Guest guest Posted May 3, 2002 Report Share Posted May 3, 2002 As promised, here is a little more on Dhumavati: "Dhumavati is the eldest among the Goddesses, the Grandmother Spirit. She stands behind the other Goddesses as their ancestral guide. As the Grandmother Spirit she is the great teacher who bestows the ultimate lessons of birth and death. She is the knowledge that comes through hard experience, in which our immature and youthful desires are put to rest. "Dhuma means 'smoke.' Dhumavati is 'one who is composed of smoke.' Her nature is not illumination but obscuration. However, to obscure one thing is to reveal another. By obscuring or covering all that is known, Dhumavati reveals the depth of the unknown and the unmanifest. Dhumavati obscures what is evident in order to reveal the hidden and the profound. "Dhumavati is portrayed as a widow. She is the feminine principle devoid of the masculine principle. She is Shakti without Shiva as a pure potential energy without any will to motivate it. Thus she contains within herself all potentials and shows the latent energies that dwell within us. To develop these latent energies we mut first recognize them. This requires honoring Dhumavati. "Dhumavati shows the feminine principle of negation in all of its aspects. On an outer level she represents poverty, destitution, and suffering, the great misfortunes that we all fear in life. Hence she is said to be crooked, troublesome and quarrelsome -- a witch or a hag. Yet on an inner level this same negativity causes us to seek a greater fulfillment than can be achieved in the limited realms of the manifest creation. After all, only frustration in our outer life causes us to seek the inner reality. Dhumavati is whatever obstructs us in life, but what obstructs us in one area can release a new potential to grow in a different direction. Thus she is the good fortune that comes to us in the form of misfortune." Excerpted from Frawley, David. "Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses." (Passage Press, 1994). Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri) is an initiated disciple of K. Natson, a Shakta guru in the line of Sri Ramana Maharshi and Ganapati Muni. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 6, 2002 Report Share Posted May 6, 2002 - dear devi_bhakta, i really loved this description of Dhoomavati -- too often, we only describe the physical aspects of a GOddess - for example, in the case of Dhommavati, it is said She is old, her nose is like a crow, she is seen wearing tattered clthes ... she is a symbol of poverty etc... this form of description is looking at the form n of a Goddess with the eyes of 'maya' but all the mahavidyas have a 'metaphysical ' ( a word you used so aptly )aspect apart from the physical... therein lies the 'truth' go beyond the physical to see the 'ultimate' reality hiding beneath that outwrd appearance- 'the chit shakti' or 'consciousness' .... Grandmother spirit- what a fascinating description or epithet! yes, EXPERIENCE IS A GREAT TEACHER and KNOWLEDGE COUPLED WITH EXPERIENCE IS A FORMIDABLE COMBINATION. YES, TRUE - it sems like she is 'obstructing' somethin with smoke emanating from her appearanc- dhuma- clouds of smoke- but what is obvious is being revealed. in her poverty lies her affluence. yes, in material terms - she is poor -devoid of ornaments and other paraphernalia- but in spiritual terms, she is the very essence of all essencesw. dhoomavati makes us take a hard look at our inner being stripped of all outer coverings - go beyond the limited realms of outward appearnces and seek fulfillment inside - generally, it is frustration and despair that leads one to seek solace and comfort in seeking that aspect of divinity that lies hidden in all of us. So, this goddess of poverty (as she is clled) is indeed full of wealth- the wealth of contentment and bliss that comes from knowing you are the self!! i am waiting for our dear kalika putri to post dhoomavati sadhana - that should be interesting!! love Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 6, 2002 Report Share Posted May 6, 2002 Thanks Adi: I'm glad you liked the "Grandmother Spirit" approach to the much-maligned Goddess Dhumavati. You will find much that is similarly original and eye-opening in Frawley's English rendering of these teachings of Ganapati Muni. I, too, hope that Kalikaputri decides to post on Dhumavati Sadhana -- although I understand her concern about whether such information should be publicized. My feeling is, "Why not?" Those who feel it is secret will also say that it is powerless unless presribed by and practiced under the guidance of a guru realized in the path. Those who feel that such restrictions are hangovers from an oral culture may find some edification in it. Those who fall is between these two end of the spectrum won't be offended one way or the other. My 2 paise! Aum Maatangyai Namahe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 6, 2002 Report Share Posted May 6, 2002 I agree with you fully. The age of "Secret Sadhana" except in dangerous practices where personal guidence is called for is over/ --- devi_bhakta <devi_bhakta wrote: Thanks Adi: I'm glad you liked the "Grandmother Spirit" approach to the much-maligned Goddess Dhumavati. You will find much that is similarly original and eye-opening in Frawley's English rendering of these teachings of Ganapati Muni. I, too, hope that Kalikaputri decides to post on Dhumavati Sadhana -- although I understand her concern about whether such information should be publicized. My feeling is, "Why not?" Those who feel it is secret will also say that it is powerless unless presribed by and practiced under the guidance of a guru realized in the path. Those who feel that such restrictions are hangovers from an oral culture may find some edification in it. Those who fall is between these two end of the spectrum won't be offended one way or the other. My 2 paise! Aum Maatangyai Namahe Health - your guide to health and wellness http://health. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 7, 2002 Report Share Posted May 7, 2002 No mantra is powerless. what is the upadesha? It is a knowledgable person imparting the info of what how why and when to a seeker. It is written nowhere that it has to be by word of mouth, though that may be advisable considering the intercasies in pronunciation of mantras. The knowledgable person should impart all he has learnt. That is all. In the present day of written media and internet, according to me one can find knowledgable persons anywhere. The word of mouth was used when these media were not available. Only thing is be careful not to fall prey to false teachers and exploiters. That danger is there even in real life. The student has to be discerning as to from whom he accepts knowledge that is all. Actually internet provides a forum for really free teaching without risks of exploitation. --- devi_bhakta <devi_bhakta wrote: Thanks Adi: I'm glad you liked the "Grandmother Spirit" approach to the much-maligned Goddess Dhumavati. You will find much that is similarly original and eye-opening in Frawley's English rendering of these teachings of Ganapati Muni. I, too, hope that Kalikaputri decides to post on Dhumavati Sadhana -- although I understand her concern about whether such information should be publicized. My feeling is, "Why not?" Those who feel it is secret will also say that it is powerless unless presribed by and practiced under the guidance of a guru realized in the path. Those who feel that such restrictions are hangovers from an oral culture may find some edification in it. Those who fall is between these two end of the spectrum won't be offended one way or the other. My 2 paise! Aum Maatangyai Namahe Health - your guide to health and wellness http://health. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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