AWAKENINGS

Om asato ma sadgamaya tamaso ma jyotirgamaya mrtyorma amrtam gamaya Lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to liberation. - Brhadaranyaka Upanishad. Prelude to Spiritual Newsletters: To-day is Vaikunda Ekathasi – a very auspicious day. Every year, it occurs on the 11th day after new moon in the month of margazhi which is equally an auspicious day, as Sri Krishna proclaims in the Bhagavad Gita – “Amongst the months, I am Margazhi.” It is also believed that Vaikunda Ekathasi was the day, when Sri Krishna delivered his sermons called Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. The day is also synchronizing with the opening of gates of Heaven and also the coming up of Nectar from the churned ocean of Vishnu with the snake Vasuki as a rope and Mountain Manthara as a stick. Symbolically, all Vaishnava temples, specific gates – christened as Heavenly Gates will be opened on this day only. Devotees passing through the gates on this day are supposed to have shun