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Navagraha Prana Pratishthapana Mahotsav |
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June 30 - July 2, 2006 |
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Bharatiya
Temple of Lansing |
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Invoking the Lord in the form of planetary
deities is one of the ways Hindus worship God. Nine heavenly bodies – the
Navagrahas – are recognized as having a significant influence on the lives of
individuals. They consist of Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangala (Mars),
Budha (Mercury), Guru (Jupiter), Sukra (Venus), Sani (Saturn), Rahu (northern
node of the Moon), and Ketu (southern node of the Moon). Worshipping them is
a way to bring peace and harmony in one’s life and avert mishaps. Each of
them confers a particular benefit upon the worshipper. Prana Pratishthapana Mahotsav
(consecration ceremony) for the Navagrahas in our Temple will be celebrated
as a three-day event during June 30 – July 2, 2006. The purpose of Prana
Pratishthapana is to invoke prana – vital energy – into the murtis,
thereby transforming them into living deities. This most auspicious and
festive event will include a series of religious ceremonies and cultural programs.
It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most of us to witness and
participate in this very special event. The Board of Trustees of the
Bharatiya Temple of Lansing warmly invite you to
attend this ceremony with your family and friends. Please support this
auspicious celebration by making plans to attend it and by your generous sponsorship of various events. The Navagraha Prana Pratishthapana
Mahotsav is the first phase of a phased approach to the temple completion plan. Subsequent to
Pratishthapana, the remaining phase of
the Temple completion project will continue. The Grand Benefactor Pledge Form allows
you to reserve a granite plaque in either the Navagraha area or the
Yagnashala area. It will take a tremendous amount of
planning, preparation, and execution to successfully celebrate the Mahotsav.
Planning has commenced, with the responsibilities distributed among nine committees working under the overall direction of a
3-member coordinating group. The preparation of the sanctum area where the Navagraha murtis
(which have been at a temporary location at the temple since September 2001)
will be installed has started. The religious portion of the Mahotsav will be
conducted by five priests, with our temple's
Sharmaji as head priest (Pradhan Acharya). The Mahotsav program
has been finalized and a partial collection of Navagraha prayers has been compiled. As more details are
finalized, they will be posted at this website, so please visit this site
periodically to learn the progress of the preparations. You are encouraged to
participate in the planning, preparation, and execution as much as your time
allows, so please feel free to contact any member of the Board
or coordinating group with your
suggestions and offer of help. Your help in publicizing the Mahotsav will
also be appreciated; please print copies of the flier
and post/distribute them at suitable venues. Hindus view the Navagrahas as playing a
significant role in the life of an individual (see the articles Navagrahas and Dr. Raju on
Navagraha Worship). To quote a well-known prayer that is often chanted by
devotees as they circumambulate the Navagraha altar: May the Sun give us
long life and good health; the Moon, pure fame; the son of the Earth (Mars),
charisma and prosperity; the son of the Moon (Mercury), intelligence;
Jupiter, respectability; the one possessed of the qualities of a poet
(Venus), the capacity for unsurpassed and melodious speech; the one of slow
gait (Saturn), continual joy and pleasure; Rahu, strength and the destruction
of enemies; and Ketu, growth of the family. While the positions of the
various planets at the time of one’s birth determine the life pattern
destined at birth, the destined events can be changed through specific
prayers (shaantis) offered to the planetary deities. The three-day Mahotsav
is an unique opportunity for participants to offer such prayers during the
consecration of the Navagrahas.
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