[Advaita-l] SHEETALA ASTAMI

[KAMESWARARAO MULA]

Dear Members,                          Sheetala Astami (Today) falls on the eigthday of waning moon in the month of Falguna Maas as it falls 8 days after holi. As it is connects to the start of summer season and Maa Shitala is worshipped to protect the heat born diseaes and bring prosperity. It is also known as 'Basoda Puja' and dedicated to Maa Sheetala.
As the name Seetala indicates that which cools down something and she is the incarnation of Godess to protect the nature from calmities/ Mahammari diseases (poxes/sores/pustules). The local of haryana worship Maa Sheetala as Kripi as the wife of dronacharya.
On the day of Sheetala Ashtami as per the traditions, the families do not lit fire for the purpose of cooking. They therefore prepare food a day in advance and consume the stale food on the actual day. Devotees visit the Sheetala Devi temple and worship the Goddess with ‘haldi’ and ‘bajra’. After performing the puja rituals they listen to the ‘Basoda Vrat Katha’. ‘Rabri’, ‘curd’ and other essential offerings are then made to Goddess Sheetala. People reads/chants 'Sheetala Astakam'.
The deity's described in the vedic literature holds objects which are assocaited natural cosmic creation. She is seated on Ass (donkey) holds broom stick  (jhadu), winnowing fan (Cheta), an earthenpoth and bunch of Neem Leaves.
शीतला अष्टकम/Sheetala Ashtakam

अस्य श्री शीतलास्तोत्र मन्त्रस्य महादेव ऋषिः अनुष्टुप् छन्दः शीतला देवीं

महालक्ष्मीर्बीजम्  श्रीभवानी शक्तिः सर्वाविस्फोटकनिवृत्तये जपे विनियोगः ।

॥ भगवानुवाच ॥

वन्देऽहं शीतलां देवीं रासभस्थां दिगम्बरम् ।

मार्जनीकलशोपेताम्   शूर्पालंकृतमस्तकाम् ॥ १ ॥

वन्देऽहं  शीतलां  देवीं  सर्वरोगभयापहाम् ।

यामासाद्य  निवर्तेत  विस्फोटकभयं  महत् ॥ २ ॥

शीतले  शितले  चेति  यो  ब्रूयद्दाहपीडितः ।

विस्फोटकभयं  घोरं  क्षिप्रं  तस्य प्रणश्यति ॥ ३ ॥

यस्त्वामुद्कमध्ये  तु  धृत्वा  पूजयते   नरः ।

विस्फोटकभयं  घोरं  गृहे  तस्य  न  जायते ॥ ४ ॥

शीतले   ज्वरदग्धस्य   पूतिगन्धयुतस्य  च ।

प्रणष्टचक्षुषः   पुंसस्त्वामाहुर्जीवनौष्धम् ॥ ५ ॥

शीतले तनुजान्रोगान् नृणां हरसि दुस्त्यजान् ।

विस्फोटकविदिर्णानां   त्वमेकाऽमृतवर्षिणी ॥ ६ ॥

गलगण्डग्रह्या रोगा ये चान्ये दारुणा नृणाम् ।

त्वदनुध्यानमात्रेण  शीतले  यान्ति  संक्षयम् ॥ ७ ॥

न  मन्त्रो  नौषधं  तस्य  पापरोगस्य विद्यते ।

त्वामेकां शीतले धात्रीं नान्यां पश्यामि देवताम् ॥ ८ ॥

मृणालतन्तुसदृशीं  नाभिहृन्म  यसंस्थिताम् ।

       || इति श्री शीतलाष्टकम सम्पूर्णं ||


Maa Sheetala is the subtle form of Jwaraharana Shakthi, seated on a donkey with a Broomstcik in the hand, urn has lot of curative powers. To get rid of biols, hotflashes, high fevers, maripains sheetala  can be worshipped and relief  is obtained in shorter time as she is 'Abhishta Sidda Devi' . As our sages have established 'Sabdachikistha' to resonate their 'Abhista Devata' to get the saranagathi in the form of mantra jap and Nama stotra to cure the fevers.

Sri Guru Padaravindarpana MastuKameswara