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On the evening of Trayodashi (Dhanteras) of the Krishna Paksha of Kartik month, the special lamp lit in the south direction for Yamraj, the god of death, is called 'Yamdeep' (Yama's lamp). According to Skanda Purana and Padma Purana, offering a four-faced lamp to Yamraj on Dhanteras frees family members from the fear of untimely death, accidents, and Yama's torments. This lamp is placed outside the main entrance of the house, facing the south direction, on a heap of grain.

According to the Hindu calendar, Ashwin Shukla Purnima is called 'Sharad Purnima' or 'Sharad Poonam' (Kojagiri Purnima). It is believed that on this holy night, the moon is closest to the Earth and showers nectar-like rays with its full 16 kalas. The tradition is to keep kheer (milk-poha in Gujarat) made from cow's milk and rice under the open sky on this night. At midnight, the Goddess of Wealth, Mother Lakshmi, roams the Earth asking 'Ko Jagarti' (Who is awake?) and blesses devotees who stay awake with eternal prosperity.

According to the 'Swargarohan Parva' of the Mahabharata, there are three main reasons why Shakuni attained heaven. First, he attained martyrdom by fighting face-to-face against Sahadeva on the holy land of Kurukshetra, following Kshatriya dharma. Second, according to the scriptural rule of karma, a soul with more sins and very little punya (merit) first attains heaven for a short period to enjoy its minimal punya, after which it goes to a long-term hell. Third, it was an illusory test created by Devraj Indra and Dharmaraj to purify Yudhishthira's ego and malice.

According to the Mahabharata, during his 12-year pilgrimage, Arjuna entered the Pancha Tirthas of the South and rescued the five cursed Apsaras (Varga, Saurabheyi, Samichi, Budbuda, and Lata) in the form of crocodiles by pulling them out of the water. Freed from a sage's 100-year-old curse, they returned to their divine forms, after which this sacred lake became famous as 'Nari Tirtha'.

Bhishma Pitamah, known as Devavrata at birth, is famous for his great vow and sacrifice. When he took the terrible vow of lifelong celibacy and renouncing his claim to the throne of Hastinapur for his father King Shantanu's happiness and his marriage to Satyavati, Shantanu was extremely pleased with him. He gave Devavrata such a boon that **death would be under his will**. This is why Bhishma could renounce his life according to his wish, even after lying on a bed of arrows on the battlefield. In this article, know the complete story of the boon of Ichhamrityu and its significance in the Mahabharata.

Raurava Naraka is one of the most terrifying and agonizing hells described in the Garuda Purana and Shrimad Bhagavata Purana. According to mythological beliefs, the purpose of hell is not just to punish, but to lead the soul towards purification by making it atone for its misdeeds.

Garuda Purana is not just a description of the journey after death or the torments of hell, but it is a spiritual guide to living a life of morality, compassion, and virtue in the present. In the modern era, when people are forgetting moral values while chasing material pleasures, the 'principle of karma' in Garuda Purana gives a deep lesson to humans to become responsible, sensitive, and just.

**The episode of Duryodhana's birth** is considered one of the most mysterious events of the Mahabharata. Narratives describe that during his birth, many inauspicious signs appeared in the atmosphere, and terrifying sounds of violent animals and birds were heard. Seeing these signs, Vidura and other learned men warned Dhritarashtra that this child could become the cause of destruction for the lineage. In this article, learn what happened on the night of Duryodhana's birth, what ominous signs appeared, and what significance this event holds in the Mahabharata.

According to the Ramayana, during the 14-year exile, Lakshman sought a boon from the Goddess of Sleep not to sleep for 14 years, to continuously serve and protect Lord Rama and Mother Sita. As per the Goddess of Sleep's condition, the 14 years of sleep that belonged to Lakshman was completed by his wife Urmila, who slept in the royal palace of Ayodhya. Because he conquered sleep, Lakshman was called 'Gudakesha', and with the strength of this boon, he was able to slay the invincible warrior Meghanada (Indrajit) while remaining a celibate and sleepless warrior.

Located near the famous Ellora Caves in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), Maharashtra, the Grishneshwar (Ghushmeshwar) Mahadev Temple is the 12th (last) Jyotirlinga among the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. According to the Shiva Purana, pleased by the unwavering faith and devotion of his great devotee 'Ghushma', Lord Shiva revived her dead son and, at her humble request, established himself here forever as the 'Ghushmeshwar/Grishneshwar' Jyotirlinga. Built with red stones, this magnificent temple is a sacred symbol of soul-liberating energy and unbreakable devotion.

The Ekadashi of the Shukla Paksha of the month of Bhadrapada is called 'Parivartini Ekadashi', 'Parshva Ekadashi', or 'Vamana Ekadashi'. During the Chaturmas sleep period, on this holy date, Lord Shri Hari Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber in the Ksheersagar, turns over, hence it is called Parivartini Ekadashi. According to the Brahmavaivarta Purana, on this day Lord Vishnu took the Vamana avatar and suppressed the ego of the demon king Bali. Worshipping Lord Vamana and observing a fast on this day yields merit equivalent to a Vajapeya Yajna and destroys all sins.

Different stories are found regarding the birth of Mother Sita in the Ramayana and various Puranic traditions. In one famous belief, she is linked to Vedavati, who performed severe penance to get Lord Vishnu as her husband and vowed to take rebirth after ending her life due to Ravana. Later, Sita Ji appeared to King Janak while he was plowing a field. In this article, learn the story of Vedavati, the belief related to the curse and rebirth, and the mystery of Mother Sita's divine birth.