Lajja Gauri and the Tree of Life

Disclaimer - Content of this post needs to be understood with an open mind.

The complexity of India art, ritual and belief system can be simplified into two forms of worship and adoration. One is for the miracle of death which is realized in the worship of ancestors in which the quest for afterlife and rebirth are dwelled upon and the other is for the miracle of life that is realized in creation and its constant presence around us in the world. This is pronounced in the depth of both Hinduism and Buddhism.

Indra with a staff

Going back to the ancient days of the Ashoka era, when vedic deities held supreme power, Lord Indra was accepted into both Buddhist and Hindu pantheon of Gods. Indra is often depicted with a staff and is believed to have released life giving waters to earth after slaying the demon and also released the Sun into the sky thereby starting the cosmic cycle. This placed Indra as one of the supreme deities who brings to earth the miracle of life, and his releasing water to the earth is associated with water cosmology. Indra's staff therefore became the potent symbol of life spiritually, and denoted supremacy and proliferation of race and rule politically.

This potent belief of Indra's staff was further explored by Ashoka in the kingdom of Magadha, where he spread his faith on Dharma by placing edicts across his kingdom in the form of Ashoka Pillars. The Ashoka pillars stand for spiritualism and pure living, they teach the value of dharma and exude his imperialism across Magadha. But what were these pillars and what was their significance?

The pillars were not just a list of rules for better living surmounted by a lion signifying imperialism. These pillars in their very construct were the symbolism of the "Tree of Life" that stems from the pot of water placed at the bottom from which rises the shaft( yashti) of the pillar(stambha). The "Tree of Life" flowers into a lion capital or into an architectural unit depicted on temple walls in later years(photo below with pillars marked in white) but primarily re-emphasizing on the root principle of water cosmology.

Airavateshwara Temple, North wall, Darasuram near Kumbhakonam

The "Tree of Life", was symbolized by Ashoka when he erected his pillars with engraved edicts and placed them into the earth by digging a pit and covering it with water or placed an earthen pot full of water at the base inside the pit from which rises the shaft of the pillar. This architectural unit of a water-pot based pillar signifies the potency of the miracle of life and its constant presence in this world as we know it.

Meanwhile far away in the interior forests of the Hindu Brahmanical countryside way back in an era even before Ashoka probably, another version of the potent "Tree of Life" took shape. Going back into the realm of Lord Shiva, there runs a mythical story on Lord Shiva and Parvati (Mother Goddess). After their wedlock they returned to Kailasa and retreated into the caves of this divine mountain. For eons they remained here, in union away from all the worlds. Meanwhile, there was trouble in Devaloka and on earth as the Asuras had again begun to harass the devas and other mortals. This disturbed the Rishis, Devas and other Gods and they came to the cave entrance seeking Lord Shiva's help to vanquish the charging Asuras. Realizing that they were unable to awaken Lord Shiva out of his marital bliss, they decided to step into the cave. Deep within the cave, the Lord and His consort, lay in union. Parvati was taken by surprize on the sudden entry of the heavenly folk, and in order to save her embarassment, she picks up a full bloomed lotus and covers her face.

This moment, of Parvati attempting to cover her embarassment (Lajja) has been depicted in sculpture as Lajja Gauri showing her face covered with the lotus as well as her holding a lotus bud in each hand signifying fertility, life and creation. Her raw beauty has been depicted without any subtlety, her moment of union with Lord Shiva has been captured by the scuptor. Dr. Ramachandra C. Dhere in his book "Lajja Gauri" describes her womb to represent an earthen pot. This representation brings alive the original concept of the miracle of living where the "Tree of Life" is represented by progeny and lineage. The potency of the life giving waters in water cosmology is metaphorically represented by the waters within the yoni of the woman.

This echoes the same symbolism with which Ashoka erected his edicts around Magadha. These waters are considered enpowering and they render the living all powerful and brings prosperity. Such was the depth of belief in Indian iconography and representation in Indian art.

Photo courtesy:
Indra with staff: Christopher Tadgell is Senior Lecturer in Architectural History at the School of Architecture, Canterbury College, Kent Institute of Art and Design 1996, http://www.ellipsis.com/history/
Ashoka Pillar: © Lexicon of Greek Personal Names. All rights reserved.
Lajja Gauri: Naganatha Temple, Naganathakolla, Bijapur District, India. Badami Museum, Item B36 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), government photograph. Date c. 650 CE. Image scanned by uploader from Bolon, Carol Radcliffe, Forms of the Goddess Lajja Gauri in Indian Art, The Pennsylvania State University Press (University Park, Penn., 1992)
This image is in the public domain in India because its term of copyright has expired.
Airaveteshwara temple: commons.Wikipedia.org

Alidhanrita Shiva: Victory dance over evil

Click of the photo to view the complete form of

Alidhanrita Shiva, Kailasanatha temple, Kanchipuram

The most famous form of Nataraja that we know envelops the Panchakriyas, i.e. the five activities comprising of:
Shristi - the process of creation and evolution,
Sthiti - the process of continuous maintenance,
Samhara - the process of destruction,
Tirobhava - the curtain of illusions by his various incarnations, and
Anugraha - ultimate salvation and release.

The form of Alidhanrita Shiva is the expression of victory or Samhara brought out through natya and shilpa shastras. This form of Shiva has been described in sculpture, painting and dance as the victory over evil, over the cities of Tripura. Alidhanrita Shiva is the culmination of the dance form of Tripurantaka Shiva and depicts a warrior's victory over one's own evils.

What does the form of Tripurantaka Shiva signify?

While destroying the three cities of Tripura, Shiva plays the warrior who rides the chariot into space to destroy the three flying cities. This celestial chariot vividly paints Brahma as the charioteer who rides the earth, one of Shiva's Ashtamurtis* that makes up the chariot. The Sun and the Moon who also are a part of the Ashtamurtis and are the very eyes of Lord Shiva Trayambakeshwara, take up their significant roles as the wheels of this celestial chariot. Shiva's ornament Vasuki, the snake plays the bow-string and Mount Meru is the very bow that twangs sending reverberations of victory over the three cities. Vishnu, is the arrow that is aimed at Tripura along with Agni who is again a part of the Ashtamurtis of Shiva. The four horses that pull this divine chariot are the Vedas that are the very breath of Brahma. Shiva, the great warrior rides this divine chariot. This is described in the dance form of Alidha depicting Tripurantaka Shiva vanquishing the three cities.

Raghuvamsa describes: (Raghuvamsa 3, 52)

atishthad alidhaviseshasobhina vupuhprakarshena vidambitesvarah

Lord Shiva Tripurantaka destroys the three cities in terrific rage, the furious emotion that is expressed in his gaze is called Raudra Drishti in the Natya Shastra. This expression is depicted in only the paintings at the Tanjore temple murals and is not captured in the sculptural version of this form, where the expression is more of Karuna or compassion. His fury is vividly described in the painting, where his eyebrows are raised and his eyes are wide open displaying pupils that are depicted as wide rounded balls. The eyes are crooked and depict the severe fury raging out of the being of Tripurantaka Shiva.

How do we relive the experience of Tripurantaka Shiva and the victorious dance of Alidhanrita Shiva when we worship the Lord?

With emotions tuned into the realm of Shiva we as a Bhakta surrender to Lord Shiva during puja. As the sacred syllables roll out into mantras in rhythmic flow, in the light of the ghee lamp we offer flowers and vilva leaves to the Lord.

Om Trighalam trigunadharam trinetram chakrayuttam
Trijanmapapa sangharam yega vilvam Shivarpanam

With this prayer to Lord Shiva residing within the chamber of my heart, I offer myself to the Lord, and to the divine three eyed Lord I give up my sins and karma of the last three janmas. I take on the very same warrior like form of Alidhanrita Shiva and destroy my own three cities of evil and dance my own victorious dance of liberation destroying my own karma. I am Him, I am alidha, I am what remains when I vanquish my own desires and bad thinking with my own furious gaze and burn those thoughts to ash. And after giving up myself into an egoless existence, I pray to the Lord to free me off this misery. In pure adoration to the Lord I offer myself, and with my chariot symbolized by Agni, Surya and Chandra, each signified by the three leaves of the Vilva, the very embodiment of Trayambaka, the three eyes of the Lord Himself, each defined by Chandra, Surya and Agni, I embark on my chariot to destroy my own demons, with every offering of Vilva leaves I make during my worship.

Thus, having imbibed the very form of Tripurantaka Shiva and having destroyed our own karma, one enters the realm of Alidhanrita Shiva where one is in union with the Lord dancing the joyous dance of victory after severing (samhara) one's own deep desire of self pride.

*The Ashtamurtis are Prithvi, Chandra, Surya, Agni, Vayu, Water, Varuna and Dikpalas.

Photo courtesy:Origin of photo unknown
Reference: Nataraja in Art, Thought and Literature - C.Sivaramamurti

The realm of Shiva, the meaning of Atman

Shiva is a state of mind, Shiva is Atman, Shiva is you, and Shiva is me.
Shivaya nama Shivalingaaya nama om|

What happens when two drops of Atman meet in the realm of ether, in this world, in this Maya?

I am the mystic you look for; I am the mystic you discover within you. I am the rhythm of the Lord in my heart, the lotus blooms within my soul. I am the tune you wish to sing, I am the heart beat within you. I am Atman I am me I am you, I am where you too exist, in this divine ether between the earth and space, within this Maya we meet, an egoless existence, pure music, pure soul, the constant in my breath is the constant in yours, Atman in pure form is felt at last.

Atman is pure love, Atman is soul,
Atman is the constant that makes me, make you.
Atman is what gives a circle its form,
Atman is what gives the flame its glow
Atman is what makes the world arise.
Atman is the sheen on your skin,
Atman is the twinkle in my eye,
Atman is the bliss that swells your heart,
Atman is that of which you and me are a part.

Atman is what you admire in me
Atman is what brings us close
Atman is what makes the nerves tingle
Atman is that energy that flows
Atman is what brings life to our breath
Atman is the darkness beyond the light of reason
Atman is that which stays constant
Atman is that which i admire in you

Oh Lord Shiva, so divine is your love
Your presence felt when two Atmans meet
In your admiration we drown our self
In your realm we cease to exist
In your fire does our ego burn
In your beauty do we realize our own
In your ocean does our goodness flow
In your blooming lotus do we feel your warmth
In your realm do we admire
My Atman as well as yours.

Atman is that word that truth
Atman is what merges you and me
Atman is not man nor woman
Atman is our ocean of love
Atman is my beauty and yours
Atman is my mystic and yours
Atman is my character and yours
Atman is my mind and yours
Atman is what IS when we merge
Atman is what will be when we part.

In this drama of life, Atman is my ode to the Lord. In this breath i take in Atman is the soul within. In the sunlight of the day, Atman is what glows on my face, In this cruel world of egos, Atman is my saving grace. In this realm of murderous war, Atman is what binds my tears of love. In this jumble of words that unfold, Atman is the garland of letters untold.

Aatmaaya nama atmalingaaya nama om||

Atman is the zone of mutual admiration, it is the zone of no ego, it is the zone of no age or gender, it is the zone of single pointed concentration on the self, on other selves. It is the zone where "I" doesn't exist. It is the zone where only goodness is felt, a zone where human beauty in the self is appreciated. Atman is present in this moment, now, within us waiting to be realized.

This post has been inspired by Maanikkavaachakar's Thiruvaachakam. The author Maanikkavaachakar was a poet and a mystic of his time and his works date back to 3rd cen A.D.

Essence of the Shiva Kavach

Mantra kavacha coupled with a sword to fight, sacred ash and a conch to subdue the enemy is all that is required for victory over problems and enemies in ones life. This armour is woven out of sacred syllables, which call on Lord Shiva to protect, through the magic of Rishi Rishabha's penance.
Shiva Kavacha is revealed to mortals through the divine dialog between Rishi Rishaba and prince Suta. Offering his worship to Lord Shiva Neelakantha, the beloved of Uma, the 3 eyed and thousand armed Sambhu who destroys all enemies. Here is the supreme secret of all penance, possessing which you will be ever successful and redeemed from all pain and sin.

Worship of the Lord involves Karanyaas, which is the method of energising the fingers by mantra (mudra). It is followed by Hridayadi Anganyasah which is the process of energising the heart and the whole body with single pointed concentration on the Lord, concentrating on the heart, head, crown of the head, eyes, the third eye, and by circulating the right hand giving a click of the finger. One is ready and moves into a deep state of Dhyanam or meditation. Seated in composure, in a sacred place, one should contemplate upon the imperishable Shiva with all his senses subdued and pranas controlled.

Having invoked the Lord in the lotus of your heart, whose presence is bliss that is beyond the senses, having disentangled yourself from the bonds of action one is ready to wear the Kavach Om Namah Shivaya.
"
May the supreme divinity raise me from the clutches of Samsara
May He render me free of all fears
May the eight fold form of Shiva save me from all earthly deseases
May Kala Rudra who dances the Tandava after destroying all at the end of the yuga, protect me
May Trinayana, four headed who is replendent in lightening like gold look after me in the east and the south
May the Lord, spotless like the jasmine who bears the moon and crystals protect me in the west and north
May the five faced Iswara protect me from all evil
May Lord Chandramauli protect my mind, Phalanetra protect my forehead and eyes and destroy my lust
May Lord Vishvanatha who breathes the Vedas protect me
May the Lord who holds Pinaka protect my throat and hands
May the Lord who destroyed Daksha protect me from all evil
May my hip, waist, stomach and navel be protected by Dhurjati, the destroyer of cupid.
In the first watch of day may Mahesha protect me
In the second watch of day may Vamadeva protect me
In the third watch of day may Trilochana protect me
In the fourth watch of day may Vrishaketu protect me
May Lord Sashishekhara protect me in the dark
May Lord Gangadhara protect me in the night
May Lord Gauripati protect at dawn and Lord Mrityunjaya protect my all the time
May Lord Neelakantha dispel my fears at all times
My prayers to Virabhadra, who is as fierce as Yama

I bow down and surrender to Lord Sadashiva
Who is supreme truth
Who is the incarnation of Rudra and Brahma
Whose very eyes are the Sun, moon and fire
Who is smeared in white holy ash
Who is studded with diamonds and jewelery
Who kills the tide of time
Who resides alone in the Muladhara
Who is the permanent abode of the Ganges
Who wears the eight serpent kings round his neck
Who is the very form of Pranava
Who is the embodiment of pure consciousness
Who wears a universal necklace of stars, planets and galaxies
Who is spotless and pure
Who is the supreme witness of the entire universe
Who is the supreme secret of all the Vedas
Who bestows boons upon his devotees
The merciful Lord Who is free from all lust, greed and sorrow
Who is devoid of desire, disease, ego and attachment
Who is beyond the chains of cause and effect
On whome doubts fade and action ceases
O Lord Sadashiva, Mrityunjaya, Thrayambaka I pray to you again and again
"
Having revealed the sacred syllables to invoke Lord Shiva, Rishi Rishabha blesses Suta and gives him a conch, a mighty sword purified by the sacred mantra Kavach, sprinkles holy ash on him and blesses him with magic that renders him supreme.

The Kavach renders itself in a unique way in today's world. The mantra kavach renders the enemy lifeless, meaning even if someone plans to attack you, they will forget the reason at the time of confrontation. When they interact, the protection of the Lord will keep them at bay. The metaphorical reverberating noise of the conch will deafen their minds with their own thoughts and confuse them thereby rendering you victorious. Clad in the syllables of Shiva Kavacha Om namah Shivaya, you can conquer the world and destroy your enemies.
Saying this Rishi Rishabha departed.

Bana Lingas from the depths of the Narmada River

Omkareshwar by the river Narmada

The peace of the night descended as Srinivasan walked down to the banks of the Narmada at Omkareshwar. Across the river, covered in a veil of lights stood the main temple housing the Jyothir Linga. At his feet were the still and gentle waters of the Narmada, ripples that whispered a lot more in the deafening silence. These waters flowed from the very being of Lord Shiva, and as they did they carved out the bed rock into tiny forms of the Lord himself, into Bana Lingas that drew the essence of worship from other worlds within themselves.

Srinivasan recited a Shloka to himself, the origin of which was in folk lore as he pondered:
gangA gItA ca gAyatrI govindeti catuShTayaM |
Catur-gakAra-samyukte punar-janma na vidyate ||

That which started with the syllable "ga" meant emerging forth and being constantly present. As the verse goes, Ganga, Gita, Gayatri and Govinda are constants. In fact the very meaning of Linga in the Agama context signifies "ling" which means to destroy and "ga" which is to emerge. Bana Lingas emerge as natural swayambhuva Shiva Lingas. These are found only in the Narmada river bed and are very sacred stones as they contain the very form and energy of Lord Shiva similar to Jyothir Lingas. They are naturally powerful and hold the essence of divinity within them.

According to the Aparajita-pariprchchha (205, 1-26) there is mythology attached to the Bana Lingas association with the Narmada River. It is believed that when Lord Shiva destroyed the flying city of Tripura (Tripurantakamurthy) which had been obtained by the arrogant demon Banasura, He let go a fiery dart from his bow - Pinaka. This destroyed the three cities into tiny bits, which fell in three spots - on the hills in Sri-kshetra (of unknown identity), on the peaks of Amarkantak in the Vindhya range, and on the banks of the holy river Narmada. These soon multiplied into crores of Lingas and as they were part of the possession of Banasura, they came to be called Bana Lingas. The Padma Purana reveals that the holy river of Narmada has many ghats all of which are associated with Bana Lingas and Raudra Lingas.

Bana is also known to be the eldest son of Bali, who in turn was the son of Virochana and the grandson of Prahalada who was the son of Hiranyakashipu and a great devotee of Narasimha. Banasura himself was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and having done severe penance Shiva granted him in the form of Natural Lingas - Bana Lingas (banrchartham krtam lingam).

Srinivasan watched the silent ripples wash the shores and wondered in amazement over the potency of these waters. These waters protected rounded bed rock within its darkness, that when polished revealed to us, their beauty within. He pulled out a Bana Linga from his pocket and stared at it closely. The Siddhanta Sekhara (an astronomical work by Sripati in 1039 cen A.D.) revealed that the Bana Lingas have already been worshiped by deities and contain the impress of their worship visible in the marks on the Lingas:

Lotus mark (padma) reveals it was worshipped by Brahma
Mark of a parasol (chhatra) indicated Indra
Mark of two heads (siro-yugma) indicated Agni
Three steps (Pada) mark indicated it was Yama
Mark of a mace (Gada) indicated Isana Shiva
Mark of a water vessel (kalasha) indicated varuna
A banner mark (dhwaja) indicated the energy of Vayu

This rendered Bana Lingas as Daiva lingas and hence these Bana Lingas are considered extremely superior compare to other lingas.
The power of the Bana Lingas is felt in a few conditions. A Bana Linga, carrying the marks of Indra when worshipped fulfills all the desires of the devotee and bestows upon him respect and wealth. The Agneya variety of the Bana Linga is warm to touch, and contains the marks of Shakti's weapon. The Yamya Linga has the forms of a cudgel or that of a tongue. The nairutti Linga appears like a sword and carries stains on its body and bestows the benefits of gyana and yoga; however it should not be worshiped by a Grihasta (householder). The Varuna Lingas are round in shape and can be distinguished by the marks of a noose (pasa) and it is worshipped to secure wealth and prosperity. Lingas that signify the energy of vayu are black or ash gray in color and carry a flag post symbol on its head. The Kubera Linga also has the form of a mace (gada) or arrow (tuna) depicted by a hairline like line in the center. The Raudra Lingas are lustrous like a block of ice but bear the marks of a bone or spear. Vishnu's symbols could range from conch shell (samkhabha-mastaka), discus, mace, to the jewel on the chest (sri-vatsa and kaustubha) or foot print.

Srinivasan recollected the ancient verses of Adi Shankaracharya. In the ancient days all cults, namely those of Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, Devi and Surya were independent and fighting for supremacy till Adi Shankaracharya set the rules to unite all of them. The result was the performance of the Panchayatana puja, by the Smartas towards their Ishta Devata, that deity being placed as the central altar. Each deity was represented in that aniconic form. This was the worship of the 5 sacred altars. In this orthodox tradition initiated by Adi Shankaracharya, five stones each representing the respective deities are placed on the sacred altar for the Panchayatana worship.

Sun God Surya is represented by a crystal found in Vallam in Tamil Nadu
Mother Goddess Shakti is represented by the Swarnamukhi stone found in Swarnamukhi river in Andhra Pradesh
Vishnu is represented through Salagramas found only in the Ghantaki river in the Himalayas
Ganesha is represented by the red Shonabhadra stone found in the river bed of the Sone river flowing into the Ganges.
Shiva is represented by the Bana Lingas found in the Narmada river bed near the island of Mandhata.
Different sets of rules apply to the Brahmacharya, Grihasta, Vanaprastha and the Sanyasa.

Srinivasan got up to leave these waters, reliving his darshan of Narmada Bana Lingas at other potent Shrines. Here was the ancient belief and promise to a pious and happy existence, and across these waters Srinivasan could see the new world of dams almost submerging all of this reality into the depths of the raging Narmada. Would all this just come to an end? Would this knowledge be submerged into the depths of time and ignorance?




Click on photos to view enlarged picture

Shankaracharya Temple
Brihadeshwara Tanjore Temple
Somnath Jyothir Linga
Kashi Vishwanath Varanasi

Other related topics:
The meaning of Jyotir Linga
Jyothir linga Somanatham - The moon descends to earth
Jyotir Linga Omkareswar and Amaleshwar in the Vindhya hills
Jyotirlinga - Kasi Vishwanath, Varanasi
Temple of a saint - Adi Shankaracharya

Courtesy photos and original content:
Shlokas and meaning: Copyright© V. Krishnamurthy
Last updated Oct 2005. Copyright Ajit Krishnan [ 1999 - 2005 ]
mukti4u2.dk/Narmada_river

Chaunsat yogini temple, Bheraghat Jabalpur

Strange temples that beat the canons of popular architecture echo the presence of an esoteric cult of the Mother Goddess in the form of "Chaunsat Yogini" shrines. Though the cult of the Goddess has survived in a more favorable way of ritual worship, few examples bring to life the extreme form of this worship during the 8th to 12th cen A.D.

In the darkness along the gushing course of the Narmada River, atop a hill in the silence of the moonless night a lamp is lit. The fire of the lamp lights up the faces of 64 Yoginis within the walls of a great temple, the temple of the Goddess. Shakti trasforms into power here, she is pure feminine beauty, she is sexuality and she is life. Raw female power is awakened within these walls of a circular roofless temple and as the ritual unfolds, these graceful yoginis begin to dance. These forms of the Goddess are full breasted and voluptuous with slim waists as they move with grace exuding beauty as the Sadaka worships their many forms, imbibing the very element of Shakti into his experience of the Goddess. As the Chausathi Mahamayavi Tantra and the Chandi Purana of the 15th century composed by Sarala Das describe through folk songs of the era, these yoginis constitute the different parts of the body of the Mother Goddess herself.

Chaunsat Yogini temple interior, Bheraghat

As the night deepens, the winds dance with the flames presenting a divine spectacle. Shiva leela, of a more potent kind spreads through the air within the walls of this temple. 64 beautiful yoginis pronounce the woman in all her grace and beauty to Bhairava, the form taken in by the Sadaka. Casting dancing shadows on the rocky temple floor, these 64 yoginis dance around Shiva and take up their place and sit in Lalitasana within the circle of Bhairava (3 in red in top right corner in the picture below).

Seduction gushes forth as these Goddesses come alive, dressed in flowing skirts held together by an ornate girdle worn low on their hips. Shimmering necklaces and garlands cover their chests, as the sounds of their bangles and anklets in sweet notes fill the air. 64 yoginis, charge the air as they dance around Bhairava, their elaborate hairdo pronouncing their lush beauty, their earrings shimmering in the light of the fire that wakes the sleeping night within this temple. Their lotus eyes bring sweetness to their beings, grace to their forms and warmth to their presence. Bhairava, the potent Lord dances with them within his circle, the Chakra of life, it is an experience for the living. This is the world of the tantriks, this is the world of Bhairava Shiva as the fire cuts through the darkness bringing on the experience of the Goddess divine.

Chaunsat Yogini temple, Hirapur

The aspirant goes into deep meditation, invoking the yoginis as he performs his rituals. Bhairava dances on, waking up the essence of Kuala Marga. The attainment of perfection is the path to Siddhi, one that brings perfection and a higher spiritual bliss of a different kind. The conquest of power and the taming of the Goddess's wilderness, the harnessing of her Supreme beauty into energy render the Sadaka powerful. Five elements are offered to the Yoginis, Matsya (fish) first followed by Mamsa (meat), Mudra (parched grain) and Madya (liquor) and finally Maithuna (couples in intercourse). The juices of life are offered to the yoginis at the culmination of this ritual. The depth of Tantrik sadhana is reached and the energies are imbibed by the aspirant as the 64 yoginis look on from within their niches.

The air is still, the lamp light is feeble, as the floor is flooded with the ritualistic syllables of the Goddesses. This magical world descends into darkness. Most yogini temples have the dancing Bhairava fiercely rendering his presence at the center of the courtyard. Here he dances with the 64 damsels through the night. At the temple of Bheraghat, Lord Shiva descends within the temple, seated with his beautiful consort Parvati on the back of Nandi Bull in the central shrine as they make their way into the tantrik rituals of this temple.

Bheraghat is one of 9 temples that dot the Indian landscape. Other Yogini Shrines are at Hirapur, Ranipur Jharial, and Khandriya Mahadeva temple Khajuraho to name the most prominent. There are dilapidated structures that dot the countryside of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

These temples redefine a strange cult practice that involved human sacrifices and offerings of blood, or the use of fresh corpses out of war (Dead kings, soldiers and warriors) and ritual practices of a tribal (Adivasi) kind that invoke the power of Kali and Mahakala Bhairava of the ancient Tantrik tradition. These 64 yoginis have also been grouped into 8 supreme Goddesses known as the Astamatrika. Interestingly in these temples even Ganesha has a feminine form - Ganeshani (bottom right in red in picture above).

Ganeshani at Bheraghat

These ritual practices have probably died with time or have moved back into the tribal villages of Orissa. What remain are powerful eerie temples that reflect the fury and tantrik power of Shiva Bhairava and the Mother Goddess.

Related posts:
64 Yoginis dance with Bhairava
Potency of Lord Shiva – Part 2
Ekapada Shiva - The one legged Shiva

Photo Courtesy:
ganapati.club.fr/mp/images

Samadhi: Path to the Perfect Cave

The state of Samadhi is one of mystery and intrigue, a state of sublime, a state of constant bliss, commonly known as Nirvana.

Tantra 7 of the Thirumantiram composed by the great Tamil poet Thirumular contains 8 verses 1902 to 1909 that describe what happens when success is achieved in Yoga Samadhi as well as its failures and downfalls. These verses explain why a Jnani’s body is buried and not cremated as well as the ritualistic way in which it needs to be done.

As against common belief that Hindus cremate their dead, there are certain exceptions to the rule. When a Siddhar* fails to achieve Samadhi, he is reborn into this world and continues to worship Lord Shiva from where he had last left off. In the new life that he is granted, he has the complete potential to reach Siddhahood and attains Shiva Yoga, rising into the realm of celestials. When an aspirant goes into Mauna Samadhi he is neither reborn and nor does he attain Jiva Mukta, he is in constant union with the Lord. This is a state of pure consciousness where the body dies but the Siddhar* is still conscious and alive and has completely merged with the Lord. Such a jnani though limited within his human walls during his life time will exude the consciousness that is one with the all pervasive Lord Shiva.

A jnani’s body is never consigned to the flames of a funeral pyre; they say it challenges nature and brings about catastrophic changes to the land where he belonged resulting in disease and famine. Jnani’s are supposed to be buried as per the rules in the Agamic scriptures.

The jnani or Siddhar* is buried in an underground sepulcher which should be located in a riverbed, wooded grove, dense forest or a high mountain valley. The measurements of the sepulcher should be 5 by 5 feet and at a depth of 9 feet. To prepare this chamber, five precious metals and nine rare gems need to be spread within the cave on top of which the seat needs to be placed. Kusha grass is scattered and white holy ash is spread all over the chamber. Further to this turmeric powder in yellow gold mixed with incense is spread over the ash laden grass bed. The cave is square shaped inside and is further covered with garlands of flowers, sandal, musk, and diverse unguents and sprinkled with rose water. The ritual oil lamp is now lit within the cave with complete devotion towards the deceased Siddhar* (jnani). The white holy ash acts as a protective covering around the body. The body is now placed in the appropriate asana and the cave is filled with earth. The Siddhar’s* sandals, earrings and an image with his/her face and eyes decked in suitable clothing are placed over this cave along with rice food and tender coconut. White holy ash is again poured along with powdered incense as well as flowers and vilva leaves. Holy water is sprinkled over this sacred burial chamber and a platform of 3 feet is raised above it. Atop this platform a sapling of a peepal tree is planted or a Shiva Linga is installed. The Sannadhi faces North or East and 16 rituals are performed with complete devotion.

Few Samadhis speak volumes with this approach towards the deceased. Among many Samadhis that dot the Indian countryside some come with excessive divinity, around which the power and magnetic field continues to be strong.



Adi Shankaracharya’s Samadhi, Kedarnath
Samadhi of Siddhar Bogar, Murugan temple at Palani

The small shrine of Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath speaks of a Samadhi, at the same place where Adi Shankaracharya is believed to have spent his last days. The cave temple of Siddhar* Bogar, who went into Samadhi in the early part of the Kali Yuga in about 3000 B.C. is even older than that of Adi Shankaracharya. Both Samadhis are found at high altitudes and both have a representation of the Siddhar* and a Shiva Linga installed at the surface. While Adi Shankaracharya’s is a humble version, that of Siddhar* Bogar is a lot more flamboyant. Surrounded by the Nava Durga as well as Sri Bhvaneshwari, and hosting a unique sacred emerald Lingas (Maragada Lingam), not to be found anywhere else in the world along with a right mouthed conch shell, is the self made Samadhi of Siddhar* Bogar, under the main shrine of (Dandapani vigraha) in the Muruga temple at Palani. Interestingly Siddhar* Bogar and Adi Shankaracharya are believed to have traversed the world through air, while the former spread the science of medicine and aviation all the way in China as described in the Saptakanda, the latter went back to his mother during her last moments of life.

The Relic Stupa of the Licchavis at Vaishali

The ancient sites of Sanchi, Bharut, Sarnath and Vaishali contain the ash relics of Buddha embedded within a wooden box, with 9 precious stones and earrings of the Bodhisatva. It appears that a square pit was dug here too within the stupa at Vaishali to place these relics and covered with earth, capped by a stupa on top. The gateways depict the life of the Bodhisatva in sculptural representations across their panels.

The sacredness of these shrines leaves us breathless and makes us feel small and not just incompetent but wasteful in our approach for a more perfect life. The question now is “What is perfect living?”

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*A person who has acquired all the 8 Siddhis during his lifetime is called a Siddhar. Typically Siddhars belonged to the previous yugas including the beginning of the Kaliyuga and lived approximately for a minimum of 125 to 300 years and a maximum that covered a yuga

Also read: Siddhar Bogar Samadhi, Palani Murugan Temple

Credits:
Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5, Wikipedia
S.Mahalingam: Painting of Artist Silpi depicting Siddhar Bogar’s Samadhi.

Pataleshwar temple, Shiva Temple in Rashtrakuta Style

Pataleshwar Temple, alias Panchaleshwara temple, Pune:

The ancient land of the Rashtrakutas displays fine craftsmanship in chiseling out a place of residence and worship right into the heart of the very earth that surrounds their land. The Rashtrakutas are better known during the 6th to 8th century for their contributions to the Ellora caves. Their sculpture is not the finest, being extremely broad shouldered sculptures with very small legs; they are rather disproportionate, such that the sculpture cannot carry his/her weight. This is the point of view of a current day art critic.

The Rashtrakutas provided places to stay for wandering intellects and tired travelers during the Monsoons. Pune would have been a fabulous destination during the ancient days. Today the city has grown swallowing up this tranquility into itself with cement residential areas coming up everywhere.

Please click on the photos to enlarge them

There was a time when intellects and monks stayed here in these caves for a brief period. During this time they discussed matters of philosophy and worshipped the Lord in the main shrine. Beating the Monsoons and providing a quiet ambience, Pataleshwar temple defines every inch of what rock cut cave architecture is about. The circular mandapa is a treat to the eye, with pillars carved into a single bed rock that stands sculpted in the middle of the courtyard. This whole temple complex would have once been a sheer solid rock outcrop and carving into it would have been an ambitious task.

Moving back to the era of the 8th century around which time this temple was planned, the initial landscape would have been that of a rocky boulder with probable thick vegetation surrounding it. Assuming the surface was flat, the initial ground plan would have been visualized to describe the form of a Shiva linga, with the current Nandi Mandapa forming the main linga circle of this temple in aerial view. Digging down into live rock, with acute sense of geometry and precision, this temple would have taken a few years to sculpt out of live rock. Situated on the river side, this temple has the perfect ambience of a Buddhist chaitya and vihara.

It was a perfect place to stay, with room like cells dug into the walls on either side of the main hall. The ambience was very close to that of a Buddhist vihara, with a reservoir/well for water supply. This place would have been spectacular during the Monsoons with wet rocky floor carpeted with green moss across. Pataleshwar temple is a simple structure. As a chaitya, it contains a unique central Nandi mandapa, circular on the outside providing a path of circum-ambulation around the stone idol of Nandi housed within 4 square pillars on a square base. Nandi looks on straight towards the shrine chamber of Lord Shiva.

The courtyard is simple, flattened out and smoothened, leading up to a small cave with 2 rows of simple square pillars very similar to those found at Ellora (Teen tala). This cave was carved during the same period hence the resemblance is very vivid. Walking deeper into the main hall, this cave was left half finished in the interiors. What was probably planned for was a path of circum-ambulation around the main sanctum which was left incomplete, mysteriously in the same way as that of the ancient cave temples in the south at Mahabalipuram. The plan for this sanctum was to have a single entrance only.

Two rows of distinctly crafted pillars carefully chiseled out indicates that as the temple was being dug into, there were a set of sculptors polishing up the exterior row of pillars while others had already begun to carve the iconography of the Lord onto the large niches. None of the sculptures remain; hence it’s largely guess work to identify the sculptures of Shiva that adorned these walls. The central zone has three chambers in a line; I would suspect that these were originally empty. The present sculptures of Rama, Lakshman and Sita are later additions, maybe belonging to our era. By iconographical reference, they do not fit into this temple given their Vaishnavite origin. During the 8th century, there was no mix of divinity in these forms.

The main shrine is a living temple today, with a rather small Shiva linga in the center of this little chamber. Given the monumental shrines we see at the sanctums of Ellora, Ajanta and Elephanta, this is particularly small. I would suspect the Linga had been destroyed in time and has now been reinstalled for this size does not fit that era. The shrine chamber definitely has been subjected to a high degree of renovation in current times, given the floor has tiles inlay for the peetha and a brass crown covers the present linga.

This is a beautiful example of Rashtakuta design in sculpture and architecture, a clear representation of deep faith, a result of all the sweat and hard work to sculpt this abode for the Lord. The crowning glory of this region of course is not remembered for the making of this cave temple during this period but later during this period of the Peshwas in 1749 A.D. when Maharaj Chatrapati Shivaji came to reside here with his mother.

The Rashtrakutas have faded into history, their dynamism stretching across Karnataka and Maharastra is embedded within these cave temples that now provide the much needed peace and tranquility in the middle of a bustling metropolitan city.

Photo courtesy: Flickr.com (creative commons)

Narmadakund, Amarkantak: Origin of the Narmada river

नर्मदायै नमः प्रातः

In the wake of dawn
Calm reigns supreme
The waters at the Narmadakund rise
Life giving waters for the living

She originates here
Goddess Narmada gushes forth
From the very being of Lord Shiva
She rises to bless the land

Life giving waters flow
The Mother rises to shine
Protects us from venomous snake bite
Purifies our souls divine

Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh: Narmada is serene beauty that descends from heaven, from Lord Shiva's being and she descends onto the earth here at the holy town on Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh. This is the sacred place from here the great river Narmada originates and flows towards the Arabian Sea. The Narmada is one among three rivers that originate here, the Sone river originates at Sonemuda near Narmadakund in the Maikal mountains. The third river is Juhila River that originates further away.

Tripurantaka Shiva destroyed the 3 demon cities of Tripura, while they burnt down to ashes, one of the cities fell at Kailash, the ashes of the second fell at Amarkantak and Lord Shiva saved the ashes of the third city from falling anywhere. When the ashes fell here, they turned into crore of Shiva lingas, of which only one remains in the temple of Sri Jwaleshwar Mahadev, 8 kms from Amarkantak. This is called Maha Rudra Meru, one of only 2 such places with Maha Rudra Meru, the other being Varanasi.

Kalidasa is known to have visited Amarkantak and names the place Amrakoot after the beautiful mango groves that dotted this sacred land. Adi Shankaracharya is known to have come and resided by the river side and consecrated its banks, he also founded the Pataleshwar temple at Amarkantak from a clump of bamboo trees. This place is called Surajkund today.

Amarkantak has found its place in the Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vasishtasamhita and Shatapatha Brahmana. Situated near the ancient city of Kalinga, Amarkantak is a place where Gods, Gandharvas, Asuras and Rishis have achieved divine spiritual powers. This river has its own story to tell, one that is unique and particularly different from that of the Ganges.

नर्मदायै नमः प्रातः नर्मदायै नमो निशि

नमोऽस्तु नर्मदे तुभ्यं त्राहि मां विषसर्पदः
जरत्कार्वोर्जरत्कर्वां समुत्पन्न महायशाः
अस्तीक सत्यसन्धो मां पन्नगेभ्यो अभिरक्षतु

नर्मदायै = To Goddess (river) Narmada;नमः = I bow; my salutations; प्रातः = in the morning;
नर्मदायै = To Goddess (river) Narmada; नमो = I bow; my salutations; निशि = during the night;
नमोऽस्तु = I bow and give you my salutations; नर्मदे = Oh! Narmada river;
तुभ्यं = to you; त्राहि = Save me; protect; मां = me; विषसर्पदः = from the poisonous snakes;
जरत्कार्वोर्जरत्कर्वां = the wife of Jaratkaru; समुत्पन्न महायशाः = people of great renown;
अस्तीक = To the sage Astika; सत्यसन्धो = One bound to speak or defend the truth; मां = me; पन्नगेभ्यो = to or from serpents or snakes; अभिरक्षतु = Let one protect me.

This is a prayer to Goddess Narmada to purify the soul as well as protect oneself from the deadly venum of Snake bite.

"Salutations to the Goddess Narmada, the river Goddess in the morning and in the evening. Oh Goddess I bow to you, I salute you, please protect me from the venomous serpents and purify my soul."

The mythology of associated snake bite goes as follows:

The Mahabharata tells the story of an ascetic named Jaratkaru, who saw some of his ancestors suspended over a deep pit, with their heads downwards on a rope of fiber which was being gradually gnawed at by a rat. On inquiring why they hung down that way, they replied saying that they were his ancestors and were brought to this state because he had not yet got a son to perform certain rites if he continued to remain childless. The rope would break and they would fall through into the pit. Jaratkaru agreed to give up his life as an ascetic and decided to marry a woman who had a name same as his. Once when he visited Nagaloka, Vasuki, the king of serpents, offered his sister Jaratkaru in marriage to the ascetic. They had a son named Astika who came to be the protector of Serpents.

Meanwhile King Parikshit(a descendant of the Pandavas) had died of a serpent bite and his son king Janamejaya ascended the throne of Hastinapura. King Janamejaya bore a deep grudge against serpents and performed the great Sarpa satra yagna that would destroy all living serpents. With the commencement of the yagna, with every spell recited within a mantra, a sarpa would fall into the flames for each "Swaha" oblation. Many serpents perished in the yagna flames, seeing the plight of the remaining nagas, the Naga king approached Jaratkaru for help. Astika was asked to go and stop King Janamejaya from continuing his sarpa satra yagna. Astika promised King Janamejaya that no serpent would venture into a place that is inhabited by people. The serpents are obliged to keep their promise by hitting their heads thrice on the ground. By the recitation of this mantra the serpent's promise comes alive that they will never attack a human being until provoked. The Goddess Narmada is invoked in this prayer to save oneself from serpents.

नर्मदायै नमो निशि

O Goddess Narmada, I bow to you by night.

Related topics:

Bhojeshwar Mandir, Bhojpur, Madhya Pradesh

Enlightenment - The meaning of Sahasra Linga

In the sun light from heaven
a thousand Lingas shine
the Lord is present
in every stone divine

The holy river waters flow
a constant worship unfolds
a world of Gods revealed
on bed rock shining gold

The light of enlightenment
has many paths defined
the brilliance of creation
manifests in every shrine

In the silence one can hear
the shimmering waters flow
ablution to the Lord
in the lap of nature unknown

The air echoes the names
the thousand names of the Lord
whose halo shines a fiery flame
feet bless with the waters of life

Depth of faith and meticulous worship can bring alive a world very different from what is familiar in temples. While worship is primarily carried out in temples, meticulously built with the yantra of the presiding deity embedded within the shrine chamber capped by the stone idol, there was yet another form of worship that took place in parallel beyond the walls of the temple. Within the temples we get to see one kind of form of the Sahasra Linga, where a single Linga is faceted and carries on itself a 1008 smaller Lingas. Like the Sahasra Linga at the Parashurameshwar temple Orissa given below, there are such kinds of Lingas installed in temple precincts as well as within shrine chambers across the country.
Yet there was another practice, that leaves us breathless when one descends into that realm. Far away from the civilized world, deep within the forests, along sacred river sides, Shiva worshipers made their own temples in the open. It is a different world, leaving behind the yantra culture that originated from the time of Adi Shankaracharya. These are power centers, of divine presence, meticulously carved into every rock in and around a flowing river.

The beauty of this breath taking creativity can be found in few remote locations. While Hampi(Karnataka) boasts of 1008 and 108 Shiva Lingas carved on the rocks along the Tungabhadra, the Shalmala river to the north in Karnataka has Lingas scattered across its sides. The ambiance around these power centers lifts the mind to a new realm of worship.

Click on the image to enlarge

These power centers bring with them a feeling of sublime, where divinity present leaves us speechless, imbibing every moment we spend in front of these amazing shrines. Across the Shalmala river are the Sahasra Lingas, not all in one, but each carved into every known bedrock across a single stretch of the river. In the moon lit night, as the silver flakes dance around the jingling waters, one sits face to face with a 1008 Lingas, echoing the names of the Lord in every ripple passing by.

Far away in Cambodia, deep among the silent rivers that flow through the forests, not far from Angkhor Wat in South East Asia, are another striking example of similar beauty. Here at Kbal Spean is another series of Shiva Lingas, reliving the Sahasra Linga form of Lord Shiva. What overwhelms the heart and mind, is this creation brought alive in the pure waters that flow through these shrines. But why were these shrines created? Why were they meticulously carved into bedrock of fast flowing rivers that could have claimed lives? And why is it called Sahasra Linga? The answer lies in the account presented by the sculptural evidence of the Buddha, in the Miracle at Shravasti.

Click on the images to enlarge

The account: "The actual miracles took place the following morning. The first of these is known as the yamakapratiharya, or "pair illusion" where the Buddha rose into the air and issued flames from his shoulder and water from his feet. The second miracle is known as mahapratiharya," or Great Illusion" where, the Buddha divided himself into multiple bodies, thereby creating an illusion in which every person present had his or her own Buddha to converse with..."

Sahasra is the state of enlightenment, a state where divinity shines forth as a golden halo of fiery flames around the head and water begins to flow from the feet and the enlightened being appears to multiply such that they are present in numerous parts, each for every devotee witnessing them. This state has been rendered in the description of Krishna dancing with each gopi at the same moment, Buddha multiplying himself in the Miracle of Sravasti, Christ walking on water and Shiva Rudra with rising flames on his shoulders around his head. Sahasra is a visible state that shows the world that a person has reached spiritual enlightenment, it is possible to attain and these river shrines reinforce that phenomenon depicting constant water flow at the feet of 1000 lingas.

Related topics:
108 Lingas along the Tungabhadra
Within a watery bed of peace

Courtesy:
Copyright Gillian Mee. All rights reserved
Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0
Huntington archive.osu.edu/studypages/
Glossary of Indian Art - Original photos and text ©2002 Michael D. Gunther.

Shiva and the meaning of life

I am an illusion
I am an enigma
I am that which I myself don’t know
I am not the person you see
I am just a drop
In the ocean of life
I am the soul
Another form like you

I am Shiva, I am He
I am constant, endless
I am a phenomenon unknown
I am the truth
I am what is before birth
I am what is after death
The illusion you see in between
Is not really me

I am that mystery
I am what I search for
I do not even know
Who or what am made of
I am not ego, nor the self
I am no daughter or mother
I am life, I am breath
i am that bliss, that ecstasy
I am divinity that even I don’t know

Asato maa, Sadgamayaa
Tamaso maa, Jyotirgamayaa
Mrityor maa, Amritam Gamayaa
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

The Shanti Mantra beautifully renders this truth, that what we call the self is really non existent and we live in an illusory world where we are defined by the roles we play rather than who we really are. This deep inherent search for the self, mingled with life's experiences that makes our search far more complex is all in the state of the mind.

Asato maa, Sadgamayaa
This is the definition of our journey through life, life being a medium but not the end. Through this path laden with events and experiences shaping up our personality, clouded by circumstances and emerging with a brutally beaten ego we are like travelers who stray away not knowing where they lost touch of their chosen destination. This journey is from ignorance to bliss, this journey is in the mind as we sieve through various facets of our external life. This is not a journey from birth to death, but a constant attempt to give up the illusory self- The "I" in me, the ego - to calm a jumping mind.

Tamasoma, Jyotir Gamaya
This is worship to be delivered from ignorance to eternal bliss. With every passing event, leaving us undeterred and detached is when the mind begins to settle. The mind begins to reach a state of equilibrium, where there is silence, where there is nothing, no thought, no fear but pure consciousness. This is the state of bliss, where the only sounds are that of OM, the fundamental sound that shapes this universe. Externally, this is a state when we cease to ask for external approval, we cease to seek attention, we live without ego massage. Now we are ready to be alone in a room faced with our self and the feeling is of complete bliss, and time ceases to exist. This is the moment to feel the inner light of spiritual ecstasy.

Mrityor maa, Amritam Gamayaa
This is worship for salvation. Arriving at the state of bliss is a constant, where the world ceases to exist and the mind continues to rest within that silent room of the self. The world is visibly external, its sounds can’t be heard, its presence can’t be felt, its noise cannot be experienced. It’s the death of the ego, its the death of "I", I don’t exist any more. I am bliss, I am Amrit, I am the constant, I am potency, I am present as I should be, I am beyond life and death, I am real, I am divine.

Moolatho Brahma Roopaya, Madhyato Vishnu Roopini
Agratas Shiv Roopaya, Vriksha Rajayte Namaha

Another depiction of this bliss is in the worship of the banyan tree or the Ashwatha Vriksha. The banyan tree is the emblem of life, symbolizing the constant. The banyan tree is also considered to be the symbol of the trimurthy, with Brahma at the root of creation, Vishnu representing the shaft is a symbol of sustenance and Shiva resides at the top bring out in full bloom and life, therefore describing its form as the Shiva linga itself. Such is the beauty of this tree that it describes the constant of life, the eternal bliss that we search for, within ourselves.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

Photo courtesy: Pal V, Photographer, Mumbai.
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