HINDU RITUALS AND ROUTINES - Part 93

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HINDU RITUALS AND ROUTINES - WHY DO WE FOLLOW THOSE? Shanivar Varth katha Shanivar (Saturday) is dedicated to Shani Devta (Saturn).The Saturday fast keeps away all the hurdles and misfortunes. Saturn sits in a mirror chariot, yoked with eight black horses. The recitation of Shani Chalisa is also beneficial.

It is believed that those who have the blessing of Lord Hanuman are protected from the wrath of Shani. Therefore many people make it a point to worship Hanuman at home or in temples. Black is the preferred color on Saturday. Shani, one of the Navagrahas, is worshipped in numerous temples and there are also temples exclusively dedicated to Sani. Devotees who are observing Shanivar Vrat usually visit Shani shrines.

Those devotees who fast on Saturday only take a single meal that too in the evening after prayers. Food prepared usually consists of sesame til or black gram or any other black colored food item. Salt is avoided by many on the day. Shani is represented as a deity carrying bow and arrows and riding a vulture. Some devotees worship a black iron idol of Sani. Some worship the Peepal Tree and tie thread around its bark. Black colored items like sesame oil and black clothes are also donated on the day. Shani is so dreaded that many Hindus avoid journeys on Saturday. There are also numerous tales regarding the evil effects of Shani.

But generally it is believed that Lord Hanuman devotees are unharmed by Sani. Legend has it that Lord Hanuman had rescued Shani from Ravana. This happened during the burning of the Lanka episode in the epic Ramayana. Lord Shani had then promised that he would not trouble Lord Hanuman devotees.

Varth kath – I There was a small village. In this village, lived a poor Brahmin with his family. He had three daughters-in-law. During the rainy season, Brahmin used to get up early in morning, have his Breakfast and leave for the farm. As a routine, he had given the house-hold responsibilities to the youngest daughter-in-law. It was Shravan (5th month as per hindu calendar) month. On the first Saturday of the month, Brahmin told to his youngest daughter-in-law that today is Saturday, go upstairs, take some food grains and grind them to prepare the roties and kenakurdu vegetables. She followed the instructions. She went to upstairs but she found that there were not an enough grains to prepared roti.. She prepared the food whatever the grains and waited for her

father-in-law. After a very short time, God Shanidev appeared in front of the lady in the form of a leper and requested to the lady that his entire body is aching, so please apply oil and bathe him with hot water and thereafter give him some food to eat.. The lady had sympathy for him. She applied oil and bathed him with hot water, after that she gave him the food and thus quenched his hunger and thirst. When leper was going, he blessed her that she will never fell short of anything in the life. After some time, the father-in-law came home and saw an excellent preparation of food and happily wondered as to how this happened when there was very little in the home. On the next Saturday, the Brahmin told the second daughter-in-law to be at home and left for the farm. As like first time, again shanidev appeared in the guise of a leper and requested to the second daughter-in-law to bathe and to serve the some food, but this young lady told him that there was nothing in the house to offer him. Shanidev became angry with her answer and cursed her and said, “Whatever you have would vanishâ€. Saying this word shanidev left home. The lady went up and found that there was nothing in the pots.. The father-in-law came back home and she informed him that there is nothing for the supper. They scolded her. Then she narrated the whole story of leper. On the third Saturday, the Brahmin said to the third daughter-in-law to manage the home and preparation of food. As usual, again shanidev appeared in disguise and requested the young lady to serve, but the lady followed the suit of the second one with a negative approach. The result was the same as second daughter-in-law. The lady was very sad for the incident. Again on the fourth Saturday, the Brahmin had given responsibility of house to the youngest daughter-in-law and left for the field. As usual God shani dev again came in the guise of a leper and requested to serve. The lady heartily bathed him and gave the food to his satisfaction. Shani dev became happy and blessed her that all her desires would be fulfilled and she will remain happy in her whole

life. After blessing to her, Shanidev has vanished. After that the lady went up again and found ample food grains etc. She cooked a sumptuous supper for the whole family. The Brahmin families were happy to have the food and asked her that from where she got all the grocery. The lady told them all the story of the leper. Listening to story, they were quite happy. As suddenly the Brahmin found a bundle of Patravali (A leaf in which the food was served). He opened the bundle and got diamonds and pearls in it. He enquired of other daughter-in-law about the leper, they informed that the leper had come to them twice but they did not give him anything. The leper got angry and after that everything vanished from house. The Brahmin advised them to keep fast on Saturday and helped to needy people. He also offered prayers to Shanidev and asked blessing for all his family. Varth kath – II Once there was a Brahman. He used to guard against evil spirits at the king’s main gate palace. One day he heard a strange voice and was frightened. He heard this voice for a number of days. He never talked about that mysterious voice to his wife. One day his wife said, “I try to provide you best nutritious meals, still you are losing your health. What is wrong with you?†For some time, he kept mum. His wife insisted that he should reveal his internal feelings to get rid of any * unnecessary strain. The Brahman said, “I hear a strange voice every Saturday. It says that it wants to afflict the king. The duration of affliction will be either seven-and-a-half years or two-and-a-half years or two-and-a-half months or two-and-a-half days or at least for

two-and-a-half prahar i.e. seven-and-a-half hours. The king can opt for any period but the affliction is a must.†The Brahman’s wife smiled and said, “Why didn’t you tell it earlier? The king must be saved even at our cost. You accept two-and-a-half ‘prahars’ affliction for you. The spirit again visited the palace and repeated the same message. The Brahman said, “I offer to take King’s affliction upon myself. You can be upon me for two-and-a-half prahars.†The spirit was pleased at Brahman’s offer.. The Brahman went to a riverbank. He wanted to spent that time in meditation. He noticed two water-melons floating on the surface of water. He caught them by their tops and placed them under his thigh. The king’s princes had been out for hunting for the last two days. They had not returned. The king was in great agony. He sent his messengers in various directions for searching out the princes. Incidentally, a messenger came to the Brahman. To his great surprise, he saw that the Brahman was hiding the heads of the princes under his thigh. He reported the matter to the king. The king was enraged. He ordered that the Brahman be impaled or hanged. The king asked the Brahman what his last desire was. The Brahman said, “Please do not kill me for two-and-a-half prahars.†The king agreed. As the stipulated time was over arrangements for Brahman’s end were made ready. The Brahman was to be beheaded with a red hot iron spear. As the slaughter man attacked the Brahman, the hot spear got broken into pieces. The slaughter man now took a red hot silver spear. That spear too was broken into pieces before it touched the Brahman’s neck. The slaughter man took out a red hot golden spear and tried to behead the Brahman. The third spear also did have a different fate.

The onlookers were surprised at the sight of such a miracle. Suddenly, the princes too, appeared at the scene. The king embraced the princes and felt sorry for he Brahman. The king said, “O, Brahman! What is this puzzle?†Reveal this mystery to one and all.†The Brahman said, “The Saturn wanted to afflict you. I took your affliction upon me to save you and the kingdom. The Saturn made the water melons appear as human heads. Now could I have killed the princes? I have always been a saviour of this kingdom.†The king said, “1 don’t believe your utterings. I want to see the Saturn myself. If you do not show me, all the members of your family will be crushed in the grinder.†The Brahman began to tremble. He begged for a week’s time. He went

to his house. His wife said, “You look pale and horrified. What is the matter?†The Brahman said, “The Saturn wrought the affliction on me. I was saved because I acted according to your advice. Now, if I do not show Saturn to the king, all of us will be crushed under the grinder wheels.†The Brahman’s wife said, “Have patience. You staked your life for a better cause. God will help us.†The Brahman had a sigh of relief. His wife said, “Ask the king to get up early in the morning on the coming Saturday. Saturn will be riding a black horse under the black mountain.. He will be covered with a black blanket, all soaked in oil. The king can have his glimpse.†The Brahman took the king to the black mountain the next Saturday. A black shadow was riding a black horse. The king said, “Who are you?†The Saturn said, “I am Saturn. I afflict the poor as well as the kings alike.†The king said, “How can we avoid your affliction?†The Saturn said, “The rich should donate a black horse or one-and-a-quarter maunds of gold on Saturday. The middle-income group can donate iron and black blankets.. The poor can give oil-touched loaf to a black dog. The still poorer can water a peepal tree, place some gur there and wrap the tree with a piece of kuchcha thread.†The Brahman said, “Do not afflict our king.. Your affliction on the king will affect our town. I can stand your afflictions on myself in the future also.†The Saturn suddenly disappeared alongwith his black horse and the king returned to his palace. He was pleased with the Brahman. The Brahman’s wife felt happy when the husband reported the whole happening to her. Varth kath – III Once there were two sisters Lakshmi and Daridra. Lakshmi was the goddess of wealth while Daridra was the goddess of poverty. Though they were real sisters, their behaviour towards others and temperament were totally different. Lakshmi got up early in the morning. She took her bath regularly. She remembered God regularly. She took keen interest in her day-to-day work with a smiling face. She befriended everybody and worked till late at night. Daridra was very lazy. She got up very late. She did not take her bath. Washing clothes was a rare occasion for her. She was very discourteous. She was as much a flirt and unthoughtful. Cruelty and awe were natural to her. She generally told lies and befooled others. She was always hated by men in the street. Goddess Lakshmi was very much liked by Lord Krishna and he married her happily. Daridra remained alone. She became sad. One day Lakshmi said to Lord Krishna, “My dear husband, Daridra is my real sister. She is alone. Now she is quite grown up. Please arrange for her marriage.. The life of an unmarried woman is difficult in our society.†Lord Krishna said, “My love, your worry is justified. But who will accept her in marriage? Her way of living is hated by one and all. She wears shabby clothes and loiters away her time. Even an ordinary man will not take her hand.†Lakshmi said, “Arrange her marriage with a Rishi. He would not expect much from her because most of his time he would be busy performing religious rites.†Lord Krishna agreed. He searched for a suitable match for Daridra.. A Rishi agreed to marry her. Most of the Rishi’s disciples were away. He needed someone’s help in performing the ‘Yajna’. Goddess Lakshmi was happy that a Rishi had accepted her sister’s hand. After performing her marriage, they returned to their kingdom. Daridra could not accept Rishi’s way of life. She would get up late. She would not take her bath. She would not care for the cleanliness of the Ashram. The Rishi was fed up with her indolence. He gave her up. Daridra was badly disappointed. She went to Lakshmi again. She looked very shabby and disorderly. Lakshmi felt pity for her. She said to Krishna , “Please arrange a suitable abode for her. A woman’s life without a suitable abode is difficult. I knew that habits die hard but she has a right to live in this world.†Lord Krishna accepted Lakshmi’s request. All the three came down to earth together. Krishna spotted out a Peepal tree in a lonely corner. They went to that tree. Lord Krishna said to Daridra, “You can reside under this tree. This is a lonely place suited to your temperament. You need not clean this place daily. None would visit this place either. You may live as you please.†Daridra said, “I will be fed up with lonely life. Lonely place is an abode of ghosts. Please do visit me frequently with my sister, Lakshmi.†Lord Krishna agreed. He gave a word to her that he would visit and stay at the peepal tree on every Saturday alongwith Lakshmi. From that day onwards, people visit Peepal tree on every Saturday. They water it and offer their prayers, knowing well that Lord Krishna and Lakshmi reside in the tree on Saturdays.

dil se,

Bharath.Krishna

Doha, Qatar

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