Pradosham

Pradosham

Pradosham For Karma Removal

Sri Dattatriya Siva Baba says, “Karma is your pre-disposition and is one of the primary influences which decides whether you will have money, relationship etc.” Karma is the fabric of your life, and it encompasses almost all of the experiences that we go through life after life. Ever wondered why some people have tons of money, great romantic life and vibrant health while many others suffer for the want of it. This is due to karma which rules all aspects of human life like health, wealth, education etc.

What is Pradosham?

The time duration of 1 1/2 hours during the end of the day and beginning of the night is the Pradosham time. Pradosham means the removal of sins. A special Pradosham occurs monthly during the 13th phase of the Moon (waxing or waning). Special Poojas during the 13th Moon phase Pradosham time are performed to the Lord of Sin Removal, Siva.

Pradosham and God Realization

Vishnu Sahasranama Parayanam

Vishnu Sahasranama is read in the temple every Sunday from 7:30 - 8:00 pm.
Download Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram in English, Kannada, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu & MP3 File 

Shivalinga & Sri Ganesh Abhishekam

If you wish to host this puja; you may bring fruits, flowers, milk, buttermilk & prasad.

Abhishekam is a ceremony of ablutions and symbolic offerings. The meaning of the word abhishekam, is 'to make one wet all around', so an abhishekam is the process of bathing the deity. It may be simple by just using water or elaborate when milk, curds, honey, ghee, sugar, coconut water, sandal paste, fruit juice to name a few in addition to water are poured in a steady stream over a murti, or divine figurine.. Mantras are chanted during this activity and the temple bell is sounded. The ablutions symbolize spiritual purification and each of the offerings represents fulfillment on every level. Throughout the abhishekam deity specific mantras are chanted to invoke blessings that uplift, protect and spiritually benefit us.

Shivalinga

Significance: Linga means "sign, mark, or symbol". It also refers to a digging implement or plough. Since the plough readies the earth for insemination, the word linga is also applied to the phallus, particularly as the phallic emblem of Shiva. Though Shiva is considered the destroyer (Trimurti)  according to Hindu belief, creation (Srishti) follows destruction. The linga is therefore associated with the union of Shiva and Parvati, which results in creation. It is a symbol of the procreative power of the universe.

Linga is derived from the Sanskrit word lingam, which comes from li meaning, "to dissolve" and gam "to move on". This refers to the belief that one appears as a being in the world and then dissolves back into the universe.

A Shivalinga is phallus-shaped and fixed on a base, which is shaped like a yoni. The structure symbolises the supreme creative energy. It is usually made of stone but can also be of wood, metal, crystal, and soapstone.

Celebrations: The actual worship of the Shivalinga begins with bathing it, first with water mixed with earth, and then with water mixed with the Panchagavya. The linga is then smeared with sandalwood paste. Next, flowers and leaves are offered especially bel leaves. Next comes the aarti, followed by the devotee's prayer. Shiva is believed to be very hot-tempered: bathing the linga and applying sandalwood paste are believed to soothe him.

Legends: There are various explanations as to why the linga represents Shiva. According to the Vamana Purana, after Sati's death, Shiva went to mourn in the forest. Seeing the virile god, the wives of the sages living in the forest were enamoured and followed Shiva around. Enraged, the sages cursed Shiva, causing his phallus to fall off. The moment it touched the ground, his phallus started growing. Soon the earth, unable to support its weight, began quivering. When Brahma and Vishnu realised why the earth was shaking, they requested Shiva to take back his phallus. Shiva consented to do so on the condition that the sages worshipped his phallus. He pronounced that nothing would be impossible for one who worshipped the Shivalinga.

The Linga Purana says that Brahma and Vishnu were once arguing over who was the supreme being. Suddenly, there appeared Sivalinga before them a huge column of fire. Both of them decided to find one end each. Whoever returned first would be acknowledged as supreme. Vishnu assumed the form of a boar and dug into the earth. Brahma, in the form of a swan, flew upwards. They searched for days but in vain. Then Shiva appeared in the fiery column. Brahma and Vishnu realised their mistake and acknowledged Shiva as the Supreme Being. The Shivalinga represents that column of fire Jyotirlinga.

Jyotirlingas: The linga of light . There are believed to be 12 such lingas, the first to have appeared on earth, although their location is not consistently identified. Shiva is supposed to have first manifested himself as a jyotirlinga (lingodbhava) on the night of the Arudra nakshatra . The jyotirlingas look like any other linga. However, it is believed that a person who has attained a certain degree of spirituality sees these lingas as columns of fire piercing through the earth. There are six definitely agreed-upon jyotirlingas: Kedar in the Himalayas; Bhimashankara at Dakini (Maharashtra); Tryambak on the banks of the River Gautami in Nasik (Maharashtra); Somnath at Saurashtra (Gujarat); Mahakala at Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh); Rameshvara at Jyotirlinga at Somnath.Setubandhana (Tamil Nadu). The other six commonly accepted jyotirlingas are Vishvanath at Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh); Amareshvara at Omkara; Vaidyanath at Parali (Maharashtra); Nagesh at Darukavan (Maharashtra); Ghushmesh at Shivalaya near Ellora (Maharashtra); Mallikarjuna at Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh).

Sri Ganesha

Ganesha:  also called Ganapati, is the god of wisdom, prudence, and salvation. Ga means "knowledge", na means "salvation", and isa and pati mean "lord". Ganesha is also said to mean 'lord of the ganas', Shiva's multitude of attendants. In south India, Ganesha is worshipped as Pillaiyar. Ganesha is represented as a short, pot-bellied man with an elephant's head with one tusk, four arms, and yellow skin. In mythology, the elephant symbolises devotion, patience and truth. His corpulent figure conveys prosperity as represented by the laddoos he is always shown with. In his hands, he holds a conch shell (Shankha), a discus, a club, and a lotus . Ganesha rides on a mouse, signifying the unity of the small with the big.

He is also the most widely worshipped deity. All ceremonies, religious or secular, begin with an invocation to Ganesha. His image is printed on cards sent out for any happy occasion, like for the announcement of birth in the family or a wedding. Usually before beginning any religious writing, he is invoked with words 'Om Shri Ganeshaya Namaha', literally meaning "Ganesha, I pray to you". Most people, from student to shopkeeper, movie producer to nuclear scientist, begin work by invoking Ganesha, however briefly.

History/ Legends: The Puranas differ considerably in their account of Ganesha's origin. He is not mentioned before 500 AD and was quite insignificant until the mid-15th century. According to the Padma Purana, he is the younger son of Shiva and Parvati.

According to the Shiva Purana, Ganesha was born of the scurf from Parvati's body. Once, when Shiva was away, Parvati wanted someone to guard the door while she bathed.

From the scurf of her body, she moulded a boy and gave him life. She told him to attend the door and not allow anyone to enter. Shiva returned, and when he tried to enter, was stopped by Ganesha. An argument arose, and enraged, Shiva cut off Ganesha's head and entered. When Parvati discovered that Shiva had entered by beheading her son, she was inconsolable. Repentant, Shiva ordered that the head of the first living being that was found should be brought to him. This happened to be the head of an elephant calf. He placed this on Ganesha's body and restored him to life.

A legend explains why Ganesha is worshipped before any other deity or prior to any important event. It happened that Shiva asked Kartikeya and Ganesha to circle the world and return. Kartikeya hurried off on his peacock, but Ganesha walked around Shiva and Parvati. He explained that for him, his parents constituted the world. Pleased, Shiva granted him a boon, saying that before undertaking any important task, people would pray to Ganesha. According to the Narasimha Purana, if he is not worshipped at the beginning of a ceremony, he creates obstacles for the performers. Therefore, no matter what the occasion or ceremony be, Ganesha is worshipped before all other deities. For this reason, he is called Vighneshwara, the remover of all obstacles. Ganesha's mouse, by gnawing its way through everything, is said to symbolise the god's ability to destroy all obstacles.

Ganesha is believed to have written the Mahabharata to Veda Vyasa's dictation. When the sage asked Ganesha to write down the epic, the learned god agreed on condition that his pen should not stop moving until the story was completed. Vyasa agreed but said that Ganesha should write only if he completely understood what was dictated. So whenever Ganesha stopped to consider Vyasa's complicated compositions, the sage would use the time to compose more verses. Ganesha is also known as Ekdanta, or the one with one tooth, because one of his tusks is broken. The reason for this, according to the Padma Purana, is that one-day when Shiva was sleeping, Parashurama came to visit him. However, Ganesha would not allow Parashurama in, for his father's sleep would be disturbed. When Parashurama insisted he be permitted entry, a fight broke out. In the course of their struggle, Parashurama threw his axe at Ganesha. This axe had been given to him by Shiva. Recognising the axe and out of reverence for his father, Ganesha refused to intercept the weapon. He bowed and took its impact on one of his tusks, which broke.

The Puranas say that the fourth day of the month, known as Chaturthi, is specially Ganesha auspicious for Ganesha worship. It is believed that Ganesha was born on the chaturthi of Bhadra. However every chaturthi is considered auspicious and Ganesha Chaturthi is an important festival in India, especially in Maharashtra.

Thai Poosam & Murugan Abhishekam

Significance: Kartikeya, the son of Shiva and Parvati is worshipped in Tamil Nadu on Thai Poosam.

Celebrations: Special Poojas and festivities take place on this Poosam day in the Murugan temples all over the world. Many temples have the boat festival (theppa utsavam) on this day when the Lord would be coming out over a float on the temple pond.As a mark of dedication and respect, people engage in "fire walk"- walk over a path of burning coal. They exit the path miraculously without being scorched, signifying Kartikeya's everlasting protection.

Legend: There was a demon named Tarakasura who gave a lot of trouble to the rishis and saints. Lord Murugan was called by his parents Lord Shiva and Parvati and given the job of destroying the Asura. Lord Murugan set off with the blessings of his parents to destroy the demon. He took with him twelve weapons, eleven of which were given by his father Lord Shiva and the 'Vel' given by his mother Parvati. Lord Murugan destroyed Tarakasura on the Poosam Nakshatra day in the Tamil month of Thai and hence Thai Poosam is celebrated in all Murugan temples.

Sri Satyanarayan Puja (Monthly on full moon day)

If you wish to host this puja; you may bring flowers, 5 kinds of fresh fruits, coconut & prasad.

Significance: The word "Satya" means "Truth", "Narayan" means "that which is abiding in everybody and everything". Lord Satyanarayan (a form of Lord Vishnu) recommends that in order to overcome difficulties and problems either caused by this life or previous births, one has to begin worshipping truth. Worshipping truth means being truthful to oneself. Then be truthful to others. Speak the Truth. The more truthful we become more we are worshipping the Narayan in others and ourselves.The Satyanarayan Vrata, (worship of Satyanarayan, the embodiment of the eternal,‘Truth’), is one of the most common pujas (ritualistic prayers) that are offered to the Lord in India. Enthusiastic devotees, from time immemorial, have performed it with greatly beneficial results. It has been observed that after the performance of this puja with faith and devotion, devotees benefit by getting their problems and difficulties resolved. Thus the sick regain health and those with other wordly problems find, that help suddenly comes in from unexpected quarters. The Lord in this form is considered an embodiment of truth. This puja is conducted to ensure abundance in ones life. It is not a puja confined to any festivities.

Procedure/ Celebration: The puja is conducted in the following manner: Lighting the diya (lamp), reciting the Gayatri Mantra, Ganesh puja, Sankalpam, Lord Satyanarayan puja, offering the Lord the Naivedya/Prasad along with bananas, fruits, coconut, reading the katha, aarti & prasad.

Shri Satyanarayan katha: (narrative) comes from the Skandha purana, Reva kaanda. Suta Puraanikji  narrated these stories, in Neimishaaranya to the Rishis who were performing a 1000 year yajna for the benefit of mankind lead by Shounakji .

Once Naradji went to the Lord to ask Him for a panacea for the miseries of the world. Sri Satyanarayan told Naradji that there is a fast which can be performed by anyone. The fast would result in the fulfillment of his desires and also liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Sri Narayana told Naradji how a poor, old and ailing Brahmin as well as an impoverished woodcutter, had all their wishes fulfilled, became prosperous, and ultimately attained salvation by the correct and devotional performance of the Sri Satyanarayan fast and puja.

The 2nd story consists of a childless merchant who asked a king the correct procedure of the Satyanarayan fast. After learning the same, the merchant and his wife decided to perform the fast if they get a child. Sometime later his wife Lilavati became pregnant and she delivered a girl
who they called Kalavati. Lilavati reminded her husband about his promise to keep the fast, but the merchant postponed it saying that he would do so when the daughter is ready to be married. The merchant did not fulfill his promise when Lilavati, the daughter is wedded. The Lord decided to remind the merchant of his promise.

The merchant and his son-in-law went to a city called Ratnasara in connection with some business. There, a theft took place. As the thief was being chased by the concerned authority, the robber threw the booty where the two merchants were resting, and escaped. The merchant and the son-in-law were arrested. Meanwhile Lilavati and Kalavati also lost their belongings due to some thefts and were rendered beggars. While trying to get some food, Kalavati saw a Satyanarayan puja being performed and told her mother about it. Lilavati remembered that she had not performed the promised puja and hence she was facing all these difficulties. She decided to perform the fast and the Puja. The king was informed in a dream, that the merchants were innocent so he released them after compensating them with a lot of wealth.

The merchants decided to come home to their wives. The Lord decided to test them again and came in the guise of a mendicant and asked what kind of load they were carrying on their ship. The merchant mentioned that they had only dried leaves. The mendicant said: "So be it" When the merchant saw that there were only dried leaves aboard, he asked the pious man for forgiveness. The ever merciful Lord forgave them one more time.

As the ship approached the city, the merchant sent word to his wife and daughter about their arrival. Lilavati rushed to meet her husband while telling her daughter to complete the puja. Kalavati performed the puja, but in her haste to meet her husband she did not take the parsad. When she eagerly arrived to meet her husband, she could see neither the ship nor the inmates.

The merchant realised that all the obstacles that they were facing were due to the fact that he had not kept his promise of performing the Satyanarayan puja. He decided to do it. As he was performing it, he got an insight that it was due to the neglect of Lilavati taking the parsad, that they were going through further difficulties.

Kalavati rushed back home and respectfully partook of the parsad. The family was then re-united and they lived a long, happy and prosperous life never forgetting to thank the Lord for all that they received. After their death they got the ultimate gift: 'Moksha' (Liberation from the cycle of life and death)

Suta continuing his narrative, tells the Rishis, the story of a king called Angadwaja. Once, as King Angadwaja was returning from a hunting expedition, he stopped to rest under a tree for a while. Nearby a small group of cowherd boys were playing the game of doing puja. They offered their humble parsad to the king, who out of pride left it untouched. Subsequently the king suffered great losses and realised that that was due to the contempt he had shown for those children's puja. The king returned to the spot where he had met the cowherds, and with great faith performed the puja with them. The king regained all that he had lost.

Suta now told the Rishis that the Satyanarayan fast was very effective during Kaliyuga and that whoever read or heard this story would  be rid of all sorrows and difficulties.

May all those who have followed up to this last letter, and also those who read at least part of this message with reverence, have all their wishes fulfilled and meet up in Satyaloka (Heaven)  as is the promise, assured by the Satyanarayan katha.

Summary of the katha: For those who observe the fast religiously and regularly, there are some great lessons to be learned from the 'katha' (narration)

1. As is shown by characters who ignored their promise to perform the puja after their wish had been fulfilled. They suffered as a result. Therefore one is to deduce that one must stick to the promise given to the Lord in exchange of the desire fulfilled by His Grace. One is not to ignore or/and forget the Lord's Grace. 'Parsad' is symbolic of God's Grace which Kalavati ignored as she learned of her husband's safe return. 
   

2. One can understand her eagerness in wanting to be re-united with her beloved, but one must understand that if one forgets to be thankful for gifts received from the Lord, one would have to go through another test until one remembers to remember.
   

3. When the rich merchant is asked what the boat contains, he untruthfully replies 'Only dry leaves' and the Mendicant  says 'So be it' The above incident tells us that the spoken word has power. What you speak, manifests. Hence one must not speak an untruth. Specially an inauspicious untruth.
   

4. In the last story one learns that no one is higher or lower in status in the eyes of the Lord.
   Hence one must accord respect to whoever it may be, who is taking the name of God.

Recipe: Satyanarayan Prasad

Puja Samagri List

Sri Hanuman & Sri Kartikeya Abhishekam

If you wish to host this puja; you may bring fruits, flowers, coconut & prasad.

Abhishekam is a ceremony of ablutions and symbolic offerings. The meaning of the word abhishekam, is 'to make one wet all around', so an abhishekam is the process of bathing the deity. It may be simple by just using water or elaborate when milk, curds, honey, ghee, sugar, coconut water, sandal paste, fruit juice to name a few in addition to water are poured in a steady stream over a murti, or divine figurine.. Mantras are chanted during this activity and the temple bell is sounded. The ablutions symbolize spiritual purification and each of the offerings represents fulfillment on every level. Throughout the abhishekam deity specific mantras are chanted to invoke blessings that uplift, protect and spiritually benefit us.

Legends: Sri Hanumanji is an incarnation of Lord Siva.

Brihaspati (the preceptor of the gods) had an attendant by the name of Punjikasthala who was cursed to assume the body of a female monkey. The curse was to be removed on her giving birth to an incarnation of Lord Siva. Accordingly, she was born as Anjana and, together with her husband Kesari (so named on account of his being as brave as a lion), lived a life of chastity and purity. She performed intense Tapasya (austerities) for a great many years, during which period she worshipped Lord Siva who being pleased with her granted her a boon. She asked that He (Lord Siva) be born to her so that she may be freed from the curse.

When Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya was given the sacred payasa (pudding) by Agnideva to share among his wives so that they may have divine children (Ram, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna), by divine ordinance, a bird (kite) snatched a fragment of that pudding and, whilst flying over the forest, dropped it where Anjana was engaged in worship. Pavandev (the deity presiding over the wind) delivered that fragment of pudding to the outstretched hands of Anjana who immediately swallowed it. With that grace, she, in due course, gave birth to Hanumanji. Thus we find that Lord Siva incarnated as Hanumanji in the bodily form of a monkey through the grace and blessings of his god-father Pavandev, with Anjana and Kesari as his earthly parents.

Childhood: As soon as Hanumanji was born, Anjana was released from the curse and wished to return to Heaven. Hanumanji asked his mother what his future would be and how he was to earn his living. She assured him that he would never be destroyed, and said that fruits as ripe as the rising sun would form his food. Thinking that the glowing and glittering sun was food to be eaten by him, the baby Hanumanji being divine in nature, made just one leap for it. He was 1600 miles from the sun when Rahu, who was exclusively enabled to harass the sun (thus causing eclipses or obstacles to the sun) complained to Indra (king of the gods in heaven) of this new threat to his power. Indra struck Hanumanji with his thunderbolt, wounding his chin and causing him to fall down to earth.

The god-father Pavandev carried Hanumanji to Patala (the nether regions) and as he departed from the earth, all life was endangered. Brahma and all the other gods went to Patala and begged Pavandev to return. In order to appease him they conferred great boons on the baby Hanumanji. The blessings of all the gods made Hanumanji invincible and more powerful than any other being, divine or ordinary. Thus Hanumanji is an embodiment of the powers of all the gods and goddesses.

Education: Hanumanji mentally chose Surya (the Sun-god) as his preceptor. Therefore he approached Surya with the request to be taught the scriptures so that he may manifest spiritually in daily life. Surya agreed to have Hanumanji as his disciple but pointed out that it was not possible for him to stop his journey across the sky as that would cause chaos in the world. But Hanumanji was so mighty that he surprised all the gods by facing his Guru, who had to be constantly moving, thus (Hanumanji) traversing the sky backwards and at the same time concentrating fully on his lessons.

In this way Hanumanji enabled Surya to perform his duty and to impart knowledge at the same time. Within a short period of 60 hours, Hanumanji mastered all the scriptures. Surya considered the manner in which Hanumanji accomplished his studies as sufficient dakshina (tuition fees), but Hanumanji pressed him to accept more. Surya then asked Hanumanji to assist his son Sugriva, who was living in Kishkindha, by being his minister and constant companion.

In the Service of Sri Rama: Sri Hanumanji met Sri Rama whilst Sri Rama was in banishment. Sri Rama, together with his brother Lakshamana, was searching for his wife Sita. (Sita was abducted by the demon Ravana). Their search had taken them to the vicinity of the Pampa Lake situated at the base of the mountain Risyamukha. Sugriva (together with his ministers) was hiding in this region. Sugriva was being persecuted by his brother Bali. Sugriva was suspicious that Rama and Lakshmana might have been sent by Bali to kill him. Therefore, to ascertain whether they were friends or foes, Hanumanji approached them in the guise of a Brahmin. His first words to them were such that Sri Rama immediately said to Lakshmana: "None can speak thus without mastering the Vedas and their branches. Nor is there any defect in his countenance, eyes, forehead, brows, or any of his limbs. His accents are wonderful, auspicious and captivating. Even an enemy who has his sword uplifted is moved. Indeed, success awaits the monarch whose emissaries are so accomplished."

When Lord Rama revealed his identity, Hanumanji fell prostrate before Him and Lord Rama picked him up and clasped him to His bosom. Sri Rama reveals His identity as the son of Dasaratha and prince of Ayodhya, but Hanumanji perceives Him to be the Lord of the universe and prostrates.

Thereafter the story of Hanumanji is inextricably interwoven with that of Lord Rama, and is exhaustively dealt with in the Ramayana of Valmiki and the Ramacharitamanasa of Goswami Tulasidas.

To summarise in a few words: Hanumanji introduces Lord Rama to Sugriva; goes off in search of Sita; discovers and consoles Sita in Lanka; Burns the city of Lanka and kills many demons; brings together Vibhishana and Lord Rama; returns to Lanka with Lord Rama, and features very prominently in the battle that ensues between Lord Rama and Ravana; saves the life of Lakshmana by bringing the Sanjivani (life giving herb) from the Himalayas; and served Lord Rama for as long as He lived a human life on earth.

Service to the Pandavas: Hanumanji met Bhima in the forest and recognised him as his spiritual brother. (They were both born with the blessings of Pavandev). Hanumanji promised to aid the Pandavas in the battle of Kurukshetra. There Hanumanji positions himself on the flag of Arjuna’s chariot, thus stabilising and protecting it. Hanumanji’s flag signifies sense control and mind control that gives victory to the higher nature over the lower nature. Wherever the servant of Lord Rama is, there, victory is secured.

General: Hanumanji is said to be Chiranjivi (immortal) and is present in the world even today. He is the link between the devotees and God, for, as instructed by the Lord, he serves, protects and inspires the servants of God. Saints like Tulasidas had the darshan (divine vision) of the Lord through the grace of Hanumanji.

"Bajrangbali Ki Jai"

Sri Kartikeya

Kartikeya, represented sometimes with only one face, is generally known as having six faces; is yellow-skinned; rides on a peacock, the killer of serpents; holds in his right hand an arrow and in his left a bow. He is widely known as the god of war. Kartikeya has several names.

As he was breast-fed by sixKrittika deities, he is called "Kartikeya".
Since he has six faces, he is "Shanmukha".
Because of his omniscience, he is "Subramanya".
As he gathered a huge army to kill the demons, he is also called "Mahasena".
Since he captained the army of the gods in the fight with the Rakshasas, he was given the title of"Senani" or 'Commander'.
Since he was born out of the life-source that slipped (Skanna) from Shiva, he is named "Skanda".
With the peacock as his mode of transport, he is "Shikhivahana".
And he is always a young boy he is "Kumar". This term also means that he is one who kills evil persons. And he is more handsome than Manmatha, the God of Love.
He is worshipped as "Guha" too, since he protects his devotees from enemies.
He is also known as Agnibhoo, Tarakjeet and Shakti Dhuru.

In the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics this god is described as the son of Shiva or Rudra. Sometimes his motherhood is prescribed to Ganga(hence Gangaputra), and sometimes to goddess Parvati, the consort of Shiva. In some legends he is said to have born without the intervention of a woman through fire (hence the name Agnibhu). This god is depicted sitting around the Shiva-Linga together with Nandi, the mount of Shiva.

Legend: The story of his birth runs thus as given in Kumar Sambhava. Tormented by Taraka, the demon, all the gods under the leadership of Indra, went to the Creator to rid them off this monster. The Creator advised them that only the seed of Shiva could produce a fighter, who can defeat the demon. Shiva was then lost in deep meditation. The god of love, named Kama, was asked to break Shiva's penance. Kama Dev was highly flattered by all gods and he boasted that he could conquer the mind of Shiva within no time. He consulted his wife Rati, who reproved him for this temerity but consented to accompany her husband and help him in disturbing Shiva's meditation. They set off together with Vasanta (god of spring) to Himalayas. Kama Dev pulled an arrow and shot at Shiva. The great Lord, smitten thus, awoke from meditation and shouted who had dared to interrupt his meditation. Looking towards south he spotted Kama Dev. In anger Shiva opened his third eye in the center of his forehead and thus reduced Kama to ashes. Taking pity and responding to the pleas of his widow, Rati, Lord Shiva restored her husband but only as a mental image, representing true love and affection and not just physical lust. Hence the other name of Kama Dev is Ananga (the bodiless). Aroused thus from his penance Shiva accepted Parvati as his wife. Once Shiva's passions were aroused none could bear his seed's energy Agni alone could bear it by taking the seed into its mouth and thereafter transferring this seed to Ganga. The god Kartikeya so born is therefore called, Gang-Ja or Agni-Bhu. The child so conceived is also called Kumara forever young and chaste.