International Journal of English

and Literature (IJEL)

ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Vol. 5, Issue 6, Dec 2015, 47-58
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

BRAHMA THE ENLIGHENED MONAD - A STUDY OF

A.K. RAMANUJAMS A RIVER
RATI OBEROI
Centre for Professional Communication, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Uttrakhand, India
ABSTRACT
All natural forces are personified as divinities. The primary foundations of life and consciousness, water
signifies life without end, is medicinal, and imbued with sanctity and divine powers, thus bathing absolves, ensuring
purity and salvation. Lord Vishnu is said to ride on waters on his vehicle the Adisesha, the king of snakes which is the
couch of Narayana, a form of Vishnu as he lies on water.Ganga has the water of immortality. The purpose of the study is
to establish how the process of reconciling the opposites leads to enlightenment in A River. By interweaving the
symbolisms of water, crocodiles, buffaloes, pregnant woman and cows etc.; A.K. Ramanujam seeks to establish the
underlying unity of contrariety of principles. By reconciling the opposites, humans can achieve enlightenment.
KEYWORDS: Reconciling the Opposites, Enlightenment, Unity of Contrariety of Principles

Case Study

Received: Oct 30, 2015; Accepted: Nov 05, 2015; Published: Nov 24, 2015; Paper Id.: IJELDEC20156

INTRODUCTION
Discussions
AttipateKrishnaswami Ramanujan (1929-1993) was an academic and creative writer from India. He
wrote in English and Kannada. His poem A River is a realistic description of a river in drought and floodin
Madurai. Ramanujam used sculpturesque, photographic and tableau-like effect to portray that the cosmos is a
single consciousness that expresses itself dualistically. Thus, a woman pregnant with identical twins is drowned in
the flood i.e. mother earth is pregnant with identical twins who have nothing else but different coloured diapers,
the male and the female principles, to tell them apart, is drowned in the primordial waters of the flood. The
struggle between the contrary principles is established as the twins kick at the walls even before birth. He has
depicted the Indian view of oneness of life and that people merged with God upon liberation, who at the same time
maintain their individuality. Ramanujan perceived a unifying force which fuses with equanimity among individual
and tradition, emotion and intellect, and past and present, Indian and Western providing a sense of cleansing and a
sense of affirmation. Ramanujan believes in the continuity of cultural traditions, which pass into modernity. The
prayer motif and a willingness to be united with the divine is incorporated. Ramanujan affirms the source of
inspiration as Indian, his poetry universalizes and inextricably links search for the self, unified vision of life, myths
and legends, and Indian milieu. A.K Ramanujan craftsmanship of Indian epical imagery, myths, legends and rituals
reveal a sentience though peculiarly Indian but which has universality. His interest in folktales gives powerful
utterance to his works. (Sinha 2014) [1]
A River presents a river in the spate in monsoons, and is dry in summer revealing the sand ribs. The flood
also signifies the flood of emotions, intellect, creativity as well as physical flood; and drought signifies the draught

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of the emotions, intellect, creativity as well as physical draught In the poem A River, the river dries up to a trickle in the
sand in summer, bridges have patches of repair all over them, and the river has wet stones and dry stones. The
sculpturesque paintings reveal eye for detail and successfully employ the device of repetition of words to create effect.
Advaita professes that all Gods are one, the energy in all living and non - living. Hinduism acknowledges the
existence of many lower Gods under the Supreme One, and believes that the Gods of other religions are just one
manifestation of this single entity,who are permeated by Him. Vaishnavites, like Saivites, believe that there is only one
Supreme God, who simultaneously permeates all creation. The reconciliation and harmonious co existence of Saivites and
Vaishnavites, as they unite to hold the festivals depict their harmonious coexistence. Thus, Shiva and Vishnu are
manifestations of a single entity.
A second answer is found in a story from the Saiva scripture Shiva Purana. The dispute between Brahma and
Vishnu on who was greater, grew so intense that the world was threatened. At the behest of the devas, Lord Shiva
intervened as a fiery column of light, called Jyotirlinga, of which neither the beginning nor the end was perceived. A
contest was held and Brahma had to find the zenith and Vishnu the lowest point of the Jyotirlinga, to be adjudged the
greater. Vishnu on his boar and Brahma, on his swan looked for the lowest point and zenith. Exhausted, failing to find the
bottom, Vishnu returned to the surface while Brahma, resorted to a subterfuge. Brahma cajoled a ketaki flower to falsely
testify that he had found the pinnacle. As he was boasting of his achievement Lord Siva appeared in the middle of the
Jyotirlingaand declared himself the greatest and castigated Brahma. Thus, Shiva is greater than Vishnu. (Hinduism
Today)[2]
Madurai described as a city of temples and poets, is of great spiritual significance and associated with creativity
and beauty. Each summer the citys river that symbolizes power, vitality, and energy, dries to a trickle, and its hidden
imperfections and are suddenly visible. Thus straw and womens hair(Ramanujam 8)[3], clog the rusted bars of water
gates, and the patched bridges reveal signs of repair. This also signifies nature asserting itself on manmade objects before
the world is recreated. Ramanujan depicts not only the uglier aspects but also the beautiful through vivid imagery and
inventive similes. Thus, Ramanujam mentions the wet stones glistening like sleepy crocodiles, the dry ones and shaven
water-buffaloes lounging in the sun(Ramanujam 13-5)[4]. In the phrase, wet stones, wet symbolise Vishnu the God of
waters and the stones are revered as aspects of Shiva. The stones also reflect feminine principle being part of the earth and
hence denote the mother.
The mystics knowledge was rediscovered by researchers, who recorded metaphysical properties with modern
scientific instrumentation. Water has aconsciousnes swhich it develops inthe process of freezing. Good quality water builds
good crystals, and vice versa. Pure crystals are produced by water under suitable positive conditions. While water exposed
to disruptive energies cannot produce well structured crystals. Water the sustainer of all life, is the product of the subtle
energies and the whole multiverse is a sentient organism thus energy flows throughout everything on this planet and the
multiverse binding all life forms. Water is a medium of communication and intelligence. The restlessness of water gives
living systems the ability to become complex and to strive forward toward perfection. Water is intelligent because it
regulates environmental processes for evolution of species. Wateris an organism as it has integrity, independence, cohesion,
and particular qualities that make it the driver of life and evolution. (The Healers Journal)[5]
Water has memory for it bears the seeds of future life, as well as the memory of past life. The principle of oneness
through blood is a sacred link to the divine in all organisms and this was known by accessing higher knowledge. Water was
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held in reverence by ancients who understood some of its quantum qualities, though they did not describe them in the terms
of quantum science. Study of quantum physics, found remarkable similarities between the new worldview and the concept
of the oneness of all creation held by mystical systems. Water carries life, is at the heart of creation as blood and sap are its
variations, and is closely linked to the emotions. Life, both at the maintenance level and in evolutionary processes depends
on the subtle balancing between energy polarities, depicted in the unstable balancing between positive and negative
polarities in waters behaviour. Water plays a role in biological communication. The embedded collagen chains, crucial to
integrity of the organism, enable water to become superconductive, an ideal medium for instantaneous communication of
all cellular activities. Liquid crystal constitutes body consciousness that may have evolved before the nervous system, but
which works both in partnership with, and also independently of, the nervous system. Intolerable to inequalities, waters
role is to bring down to size, to level, to stimulate fertility of the whole, not individuals in isolation. Being implicit in each
other, organisms invariably become entangled with one another to benefit the other. As a driver of evolution, it empowers
biology holistically. Water raises its dynamic energy through turbulence and chaos which mirrors the turbulence of change
in human society.(The Healers Journal)[6]
Sun, the main source of energy, emits a positive, masculine, yang energy which is balanced by the earths
feminine yin, or negative energy. These dynamic, contrary principles cause the existence of everything on earth. The
concentration of energy is a yin process, while dispersal is yang. Every man has feminine energy and in every woman has
masculine energy, in varying proportions and situations. It is the same in nature. Integrative and assertive yin and yang, are
necessary for harmonious social and ecological relationships. Dynamism of stability is the basis on which rests creation,
stability, stagnates. Flowing water invigorates; motionless water lacks life. Waters dynamicity sustains the ever changing
Earths milieu. For creative evolution to be maintained, the polarities are unevenly balanced towards the yin or negative.
Waters instability is the guiding law of the universe and the impulse for creativity.(The Healers Journal) [7]
Initiated by the Sun, restlessness of water causes it to swing between the yin and the yang.Flowing water energises
itself by constant accumulation of positive or yang energy on right bend and negative or yin on a left bend.. The same is the
case with humans biological water. In esoteric terms the etheric may be seen as the masculine, initiating polarity; while the
water medium has the receptive, feminine role. (The Healers Journal) [8]
Water represents the collective mind, the collective unconscious. It represents ever changing reality. Water sounds
are helpful in meditations. The ancients used water as part of initiation rites. Water is linked withthe lunar energies and
tides, the feminine aspects of souls which represent higher frequency consciousness.(Water and Metaphysics)[9]
Most organisms perish in a D2O environment, and thrive in H2O.Waters properties, are a product of molecular
interactions. Quantum mechanics reduces the molecular interactions by changing the probability that hydrogen will move
from one molecule to another. Yet quantum mechanics increases the molecular interactions by affecting the distribution of
charges within the molecule to strengthen electromagnetic attractions between molecules. This set of properties relies on
two competing quantum effects that water appears to be purposely designed. (Zweerink)[10]
Goddess Gangaborn from the celestial waters of Brahmas pot is mounted on a crocodile, and depicted with four
hands holding a water pot in one hand and lotus in the other and has a retinue. The crocodiles tail is extended with great
flourish symbolising both vegetation and water. The pairing of the fearsome, life-destroying crocodile with the youthful,
life-affirming gana speaks of two aspects of the Ganges as a nurturing force and as a destroyer. The other two hands
portray gestures of bestowing boons and depict fearless. Ganga is symbolised having three eyes, with moon on the
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forehead, wearing auspicious white silk attire. The harmony between contrary principles is established by a custom among
Hindus that they bring Ganga water and collect the sand from the sea and immerse it with Ganga water for completion of
the pilgrimage. The Ganges River is the most important of the sacred rivers which descended from Lord Vishnus feet to
the Earth through the lock of hair of god Shiva to make whole earth pious and fertile and holds great importance in the
economic, social and cultural life.
Organic materials usually exhaust a river`s available oxygen and the water starts putrefying. The water of holy
Ganga always contains millions of bacteriophage which can survive for lakhs of years even without food. These consume
pathogenic bacteria. Ganges` self purifying quality leads her oxygen level to many times higher than any other river in the
world.

Ganges

does

not

spread

diseases

due

to

its

extraordinary

ability

to

retain

oxygen.

Recovery from diseases can be affected by drinking the water. The friendly bacteriophage enters the body and destroys the
harmful bacteria. Origin of devouring bacteriophage is unknown but they are found everywhere, right from the origin to
the place where it merges in to sea. They are destroyed by boiling. (Krishna)[11]
Several purification, meditation and concentration rights are done with water. These cut the chain of old
Samskaras. Sprinkling holy consecrated water on the sick person with chanting of mantras causesa metamorphosis. Water
therapy, both external and internal, has been practiced for centuries to heal the sick.Water is revered as it has spiritual
cleansing power, is a life -giver, destroyer of eviland symbolises fertility. Sipping of holy water absolves the sins of many
births. Holding, touching and bathing in sacred waters, rescues generation of ancestors and the merits earned are
tremendous. It is believed that those who bath in Ganges and those who leave some part of themselves; hair, piece of bone,
etc on the bank attain heaven. Thus, the watergates get clogged by straw and womens hair. Ablutions of water to the Sungod with chanting of hymns drive the demons like lust, anger and greed that obstruct the intellect, the consciousness from
rising up. The colours of a spectrum are used as therapy for healing. The use of light from the sun brings completeness,
oneness, union of all complementary parts. The sprinkling of water on different organs is meant to purify them and invoke
presiding deities. They also stimulate the nerve-centers and wake up the dormant powers of the body. Ablutions of water to
Sun at sunset destroy demons. Hence, the wet stones glisten like sleepy crocodiles. Water heated by Suns rays and its
healing colours penetrates every part of the body. Funeral grounds located near the rivers facilitate mourners to bathbefore
returning. The rivers are generally female divinities, mothers, which flow from the toe of Lord Vishnu to be spread in the
world through the matted hair of Lord Siva.
The initiation of river Vaigai is as follows. Meenakshi the daughter of the Pandayan king, a personification of
Parvati, made up her mind to marry Lord Shiva. Shiva being an austere came to the wedding without any family or
relatives. On being shown the huge amount of food prepared. Shiva asked a friend, a rakshasa named Kundodhara, to
finish all the food. After eating his thirsty could not be quenched by all the wells and canals in Madurai. Then Shiva
opened a small part of his lock and Ganga began to flow into the open hand of Kundodhara. Thus, Kundodhara was
satiated and Vaigairiver originated. (Madurai 3600) [12]
Situated on the banks of river Vaigai, the very ancient sacred city of Madurai built around the Meenakshi temple,
is one of the oldest cities of and derives its name from the divine nectar showered from the locks of lord Shiva. It is the
producer of some of the finest textiles and jasmine flowers. In the shrine is the idol of Lord Nataraja, depicted in the
dancing pose. Madurai was originally a forest, Kadambavanam. One day, a farmer Dhananjaya, saw Indra, worshipping a
self createdlingamunder akadamba tree. On reporting this to King Kulasekara Pandya, he built a temple around the lingam
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and a city was built around the temple. Lord Shiva appeared and drops of nectar from his hair fell on the town. So, the
place was named Madurai meaning sweetness in Tamil. Madurai is surrounded by 3 hills as its city boundary named after
Elephant, Snake and Cow respectively. Three concentric circles signify the absolute. (Madurai) [13]
Suffering from a drought is a symbol of a general lack of compassion. However, as the flood waters rise
compassion increases. Metaphysically, the area is being cleansed of drought of emotion. The equinox is a time for
balancing, nature is re-balancing the water that was lacking.
Implicit in the text of A River is the symbolism of Shiva Nataraja which is religion, art and science merged as
one.Natraja vigorous activity is contradictory to the inner peace that it portrays. According to Ananda K. Coomaraswamy,
Nataraj, the King of Dancers, is the clearest image of the activity of God which any art or religion can boast of. In Shivas
cosmic dance of bliss lies a deep understanding of the universeas it symbolizes the alternate cosmic cycles of creation,
preservation, destruction, illusion and release. Fritzof Capra in his article "The Dance of Shiva: The Hindu View of Matter
in the Light of Modern Physics," and in the The Tao of Physics relates Nataraja's dance with modern physics where every
subatomic particle not only performs an energy dance, but also is an energy dance.(Nataraj)

[14]

This is an endless process

of creation and destruction which involves the whole cosmos. For the modern physicists, Shiva's dance is the dance of
subatomic matter.(Nataraj) [15]
Natarajsfour hands represent the cardinal directions and feet balance two opposing forces. With his left foot,
Shiva moves upwards bestowing blessings, freeing the devotees from the illusion of the world towards uplifting
enlightenment. The demon is the personification of illusion and ignorance over whom Shiva triumphs and who is both an
enemy being crushed but also a devotee who gazes up reverently at the lord. This deluded soul is shaped through a painful
process of karma and suffering to liberate him. On either side of the demon are two makaras, mythical river beasts like
crocodiles. Shiva lower right hand bestowing protection from both evil and ignorance,represents fearlessness and stability
of the world. The second left hand points towards the raised foot which signifies upliftment and salvation. It also follows
the form of an elephant trunk, alluding to wisdom.(Shiva as Nataraja.).[16]Shivas upper left hand holds a flame
representing the universe, which symbolizes destruction and dissolution. The drum or dumrooin the upper right hand
signifies male-female vital principle, the lower is an assertive gesture of fearlessness.(Nataraj)[17]The drum also symbolizes
the sound that originates creation and perpetuates the universe. The snake swirling around his waist is kundalini, the
shakti or divine force thought to reside within everything.(Saivism.Net.)

[18]

Snakes uncoil from his neck, arms, legs, and

hair, which is braided and bejeweled and they stand for egotism. His matted locks whirl as he dances within an arch of
flames representing the endless cycle of birth and death.(Saivism.Net )
death.(Nataraj)

[20]

[19]

The skull on his head symbolizes victory over

His third eyeis symbolic of his omniscience, insight, and enlightenment. (Nataraj)[21]If a crescent

moon was not on his head it would mean cosmic destruction. The whole idol rests on a lotus pedestal, the symbol of the
creative forces of the universe. (Nataraj).[22]Shiva broke the force of Ganga by his hair, to savethe earth. Lord Shiva as
Nataraja, Lord of the Dance, performs the Tandava the dance in which the universe is created, maintained, and resolved.
To fulfill his complementing roles, Shiva holds various attributes.(Shiva as Nataraja)23]
Nataraja represents the combined might of the dynamic universal energy and the awakened brahman or
enlightened one. The circle of fire that surrounds Him is His primal energy that flows out of Him and again into
Him.(Saivism. Net.)[24

is another sign of the unbroken circularity of creation and destruction. Shivas face remains

peaceful and impassive, expressing the balance of forces. His dance is rhythmic, regular and perfect, is hidden as
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anfundamental current or delicate vibration in the universe. It manifests itself,in the regularity of the seasons, the
movement of the planets, the cyclical nature of creation, the physical, chemical and biological laws of universe.(Saivism.
Net)[25]the biorhythms of human the constitution of human cells, molecules and atoms.
The duality or multiplicity is one complete image of Shiva. The separate parts arean illusion. The energy or shakti
that manifests out of Him as a ring of fire and the demon under His feet, is not separate that can survive without Him and
are connected with the rest of the creation. The idea that he is suffering being crushed by the feet of Siva is an
illusion.(Saivism. Net.)[26 ]The whole of the image represents that creation is not a chaotic and accidental but a guided and
rhythmic movement under the mastery and control of the eternal self and that humans can become masters by liberation
from the misbelief. Enclosed within is a circular mandala of flames shown on a flat, two-dimensional plane, while the
gestures of Shivas arms and legs describe a circle in space, in three dimensions. The fourth dimension time cannot
be expressed as an image.
Lakshmi the spouse of Lord Vishnu is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual, who
represents worldly as well as spiritual prosperity. She provides wealth for the maintenance and preservation of the creation.
Lakshmi means observation, perception or concentration, towards a spiritual goal. Goddess Lakshmis four arms represent
the four directions in space and symbolise omnipresence and omnipotence of the Goddess. The four hands represent the
four ends of human life (PanditBansi)[27]: righteousness, genuine desires, wealth, and liberation from birth and death. The
front hands represent activity in the physical world and the back hands indicate the spiritual activities that lead to spiritual
perfection. (PanditBansi)[28]The lotus seat, which Lakshmi is standing upon, signifies that while living in this world, one
should enjoy its wealth, but not become obsessed with it, (PanditBansi)[29] just like the lotus that grows in water but is not
wetted by water. Since the right side of the body symbolises activity, a lotus in the back right hand conveys the idea that
one must perform all duties in the world in accordance with dharma. This leads to moksha or liberation. The two elephants
standing next to the Goddess symbolize name and fame associated with worldly wealth. The idea conveyed here is that a
true devotee should not earn wealth merely to acquire name and fame or only to satisfy his own material desires, but
should share it with others in order to bring happiness to others in addition to himself. (PanditBansi)[30] Four elephants
spraying of water from a golden vessel denote activity. The golden vessels denote wisdom and purity. The four elephants
spraying water from the golden vessels on the Goddess illustrate the theme that continuous self-effort, governed by
wisdom and purity, leads to both material and spiritual prosperity. (PanditBansi)[31] The Owl, Lakshmis vehicle, is likened
to an enlightened, unwavering person.
End time prophecies often speak of great catastrophes in which the waters of the planet will flow over the Earth
destroying civilizations - forming new coastlines - after which new civilizations will emerge. Thus, in A River the cobbled
steps are run over by water drowning three village house, a pregnant woman and a couple of cows named Gopi and Vrinda.
A flood myth or deluge myth is a symbolic narrative in which a great flood is sent by a deity, or deities, to destroy
civilization in an act of divine retribution. Parallels are often drawn between the flood waters of these myths and the
primeval waters, as the flood waters are for cleansing of humanity, in preparation for rebirth. Flood is not so much a
creation myth as a re-creation myth of renewal.(Huaringa)[32]
The boat represents the vehicle of salvation, and the living beings represent the importance of preserving
life.(Huaringa)[33]There is also a chosen person, a messenger who carries the warning and a divine vehicle to save people
from the flood. The flood destroys everything.The mountains are an essential, people are saved because they stayed in a
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very high mountain or there is no vehicle of salvation but the mountain. Stories end after the ark lands on the top of a
mountain. The mountain is the place that is closest to heaven. Mountains are the point of resurrection and ascension to
heaven from the underworld, the earth. The people chosen to be saved from the flood have outstanding qualities. Human
disobedience shows chaos before creation. Flood myth does not happen when the Earth is just chaos. Flood is a return to
the pre-creation state. Rather than punishment from heaven, flood stems from the necessity for living beings to be reborn
and improve. Flood is a symbol of renewing life and is a fertility myth too. The entire world goes through this process. The
flood also represents a symbol of cyclic regeneration which takes a specific number of days or years. Numbers serve as
symbols to represent important ideas in cultures. The flood myth connects the divine with the terrestrial.
Mentioned are sleepy crocodiles. The fierce and cunning alligator, crocodiles and sharks symbolise protection,
primal energies, connection to mother earth, patience, initiation, access to ancient knowledge, survival, duality and balance,
creationand destruction. They are some of the best parents who come together only to reproduce, and have distinct
individual personalities.The crocodile symbolises power, fertility, discernment, authority and guidance. They represent the
unconscious, something hidden, lurking, waiting to pounce. Their ability to inhabit two realms water and earth make them
greatly esteemed, balanced creatures. With their pupils widening at night and underwater, they represent keen vision and
seeing through ambiguous situations. Being elements of water they are esoterically symbolic of emotions, dreams and
intuition. They aremasters of and convey emotional wisdom and cleansing and healing as they regenerate their teeth.
Alligators are precision in motion and control and teach to live in harmony with the environment. The alligators and
crocodiles eyes located high upon their heads, suggest clairvoyant abilities giving them the ability to stay hidden below
water yet see above it. They know death is a fallacy, and identify with renewal and transition.(Woolcott)

[34]

The duality is

apparent. Male crocodiles make low vibration groans to mate and the water on them,looks and sounds like pebbles dancing
on the water's surface and is akin to attracting the right people. (Whats Your Sign. Com.)[35]Thus, in A River,the wet stones
glisten like sleepycrocodiles,and the dry ones look like shaven water-buffaloes lounging in the sun.
In the Hindu chakra system, the crocodile governs the sacral chakra, Svadhisthana. This is a developmental
energy, as the sacral chakra is a power-center of creation (Whats Your Sign. Com.)[36] and balances.Svadhisthana, the
second chakra, situated in the genital region; whichhas six vermillion lotus petals. The moon-shaped crescent is the
symbolic of this chakra. Its element is water. The aspects of Svadhisthanachakra are: procreation, family, fantasy. The
earth element of Muladharachakra dissolves into the water element of Svadhisthanachakra.(Tantra-Kundalini.com.)[37]
The presiding deity Vishnu, the lord of preservation, seated on the Garuda, the king of birds is concentrated vayu
power developed from the highest form of breath-suspension also under control of Vishnu. Garuda represents the five
vayus within living beings. Garuda controls the lower abdomen, thus the life force is constantly forced to fly upward,
ascending along Sushumnanadi.the central channel. By concentration, control over the five prana forces is increased
through the release of kundalini power, and consequently pranayama develops. (Tantra-Kundalini.com)[38] Vishnus
energy is one of the forms of kundalini shakti.Varuna has full control over the amrita, the deathless water principle, the
blood the medium through which the five prana forces exhibit their functional activities.
Vishnu is seated on the AdiShesha, the primal serpent deity, who represents materiality and desire ridden
consciousness. Lord Vishnu helps either to fulfill desires or control them. His vehicle the Garuda, symbolically represents
human thoughts. Human thoughts like the Garuda travel in all directions at incredible speed. To control undesirable
thoughts lord Vishnu is invoked
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Yama, the God of Death and Justice, is said to be the first mortal that died, and entered heaven. Living in the dark
reaches of the netherworld,Yama, has a twin sister, Yami, who assisted by Chitragupta, keeps records based on karmas and
sends humans to heaven or hell. Mentioned in A River are shaven water buffaloes. Yama is depicted riding a water buffalo
and travels around the whole world in search of those whose life term has ended, so as to take them back, thereby bringing
the process of life and death to a full circle. He is the guardian of directions and reports to Vishnu, who maintains the
universe and Shiva who destroys it.The water buffalo signifies strength and commitment to the purpose of upholding
justice and dharma or righteousness.
Mentioned are a couple of cows who drowned in the floods. The cow Kamadhenu, or the divine cow, and the
giver of all desires, emerged at the time of samudramanthanor the great churning of the ocean by the gods and demons.
Her legs symbolise four Vedas; her nipples four objectives of lifeincluding salvation.
An interrelation between seasons and the stages of life from birth to death are explained thus. In this sense, spring
represents birth, summer youth, autumn adulthood and winter old age and death.Spring relates to life, summer to infinite
potential, youth and romance, autumn to mortality, melancholy and tragedy and winter to death and old age.Related to birth
is light and death, darkness. (Symbolism.Org).[39]The symbolic animal of summer therefore drought is a lion or dragon.In
the Orient, dragons symbolize prosperity, wisdom, fertility, procreation, and regeneration and are guardians of the lifegiving properties of water and are bringers of rain. Lions symbolise of fearlessness, courage and royalty. The are leaders on
earth and spiritual realms. (Ancient Symbols. Com) [40]
The drought in A River represents the summer solstice, a time to celebrate the awakening of consciousness and as
a time to pass out of the physical world into the spiritual world. The suns position in the different parts of the yearare
stages of attaining enlightenment.(Belsebuub) [41] It symbolises celebration of ascension and unification of the Son, Mother
Goddess, and Father God, with love, within an enlightened individual.
The spiritual light has a bearing on spiritual nature which make the sun and stars have significance as higher
dimensions of creation. The journey of the sun is symbolic of the journey of enlightenment. The summer and winter
solstices signify descent into the earth as living being or moving out of it to unite with Brahma in heaven. In mythologies,
the energies within beings and atoms as negative, neutral and positive combine as a virgin Goddess gives birth to a divine
Son, through a divine Father. The divine Son struggles, is betrayed and then resurrects. These events correspond to the
suns journey and other astrological events.The energies are primeto the awakening of consciousness and the unification of
these is akin to enlightenment. The Mother, Father, and Son are not only universal forces, but are also higher parts of each
individuals consciousness that reunites in the process of enlightenment.(Belsebuub)[43]Return to the absolute, where all is
one is achieved by unification of a divided being and this ensure reversal of the creation process.(Belsebuub)[42]
The soul of the Son of Man was created from that of the Father, and his physical form from thatof the Earthly
Mother. The feathered serpent symbolizes this synthesis, the serpent being representative of the Mother and is constantly in
touch with the earth; and the feathers of the Father represent the eagle, and are associated with higher dominions. The Son,
the result of such re-conciliation,unites physical with divinity and is adjudged the saviour.The Son is born at winter solstice
to a special spiritual Mother and at spring equinox, he resurrects uniting with the divine Mother.Thus a unified
hermaphrodite, returns to the spiritual domain of the absolute.The absolute consists of three concentric rings. The outer
ring is reached when someone merges with the force of the Son, the second inner ring when they merge with the Mother,
the third most inner ring when they merge with the Father. Thus becoming whole, an enlightened person joins with
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Brahma.In the ancient Vedic texts of India, the mantra Om is said to represent the three ring of the absolute called
brahman.(Belsebuub)[43]
Fire being sacred, the outer circle of the mandala, a spiritual circular ring of fire, is the periphery of the universe,
beyond which lies chaos. To begin the mystical journey one must leave the world and pass through this flame to enter the
enclosure of the mandala through which understanding of supreme reality is attained. Within the flaming outer circle is an
inner ring, the threshold of ultimate reality of illumination. A third inner circle, a representation of lotus
flowerssymbolisespiritual rebirth and enlightenment.The tantric outer ring shows terrifying images representing both the
illusory terrestrial world and the sensations and mental activities which must be destroyed to ascend to the absolute.

CONCLUSIONS
The unification with the celestial completes the cycle of enlightenment which is reversible, as the divine
androgynous being again divides into male and female for creation.(Belsebuub)[44]Thus, A River through reconciliation of
contrary explains the reversibility of enlightenment and creation.
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Rati Oberoi

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Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

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editor@tjprc.org