The Essence of Puranas – Devi Bhagavata Purana
PREFACE
Emphasizing
the Holiest Name of Maha Devi Bhagavati,
Suta Maha Muni addressed a congregation of Sages headed by Saunaka Muni at
‘Naimisaranya’, the Forest of Naimisa as the Kali Yuga had no access to that
Sacred Place, since the ‘Manomaya Chakra’( The Wheel of Mental Illusion)
created by Brahma occupied the entire World excepting the Naimisa Forest. The
outer rim of the Wheel became thin and would stop rolling further and hence the
Forest was chosen as the Sanctified one.
The
unfolding of the subject matter was that of Devi Bhagavata
Purana, originally recited by Krishna Dvaipayana Maharshi Veda Vyasa, who
described it as Maha Purana, elevating its status above the Eighteen Main
Puranas, viz. Agni Purana, Bhagavata Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Brahma Purana,
Brahmanda Purana, Brahma Vivarta Purana, Garuda Purana, Kurma Purana,
Linga Purana, Matysa Purana, Markandeya Purana, Narada Purana, Padma Purana,
Skanda Purana, Siva Purana, Vamana Purana, Varaha Purana, and Vishnu Purana.
Maharshi Veda Vyas divided the Maha Purana of Devi Maha Bhagavata into
Twelve ‘Skandas’(Volumes) containing three hundred Chapters totalling eighteen
thousand Stanzas.The Maha Purana describes how Devi Bhagavati, the Primeval
Energy, empowered ‘Maha Purusha’to create the Universe. The five major
Characteristics covered in the Purana are ‘Sarga’ ( Creation of the Universe)
by ‘Maha Purusha’or the Primeval Energy, ‘Prati Sarga’( Secondary
Creation), Dynasties of Solar and Lunar Kings, ‘Manvantaras’ beginning from
Swayambhu Manu and the subsequent Manus, and Portrayal of Manus and other
Kings.
Maha
Vishnu remote-controlled by Devi Bhagavati
Devi
Bhagavati or Vidya is known as an amalgam of Three Characteristics, viz.
Satvika Sakti, reflected in Goddess Sarasvati; Rajasika Sakti as represented by
Goddess Maha Lakshmi; and Tamasika Sakti known as Maha Kali. Also, the Maha
Sakti is represented by the Trinity viz. Lords Brahma the Creator, Vishnu
the Preserver and Siva the Destroyer ( Srishti, Stithi and Laya Karakas).
In the Introductory
Recitation of Devi Bhagavatam, Sage Suta quoted Narada Maharshi as having
confirmed by Lord Vishnu Himself to Lord Brahma that His own
Premordial Energy of Universal Existence is the result of Her
empowerment to Maha Vishnu to execute Her commands! Maha Vishnu reiterated that
He is subservient to Devi Bhagavati and is always in Her Tapasya or meditation,
but at the same time, enjoys freedom to possess the company of Goddess Lakshmi,
to incarnate Himself in various forms and features some times as Dasavataras as
Fish, Tortoise, Boar, Man-Lion, Dwarf, Rama, Parasurama, Krishna, Buddha or
Kalki; some times as Mohini to distribute ‘Amrit’ or Nectar and so on. But His
actions are always remote-controlled and are oriented to protect the Virtuous
and punish the Wicked. Thus Maha Vishnu is indeed the Highest Representative of
Maha Devi with full freedom to act on His own, within the framework of Her
Supreme Control.
Devi
Bhagavati blesses Vishnu as Hayagreeva
As Indra and
Demi-Gods were performing a Sacrifice in the presence of Brahma and Mahesa,
they had all desired Maha Vishnu to preside over the Function and
called on Him. But, Lord Vishnu was in ‘Yoga Nidra’or the Sleep of Deep
Meditation and nobody would dare wake Him. More over, interruptions of
somebody’s speech, the love of a couple, or waking up a person’s deep sleep are
sins equivalent to ‘Brahma hatya’ or killing of a Brahmana.
The Lord was
seated in a ‘Padmasana’ posture squatting with His legs folded and resting His
chin on the top of His Bow with an Arrow fully drawn. As the Sacrifice was to
be concluded, Lord Siva advised Lord Brahma to create a White Ant, ‘Vamri’ and
directed it to bite the arrow gently which should wake up the Lord to
consciousness and thus make the request. The Vamri sensed the delicate
situation and requested Brahma to grant it a return boon for the great risk
being undertaken in disturbing the Yoga Nidra of no less a personality than
Maha Vishnu Himself! Lords Brahma and Siva gave a boon to the Vamri that what
ever trickles from the Sacrificial Offerings of Ghee in the Homa Kunda
(Fire Pit) would spill out could be collected as its share. As commanded by
Brahma, the insect bit the fore-end of the arrow and the tight string gave way
at once and the entire Universe reverberated with horrifying sound as the
earth quaked, mountains were shaken, Oceans rose high, Sun lost way and Devas
got traumatised. Maha Vishnu’s Head was severed with His Crown and there was no
trace as to where it fell! Along with Devas, Brahma and Siva cried like human
beings as there was a ‘Pralaya’-like situation( Universal Dissolution). Then
Deva Guru Brihaspati consoled Indra, Brahma and Siva and emboldened them to
countenance the grim situation, as such eventualities did happen in the past.
The only recourse that Lords Siva and Brahma, accompanied by Indra and Demi-Gods, had was that in one voice, they made an intense appeal to Maha Devi Bhagavati, the Eternal Cause of Causes, the very Original Energy, the Life Force of entire Creation, the Bindu and Pranava, the Sourcing Fountain of knowledge and above all the Embodiment of Charity and Forgiveness. Pleased by the most sincere prayers of Brahma and Siva downward, ‘Nirguna’ Maha Devi hinted that there ought to be a cause for the tragedy. In the company of Maha Lakshmi, once Maha Vishnu laughed by thinking of something. Lakshmi Devi failed to understand the possible reason as to why Vishnu was so much amused about. Was it a spot on Her face or was it due to another woman in His desire? Then as Vishnu did not clarify, Lakshmi assumed ‘Tamasic Guna’ and gave a curse to Him saying that His head should fall off. Thus happened the resultant tragedy despite Her sincere repentance.
The only recourse that Lords Siva and Brahma, accompanied by Indra and Demi-Gods, had was that in one voice, they made an intense appeal to Maha Devi Bhagavati, the Eternal Cause of Causes, the very Original Energy, the Life Force of entire Creation, the Bindu and Pranava, the Sourcing Fountain of knowledge and above all the Embodiment of Charity and Forgiveness. Pleased by the most sincere prayers of Brahma and Siva downward, ‘Nirguna’ Maha Devi hinted that there ought to be a cause for the tragedy. In the company of Maha Lakshmi, once Maha Vishnu laughed by thinking of something. Lakshmi Devi failed to understand the possible reason as to why Vishnu was so much amused about. Was it a spot on Her face or was it due to another woman in His desire? Then as Vishnu did not clarify, Lakshmi assumed ‘Tamasic Guna’ and gave a curse to Him saying that His head should fall off. Thus happened the resultant tragedy despite Her sincere repentance.
While this
tragedy took place, there was a coincidental incident that a tough Davana of
extraordinary cruelty, named Hayagriva or the Demon with the neck of a
horse, resorted to severe ‘Tapas’ ( Meditation) to Maha
Bhagavati for thousands of years by following a strict regime of
Sacrifice and unflinching devotion. Maha Devi appeared before the
Rakshasa and granted him a boon that no Power in the Universe could cause death
to him, except by an Extraordinary Energy in the form similar to his own viz.
Hayagriva form alone could destroy him. Brahma and Siva hastened with the solution
to the present gravest tragedy and instructed Devata’s own Architect,
Visvakarma to do the needful. The Architect killed a horse at once and
fixed its neck to Lord Vishnu’s severed head and thus emerged Lord
Hayagriva.
Vishnu
destroys Madhu Kaitabha brothers
When Maha
Vishnu was in Yoga Nidra in a comfortable posture of lying on the bed of Ananta
Naga, two Demon brothers named Madhu and Kaitabha were born from the wax of
Maha Vishnu’s ears. Their birth was a mystery and unknown as felt by the brothers
themselves whose physical forms grew fast and strong day by day, even as they
were playing in the ocean surroundings, killing various kinds of aquatic
species for food or play.
Coming of
age in course of time, the Demon brothers with huge bodies and proportionate
common sense too, realised that there must have been a Massive Force which
alone could have given birth to them. From the air, they heard a sound
‘Vagbija’ the Seed Mantra ( Seed ‘Bija’ and ‘Vak’ the Speech of Goddess
Sarasvati). To start with fun, but later on with maturity, they kept on
practising the sound for years together, little realising the impact of the
Mantra’s repetition. In fact, they became so obsessed with the Mantra that they
neither had food nor sleep, but with full concentration and utmost sincerity.
‘The Parasakti’s Voice emerged from the Skies that the Danava brothers would be
invincible in the entire Universe provided they were united and fight two-some.
Blessed by Maha Devi, the two brothers became swollen with pride and eventually
attacked Lord Brahma Himself. On realising that they were unconquerable, Brahma
who was seated on the lotus- head sprouting from Maha Vishnu’s navel, tried the
age-old four means. He tried to use ‘Sama (Counselling) ‘Dana’( Gifting or
bribing), ‘Bheda’( put one against another) and finally ‘Danda’(Punish), but
neither of these media appeared feasible; he ran away to Vaikuntha for
protection but Maha Vishnu was in Yoga Nidra. Brahma had thus prayed to Yoga
Nidra Devi to prompt Maha Vishnu to wake up. It was actually Maha Maya’s
discretion which mattered as Vishnu Himself could not regain consciouness on
His own. The concentrate of ‘Tamo Guna’- Maha Maya - was earnestly prayed to by
Brahma, as this was a prestige issue for him and the entire domain of
Gods! Maha Maya left Vishnu free and He was fully woken up to face the
challenge of the hour, viz. to either manipulate or massacre the brothers,
Madhu and Kaitabha. Lord Vishnu invited the brothers to fight with Himself. The
fight continued for five thousand years but without a tangible result. As the
Demons were clashing one after another and Lord Vishnu was in duel singly, the
latter asked the brothers to give a break as it was against Justice that they
took alternate positions while He was alone. During the break, Vishnu prayed to
Maha Sakti and complained that the fight was unfair and that they were also
given by Her the boon of voluntary death or ‘Svacchanda Maranam’. Maha
Sakti realised the lacuna in the duel and advised Vishnu to give boons to
the brothers so that a way out would automatically open up. Meanwhile, Maha
Sakti agreed to be present at the fight in physical form and disturb the
concentration of the Demon brothers by casting Her fake amorous looks. This
encouraged Vishnu to convey the Demons that their duel with Him was of great
quality and thus He was ready to give boons to them. They got into the trap as
they boasted that they were prepared to give boons to Him instead of the other
way around. Vishnu grabbed the opportunity and said that He be given the boon
of their death by killing each other! The brothers gave an excuse that the boon
could be given only provided there was no water or wetness in the Ocean. Vishnu
expanded his thighs manifold so that there could be adequate space for the
killings.The Demons expanded their bodies too and thus the thighs of Vishnu and
the body sizes of the brothers kept on increasing horizontally and vertically
proportionately. Finally, the illusion created by Vishnu proved stronger and
the brothers had to yield to their own killings. Thus Maha Sakti who assumed
human physique and paved the way to the killings of the Danava brothers
without breaking the Rules of ‘Dharma Yuddha’, partly by trickery and partly by
Maya or Illusion.
Devi
Bhagavati - ‘Nirguna’ and ‘Virupa’ Shakti
At this
juncture, the congregation of Sages at ‘Nimisharanya’ needed suitable
clarification as to whom precisely should one pray to or anchor one’s hearty
devotion to a specified target. The query appeared to be reasonable and the
replies so far looked rather nebulous. Muni Suta however did his best to reply
this pointed question with an equally pointed clarification. Indeed the Supreme
Force in action is one and only the one!
That Force
is Eternal, Unborn, All Encompassing and Unknown. Having firmly established
this Reality, the clarification required is as to whom one should dedicate and
pray to. Vedas, Sastras, Puranas, Upanishads and name which ever Scripture was
sourced, they all emphasized one uniform Truth that there were Satvik, Rajasic,
and Tamasic ‘Gunas’ ( Aspects) and the Trinity of Gods represented Creation by
Brahma, Preservation by Vishnu and Destruction by Siva. Trinity is Unity and
Unity is Trinity! They all represented the same and were not detached. It is
one’s vision that might get blurred but not the Realism. Side by side, one
should also recognise the ‘Nirguna’Aspect-an amalgam of all the features. Now,
where would be the aspect of Maha Shakti emerge here? That Super Force
again was the Nirguna Facet. Thus when one prayed, there was no canalisation or
distinction of Gods. But for the purpose of Idenification, one might keep the
entire target as an Entity, imagine a Physical form and facilitate one’s
concentration at it. Thus Siva is a part of Kundalini Shakti dominated by Tamo
Guna; Brahma is dominated by Rajasik Sakti, and Vishnu is Satvika Sakti; indeed
they are all one and the same. However Maha Sakti has no sex, age,
form, ‘Gunas’, Characteristics and Identity; in fact, that precisely is the Unknown
Truth. Thus replying to the question raised by the congregation of Sages,
Saunaka Muni asserted that pure thoughts or prayers, or whatever ‘means’ that
one might practise ought to be squarely targetted to Brahma Sanatani Sakti,
since there could never be any Super Energy without It; this was emphasised by
Narada Maharshi as was gathered from (and corraborated from Vyasa Deva) Brahma
who in turn was advised by Maha Vishnu Himelf
Interplay
of Primary ‘Gunas’ causes Chandra’s Romance with Tara
Having
explained the interplay of the three primary Gunas, Suanaka Muni
described that the memorable Veda Vyasa himself was smitten by the desire of
getting a child. In this context, he gave two relevant examples of obsessions
experienced by Chandra for Tara and King
Pururava for Urvasi to underline the fact that none is above the interplay of
the three Gunas. Brihaspati the Teacher of Demi-Gods had a beautiful wife named
Tara.
Once,
Chandra (Moon) visited the house of Brihaspati the Guru and instantly fell in
love with Tara, who too reciprocated her romantic feelings. In course of time,
she deserted Brihaspati and moved into Chandra’s house. Brihaspati approached
Chandra and counselled him that this romance with his own Guru’s wife was not
only illegitimate but a blatant infringement of Dharma which would attract a
sin tantamount to ‘Brahma Hatya’ or the murder of a Brahmana and asked
Tara to be returned to him. Chandra declined to do so as Tara
came away out of her own desire. Brihaspati visited Chandra again but the latter
was adamant to return Tara saying that the
couple were madly infatuated mutually.Brihaspati warned Chandra with dire
consequences and approached Indra for redressal. Indra himself faced a
situation similar but his role was as a cheat for masquerading Sage Gautama in
Ahalya’s bed and received the curse to imprint genital marks all over his body.
However his role was that of the Chief of Devas and despatched an intelligent
emissary to Chandra Loka. The Representative advised Chandra to be sensible as
he already had twenty eight beautiful Stars as his wives and even offered any
of the Apsara Damsels to quench his lust.The Messenger returned to Indra empty
handed and the latter decided to wage a war against Chandra Loka. Knowing of
this incident, the Danava Guru Sukracharya, the arch-rival of Deva Guru
Brihaspati, espoused the cause of Chandra and assured of the help of Demons in
a possible war. Meanwhile Brahma Himself flew across by His ‘Hamsa
Vahana’ (Chariot of Swan) to Chandra Loka and consequently Chandra let Tara
return to Brihaspati, who was happy and excused Tara
for her indiscretion. Tara a pregnant woman gave birth to a charming boy but Tara confirmed that he was Chandra’s own son and Chandra
took away the child and named him ‘Budha’.
Budha
weds Ila ( King Sudyumna)
As Budha fell
in love with Ila, a beautiful woman, little did he realize that actually Ila
was a King turned into a woman. King Sudyumna a pious Ruler of his
subjects went into a forest for hunting but as he and followers entered the area,
they were all converted as women.This happened due to a ban imposed by Lord
Siva as He was alone with Parvati once, a few Sages entered the forest and
disturbed the Lord’s privacy. Not aware of this fact, the King and party
entered.
The King
thus converted into a woman was known as Ila, who out of shyness did not return
to the Kingdom. Per chance, Budha met Ila and they were married and begot a
child, named Pururava. Meanwhile Ila met Sage Vasishtha and revealed the entire
happening and the Sage prayed to Lord Siva and begged Him a way out for the
pious King Sudyumna to get back his original position. Lord Siva agreed to let
Ila attain manhood every alternate month. Thus the appearances of Ila and the
King alternated every month and as the wife of Budha, Ila gave birth to
Pururava. In course of time, when Pururava was made the King, Sudyumna retired
to Vanasprastha and prayed to Devi Bhagavati as Ila and her sincere devotion
paid off by absorbing her into the eternal Bhagavati Herself!
King
Pururava’s infatuation with Apsara Urvasi
King Pururava
proved himself as a model King ruling by Dharma, Varnashrama and other Vedic
principles. Meanwhile, Urvasi the Celestial Dansuese received a curse from a
Sage to leave to Earth for a fixed time-frame. On learning about the best
possible choice as a suitor in King Pururava, it was not difficult for him to
be lured and she agreed to marry him on three conditions that she would consume
only ‘ghee’ (classified butter), that he should take good care of two sheep that
she brought from Gandharva Loka and that she should not view his bare body
except in bed.
Fully
mesmerised by her presence in his company, Pururava’s interest in his duties of
governance got diluted gradually. Meanwhile, the time frame of her curse was over
and Indra sent his persons to steal the sheep. When he knew about the
pilferage, he chased the thieves not even realising that he was unclad but the
celestial thieves outsmarted him. Urvasi got terribly infuriated as Pururava
broke the contract on both the counts of chasing away the thieves unclad and
not being able to safeguard the sheep. She left him for heavens and Pururava’s
frustration and pangs of separation got him distressed to such an extent that
he wandered various places aimlessly. By chance he saw Urvasi at
Kurukshetra, profusely regretted his follies and entreated her to return
to him, when she advised that their meeting was purely temporary and that he
should overcome his infatuation with her. Thus there indeed were instances of
interaction of ‘Gunas’ of which Veda Vyasa was no exception.
Maharshi
Veda Vyas and Son Suka Maha Muni
Maharshi
Krishna Dvipayana Veda Vyas, son of Sage Parasara and Satyavati, got a desire
to secure a child. With this wish, he performed severe ‘Tapasya’ addressed to
Maha Devi and to Maha Deva Sankara for hundred years. Indra had suggested to
Sankara that His prayers be kindly be approved as the Maharshi’s strict
observance of further penance could not be continued any longer.
Bhagavan
Sankara appeared before Veda Vyasa and granted him the boon of getting a son
who would be a rare example of Purity, Great Virtue and Spiritual
Enlightenment. Veda Vyasa was carried away by what Sankara blessed and
initiated the Agni Homa action by the ‘Arani’ process of rubbing wooden
pieces to light up. Just then, the Celestial Apsara (nymph), Ghritachi made a
flashy appearance and cast amorous looks at the Maharshi. Being unsure of the
romantic reaction of the Maharshi who no doubt got disturbed in his mind about
her presence, she took the form of a tempting Parrot and flew across the Homa
Kunda; Maharshi could not resist his lust for the Apsara and discharged
his masculinity on the wooden sticks meant for Arani. Thus emerged from the
Arani Fire, a boy of extraordinary radiance and chiselled body features
resembling Veda Vyasa himself, excepting for his nose; He was named ‘Suka’ at
the Name Giving Ceremony, since the Apsara took the form of a parrot at the
moment of relieving his lust. The Maharshi enjoyed supreme happiness in fondling
the child and bringing him up. He was in fact born with full comprehension of
the Holy Scriptures and added to this, Veda Vyasa’s early training and
subsequent tutorship under Deva Guru Brihaspati made him an excellent ‘Jnani’.
He learnt Vedas, Sastras, and the entire gamut of Scriptures beyond which there
perhaps was left little that was worthy of imbibing. As the Brahmachari
attained marriageable age, Maharshi Vyas desired to perform the wedding of Suka
Muni who resisted the idea vehemently. He said that having been trained as an
ascetic, he had no desire whatsoever to enter into married life. Veda Vyasa
explained that that according to ‘Agamas’, the stage of ‘Garhastya’ or
married life was an integral part of human life of the four chapters viz.
‘Brahmacharya’, ‘Garhastya’, ‘Vanaprasthya’, and ‘Sanyasa’ as that was a
logical evolution of normal living. Vyasa said that the order of life was
disturbed in his own example but that exception was not a rule. Moreover, he
realised that he regretted his own action of remaining single and
infringed the Laws of Nature as stressed in the Sciptures. Suka Muni
counter-explained that human life was a very valuable achievement and as such
he would rather abstain from the so-called pleasures, causing the inevitable
pain, that ‘Samsara’ was a knife-edge existence of humanity and that he would
prefer the skip-up of the Garhasthya phase in his limited existence. He further
explained that the entire human existence was constanly engaged in a struggle
to get released from the complicated net of ‘Maya’( Illusion) and in a virtual
warfare against the ‘Arisht Vargas’or the Six Enemies of ‘Kama’ leading to and
the logical resultants of ‘Krodha’(Anger/ Intolerance),‘Lobha’(Meanness or
Possesivenes), ‘Moha’( Infatuation), ‘Mada’ (Arrogance) and ‘Matsarya’(
Jealousy). Between the two steps of temptation of entering into the net and the
desperation to break it out, there would be a wide abyss which would occupy
successive cycle of births and deaths owing to the concepts of ‘Sanchita’ (
latent), ‘Prarabdha’( Carry forward), and ‘Vartamana’( the Current Account) and
to perpetuate the vicious ‘Kala Chakra’ ( the Wheel of Time) further on would
be a conscious stupidity, if not an ignorant folly, thus argued Suka Muni.He
further stressed to Veda Vyasa that let alone normal human beings, but even
Indra, Brahma, Vishnu or Maheswara could never exist in peace as Indra always
kept protecting his throne from Asuras as he was their first target; Brahma had
this entire creation as His ‘Samsara’ or His family; Vishnu no doubt had Maha
Maya Lakshmi Herself as His partner but was fully engaged with the wily Demons’
atrocities to overcome and protect the balance of the entire Universe; Maheswar
was constanly busy with the destruction of evil forces. Humanity without
exception thus was persistently subject to want, struggle, helplessness,
and pessimism. A householder’s plight to subsist along with a family had
always led to cunning, meanness, hypocrisy and opportunism. Where was the time
for ‘Karma Kanda’ to perform, let alone remember the name of the Super Force,
when the full manifestation of Maya or Illusion was at an explosive point! The
Maha Maya Sakti had for instance submerged a Maharshi like the illustrious Veda
Vyasa- who had interpreted Vedas, created all the Eighteen Puranas and several
Upa Puranas, and innumerable Scriptures of eternal value to mankind- had an
intense sense of ‘Vyamoha’ or extreme possessiveness to his son, Suka and was
bent on making him a ‘Grihasthi’ since that would be his dream of his son to
wed a woman, procreate children and be an ideal householder!
Physical
Manifestation of Maha Devi to Vishnu
Veda Vyasa
had by now known Suka’s confirmed views on marriage and commended Suka’s
reading the Great Purana of Maha Bhagavata written by himself in which the
process of Creation of Universe was described in detail. In the Purana, he gave
the illustration of Lord Vishnu providing solace by Maya Maha Sakti when Vishnu
found Himself as a small child at the time of Pralaya or Universal Dissolution.
The Lord
was floating on water on a banyan tree leaf wondering as to how He
was brought in that state and who could have done so? A resonant Celestial
Voice was heard in a half stanza saying: ‘All this being witnessed is my doing
and there is nothing else eternal’. Even as Maha Vishnu was wondering what was
heard, He found a mass of radiance on the skies gradually taking the form of a
vision in full manifestation of Maha Bhagavati in the form of Maha Lakshmi with
divine robes and ornaments, four arms with conchshell, disc, lotus and mace.
She was floating on the Ocean waters along with Her personified Co-Sakties and
Vibhuties on either side viz. Rati, Bhuti, Buddhi, Mati, Kirti, Smriti, Dhriti,
Sraddha, Medha, Svadha, Svaha, Kshudha, Nidri, Daya, Gari, Tulsi, Pusti,
Kshama, Lajja and so on. Maha Vishnu was astonished as never before and with
folded hands kept on reciting the incomplete stanza that She was Eternal and
nothing else! Maha Lakshmi addressed Vishnu and said that each time there were
Universal Dissolutions herebefore, the same scenario happened and there were
unifications of His and Hers but He had not realised as He was under the spell
of Maha Maya which was Her’s again. She further said that Her physical
Manifestaion at present was unreal as She had none, but a Supreme Force as an
amorphous, unknown, everlasing, unborn, all pervading and omniscient Energy.
She commanded Vishnu to create Brahma and Siva- each one to create and destroy-
and represent the two Gunas of Rajas and Tamas and thus re-start the cycle of
life and death under the cover of Maya and that Vishnu should promote Satvika
Guna and handle the delicate task of safeguarding and preserving the
entire Universe as also protecting ‘Dharma’ ( Virtue) and ‘Nyaya’ ( Justice).
Further on, the process of creation of Demi- Gods, Sages, and human beings and
other species followed and so did the formation of Societies and Principles of
Dharmas, Varnashramas, and stages of human life and so on. By inference, Veda
Vyasa said that the established practices commended the insitution of
marriages, of the duties of Grihasta ( Householder ) and ‘karma kanda’,
followed by retirement, Sanyasa and finally attainment of Salvation- all in a
gradual process step by step. An adamant Suka was still not relenting in his
attitude and Veda Vyasa suggested Suka’s visit to Mithilapura and meet King
Janaka for his advice as he had ‘Jeevan Mukti’ ( Salvation while alive).
How
King Janaka convinced Suka Muni to marry?
Quite
reluctantly, Suka Muni travelled all the way from Meru Mountain
to Mithila. He was unaware of the nuances of City life and for the first time
ever witnessed himself the full demonstration of subdued virtues and blatant
vices, momentary joys and unending frustrations, rare displays of integrity and
loud noises of hypocrisy. Even the Gatemen stopped him to ascertain Suka’s
personal credentials and made him wait for days together.
Finally,
some Ministers and Officials enquired about him and found that he was the Great
son of memorable Veda Vyasa himself. He was ushered into the palace and
welcomed with grand luxuries for eight days and offered him the services
of coquettish maids but there was little reaction in him. The Muni met King
Janaka in his Court with full blast of music, dance and wine all around as
there were festivities in his honour. He was offered a full glass of milk and
was asked to greet a bevy of beauties singing and dancing around him.There was
absolutely no response whatsoever as his senses and elements were just the same
while taking rounds without spilling even a drop of milk. The King who, as
described by Veda Vyasa had the Status of Jeevan Mukta or Videha ( without body
but alive), was astounded at the boy’s equanimity and declared that he might as
well return to Veda Vyasa as his son was a paradigm of virtue par excellence
and that was most inflexible! But, the mission for which Vyasa referred
Suka Muni to the King was to make Suka agree to marry. Hence a
one-to-one dialogue was arranged and the process of serious discussion
proceeded. Suka Muni argued,- as he had done with his father earlier- summing
up that he would rather choose the ‘Vihanga Marg’ ( sky route) as against the
land route or a short-cut to salvation without wasting his precious life with the
experimenta -tions of ‘Samsara’ or the house-hold chores viz. ‘Garhastya’ and
‘karmkanda’. King Janaka allowed the boy to steam off and initiated the process
of subtle counselling. He said:‘ Even if human passions ‘seem’ to be under
control, the state of ‘Sanyasa’ is not bound to be as easy as is made to
be in practice. The term ’Yoga’ is highly deceptive as it presumes overcoming
wants ranging from hunger and thirst, sleep and ill health and such bare needs
for the meagre existence to medium kinds of wants such as a place to live, a
companion to live with, family happiness, medical help, and such other minimum
facilities which are not only highly permissible but are infact prescribed in
Scriptures. Any fall from the high altitudes of Yoga would be too steep
leading again to the low levels of frustration, self-condemnation and
helplessness. That was precisely what the Holy Scriptures including Vedas
recited by Brahma Himself. He prescribed the step-by-step methodology of
Varnasrama. Even Gods and Demi-Gods followed the path of ‘Garhastya’. A person
following the normal route would be immune from succesess and failures and
could buffer the consequences with equal ease, provided of course one does not
transgress avoidable pitfalls. Moreover, in exceptional cases like in the case
of Suka Muni, there is the least possibility of unwanted attractions as he
would be unaffected anyway. The example of Janaka himself is worth following as
he was ‘Videha’ ( body less) yet he knew the pattern of Jeevan Mukta or
Moksha while Living a Contented Life. Why suffer without reasonable and
allowable comforts rather than living morally and normally by still achieving
the desired objective of Salvation? There is no need to rule out a view
that the World is optimistic if we moderate the senses and control the mind,
instead of complaining that the World is a hell and full of misery and
meanness. Also, how could one enjoy the effect of ‘coolness’ unless the deadly
impact of ‘heat’ is suffered. A Karma Yogi who practises controls and
discipline, like a dew drop on a lotus leaf, would have the Golden Mean of
enjoying ‘Iham’( the satisfaction of Good Living) and ‘Param’ (the attainment
of the Final Goal)! Having been more or less convinced that Sanyasa yoga
for his age and keeping in view the relevant factors might not be unsuitable,
Suka sought certain clarifications on a few issues, as though he wished to hear
from Videha Janaka for public enlightentment. The issues were related to
killing of animals, consumption of wine and attachment to sex. He wondered as
to how these habits were permitted in the Scriptures! As regards the aspect of
meat eating, Scriptures allowed animal sacrifice for the purpose of Yagnas and
specified ceremonies like Asvamedha Yagas, Goat or other Sacrifices of animals
and so on but certainly not oriented to indiscriminate killings for the sake of
enjoyment of meat eating. Similarly, drinking Soma Rasa is strictly as an
integral part of Yagnas invoking Gods through Fire Sacrifices involving
elaborate procedures through the chanting of relevant mantras and are of purely
religious orientation; for instance, a person performing certain
Sacrifices as per established format approved by Scriptures are known as
Somayajis and are highly revered. But consumpion of alcohol is never approved
for personal enjoyment. So is the case of involvement with women. Indeed no
Scripture approved of blanket sex excepting with a lawful wife that too only
for procreation purposes in moderated measure and not with comprehensive
license which verges with vice or obssession and certainly not extra-marital,
in any case.
Muni
Suka’s wedding and Salvation thereafter
Muni Suka
returned from Mithilapura a changed person and to the greatest delight of his
father, married the daughter of a Muni named Pivari and they had four sons and
a daughter all of whom were happy in their weddings too. Maha Muni selected
Mount Kailash subsequently to practise higher disciplines of Yoga, achieved
Siddhies of Anima, Laghima and so on and finally ascended further from
the top of Mount
Kailasa to realise
self-realisation to join the Supreme Bhagavati.
As Veda
Vyasa got shaken up from his son’s absence and practised heavy penance
targetting Maheswara as the embodiment of Tamas Guna, the Lord appeared and
gave him the boon that he could always find Suka in his own shadow!
After the departure of his son, Veda Vyasa was a frustrated person and carried on with his disciples Asita, Devala, Vaisampayana, Jaimini, Sumanta and others and after their studies were over, he despatched them with the tasks of propagating Dharma all over. He left Meru Mountain to meet his mother Satyavati from whom he left long ago on the banks of Ganges. He realised that his mother was married to the King of Hastinapur, Santanu on the condition that another son of his, Bhishma born from his first wife Ganga, would neither marry nor beget a child since there shold not be any progeny to claim the throne. Shantanu and Satyavati gave birth to Chitrangada and Vichitra-Virya. After Shantanu died, Chitrangada became the King but in a war with Gandharvas, Chitrangada died and Vichitravirya was made the King. Bhishma desired that Vichitravirya be married as he was eligible and when the King of Kasi announced a ‘Swayamvara’ ( bride’s choice among the Invited Kings), Bhishma forcibly took away three brides- Amba, Ambika and Ambalika to Hastinapura. On arrival, Amba requested that since she already selected the King of Salva at the Svayamvara, she might be please allowed to do so and Bhishma agreed. But the King of Salva did not agree and as she returned back insisting that as per Dharma Bhishma must marry her. Since Bhishma did not agree that even earlier, Amba left for the forest and became an ascetic. King Vichitravirya married Ambika and Ambalika but was not able to extend the progeny and died of premature death. Then came up a crisis of Kingship falling vacant without a heir. Satyavati called for Vedavyasa who was settled on the banks of River Sarasvati to help continue the lineage through Ambika and Ambalika. Ambika closed her eyes in bed with Veda Vyasa as she was not happy with the union and thus a blind boy, Dhrita- rashtra was delivered. Ambalika sent a Servant woman into the bed and a wise boy, Vidura was born. But when the mistake was realised and Ambalika had to go into the bed, she was too frightened into paleness afraid of the Maha Muni and thus was born Pandu. No doubt Pandu became the King before his elder brother who was born blind but since he died of early death due to illness, Dhritarashtra the blind had to be the King.
After the departure of his son, Veda Vyasa was a frustrated person and carried on with his disciples Asita, Devala, Vaisampayana, Jaimini, Sumanta and others and after their studies were over, he despatched them with the tasks of propagating Dharma all over. He left Meru Mountain to meet his mother Satyavati from whom he left long ago on the banks of Ganges. He realised that his mother was married to the King of Hastinapur, Santanu on the condition that another son of his, Bhishma born from his first wife Ganga, would neither marry nor beget a child since there shold not be any progeny to claim the throne. Shantanu and Satyavati gave birth to Chitrangada and Vichitra-Virya. After Shantanu died, Chitrangada became the King but in a war with Gandharvas, Chitrangada died and Vichitravirya was made the King. Bhishma desired that Vichitravirya be married as he was eligible and when the King of Kasi announced a ‘Swayamvara’ ( bride’s choice among the Invited Kings), Bhishma forcibly took away three brides- Amba, Ambika and Ambalika to Hastinapura. On arrival, Amba requested that since she already selected the King of Salva at the Svayamvara, she might be please allowed to do so and Bhishma agreed. But the King of Salva did not agree and as she returned back insisting that as per Dharma Bhishma must marry her. Since Bhishma did not agree that even earlier, Amba left for the forest and became an ascetic. King Vichitravirya married Ambika and Ambalika but was not able to extend the progeny and died of premature death. Then came up a crisis of Kingship falling vacant without a heir. Satyavati called for Vedavyasa who was settled on the banks of River Sarasvati to help continue the lineage through Ambika and Ambalika. Ambika closed her eyes in bed with Veda Vyasa as she was not happy with the union and thus a blind boy, Dhrita- rashtra was delivered. Ambalika sent a Servant woman into the bed and a wise boy, Vidura was born. But when the mistake was realised and Ambalika had to go into the bed, she was too frightened into paleness afraid of the Maha Muni and thus was born Pandu. No doubt Pandu became the King before his elder brother who was born blind but since he died of early death due to illness, Dhritarashtra the blind had to be the King.
Genesis
of ‘Matsyagandha’ alias Satyavati
There was a
pious King Uparichara Vasu of Chedi
Kingdom who had a
beautiful wife Girika. Such was his devotion that Lord Indra was pleased
and gifted him an air- borne flying chariot. On the day of the ‘Sraddha’
( annual ceremony) of his deceased father and ancestors, his wife had a desire
to bear a child from him but in view of the Ceremony, he left for a
forest to hunt a deer for the Sacrifice as also fetch other material for
the Ceremony.
But when he
was reminded of his wife’s request, he was overcome with passion and spilt his
virility which he did not wish to waste and thus retained it on a banana leaf
and commanded a falcon to carry the packet to his queen with a
message to her. Another falcon mistook the leafy packet as a piece of meat and
snatched it. In the clash of the falcons, the packet fell in a river.
Meanwhile an ‘Apsara’ (Celestial nymph), named ‘Adrika’ who was bathing in the
river mistakenly dragged the feet of a Brahmana performing his prayers on the
banks of the river. He cursed the Apsara to become a fish as his meditation was
interrupted. That fish swallowed the floating leafy packet and thus got
pregnant.. The fish was caught by a fisherman after nine months and found from
its stomach twin babies - a boy and a girl child. The fisherman presented
the babies to the pious King, who by his mystic powers visualised the boy as
his own child from the banana leaf and hence retained him to be the future King,
and gave away the baby back to the fisherman and gifted him with riches enough
to bring up the girl-child. This was the genesis of ‘Matsyodari’ who grew as an
extraordinary beauty. Sage Parasara who wished to cross the river by boat was
managed by ‘Matsyagandha’ and her voluptuous physical features raised instant
infatuation for the fisher woman. Before yielding at a lonely island in the
river, she demanded that she should spread heavenly fragrance from her body
over an area of one yojana- or Yojanagandha- and that she should be blessed
with an exraordinary son well versed with Scriptures and unparallelled devotion
to Almighty. Parasara renamed the woman as Satyavati and also blessed her to
become a Queen. The memorable son of Parasara and Satyavati was Krishna Dvipayana Veda Vyasa, as he had the purity of
Lord Vishnu Himself and Dvipayana since he was born in a river island ( Dvipa).
Chain
reaction of Ganga -King Mahabhisha-Ashta
Vasus- King Shantanu
There was a
virtuous King Mahabhisha of Ikshvaku Dynasty who pleased Indra with a series
of ‘Asvametha’ and ‘Vajapeya’ Sacrifices and attained Indra Loka after
his death. Once he had attended the Court of Lord Brahma and along with him was
seated Devi Ganga. He was immensely attracted
to her and she too reciprocated with her amorous glances. Brahma got disturbed
and cursed both of them to take to human lives as husband and wife.
Mahabhisha
opted to be the son of King Pratipa of Puru Dynasty. At the same time
Ashta-Vasus ( Eight Vasus) of the Celestial Region headed by Vasu Prithi
and their families visited Sage Vasishtha’s ‘Ashram’ and admired ‘Kama Dhenu’
the Sacred Cow whose milk bestowed disease-less longevity and sublime
happiness. The wife of one of the Vasus, Dyau was impressed with the Cow and
quietly stole it and its calf. Sage Vasishtha found in his ‘Diya Drishti’
( Celestial Vision) that Nandini the Sacred Cow was in the custody of Vasu Dyau and cursed all the Vasus to be turned as human beings. Being highly repentant, the Vasus beseeched Vasishtha to dilute the effect of the curse and out of compassion the Sage agreed to one year’s human life to seven Vasus as their involvement was indirect but Vasu Dyau should have a full life time. The Vasus, who knew about Brahma’s curse to Ganga Devi, approached her to give birth to Seven Vasus of one year’s human life each and one life time’s existence to the last born Vasu. But this was agreed to subject to the condition that her prospective husband should agree to freedom of her action without any reservation and if he did not, she would quit as the husband. Eventually, Ganga waited on the banks of River Ganges and awaited the arrival of King Pradipa of Kuru Dynasty for meditation. The King arrived to perform ‘Surya Namaskaras’ on the river bed and Ganga appeared as a charming woman and sat straightaway on his right lap, indicating thereby that the place was to seat a son / daughter. The damsel identified herself as Ganga Devi and replied that she would await his son’s arrival who was yet to be born. In course of time, King Pradipa got his son, Shantanu, and as he grew as a handsome youth advised him to meet Ganga Devi who would propose but cautioned that he should not ask her questions and agree to whatever she asked. Accordingly, Ganga Devi, the eternal beauty, agreed to wed Shantanu and agreed to her conditions unilaterally. She gave immense happiness to Shantanu, who became the King after his father’s abdication of the throne. After a year, they were blessed with a boy, but she took the baby and submerged him in the flow of Ganga! To his great surprise, Shantanu witnessed the horror of the child’s cruel drowning in the flow but dared not say one word to his wife. This happening was repeated again and again for seven times and as the eight child was born, Shantanu protested and Ganga as per their contract left, but requested that the boy be named as Gangeya.
( Celestial Vision) that Nandini the Sacred Cow was in the custody of Vasu Dyau and cursed all the Vasus to be turned as human beings. Being highly repentant, the Vasus beseeched Vasishtha to dilute the effect of the curse and out of compassion the Sage agreed to one year’s human life to seven Vasus as their involvement was indirect but Vasu Dyau should have a full life time. The Vasus, who knew about Brahma’s curse to Ganga Devi, approached her to give birth to Seven Vasus of one year’s human life each and one life time’s existence to the last born Vasu. But this was agreed to subject to the condition that her prospective husband should agree to freedom of her action without any reservation and if he did not, she would quit as the husband. Eventually, Ganga waited on the banks of River Ganges and awaited the arrival of King Pradipa of Kuru Dynasty for meditation. The King arrived to perform ‘Surya Namaskaras’ on the river bed and Ganga appeared as a charming woman and sat straightaway on his right lap, indicating thereby that the place was to seat a son / daughter. The damsel identified herself as Ganga Devi and replied that she would await his son’s arrival who was yet to be born. In course of time, King Pradipa got his son, Shantanu, and as he grew as a handsome youth advised him to meet Ganga Devi who would propose but cautioned that he should not ask her questions and agree to whatever she asked. Accordingly, Ganga Devi, the eternal beauty, agreed to wed Shantanu and agreed to her conditions unilaterally. She gave immense happiness to Shantanu, who became the King after his father’s abdication of the throne. After a year, they were blessed with a boy, but she took the baby and submerged him in the flow of Ganga! To his great surprise, Shantanu witnessed the horror of the child’s cruel drowning in the flow but dared not say one word to his wife. This happening was repeated again and again for seven times and as the eight child was born, Shantanu protested and Ganga as per their contract left, but requested that the boy be named as Gangeya.
Gangeya,
the exemplary ‘Bhishma’, of Mahabharata
For a long
time since Ganga Devi left Shantanu, the
latter had no interest in life and Gangeya, who was increasingly aware of his
father’s disenchantment in the duties of Kingship, virtually carried on the
burden lightly. As a dutiful son, he did whatever was possible or even
impossible, but for the replacement of the position of a mother.
Once when
he accompanied his father on a royal hunt on the banks of River Yamuna and
found an extraordinarily stunning woman whose body flavour was heavenly and
intoxicating. Her captivating physical features sent tremors in Shantanu’s mind
and asked his son Gangeya to enquire about her. The lady replied that she was a
fisherwoman and any enquiry about herself be ascertained by her father only at
their abode. The fisherman was not sure whether her daughter’s future would be
assured since a grown up King-in-Waiting was already in place. Gangeya gave an
assurance that he would not put in a claim for Kingship. But this did not
satisfy the fisherman as Gangeya’s next kin would definitely make the claim to
the throne. Then Gangeya declared that in view of the apprehensions
expressed by the fisherman and subtly endorsed by his daughter, he would take a
Sacred Vow before all witnesses concerned that he would never ever marry!
Shantanu as well as the entire Kingdom were taken aback by the decision of
Gangeya. Shantanu tried to wriggle out of the deal, but Gangeya did not allow
any departure from his vow; he said that the sacrifice being performed was not
comparable to that of Parasurama, who for the asking by his father Jamadagni,
had cut his own mother’s head on the flimsy reasoning of her imagined flicker
of mind when she saw a Gandharva bathing; or to Lohitasya who allowed himself
to be sold to a Brahmin as a servant boy, for working heinous household duties
leading to death, to repay his father Harischandra’s debt to Sage Visvamitra;
or obeying the implicit instruction of his father Dasaratha conveyed by Queen
Kaikayi to abandon the self and wife Sita to fourteen years of forest life as
an ascetic couple ending by the kidnapping of his wife and undergoing untold
misery and torture! Thus quoting such examples, Gangeya announced to the whole
World that not only he would not marry but protect the entire progeny of the
‘Vamsa’ as long as he lived! Thus was given Gangeya the indelible name of
Bhishma in the generations to follow!
Pandavas
and Kauravas- Quick proceedings of ‘Maha Bharata’
Since the
elder issue of Veda Vyasa from Ambika, Dhritharashtra was born blind,
Ambalika’s son Pandu was made the King with the approval of Bhishma, the
driving force of the Kingdom, with Hastinapura as the Capital. The elder
brother had two wives Gandhari and Sauvali, the former being the Prime Wife and
the latter was a keep in the household.
Gandhari,
the daughter of Gandhara Desa and brother of Sakuni, gave birth to one
hundred sons, the elder two being the notorious Duryodhana and Dussasana
(actual names were Suyodhana and Susasana, standing for Good Warrior and Good
Administrator). Gandhari preferred to close her eyes always, out of sentiment
as her husband was blind. Sauvali’s son was Yuyutsu. Pandu Raja ,
the earlier King, was married to Kunti, the daughter of King Surasena and the
paternal aunt of Lord Krishna. The Raja also married Madri, the daughter of
King Madra. When Kunti was a very young girl, her father asked her to assist Sage
Durvasa in a four month long Sacrifice / Yagna performed by him and after the
end of the Function, he was pleased to teach a Mantra to her which could
invoke any of the Demi Gods and Allied Devatas including Indra, Surya,
Yamadharma Raja and Vayu, as well as allied Demi-Gods like Aswini Kumars. Out
of curiosity, Kunti experimented by invoking Sun God in her private chamber and
to her great surprise and dismay she found Surya Himself standing before her
and asked her as to whether she desired a son or a daughter. Being of a tender
age of preteens, she was flabbergasted at the odd statement of Surya’s but
since the latter understood the predicament of the girl, Surya gave her the
boon that her virginity would not be disturbed, but she should however be
conceived. Kunti took her personal maid into confidence and even informing her
mother of the incident, she did not step out of her chamber. After nine months,
she delivered a boy of exceeding radiance and attraction with inborn armoury
and ear-rings. With the help of the maid, she arranged the child in a floating
box and placed it on a nearby waterbody. A charioteer of the Court of the King,
Atiradha and his wife found the floating casket and as they did not have an
issue, considered the child as a great blessing and brought him up as ‘Karna’
since he had ear-rings in-born and as Radheya after the name of the step
mother. Therafter Kunti considered the incident as forgotten of her innocent
childhood. Subsequently Kunti married King Pandu in a ‘Swayamvara’( as per
the bride’s own choice), but soon thereafter, King Pandu received a curse
from a Brahmana who was targetted by the King’s arrow mistaken for a deer in
copulation and the curse was that if he slept with a woman, he would fall dead
at once. The King knew that without begetting a son he would not be able to
cross the River Vaitarani at the entry point of hell itself and the soul would
get stuck there itself! Pandu suggested that Scriptures would allow a virtuous
Brahmana to sleep with her and Kunti informed that she knew a Mantra as gifted
by Durvasa Muni and by reciting that she could be blessed.Thus, Kunti invoked
Yama Dharma Raja, Vayu, and Indra from time to time and was blessed with three
sons,viz. Dharmaraja, Bhima and Arjuna respectively. She also passed on the
Mantra to Madri who begot Nakula and Sahadeva as twin brothers. Once when Pandu
ventured a wrong move to invite Madri in bed, Pandu died because of the
Brahmana’s curse as expected, and Madri too died in self-immolation, leaving
the two sons to Kunti’s care. Hence they came to be popular as
Pancha-Pandavas.As Pandu died, Dhritarashtra was sworn in as the King and there
were quick changes in Hastinapura, because of a blind King doting on his
children especially Duryodhana who was in evil league as ‘Dushta Chatushtaya’
or the Four Wicked Men along with his younger brother Dussasana, his maternal
uncle Sakuni and Karna (who was declared as the Ruler of a Subsidiary Anga
Desa, as he was barred otherwise from Royal responsibilities and rights since
he did not have Kshatria origin as the son of a charioteer). The Evil Four had
constant quarrels with their Pandava cousins, due to jealousy, as the
cousins were far more disciplined and stronger as also since Kuru Vamsa elders
and others liked them more. The Evil Four pretended sympathy for Pandavas and
wanted them to move into a new Palace but their intention was to kill them
while sleeping as the Palace was made of lac and susceptible to quick
fire. Thanks to Krishna’s foresight and
precautionary measures, Pandavas exited safe from the burning Palace through a
secret passage, as the Evil Four misled the Public that Pandavas and Kunti were
burnt. Meanwhile Pandavas masqueraded as Brahmanas and stayed in a poor
family house on rent. When the turn of sparing a person from the
landlord’s house came up for Sacrifice to a Demon, named Bakasura, (as per a
contract with the village heads and the Demon that instead of his killing
the Villagers indiscriminately), Bhima the strong man opted to reach the
Demon’s abode away from the Village and brought relief to the Villagers by
killing him in a severe duel. From thereon, Pandavas still appearing as
Brahmanas, moved on to King Drupada’s Court for Druapadi’s Swayamvara and
succeded in the test of destroying a fish on a quickly moving wheel kept above
one’s head by an arrow while viewing its reflection down in a water pool
underneath. This feat was possible only to an ace archer. Karna and
Kauvaras attended the Swayam Vara too. Only Arjuna could perform the feat
as Karna who too was a great archer had failed, again causing jealousy on
learning that the Brahmanas were fake and actually they were Pandavas. On
hearing the good news that after all Pandavas were not dead, the Elders of Kuru
Vamsa including Bhishna, Dronacharya, and Kripacharya were overjoyed but the
Evil Four were shaken. They agreed that a portion of the Kigdom be given
away to Pandavas as a peace making measure and the Elders like Bhishna
appreciated the gesture. Pandavas thus moved to a new Capital at Indrprastha
where a fantastic ‘Maya Sabha’ or a Palace
of Illusions built by the
Divine Architect-Designer by the name Maya. Recovering from their days of
misfortune, Pandavas recouped and performed ‘Rajasuya Yagna’and invited
Kauravas including the Elders like Bhishma, Drona, Vidura and Kripacharya as
well as the Evil Four. Lord Krishna who had always been a staunch supporter of
Pandavas was honoured as the Chief Guest and when King Sisupala the evil
opponent of Krishna objected and insulted the
latter, his Sudarsana Chakra (Wheel) snipped his head. The Evil Four,
especially Duryodhana felt highly envious of Pandavas, invited them to
Hastinapura only to trap Dharmaraja into an unjust chess game with Sakuni who
was an expert in it and defeated Pandavas against stiff conditions of losing
their Kingdom and even themselves including Draupadi, with whom an attempt was
made for disrobing. The conditions were twelve years of forest life and one
year of unidentifiable destination where they should not be recognised failing
which, the terms could be doubled! During the forest life of twelve years,
Kauravas tormented Pandavas and during the year long ‘Ajnanavas’ or
unreconizable place, took refuge in changed status with Dharmaraja as Kanku
Bhat or Brahmana Adviser to King Virat in his latter’s court, Draupadi as
‘Sairandhri’ as the Maid in the Queen’s Chamber, Bhima as the cook in the
Royal kitchen, Arjuna as ‘Brihannala’-the transgender dance teacher of the
Princess Uttara; Nakula and Sahadeva as the keepers of horses and cows.
During the course of their stay in the Virat kingdom, Pandavas underwent
unknown torture and humiliation including the attempted molestation of
Sairandhri by the King’s powerful brother-in-law, named Keechaka who was
quietly eliminated by Bhima in a night duel. At the end of their stay in
cognito, Kauravas tried to capture the cows of King Virat but by that time
Brihannala came into the form of Arjuna as the ‘Agyata vasa’ year was over and
destroyed the Kaurava Army single handedly and having utilised the ‘Sammohana
Astra’ or the ‘Mantra’ which lulled the War Stalvarts like Bhishma, Drona,
Asvatthama and of course the Evil Four into long slumber and released the cows
of King Virat back home. There were talks of ‘Sandhi’ or Reconcilliation held
by Krishna on behalf of Pandavas but the puffed up Evil Four refused even to a
pin-some space to Pandavas, let alone five villages to the five some and the
Great War of Mahabharata was fought for eighteen days dragging even the Elders
of Kuru Vamsa like Bhishma, Drona and quite a few pious persons by the Evil
Four on one side and Pandavas on the other with Krishna as Charioteer cum
unarmed Adviser of Pandavas. A major casuality from the Pandavas side was that
of brave and young Abhimanyu, the son of Arjun and Subhadra, in a ‘Chakra
Vyuha’(a circular closed fight) among many- to-one unjust encounter. There was
mass destruction on both sides and the tragedies of stalwarts including the
entire generation of Illustrious Elders who took part in the Battle as also the
Evil Four, with Duryodhana as the last to fall to Bhima, who killed Dussasana
earlier.
Maha
Bhagavati allows vision of the dead at Kurukshetra Battle
Pursuant to
the Great Battle, the respected ladies of both Kauravas and Pandavas who lost
their husbands, sons, grand sons, grand fathers, fathers, in-laws and
nephews collected on the banks of Ganges and prayed toVeda Vyasa to
secure a glimpse of the departed, since the ladies could not go to the battle
field. Among the ladies were Kunti, Gandhari, Draupadi, Subhadra and Uttara.
Dhritarashtra
and Pandava Heros were also invited to the expected miracle-spectacle. The
Maharshi performed Pranayama and deep yoga- oriented meditation to the Unknown
and Omniscient Devi Bhagavati. His intense and continued worship for quite
sometime and as an indication of the positive response received from Maha Devi,
there were indications on a huge sky-long celestial screen and there were
quick glimpses of the one-to-one fights and the resultant deaths and reactive
celebrations; the screen views of the Linga and Limbless Bodies of the
departed souls which were recognised at once by the concerned eyes, but not the
converse.
Asvathama
punished and Parikshith born
Asvathama
could not reconcile to the death of his father Drona Acharya who was otherwise
invincible but as per Krishna’s advice, Bhima killed an elephant named
Asvathama and made Bhima shout that Asvathama was killed and conveyed the news
to Drona Acharya. Drona was horrified at the news, asked Dharmaraja for confirmation
and the latter confirmed: ‘Asvathama died-the elephant ! But he said further in
a very low tone saying ‘ Asvthama hata: Kunjarah’.
Thus Drona
was cheated, hung his bow and arrows and sat still in meditation, when
Arjuna showered arrows and killed Drona. Desirous of killing Arjuna in sleep,
Asvathama did not find him, but thus killed the full party of Arjuna’s sons in
sleep. In turn, Arjuna located Asvathama and fought a fierce battle. Drona’s
son finally used to ‘Brahmastra’, the most potent Mantric arrow. Arjuna too
retaliated by the use of the same Astra and controlled Asvathama. Yudhistara
and Krishna advised not to kill Asvathama but
cut the naturally born ‘Shringa’ Jewel ( diamond horn), which
itself was an ugly insult to him. The impact of Asvathama’s Brahamastra
would have normally torn off Arjuna’s pregnant daughter-in-law Uttara, bur for
Lord Krishna’s mystic intervention. The child thus born to Uttara was
Parikshith who was then the last remnant of Pandavas. As a King, Parikshith was
highly spiritual and benevolent. Once when he concluded a Royal hunt and got
thirsty, he visited the Ashram ( Hermitage) of Sage Samaika who was in deep
meditation and thus did not respond to the King’s visit. He was annoyed and
picking up a dead snake fallen on the ground nearby picked it up and placed it
around the Muni’s head as a garland. On return to the hermitage, the
Sage’s son Sringi saw the ugly sight and gave a curse that whoever did this
insult to my father would be killed within a week’s time. The King having
known of the curse readied himself on the banks of River Ganges and requested Maha Muni Suka to enlighten him the
Great Purana of Maha Bhagavata. On the seventh day, with all the security in a
seven storeyed building on the river banks, Taksha made efforts to sneak in the
building somehow and intercepted a Brahmana by name Kasyapa desirous of
making wealth from relieving the King’s problem as he knew the Mantra of anti
snake bite; Daksha gave away plenty of money to the Brahmana and got rid of him;
in fact he tested the Brahmana whether he could really administer the Mantra
and revive an entire tree burnt by poisonous flames of serpent’s bite; the
Brahmana did convert the tree’s ashes to its original position. Later in the
evening Taksha asked disciples to disguise as Brahmanas to carry fruits to the
King on the pretext of reciting Atharvana Veda and the fruit which the King ate
contained a small insect which was Taksha himself assuming an enormous
body and killed the King.
Janamejaya’s
‘Sarpa Yagna’( Snake Sacrifice) stopped by Sage Asita and Veda Vyasa
When King
Parikshith met his end, his son Janamejaya was hardly a lad of eleven years and
was declared as the next King. Guru Kripacharya trained him in the Science of
Archery, Administration and Dharmasastra. He was married to Vapustama the
daughter of King of Kasi and carried on with pious activities.
Meanwhile a Sage Uttanka approached Janamejaya
and provoked him to take revenge on his father’s killer Taksha and perform
Sarpa Yagna (Sacrifice of Serpents) and command Taksha into the Fire Pit ( Homa
Kunda) and Sacrifice all the Serpents in the process. Sage Uttanka told the
King that his father could not go to heaven because of snake bite. Convinced
thus, the King ordered that theYagna be arranged. Thousands of snakes were
burnt off and Taksha was so afraid of his life that he sought refuge from
Indra. But, so revengeful were Janamejaya and Sage Uttanka that they were
prepared to command not only Taksha but even Indra to Sarpa Yajna and haul them
into the Fire Pit! Taksha thus approached Sage Asita to call on the King and
to refrain from proceeding further in the Sacrifice as thousands of
innocent Snakes were burnt off, for the sake of Taksha. Veda Vyasa explained
the Episode of Sage Asita and King Ruru to the King. In the olden
days, there was a Sage Jaratkratu who was practising high devotion to Devi
Bhagavati in a forest. He had a vision of his dead father and forefathers in a
cave who asked him to marry and suggested an eligible woman named Jarat Karu,
who was the sister of Vasuki. Meanwhile the co-wives of Sage Kasyapa, viz.
Kadru and Vinita had an argument as to what was the colour of the horses
of the Sun God’s chariot. Vinita guessed the color as white but Kadru had a bet
that the colour was black. It was agreed that whoever lost the bet would have
to carry the other on her back always while going to places. Kadru asked her
sons to colour the horses black to win the bet. While some of her sons obeyed
her but others did not. Kadru cursed those who did not comply be burnt off in a
Fire pit and Vinita virtually became Kadru’s slave. Vinita’s son ‘Garuda’ the
Carrier of Maha Vishnu, asked for the cause of her sorrow and she
narrated as to what happened. Out of his affection for his mother, Garuda
approached Kadru to pardon his mother and Kadru agreed provided that Garuda
could bring Amrit ( nectar) from the custody of Vaikuntha. Garuda was
bent on relieving his mother’s curse and fetched a jug of Nector from
Vaikuntha. Kadru was delighted and released Vinita. All the family members and
friends of Kadru were invited and asked to clean up themselves before
taking spoonfuls of Amrit. But Indra quietly stole away the jug of Amrit. The
invitees of Kadru returned from their baths and found that the jug was missing.
They were disappointed but tried their best to lick any drops from out of the
jar that might have spilt on the grass ( Kusa) and as they licked their tongues
were cut and hence were known as ‘dvi-jihvas’ or two tongued ever since. Vasuki
and others who were troubled by Kadru approached Lord Brahma and complained
against Kadru, the mother of snakes. He blessed them and said that the younger
sister of Vasuki, Jarat Karu, should be proposed to wed Sage Jaratkaru. But the
Sage was highly short tempered and the bride should be very obedient and
trustworthy and the couple would beget a child who would enlighten, control and
discipline the whole community of snakes and lighten the burden of their
over-haughtiness to the world. That was why, Sage Asita prevailed upon King
Janamejaya to stop the unique Sarpa Yagna and Veda Vyasa too approved of
Sage Asita’s request. Maharshi Vyasa had suggested that instead of the
revenge-oriented Sarpa Yagna, he should rarher build a spacious Temple dedicated to Devi
Bhagavati and also perform Devi Maha Yagna and such other Spiritual
activities to release the soul of late King Parikshith and relieve the
curse of the Brahmana boy.
Vision
of Maha Bhagavati by Trimurtis
King
Janamejaya asked about the significance of ‘Maha Devi Bhagavati Yajna’ from
Veda Vyas, since he felt confused as to who should be targetted to put one’s
whole hearted devotion, as multi-dimensional attention to Gods might get
diffused even to StarYogis, let alone normal human beings, especially because
concentration in human mind is highly erratic and fluid against the powerful
pull of material distractions.
The normal
belief had been that one could anchor on either Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the
Preserver or Mahadeva the Destroyer, each representing the Rajas, or Satvik, or
Tamas Gunas respectively, but to say that an amalgam of all the Gunas as Devi
Bhagavati was perhaps an oversimplification! Even Sun God whose
visibility was a clear phenomenon, is directly perceptible before one’s own
vision. Veda Vyasa replied that this question was no doubt revelant
but was replied in the past by the Trinity themselves. At the stage when Maha
Vishnu killed Madhu Kaitabha by expanding His thigh space, the Trinity had
clearly comprehended that Devi Parasakti who had no form nor dimension and was
the endless and unique energy. There were heavenly directions to the
Trinity at the time of Universal Destruction to perform ‘Tapasya’ or meditate,
to Create, to promote and destroy Illusion. As the Trinity themselves got no
leads to create what and how, to promote which, and where, that was the
Illusion or Maya! The Trinity wondered that as there was no earth but a huge
Ocean, no five elements of Nature ( Earth, Light, Air, Sky and water), no
five ‘Tanmatras’ or the causative rudiments, (viz.’Sabda’ or Sound, ‘Sparsa’ or
Touch, ‘Rupa’ or Sight, ‘Gandha’or Smell and ‘Rasa’ or Taste), no sensual
organs, and no Gunas or Saguna, Durguna or Nirguna – Goodness, Evil, or
Equanimity. How could the process of Creation be initiated! In reply, a
‘Vimana’ or an Airfloat was sent to carry the Trinity towards the Sky and
landed at a place where was no water but ground. The Place looked like a
beautiful City with well laid buildings, gardens, water fountains, trees with ripe
fruits and splashes of flowers with divine fragrances, conditioned air and
lighting-apparently the gate way to Heaven. The aeroplane was lifted up again
and flew low to let the Trinity watch the Nandana Garden, Surabhi the Cow,
Parijata the Celestial Tree, the Iravata the Divine Elephant, a bevy of
Beautiful Apsaras at dance, Gandharvas on singing, and finally the High
Throne with glittering gold and jewellery with Indra and Sachi, encircled by
Planetary Heads like Varuna, Agni, Surya, Moon and a host of Devatas and
their Devis. Further on the Trinity witnessed the Brahma Loka, the Vaikuntha
and Kailasa and discovered original Trinity with their wives and
accompaniments. Finally, the aeroplane reached ‘Sudha Sagar’ ( The Ocean
of Nectar) and in its midst they found the ‘Mani Dvipa’ or the Island of Gems
in which a Cot with the four legs represented by Brahma, Vishnu, Mahaswara and
all other Demi-Gods was sighted. The Trinity then had the Super Vision of
extraordinary radiance, twinkling flashings of a physical manifestation
of MAHA DEVI BHAGAVATI ! The top portion of the Cot represented
Sada Siva in the form of a colourful rainbow with a red carpet bejewelled
and spread over. She sat gracefully smiling wearing a red garment, a garland
with red flowers and red sandal paste on her forehead with black eyes and red
lips, four hands wearing a noose, a lotus, a goad and an ‘Akshaya Patra’ ( an
eternally filled vessel) as though She was about to give away boons. Even the
birds around were chanting mystic incantations of ‘Moola Mantras’ like
‘Hrim’. [Examples of Moola Mantras (Seed Mantras) are: Om Aim Hreem Srim;
Om Ka-A- E- La Hrim, Ha-Sa-Ka-Hala-Hreem, Sakala Hreem; Om Aim
Kleem Sauh Sauh Kleem Aim; Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaya Vicchey; Aam
Heem Krom Aim Kleem Sauch; Etc]. Her ear-rings were of the shape of ‘ Sri
Chakra’. She was surrounded by Devis like ‘Hrillekha’ and others like ‘Anga
Kusuma’. She was seated in a ‘Satkona’(seven angled) Yantra format. Lord Vishnu
of the Trinity recognised Her as He saw her in the same physical manifestation
when He was a toe-sucking boy on a banana leaf floating on a massive water
surface and blessed Him to create Brahma and Maheswara and advised that the
process of Creation be taken up as soon as possible. Lord Vishnu said that the
Trinity was fortunate with their vision of Maha Devi and the ‘Tapasya’
(meditation) that was performed by them all through the duration of Yugas
had succeeded. As He stated like that, Lords Brahma and Eswara were
choked with emotion and endless joy and prostrated before the Unparallelled
Vision with humility and gratitude. As soon as the Trinity entered the Entry
Point of the Sanctum Sanctorium where Devi Bhagavathi was seated
smilingly, the three-some of Brahma, Vishnu and Eswara were converted into
stunning feminine forms. Another astonishing miracle was that the entire
Universe was witnessed on her toe nails including the Trinity and their Abodes,
the Pancha Boothas, Indra, all other Devas, Gandharvas, Apsarasas, the
humanity, Oceans, Mountains, Sages like Veda Vyas, the Galaxy, view of
Sisumara, Asvinis and so on
Trinity’s
Prayers to Maha Bhagavati and Sixteen ‘Tatvas’
Completely
overcome by awe and humility, Lord Vishnu addressed Maha Bhagavati that He was
amazed to witness the entire Universe on Her toe nails including Himself and He
was but a miniscule reflection of Herself. Nobody knows how many such Vishnus
were created and that She was ‘ Karanguli nakhotpanna Narayana Dasa Kritis’ or
She created Ten Incarnations of Narayana by touching Her hand nails!
She was ‘Om, Hreem and Srim’,
‘Moola Prakruti’ and ‘Moola Mantratmika’. She was ‘Niradhara’( Foundation less),
‘Nitya’ (Eternal), ‘Nirguna’(Without Characteristics), ‘Nirvikara’ (
Changeless) and ‘Dhyana Dhatru Dhyaya Rupa’ ( The Meditation, The Meditator and
The Meditated). She was the material Cause of Prakriti (Nature) , Maya
(Illusion) and the ‘Tatvas’*. She was the Super Power but yet She bestows
Kindness readily and spontaneously ( Avyaja Karuna Poora Purita)!
[ Tatvas *: 1) ‘Jnanendriayas’: Five
of sense organs, viz, Eyes, Nose, Tongue, Mouth, and Skin; 2) ‘Karmendriayas’:
or Five Organs for Action viz: mouth, feet, hands, genital and anus; 3) Five
‘Tanmatras’ or inner basics of elements or light, sound, taste, smell and
consciousness; 4) Five ‘Antahkaranas’: Mind or thought, Buddhi or
Understanding, Siddha or Power of mind leading to Jayam or success and
Angaram or Excitement; 5) Six ‘Adharas’ or Foundations: Muladhara, Svadhistana,
Manipura, Anantha, Visuddhi and Angana; 6) ‘Dhatus’ or Seven Body Constituents:
Serum, Blood, Semen, Brain marrow, Flesh, Bone and Skin. 7) Ten ‘Vayus’ or
Vital Airs: Prana ( Near Heart), Apana ( Top to bottom), Samana ( Near
Throat), Vyana ( Total Body), Utthana ( near navel), Nahana
( movements and speech), Koormana ( causing disgust or dismay), Kiriharana ( facial), Devadatta
( exaled by yawning) and Dhanajaya ( remaining in the body after death) 8) Five ‘Kosas’ or body parts: Annamaya ( food body), Manomaya(Composed of mind), Pranamaya (the force holding body and mind), Vijnanamaya ( body of intellect) and Anantamaya (the body of Bliss); 9) ‘Nava Dvaras’ or Nine Doors : two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, genital and excretionay channel. 10) Eight ‘Vikaras’ or Vices: Lust, meanness, anger, carelessness, showiness, ferocity, haughtiness, and jealousy. 11) Three ‘Mandalas’or Body Regions : Agni Mandala or the fire place in lower abdomen, Aditya Mandala or the Place of Sun in stomach, and Chandra Mandala or the Region of Moon in head and shoulders. 12) Three Temperaments viz. flatulency or excessive self importance, melancholy or pensive sadness, bilous temperament or irritability, Phlegmatic temperament or indifference. 13) Three ‘Gunas’ or attributes: Satva ( Goodness), Rajas ( Passion) and Tamas ( Ignorance). 14) Five ‘Avasthas’or Inner Soul abodes in body parts viz. ‘Sakiram’ or Fully Alive and Vigilant connected to forehead, ‘Svapnam’ or dormant soul in a state of dream connected to neck, ‘Sujjuti’ or insensibility of soul connected to breast, ‘Turiyam’ or abstraction of mind while soul is connected to navel and ‘Turiyathitam’ or a state of death when the soul is sunk into mooladharam. 16) Ten ‘Nadis’ or nerve connections viz. Idakala or the nerve beginning from big toe of right foot to left nostril, ‘Pinkala’ nerve connecting the big toe of left foot to right nostril, ‘Kantari’ or nerves beginning from navel to neck assuming seven folds of seven tones of human voice, ‘Suguva’ or the optical nerves interconnecting ten branches, ‘Purudan’ or the auditory nerves linking one hundred twenty lines, Guru beginning from navel to flat stomach, ‘Sangini’ on flat belly, ‘Suzi Muna’ the nervous link connecting Adharas like Mooladhara, Svadhishtana etc.and Atti and Alambuda connecting miscellaneous body parts.]
( movements and speech), Koormana ( causing disgust or dismay), Kiriharana ( facial), Devadatta
( exaled by yawning) and Dhanajaya ( remaining in the body after death) 8) Five ‘Kosas’ or body parts: Annamaya ( food body), Manomaya(Composed of mind), Pranamaya (the force holding body and mind), Vijnanamaya ( body of intellect) and Anantamaya (the body of Bliss); 9) ‘Nava Dvaras’ or Nine Doors : two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, genital and excretionay channel. 10) Eight ‘Vikaras’ or Vices: Lust, meanness, anger, carelessness, showiness, ferocity, haughtiness, and jealousy. 11) Three ‘Mandalas’or Body Regions : Agni Mandala or the fire place in lower abdomen, Aditya Mandala or the Place of Sun in stomach, and Chandra Mandala or the Region of Moon in head and shoulders. 12) Three Temperaments viz. flatulency or excessive self importance, melancholy or pensive sadness, bilous temperament or irritability, Phlegmatic temperament or indifference. 13) Three ‘Gunas’ or attributes: Satva ( Goodness), Rajas ( Passion) and Tamas ( Ignorance). 14) Five ‘Avasthas’or Inner Soul abodes in body parts viz. ‘Sakiram’ or Fully Alive and Vigilant connected to forehead, ‘Svapnam’ or dormant soul in a state of dream connected to neck, ‘Sujjuti’ or insensibility of soul connected to breast, ‘Turiyam’ or abstraction of mind while soul is connected to navel and ‘Turiyathitam’ or a state of death when the soul is sunk into mooladharam. 16) Ten ‘Nadis’ or nerve connections viz. Idakala or the nerve beginning from big toe of right foot to left nostril, ‘Pinkala’ nerve connecting the big toe of left foot to right nostril, ‘Kantari’ or nerves beginning from navel to neck assuming seven folds of seven tones of human voice, ‘Suguva’ or the optical nerves interconnecting ten branches, ‘Purudan’ or the auditory nerves linking one hundred twenty lines, Guru beginning from navel to flat stomach, ‘Sangini’ on flat belly, ‘Suzi Muna’ the nervous link connecting Adharas like Mooladhara, Svadhishtana etc.and Atti and Alambuda connecting miscellaneous body parts.]
Lords
Brahma and Siva also paid their reverent prayers to Maha Devi Bhagavati
and She bestowed Her blessings to them to dutifully discharge their respective
duties to Her entire satisfaction, as they had raised queries before their departure
by airflight; She commanded them to initiate the fulfillment of tasks assigned
to them forthwith. She obliged Lord Maheswara by repeating the nine lettered
Mantra to be repeated by them as often as possible viz. ‘Om
Hrium Srim Chandrikayai Namah’ along with the Moola (Seed) Mantra. Brahma
too was extremely ecstatic with the mind-boggling Darshan (Vision) and most of
His doubts appeared to have been cleared excepting one however that still
remained with him. He wondered whether what Vedas affirmed again and
again that the Maha Purusha was the one and only Super Evergy beyond
comprehension and if so, whether that Incomprehensible Power was Herself!
In that case, whether Maha Purusha and Maha Devi Bhagavati were just the
same? Was Maha Purusha a Feminine Shakti or a Male Supreme Force?
Devi
Bhagavati Explains about Her Vibhutis ( Manifestations & Powers)
To the
pointed queries expressed by Lord Brahma, Maha Devi gave clarifications in no
uncertain terms that Maha Purusha and Herself was just the same as a lamp and
reflection in a mirror and that She was neither a female nor a male, but a
Unique Genderless Nirguna. Any changes witnessed are due to the interplay of
‘Antah Karanas’ or natural instincts like Mind, Buddhi, ( Mental
Power) and ‘Ahankara’ ( Ego) on the one hand and ‘Maya’( Illusion) on the
other. At the time of Creation following the Great Dissolution (Pralaya), the
dissimilarities occurred as Gender, ‘Karma’ ( Fate) and ‘Anthah Karanas’ all
created by ‘Maya’.
It was at
that time of Creation, that The Supreme Energy assumed various ‘Vibhutis’ or
Manifestations like Sri (Prosperity), Buddhi(Brainpower), Daya
(Compassion), Dhriti (Tolerance), Smriti (Memory), Shraddha (Conviction), Medha
( Acumen), Lajja (Shame), Shanti ( Peace), Nidra
( Sleep), Pipasa ( Desire), Vidya ( Comprehension), Spriha ( Awakenness or Alertness) and Shakti
( Power). Maha Devi continued to state that She was the Para, Madhyama and Pasyanti ( Mystic expressions of the Supreme Power indicating the Stages of Manifestations of the Eternal Force); She was Para Shakti beyond one’s Comprehension, Madhyama Shakti who was both Expressed and Unexpressed ( Vyakta –Avyakta) and Pasyanti Shakti who was Fully Manifested and recognisable with Physical Form or Sakara Shakti; She was also present in thirty five million ‘Nadis’ through out a human body (the tubular organs of the body like arteries, veins, intestines, blood vessels, pulses etc. She was in Vasa (fat), majja ( marrow), Tvak (skin) and Drishti ( eye sight) clearly present in each and every part of ‘Samsara’. So was the case of non moving objects of Creation either animate or inanimate. Maha Devi further affirmed that She was seen as Brahmi or Sarasvati, Vaishnavi or Lakshmi, Eswari as Gauri, Indrani as Indra, Varuni as Varuna, and so on whose formations were all Hers, making the counterpart Purushas perform their tasks as the Maha Devi’s agents or instruments of action. She was the Gunas of Satva, Rajas and Tamas; Ahamkaras-Jnana Sakti ( the Power of Knowledge), Kriya Sakti ( The Power of Action) and Artha Sakti ( The Power of Wealth or Maya the Illusion); The various Tatvas and Maha Tatva; and the interplay of Five Tanmatras or Subtle Elements viz. ( Touch, See, Breathe, Hear and Taste) and Five Basic Elements ( Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Sky) known as the Process of ‘Panchee- Karana’ resulting in Five Causes. This was made into a Jeeva ( Living Entity) and the Cosmic Totality of That would be Brahma, stated Devi Bhagavati
( Sleep), Pipasa ( Desire), Vidya ( Comprehension), Spriha ( Awakenness or Alertness) and Shakti
( Power). Maha Devi continued to state that She was the Para, Madhyama and Pasyanti ( Mystic expressions of the Supreme Power indicating the Stages of Manifestations of the Eternal Force); She was Para Shakti beyond one’s Comprehension, Madhyama Shakti who was both Expressed and Unexpressed ( Vyakta –Avyakta) and Pasyanti Shakti who was Fully Manifested and recognisable with Physical Form or Sakara Shakti; She was also present in thirty five million ‘Nadis’ through out a human body (the tubular organs of the body like arteries, veins, intestines, blood vessels, pulses etc. She was in Vasa (fat), majja ( marrow), Tvak (skin) and Drishti ( eye sight) clearly present in each and every part of ‘Samsara’. So was the case of non moving objects of Creation either animate or inanimate. Maha Devi further affirmed that She was seen as Brahmi or Sarasvati, Vaishnavi or Lakshmi, Eswari as Gauri, Indrani as Indra, Varuni as Varuna, and so on whose formations were all Hers, making the counterpart Purushas perform their tasks as the Maha Devi’s agents or instruments of action. She was the Gunas of Satva, Rajas and Tamas; Ahamkaras-Jnana Sakti ( the Power of Knowledge), Kriya Sakti ( The Power of Action) and Artha Sakti ( The Power of Wealth or Maya the Illusion); The various Tatvas and Maha Tatva; and the interplay of Five Tanmatras or Subtle Elements viz. ( Touch, See, Breathe, Hear and Taste) and Five Basic Elements ( Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Sky) known as the Process of ‘Panchee- Karana’ resulting in Five Causes. This was made into a Jeeva ( Living Entity) and the Cosmic Totality of That would be Brahma, stated Devi Bhagavati
The
‘Gunas’ ( Attributes) and their Characteristics
Further to
Lord Brahma’s conversation with Maha Devi, the features of the Three
‘Gunas’ or attributes were explained to Narada. Normally, Faith is
known to exist in the form of three Gunas viz. Sattva Guna, Rajas Guna
and Tamas Guna. Sattva is described as the fountain of Goodness and happiness
in a pure form. Its colour is stated to be white standing for purity,
integrity, happiness, contentment, forgiveness and faith
The Rajas
Guna is stated to be red in colour and is featured as false pride, deceipt,
avarice, hatred and selfishness. The Tamo Guna standing for black colour is
stated to feature ignorance, lack of resources, anger, fear and
quarrelsomeness. There is no set identity of the Gunas but are intermingled and
rapidly changeable. A person who is Good basically might spurt out into anger
and pride and change over in the same breath to fear. But surely the resultant
impact would be disastrous. As, Lord Krishna stated in Bhagavad
Gita:
Dhyayato
vishayam pumsaha sanghas theshupa jayate /
Sangat sanjayatey kama kamakrodhobhi jaaythey /
Krodhaha bhavati sammohaha, sammohat smrithi vibhramaha /
Smritir bhramsaha buddhi naso buddhi nashoth prayatyati.
Sangat sanjayatey kama kamakrodhobhi jaaythey /
Krodhaha bhavati sammohaha, sammohat smrithi vibhramaha /
Smritir bhramsaha buddhi naso buddhi nashoth prayatyati.
‘ An
unfullfilled desire would lead to anger. Anger leads to obsession. Obsession
leads to failure of memory ( focussed thinking) and
lack of memory leads to mental balance!
Narada reacted instantly to the Principles of ‘Gunas’saying that normally one felt that Lords Vishnu, Brahma and Siva represented Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic Gunas respectively but the description was not fully represented in their cases. Brahma replied that the predominance of their Gunas was described but there was no water-tight segregation possible in their cases too as in the case of human beings. He gave the illustration of a lamp, but the wick, the oil and the flame together provided light. The three materials denoted the Rajas, Satvik and Tamas Gunas, just as each or any living being could –and normally did- synthesise the Gunas. In this connection Brahma gave the example to Narada of an illiterate Brahmana, Satyavrata who turned out to be a Learned Sage, by the Grace of Maha Devi Sarasvati
Narada reacted instantly to the Principles of ‘Gunas’saying that normally one felt that Lords Vishnu, Brahma and Siva represented Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic Gunas respectively but the description was not fully represented in their cases. Brahma replied that the predominance of their Gunas was described but there was no water-tight segregation possible in their cases too as in the case of human beings. He gave the illustration of a lamp, but the wick, the oil and the flame together provided light. The three materials denoted the Rajas, Satvik and Tamas Gunas, just as each or any living being could –and normally did- synthesise the Gunas. In this connection Brahma gave the example to Narada of an illiterate Brahmana, Satyavrata who turned out to be a Learned Sage, by the Grace of Maha Devi Sarasvati
How
Satyavrata an illiterate Brahmin became a Learned Sage?
The
description about Maha Devi’s appearance to Trinity and the explanation
provided to them by Her about Herself was given to Narada by Lord Brahma. This
was handed over to Veda Vyasa by Narada and down the line to Suta Muni and in
turn to the King Janmejaya as to how Devi Sarasvati interpreted the foolish
Brahmana boy’s ignorant chatter noise as Her Bija ( Seed) Mantra and blessed
him.
In Kosala
Desa of Lord Rama, there lived a Virtuous Brahmana named Deva Dutta desirous of
begetting a Son performed ‘Puttreshti’ Yagna with great devotion. Suhotra
acted as the Brahma of the Sacrifice, Sage Yagnavalkya as ‘Athurvu’, Brihaspati
as ‘Hota’, Paila as ‘Prastotha’, Govila as ‘Udghata’ and many learned Brahmanas
as the Key Assistants.There was a Superintendent Brahmana too for the Soma
Sacrifice who was to measure the Principal Area for the Yagna, collect the
Sacred Vessels, fetch the Sacrifice Animal and manage the Function all through.
Rig Veda and Yajur Vedas were rendered and Govila as Udghata being an expert of
Sama Veda initiated its recital. But, Deva Dutta became restless since Govila
was taking deep breath in the Sama Veda rendering in accented voice,viz.
‘Uddhata’, ‘Anuddhata’ and ‘Svarita’ and finally ‘Ratantara Sama’ in seven
tunes. Govila’s rendering was objected by Deva Dutta; he shouted on Govila and
said : “you are rendering the Veda in bits and pieces as an ignorant and dumb
person!” This insinuation in the open house angered Govila and he cursed as
follows: “ Your son will be ignorant and dumb too”! Deva Dutta regretted
his remarks and begged of Govila’s pardon. Govila in turn excused Deva Dutta
and lightened the curse to say: “ Although your son will be initially stupid
and dumb, later in life will be a Learned Sage by the grace of Maha Devi
Sarasvati.” As Deva Dutta was blessed with a son in due course, he was named
Utathya. But, he had indeed turned out to be a stupid and dumb boy attracting
his parents’ frustration and disgust for him. One day, the boy disappeared as
he was harassed too much and went into a dense forest without aim.He was
surviving with fruits and sitting under a tree took a resolve that he would
never tell a lie, come what might. In course of time, he built a hermitage with
the help of villagers nearby and gradually came to be known as Muni Satyavrata
as a person who always spoke truth. One day, a hunter passed by and asked the
so-called Muni whether a boar passed by; actually the boar which was wounded by
the hunter’s arrows had indeed taken refuge in his own hermitage and while
entering the abode it gave a very pitiable look as though it entreated him not
to inform the hunter that the animal was hiding in his own hermitage.
Satyavrata being a truth stating person was in a dilemma. Somehow, he did not
tell the truth as he felt that the hunter had his selfish reason to catch and
kill the boar whereas the boar deserved mercy since it was hurt and gave a
frightened and mercy seeking look. So he replied the hunter saying ‘aim, aim
and aim’, without meaning any thing.The hunter knew that the Muni had the name
for telling the truth only and left away. Meanwhile, the boar left the place
into the forest thus rescued. Eversince then he kept repeating the word ‘aim’,
aim,’aim’ for everything. Indeed the word was the first letter of the Seed
Mantra of Devi Maha Sarasvathi viz. Om Aim Dheem Kleem! Maha Devi Sarasvathi
was pleased with the continuous repetition of only one word of the ‘Moola
Mantra’ untiringly and gradually he pronounced the word OM
also by the grace of Maha Devi Herself! Eventually Satyavrata became a renowned
Sage as per the blessing of the Sage Govila and a proud son of Deva Dutta and
his virtuous wife. Apparently, there were many factors working in favour of
Satyavrata to transform himself from an illiterate to a Sage: the immediate
blessing was by Sarsawati Herself as he was persistent in his dedication to
speak the truth always and reciting even one word of the Seed Mantra out
of sheer ignorance though, the blessing of Sage Govil who diluted the curse
into a favour, the forest life and sense of renunciation, the act of mercy
shown to the hurt boar vis-à-vis the selfish hunter who might have hurt
Satyavrata too but for his weighing the pros and cons in his cool judgment and
finally, his own ‘Karma’ as ‘Prarabhda’ or ‘Sanchita’ actions of the past as
carry forward were all the beneficient causes.
Amba
Yajna-Regulations and Precedent Performers
King
Janamejaya sought for the details of Amba Yajna from Maharshi Veda Vyasa.
Sages and Brahmanas perform the Sacrifice in Satvik manner,
Kshatriyas and Kings perform in the ‘Rajas’ fashion, while Rakshasas do
these in ‘Tamasa’ style. Satvik Yajnas are executed in ideal manner normally in
‘Uttarayana’ or when Sun’s direction changes from south to north, by highly
puritan Brahmanas with their rightly earned resources as per strict adherence
of Rules and Regulations prescribed and invariably for the larger benefit of
the Society rather than for their own selfish motives.
Rajo-oriented
Yjanas too are aimed at the welfare of the Subjects of a country or a Rajya but
once the Raja decides to organise the Yajna only to satisfy the Royal ego, then
errors or motivations creep in the function. For instance, the ‘Sarpa Yajna’
had a definite purpose of vengeance and such events are initially commenced
with bangs, but end up with whimpers. The Yajnas with motives domineering
selfishness or obsession do get successful in the short term but finally
the end result would invariably be a negative or boomeranging impact at the
end. For instance, the Sacrifices performed by Demons like Hiranya Kasipu or
Indrajit or Bhasmasura are purely motivated for selfish reasons. Certainly, the
motivations in performing the Yajnas play an important role. King Dasaratha
performed ‘Putra Kameshti’ was a success as it was done perfectly; but
the Yajna done by Indra by Visvarupa as a duplicate Brihaspati was
a fiasco ending Indra beheading Visvarupa as the latter, who was of the
origin of Daitya clan, uttered mantras appeasing a few Daityas instead of Gods.
King Drupada did the Putra Yajna out of spite for Dronacharya and thus an angry
son Dristhtadyumna was born and Draupadi an example of distressed woman had
several problems in her matrimonial life commencing from marrying five
Pandavas, her end-less humiliation by Kauravas after the defeat of
Dhritarashtra in an open assault on her before her brave husbands in a full
Royal Court, travails in twelve years of forest life, her ‘Ajnathavas’ (
Hiding phase of life) for a year as Sairandhri as a servant maid, the
harassment by Keechaka and so on. Even the Rajasuya Yajna concluded by Dharmaraja
himself in the presence of Lord Krisna was a flop as the sordid drama that
happened to Pandavas followed thereafter, apparenltly due to the ego factor
that was in play at the time of the Yajna! Many Tamasa-oriented Yajnas
were held by several Daithyas which had all temporary triumphs but in the
long-run were fatal at the end.
Besides
the above types of Yajnas, Veda Vyasa described an entirely distinct kind known
as ‘Manasika Yajna’( Sacrifice by Mind), which is nodoubt difficult but once
executed well would be extremely effective. The performer has to be completely
devoid of sensual pleasures and attractions, has to preplan all the items of
Yajna material, keep ready with purity of mind and body, pre-arrange Brahmana
Priests and designate them as the Yajna Brahma, Adharyu, Hota, Prastota,
Udgata, Pratihatra and Assistants and pre-worship them, imagine a huge hall for
the Sacrifice, plan out the Central portion as the Altar ( raised ceremonial
structure) and the Homa Kunda or the Fire Pit; imagine the lighting of
five‘Agnis’ represented by the five Prana Vayus or five Life Forces viz.
‘Prana’, ‘Apana’, ‘Vyana’, ‘Samana’ and ‘Udana’ in the Fire Pit with
considerable care and caution, accompanied by the concerned ‘Mantras’ Viz.
Prana standing for ‘Garhastya’, Apana for ‘Ahavaniya’, Vyana for ‘Dakshina’,
Samana for ‘Avasatya’and Udana for ‘Sabya Agni’.One should be extremely careful
and concentrated while lighting the respective Fires as any defect or
shortcoming might have extreme ill-effects. In the ManasicYajna, mind is the
performer, Presiding Deity is ‘Nirguna’ Brahma and Maha Devi Bhagavati or
the ‘Nirguna Sakti’ is the targetted Receiver of the Fire Oblations. The
offering of Prana Vayus are in the form of materials meant for the Homa Kunda
or the ‘Kundalini’. Then by means of ‘Samadhi’ ( the final stage of Yoga)
the Nirvikalpa Mind is surrendered to Devi through the Performer’s
consciousness or to the Self ( Atma) which attains ‘Moksha’ ( Final
Liberation). The mortal form of ‘Jiva’ is stated to continue as long its
‘Prarabhda’ remains. Indeed, this type of Manasika Yajna is not meant for
ordinary persons in any case, as this is the highest effort that a human being
could possibly execute. But, Veda Vyasa had certainly recommended to perform a Rajasic
Yajna aiming at Maha Devi Bhagavati as per the Rules and Regulations
described earlier to King Janamejaya, instead of seeking to ‘Sarpa Yajna’ which
would be only vengeful but could never provide liberation to his father’s soul,
after the latter’s very enduring effort in hearing Maha Bhagavata from
Maha Muni Suka during his very last week’s life!
Lord
Vishnu performs Amba Yajna
Being
inquisitive, King Janamejaya enquired of Veda Vyasa as to when and who executed Amba Yajna first. When
Trimurthis returned after Maha Bhagavati’s Vision, they created Satya Loka ,
Vaikuntha and Kailasa and took charge of their tasks assigned by Maha
Devi. From the Ocean was formed Earth, called ‘Medini’, made out of the marrow
of the foremost Demons, Madhu and Kaitabha, and also as ‘Mahi Dhara’, the Great
Holder, which was supported by the Grand Serpent, Anantha
Brahma
initiated the Creation process with the mountains to stabilise the Earth,
including the ‘Meru’, the Principal
Mountain. He created
Marichi, Narada, Atri, Pulakasthya, Pulaha, Kratu, Daksha and Vasishtha as
‘Manasa Puthras’ or the Offspring of His Mind. From Marichi was born to
Kasyapa; from Kasyapa were born Diti and Aditi and the latter gave birth to
Danavas ( Demons) and Devatas ( Demi-Gods). Kasyapa created human beings,
animals, serpents and other animate beings. Brahma created Svambhu Manu from
his lower part of the body and Satarupa emerged from Brahma’s left hand.
Manu and Satarupa gave birth to two sons, Priyavrata and Uttanapada and three
daughters. And thus Creation proceeded further. Meanwhile, Indra Loka or
Swarga ( Heaven) was also created and so were the Planetary Heads and other
Celestial Creations including Kubera, Yama, Gandharvas, Apsaras and so
on. Thus after the Procedure of Creation was stabilised, Lord Vishnu got an
inspiration from Maha Bhagavati and decided to perform Amba Yajna and
informed Brahma, Eswar, Indra and the Devatas and the Sages Vasishtha, Kasyapa,
Daksha, Vamana Deva and Brihaspathi who were all in position. A gigantic Yajna
Hall was built and the Altar too, the twenty seven Priests were appointed, the
Yajna material was procured as per ‘Shastras’, the Agni Kunda was prepared out
of brick and wood and Kundalini was kindled by Yoga, along side the rendering
of Mantras and Moola Mantras strictly as per concerned Scriptures. At the
successful end of Amba Yajna, a sonorous voice of Maha Devi announced that She
was indeed pleased with the Proceedings just concluded, that She appointed Lord
Vishnu as the Leader and Prime Deity to be prayed to by Brahma, Maheswara,
Indra and all the rest; that any problem faced by any one of them should
be resolved by Him on their request by assuming His ‘Avataras’ as appropriate ;
and that She was deputing ‘Shaktis’ like ‘Varahi’ and ‘Narasimhi’ and
popularise them by making appearances as Idols to be worshipped all over to
supplement the efforts of Trinity.
Sura
Sena’s Illustration of Maha Devi’s Glories
As an
illustration of Maha Bhagavati’s direct intervention to bless an upright
devotee, Veda Vyasa narrated a Pauranic instance to King Janamejaya who had
already firmed up his decision to perform Amba Yajna instead of the Tamasic
‘Sarpa’ Sacrifice. A King of Solar Dynasty of yore at Kosala, Dhruvasandhi was
an ideal and pious ruler. He had two wives, Manorama and Leelavati, the earlier
wife being a legally wedded one and the latter one out of fascination
Within a year’s difference, the wives delivered two boys, named
Surasena and Shatrujit respectively.The King had a stronger attraction to
his second wife and son. In course of time, the King was killed by a lion in a
royal game in a forest. The Royal
Court’s Senior Officials recommended Surasena to
be the King, but the younger wife of King Dhruvasandhi, Leelavati claimed the
throne as the deceased King was closer to her and Shatrajit too. The fathers of
the two wives were called for consultations but there was no solution to the
problem as both King Virasena of Kalinga the father of Manorama and the
powerful King of Ujjain
Yudhajit, the adamant daughter of Leelavati too were at war at each other. King
Virasena was defeated and killed and Shatrujit was made the King by the
dominating Yuddhajit, despite Sage Vasishtha’s protests. Priminister Vidalla of
the Court, the loyal person of the erstwhile King, accompanied the hapless
Manorama and son Surasena to seek refuge from Sage Bharadvaja at his Hermitage.
But, Yuddhajit’s secret agents found out the whereabouts of Manorama and
Surasena at the Ashram of Sage Bharadvaja. Yuddhajit visited the hermitage and
tried to take away the mother and son by force but the Sage cautioned not to do
so and gave the example of Sage Visvamitra trying to take away Nandini
the Sacred Cow and its calf by force from the hermitage of Sage Vasishtha and
regretted later as the wrath of Vasishtha and the powers of the Sacred Cow were
grossly underestimated. Then Yuddhajit had to make a retreat and since then the
mother and the son lived peacefully.
Meanwhile, Surasena grew as a fine and handsome youth in the pious
atmosphere of the hermitage under the turorship of the Sage and his followers.
One day, Priminister Vidalla, who had been loyal to the elder queen and the son
visited to the hermitage to enquire of the welfare of the mother and the son
and the disciples of the Ashram addressed him to say : ‘Klib’, ‘Klib’ at the
entrance where Surasena too was nearby. Since then, he kept on repeating the
words ‘kli’, ‘kli’ as a mis- pronounciation of words ‘Klib, ‘Klib’. Quite
unknowingly, the words mis- pronounced were those in the Moola Mantra of
‘Kama’ or desire with anusvara
omitted..Thus initiated with the Mantra which became a habit of reciting it,
the boy’s attitudes changed miraculously by the coincidence or ‘Sukrita’ –the
carry forward of good deeds of his previous birth. Eventually, the boy’s
‘Upanayana’ ( Gayatri Mantra’s initiation) was performed by the Sage
Bharadwaja who also taught him Archery and Military Science as also the essence
of Sastras which a Kshatriaya should know. A princess, Sasikala, sighted Surasena
and got intensely desirous of him. The King of Kasi, Subahu
announced Swayamvara ( Choice of bride for selection of a groom from
among invitees) at the instance his daughter, keeping Surasena in
view. Surasena too reciprocated and met her frequently with the concurrence of
both the parents from both sides. Of the three types of Swayamvara, viz. ‘Iccha
anusara’ or bride’s free choice without strings, ‘Panya anusara’ or choice as
per a condition like Lord Rama breaking ‘Siva Dhanush’ (Lord Shiva’s bow), or
bride’s choice of the most courageous warrior. Sasikala chose the first option.
Surasena, as Manorama, Sasikala, her parents were all praying to
Maha Devi in their own ways and the blessings of Sage Bharadwaja were
aplenty. Meanwhile Yuddhajit too attended and so did his grandson Shatrujit
along with a galaxy of Princes as also Surasena. Yudhajit challenged to say
that if Surasena were to be the choice, he would surely kill the latter. He
also incited other invitees and said that anybody other than Surasena would be
acceptable but the latter had neither a Kingdom, nor bravery, nor wealth.
Scenting that a fight would be inevitable, King Subahu postponed the function
overnight to cool the tempers and offered overnight guest status to all.
On the following day, a quiet announcement came that the selection had been
made in favour of Surasena. As expected, a battle was fought with Surasena and
Subahu on one side and many who protested headed by Yudhajit on the
other. Maha Devi Bhagavati assumed many forms of Shakti and massacred the
opposing armies in no time and both Yudhajit and Shatrujit were smothered like
flies. The devotees of Devi Bhagavati headed by the Surasena couple were
astonished to witness glimpses of the Sakar Swarupa of the Great Mother and prayed
to their heart’s content with tears rolling and senses benumbed. As soon as he
assumed Kingship of Kosala, Surasena built temples all over the Kingdom
especially at Ayodhya and simultaneously King Subahu built famous temple
complex of Lord Visvanath and accompanying Saktis of Devi Annapurni and Devi
Visalakshi. In fact, through out Bharatvarsha, ‘Nava Ratri’ celebrations are
performed with immense devotion and dedication to various Forms of Devi
Bhagavati, especially as Devi Durga.
Navaratri
Celebrations-Methodology and Rewards
Navaratri
functions are held for nine days twice every year during the first half of
‘Asvayuja’ and ‘Chaitra’ months from ‘Pratipad’ to ‘Dasami’. The Navaratra
festivals in Asvayuja month are known as Sarat Navaratras and the Chaitra month
festivals are populurly known as Vasanta Navaratras. The preparation for
Sarat Navaratri in the Autumn season commencing from Asvayuja
Pradhama Tithi actually starts from Bhadrapada Amavasya itself with one meal of
‘Homa Anna’ or ‘Sacred Agni Prasada’.
At a
designated Place in the center of a Hall, a raised platform made of
bricks, called ‘Vedi’ of six feet wide and one and half feet height be
arranged. On the Pratipad Tithi of Asvayuja, the Person(s) concerned
sponsoring the Navarartras must arrive clean and composed, having already
performed their ‘Sandhavandanam’ or daily pujas and should seek the
blessings of Brahmanas appointed ( either nine, or five or three or atleast
one) after presenting them new clothes and Dakshina. ‘Swasti’ Mantras followed
by Veda Parayana would be recited. An Idol of nicely decorated Durga Devi
seated on a Lion, with either four or eighteen hands, with symbolic arms and
jewellery be installed as also a Pot of Sacred River Water placed over an
‘Yantra’ (diagram) representing Grandhis (Chambers) of Trinity and relevant
Demi-Gods and Planetary Heads, while rendering the relevant Mantras. With
various Worship Materials in place, the Puja would commence along with the
Mantram ‘Om Hrim Srim Chandikaya namah’.
Proceedings with Sacrificial Animals, [* not so much in India now, but in vogue in Nepal during
Dussera Festival Days] for propitiating of Gods and Almighty Shakti,
would follow. ‘Arthies’ ( Camphor cum oil soaked cotton vick lamps shown
to Deity ) are performed, accompanied by instrumental music, singing and dance
in praise of Maha Devi Bhagavati. ‘Bala Kanya Bhog’ or Prasad
( Food material offered to Deity) to Virgins of the ages of two to ten would follow. The virgins of two years are named Kumaris, three years are Trimurthies, four years are Kalyanis, five years are Rohinis, five years are Kalikas, six years are Chandika, seven years Sambhavi, eight years Durga and Nine years as Subhadra. Blessings of these Virgins provide removal of problems, wealth, longevity, happiness, health and Peace. The procedure for the evenings too is similar in the Sandhya Puja viz. the ‘Arti” Worship to Goddess accompanied by instrumental music, ‘Shodasa Upacharas’or Sixteen kinds of worship ranging from holding an Umbrella to the Diety, hand fanning, showing a mirror, camphor lighting, Veda Recital, Singing and dancing in praise of Amba, ‘Naivedyam’ or offering varieties of food, and ‘Parikrama’ or taking the Deity around the worship place, or a temple or surrounding areas and so on. At the end, Bhajans (Group Singing), Purana Pravachana ( Lectures on the Mysteries of Goddess), ‘Harikathas’( Musical renderings of Stories of Religious nature) and so on are performed. Special worship is arranged on the ‘Saptami’,‘Durga Ashtami’, and ‘ Maha Navami’ days ie. the seventh, eighth and the ninth days of the Festival. Devotees not quite involved in the previous days too would like to invariably perform Worship as per their choices in their own Puja Places in their own residences, or Temples or Specially built up (improvised) Group ‘Mandaps’ for community worship. Saptami is described as the day when Maha Bhagavati takes a ‘Saakar’or Bodily Incarnation to destroy the Demon ‘Mahisha Asura’ who had the form of a Buffalo, creating havoc to the World. The following day, popular as ‘Durga Ashtami’, Maha Bhagavati in the Incarnation as Durga Devi looks fierce and angry with the Demon and prepares for a violent battle with him and fellow Demons and massacres them all. It is also believed that Bhadra Kali was incarnated in a furious and gruesome form to devastate the ‘Yajna’ that was performed by Daksha Prajapati, the father of ‘Maha Sati’, the better half of Lord Siva and the Kali Incarnation was surrounded by innumerable ‘Yoginis’ or the multiple permutations of Sixty Attendants of Bhadra Kali who created mayhem at the Yajna and killed Daksha and his followers.On Maha Navami Day, Maha Bhagavati in the forms of fury and destruction punished the evil forces and brought back Her own Creation to normalcy and established balance of power. Thus the two days of Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami are the days of the Grand Finale of the Navarathras, which are remembered for the relief, climactic joy and devotion experienced by the humans and Gods alike. The day next day falling on Vijaya Dasami is the day of high celebration and gratitude to Maha Bhagavati for Her ‘Leelas’or Playful Actions that remain complex forever in human minds, soaked deep in the grip of Maya or Illusion! Whoever observes Navarathri Pujas with devotion are certain to reap benefits- Dharma ( Virtue), Artha ( Prosperity), Kama ( Worldy fulfillments) and Moksha ( Eternal Bliss) with the blessings of Maha Bhagavati. Even those who committed unpardonable misdeeds earlier- ‘Pancha Patakas’or heinous acts viz. killing Sages and Brahmanas, stealing gold or valuables, drinking and gambling, adultery or association with perpetrators of sins-would be spared if only the Navaratra Worship is performed with faith.
Veda Vyasa described to King Janamejaya the illustration of how Lord Ramachandra had conquered the indomitable Ravana, when the latter had kidnapped Bhagavati Sita by deception in disguise as a Fake Sage and on securing tip offs that She was in Lanka under Ravana’s custody. In fact, the earlier forest life of Lord Rama was a dismal experience consequent on his Step mother Kaikeyi’s demand to send away Lord Rama and Lady Sita to forest life for fourteen years. Sri Rama had to invade Ravana’s Lanka to recover Sita, with the help of King Sugriva of Kishkindha and his Monkey brigade including Heros like Lord Anjaneya, Jambavanta and Angada. It was at that critical time that Maharshi Narada met Lord Rama and advised Him to perform Navaratra Pujas to fulfill the objective of destroying the unbeatable Ravana and his entire followers and for recovering Sita Devi. ( In fact, Ravana was seeking Maya Sita Devi, as real Sita in her earlier birth was an ascetic daughter of a Sage and Ravana was reproached by her when he made advances to her. He caught her hairs and she felt her body became impure and cursed that she would destroy him and his clan in her next birth and ended her life in Yoga Fire. As Sita Devi as the wife of Sri Rama, she gave away her Maya ( Illusion) to Ravana and he actually stole away a poisonous serpent in the form of Maya Sita in the ‘Ashoka Vana’!) Narada told Sri Rama that in the past, Navaratras were observed in sincerity by Indra, many other Demi-Gods as also Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara and obtained their Blessings from Maha Devi to fulfill their own wishes and prayers. As advised by Narada Maharshi, Lord Rama performed the Navaratras and secured Bhagavati Devi’s blessings. The battle was fought killing Rakshasas and the mighty Indrajit, Kumbhakarna and Ravana by Sri Rama as an instrument of Devi Bhagavati.
( Food material offered to Deity) to Virgins of the ages of two to ten would follow. The virgins of two years are named Kumaris, three years are Trimurthies, four years are Kalyanis, five years are Rohinis, five years are Kalikas, six years are Chandika, seven years Sambhavi, eight years Durga and Nine years as Subhadra. Blessings of these Virgins provide removal of problems, wealth, longevity, happiness, health and Peace. The procedure for the evenings too is similar in the Sandhya Puja viz. the ‘Arti” Worship to Goddess accompanied by instrumental music, ‘Shodasa Upacharas’or Sixteen kinds of worship ranging from holding an Umbrella to the Diety, hand fanning, showing a mirror, camphor lighting, Veda Recital, Singing and dancing in praise of Amba, ‘Naivedyam’ or offering varieties of food, and ‘Parikrama’ or taking the Deity around the worship place, or a temple or surrounding areas and so on. At the end, Bhajans (Group Singing), Purana Pravachana ( Lectures on the Mysteries of Goddess), ‘Harikathas’( Musical renderings of Stories of Religious nature) and so on are performed. Special worship is arranged on the ‘Saptami’,‘Durga Ashtami’, and ‘ Maha Navami’ days ie. the seventh, eighth and the ninth days of the Festival. Devotees not quite involved in the previous days too would like to invariably perform Worship as per their choices in their own Puja Places in their own residences, or Temples or Specially built up (improvised) Group ‘Mandaps’ for community worship. Saptami is described as the day when Maha Bhagavati takes a ‘Saakar’or Bodily Incarnation to destroy the Demon ‘Mahisha Asura’ who had the form of a Buffalo, creating havoc to the World. The following day, popular as ‘Durga Ashtami’, Maha Bhagavati in the Incarnation as Durga Devi looks fierce and angry with the Demon and prepares for a violent battle with him and fellow Demons and massacres them all. It is also believed that Bhadra Kali was incarnated in a furious and gruesome form to devastate the ‘Yajna’ that was performed by Daksha Prajapati, the father of ‘Maha Sati’, the better half of Lord Siva and the Kali Incarnation was surrounded by innumerable ‘Yoginis’ or the multiple permutations of Sixty Attendants of Bhadra Kali who created mayhem at the Yajna and killed Daksha and his followers.On Maha Navami Day, Maha Bhagavati in the forms of fury and destruction punished the evil forces and brought back Her own Creation to normalcy and established balance of power. Thus the two days of Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami are the days of the Grand Finale of the Navarathras, which are remembered for the relief, climactic joy and devotion experienced by the humans and Gods alike. The day next day falling on Vijaya Dasami is the day of high celebration and gratitude to Maha Bhagavati for Her ‘Leelas’or Playful Actions that remain complex forever in human minds, soaked deep in the grip of Maya or Illusion! Whoever observes Navarathri Pujas with devotion are certain to reap benefits- Dharma ( Virtue), Artha ( Prosperity), Kama ( Worldy fulfillments) and Moksha ( Eternal Bliss) with the blessings of Maha Bhagavati. Even those who committed unpardonable misdeeds earlier- ‘Pancha Patakas’or heinous acts viz. killing Sages and Brahmanas, stealing gold or valuables, drinking and gambling, adultery or association with perpetrators of sins-would be spared if only the Navaratra Worship is performed with faith.
Veda Vyasa described to King Janamejaya the illustration of how Lord Ramachandra had conquered the indomitable Ravana, when the latter had kidnapped Bhagavati Sita by deception in disguise as a Fake Sage and on securing tip offs that She was in Lanka under Ravana’s custody. In fact, the earlier forest life of Lord Rama was a dismal experience consequent on his Step mother Kaikeyi’s demand to send away Lord Rama and Lady Sita to forest life for fourteen years. Sri Rama had to invade Ravana’s Lanka to recover Sita, with the help of King Sugriva of Kishkindha and his Monkey brigade including Heros like Lord Anjaneya, Jambavanta and Angada. It was at that critical time that Maharshi Narada met Lord Rama and advised Him to perform Navaratra Pujas to fulfill the objective of destroying the unbeatable Ravana and his entire followers and for recovering Sita Devi. ( In fact, Ravana was seeking Maya Sita Devi, as real Sita in her earlier birth was an ascetic daughter of a Sage and Ravana was reproached by her when he made advances to her. He caught her hairs and she felt her body became impure and cursed that she would destroy him and his clan in her next birth and ended her life in Yoga Fire. As Sita Devi as the wife of Sri Rama, she gave away her Maya ( Illusion) to Ravana and he actually stole away a poisonous serpent in the form of Maya Sita in the ‘Ashoka Vana’!) Narada told Sri Rama that in the past, Navaratras were observed in sincerity by Indra, many other Demi-Gods as also Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara and obtained their Blessings from Maha Devi to fulfill their own wishes and prayers. As advised by Narada Maharshi, Lord Rama performed the Navaratras and secured Bhagavati Devi’s blessings. The battle was fought killing Rakshasas and the mighty Indrajit, Kumbhakarna and Ravana by Sri Rama as an instrument of Devi Bhagavati.
Explanations
of ‘Karma’ on queries about Krishna Avatar
Concerning a
number of queries raised by King Janamejaya in the context of Krishna
Avatar, Maharshi Veda Vyas explained the role of ‘Karma’ or Fate playing
vital significance. There are invisible links of one’s life to the previous
births and the actions of present life to future consequences and the cycle of
lives goes on, unless there is a possible break in the vicious circle in a
highly unlikely situation of a zero account.
The concepts
of ‘Sanchita’(accumulated), ‘Prarabdha’(accumulating) and Bhavishya
(forthcoming) total up ‘Karma’. Viewed from this perspective, the very many
questions raised by the King such as why Lord Krishna’s father Vasudeva and
mother Devaki were kept in prison for no fault of theirs; why Krishna had to
have two mothers Devaki and Yasoda; why Devaki had to deliver six infant boys
in a succession just to be killed by Kamsa till the seventh and the eighth were
spared; why did the righteous Pandavas struggle in life and faced several ugly
situations especially when their share of Kingdom was given, moved on to
Indraprastha and performed Rajasuya Yajna! Maharshi Veda Vyasa provided
replies on several queries of King Janamejaya as linked with ‘Sanchita
Karma’. As an illustration, he narrated the incident of the birth of seven
infants before the eighth issue of Lord Krishna and why Aditi was born as
Devaki in the next birth. Two daughters of Prajapati Daksha, Aditi and
Diti, were wedded to Sage Kasyapa. Indra the King of Devas was born to Aditi;
and Diti too desired to give birth to a son as powerful as Indra. Kasyapa
advised Diti to perform a religious ritual with great piety and purity. As Diti
too was conceived and the boy was nearing the delivery, Aditi got perturbed
with envy. She asked her son Indra to somehow terminate the delivery. Indra
pretended affection to Diti and when she fell fast asleep, entered by his
mystic power the pregnant area and used his thunderbolt (Vajra Weapon) by splitting
her womb into seven parts which were cut into seven further parts totalling
forty nine parts.These forty nine parts were delivered and became Aswini
Kumars, the powerful and virtuous Devas. The seven parts of the foetus were
born as Devaki’s infant boys, six of them having been killed by Kamsa as soon
as born and the seventh one flew away in the process of killing as ‘Yoga Maya’.
Of course the eighth child was carried to Gokula as that of Nanda and Yasoda
and thus emerged the Krishna Avatar. Diti
learnt how the envy of Aditi was responsible for the miscarriage and cursed
Aditi that she too be punished as Devaki in her next birth experiencing the
pangs of losing seven infants in a row. Another illustration given by Veda
Vyasa about the impact of ‘Karma’ was related to the several miseries faced by
Pandavas, particularly after their conduct of Rajasuya Yajna; the explanation
was that the Function was performed more out of arrogance and bravado rather
than for religious reasons. Similarly, highly virtuous persons like Bhishma,
Drona and Dharmaraja had undergone many embarrassing situations again as a
clear example of Sanchita Karma
Nara and Narayana, Urvasi and Prahlada
Maha Muni
Dharma was born from Lord Brahma’s heart and was wedded to Prajapathi Daksha’s
ten daughters. He had four sons Hari, Krishna, Nara and Narayana. The former two were
practitioners of high system of Yoga and Nara
and Narayana were always engaged in religious means. When Nara and Narayana
were performing rigourous meditation at Gandhamadan Mountain for over one
thousand years, Indra got alarmed at the safety of his throne and despatched
Celestial Damsels like Rambha, Tilottama, Menaka totalling sixteen thousand and
also requested Manmadha and Rati Devi to help divert the attention of the Sages
All the
coquetisth approaches made by Heavenly Nymphs fell flat as these Sages were far
above the aspects of lust and anger. With a smile, the Sage brothers
created one outstandingly beautiful woman from their thighs and hence named
Urvasi! The Munis said that since there were so many Nymphs who came from
Heavens to visit the place, they thought it fit to create at least one hostess
to look after them. The Apsaras were put to shame as their intention was
different and fell on the feet of the Sages. They were all grateful that
despite the deep provocation that the Munis had faced, they did not curse
the Apsaras; instead the Munis asked to take away Urvasi also and leave them in
peace to continue their ‘Tapasya’. But the Apsaras desired to stay at the most
alluring surroundings of the Mountain and begged of Narayana to marry them as
they were all got mesmerised and infatuated with him. On their collective
insistence, Sage Narayana agreed that in His next Avatar as Lord Krishna, He
would marry them all and with that assurance, they returned back to Indra Loka.
As the Apsaras left, the Sages Nara and Narayana did not get angry with the
disturbance caused by the presence of so many damsels and spoilt their Tapasya,
as anger and ‘Ahamkara’ (Ego) would indeed be worse than lust and thus reverted
back to their ‘Tapasya’. In fact the Sages felt that a position like that
happened earlier when they were overcome by the instinct of ‘Ahamkara’ and
their meditation was badly affected when there was a fight with Prahlada
and that they would never like to repeat a situation like that.
Veda Vyasa
explained to King Janamyejaya that Illustrious Sages like Nara Narayanas or
even the ever-memorable devotee of Lord Vishnu like Prahlada, who was
responsible for the slaughter of Hiranya Kasipu by Lord Vishnu’s
Incarnation of ‘Narasimha’, were not exceptions to ‘Ahamkara’, let alone
ordinary human beings! The son of Bhrigu Maharshi, Chyavana Muni was bathing in
Narmada River at a ‘Punya Kshetra’ ( a Holy Place) named
Vyarhitisvara. A frightful snake pulled the Muni and dragged him down to
Patala. The Muni felt that his last hours of life were counted as the snake
would surely give him a poisonous bite any time and prayed to Lord Vishnu most
sincerely wondering how awful was fate that after a highly ascetic life he had
to have an end like this! But, the poison proved ineffective as his prayers
were responded to. In Patala, the snake felt apologetic for its action and
revered the Muni for his powers. Others nearby too respected the Sage and the
word went round till the King of Patala, Prahlada called him and realised
that Chyavana Muni too was a close devotee of Lord Vishnu. During the
conversation with the Sage, Prahlada realised how enlightened the Muni
was and enquired which were the best pilgrimage places on earth for visits. The
Muni replied that if there were no pollution in one’s own mind, every place
would be a pilgrimage center and if the mind was full of vice, avarice, and
violence, no pilgrimage was worth it. In any case, Chyavana Muni recommended
Prahlada’s visit to Naimisharanya and the nearby Chakra Tirtha and Pushkara
Tirtha and so on. Prahlada was excited and visited Naimisaranya and noted that
there were several Sages engaged in their own Tapasyas. But, suddenly he saw a
sight of two Munis with knotted hair, keeping before them two sets of bows and
arrows, ‘Sarangam’ and ‘Ajavagam’ (Pinaka) belonging to Lords Vishnu and Siva.
The Sages were indeed Nara
and Narayana. Prahlada was furious to see the sight of the Sages keeping bows
and arrows before them and at the same time engaged in deep meditation. He felt
that both bravery and meditation could never be side by side and neither of
these qualities was genuine. He reprimanded and badly criticised the Sages, who
asked the King to mind his business and leave them alone. Then arguments
followed by the King and the ascetics and the King gradually became louder and
quarrelsome. The spirit of ‘Ahankara’ overcame both the sides and snow-balled
into a fulfledged battle! The entire Universe got reverberated with the
exchange of fiery arrows from Nara
and Narayana on the one hand and Prahlada and the entire army of Asuras on the
other for several years. It became apparent over the time that the two Sages
were indeed invincible and Prahlada was almost overcome; he remembered Maha
Vishnu who appeared before the devotee. Bhagavan Vishnu declared to
Prahlada that the Great Sages Nara
and Narayana were of His own ‘Amsa’( Expansion). Realising his grave blunder,
Prahlada fell on the feet of the Sages and prayed to them that ‘Ahamkara’
blinded him and ‘Maya’overpowered his emotions, for which he was ashamed and
guilty!
Sage Bhrigu
curses Maha Vishnu
There were
on-going battles between Devas and Demons, but the most potent war fought was
that of Bali with Devas in which Danavas
had an upper hand. But Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of Vamana and tricked
Bali by asking for just three feet of land and occupied the entire
Universe and suppressed Bali’s head to the
Sub-terranian world as the third foot! Similarly Prahlada’s father
Hiranyakasipu was killed taking the form of half-lion and half - man to escape
the effect of Brahma’s boon
Thus each
time Danavas got boons from Brahma, Lord Vishnu tried to search for the escape
clauses of the boons secured after rigorous Tapasya and appeared as the saviour
of Devas always. Thus brooding, Sukra Acharya, the son of Sage Bhrigu and
Urjasvati, consoled Danavas and assured that some other strategy would have to
be followed to achieve victory over Devas. Thus Danava Guru asked for patience
and restraint and meanwhile practised a life of austerity and abstinence till
he found a solution to the problem from Tapasya. The Acharya then meditated
Lord Siva for several years together and finally pleased him for a boon. He
explained that the various Tapasyas performed by Danava Kings in the past to
Brahma and the boons obtained from him proved futile since they had only
temporary impact and each time Lord Vishnu was discovering loopholes in the
boons received. That was the reason why Lord Siva was approached for a solution
as a boon, the kind of which should not have been granted to his opponent
Brihaspati, the Deva Guru. Lord Siva in turn gave a very arduous method to
follow namely to perform penance for thousand years lying upside down inhaling
smoke from burnt husk. Meanwhile Deva Guru disguised himself as Sukracharya and
gradually misguided Danavas and taught them a licentious and wicked life quite
contrary to what Sukracharya advised before his departure for Tapasya.The
Danavas were provoked by the Fake Danava Guru went on war against Devas who
killed several Demons as the latter were disunited, indisciplined and
weak. Sukracharya’s mother, Kavya, found that Devas were drawing too near to
Danavas and protected them by putting Devas to deep sleep by requesting the
Goddess of ‘Nidra’(Slumber). Indra escaped the sleep as Lord Vishnu absorbed
him into His body; He also used the Sudarsana Chakra (Wheel) and cut off
Kavya’s head even ignoring that she was a woman that too the wife of Sage
Bhrigu. The Sage was furious on learning that Vishnu’s Chakra cut Kavya’s head
and gave him a curse that Vishnu would be born again and again as a human being
since He never cared for the killing of a woman and hence be punished by learning
the misery of staying imprisoned for nine months each time before the
births. Also by his mystic powers, the Sage revived his wife to come alive!
Indra was afraid that Bhrigu cursed Narayana and soon original Visvamitra would
also return after securing the much desired Mantra from Lord Siva. So Indra
made a plan and asked his daughter Jayanti to disguise herself as a maid and
reach Visvamitra’s hermitage and please his mother Kavya to start with and
please the Sage in his duties subsequently which she did exceedingly well.
Meanwhile Visvamitra secured a great boon from Lord Siva that he would be
invincible to any force in the Universe. Lord Siva blessed the Sage with the
Mantra. Also he was pleased with the sevices of Jayanti and desired to
give boons to her. She revealed her identity as Indra’s daughter and
requested the Sage to marry her. Visvamitra agreed that she could be with him
for ten years, that he would not attend to any outside task during the period
and that she would not be visible to others. Indra’s plan thus succeeded well.
The fake Sukracharya (Brihaspati) too had a successful time. But after ten
year’s time Visvamitra left Jayanti and returned to Asuras and sought to expose
the fake Sukracharya, but the fake Sage advised that he was real Sukracharya
and the one who arrived just then was really fake! The real Sukacharya was not
able to convince the foolish Danavas and having cursed them for not recognising
him left in anger. Having fulfilled his mission, the fake Sukracharya or Brihaspati
returned to Indra Loka. Danavas felt cheated and desired to convey their
sincere apologies and thus approached Sukracharya with King Prahlada in the
lead. The Sage was furious as he felt insulted, while actually he took the
trouble of severe Tapasya only for the welfare of the entire Danava community
whereas they let him down badly by believing in Brihaspati in disguise. King
Prahlada pleaded with the Sage very earnestly and all the Danavas prostrated
before the Guru to excuse them for their lack of gratitude and commonsense.
Sukracharya understood from his intuition that the regrets expressed by
Prahlada and Danavas were genuine. He then narrated that Lord Brahma assured
him of the King of Danava’s coming to power soon and for the time being Danavas
would have to lie low and await excellent times till Prahlada’s grandson would
be born as Bali and reign the Three Worlds. What the Danava Guru told Prahlada
was so encouraging that he did not wait for more time and attacked the Devas;
Devas lost the war.
Indra was surprised at the defeat of Devas. He
prayed to Devi Bhagavati at the instance of Deva Guru, Brihaspati. He extolled
the unparalleled Glory of Devi as per ‘Shakti Darsana’ and described Her as the
‘Tatvas’ rooted to the material manifestation of Pancha Bhootas or
Five Elements; the Tatvas include Maha Bindu, Nada Sakti and Misrama
Bindu. She dwelt in five sheaths ( Kosas) viz. Annamaya, Prana Maya Kosa,
Manonmaya, Vignana Maya and Ananda Maya. She was the Vedas, Sastras, Upanishads,
Mantras, Tantras and multi-routed final destination and so on. Devi Bhagavati
was pleased and made Her extraordinary appearance in full form, packed
with armoury and ornaments. Out of sheer panic, Danavas led by King
Prahlada fled away to Patala forthwith. Thus ended the unwarranted war declared
by Danavas against Devatas who had other important duties to perform; thus the
Devi’s appearance was a warning to both Devas and Danavas that they should not
waste mutual energies in frequent bickerings. Thus there was a Truce ending the
War.
Links
to previous births of personalities during Vishnu ‘Avataras’
King
Janamejaya enquired of Maharshi Veda Vyasa about the Incarnations of Lord
Vishnu and the connected links of persons figuring in the respective
Avataras.While in the ‘Chakshusa’ Manvantara of ‘Kritha’ Yuga, the Incarnation
of Vishnu was of Dharma and the sons were Nara and Narayana, the Vaivasvata
Manvantara of the same Yuga witnessed the Incarnation of Dattatreya, the son of
Sage Atri and Anasuya;
The Trinity
were born to Anasuya as Soma from Brahma, Dattatreya from Vishnu, and Durvasa
from Eswara. In the last phase of KritaYuga was born ‘Narasimha’, destroyed
Hiranya Kasipu, saved Prahlada and re-established Dharma. As in the case of
Hiranyaksha when Lord Vishnu took the Incarnation of a Boar, the links were
clear in that the Sanaka Brothers – Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanath
Kumara-gave a curse to Jaya and Vijaya-the Gate Keepers of Vaikuntha, the abode
of Lord Vishnu- that they be born as cruel as Kings in three successive births
as Hiranya Brothers, as Ravana and Kumbhakarna, and as Sisupala and Dantavarka.
In Treta Yuga, Lord Vishnu’s Incarnations were of ‘Vamana’ to curb the power of
King Bali, as Parasu Rama the destroyer of the erring and arrogant Kshatriyas,
and Rama as the ‘Maryada Puroshottama’( Ideal and Virtuous Paradigm Human
Being). In Dvapara Yuga, the Incarnations were repeats of Narayana and Nara as Krishna and
Arjuna. After Sage Bhrigu’s curse, Lord Vishnu’s Avataras were indeed born and
as humans to go through the travails of pregnancy and delivery, where as the
earlier Avataras of Matsya, Kurma and Narasimha were Svayambhus. Besides Lord
Vishnu several players enacting the dramas related to the Avataras too had
links with their previous births according to their own ‘Sanchita’ or
‘Prarabdha Karma’.
With special
reference to Krishna Avatar, King Janamejaya explained that he had
already got the answer in the previous pages as to how Lord Krishna had sixteen
thousand and eight wives of whom eight were accounted for as Rukmini,
Satyabhama, Jambavati, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Satya and Bhadra, apart from the
rest who were the Apsaras who were sent to Nara and Narayana Sages by Indra .
But he had a barrage of other questions which deluded answers for him: Why were
Vasudeva and Devaki chosen as the parents of Krishna and Balarama; why were the
six infants killed as soon as given birth to; why were Krishna and Balarama
grown at Gokula and how did Balarama get transferred to Yashoda’s pregnancy
from that of Devaki; why did Krishna shift to Dvaraka overnight from Mathura if
it were not out of fear of Jarasandha and how could the residents of Mathura
were convinced; why were the good Pandavas subjected by fate to untold
miseries, especially by Draupadi; How was it that Draupadi was the wife of five
brothers which was considered as incest in any civilised Society; why did a
Maharshi Veda Vyasa agree to a procedure of begetting children to two widows
and a Dasi, simply because Bhishma took a vow not to marry and become a King
again; how come an intelligent King like Dharmaraja yielded to the
temptation of playing a ‘friendly’ game of chess, being fully conscious of
the implication of losing it at a ridiculously high stake of
Aranyavasa for twelve years and a year long Ajnatavasa, that too by involving
his wife and brothers; why did the highly virtuous and brave persons like
Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Drupada and so on failed to control the Evil Forces and
save the Great Battle; how was it that Asvathama a great Warrior and the son of
Drona Acharya himself resorted to the meanest act of killing the five sons of
Pandavas while in sleep; and why did the Great Munis curse the entire Yadu
Vamsa for a casual prank played by Yadu boys for displaying a boy as a pregnant
woman knowing fully well that Lords Krishna and Balarama too belonged to the
same Vamsa and so on. The spate of doubts expressed by King Janamejaya as
above could be dealt with by convincing explanations in the pages ahead,
keeping in view the colossal role played by Maha Maya ( The Grand Illusion) or
Maha Devi Bhagavati.
Om Tat Sat
(Continued)
(My humble
salutations to the lotus feet of Sri
Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswamy ji and also my humble greatulness
to Brahmasree Sreeman V D N Rao ji for the collection)
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