India will not break – Trust RSS

Yet another contributory article from Adv Anil Kappilil ji a practicing lawyer from Kochi. who has written a great piece, a real tribute as an Proud Indian. I agree with him 100% on each word he writes here. Here we go in his own words

It is always about Bharat Mata Swayamsevak

To begin with, let me make it clear that am not an RSS karyakarta or a member of any political party. I am proud to be a nationalist Hindu.

After getting political independence in 1947, there were several attempts to break India both from within and abroad. The first among them was the partition of India. The decades-long Congress rule accelerated and colluded in the efforts that witnessed not only breaking India geographically, financially, morally, philosophically and politically but also civilizationally. Because Congress had no vision other than power and loot inherited from their foreign predecessors.

So what and who enabled India to resist the attacks and catastrophic fall of the greatest nation? The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindutva ideology.

Pujyaneeya Sarsanghchala Mohanji Bhagwat – Vijayadashami Celebrations

None can break India because RSS is there. None can break RSS because of its core philosophy is Bharateeyata and Hindutva. And because every Karyakartha is self-driven swayamsevak and Pujyaneeya Sarsanghchalak is a Karyakarta of Sangha first and from top to bottom they enjoy the same responsibility and authority. RSS is like Sanatana Dharma which just exist and a way of life. No one can define it in a simple manner. Every Swayamsevak is highly disciplined and committed in every walk of their life dedicated to the cause of Bharat Mata and Dharma

The Discipline and Unity of Purpose – starts with small things like this

A careful scrutiny of the policies and legislations made during the Congress rule would reveal that they followed the British dogma of divide and rule India. While Congress reduced itself to a family organization of Nehru family RSS has grown itself as the largest Hindu Undivided Family Conglomerate revered and respected, accepted and assimilated by global polity.

RSS has global presence and it is more powerful and omnipresent than all super powers of the world. The political dwarfs cannot comprehend the might of RSS and their rhetorical barks are nothing but akin to weak howling of jackals at the full moon.!

When I say Hindutva I mean not the superficial definition of being known as a Hindu in birth certificate. Hindu is the one who is born to Dharmic couples and nurtured and nourished by dharmic values and practices them in life. Any person whose birth in any way of life or religion can become a true Hindu only when he practises a life that is predicated in various paths of Hindu dharma. But no person who is born to parents having Hindu names can be a true Hindu because he doesn’t practice Hindu dharma. Communists are not Hindus even though their names may suggest so. So are those who dont feel pride in calling Bharat as their mother land and respect her as Bharat Mata. Religious bigots have no place in this holy soil except for their burial and the epic stories have confirmed the perilous end of Ravans and other demonic characters. Remember, Hindu dharmma is the only civilization that allows anyone to be a non believer in God and yet be Hindu. Charvaka is treated on par with and revered as a great sage in Hindu dharma.

Confrontation through physical force is not the Hindutva way of dealing with adversaries. But it has the most poweful means of consolidation of any threat to the civilization. The Yogis are not ordinary mortals. The seven sages in the sky control even the umpteen number of galaxies.

India is unbreakable. Those who try to break or weaken this phenomenon, will get destroyed and erased completely. Because Karma is indestructible. RSS is indestructible because its foundation is for the good karma.

  • By Adv Anilkumar Kappillil
India and Indians are Safe – Trust a Swayamsevak

Ratha Saptami – Light & Enlightenment

ॐ आदित्याय विदमहे
दिवाकराय धीमहि
तन्नो सूर्यः प्रचोदयत।
Om Adityaya Vidmahe
Diwakaraya Dheemahi
Tanno Surya Prachodayat

In a culture that reveres, celebrates and worship every aspect of creation, Ratha Saptami is an important day. It is observed on the Saptami Tithi (Seventh Day) of Shukla Paksha (Waxing phase of the moon) in the month of Magha (11th month of the Hindu Calendar). It is also called Magha Saptami, Surya Jayanti, Achala Saptami, Arogya Saptami and so on and is dedicated to worship of the Sun – it is believed that Chariot of the Sun is closest to the earth on this day.

Scriptural References

There is a reference in Mahabharata to Ratha Saptami. Bhishma attained salvation the  day after Ratha Saptami, which is observed as Bhishma Ashtami. Bhishma was slain by Arjuna during the war. He had a boon on choosing the time of his passing, he waited until the Uttarayana. Bhishma prayed to the Sun God which will destroy his sins. Thus Bhishma placed Arka leaves, considered auspicious to Surya and Ganesha) on his body and prayed to Surya. As a result, he became free of his sins and was able to relinquish his mortal body.

The worship of Bhagawan Sun God is an essential part of all Hindu traditions since Vedic times. It is among the 6 Schools of Sanatana Practices – Vaishnavam, Shaivan, Shaktam, Ganapatyam, Kaumaram and Sauram. Vaishnavas worship Sun as Surya Narayana. Arunaprashna or Suryanamaskaara in Vedas is entirely dedicated to Surya. Aditya Hrudayamm, part of Valmiki Ramayana is all about glory of Surya Bhagawan.

Bhagwan Surya is considered the Pratyaksha Devata – Visible God. He is Apauresheya (which means not of Human) and was born to Rishi Kashyapa and Aditi on this day and hence the day also is often called Surya Jayanti.

Bhagawan Surya on His Rath, Charioteered by Half-Brother Aruna

It is on this day that Bhagwan Surya changes direction His Chariot to North-easterly direction and provides life giving and sustaining energy to all creations. He also nourishes and ensures good health. His charioteer is half Brother Aruna and there are interesting aspects to the Chariot itself. It is drawn by 7 horses. According to various beliefs Seven Horses represents Seven Adharmic acts (loosely translated as Sins) or Seven Colors of Rainbow (or components of white Light as modern science discovers much later) or Seven Days of the Week (Vasaras) The Chariot has 12 Wheels to represent Twelve signs of Zodiac or 12 months. Worship of Bhagwan Surya thus ensures mastery or control over all these aspects and help us lead a happy, contented or in other words, Dharmic life. It is on this day that there is a symbolic transition of season (currently 7th day of Shishira) towards Vasanta Ritu which starts on the day of Ugadi.

Navagrahas with Bhagwan Surya in the Centre

Being central to all the Life forces required for creation He is depicted as the central figure among the Navagrahas which also goes on to prove that our ancient Rishis were well aware that all planets revolve around the Sun and also that the number of planets are Nine (though in Hindu belief system, two of them, Rahu and Ketu are Shadow planets )

How is the day Observed

Devotees wake up before sunrise and finish their ablutions and have a ritualistic bath with Arka Leaves (see picture) placed on 7 parts of our body along with Akshate (Rice and Turmeric). 1 leaf on the head, 2 on the shoulders, 2 on the knees and 2 on the feet. In some families, the practice is for Men to bathe without Turmeric (only Arka leaves and Rice). It is also significant to know that Arka also means Sun Rays.

Arka Leaves (Calotropis porcera)

After ritualistic bath, it is time for Arghya pradhana to Sun. Offering water from the Kalasha facing the Sun chanting the following mantra

Namah Suryaya Shantaya Sarvaroga Nivaarine 
Ayur arogyam aisvairyam dehi devah jagatpate
I bow to you Bhagwan Surya, the ruler of the Universe, the one whose energy that is curative, Bless us with long life, good health and prosperity

After offering Arghya, light a lamp and agarbati (incense sticks), offer flowers (red colored one), and perform Karpoor (Camphor) Arathi.

Other Gayatris and mantras for Surya

Om Bhaskaray Vidmahe
Mahadutyathikaraya Dheemahi
Tanno Surya Prachodayat

Om Bhagwan Surya I meditate upon you, The one who showers the Universe with light and remove darkness and Seek your eternal blessings

Om Sapt Turagay Vidhmahe
Sahasra Kirnay Dheemahi
Tanno Ravi Prachodyat

I meditate upon you, The one who rides a Seven Horsed Chariot, the one who blesses the earth with thousands of rays and seek your eternal blessings

After the above prayers, we perform Sun Salutations or now popular Surya Namaskar. It is interesting to note that Surya Namaskar is also 12 postured asanas performed in smooth transition and performed under early morning rays of the sun, which is proven to have great benefits to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being of humans.

The ritual ends with Chanting Shri Suryashtakam (This is from Samba Puranam and recited by Samba, son of Lord Sri Krishna and Jambavati and as name indicates, it consists of 8 paragraphs of texts). Sharing link to a You Tube link available at the time of writing this with Kannada Lyrics

MAY BHAGWAN SURYA DESTROY ALL PLANETARY DOSHAS, MAY THE CHILDLESS BE BLESSED WITH HEALTHY PROGENY AND POOR BE BLESSED WITH ABUNDANT WEALTH
RATHA SAPTAMI GREETINGS TO ALL

Redid this Article with more Information and Pictures on Ratha Saptami 2023 (This article was published on Ratha Saptami 2022)

Hannu Yereyuvudu or Kari Yereyuvudu Ritual (Practiced definitely in Karnataka and Maharashtra and maybe other states too)

A ceremony observed on Ratha Saptami in households with Children less than 5 years. The child is decked up in new clothes and a crown and armlets embedded (or stuck) with Kusurellu (Sesame Seeds coated with Sugar)

Kusurellu
Ellu-Bella-Groundnut (Basic Offering of Sankaranti)
Crown and Armlet with Kusurellu
Bore Hannu (called Ber in Hindi) – Different Varieties
5 types of Fruits (One mandatory one is the Bore Hannu or Yelache Hannu)
Pearls, Havala, Gold, Silver
Puffed Rice (Puri in Kannada), Sweets, Kusurellu, Gemstones and Pearls
Baby Anay (Author’s Grandson) – for his 1st Ratha Saptami
Showers of all ingredients
Arati for the Baby

The ritual is to get rid of Drishti(evil eyes) and also to bless the kid with Abundance of Positivity and wealth