PART ONE
CONTENTS:
1. A brief description the God world.
2. Sage Naarada learns a lesson.
3. Description of the Forms arising out of the Formless.
4. Creation of the Trinities.
5. The Greatness of Devi.
6. A brief account of Mahabharata events where Shakti is
disrespected and the consequences thereof.
INTRODUCTION
DEVA LOKA - THE WORLD
OF GODS!
MARTYA
LOKA-THE WORLD OF MORTALS!
The mortal world of humans is ruled by the immortal world of
Gods!
We- the mortals, have no direct access to the world of Gods
as we are limited by our cellular bodies made up of five elements. Gods don’t
have such physical limitations. They are eternal!
Who are these Gods who seem to control our lives? Why are we
created by them? Why do we exist as mortals and why are they immortal?
So many questions like these have no answers.
We can have a glimpse of the God-world, only through the words
of the Sages who had the visions of the ‘God world’ in their contemplative
states and have translated them in a language intelligible to us.
With neither hunger tormenting them, nor cellular bodies limiting them, how would the Gods
live? We wonder!
What sort of rules prevail in the God world, where a single
wrong thought can push one down to the lowest states of existences?
We the mortals are imprisoned here by these bodies caught in
the evolutionary cycle and have to survive somehow just to reproduce and die
whether we want it or not. We have no access to the ‘nectar of immortality’!
Apart
from the fact that these Gods have‘Non-decaying physical attires’ that do not undergo change;
there is not much difference between them and us. Though in principle mortals
and immortals can be termed as the manifestations of the same Para Brahman; yet
in the ‘Vyavahaarika sense’ [the regular perceptions of life stories], Gods are
all different individuals with different personalities and different
aspirations. Not all have the same powers; not all are well-versed in all learning; not all are perfect in character; not all are
realized souls. Like us mortals, they also are moved by emotions. There is a fight for
supremacy in their world also. The virus of ego and selfishness causes untold
damages there also.
GODS:
SURYA DEVA
CHANDRA
BRIHASPATI
LORD YAMA
INDRA
The only difference between us and them is the structure of
the physical bodies. Our bodies are made up of five elements; their bodies are
made up of ‘light like’ substance.
[The word – ‘DEVA’ arises
from the root letter –‘DIV’ which means ‘Light’ or 'shine']
These Gods are said to survive on ‘Sacrifices’-‘Yajnas’! So the ancient royal personages performed many
‘Sacrifices’ and offered the ‘results or fruits of the Yajnas’ to these Gods
and pleased them. The Gods in turn bestowed on them boons and whatever other
favors the mortal souls desired in return.
The Trinities which rule the three worlds of mortals and
immortals, and the nether worlds, survive on their own powers and excel other Gods
by their superior Knowledge and uniqueness. Their spouses – the embodied
‘power-forms’ - empower their spouses with the unique powers, so they can retain
their supremacy.
The ‘God world’ exists in another dimension, where we cannot
enter with our space-ships but maybe with different physical attires, which of
course is permissible only by the whims and fancies of Gods.
They alone have the power to take any mortal to their
worlds. We already know of the story of
King Trishanku, who tried to enter the heavens with his mortal attire and was
thrown out by Gods. And Sage Visvaamitra the compassionate Sage created a new
‘upside down heaven’ for the King who had acquired a ‘Chaandaala [low-caste]’
body by a curse!
The Sages with the ‘power of penance’ are in a level higher
than the Gods because of their acquisition of ‘Higher Knowledge’ and ‘Higher Powers’
through rigorous penance.
Since we can’t perform such rigorous penance in these ages
of weak physical structures, the only way left for us is to please these Gods with
hymns and get what we want. Whether we like it or not the Gods are our rulers.
Whether the Gods can know in an instant all that happens
everywhere in our world, may be a question for doubt. Actually they need not
bother much about any mortal being in this Universe.
As the mortals are
action-bound, their very actions decide their fate and a God may just ignore this
world and its inhabitants. May be by telepathically invoking them, our thoughts
may disturb their minds and they may help us. Maybe if we love them like our
fathers and mothers they may respond to us with compassion. But surely by just
holding on to the stone statues and performing meaningless rituals and
self-tortures, there is no chance of catching their attention. If mortals just
eke out ‘animal like existences’ without even an iota of ‘Knowledge’, these Gods
may ignore their existence as we ignore the happenings of an ‘ant-world’ in the
ant-hill!
Do Gods really exist?
If I and you can exist, why can’t they
exist too?
In these days, when Science is capable of seeing beyond
space and time, we cannot expect a God-world to float in the clouds above our
heads. However Science discoveries admit the existence of higher dimensions
which we have no means of accessing with our present technology. Our God-world
might be one such world existing in another dimension. Maybe these so-called Gods already have mastered
the ‘Truths of Science’ of which we have started to get a glimpse only for the
past 200 years in the ‘million year evolutionary existence’! If Gods are indeed great Scientists and Devaloka
and Martayaloka etc are all just their ‘virtual game-worlds’, we do not have
the means of finding out. We are part of their game! We are the virtual
characters of their video game! We have a chance of escaping from our mortal
existence only by pleasing these Gods or acquiring Knowledge equal to them or
more than them. Knowledge is a treasure that is not unattainable to any level
of existence.
What is the God-world like?
In the god-world there is no religion, no cult, and no
election-madness. Each God is created with an embodied power to perform a
particular function. Shiva can never become a Vishnu, and Brahma cannot become an
Indra and so on. Each God is a different individual. As in this world I cannot become ‘you’; ‘you’
cannot become anyone else, Gods also as different individual beings cannot interchange personalities.
In this world, you can call Hari and Hara as a single
Godhead and make a statue of Harihara with two faces and put a break to the
senseless cult fights committed here in the names of these Gods.
However in the real world of theirs, they are separate
individuals!
And we also cannot call ourselves Shiva and Krishna and dress up like them and parade as Gods. Which
God is so stupid and mindless to covet this dirty stinking human attire and
live here? What value does our puny diamonds and gold mean to these Gods who
can create them at will? If we study the
original ‘Puranas’, we will know that the Gods usually enter the Earth-existence
as a punishment for some wrong act of theirs or come here to perform penance.
As per the ‘Time-scale’ in both the worlds, our time is of a very short
duration compared to their time. They can perform penance here for thousands of
years and return to Devaloka in a fraction of a second of their world
time-scale.
Even if a compassionate God like Naaraayana or Kumara want
to enter this existence to enlighten us with Knowledge, they will act only as
remote controllers of the brain here. They may fully experience the Earth life
from birth to death; or partially connect to a mortal brain; or telepathically
guide their devotees from their abodes. But they may not budge out of their
comfortable seats even for a second! You can call their descent down to the Earth
as descent to a brain here. The Gods who descend down here usually attain
self-realization by the time they cross their childhood and live on Earth
without identifying with the mortal structures like we the ignorant creatures do. Even if they realize
their own true identities of Godhood, they never reveal the secret of their
original identities to any one. They live like us, suffer like us and in the
end leave us with the hope that we can rise higher in life whatever our
life-circumstances are! They enact an ideal drama of mortal existence for our
sake to inspire us. A descended God does not exhibit cheap magic tricks, nor
does he aspire for the fame and wealth of this world. Mostly he will live like
a recluse unattached to any person or object of this world. He will never in
the least bother about any sensuous pleasures of this world.
Think! With countless ‘apsaras’ waiting to serve at the command
of a simple glance, and a unique ‘bliss giving spouse’ waiting for him to wake
up within a few seconds of his divine dream, why would he waste his time in
this ‘mortal manifestation’ for acquiring cheap pleasures and wealth when he
knows the illusory nature of objects here? He will only try his best to
enlighten as many humans as possible in very few years of his Earth life and
return home quickly after the duty is over. He never proclaims that ‘he is a God’
and collect crowds to worship him! Why should He care for the acclaims of the
mortal world, like a human desiring the applause of chimpanzees! An
educated man who may enter
the colonies of tribal people to teach them some lessons on civilization
does not proclaim to them that ‘He is God’ and try to accumulate their type of wealth which
may be just some worthless animal bones or weird shaped stones! As long as one is after name and fame and
wealth here, he indeed a worst mortal even if he can do enough magic tricks and
advertises them as miracles and gets worshipped as a God.
Actually Science has more magic in its lab
than we can ever imagine. But these sincere truth seekers accused as the
villains of religion do not proclaim themselves to be Gods. They already are on
to the vague truth that this world might be a virtual world created by some
super-scientists. Maybe these scientists on Earth may one day find a way to
cross over to higher dimensions and meet our Gods and have an intelligent
discussion with them as to how this world was created! Maybe they will join hands with Gods to create
better worlds! But as of now, we still are groping in darkness. Our creators
are very elusive!
The only records we have now of ‘God world events’ are from
the words of Sage Vyaasa! Whatever he narrated to his disciples was in a verbal
form. Those narratives
have changed hands many a times and have reached us in a highly
deteriorated form. Many portions have been deleted, many new things have been
added, and we do not actually have perfect records of the true events of
Devaloka.
What compilation is given here in this book is from a
research conducted by browsing through many ancient dilapidated buried old
records here and there.
The visions of these God worlds were at first given to Sage
Vyaasa by ‘Baala-Shiva’ or a ‘Child-Shiva’! This child was actually an unknown
character mentioned in a very minute corner of Shiva Purana.
When Shiva was performing penance in the terrible mountain
forests after the disappearance of ‘His spouse Daakshayini’, he once suffered
acute pain of passion and sweat drops formed on his forehead. As the drops fell
on the ground, a child came into existence.
Shiva walked away disgusted by the screams of the unwanted child. The ‘Earth Mother’ –‘Bhooma Devi’ appeared
there and with Shiva’s permission fed milk to the child and took care of him. He
was named ‘Bhouma’ being the adopted son of ‘Bhooma Devi’! He became an ardent
adorer of his Creator and wandered in those forests attired as Shiva himself.
By serving Shiva in those forests, he pleased Shiva and Shiva blessed him with
the ‘Highest Knowledge’ even unattainable to any Great Gods like Naaraayana or
Brahma! He came to know all that his father knew. He even had the vision of all
the events of Devaloka. This ‘vision of God-world-events’, by the command of
Shiva, he transferred to Sage Vyaasa.
Later Bhouma performed penance under the guidance of his Father and
attained higher worlds!
The printed texts of Puranas are only half the story of what
happened in Devaloka! Like our lives go on event after event, their life also
continues with diverse events in their eternal life. Like Earth life is our world,
Devaloka is their world. The emotions and sufferings and joys are as true for
them as for us. They are also duty bound like us.
They also have dreams, desires and aspirations. They also
are moved by emotions like us. The only difference is that their world is more
sophisticated, more glamorous, more controlled than ours. They do not have
surviving problems. They are not beset by hunger or disease. Their bodies are
not made of lever, heart and kidneys. They need not worry about diabetes and
cancer. They have eternal time and eternal pleasures at hand. Their sexual
pleasures are no away equal to ours. As we cannot compare ‘human-mating’ to
‘animal-sex’, we the mortal ones cannot fathom the sex-pleasures of the
immortals. The female bodies of God-world are made not of cells and blood but
with blissful atoms. The females there are created for enjoyments only. The
higher the status of God - he gets the higher type of bliss-spouse and his
bliss rate is higher! Actually there are not strict ethical rules there for men
and women. In God-world - ‘Maituna’- or ‘Coupling’ is done for pleasure and not
for reproduction. There is no gene transformation. The creation of a new being
is possible only by the power inherent in any God. Not all are capable of
creating new beings. Brahma can create lower beings like us; that too he
manages only to give embodiment to the already existing Vaasanaas (latent tendencies or memories in the Supreme). Shiva can
create any type of being out of anything. Naaraayana does not bother to create
anything; but he is supposed to have created the divine damsel Urvashi from the
thigh-portion of his. Kubera can create any ordinary divine damsel for the
denizens of heaven and has accumulated a lot of wealth from his talent of
creating apsaras made as per specifications. Rishis have the power to fill
their spouses with unique bliss qualities and keep them as their own treasured
properties. Lower Gods who do not have creative powers try to get access to
these spouses of Sages and become victims of the wrath of the Sages. Except the
Trinities - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - all other Gods are just various posts
for functioning in Devaloka. Any mortal from any world can get these posts by
the command of a Trinity or by performing the appropriate penance. That is why
you find Indra and other Gods fearing the mortals who perform penance.
Apsaras, the ordinary female inhabitants of the heaven are
usually unsurpassed in beauty and they excel in all forms of arts like dance or
music. They usually are in the service of higher Gods and cater to their needs.
They never can attain the status of devoted wives; unless they follow the
example of Menakaa who performed enough penance to become the loyal wife of Sage
Visvaamitra and was later raised to the status of a Sage-wife! The reason that
they easily fall in love with royal personages of this mortal world is because
of the love and affection of a loyal husband they get here in this world unlike
Devaloka where they are used just as enjoyment props! Though they cannot experience
the same exotic pleasure as they get in Devaloka, they revel in the pleasure of
the honest love experienced here by mortals.
Devaloka events are important to us, of course not for any
merit or miraculous benefit we may gain thereof, but because the mortal world of
ours reflects the emotions and events of Devaloka like a mirror. The happenings
in Devaloka affect our lives like a shadow cast upon us. If Goddess Sarasvati
is in a subdued position there, our Knowledge acquirement suffers here. If the
mother sentiment of Uma Devi is on the ascent there, here the same emotion
reigns. If fights and wars become the regular events in Devaloka, we will do
the same here too. Since their five minutes almost equal to many hundred years
of this Earth time, our events continue for generations to balance their one
event. If love-failures occur there, we get the same results in our life
stories for quite a long time. In that way, the Devaloka events are important
to us. If Gods smile, there is a hope that we will smile too!
This work is an offering at the feet of Tripuraa Devi, the
Highest Principle above all Gods and humans. Except for borrowing the simple words
of the English language as a tool to express the events of Deva Loka, there is
nothing written here out of sheer imagination and there is no attempt to
infiltrate any personal opinion or idea.
The events depicted here are based on Sage Vyaasa’s works
and are factual to the utmost. It is an honest attempt to build a bridge to link
up the Earth to the heavens. Hitherto unknown episodes of 'Puranas' have been
painstakingly obtained from the bowels of Himalayas
and are in no way works of imagination. Many years have been spent in giving a
chronological arrangement to all the scattered versions of the God-world
events.
The events of Devaloka are as true as our world
life-stories. If our life stories are just creations of our own minds, then of
course the God World events are also creations of their own minds. Both worlds are
illusory from the level of Para Brahman; but yet true!
As Adi Shankara explains in his works -the events of the
world are true in the ‘Vyavahaarika’ sense! What we perceive is our world. We
have to live accordingly as long as we are bound by forms and names.
An absorption into the God-story is said to be one
particular method of contemplation on a personal God.
It is sincerely hoped that the rendering of the divine
incidents mentioned here, lead the readers to a higher state of existence and
make them the receptacles of the blessings of the Trinities – Brahma Vishnu and
Maheshwara and their beloved spouses!!!
NAARADA
Brahma is the Creator. His
son was Naarada.
Once, Naarada wanted to perform
penance. He contemplated on the Self, settling himself in a cave in the deep
Himalayan region, on the bank of River Gangaa.
Indra, the King of Gods felt
worried about his position. He decided
to take action. He thought of KAAMADEVA, the God of Passion. He requested him
to create disturbance in the mind of Sage Naarada.
KAAMA
DEVA.
God of Passion.
He was also known as Madana,
Maara, Manmatha, etc.
He was the most beautiful of
all Gods.
He was addicted to wine and
women.
No maiden could resist his
charm.
He could create romantic
worlds of extreme charm.
He could create disturbances
in the minds of greatest Sages.
He could provoke the sense
organs of anybody.
He could create passion and
love in anybody.
He was proud of his own
power.
Naarada was no challenge to
him.
He reached the place of
penance.
He entered the impregnable
forest.
The terrifying forest changed
into a garden of exotic beauty.
Flowers blossomed everywhere.
Beautiful scents filled the quarters.
Bees hovered all around,
kissing the tender lips of the smiling flowers.
Birds of different varieties
provided a melodious orchestra.
Spring was in the air.
Winds
blew tenderly filling every mind with burning passion.
But, the Sage was
undisturbed.
Kaama felt defeated. Then, he
remembered.
That was the region, SHIVA
had performed penance once.
He had been burnt by the third eye
of SHIVA.
He had become alive after his
spouse ‘Rati’ prayed to SHIVA.
SHIVA had ordained that the
forest would never be touched by Kaama’s power.
Madana returned to Indra,
crestfallen.
SHAMBHU-MAAYAA
SHIVA’s Maaya; his illusory
power! Nobody can stand against his Maaya.
Naarada succumbed to it. He
completed the penance and went to the Heavens.
Indra saluted him with
reverence. Indra praised the Sage and complemented him about his dispassion.
Naarada was drunk in his own
self-praise. He felt great. He had done what SHIVA had done.
He had conquered Kaama.
He was equal to SHIVA.
He felt like meeting his
equal.
He went to SHIVA-LOKA.
He saluted SHIVA.
He narrated his tale of penance.
He described in detail, his feat of conquering the Passion-God.
His eyes shone with pride. He
looked at SHIVA, as if he were his equal.
SHIVA’s face lighted up with
a charming smile.
Mischief gleamed in his
lotus-like eyes.
He spoke with reverence.
“O wise One, You are indeed
great. You have excelled me in dispassion. Please be kind, and don’t narrate
this great tale of dispassion to anybody else. Especially to HARI! You are dear
to him; whoever is a devotee of HARI is also dear to me. So better not repeat
this to anybody else. Keep the greatness of character to yourself. Please act
per my advice.”
SHIVA’s advice fell on deaf
ears.
Naarada was deluded.
He went to his Father BRAHMA
and narrated his tale of dispassion.
BRAHMA understood the vanity
of his son. He also, advised him to keep the story to himself.
Naarada disregarded his
advice.
He went to VISHNU-LOKA. He
repeated the tale to VISHNU.
VISHNU meditated on SHIVA for
a few moments.
He understood what SHIVA’s
intention was. ‘Naarada needed a lesson.’
VISHNU praised Naarada for
the greatness of his character.
Naarada gave a gracious smile
and left after saluting VISHNU.
VISHNU smiled.
A beautiful city arose to
meet Naarada on his journey.
A city occupying many hundred
of miles in its measure; filled with wonders;
more beautiful than Indra’s
city.
Pretty damsels and handsome
men wandered about engaged in love-sports.
Poverty was unknown. Life was
just enjoyments of various kinds.
This charming city was ruled
by King SHEELA-NIDHI.
He had a pretty daughter of
marriageable age.
When Naarada entered the city,
the city was celebrating the 'SvayamVara' (choosing the husband) of the princess.
The Sage was taken to the
palace by some renowned members of the city.
Naarada felt elated. He
gloated in his mind about his own greatness.
He entered the palace as if
he was SHIVA himself gracing the king.
He was duly worshipped by the
king. The king introduced his daughter to him.
The young maiden saluted the Sage
and stood in front of the Sage with bent head.
The king asked him about his
daughter’s future.
Naarada raised his eye towards
the princess.
After all, who was he! The
great form of dispassion; equal to SHIVA!
A sight of a girl is not
going to affect him. He had conquered Kaama, hadn’t he?!
He looked at the princess.
Million lightning stuck him
at once.
His mind was lost to the
world.
He couldn’t take his eyes
away from her.
What a face! Like a full-moon
just risen!
What shyness! Like the
quarters at the evening time!
What a beauty! Those pot-like
breasts heaved in excitement.
Naarada was burning in an
unknown fire.
He wanted nothing in the
world except, to have her in his possession as soon as possible.
What
was her name?
SHREEMATHI!
Yes! She was as beautiful as
MAHAALAKSHMI!
She deserved a husband as
great as himself.
What was the king saying?
Oh, he was asking about the
future of the girl.
Little did the king know that
he was talking to his great son-in-law of the future.
Naarada came down to Earth
from the lofty heights of his great being.
Naarada spoke:
“O King! You do not know the
fortune of this pretty daughter of yours. Her husband is the Lord of all; a
person equal to SHIVA himself in dispassion. He is a conqueror of KAAMA
himself. Nobody equals him in greatness.”
The king was overjoyed. Naarada took
leave of him.
Naarada was worried.
‘How to possess that pretty
damsel’?
SVAYAM
-VARA!
Even
if he attended the Svayam-vara, what chances are there for him?
With
so many royal personages around, there was no hope of even getting a
side-glance from her.
He
has to get a handsome body; and, who is more handsome than VISHNU!
Divine damsels hovered around
him, intoxicated by his charms!
Even AISHVARYAA DEVI, the
pretty young daughter of ISHVARA, was charmed by Him.
Better request NAARAAYANA to
give him his form and oblige his great devotee.
Naarada went to VISHNU-LOKA.
Naarada met VISHNU in his
private chambers.
He did not notice the little
red form buried inside the coils of the giant snake.
He explained his problem to
VISHNU.
After all VISHNU was a
friend; a close friend.
‘Maybe once he had been his
beloved master, but now they both were equal.
NO, NO! He was another SHIVA
now.
VISHNU was bound to oblige
him’.
Naarada asked for the ‘form
of VISHNU’.
VISHNU was most obliging.
After all, what were friends
for!
If the friend is sick,
shouldn’t he be cured at any cost!
Naarada’s joy knew no bounds. He couldn’t believe it.
He had the face of HARI now;
face of his dearest friend.
How handsome he looked now!
The girl will be surely his…;
no doubt about it at all.
But, why had NAARAAYANA
laughed aloud, after he gave ‘his form’ to him?
His friend was always like
this.
Always laughing for no
reason…!
And his silly niece too…; the
little daughter of DURGA…
She had not stopped laughing
till he had hurried off; her hair flying…; her ear rings fluttering..; her
reddish hue turning redder..! She had held on to the neck of her uncle and
laughed till tears filled her eyes.
[TAIJASAA
- the essence of all goodness and beauty can only be represented as a never
fading red rose].
Naarada never could know that
the whole prank was her idea.
And, her uncle had done just
what she had told.
Prank…? Played on Naarada?
What happened actually?
When Naarada asked for the
face of VISHNU, he had addressed VISHNU as HARI and that too, in a derogatory
tone. AISHVARYA, who was messing around with ADI-SHESHA’s endless coils, heard
Naarada’s speech. She was enraged. ‘How dare this fool address her dear uncle
disrespectfully like this!’ she thought, and decided ‘This arrogant fool needed
a lesson; a lesson he won’t forget soon..!’
NAARAAYANA had obliged her
secret request and Naarada had VISHNU’S face.
To him, it appeared as NAARAAYANA’S
face. But to others he was ‘monkey faced’.
SHIVA’s daughter had played
her trick on him. After all, HARI means a monkey also! Does it not?
So Naarada had got what he
wanted…a ‘Hari’s face’.
And LAKSHMI was not there to
control the little imp! She was getting ready for the SVAYAM-VARA at the palace of SHEELA-NIDHI, in the guise of his
daughter SREEMATI.
Naarada hurried out of
VAIKUNTA; He shouldn’t be late for the SVAYAM-VARA.
AISHVARYA’S laughter still
echoed in all the quarters.
NARAAYANA was looking with
love-lorn eyes at the beautiful girl.
TAIJASAA was now a budding
beauty; her fresh youthful charms excited any on-looker to extreme heights of
passion. Unaware of her own feminine charms, the little girl still played all
over the heavens like a five year old child.
NAARAAYANA had to try hard to control his own passion and treat her like
a child.
Moreover the red beauty was
extremely attached to her mother and it was hard to lure her away from the
shadow of the maternal care which guarded the innocent girl from all wicked
eyes. No one, not even Naaraayana dared the angry glance of the Supreme Queen
of the heavens.
Even now, as the little girl
sat on his lap laughing uncontrollably, NAARAAYANA felt like tightening his
embrace around the youthful body and shower kisses all over her and absorb all
her redness into his person! But, she was not aware of his plight at all! She
was just a child; love or lust had no place in her world! Her laughter reddened
the white waves splashing all around the snaky seat.
The SVAYAMVARA- HALL was
overflowing with the gems of the Kshatriya clan.
Brave,
handsome men awaited their chance to get the glimpse of that pretty damsel
SHREEMATI.
Wasn’t she a beauty ….? As beautiful as MAHALAKSHMI!
Or, was she MAHALAKSHMI
herself?
Naarada
entered the hall!
He never understood why all
the people he met on the way smiled!
‘Maybe they were enamored by
his handsome person!
A second NAARAYANA in the
Universe!
As handsome as VISHNU and, as
dispassionate as SHIVA!
He should be now known as
SHIVA-NAARAAYANA!
He was now a person to be
worshipped by one and all as the GREATEST!’
He looked all around.
In the Heavens, VISHNU was
pleading with the little girl to save his devotee’s honor.
He
produced many a toy from the deep depths of his Milk-Ocean and promised her a
trip to GANDHARVA-LOKA, the magical world. She, at last agreed reluctantly.
Naarada changed into his
original form, in the SVAYAMVARA-HALL!
All others saw him as the Sage
only; except Divinities and Rishis.
But, he thought he looked
like VISHNU.
Naarada was waiting.
Two Brahmins approached him;
two subordinates of the RUDRA clan.
They started passing uncouth
remarks at the Sage.
They
laughed at his monkey face; made vulgar remarks; laughed aloud, commenting on
his person.
Naarada was sweating. His
face was red with embarrassment.
He did not understand why
they addressed him as a monkey. He was confused!
SHREEMATI entered the hall.
She was a devotee of NAARAAYANA.
She adored His form in her
heart.
She had accepted Him as her
LORD in her mind.
Nobody knew her infatuation
for VISHNU.
How could she aspire for the
company of the Greatest God?
She sighed in frustration.
She was disgusted with the
whole thing.
A ‘SVAYAMVARA’ indeed!
She looked at the princes
assembled there.
She was led by her maid
towards the assemblage.
The golden garland in her
hand trembled.
Where was her beloved LORD?
What foolishness? Why would
He come here?
Tears filled her large eyes.
Suddenly she saw some bluish
form passing by through her tear screen.
She for a moment thought that
her LORD was there.
No, that was some creature
from some other world, with the body of her LORD and the face of a monkey.
‘Oof!’- She walked away in
disgust. ‘What to do?’ – She was wondering.
She passed all the kings
without even glancing at them.
Their faces darkened as she
passed them.
Thy bent their heads, with
all their dreams shattered.
They were now eager to know,
which lucky man would get her!
SHREEMATI’S
eyes lit up suddenly.
‘Who
was that handsome young man standing at the fag end of the hall?
Her own NAARAAYANA! He had
heard her heart’s call! Her love was true!’
She hurried towards that
lovely Prince.
As she garlanded his
blue-hued neck, He embraced her with extreme love.
She disappeared into His
‘HEART’. He disappeared from the world.
The crowd never saw the
Prince.
They saw SHREEMATI
disappearing; confusion was everywhere!
King SHEELANIDHI closed his eyes
in panic.
He saw his daughter seated in
the company of LORD NAARAAYANA.
Tears of bliss flowed from
his eyes.
Naarada was returning home.
He was frustrated.
His body was burning in
passion.
His unfulfilled desire was
turning into rage.
‘Desire- insatiate’ changes
into anger, leading to delusion and destruction.
He searched for an outlet.
The two Brahmins were still
following him, commenting about his character.
They were displaying a mirror
and held it in front of him.
He saw a monkey-face glaring
at him from the mirror.
He felt cheated. His face
reddened with anger.
The two Brahmins were still
standing there laughing aloud.
His voice rose in a curse.
“May thou both become demons.”
They did not seem to care.
The two RUDRAS returned to
their abode at SHIVALOKA.
VAIKUNTA,
the abode of Lord VISHNU.
VISHNU was lying on his
serpent bed.
LAKSHMI was not there. She
never gave Him company nowadays. His niece was also not there. Maybe she will be looting Indra’s garden with
her gang. She had been commenting that,
Indra had made some derogatory remarks about her baby-sitter, LORD BHAIRAVA. Now
Indra had it! With his garden in ruins, he would come to him to complain. This
had become a routine! DEVALOKA could not stand the naughtiness of this little
imp! She was becoming a menace. He must talk to his sister about her. It would
give him a chance to meet the girl of his hearts and fill her beautiful form in
his eyes. Now – here was Naarada….’
VISHNU looked at the enraged Sage
and flashed an innocent smile at him.
Words flowed from Naarada’s
mouth like a hot stream.
VISHNU listened patiently.
“You
HARI, ..How dare you do this to me?
You wicked fellow…! Cheat..!
Deluder..!
You can’t stand something
good happening to others. Isn’t it so?
No
wonder, a deadly poison came out of your penance, when you people desired
the nectar which was actually
‘the Knowledge of the bliss from women’.
If
SHIVA had not taken the poison and swallowed it, the whole world would have
been destroyed.
And,
you cheated all the demons; fed them wine instead of nectar.
As MOHINI, you enjoyed the
company of all Gods.
And, you went behind all the
divine beauties that appeared there.
You are the most fallen God
ever, if I know!
Nobody dares to control your
wicked exploits.
But, still ‘I’ am there! I
will punish you! You will suffer the consequences of your own actions!
Here is my curse….! Fie on
you..!
Live on the Earth as a man.
May monkeys become your friends.
May you be separated from
your spouse. May you experience the pangs of separation.”
VISHNU accepted his curse
calmly.
‘As SHIVA wills’ – he
thought; ‘SHIVA knows best’.
A life on Earth may divert
him from the endless problems he had to face daily in the Heavens.
Was he not experiencing
separation from his wife even now!
LAKSHMI had not much regards
for his romantic nature.
She was always serious and
seemed to be absorbed in higher thoughts.
He liked to sing, dance and
play around! That is why he liked his niece. What a fun-loving girl she was! Time
flew when she was there. She was next to SHIVA in dancing.
Singing – she never
could master. For, she could never be stationed at one place for more than a
fraction of a second! What harm? Her voice was so soft, that her very laughter
was like a song.
His thoughts suddenly stopped
with a jolt.
Some soft tender form fell on
his back. Two red creepers entwined his neck.
Little red mouth was
whispering.
“Indra……his friends. ….they are chasing”
Her little breasts heaved
fast increasing his infatuation.
Her fruit-like lips were trembling.
‘Oh….when his mouth would taste them!’
No time to lose! He heard
some angry voices.
Naarada was gone.
He lifted the little girl in
his strong hands and embracing her like a treasure, vanished along with her.
AADI-SHESHA looked at the
disappearing forms.
He sighed! His heart ached!
He was not only the
Serpent-Brother of VISHNU, but also the Second RUDRA.
He was a Giant and guarded
the heavens with his terrifying form.
For long he had been absorbed
in penance.
Women never disturbed him.
But now, this little
TAIJASAA, the lovely daughter of UMAA was piercing his stone-like heart with her
innocent looks. He had been always her personal guardian and looked after her
as ordered by the Queen. But recently he knew something was changing within
him. The little baby whom he caressed and cuddled all these days with affection
was causing untold sufferings to him nowadays with her youthful beauty. Her
every playful touch sent innumerable shocks all over his giant form. He felt
like embracing her lovely form in his countless coils and burying her within
himself like a coveted gem.
‘AH LOVE! Why do you play
games with Great Gods also?
BHAIRAVA in love!
What more wonder can be
there?’
Bhairava sighed heavily!
The waves around him turned
into steam!
Naarada was burning in the
fire of guilt.
After he returned from
VISHNU-LOKA, he had gone off to a cave of his own and started contemplating on
the SELF. He wanted to annihilate his passion in the fire of his penance. And
his mind cleared; Delusion disappeared. He understood his foolishness and felt
horrible.
Oh! What a fool he had
been! An idiot. .an absolute idiot!
To think that he was equal to
SHIVA and NAARAAYANA! How arrogantly had he behaved!
To think that he had
conquered passion, and fall into the pits of damnation at the sight of a girl!
And, he had boasted in front
of SHIVA about his dispassion; in front of the GOD who had burnt KAAMA in an
instant! What would Shiva have felt! Why did he not burn him also! Too
compassionate he was!
And, NAARAAYANA; his favorite God! He did not
cut this fool’s neck for coveting LAKSHMI! He was also too kind.
Naarada wanted the Earth
below him to crack and swallow him.
Tears of regret fell on his
person, bathing him and purifying him of all his sinful actions.
Like a child running towards
a father -
Like a calf running towards
its mother -
Like a beloved rushing
towards her lover-
Like a river speeding towards
ocean –
Naarada rushed to NARAAYANA!
Vishnu’s ‘lotus -feet’ were
bathed by the tears of his beloved devotee.
Choked sounds of apology were
pouring out of the mouth of Naarada.
Vishnu’s strong arms lifted
the crying form up.
Naarada was tightly embraced
by his grandfather. Vishnu’s eyes became moist.
His broad chest was bathed by
tears - his devotee’s, and his own too!
Yes! God cries in bliss when
His wayward children turn towards Him.
There is no bliss like
getting back a lost sheep!
UNION!
UNION OF JEEVAATMAN and PARAMAATMAN!
Who is happier?
Who gets more bliss?
When a raindrop falls into
the ocean, what is left?
When the wave falls back into
the ocean, what is left?
When JEEVA merges into THE
SUPREME, what is left?
BLISS, BLISS, BLISS alone is
there!
SUPREME
SILENCE!
GOD
and the devotee were ONE!
Naarada started amending his mistakes.
He first met the two subordinate RUDRAS, who had tried to correct him. He
apologized profusely for his misconduct. The curse could not be taken back; but
could be modified. He ordained that both will take birth through the ‘Veerya’ (virility)
of a Sage.
They will become demons, but
they will be great devotees of SHIVA. They
will have extreme self-control. They will rule all the worlds. And, getting
killed by SHIVA himself, they will return to their abodes.
Naarada
decided to propitiate SHIVA.
He
visited many shrines of SHIVA.
He
contemplated on the many forms of SHIVA and was graced by many Supreme Visions
of SHIVA.
He
spent his time in discussing about the greatness of SHIVA with other adorers of
SHIVA.
At
last he visited KASHI, the City of Knowledge.
His
whole being was now filled with SHIVA.
He
wanted to know more about SHIVA.
He
went to BRAHMALOKA.
He
put forth many questions to his father.
“Who
is SHIVA?
Is
He with form or without form? How did He get His form?
How
does He play in the world? How does He remain above all? How does He get
pleased?
What
do we get by worshipping SHIVA?
How
does He take the form of NAARAAYANA and others?
How
did Uma manifest?
Why
did He marry her?
What
is His life like?”
WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE EVERYTHING?
What
was there before everything..?
What was there, when,
‘there’, ‘here’, were not there?
What was it like, when ‘now’
and ‘then’ were not there?
What was there?
NOTHING!
No
Sun, No Moon, No Stars, No Light…
Darkness was there!
No Fire; No Wind; No Earth;
No water; No day; No night…
No Nature; No manifestation
of anything!
Emptiness, without Light!
No Past; No Present; No
Future!
No Sound; No Smell; No Sight;
No Taste; No Touch!
No Quarters!
What was there?
NOTHING!
Only
Darkness existed!
Darkness, so dark, that a
needle could pierce it!
If Darkness alone was there -
If Darkness alone existed -
What supported the existence
of darkness?
EXISTENCE
ALONE WAS THERE.
[SAT EVA AASEET].
SAT alone WAS!
SAT alone is!
SAT alone WILL BE!
SAT means neither Existence,
nor Non-Existence.
SAT is beyond SAT and ASAT!
Confusing?
Because,
SAT is beyond the grasp of
the words.
Mind cannot even imagine such
a state.
SAT cannot be perceived by
the senses.
SAT is Brahman.
SAT is without form.
SAT is without color.
SAT is not thin or thick.
SAT is not long or short.
SAT does not grow.
SAT does not deteriorate.
SAT has no name.
VEDAS become silent when they
reach Its Presence.
THAT is Truth, Endless,
Conscious, and Blissful.
THAT is SUPREME.
THAT cannot be measured.
THAT is without any other
support.
THAT is changeless.
THAT is shapeless.
THAT is NIRGUNA, without
characteristics of any kind.
THAT is ONE.
THAT is all pervading.
THAT is without any sort of
disturbance.
THAT is without any problem.
THAT has no Beginning; No
End.
THAT was aware of ITSELF; No
Second Object was there.
THAT
WAS ALONE.
THAT
WAS ALONE.
THAT had a Disturbance.
WHY?
HOW?
Nobody Knows.
THAT
ALONE KNOWS.
If you become THAT; if you
reach that Supreme
State and know that you
are SAT -there is no second person to reveal this fact. When you reach that state
and ask the question, ‘Why did you get disturbed?’ –Nobody is there to answer,
because –you alone are there.
No questions arise; No answer
is there.
THAT
WANTED TO BECOME TWO!
WHY?
WHY? WHY? WHY?
NO
ANSWER! NO ANSWER! NO ANSWER! NO ANSWER!
A salt doll went to measure
the ocean;
It never found the answer.
A rain drop wanted to measure
the depth of the ocean; it never found the answer.
The stream of the river
wanted to reach the end of the ocean; it never did.
When you reach the Greatest
‘I’ to ask the question - “HOW DID YOU BECOME ‘I’ AND ‘YOU’? –
there is no one to answer
you, because ‘YOU’ are ‘I’.
Nobody is there to ask the
question. Nobody is there to answer.
ONE
BECAME MANY.
FROM
THE FORMLESS- A FORM AROSE.
THAT FORM was THE FIRST.
THAT has all the auspicious
characters.
THAT has all Knowledge.
THAT is SHE.
SHE is EVERYTHING.
SHE is All the Forms.
SHE is the CAUSE of one and
all.
SHE sees everything.
SHE is before anything.
SHE is adored by one and all.
She has all the virtues.
SHE bestows anything.
SHE is PERFECT.
SHE is PERFECTION.
SHE makes everything perfect.
ISHVARI.
SHE was ISHVARI.
SHE was THE SUPREME QUEEN.
When SHE arose - THE FORMLESS
SUPREMITY vanished.
When Form is there, Formless
is not there.
When FORMLESS is there, FORM
is not there.
Either THIS or THAT!
Either THAT or THIS!
THIS asks THAT –“Why did THIS
come out of THAT?” - THAT appears! THIS vanishes!
Nobody answers; because- THAT
alone is there. THIS is not there.
ISHVARI! THE BEST AMONG
RULERS!
SHE is the FORMLESS.
From HER arose ISHVARA.
From HER arose SADAASHIVA.
SADAASHIVA is ever auspicious.
HE
WAS ALONE.
ISHVARA
HE IS THE
SUPREME PURUSHA.
HE is SHIVA.
HE has none
above HIM.
HE is the
SUPREME RULER.
HIS FORM:
Matted locks;
Gangaa waters piercing His thick locks to escape imprisonment; a crescent moon
hanging crookedly and holding on to the locks for fear of falling; two
lotus-like large eyes; one more eye placed horizontally at the centre of the
fore-head; face shining like the Sun; four more faces
facing all directions; a beautiful pleasant, all-knowing smile; ten arms; holds
a Trident or TRISHOOLA; his form is of camphor-white hue; very very white-looking; whitened by the ashes covering his form;
a form
with white luster like million suns congregated at one place.
So white…so
lustrous…so hot…so big…
Nobody can
actually see Him.
His form is
beyond the sight of any person.
Only Shakti can
see him in His complete form.
Why is SHIVA covered with
ashes always?
Shiva is the embodied form of
VAIRAAGYA, Dispassion.
He sees all the objects
around him as ashes.
The burning fire of dispassion
in him turns everything around him into ashes.
That
is why he remains buried in the deepest caves of the snowy Himalayan Mountains.
.
SHIVA came out of SHAKTI.
SHAKTI came out of SHIVA.
WHO was the FIRST?
No one knows.
SHIVA and SHAKTI arose in
space.
That space was called
SHIVALOKA.
That was also known as KAASHI.
KAASHI is the space filled
with the luster of Knowledge.
KAASHA means something which
can hold something.
KAASHI means some space which
holds SHIVA and SHAKTI.
KAASHI which holds SHIVA and SHAKTI
is KAASHIKA.
This KAASHI is above all
mental spaces.
KAASHI is the place where
SHIVA and SHAKTI unite.
KAASHI is not disturbed by the
cessation of worlds.
KAASHI is not affected by
–SHRISHTI [Creation], STHITI [Existence], LAYA [Dissolution].
KAASHI is known as AVIMUKTA
– never devoid of SHIVA and SHAKTI.
SHIVA called it AANANDA VANA
–the FOREST of BLISS.
ETERNAL
BLISS IS THERE. ETERNAL UNION IS THERE.
AANANDA
VANA! THE FOREST
OF BLISS!
AANANDA reigned there.
Sometime in TIME, SHAKTI, for
a fraction of a second separated her form from His embrace. SHE raised her
lotus-like eyes towards SHIVA’s face. They both could hear some disturbances
outside. Creations…Innumerable Creations…had risen out of their union.
Somebody had to take care of
these Creations; somebody who could block the crowd coming up with utmost charm
of his own and who would also be adept in making use of cunning devices;
someone who could appear more beautiful and handsome than SHIVA- the Lord of
Beauty- the SUNDARESHVARA; somebody who could take charge of everything when
they were busy in union; somebody who stood guard at the gates of SHIVALOKA;
somebody who was capable of making people forget SHIVA with a show of his own
greatness; somebody who will take away all the responsibilities from their
hands; somebody who will be the next King –
the next ISHVARA!
SHIVA and SHAKTI churned
their minds. Waves of responsibilities rose one after another {RAJAS}; from the
deep depths of the dark ocean {TAMAS} arose a gem of Supreme Shine {SATVA}.
He was NAARAAYANA.
SHIVA poured nectar into the
tenth limb of SHAKTI.
A lustrous form stood before
them.
He was extremely beautiful.
A supreme calmness adored His
face.
Saatvic luster emanated from
all over His form.
He was like the ocean of
majesticity.
His lotus-like eyes were
filled with extreme compassion.
He was unparalleled,
incomparable.
His form shone with blue
luster of INDRA NEELA MANI (sapphire).
A golden luster surrounded
His form.
He was adorned with a pair of
supremely lustrous coverings over his beautiful form.
He had two strong arms.
He was undefeatable.
He was NAARAAYANA.
NAARAAYANA spoke:
“O Lord! Give me names; allot
me my duties”.
He saluted SHIVA.
SHIVA spoke:
You will be known as VISHNU,
as you pervade everything.
You will have countless
names. Perform penance”.
SHIVA smiled graciously at
VISHNU; VISHNU, His own Creation; the most Supreme Form!
VISHNU deserved the best of
spouses, next only to SHAKTI.
VISHNU deserved a daughter
produced out of His own ‘VEERYA’.
His daughter would be honored
to have this great person as LORD!
He sighed. VEDAS appeared.
VISHNU absorbed them.
He saluted SHIVA. SHIVA
vanished.
VISHNU was left alone.
He performed penance – for
twelve thousand years.
SHIVA did not appear before him.
VISHNU did not know what to do.
He prayed silently to SHIVA.
Shiva heard his call.
VAANI came out of SHIVA.
VAANI,
THE GODDESS OF SPEECH!
VAANI appeared in front of
VISHNU.
SHE instructed him to perform
more penance. VISHNU acted accordingly.
He performed more severe
penance.
He understood the principle
of SUPREME BRAHMAN. He was surprised by the Knowledge.
He was tired and sweat formed
over the body. Waters flowed all over from his ‘being’.
All the empty places were
filled with waters. They were the waters of CREATION.
They were the waters of the
UNMANIFESTED BRAHMAN.
VISHNU was tired. He stretched
his limbs and slept.
He was known as NAARAAYANA,
THE LORD OF WATERS. He was the PURUSHA.
Nothing else existed. HE
alone was there.
PRAKRITI existed in a ‘Un
Manifested Form’ inside him.
From PRAKRITI manifested- THE
THREE GUNAS;
AHAMKAARA (ego) : PANCHABHUTAS (Five elements) ;
INDRIYAS (senses);
all totaling up to twenty four in number. PRAKRITI
is considered as lifeless, i.e., unconscious.
PURUSHA is considered as
conscious.
VISHNU, THE SUPREME PURUSHA,
with PRAKRITI resting inside him in an unmanifested form, slept peacefully, for
a long long time.
NAARAAYANA slept. From His
navel arose a beautiful lotus; very huge; gigantic in size. Its stalks went
deep down into depths unknown. The lotus spread its infinite petals to endless
quarters. It shone like a ‘KARNIKAARA’ flower.
It spread rays of light equal
to crores of Suns.
It was beauty personified. It
was the principle of Creation.
Most wonderful; most
pleasant; Incomparable!
PADMA came out of VISHNU’S
NAABHI.
Lotus came out of VISHNU’S
navel.
He was called PADMANAABHA.
SHIVA created another form
out of His right side.
Before IT became conscious,
He manifested that form in the Lotus.
That form was BRAHMA, THE
GREAT!
He was HIRANYA-GARBHA, THE
GOLDEN-WOMBED.
He had four faces; red in
hue.
His forehead shone with three
lines of ashes.
BRAHMA is the four-faced
Creator.
BRAHMA has the creating
ability.
BRAHMA can imagine anything;
it becomes true. His imaginations become real.
Vishnu helps Him by creating
space. Vishnu is the Space-Principle.
LAKSHMI,
being the Prosperity-Principle helps BRAHMA to fill up His Creation with wealth
of all sorts.
VISHNU and LAKSHMI act as the Father and Mother of BRAHMA.
SHIVA-LOKA is inaccessible to
BRAHMA.
WHAT IS A JEEVA?
That
which gets born and lives and vanishes is a JEEVA.
The
experienced life is the identity of the JEEVA.
Without
a life to experience there cannot exist a JEEVA.
A
JEEVA is a triad of experiencer, experiencing and experienced.
JEEVA
is the EGO-MANIFESTATION of a Vaasanaa.
HOW
DID JEEVA BECOME A BRAHMA?
Infinite Creations exist in
the mental space of SHIVA.
Varieties of JEEVAS create
various fields of experience for the exhaustion of their Vaasanaas.
Some Jeevas try to attain the
other worlds and strive for other higher posts of heaven.
Some perform Sacrifices and
become Indras. Some perform penance and go to heavens.
Some Jeevas aspire to become
Creators. These souls perform severe penance.
One who excels in penance is
chosen by SHIVA to become the next BRAHMA.
SHIVA contains all Jeevas within
Himself.
HE produces the worthy soul
-‘which wanted to create’ - from His own person and leaves him on the Lotus.
BRAHMA is not produced by the Veerya of VISHNU. He is a Creation of SHIVA. This
chosen BRAHMA has to perform penance to attain the Power of Creation. He then
takes the store of Un manifested Vaasanaas of the previous endless Creations
and creates the Worlds. He can imagine any form, any shape, and any character
as per his capability of imagination. Innumerable BRAHMAS have come and gone.
Many rise up through penance and retire from their Post and reach Higher
Worlds. Some even get cursed and fall into the mortal world. BRAHMA’S Creation begins at the dawn of His Knowledge
and continues for long till he is exhausted of his own Game and retires.
Infinite number of YUGAS passes for us, before BRAHMA’S one day is completed.
He goes on creating and destroying for a long time, till he has exhausted his
own Creation-Vaasana. Each BRAHMA has his own 'set of rules and regulations' set
for his Creation.
Vedas differ; Yugas differ;
Elements differ. Sometimes Creations will have only stones and sand; sometimes
only trees; sometimes only women; sometimes only men; sometimes only some
wicked creatures. All depends on the Creative ability of BRAHMA.
If he is too devotional -
temples will abound.
If he is too fight-oriented -
wars will be innumerable.
If he is fond of tasty dishes
– the Creation will overflow with tasty foods.
If he is too scientific –the
world will progress in a scientific manner, as our Universe.
Yes! Our Creator was too
science oriented, too logical; and here we are with science and logic as the
predominant Vaasanaa in this Creation!
HOW
DOES BRAHMA CREATE?
Vaasanaas are the latent
tendencies. They are the Seeds of Creation.
The word Vaasanaa arises from
the root-letter ‘vaas’ – ‘to reside’.
These Vaasanaas reside in the
Jeeva and prompt a Jeeva to experience their manifestation.
Vaasanaas have the power to
create their own fields for their manifestation.
If a Vaasanaa is there, it is
certain that it will become manifested.
NAARAAYANA
with His penance-power holds these Vaasanaas in His own person, till a BRAHMA
arises on the Lotus. It is like having live sparks of power inside oneself.
That is why He gets tired and rests for long.
BRAHMA attains the Knowledge
of the Vaasanaas by the performance of penance.
He uses these Un-manifested Vaasanaas
as the base material and adds to it, the chemical of his own imaginations and
meditates. All Vaasanaas now get transferred from ‘Vishnu’s Being’ to his own
person. Inside his own mind, Brahma creates a space and allows the Vaasanaas to
create ‘fields’ for their play. Each Vaasana strengthened by Brahma’s
imaginative power starts whirling, getting ready to manifest.
With Brahma as the Conscious
Principle and the Space less centre - these Vaasanaas start their
manifestation. The whirling mass of Vaasana becomes a Jeeva and gets its own
mental space and starts acting. The Jeeva forgets the Self which is Brahma and
believes in its own limited identity. All these Jeevas which are nothing but
bundles of Vaasanaas intermingle, mix the fields of experiences, and create a
new world of their own. All Jeevas are given freedom to develop any type of Vaasana
they feel like. Freedom is there; scope is there, for all these limited souls.
They can get bound by more Vaasanaas. Or, they can destroy their Vaasanaas with
effort and become free from their limitations.
Actually all these fields of experiences are centered round the Self of
the Creator. He is the ‘Witness Conscious’ of one and all. He is the only real
person. He acts as ‘many’ and enjoys the world as ‘many Jeevas'. He gets the
experience of all the Jeevas. He gets all their bliss. What He lacked as a
single Soul in his previous birth, he compensates by becoming all the Jeevas in
his own Creation and enjoys the world as ‘Every One’. He is like an actor, who
became a producer. He dominates his own Creation in all the scenes. He is the
Main Character in all the scenes. His story, his direction, his script, his
programme, his own rules dominate his Creation. The Higher Gods do not
interfere in his Creation. Brahma is like a child with a new toy. Sometimes the
play goes on well. Sometimes it becomes a mess. At those times Brahma seeks the
help of Naaraayana, his Father-Figure. Naaraayaana descends down into the
limited mental space of the Creations, becomes a ‘character’ there and tries to
rectify things. He destroys all bundles of Vaasanaas which are worthless and
harmful to the Game of Brahma. Then he dies like a character in the Game and
returns to his own abode. He is praised as an Avatar by the Jeevas who were
saved from harmful destruction. Sometimes Vishnu does not actually come down,
but sends a robotic figure of his own to act like an Avatar in the Creation.
Or, sometimes the Brahma may send a special request to Vishnu to appear in
person in his Creation and honor the scene. Since the Brahma is after all a
Jeeva who has become a Creator, he has his own hero-worship at heart. So each Creator
may want a RAMA and a KRISHNA in their Creations.
So, based on an original event in the past, ‘Stories of Rama and Krishna’ are repeated again and again. Sometimes Vishnu himself
may act out the story, or he may just empower the robotic duplicate of himself
and help Brahma. Vishnu always keeps an eye on the creative programme of the
new Brahma to see that nothing harmful occurs. He has to keep check on the Vaasanaas
lest harmful Vaasanaas exceed the
required number. The positive and negative Vaasanaas are to be equal in number
to maintain the balance in the Creation. If good
Vaasanaas are more, it is called SATYUGA. If
wicked Vaasanaas exceed, it is called KALIYUGA. Any YUGA might be first or
last; there is no set rule about the order. All depends on which type of the Vaasanaas
is dominant. All characters which are the favorite of the Jeeva-turned-Brahma
get repeated in the Creation. So like Rama, and Krishna,
even Vyaasa, and Vasishta and others also get repeated roles. Less powerful
characters other than Vishnu are bound to appear in every Creation, in every
Yuga. That is the price they pay for an eternal life in Heavens.
Innumerable are the Creations;
Innumerable are the Ramas; Innumerable are the Vyaasas and Vasishtas.
Can there be Creations without
Ramayana and Mahabharata?
Yes! If the Creator so
desires!
Our
world is created by a Brahma who had his own Vaasana of logic and science as
the seed of this Creation; and the resultant world is what we have now,
extremely logical and scientific; so logical that Brahma’s existence itself has
become a matter of disbelief.
BRAHMA
gets his Knowledge from SARASVATI. She has to accept him as her husband and
give him Knowledge through ‘Union’. But, so
far no Brahma has been able to woo her. Being a Supreme Goddess of the Heavens,
she never reveals all the Knowledge-aspects to Brahma; and helps him reluctantly only in a
limited way.
She never gives him company
and disregards him as an ordinary Jeeva who has managed to attain a higher post
in Heaven. She was originally the spouse of Vishnu and by her arrogant
behavior, was cursed to become the spouse of Brahma. With her ‘Supreme Power of
Knowledge’, she makes a fool of Brahma. As Brahma does not have much Knowledge
about the Heavens at the time of his first appearance, he does not even know
that Sarasvati is his wife and never can seek her for any consultation or help.
Brahma’s
world is known as BRAHMA LOKA where all good souls enter and Brahma enjoys
their company, like meeting his own kith and kin. These souls are as ignorant
of the ‘Higher Worlds’ as Brahma. Since Brahma himself is ignorant of SHIVA
LOKA, VISHNU LOKA etc., his ‘Creation’ also has no Knowledge of them. At such times Shiva himself takes the guise
of a mortal and teaches the souls about the state of Brahman. It is probable
that SHIVA might have come as AADI SHANKARA and taught the ‘Knowledge of the
Self’ to the suffering Jeevas. As we all know, Aachaarya Shankara destroyed all other
worthless philosophies which were emerging through meaningless logic, and also
established ‘Centers of Knowledge’ all over the sacred land of BHAARATA,
to guide the souls in the path of ‘Right Knowledge’.
VAANI never cooperates in
these works. So Vishnu, who has to maintain the Worlds, is always on the alert
and on guard. He also has to fight the ‘AASURIC FORCES’ (wicked tendencies), which appear all of a
sudden in the Creations. No wonder he is always tired and rests on the
serpentine bed of His.
LAKSHMI,
who thinks that Brahma’s Creations are too childish for her attention, also
disregards Brahma.
She is also envious of
Sarasvati, and disfavors Knowledge. As the mortal-world is a mirror-image of
the attitudes of the Gods above, Wealth and Knowledge are always on parallel
lines here.
LAKSHMI
is also envious of AISHVARYAA, the pretty little daughter of ISHVARI who was
slowly displacing her from the heart of VISHNU.
With
the two Goddesses ignoring the Creations of the poor Brahma, DURGAA with the
help of Shiva gives a helping hand to Vishnu, at times. She fights the demons
herself and safeguards the ‘Creations’ from their attack. That is why
Naaraayana and Maayaa are called the main powers of maintenance. Brahma is taken
care of, like a child who is learning to walk.
SHIVA created another form
out of His right side.
Before IT became conscious,
He manifested ‘that form’ in the Lotus.
He was BRAHMA, THE GREAT.
Brahma was seated on a
beautiful lotus.
He did not know who he was.
He did not know who his
originator was.
His mind was blank.
He wondered about himself.
He couldn’t find the answer.
He looked all over; all
around.
Nothing
but waters!
Waters, Waters, Waters
Everywhere.
Nothing else was seen.
No one else was there.
Brahma felt lonely.
He longed for some company.
His ‘Jeeva-Vaasanaa’ of
‘seeking-company’ was still there.
He wanted to search!
He
looked at the Lotus and its stalk below, which disappeared into the deep depths
of the Waters. He thought that the stalk may lead to some unknown lands and
somebody might be there. He dived into the tubular hole of the Lotus-Stalk and
traveled down. Hundreds of years passed! The end was not at all there. The
stalk seemed to go down indefinitely. Tired of the whole effort, he decided to
reach the top of the Lotus, and started his journey upwards. But, now, he
couldn’t reach the flower-part at all! Traveling up and down; confused and
anxious; he wasted many hundred years of his. He stopped his efforts, and
paused for a second, and sent a call
of prayer to the ‘Higher Mental Space’, above his mental space. Shiva heard his
call. He commanded VAANI to help the ignorant Brahma. She reluctantly agreed. Without appearing in
front of Brahma, she just created a sound in the waters from her own abode.
“TAPA”
“TAPA”…
The waters splashed all
around with this strange noise. Brahma heard it. ‘At least some sound’; he was
relieved. He listened intently.
“TAPA”
“TAPA”…
The waters splashed with the
strange sound. Brahma understood.
‘TAPA’ means penance! He
performed penance for twelve thousand years.
He contemplated on his SELF
which will lead him to his own identity.
He
would have realized earlier, if VAANI had condescended to give him her company.
But, now he could get Knowledge only through penance. So, he performed penance.
The arrogant Principle of Knowledge
was amused.
Vishnu waited patiently.
Shiva was annoyed. Durgaa removed the delusion from the mind of Brahma by
manifesting in him as VIDYAA.
NAARAAYANA appeared in front
of Brahma.
Naaraayana’s form:
Beautiful form; all over
shining like a blue gem; compassionate eyes; four arms; the four hands holding
SHANKHA,CHAKRA, GADA, and KAMALA - Conch, Wheel, Mace and Lotus; a shining golden
cloth covering his person; a bejeweled
crown of unparalleled beauty resting on his head; curly black hair kissing his
manly shoulders; curly locks of extreme charm dancing on the fore-head; a beautiful
TILAK adorning the centre of the fore-head covering his third eye; big round
ear ornaments with designs of crocodile on them; garlands of basil and flowers
adorning his huge manly chest;
KOUSTHUBHA GEM on his necklace dazzling the eyes of the onlookers; Lakshmi in his physical heart
and Taijasaa’s thoughts in his ‘heart-beats’; winds blowing a pleasant perfume
all around his person; some divine music echoing somewhere from unseen regions.
Naaraayana appeared in front
of Brahma.
A charming smile adorned his
face; the smile of a GEETAACHAARYA; the ‘All Knowing’ smile!
A smile which invites
everybody to confide their problems to him freely!
A smile which blocks the
SHIVALOKA from the seekers of Heavens!
A smile which is the first
obstacle to the ‘World of SHIVA’!
After
seeing Naaraayana, there are very few who can think of the ash covered
repulsive figure of Shiva.
And
SHIVA and SHAKTI continued their love-sports at KAASHI, undisturbed.
NAARAAYANA appeared in front
of BRAHMA.
Brahma was stunned; shocked by
the immense fortune of his!
He felt like a child, who saw
his father after getting lost in a jungle.
He choked; he cried; he fell
at the lotus feet.
The beautiful form
disappeared immediately.
Brahma ran madly searching
for that beautiful form.
Then he stopped! The word
‘TAPA’ again flashed in his mind.
He again performed penance on
the beautiful form of VISHNU.
Sound of waves disturbed his
meditation.
He opened his eyes.
He
saw in front of him a white ocean with the sweet smell of milk, spreading out beyond
the horizons.
A
giant serpent with innumerable hoods was floating like a huge ship on the milk
ocean; huge…; very large; so big that countless Earths could just rest on one
scale of that serpent.
AADI
SHESHA, the serpent brother of VISHNU was acting like a bed to his tired
brother ; always guarding his brother from the attack of demons, and of course
from the beautiful damsels of Heaven too; and melting in the thoughts of the
little pretty girl he took care of in his other form of BHAIRAVA, the RUDRA.
As he rocked the tired form
of his twin brother in his cold soft coils, the Serpent-God was meditating on
the pretty charms of the beloved child.
Yes! A child! DURGAA’S
daughter who could melt BHAIRAVA’s stone-like heart by her youthful charms, was yet to grow in mind.
She
knew only her Mother UMAA; the greatest divinity according to her!
She knew only her father
SHIVA, as somebody always fond of penance!
She knew only brother
SHANMUKHA, as the eternal rival in every game!
She
knew only GANESHA, as a playmate who rocked her in his trunk and made her laugh
hysterically!
She
knew only her uncle NAARAAYANA, as one who loved pranks of all kind and
supported her naughty behavior! But, not as a lover!
She
knew only BHAIRAVA the good gentle figure, whose rough hands rocked her tired
limbs to sleep - as her protector whom she loved despite his devilish looks!
But, not as a lover!
She never ever understood the
plight of the two brothers who were romantically inclined towards her. She was
still a child, who loved, only her dear dear Mother madly!
The brothers sighed at the
same time in the thoughts of their beloved TAIJASAA;
And Brahma was there in their
presence.
The serpent hissed sending
smoky flames in its breath.
The ocean roared with high
waves dashing against the rocky beach.
As Brahma stepped away in
fright, he felt annoyed.
‘He suffering all alone in
some dark waters ...
And this fellow lolling on
the bed, sleeping his time off…!
He
suffering alone and crying for help …
And, this blue-hued fellow is
enjoying his rest unconcerned about anybody else.
At least he could get up and
talk a few words! Lazy idiot!’
Brahma looked at the serpent
and the ocean with anger.
‘He was a Brahmin and his
curse could be dangerous!’
The serpent withdrew his
fangs; the ocean became calm.
Brahma approached the
sleeping figure.
He called out – “Hey you. Get
up”.
VISHNU
continued to sleep. Brahma roughly pulled him up and holding him by the hand,
slapped him hard. VISHNU got up with a shock. He of course never felt the slap.
But, something had disturbed
his quiet repose.
He rubbed his eyes and tried
to see who was shouting at him.
“Hey! You wake up! Tell me
who you are!” Brahma was rudely trying to wake him up.
VISHNU
slowly removed the tender hand of the four-faced Brahmin from his person and
flashed a smile.
He spoke with honeyed voice.
“Welcome, welcome, my dear
child!
You are indeed the great
grandfather of the world!
Oh! What a luster emanates
from you!
Don’t be afraid. I will help
you. I will give you whatever you want.
Come and take your seat. Feel
at home.”
Brahma looked at this blue
form in disgust.
‘What was he trying to do?
Not a bit of respect..?
No manners at all?
Doesn’t he even know how a
great Brahmin like him should be welcomed!
Where is the ARGHYA, PAADYA
etc – the worshipping materials?!
And, asking him to sit on
this disgusting serpent! The cold cold coils! Oof!
Of all the things, a
slithering serpent for a bed!
Always
sleeping and lazing around! And, look at him smiling to cover up his faults’.
Brahma shouted at his own
father in disgust.
“Child? Who is a child? Are
you mad? Who do you think I am? I am surprised! Don’t you know me to be the
Greatest God, the Creator of one and all? I am AJA! I am not-born at all! I am
the First One! Without me nothing can arise. And, you have the audacity to
address me as a child? Praise me with various hymns. I am a figure of greatest
penance. I am to be worshipped by you. It is not too late even now. Mend your
ways and try to understand my greatness.”
VISHNU’S lotus like eyes
reddened with anger. He spoke with extreme patience. He tried telling his
ignorant son, the truths about himself and the appearance of the Lotus etc. He
tried to explain the principles of his own SELF and the Creator’s also. He said
that he was the father and explained his own greatness, which was not a self-praise,
but a fact! But all these words of wisdom fell on deaf ears. Brahma was not
convinced. He retorted with anger.
“Hey! Who do you think you
are? Shut up. Don’t exceed the limits of decency. You are not the Supreme Lord.
Some one else must be your creator. You are deluded.”
Indecent words flowed from
the mouth of Brahma. Brahma without Knowledge; Brahma with arrogance!
Angry words from both led to
a war. Father and son fought.
Father knew the son; so was
careful. Son did not know the father; so he fought with a vengeance.
A LINGA of fire suddenly rose
in front of them.
Trying to find its beginning
and end, the two fighting Gods realized the Truth.
SHIVA appeared in person
before them and cleared their delusion.
VISHNU and BRAHMA saluted Him
and uttered hymns of praise:
SALUTATIONS TO GREAT GOD
SHIVA.
SALUTATIONS TO PARAMESHVARA.
SALUTATIONS TO PANCHAVAKTRA.
SALUTATIONS TO SUNDARESHVARA.
SALUTATIONS TO MAHAADEVA.
YOU ARE THE DEITY OF ALL
ALPHABETS.
YOU ARE
Aa...AAA…E…EEE...U…UOO…Rru…Rr…LR…LR…EAY…AIY…O…OO…OU...AM
KA etc; CHA
etc; TA etc; TTA etc; PA etc.
[Repeat all alphabets as
mantras of SHIVA]
YA RA
LA VA SHA
SSHA SA HA
KSHA.
All these ALPHABETS or sounds
are the various limbs of your body.
You are also the OMKAARA.
You are the Mantra of thirty
eight letters.
You are the mantra of the
five aspects beginning with the OMKAARA.
You are this sacred Mantra
which originated from the Gaayatri Mantra.
You are the Mantra of twenty
four letters.
You are the Mantra OM NAMAH
SHIVAAYA.
You are the TRAYAMBAKA Mantra.
OM HROUM
HREEM JOOM SAHA
You are the CHINTAMANI Mantra.
KSHAMYOM.
You
are the RUDRA GAAYATRI.
TAT PURUSHAAYA VIDMAHE MAHADEVAAYA DHEEMAHI.
TANNO
RUDRAH PRACHODAYAAT.
TAT
SAVITUR VARENYAM BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO
YO NAH PRACHODAYAAT.
You
are the DAKSHINAMURTHY Mantra.
OM
NAMO BHAGAVATE DAKSHINAMOORTAYE
MAHYAM
MEDHAAM PRAYACCHA SVAAHA.
You
are the MAHAVAAKYA of the Vedas.
TATVAMASI.
You are AGHORA; who is never
terrifying.
You are the four Vedas.
RK YAJUR SAAMA ATHARVA.
You are SAAMBA, one who is in
the company of AMBAA.
You are VARADA, one who
bestows boons.
You are ISHVARA, the Supreme
Ruler of Rulers.
SALUTATIONS SALUTATIONS
SALUTATIONS
VANDE ISHAANAM ISHA MUKUTAM
PURUSHAAKHYAM PURAATANAM.
Salutations to the Ruler, the
Crown among Rulers; denoted by the name Purusha; Ancient;
AGHORA HRIDAYAM HRDYAM
SARVA
GUHYAM SADAASHIVAM
Non-terrifying Heart;
affectionate; Hidden from all; Ever auspicious;
VAAMAPAADAM
MAHAADEVAM
MAHAA BHOGEENDRA BHOOSHANAM
Of contrary conduct; Great
God; Adorned by the great King of Snakes;
BRAHMANODHIPATIM SARGA STITHI
SAMAAHAARA KAARANAM
Lord of Brahman; Cause of
Creation, Maintenance and Destruction.
SHIVA smiled with compassion.
SHIVA sighed. His breath
arose as the VEDAS; Knowledge Supreme. VISHNU received them and gave it to
BRAHMA. VISHNU worshipped SHIVA in various ways and prayed.
“O Lord! If You are pleased
by my worship, then grant me this boon. Let me have unbroken devotion to your
lotus feet.”
Then throwing a mischievous
glance at Brahma, he said:
“O Great Lord! It is indeed a
good thing we both fought. That has forced YOU to appear before us.”
SHIVA smiled. He addressed
Brahma. He explained His own principle:
O
BRAHMA! I am RUDRA!
I will come out of you
screaming; and the RUDRA form will arise.
I am SHIVA, the DESTROYER; I
am VISHNU, the PROTECTOR; I am You also as the CREATOR.
I divide MYSELF into these
forms. My forms which descend from ME do
not have less power.
There is no difference at all
between ME and MY other lower forms.
I am what I am in all MY
lower forms too.
I am formless; yet I appear
in many forms.
As
the Light is not affected by the touch of the water etc., I am unaffected by my
forms.
Though with forms, I remain
as Formless only in them.
I am SHIVA. I am RUDRA. There
is no difference between US.
It is ONE split into TWO.
Ornaments might be many; but
gold is the same.
Cause is one; but, Effects
are many.
Vessels are many; but the
clay is the same.
Whatever you see as
consisting of a form, know it to be MY FORM.
Where is the form that does
not have ME as the SELF?
I
AM TRUTH; I AM KNOWLEDGE; I AM ETERNAL!
I
AM SATYA; I AM JNAANA; I AM ANANTA!
You
both have descended from PAKRITI; but I have not!
O Brahma! I may arise out of
you; but do not think you created ME.
I will come out of you by MY
own will.
You will know the RUDRA-FORM
as TAAMASIC. But, I am not actually the TAMAS.
I am the “I”- the AHAMKAARA.
O Brahma! You are the CREATOR
by MY WILL.
VAAG-DEVI (Goddess of Speech) will be your Power.
VISHNU will get the Power
through LAKSHMI, His spouse.
The ONE SHAKTI which is the
Originator of all takes various Forms of Powers.
SHE is PARAMESHVARI, MY
ETERNAL COMPANION.
SHE is UMAA. SHE is the
DESTRUCTIVE POWER, KAALI.
SHE
will give rise to the Terrifying Form of KALKI, and destroy all Evil Powers.
KALKI is beyond DHARMA and
ADHARMA. She is not bound by any rules or regulations.
HER WILL will be SUPREME.
In
Her milder forms, SHE will unite with VISHNU and BHAIRAVA, the Twin-Brothers.
As all Forms of MINE have
Equal Powers, all forms of SHAKTI will also have Equal Powers.
The SUPREME FORMLESS SHAKTI
reigns over us all.
SHE is the SUPREME CREATOR,
PROTECTOR, and DESTROYER.
SHE is PAVITRI, SAAVITRI and
GAAYATRI.
SHE
is DURGAA, SARASWATI AND LAKSHMI.
SHE is UMAA, SATYAA and
TAIJASAA.
SHE is SHAKTI divided into
THREE.
SHE is TRIPURAA, the TRINITY
SUPREME.
O
Brahma! Know that VISHNU abides in MY HEART and I abide in Vishnu’s heart.
One who differentiates
between ME and VISHNU does not truly understand ME.
O
Brahma! I command you to be endowed with the power of giving liberation to
anyone who follows the Rules of the Vedas properly. You will be endowed with
All Knowledge- Higher and Lower.
The Merit gained by having My
Vision will be equal to the Merit gained by Your Vision.
There is no doubt about it. I
promise you.
O
Brahma!
From MY right side, VISHNU
was born; from the left side you were created.
RUDRA, the SUPREME DESTROYER
who fills the entire Creation, is born out of the Heart.
O
VISHNU!
I alone am divided as the Three
Divinities. I AM BRAHMA; I AM VISHNU; I AM RUDRA.
I am SAATVIC; and I create. I
am RAAJASIC; and I protect. I am TAAMASIC;
and I destroy.
As the SUPREME SHIVA, I am
above the Three Gunas.
I am above the principles of
PURUSHA and PRAKRITI.
I am Non-dual, Eternal,
Taintless, and Complete in Myself.
VISHNU is Taamasic inside,
and Saatvic outside.
RUDRA is Saatvic inside and
Taamasic outside.
BRAHMA is Raajasic both inside
and outside.
SHIVA is beyond the Gunas.
O
VISHNU!
Take care of the Creator with
love.
By MY COMMAND, he will be
worshipped in all the three worlds.
You and Brahma will serve
RUDRA.
RUDRA
is the Complete Form of SHIVA, who has the Power to destroy anything.
O
VISHNU!
You will be adored and
worshipped in all the worlds by MY COMMAND.
Whenever
the Creations of Brahma are filled with suffering, you try to remove them. I
will always be there to help you in this difficult work. I will destroy all
your enemies. You descend down to the Creations and help the beings to rise
higher in their states. I will remain as this very form of RUDRA and perform
deeds which are beyond your capacity.
O VISHNU!
You adore RUDRA and RUDRA
will adore you.
In reality, there is no difference
among all the three Divinities. In essence all three are equal.
Only difference lies in Power
and Action.
O
VISHNU!
You are a devotee of RUDRA.
Any man who criticizes or
disregards you will have all his merits burnt to ashes.
O
VISHNU!
Anyone who hates you will end
up in hells of the worst kind.
This is my promise to you.
This is the TRUTH.
O
VISHNU!
You will get the highest
place of worship and should be meditated upon by one and all. You will have the
Power to bestow liberation and prosperity. You will have the Power to control
and grace anybody as you wish.”
GUNAS are three in number.
SATVA,
RAJAS, TAMAS.
White, Red, Black.
Purity, Action, Dullness.
SATVA is the state of extreme
purity and goodness, and is incapable of any action.
RAJAS is the state of
vibration, where action is a necessary resultant.
TAMAS is the state of supreme
dullness where inaction is the result.
SHIVA
is always in the state of SATVA. That is why He is known as SHIVA, the
Supremely Good One. But to bring the Creations to an end, and give a rest
period to the other divine forms, He takes the quality of TAMAS and destroys
everything.
VISHNU
is also SAATVIC in essence. He is in the eternal formless state always. Yet in
order to protect and guard the worlds created by BRAHMA, h accepts the
character of RAJAS and acts.
BRAHMA
is the very principle of Creation and is RAAJASIC both inside and outside. His
very essence is to create. His existence is Creation. He cannot exist without
the Vibration of Creation. So he is completely RAAJASIC.
RUDRA is said to have TAMAS
in His nature; He destroys.
VISHNU is said to have RAJAS
in His nature; He protects.
BRAHMA is said to have SATVA
in His nature; He is Knowledge in essence, though He creates.
VEDAS form His essence. So,
He is SAATVIC.
SHIVA continued:
VISHNU is the SUPREME
GODHEAD.
He has the Supreme Powers. He
is the Bestower of Boons. He is the SELF of all. Anyone who takes shelter in
VISHNU actually takes shelter in ME alone. VISHNU is MY body. I am His Soul.
Anyone who differentiates between us falls into innumerable hells.
Know now the Supreme
Time-Span of Gods.
Thousands of Four-fold Yugas
are equal to one day of BRAHMA. His night is also of the same duration.
Thirty such days make up one
month and twelve months make a year. Hundred such years make up the life-span
of a BRAHMA. One year of Brahma is said to be the Day of VISHNU. His life-span
also measures up to hundred years. One year of VISHNU is a Day in RUDRA’S life.
His form exists for a hundred years this way.
All Jeevas, all Individual
Souls breathe; they inhale and exhale. Breathing is the contact of the form
with the field of action. Whether one is a God, or a man, Breathing connects
the Inner Self to the form and creates the World.
Except
SADAASHIVA, all are bound by the process of breathing and are bound by life and
time-span.
SADAASHIVA
is beyond the time-span. He is not a Jeeva.
He is the Supreme Godhead. He
is eternal. Does HE breathe? HE inhales; but He never exhales.
As long as He can hold his
breath without exhaling, He has the Power or SHAKTI.
HE, of course has the Knowledge
of the World; but He is not in contact with the world or Creations, or His own
Form. HE remains formless, though He is with a form.
HE does not descend down to
the level of a Jeeva. HIS Power is in the non-contact state.
None of the effects of the
created worlds affect HIM in that state. HE is always in union with HIS SHAKTI
in that state.
HE inhales; but HE never
exhales. As long as HE does not exhale, HE is Powerful.
All those who breathe are
bound by Time. Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Gandharvas, Serpents, Demons, all breathe
and are bound by the time-scale.
A
person who does not breathe and is able to remain in a non-contact state is in
the state of SADAASHIVA and is free of timescale.
For Gods, the time-scale is
as explained till now.
If
breathing is what decides the time-scale, then- their days and nights consist
of twenty one thousand hundred and six hundred numbers in total.
Six
breaths make a moment; sixty moments make an hour; sixty hours make one day and
night.
Actually there are no
limitations to the breaths you take.
Since all of us breathe the
breath of SADAASHIVA, breathing is endless.
Therefore
the form one has been endowed with has to be maintained by one and all through
breathing. All the duties one is endowed with must be performed properly.
This
is MY Supreme Command.”
VISHNU was overwhelmed with
‘devotion’; he spoke with a choking voice.
“O Shankara! O Ocean of Compassion! O Lord of the Universe!
I shall obey Your
Commandments. You have bestowed on me all the Powers in the past.
Let me not waver from Your
Contemplation even for a second.
Any of my devotees who
disrespect YOU will enter countless hells.
Your devotee is always my
dearest. One who knows this Truth will soon become liberated.
You have increased my own
greatness by Your Grace.
Forgive me if I have
unknowingly offended YOU anytime”.
Brahma
who felt ashamed about his ignorant actions apologized and saluted the two
Divinities.
SHIVA
was pleased by their devotion. HE embraced them both with supreme affection and
vanished from their presence.
From then onwards, the
Worship of the LINGA came into vogue. LINGA is SHIVA Himself.
LINGA is MAHESHVARA; the
pedestal is MAHAADEVI. Union is termed as
LINGA, and the whole Creation is supported by the LINGA.
One who knows the
Truth about the LINGA is liberated forever.
O
MOTHER OF ALL! SALUTATIONS!
O
MOTHER! You are so unique! Nobody equals YOU in Beauty, Love or Compassion.
All Divinities do bestow
boons on their devotees!
They all keep their ‘palms’
in ABHAYA MUDRA and grant boons.
YOU never show your ‘palms’,
O MOTHER!
THINE
Lotus like Feet are enough to bestow any boon, more than one can wish for!
THINE Lotus Feet are enough
to save any one from the most terrifying fear.
Let
me have unwavering devotion towards THINE Lotus Feet!
SALUTATIONS!
O MOTHER! SALUTATIONS!
Only ‘a few’ know about Your
‘Abode’! O MOTHER!
YOU
are the ‘Rising Waves of Consciousness’ one calls as Jeevas!
YOUR
Abode is the Great Jeweled Palace of CHINTAAMANI.
Gardens
filled with Kadamba Trees surround Your Divine Palace!
YOUR
Palace shines like a special jewel in the ‘Bejeweled Island’!
The
‘Island’ is covered with innumerable ‘Kalpa’
trees.
The
‘Jewel Island’
floats gently on the waves of the ‘Ocean
of Nectar’.
YOU rest on a couch of the
form of SHIVA!
YOU
relax joyfully on the lap of PARAMASHIVA!
O
MOTHER! SALUTATIONS! SALUTATIONS! SALUTATIONS!
THE
Ocean of Nectar: Unfathomable Bliss; Eternal;
Pure; Supreme!
Kalpa
trees all around; trees which can bestow boons anyone asks for!
A
Shining Island of Shining Splendor floating on the waves!
KADAMBAA
trees filling up the ‘Gardens’!
All
virtues; all Gunas; all Knowledge; all love; all seedlings grown in a perfect
manner by expert minds!
A
Bejeweled Palace- which can grant any wish;
Shining as the Supreme Palace of CHINTAAMANI!
Inside
the Palace is the form of SHIVA; the form of Supreme Auspiciousness!
On
that form of SHIVA rests the Supreme Lord of Lords; the MAHESHA!
On
His lap rests the Supreme DEVI!
Her
creeper-like arms garland the neck of her Spouse Supreme!
PARAMASHIVA
sits in Unending Bliss!
HE
is BLISS; the Supreme Ananda!
Waves
of Blissful Awareness raise repeatedly producing Endless Creations!
DEVI
in Aananda; Aananda in DEVI!
O
the Most Honored SHAKTI! O the Supreme Form of SHAKTI!
O Formless Beauty! O Non-dual
Bliss! O Bliss of Duality!
YOU
are the Coiled up Power in the MULAADHAARA!
YOU rise upwards crossing all
the other psychic centers of -
MANIPOORA;
SVAADHISHTAANA; ANAHATA; VISHUDDHI; AND AAJNA;
thus
transcending the bindings of five elements that make up the Creations!
YOU
reach the SAHASRAARA CHAKRA; the Thousand Petaled Lotus!
There waits Your Spouse, the
Supreme Bliss Form SHIVA!
You rush towards Him and melt
in His embrace and enjoy Eternal Bliss!
YOU
are the Supreme Form of Power, Love, Knowledge - all unified as ONE!
YOU are the Supreme Devi!
YOU are the Formless Bliss!
YOU are the Incomparable!
YOU are the Most Beautiful of
All!
YOU are the Most Powerful of
All!
YOUR Love for Your Lord is
beyond words!
YOU are above Truth and Knowledge!
YOU are MAHAADEVI! YOU are
MAHESHVARI! YOU are MAHAASHAKTI!
SALUTATIONS!
SALUTATIONS! SALUTATIONS!
O
DEVI!
YOU
have left the Abode of Your Spouse and descended down to the Earth!
Your Tender Feet dripping
Nectar have stepped on the stairs descending down to the Earth and disappeared
down into the MOOLAADHAARA again!
Your Spouse waits for YOU in
the SAHASRAARA, the Thousand Petaled Lotus!
O
DEVI!
O SUPREME BEAUTY!
BE Compassionate!
Rise up in the KULA-PATHA, the Path
of KULA!
Unite with Your Spouse
suffering the pain of separation!
Bless this Jeeva with Your Grace, O DIVINE
MOTHER! O DEVI!
SALUTATIONS! SALUTATIONS!
SALUTATIONS!
O
DEVI! O SUPREME BEAUTY!
YOU
are like the Splendorous Sun shedding snow-Drops!
Your Beauty is like a Garden of Flowers attacking like an army even the
demons!
Poets fail to describe Your
Supreme Beauty; try as they may and pray for the Grace of the ‘Goddess of Knowledge’!
No
Divine Being can be blessed with the Vision of Thine Beauty but Thine Own
Spouse!
Even
Rigorous Penance does not bring the blessing of Thine Vision!
Divine Beauties who adorn the
Heavenly Abodes; curious of having the glimpse of Your Beauty; meditate on
SHIVA and become ONE with Him; and thus get Your Vision as Him!
With
such Beauty to Your credit, You seem to run towards an ‘ancient ghost of a man’,
who is of ordinary countenance, yet adept in the ‘Art of Love’!
Other
Divine Beauties revealing their charming forms; their shining clothing slipping
off from their bodies; revealing their
naked forms chase that old man of insensitive looks!
But, Thine Loving Glance has
fallen on that poor man and Your snakelike hands are extending towards him,
with the garland!
Blessed
is He by Thine Compassionate gesture!
He
unites as ‘AANANDA’ with YOU in Eternal love and passion! SALUTATIONS to YOU
BOTH!
O
DEVI! O BLISSFUL DEVI! SALUTATIONS! SALUTATIONS! SALUTATIONS!
SHAKTI
SHUKA,
the son of VEDA VYAASA had attained the ‘Supreme Siddhi’! He had finished his Earthly
existence. VYAASA had other disciples who studied the VEDAS, under his expert
guidance. Asita, Devala, Vaishampaayana, Jaimini, and Sumantu- all these
disciples, who were great ascetics, went towards the Earth by the order of
their Great Guru to spread the Knowledge obtained by him.
Vyaasa felt depressed. He
felt lonely. He thought he had nothing to live for. He decided to depart from
this world. He remembered his mother Satyavati, the daughter of the fisher man.
He had last seen her, when he bid farewell to her on the banks of River Ganga;
a weeping mother! Now he felt that he should pay respects to her before his
departure. He rushed to the island where he was born. But his mother was not
found to be there. Surprised, he enquired the fisherman-father of hers – about
his mother and her whereabouts! The Chief of the fishermen community welcomed him
with all the respect due, and praised him in high sounding words. He informed
the Sage that his daughter was now wedded to King Shantanu.
Vyaasa
decided make his abode on the banks of River Sarasvati, and stayed there
performing ‘Tapas’.
Satyavati was the Queen of
the Great King of the Moon-Dynasty, Shantanu. She had two sons by him, Chitraangada
and Vichitraveerya. The first was very handsome and a good warrior. The younger
son was no less in prowess. Bheeshma,
the eldest son of Shantanu was born to Gangaa Devi, the Celestial damsel. Vyaasa was the son born to Satyavati by Sage
Paraashara. All four were brothers, in some way.
This system of marriage may raise some doubts
in the minds of some puritans.
A girl having a child before marriage by a Sage;
she again marrying a king and having two more sons; the king already having a
son from another damsel.
The king might be forgiven; but, what about the girl?
Is it wrong? No!
A
girl is never considered a sinner, when she marries another man for her security
or for love.
Shakti-forms
can never become impure. A woman is only a ‘Ksethra’, a field where the seed is
sown. If she is willing, she can bear the seed of anybody. But, by remaining
faithful to one and only husband she gains Supreme Powers. She is adored in the
world. She is worshipped as SATI, the Form of Durgaa. So the accusing finger cannot be
pointed towards Satyavati, as a fallen woman.
Maybe
the king is at fault. He forced his son Bheeshma of great character to remain
without progeny, to satisfy his own passion. Instead of allowing his
family-tree to flourish through the son of the divine damsel Ganga,
he cut off that glorious branch called Bheeshma and stopped its growth. He
married a fisher-man’s daughter and the sons he produced did not do any credit
to the prosperous growth of the family. Whereas Paraashara, the father of
Vyaasa used Satyavati only as a ‘field’ to produce his own ‘son of supreme
greatness’. Shantanu, because of his lack of ‘Veerya’ did not fulfill the
duties of a perfect king. His one mistake- a passionate union with an
undeserving female - started the deterioration of ‘ChandraVamsha’ and brought
destruction to one and all. So, because of peculiar circumstances Bheeshma,
Vyaasa, Chitraangada, and Vichitraveerya - all become brothers by relation.
Somehow feeling, that he had some more work in this world, Vyaasa remained in
this Earthly existence performing penance and waited for the future events.
Shantanu died in course of time.
Bheeshma established Chitraangada on the throne of Hastinaapura.
He had renounced the throne long ago to serve his father’s needs.
Chitraangada
was very strong and always welcomed wars. His arms always itched for a good
battle. He wandered all over the lands fighting battles, hunting wild animals,
always showing off his prowess to others in arrogance. A Gandharva named
Chitraangada wanted to teach him a lesson. He left his divine Air-vehicle,
got down on the Earth and invited the arrogant king for a battle. A fierce
battle took place. Three years passed. The war ended in the death of the Earth-king
Chitraangada. Bheeshma made Vichitraveerya the king. Bheeshma supervised the
affairs of the kingdom till the king came of age.
Bheeshma decided that the
young king should be united with a suitable girl in marriage.
The
king of Kaashi had three worthy daughters. He had arranged for a Svayam-vara for
his daughters. Bheeshma went to the kingdom
of Kaashi, defeated all
the kings assembled there, carried off the three princesses to Hastinaapura. He
thought of them as only equal to his mothers, sisters or daughters. An
auspicious day was fixed for their marriage with the young king Vichitraveerya.
But, just before the marriage, Ambaa, the eldest daughter of the king of Kaashi
approached the son of Jaahnavi, and hesitatingly placed before him, her
personal problems. She informed him that she had mentally wooed king Shaalva as
her husband in the Svayam-vara. Bheeshma consulted all the elders and with
their permission allowed her to go to the abode of Shaalva. But a heavy
disappointment awaited her there. Disregarding her pleas of love, Shaalva
refused to accept her as his wife. He argued that since she was grabbed by the
hand and placed in the chariot by the son of Gangaa,
she was now equal to his mother, and he was helpless in this matter. Weeping
her heart out, the princess returned to Bheeshma and explained her sad plight.
She pleaded with him to accept her as his wife. But Bheeshma refused to accept
her by saying that her heart belonged to someone else, and he had no right over
her. He asked her to return to her father’s place.
Her
heart shattered to pieces. Angry and frustrated, the beautiful princess went to
the forest to perform penance. Ambaa’s heart was now filled with extreme hatred
towards all men, especially the ruthless Bheeshma, who had destroyed her life
and yet had no regrets about it.
What is right? What is wrong?
Why did everybody deal with a young maiden unjustly? Was it the male arrogance?
Was it a false pretense a man pretends to maintain? Is the love-principle in a
man – just pretence to enslave a woman? Did Shaalva, the lover have no real
love for his beloved? Rather his mind was burning with the insult he had
received from the eldest son of Shantanu and so the plight of an innocent girl
did not bother him. On the other hand
Bheeshma, the iron-hearted great man who had taken a vow of celibacy, did not
feel that it was his responsibility to solve the problem of a girl, whom he had
forcibly carried away. For him, the family-tree was important; the dynasty was
important. A tender heart of a young girl was not worth bothering about. Even
giants make mistakes. Bheeshma, the world-renowned great man trampled one
budding heart of a young and innocent girl and crushed it regardless of DHARMA.
If a SHAKTI cries-If a woman
cries-there is no power in all the fourteen worlds to stop the destruction.
Ambaa’s tears of anguish started the downfall of ChandraVamsha ending in a
great blood-shed, destroying every warrior who was alive.
If Bheeshma suffered his last
days on a bed of sharp arrows, should one feel any sympathy for the great man?
Did he not equally hurt the tender heart of a female?
SHAKTI should never be
insulted. Every female form is the manifestation of Supreme Empress Tripura.
Vichitraveerya
was married to the two princesses Ambikaa and Ambaalikaa. He was interested only
in pleasures and nine years passed in sheer sensuous pursuits. And, he died
through consumption and left
the dynasty heirless.
Satyavati was drowned in sorrow; but remembering her queenly duties, she
approached her step-son Bheeshma and asked him to marry the widows of his
brother and continue the progeny. Bheeshma was not to be moved by her
pleadings. Hadn’t he renounced the marital bliss and the ruler hood, in his
father’s presence? He wouldn’t budge
from his stand. But he suggested a way out. If the woman is a widow and has the
duty of producing an heir, then there was a method suggested by the ethical scriptures-
NIYOGA!
A
well versed Brahmin could be allowed to put his seed in the ‘Ksethra’ [field]
of a single female and produce a child. There was no sin involved in such a
union. Satyavati agreed. Her thoughts went towards her own son Vyaasa. After
all he was a brother of Vichitraveerya. Why not ask him to help in this situation!
She remembered him. He appeared in front of her in no time. He heard his
mother’s plea and agreed to deposit his ‘Veerya’ in the ‘Ksethra’ owned by the
dead king.
Ritu kaala came. It was a
suitable time for the prescribed ritual. The young widows were now physically
ready for the union.
The first one to go through
the unpleasant ritual was Ambikaa. She shivered. ‘How can this be happening? Are
not the queens supposed to have any individual feelings? Were they merely the
reproductive systems used by the royalties? How can she, a beloved of her dead
husband allow any other man to intrude into her privacy? But, who would listen
to her? Dynasty was important. Family-line was important. Individual opinions
did not matter. She got ready. Trembling like a sheep to be slaughtered, she
waited for the Sage. She had seen him once, when she was made to salute him
before the ceremony. He was ugly; jet black; bony structured; old! His eyes had
no feelings at all. He was like a ghost. The door opened. Vyaasa entered. His
body was covered with oil, making him look more grotesque. Ambikaa closed her
eyes in fear. Vyaasa did his work. But a blind child was born. He was named
DHRITHA-RAASHTRA; the blind king who ruled the gigantic kingdom of Kuru.
He was not only physically blind, but also blind to the Dharma. The Kuru Vamsha
was destroyed beyond repairs.
The next sheep was ready for
slaughter. Ambaalikaa got ready for the torture chamber. She did not close her
eyes. She became pale and bloodless at the sight of the Sage. Vyaasa did his
work. An unhealthy pale child was born; unfit to rule the kingdom; Pandu, the
pale one; an impotent man, who had no power to produce any children. What more
awaited the well-wishers of the Lunar-dynasty?
Disregarding the pitiable
pleadings of the daughter-in-law, the elderly queen ordered her to again
approach Vyaasa for progeny. Ambaalika was fed up. She requested her maid to
take over her place. Vyaasa finished his duty. The maid acted with all
reverence and due respect towards the Great Sage. An intelligent virtuous child
was the result; VIDURA - the only wise man, who tried to save the dynasty from
destruction. But he was not of royal blood. He was just a maid’s son. He had no
authority. He was just a servant. He watched silently as the giant dynasty
slowly crumbled into dust.
Is
a female just a reproductive mechanism? Is SHAKTI a mere child- producing
machine? Even if the scriptures have ordained the cruel system, is it right?
Whenever
a SHAKTI is insulted; Wherever a SHAKTI is insulted; Dharma does not prevail.
That is a ‘Dhaarmic
injunction’ -where a SHAKTI is honored as a mother, a sister, a daughter, a
wife, a widow, a lover; especially as a woman with feelings; wherever SHAKTI is honored - Bliss prevails. Otherwise destruction is imminent.
SHAKTI
CAUSE AND EFFECT:
Each event in the present is
caused by an event in the past. The destruction phase of the Kuru-dynasty and
other royalties related to the Kuru Empire - Where had it begun? What past
events caused the present events?
There lived a king named
UPARICHARA, a member of the Vasu Clan. He was an honest virtuous king. He once
performed penance. Indra, the Ruler of the Gods was pleased. He gifted a divine
aerial vehicle to the Earthly ruler. It was a vehicle made of shining marble.
The king wandered all over the Earth with its help. He was overjoyed. He had a
pretty wife named GIRIKAA. He had five sons by her. All ruled different lands
allotted to them by their father. Once, Girikaa had the desire for a union with
her husband. Her body craved for his embrace. But, the king was ordered by his
father to go for hunting. The king followed the instructions of his father.
But, his mind was dwelling on the pretty form of his wife. His semen slipped
out of his body. The king felt that his ‘Veerya’ should not be wasted like
this. He took a leaf and with proper hymns, packed his seminal fluid in it. He
wanted to send it to his wife. He had a pet eagle. He gave it to the bird and
asked it to deliver it to his wife as soon as possible. The bird obeyed the
master’s command. It took the leaf in its beak and started towards the palace.
But, unfortunately another eagle saw this packet of leaf on the pet-eagle’s
beak and mistook it to be a piece of meat. A fierce fight took place between
the birds and the leaf packet fell into the waters of River Yamunaa.
RAADRIKAA was a divine nymph!
She was very proud of her beauty and charms. She was always teasing good souls
engaged in religious pursuits; trying to attract them with her physical charms;
playing with the ‘fire’, like an ignorant child. On the banks of Yamunaa, a virtuous Brahmin
was engaged in performing his regular religious worship. Raadrikaa could not
keep quiet. With her clothes slipping out, she entered the waters and played
around, disturbing the good Brahmin.
But, her charms had no effect on the Brahmin. He was seriously engaged
in doing ‘Praanaayaama’. She felt offended. She held his feet and pulled him
into the waters. The Brahmin was annoyed. He cursed her to become a fish.
Raadrikaa, who was wandering in the waters as a fish, caught the ‘seminal
liquid’ and absorbed it. After about ten months, she was caught by a
fisher-man. He cut open her stomach, and lo! Two babies, one male and another
female, came out. He was surprised and took both the babies to the king. The
king took the male baby for himself and gave off the female baby to the
fisher-man. The male child was named MATSYA and became a famous virtuous king. The female child was
black in color and was named KAALI. Her body had a peculiar smell; the smell of
fish. So, she was called MATSYA-GANDHAA. She grew up in the house of the
fisher-man, who was the chief of his clan. Raadrikaa? What happened to her? When
she was cursed, she fell at feet of the Brahmin and the kind soul gave her a
way out of her curse. So as per his words, she was redeemed of the curse, when
she gave birth to two human babies. She had learnt her lesson now. She went
back to her heavenly abode, as a better person. Matsya-Gandhi, the daughter of
a VASU, was very pretty and attractive. But her home was the fisher-man’s
humble abode and not a palace. Why was she discarded by the king- because she
was a female? Was it her fault to be born a female? Has SHAKTI, no honorable
place in the hearts of men?
SAGE PARAASHARA
The Sage was visiting all
sacred religious centers. In the course of the journey, he had reached the
banks of Yamunaa. He asked the fisher-man to take him across the river in his
boat. The man was engaged in consuming food. He ordered his daughter to take
the Sage in the boat and leave him on the other bank. The pretty daughter did
likewise. The Sage’s mind wavered. ‘What a beauty!’ His mind rocked in passion
like the boat he was traveling. His right hand reached her right hand, and he
grabbed her towards him. She was unnerved. Taking away her hand gently, she
advised the Sage of his unrighteous act. The Sage kept quiet. But as soon as he
reached the other bank, he took advantage of the solitude and embraced her
forcibly. Struggling against his uncontrolled passion, the black-hued young
girl tried to dissuade him by mentioning the stinking smell coming out of her
body. But that was no problem for the Sage. He by the power of his penance
changed the stink into a pleasant smell pervading all the quarters. The young
damsel was pleased. But still she felt that the suggestion of the Sage was not
right. She asked the Sage to wait for the nightfall. Maybe by then he would get
back his senses. No, he was not to be stopped. By the power of his penance the
whole surroundings were covered with a misty darkness. KAALI still struggled
vainly. She pleaded with him. ‘What would happen to her afterwards? Who will
marry her? How would she face the society again?’ The Sage was a treasure of
penance. He told her that she would again become a virgin after the union. He
also blessed her that her parents would never know of this secret union and the
child born to her would be a great Sage like himself. And, she would always
emanate a pleasant smell from her body. Now, nothing else could prove an obstacle.
The Sage embraced the young maiden with increasing passion. After he was
satiated, he had a bath and left the island. KAALI soon became pregnant and
delivered a black-hued baby in the island. The child immediately stood as a man
in front of her. After saluting her, he left her to perform penance. He was
born by the ‘Essence of Vishnu’. He edited the VEDAS. He composed the
PURANAS. He was KRISHNA DVAIPAAYANA
VYAASA – the’ Black-hued; island born; editor’.
But-
KAALI?
Did she lose her virginity
for the price of a perfume? Why did not the Sage make her his wife and give her
a status? A wife is an attachment! A wife is a responsibility! A wife is a
burden!
His
powers gained through lengthy penance gave him the right to use a girl like an
inert object to satisfy his own passion.
Is SHAKTI only an ‘object of
enjoyment’? Is this DHARMA?
MAHAABHISHA was a great king
born in IKSHVAKU dynasty. The emperor followed the path of DHARMA. He performed
thousand Ashva-Medha Sacrifices and hundred Vaajapeya Sacrifices. He pleased
Indra. He went to the Heaven after his death. Once he went to the court of
Brahma. Many Gods had assembled there. The divine damsel Gangaa
was also there.
A
gentle wind blew. Her upper garment fell off revealing her beautiful breasts.
All Gods immediately looked downwards. The king, who was new to such
happenings, looked at her without winking. Gangaa
also returned a love-filled glance. Observing this shameless act by both of
them, Brahma got angry. He cursed the king to take birth in the mortal world. Gangaa was also cursed to have a ‘union’ with the mortal
king. She left the court, regretting her loss of self-control.
The
Eight divine principles - VASUS once happened to visit the hermitage of Sage Vasishta.
Their wives accompanied them. One of the Vasus was DYOU. His wife saw the
divine cow Nandini at the hermitage of the Sage. Her husband informed her that
whoever drank the milk from that divine cow will become youthful and live long.
His wife wanted to gift the cow to her friend in the mortal world, the daughter
of King USHEENARA. She told her husband to bring that cow to her. DYOU, without
thinking of the consequences stole that cow. Other Vasus helped him accomplish
this unrighteous act. The Sage was not present at that time. He later returned
to find his favorite cow gone along with her calf. He felt anxious. He searched
for her, here and there. Then, by divine vision he found out the evil deed of
the ‘Vasus’. Angered, he cursed them to get born in the mortal world. The Vasus
were shocked. They regretted their foolish action. They fell at the feet of the
Sage. The Sage was compassionate. He told them that except DYOU, the rest of
the ‘Vasus’ will return to their heavenly abode within a year. But the main
culprit will live in the mortal world for a long time. The Vasus were returning
to their homes, crestfallen. They met the ‘divine damsel’ Gangaa
on their path. She also looked depressed. They saluted her and requested her to
give birth to them in the mortal world. They told her to throw them into the
river as soon as they were born, so they could become free of the curse. She
agreed. She knew that MAHAABHISHA was born as king Shantanu in the mortal world.
He had chosen the Puru-dynasty born king PRATEEPA as his father. She walked
away lost in deep thoughts. Which Divinity would prefer to have a human as her
spouse?
King
Prateepa, the father of Shantanu was offering worship to God Surya, on the bank
of River Gangaa. As he watched, a shining divine damsel arose out of the waters.
She approached the king and sat on his broad right thigh. He asked her what the
purpose of sitting on his right lap was. She said that she was enamored by him
and wanted to be his. The king was not to be moved by her beauty. He told her
that he had not the habit of wooing girls other than his queen and would not
commit such an unrighteous act. But he told her that since she sat on the right
lap reserved for daughters and daughter-in-laws, she could marry his son, when
he was born. The damsel agreed and vanished into the waters. In due time, the
king had a son born out of his queen. He named him Shantanu. The son grew up
filled with all virtues. When he came of age, his father related to him this
event of the past, and ordered his son that when the divine damsel came out again,
Shantanu should marry her without questioning her identity and live happily
with her. The king made his son the heir to the throne. He went away to the
forest to perform penance and by contemplating on the SUPREME DEVI attained the
heavenly abode. Shantanu ruled the kingdom according to the path set by his
father.
Once
he went to the forest regions to hunt. In that impenetrable jungle, on the
banks of River Gangaa, he saw a young damsel of unparalleled beauty. Enamored,
the king approached her and enquired about her identity. Gangaa
knew him to be Mahaabhisha. But he did not know that she was Gangaa.
She answered coyly that she was in love with that great king and wanted to be
in his company. The king was overjoyed. But the clever damsel put forth a
condition for the marriage. She told the king that her actions should not be
questioned or controlled whether he felt them to be right or wrong. The king
was too much in love to think about the consequences of such a condition. He
agreed. The divine lady took a human form and went to the king’s abode. Many
years passed in sheer marital bliss. They were like Indra and Shachi on Earth.
In due time, the pretty maiden became pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful
baby. But, as soon as it was born, she took the baby to the river and threw it
into the river. The king watched helplessly. He did not stop her for fear of
losing her. This happened seven times. The king was feeling agitated. He had
seen enough wickedness of this girl. ‘What a mother! She was evil-personified’,
he thought and decided to put an end to the demonic actions of his pretty wife.
Little did he know that the children born were the seven ‘Vasus’ and they had
happily returned to their abodes in the heaven by the compassionate deed of Ganga. The eighth son was born. He was DYOU, the main culprit
in stealing the cow of Sage Vasishta. But the king did not know the happenings
of the divine world. He pleaded with his wife to spare the child as she started
to walk towards the river with the just-born baby. She did not heed to his
words. She was on her way to kill her own baby. The king lost control. He was
angry and frustrated. He addressed her in many evil terms and called her a
wicked witch and sinner of the worst nature. Gangaa
was infuriated. She, biting her lips in controlled anger, explained to the king
the divine events and took leave of him. Since the child was a divinity born in
the human world, she told the king that she would take care of the child till
he came of age return him to the king later. The king was stunned by the events.
He had lost his dearest wife forever. He felt dejected. His sorrow knew no
bounds. Years passed in terrible loneliness. Once he went to the same river
bank where he had seen his dearest wife for the first time. As he sadly remembered
the past events, he saw that the river had become shallow. He also saw a young
boy engaged in archery practice. The boy was an expert-hand in archery. He was
equal to the ‘God of love’ in beauty. The king could not recognize his own son.
He questioned the boy as to his parentage. The boy did not answer. He vanished
from sight. The king felt that the boy
should be his son. He stood on the bank and prayed to the Goddess Gangaa. She appeared before him. She brought the boy
to him. Giving the son to the rightful
father, she informed the king that his son had lived in the hermitage of Sage
Vasishta and had mastered all the scriptures and was also an expert in the usage
of weapons. He would be known by the name - Gaangeya. She vanished from sight.
The king felt blessed. He took his son to his own palace and established him as
the crown-prince. In the joy of getting a son, he soon forgot his divine wife
of the past. King Shantanu enjoyed the company of his son for four years
engaged in various sports. He spent most of his time in hunting wild animals.
Once he was wandering in the forest groves situated on the banks of River
Yamunaa. There he experienced a pleasant perfume spreading all over that area.
The scent did not seem to belong to any known source like flowers or trees or
animals. Following the track of the scent he reached the colony of the
fisher-men. There he saw a black-hued pretty maiden. The scent was emanating
form her body. Smitten with passion, he
asked for her hand. She requested the handsome king to take permission of her
father. When the king placed his request to the Chief of the fishermen
community, the father of Kaali put forth a condition for the marriage. He told
the king firmly that only the sons born of his daughter should become heir to
the throne of Hastinaapura. The king remembered his own son born of Gangaa, who would be the next heir and so unable to give
the required promise, he returned home heart-broken. But he lost all peace of
mind. His condition became worse day by day. Burning with passion and bound by
Dharma, he withered slowly.
The
son of Gangaa observed his father’s plight. He
approached his father and politely questioned:
“O
my great father! What ails you? What are you worried about? If any enemy is the
cause of your trouble, I will destroy him in no time. Father, tell me what you are worried about.
What use is a son if he does not remove the worries of his father? A son takes
birth to fulfill the obligations of the past birth. All great men of the past
have served their fathers in various ways. Rama, the son of Dasharatha left for
the forest with his brother Lakshmana and his wife Sita, just to justify his
father’s promise to his step mother Kaikeyi. Rohita, the son of Harischandra,
sold himself to help his father pay back his debt to his Guru Visvaamitra.
Shunasshepa, the son of Ajigarta, got himself sold by his father to get sacrificed
in the Sacrificial altar of a king, though he was later rescued by Sage
Visvaamitra. Parashuraama cut off the head of his own mother, when he was
ordered by his father Jamadagni. O my father! This body is ready for any
service that you demand. Nothing is impossible for me. With my bow, I can
remove any problem that has been tormenting you. Wasteful is the life of a son,
if he does not fulfill the desire of his father! Fie upon such a son!”
Shantanu
was hesitant to reveal his real state of his mind and brushed off the whole
thing with some vague explanation. Gaangeya was not satisfied. He consulted the
ministers and with their help found out the cause of his father’s worry. He
took those ministers along and went to the fishermen-chief and heard from him
the condition that was put forth for the marriage.
Deva-vrata,
the son of Gangaa, did not hesitate. He
proclaimed this great vow of his. He promised that he would from then onwards
take the vow of celibacy and never sit on the throne of Kuru-dynasty. He was
named Bheeshma, the ‘Man of Supreme Vow’ by one and all. The ‘Daasharaja- the
fishermen-chief’ - the father of Kaali, agreed to give his daughter to the king
and Satyavati became the queen of Shantanu.
DHRITA
RAASHTRA! The blind prince!
His
wife was Gaandhaari, the daughter of Subala. She blindfolded her eyes and
served her husband devotedly. The prince had another wife, a daughter of a prostitute,
who helped run the house. Since the eldest son was blind, Pandu was crowned the
ruler. Vidura became a minister and offered wise counsel whenever needed. Pandu
had two wives; Kunti the daughter of Shoorasena and Maadri, the princess of Madra Kingdom.
Gaandhaari had a hundred sons. The other one had a virtuous son, Yuyutsu. Kunti
had had a son from the Sun God before her marriage with Paandu.
KUNTI!
She
was the daughter of Shoorasena and the adopted daughter of Kunti-bhoja!
Once
she served Sage Durvaasa, who visited the king. Durvaasa was a Sage of high
caliber; slightest mistake would provoke him to curse. His demands would be
untimely and would need immediate attention. He was not an easy person too
serve. He stayed for four months in the palace. The princess served him with
utter devotion and humility. Even Durvaasa could not help feeling gratified. He
blessed the girl with a boon. He gave her a Mantra. By reciting that Mantra any
God whom she wished would unite with her. The immature girl received the Mantra
like receiving a toy. How long could the toy remain untouched? She wanted to
play with the Mantra. Lolling on the soft bed in the early morning, she looked
at the rising Sun. He was so beautiful. She meditated on him and recited the
Mantra. As if pulled by a rope he appeared before her. Seeing him in person,
shining in a splendorous form, she trembled in fear. She offered him worship
and requested him to go back. How could He? The Mantra forced him to unite with
her. His passion was aroused by the power of the Mantra. He was helpless; was
ready to curse even! Kunti submitted herself. The God promised her that her
virginity would be preserved. She bore his son in her person. Only her personal
maid knew of her condition. A child was born equal to the Sun in splendor. An
armor and two ear- ornaments were attached to his person, like limbs. Kunti was
reluctant to part from the child; but was forced to do so to preserve the honor
of her family. The baby was placed in a specially prepared box. Kunti cried –“O
what shall I do? My dear son! My life! How can I live without you? I am indeed
an unfortunate soul! O mother! O Durgaa! Save me! O Mother! You are both
formless and with form! You are the Supreme Queen of the Universe! You feed
this child! O Mother of All! You are KAATYAAYINI! You bestow any boon desired
by the devotee! O when will I see my dear son again? Like a wicked soul, I am
discarding this beautiful baby born out of Sun God! I must have committed great
sins in my past births. I did not worship the Mother of the Three Worlds! I did
not worship the lotus-feet of the Spouse of Shiva! That is why this ill-fate
has befallen me! After discarding you like this, I am going to spend my entire
life remembering my sin! O son! Forgive
your wicked mother!”
As she continued to weep
uncontrollably, the maid took the box with the baby away from her and left it
on the speeding waves of River Gangaa. Kunti returned to the palace; a model of
virtue and sacrifice; a mother who would do anything for her children; a strong
willed woman! Her strength of character alone held her sons from following the
path of Adharma! She was SHAKTI! She could bear any amount of pain; and pain
never left her after that tragic event. Pain was her constant companion.
Marriage with a weak king; a
rival queen to claim her husband’s love; widowhood; constant danger to life
from the Kuru Princes; her daughter-in-law’s insult in the royal court; the
separation from her sons for a long long time; finding her first son ready to
kill her other five sons; battles; deaths; insults; ridicules! Pain indeed was
her constant companion! But she faced all difficulties with courage. She had
trust in GOD; in Dharma; in her own self! She never drowned in the ocean of the
painful world. She was SHAKTI! She was powerful! She was a mother! The baby
discarded by her, meanwhile was rescued by a charioteer named Radha. The child
was named Karna, but grew up only as an ordinary person without status. He was
a ‘sootaputra’, a driver’s son. And his unwed mother had married Paandu, the son
of Vichitraveerya. Maadri, the Madra princess was the other wife of Paandu. But,
fate intervened again.
Once, King Paandu went to the
forest to hunt animals. He unknowingly shot a Sage who was mating with his wife
in the form of a deer. The dying Sage cursed him to die, if he ever united with
a woman. Depressed beyond control, the king renounced and went to the forest to
live the life of penance, accompanied by his two wives. He spent his time in
the company of great Sages and practiced severe penance. Once he happened to
hear these words from the mouth of a reputed Sage.
“There
is no redemption for a man without a son. Somehow a son should be acquired.
These methods could be employed in getting a son. Have your own child; adopt the
son of your daughter; get some other person to use your ‘Ksethra [wife], and get
the son. Use another man’s Veerya; permit another man to have the company of your wife in your
presence. Marry a girl who has already a child in her womb. Get a son from uniting
with a girl who is unmarried. Buy a son. Adopt any forsaken child as your son.
Take the charity of a child from someone. All these sons have the right over
the property and name. But the first one is the best. The next ones mentioned
are considered lower in nature, in order.”
When Paandu consulted his wife
and suggested to her to get a child by Niyoga, she mentioned to him about the
Mantra she had received from the Sage Durvaasa. The king was overjoyed. He was
thankful in his mind towards the Sage who had blessed his wife with such a boon
and saved his family. So Kunti, with the permission of her husband, used the Mantra
to get sons. By ‘union’ with Dharma raja or Yama, she begot Yudhistira, ‘one
stable at wars’. By Vaayu, she got Vrikodara, ‘one hungry like a wolf’; by
Indra she got Arjuna, the fair one. Maadri begged her husband and the elder
sister to bless her with the Mantra. Pandu permitted her to use the Mantra only
once. She called on the ‘Ashvini Gods’(Gods of healing), and had two sons- Nakula and Sahadeva;
she was quite clever! Maadri was very pretty, young and a little careless in
her behavior. Once Pandu saw her and felt his passion rising high. Unable to
control himself, he embraced the protesting wife and fell down dead. Maadri
also fell along with him, like a creeper falling along with a tree. She
couldn’t forgive herself. She handed over her sons and to Kunti and entered the
crematory fire set for her husband. The Sages who lived there took the orphaned
Kunti and her five sons to Hastinaapura and left them to Bheeshma’s care. Kunti
had a hard time proving the parentage of her sons. All knew about the curse
given by the Sage to Paandu. But Kunti’s lustrous character was the proof of her
purity. The Kuru Vamsha elders accepted her back into the family.
DRAUPADI
Draupadi, the daughter of
King Drupada was a great Pati-vrata, a devoted wife. She was the wife of the
five sons of Paandu. She had a son from each one of them.
Arjuna had another wife,
Subhadraa, the sister of Krishna Vaasudeva. Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna by
Subhadraa. Abhimanyu died in the battle still young. Draupadi’s sons also were
killed in the battle. Abhimanyu’s wife was the daughter of King Viraata. Her
child was the only light left to continue the Kuru dynasty. This child in the
womb was also attacked by an arrow. But, Krishna
rescued it with his yogic power. The child was named Pareekshit; the one left
over when all around him were dead.
A dead kingdom; dead bodies;
widows; orphans; old women; old men; screams; weeping sounds; cursing voices;
heart rending shouts; tears; a land destroyed by war; the five rulers drowned in their own tragedy! Blood flowed
everywhere!
Dhritaraashtra and Gaandhaari
were offered shelter by the sons of Paandu and were still respected and revered
by the family members. Vidura was still offering Dharmic-consultation to the
new kings to the best of his ability.
Kunti was again holding
everyone’s moral up! She had seen all! What more could be worse? But, she held
on. She trusted in the SUPREME SHAKTI. She was also a mother. She had the power
to bear the pain.
DHRITARAASHTRA
The
Blind king!
Blind
to the insult rendered to the daughter-in-law of the family; deaf to the advice
offered by Vidura; dumb in front of the accusing finger of Dharma; greedy for
power; greedy for wealth; he led his children to the worst end possible. May
such worlds cease to exist in this world ruled by PARAASHAKTI!
Now
the blind king was shamelessly holding on to his life at the abode of
Paandavas. Yudhistira served him sincerely. Draupadi even now felt a little
hesitant to come into the presence of the blind king. The ordeal she went
through in the open court of the king still pricked her. Arjuna ignored him.
The twin brothers just went through their duties without protest. Bheema had no
sympathy for the old king. He missed no chance to insult the old man. Rather,
he waited for opportunities to hurt the couple.
Eighteen
years passed.
Arrows
sharper than the sharpest arrows had fallen on the old king. Bheema’s words
were unbearable. They echoed even in his dreams. “O you wicked old fool! I have
killed all your sons in the battle-field. I have drunk the blood of Dusshaasana. Now you are living on crumbs thrown by us. You have no shame. You
wait for the morsel of food like a dog or crow”.
Yudhishtira
tried to console the king, calling Bheema an idiot. But, the comfort-loving old
man also had his limits. He begged the son of Yama to permit him to go to the
forest. He also begged for some wealth to perform some obituary services to his
sons, as Bheema had never done anything for the after-life of his cousin
brothers. Bheema was enraged. He again shot back hot words; “Old man! Now you
want wealth to waste on your sons’ welfare? Even a blind idiot is humored here.
What more foolishness can be there,
O you evil wretched man!
Because of you, we suffered in the forest. Even Draupadi was brought forcibly
to the court by ‘your grace’! O great soul! We lived as servants in the palace
of king Viraata. If our elder brother was not a gambler, the destruction would
not have happened. I was a cook there.
Arjuna had to wear bangles. Dressed as a female, he taught dance and music!
What more insult could be there than being a man in a woman’s garb? What could
be worst than that? Bangles in the hand, which held the bow Gaandiva! When I
remember the plaits on his hair and the collyrium on his eyes, I feel like
strangling this old fool even now. I won’t rest in peace otherwise. O king, do
you know that without asking permission, your son tried to burn us all in the
wax house? And my dear old fool, I did not consult you before killing Keechaka,
who was after my wife. I had pushed his neck and legs into his central body and
made a bloody mass of him. I only regret that I did not do such a thing to your
sons and his wives. O fool! Why did you free your sons from the clutches of
Gandharvas? Now see what happened? They are dead now! The Gandharvas would have
done it free of cost at that time. If I had any authority, I would not give you
even a clay coin.” So saying, he left the assembly. Unfortunately or
fortunately, he had no authority. Yudhishtira gave enough wealth to the old
king to satisfy his whim. The old king went to the forest along with his wife
Gaandhaari. Kunti and Vidura also followed him. Kunti could not be stopped from
going to the forest. Paandavas were forced to escort all of them to the banks
of the River Ganga. All the elders started living in the hermitage of the Sage
Shatayupa.
Six years passed.
Yudhishtira was having bad
dreams. He felt some evil in the air. He desired to see the elders living in
the forest. All of them reached the hermitage in a hurry. Vidura was not to be
seen. He was passing his time in contemplation in some solitary place. Nobody
knew where he was. Yudhishtira went in search of him. On the second day, the
king found him sitting in the banks of River Gangaa. The king saluted him and
announced himself. Vidura did not move.
He was like a statue. Next moment, a lustrous light emanated out of Vidura’s face
and entered the king’s face; for, both were the manifestations of Yama in
parts. Yudhistira got ready to perform the crematory services for the old
minister. He started collecting wood. But a voice from the heavens spoke saying
that Vidura was a man of dispassion and did not need the obituary works. He
went back and informed others of Vidura’s demise. He spent some days with his
mother and others in the forest.
One
day Naarada and Vyaasa arrived there. Many Sages also accompanied them. All the
women-folk burst into tears on seeing them. They confided their own personal
anxieties to the compassionate Sages. Kunti begged them to give a vision of her
son Karna. Gaandhaari wanted to see Duryodhana. Subhadraa wanted to see
Abhimanyu. Vyaasa consented to their wish. He took all of them to the banks of
River Gangaa. Vyaasa completed his Praanaayaama and the evening worship and
prayed to the Supreme Mother.
Salutations
O Mother!
You are the Mother of all
Creations.
You are both with form and
without form.
You are the Support of
Prakriti and Purusha.
You are the Queen of all
Divinities.
You are the Supreme Brahman.
You are the Resident of the
Splendorous Manidveepa.
When there existed not - the
Creator, nor Brahma, nor Ishvara, nor Indra, nor Varuna, nor Kubera,
nor Yama, nor Agni, - then
also You existed.
When there existed not- the
five elements, nor their essences, nor the Mind, Intelligence or the Senses,
when the Sun and the Moon
were not there, - You existed then.
Salutations O Mother!
All the created worlds exist
in Your Consciousness.
All the Gunas, Lingas exist
in Your Awareness.
All forms - male and females
- exist in Your Mind.
You keep all these in You for
eternal times.
You are in the state of
‘Formless Samadhi’ with all these existing in You eternally.
Yet You are free and act as
You please!
These ‘existences’ do not
affect Your real state of Bliss.
Even intelligent people do
not know You in that state.
You are in Eternal Union with
Your Spouse there.
You are in Eternal Bliss
there.
You are in Eternal state of
Love there.
You exist as One and also Two
there.
You are both You and Your
Spouse.
Yet You are both One in Love
and Bliss.
You never separate from Your
Spouse any time.
Your Union
with Siva is the Cause of all the Creations.
Yet you both are not affected
by their existence.
You both exist as One in
Blissful Union.
You both exist as form and
formless at the same time.
Your Existence is beyond the
comprehension of the human minds.
These people are praying to
me to show their dead relatives. I am not capable of such a feat.
Please O Mother, You kindly grant their
wishes. Show them their dead kith and kin.”
A splendorous light rose
immediately in front of them and all of them saw the dead ones in their present
condition. And by Vyaasa’s Yogic Power, they were sent back again. After this
event everybody returned to their respective abodes.
Sanjaya left for visiting all
pilgrimage centers. On the third day a jungle fire arose killing the blind
king,
his wife, Kunti and others.
Thirty six years after the war, the Yaadava clan destroyed itself by the curse
of a Brahmin. Balaraama discarded his body by Yoga. Krishna
died by getting hit by an arrow of a hunter. Vasudeva also discarded his body
when in contemplation of the Great Mother. All the eight wives of Krishna and Revati, the wife of Balaraama, entered the
fire along with the dead spouses. Arjuna performed all obituary services to the
dead souls. Floods destroyed the great city of the Yaadavas. The people who
were left over went off to the city of Hastinaapura
and took shelter under the Paandavas. But as Arjuna was taking these people
including many wives of Krishna to the city,
he was attacked by dacoits. Arjuna felt weak and could not fight the dacoits.
He watched helplessly as the evil ones took away all the wealth from the
travelers. He was shocked. He returned home crestfallen. He established Aniruddha’s
son Vajra as the chief of the Yaadava clan. Later he went to Sage Vyaasa and
expressed his anguish at his powerless state. Vyaasa consoled him and said that
again when Krishna would be born on the Earth,
in the next ‘Yuga’, he will also be born along with him and at that time he
will have enough power. Yudhistira felt that it was time for him to return to
the forests.
Pareekshit, the son of
Uttaraa, had completed thirty eight years. The old Paandava king made him the
next ruler and started his journey towards the Himalayas.
His wife and his brothers accompanied him. After all the trouble they had taken
to win back the kingdom, they ruled it only for a span of thirty eight years.
They spent their last years in penance and gave up their bodies in due time.
Pareekshit was a man of great character and ruled the kingdom following the
footsteps of his elders. He tried his best to rebuild the ruins left after the
terrifying war.
Sixty years passed.
Once he went to the
forest-lands for hunting. In the course of hunting he had moved away from his
own people and got lost in the huge jungle. Hungry and thirsty, he wandered for
a long time searching for some shelter. Tired and exhausted, he at last saw a
hermitage. A Sage was sitting under the tree lost in contemplation. The old Sage
did not wake up though the king called him several times. Feeling insulted and
offended, the king took a dead snake nearby and garlanded the Sage. The Sage
still did not move. The king ate whatever was inside the hut and went off in
anger.
How
could such an action belong to the grandson of the great Paandavas?
All because of the
overlapping Kali-Yuga!
FOUR YUGAS
Krita
or Sat Yuga; Tretaa Yuga; Dwapara Yuga; Kali Yuga!
The
Yugas are termed according to the quantities of the total Vaasanaas in the
world. Kali Yuga is supposed to be the
worst. Sat Yuga is the best. Yugas need not come in the fixed order. All
depends on the purity of the people at that time. And each Yuga overlaps the
other. Each Yuga almost ends in a great battle or natural calamities to give
way for the new Yuga.
After the Mahabharata war, it
was time for the Kali Yuga-overlapping, and moved by the macroscopic influence
even good people acted their worst at times. And, Pareekshit did the same.
Unknowingly he insulted the Sage
in anger. But, he had to face the consequences of his action.
The young son of the Sage,
who was out playing, heard about this insult to his father and immediately
cursed the king that he should die bitten by the Snake TAKSHAKA within seven
days. The king heard about this.
Death!
Nobody likes Death! The king was no exception. He wanted to live. He wanted to
have at least half a life-span from another person and live. He called his
ministers and asked them to find some person who could give him half of his
life-span. He mentioned to them the story of a lady who was bitten by the
serpent and became alive after getting half the life-span of her husband.
Puloma, the devoted wife of
Brighu; she had a son named Chyavana. Chyavana married Sukanyaa daughter of
Sharyaati. She had a son named Pramati; his wife was Prataapi. She had a son
named Ruru. A king named Vishvavasu once enjoyed the company of the heavenly
nymph Menakaa. The heavenly lady discarded the resultant child on the river
bank and went away. A great Sage named Sthula-kesha found the female baby and
brought it up as his own. She was named Pramadvaraa -‘Best among charming
Women’.
She
grew up like a pretty creeper and became well known for her beauty everywhere.
Once prince Ruru saw her and fell in love with her. After the elders consented,
the marriage date was fixed. But before marriage the young girl got bitten by a
snake in the forest path and died immediately. Ruru heard about this tragedy and was heart-broken. He lamented
for a long time and decided to give up his life. But something stuck his mind.
He decided to do something before he gave up his life.
He
performed meditation on the Supreme Mother for some time and proclaimed:
“If I have done any good deed
in the past; if I have respected the elders in the past; if I have done my
meditations in the past properly; if I have performed the Gaayatri–Saadhana
perfectly; if I have studied all the Vedas properly; if I have pleased the Sun
with my worship; let my beloved rise up brimming with life or I give up my life
also.”
A
passing God heard this and came down from his heavenly chariot. He advised RURU
to give half of his life-span to his beloved. Ruru agreed. Meanwhile, Vishvaavasu
heard about the death of his daughter. He requested Yama to give back his
daughter’s life. Yama agreed and told them that Pramadvaraa will become alive
again by half of the life-span of Ruru. Ruru got back his beloved and married
her on an auspicious day. They both lived happily forever.
Pareekshit was not a person
to accept fate’s cruel decision. He decided to fight till the last breath. He
got a tower of seven storeys built and lived on top of it with his trustworthy
ministers. No snake had a chance of crawling up the tower. Even wind could not
peep in without the guards knowing. He also sent a pious Brahmin as a
representative and apologized to the Sage whom he had offended. Many men versed
in snake-bite cures were
stationed nearby for emergency. The king never got out of the tall tower. He
attended to all his duties there itself. Meanwhile, a Brahmin named Kashyapa,
who was well-versed in different kinds of ‘mantras’ heard about the condition
of the king. He was in dire need of money. So he decided to help the king and
earn some money. Takshaka, the serpent who was destined to kill the king had
taken the form of a Brahmin and proceeding towards Hastinaapura. He saw
Kashyapa and found out that the Brahmin had the intention of saving the king. In
order to test him, he revealed his true form and bit the giant banyan tree
nearby. The tree immediately turned into ashes. Kashyapa took some water in his
hand, and reciting some ‘mantra’ sprinkled the water on the ashes of the tree.
The tree immediately became alive
and stood in front of them as
before. Takshaka was surprised. He tempted the Brahmin with wealth and asked
him to go back. Kashyapa was in a dilemma. He knew if he went back without
saving the king, he would be blamed by one and all. He meditated for some time.
He found out by ‘yogic power’ that the king would not survive the snake-bite.
So instead of wasting his time on a futile attempt, he took the wealth offered
by Takshaka and returned home. Takshaka himself was helpless in this case because
he would be in for a curse if he
disobeyed the order of the Sage’s son. He had also no sympathy for the king who
had insulted a Great Sage. But, when he reached the tower, he was surprised to
find that the tower was heavily guarded and he had no approach to the king’s
room. He asked some of his serpent companions to disguise themselves as Sages
and take some fruits in a basket, and offer it to the king personally. He
turned himself into a tiny worm and entered a delicious looking fruit. But the
guards refused permission to the Sages saying that nobody was allowed inside
the tower by the King’s order. They took the basket of fruits and sent it to
the king through their own men.
The king was very cheerful.
Soon the Sun would set and seven days would be completed.
No snake had been able to
approach him.
He had conquered fate. He had
conquered death.
He looked at the delicious
looking apples in the basket.
He took the ripest one and
offered the others to his close friends.
As he cut the fruit, he saw
an atom-like worm inside the fruit.
He was little senseless by
his victory over death. He took the worm in his hand and laughed.
He said, “Let this tiny worm
bite me so as to make the Sage’s curse true.”
He placed the worm on his
neck.
Immediately the worm turned
into a terrifying giant serpent. It bit him. The king sat stunned.
He did not move. He felt
defeated.
His men were not able to come
near him. The fire from the snake’s mouth kept them at a distance.
Another terrifying fire
filled with poison arose from the mouth of Takshaka.
The king was burnt by the
poison immediately.
He fell down like a dead
tree.
Takshaka rose into the sky
and disappeared.
KING JANAMEJAYA.
He
was just a little boy when his father died by snake-bite.
He
was crowned as the next Emperor.
He
did not disappoint the people for the trust they placed in him.
Everybody
felt secure under his rule. Prosperity reigned.
But
fate? It waited!
UTTANKA!
Uttanka was a Brahmin
harassed by Takshaka!
He had a personal grudge
against the serpent king.
He sought the guileless king
Janamejaya. He talked him into taking revenge for the death of his father.
Takshaka had to be avenged.
The serpent-clan itself should be destroyed.
The fire of revenge started
burning in the king’s heart.
A great serpent Sacrifice was
arranged. Sages and Brahmins from all the lands were invited. Charity was
unlimited. A huge fire-alter was built.
As the Sages recited the
Mantra, snakes crawled to the fire as if pulled by chains and fell into the
fire. Takshaka was no exception.
He was getting pulled towards
the fire by the power of the Mantra.
He took shelter in Indra.
Indra held on to him by his divine power.
Uttanka was enraged.
He willed that both the
serpent and Indra should enter the fire together.
Takshaka was hanging in the
air above the sacrificial fire. Indra was also getting pulled along with him.
AASTHIKA
A young boy, son of Sage
Jaratkaaru, approached the king. He was the son of a serpent mother. His name
was Asthika. He pleased the king with his Vedic Knowledge. The king granted him
any boon he wished for. Asthika asked for the Sacrifice to be stopped. King
Janamejaya granted the boon. Takshaka was saved. But revenge? It fell dead in
front of a ‘promise to a child’!
This is BHARATAVARSHA! The
sacred land loved by Gods! The land of penance and virtue! The land where Gods
walked as human beings!
What
caused all these happenings like snake-Sacrifice? And, why was it stopped?
JARATKAARU
Jaratkaaru
was a great Sage! He never married. Once he saw all his ancestors hanging
upside down in a pit. He learnt that they suffered that fate because he had no
sons to offer the obituary services. He wanted to marry. He was searching for a
worthy partner-in-life.
Sage Kashyapa had two wives –
Kadru and Vinataa. As usual their relationship was a little sour. Once they both
saw the horses belonging to the Sun’s chariot. The question of their color
arose. Vinataa said that they were white in color. Kadru said that they were black.
She said that if the color proved to be black, Vinataa should become her maid.
Vinataa agreed.
Unknown to her, Kadru sought
the help of her serpent-sons and asked them to cover the bodies of the horses
so as to make them look black. Her sons had better sense of Dharma. They
refused to obey her. She cursed them that they would be burnt in the
Sacrificial fire of King Janamejaya. Some serpents fearing the curse stuck to
the tail of the horse and somehow managed to make the horse look different.
Vinataa did not understand that she was getting cheated by Kadru. She was heart
broken.
Garuda, her son heard her
lamentations and rushed to help her. He was the Chief of the bird-clan. His
mother informed him that now she was the slave of Kadru and had to carry her
everywhere. Garuda helped her in her work and asked Kadru to release his mother
from slavery. He would do anything to free her. She asked for the nectar from
Heavens. Garuda fought with the Devas and brought the nectar and gave it to
Kadru. His mother was now free. But Indra stole back the nectar when the
serpents were un-alert.
The greedy serpents bit the
Kusha grass spread out there. ‘Maybe the pot had rolled and the nectar was sticking
to them’, they thought. The sharp-edged grass cut their tongue and their
tongues became split.
The good serpents who were
cursed by their mother went to Brahma, to put forth their cause. Brahma told
them to find the Sage Jaratkaaru and offer the sister of the Serpent-Chief
Vaasuki, in marriage to him and that her son will save the serpent clan. The
serpents did likewise. But Jaratkaaru insisted that if anything unpleasant was
done by her, he would leave her and go off. They both lived happily in the palace of Vaasuki. Once the tired Sage told his
wife not to wake him up at any cost and went to sleep.
Evening time approached. It
was worship time. His wife was in a dilemma.
‘Dharma had to be preserved
at any cost. It did not matter if her husband got angry’; she thought.
She woke him up. Jaratkaaru
was annoyed. He decided to leave the palace.
His wife pleaded - “What
about the child that will save her clan?”
He just said, “ASTI” (is there). He left.
In due time, she gave birth
to a child. He was equal to his father in studies and Knowledge.
His name was AASTHIKA and he
saved the serpent-clan from destruction.
Wherever his name is
remembered, the serpents do not cause harm.
Past;
Present: Future!
An
event in the past is the cause of many events in the present.
An event in the present
becomes one of the causes for a future event.
Nothing happens without a
cause.
CONTENTS:
1. Greatness of Shiva.
2. Sage Vyaasa and the greatness of his works.
3. Brahma’s foolish actions.
4. Story of Sandhyaa.
5. Shiva’s Marriage with Daakshaayini.
6. The Destruction of Daksha Yajna.
7. Shiva’s agony
S H I V A
Devotion
to SHIVA!
Devotion
to SHIVA!
Devotion
to SHIVA!
There
is no other shelter for me.
You alone are my support.
Salutations! Salutations!
Salutations!
How
to get rid of the sorrows?
Once, the Gods asked Vishnu
this question.
He answered:
“Is this a thing you all do
not know? Is it not clearly seen?
He alone is to be served! He
alone is to be served! Always and forever!
SHANKARA is the Remover of
all sorrows.
If
you are after happiness, never for a moment stop worshipping SHIVA!
If
SHIVA is forgotten even for a moment that is the greatest harm that can happen.
That is blindness! That is
foolishness!
Those who are devoted to
SHIVA; those who are subservient to SHIVA; those who remember SHIVA, they never
get a cause to worry!
All that is coveted on the
earth will be theirs. All Siddhis reside in him who is devoted to SHIVA!”
Rare
is a human birth! Rare is a human birth in a proper family!
Waste not the precious life
in sensuous pursuits.
Develop devotion to SHIVA.
Offer all that you do to SHIVA.
Duty pertaining to one’s own
birth is the best form of worship.
Better than that is the
chanting of SHIVA’s name.
Contemplation on His Form is
better than chanting.
SHIVA is always present in
the mind of the person who meditates on Him.
No sorrows come near such
contemplative souls.
LINGA is of two kinds; gross
and subtle.
When Linga is worshipped in a
gross form, it is eternal.
When IT is meditated upon in
the mind, it is subtle.
Worldly people worship the gross
form. Yogis worship the subtle form.
The
Entire Universe is filled with the principle of SHIVA.
Those
who know this truth do not have rules to follow in the worship of SHIVA.
Like one Sun reflected in
many water-pots, Shiva is seen everywhere by the Knower.
What
use is a gross form of SHIVA, to a knower who sees everything as SHIVA! But, a
person who does not have such a realization has to rise himself by worshipping
the ‘gross form’ of SHIVA.
There is no sin in this
world. But if you own an action, the good and bad of it also belong to you. The
sin attaches itself to the pure soul like dirt. Washing the cloth makes the
color look brighter. Worship of SHIVA, brings out the color of Knowledge and
makes it shine better.
Knowledge rises because of
Devotion. Devotion rises because of Knowledge.
Virtuous actions and worship
of Gods give rise to Devotion.
Devotion leads to Knowledge.
Knowledge leads to the Highest Truth.
Take shelter in a Guru. Keep
the company of good souls. Knowledge and devotion will rise together.
In the state of the Highest
Truth there is no duality. A person who sees no duality is SHIVA himself.
For a person who has
transcended duality there is no happiness or sorrow.
Such a person is honored by
all the Sages and all the Gods. Such a person sanctifies the very place he is.
Temples may take some time-span to purify you.
But a devotee of SHIVA who
sees SHIVA everywhere purifies you instantly.
Worship of all the Gods is
indeed purifying. But Worship of SHIVA is equal to the Worship of all Gods.
SHIVA is like the root of
all.
If you water the root, the
trunk, branches, leaves, all get that water.
If you water the branches or
the leaves, the root never gets the water. The tree dries up.
So
worship SHIVA! All Gods are pleased. All your desires would be fulfilled.
O
Great Lord! Rise up!
O Lord of my heart! Rise up!
O Lord of Uma! Rise up!
Do good to this world!
I do not know - the right or
wrong of things!
I do not know - attachment or
detachment!
You reside in my heart O
Father! Guide me!
I will act as You direct me!
Salutations O Shiva!
Salutations O Father!
Salutations O Master!
Salutations O my own Self!
Salutations! Salutations!
Salutations!
SHIVA TATTVA – SHIVA PRINCIPLE.
Who
can understand SHIVA? Who is He? Where is He?
SHIVA
is Auspiciousness!
SHIVA
is Knowledge!
SHIVA
is Goodness.
SHIVA
appears always in the form of a huge fire! He appears as a Linga/Symbol of
Fire!
Brahma and Vishnu tried their
best to find the beginning and end of that Linga.
Brahma took the form of a
swan. Vishnu took the form of a boar.
Brahma wanted to find the
source of the Linga! So he flew high like a swan.
Vishnu wanted to find the end
of creations. He went downwards digging fiercely.
Did they succeed in their
quest?
Could such an event occur?
Did it happen really?
KRISHNA DVAIPAAYANA VYAASA
Sage
Veda Vyaasa, adept in the art of story-telling can narrate the incidents so
interestingly that the listener who is lost in the story-line entirely misses
the hidden messages in the stories. Vyaasa manages to hide the sacred truths
from even an alert listener. He polishes the events with such a glittering
color of gold that the actual scene is never understood by the student. Vyaasa,
an expert in the phonetic science also, manages to hide Great Mantras and techniques
of meditation in the ordinary lettering of the story that an ordinary world-
oriented mind can never comprehend it. A
person who can read aloud the works of Vyaasa with perfect intonation gets the
benefit of the Mantras, and raises in the spiritual ladder very fast. But in
this age where even a Gaayatri Mantra is repeated only for merit without the
attainment of the actual phonetic benefits as such; where the fiction part of
his works alone are circulated and not the proper phonetic rendering of the Puraanas,
no wonder the modern world discards the great works of the renowned Sage as
just a collection of fairy tales.
His
composition contains every known thing in the fourteen worlds.
His
works are treasure chests containing gems of Knowledge.
Mantras, Yogic-methods,
Contemplation of the Highest, Knowledge which belongs to the Gods and many more
spiritual codes abound in his works hidden from the ordinary class of listener.
Since Puraanas are studied
only for the merit they bestow, the Truths are always missed.
Events of the God-world are
so obscure and vague that they are dismissed as myths by the logical minds.
The
spiritual seekers of today on the other hand dismiss Puraanas as some stories
connected to the non-existing
clan called Gods. They stick to the lessons taught in the Upanishads and
discard the Puraanas as fit for the lower class of Saadhaks. They do not
understand that the Upanishads are just infinitesimal piece of Truth in SHIVA
TATTVA. They forget that the very Upanishads are an extract from the Vedas and
it was Vyaasa who sorted out the mess. He alone is the author of all the
Puraanas. If he has worked all through his life to translate his vision of the
God-world into some masterpiece of phonetic science, it is not to use them as
bed-time stories for kids. In order to hide the God-world from one and all and
discourage the heaven-seeking fools of his time, he extracted the Knowledge
portion of the Vedas painstakingly with the help of his dear disciple Krishna and diverted all seekers of towards a ‘formless,
unifying Truth’!
Upanishads
make you reach only up to the Para Brahman level of the creation one is born in
and not above that. The first blockage to ‘Truth’ is the Para Brahman level. Of
course, without it you cannot proceed further. But you cannot stop at that
level itself, if you are after the Highest Truth. And, Puraanas add more to the
confusion.
In Vishnu Bhaagavata, Vishnu is
considered as the Highest God! In Shiva Puraana, Shiva is the highest! In Skandha
Puraana, Skandha is the Highest. So who really is ‘The Highest’?
No one can get the correct
answer from the narratives of the Puraanas. It is one single Vyaasa who has
written all the Puraanas and each Puraana extols one chosen God as the Highest.
But hidden in each Puraana is the coded mantra of that particular deity which
only a Sage of the ancient world adept in the recitation of Mantras can
comprehend. We have access only to the dilapidated treasure box of Puraanas; we
do not have the key to open the treasure chest. We do not even know what gems could
be hidden in that chest!
Even
in the narratives of the Puraanas we must learn to read in between the lines. We
must understand the allegorical meanings of the events mentioned in the
Puraanas.
Reading Puraana is also an
art.
Learn to fly. Learn to dig. Learn
to have subtle vision.
Then only Vyaasa’s works will
reveal the gems hidden in them.
Puraanas
are not myths or stories but works of spiritual science filled with Mantras and
Tantras.
Approach
the book with reverence and the truths will reveal themselves to you.
Salutations to the lotus feet of the
Great Sage Vyaasa, the son of Paraashara.
DEVALOKA! THE WORLD OF GODS
Deva
Loka is an abode of many Sacred Truths!
It is place always under
attack by the demonic forces!
The God world always presents
a dramatic incident outside; but hides the Knowledge internally.
The events are all true. But
the Knowledge is hidden.
To quote-
The churning of the milk
ocean was true; but the Knowledge gained by Gods in that event is hidden!
Brahma and Vishnu taking the
form of swan and the boar are true; the Knowledge they gained is hidden!
Vyaasa is very clever. He can
hide the precious stones in a cotton pouch and get away with it!
Swan- can fly up; has wings;
is pure white in color; can differentiate between milk and water; can consume
the milk mixed up in water! Brahma took the form of a swan to find the top of
the Linga!
Boar- can dig down the earth;
has legs; is dark in color; is strong and ferocious! Vishnu took the form of
the boar to reach the bottom of the Linga!
To
get the Higher Knowledge you must have Saatvic nature.
You
must have the wings of discrimination and analysis; Viveka and Vichaara!
You
should be able to comprehend the Truth behind the appearances!
You
should know ‘AHAM SAHA’ – ‘I AM HE’!
You should fly high without
stopping. There is no resting place in the middle. You reach the destination or
fall! You must be a swan if you want to find the source of SHIVA!
To get the Knowledge of the
Creations you should be Raajasic in nature!
You
must have VEDAS as legs - as your Support!
You
should be capable of digging out the Truths!
You
must be adamant enough to throw away the worthless mud surrounding the Truth!
You
must be strong enough to never cease your efforts till you get what you want.
If
you stop half-way you will have only mud all around you; as we are buried in
Devotion-less worships and Knowledge-less discourses!
You
must be a boar if you want to find the Truth about the Creations!
The
Created worlds are where you can find the feet of SHIVA!
Brahma who was Raajasic in
nature could not find the Source of SHIVA!
He was filled with Creative
vaasanaas!
A vibrating mind cannot rise
high! Only Silence can lead to the Truth!
So he failed!
Vishnu
understood that the Knowledge downwards was infinite and so, he stopped his
search!
He did not fail! He knew his
limitations!
A salt doll can never find
the depths of the ocean; but it can melt in the ocean and be the ocean itself!
If you want to know SHIVA you
have to become SHIVA!
You needn’t be either a swan
or a boar; just BE THAT!
SIVOHAM
SIVOHAM SIVOHAM
GOD-WORLD
More Powers! More Knowledge!
More Pleasures!
And, most of all- More ego!
Ego which disrespects others
is harmful. Ego which respects others with the self-respect in fact is
progressive.
Ego
of Gods, ignorance in Gods, leads to many events in their world! This in turn
reflects in the mortal minds in the creations!
When juniors disrespect the
seniors in Deva-Loka, when they plot against the senior staff, the mortal world
repeats it!
If that world is perfect,
this world also will be perfect!
If they act imperfectly, the
worlds they created also take the wrong direction.
SHIVA tries to keep the
God-world perfect. SHAKTI watches everything silently!
Once
Brahma plotted against Shiva!
How? Why?
Because he lacked the company
of the Goddess of Knowledge!
Because he was ignorant!
BRAHMA,
the Supreme Creator!
He had finished creating many
noble Sages to continue the progeny and spread the Knowledge of the Vedas.
As he idled, a beautiful girl
came out of him. .
Her name was SANDHYAA; an
unparalleled beauty!
As Brahma looked at the
heavenly beauty, another being came out of him.
KAAMA
DEVA; the God of Love; the principle of passion!
He acted on all minds,
including Brahma.
Sandhyaa was extremely
beautiful.
Brahma’s mind wavered. He
desired her.
Dharma was at stake.
A father, desiring his own
daughter!
Dharma cried out to Shiva.
Shiva appeared.
He laughed at Brahma’s
foolishness.
He ridiculed him in front of
one and all.
He chided him for his
unrighteous act.
Kaama withdrew his arrows out
of fear.
Brahma controlled himself out
of fear.
Shiva vanished.
Brahma’s anger turned towards
Kaama.
He cursed him.
“May you be burnt to ashes by
the fire proceeding from Shiva!”
Kaama pleaded his innocence.
Brahma gave a solution.
SANDHYAA!
A
lady of virtuous character!
She felt ashamed of herself.
She was the cause of all the
troubles.
Because of her, Brahma got
censured.
Because of her Kaama got
cursed.
‘She and her worthless beauty!’
She cursed herself.
She had to do something to
purify herself.
She decided to perform
penance.
She went to the banks of the Chandrabhaaga River and started her penance.
Brahma called his son Vasishta.
He advised him to go and
teach Sandhyaa, the art of penance.
Vasishta obeyed.
He taught her the best
penance ever possible.
“Contemplate on the Most
Supreme luster. Meditate on the Supreme Being, the Culmination of all penance.
Worship Him who is the Supreme object of Worship.
Worship SHAMBHU; SHANKARA:
SHIVA: RUDRA: MAHAADEVA”!
He gave her the mantra-
OM NAMAH SHANKARAAYA OM.
He also taught her the
correct method of worship.
She followed his instructions
and engaged her time in worshipping Shankara.
One Chatur-Yuga (Four-Yuga
unit of time) passed.
Shankara appeared in front of
her.
Sandhyaa did not even know
what to do in His presence.
Tears filled her eyes.
Shankara was compassionate.
He smiled.
She was blessed with all the
Knowledge and Speech Divine!
Words flowed from her mouth
like a stream of Gangaa!
Salutations!
Salutations! Salutations!
You are Formless.
You are attainable by
Knowledge alone.
You are neither gross nor
subtle.
You are neither above nor
below.
You are the Creator of all
the worlds.
You reside in the heart of
yogis.
You are quiescent.
You are pure.
You are changeless.
You are self-shining.
You know everything.
You are beyond darkness.
You are One.
You are the SELF of all.
You are ageless.
You are Sat-Chit-Aananda.
You are the Essence of
everything; yet, You are not one of these things.
Your
Form shines like a Splendorous Light; pure white; and like a jewel.
Your hands hold the Trishula
and the skull.
You are the Greatest Yogi.
You
have all the elements, time and all the forms under control.
You have no form; yet,
Brahma’s and Vishnu’s forms have risen out of You.
You are also in the form of
Rudra.
You are the Cause of all
causes.
Your Form shines equal to the
Splendor of thousand Suns.
You bestow on you devotees -
prosperity, Knowledge and eternity.
You give everybody in the fourteen
worlds everything they need.
There exists nothing beyond
You.
From
your feet arise - all the elements, Gods, and the limitations of space-time.
You are SAD-BRAHMA.
You are PARA-BRAHMA.
There is no end, beginning or
middle in You.
How
can I praise You, who are beyond the reach of mind and speech!
When Gods like Brahma do not
know Your Form, how can I describe it?
You are beyond all
characters.
How can an ordinary woman
like me praise You?
Even Indra has not seen this
form of Yours.
What more can I speak?
Salutations O Great God!
Salutations O Great Ascetic.
Be pleased O God of Gods.
Salutations again and again!
Salutations!
Salutations!
Salutations!
Shankara looked at this
emaciated girl.
She had covered herself with
clothing made of barks.
Her hair was tangled in
matted locks.
Her tender body was bathed in
dust.
Her limbs were emaciated.
She was like a lotus hit by a
snow shower.
He was ready to grant her
anything she asked for.
And she prayed-
“O Great Lord! If I am really
purified by this penance, then I ask you these boons.
First of all, let there be no
other female like me, who filled every mind with passion as soon as she arose.
Let my husband treat me with extreme love. If anybody else other than my
husband looks at me, let him lose his manhood immediately.”
He granted her wish.
But, still she felt sad. She
felt impure.
She was not able to be in a
body coveted by so many Gods.
Shankara understood her
feelings.
He knew she was destined to
give up her body in the fire because of her actions of the past birth.
He told her to give up her
body in the Sacrificial fire lit by Sage Medhatiti.
Sandhyaa agreed.
Unseen by any of the Sages
assembled there, at the JYOTISHTOMA Sacrifice, she offered her body in the
fire. She from that time was well-known as SATI.
Sandhyaa
entered the fire desiring that Sage Vasishta should become her husband. Her
soul entered the solar sphere. Her body split into two halves.
The Higher part of hers
became Dawn adored by Gods.
Her Lower part became the
Twilight adored by the dead ancestors.
Her life-forces entered
Shiva.
Her soul took birth again as
the daughter of Medhatiti.
When she came of age she was
married to Sage Vasishta.
She lived as the devoted wife
of the Sage by the name of Arundhati.
Brahma was burning in envy.
What an insult; that too in
front of all his sons and other Gods!
How dare Shiva insult this
Great Creator!
He
who had created the fourteen worlds had to bend his head in front of this
ascetic!
What does He think of
himself?
Does he think that he is
above the attractions of a female?
True! All these days Shiva
had not looked at a female with passionate eyes!
But, for how long can it
continue??
If he, the Great Brahma does
not get this Shiva entangled with a woman, his existence is worthless.
He can create a woman who can
attract even this Great Shiva!
He had to avenge Shiva,
somehow, at any cost!
Brahma was absorbed in deep
thoughts.
Brahma took Kaama Deva into
his trust.
He asked him to disturb the
mind of Shiva, with all possible means known to him.
Kaama agreed. Brahma sighed
in relief.
Kaama was ready. Spring
arose.
Can the form of dispassion
ever be bound by passion? Kaama failed.
Winds could not move the
rock. Waters could not wet the fire. Earth could not taint the luster.
Passion could not rise in the
Form of Dispassion!
Brahma would not accept
defeat. He went to Vishnu and confided his woes.
Vishnu laughed at his
stupidity.
He advised him to take
shelter in Shiva himself.
“If you are really interested
in the marriage of Shiva, then perform penance.
Perform penance on Shivaa,
the Supreme Devi!
She will herself take a form
and become his spouse”.
Brahma performed severe
penance and pleased the Supreme Shakti.
Pleased by his penance She
appeared before him.
Brahma praised Her with Hymns
Supreme.
“O
GREAT MOTHER!
Salutations!
You are of the Form of
Pravritti and Nirvritti; attachment and detachment!
You are the Power in all
moving and non-moving things.
You are Ancient!
You are Shree adorning
Vishnu!
You are the Support of the
World!
You are the Essence of even
the minutest atom.
You are the Supreme Queen of
all the worlds.
You
appear in the heart of yogis addicted to the life of strict asceticism.
You are the Essence of all
variety of Knowledge.
You are the SELF of all.
You are eternal.
You are the Time which
devours all.
You are the Vibrating
principle in all.
You are the Three Gunas; yet,
You are beyond the Gunas.
You
are the Seed of the infinite worlds.
You
are the Goal of Knowledge and also the Means of Knowledge.
You are in eternal union with
Shiva in the higher state.
You are the Supreme Shakti.
Salutations! Salutations! Salutations!”
Brahma asked for a boon.
He wanted the ‘Supreme
Shakti’ to take birth as Daksha’s daughter and marry Shiva by attracting Him.
He thought he was asking for
a boon. But was he asking for something which She herself wanted to do?
How can any thoughts arise in
anybody’s mind without Her Supreme Will?
Devi looked at Brahma
compassionately.
She is kind towards even
erring children.
She is Mother Supreme!
She wanted to become a wife.
She wanted a partner equal to
her.
She had been alone as the
Formless One in the Timeless Time.
She was bored.
First She must test this
Shiva before She took Him as the partner in the Higher state.
He was now in the form of
Rudra in Shiva Loka.
She had to woo Him first; but
how?
She voiced some of her
thoughts to Brahma.
‘O Creator, you are
well-versed in Knowledge and yet asking such a thing?
You are asking me to attract
Him and fill Him with delusion?
Don’t you know that I am
always His slave and do only His bidding?
He is above all Gods and
nobody can control His Will.
If a boon like this is
offered to you and I really try to delude Him, won’t I become the target of His
anger?”
She contemplated on Shiva and
permitted by Him, continued to speak;
“O Brahma, even if envy is
the cause of your request, I grant you this boon as willed by Shiva.
There is no other female
except me who can attract Him.
And, He has kindly consented
to get attracted by me. I will be born as Daksha’s daughter.
My love and devotion will
make Him get bound to me eternally”.
She vanished from Brahma’s
presence.
Brahma went back satisfied.
DAKSHA PRAJAAPATI performed a
penance.
Three thousand divine years
passed.
Devi graced him with Her
Vision Supreme!
Daksha saw her as -
Seated on the lion; dark in
color; beauty personified as a face; four arms; various weapons; a threat to
asuras; a blue lotus trying its best to look pretty in her prettier lotus hand;
a beauty so rich that even Sarasvati may lack words to describe Her!
Mother of all! Spouse of
Mahesha!
Devi stood in front of
Daksha.
Her hair was spreading out
like clouds.
Her eyes were red as if she
had been drinking Soma Wine.
Daksha praised;
“JAGADAMBAA; MAHAAMAAYAA;
MAHESHVARI; SHIVAROOPINI; BHAKTA VARADE!
Salutations!
NAMO
NAMAHA! NAMO NAMAHA!”
He
requested her to be born as his daughter so that she can marry Rudra in the
form of Shiva.
She agreed and said;
“Shiva is the most
dispassionate God who will not waver by beauty or charms. I have to perform
penance to please him so that he will condescend to marry me. I am His slave,
His lover from eternity. He is my Lord; He alone is my Lord!”
She vanished from sight.
Daksha Prajaapati engaged
himself in Creation.
But his children never
flourished.
Brahma suggested to him that
he should marry Ashvini the daughter of Veerana.
Many sons named Haryashvaas
were born.
These virtuous souls once took
bath in the sacred NaarayanaTeertha.
They were purified and
performed penance to help in Creation.
Naarada visited them. He
taught them various types of Knowledge.
Their minds felt inclined
towards renunciation.
They left.
Disappointed, Daksha again
produced thousand sons named Sabalashvaas.
The same thing got repeated
in their lives also.
Daksha was annoyed. His anger
turned towards Naarada.
He cursed Naarada;
“Let your feet be never
stable at one place. Wander always without stopping anywhere.”
Brahma consoled Daksha.
Daksha now produced sixty
daughters.
He married them off to
various Gods.
Ten for Dharma; Thirteen to
Kashyapa; Twenty-seven to Chandra; Two for Bhutangirasa; Two for Kushasva; Six
to Garuda.
Three worlds were now filled
with various beings.
Daksha prayed to Mother
Supreme.
She descended down to the
World of Forms.
Daakshaayini was born.
A lotus with unearthly beauty
bloomed in the mire of the world.
Beauty personified!
Penance personified!
Virtues personified!
A personification of the
Formless into a form to attract the Personification of Dispassion!
Can passion arise in the
dispassion?
Daakshaayini
grew up like a creeper filled with sacred flowers to be offered to the
lotus-feet of Shiva.
Her mind was filled with His
Form.
Her mouth chanted His Name
without a break.
Her heart trembled at the
thought whether He would reject her Love.
Her beauty ached for His
Embrace.
Her eyes searched for His
Vision.
Her nose smelt the ashes of
the cremation ground where He lived.
What a Lover she had set her
heart upon!
Three eyes; ashes of the dead
bodies all over his person; grotesque creatures as his servants; matted hairs; snakes crawling all over his
body!
But, she loved that very
form!
She adored that form!
Her only goal was to unite
with him at any cost.
She was ready to give up
anything for one side glance of His!
She performed various types
of worships.
She kept many vows.
She contemplated on Him.
She performed severe penance.
All the Gods observed her
sincere efforts to please Shiva.
They all went to Kailaasa the
sacred abode of Shiva.
They pleased Him with hymns.
O
Mahesha!
O Paresha!
Salutations!
Salutations!
O the Form of the Self!
O the First Seed of
Creations!
You create. By You it
expands.
This exists for You.
This is from You.
This is Yours.
This exists in You.
Nobody can understand You.
You are the most
compassionate.
There is nothing beyond Your
understanding.
You have the Power to grant
any boon even if it be beyond the human power.
Please grace us with Your
Kind Glance.
Salutations!
Salutations!
Salutations!
Brahma and Vishnu Spoke;
"O Devadeva! O Mahaadeva!
There is nothing that you do
not know already.
In the future asuras
(non-Gods) will be born to harass the Creations.
Some I will destroy; some
will be destroyed by Vishnu; some by You; and some by Your son!
If You remain aloof from
everything, how can Creations go on?
For the sake of the welfare
of all concerned, You must accept a wife!
Mahaalakshmi
is the spouse of Vishnu!
I am united with Saavitri!
As promised in the beginning,
now as a Rudra, You must take a spouse and perform your duty.
Salutations!
O Lord! Salutations!”
Shiva spoke:
“I, of course understand what
you say!
But marriage is not a thing I
am interested in.
I have no desire; have
nothing to look forward to.
I am happy in myself.
What should I enjoy by the
company of a wife?
Marriage is bondage.
But anyhow, since you insist
I will accept a wife.
But I have certain conditions
the bride of mine shall fulfill without fail!
She must be capable of
holding my luster!
I am a Yogi and she must be
like me.
If I am filled with passion,
she must be equally passionate.
I am AKSHARA - the
Imperishable whom the ascetics meditate upon.
You are asking me to bring
her thought into me.
She must be careful not to
bring obstacle to My State.
Another condition; if she
ever distrusts my words I will renounce her immediately.”
Brahma was not to be put out.
He mentioned the name of
Daakshaayini and praised her in no less words.
Shiva laughed.
‘A partner fit for his
dispassion? No female was capable of that post even if she was the Supreme
Queen!
She wanted to have him. But,
can her vanity stand him?’
He smiled within himself.
Little
did the other gods know of his innermost thoughts.
‘Devi
trying to woo him; the uncontrollable wanting to be controlled; He had not much
hope.
He had no hopes also of a
long-lasting marriage.
But she had performed penance
as Devi.
She was performing penance as
Daakshaayini.
He had to give a trial
course.’
He spoke aloud, “May it be
so”.
Heaving a sigh of relief,
Brahma left with other Gods.
Daakshaayini
continued her penance, unaware of the things that had happened.
She
was so absorbed in the contemplation of her Lord that it took her by surprise
when He actually personified before her in the most attractive form of his!
What
a handsome form!
Five faces; lustrous white in
hue; three eyes; moon on the matted locks; a charming smile; four arms; a ferocious snake adorning
the neck; Trishula in the hand; body covered with ashes; Gangaa-waters streaming
through the locks; shining like thousand moons; beauty that the eyes were
incapable of comprehending; as if thousand Manmathas
stood as one form; a form fit for attracting any female!
Devi
in the form of Daakshaayini looked mesmerized.
‘Her
Beloved Lord in person; is it true!?
Was she dreaming?
No! He was looking at her
with a knowing smile.
Her face reddened with
shyness.
She bent her head down.
Her fish like eyes
reluctantly glued themselves to the ground.
Shiva
did not deliver any dialogue of love!
He was beyond such emotions.
He had come there to grant
the boon.
So He asked without any
emotion:
“O Good Lady! What boon would
you like to have? I am pleased with your penance.”
Daakshaayini hesitated.
How can she ask what she
wanted without shame!
Was He playing, or did He not
understand her thought?
She slightly raised her eye
to look at this great ‘player of games’.
Shiva did not show any
expression on his face; only compassion and kindness oozed out of his gold-hued
face! No such thing called love stole into his reddened eyes! He seemed to be
unmoved by her charms.
She lowered her eyes.
‘What to ask? If He did not
understand her mind, what can she do! Let Him do as he likes.’
She
whispered in a softest voice, “Whatever You feel like!”
Shiva smiled. Mischief
gleamed in His lotus-like eyes.
With a pretended sternness in
the voice he asked: “Whatever I want? Don’t you have any desire?”
Daakshaa did not answer.
Her fingers were playing with
the garland she was making for the stone statue.
Her cheeks turned red. Her
eyes fluttered. Her feet were drawing some circles on the ground.
She again whispered,
“Whatever You desire!”
Shiva laughed.
She felt his hot breath on
her face.
He was very near; very very
near!
She shivered. Her hands
unconsciously put the garland on His neck.
She felt her body getting
crushed in his strong hands.
Hot lips brushed against her
tender rosy lips.
And,
He was gone!
‘Was it a dream?’ She
wondered.
‘No! The garland was not
there!
Her lips still felt crushed.
She could not believe her own
good fortune.
She sat near the stone
statue.
Tears pouring out like the
waters of the Holy Gangaa bathed the statue.
She hugged the stone statue
in love.
Eternity passed.
Was He a stone or a melting
lover?!
Time would tell her.
But her penance was over.
She had attained her life’s
goal!
Shiva appeared before Daksha Prajaapati.
He asked for the hand of
Daakshaayini.
Daksha was overjoyed.
Marriage was arranged with
all the grandeur, the God-World could muster.
Brahma agreed to be the
priest.
The sacred fire in the
marriage altar was burning.
Some other fires were also
ablaze.
Shiva burnt with the ‘Dharmic
Passion’.
Shivaa burnt in the ‘Fire of
Bliss’.
Brahma burnt in the
‘improperly placed passion’.
Maybe that is why Naaraayana
had already assured the safety of the occasion.
He had asked Shiva to destroy
anyone who dared to look at Daakshaa with desire.
Shiva had agreed.
But
now, the Creator himself was in the ‘path of unrighteousness’.
His eyes fell on the ‘tender
feet’ of Daakshaa, who was going round the fire.
Her face was covered with a
red cloth filled with golden threads.
Her head was bent in shyness.
She was following the
footsteps of her husband.
Her anklets tinkled
reflecting her joy.
Her feet were decorated with
beautiful red lines, trying to hide their beauty.
But
Brahma could see beyond the gateway of the red lines and grasp the beauty of
those tender lotus-like feet. He felt his heart beating violently.
‘If the feet were so
beautiful, what will her face look like?’
He had now only one thought
in his mind; to get a glimpse of her pretty face!
The Source of Vedas had
forgotten the Codes of Vedas!
He thought that he could fool
Shiva.
He added wet wood to the
fire.
A heavy smoke arose from the
fire.
Shiva closed His eyes.
Brahma was quick in action.
He lifted the cloth covering
Daakshaa’s face and peeped into it.
His joy knew no bounds.
His ‘Veerya’ reacted.
His semen fell to the ground;
just four drops!
He hid the drops unknown to
anybody.
But nothing was unknown to
Shiva who was the SELF of All.
He was angry. He was ready to
curse.
His hands lifted the Trishula
in anger.
No curse was enough for this
fool who had an eye for His beloved!
Everyone assembled were
shocked.
‘Brahma will be killed!’
‘No! That should not be
done!’
All hands lifted in
submission.
Prayers flowed from every
mouth.
But, Shiva ignored these
pleas.
His eyes burnt with the fire
of anger.
Everyone assembled there
trembled; afraid that they will also be burnt by His Third Eye if they
continued to plead for Brahma!
Naaraayana took the situation
in his hands.
He smiled in submissiveness.
He requested Shiva not to
kill Brahma.
“After all Shiva Himself had
created Brahma to do the work of Creation!
The TRINITY - Brahma Vishnu,
Shiva were after all One Self!”
His eyes looked at Brahma
with a tinge of mischief!
Brahma bent his head in
shame.
He felt foolish; first Sandhyaa,
now Daakshaa!
He never learnt the lessons
of life.
His own spouse never gave him
company.
He was ignorant.’
But
Shiva was not in a forgiving mood.
He told Vishnu, not to
interfere.
He said that the loss of this
Creator would not hurt the Creations in any way.
He was quite capable of
creating everything Himself!
Or, He would create another
Creator!
But this wicked one had to be
destroyed first!
Vishnu again pleaded. He
talked philosophy.
“Were not all three of them
of three forms made out of One Self?”
Was
He teaching Dvaita and Advaita to the Vedic God?
“If all are one, then why
make the moral codes at all? Or, was everybody different?
If
the foot-ware also is Self, should it not be placed in the temple as God?
If
everyone is Para Brahman, anybody could do anything! Why the question of Dharma
and Adharma?
If Brahma is made as the same
soul of Shiva, did he have a right to desire Shiva’s wife?”
Shiva laughed loudly.
He said, “Brahma was standing
in front of Him, and was indeed different!”
Vishnu did not stop his
efforts.
He discoursed about the
Principle of Shiva.
“Creation, Maintenance and
Destruction were the three functions which Maheshwara performed as Three
Divinities. He was all the three, Rudra, Hari and Brahma.”
All the people assembled
there, heard his explanation with reverence.
Brahma apologized.
Rudra lost His anger.
He decided not to destroy
Brahma.
But, punishment was due for
this idiot who transgressed the rules of the Scriptures.
In any world ruled by Shakti,
insult to Shakti is not tolerated.
Whether
it is Daakshaayini, the ‘wife of Shiva’ or an ordinary woman of the world,
insult to Shakti carries a heavy price to pay. And Shiva, the Guardian of
Shakti could not let the matter rest lightly.
He ordered Brahma to touch
his own head with his hand.
Brahma obeyed.
He touched his head with his
hand and saluted Shiva.
He saw himself with Shiva’s
head, saluting Shiva.
He felt embarrassed.
He bent his head in shame.
There was his Advaita mocking
at him!
Was
he Shiva, or was he different from Shiva?
If he knew he was Shiva, he
did not peep at another’s wife.
If he knew he was Shiva, he
did not have to fear from his own Self.
If he knew he was Shiva, he
need not feel that he had sinned.
All is ONE; all are
Different; which is the Truth?
Poor Brahma had to still
learn the lesson.
He was ashamed of his own
action.
Vishnu knew Shiva-Tattva.
Brahma did not know the Rudra
Form standing in front of him.
He asked for forgiveness.
Shiva
knew that He was also Brahma.
But,
Brahma did not know that he was Shiva.
So
Shiva had to ‘act’ as if ‘he was different’.
If
you want to be ‘different’, God is also different from you.
If
you think you are an ordinary Jeeva, you will be limited like a Jeeva.
If
you believed yourself to be Shiva you transcend all the boundaries of time and
space.
If you think, Shiva is Shiva
and you are just you then, you are just you; a limited being with no powers.
To
Know Shiva, Be Shiva!
Brahma did not know himself
to be Shiva.
He was frightened of Shiva
standing in front of him.
He asked for forgiveness.
He asked for some penance by
which he could get rid of his sin.
Shiva
cursed:
“Brahma will be known as
Rudra-Shira, one with the head of Shiva!
He will become a man and live
in the world.
As the people talk of his
misdeed, his curse will gradually get redeemed.
The
four drops of semen which fell to the ground will become terrible clouds of
destruction.”
The four clouds of destruction rose up with a roar and covered the quarters.
The marriage ceremony was
concluded.
Shiva’s anger also cooled
down.
He was pleased with Brahma’s
service.
He decided to console the
crestfallen Creator.
He was in a generous mood.
He asked Brahma to ask any
fee for his priestly services.
Brahma was improving.
He asked ‘Shiva and Shivaa’
to exist there blessing one and all; make that place a holy centre; so all who
visit it would be free of sins.
Shiva agreed. His ‘essence’
stayed back.
Shiva went back to Kailaasa
with his newly wed ‘Bride-Supreme’.
Daakshaa’s mind was filled
with so many emotions.
She still did not know much
about her husband.
From childhood she had
nourished a desire for marrying Shiva.
She had achieved it. She felt
satisfied.
The Greatest God was now her
husband!
Her sisters all would be
jealous of her.
But, they had teased her
saying that her husband was a vagabond; and he did not even own a house to keep
her. She gave a side-glance to her husband, who was seated next to her.
He was ordering some Gods
about something.
She did not bother; his
business was ‘his’!
She watched him attending to
his duties.
He was so handsome!
As his work was proceeding,
his hands were pinching her waist, unknown to anybody else.
She squirmed.’ How naughty he
was’!
She waited patiently.
Shyness, fear, bliss, wonder,
anxiety; all sorts of emotions played in her mind.
She woke up from her stupor
when he gently placed her on the bull.
The bull was very huge like a
giant bed.
Though the bull looked hard
boned to others, she felt as if it was the softest bed she ever could imagine.
He lolled next to her on its
wide back.
Her face reddening she buried
her face on his broad chest.
The bull rocked like a cradle
as it slowly treaded towards its destination.
They were going somewhere!
She did not ask- where to!
His gentle hands were
caressing her hair.
She felt his lips gently
brushing her neck.
Her long fish like eyes
closed in some blissful drowsiness.
Suddenly she woke up.
She opened her eyes
reluctantly.
The Bull was not there.
A beautiful unkempt garden
was smiling all around her.
A gentle breeze was filling
the quarters with an unearthly perfume.
Streams gurgled here and
there.
He placed her gently on the
ground.
His hands lightly dragged her
to his side.
He held her tightly as if she
was his precious treasure.
They walked in the garden
paths.
His hands were never quite.
Her whole body was squirming
when he caressed her all over.
She never knew when her cloth
covering her breasts had fallen off.
His hands were constantly
playing with her huge breasts.
Suddenly she was in his arms.
He had lifted her off the ground.
Before she knew her lower
cloth also had disappeared and they had entered the cool waters of the stream.
Water
sports!
His hands were all over her.
His lips were all over her.
He was whispering something.
His hot breath dried the
water drops on her limbs like fire.
Her body was bathed by him.
Sandal paste of unearthly
odor was applied to her limbs.
Her hair was dried and
combed.
Her hand and feet were
decorated by a beautiful red paste.
Her
breasts were used as canvas, as his finger-nails applied some designs.
Flowers
were plucked and various garlands were made by his deft hands.
She was dressed in flowers.
She was garlanded.
Her hair shone with beautiful
flowers.
Sweetness prevailed
everywhere.
She had only one sensation.
Bliss, Bliss, Bliss!
Only bliss was there when
they were lying on the flower beds.
Flowers were raining
profusely over them.
She
could not feel anything else but the touch of his hands, lips and hot hot
breath.
He was like a fire.
She never understood what was
happening.
She was in the Supreme Bliss
any soul could attain.
And Shiva’s love was Supreme!
His passion was Supreme!
His union was Supreme!
Bliss was Supreme!
Both of them were now one in
passion, love and bliss.
There would be no separation
at all.
Two souls as One!
Two consciousness waves as
One!
Both of them enjoyed the same
emotions!
Both of them thought the same
thing!
Both of them experienced the
same bliss!
And Bliss alone was there.
Twenty five divine years
passed.
Shiva
was surprised.
He
never believed that he would be so much attached to this beautiful girl.
He felt a new sensation.
He felt himself going mad in
love.
He couldn’t be without her
even for a fraction of a second.
He couldn’t bear her
separation even if she moved slightly away, just to lift her face and talk to
him.
He desired her always.
He forgot all the divine
worlds.
He forgot all the created
worlds.
His only thought was now to
have her union continuously.
He
could never have enough of her.
He could never express his
love enough.
He never was satisfied.
His love-sports continued
endlessly.
No one dared to disturb his
privacy.
Even the wind was afraid to
intervene between the two lovers.
If Shiva was mad in love,
what would be the love like!
Daakshaayini was drowned in
this maddening love.
She had never expected such a
reaction from Shiva.
He was like a slave to her.
‘But what about his place or
home! Did he not have any duties to attend?’
She wondered.
As her mind became anxious,
dark clouds filled the quarters.
A chilly wind passed through
the forests.
She shivered even in her
lover’s embrace.
She forcefully removed
herself from his chain-like embrace.
She somehow managed to convey
to him the need of a home.
‘Where was his house?’
Shiva burst out laughing.
‘Where was his home?’
He laughed again and again.
He was the Creator of the
creators!
Where was his home?
He somehow controlled his
amused laughter.
He described to her many many
homes of his which were beyond her comprehension.
She did not want any of those
heavenly abodes.
She was happy to be in Kailaasa Mountain which was said to be ‘his
abode’.
He agreed. Soon they were
back at home.
Home of Shiva!
The new bride entered with
all the humility and devotion.
It was the abode of her
husband!
She expected herself to be
engaged in wifely duties like others.
No! There was nothing to be
done, but engage oneself in various pleasures!
Shiva’s madness continued.
Shiva’s love knew no
boundaries.
Shiva’s attachment increased.
There
was nothing else in their world but ‘blissful unions’
Nobody
else existed but Shiva and Shivaa!
Only two lovers!
And Bliss Supreme!
Bliss of Love!
Bliss of Passion!
Bliss of Union!
An inseparable union of Shiva
and Shivaa!
The
only thing that could distract Shiva from love sports was discussion on topics of
Knowledge.
Daakshaayini
lacked Knowledge.
She had to learn so many
things, if she had to live as a wife to the Abode of Knowledge called Shiva.
She learnt to ask questions
about unknown things; about Gods; about the Supreme State;
about the Principle called Shiva; about ‘That Knowledge’ by knowing which one
never becomes unhappy!
Shiva lifted his face which
was buried in her huge pot-like breasts.
He
pulled her to his lap.
His hands caressing her
shapely back; his lips using the interval between words, to shower kisses on
her lovely limbs; he answered all her questions.
"Listen
my darling wife!
This is a very secret
Knowledge I am giving you!
O Parameshvari! Listen
attentively.
THAT which is beyond
everything, that Supreme One, that Supreme Brahman, is the POWER behind
everything and I am its slave.
THAT
is the ‘Mother Supreme’ which is capable of giving liberation and devotion.
Such
devotion is possible only by My Grace.
THAT can be achieved only
through extreme devotion.
Such devotion is gained by
Knowledge.
Knowledge and devotion are
not contradictory principles.
Devotion is of nine types.
According to the predominant
emotion devotion is to be cultivated.
Have
devotion towards the characters of Brahman or devotion towards the
non-characteristic Brahman.
The
first one is actually acclaimed as the best.
Devotion can be formal or
informal.
Choose the one befitting your
own state of mind.
Hear
about THAT! Think about THAT! Serve IT! Be a slave in Love!
Worship IT! Salute IT! Make
friendship with IT! Offer yourself to IT!
Any
Form of God you choose and develop devotion towards It with the support of
Knowledge.
Devotion develops dispassion
and discrimination dawns.
A devotee is as dear to me as
yourself.
There is no easier path than
devotion in the spiritual path.
Since
in Kali Yuga people are not capable of comprehending the Essence of Knowledge,
devotion is he best-suited means for liberation.
I am completely owned by a
devotee.
I am always ready to help him
any difficulty.
His enemies will be destroyed
ruthlessly by me.
My third eye which I use in
anger is actually to protect my devotee.
Many of the past incidents in
my life will show you how I have protected my devotees even breaking the
commonly set rules.
What
more to say!
I am a slave to my devotee.
A person with devotion owns
me!"
And
Shivaa had many questions on topics unlimited!
Shiva taught her patiently.
His love for her, increased
day by day.
His attachment to her was
beyond words.
Once
both the love-smitten lovers came to the forests of Dandaka in one of their
wanderings.
There they saw Rama and
Lakshmana.
Rama had been separated from
his wife Sita.
He was in a very pitiable
condition.
He was weeping.
He was running here and there
searching for his beloved.
He was hugging the trees she
had touched.
He was kissing the mud in the
paths where she had walked.
He was asking all the animals
and birds about her whereabouts.
He was rolling on the ground
unable to control his pain.
His hair was unkempt.
His face was dusty.
His clothes were torn.
He was even jumping into the
rivers in his madness.
Lakshmana had a hard time
holding him back.
Rama was a person mad in
love.
His
madness had crossed its boundaries when he was separated from his beloved.
The
acclaimed Prince of Ayodhya in this condition; who could believe that this was
the same Rama
who majestically walked among
the courts of the great kings!
The
tear-filled eyes of Rama recognized the shining lustrous form of Shiva standing
before him.
Shiva saluted Rama.
Shivaa was surprised.
She
had thought till now that her husband was the Highest God!
And, here he was saluting the
dark princely character who was accompanied by his fair-hued brother!
A
master should not salute a servant; she thought!
Deluded, she questioned her
husband as to their identity.
He informed her.
He told her that the
dark-hued man was Vishnu descended on Earth as Rama.
She was not convinced so
easily. Shiva told her to test Rama if she needed more proof.
Shivaa took the form of Sita
and approached Rama.
Rama looked at her. He
saluted her.
A charming laughter arose
from him.
He asked her why was she in
that form and where was her husband.
Shivaa was embarrassed.
She took her own form and
related to him what had happened.
She asked him as to why he
was saluted by Shiva himself.
Rama told her.
But
in her curiosity Daakshaa had not taken time to get the permission of Shiva to
stay and listen to the words of Rama.
Rama spoke:
"Once
Shiva called Vishva-karma the divine-builder and asked him to build a superb
palace in his own cow-shelter. An unparalleled throne and a royal umbrella were
also made. All the Sages and Gods were invited.
Dance and music prevailed. A
grand celebration took place. Nobody had seen such a grand festival in the
God-World, so far. Vedic hymns filled the air. Shiva invited Vishnu to his
side, made him sit on the throne.
He
offered him all the wealth that existed everywhere and appointed Vishnu as the
Supreme Lord of Lords.
He
was proclaimed as the Supreme God to be worshipped by one and all.
All the three powers were
handed over to Vishnu by the compassionate Shiva.
He
promised all the help in destroying the enemies and told Hari that from then
onwards he would never be affected by Maayaa and Maayaa would be under his
control.
He
told the Divinities assembled there that henceforward Vishnu shall be worshiped
by Brahma and Hari would guide and supervise all the actions of Brahma.
He also told that Hari would
be worshipped in all the worlds in whatever form he descended down on Earth.
This grand palace and the world surrounding it will be renowned as GO-LOKA and
Hari would be the ruler of it.
Vishnu
accepted all these boons showered on him by Shiva humbly.
He
took the form of a cowherd, young and handsome and enjoyed having various
love-sports with his own devote followers who took the form of cowherd girls
and boys.
Gopas and Gopis were always
there for the entertainment of Hari who himself took the form of an ordinary
youth and played with them."
After
explaining all this, Rama told Daakshaa that now he had taken an avatar and was
in the four forms of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata
and Shatrughna. At present he had lost his wife Sita and was searching for her.
He saluted Shivaa and said that because of her vision, he would soon be blessed
with the union of his wife. He knew that by her blessing he would be able to
destroy the demons also. Leaving Daakshaa to her own thoughts he moved away.
Daakshaa was regretting her
own action. She had not trusted the words of her husband and had tested Rama
and also stayed there without Shiva’s permission.
She did not know the
condition put forth by Shiva before marriage. But she knew she had not acted
the right way. She came back to the waiting husband. He asked her if she found
out the truth of his words.
Daakshaa did not speak. She
bent her head and stood silently.
But, a storm was running in
her mind.
What would be the reaction of
this Great God who was insulted?
A shiver ran through her
limbs.
Tear drops were ready to kiss
her lovely cheeks.
Shiva held on to his vow.
He immediately renounced in
his mind his beloved and without a single thought about her, left.
What
a dispassion! How could he do it?
How could he ever think of
living without his beloved?
Wasn’t he madly in love with
Daakshaa?
Didn’t
he suffer immensely if Daakshaa moved away from him even for a fraction of a
second?
Now unbothered he was moving
away.
The sky had thrown the moon
away.
The tree had thrown the
creeper away.
How
could he do it?
Was it why he was the
Greatest God of Gods?
O
Mahaadeva!
Who can equal you in
dispassion!
How easily you burn of the
uncontrollable passion at will!
O Lord of Lords!
Salutations!
May your compassionate glance
fill our hearts with dispassion!
Salutations!
O Shiva! O Shambhu! O
Shankara!
May our hearts always dwell
on your lotus-feet!
The skies echoed proclaiming
his greatness.
Flowers showered over the
form of dispassion.
Shivaa also heard the echo
from the skies.
Her mind told her that her
husband had changed.
She felt the ground trembling
beneath her.
Tears gushed forth. An
unknown faintness captured her.
Shiva’s strong arms caught
the falling form.
He revived her. He consoled
her with many kind words.
He told her about his vow.
He diverted her mind with
diverse topics.
They both returned home.
But that word had lost its
meaning now!
Two
souls which were one in thought and action had separated.
Shiva sat off in
contemplation.
Shivaa collapsed on her bed
with a broken heart.
No one else knew of this
tragedy.
Time passed slowly in that
timeless place!
Shiva woke up from his
meditation.
Daakshaa came running to him.
He embraced her. He showered
kisses on her. He consoled her.
She soon forgot her sorrow as
if nothing had happened to her.
But Shiva did not swerve from
his vow.
His mind was now without a
reflection of Shivaa.
How
did he do it? Why did it happen?
Could Gods also get into
problems?
Who can answer these
questions!
Shiva
and Shivaa are inseparable!
One in union!
One in consciousness!
One as Two!
How
can there be separation for these lovers?
Who can comprehend the great
games played by the Lord?
Separation was there for the
inseparable by the Will of the Supreme!
A
Sacrifice! A YAJNA! In Devaloka!
Who can describe the
grandeur!
Crowds and crowds of Siddhas;
Sanaka and other sons of Brahma; Prajaapatis; Gods; Sages; Knowers; Seers of
Brahman; Brahma himself!
A festival mood prevailed.
Discussions on various topics
were in vogue.
Rudra arrived there with his
dear spouse Bhavaani.
His Bhuta Ganas [ghost-clan]
were there.
Nandi was there.
All stood up with respect.
Acclaiming their good
fortune, they all saluted him and praised him with hymns.
At the same time Daksha
Prajaapati arrived there with his followers.
Brahma welcomed his son and
offered him a seat of honor.
All the Sages and Gods turned
their attention towards Daksha.
They all reverently saluted
him except Maheshwara!
Daksha felt insulted.
After all he was the
father-in-law!
And after marriage the
son-in-law had not developed any close relationship with him or his family!
He seemed to be always
engaged in love-sports!
Now this Rudra had not even
the good manners to get up and salute the Great Daksha Prajaapati, the Creator
of so many souls!
His eyes turned red. He
glared at Rudra.
‘Humph! What a form! So ugly!
Surrounded by ghosts and spirits! Living like a mad person in the cremation
ground! Shameless! Acting as he likes! Drinking exotic wines and always in
stupor! Always enjoying love sports! A wicked God! Doing always sinful acts! No
respect for Brahmins! Arrogant! Vain-headed! And this fool
did not salute me, the greatest being honored by one and all! Who does he think
he is? I, a Brahmin getting insulted like this!’
Daksha
spoke in many words what he thought about Rudra! After he had exhausted all the
words available in blaming the Great Lord, he
cursed in anger.
“O
you wicked God!
I am boycotting you from all
the Sacrifices!
You will not belong to any
caste!
You do not have any family to
speak of!
You do not even have a house
of your own!
Your body does not even have
a color to speak of!
You will not get any portion
from the Gods in all the Sacrifices!”
Brghu and other Sages also
condemned Rudra.
Nandi, the divine vehicle of
Shiva could not keep quite!
He eulogized the greatness of
his Master and called Daksha a wretched Brahmin.
Daksha was freely throwing
curses.
He told them that all the
followers of Rudra will be out of Vedas!
Nandi, the son of Shilaada,
felt that Daksha was going beyond limits.
He spoke in anger.
“You fool! Why do you curse
one and all?
What harm did the Shiva-Ganas
do?
How dare you and Brghu and
others insult the Highest God?
By the Power of Rudra I curse
you all!
May you all never comprehend
the Truth of the Vedas even though you may discuss the topics endlessly!
May you not believe in
anything other than the Vedas!
May you all perish only
desiring the pleasures of the Heaven!
Being filled with desires and
anger may you all beg for your food!
Shamelessly you will accept
food from one and all!
You will make even Shudras
[low-caste] perform Sacrifices!
You all will never become
wealthy!
Being helpful to undeserving
people, you will even go to hells or wander about as Brahma-raakshasaas [Brahmin
ghosts]!
Since you all Brahmins
insulted Shiva thinking him to be an ordinary person, you people will never
understand the Higher Truths!
You all will never attain
Knowledge!
You Brahmins will just marry
and produce children!
You will be able to only
recite the words in Vedas, but will never know the real meaning imported by
them! You Brahmins will use Vedas only to earn a meager amount of wealth!
This Daksha who insulted My
Master and acted in this heinous manner will be bereft of all happiness!
He will forget the path of
virtue!
He will wander around with
the head of a goat!
It serves you right for
acting like a goat!”
The
crowd looked on stunned! Nobody moved!
Curses flowed from here to
there, there to here!
Nobody wanted to interfere
and get the noose on their own head.
Reason seemed to have left
the assembly!
Anger reigned supreme!
Shivering from head to toe
all stood silently.
Who can stop this warfare of
curses? Who else but the Supreme Shiva, the Doer of Good!
He spoke. He consoled Nandi.
He said that ‘he was not
affected by any curse.
Only the Brahmins now
suffered the curse of Nandi!
Daksha’s curse had no power
to hurt him as he was above all this!
Vedas were filled with
magically empowered words! Vedas were the Essence of Self!
Let his curse not affect
those who seek Self-Knowledge through Vedas!’
Shiva spoke:
“I am the Sacrifice!
I am the Work performed in
the Sacrifice!
I am all the limbs of the
Sacrifice!
I am the Essence of the
Sacrifice!
I am the one engaged in the
Sacrifice!
I am the one outside the
Sacrifice too!
O Nandi!
Analyze calmly.
Who am I?
Who are you?
Who are all these?
Am I not everything and
everybody?
Be rid of your anger.
Be interested in the welfare
of the world.
Analyze the Truth!”
Nandi kept quite.
Shiva returned to His
Kailaasa abode.
Daksha’s anger increased like
the fire by the pouring of ghee.
‘What an act to be put up by
this wicked Rudra! First of all he disrespected the Prajaapati!
And got his wretched follower
to offer curses on the Brahmins! In the end he gives an incomprehensible
lecture and walks away like a great hero! He can fool all by the pretension of
virtue; but not him, the Great Daksha!’ Daksha went back, his heart burning in
revenge. His only mission in life now was to see that nobody worshipped this
wicked Rudra! He talked insulting words about Shiva in all the assemblies. He
was blindly walking towards his own destruction! But he did not see the endless
pit he was falling into!
He was blind, completely blind!
Powers! Arrogance! Vanity!
Powers of Godhood!
Powers of Penance!
Powers to Curse!
Curses! Curses! Curses!
Daksha’s
arrogance resulted in reducing the Brahmins from the state of Knowledge of
Brahman to mere Reciting of Vedas! Food, wealth, heavenly pleasures,
narrow-mindedness; these qualities became the symbols of Brahmins. Unless
anyone really aspired for Self-Knowledge he did not comprehend the Truth about
the Vedas. Vedic Mantras were used by these ignorant Brahmins to fool people
and earn some meager amount of wealth! All because one Prajaapati disrespected
Rudra!
Daksha
was fuming.
His
campaign against the worship of Rudra did not succeed as he expected.
People
who were already devoted to Rudra did not waver in their minds. Some others had
realized their mistake in disrespecting Shiva and had corrected their ways.
Some powerless Sages who had a lot to gain
by Daksha’s favor just agreed
with him on everything. Daksha felt he had to do something himself.
A wonderful idea flashed in
his mind.
A
Sacrifice!
He
will arrange for a Grand Sacrifice and insult Shiva by not inviting him. That
would teach that arrogant idiot of Shiva to learn some manners. Parameshvara
indeed! Whom does he rule? Ogres and spirits!
Yes!
He himself looks like an ogre with that horrible third-eye on his forehead!
What did his foolish daughter see in him to offer herself to that fool who
dances in the crematory lands! Fie on her and her wayward husband!
Daksha
was fuming.
Daksha
arranged for the greatest Sacrifice ever-known in the history of Deva-Loka. All
Sages were invited. Agastya, Kaashyapa, Vaamadeva, Dadheechi, Vyaasa,
Bharadvaja, Gotama, Paila, Paraashara, Garga, Bhargava, Kakhubha, Sira,
Sumantu, Trika, Kanka, Vaishampaayana, and many other Sages, Gods were all
invited. All were deluded.
Brahma also arrived with his
followers. Even Vishnu was brought with honor to bless the Sacrifice.
And
charity? Beautiful palaces built by Vishva-karma were given as gifts.
Brahma was requested to
conduct the Sacrifice. He knew the Tri-Vedic ceremonies.
But, did he know Shiva? Why
did he fail to advise Daksha?
Vishnu silently observed the
proceedings. He seemed to know the results of an improper Sacrifice. He was
just a neutral witness to everything that happened. He kept his mind absorbed
in the essence of Shiva.
The Gods of the Quarters
stood with fierce-looking weapons at the door-way.
The Deity of the Sacrifice
YAJNA appeared there pleasing the eyes of everyone.
All
the Great Sages themselves uttered the Vedic Hymns.
AGNI
had taken countless forms to accept the HAVIS.
Eighty
eight thousand RITVIJAS were offering ghee into the fires.
Forty
eight thousand UDGAATHAS were singing Saama Veda.
And countless ADVARYUS,
HOTRS; all Four categories of Vedic Masters who were necessary in the
performance of any Sacrifice; Naarada and other Sages equal to him; Seven
Sages; all were engaged in reciting the Vedas.
GANDHARVAS, VIDHYADHARAS,
SIDDHAS, SUN, and other Great Gods, even ‘beings’ who roamed Naga-Loka were
there.
All
Divine Sages, Royal Sages, Brahmin Sages were there with their families,
ministers and armies.
VASUS
were also participating.
Daksha
himself shone like a moon among stars.
Only
RUDRA was left out.
Daksha maintained that RUDRA
was a KAPAALI, a beggar with a bowl. So RUDRA did not deserve to be in the
Sacrifice. And, Daakshaayini, his own daughter…?
No! Being the wife of a
KAPAALI she also did not deserve an invitation.
All were absorbed in the
Performance of the Sacrifice.
Sage DADHICHI felt a thorn in
his mind. He missed the Presence of SHIVA. He spoke out his mind.
He
was of the opinion that if the auspicious form of SHIVA was not there, it will
lead to inauspicious happenings. He instructed Daksha to send some honored
guests and bring SHIVA to the Sacrifice.
Daksha retorted angrily.
“What do you mean? Bring
Shiva here? Why? What for?
Vishnu, the ‘Greatest God’ is
here! Brahma is here making this place into a Satya-Loka.
Sages like you are there!
The Performance of the YAJNA
is going on faultlessly.
What need do we have of that worthless being?
I was a fool to listen to
Brahma’s words and give my daughter off to him!
He has no parents. He lives
with spirits and demons. He thinks too much of himself. Like a fool, he remains
silent always. Envy reigns in his heart. What will that beggar do in this Great
Sacrifice of mine?
Do not force me to get angry.
You people are enough to bless this YAJNA.
DADHICHI held onto his
opinion. He spoke with determination.
“Listen all of you! Without
the Presence of Shiva, this YAJNA is not at all a YAJNA! Destruction awaits
this unrighteous YAJNA!” He left the Sacrificial grounds and walked out! Only
DADHICHI knew the Principle of Shiva! He would rather have Shiva than the
palaces offered by Daksha! Some other Sages and Gods, who were the devotees of
Shiva, used the opportunity to get out of that place after throwing some
curses.
Daksha did not bother. He
just called them fools and continued the Sacrificial duties.
How would an ignorant child
know the power of the fire, when it is trying to touch it!
Fire
burns! Only when you touch it foolishly!
Like an ‘ignorant child’,
Daksha had his revenge! He had insulted Shiva!
An
ant had insulted the elephant by not inviting the elephant to its party!
Little
did the elephant know the elephant-foot which was descending down on its head.
Daakshaayini!
The
young girl of tender age!
She
was engaged in playing with her maids.
She
did not bother much about the Deva-Loka affairs.
She
just observed them as dramas unconnected to her life.
Even the curses that flowed
free on the day of the Sacrifice, she just observed it as a witness.
Her
mind was too full of her beloved Lord to bother about these things!
Her
Lord knew the best! Whatever he did was right!
Her father was always
short-tempered! It was a common scene in her mother’s place!
He always treated all the
guests and Gods who came to his place as his subordinates!
The
event at the YAJNA of his was another such event!
She was happy to be just with
her husband and please him!
After the event on the Earth
where she had met Rama, she was careful never to disobey her Lord!
But
today? Her mind was little disturbed!
Gandha-maadana Mountain! Dhaara- griha!
The
Mount of intoxicating scents! The Garden of waterfalls!
A sports-ground created for
her pleasures by her Lord!
Some strange noise disturbed
her play. She peeped down from her palace.
Oh!
It was Rohini; her sister!
And her husband CHANDRA was
also there!
They were followed by a great
retinue!
Drums and flutes were making
all the noise!
And Rohini and her husband
were dressed for the occasion!
Where were they going?
Daakshaa wanted to find out.
She sent her friend Vijaya to
find out the news.
And the news was-
Her father was conducting a
‘Great Sacrifice’!
And
she never knew about it!
His
own daughter! Had he forgotten her?
Why did he not invite her and
her husband?
Maybe he thought his daughter
did not need any separate invitation!
After all, she belonged to
the house!
She must have gone there
herself to help him!
Now also it was not too late!
She would tell her husband
about this and go with him to her father’s house!
She ran towards her husband.
Her
hair flying like clouds!
Her smile lighting the
quarters!
Flowers in her garland
kissing her lovely breasts!
She ran like a young deer!
The
thought of visiting her parents was so exciting!
How
she wanted to meet her mother and sisters and tell them all, the greatness of
her husband!
And,
won’t her sisters be jealous if they knew he loved her like his own soul!
She
laughed at her own thoughts!
Her anklets echoed her joyous
vibrations!
Shankara
was seated in his court.
All
HIS GANAS were around him!
Nandi
and other important chieftains were also seated there.
Some serious thing was under
discussion.
Their discussion stopped
abruptly.
The sound of anklets echoed
all over.
All looked at the direction
of the anklet sound.
Shiva was not highly pleased
about this sound!
Didn’t
he know the distinct sound of each anklet bell on her feet!
How she had kicked him in
love-sports sending him to unknown realms of bliss!
Shiva
felt embarrassed!
He did not like his wife to
be present in such a crowded court!
Her beauty was only for him!
Nobody should be blessed with
her sight!
Not like this! Running into a
court of men without hesitation!
What could be so urgent? He
impatiently asked his wife as to her presence there.
She told him.
Gasping
for breath!
Choking in excitement!
Cheeks reddening with joy!
She told him about the
Sacrifice conducted by her father.
She wanted him to go with her
to the Sacrifice!
She had almost turned her
back, to rush to get dressed up!
“Daakshaayini!”
Her husband’s stern voice stopped her.
She looked back. Her husband’s
eyes were like fire.
A shiver ran through her.
Controlling
his anger Shiva told her that Daksha was now his enemy; that he had not invited
them purposely.
The
youthful bride looked at her husband stunned!
Could this be true? She
couldn’t believe his words!
Her father would never do
such a thing. He was a Prajaapati renowned for his greatness!
Maybe her husband was
mistaken!
Shiva was saying something
more.
“If
your own people become enemies, you should not worry about them. Instead of
weapons, we will be hurt by their harsh words! Going to a place uninvited would
only cause us to look low in front of others! Being bereft of good qualities,
the wicked always insult good people who have virtues!
Daakshaa did not believe him.
She wanted to settle the
matter herself.
She would go herself and find
out the reason for not inviting them both.
Maybe it is just a careless
act of her father.
She
would somehow see to it that her father corrected his mistake and become
friendly with her husband.
These
men always made mountains out of molehills!
She would herself go to her
father’s place and find out the Truth!
She echoed her thoughts to
her husband.
Shiva did not object.
He
arranged for a grand procession, and seated on the BULL, Daakshaa left for her father’s
place!
A
Procession unparalleled in Deva-Loka! Grandeur unseen by anyone so far!
The Divine Bull was decorated
with all sorts of ornaments!
A bejeweled palanquin gently
rested on its back!
And seated inside was the
Young Queen of the Heavens!
Shiva’s
heart beat wildly!
She
was dressed to the utmost!
The
jewels on her person blinded the seers so as to hide her real beauty!
A
colorful garland adorned her neck spreading an intoxicating perfume all around.
Shiva
himself had made it.
Shiva
himself had attended to her dressing!
He himself had arranged her
hair.
He
himself had placed an elegant crown on her head!
A crescent moon smiled on the
side of the crown!
A curl of lock gently kissed
her forehead, reminding her of her husband’s kiss!
Shiva
himself had applied the collyrium on her long elongated eyes!
A
challenge to Shiva!
Could the hands that undressed her dress her to perfection?
Yes! He had won the
challenge!
Daakshaayini looked like the Supreme Queen of Creations!
Shiva
looked at his own handiwork!
So beautiful! So beautiful!
Will he ever see her again?
Something in his mind
pricked!
Was he dressing her up for
her death?
He was indeed stone-hearted!
He lifted her gently and
placed her in the ‘palanquin’.
He placed a tender kiss on
her mirror-like cheeks.
She embraced him tightly.
Something pricked in her mind
also! Will she lose him?
Tears formed in the corner of
her lotus like eyes.
Shiva kissed them off. He
removed her hand gently from his neck.
Vijaya
climbed next to her mistress!
Shiva closed the silky
curtains of the palanquin.
The procession moved off. She
also moved away from his mind!
The Love-less God returned to
his duties!
Daakshaayini left him for the
love of her relatives.
What awaited her next?
A
procession unparalleled in the history of Deva-Loka!
Countless
maids walked with plates of jewels in their hands!
Countless Ganas walked with
unique weapons guarding the caravan!
White
royal umbrellas, royal fans were all over!
Sixty
thousand Rudras followed the procession.
Hymns
of Shiva echoed the quarters!
Ashes
flew like dust.
Flowers
were scattered everywhere!
Jewels were thrown over the
watching crowd who gathered them greedily!
Even
million Vishvakarmas would arise, if Shiva willed!
And
the Queen of the Beggar Supreme traveled to her rich father’s abode!
Daakshaayini
was dreaming!
She was imagining what would
happen when she went to her father’s house.
The moment father hears that
his daughter is coming, he would rush outside. All his attendants also will
follow him. Mother also would come to meet her dear daughter. Her father would
embrace her. He will apologize for forgetting to give the invitation, or he
will ask her in a stern voice, why she was delayed. Maybe he would be annoyed
that her husband had not arrived. He would send forth attendants to bring Shiva
with honor. All her sisters would be
envious of her wealth. They would pester her with so many questions.
She laughed gently. Her eyes
closed in blissful contemplation!
Vijaya gently touched her
mistress on the shoulder. Daakshaa woke up from her reverie. They had reached
the destination. The GANAS were still singing Shiva’s name. But, nothing more
had happened.
Where was her father? Why had
not anybody come to receive her?
Maybe all were busy in the
Performance of the YAJNA! She should not disturb a religious function in this
manner. Holding her trembling heart which spoke of disasters to follow, she
climbed down from the palanquin. She stood at the door-way with her maid at
close quarters!
Her mother saw her first. She
signaled to her other daughters.
As
they eagerly rushed towards the bride of Shiva, Daksha’s glaring eyes slowed
them down. Controlling
their emotions, they slowly walked towards Daakshaa and welcomed her in the
most formal manner. Her father did not even recognize her. None who were
present recognized her or greeted her.
Daakshaa
felt a sharp weapon piercing her heart.
Her eyes were filled with
sharp tears.
No! She would not cry! She
was the wife of the ‘Great Rudra’!
She calmly saluted her
parents.
Daakshaa
looked at the surroundings.
The
grandeur!
The crowd!
The relatives!
Yes!
Her husband was right! Her father had not invited Rudra intentionally!
He had insulted her husband!
He had insulted her also!
Tears in her eyes became
sparks.
Her sharp voice rose echoing
in all quarters.
She was ‘RUDRAANI’!
The Vedic hymns stopped.
Everyone became silent as if
mesmerized by her voice!
Even the birds in the garden
were quite!
Even the fire stood
‘unmoving’!
All raised their eyes to look
at this form of DEVI.
A fear arose in all their
hearts.
Silence reigned as if before
a storm.
Daksha sat with his head bent
in meditation.
Daakshaayini,
the spouse of Rudra was there!
Daakshaayini, the daughter of
Daksha was not there!
Her voice thundered.
Lightning sparkled in her eyes!
Her hair spread out like dark
ominous clouds!
Was she another ‘cloud of
destruction’ Shiva had created?
Shivaa spoke:
“Why did you not invite
Shambhu?
Don’t you know that the whole
world is purified by His Presence?
A Sacrifice, without the
presence of Shiva?
Who do you think Shiva is? An
ordinary person like you?
He is the very essence of all
Sacrifices!
He is the very Knowledge
contained in the Sacrifices!
He is the very goal of all
Sacrifices!
And, here you fools are
performing a Sacrifice, without honoring Him!
He is the Very Form of
Auspiciousness!
Without Him, your Sacrifice
is going to end up in inauspiciousness!
What wealth can equal the
presence of Shambhu?
And,
my dear father! How low can you get in character?
You consider Shiva as an
ordinary God?
The very Gods you have
honored here, Brahma and Vishnu, they have got their Godly Status because of
His Grace! How dare these Gods participate in your Sacrifice, where Shambhu has
not been honored!
Have
all of you lost your senses?
Hey!
You, my so-called father! Who can be more foolish than you?
You
Vishnu! Don’t you know the Principle behind Shiva? Don’t you know that HE is
the goal set by the Vedas? Has he not rendered his helping hand in destroying
your enemies, even when you descended down to the mortal world? You
wicked Hari! Even then, you are acting
without sense? You have not learnt the greatness of Him who has created you?
O
Brahma! For the meager essence of the YAJNA offered by my foolish father, you
have come here even when Shiva is not there! You never improved! Did you not
parade with five faces in front of Shiva? He cut off one of your heads! Have
you forgotten all that?
And
you Indra! The King of Gods! Even when you had to kill Vajra, Shiva had to help
you by burning him up! And, you are participating in a Sacrifice created for
the insult of Shiva!
And,
ye foolish Gods! Don’t you know the power of Shiva?
And,
you Sages! You seem to follow this great Sage Vasishta! All foolish sheep following
a blind sheep!
Which hell-hole are you going
to end up in? You all cursed Shiva when he was roaming in the forests of
Daaru-vana as a beggar! And He, in his anger burnt the worlds with his Linga!
Have you forgotten all that? There seems to be a memory lapse in everybody! Or,
have you all decided to get destroyed once and for all? Otherwise you all
wouldn’t be acting so foolishly!
You
are all reciting Vedic hymns! What for? Don’t you know that Vedas have arisen
from His mouth!
And, even the Vedas cannot
comprehend Him!
And
you all have dared to insult Him, in this manner?"
Thunder
had stopped!
Lightning was still
sparkling!
Storm was brewing!
Silence prevailed.
But
a frog croaked!
Daksha glared at his daughter and spoke:
“Hey
you girl! Get out of here! Who asked you to come here?
If you want to remain here,
be silent. Who is missing you here?
Your husband is the most
inauspicious person ever there!
No family! No house! Not even
a proper retinue!
Roams around with spirits and
ogres!
What a ridiculous figure he
would be in front of these benign Gods!
If
this Brahma had not forced me, I would not have given you in marriage to that
beggar!
If
you heed to my advice, you need not go back to him at all!
I will give you all the
pleasures you want! Even a better husband!
Come!
Stop acting like a foolish child and accept you portion of the Sacrifice.
‘Another
husband indeed! A beggar indeed! A person without status indeed!
How dare he! How dare he!
Why was I born to this sinner
supreme!
Curse on this body which had
eaten the food provided by him!’
Shivaa
bit her lips! Blood trickled out of her rosy lips, making them rosier!
Her eyes were also turning
red with anger!
Her fingers clenched tightly
making the hands look like red lotuses!
Her face got reddened by
fury!
The
fire burning in the Sacrificial Altar reflected its own golden color on her
face!
The
ornaments she wore shed an ominous light on all those who were seated around
the Sacrificial fire!
Was
she the Pralaya fire? Fire of Dissolution? Had she decided to take over the
duties of her husband?
The
female fire roared!
The Sacrificial fire was
silent!
A calm voice filled the
quarters!
“Those who hear disrespectful
words about Shiva, and those who speak them, both go to hell!
Fie
on this body which bears the status of your daughter!
After such an insult to my
husband, what do I have to live for?
I
only regret that I cannot cut the tongue that spoke ill of my Lord!
Since
I am helpless, I close my ears, and leave this world once for all!
This
body which is polluted by being in the cursed state of your daughter, I do not
feel like offering it to my Lord! It carries your essence! I feel like I am the
very form of sin!
I
am not able to remain in this form even for a second!”
She paused.
Nobody said anything!
Nobody even had the power to
move!
When Power itself decided to
stop existing, what power can exist in anybody?
All
looked on as if caught by some unknown evil power!
She continued:
“You father! Having insulted
Shiva, you will suffer endless pains.
You
are the only enemy who thinks ill of a person who has no enemies at all!
What
else can a wretched person like you be capable of!
Only
the dust sticking on to His feet can fill you with sense!
Two
letters! SHI! VA!
Just uttering them once a person
gets rid of hosts of sins!
But,
even uttering His name infinitely, how will I get rid of this body born to you?
I
hate the very name of Daakshaayini!
I
do not even want to enjoy the fire of Shiva burning you all!
Before He comes to save me,
let me offer this tainted body into this Sacrificial Fire!
May
this YAJNA become polluted by this dirty offering of my body!
Let
this inauspicious body burn in pain before the auspicious form of my husband
knows about this!
Fie
on you, my father!
Fie
on all these assembled here!
Fie
on this body born to you!
O
my Lord! Forgive me! Forgive me!
The
ornaments on her person were thrown helter skelter! She threw off all her
divine attires!
She
took the hot ashes from inside the Fire-altar and applied them all over her person!
Her
tender body withered like a burnt creeper by their touch!
Her
hair spread out like Pralaya clouds!
Tears
welled up inside her elongated eyes!
Her
mouth repeated the name of her Lord incessantly!
She stepped into the fire as
calmly as she had gone round it at the time of her wedding!
The
fire rose into ablaze! Each fiber of her body withered in painful agony!
A
black mass of flesh filled the Sacrificial Altar.
Shiva
was burning! Yes! He was burning in the Fire!
Were they not one soul and
two forms!
He felt the Sacrificial
flames licking his person!
He stood up in agony! His
breath stopped!
His existence itself seemed
to disappear!
He was no more there! The
husband had disappeared!
What was left?
Fire!
A raging fire!
A dissolution fire!
Fire of anger!
Fire of revenge!
Fire called Lover!
The
Sacrificial hall now resembled a cremation ground!
Ashes
of Daakshaa’s body was mixing with the winds and falling over everybody making
them look like Pretas, the dead
ones! All the faces bore the look of death!
Only
the Supreme Dancer of the cremation ground was missing!
When
He arrives now uninvited, what will happen?
They
need not have worried!
Some thundering voice from
the sky spoke!
It condemned them!
It chided them!
It cursed them!
And THE JUDGEMENT was passed!
FIRE!
Fire of Destruction! To burn all of them!
They had burnt Dharma at the
Sacrificial Altar of Daksha! Now Dharma will burn them!
The
fire that arose in the heart of Shiva will burn them!
The
fire that arose in the heart of Shiva by the loss of his beloved will burn
them!
The
fire of hatred in the heart of Daksha will burn them!
The
fire of Adharma they bred by supporting Daksha will burn them!
FIRE!
FIRE! FIRE!
Already
the crowd assembled there was feeling the heat of Shiva’s fire!
They felt they were burning.
Some tried to run!
No! Nobody could move!
All were held by some
superior power unknown to them; as if held by invisible chains!
Some
managed to break the invisible chain by the power of the Mantra given by Sage Brghu!
The
GANAS ran to the shelter of their Master! They dutifully reported the events to
the All-Knower!
Sage Naarada gave a clearer
view!
Shiva
never heard what they were saying!
FIRE does not have ears!
FIRE has no sight!
FIRE never speaks!
FIRE only burns!
And, SHIVA was burning like
FIRE.
The
blazing fire called RUDRA roared!
He pulled a lock from his
head forcefully.
He threw it on the ground
with all the force.
The lock split into two.
A great noise arose deafening
the quarters.
A giant form rose out of the
fallen lock!
VEERABHADRA
arose!
A Terrifying form filling the
whole of the Earth!
His head reached the sky and
exceeded its limits!
Thousand arms emanated from
that form!
He was shining like a blazing
fire!
His breath was hot!
His eyes glared in anger!
MAHAKAALI
arose, surrounded by ghostly attendants!
Tongue hanging out!
Teeth sharp like saw!
Garland of skulls kissing her huge naked breasts!
Eyes greedily looking for
blood!
A terrifying form hurting
even by the very sight of it!
Veerabhadra saluted the
MASTER! He waited for ‘the Command of his Creator!
Shiva
ordered him to go and burn everything and everybody at the Sacrifice of Daksha!
Never
sparing anyone!
Not even Vishnu or Brahma!
Not even women!
To burn giving them the
utmost pain!
For watching ‘SHAKTI BURN
HERSELF’!
Veerabhadra immediately left
to complete his mission.
He looked like another Shiva!
Crores of GANAS followed him. He himself was seated on a huge chariot!
Million lions pulled the
chariot. Million lions walked along with the chariot.
Mahaakali also left to
complete her mission. Nine forms of Shakti accompanied her.
All
terrifying clans ruled by Shiva followed them both!
Heart-splitting
shouts and screams filled the quarters.
Weird
musical instruments added to the atmosphere a fearful nature!
Weird dances were getting
performed by the ghosts and meat-eating ogres!
Even the sight of the
procession was enough to bring death to any passerby.
It
was like a cremation ground with its residents on move!
DEATH
AND ITS ATTENDENTS!
MOVING
SLOWLY TOWARDS THE SACRIFICIAL SITE OF DAKSHA!!
The
crowds assembled in the Sacrificial grounds awaited their destruction in
silence!
Ill
omens were everywhere! Earthquakes! Stars seen in the daytime! Misty
atmosphere!
Brown-colored
Sun! Lightning! Falling stars! Storms!
Vultures
flying low! Owls hooting! White scorpions!
The
roof of the Sacrificial altar was blown off!
Vomiting of blood and flesh
pieces, occurred everywhere!
Lamp-lights flickered
violently!
Pains unknown were felt in
the bodies!
Tears flooded the eyes!
Blood rained!
Darkness filled the quarters!
Famine attacked the Creation!
Vishnu and other Gods
fainted!
Some rolled on the ground in
agony!
Some wept uncontrollably!
Nobody had any strength left!
A voice in the sky thundered
predicting utter destruction for one and all!
Daksha
fell at the feet of Vishnu! He pleaded with him to protect the Sacrifice.
Vishnu consoled him and
advised him.
“Look child! You have
committed a grave sin which cannot be forgiven!
Shankara is the Supreme Lord!
Without his will nothing can
happen!
Where you worship a person
not worthy of worship; where you do not worship a person who deserves worship;
there arises poverty, death and fear!
You
have dishonored Shiva!
We
ourselves are getting affected by the sinful act committed by you!”
Daksha
was silent!
Sound of an approaching army
was heard!
His hair stood on end! His
body trembled in fearful anxiety!
Veerabhadra stood before him
like a Giant Shiva!
Daksha raised his eyes
towards Vishnu!
Vishnu
was chanting the names of Shiva and contemplating on the Supreme Form of Shiva!
He
knew he was powerless!
Even his Sudarshana Chakra
was given to him by Shiva himself!
It would never hurt a person
belonging to Shiva’s army!
He just held on to the Feet
of the Lord in his mind!
He advised Daksha also to do
the same!
Indra, the ‘Ruler of Gods’
decided to give a fight.
All Gods followed him.
A ‘battle’ between Gods and
GANAS took place.
The Gods sought the help of
their ‘Preceptor’ Brhaspati.
He said that he had no advice
to offer!
GANAS were unconquerable!
They will indeed destroy the
‘Sacrifice’!
Veerabhadra
laughed!
He mocked the Gods!
He ridiculed them!
He crushed them!
Everyone ran helter skelter!
Veerabhadra’s
arms were everywhere!
Grabbing them!
Squeezing them!
Strangling them!
Pinching them!
The Sages ran to Vishnu.
Veerabhadra turned his
attention towards HARI!
He chided him.
He condemned him for acting
against HARA!
He invited him to get torn by
his ‘Trishula’!
Vishnu
did not move!
Vishnu did not panic!
He smiled!
His calm voice arose like a
cool drizzle in a hot summer’s day!
“Listen! Veerabhadra!
Who told you that I am acting
against Shankara?
You are the personified anger
of Shiva himself, I know!
You are equal to Shiva!
Accept my salutations!
I have been ordained by Shiva
himself to protect my devotees.
Daksha is my devotee.
It is my duty to protect him.
Let us both fight!
I will kill you!
You kill me!
We both will die performing
our duties!”
Veerabhadra smiled.
He spoke reverently.
“I had to act like that so
that the crowd understands your true nature!
You are like Shiva himself!
Shiva is like You!
We both seem to be bound
equally by the order of Shiva!
What do you advise?”
Vishnu
laughed aloud! “Come on! Let us fight to the utmost of our abilities! I know I
cannot defeat you. I will return to my abode with wounds rendered by your
weapons!”
A fierce battle started
between the two devotees of Shiva. Gods and GANAS fought. Nandi and Indra faced
each other. Mahaa Kaali devoured the enemies like some tasty dish. She sucked
blood like water.
Vishnu fought using all his
powers. But, he was wounded many times. He fainted many times. His Sudarshana
Chakra became powerless. His bow was cut into pieces. He was held immovably by
the power of Veerabhadra! Some inner voice told him to get out of the
battle-field. He decided to vanish! He contemplated on Shiva’s lotus-feet. He
disappeared along with his retinue. He was back at Vaikunta!
Gods had no chance against
Shiva Ganas. They were defeated in no time.
The Sacrificial hall was in
shambles. Daksha’s Sacrifice was destroyed.
The Deity of YAJNA ran from
there in the disguise of a deer. Veerabhadra’s long arm caught him and his head
was cut off! He kicked the heads of all Sages till they bled! He disfigured the
nose of Sarasvati, who was acting as the wife of the priest! He tore open the
bellies of Gods! His anger would not subside! He was breathing like an angry
serpent. He searched for the hidden enemies. He found Daksha hiding inside the
Sacrificial Stage! He pulled him out. He tried to cut off the enemy’s head with
weapons. Finding them useless, he pulled off the head with his hands! He threw
Daksha’s head in the Sacrificial fire!
Wounded,
blinded, fractured, the Sages returned home!
The
entire abode of Daksha was set on fire! The whole thing looked like a huge
mountain of fire!
Screams!
Shouts!
Cries!
Black mass of bodies falling
like coals!
Smell of burning flesh!
Smell of burning hair!
Skulls crackling!
Bones breaking!
Agony! Agony! Agony!
The
Lord, who lived in the cremation ground, was not invited!
The whole land was now a
cremation ground!
Countless
dead spirits were howling in pain!
They now belonged to the
realm of Shiva!
Dead or alive, Shiva owns
you!
He is the NATARAAJA!
THE
KING OF DANCERS!
His
STAGE is the crematorium!
His DANCE is the Dance of
Death!
Salutations!
O God of Destruction!
Salutations! O Daakshaayini!
The Supreme Sati!
VISHNU!
The
Greatest Devotee of Shiva!
The Greatest Knower next to
Shiva!
Why
did he attend the Sacrifice, where Shiva was not invited?
Why did he fight Shiva’s
army?
What made him act without
sense?
King
KSHUVA! He was a close friend of the Great Sage DADHICHI! Many were the
discussions that took place between the two friends. Once the discussion was
about the greatness of castes! Dadhichi held that the Brahmins were the Best!
The king was rich! The whole
world was at his feet! He had extreme physical prowess! He looked at the
withered body of the Sage. He looked at the abode of the Sage built by wood and
leaves! He looked at the worn out bark garments of the Good Sage! He smiled! He
said that, he as the greatest king was the greatest; the Sage better worship
him!
Dadhichi
was angry! He for a minute lost his self-control!
His left hand rose in anger!
The king was hit on the head!
The king had a weapon made of lightning! The Sage
fell on the ground!
The Sage thought of SHUKRA, his predecessor! Shukra
appeared there, and cured the fallen Sage of his wounds. Shukra was the
foremost among the devotees of Shiva!
He
was the originator of the MAHA MRINTYUNJAYMANTRA!
The Mantra to free oneself
from death!
OM
TRYAMBAKAM YAJAAMAHE
SUGANDHIM
PUSHTI VARDHANAM
URVAARUKAMIVA BANDHANAAT
MRITYOR MUKSHEEYA MAAMRUTAAT.
[We contemplate on the Three-eyed
reality
which permeates and nourishes
all like a fragrance;
even as the cucumber is
severed from bondage to the creeper
may we be liberated from
death through the attainment of immortality]
Shiva
is the Lord of the Three Worlds!
Shiva is the Lord of the Three
Gunas!
Shiva is the Lord of the
Three Spheres!
Shiva is the Lord of the Three
Tattvas!
Shiva is the Lord of the Three
Fires!
Shiva is the Lord of the Three
Heavens!
Shiva is divided into THREE
everywhere!
Shiva is the TRINITY!
Shiva is endowed with the
Three Arms!
Shiva is the Sweet Perfume in
everything!
Shiva is the Sweet Smelling
Self of everything!
Shiva is the Nourisher of
everything!
Shiva is in all the GANAS!
Shiva is in all the Gods!
Shiva is Prakriti and
Purusha!
Shiva is the Sweet smelling
Prakriti!
Shiva is the nourishing
Purusha!
Shiva is the Power in
everybody!
Attain
him through Self-study, Yoga and Meditation.
He is capable of freeing you
from the bondage of life and death as easily as removing a cucumber from the
plant!
This Mantra is a hymn on that part of Shiva which frees one from death!
With correct phonetic
recitation it can raise even the dead!
The
‘Supreme Form’ of Mrintyunjaya!
He [the worshipper] takes two
pots of water in his hands.
He Sprinkles his own head
with the water from the two pots.
Again he has brought them
down with his hands.
He keeps them on his laps;
meditates now on the form of Shiva!
A
garland of crystal stones!
A black tilak on the
forehead!
A lotus in the hand!
Nectar
from the crescent moon on the head bathing his whole person!
Seated along with him is Umaa,
the daughter of the hills!
Three eyed face! White
lustrous form!
One should contemplate on
this form and repeat the Mantra!
This is the Mahaa Mrintyunjaya
Mantra, taught to Sage Dadhichi by Shukra!
Dadhichi
took the MANTRA! He performed penance using the Mantra! Shiva was pleased. He
appeared in front of Dadhichi. The Sage asked for three boons. His bones should
be as strong as Vajra, the Weapon Supreme made of diamond! He should not be
killed by anybody. He should never attain a wretched state. Shiva granted the
boons!
Revenge
was burning in the heart of the Sage! He immediately went to King Kshuva! He
kicked him on the head. The king hit him back with ‘Vajra’! Nothing happened to
the Sage! Dadhichi had won over the royalty!
The
king was not to be put down! He went to the forest. He performed penance on
Vishnu. Vishnu appeared pleased by his penance. The king reported all that had
happened. Vishnu explained to him the Greatness of Shiva! He said that there
was no weapon against the Mrintyunjaya Mantra! He also said that Brahmins had
more power than even Gods! Even he was a victim of a curse pronounced by a
Brahmin! He will get the result of this in the Sacrifice performed by Daksha!
He will die and rise again by the Will of Shiva! He will help in the Sacrifice so Dadhichi will
be conquered! However the Yajna will not be completed. Yet, He will try his
best! Kshuva agreed and waited.
Lord
Vishnu!
He was bound by his promise
to his devotee. He took the form of a Brahmin. He went to Sage Dadhichi. He
saluted him with reverence and asked for a boon. Dadhichi was not to be fooled.
He saw Vishnu through the disguise! He laughed aloud. He asked him what he
wanted. Vishnu asked him to confess to King Kshuva that he was afraid of him.
The Sage refused! He said that he was not afraid of anybody or anything. He was
a devotee of Shiva! Nobody could hurt him. Vishnu was angry. He used all his
weapons on the Sage. Nothing worked. Vishnu even threw his Sudarshana Chakra to
cut the head of the Sage. It failed. The weapon given by Shiva could not hurt
the devotee of Shiva! Gods tried to help him. Various weapons fell on the
Brahmin Sage. The Sage took a dry grass and contemplated on Shiva. A Trident
made of fire rose and chased all the Gods away! Vishnu tried various methods;
Yogic Maaya; Vishva roopa; endless armies of his people! Nothing worked! As a
result he got cursed by the Sage to lose his Knowledge! Even the Gods were
cursed. King Kshuva fell at the feet of the Brahmin Sage. He had understood his
lesson. Brahmins were more powerful than kings and Gods. To teach his devotee
this lesson, Vishnu had to enact this drama. But the curse was there. There was
no escape from it. The curse was from a devotee of Shiva! Vishnu had no power
against it.
Vishnu,
Brahma, and other Gods went to Mount
Kailaasa, the abode of
Shiva. They apologized for their sins. Shiva forgave them. Daksha’s body was
brought! The head of a Sacrificial goat was attached to his headless body. Daksha
came back to life. He apologized. He praised Shiva. The Yajna was completed by
the Grace of Shiva. All left satisfied.
Shiva
was left alone.
Alone!
Shiva went mad!
He cried! He wept! He rolled
on the floor!
He kissed the objects that
belonged to his dear wife.
Had he really renounced her
in the mind?
How can he reject his own
essence?
Had he fooled himself into
believing that he was above love? He did not understand!
He felt as if death had
swallowed him.
He felt incomplete.
He felt angry at her.
He felt pity for her.
He felt like slapping her.
He felt like embracing her.
‘O O why did I love her!’ He
screamed in agony.
Broken down, he closed his
eyes in contemplation.
He was dead! Dead to his
duties! Dead to the world! Dead to his own eternal life!
Dead to his own self! As dead
as his beloved!
Would Daakshaa know of his
agony?
Will she come back?
Will she make him alive
again?
O DEVI SUPREME!
What words can I use to
describe you?
Still I try in vain! I know
words will come flooding in me!
Because, my head always rests on your lotus
feet.
What
are you?
A rose just bloomed? A red
red lotus?
Are
you the redness of the Sunrise?
Because,
When you smile graciously at
me, I seem to bloom up like a lotus!
Waves of love seem to be
cradling me!
A perfume of Supreme Passion
emanates from me!
Are
you a SUN?
No! You cannot be the Sun!
Your eyes are so cool like a
moon!
Nectar seems to flow from
your eyes and bathe me all over!
You
must be thousands of Suns put together!
Your luster seems to prove
it!
You
must be thousand moons put together!
Your ‘cooling eyes’ prove it!
What
are You, My Devi?
Who are you? Why have you
taken residence in the poor heart of mine?
Your
face! Like the moon of the autumn!
So taintless! So pleasant! So
charming!
But,
what is this?
Around this moon I find
clouds spreading all over!?
O! It is your black black
hair spreading out like this!
And, all the stars seem to be
the garland of jewels adorning your profuse hair!
And not having enough of
moon-ness in your face, You have hung a crescent moon in your locks!
Do you want the moon to be
ashamed of his beauty?
Sometimes you want to pretend
that You are Shaarada, the Knowledge Supreme!
You
carry a rosary in your hand!
What do you Chant? My name?
You must love your devotee as
much as he loves you!
So, you must be thinking of
me!
And, what do you have in the
other hand? A book?
Why? What do you read?
Our life stories?
Then,
Why don’t you my dear
Goddess, change them, for a change!
Tears we have had enough! O
Queen Supreme!
Fill up some smiles in our
life-scripts!
For a change!!!
O
My Devi! My Queen!
Do not walk so fast! Your
tender waist may not bear the weight of your huge breasts!
Call
your spouse Shiva to hold them in his strong hands!
Or, should he carry you by
the waist with his hands under your shapely hips?
Why
do you redden my Devi, at the thought of your spouse?
The three worlds are bathed
in red red rays now!
The
whole creation has changed its color to redness now!
The world looks like a
bouquet of red red roses!
Oh!
Do not change the color to red!
For,
Shiva seeing that redness
will swoon in delight thinking that your face is close to him!
Hasn’t
he left all the heavenly beauties, just to get a glimpse of you?
Whether your eyes look at him
or not, Shiva seems to be in constant bliss in just your thought!
The
Lord of dispassion is passionately in love with you!
May
your union with your spouse bless the creations!
Salutations to Mahesha!
Salutations to Shaarada!
Salutations! Salutations! Salutations!
END OF PART TWO
PART THREE
CONTENTS:
1. Devi reveals to the Trinities, her supreme power of
Creation.
2. Further events which occurred after the destruction of
Daksha Yajna.
3. The tragedies of the God World and the solutions created
by Devi.
4. The happy ending.
SHAKTI
The
serpent sacrifice was incomplete!
Serpent clan was saved by a
child!
The
curse of a child started all the mess!
The boon given to a child
cleared all the mess!
A relief was in the air!
Janamejaya felt purified.
His mind had lost all the
anger and vengeance.
He was now ready for
philosophy.
And, he was full of
questions.
What?
Why? Wherefore? Who? By Whom? Who is Supreme?
Vyaasa
answered!
“Yes!
Yes! Wonderful questions! Even Naarada had these doubts! And Brahma had to
answer him!
Good
of you to think like this.”
A
good teacher never demoralizes the student! But, all these questions had to be
sorted out; without
hurting the student’s morale.
The
two demons Madhu and Kaitabha were dead! Vishnu exhausted, sat on the
serpent-bed!
Brahma heaved a sigh of
relief!
The quarters rang with the
laughter of Devi!
Who was She? Brahma wondered!
Where will She be? He looked at Vishnu enquiringly.
Vishnu was in no mood for
answering his questions! He closed his eyes and lost himself in pleasant dreams
of his own!
His reverie was broken by the
arrival of Rudra! Vishnu got up in reverence.
Rudra looked at Brahma who
was eager for knowledge. He pointed upwards.
THERE SHE STOOD! THE QUEEN
SUPREME!
The
TRINITY welcomed her with prayers!
She
smiled graciously! The three divinities had a problem!
They were all without their
spouses.
They had no SHAKTI to help
them!
Brahma had more problems.
He wanted to create! But with
what?
There was only water, water,
water, everywhere!
No Gunas! No senses! No
elements! Nor their essences!
What to do?
She
smiled!
Jasmines blossomed!
Roses bloomed!
Lightning lost its sparkles!
A
lustrous air-vehicle arose in front of the Trinities!
She commanded with her eyes.
They obediently sat in the
Vehicle Divine!
What a vehicle!
Like a heaven on move!
Pearl garlands decorated the
roof!
Small bells tinkled a
pleasant tune!
A pleasant perfume pervaded
the interiors!
Maids of unseen beauty stood
in servitude!
The vehicle rose to unknown
heights!
Vishnu’s eyes closed back in
day dreams!
Some dream-girl was dancing
in his mind!
Vishnu wished that the
journey never ended.
But who heard his mind’s
pleas?
They had arrived at the
destination!
What
would one like to see?
Every thing? Any thing?
Well! The Tri-Gods saw
everything and anything!
Gardens filled with fruit
trees!
Forests filled with various
animals!
Huge mountains!
Expansive lands!
Men! Women!
Rivers! Streams! Ponds!
Lakes!
Beautiful cities!
Tall buildings!
Sacrificial halls!
Some king hunting some animal
somewhere!
Even he saw them!
Another
place! Another vision!
A beautiful garden!
A cow resting under the
Paarijaata tree!
An elephant with four husks
was standing nearby!
Divine damsels walked around,
piercing the hearts of all the Gods!
Even Beauty Queens like
Menakaa were there!
Someone played a Veenaa!
Some young girl was just
kissing a flute! And it sang in intoxication!
Some girls were practicing a
different dance-stance!
Some were lying on the grass
like pink serpents!
Some were biting the flower
stalks instead of their lovers’ fingers!
Some were trying water-games
in gurgling waters!
Nobody
had any thought for modesty or shyness!
Clothes
were just flying about them like kites rather than covering their shapely
bodies!
They looked like butterflies
spreading their wings when they ran helter-skelter chasing deer!
Some
were trying to vie with the cuckoo birds in singing!
It
was a noisy scene!
Anklets! Bangles! Giggles!
Shouts! Screams!
Many
Vidhyadharas and Gandharvas were watching these beauties from hidden corners!
And
their condition? Only moths which fall in the fire will know!
Shatakratu
was there! Poulomya was there with her Lord Indra!
Varuna!
Kubera! Yama! Surya! Vibhavasu! Many many Gods!
Meanwhile a chariot emerged
from a nearby city.
A chariot equal to that of
Indra! But, men were pulling it!
Before
they could see what it was, the Vehicle of Three Gods traveled away fast!
Vishnu
yawned!
Shiva was expressionless!
Brahma was wonder-stuck!
As he watched, a Brahma-Loka
arose in front of them!
The Four Vedic-Deities were
in attendance!
A Brahma was seated there!
This Brahma was surprised!
Before he could understand
anything, the vehicle flew up entering a warmer atmosphere!
Kailaasa Mount came into
view!
And a Shiva was seen there
sitting on a divine bull!
His two sons were in
attendance!
The Seven Shaktis were also
following him!
Soon they reached a Vaikunta also!
And saw another Vishnu with another Lakshmi serving him!
Vishnu woke up with a jerk!
Was that Lakshmi his dream girl? So...red; million hues of reds! So So beautiful; like a red red rose with countless red shades!
But before he could see properly, the vehicle was on the move!
Soon
they reached the Ocean
of Nectar!
Huge waves were dancing
against the rocky shores!
Divine trees adorned the
island in the middle of it!
The Paarijaata flowers
covered the ground like a carpet!
For
one single flower of that variety, the two wives of Krishna
had fought once! Their husband had satisfied them with a tree brought from the
heavens!
A
Great Hero! But Here?
Nobody bothered about these
flowers! Not even about the rare Mandaara Flowers!
Young
girls of unparalleled beauty were walking over these flowers!
Even these flowers hurt their
tender feet like thorns! Their feet almost bled in pain!
They were trying to pluck
some flowers to make garlands!
Drops of sweat were making
pearl-garlands on their foreheads!
Beautiful jeweled buildings
shone like Suns in the midst of those trees!
The walls were covered with
exotic designs!
Carpets of extreme softness
adorned the floors!
Various jewels and pearls
hung as canopies on the roof!
A network of beautiful lights
emanated from those palaces!
The whole scene looked like a
fairy land!
And in the centre of that
island, there was a cot in the shape of Shiva!
Jewels unseen in any heavens
adorned the cot!
Rainbows of different colors
unknown even to Gods shone around it!
On that cot was resting a
female of unparalleled beauty!
Her fair body was covered
with reddish paste!
Red flowered garlands adorned
her beautiful neck!
Her eyes were also red
because of the intoxicating liquid she was sipping!
The luster from her person
blinded the eyes like crores of lightning flashing together!
Her face shone like a red
lotus made of light!
Her eyes were like deep lakes
where two dark fish played around!
Her tender lips were wet with
wine and red wine drops clung to the corner of her lips like dripping blood!
Her teeth also shone like red
flashes of light!
Her tongue which was rolling
the betel leaf was like a red serpent!
Crores of Lakshmis wouldn’t
equal the beauty there!
Was she a Moon or Sun or a
collection of stars?
Were those shining things on
her person - ornaments or lights of different hues?
HREEM
HREEM HREEM; some birds were humming these sounds!
She was so young! Vishnu felt
he was an old man in her presence! It was a new sensation to him!
What huge breasts! Who were
fortunate to play with them! So tender! So hard! So tempting! What were they
filled with? Bliss! Nectar!
A mischievous smile played on
her lips!
A shining colorful crown
adorned her head!
Her hair was profusely
falling out! Which fortunate male would bury his face in them?
There… She is getting up!
There…She is walking on the
flowers thrown by her maids!
Her tender feet are reddening
by the effort!
Her tender waist is bending
by the weight of the breasts!
Her hips are moving like a
palanquin!
Her anklets are providing an
orchestra for her rhythmic walk!
She stopped midway! Her face
turned back to look at these Gods! She smiled!
Like hit by a lightning, they
watched her unmoving!
She signaled them with her
eyes and entered the huge palace there!
The three followed her
mesmerized!
But the distance seemed
enormous!
For her, it was just a few
steps!
They climbed their vehicle
and traveled to the gates of the palace!
She was standing near a
creeper of some unknown flowers!
Pollen from those flowers was
sprinkling their yellow dust on her!
She
looked like a creeper herself!
Golden red in hue!
The navel acting like a stem
base!
The hair-line up to the
breasts acting like a stem!
Two breasts looking like
nectar filled fruits!
Her face shining like the Sun
at dawn!
The
three Gods entered the room!
Wow! All the three had turned
into females!
Very Very beautiful women!
A woman with four faces!
A woman with blue hue!
A woman with serpent on her
neck!
Looking
at them, she laughed aloud!
But, it was not offending!
It was lovely!
Like the gurgling Gangaa!
Like the cool drizzle!
Like music sweet!
They
saluted in reverence!
Their heads touched her
lotus-feet!
Their eyes saw the feet
decorated with red paste!
They saw the toe-nails like
lotus buds! Their eyes saw the toe nails shining like mirrors!
The
little toe-nail; like a lotus bud! And inside it were mirrored -
Infinite creations!
Many Many Brahmas!
Many Many Vishnus!
Many Many Shivas!
Many Many Gods!
Many Many Worlds!
Many Many Events!
The three female Gods saw
themselves inside it looking at themselves saluting the lotus-feet of DEVI!
They
looked on and on!
Eyes stuck to the wondrous
visions!
Their heads were still
touching her tender feet!
Maybe a hundred divine years
passed in that fraction of a second!
Even Vishnu was stunned by
these visions!
They got up slowly.
They felt faint!
Shiva raised his voice in
praise!
The other two followed!
Hymns and Praises flowed from
their mouth incessantly!
DEVI
was lost in her own thoughts!
Her eyes were stealing a look
at Shiva who was now in a female form!
What a form!
What a dispassion!
Yes! Her own Creation; yet,
he had stolen her heart; but, She had failed to move his heart!
She of course had implanted
an equal amount of passion in him to balance the dispassion.
But passion could never
imprison him!
Passion was a quality he used
as a duty; when She called, he came!
Unions were there!
Linga was there!
Creations were there!
But was it enough?
He never entered Her Palace
alone!
Always his mission was to
help others!
Even now, before She had
appeared before the threesome, he had prayed to Her to appear in front of
Brahma and give him some knowledge!
She
had acted accordingly and played this game of making female forms out of them!
This was Her idea! Not his!
She wanted to just surprise
him!
Shiva was actually Her
Master!
She was a slave to him!
Slave to his Dispassion!
But She wanted him to be
passionate also!
As Daakshaayini She had
failed!
As Umaa She had failed!
She always did what He
requested!
Now She had enacted this
drama to please him!
Now? What more?
She looked at him
enquiringly! Shiva smiled!
A Majestic Voice rose like
the bell of a temple!
Shiva spoke; Devi listened
attentively!
“O
Mother Supreme!” Devi felt offended.
Shiva continued. His eyes
were gleaming with some mischief!
“Why?
What wonder is there in my calling You Mother?
This Vishnu came out of you!
This Brahma came out of you!
They are Your Sons!
I also came out of You!
Am I also not Your son?
Aren’t You the Mother of
Creations?
Every cell in my body is you!
Every breath in my person is
you!
Every thought in my mind is
you!”
He paused. He looked at her.
He had somehow managed to express His Love!
Devi’s face reddened a little
more! She looked elsewhere to hide her excitement!
Her lips trembled a little! A
smile just for him lingered there.
Shiva continued:
“O Supreme Mother! People
speak of us as the three Great Gods! But whatever we do is by Your Command
only!
You WILL; and the Creations are there! Even the non-conscious objects exist as
unconscious because YOU exist as the Conscious Principle in them!”
Devi
wondered! She tried to decipher His Love-Code in those innocent-looking hymns!
Was he telling her that
whatever he saw, even if it was an inanimate object, he saw her only?
She
threw a side-glance at him! His eyes smiled at her unseen by his companions.
Devi sighed in intoxication!
Her heavy bosom heaved in love pangs! The ashes on the wide forehead of Shiva
slightly melted in the sweat drops that started to form! He continued his
praises undaunted.
“You have Complete Free will!
You take various forms and play around us as You like! A minute piece of the
pollen sticking to your lotus-feet gives all three of us the Power to do our
duties!’
Shiva looked at her tender
feet looking like lotuses. He wanted to hold them to his bosom and kiss all the
pollen sticking to them! His ashes melted more! He shook himself a little to
normalize his behavior! He was losing all his dispassion and becoming powerless
against the love-darts shooting out from her eyes!
Shiva continued:
“Why
did you make me different? Why all three of us are different? Why do we think
differently? Why we have different Gunas? You must have made us for different purposes!
You are actually the Moving Force behind us! Yet, we are spoken of as Gods with
different functions!
You are compassionate! Nobody
knows about You, the Supreme Cause of Causes!
We three are just created
beings! How can we equal You in anything?
Only merits of immense
quantity must have resulted in having Your Vision like this!”
Shiva
again paused! He looked crestfallen! Did he think that she was too high in
powers to act as his beloved?
Shiva spoke:
“You have made us into female
forms now! Another Play of Yours, I suppose!”
Shiva
paused and looked at her enquiringly! He knew very well what her intentions
were.
As soon as they entered the
Palace, they had turned into female forms! DEVI had rushed towards them and
embraced all three of them! She had kissed Brahma on the forehead! He was the
‘Son’! She had kissed Vishnu on the cheeks! He was the ‘Brother’! And, coming
to Shiva, She had hesitated! Her red face had become redder! Shiva as a woman
had taken the liberty to embrace her himself and kissed her gently on the apple
like cheeks!
Brahma
had been in Divine Stupor! Vishnu had looked the other way! And, Shiva just
managed to brush her tender lips with his rough lips quickly! She had gone back
to her seat as if drunk! What was her relation to Him? Was She a flower waiting
for the bee?
The
Female disguise was for the best! The Lovers could meet unknown to anybody! She
bent her head, shy at the thought of that stealthy embrace! His voice broke her
day dreams! She threw a side-glance at him. He was smiling mischievously at Her
now! He spoke again:
“What your intention was, we
do not know O Goddess! But, the play of yours has caused us to get the extreme
bliss ever possible! In male forms we would never have been able to approach
You at all!
We have had the good fortune
now of having the glimpse of Your lotus-feet! Who wants the male form and rule
the Creations? I would prefer to remain as a female and serve You day and
night!”
Shiva smiled again. Devi felt
he was teasing her again! Would she be foolish enough to have him as a female,
in privacy? This is to fool others! Soon he will have his own form! The Supreme
Man Ever Born!
And, She will somehow appease
him and unite with him! They would be forever together! No separation at all!
He and She! She and He! No one else! Nothing else! Just Love! Just Passion!
Just them both! For the first time in eternity she won’t be alone anymore! The
formless ONE will be TWO as ONE bound by LOVE! Her dreams were again broken by
Shiva’s voice!
“Even
penance and contemplation cannot give this Vision of Yours O Queen! Only those
who worship your lotus-feet are blessed by Complete Liberation! Why don’t You
teach me the Mantra that leads to Your Presence? The nine-lettered word, I have
forgotten though I had got it in my first birth! Let me recite that Mantra so
that I will be freed from this worldly existence!”
Devi slowly walked towards
him.
She whispered something in
his ear.
He smiled and accepted it
with reverence.
He moved away and started
chanting that Mantra!
What Mantra was it?
How can She give Her Beloved
Lord, an ordinary Mantra?
Was it a Mantra to increase
the Passion?
Was it a Mantra to increase
Love?
Was it a Mantra to make them
unite soon?
Who
can understand the MIND of the SUPREME QUEEN?
But let us chant this sacred
Mantra of Devi to attain the Ultimate Freedom!
OM AIM
HREEM KLEEM CHAMUNDAYAI VICCHE
Salutations!
Salutations! Salutations!
Brahma
was pensive!
He was the Master of the
Vedas!
He had so far believed that
he was the only one endowed with Creative Powers!
He felt all his knowledge has
turned into zero!
‘What was the use of
Ashtaanga Yoga, the method of Eight-fold Discipline?
If by just taking Her name
one got liberation, then what was the value of Vedas?
What is the use of going
behind Taattvas (Principles) counting their Sankhya (numbers)?
SHE
WAS THE ONLY ONE!
Devotion
to Her lotus-feet is enough to get Mukti!
Even a Knower of Upanishads
always chants only Her Name with devotion!
By just a side-glance of Hers
She can create countless worlds!
She had just created him to
act as Her puppet with the string in Her hand!
Even Vishnu seems powerless!
Even Hara is submissive to Her!
Who is She? From where is She
born? Nobody seems to know!
She seems to be the original
Power House!
According to Saankhya
philosophy Purusha is the Conscious Self and Prakriti is the Unconscious
subordinate! There is no third person!
But
Vedas cannot utter Untruth!
BRAHMAN IS ONE AND SECONDLESS
- proclaim the Vedas!
Was SHE the Purusha actually?
But SHE looks like a female?
Then, SHE is not the Formless
Brahman!
SHE has a form - Beauty
Personified!
But Vedas say that the
Supreme is FORMLESS and ONE!
Duality or Non-duality; what
should one believe in?
Either Vedas must be untrue,
or I do not understand them properly!
Form or Formless; which is to
be sought?’
He was so much absorbed in
his thoughts; he did not hear Her first.
She went inside his mind and
woke him up.
Like rising from a deep sleep
state he got up with a start.
She was looking at him. She
spoke nectar-like words.
Brahma was bathed in True
Knowledge!
DEVI SPOKE:
"What
confuses you, O Knower of Vedas’?
Vedas are not untrue. They
proclaim that there is only one Brahman; and I AM THAT BRAHMAN!
There is no difference
between ME and the BRAHMAN of the Upanishads.
THAT is I! I am THAT!
Only a fool will see the
difference; but a wise man will know that there is no difference!
He immediately gets
liberated!
The BRAHMAN is second-less,
Eternal, Ancient; so say the Vedas!
I am ONE!
I am SECONDLESS!
I am ETERNAL!
I am ANCIENT!
I am the NON-DUAL ONE!
When I want to create Duality
arises!
ONE becomes many like
reflections in a mirror; like shadows of a person! So is the world to ME!
At the time of creation
differentiation arises.
Differentiation is creation!
Seen and Unseen also arise!
Form and Formless also arise!
Purusha and Prakriti also
arise!
When the Creation merges into
Me, they also merge into ME!
At that time I am not a woman
or man or a non-gender!
I
AM WHAT I AM!
All
THIS is My Imagination!
At My Will I create and
destroy!
Nobody can know ME!
All arise out of ME!
I am SHAKTI!
All SHAKTIS are My Forms!
I am the Nerve-Centre of the
Whole Creation!
I am the nerves running
through the Whole Creation!
I am the Truth and I am the
Untruth!
I am the Vision!
I am the Speech!
I am the Seer!
Tell me Brahma, What I am
not?
Know that I AM EVERYTHING!
I PERVADE everything!
This world is My Very Form!
What else can be My Form?
I alone exist as All Gods!
I as Shakti’s forms show my
prowess!
I am the power in all the
actions.
I make Purusha stand as the
Conscious Principle behind everything.
I am the coolness in water.
I am the heat in fire.
I am the light in the sun.
I am the nectar in the moon.
I am free to do as I want!
If I renounce anybody their
very existence will be nil!
If Shakti is not there,
Shankara cannot destroy any demon.
A person without Shakti is
weak.
If anybody is to be
condemned, he will be addressed as power less; not Vishnu less or Rudra less!
If anybody has fallen,
slipped, frightened, quiet, or under the control of enemies, they call him
powerless; not Rudra less!
I am the Power behind your
Creations also.
So am I the Power in all the
Gods.
I am the Power in the Earth,
which bears so much weight.
I
can drink off all waters!
I can remove the heat from
the fire!
I can stop the wind from
moving!”
She paused.
Brahma was in a stunned
state. Vishnu had the look of a prisoner! Rudra smiled to himself!
He signaled with his eyes;
‘too much of herself; let not Brahma throw away the Vedas; she has to convince
him of their truth!’
DEVI changed the topic.
Philosophical truths flowed like a river drowning the Creator! He was lost!
SHE spoke:
“Do not ever question the
authority of Vedas! O Brahma! Do not have doubts about the Truths mentioned
there! Brahman is Existence! Non-existence is of many kinds; non-existence
before creation like a pot is non-existent in clay; non-existence after
destruction like a broken pot. Where was the pot before creation and where did
the pot go after the destruction? The pot was existent in the atomic state.
Existence is always there; only it is an unmanifested state! A pot is
un-manifest before creation and goes back to its original state after
destruction. So are the human bodies before and after death!”
Shiva
gave an approval with his eyes.
SHE continued:
SHE explained in detail the
twenty four principles.
SHE told him that he will be
getting the MAHAT TATVA from Her. So he can create as he likes.
SHE produced a SARASVATI out
of Her.
SHE told him that he will not
lack any knowledge now.
SHE commanded the newly
created Goddess to live with Brahma.
SHE commanded Brahma never to
insult the Goddess in any way.
SHE commanded him to always
honor and respect Shiva.
SHE commanded him to honor
Vishnu.
And, SHE said:
“Now go and create worlds
with four types of seeds. Already souls exist with subtle forms of gender and
actions. Now you make them manifest by the power I have given you. Make them as
before. Create beings with forms according to their causal bodies bound by time
and action. Whenever you have trouble in your Creations Vishnu will descend
down into the Creations and set right everything. He will destroy all the
demons. You create YAJNAS suited to all different types of people. Take My Name
in all Sacrifices. Everything will be successful. Shiva should be honored in all
Sacrifices. Hari will be there to kill all the demons.”
SHE
gave Brahma the ‘nine-lettered Mantra’. SHE assured Hari that he will soon be
united with the girl of his heart. SHE praised him saying that he was equal to
Shiva in status. Nobody should ever differentiate between them both. Both were
equally worthy of worship. If any one anywhere insults either one of these
Supreme Gods by taking recourse of fanaticism, he is surely bound for hell. SHE
gave Hari a Special Mantra to get Powers. SHE told him that penance performed
chanting that mantra will empower him to come to her.
SHE produced GOWRI out of her
own person and gave her to Shiva asking him to continue the work in the world.
SHE bid them farewell. They got their original forms after they left the Palace.
They climbed the Air-vehicle and returned to their abodes.
VYAASA
EXPLAINS:
BRAHMAN with attributes is
SAGUNA.
BRAHMAN without attributes is
NIRGUNA.
NIRGUNA cannot be seen.
NIRGUNA has no form.
That which is seen is
perishable.
NIRGUNA is imperishable.
NIRGUNA is formless and
cannot be seen.
SHAKTI who is formless is
difficult to attain.
PARABRAHMAN who is formless
is also difficult to comprehend!
They can be attained only
through Knowledge and contemplation.
Faith is very very important.
The
formless has no beginning, no end!
The
awareness in everybody is Brahman.
The HE of the Upanishads and
the SHE, the QUEEN of ALL - both are all pervading.
Without These Two nothing
exits.
HE and SHE are always the
SAME.
They appear like TWO but are
ONE!
Contemplate on both of them
as the Same Principle.
BRAHMAN is DEVI. DEVI is
BRAHMAN.
There is a very subtle
difference between both principles.
Studies and arguments will
not reveal that subtle difference.
Dispassion will surely reveal
the Truth.
A person who is attached to
the form can never understand the Formless.
Like a man with jaundice he
cannot have a clear perception.
As long as ‘I’ exists, how
can you reach the Highest?
First know the BRAHMAN with
attributes. Then you will know the BRAHMAN without attributes
SHE
is Supreme!
SHE becomes the formless
BRAHMAN!
SHE again takes forms, varied
and countless.
SAGUNA BRAHMAN is the
Highest!
DEVI is the SUPREME!
SHE is with form!
SHE is the ‘I’ of everybody!
SHE is the power in everybody!
SHE is the SUPREME QUEEN.
SHE can be reached only
through dispassion!
Have dispassion to
everything. You are saved!
SALUTATIONS
TO THE SUPREME BRAHMAN CALLED DEVI!
SALUTATIONS to ALL THE GODS!
SALUTATIONS to ALL SAGES!
SALUTATIONS to ALL THE
KNOWERS OF BRAHMAN!
SALUTATIONS to MY OWN SELF!
FURTHER
EVENTS AFTER DAKSHA-YAJNA
DAAKSHAAYINI ENTERED FIRE
He kissed the objects that
belonged to his dear wife.
Had he really renounced her
in the mind?
How can he reject his own
essence?
Had he fooled himself into
believing that he was above love?
He felt as if death had
swallowed him.
He felt like slapping her.
He felt like embracing her.
‘O O why did I love her!’ He
screamed in agony.
Broken down, he closed his
eyes in contemplation.
Dead to his own eternal life!
Would Daakshaa know of his
agony?
Will she make him alive
again?
Devi was in deep thoughts.
As Daksha’s daughter, she had
failed to become a proper spouse of Shiva.
She must do something.
She must try some other form.
She must approach him with
dispassion.
She sat in contemplation of
Shiva.
DAAKSHAAYINI
ENTERED FIRE
Shiva
was burning.
With passion!
With anger!
With Love!
DAKSHAA!
DAKSHAA! His heart cried.
Without his soul he was dead.
His body was eternal!
He could not destroy his own
existence.
Existence and eternality were
curses for him now.
He just walked into deep
jungles without any purpose.
He just wanted to get away
from himself.
He did not even know where he
was walking.
He never saw any thing.
Only the ‘face of Daakshaa as
she took leave of him that day’ was pinned to his eyes.
He just walked.
Rocks that were on his path
just crumbled to dust as he waded through them.
Rivers dried when his hot
feet touched them.
Trees withered by his hot
breath.
Wherever he walked the land
turned into ashes.
Maybe that is why he is
always worshipped as connected to ashes.
For him, except his DAAKSHAA
everything else was just dust!
Somewhere
he fell unconscious!
There was no sense of time or
place.
An eternity passed.
He woke up.
His body had blackened by the
heat of his heart.
He sat in lotus posture.
He closed his eyes which were
anyhow blind to the world.
He vanished within himself.
His body cooled down like ice
as if dead!
Creepers grew around him.
Snakes crawled over the rough
texture of his body.
Birds built nest in his
abundant hair.
Thorny creepers covered his
entire body.
Trees grew all around him.
He was not aware of anything.
The world was dead for him.
Here world continued to
exist.
Without Shiva the world lost
its goodness too!
Evil selfish hearts took over
the lands.
Without Shiva to control
VAANI disappeared into her SATYA LOKA!
Brahma easily fell a prey to
anyone who performed penance on him.
Gratified by their attention
he gave boons to anyone without analyzing their characters.
And
a clever demon named Taaraka guaranteed his own eternity by asking for death at
the hands of SHIVA’s son! Since nobody even knew where Shiva was, he proclaimed
himself deathless and harassed all Sages and Gods. Devaloka was in shambles.
DAAKSHAAYINI
ENTERED FIRE
Naaraayana was also dejected.
He was feeling very lonely.
Nowadays His spouse Lakshmi
was highly absorbed in contemplation.
Maybe she missed the innocent
chats of Daakshaa!
She might have been annoyed
with the whole of male community.
She showed her annoyance with
her spouse too.
She
was a gift that arose out of the milk ocean when the gods and demons churned
the ocean.
Shiva had offered her to
Vishnu.
She
had been a devoted wife all her life, but she was not innocent to her Lord’s
exploits.
Every decent girl in Deva
Loka or Martya Loka desired to be His, and he obliged all of them; out of
compassion he had said!
She
was just too fed up! And now even Daakshaa had vanished out of her life!
Daakshaa used to tell her all
that her husband Shiva taught to her about Higher Truths!
Lakshmi started spending more
time in contemplation on Brahman and left her spouse free for his adventures.
Usually she entered deep into the ocean bowels and meditated on Brahman! She
was praying to DEVI to end her identity as Vishnu’s spouse!
DAAKSHAAYINI
ENTERED FIRE
Devi
descended on Earth!
She became the daughter of
the chief of mountain tribes, Himavaan!
As a child she had heard the
myth of a God who was somewhere buried in those forests.
An abnormal fascination rose
in her from her childhood itself to meet that terrifying God who had left the
world when his wife had entered the fire!
What a love! What a man!
Daakshaa was a fortunate
girl. But she threw away her fortunes when she destroyed herself in the fire!
Unlucky girl!
What if she could replace
Daakshaa and light up the world of Shiva? She had high ambitions indeed!
And to fulfill her cherished
dream she performed penance!
Penance!
Till now no Sage or God had
gone to such extreme limits of penance!
Everyone who observed her
only exclaimed –Uuuuu MAAA! OH DON’T! Her name itself became UMAA!
As she roamed in the
mountains searching for the mythical Shiva, she was called Paarvati.
As the fair-hued beauty, she
was called GOWRI!
And
she performed penance! Under icy waters! Inside fiery fires! In forests, in
mountains!
She survived on only leaves.
But later she stopped even that and took only air as her food.
She was called APARNAA too!
She sat; she stood up; then
she stood on one leg!
Her only speech was the name
of Shiva!
Her body had withered and
looked like a skeleton!
Her eyes were sunk!
Her hands continuously made
little Lingas from river sand which filled the entire mansion of her father!
Her body had blackened by
applying hot ashes all over her body!
Her fair body was now black
in hue and people called her KAALI!
DAAKSHAAYINI
ENTERED FIRE
Umaa
was burning in the penance of Shiva!
She took hot ashes from the
sacred fire altar at the worship ground of Shiva and applied it all over her
fair body. As hot ashes burnt her limbs, she felt the pain Daakshaa had felt!
She imagined herself to be Daakshaa and cried for Shiva!
Now
after years of penance, her body had succumbed to the hardships!
Ashes spread all over the
floor of her dark room. River sand was piled in all corners. She untiringly
made Lingas out of sand as her dried mouth whispered her lover’s name
unceasingly.
She knew her body will not
last long. She felt faint. She had stopped eating food long ago. Not even a
drop of water entered her scorched throat.
There was no hope of ever
attaining her Lord! Like Daakshaa she would also give up her body in fire, she
thought! But she should not die here in her father’s place like Daakshaa! She
will reach the deeper sections of the mountains where her Lord was supposed to
be buried!
She sent all the maids away
with a signal from her eyes. With stumbling gait, with her heart heaving in
heavy breaths, she slowly treaded the mountain paths alone.
Her hair was whitened by
ashes. At some places the scalp revealed burnt scars caused by the application
hot ashes. Her face had blackened here and there by the sparks of hot embers of
the fire altar. Her ashy grey cloth hardly was able to hold on to her skeletal
structure.
Like a ‘Dead Daakshaayini’
coming out of the Sacrificial altar, she slowly walked towards the mountains.
She wanted to give up her
life somewhere inside the mountain forests. That is where Her Lord must be, she
thought! Better die where he existed, than at the grand palace of her father!
Her father had no control over his adamant daughter and had left her to do what
she willed. But he least suspected that she would want to end up her life in
the forest today.
After
a long time of tedious walk, Umaa reached very dark, hitherto unseen parts of
the forest; more out of will power than by mere physical strength!
Thorny bushes spread all
over.
Giant snakes hung from huge
branches.
Some water-hole gleamed far
away below the hills.
A musty smell filled the
whole atmosphere.
Umaa decided that it was a
good place to give up her body!
Who knows, her Lord might be
buried somewhere here only.
She glanced around to see
whether any dry sticks were available for making fire!
The
blackened burnt body was slowly collecting wood to make a fire!
The place was full of giant
thorns.
As she pulled out sticks here
and there, her body bled all over, making her appearance more grotesque!
A
sudden prick in the eyes! Her eyes were blood holes!
Blinded, exhausted, but
adamant in her desire to end her life in a fire, she pulled the sticks hard!
The force pushed her back!
There was a yawning pit where
she fell.
She dropped deep down and
fell on a hard rock under ground!
Snakes crawled away in alarm
at the sudden falling of a body.
Uma’s head reeled. Her mouth
was whispering her lord’s name as she fainted!
DAAKSHAAYINI
ENTERED FIRE
Shiva suddenly woke up out of
his penance with a jerk.
His Daakshaa had come back!
She was calling!
She was very near!
Yes! She was chanting his
name!
He opened his eyes!
On his lap was a blackened
mass of a skeleton!
His Daakshaa!
He took the senseless body to
his bosom!
And
he showered kisses on his ‘burnt Daakshaa’!
Umaa opened her red eyes.
Her heart recognized her
Lord!
She embraced him tightly!
All the pent up passion of
Shiva burst out like a volcano!
He
was mad now! Utterly mad!
He gave vent to all his
hidden desires on his ‘burnt Daakshaa’!
MY Daakshaa! MY Daakshaa! His
heart cried!
He went mad in passion!
Umaa
could do nothing but to succumb to his passion!
But she was only Umaa! Not
Daakshaa!
She felt she was burning in
fire!
Every atom in her body
screamed in pain!
She was getting embraced by
fire; kissed by Fire; made love by fire! She was getting bathed in fire!
She who had performed extreme
penance which no one had dared so far; she, the renowned devotee of Shiva now
screamed in pain unable to bear the embrace of FIRE!
She
was not Daakshaa! She was just Umaa!
Her
screams rent the air! Shiva heard it too! Shiva stopped midway in his love!
He
looked at the blackened body on his lap!
He realized suddenly! This
worthless mass of flesh was not his Daakshaa! He threw her away in disgust!
Then
why did he falter? What made him so passionate suddenly?
He felt another presence!
Kaama Deva, who was waiting for an opportunity to induce passion in Shiva, was
running away, his job done!
Rudra’s
fire of anger reached him too! Not even ashes were left of his body to tell his
name!
Shiva
looked at the female form which was withering at his feet! He kicked it away
and walked.
No one knew where he went!
DAAKSHAAYINI
ENTERED FIRE
Umaa
was burning!
She
was screaming!
Something hard kicked her
away.
She rolled down the hills.
She fell into something cool!
The Sharavana Lake!
The forest pond surrounded by sharp arrow like grasses!
Her
outside body was bleeding profusely by getting cut by the sharp forest grass.
Inside her body, a fire was
burning converting all her internal organs to ashes!
Screaming
incessantly, she fainted!
She was unconscious for maybe
an eternity!
A baby made of fire, smiled
enchantingly at the six divine damsels who were watching it like a wonder
unseen in their lives. They were the six Krittikaa Devis who had been playing
in the forest ground when they heard a baby’s laughter and they had arrived at
this lake searching for the source of the sound. They found out that the baby
was alone! Father and mother were not around anywhere! The baby was so
enchantingly beautiful! A Thousand Petaled Lotus rocked the baby gently. The
baby lifted its arms towards them asking as if to lift it away from the waters.
All the six girls rushed towards the baby! The fire which was smiling like a
baby broke into six pieces. Each one held a baby in her hand! They started
playing with the fire!
Umaa
woke up!
The inner fire seemed to have
disappeared!
The cool waters had healed
her wounds!
She slowly got out of the
waters and climbed the shores.
And she saw the six girls
with six babies!
Looking at the baby, her
breasts poured out milk unknown to her!
Understanding nothing, but
only feeling that the baby was hers, she rushed towards them.
Seeing a blackened skeleton
coming out of the lake, the girls screamed, left the babies on the bank and ran
away!
Paarvati saw the babies.
No! She saw fire!
Her Lord’s fire!
A beautiful fire!
The fire smiled at her1
She was so greedy for the
fire that she gathered all the pieces of fire into her withered arms!
As milk from her motherly
breasts bathed the little fire, it cooled down and embraced her tightly as one
little darling golden hued baby!
Umaa cried!
She
had lost the big fire! That fire will never come back!
But
this little fire! It was hers!
She
embraced her little Shiva, as a mother!
She knew she will be not a
wife anymore!
Gods came with their retinue.
Brahma and Vishnu took her to
heavens!
They all took care of her.
The child became an expert in
all weapons!
He killed the demon!
All Gods were happy!
Umaa was happy too as a
MOTHER!
Kaartikeya
grew up!
He only knew his Mother!
She
used to point out far into the mountains and say his father was there!
Seeing her eyes becoming wet
whenever he mentioned his father, Kumara learnt to forget his father!
A
unique bondage grew between him and his lonely mother!
Kumara
mastered whatever knowledge was available in all the three worlds!
He was helped by Vaani in all
learning.
Disgusted with stupid
Brahmas, Vaani became a good friend of Kumara!
Under her influence Kumara
mastered all the arts.
He became an expert in
playing Veena!
His
missile store started gathering dust!
Gods were not happy by this
musical orchestra of Vaani and Kumara!
They
got him a good wife Devayaani and made him the chief of their army.
Kumara did his duty very well
but was tired of his palatial obligations.
Devayaani was not up to his
intellectual level.
He
made an agreement with Naaraayana and descended down to Earth at will, in many
disguises and taught the humans some Self- knowledge.
Once on his Earth wanderings,
he happened to see a forest beauty!
Enamored by her simple
beauty, he wooed her and married her.
But
she was too simple and illiterate to suit the heavens.
His two wives fought a lot
and he learnt to hide in Satya Loka away from his ignorant wives.
Vaani became his constant
companion in Satya Loka!
Umaa was lonely.
Even Kumara was not available
nowadays! He never informed her about his whereabouts.
However the three worlds kept
her busy.
She was accepted unanimously
by all Gods as the Supreme Queen. She was consulted by everyone about
everything. She was too compassionate and paid attention to every problem
personally. She was the Great Mother of
Kumara and the Great wife of the Supreme God Shiva! Who else could rule them
all, but Umaa!
But in her inner chambers,
she withered in loneliness. Her suffering was unbearable. She longed for her
husband’s company. But her inner heart knew it was never ever possible.
Even now, she vividly
remembered the disgusting look of her Lord in the forest. After the incident of
Kumara’s birth, she never saw him again. She did not even know where he was!
Kumara had been her only solace. Now after marriage with the two unintelligent
girls he was never seen anywhere.
The two girls had complained
about Kumara’s neglect, but what could she do? She had her own problems in her
married life!
Umaa was lonely.
Umaa was at the edge of
loneliness.
She longed for Shiva’s
company.
She was burning in passion.
The garden breeze was cool!
But she was sweating
profusely.
She sought the altar of
Linga, the only symbol of her husband!
The whole place was spread
out with ashes.
She cried embracing the stone
Shiva!
Her tears and sweat mingled
with the ashes.
She prayed for some company,
some one to love only her!
As her dried up lips chanted
her Lord’s name incessantly, the wet ash stood in her front as a little child!
She felt tender hands
embracing her neck.
She felt a cool shower on her
face. She opened her wet eyes.
A beautiful child of tender
age was showering kisses on her face.
He was continuously
addressing her as ‘MA’ ‘MA’!
He was tightly holding on to
her neck.
At his sight Uma’s motherly
breasts showered him with milk.
A son, just for her! She
embraced him tightly to her bosom.
Tears flowed in torrents. She
cried all her heart out.
She put that child on her lap
and told him all her troubles. The child nodded understandingly.
The boy spoke in his baby
voice that he will never leave her alone anymore. He will not even grow up like
Kumara and marry. In fact he will never ever marry!
Umaa embraced him once again.
The golden hued child cuddled inside her arms and laughed.
Umaa also laughed. The flowers
in the garden laughed too!
Shiva
stirred from his seat!
As if his Daakshaa had
called!
No, not from outside! In his
mind!
He remembered the black
bleeding body he had kissed long back!
A sudden compassion flooded
his heart for that innocent girl!
What was her fault? Both had
been victims of the God world plot.
And he wondered what happened
to his Veerya? A son should be there now!
He sighed and decided to
visit his new family. He walked towards the heavens!
He was in deep thoughts as
his feet unconsciously tread the familiar hill paths.
His Daakshaa’s memory hit him
like arrows wherever he looked.
He felt like turning back and
going away to his dark forests.
But he could not disobey his
Daakshaa’s words.
She had appeared in his mind.
She had embraced him like a
mother.
He had collapsed on her soft
shoulders and cried his heart out.
Exhausted he had slept on her
lap.
She had spoken softly, as she
caressed his unkempt brown hair.
She had reminded him of his
duties.
He should meet his son and
give him all the knowledge he possessed!
She will wait for him till he
finished his duties and returned.
She promised that she will never
ever leave him any more.
He had agreed reluctantly.
He opened his eyes to the
‘Daakshaa-less’ world!
As Shiva entered his own
abode, a child stopped him! His son? No! This child was different! Arrogant and
fat! Shiva had no patience with stupid people even if they were children! His
trident cut off the intruder’s little head! Umaa came rushing out at the noise.
She saw her estranged husband and the headless body of her little child. She
screamed! It was not the cry of joy coming from the mouth of a devoted wife at
the sight of a long-lost husband. Umaa was screaming for her headless son! She
shouted, lamented and wept in front of the Great God, who had visited her after
such a long time.
Umaa had committed her second
mistake!
So habituated to be a mother
to her two children, the wife-part in her had died out! She did not embrace the
Lord of her heart for whom she had spent all her youthful years in penance!
Shiva felt a wave of disgust sweep through his heart. He did not speak much. He
got the child’s head replaced by an elephant baby’s head. The child was alive.
The elephant-headed boy ran towards his dear mother and cried on her bosom.
Umaa was angry; she glared at
her husband. ‘A beautiful child made grotesque like this; her child would be
ridiculed everywhere’. Shiva understood her agony. He remembered Naaraayana.
Vishnu arrived there instantly with his son Brahma. Shiva told him that this
elephant-headed child would be worshipped in all the three worlds as the First
God. He proclaimed that no worship will bestow the appropriate results without
offering the first worship to this child. He gifted Supreme Powers to the child
and vanished.
The dear child of hers ran
away happily towards the garden to play.
Umaa slowly came out of her
depressed state.
She suddenly remembered Shiva.
She looked here and there for
him.
She searched the entire
garden belonging to the mansion.
No! Shiva was not there! He
was gone!
The whole world looked empty
to her.
Umaa collapsed on the ground
crying.
Her cries of agony echoed
everywhere in the heavenly garden.
Umaa felt lost as if in a
forlorn desert!
Kumara
heard about the visit of his father! He regretted missing his visit. He had so
much to confide in his father. He needed a shoulder to cry. His wives were a
constant agony to him. Their ignorance pricked him like thorns. He looked at
the direction where his father had disappeared.
His eyes were wet!
MahaaLakshmi performed penance on Devi and returned to her ‘Source Essence’! From
GoLoka, Raadhika Rani arrived to meet Naaraayana at his command. Vishnu
requested her to take the post of his wife in Vaikunta. Radhaa was shocked. Her
Kaanha can’t be this robust crowned God lolling on a huge snake bed.
She fell at his feet and
confessed her inability to become his wife. She was absorbed into his Self at
her request. Vishnu closed his eyes in sheer frustration.
DAAKSHAAYINI
ENTERED FIRE; DAAKSHAAYINI CAME OUT OF SHIVA!
Devi
appeared before Shiva! Shiva opened his eyes reluctantly.
He never wanted to see this
world where his Daakshaa was dead.
He would rather remain
forever absorbed in his Higher Self than wake up from his penance!
Daakshaa was standing in
front of him! Yes, his Daakshaa!
Was she real? He wondered!
There was no time for him to
think.
Daakshaa fell on his lap like
a bundle of flowers.
Her lips cooled his dried up
body.
Her hands tightened on his
neck like a snake.
Her laughter echoed all over
his heart breaking his dispassion into crumbs.
Shiva lost his control.
The lovers had met after a
long time.
Time stood still in their blissful
reunion. Eternity passed for them.
Daakshaa requested him for a
child.
A very very beautiful child
and a very very naughty child! Female child!
Shiva obliged. Even if she
had asked him for his own head he would have willingly offered it to his dearest
Daakshaa! But, she wanted only a child!
Will she also desert him for
the sake of the child? He felt slightly anxious.
Whatever, he couldn’t refuse
her anything.
With all the goodness in his
essence and the complete essence of the beauty of Daakshaa, he created a child
of unparalleled beauty and goodness.
The child was red in hue! It
shone like a red gem!
Daakshaa named her Taijasaa,
daughter of TEJAA, the Power- part of Devi!
Tejaa is the essence of
Daakshaayini in Devi!
To Shiva’s surprise
Daakshaayini requested him to give off the child to Umaa.
She asked him to reside in
Kailaasa as a father to his children.
She promised him that she
will come out anytime from the Supreme Devi whenever he remembered her.
Shiva agreed! He had nothing
to lose!
He treaded towards his abode
of Kailaasa with the little red beauty laughing gleefully in his arms.
He looked at the child.
She was hanging on to his
matted locks on one hand and with the other hand was squeezing the neck of the
snake which was around his neck.
A scintillating aroma rose
out of her body.
A beautiful green shining
light covered her body like a garment.
Her black locks flew in the
wind like little clouds.
Her affectionate looks even
melted the stony heart of her father.
He embraced her to his bosom
and showered kisses on her person.
He for the first time in his
eternal life understood the pleasure of being a father.
The child closed her tired
eyes in the secure arms of her father.
Her one hand held on to his
locks. The other hand held tightly the crescent moon like a toy to the great
relief of the snake on Shiva’s neck. The snake left his place on Shiva’s neck
and hid himself inside the forest-like locks of his Master. Taijasaa’s arrival
had brought a new problem to the poor serpent. He knew that in the future his only
mission in life would be to escape the tiny hands of this red menace and hide
somewhere. Gone were the restful days of penance both for the ‘Master and his
garland’ alike!
Umaa was surprised at the
sudden rush of good events in her life.
Shiva had returned to live
with her. He had offered a baby of his own essence for her company.
Though he still remained
aloof, Umaa was happy just to be a mother to such a darling child.
After all the tearful days of the
Great Gods, a red rainbow appeared predicting smiles to everybody. The child
became the darling of her uncle Naaraayana! His lonely heart soon forgot his
past blunders and became devoted to her entirely. He already decided that she
should be his eternal partner in his eternal life. He just had to wait till Shiva
decided to change the child-form of Taijasaa to a youthful person! To play with
her, Kumara changed his form to that of a young boy. Umaa found out about his
ill-suited wives and sent them away to perform penance and get absorbed in
DEVI. Kumara was also fascinated by the
ever-charming playfulness of his sister Taijasaa and became cheerful in the
role of her elder brother. The three worlds rocked in the playful pranks of the
two little darlings of Umaa! Laughter resounded everywhere. All the Gods were always
alert now lest the little red menace do something to them. Naaraayana was so
fascinated by her pranks that he borrowed the concepts of naughtiness from her
when he descended down to Earth as Krishna and
tried to play the same pranks there. Taijasaa was here, there everywhere - all
over the heavens. She was so fast in her movements that only Lord Bhairava, the
giant God had the strength to hold her quite.
Naaraayana kept her close to
him tempting her with countless toys and magical worlds he produced just for
her sake. Umaa used all her imaginations to dress up her daughter in glamorous
heavenly garments. Shiva spent his time just watching her innumerable games. He
was kept busy by her incessant questions and had to be ready with answers
always. The whole Deva Loka reddened with her presence!
Umaa asked the good giant lord
Bhairava to take care of the baby and protect her against all dangers.
Bhairava’s giant heart also stirred in passion at the touch of the tender hands
of the little red girl. He also waited for permission from Umaa to make this
darling child as his spouse.
Taijasaa soon blossomed into
a charming young beauty. She was the envy of all heavenly nymphs. But she was
so innocent and guileless that even they fell in love with her and learnt some
goodness lessons from her. Though the two Great Gods Naaraayana and Bhairava
were madly in love with her, Taijasaa had no such thoughts. Her world was
filled with her mother. She had no eyes for anyone except her mother. Every
moment her lips called out to her mother and she could never be dragged away
from her mother for long. Umaa was so attached to her that even the question of
her daughter’s marriage with any one was out of question.
Vishnu met Shiva in private
and asked him for the hand of his daughter. Shiva who understood the
unblemished love of Vishnu for his daughter agreed.
Bhairava approached Umaa and
confided his love for her daughter. Umaa was thoughtful. But she knew Bhairava
adored her and would never take away her daughter from her. She promised to
fulfill his wish.
But when Shiva called Umaa and
announced that Naaraayana would be the suitable spouse for Taijasaa, Umaa was in a dilemma. If she
expressed her own opinion about Bhairava, Shiva might feel offended and walk
out of Kailaasa once again. Though he never acted her husband, he was at least a
name-sake husband of the Queen! She did not want to lose him the third time.
She prayed to Devi!
Shiva was sitting on his
favorite rock in the mountain. Taijasaa was jumping on and out of his lap
chasing the poor serpent of his. A child in a youthful body! Shiva watched her
affectionately.
He thought of his Daakshaa!
Daakshaa stepped out of his mind. She took the darling girl in her arms and
showered kisses on the red face. The Divine Mother tightly embraced the pretty
girl. When she removed her arms, there were two Taijasaas standing in front of
Shiva. One was the same old bubbling naughty innocent playful Taijasaa. The
other had a more mature look with the third eye of Knowledge adorning her
fore-head. A female Shiva with three eyes with all the knowledge embodied in
her youthful form. A typical daughter of Shiva! She had not the passionate love
for her mother. Instead her face was colored by the thought of her Lord
Naaraayana!
She looked like a garden of
red lotuses.
Shiva called her nearby and
kissed her on her fore-head.
He named her ‘Padmaavati’,
‘the lotus form’ and blessed her.
He offered her hand to his
sincere devotee Naaraayana, to share all his responsibilities in future.
He ordained that they both
will henceforward be the Supreme Gods ruling all the three worlds;
They both will be kind and
compassionate to all their subjects and rule the worlds with Supreme Knowledge
as their support.
Vishnu returned to his abode
with his long-coveted treasure. His arms tightly held his beloved to his bosom.
His bluish hue reflected on Padmaa’s red hue and a new color arose filling
Vaikunta with a bluish red glow. His milk-ocean was now empty of the giant
ferocious Aadi Shesha! Instead a beautiful giant fragrant golden lotus awaited
the young lovers beckoning them to enter it. As they stepped inside it, the
huge petals closed over them. Laughter resounded from inside the closed lotus.
The milky waves rocked the lotus like a cradle.
The lovers were everywhere in
Vaikunta. A million forms of Vishnu filled the magical gardens of Vaikunta!
Countless Padmaavatis embraced him everywhere. Their love and passion could not
subside with just one single form of theirs. They had to make love in countless
forms. And for Vishnu, it was a child’s play.
He chased the red beauty as
she disappeared behind a bush. He also disappeared. Laughter of the lovers
echoed all over Vaikunta. Vaikunta was filled with a reddish hue! The flute
came alive again!
Shiva took the fun-loving,
child-like Taijasaa to Umaa and left her there. Umaa hesitantly expressed her
wish to offer her daughter’s hand to Bhairava. Shiva did not object. Umaa
revealed the news to Bhairava. Bhairava’s joy knew no bounds. He fell at Umaa’s
feet and showered her lotus feet with joyous tears. A ferocious giant with
terrifying form was the cherished handsome figure in the heart of little
Taijasaa. Both adorers of the Queen were united together in the presence of
Shiva.
Bhairava was Aadi Shesha. He
had taken the role of the brother of Naaraayana whenever Vishnu descended down
to Earth. He was actually a twin form of Naaraayana created by Shiva to guard
the heavens. He was a great adorer of the Queen and was ready to serve any
slightest bidding of hers. He had no intention of separating the daughter from
her mother. He was satisfied to just look at them at play and feel happy just
being in their presence. Umaa was happy at last. Her daughter would never leave
her and go away.
She
rolled on the garden grass with her child-daughter like a child herself. Their
laughter resounded in the Gandha-maadana gardens. Bhairava
watched their play
from his garden seat with an adoring look. He waited patiently. He knew soon
Umaa would realize his plight and vanish from there. Taijasaa would rush to his
side like a mad calf removed from the mother cow. But his arms were strong. The
crying face would soon be laughing as he recited his poems. The trembling lips
will be closed in his passionate kisses. They both would disappear in a magical
world created by him. He would make love to this child, without even her
knowledge. Such a child-heart! Would he corrupt it with the knowledge of
passion? He loved her as a child only and will take care of her as a child
only.
His
dear dear 'KANNAMMAA'! The two names of his adored divinities- Kanna [Krishna] and Amma [Mother] as the single form of his 'Kannammaa'! His
life; his breath; his very existence was his Kannamma! Bhairava smiled with
satisfaction looking at his little Kannamma playing on the laps of his Amma!
His joy broke out as poems and he sang joyously in his thunder -like voice!
Kannamma glanced at him from the tightly enclosed arms of her mother and smiled
at him approvingly!
Shiva called for an assembly
of Gods. He called Kumara to his side.
He kissed him on the
fore-head affectionately.
He seated him on his lap and
whispered something in his ears.
Kumara’s face glowed with the
Divine Knowledge!
Shiva had given off all his
knowledge to him with a whisper.
Kumara came out of his father’s
side glowing like another Shiva.
His forehead shone with the
third eye of Knowledge!
Shiva crowned him as the
Supreme Brahma of the three worlds.
He called Satyaa to come near
him.
Naaraayana addressed her as
his daughter and embraced her.
Padmaavati kissed her cheeks
affectionately.
Satyaa smiled shyly and her
hue turned blue like her father.
Naaraayana named her KAANHAVI
and blessed her.
He called Kumara to his side
and offered the hand of his daughter to Kumara.
Kumara drenched his new
father’s feet with tears.
He would never be bereft of a
father’s love from now on.
Naaraayana would always be
there to guide him with paternal affection.
All the Gods showered Kumara
and his spouse with divine flowers.
The previous Brahma was
advised by Shiva to perform penance and attain the highest knowledge of Devi!
The old Brahma relieved of his burden of duties retired to forests. Shiva
ordained that no more will humans or Gods aspire for the post of Brahma. Shiva
also proclaimed that there would be only one Brahma as the ‘Supreme Creator’
and that would be Kumara with his ‘all-knowing’ Satyaa as his spouse!
Kumara entered Satya Loka
with his beloved bride!
The Doors of Light closed behind them.
As Kumara’s hands dexterously
played the Veena,
his beautiful blue hued bride danced with her anklets
resounding in the whole of Satya Loka!
Soon the sounds of anklets stopped;
Kaanhavi never knew when she replaced the Veenaa on Kumara’s lap!
The peacocks in the garden
took the cue and danced in glee.
The cuckoos sang in chorus.
SatyaLoka was not only the
abode of Knowledge now, but a garden of love!
Two love birds - one golden
in hue and another a blue nightingale,
flew together enlightening every corner
of that beautiful garden!
THE
CHINTAMANI PALACE OF DEVI!
The
shining and colorful palace of the Supreme Divinity,
created out of
extraordinary Gems of million hues was situated on the Mani-Dweepa,
the island of Gems.
The
golden swing was rocking gently.
A
gentle breeze filled the palace with a unique intoxicating fragrance.
The
Supreme lovers were lost in each other.
Shiva
was laughing like a child.
His head rested on Daakshaa’s lap.
No one knew about
this secret abode of His.
All
his children, even his Queen Umaa thought that
he was in penance in some impenetrable
mountain caves.
It
was his private abode created by Devi especially for him.
She
attired the form of Daakshaa and acted his beloved always.
She
never left his presence and was ready to do every smallest bidding of his.
Every
moment was blissful eternity for both of them.
Shivaa smiled.
Daakshaa’s laughter echoed over all
creations.
Nobody heard it except Shiva.
Shiva smiled.
May be Vishnu could hear it too.
But he never bothered!
He was too absorbed seriously in
painting a Tilak on Padmaa’s forehead
and covering up her third eye !
Who wants knowledge when love is in
abundance!
Padmaa smiled.
A lotus bloomed suddenly and the bee was
entrapped in its lovely petals!
