Bala Kanda Part 13: The effects of kusanga

 Hari Aum.

Aum Sri Ramaya Namah.

Let us continue our study of the Ramayana of sage Valmiki. In the previous section, we saw how King Dasharatha sought the advice of his Guru, sages, ministers and public and decided to coronate his eldest son, Rama, as King of Kosala.

Even as Rama and the people of Ayodhya prepared themselves for the upcoming ceremony, other members of the palace gradually became aware of the King's plan.

One of the maids of Queen Kaikeyi, by the name of Manthara, decided to enjoy the view from the top of the palace the evening before the day of the coronation. She made her way there and upon arrival, was astounded by the sight. She saw the streets of Ayodhya being decorated with lotuses and lilies as well as with colourful flags. People were seen walking about in groups, laughing and chatting. Musicians played the most enchanting melodies while the air reverberated with the sound of the recitation of Vedic mantras. 

Some people walked about sprinkling sandalpaste-scented water on the streets of the city while others rode well-decorated horses and elephants as if in preparation for some grand event. She observed the atmosphere of great joy and celebration as well as the decoration of the city and wondered as to the reason.

She then noticed another maid standing nearby. This was a lady who served Queen Kausalya; she had also helped care for Rama when He had been a child. Manthara asked her if she knew the reason for the joyous and festive atmosphere in Ayodhya. What was the occasion for such merriment, she enquired.

The maid of Queen Kausalya had been watching the scene with great joy. With delight, she turned to Manthara and explained the reason for the celebration in Ayodhya-- Rama was to be coronated as King of Kosala the next day! King Dasharatha had made the decision to confer the title of King upon his noble eldest son and the entire city was awaiting the happy occasion.

As Manthara heard these words, her mind was filled with shock and dismay. As she digested this unwelcome news, this turned to great anger. Turning away, she immediately went to her mistress's chambers. She had served Kaikeyi since the Queen had been a little girl and knew her extremely well. 

As she swept into Kaikeyi's quarters, she found the Queen resting upon her bed. "Get up at once, O foolish Queen!" said Manthara, "you are in very grave danger though you know it not!".

Kaikeyi had been resting peacefully and was startled by the sudden arrival of her maid and her sharp words. She sat up and, observing that the maid looked most agitated, enquired as to the reason. "Dear Manthara", said she, "you look most unwell. Is something the matter?"

This question only served to infuriate the elderly lady further! In a highly incensed tone, she addressed the Queen with the following words. "You thought you were the favourite of your husband but have been deceived by him-- for he has decided to crown Prince Rama as King!"

"After sending away your son, Prince Bharata, to his maternal home, your wicked husband has sought to elevate the son of Queen Kausalya. Your rival shall now enjoy the status of being mother of the King while you, O unfortunate woman, languish in the palace having lost all relevance! You must take urgent measures to protect yourself, your son and me, before we are all undone!"

Queen Kaikeyi, however, had stopped listening to Manthara, the moment she had mentioned the coronation of Rama. Filled with joy, she said, "O Manthara, that is the most wonderful news! You have made me so happy by telling me of Rama's coronation! Here, take this beautiful jewel as a gift for bringing me so much joy-- I am truly indebted to you!". She then presented Manthara with a sparkling piece of jewellery as a present.

The maid was angered even further upon hearing these words. Filled with rage, she cast aside the jewel, and addressed the Queen again, even more harshly: "Come to your senses, O foolish Queen Kaikeyi! Do you not see-- the moment Prince Rama becomes King, He will see to it that you and your son, Prince Bharata, lose all status! You will treated as the servants of Him and His mother. It is tragic that you cannot see the great misfortune that stares you in the face! 

Instead of feeling alarm at the grave danger, you celebrate-- what perverseness! Wake up, O foolish woman, before tragedy strikes you, and take action to remedy the situation!"

After hearing Manthara's unkind words, Kaikeyi responded only by praising Rama. She said: "Rama will make an excellent King, O Manthara! He is filled with many virtues, devoted to the truth, and is disciplined and grateful. Furthermore, He is the eldest son. He is the natural heir to the throne."

"Rama is devoted to me; indeed, He serves me more than He does His own mother, Kausalya. Not only this, He loves all His brothers dearly and will surely ensure the welfare of each one of them when He becomes King. I hold my son, Bharata, in high esteem, but Rama even more so!"

"And as for the throne, Bharata, being the second eldest son of the King, will inherit this after Rama completes His rule. It does not matter that he has to wait a while! When this is an occasion for great rejoicing, O Manthara, why does your mind seem to burn with anger and jealousy? You are known for your wisdom-- why then are you not happy at this wonderful event?"

The maid sighed in exasperation, and replied as follows: "O deluded and foolish Queen, it pains me to hear you utter such naive and ignorant words! Do you not know that the throne is inherited only by the eldest son? Once Prince Rama ascends the throne and becomes King, His lineage alone with continue! His future sons will inherit the kingdom. Your son, Prince Bharata, and his descendants will have no claim at all!"

"In fact, as your son is equal in merit to Prince Rama, it is likely that he will be perceived as a threat! Prince Rama will surely send him into exile, or even worse, send him to the realm of Yama, the demi-god of death! He is devoted to His brother, Lakshmana and will not hurt a hair on his head. Not so, is the case for your son, O Queen Kaikeyi. Prince Rama surely sees him as His enemy!"

"It is also well-known at the palace, O beautiful Queen, that the King has long favoured you over Queen Kausalya on account of your exceptionally lovely appearance and charm. It is very likely, therefore, that the mother of Prince Rama harbours resentment towards you. When her son becomes King, you will be cast aside like an unwanted servant! Your daughter-in-law too will grieve at her misfortune! "

"Truly, my heart bleeds for you, your son and your illustrious ancestors, O Queen! Terrible and tragic indeed will be your fate when Prince Rama becomes King!" 

Upon hearing these words, doubts began to arise in the mind of Kaikeyi. For the first time, she suspected her husband. “Is it true that he deceives me?", she wondered. "After all, it is odd that he has decided to crown Rama as King so suddenly, and particularly, in the absence of my son, Bharata. Can it be that he secretly desires to deprive my son of his rights?" 

"When I married him years ago, I believe he promised my father, that if I had a son, he would one day be King. Does he now seek to break that promise? If Rama becomes King, will my son be in danger as Manthara says? Will Bharata and I be cast aside and lose all status in our own home?"

Feeling greatly perturbed and angry at her husband, Queen Kaikeyi turned to her maid and said: "O Manthara! You have convinced me! I am persuaded that what you say is true. I perceive the grave danger that my son and I are in due to the devious actions of my husband. Tell me the solution! What must I do, O wise lady, to protect my son and myself? Speak, and I shall follow your instructions to the letter!"

Upon hearing these words, Manthara was at last satisfied. Finally, she thought, the Queen had come to her senses. Smiling with satisfaction, the old lady spoke the following words:

"Dear Queen, the solution is fortunately exceedingly simple! Recall that, many years ago, you had bravely saved your husband's life in battle. King Dasharatha had gone to the dreadful Dandaka forest to assist the devas in their battle against the asuras and you had chosen to accompany him there. During the battle, the King had been gravely injured and had became unconscious as a result. At that time, you had demonstrated great courage by entering the battlefield and swiftly removing him to a place of safety."

"When the King regained consciousness and discovered your bravery and love for him, risking your own life to save his, he was deeply grateful to you, O Queen! To express his immense gratitude for your noble act, he promised you two wishes. You had told me of this incident after it had occurred. As far as I am aware, you have not yet asked him to fulfil those two wishes, but the time has now come!"

"Seize this opportunity, O wise Queen, to protect your son! For the first wish from the King, ask that your own son, Prince Bharata, be crowned as King of Kosala! And, for the second, ask that Prince Rama be banished to the forests outside the kingdom for a period not less than fourteen years! He must not set foot in Ayodhya until this period is complete."

"This exile of Prince Rama will serve to ensure that your son has adequate time to win the hearts of the people and establish himself as King without danger from any enemies! In this way, O noble Queen, you will be able foil your husband's devious plans and ensure justice for your son and yourself!"

"My advice to you, O Queen, is that you should go forthwith to the the sulking chamber of the palace. (This chamber was known as 'kopa bhavan' in Sanskrit; literally meaning the 'house of anger' where members of the royal household could go when feeling agitated to have some privacy and calm themselves). Cast away your jewels, and untie your long hair to indicate your distress! Wear crumpled clothes, assume a dishevelled appearance and throw yourself onto the ground. Remain there until your husband arrives seeking to know the reason for your grief!"

"When the King comes to you, do not speak a single word to him! Remain silent while shedding tears and refuse to even look him in the eye! He will be devastated upon seeing you in this wretched state." 

"We both know that he cannot bear to cause you the slightest pain and that he will do anything to relieve your suffering. He loves you so dearly, that he will be willing to give up even his life to please you, O charming Queen! Rest assured, therefore, that he will grant you your two wishes! In this way, you will be able to secure the future of your son and yourself!"

Hearing these words, Queen Kaikeyi felt greatly relieved and satisfied. She thanked Manthara profusely, declaring that she was indebted to her for her wisdom and help. She assured her maid that she would richly reward her with much wealth and elevated status once their task had been accomplished and her son had become King.

Manthara was greatly pleased and gratified at the Queen's words. She then warned her that there was no time to lose as preparations to crown Rama as King were already in full swing! Kaikeyi needed to immediately make her way to the sulking chamber and do as instructed! She therefore accompanied her mistress to the chamber and left her with the words, "Ensure, O brave Queen, that you make every effort to protect your son, the noble Prince Bharata, and yourself!"

Queen Kaikeyi, whose mind had been poisoned by the false words of Manthara, vowed to achieve her goal. Casting off her necklace and other pieces of jewellery, and unloosening her long and beautiful hair, she lay down on the ground, the picture of grief and despair. 

Filled with great suspicion and anger at her husband, she awaited his arrival, promising herself that she would give up her life if she had to, but would ensure justice for her son and her illustrious family.

To be continued....

Om Sri Ramaya Namah.

Om Namo Narayana

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. This episode in the Ramayana is often mentioned by Gurus and spiritual teachers to highlight the effects of 'kusanga' or negative company. They explain that even good-hearted people (such as Queen Kaikeyi) may sometimes turn to evil ways when exposed to the persuasive false arguments of wicked individuals (such as Manthara). Hence the reason, they generally advise, that to progress spiritually, those walking the spiritual path should, while respecting all, steer clear of the company of those who do not care to attempt to practice any ethics (such as the yama and niyama of the yogic path). 

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Bala Kanda Part 12: Dasharatha's decision

 Hari Aum.

Om Sri Ramaya Namah. Let us continue our study of the Valmiki Ramayana. 

In the previous post, we saw the four sons of Dasharatha embracing life as householders as they served their father and the people of Ayodhya.

Bharata had left to spend time with his grandfather, the King of Kekeya. His brother, Shatrughna (twin brother of Lakshmana), also travelled with him for company (as the two were inseparable, as were Rama and Lakshmana). They enjoyed spending time with Bharata's maternal relations in Kekaya. Despite this, they did miss their father and family in Ayodhya, and they too in turn were missed by their relatives at home. Dasharatha loved his four sons equally but could not help but observe that there was something uniquely special about Rama. 

He observed that Rama had now developed all the qualities required for a future king. He had mastered a wide range of subjects related to the running of a country. He was extremely skilled in knowledge of weapons and warfare but also excelled at diplomacy. He was aware of the principles of good governance and management of wealth. 

He was a natural leader, both kind and compassionate and also wise and courageous. He had a number of virtues including self-control and humility, as well as the ability to conquer lower emotions such as anger and jealousy. He was deeply caring towards His people and their welfare was always His prime concern.

Dasharatha had ruled the kingdom of Kosala for many years (thousands of years in fact, as people in that yuga, called the Treta Yuga, were said to live for much longer periods of time compared with our current Kali Yuga) and felt that it would be appropriate for him to now retire and hand over the reigns of his kingdom to Rama.

This was a significant decision, however, and one that he felt should be made only after consultation with others. He therefore began by discussing this idea with his Guru as well as the sages and ministers, and they all gladly gave their approval. They held Sri Rama in the highest regard and felt that He would make an excellent king. They urged the King to retire as soon as possible and install Rama in his place!

Dasharatha was pleased with their response and then invited a number of citizens of his own kingdom along with the kings of neighbouring friendly countries to his palace to discuss the subject. (In his haste, he invited all relevant rulers except the rulers of Mithila (King Janaka, Rama's father-in-law) and of Kekeya (Bharata's grandfather)--he felt that they were busy with other matters and would hear the happy news later). They too all joyfully agreed that it was an excellent plan to install Sri Rama as King.

Filled with delight that his plan had been received so well, King Dasharatha asked his closest minister, Sumantra, to bring Rama before him. Rama arrived and, bowing at the feet of his father, sought to know how He could serve him. His father embraced him closely and told Him of his decision. 

Rama was to be crowned King as soon as possible-- this was the will of not only His father, but the entire kingdom! Filled with a sense of duty, He bowed and accepted the wish of His father and people. (He did not show any great elation (or distaste) at the idea-- only acceptance of the request as a duty).  After this, He returned to His own palace. 

In the meantime, Rama's friends informed Queen Kausalya of the news that her son was to be crowned King by the will of the people. She was delighted upon hearing this and gave away many gifts in celebration. 

Dasharatha now began to reflect that he had recently had some rather disturbing dreams suggesting that misfortune could befall him and his family. Not only this, the palace astrologers had warned that an inauspicious period was indicated for him based upon the planetary alignments. 

Due to the inauspicious dreams and planetary placements, he was suddenly gripped by a sense of fear and dread that obstacles might arise to prevent his dream of seeing Rama as King from coming true. He therefore hastily summoned his ministers and key members of the public and shared these concerns with them. 

He told them that, from an astrological perspective, the next day, when the moon would be in the nakshatra/ constellation called 'Pushya', was regarded as highly auspicious. Any event commencing on this day would likely be successful. This day, he said, would therefore be ideal for the ceremony to crown Rama as King. 

Everyone present agreed with the King's decision, and Rama was again summoned to His father's presence. (He had been slightly alarmed at being called to see His father again so soon after meeting him and had enquired if all was well-- the minister replied saying that the King wanted to discuss an urgent matter with Him).

King Dasharatha greeted Rama with great affection and explained to Him his plan to crown Him as King the very next day. 

He instructed Rama to prepare for the ceremony (which had a spiritual dimension) by performing some austerities. He was to remain in full control of His mind and senses, observe a fast along with His wife, and sleep on the ground on a mat of darbha (sacred) grass with a slab of stone as a pillow. 

His friends were to guard Him on all sides, said the King, explaining that he feared that some obstacles may prevent the ceremony from taking place. Rama bowed before the King and accepted his orders. He then went to inform His wife, but being unable to find Her at their palace, went to meet His mother. 

Queen Kausalya was meditating upon Narayana at the palace temple when Rama arrived. Hearing the news of Rama's upcoming coronation, Queen Sumitra, Lakshmana and Sita also arrived at the temple. When Kausalya was informed of Dasharatha's plan to crown Rama the very next day, she was overjoyed. She declared that her prayers had been answered and that she was ecstatic that Rama would soon be King. Lakshmana too, ever devoted to Rama, was very happy at the news of His brother’s upcoming coronation.

Rama then received the blessings of Queens Kausalya and Sumitra and warm congratulations from Lakshmana. He affectionately told His brother that he too would rule alongside Him, as he was dear to Him as His own life. 

Rama and Sita then returned to their palace. Soon afterwards, their Guru, sage Vasishtha arrived, at the request of the King. He instructed them regarding the procedure to fast and perform worship in preparation for the coronation. Rama and Sita followed his guidance and performed the spiritual austerities as advised.

As Vasishtha left their palace, he found there was a great atmosphere of excitement and joy in the city. The people of Ayodhya, upon discovering that Rama was to be crowned King the very next day, were preparing for the grand event. 

They set about decorating the entire city with colourful banners and flags, with flowers and garlands and all sorts of beautiful ornaments. A large number of people from the countryside and other parts of the kingdom also arrived at the capital eager to witness the upcoming coronation and to participate in the decoration of the city.

The streets were filled with people in high spirits celebrating the upcoming ceremony. They had waited impatiently for so long to see Rama installed as King and were ecstatic that their wishes were soon to be fulfilled. They praised Dasharatha for his excellent decision to crown Rama as King and expressed their gratitude to the Divine for blessing them with such good fortune. There was much music and dancing in the streets to celebrate the upcoming happy event!

Vasishtha made his way back to Dasharatha's palace and met the King. He informed him that Rama was observing the necessary spiritual austerities as instructed and that all arrangements had been made for His coronation the next day. The King, filled with a great sense of joy, peace and contentment, now retired to his chambers to sleep.

Accompanied by Sita, Rama performed a homam (sacred fire ceremony) to Vishnu as instructed by His Guru. They then slept on a mat of darbha grass on the floor of the temple of Vishnu at the palace. Upon waking at the sacred hour of 'brahma muhurtha' (three hours before sunrise), They performed the morning rituals of worship, including recitation of the Gayatri mantra.

The people of Ayodhya, hearing that Rama had completed all the preparatory rituals of worship, were filled with joy. In anticipation that He would come out into the streets of the city to meet them that evening, once the coronation was completed, they proceeded to decorate every street with lights (for example, ornate lampposts shaped like trees with lights on their boughs). The entire city therefore glittered and shone with beauty ready for the coronation of Rama.

To be continued......

Om Sri SitaRamabhyam Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Bala Kanda Part 11: Life in Ayodhya

 Hari Aum.

I hope all readers are having a wonderful Navaratri. The tenth day after Navaratri, known as Vijaya Dashami, is also celebrated as Dussehra, a day that is associated with a significant event in the life of Sri Rama. This is the perfect time therefore to continue the study of the Valmiki Ramayana.

So, let us begin. In previous posts on the Ramayana, we have studied the birth, childhood and early youth of Sri Rama. Valmiki has described Him as being the very embodiment of dharma or righteousness. We have seen how He has excelled in serving His father and Gurus, the sages Vasistha and Vishvamitra. In the next section, we see Sri Rama adopt the life of a householder and take on greater responsibilities towards His family and people.

The news of the extraordinary exploits of Prince Rama had spread among the citizens of Kosala. They were astounded to hear that the youthful son of their beloved King, and future heir to the throne, had defeated dreadful asuras in the forest and protected the sages. Not only this, He had then gone on to break the bow of no less than the mighty Lord Shiva Himself and had won the hand of the daughter of King Janaka, Princess Sita, in marriage. And, on the way to Ayodhya, He had faced none other than the fearsome Lord Parashurama, annihilator of kshatriyas, and had defeated Him in battle!

The citizens of Ayodhya were beside themselves with pride and joy at the thought of Sri Rama's valour and noble qualities. They could not believe their good fortune in having Him as their future King. When would He return, they asked each other, impatient to get a glimpse of Him!

Hearing that King Dasharatha was on his way home accompanied by Sri Rama, His brothers and their brides, the people were filled with great joy and excitement. They decorated the entire city to welcome them home. There were flags and banners everywhere, along with flowers, incense and all manner of other colourful adornments. They thronged the streets hoping to get a glimpse of their King, Sri Rama and His wife, Princess Sita (whom they had heard was a very charming young lady!). 

At long last, their wishes were fulfilled. King Dasharatha entered his kingdom accompanied by his sons, their wives, the sages and his army. As they arrived, there was tremendous rejoicing amongst the citizens who regarded the King as their very own. He too, in return, was delighted to be home, and greeted his people with great affection.

They then made their way to the palace where they met with the three queens, Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. The queens were delighted to see their sons and their new brides and welcomed them all home with great love. With the return of Sri Rama to Ayodhya, the entire kingdom appeared to be filled with a bliss that could only be compared with Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord  Vishnu. 

Valmiki describes the love between Sri Rama and Princess Sita as being similar to that between Lord Vishnu and Mother Lakshmi in the celestial realm. He states that their love for each other only grew as they learned more about each other. Thus, while living in Ayodhya and serving their people, they enjoyed a life of great marital bliss.

After the princes had all returned to Ayodhya and settled into a happy householder life with their wives, a message came from the King of Kekaya. He was the father of Queen Kaikeyi and had long desired to spend some time with his beloved grandson, Prince Bharata. He sent Prince Yudhajit, his son and brother of Queen Kaikeyi, to Ayodhya with a request to Dasharatha to permit Bharata to spend some time with him in Kekeya. 

King Dasharatha gladly agreed to this and Bharata travelled to Kekeya accompanied by his brother, Shatrughna. Sri Rama and Lakshmana remained in Ayodhya where they immersed themselves in service of the King and their people. 

This was a period of great peace and bliss in the kingdom of Kosala. The people lived a life of great contentment under the noble and just rule of King Dasharatha, aided by Sri Rama, the incarnation of dharma. The presence of Sita, the embodiment of all auspiciousness (and an avatar of the celestial Lakshmi), brought great prosperity and wealth to the land which flourished in all aspects, both material and spiritual.

Under the loving care of King Dasharatha and Sri Rama, it seemed as though the peace and prosperity of Ayodhya would never end-- it truly resembled the celestial realm of Vaikuntha in every way.

To be continued......

A very happy Vijaya Dashami and Dussehra in advance to all readers. May Sri Sita Rama and Sri Durga Shiva bless us all.

Om Sri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama.

Om Sri Durgayai Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. I will aim to write the next installment of the Ramayana soon (hopefully in the next couple of weeks, time-permitting). 

Sati: the legend of the Shakti peethas

 Hari Aum.

As Navaratri, the celebration of the glories of the Divine Mother, approaches, I would like to write a bit about a famous Puranic legend connected with Her. This is the story of Sati and the creation of the 'Shakti peethas' (sacred sites associated with Her as Shakti; in Sanskrit, the word 'shakti' means 'power' and the Mother as Shakti embodies Divine Power).

 The reason I feel like writing about this topic currently is that I recently received an email that suggested performing worship of a particular form of the Mother that is associated with these Shakti peethas (this occurred as a result of my being on the mailing list of a spiritual organisation that teaches Goddess worship— this is not the exact tradition of my Guru though there are many similarities). 

This was recommended due to the upcoming sacred period of Navaratri (and I have decided to perform this sadhana, and some additional related ones, but will not describe the exact details here— this is because, although it is very much a 'right hand' sadhana, it associated with the tradition of Tantra and may be prone to misunderstanding. I may write another post on this subject later).

So let us study the legend of the Shakti peethas, how these were formed and the reason for their great significance and importance in worshipping the Mother over many centuries up to the present day.

Once upon a time, Lord Shiva and His eternal Consort and Power, Mother Shakti, were in a state of separation (externally that is of course; no separation was ever possible internally). The Mother was in an unmanifested state (without form) at this time, and Shiva retreated to His home at the snowy peak of Mount Kailas and spent all His time absorbed in meditation. 

Over time, a state of great imbalance and negativity manifested in the universe. To correct this and restore a healthy balance, it was deemed necessary for the Divine Mother to take on a physical avatar and unite with Shiva. In order to achieve this purpose, the Divine Mother was born as the daughter of a celestial being called 'Daksha'. He was the son of Brahma, the creative aspect of the Divine, and held an important position (known as 'Prajapati' in Sanskrit) within the material realms assisting his father in creation.

Unfortunately, Daksha was a rather proud and ignorant man. He regarded himself as a great devotee of Narayana/Vishnu. Due to his inability to perceive the oneness of the various forms of God, he regarded all other forms of the Divine as inferior, especially Lord Shiva whom he particularly despised. 

Over time, Daksha and his wife, Prasuti, had a number of charming and beautiful daughters. Their youngest daughter, whom they named 'Sati' (meaning 'one who is the embodiment of Truth) was an avatar of Shakti. She was an exceptionally charming, sweet and intelligent child and Her father and family doted upon Her.

When Sati and Her sisters grew up into beautiful young women, it was deemed that it was time for them to marry. The sisters of Sati married various noble sages and left the family home. Eventually it was Sati's turn, and She had set Her entire heart and mind upon Shiva alone (being His eternal consort, this was natural). 

When the time came, She declared Her wish and intention to seek and marry Lord Shiva. When this news fell upon her father's ears, he was shocked and greatly angered!

How could his own daughter even contemplate such a thing, he reflected! Determined to do everything possible to prevent Her from marrying Shiva, he approached Her and spoke in a manner that he had never spoken before. 

Filled with fury, he stated that he would never permit Her to marry Shiva! Instructing Her to stay away from Him, he declared that She would be cast out of the family forever if She dared to go against his wishes! 

Sati, who had only ever received great love and affection from Her father and family, was filled with great grief at his words. She listened to him silently and, after he had finished speaking, attempted explain Her desire to marry Shiva. 

Her father, however, had no time for any explanations. He angrily left Her quarters stating that She was to obey his orders. He would find Her a suitable groom and She would marry the person he chose-- and that was to be the end of the matter! 

Sati was deeply distraught at Her father's opposition to Shiva. However, as it was Her divine destiny to unite with Him, She sought and found Him and They got married. They experienced great peace, love and contentment as a result of Their divine union.

When the news of the wedding of Sati and Shiva reached Daksha's ears, He was filled with immense rage. 

He declared that his once beloved daughter, was now dead to him! He stated that nobody in the family was ever to utter Her name again and She had ceased to exist as far as he was concerned. 

Sati's mother, sisters and other family members were filled with great sorrow at Daksha's resolve, but were unable to change his mind. They were thus compelled to accept his wishes. Years passed and there was no contact between Sati and Her father or the rest of Her family. 

One day, while in the company of Shiva at Their home in Mount Kailas, Sati noticed a large number of celestial beings passing by. They appeared to be on their way to a grand ceremony of worship. She called to them to ask where they were going, and they replied saying that they had been invited to Her father, Daksha's home. They explained he was going to conduct a great yajna (fire ceremony) in honour of Vishnu and other divinities. 

The only exception was Shiva who would not be honoured in any way at Daksha's ceremony (though it was the tradition that He too ought to have been worshipped). All Her sisters, their husbands and extended family were invited to the grand event. Sati and Shiva, however, had received no invitation. 

Sati was filled with anguish at the thought of Her father not wanting to see Her after so many years. She thought he would surely be willing to forgive his own beloved daughter if only She could meet and speak with him. She told Shiva that They should attend her father's home and that it did not matter that there was no invitation-- She was Daksha's daughter after all and had a right to visit Her own father!

Shiva heard Her impassioned plea in silence. He replied saying that They should not go; it would be unwise, He said, to go to places where one was not invited. Sati was very upset that Her husband did not seem to understand Her feelings. He did not seem to realise the grief and pain that She had experienced in separation from Her family. It was only natural that She would want to try and reconnect with them.

She told Shiva that She would go alone if He was unwilling to accompany Her. She would speak to Her father and make amends. All would then be well, She assured Him, and the rift between Her husband and father would be healed.

Shiva looked at Her with a mixture of immense tenderness and sadness. He told Her that all would not be well if She went, and therefore, She should not go-- She should remain with Him at Kailas where She would be safe. He knew that Daksha had no real devotion to the Divine (whether as Narayana or any other form), and the sole purpose of his worship, was only self-aggrandisement and to humiliate Him by the exclusion. 

However (in accordance with the Divine Lila that was unfolding), Sati was unable to accept Shiva's advice. She insisted that She would like to attend the worship and meet Her family. Bidding Him goodbye, She said that She would soon return and then made Her way to Her parental home where the grand worship of Narayana was about to begin.

As She arrived at the entrance to Her father's magnificent palace, the guards tried to block Her way saying She had no invitation. She told them to stand aside as She was a daughter of Daksha and had every right to be there. 

She then entered the palace and saw that it was filled with divine sages, the demi-gods, apsaras, gandharvas and all manner of celestial beings. The entire area had been decorated beautifully with heavenly flowers and lamps, and the air was fragrant with incense. 

Seeing Her childhood home and family, Sati was filled with great joy. Her mother and sisters saw Her enter and were filled with delight. They rushed to greet Her and they all embraced each other with great affection.

Daksha heard the commotion and murmuring among the guests caused by the arrival of Sati. What was the matter, he demanded. What was all the fuss about! The palace attendants quietly told him that his daughter, Sati, had arrived. Hearing this, Daksha was filled with great rage and indignation. 

Declaring that he had no daughter called 'Sati', he marched over to where She stood just within the entrance to the palace. After severely rebuking Her for coming home, he was still not satisfied. 

To cause even greater pain, he launched into a tirade of abuse against Shiva. (I am not going to describe in detail the negative words he used here, but suffice to say, these were related to the appearance of Shiva, His character, His apparent lack of worldly wealth and so on-- all these statements were based upon spiritual ignorance, which Daksha embodied, and were entirely false).

Sati, who had managed to tolerate the insult and humiliation of Herself, could not bear to hear a word against Shiva. Upon hearing the slander of Him, She became inflamed with a terrible rage (until this time, She had manifested as a sweet youthful woman, with little evidence of Her divine power-- this now changed).  

Blazing with divine wrath, She declared that every word that Her father had uttered against Shiva was completely false-- and that this was only a testimony to his own enormous pride, ignorance and undivine nature! 

She then stated that She did not desire to remain his daughter for an instant longer, and therefore, would give up Her body immediately. Her ears, She said, had been polluted by being exposed to the ignoble statements about Shiva made by Her father. 

He did not know anything at all about Shiva, She declared, closing Her eyes, and fixing Her mind upon His presence within. She then used Her divine power to create a mystic fire that engulfed Her physical body. Her burning body fell to the ground as She departed. 

There was a terrible uproar in the palace upon this occurrence. Previously, nobody had dared to say a word as father and daughter confronted each other, but this was too much for them to bear! Everyone present was filled with great sorrow at Sati's departure, and had a dreadful sense of foreboding of things to come. Daksha however, was briefly startled, but then composed himself and remained unrepentant. 

Meanwhile, at Mount Kailas, Shiva felt the energy of Shakti leaving Her physical body. He felt the immense suffering and grief that Sati had experienced before She left. He had not been affected by Daksha's foolish and ignorant statements about Him (which had been going on for years), but inflicting such suffering upon Sati and causing Her to leave Her body, was completely unacceptable to Him.

Filled with immense grief and divine wrath, He decided to teach Daksha a lesson once and for all. He then drew two strands from His matted locks of hair, and as He did so, the strands transformed into two, exceedingly fierce divine forms-- a male form, called 'Virabhadra', and a female form, called 'Bhadrakali'.

"Go", said Shiva to these divine manifestations, "and teach Daksha a suitable lesson". Virabhadra and Bhadrakali were exceptionally powerful manifestations of divine anger and were frightening to behold. 

In accordance with Shiva's instructions, They set off rapidly for Daksha's home accompanied by various attendants. Upon arrival, They entered the palace and destroyed all the arrangements for the false, egoistic worship that Daksha had wanted to conduct. Next, they turned to Daksha himself. 

Now, in the yogic tradition, the head is said to represent the ego. It represents the intellect. Daksha's conduct over the years, including his behaviour with Sati, had clearly demonstrated beyond any doubt that his intellect was severely corrupted and that he was devoid of virtually all goodness. His mind and intellect were filled mainly with pride, anger and other vicious, undivine qualities. 

As a gesture to relieve Daksha of the burden of this terrible ego, Virabhadra severed his head from his body (this may seem a bit macabre, but this story has an esoteric meaning-- and does not in any way condone anyone severing heads in general! 

It is the egoistic head that needs to be removed for us to make spiritual progress, so that our Higher Self can express itself, so that we can attune ourselves to the Divine-- this is a key message of this Lila. Perhaps this is the reason why, in many spiritual traditions, people bow down before the Divine, placing their heads upon the ground as an act of worship. This symbolises humility and giving up the ego before God).

Upon Daksha's head being severed from his body, there was an outcry at the palace. Shiva Himself appeared at this juncture, and upon seeing Him, various family members pleaded with Him to restore the Prajapati's life. Hearing their prayers, Shiva agreed, and Daksha was revived. He understood that he had been a victim of foolish pride and other negative qualities and repented for his past mistakes. He asked for forgiveness from Shiva who blessed him.

Another fascinating aspect of this Divine Lila now unfolded. Filled with immense grief at Sati's departure, Shiva lifted Her lifeless body from the ground and embraced this; the sight of the body served as a reminder of the injustice and cruelty that She had faced. This filled Him with extraordinary rage and and pain, and unleashed tremendous cosmic forces of destruction from within His being. 

The serene, meditating form of Shiva now transformed into an avatar of cosmic destruction-- Rudra. As He held the body of Sati, He began to dance the dance of destruction, the Rudra Tandava (this is usually conducted at the end of a cycle of creation to pave the way for the next one)!

However, it was not yet time for that cycle of creation to end. Therefore, Vishnu, the Preserver of the universe, stepped in and took action to protect all of creation. He released His divine weapon, the fiery discus known as the Sudarshana chakra, at Shiva. The weapon sped towards Him and swiftly caused the disintegration of the body of Sati.  

Shiva, seeing that there was no longer any physical trace of Sati, withdrew again from the world. Returning to His home at Mount Kailas, He went deep into meditation for many years (until Sati returned as Parvati and They were reunited for ever more-- will try and write another post about this happier event later!).

The disintegrated parts of Sati's body fell on to the Earth and became the famous 'Shakti peethas' (each part of Sati became a unique manifestation of the Mother). These are places that are said to have a potent presence of the personal aspect of the Divine Mother. (They are also associated with Shiva; it is said that He guards each one of these areas in a unique form known as 'Bhairava').

Worship of the Mother in the forms associated with the Shakti peethas is said to grant great spiritual and material blessings.

These places are particularly associated with the practice of Tantra (a specific method of worship of the Divine using certain mantras, pujas, homams and so on). This includes both the ‘right hand’ (dakshina marga) and ‘left hand’ (vama marga) paths of spirituality.

Tantra sadhana should generally always be performed under the guidance of a genuine Guru of the tradition. The student who embarks upon the path of Tantra in particular must have already cultivated a high degree of practice of the yogic ethics (particularly ahimsa, satya and brahmacharya; as without these, there is a very real risk of a serious spiritual fall).

The practice of the Tantric worship of the Divine Mother can range from the recitation of simple mantras to more elaborate types of ritual. The one that I am performing for Navaratri is a relatively simple one advised by a lady Guru whom I respect and regard as a genuine spiritual teacher (though I do not know her personally and have not met her—though I might try to one day). In accordance with the teachings of my own Guru, Sivananda, I am not practicing any elaborate mantras with many beejas and so on as this is not the main spiritual path that I usually follow. 

I do find the Tantric forms of the Mother beautiful and fascinating though, hence the reason I have decided to perform a simple worship of one of these for Navaratri. I may write further posts on the various forms of the Goddess in the Tantric tradition as I learn more and perhaps practice a bit of this type of sadhana.

In summary, there are various messages in the story of Sati, ranging from the dangers of excessive egoism to the importance of being able to see One God in all names and forms (and thus being able to respect all, while practicing one's own spiritual path). And also, most importantly, the power of the grace of God that manifests as various personal aspects that we can connect with and worship to benefit spiritually.

May Mother Sati bless us all with spiritual progress and material happiness.

Om Shaktyai Namah.

Om Namah Shivaya

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. There are a couple of eclipses coming up in the next two weeks (including one in three days time). These are excellent times for sadhana for spiritual and material progress. Let us chant mantras for the peace and wellbeing of ourselves, our loved ones and the entire cosmos during this time.

Lakshmi sahasranama

 Hari Aum.

Om Sri Mahalakshmyai Namah.

I hope all readers are keeping well and that your sadhana is going smoothly. We are now exactly a month away from Navaratri, the nine day celebration of the glories of the Divine Mother.

I chanced to come across the Lakshmi sahasranama today, a very beautiful prayer to Mother Lakshmi and wanted to share this with you.

In Sanskrit, 'sahasra' means 'one thousand', and 'nama' means 'name'. So 'sahasranama' means 'one thousand names'. The two most well-known and popular sahasranamas are the ones dedicated to Lord Vishnu and the Divine Mother Lalita. These are recited in temples and in the homes of devotees all over the world. However, there are sahasranamas for various other deities, including Mother Lakshmi. 

Today is Friday, the day of the Goddess, and I was listening to the Mahalakshmi ashtakam (eight verses in praises of Mother Lakshmi) this evening while doing some rather dull, household chores. After listening to this and also singing along for a while, I was in the mood to continue to enjoy the experience of devotion to Mother Lakshmi.

Knowing that 'sahasranamas' tend to be on a longer side, I decided to do an online search and came up with a beautiful rendition of the Lakshmi sahasranama (please see links below). The meaning of the Sanskrit names of Lakshmi were so sweet and melodious to the ear that I felt I really had to write about it today. I was also very tempted to perform a puja while listening to the sahasranama (will keep this for another occasion soon as it is now a bit late in the day).

This prayer is described in the Skanda Purana and is said to have been recited by the sage Sanatkumara (who explained to other sages who then went on to teach this to their own disciples). 

Lakshmi sahasranama recitation: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8EGm9OwSNc

The entire prayer (in various scripts):

https://vignanam.org/samskritam/sri-lakshmi-sahasra-nama-stotram.html

Meaning of each of the one thousand names of Mother Lakshmi:

https://www.teluguone.com/devotional/amp/content/mahalakshmi-sahasranamam-%E2%80%93-1008-holy-names-of-goddess-english-script-937-27566.html

The Lakshmi sahasranama has a very sweet, benevolent, gentle energy associated with it. The Goddess is this form is essentially depicted as the nourishing and compassionate Mother of the entire universe.

The sahasranama broadly describes Her as One who:

-bestows peace, happiness, health and wealth (both material and spiritual)

-vanquishes evil (for example, She is described as Kali, Durga, Narasimhi and Varahi)

-gives wisdom (She is described as Sarasvati)

-has a beautiful form and qualities  

-is the beloved of Vishnu

-is the embodiment of mantras and worship

-can be propitiated by the recitation of mantras and performance of worship

-is the origin of all Creation

-is the Sustainer and Destroyer of all 

-deludes (as Maya) and also removes delusion (by granting Self realisation)

-is Mother Nature in all aspects (including the five 'great elements' namely, fire, water, earth, air and space)

-is the Supreme Being, the granter of all blessings

From a spiritual perspective, hearing or reciting this is said to grant divine blessings, devotion to God and spiritual liberation. 

From a material perspective, this prayer is said is to grant worldly comforts and wealth, a peaceful home and good health. 

From the perspective of Vedic astrology, this would be particularly helpful for those who have a weak Venus in their birth chart (as Lakshmi is the presiding deity for this planet) and those who are ruled by the Venusian signs (Taurus and Libra as the ascendant and/or moon sign).

I have to admit I really enjoyed listening to this sahasranama and feeling connected to Mother Lakshmi--I plan to listen to it many more times in the coming weeks and will hopefully learn to recite at least some of it (I was also surprised and pleased to see the name 'Aparna' on the list; I have always secretly wished my first name had a more direct connection with Vishnu and was glad to finally discover that this is in fact the case!).

I hope that you too enjoy listening to, reciting and contemplating upon the meaning of this beautiful meditative prayer dedicated to Mother Lakshmi.

Om Sri MahaLakshmyai Namah.

May Mother Lakshmi bless us all.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Twin soul love

 Hari Aum.

In the past few years, I have had the opportunity to speak to people on a twin soul journey and one of the topics we sometimes discuss (aside from our frustrations and grievances related to the complexities of this spiritual path!) is the way we feel about our counterparts, about the love we have for them (it is good to sometimes talk about the positive aspects of this journey along with the many challenges!). 

Today, I would like to write something about this twin soul love. This is based upon my discussions with other twin souls (mainly the female aspect) and my own experience. (A close female friend of mine from childhood days in particular, interestingly appears to be on a similar journey. We are fortunate to able to speak with each other relatively freely on this topic, and having each other's support has been an invaluable blessing.)

The love that the female twins feel for their counterparts really cannot be described. It is difficult if not impossible to write about this but nonetheless, I will try. The reason is that it is beautiful and I feel I have a duty to at least attempt to give some expression to this reality that we as a group feel. It is relatively easy to write about our grievances, complaints, frustrations and irritation at our counterparts. That part comes quite naturally on this path that is designed to be difficult!

But, underneath all the frustrations and annoyances and indeed the rejections, is a quite indescribable, irrational and unexplainable type of love. Many of us wonder as to its origin, why it exists, how it came about, and its basis. But it defies our intellects.

You see, the strange thing is, it has no reason. There is no reason for this love (it is not particularly based upon any physical, mental, social or other characteristic; it almost seems to be some sort of soul force).

It just exists. Most of us have had no previous experience of this before, and so our minds reel at the behaviour of our hearts when we first experience this. We feel alarmed at ourselves, at the depth of feeling that we are capable of. 

We never knew, we say to ourselves, that we could feel this way. (In fact, many of us berate ourselves for experiencing this as it is quite disturbing initially-- but the fact is, no matter how much we tell ourselves off for feeling this way, the love remains. This is simply a reality).

It is quite beyond the typical romantic relationship love that we and other human beings seem to experience (there can be a romantic aspect, but it is so much vaster than that). We would describe it as intense, unfathomable, overpowering, all-consuming and unconditional. 

The last word, 'unconditional' has particular significance. We realise over time (usually a long time, as this tends to be a long journey spanning many years and some say lifetimes!) that there is nothing really that diminishes this feeling-- if anything it grows as time passes. 

We wonder at it, but no matter how much we rack our brains and attempt to use this to analyse our hearts, we are unable to rationally or scientifically explain this experience. The brain returns defeated by the heart every time (this is certainly not to say that we have abandoned our intellects—far from it. It is only that the intellect recognises that there is a higher power). It is really quite extraordinary.

And then, we begin to feel that the universe is teaching us something valuable-- perhaps it is that much coveted state of unconditional love. As spiritual seekers and devotees, many of us read about this in the scriptures, we meditate upon divinities that embody this, we intellectually attempt to grasp this as a goal of spiritual life. 

But when we begin to experience even a drop of this, we are utterly stunned. What an extraordinary experience, we feel. When our higher selves tap into this type of love, our egoistic lower minds (which exist along with the higher self as with all spiritual seekers) are completely astounded.

It does not feel like something we have created ourselves in our own minds and hearts. It feels almost as though the universe is flowing through us. The love that flows within us for our counterparts makes us feel quite expansive, quite universal, quite divine, as if this love could expand and include everyone and everything in it. 

When we feel this love, we feel that we are touching the very hem of the Divine. We begin to get a glimpse of the love that the yogis and Gurus talk about-- love that loves for the sake of love, that simply has no reason, that does not diminish with time or space (these are simply words that cannot convey the full experience at all). And which does not fade but only seems to increase with time. 

Our twin soul counterpart becomes a sort of canvas as it were; a canvas in our minds and hearts, given to us by the Divine, onto which we begin to learn to paint the colours of this divine, universal love. 

We become almost like artists, learning the art of unconditional love under the tutelage of the Divine (and many of us do actually feel inspired to embrace the artistic aspect of life, be it music, dance, painting or other creative pursuits). 

This is a very challenging journey to put it mildly. But to be able to experience this sort of love feels like a privilege (though it has to be said, there are times when this love can feel much more like a curse than a blessing-- that too is a key part of the twin soul path). Nonetheless, over time, we realise that we are being taught something of serious spiritual significance by the universe-- and with this, comes a certain understanding and gratitude towards the Divine. 

Despite all the challenges of this path, over time, one begins to see that perhaps there was a purpose behind it after all. That purpose was to bring to life the unconditional love within the scriptures, that the divine embodies, that we ourselves-- that all human beings (not only twin souls)-- embody. For all of us, human beings, are of the nature of this love-- this is the view of our Gurus and scriptures. 

For many twin souls, this unconditional love emerges most powerfully when we are quiet, when we are at peace, when the work of the day has been done, perhaps when all the world is sleeping and we are awake. 

When our mind and heart space is not distracted by the worldly chatter of those around us, and our senses are not drawn outwards to perform our daily duties, when our ego minds are not active, in quiet periods when we are alone, when our higher aspect is able to express itself fully without any impediment-- this is perhaps the time when we are able feel this love most powerfully.

Speaking of unconditional love, we have just celebrated the birthday of Lord Krishna, who is the embodiment of this divine quality, One who is both lovable and infuriating in equal measure (oddly, many twin souls would describe their counterparts in similar terms!). 

I dedicate this post to Him as He is the origin of love in all human beings. I hope all readers have had a beautiful day celebrating this auspicious occasion. May Lord Krishna bless us all with unconditional love and may He continue to teach us more about the mysteries of this extraordinary experience.

Om Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. As with many other things of the world of the spirit, I have gradually realised that this experience is truly best expressed in silence in the material realm (and kept well away from the gross physical realm of body and speech, which in any case, cannot do it any real justice). 

This is likely one of the key reasons why many twin souls naturally maintain silence with their counterparts and I would entirely agree that this is a wise choice. 

I have realised that this love, which has a subtle, divine and ethereal nature, can and should only be fully expressed before the One who created it in the first place, namely the Divine, as S/He alone can truly understand and appreciate it. This expression then becomes a golden key to enter the realm of the Divine, thus enabling this love to fulfil its purpose.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Satyam eva jayate

 Hari Aum.

‘Satyam eva jayate’, meaning ‘Truth alone triumphs’ is a famous Sanskrit saying from the Mundaka Upanishad. This means that in all aspects of life, truth ultimately wins over falsehood. This saying is the heart and soul of both spiritual and material life.

God Himself/Herself is the embodiment of Truth, and S/He always protects those who embrace the truth in their lives. Those who turn away from truth, turn away from God.

Without truth, there can be no peace, no love and no happiness. There can be no divinity. And without divine grace, there can ultimately be no success in life.

The truth needs to be acknowledged no matter how challenging it may be. It takes courage to speak the truth, and to live by the truth. This is a form of worship of God in the form of Truth.

This is a worship to be performed by all spiritual seekers. We will all be tested by the Divine in one way or another. We will be placed in situations and circumstances where our ability to adhere to the truth will be examined and very thoroughly at that.

Lying may be easy, and we may justify it by giving ourselves and others various reasons and excuses. But it is never justifiable to lie as a general rule. 

It is especially unacceptable to lie in spiritual life. We need to be able to admit our faults frankly to ourselves, to others where appropriate, to our Guru and to God. This is needed for spiritual progress.

And, on the twin soul path, it is completely unacceptable to lie perpetually about not feeling the connection when one clearly does. It may be uncomfortable but one has a duty to acknowledge the truth. 

On that note, I would like to say the following to my twin soul. I feel you felt and still feel the connection (if you are on this blog, you clearly do). But you have not had the courage to admit it—in the past or the present. You are not doing yourself or me any favours by this (no matter what you tell yourself).

Why not embrace this truth, which is a form of God (like any other truth), and see where S/He guides us? Since S/He has created this connection, why not let Him/Her decide where it should lead? Why do you want to control everything? Why don’t we do our part, namely speak our truth, and let the Divine guide us? 

Twin souls will remain miserable as long as they are apart. They are meant to reunite in some form and experience peace and happiness. 

All twin souls feel this connection every moment of our lives—we cannot help it, we cannot change this. Why not then accept it and see where the Divine takes us?

So to my twin, I will say that I feel this connection constantly since late 2020 (when some sort of significant twin soul activation is said to have occurred). Your behaviour suggests that you too have felt it. Why do you not then acknowledge it? 

Please find it in yourself to tell me the truth. If you have ever had any concern for me as you claim, then speak the truth. Why are you here on this blog if you do not feel a connection? I am glad you are here (if you really are). But I am fed up of this nonsense that you don’t feel a connection. It is both insulting to my intelligence and deeply hurtful. There is no justification for this at all.

And to any other twin souls who have stumbled upon this post, please find the courage to express your reality. God helps those who live by the truth. This is a divine connection, the reality of this should be acknowledged.

Om Satyaya Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya 

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Janmashtami and Krishna lila

 Hari Aum.

Aum Sri Krishnaya Namah.

The annual celebration of the birthday of Lord Krishna (known as ‘Janmashtami’) is coming up in a week. As this auspicious day approaches, I was reflecting a little on my relationship with Him as a devotee.

Since the age of sixteen, I have been fascinated by Krishna, interested in hearing stories of Him, reciting His names and in reading, writing and singing about Him. Like many devotees, I aspired to be like a gopi, a parabhakta (one who has acquired true devotion). He has granted me many experiences over the years of my life, both 'good' and 'bad', both mundane and spiritual. 

In the past couple of years, I have to admit that I have become increasingly irked by Him (for a whole range of different reasons!). It got to the point recently, where I told Narayana that I would not like to worship this particular avatar of His ("Can’t stand His 'player' mentality", I said to Narayana! "I am not worshipping Him any longer, I much prefer Your more sedate avatars such as Vamana, Hamsa, Kapila and so on!").

And so, as I was packing for a trip to India around three weeks ago, I told the little statue of Krishna on my altar that I would not be taking Him with me (I usually always take Him along when going on any holiday). "You're not coming this time." I said firmly, "I will take only a picture of Vishnu, not You as You have been very troublesome of late. You may remain here!". 

On the day that my family and I were to travel to Kerala, we arrived at the airport well on time. I was in charge of the travel documents for everyone (as I have a not-very-popular reputation in the family for being very particular about making sure that nothing is forgotten when travelling—I admit I have been known over the years for ticking family members off for forgetting important things and am therefore viewed by them with some wariness! On this occasion, the tables were turned!). 

At the baggage drop-off counter, I produced the necessary documents as requested but then realised that my lifelong visa card for India (known as the 'OCI') was missing. (I had everyone else's visas as I had been very careful to pack these but had somehow managed to forget my own!). 

This had never happened to me before and I was completely aghast as there was now a very real risk that I would not be able to make the flight! I apologised profusely to the lady at the desk who was sympathetic. However, she said I would need to have the visa card to be able to travel and asked if there was any way that I would be able to return home to get it.

I said that I could certainly try and she said I needed to be back at the airport in just over an hour (which would be ninety minutes before the flight took off; the journey home with minimal traffic was around half an hour so this was cutting it fine). If I was much later than this, it would likely not be possible to travel.

I then rushed off to a taxi stand outside the airport and informed a driver that I needed to urgently return home to get a travel document and be back at the airport within an hour. He was very helpful and comforting, saying "Don't worry madam, I see this all the time!". "We will do our best!" he declared, as we set off. 

On the motorway home, I noted a large build-up of traffic on the opposite side (this did not bode well for returning on time). We made it home in around half an hour and I rushed to the room where the document was and found it. 

As I was about to leave, I noticed the mini-statue of Krishna sitting on my altar and felt that He had a slightly satisfied air about Him. (“Well, you’re back soon!”, He seemed to say).

I had a strong feeling that I had been summoned back home to take Him along with me! I therefore speedily wrapped Him up in a silken cloth and, placing Him into my handbag, said "Alright, You can come along! I’ll make sure I take You with me on holidays in future".

Dashing back to the taxi, we set off again on the stressful journey back to the airport. The driver said he might need to a take a different, longer route back (due to the traffic on the motorway) which would likely have meant I would reach too late. 

However, by the grace of God, the traffic cleared (I was feverishly checking Google maps on my phone regarding the traffic and updating the driver— he was very patient and a true godsend) and we travelled by the shortest route and got back in around half an hour.

I told Krishna on the way, "Now that You made me return for You, You had better make sure I get on the flight!" and fervently repeated His mantras (quietly!) throughout the journey. I feel He helped me get back on time— the taxi fare turned out to be 108 in the local currency which is a sacred number in the Vedic tradition— this made me feel even more strongly that the entire episode was a typical troublesome Krishna lila!

Upon arrival at the airport, I thanked the driver and hastened to the baggage counter and everything went smoothly from there onwards (some of the staff looked rather surprised when I apologised for being late, even claiming that there was plenty of time—but that was not the message that I had been given previously!). My family politely refrained from commenting on my forgetful nature on this occasion after I apologised profusely to them for the drama!

I had a lovely time in Kerala in the past fortnight visiting family as well as our temples of Kali and Vishnu. As it rained quite intensely on some days (being the end of the monsoon season), going out of the home then was tricky (it was relatively cool and pleasant though due to the rain). 

As temple visiting was limited this time due to the weather, I suggested inviting a priest to our home to conduct a homam and puja (to Ganesha, Durga and Vishnu) and my family gladly agreed. It was a beautiful experience.

(Priests in Kerala generally have an excellent mastery of Sanskrit and their pronunciation of the mantras is usually impeccable. This is not always the case in all parts of India as the local language spoken can influence the pronunciation of Sanskrit). 

There were no further untoward incidents during the trip by the grace of Krishna. Overall, it was a very enjoyable visit and there was an uneventful return home a couple of days ago. 

My Krishna statue continues to have a slightly smug look about Him. I am not pleased but unfortunately there is not much that I can do! One has to be careful when dealing with someone like Him, that is all I can say.

I would like to write a post about the Vamana avatar soon as ‘Onam’ (the biggest festival day in Kerala) celebrating His Lila approaches (it occurs on August 26th this year based on the Vedic lunar calendar). It is a very interesting story and the message is most relevant to life on our planet today.

Om Namo Narayanaya 

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. The Krishna books that I have written will be available for free download as usual on Janmashtami and around this period, i.e. from Aug 15-17 inclusive. 

(August 12th update: I am experiencing some technical issues with the Amazon Kindle site. As a result, the website is only permitting me to make three titles out of the four in the Krishna series (namely, 'Balakrishna', 'Dwarakanatha' and 'Janardana') available for free download this month around Janmashtami. The free download option for the fourth title 'Yogeshvara' has currently been withdrawn from the website (never happened before, I will need to look into this if it persists)-- my sincere apologies. I will try and sort this out and separately offer this for free download at a later time if possible.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Vishnupriya-Devi/author/B07B95YQCV?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Shyamasundara: the darkness of Lord Krishna

 Hari Aum.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. Om Shyamasundaraya Namah.

Lord Krishna is described as the Lord who is dark in colour, dark as the monsoon clouds. He is quite literally described as the embodiment of male beauty-- 'tall, dark and handsome'. This is the meaning of His name 'Shyamasundara'. He is called by various terms of endearment-- the ultimate charmer, the flute-player of Vrindavan, the irresistible One. The best friend, the true Lover, the all in all. So say the Gurus, so say the yogis.

But, as we weary spiritual seekers, trudge upon the spiritual path, repeating His holy names, what is our experience? Before we reach the happily enlightened stage that our Gurus attained, while we are caught up in the mire of samsara (worldly existence), what is our actual experience of this handsome Lord, this so-called charming One? 

Unfortunately, our experience of Him (in the form of this world that He has created) is not always very savoury! The tall, dark and handsome One can appear to have a very dark side indeed-- one that we may actually tremble to see!

On that note, it seems that every few weeks this year, the world holds its breath as another dangerous war breaks out somewhere on the planet (and various world leaders mutter the word 'nuclear' to threaten each other with little care as to the consequences). Yes, this is the world that the good Lord has created, that Krishna has created-- and a wonderful Creation it is, no doubt (despite the horrific side, there is also great beauty-- though we may struggle to see it at times!)

As He Himself says in the Gita, He moves us all as though we were puppets in a play. And, He Himself is the face of Death. We should not be surprised, therefore, at any of today's events on our planet. It is all quite natural. 

Our ancient Puranas highlight the strange and whimsical nature of Shyamasundara or Lord Krishna. On the one hand, He saves Ajamila and Pingala, whose actions could be described as less than entirely dharmic-- they sought refuge in Him and were protected. On the other, He creates a terrible Lila of destruction where the children of the Pandavas (His own beloved friends and relatives) are massacred along with countless other people, both noble and ignoble. 

While praising Him, Queen Kunti, mother of the Pandavas, asks Him to grant Her suffering so that she may ever remember Him (as the mind is said to remember God more intensely in suffering than in joy). And we know that Krishna certainly granted her wish (based on the events that took place in the Mahabharata)! (We may not all share Kunti's prayer but He generously provides us a dose of suffering anyway!). 

Equally, while cursing Him, Queen Gandhari, mother of the Kauravas (all of whom had died in the Mahabharata war) declares that, as the Creator of the world, and orchestrator of this divine Lila, His earthly clan (the Yadavas) too should perish. Krishna smilingly grants her wish, saying that it was already ordained in accordance with His will.

He is alike, indeed, to friend and foe-- as He says Himself, there is none to whom He is partial. He favours none, He rejects none. 

However, He always upholds dharma (righteousness/goodness) and the law of karma (the law that says we will reap what we sow). Those who walk the path of dharma are protected by it, and those who do not, fall foul of the law of karma-- that most unforgiving and inexorable of laws.

In His destructive aspect, Krishna is no less terrible than Mother Kali (interestingly, They both share the same beeja mantra 'Klim' suggesting that They are truly One in essence). The only difference is that Krishna looks charming, while Kali looks fearsome. 

The childhood Lilas of Krishna may be portrayed as sweet and adorable (filled with music, dancing, play and games), but when He reveals His true divine form to Arjuna (in the Gita), as the Almighty, He is both wonderful and terrifying in equal measure (to the extent that Arjuna is filled with fear and begs to see His usual human form).

As devotees, we play with our Krishna, we worship Him, we talk with Him, we walk with Him, we embrace Him in our lives in so many ways. But truly, we know Him not. We do not know His consciousness, His divine will and His plans for us. 

So He is dark in so many ways-- both in His appearance and in His deeds, but most of all, in the form of the future which lies hidden from our view. We know not what tomorrow will bring; it is shrouded in mystery. And we know, that His Lilas can be brutal to both devotee and non-devotee alike-- He impartially gives everyone the results of their own karmas. 

Ultimately, He sits upon the throne of justice, and sees us as we really are-- we cannot hide anything from Him. And Yama (also known as 'Dharma') is His right-hand man (His own manifestation, in fact)-- the one who keeps a score, a count of our deeds, both good and bad, so that we may be given our just desserts in accordance with the law of karma.

And so, as we walk through the darkness of this strange world that He has created, this world that is increasingly filled with violence and madness, we have little choice but to hold on tightly to the hand of this dark Lord, this One who hides His face, who inspires both love and fear within us. 

We have little choice because He is the only certainty here-- He alone exists, His will alone prevails over all our little wills, and His justice will ultimately prevail over all of the chaos and madness that we generate. 

As the fighting in the Middle East intensifies at the present time, let us do the only thing that we can possibly do, namely, pray. Let us pray to Krishna (or whichever form of God we are drawn to as they are all ultimately One according to the Gurus), whose Lilas are both charming and terrifying, that our minds and hearts may be filled with light instead of darkness. 

As the ancient Upanishadic prayer goes:

"Asato ma, Sat gamaya,

Tamaso ma, Jyotir gamaya,

Mrityor ma, Amritam gamaya".

Meaning:

"Lead me from untruth to Truth, 

from darkness to light, and,

from death to Immortality".

Om Namo Narayanaya.

P.S. Please can we all continue to recite the ashtakshara or any mantra or prayer of our liking for 5-10 minutes at least every day for world peace. Let us pray to Krishna and Kali that all wars may end and that a state of relative peace may be created on our planet as soon as possible.

Markandeya: devotion and destiny

 Hari Aum.

I hope all readers are keeping well and that your sadhana is going smoothly. My sadhana is carrying on steadily-- I am on holiday visiting family at present and am managing to keep up my daily japa in the midst of all the social activity. I am very relieved that the situation in Asia has calmed down (it was a horrible nightmare to put it mildly—am so grateful to the Divine Mother that the situation has been brought under control. Hope it stays that way).

Anyway, now that that nightmare is behind us (for the present anyway), I thought I would write a post about Lord Shiva's Lila as Mrityunjaya (I have dreamt about this name of Shiva a couple of times including recently which has contributed to my desire to write this post).

'Mrityunjaya' means the 'defeater of Death'. Why is Lord Shiva known by this name? Well, He is of course the Supreme Being who removes the illusion of this mortal world and grants us knowledge of our true immortal, deathless spiritual nature-- and therefore, this name suits Him perfectly.

However, there is also a famous Lila or Divine play related to Shiva as Mrityunjaya. Many of you will be familiar with this famous story already. However, for those who may not be familiar, I would like to narrate this here. 

This story describes the power of 'purushartha' or self-effort. It demonstrates how sheer determination and hard work can enable the spiritual seeker or devotee to overcome the effects of karma and destiny. It describes how the devotee invokes the grace of God to conquer death itself and attain immortality. This, in fact, is the meaning of the famous 'Mahamrityunjaya mantra' of Lord Shiva (will come back to this again later). 

So let us begin the story-- this is originally from the Puranas. Om Mrityunjayaya Namah. Salutations to Shiva, the One who conquers death.

This story centres around the life of Markandeya, a young devotee of Shiva.

Markandeya was born of a rishi and his wife after they had prayed ardently to Lord Shiva to be blessed with a child. Shiva had appeared before the couple and said that He would grant their wish-- they could choose to have a wise and noble child who would be short-lived or an ignoble child who would live long.

The couple chose to be blessed with a spiritual child and Markandeya was born. His parents were overjoyed at his birth though this was mixed with sorrow due to the knowledge that he was destined to die at the age of sixteen. 

They showered their love upon Markandeya who blossomed into a wonderful young boy. He excelled in all aspects of spiritual life, both jnana (wisdom) and bhakti (devotion). He mastered the Vedas with ease and developed strong devotion to Lord Shiva whom he worshipped daily.

The sage and his wife rejoiced as they saw their child grow and reveal his talents but secretly grieved as each year passed by. They had not told Markandeya about his destiny but, as his sixteenth birthday approached, found it difficult to conceal their sorrow.

One day, Markandeya noticed his parents seemed to be plunged in grief, and asked them what the matter was. What, he asked, was this secret sorrow that they seemed to harbour all the time and which appeared to rob them of the ability to enjoy their lives fully. 

They initially declined to tell him, but upon much persuasion, gave in. They explained that he had been born as a result of a blessing from Lord Shiva and that his destiny was to die upon attaining the age of sixteen.

Markandeya heard of his destiny in silence and spent some time contemplating upon this. He then addressed his parents, resolutely assuring them that all would be well. Telling them not to grieve, he declared that he would conquer his destiny by attaining the grace of Shiva Himself. His parents blessed him and made a prayer for success in his sadhana and the boy began his worship in right earnest.

He immersed himself in worshipping Lord Shiva dedicating every moment to Him alone. He remembered Him constantly and performed various rituals to worship Him daily (such as puja, homam and so on). Thus Markandeya became a true devotee of Lord Shiva, reaching the pinnacle of bhakti, and the state of atma-nivedana (or self-surrender).

The sixteenth birthday of Markandeya now dawned. On this day, like every other, the boy arose early in the morning and commenced worship of Lord Shiva. He performed a puja of a Shiva linga (symbolic abstract representation of Lord Shiva) while reciting His names and mantras. 

As he did so, Lord Yama, the demi-god of death, approached, a fearsome figure of dark hue, riding upon a large black bull with sharp horns. The appointed hour, the time for Markandeya's death, had arrived.

Seeing Markandeya, Lord Yama called out to him saying his time on Earth was up. It was time to give up his body and all worship. Whatever had been achieved had been achieved, and there was no further time available for more. Markandeya, however, did not notice Yama at all. He remained with eyes closed, absorbed in contemplation upon Lord Shiva. 

Seeing this, Lord Yama called out to the boy more loudly, declaring that it was time to leave and that death waited for nobody. Markandeya now opened his eyes and, upon seeing Yama, told him that he had not yet completed his worship. He was not ready to depart the Earth, he said.

Yama, who was familiar with souls who were not yet ready to leave, now took up his famous noose (this noose was the tool he used to remove the unwilling soul from the body and thus give death). He then threw the noose around Markandeya, intending to draw his soul away from his body. 

Markandeya, however, seeing the noose coming towards him, threw his arms around the Shiva linga that he had been worshipping. The noose of Yama thus fell upon both upon the boy and the Shiva linga. 

As the noose of death tightened around Markandeya, he concentrated his mind upon Shiva with intense devotion and uttered the following words:

Markandeya said:

Om Trayambakam yajamahe,

Sugandhim pushti vardhanam,

Urva rukamiva bandhanan,

Mrityor mukshiya mamritat!

This means:

Om - syllable that is the Supreme Being in sound form

Trayambam- O Three eyed One (Shiva has two eyes and the third one in the centre of His forehead which is a symbolic 'spiritual eye'. This third eye opens when He wishes to unleash His destructive power to dissolve the cosmos)

Yajamahe- I worship You

Sugandhim- the One who is fragrant (symbolic of being filled with virtues)

Pushti vardhanam- the One who nourishes all beings

Urva rukamiva bandhanan- as a ripe cucumber is released from the stalk

Mrityor mukshiya mamritat- free me from the bondage of death and grant me immortality

These words comprise the famous Maha Mrityunjaya mantra of Lord Shiva. It is said that Markandeya is the sage who first revealed this mantra to humanity.

As the boy uttered these words, it is said that a terrible sound was heard and Shiva Himself emerged from the linga. He had come in response to the ardent prayer of His devotee. 

Glaring at Yama, He rebuked him for daring to cast his noose around His devotee and upon the Shiva linga. Filled with Divine wrath, He gave death to Death himself and Yama fell to the ground lifeless. 

Thus, Shiva came to be known as 'Mrityunjaya', the One who is victorious over death, and as 'Kalantaka', the One who ends time or death.

Having dealt with Yama, Lord Shiva now turned to Markandeya and blessed him. Declaring that He was greatly pleased with his devotion, He stated that Markandeya would live in the form of a sixteen year old youth for as long as the cosmos existed. 

Markandeya was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude at the appearance of Lord Shiva and venerated Him with many hymns.

Upon realising that Yama had been given death, the other demi-gods/devas were greatly distressed. Who, they asked, would now perform the important task of overseeing the departure of souls from their bodies in the mortal realms? Who would keep an account of the karma of souls and dispense justice in accordance with Divine will? Lord Yama simply had to be brought back to life to perform this vital task, they declared!

The devas thus approached Lord Shiva and ardently prayed to Him to bring Yama back to life. Hearing their pleas, Shiva relented and granted their wish. Yama thus opened his eyes as life returned to his body. Upon seeing Lord Shiva, he bowed to Him asking for forgiveness and then departed for Yamaloka, his own realm. 

Having blessed Markandeya and Yama, Lord Shiva departed. The young sage then went to his parents who were overjoyed to discover that their son had overcome his destiny.

Markandeya went on to become a great sage in his own right and a Guru to many disciples (there is an entire Purana named after him). The Mahamrityunjaya mantra (described above) that he revealed to humanity has been recited by many Gurus and their disciples over the centuries.

In the Vedic tradition, the recitation of this mantra is said to grant both spiritual and material benefits. Aside from the spiritual benefits (it is a great 'moksha' mantra or granter of Self Realisation), it is a particularly important mantra for preservation of health/overcoming karma related to disease, and prevention of accidents/untimely death. In many spiritual traditions (including the lineage of Sivananda), this mantra is recited on people's birthdays and when they are unwell to pray to Shiva for health and a happy, prosperous life (it is also recited after death to pray for the peace of departed souls).

The legend of Markandeya thus gives encouragement to every soul to overcome unfavourable destiny through the power of devotion. He teaches us that we too can, by self-effort or 'purushartha', draw the grace of the Divine upon ourselves, and thus overcome death and attain knowledge of our true spiritual nature.

Om Mrityunjayaya Namah. Om Kalantakaya Namah. Om Namah Shivaya.

Salutations to Lord Shiva, and to His great devotees, sage Markandeya and Lord Yama, who participated in this Divine Lila.

Om Sri Durgayai Namah. 

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.