The Killing of Ravana on Dussehra day and after

PIC: post.jagran.co

The Dussehra or the Vijayadashami is a major Hindu festival in India and Hindu community across the world. The festival is celebrated as a concluding day of nine day “Navratri” festival every year in the month of Ashvin as per Hindu calendar which falls in the month of Sepember-October. Dussehra is celebrated since ancient times and is symbolically dedicated to the victory of good over evil.  As a part of concluding day of Navratri, the festival Dusshera is celebrated to mark the victory of Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon king Mahisasura (may also read http://www.indianspiritualityandpolitics.com/2017/09/devi-katyayani-mahisasuramardini.html). The festival is also a celebration to mark the victory of Lord Rama over Lankan king Ravana who had kidnapped Rama’s wife Sita when they were in exile and put her in his captivity in Lanka, again a victory of good over evil. Ramleelas (dramas to recreate the life of Lord Rama) are held for ten days during Navratri at public places to remember the virtues of Lord Rama and the defeat of the evil force, Ravana through Rama’s hands. On the 10^th day, the day of Dussehra every year large effigies of evil king Ravana, his evil brother Kumbhakaran and son Meghnath are burnt to mark the end of the evil. The Dussehra is followed by the biggest Hindu festival of Diwali or Deepavali (the festival of lights) in about twenty days time in remembrance of Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile and killing of Ravana. The Diwali day is also remembered as the day on which the ideal governance system called Ramrajya had commenced in the kingdom of Ayodhya.

PIC: businessworld.in

The people of India and people of Indian origin across the world have been celebrating the festival of Dussehra and Diwali every year through ages. The purpose of any celebration and festivity is to remember the virtues and noble deeds associated with the great characters. But, could we succeed in wiping out the evil from the face of humanity through these celebrations. Perhaps, not, very sadly! The reason is simple, the festivals have just become rituals, one after other, we worship the deity, enjoy the festival, eat good food, sing and dance, burn the effigies of evil forces but within, we remain the same persons. We do not burn the effigies of evil within. We don’t introspect ourselves; we don’t root out the evil within and expect a Ramrajya to be established in the country. How is it possible with such behavior of double standards? We say something and do the reverse. We become selfish when we commit injustice to others to gain personally. We become selfish when our near and dear one is involved in an evil and we jump to save him/her. We become selfish to bribe a policeman, a Neta (leader) or a clerk to get our worked done. We become selfish when injustice is committed by society to others and we remain silent. We become selfish and a silent spectator when a daylight crime is committed against our neighbor and we hide ourselves inside our closed houses. In New Delhi the prime minister of India and other dignitaries assemble at the Ramleela ground on Dussehra day in the evening and shoot burning arrows at the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhaklarana and Meghnath but while shooting the arrows towards evil of corruption and many social and political evils, their hands start trembling. The political leaders are silent when they or their own men are involved in monumental cases of plunder and loot. They become selfish and silent when sub-standard material is used in construction of roads, buildings and bridges by their cronies to get in return a part of the loot. They become selfish and silent when the people die due to accidents on potholes, poor road and lack of medical facilities. They become selfish and silent when people or workers are sucked into drains to die due to flooding. They only shed crocodile tears and condemn the accidents and mis-happening but do little on the ground to arrest the trend. Yesterday, in Mumbai, twenty two people were killed due to stampede on a narrow railway foot over bridge. How does it affect the mighty, powerful and corrupt people who did nothing when they were supposed to act? Life of people has become so cheap that anything can happen anywhere to a common man and the leaders think that their job is over once they express sympathies and sometimes throw few lac rupees from public money as compensation.

The land Rama has become the Land of Daama (the bribe) and the land of Harishchandra (a legendary king who never compromised on honesty and truth) has become the land of Bhrashtachandras (corrupts).

The real problem of India is that we don’t kill the real Ravanas. We don’t punish the Ravanas of corruption. We don’t catch the Ravanas of inefficiency.  We don’t punish the Ravanas who commit the crimes & monumental plunders and throws dust in the eyes of public to fool them. Our governance system incentivizes the big tax evaders and punishes small men for irregularities of a penny.  India has witnessed a large numbers of scams involving lacs and lacs of crores of rupees but how many have been penalized? Practically none! The need is to catch the real Ravanas and shoot them with burning arrows to wipe out the evil permanently. The need is to catch the kings of corruptions and not small foot soldiers to eradicate evil. The foot soldiers of corruption will be automatically refined once the big Ravanas are put behind the bars.

Awake India awake! Else, we can go on burning the effigies of pseudo Ravanas year after year and allow the real Ravanas to grow larger and larger. 

True Happiness through Enriching the Inner Life

PIC: realtimerecovery.net

In today’s material world, we are constantly chasing money and more money. We constantly desire to have more wealth, big houses, big cars and all modern amenities to enjoy the life.

We live two lives simultaneously. We live a split personality. One life may be bigger than the other or the other life may be bigger than one. What we are talking about the two lives are; one the inner life and the other life the outer life. Inner life is the inner happiness, joy of living, joy of relationship, joy of togetherness, joy of giving, caring and sharing. The outer life is our money, house, our cars, modern lifestyles and all other materialistic necessities for which we constantly run forgetting the inner life.

How many people in the world can be counted to have the real happiness? Apparently, most of them will show that they are very happy but from inside they may admit that they are missing something in their life. That’s why we find all sorts of crimes, suicides, injustice, inhumanity and quarrels within the societies and within the families. The real feeling of happiness, caring and sharing is missing. On the contrary, we find many people, with little means and moderate lifestyle are very happy with practically no great lust for money, power and position. Why it is so? It is because their inner life is much richer. They have a meaning and purpose to their lives. They have sensitive hearts and they care for other human beings too. They believe in the idea of sharing and caring. They believe in the idea of universal oneness and philosophy of “Vasudhev Kutumbakam (the world is a family)”. Their prayer is;

ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः। Om, Sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ

सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः। Sarve santu nirāmayāḥ

सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु। Sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu

मा कश्चित् दुःख भाग्भवेत्॥ Mā kashchit duḥkha bhāgbhavet

 Meaning in English

 May all be prosperous and happy

May all be free from illness

May all see what is spiritually uplifting

May no one suffer

The real happiness comes through leading a spiritual life with meaning and purpose. We all are creation of the God; you can give Him any name and we all are accountable to Him. We cannot be happy by killing other person or encroaching upon his rights. The other one is also the creation of the same God and therefore, he has equal right to live peacefully as we do. We cannot commit immoral acts and defend it and harm our own integrity and consciousness. By such acts, we can never achieve inner peace. This is the essence of all spirituality and in accordance of the laws of God.

Earning more wealth and possessing all modern amenities are not bad. The inner opulence of truthful life is also essential.  We need to create the balance between the inner life and outer life. The splitness, the divide between the two lives needs to be removed. Our life should be based upon the principles of “live and let live”. Our lives should be filled with integrity, honesty and values.

The need is to lead a spiritually pure life. The need is to enrich our inner life and enrich the society. True Happiness is possible through enriching the Inner Life only.

Devi Katyayani, the Mahisasuramardini

PIC: rampuri.com

The nine days of Navaratri Festivals in India are dedicated to nine divine forms of mother Durga, the Goddess of Shakti, and all the forms are called Navadurga. The sixth day of Navaratri, is dedicated to mother Durga’s form as Devi Katyayani. As per the Hindu traditions of Yoga and Tantra, she is associated with the sixth Chakra, the Agnya Chakra, located between the two eyebrows. This point is also called the third eye also. The favorite color of Devi is red.  To invoke her blessing, people pray to Devi Kayayani, chant Mantras and concentrate on the Agnya Chakra.

A sage, called Katyayan was blessed with a daughter who was named Katyayani and was attributed as gift of God for his long years of penance. The purpose of her birth was to help the sages & rishis to allow them to conduct their penance peacefully and uninterrupted as demons used to come and destroy their worships and rituals. The sage Katyayan brought up his daughter well to save the sages from demons. He first worshiped her and since then she was known as Devi Katyayani. As per Vaman Purana, Devi Katyayani was created to save the sages from demons. To help the sages, all the Gods requested Lord Vishnu. As a result, the Gods Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and other Gods emitted large flames from their eyes which formed effulgence like a mountain from which manifested Devi Katyayani. She was shining like thousand suns and had three eyes, dark black hairs and eighteen arms. She received all her arms from Gods. Lord Shiva gave her his trident, Vishnu gave her Sudarshan Chakra, Varuna gave her a conch shell (shankha), Agni gave a dart, Vayu (Wind God) gave her bow, Sun God gave her a quiver of arrows, Indra gave her a thunderbolt, Kubera gave her a mace, Brahma gave her a rosary and a water pot, Kaala (Time) gave her a shield and sword and Vishwakarma gave her an axe and other weapons. Armed with such mighty daivy-ashtras (divine arms), Devi Kayayani went to the hills in southern part of India. There she met many demons who after seeing her stunning beauty told about this to their King Mahisasura. On hearing about her beauty, he wanted to possess her. The king’s message was conveyed to Devi Kayayani. On learning this, she put a condition that she must be won by Mahisasura through a fight. Mahisasura consented and came to fight in the form of a buffalo. He fought with her with all his weapons. Devi Katyayani mounted on a lion, jumped upon him. Mahisasura fell on the ground and she cut off his head. Hence, the Devi Kayayani became the Mahisasuramardini (slayer of Mahisasura).

In India, there are many temples dedicated to Devi Katyayani. The main temples among them are; Shri Katyayani Temple, Bakor, Mahisagar district in Gujarat, Shri Kayayani Peeth Temple at Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, Shri Katyayani Baneshwar Temple in Aversa, Karnataka, Shri Katyayani Temple at Cherthala, Alappuzha, Kerala,  Shri Katyayani Temple, Kolhapur Maharashtra, Shri Katyayani Amman Temple at Tanjavur in Tamilnadu, Shri Katyayani Shaktipeeth Adhar Devi Temple, Mount Abu, Rajasthan, and Chhatarpur Temple in Delhi. People flock to these temples in large numbers to offer worship in these temples on the sixth day of Navaratri.

On this day, the devotees chant the following Mantra and meditate on it to offer salutations to Devi Katyayani. This helps us in removing evil from within.

चन्द्रहासोज्जवलकरा शाईलवरवाहना।

कात्यायनी शुभं दद्याद्देवी दानवघातिनी।।

The essence of the worship of Navadurga, the nine forms of Goddess Durga is to celebrate the victory of good over evil forces. Devi Katyayani worship grants peace, happiness and victory.

Navaratri Celebrations in India

PIC: indiaonlinepages.com

Navratri (nine nights) festival is one of the important Hindu festival in India and as the name suggests, the festivities lasts for nine days and nine nights. There are two main Navaratries, celebrated twice a year, the first around the months of March-April and second around September-October (Ashvin month of Hindu calendar). The celebrations of nine days and nine nights are entirely devoted to the mother Goddess. The September-October Navaratri is also called Sharad (autumn) Navaratri and is celebrated in the honor of divine mother, Durga. As per the ancient beliefs, Durga had battled with demon buffalo, Mahisasur to restore Dharma and emerges victorious. To commemorate the victory of Dharma over Adharma, the Navaratri and Durga Puja are celebrated since then. The festival also marks the victory of Lord Rama over the Lankan king Ravana who had kidnapped Rama’s wife Sita. Sita is restored back to Lord Rama after the war and they return to Ayodhya in the famous Pushpak Viman (Pushpak Aircraft) on the Diwali day. “Ram Leelas” are held during the nine days of the festival at various places where the stories from Ramayana are enacted.  The festival of Dussehra is celebrated on the auspicious Vijaya dashmi day (10^th day)  to mark the victory of Lord  Rama over Ravana.

During the period of nine days and nine nights, devotees take to fasts, eat strictly vegetarian food and perform bhajans, kirtans (prayers) and pujas, worships. During pujas, the devotees offer fruits and flowers to the mother Goddess. The celebrations include installation of large idols of mother Goddess, Durga at public places uner huge well decorated pandals. The pandals are regularly visited by devotees to offer puja to the mother. Various cultural and competitive programs are held for the nine days in these pandals. On Vijaya Dashmi, the idol is immersed in river water or water tanks. In the evening on the Dussehra day, the huge effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnath are burnt with fireworks symbolizing the destruction of evil.  The festival of lights, Diwali or deepavali is celebrated after twenty days of the Dussehra which mark the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after the war in Lanka and completion of his exile of fourteen years.

In some parts of India like Gujarat and Maharashtra states, Dandiya and Garba dances are performed on the evening of the nine days festivities. Men and women, young and old, all come together and play the Dandiya and Garba dances.

PIC: post.jagran.com

The nine days are dedicated to nine divine forms of mother Durga which are believed to be as below;

Day 1: Sailputri - is believed to be the collective power of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Yellow is the favorite color of the day.

Day 2: Brahmacharini-one who practice austerity, an embodiment of blissfulness and joy. Green is the favorite color of the day.

Day 3: Chandraghanta-represent beauty and grace, embodiment of peace, tranquility and prosperity. Grey is the favorite color of the day.

Day 4: Kushmunda- believed to be creator of the universe. Orange is the favorite color of the day.

Day 5: Skand Mata- the mother of Skanda, the commander-in-chief of Gods who fought war against demons. White is the favorite color of the day.

Day 6: Katyayani- was born as daughter of sage Kata, an avatar of Durga. Red is the favorite color of the day.

Day 7: Kalratri- bears dark color like Kali Mata, the fiercest Goddess. Blue is the favorite color of the day.

Day 8: Maha Gauri-an embodiment of peace and calmness. Pink is the favorite color of the day.

Day 9: Siddhidatri- one who blesses power and perfection. Violet is the favorite color of the day.

The Shiva Triology viewed from Human Eyes

Just finished sometime back reading the three novels of Shiva Trilogy; i) the Immortals Of Meluha, ii) The Secrets of Nagas and iii) The Oath Of Vayuputras by Amish Tripathi, though it took  more than six months to complete the reading. This is my first attempt to write a book review. Hope I have succeeded.

PIC: bookflow.in
The Shiva Trilogy 

In the Trilogy, the mythological story of Hindu God Shiva, the Neelkantha is beautifully humanized and intertwined as if he walked on this planet earth in the annals of history from Mansarovar Lake in Himalayas through the wide canvas of  India, starting from an  empire of Meluha created by Lord Rama, to Aydhya, and then to the land of Nagas in east, the Branga in search of evil, passing  the journey through Pachavati, the Naga capital on the bank of river Godavari in the west and further far west to the land of Pariha to obtain daiviashtra (divine weapons) to fight the evil of Somras, the elixir of life manufacturing facilities at Meluhan capital, Devagiri under the kingdom of King Daksha, causing the poisoning the river Brahmaputra and leading the river Saraswati to die. Shiva meets many obstacles and faces numerous hostilities in the journey but walks away victorious always as a righteous fighter.  The Shiva meets Sati in Meluha, the daughter of King Daksha, marries her, the son Kartik is borne and later at Branga realizes that Sati's first child Ganesh is still alive with her twin sister, Kali, the Naga queen. They all join Shiva as the great warriors to fight and destroy the evil of Somras.

Amish through his novels leads to the philosophy of balancing the good and evil as both being the two sides of the same coin and both serving a purpose at particular points in the wheel of time. The good believes that there is a time when the evil is to be just taken out of the equation, not to be destroyed completely as the same will serve a purpose of good at another time. While Shiva returns with the daiviashtras-pashupatiashtras from Pariha, he finds that the war has ended at Meluha and his beloved wife Sati has been killed through a cruel conspiracy enacted by none other than her own father, king Daksha to assassinate Shiva.  Learning this, Shiva is so infuriated that the capital of Meluha is totally destroyed by him using the pashupatiastras, though forbidden by Vayupuras at Pariha and wiping out the somras manufacturing facilities completely, but saving the lives of scientists associated with the objective of larger good that the somras might be required at another point of time. The evil is just taken out of the equation by Shiva.

The Shiva Triology viewed from the Human Eyes of novelist Amish Tripathi,  concludes with an old man, wrinkled Shiva, sitting at Mansarovar Lake, Himalayas some thirty years later. The human legend thereafter regarded as God, for his righteous acts and as destroyer of evil and the savior of good.

Har Har Mahadev; each one of us is Mahadev, the Shiva!

I AM THE BEGINNING, MIDDLE, AND END OF ALL BEINGS

Shri Krishna and Arjuna
PIC: sweetcouch.com

The Shrimadbhagwad Gita discourse between Arjuna and Shri Krishna is metaphorically considered as a divine dialogue between the seeker, the soul (Atma), and the supreme soul (Parmatma), the spirit. As the reader passes through page by page and chapter by chapter in his study of Bhagwad Gita, by the start of chapter 10, he finds that Arjuna realizes his friend and charioteer in the war of Kurukshetra, Shri Krishna is no ordinary person but the Lord of Lords, the Creator of all creations. By the start of chapter 10 of the Gita, the divine dialogue between the two characters reaches its full magnificence and the pinnacle when Arjuna accepts Krishna as the Supreme Lord and the Creator. In spite of this, Arjuna is not able to apprehend the full opulence of the Lord and request Lord Krishna through Gita verses 12 to 18, to tell him from His own lips about the phenomenal expressions and innumerable aspects & forms of the Lord. The Lord Krishna obliges his disciple, Arjuna and commits to satisfy the hunger of His true devotee through verse 19 through 42. On Arjuna’s plea, he is further lead in chapter 11 of the Gita by the Lord to manifest Himself in His glorious Vishwa Roopa, the divine form as the limitless embodiment of all universal phenomena and the universe itself.

The learnt sages may take entire life time and more to realize the Lord of Lords. By the grace of the Lord Himself, Arjuna realizes and perceives the Lord directly from none other than the lips of Krishna. The devotee like Arjuna only deserves this. However, to uplift the mankind the Lord Krishna promises everyone that they can also realize Him through the path shown by Him through the divine dialogue of Shrimadbhagwad Gita.

The soul awakening divine dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna through Gita verses 12 through 42 are given below:

अर्जुन उवाच:

परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान् |

पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं विभुम् || 12||

आहुस्त्वामृषय: सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा |

असितो देवलो व्यास: स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे || 13||

Arjuna says:

Arjuna said: O Divine Purusha, You are the Brahma, the Supreme Personality, the Supreme Abode, the Supreme Purifier, the Supreme Sustainer, the Eternal God of Gods, the Primal Being, the Divine, the Unborn, and the Greatest. The great sages, like Narad, Asit, Deval, and Vyas, proclaimed this, and now you are declaring it to me yourself.

सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव |

न हि ते भगवन्व्यक्तिं विदुर्देवा न दानवा: || 14||

O Krishna, I totally accept everything you have told me as the eternal truth. O Lord, neither gods nor the demons can understand your true appearances and personality.

स्वयमेवात्मनात्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम |

भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते || 15||

Indeed, you alone know yourself by your inconceivable energy, O Supreme Personality, the Creator, the Sustainer and Lord of all beings, the God of gods, and the Lord of the universe!

वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतय: |

याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि || 16||

Therefore, please tell me exhaustively your divine opulences, by which you pervade and sustain all the worlds and reside in them.

कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन् |

केषु केषु च भावेषु चिन्त्योऽसि भगवन्मया || 17||

O Great Yogi, how may I know you truly and think of you. And while meditating, in what forms can I think of you and conceive Your Supreme Divine Personality?

विस्तरेणात्मनो योगं विभूतिं च जनार्दन |

भूय: कथय तृप्तिर्हि शृण्वतो नास्ति मेऽमृतम् || 18||

Tell me again exhaustively your yoga powers, divine glories and manifestations, O Janardan. I can never tire of hearing your nectar.

श्रीभगवानुवाच;

हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतय: |

प्राधान्यत: कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे ||19||

Bhagwan Krishna Says:

Very well, O best of the Kurus,  I shall indeed describe my phenomenal expression and divine glories to you, , for there is no end to their detail.

अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थित: |

अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च || 20||

O Arjun, I am seated in the heart of all living entities. I am the beginning, middle, and end of all beings.

आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् |

मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी || 21||

Amongst the Adityas (the twelve effulgent beings of Aditi), I am Vishnu; amongst luminous objects I am the radiating sun. Among the Maruts (forty nine wind Gods), I am Marichi and I am the Moon amongst the heavenly bodies, the stars.

वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासव: |

इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना || 22||

Among the Vedas, I am the Sama Veda, and among the celestial Gods, I am Indra. Amongst the senses I am the mind (manas); amongst the living beings I am Consciousness.

रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम् |

वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरु: शिखरिणामहम् || 23||

Amongst the Rudras, I am the Shankara; amongst the demons I am Kuber. I am Agni amongst the Vasus and Meru amongst the mountains.

पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम् |

सेनानीनामहं स्कन्द: सरसामस्मि सागर: || 24||

And O son of Pritha, Arjuna, amongst priests I am Brihaspati; amongst warrior chiefs I am Kartikeya; and amongst reservoirs of water I am the ocean.

महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम् |

यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालय: || 25||

I am Bhrigu amongst the great seers; the transcendental syllable Om amongst words (sounds). Amongst japa-yajna, chants I am the repetition of the Holy Name; amongst stationary objects, I am the Himalayas.

अश्वत्थ: सर्ववृक्षाणां देवर्षीणां च नारद: |

गन्धर्वाणां चित्ररथ: सिद्धानां कपिलो मुनि: || 26||

Amongst all trees I am the banyan tree; of the celestial sages I am Narada. Amongst the Gandharvas, I am Chitraratha, and amongst the siddhas I am the sage Kapil.

उच्चै:श्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम् |

ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम् || 27||

Amongst stallions, know me to be the nectar born Ucchaihshrava. I am Airavata, Indra’s white elephant amongst all lordly elephants, and the emperor amongst humans.

आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक् |

प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्प: सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकि: || 28||

I am the Vajra (thunderbolt) amongst weapons and Kamadhenu amongst the cows. I am Kamdhuk, the Kamdeva, the god of love, amongst all causes for procreation and Vasuki amongst serpents.

अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् |

पितृणामर्यमा चास्मि यम: संयमतामहम् || 29||

I am Ananta amongst the snakes; amongst aquatics I am Varun. Amongst the Pitris, the departed ancestors I am Aryama; amongst all controllers, I am Yamraj, the lord of death.

प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां काल: कलयतामहम् |

मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम् || 30||

I am Prahlad amongst the demons; amongst all the measures, I am time. Know me to be the lion amongst animals, and Garuda (Vehicle of Vishnu) amongst the birds.

पवन: पवतामस्मि राम: शस्त्रभृतामहम् |

झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी || 31||

Amongst purifiers I am the wind, and amongst wielders of weapons I am Lord Ram. Amonst water creatures I am the crocodile, and of flowing rivers I am Jahnavi, the River Ganges.

सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन |

अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वाद: प्रवदतामहम् || 32||

O Arjun, of all manifestations, I am the beginning, middle, and end. Amongst sciences I am all branches of knowledge I am wisdom of the self, the spirituality, and in debates I am discriminative logic.

अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्व: सामासिकस्य च |

अहमेवाक्षय: कालो धाताहं विश्वतोमुख: || 33||

I am the beginning “A” amongst all letters; I am the dvandva, connective element, dual word in grammatical compounds. I am the Immutable Time, and amongst creators I am Brahma.

मृत्यु: सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम् |

कीर्ति: श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृति: क्षमा || 34||

I am the all-dissolving Death, and I am the origin of those things that are yet to be. Amongst feminine qualities I am fame, prosperity, fine speech, memory, intelligence, courage, and forgiveness.

बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् |

मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकर: || 35||

Amongst the hymns in the Sama Veda I am the Brihatsama; amongst poetic meters I am the Gayatri. Of the twelve months of the months am Margsheersh (the Hindu month), and of seasons I am spring, which brings forth flowers.

द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् |

जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्वं सत्ववतामहम् || 36||

I am the gambling of the practice of frauds and the radiance of the radient. I am the victory of the victorious, the resolve of the resolute, and the satva, the virtue of the virtuous.

वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनञ्जय: |

मुनीनामप्यहं व्यास: कवीनामुशना कवि: || 37||

Amongst the descendants of Vrishni, I am Krishna, and amongst the Pandavas I am Dhanajaya, Arjuna. Know me to be Ved Vyas amongst the sages, and Shukracharya amongst the great thinkers.

दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् |

मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् || 38||

I am the rod of discipline amongst means of preventing lawlessness, and proper conduct amongst those who seek victory. Amongst secrets I am silence, and in the wise I am their wisdom.

यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन |

न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम् || 39||

I am the generating seed of all living beings, O Arjuna. No creature moving or non-moving can exist without me.

नान्तोऽस्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतीनां परन्तप |

एष तूद्देशत: प्रोक्तो विभूतेर्विस्तरो मया || 40||

O Arjuna, the conqueror of enemies, there is no end to my divine manifestations. What I have declared to you is a mere intimation of my glorious powers.

यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा |

तत्देवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंऽशसम्भवम् || 41||

Whatever you see as beautiful, glorious, or powerful, know it to spring from but a spark of my splendor.

अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन |

विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत् || 42||

What need is there for all this detailed knowledge, O Arjuna? Simply know that by one fraction of my being, I pervade and support this entire creation.

In next article on Shrimadbhagwad Gita, we will see the Vishroopa of Lord Krishna.

Om Shanti…..

Om Shanti…..

On Shanti……

The readers may also read my earlier blog:

http://www.indianspiritualityandpolitics.com/2017/04/open-source-code-of-hinduism.html?m=1