SOUNDARYA LAHARI ( ANANDA LAHARI : THE BLISSFUL WAVE ) - 5. SRI ADI SWAMI SANKARACHARYA

13/10/2018
5.

A child is more familiar with the mother than with the father, because the former is very kind, loving, tender, affectionate and looks after the wants of the child. Whenever the child wants anything, it runs with out-stretched hands to the mother, rather than to the father. If she hears the cry of the child, she leaves her domestic work and runs immediately to look after the child.

In the spiritual field also, the aspirant or the devotee—the spiritual child—has intimate relationship with the Mother Durga than with the Father Siva.

Lord Siva is quite indifferent to the external world. He is a Tyagi and a Virakta. He wears the garland of skulls of His devotees, rubs the whole body with Vibhuti or holy ash and remains in the crematorium in an intoxicated state. He is absorbed in contemplation of the Self. He remains in a state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi. He has handed over the power-of-attorney to His consort, Durga. It is Mother Durga only who looks after the affairs of the world. Lord Siva (Purusha) gazes at Prakriti (Durga) His Sakti. She engages Herself in creation, preservation and destruction.

It behoves, therefore, that the aspirant should approach the Mother first, so that she may introduce Her spiritual child to the Father for its illumination or Self-realisation. That is the reason why the devotees have placed Radha, Sita, Gouri, first in the jugal names viz: Radha Krishna, Sita Rama, Gauri Sankar, Uma Sankar, Bhawani Sankar, Lakshmi Narayana.

The Upasana or worship of Devi or Universal Mother leads to the attainment of knowledge of the Self. The story in the Kenopanishad known as ‘Yaksha Prasna’ supports this view, where Uma taught the Truth to the Devas.

In a fight with the Asuras, the Devas were victorious. The Devas thought that this was due to their own power or prowess and forgot that it was divine help which brought victory to them. Brahman therefore wanted to teach them a lesson. He knew that this idea had puffed them up with vanity and so he appeared before them in a huge form as a Yaksha whose beginning or end was not visible.

The Devas did not know Him. They spoke to Agni thus, "O Jataveda! Find out what this great Spirit is." He said, "Yes". Agni ran up to Brahman who questioned, "Who art Thou"? He replied "I am verily Agni, I am verily Jataveda". Brahman asked Agni, "What power hast thou?" Agni replied, "I can burn whatsoever there is on earth." Brahman placed a blade of grass before Agni and said, "Burn this." Agni approached it with all his power. He could not burn it. Next came Vayu, the God of Wind. Brahma asked Vayu, "What power hast thou?" Vayu replied, "I can blow away the whole universe and all that is on the earth." Brahman placed a blade of grass before Vayu and said, "Blow this away." Vayu approached it with all his power and was not able to make it move even an inch from its place.

Last of all, Indra, the chief of the Devas himself came. But when he reached the spot, he found that the Yaksha had vanished. Indra was in a great dilemma. He was confused and perplexed. When he was standing there bewildered and ashamed, Uma (Himavati), the daughter of Himavat (Himalayas) and consort of Lord Siva, appeared before him and revealed to him the real identity of the Yaksha. Then only Indra knew the Spirit to be Brahman. He verily became excellent before the other Gods on account of the grace of Mother Uma.

THE END.