[ ] NARAKA CHATURDASI

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Om Namo Narayana, Naraka Caturdasi commemorates the killing of Narkasura by our beloved lord shri Krishna . Shri Krishna aided by Satyabhama killed this evil tryant very early before sunrise. After killing Narakasura, Shri Krishna cleansed himself by a luxurious fragant bath before sunrise. The mother of the demon was mother earth herself and after the death of her son she prayed to Shri Krishna to make that day an occasion of joy and celebration for all the people on the earth, to illustrate that evil is always defeated by the righteous. To that, the lord named that day "Naraka Chaturdasi" and stated that taking a early morning bath before the sun rises and when the stars are still visible in the sky would be considered as holy as taking a bath in the holy ganga river itself. Hence every year since then, people celebrate Naraka Chaturdasi by

waking up very early in the morning, annointing the body with oil and then taking a fragrant bath (Ganga Snaanam). After that we worship Lord Shri Krishna and offer him fruits, sweets and light oil lamps all around the house and celebrate his victory over evil. This day also commemorates the coronation of Lord Shri Ramachandran as the king of Ayodhya, so the day is doubly sacred. This year Naraka Chaturdasi falls on 20 October 2006, it is a perfect opportunity for us to maintain this holy tradition by worshipping Lord Shri Krishna by oil lamps very early in the morning after our own Ganga Snaanams. HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL! Namo Narayana