The Significance of #BuddhaPurnima also called #Vesak or Wesak Festival 1

 Buddha Purnima, known as Vesak or Wesak, also falls on 18^th May 2019. The day is extremely significant, not only because this was the day when the little prince Siddhartha was born some 2500 years ago, but because he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Gaya and became Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, on the same full moon day. Interestingly he also got Nirvana or salvation in Kushinagar on the same (Purnima) day in the month of Vaisakh. That moment of enlightenment, under the Bodhi tree in Gaya, changed the way of spiritual seeking forever. 

The four most important places of worship in Buddhism are Lumbini in Nepal, where Buddha was born to the King Shuddhodana (King of Kapilavastu) and Queen Maya Devi, Bodh Gaya in Bihar, where he got enlightenment, Sarnath in Varanasi, where he gave his first sermon to five devotees, and Kushinagar, where at the age of 80, he attained salvation.

On this day, we find monks giving discourses and sermons highlighting the teachings of Gautama Buddha at all these places. Devotees congregate to offer prayers and water to the statue of Buddha placed in water and decorated with flowers, symbolic of a new beginning. A large fair is held at Sarnath and the ancient relics of the Buddha are taken out for public display in a procession. Giving food and clothes to the poor is another important activity undertaken by the devotees. Most of them prefer to wear white clothes, eat vegetarian food and distribute kheer in memory of a wealthy woman devotee named Sujata, who had offered Gautama Buddha a bowl of sweet milk and rice porridge on this day.

Apart from India, Buddha Purnima is celebrated with great religious fervor in many other South Asian countries, including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan.

#Buddha #Purnima #Vesak #Wesak #Gaya #Sarnath

Mythological #Story of How Lord #Ganesha was born for #ChildrenStories 1

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati lived happily in Kailas. One day when Shiva was away and Parvati was bathing in the stream, one of her friends remarked, “Shiva has Nandi as a guard. Why not have a guard solely for you?”

Parvati thought that it was a good idea as she did not want anyone to accidentally enter her abode when she was taking bath. So she took some wet turmeric in her hand and moulded it into the shape of a little boy. Then she breathed life into the image. The little boy came alive and fell at her feet. 

He asked “Mother, bless me to do whatever you want me to do.”

Parvathi lifted him up and hugged him in a tight embrace.

“Son, you have to guard my abode. Make sure that you do not allow anyone to enter without my permission.”

“Sure, I will, Mother,” replied the boy and took his place in front of the house.

Happy and secure in the thought that she had someone to take care of her needs exclusively, Parvati continued with her routine.

Time passed and Shiva returned. When he was about to enter, the boy stopped him.

“Please move aside and let me enter,” said Shiva.

“No. My mother has ordered me to not let anyone inside,” answered the boy.

Shiva tried to cajole and persuade the boy but to no avail. The boy stubbornly obstructed his way.

Becoming furious, Shiva ordered Nandi and the other Ganas to remove him from there. They picked up their weapons to fight, but the boy fought bravely and none of them could match his strength. He defeated all of them.

Shiva’s anger knew no bounds. He lifted his trident and cut off the boy’s head.

Hearing the commotion outside, Parvati came running outside. She was devastated to see her the lifeless form of her son.

“Do you know whom you have killed?” she cried. “He is our son. You have to bring him to life again.”

Shiva was moved by her profound grief and sorrow and asked his Ganas to search for the severed head of the boy which had been thrown too far away by the force of the trident. The Ganas could not find the head.

“You killed my son. Now you have to restore him,” demanded Parvati vehemently.

Knowing that time was the essence, Shiva after consulting Brahma, asked the Ganas to bring the head of the first living being that they came across  in the North direction. The Ganas found an elephant. They cut his head and brought it to Lord Shiva. Shiva joined the elephant head to the body of his slain son and made him alive. Parvati hugged her son in relief, but seeing his elephant head, she was concerned that everyone would make fun of him. To appease her, Shiva ordained that his son would be the leader of the Ganas and would be named Ganapati. He would be worshiped before the commencement of worship of any other God.

Thus was born Ganesha, the wise and mighty son of Shiva and Parvati.

 #birth_of_Ganesha #Mythology #Story_for_children #Shiva #Parvati