Tripura Sundari Mandir, Banswara RajasthanIn the definition of Kundalini, this is the source of creation, represented by the dot or Bindu in the center of the Sri Chakra. The Bindu means the drop or the point, or literally Bindu Visarga which is the falling of the drop. This is represented by the crescent moon and a white drop which is the nectar that is dripping down from the Vishuddhi chakra. It is the ultimate source of immortality, that state which is called bliss when this chakra is activated through sadhana.
"From that Bindu came ether, air, fire, water, earth and the letters of the alphabet" - Kama Kala Vilasa
The Bindu is connected with the Vishuddhi Chakra and its seat is at the back of the head, typically where brahmins leave a tuft of hair growing. It is believed during sandhya, the brahmin ties this tuft of hair tighter, and while he practices mantra, he develops a powerful and continuing awareness of this Bindu point. This is one of the traditional methods of accessing the Bindu Visarga consciously.
In Tantra, Bindu is depicted by the crescent moon on a moonlit night. The Bindu is closely related to the kalas, that is the waxing and waning of the moon. The Bindu gives a hint towards the vast void beyond, the Sahasrara. It is said when the Bindu is awakened, the sound of OM is heard within the self. It is also believed that this Bindu, or the moon, produces a very intoxicating secretion, which is nectar or ambrosia or amrita or soma. At this point, the bhakta enters the state of complete bliss and is no longer dependent on the world for sustenance.
Other explanations to the same Bindu define this as the red and the white Bindu, where the red represents the Goddess, alias blood of menstruation. White represents the sperm or shukla. The red Bindu is established as the sun and the white Bindu as the moon, representing the ida and the pingala. There are various interpretations to what the Bindu really is, but what strikes out most is that which is depicted on the crown of Goddess Tripura Sundari or that of the great Lord Kameshwara.
This is a phenomenon that renders the bhakta immortal, supreme and one with the divine. Great sages have made this secret phenomenon understandable to the masses by simple depiction. Simple depiction that hides within itself a supreme phenomenon unknown until contemplated upon.
This is embedded in the depiction, in the music, in the verses, in the songs to the great Goddess Kamakshi, Tripura Sundari. Quoting...
Tripurasundari Vijaya Sthava
[Ode of Victory to Tripurasundari]
Lakshya bhakthi rasardhra hruthsarasije sadbhi sadaradhitha|
Sandrananda mayi sudhakara kala gandojjwalanmoulike||
Sarvani sarana gatharthi samani sachinmayee sarvadha|
Srichakradhi nivasini, vijayathe Srirajarajeswari|| 14
Victory to the Goddess who resides in the center of the Sri Chakra, who lives among those hearts drenched in devotion towards her. She resides in the realm of happiness among those good. She wears the crescent moon on her crown and is the consort of Lord Shiva in her all pervasive form. She consoles those who seek protection in her, who is true knowledge, who is wisdom, who is Bindu, who is bliss all within the self.
Hreengarathraya saputathi mahatha manthrena sampoojitha|
Hothri Chandra sameerana agni jala bhobaswannabhoroopini||
Hamsa sohamithi prakrushtadishanair aradhitha yogibhi|
Srichakradhi nivasini, vijayathe Srirajarajeswari|| 15
Victory to the Goddess Rajarajeshwari who resides at the center of the Sri Chakra, who is invoked by the great chant in the three hreem, who is in the sacred offerings, moon, air, fire, water, earth, sun and sky. Who is worshiped by great yogis who look upon her in the divine form of Hamsa Soham.
Tripura Thilakam
[The Ornament to the Tripurasundari]
Eeshashad unmishada marthya sakhi kusumaavalee vimala tharakaa|
Vrunda Sundara sudhamsu ganda subhagee kruthathi guru kaishikaam||
Neelakunchithga naalakaam nitalabhooshanayatha vilochanaam|
Neelakandasukruthonnatheem, sathathasraye Tripurasundareem|| 3
My heart depends on the Goddess Tripura Sundari who is the greatest treasure of Lord Shiva, who is beauty described in her dense crown of hair which is embellished by the crescent moon she wears, that is surrounded by the very stars of the night sky. This appears like a fully opened flower of the Kalpaga tree. Among her blue locks of hair that gently flow down her crown, and frame her half open eyes that are like lilies blooming in the full moon night.
Lakshm aheena vidhu lakshanairjjitha vichakshanana saroruham|
Yikshukarmuka sarasanopamitha chillkayugamamathallikam||
Lakshaye manasi santhatham sakala dushkrutha kshaya vidhayineem|
Uksha vahana thapo vibhuthimahadaksharam Tripurasundarim|| 4
My mind remains awake towards the Goddess Tripura Sundari, who is beauty personified within the lotus face she has, growing like that of a million moons, and has teeth like the bow of a sugarcane of the God of love, who reduces the effect of all bad acts done, whose blessings is the greatest gift gotten from the worship of Lord Shiva.
The realm of the Goddess, the awakening of the Bindu is a drop of moonlight that descends into the consciousness of the Bhakta awakening him into the Sahasrara, the path to the realization of the void, of the universe beyond. The experience of this is probably far, but the very thought that the moon makes a poetic drop of elixir, brings intrigue and mystery into the subtlety of this great phenomenon, represented by a silver glow of the crescent moon on the face of the Goddess.
References:
Kundalini Tantra: Swamy Satyananda Saraswati, Bihar school of Yoga
Vedanta Spiritual Library.
55 comments:
Tripura literally means 'Three cities', which refer to Earth surface/ mean sea level that acts as abode for the relatively superior 'animal world'; Sky or Space as the abode of Heavenly Bodies, having Tripurasundari, that is, one of the members of our solar system, moon (virtually on the 'forehead of earth' and called Tripurasunderi teh most beautiful Queen of queens) as the 'true likeness' of the Nirakar Nadbindu (like the symboloc 'bindi' on the forehead of any person, representing 'sahasrara' that believably houses the essence of moon); and the netherland (underground/ below the mean sea level) that acts as the abode of burowing animals/ innumerable aquatic life forms...
"Hari anant/ Hari katha ananta..." conveys possibility of innumerable paths to reach the above realisation through eyes and the 'shabd' or words (in various alphabetic/ graphical symbols) of different Yogis who apparently act as different characters at different times repeating the 'Truths' for the 'common man' as well as the 'Absolute Truth' for teh 'seekers'...
Joshi Uncle,
the essence of the moon, i have come to believe is before one attains samadhi, or activates the sahasrara chakra.
Its beyond this that the void or universe is experienced within the self.
Yosee,
I hope my previous comment didnt offend you. Apologies if it did. I tend to get carried away.
'Reading between lines', the mythological stories, 'Vishuddhi chakra' is indicated as the house of the 'mayavi rakshashas', literally 'defensive mechanism', interpreted by 'west' as the demons/ Satan, that is believed by Yogis to house the essence of 'Shukra' (sperm called 'shukranu') that is planet Venus representing symbolically 'Somskandha' or right hand of moon, elder son Kartikeya of Shiva-Parvati, as a symbolic representation of the 'mayavi' material world, the 'visha' that is poison, reflected by blue colour that is found close to the neutral green colour (in the visible spectrum) that represents 'Shiva' the 'neel kantha' that is blue throated, who is famous for His long duration Samadhis from time to time and therefore isn't easily approachable/ Earth, with its essence at 'Ajna Chakra', as the one who acts as the basic controller and He alone permits one to reach 'sahasrara' where the essence of 'moon', as the Guru or the superiormost reflected by the golden yellow colour that keeps the 'common man' busy in the 'rat-race' with the metal of the same colour, called gold, while giving them a feeling of ego with the presentation in 'Nature' of 'fool's gold' a form of iron ore because of its golden exterior:)
The basic idea however is to reach the believably 'impossible for man to achieve' yhoughtless stage and, therefore, at least a near thoughtless stage, through constant practice (which apparently has no bar on age, sex,caste, creed and so on, althoiugh generally one might suggest 'sanyas' as teh foiurth stage to conform with the 'churning'...in order to reach close to the Formless Tripurasundari/ Treyambakam, that is the nearly true likeness of the Formless Creator who, according to our wiser ancients, alone exists in the apparent infinite universe...the 'ether' that serves as a medium of travel for 'sunrays'...reflected in human form by the believable 'Nadis' that act as channels for energy to rise from 'mooladhar' and other intermediate 'chakras' also to reach the 'Shasrara' for moksha if one can clear Visuddhi Chakra and also the Ajna Chakra, or reach only some intermediate 'chakra'...and repeat later the cycle in another form...
In still very brief, essence of Venus that has location in the human throat ('Vishuddhi Chakra') acts somewhat like its copy a man-made bottle's narrower 'neck' in order to exercise control on otherwise likely free flow and, therefore, likelihood even of complete loss of its contents in one go itself...which in human system also acts like the familiar 'Police check-post' set up for identification and thereby restriction on known 'suspicious characters' while allowing the normal traffic to flow...perhaps reflected also in the slow movement of files in a bureaucratic system that apparently sometimes irritates an average man (and might also therefore act as a channel for familiar 'underhand practices' in any administrative set up in 'India' in Kaliyuga that is the 'present' pe4haps as part of the 'design')!
The essences of the pair of earth-moon are believably housed in the Ajna and Sahasrara chakras (represented by combination of Green & Yellow colours, like the leaves and flowers of the mustard plant that has tiny black spherical seeds, which also find multiple use in Bengal including control of inferior souls and in food as it is, and also its oil as a medium for cooking, which is also used for application on the body skin and as hair-oil too!
However, as Yogeshwar Shiva (Earth) believably went into long samadhis (or zero thought stage of a Yogi) from time to time, for the purposes of regulating the mundane day-to-day works in the absence of the Divine couple, their charge is believably handed over to yonger son Ganesha & his mouse, their essences represented by Orange & Red colors respectively, acting at the base, or Mooladhar chakra...and Ganesha therefore acting as numero uno in a ny auspicious functin for without his permission no one can reach the Vishuddhi chakra for 'purificatoin of the soiul' as the word vishuddhi conveys...and thus the soul to remain under circulation in eternal cycle...
(Kavitha, my dear child, i was pained to read your " apology".From where did you get the idea that i am offended in any way ? We are only exchanging our respective lines of thought here and i'd be a fool to take offense at a view contradictory to mine !)
First of all, let me say i was mesmerised by the picture used in this post. It has such" vaseegaram" .I immediately sketched it in my scrap book.
The Bindu is an intriguing concept. While reading "Tripura Rahasyam" there were times when the mind came very close to grasping the crux of the matter, and there was palpable excitement in the intellect, but the moment of clarity slipped away like an eel and i was left wondering about this Bindu all over again !
In Tibetan tantrism, the Bindu is both a drop of Nectar and a drop of Poison. It has alluring affinities to the mathematical concept of Singularities.Especially a concept called Tipler's Omega Point, an end point in the dissolution of the universe which holds infinite information and ressurects exponentially faster than computable time. I dont know if i am making sense with my simplification of the theory but when you read it, it comes close to the idea of the conventional "god".In spacetime calculations, Gravitational Singularity is a point at which matter has zero volume ( just a dot) but infinite density and potential.
Interestingly, the term "Bindi"(vermillion worn on forehead)is derived from "Bindu".
Am not sure whether i grasped all the pearls of wisdom you just threw at me, but it was amazing to read through your comment.
Thinking further on what you said, here is my little bit on the mathematics of the supreme...
What you narrated sort of flew a bit, but i had a different ideology (maybe the same thing and i dont know it yet).
The concept of constant has intrigued me for ages, and the fact that there is a constant in every theory/formula from the basic formula for circles to the toughest, there is always an association of a constant, that i believe is the closest it gets to defining God.
We are looking for that same constant, that void within us, that zone which exists in the space just beyond the bindu, that complete equilibrium. That is what makes us, in all our purity, the same way as it would characterize any concept... say a circle in all its perfect state.
The tantric philosophy of amrit vs poison that you mentioned exists in the throat - vishuddhi chakra - which as Joshi uncle beautifully pointed out is represented by shiva neelakantha. Bindu is actually placed right at the back of the head in line with the 3rd eye (bindi) which is on the front.
The mathematics of constants and the required equilibrium that we need to hunt down to reach a state of divine equilibrium is what i feel is the definition of what we call god. Its pure energy or a state of be in... i dont know... It is that which it is supposed to be. 0 change.
Conceptually if you notice, the Shiva and Shakti cults are the only two religious faiths that go back way in time, and are still thriving faiths because the core of both has no changed in ages. This is real power, that which does not need human intervention to survive. It just is.
Btw Yosee,
I hope you clicked on the photo to get the enlarged view, the moon looks so beautiful on the crown!
As Yosee has mentioned about zero volume forms, it was one S Chandrashekhar, an American Indian astronomer, who researched on stars a few decades ago and found that when a star - in the 'Red stage' - nears 'death', it swells and becomes a Red Giant... It eventually explodes in space on account of its gravity, that had managed to sustain it as an individual star all those billions of years, becomes unable to do so due to the mounting radiation pressure - and consequently explodes, such that the debris get dispersed in space around it...however with the release of the pressure, gravity now becomes effective and the debris starts to implode, such that the star gets transformed into another heavenly body, depending on the original mass of the star as compared to the mass of our sun, into either a 'white dwarf', or a Neutron Star' or when it was more than 5 times massive, a 'Black Hole' (Krishna!?) which then becomes invisible to terrestrials because of its Super gravity and zero or near zero volume and its presence is known by inference that is any star(s) near the 'hole in space' gets eaten up such that its light is no more seen because of super gravity...
And the ancient Hindus, who believably were much advanced Astronomers and thus the concept of Nirakar or Formless, Nadbindu etc. becomes a little easier to comprehend for the 'seeker'...and also one has come to know that there exists a black hole at teh centre of our galaxy...
Kavitha, moon has attracted all humans at one time or another in life, particularly the poets...and also the bird, Chakor, that is adopted as Pakistan's National Bird, the country that once was a part of 'India' and has 'Sindh' in the Indus Valley now located there, but once upon a time was known for the advanced Indus Valley Civilisation, and was the stepping stone for further evolution of the same people who came to reside in the Ganga-Yamuna valley...that perhaps doesn't require introduction to the present day Hindus...
Kavitha, talking about the 'third eye of Shiva' ('Ajna Chakra') at the meeting point of the forehead and the nose (with the believable observation of turning up of some dead person's eys upwards) Yogis apparently attempted in a similar fashion to concentrate at this point - with their physical eyes closed, maybe after viewing a candle's flame and holding at the point the perceived light within...And, Krishna the Yogiraja also asked Arjuna to look at the tip of his nose while listening to his words (which some present day yogis indicate as actually meaning the said 'third eye' point)...
It is perhaps however difficult to assure one to halp one to reach the apparently desired goal of making total energy concentrated at the sahasrara chakra (perhaps indicative of 'sahastra-dhara' of flow of total energy in 'thousand channels', like a water-fountain that rises from a nozzle that reflects the 'mooladhar' or 'mool dhara' the basic or root channel of rising high potential energy that would make it reach the desired top most leval...
The problem in visualisation of 'Truth' perhaps arises from the natural division of society into a minimum of two categories, and generally in three basic categories: for or against any thought or issue, howsoever small it might appear to a 'modern' one. Or a neutral category reflecting 'indifference'...these perhaps reflect presence of one Proton and one Electron in Aditi (Hydrogen's) structure, and addition of Neutron in the nucleus in the structure of all other elements besides Protons and Electrons...
In 'India' perhaps as Yosee also gave the examle of 'koopmandook' or 'frogs in the well' ('syndrome'), the society, particularly in Southindia, appears to have at some stage got rigidly divided into pure 'Shaivites' and pure 'Vaishnavites', in the words of the 'modern wise' leading to the 'blinker-like' phenomenon, which however seems to have been averaged out by the followers of 'Ayyappa', a deity believed to be son of Vishnu and Shiva!
Whereas, in Northindia, at least 'I' didn't feel any rigidity in the followers who appear to have generally believed in one Formless God (Nirakar) and all other forms as His Own Images (although with time one generally appears to be unconscious of the 'Truth' and follows the associated with the rituals 'blindly' copying the physical actions performed by their ancestors in different pockets...thus one observes almost everthing is worshipped, from a mouse to a mountain in different pockets...though originally apparently believing in a unique three-in-one Creator, in female form as 'Shakti' (associated with the mysterious moon that reflects unusual power at least in the production of High/ Low tides with its waxing and waning), and in male ('nirguna' or 'detached') form as Shiva (associated with earth)...
Kavitha, Yosee, as 'I' have said earlier also elsewhere, man is 'destined' to remain on the surface of earth (the datum) as long as one lasts, although as an image of the Tripurasundari or Treyambakameshwar human being might temporarily appear to advance in all three directions - one might 'conquer' Mt. Everest/ touch moon or mars, or fathom the lowest point under the seas, yet one is 'destined' to eventually return to surface of earth...the ancients expressed this phenomenon through the observation of birds that reside in a floating ship and fly away from it - but are obliged to return to it again and yet again...perhaps also indicating similar behaviour of the 'souls'...
The Yogis indicate three axes around which a physical form apparently evolved, Tripurasundari the-ruler-of-the-three-worlds-like as the perfectly balanced body. It is interpreted today in the human form, as a model of the universe, that is, the infinite void and its physical contents - as 'physical', mental' and 'spiritual axes...
The Yogis therfore advised, for bringing balance in the otherwise 'naturally imbalanced' raw human form, performance of Yogic exercises, which were developed after in-depth studies...basically to develop communication with the formless within each form in order to 'realise the self', that however is related with zero, and hence the need to reach 'thoughtless stage'...or 'near thoughtless stage'...The Yogis however couldn't believably reach the origin of the Formless, ie., how He came into being, and whether His end was possible or not...and therefore they just called HIm unborn and unending...and from the 'perfect Nature', they called Him 'sarvaguna sampanna' that is master of all fields of activity in which the innumerable apparent physical forms within the universe are seen to be engaged...therefore the indicated need to surrender in Him by 'mere mortals'!
Perhaps the best model of Tripurasunderi is an infant, for at that young age the infant's sense of touch, thanks to the nervous system is naturally more concentrated in the region of its lips/ mouth and thus it carries all objects to its mouth...
Thus the face ltself has the apparatuses for all the five physical senses: eyes for sight, ears for hearing, tongue for taste, nostrils (nose) for smell and skin in the region of the lips for touch...
And, it is said, "Face is the index of mind."
It is believed that the sense of touch gets duly transferred graduslly as the child grows in age, and later the skin on the lower limbs and their extremeties, palms etc. also become equally sensitive...
'Bindu'/ 'Nadbindu' that is a point source of (infinite) sound energy that got transformed into the virat or enlarged universe is apaprently realised by the 'present day Scientis' also in the shape of our universal void that is continuing to expand indefinitely like a balloon since time immemorial together with its contents that also continue to similarly expand...
However, unlike them the ancient Yogis or the then 'scientists' based on in-depth studies realised man also as its model, wherein the essence of moon, in the head in 'sahasrara chakra' believably represented the original 'nadbindu', which believable divided into eight points to result in the structurally perfect representation of the universe having the eight points distributed along the spinal column...thus resulting in storage of complete energy/ information at eight different locations. And thus need to bring all those at teh original point from where they had 'dropped down', just as the drops of water from the clouds...
The 'present day scientists' knows how 'water cycle' is generated. That is thw water in the seas, due to heat of sun evaporates into water vapours and moves towards the land mass due to different rates of heating of land and water enggin the air to carry the cooler air over the sea - with the clouds - closer to the land as the hot air over earth moves skywards to travel back to the sea to occupy the space vacated by the cooler air, and thus setting up a current of air that in 'India' travels from SW to NR direction till the clouds are stopped, llike a dam, stops the cloouds leading to the downpour...'Wise ancient Hindus' however related existence of all physical forms anywhere in the univese with 'panchbhootas'/ 'panchtatvas' (literally five ghosts, or elements that are working since time immemorial) that is, 'Sky' or space, 'earth' (including 'sweet' or potable water), 'Fire' or heat energy, 'Air' and 'water' ('polluted or saline water'in the seas)...which also play their role in the eternal 'water cycle'...
The 'present day scientists', who apparently started research from scratch - to learn about the possible origin of 'life' vis-a-vis the apparent evolution of 'Nature' starting from the believable 'Big Bang' (perhaps to conform to the ancient 'Hindu belief' of existence of 'Nadbindu', or Ardhanarishwar Shiva, perhaps alluding to original earth-moon as its representation in physical form) - have apparently advanced in knowledge through 'experts' in different innumerable fields of mental and physical activities in recent times, from time to time...
Thereby they have apparently reached some interemediate stage of knowledge related with the evolution of the believably infinite knowledge apparently stored in the almost permanent 'Nature', which is yet to be reached...
Thus it leaves the individual 'seeker' (of the believable 'Absolute Truth') to gather overall knowledge to get a better picture of mortal human's believable desired goal during time allowed to one - from the time of one's 'birth' till the inevitable 'death', ie., after a negligible period of existence on earth, at a certain age, that is unknown to one, but is known from experience, that the time allowed to one could be considered at the most say 100 years, out of which useful period might generally range from 20 years in age to say 60 (the generally accepted 'retirement age')...
The task is apparently made easier, which might become more difficult too thanks to availability of innumerable documents that pertain to the experience already gained by the believable 'wiser ancients' also in the 'past', and from time to time, in different languages, the then prevalent trend of usage of words for communication to the 'common man', and so on...which therefore might need correct and proper interpretation by the 'seeker', for one knows that physical changes in different systems naturally occur with time...
The apparent eternal 'Nature' perhaps became possible to exist through conversion of energy into matter and vice versa. A reflection in terms of matter can be observed, say, as it is clearly reflected in the water cycle - from water stored in seas to clouds to potable water on land in different water bodies, natural or man-made (for sustenance of life), although majority of it mainly flows in rivers to water's ultimate goal as well as the storehouse - the seas - again...And the 'average man' thanks to 'slavery of time' perhaps fails to take lesson from it, which appears to have been noticed by the 'wise ancients' also and expressed as attempting to attain 'moksha' at the earliest, ie., reaching the Formless through moon, the believable source of water on earth, as its model, which also gets reflected from 'ancient Hindus' using lunar cycle to determine their auspicious days, etc and Yogis providing highest pedestal to moon by indicating its essence to be housed in human head!
While trying to read a book on Astronomy to increase my knowledge in the early Eighties, a 'western astronomer's' hypothesis - related with evolution of moon from originally existing earth-moon (ardhanarishwar in the beginning?!) - appeared to 'me' as if 'I' was reading the Hindu Mythological story related with 'Sati's suicide in sacred fire', and Her rebirth as Parvati as His second consort!
The then hypothesis, of evolution of moon from earth, is more or less accepted today as a 'scientific fact'...although suggesting impact of an asteroid as the root cause...
It helped 'me' to read between the lines the story thus conveying to 'common man', in an interesting manner, the story of evolution of moon, the Mother of mothers to the ancient 'Hindus', who themseves were perhaps called thus to remind one of 'Indu' the moon...and conveying why it was called Jagadmba, the mother of 'jagat' that is our planet earth - the most evolved physical form in 'Nature'!
It's a different matter that it is called 'mithya jagat' also, thus conveying it as one of the innumerable illusory physical forms, each acting as a model of the universe, or an 'image of God (the Formless Creator'), perhaps to reflect the entire History of the 'creation'...
The man-made mirrors from glass/ polished metals, appear to reflect the illusory images of the apparently real objects that are placed in front of those and also as long as they continue to remain in front of those. Whereas, the 'wise ancients' similarly realised physicl bodies themselves as temporary 'images' although, as in case of humans, those also might apparently be made from materials that are available on earth itself...like the idols that one, say a 'Hindu' worships! Thus teh situation is perhaps similar to an inferior idol worshipping a superior idol (just as in the apparent 'real life', an 'inferior animal' acts slavishly for man, the 'superior animal')!
Krishna was thus called 'Natkhat' that is mischievous - although maybe like one tests all instruments/ machines thoroughly before launching in the market, He too might have tested all animals too...
It's only water that is naturally found in all the three phases: Solid, liquid and gas; as snow, normal water, and as steam or clouds, respectively...
As per 'wise ancient Hindus', it descended on earth, via Shiva's locks of hair, from moon.
However, credit for it goes to Bhagirath's valiant efforts for revival of 60,000 sons of grandfather King Sagar that were turned into ashes by a sage, on account of 'Indra', the devta responsible for rains, that is our Sun, playing truant during 'Ashvamdha Yagya' for enlargement of King Sagar's empire!)...(perhaps describing a drought!)...
And, water surface acts naturally also like a mirror and reflects one's image...and it might have been used by the 'primitive man' for that specific purpose also...
Water is understood as an importnt ingredient that goes not only in the making of physical forms, including human's, but also in their sustenance - and hence the saying, "Water is life." That might also help imsgine importance of moon, the Tripurasunderi of the 'Hindus', as almost a 'conscious' form of the Creator...
It is believed that the ancient Yogis had advanced to a relatively much higher level by yogic exercises with a view to gathering complete information that's believably recorded, but distributed in the eight 'chakras', that are believably like models of different galaxies. And, that the total information related to a particular level is concentrated at their respective centres, at different levels from head to tail-bone end...each centre reflects one of the eight numbers selected members of our solar system (as the most evolved ‘amrit’ or unending heavenly bodies)...and for absolute total information, which is available within each human form, all these eight need to be lifted to the head at one point to reach the all knowing Creator…the ninth non-playing-Captain-like ring-planet Saturn, essence linked to essence of planet Mars at the basic charka ‘mooladhar’, willing…
Although it sounds easy (perhaps for an ‘average man’), but in practice, if humans were expected to act on their own, it must be difficult, or/ rather extremely difficult. It is like eight different 'eccentric' characters (that ‘we’ appear to each other!) , each living in one of the floors of an eight-storey building, become willing/ are made willing to act in unison by Vishnu the Nadbindu, the Formless Creator!
However, the Gaja (elephant, whose head is believed to have been grafted by the ‘perfect’ or most evolved Shiva over numero uno devta or Sri Ganesha’s shoulders) and Graha (crocodile, the ‘magarmachha’, the ‘Fish’ that believably was the first avatar of Vishnu and thus alluding to the beginning of ‘churning’, (or end of Kalliyuga), conveys the key to be available only with ‘Vishnu’, who believably came running when prayed to by the elephant to help release its leg tightly grabbed in its powerful jaws by the crocodile!
However, Yogiraja Krishna (who is believably housed at the centre of our galaxy, by the ‘resent day scientists’) is believed to have been responsible for the drama or ‘Krishnaleela’, on behalf of Yogeshwar Vishnu/ Shiva (for both are believed to be same soul)…and therefore one gets to read in the Geeta how He is willing to lead one to the Supreme Knowledge – call Him Vishnu or Shiva the Formless!
Although it might alredy be known to everyone, I forgot to mention that unlike elephant, (the animal that spends more time on land and also loves to spend lot of time in river water), crocodile is basically a river water animal, although it is obliged to come out on land from time to time for charging its solar cells...of course, it's a wonderful design by virtue of which the crocodile catches its food due to water being the basic need of all other land-animals too that approach the river banks unaware of the crocodiles - that are expert hunters...waiting unmoved patiently for hoiurs even...
Maybe one can perhaps realise the usefulness of 'Discovery Channel' etc in getting to see how the 'wild animals' teach the lesson, recorded in Gita, regarding Yogiraja Krishna's advice of remaining 'stithpragya' or unmoved under all circumstances...just as magars and lions appear to nearly display it while they hunt for food, and not for fun or game, unlike man...and also how most 'inferior animals' even continue to perform their apparent 'assigned task' since time immemorial...Lacto bacillus, for example, converts milk into curd, under 'normal conditions', of course...whereas, man might not do so even under 'ideal conditions'!...
And because man is essentially accepted as the 'superior most life' on earth, Tripurasunderi perhaps, therefore, also appears 'Natkhat' or 'mischievous', like 'Krishna' reportedly was in 'Dwaperyuga'...
And, the 'wise ancients' also indicated their helplessness in deciphering the purpose of the Creator in the believable 'illusory world/ universe', whereas they indicated the only purpose of man was to seek the Formless God as well as the gods with forms...and certain characters apparently realised a component of God within each form, which certain Yogis reportedy loudly announced that they themselves were God!
But, generally an 'average man' today finds it difficult to accept the 'truth' of the ancients, perhaps as per a grand design, related with Kaal or Time, as also indicated by the 'wise ancients'...but still the majority fails to believe it...due to reported 'poison' that had emerged (in Kaliyuga) due to 'churning of the milky ocean', primarily for the 'cream', which the Yogis indicated our solar system also to be of our galaxy that holds it on its outer periphery...and Krishna is believably associated with milk, and also with 'cowboys' and 'milkmaids' and thus not only river 'Ganga' but Cow also was called 'mother', and Yogis indicated Moon as the Mother of mothers, reflected in human form by Parvati the consort of Gangadhar Shiva and an image of 'Sati' (Shakti or energy) His original, Ardhanarishwar's, 'better half'...who therefore believably was responsible for immortality, or 'amrit', granted to the members of the solar system, and thus Shiva (opposite of Visha, that is earth) thanks to Her attained capability to drink 'halahal' the deadlist poison (that also gets reflected in the atmosphere of planet Venus even today) and be thus called 'Neelkantha' also (among His sahastra or 1000 names, literally only, and indicating innumerable 'images'...) which also gets reflected not only in Ganga becoming polluted, but even the underground water also now is seen getting polluted due to human activities on the surface of earth...which also believably is making all potable water stores on the surface, in the solid state (ice and snow) to melt rapidly and help increase the sea level...perhaps heading towards 'pralaya' or 'Great Inundation'...
And as the society always divides (naturally?) into
a minimum of two categories, the 'present day experts' appear to be similarly divided...whereas the 'average man' remains as the drishta or spectator of the drama and perhaps some of them writing letters to the editors, or in 'blogs', suggesting what should be done, which apparently falls on 'deaf ears' or Dhritrashtra-like 'blind eyes' of the 'experts' (in the 'material' or 'spiritual world') who unfortunately, or as per design, can never see eye to eye with each other...:)
Of course, 'I' must add that from 'my' view-point that 'I' have attempted to view from various angles, as the 'ancient wise' also indicated, man - (supported by all other apparent innumerable physical forms in the infinite universe) - was basically a versatile instrument, or medium, for acting as the superior most model of 'God' (the unique Formless Supreme Being, called Bhootnath Shiva or Vishnu by 'Hindus') that helped reflect, at some point/ period of 'apparent time', its actions for attaining perfection, through innumerable character or 'His Own images', which in reality were performed in 'absolute zero time and space' ...and hence the need to review all those from the apparent time it reached the 'perfect stage (called Satyuga) to the beginning or 'apparent zero time', called the beginning of 'churning of the milky-ocean'...
Of course, as Yosee said all are free to express their own view-points in the blogs...
JC, it was fascinating to read your view points from various angles. Our traditions are an inexhaustible source of wonderment that can supply material for endless mind games.
Just a thought: You have repeatedly referred to the moon as "Mother of Mothers", "queen of queens" etc while our divine iconography always shows Moon as a male, an errant and cursed male at that! Wonder what the yogis were thinking.
( Quote: "the story of evolution of moon, the Mother of mothers to the ancient 'Hindus', who themseves were perhaps called thus to remind one of 'Indu' the moon..."unquote)I was under the impression that the ancient sanatanis had no name for themselves and the name/identity "Hindu" was thrust on them by invading outsiders,derived from the name of River Sindhu(Indus)
Re: Division between Shaivites and Vaishnavites in South India :It may interest you to know that the sect of Veerashaivas ( Lingayats of Karnataka and Andhra)consider themselves as belonging to a different religion altogether, not even Hindus !!! They derive their sptiritual heritage from wise men who are said to have recieved direct revelation ( Agama)from Shiva !They have little use for Yantra-Mantra-Tantra ! Its Direct Dealing with the Pathi ! :-)
( Quote: "Perhaps the best model of Tripurasunderi is an infant"unquote)I like this idea very much. In fact , one of the 16 roopas of Adiparashakthi is called " Bala-tripurasundari"
Regards.
Greetings to all on the lunar new year!! This sanvatsar is curiuosly named as"Virodhi".Would like to know the views of the audience on this rather absurd sounding name.
Hi Yosee, Once anyone of the infinite characters at any given instant is convinced that God is a unique form of energy, which is known, even to still evolving 'present day scientists' also to be 'unending'...(in class '9', in the early Fifties, 'I' first read "Energy can neither be created nor destroyed by any known means")...
The aforesaid indicated 'It' to be related with 'zero time and space', and all apparent physical forms as 'His Own images' or models (as indicated by the 'wise ancients' also, irrespective of whether one was a 'Hindu', or belonged to any other school of thought/ 'religion')... 'Historians' related 'Hindus' with 'Indus', but didn't explain how the River Indus itself got the said name, which in fact itself directly related it with 'Indu' ('Hindus' called all rivers as 'mother', for they were responsible for sustenance of life forms through 'life-giving' water, except for 'Brahmaputra' the lone 'son' and not 'father'. And even the sea was called 'Sindhu', even though its water was saline and unfit for human consumption)!...
And also as per 'Hindu belief', the mention of the apparently ancient most civilisation that He the 'perfect being' is apparently viewing His Own apparent rise and fall in the past (indicating Him thus by calling it Nirakar Bhootnath, the Lord of the Past also)...
In view of the above, it is immaterial (because of the design of course) whether anyone appears at any time and space and also in any form that is 'unreal' (male, female, or 'eunuch'), and appears to belong to any of the innumerable schools of thoughts, indicates one as an 'imperfect being' belonging to a time other than the believable end of 'Satyuga' (as defined by 'Hindus') as related with immortality or 'amrit' and Shiva, for the 'Real One' is formless and therefore the univese/ earth-moon as its 'essence' would perhaps ever remain a mystery...unless, hypothetically speaking, one could become God, or 'enter His/ Her/ Its mind' (as 'Stephen Hawking' also thus desired) and thus directly know 'His' purpose, that is, what 'He' is looking for in this apparently unending 'drama', as 'Shakespeare', a 'western character', even believed human life to be...
Tripurasunderi also relates 'the Creator' with Mother (reflecting shakti or energy)! And, the female form of all mammals is seen to act as Mother or Mummy, while the male appears to act virtually like a mere farmer/ gardner, whose job it is to sow the seed and perform tasks related with the bringing up of the resultant plant life...and there is saying, "Behind every successful man there is a woman!"
Please read the above with the usual disclaimer one is used to read/ hear in the 'present' in all works related with fiction!
Yosee, 'I' saw your latest interesting post on Amsterdam (Netherland) also, but didn't comment for 'I' don't have any personal experience, except that 'I' once had got acquainted with a Dutch Chelo player who is married to a young and upcoming 'Indian' Sitar player (originally from Bangalore and a student of 'world famous' Pandit Ravi Shankar)...
Thanks Anilji for the greetings on the start of a 'New Lunar Year'! And, Best Wishes to you! And all others too!...
Being a 'medicine man', perhaps you might already have learnt why an apprently 'mad person' (or 'off the rocker') is called a 'lunatic' and thus relating that person only with Moon, that is, 'la Lune' to a European!
The 'Yogis' however, reportedly, realised essence of moon to exist in the heads of all human/ animal forms (perhaps all mammals)...for the 'present day scientists' also indicate animals also to receive thoughts as dreams, like humans, when they apparently are 'asleep'...yogis however indirectly or even directly indicated the entire universe itself as illusory or a dream-like projection in the 'mind's eye' of 'animals', that is, illusory characters being thus seen by 'super conscious Being', Yogeshwar Shiva/ Vishnu, in 'His Third Eye'/ in 'yognidra' in His bed formed of celestial serpent, Ananta or Sheshnag...
And the 'present day astronomers' also believe the universe to be behaving like a balloon that is continuing to expand since time immemorial having innumerable physical forms dispersed all around in the infinite and expanding 'dark space' ('Krishna' as the representative of 'Vishnu' literally the 'poisonous atom') within it ...and thus indicating all physical forms as 'eccentric' - including animals on 'earth', which alone is indicated as 'centric' by the 'ancient wise'...for the 'Hindu astronomers' believed earth as the centre of the universe...which perhaps indicates all life forms also as 'eccentric' as they apparenly are on the surface, away from its centre, which perhaps has a core of molten iron (as per modern scientists) the metal that was associated with planet Saturn, as per 'Hindu or ancient Indian Astrologers', whereas metal gold was associated with Moon!
Viruddha that is 'against' or 'opposite' perhaps could indicate extreme Kaliyuga or age of ignorance...
'I' might also add here that astrolgers indicated time in terms of yugas, and have also indicated it in different 'charans' or stages. Also they attempted to correlate these stages through reflection of their characteristics reflected through human behaviour...
'I' have broadly earlier also indicated the ranges of human efficiency in different Yugas - eventually reaching 0% at the end of 'Kaliyuga', and termed the last stage of it as 'ghor kaliyuga' as reflected by the apparent erratic behavioiur of the majority, which in a 'democracy' or even otherwise was believed reflected through 'selfish Kings' or 'Rulers' (and not servants) in human form only, whereas the devtas, as reflected by 'heavenly bodies', apparently continued to behave dedicately in the service of man in the same 'perfect manner'...as it is reflected, to some extent in the animals also - perhaps thus acting as 'role models' to humans who have in fact learned from observation of their behaviours to itself evolve from 'wild life' to 'civilised life' to some extent, but ignored by 'humans' in Kaliyuga, that is the 'present, as 'inferior life...
A typical astrolger 'I' was talking to once indicated the sign of 'ghor kaliyuga', "When man will become small," (believing it to mean that size of man will become small, or 'dwarfs' only wouled be seen!)...Therefore, 'I' asked him whether he hadn't noticed how in general 4-5 year-old children today are able to achieve that 'we' could never have thought of, when 'we' were at that age (although one might attribute it to audio-visual education' thanks to the advancement in 'electronic media', which however could also be part of 'natural design' for 'education!)...
Anilji, Although 'I' don't know the significance of the particular name, 'Virodhi', however, what 'I' have learnt from the internet is that 60 years make one 'Samvatsar'. Thus a person, born in one Samvatsar, will be 60 years old when the same samvatsar repeats again.
And that, out of these 60 years, every year in a Samvatsar is given a specific name - and the 23rd year in the cycle is called 'Virodhi'...
Also as additinal information, Lunar Year is the passage of the full Moon through the 27 constellations. It is made up of 12 full moons, or months, each of around 29 days, and thus one month covers at times two or three constellations even. Compared to the solar year of about 365.25 days, that makes the lunar year approximately 354 days...such that exactly in 18 years the the start of the two different years coincide...
Sorry! 'I' forgot to add that due to shortage of numbers of days in a lunar year compared to the solar year, there remains a gap of near about 10 days every year, and therefore to account for it an additional month, called 'adhikmas' is added after about 2 and a-half year or so. And, the extra month is attributed to the 28th Nakshatra, or constellation, called Abheejit.
The horoscope that an astrologer prepares, (perhaps since the Vedic Era before it collapsed by about
6th century B.C with the advent of Buddhism and Jainism in India), has 12 'houses' that indicate the 'location of the 'grahas' in the 'sky' or 360 degrees of space as they stood at the time of birth when the individual concerned was born...
From this chart, The 'rashi' of a given individual is determined from the number of the house where Sun/ moon was located when the concerned was born...
As the Earth rotates round the Sun, like moon, it appears as if the Sun/ moon is moving across the background of distant stars. These stars, ie., the constellations, or certain groups of stars are the nearby bright stars in the Milkyway Galaxy. They appear immmovable, but they do move, and this change is observed over thousands of years.
The Solar year begins with Vernal Equinox, on or about March 21. The twelve months, known as the 'Saur Maas', correspond to the entry of the Sun into the signs of the Rashi or the Zodiac sign...
In essence, the astrologers try to predict the likely behaviour of the concerned based on the relative positions of the different planets in different houses of the concerned...which might turn out - perhaps most of the time wrong - but sometimes true also, thus dividing the society into 2 groups - one that believes in astrology and the other that doesn't, or might even condemn it:)
However, in the 'western hemisphere' also there are amny who believe in astrolgy, particularly when people learn about certain predictions, such as that made by Nostradamus a well read astrologer cum occult practioner (in the 16th century AD?), which are, of course, being mostly understood - after due interpretations - the occurrence of certain predicted events that appear to have actually happened, but were not deciphered earlier due to the language used, in a particular background of existing 'Christian' thoughts that the majority was more exposed to during that period...and similar is the case in the 'east' also...
Thus despite all apparent tools available, human life and its purpose remains a mystery...including why the present Lunar year is named 'Virodhi', or opponent:)
Hi Yosee, You said, "...one of the 16 roopas of Adiparashakthi is called " Bala-tripurasundari."
Similarly, the 'Vaishnavites' indicate 'Balkrishna' or child krishna - the representative of Yogeshwar Vishnu, literally 'poisonous atom, the 'Nadbindu' or the infinite source of sound energy depicted as having a conch-shell in one of His four hands/ Shiva the immortals, who also reside within each physical form!
Balkrishna as an infant itself is shown to have killed 'Pootana', a demon sent by Krishna's uncle Kansa to kill Balkrishna who then was in the custody of his foster parents Yashodha-Nand at Mathura (although born under in a 'prison' that is similar to a Black Hole, born under 'confinement of a massive star's debris'), in Dwaperyuga, the second stage of 'churning' after Shiva had consumed 'halahal' and made it safer for both devtas as well as rakshashas to pcontinue 'churning for reaching immortality or 'amrit.
And, Krishna believably says that He has made only two types of men: Devtas and Rakshashas, (plus, and minus in terms of grahical representation), which in the present day terms could perhaps be interpreted as 'selfless' and 'selfish'...
Lady Pootna is believed to have managed to take the infant Krishna on her lap unnoticed by any of the many security guards of King Nanda and many other friends and family members (perhaps like a virus) and make it drink her poisoned milk, instead Balkrishna sucked life out of her body itself! (Maybe one could compare it with Shiva's story regarding consumption of halahal - thanks to Tripurasunderi, and Her 'somrus' the 'essence of moon', or moonlight, that is mischievously perhaps considered meant for granting immortality only to the devtas, but perhaps as part of the design, for balance, was consumed by Rahu the rakshasha also, although identified thus a bit too late by Sun and Moon and had thus to 'lose his head'(and 'I' can't tell how many times 'we all' too might have done it, perhaps thanks to 'Rahu', the ultraviolet rays:)...
Hindu mythological stories perhaps need to be read with 'mind's eye' for like Sun & Moon out physical eyes make us wiser after the event only - like Nostradamus' predictions:)
The 'ancient wise Hindus' also laid stress on 'satya'/ 'satva' that is 'essence', such as in the general statement, "Satyam Shivam Sunderam", literally translated as 'Shiva alone is the Truth and He alone is beautiful'...and perhaps one could call it 'slavery of time', one simply brings to one's mind an image of a human being, symbolically used by the 'ancient wise', which however needs to be properly interpreted. Also, there is need to realise existence already of innumerable interpretations as per the saying, 'Hari anant Hari katha ananta...'
In view of the above, an 'average man' perhaps apparently shouldn't be tied down with teh mundane things that doesn't permit one 'spare time' to attempt reading every printed matter on innumerable subjects and then attempt to draw teh essential truth, one might therefore remain confused all through one's life...thus, being a 'social animal', one (as per design perhaps) chooses to adopt one particular path that believably is tread by many other followers of a believable 'highly elevated soul' or a Siddha Purush'...that get reflected by the 'religion'/ 'panth', such as Sikhism the apparent part of 'Hinduism' itself that apparently came up because of the 'faults' or 'shortcomings' in the generally adopted path as it was seen at a particular point in time - just as 'midcourse correction' of a spaceship that was launched to reach a particular goal, but was noticed heding elsewhere! This phenomenon can be noticed by one in any other field of human activity also - a mother even slaps her own child to apply correction if it is apparently going waywards:)
And, in order to make it last longer a painter applies paint an iron surface to make it rust-proof, or a carpenter uses seasoned wood and also polishes or paints it...and a common man uses water for washing away dirt from the face/ body although it believably is mortal or temporary only (serving some unknown but useful purpose to God) - perhaps mutely indicating also 'mental detachment' from Earth the 'mrityulok', or Shiva the Destroyer who alone is permanent Treyambakeshwar/ Tripurasunderi:)
Yosee, you had said you don't believe (?) in astrology...
While seeking 'Who Am I?' in retrospect 'I' find that it was because of my 'family tradition' that 'we' the children also got to see our own horoscopes too in the early age. And, although we didn't have any idea, 'we' went through those in our 'spare time'...
'As luck would have it', my Rashi, because of moon lying in the 10th house, happened to be 'Makar' (perhaps associating it with 'water' and crocodile:)
And, one of the suggested 'Rashi name' was Bhola Ram:) Although 'we' had known that Shiva was called Mahesh the 'Great God', and that He was also called 'Bhola Nath' the 'Simple God', my siblings used to make fun of me as a simple/ ignorant boy! And maybe that's how from the early stage itself 'I' could say that 'I' was attracted towards 'Lord Shiva'...but 'I' cannot call myself a 'typical shaivite', perhaps because of 'my' birth in Himachal Pradesh (from parents belonging to the hills in the 'Kumaon region' in the then Uttar Pradesh and now Uttarakhand that includes also the 'Garhwal region')...and therefore, like Parvati is considered 'Himalaya putri', 'I' too perhaps could call myself a 'Himalayaputra:) And perhaps therefore as Parvati the Tripurasunderi's great-great grandson even, and thus related with Kartikeya & Ganesha too!
Also as 'I' said elsewhere earlier also, my initials, JC, attracted 'me' towards Christ also! That perhaps indicates 'my' connection with the 'west' also - (where Vishnu's head believably rests as He believably reclines W-E direction the trend also reflected by the Himalayas) - and not only North, and therefore NW also where Shiva's head 'I' can imagine to rest as He reclines in the NW-SE direction, because of tilt in Earth's axis:)
Dr Anilji, perhaps thus indicating the 'natural tilt' or 'eccentricity' in all human beings who believably are models of Shiva the immortal:)
You bein a 'medicine man', Anilji 'I' would like to hear from you...
"Eccentricity is not, as dull people would have us believe, a form of madness. It is often a kind of innocent pride, and the man of genius and the aristocrat are frequently regarded as eccentrics because genius and aristocrat are entirely unafraid of and uninfluenced by the opinions and vagaries of the crowd." - Dame Edith Sitwell
"Eccentricity has always abounded when and where strength of character has abounded; and the amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage which it contained." - John Stuart Mill
"The amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage it contained. That so few now dare to be eccentric marks the chief danger of the time." - John Stuart Mill
Dr Anilji thanks for making 'me' acquainted with some of the 'western views'...Of course, as Ritwoja had also referred, 'I' also happened in the early Eighties, to read the 'Autography of a Yogi' by Paramhansa Yogananda, the book provided to me by a friend who, hearing 'my views', felt 'I' must read it. 'I' recall coming across an incident where the said Yogi as a young boy reported to His Guru, in whose 'ashram' in Kanpur he resided temporarily, that one of his acquaintances he had come to know in the city had gone 'mad'!
The Guru, who believably was a 'famous spiritual personality', 'an elevated soul', and therefore commented, to the effect, that he wouild consider himself lucky if he too could become similarly 'mad' like that person (even though he was a 'mere house holder':)
'I' therefore had just indicated 'eccentricity' in a general sense, and not 'madness' as some of 'us' at times feel even God also to be, for He apparently fulfils all wishes of all 'evil' and 'unsocial' elements, whereas 'good' people undergo 'suffering', and so on!
Of course earlier 'I' had tried to relate Moon with the apparent madness:)
Thanks!
Talking of 'suffering' - on account of 'eccentricity' - say, 'I' am familiar with the case of a relative whose son, then around 13-14 years in age, a school boy, was diagnosed as suffering from 'schizophrenia'. 'I' have observed the famiy undergo suffering over the last around 30years - primarily because of this particular boy acting as a medium for their additinal physical and mental strain and already the present day life is becoming harder with time...His, then around 64 year-old, father died some 17 years ago and, thereafter, his mother, now over 70 years, has been handling him alone...and she herself is, therefore, undergoing both mental as well as physical stress having to take care of herself as well as her son also who, one could perhaps say, has virtually a 'vegetable-like existence' all through these years. And, therefore, since long the parents, who naturally are obliged to take his care, wondered what would happen to this boy as they grew older and eventually pass away?? The thought itself might not allow one to sleep properly...
This sort of a grim picture is not a unique case. In 'India' itself there must be umpteen number of such cases, some even much more worse than it...
And most of the 'Indian' families are now nuclear in nature, and thus do not have the advantage that an 'Indian' joint-family system earlier provided. Of course, that system also had some other problems of its own, particularly that of stunting the growth of certain younger members - just like it is evident in case of plant life...which perhaps thus gets reflected in similar behaviour in human life too, perhpas naturally...and man therefore is perhaps no different from those - although one might call them an 'inferior life':)
The present Navratri, that believably marks the beginning of the Lunar Year (called Virodhi) over nine nights, that is, 'ratri' when each night the eight-handed Mother Durga, in Her nine different forms, is ritually worshipped by 'Hindus' since time immemorial...and as all 'Hindus' might already know very well, the ancients realised life as symbolic representation of energy, as apparent destructive energy is reflected, say, in the presentation of 'Kali', literally Black, 'who lives in the heart of Shiva', who is also shown lying on the ground while She has one of her legs placed literally on Shiva's heart, ie., on His chest...She is depicted as a scary four-handed dark woman (just as Shiva teh Natraj also is shown four-handed) whose blood red tongue is shown protruding out of Her mouth. She is also shown wearing a garland of skulls (of rakshashas) while She also holds in one hand a human head with blood dripping from the neck that is believably cut with a crescent-of-moon shaped weapon, (and a similar cutting tool or knife, called dao is popularly used in all kitchens of Bengalis since time immemorial), that she holds in another hand..and so on...
One could perhaps imagine eight-handed Durga being represented by the combination of both four handed Shiva and Kali - as earth and its centre where the gravitational force is concentrated (say the four- handed Vishnu)...which perhaps might help one to visualise moon to represent Durga and earth as Her vehicle, the believable 'Tiger' (both reflecting a mother and child relationship)...where moon can be imagined as the 'true likeness' of the Formless, the Tripurasunderi, and earth as Her Own Image, the apparently best 'image of God' or model of the universe in physical form...
Yosee, regarding female form associated with moon indicated in stories, while recording 'my' loud thoughts, 'I' had earlier also indicated how the mythological stories related with moon and its different models in human forms, in different Eras or Yugas, as it evolved gradually, convey the 'scientific' phenomenon of birth of moon from earth-moon itself as it is also believed today too...
In Dwaperyuga, moon's characteristics get reflected through beautiful Draupadi, (the common wife of five brothers, the 'Pandavas', perhaps as typical models of each of the 'panchtatvas', although Arjuna the expert archer had won her hand in mariage, but due to their mother Kunti's 'lack of knowledge', without in-depth knowledge she asked them to share equally betwen the five whatever prize Arjun had won:) was reportedly born out of 'sacred fire', thus referring to the bowels of original earth-moon, Ardhanarishwar to the ancient 'Hindus'...
In Tretayuga, Sita, (meaning cold, and also the furrow made on the surface of earth when it is tilled), the beautiful girl is depicted as found inside a pitcher when her godfather, Janak (mening father or creator) was tilling the earth...Sita was also called Vaidehi, ie., formless...and thus the Ravana's kidnapping Her is explained by some writers as 'Maya' or illusion and is depicted through Her passing the 'agni pariksha', literally indicating Her to have a body of 'fire' that is 'energy'...and eventually She is indicated to have disappered within thebowels of earth...
In Satyuga, similar to Draupadi being born from 'sacred fire', Parvati the daughter of Himalayas, (under which the magma is at a relatively lower depth, and also the region experiences frequent earth-quakes due to tectonic movements), was born and grew up to a beautiful maiden, and she believably was yet another form of Sati (Shakti or energy) the original consort of Shiva the Ardhanarishwar who committed suicide in the 'sacred fire'...Parvati is also called Durga (literally a fort) as moon is seen as the direct protector of earth, and acting as a defence mechanism to protect earth from the impacts of meteors etc...and Parvati, that is, Moon (original moon-erth, is also referred as Jagadamba that is Mother of earth, and all terrestrials too who therefore pray to Durga and Her various forms, including young girls who are ritually worshipped since time immemorial. In Northindia, yoiung girls are generally invited on the eight, or ninth, day of a Navratri...for 'puja' and sharing of prasadam...although the 'present' being Kaliyuga, of lowest human efficiency and mass ignorance, one (the 'Apsmara Purush' or 'forgetful man') wonders why then women are maltreated in 'India'!!!
Perhaps the 'truth' can only be visulaised if one accepts the existence of one and only Formless Supreme Being, who is reviewing His Past (or History) for some purpose that is not revealed to 'man', or/ rather the forgetful man, as per design...
Only the 'present-day-astronomers' perhaps can first come to know the behaviour of the 'Heavenly Bodies' as they are in a way obliged to keep watching the 'sky' - call it curiosity or a means of earning - and also report it in 'scientific journals', which thereafter appear in the 'dailies' also...
Thus if a 'seeker' has similar 'inclination of mind', one could get to know more about one of the 'Tripura' or 'city', the 'deeper sky or space', or one of the 'panchbhootas'...And it is interesting to know how one might learn how some very very distant star, in terms of millins of 'light-years', might even not 'in reality' exist at the moment when we terrestrials receive its light and thus remain ignorant of the 'truth' - (due to the speed of light being much lower than the rate at which human thought travels and hence in the advaced stage the posibility of Yogis communicating through telepathy') - about its death, and that it might even have transformed into some other heavenly body! And thus the light could even be called an apparition or 'ghost'!
Shiva the 'Destroyer' is called 'Gangadhar', ie., generally indicted as the one who holds the holiest of the holy Rivers on earth, the Ganges (Mother Ganga to the 'Hindus'), which flows on the surface of earth and passes through many 'holy' cities, including Varanasi (that was 'Kashi')...thus earth itself is Shiva...which ar confirmed by other hints also...
However, to indicate overall influence, of 'Shiva' & 'Parvati' that is Tripurasunderi in all the three cities, or Tripura, thereby covering also the 'sky' as wellas the underground, the wise ancients also mentioned 'Akash Ganga' as well as 'Patal Ganga', respectively, the other two puras also...which actually mean the 'Milky Way' stars in our Galaxy as also the waters that are found below the surface of water that too are connected with the seas, which could also be tapped for human consumption,, through natural springs or bore-holes and hand or motor operated phmps...although sea water isn't potable directly...
The mythlogical stories also mention the 'Third Eye' of Shiva, which when opened reportedly turned every one into ashes; not only rakshasas like Bhasmasur, but devtas like Kamdev also, that is, all life forms on the surface of earth including materials used by humans/ animals for fulfilling various desires related with the basic needs, as well as items of luxury used mainly by humans...
Reading between lines, with holes in ozone layer being observed and monitored over the Antarctica in the 'present', for it could destroy life on earth, one might be able to realise the holes as Shiva's Third Eye...Even in the story related with construction of 'Ramasetu' in Tretayuga by M/s Nal-Neel & Co., Sant Tulsidas describes the related incident by indicating Rama, the then 'expert archer', asking Lakshamana to hand him over the arrow so that he could dry up the sea for Varun devta didn't provide passage to Sugriva's army to go to Lanka. With the background knowledge that it is only our Sun that can dry up the sea, but not on its own, for its heat energy is regulated by earth on account of presence of ozone layer in earth's atmosphere. Thus Rama and Lakshamana could respectively be imagined as typical models of Sun and Earth... And, similarly, there are hints in the story of Mahabharat, related with Dwaperyuga, that indicate Arjuna and Yudhister as models of Sun and earth respectively...whereas in Satyuga these merge as two of the three aspects of Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesha...the three-in-one God, with Tripurasunderi, Moon given the highest pedestal, as its essence finds its location in human head!
Hi JC, Kavitha,Anil Joshi : At present,my old Uncle-in-law is visiting and when he saw me reading here intently, asked me about it and we shared some thoughts of Srichakra, moon, third -eye etc. He mentioned that certain passages in Yajur veda contend that the graha Moon is the land of Pitrs !
And he has recommended a book for me to read. "The Biological and Historical Significance of Vedic Mythology" by A.K. Bhattacharyya. Have any of you read it ?
Yosee,
The book you have mentioned seems to be very rare,Haven't read it!
Here is a link in case you are interested in buying it....
http://www.alibris.co.uk/search/books/qwork/707220/used/The%20biological%20and%20historical%20significance%20of%20Vedic%20mythology.
Hi Yosee, 'I' haven't come across the particular book. However it is generally believed by 'Hindus' that there exists a parallel world of souls at differnt elevations that are engaged in cycles of movement from a relatively lower to a higher level or vice versa till each soul attains moksha or eventually merges with the Supreme Soul, the highest level, which the Yogis indicated to be housed as the essence of moon - on the top of each human head. Thus the mysterious Moon, as the true representation of the Formless Creator, Nadbindu, is indicated as the model of the Supreme soul, or the sole supplier of 'amrit' or 'somrus' (moonlight) that granted immortality to all devtas, that is, the members of our solar system, out of which moon occupies the topmost level in the heirarchy...In the Gita (Peetamber) Krishna (the most evolved soul) says He is the original source, storehouse as well as the goal of all souls...which also thus indicates Moon as the said Heavenly Body or the believable 'Heaven'...the likely abode of our 'pitar', the souls of our ancestors...
Yosee, 'I' hope the following attempt to convey in words the essence of 'Truth' believably received by 'me' also helps - or maybe increase the confusion:)...
Sant Tulsidas said to the effect that one saw 'God' in the form as per one's belief according to one's 'mind's inclination', or 'thought plane'...
Generally God or 'Paramatma', that is 'Supreme Soul', is believed to exist alone in the infinite universe as formless Nadbindu - as per 'Vedantis' - and all apparent physical forms as projection of images in the Third Eye of formless Yogeshwar Shiva (generally symbolically represented by a 'Lingam').
Or, as seen in 'Yognidra' the apparent sleep for the lesser elevated souls (even Brahma, one aspect of the Trimurty, is depicted as being fooled by Creator's 'Yogmaya' or illusion) but in reality a state of 'superconsciousness' by Yogeshwar Vishnu the 'Nadbindu' who reclines in the middle of the 'Kshirsagar' the Milky Ocean, on the bed made by the Celestial Serpent Ananta or Sheshnag...and the infinite dark void of the universe that appears to be filled with infinite numbers of varieties of infinitely large galaxies, each of which contain mainly stars (our son is an average star) that perhaps because of their acting apparently as a source of energy and milk-like white light that only matters in so far as 'humans' and all other inferior souls on earth are concerned...and thus His representative or 'avatara', 'Yogiraja Krishna' (who is believably related with our own - perhaps the most evolved 'Milky Way Galaxy' - is concerned, is indicated to be responsible for running and maintenenace of the galaxy, his 'sudershanchakra', and is housed at its centre - is believed as a model of the void of the Dark infinite space that is expanding like a balloon, and so also each physical form it contains within it (selflessly!)...
'I' might add, #1 to read 'our sun' in place of 'our son' (!), and #2 that as per one of the hypotheses, (perhaps on account of the existing 'Hindu belief' of Nadbindu as the Creator), the 'present day astrophysists' believe our universe to have started from a 'Big Bang' and is continuing to expand indefinitely...
However, they have apparently also observed how a Black Hole, a hole or an apparent void within the existing infinite universal void, is formed from explosion of a massive star towards the end of its life-span when almost all Hydrogen gas in its nucleus gets exhausted, continuously getting converted into inert or 'nirguan' Helium gas that mainly forms its outer cover, just like the 'garment', (the word used in the Gita also), a human being uses, perhaps as its model, whereas core of earth has much thicker 'garment' of rocks and top-soil, like man uses woollens etc in cold climate/ country)...
As seen earlier also, the said explosion results in the 'debris' getting dispersed in the space, till the process of implosion starts...it is therefore left to anyone's imagination whether the universe would continue to expand eternally (as believed by 'ancient Hindus') or would it stop and imposion would result in return to the original point???
However, the above could also convey the contents of the universal void just as the apparent 'debris' disperssed in space in a 'Black Hole'...earth also has more of 'garbage' than useful material (even a housewife also knows how much more garbage is generated in the kitchen compared to the food item she gets s food each time); seawater forms a greater part compared to the potable water that becomes available to life on earth, particularly humans; a 'miner' also knows how a large volume of ore undergoes various processes before it yields a small quantity of the sought end-product, viz. GOLD: Yellow (considered Guru) or Black (Krishna!?); and other innumerable metals like iron (related with Saturn)...Copper (related with Mars)...and thus an unending list, the Ananta (that protects Hari, like umbrella saves us from getting wet when it rains)!
'My father' used to quote time and again - from some story he had come across - how the consort of Vishnu, ie., Lakshami (the Goddess of 'material' wealth) while massaging His legs used to tell Vishnu that He was just lying on bed, while she alone was therefore forced to carry on eternally the task of managing the universe/ earth single-handedly :)
In the 'Hindu mythological stories', perhaps one wouldn't find any jokes related with function of Parvati, Durga, or Tripurasunderi the consort of Shiva, or Treyambakeshwar who however might sometimes be pictured on his own as a simple fellow and therefore likely to have been 'cheated' by some selfish rakshasha (like Bhasmasur who after receiving boon from Shiva wanted to use it to turn Shiva into ashes) who approached Him for some 'boon'...but eventually managed to come out of the tricky situation thanks to Vishnu, in 'Mohini' form, who also distributed 'amrit' to devtas, hinting at Earth's satellite Moon as the referred person (or Peetamber Krishna, literally the 'one who wore yellow garments', pointing at golden yellow colour of the mischievour and mysterious Guru the moon - that is used during 'Saraswati Puja', where Saraswati is the 'Goddess of Knowledge')...
But, 'Sri' Lakshami the 'number one' (the term used for Parvati's son Ganesha also) is depicted as 'chanchal' or a character 'ever undecided' and 'wise' Owl, to 'west', is indicated as Her vehicle, however in 'India', owl or 'ullu' is generally used as a derogatory term used to indicate a 'foolish' person...:)
The above thus might indicate how the apparent images are deceptive or mere 'illusion' serving the purpose of distracting the attention of the 'seeker' from the 'Truth', or human purpose vis-a-vis Creator's purpose...
The believable movement of time from Satyuga to Kaliyuga, the 'Dark Age', till its extreme end, or 'Ghor Kaliyuga', perhaps gets reflected (in the drama, although appearing difficult to accept it as such) through the rapidly growing 'intolerance' being seen even in 'born Hindus', after 'independence' compared to the reported historical 'tolerance of Hindus', perhaps because of knowledge of the 'Truth' by the majority, and also its acceptance even by the 'illiterates'...Tourists from different contries have apparently recorded in the 'past' the nature of subjects that used to be reportedly discussed even by a 'common man', or 'aam aadmi', in market places etc, such as, Who am I? What's my purpose? Why am I here? Where am I to go after this? And, so on...unbelievable, isn't it?!
And, 'Krishna' says all wrong acts are on account of lack of (overall) knowledge (of the 'Absolute Truth', ie., the 'Supreme Knowledge' - and Saraswati, the Tripurasunderi, was believed as the Goddess of Knowledge, who could believably be reached within oneself:)...
Anil Joshi: Thanks for the link. My book shop also informed me that it is out of print. However,a used-book seller has offered to locate a copy for me.
Yosee and her old uncle-in-law, Kavitha, and Dr Anilji, It is interesting for 'me' to recapitulate in 'my mind', 'my' recent but long stay with 'my' under two-year-old grandson due to circumstances apparently beyond 'our' control...
It eventually turned out to be like a 'teacher-student' relationship, for 'I' was apparently instrumental in making him learn to speak some English/ Hindi words, besides making him to also stand up and walk, which he hadn't till then started doing... Interestingly, he learnt the words and before sitting on the floor would say 'sit down' and later stand and say 'sten up'...And, surprising as it is also interestingly, in fact, 'I' had also been instrumental in similarly making 'my daughter and his mother' also do so when she was even more than 3 years of age and hadn't started walking! 'I' had tried to just remove fear of fall on the ground from their minds...('I' had posted that incident a few years ago in Kavitha's blog also)...
The long stay particularly with my grandson wasn't originally planned, for 'I' had primarily gone to attend a relative's marriage, where 'I' got to meet many relatives of my late wife after long. And thus, also had apparently got the opportunity to spend some time with my daughter and grandson also, at Mumbai...
'I' have also earlier posted how when the said daughter was just a little over 10, she had once predicted cancellation of 'my flight' - from Guwahati to Imphal, both capital cities of two states in northeast India - a few hours in advance on a day that 'I' recalled later to have been the third death anniversay of 'my mother' (in the year '81)!
The above mentioned 'mysterious incident' and the recent visit also makes 'me' wonder in this 'navratri' if 'kanya pujan' during 'navratri' really has a similar relationship expected between the supreme soul and children, particulary unmarried girls, or even infants, to act as mediums for communication with Tripurasunderi - with our 'pitars' helping in providing the connection, as Gnesha/ Hanuman, the trouble shooters are also supposed to provide!!??
JC: Thanks for sharing "the essence of truth" recieved by you - though i cant say the confusion is cleared completely ! ;-)
Tulasidas's observation is shared by many other savants too: the Azhvars, Nayanars,Vachanakaras etc. have all sung similar sentiments beautifully. Yet our sampradayas rely very heavily on myths and symbolisms to get across to the crux of the matter. And they provide more distraction than guidance. Perhaps the intention was to filter out the riff raff and allow only real, earnest seekers, ekagrachittas, who can wade through all diversions, to reach the truth - and perhaps, only such persevering seekers are worthy of Knowledge !who knows !
I sometimes listen to discourses on Peace TV. Some of the speakers are very impressive and the Islamic scriptures they quote are amazingly similar to our upanishadic teachings,but more direct, more uncluttered. A highway with least or no diversions.
"La ilaha illallah" is same as "Ekam Sat" but we have 33000000 symbols to play with. Its ok, life is a game, lets enjoy playing !
Abt. Lakshmi and Ullu ( :-) She is Auspiciousness ( incl. prosperity)which we all know is fickle. The owl is a nocturnal creature capable of "seeing in darkness" -Of gleaning knowledge even in the andhakaar of avidya.It is vigilent and wise.Viligence and wisdom are very much needed to keep our Lakshmi. "Ullu" the wise becoming "ullu" the idiot is a kind of figurative speech very common in our country. In our parts, we playfully use the word "Brihaspathi " to denote an idiot!:-0
BTW, the Big Bang is no longer held a sacrosanct truth. It has many anti theories too. One model currently popular is The Pulsating Universe ( Expand-contract-expand-contract ad infinitum)or Loop Quantum Gravity theory. Most theologies of the world relate to the Big Bang as that point when the Omniscient One chose to become The Many ( what we call Leela).The Quran says : "Heaven and Earth were as One and We parted them asunder." The chinese Lao Tzu says " From the One Nameless sprang the Heaven and Earth and so named,reared the thousand creatures". Most also believe that there is "An End" which will give rise to a new "Begining", again by the Free Will of the same Omniscient One.
Hi Yosee, Thanks for the information. As 'I' find it, reading between the lines, in the north, Brihaspati (the cool dude, or planet) generally refers to Jupiter, as the 'spiritual' Guru of the devtas, for long-term advise. Whereas, Mercury or Buddha the planet that is closest to Sun (Brahma and runs with 'fire' in its mouth), is considered as the Guru or advisor for day-to-day or short-term mundane (imperfect or temporary works).
[Similarly, perhaps as reflection of the 'sanatan satya, while big projects are planned in the country today, say under the Five Year Plans for long term development in various sectors, Annual Plans are also made and actual progress is monitored annually, so that based on the actual implementation, re-evaluation is done annually and new 5-yr and annual targets are then set up]...
Thus it sounds funny that in South, Guru 'Brihaspati' is related with idiocy - maybe due to 'materialism' being given top priority:)
In so far as theories regarding evolution of the universe developed in recent times in the'west' are concerned, perhaps one can safely say that the way they are apparently progressing, they can never reach the 'Absolute Truth' of the 'Vedantis' in the 'east' - of a unique Formless Creator...for at least our wise ancients had also 'surrendered' for they apparently failed to reach the beginning or extent of the universal void, the enlarged or 'Virat' form of 'Krishna' - ie., the unborn and the unending...They are yet to reach the concept of zero time and space related with the Creator (Vishnu)/ Destroyer (Shiva) as the wise ancients had believably reached and thus the concept of 'Maya' that is illusion...
Black Hole, related with 'Krishna' the yet to be evolved form, in the middle of the process of evolution (Dwaper Yuga) is collapsible, as it had still to pass through two more stages: The Treta Yuga as well as the Sat Yuga and reach its end when only it became immortal...that the universal void eventually became...however one would still to fail to know His Purpose of fooling humans, eternally!
There is a saying, "One can fool all people for some time/ Some people for all the time/ But not all the people for all the time," which perhaps applies only to humans - and not to the Supreme Knowledge:)
Yosee, although Kavitha could perhaps be aware of it as 'I' have commented on it erlier also, 'Maya' or 'Yogmaya' could perhaps be understood to mean fusion of each of the innumerable souls, the components of the unique Supreme Soul, and each apparent physical form that results in reflection of the grand variety of apparent physical forms that fill the infinite universal void... that is, a small part of Energy gets divided into innumerable components and each then further gets converted into matter in such a planned manner that each looks different from one another...
While apparently attempting to know who 'I' was, the above idea was believably realised when 'I' recalled 'my past', wanting to know if certain events in my life could help me see Him through inference - just as Black Hole can be seen only through disappearance of heavenly bodies that happen to be close to it. Or a difference between a soft iron piece, of the same size and shape as that of a magnet, can only be realised through inference only, for all the five physical senses, although perfect in structure, are generally inefficient, perhaps as part of the mysterious appearing design and, therefore, fail to do it directly...
Thus although 'I' had completely forgotten about it, now 'I' could recall 'my' visit to a fete as a child and seen there 'my own different images' in some 'magical mirrors'. At that stage, as a 'natural phenomenon', 'my' observation power was obviously enhanced but the analytical power was yet to evolve...and thus in retrospect 'I' came to believe what actually 'maya' or 'illusion' meant!
'I' had, of course, heard and also read people cite exmaples of 'maya' to mean faulty vision whereby what one belived was a piece of rope, in reality turned out to be a snake (as it had also been experienced by 'my mother') or vice versa! And, so on...and, call it slavery of time, 'I' had become accustomed to the face, 'I' saw in plain mirrors every day hundreds of time, as 'my true likeness'...
Like the so-called 'shmashan vairag' or detachment, perhaps 'I' would never have recalled that unless the Gita, or 'Krishna'/ Bhootnath hadn't forced 'me' to contemplate over 'my own' past events which at that time appeared unique or mysterious but, due to lack of overall knowledge then, 'I' took them generally as 'accidents', or 'coincidences'...('I' hqve earlier recorded as comment many other such events that apparently helped 'me')...
'I' also recalled what 'Goldfinger', in the James Bond story, said, to the effect, "...first time it could be Providence, second time a coincidence, but if it happens the third time it has to be a design..." (>;)
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