Narasiṃha Chaturdasi

NARASIṀHA CATURDAŚĪ

नरसिंहचतुर्दशी 

Artwork: Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, India, Himachal Pradesh, Nurpur, circa 1760-1770

On the fourteenth day of the bright half of the month of Vaiśākha, the festival honoring Narasiṃha Avatār,, the fourth incarnation of the daśāvatāra of Lord Viṣṇu, the man-lion, is celebrated.

Narasiṃha’s story begins with King Hiraṇyakaśipu’s brother being killed by Śrī Varāha, the boar. Seeking revenge, Hiraṇyakaśipu performs deep penance to obtain immortality. Pleased, Lord Brahmā (the creator) grants him a boon, rendering him invulnerable to any man or animal, among other stipulations. Arrogant and enraged, Hiraṇyakaśipu conquers the three worlds to avenge his brother.

The āsura king had a son, Prahlād, who was born a great bhākta of Lord Viṣṇu, having heard stories of him from Nārada Muni while in the womb. Hiraṇyakaśipu was outraged that his son would not accept him as God and tried many ways to convince him otherwise. After numerous failed attempts, he ordered his soldiers to torture and kill Prahlād.

Being a great devotee of Mahāviṣṇu, Prahlād surrendered completely, and the lord saved him from every attempt on his life. When Hiraṇyakaśipu questioned his son, while kicking a pillar, “Is your lord in the pillar too?” The pillar split, and the fierce half-man, half-lion Narasiṃha emerged to vanquish the oppressive āsura king and protect Prahlād, defying the very categories specified by Hiraṇyakaśipu's boon, and thereby subduing him.

The lord incarnates age after age to restore balance, protect the virtuous, and vanquish the wicked. Allegedly born from the sweat of Lord Śiva during his tapas, Maṅgal Graha (planet Mars) is said to be associated with the story of Narasiṃha.

Maṅgal is Deha Karaka or the indicator of the body, the heart, and the immune system, as he is the defense system within our bodies. He is the carrier of Agni (fire) tattva, the significator of one-pointed focus, the lord of logic, power, preservation, and violence. He represents protection, particularly the protection of the innocent. Maṅgal is also said to represent the suṣumṇa nadi (the central channel) in our body. 

ॐ श्री लक्ष्मीनृसिंहाय नम:

AKṢAYA TṚTĪYĀ: Day of Lasting Achievements

Akṣaya Tṛtīyā

अक्षय तृतीया

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Today marks the most auspicious day in the Vedic calendar, where both the luminaries, sūrya (sun) and chandra (moon) are in their exalted positions. Occuring on the third (tr̥tīyā) lunar day of the spring month of Vaiśākha, Akṣaya, meaning “never decreasing,” illuminates this day as a beacon of enduring accomplishments.

This auspicious occasion beckons new beginnings with unparalleled favorability, be it in the sacred bond of marriage, the initiation of ventures, the acquisition of gold or a new abode, or acts of benevolence. Such is its potency that the necessity of calculating an auspicious moment, known as muhūrta, becomes obsolete, for the entire day brims with divine blessings.

Today commemorates the denouement of the epochal Mahābhārata war, a pivotal event signaling the transition from Satyayuga, the golden age, to Tretāyuga, the silver era. It is also revered as the day when Lord Gaṇeśa and Veda Vyāsa commenced the writing of the Mahābhārata, and the moment when the celestial waters of river Gaṅgā decended from heaven to grace the earth realm.

This revered thiti (तिथि), or lunar phase, spans from 4:19 am 5/10 - 2:51 am 5/11 IST |  15:49 5/9 - 14:21 5/10 PST

New Moon in Bharaṇī: Star of Restraint

NEW MOON

अमावस्या

Artwork by Trisha Thomason Adams

May 7th 8:22 PM PST | 8th 8:52 AM IST

As we eagerly welcome the long awaited energies of May’s New Moon (Amāvásyā) aligned with the Vedic Lunar mansion of Bharaṇī भरणी (Aries), the Star of Restraint, we find ourselves standing at a doorway between worlds — a pivotal moment for purification and initiation into transformative new beginnings.

Bharaṇī Nakṣatra, associated with Yama Dev, the lord of the afterlife, beckons us to cleanse ourselves of impurities and embrace the germination of long-term plans and goals. It invites us to stand at the threshold, where the old is shed to make way for the new.

This lunation cycle marks the culmination of recent energies, revealing new aspects of ourselves and our lives—a delicate balance between self-discovery and interconnectedness.

We're being guided toward a revolutionary reconstruction—one that mirrors the assimilated revelations, lessons, and growth stemming from the encouraging turmoil of recent planetary shifts and changes.

Mercury is wrapping up its post-shadow period and awakens a huge potential for deep healing now. Notice what’s coming forward to be healed in order to usher in this next chapter. Jupiter's (Bṛhaspati) recent shift into Taurus prompts us to reflect on what truly nourishes us. It's a time for radical release, shedding what no longer serves us, to pave the way for rebirth.

This transformation will require forbearance, hard work and discipline, echoing the deeper wisdom found in the Yamas and Niyamas of the Yogasūtras. Exciting energies await us by the end of the month. Embrace this potent moment between sunrise and sunset, life and death. What leap are you willing to take?

For those seeking deeper insights and personalized guidance, I invite you to book a private consultation from my booking page. Let's navigate this potential for profound new beginnings together. All my relations - Tulsi 

Nisargadatta Maharaj // “Pain is physical; suffering is mental. Beyond the mind there is no suffering. Pain is essential for the survival of the body, but none compels you to suffer. Suffering is due entirely to clinging or resisting; it is a sign of our unwillingness to move on, to flow with life.”