You may have known the miracles of lord Krishna, how did he kill number of demons that he started it since his childhood, how did he save Pandavas and the famous incident of Draupadi when he saved her from being naked among her family and relatives? The stories of his miracles are endless. But we also know that Shiv is nothing without Shakti, then how did lord Krishna do everything alone?
The fact is: the Goddess Yogmaya and Goddess Mahamaya both helped him. When the Krishna was born to Devaki, at the same time, the Yogmaya was born to Yashoda. And it was her maya (illusion) which helped Vasudeva to exchange the babies: he reached Krishna to Yashoda and brought Yogmaya from there to Devaki, his wife, in the jail – where he and Devaki both were punished by the Devaki’s brother Kansha, who possessed all the fine demonic qualities, and those qualities inspired him to kill all the early babies of his sister, as he was warned that he would be killed by one of them. So, he killed all the early babies, the last one was Krishna, whom he couldn’t kill.
As the Vasudeva has exchanged the babies at the very night they were born; in the morning, the guards told Kansha that a baby has born in the night. Unaware of the fact that it was Yogmaya, the cruel Kansha snatched the baby to kill, but the Goddess Yogmaya went off from his hands and appeared in her form and laughing at Kansha she disappeared.
As the Krishna kept on Growing both the Yogmaya and Mahamaya (both are one, in fact all the Devis are just one) kept on helping him. And Krishna kept on doing miracles after miracles and he killed all the demons of that time and from them he saved the people who were on the Dharma path. He was also the key person of Mahabharata, where in between the war once he stopped the time and gave famous teachings of Bhagavad Gita to frustrated Arjuna. The wonders of lord Krishna are just endless as he is none but the lord Vishnu himself.
Birth of the demons Madhu and Kaitav: once, after the complete destruction when there was no life anywhere but the water was flowing everywhere. At that time, from the “navel” of lord Vishnu, the “lotus” appeared, and from that lotus lord Brahma appeared. And from the “sweat” of lord Vishnu two demons, Madhu and Kaitav appeared, and due to their past lives’ boons both the demons were undefeated in the war…and it gave the real headache to both the lord Brahma and Vishnu, until Goddess Mayamaya helped them.
Madhu and Kaitav after Brahma: after taking birth from lord Vishnu’s sweat, both were much happy. But, they found no-life, no human or animal, no sign of nature and nothing to rule but only water and water, everywhere. They rove around desperately, and found lord Brahma…due to their demonic nature they ran to kill him. Knowing their intention, much terrified lord Brahma ran to lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu was taking Yog-Nidra (sleep) as the Goddess Mahamaya was in his eyes…but to save lord Brahma his eyes opened up, Yog-Nidra broke and Goddess Mahamaya took herself off from the lord Vishnu’s eyes. Now the fight began…
Lord Vishnu fought to demons: as both the demons Madhu and Kaitav, in rage, were coming after lord Brahma, the lord Vishnu interfered and thus both the demons started attacking to lord Vishnu, as they were considering Gods themselves. The fight between lord Vishnu and them continued for years and years, and reached to no result; as one side was lord himself and other side demons had got the boon to be undefeated. Watching the whole scene, the Goddess Mahamaya started worrying about, and now she did a great job…
Help of Goddess Mahamaya: what she did…she changed the mind of Madhu and Kaitav, who were already considering Gods themselves, when the war wasn’t getting any result, they asked lord Vishnu to take some boon from them as they are much happy with his bravery. Now, the lord Vishnu has got all the idea what Goddess Mahamaya has played, so he asked to give him boon “to end the life of the demons,” and they granted the boon to lord Vishnu because they had forgotten that they are also demons. The moment they granted the boon in the very next moment of that they become powerless, and lord Vishnu killed them.
For this inspiration the Goddess Mahamaya was called Mahakali, and following mantra took birth:
“Ya Devi sarvo bhuteshu Prerna (inspiration) rupen samsthita namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah!”
As everyone who believes in Ma Durga knows that Navaratri comes two times in a year, in-fact most of the Hindus knows, as the temples starts decorating and local market starts changing, and Pandits and Pujaris turn in high mood. No doubt this is great time of high energy and positivity.
Durga Navaratri is celebrated by worshiping Goddesses for the “9 days,” because Durga along with other Goddesses fought for 9 days and killed the demons like: Shumbh, Nisumbh, Raktbeej, Doomketu and etc. They were those demons who were terrifying, killing and disturbing devatas, humans and nature. For killing them Goddess Durga manifested herself in other Goddesses like: Jayanti, Mangalakali, Bhadrakali-kapalini, Durga, Skhma, Shiva, Dhatri-swaha, Sudha and etc, as the Goddess Durga herself is the combined manifested shakti (energy) of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiv.
Worshiping Goddesses
1.Where you want to worship Goddesses make that place clean and pure, choose a good direction like north, east or northeast, pour some gangajal (गंगाजल) there, if you have, and establish a Kalash (कलश) there, the Kalash tells that the worshiping and fasting (if you do) for the nine days have been started, Kalash works as the foundation. In most of the worshiping methodologies the Kalash is used.
2.Use a plate of wood (or of some metal, if wood not available), and on it using Sindoor (सिन्दूर) make the symbol of nine Goddesses. And also put (in standing position) the image of nine Goddesses, in-case it is not available use the single image of Ma Durga.
3.And at that plate of wood, also worship Sri Ganesha, Nav-Grah (nine planets), and sixteen Matrakao (Goddesses). For Grah-Poojan: above clean white cloth, make the nine small heap of rice. For sixteen Matrakao: make the small sixteen heap of rice. For Sri Ganesha: bring a clean piece of yellow-soil (पीली मिट्टी) and wrap it with Kalawa (कलावा).
For nine days: after taking bath and wearing clean clothes, worship that altar in morning and evening, by putting Diya and Dhoop, doing Havan, and offering red flowers. It is also essential to read Durga Saptashati for all the nine days. If you get all the details how to worship each Goddess each day, as they are nine, it’d be good; otherwise, as they are the manifestation of one Goddess Durga, so, go according Durga Saptashati. And for the nine days, eating tamsik food is prohibited, if you are on fast, take the ingredients made of fruits, milk and potatos.
Last days of worship: at the 8th or 9th day of worship, in the morning offer Poodi (पूड़ी), Halwa (हलवा), Ubale-Hue-Chane (उबले हुए चने) with complete diet to virgin girls (not less than nine), apart from girls if one or two little boys also sit, it is also good. And also offer gifts to each of them, considering them Goddesses, may also touch their feet and put a bindi (बिंदी) on each of their foreheads. Thus, the nine days of worshiping and fasting have been completed.
(Note!) During nine days, sleeping in day-time, physical indulgence and eating tamsik food – all are prohibited.
Jai Ma Durga!
Our mother gives us birth, nourishes us, she inspires us and motivates us…protects us. And in the time of great danger she fights for us, and she gives us whatever she has.
Different forms of mother
As life has diversities and all sorts of things happen in it. Sometimes, we need money; sometimes, we need knowledge; sometimes, we need protection, and sometimes, we need spiritual guidance. Though, the mother in one, but for our convenience she appears herself in different avataras as Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kali/Dura, Tripurasundari and so on. This would be unwise to say, these names belong to just for Hindu religion; no, not at all! Mother belongs to everyone.
Symbolic meaning
Mother Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati and others – all give us lot of guidance. The weapon, book or other things they hold in their hands; the animal, bird, or other creature or flower they use to sit upon – all have meanings. For instance, Lion represents passion and lust which Ma Durga controls and asks us to do so; the Devi Lakshmi tells: money takes the wisdom away and a man becomes like an Owl, so beware with riches. They were just the few meanings, if I tell others this article might go long, so just stopping for this paragraph, but mind you, other Gods like Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, Ganesha…etc, all have the symbolic meanings. But the real guidance comes when we follow their teachings and their teachings have layers of layers of mystery to unfold.
The book: Durga Saptashati
The whole book is beyond my words; the people who read it often, know its significance. Its like water which ever needed in life, no-one can say to be satiated. If I write about the whole book, it may go very, very long…and I may not write each and exactly as written in that. (So, I would suggest you to buy from here (http://www.gitapress.org/ ), the book I have it has 240 pages, better take this-one, I’m quoting everything from this-one only, if you have book which has lesser than 240 pages, you need to search where I’m talking about.) But from the book, I would mention something which can change anybody’s life for better purpose.
To please the mother: to please her, it’s just enough to call her; when she knows that a child is calling her, she gets pleased and gives her blessings. At chapter 3 of the book, you can find all the 108 names of the mother to call her.
Showing gratitude to her: for showing gratitude the mantras start from the page no.110 of the book, with the wording “Namo Devvyai Mahadevvyai…” and it ends at page no.115, this is also called Tantrokt Devi Suktam.
To get her protection: it is said to whom mother protects, no-one, in anyway can harm that person…and to get protection one needs to ask to different Devis (part of one Devi) to protect each organ of the body, from head to the toe, and all this procedure is mentioned in Devi Kavach (shield) at the start of chapter 4 of the book.
(I used the word “Devi” and “mother” interchangeably, she can be called this way.)
Another way to get her protection: Devi once said,”one who chants hers 32 names, he or she sets free from any kind of fear and protected by the chantings,” they are given at page no. 224 of the book.
Special mantras in Durga Saptashati: you can find Mrit-Sanjivini mantra at page no. 16; Sri-Vidya mantra at page no.47, it is also said at page no.52, one who does Sri-Vidya at mid-night gets the Vak-Siddhi. And other mantras those start from page no. 233 are very effective, one should have a look at them…most of are just of two lines and easy to be remembered.
He wants this, that and those things…and the person who knows his wants, has all the hooks for him, if not, hooks can be created. This is just not for “he” typically, but applicable to all, even for the animals – as far as they have the needs. Here, I’m not differentiating between need, want, desire, expectation and so on. With common sense the single word “need” is enough, if not, it’s also true that want, desire, and expectation, all are lured by the hooks; though the intensity between need and the hook may vary substantially person to person.
You can say, a person can’t live alone, can’t do all the things alone, he needs clothes to wear, food to eat, shelter, education, medicine…doctors and someone to talk with, and needs to fulfill other physical desires where companion is must. It’s true! We need someone or other-one in life, and others need us in return, we also have the hooks for others. And this is what creates the society, exchange of needs and hooks!
But the things is that need should be genuine and should come at the right time, because need attracts the hooks, and surprisingly for a single need there are several hooks. As for a single need there are hundreds of brands and thousands of products; as for a beautiful girl there are hundreds of guys and thousands of promises…you can take lots of example yourself. But there is something interesting, I would like to share: once a girl was needed a job, an executive job, she was an MBA, so she went to give an interview but in exchange of the job she was offered to become the interviewer’s girlfriend; the girl threw both the need and hook at his face, and returned home. This is alarming! But we can’t sell our character, ethics and values and in-front of these things it doesn’t matter how our needs are. In-fact, at the moment, saving herself from that guy was “the need of prime importance,” and for it the need of job just disappeared and its hook with it… If we go little more into this, the girl herself was the hook as she was bold enough to defend herself, and it drew her out of adverse situation – otherwise, to whom she’d seek help would work as a hook for her. So, the hook saves the life as well…but it totally depends upon how genuine our need is and when it comes.
The person who feels bliss he feels like nectar is flowing in his body, and the person who suffers he feels poison is flowing in his body.
I mentioned above, these two extreme — one highest where cells dance and one lowest where cells cry – conditions. If we leave extremes and see a child or any person, the moment just before crying, or at the time when they feel insulted – the cells of the body shrink like the flowers are blown by the heavy rain and storm…they shrink and the life-force which was flowing in them turns in something like as a vacuum of an unfruitful energy, or as the buried emotions waiting to take a revenge. At other side of the coin, a thoughtless Yogi, a person deeply in love, or a child with innocent eyes counting the twinkling stars in the sky – their cells are open with abundance of life-force in them.
The cells have brain, they reciprocate in whatever we do, or better to understand: our actions, emotions, and thoughts are their food as type of different energy levels to them. If you have observed the face of a man who is genuine and tells the truth and of other man who is manipulate and occasionally tells lies. If you remind their face now, I’m not talking about beauty and angles of the face – just try to differentiate their faces intuitively…you can get the answer yourself. Intuition does, which is not possible with logic.
Few times we know what we are doing and what is right and wrong for us, but few times don’t know…at that time ‘being a ship without the sail’ our cells can help us, though they are helping us all the time, as they ever reciprocate in whatever we do. They reciprocate so genuinely, our existence looks fake in front of them, they say they don’t like some person as they feel nauseated in his company, but instead we say to that person: you are the nicest one, because we want some gain out of him, or pressurized by the social factor and overlook our cells, and neglect their intelligence, this loss of synchronicity with our own cells’ intelligence bears us too costly. There are numerous examples where we don’t listen to our cells and do keep on loading them with the energy of our karma. With bad karma, the cells lose their life-force and are filled with negative energy, the gray one. And with good karma, the life-force in them is enhanced.
The cells are not selfish, they explore and dance in truth and light, they expect absolute, some kind of universal behavior from us, and for so, they guide us…
…the mode of their guidance is of two ways mainly, either they shrink when things aren’t life-enhancing, their life-force leaks and they fill themselves with the energy of a person’s karma, or second, they open themselves widely and life-force in them flows with much higher rate. This on (open) and off (shrink) are the mode of their guidance, and with intuition it can be known in the smallest action of our lives.
The side gift is Jallandhar Bandha makes the practitioner’s voice sweet and attractive. Let’s check out how to do it. In this Bandha, a person bends his chin and with it he presses his chest, by doing so it closes both the Ida and Pingla (which exist at the left and right of Susumna), and life force goes straight into the Susumna Nadi. A person should press his chest, and hold it there to the level of his comfort.
Uddiyan Bandha
For this, in sitting position, a person draws his stomach inside and hold it there, it also help entering life-force in Susumna Nadi.
Warning! Pregnant woman should “not” do any Bandha or Mudra, or any other pranayam exercises, it’s also applicable to the person whose nerves and muscles are too sensitive.
It is assumed that through the anus, the life-force or say Prana (it’s called Apana here) leaks, and when a person practices Mula-Bandha, the leaking stops, and life-force stored.
The Apana is one of the five man Pranas (they are: Prana, Apana, Samana, Vyana and Udana), and the natural flow of Apana is downward, that is from navel to reproductive organs, anus and legs.
With Mula-Bandha the leaking Apana is restored. For Mula-Bandha: in sitting position, a person places his left heel between his anus to stop the passage and drew its (anus) muscles upward, so that it could be firmly closed and Apana could move upward.
Aswini-Mudra
This is like one can do it anywhere and it is easier than above. In this Mudra a person contracts and expands his anus, many times, like a horse does. It also helps to send downward Apana upward.
The word Diksha is the composition of Di + Ksha, where the “Di,” is said to be the transmission of something, let’s say it divine knowledge, light or energy. And “Ksha,” is said to be the destruction of ignorance and darkness in life.
So, when a person takes Diksha from some Guru, he is said to be on the sacred path, where he is supposed to raise his consciousness to meet or merge with the ultimate.
During Diksha, a Guru can give either one or the mix of the followings:
There are types of Guru of dvaita and advaita, and in that also there are numerous paths…so, the type of Diksha solely depends upon: what you want and where you are going.
Let’s check the meaning first:
Meaning of Dasaratha
“Dasa,” means “ten,” and “ratha,” means “vehicle.” Means, one who rides over ten vehicles is called Dasaratha. And these ten vehicles are the sum of five sense organs and five action organs. Everyone should be like Dasaratha having the senses and actions in full control.
Meaning of Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughana
Rama represents “truth,” as truth is God. Bharata represents “love,” as love is above everything. Lakshmana represents “virtues,” as they are the strength of divine life. And, Shatrughana represents “peace,” as it is the foundation of everything.
Meaning of Rama and Sita
Both are husband and wife, they represents the relationship between the soul and the mind. Rama the soul and Sita the mind.
Meaning of Hanumana
He represents faith and devotion, and these two things drive wisdom and divine power. Hanumana also represents to “prana,” the vital force.
Meaning of Ravana, Meghnada and Kumbhakarna
Ravana represents illusion and ignorance, those drive: desire, lust and what not. Meghnada and Kumbhakarna, they also represent illusion and ignorance. But, for Meghnada the dominant factors are pride and arrogance, and for Kumbhakarna, the dominant factor is lethargy.
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I think everybody knows the story of Ramayana, where Rama (soul) fooled by the trickery magic of Ravana and faimly (illusions) and he lost his wife Sita (mind) to the illusions. But with the help of Hanumana (faith and devotion) and Lakshmana (virtues), he (soul) killed Ravana and family (illusions) and got his wife back.
Like Rama, everyone gets fooled by this world until he or she brings faith, devotion and virtues in his or her life.