Chandi -Day 5&6 - I am doing fine ,Maa, with your blessings !

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

Hope you had a chance to chant chapter 7 & 8 yesterday and 9 & 10 today. Chapter 7 introduces us to Kali - picture Her with two heads - one in each hand. She takes away Anger and Passion. In Chapter 8, she opens Her mouth and swallows the seeds of Desire.

Today chapter 9 & 10, Chandi Maa takes care of the two brothers - Self Deprecation and Self Conceit. Are these two qualities related to each other - ie when you have one do you have in some way the other too ? Please do post your opinion and thoughts on this question. Thank you.

Chapter 10 marks the demise of the last of our negativities... The only thing left to do is to sing Her name with joy.

.....

Re the discussion on focus (and multi-tasking), I would like to relate an incident from my recent past.

I went to the temple on Sunday morning as usual. I was happy to see Maa and Swamiji making their way to the temple and stopped before them to make my pranams. Swamiji and Maa asked how I was .... and at that moment instead of answering them ... I remembered how I had not switched my sunglasses with my normal glasses ... and exclaimed aloud " Omigosh, I am still wearing my sunglasses! I have to go back to get my other pair!"

This , in front of Maa and Swamiji - forgetting my original intention to bow at their feet, forgetting to answer their question (how are you - Maa asks so sweetly) -- but all the time being so self absorbed and still "in the world". And of course, Swamiji didnt miss a beat, and said "We'll see you shortly then"

Swamiji often tells us (paraphrase) "When you come to the Mandir, leave the world outside the gate. And to do that takes a lot of preparation - doing your work so efficiently so that you dont have to go back and re-do or complete it. "

I realize that I need to give my mind a clear directive - to be completed with all open tasks, so that when I enter the gate - I am ready to focus on Maa and Swamiji and give the appropriate answer to their question.

I am doing fine Maa, with your blessings...

Jai MaaNanda

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Nanda,

Thank you so much for your posts - they provide a lot of help and

encouragement to us newbies. I just finished chapter 13 and I have a

question for Swamiji. Why are the last two lines repeated in this

chapter? That is, starting from " Having obtained the blessing from

the Goddess, Good Thoughts, the best of warriors .....All Colors,

Tribes and Castes. " Are those lines especially significant or is that

a misprint?

Namaste

Papia

, " Nanda " <chandimaakijai

wrote:

>

>

> Dear All,

>

> Hope you had a chance to chant chapter 7 & 8 yesterday and 9 & 10

today.

> Chapter 7 introduces us to Kali - picture Her with two heads - one

in

> each hand. She takes away Anger and Passion. In Chapter 8, she

opens Her

> mouth and swallows the seeds of Desire.

>

> Today chapter 9 & 10, Chandi Maa takes care of the two brothers -

Self

> Deprecation and Self Conceit. Are these two qualities related to

each

> other - ie when you have one do you have in some way the other too ?

> Please do post your opinion and thoughts on this question. Thank

you.

>

> Chapter 10 marks the demise of the last of our negativities... The

only

> thing left to do is to sing Her name with joy.

>

> ....

>

> Re the discussion on focus (and multi-tasking), I would like to

relate

> an incident from my recent past.

>

> I went to the temple on Sunday morning as usual. I was happy to see

Maa

> and Swamiji making their way to the temple and stopped before them

to

> make my pranams. Swamiji and Maa asked how I was .... and at that

moment

> instead of answering them ... I remembered how I had not switched my

> sunglasses with my normal glasses ... and exclaimed aloud "

Omigosh, I

> am still wearing my sunglasses! I have to go back to get my other

pair! "

>

> This , in front of Maa and Swamiji - forgetting my original

intention to

> bow at their feet, forgetting to answer their question (how are

you -

> Maa asks so sweetly) -- but all the time being so self absorbed and

> still " in the world " . And of course, Swamiji didnt miss a beat, and

said

> " We'll see you shortly then "

>

> Swamiji often tells us (paraphrase) " When you come to the Mandir,

leave

> the world outside the gate. And to do that takes a lot of

preparation -

> doing your work so efficiently so that you dont have to go back and

> re-do or complete it. "

>

> I realize that I need to give my mind a clear directive - to be

> completed with all open tasks, so that when I enter the gate - I am

> ready to focus on Maa and Swamiji and give the appropriate answer to

> their question.

>

> I am doing fine Maa, with your blessings...

>

> Jai Maa

> Nanda

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Nanda (Hello Everyone!),

 

I've been thinking about this very question lately. It's an

interesting one. I still don't have a good broad conception of the

Chandi, so a lot of what I say may be just plain wrong, but as things

stand now, here is what I've been thinking.

 

Shumba and Nishumba (Self-Conceit and Self-Deprecation) stand at the

end of the Third Episode as the last of the thoughts to be eliminated.

After they are gone there is PEACE, and I think we can be certain that

this means samadhi - but what kind, the lower samadhi with knowledge

(and some remaining tendencies toward impurity in the ego), or the

higher kind, which is complete liberation, complete identification

with Divinity, without any binding tendencies whatsoever. My vote is

for the higher samadhi, the samadhi without knowledge.

 

I am thinking that at its purest, Shumba is the state of the ego in

the lower samadhi (Shumba means to shine - right?) So the sacrifice of

Shumba is the final sacrifice of the ego's attachment to, and

identification with, higher knowledge, and the dawn of true non-dual

existence.

 

It is apparent that Shumba and Nishumba revolve around one another,

that they are in intimate relationship, but it is also true, since

Nishumba is killed before Shumba, that they are not mutually dependent

on one another. Otherwise, Shumba would have ceased to exist as soon

as Nishumba did. So, what exactly is their relationship?

 

I tend to think in terms of the individual personality. If you read my

previous post, you already know that is how I am understanding the

Third Episode, as the story of the individual devotee. Currently I see

Shumba as coming into existence before Nishumba. It follows then that

Nishumba's dissolution would come before Shumba's.

 

Ok. Now I need to digress a bit. You may know that the three gunas are

the cause of all the manifestations of creation, and it is their

inherent imbalance that creates the constant state of change in

nature. The three gunas are activities of Divine Mother, but they are

not Her. She is Sat Chit Ananda, being, consciousness, and bliss. The

lower samadhi, the samadhi with knowledge is manifested with (or

perhaps by) a flood of sattwa guna. All of it's effects are

accomplished by this flood of sattwa guna. Sattwa guna is very holy,

but it is still not the Reality - it is not Her, but only Her

manifestation, Her Maya.

 

My thinking is that the death of Nishumba is the dawning of the lower

samadhi (the flood of sattwa guna), which almost completely changes

the personality, essentially making one shine. Nishumba dies as all

the dross of the personality, all the karmic tendencies, are reduced

to their dormant form by the flood of sattwa, and so Nishumba is no

longer needed.

 

Shumba then, in its purified form, representing the ego cleansing in

repeated applications of sattwa guna, still retains its " conceit " of

separation by virtue of its attachment to all the blessings, or

wealth, the attainment of the lower samadhi has brought. In other

words, the ego is still bound by Nature - a highly rarified nature,

but nature still. When all of this is renounced, or purified, Shumba

dies and the devotee finally knows her True Nature in Her alone.

 

It has always piqued my interest to read the passage where Nishumba

gets it, and the description of the " spirit of great strength and

valor " that comes out of the heart of Nishumba, crying, " Stop! " . I

always tend to think of Shumba and Nishumba as negatives, as bad

things, without any positive place in the personality, but I am

thinking that this is a limited understanding of them, and that small

bit, that " spirit of great strength and valor " , is a very positive

attribution.

 

So, if Shumba in its purified state embodies the lower samadhi, that

is not a bad thing at all - except that it is not reality, and so not

true freedom. To be characterized by Shumba (in its purified state) is

a pretty good place to be, compared to where most of us are. But what

can we say thats good, about Nishumba? The text says Nishumba contains

a spirit of great strength and valor. Why?

 

Alright, imagine the shining Shumba, the ego in its pretty highly

purified (not completely, though) state, being successively covered by

the dirt and mud of attachments and desires and karmas, layer upon

layer, until there is no connection anymore with divinity in the mind

and personality. It is the state of many in the world today. Shumba is

now nothing more than a dull self-attributed idea of personal

greatness and entitlement, with an occasional faint glimmer of

divinity shining through as a spark of creativity or an aura of

attraction, or a determination to achieve. The personality is shrouded

in egotism - totally self-absorbed. In walks Nishumba.

 

I am thinking it is through the graces of egotistical life, the bumps

and bruises, the pains and realizations that we are not as great as we

thought, and even (maybe especially) the occasional fortunate

revelations of Truth, that Nishumba is born. I am thinking that it is

Nishumba that makes us " human " , and even Nishumba which allows us to,

eventually, surrender to God. I am thinking that without Nishumba we

would be little more than animals with the power to destroy ourselves

and the world we live on. It is Nishumba who balances and opposes the

egotistical tendencies of an unpurified Shumba, who reminds us of our

commonality, who stands before the forces of egotism and says, " We are

all one family, reflections of One Divinity. "

 

It is true that Mahishasura, the Great Ego, is worshipped by us as an

offering of gratitude for his sacrifices in bringing us to freedom (a

little ahead of the game, but that is the idea). We recognize the

positive qualities in our unpurified egos that brought us to our

realization, at the same time that we contemplate the severed head

with our face hanging by the hair from the hand of our beloved Mother.

 

In the same way, when Nishumba is rendered purposeless by the

reorganization and purification (relative to what we were) of the

personality after the lower samadhi dawns, it is not a sniveling

spirit of self-hatred we see depart, but a spirit of great strength

and valor, one who recognizes his place, but cannot in the end

surrender his life, and so calls out to his God, " No! " at the end.

 

If you have any comments, please feel free to share!

 

Jai Maa!

Chris

 

 

 

 

 

 

, " Nanda " <chandimaakijai wrote:

>

>

> Dear All,

>

> Hope you had a chance to chant chapter 7 & 8 yesterday and 9 & 10 today.

> Chapter 7 introduces us to Kali - picture Her with two heads - one in

> each hand. She takes away Anger and Passion. In Chapter 8, she opens Her

> mouth and swallows the seeds of Desire.

>

> Today chapter 9 & 10, Chandi Maa takes care of the two brothers - Self

> Deprecation and Self Conceit. Are these two qualities related to each

> other - ie when you have one do you have in some way the other too ?

> Please do post your opinion and thoughts on this question. Thank you.

>

> Chapter 10 marks the demise of the last of our negativities... The only

> thing left to do is to sing Her name with joy.

>

> ....

>

> Re the discussion on focus (and multi-tasking), I would like to relate

> an incident from my recent past.

>

> I went to the temple on Sunday morning as usual. I was happy to see Maa

> and Swamiji making their way to the temple and stopped before them to

> make my pranams. Swamiji and Maa asked how I was .... and at that moment

> instead of answering them ... I remembered how I had not switched my

> sunglasses with my normal glasses ... and exclaimed aloud " Omigosh, I

> am still wearing my sunglasses! I have to go back to get my other pair! "

>

> This , in front of Maa and Swamiji - forgetting my original intention to

> bow at their feet, forgetting to answer their question (how are you -

> Maa asks so sweetly) -- but all the time being so self absorbed and

> still " in the world " . And of course, Swamiji didnt miss a beat, and said

> " We'll see you shortly then "

>

> Swamiji often tells us (paraphrase) " When you come to the Mandir, leave

> the world outside the gate. And to do that takes a lot of preparation -

> doing your work so efficiently so that you dont have to go back and

> re-do or complete it. "

>

> I realize that I need to give my mind a clear directive - to be

> completed with all open tasks, so that when I enter the gate - I am

> ready to focus on Maa and Swamiji and give the appropriate answer to

> their question.

>

> I am doing fine Maa, with your blessings...

>

> Jai Maa

> Nanda

>

[Guest guest]

Nandaji,

 

Thanks for your inspiring and educational posts on the Chandi.

 

I really love your story/experience. Why did you remember the

sunglasses at the exact moment that Gurujis spoke to you? To me,

Mother was playing with you - since you were giving us such beautiful

lessons on the Chandi, She rewarded you with an experience like in

Chap. 1 vs 54 -57, She gave the circumstance to awaken you and the

blessing to understand.

 

Jai Maa

 

Love

Kalia

 

, " Nanda " <chandimaakijai wrote:

>

>

> Dear All,

>

> Hope you had a chance to chant chapter 7 & 8 yesterday and 9 & 10 today.

> Chapter 7 introduces us to Kali - picture Her with two heads - one in

> each hand. She takes away Anger and Passion. In Chapter 8, she opens Her

> mouth and swallows the seeds of Desire.

>

> Today chapter 9 & 10, Chandi Maa takes care of the two brothers - Self

> Deprecation and Self Conceit. Are these two qualities related to each

> other - ie when you have one do you have in some way the other too ?

> Please do post your opinion and thoughts on this question. Thank you.

>

> Chapter 10 marks the demise of the last of our negativities... The only

> thing left to do is to sing Her name with joy.

>

> ....

>

> Re the discussion on focus (and multi-tasking), I would like to relate

> an incident from my recent past.

>

> I went to the temple on Sunday morning as usual. I was happy to see Maa

> and Swamiji making their way to the temple and stopped before them to

> make my pranams. Swamiji and Maa asked how I was .... and at that moment

> instead of answering them ... I remembered how I had not switched my

> sunglasses with my normal glasses ... and exclaimed aloud " Omigosh, I

> am still wearing my sunglasses! I have to go back to get my other pair! "

>

> This , in front of Maa and Swamiji - forgetting my original intention to

> bow at their feet, forgetting to answer their question (how are you -

> Maa asks so sweetly) -- but all the time being so self absorbed and

> still " in the world " . And of course, Swamiji didnt miss a beat, and said

> " We'll see you shortly then "

>

> Swamiji often tells us (paraphrase) " When you come to the Mandir, leave

> the world outside the gate. And to do that takes a lot of preparation -

> doing your work so efficiently so that you dont have to go back and

> re-do or complete it. "

>

> I realize that I need to give my mind a clear directive - to be

> completed with all open tasks, so that when I enter the gate - I am

> ready to focus on Maa and Swamiji and give the appropriate answer to

> their question.

>

> I am doing fine Maa, with your blessings...

>

> Jai Maa

> Nanda

>