WRITTEN  by London swaminathan

swami_48@yahoo.com

Date: 28 April 2019

British Summer Time uploaded in London – 20-47

Post No. 6321

Pictures shown here are taken from various sources including google, Wikipedia, Facebook friends and newspapers. This is a non- commercial blog. ((posted by swamiindology.blogspot.com AND tamilandvedas.com))

I  (London swaminathan) spoke at the South Indian Society event in London yesterday about the significance of ‘Panchang Reading on New Year’s day’. Tamil New Year Day fell on 14^th April this year and the SIS celebrated it yesterday. Following is the rough translation of my Tamil speech: –

“It is good that the SIS is following the good old tradition of Reading the New Year Panchangam/almanac.

What is Panhangam ?

It has got five parts in it and so it is called Panchang: Day, Thithi, Nakshatra/star, Yoga and Karana. We do use Day (Sunday to Saturday) Thithi (Prathamai to Purnima or Amavasya) Nakshatra (27 Stars from Asvini to Revathi) in our day to day rituals; but Yoga and Karana are mostly used by astrologers.

Why is this year called Vikaari?

Vikaari is one among the Sixty years. Vikari means changed, Transformed. We use Vikaaram for faces that are not clean in our day today conversation.

Panchang has A to Z

Hindu almanac, i.e. Panchangam deals with many subjects from Astronomy to Zoology. Hindus read the new Panchangam on the New year day in a public place and the priest or astrologer used to explain the forecasts for the new year for 2 or 3 hours. Since I am given only seven minutes, I will do it in Express Speed in Bullet Points.

The eclipses are predicted correctly on par with the astronomical observatories. This shows that we are far advanced in science. The sixty year cycle found in Panchang is based on the movement of Jupiter. It takes 12 years to make one orbit around the Sun. Five such rounds make 60 years and the human life span is 60+60=120 years. We have great saints who have lived for 120 years or more.

Democracy in Panchang

We see Saturn as the King this year. Last year we had a different planet as king. We see democracy even in this. There is no family rule here! The nine planets take different roles every year. Democracy is found even in the oldest book Rik Veda where we see Sabha and Samiti.

Z for Zoology

I said A to Z is in Panchang. We have the Lizard predictions in our almanac. For every click noise of house lizard we have one prediction. The surprising thing about Lizard Click noises is that it is even in 2000 year old Sangam Tamil book Akanaanuru. More surprising is that a wild boar in the forest followed the lizard astrology. When it was about to leave its cave it heard the clicks of a lizard. Then it went back into its den knowing that the hunter is waiting with a trap. This 2000 year old Tamil belief is documented until today in the almanac.

The almanac has also predictions about Five Birds. The very word we use for Omens, ‘Sakunam’ means Bird. We have been watching the bird movements and predicted forecasts on the basis of it. We have been keen observers of nature. This is part of Zoology.

History in Panchang

The panchang that all of you holding now in your hand say in the very first page this is Kali Yuga 5120. (SIS distribute free printed Panchang every year to its members).The Kaliyuga began after the end of Mahabharta war. So we have  some history information here. This shows how ancient our civilization has been.

Every page of Hindu almanac has got lot of information. We can write a Ph.D thesis on every page.

Geography and Concept of Time

Foreigners wrote and criticized that Hindus have no sense of time or no sense of history. It is wrong. On the contrary we have the utmost sense of Time and History.  In every Puja (ritual) we do Sankalpa saying that in which Manvantara, Yuga, Ayana, Month we do it. We have a larger Time cycle than westerners. Ours is very big compared to their CE or BCE.  Not only that. We do say whether we do such a Puja in the Northern part of Meru or the southern part and in which continent etc. This sort of historical and geographical sense are not found in any other culture in the world. And  we follow it with the help of this Panchangam until today.

What is the Prediction for You?

I know that all of you are eagerly waiting to hear the predictions for you. It is on page seven of the book you are holding. This gives predictions for 27 stars. But I am going to tell you very briefly about zodiacal predictions.

This year the lucky zodiacal signs are

(warning: Hindu astrology is different from western astrology. So don’t go by your English birth date and the zodiacal sign on the basis of it. Following is based on your horoscope)

Mithunam, Kanya, Makara and Kumbah (Gemini, Virgo, Capricorn and Aquarius) are LUCKY ones

Simha, Dhanus and Meena are UNLUCKY ones (Leo, Sagittarius and Pisces)

For other five signs No gain -No Loss.

Having said that I wanted to add that these are relative terms. When you compare your status last year it may be better or worse this year. But that is not the end of it. In your own house hold you may have some lucky and unlucky ones. If you join with the lucky ones, you may be compensated. It is like the Tamil proverb ‘That even the string gets the fragrance of flowers in a garland’. .

The second thing is that for every effort you will be rewarded. Tamil Veda Tirukkural says that ‘even if God is not on your side, your efforts will be rewarded. Hindu gods obey this universal law and that is how even the demons Ravana and Pasmasura got their boons by their severe penance.

So all your prayers will be answered.

Let me conclude with an anecdote and a joke;

When I was working for Dinamani News paper in Madurai for sixteen years I used to cycle 4+4 miles every day. Whenever I felt tired I used to enter my friends’ shop and spend some time gossiping. He had a small jewellery shop on my way to office. One day I saw him in a sorrowful mood. When I asked him the reason for it, he told me that the business was not as good as the previous year. When I asked him probing questions he told me that he made Rs 50,000  profit the previous year and this year he made only Rs.49,500 .

I was surprised and told him , so what? You made a good profit. Why are you feeling depressed?

He told me

He expected a profit of Rs 100 000 this year and so this is a loss!!

I wanted to laugh, but decided not to offend my friend. So the Panchang prediction of loss and gain for your Rasi (zodiacal sign) may be similar to that. So nothing to worry about negative predictions. More our great saints sing that the nine planets can never harm any worshipper. Have faith in it.

Last but not the least, on 14^th of this month  I read Panchang in one of the houses and spoke . At the end of the speech one my friends asked jokingly, What does the Panchang say about BREXIT? ( a big topic and issue in Britain that has been going for a year)

(14-4-19 Tamil speech is already posted here in Tamil)

I told him

‘The God is equally confused like Therese May (British PM) . So he dared not  say anything. Not only that God is not sure about future BREXIT predictions as well He didn’t even have a clue whether it would happen at any future year or Not at all!

Let me conclude my speech with a positive note

Swasthi Prajaabya Paripaalayantaam

Nyaayena maargena Mahim mahisaaha

Go Braahmanebhya Subhamastu Nityam

Lokaas samasthaa Sukhino Bhavantu!

(Let there be a rule of justice; let all the people and animals be happy and healthy for ever; let the whole world enjoy prosperity and happiness).

Thank you.”

–subham–