Mukunda mala

Hari Aum.

I recently discovered an extremely beautiful Sanskrit hymn to Narayana/Krishna called the 'Mukunda mala'. Mukunda is one of Krishna's names which meaning 'giver of moksha' (liberation).

This hymn was composed many centuries ago by a saintly king of Southern India known as Kulashekhara. The verses are beautiful and poetical and filled with great devotion. They praise the Supreme Being in the form of Narayana/Krishna as an embodiment of compassion, who removes the suffering of all beings who take refuge in Him. As a great saint and devotee, the king also gives us advice on how we too can become true devotees of God.

With regard to sadhana, the saint Kulasheshara advises us to concentrate our minds on God. He specifically recommends recitation of the holy names of God as the way to attain salvation. Interestingly, he also mentions the 'Om Namo Narayanaya' mantra, declaring that this is an effective remedy for the poison of worldly suffering.


I am posting some links related to this  hymn below:

Sanskrit tranliteration and English translation:

http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Mukunda_Mala

Some slokas from the above link's translation of the Mukunda Mala are as follows:

"Nathe dhathari bhogi-bhoga-sayane narayane madhave
Deve devaki-nandane sura-vare chakrayudhe sarangini
Lilasesha-jagat-prapancha-jathare visvesvare sridhare
Govinde kuru chitta-vrittim achalam anyais tu kim vartanai."

"Never forget Hari who sleeps on the (celestial) serpent,
And who is also called Narayana and Madhava,
Who is the darling son of Devaki,
Who is venerated by Devas,
Who has the holy wheel and the bow Saranga as weapon,
Who holds the world as if it is a play,
Who is the Lord of the universe,
Who is the Lord Sridhara.
Who takes care of cows (all living beings; Govinda also means 'master of the senses'),
And make your mind unwaveringly firm on him,
For what else can you gain by any other way?"

"Namami Narayana-pada-pankajam
Karomi narayana-pujanam sada
Vadami narayana-nama nirmalam
Smarami narayana-tattvam avyayam."

"I prostrate on the lotus feet of Narayana,
I always do worship of Narayana,
I recite the pure names of Narayana,
And I meditate on the truth behind Narayana."

"Narayanaya nama ity amum eva mantram
Samsara-ghora-visha-nirharanaya nityam
Srinvanthu bhavya-matayo yatayo anuragad
Ucchais taram upadisamy aham urdhva-bahuh."

"The hearing of the mantra “Om Namo Narayanaya”
Is the panacea for the every day dark poisonous material life,
With compassion I utter this to the sages who have renounced the world,
And shout this at the top of my voice and with raised hands."


Hymn written in various Indian scripts including Sanskrit:

https://stotram.co.in/mukunda-mala-stotram/


Finally, a musical rendition of this beautiful prayer:

Part 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp5WJRz8AFY

Part 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj07wWRoISM

May the saint Kulashekhara bless us all so that we too may attain true devotion to God.

Om Namo Narayanaya.
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Vishnu shatpadi stothram

Hari Aum.

I recently came across a beautiful prayer to Vishnu (Narayana) known as the Vishnu Shatpadi stothram composed by Adi Shankaracharya.

This prayer consists of six stanzas that praise Vishnu and request Him to rescue one from the ocean of samsara (the cycle of birth and death).

I would like to share a couple of links to this prayer here.

The website below contains the prayer and a nice musical rendition:

http://reveredhinduism.blogspot.com/2016/06/vishnu-shatpadi-stotram.html

Another beautiful musical rendition of the above prayer that I found on YouTube is below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nFl4lLCYzk


Hari Aum Tat Sat

The Narayana upanishad and the ashtakshara mantra

Hari Aum.

I was reading the Narayana Upanishad recently and wanted to write about it here. This upanishad is from the Krishna Yajur Veda. It speaks of the greatness of Narayana and also of the glory of the ashtakshara mantra Om Namo Narayanaya.

I will share the main points mentioned in this upanishad and include a link (see below) to the Sanskrit slokas with English translation.

The Narayana Upanishad says:

Narayana is the creator, the maintainer and the dissolver of all creation. All creation emerges from Narayana by His will, remains in Him and then dissolves back into Him in accordance with His will.

All the demigods, humans and other living beings, the soul, mind, senses, air, water, fire, earth and space emerge from Narayana. He is space, He is time. He gives birth, He gives death.

He is the origin, the middle and the end of all things. He is everywhere, within and without.

Narayana resides in the heart of all beings.

In summary, all is Narayana.


Ashtakshara mantra of Narayana:  Om Namo Narayanaya

The Narayana upanishad talks about the greatness of the ashtakshara (eight syllabled) mantra of Lord Vishnu - Om Namo Narayanaya.

(Note- unfortunately this mantra is incorrectly written in many places including some temples, as Om Namo Narayana - missing the last syllable 'ya'.)

The Narayana upanishad says the following about the ashtakshara mantra:

-This mantra is most sacred. It is the king of all mantras

-When recited, it gives health, long life, prosperity and attainment of Vaikuntha (the abode of Vishnu, supreme consciousness)
-Recitation of this mantra grants liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

-One who recites this mantra in the morning becomes free of sins committed at night.
-One who chants this mantra at noon becomes free of the five great sins
-One who recites this at night becomes free of sins committed during the day.

-One who chants this mantra acquires the merit of studying all the Vedas

-One who recites this mantra attains oneness with Narayana

My Guru  Sivananda says that the recitation of a mantra creates the form of the deity associated with it. He says recitation of Om Namo Narayanaya creates the form of Narayana or Vishnu in the higher planes. Prolonged recitation of this mantra according to him, grants the darshan or vision of Lord Narayana.

My Guru says that all people are free to chant the Om Namo Narayanaya and gain the benefits. There is absolutely no restriction based on caste, gender, race or anything else. 

It is sad that some spiritual traditions restrict women and certain castes from chanting this mantra. The great sage Ramanuja climbed on top of a temple tower and loudly proclaimed this mantra to all, regardless of caste, creed or gender. Sadly some of the followers of this great liberal Guru now contradict his teaching and say that women and Hari-jans cannot chant this mantra. This is the result of the terrible ignorance of this kali yuga.

Once again, all great Gurus who attained God praised this mantra and said it can be chanted by anybody and will grant liberation to all.

Also, just to mention, every mantra has six parts that are described as follows as per my Guru Sivananda:

1. Rishi who first 'saw' the mantra (mantras are 'seen' in meditation, not created). The Rishi of the ashtakshara mantra of Vishnu is the rishi Narayana (one of the twin rishis Nara-Narayana).
2. Chandas or metre- the intonation in which the mantra is chanted. The metre of the ashtakshara mantra is Gayatri.
3. Devata, deity of the mantra: the deity of ashtakshara is MahaVishnu or Narayana
4. Beeja, seed syllable or essence of the mantra
5. Shakti- the shakti or power of the deity/mantra
6.  Kilaka- the 'pin' that plugs the 'mantra chaitanya' hidden in the mantra. Prolonged recitation of the mantra removs the kilaka or 'pin' and grants darshan of the ishta devata, the deity. Recitation of ashtakshara grants darshan of Lord Narayana.

Here is a link with recitation of the Om Namo Narayanaya mantra:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IospxT7xl-I

See below for a link to the Narayana upanishad in Sanskrit with translation.

http://www.sathyasaiottawa.org/pdf/Vedam/Narayana_Upanishad.pdf

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Eclipse: enhancing the power of japa

Hari Aum.

There are two eclipses coming up in the next two weeks. On August 7 or 8 (depending on where you live), tomorrow, there will be a lunar eclipse. On August 21, there will be a solar eclipse.

Here is a link which gives the timings and other details regarding the eclipse:

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2017-august-7

Significance of an eclipse - a spiritual and jyotish perspective

Eclipses are given great significance in spirituality and vedic astrology. In general this period is very good for spiritual activity, and very negative for material matters.

Sivananda writes in his book 'Japa yoga': "It should be borne in mind that japa done during the time of solar or lunar eclipse will produce a tremendous effect and hence this rare opportunity should not be missed by anybody, whenever it offers itself."

Elsewhere he writes: "Those who do Japa at the time of the eclipse derive great benefits. The effect of Japa and Sankirtan during the eclipse contributes towards relieving the suffering of humanity and also of the planets. These people receive the blessings of the gods. They attain perfection quickly."

Vedic astrology states that this period is highly inauspicious for material projects such as starting a new job, signing a contract, setting off on a journey, getting married, or any other 'worldly activity'.

This is because, during an eclipse, either the sun (soul) or the moon (mind) are afflicted by one of the shadowy planets 'Rahu' or 'Ketu'. This can cause lack of clarity in thinking, decision-making, and cause emotional disturbances.

Furthermore, the eclipses take place in a particular astrological sign. While an eclipse affects everyone to some extent or another, those people are maximally affected in whose lagna/ascendant or rasi/moon sign the eclipse takes place. On a personal level, these effects may not always be negative- it depends on the nature of the individual chart- but in general, some form of change or new event can be expected relating to the house in which the eclipse takes place.

The origin of the eclipse: A puranic legend

There is an interesting ancient Puranic legend related to how the eclipse originated. The story relates to Vishnu's second avatar as a tortoise (kurma). The devas (demi-gods such as the gods of fire, sun, wind, water, etc) were weakened and afflicted by the the asuras (demonic beings). They go to Vishnu and plead for help. Vishnu advises them to seek 'amrita' or divine nectar (this makes the body strong and invincible, but does not grant immortality in the form of spiritual liberation) by churning the milky ocean. He advises them to team up with the asuras who are also keen on acquiring the amrita, as considerable effort is required for the churning.

The devas and asuras then team up and churn the ocean, using mount Meru as the churning rod, the king of serpents Vasuki as the rope, and Vishnu Himself in the form of the tortoise as the support of the churning rod. They churn for a long while, and then to their alarm, a terrible poison emerges from the ocean. The poison threatens to engulf the whole of creation and destroy everything.

At this critical moment, hearing the distressed prayers of living beings, the compassionate Lord Shiva appears. He takes up the poison and swallows it, thus preventing it from harming anyone else. His divine consort, Parvati, is determined that the poison should not enter the body of Shiva, and so stays awake all-night pressing His throat with Her hands to stop the poison descending down. She is successful and the poison remains in Shiva's throat, staining His fair skin, blue. Thus Shiva came to be known as 'Neela-kantha', the blue-throated One. (This event is also said to have lead to the annual tradition of Maha-Shivaratri, when devotees stay awake all-night worshipping Lord Shiva in a variety of ways).

The relieved devas and asuras continue churning the ocean, and now, many wonders and treasures begin to emerge one by one. A divine wish-fulfilling cow, jewels, and even the Goddess Lakshmi. On seeing Lakshmi (appear this way in this Lila, or play of God), the devas and asuras eagerly try to win Her as their wife. However, Lakshmi (symbolising auspiciousness) is the eternal wife of Vishnu (symbolising Dharma, goodness), and She chooses Him alone as Her husband. (This also symbolises the eternal truth that good fortune and happiness follows those who adhere to goodness/dharma. Good fortune and goodness are wedded together. Where there is no goodness, there ultimately will be no fortune).

The intense churning continues, and finally, at long last, there appears the God of healing and ayurveda, Dhanwantari, holding in His hand a pot with the divine nectar amrita. Seeing this, the asuras grab the pot and run off with it in haste to have it all for themselves. The gods are dismayed but Vishnu tells them not to fight the asuras but to relax and watch the play. Vishnu then assumes the form of the enchanting Goddess 'Mohini', She who deludes.

Mohini walks up to the asuras (who are squabbling among themselves as to who should get to taste the nectar first), and seeing Her wondrous beauty, the asuras are stunned and lose their ability think clearly. Mohini then sweetly offers to distribute the amrita fairly between them, and the asuras eagerly agree, thinking it would be very nice to receive the nectar from the hands of this charming lady. She also manages to persuade them to agree to the devas being given a share of the amrita.

Mohini then requests the asuras and devas to stand in two rows facing each other. She then walks between the two rows, supposedly to give the divine nectar to both the demi-gods and the demons. However, She only gives the amrita to the demi-gods and not the demons. Most of the demons are too enchanted by Her appearance to notice what She is actually doing. However one demon, realises what is happening and quietly enters the row of the demi-gods, and stands between Surya (Sun god) and Chandra (Moon god) to receive the nectar.

This demon receives the nectar and has just drunk it, when the Sun and moon gods notice his presence and raise the alarm. They inform Lord Vishnu, who promptly releases His famous discus, the Sudarshan Chakra. The whirring Chakra cuts off the head of the demon, but as he had already drunk the nectar by then, his body is now 'immortal'.

The de-capitated head becomes a living being called 'Rahu'. And the headless body, becomes a living being, called 'Ketu'. These two parts of the demon, furious with the Sun and Moon gods for informing Vishnu and leading to the de-capitation, declare their enemity to these gods.

They swear that they will cause suffering to the Sun and Moon gods, and all living beings, periodically by the phenomenon known as the 'eclipse'. During an eclipse, either Rahu or Ketu, causes suffering to the Sun or the Moon god, according to this legend. Furthemore, as the human being is a microcosm of the macrocosm, the 'eclipse' of the Sun/Moon causes corresponding disturbance and upheaval within human beings (and also other living beings).

Thus ends the story of the eclipse.

This story is said to have an esoteric meaning. The devas and asuras are two forces within us, the forces of good and evil in our minds, which are ever doing battle. During an eclipse, the forces of evil try to overcome those of good, and therefore this time is especially conducive to spiritual practices which call upon the Supreme Being for protection and deliverance.

The churning of the ocean is also said by some to be a metaphor for meditation. When one 'churns' the mind or meditates, often the first thoughts that arise may be negative (anger, fear, and other suppressed emotions)- this represents the 'poison' in the story. But if one patiently continues one's efforts, later 'treasures' emerge from the ocean of the mind, such as peace, bliss, wisdom, virtue and feeling the presence of the divine. And finally, realisation of the immortal nature of one's being, 'amrita' is obtained.

World peace and the eclipse

As per the advice of my Guru Sivananda, I plan to take the opportunity of the eclipse tomorrow to do some extra sadhana. This will be for my own spiritual progress and also for the reduction of suffering on this planet and for world peace.

Eclipses are regarded as having a negative impact on global events generally. While the eclipse affects the entire Earth, those areas where the shadow of an eclipse falls are believed to be more affected. As always, it is important to remember that vedic astrology does not say that planets and their shadows are the cause of human problems. Astrology states that the planets merely indicate the good and bad karma that is to come. An eclipse is generally an indication of upcoming negative karma to be experienced.

With various people predicting a third world war in the near future (and the alarming negative attitudes of some world leaders and violent religious groups), it is vital that we all pray to God for peace. The saints say that prayers and mantras work, and frankly, I feel we don't exactly have any other better alternatives than to believe them and give it a try.

To accept that war and nuclear destruction is inevitable, and feel hopeless, is giving in to asuric negative thinking. A war may happen if God wills it, and then we will have to accept it. But until then, we must do our duty as per the saints, and pray, do japa, kirtan etc to our utmost ability to reduce the possibility of such a war.

There is already much suffering, particularly in some countries, on this planet. We already have a serious duty to pray for the relief of suffering of these people. Let us do this daily, and also take the opportunity of the upcoming eclipses to do some intense prayers for the welfare of all.

Om Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
May all beings be happy.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Vishnu: Favourite slokas and quotations

Hari Aum.

Just felt like sharing some favourite slokas here (I am fond of many slokas to Devi, Shiva and other forms of God, but as Hari is my favourite form of God, unsurprisingly all my favourite slokas are related to Him):

1.
Kayena vacha, manasendriyairva,
budhyatmanava, prakritisvabhavat,
karomi yadyat, sakalam parasmai,
Narayanayeti samarpayami.

Meaning: Whatever I do with speech, mind, senses, intelligence, the whole of my nature/being, all this I offer to Lord Narayana.

This is a famous prayer to Narayana to help surrender sense of doership. As Sivananda says, it is Narayana/God who is the source of body, senses, mind, intelligence and all things are done by Him alone.

2.

Mookam karoti vachalam, pangum langhayate girim,
yat kripa tamaham vande, paramanandam Madhavam.

That One whose grace grants a mute person eloquence of speech, and which makes a lame person climb mountains, to that supreme bliss Madhava, I offer my obeisances.

3.

 Shantakaram Bhujagashayanam
Padmanabham Suresham,
Vishwadharam Gaganasadhrisham
Meghavarnam Shubhangam.
Lakshmikantam Kamalanayanam
Yogibhirdhyana gamyam
Vande Vishnum Bhavabhayaharam
Sarvalokaikanatham.

Obeisances to Vishnu who is peaceful, who rests on the serpent, with a lotus navel, leader of the demi-gods, the supporter of the whole world, as vast as the sky, dark in colour like the rain clouds, the handsome one, the husband of Lakshmi, with lotus eyes, who removes fears in life, the lord of all the worlds.

4.
Narayana gayatri
Aum Narayanaya vidmahe, Vasudevaya dhimahi, Tanno Vishnu prachodayat.

Narayana gayatri- let us meditate on Narayana, Vasudeva, may Lord Vishnu guide us.

5.

Aum Sri Krishnaya Vasudevaya Haraye Paramatmane, Pranatah kleshanashaya, Govindaya namo namah.

6.

Yada yada hi dharmasya, glanirbhavati bharata, abhyuthanam adharmasya, tadatmanam srijamyaham. Paritranaya sadhunam, vinashaya cha dushkritam, dharma samsthapanatharya, sambhavami yuge yuge.

Sri Krishna's words to Arjuna in the Gita:
Whenever dharma declines and adharma prevails, then I appear. To protect the good and vanquish evil, I appear in every age.

7.

Naham vasami Vaikunthe, yoginam hridaye na cha, madbhakta yatra gayanti, tatra tishthami Narada.

Lord Hari's words to Narada from the brihad-Naradiya purana: I neither reside in Vaikuntha, nor in the hearts of yogis. Where my devotee sings, there I reside Narada.

8.

Harer namaiva namaiva namaiva mama jivanam. Kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatir anyatha.

Famous quotation from the Padma purana: The name of Hari alone is my life. In kali yuga, there is no other way (to liberation).

9.

Yatra yogeshwara Krishno, yatra Partho dhanurdhara, tatra shrirvijayo bhutirdhruva nitir-matir-mama

Ekasloki Gita:  spoken by Sanjaya, the last sloka of the Gita:
"Where there is Krishna, the master yogi, and where there is Arjuna, the master bowman, there will be prosperity, victory and righteousness- this is my firm opinion.

10.

Sarvam Shri Krishnarpanamastu

To Lord Krishna, I give my all

11.

Sarva dharman parityajya, mamekam sharanam vraja,
Aham tva sarva-papebhyo, mokshayishyami, ma shucha

Lord Krishna's famous promise in the 18th chapter of the Gita:

Meaning: Leaving all dharmas, come to Me alone, I will liberate you from all sins, do not sorrow.

12.

Shri Krishna sharanam mamah
Shri Rama sharanam mamah

Meaning: Shri Krishna, Shri Rama, please grant me refuge

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Lord Narayana's promise

Hari Aum.

Lord Narayana has made a number of great promises that are well-known. In the Gita, He makes a number of promises regarding the preservation of good, destruction of evil, and granting relief to His devotees from the pains of samsaric existence. We are all familiar with His statements that He will incarnate in every yuga to uphold dharma (goodness/righteousness) and remove adharma (evil/unrighteousness). Also His promise that one who abandons all sense of personal doership and seeks refuge at His feet, will be delivered by Him.

I would like to discuss one particular promise of His however that is mentioned in the Padma Purana. Here Hari and his devotee Narada are having a conversation. Hari says to Narada "Naham vasami Vaikunthe, Yoginam hridaye na cha. Madbhakta yatra gayanti, tatra thishtami Narada".

He says "I do not live in Vaikuntha, nor in the hearts of yogis. Where my devotee sings, there I reside Narada". This sloka is quoted by many, including my Guru Sivananda, as a reason to perform sankirtan- singing the names of God. God is an embodiment of Truth. Truth is given great importance in the spiritual path. God's words are not to be taken lightly therefore. The origins of these words is the embodiment of Truth Himself and therefore the words are also absolutely true.

Of course in truth, God is everywhere. In Vaikuntha, in our hearts, here, there and everywhere. There is nowhere where He is not. However, this sloka is to give importance to the practice of the singing of the names of God as a powerful means to be in the presence of God. People often complain that God feels very far away. Through the practice of kirtan we can invoke His presence and feel Him near us.

Almost as a response to this great promise of Narayana, is the devotee's statement in the Brihan-Naradiya purana. "Harer namaiva, namaiva, namaiva mama jivanam. Kalau naastyeva, naastyeva, naastyeva, gatiranyatha". This means "Hari's name alone, name alone, name alone is my life. In Kali (yuga), there is no other way,  no other way, no other way". The repetition of the phrases three times in each sentences is for added emphasis.

I like to sing these two slokas sometimes when singing by myself (I almost always sing alone as this feels more natural and unrestricted - and I don't have to worry if my singing sounds good or otherwise!). The first sloka is to remind Lord Narayana of His promise to be present where His names are sung (He is present anyway, so it is probably more a way to remind myself that He is present here and now). The second sloka is to make a request to God that the name of Hari should be the basis of my life.

I have a picture of my Guru Sivananda on the wall just above my wooden temple with Vishnu and other deities. My Guru loved kirtan and used to be called 'sankirtan samrat' during his lifetime as he was so keen on promoting this sadhana as an effective means of God realisation. I know he is listening when I sing, his picture looks extremely alive to me. Guru is a principle not a body, and is everywhere, including in the photo. Looking at his photo while singing gives me increased faith and interest in kirtan and the name of God, as my Guru is an embodiment of faith in the Name.

Om Sri Guruve Namah
Om Sri Krishnaya Namah 

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Story of Ajamila

Hari Aum.

I wanted to share some insights gained from reading a story in the Bhagavatam- the story of Ajamila. Now this is a well-known story that I have heard and read about in the abbreviated version. Today was the first time I have read this story in the orginal, from the Bhagavatam - I read the English translation as my Sanskrit is that of a complete beginner. Nonetheless, this was the first time I read a word-for-word English translation of the Sanskrit original, and frankly, it has left me feeling rather stunned. Stunned at the extraordinary grace of God.

Let me recap the story for you. Ajamila was a decent chap, a gentleman in today's words, a brahmin of those times. He was scholarly, wise, kind, a loving husband, a caring father, a dutiful son. This was his life for a while. Then it all went horribly wrong for him. As often is the case, he fell due to his inability to control his sexual desires. (In modern times too, we are aware of people in prestigious positions who made utter fools of themselves due to their sexual urges overriding any common sense- some examples include Bill Clinton and Tiger Woods- they ruined their public image and lost respect and wealth due to sexually inappropriate behaviour).

Anyway, coming back to Ajamila- like Bill Clinton and Tiger Woods, this guy too was consumed by the fire of passion. He was married to a beautiful and noble woman- but one day he saw a promiscuous man and woman openly having sex in a forest (where he had gone to collect flowers for worship). His became obsessed and infatuated with this woman and could do nothing to get her out of his head. Finally the unfulfilled desires became too painful to bear, and he gave in. He went after her. She was happy to be with a man of some status as she was not well-off. Ajamila dumped his wife and kids and ran off with his new sexy lady. The new lady was not at all noble- she was a woman of dubious character to say the least. And Ajamila's lust had made him pretty nasty too. He began to develop new vile habits to maintain his new family- he lied, cheated, robbed people- basically became a criminal to feed his family. (Remind you of another famous Puranic character? I'm thinking of Ratnakar here- who later became Valmiki). And he had 10 kids by the age of 80- yup, no moderation in sex, and no family planning there.

Anyway, Ajamila's youngest kid was called "Narayana" and he was most fond of this little toddler. It was the custom to name one's kids after God in those days (as it still is in India). And you will soon see why this is not at all a bad idea.

One day, time was up for Ajamila. It was time to die. He was playing with the toddler Narayana, when he suddenly caught sight of some seriously unpleasant looking folks- three beings with erect hairs and holding nooses. He shrank back in fear, and was horrified to find they approached him directly and began to wrap their nooses around his soul located in the heart-space. He felt he was dying. In great fear and terror, he yelled out to his son "Narayana!!!!!!"

A few moments after he yelled "Narayana", he found himself surrounded by four dazzling beings of handsome appearance. They were dressed like Vishnu and looked like Vishnu- in that, they were a dark colour like a raincloud, wore yellow silks, and had four celestial arms in which they held a conch, discus, mace and play lotus.

They immediately freed Ajamila from the nooses. He remained there trembling and went on to witness an extraordinary debate between the two parties.

The fierce beings with the nooses were the servants of the god of Death (Yama) and were called the Yama-dootas (messengers of Death). They were pretty annoyed. Never before had anyone stopped them from doing their duty. They asked the dazzling beings who they were and what the heck was going on. This Ajamila was a sinner they said, and it was their business to take him off to some nasty places where he would pay for the sins committed on this planet. He had committed sins and not done any penance to expiate the sins they said. It was time for him to suffer that which he had inflicted on others- this was the inexorable law of karma and nothing and nobody could stand in its way.

The dazzling beings, who were the servants or messengers of Vishnu, Vishnu-dootas, smiled at the confusion of the Yama-dootas. They stated that Ajamila was in fact no longer a sinner as he had wiped out every one of his hundreds of sins by the mere utterance of the name of Narayana. They agreed that Ajamila had been one nasty dude, but since he had taken the name of Narayana, he had performed the supreme tapas, and wiped out all his innumerable sins (of this lifetime and many previous ones!).

The Yama-dootas were absolutely aghast. Flabbergasted. What!- they thought. How can this be? They raced off to Lord Yama for an explanation as the dazzling beings seemed determined to stand in their way.

 Lord Yama smilingly explained to his messengers that this was indeed an extraordinary truth. Narayana and His Name are One. On uttering the name of Narayana, knowingly or unknowingly, without any faith, devotion or knowledge of what one is doing, he said one still obtains the full merit. One wipes out all one's past sins. The example is given of a strong medicine that works even when the patient has no clue as to how it works.

Ajamila meanwhile wanted to thank the Vishnu-dootas but he did not have time as they disappeared in a trice after doing the job they came to do of freeing him. He was a changed man however. He realised that God had given him a second chance and he was determined to make the most of it. He packed his bags and went to a place called "Haridwar" (meaning the door to Hari)- yes, who knows, this may be the same Haridwar that exists in the Himalayas in North India. He then did a lot of tapas, and attained devotion to Lord Vishnu. When his time was up, the same dazzling beings whom he'd met before appeared before him. After he cast off his earthly body in the sacred Ganga, he was granted a dazzling form like theirs. He then left with them for Vaikuntha, the realm of Vishnu. As a devotee of Vishnu, he attained the holy feet of Vishnu.

Some key points mentioned in the story are:

1. Utterance of the Name of God just once removes sins already committed. This occurs in an instant. However a person may still go on to sin in the future, as the sinful tendency is still present in the mind. This brings us to the next point (which explains the need for prolonged taking of the Name of God).

2. Utterance of the Name of God, many many times, over a long period of time, done as a devotional practice achieves two important spiritual goals :
i) Removes the underlying tendency of the mind to sin (does not just remove past sins)
ii) Develops true devotion for God, Prema, Bhakti which is a rare thing. And this brings us to the next point.

3. Mukti is much easier to attain than bhakti. So states the Bhagavatam. Mukti itself is rare, but Bhakti is rarer still. God gives mukti more easily than Bhakti. To attain bhakti one has to practice sincerely for some time. The fifth purushartha as per the Vishnavas is bhakti.

Now some people will call this story an exaggeration. This is meant for simple folk they will say, to encourage them to do a little japa, a little kirtan, to walk the path of bhakti, to worship Vishnu. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink- what simpletons, they will say.

But the sages, devotees and Gurus shake their head and say, no this is no exaggeration. This is the saving grace of God. He is love, He is power- His Name and He are One. Therefore it is not at all surprising that uttering His Name can give such tremendous results. Take His Name and attain the highest good they beg us.

But the majority of us are are low petty-minded people. We cannot believe that anyone can love that much. We ourselves lack love, we ourselves lack power. So we struggle to believe in the love and power of God and His Name.

Even those of us walking the spiritual path, are gripped with doubt from time to time. I include myself in the category above of low, petty-minded people. There are two sides of my mind, ever in battle.
The dominant side of my mind, by God's grace, is the one that insists on doing japa daily, no matter what. This side has strong faith in the Lord and His Name. But the weak whining doubting side is also there, asking if all this isn't just an exaggeration. The battle will continue until the Name of God itself transforms all doubts into faith and devotion.

Anyway I recommend reading this story in the Bhagavatam in the original. It is something to read the actual words (even a translation) of the characters- the Vishnu-dootas, Yama-dootas, Lord Yama, Suka and Parikshit.

The above is just an outline. Wonderful are their dialogues, wonderful are the concepts discussed. The arguments and counter-arguments. Wow is the only word that remains afterwards. I felt pretty awestruck and speechless for a while afterwards, even though I've heard the story before.

Glory to the Name of Hari. Which is none other than He.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Our Divine Parents

Hari Om,

I was reflecting recently that our Divine Parents are such a wonderful couple in every way. Now, we know as Advaita vedanta yogis, that there is only One Supreme Being which is the source of all, present everywhere, that this has become all, that this is beyond male/female/age/life/death....pretty much incomprehensible to our tiny human brains and minds. Something impossible to imagine, whose nature is impossible to describe, but spiritual Teachers all over the world describe this as being of the nature of pure selfless love, sweetness, bliss, peace, wisdom and immortality. This nameless, formless Being encompasses all names, all forms, everything and even more.

Yet this nameless, formless Being takes on names and forms in this world and also celestial forms that resemble human beings  that we humans can relate to and worship. And the purpose behind this is to enable humans to be able to meditate upon these forms and thus attain oneness with this Supreme Being.

So hence the Supreme takes on the male God-the-father "Parameshwara" form and female God-the-Mother "Parameshwari" form. They have infinite Names in Sanskrit each describing them as infinite, immortal, the embodiment of love, bliss, peace, desirelessless, full of wisdom, kindness and every virtue (and equally free of anger/pride/lust/hate and any vice).

So in Hinduism, we learn not only that we have Divine Parents, but we learn of their activities both in the celestial spheres (such as heaven, Vishnu/Siva/Devi lokas etc) but also on Earth (when God assumes a human avatar). We learn about our Parents in this way from ancient scriptures known as the Puranas, not composed by any human mind, but revealed to us by great spiritual Teachers. These Teachers also are only manifestations of our Parents also who in their infinite compassion to beings suffering in samsara, explain to us the way to attain Them...in other words, the way to return home.

Let us examine our Divine Parents in the form of the two most popular couples well known in yoga/Hindu philosophy...They who are worshiped by yogis to attain the Supreme Being (Liberation/Moksha/Nirvana....this state has many names, none of which can really describe it as per the Gurus).

The two couples are Siva and Gauri, and Vishnu and Lakshmi. (Saraswati is worshiped on Her own by yogis seeking moksha, but worship pf Her consort Lord Brahma tends to be less common compared to other forms of the Divine).

Each member of both couples represents the all-encompassing Supreme Being described above, and is therefore worshiped in His/Her own right by yogis seeking liberation.

Even if one is partial to one form out of these, one cannot help but appreciate the sheer beauty and awe-inspiring nature of the other forms too. One is also wonder-struck at the stories of romance and human emotions expressed in the stories of these two couples, but yet, they are woven over the mysterious divine tapestry of Brahman (therefore not a straightforward human story).

Yet for all their similarities in their inner nature, these two divine couples are quite different externally.

For example, Shiva and Durga are the ultimate power couple. Shiva exudes power, strength, yogic self-control, desirelessness, lack of interest in worldly things, self-contentment, fearlessness, withdrawal of the mind inwards towards the Supreme (He is usually pictured seated immovable in deep meditation).
Interestingly also, though Shiva Himself represents supreme wealth (both spiritual and material), He assumes the garb of one who has nothing- no flowers, no jewels, no pretty clothes. Only snakes as garlands and amulets, a tiger-skin as his robe, the glittering crescent moon decorating his matted locks. Yet, for all His rough appearance, He is simply unsurpassable in beauty.
He is visualised as handsome man with beautiful features, despite being dressed as a beggar. His inner beauty makes Him all the more beautiful. This powerful combination of external beauty and internal beauty make Him absolutely adorable to all. Since time immemorial, his devotees have repeated His great mantra (such as "Om Namah Shivaya") and many others with deep love and fervour, and thereby attained their beloved Shiva. Who would not feel bliss repeating the Name of such a great One? After all, He is the very essence of our being, our very own Self.

Durga embodies extraordinary yogic tapas like Shiva. She matches Him in Her ability to withdraw Herself from the world and meditate (in Her famous avatar as Parvati). Like Shiva, She combines this with a hugely dynamic energy that destroys evil. When one pictures Durga, one thinks of God manifesting as Power (the Power of good). She is depicted as seated on a lion, holding celestial weapons in her delicate hands, out to protect good and destroy evil. Like Shiva, She is incomparably beautiful....with an exquisite shapely delicate feminine form, but yet tremendously powerful.

While Shiva is generally pictured in the mind's eye as serene and motionless, seated in meditation (except in His highly energetic tandava form), Durga is almost always seen as a form with great energy and great activity....activity to win the battle for good over evil.  Unlike Shiva who appears withdrawn, Durga appears completely involved.
Shiva and Durga complement each other beautifully. They are both depicted as extraordinarily beautiful in form, fierce (in a loving parent way), yet infinitely compassionate and loving. Durga is no demure shy female....She is power embodied, strength embodied....She is the One to go crying to if one is feeling scared of anything at all in the world, for She is afraid of nothing, and all the bad guys tremble at the very mention of Her Name....She grants absolute security to Her devotees and makes them pure in mind and heart....

And how romantic are the stories of Shiva and Durga....one is simply wonder-struck by the sheer beauty of the romantic Lilas of our Divine Parents as this couple. And what is even more fascinating is that underneath all the seeming romance, there is no lust at all....only pure selfless love, the love that is divine in nature. There is absolutely no lewd, crude lust here. On the contrary, it is all pure, desireless, deep true love.....a love that loves for no reason, because it is simply one's nature to love.

Now moving on to Vishnu and Lakshmi and some of Their avatars in human form.
Vishnu is depicted as equally handsome as Shiva (unsurprisingly, as they are of course, two forms of the One Parameshwara, God as male). He has all the inner qualities of Shiva, but His external garb is different. He is dressed charmingly with exquisite flower garlands, jewels, clothes - all these ornaments obtain their beauty from Him.
He is just as beautiful and alluring as Lord Shiva, but in a different way. Unlike Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu does not appear withdrawn from the world. Like Durga, He is seen as actively involved in our human world and all worlds (Shiva is too of course, but just appears to be deep in meditation most of the time). Lord Vishnu is the One who takes human form as avatars, such as the well-known Sri Rama and Sri Krishna.

His consort Goddess Lakshmi is the embodiment of sweetness and virtues. She is portrayed as lovely, delicate, demure and shy....quite different from Her other form as the feisty Mother Durga. She is the Mother who is prayed to for material and spiritual wealth, children and both earthly and spiritual attainments. She is symbolic of all that is good and pure in the world.

Both Vishnu and Lakshmi take on avatars as humans at the same times, forming complementary couples. Sri Rama is the ideal married man and human being, His wife Goddess Sita is the embodiment of a loving dutiful wife. Sri Krishna is the Purna Avatar (full avatar of God), He is handsome, cheeky, humorous and playful. His lovely consort Sri Radha is more serious in temperament than Him, and is also feisty (She freely tells Him off when She is not amused by His humorous behaviour). She is the embodiment of devotion, pure love for the Divine, the ideal devotee.

Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi exude sweetness, traditional beauty and tender love.
Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga exude energy, unconventional beauty and fierce love.

Both are stunning Divine Couples and one feels fortunate to belong to a spiritual tradition where one is taught not only that one has Divine Parents, but also has the chance to read about Their activities (known as 'Lilas' in Sanskrit).

Not only this, one knows, as a child of the yogis, that one can oneself meet and experience these forms of the Divine. They are not made up characters by some talented author. No, yogis from time immemorial have retreated into caves (or indeed into one's room in a modern house), and devoutly worshiped the male and female forms of the Divine described above. They have then been blessed with Their Vision ('Darshan' in Sanskrit) and been granted supreme bliss and wisdom or moksha/nirvana.

 Shiva, Durga, Vishnu and Lakshmi are perfectly real. They are, in fact, more real than you and I. You and I are temporary beings on this earthly planet. We are here today, gone tomorrow. But these forms of our Divine Parents have existed since time immemorial and will continue to exist for eternity....worship of Them holds the key to Their eternal realm, our true home.

Hence the strong traditions in yoga that have existed forever.....each based on which of the three (Siva, Vishnu and the Goddess) is chosen as the main deity for worship (yoga advises developing undeviating love and devotion to one form of God of one's choice while respecting other forms of God of course).
 Therefore there exists the tradition of Siva-worshipers (Saivites), Vishnu-worshipers (Vaishnavites) and Goddess-worshipers (Shaktas). All in truth worship the same One Supreme Being, but only in different external forms.

We are indeed fortunate to be able to hear of and admire our Divine Parents in such exquisitely beautiful forms (externally and internally) as Siva, Durga, Vishnu/Rama/Krishna, and Lakshmi/Sita/Radha.

Sivananda says the path of devotion (one of the four main paths to God in the yoga tradition) is sweet in the beginning, sweet in the middle and sweet in the end. Other paths certainly have their merits and are also good.... but he and many Gurus, say that the path of bhakti reigns supreme in terms of easiness to practice as a sadhana, as well as efficacy and the joy experienced throughout.

May Shiva, Durga, Vishnu and Lakshmi (or whichever form of God we worship) grant us supreme devotion, love for love's sake for Him/Her in this very lifetime.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.