TAVASMI

1. TAVASMI March 3, 2012 Vasant Panchmi, How to Do Seva, Vikram Samvat,Shreenathji Charitra Amrut Katha

2. Agenda Mangalacharan, Yamunastak Tavasmi Review Quiz How to Peform Seva: Shayan Utsav: Vasant Panchmi Vikram Samvat Shree Krishna Charitamrut Katha Discussion Tavasmi: Future Events

3. Tavasmi Quiz • Who is the first son of Mahaprabhuji? • How many times did Mahaprabhuji complete a yatra of India? • Kurma is the ____ avatar of Vishnu. It is a tortoise avatar. • The basic foundation of Pushti Marg sewa is based on three things: __________, ______________, _____________

4. Vocabulary Review Flute Book containing information on shringars for the day Swaroop which is standing Bhog which is made without salt and water Red/white berries that are similar in size and represent Radhaji Used to carry thakorji. Made of wood or cane Period of rest after rajbhog Jhapiji Anavsar Pranalika Thada Ansakhadi Gunja Venuji

5. How to Do Seva: Shayan • After taking dinner Shriji gives Darshan to Vrajvasis and goes to sleep • First enter the sewa room after taking permission. • Offer supari powderor churi as mouth freshener. • Take away the Sandhya bhog. Refill the jhariji and place it directly on the shayyaji. Prepare Shaiyaji for the night. • To prepare the shaiyyaji for the night we have to place certain things around it, these things come of use to shriji during the night. Keep jhariji, bhog bantaji (overnight shayan bhog), malaji near shaiyyaji. In summer also keep pankho and kunjo (small pitcher made of clay). • Now prepare to take shriji to bed. First wash your hands thoroughly. Now apply attar on shriji and on the shayyaji. • Take shriji in your hands and with utmost care place him on shayyaji • Cover the whole shayyaji with a sheet or rug. Note: Never keep it half open believing that shriji will feel hot, this is not permissible in sewa. • Close doors to your mandir;Leave the sewa room after doing dandvat. • During Shayan a couple of kirtans are sung.

6. Vasant Panchmi • Maha Sud 5: 5th day of the first half of the month Magh is celebrated as Vasant Panchmi. • From Vasant Panchmi, the official beginning of spring, till Faagun Purnima, havelis of Pushti Marg celebrate colorful aspects of spring festival. • Tired of being teased and harassed by Krishna and his friends, the gopis took sweet revenge by pelting the young men of Vraj with cow-dung, mud, dyes made out of local flowers, vermilion powder, etc. • As of this day, the mukhiyajis (priests) of the Pushti havelis start to sprinkle color in the inner sanctum and on the Lord. • Usually this takes place during the Rajbhog darshan. • At first, only a little color is used. After the inner sanctum has been sufficiently made festive, the priest sprinkles a little color on the devotees who have come to the haveli. For the first few days, this is a gentle exercise and devotees generally get only a speckle or two of color on their clothes. Soon, however, the tempo builds up. As the week(s) progress, more and more color is used to entertain the Lord. More and more color finds it's way on to people's clothes and soon enough, a trip to the haveli means having to come home, bathe and change your clothes!

7. Celebration of Birth of Kaamdev • On this day a copper vessel covered with red or orange cloth is placed in front of Shriji. • It signifies the start of Vasant (Spring). • Yamuna jal is poured in the pot and the branches of five plants i.e. Mango buds, date, Barley, berries (Bor), Sarso (mustard) are put into the pot. • Mostly these trees or plants are the greeneries which mostly sprout in the month. • Afterwards poojaof this pot is done and then Darshan is opened. • "Kamdev - the dev of love" was burnt to ashes by Shivji, who then was reborn as "Pradyuman" - the child of Krishna and Rukminiji on this day i.e. MaghSudPancham (Vasant Panchmi). • Since without Vasant the growth of Kamdev was not possible, his birth was welcomed by Swaminiji by placing such tender saplings or newly arrived branches of trees in front of Thakorji.

8. 41 Days of Vasant Celebration • Vasant is celebrated for 41 days. 1. First Ten days: Vasant Khel 2. Next Ten Days: Dhammar* Khel 3. Next Ten days: Faag** Khel 4. Last Ten Days: Holi Khel • Vasant: Thakorji plays colors in moderation. Thus, only slight khel is done to yugal swaroop. Yugal Swaroop is the couple form of Krishna-Radha. • Dhammar: Group of Holi players gather and visit different houses of Vraj and make other players join in the group. • Faag: All Gwal Balaks in the groups, dance and sing on every street of Vraj and color whoever comes on their way. Pichakari is also used. • Holi: Two groups are formed: Gwals & Gopis. Play begins in the Chowk of Vraj outside of village. Try to snatch items owned by other & regain it back. • For 40 days Shriji plays the game of color in Vraj. On the 40th day Shriji goes to sleep early, eaving many without a chance to play with him. • On the 41st day in Nandalay,  Yashodaji prepared a 'dol' (swing) and Gop & Gopis along with Yashodaji had the pleasure of playing with Lord. • 41st celebrations is called Dol-otsav.

9. INDIAN CALENDAR: VikramSamvat • One of the most commonly followed calendars. Samvat literally means year. • It is that named after King Vikram, who was a noble and brave ruler of the Malwa region, its capital being the city of Ujjain. • Earlier, ancestors of the Malav tribe had suffered grave defeats at the hands of invading Greeks. This forced the tribe to push down to Malwa, where they settled and consolidated their hold. After Vikram came to the throne, he repulsed further Greek advance and established peace and prosperity over Malwa. And it was from that particular year, 57 BCE, that he began his own era - Vikram Samvat • Vikram Samvat is a lunar calendar (based on the orbit of the moon around the earth). • tithi is a lunar day, or the time it takes for the longitudinal angle between the moon and the sun to change by 12° • Tithis begin at varying times of day and vary in duration from approximately 19 to approximately 26 hours based on the angular rotation of moon around the earth in its elliptical orbit. • There are 30 tithis in each lunar month

10. The Days within a Month • So because tithis are 19-26 hours long, sometimes one day can “have” the same tithi and there are 29/30* days in the month, giving 354 days/year. • The Roman calendar is based on the earths rotation around the sun. • Each year the lunar calendar falls about 11 days behind the sun calendar. To remedy this, about every 32 months and 16 days (about 2 ½ years), an extra month (known as an Adhik maas) is added to make up for the lost days. • When a certain tithi starts at 10:30 PM in India it also begins in New York at the same time (Noon EST). Tithi at the sunrise will be the tithi for the entire day for that location. • No such thing as skipping a tithi or repeating tithi. • Vikram Samvat is 57 years ahead of Christian calendar.

11. The months of Vikram Samvat • Each month is divided in two, based on the lunar phase. From new moon to full moon:15-day period is known as Sud (meaning moon is being formed). • From full moon to new moon:15-day period is known as Vad (meaning moon is decaying). • The last day of the year is Diwali • Shak Samvat: based on the lunar calendar and the new year starts with Chaitra Maas (Shukla Paksh). Initiated by King Shalivahan in 78 A.D. • Yudhisthir Shak, started approx. 5500 B.C (not very popular today.

12. Pop Quiz: Which is a Hindola and which is a Dol? What is the Difference between the two?

13. Hindola v Dol • Hindola and Dol are both swings. • In entire month of Shraavan, a swing is erected in Havelis and Thakurji is placed in it. This swing is called Hindola. • Dol is a swing, similar to Hindola but the horizontal wooden bar is replaced by an arching wooden bar. • Dol is erected the day after Holi on the day known as Dol Utsav. • Another difference is that rang of dhuleti are involved with the Dol while no rang is thrown at Thakorji while on the Hindola. • In the previous slide: Left is Hindola; Right is Dol.

14. Discussion Questions • Why did Mahaprabhuji never do “sewa” of ShriNathji for an extended period of time? • In some instances, it is said that Yamunama is the path to which Vaishnavs reach Krishna/Shrinathji.  In other instances, it is mentioned that Mahaprabhuji and the Gurudwar are the path to reach Shrinathji.  How do we reconcile this?  Who is more important in the quest to reach ShriNathji?

15. Discussion Items • Holi Celebrations: April 7th • Potluck • Getting colors • Other items? • Mahaprabhuji Utsav • Vraj Education Shibir, March 23-24 Next Meeting: Mar 17th: Neha and Gaurang's House April 7th, Kalpanaben and Rajeshbhai’s House