Navarathri -- Saraswathi pooja

Today is the 9th day of Navarathri. It's a Navami day where we worship the divine in the form of Goddess Saraswathi and seek blessings for knowledge and wisdom (Jnanam), bhakthi (devotion) and prosperity (Aishwaryam) all to serve the Lord and His devotees. Traditionally, we arrange books (educational and religious), musical instruments, clothing, jewelry, photo or deity of Goddess Saraswathi and decorate with flowers, chant Holy names (archana), offer fruits, milk, payasam (ksheeram/kheer/rice pudding), vadai, sundal etc.

This day is also called "Ayudha Pooja" in South India where poojas are done in all the companies and factories. All the vehicles, machinery, tools are given a fresh wash and decorated with sandalwood paste (chandanam), vermillion (kumkumam), flowers to invoke blessings from the Lord. That's the beauty of Indian culture and tradition where we honor, respect, worship and show gratitude for the all the things we come in contact with in our everyday life.

Celebrate this divine festival and be happy!

Where to make your efforts!

Here is a very thought provoking story with a moral got from Art of living founder, Sri Sri Ravishankar.

A giant ship engine failed. The ship's owners tried one expert after another, but none of them could figure but how to fix the engine.

Then they brought in an old man who had been fixing ships since he was young. He carried a large bag of tools with him and when he arrived, he immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully top to bottom.

Two of the ship's owners were there, watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away. The engine was fixed!
A week later, the owners received a bill from the old man for ten thousand dollars.
"What?!" the owners exclaimed. "He hardly did anything!"
So they wrote the old man a note saying, "Please send us an itemized bill."

The man sent a bill that read:
Tapping with a hammer...... ........ ......... $ 2.00
Knowing where to tap......... ........ ........ $ 9, 998.00

Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort makes all the difference!!

How true!