Guest guest Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 Is anyone here familiar with the Hindu Calendar (Panchang). I've found Hindu Calendar info on the Web, but it's confusing. According to one source, the Hindu calendar year begins when the Sun enters the Zodiac sign of Mesha (Aries) on the Vernal Equinox. Vedic Astrology uses the Sidereal Zodiac which is now about 24 degrees behind the Tropical Zodiac (used in the West). In other words, 0 degrees Aries Tropical is actually about 6 degrees Pisces Sidereal. But the Hindu month "Chaitra" straddles March-April, so it sounds like (for calendar purposes) the Hindus are using the Tropical Zodiac. Does anyone here know? Also I was told that Diwali (Deepavali) marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. The reason this is so important is that when activating/consecrating a Yantra for worship, what Hindu month, phase of the Moon, day of the week, hour of the day the ritual is performed is critical. There are certain Hindu months that are not recommended for consecration of a particular type of mantra. This is all very much like Western Ceremonial Magic -- in fact, I'm sure that the Western magicians took much of their ritual from the East. Lynne, thank you for your help. Yes, you are right, simplified forms of Yantra worship are acceptable after the initial activation. Astraea , "Lynne McKinnon" <omgirl@p...> wrote: > Also Astrea, > I've seen a metal yantra on my teacher's altar and I understand it to represents Shiva in You, your Self. You can make offerings to it of flowers, light, incense and know that it respresents the ever- present All in you. Hope that helps. > Namaste, Lynne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 Namaste Astraea, I am not very informed about the differences between the western and eastern calendar. I am sure the priests at your local hindu temple will have a copy of the panchang as applicable to your area. They might even help you consecrate the yantra. Or were you planning on doing it yourself ? Another option would be to give the yantra to your Guru and get his/her blessings. Latha , "astraea2003" <astraea2003> wrote: > Is anyone here familiar with the Hindu Calendar (Panchang). I've > found Hindu Calendar info on the Web, but it's confusing. > > According to one source, the Hindu calendar year begins when the Sun > enters the Zodiac sign of Mesha (Aries) on the Vernal Equinox. > > Vedic Astrology uses the Sidereal Zodiac which is now about 24 > degrees behind the Tropical Zodiac (used in the West). In other > words, 0 degrees Aries Tropical is actually about 6 degrees Pisces > Sidereal. > > But the Hindu month "Chaitra" straddles March-April, so it sounds > like (for calendar purposes) the Hindus are using the Tropical Zodiac. > Does anyone here know? > > Also I was told that Diwali (Deepavali) marks the beginning of the > Hindu New Year. > > The reason this is so important is that when activating/consecrating > a Yantra for worship, what Hindu month, phase of the Moon, day of the > week, hour of the day the ritual is performed is critical. There are > certain Hindu months that are not recommended for consecration of a > particular type of mantra. This is all very much like Western > Ceremonial Magic -- in fact, I'm sure that the Western magicians took > much of their ritual from the East. > > Lynne, thank you for your help. Yes, you are right, simplified forms > of Yantra worship are acceptable after the initial activation. > > Astraea > > , "Lynne McKinnon" <omgirl@p...> > wrote: > > Also Astrea, > > I've seen a metal yantra on my teacher's altar and I understand it > to represents Shiva in You, your Self. You can make offerings to it > of flowers, light, incense and know that it respresents the ever- > present All in you. Hope that helps. > > Namaste, Lynne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Namaste Latha, It finally dawn on me why the modern Hindu calendar months are based on the Tropical Zodiac. The Tropical Zodiac reflects the changes in season or the Solar Year. What complicates this is that for Vedic Astrology the Sidereal Zodiac is used. The Sidereal Zodiac is aligned with the star constellations. So when a Hindu or Vedic Astrologer talks about Birthstars and which signs the planets & luminaries (Sun & Moon) are in, he's refering to the Sidereal Zodiac which is about 24 degrees behind the Tropical. In Vedic Astrology, the lunar mansions or Nakshastras are critically important for ALL the planets but especially for tracking the Moon. As far as phases of the Moon go(so important for ritual work), one can use the Western style (Tropical Zodiac) astrological calendar. BUT you have to change the Moon signs to their Sidereal signs. I'm going to buy a Hindu calendar. Thank you so much for your suggestions. Right now going to a Hindu Temple to have the Yantras consecrated is out of the question. I'll have to see if Someone is willing to bless my Yantras. The traditional Tantric Yantra activation/consecration rituals are incredibly involved. I have a couple of books by L.R. Chawdri that are just a pain to go thru -- just cluttered with superstition, black magic, typos and other errors -- but I'll have to go thru them to piece together the rituals. And on top of everything, some of the mantras are not transliterated into English phonetics, the small Devanagari script used in the book does not match the Sanskrit flash cards I have. Aaaarggghh! Astraea , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Namaste Astraea, > I am not very informed about the differences between the western and > eastern calendar. > I am sure the priests at your local hindu temple will have a copy of > the panchang as applicable to your area. They might even help you > consecrate the yantra. Or were you planning on doing it yourself ? > Another option would be to give the yantra to your Guru and get > his/her blessings. > Latha > > > > > , "astraea2003" <astraea2003> > wrote: > > Is anyone here familiar with the Hindu Calendar (Panchang). I've > > found Hindu Calendar info on the Web, but it's confusing. > > > > According to one source, the Hindu calendar year begins when the > Sun > > enters the Zodiac sign of Mesha (Aries) on the Vernal Equinox. > > > > Vedic Astrology uses the Sidereal Zodiac which is now about 24 > > degrees behind the Tropical Zodiac (used in the West). In other > > words, 0 degrees Aries Tropical is actually about 6 degrees Pisces > > Sidereal. > > > > But the Hindu month "Chaitra" straddles March-April, so it sounds > > like (for calendar purposes) the Hindus are using the Tropical > Zodiac. > > Does anyone here know? > > > > Also I was told that Diwali (Deepavali) marks the beginning of the > > Hindu New Year. > > > > The reason this is so important is that when > activating/consecrating > > a Yantra for worship, what Hindu month, phase of the Moon, day of > the > > week, hour of the day the ritual is performed is critical. There > are > > certain Hindu months that are not recommended for consecration of a > > particular type of mantra. This is all very much like Western > > Ceremonial Magic -- in fact, I'm sure that the Western magicians > took > > much of their ritual from the East. > > > > Lynne, thank you for your help. Yes, you are right, simplified > forms > > of Yantra worship are acceptable after the initial activation. > > > > Astraea > > > > , "Lynne McKinnon" <omgirl@p...> > > wrote: > > > Also Astrea, > > > I've seen a metal yantra on my teacher's altar and I understand > it > > to represents Shiva in You, your Self. You can make offerings to > it > > of flowers, light, incense and know that it respresents the ever- > > present All in you. Hope that helps. > > > Namaste, Lynne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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