HAPPY RAKSHA BANDHAN TO ALL!

Tali with Rakhi and sweets. (Online photo)

(Below is excerpt of a  talk I gave to students and some parents at the Shaka movement at JHS 217 school on Hillside on 8/19/13. It was conducted by Shrimati Devi Misri and Rudra Ji. It's always nice speaking to young minds, especially when they are so attentive and willing to learn. Thanks to all of you for having me there. Keep up the great work!)

The festival of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day (Poornima) of the Hindu lunar month of Shravan (August – September). Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival and is officially observed tomorrow – August 20^th – by Hindus globally. Raksha Bandhan coincides with Satyanarayan Vrat Katha (Full Moon Katha). Many mandirs in our community will be observing these two important festivals.

Raksha Bandhan is a beautiful festival which literally means a “bond of protection” – Raksha means protection and Bandhan means a bond. Traditionally, the Rakhi (sacred thread) is tied onto the brother’s wrist by a sister, after prayers would have been chanted and the brother would have been 'aartied' (sister waving of lit diya around the brother) and given sweets to eat. Then, the sister would lovingly tie the Rakhi onto her brother’s right wrist. The brother reciprocated his sister’s love and respect by blessing his sister and giving her a nice gift.

As Rabindranauth Tagore said, "Hinduism are thoughts and ideas that move with the time." So, to accommodate the needs of families blessed with only girls, a sister can tie Rakhi onto her sister’s wrist or friend’s wrist. If the Rakhi is tied onto a sister’s wrist by a sister or friend, the significance of this special festival remains the same. When the Rakhi is tied onto the wrist, the relationship between brother and sister and sister and sister takes on a much deeper meaning.

The tying of the Rakhi has deep spiritual and social significances. It symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her from all things evil. The same meaning is applicable for the  sister and sister bond; the two sisters develop a stronger bond for each other, respect each other and try to protect each other for a lifetime.

So, to all of you who are tying the Rakhi this afternoon and those whose wrists the Rakhi is being tied onto, please try to understand the deeper spiritual and social significances of Raksha Bandhan and try to uphold these rich values at all times. In doing so, you will be keeping the flag of Sanatan Dharma flying very high because you are all future ambassadors of this mighty religion.

Always remember, whatever you do in life, including observing the festival of Raksha Bandhan here today, God is a silent witness to this, so always practice the good values your mothers and fathers, Gurus and elders teach you. Always strive to “Be good, do good and live good.”

Why do we have so many festivals like Raksha Bandhan and others in Hinduism?

In Hinduism, we’re blessed with all these beautiful festivals and parbs, such as, Janamashtami, Raksha Bandhan, Nauratri, etc., because God wants us to become more pure, truthful and sattvik in our thoughts, words and deeds. In essence, the Lord wants us to be more Godly. The many festivals  help us to practice self-control, dispassion and detachment. They also help us to ride ourselves of ego, greed and lust. Raksha Bandhan helps us to love and respect our siblings and rid us of ego, greed and lust against our sisters and brothers.

Raksha Bandhan has been celebrated from time immemorial in Hinduism:

In the famous epic, the Mahabharat, Shri Krishna was wounded on the hand in the battlefield. Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, torn a strip off her sari and tied it around Shri Krishna’s wrist to stop the bleeding. The Supreme Lord was very touched by Draupadi’s kind act and so promised to repay her. To upkeep His promise, the Lord spent over 25 years protecting her and her family – the Pandavas - from the evil King Duryodhana. The Supreme Lord also supplied an endless flow of sari to Draupadi when she was shamelessly being disrobed by her evil relatives.   

Then there is the story of the legendary demon King Bali. He was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu, so much so, that Lord Vishnu had taken up the task to guard his kingdom, leaving His own abode in Vaikunth. Goddess Lakshmi wished to be with Her Lord in their own abode - Vaikunth.

So, what did Shri Lakshmi did?

She disguised Herself as a woman and seek refuge at Bali’s residence until Lord Vishnu returns back to Her.

During the Shravan Purnima celebrations, Lakshmi Devi tied the sacred thread onto King Bali’s wrist. When asked by Bali, She revealed who she was and why she was there. The king was touched by Her goodwill for his family and Her purpose. He then requested Lord Vishnu to return with Shri Lakshmi to Vaikunth. He sacrificed all he had for the Lord and his devoted wife.

Rabindranath Tagore was one of India’s greatest poet and independent thinkers. His vision of celebrating Raksha Bandhan was somewhat different. He believed that Raksha Bandhan is not only a festival for the siblings but it should be a celebration of mankind and humanity. He promoted the idea of using Raksha Bandhan as a celebration to spread the message of unity and harmony among all members of the society. He believed that it is the responsibility of all members of the society to help and protect each other and encourage a harmonious social life.

And, that is what you’re all celebrating here today – you’re celebrating peace, unity and harmony among yourselves. You will take the lessons learned here and practice them  at home and in society. You’ll make the society a better place to live in. That is the cardinal principle of the Sakha movement – to promote peace, brotherhood, unity and harmony among all peoples.

So, as you tie Rakhi on each other’s wrist this evening, strive to be your sister’s and brother’s keeper and protector. Love each other, look out for each other, support each other, be good Hindu boys and girls. Make your mother and father proud! Make your community proud!

Happy Raksha Bandhan to all!