Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Sri Ashta Lakshmi – God as Mother of Prosperity

During the crouching of Thiru Paarkadal, lots of precious things came out from that. And one among them was Sri Lakshmi with brightness.

After coming out from the Paarkadal, she resided on to the thiru Maarbu (Chest) of Sriman Narayanan.

Various Puranams say that Sri Lakshmi originated from Agni, Water, Land etc; but instead of analysing them, let us know about the great Goddess and how does She extends Her thirukKaram towards us.

Thiru Naamams of Sri Lakshmi:Sri, Malar magal, Lakshmi, Padma, Padmaja, Padmasini, Sri Devi, Narayani, Thilakavathy, Kamalavathy etc are some of the name of Sri Lakshmi.

Different forms of Sri Lakshmi:
Sri Lakshmi gives her form in 8 ways and they are
Sri Aadhi Lakshmi
Sri Gaja Lakshmi
Sri Dhana Lakshmi
Sri Dhaanya Lakshmi
Sri Santhana Lakshmi
Sri Vijaya Lakshmi
Sri Vidhya Lakshmi
Sri Veera Lakshmi (Dhairya Lakshmi)

All these 8 forms of Sri Lakshmi are collectively called as "Sri Ashta Lakshmi" and with all of these Sri Lakshmi grace, we will get all sorts of wealths, health and the final destiny - the Moksham.

Other than these great 8 forms, she also gives her seva as Graha Lakshmi, Anna Lakshmi, Bala Lakshmi, Seetha Lakshmi, Subhu Lakshmi, Baghya Lakshmi, Santha Lakshmi.

The Universe: A School of Experience

"The Universe, including the visible and the invisible . . . . exists for the sake of the soul's experience and emancipation." -- Patanjali (Ancient Hindu philosopher)

THE SCHOOLHOUSE OF NATURE
The Universe is a vast school of experience for the unfoldment of a greater Consciousness in all life-units, which compose the Universe. Material Nature is one of the schoolhouses in which certain courses of instruction are given. The Monads that gain their experience in the great school of Nature all began their evolution for this cycle at various times in the far distant past, and therefore show vast differences in development. Therefore they cannot all profit by having the same experiences at this time, and Nature provides for this great diversity of development by offering opportunities for embodiment in a vast variety of different forms: in the Mineral, Plant, Animal and Human Kingdoms; and an almost infinite number of sub-grades or sub-divisions within these.

The less evolved Monads embody themselves in the Mineral Kingdom; those that have advanced farther in their evolution embody in the Plant Kingdom and those still more advanced, in the Animal Kingdom. The Monads that have learned all that can be gained from an existence in the Animal Kingdom advance beyond it and begin their evolution in the Human Kingdom.

Since the Monads, now embodied in human form, started on their evolutionary journey at different times in the far distant past and therefore "arrived" at the Human stage at different times, it is but natural that human beings should show vast differences in their development. Those who arrived at the Human stage ages ago, and hence had many opportunities to incarnate, have advanced quite far in their human evolution, and embody themselves in one of the more highly civilized races of mankind. Those Monads, on the other hand, who more recently arrived at the Human stage, embody themselves in one of the more primitive races to begin their human evolution. As their advancement proceeds they embody in more highly developed races. Within the race the Monads are attracted to and incarnate in that nation and that family which most closely correspond to their own development.

Thus there is passing up through Nature a vast army, an immense aggregate of Monads successively inhabiting various forms in the lower kingdoms, then migrating to higher and higher forms, ever learning and advancing by means of such experiences as their various embodiments offer.

An ordinary school has classrooms and courses of instruction for children of kindergarten up to graduation age. Every year a new group enters kindergarten, and every year the children in one grade complete their courses and advance into the next higher one. After each semester there is a vacation period before the new term begins, and each year one class graduates from the highest grade and leaves the school for other fields of activity, or perhaps to enter the lowest grade in the next higher school. There is then a continuous stream of children gaining instruction in this school by working up through its various grades, "migrating," as it were, from classroom to classroom, after having gained suitable proficiency in the preceding grade.

The classrooms and courses of instruction in the school remain unchanged, as in the Kingdoms of Nature, but the children, like the Monads, form a constant stream of new and advancing entities. The time-periods consumed in these migrations of the Monads up through the Kingdoms of Nature are of such immense duration as to stagger the imagination and far exceed anything that would seem acceptable today.

THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT
It has been said that the Universe is a School of Experience. In order to learn by experience, it is necessary to repeat an act over and over again. It is also necessary that Nature should be consistent in her reactions. If we bounce a ball against the floor it rebounds in a direction that depends entirely on how it was thrown. It is because the forces of Nature obey definite and invariable laws that the ball thrower can profit by experience and produce certain desired results. If the forces of Nature were not constant, the ball might react differently each time and it would be impossible to predict what might happen. Under such conditions there would be nothing to base experience on and all progress would be impossible.

The Ancient Teachings state that everything in the Universe is subject to an absolute and unerring Law of Cause and Effect that brings to every action an equal and opposite reaction. This law governs all actions involving atoms and universes and everything between these, whether visible or invisible, physical, psychic, mental or spiritual.

In an ordinary school the teacher is an individual. In the "School of Experience" the teacher is no individual, but is this law of Cause and Effect, that is inherent in Nature. This law is referred to in the Ancient Teachings by the name Karma, and will be discussed in greater detail under this heading.

REIMBODIMENT
No child can learn all that its school has to teach in one single day. The time would be too short and the labor too strenuous. Hence he returns day after day to his studies. The child cannot stay in school 24 hours a day, month after month, without interruption. If he is to retain his health and capacity for learning, his study periods must be alternated with periods for play, refreshment and rest, and our school systems are arranged in accord with these requirements. Neither can a Monad learn all that may be experienced in a certain form of body during a single embodiment, any more than a child can absorb all its schooling in a single day.

Evolution of the Monad would be impossible if it were limited to a single life in any one form of body. In order to accomplish the purpose of Evolution, the Monad must have time and more time. And Nature provides the necessary time by giving the Monad new opportunities for repeated embodiments in any particular form, so long as such reimbodiment is needed.

The doctrine of Reimbodiment, says the Ancient Wisdom, applies to every individual life-unit within the Universe. All assume bodies or vehicles of various types; all have their periods of activity of various lengths; all discard their outworn garments and enter into their periods of assimilation and rest, and all reimbody to continue their evolution.

When the reimbodiment takes place in a body of flesh it is called Reincarnation, from the three Latin words: re, "again," in, "in," and carnis, "flesh," which therefore gives the word the meaning of "again in flesh." All life-units reimbody. Only those whose bodies are of flesh reincarnate. Reincarnation therefore is a "special case" of reimbodiment.

CYCLES
According to the Ancient Teachings, all activity in Nature is cyclic. That is, it repeats itself, and consists of periods of activity alternated with periods of rest. On a small time scale we see this law of Periodicity, or law of Cycles, operating in such phenomena as the return of the seasons, the ebb and flow of the tides, day and night, sleeping and waking, etc. On a larger time-scale, the same principle operates by means of repeated embodiments, life-periods, broken by death, and followed by rest-periods in other states of being, followed in their turn by new embodiments in the material world.

MAN'S CLASSROOM
In the Human kingdom our evolution is advanced both by outer and inner experiences. Outwardly we learn our lessons from contact with Nature and with our fellow men. Sometimes we learn pleasantly, but often through suffering and struggle. We "brush up against life"; we find ourselves in varying circumstances that call forth our ingenuity, draw out our latent faculties and talents, and develop courage, fortitude and patience.

Inwardly Man finds himself enmeshed in a network of conflicting forces and energies at play within his own nature. On the one hand are his desires and his "tumultuous senses and organs which impel to action in every direction," to borrow an expression from The Bhagavad-Gita. These are stimulated into activity by the needs, temptations and allurements presented by the material world. On the other hand is Man's divine nature from which he receives impulses to do unselfish, altruistic acts, to serve, to give, to build a better world. To strengthen him in his efforts, he has also the ethical teachings of religion that urge him to love his neighbor, to "seek the Kingdom of Heaven," and to do unto others as he would be done by.

The average man oscillates between these two sides of his nature, sometimes obeying one and then the other. He stands, as it were, between two opposite poles that attract his being, but he is not a helpless pawn of either side. He has free will, and can follow his higher impulses or yield to the lower, just as he chooses. By his repeated thoughts and deeds Man has it in his own power to alter his character and thereby determine his own destiny.

When we realize that the Law of Cause and Effect governs all our actions and will bring us a reaction of pain for every pain we inflict on others, as well as a benefit for every beneficial act, we begin to see the wisdom of doing good to others and the folly of doing them harm. We then realize that if we want to experience happiness and harmony, we must first sow seeds of happiness and harmony.

If, in spite of this knowledge, we persist in wrong-doing and bring unhappiness and sorrow to others, we thereby bring a reaction of suffering on ourselves. This suffering, however, is not without its compensation, for it teaches us lessons that we were unwilling to learn any other way. It turns our attention to the important issues in life, that might otherwise have been overlooked. It brings out compassion, sympathy and understanding for the sorrows of others. If we do not repeat our wrong-doing, suffering will gradually cease, and if we listen to the voice of our Higher Nature and live in accord with it, life will flow smoothly and harmoniously.

Thus we learn from the experiences of life and gradually become wiser and gentler, and better able to live in harmony with one another.

THE GOAL
"Theosophy considers Humanity as an emanation from Divinity on its return path thereto." -- H. P. Blavatsky
The Ancient Wisdom tells us that the goal of Man's existence on Earth is to become godlike, and to express actively and fully in his daily life the godlike qualities which, though dormant, are innate. It is Man's limited and self-centered personality that prevents these godlike qualities from finding expression. The purpose of Man's evolution is, therefore, to broaden, refine and raise the personality until it becomes a fit instrument to express the godlike qualities within him.

All great Teachers such as Christ and Buddha were at one time ordinary human beings. Compassion for their suffering fellow men aroused in their hearts a desire to bring relief and establish a happier and more harmonious relationship between men. To accomplish this they had to hasten their evolution by a self-directed effort, continued during many lives. Thus they forged ahead of their fellows, advancing in perfection until they reached union with their inner god. The attainment of this union made them the highly evolved, outstanding characters they were, with a far deeper understanding of Nature's Laws than ordinary men, hence a greater control over known and unknown forces in the Universe.

Christ and Buddha always taught that their attainment could be achieved by all. Jesus showed his belief in the perfectibility of Man when he admonished his listeners: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect" (Matt. V, 48). The "Father in Heaven," says the Ancient Wisdom, is the Divinity innate in every man. Jesus said also, in John, X, 30: "I and my Father are one," indicating thereby that his human self had been refined and raised into full and conscious union with his inner god.

The purpose of Man's existence -- here on Earth -- shall have been accomplished and the goal of evolution attained when, in the distant future, the human race as a whole has become Christ-like. Then godlike men will walk the Earth, harmony will reign, and the Kingdom of Heaven will be a reality on Earth.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

The story of Cyavana and fishermen

The story of the great Cyavana maharṣhi, the vaidyanipuṇa, is well known. Cyavana was the son of Bhṛgu maharṣhi and Pulomā devi. Once Bhṛgu maharṣhi asked Agnideva to protect Pulomā, who was a garbhavati, till he comes back and went away. A rākṣhasa by name Puloma came and asked Agnideva "is she Pulomā?" (if yes then he was planning to take her away!). Agnideva did not know what to do. If he tells the truth Bhṛgu maharṣhi may get angry, else he may get anṛta-doṣham. So finally after being forced by Puloma, Agnideva said "She is the wife of Bhṛgu maharṣhi." Immediately Puloma took the form of a varāham and forcibly took Pulomā. In this, from her garbham, the baby slipped and fell down (and hence was known as "Cyavana").

The baby had the tejas of Brahma and Puloma rākṣhasa turned into ashes on seeing Cyavana. Later Cyavana did many years of tapas and became a very great ṛṣhi. He and his wife Sukanya had dadhīci, pramati and āpravān as santānam. After a long time passed, once Cyavana maharṣhi did 12 years of tapas inside water. During his tapas, some fishermen came and as usual threw thier fishing net and were trying to catch fish. To their surprise, they saw Cyavana maharṣhi caught in their nets. The fishermen trembled with fear. But Cyavana maharṣhi said "it is not wrong to do your duty. Please do not be afraid that you disturbed my tapas". But the fishermen thought they were responsible for stopping the tapas of the maharṣhi and reported their mistake to their King, Nahuṣha (see this story).

The maharṣhi told the King that it was not the mistake of the fishermen, they were just doing their duty. In addition he said "Please decide a rate for me and give that money to the fishermen, since their effort must not go waste." King Nahuṣha did not know how to rate the maharṣhi. He offered his artha-rājyam. Cyavana said that wont be enough. Then the King said then take my entire rājyam! Cyavana said that is not the approriate rate for him. Meanwhile a maharṣhi named Kavijāta came and told the King "Please offer one cow. That will be equivalent to a ṛṣhi." Knowing the greatness of the cow from Cyavana, Nahuṣha gave away a best quality cow to the fishermen and sent them off.

The fishermen were not any less in good character. They thought "we can get money anytime. Let us utilize this chance and get godāna phalitam by giving this cow to the great maharṣhi." Thus they gave off their cow to Cyavana. Cyavana blessed all of them with svargalokam.

Morals in the story:
Cyavana, though his deep tapas was disturbed by the fishermen, did not get angry on them. This is because the fishermen did their duty and were unware of the presence of Cyavana.
The fishermen, knowing that if not now sometime or the other the must face consequence of their acts, reported their mistake (what they thought was a mistake) to the King.
Importance of Gomāta and Godānam is well displayed in the story.
Nahuṣha was prepared to give away his entrire sāmrājyam for doing his duty as a King.

Think before acting

A Viveka will never do any Kaaryam without Sameeksha (thinking, careful examination).

Long time ago, there used be a King in a city by name “purika”. He was a Para-himsa-rata. He used to do himsa of other creatures. Because of this in his next janma, he was born as a Gomaayu (jackal). However due to the Punyam and Gnyaanam the King acquired, the Gomaayu had puurva-janma-smruti.

Gomaayu used to have great pashchaattapam for his Ahimsa-svabhaavam. Hence it decided to leave Himsa in this janma atleast. It never used to do Himsa of others. Even as aahaaram it used to take only fruits which, by themselves, fell on the ground. Later it started taking only water. It used to always speak Satyam only. Like this, with Dhruda-vratam, it used to lead an Ahimsaayuta-jeevanam.

As for other jackals, the Gomaayu’s home was in Rudra-bhuumi (smashaanam). It never used to leave its janma-bhuumi and used to always stay there and show Krutagnyata to Bhuu-maata. However other Gomaayu in the neighbourhood never used to understand the actions of this one. They used to do many “hita-bodhas” to it; but the Gomaayu never used to leave Ahimsa, Satyam and always used to have Indriya-nigraham, Shuchitvam and Gnyaanam. Like this many days passed by.

Once, the King, a Shaarduulam (tiger), realizing the greatness of this Gomaayu, came near it and said “O Soumya! I came to know about your Vignyaanam. You deserve to be my Mantri and serve this Raajyam. You can also enjoy all the pleasures of a King”. With great Vinayam the Gomaayu replied “Mrugaraja! Only a Gnyaani, Sajjana deserves to be in the position of a Mantri. Else it will lead to the downfall of the Kingdom. I dont have any interest in the Bhoga-bhaagyas of a King; however I will accept to be your Mantri and do Desha-seva. But your previous servants will have Iirsha on me. They might create differences between you and me. Hence I will be your mantri only if you trust me 100%”.

The Shaarduulam accepted and they together did Dharma-paalana of the Vana-raajyam. As Gomaayu expected, the other servants of the King developed Iirsha, Matsaram on the Gomaayu. Once out of Matsaram, they hide the Shaarduulam’s lunch in Gomaayu’s house. When the Shaarduulam ordered them to find who stole his food, they bring it out from the Gomaayu’s house proving that the Gomaayu only stole the food! Believing in the Kapata-naatakam of the animals, Shaarduulam immediately orders that the Gomaayu must be killed.

Knowing that his child is acting without thinking, the mother of the Shaarduulam said “O son! This is looking like a Kapata-naatakam. You must always think before acting and never take decisions in haste. Paapaatmas always hate the people who have shuchitvam, Muurkhas hate Panditas, Adhaarmikas hate the Dhaarmikas. Some Panditas, who are equal to Bruhaspati, also give false-evidence. We must be careful about these people. Even if we see something, without examining we must never accept it without thinking. A person who acts without thinking will always have pashchaattaapam. Remember that you only carefully examined the sadgunams of the Gomaayu. Also dont forget all the help it did for your Raajyam. I think giving such shiksha to this Gomaayu is not good”.

Listening to this Hita-bodha of his mother, Shaarduulam then thought carefully and left Gomaayu without punishing. Gomaayu then thought it is dangerous to be in the company of a King who is an Asameekshaa-kaari and left the place. Later the Shaarduulam’s Raajyam also perished because of a dushta-mantri.

Morals in the story:
We must never act without Sameeksha. The Shaarduulam, even being a King, ordered to kill the Gomaayu without thinking.
The importance of Ahimsa, Shuchitvam, Satyam are well shown by Gomaayu. Though it took birth as a Gomaayu, it never left these sadgunas.
A person’s nature, behaviour depend a lot on the teachings of his mother, parents. The mother of the Shaarduulam saved him from unnecessarily punishing the Gomaayu.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Ashta Lakshmi

Almighty Lord Sri Narayana or Mahavishnu is known for looking after the welfare and well being of the phenomenal world or the creation. The power or energy of Sri Narayana is Sri Lakshmi. Mother Lakshmi is always identified with the Lord, and hence they are known as Sri Lakshmi Narayana. Mother Lakshmi is a mother of prosperity, peace and illumination. Without Her grace one can’t have inner peace or perennial joy.

Lakshmi is commonly known as Goddess of wealth. Wealth is not only the money. Tradition and values of life is also wealth. Our family and progress is also wealth. Our belongings such as land, properties, animals, grains, etc as well as virtues like patience, persistence, purity etc in the form of a character are nothing but our wealth and so also glory or victory. Thus this eightfold Sri Lakshmi is known as Sri Ashta Lakshmi.

Mother Lakshmi is the source and provider of the following enumerated well-known sixteen types of wealth and many more. (1) Fame (2) Knowledge (3) Courage and Strength (4) Victory (5) Good Children (6) Valour (7) Gold and other gross properties (8) Grains in abundance (9) Happiness (10) Bliss (11) Intelligence (12) Beauty (13) Higher Aim, High Thinking and Higher Meditation too (14) Morality and Ethics (15) Good Health (16) Long Life. Let us glance upon the glory of mother Ashta Lakshmi’s individual nature and forms.

Adi Lakshmi: Mother Lakshmi resides with Lord Narayana in the Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Narayana. She is known as Ramaa, means bringing happiness to the mankind. She is also known as Indira (who holds lotus or purity in the hands or heart.) Divine Mother’s this form is normally seen serving Sri Narayana. Lord Narayana is omnipresent. Adi Lakshmi or Ramaa Lakshmi serves Sri Narayana is symbolic of her serving the whole creation. Though Sri Narayana is attended by innumerable devotees, still she personally loves to serve the Lord. Actually mother Adi Lakshmi and Narayana are not two different entities but one only. Many a place we see her form sitting in the lap of Sri Narayana.

Dhanya Lakshmi: Dhanya means grains. This includes all kind of purified food containing all essential vitamins, minerals, protein, calcium, carbohytrade and so on. With the grace of mother Dhanya Lakshmi one gets all essential nutrients grains, fruits, vegetables and other foods.

Dhairya Lakshmi: This form of mother Lakshmi grants the boon of infinite courage and strength. Those, who are in tune with infinite inner power, are always bound to have victory. Those who worship mother Dhairya Lakshmi they live and lead a life with tremendous patience and inner stability.

Gaja Lakshmi: In the holy book of Srimad Bhagavata the story of the churning of the ocean by Gods and demons is explained in detail. Author, the Sage Vyasa writes that Lakshmi came out of the ocean during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan). So she is known as a daughter of the ocean. She came out of the ocean sitting on a full-bloomed lotus and also having lotus flowers in both hands with two elephants by her sides, holding a beautiful vessels filled with milk and pouring it over Sri Lakshmi. Many a time we see Sri Lakshmi standing in the lotus and elephants are pouring nectar over her. During the festival of the lamps or the Deepavali along with Sri Lakshmi the Ganapati or the Elephant God also gets worshipped; that signifies the protection from evils as well as abundant grace and blessings for additional prosperities!

Santan Lakshmi: In the family life, the children are the greatest treasure. Those who worship this particular form of Sri Lakshmi, known as a Santan Lakshmi, are bestowed with the grace of mother Lakshmi and have wealth in the form of desirable children with good health & long life.

Vijay Lakshmi: Vijay is victory. Vijay is to get success in all undertakings and all different facets of life. Some are strong physically but weak mentally while others are economically rich but poor in their attitude and cannot exert any influence. Vijay is to have all encompassing victory. Vijay is to rejoice glory of our real nature – Vijay is to conquer the lower nature. Vijay is the victory in external and internal wars and of course eternal wars! Hence those, with grace of mother Vijay Lakshmi, have victory everywhere, at all time, in all conditions. Victory to Vijay Lakshmi !!

Dhana Lakshmi: Dhana is wealth. But as per Rigved’s Purush Shukta Dhana is not only a wealth in coins and currency. Even Sun and moon, fire and stars, rains and nature, oceans and mountains, rivers and streams, all these are our wealth, so are the progeny, our inner will power, our character and our virtues. With the grace of mother Dhana Lakshmi we will get all these in abundance.

Vidya Lakshmi: Vidya is education. Education is not mere studies to receive the degrees and diplomas certificates from the educational institutes or universities.

Serenity, Regularity, Absence of Vanity, Sincerity, Simplicity, Veracity, Equanimity, Fixity, Non-irritability, Adaptability Humility, Tenacity, Integrity, Nobility, Magnanimity, Charity, Generosity and Purity are the eighteen “it is” that only can give immortality.

Education, which cannot give peace to the soul or cannot give the knowledge of the Self and the inner satisfaction, is not education. Education, which cannot wipe the tears of others, known or unknown, is not education. Education is the understanding the situation and silence or art of living and leading the life that can make the life, the Life Divine, where the ultimate Goal of the life is the God-Realisation.

Such Education can come only through discrimination and dispassion. One can have abundant amount of money, but if he does not know how to make good use of it, it will work to his disadvantage. If an alcoholic or a drug addict gets a big sum of money, it will only hasten his downward journey to destruction. Vidya Lakshmi is the understanding and the knowledge to mold the ordinary life into the Divine Life. A life of Service, a life of feeling for a fellow being, a life of charity and generosity, a life of purity, a life for seeking a soul within the soul and a life with an ultimate aim of the realisation of the ABSOLUTE is the only real education, which can come only with the grace of Vidya Lakshmi.

Thus all these eightfold Sri Lakshmi is ultimately one single power only. That is Adishakti.

The perennial and unchangeable, ever lasting, eternal truth or the absolute is this Supreme blessedness, the mother Adishakti. She is the origin. She is the light. She is the power, the wisdom and the strength. She is the Supreme Joy, peace, bliss and illumination.

May Mother Adishakti’s and Sri Ashta Lakshmi’s grace be ever upon we all, to receive Her divine grace for being befitting servant of the mankind in Her cosmic kingdom. Om Shanti.