Joi Maa Durga: Notes on "Idol Worship" (Part-I)

Author's Note: You may read Shubho Mahalaya - Maa aaschhen: HERE.

The ever-mesmerizing Bhavani Dayani can be read: HERE.

Shubho Maha Saptami: Who or rather what are Maa Adi Shakti and Maa Kaalraatri? can be read: HERE.

Now, let us make a humble attempt to understand why the formless forces or energies of the cosmos or the formless elements of nature have been given a form or shape - by our ancients. If you were to ask me, I would say there are about four major reasons.

But before we delve into them, here is the Mahalakshmi Stotram:

If you remember, in the Chapter 11 of the Srimad Bhagavad Geeta, before describing to Arjun (and through him to all of us) what is now widely known as - His "Vishwaroop", Shri Krishna tells Arjun: that only those that were truly "awakened" can "see" it. Those that are yet to "awaken" - cannot "see" it. Here "awakened" = one who has truly opened one's mind's eye (i.e. one's manas-chokhshu or divya drishti). Such a person is a "muni" and this is irrespective of gender, occupation, background or age. A "muni" is one who is a true "jnani" or the possessor of illumined knowledge. Note: One does not come to possess illumined knowledge (jnana) automatically, i.e. by simply reading various books or texts; one also needs to be free from ego (ahamkara) and other base (or aasuric) traits, such as: selfishness, anger, greed, resentment, and so on. 

"Vishwaroop" refers to the the formless Paramaatma i.e. the Supreme Soul or the Parameswar, i.e. the Supreme Being - appearing in forms that incorporate the complete creation or Universe in it. The word "Vishwaroop" is formed by joining two Sanskrit words: "vishwa" meaning the universe and "roop" meaning form. After "sighting" this form (Vishwaroop) in his mind's eye (manas-chokhshu or divya drishti), Arjun understands the true meaning of the cosmic process and of destiny.

sri bhagavaan uvaacha:

    pashya me paartha roopaani shatasho'tha  sahasrashah
    naanaavidhaani divyaani  naanaavarnaakriteeni cha // 11.5 //

Translated: Sri  Bhagavan Krishna says, "Behold, O Partha, by hundreds and thousands, My different forms: celestial, varied in colours and shapes." [Partha, as you know is another name for Arjuna.]

While describing the "Vishwaroop", Shri Krishna speaks in the first person, aham (I, Me); but He is not referring to Himself. He is simply describing that Supreme Force of the Universe or the Cosmic Energy: that our ancients called the Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar) ... and which encompasses the whole of Creation and the Universe itself. In short: Shri Krishna is describing Creation per se. However, Shri Krishna wasn't stating anything that was not already known. He was merely distilling the timeless knowledge of the 'Veds' (whether of all the four - the Rg Ved, the Sama Ved, the Yajur Ved and the Atharva Ved - I know not; but of the Rig Ved certainly) and those of the 'Panchatantra', some of the 'Upanishads', the 'Ramayan,' etc., as well. The Srimad Bhagavad Geeta is a treasure-trove that holds immense wisdom and illumined knowledge within its pages and is the jewel of ancient India's spiritual wisdom, one that is not constrained by time and space. 

[Note: Shri Krishna did not "transform" Himself into "His" own cosmic form, as is mistakenly and somewhat popularly believed. He only simplified things (complex science, rather vigjnana and philosophy) to such an extent that it enabled Arjun to clearly "perceive" the Divine form of the otherwise formless Cosmic Energy also known as the Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar) - in his mind's eye. Hence, Shri Krishna says, "Behold, O Partha..." 

By "... My different forms", Shri Krishna is referring to that eternal, uncreated, formless and without gender Cosmic Energy - of which He too is (and we all are) a part of. Please note: I am using "is" - since the soul or the aatma is Energy; and it too is eternal, imperishable and uncreated. The soul (aatman) is a part of that greater Cosmic Energy (also known as the Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar).

The "vision", that of "Vishwaroop", is not a myth or legend ... it is a spiritual experience.]

Let us now discuss the much-disdained "idol worship" or the much-maligned "idolatry" bit:

1. According to the timeless "way of life" also known as "Sanaatan Dharma", every thing (whether animate or inanimate) that can be found anywhere in Creation - is also a part of that Cosmic Energy, known as the Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar); since the formless and without gender Paramaatma or the Parameswar "manifests" Itself as Creation (Srsstti). It includes us too. That is: our mortal bodies (sharira) as well as our immortal souls (aatman) are a part of the Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar).

This Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar) therefore, possesses many forms or shapes, since anything, no matter what it is, whether animate or inanimate - so long it can be found in creation or in nature - automatically "represents" the shape of the Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar). 

... And yet, despite the above, the Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar) remains formless (nirākārā).

 

This is because: Creation itself is transient; it is an illusion - known as the cosmic illusion or Maaya.

Here's why: The sky does not remain blue forever nor do the grass remain green. The mist-covered mountains, the cloud-kissed forests, the clear skies and the waters of the oceans, all appear to be blue in colour, but it is not so in reality; the clouds appear to be white, but is colourless. The snow-covered mountains appear to be golden-hued - when the first rays of the sun falls on them, but is no so in reality. A rainbow appears to be real. A newborn does not remain a newborn; it grows up to become a toddler, then a youth, and gradually attains old age; all the while the body undergoes change. New species evolve while some become extinct. Old stars die and new ones are born, a comet burn's out, a meteorite or an asteroid crashes into something, the universe is constantly expanding ... and so on and so forth; there is change happening all the time, though we may not realize it or "see" it. This is the cosmic illusion or Maaya - that our ancients have written about.

As mentioned earlier: the Cosmic Energy or the forces of the Universe (also known as: the Supreme Soul [the Paramaatma] or the Supreme Being [the Parameswar] has no gender and is formless (nirākārā, nirguna). It manifests Itself as Creation (Srsstti), i.e. through anything that is a part of or can be found in Creation. It therefore, possesses many forms or shapes, since anything, no matter what it is, whether animate or inanimate - so long it can be found in creation or in nature - automatically represents the shape of the Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar). 

Just like our aatman (the soul, which is immortal or indestructible). 

The aatman (which too is a part of the Parmaatma - the Supreme Soul or the Supreme Being - the Parameswar) has no shape or form of its own, it is: nirākārā and has no gender. Yet, when it takes on or inhabits a mortal body (i.e. assumes a temporary outer covering), from time to time, it receives a shape and identity of its own. In short: it then takes on a form (ākārā, saguna). But then, since this form or shape is not a permanent one, and is only a temporary or transient outer-covering, the aatman (soul) per se still remains formless (nirākārā). This too is part of that cosmic illusion or Maaya. 

Here's why: the temporary or the mortal form (i.e., the outer-covering or the body, sharira) is created, it undergoes transformation, changes shape and is mortal; the aatman (or the soul) is not. The aatman was never created (immortal) and cannot be destroyed (imperishable). It has always existed. It is eternal.

Our soul (or the aatman) is a part of (and behaves in a manner very much similar to the one displayed by) the Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar). The latter has no form of its own (i.e. It is nirākārā, nirguna), and yet It also manifests Itself through everything that is a part of Creation (Srsstti). Similarly, when, from time to time, our formless soul or the aatman takes on or inhabits a mortal body (i.e. a temporary outer-covering, sharira), it too receives a form (ākārā, saguna) and identity of its own. That is: It then takes on a temporary independent shape of its own (i.e. It becomes: ākārā, saguna); while also continuing to remain a part of the formless (nirākārā, nirguna) Supreme Soul (the Paramaatma) or the Supreme Being (the Parameswar) - eternally. 

This is Dvaita: the interplay between the nirākārā (the formless, the all-pervading, the omnipresent) + the nirguna (the unmanifested) and the ākārā (the with form) + the saguna (the manifested). 

Shri Krishna has said, that only those that were truly enlightened or possessed illumined knowledge (jnana), i.e. the ones that have truly opened their "mind's eye" (i.e. those who are: muni) - will be able to "see" it, understand it and comprehend it. Anyone else, no matter who they were, will not. One needs to let go of ego (ahamkara), prejudice, etc to be able to "see" or "perceive" it (i.e. to be able to "see" the formless yet with form "roop" of the Cosmic Energy or the Paramaatma or the Parameswar) - in one's mind's eye. 

This formless yet with form "roop" of the Cosmic Energy or the Paramaatma or the Parameswar - is everywhere in Nature, in Creation, in the Universe, and within ourselves as well - as the formless, unmanifested energy or soul + the transient perishable form or the manifested cosmic illusion or Maaya.

2. The human mind is unable to visualize, fathom or comprehend vacuum or for that matter, anything that is without form or shape (nirākārā). It needs something, anything, as a reference point.  

The  nirākārā (the formless, the all-pervading, the omnipresent) + Nirguna (the unmanifested) form of the Cosmic Energy (also known as Supreme Soul [the Paramaatma] or the Supreme Being [the Parameswar] is not easily comprehended. But the medium through which we can reach that formless, unmanifested Cosmic Energy (also known as the Supreme Soul [the Paramaatma] or the Supreme Being [the Parameswar] IS the ākārā, i.e. the with form + manifested version: the Saguna. 

... And hence the temporary, transient idol. The temporary, transient "idol" is a "manifested" version or form of that timeless, eternal, formless, unmanifested Cosmic Energy (or the Paramaatma or the Parameswar) that can be seen with mortal eyes. "Idols" can include anything that is to be found in nature; and is not limited to just the mud or terracotta idols that are "worshiped" these days.

... Since the formless Cosmic Energy (also known as the Supreme Soul [the Paramaatma] or the Supreme Being [the Parameswar] also manifests Itself through everything that is a part of Creation (Srsstti), our ancients have revered Creation (Srsstti) and Nature (Prakriti) and all that is a part of It. Hence, they have worshiped the trees and the forests, the water-bodies, the hills and the mountains, the rocks and the stones, the Mother earth and even the animals and the birds. Simply because: all of these were a part of Creation and the formless Cosmic Energy (also known as the Supreme Soul [the Paramaatma] or the Supreme Being [the Parameswar] - manifested Itself through them. Our ancients have also worshiped the "Panchabhoota" or the five elements of nature (i.e. air, water, soil, fire and space). All of these have predated humankind and are a part of Creation; their presence has made it conducive for humans to appear on this planet, and without them (i.e., without the five elements of nature, along with trees, animals, mountains, et al) - humankind would not have survived until now, and will not survive in future - in the absence of these five elements. Therefore, the five elements of nature (the Panchabhoota), along with the trees, the animals, the mountains, et al were daaivic or noble or divine-like; i.e. they possessed noble qualities ('coz they have helped Creation, and life - including those of humans - to sustain themselves on this planet). 

Our ancients, through the ages, have also revered mortals (the ones that possessed noble or daaivic traits) and elevated them to the status of the divine (one who possesses noble traits or qualities; i.e. as "manifestations" of the Cosmic Energy or the forces behind the cosmos). Thus, mortal humans - men and women - that have stood up to assorted negative or aasuric forces or influences, and saved this world and its inhabitants from aasuric stranglehold or from annihilation, through the ages - have been given the status of the divine (one who possesses noble traits or qualities; i.e. as "manifestations" of the Cosmic Energy or the forces behind the cosmos) - and revered as a Bhagavan or a Bhagavati - by our ancients. [This was our ancients' way of honouring these great souls or Mahaatma-s that have helped preserve the "way of life" or "Sanaatan Dharm" - as it ought to be, and restored peace and balance in society; and whose efforts have helped civilization to flourish well.

Divine probably comes from dev, which in turn comes from daaivic - meaning: noble traits or qualities. Therefore, divine = one who possesses noble traits or qualities. It can be animate or inanimate. Dev (an honorific for a great male) or Devi (an honorific for a great female) comes from daaivic - meaning: one who possesses noble traits or qualities. Devi - is essentially a reverential honorific for a female - entity, person, power, force or energy that is worthy of respect and worship. Dev is the male version.]

Also: Bhagavan (again: an honorific for a great male) or Bhagavati (an honorific for a great female) - does not mean the Cosmic Energy (also known as the Supreme Soul [the Paramaatma] or the Supreme Being [the Parameswar] or God.

The Cosmic Energy (also known as the Supreme Soul [the Paramaatma] or the Supreme Being [the Parameswar] is not a person, It is formless and has no gender. It is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient (this is because: Mother Nature and Creation that are also part of the formless Cosmic Energy - was the source of all the knowledge and wisdom accumulated by our ancients). The Cosmic Energy (the Paramaatma or the Parameshwar i.e. the Supreme Soul or the Supreme Being), manifests Itself everywhere; the whole of creation IS the Paramaatma, or the Parameshwar. Everything, whether animate or inanimate, if it is a part of this world, this universe or this creation, IS the Paramaatma, or the Parameshwar. 

The forces of the cosmos are everywhere, and whatever is there in creation (whether seen, unseen, animate or inanimate) is a part of that "divine" or "noble" force or energy (the Cosmic Energy, also known as the Supreme Soul [the Paramaatma] or the Supreme Being [the Parameswar.]) And It includes us: our mortal body (sharira) and our immortal soul (aatman) as well.

Therefore, there is nothing that is "evil" in this world (Bhuvan), in the universe (Brhmaand) or in creation (Srristi) - as per the wisdom of our ancients, and as per the "Sanaatan Dharm" or "the timeless way of life". [Sanaatan = timeless, Dharm = path or the way of life.]

So, even when the miscreants (negative or aasuric forces or entities) are dealt with (by some or the other great human), it is not a punishment, but an opportunity for redemption - provided to those aasuric entities by these great humans.

Both 'Sur' or 'Sura' (i.e. positive forces or entities) and 'Asur'/'Ashur'/'Asura' (i.e. negative forces or entities) are required for creation, and they are present everywhere: in creation, in the universe and in this world; they are present within us (as traits), within society and within civilization as well - so as to sustain it, or rather, so as to maintain the balance in Creation.

You see, imbalance is also part of nature. ['Vikriti' is also part of 'Prakriti'.]

Bhagavan or Bhagavati comes from 'Bhagavat', which means: 'Fortunate' or 'Blessed'. 'Bhagavat' in turn is derived from 'Bhagah', which means 'good fortune'. Therefore, any mortal human who is able to rise above his or her own needs, wants, fears, emotions or attachments, and performs great deeds (keerti) for the greater good of mankind or for the good of society, is "the Fortunate One" or "the Blessed One" (or in other words: a Bhagavan or a Bhagavati). "Fortunate" or "Blessed" - since he or she will "live forever", through the greatness of his or her actions and deeds. These exceptional and great humans manage to even triumph death (which is inevitable for us all) - by becoming "mrityunjay" (mrityu = death, jay = triumph). These great souls become "amar" (i.e. they "live" eternally or they "live" forever - through their keerti or legacy). [Note: Even now we say, "Bhagya" to indicate "fate" or "fortune", and "Bhagyavan" to indicate 'someone with good fortune or on whom fate is smiling'.]

Our ancients believed that the formless forces of the universe or the energies behind the cosmos "manifested" themselves through these great humans - the ones that leave behind great deeds (keerti) and play their role for the greater good of mankind and for society; and due to whose actions, civilization is able to (and has continued to) flourish well.

Therefore, for our ancients, these great humans were "avatar-s" or "manifestations" - of the formless forces of the universe or the energies behind the cosmos (also known as the Supreme Soul [the Paramaatma] or the Supreme Being [the Parameswar).

Avatar/ this is how I see it: When the finite meets the infinite, when the created meets the uncreated, when the mortal meets the immortal, it is then that that formless force or energy, also known as God, Parmaatma (the Supreme Soul), Parameshwar (the Supreme Being) or the divine, is "manifested" - as an Avatar or even as a Yug Purush or a Yug Manavi. 

These various titles were honorifics given out of reverence, and in acknowledgement of someone's great deeds and their impact on society and on people's lives. Our ancients acknowledged the ones that made the highest contribution towards the good of society and towards civilization to flourish well (thereby touching and impacting the lives of a vast number of people) - as "avatar". 

The Chapter IV - 8 of the Srimad Bhagavad Geeta [Srimad = an honorific, Geeta = songs; Srimad Bhagavad Geeta = the 'Songs of the Blessed One or the Fortunate One'] - says:

paritranaya sadhunam

vinasaya ca duskrtam

dharma-samsthapanarthaya

sambhavami yuge yuge

Meaning:

Paritranaya: for the deliverance; sadhunam: of the devotees; vinasaya: for the annihilation; ca: also; duskrtam: of the miscreants; dharma: the principles and ideals of 'the right path' or the 'way of life' as it should be - for the good of humankind and for civilization to flourish well; samsthapana-arthaya: to reestablish; sambhavami: I do appear; yuge: millennium; yuge: after millennium. 

Translation:

In order to rescue/deliver the good and the pious (the noble-hearted) and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles and ideals of 'the right path' or the way of life as it should be - for the greater good of humankind and for civilization to flourish well, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.

[Do read my post: Shri Krshn: Notes on why he is called 'Bhagavan' - where I have made an attempt to explain the above in greater detail.] 

However, as you may have noticed, Shri Krishna uses the word or term "duskrtam" - for aasuric i.e. negative forces or entities. It means "miscreants". [Note: Even now we use a variation of this Sanskrit word "duskrtam". We say: "duskritakaari", and that too means: miscreants.]

Words or concepts like "evil", "devil", etc is not a part of our culture or the philosophy of life rooted in Vedic wisdom (i.e., "Sanaatan Dharm"). [Veda comes from the root vid, which means: wisdom, knowledge.]

The third and fourth reasons as to why our ancients worshiped "idols" - I will try to explain in my next post. So, do stay tuned.

Jagdambe Jagdambe, a Bhajan by Pandit Jasraj: [This stuti pad (hymns of praise) is dedicated to and in praise of Maa Jagadamba (the divine Mother, the Mother of this Jagat - also known as Maa Shakti or Maa Durga). Jagadamb Jagadamb sura nara muni sumiranta: O Maa Jagadamba, great humans, ordinary mortals and the "awakened" ones - all pray to You. Sanmukha stuti karanta, shasasrta shir sarawanta: They sing Your praise in front of You; You are ever-present in their thoughts and minds. Siraganga harakhanta, nAchata shri herambh: Bhagavan Shiv (sira ganga - the one who holds Maa Ganga in his jaata or dread-locks) smiles, as Shri Ganesh (Herambh) dances with joy]: "Herambh" means "one who is erudite, wise, respected and calm in disposition", hence the metaphor of an elephant-head.

Here is a lovely Bhajan (Sarasvathi Vandhana)/ Raag Bhairavi: Ustad Rashid Khan and Pandit Bharat Bhushan Goswami: [Vocal: Ustad Rashid Khan, Sarangi: Pandit Bharat Bhushan Goswami]:

Well, music is divine. It truly mesmerizes, we don't want it to end...

Shubho Moha Nobomi.

(Do stay tuned…)

Pictures: 1. Pic 01 - The sacred symbol AUM - AUM is the sound of primal energy, the sound of the universe itself. 2. Pic 02 - Maa Durga along with Shri Ganesh, Sri Sri Lakshmi and Sri Sri Saraswati. 3. Pic 03 - Mother Nature in all her glory. 4. Pic 04 - Mother Nature in all her glory - yet again. 5. Pic 05 - Shri Krishna explaining the "Viswaroop" to Arjuna. 

The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi

Note: One has to re-discover Krishna and his key. We need to join the dots and solve the many puzzles - ancient and modern, that dot 'The Krishna Key' - so as to figure out the elusive key and emerge slightly more knowledgeable and possibly a wee bit enlightened - in the process.

This one is a cerebral knowledge-hunt, a wondrous jigsaw puzzle and a crossword - that we have never attempted before.

To unlock it, we must invoke Krishna in our mind's eye; Krishna's advice should be our guidance. Remember, that the journey is more important than the destination ... just as our business is with the action only, never with its fruits.

A fairly taut and gripping tale, 'The Krishna Key' does manage to hold your interest until the very end, without much ado. Ashwin Sanghi has impressed yet again, and I am curious to know what his next offering will be about. However, my advice is that one should not read this book as an out-and-out thriller; it is clearly not meant to be that way, do look for the many symbolism and undercurrents though.

The book jacket cover is a clear winner; the shadow of the lock falls on "Krishna" while the light through the door panels gives the lock itself a cloak of suspense. It is intriguing and makes one want to play the guessing game. It conveys a message of its own. What do you think it is?

'The Krishna Key' is in gold-hued letters; Krishna as we all know is "Peetamber" - draped in the colour gold. It is also another name for Shri Vishnu - the preserving or the balancing force behind the cosmos, whose 'avatar' (manifestation) is Shri Krishna. "Peet" is golden-yellow and "amber" is sky. Hence, Peetamber also indicates the brilliant and glittering sky as well as enlightenment (i.e. an illumined mind).

Ashwin Sanghi appears in white, the colour of the serene full moon. Dark blue skies and a glowing moon exude peace and serenity. Shri Krishna is much admired for his radiance, calm and serene disposition even in the face of adversity. He is without ego (ahamkara). One needs to let go of ego, in order to attain illumined knowledge, as depicted by the story of Krishna stealing the clothes of the Gopis and hiding it. It is NOT literal, but allegorical.

The Krishna Key is not a slim volume; it contains 464 pages (excluding the references and acknowledgement bit.) Yet, it is a surprisingly breezy read, one that will greatly appeal to the fiction-loving epicurean, due to its eclectic mix. Come to think of it, this book will appeal to any connoisseur of the printed word. One gets to savour a healthy dose of thrills, history, chase, mind games, a glimpse into our ancient past, rituals, society and clans of yore; Vedic science, architecture, planetary positions, symbolism, sub-plots and a bit of romance, all of which culminates in making it quite a page-turner, while also ensuring that our knowledge travels northward. The romance bit though is a tad underdone and therefore appears somewhat abrupt. Which means, Ashwin is unlikely to pen a full-blown romantic novel anytime soon :-)

'The Krishna Key' begins with a map and a hymn (from the Rig Ved) and runs through 108 chapters in all; each of which is preceded by a paragraph from the Mahabharata, narrated in the first person by Krishna himself. This number, 108, is very significant; both Vishnu and Krishna have 108 names and so does Ma Durga (the manifestation of Shakti, the feminine force behind the cosmos.) However, the number 108 has many more layers, all of which the author explains in a manner that can be easily understood by even a layperson. Hence the overall narrative is not at a frenetic pace.

The Mahabharata as we all know, is a veritable treasure-trove. Apart from its poetic qualities, it is a comprehensive representation of ancient India. Because of its significance, while it is also known as the Fifth Veda, it is at once equivalent to all the Vedas. To my mind, it is also the comprehensive itihasa (history) of the Dvapar Yuga - the 3^rd era. It is in fact human history in its entirety. What is not within it is to be found nowhere else. And all that is elsewhere is here. It is timeless. Hence preceding each chapter by a paragraph from the Mahabharata (and that too narrated in the first person by Krishna himself) - is very significant indeed, quite a masterstroke.

We travel along with the cast of characters to the submerged ruins of Dwarka, the sand-washed ruins of Kalibangan (the largest excavation site in Rajasthan), the once-magnificent Somnath, the now placid Kurukshetra, the storied Mathura; then to the even more storied Vrindavan and a beautifully carved temple destroyed by Aurangzeb ... among other places of course. The three-headed seal with motifs of a bull, unicorn and goat engraved in an anticlockwise direction (on the face of the seal) clearly piqued the interest of the history buff in me, especially in light of the Ekashringa (literally: the one-horned) mentioned in the Mahabharata. We get glimpses into some passages from the Harivamsa too; and they unequivocally inform us that land was reclaimed from the ocean in order to construct Dwarka (Dwaravati - the city of many doors.) In ancient texts, even science was conveyed in magical terms. A complex task of engineering - land reclamation - has been described as praying to the ocean to yield twelve yojanas of land !!

Verdict: Frankly, I am amazed at the amount of research that has gone into this book. Sanghi's take on Vishnu and Shiv is ingenious. But I'm very impressed by his explanation of what is now known as the 'Shiv-ling'. Here is a lesson for us all - to observe and not merely see.

As they say, the journey is important, not the destination. And this journey is clearly an enriching one, since as companions one gets to have: the Surya Siddhanta and (the ancient Greek historian and diplomat) Megasthenes' works that talk about Methora, Sourasenoi and Heracles (who, according to Megasthenes, was held in high esteem by the Sourasenoi); Krishna's beloved golden city of Dwarka, the sacred river Sarasvati (part of the saptasindhu and which was very much a living river during Shri Krishna's time), the evolved Sarasvati civilization, the ruins of Mohenjo-daro, the Devas, the Asuras, the Ahuras and Sumeria. The primeval sound AUM and 786, Durga and Ilah, as well as the curiosity-inducing gothic font. A black stone that lies further westward, Agreshwar, Tejo Mahalay and Arjumand Banu Begum alias Mumtaz-ul-Zamani's tomb. The intricately carved doors of Somnath were carried away by Ghazni to be later fixed on his own tomb, who would have guessed why?! The wondrous significance of the numbers 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18, 894, 1008, 10008 and the sacred symbol "Swastika"; the pentagon and the six-pointed star, jyamiti and geometry; Pythagoras theorem, decimal system, the concept of zero and infinity, and even the binary system - so very common in modern computers now. Vedic mathematics is very fascinating indeed.

Most of us are unaware of the Baudhayana Sulbasutra - a manual of ancient Vedic geometry. And few may have heard of the stepped pyramid - the great flat-topped Mastaba of Djoser - a precursor to later pyramids. So the fact that the Baudhayana Sulbasutra describes in precise detail the building of a Smashaanachitha - a funeral altar; or that the Mastaba of Djoser, built around 2700 BCE, is an inverted Vedic funeral altar down to the very last detail, may come as a proverbial bolt from the blue. But then, one only needs to take a closer look at what is universally known as the Sphinx: a figure with the face of a man and the body of a lion. In short: a lion-man. Now, is the lion a creature of the desert? No. But are we strangers to the concept of the lion-man?  

If you were surprised to learn that the French philosopher Voltaire had vehemently declared, "Pythagoras went to the Ganges to learn geometry," do also remember that a certain Steve Jobs too had been a regular visitor to this great land and spent much time on the banks of this great river - seeking inspiration, by his own admission.

And just in case you are astounded by the remarkable similarity between what J. Robert Oppenheimer ("the father of the atomic bomb") said - after the first such bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, "I am become death, the destroyer of the worlds," and a line from the Srimad Bhagavad Gita that says, "I am become Time to end the world, set on my course to destroy the universe"; please do remember that the great Albert Einstein also paid his obeisance to this timeless treasury of knowledge. So, where do you think he got the idea for his seminal equation?

As we know, the soul (aatman) is energy. And this is what Shri Krishna said about the aatman: 

'Na jãyate mriyate vã kadãchinnãyam bhootvã bhavitã vã na bhooyaha, 

ajo nityaha shãshvato'yam purãno na hanyate hanyamãne shareere.' 

[Translated: 'the aatma is never born nor does it die. Similarly, it is not re-created to come into existence. Since, the aatma is not born, is eternal and imperishable, it has existed since time eternal and does not die even though the body dies.' - Srimad Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2 Verse - 20]

As Arjuna stood in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, he was overcome with feelings of weakness and confusion - since he faced the prospect of killing his own kith and kin. Shri Krishna, who was his charioteer in the battlefield, sought to allay his fears by teaching him about the distinction between the physical body (which is impermanent) and the soul or aatman (which is permanent):

'vāsānsi jīrNāni yathā vihāya navāni grihNāti naro.aparāNi.

tathā śarīrāNi vihāya jīrNānyanyāni sanyāti navāni dehī.' 

[Translated: "Just as a human being puts on new garments, casting off old and worn-out ones, the soul similarly takes up residence within new material bodies, giving up the old and infirm ones." - Srimad Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2 Verse - 22]

Now, look at what the "First Law of Thermodynamics" has to say: 'Energy can be changed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed. The total amount of energy and matter in the Universe remains constant, merely changing from one form to another.' The First Law of Thermodynamics (Conservation) states that energy is always conserved; it cannot be created or destroyed. In essence, energy can be converted from one form into another.

So? [Yet, there seem to be no respite from THE best fiction of all times - the Aryan Invasion Theory! :-)]

And despite the idol of Shiv in his Nataraj form having been duly installed within the premises of the research centre that recently witnessed much hoopla over the discovery of the elusive G particle, there has been no let up in the various narratives directed at 'idol worship' - which has swamped us for a few centuries now. :D

To my mind, humans, in the Dwapur Yuga and before, would have been very different from the ones in the current Kali Yuga, in all respects - in appearance, height, strength, longevity, calibre and in intellect too. We moderns - enslaved by our arrogance and a linear view of history - have failed to acknowledge all that.

I do not want to accumulate any more bad karma by playing spoilsport. I will not reveal and discuss any more than I have already done. Do get hold of the book and read all you can, but do not forget to simultaneously unlock the doors and windows of your heart, mind and soul. This is not a one-time read and will be amongst Sanghi's best works.

Rating: I am going with a 4/5. The production value of the book is good, editing errors are very few, and I'm sure they will be taken care of in the next print-run. The book jacket cover is very attractive and instantly catches the eye.

My humble two pence worth: It is best that we do not take our ancient texts including the Mahabharata at face value. They are immense repositories of knowledge no doubt, but just as the sacred river Ganga has become heavily polluted over time, can we say with certainty that our ancient texts - a veritable treasure-trove of knowledge (but which has, unfortunately, now come to be labeled as 'scriptures') have escaped a similar fate?

Here's why. I simply cannot believe that a woman like Kunti would 'abandon' her child, 'so as to avoid shame, since Karana was born out of wedlock'.

Kunti had four sons (including Karana) and none of them were sired by Pandu, her supposedly 'lawfully wedded husband'. (In fact, this 'lawfully wedded husband' bit somehow seems like a term that folks who came to this great land on glorified boats used and still do.)

Pandu, though a king, is a minor character. It is Kunti that wields a lot of influence; she is a strategist, negotiator and administrator of the highest order. We have completely overlooked the fact that Vedic marriages were of many types, and Swayamvara was just one of them. Any emotional and physical intimacy between a male and a female has been considered to be as good as a marital union - Gandharva Vivaha. In this form of vivaha, couples marry with mutual consent, even though they may not have the consent/blessings of their families; there are no rituals involved. However, the stress has always been on the consent of the female.

Therefore, undoubtedly, Kunti had four husbands. And so, when modern 'scholars' and their medieval counterparts talk about Pandu being her 'lawfully wedded husband' or address/depict her as a 'widow' (after Pandu's demise) - they cannot be more wrong! Being a 'widow' or virginity for that matter, has never been an issue. Even in the Treta Yuga - the 2nd era (the one preceding Dvapar Yuga) one finds Mandodari (Raavan's wife) marrying Vibhishana, Raavan's younger brother, after Raavan's demise. Therefore, Kunti clearly did not 'abandon' Karana 'for fear of being shamed'. I would like to believe that Karana was perhaps lost or kidnapped and subsequently found by the childless couple, Adhirath and Radha, who then brought him up as their own. [Adhirath was king Santanu's sarathi or charioteer. A "Suta" is one who is the offspring of mixed parentage, more precisely that of a Kshatriya-Brahmin parentage.]

We somehow tend to forget that Maharshi Vedavyas himself was the product of a Gandharva Vivaha - one between the revered Sage, Maharshi Parāśara and a fisherwoman (matsya-kanya) Satyavati. Satyavati later married the kshatriya king of Hastinapura, Maharaja Santanu - on the condition that their son would ascend the throne. Santanu, despite being a king, deferred to Satyavati's wish, while his son and Crown Prince (the Ganga-putra; the future Bheeshma) - Yuvaraja Devavrata - too stepped aside in order to make way for Satyavati and Santanu's sons, Chitrāngad and Vichitravirya.

Shri Krishna is also called 'Giridhari' (literally: he who lifted a hill) and large parts of the population believe that he lifted up a whole mountain on his little finger!! But it is clearly a metaphor - a testimony to his intelligence, perception and planning - even as a young boy, besides alluding to the accomplishment of Herculean tasks. [Here is a minor riddle for you; food for thought, if you may: Heracles and Hercules; Megathenes' Methora, Sourasenoi and Heracles, manu-smriti and manu-script. What do you make of them?]

I could go on and on and on. Moral of the story: It's in our best interest to cleanse our treasure-trove of ancient knowledge as well as our itihasa (history; especially our ancient history) of all the unwanted aspects (including humongous quantities of myth) that has seeped in and crept in over time. Illumined knowledge has been with us always, a gift from our ancients ... yet we refuse to drink from it.

Parting shot: Bhagavan Shri Krishna (who hailed from the kshatriya Chandravanshi or the moon-worshiping Yadava clan) is the celebrated Soldier-Statesman who strove to re-establish dharma - by fighting all forms of adharma (wicked and malicious people, as well as injustice and profanity in all its forms.) He restored order and balance in society, and is therefore regarded as the 8^th avatar of Shri Vishnu - the preserving/balancing force behind the cosmos. Bhagavan Shri Ram (the celebrated kshatriya Warrior-Saint of the Suryavanshi or the sun-worshiping Ikshvaku clan) preceded him as the 7^th avatar. The 9^th avatar of Shri Vishnu, the one that after-ceded Bhagavan Shri Krishna, was none other than the great Sage-Prince Siddhartha, later Bhagavan Shri Gautam Buddh (of the kshatriya Suryavanshi Sakya clan.)

We know that Krishna ultimately freed his clans and indeed the country as a whole - of the spectre of the all-constricting Magadhan python. But this was not the end of the latter. The python re-appeared after a period of time - much like the Raktabeej that our ancients warned us about, in the 4^th and current era - the Kali Yug. This time, an austere Brahmin, who I regard as the Shri Krishna of Kali Yug, rose to the challenge and vanquished it. Looks like, the Magadhan python keeps rearing its ugly head periodically. 

Later, the same austere Brahmin along with his protégé, also danced atop the white Macedonian python when it showed up at the gates of ancient India (Bharatvarsha).

The 10^th avatar is popularly known as Kalki and he is yet to appear. Kalki - literally means 'the destroyer of evil'. However, there is no concept of 'evil' in the Vedas or in the philosophy of life rooted in the Vedic wisdom (Sanaatan Dharm). Sanaatan = timeless and Dharm = path or 'the way of life'. The soul after departing the mortal body does not 'rest in peace' as is popularly believed by some sections of society. There is this concept of Charaiveti - to keep going, in some other form, based on one's Karm (actions committed in that life) - as per the principles of 'Karm Yog'. A great soul will be reborn to carry on the good work, in whichever capacity; but every soul (irrespective of its accumulated Karm phal, the fruits of its Karm - in the previous birth) will be reborn accordingly, and get an opportunity to redeem itself. The soul has no gender, only the outer covering - the mortal body - takes the shape of a human (a man, a woman, a tritiya prakriti - the 3rd gender) or an animal, a plant, a bird, an insect, a reptile and so on and so forth.

Also, the 'Dasavatara' - the 10-incarnations/manifestations of Shri Vishnu could not have been predicted. 'Coz the first 4 avatars most certainly preceded the appearance of humans on earth. The Dasavatara is as follows: 1. Matsya avatar (fish) 2. Kurma avatar (tortoise) 3. Varaha avatar (wild boar) 4. Narasimha avatar (lion-man) 5. Vamana avatar (dwarf or small-sized humans) 6. Parasurama 7. Rama 8. Balarama 9. Krishna and 10. Buddh. And that takes the count to 10. If Kalki were to be added, the count goes up to 11, and then it can no longer be called the 'Dasavatara', right? Umm, I did read somewhere that before the 12^th century AD, there is no mention of Kalki. So, is Kalki a later-day addition? And if yes, then by whom and why?

That is the question. Was it to indicate the signs of the times; that the world, rather creation per se, will be threatened by the activities of a group of humans? What do you think? And what in your opinion was the 'Dasavatara' essentially meant to symbolize?

Also, we tend to think of Kali Yug as 'the dark age of the demon Kali'. But there is no such thing as a demon - in our culture; this word has made its appearance in our collective vocabulary thanks to the translations of our ancient texts - by aliens. Therefore, we can safely conclude that things have been lost and/or distorted in translation. You see, Kali also means a "bud," and a bud is beautiful to behold. It slowly opens and then gradually metamorphoses into a lovely flower, right? And after a certain lapse of time, this beautiful flower starts to wither away. That's the law of nature. But the key as to when the current Kali Yug should begin to wither away is in our hands - based on our actions, our Karm Yog, remember? 

Bhagavan Shri Krishna's immortal words from the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita (Chapter 2 Verse - 47):

"karmaNi eva adhikaaraste maa phaleshu kadaachana,

maa karma phala hetuH bhuH maa sanghaH astu akarmaNi"

Meaning: "Thy business is with the action only, never with its fruits; so let not the fruits of action be thy motive, nor be thou to inaction attached."

Therefore, in any given situation, we must make a conscious decision and do our best to uphold it; remaining inactive or being a fence-sitter is NOT an option ... if we want to prevent the kali from withering away, that is.

II Jai Shri Krishn II

Details of the Book: The Krishna Key/ Author: Ashwin Sanghi/ Publisher: Westland/ Binding: Paperback/ Publishing Date: 2012/ Genre: Thriller/ ISBN-10: 978-93-81626-68-9/ ISBN-13: 9789381626689/ Pages: 475/ Price: Rs.250 (Rs. 175 @ Flipkart.)

The book trailer is brilliantly done: Link. Ameya Naik and Kushal Gopalka have impressed once again. Their earlier effort in Chankaya's Chant was mind-blowing: Link.

Picture: The book jacket cover of 'The Krishna Key'. Courtesy: link.

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