10.17.2006

A moment with Lord Shiva within






















A moment of stillness
All time stops,
the world freezes
I take a single breath
A fresh breath of life
As I look around me
People lost in their worlds
Of suffering, expectation and misery
Walk aimlessly through their lives

It’s a pause in time
A moment of awakening
When all else just sleeps
An enveloping calm
A cocoon of peace
As I walk through this forest of people
Careful not to disturb

To each his own
Clinging to anything
Familiar worlds
An escape from all fears
Of darkness, of loneliness, of lull
A fear so thick
Like a blanket it clouds
Their sense of reason to live free

An aimless life
Of meticulous effort
An endless desire to please
All those around
To suffer the pain of bondage
Seeking all around
A sense of approval
A sense of acceptance
Of their pathetic selves.

Oh wake up fair people
The world is a great place to be
If love be thy first mantra to see
To show all around
Nothing changes but the self
The world at large fails to see
The truth in these words
The silent path to peace

This moment of pause
My silent world beyond
all the madness around me
A world free from all
A world where the Gods reside
The heavens thrown open
The celestial dancers perform
A hall of glory and knowledge
A hall within me

A hall so bright with knowledge
A land so pure with the truth
A complete life of immortality
A complete world of potency
Where every moment is
A shining pearl of experience.

Life in my body,
fresh air in my breath
A shine to my skin
A twinkle in my eye
An ever-lasting smile
Sweetness grows in my heart
As nectar of love flows forth
Cleansing away all my misery

A body so pure, a mind so clean
A heart so free, for every one to see
Words in poetic motion flow
Give rhythm to my feet
The lord dances in
A world of pure energy
Such is the beauty within
Is it so tough to see?

A single moment of pause
A whole new world revealed
A moment of experience
To know and to believe.
While the darkness sets in
The light shines within me
Where all roads end
I am the path to Myself
Where all misery halts
I am the freedom within

The lord shines within me
The Lord speaks to me
The Lord dances in my heart
The Lord lives for all to see
That silent potency I finally touched
So unknowingly so carelessly
I feel so light and warm
I feel I have set myself free.


Photograph: Ekamukhalinga, Nepal.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kavitha,

Yes, the 'Absolute Truth' or the Formless Creator within each is difficult for an average human in Kaliyuga to realize - mainly because of the 'time related design', of course, with exceptions at any given time...

With the background knowledge of the realization of the ‘wise’ ancients - of humans as models of the universe - in Dwaperyuga, the “Yogiraja & Sudershanchakradhari Krishna” can be visualized as representing the centre of our galaxy, as the best out of the infinite other galaxies, with the mythological story indicating him as the “close friend” and “charioteer” of the (sun-like) Arjuna, as well as the provider of link with the infinite void of the universe (the four handed Vishnu as the ‘Virat’ or Supreme form of Krishna shown to Arjuna by him with the help of “divya chakshu” – perhaps “mind’s eye”), besides many other hints…

Similarly, in the Tretayuga, one could relate “Suryavanshi” or sun-like prince Rama’s brother Bharata with the centre of the galaxy in that era or yuga, with the hint that during the exile of Rama he ruled over Ayodhya (situated close to the holy region of Kashi) indirectly - with Rama’s slippers (indicating life giving sunrays) placed on the throne!

In the Satayuga, our Sun came to be represented by Brahma the creator of forms; the centre of galaxy by (physical) Vishnu the sustainer of forms; and earth the “Mrityuloka” by Shiva the destroyer…as the three physical aspects of the three-in-one Formless Creator…

The above read with the generality of the so-called sages in the present advising one not to go into the logic, for according to them God believably is beyond it, perhaps indicates the 'mental barrier or locks' envisaged in the design by the 'natkhat Nandalal' or the mischievous Krishna, the son of Nanda the husband of Ma Yashoda, as a representative of the Formless creator!

Anonymous said...

The mythological stories’ highlighted emphasis on the holiness of relationship between ‘Mother& Child’ at all times is reflected through Yashoda-Krishna (although Krishna’s ‘natural mother’, reportedly was Davaki), Kaushalya/ (Lakshmana’s ‘natural mother’) Sumitra-Rama, Parvati-Ganesha…in the different yugas…And, in the West, it was indicated through Mary-Jesus, just like the relationship between Parvati and Ganesha, who is mischievously referred in some stories as the son of Parvati - created by her and given extra power to allow her privacy at times when she didn’t want even Shiva, her powerful husband, to disturb her - and not Shiva-Parvati, whereas Kartikeya is referred as their son!
Perhaps the above also, cryptically, indicates the relationship between each form and the apparently dormant - in reality super conscious - component of the Formless Creator within each…

Anonymous said...

Kavitha,

This is to wish all the best to you and all others on this Diwali.

May Ma Saraswati enlighten all human minds - like the earthen lamps that most of us light up on ‘Deepavali’ (meaning ‘a row of earthen lamps’), to drive away the external darkness only, copying the ‘wise’ ancients from time immemorial, maybe only ritually/ mechanically year after year...

Dr.Anil Joshi said...

Kavita,The difficulty is we all realize this at some point of time.... But this sense of realization is very short lived..."Smashan Vairagya" is the worg for it!

Living Away said...

Happy Diwali for you!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kavitha, Leandra, Anilji...

A high jumper/ pole-vaulter, like the natural geysers/ man-made ‘Diwali anar’, or the pomegranate-like Diwali fire-work, touch the highest point that they achieve at any given time for a fraction of a second only, which the Historians record as a target for others - that follow after them - to excel it. And, also no mountaineer continues to reside, at the highest peak, say, Mount Everest – he must thereafter return to the base and carry the consciousness of having achieved the goal all through the life…Mythological stories also, similarly, indicate the possible attainable potential within…

Apparently detached while maintaining attachment with the variety of life forms on it, Shiva - in the form of our immortal Earth with crematoria’s ash believably applied on His body - gets reflected in the feeling of ’Shmashan Vairagya’ in the mortals, i.e., the sense of detachment for a short time, as the “Truth”…

Anonymous said...

Hi Kavitha, Leandra, Anilji...

A high jumper/ pole-vaulter, like the natural geysers/ man-made ‘Diwali anar’, or the pomegranate-like Diwali fire-work, touch the highest point that they achieve at any given time for a fraction of a second only, which the Historians record as a target for others - that follow after them - to excel it. And, also no mountaineer continues to reside, at the highest peak, say, Mount Everest – he must thereafter return to the base and carry the consciousness of having achieved the goal all through the life…Mythological stories also, similarly, indicate the possible attainable potential within…

Apparently detached while maintaining attachment with the variety of life forms on it, Shiva - in the form of our immortal Earth with crematoria’s ash believably applied on His body - gets reflected in the feeling of ’Shmashan Vairagya’ in the mortals, i.e., the sense of detachment for a short time, as the “Truth”…

Kalpana said...

Happy Deepavali!!! Lord Shiva's picture looks great. Which temple is it?

Kavitha Kalyan said...

Happy Deepavali to you too. This picture is of an ekamukhalinga in some temple in Nepal. By the looks of it, it is either outside somewhere or the temple does not have a roof.

I cant figure out anything more beyond that! Ekamukhalingas are found across India as well, not just in Nepal.

Regds
Kavitha

Anonymous said...

Hi Kavita, Kalpana,

Maybe it is only of academic interest to know the particulars…

Generally speaking, ‘Lingas’, and ‘Ekmukhalinga’ particularly, as models, irrespective of time and place, depict the believable one and only unborn and unending Formless Creator of the apparent grand variety of physical forms in the entire unlimited universe - as a result of His Maya or dream-like illusion – with His original abode at Kashi, which was shifted to Mount Kailash after apparent emergence of the Himalayas from under the seabed and Shiva’s remarriage with Parvati the daughter of Himalaya!
. For the background logic of the Maya, we know that Rudraksha (also meaning Shiva’s eye) is commonly used to mean the seeds of the rudraksha tree, which have been traditionally considered sacred and are said to have diverse mystical powers, including being an amulet against evil… It is a large evergreen broad-leaved tree which grows in the area from the Gangetic Plain to the foothills of Himalayas. These are also found in middle areas of Nepal…Perhaps the Yogis praying while residing in the present day Nepal in the Himalayas were inspired by the naturally available Rudraksha seeds that have one groove (ek mukhi), or two grooves (dvi mukhi), or five grooves (pancha mukhi), which they perhaps came to realize depicted the hierarchy associated with different planets through the number of the grooves or ‘mukhas’, or ‘mouths’…

Anonymous said...

As a loud thought, Kavitha, I realized that the so-called knowledge (not Supreme Knowledge) I gained on retrospection was at the cost of the deteriorating health of my wife! In essence I found her like a tough question paper (set up by God) for the present day doctors in different fields. For, we started with Allopathic treatment that led to administration of steroids, and realization later of its terrible side effects, which then forced us also to side-by-side try various other systems of medicines/ oils/ tantra, and so on, one after another – perhaps to no apparent beneficial effect…

And, the interesting thing I recalled later was that as per the prediction indicated in my horoscope, cast after my birth, indicated that 'the individual concerned would be interested in the field of medicine or army'! And, to my surprise - at some stage in my childhood - a sadhu or sage who had come to our residence and demanded a bowl of rice (request turned down by my mother), instead of wheat flour that I offered, told me he was not an ordinary sadhu and that I would either join the army or become a doctor, a prediction that didn’t apparently come true! Except, for the fact that while seeking the “Truth” I have been attempting application of gemstones as a preventive measure/ for improved efficiency of self as well as of certain individuals who have come in contact with me…and has given me pleasure to a certain extent, and not eternal bliss though, maybe because of Kalchakra or ‘Time’!

Anonymous said...

The names, viz., Kamakshi, or Kamakhya (perhaps as a misnomer of the one who fulfils Akshayakam, i.e., limitless desire), or Rudraksha (Shiva's Third Eye), or Nainadevi, and so on, used by the ancients highlighted the need for a Yogi, with a view to attaining “moksha” or “liberation”, attempt making the locked up energy at “Mooldhar Chakra” - symbolically represented by Kamakhya Temple at Guwahati in the Lower Himalayas as the location where Sati’s genitals had believably fallen - to reach the ‘Ajna Chakra’ – symbolically represented by the Nainadevi Temple in the Himachal Pradesh, in the Upper Himalayas…

Anonymous said...

Kavitha, I don’t know if you have seen Nepali Hindus during Dussehra, and particularly on ‘Bhai Dooj’, i.e., about two days after Deepavali (that happened to occur on the 24th Oct this year), the day all sisters in North India generally, traditionally, apply with the thumb an almost candle-flame-like red coloured ‘tilak’ on the forehead of their brothers…They have a red coloured broad band or ‘tilak’, (representing rudraksha or angry eye of Shiva), with white rice stuck all over it, perhaps symbolic of coolness/ immortality providing moon, the believable source of Ganga that Shiva believably wore on his Head to overcome the heat of ‘halahal’, or the deadly poison, that He had consumed for granting long life to both, the selfish (rakshashas) as well as selfless (devtas) human beings on earth who were then - and still today are - engaged in the ‘churning of the milky ocean’, which the earth believably is, with the ultimate purpose of devtas achieving ‘Amrit’ the nectar for immortality! Shiva is therefore also depicted as “Neelkantha” or blue throated with a serpent around His neck! And, Krishna is also associated with removal of Yamuna river pollution as indicated in His dance on the head of the Hydra to eventually kill it, and He too wears a blue peacock feather in his head gear and is also called “Neelamber” or the one who wears blue colured clothes while earth (Shiva), on the other hand, has blue sky as His clothing and His son Kartikeya has a peacock as his vehicle!

(Mischievous) God alone would perhaps therefore know who is copying whom!!

Looking for the background of Bhai Dooj, one would notice that the mythological stories indicate Yamuna, as the believable sister of Yamaraj the Agent of Death! She too believably had applied ‘tilak’ on the forehead of her brother on the particular day for granting long life and prosperity to the humans! On the globe, the aforesaid can be seen related with Yamuna, the relatively more polluted river, which in Dwaperyuga is associated with mischievous Chandravanshi King, Krishna the all rounder related with the mysterious moon, who was born in Mathura located on its banks while His friend Arjuna is related with Ganga (as indicated by his providing its water to Bhisma on his death bed with just an arrow struck on the ground to produce it in the form of a spring!)...

The river Yamuna loses its short-lived independent existence (appearing like a short tilak, on earth or Shiva’s forehead) as it subsequently flows as one with the life giving river Ganga - the inseparable part of ‘Gangadhara Shiva’ - after their confluence (and hence the believable importance of bath in Ganga in its upper reaches/ near Sangam for “Hindus”, maybe ritually only today)…

Ganga is also associated with apparently more disciplined Suryavanshi king Rama of Tretayuga, who believably was born at Ayodhya near the confluence or Sangam of the three rivers near Allahabad - Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati (Goddess of knowledge) that believably disappeared at some stage and hence the believable apparent ignorance/ sufferings in humans today, which the Christians relate with the eating of the forbidden fruit by Adam (perhaps indicating, as its model, the general reduction in the ‘sphere of human knowledge’ with the passage of time)!