Greetings - Tamil New Year

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Srimathe RamAnujaya Namaha:

Acharyan ThiruvadigalE Saranam:

 

Dear All,

 

Many pranamams and humble regards to all of you.

 

Kindly accept Adiyen's greetings on the occassion of Tamil New Year "Chitra

Bhanu" Varsham and praying the Divya Dampathi's Anugraham be always with us

for this new year to bring in happiness, prosperity, wealth and good health

to all of us.

 

I had came accross an Article at eprarthana.com website, (though a bit

lengthy) its quite interesting thought to share with all.

 

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The Hindu New Year's Day commences on the first day of the month called

Chaitra or Chithirai. It is also called Chaitra Vishu for this reason. The

occasion is said to be an auspicious one because, at this time, the sun

enters the sign Aries of· the Zodiac. The people call the occasion Chaitra

Vishu Punyakalam or, the sacred occasion

 

The reason why the people in India compute the Indian year from this month

when the sun enters Aries -- the ram in the signs of the Zodiac -- is said

to be one philosophically derived from the science of cosmo-genesis. The

Sanskrit word for 'ram' is aja which means 'that which is not born.'

Therefore the sign of the Zodiac under reference stands for the ultimate

cause of everything, and consequently the month in which the sun enters this

sign is rightly considered to be the first month of the year. From time

immemorial, the Hindu conception of an ideal life has been one of sacrifices

and religious observances. Thus the information regarding the appropriate

time for the observance of particular rites or ceremonies becomes important.

This information is furnished by the Hindu astrologers and astronomers in

the form of a calender called panchangams.

 

In ancient times books were very rare and even cudjan leaf manuscripts were

not easily available to the vast majority of the people of a village; only

the chief priest of the village held a copy of the precious manuscript and

it was his duty to apprise the people in his village of the date of

observance of a particular festival or Vrata. But in the beginning of the

year the people desire to know the position of the various planets with

reference to the sun and its effects on men, animals and plants. They also

want to know whether the position of the planets would bring them rains in

the proper seasons. So the custom of calculating and predicting the

planetary influence over the earth through such astrological studies came in

vogue.

 

The days are generally hot and sultry in the month of Chithirai. When a

large number of people assemble at a particular place in hot weather,

something must be done to counter it. Thus arose the custom of presenting

people with cool drinks and fans. On this festive day people eat margosa

flowers, fried or rather charred and mixed with sugar. Apart from the

medicinal effect which this preparation has, we may say that this flower

belongs to this season and is thus recognised as the harbinger of the coming

season.

 

Tamilians of southen India arrive at their new year day in accordance with

the movement of the sun and it is the astronomical year which marks the

vernal equinox. The Telugu and the Kannada-speaking people follow the lunar

or the luni-solar systems, which precedes the Tamil new year. The Malayalis

of the west coast follow an agricultural year which is known as Kollam Andu,

commencing in September when the sun enters the autumnal equinox. It is in

this part of the west coast of southern India that very heavy rains fall for

nearly nine months in the year.

 

Though the day commencing each month is considered to be auspicious yet

special importance is attached to the occasions, Chaitra Vishu, Tula Ravi,

Uttarayana and Dakshinayana. The solar year commences from the sun's

entrance into aries -- the ram. The beginnings of the solar months are

determined by the entry of the sun into the other zodiacal signs.

 

The solar years are recorded in the era of the Kaliyuga. Its years are

converted into those of the Christian era by subtracting 3101, from the

number of complete years that have lapsed since the beginning of the

Kaliyuga. Similarly, the corresponding complete year of the Kaliyuga passed,

is arrived at by adding 3101 to the Christian year. Further, by adding 3044

to the year in the Vikrama era and 3179 to the year in the Saka era the

corresponding Kaliyuga year is arrived at. The lunar month Chandrayanam as

opposed to the solar one Sourayanam is reckoned from the full moon to the

full moon. It is invariably determined by the beginning of the bright

fortnight of the month, but takes the name of the solar month in which the

full moon occurs. Each month consists of two halves called 'pakshas' and

each half is a fortnight in the month. The Sukla paksha or the bright

fortnight is the period of the waxing moon while Krishna paksha or the dark

fortnight is that of the waning moon. Each of these pakshas again consists

of fifteen tithis. A tithi is the time required by the moon to increase its

distance from the sun westward by twelve degrees of the zodiac.

 

As the true motions of the sun and the moon vary with their positions in

their orbits the length or duration of a tithi is also variable. There are

names given to these tithis of the fortnight and the fifteenth tithi of the

bright fortnight is called the Purnamlisi tithi or the full moon, while the

fifteenth tithi of the dark fortnight goes by the name Amavasya tithi or the

new moon. In fact, the full moon and the new moon mark the end bright and

dark fortnights of the month respectively.

 

It is also said that the Chaitra Vishu day or the opening day of the first

fortnight of the waxing moon was the occasion chosen by Brahma to create

this world. Hence this day is also known as yugadhi or the beginning of a

yuga. This festive day is said to have acquired further importance by the

fact that Sri Ramachandra, the hero of the epic Ramayana, had his triumphal

entry into Ayodhya after the destruction of the rakshasas, and was crowned

there on this day. There is also an allegorical myth regarding the origin of

the Hindu cycle of sixty years and it is in brief as follows:

 

The sage Narada once betrayed a desire for worldly pleasures and in

consequence had to take birth in this mortal world as a woman. He is said to

have given birth to sixty children and the Hindu cycle of sixty years is

said to have had its origin from those children. The Hindus believe that the

twelve signs of the Zodiac represent twelve planets in the solar system.

These planets and centres of consciousness are in the mighty cosmic deity or

intelligence called Kalapurusha. In fact, the planets are said to be his

head, face, breast, belly, navel, abdomen, genitals, teeth, eyes, knees,

ankles and feet.

 

The Indian calendar is named panchangam since it is comprised of five limbs,

and they are (1) the tithi, (2) the varam, (3) the nakshatram, (4) the yogam

and (5) the karanam. A man desiring prosperity pays attention to the tithi.

One desirous of long life understands everything about varam or the days of

the week. The nakshatrams are resorted to, for expiating sin and the yogam

for obtaining immunity from diseases. The karanam is said to secure success

for the observer in all his undertakings. Thus, a proper understanding of

planetary influences is essential for controlling them. Hence has arisen the

proverb 'wise Inen rule the stars'.

 

The story is that once upon a time saint Narada, the celestial celebate, saw

a pair of fish in conjugal happiness, while bathing in the sacred Ganges.

His passions were excited and he felt a desire to lead a married life. The

happiness of a family and the pleasure of children playing about, and a

thousand and one things which make life enjoyable, templed even this citadel

of celibacy, this ever-youthful ascetic. He made up his mind to give up his

brahmacharya and lead the life of a householder. But, he thought, who would

give him a wife, and, besides, he had no money to expend on the costly

ceremony. What should he do? The best course was to go to Krishna, the king

of Dwaraka, and the husband of sixteen thousand one hundred and eight wives!

The Lord of Dwaraka could easily spare one, and would not miss her! And he

was so fabulously rich that he could easily pay all the expenses! This

unholy thought affected the sanctity of the great saint to a certain extent.

God, however, felt himself bound to satisfy every desire of his devotees,

and Narada stood at the top of them all! All-pervading Vishnu, therefore,

organised a counterplot. He took no offence even at so insulting a proposal.

Noticing that Narada laid much stress on the large number of his wives and

hinted at the impossibility of one man meeting them every day, he asked the

saint to go round his houses and to pick up that woman with whom he was not

living. Poor Narada! He was not in his senses.

 

He took the bait, and actually went round the whole city, but in every house

that Narada visited he found Krishna there, either playing with the children

or enjoying the company of his wife in a thousand and one ways. Always

happy, always jolly, always in the enjoyment of the highest blessing,

possible a married man! That sight still more excited the passions of.

Narada. He was still thinking how to get a wife when his time for prayer

came. As he always bathed and repeated his prayers very punctually, he

involuntarily went to the Ganges to bathe. Narada was thinking of going

again to Krishna for a wife when he rook another dip, and on coming up to

the surface of the water was astonished to see that he was turned into a

woman! she got out of the stream and was going to change her wet clothes,

when, lo! a big, tall, stout, manly, good-looking sanyasi accosted her. He

caught her (Naradi as she must hence be called) by the hand, took her to a

cottage and a marriage-by-capture followed. She gave birth to sixty sons one

after another, every year! Worried, exhausted, fatigued, bored to death by

these numerous sons, at the end of the sixtieth year she involuntarily

prayed to Lord Vishnu to relieve her of this worldly misery! Repentance did

not come too late for the 1ong, eternal (free from death) life of Narada !

The sanyasi disappeared and there appeared in his place the glorious Lord of

the Universe, god Vishnu, with four hands, holding sankha, chakra,gada and

padma and said: 'What are your wishes, O eminent woman? They shall be

granted!' Naradi looked aghast, looked at the lord again, wiped her eyes and

said: 'You know it, my lord. Fool that I was, I thought married life was a

bed of roses, full of. happiness and pleasures. Save me, my lord!'

 

'Rise, dear Narada, rise!' was the response. He was transformed into a fully

equipped young ascetic in every detail! The god Vishnu embraced him as a

friend and asked him to name any other desire, but by this time the sixty

sons had gathered round their mother clamouring for food! Narada appealed to

Vishnu to silence them. Vishnu gave them the Raj of the world to be enjoyed

by turns for oneyear at a time. This is how each Hindu year has a separate

name for a cycle of sixty years. At the end of this cycle falls the Kapila

Shasthi, the sacred day on which Naradi was re-transformed into saint Narada

!

 

Here is the list of the sixty sons of Naradi, after whom the lunar years in

the cycle are still being called.

 

Prabhav, Vibhav, Shukla, Paramoda, Prajapati, Angira, Shrimukha, Bhava,

Yuva, Dhatu, Ishwar, Bahudanya, Pramathi, Vikrama, Vrisha, Chitrabhanu,

Subhanu, Taran, Prartiva, Vyaya, Sarvajit, Sarvadhari, Virodhi, Vikriti,

Khara, Nandana, Vijaya, Jaya, Marmath, Durmikha, Hemalambi, Vilambi, Vikari,

Sharvar, Plava, Shubakrit, Shobhana, Krodhi, Vishvavasu, Parabhava,

Plavanga, Kilaka, Saumya, Sadharana, Virodhikrita, Paridhavi, Pramadi,

Ananda, Rakshasa, Nala, Pingala. Kalayukta, Sitdharti, Raudri, Durmati,

Dundubhi, Rudhirodgari, Raktakshi, Krodhana, and Akshaya.

 

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Adiyen RamAnjua dAsan,

K.M. Shantha Kumar.

http://www15.brinkster.com/mudaliandan