AUGUST 2017 CALENDAR (Post No.4110)
Compiled by London Swaminathan
Date: 24 July 2017
Time uploaded in London-22-07
Post No. 4110
Pictures shown here are taken from various sources such as Facebook friends, Books, Google and newspapers; thanks.
Festival days:- – Adi Perukku -August 3; Varalakshmi Vrata—August 4; Raksha Bandhan—7; Gayathri Japa—8; Janmashtami—14 & 15; Ganesh Chaturthi—25; Rishi Panchami- 26.
Indian Independence Day – 15 August
Auspicious Days:- August 31
Ekadasi Fasting Day:- 3, 18
Full Moon Day- August 7
New Moon Day- August 21
August 1 Tuesday
Indra:- One of the most important Vedic deities. Also used as a title for Kings. He is praised as a weather god; he oversees governing, Eastern direction and rains. Documented in the Bogazkoy inscription of 1350 BCE. The warrior king of the gods and the head of the early Vedic pantheon. Indra fought against the evil forces who were represented by Asuras.
August 2 Wednesday
Dyaus :–Dyaus pitr is one of the important gods. He is known in Greek (Zeus Pater) Old Norse (Tyr) and Roman (Jupiter) cultures. He is the sky god and Prithvi is the earth god. The gods brought the Heaven and Earth together says Aitareya Brahmana.
August 3 Thursday
Agni:–Agni is the messenger of Gods. He takes the food to them from the people who perform Fire sacrifices (Yaga, Homa, Havan, Yajna). Hindus use Agni as a witness to seal agreements, wedding and death. One of the important Vedic Gods. His wife is Swaha
August 4 Friday
Ushas:–Goddess of the dawn in the Vedas. She is the all seeing eye of the gods. An auspicious deity heralding Surya and drives away darkness. Rig Veda describes her as a beautiful virginal figure who rides in a hundred chariots. She inspired the finest lyrical hymns in the Rig Veda. Ushas is beautiful, fresh and ever young, dressed in a red garment awakens creatures and send them off to their respective duties.
August 5 Saturday
Mitra:–He who is protected by Mitra is neither slain nor conquered, says the Vedas– A Vedic God associated with light, friendship and positive force. He is always paired with Varuna. Mitra as several meanings: Sun, Friend, Vedic God, Positive force and Roman God. Mitra rules the day and Varuna rules the night.
August 6 Sunday
Varuna:–One of the important Vedic gods. He maintains the order in the world. He punishes who ever violates the world order. He oversees the water sources such as ocean, sea, lakes, river and tanks. During drought Vedic pundits do Varuna Japa (prayer) to get rains.
August 7 Monday
Aditi:–Aditi means boundless, infinity, eternal. Aditi is regarded as personification of universal, all embracing nature. Mother Goddess in the Rig Veda. Mother of 12 Adityas. Sometimes identified with Cow. guardian goddess who brings prosperity and who can free her devotees from problems.
August 8 Tuesday
Vayu:– Vedic god of the Winds. In some texts he is described as the chariot driver for the God Agni. It means wind helps Fire to spread and glow. The Vedic Vayu combines the concept of life sustaining principle together with the might of a gusty wind. He is said to have sprung from the Purusha (the cosmic god). He is also called the son in law of Tvastri
August 9 Wednesday
Parjanya:–Parjanya is also a weather god. Slightly less distinct wind god; also a harbinger of the monsoon showers.
August 10 Thursday
Yama:–Vedic God of death. He takes the lives of the people and Yami’s brother. Son of Surya and Sanjna. Yama was the first of the mortals to die. He is benign guardian of the departed souls with whom he carouses in cool, shady spots in the next world.
August 11 Friday
Surya:–Son of Aditi and Dyaus. Personification of the Sun. Head of the 12 Adityas. He rides in a one wheeled chariot drawn by seven horses. Pushan goes as his messenger with his golden ships, which sail in the aerial ocean. Surya is the preserve and soul of all that moving and stationary; enlivened by him men perform their work; he is far-seeing, all-seeing, beholds all creatures and the good and the bad deeds of the mortals.
August 12 Saturday
Rudra:–Another name for Shiva. He controls the gales and storms. Because of this he is called howler. Rudra lives in the mountains. Prayers to Rudra describe a god whose harmful darts are dreaded, but otherwise he is like any beneficial Rig Veda God, riding a chariot (later bull), wearing a gold necklace, armed with bow and arrows.
August 13 Sunday
Vishnu:-Vishnu means omnipresent. One of the trinities Brahma, Vishnu and Siva/Rudra. Vishnu oversees preservation. He is a mighty mountain dwelling god in the Veda. He is famous for his three strides (Vamana= Tri Vikrama Avatar)
August 14 Monday
Prajapati:–Also known as Brahma; he is in charge of creation He is reciting four Vedas from his four mouths. At the end of each deluge a new Brahma is created. Prajapati means Lord of the Creatures.He is invoked as bestowing progeny. He is described as Hiranyagarbha, the golden germ/egg
August 15 Tuesday
Asvin:–Twins in the Vedas riding horses or birds. They are Nasatya and Dasra. They are famous for saving people from shipwrecks. They travel in the sea. They also figure in the Turkish inscription around 1350 BCE. Their name and fame went up to Turkey and Syria before 1400 BCE. They rescue people from disasters and heal people.
August 16 Wednesday
Brihaspati and Brahmanaspati:–In the Rig Veda the two names are equivalent. He is a deity in whom the action of the worshipper upon the gods is personified. He is the suppliant, the sacrifice, the priest who intercedes with the gods on behalf of men and protects,them from the wicked. He represents the priests and the priestly order. He is also designated as the purohita of the gods. He is the lord and protector of prayer. In the Rig Veda he is described as the Father of the Gods; to have blown forth the birth of the gods like a blacksmith.
August 17 Thursday
Ribhus :–Meaning is skilful; identified in the Rig Veda as the craftsmen of the gods and linked with the Maruts. They are led by Indra. The Ribhus are said to be three sons of Sudhanwan, a descendent of Angiras. They fashioned the Indra’s chariots and horses, and made their parents young again. By command of the gods, and with a promise of exaltation to divine honours, they made a sacrificial cup fashioned by Tvashtri into four. They are also spoken of as supporters of the sky.
August 18 Friday
Nirriti:–Goddess of darkness and destruction; associated with pain, misfortune and death; she wears dark dress in charge of south western quarters.
August 19 Saturday
Brahman:-Supreme God. Very often confused with the Brahmanas (caste) and the Brahmanas (part of Vedic literature)
August 20 Sunday
Ila:-Vedic Goddess. She is invoked to appear on the sacrificial field before a ritual. Usually associated with the goddess Sarasvati. Ila is linked with the sacred cow and her epithets include butter-handed and butter toothed.
August 20 Sunday
Apamnapat:–God of fresh water; he is described golden in appearance.
August 21 Monday
Apah:–Apah means water. The atmospheric waters are doubtless the imaginary reservoir of the rain water in the sky. The waters are sometimes described as dwelling in the highest heavens and sometimes, also in the atmosphere from where they descend refreshing , fertilizing showers which ensures crops and good harvests.
August 22 Tuesday
Gayatri:–Goddess of light. It has got two meanings: Vedic metre of 24 syllables. Most powerful mantra received by Viswamitra. Billions of Hindus recite this mantra which prays for knowledge and wisdom.
August 23 Wednesday
Pushan:–Pushan means nourisher. One of the sons of Aditi, i.e. Adityas. He is the charioteer of the Sun and a guardian deities of pathways and journeys. In domestic ritual Pusan has the morning and evening offerings placed for him on the threshold. His primary function is to ensure the well being of cattle and their fertility. Pusan is described as glowing.
August 24 Thursday
Marut:–Maruts means smashers. They are Storm Gods. Vedic poets describe him approaching with golden helmets, with spotted skins on their shoulders, brandishing golden spears, whirling their axes, shooting fiery arrows and cracking their whips , amidst thunder and lightning
August 25 Friday
Sarasvati:–It is the name of a river as well as mother goddess. seers had long sessions on the banks of River Sarasvati. She is the goddess of Knowledge and wisdom. she is identified with Vach (word or speech) in some places in the Veda. There is beautiful description of the mighty river Sarasvati in the Vedas. It is equally applicable to goddess.
August 26 Saturday
Soma:–Most wonderful herb in the world is the Soma herb. The whole ninth Mandala of the Rig Veda and the later literature praise it sky high. It has got miraculous effects. Soma was the famous plant used by the Vedic priests to make juice for the fire sacrifice. The whole of Ninth Mandala of Rig Veda (RV) is devoted to its praise. We have more references in other Mandalas too. The seers described Soma as the King of Herbs. They attributed divinity to it. Soma also meant Moon.
August 27 Sunday
Visvedvas:–
Many hymns are addressed to Visvedvas in the gods. it means all gods. the seers might have meant the entire pantheon collectively .
August 28 Monday
Aryaman
Another Solar God
August 29 Tuesday
Aum/om
Primordial sound; represent God. Vedas begin with Om and ends with Om. It is in Buddhist, Jain, Sikh books. In other religions, it is in the form of Amen. Represents God in sound form.
August 30 Wednesday
Urvasi
Divine woman. The dialogue between Urvasi and her husband Pururuvas is famous in the Rig Veda.
August 31 Thursday
Uma
Consort of Lord Shiva; first seen in the Upanishads.
–Subham–
Tamil and Vedas 
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