Purattasi Pournami [Hunter's moon !] - Thiruvallikkeni purappadu 2019

Today 13.10.2019 is Purattasi Pournami .. .. Sri Parthasarathi Perumal had chinna mada veethi purappadu.  Our celestial satellite (moon) is  approximately 248,548 miles (400,000km) from Earth. The Moon orbits Earth in a sightly elliptical orbit, which means our satellite consequently always has a point during its 27.3 day orbit when it is at its distant point from Earth.

The Full Moon (pournami)  is the most spectacular Moon phase when the entire face of the Moon is lit up. At Full Moon, the entire face of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun's rays and it can be bright enough to light up otherwise dark nights. Technically, this primary Moon phase only lasts a moment, the instant when the Sun and the Moon are aligned on opposite sides of Earth - however, the Moon can appear to be full a day before or after while more than 98% of the Moon's disc is illuminated.  Therefore, it can be difficult to tell the difference between a Full Moon and the last stage of a Waxing Gibbous Moon or the beginning of a Waning Gibbous Moon.  

In Western World, full moon in October is known as ‘Hunter’s moon’.  The Hunter's Moon, follows  the Harvest Moon and the closest full moon to the fall equinox, is reportedly the best time for hunting deer and other animals, according to the Farmer's Almanac. In northern locations, leaves have fallen, deer have fattened and harvesters have cleared the fields, making it easier to see the animals under the light of the big bulb in the sky, according to NASA.  People of different cultures and regions gave their own names to full moons. The Algonquin tribes, for example, called October's full moon the Travel Moon, the Dying Grass Moon and the Sanguine or Blood Moon; the latter three are thought to be named after the changing colors of the leaves and dying plants, according to NASA.  The Ojibwa people called this month's full moon the "Mskawji Giizis," or Freezing Moon, as October typically marks the first frost, and the Cree people called it "Pimahamowipisim," or Migrating Moon, because of bird migrations, according to Space.com, The names don't end there, but they all seem to hint at the same idea: Seasons are changing. Phases of the moon are dictated by the amount of sunlight that's reflected off the moon as the moon revolves around our planet. A full-moon phase is as close as the moon can get to being fully lit up by the sun. It occurs when the moon is 180 degrees from the sun, when the moon, the sun and Earth form a line, according to Space.com.

To us none of these matter. We are concerned only about our Emperuman and ways to serve and reach Him.  Today, Sri Parthasarathi shone in resplendent splendour ~ and it was great darshan to behold.   திருமழிசைமன்னன் வரிகளில்:

வானுலவு தீவளி மாகடல் மாபொருப்பு,

தானுலவு வெங்கதிரும் தண்மதியும், - மேனிலவு

கொண்டல் பெயரும் திசையெட்டும் சூழ்ச்சியும்,

அண்டந் திருமால் அகைப்பு.

ஆகாசம், தீ, உலவுகின்ற வாயு,  பெரிய நீர்பரப்பான  பெருங்கடல்கள்,  அண்ட வெளியில் நாள்தவறாமல் திரிகின்ற வெம்மையான சூரியன்,  குளிர்ச்சியை அளிக்கும் வெண்மதியான சந்திரன்,  மழை சுமந்து திரியும் மேகங்கள், இதர சேதனங்கள்,  திசைகள் எட்டு,   ஆவரணங்கள்,  அனைத்தையும் தன்னுள் அடக்கிய அண்ட சராசரம் - இவை எல்லாமே -  ஸர்வேச்வரனான  ஸ்ரீமன் நாராயணின்  ஸங்கல்பத்தினாலேயே  உருவானவை.  அவனுக்கு மட்டுமே ஆட்பட்டவை.

The forces of nature as observed and seen – the sky, fire, Oceans, mountains, the hot Sun, cool Moon, rain bearing clouds, eight directions, the Universe, the open that surrounds the galaxies  - all are manifestations of Lord Sriman Narayana. 

Lesser mortals like us need not worry  about the future uncertainties, bad things and  sins of life – ThirumazhisaiAzhwar shows us the path of having in our hearts – that beautiful Lord Krishna reclining on the riverside of the holy Cauvery,  will protect us all the time.  Here are some photos of Lord Sri Parthasarathi  purappadu at  Thiruvallikkeni.

~adiyen Srinivasadhasan [S. Sampathkumar]

13^th Oct 2019.