Devas vs Asuras

Very often, we find that we are helpless against our own inner difficulties, our own inner urges, passions, or reactions. We find that these enemies have entered our heart, which at the moment is ruled by the demons.

Who are the demons ? They are subsequently mentioned to be kāma (lust), krodha(anger), lobha (miserliness), moha (delusion), mada (pride or arrogance) and mātsarya (jealousy). Thus, the demons of lust, anger, jealousy, pride, arrogance, resentment etc. are ruling my heart and there is no room for God. The devatās that inhabit my heart have disappeared.

We read in the purāṇas, stories of constant struggles between the devas and the asuras in which the asuras often win the battle and the devas are driven away from the heavens. The poor devas then go to the Lord seeking his intervention. The Lord comes to their help, the asuras are driven back and the devas regain the kingdom of heavens. My heart is comparable to the heavens, and should be really be inhabited by the devas, but what do I find ?

It is conquered by these demons instead, and unfortunately, I cannot do anything about it. I just can’t help it. All these reactions and passions take hold of me, and I find myself helpless. When there is helplessness, there is prayer. It is said that when there is prayer, the Lord definitely comes and saves you.

~ Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati

NAMASTE ASTU BHAGAVAN

Namaste astu bhagavan viśveśvarāya mahādevāya tryambakāya tripurāntakāya trikālāgnikālāya kālāgnirudrāya nīlakaṇṭhāya mṛtyuñjayāya sarveśvarāya sadāśivāya śrīmanmahādevāya namaḥ

Meaning :

Oh Lord, may this salutation be unto you who is the Lord of the universe, limitless and effulgent, all-knowing, the one who projects, sustains and takes back this universe, the one who is timeless and also the destroyer of time, all-pervasive, the conqueror of death, the Lord of all, and the ever auspicious one who is always a blessing.

Explanation :

This is a beautiful mantra. It is very good, especially for prāyaścita, and can be chanted when one feels guilty for one’s omissions and commissions.

Namaḥ, namaskār. Te, to you, astu, be. Bhagavan, Oh Lord! My namaskār unto you Oh Lord!

Namaḥ astu viśveśvarāya. You have to repeat namaḥ astu with each name. Viśveśvarāya. Īśvara, the Lord of the entire viśva, the entire jagat, the world. My namaskār unto the Lord of the entire world.

Mahādevāya, unto the one who is mahān, limitless and a deva, effulgent.

Tryambakāya, unto the one who has three eyes. He knows the past, the present, and the future. He is all-knowing.

Tripurāntakāya, unto the one who is antaka, the one who brings an end of Tripura, the three puras, cities or worlds, bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and suvaḥ. Tripurāntakāya is the one who takes all the three worlds unto himself.

Trikālāgni-kālāya, unto the one who devours the three kālās, or time, which consists of the past, present and future. Kāla eva agniḥ kālāgniḥ. Agni means fire. Kālāgni, time, is such that, like fire, it distorts and devours everything, and the Lord devours time itself. In other words, he is timeless, being the creator, the sustainer, and the destroyer of time.

Kālāgnirudrāya. He is the kāla-agni-rūpeṇa rudraḥ, the one who in the form of the kāla-agni, time, makes everybody weep, or in other words, he is the chastiser, the giver of the fruits of action, karmaphaladātā.

Nīlakaṇṭhāya, unto the one who is all-pervasive and manifest in the form of the jagat, whose kaṇṭha or neck is the blue sky. This is a beautiful vision of the whole jagat as a manifestation of Īśvara, with the blue sky being Bhagavan’s neck.

Mṛtyuñjayāya, unto the overlord of mṛtyu, death. The Lord of Death thought that he was the greatest, until he was made to realize that Īśvara was supreme. There are many interesting stories about this. The story of Mārkaṇḍeya is based upon this aspect of Īśvara.

Sarveśvarāya, unto the Lord of all the worlds, bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and suvaḥ. He is the Lord of all beings, including the various devatās, deities.

Sadāśivāya, unto the one who, despite being the Lord of everything, is himself untouched by anything. The entire jagat is his manifestation, sustained by him and absorbed back unto him, but who is he ? He is sadāśivā, of the nature of pure ānandā, the limitless Consciousness.

Śrīmanmahādevāya namaḥ, my namaskār unto the one who is śrīman mahādeva. Śrīman is śrimat, which means śrimān, one who is a blessing. In reciting this verse, we invoke the Lord in the form of śriman mahādeva and seek his blessing.

~ Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati

MAHA MRTYUNJAYA MANTRA

Oṁ tryambakaṁ yajāmahe sugandhiṁ puṣṭivardhanam
Urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyormukṣīya mā 'mṛtāt

Meaning :

We worship the fragrant, three-eyed Lord Siva who nourishes us. May He liberate us from the bondage of death like the urvāruka fruit (which separates effortlessly from the vine). May He not let us turn away from immortality!

Explanation :

This mantra is taken from the Sri Rudram, which is a hymn on Lord Śiva. It is also called mṛtyuñjaya-mantra, meaning, it invokes the grace of Lord Śiva for conquering death .

This verse contains a beautiful metaphor. The urvāruka fruit is a melon which grows on the ground attached to a vine. It takes its time to ripen. When fully ripe, it does not have to be plucked. It detaches itself from effortlessly, remaining where it is, but free from the vine.

Amṛta is total freedom from the sense of all inadequacy and limitation. An essential requirement in gaining amṛta is emotional maturity, which is gained by the process of inner growth, by living a life of values and prayer. This maturing of the mind is likened to the ripening of the fruit.

There is another important aspect in this example. Freedom being the essential nature of the self, the mature mind does not have to seek outside itself to gain this freedom. When a mature mind is exposed to the teaching, it effortlessly comes to recognize that freedom. That is the gain of that which already has been gained. Thus, this is a prayer of mumukṣu, a person who has desires that total freedom and who makes it his main pursuit in life.

It is also a mantra which is traditionally chanted by family and friends for a person who is ill and approaching death. This prayer should be learned and recited using the three svaras, tones that are used in Vedic chanting.

NAVARATRI (Part 2)

In the following three days , Goddess Lakṣmī is invoked . She represents all forms of wealth . The pursuit of wealth is associated with the rajas guṇa - an active personality with ambition, passion , perseverance , motivation and etc.

As long as one's worldly desires are not fulfilled , one tends to inhibit himself from pursuing the śāstras (scriptures) . Only after getting exhausted in the pursuit, one gains the maturity to come to śāstras.

The Vedas encourage the pursuit of wealth and validate them as puruṣārthas - as artha (material desires) and kama (emotional desires) . Even emotional desires are a wealth . A lot of people own luxurious houses but lack the prosperity of a family .

Lakṣmī Maa is the bestower of wealth. As Dhana Lakṣmī , she provides us gold , coins and currency . As Dhanya Lakṣmī , she nourishes us with food and grains . As Santāna Lakṣmī , she blesses our generations to grow by bestowing children .

The abundance of worldly wealth is futile without inner wealth . Lakṣmī Maa provides inner wealth (good virtues) as well . As Vidya Lakṣmī , she gives us knowledge to lead a life of dharma . As Dhairya Lakṣmī , she cultivates courage and perseverance to overcome obstacles . As Vijaya Lakṣmī , she guides to be victorious over our inner enemies - kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, mātsarya .

May Lakṣmī Maa grace our lives with all forms of wealth !

Om mahā devyais ca vidmahe ,
Viṣṇu patnyais ca dhimahe ,
Tanno lakṣmī prachodayāt ||

NAVARĀTRI (Part 1)

During Navarātri , the three incarnations of Goddess Shakti are invoked - Durgā , Lakśmi and Sarasvatī . Each form represents the growth from or towards a particular guṇa (personality) .

According to the purāṇas , Navarātri signifies the destruction of the demon Mahishasura . The demon Mahishasura is portrayed as having a buffalo head . The buffalo is a symbol of tamo guṇa - a lethargic personality .

A lethargic person dulls his mind and senses by indulging in unrighteous activities such as gossiping , gambling , and even crime . His entire life is a chaotic one . Such a person requires external help to relieve him from the disorder . That help comes in the form of Maa Durgā .

Goddess Durgā is depicted with many hands wielding various weapons . The weapons represent the diverse resources that are available to guide oneself to grow out of his tamo guna . Living really starts from this liberation .

May Maa Durgā destroy the Mahishasura that dwells within us !

Om katyayanaya vidmahe ,
Kanya kumari dhimahe ,
Tanno durgai prachodayāt ||

Gurupurnima 2017

GĀYATRĪ MANTRA

GĀYATRĪ MANTRA

The Gāyatrī-mantra is a Vedic mantra originating from the Rg Veda . In fact , the mantra is exalted as the essence of the Veda . In this mantra , Īśvara is invoked in the form of Savitā (the sun deity) .

Thus , the Gāyatrī-mantra is chanted during the Sandhyāvandana period – dawn , noon and dusk . Furthermore , the mantra is not recommended to be chanted at night . The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad mandates that the Gāyatrī-mantra must only be chanted in the gāyatrī-meter , in which the 24 syllables are divided into three parts with eight syllables each .

Here is the mantra and the meaning :

Oṃ bhūrbhuvassuvaḥ , tat saviturvareṇyam

bhargo devasya dhīmahi , dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt

“ Om , is the basis of everything . The Lord is the one who is the most worshipful . We meditate on that all-knowing Lord in the form of the sun’s effulgence . May that effulgent One illumine and set our intellects in the right direction . ”

The Gāyatrī-mantra is glorified in various Vedic scriptures . For instance , the Chāndogya Upaniṣad aptly praises the mantra as “gāyati ca trāyate ca” , meaning “it sings and protects” . Chanting the Gāyatrī-mantra itself protects the devotee because it is a prayer . Upon learning and assimilating the meaning of the mantra , it protects oneself from sorrow and limitations by bestowing self-knowledge .

The Gāyatrī-mantra expounds the nature of Īśvara as limitless awareness by equating the Lord with the sun’s limitless effulgence . As such , if the Lord is limitless , everything is the Lord , including oneself . Thus , the Gāyatrī-mantra is a mahāvākya – a statement that reveals the identity of the individual as non-separate from Īśvara . In the Bhagavad Gītā (10.35) , Lord Kṛṣṇa identifies Himself as gāyatrī in the Bhagavad Gītā (10.35) when the Lord says , “gāyatrī chandasām aham ” – “among the meters , I am gāyatrī ”

The Vedic vision is unique . The śāstra reveals that Īśvara , the creation and oneself are not separated . All that is here is only Īśvara . Om Tat Sat .

SRI RAMA NAVAMI

Śrī Rāma is the eighth incarnation (avatāra) of Lord Vishnu . In Rāma avatāra , Bhagavān is presented as Maryāda Purusottama , the embodiment of dharma .

It is believed that Sage Valmiki once inquired to the great Sage Narada whether a good , powerful man establishing his life in dharma ever lived on Earth . Sage Narada revealed that it was Rāma and thus , Valmiki began composing the Ramayana .

Śrī Rāma was born out of the putrakameshti ritual as the eldest son of King Dasaratha and Queen Kausalya . Rāma lived an exemplary life of dharma , even when tested during the toughest times . The rule of Rāma or Rāma Rajya was an ideal governance that lasted for 11,000 years . Even today , a country ruled with proper conduct is glorified as Rāma Rajya .

Rāma was an ideal superhero . He was a valiant warrior and a romantic lover when in company of Sita Devi . Despite being endowed with extraordinary archery and killing demons like Tataka , Kabandha and Ravana , Rāma maintained his humility . With his strength , Rāma won Sita's love by breaking the divine Shiva Dhanush in the svayamwara . Bhagavān glorifies Rama's incomparable strength in the Gītā in the following verse :

"I am (to be meditated upon as) Śrī Rāma among all those who wield weapons" (10.31)

Śrī Rāma Navami signifies the birthday of Lord Rāma . On this day , devotees fervently chant the Śrī Rāma Naama and the stories of Śrī Rāma are narrated to the children . In the Viṣnu Sahasranāma , Lord Śiva reveals to Goddess Parvati :

Śrī rāma rāma rāmeti rame rāme manorame,
Sahasranāma tattulyam rāma nāma varānane

“ Chanting the name of Śrī Rāma alone suffice to attain the benefits of the chanting the 1000 names of Lord Viṣnu ”

May the blessings of Śrī Rāma , the pride of Dasaratha , the lord of Sita , be ever in our favor . Om Śrī Rāmaya Namaha .

Four Types of Devotees

Caturvidhah bhajante mam janah sukrtinah, the people, given to good actions who worship me are four-fold (BG 7-16). Among those sukrtinah, who recognize and worship Isvara, there are four types. Caturvidhah. Vidhah means variety so there are four varieties of devotees. All of them have sufficient recognition of Isvara to be devotees but among them there is a gradation. The degree of recognition, their attitude, approach, prayers, etc., all determine the four types. And they are, he says, artah, jijnasuh, artharthi, jnani.

Artaha :
Arti means any sorrow or grief. Sadness, distress, discomfort, trouble are all called Arti. Artaha is one who is seized by a distress, caused by a thief, tiger, or disease. Tigers were common in those days when India was full of forests, so Sri Shankara commonly uses the tiger as an example. When a person is seized by some distress, whom he will call as a last resort? If he has some punya karma, there is Ishvara in his life and he will call upon Him. But only when he is in distress. Till then he does not think of Him. But at least during that spell of distress he does think of Him – because he does not see anyone else who can help him. This kind of devotee is called artaha, a devotee in distress.
 
Artharthi :

Artha means what is desired. In this context it means wealth and things similar to it – power, progeny and so on. One wants all these and to get them, the artharthi invokes the grace of Bhagavan. He thinks he cannot live happily without these things and so he makes use of various means to get them. He uses local influence, money etc. – plus Bhagavan, because he recognizes that there is always a factor over which he has no control. As a devotee, he is mature enough to recognize the chance element. That he recognizes as daivam. And there is no way of having any control over it without some grace. So whenever he wants to accomplish something, he invokes the grace of Isvara to control certain factors that he cannot control or even know. He will perform rituals in order to invoke Isvara's grace to help him gain whatever he wants. This is Kamya-Karma, a karma done with a desire to accomplish a given end within Samsaara. The one who does Kamya-Karma is artharthi. But he is also an arta devotee. When he is in trouble he will, of course, invoke the Lord. An artah, however, is not an artharthi because only in distress can he think of God.
 

Jijnasu :

The third one is jijnasu. The order in the verse arta, jijnasu, artharthi is for the sake of meter. But in order of their understanding arta and artharthi are one group, Jijnasu and jnani, another. Jijnasu is the one who desires to know. What does he wants to know? That is also important because even the one who does wrong actions, duskrtinah, wants to know a lot of things – like how to open locks. But here, the subject matter is Isvara , the truth of Isvara, bhagavat-tattvam. He is not invoking Isvara’s grace for simple accomplishments. He wants to know the truth of Isvara, the ultimate cause of everything. And this Jijnasu is a great devotee. He does not use Bhagavan as an accomplice for his small little pursuits; he wants to know who is Isvara. As a bhakta he invokes Isvara’s grace for this. He also offers his prayers; he also performs his daily and occasional duties, nitya-naimittika karma. But he does all this to gain a clear mind, antah-karana shuddhi, and the knowledge of Isvara.

Knowledge of Isvara is nothing but knowledge of Atma. Isvara, the cause of everything happens to be the essence, oneself. If Isvara were other than atma he would be anatma, and therefore inert. The only conscious being is atma, and Isvara is not separate from it. This seeming difference between Isvara and the individual is due to upadhi. There is only one reality and that the jijnasu wants to know. He is a devotee because he seeks the help of Isvara and performs prayerful actions to earn this help. But his actions are not for limited ends within samsara, kamya-karmas. The arta and artharthi are kamis because theirs are kamya-karmas. The jijnasu, however, is a karma-yogi so his is a different type of devotion. Because of his extra punya, he has discrimination, viveka, and because of that he is a jijnasu.


Jnani :
And then there is a fourth bhakta. All four recognize me and to the degree they recognize me they are in union with me. The fourth one’s recognition is complete so his identification is total. When you are a jijnasu you necessarily become a jnani, one who knows the truth of Lord Visnu, Paramesvara, as himself. He is a real bhakta.

~ Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati 

Ishvara

Who is Ishvara ?

The Lord is called Ishvara . Ishvara is the one who protects , sustains and the one who is a source of blessing . This Ishvara , who we say is the cause of this scheme of things called jagat , is to be discovered not believed . The world (jagat) is not only put together , but it is intelligently put together . Anything put together intelligently to serve a purpose , is preceded by knowledge . Whatever is intelligently put together is called creation and intelligence can only rest in a conscious being .

This intelligent conscious being , to account for the creation of its world , should have the knowledge of creation and that knowledge should be total knowledge , because we are talking of the total world . The one who has samagram jñānam (total knowledge) and samagram vīryam (total skill) to create is called Bhagavan or Ishvara . Ishvara is both the maker and the material and hence , the jagat is a manifestation of Ishvara . Manifestation means it is not separate from the material . It is an intelligent manifestation .

Lord Vigneshvara

LORD VIGHNESHVARA

ओं शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शसिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् ।
प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥

oṃ śuklāmbaradharaṃ viṣṇuṃ śasivarṇaṃ caturbhujam |
prasannavadanaṃ dhyāyet sarvavighnopaśāntaye ||

"May one meditate on Lord Vighneśvara, who wears a white dress, viṣṇuṃ means who is all pervasive, who is of the color of the moon, who has four arms, who has a pleasant face for the cessation of obstacle ."

This is a prayer we recite at the beginning of any endevour we undertake to invoke the grace of Lord Ganeśa. So the recitation of viṣṇu sahasranāma is begun with this prayer .

Lord Ganesha is also known by many names. Lord Vighneśvara has the dual function of creating as well as removing obstacles. So He is invoked as Vighnarāja, Vighnahara. There may be several obstacles in the endeavours we undertake. As the one who presides over obstacles He is Vighnarāja .  As the one who removes the obstacles He is Vighnahara. But the best way to achieve success is to overcome them by seeking a solution through prayer which is helpful to others and peaceful to the world .

How did Lord Vighneśvara get his name Vighneśvara vighnavināyaka?

There is a reference in Lailatasahasranama .

कामेश्वर मुखालोका कल्पित श्री गणेश्वर I 30
महा गणेश निर्भिन्न विघ्नयंत्र प्रहर्षिता II 31
kāmeśvara mukhālokā kalpita śrī gaṇeśvara I
mahā gaṇeśa nirbhinna vighnayaṃtra praharṣitā II

When there was a war between Godess Lalita and Bhandasura, the celestials could not overpower the asuras as the asura Vishukra had set a jayavighna yantra which would stop all the obstacles that would befall on them .

Goddess Lalita trying to find a solution for this thought that only Lord Ganesha, who was a master of ashtama siddhis would be able to destroy this yantra. So she invited him and asked him to destroy the power of this yantra. Lord Ganesha happily broke the yantra to pieces and Bhandasura was killed. Hence the name Vighneshwara .

As Lord Vighnahara, He is the destroyer of the eight obstacles(rāga, dvesha, kaama, krodha, lobha, moha,mada, maatsarya) and keeps our body and mind alert always . Lord Ganesha is the ruler of all the Ganas, the innumerable helpers who are accountable to maintain the order in the Universe make them protect us hence called Ganesha.

om vighnavināyaka pāda namaste

ŚIVARĀTRI MUSINGS – 3

Lord Śiva is depicted with a third eye on His forehead . This third eye is the eye of wisdom . Therefore , another name for Lord Śiva is Tryambaka meaning the three-eyed one . The puranas narrate many different stories about Lord Śiva’s third eye .

The well-known story would be the one of Kamadeva or Manmatha . After the death of Sati , Lord Śiva entered into a deep meditation . At this time , the asuras grew in power and started terrorizing the three worlds . All the devas sought Brahmaji’s help who in turn told them that Sati has taken rebirth as Goddess Parvati and that the marriage of Lord Śiva and Goddess Parvati alone can remedy the problem . Now , the devas had to make Lord Śiva abandon his meditation to get Him married . So , Kamadeva ( the lord of desires ) was instructed to seduce Lord Śiva out of his meditation . As Kamadeva’s arrow hits Lord Śiva , the Lord opened his third eye and burned Kamadeva into ashes . 

From the Vedic standpoint , Kamadeva represents all forms of desires . From desires , all other problems such as anger , delusion , pride and etc. are born . Burning the desires here refers to discerning of the desires . It is not merely giving up all desires because that defeats the goal of human life . Living is growing from the experiences gained in the process of fulfilling desires . In fact , the Lord himself says -“ I am the desires that conform to dharma .”

Only with knowledge , one can decide which desire is to be pursued and which not to . Therefore , we pray to Lord Śiva to be given wisdom to discern our desires well . Eventually , an individual reduces his worldly desires and his affinity towards the spiritual pursuit increases . It is the sign of a matured person living a meaningful life .

In the Vedic tradition , all forms of worship and spiritual disciplines is meant to bring the individual to acknowledge the divine’s presence in his or her life . Nothing is devoid of the Lord’s grace . As the person ventures further in their journey , he or she comes to appreciate the fact that nothing that is separate from Ishvara , the Lord . All that is here is only Ishvara .

Om Tat Sat .

ŚIVARĀTRI MUSINGS – 2

Lord Śiva is glorified as Mṛtyuñjaya or the conqueror of death . It is said that Lord Yama ( the lord of death ) trembles in fear at the mere mention of Lord Śiva’s name . The story of Markandeya illustrates this . When Markandeya was born , he was fated to die at the age of sixteen . Even his parents lost hope that their son could be saved . Markandeya became an ardent devotee of Lord Śiva and dedicated his entire life to the worship of the Lord . When Markandeya turned sixteen , Lord Yama came to take his life . Markandeya ran to the temple and embraced the śivalinga . Yama’s noose (paasa-kairu) caught both Markandeya and the linga . Lord Śiva furiously emerged from the śivalinga , kicked off Lord Yama and freed Markandeya from death .

Lord Yama or Mṛtyuḥ represents our innate fear . Death is our greatest fear because we do not want to lose things that are dear to us (family , material wealth , etc.) . The whole problem is that we are look at ourselves as lacking and incomplete which creates a sense of insecurity . Thus , we seek security by going after worldly pursuits – dharma , artha and kama .

Lord Śiva is the giver of atma-jñana (self-knowledge) . The Lord removes the ignorance that blindfolds us from the fact that we are already complete . There is nothing to become or search for outside myself . All worldly pleasures are of temporary nature and losing them is inevitable since anything that begins will have to come to an end . So , why grieve and feel sorrow about it ? Understanding this , one grows out of the fear of death and the freedom from this fear is immortality .

The blessings of Lord Śiva as Mṛtyuñjaya is invoked by chanting the Maha Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra . It is a highly efficacious prayer found in the Sri Rudram . Traditionally , the mantra is chanted for longevity and also for those in deathbed or suffering from illness . The mantra is also a prayer of a mumukṣu who seeks the Lord’s grace to become a mature person , able to see the fact that “ I am purnaḥ (complete) . ”

ŚIVARĀTRI MUSINGS – 1

Lord Śiva is called Nīlakaṇṭhā , meaning the one with a blue neck . In the Bhagavata Purana , it is said that in the quest for the nectar of immortality (amrutham) , the devas and asuras made truce and started churning the Milky Ocean . Mount Mandara was used as the rod and the serpent Vasuki as the cord . Unable to tolerate the pressure during churning , the serpent Vasuki spilled out poison . The alarmed devas and asuras ran towards Lord Śiva , pleading for His help . Lord Śiva saved them by consuming the poison and contained it in His neck .

The poison here represents the impurities that the mind picks up . In day-to-day life , one encounters guilt and hurt . Dwelling upon them gives rise to anger and frustration , making the mind impure . An impure mind is not fit for managing one's thoughts and life becomes a total mess . Not only is the individual rendered helpless in dealing with worldly matters , but he or she also becomes unfit for spiritual undertakings .

Therefore , we worship Lord Śiva by chanting His names and glories through which the mind is purified . There is nothing more healing than the Lord’s name . It is a balm for all the daily hurt , for all the aches and pains of life . On Śivarātri night particularly , the chanting of the Sri Rudram , Panchakshara-mantra japa and Maha Mrityunjaya mantra japa are considered highly efficacious . Ultimately , one realises that the Lord alone is one’s saviour from a life of becoming (samsara) .

SHIVARATHRI

A human being is called purusha – meaning one who is purnaḥ ( complete ) . Thus , one should live his life in a manner to discover this fullness . The Vedas mention of the four purushārtha (human goals) – dharma , artha , kāma and moksha . Moksha is the ultimate end and realising the limitations of the first three pursuits , one eventually resorts to the pursuit of moksha .

Moksha is the spiritual goal unique to the Hindu Dharma alone . It is discovering the fact “ I am the whole” . This means I am already a complete person , free from defects and lacking . Our day to day encounters with worldly matters gives the mind a tendency to sway away from the spiritual goal . So , we take vratams (resolves) to withdraw our mind from worldly pursuits and remind ourselves of the spiritual goal . Vratams emphasizes two forms of practices : upavasa (fasting) and śravanam (listening to the scriptures) . Śivarātri is an ideal occasion for taking up both the forms of vratam .

On this night , it is said that Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu were both arguing on who is superior . To resolve the dispute , they went to Lord Śiva who then said the one who can find Lord Śiva’s limits is the superior one . Brahma took the form of a Hamsa (swan) and ascended upwards searching for the Lord’s head while Vishnu took the form of a Varaha (boar) and went into the earth to find the Lord’s feet . Both eventually failed and Lord Śiva appears in the form of a jyotirlinga before them .
In the Vedic tradition , Lord Śiva is the presiding deity of destruction . Lord Śiva destroys ignorance (ajñana) which is the cause of bondage by giving atma-jñana (self-knowledge) . The word “Śiva” itself means “ the auspicious one” . From the standpoint of Vedanta , bondage is deemed as inauspicious because it gives rise to sorrow , pain and sufferings to the individual . In life , letting go is always the toughest part because one sees himself as lacking or incomplete when he lets go of things that are dear to him . In reality , a human being is already complete and all he needs is to see this fact .

The form of Lord Śiva beautifully unfolds the true nature of oneself . Lord Śiva is depicted as wearing garland of snakes and skulls , dancing in the crematorium and etc. which are considered as impure and inauspicious . In spite of all these inauspiciousness , Lord Śiva remains ever-pure and auspicious , untainted by the inauspiciousness that surround Him . This is the nature of the ātmā (Self) which in spite of all the bondage imposed on the individual , the ātmā (Self) is ever-pure and auspicious , free from any associations . This is the truth that the Vedas expound . On Śivarātri , we worship Lord Śiva , seeking His grace to bless and guide us to see this fact .

Traditionally , spiritual seekers observe fasting and keep vigil all night during Śivarātri , chanting the pancaksara-manta , “ Om Namah Shivaya ” with great fervour . In Śiva temples , abhiṣeka is offered to the śivalinga during each yāma( three hour period ) of the night and arcana is performed using bilva leaves . Maha-Mrityunjaya mantra japa and chanting of the Sri Rudram are highly efficacious on this day . Religious satsangs and puranic stories of Lord Śiva are narrated on this day . Since Lord Śiva is also yogaswami ( Lord of Renunciation ) , gurus give sannyāsa-dīkṣā to committed spiritual seekers .

As Sri Śankara says , “ Don’t postpone . We grow older daily yet we are still waiting to begin the spiritual pursuit as though we are going to live for a hundred years . Start now .”

Hara Hara Mahadeva !

Vedic Marriage - A Friendship Pledge

Vivāha or marriage is a significant saṃskāra in an individual’s life . It marks the transition of an individual from the brahmacāri stage to Gṛhasta stage . In the Vedic view , marriage itself is not the end , but a means to the end – personal growth and freedom (mokṣa) . In the Vedic tradition , there are many types of marriage or vivāha . We have the gandharva-vivāha in which mutual consent alone without any elaborate wedding ceremony or rituals suffice for the union  of the couple . For example , the marriage between King Dushyanta and Shakuntala . However , the most common and elaborate wedding in the Vedic tradition is the vaidika-vivāha or brahma-vivāha . 

Many rituals are involved in the vaidika-vivāha . Firstly , a nāndī- śrādha is done to seek the blessings of the ancestors . Next , a dāyādi-homa is performed to invoke the blessings of all devatās . Therefore , the devatās together with agni (fire) , the audience present and the individual’s very own heart , mind and ātmā becomes sākṣi (witness) of the sacred bond .  The highlight is definitely the māṅgalya-dhāraṇam (tying of the māṅgala-sūtra or thaali) but it is not the final ritual .  The most important of all the rituals is the saptapadī (the taking of the seven steps ) without which , the marriage is incomplete . 

The first step in the saptapadī is for material wealth (artha) . The second step is for health and strength . The third step is towards all kinds of wealth , including inner wealth to lead a dharmic life . The fourth step is towards mutual happiness , the fifth , towards the welfare of the families and the sixth , towards prosperity in all seasons . Finally , the seventh step is towards happiness born of wisdom (mokṣa) . Every step taken in the saptapadī is accompanied by a prayer – “ May the all-pervasive Lord Vishnu , the sustainer of everything , lead us as we take this step .”

Concluding the vivāha is sakhya-homa . In this final ritual , the bridegroom chants a mantra telling the bride that he is the sāma and she is the ṛk , meaning that he is the lyric and she is the music , he is the earth and she is the heaven , etc. Here , the couple also does the hṛdaya-sparśa ( touching of the hearts ) in which both declare , “ I give my heart to you . May your mind work in consonance with mine .” This is a pledge by both of them pledge to be supportive of each other at all times . They also declare neither is superior or inferior in this relationship . In a Hindu marriage , the man is typically older to the women and the respect given to the male is on this basis alone . Mutual friendship alone is the essence of Vedic marriage . 

In the Vedic culture , the patnī (wife) qualifies the man for performing certain Vedic rituals . The Vedas say , “patnīva tasya agnihotraṃ bhavati” – one who has a wife alone performs the agnihotra-karma . In fact , the mere glance of the wife is said to purify the oblations offered in a ritual . After marriage , the husband wears a second yajñopavitā ( sacred thread ) signifying his wife’s partaking in the rituals he performs and the results of the rituals . 

Thus , vivāha is not meant merely for intimacy . It is a sacred commitment the couple undertakes to discover the fullness of their life . Just like two separate rivers come together and merge in the same ocean , two separate individuals are united by vivāha as they step together into the path of inner growth and eternal bliss .

Fate and Prayer

CAN PRAYER CHANGE MY FATE ?

“ What can I do , it is my fate ” . It is not uncommon to hear people bemoan their fate . Many people believe we are destined to meet our fate but still seek a way out . One of the questions often asked is whether fate can be changed by prayer . This is an eternally debated question . Some argue for and some against . Interestingly , both groups claim scriptural support .

Those who believe fate cannot be changed quote a well known Sanskrit sloka that says whatever is written on one’s forehead cannot be changed by even Vishnu , Shiva , Brahma or any other God . If suffering is our fate , we are destined to suffer . Even if we are able to escape suffering now by some means or the other , we will have to face it later . Even though fate is unavoidable , this group believes in the efficacy of prayer . The question arises – if fate is inevitable , why pray ? Prayer is not meant to change fate but to give strength to face adverse circumstances or situations in life if that be our fate .

The second group believes fate can be changed by prayer and cite any number of Puranic stories . Even the worst fate of death can be changed by the Lord . The story of Markandeya is well known . This devotee of the Lord who was given a life of only sixteen years but at the end of the allotted time span , Lord Shiva appeared and saved Markandeya from Yama . Markandeya went on to live to ripe old age . This great devotee composed a prayer on Shiva titled Chandrasekhara Ashtakam that says , “ what can Lord Yama do ?…Lord Shiva destroys all fate . I myself am the example . ” The story of Satyavan and Savitri is another example .

Which group is correct ? Can vidhi or fate can be changed by prayer or not ? This question has a unique answer . Both groups are correct . Naturally the question arises – How can both groups be correct ? If one is right , the other has to be wrong . The problem arises because we use the word ‘fate’ loosely , giving it many meanings . Fate can be defined as karma-phalam (result) of one’s actions in the past and present . Fate is not something written on our forehead by Brahmaji according to His whims and fancies . If so , the Lord will be partial .

Fate can be broadly classified into two categories : durbala vidhi ( weak karma-phalam ) and prabala vidhi ( strong karma-phalam ) . When the issue ‘ Can fate be changed by prayer ’ is raised , we must first clarify what type of fate is meant – durbala or prabala . Durbala vidhi can be weakened or even totally eradicated by prayer while prabala vidhi cannot be changed by prayer . However , prayer will give us the strength to face adversity .

Therefore , prayer works in twofold manner . Prayer mitigates or destroys durbala vidhi and gives us the strength and immunity to bear prabala vidhi .

~ Swami Paramarthananda Saraswati

Moments with Sri Swamiji - 2

Q : Swamiji , what does it mean to be free from attachment and worldly desires ?

A : There are two types of desires . One is binding desire and the other is non-binding desire . Binding desires are desires whereby having fulfilled them , they come back again in another form . Non-binding desires are desires that help you to grow out of your sense of limitation .

For example , one person requests a brand new mobile phone to appear trendy and stylish . Another person requests a scientific calculator for his exam . Eventually , the person who bought the mobile phone will continue to desire to for a better model every time it is available . He does not want to be looked as outdated . The desire to get a mobile phone , here , is a binding desire . Whereas , the person who bought the scientific calculator uses it to pass his exam and further his studies . The scientific calculator did not make him spend more money to buy anything else nor did it disturb in other aspects of his life . So , the desire to get a scientific calculator , in this case , is a non-binding desire .

Freedom from attachment and worldly desires means to grow out of the binding desires that one has . Desire is an embellishment . We need not give up desires but at the same time , do not allow the desires to overpower you . Do not fall into the spell cast by the desires , instead learn to manage them . By learning to manage your desires , you can become a successful person . A good example will be the body-chariot analogy .

The chariot is your body , the horses pulling the chariot are your sensory organs / senses , the charioteer is the intellect (buddhi) and the reign used by the charioteer to whip the horses to move them is your mind . When you are driving , if you allow the mind (reign) to be distracted in unnecessary ways , then your senses (horses) will go haywire and the charioteer (you) will not reach your destination . If you can control your mind , then your senses will be in control and you will reach your destination .

Moments with Sri Swamiji - 1

Q : Swamiji , how is āgama- śastra different from spirituality ?

A : Vedas are the śruti-grantha – the primary source of knowledge revealed by the Lord himself . Smṛti-grantha are born of human origins - written by Āchāryas or Rishīs . All granthas (text) are derived from the Vedas . The Vedas consists of two portions : the first portion is called karma-kanda and the second portion is the jñāna-kanda .

Āgama-śastra is found in the karma-kanda . It deals with temple structure , symbolism and temple worship including various rituals , hymns and etc. Spirituality is the pursuit of self-knowledge which makes an individual see himself as a complete person , non-separate from Ishvara and the creation .
The differences between āgama- śastra and spirituality are :

(1) In āgama- śastra , no vicara (enquiry) is involved . Whatever that is mandated is obeyed . There is no significance in questioning about it . In contrast , spirituality involves vicara . The words of the Upanishads (jñāna-kanda) are to be reflected upon and assimilated as one’s way of life .

(2) The end results of karma-kanda (āgama- śastra) is finite . A specific ritual gives a specific benefit . Since the wishlist of a human is endless , the search is also endless . The basic desire to become free from all wants is not fulfilled in the pursuit of karma-kanda . Whereas , the end result of jñāna-kanda ( spirituality ) is infinite (moksha) . It is the discovery that you are a complete person , a satisfied person free from a life of becoming (samsara) . It is realising that “ I am the total ” . Since the total is infinite , the result is therefore infinite .

If the rituals and worship mentioned in the āgama- śastra are done with the proper attitude , it will help the doer (kartā) gain a composed mind (citta-śuddhi) . Citta- śuddhi prepares one to become a jñāna-yogyata – an eligible person for enquiry .

Daivam - Part 2

MANAGING YOUR DESIRES

Many modern sadhus (saints) , religious leaders , teach : “All the problems in life are due to desires . If there are no desires , there will be no misery . Therefore , remove all your desires and you will be happy .” And some of them also advise , “Don’t expect results of your actions .” But then , why should you do any action ? Not even a fool would act without expecting any result . No one would perform any action without an end in view , a desire , or an expectation . The desire is always for the result , not for the action , per se . Teaching “Perform actions but don’t expect results” creates a complex in people . Even Krishna did not perform any action without expecting a result . When He played His flute , He expected at least some sound , some notes , if not some audience mesmerized with His music . 

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that having desires is a blessing . “ One is endowed with the faith to engage in worshipping ( seeking ) whatever objects he or she desires , and he or she gains those desired objects because they are ordained by Me alone . ”

As a creator , Ishvara has nyaana-sakti ( power to know ) , iccha-sakti (power to will ) and kriya-sakti (power to act ) . Unlike animals , human beings are not totally programmed . Therefore , these saktis are also reflected in the human beings and are active at all times. Imagining , knowing or planning is nyaana-sakti by which I am able to know and understand something . Similarly , iccha-sakti is the reason I am able to desire . In every desire , Ishvara is manifest . Thus , removal of desires is neither possible nor necessary . That I desire is not a problem . This desire becomes a problem when you come under its spell . Therefore ,  Lord Krishna says , “ tayoh na vasam agacchet tau hi asya paripanthinau ” , menaing , “ do not come under their spell , they are inimical for you . ” If these desires become the masters , and you are under their spell , then you are no more the free person that you were . 

Fulfillment of desires implies another manifestation of Ishvara , namely , kriya-sakti . It manifests in terms of activity . Managing , not necessarily fulfilling , your desires is success . Therefore , everybody can be successful . This is  otherwise called antahkaranasuddhi – freedom from one’s own likes and dislikes (raga-dvesha) . Raga is wanting to acqurire and retain , dvesha is wanting to avoid and get rid of . If they are managing me , I am a failure . I cannot fulfill all of them . If I am under their spell , then I am in my own estimation , I would be a failure  . And there is nothing more tragic than to have a low Self-opinion .

PRAYER IS KARMA-YOGA

To convert a desire into a luxury , Lord Krishna gives a clean plan under the title of karma-yoga . Karma-yoga is not something secular . Without bringing Ishvara into the picture , there is no karma-yoga at all . So , when I pray , I invoke the grace of Ishvara . The graceful acceptance of what I get is possible when I have that Ishvara-awareness in day-to-day life . It is not a philosophy , it allows you to address your failures and enjoy successes ; it is your bread-and-butter . It makes you a real person , one who has the vision , the wisdom of things that are to be known . You know exactly what is to be done . 

To act or not to act is my prerogative . I have a choice over my action , “karmanyeva adhikaraste” . But once you act , the result of your action is not in your hand . Who creates this result (karma-phala) ?The order that is universal law . You are the cause for action (karmahetu) , the law is the giver of the result (karma-phalahetu) . This is not a man-made law ; this is the law , that is Ishvara . Every result of my action that comes to me is from Ishvara . This is a cognitive change . There is nothing material here . Nor is there anything to practice . If there is anything to practice at all , it is to bring yourself to accept all results equally , coming as they do , from Ishvara .

That is why after puja , whatever comes from the altar is called prasada . Prasada can be even ashes (vibhuti) , kunkuma , a leaf or it can be your own child . Your own body , your senses , your mind are all prasada to you . The whole jagat is prasada . Is there anything here that does not come from the Lord ? In that attitude , there is “namah” , there is non-resistance , graceful acceptance . This is called “samatvam” ; this is karma-yoga . 

Thus , in everything I do , I recognize Ishvara . I invoke His help , the seventh factor ( after effort , initiative , courage , intelligence , resourcefulness and perseverance are present ) by praying , “ O Lord , help me manage my likes and dislikes . Give me the wisdom to recognize and the strength to do what is appropriate .” And with the help of Ishvara , I can manage the situation . Only then , can I achieve the ultimate success , born out of Self-knowledge . Between Ishvara and you , there is an identity , like that between the ocean and the wave . The reality of both the ocean and the wave is water . The truth of Ishvara and you is sat-cit-ananda atma . You can discover this through the study of Vedanta .

~ Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati