Nava Rathna Malya Sthothram.

Nava rathna malya sthothram
(The prayer of the garland of nine precious gems)
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
Dhyana slokam
(Verse which helps to meditate)
Kuchanchitha vipanchikam, kutila kunthala alunkrutham,
Kuse saya nivesineem kutila chitha vidweshinim,
Madalasagathi priyam, manasijarirajyasriyam,
Mathanga kula kanyakam, madhura bhashineem asraye.

I submit my self to that Goddess,
Who keeps the Veena close to her breasts,
Who is decorated by her pretty curly hair,
Who lives in the sacred house of grass,
Who hates those with crooked mind,
Who is interested in slow moment due to exuberance,
Who is the queen of the mind of the enemy of god of love,
And who is the girl in the hermitage of sage Mathanga.

Text and translation

Kunda mukulagra dantham, kunkumapangena raktha kucha bharam,
Aaneela neela deham ambam akhilanda nayikam vande. 1

I salute the mother who is the queen of the universe,
Who has pointed teeth like jasmine buds,
Who shines with breasts anointed by saffron,
And who is having a very blue body.

Omkarapanchasukheem Upanishad dhyana keeli kala kanteem,
Aagama vipina mayoorim, aaryamantharbhavaye goureem. 2

I meditate on that white Goddess who is a lady,
Who is the she bird imprisoned in the cage of Pranava,
Who is the she nightingale in the garden of Upanishads,
And who is the peahen in the forest of Vedas

Daayamana deerga nayanam, desika roopenadarshithabhyudhayam,
Vama kucha nihatha veenam, Varadam sangeetha mathrukam vande. 3

I salute that mother of music who cares for all,
Who has very long merciful eyes,
Who is interested in every one as the teacher,
And who keeps the veena on her left breast.

Shyamathanu soukumaryam soundarananda sambadunmesham,
Tharuni makarunaparam, mada jala kallola lochanam vande. 4

I salute that goddess who has wave like eyes due to her exuberance,
Who is extremely pretty due to her black body,
Who has great vigour due to the wealth of beautiful happiness ,
And who is the store house of energy and youth.

Nakha mukha mukharitha veena nada rasawadhana navollasam,
Mukhamamba modayathu maam muktha thataka mugdha hasitham they. 5

Oh mother let your face , which is full of extremely pretty smile,
And which goes on raining newer and newer exuberance,
Due to your enjoyment of the music emanating from the veena,
Which is being played by your pretty nails, fill me with happiness.

Sarigamapadaniratham thaam veena sankrantha hasthantham,
SAntham mrudulaswantham kuchabharathantham namami shivakantham. 6

I salute that darling of Lord Shiva, who gets immersed in the seven notes,
Who has pretty hands whose tips travel over the Veena,
Who is peaceful, who has soft mind due to her mercy,
And who is slightly bent due to her heavy breasts.

Avatu thata gatitha chooli thaditha thaleepalasa thatangam,
Veena vaadana vela kampitha sirasam namami mathangim. 7

I salute that daughter of Matanga, who shakes her head,
While she is playing Veena, who wears ear studs made of palm leaves ,
Which touches her hair flowing at her back.

Manibhanga mechakangim mathangim naumi sidha mathangim,
Youvana vana sarangim sangeethambhoru hanu bhava bhrungim. 8

I salute that sage Mathangi, whose luster of the body,
Would win the powerful light of the blue Safire,
Who is the pretty deer in the forest of youth,
And who is the female bee enjoying the lotus flower of music.

Veenaravanushangam vikacha mukha modha madhuri bhrungam,
Karuna pooratharangam kalaye mathanga kanyaka pangam. 9

I salute the eye tip of the girl of Mathanga,
Which moves according to the music being played in Veena,
Which is equal to the bee which has rushed to drink sweetness of her lotus like face
And which is fully immersed in mercy.

Mechaka masechanakam mithya drushtantha madhyabhagam they,
Matha swaroopamaisam mangala sangeetha sourabham vande. 10

Oh mother I salute your form which has the scent of sweet music,
Which is black in colour, which is very attractive and which has a very pretty middle.

Nava rathna malya methad rachitham mathanga kanyakabharanam,
Ya padathi bhakthi yukthassa bhaved vadheeswara sakshath. 11

This garland of nine gems made as an ornament to the lady Mathangi,
If read with devotion, makes the one who reads ,Able to feel the nearness to the real God.

Tripura sundari Ashtakam

Tripura Sundari Ashtakam
The octet to the beauty of the three worlds
Translated By
P.R.Ramachander
Kadamba vana charinim, muni kadamba kaadambhineem,
Nidhambha jita bhootharam, Sura nithambhini sevitham,
Naavamburuha lochanam, abhi navambhudha syamalam,
Trilochana Kudimbhineem , Tripura Sundarim Aasraye.
(I prostrate before her, who is the beauty of the Tripura,
Who roams in the forest of Kadamba.
Who is like the galaxy of dark clouds,
Which quenches spiritual thirst of sages,
Who with a hip rivaling mountains,
Is being served by celestial beauties,
Who has eyes resembling a lotus flower,
Who is a black rivaling the rich black clouds,
And who belongs to the three-eyed family. )
Kadamba vana vasinim , kanaka vallaki dharinim,
Maharha mani harinim, mukasa mulla sad varunim,
Daya vibhava karinim vichatha lochamim, charinim,
Trilochana Kudimbhineem , Tripura Sundarim Aasraye.
(I prostrate before her, who is the beauty of the Tripura,
Who lives in the forest of Kadamba,
Who holds a golden holy Veena,
Who wears a divine garland of gems,
Whose face shines of joy because of nectar,
Whose mercy bestows wealth,
Who wanders clear eyed everywhere,
And who belongs to the three-eyed family. )
Kadamba vana shalaya, Kucha prollasan malaya,
Kuchopamitha shailaya Guru krupala sad velaya,
Madaruna kapolaya Madhura geetha vaachalaya,
Trilochana Kudimbhineem , Tripura Sundarim Aasraye.
(I prostrate before her, who is the beauty of the Tripura,
Whose house is the forest of Kadamba,
Who wears a garland gracing her bosom,
Who has a bosom like mountains,
Who lets flow her mercy as a torrent,
Who has red cheeks like wine,
Who sings soulful music,
And who belongs to the three-eyed family. )
Kadambha vana madhyakam, kanaka mandalopa sthitham,
Shadamburuha vasinim, sathathasidha saudaminim,
Vidambhitha japa raruchim vikasa chandra choodamanim,
Trilochana Kudimbhineem , Tripura Sundarim Aasraye.
(I prostrate before her, who is the beauty of the Tripura,
Who is in the middle of Kadamba forest,
Who is seated near golden planet,
Who lives in six lotus flowers,
Who illuminates the sages like lightning,
Who mocks at the just open Hibiscus,
Who wears the moon as a crest jewel,
And who belongs to the three-eyed family.)
Kuchanchitha vipanchikam, kutila kuntala alangrutham,
Kusheshaya nivasinim, kutila siddha vidhweshaneem,
Madaaruna vilochanam, manasi jari sammohinim,
Mathanga muni kanyakam madura bashinim Aasraye
(I prostrate before her, who is the beauty of the Tripura,
Who carries a Veena over her bosom,
Who resides in a lotus,
Who scorns evil minded sages,
Whose eyes are red due to intoxication,
Who attracts the enemy of the cupid,
Who is the daughter of sage Matanga,
And speaks in a sweet voice.)
Smareth prathama pushpineem rudhira bindu neelambaram,
Graheetha madhu patrikam, madhu vighurna nethanchalaam,
Gahna sthana paronnatham galistha chulikam syamalam,
Trilochana Kudimbhineem , Tripura Sundarim Aasraye.
(I prostrate before her, who is the beauty of the Tripura,
Who carries the first flower of cupid,
Who wears the blue garment spotted with blood,
Who holds in her hand, a bowl of wine,
Whose eyes are confused due to intoxication,
Whose close chest is elevated by her firm breasts,
Whose hair is disheveled,
Who is pretty in her black colour,
And who belongs to the three-eyed family.)
Sa kumkuma vilepanaam, alaka chumbi kasthoorikaam,
Samatha hasithekshanam, sachara chapa pasanguram,
Asesha jana mohinim, aruna malya bhooshambaram,
Japa kusuma basuram, japa vidhow smaradembikaam.
(I meditate on that Ambika,
Who applies saffron on her body,
Who applies musk attracted by bees on her hair,
Who has a beautiful smile,
Who has with her bows, arrows and Pasangusa,
Who attracts all the souls,
Who wears red garland,
Who wears ornaments great,
And who is of the colour of the red hibiscus,
During my japa routine.)
Purandara purandarikam,chikura bandha sairandrikam,
Pitamaha pathivrathampata pateera charcharatham,
Mukunda ramanimanilasathalankriya karinim,
Bajami bhuvanambikamsura vadhutika chetikam.
I pray to that Ambika,
Who is the mother of the entire universe,
Who has heavenly damsels as servants,
Who rules over Sripura,
Who has celestial maids to tie her hair,
Who is anointed by sandal paste,
By the virtuous wife of Brhama,
Who is adorned by the rare gems,
Of the darling of Lord Vishnu.

PUJA SLOKAS

Prayer to the teacher
Gurur brahma, gurur devo Maheswara,
Guru sakshad param brahma tasmai sri gurave nama
Teacher (Guru)
Gurur brahma, gurur devo Maheswara,
Guru sakshad param brahma tasmai sri gurave nama

(Salutations to that Teacher.
Who himself is the ultimate truth,
Who is chief of all Gods.
And who verily is the truth himself.)

(Salutations to that Teacher.
Who himself is the ultimate truth,
Who is chief of all Gods.
And who verily is the truth himself.)

Stotras as soon as one wakes up:-
A Hindu is supposed to wake uo very early in the morning much earlier to sun rise. It is believed that the first thing you see in the morning determines one’s day.
As soon as one wakes up see he is supposed to see his palm and recite the following sloka:-

Karagre vasathu Lakshmi, Karamadhye Saraswathi,
Karamoole sthitha Gowri, Prabhate Kaa Darshanam.

(Lakshmi lives in the tip of my palm,
Saraswathi lives in its middle,
And Gowri lives at its base,
So I see my palm in the early morn.)
Earth is a Goddess to Hindus.
She is one of the wives of Maha Vishnu one of the trinity of Hinduism. So it is necessary to ask her pardon before one sets ones foot on her.This is done by the following prayer:-
Samudhra vasane devi, parvatha sthana mandithe,
Vishnu pathni namasthubhyam pada sparsam kshamasva mae.
(Salutations to you consort of Lord Vishnu,
Who is clothed by oceans,
And is adorned prettily by the mountains,
Pardon me mother, for setting my foot on you.)
While taking Bath
Cleanliness is a sin qua non-to every Hindu.He does purification of the body as well as the mind during his bath. Purificatory bath is ultimate if it is done in the sacred waters of some great rivers of India.The following prayers are recited while taking bath:-
Govindethi sada snanam Govindethi sada japam,
Govindethi sada dhyanam , sada Govinda keerthanam.

(Meditate on Govinda while taking bath,
Meditate on him in your prayers,
Meditate on him while thinking of God,
And always sing his name.)

Gange cha Yamune chaiva Godavari Saraswathi,
Narmada Sindhu Kaveri Jale asmin sannidhim kuru.
(I pray you to enter,
This water meant for my bath,
Oh , holy river Ganga,
Oh, Holy river Yamuna,
Oh , Holy river Godavari,
Oh, Holy river Saraswathi,
Oh , Holy river Narmada,
Oh holy river Sindhu,
And holy river Kaveri.)

PUJA SLOKAS

Lakshmi

The consort of Lord Vishnu , who is the Goddess of wealth.She was born out of the ocean of milk.
Namasthesthu Maha Maye,
Sri Pede Sura Poojithe,
Sankha Chakra Gada Hasthe,
Mahalakshmi Namosthuthe

(Salutations to the great enchantress,
Who is the Goddess of wealth,
Who is being worshipped by Devas,
And who holds Conch, wheel and mace in her hands,
Again Salutations to the Mahalakshmi )

Angam hare pulaka bhooshanamasrayanthi,
Bhringanga neva mukulabharanam thamalam,
Angikrithakhila vibhuthirapanga leela,
Mangalyadasthu mama mangala devathaya.

(To the Hari who wears supreme happiness as Ornament,
The Goddess Lakshmi is attracted,
Like the black bees getting attracted,
To the unopened buds of black Tamala,tree,
Let her who is the Goddess of all good things,
Grant me a glance that will bring prosperity. )
Kanaka Lakshmi
Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth.Adhi Sankara as a boy addressed her in this form to bless a poor Brahmin widow with wealth. “ Kanaka” means Gold,

Angam hare pulaka bhooshanamasrayanthi,
Bhringanga neva mukulabharanam thamalam,
Angikrithakhila vibhuthirapanga leela,
Mangalyadasthu mama mangala devathaya.

(To the Hari who wears supreme happiness as Ornament,
The Goddess Lakshmi is attracted,
Like the black bees getting attracted,
To the unopened buds of black Tamala tree,
Let her who is the Goddess of all good things,
Grant me a glance that will bring prosperity.)
Saraswathi
Mother Goddess in the form of Goddess presiding over knowledge and education.She is the consort of Lord Brahma.
Saraswathi Namasthubhyam, varade Kama roopini,
Vidhyarambham karishyami, sidhir bhavathu me sada.
(My salutations to Goddess Saraswathi,
Who can take any form,
Who is the bestower of all boons,
And I start learning now,
With the prayer to her,
To make it very effective.)
Yakundendu Thushara Hara Davalam, Ya shubra vastravrutham,
Ya veena vara danda manditha kara, Ya shwetha padmasana,
Ya brahmachyutha Sankara prbhruthibhi Daivai sada poojitha,
Saa maam pathu saraswathi bhagawathi Nissesha jadyabaha.
(My saluations to Goddess Saraswathi,
Who is while like a Kunda flower,
Who shines like the full moon,
Who carries in her hand a Veena and a stick,
Who is seated on the throne of white Lotus,
Who is worshipped by the holy trinity,
With a prayer to drive away all my slothfulness. )
Durga
She is the fearsome aspect of Goddess Parvathy and was created by her to fight against Shumbha and Nishumbha. She is popular among the entire length and breadth of India.The poor generally prefer to woship her.

Namasthe saranye Shive, saanukamhe,
Namasthe Jagat vyapike viswa roope,
Namasthe jagat vandhya padaravinde,
Namasthe jagat dharini Trahi Durge,
(Salutations to her who is the slave of peace ,
And filled with compassion,
Salutations to her who is spread all over the world,
And who is of the form of universe,
Salutations to her whose lotus feet,
Are worshipped by all the world,
Salutations to her who takes care of the world,
Pease take care of me , Oh Durge.)

Chandra Kavacham

Chandra Kavacham:

[Protective Armour of Moon]

Translated by P. R. Ramachander

[This is armour which gives you protection from all problems caused by the planet moon. It has to be chanted on all Mondays, if moon causes any problem in the horoscope.]

Om Ganesaya Nama

Salutations to Lord Ganesa,

Asya Sri Chandra Kavacha stotra Maha Manthrasya

(What follows is the great prayer called Armour of the moon.)

Gowthama Rishi

Anushtup Chanda,

Chandro Devatha

Chandra preethyartham jape viniyoga.

(Sage for this prayer is Gowthama, meter is Anushtup, God is the moon and this is being chanted to please the moon.)

Samam, chathurbhujam vande, keyura makutojjwalam,

Vasudevasya nayanam, Shankarasya cha bhooshanam. 1

(I salute the four armed Moon god who is calm,Who shines in a gem studded great crown,Who is the eye of Lord Vishnu,And the ornament of Lord Shiva.)

Yevam dhyathwa japen nithyam shasina kavacham shubham,

Shasi pathu shiro desam, phalam pathu kala nidhi. 2

(Thus praying, this holy armour of moon, should be chanted daily,Let my head be protected by moon, and hairs be protected by the treasure of arts.)

Chakshushi chandrama pathu, shruthi pathu nisha pathi,

Pranam krupakara pathu, mukham kumuda bhandhava. 3

(Let my eyes be protected by he who has moon light,Let my ears be protected by the Lord of the night,Let my soul be protected by he who is merciful,And my face be protected by the relative of Lotus.)

Pathu kantam cha may soma, skande jaivathrukasthadha,

Karou sudhakara pathu, vaksha pathu nisakara. 4

(Let Soma protect my neck,Let my shoulder be protected by one who is long lived,Let the maker of nectar protect my hands,And the maker of night protect my chest.)

Hrudayam pathu may chandro, nabhim shankara bhooshana,

Madhyam pathu sura sreshta, katim pathu sudhakara. 5

(Let my heart be protected by moon,Let my belly be protected by ornament of Shiva,Let my middle be protected by chief of devas,And my hip be protected by he who makes nectar.)

Ooru tharapathi pathu, mrugango januni sada,

Abdhija padhu may jange,padhu, padou vidhu sada. 6

(Let my thighs be protected by the Lord of the stars,Let he who has a deer protect my knees,Let the maker of time protect my calves,Let my feet be protected by Moon.)

Sarvan anyani changaani pathu, chandro akhilam vapu,

Ethdhi kavacham punyam bhukthi mukthi pradayakam. 7

(Let all my other organs be protected by Chandra who is everywhere And this armour would give one devotion and salvation.)

Ya padeth srunyadhvapi sarvathra vijayi bbhaveth. 8

If one reads or hears this, he would win in everything.Ithi Sri Chandra kavacham sampoornam.Thus ends the armour of the moon.

Mayil Vahana

MAYIL VAHANA

MAYIL VAHANAM -PEACOCK .(Tamil-Name-MAYIL)
Mayil-peacock is lord Murugan -kartikayan vahana .
Lord Murugan is more popular in South India. Kartikaya-Son of lord siva. He is the second son of Siva, and the younger brother of Ganesha, is also known as Kumara, Karttikeya, Shanmukha, Subrahmanya, and many other names.
His vehicle or Vahana is the peacock. This is by way of representation that he has entirely conquered pride, egoism, vanity. There is a cobra under His Feet. This is to indicate that He is absolutely fearless, immortal and wise.
Shanmukha’s Vahana, the peacock, shows the shape of the Pranava or !. It is of the shape of the Bindu. When the peacock spreads out its tail, it has the round shape of the Pranava. Within it is the Para Brahma Jyoti, which is the form of Murugan or Subrahmanya. The subordinated serpent kept in check by the peacock’s feet shows that Maya or impurity is completely overpowered by the power of Pranava.
Subrahmanya came out of Siva’s third eye is symbolic of His being the incarnation of Pure Intelligence, for Siva’s third eye is known to be the eye of Wisdom or Jnana.
The peacock (on which Subrahmanya rides) is the most beautiful of all the birds. It is the one bird which can reveal its inner joy by dancing and displaying its gorgeous plumage. When it does so, it evidences its perfect balance—for it is a very heavy bird and it has to keep its balance on its two very slender feet. All these points relating to the peacock are utilised for illustrating the ideas concerning the inner significance of the Subrahmanya mythology. We can interpret the peacock as symbolising mental equipoise—the predominance of Sattva over Rajas and Tamas. That tranquillity or mental balance, when once attained, produces contentment and happiness. Such a mental condition reveals itself in a superior sort of self-satisfaction—a state similar to that of the peacock which spreads out its beautiful plumage. It is this predominating Sattva that is the prerequisite for the acquisition of True Knowledge—the knowledge symbolised by Lord Subrahmanya Himself.
Subrahmanya’s cock-banner symbolises the approach or the dawn of Knowledge—it is the cock that proclaims the coming of the sun in the eastern horizon. The sun is the heavenly body that dispels darkness. Likewise the cock on Subrahmanya’s banner announces the approach of Knowledge which will destroy all ignorance.
When Lord Skanda and Lord Ganesha were at Kailasa with their Father and Mother, Narada brought a fruit and offered it to Lord Siva. Now, Lord Siva made an offer to His sons to give the fruit to the one who would go round the whole world and return first. At this, Lord Skanda, riding on his Peacock-Vahana, flew round the world and came back to Kailasa anxious to win the prize offered by his Father. But to his great disappointment, when he approached his Father after his round-the-globe flight, he saw the much coveted fruit in the hands of Lord Ganesha, who was calmly eating it, with a mischievous extra relish.
To add injury to insult, Lord Ganesha laughed at the grand flight of his brother. Skanda enquired of his Father and Mother how Ganesha, who was unable to move about due to his pot-belly, could go round the world as he had done and win the race from him. The parents replied that Ganesha, taking his parents (Lord Siva and Parvati) as the world, had come around them and won the prize. Ganesha explained how the whole world was nothing but their dear Father and Mother in whom everything existed,Thrown into a rage by all this, Lord Skanda threw away all his decorations and, clad only in a Kaupeena and with a stick in his hand, left Kailasa in a huff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murugan

http://www.dlshq.org/download/shanmukha.htm#_VPID_45

RAHU STOTRAS

RAHU STOTRA
Rahur dhanavamanthri cha simhika chitha nandana,

Ardha kaya, sada krodhi, chandradhithya vimardhana. 1

(Rahu, Minister of Rakshasa, one who makes Simhika happy,Half bodied one, one who is always angry, Tormentor who troubles Sun and Moon.)

Roudhro rudhra priyo daithya swar bhanur, bhanur bheethidha,

Graha raja sudhapayee rakadhithyabhilashtaka. 2

(Angry one, Devotee of Rudhra, Ogre,One who is near the Sun, one who terrifies the sun,King of planets, one who got nectar, One who desires the moon and the sun.)

Kala drushti kala roopa,sri kanta hrudayashraya,

Vidhunthudha saimhikeya, ghora roopo, maha bala. 3

(One who has death inflicting sight, one who likes death, One who lives in the heart of Shiva, one who made moon dim,One who is the son of ogress Simhika,One who has terrifying form, One who is very strong.)

Graha peeda karo damshtri raktha nethro mahodhara,

Panchavimsathi namani sthuthwa rahum sada nara,

Ya paden mahathi peeda thasya nasyathi kevalam. 4

(One who torments planets, one who has big teeth,One who has red eyes and one who has a big paunch,If a man recites these twenty five names and prays to Rahu,And as soon as he reads big tormenting troubles vanish immediately).

Aarogyam putham athulam sriyam dhanyam pasum sthadha,

Dadhathi rahu sthasmai thu ya padeth sthothramuthamam. 5

(Health, incomparable sons, wealth, cereals and animals Would be given to him by Rahu, to the one who reads this great prayer).

Sathatham padathe yasthu jeeveth, varsha satham nara. 6

The man who reads this regularly would live for one hundred years.

GARUDA

Garuda is popularly known as the vahana or vehicle of Vishnu.

Lord Garuda Gayatri:

Om Tatpurushaya Vidhmahe,

Swarna Pakshaya Dheemahi,

Tanno Garuda Prachothayat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda

GARUA PURANA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda_Purana

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/gpu/index.htm

http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/garuda-purana.htm

http://www.dharmakshetra.com/literature/puranas/garuda.html

http://www.hinduwebsite.com/sacredscripts/puranas/gp/gp.asp

http://www.webonautics.com/mythology/garuda.html

NAGA

NAGA-SNAKE
Lord vishu vahanas
Lord siva wears a snake around his nack
snake god naga-nagaraja

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_(mythology)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_worship

NANDI

NANDI -NANDIKESVARA

Every Śiva temple has the figure of a white ,black humped bull reclining on a raised platform and facing the entrance door of the shrine so that, Nandi is considered to be one of Śiva’s chief attendants and occasionally is depicted in sculpture as a bull-faced dwarf figure. Nandi is known also in a wholly anthropomorphic form, called variously Nandikēśvara, or Adhikāranandin.

Nandi occupies an axial position, focusing the attention of the faithful from the outer halls of the temple directly into its spiritual heart, the 'garbhagrha', or 'womb-chamber'. Images of this scale and larger were usually housed in a pillared hall or 'mandapa', which stood independent of the principal shrine and was orientated toward the east, facing directly into the temple, so that Nandi's intimate relationship with Shiva .

Nandi is the bull vahana of Shiva. In many Shiva temples, Nandi is placed directly opposite the entrance to the shrine containing the central image of Shiva, the shiva linga. In this position, Nandi is acting not only as Shiva's guardian, but also as a constant devotee. As Nandi mimics the position of every devotee who comes to stand before the deity, he is often revered as a model devotee.

His guardian is Nandi (the white bull), whose statue can often be seen watching over the main shrine. The bull is said to embody sexual energy, fertility. Riding on its back, Shiva is in control of these impulses.
In the Panchanadha Shetram, Nandhi is described as a very staunch Shiva devotee who will never tolerate any unbecoming word about Lord Shia. Once during Daksha Yagna , Daksha spoke rudely of Lord Shiva and Nandi closed his two ears, chanting "Siva , Siva".
As an independent deity, the bull was known in ancient India as Nandikeshvara, the Lord of Joy, often represented as a man with a bull's head. Nandikeshvara was a rishi who offered service to Shiva by guarding his door.
Lord Shiva has various names describing his association with Nandi. Vrishavahanamurti, the form of Shiva resting against Nandi, is the form he assumes when blessing devotees with freedom from the cycle of existence.
Mahanandishwara is the presiding deity of Lord Shiva that resides in Mahanandishwara temple in Mahanandi. Within a 15 kilometer radius from the temple lie nine Nandis known as "Navanandis". Mahanandi temple is one of the Nava Nandis, and the other eight temples Prathama Nandi, Naga Nandi, Vinayaka Nandi, Garuda Nandi, Shiva Nandi, Vishnu Nandi, Surya Nandi, and Soma Nandi.
Nandi Pooja On this day, Sri Nandeesvara must be worshipped as part of Rishaba pooja. One of the important facets of this worship is cleaning up the Nandi sanctum in the temple. Make sure you do not use any sharp implements or your finger nails in the cleaning process. Do it with utmost care. Apply coats of sesame oil and coconut oil to Sri Nandi's divine frame. Apply turmeric paste and sandalwood paste and circunambulate Him 108 times. This is the first part of Nandi worship on the day after Pongal.
On this day, recite all your improper thoughts, evil dreams and the like in the ear of Lord Nandi. Whatever secrets you may be bottling up within yourself, tell them to Sri Nandi. You may be wondering that if you mention it any human, it may have adverse effects. You may feel that you can't tell it any soul. That's ok, but don't bottle them up inside you; just reveal all these innermost secrets, irrespective of whether they are good or bad, to Lord Nandi on the day after Pongal and request expiation from Him for these improper thoughts, desires and secrets. Sri Nandeesvara will do the needful and take care of you.
In the days of yore, people sought expiation for a day's bad karma on that day itself. Thus they did not accumulate any bad karma at all. Because of their conscientous efforts to lead a karma free life, they were promoted to the post of pithru devas.
Lord Nandi is the patron saint of all bulls everywhere. On this day after Pongal, make sure you do Go Pooja, Rishaba Pooja and also Kaarunya Tharpanam rites for all living things, including animals, birds and insects.

Nandi


The big bull on which Lord Shiva rides.It is believed that before entering the temple of Shiva we are to take his permission.

Nandikesa Maha Bhaga, Shiva dhyana parayana,
Gowri sankara sevartham Anugnam dathumarhasi.

(Oh Lord Nandi who is Lord of all bulls,
Who is immersed in prayer of Shiva,
Please give me permission,
To worship Lord Sankara with his consort Gowri.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandi_(bull).