Parvati and Shiva Part 2: Love and loss

 Hari Aum.

Om Namah Shivaya.

Om Sri Durgayai Namah.

Let us continue from the previous post on the Lila of Parvati and Shiva as described in the ancient scripture known as the Shiva Purana.

Himavan bowed and agreed to Shiva's request to be left undisturbed to meditate. He returned home to his palace and stated that nobody was to disturb Shiva in the Himalayas. Only he and Parvati would be permitted to go there to serve Him.

Taking Parvati with him one day, Himavan went to meet Shiva. He explained that his daughter desired to serve Him, accompanied by two of her attendants, for example by providing food and water; this would earn them much spiritual merit, he declared!

Shiva then looked at Parvati whom, He noted, was the very personification of beauty. She clearly had the power to shake even the most austere sage out of his meditation!

He therefore closed His eyes, and drew His consciousness firmly within. Then, addressing Her father, He declared that an ascetic's abode was certainly not a suitable place for a young woman! He told the mountain King that he was welcome to serve Him if he wished, but his daughter was not to be permitted anywhere near Him.

Hearing these words, King Himavan politely asked Lord Shiva the reason for His refusal to permit his daughter to serve Him. Was She unworthy of serving Him, he enquired. What was the reason for Shiva's refusal?

Shiva replied to the mountain King, stating that it was well-known amongst ascetics, that women were the source of all delusional attachment and misery! By contact with a woman, worldliness would grow, detachment would be destroyed and one's spiritual practices would be sullied! As an ascetic, a woman was of no use to Him at all. He definitely did not want Parvati anywhere near Him, He declared!

Hearing these emphatic words of Lord Shiva, the mountain King felt greatly dismayed and uncomfortable. He did not know what to say and fell silent.

Parvati, however, hearing these words of Shiva, replied in a clear voice. Telling Him that there were two principles in the universe, ever in union and inseparable, She asked Him what He was trying to achieve by His meditation. 

Stating that He was Purusha (the abstract, nameless, formless universe devoid of all qualities), She declared that She was Prakriti (the created universe with names, forms and qualities). Beings with name and form, including Him (as the saguna Brahman, God with name and form), included Prakriti, and were inseparable from Her. 

When this was the truth, how, She asked, did He imagine that He would be able to carry on meditation in separation from Her?

Shiva, amused and pleased by Her reply, declared that He was the abstract Brahman and was perfectly contented this way. He had no need for Prakriti, He stated. They continued their conversation for some time, speaking sweetly and persuasively to each other, but neither gave in! They remained firmly convinced by Their own views!

Finally, Shiva laughingly declared that She could come to serve Him if She wished this so greatly, but He would remain immovable, and immersed in the abstract consciousness within. (Note- in this conversation, Shiva describes Vedantic philosophy, while Parvati explains the principles of the Sankhya school of thought-- these are two key systems of yogic philosophy).

Accompanied by Her two attendants, Parvati visited Shiva daily as He meditated in the snowy Himalayas. She performed many rituals of worship including pujas and so on, sang devotional songs dedicated to Him and chanted His holy names. Shiva noted Her worship and told Himself that He would accept Her only when there was no trace of ego remaining in Her. She would need to perform significant spiritual penance for this, He thought.

(Note- the Gurus say that this worship of Shiva by Parvati is a very important metaphor for the worship of God/Paramatma by the individual soul/jivatma. We realise our oneness with God, when we give up our individual ego or sense of separation from Him/the universe).

Days and months passed and there was no sign of Shiva leaving His path of asceticism. There appeared to be no inclination towards Parvati nor any wish to marry Her.

The devas were greatly dismayed and distressed by this, as Tarakasura continued to cause suffering in the cosmos. When would Shiva and Parvati unite for the benefit of the universe and produce a son who would be their protector, they wondered!

Finally, in desperation, Indra, King of devas, summoned, Kama, the extraordinarily handsome demi-god of sensual desire. Kama arrived at Indra's court, accompanied by his exquisitely beautiful wife, Rati, who was the embodiment of sensual pleasure.

Kama, who had a very haughty temperament, told Indra that his power exceeded that of anyone else in the universe. He held a divine bow made of sugarcane and five arrows made of celestial flowers (each arrow represented one of the five senses). He was the origin of sensual desire between creatures in the universe. 

Declaring that nobody could withstand his power, he told Indra not to be disconsolate-- he would solve the problem! He would create sensual desire in the mind of Shiva to make Him desire Parvati and marry Her! A child would be born in no time at all, he said reassuringly, and the monstrous asura would thereby be vanquished! 

Indra, feeling cheered by the confident words of Kama, immediately instructed all the devas to assist the demi-god of desire and his wife, in their efforts. They were to visit Lord Shiva while Parvati was present and do the needful. There was no time to waste, declared the King of demi-gods!

Accordingly, Kamadeva hastened to the snowy abode of Lord Shiva and prepared to perform the work assigned to him! He began by unleashing the power of nature-- spring! 

In the cold and lonely cave, celestial flowers of great beauty bloomed filling the air with wonderful scents. Beautiful birds appeared and began to sing sweetly, while bees buzzed with a pleasant humming sound. 

Smiling at his enchanting wife, Rati, Kama prepared himself to shoot a flowery arrow to create passion in the mind of Shiva. 

He was initially dismayed to see no chink in His armour—Shiva appeared to be completely cut off from the world. At that moment, Parvati appeared and Kama himself, was completely enchanted. As the Mother of the universe, She was so beautiful that no words could be found to describe Her.

As Parvati approached Shiva, filled with love and longing, He briefly emerged from His meditation. Kama was delighted, seeing a perfect opportunity and immediately struck Shiva with a flowery arrow of sensual desire.

Seeing Parvati of flawless beauty, Shiva now began to muse upon Her charming appearance. What an exquisitely beautiful, shapely form! What a marvellous creation! He reflected that She appeared to be absolutely perfect in every way-- she was the embodiment of all beauty in the entire universe!

Suddenly, He stopped Himself. Realising that He was feeling sensual desire, He reflected that this was quite extraordinary! There must be a reason for this occurrence! Looking around, He saw Kama holding his bow, having just released another arrow at Him!

Lord Shiva's face underwent a complete transformation at the sight of Kama. His serene, pleasantly smiling countenance was replaced by an expression of immense fury! From the space between His eyebrows, in the centre of His forehead, from the mystical 'third eye', a great flame suddenly issued forth! 

This terrible fire engulfed the entire sky and covered everything, creating fear amongst all beings. In a state of terrible panic, the devas rushed to Shiva to placate Him. As they arrived, they saw the mystical fire converge upon Kama, whose body was instantly reduced to ashes. 

Seeing this, Rati, the wife of Kama was plunged into grief which caused her to faint, while the demi-gods attempted to soothe and revive her. The devas lamented greatly at the fate of Kama and pleaded with Shiva to revive him. They begged for forgiveness for attempting to destroy His meditation.

Hearing their pleas, Shiva declared that He was pleased with them and blessed them. Reassuring Rati, He said that she would be reunited with her husband in the future. During the avatar of Narayana as Krishna, Kama would be born as His son, Pradyumna. Rati would also take birth on Earth at the same time and events would unfold in such a way that they would again be husband and wife. Much relieved, the devas venerated Shiva and departed for their heavenly abode. 

Shiva, having blessed them all, now suddenly disappeared. He had decided to meditate elsewhere in more tranquil surroundings!

Parvati, observing these dreadful events, had felt deeply distressed. One moment, it had seemed that Shiva was warming to Her, He had looked at Her with love and affection-- and then He had suddenly become furious, reduced Kama to ashes and vanished! She could not understand what the matter was!

She felt severe pain at the separation from Him and feeling greatly upset, returned home. When her father and family heard of the horrific events that had unfolded, they tried in many ways to soothe and console Her. However, She remained inconsolable with grief at what had occurred. Eating, sleeping, walking, talking-- there was no company, and no activity that could alleviate Her pain. The pain that had ensued as a result of the disappearance of Shiva. 

Finally, after some time, Narada appeared. He consoled Parvati, telling Her that there was no doubt that She would be united with Shiva. However, the method was not beauty and sensuality, he said, but rather, it was spirituality. 

She needed to perform tapas, severe tapas to please the Lord of yogis. There was no other way, he declared. If She performed this penance, the result was certain. This was the truth, and of this, there was not the slightest doubt. 

Telling Her to abandon all ornaments and wealth, and all sensual pleasure, he advised Her to leave the palace and retire alone to the forests. There She should become the very embodiment of asceticism, the very form of sadhana. She should match Shiva in His tapas-- this and this alone was the way to reach Him.

Parvati, upon hearing these words, felt immeasurably relieved. She had found a way to reach Shiva. She knew that Purusha and Prakriti are always united everywhere in the universe-- this is the infallible truth of the yogis.

To be continued....

Om Sri Durgayai Namah.

Om Namah Shivaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Parvati and Shiva Part 1: The abode of snow

 Hari Aum.

The auspicious spiritual day (or rather night) of Maha Shivaratri occurs in two days time according to the Vedic lunar calendar. For spiritual seekers, this is one of the most important days in the year. This night is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion by yogis all over the globe. 

In 2017, I was fortunate enough to be at the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh to attend the celebration and it was a truly beautiful experience. The Vishvanath temple (In Sanskrit, 'vishva' means 'world' or 'cosmos' and 'nath' means 'lord' or 'master'-- this term is used to describe Lord Shiva) at the Ashram is one of the most wonderful temples I have visited (and I have been to many both in India and outside!). 

The temple contains all the main deities of the Vedic tradition including Shiva, Krishna and the Divine Mother. At the end of the morning arati (spiritual ceremony), a set of (automatic!) drums begin to beat and the deep booming sound reverberates all over the Ashram. This usually coincides with the time when the morning homam (adjacent to the main shrine is a room kept especially for the performance of the sacred fire ceremony) is completed. There is a very beautiful spiritual atmosphere created by the combination of the rhythmic chanting of mantras, lighting of lamps, burning of incense and the beating of the drums. 

For Shivaratri, the temple is usually covered and filled with numerous flower garlands (typically marigold; the orange colour represents the fire of tapas, of spiritual austerity). Numerous clay lamps are lit and placed in and around the temple. 

The residents of the ashram (sannyasis/nuns/monks), and visting householders and others, who attend the Shivaratri celebration stay awake all night in worship of Shiva. Every 2 hours or so, a puja is conducted overnight. The Shiva linga (abstract representation of Lord Shiva) is bathed in various materials (including milk, yoghurt, ghee/clarified butter and honey) symbolising the offering of our entire being to Him. The great panchakshara mantra of Lord Shiva, namely 'Om Namah Shivaya' is chanted many times, and various bhajans (or devotional songs) are sung throughout the night. 

People often maintain a fast (to varying degrees depending upon their constitution and health-- some abstaining from all food and drink, while others drink water only or have fruit alone) during the daytime and overnight. The next morning, once the celebrations have been completed, the fast is broken. In our Puranas, it is said that it is particularly easy to please Lord Shiva and obtain His blessing by worshipping Him on this auspicious occasion. 

Please see the link below for a very nice description by my Guru, Sivananda, of the significance of this night and the method of worship performed by devotees:

https://www.dlshq.org/religions/shivaratri/

Why, one might ask, is Shiva in such a particularly good mood on this auspicious day? One of His famous names is 'Ashutosha' meaning 'One who is easily pleased' (indicating His compassionate nature). He is said to always be easy to please (as long as one is sincere about conquest of one's lower nature and adheres to dharma of course!). But, Shivaratri is the night when the benevolent aspect of Lord Shiva is at its peak-- why is this?

Well, the answer lies in an ancient legend described in the Puranas (especially the Shiva Purana) and I will narrate this now. (I will describe the story here as faithfully as possible based upon the writings in the Shiva Purana).

The story begins in the Himalayas. In Puranic legend, it is said that this mountain range is ruled by a divinity (an aspect of the Supreme Being) known as King Himavan (In Sanskrit, 'hima' means 'snow' and this name means 'One who possesses snow'. He is also called 'Himaraja' meaning the 'King of snow'. The word 'Himalaya' in Sanskrit, means the 'abode of snow'). 

This noble King and his wife, Queen Menavati were ardent devotees of Shiva and the Divine Mother. In time, they had two divine daughters-- the first was the Goddess Ganga, She who had the power to purify all who came into contact with her. 

The second daughter, was an avatar of none other than the Divine Mother Shakti or Durga Herself. She was named 'Parvati', meaning 'daughter of the mountain' (The Sanskrit word 'Parvata' means 'mountain'). She was a reincarnation of Sati, the previous wife of Lord Shiva. 

After Sati's departure, Shiva had retired to the snowy peak of Mount Kailas within the Himalayas and plunged deep into meditation. In the meantime, a negative energy (asura or demonic energy) known as Tarakasura had manifested. According to a boon that he had obtained, he could only be defeated by a son born of Durga and Shiva. 

However, as Shiva had now adopted the life of an ascetic, and as His consort, Shakti, was no longer manifest and united with Him, there appeared to be no prospect at all of any son being born to Them. Tarakasura, therefore, gleefully enjoyed tormenting and enslaving beings all over the universe, feeling sure that he would face no danger from the Divine.

Filled with great sorrow and distress, the devas (demi-gods) and other celestials then turned to the Divine Mother. They worshipped Her ardently and prayed to Her to take on an avatar to relieve their distress. Queen Menaka was a great devotee of the Mother and requested Her to be born as her daughter and She agreed.

And so, Durga was born as the daughter of the mountain and came to be known as Parvati. When She manifested, nature became very tranquil and there was a great sense of peace and bliss everywhere. Her parents celebrated with much delight and gave away many gifts away in charity. 

As She grew up into a little girl, She played with Her toys and engaged in games with other children. Her parents, filled with great love for Her, almost seemed to forget that She was none other than the Divine Mother. They treated Her as their own greatly beloved child.

One day, the divine sage, Narada, who was well-versed in a range of subjects (both material and spiritual) paid a visit to the Mountain King. 

After welcoming him with great affection and offering him food and drink, King Himavan asked the sage if he would kindly take a look at the palm of his daughter, Parvati, and predict Her future. The sage was known to be an expert in a number of mystical subjects including astrology and palm-reading. Narada agreed and smilingly took the hand of Parvati and studied it carefully. 

He then made the following pronouncement: "Your daughter, O King, will lead a most blessed life. She will be a source of bliss to all. She shall bring glory to your home. She is filled with countless virtues."

"There is, however, an uncommon line indicating the nature of Her husband. He shall be a yogi, free of desire, and indifferent to honour. He will not have a mother or father. He will wear the attire of an ascetic and His manner shall not be sociable." 

Upon hearing these words describing the future husband of Parvati, Her parents became very upset and anxious. However, She, knowing that these words indicated Shiva Himself, was filled with tremendous joy.

Narada then reassured Himavan that there was no cause for alarm. Parvati, he said, was destined to marry Shiva. The mountain King then asked how Shiva could be expected to marry anyone when He lived the life of a monastic in the mountain. Furthermore, He had sworn never to marry anyone except Sati, who had left Her body years ago. 

How then, he asked, could He possibly be a suitable husband for Parvati? Narada then reminded Himavan that his daughter was none other than Durga Herself-- She had taken on an avatar as Sati in the past, and had now manifested as Parvati.

She would occupy a seat at the side of Shiva for eternity, said Narada, declaring that the love between them would be truly matchless. Hearing these words, Parvati, bent Her head in apparent shyness, and smiled to Herself, while Her parents listened in astonishment.

Himavan and Menaka then bade the sage an affectionate farewell and the King rejoiced greatly. When Parvati grew up, She had a dream of a sage advising Her to perform spiritual austerities to obtain Shiva as Her husband. Her father, too, had a similar dream in which a sage had advised him to support his daughter in Her penance.

In the meantime, Her mother, Menaka, had been feeling that the words of Narada could not possibly be true. She wanted her beloved daughter to have a charming and handsome husband from a noble family. She wanted a conventional home and life for her child and did not at all like the idea of Parvati suffering any hardship while attempting to attain Shiva (the thought of this made her tearful). She, therefore, told Himavan that they should seek a suitable bridegroom for their daughter, who was highly auspicious in every way.

Hearing of her mother's wishes, Parvati told her of the dream that She had had. When Menaka told Himavan of this and brought him to Parvati, he told them both that he too had received the same advice in his dream-- he was to support Parvati in her wish to attain Shiva!

With this in mind, the noble mountain King made his way to the steep, snowy mountain peak where Shiva was immersed in meditation upon the nameless, formless, abstract Brahman. After waiting respectfully for Him to emerge from His meditation, he venerated Him and declared his wish to serve Him.

Shiva smilingly stated that He wished to remain completely alone and undisturbed in meditation. The mountain King should ensure that nobody approached the desolate area where He lived. He still felt tormented by His separation from Sati and meditation upon His true nature as Brahman eased this feeling. All He wanted to do, therefore, was meditate.

To be continued....

Om Sri Durgayai Namah.

Om Namah Shivaya.

Om Namo Narayana.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Isha Natha and the Natha yogis

 Hari Aum.

Om Ishaya Namah.

I hope all readers had a wonderful Christmas. I was in two minds about whether or not to write this post but my intuition tells me that it is the right thing to do (for reasons that I will explain later).

One of the ancient traditions of yoga is known as Raja Yoga or the 'Kingly yoga'. This type of yoga (which Krishna describes in the Gita) refers to a variety of practices, starting with the practice of the yama and niyama (yogic ethics-- the core foundation of all yogic and spiritual paths). 

Upon this firm foundation of ethics, is laid the practice of other yogic techniques including specific breathing exercises ('pranayama'), physical movements and postures ('asana') designed to control the flow of 'prana' in the subtle, 'sukshma sharira' (energy/astral layer/body). 

This control of prana and purification of the 'nadis' (channels through which prana is said to flow in the subtle body) enables the spiritual energy known as kundalini to rise up the chakras (energy centres) eventually leading to knowledge of one's true spiritual nature. (For a further understanding of yogic anatomy, please see this post from September 2023 https://mantrayoga.blogspot.com/2023/09/yogic-anatomy-brief-outline.html?m=0 )

The practice of raja yoga techniques often involves meditation upon various chakras and rapid awakening of the kundalini. This can lead to the experience of 'siddhis' or 'spiritual powers' (they are eight classical siddhis described in the yogic texts which essentially involve control over the material aspect of the universe).

Coming to the subject of the Natha yogis, they are a very ancient lineage of spiritual practitioners. The original Guru of this tradition is said to be Lord Shiva Himself-- known as Adi Natha ('Adi' means original or first in Sanskrit and 'Natha' means 'master' or 'lord'). There have been various incarnations of Shiva associated with this tradition (including the teacher called Mahavatar Babaji). There are also many famous Gurus of this lineage (including Paramahamsa Yogananda and his Guru, Sri Yukteswar).

Amongst the natha yogis, there is a legend of a great yogi, a great master whom they call by the name 'Isha Natha' (the 'Natha' suffix was given to all spiritual teachers in this tradition). In their ancient scripture (called the Natha Namavali) describing the lives of their spiritual masters, they record the life of this great spiritual teacher.  

In essence, this describes the life of a boy from many centuries ago, who travelled to Asia aged 14, met his spiritual master (known as 'Maranatha' meaning 'conqueror of death'), practiced yogic methods (raja yoga/kriya yoga) and attained enlightenment/Realisation. 

The text then states that he returned home where people did not understand him and that they attempted to kill him. The Natha Namavali goes on to say that, after suffering considerably at their hands, Isha Natha returned to the Himalayas (with the help of his spiritual master) and spent the remainder of his life teaching until his death. There is an ancient tomb in this area (within the place today called Kashmir) which is said to be the place of his burial (the 'Roza bal' shrine). 

There are remarkable similarities between the description of the spiritual master whom the Natha yogis call Isha Natha and the spiritual being known as 'Isa’ in the Islamic tradition, as 'Yeshua' in the Jewish tradition and as 'Jesus' in the Christian tradition. 

There are various documentaries on the subject and all sorts of people over the centuries have travelled to Asia to try and understand if Isha Natha is the same as Isa/Yeshua/ Jesus. (I leave to readers to decide what they make of this idea. I do not wish to offend anyone, however, in my view, it is very likely that it is the same individual known by different names in various traditions).

The reason I feel inspired to write this post, is that two days ago, on Christmas Eve, certain events took place that made me feel a connection with this great teacher known as Isha natha. As I have mentioned in previous posts, my spiritual life feels pretty rubbish these days. I do the daily mantra japa of course but it feels mechanical (and there is nothing I feel I can do about it except be patient until it resets itself again which it hopefully will at some stage). 

In addition, my present sixth purascharana was to have been completed by now but it is dragging on at a very slow pace. I feel tired spiritually and have been unable to fully cure myself of this feeling (music and dance have provided some relief but not enough in my view). 

I therefore felt the need to connect with Isha Natha on a day which is celebrated as his birthday (I felt he would be sympathetic). After my usual mantra japa, I spent some minutes meditating upon him (while repeating the mantra 'Om Ishaya Namah'; 'Isha' means the 'Supreme Being/ God' in Sanskrit) and felt much better afterwards. During this meditation, I offered some prayers for all those dear to me (including family and friends), myself and all beings. 

A short while after this meditation, I discovered that my father (who lives in India) had developed an urgent health issue and had to be rushed to hospital (where he underwent a battery of tests which have so far thankfully come back as being normal; he is still not fully out-of-the-woods but things fortunately look ok at present). 

I firmly feel that it is Isha Natha who has taken care of him and me in the past 48 hours (I had felt the need to meditate on him while, unknown to me, my father had been taken to hospital). I feel there is no difference between him and Sivananda-- I see them both as God-realised beings. And this is the reason why I am writing this post about him. 

In addition (in accordance with the yogic teaching), I feel there is no difference between Guru and God (therefore, in my view, Isha Natha, Sivananda, Krishna/Narayana/Shiva/Durga are all One. When I repeat a mantra for any one of them, I feel I am worshipping all these divine forms.)

My view, like that of Sivananda, is that Isha Natha (Isa/ Yeshua/ Jesus) was a great spiritual master. And we do not have to belong to any particular group or institution (be it the 'natha yoga' tradition or a church or anything else) to connect with him or any other spiritual master. 

In my view, therefore, it is also unnecessary to argue with/ attempt to convert or fight with anyone with regard to spiritual teachers and teachings. As the Gurus advise, we should live and let live, i.e. practice spirituality in a way that feels right to us, while respecting other people's right to do the same.

Sivananda advises meditating upon the Divine as the best way to directly connect with God. Whether we feel spiritually inspired or tired, some meditation everyday will help us connect with the Divine within ourselves and provide us the grace and protection that we and our loved ones need in an increasingly uncertain world.

I wish all of you a happy New Year 2026. I hope and pray this year will bring much spiritual progress and inspiration for us all. As usual, let us also continue to pray for peace within ourselves and on our planet.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S.

The following documentary is related to the above topic. I found it interesting (it also includes a brief interview with Swami Chidananda, disciple of Sivananda):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JJEiXJ2_7Q

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 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 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.

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.

Bala Kanda Part 7: The legends of Ganga and Ahalya

Hari Aum.

Om Sri Ramaya Namah.

In the previous post on the Ramayana, we saw Sri Rama begin the work of His avatar on Earth to protect the good and destroy evil. We see Him rid the forest of demonic beings and grant safety to the sages engaged in spiritual practices.

Sri Rama and His brother now set off with the sages to the kingdom of Mithila to witness the worship of the divine bow of Lord Shiva. 

Their journey through the forests took a few days and as they walked, they engaged in many interesting conversations with the sages and learned about various subjects. A lot of the conversations began by Sri Rama asking Vishvamitra to tell Him about the history of a particular place or river that they saw. 

During the course of these discussions, Vishvamitra told Sri Rama a bit about his own family (his sisters and their marriages; one of his sisters had taken on the form of a sacred river known as 'Kaushiki'!). 

They also passed by the sacred river known as the Ganga, which represents a form of the Divine Mother. Rama asked about Her origin, and this led to an extremely detailed discussion about the Ganga, Mother Parvati, Lord Shiva and Kartikeya. (This is explained in very great detail in the Ramayana; I will provide a relatively brief summary here).

The deity of the Himalaya mountain known as Himavan, and his wife, Menaka, had two daughters. The older was Goddess Ganga and the younger was Goddess Parvati. 

Goddess Ganga had the capacity to purify anyone She came into contact with. The demi-gods thus requested Her presence in their celestial realm, Svarga, and so She went to reside with them. 

Goddess Parvati performed severe penance, against the wishes of Her parents, and achieved Her desire of marrying Lord Shiva. Their union led to the birth of a son, Kartikeya, who became the leader of the army of the demi-gods. 

In the meantime, various events took place upon Earth that led to the Goddess Ganga being brought from the celestial realms to this planet (the Ganga is said to flow in three realms-- heaven, Earth and the underworld). 

This in itself is a long story but, in essence, Her waters were needed to purify and release the negative karmas of a group of royal princes who had been cursed by a divine sage. Three generations of kings of this royal family (who were none other than Sri Rama's ancient ancestors) performed intense austerities to please the divine Creator, Brahma to obtain the boon of having the Ganga come to Earth. The first two Kings were unsuccessful, but their descendent, King Bhagiratha, finally succeeded in pleasing Brahma with his austerities. 

After granting the boon to King, Brahma reflected that the Earth would not be able to bear the tremendous force of the direct descent of Goddess Ganga from the celestial realm. He therefore told King Bhagiratha that he needed to perform further austerities to obtain Lord Shiva's help regarding this matter.

After the King performed further intense austerities, Lord Shiva appeared and said that He was pleased with him. He told him that He would allow the Ganga to flow through His matted locks of hair to enable Her to make a safe descent to Earth.

Thus, the lovely Goddess Ganga, daughter of King Himavan, prepared for Her journey to the Earth. She now assumed the form of an immensely great and powerful river. As She was about to descend upon the sacred head of Lord Shiva and enter His hair, She privately wondered if He would truly be able to handle Her power. She doubted it and reflected that She would probably end up flowing directly to the underworld carrying Him with Her! 

Lord Shiva, seeing Her pride, was not at all pleased and decided to give Her a fitting response! And so, as Goddess Ganga flowed into His hair, She found Herself in a vast realm similar to that of the Himalayas. She wandered about for a long time trying to find a way out but discovered that She was completely lost!

Meanwhile, King Bhagiratha, who had been anxiously awaiting Her arrival on Earth to free his ancestors, saw what had happened. He then performed another round of intense spiritual practices to please Lord Shiva and secure the release of Ganga from His hair!

The King finally succeeded, and at long last, the moment came for the Ganga to flow upon the Earth. Knowing that this would be a unique and spectacular sight, the demi-gods, divine sages and other celestials gathered together in the heavens in great excitement to watch. 

They saw Goddess Ganga emerging from the matted reddish-gold locks of Lord Shiva, and entering the Himalayas. As She flowed onto the Earth, there was tremendous sound, and great sprays of water rose high up into the air, forming foam that appeared like little white clouds. Numerous fish, dolphins, snakes and various other creatures were seen within Her sparkling waters.

King Bhagiratha was overwhelmed with joy to see that his penance had finally borne fruit. He now set off, accompanied by the Ganga, to a faraway place within the underworld where his ancestors had been cursed by sage Kapila and reduced to ash. The Ganga became a broad and fast-flowing river as She followed him. When She flowed over the ashes of the royal princes, their souls were purified of all past negative karmas, and they entered the celestial realms rejoicing.

Sri Rama and Lakshmana were enthralled to hear about the legend of the Ganga and the efforts of their ancient ancestors in bringing about Her arrival on to Earth. As it was now night time, Vishvamitra said that they should all get some rest. They went to sleep and, upon rising the next day, continued their journey towards Mithila. 

On the way, they reached the wonderful city of Vishala where they would spent a night before reaching their destination. Rama wanted to know about the history of this area too, and this led to another interesting discussion with Vishvamitra. This place was connected to a divine lila of Narayana which involved the churning of the divine milky ocean by the devas and the asuras (I have explained this lila elsewhere on this blog--the post on eclipses dated August 2017-- so will not describe it again here).

King Sumati, the ruler of Vishala, was delighted to hear the news of the arrival of the sages and the two princes, and warmly welcomed them. After ensuring that they were all well-rested and had eaten a delicious meal, he curiously asked the sages who these two princes of divine appearance were. 

The sages explained that they were the sons of King Dasharatha, ruler of Ayodhya. They told King Sumati that the Princes had been of great help in ridding the forests of asuras and in granting them protection. The King was wonderstruck and delighted to hear of the valiant deeds of the Sri Rama and Lakshmana and they all spent a very pleasant evening together.

The next day, they bade farewell to King Sumati and set off for Mithila.  After walking for a while, they arrived at the outskirts of the kingdom which appeared to be filled with great beauty and splendour. 

As they all gazed upon Mithila and praised its beauty, Sri Rama noticed a small hermitage not far from where they stood and asked Vishvamitra to tell Him about it. The sage explained that it was a place associated with misfortune and went on to tell the tale.

The hermitage had been the home of the noble sage, Gautama, and his exceedingly pretty wife, Ahalya. The two of them had performed spiritual austerities there for many years. One day, the sage went to the river to bathe and perform some worship. 

Upon his departure, Indra, King of demi-gods, and husband of the demi-goddess Sachi, appeared at the hermitage. Using his divine powers, he now assumed the form of Ahalya's husband, Gautama. Entering the hermitage, he beheld the beautiful Ahalya and addressed her with charming words. 

Declaring that those who desired enjoyment did not care for rituals related to appropriate timing (it was the tradition then to have intercourse based on favourable times of the menstrual cycle), he declared his desire to sleep with her at once.

Ahalya, using her own divine powers, recognised that the person in front of her was Indra in the guise of her husband, rather than the sage himself. As she too desired Indra, she agreed to his request and they slept together. Afterwards, they felt very satisfied and pleased with themselves, but then wanted to avoid being caught by sage Gautama who was known for his tremendous ascetic power!

Ahalya therefore requested Indra to leave the hermitage immediately, saying that he should guard both himself and her from her husband ever finding out about their deed. Indra, who was highly pleased, laughed and declared that he would depart as unobtrusively as he had arrived. He then took leave of her, walking quickly and hoping to avoid encountering the sage.

However, just as Indra approached the door of the hermitage, he saw sage Gautama entering, carrying sacred grass and wood for a fire ritual. The two Gautamas now stood facing each other-- one filled with anxiety and with lowered eyes, and the other glaring with intense wrath!

Realising what had taken place, the enraged sage Gautama pronounced a curse on both Indra and Ahalya. For his misdeeds, he declared that Indra would immediately lose his masculinity (this led to Indra being instantly castrated; he later sought the help of the other demi-gods and corrected this with some difficulty!).

Turning to his wife, Gautama declared that she should perform intense penance at the hermitage for several years to expiate her sin. He told her to remain there without food or water, and surviving on air alone. Declaring that she should henceforth sleep on ashes on the ground, and be filled with remorse, he stated that her beautiful form would, from now onwards, be invisible to all beings in the material realms.  

He told her that Sri Rama would visit their hermitage in the future, and she would be purified of all sin only after meeting Him. After this had occurred, he said that he would accept her back as his wife. Sage Gautama then left the hermitage and went to the Himalayas where he continued his spiritual practices.

After narrating the legend of Ahalya, Vishvamitra led Rama to the hermitage. As Sri Rama entered, His eyes fell upon Ahalya, who by now had an extraordinarily bright divine aura as a result of years of penance. 

In accordance with tradition, Sri Rama and Lakshmana touched her feet as a mark of respect. She in turn, welcomed them and Vishvamitra to the hermitage with great reverence and offered them food, drink and hospitality. 

After meeting Sri Rama in this way, Ahalya regained her original visible celestial form, and the demi-gods and other celestials rejoiced and showered flowers from the heavens upon them all. Sage Gautama now returned to the hermitage and joined his wife in worshipping Sri Rama (they then resumed their life at the ashram and performed spiritual austerities together once again).

After this auspicious event, Sri Rama took leave of sage Gautama and Ahalya, and left for Mithila with Lakshmana and the sages.

To be continued......

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Natya Veda and Lord Nataraja

 Hari Aum.

Many of us would be familiar with term 'Veda'-- this term represents spiritual knowledge that was intuited by seers or 'rishis' in ancient times. There are four well-known Vedas-- the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda and the Atharva Veda. The knowledge of the Vedas was preserved from ancient times to the modern day by a rigorous system of teaching (that requires the student to spend years memorising the ancient texts and perfecting the pronunciation and intonation of mantras). 

As part of my recent study of Bharatanatyam, I have come to discover the existence of the Natya Veda; some people refer to this as the 'fifth Veda'. I find the legend of the origin of the Natya Veda interesting and will explain a bit about this here.

According to our scriptures, a very long time ago, during the Treta Yuga (the second yuga after the Satya Yuga), the devas (demi-gods) observed that the spiritual consciousness of human beings was declining. People were less inclined to contemplate the divine and thus experienced more negative thoughts. This led to an increase in the number of conflicts and suffering on Earth.  

The devas were greatly concerned by this situation and desired to help humanity. They approached Brahma (the creative aspect of the Supreme Being Narayana) and requested him to find a solution.

Brahma listened to their concerns and assured them that he would help. He went deep into meditation and the answer was revealed to him. He intuited that music and dance was the answer to humanity's problems.

Music and dance that would elevate the restless, negative human mind to sublime spiritual heights was what was required he said. This would allow people to feel the Divine within themselves and others and thus experience bliss.

Brahma took an element from each of the four existing Vedas (e.g. words from the Rig Veda, music from the Sama Veda and so on) and synthesised a unique and beautiful scripture dedicated exclusively to the arts-- this was the 'Natya Veda'. This explained in great depth the use of various types of music (both vocal and instrumental) and dance to express devotion to the Divine. 

He taught this Veda to a sage known as Bharata. The sage Bharata then compiled this knowledge into a famous text known as the 'Natya Shastra'. He then gave this knowledge to his sons, who taught it in turn to their disciples (both celestial and human). Thus, the knowledge of the Natya Shastra was preserved for many centuries via the Guru-disciple tradition.

After imbibing the knowledge of the Natya Veda, the devas decided to put up their first performance-- this was known as 'Asura Parajaya' (meaning the defeat of the demons, the arch enemies of the devas). The asuras came to know about the production of this play and were furious. They were determined that the play should not go ahead and vandalised the building and attempted to attack the artists.

Brahma then commanded the divine architect of the demi-gods, known as Vishvakarma, to construct an extremely strong and secure theatre that would withstand any attack by the asuras. Vishvakarma did as requested and the devas were delighted to be able to put up their first performance (related to the churning of the milky ocean and the procurement of the divine amrita/nectar).Various illustrious guests were invited to attend the play including Lord Shiva, the Divine Mother Parvati and Lord Narayana. 

After watching the play, Lord Shiva was very pleased. He decided to bless the performers by revealing to them the knowledge of His own sacred dance. He taught this knowledge to a beloved disciple known as Tandu. The disciple then went on to teach this to others; thus this dance of Shiva came to be called 'Tandava' (this dance is a highly energetic one that reflects the power and glory of the masculine aspect of the Divine). 

Mother Parvati too was most delighted by the performance and taught Her beloved disciple, Usha, the knowledge of Her form of dance. This is a more gentle, feminine style of dance and is called 'Lasya'. Usha then shared this teaching with others (including later, the gopis). 

Over the centuries, many great Gurus of classical music and dance have studied the Natya Shastra of sage Bharata and written further texts and commentaries upon this. One particularly famous work is the 'Abhinaya darpana' of Nandikeshvara. This Sanskrit text contains detailed information about dance-- the use of various hand gestures, movements, expressions and more. For instance, it explains the 'mudras' (hand positions) used to represent the deities, the nine 'grahas' (planets), the various avatars of Narayana and so on. It is this text that I have been studying in the past year as part of my learning of Bharatanatyam.

As part of my study for my upcoming examination in Bharatanatyam (there is a theory and a practical portion), I have been asked to contemplate upon Lord Nataraja and the message that He represents. Nataraja is a manifestation of Lord Shiva. I regard Him to be one of the most beautiful manifestations of the Divine and would therefore like to write a bit about Him here. 

In Sanskrit, 'nata' means 'dance', and 'raja' means 'king'; thus, 'Nataraja' means 'King of dance'. In this manifestation, Shiva is portrayed in a dramatic and beautiful form (unlike His popular serenely meditating form, here He is highly active and energetic as He dances). 

He has four hands-- in His upper right hand, He holds a special type of drum (shaped like an hourglass and called 'damaru' in Sanskrit'). The drum represents 'Shabda Brahman', or God in the form of sound (this includes all mantras). The sound generated by this sacred is Om, and it is said to be the origin of all the alphabets of the Sanskrit language and all sound. 

His left upper hand holds a ring of fire that surrounds Him. This fire (Agni) represents the cosmic fire of destruction that occurs at the end of a cycle of Creation so that a new cycle can begin. His other hands are held in a posture to grant blessings and protection to His devotees (abhaya mudra). 

He stands with His right foot placed over a being known as Mulayaka; this being symbolises all that is dark, negative and spiritually ignorant in Creation. By standing upon this being, Nataraja symbolises conquest over the lower forces in the Universe. His left foot is held above the ground and crossed over His body indicating the vigour and energy of His dance. 

Like the serene meditating form of Shiva, this energetic and active form as Nataraja, also has long, matted hair through which the sacred river, Ganga, flows (She represents the waters of immortality). He too has the crescent moon in His hair, representing conquest over the mind.

The essence of the form of Nataraja is said to be the great panchakshara (five syllabled) mantra of Lord Shiva, namely "Namah Shivaya"

The dance of Nataraja is said to represent the Divine Lila of Creation, preservation and dissolution of the Universe. According to Sivananda, He dances in order to free jivas (individual souls) trapped within the cycle of birth and death known as samsara.

I came across a wonderful composition by Maharishi Patanjai recently known as the Nataraja stothram (prayer to Nataraja). It is a poem in Sanskrit and the image of Nataraja it portrays is exceptionally beautiful. (I confess I am totally smitten and now aspire to have His darshan in addition to Lord Narayana and Mother Durga! They are all One of course. In my mind's eye now when I meditate upon Narayana, in His heart centre, I see Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, as described in this poem and what a wonderful sight it is!)

I will conclude by sharing Sivananda's wonderful work on Lord Shiva (there is much written about Nataraja and Tandava here): https://www.dlshq.org/download/lord-siva-and-his-worship/#_VPID_37

I would also like share the beautiful Nataraja stothram that I mentioned above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBjOaBqYI4c

Om Salutations to Lord Nataraja, the manifestation of the grace of God in the form of beautiful dance. May He bless us all with His darshan.

Om Sri Natarajaya Namah.

Om Namah Shivaya.

Om Sri Durgayai Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Sivananda on dreams

Hari Aum.

Most of us have experienced dreaming at night. The underlying reason for dreams is not well-understood in modern science. There are various theories for the existence of dreams, ranging from the brain processing information to manifestation of hidden desires. There remains uncertainty in the scientific world, however, as to the precise cause and purpose of dreams.

The yogic opinion on dreams is complex and interesting. Yogis believe there are four states of consciousness. They say that three states are experienced by everybody, namely the waking state, the dream state, and the deep sleep state. The fourth state is the state of superconscious awareness (self-realisation) that is believed to be the destiny of all beings (though in practice, only a few strive for and attain this at any point in time).

Yogis believe that there are various types of dreams. Some dreams are indeed the result of the mind processing experiences of the waking state. Other dreams are said to be the expression of impressions or 'samskaras' from previous births. Some dreams are granted as the fruits of karma- one can work out the results of past karma in dreams.

Some dreams are said to be signs or guidance to us - these are prophetic dreams, they may be signs of positive or negative experiences that we will experience in the waking state in the future.

My guru, Sivananda, has written a detailed book explaining the yogic view on dreams- see link below for this. At the end of the book, he describes a number of dream symbols and their meanings- this is quite interesting.

http://www.dlshq.org/download/dream.htm

The ultimate yogic viewpoint is that the waking state and the dream state, both of which feel very permanent when we exprience them, are both transient. Yogis regard the waking state as a prolonged 'dream' in the sense that this state, like the dream state, is ultimately a fleeting non-permanent unreal experience. The yogi engages in spiritual sadhana in order to transcend the three lower states of consciousness, and attain the highest fourth state, the superconscious self-realised state where permanent peace, wisdom and bliss are experienced.

Sivananda says, in his books on dreams, that dreaming of God is a fortunate experience which indicates future success and elevation. I have been through a very stressful time recently due to various difficulties at work and at home. Frankly I felt in need of some encouragement from God.

Two nights ago, on MahaShivaratri night (Feb 13), I had an interesting dream. I dreamt of Lord Shiva. In the dream, I was in a Shiva temple with my parents and, in front of us, was a beautiful Shiva linga made of black stone. Shiva's three eyes were on the statue and two of them were open (they were a green colour), and He talked to us. He gave my parents some advice and then said something to  me in a language I do not understand in the waking state (though it made sense to me in the dream!)- in the morning, I felt this was either Sanskrit or Tamil, and I am able to speak neither! Anyway I woke up feeling happy that I had dreamt of Shiva.

Due to work pressures, I had not done any elaborate worship for Shiva during the day or night for this Shivaratri. I simply did the usual ashtakshara japa, including before sleeping, and reminded myself that Shiva and Narayana are One- therefore when I worship Narayana, I am worshipping Shiva too. I was therefore quite surprised to have a dream about Shiva as I think of God mostly as Krishna or Narayana.

 Anyway, I hope that, in accordance with my Guru's words, this dream indicates some positive developments in spiritual life, and hopefully in my worldly life too. It is not everyday that I dream of God, so this experience was interesting. I have never before had a dream where God directly talked to me. In terms of other spiritual dreams, some years ago, I dreamt of a Goddess temple with a young girl who was sitting and watching me closely- when I woke, I felt this girl represented the Goddess. Another time, many years ago, I dreamt I saw Krishna in a dream- He was going somewhere, and looked at me but did not speak. I have also dreamt of my Guru Sivananda and his disciple Chidananda. That's about it in terms of spiritual dreams. I also find that, when I sit to meditate in the morning, I get flashbacks of my dreams from the previous night- as if, memories of these are just below the surface of my conscious mind and they naturally arise when I quiet my conscious mind a little during mantra japa. Anyway, whether or not dreams indicate anything important, I guess one should spend more time thinking of God and less time analysing one's dreams, and so I will conclude here!

Hope we wake up from all dreams, both in the waking and dream state, and attain the eternal true state of bliss, beyond the pleasure and pain of dreams. 

 Hari Aum Tat Sat

P.S. I was listening to 'Shivashtakam', one of my favourite songs on Youtube today (see link below - it's a nice rendition). In this, the name 'Aparna kalatram' comes up as one of Shiva's names- this means 'consort of Aparna'.

Since 'Aparna' (a name of Goddess Parvati) is my first name, given to me at birth by my parents, I've always felt a connection with Lord Shiva. This name represents Goddess Parvati when She was doing intense tapas (spiritual practice) to attain Shiva as Her husband. ('Vishnupriya' is my spiritual name given at my mantra initiation).

Anyway, as I listened to this song, I thought that 'Aparna kalatram' i.e. Shiva has every right to appear in the dream of Aparna. ;) As my Guru says, Shiva and Narayana are one. Let Him give darshan in any form He pleases, I would be very happy if I could become deserving enough to see the forms of both Hara and Hari, though I worship Him as Hari/Narayana.

Shivashtakam sung beautifully by Pandit Jasraj:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej6kihJCNTs