#shravan

Today is Shravana Krishna Ashtami, the eleventh day of Shravana masam (month). The month of Shravan is the fourth month in the Hindu calendar and falls in the western months of August and September. This month has a lot of spiritual significance and is considered auspicious for Hindus for many reasons.

Samudra Manthan

According to the Puranas (holy texts), it was during this month that the Devathas (Gods) and Asuras (demons) churned the ocean in search of amrit (nectar). Although the churning of the ocean gave them the amrit, it also gave them poison. Because the Devathas did not know what to do with the poison, they went to Lord Shiva for help. Lor Shiva swallowed the poison and stored it in his throat which for which he got the name, Neelkant (blue throat). This is why Shravana masam is important for the devotees of Lord Shiva.

Sola Somvaar Vrat

The Sola Somvaar Vrat is another reason why Shravana masam is important for the devotees of Lord Shiva. Those who want to do the Sola Somvaar Vrat (16 Mondays) usually start on the first Monday of Shravana masam and complete it on the last Monday Karthika masam. This vrat is mostly observed by unmarried women who want to be married to the man of their dreams. But married women can observe this vrat, too, for better health or fulfilment of their wishes. For this vrat, women fast all morning and afternoon and break it in the evening after doing pooja for Lord Shiva.

Mangala Gauri

The Mangala Gauri Vratham (pooja) is performed by married women for health, prosperity, and the long life of their husband. It is also performed for a happy married life. This vratham is only performed in Shravana masam on Tuesdays. After the pooja, a minimum of 5 married women are invited home for Haldi and Kumkum. The traditions for this pooja vary based on each family.

Varalakshmi Vratham

In South India, Varalakshmi Vratham (pooja) is performed by married women on the Friday before Poornima (full moon). Vara Maha Lakshmi or Varalakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Women perform this pooja every year for the blessings of the Goddess on them, their husband, and children.

Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan is day that is celebrated all across India to honor the pure bond between brother and sister. On the day of Raksha Bandhan, the sister ties a rakhi on her brother’s wrist, the brother presents her with a gift, and they both promise to protect each other no matter what the circumstances.

Krishna Janmashtami

As per Vedic Astrology, Nakshatra alludes to the stars/heavenly bodies. The 360⁰ zodiac framework is partitioned into 12 zodiac signs. There is a sum of 27 Nakshatras in soothsaying, and henceforth the estimation of each star is 13⁰ 20′. In antiquated occasions, Nakshatras are considered as a methods for adoring the heavenly. These 27 groups of stars depend on the development of the Moon, which voyages roughly 27.3 days around its circle. Thus, the birth star of an individual is determined dependent on the situation of the Moon in any of these stars.

Meanings of Nakshatra

The root word ‘Naksh’ signifies to love or approach, and ‘tra’ is a postfix. The word ‘Nakshatra’ additionally is accepted to signify ‘not destructible.’ Certain Nakshatras, for example, Tishya (Pushya), Ashwini, and Revati have been referenced in the most established of the Vedas – Rig Veda and the whole rundown of Nakshatras discovers its place in Yajur and Atharva Vedas.

Nakshatras and Moon in Mythology

The 27 Nakshatras are spread across the 12 zodiac signs in three cusps at Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Some Nakshatras lie totally inside a sign, while certain stars cover in two zodiac signs. Each Nakshatra has its own decision god and forces, which assume a significant part in choosing the attributes of a person. Everybody brought into the world on this planet has their introduction to the world star, which relies upon the situation of Moon in one of the 27 stars. Each Nakshatra is additionally isolated into 4 Padas (quarters) at 3⁰ 20′ every, which address the nature of each star.

List of Nakshatra

The 27 Nakshatras incorporate Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika, Rohini, Mrighasira, Ardra, Punarvasu, Pushya, Ashlesha, Magha, Purva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra, Swati, Vishaka, Anuradha, Jyestha, Moola, Purvashada, Uttarashada, Sharavan, Dhanishta, Shatabisha, Purvabhadra, Uttarabhadra, and Revati. In view of the birth season of an individual and the situation of Moon at that point, the birth star of an individual is resolved.

List of Nakshatras

In view of the characteristics of each Nakshatra, the 27 birth stars are arranged into the accompanying 7 gatherings:

Ashwini

Pushya

Hasta

Mrigashira

Chitra

Anuradha

Revati

Rohini

Uttara Phalguni

Uttarashada

Uttarabhadra

Punarvasu

Swati

Shravana

Dhanishta

Shatabisha

Ardra

Ashlesha

Jyeshta

Moola

Bharani

Magha

Purva Phalguni

Purvashada

Purvabhadra

Krittika

Shravana Nakshatra - Material Spirituality through Ritualism

Shravana is the last Moon Nakshatra, and thus it represents the most evolved, collective form of the Moon energy. For a more detailed description of Moon-ruled Nakshatras, I invite you to look at my master post, where you will find a post about the cyclical, energetic changes of the Nakshatras, and what each stage represents.

Moon ruled Nakshatras are very physical in nature and expression. These Nakshatras have the power to harness spiritual energies through bringing their glory into the material world. Shravana, being Moon’s most evolved expression, is the place where we truly bridge the gap between the worlds. In consequence, we gain real understanding of how these two dimensions of existence are intricately linked, and how one can be profoundly expressed through the other. Just as there is a divine spark in the material reality around us, our bodies and nature itself is a manifestation and personification of eternal energies of the universe.

Moon ruled Nakshatras are a material aspect of the Divine Feminine archetype - the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. In contrast, Saturn ruled Nakshatras which reflect this Feminine archetype as well, embody more the emotional, intense, saturated aspect of it. Here in Shravana, we reach the stage of the Crone - a wise, experienced feminine energy, that has the practical wisdom and natural understanding of the physical world, an intuitive skill coming from years of experience. This is the energy of your grandmother having unrivalled cooking abilities - due to many decades of presence with her work she now works intuitively, because the knowledge entered her subconscious energetic field. However, if you have planets in Shravana Nakshatra, you will be born having access to some form of this wisdom naturally, even from a young age, because it will be part of your ancestral karma. It may take time to develop this wisdom, however, since Shravana is in the collective stage of developmeny.

Shravana is translated to Hearing, and here in this stage, we have enough wisdom to do more than just make noise ourselves. We learn how to appreciate silence and tune into ourselves as part of this world, in order to listen to Mother Earth speaking to us. As a result, we gain the ability of perceiving signs given to us by Nature, and we learn to interpret them over time. This is because Shravana rules Intuitive Mastery of the physical world through ritualistic repetition, that allows the wisdom to “soak” into you. This is why Shravana is linked to Vishnu’s 3 steps, because Vishnu perfected these steps, through ritualistic rhythmic repetition. In this way, natives with Shravana benefit from practicing their own, intuitive rhythm that leads to self-mastery.

Shravana also has a collective dimension, being the final stage of expression of the Moon. This reflects in the Crone passing on her wisdom to the crowd, receiving and nurturing the energies of the tribe through her expertise, embodying the most refined version of Moon energies. Here we have the wise old witch, the shaman, who takes care of the tribe through sharing her experience, using her mastery of both the spiritual and material world for service of others. The imagery here is the shaman being able to use her hearing and speaking ability and ritualistic powers, in order to call on and physically attract spirits from higher dimensions. Then, she has to be open, enough to receive and hear what these energies have to say. This manifests as the power to call on the spirits of ancestors, and activate the skills that they have passed down through their bloodline. That’s why in tribal culture, the position of the Shaman was mostly hereditary, because the gift ran in one specific family. Moon ruled Nakshatras are linked to family legacy, so if you are born with them, there is an abundance of ancestral gifts to tap into, especially with Shravana Nakshatra.

मुझे भरम था जो है मेरा, था कभी नहीं मेरा

अर्थ क्या, निरर्थ क्या, जो भी है, सभी तेरा

तेरे सामने है झुका, मेरे सर पे हाथ रख तेरा

नमो-नमो जी, शंकरा

भोलेनाथ, शंकरा

जय त्रिलोकनाथ, शंभु

हे शिवाय, शंकरा