"The Shakti Principle" by Deepak Chopra

[Guest guest]

I recently found this essay by the New Age guru/motivational speaker

Deepak Chopra and thought I'd share it, for what it's worth. I'd like

to point out that this is NOT a reliable exposition of Shakta

thealogy (he rather defensively distances himself in the very first

sentence), but there is much of value in the piece and its overall

feel might be useful for some members:

 

"Is God A Woman?"

 

*** Shakti literally means power but a different kind of power—the

power of beauty, intuition, nurturing, and tenderness. ***

 

No God is not a woman, but God's feminine face has been ignored for

too long. The masculine energies have dominated our culture for

centuries and because of that we have become a predatory species. We

are the only animal that kills our own kind most frequently in the

name of God. The feminine forces of the universe are desperately

needed if we have to evolve into our next stage of development. God,

being infinite intelligence, cannot be squeezed into the volume of a

body or the span of a lifetime. Nor can God be conceived of in human

form. Nevertheless, God can be symbolised in masculine and feminine

forms.

 

The masculine form needs to be put to bed for a while. It is no

accident that our weapons of destruction, missiles and warheads, all

look like penises. In Hebrew, the feminine energy of God is called

shekhina. In Sanskrit she is shakti. Shakti literally means power but

a different kind of power—the power of beauty, intuition, nurturing,

and tenderness.

 

Shakti is the visible creation; she is like the mother tending to her

child, aware of every movement, however minute, in the manifest

universe. In our sexual love, we re-enact the union of the two

forces, masculine and feminine, and whenever we feel loved, we are

actually feeling the attention of the cosmic mother, consort,

seductress and lover.

 

Shakti is portrayed in all these forms and countless more. The tender

cosmic mother is Shakti, but so is the fanged destroyer Kali with her

garland of skulls. Many of Shakti's forms are sexual—it is Shiva's

passion for Shakti that inspires her to perform her cosmic dance of

creation to delight him. The whole universe is thus a gesture of

erotic love and every dancing molecule is moving in longing for an

unseen lover. Rumi echoes this notion when he says:

 

There is someone who looks after us

>From behind the curtain.

In truth, we are not here.

This is our shadow.

 

The divine love of Shiva and Shakti is the only thing that is real;

all else is appearance — costume of the dancer rather than the dancer

herself.

 

But what is Shakti outside mythology? Shakti has no simple equivalent

in English — she includes the infinite energy of the physical

universe as well as the spiritual energy our modern physics does not

yet recognise. Galaxies spin through space propelled by Shakti, but

she also carries silent prayers to God's ear. Shakti flows through

creation as the evolutionary impulse that keeps order from flying

apart into chaos, but her existence is so intimate that no instrument

yet devised can detect it.

 

When the Bible speaks of "the light" emanating from God to create the

world, Shakti is being described, though stripped of her gender. But

Shakti didn't appear only at the moment of inception. Creation

continues as long as the universe exists; it is the spirit's unending

expression of love for life.

 

Shakti is cosmic passion and whenever you feel passion for anything

you are expressing Shakti through yourself.

 

Although most of us consider ourselves fortunate if we can still feel

passion about anything as we grow older, feeling passion for your

work or politics or even sex is not the same as having a passion for

life. It is not just that life is bigger than work, politics or sex.

Shakti is life itself; it is present in every rhythmic pulse of

existence. A passion for life implies that you are passion; it is in

your very being. Therefore, the most natural way to be is passionate;

the slow ebbing of passion is unnatural.

 

If you mourn the fading of passion, realise that nothing endures on

the surface of life, where change is the only constant. Things come

and go, people come and go, and although they once stoked the fires

of enthusiasm, eventually the temperature cools. This is particularly

true of sexual desire.Erotic attention is not a permanent state of

affairs but an opening that allows us temporarily to step outside our

ego boundaries and enter into the love affair of Shiva and Shakti.

What this means is that sexuality is an opportunity to be in unity,

outside the limitations of the ego-dominated self. The opportunity

must be taken when offered or else your Shakti — the energy released

in sex — will be wasted.

 

In spiritual terms, Shakti flows in any situation, not just sex, that

arouses interest, excitement and attraction. The greatest waste is to

expend passion on needs and drives that are selfish and without

spirit. Among these wastes would be material accumulation, greed,

love of money and power for its own sake, loveless sexual activity

and obsession. Shakti is the raw ore of life, waiting to be refined

and shaped. Insights about passion, therefore, all have to do with

sustaining Shakti in yourself and transmuting it in your relationship

to love and union:

 

Passion is the energy that love creates with no object other than

itself.

 

The energy born of love is creative—it makes everything it touches

new. To see how passionate you are, look around at what you have

created.

 

The source of passion is within yourself. When passion wanes, it must

be rekindled at its source.

 

Source: http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?

fodname=20021028&fname=eGod+woman+%28F%29&sid=1

[Guest guest]

Namashkar !

 

Thank you so much for posting this wonderful exposition on the Shakti

Principle.

 

The timing of msg number 6164 is perfect.

 

in message number 6163, we have this beautiful and profound

description of divine mother Sree Kali Maa in these glowing terms...

 

951] Raktakarsanakarini : She Who is the Cause of the Attraction of

Passion.

 

952] Raktotsaha : She Who is the Enthusiasm of Passion.

953] Raktadhya : She Who Rides Upon Passion.

954] Raktapanaparayana : She Who Drinks With Passion

 

then in message number 6164, Deepak Chopra actually explains how the

divine mother is a mixture of Love and passion- for passion without

love is blind and love without passion is limp and lifeless. (lame)

 

Deepak says rather eloquently,

 

" Shakti is the visible creation; she is like the mother tending to

her child, aware of every movement, however minute, in the manifest

universe. In our sexual love, we re-enact the union of the two

forces, masculine and feminine, and whenever we feel loved, we are

actually feeling the attention of the cosmic mother, consort,

seductress and lover."

 

Deepak is fond of quoting Rumi just as he is fond of quoting Walt

Whitman, Emily Dickenson.

 

In all of Rumi's poems, the divine is described as the 'feminine',

the beloved. Rumi says when you approach the Divine or seek the

divine, you must approach the divine in a mood of passion.

 

Read this ...

 

 

Passion makes the old medicine new:

 

Passion lops off the bough of weariness.

 

Passion is the elixir that renews:

 

how can there be weariness

 

when passion is present?

 

Oh, don't sigh heavily from fatigue:

 

seek passion, seek passion, seek passion!

 

Rumi

 

Deepak says...

 

Passion is the energy that love creates with no object other than

itself.

 

This love mixed with passion is what Gopis experience in their

eternal relationship with Lord Krishna - which is in the

transcendental realm.

 

jai Kali Maa!

[Guest guest]

Wonderful observation Vilasini!

May I just add one thing-

Passion is something which you can also feel for an ideal or an activity, e.g.

painting is my passion, and I feel energized and filled with Love and feel

Mother's presence when I paint. It is a similar feeling to 'sexual' love, but

different, since there are not 'two' persons involved. In both cases, one

'loses' one's 'separate' identity and merges with the Energy created.

 

I am sure it must be the same for any activity approached with passion, like

music, poetry, or even a working for a charitable cause.

 

May the Love and Light of Devi be with all of us!

Namaste

Rekha

 

 

vilasini43 <vilasini43 wrote:

Namashkar !

 

Thank you so much for posting this wonderful exposition on the Shakti

Principle.

 

The timing of msg number 6164 is perfect.

 

in message number 6163, we have this beautiful and profound

description of divine mother Sree Kali Maa in these glowing terms...

 

951] Raktakarsanakarini : She Who is the Cause of the Attraction of

Passion.

 

952] Raktotsaha : She Who is the Enthusiasm of Passion.

953] Raktadhya : She Who Rides Upon Passion.

954] Raktapanaparayana : She Who Drinks With Passion

 

then in message number 6164, Deepak Chopra actually explains how the

divine mother is a mixture of Love and passion- for passion without

love is blind and love without passion is limp and lifeless. (lame)

 

Deepak says rather eloquently,

 

" Shakti is the visible creation; she is like the mother tending to

her child, aware of every movement, however minute, in the manifest

universe. In our sexual love, we re-enact the union of the two

forces, masculine and feminine, and whenever we feel loved, we are

actually feeling the attention of the cosmic mother, consort,

seductress and lover."

 

Deepak is fond of quoting Rumi just as he is fond of quoting Walt

Whitman, Emily Dickenson.

 

In all of Rumi's poems, the divine is described as the 'feminine',

the beloved. Rumi says when you approach the Divine or seek the

divine, you must approach the divine in a mood of passion.

 

Read this ...

 

 

Passion makes the old medicine new:

 

Passion lops off the bough of weariness.

 

Passion is the elixir that renews:

 

how can there be weariness

 

when passion is present?

 

Oh, don't sigh heavily from fatigue:

 

seek passion, seek passion, seek passion!

 

Rumi

 

Deepak says...

 

Passion is the energy that love creates with no object other than

itself.

 

This love mixed with passion is what Gopis experience in their

eternal relationship with Lord Krishna - which is in the

transcendental realm.

 

jai Kali Maa!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plus - For a better Internet experience

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

This brings my attention to the conversation I had once: Devotion

 

Nora:

you agree when I say the mother and child it the simpliest and

perhaps the first step into any devotion towards DEVI. And we change

this mode accordingly to our spiritual progress ?

 

P1 : Yes, thats why we call her MAA. As you advance she becomes the

child and you the father/mother (Bala); then she becomes lover

(panchadashi) and then she becomes the eternal maiden (Shodashi). It

is only at the panchadashi mode sex has any role

 

Nora:

So only when you have spiritually advance, she becomes the lover but

more symbolic in nature. You approach her sexually ?

 

P1:

Of course symbolic. Actually at that stage for some sadhaks there is

sexual approach.

 

Nora :

So how does this becomes a lover fits in.

 

P1: Because when you really love, both are one.

 

 

Thank you for this conversation. I have been thinking about it,

trying to explore this "lover" aspect of DEVI for the past

few days.

What I believe when we refer to the lover, its not so much related to

sexual aspect but more of an emotional/psychological one. What happen

when we fall in love. The feeling of being with the loved one, and

the joy of being in the arms of our lover. We think about our lover

all the time. That is what it meant. Eventually we becomes one with

our lover. Brings this emotions and relate it to DEVI. This is the

highest form of devotion.

[Guest guest]

Namaskar Rekha!

 

You write...

 

" Passion is something which you can also feel for an ideal or an

activity, e.g. painting is my passion, and I feel energized and

filled with Love and feel Mother's presence when I paint. It is a

similar feeling to 'sexual' love, but different, since there are

not 'two' persons involved. In both cases, one 'loses'

one's 'separate' identity and merges with the Energy created."

 

 

This is very true. All great artists be it painters, poets, dancers

etc pursue their chosen activity with zeal, enthusiasm and

passion.The moment the passion dies, the art dies too!

 

Being a painter, i am sure you have heard of world famous artist

Pablo Picasso.

 

Picasso has this to say on art....

 

There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there

are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence,

transform a yellow spot into the sun.

 

so, in order to be an artist of such a great calibre, mere talent is

not enough- this talent needs to be accompanied by passion , zeal and

enthusiasm...

 

Take Rabindranath Tagore for instance. He said." The world speaks to

me in colours, my soul answers in music."

 

If one wants to experience passion in poetry, one can read Gurudev's

Gitanjali, a collection of literary gems.

 

here is an example....

 

Light, oh where is the light? Kindle

it with the burning fire of desire!

There is the lamp but never a flicker

of a flame,--such thy fate, my heart!

Ah, death were better by far for thee!

Misery knocks at thy door, and her

message is that thy lord is wakeful, and

he calls thee to the love-tryst through

the darkness of night.

The sky is overcast with clouds and

the rain is ceaseless. I know not what

this is that stirs in me,--I know not its meaning.

A moment's flash of lightning drags

down a deeper gloom on my sight, and

my heart gropes for the path to where

the music of the night calls me.

Light, of where is the light! Kindle

it with the burning fire of desire! It

thunders and the wind rushes screaming

through the void. The night is black

as a black stone. Let not the hours

pass by in the dark. Kindle the lamp

of love with thy life.

 

Rekha, this is the passion one needs to rekindle in all spheres of

life - not just the 'passion' during Love making. Passion in

everything one does --- This is the Shakti or divine energy that

should be the driving force in all endeavours!

 

Nora write...

 

"what I believe when we refer to the lover, its not so much related

to sexual aspect but more of an emotional/psychological one. What

happen when we fall in love. The feeling of being with the loved

one, and the joy of being in the arms of our lover. We think about

our lover all the time. That is what it meant. Eventually we

becomes one with our lover. Brings this emotions and relate it to

DEVI. This is the highest form of devotion."

 

This is short is the highest form of devotion - what in bhakti

parlance is called unmatta bhava - the devotee speaks like the deity,

walks like the deity, dresses like the deity and acts like the deity

thinks like the deity - in fact he/she is assumes the form of the

deity - what is also called tadrupta or tanmayata. ( one in body and

form with the chosen deity.)

 

In the mandukya upanahids there is verse which goes like this...

 

Pranavo dhanuh sharohyatma

brahma tad lakshyamuchhyate;

Apramattena veddhavyam

sharavat tanmayo bhavet.

 

Pranava (Om) is the bow. Arrow is the atman. Here atman implies

jivatman (individual soul). 'Brahma tad lakshyam uchyate'. Brahman

alone is the target. Apramattena veddhavyam--it is to be hit

unerringly. This apramattena--is verily meditation (dhyana). And

sharavat tanmayo--becoming steady after hitting the target of Brahman-

-that is verily nididhyasana. It is necessary to remain cautious

there too. That is why it is said--sharavat tanmayo--staying there

with great steadiness, not having any further reason for distraction,

fall or slip.

 

TANMAYO BHAVET!

 

Jai Maa!

[Guest guest]

I wanted to comment on both Ray's and Nora's posts, so I put

them together here below.

 

I like both of these posts because they remove the gendered

sexuality issue from the experience of passionate love. I think

ultimately, if passionate love (including sexual feelings and/or

emotional/psychological immersion) is the focus rather than

genitalia or sex-role stereotypes, the world will be a much

happier place. I agree with Deepak Chopra that the masculine or

male image of deity needs to go to bed for awhile so a truer

balance can be found. I also think that men are just as capable

of the nurturing and tenderness, etc. that is usually associated

with women or Mother. When that truer balance, that true

alignment begins to assert itself, all qualities will be known to be

within all beings.

 

Om Namas Ardhanari...(I'm sure this is incorrect but I'm still

looking for a mantra re the Ardhanari...)

 

Love and Peace,

 

Mary Ann

 

, Ray <rk_light>

wrote:

> Wonderful observation Vilasini!

> May I just add one thing-

> Passion is something which you can also feel for an ideal or

an activity, e.g. painting is my passion, and I feel energized and

filled with Love and feel Mother's presence when I paint. It is a

similar feeling to 'sexual' love, but different, since there are not

'two' persons involved. In both cases, one 'loses' one's 'separate'

identity and merges with the Energy created.

>

> I am sure it must be the same for any activity approached with

passion, like music, poetry, or even a working for a charitable

cause.

>

> May the Love and Light of Devi be with all of us!

> Namaste

> Rekha

>

 

, "Nora"

<ashwini_puralasamy> wrote:

> This brings my attention to the conversation I had once:

Devotion

>

> Nora:

> you agree when I say the mother and child it the simpliest and

> perhaps the first step into any devotion towards DEVI. And we

change

> this mode accordingly to our spiritual progress ?

>

> P1 : Yes, thats why we call her MAA. As you advance she

becomes the

> child and you the father/mother (Bala); then she becomes lover

> (panchadashi) and then she becomes the eternal maiden

(Shodashi). It

> is only at the panchadashi mode sex has any role

>

> Nora:

> So only when you have spiritually advance, she becomes the

lover but

> more symbolic in nature. You approach her sexually ?

>

> P1:

> Of course symbolic. Actually at that stage for some sadhaks

there is

> sexual approach.

>

> Nora :

> So how does this becomes a lover fits in.

>

> P1: Because when you really love, both are one.

>

>

> Thank you for this conversation. I have been thinking about it,

> trying to explore this "lover" aspect of DEVI for the past

> few days.

> What I believe when we refer to the lover, its not so much

related to

> sexual aspect but more of an emotional/psychological one.

What happen

> when we fall in love. The feeling of being with the loved one,

and

> the joy of being in the arms of our lover. We think about our

lover

> all the time. That is what it meant. Eventually we becomes one

with

> our lover. Brings this emotions and relate it to DEVI. This is the

> highest form of devotion.

[Guest guest]

On Thu, 29 May 2003 04:34:18 -0000 "Mary Ann"

<maryann writes:

>

> Om Namas Ardhanari...(I'm sure this is incorrect but I'm still

> looking for a mantra re the Ardhanari...)

 

 

<Ardhanari> means "half woman." It doesn't specify what the other half

is (lion? fish? automobile?).

<Ardhanarishvara> is the deity name you're looking for. "The Lord who is

half woman."

(I suppose you could also have <Ardhanareshvari>... "The Lady who is half

man.")

 

I've frequently seen the the name translated as "The Lord whose half is

Lady." My partner, whose first language is not English, heard this as

"The Lord who's half his Lady" -- which I thought was cute.

 

Hinduism is full of deities who pair off in assorted couples, but they

always assume opposite gender roles. Shiva had an affair with Vishnu,

but Vishnu was female at the time (as Mohini, the Enchantress). As

someone who is (on occasion) active in the Gay Rights movement, I'm

looking for the rare example of same-sex partnering in Hinduism -- hard

to find. There are allusions to Skanda (Shiva's other son) spending the

night in "martial pursuits" with his dear friend Jayanti (the son of

Indra). Would make an intriguing Yab-Yum (or is it Yab-Yab?) sculpture,

no?

 

I know a group of Radical Faeries who descended on the Hindu Temple in

Flushing for Skanda Shasti (Skanda's autumn holiday). Many were in drag.

They wanted to purchace devotional posters, but Skanda was always

portrayed with Valli and Devasena (his two wives in South India). (It's

only in NORTH India that Skanda is a confirmed bachelor.) Some Faeries

complained, "What's with these WIMMIN? Where's Jayanti?" One finally

decided to buy the poster, declaring, "Oh well, I see them as his

fag-hags..." The poor little Tamil saleslady was very confused...

 

My guess for your mantra is, "Om Ardhanarishavaraya namah."

 

-- Len/ Kalipadma

>

 

 

______________

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[Guest guest]

Hi Len: Thanks for your humorous message! I purposely didn't

finish the name of the Ard because I have a question of whether

it's best said "Ardhanarishwari" or "Ardhanarishwara" and

whether each of these versions incorporates both genders

without ranking them one over the other in that usual way. I'm not

sure, so I left it blank, as you noted.

 

Thanks for the attempt at a mantra. What does your suggested

mantra mean in translation? BTW: I'm also interested in gay

rights, but I think sometimes gay people unwittingly continue the

same stereotypes of behavior that compulsory heterosexuality

has created. I have taken to the concept of one sexuality that

encompasses all life- and love-affirming sexual behavior.

 

There was a story posted on the board not too long ago about

Shiva turning himself into a woman to make love to his wife

Parvati, and everything became female, including the trees, and

King Ila, who happened upon the couple. I have not seen

anything about men together, however, and of course, it was

Shiva, after all, not really a woman, making love to Shiva's wife

(and wives are not not typically equal), just as your Mohini wasn't

Vishnu. (That's what I mean by "compulsory heterosexuality.")

Maybe someone else out there knows of broader imagery or

ideas in Hinduism? I think it's that power dynamic of men being

afraid to be "lesser" than other men, that is, to take what is

perceived as a female role, with other men, that keeps them

from being more open about passionate love between men. But

I am only guessing.

 

Mary Ann

 

, kalipadma@j...

wrote:

>

>

> On Thu, 29 May 2003 04:34:18 -0000 "Mary Ann"

> <maryann@m...> writes:

> >

> > Om Namas Ardhanari...(I'm sure this is incorrect but I'm still

> > looking for a mantra re the Ardhanari...)

>

>

> <Ardhanari> means "half woman." It doesn't specify what the

other half

> is (lion? fish? automobile?).

> <Ardhanarishvara> is the deity name you're looking for. "The

Lord who is

> half woman."

> (I suppose you could also have <Ardhanareshvari>... "The Lady

who is half

> man.")

>

> I've frequently seen the the name translated as "The Lord

whose half is

> Lady." My partner, whose first language is not English, heard

this as

> "The Lord who's half his Lady" -- which I thought was cute.

>

> Hinduism is full of deities who pair off in assorted couples, but

they

> always assume opposite gender roles. Shiva had an affair

with Vishnu,

> but Vishnu was female at the time (as Mohini, the

Enchantress). As

> someone who is (on occasion) active in the Gay Rights

movement, I'm

> looking for the rare example of same-sex partnering in

Hinduism -- hard

> to find. There are allusions to Skanda (Shiva's other son)

spending the

> night in "martial pursuits" with his dear friend Jayanti (the son

of

> Indra). Would make an intriguing Yab-Yum (or is it Yab-Yab?)

sculpture,

> no?

>

> I know a group of Radical Faeries who descended on the

Hindu Temple in

> Flushing for Skanda Shasti (Skanda's autumn holiday). Many

were in drag.

> They wanted to purchace devotional posters, but Skanda was

always

> portrayed with Valli and Devasena (his two wives in South

India). (It's

> only in NORTH India that Skanda is a confirmed bachelor.)

Some Faeries

> complained, "What's with these WIMMIN? Where's Jayanti?"

One finally

> decided to buy the poster, declaring, "Oh well, I see them as

his

> fag-hags..." The poor little Tamil saleslady was very

confused...

>

> My guess for your mantra is, "Om Ardhanarishavaraya namah."

>

> -- Len/ Kalipadma

>

> >

>

>

>

 

______________

> The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!

> Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!

> Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

[Guest guest]

torsdagen den 29 maj 2003 12.58 skrev Nora:

> This is very true. All great artists be it painters, poets, dancers

> etc pursue their chosen activity with zeal, enthusiasm and

> passion.The moment the passion dies, the art dies too!

 

Thank you for saying this. I never thought about it before like that.

Sometimes I ask myself "what should I do?". And the answer is now obvious -

to do what I have passion for, where my passion lies.

 

People always want to say "you can't do this, you can't do that", and so on.

But I should know, if it is my passion, I can do it, and should do it. I am

not a great artist, or writer, or anything, but I can follow in the footsteps

of greats artists and follow my own passion. When I get passion, people

complain and say how bad it is, but I now understand that I should not listen

to people, and instead claim my own passion, take care of it, nurture it to

make it grow. Killed passion makes no piece of art. Only when it is allowed

to grow, to continue, and finally come into bloom. And if someone can't

understand the flower that it created, should I as an artist really care? It

is my art, my passion, even if no one understands it.

 

My own passion, my own small shakti, comes in contact with the supreme Shakti.

It is a same polarity relationship. My little small female shakti grows by

absorbing the same energy from the supreme Shakti, and becomes bigger. She

nurtures me, and by Her will and her allowence I can become something bigger

than I am now. By lending me Her energy, Her Shakti, I can create, which then

actually becomes a representation of the same shakti. But my own personal

interpretation. My own modeling of that cosmic energy.

 

And that is a relationship of Love. By Her love, she lends me Her energy, by

my love I reform that energy as I want it. The result is a product of that

loving exchange. Both me and the Supreme, and it contains both. Something

that could not come about without such loving exchange.

 

Prisni

[Guest guest]

On Thu, 29 May 2003 06:07:27 -0000 "Mary Ann"

<maryann writes:

> Hi Len: Thanks for your humorous message! I purposely didn't

> finish the name of the Ard because I have a question of whether

> it's best said "Ardhanarishwari" or "Ardhanarishwara"

 

Please note that <Ardhanarishwari> means, "the Lady whose half is woman."

 

<nara> (man) plus <ishwari> (Lady) yeilds <nareshwari> (man-Lady). Note

the vowel changed by Sanskrit rules of sandhya: <Ardhanar-E-shwari>!

 

Sanskrit grammar is more complicated than English. There is a story

about an Asura who practiced a mantra to destroy his enemy, Lord Indra.

But the Asura had lousy diction (or bad grammar), and put a nasal "-m"

sound after the word for "enemy." This changed the meaning of the mantra

from "Destroy the enemy, Indra," to "Destroy the enemy OF Indra." The

Asura exploded himself!

 

>

> Thanks for the attempt at a mantra. What does your suggested

> mantra mean in translation?

 

<Om Ardhanarishvaraya namah>

(Om I bow to the Half-woman Lord.)

 

Bear in mind that this is a guess -- there are all sorts of exceptions to

the rule and special cases in Sanskrit.

 

(I have a linguist friend who, knowing that Shiva's mahamantra is <Om

namah Shivaya>, told me, "I've been chanting to Shiva's consort. That

would be <Om namah Kaliya>, right?" I blanched. I think that would be a

mantra to the sea-serpent baby Krishna defeated. A simple Kali mantra

would be closer to <Om Kalikayai namah>.)

 

-- Len/ Kalipadma

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Namaskhar Prisni,

 

Thank you. As a vaisnavite as well as a worshipper of Srimati

Radharani's infinite shakti, you are well aware of the 'passion' i am

talking about.... The passion I am talking about is not just the

mundane 'passion' or lust in a relationship between man and a woman !

The 'passion' i am referring to is of a higher calibre- somewhat akin

to what Nora referred to her in her post....

 

In Vaishnava literature,

 

there is a beautiful verse chanted by shri Prahlada, a devotee of

Lord VISHNU....

 

It goes like this....

 

sravanam kirtanam visnoh

smaranam pada-sevanam

arcanam vandanam dasyam

sakhyam atma-nivedanam

 

iti pumsarpita visnau

bhaktis cen nava-laksana

kriyeta bhagavaty addha

tan manye 'dhitam uttamam

 

In this verse , Bhakta Prahlada says that one who is engazed in

devotional worship should always hear and talk about the deity-

ishtadevata or ishtadevi! Sravanam-kirtanam.

 

Then remember the deity always -smaranam.

 

Pada -sevanam- worship the deity's lotus feet

 

Archanam- Temple worship - Worship the deity, offer prayers, offer

prasadam (food offerings), perform arati etc...

 

Vandanam- bow down to the deity- offer namaskarams.

 

Dsyam- serve the deity always

 

sakhyam...Make friendship with the deity...

 

Then atma-nivedamam- fully surrender - true surrender - everything

you do, you dedicate to the deity. Your body and your soul. IN fact,

you and deity are one in body and spirit... the highest form of

surrender.

 

These are the nine-qualities of a true devotee. Such a devotee is

learned and any devotee whp practices these forms of devotional

worship will attain the lotus feet of the deity.

 

**********************************************************************

Prisni, this is the 'love' Iam referring to - one on one relationship

with your ishtadevi or ishtadevata.

 

You have echoed this same sentiment beautifully in the following

words...

 

By Her love, she lends me Her energy, by > my love I reform that

energy as I want it. The result is a product of that loving

exchange. Both me and the Supreme, and it contains both. Something

that could not come about without such loving exchange.

 

Prisni, there is a beautiful sloka in adi shankaracharya's 'saundarya

lahari ' which also describes what is the best form of devotional

worship is.... or devotional surrender is....

 

 

Japo jalpah silpam sakalam api mudra-viracana

Gatih pradaksinya-kramanam asanady'ahuti-vidhih;

Pranamah samvesah sukham akilam atmarpana-drsa

Saparya-paryayas tava bhavatu yan me vilasitam.

 

May everything that I do with the sense of self-dedication be items

in Thy service --- my pryers, , the utterance of Thy Mantra; the

movements of my hand, the gestures and poses of Thy worship; my

walking, Thy circumambulation; my eating, fire-sacrifice to Thee; the

stretching of the body in sleep and rest, prostration to Thee; and

all my enjoyments, offerings made to Thee.

 

This is the 'passion or the one-pointed devotion ! and imagine ,

prisni, if we apply this kind of 'devotion' in every sphere of

activity that we do , be it music, painting, dancing , writing etc,

how rewarding will it be!

 

JAI DURGE!

[Guest guest]

Len: Thank you for the explanation of Sanskrit. There is a

Sanskrit class taught in West Hollywood, but I'm not ready to

commit to that just yet. BTW At the Siddha Center in Los Angeles

I was given an alternate mantra specifically because I also was

attempting to do what your linguist friend was attempting. I was

saying Om Namah Shaktaya, though. When I told the former

swami who was teaching a mediation workshop there (Sally

Kempton) what I was doing, she suggested that I say Om

Namas Chandikayai because that mantra has power within the

Siddha tradition. It is chanted by Swami Muktananda on his Devi

Stotram cassette. Another BTW: I liked your mantra "O Money,

pad my home."

 

, kalipadma@j...

wrote:

>

> (I have a linguist friend who, knowing that Shiva's mahamantra

is <Om

> namah Shivaya>, told me, "I've been chanting to Shiva's

consort. That

> would be <Om namah Kaliya>, right?" I blanched. I think that

would be a

> mantra to the sea-serpent baby Krishna defeated. A simple

Kali mantra

> would be closer to <Om Kalikayai namah>.)

>

> -- Len/ Kalipadma

>

>

>

>

 

______________

> The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!

> Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!

> Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

[Guest guest]

fredagen den 30 maj 2003 03.55 skrev vilasini43:

> The passion I am talking about is not just the

> mundane 'passion' or lust in a relationship between man and a woman !

> The 'passion' i am referring to is of a higher calibre- somewhat akin

> to what Nora referred to her in her post....

 

There are different kinds of "passion". The english language is not that

precise in these kind of matters.

The material mode (guna) of rajas is sometimes called "mode of passion", since

it is agitating, and can cause one to run around in a kind of passionate

frenzy. There is also, as you say, the sexual passion, or lust, of kama,

which indeed can be a strong force.

 

Westeners often are completely under the control of such passion. Building

things, running around, creating, without ever stopping to think.

> This is the 'passion or the one-pointed devotion ! and imagine ,

> prisni, if we apply this kind of 'devotion' in every sphere of

> activity that we do , be it music, painting, dancing , writing etc,

> how rewarding will it be!

 

Yes, if we just could dive deep into the spiritual "passion", and clear

ourselves from all the lower kinds of "passions", how wonderful it would be!

 

Prisni

[Guest guest]

Thank you prisni for your comments.

 

In srimad Bhagwat Gita, in chapter 17, the material modes of nature

(prakriti) are described in great detail - as usual, there is a

vaishnava interpretation, an advaitic interpretation and of course a

shakta interpretation. I have in my library all the different

versions of the srimad bhagvat gita.

 

In verse 14 of chapter 17, Lord Krishna talks about 'Tapas' or

austerities. What is this "tapas"?

 

Tapas is "heat," burning fire."somewhat akin to 'passion'

while 'passion' has a negative connotation depending on the context

in which it is used, 'tapas ' has more positive attributes...

 

This fire (tapas) has three functions symbolized in the three aspects

of shakti (God as mother): Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati.

The "destructive" Durga burns impurities; the benign Lakshmi

purifies; and Sarasvati the goddess of wisdom illumines. This

classification is no gradation of importance! One is as important as

the other. If illumination is regarded as the most important, it

should be remembered that it can come only after the destruction of

the baser nature - which is, therefore, more important!

 

Prisni, when we direct all our energies and talents and faculties

towards the worship of god/ess and when we restrain the wandering of

our senses , we can effect this three three-fold inner

transformation.

 

This is the tapas I am talking about!

 

Hari AUM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

, Prisni <pgd-prisni@a...> wrote:

> fredagen den 30 maj 2003 03.55 skrev vilasini43:

> > The passion I am talking about is not just the

> > mundane 'passion' or lust in a relationship between man and a

woman !

> > The 'passion' i am referring to is of a higher calibre- somewhat

akin

> > to what Nora referred to her in her post....

>

> There are different kinds of "passion". The english language is not

that

> precise in these kind of matters.

> The material mode (guna) of rajas is sometimes called "mode of

passion", since

> it is agitating, and can cause one to run around in a kind of

passionate

> frenzy. There is also, as you say, the sexual passion, or lust, of

kama,

> which indeed can be a strong force.

>

> Westeners often are completely under the control of such passion.

Building

> things, running around, creating, without ever stopping to think.

>

> > This is the 'passion or the one-pointed devotion ! and imagine ,

> > prisni, if we apply this kind of 'devotion' in every sphere of

> > activity that we do , be it music, painting, dancing , writing

etc,

> > how rewarding will it be!

>

> Yes, if we just could dive deep into the spiritual "passion", and

clear

> ourselves from all the lower kinds of "passions", how wonderful it

would be!

>

> Prisni

[Guest guest]

Prisni: I know you didn't say anything about chakras, but when

you say the words below, do you mean clearing oneself of the

"passions" associated with the lower chakra(s)? Or, do you think

bringing all the chakras into harmony is how to clear oneself of

'lower kinds of "passions"'? And what is meant by "lower kinds of

passions" -- possibly inflexible ones that insist on having their

way and damaging self and others?

 

Mary Ann

 

, Prisni

<pgd-prisni@a...> wrote:

>

> Yes, if we just could dive deep into the spiritual "passion", and

clear

> ourselves from all the lower kinds of "passions", how

wonderful it would be!

>

> Prisni