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* yaksha prashnam
tarko'pratishthaha shrutayo vibhinnaaha naiko munir yasya vacaha pramaanam |
Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhaayaam mahaajano yena gataha sapanthaaha ||
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"Sakra said, 'O thou of sweet smiles, who, indeed, art thou and for what
business hast thou come here? O thou of fair brows, whence dost thou come
and whither wilt thou proceed, O auspicious lady?'
"Sree said, 'In the three worlds full of the seeds of auspiciousness, all
creatures, mobile and immobile, strive with their whole hearts to win an
association with me. I am that Padma, that Sree decked with lotuses, who
sprang from the lotus that blooms at the touch of the rays of Surya, for
the prosperity of all creatures. I am called Lakshmi, Bhuti, and Sree, O
slayer of Vala! I am Faith, I am Intelligence, I am Affluence, I am
Victory, and I am Immutability. I am Patience, I am Success, I am
Prosperity. I am Swaha, I am Swadha, I am Reverence, I am Fate, and I am
Memory. I dwell at the van and on the standards of victorious and
virtuous sovereigns, as also in their homes and cities and dominions. I
always reside, O slayer of Vala, with those foremost of men, viz., heroes
panting after victory and unretreating from battle. I also reside for
ever with persons that are firmly attached to virtue, that are endued
with great intelligence, that are devoted to Brahma, that are truthful in
speech, that are possessed of humility, and that are liberal. Formerly, I
dwelt with the Asuras in consequence of my disposition of being bound by
truth and merit Seeing, however, that the Asuras have assumed adverse
natures, I have left then and wish to reside in thee.'
"Sree said, I attach myself steadfastly to those that are devoted to the
duties of their own order, to those that never fall away from patience,
to those that take a pleasure in walking along the path which leads to
heaven.
Formerly, the Danavas used to keep their abodes clean, to keep their
women under control, to pour libations on the sacrificial fire, to wait
dutifully on their preceptors, to restrain their passions, to be obedient
to the Brahmanas, and to be truthful in speech.
They were all contented and never felt pain at the sight of other people's
affluence and prosperity.
They were all charitable and economical; of respectable conduct, and endued with
compassion.
They used to keep their servants and counsellors contented, and were grateful and
endued with sweet speech.
They used to serve every one as each deserved in consequence of his position and
honour.
They used to smear themselves properly with perfumes and suspicious unguents.
They were observant of fasts and penances, were trustful, and utterers of Vedic
hymns.
The Sun never rose upon them while they lay asleep.
They used every morning to look at clarified butter and other auspicious articles,
and with senses withdrawn they used to recite the Vedas and worship Brahmanas with
gifts.
Their discourse was always virtuous, and they never accepted gifts.
They always went to sleep at midnight and never slept during the day.
They always used to take pleasure in showing compassion for the distressed, the
helpless, the aged, the weak, the sick, and women, and enjoyed all their
possessions by sharing these with them.
They always used to assume and comfort the agitated, the cheerless, the anxious,
the terrified, the diseased, the weak and emaciated, the robbed, and the
afflicted.
They followed the dictates of virtue and never injured one another.
They were ready and well-disposed for action of every kind (that deserved to be
accomplished).
They used to serve and wait with reverence upon seniors and aged individuals.
They duly worshipped Pitris, deities, and guests, and ate every day what was left
after gratifying these.
None amongst them ate singly any food that was good, and none had congress with
other people's wives.
As regards compassion, they behaved towards all creatures as towards their own
selves.
They never allowed the emission of the vital seed into empty space, into inferior
animals, into forbidden wombs, or on sacred days.
They were always distinguished for gifts, for cleverness, for simplicity, for
hopeful exertion, for humility, for friendliness, and for forgiveness.
And, O puissant one, truth, charity, penance, purity, compassion, soft speeches and
absence of animosity towards friends,--all these were always in them.
In consequence of the Danavas having been distinguished for these good qualities, I
dwelt with them from the beginning of the creation for many yugas together.
Times were altered, and that alteration brought about an alteration in the
character of the Danavas.
I saw that virtue and morality deserted them and they began to own the sway of lust
and wrath.
When reverend seniors in age came, the younger individuals, seated at their ease,
refused to adore the former by rising up and saluting them with respect.
In the presence of sires, sons began to exercise power (in matters that concerned
sires alone).
They that were not in receipt of wages accepted service and shamelessly
proclaimed the fact, Those amongst them that succeeded in amassing great
wealth by doing unrighteous and censurable deeds came to be held in
esteem.
During the night they began to indulge in loud screams and shrieks.
Sons began to lord it over sires, and wives dominated over husbands.
Mothers, fathers, aged seniors, preceptors, guests, and guides ceased to command
respect for their superior status.
People ceased to bring up with affection their own offspring but began to desert
them.
Without giving away the defined portion in alms and reserving the fixed portion for
offering it unto the gods, every one ate what he had.
Indeed, without offering their goods to the deities in sacrifices and without
sharing them with the Pitris, the gods, guests, and reverend seniors, they
appropriated them to their own use shamelessly.
Their cooks no longer professed any consideration for purity of mind, deed, and
word.
Their corn lay scattered in yards, exposed to devastation by crows and rats.
Their milk remained exposed, and they began to touch clarified butter with hands
unwashed after eating.
Their spades, domestic knives, baskets, and dishes and cups of white
brass, and other utensils began to lie scattered in their houses.
Tethering their animals they abstained from giving them food and drink.
Disregarding children that only looked on, and without having fed their dependants,
the Danavas ate what they had.
They began to prepare payasa and krisara and dishes of meat and cakes and sashkuli
(not for gods and guests) but for their own slaves, and commenced to eat the flesh
of animals not killed in sacrifices.
Day and night disputes and quarrels waxed in every house of theirs.
They that were not respectable amongst them no longer showed any respect for those
that deserve respect while the latter were seated in any place.
Fallen off from their defined duties, they ceased to reverence those that had
betaken themselves to the woods for leading a life of peace and divine
contemplation.
Those again that were ignorant of Richs (Rig mantras) were not condemned or
punished.
Both were treated on a footing of equality, those, that is, that deserved respect
and those that deserved no respect.
Their servant girls became wicked in behaviour, and began to wear necklaces of gold
and other ornaments and fine robes, and used to remain in their houses or go
away before their very eyes.
They began to derive great pleasure from sports and diversions in which their women
were dressed as men and their men as women.
Those amongst their ancestors that were affluent had made gifts of wealth unto
deserving persons.
The descendants of the donors, even when in prosperous conditions, began to resume,
for their unbelief, those gifts.
When difficulties threatened the accomplishment of any purpose and friend sought
the counsel of friend, that purpose was frustrated by the latter even if he had any
interest of the slightest value to subserve by frustrating it.
Amongst even their better classes have appeared traders and dealers in goods,
intent upon taking the wealth of others.
Some amongst them have begun to study, without making any rules for regulating
their hours and food.
Fathers and mothers are worn out with work, and have abstained from indulging in
festivities.
Parents in old age, divested of power over sons, have been forced to beg their food
of the latter.
Amongst them, even persons of wisdom, conversant with the Vedas, and resembling the
ocean itself in gravity of deportment, have begun to betake themselves to
agriculture and such other pursuits.
Persons who are illiterate and ignorant have begun to be fed at Sraddhas.
Sires, with great care, seek to keep sons in good humour, or dividing through fear
their wealth among children, live in woe and affliction.
Even persons enjoying the friendship of the victims, beholding the latter deprived
of wealth in conflagrations or by robbers or by the king, have begun to indulge in
laughter from feelings of mockery.
They have become ungrateful and unbelieving and sinful and addicted to adulterous
congress with even the spouses of their preceptors.
They have become divested of that splendour which had distinguished them before.
In consequence of these and other indications of wicked conduct and the reversal of
their former nature, I shall not, O chief of the gods, dwell among them any
longer.
There, where I reside, the seven other goddesses with Jaya for their eighth, who
love me, who are inseparably associated with me, and who depend upon me, desire to
live. They are Hope, Faith, Intelligence, Contentment, Victory, Advancement,
and Forgiveness. She who forms the eighth, viz., Jaya, occupies the
foremost place amongst them, O chastiser of Paka. All of them and myself,
having deserted the Asuras, have come to thy domains. We shall henceforth
reside among the deities who are devoted to righteousness and faith.
"After the goddess had said so, the celestial Rishi Narada, and Vasava,
the slayer of Vritra, for gladdening her, offered her a joyful welcome.
The god of wind,--that friend of Agni, then began to blow gently through
heaven, bearing delicious odours, refreshing all creatures with whom he
came into contact, and contributing to the felicity of every one of the
senses. All the deities (hearing the news) assembled together in a pure
and desirable spot and waited there in expectation of beholding Maghavat
seated with Lakshmi beside him. Then the thousand-eyed chief of the gods,
accompanied by Sree and his friend the great Rishi, and riding upon a
splendid car drawn by green horses, came into that assembly of the
celestials, receiving honour from all. Then the great Rishi Narada, whose
prowess was known to all the celestials, observing a sign that the
wielder of the thunderbolt made and which Sree herself approved of,
welcomed the advent of the goddess there and proclaimed it as exceedingly
auspicious. Heaven's firmament became clear and bright and began to
shower nectar upon the region of the self-born Grandsire (Brahma). The celestial
kettle-drums, though struck by none, began to beat, and all the points of
the horizon, becoming clear, seemed ablaze with splendour. Indra began to
pour rain upon crops that commenced to appear each at its proper season.
No one then deviated from the path of righteousness. The earth became
adorned with many mines filled with jewels and gems, and the chant of
Vedic recitations and other melodious sounds swelled up on the occasion
of that triumph of the celestials. Human beings, endued with firm minds,
and all adhering to the auspicious path that is trod by the righteous,
began to take pleasure in Vedic and other religious rites and acts. Men
and gods and Kinnaras and Yakshas and Rakshasas all became endued with
prosperity and cheerfulness. Not a flower,--what need then be said of
fruits,--dropped untimely from a tree even if the god of wind shook it
with force. All the kine began to yield sweet milk whenever milked by
men, and cruel and harsh words ceased to be uttered by any one. They who,
from desire of advancement, approach before assemblies of Brahmanas, and
read this narrative of the glorification of Sree by all the deities with
Indra at their head, deities that are competent to grant every
wish,--succeed in winning great prosperity. These then O chief of the
Kurus, are the foremost indications of prosperity and adversity. Urged on
by thee, I have told thee all. It behoves thee to bear thyself according
to the instructions conveyed herein, understanding them after careful
reflection!'
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SECTION CCVII
"The slayer of Madhu also created the Day and the Night, and the Season
in their order, and the Morn and the Even. After reflection, he also
created the clouds, and all the (other) immobile and mobile objects.
Possessed of abundant energy, he also created the Viswas and the earth
with all things upon her. Then the highly blessed and puissant Krishna, O
Yudhishthira, once again created from his mouth a century of foremost
Brahmanas. From his two arms, he created a century of Kshatriyas, and
from his thighs a century of Vaisyas. Then, O bull of Bharata's race,
Kesava created from his two feet a century of Sudras. Possessed of great
ascetic merit, the slayer of Madhu, having thus created the four orders
of men, made Dhatri (Brahman) the lord and ruler of all created beings.
Of immeasurable effulgence, Brahman became also the expositor of the
knowledge of the Vedas. And Kesava made him, called Virupaksha, the ruler
of the spirits and ghosts and of those female beings called the Matrikas
(mothers). And he made Yama the ruler of the Pitris and of all sinful
men.[706] The Supreme Soul of all creatures also made Kuvera the lord of
all treasures. He then created Varuna the lord of waters and governor of
all aquatic animals. The puissant Vishnu made Vasava the chief of all the
deities. In those times, men lived as long as they chose to live, and
were without any fear of Yama. Sexual congress, O chief of the Bharatas,
was then not necessary for perpetuating the species. In those days
offspring were begotten by flat of the will. In the age that followed,
viz., Treta, children were begotten by touch alone. The people of that
age even, O monarch, were above the necessity of sexual congress. It was
in the next age, viz., Dwapara, that the practice of sexual congress
originated, O king, to prevail among men. In the Kali age, O monarch, men
have come to marry and live in pairs.
"I have now told thee of the supreme Lord of all creatures. He is also
called the Ruler of all and everything. I shall now, O son of Kunti,
speak to thee about the sinful creatures of the earth. Listen to me.[707]
Those men, O king, are born in the southern region and are called
Andrakas, Guhas, Pulindas, Savaras, Chuchukas, Madrakas.[708] Those that
are born in the northern region, I shall also mention. They are Yamas,
Kamvojas, Gandharas, Kiratas and Barbaras. All of them, O sire, are
sinful, and move on this Earth, characterised by practices similar to
those of Chandalas and ravens and vultures. In the Krita age, O sire,
they were nowhere on earth. It is from the Treta that they have had their
origin and began to multiply, O chief of Bharata's race. When the
terrible period came, joining Treta and the Dwapara, the Kshatriyas,
approaching one another, engaged themselves in battle.[709]
"Thus, O chief of Kuru's race, this universe was started into birth by
the high-souled Krishna. That observer of all the worlds, viz., the
celestial Rishi Narada, has said that Krishna is the Supreme God.[710]
Even Narada, O king, admits the supremacy of Krishna and his eternity, O
mighty-armed chief of Bharata's race.[711] Thus, O mighty-armed one, is
Kesava of unvanquishable prowess. That lotus-eyed one, is not a mere man.
He is inconceivable.'"
SECTION CCVIII
*** The person who, after rising from his bed at morn,recites the names of these
deities, becomes cleansed of all his sins whether committed by himself
intentionally or Unintentionally, or whether born of his intercourse with others.
Yavakriti, Raivya, Arvavasu, Paravasu, Ausija, Kashivat, and Vala have been said to
be the sons of Angiras. These, and Kanwa son of Rishi Medhatithi, and Varhishada,
and the well-known seven Rishis who are the progenitors of the three worlds,
all reside in the East. Unmucha, Vimucha, Svastyatreya of great energy,
Pramucha, Idhmavaha, and the divine Dridhavrata, and Mitravaruna's son
Agastya of great energy, these regenerate Rishis all reside in the south.
Upangu, Karusha, Dhaumya, Parivyadha of great energy, and those great
Rishis called Ekata, Dwita, and Trita, and Atri's son, viz., the
illustrious and puissant Saraswata, these high-souled ones reside in the
west. Atreya, and Vasishtha, and the great Rishi Kasyapa, and Gautama,
Bharadwaja, and Viswamitra, the son of Kusika, and the illustrious son of
the high-souled Richika, viz., Jamadagni,--these seven live in the north.
Thus have I told thee about the great Rishis of fiery energy that live in
the different points of the compass. Those high-souled ones are the
witnesses of the universe, and are the creators of all the worlds.
*** Even thus do they dwell in their respective quarters. By reciting their names
one is cleansed of all one's sins. A person by repairing to those points
becomes cleansed of all his sins and succeeds in returning home in
safety'"
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kAnchI is said to one of the eyes of Mahadeva, the other being kAshI:
This Kshetra is also a sacred Vaishnava Ksehtra due to the presence of Lord
Varadaraja. Long ago, Brahma performed a great penance in Kanchi to obtain the
Darshan of Bhagavati Kamakshi. Pleased with his penance, Sridevi appeared to Brahma
as Adi Lakshmi, accompanied by Adi Narayana, seated on the great throne of
Srichakra. Filled with bliss at the sight of Sri Kamakshi, mother of the trinity,
known also as Adi Mahalakshmi, Brahma burst into a hymn:
Oh mother Kamakshi! It is you who performs the acts of Srshti, Sthiti, Samhara,
Tirodhana and Anugraha by mere Samkalpa. It is you, the primordial Shakti, who
destroys those sinners who transgress the rules of varNa and Ashrama. You cannot be
known by Veda, Agama, Shastra or even to the greatest of Yogis. Known only to the
highest of Munis through the rahasyAmnAya of Vedanta, you are described by such as
Parabrahman. Though stationed in the heart of every being, you are unnoticed by all
due to your presence in the form of the most subtle knowledge. It is you who is
worshipped eternally by Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra. Whose breath is the Veda, whose
mere sight is responsible for the pancha mahAbhUta-s, whose smile results in the
appearance of entire world (charAcharAtmaka), due to whose order the earth is
carried on his thousand heads by ananta, due to whose command Agni exhibits the
quality of burning, to that Jnana Shakti, my salutations! It is thou who appears in
the form of twenty-five Tattvas resulting in diversification. It is Thou, in the
form of Maya, who is responsible for the puruSha (limited individual) through
identification with five kanchuka-s (kalA, vidyA etc). (The reference here is to
shuddhAshuddha Tattvas). It is you who is of the form of Shiva, Shakti, Ishwara,
Shuddha Vidya and Sadashiva (Shuddha Tattvas). It is you who appears as Guru,
Mantra, Devata and the Prana. It is you, who is the Self of all beings, known as
Srividya. It is you who is present as maNi, mantra and AuShadhi. Every spiritual
discipline is for reaching you. You appear as time and space. You are the supreme
Brahman transcending names and forms�.
Kanchi is the best of puri-s, kampA best among rivers and Kamakshi, the foremost
among devatas. From then on, Sri Bhairava began to reside in Kashi, blessing those
devotees who tread the path of Dharma. The form in which Sri Kamakshi appeared in
Kashi to bless Bhairava came to be known as Sri Annapurna.
Sri Kamakshi is herself Adi Mahalakshmi and there is no deity comparable to her.
The best of the Yantras is Srichakra and the supreme Vidya is Srividya. Sri
Kamakshi is gurumaNDalanAyikA � foremost of the gurus, residing as the Yuga Guru
Mithuna in Kamakoshtha, having Sri Dakshinamurti as her first disciple.
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maha-varahi
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vArahI dvAdashaM iti mantrasya shrI ashvAnanaH R^iShiH | anuShTup ChandaH | vArAhI
devatA | shrI vArahi devI prasAda siddhi dvAra sarva sa~NkaTa haraNaM jape
viniyogaH ||