The legends -- Truth and purposes of it ?

[Guest guest]

Dear Sriram ji,

 

Your knowledge amazes me. At the sametime these mythological stories seems to

be unbeleivable as in this case how can a revered deity exhibit a human trait

like pride. I would like to know what is the real purposes of the stories like

these in all our sthala puaranas which invariably deals with one asura or other

or some deities exhibiting a human weaknesses gets cursed etc in our great

sanathana Dharma. When skeptics ask me these questions I am not able to answer

them and that is the reason of my query.

 

But at the sametime, When it comes to upanishads as we see holy people around

,who have been totally ignorant of upanishadic knowledge at the knowledge

level, compare their real life experiences with the truth of upanishads, it is

indeed convincing. Also this can be said for mantra sastras, shlokas also, But I

fail to understand the truth or puposes behind these mythological stories.

 

Regards

ganapathy

 

venkata sriram <sriram_sapthasathi wrote:

Dear Ganapathi,

 

There is a sanctum of Lord Vishnu called “Kalvar” within the premises of Devi

Kamakshi in the Gayatri Mandapam.

 

During the churning of milky ocean for Ambrosia (samudra manthana), due to the

scorching and poisonous radiation of Halahala, Lord Vishnu became dark in

colour. When Goddess Lakshmi emerged out of the milky ocean, her hue was golden

in colour. Devatas offered the hand of Lakshmi to Vishnu in the marriage.

Goddess Lakshmi during the casual talk with Vishnu, out of her arrogance for

golden complexion, made fun of Vishnu’s dark complexion. Irritated by her proud

attitude, Vishnu cursed her to lose her beauty forthwith. Lakshmi, distressed by

the curse, sought the refuge of Mother Kamakshi and prayed her to grant the lost

beauty. Kamakshi consoled Lakshmi and asked her to remain at the left side of

her sannidhi inside the Gayatri Mandapam. Kamakshi assured Lakshmi that the

devotees visiting the Kamakoti Peetam, after receiving the Kumkuma Prasad from

the Kamakshi Temple would offer the same to this Lakshmi. By the efficacy of the

Kumkuma which is the Prasad of

Kamakshi, the Lakshmi would regain her lost beauty. Devi Kamakshi asked the

Lakshmi that in turn, the Lakshmi would bestow all the prosperity to the

devotees who would offer Kumkuma. Goddess Lakshmi submitted to the Kamakshi’s

will and regained her lovely and beautiful form. This is the legend of the

transformation of the Aroopa Lakshmi to Saundarya Lakshmi.

 

Lord Vishnu came to know that his consort had regained the original beauty. He

came to Kanchipuram stealthily to have a glance at the beauty of his consort.

Goddess Kamakshi too notice of Vishnu who came “like a thief” to have a glance

at his wife. And thus, she addressed him as “KALVAR” which means “Thief”. And

thus, the name stuck. This Kalvar sannidhi is also adjacent to Saundarya Lakshmi

in Gayatri Mandapam.

 

With regards,

Sriram

 

Namah Savitre.

 

 

Explore your hobbies and interests. Click here to begin.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Ganapathi,

 

This is the question that bothers me also.

 

My son who is 6 years old asks me why Lord Venkateswara had 2 wives instead of

1. Now, at that age, I cannot explain vedic secret that Lord is Paramapurusha

is the Supreme Consciousness that bestows the liberation through Sridevi and

material prosperity through Bhudevi. That Lord is Sushumna Nadi that leads to

Sahasrara and Sridevi and Bhudevi are Ida & Pingala nadis.

 

When I explain Ramayana to him, he asks why Ravana had 10 heads. To him who is

a child and since Ramayana is a historical fact, he is under the impression that

Ravana is physically deformed. Now, I can’t explain that Ramayana is a

wonderful epic poem with all the 9 rasas with wonderful allegories and alankara

shastra which make it Maha Kavya; that Ravana is Ego Personified that takes

control of 10 facets of individual ie., 5 jnanendriyas and 5 karmendriyas.

 

He asks me why in puranas, Indra is portrayed as a womanizer and commits

adultery. I can’t explain to him that Indra is the Lord of Indriyas (senses)

and when this comes under the influence of lust, commits such things. Whether

the Indra or Rig Veda and this lusty Indra of Puranas are identical or not is a

debatable question.

 

Now, the so-called rationalists and modern thinkers who claim to be agnostics

and atheists are like my 6-year old son. They have neither scriptural

background nor are matured enough to absorb the sublime ideals of our culture.

 

Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni, a great Vedic scholar who had mastered entire Rig

Veda, Puranas, Alankara Shastra, Tantra, Kavya, Nataka, Mimamsa had made certain

efforts to bring about the Vedas, History, Puranas, Tantra under common platform

and deduced the common principle behind these. Sri Aurobindo Ghosh also tried

to make certain efforts in correlating Veda, Purana, Itihasa.

 

Now, the problem with us is that we are “modern-educated” with little

knowledge of Vedas, Puranas, our civilization, culture etc. and do not know how

to correlate these two and arrive at a same underlying principle.

 

Basically our Hindu Religion has three parts, viz., philosophy, mythology and

ritual. Philosophy is the essence of religion. It sets forth its basic

principles or fundamental doctrines or tenets, the goal and the means of

attaining it. Mythology explains and illustrates philosophy by means of

legendary lives of great men or of supernatural beings. Ritual gives a still

more concrete form to philosophy so that everyone may understand it. Ritual

consists of forms, ceremonies, etc.

 

So is the case with sthala puranas. The sthala puranas are the short puranas

pertaining to particular places that are authentic facts.

 

To put in the words of Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswathi of Kamakoti Pita:

 

" Sthala Puranas not only enable us to have an insight into history but also

enrich our knowledge of local culture and local customs. It seems to me that if

they are read together in a connected manner, they may throw more light on our

history than even the 18 Puranas and Upa-puranas. In fact they fill the gaps in

the major Puranas. "

 

Kanchi Mahaperivaal says the all our puranas, upa-puranas, sthala puranas are

TURE to the core and they magnify the secret and subtle aspects that are not

explained in Vedas.

 

In school, we study geography through maps. Though there is no real country

or town in a map, we are able to arrive at conclusions about the route map of

different countries. Similarly, the puranas and myths are the roadmap to arrive

at a conclusion. One can grasp the subtle philosophical truths through the myths

 

The sthala puranas are certain facts based on the ethos, civilization,

behavioral aspects, cultural heritage, mental & intellectual maturity of the

people residing at that particular place. Nevertheless, there are certain cock

and bull stories that have been incorporated in the mythology during the course

of time and generation. For example, Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni denies the fact

that Renuka -the mother of Parasurama which is adored as Mother Yellamma in most

of the villages is the same mother Chinnamasta, the Great Goddess of Dasa

Mahavidya. Ganapati Muni says that Renuka Yellamma – the mother of Parasurama

and Chinnamasta of Dasa Mahavidya are not identical and the story of Parasurama

cutting asunder the head of Renuka and this Renuka being the same as Chinnamasta

- a cock and bull story that has been incorporated in the Purana.

 

In certain sthala puranas, very pious personalities who lead virtuous lives

are deified as gods after their passing away. For example, sammakka and sarakka

in Telangana Region were the freedom fighters who fought against the Nizam

tyranny and became deified as twin goddess in Telangana Region. Even Kannagi, a

tamil character in an epic, is worshipped as local goddess.

 

So, considering these facts, probably, certain heroes, vira naris, heroes in

the wars and battlefield were associated with certain temples that have become

the sthala puranas in due course of time.

 

Since, we are in the path of sadhana and are not self-realized, I think, such

questions whether it was correct on the part of Kalvar to go stealthily to have

a glance at his wife or not, are irrelevant. We can’t satisfy the rationalists

and atheists as they are puffed up with arrogance and ego. So, the best

possible answer we can give to them is asking them to shut their mouth and mind

their own business.

 

Enlightened views from learned members are welcome for debate.

 

With regards,

Sriram

 

Kamakoti Sive Paahi….

Kanchipuranayikaam hrudi bhavaye…

 

ganapathy = = vijaya <srividya101 wrote:

Dear Sriram ji,

 

Your knowledge amazes me. At the sametime these mythological stories seems to be

unbeleivable as in this case how can a revered deity exhibit a human trait like

pride. I would like to know what is the real purposes of the stories like these

in all our sthala puaranas which invariably deals with one asura or other or

some deities exhibiting a human weaknesses gets cursed etc in our great

sanathana Dharma. When skeptics ask me these questions I am not able to answer

them and that is the reason of my query.

 

But at the sametime, When it comes to upanishads as we see holy people around

,who have been totally ignorant of upanishadic knowledge at the knowledge level,

compare their real life experiences with the truth of upanishads, it is indeed

convincing. Also this can be said for mantra sastras, shlokas also, But I fail

to understand the truth or puposes behind these mythological stories.

 

Regards

ganapathy

 

venkata sriram <sriram_sapthasathi wrote:

Dear Ganapathi,

 

There is a sanctum of Lord Vishnu called “Kalvar” within the premises of Devi

Kamakshi in the Gayatri Mandapam.

 

During the churning of milky ocean for Ambrosia (samudra manthana), due to the

scorching and poisonous radiation of Halahala, Lord Vishnu became dark in

colour. When Goddess Lakshmi emerged out of the milky ocean, her hue was golden

in colour. Devatas offered the hand of Lakshmi to Vishnu in the marriage.

Goddess Lakshmi during the casual talk with Vishnu, out of her arrogance for

golden complexion, made fun of Vishnu’s dark complexion. Irritated by her proud

attitude, Vishnu cursed her to lose her beauty forthwith. Lakshmi, distressed by

the curse, sought the refuge of Mother Kamakshi and prayed her to grant the lost

beauty. Kamakshi consoled Lakshmi and asked her to remain at the left side of

her sannidhi inside the Gayatri Mandapam. Kamakshi assured Lakshmi that the

devotees visiting the Kamakoti Peetam, after receiving the Kumkuma Prasad from

the Kamakshi Temple would offer the same to this Lakshmi. By the efficacy of the

Kumkuma which is the Prasad of

Kamakshi, the Lakshmi would regain her lost beauty. Devi Kamakshi asked the

Lakshmi that in turn, the Lakshmi would bestow all the prosperity to the

devotees who would offer Kumkuma. Goddess Lakshmi submitted to the Kamakshi’s

will and regained her lovely and beautiful form. This is the legend of the

transformation of the Aroopa Lakshmi to Saundarya Lakshmi.

 

Lord Vishnu came to know that his consort had regained the original beauty. He

came to Kanchipuram stealthily to have a glance at the beauty of his consort.

Goddess Kamakshi too notice of Vishnu who came “like a thief” to have a glance

at his wife. And thus, she addressed him as “KALVAR” which means “Thief”. And

thus, the name stuck. This Kalvar sannidhi is also adjacent to Saundarya Lakshmi

in Gayatri Mandapam.

 

With regards,

Sriram

 

Namah Savitre.

 

 

Explore your hobbies and interests. Click here to begin.

 

 

[Guest guest]

, venkata sriram

<sriram_sapthasathi wrote

 

>

> Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni, a great Vedic scholar who had mastered

entire Rig Veda, Puranas, Alankara Shastra, Tantra, Kavya, Nataka,

Mimamsa had made certain efforts to bring about the Vedas, History,

Puranas, Tantra under common platform and deduced the common principle

behind these. Sri Aurobindo Ghosh also tried to make certain efforts

in correlating Veda, Purana, Itihasa. >>

 

 

It is always interesting to see such correlations but there is a

limit to everything. One should not take it to the extent that the

original meaning/intent/application is lost and neglected, however

captivating a new interpretation/correlation might be.

 

As far our stories/legends are concerned, there is no need for us to

question their validity. Some have deeper meanings embedded in them.

Some are pregnant with historical facts, a few are meant to inspire

sAdhaka-s or teach morals and others are just stories.They should be

cherished, collected and passed on to next generations.

 

Ex: The bhakti of rAvaNa can be remembered by the telling the story of

he tore open his belly and and played music with this intestines to

please shiva. The devotion and dedication to his devata might be

emulated but it will be stupid of anyone to try to do what he did

hoping to gain the grace of their devata.

 

 

>

> Ganapati Muni says that Renuka Yellamma – the mother of Parasurama

>and Chinnamasta of Dasa Mahavidya are not identical and the story of

>Parasurama cutting asunder the head of Renuka and this Renuka being

>the same as Chinnamasta - a cock and bull story that has been

>incorporated in the Purana.

 

 

In the umA sahasraM he gives some philosophical meaning to above.

The same is mentioned in his biography also.

 

 

>>If satvic food is not available, people should keep on fasting and

die. Youth should come forward for this. Finally the required

population will remain for available food and there will not be hatred

and wars in the world. >>

 

> Enjoying the entire world i.e insults and sorrows with love and

>affection is called " Sri Vidya " .

 

Sometimes teachers might exaggerate just to inspire their audience or

to inculcate some good/healthy habits or to drive home some specific

points in various contexts. They might make sense at that point of

time in that particular context to a specific audience. The statements

may sound absurd when taken out of context and presented to a

different audience. So one should use discrimination and not take

statements like above seriously I guess.

 

Regards