Re:----*Medha* ..., the Divine Feminine - ????????? ...

[Guest guest]

Sunder-ji Responds

 

(Yes, I did wonder if 'medhA' meant a faculty superior to intellect,

the latter adhering to a step-by-step logical path to reach a

conclusion, and the former reaching the (right) conclusion and then

seeking the steps.)

 

Sunderji , 'Medha' ( intellect, intelligence, wisdom etc) alone

is not Enough! Together with 'Medha', one needs to cultivate the Twin

faculties of 'Pradnya ' - (grasping power - Grahan shakti ) - Medha'

and 'Pradnya ' are both needed in spiritual pursuits . Add to

this 'Pratibha' shakti ( pratibha - means Creativity, memory to

recall all that you have read etc) and then We are truly EMPOWERED!

 

May i please quote a verse fronm Srimad Bhagawad Gita ?

 

Chapter 10, verse 34 ...

 

mrtyuh sarva-haras caham

udbhavas ca bhavisyatam

kirtih srir vak ca narinam

*smrtir* medha* dhrtih* ksama*

 

Literal translation

 

I am all-devouring death, and I am the generator of all things yet to

be.*Among women I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence,

faithfulness and patience.*

 

 

Ram-ji and other learned members ! (Ram-ji is having wonderful

discussion on Vibhuti yoga in BG - thanx so much for this

enlightening discourse)

 

Note the six opulances ( vibhutis) noted in the above verses are

considered to be 'feminine'

 

smriti - memory - women have 'memory' like Elephants. Gurudeva

said 'when one recites' the Gayatri mantra , one develops great

memory.

 

'Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah Tat Savitur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat'

 

Gayatri devi as Gayatri Devi is an incarnation of Saraswati Devi and

She sharpens our intellect ( Buddhi ) and purifies our Manas (

chitta) and improves our Smriti ( memory) and of course grants us

Shakti ( strength)! She is veda-mata herself !If one is well versed

in vedas ( AND UPANISHADS), do we really need any other scriptures ?

 

and if one has 'medha' and 'smriti' all other qualities will follow -

such as Fame( kirti)and Fortune ( spiritual wealth).

 

Why are some qualities considered feminine?

 

That is the beauty of the 'Sanskrit' as well as Hindi Grammer ....

In English, we have no succh distinction like some qualities

are 'feminine' or 'masculine ' in the usage of Grammar.

 

In Hhindi as well as in Sanskrit , the following qualities are always

associated with Feminine Gender

 

KshamA-forgiveness

Karuna- compassion

DayA- Kindness

Buddhi- Intelligence

 

 

In Hindi, even 'Atma' has a feminine Gender - it is always said 'MERI

Atma'never Mera ATMA ! Amazing, is not it? smile! of course, we know

the soul is genderless! smile, again!!

 

Sri Krishna Paramatma says

 

Chaper 10, verse 10

 

tesam satata-yuktanam

bhajatam priti-purvakam

dadami buddhi-yogam tam

yena mam upayanti te

 

To them who are continuously devoted, and worship Me with eternal

love, I give Buddhi Yogam (Yoga of intelligence), by which they come

to Me.

 

Buddhi Yogam ! What a glorious concept ! We have heard of Buddhi

Balam but Buddhi -yogam ?

 

Yes- Intelligence , wisdom , intution , understandinng ( right) ,

Memory, and all the faculties the jiva can attain by surrendering to

the Lotus feet of Lord Krishna! Without 'union' with the Lord,( or

for advaitins - 'oneness with BraHman) what is the use of 'BUDDHI'?

 

and Bhagwan Sri Krishna Paramatma further elaborates ...

Chapter 10 , verse 11

tesam evanukampartham

aham ajnana-jam tamah

nasayamy atma-bhavastho

jnana-dipena bhasvata

 

Out of compassion (anukampâ-artham), I destroy their (Ajnâna(

avidya) and Tamasah (ignorance and darkness) by abiding in their

self (Âtmabhâvasthah) with the light of wisdom (shining lamp of

wisdom).

 

Yes! Atma-vidya ( knowledge of the self) is the supreme knowledge.

All other knowledge ( such as Science, Mathematics, etc) are 'small'

compared to the knowledge of the self- 'SOHAM' - 'i am that' ...

What is Vignana ( Science) without (Jnana ) -knowledge of Self ?

 

As Einstein says ( often quoted by our Respeccted Shri Shri

Raachandran-ji in this forum )

 

'Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."

 

I will even go one step further and paraphrase this in my own way ..

 

'Bhakti without Jnana is Blind ' and 'Jnana without Bhakti is Lame'

and as Swami Vivekanda says ' in the ultimate analysis. Para-bhakti

and para jnana are One and the Same'

 

The Divine Mother ( or your ishta-nishta) removes and lifts the Veil

of Maya when we light the Lamp of devotion and Surrender at her

Lotus feet !

 

Is this why the greatest of all adwaita acharyas , Adi Shankara

Bhagvatapada sang thus ???????????

 

bhavaani stotuM tvaaM prabhavati chaturbhirna vadanaiH

prajaanaamiishaanas-tripuramathanaH paJNchabhirapi |

na shhaDbhiH senaaniir-dashashatamukhairapyahipati-

stadanyeshhaaM keshhaaM kathaya kathamasminnavasaraH || 1 ||

 

O Bhavaani, Spouse of Shiva! Brahmaa the Creator cannot perfectly

describe You with his four mouths! Nor can Lord Shiva do so even with

five mouths! Lord Kaartikeya cannot possibly describe Your glories

with his six mouths. Let this be as it may, but even Adi Sheshha (who

bears Lord Vishnu) cannot describe You with his thousand mouths.

Therefore, tell me O Bhavaani, how is there any scope for others

(like me) to praise You perfectly?

 

(http://www.ambaa.org )

 

The point is even a realized saint like Adi Shankara is surrendering

to the Lotus Feet of thew Divine Mother ( Bhavani Twam) to bestow

Grace on him? Then what about us lesser mortals ? Without Her Grace,

there is no 'medha', no 'buddhi' and no 'smriti' and no 'pratiba' !

 

Jai ambe Bhavani maa!

 

ps - chitta, that is a great idea . We cannot ignore Prakriti and

Maya in any discussion, more so 'adwaita' . Thanx for the lovely

Tagore poem. He worshipped 'mother Nature'(prakriti) as the divine

Feminine - a true shakta-bhakta!