Beginner Puja – Day 8 – Feedback and Q&A

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

Thank you Jami, for suggesting a panchang website http://www.hindu.org/sciences/panchangam.html

But like you said Grace, the months mentioned are not the same as we

follow in the Mandir. For example, the current month is Phalgun

according to us - It is "Meena" according to the panchangam given in

the website. (Grace, I was looking at the one for Sydney - page 44.)

But it has the Tithi's spelled out as well as the Pakshe. So if folks

want they can do a mix-n-match of the calendar from the Devi Mandir

website and the panchangam suggested by Jami.

1) Get the Sanskrit Month from the Devi Mandir Calendar

2) Use the panchang suggested by Jami, go to the one corresponding to your locality.

3) Open panchang - and look for the Solar date, and its corresponding Lunar Tithi and Paksha.

4) Put them together and you have your dates ready for the sankalpa

Hmm, we are getting somewhere here. Thank you once again Jami.

Thank you Henny for sharing this beautiful insight

"For me personally, another aspect of these verses (which when I tried

to chant the puja before I had the benefit of these lessons were my

absolute favorite and the only verses that stayed with me and never

failed to move me),is that they help me to get 'tuned into' the

'peace that passeth understanding', the Great Peace that always

already IS, everywhere, beyond appearances and all the noise. Not

that I reach that level, but there is a sense of calm, of quiet,

something cool and tender and waiting, which marks the transition to

another sphere for me."

Henny also had a question "The only problem, then, is the ringing of

the bell. Would you do that continuously during the chanting of all

verses? In that case I think I should get a smaller bell, or the

neighbours will be down to complain!"

You know Henny - when I hear the bells in the Mandir, there is a

certain undertone to it that is continuous and hums like "Om". Not

the superficial sound of bells clanging but the continued hum

underneath it. Oh dear I don’t know how to describe this sound.

While some bells can jar our ears, some of the tones are very pure.

Also the sounds of the bell serves in another way - to purify the

atmosphere and make it resonate with "Om"

Om sweet Om!

I agree that some bells are not very nice to hear but some are

absolutely incredible. Again I appeal to the Jamis and Muktimaas and

Arjunas of our satsanga to guide us to good websites that contain

good quality bells.

Also I will post later on the parts of the puja where we ring bells. I

seem to let that one fall through the cracks.

Grace said "I am forced to actually think of each step and what it

means to me as opposed to automatically reciting with some distant

goal in mind and heart."

That's true Grace - when I explained this Puja last year to a

relative, I realized how everything fit in, how everything has a

place and this puja is almost LOGICAL! When I said this to Swamiji,

he said "We understand it all the more when we explain it to others"

So this series is helping me understand and refine it more and more -

especially when I get wonderful inputs and insights from the readers.

The thing is, there are some things that I do not always understand

clearly, but instead of trying to find the meaning (if after asking

Swamiji I am still unclear) - I do exactly what you said - I do it in

the faith that this is contributing to my larger goal and it will be

revealed to me in good time.

This is just so that we do not get stuck if our understanding is wanting.

Grace also said, "A question, I have been trying to draw the yantras

with sandalwood paste and water but am having trouble. I have

sandlewood powder, which I have mixed with water but it doesn't seem

to draw very well. Am I supposed to add something else to it?"

The thicker the paste is, the better the chances of drawing with it.

But I agree it can be messy and smudgy. And no, I wouldn’t add any

ingredient to make it draw smoother. Swamiji has recommended

sandalwood and water or water alone.

OK - I believe we are all set for today. I will write on purification of water in my next post.

Jai Shree Maa

Nanda

[Guest guest]

Dear Nanda,

 

thank you for coming up with the solution for the panchang problem. In

my enthusiasm I had not noticed the other panchang uses the solar

months for the sankalpa. Anyway, it is all sorted now.

 

no further questions,

 

with love,

 

Henny

>