Showing posts with label shivarathri. Show all posts

What next ?

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It was all very well to be able to stop someone out of a large number of people coming out of the temple hall and get his attention! I still haven't come to the subject matter at hand which was getting him to agree to sign up for a substantial donation to the temple for building the new Lord SIVA temple.

So I had to say something about Lord SHIVA and his festival MAHA SIVARATHRI. As I mentioned bits and pieces and different things to different people it won't constitute a readable narration though each piece of information I said must have been interesting to the listener as he continued to listen.  Anyway here is a good summary of the introduction, annotated from an authentic source!

MAHA SIVARATHRI falls on the 13th (or 14th) day of the dark half of Phalgun (February-March). The name means "the night of Shiva". The ceremonies take place chiefly at night. This is a festival observed in honour of Lord Shiva. Shiva was married to Parvati on this day.

People observe a strict fast on this day. Some devotees do not even take a drop of water. They keep vigil all night. The Shiva Lingam is worshipped throughout the night by washing it every three hours with milk, curd, honey, rose water, etc., whilst the chanting of the Mantra Om Namah Shivaya continues. Offerings of bael leaves are made to the Lingam. Bael leaves are very sacred as, it is said, Lakshmi resides in them.

Hymns in praise of Lord Shiva, such as the Shiva Mahimna Stotra of Pushpadanta or Ravana's Shiva Tandava Stotra are sung with great fervour and devotion. People repeat the Panchakshara Mantra, Om Namah Shivaya. He who utters the Names of Shiva during Shivaratri, with perfect devotion and concentration, is freed from all sins. He reaches the abode of Shiva and lives there happily. He is liberated from the wheel of births and deaths. Many pilgrims flock to the places where there are Shiva temples.


(continued on next post.....)                                    
(Curious what this is about ? See previous post)

Saturday, July 10, 2010
Posted by Unknown
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Not at Harvard nor at Ahamadabad

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No, they don't teach you this at Harvard or Ahamadabad!

All that you need, to be a good sales person, is a good measure of knowledge of the product you are selling! The more you have it the better you will be as a sales guy. The deeper the Guru delves in to the matter, the bigger is the following. Whether it is the woman who sells fish in the market or the suave connoisseur you deal with in the diamonds section of a big name jewellery, it is the same knowledge of the product that will impress you.

I had no time though to  remind me of  fundamentals of marketing and sales and brush up on my product knowledge.  I had to say something to the devotee who had stopped in front of me before  he lost his patience and moved on. I had to somehow grab his attention before he lost his curiosity.

If I simply said  Here is a leaflet which tells you everything, that would have suited us both. I can have the satisfaction of having achieved something great and the stranger in front of me a feeling of having escaped a Spanish inquisition! But that is not service to God!

I had to ask a question! My customer has to come out of the shock of being way laid and start using his brain. start thinking, start pondering for an answer.  So I started asking something, in fact anything to get him to talk. Like where he is coming from, is it the first time he is visiting the temple. how log before  did he arrive from India, is he married yet, any thing to strike a conversation.

I hate intruding in people's privacy but I had to get them to open their ears and eyes before they opened their hearts a bit.

Surprisingly it all seems to be working like in a trance! Suddenly everone seemed interested in what I had to say, except of course some hard core visitors who had gone through it all before with someone else!

(continued on next post.....)                                    
(Curious what this is about ? See previous post)


Thursday, July 08, 2010
Posted by Unknown
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