Auspiciousness of Margazhi Masam ( Dhanur Month ) By Sri.Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji

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Radhe Krishna To all,

 

 

" Margazhith thingal madhiniraindha nannallal

Neeradap podhuveer! Podhumino, nerizhaiyeer!

Seermalgum aippadich chelvach chirumeergal!

Koorvel kodunthozhilan Nandago pankumaran

Erarndha kanni Yasodai illanjchingam

Karmenich chengann kadirmadhiyam polmugathan

Narayanane namakke paraitharuvan

Paror pugazhap padindhelo rembavai. "

 

How is the elegance of these hymns? The first five hymns, starting with

'Margazhi thingal', are a preface. Then until the 16th hymn she wakes up the

gopis. In the following hymns she wakes up Nappinnai, then the Perumal, then His

guards at the gates ('dwarapalakas'). In this manner she wakes up each and

everyone. She wakes up Balarama (Krishna's brother). In the next hymn she

requests the Lord to get up from His bed ('sayana thirukolam') and bless them.

But she suspects if this blessing would be a true one! Hence, requests Him to

sit on the throne ('seeriya singasanathirundu') and bless them. Since Bhagavan

walks up to His throne and blesses them, she sings the praises of the Lotus Feet

of the Lord and then prays for the grant of eternal service to the Lord.

 

'Margazhith thingal' Chaturmasya (the four months of monsoon - roughly

from mid-July to mid-November) the ascetics go on fast. 'Sayana Ekadasi'

('Ekadasi' is the 11th day after the new/full moon) is spoken of in Perumal

temple. In the Tamizh month of 'Adi' (the last Ekadasi that we saw--- November

month/'Ippasi'--- is known as 'Uthana Ekadasi') Bhagavan is asleep ('sayana

thirukkolam'). He wakes up now (in the month of Margazhi). What type of period

('kala') is this whence Bhagavan Himself is asleep? We should wake up at 3'o

clock in the morning. What should we do when we wake up early in the morning

('pratha kala')? There is a great Divine power ('shakti') in the cosmic. If we

wake up at 3'o clock this power brings peace ('ranjanam') to the mind. And this

time, whence the mind is at peace, is congenial to meditation ('dhyana'). We are

able to meditate well. So, we should wake up at 3'o clock in the morning and

meditate. Later, after 5'o clock we

should chant prayers ('slokas'). We should chant whatever 'slokas' our Achharya

/ Guru (spiritual Teacher/Guide) has blessed us with. Then, we should perform

'puja' to Bhagavan followed by reading ('parayana') of holy texts. We should

then have our food and rest a while. At dusk we should sing kirtanas (hymns)

then again meditate a while in the night. This is the routine discipline

('anushtana krama') that one has to follow everyday. Similarly, there are

disciplines prescribed for the whole year. Beginning from 'Sayana Ekadasi' to

'Uthhana Ekadasi' one should perform penance ('tapas'). What is the reason?

Bhagavan Himself is asleep. Bhagavan's sleep is known as yogic sleep ('Yoga

nidra'). Why has Bhagavan gone into Yogic sleep? Our one completed year is equal

to a day of the Devas. In that one day, beginning from 'Sayana Ekadasi' to

'Uthhana Ekadasi' the Devas are also asleep. When do these Devas who are asleep,

wake up?

 

They wake up in this month of Margazhi. Our Margazhi month is 'pratha kala',

i.e. 3 to 5 in the morning, for the Devas. The Devas wake up at 'pratha kala'.

What do these Devas who wake up in the early hours of morning do? It is said

that there is no Perumal in Deva loka. Devas do not have Perumal but it is said

that Vishnu does exist in heaven as Upendra. Though this Upendra is 'seen' by

them He does not exist in the form of a deity ('archhavatara') as in a Temple.

But, when the Devas desire to worship Bhagavan where do they go? It is said that

they come down to the earth. On the earth they worship the Perumal in the

various Temples, have His darshan. Since these Devas come to the earth in

'pratha kala' we should wake up at this time. What is the meaning of drawing

huge 'kolams' at the door of the house? The Devas pass the streets. In each and

every 'Raja veedhi' or wherever there is a Perumal temple one finds South

sannidhi street, north sannidhi

street, etc... The Devas visit such Holy places ('kshetras') on the earth;

hence, we should draw big kolams at the door. So, 'Margazhith thingal', ----

Since the Devas wake up early in the morning and worship Bhagavan we should also

worship Him. In the Gita, Bhagavan says, " Amongst the months I AM Margazhi. " -

'Masanam Margasheershoham' Margazhi month is said to be an inauspicious one

('peedai masam').

 

Marriages and other auspicious functions are not conducted in this month. When

Bhagavan spells out that amongst the month He is Margazhi, why is this month

considered inauspicious? In fact, this should be a revered/most favorable month.

One should be able to conduct marriages, house warming ceremony or any other

auspicious function in this month. But I pondered over, " why have the Mahans

termed this month as inauspicious? " And the conclusion that I drew is that if

performance of marriages or any other auspicious function were permitted in this

month then our minds would continue to be drowned only in such worldly affairs!

At least, this one-month let the people worship the Lord! Is this not the period

to worship Bhagavan? This is the time to worship. Is it not? Early morning

perform 'Thiruaradhana' for Bhagavan, perform Nama Sankirtana, meditate

('dhyana'). Since this one-month (the thirty days) is early morning ('pratha

kala') for the Devas, people

should be made to involve themselves only in spiritual matters. Hence, they

have been forbidden us from conducting such worldly functions! This is the

reason for labeling this month as inauspicious!

 

'Margazhith thingal madhiniraindha nanallal' --- The Devas wake up in this

'pratha kala'. Andal has chosen this time. The Gopis had also chosen this same

time and performed worship of Goddess Karthyayini. Here Andal does not worship

Karthyayini but performs 'puja' for Bhagavan Himself. Though it is said that she

performed 'puja' for Manmata it was not done here.

 

'Margazhith thingal madhiniraindha nanallal' - Periyavachhanpillai says, " She

(Andal) is the daughter of Periyazhwar who has studied the Shastras. Then why

has she chosen Margazhi month? " The Swamy goes on to answer his own question.

" There is something called 'rasa kulligai'. What will one who holds this 'rasa

kulligai' in his hand do? This 'rasa kulligai' possesses the power of turning

any object into gold by its very touch. Similarly, anyone who holds on to

Bhagavan has no auspicious or inauspicious time. They are not bound by any hard

and fast rule regarding the period to perform or abstain from carrying out a

work. This is because Bhagavan is their protector. What is the greatness of

Bhakti? One who practices Yoga attains ‘siddhis’, one who practices Vedanta

enquiry attains 'siddhis', one who practices 'Karmanushtanas' attains 'siddhis'

but the one who is full of devotion does not attain any kind of 'siddhi'.

Bhagavan feels that one who is

devoted to Him needs no 'siddhi'. That is because He is the protector

('Rakshaka'). He gives whatever is required (by His devotee), removes whatever

is not needed, leads the devotee in the path suited to him/her; Since Bhagavan

takes utmost interest in the devotee's needs the latter will not earn/attain any

'siddhi'. The greatest 'siddhi' is Bhagavan Himself! "

 

“So, just as having a 'rasa kulligai' in the hand, the devotees ('Bhakthas')

hold Krishna in their fists! Since Andal holds Krishna Himself in her fist is

there any want for her? Therefore, the month that she chooses is the most

auspicious one. So, 'Margazhith thingal' -- the month of Margazhi - 'thingal'

means month. Or, 'Margazhith thingal madhiniraindha nanallal' - this Margazhi

month: everyone knows that Margazhi itself refers only to Margazhi month. So,

here the usage of the term 'thingal' could have been to mean Monday (in Tamizh

'thingal' carries the dual meaning of 'Month' and 'Monday'). 'Madhinirainda

nannallal' - The Swamy says it is full moon ('Poornima') The moon is full. -

('madhi'-moon; 'nirainda'-full) so, 'madhinirainda nanallal'. In another place

he says, 'Today it has struck you to perform a good act, take a vow of worship

for the attainment of God. So, only today you have a good buddhi.

-’Madhinirainda nanallal' - Only today the

'buddhi is full'. Why? You have realized that you should attain Bhagavan. The

thought to take up this vow of worship (‘nonbu’) with a view to attain

Bhagavan has come into you. And how is this 'nonbu'? This is also experiencing

Bhagavan ('Bhagavat anubhavam'). Here it is not performance of religious rites

('Karmanushtanas'). It is not a difficult path. Since this path is of getting

together to speak about Bhagavan, it is 'madhinirainda nanallal' - It is

'suklapaksha' (when the movement of time/ days is towards full moon).

'Suklapaksha' is auspicious for the conduct of any good work. The Swamy explains

that it is full moon (‘Poornima’). The ‘nonbu’ has been taken up in the

month of Margazhi on a Monday and whence it is full moon. He does not mention

the Star of the day because in each month one knows the star that falls on full

moon. When one says Chithra poornima it is the star Chithra on that day. When

one speaks of (the month) Vaikasi

poornima everyone knows that it is Visakha star.

 

On Adi poornima the star is Pooram. Similarly, on Purattasi poornima the star is

Shravanam. The star is Poosam in Thai poornima. And Margazhi poornima it is

Thiruvadhirai. - 'Margazhith thingal madhiniraindha nanallal'

 

Regards & Chant

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

 

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