The month of Aadi (Aashada) begins today
Namaste,
The great month of Aadi (Aashada) begins today - 07/17/2013. This marks the commencement of Dakshinayana, which is very auspicious for Devi worship.
Day after tomorrow is Aashada Shuddha Ekadasi - very auspicious day for Panduranga worship. This day is marked with great festivities at Pandaripur, a sthala notable for the presence of deity Panduranga.
I browsed around the net, and learnt that 'Aadi' is basically a heavenly maiden's name, and that she wanted the favorable glance of Lord Shiva atleast once and due to this reason, once when Sri Parvathi was away, she (Aadi) disguised herself as Uma and went near Shiva. Lord Shiva is said to have felt a foul smell and looking at Aadi, he is supposed to have become very angry for her disguise and cursed her to become a bitter tasting tree in 'Bhooloka' (Earth).
Aadi, very much saddened, is said to have apologized to Lord Shiva and asked for his forgiveness on the matter. Lord Shiva is said to have taken pity on her and told her that "She will become a bitter tasting tree for sure, but that tree will have the blessings of mother Parashakti and will be bowed down and prayed to by devotees when they worship Uma". This tree is our favorable Neem tree whose leaves are largely used in rural India to treat many diseases such as Chicken Pox. Even the air from the Neem tree is said to have purificatory effect.
This is the legend behind the month of Aadi.
There are also many other practices that are unique to this month - for example, marriages do not happen on this month.
If you know any facts about Aadi, please share!
Let us all pray to divine mother in her innumerable forms during this upcoming Dakshinayana punyakala and earn her blessings!
Pranam.
jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar
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