maasaanaam maargasheersho~ham (significance & merits of margasira maasam)

8/8/2019 Maasaanaam Maargasheersho~ham (Significance & Merits of Margasira Maasam)

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Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!

Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vaasudevaya!

Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

Maasaanaam Maargaseersho~ham(Significance of Margasira Masam)

Margaseersha also named as Agrahayana is the ninth month in a Hindu

calendar starting from Chaitra masam. The word Agrahayana means the

month of equinox. In olden times the year used to begin with Margasira

Masam. This month is named after the star Mrigasira when the full moon

day coincides with Mrigasira constellation and that month is denoted as

Margasira Masam. During the month Sun will be transiting in Scorpio sign

(Vrischika raasi) and will be entering into Dhanus raasi in the middle of the

month when it is known as Dhanurmasam. It marks the beginning of a new

season called Hemantha Ruthu that generally occurs during the calendar

months of November and December.

Lord Sri Maha Vishnu in the name of Keshava is the presiding Deity (Masa

Niyamaka) who governs this month of Margasira masam. We find Lord Sri

Krishna being referred to as Keshava. In 24 Keshava Namas the very first

name that we recite is Om! Keshavaya Namah! In Bhagawadgeeta we find

Arjuna addressing Lord Sri Krishna several times as Keshava. In Sri Vishnu

Sahasra Nama Sthothram we find a reference to the word Keshava in sloka

# 3 and 69,

Kalaneminiha virah saurih sura-janeshvarah

Trilokatma trilokeshah keshavah keshiha harih

(Sloka # 69)

Kesha is a Sanskrit word meaning hair or a ray of light. Keshava means the

one who has got a long and beautiful hair, whose hair is very charming,

filled with supreme fragrance. Keshava is the one who is endowed with therays of light spreading within the orbit of the Sun, one who is the Lord of

creation, preservation and destruction, one who is the origin of Brahma and

Shiva, one who is the tormentor of his enemies, and the one whose, very

chanting removes sorrows and sufferings. Keshava also means the one who

has slained the demon Keshi and hence is referred to as Keshiha.


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Margasira masam is a highly meritorious month for worshipping Lord Sri

Maha Vishnu, Goddess Sri Maha Lakshmi and Sun God apart from Lord

Hanuman and Lord Subramanya. Several religious events occur during the

month of Margasira.

Dedicated to Lord Subramanya, sixth day of Margasira masam, sukla Shasti

thithi is known as Skhanda Shasti or Subramanya Shasti or Champa Shasti.

We find people worshipping on this day Lord Subramanya who is also known

as Skhanda or Kaartikeya. Thaipusam is a special event of this day

performed at all the temples of Lord Subramanya especially in South. On

this day we find devotees observing an austerity of carrying a Kaavadi (a

semicircular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod) to the temple of

Lord Subramanya as a mark of their owe fulfilling for averting a calamity. In

some parts of the South we find people observing austerities like fasting,

visiting a snake bill, performing pooja and offering milk etc. on this day.Vasthra Dana (a pair of dhoties) to a Brahmachari on this day is considered

as highly meritorious.

Margasira sukla Ekadasi associated with Dhanurmasam is considered as

Mokshada Ekadasi the most auspicious day to worship Lord Sri Maha Vishnu.

It is also known as Vaikunta Ekadasi or Mukkoti Ekadasi. Following day is

known as Mukkoti Dwadasi. The combination of Uttara Dwara darshanam of

Lord Vaikunta associated with Ekadasi thithi has attained significance as

Vaikunta Ekadasi. It is said that on this day all the Brahmaadi Devathas visitSri Vaikuntam to have Uttara Dwara darshanam of Lord SriManNarayana. It

is befitting and considered to be the most auspicious day to worship Lord Sri

ManNarayana along with Goddess Sri Maha Lakshmi and also to have Uttara

Dwara darshana of the Lord on this day. Special celebrations are held at

Tirumala, Sri Rangam, Bhadrachalam etc where thousands of devotees

visit these temples to have the Uttara Dwara darshanam of the Lord.

Dedicated to Lord Hanuman sukla Trayodasi in Margasira masam is observed

as Sri Hanumad vrata. This is mostly observed in Karnataka and Andhra

Pradesh states. On this day Lord Hanuman is exclusively worshipped by oneand all for good health, peace and prosperity. It is said and believed that

Lord Vedavyasa narrated the significance of this vratha to Dharmaraja and

was performed by Draupadi Devi. Significant feature in this vratha is

worshipping Lord Hanuman with a yellow coloured thread having 13 knots

known as Thora and is worn.


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Full Moon day in Margasira masam is celebrated as Sri Dattatreya Jayanthi,

the day on which Lord Dattatreya regarded as an incarnation of Trinity Lords

(Brahma, Vishnu & Maheshwara) was born.

As per Sri Venkatachala Mahatmya it is said that, taking bath in Sri Swami

Pushkarini Theertha at Tirumala on the day of Sukla Dwadasi in the month

of Dhanurmasam during Arunodaya time is considered as highly sacred and

celestial. On this day it is said that, more than three crores of sacred

theerthas in the entire Bhoomandala will enter into Sri Swami Pushkarini.

Taking bath on this day in Swami Pushkarini is considered highly meritorious

and equivalent to taking bath in all the three crores of sacred theerthas.

Sapthami, Ashtami and Navami thithi days in the bahula Paksha of Margasira

Masam are referred to as Poorvedyu, Ashtaka and Anvashtaka days which

are sacred days for performing Pithru tharpana.

Geeta Jayanthi the day on which Lord Sri Krishna counseled Arjuna with his

famous preaching known as Bhagawadgeeta falls in Margasira masam on the

day of sukla paksha Ekadasi. It is befitting to read at least one chapter of

Bhagawadgeeta on this sacred day duly understanding its meaning.

Maasaanaam Maargaseersho~ham. In Bhagawadgeeta, Vibhuthi Yoga sloka

# 35, Lord Sri Krishna says that, amongst the months He is Margaseersha

Masam. These words of Lord Sri Krishna testify the significance given to

Margasira masam in the Hindu spiritual calendar.

Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu

bhargavasarma

maasaanaam maargasheersho~ham (significance & merits of margasira maasam)

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