Dear Patrons,
Our Sponsors
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We are into the month of Aippasi and we wish all our patrons a very happy Navaratri and a bright and prosperous Deepavali!
We are in the midst of Navaratri celebrations. Ambal is worshipped in the form of Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswathi. During the first three days, Ambal is worshipped as Durga. She personifies that aspect of shakti which destroys our negative tendencies and endows us with courage. Additionally, to ensure that the seeds of vasanas do not remain within in latent form, we should supplant them with positive qualities. The Bhagavad Gita refers to these qualities as "daivi-sampat", literally “Divine wealth”. Correspondingly, we worship Lakshmi during the next three days. Lakshmi is not just the giver of gross wealth or prosperity; She is the Mother who gives according to the needs of Her children. Only one endowed with "daivi-sampat" is fit to receive the knowledge of the Supreme. Accordingly, the last three days of Navaratri are dedicated to worshipping Saraswati, the embodiment of Knowledge. The tenth day is Vijaya Dashami, or the festival of victory, symbolising the moment when Truth dawns within. Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are not different entities, but different facets of the singular Divinity.
Adi Shankaracharya has prescribed a beautiful form of worshipping Devi in the 27th stotram of SoundaryaLahari - to divinise all acts of oneself by which every ordinary act acquires divinity by dedicating the same to Devi.
japo jalpaḥ śilpaṃ sakalamapi mudrāvirachanā
gatiḥ prādakśhiṇya-kramaṇa-maśanādyā huti-vidhiḥ |
praṇāmaḥ saṃveśaḥ sukhamakhila-mātmārpaṇa-dṛśā
saparyā paryāya-stava bhavatu yanme vilasitam ‖
Let my prattle be the repetition of Thy mantra, my manual work be the gestures (mudras) offered in Thy worship, my movements by Thy circumambulation, my food and drink be the oblation offered to fire (Agni), my resting be prostration to Thee, and all my actions that give comfort to me be dedications to Thee. Let all my activities be Thy worship.
The significance of this is that by offering the everyday ordinary activities as a surrender to the almighty, one would strive to achieve the highest levels of conduct in everyday life.
SIS Navaratri 2020
Time: Sat, Oct 24 at 02:00 PM London
Zoom Meeting: Please join by clicking https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84248186036
or,
by using Zoom meeting id: 842 4818 6036
Virtual Golu display by SIS family and talk on Golu Taatparyam
We are hosting a Zoom session wherein some from our SIS family will be showing everyone a virtual display of Golu from their homes. We will also have an opportunity to hear lovely singing during the Golu sessions. There will also be a special Golu display and talk on Golu "Taatparyam" by Mullaivasal Mrs. Prema Krishnamurthy Maami.
SIS November Satsang
Time: Sat, Nov 7 at 03:00 PM
Zoom meeting details: Please join the Satsang
by clicking https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86495294332
or,
by using Zoom meeting id: 864 9529 4332.
In keeping with the continuing tradition of monthly Satsangs, November 2020 Satsang will be conducted online.
The Satsang will include reciting
- Vishnu Sahasranaman and Mahalakshmi Ashtakam
- Lalitha Sahasranaman
- Bhajans
- Hanuman Chalisa
- Short spiritual talk
Please attend with your family and importantly involve the next generation.