Pundalik, son of Janudev n Satyavati, lived in Dandirvan. As Pundalik ill-treated his parents, they decided to leave for Kashi. Pundalik and his wife also went with them. While the old couple had to walk bare-foot, Pundalik rode on horse @onlyonenetra
One night they halted at the ashram of Rishi Kukkutswami. Just before dawn, Pundalik got up n saw 3 beautiful women in soiled clothes entering the Ashram, cleaning, sweeping and washing clothes. They, then, went in the pooja room, came out spotlessly clean and vanished. @GampaSD
Next night, same thing happened. So Pundalik went to them and asked their details. The 3 women were Ganga, Yamuna and other holy rivers. They were soiled as people washed their sins in them. They told Pundalik that he was the greatest sinner as he ill-treated his parents.
This changed Pundalik and he became a devoted son. Impressed, Sri Vishnu paid him a visit. At that time, he was tending to his parents. So, Pundalik gave a brick to waiting Vishnu and told him to stand on it till he was free. When he was free, he realised what he had done.
He begged for pardon but Vishnu was immensely pleased. Pundalik requested Vishnu to stay there always. Vishnu took the form of Vithoba and still stands there on a brick, along with Rukmini.
The divine place is Pandharpur, abode of Vithoba/ Vitthala 🙏🏻 @IndiaTales7
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Why do we celebrate the movement of sun in capricorn (उत्तरायण सूर्य)?
When sun is moving towards south, we get limited sunlight and harsh weather. So the movement of sun towards north is a time to rejoice, to rejuvenate, to welcome spring.
Unlike other festivals, which are based on the traditional Indian Calendar, set according to Lunar positions, sankranti is a solar event. Thus, while the dates of all festivals keep changing every year, the date of Makar Sankranti is always the same – 14th January.
It is said that Yama blessed the sesame seed (तिल). So they are regarded as the symbols of immortality. The seed was supposed to have originated when drops of sweat trickled from Vishnu and fell on earth.
Sankranti is incomplete without til and gur(jaggery).
Once a goldsmith by the name of Narhari lived in Pandharpur. He excelled in his craft. He had vowed not to look at Pandurang or visit his mandir ever, as he was a Shiva Bhakt.
One day, a wealthy merchant visited him.
He wanted a gold girdle studded with precious gems, to be made for Prabhu Vitthal. Narhari refused to make it as it was for Vitthal.
After many requests, he agreed to make the girdle but asked the merchant to bring the measurement from the mandir as he himself would not go there
The measurement was given n he made the girdle. When the girdle was put on Vitthal, it was loose. Narhari had to shorten it. Now the girdle became tight. So Narhari was forced to take measurement on his own. He had to go to the mandir but went blindfolded to avoid seeing Vitthal
The mandir is directly associated to the Guruvayoor Sree Krishna Mandir. During the raids of Tipu Sultan in 1789, the murti of Sri Krishna from the Guruvayoor Mandir was brought to the Ambalappuzha Mandir for safe keeping.
Krishna once appeared as a Rishi here and challenged the ruling King to a game of Chess on the condition that the winner gets to choose any prize he wants. As prize, the Rishi wanted a grain of rice, with the condition that each square would double the grain of rice. @SriRamya21
The king agreed to his terms. Soon the king lost n as he started putting the grains, he realized the huge amount of grains he would have to give. Krishna took pity on him n revealed his true form. He asked the king to provide paal payasam to him each day till the debt was repaid.
Once, Devaki told Krishna of her desire to see him as a child since he was with Yashoda in his childhood.
Krishna immediately assumed his child form, played with Devaki, smeared butter on his face and playfully snatched the churn and rope from her.
Rani Rukmini witnessed this scene and got a murti of child Krishna made who was holding a churning rod and rope. When Krishna went back to Vaikuntha, Arjun deposited the murti in Rukminivana. Over time, the murti got covered under mud and clay. @SriRamya21@VaishnavKrish14
Centuries later, a ship found this heavy lump of clay and the sailors loaded it on the ship as ballast. While sailing near Udupi, the ship got stuck on a sandbank where Madhavacharya was absorbed in composing Dvadasha-stotra. Seeing the stuck ship, Madhvacharya waved his cloth.
Once while Adi Shankara was in Kasi he saw Sanandana (one of his prime disciples) standing on the other bank of the Ganga. Sanandana was drying Acharya's clothes. Adi Shankara decided to reveal Sanandana's Guru Bhakti to the world.
He asked Sanandana who was on the other bank to bring the dry clothes to him. Sanandana wanted to fulfill his Guru's wish immediately. He could not wait to find a boat to cross the Ganga. So he started walking over the flowing river just as he would walk over plain dry land.
As Sanandana walked over the Ganga, big lotuses sprung up supporting his every step. Keeping his feet on these lotuses, Sanandana walked over the river and reached his Guru. Then Shankara asked Sanandana, "How did you cross the Ganga?” @SriRamya21@VaishnavKrish14
Siachen glacier, spread over 76 km area has sub-zero temperatures that dip below -60 degrees.
Our soldiers face not just the threat of enemies from across border but also diseases like frostbites, pulmonary and cerebral oedema,etc.
The first thing the soldier loses on the glacier is his appetite. The body doesn’t get enough oxygen and becomes sluggish. Besides, the food is all frozen. An apple or an orange freeze to the hardness of a cricket ball within a few minutes.
For water, most soldiers just boil snow and drink it. Until 2000, the soldiers stayed in snow tents that icy winds and blizzards could blow away or rip apart. Now, they have fibre glass huts. The glare of the ice can blind if a soldier steps out without the protective goggles.