Why is Maarghazhi Month called Dhanur Maasam ?

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear Raama BhakthAs :

 

Soon it will be Dhanur Maasam .The GhOsham of ThiruppAvai

will be cleansing the air all around in dhivya dEsams and private

homes of BhakthAs . Devotees reciting ThiruppAvai will be shivering

in he cold as they go around the Raaja Veethis of Dhivya dEsams

reciting GodhOpanishad .

 

One BhakthA asked me recently a question about Dhanur Maasam .

He wanted to know why this sacred month of Maarghazhi is called

Dhanur Maasam .

 

I was wondering about it until Vaikunta Vaasi MukkUr Lakshmi NrusimhAcchAr

Swamy Came to the rescue . He has an extraordinarily informative book entitled ,

Veda Raaman dealing with the 14 artha visEshams enshrined in AaraNya

KhANDam of Aadhi Kavi Vaalmuki . The revered MukkUr Swamy describes in

this book a scene in which Lord Raamachandra is performing morning SandhyA

before Sunrise , while standing knee high in cold GodhAvari Waters . In this

context ,

Swamy says: " During the Hemantha Ruthu , Lord Ramachandra was living with

His DEvi and brother LakshmaNa on the banks of Godhaavari river . The first

month of

Hemantha Ruthu is Maarghazhi ( Dhanur Maasam) .During Marghazhi month ,

the chill in the morning air will prod the sleeping people to bend their body

in the form of a bow (DhanuraakAram) to get additional protection against

the cold air that makes them shiver ".

 

One explanation for the name of Dhanur Maasam for Maarghazhi month

seems thus to be the connection of the DhanurAkAram of the humans during

the nights of this month .

 

One can think of additional explanations for the link of Dhanus (Bow)

with the Maarghazhi month . AdiyEn will take them up in the future postings .

 

Sri Raamachandra ParabrahmaNE Nama:

Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan