Hindu Fistivals.

[Guest guest]

Dear friends and devotees,

 

Bhakti is etenal,

 

5.MAKARA SANKRANTI

 

(In the middle of January)

 

SALUTATIONS and adorations to the Supreme Lord, the primordial power that

divided the year into the four seasons. Salutations to Surya, the Sun-God, who

on this great day embarks on his northward journey.

The Sanskrit term " Shankramana " means " to begin to move " . The day on which the

sun begins to move northwards is called Makara Shankranti. It usually falls in

the middle of January.

Among the Tamilians in South India this festival is called the Pongal.

To many people, especially the Tamilians, Makara Shankranti ushers in the New

Year. The corn that is newly-harvested is cooked for the first time on that day.

Joyous festivities mark the celebration in every home. Servants, farmers and the

poor are fed and clothed and given presents of money. On the next day, the cow,

which is regarded as the symbol of the Holy Mother, is worshipped. Then there is

the feeding of birds and animals.

In this manner the devotee's heart expands slowly during the course of the

celebrations, first embracing with its long arms of love the entire household

and neighbours, then the servants and the poor, then the cow, and then all other

living creatures. Without even being aware of it, one develops the heart and

expands it to such proportions that the whole universe finds a place in it.

As Shankranti is also the beginning of the month, Brahmins offer oblations to

departed ancestors. Thus, all the great sacrifices enjoined upon man find their

due place in this grand celebration. The worship of the Cosmic Form of the Lord

is so well introduced into this, that every man and woman in India is

delightfully led to partake of it without even being aware of it.

To the spiritual aspirants this day has a special significance. The six-month

period during which the sun travels northwards is highly favourable to them in

their march towards the goal of life. It is as though they are flowing easily

with the current towards the Lord. Paramahamsa Sannyasins roam about freely

during this period, dispelling gloom from the hearts of all. The Devas and

Rishis rejoice at the advent of the new season, and readily come to the aid of

the aspirant.

When the renowned Bhishma, the grandfather of the Pandavas, was fatally

wounded during the war of the Mahabharata, he waited on his deathbed of nails

for the onset of this season, before finally departing from the earth-plane. Let

us on this great day pay our homage to him and strive to become men of firm

resolve ourselves.

As already mentioned, this is the Pongal festival in South India. It is

closely connected with agriculture. To the agriculturalist, it is a day of

triumph. He would have by then brought home the fruits of his patient toil.

Symbolically, the first harvest is offered to the Almighty—and that is Pongal.

To toil was his task, his duty, but the fruit is now offered to the Lord. This

is the spirit of Karma Yoga.

The master is not allowed to grab all the harvest for himself either. Pongal

is the festival during which the landlord distributes food, clothes and money

among the labourers who work for him. What a noble act! It is an ideal you

should constantly keep before you, not only ceremoniously on the Pongal day, but

at all times.

Be charitable. Be generous. Treat your servants as your bosom-friends and

brother workers. This is the keynote of the Pongal festival. You will then earn

their loyalty and enduring love.

The day prior to the Makara Shankranti is called the Bhogi festival. On this

day, old, worn-out and dirty things are discarded and burnt. Homes are cleaned

and white-washed and lovely designs are drawn with rice-flour on the door front.

The roads are swept clean.

These practices have their own significance from the point of view of health.

But, here I remind you that it will not do to attend to these external things

alone. Cleaning the mind of its old dirty habits of thought and feeling is more

urgently needed. Burn them up, with a wise and firm resolve to tread the path of

truth, love and purity from this holy day onwards. This is the significance of

Pongal in the life of the spiritual aspirant.

If you do this, then the Makara Shankranti has a special significance for you.

The sun, symbolising wisdom, divine knowledge and spiritual light, which receded

from you when you revelled in the darkness of ignorance, delusion and

sensuality, now joyously turns on its northward course and moves towards you to

shed its light and warmth in greater abundance, and to infuse into you more life

and energy.

In fact, the sun itself symbolises all that the Pongal festival stands for.

The message of the sun is the message of light, the message of unity, of

impartiality, of true selflessness, of the perfection of the elements of Karma

Yoga. The sun shines on all equally. It is the true benefactor of all beings.

Without the sun, life would perish on earth. It is extremely regular and

punctual in its duties, and never claims a reward or craves for recognition. If

you imbibe these virtues of the sun, what doubt is there that you will shine

with equal divine lustre!

He who dwells in the sun, whom the sun does not know, whose body the sun is,

and by whose power the sun shines—He is the Supreme Self, the indweller, the

immortal Essence. Tat Twam Asi— " That thou art " . Realise this and be free here

and now on this holy Pongal or Makara Shankranti day. This is my humble Pongal

prayer to you all.

During Shankranti, puddings, sweet rice and other delicacies are prepared in

every home, especially in South India. The pot in which the rice is cooked is

beautifully adorned with tumeric leaves and roots, the symbols of

auspiciousness. The cooking is done by the women of the household with great

faith and devotion. They feel from the bottom of their hearts that it is an

offering unto the Lord. When the milk in which the rice is being cooked boils

over, the ladies and the children assemble round the pot and shout with great

joy and devotion, " Pongalo Pongal! "

Special prayers are offered in temples and homes. Then the people of the

household gather together and partake of the offerings in an atmosphere of love

and festivity.

There is family re-union in all homes. Brothers renew their contacts with

their married sisters by giving them presents.

The landlord greets the farmer lovingly and gives him gifts of grain, clothes

and money.

On the following day, the cows are worshipped and fed. They are beautifully

adorned. In some villages the youth demonstrate their valour by taking " the bull

by the horn " —and often win their brides thereby! It is a great day for the

cattle.

Young girls prepare various special dishes, like sweet rice, sour rice, rice

with coconut, etc., and take them to the bank of a river or tank. They feed the

birds, fish and other creatures with the various items. It is a very colourful

ceremony. Crows appear in large numbers and partake of the food. They call their

mates before beginning to eat. All the time a valuable lesson is driven into our

minds— " Share what you have with all " .

Both these days, which are family re-union days, are regarded as being

inauspicious for travel. This is to prevent us from going away from home on such

days.

When you celebrate the Shankranti or Pongal in this manner, your sense of

value changes. You begin to understand that your real wealth is the goodwill and

friendship of your relatives, friends, neighbours and servants. Your wealth is

the land on which your food grows, the cattle which help you in agriculture, and

the cow which gives you milk. You begin to have greater love and respect for

them and for all living beings—the crows, the fish and all other creatures.

In Maharashtra and in North India, devotees of the Lord attach great

importance to Makara Shankranti. It is the season chosen by the Guru for

bestowing his Grace on the disciple. In the South, too, it should be noted that

it was about this time that Mahadeva favoured several of the Rishis by blessing

them with His beatific vision.

(By Swamy Sivananda)

 

To be continued. . . .

 

With love and regards,

 

Sastry.