Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Ayyappa Samaaj Mandalam, Mala Dharana, Irumudi Puja


Ayyappasamaaj  (http://www.ayyappasamaaj.org/) will grandly celebrate its Annual Ayyappa Mandala & Irumudi Puja and Makara Vilakkku Puja between Nov 15, 2012 and Jan 14, 2013.

 With the grace of Lord Ayyappa we are ready to begin this year's Mandalam season on Nov 15th. We invite you, your family, and your friends to come participate in the planned devotional activities and receive the grace of Lord Ayyappa. 

If you are planning to wear mala this season to observe viratham and/ or take Irumudi, please let us know in advance by sending an email to ayyappasamaaj@gmail.com.

Click here to register for Maala Dhaarana and Irumudi Puja

Mala Dharana will be conducted at the various temples in the bay area on the dates indicated below. If you would like to wear Mala on other dates, please send an email to ayyappasamaaj@gmail.com.


·         Nov 15, 2012 – Start of Mandalam Season 2012 (to coincide with the Mandalam season start in Sabarimala)
·         January 14, 2013: 5:30 PM - Ayyappa Makara Vilakku Puja with Sankalpam, Abhishekam, Archana, Bhajans followed by Dinner Prasadam

This is an excellent opportunity for children to learn Ayyappa bhajans and sing them during the Puja. We will be performing Irumudi Puja on December 25th. Last year we had over 65 Ayyappas do the Irumudi Puja (including over 20 children).

·         Please participate with your friends and family
·         Please forward this information to at least five of your friends and family. Ask them to sign for Ayyappasamaaj Yahoo Groups. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ayyappasamaaj/join) 
·         If you are interested in taking vritham (deeksha) this year, please contact us immediately at ayyappasamaaj@gmail.com. Several other activities are planned as well and we'll update you as we go along.



Register for Ayyappa Samaaj Maala Dhaarana & Irumudi Puja






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If you have trouble viewing or submitting this form, you can fill it out online:
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Bhakti, Bhajans Sahasranama, and Laksharchana


Bhakti, Bhajans Sahasranama, and Laksharchana

Bhakti & Bhajan
Bhakti is an important component of many branches of Hinduism, defined differently by various sects and schools.

Bhakti emphasizes religious devotion and sentiment above ritual and orthopraxy, an emphasis on conduct, both ethical and liturgical, as opposed to faith or grace.
The Classical Sanskrit term bhakti has a general meaning of "attachment, devotion, fondness for, devotion to" etc. also in terms of human relationships, most often as beloved-lover, friend-friend, parent-child, and master-servant. It may refer to devotion to a spiritual teacher (Guru) as guru-bhakti, to a personal form of God, or to divinity without form (nirguna).

The Sanskrit noun bhakti is derived from the verb root bhaj, whose meanings include "to share in", "to belong to", and "to worship" It also occurs in compounds where it means "being a part of" and "that which belongs to or is contained in anything else."
Bhajan, or devotional singing to God, is also derived from the same root. "Devotion" as an English translation for bhakti doesn't fully convey two important aspects of bhakti—the sense of participation that is central to the relationship between the devotee and God, and the intense feeling that is more typically associated with the word "love".

An advaitic interpretation of bhakti goes beyond "devotion" to the realization of union with the essential nature of reality as ananda, or divine bliss. Bhakti is sometimes used in the broader sense of reverence toward a deity or teacher. Bhaktimarga is usually used to describe a bhakti path with complete dedication to one form of God.

A more literal translation of bhakti would be "participation"; the sage Narada defines Bhakti as "intense love" for God. Similarly Sage Shandilya defines Bhakti as "intense attraction" for God. One who practices bhakti is called a bhakta, while bhakti as a spiritual path is referred to as bhakti marga, or the bhakti way.

Lord Ayyappa is referred to Bhajana Priyan, because most devotees use Bhajans as a form of expressing their devotion to Him. Bhajans, unlike the Vedic Mantras, are easy for the common man to follow. We recite the names of the Lord when singing the bhajans without even realizing it.

Sahasranama
Many religions include praise of the Divine Name as an important part of their tradition. In Hinduism all of the most widely-known forms of the divine have sahasranama stotra devoted to them. Recitation and study of these often constitute part of the daily routine of formal worship both at home and in temples.

A sahasranama (Sanskrit:सहस्रनाम; sahasranāma) is a type of Hindu scripture in which a deity is referred to by 1,000 or more different names. Sahasranamas are classified as stotras, or hymns of praise, a type of devotional scripture. Sahasra means a thousand, or more generally, a very large number. Nama (nāman) means name. The literal translation of sahasranama is "a thousand names".

A sahasranama provides a terse but encyclopedic guide to the attributes and legends surrounding a deity. There are also many shorter stotras, called ashtottara-shata-nāma stotras, which have only 108 names.

Among the Nine Expressions of Bhakti, usually elaborated in Hindu tradition, four have relevance to the use of sahasranamas:
  • shravana, listening to recitals of names and glories of God
  • nama-sankirtana (nāma-sankīrtana), reciting the names of God either set to music or not
  • smarana, recalling divine deeds and teaching of divine deeds.
  • archana (archanā), worshipping the divine with ritual repetition of divine names.

Laksharchana
A Lakshārchanā involves the repetition of names one hundred thousand times. Laksha, in Sanskrit, means one hundred thousand. This is an intensive version of the Sahasra-nāma-archanā. It involves the repeated chanting of sahasranamas, multiplying the number of the performances by the number of the people who joined in the chorus.
To achieve this goal several people sit together and perform repetition of the names in chorus. This continues for a fixed time duration, usually for several days, chanting for a certain number of hours each day. The recital of the different participants for the several days adds up to at least 100,000 repetitions of divine names.

There are occasions when a Koti archanā is also performed to the deity by counting up to 100 Lakshārchanās. Koti (crore, in English) is one hundred lakshas; that is, ten million.
Such elaborate devotions usually mean a good deal of expense and so they are usually done in temples or public organizations which can obtain the necessary sponsorship.
(source: Wikipedia)

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Monday, October 10, 2011

Bay Area Ayyappasamaaj Events Update

San Francisco Bay Area Ayyappasamaaj (http:://www.ayyappasamaaj.org) is very active in the celebration of Lord Ayyappa's functions at the Shiva Vishnu Temple in Livermore, California.

2011 Events



2010 Events

2009 Events

2008 Events


Please join Ayyappasamaaj (http://www.ayyappasamaaj.org/) and our mailing list on Yahoo(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ayyappasamaaj/join) to get notified of Lord Ayyappa's pujas in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Swami Saranam!

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Ayyappa Mandala & Irumudi Puja and Makara Vilakkku Puja

Ayyappa Mandala & Irumudi Puja and Makara Vilakkku Puja


Ayyappasamaaj of San Francisco Bay Area (http://www.ayyappasamaaj.org/) will grandly celebrate its Annual Ayyappa Mandala & Irumudi Puja and Makara Vilakkku Puja at The Shiva Vishnu Temple, Livermore between Nov 16, 2011 and Jan 16, 2012.

With the grace of Lord Ayyappa we are ready to begin this year's Mandalam season on Nov 16th. We invite you, your family, and your friends to come participate in the planned devotional activities and receive the grace of Lord Ayyappa. If you are planning to wear mala this season to observe vratham and/ or take Irumudi, please let us know in advance.

The months of Kaartika / Vrishchika, Maargazhi / Dhanur are most auspicious for Lord Ayyappa, during which period Mandala Puja is celebrated. Devotees observe traditional austerities (vratham), which normally start from the first day of Kaartika/ Vrishchikam (November 16). Devotees initiate the vratham by wearing a Thulasi or a Rudraksha maala. After 41 days (on December 25th) the devotees end their vratham by carrying Irumudi and removing the maala. (Kids can observe short vratham days by wearing maala on December 17th and end it on December 25th). Irumudi is a cloth bag with two compartments containing offerings for the Lord.

Makara Vilakku Pooja is a seven-day festival conducted annually in the famous Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala. The festival begins on the auspicious day of Makara Sankranthi, the first day of the Malayalam month of Makaram. Makara Vilakku Pooja commemorates the day on which idol of Lord Ayyappa or Dharma Sastha was enshrined in the temple and is the most important event that is conducted at Sabarimala.

  • Nov 16, 2011 6:00 PM –Start of Mandalam Season 2011 (to coincide with the Mandalam season start in Sabarimala)
  • November 19, 2011 - 4:30 PM - Mandalam Celebrations Weekend Program begins with Sankalpam, Mala Dharana, Abhishekam, Archana, and Bhajans followed by Dinner Prasadam
  • Nov 26, Dec 3, 10 at 5:00 PM - Weekly Bhajan followed by Aarti
  • Dec 17 4:00 PM Ayyappa Lakshaarchana and Sastha Preethi, Mala Dharana for kids followed by Bhajans and Aarathi. Click here to sign up for the Lakshaarchana.
  • Dec 25 at 9 AM - Mandalam ends with Irumudi Puja, Abhishekam, Archana, and Bhajans followed by Lunch Prasadam
  • January 15, 2011: 4:30 PM: Ayyappa Makara Vilakku Puja with Sankalpam, Abhishekam, Archana, Bhajans followed by Dinner Prasadam

This is an excellent opportunity for children to learn Ayyappa bhajans and sing them during the Puja. We will be performing Irumudi Puja on December 25th. Last year we had over 40 Ayyappas do the Irumudi Puja (including over 10 children)

  • Please participate with your friends and family
  • Please bring your children to learn Ayyappa bhajans on Saturdays
  • Please sign up for the Lakshaarchana
  • Please forward this information to at least five of your friends and family. Ask them to sign for Ayyappasamaaj Yahoo Groups. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ayyappasamaaj/join) and http://www.ayyappasamaaj.org/apps/auth/signup
  • If you are interested in taking vratham (deeksha) this year, please contact us immediately. We can provide you with Thulasi Mala to begin your vrutham. Several other activities are planned as well and we'll update you as we go along.

For information call: Vijay Gopal (925-321-0996), Arun Iyer (719-302-3291), Sudhakar Deevi (925) 518-4521, Manoj Empranthiri (408) 309-0695, Rajendran Nair (510-676-7402), Ravi Devaraj (650-888-6603)

http://www.ayyappasamaaj.org/

To join our mailing list, please sign up for our Yahoo Group (groups.yahoo.com/group/ayyappasamaaj/join)

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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Ganesha Chathurthi kids program 2011 at Livermore Shiva Vishnu Temple

Dear friends,

The Youth and Education team at HCCC (Livermore Shiva-Vishnu Temple) is planning a religious and cultural program to celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi 2011 on August 27, 2011. The key highlight of this program is that children get a chance to perform the puja for Lord Ganesha and also participate in a cultural program.

Ganesha Chathurthi Children’s Program

Venue: Temple Assembly Hall

Date: 27th August 2011 (Saturday)

Puja: 10:15 am to 12:00 pm

Children will be performing the puja followed by Prasadam distribution from 12:30PM to 1:30 PM

Cultural Program: 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

To register for puja and/or cultural event, send an email to YandE.Events@gmail.com with the name, item performing and contact information of the participant

  • Individual or Group Slokas and Bhajans: 3-4 minutes.
  • Individual or Group Dance or Drama: 4-5 minutes

Last date for registration 25th August 2011 (Thursday)

NOTE: Only registrations that can be accommodated in the limited time (1.5 hrs) will be accepted. Please register early!!!

Please visit http://www.livermoretemple.org/hints/content/html/2011/Ganesh_Puja.pdf or http://pramki.sulekha.com/blog/post/2011/07/ganesha-chathurthi-children-s-program-at-our-livermore.htm to get more information regarding the program.

We invite all interested devotees to register early for this event.



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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Dec 18 2010 - Mala Dharanama & Ayyappa Sahasranama/Laksharchana

The Ayyappa Mandala Season is in full swing at our Livermore Shiva Vishnu Temple.

This coming Saturday, the puja and bhajans will start at 4:30 PM to give us extra time to handle kids mala dhaarana. If you have not already given your name, please send an email to ravi.devaraj@gmail.com if you are interested in mala dhaarana for yourself and/or your kid. Girls under the age of 10 and women over the age of 50 can do mala dhaarana and perform Irumudi puja which will be performed at the temple on December 26th at 9:00 AM.

Last weekend (12/11) we had 25-30 kids from Sarada Bhajan Mandali perform bhajans. They sang songs for all the gods and the entire temple was reverberating with the positive vibrations from the songs that the kids were singing.

LAKSHAARCHANA

As you all know, we have introduced the Sahasranama during our weekend bhajans. Our priests are doing a wonderful job in conducting the sahasranama.

If we have a 100 people performing Sahasranama at the same time, it is called a Lakshaarchana. If we have 50 people and we perform the Sahasranama two times, that also constitutes a Lakshaarchana. We request all devoteeds to come this weekend and participate in the Sahasranama so we can try and make it a lakshaarchana. Please note that if husband and wife perform Sahasranama, it counts as two people. Please bring your friends and relatives and ask them to participate in the sahasranama/Lakshaarchana.

A few devotees asked about the meaning of Laksharchana. Laksharchana is "Worship with the recital of a lakh of divine names of a deity." The way we are planning to do it is to have 100 (or more) of our devotees recite the Ayyappa Sahasranamam at the same time along with the priest.

I request all devotees to bring flowers to the temple this weekend.

I have uploaded a copy of the Ayyappa Sahasranamam in all four languages (tamil, telugu, malayalam, and english) to our www.ayyappasamaaj.org web site. You will need to register to the ayyappasamaaj.org site to gain access to the link.


http://www.ayyappasamaaj.org/apps/links/

Swami Saranam!
Prasad
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Friday, October 15, 2010

Ayyappa Mandala Puja 2010

Ayyappasamaaj of San Francisco Bay Area (http://www.ayyappasamaaj.org/) will grandly celebrate its Annual Ayyappa Mandala & Irumudi Puja and Makara Vilakku Puja at the The Shiva Vishnu Temple, Livermore between Nov 13th and January 16, 2011.

With the grace of Lord Ayyappa we are ready to begin this year's Mandalam season on Nov 13th. We invite you, your family, and your friends to come participate in the planned devotional activities and receive the grace of Lord Ayyappa. If you are planning to wear mala this season to observe viratham and/ or take Irumudi, please let us know in advance.


The months of Kaartika / Vrishchika, Maargazhi / Dhanur are most auspicious for Lord Ayyappa, during which period Mandala Puja is celebrated. Devotees observe traditional austerities (vratham), which normally start from the first day of Kaartika/ Vrishchikam (November 16). Devotees initiate the vratham by wearing a Thulasi or a Rudraksha mala. After 41 days (on December 26th) the devotees end their vratham by carrying Irumudi and removing the mala. (Kids can observe short vratham days by wearing mala on December 18th and end it on December 26th). Irumudi is a cloth bag with two compartments containing offerings for the Lord.

Nov 13 4:30 PM - Mandalam begins with Sankalpam, Mala Dharana, Abishekam, Archana, and Bhajans followed by Dinner Prasadam
Dec 18 4:30 PM Mala Dharana for kids followed by Bhajans and Aarathi
Nov 20, 27, Dec 4, 11 5:00 PM - Weekly Bhajan and Sahasranamam followed by Aarti
Dec 26 9 AM - Mandalam ends with Irumudi Puja, Abishekam, Archana, and Bhajans followed by Lunch Prasadam
January 16, 2011: 4:30 PM: Ayyappa Makara Vilakku Puja with Sankalpam, Abhishekam, Archana, Bhajans followed by Dinner Prasadam




This is an excellent opportunity for children to learn Ayyappa bhajans and sing them during the Puja. We will be performing Irumudi Puja on December 26th. Last year we had over 30 Ayyappas do the Irumudi Puja (including over 10 children)

- Please participate with your family on Nov 13 and Dec 26
- Please bring your children to learn Ayyappa bhajans on Saturdays (Nov 20, 27, Dec 4, 11)
- Please forward this email with the attached flyer to at least five of your friends and family. Ask them to sign for Ayyappasamaaj Yahoo Groups. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ayyappasamaaj/join)
- If you are interested in taking vrutham (deeksha) this year, please contact us immediately. We can provide you with Thulasi Mala to begin your vrutham. Several other activities are planned as well and we'll update you as we go along.



Please help spread the word by forwarding this to your friends.For more information, please visit the temple web site at http://livermoretemple.org/

For information call: Prasad Ramakrishnan (408) 705-8172, Ravi Shankar (650) 302-3612, Sudhakar Deevi (925) 518-4521, Manoj Empranthiri (408) 309-0695, Usha Namboodri (925) 803-1249

http://www.ayyappasamaaj.org/

To join our mailing list, please sign up for our Yahoo Group (groups.yahoo.com/group/ayyappasamaaj/join)

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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Common Elements Used in Hindu Puja

Common Elements Used in Hindu Puja

This article contains a brief explanation of some common puja items and their usage in a puja ceremony. The list given below, by no means, is an exhaustive one and can be suitably supplemented with further details. Its main objective is to create a general understanding of these puja items and their relevance in a puja ceremony:

PUJA LAMP OR DIYA

By lighting lamp in puja ceremony, we pray that our life is filled with the light of divine grace and wisdom. Burning of ghee or oil signifies that we should burn our negative tendencies (वासना VASNAS) in order to purify our hearts. As ego is the root cause of many human problems, a burning wick teaches us to gradually diminish our ego and serve others with humility. We notice that a lamp always burns upwards. It gives us the message that we should acquire all those qualities which are necessary for a steady and upward progress in our spiritual life.

DHOOPBATTI, AGARBATTI (INCENSE) AND KAPOOR (CAMPHOR)

Burning of these items during puja ceremony emits nice fragrance. These items burn themselves out for making the whole environment peaceful and nice. It teaches us that we should also be ready to burn (sacrifice) our ego in order to spread the perfume of love and compassion for all.

FLOWERS AND FRUITS

Flowers signify beauty, purity, softness and fragrance. They also signify sweetness as bees make honey from their pollen. By offering flowers we pray to God for the beauty and purity of our minds. We also pray for the sweetness in our thoughts, speech and actions so that the fragrance of our good conduct reaches out to other people.
We are all bound by the law of karma. We reap the fruits of our past deeds. These karmic fruits keep us in the cycle of births and deaths. By offering fruits we pray to God to free us from the fruits of our actions, good or bad, that we performed in this life or past lives.

WATER

Water signifies purity. It is kept in a copper vessel during puja ceremony. Later, it is offered as (चरणामृत CHARNAMRIT) to the devotees. By drinking ‘charnamrit’ we pray for the purity of our heart, body and mind. This holy water is also sprinkled all over the place to spread the divine vibrations which it had absorbed during the ceremony.
It is important to understand the significance of water-kalash in a puja ceremony. In mythological churning of ocean by (देव DEVAS) and (असुर ASURS), one of the findings was a kalash filled with (अमृत AMRIT) (nectar of immortality). The water filled in the kalash for puja symbolizes the elixir of life, soul which is immortal. This water has to be pure, preferably Ganga jal (water from the Ganges) or the one obtained from a running stream.

RICE

The unbroken rice used in puja ceremony is called ‘akshat.’ It denotes longevity. Rice is placed near the base of the water-kalash. While holy water symbolizes purity in our life, rice brings blessings for a long life. Like water, rice also receives and transmits divine vibrations received during puja ceremony. Sisters use rice as an important ingredient of (तिलक TILAK) (a holy mark on forehead) for wishing long life for their brothers.

COCONUT

Coconut plays a key role in puja ceremony. It is centrally placed on the water-kalash with its tip pointing upwards. The tip attracts holy vibrations and transmits them back into atmosphere in the form of a fountain. The three eyes on coconut remind us about the three-eyed Shiva (त्रियम्बकेश्वर TRIYAMBKESHWAR).
The breaking up of coconut symbolizes the breaking up of our ego (selfishness, false pride). Therefore, by breaking coconut we remind ourselves to come out of our egotism and realize our true spiritual nature. Coconut has a vast number of uses. It is used as an important food ingredient. Water of a tender coconut is rich in minerals and has a soothing effect on us during summer time. Its outer shell and parts find many uses in rural areas. In fact, no part of coconut is considered wasteful. It teaches us to serve others
in every possible way. Considering its religious significance and usefulness, coconut is called (श्रीफल SHREEFAL) meaning God’s fruit.

TULSI LEAVES

TULSI (तुलसी, Basilica or Basil) is the most sacred plant in Hinduism. It is called (हरि प्रिय HARIPRIYA) meaning, someone who is very dear to Lord Vishnu. Therefore, Tulsi embodies Goddess Lakshmi. Tulsi is also known as Vrinda. Vrindavan, meaning forest (van) full of Vrinda, is the place where Shri Krishna danced with Radha Rani and other (गोपियाँ GOPIYAN) (milk maids) in (रास लीला RAAS LEELAS). So in that sense, Tulsi represents Radha Rani. Also, ‘Tulsi-Vivah’ depicts the wedding of Lord Ram and Sitaji. So, Tulsi also represents Sitaji. Tulsi, therefore, is the true representation of goddesses Lakshmi, (राधा रानी RADHA RANI) and (सीताजी SITAJI). Tulsi leaves have medicinal properties for curing many diseases. They are used in the ‘charnamrit’ for receiving blessings of all goddesses.

MANGO LEAVES

Mango is well known for its sweetness and is called the king of all fruits. According to a mythological story, mango leaves signify (अमरत्व AMARATVA) or immortality. With the use of mango leaves in the water-kalash, we remind ourselves for our actions to be always nice and sweet to others. Mango leaves also serve to remind us that we should not forget the ultimate goal of human life: to strive for receiving ‘amartava’ or liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.

BETEL (PAAN) LEAVES

Betel leaves (पान PAAN) are a symbol of freshness and prosperity. It is customary to offer paan as a mark of hospitality. If used in moderation, paan leaves are useful for human digestive system. They kill germs and bacteria and are useful in curing cold. A mythological story portrays paan leaves as (मृतुन्जय संजीवनी MRITUNJAY SANJEEVANI), thus highlighting their usefulness to human beings. Paan leaves are used in puja ceremony for receiving blessings for good health and prosperity in life.

ARECA NUTS (SUPARI)

Areca nuts (सुपारी SUPARI) symbolize strength and blessings for a long life. The use of supari together with paan leaves in puja ceremony is symbolic of our desire to receive blessings for a life full of strength, longevity, good health and prosperity. As supari has a hard shell, by offering it in puja, we surrender our hard, coarse qualities to God and pray for only pure and helpful qualities.

MILK

Milk is a sign of peace and tranquility. Milk is the first food that a mother gives to her baby. So it is associated with motherly love. It is an important ingredient of ‘panchamrit’ (the blessed food). It is also used in Lord Shiva’s Abhishekam (Shivji’s puja).

KESAR (SAFFRON)

Kesar is the symbol of (अग्नि AGNI) or fire, the power of God. Sikhs use saffron color in their religious flag to demonstrate their commitment to fight injustice. Hindu, Jain and Buddhist monks use kesaria robes as a mark of renunciation of worldly life. Therefore, kesar is both a symbol of strength as well as of renunciation for spiritual pursuits.

SANDALWOOD

Sandalwood is well known for its aroma and cooling effect on human body. Sandal incense sticks are an important puja item. Kesar and sandal paste is used in worshiping deities especially for ‘mastak-abhishek’ or applying tilak on the forehead of sacred idols.

HONEY

Honey is one of the five ingredients of panchamrit. The sweetness of honey reminds us to be nice and sweet to others in our speech, thoughts and actions. It is rich with many minerals and supplements which are important for our nourishment.

KUMKUM (VERMILLION)

Kumkum stands for our emotions and inner wisdom. The use of kumkum in puja reminds us to use our wisdom with equanimity so that our thoughts and emotions do not overpower us.

HALDI POWDER (TURMERIC)

Haldi (turmeric) is a common spice used in Indian cooking. It is also a sign of purity and is thus an important part of the puja ceremony. It is also used in ‘haldi-ceremony’ in weddings. Haldi is well known for its great medicinal value for general wellbeing as well as for the treatment of some incurable diseases.

PRASAD (BLESSED FOOD)

Prasad is the blessed food that has been offered to God during puja. The food becomes infused with the deity’s prana energy. Hence the name prasad, which literally means the bestower of eternal life. A specially prepared prasad called PANCHAMRIT (पंचामृत five nectars), which is made of five components: milk (cow milk is preferred), yoghurt, sugar, ghee (clarified butter) and honey. Later, this food is offered to all the devotees. With the distribution of prasad, we convey God’s blessings to everyone. When we eat prasad, we thank God for these blessings.
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