Gudi Padwa

Gudi Padwa is celebrated in different parts of our country. The way we celebrate it here, it is celebrated in south too. Everywhere this festival is celebrated. The beginning of the Vikrami Samvata and that of the Shalivahana Shaka also fall on the same day.




Today is that day. All our dates and festivals are decided according to it, particularly our festivals.We follow the Moon Calendar whereas the foreigners follow the sun calendar.




This is the reason that the dates of their festivals never get changed. But all our festival depends on the Moon. That is why their dates keep changing and all our festivals are celebrated on different dates.




We give much significance to Moon and decide all our dates and festivals according to it .The reason being the effect of the Moon on human being is much more than that of the Sun. Other planets also have their effects on human beings. So we go according to the Moon and fix the dates of our festivals.




Only one of our festivals is fixed by the position of the Sun- the day, when the journey of the Sun starts towards Equator (Uttarayana). On that fix day we celebrate one of our festivals – Makar Sankranti.Throughout the country this festival is celebrated on the same day. This date never changes.




All our astrology and astronomy go with the position of the Moon. The state of the Moon is considered in astrology and astronomy and the whole astrology is made accordingly. So our first calendar Shalivahana Shaka is based on Moon.All the dates also go according to Moon.




Those who have no knowledge of these facts cannot understand the reason behind this festivals falling on different dates. So we have to think that the significance we have attached to the Moon is because it has a great impact on the human beings. We should be careful about it.




The greatest effect of the Moon is that our left side (Left Sympathetic) depends on it. Very few people know about it. The reason of giving so much importance to this left side is that it affects our psyche. That is why so much significance is attached to it. The effect on the left side is psychic; it does not belong to our brain. It cannot be controlled.




Psychic problems cannot be controlled nor the effect of the Moon. So the dates of the Moon are to be considered. For example on Amavashya (No-Moon night) or Purnima (Full Moon night) the problems of epileptic or psychic patients gets aggravated. On such occasion we could see that the person is affected by No-Moon (Amavashya) or Full Moon (Purnima).




So we are sensitive to the position of the Moon. Very subtle calculations have been done about it.In our country we know much before the dates and times of Moon eclipses. Much thought have been given to it and we have acquired a lot of knowledge about it. It shows that a lot of attention has been given to the effects of the Moon. So much has been written about it'.




In modern times everything is being calculated on the position of the Sun but it is not proper. The position of the Moon also must be taken into consideration. We should know what is going to be the effects of the Moon today. It is a very subtle subject. We should have knowledge about it and it should be discussed in our country.




Today is the New Year day and the beginning of the Moon that is why this day is given so much of significance. It is known as Gudi Padwa. A flag is put on a stick and on it is put a small pitcher. This pitcher represents the Kundalini. It is taken as a symbol.




The Shalivahanas were the devotees of the Devi (Goddess) and it is told that they used to offer shawl to the Goddess. In the beginning they were called 'Sat-Vahanas' because they worshiped seven plexuses. And this 'Sat-vahana' was ultimately changed into 'Shalivahana'.




But the symbol of Shalivahana is the same. They put up a 'Gudi' means a flag and a small pitcher is put on it as a symbol. This pitcher has a particular shape which represents Kundalini. So they were the worshippers of Kundalini and followed it.




That is the reason they made this symbol in this way.All those who follow Kundalini put up a 'Gudi' in their houses and also put a flag on it and thus it is indicated that they welcome the Kundalini and exhibit in a special way. But all these people are moving in the rut. They are doing all these rituals without knowing the cause of it. One should know the reason for doing certain things. What is it?




Because the Satvahanas were the worshippers and protector of Kundalini and they started their New Year like that. In the New Year they made their symbol in the form of a small pitcher and the flag put on the stick. But here in this part people do not know about it nor do they celebrate this festival.




This Samvat or Vikrami calendar was also started from this very date. The years of their beginning might be different, but the date is the same. Both of them follow this Amavashya and that is how the followers of Vikrami and Shalivahana Samvat celebrate Gudi Padwa. Actually it is not Amavashya (the first day of the Moon), today is that day. There is no moon in the sky. It is complete dark.




We should know why it is celebrated in our country? What is particular about it? Without knowing about the customs and festivals of the country we could neither love it nor respect it. These things are very deep rooted but we have no knowledge of them.




People say it is Kaliyuga. Why has this Kaliyuga set-in? What is its meaning? Mostly the people do not know. They know about it from different people and talk about it. It has an important myth behind it of the time of King Parikshit. No one knows about it, no one reads it.




People read only stupid books. At the most they read Ramayana but they have no knowledge of its message or its philosophy. No one knows about it.But we Sahaja Yogis must acquire this knowledge. We must know from where the culture of our country dawned and how it reached at this level.




Without this knowledge our approach will become like foreigners and ego and other negativities will have hold on us. So it will be better to understand from where these qualities have come and what is their significance? Why do we do certain things? Or we do it because other people also do it.




It is not proper.We must have thorough knowledge of it. I desire that all the Sahaja Yogis should know about it and understand it. If I had time enough I would have written about all these things .But I have no time.




You people could read and know about it, all the books are available. There are so many books in Hindi language in India but no one reads them. All these books are available in Delhi. I got them here. We must know about them. Whatever is mythical contains a lot of useful things. By understanding them we could know the roots of India.




Why we Indians are considered the best? Socially we must not be the best but culturally we are considered the best. Many knowledgeable things have been written in these books, such as 'what is Dharma and how to establish it'?




I wish you people study them. The study of these scripture will give you new direction because foreign language and books of knowledge are very superficial. There is a publishing firm named 'Sasta Sahitya Mandal'. I got many books from there. It is a beautiful shop and the books are very cheap there. You don't have to spend much money. Of course time is needed.




We read unnecessary things, watch useless films and unnecessary news. Our study should be very deep and about our old-old treasures'.




H.H.Shri Mataji
Gudi Padwa Puja,India, 13.04.2002
(Translated from Hindi)
(DCB September – October 2002)

Goddess protection over left and right side

Today we are going to worship the Goddess. That's the, first the left-side programming is with Her, but later on at Sahasrara She is the Adi Shakti. And on the left side whatever She does is already written, as you must have seen, that She is the memory, and that She is the wisdom; and that She protects you is shown when She uses Her power over the ganas.





There are ganas that are, as we know, responsible for all kinds of corrections in you. These are the ganas which act through the left side; as we know very well that cancer is caused by the problems of the left side. And on the left side are these ganas, which are completely in unison with the Devi's powers. She doesn't have to tell them, She doesn't have to guide them, they are already built up like that. And these ganas are the ones which I should say, target, they target the diseases and cure you.





We have cured many cancer patients and many left-sided people through the ganas. But ganas won't listen to anybody else. And Ganapati is their leader, I should say, their controlling power.






So if your Ganapati is all right, then problems are less. But if the Ganapati is not all right, then all kinds of problems can come up and they can torture you. This is one of the thing I am so particular about, that we must get our Ganeshas corrected.



The other day I received a big envelope with letters saying that “Mother, difficult to control ganas.” But difficult to control Ganapati Himself. So what should we do? - we get into traumas.






A simple thing is, at such a point when you are in a trauma and when you cannot can overcome this defect of the Ganapati, then what you should do is to meditate. Meditation is the only way you can overcome ganas.





The first of all is the upbringing of the children, and then atmosphere, as it exists. With these two important factors you can do well with the ganas, but the problem is that human beings get lost and they don't look after their Ganapati.




So as you worship the Goddess you are also worshipping Shri Ganesha, who is the power behind Her.




But the greatest power that is belonging to the Mother is your protection, protection from all kinds of things. All the left-hand side protections are there. They are described, as you must have learned on the “Devi Mahatmyam” what a protections She gives you, so tremendous in Her protecting power. And this protecting power gives you understanding, how kind She is and how, I should say, how very, very protective of you, extremely protective. She’ll guide you all the time that you should be protected, on the left side, and through Her ganas She looks after you.






But on the right side also. Those who are on the right side, the Goddess puts Her powers to put you right, to bring you back to normal conditions, to humble you down and make you understand that you are a child of the Mother, and you have to behave like a child.





But if you go to extremes, then you develop all kinds of complications of the right side also, as you develop on the left side. And the right-side problems these days are very, very common, which I have seen people cannot get over. So many diseases like Alzheimer and other diseases come up later on.



First it starts with the liver. The liver is the main point, as we’ve fallen into the trap of the liver. If you are thinking too much, if you are futuristic, if you are aggressive then the liver goes out, because you use liver’s power to do all that. And when your liver power is over, you are finished with liver power, you can develop so many diseases, so many troubles, that you cannot overcome it. It’s very difficult.





Of course with Sahaja Yoga so many people’s liver has been cured, so many people, and it has been doing wonderful work as far as the liver is concerned. But one should humble down and try to keep the liver all right. So the protection is also built in your body, by ganas on the left-hand side and by reactions on the right-hand side. But the greatest thing is the blessings of the Mother, the way She looks after you, the way She loves you and the way She cares for you, which you should never take it for granted.





You must meditate. You must meditate, it’s very important. No question without meditation you can keep yourself all right, it's no question. Meditation is the most important thing which must be followed, because that's how you come close to Her vibrations, come to Her, I should say, to Her nature. Even animals are so sensitive to Mother, very sensitive to vibrations. Animals are, but human beings have their own understanding, have their own freedom, have their so-called intelligence, and they fall a trap to it. They follow things which they should not have.





Her Holiness Mataji Shri Nirmala Devi
Navaratri Puja 27th October 2002
Lake Piru , California USA
(DCB March-April 2003)