Procession of the Goddess Kali - Calcutta October 1841 Lithograph by L.H. de Rudder (1807-1881) after an original drawing of October 1841 by Prince Aleksandr Mikhailovich Saltuikov of the procession of the Goddess at Calcutta published in Paris in 1848. In Hindu tradition, Kali 'the black one' is the most terrifying of all the manifestations of Shiva's concort the Great Goddess. In this image, Kali is performing the dance of death on the body of Shiva. She wears a necklace of skulls and holds the heads of sacrificial victims in her hands. It is popularly thought that the name Calcutta derived from the Kalighat temple in the city that is dedicated to the goddess. Did you know that the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, gets its name from the Dhakeshvari Temple, which was built 800 years ago by King Ballala Sena. Photo: 800 years old deity of the Divine Mother Dhakeshwari, who gives her name to the capital city of Bangladesh - Dhaka. (This is a wonderful post although it is missing the story or Sri Nityananda of Ekkchakra he is the one who introduced Sri Chaitanya to the Bhakti Movement... and it is his lineage that had been singing and dancing as Bauls for thousands of years in the villages of Bengal..) From the oral tradition of Bengal.. Sri Nityananda was a Vaishnava Baul, he was from a long lineage of Bhakti Yogi's in Bengal. He was older than Sri Chaitanya they became great friends and he inspired Chaitanya to Baul singing as Chaitanya was a scholar and saw the Vaishnava Baul singing Hare krishna and Baul Kirtan was a great way to wake up the people. Thus it was Nitai a Vaishnava Baul and his lineage who were the pioneers if one could even use that term 'pioneers' for a people who had been Bhakti Yogi's for thousands of years in Bengal. Chaitanya was perhaps the pioneer of Gauidya Vaishnavism in Bengal but not Bhakti in Bengal. GODDESS VISHNUPRIYA DEVI: In Vaishnavite writings, Goddess Sathyabama is said to be reborn as Vishnupriya Devi. Sri Krishna’s, eight principles wives, the Ashta Bharyas are Rukumani, Sathyabama, Jambhavati, Kalindi, Mitravrinda, Nagnahiti, Bhadra and Lakshna. Legends have it that Sathyabhama had undergone misery and suffering in her previous mortal life. After death, she sought refuge in Vaikuntha where she relentlessly served Lord Vishnu as his care-taker. The Lord, in all his mercy, promises to take her as his wife in her rebirths to assure a happy life. Thus she is re-born as Satrajit’s daughter in Krishnavatara. While Sathyabama being reborn as Vishnupriya Devi may not have a verifiable scriptural source, her service to Lord Hari is never doubted. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s story is sometimes told through Vishnupriya, his second wife and vice-versa. He was the daughter of Pandit Sanatan Mishra and Lakshmi. Saci Mata was on a look out for a bride after the death of his first wife for Nimai. That was his birth name. The first wife died being unable to bear the separation caused by her husband’s long travels in the company of his fellow Vaishnavites. Chaitanya was forced to marry a second time, a girl called Vishnupriya Devi. It was a time when he had gone far into spiritual mysticism and god-intoxication. As in the case of many saints, Chaitnya’s family life went awry. To be a good husband to Vishnupriya was very much wanting from the initial days of the marriage. He became a sannyasi at the young age of 24. He left Vishnupriya and their home.. He died at the age of 48 yrs. Chaitanya was the pioneer of the Bhakti movement in Bengal. He became an ascetic at the age of 24 and travelled all over India from Bengal to Varanasi, South India, Dwarka and Mathura for 6 years. He advocated bhakti or pure love of Lord Krishna, which he considered as superior to knowledge, meditation, yoga and charity. He was against social inequities, caste system. His theistic movement admitted men from all stations. For Chaitnya, devotion to Krishna was the ultimate in spiritual aspiration, not even the liberation or the union with the Supreme which the advaitins like Shankara propagated. The songs of Chaitanya are steeped in his god-intoxicated love for devotion to Sri Krishna and Radharani. His teaching was that the pure emotion of love is such a powerful force that it could transform human beings for the better and lead them on the path to ultimate bliss. Vaishnavite followers of Chaitanya, deem Radha and Krishna as one entity, assuming two different forms for the sake of the devotees. Hence, Chaitanya’s philosophy of devotion are, among the many, the means to worship Radha and Krishna. EARLY YEARS: Vishnupriya was hardly 14 years at the time of marriage. The alliance was arranged through Kashinatha Pandit a well known match-maker. It was said that as Krishna and Rukumani were worthy of each other, so are Vishnupriya and Nimai Pandit. The bride-groom arrived in a palanquin at dusk and the wedding was performed according to both scriptural and popular traditions. The following day Vishnupriya joined her husband on the palanquin to return to his house. But Nimai’s life was immersed in Krishna bhakti. Knowing the eternal pastime of the wedding of Sriman Narayana and Lakshmi, then one loses the desire for material relationship of enjoyer and enjoyed, for one comes to understand that Narayanan alone is the supreme enjoyer of the entire universe. For the materialistic person, the marriage of a man and woman is the source of bondage. When the Lord marries in imitation of ordinary mortals, it becomes something quite different. By chanting and hearing about the union of the Supreme Lord with his divine energy, one is liberated from the material energy. He had earlier taken Harinama and Diksa initiation from Sri Isvarapuri in Gaya. Prabhu hardly spoke to the wife. His personality underwent a sea of change and he was no longer Nimai Pandita but Bhavuka Nimai, one who was always absorbed in his ecstatic moods of Krishna prema. It was hardly a year before Vishnupriya and Prabhu were separated. SANNYASA: There is a sentimental story linked to the day Prabhu decided on sannyasa. Vishnupriya went to bathe in the Ganges, where she hurts her toe which started bleeding. She also lost her nose-ring. Despite great endeavour, it could not be retrieved from the moving waters. These were inauspicious events pinned to one’s fate. Sachi Mata observed her weeping when she returned and consoled her. But events that unfold that night were surprising. Mahaprabhu, who practically paid no attention to her, gave a surprise. In the morning he had wandered about with his Vaishnavite associates and came home with some milk and vegetables. He told Sachi Ma "Mother, please make a preparation from these, adding sugar, ghee, camphor and other ingredients, and offer it to Krsna." After praying, he later took some prasadam as usual. Thereafter he entered the room of Vishnupriya Devi. Then, with love and affection He decorated her, gave her a beautiful garland, placed betel nuts in her mouth. He engaged in a loving conversation. But her mind was not settled. Before extinguishing a candle light burns brightly. ‘I see now that my fate may be like this’ she thought as she gently sat and massaged His lotus feet, tears pouring from her eyes. Mahaprabhu opened his eyes when He felt her tears on His feet. She was unable to utter anything and wept uncontrollably. She held his feet and wept. Hugging and wiping her tears, he asked “O Goddess. You are most dear to Me. Why are you weeping?” With no response Mahaprabhu gently placed her on His lap and spoke sweet words to her and calmed her down. She finally spoke in a voice choked with emotion, “My life, my beauty, youth, my service, my dress and adornment is only meant to please You. If You leave me, what will I, a worthless pile of ashes, do with my life?” she cried. The most munificent and merciful Lord was neither unaware nor indifferent to His dearest devotees' pain and grief. He also wept with her. Both wept with flood of tears. It was then that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu revealed the secret of His birth and mission. Wiping her tears with his garment, He embraced her and told her that Lord Sri Krishna is the supreme Husband of all. "Your name is Vishnupriya, she who is dear to Lord Vishnu. Please make your name worthy of yourself. Please do not needlessly torment yourself with worries of the world or what they will say. Dedicate your mind and body to serving the Lord, Mahaprabhu said. She was calm and poised as if she understood the whole of his words. Mahaprabhu then gave her His special kripa, "O Goddess Vishnupriya, now hear my words. Whenever you think of Me, I will come to you. I solemnly promise you this. It is the truth." Thus they spent their last night together in embrace. Vishnupriya fell asleep thereafter. Just before dawn, rising from his bed where Vishnupriya lay, Mahaprabhu finished his morning rituals. He glanced at her once, and then stood up to leave home and take sannyasa. He got blessings from his mother and left Navadvipa to cross the Ganga. SEPARATION: Her life was changed drastically. The separation was agonizing to the core. It was in the shades of Radharani. 'The earth splits from the sound of Vishnupriya's crying: the birds and beasts, even the trees and stones shed tears when they heard it. Falling to the ground she would lament, crying out Why does my sinful life not end? In separation, her breath was like fire, drying her lips and her body trembled constantly' – Chaitanya Magala 2.14.15-6. Other than the morning bath in the Gangga with her mother in law, she restricted herself to the house. She followed a strict spiritual life and it is said that devotees never heard her voice and could see nothing more than her feet. But it was never doubted that Vishnupriya served Sachi Maa and eating the remnants. Constantly shedding tears, she became pale and thin. She counted her chants by joyfully placing grains of rice from one mud pot to another. Each rice would mean chanting one mantra of sixteen names of the Lord. And she would chant this was until she fell asleep. The accumulated rice, drenched in her tears would be used for cooking the next day. She would offer it to the Lord first. Thus she immersed herself in the Holy Name, chanting all day long in solitude. It is also said that once Vishnupriya Devi abandoned food and drink until Mahaprabhu appeared to her in a dream, telling her to have a deity of Himself carved from the wood of the margosa tree under which Sachi mata had sat to suckle Him. When the deity was finished, Vishnupriya sang the verse of Chandi Das: ‘Here is the Lord of my life. I am finally able to see Him for whom the arrows of desire have caused me to burn and come to the point of dying’. She was thus the first to establish worship of a deity of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. The image of the deity she installed and worshipped is still worshipped to this day in Navadvipa. GAUDIYA VAISHNAVISM: By her devotion and austerity, Visnupriya Devi, played a very important role in the preaching of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Through her acceptance of the mood of separation, her surrender to her Lord's mission, her showing of the pangs of separation, she helped in establishing the ideal of union in separation, the cornerstone of Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy. She melted the hearts of many and did away with the jealousy or antagonistic feeling toward Mahaprabhu that many people harboured at the time. She glorified Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. It is commonly believed that Mahaprabhu was none other then Sri Krishna himself and Vishnupriya the manifestation of Sathyabhama. It is also believed that they were reborn to accept the mood and luster of Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani. They both propagated yuga dharma or the religious practice of the day. This is ‘sri-nama-sankirtana’ the congregational chanting of the holy names. They distributed transcendental love. They made known the greatness of Srimati Radharani’s prema and Sri Krishna’s sweetness of His form through Radha. Knowledge is of two kinds, apara vidya or material knowledge, and para vidya, or transcendental knowledge. Sri Krishna descends in his three manifestations - Childhood, the pastime of parental love; Boyhood, the pastimes of friendly love and Youth, the pastimes of amorous love considered to be the perfection of His being. Sri Krishna is the source of energy and Sri Radharani is the complete energy. She expands with Him and is inseparable as is musk from the fragrance. Goddess Vishnupriya Devi is the personification of such transcendental knowledge. Devotees worship her on her appearance day on the sukla pancami of the month of Marghizhi. Hari Om (Draft: Gods and Goddesses.) by Yogi Ananda Saraswathi GODDESS BAHUCHARA MATA. As a manifestation of Mother Goddess, Bahuchara Mata is the Patron Goddess of the Hijra community, meaning eunuchs or hermaphrodites, today Trans Gender. Civil rights advocate the current word ‘transgender’. By and large the Hjras (Trans-gender) adhere strictly to ahimsa or non-violence. They consider innocent killing of birds and animals as sin. Any form of unkind assault is also ahimsa. Thus Bahuchara Mata also stands for ahimsa in general. The word ‘hijra’ is said to be derogatory today. Without the advantage of vernacular translation, it is used here without any imputation to character but with all due respect. Legends have it that Bahuchara was born to Charan Bapal and Detha. One day, Bahuchara and her sisters were on a caravan journey. One Bapiya, a marauder attempts to attack them. Traditionally, charan men and women do not surrender when apprehended. They opt to take their own lives as opposed to falling in the hands of the enemy. So Bahuchara and her sisters announce ‘tragu’ then cut off their breasts to bleed to death. In charan belief, shedding the blood of charan was considered heinous sin. Due to this heinous crime, the marauder Bapiya was cursed to lose his manhood and become impotent. He was relieved of the curse much later when he repents. He prays to Bahuchara Mata by dressing and acting like a woman and is forgiven for his sins of indirectly spilling charan blood. HIJRA COMMUNITY: In Hindu contexts, hijras belong to a special class or caste, which today is less and less, they are people just like all people. They are usually devotees of Mother Goddess Shakti, Bahuchara Mata, Lord Siva or all. It is seen that hijra culture draws upon the traditions of several religions. Mention of the hijras is first made in the Kama Sutras re a third sex – tritiya prakriti. The same sex pair dressed up to appear as male and female for fellatio or cunnilingus. During the colonial era, the hijras were banned and stigmatized as as ‘criminal tribes’ by the occupiers who did not see their backyard of sexual morality. There is an initiation ceremony to be accepted into the hijrah community based on sexual physiology but it is not necessary to get into that, except to say it is called the ‘Niwaan’ ceremony. Now hijras are better protected in the name of civil rights and as god’s children. They are given better preferences in society. They are well organized with adoption programs for their own kind; even to be led by spiritual gurus. Regretfully some of them are also stigmatized as sex-workers for survival. Hijras have an interesting spiritual backup. Ardhanarisvara, the symbolical merger of Siva and Parvathi, has a special significance in the hijra community. They identify themselves with the gender ambiguity by the Shiva-Parvathi union. Hijras are also said to confer boons. This is from the Ramayana. A devoted crowd follows Rama when he goes into exile. Before he entered the forest, many of them cry. Rama gave a speech and request that ‘men and women’ should return to Ayodya. Fourteen years later, while returning to Ayodya, he finds that the hijras have not left their place as no order was given to them as they were neither men nor women. Lord Rama was pleased with them and gave them the boon to confer blessings. In South India, hijras claim one Aravan as their progenitor. These group calls themselves the ‘aravanis’. The story in the Mahabaratha is, Ahiravan or Aravan wants to ensure the victory of the Pandavas so he intends to give his lifeless body to Goddess Kali. That is a noble cause indeed. The Pandavas on the quiet want that too as sacrifice in the warfront was not uncommon. But Ahiravan also had a dream of getting married and enjoying sexual pleasures before giving his life for the Pandava cause. That seemed to be a fair wish but who would want a defective man in bed, more so when he was going to die? The clock was ticking in the Krukshetra. So Lord Krishna manifests as Mohini, marries him, stays with him for few days until all human frailties are exhausted and Kama’s arrows are broken! Poor fellow, he did not know that his condition precedent was spent with an illusion! Later Aravan is venerated as Lord Aravan in his own right. In Aravan ceremonies, the entire Mahabaratha saga is reenacted in ritualistic dance and singing. In parts of Tamil Nadu, Aravan festival highlight is the breaking of bangles which is symbolic of the death of a husband. In the South, Goddess Renuka is also said to patronize the transgender. Here male devotees known as 'jogappa' dress like women to sing and dance. They are popular troupes during wedding ceremonies. DEPICTION: Bahuchara Mata is depicted to hold a sword on her top right and a text of scriptures on her top left hand. The bottom right hand symbolizes the abhay hasta mudra or showering of blessings. She holds a Trishula or trident by her bottom left hand. The Mata wears a prominently ornamented crown. Her nose ring is circular and earrings are of the south-Indian thonggattan kundalas. Mata is heavily jeweled. An extended garland adorns her red saree-clad body. Pictorial depictions show her in a natural environment with flora and fauna. VAHANA: Her vahana is the rooster, a territorial bird that proclaims it’s area by its crowing. Thus it heralds each dawn with a call to wake and arise. It also symbolizes innocence, imminence of spiritual unfoldment and wisdom. Incidentally the rooster is also depicted as ‘Seval’ in Lord Skanda’s battle flag. In many mythologies, rooster are seen as the intermediary of communication between gods and man. In Hindu ritualistic worship, spilling rooster blood is common among ‘Theyyam’ cults. Theyyam dance is traced to the sage Parasurama. In lighter vein, roosters symbolize undisciplined romantic fellows with no inking whatsoever about being monogamous. SRI CHAKRA AND KUNDALINI: There is another version that states that her vehicle is ‘Kurkut’ the sepent with two mouths. This is an attempt to link Goddess Bahuchari to Sri Chakra and kundalini. Bahucharaji is said to be seated on low end of the spine and other end goes to Sahastrar, which means that Bahucharaji is the goddess of starting the awakening of kundlini which eventually leads the liberation or moksha. Thus she is claimed to be a manifestation of Goddess Durga and that her name in Tantrism is Bala Tripurasundari. The Bala here is said to bestow Virya or semen to man in Tantric worship. Impotent men are said to embark these prayers for abhaya, varad and vidhya, their desired boons and wealth as well. Her Yantra has Nine triangles symbolising that she is Durga. It would be interesting to know if there are verifiable scriptural writings to this effect. MYTHOLOGY: (1) A king prostrates before Bahuchara Mata for the boon of an offspring. He gets a son. But the prince Jeta was impotent. The Goddess appears in his dreams to order that he cut of his genitals and wear women’s clothes. Thereafter he is to devote his life as her servant. The Goddess also identifies all impotent men in the region to chop off as well. Punishment for breaching this would be seven generations of impotency. This saga is said to have brought about the cult of Bahuchara Mata, whose devotees are required to self-castrate and remain celibate. (2) In another intriguing myth associated with Bahuchara Mata. The goddess was once a princess with a deviant behavior husband. Now, he never comes to the bridal bed but prefers disappearing in the jungle where he ‘behaves like a woman.’ Well he undergoes punishment by castration! (3) In another version, a man who attempted to molest Bahuchara Mata. He was cursed with impotence. As usual, he was forgiven when he agreed to ‘drop’ his masculinity, dressed as a woman, and worshipped the goddess. Footnote: One is reminded that in generality, folklore, defies ordinary rules of story- telling. BAHUCHARA MATA TEMPLE: Said to be constructed in 1783 AD, the temple of Bahuchara Mata with its stone decorations, is located in Bechraji town in Mehsana district of Gujarat, India. The origin of Bahuchra Mata is situated at Varakhdiwala temple in Bechraji. There is another, the Toda Mata temple in Sankhalpur which is two kilometers away. Among the three Shakti Peeths in Gujarat , the Goddess is worshipped as Bala at Bahucharaji, as Ambika at Ambaji and as Kalika Mother at Pavagdah. At Bahucharaji, Mataji is residing as a young girl. Hari Om (Chp: draft Gods and Goddesses) By Yogi Ananda Saraswati GODDESS GAYATRI DEVI. This goddess is considered to be the Veda Mata meaning Mother of the Vedas. Through her mantras she combines all the phenomenal attributes of Brahman. She is also said to be the culmination of Goddesses Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Parvathi. Indeed Gayatri is Sarvadhevathaa swarupini, the embodiment of all goddesses. The word Gayatri is a combination of Gaa + Yatree. ‘Gaa’ means to sing and ‘Yatree’ means protection. By implication those who worship Gayatri get protected. Goddess Gayatri Devi is an incarnation of Saraswati Devi, consort of Lord Brahma, symbolising the ‘shakti’ or energy and ‘dev’ or quality of Knowledge, Purity and Virtue. Saraswati Devi is held to be the patron of the Arts, being a poet and musician, as well as skillful composer. In the form of Gayatri Devi, with the blessings of Lord Brahma, she is believed to have given the four Vedas to mankind. A person totally devoted to Goddess Gayatri may achieve great success in the path of self-advancement as She inspires mankind towards righteousness. Gayatri Devi is sometimes depicted as the second consort of Lord Brahma. DEPICTION: Gayatri is depicted seated on a red lotus to signify wealth. Lotus also symbolizes Divinity. As Pancha Mukhi, She has five heads and ten eyes looking at eight directions of the earth and the three lokhas. This is all symbolic just as Ravana having 10 heads! Gayatri Devi’s five faces represent: (1) The pancha pranas meaning lives and pancha vayus meaning winds - prana, apana,vyana, udana, samana. (2) The Pancha Tattvas or five principles or elements – prithvi or earth, jala or water, vayu or air, teja or fire and aakasha or sky. Gayatri holds the ayudhas or weapons attributed to Lord Vishu in her ten hands symbolizing all His incarnations. They are: shankha; chakra, kamala, varada, abhaya, kasha, ankusha, ujjwala utensil and rudrakshi mala. The goddess also symbolizes knowledge as Goddess of Education. Thus she carries a book in one hand and a cure in another. A white swan accompanying her symbolizes links with Goddess Saraswathi. It is said that Goddess Gayatri resides in human hearts in the form of a swan. Gayatri appears in the heart as a swan upon fruitful meditation. METER and SYLLABLES: Gayatra is also a Sanskrit word for song or hymn and Gayatri is the feminine version and as embodiment of all deities. Hindu spiritual poetry is not written according to whims and fancy. They are regulated by rhyme and meter. Gayatri Mantra has a Vedic meter of twenty syllables. This mantra is the most prominent regulated poetry. It is mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Great sins are said to be expiated by a pious recitation of Gayatri Mantra. Taittiriya Arayanyaka 2.11.1-8 contains stipulation that gayatri mantras are to bein with the chanting of the syllable OM followed by the three Vyahrtis and the Gayatri verse. Thus Om followed by the formula ‘bhur bhuvah svah’ is the Mahavyahti. GAYATRI MANTRA: This mantra is a crystallized jewel, second only to the Pranava Om. It has come down for generations and first recorded in Rig Veda 3.62.10. Probably it may have been chanted for several generation before being recorded in the Vedas. All the three Vedas contain material rearranged from the Rig Veda. Hence the Gayatri mantra is found in all the four Vedas and is therefore Vedasaras, the essence of the Vedas and the Upanishads. The Four Mahavakyas are enshrined in this mantra. It is said that Gayatri Mantra was developed by Brahmarishi Vishvamitra. Despite its popularity, interpretation and widespread chanting, the Puranas do mention that only twenty four rishis have wholly understood the meaning of Gayatri Mantra. They were able to use the power of the mantra. Rishi Yajnavalkya stands last of the list. It is also called the Savitri Mantra as the deva invoked for this mantra is Savitr, the Sun God. So it is also prayer to the Sun. It is a prayer to Him to free from human sins, physical dissipation and to bestow knowledge, health and longevity. The performance of Gayatri Mantra helps in self-purification and protects a person from the malefic effects of sins. Gayatri mantra serves as a protector for all those who utter the mantra sincerity. Gayatri, Savitri and Saraswati are three goddesses representing the presiding deities of the famous Gayatri mantra chanted thrice a day - at dawn, midday and at dusk facing the sun. The maximum benefit of chanting is said to be obtained by chanting it 108 times. However, one may also chant this for 3, 9, or 18 times. This Mantra should be chanted at medium speed and each mantra chant should be immediately followed by the next chant. Gayatri has three phases and so it is called tripada. It is also called tripada because it is Vedmata, Devmata and Vishwamata. It is said that 24 Gods can be pleased by chanting this Mantra instead of chanting their individual mantras. Three step or tripada: 1. Om Bhur Bhuva Svaha 2. Om Thath Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi 3. Om Dhiyo Yo Naha Prachodhayat Om The primeval sound Bhur The physical world, this earth Bhuva The mental world Svaha The spiritual world Thath That (the Paramatma) Savitur The Sun, Creator Varenyam The most adorable, highest Bhargo Luster, Effulgence, tejas Devasya Supreme Lord Dhimahi We meditate upon Dhiyo Intellect, understanding Yo Who Naha Our Prachodhayat Enlightens, guides Purport: - O God! You are Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Almighty. You are all Light and all Knowledge and Bliss.You are Destroyer of fear; you are Creator of this Universe. You are the remover of pain and sorrow and the bestower of happiness. You are the Greatest of all. May we receive your supreme sin-destroying light, May you guide our intellect in the right direction. CHANTING: Guru cannot be least emphasised. Initiation is to be taken from a guru into Gayatri and practiced regularly. Learning from books would one thing and guru parampara is another. Sri Krishna emphasises this in the Gita. Om symbolizes the almighty God, Bhuh means earth, Bhuah represents the entire Universe covering all the semi-gods, demi-gods, their sub-divisions etc including the Sun. Svah represents the third dimension of celestial region called the ‘Swarga-Loka’ and the luminous lokas and parallel Universes which are beyond our present understanding. There are seven vyahritis or rythms in the Gayatri Mantra. The Meditation should be done on Kundlini, meditation on ‘Om Bhuh’ should be done on Muladhara Chakra ,at the base of spine and ending with ‘Om Tapaha’ at ajna chakra , eyebrow centre. God realisation comes with the sadhak channelling Kundalini energy in a systematic and proper way. GITA: Gayatri mantra is the Guru Mantra to illuminate the intellect. It is meant for realization of God and is regarded as representing the Supreme Lord. It is meant for spiritually advanced people. Success in chanting it enables one to enter the transcendental position of the Lord. But, in order to chant the Gayatri mantra, it is necessary for one to first acquire the qualities of the perfectly balanced person in terms of the qualities of goodness according to the laws of material nature. The Gayatri mantra is considered to be the sonic incarnation of Brahman and is regarded as very important in Vedic civilization. In Gita 10.35, Lord Krishna states: ‘Among the hymns, I am the Brihat saama sung to Lord Indra, Of the poetry, I am the Gayatri verse sung daily by the initiated, Of all the nuwsas - months, I am the margasira, Among all the ritus - seasons, I am the flower bearing - spring. Hari Om Yogi Ananda Saraswathi GODDESS RUDRA KALI AMMAN: Goddess Kali is affectionately known as Kali Maa. She appears as the manifestation of Shakti. She enjoys a major role in the Hindu pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. Her various depictions show her eternal cosmic strength and her extensive power of destruction. Her nakedness is Her purity. Her breasts are Her universal motherhood. Her protruding tongue is mockery of human ignorance. Kali also the Goddess of Tantrism. Mythology says that Rudra, Shiva and Kali are the originating couple of the universe but Kali even mocks Shiva by symbolically stepping on His ego. Thus, She herself is the unique source of everything. Maa is also represented as the Benevolent Mother where she is the personification of Eternal Night of Peace. ‘Kal’ also translates as Time and ‘I’ means the Cause; Kali the Cause of Time or She Who is Beyond Time; activities Consciousness to perception, allows Consciousness to perceive. From the canons of orthodox Hinduism Kali, Durga, Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati are all different forms of the Ultimate Feminine Power that are revered on different occasions. Kali represents the crude powers to fight the evil, the core strengths required to battle your enemies. In Hindu thoughts, we are living in the Kali Age; the time of a resurgence of the divine feminine spirit. SRI KALI: Sri Kali containing of time within her she is called Kaali or Kaliga . She appears with 8 hands carrying weapons and an Asura is under her feet. SRI KALA RATHIRI: During death she comes as Payangiri, surrounded by 12 powers residing in the heart chakra of the mankind. She appears with 8 hands and has fire on her head. SHRI CHAMUNDI: During the destruction of Chanda Munda Asuras, Kali cuts the head of Chanda and the body of Munda and hence she is called Chamundi or Chamundeshwari . She appears fierce with 8 hands and an asura under her feet. SARVA MAYA MUNDI: The name denotes that she is omnipotent and everything in the universe including time. She appears with 8 hands and a glowering fire on her head. RUDRA KALI: She appears together with Virabhadra from Rudra-Siva’s hair to slay Daksha. BADHRA KALI: She is the one who bestows prosperity to her devotees. She appears with a fierce temper. She has 10 hands carrying weapons to destroy the evil and protect the Good. She appears seated with one leg hanging and with fire on her head. SHRI MAHAKALI: Saptha Sathi powers Saraswathi , Lakshmi and Durgai together are called Mahakali. She appears with 14 hands carrying weapons. With fire burning on her head she is fierce and appears seated. She is the Kali of Tantra. When there were neither the creation, nor the sum, the moon, the planets, and the earth, when the darkness enveloped in darkness, then the Mother, the Formless One, Maha Kali, the Great Power, was one with the Maha Kala, the Absolute. KUGHIZHA KALI: Of all the kali Avatars, Dakshina Kali and Kughizya Kali are the important ones. Kughizha Kali has very fascinating appearance, indicating that She was worshipped from the beginning of the Universe. Rama and Bharatha worshipped Her. DAKSHINA KALI: She is Bava tharini in Calcutta and Sri Ramakrishna Parama Hamsar worshipped her. Her tales of glory is told in 14 volumes. She appears with one face and four hands. Dakshina Kali Chakra is enough to pray to all the other forms of Kali. SHYAMALA KALI: The tender aspect to worship in Hindu households, She is the dispenser of boons and the dispeller of fear. RAKSHA KALI: The Protectress, in times of epidemic, famine, earthquake, drought and flood. SHAMSHAN KALI: Is the embodiment of the power of destruction. From her mouth flows a stram of blood, from her neck hangs a garland of human heads and around her waist is a girdle made of arms. She haunts cremation grounds in the company of howling jackals and terrifying spirits. She blesses Aghoris. SIDDHA KALI: Kali worshiped by Tantrik sadhaks for perfection. PHALARARINI KALI: Kali to destroy the results of their actiosn. NITYA KALI: The eternal Kali to take away disease, grief and suffering and to give them perfection and illumination. PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES: With 8 forms and countless number of avatars to destroy the evil asuras, Kali is worshipped in numerous forms, figures and ways. Her physical attributes gives her yet another classification . • Kali with 2 hands carrying weapons to kill the evil and protect the good. • Kalli with four hands is dark in colour and appears fierce. She bestows all boons to those who worship her. • Kali with six hands is red in colour and is fierce in her temper. She appears with weapons to destroy the evil asuras and protect the good. • Kali with eight hands has one-face three eyes and is dark in colour. With fire in her hair she is the source of Kundalini Yoga. • Kali appear with 10 hands, 10 faces and 10 legs. Maha Kali appears in blue colour and she is the one created to destroy the Madhu Kaidabar. • Kali appears with sixteen hands and is in different colours. With several weapons she appears fierce. • Kali appears with 18 hands seated on a lion. With a very fierce appearance and using the spirits as her transport she is gross in her nature. With weapons she destroys the evil and protects the good. WHO IS KALI: Devi gives her own description in the Kulachudaman Tantra. This tantra is a ‘nigama’, meaning that instead of Devi asking questions answered by Lord Shiva , he asks questions answered by Devi, the goddess. In this tantra the cult goddess is Mahishamardini, a Devi with some similarities to Durga. In seven short chapters, Devi expounds the essence of her worship, sometimes in beautiful and nearly always in colourful language. But the uncanny side of Kaula and Kali worship is dwelt on in great detail, with references to siddhi, including a mysterious process where the tantrik adept leaves his body at night, apparently so he can engage in sexual intercourse with Shaktis. From the First Patala -The Lord asks: O Lovely Hipped One, now speak to me of their essence if you have love for me. Devi said: “Listen Deva, supremely blissful quintessence, the Lord of Kula, to the very essence of knowledge of the ocean of Kula tantra, concealed by my Maya. I am Great Nature, consciousness, bliss, the quintessence, devotedly praised. Where I am, there are no Brahma, Hara, Shambhu or other devas, nor is there creation, maintenance or dissolution. Where I am, there is no attachment, happiness, sadness, liberation, goodness, faith, atheism, guru or disciple.” DEPICTION: Kali is the Goddess of destruction. Her image is usually shown with one foot on Lord Shiva's chest, a severed head in one hand, her sword in the other, and wearing a garland of skulls. Kali is worshipped as the Mother Goddess who protects from evil. She also epitomises strength or 'Shakti' and the darker side of life. She has several arms according to her manifestations. She holds in one a weapon, in another the head of a giant, dripping blood; the other two are raised to bless the worshipers. Her terrible appearance is made all the more gruesome with her ornaments of necklace of snakes, skulls and heads of her sons and a belt from, which hangs demon's hands. She is also the compassionate Mother. The two mudras in her right ands, 'abhaya' -protection from fear and 'vara' - granting of boons and the raised blood-smeared sword in one of her left hands with the freshly severed head of a demon dangling from the other hand, with three eyes standing for the sun, the moon and agni make her a most complex symbol of love, compassion and error. The actual puja takes place at midnight on the day of the new moon smeared with blood, or the symbolic kumkum, the brow bearing a third eye, like Shiva's. MAHAVIDYAS: A sadhaka or sadhvika can worship the goddess -- the Devi in any of ten forms for the fruition of desires. Her ten major forms are Kali, Tara, Shodasi, Bhuvaneshvari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagala, Matangi and Kamala. These aspects are known as the Dasa Mahavidyas. How was this dynamic circle of ten Kalis was formed? In the glorious Satya Yuha, Siva and Kali are perfect couples. But Siva grows restless and gets tired of living with Kali. He gets up and wanders off! However in whatever direction Siva took, there was always a form of Kali as one of the Mahavidyas who ‘fill the four quarters in the ten directions.’ So wherever He goes, She is there in one of Her energetic forms. RUTHRAKALI IN MYTHOLOGY: In early days Adi Parasakthi manifested as the Mahavidyas to uphold righteousness. Maa’s earliest manifestation Athya, the one who appeared first. Kali Maa story is told in Maha Kala Samhiyhai Maha Niruvana Tanthoram, Yogini Thothram, and Kamadhenu Tantram, Kandhava thantram, Sri Kalikagamam. Her manifestations as "Ruthra Kali" is equally revered. Without His Shakti, Ruthra or Siva was powerless. The story Daksha’s yagna is mentioned in the Shiva Purana and Markandeya Purana. The enmity between Daksha and his son in law, Lord Shiva is well known. Daksha made arrangements for a great horse sacrifice. Not only was Shiva uninvited but Daksha went on to defile Shiva’s statute. Sati was also snubbed. Being unable to tolerate the insult, Sati enters the yajna and immolates herself. Shiva’s Rudraganas rushed inside the yagya ceremony hall and starting attacking the guests but had to retreat due to Bhirgu’s counter-attacks. Hearing the news, Siva was furious of that Daksha would cause the harm of his own daughter in such manner. He burned with anger, grabbed a flock of his matted hair, tore it and sent it crushing to the ground. From it were born the ferocious Viravhadra and Rudrakali. Virabhadra, the destroyer of ajnana, sprang from it, his tall body reached the high heavens, he was dark as clouds, he had a thousand arms, three burning eyes, and fiery hairl he wore a garland of skulls and carried terrible weapons. From Sati’s anger arose Bhadrakali. They caused havoc destroying every conceivable part of the yagna. Daksha was killed. Terrified with this the gods begged Siva to allow the yagna to continue. Daksha’s life was restored by him being given the head of a goat. Later, Daksha became a Shiva bhakta. Thus Rudra Kali in the Shiva Purana seems to be a Rudra-Siva manifestation. The Vayu Purana gives another version. Maheswara orders that the Daksha’s yagna is to be interfered and destroyed. The mighty Virabhadra, bowed down his head to the feet of Siva and starting like a lion loosened bonds, despoiled the sacrifice of Daksha, knowing that had been created by the displeasure of Devi. She too in her wrath, as the fearful goddess Rudrakali, accompanied him, with all her train to witness his deeds. Jai Maa Kali (draft Chap 6. Gods and Goddesses) By Yogi Ananda Saraswati GODDESS DHUMAVATI: Do we need a pathetic, skinny, ugly looking widowed Goddess? And on top of that, she smells like a cemetery and is covered by smoke! First, let us get to the mythology surrounding Dhumavati. Legends have it that once Goddess Sati was tormented by great hunger. So she requested Lord Siva to satisfy her hunger. But Lord Siva refused to indulge her. We have seen in other slots that the Lord is not into house-keeping. He prefers to wander like a mendicant having no time for house-hold niceties! Sati requests repeatedly for food. Since he was not responding, Sati said “Well, then I will have to devour you!” and swallowed Lord Siva himself. He persuaded her to disgorge him and she did that with reluctance. Lord Siva then cursed her, condemning her to assume the form of the widow endowed wuth the advantages or disadvantages that goes with that status. Hearing this, smoke emanated from her appearance and clouded her beauty. Lord Siva told her that from now onwards her enchanting appearance would be known as Dhuma or Dhumavati. They separate and the Goddess becomes a loner. No sweat! She chooses a crow as her vahana and recluse in a cemetery. It is not the end of the world, is it? MAHAVIDYA: Dhumavati is the seventh Mahavidya. The Mahavidyas represent some or other incarnation or manifestation of the Divine Mother. They are regarded as Vidyas or different approaches to Tantric knowledge. The range of these ten goddesses covers the whole of feminine divinity, from horrific goddesses at one end, and a ravishingly beautiful and loving on the other. Dhumavati contains within herself all potentials and shows the latent energies that dwell within us. Among the Vidyas, She represents uncontrolled negative energy of the cosmos, hence shown as a widow. DHUMA: ‘Dhuma’ means ‘smoke’, so Dhumavati means one who is composed of smoke. Thus she is the smoky form of Shakti. She obscures what is evident and known to reveal the hidden and the profound. As the eternal widow, She is Shakti without her Siva. She therefore reveals all that is imperfect, the disappointments, sorrows, humiliation, defeat, loss and loneliness, and all the negative states in our ordinary existence in order that we may transcend it. Life is a struggle and one learns from the negative experiences and treating them as lessons in wisdom. This is what Dhumavati set out to teach by implication. DEPICTION: Dhumavati is the Divine Mother at the time of the deluge when the Earth was under water. Upon exit, She is called Alakshmi, the one who is without lakshmi or radiance. The Dhumavati Tantra says that she is ugly, old, thin, unsteady, and angry. Her ears are hideous and rough, she has elongated teeth, and her breasts are drooping and hang down; something contrasting with the usual pomp and ceremony celestial depictions. Notwithstanding her ugly and fearsome appearance, she makes a boon conferring gesture, Varada mudra or knowledge giving gesture, Cinmudra. In one hand she holds a winnowing basket. She is tall and wears filthy garments. She is said to be fierce, frightening and fond of blood. She is sometimes shown holding a agni-pot with fierce fires. The Prapancasarasara-samgraha describes her. ‘She has a nose shaped like a crow’s beak. She is sometimes said to resemble a crow, which appears as her emblem atop her chariot. It is carrion eater. Indeed, she herself is sometimes said to resemble a crow. It is also her vahana. She has black complexion and wearing ornaments made of snakes. Her dress is made of rags taken from cremation grounds. She holds a spear and a skull-cup, kapala in her two hands. The spear is sometimes replaced by a sword. Another description in the same text says Dhumavati is aged with a wrinkled, angry face and cloud-like complexion. Her nose, eyes, and throat resemble that of a crow's. She holds a broom, a winnowing fan, a torch, and a club. She is cruel and frowning. Her hair appears disheveled and she wears the simple clothes of a beggar taken from a cemetery. Her breasts are dry. Her hair is grey, her teeth crooked and missing, and her clothes old and worn. The dress she wears has been taken from a corpse from cremation grounds. She is said to be the embodiment of the tamas guna, the aspect of creation associated with lust and ignorance. She constantly yearns for food and drink and is never satisfied. Always hungry and thirsty, She likes to create conflict or quarrels and invokes fear. She is always terrifying in appearance. Her thousand-name hymn says that she likes liquor and meat, both of which are tamsic. She has the disposition of a widow. The goddess tends to be in a sad state of mind and is quarrelsome. Her eyes are fearsome, and her hands tremble. Her eyes are glaring red, stern, and without tenderness. Her lips too are red, covered with blood’. SYMBOLISM: The symbolism associated with Dhumavathi explains that she points out the negative aspects of life, asking us to develop a sense of detachment. It also implies learning from the negative aspects of life. MYTHOLOGY: The Siva-Sati-Dhumavati myth is a manifestation resembling an old woman always tormented by great thirst and hunger. She is considered to posses great powers. This myth represents Dhumavathi’s destructive affinity. Siva contains or creates the world but Dhumavathi consumes Siva himself. Thus she embodies unsatisfied desires. She makes herself one by swallowing Shiva, an act of self-assertion, and perhaps independence. She is cursed and rejected by her husband but she moves along despite all this and also her status as widow. BOWL: The bowl of fire she holds burns ignorance and also indicates that all things are eventually destroyed. Agni is twice born. Enlightenment comes more with unlearning rather than learning. Agni, god of fire acts as the divine model for the sacrificial priest. In Rig Veda 5.5.26.3, Agni is the messenger who carries the oblation from humans to the gods, bringing the gods to sacrifice, and interceding between gods and humans. When Agni is pleased, the gods are generous. Agni represents the cultivated, cooked and cultured aspects of Vedic ritual WINNOWING BASKET: The winnowing basket is viveka, the power of discrimination that separates the grain- real from the chaff-unreal. On an outer level, she seems like poverty, destitution, and suffering, the great misfortunes that we all fear in life. But in truth, she asks us to look beyond small ambitions. Asatoma satgamaya. WIDOWHOOD: Dhumavati projects the end and the miserable part of woman’s life. She may portray that she is old and sulking widow who has nowhere to go. But she symbolizes that she is free from its obligations and constraints. She favors the unmarried, the single and the widowed. She instills a desire to be alone and an aversion to worldly things. She encourages a certain kind of aloofness and independence; and sets one on the spiritual path. Dhumavati represents a typical old widow of the orthodox society. Although a widow was considered unfortunate or inauspicious, she was free to undertake spiritual pursuits such as pilgrimages and vratas that were not easily possible in her younger days while she had to shoulder family responsibilities. For some of those women who found their married life oppressive, widowhood might come as a sort of relief. Good riddance, we say! Like the traditional sanyasin, a pious widow is outside the society free from its constraints and obligations. Dhumavati symbolically portrays the disappointments, frustrations, humiliation, defeat, loss, sorrow and loneliness that a woman endures. She is the knowledge that comes through hard experiences, after the youthful desires and fantasies are put behind. Dhumavati thus represents a stage of woman’s life that is beyond worldly desires, beyond the conventional taboos of what is polluting or inauspicious. She desires to be free and at the same time she likes to be useful to the family and to the society. CROW: Se rides on a crow. Sometimes it is shown pulling the chariot. It is her emblem . She is also shown riding on it. It is a scavenger bird feeding on half burnt corpse: it is a symbol of death and inauspiciousness. Dhumavathi’s crow shaped nose is also an invitation to death. On the other hand crows are also symbolic of hearing the ‘unheard’ sounds as they can hear very low sound frequencies, that which the human ears cannot hear. They also show remarkable intelligence. In other faiths, the raven symbolizes death and the other worlds reflecting the realms of both the living and the death. In Hindu belief, crows are considered ancestors as seen during sraddha practice of offering food or panda. CEMETARY: Dhumavati is associated with the moonless night. She is a widow. She is unmovable and unmoved. She is depicted astride a horseless chariot in a cremation ground filled with smoke. She ends ephemeral expectations because the adherent cannot see and nor imagine them, base desires and false ambitions for the same reason, and egoism. She grounds Her worshippers in the transformation of death. She is regarded as preparing adherents for Kali but is complete in Herself. SMOKE: Smoke billowing out of a quenched fire is her nature. Dhumavati’s youth and freshness are burnt out; and what remains is the smoke of her spent life. And like smoke she is restless and wandering. Her nature is not brightness. The smoke usually is dark, polluting and concealing. ‘Tatha tena idam avrtam’ is a phrase from Gita 3.38. It means ‘so this is covered by that.’ …. Lord Krishna uses the allegory -Smoke coming from the fire can cover it; a mirror covered by a coat of dust and fetus covered by the womb. In the same way, Kama and the gunas cover viveka – the knowledge of what is to be done and not to be done. SADHANA and TANTRA: Sadhana of Dhumanavati as unorganized divine energy leads to total awareness. Worship of Dhumavati is done in a completely naked state, in a crematorium or a lonely spot on the darkest nights in the descending moon cycle. When we stop focusing on the outer forms and notice the background space instead, we begin to see her.In her temples near Varanasi, Dhumavati despite her aloofness is regarded as a guardian deity who looks after the village folk and blesses with worldly happiness. To Tantrics, She is no longer the inauspicious and dangerous goddess approached only by the Tantrics. Her Dasa Mahavidya mantra contains only one bija syllable: the power to obscure, hide but also, protect and prepare. Dhumavati is also interpreted by some Tantra scholars as "the aspect of reality that is old, ugly, and unappealing. She is generally associated with all that is inauspicious: she dwells in areas of the earth that are perceived to be desolate, such as deserts, in abandoned houses, in quarrels, in mourning children, in hunger and thirst, and particularly in widows. Goddess Dhumavati is a good teacher. By obscuring or covering all that is known, Dhumavati reveals the depth of the unknown. Dhumavati obscures what is evident in order to reveal the hidden and the profound. Hari Om Yogi Ananda Saraswati GODDESS TARA: Tara is the second of the Mahavidyas coming next to Goddess Kali. As Vidya, She is the Wisdom Goddess. Hindu Tara is associated with cremation. She is also known as Kalika, Ugra-kali, Mahakali and Bhadra-kali. ‘Tara’ means star that is perpetually beautiful. Tara closely resembles Kali in appearance and certain attributes displaying saumya – gentle and urga –fierce aspects. Indeed Goddess Kali and Tara were in prominence in the Tantric tradition both in Hinduism and Tibetian Buddhism even before Mahavidya emerged as a cult. Tara is as potent as Goddess Kali. She is also figured in Jainism. Thus in Hinduism, Jainism and Tibetian Buddhism, Tara, the Blue Goddess, is the Saviouress who helps us overcome our difficult situations and also helps us transcend them. Tara’s name comes from the root which means to carry. As ‘Samsara-tarini’ she aids to cross the tides of stormy sea of troubles and turmoils of life. She is the Tarini, the deliverer or savior, guiding bhaktas towards salvation. In summary Mother Tara is the deity of accomplishments. She takes many other names too. As Smasana bhairavi, she is the terrible one of the cremation ground; Jalesvari, Mistress of the rain; Jagaddhatri, world nurse; Prthivi, earth; Vasudha, earth; Vrksmadhyani, she who dwells in trees; Sarvavamayi, she who creates everything; Samsaratarini, She who carries across the ocean of samsara. It can be said that Goddess Tara does not figure prominently in the Hindu tradition. She seems to have a central and ancient place in Tibetian Buddhism. Her appearance in the list of Mahavidyas can probably be explained by the religious communication between Tibet and Bengal. The latter is where Mahavidya texts originated such as Mahabhagavata-purana and Brhaddharma-purana were written. In Bengal, Tara was an epithet of Kali. Tara was thus understood to be much a Hindu and Buddhist God. SARASWATHI-TARA: Tara is the ‘sabda-shakti’ or power of Sound. She is sometimes equated to Goddess Saraswathi, the Goddess of Learning and associated with speaking prowess, perception and knowledge. Tara is thus referred to as Neela Saraswathi seated on a lotus. ‘Neela’ means blue. She also controls breath, manifesting in primodial sound of life. As Tarini, she is the carrier of knowledge conveyed through sound of speech. Tara is the un-manifest speech that resides in breath and consciousness. She is the feminine form of ‘Aum’. She is also in the Third Eye or Ajna chakra. Her location in the human body is the Manipura chakra or navel centre. BUDDHISM: In contrast to the Buddhist Tara who is described as a benevolent, compassionate, gentle and spirited young woman, eager to help and to protect, Tara as Mahavidya is a rather fearsome goddess striking terror. She is also moody and harmful. But at times, Tara-Mahavidya can also be benevolent and compassionate. According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Tara emanated from the tear of Avalokiteshvara. Once Avalokiteshvara liberated all beings from the lower realms and an instant later saw that the lower realms were again filled with suffering beings. Saddened, a tear fell from his eye and from it sprang Green Tara. Both Avalok-iteshvara and Tara embody the principle of compassion, one of the three main aspects of enlightened mind: compassion, wisdom and power. Kwan Yin is generally explained as a Chinese feminine equivalent of Avalokiteshvara, who manifested to help all those suffering on earth. Thus Tara is understood to be essence of Compassion. She is seen in Tibetian Buddhism as a compassionate savior who rescues devotees from peril. Both Amitabha and Avalokistesvara are renowned for their great compassion and Tara fits into this family. Like Durga, Tara is often said to rescue her bhaktas from desperate predicaments. Folk stories and legends show her typically appearing at the requests of her devotees to rescue them from jaws of sufferings. Tara is approached as one who protects, preserves and saves life. But Tibetian legends affirm that Tara is Tibetian connected to Tibetian royal line; a historical or legendary queen and mother. BRIHAD NILA TANTRA: As the second of the Mahavidyas, Tara, while known to the West through her Tibetian manifestations, occupies an important position in the Hindu Tantrik pantheon. In Brihad Nila Tantra of the Kaula tradition she is Nila Sarasvati - the Sapphire Blue Sarasvati. She is the Brahma-Shakti, or spouse of the Supreme Deity in his Creative aspect. While attempts are made to separate the Hindu from the Tibetan Tara, one cannot doubt that she is the same Shakti. In Hindu Tantrarajatantra, where Her mantra is given as ‘Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha’ is identical to the Tibetan version. Here Tara takes her form as Kurukulla and the reference is to the same Devi. Mention has to be made of Matrika Shakti. The Brihad Nila Tantra and Devirahasya mentions other forms such as Nilasarasvati, Aniruddha Sarasvati, Ugra Tara, Tarini. Nila Sarasvati and the Tibetian White Saraswathi give the same fruits of worshipping Her. It also points to the Goddess being Shakti of the Letters of the Alphabet, the Matrika Shakti. As Matrika Shakti She deludes the entire human race with Her Maya of letters, and words. This has been expressed in a Tantrik form. Her mantra is described as a Siddha-Vidya. She has an important role in Tantrik cosmology because mantra, words, music are considered to be the very source of the cosmos. KALI – TARA: Between Kali and Tara there are some similarities as also some differences. As said earlier, Tara’s physical appearance resembles that of Kali. Like Kali, she has three bright red eyes; has four hands holding sword or head chopper, a scissors, a severed head and a lotus; wears the garland of skulls; is richly is bejeweled and has snakes for ornaments; dances on a corpse. Both Kali and Tara are strongly associated with death and dissolution; both stand upon inert male figure. And, both are associated with Shiva. Brahaddharma purana mentions Tara as representing time, just as does Kali. Whereas Kali is the power of time -kala that inexorably causes all created things to perish, Tara is associated with fire, and particularly the fires of the cremation ground. There are also differences in the depiction of the two goddesses. Tara's complexion is blue whereas Kali's can be black or deep blue. Tara holds a bowl made from a scull in one hand, a pair of scissors in another, a blue lotus in the third hand and an axe in the fourth. The scissors and sword in the hands of Tara are tools to remove the ego, the sense of mistaken identity that defines, limits, and binds. They are not weapons of death and destruction. Tara is draped in tiger skin around her waist; and is not naked unlike Kali who symbolizes absolute freedom. Unlike Kali, whose hair flows loose and wild, Tara’s hair of tawny color is carefully bunched into a topknot or jata. Whereas Kali’s hair represents absolute freedom from constraint, Tara’s is a symbol of yogic asceticism and restraint. Kali represents the highest form of wisdom or liberating knowledge; and Tara is related to the discipline of yogic practices. MYTHOLOGY: The mythological origin of Tara is in Amrit Manthan. Both Devas and Asuras participated in the churning exercise and both wanted it. However, Amrit is not the only thing that came out of the water. Many invaluable gems and stones and medicines were also yielded by the ocean. Likewise the ocean also yielded poison. The poison was so strong that if it fell on the ground then all Life would be wiped out. Fearing such devastation the Asuras and Devas approached Lord Shiva for help. He promised that He would drink the poison and save the world from destruction. As the Lord drank the poison He was filled with pain and his throat blue and earning him the epithet Nilakantha. His entire body was burning from inside. When the pain became unbearable, Tara appeared and took Shiva on her lap. She suckled him. The milk from her breasts counteracted the poison. The Lord recovered. This story forms a prominent depiction of Hindu Tara. The other story where the Lord is in an infant status is when Ma Kali was on a rampage. Siva becomes an infant and Kali's maternal instinct comes to the fore. She silences herself to nurses the infant Shiva. TARAPITH: Pursuant to Dakshan’s yagna and Sati entering agni, Lord Vishnu had to step in to stop Siva from destroying the world. He uses the Sudarshan Chakra to cut Sati’s body into 52 pieces. With the body gone, Lord Siva regained His composure and the world was saved. Some part are said to have fallen in the ocean and some on land. These had become holy places. Tara is one of Shakti’s incarnations; it is believed that She is the third eye of Mother Shakti. Tarapith is where Tara is worshipped. However, it is sometimes debated if Tarapith is indeed a Shaktipith. Notwithstanding, Tarapith is a highly important Tantric site for Bengali Shaktas. Blood sacrifice is a daily occurance here. It is covered abundantly by Garlands of flowers. Tara image here is unique. Made of silver metal, Tara is depicted with Her lower half of the face covered in blood. She has four arms wearing a garland of skulls and a protruding tongue. Her image is wrapped in a red sari decked in marigold garlands with a silver umbrella above her head. Her feet are in front of Her image in a severed fashion as if they had been cut off. There is exposure if a leg bone. Apparently the murti is in fact a composite one which covers the actual ‘self-formed’ Deity; one said to be worshipped for 5,000 years by the Pujaris at the temple. In former times known as Chandipur. It is vague in its depiction of a mother suckling a child implying Tara breast feeding the infant Siva. Not many get to see this deity as getting access to the sanctum sanctorum is no easy feat. Tarapith is also famous for Bama Khepa, said to be the ‘mad saint’ who worshipped in the temple and resided in the cremation grounds practicing and perfecting yoga and tantric art under the guidance of another famous master called Kailashpathi Baba. Bama-khepa means the left handed path of Tantric worship. It is said that Tara gave her vision and breast fed Bama Khepa. SMASHAN TARA: Cremation grounds are seen to be polluting, most; thus Indian smashans are located far from the center of town. However both the Tarapith mandir and smashan are within the vicinity of the town centre. It is common belief that Goddess Tara’s footprints are preserved in the smashan. The smashan contains within it permanent huts and residences amidst banyan trees for sadhus and tantrikas. Dogs are a common sight. Trishuls decorated with marigold garland and skulls are placed in the entrance. At the midnight hour, the aghori sits alone in the smashan. To his this is undeniably a sacred site. He is naked or digambra, fearless and unashamed. He performs his rituals and chants his mantra. He gazes in wonder at the resplendent form of his beloved goddess, Shaman Tara – Tara of the Cremation Grounds. Maa, in her deep blue colour, three eyes and four arms is said to arise amidst the blazing heat of the funeral pyre standing upon fire consumed skeleton of a male corpse like a warrior. Her right foot presses upon the breast which is the place of desire and Maa’s left foot pressing upon the skeleton’s legs, the place of worldly ambitions. The roaring funeral pyre is the fire at the end of time – kalagni, the ultimate conflagration of the universe. Her body is formed of pure light; she is unrestrained, wild, terrifying and fearless. Her beautiful midnight blue complexion represents her immutable and indestructible nature. She is the colour of space. She is vast and measureless like the night sky beyond the concepts or qualitie – nirguna. Her breasts are large pot shaped – ghatastani, symbolizing spiritual nourishment to her bhaktas. Lambodari – her stomach is full and rounded, symbolizing her hunger for the corpses of selflessness. She is as naked and sky-clad – digambra symbolizing her freedom from the veils of emotional defilements. The girdle of eight blood dripping forearms symbolize her severance of all action and karmas and eight worldly dharmas of loss and gain, praise and blame, pleasure and pain, ignominy and fame. Her long hair is disheveled and hangs freely to symbolize her untied appearances and revel her unconditional freedom. If you seek, Maa Tara is is there. Om Namah Ugra Tara Devayee Namah. Yogi Ananda Saraswati Jagannath... Balarama Subhadra Krishna http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagannath http://www.jayjagannath.in/Articles/History_of_Lord_Jagannath.html Subhadrā (Sanskrit: सुभद्रा) is an important character in the Mahābhārata. She is the half-sister of Krishna, wife of Arjuna, and mother of Abhimanyu. She is considered the incarnation of Bhuvaneshvari or Shakti. Subhadra is the only daughter of Vasudeva, born to him by his wife Rohini. She is born after Krishna rescues their father, Vasudeva, from prison and is thus much younger than both her brothers. Subhadra therefore grows up in comfort as the princess, and escapes the travails that haunted her family before her birth. Arjuna, the Pandava, once spends twelve years in exile for breaking a vow. He spends the last portion of this exile in Dwaraka, at the residence of his cousins Krishna, Balaram and Subhadra. They are his cousins because their father, Vasudeva, is the brother of Arjuna's mother Kunti. During his sojourn at Dwaraka, a romance ensues between Arjuna and Subhadra. This matter is abetted by Krishna, who has always been particularly attached to Arjuna, and wishesnothing but the best for his sister Subhadra. As the period of Arjuna's exile draws to a close, and his departure homeward becomes imminent, he proposes marriage to his cousin, and she acquiesces. Knowing that the entire family would view with disfavor the prospect of Subhadra becoming the fourth wife of her much-married cousin Arjuna, Krishna facilitates the elopement of the couple and their departure for Indraprastha. He gives the couple a crucial piece of advice related to their elopement: it is Subhadra, and not Arjuna, who drives the chariot away from Dwaraka and towards Indraprastha. Krishna later uses this fact to persuade his family that Subhadra has not been abducted; on the contrary, it is she who has kidnapped Arjuna. Subhadra and Arjuna soon have a son, the valiant Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu profits from receiving Krishna's tutelage and gains a suitable education that will prepare him for the struggles and responsibilities that he is expected to bear in later life. At the end of the period of exile, Arjuna sends for his wife and son. Abhimanyu is wed to Uttara, daughter of king Virata. To Subhadra's great grief, the young Abhimanyu is killed during the Kurukshetra war which ensues soon afterwards. Uttara is pregnant at that time and is later delivered of a son, who is named Parikshit. Parikshit is destined to become the sole surviving heir of the entire Kuru dynasty, Pandavas and Kauravas combined. When he comes of age, the Pandavas (his grandfather Arjuna and four grand-uncles) appoint him king of their realm and retire to the Himalayas. Subhadra remains behind to guide and mentor her grandson |
Trishula Sandra Das
Practitioner of Jyotish, Yoga Tantra, Ayurveda, Shakti Sadhana for 40 years. ~ VedicAstrologer ~ ~ Researcher East & Western Wisdom, Past Life Regression, Mysticism ~ ~ Mind Body Soul~ Believer in Love, Humanity, Peace, freedom & Soul Mates ~ Baul Scholar ~ ~ Qigong Master ~ ~ MOTHER ~ ~Photographer~ Archive
May 2022
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