Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are grateful to our Divine Beloved Mother Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi for the opportunity to collectively celebrate Raksha Bandhan during the auspicious occasion of the upcoming International Shri Krishna Puja in New Jersey, August 26-28.
Raksha Bandhan is an ancient and holy tradition celebrating the pure relationship between a brother and sister. The Raksha Bandhan ceremony provides us with the opportunity to nourish within ourselves, the qualities demonstrated by Shri Vishnumaya's humble sacrifice and love for her brother, Lord Krishna. Through this sacred tradition, we hope to please our Divine Mother, who delights in the sweet expressions of love and devotion between Her children.
We would like to invite all the brothers and sisters to gather for the Rakhi ceremony on Saturday evening after dinner, to precede the evening entertainment program. We hope to make the ceremony flow a little smoother by asking the Sahaj brothers to sit in rows with others of the same age range: boys, yuvas, young men, and adults. The sisters will perform aarti to the brothers and make various offerings, including a bindi, rice, fragrance, the rakhi thread, and a sweet, signifying her promise to look after the well-being of her brother.
The heart of the offerings is the rahki thread that she ties around his left wrist (this is one of the locations representing the left vishuddhi chakra within us). The rakhi thread imbibes within it the pure love and responsibility each accepts for the other and to the society as a whole. The brother's acceptance of the rakhi, and offering of a small gift to his sister, reflects his pledge to protect and respect his sister.
In celebrating the tradition of Raksha Bandhan in the land of Shri Krishna, we manifest the pure desire to restore this holy relationship of purity, dedication, sacrifice and commitment in our countries and throughout the world. It is an honor and privilege to consecrate the pure brother/sister relationship during the auspicious occasion of our Divine Mother's Presence in the Land of Shri Krishna.
To gain a deeper understanding of Raksha Bandhan, Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has given us a beautiful explanation in a talk (1990 Raksha Bandhan Puja; August 4, 1990; Cerritos, CA. USA) that can be obtained from
The DVD/Video Center
8031 West Pomo Street
Phoenix, AZ 85043
(623) 936-6227
|
Audio/CD Tape Center
908 Sumner Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
(831) 423-4947
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Yoginis who would like to celebrate Raksha Bandhan in their collectives can assemble the thalis (trays) containing a candle, incense, kumkum, fragrance, rice, the rakhi threads and sweets. First, the sister asks the brother if she can tie a rakhi; while the brother has a right to decline, the honor and devotion that accompanies the offer is seldom refused. Then the sister applies kumkum to the brother's agnya.
Next, she performs aarti, giving bandhan to the brother with the candle and incense lit on the tray. She then offers a few grains of rice on top of his Sahasrara symbolizing her respect for his enlightened kundalini at Sahasrara. Perfume is applied to his wrists before tying the rakhi on the left wrist. Finally she offers him a sweet reflecting her promise to look after his sustenance and well-being from then onward. The brother offers a small gift of appreciation to his sister to conclude the ceremony.
Additional information about the tradition of Raksha Bandhan can be found at
http://www.raksha-bandhan.com/ | 
