Tithi
of Makar Sankranti
Makar
Sankranti festival, unlike other Hindu festivals, is not dependent on the
position of the moon, but on position of the sun. On this day, the sun enters
the zodiac sign of Capricorn. To compensate for the difference that occurs due
to the revolution around the sun, every eighty years the day of Sankranti is
postponed by one day. In the present period Makar Sankranti falls on 14th January.
Sankranti
is considered a Deity. According to a legend Sankranti killed a demon named
Sankarasur. The day followed by Makar Sankrant is called Kinkrant or Karidin.
On this day, the female deity (devi) slayed the demon Kinkarasur.
Makar Sankranti's information is available in the Panchang: The Panchang (Hindu Almanac) provides information
on the form, age, clothing, direction of movement etc. of Sankranti. This
information is appropriate to the changes taking place in Her according to
time.
Makar
Sankranti is the day from which the northward movement of the sun begins. The
period from KarkaSankranti(the passage of the sun into the zodiac sign of
Cancer) to Makar Sankranti is called the dakshinayan. As per given in Hindu
scriptures, A person who dies in the dakshinayan period has a greater chance of
going to Yamalok (southward region), than one who dies during uttarayan(northward
revolution). Makar Sankranti's importance from the point of view of
spiritual practice: On the day of Makar Sankranti, from sunrise to
sunset, the environment has more chaitanya (Divine
conscious-ness); hence those doing spiritual practice can benefit from thischaitanya.
1. Benefit of highest merit acquired by a Holy dip on the day of Makar
Sankranti: The time from sunrise to sunset on
Makar-Sankrantiis auspicious. A Holy dip during this period carries special
significance. Those who take a Holy dip in the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari,
Krushna and Kaveri at the Holy places situated on the banks of these rivers
acquire the highest merit.
2. Makar Sankranti Offering: Importance of making an offering during an auspicious period: The period from Makar Sankranti to Rathsaptami is an auspicious period. Any donation and meritorious deeds in this period prove more fruitful.
2. Makar Sankranti Offering: Importance of making an offering during an auspicious period: The period from Makar Sankranti to Rathsaptami is an auspicious period. Any donation and meritorious deeds in this period prove more fruitful.
Substances offered on Makar Sankranti: An
offering of new vessels, clothing, food, sesame seeds, pot of sesame seeds,
jaggery, a cow, a horse, gold or land should be made depending on the
capability. On this day, married women also make some offering. They take
things from unmarried girls and give them sesame seeds and jaggery in return.
Married women organise a ceremony of haldi-kumkum (applying
vermilion and turmeric to the forehead) and gift articles to other married
women.
3. Importance of haldi-kumkum ceremony performed by
married women on Makar Sankranti : Performing haldi-kumkum(Turmeric
powder and vermilion) ceremony is in a way invoking the waves of dormant Adi-shakti in
the Universe to get activated. This helps in creating impression of Sagun (Materialised)
devotion on the mind of an individual and enhances his bhav (Spiritual
emotion) unto God.
3 A. Steps in haldi-kumkum ceremony
3 A 1. Applying haldi-kumkum : Applying haldi-kumkum to a suvasini (A
married woman whose husband is alive) activates the dormant Principle of Sri
Durgadevi in her and bestows well-being to the applier suvasini.
3 A 2. Applying perfume : Fragrant
particles emitting from the perfume please the Principle of the Deity and
bestow well-being to the applier suvasini within
a shorter period.
3 A 3. Sprinkling rose-water : The
fragrant waves emitted by the rose-water activate the waves of the Deity and
purifies the environment, and the suvasini who sprinkles it
gets greater benefit of the activated Sagun Principle of the
Deity.
seeds is made
during Sankranti festival. For example, bathing with water containing
sesame seeds and eating and distributing tilgul (a sweet made from sesame
seeds), offering sesame to Brahmans, lighting lamps of sesame oil in a
temple of Shri Shiva and performing pitrushraddh (rite for the departed
ancestors) in which an offering of sesame seeds is made.
Importance of sesame seeds :
Using sesame seeds eliminates sins : As per Hindu scriptures, on this day those who apply sesame
seed oil and utane to the body, bathe in water mixed with sesame seeds,
drink water mixed with sesame seeds, perform a sacrificial fire, make an
offering of sesame seeds and make similar use of sesame seeds, are
liberated of all sins.
Importance according to Ayurved: Since
Sankranti falls in winter, consuming sesame seeds is beneficial.
Importance according to Spirituality:
1. Since sesame seeds have a greater ability to absorb and emit sattva frequencies, consuming tilgul helps improve spiritual practice. Distributing tilgul to one another results in an exchange of the sattva component.
2. Using sesame seeds in shraddh prevents demons from bringing obstacles during the rite.
1. Since sesame seeds have a greater ability to absorb and emit sattva frequencies, consuming tilgul helps improve spiritual practice. Distributing tilgul to one another results in an exchange of the sattva component.
2. Using sesame seeds in shraddh prevents demons from bringing obstacles during the rite.
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