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

[Guest guest]

Dear Nanda,

 

This is the real deal, I'm actually learning something. (besides

beginning to sound like you)..and will continue to once I get to those

files though, I must admit the last time I tried to access the calendar

I couldn't make heads nor tails of it...maybe the document will be

better. Thank you Thank you Thank you Grace

On 25/03/2005, at 7:50 PM, Nanda wrote:

> Dear All,

>

> 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.

>

>  

>

> Our beloved Karen has already put up a magnificent post compiling all

> the information on the structure of a sankalpa

>

> /message/7687

>

>  

>

> I encourage you to take some time to read and absorb this post.

>

>  

>

> Also, one of the most frequently asked questions is how 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

>

> “Understanding_the_Panchang.doc”.

>

>  

>

> 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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