NAVAGRAHA MANTAP

NAVAGRAHA MANTAP

Navagrahas influence every person's life, from their birth to their death. The position of the nine celestial bodies in the celestial sphere at the time of birth is indicated in ones JANAM KUNDALI. Navagrahas influence depends on the position of the stars, lagna and rasi in relation to the position of the grahas. The influence can be at times good and other times bad and changes with the transition of the grahas through the celestial sphere. If the grahas are in particular positions in the Janam Kundali, their influence will be positive. The effect will be one or more of the following: good life, good spouse, good friends, good health, good education, good children, respectable position in society etc. If they are in other positions, their influence will not be good. The effect can be one or more of the following: bad life, unhappy marriage, no friends, bad health, not able to obtain good education, unable to attain higher positions inspite of great capabilities, family problems and such. Hindu scriptures like the Jyothishgranth "Jataka Chintamani" and others state that one can overcome the bad influence arising from the position of grahas in ones JANAM KUNDALI by the worship of Navagrahas and obtaining their blessings. For such Navagraha worship, we the Hindus of Las Vegas have a great need to construct a MANDAP within our Hindu Temple premises. We have already bought beautiful moorthies (Statues of Surya, Chandra, Mangal, Budh, Bruhaspati, Shukra, Sani, Rahu and Ketu) of the nine celestial bodies and Peetham (platforn) to the Temple. We are in the process of building the mandap of approximately 19.7’ X 17’ just outside our main temple in its NorthEast comer at an estimated cost of $80,000. We request your generous donation for this purpose. We want every one of you to be part of this venture with whatever contributions, big or small. Generation after generation of Hindus with their children will enjoy the benefit of Navagraha Worship in our temple. And it will be because of all of you.

Hindu Temple

The Hindu Society of Nevada was incorporated in 1994. The Hindu Temple opened doors for devotees in April of 2001. The temple provides a serene and tranquil venue where devotees congregate to pray, stay connected with the religious traditions, and impart these traditions, values and culture to the younger generations.

The Temple has evolved into a permanent feature of the Nevada landscape, promoting Hindu religion and culture and providing a sanctum for human beings of all creeds. The Temple is a shining example of what a community could accomplish collectively in order to sustain its religious and cultural roots.

Parushan Mahaparva

Parushan Mahaparva
JAIN FESTIVALS

Paryushan Mahaparva & Samvatsari
What is “Paryushan” The words paryusarg is an essence of the three words of “Pariupsaarg”, “vasdhatu” and “Anapratyey”. “Parisamantat samagrataya ushana vasana niwas” literally translated means to get totally absorbed. To move away from the theory on to practice. In the historical guides this period culminates into only one major auspicious day but the significance of the seven days with elaborate preparations like stringrent adherence to religious doctrines and abstainence preceding the Paryushan cannot be overlooked. In order to outbeat the strong, one needs to summon up enough strength in the same way to overcome the invisible negative forces, one needs to involve himself totally in the religious practices to draw the energy to withstand these forces. Symbolically this festival can not only be called the festival of the �Jains� but of the entire human race.

Samvatsari
The day that comes only once a year after much preparation is known as Samvatsari. This is the day that arrives after the religious period of Samvotsar. In fact this entire festival is called Paryushan. This period of samvotsar comes 50 days after and 70 days before the close of the chaturmas period. Sometimes the samvotsar may vary between 49 days after and 71 days before the close of the chaturmas or the four month period.

Paryushan Daily Routine for 7 Days.

1.Rising early in the morning and hearing the holy word.
2.Contemplation of the holy words that were preached.
3.Half an hour of meditation or Preksha Dhyana
4.Limiting one�s diet to only certain elements or abstinence.
5.Abstinence from meals after sunset.
6.Abstinence from indulging in the gratification of the flesh.
7.Observing Anuvrata
8.Observing a minimum of five samayikas
9.Observing silence for an hour.
10.Prayers or meditation with the community or family.
11.Maintaining a feeling of selflessness.
12.Abstaining from all forms of entertainment.
13.Abstaining from consuming green vegetables or limiting ones diet to pulses.

Samatsavari is the Last day of this festival & it is the main Day. On this day, all Jains keep fasting. On the next day, they take breakfast which is called as Paarna .

Jains strongly believe in forgiving. On the Samatsvari day, at the time of pratikarman all persons plead this message within them, & to all other persons who are connected with them in past life in any manner. Jains plead there forgiveness message to all persons whom they know and doesnot matter which sector or cast they belong. The forgiving plead is not limited into present life but also includes all previous lives.

GRANTING PARDON OR FORGIVENESS

The meaning of forgiveness is tolerance.
To believe that tolerance is one�s responsibility and to oppose the negative forces of animosity is forgiveness.
Tolerance is to overlook the source of the negative forces of anger.
Forgiveness is the weapon of the strong willed.

To be able to keep a check on one�s power of destruction is forgiveness. The one who does not know how to forgive is considered as lowly. The person who judges others and refuses to grant pardon is himself unpardonable. Strength lies with the one whose heart is full of benevolence. A person who can overlook the shortcomings, lapses and wrong-doings is a source of joy and peace. Great is the man who does not hesitate to ask for pardon for his own mistakes. The harbinger of peace is one who makes an attempt to alleviate the sufferings that have occurred due to his disregard.

I grant forgiveness to all living beings,

All living beings grant me forgiveness.

My friendship is with all living beings,

My enmity is totally nonexistent.

KHAAMEMI SAVVE JEEVA

SAVVE JEEVA KHAMANTU ME

METTI ME SAVVE BHUYESU

VAIRAM MAJHAM NA KENAI

MEANING:I forgive (from the bottom of my heart without any reservation) all living beings (who may have caused me any pain and suffering either in this life or previous lives), and I beg (again from the bottom of my heart without any reservation) for the forgiveness from all living beings (no matter how small or big to whom I may have caused pain and suffering in this life or previous lives, knowingly or unknowingly, mentally, verbally or physically, or if I have asked or encouraged someone else to carry out such activities). (Let all creatures know that) I have a friendship with everybody and I have no revenge (animosity or enmity) toward anybody.

The most important festival of Jainism i.e. “PARYUSHAN “. One custom to be followed after the last day of Paryushan (Samvatsari) is that of saying “Michhami Dukkadam”. On Samvatsari day the ritual of “Pratikraman” is performed. Since “Samvatsari” is an annual event so is the Samvatsari Pratikraman. Under Samvatsari Pratikraman there comes the retrospection of all bad deeds and mistakes committed in the past year. We are critical of the bad deeds and resolve not to let them happen in the future. We also request forgiveness from all the living beings in the world if we might have knowingly or unknowingly caused harm to them. Thus, after the Pratikraman it is customary to request forgiveness from everyone we know and meet by saying “Michhami Dukkadam”. The idea behind it being that - “After requesting forgiveness from all living beings in general as part of Pratikraman, I do so one-to-one with you.” We become more specific and personal by doing so. In addition to requesting forgiveness, one has to grant forgiveness too. Thus by forgiving everyone and requesting forgiveness from all we ligthen ourselves and our mind from past year’s misdeeds.”Michchhami (Mithya) means fruitless / forgiven and Dukkadam (Dushkrit) means bad deeds. Therefore the meaning of Michchhami Dukkadam is’My bad deeds be fruitless’. So the idea behind conveying Michchhami Dukkadam is that if I have caused any harm to you then may those bad deeds be forgiven, become fruitless

KHAMEMI SAVVE JIVA:- I forgive all the living beings
SAVVE JIVA KHAMANTU :- ME I seek pardon from all the living beings
MITTI ME SAVVA BHUTESU :- I am friendly towards all the living beings
VERAM MAJJHAM NA KENVI :- And seek enmity with none

MICHHAMI DUKKADAM! Forgive me for my ignorance! Self-Realization: I am pure soul. I am not body. Concentrate on three spiritual jewels: Right Knowledge, right Vision and right Conduct. While meditating, exhale and inhale through the process, drawing our energy from the naval to head. Concentrate on endless virtues and attributes of our soul. The practice of meditation helps us to purify our mental state, to control our emotions of hatred, greed, etc., and feel eternal happiness and serenity.