THE STORY OF THE PILGRIM AND THE GANGES

Sham S. Misri

There is a stunning story of the pilgrim and the Ganges which states that once there lived a stupid Brahmin. He inadvertently committed a deadly sin. His spiritual adviser told him, that his guilt could be cleansed and his sin atoned for, only by going and spending the remainder of his life bathing in the Ganges. So he handed over his goods to his son, and set out, with his pot and staff, on his pilgrim- age to the Ganges. After travelling for some days, he came to the bank of a small mountain streamlet, whose waters in the hot season were all but dry. And he said to himself: Doubtless this is the sacred Ganges. So he took up his dwelling on the banks of that stream, bathing every day in such water as he could find. And thus he remained for five years.

Then, one day there passed by that way a Pashu- pata- ascetic. (A particular follower of Shiwa).He said to the Brahman: My son, what are you doing here?

The Brahmin replied: Sir, I am performing penance, for the ending of sin, on the banks of the Ganges.

Then the ascetic said: What has this miserable puddle to do with the Ganges? And the Brahman said:

Is this, then, not the Ganges?

The ascetic laughed in his face, and said: Truly, old as I am, I did not think that there had been folly like this in the world. Wretched man, who has deluded you? The Ganges is hundreds of miles away, and does not resemble this disgraceful brook any more.

Then the Brahman said: Reverend Sir, I am much obliged to you. And taking his pot and staff, he went forward. At length he came to a broad river. And he rejoiced greatly, saying: This must be the sacred Ganges! So he settled on its bank, and remained there for five years, bathing every day in its waters. Then, one day there came by a Kapalika, (Another sect of Shiwa worshippers), who said to him: Why do you remain here, wasting precious time over a river of no account or sanctity, instead of going to the Ganges?

The Brahman was amazed, and said: And is this, then, not the Ganges?

Then, the Kapalika replied: This Ganges! Is a jackal a lion, or a Chandala* a Brahman? Sir, you are dreaming.

*The lowest of all the castes, a synonym for all that is vile and impure, like the "Jew dog" of the Middle Ages.

Then the Brahman said sorrowfully: Worthy Kapalika, I am indebted to you. For intimate was our meeting. Again taking his pot and staff, he went forward, till at length he came to the Narmada River. And thinking: Here, at last, is the sacred Ganges, he was overjoyed; and he remained on its banks for five years, bathing every day in its waters. But one day he observed on the bank near him, a pilgrim like himself, casting flowers into the river, and calling it by its name. So he went up to him and said: Sir, what is the name of this river? And the pilgrim answered: Is it possible that you do not know the holy Narmada?

Then the Brahman sighed deeply. And he said: Sir, I am enlightened by you. And he took his pot and staff, and went forward.

But he was now very old and feeble. And long penance had weakened his frame and exhausted his energies. And as he toiled on in the heat of the day over the burning earth, the sun beat on his head like the thunderbolt of Indra, and struck him with fever. Still he gathered himself together and struggled on, growing weaker and weaker day by day, till at last he could go no further, but fell down and lay dying on the ground. But collecting all his remaining strength, with a last desperate effort he dragged himself up a low hill in front of him. And lo! There before him rolled the mighty stream of the Ganges, with countless numbers of pilgrims doing penance on its banks and bathing in its stream. And in his agony he cried aloud: O Mother Ganges! Alas! Alas! I have pursued you all my life, and now I die here helpless in sight of you. So his heart broke, and he never reached its shore.

But when he got to the other world, Yama said to Chitragupta: What is there down against him? And Chitragupta said: I find against him a terrible sin. But that he has corrected and expiated by fifteen years' penance on the banks of the Ganges. Then that Brahman was amazed, and said: Lord, you are mistaken. I never reached the Ganges. And Yama smiled.

Then the Yama is just, and cannot err; and Chitragupta cannot be deceived. But what is this whole world but illusion! And just as penance performed in an improper spirit, even on

The actual banks of the Ganges would be no true penance, so that poor simple Brahman's penance, performed in the belief that he had reached the Ganges, was counted by that holy One as truly so performed. For men judge by the fallacious ' Yama is the judge of the dead, and Chitragupta his recorder, who keeps account of every man's actions.

Please read the book Maa Ganga Mythology, Mystery and Science by Sham S. Misri and Dr. M.L.Babu

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Lal Ded Of Kashmir Saint Poetess: A Catalogue of Lal Vakhs

Kashmir Shaivism and Modern Science

Kashmir - A Concise History: Mahabharata Epoch 3067 BCE to Modi Era 2016 A.D

The Aryan Invasion Theory - A Subterfuge: A Scientific Look

Tibet: Earthly Paradise

Kali Maa: The Dawn of Woman and Beyond

Maa Ganga: Mythology, Mystery and Science

The Ten Departures of Kashmiri Pandits

Tales from Kashmir, Part-1

Tales from Kashmir, Part-2

Tales from Kashmir, Part-3

Tales from Kashmir, Part-4

Tales from Kashmir, Part-5

The Wandering Pandit

Wonderful Stories for Children, Book-1

A Peep Into America's Past

Silkworm Breeding Made Easy

Collected Poems of Pt. Krishen Joo Razdan, By J. N. Misri, Vol. 1, 2,3,4,5 and 6[Edited and Published]

Travels Through America And Canada

When I Met Her

The Ultimate Fishing Rod

Kashmir: The Book of Anecdotes

Tour to 5 Countries in Europe

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Cleopatra and Harmachis - Part-2: The Finding of Treasure

The birth of Kartikya

Sham Misri

Ganga has played a vital role in Hindu ceremony: in rituals of birth and initiation of marriage and death. As a goddess, she has moved among the great celestials of Hinduism: at times the child of Brahma, the wife of Shiva, the metaphysical product of Vishnu, or mother of the Vasus and to Kartikya, god of war. But ever and always, she confers benediction. Even in the underworld, the river has pointed the way to paradise.

Indirectly, Ganges is also mother of Skanda or Kartikya god of war- and the planet of Mars. An interesting story tells us that at one time, the gods were powerless against the demon Taraka, who, it seems, could be destroyed only by a child of Shiva born without aid of woman. According to the Shiva Purana, that in order to assure the Earth's salvation, the gods had to hasten the birth of Shiva's son, who was then destined to lead the divine hosts and to conquer the forces of darkness which had taken possession of the planet. But Shiva was in no hurry to make a son, and so the Gods found it necessary to steal Shiva's seed by interrupting his love play with Devi (Parvati) at the precise moment when the precious bīja (sperm, seed) was to come forth. Intercourse having been interrupted, the seed fell to the ground. Agni, in the form of a Dove, took the seed in his beak and flew with it. The Purana then describes the adventures of the precious bīja in a series of twelve stages until it finally comes back to Shiva and Parvati, transformed into the beautiful youth Skanda.

The two most important persons in the adventure of Shiva's stolen Seed are Agni and Ganga.

Agni is the element Fire. His color is red and his geometric symbol - according to the  Upanishads - is the triangle. He is more specifically Mars, which the Indian Veda confirms by allotting him ruler ship of Tuesday, or Mars Day.

Ganga, on the other hand, represents the Water element, and she is connected with the Moon, as the story of her birth reveals; and through the Moon to Saturn, in the form of Mahakala.

The Dove is a key symbol and has a very special connection with the worship of Shiva and Parvati. In the famous Amaranth Cave, in South Kashmir, India, an extraordinary phenomenon takes place yearly. This magnificent cave is tucked away in the sacred Himalayas. From time immemorial each year on the full moon day of August, an ice Lingam is formed spontaneously.

It is to be noted that while the phenomenon of the ice Lingam occurs in the area that is most sacred to Shiva, near to the source of Ganga, the Dove which is the bird is seen attending the cave. Through his aspect of Agni, the formation of the Lingam occurs with the full moon of

Agni, unable to hold Shiva's powerful seed (bīja) in his beak any longer, dropped it in the Ganges. The river then carried the seed and when the time of birth arrived she deposited it in a sacred reed grove situated on her shores; and there Kartikya was born.

He is called Kartikya because the Krttikas took up the child and nourished him. They were six in number, wives of the six Rishis, therefore, the child is also called Shanmugam, 'of six mouths', having suckled at the breasts of the six wives.

The legend of Shani

Sham Misri

The legend that depicts the influence of the worship of Shani goes as follows, and is narrated whenever a worship or offering is made to the deity.

The legend pertains to a king. The king invited merchants from far and wide and proclaimed that the king himself would purchase all unsold goods. The merchants were happy. Once a blacksmith who had an iron image of Saturn wanted to sell it to the king. The blacksmith had it for sale. The king paid good amount of money for the iron idol of Shani (Saturn) and was ultimately purchased by the king. The king installed the idol in his palace with reverence. On seeing this action of the king, other gods’ became unhappy.

That very night, the king saw a brilliant woman going out of the house. On king's enquiry, he learnt that, it was Lakshmi. She said that she could not stay in the place where Saturn is present.

After sometime a male image went out of the house. The king again enquired about it. This time he was told it was Bhaivabh (Prosperity) who had left.

Similarly all other gods Dharma (Religion), Dheriye (Patience), Kshama (Pardon) and all others went out. When the last Satya (Truth) was going out, the king protested and said that because of faith in Satya, he did not object to the others from going out. Feeling the sentiments of the king, Satya stopped. All other deities were waiting outside for Satya, but when he did not come out Dharma (religion) said that he could not remain without Satya; so he returned in. Similarly all others followed suite and all gods and attributes came back inside the palace. They told the king that only because of his devotion to the Satya (truth); they all had to return and that such a king could never be unhappy. Due to the devotion to Satya, (truth), Lakshmi (wealth) and Shani (Saturn) came to live together, to the benefit of the devotees.

KABIR, HIS WIFE, AND THE SHOPKEEPER

KABIR, HIS WIFE, AND THE SHOPKEEPER

Sham S.Misri  

One day a holy man visited Kabir’s home. Kabir had no food to give to the holy man who came to his house. When Kabir’s wife saw the holy man she thought of borrowing some food from a nearby shopkeeper. When she approached the shop keeper to borrow some food he refused. On this Kabir’s wife promised the local shopkeeper that she would sleep with him that night if he gave them the food on credit. The shopkeeper obliged her by giving some food on credit. But, when she hesitated to keep her promise, Kabir carried her to the shopkeeper that night. It was a cold night as it was raining and muddy. When the shopkeeper learnt of this, he was ashamed. The shopkeeper fell at Kabir’s feet. He gave everything in his shop to the poor, and became a sadhu.  

This is also a story about the exploitation of women and the lower castes by men of the higher castes. Despite his casual attitude to his wife's loyalty in this story, Kabir often used a wife's impulse to commit force, in order to stay with her husband forever, as a positive metaphor for the worshiper who surrenders his ego to god. And he described Illusion [Maya) as a tempting and alluring woman to whom one becomes addicted and from whom one must break away. Women evidently meant several different things to him, Kabir preached in the vernacular, insisting, "Sanskrit is like water in a well; the language of the people is a flowing stream."

A myth in the Puranas

Sham Misri

There is a myth in the Puranas that tells of the God Vishnu providing AMRITA, the nectar of immortality to the Devas. While Vishnu was dispensing this amrita, a demon, Rahu mingled with the Devas and was receiving the amrita when the Sun and the Moon discovered him. With the luminaries calling alarm, Vishnu threw his discus at Rahu and cut off his head. But, Rahu had already drunk the Amrita and now remained an immortal head, disassociated from an immortal body.     

          There is much lore and mystery surround the Moon's Nodes in Vedic myth, and they are considered of paramount importance in chart interpretation. In fact, in assessing planetary power, the only Graha that is more powerful than the Sun is Rahu, the North Node of the Moon, because of his ability to swallow the Sun during a total solar eclipse. Ketu brings prosperity to the devotee's family, removes the effect of snakebite and illness arising out of poisonous matter entering one's body He grants good health, wealth, cattle and all around prosperity.

The legend of Saturn

The legend of Saturn

Sham Misri

The legend of Saturn goes as follows:

Once there was a dispute between the nine planets as to who is superior among them. When they could not decide, they all went to Indra the king of gods, who was also was confused  to decide such an issue. So he advised that they should go to the just and benevolent king Vikramaditya.

King Vikramaditya, after great thought got seven seats spread out, the first of gold and the last of iron. He then requested the deities to take their seats. Shani (Saturn) knew that his seat was iron seat viz. the last and as much, he was recognized as inferior to all. Therefore, he cursed Vikramaditya and said "Surya stays on one Zodiac for one month, the moon for two days, Mangal (Mars) for one and a half month, Brihaspati (Jupiter) for thirteen months, Budha (Mercury) and Shukra (Venus) for one month each and Rahu, Ketu for eighteen months only; but I (Saturn) stay at one Zodiac for thirty months: I have made many a gods suffer because of my power and influence. Due to my influence Rama and Lakshmana were exiled and Ravana suffered a defeat and his dynasty destroyed, so a king, you beware of my wrath."

The king said, "Whatever be my luck, I shall face it."

After some time, a merchant of beautiful horses came to Ujjain, the capital of Vikramaditya. The courtiers praised the horses and requested the king to visit. When the king came, he took a fancy for the particular horse and to try the same, he got on the saddle. The horse took to heels. The king tried hard to stop the horse, but the house flew into the forest, with none to accompany or follow the king. In the far off, where no one knew him, desperate with hunger and thirst, he sought refuge in the house of a rich merchant. The merchant judging the person as a good person allowed him (king) to stay in his house. At night, Vikramaditya saw that a pearl necklace hung on a peg, was being swallowed by the peg. The next day when the merchant found the necklace missing, he reported the matter to the kotwal who got king Vikramadiya's hands and legs cut. The king was then left helpless. An oil crusher took pity on him and employed him to sit on the crusher and see to the proper movement of the bull while sitting, handicapped and helpless. Vikramaditya used to sing. One day, the princess of the kingdom heard the song and was charmed by it. She sent her maidens to find out the singer and she made up her mind to marry him. Her parents tried their best to make her select any other but she did not agree. She was married to the handicapped person (Vikramaditya). At night on the nuptial bed, the king in a dream saw Shani deity who said that all his sufferings were because of his (King) having decided Saturn as Inferior. The king asked his pardon, worshipped him and sought his blessings. The king (Vikramaditya) then narrated his story of woe to his bride. Saturn deity blessed the couple so that they would lead a happy married life. His limbs were restored. The rich merchant invited them to his house and there in the presence of everyone, they saw that the lost necklace was oozing out from the peg. All were surprised. The merchant felt ashamed and asked his pardon and offered his daughter to Vikramaditya in marriage. Then Vikramaditya and his two brides went in procession to a rousing reception in Ujjain.