QUES ANSW DIVINE 03-2022-09 Dear friends,
These are information compiled as QA by me in 1998’s-2004’s and stored inmy computer. They are posted by very learnt members. BEING COMPILATIONTHERE MAY BE ERRORS. Sincerely, R. Gopalakrishnan, 78,dated 09-03-2022 Q1 What is MahishhasuraMardini sthothram?Who has composed it? A1 Mahishasuramardini stotram is based on Devi mahatmyam in which Devitakes the forms of Durga, Lakshmiand Sarasvati to slay Madhu and Kaitabha, Mahishasura, and Sumbha and Nisumbharespectively. This stotra issaid to have been composed by Ramakrishna Kavi about whom no details areavailable. MAHISASURAMARDINI STOTHRAM has excellent music will bring tremendous pleasure to ourears. Hindu Goddess Durga killed the Asuranamed Mahisasuran.So she also called as Mahisasura mardini. Q2 What are the details ofVeni Madhava temple at Allahabad? A2 The temple of Veni Madhava (one of the trio along with Sethu Madhavaand Bindu Madhava) is a little way inside the city. It is a small temple, witha small idol of Vishnu representing Veni Madhava. According to the legendpainted on the walls of the temple, there was once a rakshasa who troubled allthe Devas. Narada sought an audience with him to find out his weakness, andfound that he suffered from a skin infliction. He told the Asura to bathe inthe Triveni Sangam at Allahabad, which the Asura proceeded to do. Amazed atfinding himself cured, he wanted to possess the 3 great rivers who had curedhim, and began drinking them up! When the riverspleaded with Vishnu, he arrived in the form of Veni Madhava and killed him,restoring the rivers to their rightful place. Q3 What is the legendbehind Hanuman in laying pose at Allahabad temple? A3 According to one, hanuman stepped over the rivers without their permission,angering them at Triveni. They rose up and threw him to the ground, and crushedhis ego. According tothe locals, every year, the river rises and covers the whole idol before goingback, which they consider absolute proof of this story. Q4 What is Dharma told inthe Bhishma Parva of Mahabharatha? A4 The following is an excerpt from Bhishma Parva of Mahabharata: Sri Bhishma narrates an incidentin the Devaloka where many Gods and Sages are assembled. One of them puts forththe question, `What is Dharma?" The viewpointsof the other sages and gods on this topic are as follows: Lord Suryasaid, "On the new moon day one should not cut trees. One who does so is unwise.Even forceful shedding of leaves from the tree on new moon day is a sinful act.The person who perpetrates this act gives the sin to his futuregeneration." Sri Devi said, "Home-which is dirty, whereutensils are strewn randomly, where the seats are broken, where ladies are putto sorrow, will soon lose the benediction of Devas and ancestors, it indeed is not a fit place to reside." Sage Garga said, Everyday guests should be invited and taken careof, meat should not be partaken, thenames of holy places should be recited everyday. The habit of sleeping during the day timeshould be eschewed. The lamp(deepam)should be always lit at home. " Rishi Dhaumya said, "Broken utensils, broken cot, hen, dog, a tree which has grown inthe house itself, all these areharmful. They should never be in the house. The wise say that broken utensils breed conflict and broken cot destroys prosperity. The celestial ones(Devas) do not accept the offerings made in a home where dogs andhen are housed." Sage Jamadagnisaid, "A person-with an impure mind, would only attain hell, even if he performsthe most elaborate yagas(sacrifices) , even if he repeats it many a time or even if he does intense penance byhanging upside-down. To a Vedic Scholar who is well versed and is a strict follower of allscriptural injunctions, if one were towhole heartedly offer even a handful of flour, that person would find a way toattain the heavens." Sage Lomasasaid, "The greatest dharma is the noncovetousness of another´s wife. A vedic scholar should never covet wealth." Arundati said, "After waking up in the morning, in an emptystomach, take a water jug and darbagrass(Kusa grass) in the hand to the cowshed and sprinkle the water with darba on to the horn of thecow. Take the water which falls from the horn on to your head. This givesimmense punya(merit) . A lazy person, a person who isegoistic, a person who covets Guru´s wife, these people are not fit for anyconversation, so one should never talk of dharma to these people. To satisfy a guest is a great dharma. A person who gives cows in charity for twelve years, a person whoundergoes various austerities( vratas) for a complete month, a person who gives one lakh cows as charity in themonth of `Aani´ in the holy city ofPushkar- the amount of punya these people have earned is the wmount of punya one earns by completelysatisfying the guest." Yama said, "A person who gives water tothe thirsty has earned immense punya. The dharma done in accordance to the status of the recipient never goeswaste. So says Chitragupta." Thus Rishisand Devas explained the various aspectsof dharma. Then they looked at Pramadas (ogresthat torment wrong doers) and ask them, "Who are the ones who would be tormented by you all? What reasons stop youfrom afflicting humans?" Pramadas explainedthus- "We trouble people who are the `fallen´. People who wear clothes- whichtouch the lower part of the body, on tothe upper part of the body areconsidered `fallen´. Meat eaters, people who keepedible stuff on their head, people wholay their head in place where feet rests (sleeping on the cot in the reverse direction), peoplewho excrete in ponds, people who spitsputum on public roads are also considered `fallen´. We torment only these people. We can notafflict homes which have tiger skin, tiger tooth, vapour of ghee, cats, black or red colouredgoats. We do not afflict people who avoid eatingmeat." Q5 Whether there is anyreferance to water in Moon in the Vedas? A5 The Vedas contain reference about waters on the Moon and theMars. Chandrama Va Apam Pushpam! (Mantra Pushpam) Moon is the flower of waters.The following Mantra is used traditionally to invoke Mars (AngAraka),which hasreference to water: Agnir Murdha DivahKakutpatih Prithivya Ayam! Apam Retamsi Jinvati ! ---Sukla Yajur Veda Samhitaiii-12 Agni is the head and height ofHeaven. He is the Master of the earth. He quickens the waters’ seed. Q6 What is the referancein Mahabharata, that Shanta was the wife of Rishya sringa? A6 When the kings had departed, King Dasharathaagain entered his capital with the topmost brahmanas walking before him. Being properly honored and followed by the wise king and his entourage, Rishyashringa departedwith his wife Shanta Q7Where did Sankaracharyar had his disappearance? A7 He is believed to have reachedKedar in the Himalayas and disappeared at the age of 32, after giving finalinstructions and benediction to his beloved disciples. Q8 What is the importance of Asi Ghat in Benaras? A8 Asi Ghat is where the Asi river merges with the Ganga, this is thesouthern extreme of the city. Q9 What is the mystery behind Narad Ghat at Varanasi? A9 The Narad Ghat, incidentally, is the only Ghat on which peopledon't bathe. In mythology,Narada is depicted as the naughty saint who always creates trouble (with thebest motives of course!), and it is believed that a couple bathing on this Ghat will start fightingamongst themselves! Q10 What is the importance of Mani karnika Ghat at Varanasi? A10 Next is the famous Manikarnika Ghat, where Parvati isbelieved to have dropped her ear rings. This is also a burning Ghat, wherefuneral pyres burn day and night, every single day. It is believed that thereis always a pyre burning on this Ghat, at any time of the day or night. Till about 100 years back, the ashes of a pyre burning at midnightwould be taken to the Vishwanath temple for the lingam for Abhishekam, but thispractice has now been stopped. The fortune of being cremated at this Ghatis solely reserved for Hindus. Q11 What is the mystery behind Panchaganga Ghat at Varanasi? A11 Then we come to the Panchaganga Ghat, which is among the moreimportant ones. Here, it is believed, 5 different rivers merge, and when the river is in fullforce during the monsoon, the currents of the 5 rivers can be seen.On this Ghat are the Bindu Madhava Temple, and the mosque built by Aurangzebafter he demolished the original temple. Q12 What is Varuna ghat? A12 The last of all the Ghats is the Varuna Ghat where the river Varuna merges with the Ganga. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/59742028.285240.1646842071004%40mail.yahoo.com.
