Narada Bhakti Sutra Verse 4

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Namaste Nurcarnation,

>Correct me if I got the understanding wrong ji.Thus bhakti is not only pure

love but one should know the nature of the love shown to mother by not

following blind faith.

Yes you are right .Today it is not only happening in the east but also in the

west as well........>Ji, certain rituals we do follow without much explanation.

How do we find out whether it is the right thing to do. For example in Malaysia

during a festival called Thaipusam devotees out of love pierce their bodies

with needle like hooks or 5 or 6 each long thrisul through >their mouth. They

say that that is love, bhakti to god. How do we know that that is bhakti? I am

glad you asked this question and the answer is refer to to the relevant

scriptures, There are 2 relevant scriptures here. Firstly the scripture related

to Lord Muruga which would be Skanda Purana and if that is not clear than to

Bhakthi Sutra ..

Now let me share with the rest what is Thaipusam.This is a day celebrated in

tamil calender when the asterism Pucam is on the ascendant in the month of Tai(

January -February)where the presiding star is the planet Brihaspathi(Jupiter)

which is considered auspicious and because it falls on either full moon day or

very near to it (the full moon implies total maturation in

spirituality).Asterism pucam represents tantapani which signifies a staff

usually used by the ascetic or milltitary leader. Let me share how this relates

to Lord Muruga .

Actually Lord Muruga is the military leader of the Shiva family.According to

puranas (scriptures) Thaipusam is the day that consort of Lord Shiva , Parvathi

Mata( another manifestaion of Maa Kali) gave her sakthi (energy) as sakti Vel (

spear) to Lord Muruga her son at the outset of his campaign to defeat Surapadma,

head of the asuras-the demonic forces .

The inner meaning is where the battlefield is internalised and the Vel becomes

a symbol of the means for spiritual liberation from the demonic militray forces

within.The birth of Lord Muruga is the recognition of the yogic grace extended

by Lord Shiva as Lord Muruga was created by Lord Shiva to destroy the bondage

of ignorance imposed by the individual ego and furnished with the means to do

this (the sakthi vel) by Maa Parvathy. Lord Murgan is thus perceived as the

principle of Siva-Sakthi in action within the substance of the mind which you

would be able to subdue by Her energy incarnate within you (sakthi vel)

Now how did the kavadi bearing come about.

This only started in Malaysia from 1888 (actually this was the practice at

Palanimalai (Palani Hill) India).One Mr. Kayarogganam Pillai founder of Sri

Maha Mariamman Kovil Devasthanam dreamed that Maa Shakthi requesting him to

build a shrine for her son Murugan at top of hill at Batu Caves similar to

that of Palani Hill.

First let me share scriptural reference to kavadi bearing. According to the

purana, Sage Agastya journeyed to Mount Kalisa to worship Lord Shiva . Lord

asked him to transfer 2 hills known as Sivagiri and Saktigiri to South India

as seats of worship (shiva pith).Agastya instructed a demon who served in

Surapadma military force ,Itampan on this mission. Itampan collected both this

hills and tied them to both side of long stick that he carried on his shoulder.

he tied them both on each end by a scared serpent which was used as a rope .At a

site called Palani (this is how Palani hill got it's name) Itampan become tired

and put the hills down from his shoulder to rest .When he tried again to resume

his journey he could not move the hills .That is when he saw a handsome young

boy wearing a loin cloth and staff at his hand was sitting on the hill and

claimed that the hill was his abode . A fight broke between the two and Itampan

died but Lord Muruga gave his life at behest of Agastya and Itumpan's wife.

Itumpan requested that he remain forever at the Palani (your are the fruit

(palan-fruit ni- you)) hill

Thus whosoever offer vow to Muruga bearing kavadi similar to Itumpan is blessed

by the Lord.Which means by carrying and placing his/her burden at the feet of

Lord Murukan ,the aspirant publicy demostrates the wish to be freed from the

yoke of this burden.Kavadi is a piece of wood with two small pot of milk tied

to each end with a picture of Lord Muruga in the middle and to ensure this

picture is not made by the rin and cover on top of it is fixed which also

protects the bearer from the sunlught heat . It is carried to ;

a) Emulate Itumpanas to submit to the Divine will of Lord Muruga (surrender - saranagata)

b) As the kavadi is a minituare temple carrying it denote the aspirant as

insturement of God (this body is the temple and at the lotus resides the

deity)

c) The gift of milk surrending the nectar of material life back to the Godhead

for his pure love alone

Now based on bhakthi sutra if done in this manner then it could cultivate divine

love for him as ;

Statement a) promotes self surrender to Him

Statement b) shows the relationship of the jivatama and paratma the dualtiy that promotes unity

Statement c) the true lover of God would surrender even the fruit ( results of

spiritual practice)) of his love to the lover for loves sake ............

However I am sad to say the sutra does not refer to any self immolation practice

as bringing you nearer to God . In fact a hindu is taught to see the body as

divine vehicle to attain God . Even the temples are built in line with the

human body as body is seen as the temple and the lotus of our heart is where

the Lord resides.Furthermore the doctrine of nonviolence teaches us to refrain

violence of any form as such how is it possible to torture the body.And it is

always funny to me when some feels God need something from us in order to give

us something in return. This is known as barter system in feudal era!!!!!!!!

Now back in Malaysia the Hindu Sangam president Mr. Vaithailingam have already

tried to cut down this malpractices where few years ago they issued guideline

to stop the bongo drum beating, walking on sword and carrying weapons depicting

fierce deities. This year again the association banned all non meat food selling

and non religious song playing near the hill during this day. But guideline

remains guidelines the reluctance of the mass can be seen when you visit the

temple in these festive days. Furthermore non tamilians like Chinese and

Europeans also following this practices . If you want to see the proper way of

carrying kavadi at this festive day than Swami Guhabhaktananda gruop that

leaves from the Divine Life Society headquarters beside the hill would be the

appropriate group to follow. Swamiji use to share with me that slowly the

approriate group is getting bigger but the mass remains undisturbed about such

practices .In Singapore self immolation have already been banned as well.

In Thailand there is a festive where the people poke the bodies with all type

things I have even seen car exhaust pipe up to parang (swordlike )pierced

through their bodies in trance like state.One need to travel around the world

to realise that spiritualism is not the only reason for torturing the body and

it is easier to feel the physical pain than to remove the obstacles within

like laziness, desire, passion and anger in spritual life and that is what the

sciprture trys to asiist in doing..........

>I cannot wait for the next verseji.

>Verse 4 >yathlabdhvaa puumaanh siddha bhavati amrito bhavati tripto bhavati Yes

that would be next................

>Ji, I shall ask srihr_am ji for the proper puja for me to practise.

Please proceed....................

>Thank you very much ji

You are welcome................

>Children of Kali

 

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