HINDU FASTS & FESTIVALS :1-2.

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1. Chitra Purnima.




Part-2.




The term Chitra Gupta means “hidden picture”.

A true picture of all our good and evil actions is preserved in the ethereal records.

The Hindu personifies it for the sake of worship.

The real significance of the worship of the Chitra Guptas is beautifully brought out in the following story connected with it.




Brihaspati is the Guru or preceptor of Indra, the king of the gods.

Indra disobeyed Brihaspati on one occasion and the Guru relinquished his task of instructing Indra in what he should and should not do.

During the period of the Guru’s absence, Indra did many evil deeds.

When the compassionate Guru resumed his duty again, Indra wanted to know what he should do to expiate the wrongs he had done in his Guru’s absence.

Brihaspati asked Indra to undertake a pilgrimage.




While Indra was on pilgrimage, he suddenly felt the load of sins taken off his shoulders at a certain place (near Madurai in South India), and he discovered a Shiva Lingam there.

He attributed the miracle to this Lingam and wanted to build a temple for it.

He had this constructed immediately.

Now he wished to perform the worship of the Lingam; the Lord Himself caused golden lotuses to appear in a nearby pond.

Indra was greatly pleased and blessed.

The day on which he thus worshipped the Lord was Chitra Purnima.


Swami Sivananda

To be continued  ....


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