TAVASMI Adhik Mas , 8 patranis of Krishna, Kurma Avtaar , Shikshapatra

1. TAVASMIAdhikMas, 8 patranis of Krishna, KurmaAvtaar, Shikshapatra February 19, 2012

2. Agenda • Tavasmi Review Quiz • Adhik Mas • 8 patranis of Krishna • Vishnu Avtaar: Kurma Avtaar • Shikshapatra • Yamunastak by Indirabetiji • Prepwork for our Utsav

3. Tavasmi Quiz • This is the fourth incarnation of Vishnu, half-man half-lion. What is the name? • This stotra was written for GovindDube because he couldn’t concentrate his mind on his seva. • This is state where the Shreenathji’s cart stopped on their way to Ahmedabad from Mount Goverdhan.

4. Adhik mas • The Indian calendar is also divided into twelve months but it is based on lunar cycle. • The days of the month fluctuate between 27 and 30 which causes the seasons to be out of synch. • The fluctuation caused the seasons of the year to be out of synch. • The astrologers added an extra month every two and half years to fill the gap between the lunar and the solar calendar. • The additional month was added at various time of the year hence it could not be associated with particular season so it was named “adhik-mas.” • Adhik means extra and mas means month, so adhik mas is extra month.

5. Adhik mas – the Legend • They created a beautiful legend in which adhik-mas was disowned by all the Gods and no one thought it was auspicious. It was known as ‘mal-mas'. Here the term ‘mal’ means waste. • Feeling orphaned, the month went to Lord Vishnu for advise. Being the preserver of the universe, he was keen to make sure everyone worked happily in the overall scheme of things. Concerned that the correct revolution of months, seasons and years - central to the successful working of things - was maintained, He decided to resolve the matter and took the dissatisfied month to Golok and requested Lord Purshottam (Krishna) to find a resolution.   • Lord Purshottam declared Adhik Mas as his, to which the month replied, “ But, my Lord, the great men of learning have declared that during my term on the Earth, no formal ritual work may bear fruit and so no one will perform great sacrifices, etc. during my term on the earth. What am I to do? Though I am yours, am I to remain as the only month when all auspicious actions will cease?”

6. To which he responded “I bless you as my own month. Whatever good deeds are done during your reign will outshine all other works done during all other months. Great works done with devotion during adhik-mas will amass such great fruits that even the doors to Golok will open for the devote. Have no fear, amongst all the months, you shall reign as the supreme and shall be known by my own name as Purushottam-mas (month of Lord Shri Purushottam).” Fasting • If physically healthy, devotees should fast; either on water only for the whole month, or one meal a day. The days should be devoted to listening to katha. The merit of this vrat is greater than that of performing a hundred yagnas, since this leads to attainment of Paramatma’s abode.

7. Adhik Mas // Blue Moon • The concept of the adhik-mas (the extra month) is similar to the “Blue Moon”, which occurs almost with the same frequency of 2 1⁄2 years. • Blue moon (remember the famous saying, “once in a blue moon…”) is the second full moon when two full moons occur in the same month. • Naturally the blue moon must occur towards the end of month (some where between 29th,30th,or 31st of the month). The occurrence of the blue moon usually precedes the adhik-mas

8. 8 patranis of Krishna • Krishna had 16,108 wives, of which eight were chief : • Rukmini, • Satyabhama • Jambavati: She was actually given in marriage to Krishna by her father, bear-king Jambavan. She was a very devoted disciple of Lord Rama.Kalindi: She was the daughter of the Sun god Surya. When Krishna saw her, she was in deep penance. She was absolutely obsessed with marrying Vishnu and could not love another. Since he saw her devotion Krishna offered marriage.Mitravrinda: Sister to the Kings of Avantipura.Nagnajiti: Princess of Kosala.Bhadra: His cousin, she chose him as her husband in a SwayamvarLakshana: To win her hand in marriage, Krishna competed in an archery competition. He competed with Arjuna and Duryodhana, each who threw the match because they knew Krishna's passion for her. • Krishna's other 16,100 wives were previously being held in captivity by Narakasur, until Krishna killed him and released them all.

9. Rukmini • Of all his wives, Krishna loved Rukmini the most. She was his favorite wife. As his first wife she was his main consort (called a Patrini).Originally Rukmini was the daughter of the great King Bhishmaka, Lord of Vidarbha. He in no way wanted to have Krishna marry his daughter and he was in the process of betrothing her away to Prince Shishupal of Chedi. Since Rukmini was so in love with Krishna, and he with her, Krishna stole her away on her wedding day and took her to Dwaraka where they wed.

10. Satyabhama • The tale of his second wife begins in her previous life. She was host to much suffering in her life and after her death she sought shelter in Vishnu's "celestial palace (Vaikuntha)." While she was there she was a tireless servant for Vishnu and his care-taker. So much so that he promised she would be one of his wives in their next incarnation.During this life Krishna (Vishnu's reincarnation) sought to always make her happy. He did this by doing whatever she wished, irregardless of the wish. A tale is told of her infamous tantrums; while the Lord Indra came to Earth and visited Krishna he complemented Rukmini's beauty and gave her a Parijata flower. Satyabhama threw a tantrum and Krishna went into the spirit realm and brought her back an entire Parijata tree to plant.However, while these tantrums were not always appreciated, Krishna loved her fighting spirit. She was gifted with archery in warfar and also was very good at picking arguments which entertained Krishna immensely.

11. Kurma Avtaar • Once upon a time there was great sage called Kasyapa. He had two wives called Dithi and Adithi. The sons of Dithi are called as daithyas i.e. demons and sons of Adithi were called as Adithyas, they are devathas. • Thus, demons and devathas are brothers. But, they always used to fight with each other. • In the ongoing battle between the gods and demons, on one occasion, devathas lost all their strength. All the devathas went to Lord Narayana and prayed Him to help them. • Vishnu then told them to churn the Milky Ocean together with demons to get a divine energy drink called as Amrut(Nectar). One who drinks even a drop of that Amrut will live eternally young and strong without diseases.

12. One fine morning along with demons, devathas decided to churn the milky ocean and get the nectar from it. To churn the ocean they decided to use Mandara Mountain as churning-stick. Then they requested serpent Vasuki to be the rope. They tied Vasuki around the mountain Mandara and started churning the ocean being devathas on one side and demons on the other side. Immediately because of the weight mountain started sinking into the ocean. • Again all the devathas and demons prayed to Lord Vishnu. Then, Lord Vishnu incarnates himself as a Kurma Avathar (tortoise) and lifted the mountain on his back. He not only controlled the mountain, being inside devathas and demons He gave them energy to churn. Then they started churning the ocean again. • In due course, a dark cloud suddenly arose from the ocean that choked both Gods and Demons. That was “Haalahalam”, a very powerful poison. On seeing such a dangerous thing emerging from the ocean the gods and demons run helter-skelter. The Gods approach Lord Shiva, and explain to him all that happened. Lord Shiva asked them not to worry and drinks all the poison himself, and keeps it in his throat without swallowing it. The poison was so powerful that it turned Shiva’s throat blue. That is why Lord Shiva is also called as “Neelakanth”, the blue throated one.

13. The devatas and asurs continued the churning. Finally Dhanvantari emerged from the sea. Dhanvantari is the divine physician. He had a Kalash (sacred pot) contained Amrut. The demons are the first ones to notice the Kalash and they snatch it away from Dhanvantari. They forgot their agreement, and took possession of the pot all for themselves. Immediately the devatas ran to Vishnu, and requested Him to devise a plan to retrieve the Kalash . • Vishnu changes into his “Mohini” form of a beautiful woman. As she was so beautiful, the demons couldn’t stop looking at her. Mohini successfully obtained the Amrut Kalash from the demons assuring them that she would fairly distribute the Amrut among the Gods and the Demons. Mohini began distributing the Amrut only to the gods and at the same time makes sure that demons do not suspect her intentions. Two Demons named Rahu and Ketu suspect Mohini and disguise themselves as Gods and managed to drink the heavenly nectar. The Sun and Moon realize that they are not gods and reported this to Lord Vishnu who cut their heads off with his Sudarshana Chakra. But before this the two demons swallow the Amrut, and their heads become immortal. • When the demons realize that they have been cheated upon, they declared a war with the gods. The gods who had gained strength by consuming Amrut defeated the demons easily, and drove them away. Thus in his second incarnation, Lord Vishnu as Kurma saved the devatas from mortality, and losing their authority to the wicked asurs, thus saving the mankind.