Vaikashi Vishakham
Over the retreat the monastery celebrated Vaikashi Vishakham.
A festival held on Vishakha nakshatra, near the full moon day of the Tamil month of Vaikasi, May-June, to celebrate the creation, or "birth," of Lord Karttikeya. It is a time of gift-giving to panditas and great souls, weddings, feedings for the poor, caring for trees, spiritual initiation and conclaves of holy men.
What Are the Main Karttikeya Festivals
SLOKA 99
Vaikashi Vishakham celebrates the anniversary of Lord Karttikeya's creation. Skanda Shashthi is a six-day festival honoring His conquest of light over darkness. Tai Pusam is a time of sadhana and public penance. Aum.
BHASHYA
On Vaikasi Vishakham day, Lord Karttikeya's birthstar, Visakha nakshatra, in May-June, elaborate abhisheka is conducted in all His temples. It is a time of gift-giving to panditas and great souls, weddings, feedings for the poor, caring for trees, spiritual initiation, diksha, and conclaves of holy men. Skanda Shashthi is celebrated on the six days after the new moon in October-November with festive processions and pujas invoking His protection and grace. It honors Karttikeya's receiving the vel, His lance of spiritual illumination, jñana sakti, and culminates in a dramatic victory celebration of spiritual light over asuric darkness. Tai Pusam occurs on Pushya nakshatra in January-February. During this festival we fast and perform public penance, called kavadi, seeking Karttikeya's blessings to dispel our selfishness, pride and vanity. His special monthly days are Krittika nakshatra and Shashthi, the sixth tithi after the new moon. The Vedas say, "Like the cry of watchful birds swimming in water, like the loud claps of thundering rain clouds, like the joyful streams gushing from the mountain, so have our hymns sounded forth to the Lord." Aum Namah Sivaya.
From Dancing with Siva:
What Is the Nature of Lord Karttikeya?
SLOKA 24
Lord Karttikeya, Murugan, first guru and Pleiadean master of kundalini yoga, was born of God Siva's mind. His dynamic power awakens spiritual cognition to propel souls onward in their evolution to Siva's feet. Aum.
BHASHYA
Lord Karttikeya flies through the mind's vast substance from planet to planet. He could well be called the Emancipator, ever available to the call of those in distress. Lord Karttikeya, God of will, direct cognition and the purest, child-like divine love, propels us onward on the righteous way through religion, His Father's law. Majestically seated on the manipura chakra, this scarlet-hued God blesses mankind and strengthens our will when we lift to the inner sky through sadhana and yoga. The yoga pada begins with the worship of Him. The yogi, locked in meditation, venerates Karttikeya, Skanda, as his mind becomes as calm as saravana, the lake of Divine Essence. The kundalini force within everyone is held and controlled by this powerful God, first among renunciates, dear to all sannyasins. Revered as Murugan in the South, He is commander in chief of the great devonic army, a fine, dynamic soldier of the within, a fearless defender of righteousness. He is Divinity emulated in form. The Vedas say, "To such a one who has his stains wiped away, the venerable Sanatkumara shows the further shore of darkness. Him they call Skanda." Aum Namah Siva ya.
We will be releasing a video of the event shortly.
27 Responses to “Vaikashi Vishakham”
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May 28th, 2013 at 4:28 pm
Wonderful, powerful photos of the Vaikasi Visakham puja! Thank you!
May 28th, 2013 at 5:08 pm
Thank you for the explanation, knowledge is golden.
May 28th, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Aum Muruga!
Vel! Vel! Vettri Vel!
“VAIKASI VISAKKAM” Puja Photos reflects the Brightness of
Lord Murugan, with the Vibration of his Great Blessings!
Muruga Saranam!
Aum Muruga!
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May 31st, 2013 at 10:01 am
The darshan radiates through the computer!
June 1st, 2013 at 9:59 pm
BEAUTIFUL LORD MURUGAN
VETRI VEL MURUGANUKU
HARA HARO HARA HARA
VETRIVEL SHIVA SUTHNU
HARAHARO HARA HARA