Hanuman is a very special and unique God. The son of Vayu (wind God), the student of Surya (Sun), the incarnation of Shiva. He is CHIRANJEEVI (one who will not die and will remain in physical form on Earth for a very long time; maybe he is right here among us).

Timing of Hanuman Jayanti: Poornima (Full Moon) of Chaitra lunar month starts at 8:50 pm PDT Tuesday (April 4) night and ends at 9:35 pm PDT Wednesday night (April 5).

• Hanuman is perhaps the only God who never got angry or upset in his entire life. Even Lord Rama gets angry when Ocean God did not give way to his vanara sena (monkey army). But not Hanuman.
• Hanuman never gives up. No matter how big the problem. And he is fearless. He brought the entire mountain from Himalayas  to revive Lakshman. He set Lanka on fire with his tail. He jumped across the Ocean to search for Mata Sita.
• He is the epitome of faith and devotion. He ripped his chest open and showed picture of Lord Rama and Mata Sita inside.
• Perhaps his biggest quality is Humility. Even though he himself is an incarnation of Lord Shiva, he always calls himself tuchha (meager) servant of Lord Shri Ram.

But even Hanuman had forgotten about his super powers. Jambavan, the son of Brahma, had to remind him of his hidden potentials when they were all stuck on the edge of the Ocean.

We can chant Hanuman Chalisa and other Hanuman mantras (https://ganesha-hanuman.com/planetary-remedies/).

May He bless us with strength, fearlessness and HUMILITY.

Jai Hanuman!!!

Amit Garg

There will be an intense transit of planets affecting the sign of Aries over the next 2 months April and May 2023.

1. Rahu is in Aries.
2. Saturn is aspecting Aries (3rd aspect of Saturn).
3. Mars in Gemini is in Parivartana Yoga (exchange) with Mercury in Aries. This means Mars comes to Aries and Mercury goes to Gemini.
4. Sun will be in Aries from mid April to mid May.
5. This means all the malefics are influencing Aries at the same time: Rahu, Mars, Saturn and Sun.

Check out all the details below and watch the video.

This video explains all the details:

Best remedy for this transit is Hanuman Chalisa.

Amit Garg

This is a very busy time of the year with so many changes happening, so many festivals, eclipses, and much more.

SOLAR Eclipse: Oct 25 @ 3:45 am pacific time. Few hours on either side of the eclipse, avoid doing anything. Take a shower after the eclipse. Do lots and lots of meditation during the eclipse time. Give donations after the eclipse. This eclipse is taking place in Libra in Swati Nakshatra. So if you have important planets in Libra, this eclipse will impact you more deeply. If your Moon is in Libra, then you will feel emotional and mental changes. If your Lagna is Libra, then you will feel the eclipse energy physically on your body.

LUNAR Eclipse: Nov 8 @ 3:00 am pacific time. This eclipse is taking place in the Nakshatra of Bharani. Bharani is connected with death as well as giving birth. The symbol is vulva. Deity is Yama. Check where Bharani (and Aries) falls in your chart and you may give birth to (create) some beautiful things in that area of your life.

SATURN is Stationary (Yay!). For the next 5-6 days through Oct 27, Saturn is stationary (Stambhi) at 24 degrees of Capricorn. When Saturn comes to a standstill after finishing its retrograde motion, it bestows a lot of gifts and blessings. Stuck and pending projects get moving. One can start new ventures. Legal matters may settle. See which House Capricorn is in your chart, those areas of life will blossom.

Details for 10 days of Diwali festivals (for those of you who celebrate):

• VAAK SIDDHI Dwadashi (12th Tithi): Oct 21, 4:55 am – Oct 22, 5:35 am pacific. Great for attaining Vaaka Siddhi (purification and efficacy of speech). Worship Ma Saraswati. Say good things.
• Shani Trayodashi / DHANTERAS (13th Tithi): Oct 22, 5:35 am – Oct 23, 5:35 am pacific. Important day for health (Dhanwantari) and wealth (dhan). Start health routines. Worship Lakshmi Ma. Dhanwantri and Lakshmi Puja Muhurata is after Sunset. Chant Shani mantras.
• NARAK CHATURDASHI (14th Tithi): Oct 23, 5:35 am – Oct 24, 5:00 am pacific. Extremely powerful night to worship Ma Kali to ward off evil spirits and get protection. Best time for puja is around midnight.
• DIWALI (New Moon): Oct 24, 5:00 am – Oct 25, 3:48 am pacific. Diwali Mahalakshmi pujan Muhurata is in the evening / night of 24th.
• ANNAKOOT / New Year / GOVARDHAN PUJA (1st Tithi): Oct 25, 3:48 am – Oct 26, 2:15 am pacific. Vijaya Muhurata, good for starting a new business.
• BHAI DOOJ (2nd Tithi): Oct 26, 2:15 am – Oct 27, 0:15 am pacific. Important day celebrated by brothers and sisters.
• LAABHA PANCHAMI (5th lunar day after Diwali): Oct 28, 7:44 pm – Oct 29, 5:20 pm pacific. Great day for studying, starting new subjects, worshipping Ma Saraswati. Puja Muhurata is in the morning.

May you be blessed with Love and LIGHT.

Happy Diwali,

Amit Garg

Pitru means ancestors and Paksha means fortnight. Pitru Paksha is the fortnight that belongs to the ancestors. It is the ideal time to worship our ancestors, do Tarpan or Shrādha ritual for them, seek their blessings and pray for their liberation. Pitru Pasha every year starts on the Full Moon (Poornima) of Bhadrapada lunar month and lasts until the following New Moon (Amavasya). This year (2022) it is from Sep 10 through Sep 25. The ancestral plane is closer to the Earth during this fortnight. Think of all your ancestors, your lineage. Offer incense to ancestors. Light a ghee lamp each of these 15 days.

Here are some powerful mantras you can chant for ancestors especially during pitru paksha:

ॐ पितृभ्यः नमः । Om Pitribhyah Namaha

ॐ देवताभ्यः पितृभ्यश्च महायोगिभ्य एव च । नमः स्वाहायै स्वधायै नित्यमेव नमो नमः ॥ Om Devatābhyah Pitribhyah Cha Mahāyogibhya Ev Cha | Namah Swāhāyei Swadhāyei Nityameva Namo Namaha ||

• The day when Parashuram, the 6th incarnation of Vishnu was born. He was invincible.
• The day when Pandavas received Akshay patra from Krishna. This is the vessel which never ran out of food. Pandavas survived their exile in forest thanks to this Akshay patra. The vessel was inexhaustible.
• The day when Sudama visited his long lost “best friend” Krishna after so many years and his life was changed forever by Krishna. His old dilapidated hut transformed into a palace. With Krishna’s blessings, Sudama’s wealth and joy was immeasurable.
• The day when Lord Ganesha started writing the epic Mahabharata as dictated by Ved Vyasa. And Ganesha wrote non-stop for three long years until he finished writing the entire Mahabharata! Ganesha was unstoppable.
• The only day in the whole year when both Sun (soul) and Moon (mind) are exalted (strong).

Akshay Tritiya timings for 2022: Begins May 2 @ 4:48 pm PST and ends on May 3 @ 7 pm PST.

What to do on Akshay Tritiya? You do things on Akshay Tritiya that you want to grow in your life. Give donation to the Gurus. Share knowledge, books and teachings. Start new projects, buy a new house, embark on an important journey or make plans (buy tickets) for one, start a new spiritual practice, seek blessings of the Gurus, do chanting and meditation and yoga. Plant seeds, touch the Earth, eat dosa, walk bare feet on the beach, do yagyas…Whatever makes you happy 🙂

May this Akshay Tritiya bring inexhaustible joy, health and wealth in your life.

Amit Garg

Navrātri (9 nights): The auspicious festival of Navrātri, the 9 nights of the Goddess is celebrated 4 times a year at the junction of 4 seasons. One of those is the Gupta Navrātri. This is celebrated at the beginning of Magha lunar month in Jan-Feb.

Why the Night? Night is the time of Tamas. Tamas is needed as much as Sattva and Rajas. We need a combination and balance of all 3 Gunas. If there were no Tamas, we will have no sleep at night. We feel refreshed and rejuvenated in the morning, thanks to the restful inactive period of the night. Hence, the Navrātri, the 9 nights of the Goddess invite us to go within, be inactive, give a rest to our faculties so we can experience Mother’s nectar.

Saraswati: Saraswati is the Goddess of learning, knowledge, wisdom, arts, music, speech and intelligence. Vasant Panchami is dedicated to the worship of Mā Saraswati. Vasant Panchami also marks the beginning of Spring, as per Vedic calendar. In India, usually a child begins formal education on the day of Vasant Panchami. As per one belief, Mā Saraswati is considered the daughter of Lord Shiva and Mā Durga. As a result, Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha and Karthikeya are considered her siblings.

Gupta Navrātri 2022 timings: First Navrātri begins on Jan 31 at 9:45 pm PST and the Last (9th) Navrātri ends on Feb 9 at 9:40 pm PST

Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Pujā) 2022 timings: Starts on Feb 4, 2:15 pm and ends on Feb 5, 2:19 pm PST.

How to honor the Goddess? One can do following things during Navrātri: Fasting. Maun (silence) i.e. do silent meditation these days or at least refrain from talking too much. Chant Devi mantras (see the list below). Perform yagyas (Vedic fire rituals). Honor the fire principle. Durga Saptashati is especially powerful during Navrātri. See the video at the bottom of this article.

Durga and Saraswati Mantras

ॐ जयन्ती मंगला काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी , दुर्गा क्षमा शिव धात्री , स्वाहा स्वधा नमोस्तुते |

Om Jayanti Mangalā Kāli, Bhadrakāli Kapālini |
Durgā Kshamā Shivā Dhātri, Swāhā Swadhā Namostute ॥ Listen here.

ॐ ऐं महासरस्वत्यै नमः |

Om Aing Mahāsaraswatyei Namah |

सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि । विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥

Saraswati Namastubhyām Varade Kāmaroopini |
Vidyārambham Karishyāmi Siddhir Bhavatume Sadā ||

ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं महासरस्वती देव्यै नमः |

Om Aim Hrim Kleem Mahā Saraswati Devyei Namaha|

या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना ।
या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥

Yā Kundendu Tushārahāra Dhavalā Yā Shubhra Vastrāvritā
Yā Veenā VaradanDa ManDitakarā Yā Shveta Padmāsanā |
Yā Brahmachyuta Shankara Prabhritibihi Devyeih Sadā Vanditā
Sā Mām Pāttu Sarasvati Bhagavatee Nihshesha Jānyāpahā ||

We are in the middle of 16-day period of honoring and remembering our ancestors, known as Shrādh or Pitri Paksha, There is a difference in the way we give offerings to Gods versus how we give offerings to our ancestors.

Offerings to Gods through SWĀHĀ: When we chant vedic mantras and then make an offering to the fire God (Agni dev), we say “Swāhā” at the end and then give offering. Why do we say Swāhā and what does that mean? The word Swāhā comes from ‘Su’ and ‘Āhve’. Su means good and Āhve is an invitation. Hence, through Swāhā we invite the Gods who are embodiment of goodness and Dharma and request them to accept our offerings. According to Shiv Purāna, Daksha prajāpati (progenitor) had many daughters. One of them was Swāhā and she was married to Agni dev (fire God). It is said that Agni dev accepts food only from his wife Swāhā. And according to another legend, all the Gods have appointed Agni dev as their provider of food. In other words, all the Gods will accept food only from Agni dev. So this means if we want to offer anything to the Gods, a) we offer it to Swāhā, b) then Swāhā accepts from us and gives it to Agni dev and then c) Agni dev accepts that offering from Swāhā and gives it to the respective Gods.

Offerings to Ancestors (Pitris) through SWADHĀ: Daksha prajāpati (progenitor) had another daughter named Swadhā who was married to the Pitri dev (lord of ancestors). The Pitris or ancestors accept offerings only through their wife Swadhā. Hence, we use the word Swadhā instead of Swāhā when we offer anything to the ancestors. Another legend says that Swadhā devi is manas putri (mind-born daughter) of Brahmā.

Merely by chanting the word Swadhā 3 times, we can connect with that shakti, with that power who is so close to our ancestors and will clear out our karmic debt to the ancestors. One can also chant the Swadhā stotram that I have given below.

All days during this fortnight of Pitri Paksha are important for honoring ancestors but especially Ashtami (8th lunar day), Trayodashi (13th lunar day), or when Moon is in Magha Nakshatra and most importantly Amavasya (New Moon) – these days are even more potent and our offerings will reach our ancestors and we will receive their blessings.

Om Swadhā Swadhā Swadhā,
Amit Garg

Swadhā Stotram

स्वधोच्चारणमात्रेण तीर्थस्नायी भवेन्नरः। मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो वाजपेयफलं लभेत्॥
स्वधा स्वधा स्वधेत्येवं यदि वारत्रयं स्मरेत्। श्राद्धस्य फलमाप्नोति कालस्य तर्पणस्य च॥
श्राद्धकाले स्वधास्तोत्रं यः श्रृणोति समाहितः। लभेच्छाद्धशतानां च पुण्यमेव न संशयः॥
स्वधा स्वधा स्वधेत्येवं त्रिसन्ध्यं यः पठेन्नरः। प्रियां विनीतां स लभेत्साध्वीँ पुत्रं गुणान्वितम्॥
पितृणां प्राणतुल्या त्वं द्विजजीवनरूपिणी। श्राद्धाधिष्ठातृदेवी च श्राद्धादीनां फलप्रदा॥
बहिर्गच्छ मन्मनसः पितृणां तुष्टिहेतवे। सम्प्रीतये द्विजातीनां गृहिणां वृद्धिहेतवे॥
नित्या त्वं नित्यस्वरूपासि गुणरूपासि सुव्रते। आविर्भावस्तिरोभावः सृष्टौ च प्रलये तव॥
स्वस्तिश्च नमः स्वाहा स्वधा त्वं दक्षिणा तथा। निरूपिताश्चतुर्वेदे षट् प्रशस्ताश्च कर्मिणाम्॥
पुरासीस्त्वं स्वधागोपी गोलोके राधिकासखी। धृतोरसि स्वधात्मानं कृतं तेन स्वधा स्मृता॥
इत्येवमुक्त्वा स ब्रह्मलोके च संसदि। तस्थौ च सहसा सद्यः स्वधा साविर्बभूव ह॥
तदा पितृभ्यः प्रददौ तामेव कमलाननाम्। तां सम्प्राप्य ययुस्ते च पितरश्च प्रहर्षिताः॥
स्वधास्तोत्रमिदं पुण्यं यः श्रृणोति समाहितः। स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु वेदपाठफलं लभेत्॥
॥ इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्त्ते महापुराणे द्वितीये प्रकृतिखण्डे नारदनारायणसण्वादे स्वधोपाख्याने स्वधोत्पत्ति तत्पूजादिकं नामैकचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः ॥ स्वधास्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ।
स्वधा, स्वधा, स्वधा