When the sun lines up with or moves past the Moola Nakshatram, we have Moola Karthe. It just started a couple of days ago as per the Telugu-Sanskrit Calendar and, like every karthe, it lasts for about a fortnight. This is a wonderful time for Vaishnavas, since the Moola Nakshatram is in the direction of the center of the galaxy, the ksheera sagaram or milky way. So for those of us who have faith that Sri Maha Vishnu is there at the center of the milky way, the sun will point you to Vaikuntham. (The prescribed time is around sunrise).
Moola, Purvashada and the first pada of Uttarashada make up the Dhanur Rasi. Since the sun will ‘transition past these nakshatras from Dhanus Sankranthi to Makara Sankranthi., this solar month is called Dhanur Masam as per the Telugu-Sanskrit calendar. Vaishnavas, the devotees of Vishnu, offer many special sevas and prayers to Sri Maha Vishnu during this month.
In the movie clip below, you can see Bhaktha Prahlada, the son of Hiranyakasipu, teaching Asura and brahman children, devotion to Sriman Narayana (Vishnu). (The Asura children, are not very accurately depicted.)
The song is wonderful in melody and meaning. It preaches devotion and says that a devotee who chants the name of Madhava, or Narayana, need never perform any Yajnas or Kratus. This is called the Bhakthi Margam or the Path of Devotion. The name of Narayana itself is the Narayana Mantram.
(It was originally made in Telugu and then remade in Tamil. I am giving the Tamil link, specially for my Tamil friends. The child artiste who plays Prahlada is Roja Ramani and she is happy to rank it as her best role ever. She is even younger and consequently cuter in the Telugu version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxFbcxyLVX4)
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