A wild thought (originally spiritual, can be applied in the context of Copenhagen)

Weight of earth = 6E+24 kg
Weight of entire human population ( assuming an average weight of 50 kg - infants through adults - and a world population of 6 billions ) = 3E+11 kg
Ratio ( weight of world human population : weight of earth ) = 1 : 2E+13

Weight of a centimetre long human hair = 1E-4 grams
The above ratio is like the weight of one hair against the weight of 400000 persons.

Are human affairs really capable of making an impact ?

The reply may be comparison with nuclear bomb which can destroy many times its weight.

" Neti Neti "

Tithi devatas

There is deity associated with each tithi. It will be a good practice to propitiate the tithi devata while performing rituals.

Pratipada - Krupeetayoni (Agni)
2 - Brahma
3 - Sankara
4 - Ganapati
5 - Dantashooka
6 - Kartikeya
7 - Martanda (Surya)
8 - Mahesvara (Siva)
9 - Durga
10 - Dandadhara (Yama)
11 - Visvedevah
12 - Madhava
13 - Pushpeshu (Kama)
14 - Parvateenadha (Siva)
15 - Chandra

Tip to astrologers

Naaprushtah kasyachit brooyannaanyayena cha prucchatah
Paramarthaphalajnanan yato naiveha sidhyati

Only humble requests deserve answers. No prediction or advice should be offered unasked for, nor to one who is skeptical or wants to test the astrologer. If the astrologer tries to answer him, he will not be able to get at the truth.

Tip to those visiting astrologer

Pratah puman vihitadevagurupranamah
Panou vahankusumaratnaphalakshatamscha
Satkrutya daivavidamadaramadadhanah
Pruchhet sakrut shubhamanh shubhadingmukhah

The one desirous of asking the question should approach the daivajna (astrologer) after his morning prayers to guru and god carrying flowers, fruits,akshata,dakshina etc and after presenting them should ask the relevant question once in a humble manner with clear mind and facing an auspicious direction.

Are you wearing a harmful gemstone?

For each lagna there are adverse gemstones as given below.

Mesha - Emerald, Diamond
Rishabha - Pearl, Coral, Yellow Sapphire
Mithuna - Ruby, Pearl, Coral, Yellow sapphire
Kataka - Emerald, Diamond, Blue Sapphire
Simha - Diamond, Blue Sapphire
Kanya - Ruby, Coral, Yellow Sapphire
Tula - Ruby, Emerald, Yellow Sapphire
Vrischika - Diamond, Emerald
Dhanus - Diamond, Pearl, Blue Sapphire
Makara - Pearl, Ruby, Yellow Sapphire
Kumbha - Ruby, Coral, Pearl
Meena - Emerald, Diamond, Blue Sapphire.

Ekadasi

The names of the 24 Ekadasis.

1. Kamada ekadasi - Suklapaksha ekadasi of chaitra masa

2. Papamochini ekadas- - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of Chaitramasa. Worship of Vishnu will release one from sins.

3. Mohini ekadasi - Suklapaksha ekadasi of vaisakha masa.

4. Varoothini ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi vaisakha masa. Observance of vrata brings in prosperity. Dana should be performed to brahmins.

5. Nirjala ekadasi - Suklapaksha ekadasi of jyeshta masa. If vrata is observed without even drinking water it leads to long life and salvation.

6. Apara ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of jyeshta masa. Observing this vrata releases one from brahmahatya dosha.

7. Shayanaikadasi - Suklapakha ekadasi of ashada masa. Gives attainment of all desires.

8. Yogini ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of ashada masa. The poor should be fed on this day.

9. Putrada ekadasi - Suklapaksha ekadasi of Sravana masa. Feeding brahmins and danam on this day provides progeny.

10. Kamika ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of sravana masa. Relief from brahmahatya papa.

11. Parivartanaikadasi - Suklapaksha ekadasi of bhadrapada masa. Vrata confers blessings of Vishnu and Lakshmi.

12. Ajapada ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of bhadrapada masa. Result is release from sins.

13. Pasankusa ekadasi - Suklapaksha ekadasi of asvina masa. Vrata releases one from sins.

14. Indira ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of asvina masa. Vrata gives mukti to pitrus.

15. Utthana ekadasi - Suklapaksha ekadasi of kartika masa. Tulasipuja is also performed on this day. Vrata generates punya.

16. Prabodhinee ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of kartika masa.

17. Mokshada ekadasi - also called vaikunda ekadasi.Suklapaksha ekadasi of margasirsha masa. Enter and exit Vishnu temple through different doors. Leads to moksha.

18. Utpathi ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of margasirsha masa. Observance of vrata confers one with blessings of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.

19. Punyada ekadasi - Suklapaksha ekadasi of pousha masa. Good for obtaining punya and progeny.

20. Saphala ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of pousha masa. For attainment of all desires.

21. Jaya ekadasi - Suklapaksha ekadasi of magha masa. For prosperity and welfare of the family.

22. Shattila ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of magha masa. Abhisheka to Vishnu is performed with panchamruta mixed with til. Result is attainment of Vaikunda.

23. Amalakee ekadasi - Suklapaksha ekadasi of phalguna masa. Vrata destroys enemies.

24. Vijaya ekadasi - Krishnapaksha ekadasi of phalguna masa.

Vinayaka chaturthi

While Siva was away destroying Tripura, Parvati spent time in fear inside a cave. Devi was apprehensive about the outcome of the fight. Finally, she came out and started roaming through the dense jungle calling out for her husband and father. She cried out to Siva "Why don't you understand my state ? I can't live without you." A fisherman who saw this went and reported the matter to Himavan, Parvati's father. Himavan set out to find his daughter.

Himavan found Parvati and tried to console her. " Devi, you are omnipotent and omnipresent. The fact is that you have not been separated from Siva. Still, I will reunite you with him. " Parvati accompanied Himavan home. She was still worried about not finding Siva. Himavan instructed Parvati to worship Ganesa to get back her consort. "Devas like Indra, Rishis like Narada and the Trimurtis became competent to achieve their tasks after worshiping Vighneswara. Brahma obtained his power to create, Vishnu obtained his power to sustain and Siva obtained his power to dissolve as a result of the worship of Ganesa. It is only with the blessing of Ganesa that Sesha is able to bear the load of earth.The lord who is beyond the grasp of the mind and beyond words should be worshiped as gajamukha. Follow the upasanakrama of Ganesa as I am about to tell you and you will achieve your desire." said Himavan.

Parvati expressed her gratitude to her father and learned from him the method of worshipping Ganesa in the form of a parthiva (made of clay) murthi.

Veda on verbal abuse

Atharva veda, kanda 7, suktam 43

Shivasta eka .......
The meaning of the suktam is - Some are praises and some abuses, the wise one does not discriminate and accepts both equally. Only one quarter of the speech is passed on and three quarters remain with the speaker.

Speech has four components - para, pashyanti, madhyama and vaikhari. Para originates from muladhara and develops through pashyanti and madhyama stages into vaikahari, the spoken and heard speech. When a person abuses, only one quarter that is the vaikhari is passed on to the victim. Three quarters remain within the abuser himself. The abuser is harmed three times more than the victim. Feel sorry for the abuser.

Naming the newborn

There are two systems of naming the newborn as per Indian tradition. One is based on the charanakshar where choice is limited to a single syllable. In the other system, all alphabets favorable to the Janmarasi have been identified as given below. The name can start with any of the following alphabets. First, ascertain the janmarasi ( rasi in which moon is posited at the time of birth ) from the horoscope. Then based on the janmarasi, identify the first alphabet of the names from the information below.

Mesha , Mithuna, Simha, Tula, Dhanus, Kumbha rasis - अ , आ, इ, ई, श, ॠ, स, ओ, औ, ळ, क, ख, ग, घ, ङ,ट, ठ, ड, ढ, ण, प, फ, ब, भ, म

Rishabha, Kataka, Kanya, Vrischika, Makara, Meena rasis - उ, ऊ, ऋ, ष, ए, ऐ, ह, अं, अः, क्ष, च, छ, ज, झ, ञ, त, थ, द, ध, न, य, र, ल, व

Significance of Upakarma

Upakarma is performed every year by brahmins. Similar to the summer vacation in mainstream studies, a Vedic student is also entitled to his share of holidays and vacations. The students are supposed to stop learning new mantras on the purnima of the month of pousha (falling mostly in the middle of January ) and restart on the purnima in the month of sravana. In between they can revise the earlier lessons of Vedas and sastras.

The recommencement of new lessons is marked by upakarma on sravanapurnima. Nowadays, this practice of taking a break has been discontinued even in Vedic schools. Any new lesson learned during the off period is likely to generate desire and anger in the student. Hence kamokarsheet japa is performed as a penance.

The performer performs all his nityakarmas like sandhyavandanam, Samidhadhanam/ oupasanam upto brahmayajnam. Then he performs the upakarma maha sankalpa to assert that he is restarting the studies.

At the end of the sanklapa he takes bath and changes the holy thread. The holy thread is normally changed at the commencement of any auspicious occasion or at the end of inauspicious periods or as and and when it is found broken or dirty.

Then the chief rishis of Yajurveda called kandarshis (kanda means chapter) are propitiated by offering them tarpana and a homa is performed to offer them ahutis of ghee.

Then the student sits in front of his guru and restarts learning of the Veda by chanting the initial portions of the four Vedas, sastras, sutras etc.

Then the homa is completed.

On the next day Gayatri mantra is chanted 1008 times to compensate for any inadvertent omission of Gayatri japa during the past one year.