Makara Sankranti - January 15, 2008

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MAKARA SANKRANTI

Dandavat pranama. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.Jan 15, 2008 is Makara-sankranti, the anniversary of the day Ganges descended to this world. There are many lines on the Earth, like the Equator, the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. In the Sanskrit language, these lines are called rekhas. In Vedic Astronomy these rekhas are called Bhumadhya-rekha, Karka-rekha, and Makara-rekha. In its travels, the Sun is always somewhere between these lines. The day on which it comes nearest to Makara-rekha is called Makara-sankranti. After that, it comes back to either of the other two lines.

Surya, the Sun, gives life potency to the living entities. Because of its connection with Surya, Makara-sankranti is very auspicious. On that day, almost everyone with any connection to Vedic or Indian culture takes bath, either in the Godavari, Jamuna, Ganges, or in any other river, or in the ocean. This takes place especially in India, but it also goes on to some extent around the world. On this day, it is auspicious to give donations to others. Yudhisthira Maharaja gave so much in charity on this day that he and his family had nothing left, and he was praised for this all over the world. While he was taking rest that night, a flock of swans were flying overhead, talking to each other. One swan said, " I never saw such a big donor as Maharaja Yudhisthira. " Another swan replied, " Don't praise him so much. If you want to know who is the best donor, it is Reikhya Muni. " " How? " " Yudhisthira is a great Emperor. His wealth is incomparable. Therefore, though he gives so much, he is only giving a part of his wealth. Reikhya Muni has no kingdom – nothing. He performes Silanache Vrtti. When the farmer takes grains from the fields and some of those grains fall to the ground, this Muni goes and collects those grains, like barley and wheat, cleans and roasts them, and then distributes them. He never thinks of his own welfare. "

Yudhisthira Maharaja was listening to all this, because he understands the language of the birds. On the next day he asked Krsna, " Who is Reikhya Muni? " He told Krsna what had transpired the previous night, and Krsna then took him to see Riekhya Muni, who was then living under a bullock cart. They offered pranama to him, and then they all conversed together.

If one gives donations on this auspicious day, in his next life he'll never be in want. That is because this day is in relation to the Sun, who gives life. ChantHare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare II Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare II --is the sublime method for reviving our Krsna consciousness. As living spiritual souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our asociation with matter since time immemorial, our consciousness is now poluted by material atmosphere. In this polluted concept of life, we are all trying to exploit the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more entangled in our complexities. This illusion is called Maya, or hard struggle for existence over the stringent laws of material nature. This illusory struggle against the material nature can at once be stopped by revival of our Krsna consciousness. And Be Happy