Veda gyan

Welcome to the fifteenth issue of Vedagyan!

In the last issue we saw that there are two paths that lead to heaven and earth. The path of moon and the path of sun. This is actually esoterically expressed. What are meant by the moon are individuals dominated by or ruled by the mind. The sun represents the knowledge of supreme or eternal truth. Due to intense sadhana or practice of contemplation upon GOD, one attains the knowledge that is supreme. Due to this attainment he overpasses the limitations of the physical body. This results in freedom from the cycle of birth and death. Literally this means birth and death will have no bearing upon this individual! This path is called the path of Sun.

On the other hand those who are ruled by the mind will have to be bound to earthly consciousness and suffer the pangs of sorrow and crave for impermanent joy that is just fleeting! These individuals are said to follow the path of the moon. Vedic scriptures and Upanishads speak of this very often. The Isavasya Upanishad says that those who lack profound knowledge of the supreme are like travellers who are blind, led by another blind into a sun less world!

The names of Gods and Rishis are many that are associated with light. For example Rishi Gothama, Lord Gopala. The word “ GO” means light, the knowledge of supreme. They are knowledge embodiments. The choice of Sun God to represent the Brahman is so apt because the physical Sun has all these traits or qualities. It has fire in it that is constantly burning, the brightness that illuminates the entire surroundings. It sustains all the living and nonliving forms! It is also responsible for the orderly transit of all the celestial objects around, about their trajectory. Seemingly remaining stationary, it is also in constant motion around the galaxy!!

The words Sura, Surya mean illumination. Swar means illuminated mental plane that is capable of existing all by itself. The word Mitra means beholder of judgement that is blemish less. Sarira means beholder of flame! That is the body! So all these expressions bring out one common theme that light is the representative of knowledge.

Story time! 

The story of Great grandson of Gyanasruti. He was a famous king and ruled his kingdom in a righteous manner and was loved by his subjects. He was very wise and knowledgeable. He had a unique capability to understand the language of the birds!

He was resting one day on the terrace of his palace. Two hamsa birds were conversing with each other and flew over his palace. They attracted his attention and he listened to their conversation intently. One bird said to the other that the king resting below is so virtuous and famous for his good deeds, and if she insults him, she would burn to ashes! The other bird replied that the king is just nothing in front of the great sage Raikvar and all the good deeds of the king are encompassed by the knowledge sage possesses! Hearing this king became restless and could not sleep well that night!

Next morning he asked his ministers and his wise men to go and search the entire kingdom and find the sage called Raikvar. Soon the king’s men fanned out in all directions in search of the sage. All his men returned in vain but one. One of his men went to a distant village and spoke of his mission. The villagers directed him to a sick old man leaning upon a hay stack near a cart and told him that they knew nothing about him except that his name was Raikvar! When he approached the old man he was taken aback. He had ulcers all over his body and tiny worms were feeding upon them. The old man patiently took the worms that fell down and put them back on him! This sight was nerve shattering to the messenger of the king and he hurried back to the kingdom to report what he saw and heard.

He met the king and explained to him every thing that had happened. The King was now all the more curious to meet him and learn the highest knowledge! That he possessed. The King immediately handed over the administration of his Kingdom to his council of ministers and readied a number of elephants and his cavalry with numerous gifts of gold and silver and silks and went with all his retinue to meet the great sage. To much of his surprise the sage when he approached did not even look up. He addressed him as a man of passion and pleasures! And asked him what he wanted. The King told him that he is the King and wanted the Knowledge of the Supreme to be imparted to him. He also narrated the story of the birds that flew over his palace! The sage smiled and told him that he is not yet fit to learn the highest knowledge and added that what ever he has to offer is equal to the worm on his body! The King asked him what should be done by him. The sage asked him to get back to his Kingdom. The King returned though determined to obtain the knowledge, he again approached the sage with cows and also his daughter to be given in marriage to the saint! This time the sage said that he was impressed with him, since he was determined to offer even his daughter who meant everything to him. Then he said that what really is to be done is to forsake every possession and come to him empty handed, devoid of his ego! Then he would begin teaching him. The king agreed and went back to his kingdom and handed over the kingdom to the council of ministers and distributed his personal wealth among the poor and needy assumed the role of a mendicant and then approached the sage!

The sage was immensely happy this time and readily accepted him as his disciple, and started the process of teaching him!

The story emphasises the sacrifices one will have to make to obtain the highest knowledge and the attitude one must possess.

The importance of Sivarathri Day!

Lord Siva is one of the principal deities of Hindu Pantheon. He is depicted in the scriptures as the one who is responsible for conduct of human life, the Lord of vegetation, the physician of all physicians, the destroyer of the universal creation during the annihilation; he is the Lord of activity as well as non activity! This two contrasting roles are depicted by his two forms namely Sri Nataraja and Sri Dakshinamoorthy. Lord Sri Nataraja represents all the principal elements that make up this universe of forms and names! They are called Pancha Bhutas. His dance represents perpetual activity that is going on in the universe! The cycle of birth and death as well as total destruction and creation that happens in a cyclic manner. He performs this dance in a totally unattached manner and has the representation of ego as an asura under his foot. His Damaru or the drum that he holds represents the physical gross form with names and the sound derivatives! His other hand holds Fire that represents the divine will power as well as aspiration in every creation that strives to rediscover the divine in creation. Just after the great deluge Lord Siva is supposed to have danced in the cosmic space that resulted in the start of a new cycle of creation as the inactivity gave birth to activity. From Sadasiva, the Siva with Sakthi emerged. This dance is worshipped during the Maha Sivarathri day!

In the other form of Lord Siva that is the form of Sri Dakshinamoorthy he represents a perfect Yogi withdrawing his senses inwards and contemplating on the Supreme Brahman. He radiates the Power of Universal truth or the Eternal Brahman, having become one with it. Great seers who sit at his foot are saints who strive to attain perfection in their knowledge of the supreme. He also keeps the asura representing the ego under his foot.

 The Japa mala that he sports in one hand depicts the cycle of creation and destruction. If one stars counting from nine, the subsequent numerals will add up to give numerals one to nine, that is numeral 18 would give 9 as the total. So the108 beads of Japa mala depict this rhythm of creation and destruction and the again creation.

 He also keeps the hand in Chin Mudra which means the pointing finger that represents human intellect always identifies itself with the world around through the play of Ahankara that is manifestation of ego or separate consciousness. When it is withdrawn from the outward progression and turned inward to contemplate on the Brahman within one’s own self that is represented by the thumb, then three planes of consciousness can be surpassed! He also holds a book that represents knowledge of supreme. The beauty of this Lord is he imparts knowledge through silence. In the next issue we shall see the significance of the churning of the ocean, Krishna’s Kaalinga nardhana or dance etc.

 See you all in the next issue.