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Bookstore  View Archives  This Makara Sankranti message was
given on the 14th of January, 1972. A collection of messages by
Swamiji during various spiritual festivals including this
message can be found in Swamiji's book, "Spiritual Import of
Religious Festivals".  Click here for another discourse on
Makara Sankranti by Swami Sivananda.     In Sanskrit, Makara
Sankranti means the time when the sun crosses the tropic of
Capricorn. The day is of special significance to all those
leading the spiritual life and mention has been made of this
commencement of this new period in such scriptures as the
Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. The sun comes to the North,
energising and invigorating all life wherever it is, and on
whatever he sheds his light. In esoteric parlance, in mystic
terminology, the sun is regarded as the presiding deity over the
self of man, while the moon is the presiding deity over the mind
of man. The self or the soul is different from the m