In the tribute of Jiraiya Sensei

JIRAIYA SENSEI

Jiraiya, also known as Perverted Hermit or Pervy Sage, was one of the supporting characters in the Naruto universe. He was an legendary Sannin of Konohagakure, along with Tsunade and Orochimaru, who were trained by the Third Hokage. He was a powerful shinobi and the self-proclaimed super-pervert (although, at least in the manga, he meant it as a joke),and the writer of the popular adult fiction book series, called Icha Icha which Naruto refers it as the "naughty novel" and those are considered as young prohibited to read all of Jiraiya's novel books. He was also known as the Toad Sage (Gama Sennin), because of his signature toad summonings and his status as a sage, who was prophesied to be destined to teach the Child of the Prophecy who would either bring peace to the world, or destroy it entirely.

He is voiced by Hochu Otsuka in the Japanese version of the anime, and by David Lodge in the English version of the anime.

History

As a child, Jiraiya and his former team-mates Orochimaru and Tsunade, were students of the Third Hokage. Jiraiya's relation with his team practically mirrored that of the future Team 7, with Jiraiya being quite similar to Naruto. After leaving the Third's tutelage, he travelled the world. Jiraiya at some point discovered the residence of the toads, a species he proved to have a natural affinity for. In the anime this is shown to have occurred when he was still the Third's student; after seeing the Third perform the Summoning Technique, Jiraiya tried to use it himself. Since he did not have a contract, Jiraiya was reversed summoned to Mount Myōboku, where the Great Toad Sage made a prophecy concerning Jiraiya: that he would someday choose whether one of his students saved or destroyed the world. During his time with the toads, he trained in senjutsu.

During the Second Shinobi World War, Jiraiya and his former team-mates fought Hanzō, the leader of Amegakure. Hanzō was so impressed that they could survive in a fight with him, that he bestowed upon them the title of Konoha's "Legendary Three Ninja"( Densetsu no Sannin), and that they accept the title in exchange for letting them live. Once the battle was over, Jiraiya and his team-mates encountered three young orphans from Amegakure.

While Orochimaru suggested they kill them to spare them the cruelty of the world, Jiraiya decided to look after them for a while and teach them ninjutsu. During the time he spent with them, Jiraiya grew close to the three children, and even wrote a book that was inspired by one of them, Nagato. Eventually, he left them so that they could pursue their own goals. Although news of their exploits reached him from time to time, he thought them to have died during an undisclosed incident. Once becoming a jōnin and capable of leading a squad, Jiraiya became the teacher of Minato Namikaze and two other unknown genin. Jiraiya took particular interest in Minato, taking him as an apprentice, and amongst other things teaching him the Summoning Technique. At some point, he also told Minato about the prophecy the Great Toad Sage had given him, believing that Minato could be the Child of the Prophecy. Later, Jiraiya's first book, The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi, failed to be a best-seller. Minato, now the Fourth Hokage, thought the book was excellent, and praised Jiraiya, saying that the protagonist resembled him greatly. It was then that Minato revealed that he and Kushina Uzumaki, who was pregnant at the time, wanted to raise their child to be a great shinobi, like the one in the book, and for that reason they decided to name him "Naruto", after the main character. Jiraiya jokingly pointed out that it would make him Naruto's godfather, and asked if they were sure that they would want that. Minato replied that Jiraiya was a good example for them all and that he could not think of a finer shinobi than him. Years later, when Orochimaru betrayed Konoha and left the village, Jiraiya pursued him, trying to convince his friend to come back (similar to Naruto's efforts to bring Sasuke home). Orochimaru refused, and attacked Jiraiya. While he tried to find a reason for Orochimaru's defection, Jiraiya eventually realised that his friend wasn't coming back. Feeling that he was responsible for Orochimaru's escape, Jiraiya left Konoha so he could follow Orochimaru's movements, as well as those of "Akatsuki", an organization which Orochimaru had eventually joined. In doing so, Jiraiya was unable to fulfil the Third's wishes of him taking on the role of Hokage, feeling that tracking down Orochimaru was more important. 

                                                          Character

 Jiraiya was generally light-hearted and gregarious, making jokes at his own expense and giving a mirthful laugh about it afterwards. In his interactions with others, he liked to pretend to be smug or selfish, upsetting them so that he could further rile them up with his humour. Even when entering combat he did not miss an opportunity to be flashy and over-the-top, striking kabuki poses and giving dramatic self-introductions; these intros were often interrupted in some way, and Jiraiya was quick to express his annoyance at whoever was responsible.

Although he left Konoha for many years, Jiraiya's loyalty to his village remained absolute. When Konoha found itself in need of a new Hokage after the Third Hokage's death, Jiraiya volunteered to look for Tsunade so that she could be the Fifth Hokage, after turning down the position himself. His reason for refusing the position was, among other things, that he felt unworthy to take the role, since he had failed to save either of the previous Hokage from dying, as well as him having to conduct more "research". After he found Tsunade, and began to suspect that she might be helping Orochimaru, he made it clear that he would kill her if she betrayed the village, a proof of his loyalty to Konoha. However, once it became clear that Tsunade was still loyal to Konoha, and later accepted the title of Hokage, Jiraiya served as her most trusted adviser, loyal confidant, and a spy into the dealings of Akatsuki and Konoha's enemies. Jiraiya also did not hesitate to fight Orochimaru or Pain despite his old close bond with them to stop them for good.

Jiraiya was a self-proclaimed super-pervert with no equal, and a frequent voyeur, going so far as to create the Transparent Escape Technique, to allow him to spy on naked women without being caught (doing "research" as he called it, even as a child). He never actually hid his perversion, and even seemed proud of it, as seen when he told the Third Hokage about it when he was still a child. Despite this, Jiraiya disliked being referred to as the Perverted Hermit ( Ero-sennin; English TV "Pervy Sage") by Naruto in front of others. Jiraiya's perversion had been used against him on occasions, as seen when Naruto got Jiraiya to start training him after a simple display of the Sexy Technique (though Naruto hit a roadblock when Jiraiya wanted him to use the technique around him when training). When two Akatsuki members later tried to distract Jiraiya, they used a hypnotised woman to catch his eye and keep him busy. While their effort initially succeeded, Jiraiya eventually saw through their plot, due solely to the fact that women did not typically express interest in him. His peeping habits had also caused him great injury on one occasion; when caught spying on Tsunade in his younger years, she proceeded to break both of his arms, six of his ribs, and ruptured a number of organs as punishment. As a result of such injuries, Jiraiya now retained a rather healthy fear towards his former team-mate, and usually attempted to suppress his perverted ways when in Tsunade's presence. Despite these perverted tendencies, Jiraiya was in love with Tsunade nonetheless and even as he died, he lamented the fact that he was never able to win her heart. Even though he was perverted, Jiraiya never actually engaged in sexual relationships with others, as he never had a child and would thus consider Minato as his child and Naruto as his grandson. He stated simply that a happy life with a woman was not his fate. Nor would he let his feelings for Tsunade cloud his judgment and resolutely stated that he wouldn't hesitate to kill Tsunade should she betray Konoha and help Orochimaru, which was enough that even Tsunade seemed to show some fear when he said it. Some time after leaving Konoha, Jiraiya became the author of a series of adult novels called Icha Icha. The novels were based on his personal experiences in love, that he retold in a comical way. In a filler episode of the anime, Naruto ghost-wrote one of Jiraiya's Icha Icha novels. The book was found to be very popular. This indicates that either Naruto is capable of writing on the same level as Jiraiya, or that Jiraiya's writing abilities were no better than those of a child. Tsunade seemed to suspect that the latter was true, as she noted that a report he wrote as a child, accompanied by crude crayon illustrations, was poorly written. The popularity of the Icha Icha series seemed to have paid off well, as Jiraiya's cheque book revealed that he was fairly wealthy. Despite his wealth, Jiraiya was not above taking Naruto's money and spending it on sake and women. Jiraiya frequently disappeared when Naruto attempted to make him pay.

Jiraiya also sympathized with Tsunade when Nawaki died and seemed to have been close to him as well, holding him at enough regard to make Tsunade not see Nawaki due to how mutilated his body was and defending Tsunade when Orochimaru bitterly blamed her for not being there to heal him. Also, despite Dan naturally being a rival and a far more successful one when it came to earning Tsunade's love, Jiraiya understood him and Nawaki considerably, as he also berated Tsunade for even considering to have them revived in an inhumane way as such a way would be a shame to their names, implying he bore him no ill will.

Jiraiya's bravado hid his deep-rooted sense of depreciation: he was deep down haunted and regretful over the many failures he had made: the death of his student Minato and his failure to save Orochimaru and the many deeds Orochimaru commited against Konoha, especially the death of his teacher deeply weighed on him and even though he was angry at and wanted Orochimaru to die, he still blamed himself for his inability to save his former comrade. The fact that the majority of his students proved to be evil added even more insult to injury and he lamented his failure to stop them as he was defeated and about to die at Pain's hands. Jiraiya even stated that he couldn't care if he died as long as he died in a way as glorious as the previous Hokage. However, in the end, Jiraiya's indomitable willpower and good traits eclipsed this, as he never succumbed to despair and remained a fundamentally good and well-meaning shinobi, treasuring those close to him, above all else Naruto, as he saw him as the only success he ever made and continuing to believe in peace even as he failed to find a way to overcome the cycle of hatred in the shinobi world. Even as he was about to die, he was able to force his heart to beat again to pass on the dying message that would defeat Nagato and play a hand in his student's redemption and accepted his death with honorable dignity and pride, believing his heroic death was just barely glorious but ultimately enough.

 In the tribute of JIRAIYA SENSEI

Symbol of Birth

CLIMATE HEALERS

What does a peacock feather symbolise?

Peacock Feather Symbolism

Peacock feathers, or mor pankh, are regarded as an auspicious symbol in Hindu mythology because of their association with the peacock, a beautiful bird which is also the national bird of India. You may have noticed that many people keep peacock feathers in their homes. It is believed that keeping peacock feathers at home brings good luck and prosperity into the house. 

The beautiful Mor-Pankh

Believe it or not, peacocks once had dull tail feathers. In a battle between Ravana and Lord Indra, the bird spread its feathers wide open, to allow Indra to hide behind them and thus wage a war. Indeed, it was able to save Indra, in return for which, the god made the peacock feathers iridescent. Incidentally, Indra is often depicted seated on a peacock throne.

The Peacock Feather & Goddess Lakshmi

The peacock is also identified with Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. That is why people keep peacock feathers at home, believing that they will bring wealth and prosperity into the house. It is also believed that peacock feathers keep the house free from flies and other insects.

Peacock feathers in Hinduism

The peacock feather is of great importance in Hinduism. Lord Krishna wears a peacock feather on his crown. Lord Karthikeya uses the peacock as his mode of conveyance.

Peacock feathers for protection

The peacock is considered to be a bird of protection and safe guarding. This bird is also valued as a protection for the psychic self. Thus, the peacock feather within a home is said to safeguard the energy in the environment.

What does a Chakra symbolise?

Chakra symbols are actually meant to represent the cosmic geometry of the universe.

And practicing yoga aligns us with the cosmic geometry of the universe.

Despite what it seems, yoga isn’t simply about twisting and moving your body through predetermined poses. It isn’t about conforming to a fitness or health regime (although it can certainly help you with that, too).

Instead, yoga is a form of inner engineering, a way for us to align our inner world with the outer cosmos. With yoga, we can align ourselves with the cosmos through the geometry of our own energy system.

What does a Flute symbolise? 

 Thus if one is playing on one's flute .........  well you get the idea.

Flutes are reed instruments and the added implication is In very general terms the flute shares its symbolism with all musical instruments.

Many musical instruments look like the human body or parts of the human body and music is one way in which people can be healed, as such there is a connection with musical instruments and spiritual experience in general.

But the flute has a rather special place in the symbolic pantheon for those who use all the sexual techniques to achieve enlightenment from Making love, to Sex magick to Sexual stimulation to Peaking.

The flute is the penis. at - because the reed is the symbol of spine - that the sexual techniques are geared towards enlightenment via the  kundalini experience.

What does Shell symbolise? 

Along the coastlines of the world, a great variety of shells can be found. Seashells are made by the animals that live inside them and all shells grow steadily outward. Shells are among the most remarkable designs found in nature. Examples are the chambered nautilus, the sundial shell, and the triton shell. Shells are usually perceived as feminine; a symbol of birth, good fortune, and resurrection. Bivalved mullusks represent the womb and fertility.

shell: life protector; in Tibetan Buddhism, symbolizes hearing; one of the eight emblems of good luck in Chinese Buddhism.

conch shell: in Buddhism, symbolizes the voice of Buddha; deity summoner; emblem of Aphrodite, Saint Michael, Saint Sebald, and Triton; Vishnu’s trumpet used to awaken followers from ignorance; Navajo Indian jewel of the sea.

cowrie shell: may be one of the first yonic symbols, its name derived from Kauri, a pre-Vedic Indian goddess; represents rebirth and the female Gate of Life; used throughout the Middle East, Egypt, the South Pacific, and the Mediterranean as a charm for healing, fertility, magical power, or good luck; Romans call the cowrie the matriculus, meaning little matrix or little womb; among the Greeks, the word kteis meant vulva, a cowrie shell, a scallop, or a comb (an attribute of mermaids and sirens); Gypsy women valued the cowrie, worn as an amulet, as a focus of their feminine powers.

scallop shell: symbol of light; couch of sea deities; in Christianity, represents salvation; used to sprinkle baptismal waters, also worn by Christians to indicate completion of a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint James in Spain, originally the shrine of the Goddess Bridgette, the Celtic version of Aphrodite; the scallop shell is associated with the goddess Venus “born of the sea” as she was carried to shore on a scallop shell; scallop shells are a symbol of the Hindu version of Aphrodite, the goddess Lakshmi “born from the churning of the ocean”, consort of Vishnu and mother Kama, represented beauty and good fortune.

coral: the ocean’s Tree of Life; throughout the Mediterranean, red coral necklaces for children were valued as magical; red coral also symbolizes life giving feminine blood; powdered red coral was used to increase fertility; coral was used as an apotropic (to avert evil) in rituals; in China, called shang-hu, emblem of longevity.

pearl: pearl symbolism is closely associated with the shell and represents moonlight, purity, tears, wealth, the power of the waters, and wisdom; believed to be the result of lightning penetrating the oyster, and as such, regarded as the union of fire and water; Moslems use the pearl to symbolize paradise, believing the blessed lived in pearls; called tama, the third eye of Buddha and Siva, the symbol of spiritual enlightenment and transcendent wisdom; in the east, divine essence which controls the tides; the flaming pearl is the union of fire and water believed to be the pearl of perfection.

 --Symbol of Birth

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artworks.

Doodle Art / Doodling

A doodle is a drawing made while a person's attention is otherwise occupied. Doodles are simple drawings that can have concrete representational meaning or may just be composed of random and abstract lines, generally without ever lifting the drawing device from the paper, in which case it is usually called a "scribble".

Doodling and scribbling are most often associated with young children and toddlers, because their lack of hand–eye coordination and lower mental development often make it very difficult for any young child to keep their coloring attempts within the line art of the subject. Despite this, it is not uncommon to see such behavior with adults, in which case it is generally done jovially, out of boredom.

DOODLING TIPS

1. Before you start, you need to warm up. Just like exercise, you have to warm up the muscles you will be using to doodle. The best way to do this is to pull out a blank piece of paper, set a timer for 10-minutes, and start free doodling. Don’t overthink it or set any expectations during this time; just draw. Draw shapes, words, symbols, etc., and don’t put your pen down for those 10-minutes.
2. See things as basic shapes. This takes a little practice. But, when you look at something you want to draw, try to lose the details and see just the basic shapes. A book is rectangular. A flower is circular, and the stem is just two parallel lines. An ice cream cone is an upside-down triangle with a circle on top. Start with these basic shapes and then refine from there.
3. Use a variety of thickness in your lines. When you are first starting out, you may not have a lot of different pens to choose from. But as you expand your pen collection, you will have a variety of nib sizes to choose from. Use different nib sizes to create variety and add interest to your lines. My personal preference is to go for a thicker outline and smaller, finer details inside.
4. Find your happy place. This could be your desk with a cup of coffee, cuddled up on your bed or couch listening to your favorite music with your headphones on, or sitting on the floor in your living room. But, finding your happy place plays a big part in your doodling success. You will find that when you are relaxed and truly enjoying your time, your doodles come out cleaner and your creativity will be fluid.
5. There is no right or wrong way. The way I draw a purse and the way you draw a purse may be completely different. But that doesn’t make either one right or wrong. You will find your own style as you practice. Let it happen and don’t try to force your doodles to look like someone elses. The best way to do this is to pick one subject and doodle it as many different ways as you can.

BEYOND SIMPLE DOODLES – HOW TO BECOME MORE CONFIDENT

How many times have you scrolled through Instagram or Pinterest and had doodle envy? I know I used to get it all the time. And then I began to feel inadequate and doubt my abilities.

But, what I learned was that doodling, just like any other art form, is very personal and individual. You can’t compare your doodles to someone else’s. For one, everyone has a different starting point in their journey. And secondly, how you perceive and translate a thought into a doodle will not be the same as how someone else does.

So, how do you become confident with your own doodles? There are a few things you can add into your daily routine to improve your creative confidence.

1. Practice every day. This is the obvious answer, but it’s also the most truthful. The more you practice, the better you will get.
2. Keep a sketchbook (or journal). Having records of your previous doodles is extremely beneficial because you can flip back and see your progress. Also, these previous doodles are like a doodle dictionary, full of ideas and inspiration.
3. Don’t let it become a chore. I tell people this about journaling, doodling, etc. If you allow it to become a chore and not something enjoyable, you will find yourself pulling away and eventually abandoning it. If you need a break or are getting frustrated, take a break and come back to it at a later date.
4. Draw what/how you like. If you don’t like drawing flowers, don’t. Want to draw food or people or books or sports equipment? Okay! Good, do that. You can find inspiration everywhere, and there are no rules on what you can draw or how you draw it. Allow yourself to draw freely and let your inner creative personality shine through in your doodles.

artworks.

गणपति बप्पा मोरिया

  

गणेश चतुर्थी भारत में मनाय जाने वाला एक बहुत ही भव्य त्यौहार है| इस त्यौहार का हिन्दू धर्म में धार्मिक महत्व है| गणेश चतुर्थी को विनायक चतुर्थी भी कहा जाता है| यह पर्व हिन्दू धर्म के देवता भगवान् गणेश को समर्पित किया जाता है| भगवान् गणेश ज्ञान और अच्छे भाग्य का प्रतीक है| गणेश चतुर्थी हिंदू महीने भद्रा के शुक्ला चतुर्थी पर मनाया जाता है|इस त्यौहार की अवधि स्थान और परंपरा के आधार पर 1 दिन से 11 दिनों तक भिन्न होती है। लोग भगवान गणेश की मूर्तियों को अपने घरों में लाते हैं और पूजा करते हैं।

गणपति जी हैं सबके प्यारे,

शिव गौरा के राजदुलारे,

भोली और प्यारी सी सूरत,

सवारी बने हैं उनकी, मूषक

मोदक उनको बहुत हैं भाते,

बड़े प्यार और चाव से खाते,

देवों में वह देव हमारे,

सबसे पहले उनकी पूजा करते हैं सारे,

रिद्धि सिद्धि के हैं दाता,

हम सबके वह भाग्यविधाता,

जो उनकी पूजा है करते,

गणपति उनके विघ्न है हरते,

गणेश चतुर्तिथि जब भी आये,

बड़े प्यार से सब हैं मनायें,

जिनके घर गणेशा जाते,

मंगल ही मंगल सब होता,

दुःख संताप मिटते हैं सारे।

  HAPPY GANESH CHATURTHI  

PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN

 HAPPY  INDEPENDENCE  DAY 

Aye mere watan ke logon

tum khub lagaa lo naaraa

ye shubh din hai hum sab kaa

leharaa lo tirangaa pyaaraa

par mat bhulo siimaa par

veeron ne hai praan ganwaae

kuchh yaad unhein bhi kar lo

kuchh yaad unhein bhi kar lo

jo lauT ke ghar na aaye

jo lauT ke ghar na aaye

Aye mere watan ke logon

zaraa aankh mein bhar lo paani

jo shahid hue hain unki

zaraa yaad karo qurbaani

jab ghaayal hua himaalay

khatare mein padi aazaadi

jab tak thi saans ladhe wo

phir apani laash bichhaa dii

sangiin pe dhar kar maathaa

so gaye amar balidaani

jo shahid hue hain unki

zaraa yaad karo qurbaani

jab desh mein thi diwaali

wo khel rahe the holi

jab hum baithe the gharon mein

wo jhel rahe the goli

the dhanya jawaan wo aapane

thi dhanya wo unki jawaani

jo shahid hue hain unki

zaraa yaad karo qurbaani

koi sikh koi jaat maraatha

koi gorkhaa koi madaraasi

sarhad pe marane waalaa

har veer thaa bhaaratvaasi

jo khoon giraa parvat par

Wo khoon thaa Hindustaani

jo shahid hue hain unki

zaraa yaad karo qurbaani

thi khoon se lath pat kaayaa

phir bhi bandhuk uthaake

dus dus ko ek ne maaraa

phir gir gaye hosh ganwaa ke

jab ant samay aayaa to

keh gaye ke ab marte hain

khush rehanaa desh ke pyaaron

ab hum to safar karte hain

kyaa log the wo deewaane

kyaa log the wo abhimaani

jo shahid hue hain unki

zaraa yaad karo qurbaani

tum bhool naa jaao unko

is liye kahi ye kahaani

jo shahid hue hain unki

zaraa yaad karo qurbaani

jay hind… jay hind ki senaa

jay hind… jay hind ki senaa

jay hind, jay hind, jay hind.

 HAPPY  INDEPENDENCE  DAY 

"Happy Janmashtami"

 Hare Krishna

हर गली हर मुंडेर

हर छप्पर हर नुक्कड़

पर आज शोर है

माखन चोर नंद किशोर का

जन्मोत्सव है

जय जयकारा का लगा है नारा 

लाडला कन्हैया बड़ा है प्यारा

हर चैनल ‘लाइव’ दिखाता है

घर बैठे

मथुरा, काशी, दिल्ली-मुंबई

की सैर कराता है

इस्कान से लेकर

बिड़ला मंदिर तक की कथा

सुनाता है, दिखाता है

भइया कलयुग है !

कितनों का व्यापार टिका

कितनों को काम मिला है !

सजी मिठाइयों की दुकानें

चमचम करते रसगुल्ले

पेड़े, कलाकंद, बालूशाही

सबसे प्यारी रसमलाई

कितनों ने तो व्रत रखा है

चलो एक दिन नहीं खायेंगे

प्रभु स्तुति में रम जायेंगे

अपना-अपना सोचना है

बोना है और काटना है

इसी बहाने

सभी रमे

कृष्ण भक्ति में लगे हैं

जय कन्हैयालाल की

गोविंद बोलो

अरे गोपाल बोलो

मटकी फोड़ नंद किशोर का

मचता हर तरफ उद्घोष है

लोगों में तो जोश है 

हर गली

हर छप्पर में

आज खुशियां हैं

कान्हा, गोपाल की

जय कन्हैयालाल की !

हर गली हर मुंडेर

हर छप्पर हर नुक्कड़

पर आज शोर है

माखन चोर नंद किशोर का

जन्मोत्सव है

जय जयकारा का लगा है नारा 

लाडला कन्हैया बड़ा है प्यारा

हर चैनल ‘लाइव’ दिखाता है

घर बैठे

मथुरा, काशी, दिल्ली-मुंबई

की सैर कराता है

इस्कान से लेकर

बिड़ला मंदिर तक की कथा

सुनाता है, दिखाता है

भइया कलयुग है !

कितनों का व्यापार टिका

कितनों को काम मिला है !

सजी मिठाइयों की दुकानें

चमचम करते रसगुल्ले

पेड़े, कलाकंद, बालूशाही

सबसे प्यारी रसमलाई

कितनों ने तो व्रत रखा है

चलो एक दिन नहीं खायेंगे

प्रभु स्तुति में रम जायेंगे

अपना-अपना सोचना है

बोना है और काटना है

इसी बहाने

सभी रमे

कृष्ण भक्ति में लगे हैं

जय कन्हैयालाल की

गोविंद बोलो

अरे गोपाल बोलो

मटकी फोड़ नंद किशोर का

मचता हर तरफ उद्घोष है

लोगों में तो जोश है 

हर गली

हर छप्पर में

आज खुशियां हैं

कान्हा, गोपाल की

जय कन्हैयालाल की !

Janmashtami, Hindu festival celebrating the birth (janma) of the god Krishna on the eighth (ashtami) day of the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada (August–September). The number eight has another significance in the Krishna legend in that he is the eighth child of his mother, Devaki.

The occasion is observed especially in Mathura and Vrindavan (Brindaban), the scenes of Krishna’s childhood and early youth. On the preceding day devotees keep a vigil and fast until midnight, the traditional hour of his birth. Then the image of Krishna is bathed in water and milk, dressed in new clothes, and worshipped.

Temples and household shrines are decorated with leaves and flowers; sweetmeats are first offered to the god and then distributed as prasada (the god’s leftovers, which carry his favour) to all the members of the household. The devotees of Krishna commemorate the events of his birth by preparing elaborate representations of Mathura, where he was born, the Yamuna River, over which he was transported to safety, and Gokul (ancient Vraja), the scene of his childhood, using small images of the god, the other participants, and the animals and birds of the forest. Pots of milk are hung from tall poles in the streets, and men form human pyramids to reach and break the pots—this in imitation of Krishna’s childhood play with the cowherd boys, when they stole the curds hung out of reach by their mothers. The festival is also a time for group singing and dancing.

"HAPPY JANMASHTAMI"

'शिवभक्त' हमेशा कहलाऊँ!

श्वास की अवधि पूरी करके

उसी गंगा तट पर खो जाऊँ

जिसका तुम  आलेप  करो

वही चिताभस्म मैं हो जाऊँ

कण-कण में जहाँ शंकर है

वही घाट बनारस हो जाऊँ

वर दो तुम ! मैं गंगा-काशी

मैं मोक्ष प्रदायक कहलाऊँ

पँचतीरथी या हो राजप्रयाग

मैं अंतकाल में तुमको पाऊँ

शिव-शिव का उच्चारण हो

और 'शिवमयी' मैं हो जाऊँ

बिल्व धतूरों की माला संग

मैं अस्सी घाट की भोर बनूँ

शंख , मृदंग, घन्टाध्वनी हो

मैं महाआरती का शोर बनूँ

यदि तेज भरो तुम मुझमें

वही महातपा मैं हो जाऊँ

नमः शिवाय का हो गुंजन

हिम शिखरों को दहकाऊं

जो कंठ में तेरे शरण मिले

वही 'वासुकि नाग' बनूँ मैं

तेरा एक आदेश मिले जो

प्रलय का अट्टाहास बनूँ मैं

जटाजूट में शरण मिले तो

सुरसरिता की धार बनूँ मैं

तुमसे उद्गम , तुममें संगम

हर प्रवाह को पार करूँ मैं

हो प्रमथगण या प्रेत पिशाच

कैलास शिखर पर रह जाऊँ

शिव दर्शन हो शिव वंदन हो

'शिवभक्त' हमेशा कहलाऊँ!

'शिवभक्त' हमेशा कहलाऊँ!

Art Article

How to Draw a Mandala

What is a mandala?

A mandala is a complex abstract design that is usually circular in form. In fact, "mandala" is a Sanskrit word that means "circle". Mandalas generally have one identifiable center point, from which emanates an array of symbols, shapes and forms.

Mandalas can contain both geometric and organic forms. They can also contain recognizable images that carry meaning for the person who is creating it.

In essence, mandalas represent the connection between our inner worlds and outer reality. Designing your own mandalas can be both inspirational and therapeutic.

How to Draw a Mandala

When you create your own mandala, think of it as an echo of your soul. Drawing and coloring a mandala can be a highly enriching personal experience in which you look inside yourself and find the shapes, colors and patterns to represent anything from your current state of mind to your most deeply-desired wish for yourself, for a loved one, or for humanity.

You can design a mandala to symbolize a state of mind that you would like to achieve. Mandalas are great tools for meditation and increasing self-awareness. Many different cultures around the world use mandalas in their spiritual practices.

The best thing about designing your own mandals is that you have the freedom to choose whatever shapes and colors that you feel express your sense of self and your view of reality. Your mandala is yours, and you have the freedom to use your creativity to create a mandala drawing that is uniquely you.

Materials Needed:--

 You don't need many materials to learn how to draw a mandala. All you need is: paper, a pencil, a ruler, and an eraser.