anjali makaram 2011

Bharat, this is translated by the distribution
of til-gul - the til seed and jaggery. Til,
brimming with fragrant and delicious oil,
stands for friendship and comradeship and
jaggery for sweetness of speech and behavior.
The distribution of til-gul, therefore, forms a
touching aspect of the Makara Sankramana
celebrations.
On the social plane, the Samkraanti carries
a vital significance for our national welfare.
It is the warmth of love and fellow-feeling
among the people of a country that ultimately
make them stand up in unison in adversity
or in prosperity. It is the necessary lubricant
to make the nation's psychic machine work
smoothly without friction. Even the great
precepts of ‘liberty and equality’ lose their
meaning without the basic requisite of
‘fraternity’ among the people. Fraternity
alone will ensure a spirit of selfless service
and sacrifice in the cause of fellow
countrymen. Selfishness - the ultimate
destructor of the social fabric - is cured and
social consciousness generated where a spirit
of fraternity is alive.
Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba says, on the
significance of the day:
"There are three sacred festival nights for
Bharatiyas: Sankranti, Shiva-ratri and
Navaratri. Each of these has special
significance. Sankranti enables man to turn
his vision towards the sublime. It is the day
when the apparent northward motion of the
sun begins (Uttarayana Kaala). The day is
considered auspicious for man to embark on
his journey towards the goal of a purposeful,
sacred and blissful life”
"This festive day has been celebrated from
ancient times as a day of fulfillment and joy.
Every festival is a social occasion, arising in
society, flourishing in society, and promoting
the well-being of society. Every festival has
been designed to promote the welfare of
society. Today's festival is an extremely
important one for Bharatiyas (Indians). It is
a festival to celebrate the glory of the Sun
God."
"Today is a sacred festival day. It is a day
for the celebration of plenty and prosperity.
This day of Sankranti brings with it an
abundance of crop and wealth. This Pushya
month brings with it a cool breeze, a bright
sun, golden fields and trees echoing the songs
of birds. The earth shines in the glory of
nature. People admire the beauty of nature,
but are not aware of the beauty in their inner
hearts. Make your heart beautiful by adoring
it with the sacred love of God."
Samkraanti, signifying light, also gives the
message of intellectual illumination. It gives
the capacity to discriminate between the right
and the wrong, the just and the unjust, truth
and falsehood, virtue and vice. It is this
discriminative wisdom - Viveka - which leads
the individual on the path of human
evolution and human happiness. Mere dry
reasoning power devoid of this insight will
be like the charging of a wild horse without
the stirrup and the rider.
The present-day galloping race of science
KHNA - 2011
Anjali January
19