Spring 2010 Issue
Fallen Into Nothingness
Stories
Happenings Elsewhere
Society Reports
by Sunil P. Narayan
NOTE: Article added September 30, 2010
The following is a collection of poetry. Due to the size of the collection and time in moving it to HTML pages, we've opted to convert it to a PDF and link to it here.
From the author:
I have studied Hindu mythology my whole life and am a practicing Hindu. My mother is a devout Hindu from Bihar, India and my father who is also an Indian Hindu is from Fiji Island. I grew up reading about the magical side of the Vedic rituals as well as learning about them from my mother. Have you heard of yajna? It is most certainly an enlightening experience! My mother has been performing yajna for several years, most of which I participated in. It's a fire ceremony where one chants mantras from the Rig Veda over a fire-pit filled with sandalwood that's soaked in ghee (clarified butter). It's essential to ask Lord Agni (God of Fire and messenger of the gods) to carry your message to the deity as an expression of devotion or to request to keep the family together in the next life. We throw a special kind of ground wood-dust that is needed to keep the fire going.
I apologize for babbling, I don't get to talk about the special part of my family at all. Where I live there aren't alot of people who will understand what purpose a yajna serves. It is a relief I came across your fine publication :-).
I attached my work and coverletter as a single file. It is poetry derived from the teachings of Hindu Mythology with an emphasis on Mahadevi (the Supreme Goddess). Please enjoy my work and have a lovely evening! :-).
Sincerely,
Sunil Narayan
