Hindu Fasts & Festivals
Sri Swami
Sivananda
© The Divine Life Trust Society
ISBN 81-7052-039-8 Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh,
Himalayas, India.
Contents
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
THE HINDUS are a profoundly religious people. Their goal of
life is Self-realisation or the attainment of God-consciousness.
A religion of some kind they must have—a religion which will
stir the depths of the heart and give room for the exercise of
faith, devotion and love.
All Hindu festivals have a deep spiritual import or high
religious significance. All great Hindu festivals have
religious, social and hygienic elements in them. In every
festival there is bathing in the morning before sunrise in the
river or tank or well. Every individual will have to do some
Japa, prayer, Kirtan, recitation of Sanskrit verses and
meditation.
Man gets tired on account of hard work or monotonous actions.
He wants some change or variety. He wants relaxation. He wants
something to cheer him up. These festivals make him cheerful and
happy, and give him rest and peace.
In this book Gurudev has explained the significance and the
philosophy of many of our fasts and festivals. In two aspects of
these observances, he has always allowed the greatest freedom:
(1) in the determination of the dates of the festival, which, as
he has explained on page 53, vary, and (2) in the traditional
ways of celebrating them. For instance, in South India during
the Durga Puja they have the Kolu when various idols and toys
are arranged in colourful galleries before which, every evening,
girls sit and sing. Again, in some places there is fire-walking
without the Kavadi (see page 109), held in honour of Draupadi
Amman who was born of fire; or in Ceylon, according to Yogi
Satchidananda of Ceylon, in honour of Kannaki Amman. Gurudev
never disturbs anyone’s good beliefs and customs.
The way in which the most important festivals are observed at
the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, in India is also given in this
volume. If we have no precedent, we can as well adopt that. On
the particular day, it would be even enough to read the chapter
relating to that day, to remind ourselves of the spirit of the
occasion.
Gurudev observes in his Ashram not only the festivals of the
Hindus but those of the Christians and the Muslims, too: an
example for us to copy. In his eyes, there are no distinctions.
The New Year’s Day according to the English calendar has the
same significance to him as the Tamil or the Telugu New Year’s
Day. Hence, when he talks of the Telugu New Year’s Day in this
book, it can well be read Tamil New Year’s Day or Gujarati New
Year’s Day.
—The Divine Life Society
PRAYERS FOR ALL OCCASIONS
Devotees and followers of Sri Gurudev Sivananda in South
Africa and elsewhere, follow Gurudev’s invariable custom of
commencing all functions with the following invocatory Kirtans,
and concluding them with the peace chants that follow.
Invocatory Kirtans
Jaya Ganesha Jaya Ganesha Jaya Ganesha paahimaam
Sri Ganesha Sri Ganesha Sri Ganesha rakshamaam
Jaya Saraswati Jaya Saraswati Jaya Saraswati paahimaam
Sri Saraswati Sri Saraswati Sri Saraswati rakshamaam
Saravanabhava Saravanabhava Saravanabhava paahimaam
Subramanya Subramanya Subramanya rakshamaam
Sivananda Sivananda Sivananda paahimaam
Sivananda Sivananda Sivananda rakshamaam
Jaya Guru Shiva Guru Hari Guru Ram
Jagad Guru Param Guru Sat Guru Shyam
Adi Guru Advaita Guru Ananda Guru Om
Chit Guru Chitgana Guru Chinmaya Guru Om
Jaya Siya Ram Jaya Jaya Siya Ram (2)
Jaya Radhe Shyam Jaya Jaya Radhe Shyam (2)
Jaya Hanuman Jaya Jaya Hanuman (2)
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare,
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare (3)
Sivananda Sivananda Sadguru Natha Sivananda
Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
Om trayambakam yajaamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam
Urvaarukamiva bandhanaan mrityor muksheeya maamritaat.
Concluding Peace Chants
Sarveshaam swasti bhavatu, sarveshaam shaantir
bhavatu,
Sarveshaam poornam bhavatu, sarveshaam mangalam bhavatu;
Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niraamayah,
Sarve bhadraani pashyantu, maakaschid duhkhabhaagbhavet;
Asato maa sad gamaya
Tamaso maa jyotir gamaya
Mrityor maa amritam gamaya;
Om poornamadah poornamidam poornaatpoornamudachyate,
Poornasya poornamaadaaya poornamevaavashishyate.
Om shaantih shaantih shaantih!
Meditation On Lord Shiva
Shaantam padmaasanastham shashadharamakutam
panchavaktram trinetram,
Shoolam vajram cha khadgam parashumabhayadam dakshinaange
vahantam;
Naagam paasham cha ghantaam damaruka sahitam chaankusham
vaamabhaage,
Naanaalankaara deeptam sphatika maninibham paarvateesham
namaami.
MEANING: I prostrate myself before the five-faced Lord
of Parvati, who is adorned with various ornaments, who shines
like the crystal jewel, who is seated peacefully in the lotus
pose, with moon-crested crown, with three eyes, wearing trident,
thunderbolt, sword and axe on the right side, who holds the
serpent, noose, bell, damaru and spear on the left side,
and who gives protection from all fear to His devotees.
Meditation On Sri Shankaracharya
Padmaaseenam prashantam yamaniratamaanan gaari tulya
prabhaavam,
Phaale bhasmaankitaam bhasmita rujira mukhaam
bhojanindeevaraaksham;
Kambugreevam karaabhyaam avidtamurulasat pustakam
jnaanamudraam,
Vandyam geervaana mukhyair natajana varadam bhaavaye
shankaraaryam.
MEANING: I meditate on Sri Shankaracharya who is
seated in the lotus posture with Jnanamudra, who is calm,
endowed with virtues like Yama, Niyama, etc., whose glory is as
great as that of Lord Shiva, who wears the sacred ashes on the
forehead, whose face resembles the blossomed lotus, with
lotus-like eyes, possessing sacred books in hand, who is ever
adored by people of high learning and wisdom, and who fulfils
the desires of his devotees (who prostrate themselves before
him).
Meditation On Lord Dattatreya
Maalaakamandalu dharah karapadmayugme
Madhyastha paaniyugale damarutrishoolam;
Adhyastha urdhva karayoh shubha shankhachakre
Vande tamatrivaradam bhujashatkayuktam.
MEANING: I meditate on Lord Dattatreya, the son of
Atri, who has six hands, who holds the rosary and water-vessel
in two hands, with damaru and spear in the other two
hands, and with conch and discus in the upper two hands.
Meditation On Lord Ganesha
Gajaananam bhootaganaadisevitam
Kapittha jamboophala saara bhakshitam;
Umaasutam shoka vinaasha kaaranam
Namaami vighneshwara paada pankajam.
MEANING: I worship the lotus feet of Ganesha, the son
of Uma, the destroyer of all sorrows, who is served by the host
of gods and elementals, and who takes the essence of the
kapittha-jarnbu fruit (fruit resembling the bilwa
fruit).
Meditation On Lord Subramanya
Shadaananam kumkumaraktavarnam
Mahaa matim divya mayoora vaahanam;
Rudrasya soonum sura sainyanaatham
Guham sadaaham sharanam prapadye.
MEANING: I always take refuge in Lord Guha (Lord
Subramanya) of six faces, who is of deep red colour and infinite
knowledge, who has the divine peacock to ride on, the son of
Lord Shiva and the leader of the army of the Devas.
Meditation On Sri Krishna
Vamshee vibhooshita karaan navaneeradaabhaat
Peetaambaraadaruna bimbaphalaa dharoshthaat;
Poornendusundara mukhaad aravinda netraat
Krishnaat param kimapi tattwam aham na jaane.
MEANING: I know not any other Reality than the
lotus-eyed Krishna with hands adorned with flute, looking like a
heavy-laden cloud in lustre, wearing a yellow silk garment, with
His lower lip like a ruddy bimba fruit, and with face
shining like the full moon.
Meditation On Sri Rama
Dhyaayedaajaanubaaham dhritasharadhanusham
baddhapadmaasanastham,
Peetam vaaso vasaanam navakamala dala spardhinetram
prasannam;
Vaamaankaaroodhaseetaa mukhakamala milal lochanam
neeradaabham,
Naanaalankaara deeptam dadhatamuru jataa mandalam
raamachandram.
MEANING: One should meditate on Sri Ramachandra, with
hands reaching the knees, holding the bow and arrows, seated in
the locked-up lotus posture, wearing a yellow garb, with eyes
vying with the newly-blossomed lotus petals, with a pleasant
gait, who has Sita seated on His left thigh, who is blue like
the clouds, who is adorned with all kinds of ornaments and
having a big circle of Jata on the head.
LORD VISHNU
His Mantra is: Om Namo Narayanaya
Suklambharadharam visnum sasi varnam caturbhujam
Prasanna vadanam dhyayet sarvavighnopasantaye
Chitra Purnima
THE TWELVE months of the Hindu year, based on the lunar
calendar, are named after that star during whose ascendency the
full moon of that month occurs. The full moon day of Chaitra
month, that is, the Purnima during the ascendency of the Chitra
star is particularly sacred to the Chitra Guptas, the recording
angels of the Hindu pantheon. A special worship is offered to
these celestial representatives of the god of death, and an
offering of spiced rice is prepared and later distributed as
prasad or holy sacrament. A fire worship is done at the
close of the ritualistic worship. By the performance of this
religious observance annually, these angels of the other world
are greatly pleased and judge man’s actions with more sympathy.
The psychological effect of this worship, done on the very
first full moon day of every year (Chaitra is the first of the
twelve months), is to vividly remind us of the higher power that
maintains a constant watch over every act of ours on this
earth-plane. This memory serves as an invisible check on one’s
conduct. The conception of the Chitra Guptas as located within
each shoulder is a powerful inducement to keep oneself engaged
in constantly doing good actions only.
The term Chitra Gupta means “hidden picture”. A true picture
of all our good and evil actions is preserved in the ethereal
records. The Hindu personifies it for the sake of worship. The
real significance of the worship of the Chitra Guptas is
beautifully brought out in the following story connected with
it.
Brihaspati is the Guru or preceptor of Indra, the king of the
gods. Indra disobeyed Brihaspati on one occasion and the Guru
relinquished his task of instructing Indra in what he should and
should not do. During the period of the Guru’s absence, Indra
did many evil deeds. When the compassionate Guru resumed his
duty again, Indra wanted to know what he should do to expiate
the wrongs he had done in his Guru’s absence. Brihaspati asked
Indra to undertake a pilgrimage.
While Indra was on pilgrimage, he suddenly felt the load of
sins taken off his shoulders at a certain place (near Madurai in
South India), and he discovered a Shiva Lingam there. He
attributed the miracle to this Lingam and wanted to build a
temple for it. He had this constructed immediately. Now he
wished to perform the worship of the Lingam; the Lord Himself
caused golden lotuses to appear in a nearby pond. Indra was
greatly pleased and blessed. The day on which he thus worshipped
the Lord was Chitra Purnima.
When you perform worship on the Chitra Purnima day, remember
this story. If you have intense faith, if you feel with a
contrite heart that you have committed sins on account of
ignorance, if you pray with faith and devotion to the Lord to
forgive your sins, if you resolve never to commit them in the
future, and if you resolve to be obedient to your Guru and never
to flout his counsel, then your sins will be forgiven. There is
no doubt about this. This is the significance of the above story
of Indra. Meditate on this story on Chitra Purnima day.
The Hindu scriptures prescribe elaborate worship of the
Chitra Guptas on this day. The Deity is invoked in an image or a
kalasa (vessel filled with water) and then worshipped
with all the rituals and formalities of the worship offered to
God’s image. Meditate on Chitra Gupta, reciting the following
verse:
Chitra guptam mahaa praajnam lekhaneepatra dhaarinam;
Chitra-ratnaambara-dhaararn madhyastham sarvadehinaam.
Then offer ritualistic worship with incense, camphor, flowers, etc.
Feed some Brahmins, the poor and the needy. Give bountifully in
charity and receive the Lord’s blessings.
Deepavali
DEEPAVALI or Diwali means “a row of lights”. It falls on the
last two days of the dark half of Kartik (October-November). For
some it is a three-day festival. It commences with the
Dhan-Teras, on the 13th day of the dark half of Kartik, followed
the next day by the Narak Chaudas, the 14th day, and by
Deepavali proper on the 15th day.
There are various alleged origins attributed to this
festival. Some hold that they celebrate the marriage of Lakshmi
with Lord Vishnu. In Bengal the festival is dedicated to the
worship of Kali. It also commemorates that blessed day on which
the triumphant Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating
Ravana. On this day also Sri Krishna killed the demon
Narakasura.
In South India people take an oil bath in the morning and
wear new clothes. They partake of sweetmeats. They light
fireworks which are regarded as the effigies of Narakasura who
was killed on this day. They greet one another, asking, “Have
you had your Ganges bath?” which actually refers to the oil bath
that morning as it is regarded as purifying as a bath in the
holy Ganges.
Everyone forgets and forgives the wrongs done by others.
There is an air of freedom, festivity and friendliness
everywhere. This festival brings about unity. It instils charity
in the hearts of people. Everyone buys new clothes for the
family. Employers, too, purchase new clothes for their
employees.
Waking up during the Brahmamuhurta (at 4a.m.) is a great
blessing from the standpoint of health, ethical discipline,
efficiency in work and spiritual advancement. It is on Deepavali
that everyone wakes up early in the morning. The sages who
instituted this custom must have cherished the hope that their
descendents would realise its benefits and make it a regular
habit in their lives.
In a happy mood of great rejoicing village folk move about
freely, mixing with one another without any reserve, all enmity
being forgotten. People embrace one another with love. Deepavali
is a great unifying force. Those with keen inner spiritual ears
will clearly hear the voice of the sages, “O Children of God!
unite, and love all”. The vibrations produced by the greetings
of love which fill the atmosphere are powerful enough to bring
about a change of heart in every man and woman in the world.
Alas! That heart has considerably hardened, and only a
continuous celebration of Deepavali in our homes can rekindle in
us the urgent need of turning away from the ruinous path of
hatred.
On this day Hindu merchants in North India open their new
account books and pray for success and prosperity during the
coming year. The homes are cleaned and decorated by day and
illuminated by night with earthern oil-lamps. The best and
finest illuminations are to be seen in Bombay and Amritsar. The
famous Golden Temple at Amritsar is lit in the evening with
thousands of lamps placed all over the steps of the big tank.
Vaishnavites celebrate the Govardhan Puja and feed the poor on a
large scale.
O Ram! The light of lights, the self-luminous inner light of
the Self is ever shining steadily in the chamber of your heart.
Sit quietly. Close your eyes. Withdraw the senses. Fix the mind
on this supreme light and enjoy the real Deepavali, by attaining
illumination of the soul.
He who Himself sees all but whom no one beholds, who
illumines the intellect, the sun, the moon and the stars and the
whole universe but whom they cannot illumine, He indeed is
Brahman, He is the inner Self. Celebrate the real Deepavali by
living in Brahman, and enjoy the eternal bliss of the soul.
The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the stars,
nor do lightnings shine and much less fire. All the lights of
the world cannot be compared even to a ray of the inner light of
the Self. Merge yourself in this light of lights and enjoy the
supreme Deepavali.
Many Deepavali festivals have come and gone. Yet the hearts
of the vast majority are as dark as the night of the new moon.
The house is lit with lamps, but the heart is full of the
darkness of ignorance. O man! wake up from the slumber of
ignorance. Realise the constant and eternal light of the Soul
which neither rises nor sets, through meditation and deep
enquiry.
May you all attain full inner illumination! May the supreme
light of lights enlighten your understanding! May you all attain
the inexhaustible spiritual wealth of the Self! May you all
prosper gloriously on the material as well as spiritual planes!
Durga Puja or Navaratri
SALUTATIONS to the Divine Mother, Durga, who exists in all
beings in the form of intelligence, mercy, beauty, who is the
consort of Lord Shiva, who creates, sustains and destroys the
universe.
This festival is observed twice a year, once in the month of
Chaitra and then in Aswayuja. It lasts for nine days in honour
of the nine manifestations of Durga. During Navaratri (the word
literally means “nine nights”) devotees of Durga observe a fast.
Brahmins are fed and prayers are offered for the protection of
health and property.
The beginning of summer and the beginning of winter are two
very important junctions of climatic and solar influence. These
two periods are taken as sacred opportunities for the worship of
the Divine Mother. They are indicated respectively by the
Rama-Navaratri in Chaitra (April-May) and the Durga Navaratri in
Aswayuja (September-October). The bodies and minds of people
undergo a considerable change on account of the changes in
Nature. Sri Rama is worshipped during Ramnavmi, and Mother Durga
during Navaratri.
MOTHER DURGA
The Saviour from all Sorrows and Dangers
The Durga Puja is celebrated in various parts of India in
different styles. But the one basic aim of this celebration is
to propitiate Shakti, the Goddess in Her aspect as Power, to
bestow upon man all wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity,
knowledge (both sacred and secular), and all other potent
powers. Whatever be the particular or special request that
everyone may put before the Goddess, whatever boon may be asked
of Her, the one thing behind all these is propitiation, worship
and linking oneself with Her. There is no other aim. This is
being effected consciously or unconsciously. Everyone is blessed
with Her loving mercy and is protected by Her.
Durga Puja or Navaratri commences on the first and ends on
the tenth day of the bright half of Aswayuja
(September-October). It is held in commemoration of the victory
of Durga over Mahishasura, the buffalo-headed demon. In Bengal
Her image is worshipped for nine days and then cast into water.
The tenth day is called Vijaya Dasami or Dussera (the “tenth
day”). Processions with Her image are taken out along the
streets of villages and cities.
The mother of Durga (that is, the wife of the King of the
Himalayas) longed to see her daughter. Durga was permitted by
Lord Shiva to visit her beloved mother only for nine days in the
year. The festival of Durga Puja marks this brief visit and ends
with the Vijaya Dasami day, when Goddess Durga leaves for Her
return to Mount Kailas. This is the view of some devotees.
In Bengal, Durga Puja is a great festival. All who live away
from home return during the Puja days. Mothers reunite with
their sons and daughters, and wives with their husbands.
The potter shows his skill in making images, the painter in
drawing pictures, the songster in playing on his instrument, and
the priest in reciting the sacred books. The Bengalis save money
throughout the year only to spend everything during the Puja
days. Cloth is freely distributed to the Brahmins.
The woman of Bengal welcomes the Goddess with a mother’s love
and sends away the image on the last day, with every ceremony
associated with a daughter’s departure to her husband’s home and
with motherly tears in her eyes. This signifies the parting of
Durga from Her beloved mother.
Durga Puja is the greatest Hindu festival in which God is
adored as Mother. Hinduism is the only religion in the world
which has emphasised to such an extent the motherhood of God.
One’s relationship with one’s mother is the dearest and the
sweetest of all human relations. Hence, it is proper to look
upon God as mother.
Durga represents the Divine Mother. She is the energy aspect
of the Lord. Without Durga, Shiva has no expression and without
Shiva, Durga has no existence. Shiva is the soul of Durga; Durga
is identical with Shiva. Lord Shiva is only the silent witness.
He is motionless, absolutely changeless. He is not affected by
the cosmic play. It is Durga who does everything.
Shakti is the omnipotent power of the Lord, or the Cosmic
Energy. The Divine Mother is represented as having ten different
weapons in Her hands. She sits on a lion. She keeps up the play
of the Lord through the three attributes of Nature, namely,
Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. Knowledge, peace, lust, anger, greed,
egoism and pride, are all Her forms.
You will find in the Devi Sukta of the Rig Veda Samhita
that Vak, symbolising speech, the daughter of the sage Anbhirna,
realised her identity with the Divine Mother, the Power of the
Supreme Lord, which manifests throughout the universe among the
gods, among men and beasts and among the creatures of the deep
ocean.
In the Kena Upanishad, you will find that the Divine
Mother shed wisdom on Indra and the gods and said that the gods
were able to defeat the demons only with the help of the power
of the Supreme Lord.
The worship of Devi, the universal Mother, leads to the
attainment of knowledge of the Self. The story in the Kena
Upanishad known as the “Yaksha Prasna”, supports this view.
It tells how Uma, the Divine Mother, taught the Truth to the
gods. Goddess Shakti thus sheds wisdom on Her devotees.
MOTHER KALI
The Destroyer of Demoniac Attributes
Devi worship is, therefore, worship of God’s glory, of God’s
greatness and supremacy. It is adoration of the Almighty. It is
unfortunate that Devi is ignorantly understood by many as a mere
blood-thirsty Hindu Goddess. No! Devi is not a vicious demoness
nor is She the property of the Hindus alone. Devi does not
belong to any religion. Devi is that conscious power of God. The
words Devi, Shakti, etc., and the ideas of different forms
connected with these names are concessions granted by the sages
due to the limitations of the human intellect; they are by no
means the ultimate definitions of Shakti.
The original or Adi Shakti is beyond human comprehension.
Bhagavan Krishna says in the Gita: “This is only My lower
nature. Beyond this is My higher nature, the life-principle
which sustains the universe”.
The Upanishad also says: “The supreme power of God is
manifested in various ways. This power is of the nature of God,
manifesting as knowledge, strength and activity”.
Truly speaking, all beings in the universe are
Shakti-worshippers, whether they are aware of it or not, for
there is no one who does not love and long for power in some
form or other. Physicists and scientists have now proved that
everything is pure, imperishable energy. This energy is only a
form of divine Shakti which exists in every form.
A child is more familiar with the mother than with the
father, because the mother is very kind, loving, tender and
affectionate and looks after the needs of the child. In the
spiritual field also, the aspirant or the devotee—the spiritual
child—has an intimate relationship with the Mother Durga, more
than with the Father Shiva. Therefore, it behoves the aspirant
to approach the Mother first, who then introduces Her spiritual
child to the Father for his illumination.
The Mother’s Grace is boundless. Her mercy is illimitable;
Her knowledge infinite; Her power immeasurable; Her glory
ineffable; and Her splendour indescribable. She gives you
material prosperity as well as spiritual freedom.
Approach Her with an open heart. Lay bare your heart to Her
with frankness and humility. Be as simple as a child. Kill
ruthlessly the enemies of egoism, cunningness, selfishness and
crookedness. Make a total, unreserved, and ungrudging
self-surrender to Her. Sing Her praise. Repeat Her Name. Worship
Her with faith and unflinching devotion. Perform special worship
on the Navaratri days. Navaratri is the most suitable occasion
for doing intense spiritual practices. These nine days are very
sacred to the Divine Mother. Plunge yourself in Her worship.
Practise intense repetition of the Divine Name, having a regular
“quota” of repetitions per day, and the number of hours spent on
it.
Devi fought with Bhandasura and his forces for nine days and
nine nights. This Bhandasura had a wonderful birth and life.
When Lord Shiva burnt Cupid with the fire of His “third eye”,
Sri Ganesha playfully moulded a figure out of the ashes, and the
Lord breathed life into it! This was the terrible demon
Bhandasura. He engaged himself in great penance and on account
of it obtained a boon from Lord Shiva. With the help of that
boon, he began harassing the worlds. The Divine Mother fought
with him for nine nights (the demons have extraordinary strength
during the night), and killed him on the evening of the tenth
day, known as the Vijaya Dasami. The learning of any science is
begun on this highly auspicious day. It was on this day that
Arjuna worshipped Devi, before starting the battle against the
Kauravas on the field of Kurukshetra.
Sri Rama worshipped Durga at the time of the fight with
Ravana, to invoke Her aid in the war. This was on the days
preceding the Vijaya Dasami day. He fought and won through Her
Grace.
In days of yore, kings used to undertake ambitious
expeditions on the day of the Vijaya Dasami. Those kings who did
not go on such expeditions used to go out hunting in the deep
forests. In Rajputana, India, even up to this date, people
arrange mock attacks on some fort on Vijaya Dasami.
This day, however, has much to do with the life of Sri Rama.
Nowhere in the history of the world can we find a parallel to
the character of Sri Rama as a man, son, brother, husband,
father or king. Maharishi Valmiki has exhausted the entire
language in describing the glory of Sri Rama. And, we shall be
rightly celebrating the Dussera if we make honest efforts to
destroy the demon of our ego, and radiate peace and love
wherever we go. Let us all resolve to become men of sterling
character. Let us resolve and act. The story of Sri Rama is
known in almost all parts of the globe, and if we but succeed in
following even a hundredth part of His teachings, we shall make
our lives more fragrant than the rose and more lustrous than
gold!
Dussera can also be interpreted as “Dasa-Hara”, which means
the cutting of the ten heads of Ravana. So, let us resolve today
to cut the ten heads—passion, pride, anger, greed, infatuation,
lust, hatred, jealousy, selfishness and crookedness—of the
demon, Ego, and thus justify the celebration of Dussera.
Religious observances, traditional worship and observances at
times have more than one significance. Apart from being the
adoration of the Divine, they commemorate stirring events in
history, they are allegoric when interpreted from the occult
standpoint and, lastly, they are deeply significant pointers and
revealing guides to the individual on his path to
God-realisation.
Outwardly, the nine-day worship of Devi is a celebration of
triumph. This nine days’ celebration is offered to the Mother
for Her successful struggle with the formidable demons led by
Mahishasura. But, to the sincere spiritual aspirant, the
particular division of the Navaratri into sets of three days to
adore different aspects of the Supreme Goddess has a very
sublime, yet thoroughly practical truth to reveal. In its cosmic
aspect, it epitomises the stages of the evolution of man into
God, from Jivahood (the state of individualisation) to Shivahood
(the state of Self-realisation). In its individual import, it
shows the course that his spiritual practice should take.
Let us, therefore, examine in detail the spiritual
significance of Navaratri.
The central purpose of existence is to recognise your eternal
identity with the supreme Spirit. It is to grow into the image
of the Divine. The supreme One embodies the highest perfection.
It is spotless purity. To recognise your identity with That, to
attain union with That, is verily to grow into the very likeness
of the Divine. The aspirant, therefore, as his initial step, has
to get rid of all the countless impurities, and the demoniacal
elements that have come to cling to him in his embodied state.
Then he has to acquire lofty virtues and auspicious, divine
qualities. Thus purified, knowledge flashes upon him like the
brilliant rays of the sun upon the crystal waters of a perfectly
calm lake.
This process demands a resolute will, determined effort, and
arduous struggle. In other words, strength and infinite power
are the prime necessity. Thus it is the Divine Mother who has to
operate through the aspirant.
Let us now consider how, on the first three days, the Mother
is adored as supreme power and force, as Durga the Terrible. You
pray to Mother Durga to destroy all your impurities, your vices,
your defects. She is to fight with and annihilate the baser
animal qualities in the spiritual aspirant, the lower,
diabolical nature in him. Also, She is the power that protects
your spiritual practice from its many dangers and pitfalls. Thus
the first three days, which mark the first stage or the
destruction of impurity and determined effort and struggle to
root out the evil tendencies in your mind, are set apart for the
worship of the destructive aspect of the Mother.
MOTHER SARASWATHI
The presiding Deity over Creation and Dissolution
Once you have accomplished your task on the negative side,
that of breaking down the impure propensities and old vicious
habits, the next step is to build up a sublime spiritual
personality, to acquire positive qualities in place of the
eliminated demoniacal qualities. The divine qualities that Lord
Krishna enumerates in the Gita, have to be acquired. The
aspirant must cultivate and develop all the auspicious
qualities. He has to earn immense spiritual wealth to enable him
to pay the price for the rare gem of divine wisdom. If this
development of the opposite qualities is not undertaken in right
earnest, the old demoniacal nature will raise its head again and
again. Hence, this stage is as important in an aspirant’s career
as the previous one. The essential difference is: the former is
a ruthless, determined annihilation of the filthy egoistic lower
self; the latter is an orderly, steady, calm and serene effort
to develop purity. This pleasanter side of the aspirant’s
Sadhana is depicted by the worship of Mother Lakshmi. She
bestows on Her devotees the inexhaustible divine wealth or Deivi
Sampath. Lakshmi is the wealth-giving aspect of God. She is
purity itself. Thus the worship of Goddess Lakshmi is performed
during the second set of three days.
Once the aspirant succeeds in routing out the evil
propensities, and develops Sattwic or pure, divine qualities, he
becomes competent to attain wisdom. He is now ready to receive
the light of supreme wisdom. He is fit to receive divine
knowledge. At this stage comes the devout worship of Mother
Saraswathi, who is divine knowledge personified, the embodiment
of knowledge of the Absolute. The sound of Her celestial veena
awakens the notes of the sublime utterances of the Upanishads
which reveal the Truth, and the sacred monosyllable, Om. She
bestows the knowledge of the supreme, mystic sound and then
gives full knowledge of the Self as represented by Her pure,
dazzling snow-white apparel. Therefore, to propitiate
Saraswathi, the giver of knowledge, is the third stage.
The tenth day, Vijaya Dasami, marks the triumphant ovation of
the soul at having attained liberation while living in this
world, through the descent of knowledge by the Grace of Goddess
Saraswathi. The soul rests in his own Supreme Self or
Satchidananda Brahman. This day celebrates the victory, the
achievement of the goal. The banner of victory flies aloft. Lo!
I am He! I am He!
This arrangement also has a special significance in the
aspirant’s spiritual evolution. It marks the indispensable
stages of evolution through which everyone has to pass. One
naturally leads to the other; to short-circuit this would
inevitably result in a miserable failure. Nowadays many ignorant
seekers aim straight at the cultivation of knowledge without the
preliminaries of purification and acquisition of the divine
qualities. They then complain that they are not progressing on
the path. How can they? Knowledge will not descend until the
impurities have been washed out, and purity is developed. How
can the pure plant grow in impure soil?
Therefore adhere to this arrangement; your efforts will be
crowned with sure success. This is your path. As you destroy one
evil quality, develop the virtue opposite to it. By this process
you will soon bring yourself up to that perfection which will
culminate in identity with the Self which is your goal. Then all
knowledge will be yours: you will be omniscient, omnipotent and
you will feel your omnipresence. You will see your Self in all.
You will have achieved eternal victory over the wheel of births
and deaths, over the demon of worldliness. No more pain, no more
misery, no more birth, no more death! Victory, victory be yours!
Glory to the Divine Mother! Let Her take you, step by step to
the top of the spiritual ladder and unite you with the Lord!
At the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, the following are the
regular features during the Durga Puja celebrations:
1. A special ritualistic worship of the Mother is conducted
daily, which includes the recitation of the Durga Saptashati.
2. Laksharchana for the Mother in the temple, with recitation
of the Sri Lalita Sahasranama, is also conducted.
3. All are exhorted to do the maximum number of Japa of the
Navarna Mantra, Aim hreem kleem chaamundaayai vichche, or
the Mantra of their own tutelary Deity.
4. An elaborately decorated altar is set up for the evening
Satsangs, with the picture of Mother Durga for the first three
days, Mother Lakshmi for the next three days, and Mother
Saraswathi for the last three days. Many sacred verses from the
scriptures are recited and many Kirtans are sung. The Durga
Saptashati or the Devi Mahatmya is recited and
explained in discourses. The function concludes with the formal
floral worship and Arati. Sometimes scenes from the Devi
Mahatmya are also enacted.
5. Earnest spiritual aspirants fast with milk and fruits only
on all the nine days, or at least once in each of the three
three-day periods.
6. Besides the books representing Saraswathi, all instruments
and implements like typewriters, printing machinery, etc., are
also worshipped on the ninth day.
7. On the Vijaya Dasami day, all aspirants en masse
are given initiation into various Mantras according to their
tutelary Deities. Deserving aspirants are initiated into the
holy order of Sannyas. Initiation in the study of the alphabets
is given to young children, and to the old children also! New
students commence their lessons in music, etc. During the
morning Satsang the books which were worshipped on the ninth day
are again worshipped and a chapter from each of the principal
scriptures like the Gita, Upanishads, Brahma Sutras,
Ramayana, and Srimad Bhagavatam is recited.
8. On the Vijaya Dasami day, there is Kanya Puja also. Nine
girls below the age of ten are worshipped as the embodiment of
the Divine Mother. They are fed sumptuously and, amongst other
things, presented with new clothes.
9. On this last day a grand havan is conducted in the
temple, with recitation of the Durga Saptashati and other
verses in praise of the Divine Mother.
Gayatri Japa Day
TO BRING to one’s mind repeatedly the inspiring lives of
great personalities, the wise men of all the ancient religions
had set apart particular days in the year, as specially sacred
and auspicious on their account. On these days, nations and
races glorify these lofty personalities, they re-live the spirit
of the great events to perpetuate the memory of these great men.
Thus we find that the calendar of the Hindus is marked by
birthdays of divine incarnations, saints and sages, the Gita
Jayanthi, Guru Purnima, Shivaratri, Vaikunta Ekadashi, and many
more auspicious occasions. The Gayatri Japa Day is one such very
holy and glorious day intended to remind all of the greatest and
most glorious of all Mantras, the sacred Gayatri Mantra.
The Gayatri is the life and support of every true Hindu. It
is the impregnable spiritual armour, the veritable fortress,
that guards and protects its votary. In fact, that is the very
meaning of the word Gayatri—”that which protects one who sings
it”.
The Gayatri is the divine power that transforms the human
into the Divine and blesses man with the brilliant light of the
highest spiritual illumination. Whoever may be one’s favourite
Deity, the regular repetition of a few malas (rosary of a
hundred and eight beads) of Gayatri Japa every day will shower
upon one incalculable benefits and blessings. It is universally
applicable, being purely an earnest prayer for light addressed
to the Almighty Supreme Spirit. The Para Brahma Gayatri Mantra
is the most important of all Mantras. For every Brahmin of any
creed or order of life, this has been prescribed as being the
sole transcendental guiding light. The Brahmachari or celibate,
the Grihastha or householder, and the Vanaprastha or one who is
retired, must repeat this Mantra every day; the Sannyasin or
renunciate is asked to repeat Om instead of this Mantra.
The nature of the Gayatri Mantra is such that you can repeat
it while meditating on any form you like. It is generally
conceived of as a female Deity by the majority of devotees. One
who worships God as Mother adheres to this belief. But, in its
true light, the Gayatri never speaks of a female at all. You
cannot find a single word in the entire Gayatri Mantra, which
speaks of a female. The feminine form of the word “Gayatri”
cannot make its Deity a female. It is only the name of its metre
and not the Deity.
Some people think that the Gayatri Mantra is presided over by
the sun. In fact, even this idea is to be modified a little. The
sun that it speaks of is not that which shines over this earth
before our physical eyes, but tat savituh or “that Sun”,
the great Sun which this sun or moon does not illumine, and
which is the impersonal, absolute Brahman.
Therefore, this is the greatest of all Mantras as its
presiding Deity is none other than Para Brahman Himself. Hence,
why hanker after other Mantras? The Gayatri itself is the
crest-jewel or the king of all Mantras. It is the most powerful
of all Mantras. Na gayatryah paro mantrah—”There is no
Mantra greater than the Gayatri”.
Each word, each letter of the Gayatri bears on its head the
highest Vedantic concept of the absolute, supreme Truth. Do Japa
of the Gayatri—it will give you the most excellent fruit, the
fruit of immortality! The Mantra is as follows:
Om bhur bhuvah svah
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo devasya dheemahi
Dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat.
Om: symbol of Para Brahman.
Bhuh: Bhu Loka or the physical plane.
Bhuvah: the astral plane.
Svah: the celestial plane.
Tat: That; the transcendental Paramatma; God.
Savituh: the Creator.
Varenyam: fit to be worshipped.
Bhargah: remover of sins and ignorance; glory,
effulgence.
Devasya: resplendent, shining.
Dheemahi: we meditate.
Dhiyah: the intellect, understanding.
Yo: who.
Nah: our.
Prachodayaat: enlighten, guide, impel.
MEANING: “We meditate on the glory of the Creator who has
created the universe, who is fit to be worshipped, who is the
embodiment of knowledge and light, who is the remover of all
sins and ignorance. May He enlighten our intellect!”
Herein there are five parts: Om is the first part; Bhur
bhuvah svah is the second; Tat savitur varenyam is
the third; Bhargo devasya dheemahi is the fourth; and
Dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat is the last. While chanting the
Mantra you should pause after every part.
This rare and most precious divine treasure of the Gayatri
Mantra is neglected by the youth of the present day. This is a
very serious lapse indeed. Open your eyes now on this sacred day
and start in right earnest the Japa of the Gayatri. Repeat it at
least 108 times (1,008 is better!) on the Gayatri Japa day. Then
continue it (at least 108 times daily) without missing even a
single day.
May the whole world be made Gayatri-conscious through the
inspiration of the auspicious Gayatri Japa Day! May you all be
thrice blessed by taking the vow of daily Gayatri Japa right
from this very moment! May you realise the inner Truth of the
Gayatri Mantra!
Gayatri Japa is observed on the day after the Raksha Bandhan
or Avani Avittam (July-August).
Guru Purnima
THE FULL moon day in the month of Ashad (July-August) is an
extremely auspicious and holy day of Guru Purnima. On this day,
sacred to the memory of the great sage, Bhagavan Sri Vyasa,
Sannyasins settle at some place to study and discourse on the
thrice-blessed Brahma Sutras composed by Maharishi Vyasa,
and engage themselves in Vedantic, philosophical investigation.
Sri Vyasa has done unforgettable service to humanity for all
times by editing the four Vedas, writing the eighteen
Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata.
We can only repay the deep debt of gratitude we owe him, by
constant study of his works and practice of his teachings
imparted for the regeneration of humanity in this iron age. In
honour of this divine personage, all spiritual aspirants and
devotees perform Vyasa Puja on this day, and disciples worship
their spiritual preceptor. Saints, monks and men of God are
honoured and entertained with acts of charity by all the
householders with deep faith and sincerity. The period Chaturmas
(the “four months”) begins from this day; Sannyasins stay at one
place during the ensuing four rainy months, engaging in the
study of the Brahma Sutras and the practice of
meditation.
Mark fully the deep significance of this great day. It
heralds the setting in of the eagerly awaited rains. The water
drawn up and stored as clouds in the hot summer now manifests in
plentiful showers that usher in the advent of fresh life
everywhere. Even so, all begin seriously to put into actual
practice all the theory and philosophy that have been stored up
in them through patient study. Aspirants commence or resolve to
intensify with all earnestness, their practical spiritual
Sadhana right from this day.
Generate fresh waves of spirituality. Let all that you have
read, heard, seen and learnt become transformed, through
Sadhana, into a continuous outpouring of universal love,
ceaseless loving service, and continuous prayer and worship of
the Lord seated in all beings.
Live on milk and fruit on this day and practise rigorous Japa
and meditation. Study the Brahma Sutras and do Japa of
your Guru Mantra, during the four months following the Guru
Purnima. You will be highly benefited.
The day of worship of one’s preceptor, is a day of pure joy
to the sincere spiritual aspirant. Thrilled by the expectation
of offering his reverent homage to the beloved Guru, aspirants
await this occasion with eagerness and devotion. It is the Guru
alone that breaks the binding cords of attachment and releases
the aspirant from the trammels of earthly existence.
The Srutis say: “To that high-souled aspirant, whose
devotion to the Lord is great and whose devotion to his Guru is
as great as that to the Lord, the secrets explained herein
become illuminated”. Guru is Brahman, the Absolute, or God
Himself. He guides and inspires you from the innermost core of
your being. He is everywhere.
Have a new angle of vision. Behold the entire universe as the
form of the Guru. See the guiding hand, the awakening voice, the
illuminating touch of the Guru in every object in this creation.
The whole world will now stand transformed before your changed
vision. The world as Guru will reveal all the precious secrets
of life to you, and bestow wisdom upon you. The supreme Guru, as
manifested in visible nature, will teach you the most valuable
lessons of life.
Worship daily this Guru of Gurus, the Guru who taught even
the Avadhuta Dattatreya. Dattatreya, regarded as God and the
Guru of Gurus, considered Nature Herself as His Guru, and learnt
a number of lessons from Her twenty-four creatures, and hence he
is said to have had twenty-four Gurus. The silent, all-enduring
earth with its lofty forbearance, the shady fruit-bearing tree
with its willing self-sacrifice, the mighty banyan tree reposing
with patience in the tiny seed, the drops of rain whose
persistence wears away even the rocks, the planets and the
seasons with their orderly punctuality and regularity were all
divine Gurus to him. They who will look and listen, will learn.
Become a personification of receptivity. Empty yourself of
your petty ego. All the treasures locked up in the bosom of
Nature will become yours. You will progress and attain
perfection in an amazingly short time. Become pure and
unattached as the mountain breeze. As the river flows
continuously, steadily and constantly towards its goal, the
ocean, so also let your life flow ceaselessly towards the
supreme state of absolute Existence-Knowledge-Bliss, by letting
all your thoughts, all your words and all your actions be
directed only towards the goal.
The moon shines by reflecting the dazzling light of the sun.
It is the full moon on the Purnima day that reflects in full
splendour the glorious light of the sun. It glorifies the sun.
Purify yourself through the fire of selfless service and
Sadhana, and like the full moon, reflect the glorious light of
the Self. Become the full reflectors of Brahmic splendour, the
light of lights. Make this your goal: “I will be a living
witness to divinity, the brilliant Sun of suns!”
The Supreme Self alone is real. He is the Soul of all. He is
all-in-all. He is the essence of this universe. He is the unity
that never admits of a duality under all the varieties and
diversities of nature. Thou art this immortal, all-pervading,
all-blissful Self. Thou art That! Realise this and be free.
Remember these four important lines of the Brahma Sutras:
1. Athatho brahma jijnasaa—Now, therefore, the enquiry
of Brahman.
2. Janmasya yathah—From which proceed the origin, etc.
3. Sastra yonitwat—The scriptures are the means of
right knowledge.
4. Tat tu samanvayat—For, That is the main support (of
the universe).
Jaya Guru Shiva Guru Hari Guru Ram;
Jagad Guru Param Guru Sat Guru Shyam.
It is through the medium of the preceptor that the individual
can raise himself to Cosmic-Consciousness. It is through that
medium that the imperfect can become perfect, the finite can
become infinite and the mortal can pass into the eternal life of
blessedness. The Guru is verily a link between the individual
and the Immortal. He is a being who has raised himself from
this to That and thus has a free and unhampered
access to both realms. He stands, as it were, upon the threshold
of immortality, and, bending down, he raises the struggling
individuals with his one hand, and with the other, lifts them up
into the kingdom of everlasting joy and infinite
Truth-Consciousness.
Do you realise now the sacred significance and the supreme
importance of the Guru’s role in the evolution of man? It was
not without reason that the India of the past carefully tended
and kept alive the lamp of Guru-Tattva. It is therefore not
without reason that India, year after year, age after age,
commemorates anew this ancient concept of the Guru, adores it
and pays homage to it again and again, and thereby re-affirms
its belief and allegiance to it. For, the true Indian knows that
the Guru is the only guarantee for the individual to transcend
the bondage of sorrow and death, and experience the
Consciousness of the Reality.
Give up the delusive notion that to submit to the preceptor,
to obey him and to carry out his instructions, is slavish
mentality. Only the ignorant man thinks that it is beneath his
dignity and against his freedom to submit to another man’s
command. This is a grave blunder. If you reflect carefully, you
will see that your individual freedom is in reality an absolute
abject slavery to your own ego and vanity. It is the vagary of
the sensual mind. He who attains victory over the mind and the
ego is the truly free man. He is the hero. It is to attain this
victory that a man submits to the higher, spiritualised
personality of the Guru. By this submission he vanquishes his
lower ego and realises the bliss and freedom of the infinite
Consciousness.
To strengthen and affirm the faith of the wavering man and to
guarantee the attitude that is necessary for the fruition of all
worship, the ancients have deified the personality of the Guru.
To adore the Guru is indeed to adore the Supreme. In this world
of mortality, the Guru is verily like an ambassador in an alien
court. Just as an ambassador represents fully the nation to
which he belongs, even so, the Guru is one who is the
representative of the sublime transcendental state which he has
attained. Just as to honour the ambassador is to honour the
nation that he hails from, even so to worship and to offer
adoration to the visible Guru is verily the direct worship and
adoration of the Supreme Reality. Even as a distant tree though
it cannot be seen is nevertheless known by the fragrance its
fully-bloomed flowers waft far and wide, so also, the Guru is
the divine flower who disseminates the Atmic aroma of divinity
in this world, and thus proclaims the immortal Lord who is
invisible to the physical eye. He is the standing witness to the
Supreme Self, the counterpart of the Lord on earth, and through
worship of him one attains the Self.
Remember and adore Sri Vyasa and the Gurus who are fully
established in knowledge of the Self. May their blessings be
upon you! May you cut asunder the knot of ignorance and shine as
blessed sages shedding peace, joy and light everywhere!
At the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, the Guru Purnima is
celebrated every year on a grand scale. Many devotees and
aspirants come from all parts of the country.
1. All aspirants awake at Brahmamuhurta, at 4 o’clock. They
meditate on the Guru and chant his prayers.
2. Later in the day, the sacred worship of the Guru’s Feet is
performed. Of this worship it is said in the Guru Gita:
Dhyaana moolam guror murtih;
Pooja moolam guror padam;
Mantra moolam guror vakyam;
Moksha moolam guror kripa
“The Guru’s form should be meditated upon; the feet of the
Guru should be worshipped; his words are to be treated as a
sacred Mantra; his Grace ensures final liberation”.
3. Sadhus and Sannyasins are then worshipped and fed at noon.
4. There is continuous Satsang during which discourses are
held on the glory of devotion to the Guru in particular, and on
spiritual topics in general.
5. Deserving aspirants are initiated into the Holy Order of
Sannyas, as this is a highly auspicious occasion.
6. Devout disciples fast and spend the whole day in prayer.
They also take fresh resolves for spiritual progress.
Wake up at Brahmamuhurta (at 4 a.m.) on this most holy day.
Meditate on the lotus feet of your Guru. Mentally pray to him
for his Grace, through which alone you can attain
Self-realisation. Do vigorous Japa and meditate in the early
morning hours.
After bath, worship the lotus feet of your Guru, or his image
or picture with flowers, fruits, incense and camphor.
Fast or take only milk and fruits the whole day.
In the afternoon, sit with other devotees of your Guru and
discuss with them the glories and teachings of your Guru.
Alternatively, you may observe the vow of silence and study
the books or writings of your Guru, or mentally reflect upon his
teachings.
Take fresh resolves on this holy day, to tread the spiritual
path in accordance with the precepts of your Guru.
At night, assemble again with other devotees, and sing the
Names of the Lord and the glories of your Guru.
The best form of worship of the Guru is to follow his
teachings, to shine as the very embodiment of his teachings, and
to propagate his glory and his message.
Holi
IN DAYS of yore, there were communities of cannibals in
India. They caused much havoc. They threatened the lives of many
innocent people. One of them was Holika or Putana. She took
immense delight in devouring children. Sri Krishna destroyed her
and thus saved the little children. Even today, the effigy or
figure of Holika is burnt in the fire. In South India, the clay
figure of Cupid is burnt. This is the origin of the great
festival of Holi.
It begins about ten days before the full moon of the month
Phalgun (February-March), but is usually only observed for the
last three or four days, terminating with the full moon. This is
the spring festival of the Hindus. In the spring season all the
trees are filled with sweet-smelling flowers. They all proclaim
the glory and everlasting beauty of God. They inspire you with
hope, joy and a new life, and stir you on to find out the
creator and the Indweller, who is hiding Himself in these forms.
Holi is known by the name of Kamadahana in South India, the
day on which Cupid was burnt by Lord Siva.
Another legend has it that once upon a time an old woman’s
grandchild was to be sacrificed to a female demon named Holika.
A Sadhu advised that abuse and foul language would subdue
Holika. The old woman collected many children and made them
abuse Holika in foul language. The demon fell dead on the
ground. The children then made a bonfire of her remains.
Connected to this legend of the demon Holika is Bhakta
Prahlad’s devotion to Lord Narayana, and his subsequent escape
from death at the hands of Holika. Prahlad’s father,
Hiranyakashipu, punished him in a variety of ways to change his
devotional mind and make him worldly-minded. He failed in his
attempts. At last he ordered his sister, Holika, who had a boon
to remain unburnt even in fire, to take Prahlad on her lap and
enter into the blazing flames. Holika did so. She vanished, but
Prahlad remained untouched and laughing. He was not affected by
the fire on account of the Grace of Lord Narayana.
This same scene is enacted every year to remind people that
those who love God shall be saved, and they that torture the
devotee of God shall be reduced to ashes. When Holika was burnt,
people abused her and sang the glories of the Lord and of His
great devotee, Prahlad. In imitation of that, people even today
use abusive language, but unfortunately forget to sing the
praises of the Lord and His devotee!
In North India, people play joyfully with coloured water. The
uncle sprinkles coloured water on his nephew. The niece applies
coloured powder on her aunt’s face. Brothers and sisters and
cousins play with one another.
Huge bundles of wood are gathered and burnt at night, and
everywhere one hears shouts of “Holi-ho! Holi-ho!” People stand
in the streets and sprinkle coloured water on any man who passes
by, be he a rich man or an officer. There is no restriction on
this day. It is like the April Fool’s Day of the Europeans.
People compose and sing special Holi songs.
On the festival day, people clean their homes, remove all
dirty articles from around the house and burn them.
Disease-breeding bacteria are thereby destroyed. The sanitary
condition of the locality is improved. During the festival, boys
dance about in the streets. People play practical jokes with
passers-by. A bonfire is lit towards the conclusion of the
festival. Games representing the frolics of the young Krishna
take place joyously around a fire.
On the last day of Holi, people take a little fire from this
bonfire to their homes. They believe that their homes will be
rendered pure, and their bodies free from disease.
Nowadays, people are found indulging in all sorts of vices in
the name of the Holi festival. Some drink intoxicating liquor
like toddy and fall unconscious on the roads. They indulge in
obscene speech as a result of drinking. They lose respect for
their elders and masters. They waste their money in drink and
dice-play. These evils should be totally eradicated.
Festivals like Holi have their own spiritual value. Apart
from the various amusements, they create faith in God if
properly observed. Hindu festivals always have a spiritual
significance. They wean man away from sensual pleasures and take
him gradually to the spiritual path and divine communion. People
perform havan and offer the new grains that are harvested
to the gods before using them.
There should be worship of God, religious gatherings and
Kirtan of the Lord’s Names on such occasions, not merely the
sprinkling of coloured water and lighting of bonfires. These
functions are to be considered most sacred and spent in
devotional prayers, visiting holy places, bathing in sacred
waters, and Satsang with great souls. Abundant charity should be
done to the poor. Then only can Holi be said to have been
properly celebrated. The devotees of the Lord should remember
the delightful pastimes of the Lord on such happy occasions.
All great Hindu festivals have religious, social and hygienic
elements in them. Holi is no exception. Every season has a
festival of its own. Holi is the great spring festival of India.
Being an agricultural country, India’s two big festivals come
during the harvest time when the barns and granaries of our
farmers are full and they have reason to enjoy the fruits of
their hard labour. The harvest season is a festive season all
over the world.
Man wants relaxation and change after hard work. He needs to
be cheered when he is depressed on account of work and
anxieties. Festivals like Holi supply him with the real food and
tonic to restore his cheer and peace of mind.
The religious element in the Holi festival consists of
worship of Krishna. In some places it is also called the Dol
Yatra. The word dol literally means “a swing”. An image
of Sri Krishna as a babe is placed in a little swing-cradle and
decorated with flowers and painted with coloured powders. The
pure, innocent frolics of little Krishna with the merry
milkmaids (Gopis) of Brindavan are commemorated. Devotees chant
the Name of Krishna and sing Holi-songs relating to the frolics
of little Krishna with the Gopis.
The social element during Holi is the uniting or “embracing”
of the great and the small, of the rich and the poor. It is also
the uniting of equals. The festival teaches us to “let the dead
bury the dead”. We should forget the outgoing year’s
ill-feelings and begin the new year with feelings of love,
sympathy, co-operation and equality with all. We should try to
feel this oneness or unity with the Self also.
Holi also means “sacrifice”. Burn all the impurities of the
mind, such as egoism, vanity and lust, through the fire of
devotion and knowledge. Ignite cosmic love, mercy, generosity,
selflessness, truthfulness and purity through the fire of Yogic
practice. This is the real spirit of Holi. Rise from the mire of
stupidity and absurdity and dive deep into the ocean of
divinity.
The call of Holi is to always keep ablaze the light of
God-love shining in your heart. Inner illumination is the real
Holi. The spring season is the manifestation of the Lord,
according to the Bhagavad Gita. Holi is said there to be
His heart.
Kartigai Deepam
ON THE full moon day of the month of Kartigai
(November-December) which falls on the ascension of the Kritigai
star, the Hindus celebrate the Kartigai Deepam. It is on this
day that the huge beacon is lit on the holy hill Arunachala, in
South India.
Once Lord Shiva assumed the form of a hill at Tiruvannamalai
in South India. Here He quelled the pride of Brahma and Vishnu
who were quarelling as to their relative greatness. One day,
when Lord Shiva was in meditation, Parvati left Him and went to
the hill of Arunachala. There She performed penance. She was the
guest of the sage Gautama. It was during Her penance here that
Mahishasura was killed by Durga hidden by Parvati. Parvati saw
Shiva as Arunachalesvara. She was taken back by the Lord to His
side, and made His Ardhangini once more, that is, She occupied
half of the body of the Lord.
Arunachalesvara is Tejo Lingam. Arunachala or the
Tiruvannamalai Hill is the place that represents the fire
element. (The five elements are represented by five holy places
in India.)
When the light on the top of the Tiruvannamalai Hill is
unveiled on the Kartigai Deepam day, people see the big light
and worship it. They recite again and again in a loud voice
“Harohara”. The esoteric meaning is that he who sees the light
of lights that is burning eternally in the chambers of his heart
through constant meditation attains immortality. The light on
the Arunachala brings the message to you that the Self or Lord
Shiva is self-effulgent, He is the light of lights.
On the Kartigai Deepam day in South India, people make
bonfires in front of temples in the evening. It is said that
Lord Shiva burnt the chariots of several demons who were
torturing sages and celestials. This bonfire symbolises this
legend.
People place rows of earthen lamps in front of their houses
on the evening of Kartigai Deepam and worship the Lord. They
also light a variety of fireworks.
Annihilate the three impurities, namely, egoism, selfish
action and delusion. Burn the mind, senses and the desires in
the fire of knowledge of the Self or Shiva-Jnanam. Attain full
illumination and behold the light of lights, which illumines the
mind, intellect, sun, moon, stars, lightning and the fire. This
is real Kartigai Deepam.
May the light of lights illumine you all! May Lord Shiva
bless you with more light! May you merge in this supreme light
and attain the eternal abode of bliss and immortality!
Makara Shankranti
SALUTATIONS and adorations to the Supreme Lord, the
primordial power that divided the year into the four seasons.
Salutations to Surya, the Sun-God, who on this great day embarks
on his northward journey.
The Sanskrit term “Shankramana” means “to begin to move”. The
day on which the sun begins to move northwards is called Makara
Shankranti. It usually falls in the middle of January.
Among the Tamilians in South India this festival is called
the Pongal.
To many people, especially the Tamilians, Makara Shankranti
ushers in the New Year. The corn that is newly-harvested is
cooked for the first time on that day. Joyous festivities mark
the celebration in every home. Servants, farmers and the poor
are fed and clothed and given presents of money. On the next
day, the cow, which is regarded as the symbol of the Holy
Mother, is worshipped. Then there is the feeding of birds and
animals.
In this manner the devotee’s heart expands slowly during the
course of the celebrations, first embracing with its long arms
of love the entire household and neighbours, then the servants
and the poor, then the cow, and then all other living creatures.
Without even being aware of it, one develops the heart and
expands it to such proportions that the whole universe finds a
place in it.
As Shankranti is also the beginning of the month, Brahmins
offer oblations to departed ancestors. Thus, all the great
sacrifices enjoined upon man find their due place in this grand
celebration. The worship of the Cosmic Form of the Lord is so
well introduced into this, that every man and woman in India is
delightfully led to partake of it without even being aware of
it.
To the spiritual aspirants this day has a special
significance. The six-month period during which the sun travels
northwards is highly favourable to them in their march towards
the goal of life. It is as though they are flowing easily with
the current towards the Lord. Paramahamsa Sannyasins roam about
freely during this period, dispelling gloom from the hearts of
all. The Devas and Rishis rejoice at the advent of the new
season, and readily come to the aid of the aspirant.
The great Bhishma, the grandfather of the Pandavas, was
fatally wounded during the war of the Mahabharata, waited on his
deathbed of nails for the onset of this season before finally
departing from the earth-plane. Let us on this great day pay our
homage to him and strive to become men of firm resolve
ourselves!
As already mentioned, this is the Pongal festival in South
India. It is closely connected with agriculture. To the
agriculturalist, it is a day of triumph. He would have by then
brought home the fruits of his patient toil. Symbolically, the
first harvest is offered to the Almighty—and that is Pongal. To
toil was his task, his duty, but the fruit is now offered to
Him—that is the spirit of Karma Yoga.
The master is not allowed to grab all the harvest for himself
either. Pongal is the festival during which the landlord
distributes food, clothes and money among the labourers who work
for him. What a noble act!—It is an ideal you should constantly
keep before you, not only ceremoniously on the Pongal day, but
at all times.
Be charitable. Be generous. Treat your servants as your
bosom-friends and brother workers. This is the keynote of the
Pongal festival. You will then earn their loyalty and enduring
love.
The day prior to the Makara Shankranti is called the Bhogi
festival. On this day, old, worn-out and dirty things are
discarded and burnt. Homes are cleaned and white-washed. Even
the roads are swept clean and lovely designs are drawn with
rice-flour. These practices have their own significance from the
point of view of health. But, here I remind you that it will not
do to attend to these external things alone. Cleaning the mind
of its old dirty habits of thought and feeling is more urgently
needed. Burn them up, with a wise and firm resolve to tread the
path of truth, love and purity from this holy day onwards. This
is the significance of Pongal in the life of the spiritual
aspirant.
If you do this, then the Makara Shankranti has a special
significance for you. The sun, symbolising wisdom, divine
knowledge and spiritual light, which receded from you when you
revelled in the darkness of ignorance, delusion and sensuality,
now joyously turns on its northward course and moves towards you
to shed its light and warmth in greater abundance, and to infuse
into you more life and energy.
In fact, the sun itself symbolises all that the Pongal
festival stands for. The message of the sun is the message of
light, the message of unity, of impartiality, of true
selflessness, of the perfection of the elements of Karma Yoga.
The sun shines on all equally. It is the true benefactor of all
beings. Without the sun, life would perish on earth. It is
extremely regular and punctual in its duties, and never claims a
reward or craves for recognition. If you imbibe these virtues of
the sun, what doubt is there that you will shine with equal
divine lustre!
He who dwells in the sun, whom the sun does not know, whose
body the sun is, and by whose power the sun shines—He is the
Supreme Self, the Indweller, the immortal Essence. Tat Twam
Asi—“That thou art”. Realise this and be free here and now
on this holy Pongal or Makara Shankranti day. This is my humble
Pongal prayer to you all.
On the Shankranti day, sweets, puddings and sweet rice are
prepared in every home, especially in South India. The pot in
which the rice is cooked is beautifully adorned with tumeric
leaves and roots, the symbols of auspiciousness. The cooking is
done by the women of the household with great faith and
devotion, feeling from the bottom of their hearts that it is an
offering unto the Lord. When the milk in which the rice is being
cooked boils over, the ladies and the children assemble round
the pot and shout “Pongalo Pongal!” with great joy and devotion.
Special prayers are offered in temples and houses. Then the
people of the household gather together and partake of the
offerings in an atmosphere of love and festivity.
There is family re-union in all homes. Brothers renew their
contacts with their married sisters by giving them presents.
The farmer is lovingly greeted by the landlord and is given
presents of grain, clothes and money.
On the next day, the herds of cows are adorned beautifully,
fed and worshipped. In some villages the youth demonstrate their
valour by taking “the bull by the horn” (and often win their
brides thereby!). It is a great day for the cattle.
On the same day, young girls prepare various special
dishes—sweet rice, sour rice, rice with coconut—and take them to
the bank of a river or tank. They lay some leaves on the ground
and place on them balls of the various preparations for the
fish, birds, and other creatures. It is an extremely colourful
ceremony. The crows come down in large numbers and partake of
the food. All the time a valuable lesson is driven into our
minds—“Share what you have with all”. The crow will call others
before beginning to eat.
Both these days, which are family re-union days, are regarded
as being inauspicious for travel. This is to prevent us from
going away from home on those days.
When you celebrate the Shankranti or Pongal in this manner,
your sense of value changes. You begin to understand that your
real wealth is the goodwill and friendship of your relatives,
friends, neighbours and servants; that your wealth is the land
on which your food grows, the cattle which help you in
agriculture, and the cow which gives you milk. You begin to have
greater love and respect for them and for all living beings—the
crows, the fish and all other creatures.
In Maharashtra and in North India, spiritual aspirants attach
much importance to Makara Shankranti. It is the season chosen by
the Guru for bestowing his Grace on the disciple. In the South,
too, it should be noted that it was about this time that
Mahadeva favoured several of the Rishis by blessing them with
His beatific vision.
Raksha Bandhan
RAKSHA BANDHAN is called Avani Avittam in South India. This
falls on the full moon day of the month of Sravan
(August-September). It is an important Hindu festival. Hindus
wear a new holy thread and offer libations of water to the
ancient Rishis on this day.
Recitation of the Vedas on this great day is highly
beneficial. This festival is also known as Upakarmam, and is
specially sacred to the Brahmins, who have been invested with
the sacred thread. When the Brahmin boy is invested with this
holy thread, symbolically his third eye, or the eye of wisdom,
is opened. This festival of Upakarmam reminds the wearer of the
sacred thread of its glorious spiritual significance. Brahmins
also offer libations of water to their ancestors to whom they
owe their birth and to the great Rishis to whom they are highly
indebted for their spiritual knowledge and the Vedas
themselves. The true Hindu never forgets his benefactors!
The followers of the four different Vedas have their
Upakarmam on different days.
On this day, Sachi, the consort of Indra, tied a holy thread
or amulet around the wrist of Indra, when he was defeated by the
demons. Then Indra, the king of gods, gained victory over the
demons by the power of this protection (Raksha means
“protection”) and recovered the lost city of Amaravati.
In North India, on this day, an amulet known as a Raksha or
Rakhi, is tied round the wrist of brothers by the sisters as a
protection from evil during the coming year. Brahmins and
Purohits similarly tie amulets round the wrists of their patrons
and receive gifts. A Mantra is recited when the Rakhi or the
silken thread is tied. The silken thread is charged with the
power of the Mantra, which is as follows:
Yena baddho balee raajaa daanavendro mahaabalah;
Tena twaam anubadhnaami rakshey maa chala maa chala.
“I am tying on your hand this Raksha, with which the most
powerful and generous King Bali himself was bound; O Raksha,
don’t go away; don’t go away.”
The power of this Mantra protects the wearer from evil
influences.
Ratha Saptami
This falls on the 7th day of the bright fortnight of the
month of Margaseersha (December-January). People worship the sun
in the early morning and recite the Surya Sahasranama.
Good actions done on this day give manifold results. Brahmins
become celestials if they fast on this day and worship God;
Kshatriyas, that is, people of the warrior caste, become
Brahmins; Vaishyas, the merchants, become Kshatriyas: and Sudras
or men of the servant caste, become Vaishyas. If women fast on
this day, they attain knowledge and derive virtues. If widows
fast on this day, they get rid of widowhood from the next birth
onwards. Even the sin of slaying a Brahmin is expiated by the
power of fasting on this day. He who takes a bath at the time of
sunrise is purified like Mother Ganges. He can never become a
poor man.
Fast on this day. Observe the vow of silence. Remain in a
solitary place. Do Japa. Practise intense meditation with faith
and devotion. You are sure to attain God-realisation on this
very day!
Telugu New Year’s Day
THIS FALLS on the first day of the month of Chaitra
(March-April) according to Chandramana. This is a day of
rejoicing. This is new year’s day for the people of Andhra
Pradesh and also the Telugu people all over the world.
Those who live north of the Vindhya hills observe
Barhaspatyamana. Those living south of the Vindhya hills observe
Sauramana or Chandramana.
There is a peculiarity about the practices of the various
sects of Brahmins; one who is not conversant with them finds it
difficult to understand their meaning. Even though they are all
Brahmins, certain differences in their lineage may be traced
among them. These become manifest in their distinctive calendars
where the dates and months vary. Some have calculations
according to the solar system, and others according to the lunar
system, with the result that despite all being Brahmins, the New
Year differs among different sects. Thus there is a Telugu New
Year’s Day; a Tamil New Year’s Day, and a New Year’s Day
distinct from these in the almanac of North India.
Vasanta Navaratri
THE DIVINE MOTHER or Devi is worshipped during the Vasanta
Navaratri. This occurs during the spring. She is worshipped by
Her own command. You will find this in the following episode in
the Devi Bhagavata.
In days long gone by, King Dhruvasindu was killed by a lion
when he went out hunting. Preparations were made to crown the
prince Sudarsana. But, King Yudhajit of Ujjain, the father of
Queen Lilavati, and King Virasena of Kalinga, the father of
Queen Manorama, were each desirous of securing the Kosala throne
for their respective grandsons. They fought with each other.
King Virasena was killed in the battle. Manorama fled to the
forest with Prince Sudarsana and a eunuch. They took refuge in
the hermitage of Rishi Bharadwaja.
The victor, King Yudhajit, thereupon crowned his grandson,
Satrujit, at Ayodhya, the capital of Kosala. He then went out in
search of Manorama and her son. The Rishi said that he would not
give up those who had sought protection under him. Yudhajit
became furious. He wanted to attack the Rishi. But, his minister
told him about the truth of the Rishi’s statement. Yudhajit
returned to his capital.
Fortune smiled on Prince Sudarsana. A hermit’s son came one
day and called the eunuch by his Sanskrit name Kleeba. The
prince caught the first syllable Kli and began to
pronounce it as Kleem. This syllable happened to be a
powerful, sacred Mantra. It is the Bija Akshara (root syllable)
of the Divine Mother. The Prince obtained peace of mind and the
Grace of the Divine Mother by the repeated utterance of this
syllable. Devi appeared to him, blessed him and granted him
divine weapons and an inexhaustible quiver.
The emissaries of the king of Benares passed through the
Ashram of the Rishi and, when they saw the noble prince
Sudarsana, they recommended him to Princess Sashikala, the
daughter of the king of Benares.
The ceremony at which the princess was to choose her spouse
was arranged. Sashikala at once chose Sudarsana. They were duly
wedded. King Yudhajit, who had been present at the function,
began to fight with the king of Benares. Devi helped Sudarsana
and his father-in-law. Yudhajit mocked Her, upon which Devi
promptly reduced Yudhajit and his army to ashes.
Thus Sudarsana, with his wife and his father-in-law, praised
Devi. She was highly pleased and ordered them to perform Her
worship with havan and other means during the Vasanta
Navaratri. Then She disappeared.
Prince Sudarsana and Sashikala returned to the Ashram of
Rishi Bharadwaja. The great Rishi blessed them and crowned
Sudarsana as the king of Kosala. Sudarsana and Sashikala and the
king of Benares implicitly carried out the commands of the
Divine Mother and performed worship in a splendid manner during
the Vasanta Navaratri.
Sudarsana’s descendants, namely, Sri Rama and Lakshmana, also
performed worship of Devi during the Vasanta Navaratri and were
blessed with Her assistance in the recovery of Sita.
It is the devout Hindu’s duty to perform the worship of Devi
for both material and spiritual welfare during the Vasanta
Navaratri and follow the noble example set by Sudarsana and Sri
Rama. He cannot achieve anything without the Divine Mother’s
blessings. So, sing Her praise and repeat Her Mantra and Name.
Meditate on Her form. Do worship. Pray and obtain Her eternal
Grace and blessings. May the Divine Mother bless you with all
divine wealth!
Vasanta Panchami
This is an important bathing day. All Hindus observe it. It
is also known as Magh Sukla Panchami as it falls in the month of
Magh (January-February). This is the festival that marks the
first day of spring.
Vasanta means the spring season, which is very congenial for
doing vigorous Yoga Sadhana.
Men, women and girls wear yellow cloth. The yellow colour is
a sign of auspiciousness and spirituality. It represents the
ripening of the spring crops. Even the food is coloured yellow
by using saffron. All the folk get together and sing songs
connected with spring.
All get up in the early morning, take bath and worship the
sun, Mother Ganga, the Deity of the sacred river Ganges, and the
earth.
On this memorable day, Lord Shiva burnt the god of love,
Cupid. The gods had sent Cupid to tempt the Lord while he was
absorbed in Samadhi, in order to beget a powerful son who would
be able to destroy the wicked demon Tarakasura. Cupid discharged
an arrow at Lord Shiva from behind a tree. Shiva became very
greatly enraged. He opened His third eye and reduced Cupid to
ashes. More details of this story are given in the chapter on
Skanda Sashti.
The Bengalis call this festival Saraswathi Puja. They worship
the Goddess Saraswathi on this day. The image of the Goddess is
taken in procession and immersed in the holy Ganges.
Sri Appayya Jayanthi
SRI APPAYYA Dikshita was born in the Krishna Paksha of the
Kanya month of Pramateecha Varsha 1544 A.D.) on the auspicious
hour and day under the Uttaraproshtapada constellation. His
Jayanthi is celebrated every year on 2nd October.
Sri Appayya, the greatest name in the 16th century annals of
South India, is the reputed author of more than 104 books,
representative of all branches of knowledge in Sanskrit
literature. He attained greatness mainly by his works on
Vedanta. All the schools of Vedanta have drawn unique and
unrivalled authority and support from his pen.
Of his Vedantic work, the Chaturmata Sara Sangrah is
justly famous for the impartial justice with which he has
expounded the tenets of the four great schools, namely, the
Dwaita, Visishtadwaita, Shivadwaita and the Adwaita. This
exposition is given in his Nyaya Muktavali, Nyaya
Mukhamalika, Nyaya Manimala, and Nyaya Manjari (all these
together form the Chaturmata Sara Sangrah).
In almost all branches of Sanskrit learning and
literature—poetry, rhetoric, philosophy—his name was peerless
among his contemporaries, or for that matter, for decades after
him and till today. His Kuvalayananda is generally the
first work of rhetoric that is taken up for study. As is usual,
Pundit Jagannatha, his contemporary and rival, levelled some
criticism on it in his Rasagangadhara
His poems in praise of Lord Shiva are great favourites among
the worshippers of Shiva. He has also written a learned
commentary entitled Parimalam on Vedanta; this is an
outstanding monument of his philosophic erudition.
He had a gigantic intellect. Great was the reverence paid to
him in his own lifetime; even today he is greatly revered. Once
he went to the village which was the birthplace of his wife. A
grand reception was accorded to him by the villagers who were
proud of calling him one of themselves. There was great
excitement. All hailed him with the words, “The great Dikshita
is coming amongst us!”. There was no other talk among the
villagers for days before the event. The day came, and the
distinguished guest, Appayya Dikshita, was greeted by crowds of
people who flocked to have a sight of the grand lion of
learning.
An old lady, curious to a degree, came out, staff in hand, to
see the phenomenon; with the freedom that is conceded to one of
her age, she made her way easily through the crowd and looked at
him steadily for some minutes. Dim recollections of a face,
floated in her mind.
Definitely recalling the face, she exclaimed, “I have seen
this face somewhere. Wait. Oh yes! are you not the husband of
Achha?”
The great scholar confirmed her surmise with a smile.
The good old lady was disappointed. With her face and spirits
fallen, she retraced her steps homeward, remarking, “What ado to
make—just over Achha’s husband!”
Appayya summarised a world of wisdom when he perpetuated the
incident in a half verse: “Asmin grame achha prasiddha—In this
village the name and precedence are Achha’s!”
Appayya is considered as an Avatara of Lord Shiva. When he
went to Tirupati temple in South India, the Vaishnavas refused
him admission. The next morning they found the Vishnu murti
in the temple changed into a Shiva murti. The
spiritual head of the temple was most astonished and startled.
He begged pardon and prayed to Appayya to restore the original
form of Vishnu.
Appayya flourished in the middle of the 16th century. He was
a great rival of Pundit Jagannatha in the field of poetry.
Appayya had no independent views on the doctrinal side of
Shankara’s Vedanta, but carried on fierce controversies with the
followers of Vallabha at Jaipur and other places. He summarised
his views in the Siddhantalesha, which is the most
admirable digest of the doctrinal differences among the
followers of Shankara.
No doubt, he is among the greatest of the spiritual
luminaries that India has produced. Though a detailed account of
the history of his life is lacking, his works are sufficient
testimony of his greatness.
On this great day (2nd October) when you celebrate the
birthday of Appayya Dikshita, pray and worship the Lord and your
Guru. Study Appayya’s works, especially his great devotional
work, Atmarpana Stuthi.
Dattatreya Jayanthi
Om Namo Bhagavate Dattatreyaya
DATTATREYA Jayanthi falls during December-January on the full
moon day of the month of Margaseersha. His story is told as
follows.
Anusuya is quoted as the model of chastity. She was the wife
of Atri Maharishi, a great sage and one of the seven foremost
seers and sages. She was well established in the Pativrata
Dharma, the main elements of which are devotion to husband and
regard of him as God Himself. She did severe austerities for a
very long time in order to beget sons equal to Brahma, Vishnu
and Shiva, the Hindu Trinity.
Once, Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Parvati requested their
husbands (the Trimurtis) to test the Pativrata Dharma of
Anusuya, by asking her to give them alms with an unclothed body.
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva came to know of the austerity and
desire of Anusuya. So, they agreed to their wives’ request, as
they knew that by agreeing to it, they would also be fulfilling
Anusuya’s wish. They put on the garb of Sannyasins and appeared
before Anusuya, asking her to give them alms as specified by
their wives. Anusuya was in a great dilemma. She could not say
“No” to the Sannyasins. And she had to maintain her Pativrata
Dharma also, which she would be violating if she appeared naked
before men other than her own husband. She meditated on the form
of her husband, took refuge at his feet and sprinkled over the
three Sannyasins a few drops of water used for washing the feet
of her husband. Immediately the Trimurtis were transformed into
three babies on account of the glory of her chastity. At the
same time, there was accumulation of milk in her breast. She
thought that these children were her own and fed them with the
milk, in a nude state and cradled them. She was eagerly
expecting the arrival of her husband who had gone to have a
bath.
As soon as Atri Rishi returned home, Anusuya related all that
had happened during his absence, placed the three children at
his feet and worshipped him. But, Atri knew all this already
through his divine vision. He embraced all the three children.
They became one child, with two feet, one trunk, three heads and
six hands. Atri Rishi blessed his wife and informed her that the
Trimurtis themselves had assumed the forms of the three children
to gratify her wish.
In the meantime, Narada went to Saraswathi, Lakshmi and
Parvati and informed them that their husbands had been turned
into children through the power of the Pativrata Dharma of
Anusuya and that they would not return unless they asked for
their husbands as alms from Rishi Atri. Thus Saraswathi, Lakshmi
and Parvati assumed the form of ordinary women, appeared before
Atri and asked for their own husbands as alms. Atri duly
honoured the three ladies and, with folded palms, prayed to them
that his wish and the wish of Anusuya should be fulfilled.
Then, the Trimurtis appeared in their true form before Atri
and said, “This child will be a great sage according to your
word and will be equal to us, according to the wish of Anusuya.
The child will bear the name of Dattatreya.” Saying this they
disappeared.
LORD DATTATREYA
Who is regarded as an Incarnation of the Trinity.
The child Dattatreya soon attained manhood. As he had the
rays of the Trimurtis and as he was a great man of the highest
wisdom, all the Rishis and ascetics worshipped him. He was
gentle, peaceful and amiable. He was an Avadhuta—an ascetic who
always remains naked. He preached the Truth of Vedanta.
Dattatreya taught his Avadhuta Gita to Lord Subramanya.
This is a wonderful book which contains the truths and secrets
of Vedanta and the experiences of Self-realisation.
Once, while he was roaming happily in a forest, he met King
Yadu, who, on seeing Dattatreya so happy, asked him the secret
of his happiness and the name of his Guru.
Dattatreya said, “The Self alone is my Guru. Yet, I have
learnt wisdom from twenty-four other individuals and objects. So
they, too, are also my Gurus.”
Dattatreya then mentioned the names of his twenty-four Gurus
and spoke of the wisdom that he had learnt from each as follows:
“The names of my twenty-four Gurus are earth, water, fire,
sky, moon, sun, pigeon, python, ocean, moth, honey-gatherers
(black bee), bees, elephant, deer, fish, the dancing-girl
Pingala, raven, child, maiden, serpent, arrow-maker, spider and
beetle.
1. I learnt patience and doing good to others from the
earth.
2. From water, I learnt the quality of purity.
3. I learnt from air to be without attachment though I
move with many people in this world.
4. From fire I learnt to glow with the splendour of
Self-knowledge and austerity.
5. I learnt from the sky that the Self is
all-pervading and yet it has no contact with any object.
6. I learnt from the moon that the Self is always
perfect and changeless and it is only the limiting adjuncts that
cast shadows over it.
7. Just as a sun reflected in various pots of water appears
as so many different reflections, so also Brahman appears
different because of the bodies caused by the reflection through
the mind. This is the lesson I have learnt from the sun.
8. I once saw a pair of pigeons with their young
birds. A fowler spread a net and caught the young birds. The
mother pigeon was very much attached to her children. She fell
into the net and was caught. From this I have learnt that
attachment is the root cause of earthly bondage.
9. The python does not move about for its food. It
remains contented with whatever it gets, lying in one place.
From this I learnt to be unmindful of food and to be contented
with whatever I get to eat.
10. Just as the ocean remains unmoved, even though
hundreds of rivers flow into it, so also the wise man should
remain unmoved among all the various sorts of temptations,
difficulties and troubles.
11. To control the sense of sight and to fix the mind on the
Self, is the lesson I learnt from the moth.
12. I take a little food from one house and a little from
another house and thus appease my hunger. I am not a burden on
the householder. This I learnt from the black bee which
gathers honey from various flowers.
13. Bees collect honey with great trouble, but a
hunter comes along and takes the honey away easily. From this I
learnt that it is useless to hoard things.
14. The male elephant, blinded by lust, falls into a
pit covered with grass, even at the sight of a female elephant.
Therefore, one should destroy lust.
15. The deer is enticed and trapped by the hunter
through its love of music. Therefore, one should never listen to
lewd songs.
16. Just as a fish that is covetous of food falls an
easy victim to the bait, so also the man who is greedy for food
loses his independence and easily gets ruined.
17. There was a dancing girl named Pingala. Being
tired of looking for customers, one night she became hopeless.
She had to be contented with what traffic she had that day and
retired to a sound sleep. I learnt from this fallen woman the
lesson that the abandonment of hope leads to contentment.
18. A raven picked up a piece of flesh. It was pursued
and beaten by other birds. It dropped the piece of flesh and
attained peace and rest. From this I learnt that a man in the
world undergoes all sorts of troubles and miseries when he runs
after sensual pleasures and that he becomes as happy as the bird
when he abandons them.
19. The child who sucks milk is free from all cares,
worries and anxieties, and is always cheerful. I learnt the
virtue of cheerfulness from the child.
20. The maiden was husking paddy. Her bangles made
much noise and there were visitors from her husband’s house. To
silence the bangles, she removed them, one by one. Even when
there were just two, they produced some noise. When she had only
one, it did not make any noise, and she was happy. I learnt from
the maiden that living among many would create discord,
disturbance, dispute and quarrel. Even among two there might be
unnecessary words or strife. The ascetic or the Sannyasin should
remain alone in solitude.
21. A serpent does not build its own hole. It dwells
in the holes dug out by others. Even so, an ascetic should not
build a home for himself. He should live in a temple or a cave
built by others.
22. I learnt from the arrow-maker the quality of
intense concentration of mind.
23. The spider pours out of its mouth long threads and
weaves them into cobwebs. Then it gets itself entangled in the
net of its own making. Even so, man makes a net of his own ideas
and gets entangled in it. The wise man should, therefore,
abandon all worldly thoughts and think of Brahman only.
24. The beetle catches hold of a worm, puts it in its
nest and gives it a sting. The poor worm, always fearing the
return of the beetle and sting, and thinking constantly of the
beetle, becomes a beetle itself. I learnt from the beetle and
the worm to turn myself into the Self by contemplating
constantly on It; thus I gave up all attachment to the body and
attained liberation.”
The king was highly impressed by listening to these
enlightening words of Lord Dattatreya. He abandoned the world
and practised constant meditation on the Self.
Dattatreya was absolutely free from intolerance or prejudice
of any kind. He learnt wisdom from whatever source it came. All
seekers after wisdom should follow the example of Dattatreya.
On Dattatreya Jayanthi, get up at Brahmamuhurta and meditate.
Fast and pray throughout the day. Do not mix with anybody. Live
in total seclusion. Forget the body. Identify yourself with the
blissful Self. Study Dattatreya’s glorious works, namely, the
Avadhuta Gita and the Jivanmukta Gita. Worship Lord
Dattatreya’s (or, your own Guru’s) form. Take wholesome resolves
that you will follow the great teachings of Lord Dattatreya. You
will realise the Self very soon.
At the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, this day is celebrated
every year on a grand scale, in the Dattatreya Temple, on a
hillock near the main Ashram.
1. The glorious Image of Lord Dattatreya is duly worshipped,
with bathing and flowers.
2. All the spiritual aspirants assemble there, singing the
Lord’s Names and glories.
3. Discourses are given by Yogis and Sannyasins, on the life
and teachings of Lord Dattatreya during this gathering as well
as during the night Satsang at the Ashram. The Avadhuta Gita
and the Jivanmukta Gita are also read and explained.
4. It is a day of great rejoicing.
May you all enjoy the choicest blessings of Lord Dattatreya,
and may you all attain the highest goal, Self-realisation in
this very birth!
Ganesh Chaturthi
SALUTATIONS to Lord Ganesha who is Brahman Himself, who is
the Supreme Lord, who is the energy of Lord Shiva, who is the
source of all bliss, and who is the bestower of all virtuous
qualities and success in all undertakings.
Mushikavaahana modaka hastha,
Chaamara karna vilambitha sutra,
Vaamana rupa maheshwara putra,
Vighna vinaayaka paada namasthe
MEANING: “O Lord Vinayaka! the remover of all
obstacles, the son of Lord Shiva, with a form which is very
short, with mouse as Thy vehicle, with sweet pudding in hand,
with wide ears and long hanging trunk, I prostrate at Thy
lotus-like Feet!”
Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most popular of Hindu
festivals. This is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is the day
most sacred to Lord Ganesha. It falls on the 4th day of the
bright fortnight of Bhadrapada (August-September). It is
observed throughout India, as well as by devoted Hindus in all
parts of the world.
Clay figures of the Deity are made and after being worshipped
for two days, or in some cases ten days, they are thrown into
water.
Lord Ganesha is the elephant-headed God. He is worshipped
first in any prayers. His Names are repeated first before any
auspicious work is begun, before any kind of worship is begun.
He is the Lord of power and wisdom. He is the eldest son of
Lord Shiva and the elder brother of Skanda or Kartikeya. He is
the energy of Lord Shiva and so He is called the son of Shankar
and Umadevi. By worshipping Lord Ganesha mothers hope to earn
for their sons the sterling virtues of Ganesha.
The following story is narrated about His birth and how He
came to have the head of an elephant:
Once upon a time, the Goddess Gauri (consort of Lord Shiva),
while bathing, created Ganesha as a pure white being out of the
mud of Her Body and placed Him at the entrance of the house. She
told Him not to allow anyone to enter while she went inside for
a bath. Lord Shiva Himself was returning home quite thirsty and
was stopped by Ganesha at the gate. Shiva became angry and cut
off Ganesha’s head as He thought Ganesha was an outsider.
When Gauri came to know of this she was sorely grieved. To
console her grief, Shiva ordered His servants to cut off and
bring to Him the head of any creature that might be sleeping
with its head facing north. The servants went on their mission
and found only an elephant in that position. The sacrifice was
thus made and the elephant’s head was brought before Shiva. The
Lord then joined the elephant’s head onto the body of Ganesha.
Lord Shiva made His son worthy of worship at the beginning of
all undertakings, marriages, expeditions, studies, etc. He
ordained that the annual worship of Ganesha should take place on
the 4th day of the bright half of Bhadrapada.
Without the Grace of Sri Ganesha and His help nothing
whatsoever can be achieved. No action can be undertaken without
His support, Grace or blessing.
In his first lesson in the alphabet a Maharashtrian child is
initiated into the Mantra of Lord Ganesha, Om Sri Ganeshaya
Namah. Only then is the alphabet taught.
The following are some of the common Names of Lord Ganesha:
Dhoomraketu, Sumukha, Ekadantha, Gajakarnaka, Lambodara,
Vignaraja, Ganadhyaksha, Phalachandra, Gajanana, Vinayaka,
Vakratunda, Siddhivinayaka, Surpakarna, Heramba, Skandapurvaja,
Kapila and Vigneshwara. He is also known by many as
Maha-Ganapathi.
His Mantra is Om Gung Ganapathaye Namah. Spiritual
aspirants who worship Ganesha as their tutelary Deity repeat
this Mantra or Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah.
The devotees of Ganesha also do Japa of the Ganesha Gayatri
Mantra. This is as follows.
Tat purushaaya vidmahe
Vakratundaaya dheemahi
Tanno dhanti prachodayaat.
Lord Ganesha is an embodiment of wisdom and bliss. He is the
Lord of Brahmacharins. He is foremost amongst the celibates.
He has as his vehicle a small mouse. He is the presiding
Deity of the Muladhara Chakra, the psychic centre in the body in
which the Kundalini Shakti resides.
He is the Lord who removes all obstacles on the path of the
spiritual aspirant, and bestows upon him worldly as well as
spiritual success. Hence He is called Vigna Vinayaka. His Bija
Akshara (root syllable) is Gung, pronounced to rhyme with
the English word “sung”. He is the Lord of harmony and peace.
Lord Ganesha represents Om or the Pranava, which is the chief
Mantra among the Hindus. Nothing can be done without uttering
it. This explains the practice of invoking Ganesha before
beginning any rite or undertaking any project. His two feet
represent the power of knowledge and the power of action. The
elephant head is significant in that it is the only figure in
nature that has the form of the symbol for Om.
The significance of riding on a mouse is the complete
conquest over egoism. The holding of the ankusha
represents His rulership of the world. It is the emblem of
divine Royalty.
Ganesha is the first God. Riding on a mouse, one of nature’s
smallest creatures and having the head of an elephant, the
biggest of all animals, denotes that Ganesha is the creator of
all creatures. Elephants are very wise animals; this indicates
that Lord Ganesha is an embodiment of wisdom. It also denotes
the process of evolution—the mouse gradually evolves into an
elephant and finally becomes a man. This is why Ganesha has a
human body, an elephant’s head and a mouse as His vehicle. This
is the symbolic philosophy of His form.
He is the Lord of Ganas or groups, for instance groups of
elements, groups of senses, etc. He is the head of the followers
of Shiva or the celestial servants of Lord Shiva.
The Vaishnavas also worship Lord Ganesha. They have given Him
the name of Tumbikkai Alwar which means the divinity with the
proboscis (the elephant’s trunk).
Lord Ganesha’s two powers are the Kundalini and the Vallabha
or power of love.
He is very fond of sweet pudding or balls of rice flour with
a sweet core. On one of His birthdays He was going around house
to house accepting the offerings of sweet puddings. Having eaten
a good number of these, He set out moving on His mouse at night.
Suddenly the mouse stumbled—it had seen a snake and became
frightened—with the result that Ganesha fell down. His stomach
burst open and all the sweet puddings came out. But Ganesha
stuffed them back into His stomach and, catching hold of the
snake, tied it around His belly.
Seeing all this, the moon in the sky had a hearty laugh. This
unseemly behaviour of the moon annoyed Him immensely and so he
pulled out one of His tusks and hurled it against the moon, and
cursed that no one should look at the moon on the Ganesh
Chaturthi day. If anyone does, he will surely earn a bad name,
censure or ill-repute. However, if by mistake someone does
happen to look at the moon on this day, then the only way he can
be freed from the curse is by repeating or listening to the
story of how Lord Krishna cleared His character regarding the
Syamantaka jewel. This story is quoted in the Srimad
Bhagavatam. Lord Ganesha was pleased to ordain thus. Glory
to Lord Ganesha! How kind and merciful He is unto His devotees!
Ganesha and His brother Lord Subramanya once had a dispute as
to who was the elder of the two. The matter was referred to Lord
Shiva for final decision. Shiva decided that whoever would make
a tour of the whole world and come back first to the starting
point had the right to be the elder. Subramanya flew off at once
on his vehicle, the peacock, to make a circuit of the world. But
the wise Ganesha went, in loving worshipfulness, around His
divine parents and asked for the prize of His victory.
Lord Shiva said, “Beloved and wise Ganesha! But how can I
give you the prize; you did not go around the world?”
Ganesha replied, “No, but I have gone around my parents. My
parents represent the entire manifested universe!”
Thus the dispute was settled in favour of Lord Ganesha, who
was thereafter acknowledged as the elder of the two brothers.
Mother Parvati also gave Him a fruit as a prize for this
victory.
In the Ganapathi Upanishad, Ganesha is identified with
the Supreme Self. The legends that are connected with Lord
Ganesha are recorded in the Ganesha Khanda of the Brahma
Vivartha Purana.
On the Ganesh Chaturthi day, meditate on the stories
connected with Lord Ganesha early in the morning, during the
Brahmamuhurta period. Then, after taking a bath, go to the
temple and do the prayers of Lord Ganesha. Offer Him some
coconut and sweet pudding. Pray with faith and devotion that He
may remove all the obstacles that you experience on the
spiritual path. Worship Him at home, too. You can get the
assistance of a pundit. Have an image of Lord Ganesha in your
house. Feel His Presence in it.
Don’t forget not to look at the moon on that day; remember
that it behaved unbecomingly towards the Lord. This really means
avoid the company of all those who have no faith in God, and who
deride God, your Guru and religion, from this very day.
Take fresh spiritual resolves and pray to Lord Ganesha for
inner spiritual strength to attain success in all your
undertakings.
May the blessings of Sri Ganesha be upon you all! May He
remove all the obstacles that stand in your spiritual path! May
He bestow on you all material prosperity as well as liberation!
Gita Jayanti
THE GITA Jayanti, or the birthday of the Bhagavad Gita,
is celebrated throughout India by all the admirers and lovers of
this most sacred scripture on the eleventh day (Ekadashi) of the
bright half of the month of Margaseersha (December-January),
according to the Hindu almanac. It was on this day that Sanjaya
narrated to King Dhritarashtra the dialogue between Sri Krishna
and Arjuna, and thus made the glorious teachings of the Lord
available to us, and to people of the world, for all time.
The Gita Jayanti marks one of the greatest days in the
history of mankind. Nearly six thousand years ago on that day a
dazzling flash of brilliant light lit up the firmament of human
civilization. That flash, that marvellous spiritual effulgence,
was the message of the Bhagavad Gita, given by the Lord
Himself on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Unlike ordinary
flashes of light which die away after a split-second, this
brilliant flash of that memorable day has continued to shine
through the centuries, and even now illumines the path of
humanity on its onward march to perfection.
The Gita is the most beautiful and the only truly
philosophical song. It contains sublime lessons on wisdom and
philosophy. It is the “Song Celestial”. It is the universal
gospel. It contains the message of life that appeals to all,
irrespective of race, creed, age or religion.
The Gita was given to us about six thousand years ago
through Arjuna, an Indian prince, by Sri Krishna, the Lord
incarnate. The teachings are based on the Upanishads, the
ancient, revealed metaphysical classics of India. The Gita
shows a way to rise above the world of duality and the pairs
of opposites, and to acquire eternal bliss and immortality. It
is a gospel of action. It teaches the rigid performance of one’s
duty in society, and a life of active struggle, keeping the
inner being untouched by outer surroundings, and renouncing the
fruits of actions as offerings unto the Lord.
The Gita is a source of power and wisdom. It
strengthens you when you are weak, and inspires you when you
feel dejected and feeble. It teaches you to embrace
righteousness and to resist unrighteousness.
The Gita is not merely a book or just a scripture. It
is a living voice carrying an eternally indispensable and vital
message to mankind. Its verses embody words of wisdom coming
from the infinite ocean of knowledge, the Absolute Itself.
The voice of the Gita is the call of the Supreme. It
is the divine sound explained. The primal source of all
existence, all power, is the manifested sound, Om. This is the
Divine Word. It is Nada Brahman, whose unceasing call is: “Be ye
all ever merged in the eternal, unbroken, continuous
consciousness of the Supreme Truth.” This is the sublime message
that the great Gita elaborates and presents in all
comprehen
