Beginner Puja – Day 7 – We Shall Not, We Shall Not Be Moved!

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

(My apologies to anyone who gets this post twice, but please use THIS

post as it has some minor changes in the content)

Now we come to one of the MOST important parts of the puja – the sankalpa !!!!!

A sankalpa can mean two things (both closely related)

1) It is a precise statement of purpose - where, when, and who is

doing for what purpose. And,

2) It is an intent or commitment to the completion of a task.

Swamiji says, “"San" means altogether, "kalpa" comes from kalpana meaning idea.

The san kalpa means that all my ideas, all thoughts, have united in

only one thought, I have only one idea, one goal, and that is defined

in this undertaking.”

This means, that once we take the sankalpa, there is no going back or

stopping or getting up half way through pujas to check emails (as I

was once prone to do) or talking to people or stopping to admire

something out of the window.

This means that, we know what we are doing and why we are doing it and

there is NOTHING else that’s more important than what we are doing at

that moment.

Swamiji tells us “The performance of worship without a sankalpa yields

50% of the fruits as compared to performing with a sankalpa.”

So there ya go …

In fact, Shree Maa takes a sankalpa for every task – once a few months

ago, I had made some vadas (fried lentil doughnut) and took them to

Maa with the fond hope that she would eat them piping hot. Maa was

sewing a turban for Shiva at that time and She smiled and said that

she needed to finish that task before she could do anything else.

That episode has stayed in my mind ever since as an example of how we

need to keep our focus on the task at hand – be it reading or writing

a post or doing a puja.

The puja is merely inculcating this discipline in us.

Now that we know the importance of a sankalpa, let us examine the

structure of a sankalpa. The following post

/message/7687by our beloved

Karen says it all. She has explained very clearly based on her

understanding and I encourage you to take some time to read and

absorb this post.

While trying to understand the different parts of a sankalpa, one

portion where most people have difficulty over is learning to

decipher a lunar calendar aka panchang.

I created a PowerPoint presentation called panchang.ppt and put it up

in the files section of our group

Calendar/

For those that are unable to view the PowerPoint, I have also created

it as a document called “Understanding_the_Panchang.doc”. (Try the

PowerPoint first as it is very visual and steps you through the

process)

So today’s post is relatively short and sweet but points back to some

reading resources for you, my dear reader.

It is vital and critical and important that you are able to absorb

this information. So would y’all please take the time to do these

assignments for today?

Reference materials:

a) Please make sure you login to first before you go this

hyperlink.The files under

Calendar/

b) Post /message/7687

Today’s assignment:

1) Download the file Calendar_2004_2005.jpg from

Calendar/

2) Based on your understanding of the panchang

(Understanding_the_Panchang.doc or panchang.ppt) and sankalpa

(/message/7687) as mentioned

in the reference documents, can you please compile a sankalpa for 7th

Aug 2005

3) What are the lunar month, paksha and tithi for a) 3rd May 2005

and b) 15 June 2005

I look forward to hearing from you – any questions, feedback on your assignments and comments.

Thanks and JAI MAANanda

[Guest guest]

Dear Nanda,

 

the posts prepared earlier by Karen and yourself are very clear and

have been promptly printed for further use. Thank you very much. I

found out how a sankalpa works when I was tempted to skip Prayer Club

because I thought I was too tired and found I just could not do it

because I had taken the sankalpa. Shree Maa's example of taking a

sankalpa for every task is very inspiring, and I will try this out in

a small way on a task concerning household duties I particularly

dislike.

And, by the way, I'm your sister (Henny is short for either Hendrik or

Hendrika and in my case it's the latter),

 

with love,

 

Henny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

, Nanda <chandimaakijai> wrote:

>

> Dear All,

>

> (My apologies to anyone who gets this post twice, but please use

THIS post as it has some minor changes in the content)

>

>

>

> Now we come to one of the MOST important parts of the puja – the

sankalpa !!!!!

>

>

>

> A sankalpa can mean two things (both closely related)

>

> 1) It is a precise statement of purpose - where, when, and who

is doing for what purpose. And,

>

> 2) It is an intent or commitment to the completion of a task.

>

>

>

> Swamiji says, ""San" means altogether, "kalpa" comes from kalpana

meaning idea.

>

> The san kalpa means that all my ideas, all thoughts, have united in

only one thought, I have only one idea, one goal, and that is defined

in this undertaking."

>

>

>

> This means, that once we take the sankalpa, there is no going back

or stopping or getting up half way through pujas to check emails (as I

was once prone to do) or talking to people or stopping to admire

something out of the window.

>

>

>

> This means that, we know what we are doing and why we are doing it

and there is NOTHING else that's more important than what we are doing

at that moment.

>

>

>

> Swamiji tells us "The performance of worship without a sankalpa

yields 50% of the fruits as compared to performing with a sankalpa."

>

>

>

> So there ya go …

>

>

>

> In fact, Shree Maa takes a sankalpa for every task – once a few

months ago, I had made some vadas (fried lentil doughnut) and took

them to Maa with the fond hope that she would eat them piping hot. Maa

was sewing a turban for Shiva at that time and She smiled and said

that she needed to finish that task before she could do anything else.

>

>

>

> That episode has stayed in my mind ever since as an example of how

we need to keep our focus on the task at hand – be it reading or

writing a post or doing a puja.

>

>

>

> The puja is merely inculcating this discipline in us.

>

>

>

> Now that we know the importance of a sankalpa, let us examine the

structure of a sankalpa. The following post http://groups..

com/message/7687

> by our beloved Karen says it all. She has explained very clearly

based on her understanding and I encourage you to take some time to

read and absorb this post.

>

>

>

> While trying to understand the different parts of a sankalpa, one

portion where most people have difficulty over is learning to decipher

a lunar calendar aka panchang.

>

> I created a PowerPoint presentation called panchang.ppt and put it

up in the files section of our group http://groups..

comCalendar/

>

>

>

> For those that are unable to view the PowerPoint, I have also

created it as a document called "Understanding_the_Panchang.doc". (Try

the PowerPoint first as it is very visual and steps you through the

process)

>

>

>

> So today's post is relatively short and sweet but points back to

some reading resources for you, my dear reader.

>

>

>

> It is vital and critical and important that you are able to absorb

this information. So would y'all please take the time to do these

assignments for today?

>

>

>

> Reference materials:

>

> a) Please make sure you login to first before you go this

hyperlink.

> The files under http://groups..

comCalendar/

>

> b) Post /message/7687

>

>

>

> Today's assignment:

>

> 1) Download the file Calendar_2004_2005.jpg from http://groups.

Calendar/

>

> 2) Based on your understanding of the panchang

(Understanding_the_Panchang.doc or panchang.ppt) and sankalpa (http:

///message/7687) as mentioned in the

reference documents, can you please compile a sankalpa for 7th Aug

2005

>

> 3) What are the lunar month, paksha and tithi for

> a) 3rd May 2005 and

> b) 15 June 2005

>

>

>

> I look forward to hearing from you – any questions, feedback on your

assignments and comments.

>

> Thanks and JAI MAA

> Nanda

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

, Nanda <chandimaakijai> wrote:

 

2) Based on your understanding of the panchang

(Understanding_the_Panchang.doc or panchang.ppt) and sankalpa

(/message/7687) as mentioned

in the reference documents, can you please compile a sankalpa for 7th

Aug 2005

 

Here goes my attempt:

 

vishnu om tat sat, om adya jambudvipe, America dese, Kalifornia

pradese, Stockton nagare, Shree Maa mandire, Shravan mase, shukla

pakse, trityam tithau, Satyananda gotra, sri Rick krtaitat, sri durga

kamah, puja karmaham karisye.

 

3) What are the lunar month, paksha and tithi for

a) 3rd May 2005 and

b) 15 June 2005

 

 

3rd May 2005 - Chaitra mase, krishna pakse, dasamam (if before

sunrise, ekadasam if after) tithau

 

15 June 2005 - Jyeshth mase, shukla pakse, ashtamam tithau

 

Thank you so much for your puja notes and explanations. Shree Maa

radiates through you, dear sister/teacher. Your work in Her behalf is

priceless beyond measure. I bow to you again and again.

 

Jai Shree Maa cha Swamiji!

 

Your brother,

 

Rick

[Guest guest]

Dear Nanda,

Assignment

May 3, 2005 Chaitra Maase, Krishna Pakse and Dasamam Tithau before

sunrise and Ekadasam Tithau after

June 15, 2005 Jayeshth Maase, Shukla Pakse, Ashtaman Tithau

 

My question is , is this calendar accurate for Australia or only for

the United States, particularly at the change over times.

Thank you again for your time, and energy, and thoughtfulness.

Jai Maa and Jai Swamiji

Grace

On 25/03/2005, at 8:05 PM, Nanda wrote:

> Dear All,

>

> (My apologies to anyone who gets this post twice, but please use THIS

> post as it has some minor changes in the content)

>

>  

>

> Now we come to one of the MOST important parts of the puja – the

> sankalpa !!!!!

>

>  

>

> A sankalpa can mean two things (both closely related)

>

> 1)      It is a precise statement of purpose - where, when, and who is

> doing for what purpose. And,

>

> 2)      It is an intent or commitment to the completion of a task.

>

>  

>

> Swamiji says, “"San" means altogether, "kalpa" comes from kalpana

> meaning idea.

>

> The san kalpa means that all my ideas, all thoughts, have united in

> only one thought, I have only one idea, one goal, and that is defined

> in this undertaking.”

>

>  

>

> This means, that once we take the sankalpa, there is no going back or

> stopping or getting up half way through pujas to check emails (as I

> was once prone to do) or talking to people or stopping to admire

> something out of the window.

>

>  

>

> This means that, we know what we are doing and why we are doing it and

> there is NOTHING else that’s more important than what we are doing at

> that moment.

>

>  

>

> Swamiji tells us “The performance of worship without a sankalpa yields

> 50% of the fruits as compared to performing with a sankalpa.”

>

>  

>

> So there ya go …

>

>  

>

> In fact, Shree Maa takes a sankalpa for every task – once a few months

> ago, I had made some vadas (fried lentil doughnut) and took them to

> Maa with the fond hope that she would eat them piping hot. Maa was

> sewing a turban for Shiva at that time and She smiled and said that

> she needed to finish that task before she could do anything else.

>

>  

>

> That episode has stayed in my mind ever since as an example of how we

> need to keep our focus on the task at hand – be it reading or writing

> a post or doing a puja.

>

>  

>

> The puja is merely inculcating this discipline in us.

>

>  

>

> Now that we know the importance of a sankalpa, let us examine the

> structure of a sankalpa. The following post

> /message/7687

> by our beloved Karen says it all. She has explained very clearly based

> on her understanding and I encourage you to take some time to read and

> absorb this post.

>

>  

>

> While trying to understand the different parts of a sankalpa, one

> portion where most people have difficulty over is learning to decipher

> a lunar calendar aka panchang.

>

> I created a PowerPoint presentation called panchang.ppt and put it up

> in the files section of our group

> Calendar/

>

>  

>

> For those that are unable to view the PowerPoint, I have also created

> it as a document called “Understanding_the_Panchang.doc”. (Try the

> PowerPoint first as it is very visual and steps you through the

> process)

>

>  

>

> So today’s post is relatively short and sweet but points back to some

> reading resources for you, my dear reader.

>

>  

>

> It is vital and critical and important that you are able to absorb

> this information. So would y’all please take the time to do these

> assignments for today?

>

>  

>

> Reference materials:

>

> a)      Please make sure you login to first before you go this

> hyperlink.

> The files under

> Calendar/ 

>

> b)      Post /message/7687

>

>  

>

> Today’s assignment:

>

> 1)      Download the file Calendar_2004_2005.jpg from

> Calendar/

>

> 2)      Based on your understanding of the panchang

> (Understanding_the_Panchang.doc or panchang.ppt) and sankalpa

> (/message/7687) as mentioned

> in the reference documents, can you please compile a sankalpa for 7th

> Aug 2005

>

> 3)      What are the lunar month, paksha and tithi for

> a) 3rd May 2005 and

> b) 15 June 2005

>

>  

>

> I look forward to hearing from you – any questions, feedback on your

> assignments and comments.

>

> Thanks and JAI MAA

> Nanda

>

>

>

>

>

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