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Issue 2 |
Jyesta Devi Links:
Our July 2008 article that points out heretofore unrevealed Siddha secrets on the worship of Jyeshta Devi:
Mother Sri Jyesta Devi - Removing the misconceptions regarding Jyeshta Devi
Our 1999 article that delves into the spiritual significance of the appearance of Jyestha Devi: http://www.Agasthiar.Org/AUMzine/0002-kaar-mega.htm
Feb/13/99 was the fourth Bagudhaanya Vishnupathi.
It occurs once every 60 years.
We described it in great detail in AUMzine Issue 1.
We mentioned that Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal is the Lord of Honor during the fourth Bagudhaanya Vishnupathi.
In this article, we explore the benevolence of Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal as revealed by the Siddhas.
The scriptural texts have described the churning of the cosmic ocean by the Devas and Asuras.
We know that churning causes substances in solution to solidify and surface.
Churning the cosmic ocean caused many spectacular objects and cosmic beings to surface too.
Cosmic ocean?? Churning??
Aren't these too fantastic to pay attention to?
Not at all.
Not only are these very important events,
there's also much that each one of us can learn from these events.
Each and every incident described in the scriptural texts is packed with meaning.
There's deep symbolism in every one of these incidents and
it's our job to try to figure out the lessons embedded in them.
The more you think about them, the deeper you understand the scriptural import.
Time spent thinking about these issues is well spent;
this is aathma vichaaram in practice.
The Koustubha jewel worn by Sri Narayana, Chandra, Sri Maha Lakshmi were among
those who manifested during this cosmic churning event.
Before the appearance of Sri Maha Lakshmi was the manifestation of Sri Jyéshta Dévi.
The scriptures describe Sri Jyéshta Dévi as the elder sister of Sri Maha Lakshmi.
There's universal agreement on the notion that Sri Maha Lakshmi is in charge of wealth and prosperity.
There also seems to be a common misconception that Sri Jyéshta Dévi is the cause of poverty.
In a world that worships wealth, it's small wonder that Sri Maha Lakshmi is revered and Sri Jyéshta Dévi is shunned by one and all.
The Siddhas say that this shunning of Sri Jyéshta Dévi is unpardonable.
They are dismayed that humanity can't seem to let go of the mistaken notion that Sri Jyéshta Dévi causes poverty.
Get rid of this notion right now, they caution us.
It's a pity that we haven't realized the significance of worshipping Sri Jyéshta Dévi just like we haven't
paid attention to the worship of Sri Kaala Bairava and Sri Chandikésvara.
At least from now onwards, let's pay attention to what the Siddhas say and reform ourselves.
The Siddhas say that Sri Jyéshta Dévi must be worshipped daily by one and all.
Why do you think there are sanctums for her in so many ancient temples?
Just so she can be worshipped by us everyday.
| One Billion Dollars = Prosperity?? |
So what's prosperity? Have we thought about it?
Consider a billionaire. Let's say he likes chocolate but he suffers from diabetes.
This poor man can buy tons of chocolate without batting an eyelid,
but he can't even consume a small piece of it!
Isn't this sad?
From this point of view, he's poor.
In other words, there's some poverty in his life.
So is this billionaire really prosperous?
There was a Californian billionaire in recent times.
It seems he said that he would give away all his wealth for one successful marriage.
So was he really prosperous?
There's a popular story of another wealthy man. It seems he once looked out of his window
and saw a hungry man wolfing down a loaf of bread. He's said to have remarked, "For all my wealth, if only I had that man's hunger."
So was this wealthy man really prosperous?
So what exactly is prosperity?
Prosperity is not just money in the bank; it's much more than just that.
It's wealth, great family life, freedom from disease, freedom from worries of all kinds...
in short, it is freedom from all kinds of wants and afflictions while being blessed with all riches and happiness.
If we desire never to go through the throes of poverty and
if we want our wealth never to get depleted,
we must worship
Sri Jyéshta Dévi.
| Motive, Motive, Motive |
As they say in mystery novels, one has got to look at the motive.
Why did the Devas and Asuras churn the cosmic ocean?
What was their motive?
Did they do it in a spirit of service? Not quite.
The Devas and Asuras churned the cosmic ocean because of their greed and selfishness.
They wanted to become immortal. They wanted access to all pleasures for eternity.
So they dived into the churning endeavor with much agitation and restlessness.
As they poured their strenghts into this effort, they polluted the pure, prisitine cosmic ocean
with their unsalutary thoughts.
Thoughts have great power.
For instance, thoughts of hostility, even if not expressed in words or action,
can pollute the surroundings and create an atmosphere of hostility.
These hostile vibrations can influence others into acts of hostility.
Likewise thoughts of serenity and tranquility can create a pleasant atmosphere, even if not expressed.
Ever experienced the serenity that's present in and around a Siddha's dwelling? You should.
Imagine the medley of thought waves in a busy city square or in a crowded train.
These thought vibrations can wreak havoc on one's spiritual well being.
This is why the Siddhas suggest that we get into the habit of meditating on the Gayatri mantra
all the time. Why? Because the all powerful, all emcompassing
Gayatri mantra can quell the power of negative, evil thoughts
and ensure a peaceful atmosphere wherever it's invoked.
Not only will it take care of you, but it'll also take care of others from the constant bombardment of negative thought vibrations.
Thus constant meditation on the Gaytari or similar mantras is a great public service too.
Do it in a spirit of service and the Siddhas will reward you for sure.
We said that human thoughts have great power.
Now if human thoughts have great power, imagine how much more powerful the thoughts of Devas and Asuras will be.
As they labored on their churning effort, their powerful thoughts of greed polluted the cosmic ocean.
The Siddhas and Maharishis were greatly perturbed by this turn of events.
What was wrought by greed and selfishness can only be repaired by selflessness.
A great being, intent on restoring the cosmic ocean to its pristine state of purity,
embarked on the process of removing all the impurities that had infiltrated it.
Who was this great being?
| The Wages of Selfless Service |
The dark, evil swirl of negative thoughts that originated in the Devas and Asuras
materialized into a maelstorm of malefic possibilities.
This disgusting mess had such great negative power that it polluted even the cosmic ocean.
Imagine what would happen if it was let loose anywhere!
It had to be consumed and destroyed so that it couldn't harm anyone.
To consume it is to undergo much pain, for the crushing of negative forces involves pain.
Only a truly selfless being will attempt this because only he who's totally selfless will undergo pain
so that others don't have to.
The great being who wanted to restore the cosmic ocean to its original state was Sri Jyéshta Dévi.
In a spirit of total selflessness, she decided to get rid of the evil swirl of negativity
not just from the cosmic ocean, but from everywhere.
Using her spiritual power, she consumed and pulverized the malefic mess, thereby protecting us all
from what could have been wrought by it.
In her victorious fight over these negative forces, she underwent much suffering and because
of this she looked sickly when she appeared from the cosmic ocean.
This was the avatar of Sri Jyéshta Dévi, an avatar that not only
began with selflessness but brims with it to this day.
Because of her sickly looks, the Devas, Asuras and everyone else shunned her.
Just like people with communicable diseases are shunned, Sri Jyéshta Dévi was shunned too.
Rather than thank her for her act of total selflessness, all she got was the proverbial cold shoulder.
If it were not for her selflessness, imagine what would have happened to the universe!
But Sri Jyéshta Dévi, being the great being that she is, knew that she had done exactly the right thing.
She knew that God would totally approve of what she had done.
So she went to Kailaasa and related what had happened to Sri Siva.
Not that the great Lord didn't know what had happened, but it was her duty to file her report.
The merciful Lord of All commended her and to show his appreciation, he transformed her into an
ornament called Rudra Gandam and wore it around his throat.
Thus Sri Jyéshta Dévi came in contact with that part of the Lord's body which was to later hold the Aalahala venom.
What Sri Jyéshta Dévi had done was only a precursor to what the great Lord would soon do thereafter.
Having blessed Sri Jyéshta Dévi with the incomparable state of being an ornament on his body,
Sri Siva told her that her avatar will attain its full bloom
by the grace of Sri Maha Vishnu.
Sri Jyéshta Dévi proceeded to Vaikunta to worship Sri Maha Vishnu.
| Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal |
Sri Maha Vishnu dispersed the impurities that Sri Jyéshta Devi had consumed in his self effulgent jothi
and appeared in the form of Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal,
thus showcasing Sri Jyéshta Dévi's divinity to the universe.
Sri Jyéshta Dévi, being rid of the impurities that she had consumed, got back her original iridiscent, beautiful form.
She is a great being who is permanently situated in Kailaasa and Vaikunta.
How did she attain this preeminent position? Only through her selflessness.
It's very important that we remember her selfless sacrifice with gratitude.
Kaar = black; Méga = clouds; Vanna = color; Perumaal = great lord.
Thus
Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal
means the great lord who is dark hued in complexion.
Sri Maha Vishnu's manifestation as Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal
happened during the fourth Bagudhaanya Vishnupathi.
It is on this day that the great lord consumed the dark, negative forces of evil
and restored Sri Jyéshta Dévi to her original, pristine state.
It's in honor of this that we worship
Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal
as the lord of honor
during the fourth Bagudhaanya Vishnupathi.
Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal
is that benevolent Lord who destroys the evil that arises from
all negative thoughts.
All evil thoughts, words and deeds die at the feet of
Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal.
He's the destroyer of evil. He's the One who protects us from all evil in this Kali Yuga (the present age).
Thoughts are the seeds from which sprout the trees of action.
Every act is preceded by a thought.
Rape, murder, violence, arson, destruction, treachery and all such evil acts
have their birth in dark, evil thoughts.
It's the merciful Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal who protects us from the domain of evil thoughts and acts.
It's very important for all of us, especially for devotees, to not let even a single evil thought arise in our minds.
But with the modern world being a cesspool of evil and negativity, how can one construct such an armour of good that
will prevent evil thoughts from entering the mind?
Easy! By praying sincerely to
Sri Kaar Méga Vanna Perumaal
and by remembering Sri Jyéshta Dévi's selfless act with gratitude.
Do this everyday with faith and sincerity
and the great lord will personally become the armour that will shield your mind from evil.
Jyesta Devi Links:
Our July 2008 article that points out heretofore unrevealed Siddha secrets on the worship of Jyeshta Devi:
Mother Sri Jyesta Devi - Removing the misconceptions regarding Jyeshta Devi
Our 1999 article that delves into the spiritual significance of the appearance of Jyestha Devi: http://www.Agasthiar.Org/AUMzine/0002-kaar-mega.htm