Shubh Dipawali to All my Friends

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji de Pargat Divas Diya Sab Sangat Nu Kot Kot Mubarakan

Wishing you a very Happy Vishwakarma Day

Vishwakarma - Lord of Architecture

The Divine Draftsman:

Vishwakarma is the presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects. Son of Brahma, he is the divine draftsman of the whole universe, and the official builder of all the gods' palaces. Vishwakarma is also the designer of all the flying chariots of the gods, and all their weapons.

The Mahabharata describes him as "The lord of the arts, executor of a thousand handicrafts, the carpenter of the gods, the most eminent of artisans, the fashioner of all ornaments ... and a great and immortal god." He has four hands, wears a crown, loads of gold jewelry, and holds a water-pot, a book, a noose and craftsman's tools in his hands.

Vishwakarma Puja:

Hindus widely regard Vishwakarma as the god of architecture and engineering, and September 16 or 17 every year is celebrated as Vishwakarma Puja — a resolution time 
for workers and craftsmen to increase productivity and gain divine inspiration for creating novel products. This ritual usually takes place within the factory premises or shop floor, 
and the otherwise mundane workshops come alive with fiesta. Vishwakarma Puja is also associated with the buoyant custom of flying kites. This occasion in a way also marks 
the start of the festive season that culminates in Diwali.

Vishwakarma's Architectural Wonders:

Hindu mythology is full of Vishwakarma's many architectural wonders. Through the four'yugas', he had built several towns and palaces for the gods. In "Satya yuga", he built theSwarg Loke, or heaven, the abode of the gods and demigods where Lord Indra rules. Vishwakarma then built the 'Sone ki Lanka' in "Treta yuga", the city of Dwarka in "Dwapar yuga", and Hastinapur and Indraprastha in the "Kali yuga".

'Sone Ki Lanka' or Golden Lanka:

According to Hindu mythology, 'Sone ki Lanka' or Golden Lanka was the place where the demon king Ravana dwelled in the "Treta yuga." As we read in the epic story Ramayana, this was also the place where Ravana kept Sita, Lord Ram's wife as a hostage.

There is also a story behind the construction of Golden Lanka. When Lord Shiva married Parvati, he asked Vishwakarma to build a beautiful palace for them to reside. Vishwakarma put up a palace made of gold! For the housewarming ceremony, Shiva invited the wise Ravana to perform the "Grihapravesh" ritual. After the sacred ceremony when Shiva asked Ravana to ask anything in return as "Dakshina", Ravana, overwhelmed with the beauty and grandeur of the palace, asked Shiva for the golden palace itself! Shiva was obliged to accede to Ravana's wish, and the Golden Lanka became Ravana's palace.

Dwarka:

Among the many mythical towns Viswakarma built is Dwarka, the capital of Lord Krishna. During the time of the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna is said to have lived in Dwarka, and made it his "Karma Bhoomi" or center of operation. That is why this place in nothern India has become a well known pilgrimage for the Hindus.

Wishing  you a very Happy Diwali

                                                           Our Great Saints

17 October 2011 Sangraad

ਕਤਿਕਿ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਵਣੇ ਦੋਸੁ ਨ ਕਾਹੂ ਜੋਗੁ ॥ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਤੇ ਭੁਲਿਆਂ ਵਿਆਪਨਿ ਸਭੇ ਰੋਗ ॥ ਵੇਮੁਖ ਹੋਏ ਰਾਮ ਤੇ ਲਗਨਿ ਜਨਮ ਵਿਜੋਗ ॥ ਖਿਨ ਮਹਿ ਕਉੜੇ ਹੋਇ ਗਏ ਜਿਤੜੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਭੋਗ ॥ ਵਿਚੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਕਰਿ ਸਕੈ ਕਿਸ ਥੈ ਰੋਵਹਿ ਰੋਜ ॥ ਕੀਤਾ ਕਿਛੂ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਧੁਰਿ ਸੰਜੋਗ ॥ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਮੇਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਤਾਂ ਉਤਰਹਿ ਸਭਿ ਬਿਓਗ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਉ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਰਾਖਿ ਲੇਹਿ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਬੰਦੀ ਮੋਚ ॥ ਕਤਿਕ ਹੋਵੈ ਸਾਧਸੰਗੁ ਬਿਨਸਹਿ ਸਭੇ ਸੋਚ ॥੯॥ [ਪੰਨਾ 135]

Meanings : If one remains separated from his/her Lord husband in the beautiful season of the month of Katik, then it is the result of one’s own deeds. No one else can be blamed. Losing memory of the Lord in the month of Katik means inviting sufferings and tribulations. 

Those who have kept their mind distracted from the memory of the Lord in this birth; get long separation of many births from Him. All the pleasures of mâyâ for which God has been forgotten become distressing and cause sufferings. 

In such a distressing state, there is no point wailing before any body every day. The cause of distress is separation from the Lord. And no one can mediate to remove this separation. His own efforts can bear no fruit because all that happens is what had been written in his lot based on the deeds of his previous births. 

By a stroke of good fortune, if Lord Himself comes and meet, then all sufferings caused by separation are destroyed.
Nanak prays before mighty Lord—the emancipator from the bonds of mâyâ to save him from the attachment of worldly goods.
Those who are able to join the Sadh Sangat in the beautiful month of Katik are completely relieved of the pangs and sufferings of separation from the Lord. 

Gist : If we slip away from the memory of the Lord, all sufferings and tribulations over power us. We are separated from Him for long. All those worldly pleasures for which we forget Him also become painful. Then the sufferer can do nothing about it. On whomsoever He showers His kindness and unites him with the Sangat of the Guru, He relieves him from the shackles of mâyâ.

जय जय वाल्मीकि हर हर वाल्मीकि