GEETHA PATIL
Hindu Mandir of Lake County, Grayslake, IL celebrated Sharad Purnima and Shri Satyanarayana Pujas on October 19, 2021, with much devotion and special prayers. It is believed that the moon on this day is closest to earth and its rays are beneficial for all. On this day, divine pairs are worshipped, such as Radha Krishna, Shiv Parvati, Lakshmi Narayanaandoffered prayers to Goddess Lakshmi who appears on the earth and bestows her divine blessings. Many devotees participated in the Satyanarayana Katha and Shri Krishan and Radha Pujas by following all the COVID rules and social distancing.
Firstly, all the sponsors and devotees followed all the steps of Pandit Joshi Ji in the Puja of Lord Chandra (Moon)after the Sankalpamso that the moon’s rays may nourish every one’s body and soul. They also offered prays to Lord Krishna, Ma Radha, and Ma Lakshmi for the wellbeing of all human beings and all the living creatures on this earth.
Later, all the sponsors and devotees participated in the SatyanarayanaPuja and Katha. Pt. Joshi Ji directed the hosts to perform the rituals and narrated the Katha to the devotees very clearly and with much devotion. In his Pravachan/discourse he said that Satya means “truth” and Narayana means, “The highest being” so Satyanarayana means “The highest being who is an embodiment of Truth”. There are several stories in this Katha, in which the main characters belong to 4 typical Indian classes-Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra that have their own problems or the attitudes.
These different stories have multiple meanings and when we understand the deeper meaning the highest messages of Divine nature will be clearer and one can really transcend. We need to follow truth and honesty in our daily mental, vocal, and body actions that show the way towards purity, and soul refinement will lead to happiness. These are simple messages but of utmost importance.
For the question, ‘How can the common people overcome the travails in this age of Kali yuga – the machine age?’ He said that ANY class of person can do this pooja. The classes are based on type of soul development and not which family one is born. Again, this issymbolic of different mental attitudes of different souls and different Gunas. As Lord Vishnu says, ‘doing Pooja and listening to Katha of Swami Satyanarayana is the simple way to attain Moksha in life.’
Pt Joshi Ji further, stated that the Moon is fully illuminated on this Sharad Purnima day, and the beams offer healing powers that nourish both the body and the spirit. On this day, there is also a phenomenon of nectar dripping from the Moonbeams. To take advantage of this miraculous phenomenon, Rice-Kheer is kept in the light of the moon for the entire night on Sharad Purnima. He also narrated the importance and types of prasad and how to accept them in life 1) God’s present that is given by God, 2) Devotion that is blessed by God, 3) Punishment given by God according to our karma.
On this Purnima day, Lord Krishna did Maha Raas after accepting the challenge from Kama Dev. Gopis represent Bhakti and the Bhakti is consort of God. God’s happiness signifies Gopis, and God’s Milan is Maha Raas – Pt. Joshi added.
Pt. Joshi offered Prasadam with flowers and Akshatam, and blessed all the devotees for their best health, wealth, happiness, and success in life with much delight.
On October 24, 2021, Hindu Mandir also arranged for Karwa Chauth puja of Ma Durga by the married women. Karwa Chauth (‘Karva’ means ‘earthen pots’ and ‘Chauth’ meaning the fourth day)fasting is done during the Krishna Paksha Chaturthi in the Hindu month of ‘Kartik’.
Karwa Chauth coincides with Sankashti Chaturthi a fasting day observed for Lord Ganesha. The fasting rituals are observed by married women for the long life of their husband. Married women worship Shiva Parivar including Lord Ganesha and break the fast only after viewing and making the offerings to the moon. The fasting is observed strictly without taking any food or even a drop of water after sunrise till the seeing of the moon in the night.
Women buy new earthen pots or Karwa and decorate them by putting in gifts like bangles, bindis and sweets inside. They exchange their Karwas with other married women and given as Dan to the Brahmin and married women perform the rituals together either at home or in the temple.
In the evening, around three hundred women visited the temple in several batches and puja sessions went for about four hours. Temple priest, Pt. Joshi Ji performed Ma Druga’s puja, narrated KarwaChauth Vrat Katha to all the married women, and blessed them with ‘Deergha Sumangali Bhava’ consecration.
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