Hindu
Scriptures Deify Vital Feelings, Obstacle, Misfortune & Diseases
(Compilation
for a discourse by N.R. Srinivasan, Nashville, TN, September 2017)
INTRODUCTION
Hinduism is well
known for its philosophy of Pairs of Opposites like Sukha --Duhkaha, Vighna-
Nighna, Raga-Dvesha etc. They are like hot and cold. To create cold as in
a refrigerator you need heat energy. So
Hindu scriptures have deified vital feelings, obstacles, diseases etc. to
overcome them in their progress and you see popular icon, slokas and even mantras to worship them. You can see Dvarapalakas, subsidiary
deities or gate keepers (obstructors), of the
main deity in all temples. Siva temples have Kshetrapala who occupies an
important place while Vishnu temples have Dvaraplakas, Jaya-Vijaya.
Dvrapalaka or Kshetrpala is the chief guardian of the temple. The image
of Kshetrapala is usually naked (like Jina) and awe-inspiring. He is worshiped
first before commencing the regular service for the day. He seems to be an aspect of Bhairava. The most popular Ganesha worshiped by
Saivites and as Vishvaksena by Vaishnavites is an outcome of this
tradition. We all know the story of
Dvarapalkas that was responsible for Narasimha, Rama and Krishna Avatars. The
most popular deity today is Ganesha as Vighnaraja.
Please recall my
recent long E-mail “Why deify anger and pay obeisance” motivated by Arani
Series lecture on the subject of Anger by Swami Chidananda. We
often come across many deities in Hinduism focused on Shadripus, six enemies
and Navarasas, nine human emotions or feelingsa, vividly portrayed
in sculpting and displayed by Fine Arts based on Vedas and Puranas. So I
went deep into the subject further to come out with an exclusive and detailed
discourse including many such emotions and negative as well as positive
forces and feelings dealt often as pairs of opposites in our
scriptures. I have drawn support from our Scriptures and writings from
learned people including from major Culture who focus on Love as
the Universal binding Force which is treated in Hinduism as pairs of opposites
like Kama--lust, desire and as a Human goal (ppurushartha), as well as a
booklet about to be published by Dr. Kalai Mugilan, The Urban Monk--A Human
Perspective: The nine Vital Feelings of Monk-like People in Society. Our Rishis
have been always focused on noticing, paying attention and
elaborating on these feelings from time immemorial as you will see
from my discourse. Mugilan deals with Forgiveness, Gratitude, Hope, Beauty (Love),
Brilliance, Belonging, Respect and Death. My concluding discourse will focus on death as
life’s journey. Love as a universal binding force and as a subject of beauty and respect is
very well propagated by the Veda mantras--Matru devo bhava, Pitru devo
bhava, Acharya devo bhava and Atithi devo bhava. Kama, that is
Love, a Feeling of Beauty treated
with respect and creativity is initiated in Nasadeeya Sukta and
vividly portrayed in Kamasastra by Vatsyaayana.
The nine emotions contained in Navarasa are: Shringara (love/beauty), Hasya (laughter), Karuna (sorrow), Raudra (anger), Veera ( heroism/courage), Bhayanaka (terror/fear), Bibhatsya (disgust), Adbutha (surprise/wonder), and Shantha (peace or tranquility).
Shadripu is made up of two words Shad and Ripu which mean six enemies. These six enemies are the six weaknesses which hinder us from realizing our true potential. They are as follows: Kaama: Desire - wanting things (including sex) (2) Krodha: Anger - getting angry about things (3) Lobha: Greed and avarice - not spending on worthy causes and being greedy(4) Moha: Delusion - getting caught in Maaya, trying for recognition and pursuing temporary goals.(5) Mada: Wantonness & lust - forgetting all morals and madly going after what one wants, including sex.(6) Maatsarya: Jealousy - not being able to appreciate others and lack of humility.
Our scriptures have deified some emotions and feelings which are our enemies and some which are our beneficiaries and even prescribed Mantras to offer oblations by Swaha Mantra as you will see.
ANGER & DESIRE—Kama and Manyu
Even our Devatas are not free from the influence of
Anger. Scriptures always speak of Kama (Lust) induces Krodha (anger) and
therefore referred in pair as vices which is very well illustrated in
Ramayana:
Dasratha’s advice to Rama in Ramayana:
Gunavaanapi tu snehaat putra
vakshyaami te hitam | bhooyo vinayamaasthaaya bhava nityam jitendriyah
||Kaama-krodhaani tyajasva vyasanaani cha | Parokshyaa vartamaano
vrityaaa pratyakshyaa tathaa ||
To you, a storehouse of merits as
you are, I shall tender friendly advice out of sheer affection. Resorting to
even greater humility than before, constantly keep your senses under control
and eschew violence born of concupiscence (lust) and anger
Manu on Anger:
Paisunyam
saahasam droha eershyasooyaartha dooshanam | vaagdandayoscha
paarushyam krodhjo api gano ashtakah ||
Tale-bearing, violence,
vindictiveness, jealousy, censoriousness, squandering one’s patrimony, abusive
speech and cruelty in punishment are the eight vices of anger.
Manu on Lust
Mrigayaaksho divaasvaapah
parivaadah striyo madah |Trauryatrikam vrithaatya cha kaamajo dasako
ganah ||
Hunting, playing at dice, a
sleeping by day, slandering others, fondness for women, vanity, love of
singing, playing on musical instrument and dancing and strolling about
idly—these are the one that induces one to Lust.
Kama (Lust)-Krodha (Anger); Lobha Greed) –Mada (Arrogance); Moha (Attachment)-Matsarya Jelousy) are 3 pairs of enemies. Without experiencing these Shadripu (six enemies) at the fullest a person can't understand the meaning of the Love which is the soul. These Shadripu's pull the human from all the sides away from the soul and makes the life of the human miserable. Through bhakti and renunciation, these 6 vices can be overcome. So Vedas advice deify them and worship as Lords so that they constantly remain focused to get rid of them. For example Kamokaarsheet Manyurakarsheet namonnmah. This is a Nityakarma in Vedas and an annual event for Dvijas as ordained by Agama Sastras. Purans have brought in an unique deity Vighnaraja based on mythical stories and made it most popular in Hindu worship on even roads and crowded bus stands with no consecration needed, a unique feature among all religions. We have other deities too Adharmaya Swaha; Alakshmiye Swaahaa! But Vedas are very clear while they say deify both Adharma and Dharma and pay obeisance but only focus on Dharma as Vyahriti of Brahman. Dharma is Sathyam and Sathyam is Dharma says Brihadaranyaka. "Rita(ga)m Sathyam Parabrahma" say the Mantra in Narayana Sukta.
“Do you know the whole family of
anger? Insistence is its very dear sister; violence its spouse; egoism its
elder brother; fear its father; insult and back-biting its daughters; enmity
its son; jealousy its daughter-in-law; hatred its grand-daughter; negligence
its mother. Please keep away from this whole family.{Courtesy: Pashupati
Tekriwal, a Homo Whatsappean}”--Thus
Swami Chidananda brings home to us a powerful message to keep away from
anger emphatically highlighting the wisdom thoughts from Pashupati
Tekriwal in his Arni series. He further adds:
Anger is when you punish yourself for the faults of others.
· Anger is
that breeze which puts out the flame of your intelligence.
· Anger is not
a solution to any problem but is itself a problem.
· Anger keeps
you in continuous stress when you don’t control it.
· Anger leaves
you more tired at times than what a whole day’s work does.
· If somebody
can make you angry, she / he controls you in that sense.
· If your
smile is God’s signature on your face, anger erases it.
· When
overpowered by anger, you need more energy to sit quietly than to yell or
scream.
· The fool
expresses his anger through shouting and screaming; the wise man brings his
anger under control.
· Silence can
be of great help in the matter of winning over anger.
· Count up to
ten when you get angry; count up to a hundred if you get very angry.
Please recall Veda Homa mantras Manyave
Swaha, Kaamaya Swaha, Adhramaya Swaha, Mrityuve Swaha etc. The Swaha
mantra is addressed to Deva and Devatas in Homas and Svadha Mantra
to manes or Pitrus.
I believe Vedic rishis
have thought about very seriously on this problem knowing the Hindu mind.
Anything that needs serious consideration and constant attention need
to be interwoven with religion so that we could rush to temple and
conduct a Homa or puja. In fact this
Kamokarsheet Homa is a Nitya karma meant for all not for
Dwija males only as this is not
prescribed as Upakarma ritual Mantra in the Upanishad. Hindu religious
philosophy is extended even to safe
driving on roads and they hang a Ganesha
portrait in front! They also take a new vehicle to temple for worship and our priests have
appropriate mantras for such a worship too.
Mahanarayana Upanishad introduces
Kamookarsheet Japa and Homa Mantras with an introductory mantra as follows:
“Yadvo devaaschakrima jihvayaa guru manaso vaa prayutee devahedanam | araavaa yoe noe abhi ducchunaayate tasmin tadenoe vasavoe nidhetana swaahaa ||
O Gods, O Vasus, that serious god-offending sin which we committed by our tongues, by our understanding, and by our actions, place that in those who come near and act in an evil way towards us (provoke us). Hail (Swaahaa)!
This is a Homa mantra for self-purification seeking relief from such evil thoughts as it ends with the sacrificial term “Swaahaa” a term used in offering oblations to deities through the medium of fire (Agnideva). The next two mantras described below as Kamokarsheet manyurakarsheet mantras only elaborate what is mentioned above. Therefore these mantras are meant for Homa which are also employed for Japa (repeated recitation) during Upakarma.
“Kamoe-akarsheen namoh namah | Kamo-akarsheet-kaamah karoti naaham karomi kaamah kartaa naaham kartaa kaamah kaarayitaa naaham kaarayitaa eshaa te kaama kaamaaya swaahaa ||
Manyu-rakaarsheer-nnamo namah |
manyu-rakaarsheen-manyuh karoti naaham karomi manyuh karta naaham kartaa manyuh
kaarayitaa naaham kaarayitaa eshaa te manyoe manyave Swaaha || (61—62, Mantrapushpam, Narayanopanishad,
Ramakrishna Math).
The translation of the mantras runs as
follows:
Salutations are to the Gods. Desire performed the act. Desire did the act. Desire is doing the act, not I (Self). Desire is the agent not I. Desire causes the doer to act not I. O Desire, fascinating in form, let this oblation be offered to thee, Hail!
Salutations are to the Gods. Anger performed the act. Anger did the act. Anger is doing the act; not I. Anger is the agent; not I. Anger causes the doer to act; not I. O Anger, let this oblation be offered to thee. Hail!
Since
the word Swaahaa comes at the end of
these mantras, these are mantras meant for Homa (sacrifice) for annual
self-atonement like the one we recite in daily prayers for self-atonement
(prayaschittaa)—“Sooryascha
maamanyuscha…..paapebhyo rakshantaam” and “Agnischa maamanyuscha….paapebhyo rakshantam”. Unfortunately
Sandhyavandana mantras are also made exclusive to Brahmin males only where the dwijas pray for atonement of their sins committed
during the day. Does it mean others do not commit sins or they do not need atonement every day?
Lord Narayana, to whom this apology is submitted, is sure to bear the acts of our omissions and commissions with regard to Saastras.
According to Saayana Manyu is not rage in the negative value sense but rage towards the internal and external enemy. Vedas often refer to manyu as longing fervor and not anger or rage in the negative sense. In Taittareeya Brahmana manyu is eulogized as Bhaga and Varuna and also supplicated not to damage penance by intrusion. Here Manyu appears with Kaama or desire. It is therefore anger personified. Obstructed desire is source of anger. Thus anger is another trait of the physical and psychological equipment of man from which his true Self stands aloof. Therefore the mantra says Anger is responsible and not the Self in him.
”Manyurakaarsheet’” means “those acts that are committed out of anger. Manyu is rage towards the enemy, internal or external. Since the term occurs here in connection with Kama, it is translated as anger personified, for obstructed desire is the source of anger. All those cravings, instincts, propensities, inclinations, desires and needs that express themselves continually in the thoughts and behavior of people are referred to by the word Kama or desire. And so obstruction of Kama in any form evokes reaction in the shape of rage or anger which supply the motive force for a wider area of thought and activity covered by human behavior. A worshiper is represented here as offering repeated obeisance to the gods who witness the inside of all people and arraign them in the Bar of Divine Justice. The angry person pleads not guilty and deposes that he/she, the Self in man, did not do any act, is not doing anything, he is not an agent. or an abettor; the motive force driven by desire is the agent that did acts and is doing them. In order to propitiate the Deity of Anger, so that worshiper may be left in his pure nature, as a resent of the withdrawal of all harmful angers, an oblation is offered into the consecrated fire. Anger is another trait of the physical and psychological equipment of a person from which true Self stands aloof. Once we realize the Self, there is no chance for any such anger or desire. You now see why Vedas have deified Kama and Manyu and offer prayer! At the same time Veda does not say you should meditate on Manyu as Brahman!
Saayana, brilliant commentator of Vijayanagara Samrajya has gone deep into the meaning of these Vedic mantras which clearly indicates that these mantras are meant for all and not restricted to Dwijas and that too restricting to males alone. Desire is personified as a deity in Vedas. Nasadeeyasookta announces that Kaama or God’s will in the form of desire to create the world existed at a time when this universe did not come into being. Yadyaddi kurute jantuh tattat kaamasya cheshtitam || says Manusmriti II.4--whatever activity is found in a creature it is all due to the movement of desire. Bhagavad Gita says Desire, Aversion, Pleasure, Pain, Body, Intelligence and Patience constitute Kshetra or field of the divine ( Divine is Kshetrajna)—Icchaa dveshah sukham dukham sanghaataschetanaa dhritih | etat kshetram samaasena savikaaramudaahritam ||
Spiritual codes declare that the five
universal elements and resident deities and one’s own heart witness the
thoughts and actions of a man even though they are concealed from others. Worshipper here is represented as offering
repeated obeisance to the gods who witness the
inside of all men and arraign them to the Bar of Divine Justice. He
pleads not guilty and deposes that he, the Self in man, did not do any act or
it is an agent. Desire, Beauty to all in appearance, is the agent that did acts
and doing them. Therefore, in order to
propitiate the Deity of Desire, so that the worshiper may be left in his pure
nature, as a resent of all the withdrawal of all harmful desires, an oblation
is offered into the consecrated fire.
Now a days we find priests are greedy and even demand huge fees that is also greed or Kama an evil act (ripu). “Yatkinchit dakshina” or voluntary gift based on what one can afford received for conducting a ritual is not prohibited in Veda. The hereditary priesthood and the monastic orders are permitted to receive gifts. A person of outstanding spiritual merits can accept free gifts without damage to his spiritual vitality. Even such, must not covet, for covetousness destroys spiritual brilliance. In Taittaereeya Samhita it is stated that Kaama (God’s prompting) is at the base of all cosmic activities. It is responsible for the giving and acceptance of gifts. The pure Self is not affected by that. God is that gives and God it is who receives: “ka idam kasmaa adaadityaaha | prajaapatirve kah | sah prajaapataye dadaati | kaamah kaamayetyaaha | kaamo hi dadaati | kaamah pratigriheetaa| kaamena pratigrihnaati | kaamo daataa | kaamah pratigriheetaa | kaamah samudramaavisyetyaaha | samudra iva hi kaamah |neva hi kaamasyaantao asti | na samudrasya||
It is also worth recalling here following slokas
from Bhagavad Gita chapter II:
Krodhaad bhavati sammohah sammohaatsmritivibhramah |
Smritirbhrmsaad buddhinaaso
buddhinaasaat pranasyati || 63 ||
Tasmaadyasya mahaabaaho nigriheetaani sarvasah |
Indriyaaneenindriyaarthe abhyastasya
prajnaa pratishthitaa || 68 ||
From attachment arises desire, from desire results anger, from anger results delusion, from delusion results confusion of memory, from confusion of memory results destruction of Intelligence and from destruction of intelligence he perishes. Therefore, mighty armed one, he whose senses are well controlled from their objects has steady wisdom.
Kaama esha krodha esha rajogunasamudbhavah |
Anicchinnapi vaarshneya balaadiva
niyojitah | |3-36||
Evam buddheh param buddhvaa samstabhyaatmanaatmanaa |
Jahi satrum mahaabaaho kaamaroopam duraasadam
|| 3 _43 ||
This is desire, this is anger, born as the constituent of nature called Rajas—of inordinate appetite and most sinful. Know it to be an enemy here. Thus knowing that which is beyond the intellect, and controlling the self (mind), kill, O mighty Arjuna, the enemy in the form of desire, which is difficult to conquer.
VIGHNA—Deity of Obstacles
Worship
of Lord of Obstacles to have success in all our undertakings is also based on
this Enemy Forces’ (Ripus) Worship philosophy. Lord Siva presented
Ganapati, his own adopted son (like Jesus in Christianity), probably as
He is busy otherwise for serious things, in order to take care of our day
to day petty problems while he is
busy on Dissolution and elevation of souls, who is worshiped as Visvaksena by Vaishnavites
in his original form with twin tusks as
leader of Gajanana Ganas. You know perhaps Supreme created many species
as demi-gods like Devas, Sadhyas, Kinnaras, Kimpurushas, Gajananas, Hayavadanas
etc. (Please refer to Swami Prabhupada’s description of creation in my
discourse on “One God, Devatas and Grahas for worship by all
Traditions “. Siva might have removed the temporary
guard of Parvati that came out of her body scum, and replaced him by a Gajanaa with two tusks whom some worship
as Vishvaksena. Gajaanana with two tusks as Vishvaksena is
invoked in Vishnu Sahasranama_-Vighnam
nighnanti satatam Vishvaksenam tamaasraye.
He is consecrated and worshiped in
Tirupati who attends on Balaji as a body-guard who
supervises Brahmotsva arrangements.
Puranas have gone further and deified him as
Vighnaraja (King of Obstacles) but popularized him as Ekadantam which was meant
to be Ekadam+tam(that One) based on a
mythological story that he
later broke his one tusk in Anger and hurled at the laughing sun while he was
troubled by over eating and the serpent belt could not hold his belly. Thus
he could also be called Manyur Raja (King of Anger). He is also worshiped as
Sat-Chit_Ananda Vigraha which Swami Prabhupada refutes saying he is
upa-devata (Demi god) and not Deva. But we have here a very popular deity
Two-in-One where Vighna and Manyu both are deified. He will be an ideal deity
for Manyurakarsheet and Vighnakarsheet Homa on Upakarma Day!
“The controlling demigods (devas) possess a
life span that is equal to one day of Brahma (1,000 divya-yugas, or
4,320,000,000 earthly years). This category includes most of the elemental
controllers as well as most of the demigods within the court of Indra. Various demigods
such as Ganesha, Karttikeya, etc., are actually posts that are occupied by
a particular living entity for one day of Brahma. At the end of the day of
Brahma, when the dissolution waters fill the universe, they leave their
respective posts and allow other living entities to fill them. For example, it
is described in the Puranas that in the present day of Brahma, the post
Kartikeya (Skanda) is being occupied by Sri Sanat-kumara, the great
liberated son of Lord Brahma. Sat-Chit-Ananda Vigrahah,
further defines what differentiates Supreme Bhagavan from
the other devatas. Bhagavan has a spiritual body composed of sat (eternity),
chit (complete knowledge), and ananda (spiritual bliss). This is what
separates Krishna from the 330 million devatas within this material world. The
devatas, though very powerful entities, are ultimately embodied beings just as
we are. Even Indra, Ganesha and Brahma are eternal spirit souls
covered by a devata body due to illusion. The only difference is the quality
of illusion that is conditioning us. We are conditioned more by the lower Gunas
of Rajas (passion) and Tamas (ignorance) whereas they are conditioned by the
higher quality of Sattva Guna (goodness)” says Swami Prabhupada. This
Sanat Kumar’s arrival with 145000 angels on Earth is also mentioned in the Holy
Bible in the Book of Revelations as I said before in my discourse on
Venkatesvara. You may now understand why Sat-chi-ananda
vigrhaya namah in Ganesha Ashtottara is not appropriate in Ganesha devata
worship ! I am not sure why Swami Prabhupada added Vigrah to
Sat-chit-ananda; but who knows the mind of great saints! So I do pary chanting
as in Ashtottara without thinking. We cannot make a Vigrah of Absolute
Consciousness yet we go by what our priests say often "Please
repeat after me"
In
this context I would like to draw your
attention to a write up on the Lord of
obstacles sent by the ISKCON Desire Tree (please see Appendix) in which they say
that Ganesha is the son of Lord Krishna
and Rukmini quoting another Swamiji and ignoring what Swami Prabhupada their
founder has to say. Usually ISKCON followers quote mostly from Bhagavad Gita as
we have seen in the presentation of Swami Prabhupada, but this write up from
Desire Tree has completely ignored Gita.
How can they miss this sloka from Gita? : “Yanti devavrataa devaan pitrun
yanti prituvrataha|bhootaani yanti bhootejyaa yaanti mad-yaajino -api vaa
|| The worshipers of the gods to go to the gods , the
worshipers of the manes (pitrus) go to the manes, the worshipers
of the spirits go to the spirits, and MY (GOD) worshipers come to ME. Who
is this ME and who are these devavratas? Are you clear about it?
Who are pitru devatas? What are Bhootas? Why Ganesaha be referred as
Bhootaganadi Sevitam? Do you have answer?
The Hindu genius has the peculiar virtue of
reconciling the irreconcilables. At a time when the Saivas and Vaishnavasa were
at loggerheads the story in Bhagavata of Siva being enraptured by the
voluptuous beauty of Mohini giving birth to Aiyappan must have come very handy.
But this story of Ganesha being Krishna’s son to push his popularity beats all.
Why would Krishna who identified himself
with Skanda in Bhagavad Gita would ignore to identify himself with the most
powerful Prathama Vandita Vighnaraja? Also though Skanda is mentioned as one of the names
of Vishnu in VSN there is nowhere the mention of Ganesha but only Vishvaksena!
That is why I am not sold to Puranas. Even
in Ramayana there is no mention of Ganesha anywhere but includes a chapter on
Kumara Sambhava. Muralidahran Iyerngar from Singapore has done lot of research
to conclude Siva-Vishnu
are one and the same digging deep
into Puranas to find out Slokas to that
effect which I often forward to you.
But Swami Prabhupada says they are sustenance and dissolution aspect of
Parabrahman as controllers raised to the status of Devamsa who are among the 33
controllers. I have come across another story in which Ganesha is depicted as
having Lakshmi and Sarasvati as his consorts.
There is no end to such myths which goes against Vedic wisdom.
UCHCHISHTHA— Deity of Refuse or Left
over.
This is
another opposite approach to worship Ganesaha like Ekadanta and Vighnaraja. I
often wonder why Puranas should go to such low and aversion levels and our saints should go on explaining how that is
justified and is right? Probably this uchchishtha or refuse is for Ganesha’s
rat which is also worshiped in a temple in Rajasthan. May be Alakshmi is the rightful
wife of Uchchishtha Ganapati. May be this is the corrupted form of Uchcha
Ganapati. Uchcha means High or Top as
in Uchcha Nyayala (High Court). Then
there are Uchhatara Nyayalaya and Uchchatama Nyayalaya—Supreme Court. So
we have Upa-devatas like Hanuman, Garuda, Pradyumna, Sanat Kumara Skanda, Ganesaha etc., Devatas
that are 33 Vedic deities like Indra, Agni etc., and Deva, Brahman to whom we pray according to our level of maturity
(KG high School or College levels)and
the goal we focus on, asking for little favor, material gains or spiritual
enlightenment.
Uchchishta Ganapati is an aspect of Tantric aspect of the
Hindu devata Ganesha (Ganapati). He is depicted with a nude goddess, in an
erotic iconography. He is one of the 32 forms of Ganesha. The devata derives his name from Uchchhishta ("leftovers") or Refuse. The word
refers to the food left over at the end of a ritual. Uchchhishta is the food
kept in the mouth, which is contaminated with saliva, thus ritually impure and
a taboo in Hinduism. In normal practice we offer food to Deva or Devata and
consume it as Prasadam.
As
a spiritual thinker and a student of Sanskrit I go by the meaning for Uchchishtha
as remnant. Among several of its meanings. When everything in the world gets
dissolved in Him he still leaves behind Uchchishtha Ganapati that is Remnant Group
Leader to establish new order assisting Saguna Brahman. But will this appeal to vast majority of his
devotees to whom he is Modakapriya? Why not we adopt what is more appropriate
and simple to elevate ourselves instead of going by the wisdom of Vaamaachara
of Sakta concept. Vamaachaara propagates conduct involving violence, black
magic, sex and anti-social behavior and tamasic in its mode of worship. It has not become popular with the educated
crowd who are not perverted. Uchchishtha is a concept from Vaamaachaara
philosophy which is being refined to make it acceptable to all.
MISFORTUNE--Alakshmi
Please
recall the mantra “Alakshmeem naasayamyaham” from Srisuktam. Here we propitiate the deity of Misfortune
and offer our obedience in order to overcome Misfortune.
Alakshmi is
the opposite number of Lakshmi. She is misfortune personified. She is also
called Jyeshthaa like Ganesha as she appeared before Lakshmi. Sometime she is
identified with Lakshmi herself. Since the created world is a mixture of
opposite and things happen in cyclic
order both fortune and misfortune
are the two sides of the same coin. Being part and parcel of this creation and
hence our life, misfortune is no less divinely ordained than fortune. It is
perhaps to teach great fact of life that even misfortune is deified like Vighnaraja
DISEASE—Sitaldevi, Goddess of Small-pox; Manasa-Goddess of Venom
Puranas have deified diseases which bring havoc like Sitaldevi. Sitaldevi is the goddess of Small-pox. The fear of venomous reptiles has created a
deity like Manasa. Snake worship is very popular with Hindus. I have discussed
on Nagadevatas, serpent deities before, while describing Nag-Panchami
ritual. Manasa is the sister of Vasuki,
the serpent king, the goddess of snakes. Sasti is the deity that acts like a
mid-wife. Pangs of child-birth may have induced Purans to hope for relief at
the hands of Sasti. The list is too big to describe here to distract from the
main theme. Practically every village in
India has a goddess as its patron deity. Their number is legion. Almost all of
them represent the terrible aspects of Parvati.
Probably Puranas felt main devatas are too busy and therefore felt the
need to create these exclusive subsidiary deities. Yet we get offended when someone says Puranas
are myths and beliefs focused on exaggerating and highlighting a specific
issue!
KAMA—Positive Aspects of our Desires
This positive aspect springs from the Supreme as an urge to create when he was alone and wanted to create many. That is why Vedas say “Aaatmavat sarvabhooteshu”the same Self abides in all. Here is mantra from Nasadeeya sukta: Kaamastadagre samavartataadhi manaso retah prathamam yadaaseet | sato bandhumasati niravindan hridi prateeshyaa kavayo maneeshaa || Tirascheeno vitato rasmiresham adhah svidaasee adupari svidaaseet | retodhaa aasanmahimaana aasantsvadhaa avastaatprayatih parastaat || In the beginning desire (kaama) unfolded on it, which was the first seed of the mind. The Sages found the bond of Being in Non-Being, searched in their hearts breaking. Their measuring chord was spread athwart. Was there below by chance, was there above? There were seed pourers, there were powers. Desire was below, beyond was will.
This
mantra projects Ichchaa Sakti, love making, creative
urge, conceptualization and others as you see. Vedas say Kaama is one of the goals
of life (Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha) but that Kama is always regulated by Dharma in humans and
is not animal-love. I give below a
Western thought on the subject from John Smallman which just reflects parts of
Nasadeeya Sukta.
“As
all of us here in the spiritual realms – the formless realms where there is
only the One, Consciousness, the field of Divine
Love in which all that has been created has its existence, in fact where
all of creation resides eternally and joyfully – keep telling you through the
various channeled messages, Love is All, there is nothing else! Therefore,
focus on Love.
We are always
enveloped in and embraced by the divine field of Love in which all of creation
is eternally present. However, we can refuse the embrace, and most of us
do most of the time because we are so caught up in the constant stream of
distractions with which the illusion bombards us, and which seem to confirm for
us that we are separate, abandoned, and alone in a dangerous world. Most
of us have seen small children refusing to be comforted when they are
restrained from doing something, and getting angry as a result because they
feel abandoned, alone, and unloved in that moment, and therefore they refuse to
accept the love and comfort that is offered in the next. It’s called
sulking, as we well know, and it serves no one because it just prolongs the
agony being experienced.
Love is all-pervasive. All we have to
do is open yourselves to receive It . . . from within ourselves where It
is forever present. However, judgment has become so endemic that its
presence within us is scarcely noticed, unless a seemingly major provocation
brings it into our conscious awareness. And judgment blocks Love because
it is a choice we make to distance or separate
ourselves from whoever or whatever we are unconsciously judging – often
ourselves as not being good enough, smart enough, quick enough, or whatever
other form of self-disparagement we use regularly against ourselves”
It is also worth recalling here the sloka we chant
at the conclusion of 16-step worship of the Devata with an appeal to carry our prayer to
the Supreme:
“Rajaadhi Raajaaya Prasahya Saahinay
Namoe Vayam Vysravanaaya Kurmahay Samay Kaamaan Kaama Kaamaaya Mahyam Kameswaroe
Vysravanoe Dadaatu”
King of kings, we praise thee, who is
the giver of all Victory, who is the fulfiller of all Desires, please bless me
with Wealth, to fulfill All Kinds
of our Desires. Oh, Kubhera, we praise thee, Salutations
to the king of kings.
Here through Vysravana (as Vyahriti) we pray
to Paramaatman alone. The desires are of two types. One is
‘Aihikam’ (pertaining to this world), and the other ‘Aamushmikam’ (pertaining
to the other world). In that Aamushmika also, the Dharma Purushaartha is again
a desire, just like Artha and Kaama in the Aihika category. To fulfill all
these desires, we have to seek the Grace of Kameswara, Lord of Desire. Then, in the form of Kubera, He would fulfill
our desires, and bless us with wealth and prosperity. It is said: ‘Dhana Moolam Idam Jagat’. Dhana (wealth) is the basic need in this
world. By ‘Artha’ is meant ‘wealth’. No
desire can be fulfilled without it. Even the aspiration for Heaven, pertaining
to the Aamushmika, cannot be fulfilled without it, because, even for rituals
like ‘Yajnyas’ etc., money (dakshina) is needed. However, only for the Moksha
Purushaartha, material wealth is of no concern. Only ‘Jnyaana Dhana’ (Wealth of
Wisdom) is needed. Hence, desire should be not end with the grace of Lord of
Wealth Kubera but through him seek the grace of Parmaatman.
Thus, one who is ‘Moaksha-Kaami’ (one who is
intensely desirous of Salvation), should seek refuge in Paramaatma alone,
praying thus: “ Oh, Kubera who is not a Kubera, Oh Vysravana who is not a
Vysravana, Oh Kamadeva who is not Kamadeva You are Self-Effulgent. Hence, You alone should bestow on us the invaluable
‘Treasure of wealth of Knowledge’ and
develop in us Icchasakti as Kamesvara, Lord of Desire.
Here
I would like to draw your attention to my detailed discourse “Love is the
Binding Force of the Universe—Calls for religious celebration by all” (2-2016),
“Hindu Views on Conception and Child Birth and Nisheka Samskara” (7-2014) and “Hindu
reflections on Mating Season Festival that Inspired St. Valentines’s Religious
Day” (2-2014)” wherein the positive contributions of Love Instinct has been
vividly discussed.
Why
Temple Traditions have deified Kubera one of the Dikpalakas and Yaksharaja) as
God of wealth and also God of Desire? When you go through my discourse on “Love is
the universal binding force this
will be very clear. According to Puranas
Kamaraja who was trying to domesticate Siva was burnt to ashes but was restored
to life at the request of his faithful wife Rati. Siva also made it clear that
Kama will be Ananga (bodiless) but will be available embodied only to Rati. He
is a spirit that haunts us in our Romance and so no Sthapani or sculptor has
dared to make an icon out of him. Hence Kubera is
worshiped as Kamesvara instead in Temple
Traditions. After all the Supreme was the first Kamesvara who split himself
into male and female and established Kama
as one of the Purusharthas!
Hindus only celebrate Kama-dahana that is
burning Kamadeva to ashes in March on a grand scale. This is also in line with
Hindu culture as Hindus feels the subject as obscene and are even shy to talk
openly about love and sex openly, though
many of them go through Garbhadana Sacrament. My discourse on Garbhadana is
most popular among Blog readers out of all the topics on Hindu Sacraments. Hindu Americans living with major culture,
Christianity in USA need not go by what India does. Valentine’s Day in America is observed as a
special religious day in churches and
Valentine Day Mass is held in all churches. Hindu American Temples are
sitting on the fence but keep the temple open all day declaring it as Special Religious Events Day. Recently
Baal Vihaar School in Nashville
Ganesha Temple has observed this day
as Parent’s Day where children express their gratitude to parents worshiping
Siva Parvati as “Jagatah pitarau”—Universal Parents.
That does not go with the theme of Valentine’ s day as
I see all devotees attending temple on
this day exchange greetings, greeting all women with red roses and serving
all women lunch. It will be better to dedicate this day to Kamesvara, that is Kubera whom we daily pray anyhow in
our worship as Kamesvara. Vedas are not shy
to discuss about sex. The whole section
of Brihadarnyaka Upanishad talks about
Nishkama karma, Garbhadana and Conceptualization as well as Divorce and
the Mantras used in those religious Hindu ceremonies. This has also inspired
the Sage Vatsyaayan to write a book on Kamasastra. Kubera
Deity is on the main dais for
worship in the holiest place Badrinath.
CONCLUSION
No
doubt Vedas have focused on negative
contributors and opposing powers that influence our lives which hinder the progress of
meritorious deeds, deifying them and prescribing mantras for sacrifice and also paying
obeisance but at the same do not
consider them fit as Vyahritis (substitutes) for mediation as Brahman.
Only 33 devatas and even a sacrificial material like Ghee and
water are mentioned as Vyhritis but not
animals that are sacrificed like goat,
horse, and young bull. Puranas have not only glorified an impediment like
Vighna but also recommend worship of Vighnaraja with Veda Mantra “gananatvam Ganapathigam havamahe” meant for Indra and Chamakam meant for Rudra.
Even an Upanishad has been later composed in line with 108 original Upanishads
that concludes with Skandopanishad, called Atharvaseersopanishad with lot of
Phalasrutis. Vedas consider only 33 devatas and deities like Ganesha, Kumara,
Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Aandal, Hanuman, Garuda are all Upadevatas highlighted in Bhagvad Gita
whom we worship for daily favors and
material gains.
Vedas
also want us to direct all worships of
devatas to Brahman alone that should end with the following Mantra: OM
tad Brahma, tad Vaayu tad Aatma tat
Sathyam tat Sarvam tat Puror namah||
Om is
AUM where A is the opening alphabet
representing creation, U is continuing alphabet representing Pervasiveness or
Sustenance and M is the closing alphabet or representing Dissolution. Vaayu stands for all pervading
sustenance aspect of Brahman. Sathyam
stands for Sat=immortal, thi=mortal and yam=what is being regulated. Sarvam represents the Self that abides
in all Beings. Puroh indicates
perennial Brahman—what pervaded everything before, what pervades everything at
present and what will pervade everything hereafter.
APPENDIX
(ISKCON
Desire Tree www.iskcondesiretree.co)
Vinayako Vighnarajaha—Lord of Obstacles
Lord
Ganesha is well known for removing obstacles from the path of pure hearted
souls. Gokarna, a temple town in Karnataka, also known as Gokarna
Mahabalesvara, is famous for the presence of one of the twelve jyotirlingas of
Lord Siva. Lord Ganesha is said to have established this linga. The glories of
the deity of Vinayaka Ganesha of Gokarna are described by Sri Vadiraja Mahan in
Tirtha prabandhah, paschima prabandhah:
dustanam vighnakarta sucarita
sujanastoma vighnapaharta
tasmad vighnadhipo ‘ham mata iti sudhiyam spastam ajnapanaya |
paulastyecchantarayah*
sroyovighnadhirajah pradisatu satatam
bhuri gauri tanujah ||
Dustanam
vighnakarta Vinayaka states: “I spoil the intentions of the bad, wicked and
evil-minded people.”
sucarita
sujanastoma vighnapaharta “I am the destroyer of the hurdles on the path of
sadhus, pious people.”
Tasmad
vighnadhipo ‘ham “Therefore I am called the king of hurdles.”
The
truth is that Ganesha removes all obstacles on the path of pious, satvik souls,
and creates hurdles on the path of evil persons. There is an interesting story
in this regard which is related to the establishment of Gokarna. Here Ganesha
helped the demigods overcome a great obstacle.
Once
Ravana, the great atheistic king, went to Lord Siva’s abode, Kailasha. On
reaching there, he began to shake it violently with his mighty hands. This
created a great disturbance among the various planetary systems of the
universe. On seeing this, Lord Shiva pushed Kailasha downwards thus trapping
Ravana’s hands underneath. In great distress, Ravana cried for help and begged
forgiveness.
Lord
Shiva is also known as Asutosa, one who is easily pleased. On hearing Ravana’s
desperate pleas, Lord Shiva forgave him. Ravana then offered prayers glorifying
Lord Siva, and Lord Shiva then gave him a siva-linga and blessed him by saying
that as long as he possessed this linga, he would be invincible. Siva, however,
also warned him not to place this linga on the ground until he reached Lanka
because once he placed it on the ground, the linga won’t move. Ravana then
immediately proceeded toward Lanka.
When
the demigods learned about the benediction Ravana had received, being fearful
they requested Ganesha for help. Ganesha agreed. When Ravana was on his way, he
stopped to take a bath at Gokarna. Ganesha, in the disguise of a brahmana boy,
appeared before him and offered to hold the linga until Ravana
finished
his duties. So Ravana gave the linga to Ganesha. As soon as Ravana went to take
his bath, Ganesha installed the linga at that place.
When
Ravana came back, he tried his best with all his might to lift the linga, but
failed. While trying to lift the linga, it took the shape of an ear of the cow
and so it is known as “Gokarna” and as Ravana exercised all his might to lift
it up it is also called Mahabalesvara.
This
story is narrated in the Skanda Purana, Brahmottara Khanda, chapter 202.
The
Brahma-samhita (5.50) explains how
Ganesha derives his power to remove obstacles from the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Govinda:
yat-pada-pallava-yugam vinidhaya
kumbha- dvandve pranama-samaye sa ganadhirajah
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami ||
Translation
-- “I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda. Ganesha always holds His lotus feet
upon the pair of tumuli protruding from his elephant head in order to obtain
power for his function of destroying all obstacles on the path of progress in
the three worlds.”
A
devotee who is aspiring to obtain pure devotional service to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead may pray to Ganesha to remove all impediments on the
path of spiritual progress.
vakratunda mahakaya suryakoti
samaprabha
nirvighnam kuru me deva sarvakaryesu
sarvada
Translation:
“Vinayaka (Ganesha) is effulgent like millions of suns. In all our matters, we
pray to him to remove all our hurdles and impediments.”
Special
prayers on Ganesha Chaturthi
Srila
Madhvacharya describes in his Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya, chapter 20, that Ganesha was born to Rukmini Devi and Sri
Krishna as Carudesna.*
Lord
Krishna married 16,108 queens and settled in Dvaraka. Rukmini, Satyabhama and
Jambavati were among the principal queens. Each of the 16,108 queens gave birth
to ten sons and a daughter. *Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.61.8-13)* lists the names of
the sons born to the main queens.
carudesnah
sudesnas ca carudehas ca viryavan sucarus caruguptas ca bhadracarus tathaparah
carucandro
vicarus ca carus ca dasamo hareh
pradyumna-pramukha jata rukminyam navamah pituh
Translation--The
first son of Queen Rukmini was Pradyumna, and also born of her were Carudesna,
Sudesna and the powerful Carudeha, along with Sucaru, Carugupta, Bhadracaru,
Carucandra, Vicaru and Charu, the tenth. None of these sons of Lord Hari was
less than his father. Carudesna
mentioned here is an incarnation of Ganesha or Vinayaka.*
bhanuh subhanuh svarbhanuh prabhanur
bhanumams tatha
candrabhanur brhadbhanur atibhanus
tathastamah
sribhanuh pratibhanus ca
satyabhamatmaja dasa
sambah sumitrah purujic chatajic ca
sahasrajit
viyayas chitraketus ca vasuman
dravidah kratuh
jambavatyah suta hy ete sambadyah
pitr-sammatah
Translation:--The
ten sons of Satyabhama were Bhanu, Subhanu, Svarbhanu, Prabhanu, Bhanuman,
Candrabhanu, Brhadbhanu, Atibhanu (the eighth), Sribhanu and Pratibhanu. Samba,
Sumitra, Purujit, Satajit, Sahasrajit, Vijaya, Chitraketu, Vasuman, Dravida and
Kratu were the sons of Jambavati. These ten, headed by Samba, were their
father’s favorites.
One
who recites the above verses describing the sons of Lord Krishna, and
understands that Vinayaka was born to Rukmini Devi and Sri Krishna as
Carudesna, will acquire great virtue
REFERENCES:
1) Swami Vimalananda, Mahanrayana Upanishad, Ramakrishna
Math, Chennai, India
2) Swami Harshanada,
Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Amakrishna Math, Chennai, Madras.
3) Hans Heinrich
Hock, An Early Upanishadic Reader, Motilal Banarasidass, Delhi, India.
4)
Jahnava Nitai Das, Gods Demi-gods and
Incarnations, IndiaDivine.Org.
6)
Swami Vireswarananda, Bhagavad Gita,
Ramakrishna Math. Chennai, India.
8)
Gita Press,
Srimad Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda , Gorahpur India
Very good website, thank you.
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