CLOUDED BY MYTHS & BELIEFS WE HAVE
NO FOCUS ON PRIMEIVAL DEITIES
(Compilation by N. R. Srinivasan, Nashville, TN,USA for E-Discourse in December 2018)
Clouded by Myths & Beliefs how far are we from real worship of Primordial Deities-- Adi Vinayka, Adi Jgannatha,Adi Partasakti, Uma and Skanda?
The limbs of
an idol are divided into three sections - anga,
pratyanga and upanga. If there is
any defect or damage in the pratyanga or upanga, it can be fixed. If there is
any damage in the main anga, the idol should be abandoned. Worshipping
mutilated idols is not accepted in Hindu temple tradition or Silpa sastra. Yet
the most popular deity Ganesha is worshiped as “Ekadanta” with one of its tusk
broken and glorified in its mutilated
tusk form supported by several mythological stories. Also its most important Anga (Head) has been
mutilated by “siracchedha”
beheading by angered Siva and repaired
by an elephant head surgery according to mythology. In this context it is strange that Ekadanta
Ganesha is invoked by the following Veda mantra and popularly worshiped to the
utter denial of the Vinayaka created by Parvati for her protection!
Ganaanaam tvaa
ganapatim havaamahe kavim kaveenaamupamasravastamam |
Jyeshtharaajam brahmanaam brahmanaspata aa nah srinvannootibhih seeda
saadanam || (Rig Veda Mandala 2
Hymn 23.01 )
"We
invite you, the Lord of All
Groups, wise among the wise, Lord of all Vedas, foremost among foremost, whose
fame is excellent, be seated and protect us”. Through this prayer the devotee
invokes that Supreme Consciousness to guide us and lead
us in all our actions. There is neither mention of Ganesha whom we
popularly worship, in the Vedas or Upanishads nor in the Adikavya Ramayana
though it deals with the birth of Kartikeya and his achievements in one full
chapter. So also the popular deity Aiyappan finds no mention in Vedas.
Vaishnavites
worship Vishwaksena as leader of Gajavadana Ganas (celestial species) who also
serves as body-guard for Vishnu glorified in Vishnu Sahasranama and worshiped
in Tirupati Balaji Temple--“vighnam
nighnanti satatam vishvaksenam
tamaasraye”. He is their Ganapati! Tamils call him Thumbikkai azhwar. Vaishnavites can’t
think of worshiping a mutilated Vigraha with broken tusk in their Archa form of
worship as their Ganapati!
Shiva
mentioned in Rigveda refers to primordial energy. ‘Shi’ means lie down and ‘va’
means in which. Siva therefore means in which all things lie or at rest that is
potential energy. Siva also means Sunyam representing Nirguna Brahman.
Vishnu, vyaapyate iti Vishnuh, all pervading kinetic energy.
Hence these are dormant and active forms of Universal Energy or Cosmic Force or
Absolute Consciousness. The above Rigveda mantra is addressed to
that Absolute Consciousness.
MNU
has the following Gayatri Mantra; “Tatpurushaaya
vidmahe vakratundaaya dheemahi tannoe dantih
prachodayat”-- May we know the Supreme Person. For that, may we
meditate upon vakratunda. May Dantin impel us towards it! Dantih is the Vedic
form of Dantin. This is Vighnesa Gayatri employed in the worship of Isvara. A
later Upanishad introduced into Atharvaveda called Ganapatyatharvopanishad has
modified this Veda Gayatri of Isvara as: Ekadantaaya
vidmahe vakratundaaya dheemahi tannnoe dantih prachoedayaat” which is the
one that is used in temple worship of Ganesha to-day.
Ekadanta
Ganesha has been introduced to us as the scribe of Mahabharata whose mention is
not made in Adikavya of Valmiki, Ramayana. I therefore strongly believe Skanda
son of Siva is elder to Vinayaka, son of Parvti. Siva Purana says that Lord Siva desired to
have Sanatkumara as his son and Sanatkumara agreed to be born as exclusive son
of Siva alone which story is confirmed
by Ramayana where Parvati did not play any part but later adopted him as her
son. Vedas say Sanatkumara is Skanda and Skanda is Sanatkumara (Chhandogya).
Aadi
Vinayaka (also known as Nara Mukha Vinayaka--
is a form of (Vinayaka), which portrays
Ganesha with a human head, prior to being decapitated by Siva but later
glorified as “Isvaraputra Gajaanana”.
His temple is located in Muktheeswarar Temple near
Thilatharpanapuri, Tamil Nadu. It is known as Adi Vinayaka temple. Because of
the human face, this Adi Vinayaka’s divine form is also known as ‘Nara Mukha’ Vinayaka. This was
Ganesha’s divine form before he became the ever popular Gajanana or the elephant-faced
deity. Please go through the details given in
the Appendix below.
According to the local legends (sthala purana)
Lord Rama was trying to perform last rites for King Dasaratha. But every time
he prayed, the four rice balls (called as Pindam) that he kept in front of him,
turned into worms. Dismayed by this, he prayed to Lord Shiva, who advised Rama
to go to Mantharavanam (earlier name of this place) and offer his prayers
there. Lord Rama visited this temple and performed Shiva pooja for the salvation
of the father Dashrath’s soul; to his surprise, the four pindams became four
Lingams. These Lingams are enshrined here in Muktheeswarar Temple, which
is near Adi Vinayak Temple. Even today, devotees visit this temple and offer
prayers to get rid of the ‘Pitru Dosha’. The name Thilatharpanapuri comes from
two words “Thil” meaning Gingelly and “tharpana” (water oblation) is the Hindu
ritual of performing “pithru karmas” to ones ancestors.
There are 7
sthalams (holy places) for performing these rituals according to the Hindu
scriptures – Kasi, Rameswaram, Srivanchiyam, Thiruvenkadu, Gaya, Thriveni
Sangamam and Thilatharpanapuri. This place is considered equivalent to
Kasi or Rameswaram. Performing tharpanam (sesame-water oblation) here on
Amavasya day is considered special.
It is unfortunate
Parvati was not only denied to have her own womb born child and was also denied
worship of Vinayaka (Lord of Obstacles) created as a handsome guard to guard
her secrecy as Prathama Vandita. There was no Scope here for Bala Ganapati or
Taruna Ganapati as created by Parvati but later found in 32 forms of Ganpati!
Ever submissive and ever dedicated to her husband Siva, Parvati agreed to
accept the transplanted if not the reborn
Ekadanta as her son to become worshipful as “jagatah pitarau vande Parvati
Paramesvarau”. Male chauvinistic
Sangam period tried very hard to make popular Puranic Siva and his creation
Ganesha more popular than Vedic Skanda and also not Uma the daughter of Himavan hailed in
Vedas whom Puranas glorified as Parvati married to Siva and also fabricated
several mythological stories around Ganesha.
They gave most importance to Dissolution aspect of Parabrahman in
preference to Creative and Sustenance aspects bogged down by the fear of
Death and After-life that bothered them most. They also created a story
that Siva cut of the fifth egoistic head
of Brahma and cursed him that he will not be worshiped in Temples with his
mutilated head (Chaturmukha Brahma) as “anga
viheena”-mutilated part of the body at the same time promoting beheaded and
elephant head replaced Ganesha as “Prathama Vandita”.
It is
unfortunate Mudgila Purana has not included this Adi Naramukha Vinayaka among
32 forms of Ganesha and blessed Him to become Prathama Vandita. He also talks about an exclusive form
Ekadanta with Dhyana sloka that should only be the popular Ganesha that is
being worshiped today. Logic follows the
rest 31 forms should be with two tusks. But unfortunately iconographers,
sculptors and our religious Pundits present all these forms with Ekadanta and
Sage Mudgila has left us in confusion without clarifying the same. From among
the 32 forms one that could have been close to Adivinayaka is Srishthi Ganapati
but with elephant head that can’t be Adivinayaka
of Parvati. Cleverly our religious scholars say He is the Lord of Creation. Brahma is nowhere near as Siva has barred Him from
temples. The dhyana sloka of Srishthi Ganapati reads:
PAshAMkushasvadaMtAmra |
phalavAnAKuvAhanaH | viGnaMnihaMtu nashyONa|
ssRuShTi dakShOvinAyakaH ||
ssRuShTi dakShOvinAyakaH ||
“Riding a big
rat, He is red in color. He has four arms. His hands hold the single tusk, the elephant goad, the noose and the mango”. With single tusk He can’t be the Adivinayaka of Siva also.
Vedas
describe Purusha thus-- “vriksaha iva
sthabdho divi tishthati ekastenedam poornam
purushena sarvam”--One who stands still like a tree established in
heaven--all this is filled. Bhagavan says in Gita: “rudraanaam
sankarah”; “Senaaneenaam aham Skandah”; “asvattah sarvavrikshaanaam” ; “
Airaavatam gajendraanaam”etc. --I am Sankara among Rudras; of army leaders
I am Skanda; among all trees I am
Asvattha; of Lordly elephants Airavata etc. I wonder why He did not speak of
Ganesha in Gita who is not a stranger to Mahabharta?
Usually a lot of
people worshiping Ganesha say the
following sloka right after the first sloka “Suklambaradharm Vishnum”: “yasya dviradavaktraadyaaH paariShadyaaH
paraH satam| vighnaM nighnanti satataM viShvakasenaM tamaasraye”-- Here we
are praying to Vishvaksena to remove obstacles. It is Mahavishnu who is usually
associated with Vishvaksena that is his
Parivara along with Garuda taken in procession to lead Venkateswara in
Titupati.
Ramayana glorified Jagannatha Worship in Ramayana. Adi
Jagannatha Temple believed to be worshiped even by his father Dasaratha in Tiruppullani did not come to lime light
as the mythological Jagannatha Temple of latter days in Puri Jagannatha that was glorified during Vaishnava Renaissance and
Chaitanya Movement. In Tiruppullani
Jagannatha appeared as Aswattha tree first but yielded to the prayers of sages to appear as Chaturbhuja Jaganntha. Much
later a story was built around a floating wood in the Sea described in
Rigveda as Daru to sculpt an idol out
of wood and renew it periodically with a fresh sculpture and left unfinished
with many limbs missind and again
justified by another mythological story. How can Indradyumna of Tretyayug be
unaware of primordial Adi JagannAtha in Thiruippulllani? Tilatharpanapuri
Adi Vinayaka has the background of being dedicated as the original son of Parvati alone worshiped by Sage Agastya. Yet later
Sangham male chauvinists popularized worship of Siva as the Supreme Lord as
well as Ekadantam Ganesha and Uchhisahta Ganesha from among the 32
forms of Ganesha hailed in a later Purana of Moudgila. This popularity caught
the imagination of all in India to come with the popular worship of Ekadanta
Ganesha with the prayer: Mooshika vaahana modaka hasta Chamara karna vilambita sootra Vamana
roopa Maheswara putra Vigna-vinayaka
paada namaste || No doubt Saivites
today attribute Ekadanta worship to Adisankara also quoting his famous sloka “mudakaraartha modakam” where Sankara
meant “Ekadam Tam” and not “Ekadantam”,
who on the contrary drew our
attention to Vedas that says “Eko Viprah
bahudaa vadanti”
It
is rather puzzling how the highly intellectual, Hindu Americans never thought
of a temple for Naramukha Adi Vinayaka
in USA that is more appropriate than unconvincing Ekadanta Ganesha Temples? It shows
how we just copy popular traditions in India based on myths and beliefs
with no logic. While USA Temples have
installed Jagannatha of Puri on a pedestal why they never thought of Adi Jaganntha with Chaturtbuja with conch and discus as in Tiruppullani in
a spirit of celebration of multi-traditional worship in “One Temple for All
Traditions”? It will be a good idea while consecrating pedestal Jagannatha as in Puri also install processional deities as in
Tiruppullani and bring a cohesion in worship of
South and North India with due reverence to Agama and Tantric form of
worship. It is also worth popularizing Vedic
deity Skanda that is Kartrikeya who is not at all popular in the North
except in Bengal.
We
can neither question the creative power of Parvati as Parasakti nor get away
from the worship of Ekadanta Ganesha the most popular
deity to-day. You can however see how a mythological deities have been made out
of him (Parvati creation) so popular today not only by religious Pundits but
also by musicians and saints. Vedas mention several creations like Sadhyas, Devas, Kinnaras
(horse body with human head), Kimpurushas, Gajavadanas, (elephant headed bodies
with human body), Hayavadanas (horse headed with human bodies like Aswins)
Gandharvas, Rakshasas etc., in upper worlds. Only humans were created for
Earth as mortals as Sudras. Later Rakshasas who were protectors were pushed to
Patala (Netherworld) due to their disrespect for Dharma.
Siva
in all probability got upset with Parvati for having crossed her limits and
created a human species out of her scum or Lepana from the body. Brahma the
creative aspect of Parabrahman alone is responsible for creation of any new
species. So Siva might have exterminated the same and replaced it
by a Gana Gajavadana may be a lieutenant of Vishwaksena. It is unlikely Siva
would have killed an innocent elephant lying with its head to the North to
carry out the first transplantation as he is always kind hearted, just to create a new creature and then deify
it also. As a dissolution aspect of Brahman he too would not have over-stepped
his functions. He made one of the meritorious Gaja- vadana Ganas as
Ganesha, the new commander for his group of Ganas. I wonder why no Purana made a story of the
elephant lying with its head to the
North thus: “A devoted elephant desirous of attaining moksha was lying with
its head and trunk pointing to the heavenly direction of the North and the merciful Siva fulfilled its
desire by beheading it and releasing its soul to reach heaven and used the same
for his purpose on the human body that was beheaded by him”
Puranas
brought to lime-light Narasimha Avatar (Lion headed human being) and he became
too popular with Vaishnava followers. The purpose of this avatar was to
correct the wrong doing by the egoistic Rishis who had cursed Jaya-Vijayas
while discharging their duties to the Supreme. Later Saivites in order to make
Ganesha unique and equal in command to Vishwaksena, and more popular than
Narasimha, created another myth how this body-guard deity broke his
tusk to write Mahabharata or hurled it against the Moon and created a “kalanka”
(blasphemy) in Moon. Soon Ganesha Devata even surpassed Narasimha
Devata, in popularity, who is often equated with Puranic Siva.
Puranas later say Lord Siva assumed the form of Rudra as Sarabha and destroyed
Narasaimha Avatar!
Hindu Temples borrowed their
strength from Myths and beliefs to play to the gallery by promoting celebration of festivals and attractive
bhajans based on Mythological stories from Puranas making it very attractive to
even children. Here Ekadanta Ganesha,
Balakrishna and Bala Murugan came handy. The primordial deities Adi Jagannatha, Adi
Vinayaka as well as spiritual Skanda, Haimavati
Uma, Dakshineswara and Dattatreya did not become popular like Ganesha. Spiritually
guiding Brahma and Sarasvati as symbols of knowledge and wisdom were avoided from
temple worship based on Puranic mythology.
It is no doubt that certain weaknesses have crept into Hindu
Society in India which is being largely reflected among Hindu Americans also
except for the fast vanishing caste system. But the eternal philosophy that the
entire world is the whole family, the whole world is the manifestation of the
divine and that the God lives in each living and non-living entity of the
world; tolerance and acceptance of plurality, realization that there us unity
in diversity, and the ability to adopt and absorb etc., is not reflected in
American Hindu Religious Practices and Hindu Temples in America that just copy
the practices in India. Focusing on the American Hindu problems our spiritual
leaders active in USA say:
“The Mandirs have to play a significant role in the
growth of the Hindu community in terms of its capacity to uphold Hindu Dharma.”
-- SWAMI DAYANANDA SARASWATI (www.arshavidya.org)
“We need to make temples not just a center of rituals
and congregation but lighthouses of philosophy and knowledge, which are the
basis of Hindu Dharma.” -- SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR (www.artofliving.org)
“Creating an environment where the youth understand,
appreciate and love their Hindu culture is a crucial need today, as is uniting
all Hindu temples under one umbrella.” -- SWAMI CHIDANANDA SARASWATI (www.parmarth.com)
With proper focus today Hindu americans can lead the world
spiritually as India is bogged down with too many problems like conversion,
class hatred, caste fights and political interference in religious following
and deeply involved sectarian religious following. Fortunately for Hindu
Americans there are quite a few advanced thinkers and philosophers who
have lived in America and
have been working towards integrated religions and develop practices that get
away from old rituals and start new traditions that are contemporary and
palatable to their membership. Many monasteries have sprung up in
UISA promoting spirituality and Vedanta. Only founders of Great
institutions and revered spiritual leaders can introduce departure from
traditional practices. “Our intellectualism must be sweetened with devotion and
reverence; our heartfelt emotions must be reinforced with knowledge; the head
and heart must merge together to come up with such deep noble thought” says
Jaggi Vasudev. He is introducing new
traditions that cross caste and sex barriers in the abode of Shiva in
McMinnville. But such changes
cannot be made appealing to the intellectual crowd of Hindu Americans over-night grown with the background of long
tradition of myths and beliefs over several centuries misinterpreting the
philosophy of great Acharyas.
You
have experienced how new deities are created and Veda Mantras are superimposed
on them while diverting the concentration of true seekers on Brahman. We have inherited
a tradition of worshiping 330 and odd
millions of them while converting Sanatana Dharma to Hinduism of walled religion with countless traditions,
may be imposed by external forces to
divide and rule, in which we take pride and often fight. It would be wiser on our part to
take the straight route instead of the long and winding path and constrain our
focus on creative, sustenance and dissolution aspect of Parabrahman, more so on
sustenance aspect while on Earth. To
begin with we could only focus on representative symbolic deities of
Parabrahman like Venkateswara or Jagannatha or Skanda as a prerequisite for
consolidation if we still like to live with Temple traditions and Aagam
dictates and effectively employ the Veda mantras of universal appeal and spiritual benefit in our
worship and meditation.
APPENDIX
Adi Vinayaka Temple – Ganesha Worshiped in a unique form
(Pamphlet by
Travelogue to Tourists and Pilgrims)
Ganesha
is always worshiped as “Gajamukha” (elephant head), but in there is a unique
temple in Tamil Nadu, where Ganesha is worshipped with a human face (Nara Mukha
Vinayaka).
This one of a kind temple is located in
Muktheeswarar Temple near Thilatharpanapuri, Tamil Nadu. It is known as Adi
Vinayaka temple. Because of the human face, this Adi Vinayaka’s divine form is
also known as ‘Nara Mukha’ Vinayaka. This was Ganesha’s divine form before he
became the ever popular Gajanana or the elephant-faced deity.
Legend
According to the legend Lord Rama was trying
to perform last rites for King Dasarath. But every time he prayed, the four
rice balls (called as Pindam) that he kept in front of him, turned into worms.
Dismayed by this, he prayed to Lord Shiva, who advised Rama to go to
Mantharavanam (earlier name of this place) and offer his prayers there. Lord
Ram visited this temple and performed Shiv pooja for the salvation of the father
Dashrath’s soul, to his surprise, the four pindams became four Lingams.
These Lingams are enshrined here in Muktheeswarar Temple, which is near Adi
Vinayak Temple.
Even today, devotees visit this temple
and offer prayers to get rid of the ‘Pitr Dosh’. The name Thilatharpanapuri
comes from two words “Thil” meaning Gingely and “tharpana” is the Hindu ritual
of performing “pithru karmas” to ones ancestors.
About the Temple
The five-foot tall majestic presiding deity of
the temple – Nandrudayan Vinayaka adorning a Naghabharanam around his waist,
has a Naganandhi facing him at the Eastern entrance of the temple. It may be
mentioned that Nandi Deva is generally associated with Siva Temples only. The
Seventh Century Tamil savant Sambandar had in one of his pathikams praised the
presiding deity of the temple thereby indicating that this is one of the oldest
temples in Sirapalli (Tiruchi).
The brilliantly sculptured granite idol
of Ganesnha is indeed captivating, he holds the axe, symbolizing the
destruction of all desires, a rope to indicate his willingness to rescue anyone
from the mire of vasanas, the modaka representing the joyous reward of
spiritual life, and lotus symbolizing that all can achieve the supreme state of
self-realization. The large belly of Ganesha is to convey the idea that a Man
of Perfection can consume and digest whatever experience he undergoes. The tiny
rat which is seated in front of the Lord amidst a rich collection of food is to
indicate that a perfect man – like the rat, will have total control over his
desires.
Inside the small shrine one could also see the
idols of Adi Sankara, Sage Veda Vyasa, Goddess Gayatri, Sadasiva Brahmendra and
Saint Pattinathar. According to Sage Ramarathinam, Trustee of the temple, the
Kanchi Paramacharya, used to offer worship at the Thayumanavar and Uchipillayar
temples atop the Rockfort. When he visited the temple about 60 years ago he
suggested the rendering of the Vedas in the temple everyday it is being
followed, the reciting done by scholars. Special poojas are performed for Adi
Vinayagar on Thursdays.
In the annual music festival conducted for the
past 83 years almost all leading musicians have participated.
Significance
There are 7 sthalams for performing these
rituals according to the Hindu scriptrues – Kasi, Rameswaram,
Srivanchiyam, Thiruvenkadu, Gaya, Thiriveni Sangamam and Thilatharpanapuri.
This place is considered equivalent to Kasi or Rameswaram. Performing
tharpanam here on Amavasya day is considered special. This is a Mukthikshetram.
The shrine for Aadi Vinayaka is just outside the main temple.
The story of Shiva beheading Naramukha
Vinayaka who was created by Parvati and then replacing the head with an
elephant head is well known. What is less known is, Shiva had instructed his
troops to fetch the head of anyone found sleeping with his head placed towards
North. They found this elephant sleeping with its head towards North. Shiva
named the boy Ganapati – meaning commander of his troops and granted a boon
that Ganapati shall be worshipped by everybody before starting anything new.
Beliefs
Devotees believe that Sage Agasthya Himself
worships the Adi Vinayaka on every “Sankatahara Chathurthi” Day. It is also
believed that worshipping the Ganesha here brings peace in the family
relationships and with the blessings of the Vinayaka children’s memory is
boosted.
Temple address: Sethalapathy, Poonthottam P.O,
Nannilam Taluk, Thiruvarur District, Tamilnadu – 609 503.
Thirty-two forms of Ganesha
(From
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Thirty-two forms of Ganesha are mentioned frequently in
devotional literature related to the Hindu god Ganesha
(Ganapati). The
Ganesha-centric scripture Mudgala
Purana is the first to list them.
Detailed descriptions are included in the Shivanidhi
portion of the 19th-century Kannada Sritattvanidhi. There are also sculptural
representations of these thirty-two forms in the temples at Nanjangud and Chāmarājanagar (both in Mysore
district, Karnataka),
done about the same time as the paintings were done and also at the direction
of the same monarch. Each of
the thirty-two illustrations is accompanied by a short Sanskrit meditation
verse (dhyānaśloka), written in Kannada script. The meditation verses
list the attributes of each form. The text says that these meditation forms are
from the Mudgala Purana.
In his review of how the iconographic forms of
Ganapati shown in the Sritattvanidhi compare with those known from other
sources, Martin-Dubost notes that the Sritattvanidhi is a recent text from
South India, and while it includes many of Ganesha's forms that were known at
that time in that area it does not describe earlier two-armed forms that
existed from the 4th century, nor those with fourteen and twenty arms that
appeared in Central India in the 9th and 10th centuries.
Ramachandra Rao says that:
The first sixteen of the forms of Gaṇapati
shown [in the Sritattvanidhi] are more popularly worshipped under the name shoḍaśa-gaṇapati.
Among them, the thirteenth, viz. Mahāgaṇapati,
is especially widely worshipped. There is a tāntrik sect which is devoted to
this form. Śakti-gaṇapati, Ucchishṭa-gaṇapati and Lakshmī-gaṇapati
are also tāntrik forms, which receive worship which is cultic and esoteric. Heraṃba-gaṇapati is popular in Nepāl.
Red
color Bālagaṇapati Dhyānaṁ
(Child
Ganapati)
karasthakadalīcūta |
panasekṣucamodakaṁ | bālasūryanibhaṁ vaṁde ||
devaṁ bālagaṇādhipaṁ | panasekṣucamodakaṁ | bālasūryanibhaṁ vaṁde || devaṁ bāla gaṇādhipaṁ ||1 ||
devaṁ bālagaṇādhipaṁ | panasekṣucamodakaṁ | bālasūryanibhaṁ vaṁde || devaṁ bāla gaṇādhipaṁ ||1 ||
Adorned with a garland of tender
flowers, having plantain (banana), mango, jack fruit, sugar-cane and sweets
(modaka) in His hands and who is effulgent like the rising sun
Red Color Taruṇagaṇapati Dhyānaṁ
(Youth Ganapati)
pāshāṁkushāpūpakapitthajaṁbū |
svadaṁtaśālīkṣumapi svahastaiḥ | dhatte sadāyas-taruṇāruṇābhaḥpāyātsa
yuṣmāṁstaruṇogaṇeshaḥ
|| 2 ||
"Carrying in His hands the noose, hook,
rice-cake , guava fruit, rose apple, own (broken) tusk, bunch of corn ears
(paddy) and sugarcane and who vividly shines forth with His brilliant
youthfulness" ( (According to the
Mudgala Purana version, kadubu - an edible specific to Lord Ganapati is
mentioned instead of rice-cake).
White color BhaktigaNapati DhyAnaM
(Devotee or Devotional Ganapati)
nArikELAmrakadaLI | guDapAyasadhAriNaM
| shargaccaMdrAbhavapuShaM | bhajE bhakta-gaNAdhipaM || 3 ||
Described as “the Lord of His devotees
and who shines like the autumn moon, with coconut, mango, plantain (banana),
jaggery and sweets in his hands."
Red color VeeragaNapati DhyAnaM
(Valiant Ganapati)
bhEtALashaktisharakAr^mukacakraKaDga |
KaTvAMgamudgaragadAMkushanAgapAshAn |
shUlaM ca kuMtaparashuM dhvajamudvahaMtaM |vIraM gaNEshamaruNaM satataM smarAmi || 4 ||
shUlaM ca kuMtaparashuM dhvajamudvahaMtaM |vIraM gaNEshamaruNaM satataM smarAmi || 4 ||
"Armed with
Bhetala, the weapon of power(shakti), arrow, bow, wheel(Chakra
or discus), sword, club, hammer, mace, hook, nagapasha (serpent noose),
spear, plough, and the shining axe." (According to the Mudgala Purana version,
flag is mentioned instead of plough).
Red color ShaktigaNapati DhyAnaM
(Powerful Ganapati)
AliMgya dEvIM haritAMgayaShTiM |
parasparAshliShTakaTipradEshaM | saMdhy-AruNaM pAshasRuNI vahaMtaM || 5 ||
He has four arms. His low right hand shows the
movement of lack of fear (abhaya); the two others wear the elephant goad and
the noose; the last hand, who holds a lemon,
embraces the goddess. With the top of his trunk, Shakti Ganapati holds a cake.
White color DvijagaNapati DhyAnaM
(Twice born Ganapati)
yaM pustukAkShaguNadaMDakamaMDala
shrIvidyOtamAnakarabhUShaNa miMduvarNaM
|
staMbEramAnanacatuShTayashObhamAnaM | tvAM yaH smarEddvijagaNAdhipatE sadhanyaH || 6 ||
staMbEramAnanacatuShTayashObhamAnaM | tvAM yaH smarEddvijagaNAdhipatE sadhanyaH || 6 ||
He has four heads and four arms. He is
white in colour. His hands hold the rosary, the washing pot (kamandalu), the
walking-stick of an ascetic
or the ritual spoon (sruk) and the manuscript on palm-leaves (pustaka).
Golden color SiddhagaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati who bestows Success)
pakvacUtaPalapuShpamaMjarI |mikShudaMDatilamOdakaisvaha
| udvahanvarashumastu tE namashrI samRuddhiyutahEmapiMgaLa || 7 ||
Fond of the sesame
cake; He has four arms. He is golden in color. His hands hold the axe, the
noose, the sugar-cane stem and the mango.
Blue
color UCiShTa GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati devouring the remnants of
the meal)
nIlAbjadADimIvINA
|shAlIguMjAkShasUtrakaM |dadhaduCCiShTanAmAyaM | gaNEshaH pAtu mEcakaH | graMthAMtare
| nArIyOnirasAsvada l OlupaM
kAmamOhitam iti || 8 ||
He has six arms. He is blue in color.
His hands show the rosary, the pomegranate, the paddy ear (shalyagra), the
nocturnal lotus, the lute (vîna); his sixth
hand sometimes bears a guñja berry, embraces the goddess. The Ucchista Ganapati
trunk is placed on the goddess's thigh.
Golden color ViGna GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Obstacles Ganapati)
shaMKEkShucApakusumEShukuThArapAsha | cakrasvadaMtasRuNimaMjarikAshanAdaiH
|pANi-shritaiH parisamIhitabhUShaNashrI |viGnEshvarO vijayatE
tapanIyagauraH || 9 ||
He
has eight arms. He is golden in color. His hands hold the single tusk, the
disc, the arrow-flowers, the hatchet, the conch, the sugar-cane stem, the
noose, the elephant goad. With the tip of his trunk, he carries a bunch of
flowers (pushapamañjari
Red color KShipragaNapati
DhyAnaM
(Ganapati who is
easy to Appease or Quick-acting Ganapati)
daMtakalpalatApAsha |
ratnakuMbhAMkushOjvalaM | baMdhUkakamanIyAbhaM | dhyAyEt-kShipragaNAdhipaM || 10
||
He has four arms. He is red in color.
His hands show the single tusk, the elephant goad, the creeper of the votive
tree (kalpalatâ), the noose. With the end of his trunk, he carries the stone
cup full of precious stones (ratnakumbha).
Dark color HEraMbagaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati who is Mother’s Beloved)
abhayavaradahastaM
pAshadaMtAkShamAlAsRuNiparashudadhAnaM mudgaraM mOdakaM ca
PalamadhigatasiMhaH paMcamAtaMgavaktrO | gaNapatiratigauraH pAtu hEraMbanAmA
PalamadhigatasiMhaH paMcamAtaMgavaktrO | gaNapatiratigauraH pAtu hEraMbanAmA
||11 ||
The five-headed Ganapati riding the
lion. He has ten arms. He is dark in colour. His first hand shows the movement
of lack of fear (abhaya), the others hold the rosary, the citron, the club, the
elephant goad, the noose, the axe, the kadabu cake, the single tusk; his tenth
hand shows the movement which bestows boons (varada).
Fair color LakShmIgaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati the God of Fortune like
Goddess Lakshmi)
bibhrANashshukabIjapUrakamiLanmANikyakuMbhAMkushA
| npApAshaM kalpalatAM ca KaDgavilasajjyOtissudhAnirJaraH |
shyAmEnAttasarOruhENa sahitaM dEvI dvayaM cAMtike |
gaurAMgo varadAnahastasahito lakShmIgaNEshovatAt ||12 ||
gaurAMgo varadAnahastasahito lakShmIgaNEshovatAt ||12 ||
Embracing his wives Siddhi
(Achievement) and Buddhi
(Wisdom). He is white (fair) in color. He has eight arms. His hands hold a
pomegranate, a sword, the creeper of the votive tree, the elephant goad, the
parrot, the noose, the jewel pot; his eighth hand bestows boons (varada).
Red color MahAgaNapati DhyAnaM
(The Great Ganapati)
priyayA sapadmakarayA svAMkastayA
saMtataM|bIjApUra-gadEkShukArmukalasac-cakrAbjapAshOtphala |
vrIhyagrasvaviShANaratnakalashAnhastair^vahaMtaM bhajE || `13 ||
With a shakti, He has ten hands. He is
red in color. His hands hold the single tusk, the pomegranate, the club, the
sugar-cane bow, the disc, the conch, the noose, the nocturnal lotus, the paddy
ear, the jewels pot.
Red color Vijaya GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati, the God of Success)
pAshAMkushasvadaM
tAmraPalavAnAKuvAhanaH viGnaM nihaMtu nassarvaM |
raktavarNO vinAyakaH ||14 ||
raktavarNO vinAyakaH ||14 ||
Riding a rat which trots at a smart
pace, He has four arms. He is red in color. His hands hold the single tusk, the
elephant goad, the noose and the mango.
Golden color NRuttya GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Dancing Ganapati)
(Dancing Ganapati)
pAshAMkushApUpakuThAradaMta
caMcatkarAkluptavarAMguLIyakaM | pItaprabhaM kalpatarOr adhastAM | bhajAmi
nRuttOpapadaM gaNEshaM || 15 ||
Dancing under the boon-tree, He has
four arms. He is golden in colour. His hands hold the single tusk, the elephant
goad, the noose, the axe (parashu) or the hatchet (kuthâra). The dhyâna sloka
specifies that one of the four hands can show a cake apûpa.
Golden color UrdhvagaNapati DhyAnaM
(Elevated Ganapati)
kalhArashAlikamalEkShukacApabANa |
daMtaprarOhagadabhRutkanakOjjvalAMgaH | AliMganOdyatakarO
haritAMgayaShTyA | dEvyA karOtu shubhamUrdhvagaNAdhipomE || 16 ||
Seated with
his Shakti on his left thigh, He has eight arms. He is golden in colour. His
hands hold the single tusk, the arrow-flower, the daylight lotus, the blue lily
(kalhara), the sugar-cane bow, the paddy ear, the club; his last hand claps the
goddess. The extremity of his trunk is rolled around the right breast of the
goddess.
Red color EkAkSharagaNapati DhyAnaM
(One Letter OM Ganapati)
raktO
raktAMgarAgAMshukakusumayutastuMdilashcaMdramauLe |
nesatraiyusaktas-tribhirvAmanakaracaraNo bIjapUraM dadhAnaH
|hastAgrakluptapAsh-AMkusharadavaradOn
AgavaktrOhibhUShO | dEvaH padmAsanasthO bhavatu suKakarO bhUtaye
viGnarAjaH || 1`7 ||
He has four arms. He is red in colour.
His hands hold the single tusk, the elephant goad, the noose and the cake modaka.
Sometimes, he wears, with the extremity of his trunk (bîjapûra).
Red color VaragaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati, the Giver of Boons)
siMdUrAbhamibhAnanaM triNayanaM hastE
ca pAshAMkushau | bibhrANaM madhumatka pAlamanishaM sAdhviMdumauLiM bhajE ||
puShTyAshliShTatanuM dhvajAgrakarayA padmOllasaddhastayA |]
tadyOnyAhitapANimAttavasumatpAtrOllasatpuShkaraM || 18 ||
With a shakti seated on his left
thigh, He has four arms. He is red in colour. His first three hands hold the
elephant goad, the skull filled with liquor (madhumatkapâla) and the noose. The
fourth hand creeps between the thighs of the goddess who holds a lotus and a
banner.
Golden color TryakShara GaNapati DhyAnaM
(The Three-lettered Gam Ganapati)
gajEMdravadanaM sAkShAccalatkarNaM
sacAmaraM | hEmavarNaM caturbAhuM |
pAshAMkushadharaM varaM |svadaMtaM dakShiNE hastE | savyE tvAmraPalaM tathA |
puShkarE mOdakaM caiva |]dhArayaMtaH manusmarEt || 19 ||
pAshAMkushadharaM varaM |svadaMtaM dakShiNE hastE | savyE tvAmraPalaM tathA |
puShkarE mOdakaM caiva |]dhArayaMtaH manusmarEt || 19 ||
He has four arms. His hands hold the single
tusk, the elephant goad, the noose and the mango. He holds the cake modaka with
the trunk end.
Red
color KShipraprasAda GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati the
Quick-Rewarder)
dhRutapAshAMkushakalpalatAsvaradashca
bIjapUrayutaH | shashishakalakalitamaulis-trilOcanO ruNashca gajavadanaH |
bhUsurabhUShadIptO bRuhadudaraH padma viShvarollasitaH |viGnapayOdharapavanaH karadhRutakamalassadAstu mE bhUtyai || 20 ||
He has six arms. He is red in colour.
His hands hold the single tusk, the elephant goad, the lotus, the creeper of
the votive tree (kalpalatâ), the noose and the lemon.
Yellow color H aridrA GaNapati dhyAnaM
(Kumkuma,
the vermilion colored Ganapati)
haridrAbhaM caturbAhuM |
haridrAvadanaM prabhuM | pAshAMkushadharaM dEvaM |
mOdakaM daMtamEva ca | bhaktAbhayapradAtAraM | vaMdE viGnavinAshanaM || 21 ||
mOdakaM daMtamEva ca | bhaktAbhayapradAtAraM | vaMdE viGnavinAshanaM || 21 ||
He has four arms. He is yellow in color.
His hands hold the single tusk, the elephant goad, the noose and the cake
modaka.
Blue color EkadaMta GaNapati DhyAnaM
(One-tusked Ganapati)
laMbOdaraM shyAmatanuM gaNEshaM |
kuThAramakSha srajamUrdhva gAtraM |salaDDukaM daMtamadhaH karAbhyAM | vAmEtarAbhyAM
ca dadhAnamIDE || 22 ||
He has four arms. He is blue in color.
His hands hold a large tusk, a rosary, a hatchet (kuthâra) and the small ball
of sweets (laddu).
Red color SRiShTi GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati, the Creator)
pAshAMkushasvadaMtAmra|phalavAnAKuvAhanaH
| viGnaMnihaMtu nashyONa| ssRuShTi dakShOvinAyakaH || 23 ||
Riding a big rat, He is red in color.
He has four arms. His hands hold the single tusk, the elephant goad, the noose
and the mango.
Red color UddaMDa GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati,
the Unchained or untethered)
kalhArAMbuja bIjapUraka
gadAdaMtEkShucApaM sumaM | bibhrANO maNikuMbhashAli kalashau pAshaM sRuNiM
cAbjakaM | gaurAMgyA rucirAraviMda karayA dEvyA samAliMgita |
shshoNAMgashshubhamAtanOtu bhajatA muddaMDaviGnEshvaraH || 24 ||
shshoNAMgashshubhamAtanOtu bhajatA muddaMDaviGnEshvaraH || 24 ||
With his Shakti seated on his left
thigh, He has twelve arms. He is red in colour. His hands hold the single tusk,
the club, the nocturnal lotus, the noose, the paddy ear, the elephant goad, the
washing pot (kamandalu), the sugar-cane bow, the disc, the daylight lotus, the
conch and the pomegranate. His trunk is placed on the top of the goddesses’
breast or, sometimes, maintains a jewels pot (manikumbha).
White color RuNamOcana GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati,
the Remover of Debts)
pAshAMkushau daMtajaMbU |=dadhAnaH
sphaTikaprabhaH | raktAMshukO gaNapati |
rmudE syAdRuNamOcakaH || 25 ||
rmudE syAdRuNamOcakaH || 25 ||
Ganapati seated on a large lotus with his Shakti. He removes the
impediment. He has four arms. He is white in colour. His first hand show the
movement to bestow boons (varada) ; the three others hold the elephant
goad, the noose and the bowl of sugared rice
(pâyasapâtra).
Red color DhuMDi GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati,
the Sought After)
AkShamAlAM kuThAraM ca |ratnapAtraM
svadaMtakaM |dhattE karairviGnarAjO |
dhuMDinAmA mudestu naH || 26 ||
dhuMDinAmA mudestu naH || 26 ||
He has four arms. His hands hold the
single tusk, the rosary (rudrAkSha), the hatchet (kuthâra) (an axe) and the pot
of jewels (ratnapâtra). (Red Color).
Green color DvimuKa GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Two-faced Ganapati)
svadaMtapAshAMkusharatnapAtraM |karairdadhAnO harinIlagAtraH |ratnAMshukO
ratnakirITamAlI | bhUtyai sadA bhavatu mE dvimuKO gaNEshaH || 27 ||
He holds in
his hands his own tusk, a noose, a hook and a pot full of gems. His body
complexion is greenish blue and he is wearing a red colored robe. A gem studded
crown embellishes his head.
Red Color TrimuKa GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Three-faced Ganapati)
shrUmattIkShNa shiKAMkushAkSha
varadAndakShE dadhAnaH karaiH |pAshaMcAmRuta pUrNakuMbhamabhayaM vAmE dadhAnO
mudA | pIThE svarNamayAraviMda vilasatsatkarNikA bhAsure |svAsInastrimuKaH
palAsharucirO nAgAnanaH pAtu naH || 28
||
He has six arms. He carries in two of
his right hands very sharp elephant goad, a rudrâksha rosary and is holding
another hand in boon bestowing gesture (varada). He carries in two of his left
hands a noose, an urn full of celestial nectar (amruta) - ambrosia pot
(amritakumbha) and is holding another hand in gesture of bestowing fearlessness
(abhaya). He is seated on shining golden throne with lotus in the center. He
has three eyes with elephantine face and he effulgent like the flame of forest
flower (bastard teak/butea frondosa).
White color SiMha GaNapati DhyAna
(Ganapati, the Lion)
vINAM kalpalatAmariM ca varadA dakShE
vidhattE karaivAsamE tAmarasaM ca ratnakalashaM sanmaMjarIM cAbhayaM |
shuMDAdaMDalasanmRugEMdravadanaM shaMKEMdugaurash-shubhO |
dIvyadratnanibhAMshukOgaNapatiH pAyadapAyatsa naH || 29 ||
He has eight arms. He is white in
color He is holding in his right hands a vîna (Indian lute), a creeper of
votive tree - kalpavRukSha (Tree which can cure all diseases), a discus and
another held in a gesture of granting boons (varada). He is holding in his left
hands a lotus, a pot of gems, a flower bunch and another held in a gesture of
granting fearlessness (abahaya). He is lion faced with an elephant trunk and shining.
His body is shining like a white conch and moon. He is wearing a gem studded
shining robe.
Red color YOga GaNapati DhyAna
(Ganapati, the Yogi)
yOgArUDhO
yOgapaTTAbhirAmO| bAlAr^kAbhashcaMdranIlAMshukADhyaH| pAyAnnityaZM
yOgaviGnEshvarO naH || 30 ||
He has four arms. He is red in color.
His legs are surrounded with the meditation girdle (yogapatta). He is engrossed
in yoga and is strapped in a yoga posture. He looks
beautiful and shines like the rising morning sun. He is adorned with a colored
robe which is shining like blue sapphire. His hands hold the rosary, the
elbow-rest or the walking-stick (a yoga wand), the noose and the sugar-cane
stalk.
Golden Color DurgA GaNApati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati, the Invincible)
taptakAMcanasaMkAsha
| shcaShTahastOmahattanuH | dIptAMkushaMsharaMcAkShaM |
daMttaMdakShEvahankaraiH |vAmEpAshaMkArmukaMca | latAM jaMbUMdadhatkaraiH raktAMshukassadAbhUyA ddurgAgaNapatirmudE || 31 ||
daMttaMdakShEvahankaraiH |vAmEpAshaMkArmukaMca | latAM jaMbUMdadhatkaraiH raktAMshukassadAbhUyA ddurgAgaNapatirmudE || 31 ||
His body glows like burnished gold (Golden
Color). He has eight hands and massive body. He is side. He is holding a noose, a bow, a wish
bestowing creeper and Rose Apple (Eugenia Jambolana) with the four hands on the
left side. He is dressed in red clothes. (According to another version, the
Arrow is replaced by a noose)
Red color SaMkaTahara GaNapati DhyAnaM
(Ganapati, the God who Dispels
Troubles)
bAlArkAruNakAMtirvAmEbAlAMvahannaMkE |
lasadiMdIvarahastAM | gaurAMgIM ratna-shObhADhyAM | dakShEMkushavaradAnaM |
vAmEpAshaMcapAyasaMpAtraM | nIlAM- nIlAMshukalasamAnaH | pIThE padmAruNE
tiShThan | saMkaTaharaNaH pAyAt-saMkaTapUgEdgajAnanO nityaM || 32 ||
He has four arms. He is effulgent like the
rising red sun (Red in Color). He has his wife (shakti) - who is carrying a
beautiful lotus, glowing with radiance and bejeweled - sitting on his left lap.
He is carrying in one of his right hand a hook (Ankusha) and with the other
bestowing boon (varada). He is carrying in one of his left hand a rope (noose)
and with the other a vessel brimming with sweet soup (Payasam). He is seated on
a Red Lotus and wearing a blue robe.
PERCEIVE THE DEVATAS (GODS & GODDESSES) AS FORMS
OF BRAHMAN
Hindu Gods and Goddesses, more properly
called Devatas or Divine principles, are usually treated by modern
scholars in a superficial sense as powers of nature or as imaginary spirits of
the primitive mind. Or at a psychological level they have been reduced to
expressions of human emotions or sexual energies.
At a yogic level, for those who have an
inner vision and real devotion, Hindu Devatas are aspects, forms or
manifestations of God or Ishvara, the Cosmic Lord and Creator, representing his
powers, qualities or various ways of imagining him. They are the principles of
Bhakti Yoga.
Yet at what may be a yet higher level
of Self-realization, the Hindu Gods and Goddesses are forms or aspects of
Brahman, the impersonal Godhead behind and beyond the manifest universe. They
are powers of Jnana Yoga or the Yoga of knowledge.
How can Gods and Goddesses, which are
usually formulated as having forms, personalities and stories, be a
manifestation of Impersonal Being, Power and Existence? If we look deeply, we
see that their forms and personalities are but symbols of something beyond form
and personality, reflecting universal verities. That is why their forms and
personalities are extraordinary, supernatural and multifaceted, imbued with
mystery, magic and deep philosophical implications.
Vedic Devatas--Vedic
Devatas appear as forces of nature and light, while the Puranic Devatas are
more anthropomorphic in form and appearance. Yet this is but the surface of
multidimensional meanings.
The four main Vedic Devatas are Agni,
Vayu/Indra, Surya and Soma. As light forms in nature these are fire,
wind/lightning, sun and moon. Yet these are further explained as analogues for
the formless Brahman.
- Brahman or the supreme Godhead in the Upanishads is compared to a great fire, of which the worlds and creatures are but the sparks.
- Brahman is similarly compared to Wind or Vayu, a formless force that when it blows creates and moves everything.
- Brahman is also like the Sun, the supreme source of light, life and consciousness.
- Brahman is like the Moon, granting peace, delight and beauty to all things.
One could state that the Vedic Devatas
are more forms of Brahman than they are forms of Ishvara or God in the personal
sense with their connection to the forces of nature. Yet of these four Vedic
Godheads, it is Indra, whose name like Ishvara means ‘the Lord’ that is close to
God. However, Indra is also Brahman as the supreme power of consciousness,
knowledge and perception. Indra is the Purusha as the seer and the knower as
the Aitareya Upanishad proclaims.
Puranic Devatas, Shiva and Kali--The
Puranic (later Hindu) Devatas, like the great trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and
Shiva, are the three forms of Ishvara, God or Saguna Brahman, Brahman with
qualities. The three are the Creator (Brahma), Preserver (Vishnu) and Destroyer
(Shiva) or the three aspects of Ishvara relative to the gunas of rajas, Sattva
and tamas.
Yet of the three, it is Shiva that is
the closest to Brahman. In this regard, Lord Shiva is Nirguna Brahman, beyond
all manifestation, Lord Vishnu is Ishvara, God or Saguna Brahman as the ruler
of the universe, and Lord Brahma is Mahat Tattva or cosmic mind.
Shiva is the personification of the
supreme Brahman and also is impersonal. He is the formless, transcendent, pure
consciousness, pure existence, and peace – not at all concerned with anything
in the realm of time and space, birth and death. He is beyond good and evil and
can embrace all suffering as well as all joy. He is unpredictable and
paradoxical, and does not conform to the expectations of his devotees. He works
to take us beyond any limitation that we would put upon him or upon ourselves.
He demands that we surrender our limited mind and ego to the Absolute.
Similarly, of the three great Goddesses
and consorts of the three great Gods, Sarasvati of Brahma, Lakshmi of Vishnu
and Kali of Shiva, it is Kali that is the closest to Brahman and a
personification of it. Kali is Brahman’s supreme power or unlimited Shakti –
the power of pure power of existence, which as the infinite and eternal exists
behind space and time. Kali’s often terrible appearance signifies this
transcendence that breaks down all the appearances and limitations that we are
attached to. Her garland of skulls shows her ruling over and transcending of suffering,
time and death.
Kali is also the calming and silencing
of the mind (nirodha in the Yoga Sutra sense, nirvana in the sense of Buddhism
and the Gita). She is the prana merged into itself, the ending of death in the
ending of birth! She is the breath of Brahman that occurs without wind or any
external changes.
Shiva and Kali are, as it were, only
vaguely defined personalities. They represent the impersonal in its first
manifestation or turning towards personality. They exist before and beyond the
manner and rules of personal expression. They break down the personality into
the infinite. That is why their forms do not conform to any rules, order or
stereotyped patterns. They represent the transcendent, which from the
standpoint of the manifest or phenomenal world must be paradoxical, beyond all
dualities, cataclysmic and transformational.
Vishnu and Lakshmi represent the Divine
in its orderly manifestation in the manifest world and its highest Sattva guna.
Shiva and Kali relate to pure existence. Shiva and Kali take us back to Brahman
and themselves merge and disappear back into it. They are light and energy as
the most primal forces, the peace and power of the infinite.
We could say that Shiva is the
transcendent impersonal Brahman, Vishnu is the Divine that enters into the
human heart, while Brahma is cosmic intelligence. Kali, Lakshmi and Sarasvati
are their three powers.
Conclusion
To see the Devatas (Gods and Goddesses)
as forms of Brahman is to truly see the Devatas. Each Devata is a doorway on
the infinite which is Brahman. Each indicates a path beyond form and
personality through reflecting a primal form, power or personality. Each
represents a way to understand our own deeper Self or Atman.
The Devata works to take us to Brahman
by expanding our personality into the impersonal, our individuality into the
cosmic. They do this through their own personality which is a personification
of the infinite. The Devatas work on all levels of existence in order to lead us
to that Being which is everywhere.
In that Brahman, the Self, the Devata,
God, the Guru and the world, all merge into one. The waves fall into the sea.
The rays return to that one light. That formless Brahman is present as the
Being in everything from a particle of dust to the Sun, Moon and stars. Then we
see that each thing becomes a Devata or deity and we understand the Devatas or
Divine currents working in the forces of nature, of light, time, space and the
yearnings of the human heart.
--David Frawley