Maharishi Valmiki in Hindi,

कैसे डाकू रत्नाकर बना वाल्मीकि

महर्षि वाल्मीकि की कहानी

Ramayana Author Writer – Maharishi Valmiki in Hindi

एक बार रत्नाकर नाम का एक डाकू हुआ करता था। रत्नाकर अपने साथियों के साथ बीहड़ जंगल में रहता था और वहां से गुजरने वाला यात्रियों को लूट लिया करता था। दूर दूर के इलाकों में रत्नाकर के नाम का खौफ था।

एक बार की बात है, दिन छिप चुका था और थोड़ा अँधेरा हो रहा था, उस समय नारद मुनि उस जंगल में विचरण कर रहे थे कि तभी डाकू रत्नाकर ने अपने साथियों के साथ नारद जी को घेर लिया। नारद मुनि अपने आप में मग्न थे उनके मन में किसी प्रकार का कोई डर नहीं था।

जिंदगी बदलने वाली कहानियां=>यहाँ क्लिक करें

Maharishi Valmiki in Hindi, कैसे डाकू रत्नाकर बना वाल्मीकि

महर्षि वाल्मीकि की कहानी

Ramayana Author Writer – Maharishi Valmiki in Hindi

एक बार रत्नाकर नाम का एक डाकू हुआ करता था। रत्नाकर अपने साथियों के साथ बीहड़ जंगल में रहता था और वहां से गुजरने वाला यात्रियों को लूट लिया करता था। दूर दूर के इलाकों में रत्नाकर के नाम का खौफ था।

एक बार की बात है, दिन छिप चुका था और थोड़ा अँधेरा हो रहा था, उस समय नारद मुनि उस जंगल में विचरण कर रहे थे कि तभी डाकू रत्नाकर ने अपने साथियों के साथ नारद जी को घेर लिया। नारद मुनि अपने आप में मग्न थे उनके मन में किसी प्रकार का कोई डर नहीं था।

daku-ratnakar-ki-kahaniरत्नाकर ने नारद जी से पूछा – सुनो ब्राह्मण, मैं रत्नाकर डाकू हूँ। क्या तुमको मुझसे भय नहीं लग रहा ?

नारद मुनि ने कहा – रत्नाकर मुझे किसी भी बात का भय नहीं है। मैं ना तो किसी असफलता से डरता हूँ और नाही मुझे अपने प्राणों का भय है, ना कल का और ना कलंक का…..लेकिन शायद तुम डरे हुए हो….

रत्नाकर ने गुस्से में कहा – मैं डरा हुआ नहीं हूँ, मुझे भला किसका डर है ?

नारद मुनि – अगर डरे नहीं हो तो इन जंगलों में छिप कर क्यों बैठे हो ? शायद तुम राजा से डरते हो या फिर प्रजा से

रत्नाकर – नहीं मैं किसी से भी नहीं डरता

नारद मुनि ने मुस्कुरा के कहा – तुम पाप करते हो और तुम पाप से ही डरते हो इसलिए तुम यहाँ छिप कर बैठे हो लेकिन शायद तुमको नहीं पता कि इस पाप के केवल तुम ही भागीदार हो। इसका दण्ड तुमको अकेले भुगतना होगा कोई भी तुम्हारा साथ नहीं देगा।

रत्नाकर ने गुस्से में कहा – तुम मुझे उकसा रहे हो ब्राह्मण….मैं ये सब काम अपने परिवार का पेट पलने के लिए करता हूँ और मेरी पत्नी, मेरे बच्चे, मेरे पिता सभी इस काम में मेरे साथ हैं।

नारद मुनि ने कहा – सुनो रत्नाकर, मुझे अपने प्राणों का भय नहीं है, तुम मुझे यहाँ पेड़ से बांध कर अपने घर जाओ और अपने सभी सगे सम्बन्धियों से पूछो कि क्या वह इस पाप में तुम्हारे साथ हैं?

रत्नाकर को नारद मुनि की बात सही लगी और वह उनको पेड़ से बाँधकर अपने घर की ओर चल दिया। घर जाकर उसने सबसे पहले अपनी पत्नी से पूछा कि मैं जो ये पाप करता हूँ क्या तुम उस पाप में मेरे साथ हो ? तो पत्नी ने उत्तर दिया कि स्वामी आप इस परिवार के पालक हैं ये तो आपका कर्तव्य है इस पाप में मेरा कोई हिस्सा नहीं है।

रत्नाकर बेचारा उदास सा होकर अपने पिता के पास पहुँचा और उनसे भी यही सवाल पूछा तो पिता ने कहा – बेटा ये तो तेरी कमाई है, इस पाप में हमारा कोई हिस्सा नहीं है।

डाकू रत्नाकर के प्राण सूख गए उसे ये सब सुनकर बहुत बड़ा धक्का लगा कि वह जिनके लिए ये पाप कर रहा है वो उसके पाप में भागीदार होने को तैयार नहीं हैं। रत्नाकर हताश होकर वापस नारद मुनि के पास गया और नारद मुनि के पाँव में गिर पड़ा और क्षमा मांगने लगा।

नारद मुनि ने उसे उठाया और सत्य का ज्ञान दिया। नारद मुनि ने कहा – सुनो रत्नाकर, इस धरती पर तुम जो भी कार्य करते हो, चाहे गलत या सही, सबका पाप और पुण्य तुमको ही मिलेगा। अपने सभी कुकृत्यों के लिए तुम ही जिम्मेदार हो। तुमने पुराने जीवन में जो कुछ पाप किये उसके जिम्मेदार भी तुम हो और आगे आने वाले जीवन में जो भी करोगे उसके भी जिम्मेदार अकेले तुम ही होंगे।

जिंदगी बदलने वाली कहानियां=>यहाँ क्लिक करें

Maharishi Valmiki in Hindi, कैसे डाकू रत्नाकर बना वाल्मीकि

महर्षि वाल्मीकि की कहानी

Ramayana Author Writer – Maharishi Valmiki in Hindi

एक बार रत्नाकर नाम का एक डाकू हुआ करता था। रत्नाकर अपने साथियों के साथ बीहड़ जंगल में रहता था और वहां से गुजरने वाला यात्रियों को लूट लिया करता था। दूर दूर के इलाकों में रत्नाकर के नाम का खौफ था।

एक बार की बात है, दिन छिप चुका था और थोड़ा अँधेरा हो रहा था, उस समय नारद मुनि उस जंगल में विचरण कर रहे थे कि तभी डाकू रत्नाकर ने अपने साथियों के साथ नारद जी को घेर लिया। नारद मुनि अपने आप में मग्न थे उनके मन में किसी प्रकार का कोई डर नहीं था।

daku-ratnakar-ki-kahaniरत्नाकर ने नारद जी से पूछा – सुनो ब्राह्मण, मैं रत्नाकर डाकू हूँ। क्या तुमको मुझसे भय नहीं लग रहा ?

नारद मुनि ने कहा – रत्नाकर मुझे किसी भी बात का भय नहीं है। मैं ना तो किसी असफलता से डरता हूँ और नाही मुझे अपने प्राणों का भय है, ना कल का और ना कलंक का…..लेकिन शायद तुम डरे हुए हो….

रत्नाकर ने गुस्से में कहा – मैं डरा हुआ नहीं हूँ, मुझे भला किसका डर है ?

नारद मुनि – अगर डरे नहीं हो तो इन जंगलों में छिप कर क्यों बैठे हो ? शायद तुम राजा से डरते हो या फिर प्रजा से

रत्नाकर – नहीं मैं किसी से भी नहीं डरता

नारद मुनि ने मुस्कुरा के कहा – तुम पाप करते हो और तुम पाप से ही डरते हो इसलिए तुम यहाँ छिप कर बैठे हो लेकिन शायद तुमको नहीं पता कि इस पाप के केवल तुम ही भागीदार हो। इसका दण्ड तुमको अकेले भुगतना होगा कोई भी तुम्हारा साथ नहीं देगा।

रत्नाकर ने गुस्से में कहा – तुम मुझे उकसा रहे हो ब्राह्मण….मैं ये सब काम अपने परिवार का पेट पलने के लिए करता हूँ और मेरी पत्नी, मेरे बच्चे, मेरे पिता सभी इस काम में मेरे साथ हैं।

नारद मुनि ने कहा – सुनो रत्नाकर, मुझे अपने प्राणों का भय नहीं है, तुम मुझे यहाँ पेड़ से बांध कर अपने घर जाओ और अपने सभी सगे सम्बन्धियों से पूछो कि क्या वह इस पाप में तुम्हारे साथ हैं?

रत्नाकर को नारद मुनि की बात सही लगी और वह उनको पेड़ से बाँधकर अपने घर की ओर चल दिया। घर जाकर उसने सबसे पहले अपनी पत्नी से पूछा कि मैं जो ये पाप करता हूँ क्या तुम उस पाप में मेरे साथ हो ? तो पत्नी ने उत्तर दिया कि स्वामी आप इस परिवार के पालक हैं ये तो आपका कर्तव्य है इस पाप में मेरा कोई हिस्सा नहीं है।

रत्नाकर बेचारा उदास सा होकर अपने पिता के पास पहुँचा और उनसे भी यही सवाल पूछा तो पिता ने कहा – बेटा ये तो तेरी कमाई है, इस पाप में हमारा कोई हिस्सा नहीं है।

डाकू रत्नाकर के प्राण सूख गए उसे ये सब सुनकर बहुत बड़ा धक्का लगा कि वह जिनके लिए ये पाप कर रहा है वो उसके पाप में भागीदार होने को तैयार नहीं हैं। रत्नाकर हताश होकर वापस नारद मुनि के पास गया और नारद मुनि के पाँव में गिर पड़ा और क्षमा मांगने लगा।

नारद मुनि ने उसे उठाया और सत्य का ज्ञान दिया। नारद मुनि ने कहा – सुनो रत्नाकर, इस धरती पर तुम जो भी कार्य करते हो, चाहे गलत या सही, सबका पाप और पुण्य तुमको ही मिलेगा। अपने सभी कुकृत्यों के लिए तुम ही जिम्मेदार हो। तुमने पुराने जीवन में जो कुछ पाप किये उसके जिम्मेदार भी तुम हो और आगे आने वाले जीवन में जो भी करोगे उसके भी जिम्मेदार अकेले तुम ही होंगे।

mahrishi-valmikiनारद मुनि ने रत्नाकर को सत्य से परिचित कराया और उन्हें “राम” का नाम जपने का उपदेश भी दिया। रत्नाकर से “राम” नाम लिया ही नहीं जाता था तो नारद मुनि ने उसे “मरा मरा” का उच्चारण करने को कहा और “मरा मरा” जपते हुए यही रत्नाकर राम नाम का जाप करने लगा और आगे जाकर यही रत्नाकर महर्षि “वाल्मीकि” के नाम ये प्रसिद्ध हुआ।

महर्षि वाल्मीकि आदिकाल के सबसे उच्च ऋषि हैं। वह संस्कृत के विद्वान कवि और दुनिया के सबसे बड़े ग्रन्थ “रामायण” के रचयिता हैं। महर्षि वाल्मीकि ने ही हिंदुओं के सबसे प्रसिद्ध ग्रन्थ “रामायण” को संस्कृत में लिखा।

सत्य ही कहा गया है “राम” नाम के इस शब्द में बहुत बल है जिसने डाकू को भी भारतवर्ष के सबसे प्रमुख ऋषि के रूप में परिवर्तित कर दिया।

by..........vipul kaul

 

Valmiki

Valmiki

Valmiki Sanskrit: वाल्मीकि, Vālmīki) is celebrated as the harbinger-poet in Sanskrit literature. The epic Ramayana, dated variously from 5th century BCE to first century BCE, is attributed to him, based on the attribution in the text itself. He is revered as Ādi Kavi, the first poet, author of Ramayana, the first epic poem.

Ramayana, originally written by Valmiki, consists of 24,000 shlokas and 7 cantos (kaṇḍas) including Uttara Kanda. Ramayana is composed of about 480, 002 words, being a quarter of the length of the full text of Mahabharata or about four times the length of Iliad. Ramayana tells the story of a prince, Rama of Ayodhya, whose wife Sita is abducted by Ravana, the demon-king (Rakshasa) of Lanka.The Valmiki Ramayana is dated variously from 500 BCE to 100 BCE or about co-eval with early versions of Mahabharata. As with many traditional epics, it has gone through a process of interpolations and redactions, making it impossible to date accurately.

Sage Valmiki composing Ramayana
Religion	Hinduism
Philosophy	Dharmic movement called Valmikism is based on Valmiki's teachings.
Parents	Pracheta (father)
Honors	Adi Kavi Maharishi
Lineage	Bhrigu

  Valmiki is also quoted to be the contemporary of Rama. Rama met Valmiki during his period of exile and interacted with him. Valmiki gave shelter to Sita in his hermitage when Rama banished her. Kusha and Lava, the twin sons of Shri Rama were born to Sita in this hermitage. Valmiki taught Ramayana to Kusha and Lava, who later sang the divine story in Ayodhya during the Ashwamedha yajna congregation, to the pleasure of the audience, whereupon, King Rama questioned who they were and later visited Valmiki's hermitage to confirm if Sita, the two children claimed as their mother was in fact his wife in exile. Later, he summoned them to his royal palace. Kusha and Lava sang the story of Rama there and Rama confirmed that whatever had been sung by these two children was entirely true.

 

The youthful sage Narada at the white-bearded Valmiki's hermitage 

Early life

Valmiki was born as Agni Sharma to a brahmin named Pracheta (also known as Sumali) of Bhrigu gotra,According to legend he once met the great sage Narada and had a discourse with him on his duties. Moved by Narada's words, Agni Sharma began to perform penance and chanted the word "Mara" which meant "kill". As he performed his penance for several years, the word became "Rama", the name of Lord Vishnu. Huge anthills formed around Agni Sharma and this earned him the name of Valmiki. Agni Sharma, rechristened as Valmiki, learnt the scriptures from Narada and became the foremost of ascetics, revered by everyone.

Early life

Valmiki was born as Agni Sharma to a brahmin named Pracheta (also known as Sumali) of Bhrigu gotra,According to legend he once met the great sage Narada and had a discourse with him on his duties. Moved by Narada's words, Agni Sharma began to perform penance and chanted the word "Mara" which meant "kill". As he performed his penance for several years, the word became "Rama", the name of Lord Vishnu. Huge anthills formed around Agni Sharma and this earned him the name of Valmiki. Agni Sharma, rechristened as Valmiki, learnt the scriptures from Narada and became the foremost of ascetics, revered by everyone.

The First Shloka

Valmiki was going to the river Ganges for his daily ablutions. A disciple by the name Bharadwaja was carrying his clothes. On the way, they came across the Tamasa Stream. Looking at the stream, Valmiki said to his disciple, "Look, how clear is this water, like the mind of a good man! I will bathe here today." When he was looking for a suitable place to step into the stream, he saw a crane couple mating. Valmiki felt very pleased on seeing the happy birds. Suddenly, hit by an arrow, the male bird died on the spot. Filled by sorrow, its mate screamed in agony and died of shock. Valmiki's heart melted at this pitiful sight. He looked around to find out who had shot the bird. He saw a hunter with a bow and arrows, nearby. Valmiki became very angry. His lips opened and he cried out,

The First Shloka

The youthful sage Narada at the white-bearded Valmiki's hermitage

Valmiki was going to the river Ganges for his daily ablutions. A disciple by the name Bharadwaja was carrying his clothes. On the way, they came across the Tamasa Stream. Looking at the stream, Valmiki said to his disciple, "Look, how clear is this water, like the mind of a good man! I will bathe here today." When he was looking for a suitable place to step into the stream, he saw a crane couple mating. Valmiki felt very pleased on seeing the happy birds. Suddenly, hit by an arrow, the male bird died on the spot. Filled by sorrow, its mate screamed in agony and died of shock. Valmiki's heart melted at this pitiful sight. He looked around to find out who had shot the bird. He saw a hunter with a bow and arrows, nearby. Valmiki became very angry. His lips opened and he cried out,

Sita in Valmiki hermitage  

Rama with Sita on the throne, their children Lava and Kusha on their laps. Behind the throne, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna stand. Hanuman bows to Rama before the throne. Valmiki to the left.  

मां निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।

यत्क्रौंचमिथुनादेकम् अवधीः काममोहितम्॥'

mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhā tvamagamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ

yat krauñcamithunādekam avadhīḥ kāmamohitam[10]

You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity

For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting[11]

Emerging spontaneously from Valmiki's rage and grief, this is considered to be the first shloka in Sanskrit literature. Valmiki later composed the entire Ramayana with the blessings of Lord Brahma in the same meter that issued forth from him as the shloka. Thus this shloka is revered as the first shloka in Hindu literature. Valmiki is revered as the first poet or Adi Kavi and Ramayana, the first kavya(poem).

His first disciples to whom he taught the Ramayana were Kusha and Lava, the sons of Rama:

प्रचेत्सोऽहं दशमः पुत्रो राघवनंन्दन |

न स्मराम्यनृतं वाक्यमिमौ तु तव पुत्रकौ || 96:16

In another verse, it is also stated that he is from the lineage of the sage Bhargava:

संनिबद्धं हि श्लोकानां चतुर्विंशत्सहस्रकम् |

उपाख्यानशतं चैव भार्गवेण तपस्विना || 94:24

Incarnation

Vishnudharmottara Purana says that Valmiki was born in the Treta Yuga as a form of Bramha who composed Ramayana and that people desirious of earning knowledge should worship Valmiki.[12] He was later reincarnated as Tulsidas, who the Ramcharitamanas, which was the Awadhi-Hindi version of the Ramayana.

Temples

An area in Chennai, Tiruvanmiyur is believed to derive its name from Sage Valmiki, Thiru-Valmiki-Oor. There is a temple for Valmiki located in this place, which is believed to be 1300 years old.

 

CURTSY  ; VALMAKI RAMAYAN, GITA PRESS GORAKHPUR  & WIKIPEDIA 

POSTED BY  ;VIPUL KOUL

EDITED BY   : ASHOK KOUL 

Narsi Bhagat

Narsinh Mehta
Narsinh Mehta, also known as Narsi Mehta or Narsi Bhagat (1414–1481), was a poet-saint of Gujarat, India, notable as a bhakta, an exponent of Vaishnava poetry. He is especially revered in Gujarati literature, where he is acclaimed as its Adi Kavi (Sanskrit for "first among poets"). His bhajan Vaishnav Jan To was Mahatma Gandhi's favourite and has become synonymous to him.

Biography
Narsinh Mehta was born at Talaja and later moved to Junagadh (then Jirndurg) in Saurashtra, Gujarat. He lost his parents when he was 5 years old. He could not speak until the age of 8. He was raised by his grandmother Jaygauri.
He married Manekbai probably in the year 1429. Mehta and his wife stayed at his brother Bansidhar's house in Junagadh. However, Bansidhar's wife (Sister-in-law or bhabhi) did not welcome Narsinh very well. She was an ill-tempered woman, always taunting and insulting Narsinh Mehta for his devotion (Bhakti). One day, when Narasinh Mehta had enough of these taunts and insults, he left the house and went to a nearby forest in search of some peace, where he fasted and meditated for seven days by a secluded Shiva lingam until Shiva appeared before him in person. On the poet's request, the Lord took him to Vrindavan and showed him the eternal raas leela of Krishna and the Gopis. A legend has it that the poet, transfixed by the spectacle, burnt his hand with the torch he was holding, but he was so engrossed in the ecstatic vision that he was oblivious to the pain. Mehta, as the popular account goes, at Krishna's command, decided to sing His praises and the nectarous experience of the rasa in this mortal world. He resolved to compose around 22,000 kirtans or compositions.[1]
After this divine experience, the transformed Mehta returned to his village, touched his sister-in-law's feet as reverence, and thanked her for insulting him for had she not made him upset, the above episode would not have occurred. Indeed, such is the virtue of Lord Krishna's (Supreme Personality of Godhead's) devotee!
In Junagadh, Mehta lived in poverty with his wife and two children, a son named Shamaldas, and a daughter for whom he had special affection, Kunwarbai. He revelled in devotion to his heart's content along with sadhus, saints, and all those people who were Lord Hari's subjects – Harijans – irrespective of their caste, class or sex. It also seems that he must have fallen into a somewhat ill repute amongst the Nagars following incidents like accepting invitation to sing glories of Lord Krishna in association of devotees belonging to lower social strata. The Nagars of Junagadh despised him and spared no opportunity to scorn and insult him[citation needed]. By this time, Mehta had already sung about the rasaleela of Radha and Krishna. The compositions are collected under the category of shringar compositions. They are full of intense lyricism, based upon pastimes of conjugal love between the Supreme Lord and His most intimate devotees - the Gopis and are not without allegorical dimensions, far from being something of erotic filthiness of contemporary European works.
Soon after his daughter, Kunwarbai's marriage (around 1447) to Shrirang Mehta of Una's son, Kunwarbai conceived and it had been a custom for the girl's parents to give gifts and presents to all the in-laws during the seventh month of pregnancy. This custom, known as Mameru, was simply out of the reach of materialistically poor Narsinh who had hardly anything except intransient faith in his Lord. How Krishna helped his beloved devotee is a legend depicted in 'Mameru Na Pada'. This episode is preserved vividly in the memory of Gujarati people by compositions by later poets and films. Other famous legends include: 'Hundi (Bond)' episode and 'Har Mala (Garland)' episode. The episode in which none other than Shamalsha Seth cleared a bond written by poverty-stricken beloved, is famous not only in Gujarat but in other parts of India as well. The Har Mala episode deals with the challenge given to Mehta by Ra Mandlik (1451–1472), a Chudasama king, to prove his innocence in the charges of immoral behaviour by making the Lord Himself garland Narsinh. Mehta depicts this episode. How Sri Krishna, in the guise of a wealthy merchant, helped Mehta in getting his son married is sung by the poet in Putra Vivah Na Pada. He went to Mangrol where, at the age of 79, he is believed to have died. The crematorium at Mangrol is called 'Narsinh Nu Samshan' where one of the sons of Gujarat and more importantly a great Vaishnav was cremated. He will forever be remembered for his poetic works and devotion to Lord Krishna. He is known as the first poet of Gujarati Adi Kavi.
Works
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Narsinh Mehta
Mehta is a pioneer poet of Gujarati literature. He is known for his literary forms called "pada (verse)", "Aakhyan" and "Prabhatiya". One of the most important features of Mehta's works is that they are not available in the language in which Narsinh had composed them. They have been largely preserved orally. The oldest available manuscript of his work is dated around 1612, and was found by the noted scholar Keshavram Kashiram Shastri from Gujarat Vidhya Sabha. Because of the immense popularity of his works, their language has undergone modifications with changing times. Mehta wrote many bhajans and Aartis for lord Krishna, and they are published in many books. The biography of Mehta is also available at Geeta Press.
For the sake of convenience, the works of Mehta are divided into three categories:
Autobiographical compositions: Putra Vivah, Mameru, Hundi, Har Same No Pada, Jhari Na Pada, and compositions depicting acceptance of Harijans. These works deal with the incidents from the poet’s life and reveal how he encountered the Divine in various guises. They consist of ‘miracles’ showing how Narsaiyya’s Lord helped his devotee in the time of crises.
Miscellaneous Narratives: Chaturis, Sudama Charit, Dana Leela, and episodes based on Srimad Bhagwatam. These are the earliest examples of akhyana or narrative type of compositions found in Gujarati. These include:
Chaturis, 52 compositions resembling Jaydeva’s masterpiece Geeta Govinda dealing with various erotic exploits of Radha and Krishna.
Dana Leela poems dealing with the episodes of Krishna collecting his dues (dana is toll, tax or dues) from Gopis who were going to sell buttermilk etc. to Mathura.
Sudama Charit is a narrative describing the well-known story of Krishna and Sudama.
Govinda Gamana or the "Departure of Govind" relates the episode of Akrura taking away Krishna from Gokul.
Surata Sangrama, The Battle of Love, depicts in terms of a battle the amorous play between Radha and her girl friends on the one side and Krishna and his friends on the other.
Miscellaneous episodes from Bhagwatam like the birth of Krishna, his childhood pranks and adventures.
Songs of Sringar. These are hundreds of padas dealing with the erotic adventures and the amorous exploits of Radha and Krishna like Ras Leela. Various clusters of padas like Rasasahasrapadi and Sringar Mala fall under this head. Their dominant note is erotic (Sringar). They deal with stock erotic situations like the ossified Nayaka-Nayika Bheda of classical Sanskrit Kavya poetics.

POSTED BY  :  VIPUL KOUL

EDITED BY   :  ASHOK KOUL

SOURCES      :GITA PRESS,GORAKHPUR  & WIKIPEDIA

Tulsi Vivah

Tulsi Vivah is the ceremonial marriage of the Tulsi (holy basil) plant to the Hindu god Shaligram or Vishnu or to his avatar, Sri Krishna. The Tulsi wedding signifies the end of the monsoon and the beginning of the wedding season in Hinduism.
The ceremonial festival is performed anytime between Prabodhini Ekadashi (the eleventh or twelfth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Kartik) and Kartik Poornima (the full moon of the month). The day varies regionally.
Tulsi is venerated as a goddess in Hinduism and is sometimes considered as a wife of Vishnu, with the epithet, “Vishnupriya”, “the beloved of Vishnu”. The legend behind Tulsi Vivah and its rites are told in the scripture, Padma Purana.
According to the Hindu scripture’s, the Tulsi plant was a woman named “Vrinda” (Brinda; a synonym of Tulsi). She was married to the Asura king Jalandhar, who due to her piety and devotion to Vishnu, became invincible. Even Shiva could not defeat Jalandhar, so he requested Vishnu - the preserver in the Trinity - to find a solution. Vishnu disguised himself as Jalandhar and tricked Vrinda.
Her chastity destroyed, Jalandhar lost his power and was killed by Shiva. Vrinda cursed Vishnu to become black in colour and to be separated from his wife, Lakshmi. This was later fulfilled when he was transformed into the black Shaligram stone (actually a fossil), and in his Rama avatar, was separated from his wife Sita, who was kidnapped by the asura king Ravana. Vrinda then drowned herself in the ocean, and the gods (or Vishnu himself) transferred her soul to a plant, which was henceforth called Tulsi.
As per a blessing by Vishnu to marry Vrinda in her next birth, Vishnu – in form of Shaligram - married Tulsi on Prabodhini Ekadashi. To commemorate this event, the ceremony of Tulsi Vivah is performed.
Another minor legend narrates that Lakshmi slew a demon on this day and remained on earth as the Tulsi plant .
Celebrations
The marriage of Tulsi with Vishnu/Krishna resemble traditional Hindu wedding. The marriage ceremony is conducted at homes and at temples where a fast is observed on the Tulsi Vivah day until evening when the ceremony begins. A mandap (marriage booth) is built around the courtyard of the house where the Tulsi plant is usually planted in centre of the courtyard in a brick plaster called the Tulsi vrindavana. It is believed that the soul of Vrinda resides in the plant at night and leaves in the morning. The bride Tulsi is clothed with a sari and ornaments including earrings and necklaces. A human paper face with a bindi and nose-ring may be attached to Tulsi. The groom is a brass image or picture of Vishnu or Krishna or sometimes Balarama or more frequently the Shaligram stone - the symbol of Vishnu. The image is clothed in a dhoti. Both Vishnu and Tulsi are bathed and decorated with flowers and garlands before the wedding. The couple is linked with a cotton thread (mala) in the ceremony.
Tulsi plant worshipped as part of Tulsi Vivah celebrations.
At Prabhu Dham in Saunja, India, the festival is collectively celebrated by whole village which makes it a significant point of attraction. Here it is celebrated as three day festival in the hindi month of Kartik from Ekadashi to Trayodashi. The festival is started with the vedic chanting of Ramcharitmanas or Ramayana by the villagers itself. The second day is celebrated as Sobha Yatra which is of significat importance in which the special prasad is Pongal, and the third day is celebrated as Tilakotsav and Vivahotsav of Lord Vishnu and Devi Brinda. The villagers prepare 56 types of prasad known as Chapan Bhog and distributed to all. All caste takes participation in this village accordingly. Devoties including saints and mahants all over from Bihar visit this place to celebrate this festive occasion.
In Maharashtra, an important ritual in the ceremony is when the white cloth is held between the bride and the groom and the priest recites the Mangal Ashtaka mantras. These mantras formally complete the wedding. Rice mixed with vermilion is showered by the attendees on Tulsi and Vishnu at the end of the recitation of the mantras with the word "Savadhan" (literally "be careful" implying "You are united now". The white curtain is also removed. The attendees clap signifying approval to the wedding. Vishnu is offered sandalwood-paste, men's clothing and the sacred thread. The bride is offered saris, turmeric, vermilion and a wedding necklace called Mangal-sutra, worn by married women. Sweets and food cooked for an actual wedding are cooked for Tulsi Vivah too. This ceremony is mostly performed by women. The prasad of sugar-cane, coconut chips, fruits and groundnut is distributed to devotees.
The expenses of the wedding are usually borne by a daughter-less couple, who act as the parents of Tulsi in the ritual wedding. The giving away of the daughter Tulsi (kanyadaan) to Krishna is considered meritorious to the couple. The bridal offerings to Tulsi are given to a Brahmin priest or female ascetics after the ceremony.[3]
In two Rama temples in Saurashtra, the ceremony is more elaborate. An invitation card is sent to the groom's temple by the bride's temple. On Prabodhini Ekadashi, a barat bridal procession of Lalji - an image of Vishnu - sets off to the bride's temple. Lalji is placed in a palanquin and accompanied by singing and dancing devotees. The barat is welcomed on the outskirts of Tulsi's village and the ceremonial marriage is carried at the temple. At the bride's side, Tulsi is planted in an earthen pot for the ceremony. People desirous of children perform Kanyadaan from Tulsi's side acting as her parents. Bhajans are sung throughout the night and in the morning the barat of Lalji returns to their village with Tulsi.

 POSTED BY .............VIPUL KOUL
EDITED BY.................ASHOK KOUL

Siachen Base camp | A Spectacular Drive to salute Snow Warriors!

Written by Poorna & Brinda

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Siachen base camp. The toughest training ground in the world. 

This is eleventh part of our Ladakh series. This time we go to Siachen base camp.

Our driver, Nowang had warned us that we need to leave very early in the morning so that we can go to Siachen base camp and return to Leh by evening. We were game for it. A lovely chai served at 4 AM by army mess staff – nowhere can you get this kind of hospitality – got us ready to leave the officers mess by 5 AM.

Nowang was there dot at 5 and we bid god bye to the staff in darkness. it was cold in the morning and we quickly got into the car and started driving towards Siachen base camp.

Siachen is the highest battle field in the world. Indian Army captured it in 1984 through Operation Meghdoot.

We always dreamt of going to the base camp. To see for ourselves how the Indian army gets their soldiers prepared for a gruelling tenure at the high altitude. Fortunately we were able to get the required permissions in time to go there.

The sun was still behind the mountains when we left Patarpur. Sun rises early in Ladakh and soon we were greeted with first glimpse of mountains with their looming shadows.

We traced back the route through Hunder we had taken on the previous day. With no tourists around, the dunes presented a pretty sight early in the morning. Soon, we were back on the highway and crossed Shyok river and headed towards Siachen base camp.

The road to the camp goes all along Shyok and Nubra river. We don’t climb much and the road is winding only in some stretches. What stuns you is the might of mountains. Here you see what the Himalayas are made of. Sheer granite. One towering over the other.

It is a pity that there wasn’t any snow on the mountains. But still we could see through our binoculars lovely peaks and glaciers. Driving in the Shyok valley early in the morning meant that we drove in the shadows while the mountains on the right bank were lit up beautifully.

Let us start telling the tale through the pictures. Please click on them to see them in original size.

We leave at dusk. The dunes of Hunder are quiet, devoid of tourists.

We drove in darkness even as the sun was coming up slowly over the mountains in the east.

Sunrise over the mountains as we head towards the base camp.

Dunes shot early in the morning, Hunder

You can see the shadow play here. We are driving in the shade where as the early morning sunlight beautifully lights up the mountains along the Shyok river.

The beauty of this drive is unlike the others in Ladakh. The enormously wide Nubra river flanked by mighty peaks humbles you.

First glimpse of the glacier as the road circumvent the mountains. We are still miles away from base camp. But the excitement increases!

First check at the Transport Check Point -TCP- at Sasoma. The boys served us excellent cup of tea which was god sent on a chilly morning.

Just look at these gigantic outcrops of granite!! It blows you away. The hidden valleys of snow in the background provides a lovely backdrop.

There was this peak popping out of barren cluster! Notice the sharp contours of the peaks! Thanks to 70-300 zoom lens.

…….And this one too.

Glimpses of snow on the mountains. This year, the summer was very sever in Ladakh which meant lack of snow on the mountains.

We move closer to the base camp and get a better view of the glacier.

The zoomed up view of the glacier…..

Siachen glacier is one of the lovely glaciers of Karakoram range. Another view of it. The beauty of the glacier can be savoured through a good pair of binoculars.

We are at 12,000 feet. Welcome to the base camp which trains the brave-hearts to fight on the highest battlefield in the world!

As we come closer, we are treated to a panoramic view of the glacier and the mountains.

The saviours of Siachen. The helicopters are the saviours of Siachen. The pilots work in extreme weather condition to maintain supply chain, evacuate injured, provide emergency medical assistance, operational reconnaissance support…… Hats off to them!

Soldiers of assembling for morning briefing. Talking to these young men who were waiting their turn to go to glacier made us understand their sacrifice to keep us all safe. A big salute to them.

Poorna with his fellow brethren in uniform.

Can you believe that we had a breakfast of Masala dosa, Pongal and vada at 12,000 feet in Himalayas? Yes, only Indian Army can make it happen!! Madras regiment had an excellent canteen and it was a sumptuous south indian breakfast for us. With us is Sachin and our driver, Nowang.

After breakfast, our next stop was the War Memorial. For more details you can click on this post in this blog http://traveltwosome.com/blog/skywatch-friday-siachen-war-memorial/

The panoramic foreground landscape of War memorial.

Our next stop was the shrine of OP Baba. In the late 1980s, Om Prakash, an artillery soldier was sent on a patrol on Malaun Post in Bila Complex in Northen Glacier, where he single-handedly beat back the enemy, but never returned back after that. No one saw him or his body, but troops were forewarned in their dreams about impending dangers on the Glacier, after which the faith in OP Baba increased and temple was built in his name. Reports of missions are regularly given to him before and after. OP Baba not only protects the personnel on the Glacier from the enemy, but also from the hostile nature and terrain. Troops talk about getting dreams whenever a warning is to be issued from the Baba. Troops give up tobacco, alcohol and non-vegetarian food during their three-month tenure on the Glacier.

Poorna and Sachin in front of the entrance to the shrine

Inner hall of the shrine which has images from all faiths.

the idol of OP Baba

As we came out of the shrine, we saw these guns on display with glacier in the background.

Brinda in front of the memorial for Capt Sunil Khokkar of Artillery

A group of commandos training in mountain climbing in high altitude.

On our way back – crossing the Nubra river for the last time.

Final glimpses of Siachen glacier as we start returning back to Leh.

If we thought the return journey would not be spectacular, we were in for a surprise. On the way back, the mountains which were dark while coming lit up with afternoon light and we saw the spectacular landscape.

There were some spectacular formations like this one….

The road was flanked by mighty mountains on one side and river on the other! Look at the next two pictures too.

Finally,  Brinda shot this pan shot on her iPhone which summarises this spectacular drive!

We surprisingly found this lovely patch of green with mules grazing on it. A lovely contrast to simmering rocks.

A group of workers from Boarder roads Organisation having lunch. Hats off to these tough guys who keep the roads in good condition in harsh weather.

Finally we enter Hunder again with sand dunes alongside the road…..

By the time we returned to Hunder, it was afternoon. It was a spectacular drive. A fulfilling one of visiting the soldiers getting ready to fight in the highest battle field in the world.

A humbling experience. A big salute to the “Snow warriors”. Thanks to these guys who give their today for our tomorrows!

Travel Tips

a) You need to take a permission from Army authorities either in Leh or in Patarpur for visiting the base camp.

b) Ideally it can be done as a day trip from Hunder. Make sure you leave early and return early. The weather in this region is very unpredictable. In fact, the soldiers in the base camp were saying that we were very lucky  to have a bright sunshine.

This is the eleventh part of Ladakh series – Our experiences in Ladakh Do you want to read more about our experiences in Ladakh? Please click on this link here

by Poorna & Brinda

posted by ; vipul koul