. Just before daybreak he saw a group of beautiful, young women, dressed in dirty clothes, enter the ashrama, clean the floor, fetch water and wash the swami’s clothes. Then they entered the inner room of the ashrama, and came out in beautifully clean clothes and passing near Pundalik, they vanished.

Next night he saw the same sight again. Pundalik threw himself at their feet and begged them to tell who they were. They said they were Ganga, Yamuna and other holy rivers of India in which the Pilgrims bathed and washed off sins. Their clothes became dirty by the sins of the bathing pilgrims.

“And because of your ill-treatment of your parents,” they said, “You are the greatest sinner.”

This brought about a complete change in him and he became the most devoted son. Now the parents’ rode the horses while the son and his wife walked by their side. By their love and affection, the son and his wife urged the parents to give up the pilgrimage and return to Dandirvan.

One day it so happened that Lord Krishna, the King of Dwarka, while feeling lonely, was reminded of his early days in Mathura.

He particularly remembered his sports with the milkmaids, the cowherd boys, and his love, Radha. Though she was dead, he longed to see her again. By his divine powers he brought her back to life and seated her by his side. Just then his queen, Rukmini, entered the room. When Radha did not rise to pay her respect, Rukmini left Dwarka in anger and hid herself in Dandirvan forest. After some days, Lord Krishna set off in search of Rukmini. He first went to Mathura, then to Gokul. He met the milkmaids and cowherd boys. They too joined in the search. They went to Mount Govardhan in her search.

At last they reached the banks of the river Bhima in the Deccan. Krishna left his companions at Goplapura, and he himself entered Dandirvan forest alone in search of her. At last he found her and managed to calm her. Krishna and Rukmini came to Pundalik’s ashrama.

But at that time Pundalik was busy attending to his parents. Though he knew Lord Krishna had come to see him, he refused to pay his respect to the god before his duty towards his parents was done.

He, however, threw a brick outside for lord Krishna to stand upon. Impressed by Pundalik’s devotion to his parents, Lord Krishna did not mind the delay. Standing on the brick he waited for Pundalik. When Pundalik came out and begged God’s pardon, Lord Krishna replied that far from being displeased, he was pleased with his love for his parents. Lord Krishna then ordered him  to worship Vithoba, or God who stood upon a brick.

An imposing temple was built at the place where Krishna and Pundalik had met.

Inside the temple stands Krishna’s image on a brick. By his side stands the image of Rukmini.This temple covering a vast area has a total of six gates.

The eastern entrance to this temple is known as the Namdev gate (after the great 13th century Vaishnava saint). The sanctum enshrines the standing image of Vithoba also known as Panduranga, Pandhari or Vitthala. Stylistically the image dates back to the 5th century. There are inscriptions in this temple dating back to the 13th century which place origin of this shrine to the 6th century.

The city is located on the banks of Bhima river in Solapur district, Maharashtra

Source: http://www.gsbkerala.com

Related Articles

Chandivali MHADA’s rain flood problem was solved by the efforts of corporator Smt. Chitra Somnath Sangle.

Chandivali MHADA's rain- flood problem solved by the efforts of SHIV SENA Corporator Smt. Chitra Somnath...

Bmc Hospital opening soon in Chandivali by great efforts of Corporator Smt. Chitra Sangle

Bmc hospital is opening soon in Chandivali by great efforts of BMC Councillor Smt. Chitra Sangle .

4 Powai Shops Robbed on 1st day of 2021

Four Powai Shops locks were broken and cash kept in the shops were robbed on the night of 1st January 2021 at...

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Stay Connected

22,043FansLike
0FollowersFollow
0SubscribersSubscribe
- Advertisement -

Latest Articles

Chandivali MHADA’s rain flood problem was solved by the efforts of corporator Smt. Chitra Somnath Sangle.

Chandivali MHADA's rain- flood problem solved by the efforts of SHIV SENA Corporator Smt. Chitra Somnath...

Bmc Hospital opening soon in Chandivali by great efforts of Corporator Smt. Chitra Sangle

Bmc hospital is opening soon in Chandivali by great efforts of BMC Councillor Smt. Chitra Sangle .

4 Powai Shops Robbed on 1st day of 2021

Four Powai Shops locks were broken and cash kept in the shops were robbed on the night of 1st January 2021 at...

Board of Forbes approves signing of MoU for sale of Chandivali land for Rs 200 cr

The Board of Forbes & Company at its meeting held on 22 December 2020 has approved entering into Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)...

IIT-Bombay Gears Up For Virtual Avatar Of Its Techfest

AMID the unprecedented turn of events triggered by the pandemic, the IIT-Bombay will hold its annual technology festival - Techfest - on...