The Reason Behind Samudra Manthan From Vishnu Purana
July 5, 2009
Samudra Manthan or Sagar Manthan means the churning of the great cosmic ocean. Many of us know about the great riches that came out from the ocean but what we don’t know is the real reason why this event took place.
Every epic is written to teach us lessons and these lessons should not be taken lightly as a story but must be imbibed in our soul because these have been laid down by Lord Vishnu Himself.
This legend is stated in the Vishnu Purana and we are attempting to explain this to the best of our knowledge and spiritual capacity. We will take our readers a little back before the Samudra Manthan was called for. It is vital to know why this particular event took place. The image on his post is depiction of Samudra Manthan at the international airport Suvarn Bhoomi In Thailand.
The great learned sage Shukracharya secretly desired to become the Guru (Teacher) of the Gods. But no one ever considered him or gave him a chance. All of them expressed that Brihaspati (Jupiter) should be their Guru. This hurt Shukracharya’s pride and decided to become the guru of the Asuras or demons.
There was a constant battle between the Gods and Asuras because the latter were power hungry. They wanted to control the Bhu- Mandal or cosmic planet and in turn all the living beings in it. They were dark, evil and followed the path of Adharma (Dharma is the path of righteousness)
Lord Vishnu has taken ten incarnations to stop Adharma from taking place. Each of those Vishnu Avatars has immense significance and teachings hidden in them. Anyway, back to this legend.
Shukhracharya desperately wanted to prove his superior knowledge and as a Guru, he always made sure he did everything for benefit of his demon disciplines. He wanted the Sanjeevani Mantra from Lord Shiva. This mantra when recited could bring a dead person, back to life again. Lord Indra, the king of the Gods too wanted this. Lord Shiva laid down the terms that whoever wanted this Mantra had to perform severe penance and austerity and only then did he deserve such a powerful mantra.
The austerity was to hang upside down from a tree’s branches and stay away from food and water. He was only allowed to inhale the smoke of burnt leaves and stay in this position for one year. He cannot talk during this austerity.
Lord Indra wasn’t even planning to attempt this feat. Instead he planned to make sure that Shukhracharya wouldn’t succeed as well. But Shukhracharya was steadfast in his decision. He followed all the conditions laid down by Lord Shiva and started his penance. Lord Indra had his trusted people around keeping an eye on the great sage’s progress.
When the penance was in its final stages, Lord Indra couldn’t believe in power of tolerance, breathing in only the burnt leaves, hanging upside down without food and water for a year. So in his last attempt to ruin this, Lord Indra sent his daughter. She disguised herself as a Brahmin woman and passed the courtyard-filled with demon guards. The moment she got closer to the fire where dried leave were being burnt, she threw dried chillies into it.
The fumes of hot, red chillies caused Shukracharya’s eyes to bleed. Seeing this, the demon guards realized what had happened and dragged the disguished woman out. She too realized what a grave sin she had committed but it was too late. Meanwhile, Lord Shiva seated in his abode Mount Kailash in the Himalayas, sensed the tortureous pain of his devotee Shukhracharya and instantly appeared on the scene. He wiped away all the pain and sufferings and gave Shukracharya the Sanjeevani Mantra and condemned the devious act of Lord Indra.
With the power of this mantra, the demons became invincible. Any demon that died could be brought to life instantly. Battles raged between the gods and demons and with Shukracharya on their side, they were achieving great success. Lord Indra was greatly ashamed that he failed in this task and approached Lord Vishnu to give him a solution.
Lord Vishnu explained to Lord Indra that there was a way that this could be tackled but he would have to befriend the demons and their Guru. He continued to clarify that he would have to go to Shukracharya and say that he indeed had the power to bring back anyone from death’s clunches but if something were happen to him, who would be there to bring him back to life? Only he alone had the Siddhi from Lord Shiva to acquire the special Mantra. This would definitely astonish Shukracharya. The solution to this would be obtaining the Amrit (nectar of immortality) from the bottom of the ocean.
Thus the situation arose where the great churning of the ocean had to take place and Lord Vishnu took the second incarnation of the tortoise Kurma avatar.
The video on this page is Vishnu Sahasranamam (The thousand names of Lord Vishnu) and the images displayed are truly divine.
©Nayna, 2007-2009. All Rights Reserved.
Dev Shayani Ekadashi And Chaturmas
July 1, 2009
The words Dev Shayani denotes Dev as Lord Vishnu or Lord Narayan and Shayani denotes resting or sleeping. This auspicious Ekadashi day takes place in the month of Ashad/Ashadha (June-July) and also known as Ashadi Ekadashi or Padma Ekadashi.(This image is taken from a temple in Pokhara, Nepal)
Lord Vishnu commences His resting period from this day on Sheshnag, the thousand-headed serpant who afloats on the Ksheersagar, the cosmic ocean of milk. He prefers to rest on Sheshnag and not at His abode Vaikunta Lok.
In the Vedas, the water is known as Nara and the Supreme Personality of Godhead rests on it and so His another name is Narayan/ Narayana.
The Lord sleeps for the period of four months and awakens on Prabodini Ekadashi, Haribodhini, Devotthaani or Utthana Ekadashi in the month of Kartik (October-November). In these months, it said that one should refrain from performing any sacrificial pyres or Havan – Yajgna / Yagya and auspicious ceremonies because Lord Vishnu and all the demi-gods Devas are resting at this time. So they cannot be invited to partake in the celebrations. During this time, the Sun too changes its course and moves in the southern direction-Dakshinayanam. These four months of rest in the Hindu calendar are Shravan, Bhadrapad, Ashwin and Kartik.
Dev Shayani Ekadashi marks the beginning of Chaturmas/ Chaturmaas/ Chaturmasya / Chaturmasa. Chatur means four and Mas/ Maas/ Masya is known as months. There is a lot of significance of these four months.
Generations ago the learned sages, (Rishi and Muni) usually traveled to teach and create awareness among the people on Dharma and religious scriptures. They tried to simplify the teachings of the Vedas and Puranas so that their essence can be translated and imbibed by the downtrodden, common man. But on the commencement of Chaturmas, they stayed in one place.
They build small huts and gave their discources to those who came to their makeshift residence. The reason behind this is Chaturmas is the time when it is time for monsoon. The rain water rejuvenates nature. The insect world breeds in abundance. If the sages walk, they will unknowingly trample all the living creations and kill them. To avoid this sin, they remain in one venue for the entire rainy season.
People perform a lot of religious acts, penance and fasts (Vrata) during Chaturmas. Some people avoid eating leafy vegetables as there are insects and worms residing in them. They will not only kill them while cooking but also consume them, in turn polluting their own body and mind.
There are others who give up eating onions and garlic during this period as well, as they tend to stimulate the senses. Some eat one meal a day while others go on complete fast. Some give up meat eating and many other vices during this time. Thus various activities are done to please Lord Vishnu to free them from sins and grant them their materialistic wishes.
Dev Shayani Ekadashi or Ashadi Ekadashi marks the auspicious Pandharpur yatra or pilgrimage. This the day pilgrims see Lord Vithal in full glory.
©Nayna, 2007-2009. All Rights Reserved.
Religious Practises Observed During Lunar And Solar Eclipse
July 1, 2009
Solar and lunar eclipses have become a fun-loving adventure for most people. They throng rooftops to get a glimpse of the eclipse, trying out different colored lens, telescope to experience the changes in the sun or the moon. These are the characteristics of those people who are unaware of the religious practices and rituals that have been followed by their ancestors. Many find such practises old-fashioned and outdated, but there are reasons why they had been performed. However, there are some of us who try to carry on the tradition and believe that there are reasons for them. Although we do not have all the answers and justifications but it is not all blind faith or so called superstition.
During any eclipse whether lunar or solar, impure gases are circulated in the environment. We have no choice but to ingest it. It is therefore advised to remain indoors and avoid looking directly at the eclipse. It is said to affect the eyes and the mindset of the people. These gases also get absorbed in the food. The cooked food should be eaten before eclipse. People should avoid eating and drinking during the eclipse phase. Drinking water can be kept pure by adding Tulasi/Tulsi (Basil leaves). This keeps the water pure. One should also refrain from sleeping during this period. These tips should be strictly observed by pregnant women.
The eclipse Vrata or fast should be observed if any part of the eclipse is visible from the country that one resides in. Food should be ingested and digested before the commencement of the eclipse. So one should know the timings of the eclipse and eat their meals three hours in advance. Gautama in Parashar Madhava explains “All except the young, the old and the ill should stop eating four Prahars (12 hours) before a solar eclipse commences and three Prahars (9 hours) before a lunar eclipse commences. The young, the old and the ill should stop eating one Prahar (3 hours) before an eclipse.”
Food should be consumed only after seeing the sun or the moon free from the eclipse. When the clear sun or the moon is not seen before sunset or sunrise, in the case of the solar and lunar eclipse respectively, food can be taken only after the sun or the moon is seen the following day.
During solar and lunar eclipse people should engage in the devotional service of the Lord. They can meditate, chant His holy names, listen to devotional songs and stutis, do their japa and focus their mind at His lotus feet. The spiritual benefits derived during eclipse is said to be extremely rewarding. Performing one round of japa on the mala is equivalent to hundred rounds on a normal day.
After the eclipse clears, one needs to take a bath with the clothes that they have been wearing. After bathing, they should prepare food and offer it to their diety at home and then eat the Prasad. Many people give alms to the poor and the needy to derive some punya or benefits.
Lunar and solar eclipses are not everyday occurances. They happen over a period of time and it is wise that certain precautions and rituals should be performed. They are meant for a reason even if our so called forward thinking forces us to seek logic and reasoning into them. They should be done thinking that it is for our own good and it is much needed if we want to continue our journey on the spiritual path.
©Nayna, 2007-2009. All Rights Reserved.
