Vibhuti -- shiva -- Philosophy

[Guest guest]

Sub : The philosophy behind wearing Vibhuti ( sacred ash )

 

 

 

 

 

During the childhood, our parents train us to wear the Vibhuti on our forehead,

as three stripes after bath and when old enough, you are also asked to recite

the Maha mrutunjaya mantra before wearing it . I used to keep wondering on the

philosophy behind this practice and here are a few thoughts on this as to why we

do it ----while as a child you have to do it mechanically to form a habit and

this would later lead to truth.

 

Ego is the `I thought’—in its subtle form it remains a thought and in its gross

aspect it embraces the mind, senses and body. Ego is also not ordinarily

perceived without the body but identifies as a bundle. The egos are many - it is

infinite and varied and has no reasons and the body dances to the thoughts

accumulated in innumerable births before (vasanas ) the mind could be rajasic

and in this state it identifies with excessive ambition,egotism,arrogance and

always discontent with an irresistible tendency for multiplying the worldy

possessions. No matter how great his achievements are never satisfied and each

desire fuels another. In the thamasic state of mind it is very dull, slothful

and does not exert itself in any direction only takes comfort in a certain

attitude. In the sattwic state the mind grows collected, serene and illuminated

and is a fitting state for spiritual development.

 

..Egos can be recognised in wealth,power,knowledge,capacity to do an act or may

as stupid as colour of the hair,shape of the nose or the rows of the teeth.

Thanks to this ego where people go to any extent modify their parts with the

help of a plastic surgeon’s knife only to be noticed. The mind, which projects

the body, as I AM THE BODY, is an idea and result of mind.

 

So the obstacle and also the tool is the MIND. The Upanishads says that mind

alone is the cause of bondage and liberty for men. If attached to the world it

becomes bound and if free from it that is true liberty. We do not need a

different mind to higher consciousness but need to constantly train it and mould

the thoughts.

 

How the Holy Ash play a role in training our mind.

 

 

 

The last samskara for every Hindu is the “ ANTHYESHTI “ -- that is burning the

body to ashes and end of the body. The eldest son in the family does this

samskara on your behalf, as the body itself cannot do it in that dead state.

 

Now the Ashes become symbolic here in TRAINING YOUR MIND daily when you are

wearing it . When you see the ashes it makes you aware that ultimately after

associating your body with your family friends, wealth or anything for that

matter likes and dislikes, you have to leave everything with out any trace, as

ashes –So there is auto suggestion to leave the EGO.

 

The beauty of ash -- ash is an ash does not recognise the nature of materials at

least physically, like when we burn sandalwood or a country wood or any wood for

that matter the end product is same.

 

A constant daily thought of this nature slowly trains your mind to look for

higher spiritual goals It gradually detaches you from the attachments. I think

this is the purpose of wearing the ashes. Why the ashes you wear becomes holy

-apart from the intrinsic worth it is because you recite the maha mrutyunjaya

mantra the meaning of which goes as ---------

 

“It means that we worship the one who possess the three eyes, having the

fragrance and who nourishes the health.( consisting of the body, mind &

intellect) I pray for the release from the death like the melon (Vallari fruit—a

type of melon ) which gets released from the Creeper without any external

indication when it stands apart.

 

O Lord may you nourish me in such a way that I will be so ripe that I will be

free from Samsara chakra. I am not asking for worldly pleasures or for heaven as

I am only interested in moksha and do not tale me away from immortality “.

 

As to the reason why we pray to Shiva …… He is Maha Kaal—the eternal time and

he is responsible for the destruction in the realm of time.

 

The reason as to why we wear this Vibhuti as three stripes and not as 4 or 2 .

I think it is because of the tri-chotomy of things or tripura rahasya which is

three—nature of things—Sattwic,Rajasic and thamasic or jagat,jeeva and eswara or

the knower,known and knowledge or Brahma, Vishnu and shiva or Guru, Sishya and

Devi…………………………..

 

OM NAMA SHIVAYA

 

 

 

Ganapathy === Vijaya

 

 

PS : we also saw a wonderful mail posted sometime back on the subject -- Maha

Perivaal’s speech on ashes.

 

R.Ganapathy -- vijaya ganapathy

Muscat -- Oman

 

 

 

 

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