What is the origin of tandav dance?

Lord Shiva in the form of Nataraj

Contents

• 1. Forms of Shiva
  • 1.1 Rudra
  • 1.2 Ardhanarinateshvar (Ardhanarishvar)
  • 1.3 Kalbhairav
  • 1.4 Virabhadra
  • 1.5 Bhairav (Bhairavnath)
  • 1.6 Vetal
  • 1.7 Bhutnath
  • 1.8 Nataraj
  • 1.9 Kirat
• 2. The family
  • 2.1 The consort
  • 2.2 The son
  • 2.3 Attendants of Shiva (Shivagans)
  • 2.4 Messengers of Shiva (Shivadut)
  • 2.5 Nandi as the vehicle (vahan)
  • 2.6 Comparison between various forms of Shiva and His retinue
• 3. Shiva’s region (Shivalok) and His abode

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1. Forms of Shiva

1.1 Rudra

‘The Vedic Rudra was a destroyer and fearful too but Shiva who is the deity of worship of all non-Aryan classes and tribes displays the aspect of creation. The Vedic Aryans did not know about Shiva. They only knew Rudra. An important adjective about Him in the Vedas is Vrushabh (वृषभ). This word is derived from the root vrush (वृष्‌). It has two meanings, the one granting rain and the one possessing tremendous ability to procreate. Rudra gives rain which causes the growth of vegetation. This is the concept clearly expressed in the mantras about Rudra in the Rugveda. Presently the word vrushabh is used to refer to a bull since it has an exceptional power to procreate.’ Some of the meanings of the word Rudra are as follows.

• ‘Ru (रु) means to cry and dru (द्रु) means to run. Rudra is the one who cries, who makes one cry and one who runs away while crying.
• Rut (रुत्‌) means sorrow of the materialistic world. One who vanquishes and overcomes it is Rudra.
• Rut means the truth, that is the Upanishads composed of words. One who has realised or expounded the truth is Rudra.
• Rut is speech consisting of words or the knowledge of Self-realisation expounded through this medium. One who bestows this to worshippers is Rudra.’

Attendants of Rudra (Rudragans): ‘They are Rudra’s subordinates who remain in His proximity and serve Him. They are said to be one crore in number. Spirits (bhut), vetal, uchchushma, pretputan, kubhand are the attendants created by Rudra. The attendants of Rudra don an attire similar to that of their master. They reside in heaven, destroy evildoers, protect the righteous, observe the pashupat vowed religious observance (vrat), vanquish obstacles of the yogis and serve Lord Shiva perpetually.’

1.2 Ardhanarinateshvar (Ardhanarishvar)

‘In the ancient times the divine birth passage (yoni) and the divine phallus (linga) were two distinct entities. Later man combined them into a single Shivalinga and commenced its worship. Later when man became civilized and acquired sufficient talent to sculpt idols he created the form of Ardhanarishvar as a symbol of the divine birth passage and divine phallus. The objective of these two forms is that if generation of offsprings should occur then the two forms certainly need to unite. These two sculptures aim at portraying the distinction of man and woman prior to the commencement of creation. In the initial stages the male-female principles were inseparable, that is they were merged into one another. Even today in the organisms of the lowest strata female and male principles are present in the same body. They themselves are male and female and procreate from within themselves.

“Agnishomatmakam jagat (अग्‍निषोमात्‍मकं जगत्‌)” is a quote from the Shrutis (Vedas). Fire (agni) is the male principle and is present in the menstrual flow of the female. The moon (soma) is the feminine principle and is present in the sperm of the male. Desire (kama) is the force binding the two. These two principles get attracted to one another due to desire. Philosophy too elucidates the same tenet. When Shiva gets associated with Divine Energy (Shakti) He becomes active. In the non-duality (advait) described in the holy text of Shivagam, Divine Energy (Shakti), that is the Great Illusion (Maya) is not renounced but is considered as the Energy of Brahman (Brahmashakti). The permanent union of Shiva and Shakti is considered as non-duality. Hemadri has described how this half-feminine (ardhanari) form is to be created in the text Chaturvargachintamani. According to him – the right half of Shiva should be that of a woman.’ In this form the potential of the feminine as well as the masculine principle is equal; hence it is described as ‘Shaktyasahitaha Shambuhu (शक्‍त्‍यासहित: शंभु: ।)’ meaning The Lord Shambhu (Shiva) along with Divine Energy (Shakti).

1.3 Kalbhairav

He is one out of the eight bhairavs and was created from Shiva’s wrath. After Shiva had the fifth head of Lord Brahma severed through Kalbhairav, He directed Kalbhairav to stay at Kashi, a place of pilgrimage. Kalbhairav is also referred to as the ‘guardian of Kashi’. On entering Kashi, first one has to pay obeisance to Him. When returning after paying obeisance to Him one ties His black thread across one’s arm.

1.4 Virabhadra

He has made Vetal His vehicle. A legend says that it was Virabhadra who first ritualistically worshipped Shiva in the form of His divine phallus (linga).

1.5 Bhairav (Bhairavnath)

Definition and meaning

• ‘Bhuhu (भू:) – bhai (भै) – bhavaha (भव:) – ravaha (रव:)’ means one who creates an uproar as he is born.
• Bhaihi (भै:) means frequencies of light and ravaha (रव:) means sound. The point where frequencies of light and sound unite is the earth (bhairavi) and Bhairavnath is the master (nath) of that earth.
• Bhuhu (भू:) means a part formed from several particles and ravaha means small particles. Hence bhairav means the earth created from several small particles and Bhairavnath is its master.

Types: ‘The text Shiva Agam describes sixty-four types of bhairavs. Eight bhairavs constitute one category (varga). The chiefs of these eight categories are famous as the eight bhairavs (ashtabhairav). Kalbhairav and Batukbhairav are famous among the Bhairavs. The Tantra texts consider the sixty-four bhairavs as the masters of the sixty-four yoginis and display close association between Divine Energy (Shakti) and the bhairavs. It is said that a Bhairav guards every seat of Divine Energy (Shaktipith). The holy text Mahapithnirupan states that ritualistic worship (puja) of Divine Energy done without the inclusion of the Bhairav proves to be futile. In Maharashtra generally Bhairav is worshipped as the village deity (gramadevata). He is referred to as Bhairoba, Bahiroba or Viroba. The deity has its seat in almost every village in a snake hole or a crematorium. At times it is in the form of an idol or in the form of a round stone (tandala). It is said that when at night He patrols on horseback He is accompanied by a black dog.’

Subordinate deities (kshudradevata): First chant the Name Bhairav and then any other Name of a deity such as Vishnu, Shiva, Lakshmi, etc. not chanted earlier, each for two minutes. Both the times note the spiritual experience obtained. Then read the following section. At one satsang (spiritual meeting) after chanting the Name of Bhairav and Narayan seekers got the following spiritual experiences.

	Bhairav	Narayan
1. Felt pleasant	4	12
2. Felt distressed	12	1
3. Felt nothing	18	21
Total	34	34

The average spiritual level of the seekers was 35%. During a satsang, at times the spiritual level of a seeker can rise to even 40-50%. The spiritual level of an average individual is 20% while that of one who has attained the Final Liberation (Moksha) is 100%. If average individuals perform the same experiment, they do not perceive anything. Hence in such experiments everyone does not get spiritual experiences. Only those with a spiritual level of more than 35% are able to perceive a little from the subtle dimension and are able to give answers.

This will prove why one should not undertake spiritual practice of Bhairav. Just as one thorn is removed with another, spiritual practice of Bhairav generates an energy which decreases distress caused by distressing energy. During this process the individual may undergo some distress. Bhairav is a deity of the southern path (dakshinmarg) or region after death while Narayan is a deity from the northern path (uttarmarg) that is path of Bliss.

1.6 Vetal

The word Vetal (वेताळ) is created from the word vaital (वैताल) meaning one who makes even a severe aberration dance to His tune. When ahat and anahat sounds fuse ‘vai (वै)’ frequencies are generated. They correct the abnormalities. ‘Vetal is also called Agyavetal, Jvalavetal or Pralayvetal. Skanda soldiers like Vetal, etc. are included in the spirit attendants (bhutagans) of Shiva. The Matsya Puran describes Vetal as one who feeds on ‘‘flesh and blood’’. Lord Shiva has made Vetal the presiding deity of spirits (pishach). The sorcerers (mantriks) call Vetal vir (brave). Vaitali, the mother of Vetal has gained importance as a “Matruka” deity. Idols of Vetal are made of wood or stone. Vetal as the village deity (gramadevata) is in the form of a round stone (tandala). In Goa its idols are made of wood or stone and at times are nude. The idols sport a trident or a staff. It is because of these fearsome qualities that Vetal became a subordinate (kshudradevata) or a village deity. He is the village deity in several villages of Goa like Priol, Amone, Savarde, etc. and in those in the vicinity of Pune in Maharashtra. In western Maharashtra the idol exists in the form of a round stone smeared with shendur (a saffron coloured powder) on the village border. More round stones smeared with shendur surround it. They are referred to as the soldiers of Vetal. Often temples of the nine planets (navagraha) adjoin the temple of Vetal. The community of Mahars in Maharashtra worship Him in the nude. To please Him sacrifices (balis) of roosters and goats are offered. In some places, sweet delicacies too are offered. During a religious festival, He is taken out in a procession seated in a palanquin decorated with flowers.’

1.7 Bhutnath

‘He is one of the subordinate deities from a category similar to that of Vetal. Goa has temples of this deity. At midnight He commences patrolling along with His soldiers. It is said that at that time He wields a staff in His hand and a blanket on His shoulder. Believing that His slippers wear out with His wandering about on foot, people in the vicinity of Savantvadi in Maharashtra offer Him a pair of new slippers every month. If one is possessed by a spirit then it is driven off by summoning Bhutnath.’

1.8 Nataraj

Shiva is believed to assume two states – the superconscious state (samadhi) and the tandav or lasya dance. The former refers to the unmanifest (nirgun) and the latter to the manifest (sagun). ‘Body movements which depict a particular event or issue is called natan or natya. The one who performs this natan is a nat (actor). Traditionally it is believed that Nataraj is the promoter of dance. Since Shiva is the pioneer among actors (nats) the title Nataraj is accorded to Him. The universe is His school of dance. Just as He is the dancer so is He also its observer. The role that Nataraj plays is to bring about activity in the universe with the commencement of His dance and to merge the movable and unmovable (animate and inanimate) creation into Him when He stops it. Thereafter He remains engrossed in Bliss solitarily. In short, Nataraj is the manifest representation of all activity of God. Nataraj’s dance is considered to represent the five actions of God, namely creation, sustenance, dissolution, the covering of the Great Illusion (Maya) and initiation (anugraha) (God’s grace to be liberated from the Great Illusion).’

The tandav dance: ‘In the Sangitaratnakar (7.5 – 6) origin of the tandav dance is explained as follows –

प्रयोगमुद्धतं स्‍मृत्‍वा स्‍वप्रयुक्‍तं ततो हर: ।
तण्‍डुना स्‍वगणाग्रण्‍या भरताय व्‍यदीदृशत्‌ ।।
लास्‍यमस्‍याग्रत: प्रीत्‍या पार्वत्‍या समदीदृशत्‌ ।
बुद्‌ध्‍वाथ ताण्‍डवं तण्‍डोर्मर्त्‍येभ्‍यो मुनयोऽवदन्‌ ।।

Meaning: Then Shiva showed the uddhat dance, which He had performed earlier, to Sage Bharat through the chief of His attendants (Tandu). He also made Parvati perform the lasya dance, with great enthusiasm in front of Sage Bharat. Lasya is a dance form performed by women wherein the hands remain free. Sage Bharat and others later taught this dance, performed by Tandu known as the tandav dance, to man.

The dance in which the sound (nad) in every cell of the body (bhuvans) is that of Shiva is called the tandav dance. It is a dance performed by males and consists of postures (mudras), for instance the dnyanmudra is performed by touching the tips of the thumb and the index finger to each other. On account of this the mounds of Guru (Jupiter) and Shukra (Venus) on the palm are joined together, that is a male and a female unite.

This dance is of seven types – 1. Anandtandav, 2. Sandhyatandav (Pradosh dance), 3. Kalikatandav, 4. Tripurtandav, 5. Gouritandav, 6. Sanhartandav and 7. Umatandav.

Of these seven types the verse (stotra) Shivapradosh (alias Pradosh) describes the sandhyatandav as – Shiva performs this dance in the evening with Gouri the creator of the three worlds seated on a throne studded with precious stones. When Shiva dances Sarasvati plays the vina (a stringed instrument), Indra plays the flute, Brahma keeps the rhythm, Lakshmi sings, Vishnu plays the mrudanga (a kind of drum) and all the other deities stand around and watch the dance programme. In this dance Shiva has two arms and the scene of a demon being crushed under His feet is absent.

Of the above seven types the Gouritandav and Umatandav are both fearsome in nature. In this dance Shiva assumes the form of Bhairav or Virabhadra and is accompanied by Uma or Gouri. He performs this frightful dance in the crematorium where there are burning ashes of the corpses, along with the spirit attendants (bhutagans). Among Nataraj’s sattvik (sattva predominant) dance forms along with the sandhya dance, the nadanta dance is also extremely famous. The world famous idol of Nataraj at Chidambaram is in this very pose. Followers of the Shaiva and the Shakta sects consider these dances to be symbols of specific principles. In their opinion, during such a destructive, fearsome dance Shiva not only destroys the world but also frees embodied souls from bondage. The crematorium is chosen for the dance to depict that the ego of the embodied soul is reduced to ashes. Deities as well as demons are enthusiastic to accompany Lord Shiva during the tandav dance.’ An example of a posture from the Anandtandav illustrated below show how significant the various postures adopted in a tandav dance are.

	Meaning
1. ‘Different earings in each     ear	Ardhanarishvar
2. The small hourglass shaped     hand drum in the rear right     hand	Creation of Brahman in the form of sound and word
3. Fire in the rear left hand	Purification of Brahman in the form of sound and word
4. The front right hand	Protection to devotees
5. The front left hand	Points to the foot raised for liberation of embodied souls
6. The demons Apasmar or     Muyalak crushed under the     right foot.	Destruction of nescience (avidya) or ignorance (adnyan)
7. The surrounding circle	Cycle of Illusion (Maya)
8. The hand and foot touched      to the chakra	Purifying the Great Illusion (Maya)
9. Five lingas arising     spontaneously from the     flames of the chakra	The subtle five cosmic elements’

1.9 Kirat

‘This is the Kapalik form of Lord Shiva. Among the masses this form is as popular as Shiva. In this form He drapes Himself with elephant hide and likes to drink liquor. He is engrossed in various sports of pleasure and is surrounded by thousands of women. Opposite Him the spirits dance merrily. Bhagvati Uma also dressed in the same attire accompanies Him. During the period of emergence of the Shaiva sect, this pleasure loving form of Shiva gradually lapsed into obscurity. Only His association with dance persisted. As that dancing form of Shiva evolved further the idol of Shiva as Nataraj was created.’

2. The family

2.1 The consort

Refer ‘Science of Spirituality : Vol. 9 B- Shakti, point – Divine Energy associated with Shiva’.

2.2 The son

A. Kartikeya

‘He is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. He is named Kartikeya because He was nurtured and brought up by deities of the constellation of six stars known as Krutikas. The story about Kartikeya goes thus – After Kartikeya slayed a demon, Tarkasur, He became famous. As a result, Parvati began pampering Him. Too much pampering spoilt Him and He began molesting the consorts of deities. The deities complained about Him to Parvati. To subdue His boisterousness Parvati began to manifest Herself in every woman that He saw. This manifestation (sakshatkar) induced a feeling of repentance in Kartikeya and He swore that since that day He would view every woman in the world as His mother. The Shivalilamrut narrates a story in which Kartikeya has cursed women saying ‘Those women who come to pay their respects to Me will be widowed for seven births’. However there is no evidence of this in the Purans. In Maharashtra Kartikeya is a celibate (brahmachari) while in South India He has two wives. In Bangal, in the Hindu lunar month of Kartik an earthen idol (kshanika) of Kartikeya is worshipped by women desirous of bearing a son.’ This idol holds a peacock feather in His hand, not a staff.

B. Ganapati

Information on Ganapati is given in ‘Science of Spirituality : Vol 9 C – Ganapati’.

C. Others

Several infant deities such as Murugan, Shvasta, Shasta, Skanda, Atavi, Atavishvar, Avalokiteshvar, Avaloki, Kotputra, etc. later merged into Lord Shiva.

At a satsang (spiritual meeting) seven people felt pleasant after chanting Skanda’s Name, six felt distressed and the remaining twelve felt nothing. Distress refers to feeling aversed to chanting the Name, heaviness in the chest, headache, etc. That is why worship of Skanda is not prevalent.

2.3 Attendants of Shiva (Shivagans)

Attendants of Lord Shiva reside in Shiva’s region (Shivalok). Attendants are servitors. They control the divine birth passage (mahayoni) and the pure particles (pavitrakas). Yamadharma and the chief of the southern region (dakshinlok) Virabhadra are also attendants of Shiva. Virabhadra is the only deity who is directly associated with the southern region, hence He is the master of spirits (bhut) and is called Bhutnath. When spirits come in contact with purity they are saved from the effects of destiny, become attendants of Shiva in Shiva’s region and derive a type of Bliss called mod. The different types of Shiva’s attendants are as follows.

• Ugragans: They undertake spiritual practice of the form of Shankar called Ugreshvar.
• Rudragans: Rudra means cranky. They weep yearning for a vision of God.
• Bhut and pishachagans

The functions and spiritual practice of each of these three attendants are different. Some attendants come to Shiva from Yama’s region (Yamalok) while others approach Him through Nandi, the bull as a medium.

Nandi: Nandaha (नंद:) means one whose nature is that of Bliss. Nandi thus means one who is Blissful. Here information on Nandi as an attendant is given. Further Nandi as a vehicle is discussed. ‘He is the chief attendant of Shiva and has several names viz. Nandish, Nandishvar and Nandikeshvar. Nandi performed rigorous austerities at the age of eight or nine years and acquired the proximity of Lord Shiva. Shiva accepted him as His son and chose him as the chief of His attendants. Later, he married Suyasha, the daughter of a Marut. Shaivites consider Nandi to be spiritually a symbol of the principle of Bliss. When Shiva performs the tandav dance he stands by to keep the rhythm. In South India, generally, the idol of Nandish is present on the left or right side of the main entrance of Shiva’s temple.’

2.4 Messengers of Shiva (Shivadut)

‘They are short, stocky and have a reddish complexion. Two tusks arise from their mouths. They have four arms holding a noose, a serpent, a trident and a vessel (mahapatra). Their duty is to transport the souls of the devotees of Lord Shiva when they die, in the pushpak plane to Kailas, the abode of Lord Shiva.’

2.5 Nandi as the vehicle (vahan)

Nandi in the form of a bull is Shiva’s vehicle and occupies an important position in Shiva’s family. Nandi is paid obeisance before Shiva.

Shrungadarshan: Shrungadarshan means viewing the divine phallus (linga) of Lord Shiva from in between Nandi’s horns. ‘Sayanacharya has derived the word vrushabh (वृषभ) from the root vrush (वृष) and it means the one who showers. The other meaning of the word vrushabh is one possessing tremendous energy for procreation.’ That is why Nandi is considered as a feature of evolved masculinity. Just as Manu is the first exponent of the science of righteous conduct (dharmashastra) and Bruhaspati that of economics (arthashastra). Nandi is the founder of the science of sex (kamashastra). In a temple of Lord Mahadev Nandi stands on one leg with the other three bent at the knees. It signifies that in the Kaliyug, Righteousness (Dharma) exists only to the extent of one fourth.

2.6 Comparison between various forms of Shiva and His retinue

Shiva’s form retinue	Shiva principle %	Manifest energy %	Creation %	Suste- nance %	Disso- lution %
1. Shiva	100	10	2	2	96
2. Rudra	70	70	25	40	35
3. Ardhanarishvar	70	50	28	70	2
4. Ganapati	70	10	10	70	20
5. Kalbhairav,     Kartikeya,     Skanda,     Subrahmanyam	60	60	10	40	50
6. Virbhadra	60	40	30	40	30
7. Mangesh	60	30	30	50	20
8. Bhairav	50	50	20	30	50
9. Vaijanath	50	30	30	30	40
10. Jotiba	50	30	20	30	50
11. Ravalnath	50	25	20	30	50
12. Khandoba	40	30	20	50	30
13. Vetal	30	20	10	20	70
14. Bhutnath	30	10	10	40	50
15. Mhasoba	20	20	20	40	40
16. Nandi *	20	10	40	50	10
17. Nataraj	10	10	10	80	10
18. Kirat	10	10	10	70	20
19. Attendants      of Shiva	10	10	10	50	40
20. Messengers      of Shiva	10	10	10	40	50
21. An average       person	1/1000	1/10000	10	30	60
22. An average       place	1/1 crore	1/1 crore	10	30	60
23. Jyotirlinga	1/1 lakh	1/1 lakh	10	30	60
24. Banalinga	1/10 lakh	1/10 lakh	10	30	60
25. Ravan,       Banasur	30	30	5	30	65

* The chief of the attendants of Shiva not Nandi as a vehicle.

3. Shiva’s region (Shivalok) and His abode

• Shiva’s region: All those who are able to purify their lives go to Shiva’s region. The region where Serenity, purity and spiritual evolvement exist, is Shiva’s region.
• Shiva’s abode: Penance augments the body temperature. To reduce it, Shiva lives on the Kailas (के + लास) mountain, the place where ice resembles a cluster of bananas. Lord Shankar’s other abode is the cremation ground.

 

What is the significance of adorning rudraksha when performing ritualistic worship?

Contents

• 1. Application of holy ash (bhasma)
  • 1.1 The ritual of creating holy ash
  • 1.2 What is used as holy ash?
  • 1.3 Where should holy ash be applied?
  • 1.4 Tripundra
• 2. Adorning rudrakshas
  • 2.1 Origin and meaning of the word rudraksha
  • 2.2 The rudra (rudhir) tree
  • 2.3 The rudraksha
  • 2.4 Special features
  • 2.5 Fake rudrakshas
  • 2.6 An ideal rudraksha
  • 2.7 Practical suggestions for its use
  • 2.8 The technique of using it

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‘Along with Shiva all the deities of His retinue are simple and are easily satisfied. They do not require a temple as a residence. They can live atop a mountain, beneath a tree, on a pimpal tree or anywhere else peacefully. They also do not aspire for an offering of food (mahanaivedya). Offering a coconut is sufficient to appease them.’

Preparing for the ritualistic worship

1. Application of holy ash (bhasma)

One should not commence the ritualistic worship of Lord Shiva without application of holy ash (bhasma). More information on holy ash is provided in point ‘Holy ash (bhasma)’.

1.1 The ritual of creating holy ash

‘Pure holy ash is that which is produced from a cake of cowdung collected before falling to the ground. [The importance of cowdung is given in ‘Science of Spirituality : Vol. 5 – Path of Devotion (Bhaktiyoga)’.] This holy ash is fit for application only after it is consecrated with the efficacious Gayatri mantra. One who has not completed the purashcharan of the Gayatri mantra may purify the ash by chanting any other efficacious Shivamantra.’

1.2 What is used as holy ash?

• Cowdung is burnt to prepare holy ash. This is mostly used as the average person is unable to tolerate human ash.
• Earth from the site of an ancient sacrificial fire (yadnya).
• Holy ash from a mountain at Gangapur.
• Human ash: This is used by sorcerers (tantriks).

1.3 Where should holy ash be applied?

• 1. Along with a mantra

  Holy ash should be placed on the palm along with
  the chanting of mantras such as ‘Sadyojat’, etc.
  It should be consecrated with mantras
  such as ‘Agniritya, etc. – 200
  Uttering mantras such as ‘Manastoken’ etc. the holy ash
  should be rubbed with the thumb,
  Along with mantras such as the ‘Tryambak’
  it should be applied to the forehead. – 201
  Chanting the ‘Tryayushe’ mantra it should be
  applied to the forehead and arms,
  Thus amidst chanting of the same mantras the holy ash
  should be applied to different parts of the body. – 202

  – Shri Gurucharitra, Adhyay 29
• 2. Along with spiritual emotion (bhav)

  One who does not know mantras should
  apply it with pure spiritual emotion.
  If one uses it wholeheartedly, its glory is great !

  – Shri Gurucharitra 29:218

1.4 Tripundra

Tripundra refers to the three horizontal stripes of holy ash.

A. How should they be applied ?

Brahmans (priests) should smear their bodies with holy ash before commencement of various rituals such as rites for departed souls (shraddhas), sacrificial fires (yadnya and hom), ritualistic worship (puja) and Vaishvadev. The ritual of application of holy ash is in the Brahmakarma section of the Rugveda. It can be summarised as – after sipping water from the palm (achman) and performing pranayam, soak some holy ash on the palm of the left hand. Then using the second, middle and ring fingers of the right hand smear it across the forehead horizontally, apply it to the face, chest, neck, arms, sides of the abdomen, sex organs and legs amidst chanting of mantras such as ‘Om agniriti bhasma, Vayuriti bhasma (ॐ अग्‍निरिति भस्‍म, वायुरिति भस्‍म)’ etc. After applying all over the body chant the Name of Shiva thrice.

First using the middle and ring fingers
it should be applied to the forehead.
Then with the thumb, the middle line
should be drawn in the reverse direction.

– Shri Gurucharitra 29:204

Meaning: First the upper and lower stripes should be drawn from left to right using the middle and ring fingers. Then the middle stripe should be drawn from right to left using the thumb. [Since the stripes are drawn in both directions instead of the right or left channel, it facilitates activation of the Sushumna channel (nadi).]

The tripundra should be shaped like eyebrows. Often a dot of holy ash is applied in the middle of these three stripes.

B. Implied meaning of the three stripes

• According to Shri Gurucharitra (29:205-211)
  

  	The stripes
  	Upper	Middle	Lower
  Letter	a (अ)	u (उ)	m (म)
  Fire	Garhapatya	Dakshinagni	Ahavaniya
  Region (lok)	Earth (bhu)	Nether (bhuva)	Dyu (heaven)
  Form of The Supreme God	The soul	The inner soul	The Supreme Soul
  Component	Raja	Sattva	Tama
  Veda	Rugveda	Yajurveda	Samaveda
  Energy	Energy of Action	Energy of Volition	Energy of Knowledge
  Period of the day	Morning	Afternoon	Evening
  Deity	Mahadev	Maheshvar	Shiva

• Tripundra means spiritual knowledge, purity and penance (spiritual practice of Yoga), so also the three eyes of Lord Shiva.
• According to Vasudevopanishad, tripundra represents the trinity (trimurti), the three mystic words uttered during the ritual of sandhya (vyahyati)and the three rhythms (chandas).
• According to astrology the three stripes from below upwards represent the planets Guru (Jupiter), Shani (Saturn) and Ravi (Sun) respectively.

C. Who should apply it ?: All that is celibates, householders, retired householders and renunciants should apply it. People from all the four classes (varnas) have a right to apply it.

D. Benefits: Holy ash is useful for cleansing any kind of sin.

2. Adorning rudrakshas

Adorning a rudraksha mala (rosary) when performing ritualistic worship is ideal. Especially followers of the Nath and Vam sects and Kapaliks use rudrakshas.

2.1 Origin and meaning of the word rudraksha

The word rudraksha (रुद्राक्ष) is derived from two words rudra (रुद्र) and aksha (अक्ष). The various meanings of the word rudra are given in point ‘Rudra’. Considering some of the meanings of the word aksha the meanings of the word rudraksha are given below –

• Aksha means the eye. Rudra and aksha means the one who is capable of viewing and doing everything (e.g. the third eye) is Rudra. Aksha means axis. Since the eye rotates about in only one axis (aksha) it too is called aksha.
• Rudra means one who weeps. A (अ) means to take and ksha (क्ष) means to give. Hence aksha (अक्ष) means the potential to receive or give. Rudraksha is the one who has the potential to wipe off tears and endow one with happiness.

2.2 The rudra (rudhir) tree

This is found at a height of three thousand metres above or below sea level. The rudraksha tree grows in crevices, not on plain ground. Its leaves resemble those of tamarind or nux vomica but are longer. Annually it yields one to two thousand fruits. The yatis in the Himalayas survive only on these fruits. These fruits are also called fruits of nectar (amrutphal). If eaten, they curb thirst.

2.3 The rudraksha

Its fruits ripen on the tree and fall during winter. Then the seeds in it dry up. Each fruit has fifteen to sixteen seeds (that is rudrakshas). The more the number of seeds, the smaller is their size and the less is their cost. Instead of using a small rudraksha solitarily, several small rudrakshas are strung together along with a large one. A rudraksha has a natural opening from one side to the other. It need not be created. This opening throughout its length is called a vahini (channel). A rudraksha is reddish in colour with yellow stripes and is flat like a fish. On one side it has an open mouth.

2.4 Special features

• The rudraksha converts light frequencies of deities from the universe into sound frequencies in the body of man and vice versa. As a result, man can absorb frequencies of deities and human thoughts can get converted into the language of deities.
• The rudraksha absorbs sama (sattva) frequencies. Similarly sama frequencies are emitted by its crests. A real rudraksha can be recognised by the vibrations felt by holding it in the hand. At that time the body absorbs the sama frequencies emitted by the rudraksha. If a rudraksha is held between the thumb and ring finger, vibrations are felt anywhere in the body. Even if kept nearby the effect of a rudraksha is felt for upto half an hour. Thus during that period one is able to perceive vibrations even if any other object is held with the fingers. However if the hands are washed with water then they are not perceived.
• A mala (rosary) of rudrakshas can be used for chanting the Name of any deity.
• Chanting done adorning a mala of rudrakshas is a thousand times more beneficial than chanting done without wearing such a mala. Chanting done with a rudraksha mala is ten thousand times more beneficial than chanting done with a rosary of any other kind. Hence Shaivites believe that one cannot make mantras efficacious rapidly and without chanting the mantra using or wearing a rudraksha mala.
• Rudrakshas facilitate the activation of spiritual energy (kundalini) and the occurrence of keval kumbhak (automatic breath holding) in pranayam.

2.5 Fake rudrakshas

• A. Bhadraksha: Its tree resembles a rudraksha tree; but its fruits and seeds are round. Its seeds, that is bhadrakshas do not have openings, that is no upper and lower parts. Use of bhadrakshas increases unfavourable (visham) frequencies. Generally bhadrakshas were sold as rudrakshas. Birds do not eat its fruits and if they do, they perish.
• B. Vikrutaksha: Nowadays mostly this itself is sold as a rudraksha. This is the seed of a type of wild berry. Vikrutaksha is used for sacrificial fires of tantriks, black magic like jaran and maran, uchchatan, etc. by sorcerers. A gypsy tribe from Nepal called the Gurangs first began using the vikrutaksha. An opening is made in the seed with a hot needle. Similarly figures like Om, svastik, a conch, a wheel, etc. are carved on it. It is dyed by immersing in water containing catechu. That is why its colour runs when it is kept in water.
• C. Artificial rudrakshas: These are made from sealing wax, wood, plastic, etc.
• D. Differences between real and fake rudrakshas
  

  	A real rudraksha	A fake rudraksha
  1. Form	Flat like a fish	Round
  2. Colour (reddish)	Fast	Runs when washed in water
  3. If thrown in water	Sinks immediately	Either floats or sinks gradually with wavy movements
  4. An opening thoughout     its length	Present	Has to be made with a needle
  5. Rotation about itself     when hung in a copper     vessel or in water.	Occurs	Does not occur
  6. Eaten away by     termites after     sometime.	No	Yes
  7. Cost of each (in the     year 1997)	Rs 4,000 – 40,000	Rs 20 – 200
  8. Which frequencies     does it absorb?	Sama (Sattva)	–
  9. Perception of     frequencies	Are felt	Are not felt

• E. Fake rudrakshas and saints: Externally even if saints give a ‘fake’ rudraksha, with the divine consciousness (chaitanya) of the former, from within it gets converted into a ‘real’ one.

2.6 An ideal rudraksha

Features

• Heavy and radiant
• With distinct openings
• One adorned with auspicious symbols such as a Shivalinga, a svastik, etc.
• ‘The bigger the rudraksha and the smaller the shaligram, the more ideal it is.’ – Merutantra
• A rudraksha obtained from a tree whose girth is beyond the span of one’s arms, that is an old tree.
• A rudraksha obtained from a rudraksha tree situated at a great height above sea level.
• A rudraksha obtained from the top branches of a tree.

  Rudrakshas obtained from trees at a great height are more efficacious since they receive the sattva component coming from above in greater quantities. [Refer ‘Science of Spirituality: Vol. 7 – Supreme God, God, Incarnations and Deities, point – Guardian deities of the territory (Kshetrapaldevata)’.]

• The white coloured one is the best. Rudrakshas of an inferior quality in the ascending order are crimson, yellow or black in colour. Generally white and yellow rudrakshas are uncommon while red and black ones are common.

2.7 Practical suggestions for its use

A. Making the rudraksha efficacious: ‘First consecrate the rudraksha by sprinkling it with water five to sixty-one times amidst chanting of an efficacious mantra. Then the rudraksha may be touched to a consecrated linga. Without touching a jyotirlinga or in specific difficult situations, a consecrated linga (pindi or shalunka), a rudraksha cannot be charged with energy significantly. Thereafter choosing an auspicious moment (muhurt) for instance, Mahashivratra, Amrutsiddhi, etc. depending on the opening of the rudraksha the corresponding mantra of that opening should be chanted 21, 42 or 102 times and chanting the mrutyunjay or aghor mantra the rudraksha should be consecrated (rudrabhishek). Following this the rudraksha is consecrated either with the Shiva principle or depending on the opening, with the female deity [Divine Energy (Shakti)]. (Refer point ‘2.7 G’.) Such a rudraksha is said to be an “efficacious (siddha) one”.

B. Maintaining the efficacy of a rudraksha: Maintaining the efficacy of an efficacious rudraksha after adorning it, is important. To maintain it, it is necessary to observe the rules given below.

• Application of holy ash: refer point ‘Application of holy ash (bhasma)’.
• Ritualistic worship of the Shivalinga: Ritualistic worship of Shiva’s linga or a rudraksha is important. No other person should be allowed to touch such efficacious rudrakshas. If someone touches it accidentally, then it should be purified with urine of a cow or holy water from a place of pilgrimage.
• Rememberance of Lord Shiva: After awaking and before going to bed one should remember Lord Shiva.

C. Ritual of adorning a rudraksha: Even to wear an efficacious rudraksha it is customary to choose an auspicious time. Before this an individual who has activated the energy in the mantra applies holy ash and chanting mantras of Shiva makes a resolve (sankalpa) and ties the rudraksha to the seeker. Then the one who knows the efficacious mantra advises the seeker to chant the Shiva mantra.

D. Site where a rudraksha is to be worn depending upon the number of its openings: This is decided by the ability of the rudraksha to absorb energy, the ability of various organs to tolerate that energy, the deities of those organs as well as the objective of using the rudraksha.

Number of openings	Site	Objective
1	Wearing a gold or silver ring on the appropriate finger depending on one’s motive and according to astrology, so that the rudraksha makes contact with the skin
4, 6, 9	Right arm
(Variant) 4	Tuft of hair on the crown of the head (shendi)
(Variant) 9	Left arm
5, 7, 10, 12, 13	Throat
	Tuft of hair on the crown of the head	Cure of illnesses
	Ears	Grace of the Sun deity
	Neck	Cleansing one of the sins of slaying men and cows
11, 14	Tuft of hair on the crown of the head
(Variant) 14	Forehead

E. Number of rudrakshas: Various holy texts have prescribed the use of 108, 249, 1000 and 1100 rudrakshas. The greater the number the more is the benefit. One wearing a rudraksha is cleansed not only of his sins, but also acquires the ability to cleanse others’ sins.

All benefits are obtained by touching and looking at a rudraksha (darshan). Hence looking at it everyday and its contact with the body both are important.

• Number of rudrakshas and sites in the body: This depends upon the ability of the organs in the body, to absorb and endure the energy of the rudraksha and their deities.

  1.  The one who wears a thousand rudrakshas as a garland
       becomes like Lord Rudra Himself and is offered obeisance
       by all the deities. – 14
       If one is unable to tie a thousand then one may wear sixteen
       on both the arms, one on the tuft of hair on the head and
       twenty-four* on both the wrists. – 15
       Wear thirty-two on the neck, forty on the head and twelve
       on both the ears as an alternative. – 16
       A chain of a hundred and eight may be worn around the
       neck. Listen O seeker you will be like the son of Rudra by
       wearing them this way. – 17
       Pearls, corals, marble, silver, a kind of precious stone and
       gold may be worn in the chain of rudrakshas. – 18
       The benefit of this is immense, a chain of rudrakshas is
       great. One should wear a rudraksha as and when one gets it. – 19

  – Shri Gurucharitra, Adhyay 33.

       * 12 on each wrist

  2.

  Number of beads in the rosary (mala)	Site	Objective
  22	Around the head
  6	Ears
  27	Neck
  32	Neck (hanging upto level of the heart)
  15	Shoulder	Usually those gifted by saints are tied to the shoulder
  12	Wrist
  249	Waist	Specific penance
  1000, 1100	Around the waist	Responsibility for others or the brunt of sins

   

• The number of rudrakshas in the japamala (rosary) depending on the objective: This is decided by the science of numerology.
  

  Number of beads	Objective
  32	Wealth
  102	Merits
  104	Health and strength
  107	The Final Liberation (Moksha)
  108	Righteousness (Dharma), wealth, desire and the Final Liberation

F. Use of rudrakshas

1. For worldly benefits

• To fulfill impossible tasks: The opening of the rudraksha should be kept facing the right, that is southwards. This activates the sun channel (surya nadi) of the individual.
• Mohini kama [one out of the types of black magic from among the shatkarmas (six actions) including jaran–maran, etc.]: Here one has to control the frequencies of the individual facing oneself. Hence the opening of the rudraksha is kept facing him. As a result, the frequencies emitted from the rudraksha trap the individual opposite it.

2. As a remedy during illness: To cite an example how a rudraksha can be used in various ways to control blood pressure is given below.

• Water should be poured over a rudraksha and then that water should be consumed.
• The rudraksha should be tied around the neck or on the waist above the navel at the site of the saman vital energy.
• Bathing for twenty-one days wearing a rudraksha around the neck such that its opening faces the right. This is an excellent remedy for any kind of illness. However before that for sometime the opening of the rudraksha should be kept facing the left so as to gradually increase the ability of the patient to absorb frequencies.
• A rudraksha is placed with its opening facing the left under the pillow of a bedridden patient. Once the patient becomes ambulatory it is placed with its opening facing the right.
• One continues to get the benefit even if one adorns a rudraksha for a few days and then removes it. Even after the death of this person the one who keeps his ashes is benefitted.
• Partaking of the holy ash of a rudraksha.

G. The deities, benefits, special characteristics and uses in illnesses depending on the number of openings

Most people feel that the number of its openings is equivalent to the complete lines on it. However this is not so. The number of openings correspond to the number of distinct elevations on the openings. The older the tree the more are the openings in the rudrakshas that it yields.

Openings	Deity	Benefit	Uses in an illness
1	Shiva	Cleansing of all sins including killing Brahmans, material success, Liberation (Mukti), the supernatural power of speech, oratory (winning over an audience), victory over an energy, etc.	Thrombosis, urinary stones, respiratory diseases
2*	Shiva-Parvati (Ardhanari- nateshvar)	Cleansing of sins arising from killing cows	Diseases of the stomach, liver and urinary bladder.
3	Agni (deity of fire)	Benefits like the dakshinavart conch, splendour, hypnotising (Vashikaran), acquisition of knowledge, activation of kundalini (spiritual energy), cleansing of sins arising from slaying of Brahmans and women.	Remedy over the defects of the three humours vata (wind), pitta (bile) and kapha (phlegm), purification of channels (nadis).
4	Lord Brahma	Knowledge, happiness and acquisition of wealth, cleansing of sins arising from killing living beings	Diseases of the ear, throat and the hastijivha nadi (channel).
5**	Kalagni	Acquisition of Righteousness (Dharma), wealth, desire and the Final Liberation (Moksha); cleansing of sins created by eating the forbidden, adultery and sins acquired from birth, prevention of premature death	Diseases of the vertebral column, overcoming obstacles at the site of the Manipur and Anahat chakras
6	Ganesh	Cleansing of sins arising from killing human beings, knowledge and happiness, supernatural powers, overcoming a crisis.	Indigestion, arthritis
7.	Saptarushis / Saptamatrukas	Cleansing of sins accrued by stealing gold, success, money, fame	Purification of sperms, increase in semen, flow of oja (precursor of divine energy
8.	Batukbhairav	Cleansing sins arising from speaking falsely, longevity and Liberation after death.	Diseases of the nervous system, prostate and gall bladder
9.	(Nava) Durga / Bhairav	Cleansing of all sins, fame, happiness, progeny, becoming rid even of the fear of time	Diseases of the brain, epilepsy.
10.	Guardian deities of the ten directions (dashadikpal)/ Yamaraj	Elimination of suffering due to nine planets, spirits, Vetals, Brahmarakshasas, serpents, etc., protection from black magic, averting untimely death	Fear of an apparition (feeling that someone is standing beside one).
11.	The eleven Rudras	Acquisition of happiness, protection of husband, longevity, acquisition of wifehood, acquisition of son, victory	Excess of saman and pran vital energies.
12.	Vishnu, the twelve suns	Cleansing of sins arising from killing cows or man, stealing gold etc., eliminating unhappiness such as poverty, infertility, etc., absence of fear of robbers and fire, happiness	Disorders of the eye, base of the nose, the jyotishmati (seventh) chakra.
13.	Indra	Supernatural powers, acquisition of progeny, happiness, elimination of sins, decrease in sexual desire, and increase in nadibandha and faith	Psychiatric illnesses
14.	Hanuman	Cleansing of all sins, acquisition of progeny, health	Increase in secretions of the eighth (Vishnu) chakra
15***	Gouri-Shankar (Shiva-Parvati)	Happiness	Maintaining an even flow of 108 frequencies in the body into a facour- able manner.
16			Channelising the 360 disease causing frequ- encies in the body evenly and directing them towards the 108 frequencies.
17		The rudrakshas are tied to the waist. As a result, the saman vital energy is affected and it facilitates the attainment of the superconscious state (samadhi)
18		A fragrant odour facilitates one to enter the superconscious state
19		Facilitates one to travel along the path of zero stress nature
20		If one sits in a posture compres- sing the thighs then it facilitates movement towards the Karma region (lok)
21	Shiva	Male principle, adorning them on the head, around the waist, in the neck, under the thighs etc. Conversation with demigods (yakshas), celestial singers (gandharvas) and fairies. Contact with Lord Yama (deity of death).

* The rudraksha has one white and one blackish side.
** Available everywhere. A minimum of three are worn.
*** Rudrakshas stuck to one another. Such a rudraksha is not worn, but is worshipped.

2.8 The technique of using it

One side of a rudraksha has crests (openings). Sama frequencies are emitted by them. Hence the opening of a rudraksha should face the left of the one wearing it. As a result, sattva frequencies are expelled to his left and the moon channel (Chandra nadi) is activated. This makes the person’s temperament pleasing.

 

What do the horizontal stripes of ash on forehead of Lord Shiva represent?

Lord Shiva

Contents

• 1. Origin and meaning
• 2. Some other Names
  • 2.1 Shankar
  • 2.2 Mahankaleshvar
  • 2.3 Mahadev
  • 2.4 Bhalachandra
  • 2.5 Karpurgour
  • 2.6 Stenapati
  • 2.7 Pingalaksha
  • 2.8 Nilkantha and Ashutosh
• 3. Special features
  • 3.1 Physical features
  • 3.2 Spiritual characteristics
• 4. Mission
  • 4.1 Creation of the universe
  • 4.2 Jagadguru
  • 4.3 The one leading to the state beyond the three components (trigunatit)
  • 4.4 Mission according to the time (kal)

---

1. Origin and meaning

A. The word Shiva (शिव) has been derived by reversing the letters of the word vash (वश्‌). Vash means to enlighten; thus the one who enlightens is Shiva. Shiva is absolute, self-radiant. He remains radiant and also illuminates the universe.

B. He is the auspicious and prosperity-bestowing principle.

2. Some other Names

2.1 Shankar

In ‘शं करोति इति शंकर: ।’ sham (शं) means welfare and karoti (करोति) is the doer. Thus the one who is responsible for one’s welfare is Shankar.

2.2 Mahankaleshvar

The presiding deity [Kshetrapaldev (guardian deity of the territory)] of the entire universe is Kalpurush (one who is beyond time) meaning Mahakal (Mahankal). Hence He is also named Mahankaleshvar.

2.3 Mahadev

At the time of creation and activity of the universe basically there are three thoughts – absolute purity, absolute knowledge and absolute spiritual practice. The deity who possesses all these three attributes is referred to as the deity of all deities, Mahadev.

2.4 Bhalachandra

Bhal (भाल) means the forehead. The one who adorns the moon (chandra) on His forehead is Bhalachandra (भालचंद्र). Ganapati, the son of Shiva also has Bhalachandra as one of His Names.

2.5 Karpurgour

Shiva’s complexion is white akin to that of camphor (karpur). Hence the Name Karpurgour.

2.6 Stenapati

Sten (स्‍तेन) means a thief. Stenapati (स्‍तेनपति) thus means the caretaker of thieves. In ancient times temples of Shiva were located on the outskirts of the village. They were the hide-outs of robbers. It was here that robbers distributed their share of stolen booty amongst themselves and even left one share for Lord Shiva!

2.7 Pingalaksha

The words pingal (पिंगल) and aksha (अक्ष) make up the word Pingalaksha (पिंगलाक्ष). The bird named pingal, a type of owl, is able to perceive the past, present and future. Since Lord Shiva has the same quality He is referred to as Pingalaksha.

2.8 Nilkantha and Ashutosh

 Refer points ‘C’ and ‘D’.

3. Special features

God created the universe from the five deities (principles) – Prajapati, Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu and Minakshi. These deities possess all the characteristics of God besides their own special features. According to the Shaiva sect Lord Shiva in the nirbij superconscious state (samadhi) is Shiva’s unmanifest form, that is in other words The Supreme God. According to them Shiva in meditation is God and the one dancing or playing a game of dice with Parvati is the Great Illusion (Maya). [Among the Vaishnavites Sheshashayi (Vishnu resting on the serpent Shesh as His couch) or Anantashayani Vishnu is Vishnu’s unmanifest form, that is The Supreme God. Their devotee loving Vishnu is God and the one with Lakshmi is the Great Illusion.] The characteristics vary with the form. The features of God are given in ‘Science of Spirituality : Vol. 7 – Supreme God, God, Incarnations and Deities’. The other special features of Shiva are enlisted below.

3.1 Physical features

A. Ganga

Just as the sun is the focal point of the solar system and the soul that of the body, the focal point of divine consciousness (chaitanya) in every object and pure particles (pavitrakas) is ga-aun. The flow from which ga-aun originates is gan (गं) gaha (ग:) – Ganga (गंगा). Ga-aun flows from Shiva’s head. This itself is called the descent of the Ganga from Shiva’s head.

The cohesion of ga-aun constitutes gans (attendants). According to the science of Yoga, gan represents the eight demigods (ashtavasu) or the eight guardian deities (dikpal) of the eight directions (dishas). The origin of the guardian deities is also ga-aun. The guardian deities comprise of the angles of the directions from which ga-aun flows. One goes towards God and grows through the medium of directions alone. Ganapati is the presiding deity of various ga-aun; hence He is called ‘Ganapati’, the master of pure particles.

Since the river Ganga has a fraction of the principle of the spiritual Ganga no matter however much polluted it becomes, its purity is perpetually retained. Hence if compared to any other water in the world the water from the Ganga is the most pure. This is realised not only by those who can perceive from the subtle dimension but also by scientific researchers. More information on the Ganga is given in ‘Science of Spirituality : Vol. 9B – Shakti (Divine Energy)’.

B. Moon

Shiva adorns the chandra (moon) on His forehead. The words chandramas (चंद्रमस्‌) – chandrama (चंद्रमा) – chandra have been derived from the three words cha (च), Indra (इंद्र) and [muhu (मु:)] mas (मस्‌) which mean the state of cohesion. This means blending with something along with Indra. (Indra’s frequencies are superior to those of other deities.) The chandrama has absorbed frequencies from Prajapati, Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu and Minakshi and imparts them to others along with Indra. The frequencies arising from Prajapati, Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu and Minakshi blend with each other and produce a number of groups of frequencies. Prajapati, Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu and Minakshi are unmanifest (nirgun); but Their frequencies contain the three components (gunas). The point where the three frequencies that is affection (mamata), mercifulness (kshamashilata) and motherly love (vatsalya) originate is referred to as the chandra (moon). Thus one can conclude that chandrama (the moon principle) is that state in which the three attributes of affection, mercifulness and motherly love are present. This is not the moon that we see in the sky. The moon in the sky contains a component of this chandra (moon).

‘Alhadyati iti chandraha (आल्‍हादयति इति चंद्र: ।)’ is the only definition of the chandra (moon) described in all the texts giving the origin of words. (All other words have varied descriptions regarding their origin in different texts.)

C. The third eye

• Shiva’s left eye is the first eye, the right eye is the second and the verticle one in the subtle form, just above the midpoint of the eyebrows is the third one. The upper eye is a representation of the combined energy of both the right and left eyes. It is also the greatest seat (mahapith) of extrasensory energy and is endowed with names such as Jyotirmath, Vyaspith, etc.
• Chandra, Arka and Vaishvanar are the three eyes of Lord Shankar. Arka is the sun from the ajanaj region while Vaishvanar is the sun from the karmadev region. Therefore Shankar can view everywhere in the universe. (Information on the ajanaj and karmadev regions is given in ‘Science of Spirituality : Chapter 25 – Composition of the Universe’.)
• Shankar is three-eyed means He can perceive events in the past, present and future as well.
• According to the science of Yoga the third eye means the Sushumna channel (nadi).

D. The serpent (nag)

• One of the Names of Lord Shankar is Bhujangapatihari (भुजंगपतिहारी). Bhujang (भुजंग) means a serpent or pure particles (pavitrakas), pati (पति), the nurturer and hari (हारी), the one with a garland around His neck. Bhujangapatihari thus means the one who nurtures pure particles and wears them like a garland. Various serpents represent groups of pure particles. Though externally they appear like serpents, internally they are a kind of ladders. To make spiritual progress one has to climb up holding onto the tail of the serpent.

  Shankar adorns serpents at nine sites on His body – one on the head, one around the neck, one on each arm, one on each wrist, one around the waist and one on each thigh. This implies that His body is comprised of pure particles or that serpents of pure particles play all over the body of Lord Shiva who is universal in nature.

• The serpent is also considered as Shiva’s weapon. The nine serpents from the universe are also referred to as ‘Navanarayan’. The Navanaths have originated from these nine serpents. Information on Navanarayan and Navanaths is given in ‘Science of Spirituality : Chapter 12 – Vishnu, point – Some other Names’.
• Kartikeya, Jotiba, Ravalnath and Sabbu are deities in the form of serpents.
• A serpent is connected with all deities in some way or the other.
• A female serpent (nagin) is present in the body. It is called the kundalini (spiritual energy). [Refer ‘Science of Spirituality : Chapter 38 – Path of Activation of Spiritual Energy (Kundaliniyoga)’]. Five serpents wander in the body as five inner vital energies. One does not possess the other four serpents in the body. However they can be acquired through spiritual progress.
• The serpent is a representation of the God (Purush) principle. He is the deity who endows progeny.

E. Holy ash (bhasma)

Bhu (भू) – bhava (भव) means to take birth. As (अस्‌) – asma (अस्‍म) – ashma (अश्‍म) means ash. That which takes birth and blends with ash is called bhasma (भस्‍म). Bhasma is the ash of the one who is born. Shma (श्‍म) [sma (स्‍म)] means ash and shru (शृ) – shan (शन्‌) means scattered. So, the place where ash is scattered is the smashan (स्‍मशान), that is the crematorium. The earth is born from fire (the sun). All beings on the earth arise from and merge into its fire. The skull of man is associated with memories (smruti) of the earth. From outer space the shape of the earth resembles a skull. Ash contains the following three types of memories (smruti) from the time before birth to that after it.

• Yadnyasmruti: Memories of sacrificial fires (yadnyas) in the ajanaj region (lok) and the regions beyond it. (Refer ‘Science of Spirituality : Chapter 25 – Composition of the Universe’.)
• Parthivsmruti: Memories of death which are full of agony and sorrow, with reference to the earth and the seven nether regions.
• Tanmaysmruti: Memories of sacrifice (austerities) in context with the regions from the earth to the northern (Shiva) region and the southern (dakshin) region.

The three horizontal stripes of ash on the forehead of Lord Shankar represent these three memories. Ash projects the desires of a person. This shows how harmful desires are. The dhananjay vital energy of every dead being made up of the absolute earth element (pruthvi) surrounds the ash. (The universe has the mahadhananjay vital energy.) When a person is reborn this dhananjay vital energy re-enters the body. The frequencies emitted by ash are mostly a result of a painful death. The ash says, ‘Let go of ignorance. The physical body is not real. The happiness derived from it is fake. Do not get trapped in it’. Human ash is applied to a jyotirlinga. Pure ash is called holy ash (bhasma). Just as holy ash is an essential ingredient in ritualistic worship so also it plays a very important role in the Shaiva sect. It is considered as the semen of Lord Shiva. Special significance is given to the holy ash from the fireplace (agnikunda) of the Brahmans who perform the ritual of Agnihotra. The ash obtained after cremation of a corpse amidst chanting of mantras is called human ash (chitabhasma). Lord Shiva loves human ash. In Varanasi, the deity Vishveshvar is always smeared with human ash. Holy ash is of three kinds, namely shantikar, pushtikar and kamad. It cleanses sins. The Jabalshruti also quotes that it is also beneficial in acquiring knowledge of Brahman.

Vibhuti is another synonym for holy ash. It is used in tantra, mantra, black magic, etc. to guard the directions or as self-protection. The holy ash is invoked with mantrâs and is then applied to the forehead of the child or the sick person. Ashes (bhasma) of various kinds such as of iron, gold, pearl, diamond, etc. is used in Ayurveda. These are highly efficacious. However this is not revealed to people as it may frighten them.

F. Rudraksha

Shiva adorns chains of rudraksha beads around the knotted bun of hair on His head, the neck, arms, wrists and waist.

G. Garment and the seat of tiger skin

The tiger (raja and tama components) is a symbol of cruelty. Shiva slayed such a tiger (that is destroyed the raja-tama) and made a seat from its skin.

3.2 Spiritual characteristics

A. The one performing severe austerities and the great yogi: Shiva is the only deity chanting The Lord’s Name continuously. He is always seated in a bandha or a mudra. His temperature rises due to heat generated by performing severe austerities; hence He uses the Ganga, the moon and serpents which endow a cooling effect and lives on the snow-capped Kailas mountain.

B. Short tempered: If Shiva stops His chanting by Himself He remains calm. However if someone disturbs His chanting [e.g. as was done by Madan (the deity of love)], the radiance generated by spiritual practice is suddenly expelled and since the person in front of Him cannot tolerate it, that individual is destroyed. This itself is referred to as ‘reducing to ashes by Shankar’s opening of the third eye’. The troublemaker is 100% distressed while Shiva is only 0.01% distressed. Because of this distress Shiva’s nadibandha stops but the posture is retained. Then Shiva performs the bandha once again.

C. The one who is willing to undergo any distress for the sake of imparting happiness to others: The poison generated during the churning of the celestial ocean (samudramanthan) was burning the entire world but no deity came forward to accept it. At that time Shiva drank that poison and saved the world from destruction. Ingestion of the poison turned His neck blackish-blue and He came to be known as Nilkantha (नीलकंठ); nil (नीळ) means blue and kantha (कंठ) means the neck.

D. The one who is easily appeased (Ashutosh)

E. The one willing to bestow any boon when appeased: Once when Shiva was pleased with Ravan not only did He gift him His wife but also His divine phallus (atmalinga) (soul). [Ravan himself wanted to become Shiva with that divine phallus.]

F. The one who has both deities and demons as His worshippers: Neither did demons like Banasur, Ravan, etc. worship Vishnu nor did Vishnu bestow boons upon any demon. However they worshipped Shiva who blessed them with a boon. Often He as well as other deities were in trouble because of these boons. Finally each time Vishnu would find a solution to these situations.

G. Master of the spirits: Since Shiva is the master of spirits, worshippers of Shiva are generally not possessed by them.

H. One possessing contrasting characteristics (acceptance and repulsion) simultaneously: He has the potential to create and bring about dissolution, also the combination of serenity-angrer, the moon (tranquility) – the third eye (radiance which reduces to ashes), sattvik (sattva predominant) – tamasik (tama predominant) temperaments, etc.

4. Mission

4.1 Creation of the universe

Shiva-Parvati are called ‘जगत: पितरो’, the parents of the world.

• Fifty-two sounds (letters), that is nadabijas or bijamantras were generated from the fifty-two notes emitted by Shankar’s small hourglass shaped drum (Damaru) from which the universe was created. Nad (नद) – nad (नाद) is the process of flowing continuously. The sound ‘da (द), da (द), dam (दम्‌)’ meaning ‘ददामि त्‍वं (I am giving you)’ was generated from these bijas of sound. It was as though Shiva assured the universe ‘I bestow you with spiritual knowledge, purity and penance’.
• Since Shiva is urdhvaretas He can create the universe with a mere resolve (sankalpa).

4.2 Jagadguru

‘ज्ञानं इच्‍छेत्‌ सदाशिवात्‌ । मोक्षं इच्‍छेत्‌ जनार्दनात्‌ ।’, means one should worship Shiva for spiritual knowledge and Janardan (Vishnu) for the Final Liberation (Moksha).

4.3 The one leading to the state beyond the three components (trigunatit)

Shankar destroys all the three components of Prakruti – sattva, raja and tama, that is ignorance simultaneously.

4.4 Mission according to the time (kal)

Period	Name	Form / Mission
1. Vedic period	Rudra (the one who makes one cry)	Fearful form
2. Post-Vedic period	Shiva	Mild form
3. Puranic period     (0 to 1000 A.D.)	Mahesh	The deity responsible for dissolution in the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.
4. Post-Puranic period     (after 1000 A.D.)	Mahadev (the deity of all deities)	The creator, sustainer and destroyer

 

Why are trifoliate bel leaves offered to Lord Shiva with their stalks facing oneself?

Contents

• 1. Where should one sit during ritualistic worship?
• 2. Ritualistic worship of the pindi
  • 2.1 Holy ash (bhasma)
  • 2.2 Bel
  • 2.3 The stream of water
• 3. Worship of the shalunka (base of the linga)
  • 3.1 Holy ash
  • 3.2 White flowers and food grains
• 4. Some special features of ritualistic worship (puja) of Lord Shiva
• 5. Circumambulations
• 6. Ritualistic worship with liquids (abhishek)
• 7. Chanting the Name of Shiva
  • 7.1 Usage of Om in the chanting of Shiva’s Name
• 8. Shiva Gayatri
• 9. Shiva’s temple

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1. Where should one sit during ritualistic worship?

Generally worshippers and seekers in a Shankar’s temple do not sit such that the deity’s frequencies directly fall on their bodies because this can be distressing. There is generally a tortoise built in the front of the temple. No one sits in between the deity’s idol and the tortoise, thus automatically no one sits exactly opposite the deity. In the same way, worshippers instead of sitting exactly opposite the flow from the shalunka (base of the linga), sit on its sides.

1 to 7 – Seekers should sit here during ritualistic worship 8 – One should not sit here.

2. Ritualistic worship of the pindi

Only cold water and bel is offered to Lord Shankar’s pindi. Neither is it bathed with milk and the five nectars (panchamrut), nor offered turmeric, vermilion (kumkum) or white consecrated rice (akshata). Milk and clarified butter (ghee) symbolise sustenance while turmeric is an underground stem and represents fertility of the soil, that is creation. Vermilion is prepared from turmeric. Since Lord Shankar is the deity of dissolution substances such as milk, vermilion and turmeric are not used in His worship. Holy ash (bhasma) on the contrary symbolises dissolution and is thus used. However in the fourteenth century the Shaivites too incorporated the usage of the five nectars, bathing with milk, etc. as was done by the Vaishnavites. Here, milk is believed to symbolise energy.

2.1 Holy ash (bhasma)

After removing the dried bel leaves (nirmalya) and bathing, either only three horizontal stripes are drawn on the visible side of the pindi (divine phallus) or a circle is drawn in the middle of the stripes. This is referred to as Shiva’s eye (Shivaksha).

2.2 Bel

A pindi contains two types of pure particles (pavitrakas) from both – the ahat sound (that produced by the falling of water onto its surface) and the anahat (subtle) sound. To absorb the three pure particles, that is the two pure particles as well as those in the bel leaves which are offered upon the pindi, trifoliate bel is offered to Lord Shiva. Tender bel leaves can unite ahat (language of sound) and anahat (language of light) sounds. The leaves should be offered with their stalks facing oneself and the leaf should be placed upside down on the pindi. The motive behind this is to attract the combined energy of the three leaves towards oneself. The combined energy of these three pure particles facilitates the reduction of the three components (trigunas). Bel is not offered upon the shalunka, but to the eye of Shiva on it. The kayakalpa from the Ayurveda discusses the importance of partaking juice of three leaves. Ayurveda refers to the fruit of the bel as the fruit of nectar (amrutphal). There is no disease which cannot be cured with bel. If some medicine is not available then bel should be used. However it is contraindicated in pregnancy as it can lead to fetal death.

2.3 The stream of water

Since Shiva and Shakti (Divine Energy) are combined together in the pindi a tremendous amount of radiance is generated. To prevent radiance from having adverse effects on the particles of the pindi and also on its worshippers, a continuous stream of water is made to fall upon the pindi. This stream of water generates the sound of Om (a symbol of the unmanifest Brahman) of a low note. Similarly when a continuous stream of mantras falls upon an embodied soul it opens the kalpinda [the body (pinda) which has crossed the limits of time (kal) is called kalpinda] of the embodied soul. This indicates that one can go upto the unmanifest Brahman.

3. Worship of the shalunka (base of the linga)

3.1 Holy ash

Seekers draw three horizontal stripes on the shalunka at the seven sites, indicated for worship as given in the figure under point ‘Where should one sit during ritualistic worship?’. A circle is drawn over these stripes and white flowers are offered. The circle represents the divine birth passage. It is called Shiva’s eye (Shivaksha) or the third eye of Shiva (yogi).

3.2 White flowers and food grains

An offering of rice (white in colour), rarely wheat and white flowers is made to Shiva’s eye. White represents purity. Then bel leaves with their stalks facing towards oneself should be offered. (In the usual ritualistic worship leaves are offered before the flowers. As described above, the bel leaves facilitate the attraction of combined energy towards the seeker). Foodgrains soaked in water are also offered to Shiva’s eye. They represent fertility. The energies emitted by the soaked foodgrains, holy ash and bel leaves revolve around the form of the shalunka.

4. Some special features of ritualistic worship (puja) of Lord Shiva

(Based on pages 61 and 62 of the book ‘Shastra Ase Sangate’. A critical review by the compilers.)

• A. ‘In the ritualistic worship of Lord Shiva neither is the conch worshipped nor is its water used to bathe Lord Shiva. If a banalinga is a part of the five fold family of deities (panchayatan) then one may sprinkle the banalinga with water from the conch. However a banalinga with a pindi (divine phallus) of Lord Mahadev should not be bathed with this water. Since the feminine principle in the form of the shalunka (base of the linga) is present in the pindi, there is no need to sprinkle water from the conch which also has a feminine principle. A banalinga however does not possess a shalunka; hence it is bathed with water from a conch. During ritualistic worship of Mahadev in a temple, worship of the conch (shankhapuja) is not performed. Blowing of the conch before the ritual of waving lit lamps (arti) is allowed and is normally done during the arti. The sound of a conch not only brings about pranayam but also alleviates distress caused by spirits, black magic, etc. in the vicinity where it is heard.
• B. Tulsi (basil) leaves are not offered to Lord Shiva. However tulsi leaves offered to a shaligram or an idol of Lord Vishnu may be offered as Shiva is a devotee of Vishnu and He loves tulsi offered to Lord Vishnu.
• C. It is said that on the eighth day (ashtami) of the dark fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Jyeshtha, Lord Shankar and on the fourteenth day (chaturdashi), Revati is ritualistically worshipped with blue flowers. On that day blue colour has the ability to absorb the Shiva principle as much as the green bel leaves. Based on the same principle kevada (a type of fragrant flower) is offered to Shiva during the ritual of conclusion (udyapan) of the vowed religious observance of Mahashivaratri.
• D. Bel leaves, white flowers and holy sacrament of food (naivedya) offered to a pindi of Lord Shiva are not accepted as they can induce detachment which an average individual does not desire.
• E. People belonging to various sects such as Shaiva, Kapalik, Gosavi, Virashaiva, etc. use various lingas – earthen (parthivlinga), lingas in a silver box donned around the neck (kanthasthalinga), lingas of crystal glass (sphatiklinga), banalingas, a five stringed linga (panchasutri), stone lingas (pashanlinga), etc.

5. Circumambulations

Circumambulations of Shiva are like the half-moon. The channel which runs northwards towards the moon (som) from the shalunka (base of the linga) till the boundary of the temple is called the somsutra. When circumambulating one should begin on the left hand side and continue till the channel of the shalunka from where the water offered during the ritualistic bathing (abhishek) flows. Without crossing it one should complete a circumambulation by moving in the reverse direction upto the other side of the channel (srot). This rule applies only if the Shivalinga is installed or created by man; it does not apply to a svayambhu or a chala linga (kept in the house). The flow of a shalunka is not crossed as it is the flow of energy. When crossing it the legs are pulled apart. As a result formation of semen and the five internal vital energies (vayu) are adversely affected. There is an obstruction in the devadatta and dhananjay vital energies. However these ill effects do not occur if while crossing it the body is contracted, that is the channels (nadis) are contracted. Rationalists feel that the channel of the linga is not crossed because while doing so the dirt on one’s feet contaminates the water there. If this water is consumed by devotees as holy water (tirtha) it could result in illness !

6. Ritualistic worship with liquids (abhishek)

Lord Shiva loves being worshipped with liquids. The linga is constantly kept wet by sprinkling liquids as the divine birth passage of the Primal mother is always wet and consequently is the linga. Shiva is offerred abhishek by reciting a hymn from the Yajurveda called Rudra. It is of two types namakar (namak) and chamakar (chamak). In namakar the word ‘namaha’ while in chamakar the word ‘chamaha’ appears more frequently. This abhishek is performed reciting the Rudradhyay eleven times. Eleven rounds (avartans) of the Rudradhyay constitute one ekadashani. Eleven ekadashanis make up one laghurudra and eleven laghurudras make up one maharudra. Finally eleven maharudras constitute one atirudra.

7. Chanting the Name of Shiva

‘Namaha Shivaya (नम: शिवाय)’ is Lord Shiva’s five lettered (panchakshari) mantra. In a subdivision of the Yajurveda the Rudradhyay begins with these words. The mantra is taken from here. When it is prefixed with the sacred syllable (pranav) Om, it becomes ‘Om namaha Shivaya (ॐ नम: शिवाय)’, the six lettered (shadakshari) mantra. The spiritual meaning of each letter of the five lettered mantra is as follows:

n (न)       = The foremost deity of all the regions (lokas)
m (म)      = The bestower of supreme spiritual knowledge
                   (dnyan) and destroyer of the greatest sins
Shi (शि) = Benevolent, serene and responsible for the
                   initiation by Lord Shiva
va (वा)  = The representation of a bull as the vehicle and
                   the Vasuki and Vamangi Energies (Shakti)
y (य)       = The auspicious abode of Supreme Bliss and
                   Lord Shiva.

Hence obeisance (namaskar) to these five letters.

The above five letters also have a co-relation with the tandav dance of Nataraj Shiva which is as follows:
n    = The hand beholding fire (agni)
m   = The foot pressing the demon Mulayak
Shi = The hand holding a small hour glass shaped drum
          (damaru)
va  = The outstretched hand
y    = The hand bestowing protection

These five letters are also said to be indicative of God (Ishvar), Divine Energy (Shakti), the soul principle (atma), the unmanifest one (antardhan) and vanquishing of sins respectively.’

7.1 Usage of Om in the chanting of Shiva’s Name

For creation of the manifest (sagun), the Great Illusion from the unmanifest (nirgun) Brahman tremendous energy is required. Such energy is generated by Om. Hence, chanting of Om by one whose spiritual level is not adequate to do so can cause physical distress such as hyperacidity, a rise in the body temperature, etc. or psychological distress like restlessness.

The frequencies created from Om generate a lot of energy (heat) in the body. This does not affect the male reproductive organs as they lie outside the body cavity. However, in case of women this heat can affect the reproductive organs as they lie within the abdominal cavity. Thus women may experience distress. They may suffer from excessive menstrual flow, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, infertility, etc. Hence, it is advisable for women not to prefix Om to the Name unless otherwise recommended by the Guru; for example they may chant ‘namaha Shivaya’ instead of ‘Om namaha Shivaya’. Otherwise they should use Shri as a prefix.

8. Shiva Gayatri

तत्‍पुरुषाय विद्महे । महादेवाय धीमहि । तन्‍नो रुद्र: प्रचोदयात्‌ ।।

Meaning: We are quite familiar with that Supreme Being (Mahadev). We meditate on that Mahadev. May that Rudra inspire our intellect benevolently.

9. Shiva’s temple

Its characteristics are as given below.

• A. It is said that ‘Shiva is the deity of married couples as He is accompanied by the Divine Energy (शक्‍त्‍यासहित: शंभु:)’. Shiva without Divine Energy (Shakti) becomes a corpse (shava). Since other deities are solitary there is less radiance generated in their idols. As a result, tranquility is experienced in their temples. However in Shiva’s temple since radiance is generated in greater proportions one experiences energy.
• B. Other deities are absent only in Shiva’s temple. In temples of all other deities there are small temples of other deities; they are referred to as the deities of the family.
• C. A non-Brahman priest (gurav): A Brahman is not supposed to remove the dried flowers, etc. used in worship (nirmalya) in a Shiva’s temple. Hence non-Brahman priests look after a Shiva’s temple and bhopes look after a temple of Parvati. Just as Brahmans who perform religious rites like ritualistic worship, marriage, etc. do not take a meal during an offering made to ancestors (pindadan), so also they do not remove the dried flowers, etc. on Shiva’s pindi.
• D. Brahmans consecrate Shiva by ritualistic worship with liquids (abhishek) amidst chanting of Vedic mantras but do not partake of the food (naivedya) offered to Him. Brahmans who perform ritualistic worship also do not make an offering to ancestors.

 

What is the concept of Final Liberation as per the Pashupat sect?

Contents

• 1. Pashupat
  • 1.1 Siddhant
  • 1.2 Special features
  • 1.3 Risks
  • 1.4 Comparison between Pashupat and some other Shaiva sects
  • 1.5 The divine weapon (pashupatastra)
• 2. Kapalik, Kalamukh and Aghor
• 3. The Shaiva sect according to the Agam scriptures
  • 3.1 History
  • 3.2 Doctrines
• 4. Shuddha Shaivites

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1. Pashupat

Lakulish is the founder of this sect. He established this sect in the 2^nd century B.C.

1.1 Siddhant

In the Shaiva doctrine pashu, pash and pati are considered the three basic classes (trivarga). These also form the basis of the Pashupat doctrine. Shankaracharya has given five doctrines, that is meanings of the Pashupat sect. They are : 1. action (karya), 2. cause (pati), 3. spiritual discipline (yoga), 4. observance of directives (charya) and 5. end of sorrow.

A. Action: All that which is devoid of energy of its own, that is dependent on another is an action. It is of the following three types – vidya, kala and pashu.

1. Vidya: This is an attitude of pashu (the embodied soul). It is further classified as follows.

• Bodhasvabhava

  1. Manifest: The vidya which permits realisation, which becomes manifest through the sense organs is referred to as the subconscious mind (chitta), because the manifestation or non-manifestation of an object which materialises due to this energy imparting realisation is actually realised by the subconscious mind.

  2. Unmanifest

• Abodhasvabhava: This vidya decides the regulations by which the embodied souls have to abide. Embodied souls try to behave righteously and avoid unrighteous behaviour due to these regulations.

2. Kala (nescience): This being within the control of divine consciousness is itself devoid of divine consciousness.

• Kala in the form of action: Five elements such as the earth and five attributes such as the form have been elucidated in kala in the form of action.
• Kala in the form of cause: The thirteen types of kalas in the form of cause are the five sense organs, five motor organs, intellect, ego and mind.

3. Pashu (embodied soul): The embodied soul which on evolvement always remains dependent on material objects is called an animal (pashu). Becoming an animal means becoming dependent. Animals are further classified as sanjan (सांजन) and niranjan (निरंजन). Sanjan [(स + अंजन) darkness)] means full of ignorance and niranjan means devoid of all ignorance. The former ignorant embodied soul is concerned with the body and kalas while the latter which is pure is not.

B. Cause (the sustainer): The principle which is responsible for creation, sustenance and dissolution and which bestows favours upon the world is called the cause. The sustainer is the one who possesses both the energies of spiritual knowledge and action.

C. Spiritual discipline: The spiritual practice which unites the soul and The Lord through the medium of the subconscious mind is called yoga.

D. Observance of directives (विधि): Righteous seekers refer to worldly transactions as observance of directives or established customs. The types of observances are enlisted below.

1. Vowed religious observances: Bathing with holy ash (bhasma), sleeping on holy ash, following restrictions (upahar), chanting, circumambulation are all vowed religious observances. In this context Bhagvan Lakulish has said, ‘One should bathe with holy ash thrice and sleep on it’. There are six types of restrictions (upahar) hasit, gita, nrutya, hudukkar, namaskar and japa. Hasit means uttering ‘h h h h’ loudly moving the neck and lips. Gita is singing the glory of Maheshvar’s attributes according to the norms of classical music. Co-ordinated hand and body movements embellished with facial expressions is nrutya (dance). Hudukkar is creating a sound like the snorting of a bull by touching the tongue to the palate. Rituals performed after a bath such as partaking of food obtained by asking for alms, partaking of leftover food of the deity, using dried flowers (nirmalya) from the idol worshipped as a blessed sacrament (prasad), donning lingas, etc. are complementary to the rituals of the first stage.

2. Doors

• Krathan: Pretence of a man who is actually awake that he is asleep
• Spandan: Moving the parts of the body as if one has developed gaseous distension
• Mandan: Walking as if crippled
• Shrungaran: Indulging in sexual play imagining that one is sexually aroused by the sight of a lady
• Avitkaran: Performing actions worthy of criticism by others, like a man without any reasoning between right and wrong (vivek)
• Avitadbhashan: Speaking antagonistically and meaninglessly.

E. End of sorrow: This is the intense reduction of sorrow. This itself is referred to as the ultimate of the four pursuits (parampurushartha) or the Final Liberation (Moksha). As given above only after the destruction of the five types of ignorance – knowledge of the Great Illusion, unrighteousness, purpose of divine energy, bondage with the Great Illusion (Maya) and being embodied (pashu) by performing yoga or observance of regulations one acquires the Final Liberation in the form of intense reduction of sorrow. Surrendering to Lord Shiva wholeheartedly is also a remedy for Final Liberation. The belief behind it is that these types of ignorance are destroyed and the embodied soul attains the Final Liberation with the blessings of Lord Pashupati.

Types

• Anatmak Final Liberation: Severe reduction of unhappiness
• Satmak Final Liberation: Attainment of the divine attributes of spiritual knowledge (dnyan) and action (karma).

1.2 Special features

• A. In other doctrines the elimination of sorrow is termed as the Final Liberation but in this doctrine realisation of The Supreme God is also termed as the Final Liberation.
• B. Principle: The Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and the embodied soul doing spiritual practice (jivatma) are eternal and separate objects. The world, Nature exists because of the Great Illusion (Maya). In the liberated state the embodied soul is able to shed (detach itself) ignorance and weakness and becomes embodied to acquire infinite spiritual knowledge and energy of action (kriyashakti) and thus by the grace of God becomes the great master of the attendants (gans) as Mahadev. (Pashupatsutra 1.38)
• C. Dr. Bhandarkar has severely criticized this extremist Shaiva sect. In his opinion their paths in the pursuit of realisation of God were artificial and misleading. The deity Rudra-Shiva belonged to the forests and open uninhabitated places. Temples of Lord Shiva were conventionally established away from civilization. The devotees too used to be unrighteous, corrupt and uncultured. This opinion of Dr.Bhandarkar seems to be true to a large extent as these people never seemed to be bothered about protection and growth of the society. They could not conceive that feelings such as auspiciousness and purity develop peace and stability in civic life as they always remained aloof from social interaction. Consequently in the subsequent period, this sect which remained away from society and violated societal norms was outcast by society and new sects came into being accepting only broadminded concepts and behaviour. Although their practices attracted social criticism one must admit that they had reached a state beyond social criticism with the help of these practices.

1.3 Risks

Followers of the Pashupat sect adopted the dualistic philosophy, that is believed in many manifestations of The Lord. The result of such a dualistic philosophy can be that man can get entrapped in spiritual practice with a materialistic viewpoint. When one accepts a distinction between the Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and the embodied soul (jivatma) one does not feel greatly inclined to cross the chasm of happiness and sorrow between them. In the very concept that the ultimate end of sorrow itself is the Final Liberation (Moksha), is incorporated the duality of happiness and sorrow. Transgressing both these states itself is the true concept of the Final Liberation.

1.4 Comparison between Pashupat and some other Shaiva sects

	Pashupat	Some other Shaiva sects
1. What is the     concept of the     Final Liberation     (Moksha)?	End of unhappiness and attainment of The Supreme God, attainment of The Supreme Energy and end of unhappiness thereafter	End of unhappiness or attainment of the Final Liberation (Kaivalya)
2. Origin of the     mission	The mission is perpe- tual, e.g. the embodied soul	From the Great Illusion (asat)
3. Causes of the     causes	Absent. Maheshvar carries out His mission independently	The cause requires an auxillary cause for the fulfillment of causation
4. Result of    spiritual practice	Samip Mukti (no rebirth)	Attainment of heaven (hence there is rebirth)

1.5 The divine weapon (pashupatastra)

‘The trident in Lord Shiva’s hand is called the divine weapon. It is said that this weapon has the form of fire and is capable of annihilating the entire universe.

Arjun prayed for this weapon to Shankar who imparted him with it. At that time Lord Mahadev said ‘I am bestowing upon you My weapon, pashupat which is very dear to Me. You are capable of sporting, wielding and withdrawing it. However Partha, do not use it on anyone irresponsibly. Should you happen to use it on one who is weak, it shall destroy the entire universe. The one who sports this can destroy his enemy with a mere glance, mental energy, speech or bow and arrow.’

2. Kapalik, Kalamukh and Aghor

‘An ancient Shaiva sect like the Pashupat, Kapaliks are followers of the Path of Distressing Energy (Vammarg), are fearsome by temparament and worship Lord Shiva. Kapali means Lord Shiva who sports a skull. His devotees are known as Kapaliks. They too use skull bones and partake of wine, meat etc. through it. Slaying man, partaking of meat and blood and residing in the crematorium are special characteristics of the Kapaliks. In the Shiva Puran they are termed as those practising the Mahavrat. The Mahavrat includes such aghori acts as eating in human skulls, sitting in the crematorium, applying ash from burnt corpses, etc. Kapaliks are worshippers of harsh deities such as Mahabhairav and Chamunda. In the spiritual practice of sahaj – vajrayans, company of women is essential. Similarly the Kapaliks too consider the company of women to be very essential. There is not much difference between the Kapaliks and Kalamukhs. At the most one may say that the Kalamukhs are harsher than the Kapaliks.’

Aghor (अघोर) is derived from a (अ) and ghoraha (घोर:) which means ‘one who has no worries (ghor) at all’. These generally undertake spiritual practice in the crematorium; hence they are also known as smashan (crematorium) aghoris.

3. The Shaiva sect according to the Agam scriptures

3.1 History

The Agam scriptures are the origin of the doctrines of the ancient Shaiva sect. The total number of Agam scriptures is considered to be twenty-eight. In South India this Shaiva sect according to the Agam was widely preached. The Shaivites of the Agam school of thought were different from the Shaivites professing faith in the Vedas and the Upanishads. In their view Vedic scriptures did not have significance. They claim that the twenty-eight Agam scriptures described by Lord Mahadev are more sacred than the Vedas which are deemed to have originated from the very breath of Lord Brahma. The Shiva whom they worship is the five faced one with the Names Sadyojat, Vamdev, Aghor, Tatpurush and Ishan. The Agam scriptures have originated from these five faces. Probably all the Agam texts have been written in the ninth century. One should remember that the followers of the Agam philosophy have incorporated many a mantra and rituals of worship from the followers of the Vedas.

3.2 Doctrines

The Shaiva doctrine describes four parts and three substances. The four parts are spiritual knowledge (vidya), actions (kriya), spiritual discipline (yoga) and behaviour (charya) and the three substances are the master (pati), the animal (pashu) and the bondages (pash). The section on spiritual knowledge (vidyapad) describes the master, animal and the bondages as well as mantras and their importance.

A. Pad (chapter) 1 – Vidyapad

• Master: The master refers to Shiva. Shiva creates destiny as well as the objects of pleasure or pain according to the destiny of the embodied soul. Thus His energy of creation is dependent on the actions of human beings. The Divine Energy (Shakti) has five mantras commencing with Ishan to conceptualise the parts of The Supreme God. These five mantras represent His five energies and His five different forms. With the help of these He performs functions such as creation, sustenance, dissolution, enveloping with the Great Illusion (tirobhav) and initiation (anugraha).
• Animal: An animal refers to the embodied soul doing spiritual practice. Although the embodied soul acquires the nature of Shiva yet it does not become independent but remains in the company of the ever free Shiva. There are three types of animals.

  1. Those with a tendency to acquire spiritual knowledge (vidnyankal): Those who have nullified the impressions of their past deeds with the help of spiritual knowledge and yoga and have detached themselves from all the transitions (kalas) and those in whom only ignorance (mala) persists.

  2. Those with a tendency for dissolution (pralayakal): Those whose attitudes (kalas) are destroyed with dissolution of the universe. These seekers are liberated from action (karma) and ignorance.

  3. Those with all tendencies (sakal) : One bound with ignorance, action and the Great Illusion (Maya).

• The noose (pash): The four types of nooses are ignorance, action, the Great Illusion (Maya) and the binding energy (rodhashakti).

  1. Ignorance: That which covers the spiritual knowledge of the soul and the energy of action akin to the husk of grain is called ignorance.

  2. Action: That which an individual performs with desire for results is termed as an action. Both Righteousness (Dharma) as well as unrighteousness are included in it. Actions have been continuing like seeds and their sprouts since times immemorial.

  3. The Great Illusion: This is an energy in which the entire creation dissolves at the time of dissolution of the universe and is recreated it at the time of creation of the universe.

  4. The binding energy (rodhashakti): This is an energy of Shiva. It is present in the other three nooses and obscures the true nature of the animal. Hence it too is considered as a noose. Since it is the energy of speech it performs its functions and is responsible for naming of objects.

B. Pad (chapter) 2 – Kriyapad

In this are included perfection of mantras, the ritual of sandhya, ritualistic worship (puja), chanting (japa), offering oblations through the fire (havan), routine actions for the acquisition of permanent Bliss, ritualistic bathing (abhishek) of the teacher and seekers and the ritual of initiation for spiritual upliftment and attainment of The Supreme God by the seeker. Namaha Shivaya is the five lettered mantra used in their ritualistic worship. In this sect primarily those renouncing the world would be granted initiation. Prior to obtaining such an initiation he had to acquire the grace of the female deity (devi). This initiation by the female deity is itself the transfer of energy (shaktipat).

C. Pad (chapter) 3 – Yogapad

In this, 36 principles, their presiding deities, the presiding deities of various regions (lokas), the embodied soul doing spiritual practice (jivatma), the Supreme Soul, the Divine Energy (Shakti), the creator of the universe, the Great Illusion (Maya and Mahamaya) are described. It also includes supernatural powers for the worldly person such as acquiring a subtle, miniature form, pranayam, introversion (pratyahar), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyan) and the superconscious state (samadhi) as well as the description of the states of the chakras commencing from the Muladhar or the navel.

D. Pad (chapter) 4 – Charyapad

Here austerities, purificatory ceremonies, the nature of a Shivalinga and its installation, a visible linga of Uma and Maheshvar, Ganapati, Skanda, Nandi, a japamala (rosary) and the ritual for ancestors (shraddha) are described. It is seen that behaviour contributing to the actions described in the Kriyapad are complemented in this Charyapad. Actions which are forbidden are described here as follows.

• Partaking of an offering of food (prasad) of other deities
• Criticising the rituals done with expectation (sakam karmas) described in the Shaiva philosophy, enjoying The Lord’s creation, animal sacrifices, etc.

4. Shuddha Shaivites

In South India another sect known as the Shuddha Shaivites was established in the later period. ‘Qualified non-duality (Vishishtadvait) ’ maybe described as the special characteristic of this sect. This is also said to be due to the influence of the philosophies propounded by Ramanujacharya and Yamunacharya. The ‘Vayaviya Sanhita’ a part of the Shiva Puran is the principal holy text of this sect. Just as Vaishnav teachers came to the fore deriving inspiration from the devotional poetry of Alvars and propounded the Vaishnav sect and philosophy so also, the Shaiva teachers (naynars) of the south granting prominence to the hymns of devotees like Namtara, etc. began to propagate the doctrines of their sect.

 

What are names and function of Lord Datta?

Contents

1. Lord Dattatreya – One who provides frequencies of Divine consciousness!
2. Other Names of Lord Dattatreya
3. Function of Lord Dattatreya
4. Worship of Lord Datta (who has one head)
5. Benefit of chanting Lord Dattatreya’s Name

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In the era gone by, the demonic energies grew enormously in the gross and subtle forms. Gods’ efforts to vanquish them were unsuccessful. Then, under orders from Lord Brahma, Lord Datta had to incarnate at various places in various forms and destroy the demons. The day of His incarnation is celebrated as ‘Datta Jayanti’. – Lord Ganesh.

1. Lord Dattatreya – One who provides frequencies of Divine consciousness!

The principle that makes available to an embo-died soul both gross and subtle (i.e. manifest and unmanifest) frequencies of higher or lower Gods and Deities in a shorter time is called Datta or Lord Dattatreya). The very meaning of Datta is the ‘One who provides frequencies of Divine consciousness’. – A Scholar.

2. Other Names of Lord Dattatreya

2.1 Avadhut

The One who controls the eight faculties in the body of an embodied soul and shows it the path to the unmanifest dimension through the manifest dimension. Avadhut is a medium that connects both the manifest form of Lord Datta and His unmanifest form. He is a manifest form (the gross manifestation) of the three principles – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiv. He is also related to the unmanifest dimension (manifestation of these three principles in the form of light). ‘Avadhut’ comes alive with the radiance of Lord Dattatreya.

2.2 Digambar

Is the principle which gives company to an embodied soul till it gets Final Liberation in the radiance of the sky, i.e. beyond all the directions.

2.3 Sripad

‘Sri’ is the never-ending principle of God. The principle that takes an embodied soul to that principle of God or to the Holy Feet of ‘Sri’ principle is the Datta principle in Sripad.

2.4 Vallabh

The Datta princ-iple in the form of Vallabh protects the Universe from the circular-shaped distressing frequencies that create a fear psychosis, and thus protects the embodied souls. – A Scholar.

3. Function of Lord Dattatreya

Lord Dattatreya bestows His grace on man by giving speed to the journey of his ancestors to the next region and reducing his distress from ancestors. God gives man a chance to get liberated from the debt of ancestors through the ritual that gives speed to ancestors onward journey and through chanting the Name of Dattatreya.
One cannot get rid of the ancestors’ debt merely by remembering them off and on, displaying their photos in the house or publishing their photos in newspapers on their death anniversaries. It is only by chanting the Name of Dattatreya that the ancestors get speed to go on their onward journey in true sense. From this we can realise that it is imperative to worship the Deity to get liberated from the ancestors’ debt. This also reduces the debt of God on us. – A Devotee of Datta.

4. Worship of Lord Datta (who has one head)

Till the Satya Yuga, the spiritual level of all embodied souls was high and they acquired knowledge on the strength of their own spiritual practice. They possessed the state of ‘Soham’ (I am He). So Lord Dattatreya was required for the functions of dissolution and imparting knowledge to a very limited extent. Only the Vishnu principle in Him was active that time. As a symbol of this, the idol of Datta had only one head. Thereafter, during the Treta Yuga, the spiritual level of the embodied souls started to come down and they found it difficult to protect themselves and acquire knowledge on their own. To impart more knowledge to them through the subtle dimension, Lord Dattatreya had to bring out the dormant Brahma and Shiv principle in Him. To symbolise this, the three-headed idol of Dattatreya became prevalent.

4.1 The Japamala (rosary) in Lord Datta’s hand represents perennial spiritual practice

Brahma of the three-headed Datta has a rosary in His hand. Datta’s chanting goes on continuously, without a break. Perennial spiritual practice is the quality of Lord Shiv too. This feature of ‘perennial spiritual practice’ of both the Deities is found in Lord Dattatreya. Perennial spiritual practice in the present Era means functioning either in a saviour or a destroyer form, as is required.’ – A Devotee of Datta.

4.2 Kamandalu (water-pot with a specific shape carried by ascetics)

Contains water which has the potential to absorb the unmanifest waves emanating from the Lord and to draw a protective sheath in a moment around the three celestial regions for protecting them from the distress of negative energies in the Universe.’ – A Scholar.

5. Benefit of chanting Lord Dattatreya’s Name

A. The ancestors get speed in their journey to the next region and this makes the atmosphere in the house pleasant.

B. An embodied soul gets energy from Lord Shiv also.

– Lord Ganesh.

 

Why did Lord Datta acquire knowledge from twenty-four Gurus?

Lord Datta

Contents

• 1. Meaning
• 2. Some other Names
  • 2.1 Avadhut
  • 2.2 Digambar (दिगंबर)
• 3. History of His birth
  • 3.1 According to the spiritual texts (Purans)
  • 3.2 According to the science of Spirituality
• 4. Gurus and subordinate Gurus of Datta
  • 4.1 Guru
  • 4.2 Subordinate Gurus
  • 4.3 Is it necessary to have a number of Gurus?

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1. Meaning

Datta means the one who has been given [the spiritual experience of the unmanifest (nirgun)] away. In other words the one who has been endowed with the spiritual experience that He is Brahman, is already liberated or is the soul itself, is Datta.

2. Some other Names

2.1 Avadhut

Some of the origins and meanings of the word Avadhut (अवधूत) are given below

• A (अ)        = One who is perpetually engrossed in Bliss (आनंदे वर्तते नित्‍यम्‌ ।).
  Va (व)      = One who lives every moment in the present (वर्तमानेन वर्तते ।).
  Dhu (धू) = One whose entire ignorance has been cleansed with spiritual knowledge and hence is benevolent (ज्ञाननिर्धूत कल्‍याण: ।).
  T (त)        = One who has destroyed His ignorance by contemplation on the principle (Brahman) (तत्‍त्वचिंतनधूत येन ।)
• In the Avadhutopanishad the meaning of the word Avadhut is as under –

  A (अ): The meaning of this letter is infinite. Avadhut has realised Brahman in the form of letters (Aksharbrahman). Aksharbrahman also refers to the state of action.

  Va (व): This letter symbolises ‘varenyatva (वरेण्‍यत्‍व)’ which means supremacy.

  Dhu (धू): The letter dhu means the one free from all kinds of bondages, liberated, the one who cannot be described with any title or cannot function with any restriction.

  T (त): This letter symbolises the great quote ‘तत्‍त्वमसि’ meaning ‘You are that Principle (Brahman)’.

  In short, a great saint who constantly remains engrossed in Self-realisation is described as Avadhut.

• ‘सर्वान्‌ प्रकृतिविकारान्‌ अवधुनोतीत्‍यवधूत: ।’ (Avadhut is the one who cleanses and destroys all defects arising from Prakruti.) This is the definition according to the Siddhasiddhantapaddhati (6.1).
• ‘Avadhut chintan Shri Gurudev Datta (अवधूत चिंतन श्री गुरुदेव दत्‍त ।)’. This is the way devotees of Lord Datta sing His glory. Avadhut refers to the devotee. Thus it means that Shri Gurudev Datta is the one who always thinks about and takes care of His devotees.
• One who is without a doubt or a resolve and is pure in all aspects is known as Avadhut, He is a famous Brahman.

  The one who cleanses the entire world with Self-realisation is called Avadhut, He is a famous Brahman.

  Avadhut is the one who destroys ego, He is a yogi and is pure too. The one who is overwhelmed with ego lives a degraded life.

  – Shri Eknathi Bhagvat 7: 270 – 272

2.2 Digambar (दिगंबर)

In ‘दिक्‌  एव अंबर: ।’ dik (दिक्‌) refers to the direction and ambar (अंबर) to the garment. Digambar means one whose apparel is the directions themselves.

3. History of His birth

3.1 According to the spiritual texts (Purans)

Anasuya the wife of Sage Atri was very chaste (pativrata). Her chastity endowed her with so much power that Indra and other deities felt threatened. They approached Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and told Them, “If someone is blessed by her he will be able to substitute the deities or slay any of them. So please find a solution to this or at least let us serve her.” This enraged the trinity of deities and They said, “Let us see how great her chastity is.”

Once when Sage Atri had gone out to undertake austerities the trinity of deities disguised as guests approached Anasuya and asked for alms. She requested Them to wait till Sage Atri returned. They replied saying, “It will be long before the sage returns. We are very hungry. Please serve us fast otherwise we will go elsewhere. We have heard that you serve guests food as per their wishes in your hermitage, that is why we had come.” Then she welcomed Them and requested Them to sit down for a meal. They complied. When she came to serve Them They said, “Seeing your beauty we wish that you serve us without any garments on.” She thought to herself, “It is wrong to send a hungry guest away. My mind is pure, then what can the deity of sex, Kamadev do? The prowess of my husband’s penance will save me.” She then told the guests “I will undress and serve You. Eat to Your heart’s content.” In the kitchen she contemplated upon her husband and thought ‘these guests are my children’. Then she removed her garments and came to serve Them. To her surprise, the guests had turned into three wailing babies ! She then held Them to her breast and fed Them thus stopping Their cry.

Just then, Sage Atri returned. She narrated everything to Him. He being Omniscient recognised the babies and offered obeisance to Them. The babies remained in the cradle and Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh appeared before the couple. Appeased, the deities told the couple to ask for a boon. Atri and Anasuya asked for the babies to remain with them. Blessing them accordingly, the deities returned to Their abodes. From the three deities, Chandra was created from Brahma, Datta from Vishnu and Durvas from Shankar. Chandra and Durvas took permission and left for the chandra region (chandralok) and to places of pilgrimage respectively, to undertake penance. The third, that is Datta remained on the earth to accomplish the mission of Lord Vishnu. This itself is the origin of the Guru lineage (pitha).

3.2 According to the science of Spirituality

A (अ) means absent (a is the vowel signifying negation) and tri (त्रि) to the triad. Hence ‘Atri (अत्रि)’ means the one in whom the triads of the waking – dream – deep sleep states, sattva – raja – tama components and the meditator – object of meditation – act of meditation are absent. Atri’s intellect was pure, devoid of asuya, that is desire and anger and the six actions (shatkarmas). That pure intellect itself is referred to as Anasuya. It is the resolve of this pure intellect itself which gave birth to Datta.

4. Gurus and subordinate Gurus of Datta

4.1 Guru

The eleventh skandha (volume) of the Shrimadbhagvat narrates a conversation between Yadu and Avadhut. Here Avadhut names His Gurus and narrates what He learnt from them. [The word Guru used in this context means the teacher. The features of a true Guru are given in ‘Science of Spirituality : Chapter 6 – Path of Guru’s Grace (Gurukrupayoga)’.]

Everything in the universe is a Guru because one can learn something or the other from it. From bad things one learns what defects to reject and from good things what good qualities to acquire. For example I accumulated knowledge from the twenty-four Gurus enlisted below and converted it into an ocean. Then bathing in it, I cleansed all my sins.

1. The earth: One should acquire the virtues of endurance and tolerance of duality from the earth.

2. The wind: One should be detached like the wind. Just as the wind blows both in the hot and cold regions without being influenced by their qualities or defects so also those desirous of Liberation (mumukshus) should wholeheartedly tread along the path prescribed by the Vedas (Shrutis) in the hot and cold regions without paying attention to virtues or defects of others.

3. The sky: Just like the sky the soul pervades all animate and inanimate objects yet it remains unaltered, single and steady.

4. The water

• Just like water one should behave with affection towards all. One should never be partial to anyone.
• Just as water retains its impurity at its bed and cleanses others of their impurities so also should man renounce the impurities arising from attachment to the physical body, acquire the treasure of spiritual knowledge and cleanse people with vices, of their sins.
• Just as water flows from a higher altitude uprooting impudent trees, nurturing humble vegetation on its way to the low lying land so also liberated souls should destroy the vain and wealthy, punish the hypocrite evildoers and redeem those who surrender to them, of their sins.
• Man is akin to water which becomes impure by stagnation and gets purified as it flows. Hence men with a spiritual attitude should visit various places of pilgrimages (tirthakshetras) instead of living in one place.

5. The fire

• Like fire, man should undertake austerities and get illumined with knowledge. He should partake of whatever is available, refrain from bad deeds and utilise his virtues only at the opportune moment for a worthwhile cause.
• When on a pilgrimage, etc. one should eat whatever is available without accumulating it.
• Always remaining pure like the fire one should behave with equality towards all.
• Fire delivers the oblations to the deities made in it amidst chanting of their respective Names.
• In order to realise the transient nature of the body the flame of fire is considered as a Guru. Just as hardly any time is required to kindle and extinguish a flame so also creation and dissolution of a body from the five cosmic elements does not take long.

6. The moon: There are in all sixteen phases of the moon including the subtle phase of the new moon and the fifteen of the fortnight. Though there is waxing and waning of the moon, it remains unaffected by them. Similarly, the soul is not affected by changes in the body.

7. The sun: The sun stores water taking the future into account and benevolently showers it on the earth at the appropriate moment. In the same way man should store useful things and make them available to all living organisms impartially, considering the time, place and the prevalent conditions.

8. The pigeon: A man who lives with intense attachment for his wife and children feeling that worldly life is pleasurable is destroyed with time just like a pigeon along with its family is devoured by a falcon. Thus a seeker desirous of Liberation (mumukshu) should be mentally detached from all this.

9. The python: The python lies in one place fearlessly having faith in its destiny. It is content with whatever food it gets and has no preferences about the quantity, taste, etc. It does not feel threatened if no food is available for sometime and inspite of having the strength does not make use of it. Similarly those desirous of the Final Liberation should partake of whatever little is available reposing faith in destiny and at times if nothing is available then they should become introverted and remain engrossed in meditating on the soul.

10. The sea

• During monsoons just as the sea is neither pleased if the rivers bring in plenty of water nor is displeased if they do not, and consequently does not swell or shrink, so also man should remain steadfast to his duties and should neither feel elated if he experiences worldly pleasures nor unhappy if he is faced with tragedy. He should always remain immersed in Bliss.
• One should not let anyone perceive one’s virtues just as the sea keeps its length, breadth, depth and the treasures in its bed hidden from everyone. However one should always utilise them favourably, for the sake of others.

11. The moth: The moth enchanted by the alluring radiance of the lit lamp, dives at it and is soon charred to death. A man who is similarly fascinated by a woman’s beauty and youth for the sake of sexual pleasure finally perishes in it just like the moth.

12. The queen bee and the honey collector

• The queen bee: The queen bee builds a hive encountering several difficulties in a cumbersome location high up on a tree and collects honey in it. It neither eats it itself nor lets others feast upon it. Finally all of a sudden the honey collector kills it and takes away the hive along with the honey. In the same way the miser who accumulates wealth with relentless efforts finally either becomes unhappy when it is suddenly lost in the fire, stolen by thieves or taken away by the king or when unrighteous progeny is born to him which misuses it or if he dies issueless. Thus after his death the wealth either remains where it is or is acquired by someone unrelated to him. If at the time of death he still has attachment for that wealth then he harasses the one who enjoys it in the form of a spirit or a serpent. Thus learning that accumulation of wealth leads to sudden death like the honey bee, one should stop amassing wealth.
• The honey collector: Just as the one who collects the honey acquires it effortlessly so also a male seeker should partake of food cooked in the home of a householder instead of spending time in making a fire, collecting utensils, firewood, etc. and should devote that time to realise God. Such seekers desirous of Liberation partake of food from householders and ultimately uplift them.

13. The elephant (Gajendra)

• Although the elephant is so powerful, man tries to capture it by digging a pit in the ground, covering it with grass and placing a wooden cow elephant covered with elephant skin on that pit. Infatuated by the cow elephant the elephant craves for sexual pleasure and runs towards that wooden cow elephant with speed and falls in the pit. Thus it is easily made a captive by man. Similarly man lured by sensuous pleasure is instantly entrapped in bondage.
• Men allured by adulterous women are destroyed in the same way as elephants overcome with lust die fighting amongst themselves.

14. The bumble-bee

• The sunflower which blooms with sunrise closes with the sunset. At that time if a bumble-bee is seated on it, then it gets trapped in the flower. Thus realising that attachment to object pleasure gives rise to bondage, one should refrain from such attachment.
• Just as the bumble-bee savours the fragrance of several sunflowers instead of one so also seekers desirous of Liberation should realise that every science will not be easy to grasp and hence should try to understand their implied meaning.

15. The Musk deer: The musk deer which is as swift as the wind and can be captured by none, gets enchanted with melodious music and loses its life to others. Keeping this in mind one should not get entrapped in any kind of attachment.

16. The Fish: When a fish-hook fastened with bait is thrown into the water, the fish lured by the bait swallows the hook and gets caught. Thus it loses its life. Man too is trapped in satisfying his taste buds and thus continues to suffer in the whirlpool of births and deaths.

17. The prostitute – Pingala: One night despite a long wait not a single client approached her. As she restlessly waited pacing up and down, hoping for a client she was finally bored and suddenly developed detachment. As long as man has desire he cannot sleep peacefully. The one who sacrifices desire is unaffected by unhappiness.

18. The lapwing: Seeing the lapwing fly with a fish in its beak hundreds of crows and eagles began chasing it, pecking at it and tried to snatch the fish, thus harassing it. This flock began following it wherever it went. Finally exhausted it dropped the fish. Just then an eagle caught the fish. No sooner had the eagle caught the fish than all the crows and eagles began chasing it. The lapwing however calmly perched itself on the branch of a tree. In this world there is peace only if sense objects are rejected, otherwise it leads to great distress.

19. The child: Forsaking respect and disrespect, believing that the universe is governed by destiny one should live carefree like a child and enjoy the Bliss.

20. The bangles: When two bangles strike each other a jingling sound is generated. The more the bangles the greater is the sound. Similarly when two persons live together it leads to conversation and when many persons live together there is strife. In both circumstances there is no peace of mind. Hence those doing meditation, yoga, etc. should search for an isolated place and live there in seclusion.

21. The artisan: One day an artisan was chiselling the blade of an arrow with great concentration. A king’s procession to the accompaniment of music passed by that way. A man arriving later approached the artisan and enquired, “Have you seen the king’s procession passing by this way, just now?” The artisan replied, “I was so engrossesd in my work that I was not aware of anything”. Just like this artisan a seeker desirous of Liberation (mumukshu) should meditate surrendering all his sense organs to The Lord.

22. The snake: Two snakes never live or wander about together. They move around cautiously never making any sound. Instead of making a home for themselves they occupy someone else’s habitat. They neither move around freely, criticise without reason nor get angry unless injured by someone. Thus two intellectuals should not move around together, should speak limitedly, should not quarrel with one another or ridicule anyone, should act thoughtfully, should not address a gathering and should spend their lives living anywhere instead of building a house for themselves. By building a house one develops vanity and consequently attachment develops.

23. The spider: The spider spins a web secreting a fluid from its belly and plays in it day and night. When it feels like it, it swallows the entire web and becomes free again. Similarly God creates the world when He wishes and indulges in various kinds of play in it. When He feels like it, with a resolve He destroys it and becomes single again. Just as a spider can weave a web with its fluid repeatedly so also can God create the universe by a mere resolve, dissolve it within Himself and recreate it at His will. Hence one should not attach importance to worldly events.

24. The wasp: The one who regularly meditates on an object finally merges into it. The wasp builds a house from mud and keeps a worm in it. It lightly blows air over the worm time and again. Consequently the worm meditates on the wasp and finally also becomes a wasp. A seeker desirous of Liberation should in the same manner meditate on God as advised by the Guru so that he merges into God.

4.2 Subordinate Gurus

A. The tree: The man who does unrighteous acts under the predominance of the tama component becomes a tree in the next birth and because of his vanity is compelled to remain standing as a tree all his life. These trees remain dependent on others and cleanse themselves of the sins committed in their previous births by pleasantly serving others till they die. That is why they happily offer shelter to birds and other creatures. They also protect their refugees by bearing the brunt of the cold, wind, heat, etc. onto their bodies and offer them their leaves, flowers and fruits for survival. Men break, cut, saw, peel, uproot them, rob them of their flowers, fruits, leaves and even their gum. They are debarked, cut, scraped and used as timber, firewood, etc. Suffering is inflicted upon them according to one’s wish and any possible task is undertaken making use of them. Just as the species of trees endures the suffering inflicted by people on them and continues to serve them till they live so also seekers desirous of Liberation should endure all suffering and continue to serve others till they die.

Just as trees offer shelter to travellers, householders should offer meals to guests coming to their doorstep and give them shelter. If by chance one acquires wealth then one should not become insolent. Just as trees blossoming with flowers and fruits bow down and serve others more so also if one becomes wealthy one should humbly render more service to others.

B. The mountains: The mountains and the earth store precious stones, etc. in their mines. As a result man is benefitted tremendously. Every man should acquire knowledge likewise and use it favourably. Just as in summer mountains quench the thirst of man with their springs so also one should develop the habit of talking melodiously so as to make others happy.

Datta had several such subordinate Gurus.

[Based on ‘Brahmibhut Shrimat P.P. Vasudevanand Sarasvati (Tembe) Swaminche Charitra’. Author : Shrimant Rajmanya Rajbandhu Gandabuva Brahmachari.]

4.3 Is it necessary to have a number of Gurus?

Datta: O King Yadu ! You will wonder why it is necessary to have so many Gurus when only one Guru is sufficient for Self-realisation. Is this not akin to the behaviour of an adulterous woman?

The answer to this is that to attain Self-realisation only one Guru is sufficient. If any doubts regarding His preaching are generated then they should be clarified. To be able to perceive unity of the soul principle in all animate and inanimate creation I imbibed the qualities from these objects in the form of a Guru. Thus the spiritual knowledge that My Guru imparted Me with was strengthened by My choosing these attributes as Gurus.

 

What is the significance of various forms of Lord Hanuman?

Lord Hanuman

Contents

• 1. Science behind the idol
  • 1.1 Colour
  • 1.2 Form
• 2. Shani (Saturn) and Maruti
  • 2.1 Similarities
  • 2.2 Differences
• 3 Demigods (yakshas) and Maruti
• 4 Ganapati and Maruti
• 5 Importance of Maruti as described by saints
• 6. Worship
  • 6.1 Objectives
  • 6.2 Ritualistic worship (puja)
• 7. Maruti in our lives

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1. Science behind the idol

1.1 Colour

‘One comes across varied information regarding Hanuman’s form. His complexion is mostly red and rarely black. A red Hanuman is one smeared with a saffron coloured powder called sindur. Perhaps His black complexion is due to the influence of Saturn (Shani). Hanuman is famous as an incarnation or as a son of Lord Rudra. Since Rudra’s complexion is red, Hanuman too must have derived His complexion from Him. After He acquired a red complexion stories regarding His love for sindur were told.

• Once after bathing Sita made a red spot (tila) with sindur on Her forehead. When Hanuman asked for an explanation Sita replied, “It is because of this that Your Master’s life is prolonged”. When He heard this, Hanuman smeared sindur all over His body !
• Once when Hanuman was proceeding to Lanka with the Dronagiri hills Bharat struck Him with an arrow and wounded His leg. The wound healed with a mixture of sindur and oil. Hence sindur and oil are Hanuman’s favourites.’

1.2 Form

Look at the two figures given below. Decide with which figure you feel more pleasant and then read further.

Figure A	Figure B

At one of our workshops in Mumbai twenty-five out of thirty-six seekers who participated in this experiment gave their answers. The average spiritual level of the seekers was 35%. During a satsang (spiritual meeting) at times the spiritual level of a seeker can even become 40-50%. The spiritual level of an average person is 20% while that of one who has attained the Final Liberation (Moksha) is 100%. If average individuals participate in the experiment, they do not perceive anything. Hence in such experiments everyone does not get spiritual experiences. Only those who have attained a spiritual level of 35% and above and are able to perceive something of the subtle dimension are able to give answers. Sixteen out of twenty-five seekers experienced serenity (shanti) with figure ‘A’ and the rest with figure ‘B’.

Figure ‘A’ depicts the tail of Maruti as the servitor (Dasmaruti) and figure ‘B’ the tail of Maruti as the courageous one (Virmaruti). One must have realised how without even looking at the entire form of Maruti merely by looking at His tail, energy or divine consciousness (chaitanya) in His form is manifested. Energy manifests from Maruti as the courageous one and divine consciousness from Maruti as the servitor since the latter is merged into Lord Rama.

• Maruti as the servitor (Dasmaruti) and Maruti as the courageous one (Virmaruti): Hanuman has two forms namely Maruti as the servitor and Maruti as the courageous one. The servitor form is the one in which Hanuman stands in front of Rama with His hands folded in obeisance, His tail resting on the ground. The stance of Maruti as the courageous one is that of one ready for battle. His tail is upright and His right hand is turned towards His head. Sometimes even a demon crushed under His feet is depicted. To overcome problems of possession, black magic, etc. Maruti as the courageous one is worshipped.
• Maruti with five faces (Panchmukhi Maruti):
  
  

  Panchmukhi Hanuman

  
  One finds quite a few idols of the five-faced Maruti. The five faces are of an eagle (garud), a boar (varaha), a hayagriv, a lion and a monkey. The idol has ten arms wielding a flag, a sword, a noose, etc. One explanation for the five faces of a deity is that the deity keeps vigilance and has control over the five directions – north, south, east, west and the upward direction/zenith.

• Maruti facing the south (Dakshinmukhi Maruti): Here the word south (dakshin) has two meanings – one is the south direction and second, the right side.

  South in context to the direction: Here since Maruti faces the south He is named so. Black magic like jaran, maran, etc. are done primarily in front of this idol of Maruti. Such idols of Maruti are found in Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, etc. in Maharashtra and in Basavgudi in the district of Karnataka in India.

  South in context to the right side: This Maruti has His face turned towards the right. What do you feel after looking at the following two figures? First decide with which you experience more energy and only then read the following section.

Figure A

Figure B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At a workshop in Mumbai twelve out of thirty-six seekers gave answers. Nine out of these twelve experienced energy with figure ‘B’ and only 3 experienced energy with figure ‘A’. In figure ‘B’ (facing the right) since the sun channel (surya nadi) of Maruti is active more energy was felt by most seekers looking at it. In figure ‘A’ the moon channel (chandra nadi) of Maruti is operational hence people felt less energy. Just like Ganapati with the trunk towards the right the Maruti facing the right is a powerful deity. He is worshipped to overcome problems due to distressing energy. The sushumna channel (nadi) of Ganapati and Maruti are continuously operational but with the transformation in Their forms the sun or moon channels too become operational to a small extent.

2. Shani (Saturn) and Maruti

‘Although there is close association between Shani and Hanuman prevailing in our society its explanation is equally complicated and incomprehensible.

2.1 Similarities

• 1. In the verse with a thousand Names of Hanuman (Hanumansahasranam stotra) Shani is one of the Names of Hanuman.
• 2. In the Surya Sanhita it is said that Hanuman was born on a Saturday (Shanivar).
• 3. It is given in holy texts that Rudra is one of the ten names of Shani.
• 4. Just like Shani one occasionally comes across Hanuman with a dark complexion.
• 5. Since Shani is popular in the Gadhval region Hanuman is also seen sporting an iron whip akin to Shani. As a result unknowingly a relationship between Shani and Hanuman must have been established and Hanuman’s worship on Saturdays and His inclusion in the vowed observance of worshipping Saturday (Shanivarvrat) must have commenced.

2.2 Differences

The differences between Shani and Hanuman are more than their similarities.

• 1. Shani is the son of the Sun deity hence is born from the tej (absolute fire) element whereas Hanuman is the son of Vayu hence is born from the vayu (absolute air) element.
• 2. There is discord between Shani and the sun whereas Hanuman is a devotee of the Sun deity. He has learnt all the skills from the Sun deity who has imparted a hundredth portion of His radiance to Him. Due to the conflict between Shani and the Sun deity the latter helped Hanuman, the enemy of His enemy (Shani). At that time the vayu element and energy had not manifested completely in Hanuman.
• 3. Shani is slow whereas Hanuman is swift like the eagle.
• 4. Shani is an evil planet while Hanuman is definitely not so.
• 5. It is said that one should not sell oil on Saturdays yet it is customary to offer oil to Hanuman on that day.

3. Demigods (yakshas) and Maruti

Brave and miraculous are adjectives used to describe the demigods. In the Valmiki Ramayan Hanuman is referred to as the miraculous one. Mahavir (the courageous one) is Hanuman’s popular Name. This indicates the relationship between Hanuman and the worship of the demigods. Hanuman is included in the fifty-two brave ones (virs) by the name of Kapilumbir. In Maharashtra, India in the month of Phalgun of the Hindu lunar calendar people dressed as warriors (virs) dance in a procession on their way to a Maruti temple.’

4. Ganapati and Maruti

Both of Them have a red complexion (like sindur) and both of Them possess the eight supernatural powers (ashtamahasiddhis).

5. Importance of Maruti as described by saints

Saint Ramdas Swami has said “Hanumant is our deity”. He is a symbol of energy, ingenuity and devotion. Hence Samarth Ramdas began worshipping Him. Eleven idols of Maruti installed by Him are famous. In North India too saint Tulsidas erected a number of temples and strengthened the worship of Maruti. Madhvacharya is considered as an incarnation of Maruti. Various other saints have also placed Maruti as the ideal through Their various compositions.

6. Worship

6.1 Objectives

Since the manifest energy in Maruti (70%) is much more in comparison to other deities (10%), Maruti is worshipped in the context of energy for the following reasons.

• To overcome distressing energy: To overcome problems due to spirits, black magic, ancestors’ subtle bodies, suffering due to Shani, etc.
• To control pleasant energy: If there is any obstacle in the pathway of the activated kundalini (spiritual energy) then to overcome it and channelise it appropriately.

6.2 Ritualistic worship (puja)

Popular worship: In Maharashtra on the full moon day (pournima) of the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra Hanuman’s birthday (jayanti) is celebrated. In Maharashtra Saturday is considered as an auspicious day for His worship. In the rest of India Saturday and Tuesday both are considered as auspicious days for His worship. On these days people offer Him sindur and oil. In some places coconuts are offered. To make spiritual progress worship of Vamamukhi (facing the left) Maruti or Maruti as the servitor (Dasmaruti) is used. The reasons for offering oil, sindur, leaves of the coral (rui) plant are given in ‘Why are tulsi leaves offered to Vishnu?’.

Influence of Shani and worship of Maruti: The relationship between Shani and Maruti has been explained earlier in point ‘Shani and Maruti’. Hence when there is an influence of Shani, to reduce the resultant/resulting suffering Maruti is worshipped. The ritual should be performed as follows: Take some oil in a cup (vati), put fourteen bengal gram grains (udid) in it and then look at the reflection of one’s face in it. Only then offer it to Maruti. If one is unable to visit the temple due to illness one may worship Maruti in this way. (Information on why bengal gram is used is described in ‘Science of Spirituality : Vol. 20 – Chapter 43 – Possession, Black magic and Manifestation’.)

A real oil vendor will never sell oil on Saturday because the distressing energy for which a person is offering oil to Maruti may start troubling the oil vendor itself. Hence instead of buying oil from oil vendors seated outside the temple one should carry oil for the offering, from home.

Maruti Gayatri

आंजनेयाय विद्महे । वायुपुत्राय धीमहि ।
तन्‍नो वीर: प्रचोदयात्‌ ।।

Meaning: We are quite familiar with Maruti, the son of Anjani. We meditate on that Maruti, the son of Vayu. May that courageous Maruti inspire our intellect benevolently.

7. Maruti in our lives

If Maruti is in our breath then Rama [the embodied soul doing spiritual practice (jivatma) or atmaram] is within us.

|| Shri Marutaye namaha ||

 

What are the implied meanings of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu?

Ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu

Contents

• 1. Personages and parts of Lord Vishnu
• 2. The ten incarnations (dashavtar)
  • 2.1 Matsya (The fish)
  • 2.2 Kurma (The tortoise)
  • 2.3 Varaha (The boar)
  • 2.4 Narsinha/Nrusinha (The man-lion)
  • 2.5 Vaman (The dwarf)
  • 2.6 Parshuram
  • 2.7 Rama
  • 2.8 Krushna
  • 2.9 Buddha
  • 2.10 Kalki

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1. Personages and parts of Lord Vishnu

A. Personages: ‘Four personages of Lord Vishnu have been described in the Vishnu Puran, the first reclines on Shesh, the second nurtures creation, the third assumes an incarnation and reinstates Righteousness (Dharma) and the fourth destroys unrighteousness and demons.

B. Parts: Lord Vishnu has four main parts. With one He becomes the unmanifest Brahma, with the second Prajapati like Marich etc., with the third He is the time (kal) and with the fourth He is in the form of animate and inanimate creation. Thus in these four ways He exists in creation.’

2. The ten incarnations (dashavtar)

All information regarding incarnations with regard to why they are assumed, their mission, types, characteristics, etc. are given in ‘Science of Spirituality : Vol. 7 – Supreme God, God, Incarnations and Deities.’ Here information only on the ten main incarnations of Lord Vishnu has been given.

Incarnation sect	Date of birth according to the Hindu Lunar calender	Era (yug)	Vishnu prin- ciple (%)	Mani- fest ener- gy (%)	Name of the Divine Energy	Ability (%)
						Crea- tion	Suste- nance	Disso- lution
1. Matsya   (The fish)	Third day (trutiya) of the bright fortnight of Chaitra (Matsya Puran) Eleventh day (ekadashi) of the bright fortnight of Ashadh (Varaha Puran)	Satya	20	20	–	40	50	10
2. Kurma     (The     tortoise)	Full moon day (pournima) of Vaishakh	Satya	30	30	–	30	50	20
3. Varaha     (The      boar)	Third day (trutiya) of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapad	Satya	40	40	–	20	50	30
4. Narsinha     (The     man-lion)	Fourteenth day (chaturdashi) of the bright fortnight of Vaishakh	Satya	45	45	Sarasvati	20	50	30
5. Vaman     (The      dwarf)	Twelfth day (dvadashi) of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapad	Satya	50	50	Brahm- ashakti	20	50	30
6. Parshu-     ram	Third day (trutiya) of the bright fortnight of Vaishakh	Treta	65	65	Bhumi	20	50	30
7. Rama	Ninth day (navami) of the bright fortnight of Chaitra	Treta	75	75	Sita	20	50	30
8. Krushna    [absolute    incarnation    (purnav-     tar)]	Eighth day (ashtami) of the bright fortnight of Shravan	Dvapar	100	100	The eight and ten great super- natural powers (ashta and dasha maha- siddhi)	20	50	30
9. Buddha	Ninth day (navami) of the bright fortnight of Ashvin	Kali	50	70	–	25	50	25
10. Kalki	*	Kali	80	100	–	15	50	35

* At the end of the Kaliyug on the third day of the bright fortnight of Shravan the incarnation, Kalki will be born (Kalki Puran).

2.1 Matsya (The fish)

This is totally an idea from the Vedas.

A. Mission

• Protecting the seed of creation at the time of dissolution of the universe (pralay). This is preserved at the time of every dissolution of the universe by the fish incarnation. The universe is then recreated from that seed by the next tortoise incarnation, Kurma.
• Slaying of the demons Hayagriv (Bhagvat Puran), Shankhasur (Skand Puran).

B. Idols

• Complete form of a fish
• The torso is that of a man. Its four hands hold four instruments of Lord Vishnu.

C. Implied meaning: Just as a fish swims against the stream of a river, that is towards its origin so also a seeker should go to his place of origin, that is, to The Supreme God. This is what It teaches us.

2.2 Kurma (The tortoise)

A. Mission

• Creation: ‘Assuming the form of a tortoise Prajapati created progeny. This was His duty (karma). His name Kurma was later derived from the word karma. Further He was also referred to as Kashyap. Kashyap was Prajapati, the creator of progeny. Since the entire creation was derived from Kashyap He was believed to be Kurma. From this, one will realise that the mission in the tortoise form was basically that of Prajapati. After the post-Brahman era Vishnu came into prominence overshadowing Prajapati and all the latter’s actions were attributed to Vishnu. Thus the Kurma incarnation became the second incarnation of Vishnu.
• Supporting all functions: At the time of churning of the ocean (samudramanthan) the tortoise who supported the Mandar mountain vibrating with the sweat of deities and demons on Its back was the unrealisable Adikachchapa (Kurma incarnation) and It considered the churning of the mountain on Its back as mere scratching of Its body.

B. Idols: Idols of Nrusinha (the man-lion) and Varaha (the boar) are found all over India in abundance; however there are very few of the Kurma incarnation found separately.’

C. Implied meaning: Just as the tortoise withdraws its four limbs, head and tail into its shell so also one should control the six foes of the soul (shadripu).

2.3 Varaha (The boar)

A. Mission

• Destruction of demons: A demon called Hiranyaksha abducted the earth and took it to hell (patal). Vishnu then assumed the form of a boar, retrieved the earth from hell with Its tusks and installed it on the head of the serpent, Shesh. It then slew Hiranyaksha. Vishnu assumed this incarnation at the beginning of the Varaha kalpa. (Vayu Puran 23.100-109)
• Imparting spiritual knowledge: In this incarnation Vishnu preached Spirituality to Sanatkumar and narrated the Varahopanishad to Rubhu.

B. Idols: According to the text Vaikhanas Agam the idols are of the following types.

• Yadnyavaraha: It is seated on a throne with the deity Shridevi on one side and Bhudevi on the other.
• Pralayvaraha: Only Bhudevi is beside It.
• Nruvaraha: The body is that of a man and the head that of a boar. Some idols also wield Vishnu’s instruments in Their hands.

C. Implied meaning

• Varaha is a one tusked wild boar. The boar does not accept defeat even at the cost of its life. Similarly a seeker too should not give up spiritual practice even if on the verge of death when doing so.
• The seventh chakra of the spiritual energy flow system (kundalini) is called Ekadanta or Narayan.

2.4 Narsinha/Nrusinha (The man-lion)

A. Mission

• Slaying the demon Hiranyakashipu
• Lakshmi-Narsinha is the family deity of some. Narsinha is the family deity of the royal family of Vijaynagar.

B. Idols:The body is that of a man and the head that of a ferocious lion.

C. Implied meaning of some incidents

• Manifestation of Narsinha from a pillar shows the existence of The Lord in animate as well as inanimate creation.
• Hiranyakashipu signifies ignorance. Narsinha slew him by tearing open his abdomen thus liberating the embodied soul situated in the chakra of spiritual energy (kundalini) at the level of the navel.

D. Ritualistic worship: Since it is difficult to tolerate the radiance of Nrusinha, He is worshipped after the back of His idol is adorned with eyes, whiskers, etc. Similarly the eyes of Balaji of Tirupati are half open as one cannot tolerate His radiance. A sacrifice (balî) of a goat is offered to Nrusinha.

E. Nara-Narayan: Nara was created from the human part of Narsinha and Narayan from the face of a lion (Kalika Puran 29). Refer point ‘Nara-Narayan’.

2.5 Vaman (The dwarf)

Vaman is the son of Kashyap and Aditi. His other name is Urukram. Urukram means one having a wide stride.

A. Mission:He kept Bali a demon king, in bondage.

B. Idols

• Idols of Vaman:Short, with a paunch, the facial expression of a child, adorning the sacred thread holding an umbrella in one hand and a baton with the other.
• Trivikram: An expansive form

C. Implied meaning: The three footsteps that Vaman asked King Bali for, describe the all pervading nature of Vishnu. With His three footsteps Vaman encompassed the earth, space and the sky (or the earth, heaven and hell). (Refer point ‘Vishnu’s advance (Vishnukram) ’.)

2.6 Parshuram

One comes across stories about Parshuram in the Ramayan, the Mahabharat and in some Purans. There is no separate mythological text (Puran) about Him unlike the incarnations preceding Him.

A. Parents: Sage Jamadagni of the Bhrugu dynasty and Renuka were the parents of Parshuram. Renuka was the daughter of a Kshatriya (warrior). However Jamadagni being a Brahman Parshuram too became a Brahman. The ashram of Sage Jamadagni was situated on the banks of the river Narmada. Parshuram was born there in the nineteenth Tretayug (in the transitional period between the Treta and Dvaparyugs according to the Mahabharat). Renu means particles of earth. Renuka undertook spiritual practice of the water element. Hence she could fetch water in pots made of wet clay. Jamadagni had done spiritual practice of the fire element. Jamat is a type of fire. Jamat also means a resolve made with a definite purpose.

B. Mission

• Slaying of unrighteous Kshatriyas (warriors): ‘Valmiki has referred to Him not as a slayer of Kshatriyas but of kings. From this an inference can be made that Parshuram did not kill all Kshatriyas, but only those Kshatriya kings who were evil.’

  Kartavirya abducted the divine wish-fulfilling cow (kamadhenu) and her calf from Sage Jamadagni’s ashram. This incident occurred in Parshuram’s absence. On His return, realising what had happened, He vowed to slay Kartavirya. In the ensuing battle between the two on the banks of the river Narmada, Parshuram slew Kartavirya. Thereafter complying with His father’s directives He embarked on a pilgrimage and to undertake austerities.

  After Parshuram left, to avenge Kartavirya’s death, Haihayas beheaded Sage Jamadagni. When this news reached Parshuram He returned to the ashram. There were twenty-one injuries made with arrows on the dead body of Jamadagni. Seeing them Parshuram instantly pledged that ‘He would circumambulate the earth twenty-one times to punish and rid the earth of evil Kshatriyas and Haihayas because of the slaying of a Brahman by them.’ According to this vow He would slay the unrighteous Kshatriyas and then retreat for penance to the Mahendra mountain. When there was an upsurge in evil warriors He would return and slay them. He completed twenty-one such missions. He fought the last battle on the Samantpanchak. There He washed His axe (parshu) soaked with the blood of the Kshatriyas and laid it down.

• Erecting temples of deities of territories (kshetrapaldevata): While circumbulating the earth twenty-one times He established one hundred and eight seats of pilgrimage with divine energy (tirthakshetra), that is temples of deities of territories (kshetrapaldevata). Before that saints only knew about these places but had not erected temples or established holy seats (piths) there.

C. Characteristics

• अग्रत: चतुरो वेदा: पृष्‍ठत: सशरं धनु: ।
  इदं ब्राह्‍मं इदं क्षात्रं शापादपि शरादपि ।।

  Meaning: Parshuram who is verbally well versed with the four Vedas and sports the bow and arrow upon His back (that is the one who has the radiance of both the Brahman and the Kshatriya) will vanquish the one who dares to obstruct Him either with a curse or an arrow.

• Imparting energy to Rama: Once hearing about the fame of Rama (the son of Dasharath) in order to test His bravery Parshuram obstructed His way. Then He offered His bow to Rama and told Him to bend it and mount an arrow onto it. When Rama complied and asked where He should shoot an arrow, Parshuram told Him, ‘Nullify My activity on this land of Kashyap.’ Rama obliged Him. Then Parshuram gifted that bow to Rama and thus imparted His energy of destroying evildoers to Rama.
• The best archery teacher: After laying down His arms He gave up His feeling of hatred for Kshatriyas (warriors) and began teaching archery to both Brahmans (priests) as well as Kshatriyas with equality. Great archers from the Mahabharat such as Bhishmacharya, Dronacharya, etc. were all disciples of Parshuram.
• Generous: Due to His mission of destroying the Kshatriyas He became the master of the entire earth. As a result He also acquired the privilege to perform the Ashvamedh sacrificial fire (yadnya). So He first bathed in all the places of pilgrimage, circumambulated the earth thrice and then performed the sacrificial fire. The altar (vedi) of the sacrificial fire was made of gold and was ten vave (the distance between arms extended sideways) long and nine vave high. At the end of the sacrificial fire Parshuram offered the entire land which He had acquired to the officiating priest of the sacrificial fire, Kashyap.
• Creation of new land: Kashyap realised that as long as Parshuram continued to live on earth the Kshatriyas would not prosper. Hence He told Parshuram ‘The land which you have offered to Me in the sacrifice now belongs to Me. You have no right to stay on My land anymore.’ So making the sea recede Parshuram created His own new territory. The area from Vaitarana to Kanyakumari is referred to as Parshuram’s territory (Parshuramkshetra).
• Creation of Brahmans: Since there were no Brahmans in the new land created by Him the pure-minded Parshuram killed everyone there, cremated them and made them pure Brahmans.
• He is one of the seven immortal ones (saptachiranjiva); however the Mahabharat states that during the manvantar (a period of time) He will renounce His body.

D. ‘The territory of Parshuram: The Salher mountain is situated at the northern end of the Sahyadri range. Over there, there is a fort from the middle ages with a temple of Parshuram at its peak. Two footsteps four times the size of the footstep of an average person are engraved in the earth at a distance of 100 feet to the north of the temple. They are designed in the stance adopted by a person while shooting an arrow from a bow. It is said that Parshuram shot an arrow into the ocean from here and made it recede.

An ancient temple of Parshuram is located in the Kangada district of Punjab. In the Konkan there is one on a mountain situated five miles from Chiplun. The temple has three idols standing in a row, their names being Kama, Parshuram and Kal. The idol of Parshuram is a little taller than the others. The three idols are arranged such that they represent Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva respectively.’

E. Idols: The body of the idol is huge like that of Bhim. It has matted hair locks and sports a bow on the shoulder and an axe in the hand.

F. Ritualistic worship: Parshuram being an incarnation of Lord Vishnu is worshipped as a deity worthy of worship. His birthday (jayanti) which falls on the third day (trutiya) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Vaishakh is celebrated both as a vowed religious observance (vrat) and a religious festival (utsav).

2.7 Rama

Information on Rama is given in ‘Rama’.

2.8 Krushna

Information on Krushna is given in ‘Krushna’. Krushna being an absolute incarnation (purnavtar) is not referred to as an incarnation but as Lord Vishnu Himself who has assumed an incarnation.

2.9 Buddha

A. Since the seventh and eighth centuries to depict the connection between Hinduism and Buddhism according to the principle of ‘not opposing anyone (सर्वेषाम्‌ अविरोधेण)’ Gautam Buddha came to be known as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He was born on the ninth day (navami) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Ashvin. Buddha stopped the concept of offering sacrifices in a sacrificial fire (yadnya) and spread the message of truth and non-violence.

B. ‘His reign is said to be from the time of the incarnation of Krushna to that of Kalki scheduled to occur at the end of the Kaliyug. In other words, God is always existing but can be realised only through purified intellect (buddhi) which is acquired by remaining in the holy company (satsang) of saints and seekers. Hence He is referred to as an incarnation.’ – Saint.

2.10 Kalki

A. Birth:‘He is the tenth or twenty-first incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He will be born on the third day (trutiya) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Shravan at the end of the Kaliyug to a Brahman named Vishnuyashas in the village Shambal of Kikat. His lineage (gotra) will be Parashar.

B. Mission: He will embark on the conquest of the earth on His horse named Devdatta. He will destroy the evil and unrighteous and reinstate Righteousness (Dharma). He will destroy His enemies, the evildoers and rule the world. The priest Yadnyavalkya will assist Him in this mission and finally at the age of twenty-five He will renounce His body at the confluence of the rivers Ganga and Yamuna. The Bhavishya Kalki Puran predicts that after this the Krutyug (Satyayug) will commence.

Various holy texts such as the Vishnu Puran (4.24.98), the Shrimadbhagvat (1.3.25), the Matsya Puran, the Mahabharat – Vanaparva (190. 96-97), etc. predict the future exactly like the Kalki Puran.

C. Idols: The Hayshirsha Pancharatra and the Agni Puran describe the image of Kalki in two different ways – one with two arms and the other with four arms. The Chaturvarga Chintamani describes His idol with two arms as –

खड्‌गोद्यतकर: क्रुध्‍दो हयारूढो महाबल: ।
म्‍लेंच्‍छोच्‍छेदकर: कल्‍की व्‍दिभुज: परीकीर्तित: ।।

Meaning: Kalki wields a sword in one hand, is seated on a horse, is mighty, is the destroyer of evildoers and has two arms.’

|| Shri Vishnave Namaha ||

 

What does the lotus in the hand of Lord Vishnu symbolize?

Lord Vishnu with Lakshmi

Contents

• 1. Science behind the idol
  • 1.1 Instruments, ornaments, the family and their scientific meaning
  • 1.2 Sheshashayi Vishnu (Padmanabh)

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1. Science behind the idol

Idols of Vishnu can be traced from the 2^nd to the 8^th century.

1.1 Instruments, ornaments, the family and their scientific meaning

Part of the body / family	Instrument / ornament	Name	Complexion	Mission / implied meaning
1. Head	Crown	Kutastha	–	Sattva
2. Ears	Earrings	–	–	The perishable (kshar) and imperishable (akshar) principles
3. Neck	Garland of flowers	Vaijayanti*	Five colours	The Primal Energy (Adya), the Invincible Energy (Ajayashakti)
4. Chest
A.	Footprint of His devotee	–	Flowers of a tuber	Love for devotees
B.	Diamond	Koustubh	Red	Radiance
5. Hand
A. 1.	Conch	Payanchajanya	Of the full moon	Brahman in the form of a word present in the five cosmic elements or the commencement of a war
2.	The posture assuring protection (abhaymudra)			Blessing
B.	Discus**	Sudarshan	Of a thousand suns	The weapon which can be flung or operated from a distance
C.	Mace (placed near the right foot)	Koumodaki	Of Krushna (dark)	The weapon used when the enemy is close, the Primal Knowledge (Adividya), the form of the universal intellect (Mahat principle), the energy destroying ego
D.	Padma (lotus)	–	–	Procreation, creation, Serenity (shanti).
E.	Bow	Sharanhga	–	The Primal Illusion (Adimaya)
6. Family
A. Wife	–	Lakshmi***	Golden	Divine Energy (Shakti)
Wife	–	Pushti	Of the Shirish flower	Divine Energy (Shakti)
B. Serpent	–	Anant	Of a cloud	Pure particles
C. Vehicle	–	Garud	Of a lotus	Vehicle

* An energy. Vaijayanti (वैजयंती) = vai (वै) + jayanti (जयंती). Vai means numerous eras (yugs) and jayanti means chains. The one adorning the necklace of Vaijayanti is the one wearing the chains of the eras around His neck and the one beyond time, that is Lord Vishnu.

** The rotating discus is the Great Illusion. The finger about which it rotates is stationary and represents Brahman. .

*** The Divine Energy which is constantly engaged in destroying the mind and distressing energy. Lakshmi is seated at His feet. [Parvati is seated on Shiva’s lap. Shiva – Parvati seated together imply the dissolution of duality, that is the state of non-duality (advait).]

1.2 Sheshashayi Vishnu (Padmanabh)

One of the famous forms of Vishnu is that of Sheshashayi Vishnu wherein He reclines on the serpent named Shesh. Lakshmi is seated at His feet. There is a lotus emerging from His navel. Lord Brahma is seated on the lotus and the earth is supported on Shesh’s head. Such is the form of Sheshashayi Vishnu. The implied meaning of this form is as follows.

• 1. Shesh: Shesh means the reserve or remnant. After subtraction of one number from another the result is the remainder. When a particle starts disintegrating, that particle which is the most subtle and which cannot disintegrate further means the core of the paramanu (atom), is called Shesh. The three most subtle particles in it are dhan (proton), run (electron) and udasin (neutron). [Shesh can absorb the 108 (narayan) frequencies coming from the region of the stars (nakshatralok) and can also bring about changes in them.]
• 2. The earth: The earth is made up of minute particles. The existence of every particle is dependent on the serpent (Shesh) within its core. The earth is held on Shesh’s head implies that Shesh is supporting the earth.
• 3. Vishnu: Vishnu is the radiance from the dhan, run and udasin frequencies from Shesh.
• 4. Lakshmi: If Vishnu is the form of dhan frequencies then Lakshmi is that of run frequencies. In other words the feminine form of Vishnu is Lakshmi.
• 5. The lotus: The lotus is a symbol of creation. The energy which emanates from Vishnu’s navel, that is from the Para mode of speech is depicted as a lotus. This energy of creation is not derived from Vishnu alone but from the union of Vishnu and Lakshmi. Vishnu is also named Padmanabh due to the lotus (padma) which springs from His navel (nabhi).
• The Sahasrar chakra, the last in the Path of Activation of Spiritual Energy (Kundaliniyoga) is also called Sahasradal. The lotus in Lord Vishnu’s hand symbolises that He can endow the highest spiritual experience from the Path of Yoga.
• 6. Lord Brahma: The spiritual experience arising from the lotus, that is from the energy of creation is called Brahmadev or Brahma.

The twenty-four Names of Vishnu given under point ‘2. Some other Names’ differ only with respect to the order of the instruments held in the hands of the idols. Otherwise the idols are the same.