Tag Archives: Ram Navami

Day Nine Navaratri, April 2016: Matangi, Goddess of Royal Elephant Power

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Om Hreem Aim Shreem

Namo Bhagavati Ucchisthachandali

Sri Matangeswari Sarvagyanavashamkari Swaha

220px-Matangi_yantra_colorThe ninth day of Navratri is known as MahaNavami. It is Ram Navami, the day of Lord Ram’s birthday which is celebrated as the victory of light over dark. The Todala Tantra (Ch. 10) correlates Lord Vishnu’s ten incarnations with the ten Mahavidyas as follows: “Tara Devi is the blue form; Bagla is the tortoise incarnation; Dhumavati is the boar, Chinnamasta is Narasimha; Bhuvaneshvari is Vamana, Matangi is the Rama form; Tripura is Jamadagni, Bhairavi is Balabhadra; Mahalakshmi is Buddha, and Durga is the Kalki form. Bhagavati Kali is the Krishna murti.” So today is devoted to Lord Ram and also the Goddess Matangi. It is also the day of Saraswati, who is related in some ways to Matangi.

matangi devi fierceIn fact, Sri Maa Matangi is considered the Tantric version of Goddess Saraswati and is said to rule over music, art, sound and learning. She is associated with living outside the normal bounds of society which symbolically refers to the sound current before it manifests in the world. Matangi is worshipped for power over enemies and for other kinds of mystical powers including attracting money and love as well as attaining the highest knowledge. She is often depicted as the color of emerald, with three eyes, wearing a crescent moon on her head, holding a hammer, noose, goad and shield in her four hands. Like Lalita she sometimes has a parrot with her. Matangi is propitiated for any issues related to the Sun in the Vedic horoscope, as Matangi is the shakti of Lord Ram the Sun God.Ram“The elephant, king of beasts, is the mount of kings and symbol of royal power, the power of domination. Indra, the king of heaven, is shown riding on an elephant. Siva, as the world ruler, the  dispenser of justice, the embodiment of kingly virtues, the destroyer of evil, is known as the Elephant Matanga. After the terror of the night appears the reassuring sunlight. The demons are defeated. Matangi, the Elephant power [consort of Matanga] establishes the rule of peace, of calm, of prosperity.” (The Myths and Gods of India, Alain Danielou, p 283).

Kalighat_Matangi

 

 

The Sun’s Aries Ingress, April 13, 2016: Mesha Sankranti

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Today at 10:17:27 AM ET (14:17:27 Universal Coordinated Time), the Sun enters sidereal Aries, known as Aries Ingress or Mesha Sankranti or Sankramana, which is celebrated as the solar new year in the Vedic astrological tradition and in many of the rich and varied cultural traditions of India. The astrological chart for Mesha Sankranti is read with specific rules by mundane astrologers in forecasting the year ahead.

SFPageFor each of us, regardless of our heritage and background, this is an important day as the Sun represents the Self, our soul purpose, path and life force, and now as it rises in the constellation of Aries (where it will be for the next month), it is once again beginning its yearlong journey around the zodiac! The Sun is exalted in Aries, where it gives some of its best results, thus manifesting potentially as new initiatives, and more focus, drive, courage, strength, and clarity of thought.

imagesToday is a wonderful day for new prayers, intentions and affirmations if you feel so compelled. And then again, on Friday, April 15, we have the precious day of Ram Navami on the 9th day of Navaratri, which is celebrated as the birthday of Bhagwan Shri Rama (or Ram) who is deeply celebrated as the solar logos and the power of victory of good over evil. In this classic depiction below, Lord Ram is shown worshiping the Sun god Surya.

ram praying to suryaRam Navami (the 15th) is called an Abuj Muhurat day, which some Vedic astrologers (such as myself) feel is a great day (all day) for beginning any important new venture, as the entire day is very blessed and powerful not just because of its connection to a holy day or festival but because the ancient divine ones of the Vedic tradition chose these special days based on their alignment with important astrological and bioenergetic cycles.

Vedic New Year 2016

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One of the many New Year charts used in Vedic astrology is created at the New Moon in Pisces which will fall on April 7, 2016 throughout the world. Astrologer Steve Stuckey explains the reasoning behind New Moon in Pisces in a 2010 Jyotish Star article: “The question naturally arises, why the New Moon in Pisces? Unfortunately there doesn’t appear to be an answer forthcoming from Jyotish classical texts on this subject. However there is a reference in the Brahma Purana and the Chaturvarga Chintamani of Hemadri (approx 1300 CE), wherein it is stated that Lord Brahma created the universe on the Chaitra Shukla Pratipada or the first day of the first month of the year.” So simply, every year we celebrate the beginning of the New Year at the same astrological point when Lord Brahma created the universe!
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