New proposal for Hindu Birthday celebration -Comments invited.

New proposal   for  Birthday celebration  -Comments  invited.

       Generally all of us  are attracted  by  the   way   the westerners celebrate   their birthday. Even though we consider  putting out a lamp is a evil omen , we do blow the candle. Even though we know that  cake contains eggs  , We try not to bother about it . We prefer to sing in chorus   the happy birthday song  , which has been taught   to  us by   the westerners. My friend Sri. P.R.Chandran chanced upon a  birthday celebration advocated by the Balagokulam, which is trying to spread  the Hindu culture  among   the children in USA (http://www.balagokulam.org/teach/other/celebratingbirthday.php

)   and wanted  me to translate it .I have made minor  modifications  and not given the very exact neaning  but the  simple meaning which may appeal to our kids .

I.Lighting of the lamp

     The celebration begins  with the lighting of the lamp   by  the birthday boy(girl) , with assistance of elders if need be.

  Then birthday boy(girl)  along with all guests  pray   to the lamp by reciting  two slokas.(It can be recited in Sanskrit  or English

1.Shubham karothi kalyanam  , Aarogyam   dhana SAmpada ,

SAthru budhi vinasaya  , Dheepa jyothi namosthuthe

I salute  the flame of the lamp  , for performance of good deeds,

For health, wealth  , riches and for destruction of enemies

2.Dheepajyothi  Parabrahma , Dheepa jyothi Janardhana ,

Dheepo  harathe may paapam  , sandhya dheepa namosthuthe

The flame of the lamp is the divine Brahman,

The flame of the lamp is  Lord Vishnu  ,

The lamp will destroy my sins , I salute this lamp of dusk.

II.Chanting of Gayathri by the Birthday boy(girl). (If the elders either feel that the boy without upanayanam   or girls  , should not recite Gayathri, then they can recite  the simple English meaning  only)

Gayathri Manthra

OM  Bhoorbuvasuva  Thath savithur varenyam  ,

Bhargo devasya  dhemahi  , dhiyo yona prachodayath

Om The earth ,  the astral world ,  the world of thinking   have chosen the Sun,

Who is the God of wisdom  on whom we meditate   and let  him illuminate my intellect

III.Cutting  of sweet  and distribution

     Instead  of the cake  we can  fill up a  pretty  vessel   with   Sweets like  Kesari/Halwa   etc  give a top coating   eith sugar as they dp  to the cake , write  Happy birthday/Shubha Jamothsava/Magizhiyana  Piranthanal   and request   the  birthday  boy(girl) to cut it , While  his friends and  well wishers  wish him a happy  birthday  by singing the following slokas either in Sanskrit or English.(Another option is to   make Kutti   of the favourite filling  of the birthday boy or girl  in the shape of a cake   and proceed as above . But then it may not be possible to cut it )

1,Om Tryambakam yajamahe

Sugandhim pushtivardhanam

Urvarurkamiva bhandhanam

Mrityor mukshiya yama-mrtat.

We salute and respect,
Him who is naturally scented,
Him who looks after his devotees with mercy,
And him who has three eyes.
And pray and request,
To move us away from the catch of death,
Like the cucumber separated from its stalk,
And firmly put us in the path of salvation

2.Sathamanam Bhavathi

Sathayu Sathendriya  Purusha  ,
Ayusvendriya prathishathi

Let Him live  hundred percent for hundred years ,

Let all  his faculties be alive  for  that  life of hundred years

Janmadhinam ithi Priya sakhe  ,

3.Sam   thanothu   thet sarvadhaa mudham,

Prarthayamahe   bhava SAthayushi  ,

Easwara   sadhaa   thwaam cha rakshathu

Punya karmanaa   keerthim aarjaya  ,

Jeevanam   thava bhavathu   Sarthakam,

Swasthysthu   yjey kusalamasthu,

Kruthi  kousala sidhirasthu ,

Aiswaryamathu  , Balamasthu  ,

Rashtra Bhakthi sadathu  .

Vamassadeiva  bhavathani   sudheepthosthu,

Ayushyam thoubya thaam

OH dear friend, Your birthday has come now  ,

And  please accomplish with peace  all time happiness,

Let God   always  protect   you,

Let your life be meaningful always and forever.

Let   you be healthy  , let you be happy

Let you have ability   to carry out your actions,

Let you be wealthy  , Let you be strong  ,

Let always devotion to country be there  in you  ,

Let the God of your clan   lighten  your life ,

And let your life be without fear

4.Jevema SArada ssatham

Please live  and see hundred autumns

5.Shubha  thava janmadivasa   sarva mangalam  ,

Jaya jaya jaya   thava  Sidha sadhanam

Sukha  , santhi samrudhi   chira jeevanam

Let  your birthday  be illuminating  ,Wish you all  auspiciousness ,

Victory , Victory  , victory  be the property you have earned,

Let pleasure , peace  , plenty  be for a long  time be yours.