I am like a temple, my being stays stuck in this mundane world of existence, my soul remains buried in this world of Karma, so deep that I can barely feel it. The gloomy world of darkness and ignorance surrounds me as the dim lights of enlightenment wash my being in the darkness. The waters of life flow by me, promising me a moment with divinity and I wait here for my chance. The world moves on, the reflection of it fall in the waters of time as it flows past in this darkness only to dissolve in its depths. I stay here, stuck to my world, along its banks wondering what life means at all.
As daylight strikes, the Lord awakens washing me in his divine light. He sets me sailing in this river of life, with winds of experiences guiding my way. As I toss around these waters, I slowly begin to plunge into the realm of divinity, a different life, a different experience, a different world from all that is around me. My soul wakes up to his presence, as he pulls me deeper into myself, into Himself. I slowly begin to sink into another world so far away from everything. The redness of my soul flies high, as it flutters in the winds of life. This is what the world sees, what’s deeper within, dives into another realm.
Rich with experience I slowly fade into oblivion, oblivion that I know, oblivion that no one observes. The waters rise and cover my being; time takes over and covers my soul. I feel overwhelmed with this change, I know am growing yet no one sees, that I have changed though I still remain where I have always been. Pure waters of divinity take over me, submerging me and washing me off my many sins, purifying my soul, the flag of which stays silent and low. The world outside witnesses a stony self, descending into nothingness, descend into the world beneath.
As the world sinks into its misery, the sun sets behind the clouds, and twilight sets in, the blue hue of the night sky falls over me, the glow of the moon brightens my life for the world to see, this miracle. Life has a new meaning; it has new aim, aim that no one knows, an aim that I can see. It’s an aim that means nothing except that I value it, an aim that I have for myself, that is not predefined by life as we see it. It is an aim that dissolves my worldly fears in front of me, an aim that creates a dialog between the Lord and me, an aim that will finally set me free. The world appears different, with this new perspective that changes everything even while I still stay there on the side, rooted to this world but slowly drifting away.
Time overwhelms, life overflows, and the world is submerged in a whirlpool of thought and maya. I fade slowly, my life, me, away from all this misery. My reality is so different, so free, so wild and so pure. The waters of divinity envelop my being, taking my soul, taking me. I shall depart, yet my soul remains deep, worshiping and experiencing pure love, pure divinity. The Ganges comes forth, sways over me, her beautiful veil she wraps around me, submerging me slowly in her beauty. My life goes by, my glow within brightens, the redness of which is all that is left for the world to see. In this flood of life, in this flood of experience, my soul departs and sets me free.
Click on the photos above to enlarge.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- The Scindhia Ghat, slants the way it does as the foundation sank, a situation very similar to the leaning tower of Piza.
The story goes: Quoting Laurent, Designldg on flickr.com
"There is a legend saying that the man who had this temple constructed, followed the orders of his mother. After its construction he went back to her and told her then that this way he paid everything she did for him. His mother became furious and said that nothing could ever pay a mother's love and she decided to curse the temple which started to bend."
Related links:
Manikarnika Ghat: Where life meets the world beyond
Enlightenment on the streets of Varanasi
Potency of Lord Shiva
Varanasi – Along the Ganges
Dip in the sacred river.
Photo courtesy: Flickr.com - Special thanks to Laurent.
Other credits: mAshr00m, nathanlambert and others
Varanasi, the land of lights, and host of one of Shiva’s Jyothir lingas has been celebrated through centuries as a place of high spiritualism. These crowded lanes leading to the temple give a feeling of purpose, of just one goal – a visit to the Lord hoping a million unfulfilled desires be granted or just an aspiration of attaining salvation from the high stress, low good will lives we lead.
In this desperate hurry, to squeeze out every bit of spiritualism this city offers for the time and money spent, most of us miss out on the inherent depth of knowledge that was once a dialog between two profound souls right here.
Amidst the lush green paths that lead to the slivery cool waters of the Ganges, dotted with saffron clad men taking a holy dip in her waters, the sounds in the air were at one point in history, a mixture of nature and profound dialogs on philosophy between men of high intelligence! In this back drop of a river sweeping away the very ashes of life that burn away in the fiery flames of death, an ancient saint was stopped by a sweeper of low caste.
What came forth is a dialog of profound wisdom, which would render us truly enlightened souls if we ever lived by it; this is called the Manishapanchakam. 5 verses of beauty and rhythm, 5 pearls of profound wisdom have brought a different meaning into the lives of mere mortals. This was a dialog sparked between Adi Shankaracharya and a low caste sweeper, when the sweeper refused to move despite Adi Shankara asking him to clear the way as he headed to Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The sweeper just asked one question: Oh Great Saint, what do you mean when you say move, do you want one physical body to move away from another physical body or do you want consciousness to move away from consciousness?
Is there a difference between the reflection of the Sun in the holy Ganges or in the water flowing by the house of an outcaste? What is this illusion of difference between two forms that have the same atman within, that of a Brahman and that of an outcaste? Atman is pure consciousness, a part of a ripple free ocean of bliss.Shankaracharya, surprised with this question, realized this was no ordinary man and replied:
If the wisdom of consciousness is realized, a person ceases to be an object of perception, and becomes a pure stream of consciousness which shines is deep sleep, dreams and when awake. He who has this consciousness, dwells in all be it Brahma or even an ant, he is my Guru, irrespective of whether he is an outcaste or a Brahman. This is my conviction.
I am Brahman, pure consciousness. This illusion around me is a making of my own ignorance and perception of my mind, a result of my own gunas; satwik, rajasik and tamasik. Brahman, which is bliss, is my Guru, whether he is an outcaste or Brahman.
Having come to the conclusion that the universe is perishable, he who with a calm and pure state of mind constantly meditates on Brahman, he who has burnt his past and future sins into the flames of knowledge, he submits his present body to his praarabdha karma. This is my conviction.
The self is pure consciousness and is experienced clearly within as “I”. It is by the reflection of this consciousness that the mind, body and senses appear to be sentient, though they are insentient. The real self is concealed by the mind, and senses like the sun is covered by clouds. The yogi who always meditates on the self is my Guru, this is my conviction.
The self or atman is an eternal ocean of bliss, a minute fraction of which is enough to satisfy Indra. One who meditates on the self with a perfectly calm mind, experiences Brahman. Such a person is not a mere knower of Brahman, but is Brahman itself. Such a person will be worshipped by Indra, he attains Jivamukta. This is my conviction.
A profound spell of words rained down these very noisy alleys that lead to Kasi Vishwanath temple, long ago in ancient India. The Lord himself graced these streets to test enlightened souls. Such was the pulse of Varanasi.
View location map of this temple!
Kasi-kshetrancha Kalabairava darsanam|
Prayaga madhavam Trushtva Yega Bilvam Sivarpanam||
Maha-Smsana Nilayam Prasanna Spadiga-prabavam|
Vedhacvam Jyothir Roopamcha Yega Bilvam Sivarpanam||
... Varanasyantu Vishwesam ...
The ancient city of Varanasi understands life in a different way from the rest of the world. The Ganges ever flowing sweeps the banks of this ancient city as she flows by. A city seeped in faith, aware that the only truth is death and reminds itself every time with every spec of ash that merges with the river, the essence of life leaves the body to return another day. This city has seen the soul depart every day with every burning pyre reminding us about the only truth that lies is the realm of Shiva.
While the mind dwells on the limitation of life, and witnesses its freedom along the burning ghats of the Ganges, as the ash merges into water, it presents a very different spectacle on the morning of Shivaratri.
As one rises up in the early hours of the morning, to make a visit to the Kasi Vishwanath temple, there is a strong possibility that you get run over by a clan of nagas visiting the Lord on this auspicious day. A river of ash clad naked men just gushes through the narrow street of Vishwanatha temple, and nothing except the Ganges can stop them. Its a different world, of Gods and saints, of a river of ash clad aspirants coming to life and suddenly disappearing into the darkness for another night of Shivaratri.
And then the path is open to us. To step in the direction of this ancient temple, to breath in the air that surrounds it, to imbibe the peace and tranquility it presents is a very different experience altogether. A series of small temples are located deep within the jungle of temples and mosques within this narrow street. And here within this small compound you find everybody. The heavend descend to earth to present its silent extravaganza.
The various shrines present within this complex are dedicated to Vishnu, Virupakshi Gauri, Avimukta Vinayaka along with a cluster of five Lingas that are enclosed inside another shrine chamber called Nilakanteshwar temple. Apart from them,Shanishchara and Virupaksha also are housed here. Interestingly there is a shrine chamber dedicated to Avimukteshwara Shiva, which has also been speculated to be the main Jyotir Linga at Kasi Vishwanath.
The main story goes that this temple was constructed by a brahmin called Divodas on the request of Nikumbha and Aunikumbha. This pleased the Lord and he granted a boon to all his devotees. Divodas wanted to have a son but he was not blessed with one. This enraged him and he went and destroyed the same temple he had built for the Lord. Nikumbha cursed the land and said it would be devoid of worshippers. When the land grew empty the Lord descended again and took residence here permanently. The Lord stands here as a Swayambhuvalinga. Parvathi offered food here to all her devotees and is known by the name of Annapoorni. The Lord Himself is seen with a bowl here, asking for annam from the seated Goddess.This is also a ShaktiPeetham as the Goddess's left hand fell here when her corpse was cut my Vishnu's Sudarshan chakra.
The Shiva Linga here is placed within a square shaped mettalic (silver/brass) pit. The Linga is of black stone. The Lord is worshipped and bathed with holy Ganges water and flowers are offered. The puja to the Lord for the day is complete when the Arti rises into the air and fills the chamber with song and light. Truly its a journey through life to heaven in a single visit to Kasi.
Photo courtesy: Liveindia.com
(Click the picture to enlarge)
An ancient city
Floating in deep waters
The land of light
The warmth penetrates
Into an over whelmed heart
Deep waters lash her by
As boats toss gently
Flowing down along her sides
Take with it life
Belief and love
The Ganges, sweet mother
Pure as she flows by
Covers the holy city
Taking the soul
Into her watery heavens
Oh sweet people
Don't you see
This beautiful city
Cradled in her lap
Tossing gently
The smoke from the pyre rise
Yet another soul departs
Where death is common site
Along her burning ghats
Reflect in her pure waters
A mirror to the self
A world departed
A world at hand
A cremation ground
A reality unfolds
And yet life moves on
With the vision of death
Burning into flames
A lamp I hold
A small flame of light
The Ganges in her motion
Sweeps the dust off my feet
Sweeps the ashes
The residue of lost life
Into her silent veil
And here Lord Shiva lies immersed
In her deep waters
His home his world
In a pure watery heaven
Along the Scindia Ghat
And as the sun departs
Leaving darkness to consume
The world rises up in flame
To worship the mother again
Yet another day
Smoke and incense rise
This time sweet fragrance
Cover the ghat now dotted
With lamp lights along her sides
And hymns fill in the ears
Fire for the soul departed
Fire to worship her waters
Fire the light for the living
Fire the way for the dead
Fire my guide through this dark life
The force I feel
Her wholesome self
The thundering sounds
As she wets me feet
A feeling sublime
A magical city
Where life meets death
Where illusion falls
Where reality strikes
And leaves me in a silent spell
Something about this land
Its potency its silence
Its faith its everlasting glory
Unshakable, a thick icy sheet
A curtain of illusion falls.
Aham Gangai Matha Namaskaromi.
Photo courtesy: Vaisnava.cz - The Hare Krishna inspiration
© 2001-2007
I am like a temple, my being stays stuck in this mundane world of existence, my soul remains buried in this world of Karma, so deep that I can barely feel it. The gloomy world of darkness and ignorance surrounds me as the dim lights of enlightenment wash my being in the darkness. The waters of life flow by me, promising me a moment with divinity and I wait here for my chance. The world moves on, the reflection of it fall in the waters of time as it flows past in this darkness only to dissolve in its depths. I stay here, stuck to my world, along its banks wondering what life means at all.
Rich with experience I slowly fade into oblivion, oblivion that I know, oblivion that no one observes. The waters rise and cover my being; time takes over and covers my soul. I feel overwhelmed with this change, I know am growing yet no one sees, that I have changed though I still remain where I have always been. Pure waters of divinity take over me, submerging me and washing me off my many sins, purifying my soul, the flag of which stays silent and low. The world outside witnesses a stony self, descending into nothingness, descend into the world beneath.
As the world sinks into its misery, the sun sets behind the clouds, and twilight sets in, the blue hue of the night sky falls over me, the glow of the moon brightens my life for the world to see, this miracle. Life has a new meaning; it has new aim, aim that no one knows, an aim that I can see. It’s an aim that means nothing except that I value it, an aim that I have for myself, that is not predefined by life as we see it. It is an aim that dissolves my worldly fears in front of me, an aim that creates a dialog between the Lord and me, an aim that will finally set me free. The world appears different, with this new perspective that changes everything even while I still stay there on the side, rooted to this world but slowly drifting away.
Time overwhelms, life overflows, and the world is submerged in a whirlpool of thought and maya. I fade slowly, my life, me, away from all this misery. My reality is so different, so free, so wild and so pure. The waters of divinity envelop my being, taking my soul, taking me. I shall depart, yet my soul remains deep, worshiping and experiencing pure love, pure divinity. The Ganges comes forth, sways over me, her beautiful veil she wraps around me, submerging me slowly in her beauty. My life goes by, my glow within brightens, the redness of which is all that is left for the world to see. In this flood of life, in this flood of experience, my soul departs and sets me free.
