Meenakshi

[Guest guest]

Goddess Meenakshi

 

(Sri Swamiji's speech on the fourth day of Navaratri-1996)

 

 

 

When the Sadguru sets out to instil the yogic energy in the disciple, he must

first find out the level of the disciple with respect to the chakras. If this

is not done, both the master and the disciple will land in trouble. An wire

can conduct electricity from any source to any source. But for the electricity

to manifest and be useful, one should attach an appliance like a bulb at the

other end. For the sake of easy understanding, think that the passage from the

Mooladhara to the Sahasrara is an electric wire. The journey should begin from

the beginning i.e., the Mooladhara and should proceed towards the Sahasrara.

This is the natural direction. It may be possible, with difficulty, to travel

in unconventional directions. But it takes much more time and energy than the

time tested conventional method. Therefore, a Guru will first estimate the

level of the disciple before imparting knowledge to him. He will do so only when

the disciple is ready for it.

 

When will I become fit to receive it ? Only the Guru knows it. What should I

do till then ? Keep serving the Guru. Till when ? The Guru can follow you

through many future births. He will bestow the yogic awareness when you reach

the

right level. When you reach that level, you may have to take birth in strange

forms. But you will reach fulfilment in that birth. The episode of Goddess

Meenakshi is an example.

 

Once, a demon who had become very old took to penance. A thought of killing

that old demon came to Indra. Actually that demon, who had been once defeated

by Indra himself had now become innocuous and as such, it was not necessary to

kill him now. But still, just to add the name of another demon in the list of

his killings, Indra killed him. Immediately, he acquired the sin of killing a

sage and as a result, lost all his brilliance and became an ordinary being.

 

It is a great sin to disturb anyone who is sitting in meditation. Why

meditation ? Disturbing someone who is in deep sleep is also a sin. If it is

very

necessary one should awaken the sleeping person very slowly and softly. Sleep is

to an ordinary being what dhyana is for a yogi. In fact, sleep is like a boon.

Not everybody gets good sleep. Therefore, if one disturbs the dhyana or pooja

or sleep of another person, he will acquire sin. When a person of Indra's

stature could not escape that punishment, what about us mortals ?

 

To get rid of this sin, Indra had to take birth on the earth and undertake

pilgrimage. Once, while he was travelling in a place called Kadamba Vana in the

Pandya kingdom, he started experiencing a sense of purification. He set out to

find out the reason for this transformation. Soon, he spotted a Shiva Linga

nearby. He understood that the transformation was on account of the Linga and

immediately constructed a temple around it.

 

A merchant called Dhananjaya of the neighbouring village was once passing

through that area. He saw this new structure and dutifully reported about it to

the then king, Kulashekhara. Subsequently, Lord Shiva appeared to the king in

the dream and ordered him to develop that area. The king immediately designed a

city in that area and named it as Madhura.

 

Malayadhwaja, the successor of Kulashekhara did not have an offspring for a

long time. He then performed a Yajna and as a result, a three year old girl

came out of the Yajna. She had three breasts. The king was taken aback. But a

divine voice assured him - " Don't be afraid. This is not a bad omen. Raise this

child as you would raise a boy. When she is seen by her husband-to-be, her

third breast will disappear."

 

Because her eyes were beautiful and fish shaped, she came to be called as

Meenakshi (meena=fish, akshi=eye). She soon learnt the martial arts and became

an

excellent warrior. When her father died, she took over the responsibility the

kingdom and ruled it marvellously. Some people argue that women do not enjoy

equal rights. Great women like Gargi and Maitreyi used to take part in vedic

debates. Women like Anasuya even went to the extent of carrying out

counter-creation. Our country has a tradition of treating not only equally, but

also with

immense respect. Today, some women think that just by imitating men, they can

achieve equality. That is not real equality. Intellectual equality is the

real equality.

 

Meenakshi, during the course of her kingdom expansion, went to the

mountainous Kailas area. There, Lord Shiva appeared to her in youthful form. As

soon as

Meenakshi saw him, her third breast disappered. Immediately Meenakshi realised

that He was Lord Shiva and fell at his feet and begged him to accept her.

 

Shiva accepted and came to Madhura. Looking at his handsome form, people

called him Sundareshwara (sundara=beautiful). All the sages had already gathered

there. Lord Vishnu was also there and he discharged the duty of Kanyadana

(officially offering the bride) .

 

In due course of time, they begot a son and named him Ugrapandya. Later

Sundareshwara merged in the Linga. Goddess Meenakshi made that city her abode

and

is still there, blessing her devotees. In the idol of Goddess Meenakshi we can

see a parrot in one of her hands. This symbolises knowledge.