The Spirituality Blog

  Holi on a full moon (Purnima) signifies the transition from winter to spring . Usually harvesting begins at this time of the year and is a season of joy and happiness .  Legend says that the Rogue Hiranyakashyap who considered himself to be above all Gods wanted to destroy his son Prahlada who was a devout follower of Lord Vishnu . He advised his sister Holika who had a blessing from the Gods of indestructibility within the strongest of fires , to sit with his son Prahlada in the fire ,placed on her lap . Such is the marvel of the Gods that Holika apparently was reduced to ashes by the fire while Prahlada was saved . Lord Vishnu later did the needful and destroyed Hiranyakashyapa. The destruction of Holika marked the significance of Holi and hence the term Holi .  Lord Vishnu had an avatar in the form of Lord Krishna. On this day Krishna who was dark in colour had a consort Radha who was fair and Krishna's mother feared that he might be rejected because of his complexio...

http://atmajyothisavita.blogspot.com/2009/07/12-types-of-yagna-mentioned-in.html   Devamevapare  yagnam yoginah paryupasate| Brahmaagnavapare yagnam yagnenaiva upajuvhati || 4. 25|| "  Some  YOGIS  perform sacrifice to  DEVAS  alone  (DEVA-YAJNA) ;  while others offer "sacrifice" as sacrifice by the Self, in the Fire of  BRAHMAN (BRAHMA-YAJNA) ." Shotradeen indriayanyanye samyamaagnishu juvhathi | Shabdadeen vishayaananya indriyagnishu juvhathi || 4. 26 || "  Some again offer hearing and other senses as sacrifice in the fires-of-restraint; others offer sound and other objects of sense as sacrifice in the fires-of-the-senses." Sarvendriya karmaani pranikarmani chapare| Atma samyamayogagnou juvhathi jnana deepite || 4. 27 || "  Others again sacrifice all the functions of the senses and the functions of the breath (vital energy) in the fire of the  YOGA  of self-restraint, kindled by knowledge. " Dravya yagnaah tapoyagna...