I got back 2 days ago from a wonderful trip to India, just in time to observe, I think for the first time in my life (or at least for the first time I consciously remember) both Avani Avittam and Varalakshmi Vratam occuring on the same day, Friday Aug 8, here in the US (In India, they are on 2 separate days, Fri the 8th and Sat the 9th)
In my last post about Avani Avittam, I had referred to a video by Shri Raja Vadhyar, and I just wanted to mention that in recent years, I have switched almost entirely to videos posted by Shri Sathya Vadhyar. Here are his videos for Avani Avittam (today)
and Gayatri Japam (tomorrow)
May Mother Gayatri Devi bless us all !
विश्वामित्रपःफलां प्रियतरां विप्रालिसंसेवितां
नित्यानित्यविवेकदां स्मितमुखीं खण्डेन्दुभूषोज्ज्वलाम् ।
ताम्बूलारुणभासमानवदनां मार्ताण्डमध्यस्थितां
गायत्रीं हरिवल्लभां त्रिणयनां ध्यायामि पञ्चाननाम् ||
and as mentioned in my last post on Varalakshmi Vratam, may Goddess Mahalakshmi/Varalakshmi dispel our (spiritual) poverty and confer all auspiciousness
नमामि मङ्गलांदेवीं विष्णुवक्षःस्थलस्थिताम् ‖
विष्णुपत्नीं प्रसन्नाक्षीं नारायणसमाश्रितां |
दारिद्र्यध्वंसिनींदेवीं सर्वोपद्रववारिणीम् ‖
नवदुर्गां महाकालीं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मिकां |
त्रिकालज्ञानसम्पन्नां नमामि भुवनेश्वरीम् ‖
