The Budhastami Ceremony
The Bride of Yama, the King of the Dead
Kausik and Bijaya search for their missing bull that was
stolen from them. When they find their
bull, they see celestial beings dancing around the bull. They were told by on e of the beings to go
home and do the Budhastami ceremony, and once they finish the bull will be
returned to them. Once they finish the ritual, Paravati grants them two
boons. Kausik will become king and
Bijaya will marry Lord Yama.
When Bijaya marries Yama, he tells he where she may and may
not travel around their home. Curiously,
she travels to the south grounds on their property and sees her mother burning “in
hell”. She asks Yama to release her but
he cannot. He tells her to visit her brother first and see if he would be
willing to give up a portion of his riches.
Kausik declines to help his mother because he does not want to become
poor. She then visits a poor Brahman
woman who is willing to sacrifice a portion of her reward that she was given
when she practiced the Budhastami Ceremony.
The Mangal-Chandi Ceremony
The Goddess who Devoured Elephants
Lahana and Khullana were married to a man by the name of
Ratnakar. Lahana was jealous of
Khullana. Because of her jealousy,
Ratnakar banished her form their home.
When Lahana walked through the forest she met people who were worshipping. They told her of the goddess Mangal –Chandi,
and the blessings that she gives. After
hearing a story about a hunter and his wife, Lahana began her pujah. She wished for her husband to take her back,
and he appeared.
She was blessed with a child, Sadanand. When Sadanand grew older, Ratnakar was not
present. He travelled to Sinhal and
never returned. Sadanand wanted to look
for his father. He and his mother called
upon Mangal-Chandi for her guidance, and the Sadanand left for Sinhal.
Like his father, Sadanand saw Mangal-Chandi sitting on a floating
lotus forest eating elephants. He told
the king, and the king ordered Sadanand to be executed. Mangal-Chandi appeared, and told the king to release
Sadanand and his father from the jail. Mangal-Chandi
ordered the king to give Sadanand a wife and half his kingdom. After all was done, they set sail back home
where they met Khullana.
The Janmashtami Ceremony
The Slayer Kangsa
The gods had came together to petition Kangsa for his
behavior. He was being a tyrant, and had
killed all of the children of Devaki. Vishnu
had order the gods no to act upon killing him, but let him do it. Vishnu would be born to Devaki in human form,
and when he is older, he will commit the act.
Kangsa tried to kill Vishnu when he was born, but he was switched with
Yasoda’s daughter.
Vishnu grew up as Yasoda’s son. When it was time for him to complete his
task, he broke Kangsa’s great bow and killed Kangsa. Kangsa was sent to heaven although he committed
grave acts on earth.
The Padma Pujah Ceremony
Chand, the Unbeliever
Padma was born to Mahadeo, a god. When he took her to heaven, her stepmother Bhagavati
saw her as competition and was filled with jealousy. Bhagavati ripped one of her eyes out and had
Mahadeo banish her from the heavens and have her sentenced to live on earth. On
earth Padma found a man by the name of Chand.
Chand was rich and had an ill-stricken wife and six sons. Padma wanted Chand to take her as his wife
but he refused. He believed that she was
an imposter.
Padma had Chand’s children killed, and ordered him to
worship her. Many times, he refused
until Lakhindars was brought back to life.
Bibliography: The Sacred Tales of India by Dwijendra Nath Neogi (1918)
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