Ekadasi represents the eleventh phase of both the waning and waxing periods of the Moon. In Vedic mythology, Ekadasi represents a potent time for Karma elimination. You can experience incredible changes in your psycho-spiritual body and progress towards freedom and perfection by observing a few simple rituals on this day. Previously these rituals were only known to the ancient seers of India.

According to the ancient seers, our mind passes through various energy centers during different phases of the Moon. The mind is seated in the Ajna Chakra, or the eyebrow center during the waxing phase and the heart center on the waning phase. It is very beneficial to fast on the Ekadasi day as the mind is easier to control in these centers allowing one to meditate easier, to focus and to perform all those activities which need concentration.

1. Tiruthani
Tiruthanikai ranks prominent as the crown jewel of Lord Muruga. As its very name indicates, when we propitiate our Lord in this holy shrine, He blesses us with mental peace and bodily happiness. His righteous indignation towards the asuras for their cruelty is said to have been quelled and cooled at this place, which is, therefore, known as Shantipuri (Abode of Peace). As the prayers and desires of the devotees who worship our Lord Thanikeshan on this hill with unswerving faith and intense devotion are fulfilled in no time, this hill is also called Thanikachalam.

In Treta Yuga, Lord Rama, after putting an end to Ravana, worshipped Lord Siva at Rameshwaram, at whose request Rama came to Tiruthani and found perfect peace of mind by worshipping our Lord Subrahmanya here. In Dwapara Yuga, Arjuna got the blessings of our Lord here by offering prayers to Him on his way to the South for Teertha Yatra (pilgrimage to take sacred immersion). Lord Vishnu prayed to our Lord at this place and got back His powerful Chakra (sacred wheel), Shanku (sacred conch), which were forcibly seized from Him by Tarakasura, brother of Soorapadma.
Lord Brahma propitiated Muruga here at the holy spring after his imprisonment by Karthikeya for his failure to explain the Pranava (’Om’ mantra) and got back his creative function of which he was deprived by Lord Muruga due to his egotistic impudence in neglecting to worship Subrahmanya on his way to Mount Kailash to worship Lord Siva.

The Pleiades, or the seven chaste women, are the wives of the seven divine sages. Six of them were raised to the sky and became the six Krithikas or the six stars of the Pleiades. The seventh one was also chaste as well as pious and devoted to her husband. She was separately raised to the sky and became the Arundhati. It’s these six Krithikas who nurtured the six-headed baby born of Shiva in the Saravana – Sara = Reed, Vana = Forest (Forest of Reeds). The six heads of Kartikeya represent His six attributes. They are: Jnana (wisdom), Vairagya (detachment), Bala (strength), Keerti (fame), Shree (wealth) and Aishwarya (Divine powers).

Muruga is the God of Pleiades. The Pleiades have long a standing contact with planet earth. They are fond of human beings and the earth plane. They are interested in helping the earth to get more light. Their goal for human beings is to change the genetic structure of the human bodily cells so that the humans can eventually acquire a light body. The Pleiades constantly fight with negative beings from other planets who have been basically responsible for ruining our genetic structure. Lord Murugan as a Pleiades God is going to play an active role in the evolution of planet earth and the human race. He is identified by the star Alcyone (Krithika). During 2012, the Sun, planet earth and Krithika are going to align themselves to transform the earth. Dharma will once again be established on earth.

The Significance of Vishaka Nakshatra and the Tamil month of Vaikasi
The Mahabharata (Markandeya Samasyaparva) describes a story of a baby born from the brilliance of Siva, of which Indra is afraid. The baby named Guha/Skanda, raises a loud cry which makes all the Devas trembled with terrible fear. Indra throws his thunder-bolt on Skanda, which results in the birth of a goat-faced youth from the right side of Skanda and he is known as Vishaka. However, it may be noted that Guha and Vishaka are merged in Skanda. Vishaka nakshatra is considered very auspicious, as most of the saints, geniuses and others have born in that nakshatra, e.g., Buddha. Born in the same nakshatra, Muruga is known as “Gnyana Pandita” = Authority on Wisdom. Karthikeya and Vishaka incidentally represent 3rd and 16th Lunar mansions of the Zodiac. In fact, Vishaka is a binary star as per Sanskrit literature. Therefore, the ancient’s knowledge of the binary stars without telescope or any other technological aid is very intriguing and interesting.

Vaikasi Vishakam celebrates the anniversary of Lord Karthikeya’s creation. It was in this month (May-June) that Lord Muruga was born with Vishakam as His birth star. On this day, elaborate abhishekams are done in all His temples. It is a time of gift giving to pandits and great souls, weddings, feedings for the poor, caring for trees, spiritual initiation, diksha, and conclaves of holy men.

The Peacock is the vahana of Lord Muruga. It is known as ‘Indranila Ratha’ (Cosmic Blue Chariot) and it represents the beauty and grandeur of all creation in the cosmos. During His battle with the demon Surapadman at what is now Tiruchendur, Muruga’s Vel split the demon into 2 halves, one of which Muruga transformed into his vahana, the Peacock and the other half into his emblem, the Rooster.

With the full-blown beauty of the female aspect lodged within the male principle, the peacock is said to represent the union of the male and the female in one body. The Divine aspect of this, we know as Ardhanarishwara.

The Yezidis are a Kurdish speaking people who live principally in northern Iraq. They number approximately 500,000 – 600,000 with another 200,000 settled in other parts of the world. They have a rich spiritual tradition that they contend is the world’s oldest. Originally from India and therefore related to the Hindus, they also have close connections with many other cultures and traditions they have lived among during their gradual migration westward to the Middle East. The Yezidis claim to have the oldest religion in the world, contending that the truth of this is reflected in the antiquity of their calendar. They can trace back their religious calendar 6756 years, thus making 2009 CE the Yezidi year of 6758.

• How much are you hoping for that right someone to cross your path?
• Are you hungry for a greater intimacy with your partner?
• Are there obstacles which make your love life with your current partner a nightmare?

The next 6 weeks is the right time to expect divine assistance for these significant parts of your personal life.

Venus and Mars are two planets which rule romance and intimacy. On May 23rd and 30th, Mars and Venus move into the fiery sign of Aries respectively. The transit of Mars and Venus is very significant for all activities related to dating, romance and relationship. Aries being a fiery and movable sign presents a cosmic configuration where you can get fast results in your relationships. You can expect positive mood-swings which will kindle your romantic and intimacy quotient many times over. It is time to be open for a fresh air of romance to flow through you. This will raise your vital energy and make you a happy lot. For all those on already established happy relationships, you can take your intimacy levels to a new high.

Pradoshams offer a powerful time for karma removal and the next set occurs on May 22nd and June 5th, both Fridays. Friday is ruled by Goddess Maha Lakshmi, giving you rare back to back Friday Pradoshams to please the deity who controls your money.

Pradoshams on Fridays are very special to a form of Lord Vishnu by name Lakshmi Narasimha. Lakshmi Narasimha incarnated during Pradosham time and praying to him on Pradosham days provides you with blessings for money.

If you are subject to other’s jealousy, hatred and enmity, then Lord Narasimha will offer special relief to you. When you pray to him with butter balls, he is appeased and protects you from evil eye and malicious acts of others. You will be blessed with prosperity and also recover lost assets. A special drink of jaggery (palm sugar) is distributed to the worshippers at the temple so that Lord Narasimha eliminates evil effects due to enmity. Astroved will organize this pooja in a special Lakshmi Narasimha Shrine in Chennai on May 22nd and June 5th.

Are you totally worn out with the daily battle for finances that you wage impacting your Health and fitness? Help is around the corner in the form of Lord Hanuman and Lord Vishnu’s blessings during Vishnupati.

Vishnupati which falls on May 15th is a time when Money miracles happen. Mythologically, this is also an important time when significant celestial events occurred which carry important lessons in evolution of Human consciousness. The energy that is associated with this event is far reaching and life changing. But the Siddhas feel fellow human beings have not taken cognizance of this fact. We know Pradoshams, Akshaya Trithai and other events of great significance. Just like them, Vishnupati is an equally auspicious event and occurs only four times a year. Irrespective of religion, nationality etc., you can take advantage to move forward both in your material and Spiritual life.