Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan means the bond of purity and protection. On this auspicious occasion, a sister ties a Rakhi, a decorated thread on the wrist of her brother, applies tilak on his forehead, sweetens his mouth, and prays for his longevity. The brother in return pledges to protect the dignity of his sister even at the cost of his life and gives her gifts. This sacred thread of Rakhi, which carries many emotions with it, strengthens the relationship between brothers and sisters to a great extent.

The Legends Behind the Festival

There are various legends behind this festival.

Indrani and Lord Vishnu

Indrani, wife of Indra, tied a thread given to her by Lord Vishnu to her husband to protect him during a war with the demons.

Yamuna and Yama

According to another legend, when Yamuna (the river) tied a rakhi to Yama, the lord of death granted her immortality. So moved he was by the gesture, he is said to have declared that any brother who was tied a rakhi and offered to protect his sister would also become immortal.

Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun

It’s also believed that Rani Karnavati sent a Rakhi to the Mughal emperor Humayun seeking his help as she was attacked by the Sultan of Mewar. Humayun was touched by the emotion-filled Rakhi and marched to protect her kingdom of Chittor.

The True Significance of the Legends

The Supreme Soul reveals the significance of these legends. He says that there are divine and devilish qualities within us. When we try a rakhi, that is, choose to work on ourselves to overcome our negativities, we will have better control over our minds.

Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun: A Broader Message

The legend of Rani Karnavati and emperor Humayun proves that the sacred festival is not limited to Hindus, but it is applicable to the whole world and gives the message of unity, nobility, and commitment. This festival strengthens the vision of brotherhood amongst all.

A Spiritual Outlook on Raksha Bandhan

In a broader, spiritual sense, our Brahma Kumaris Sisters invoke Incorporeal God Shiva’s blessings to empower especially the brothers from all walks of life and inspire them to have a spiritual outlook towards women-kind. This is their fervent attempt to help society in leading worthwhile lives free from fear and violence. This pious attitude, awareness, and vision work wonders not only in emerging inner peace and joy within individuals but also in creating loving and friendly relationships between different communities and religious backgrounds. Let the spirit of Raksha Bandhan liberate everyone from negativity, peacelessness, and violence! This will mark a bold step of humanity towards ensuring the welfare of society in a very subtle, emotional, and practical way.

The Path of Spirituality

Once we take to this path of spirituality and observe the spirit of Raksha Bandhan, we are able to rediscover the most precious treasures of inner peace, inner happiness, and well-being. Daily we come across full-page advertisements about different hospitals, the latest medical equipment, or medications, yet every year the number of patients keeps multiplying as if there is no sure-cure for anything. To some extent, we have found that strict vegetarian (plant-based) diets and deep experiences of Rajyoga Meditation come to our rescue in arresting any disease; moreover, doing meditation in soul-consciousness and loving remembrance of the Supreme Being develop our inner power and enable us to conquer several diseases and negative, impulsive behaviors. The more we practice silent contemplation, and the more we explore the depths of meditation, we are guaranteed to unleash a number of powers to deal with different situations at different times.

A Vow for Purity and Brotherhood

Let us now take a vow to maintain the purity of thoughts, words, and deeds, and practice the vision of universal brotherhood. When we make sincere efforts in making ourselves vice-less and pure, and make our lives full of divine virtues, our journey of life would be smooth, and we can also create a beautiful future.

Wishing everyone multimillion-fold congratulations for the most auspicious festival of Raksha Bandhan.