CHITRA
PURNIMA |
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Based on :
Lunar Calendar |
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Religion :
HIndu |
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Celebrated on
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The full moon day during the ascendancy of the
Chitra star |
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Worship
offered to :
The god of death |
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THE TWELVE months of the
Hindu year, based on the lunar calendar, are named after that star during whose
ascendancy the full moon of that month occurs. The full moon day of Chaitra
month, that is, the Purnima during the ascendancy of the Chitra star is
particularly sacred to the Chitra Guptas, the recording angels of the Hindu
pantheon. A special worship is offered to these celestial representatives of
the god of death, and an offering of spiced rice is prepared and later
distributed as prasad or holy sacrament. A fire worship is done at the close of
the ritualistic worship. By the performance of this religious observance
annually, these angels of the other world are greatly pleased and judge man's
actions with more sympathy. |
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The psychological effect of this worship, done
on the very first full moon day of every year (Chaitra is the first of the
twelve months), is to vividly remind us of the higher power that maintains a
constant watch over every act of ours on this earth-plane. This memory serves
as an invisible check oh one's conduct. The conception of the Chitra Guptas as
located within each shoulder is a powerful inducement to keep oneself engaged
in constantly doing god actions only. |
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The term Chitra Gupta means "hidden picture".
A true picture of all our god and evil actions is preserved in the ethereal
records. The Hindu personifies it for the sake of worship. The real
significance of the worship of the Chitra Guptas is beautifully brought out in
the following story connected with it. |
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Brihaspati is the Guru or preceptor of Indra,
the king of the gods. Indra disobeyed Brihaspati on one occasion and the Guru
relinquished his task of instructing Indra in what he should and should not do.
During & period of the Guru's absence, Indra did many evil deeds. When the
compassionate Gma resumed his duty again, Indra wanted to know what he should
do to expiate the wrongs he had done in his Guru's absence. Brihaspati asked
Indra to undertake a pilgrimage. |
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While Indra was on pilgrimage, he suddenly
felt the load of sins taken off his shoulders at a certain place (near Madurai
in South India), and he discovered a Shiva Lingam there. He attributed the
miracle to this Lingam and canted to build a temple for it He had this
constructed immediately. Now he wished to perform the worship of the Lingam;
the Lord Himself caused golden lotuses to appear in a nearby pond. Indra was
greatly pleased and blessed. The day on which he thus worshipped the Lord was
Chitn Purnima. |
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When you perform worship on the Chitra Purnima
day, remember this story. If you have intense faith, if you feel with a
contrite heart that you have committed sin on account of ignorance, if you pray
with faith and devotion to the Lord to forgive your sins, if you resolve never
to commit them in the future, and if you resolve to be obedient to your Guru
and never to flout his counsel, then your sine will be forgiven. There is no
doubt about this. This is the significance of the above story of Indra.
Meditate on this story on Chitra Purnima day. |
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The Hindu scriptures prescribe elaborate
worship of the Chitra Guptas on this day. The Deity is invoked in an image or a
kalasa (vessel filled with water) and then worshipped with all the rituals and
formalities of the worship offered to God's image. Meditate on Chita Gupta,
reciting the following verse:
Chitra guptam mahaa praajnam lekhaneepatra dhaarinam;
Chirta-rtnaambara-dhaaram madhyastham sarvadehinaam.
Then offer ritualistic worship with incense, camphor, flowers, etc. Feed some
Brahmins, the poor and the needy. Give bountifully in charity and receive the
Lord's blessings. |
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