Lord Vishnu takes the Matsya Avatar

 Lord Vishnu takes the Matsya Avatar

Matsya, (Sanskrit: “Fish”) one of the 10 avatars (incarnations) of the Hindu god Vishnu. In this appearance Vishnu saved the world from a great flood. Manu, the first man, caught a little fish that grew to giant size. When the flood approached, Manu saved himself by tying his boat to the horn on the fish's head.

 Avatar = Incarnation

Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of a fish to save the four Vedas from the clutches of the demons and save Manu from the Jal Pralaya.

Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata

Abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham

Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskritam

Dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge

Matsya was the first Avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. The great flood finds mention in Hindu mythology texts like the Satapatha Brahmana. Matsya Avatar takes place to save the pious and the first man, Manu, and advise him to build a giant boat. Lord Matsya is generally represented as a four-armed figure with the upper torso of a man and the lower of a fish.

It is said that, during the Satya Yuga, the people on earth had become irreligious and disorderly in the way they lived their lives. This is when the Gods collectively decided to flood the earth and prepare it for the process of renovation. Lord Brahma, the creator, had been given the guidelines to remodel the earth by Lord Vishnu. These guidelines were the Vedas, the four principal books of Hinduism. Lord Brahma was quite tired from the process of creation. At this time, a horse-headed demon named Hayagriva had stolen the Vedas from Brahma. Then demon Hayagriva¹ went and hid himself deep in the oceans of the earth. 

Meanwhile, a pious king named Satyavrata who was a great admirer of Lord Vishnu, regularly worshipped Lord Vishnu and wished to meet Him. Satyavrata, the king of pre-ancient Dravida² and a devotee of Vishnu, who later was known as Manu.

Manu is believed to be the son of Brahma and the first human being to take birth on Earth. He is believed to be the father of humans. According to a legend, Manu was produced by Brahma and so was Shatrupa, his spouse. The couple then took various human forms to establish humans. 

Shatrupa was ageless because of a boon granted by Brahma, and therefore, she maintained her original form, while Manu started ageing. Yet, Shatrupa and Manu stood by each other through thick and thin and proved to be an ideal couple.

Manu and Shatrupa gave birth to humans and life flourished on earth. However, gradually, when things took an ugly turn and humans indulged in bloodshed like the Danavas, Manu decided to do intense penance to save humanity. Hence, to pray for the well-being of people, Manu gave up food and performed penance. Shatrupa, his soulmate, too gave up eating and helped him in doing the penance with utmost devotion. 

Subsequently, when Lord Shiva created floods at the behest of Brahma, Vishnu saved Manu and his wife, Shatrupa.

One day when Manu was washing his hands in a river a little fish swam into his hands and pleaded with him to save its life. He put it in a jar, which it soon outgrew. He then moved it to a tank, a river and then finally the ocean but to no avail. The fish then revealed himself to be Vishnu and told him that a deluge would occur within seven days that would destroy all life.

It was Lord Vishnu, who had taken the avatar of Matsya (fish), appeared before Manu, and informed him about the Jal Pralaya. And since Manu's existence was essential for keeping people alive, Lord Vishnu presented a boat to him. Then, he asked Manu to tie the boat to his fin with the help of Shesha Nag. Thus, Vishnu safely escorted Manu and Shatrupa.

The fish instructed Satyavrata (Manu) to take “all medicinal herbs, all the varieties of seeds, and accompanied by the seven saints” along with the serpent Vasuki and other animals. As the time of the flood approached, Manu’s boat was complete. As the flood swept over the land, Manu asked Vishnu why mankind had to meet such a deadly fate to which Matsya Vishnu told Manu that he was the only moral man alive and that he would be the father of the future generations of men. Matsya killed Hayagriva and returned the Vedas to Brahma. Then he tied himself to Manu’s ark using Vasuki as a rope and protected them from the storm and the floods. When the storms ended and the water subsided, Matsya Vishnu left Manu and the others at the Himalayas, where they could begin human civilization again.

Interestingly, Manu not only saved people, but he also saved knowledge by taking the Saptarishis along with him. And to maintain the ecological balance, he also took various species of plants and animals with him.

Thus, after finding a new abode, Manu and Shatrupa gave birth to humans once again and sowed the seeds of a new beginning.

Notes:

[1]. (Demon Hayagriva may not to be confused with Lord Hayagriva, the avatar of Vishnu and a symbol of wisdom and knowledge.) Associated with the Matsya Avatar of Vishnu, there lived a demon named Hayagriva. He was the son of Sage Kashyap and his wife, Danu. People saluted sage Kashyap for being a boon to humanity, but Hayagriva was the exact opposite. The demon was chosen as the Danav Raj (king of the demons). And his sole motive was to stop the humans from becoming more powerful than the Danavs.

Hayagriva wanted to establish the Danav clan as the most superior one. Therefore, he made several attempts to disrupt the progress of the human class. And after learning that Lord Vishnu handover the four Vedas to Lord Brahma, he decided to steal them to stop the sacred texts from reaching the humans.

[2]. The kingdoms along with the Dravidas were Sakas, Yavanas, Savaras, Kanchis, Paundras and Kiratas, Nishada, Yavanas and Sinhalas, and the barbarous kingdoms of Khasas, Chivukas, Pulindas, Chinas Hunas with Keralas, Mlecchas etc. Sahadeva's conquests]

References:

templepurohit.com

Matsya | Hinduism - Encyclopedia Britannica 

Matsya Purana

 

Markandeya

 Sham S.Misri

The story Markandeya attaining immortality by the grace of Lord Shiva is taken from the Skanda Purana.

There was once a great rishi (Saint) whose name was Mrikandu. Sometimes he felt very sad since he had no son. So he prayed to God Shiva day and night. At last, Shiva appeared before Mrikandu, and said:

"Mrikandu! I am very pleased with your tapas (Prayer). Ask for any boon that you desire."

"O great God", said Mrikandu, "I want a son."

"You shall have a son," said Shiva. "But you must now choose the kind of son you want. Do you wish to have a son perfect in every way, handsome and good and wise, and loved by the entire world, but doomed to be no older than his sixteen year? Or, do you wish to have an ordinary son who will live long, but will be devoid of every virtue? Choose."

Mrikandu and his wife were sorrowful: for to choose was not easy. How could they bear their son to die when he was sixteen? Yet how could they bear to have an ordinary son, like any other that come into the world, and had troubles and sufferings, and died at last, without leaving a name behind him? The more they thought, the more the choice puzzled them.

At last Mrikandu said:

"O great God, I will have the perfect son."

Shiva granted the prayer. "You shall have a son who will live only for sixteen years. He will be very wise and virtuous." With that Shiva disappeared.

So, in due course of time, Marudvati, the wife of Mrikandu, gave birth to a handsome child who shone brightly like the Sun-God himself. The child was named Markandeya. He was wise, and strong, and gentle, and kind. Everyone loved him. He gave love to all. He spread happiness wherever he went.

Year passed. His father and mother had not forgotten all these years what the great God Shiva had told them about their son. "No older than his sixteen year," had said Shiva, the great God. And their son, Markandeya, was in his sixteen year.

One day Mrikandu looked very sad. His wife too was in tears. Markandeya approached them and asked:

"What troubles you that both weep so bitterly?"

"It is for you that we grieve, my son," said the father. "We got you as a gift from Shiva. But He told us that you would live only for sixteen years. The sixteen years are now coming to an end. What shall we do if you die?"

When Markandeya heard this, he said with great confidence and cheerfulness: "Father, do not weep; do not grieve that I am to die. No, I shall not die. Is not the great God Shiva the conqueror of death? Is He not more powerful than death? To Him then shall I pray to grant me immortality?"So saying, Markandeya went to the shores of the ocean and installed there a Linga of Shiva - a large round black pebble. Bathing thrice - morning, noon and night - he worshipped Shiva. At the end of each worship he sang prayers to the great God.

One night, after finishing his worship, Markandeya was about to sing his prayers to the great God Shiva when there stood before him. Yama, the God of Death.Approaching Markandeya, he cast his noose over the boy's person. Turning to him, Markandeya said:"Stay; stay for a while. Bear with me while I sing this prayer to Shiva. I will not leave this place before I finish it. Nothing is dearer to me than this prayer; no, not even my life." Yama's eyes turned red with anger. He roared, and said: "Fool! Do you hope to escape from me in this way? Know that countless Brahmans have met with death at my hands."Saying this, Yama threw the noose around Markandaye’s neck tried to draw him by force to himself. At this moment, the Linga burst open and the great Shiva Himself came out of it. Raising His foot, He kicked Yama on his chest and ordered him to go back to his kingdom of Death. "And you shall not return to the world of the-things-that-pass, till I bid you," said Shiva. Markandeya saw that Yama was defeated. He bowed his head before Shiva and praised Him with heart and soul.

Shiva was pleased with His devotee and made him one of the immortals and then disappeared into the Linga. Markandeya came home and his parents were happy to see him come back alive. He told them of the boon that Shiva had granted him and they too blessed their son. After paying respect to his parents, Markandeya travelled to many holy cities and finally became one with the Lord. This legend of Shiva killing death itself is frozen in metal and held in worship at Tirukkadavur. 

Indra’s show off to Shiva

Indra’s show off to Shiva

(A story from Holy Scriptures)

Sham S. Misri

Once upon a time Indra wanted to show off his grandeur to Shiva. Accompanied by sage Brihaspati they went to Kailash. Shiva, an enemy of ego changed himself into a gatekeeper at the mountain. He restrained Indra from entering Kailash. A fight took place between the two. The gatekeeper pulled out the Vajra from the hands of Indra. Brihaspati immediately thought that the great fighter could not be a simple gatekeeper but the Lord Siva himself. In order to save the world at large from the wrath of Shiva he sat down to appease him. He pleaded with him to have mercy. Shiv was pacified but his anger had entered the Vajra, which he flung away.

    The hot Vajra, representing the wrath of Shiva fell into the ocean (Sagar), and the ocean began to boil. Indra then ordered a heavy downpour of rain. The Vajra transformed itself into a boy. The new born boy started crying loudly. His loud cries were heard all over in the universe. Brahma inquired as to whose child this was. Sagar quickly gave the child to Brahma. He named the child Jal-andhar. Because the child was born of Shivas anger he stated that only Shiva can kill the child. Sagar was the worldly father of the child. The boy was very strong. Brahma transformed Jalandhar from boyhood to youth.

    Shukracharya, the guru of the asuras, recognized that Jal-andhar was very powerful indeed. He crowned him the king of the asuras. Brahma ordered Shukracharya to wed Jalandhar with Tulsi, the daughter of Kalnemi. Tulsi was a very pious lady. She was an ideal wife. Because of her purity and chastity, Jalandhar was unconquerable.

    As time passed, the asuras and the daityas became very strong under the control of Jalandhar. In general, there was an increase of evil among the people. On seeing the headless Rahu, Jalandhar was puzzled and anxious and asked Guru Shukracharya, the reason for Rahus condition. Then Shukracharya narrated the incidents of Samudra Manthan. Rahu had posed as a devata and had shared the amrit. But when the nectar reached his throat, Surya and Chandrama told Vishnu about Rahu. Vishnu beheaded him with his chakra. Stealing away the nectar and jewels by the devatas was felt as an insult to daityas by Jalandhar. He sent his agent to Indra. Boldly the agent entered Indra’s palace. Without showing even common courtesy to the members he announced: the devatas should return the precious jewels of Samudra Manthan or else...

    Indra was taken aback. Fear and surprise gripped him. How could Sagar demand such a thing? After all, the devatas had only taken the jewels, they could have taken away all the evil powers of the asuras and daityas, but they did not. Indra told the agent that the claim of the devatas over the jewels was right and that the jewels will not be returned to Sagar or Jalandhar. The agent returned with the details of the events at Indra’s place. Jalandhar was sad to know about Indra’s attitude. He gathered all the asuras and the daityas, appointed Shumbha and Nishumbha as the commanders and declared war with the devatas. There was a prolonged battle and both sides incurred heavy casualties. The asuras planned another strategy. The Dronachal Parvat was famous for the medicinal plant that grew on it. The asuras and daityas thought that if this mountain could be thrown away then the devatas would be cornered. All the asuras got together and flung the Dronachal Parvat into the ocean. All the devatas fled and took shelter in the caves and crevices of the Sumeru Parvat. Jalandhars victory was imminent. Guru Brihaspati and the devatas who were hiding in the mountains then pleaded with Lord Vishnu, for help from Jalandhar. Vishnu decided to take immediate action, climbed his vehicle, Garuda, and set forth to the place of battle. But before leaving, Lakshmi intervened, Since Jalandhar is born of Samudra, he is my brother. So, please do not kill him.

    When Jalandhar saw Vishnu coming to the battleground he entered into a duel with Lord Vishnu. They first fought with arms, and then continued the combat without arms. The duel raged on without any result. Vishnu, too, admitted the prowess of Jalandhar. Then Vishnu told Jalandhar about his relationship with Lakshmi they are both born of Sagar and hence are siblings. Jalandhar, acknowledging the relationship, invited Vishnu and Lakshmi to stay in his palace. Meanwhile, he replaced all devatas' appointments with asuras. He confiscated all the wealth of the devatas, kinnars, Gandharvas, yakshas etc. He was now the supreme ruler of all the loks.

    Narad looking for Vishnu visited Jalandhar's city. Jalandhar was extremely happy to play host to Narad. He told Jalandhar that his kingdom was no less than that of Kailash with the sole exception that Ma Parvati was with Shiva. Jalandhar then decided to steal Parvati from Shiva. Jalandhar sent Rahu to Kailash with a message for Shiva that he, the ash smeared yogi, with unkempt locks, wearing a garland of skulls, is not a befitting consort for the beautiful Parvati. Therefore, he should send Parvati to Jalandhar who is the king of all the three Lokas. The moment Rahu concluded his speech, a very angry Shiva created a dangerous, horrifying human being from his eyebrows. The fearsome human had a face like a lion's, red eyes, and hair like sharp spikes. This organism decided to eat the headless Rahu. Rahu got scared and pleaded with Shiva to spare him he was a Brahmin and only an agent of Jalandhar. Shiva caught hold of Rahu and hurled him in the sky and he tore into the earth. When Jalandhar heard of the fate of his emissary he was enraged. He gathered together the huge army of daityas and led them to battle. There were many bad omens when he left his palace but he was determined to fight Shiva.

    Meanwhile, Shiva called for Vishnu and asked him why he had not killed Jalandhar. Further, he admonished Vishnu for residing with Lakshmi in the palace of Jalandhar. Vishnu explained the details of the birth of Jalandhar and that his death was ordained in the hands of Shiva. Both Shiva and Vishnu understood that the pious Tulsi devotion to her husband was giving Jalandhar unfailing strength. There was a need to do something about it. By this time Jalandhar with his huge army had reached the gates of Kailash. There was pitched battle among the devatas and daityas. Whenever the devatas killed the daityas, Guru Shukracharya would restore them to life. Then, Shiva produced a fearsome girl from his mouth. She was Taaljangha. She took away Shukracharya and disappeared. The disappointed daityas started retreating. Then, Jalandhar played a trick, and he rushed to the side of Parvati with the intention of stealing her and making her his own. But Parvati, anticipating his evil plan, had turned invisible. Parvati called for Vishnu and expressed her anguish over the incident. Vishnu then decided to use the same trick on Jalandhar.

    Tulsi was very worried about Jalandhar. She had disturbing dreams warning disaster. While she was searching for Jalandhar in the forests, Vishnu took the form of Jalandhar, and stayed with the unsuspecting Tulsi. She believed him but later realized that this Jalandhar did not have the evil qualities that were so evident in her husband. Since she had been deceived, she cursed Vishnu to become a stone and always stay at her feet. Vishnu accepted the curse but urged Tulsi to see that while her husband was spreading evil, she, in the capacity of a wife did not stop him. Thus, she became a partner in crime. He then cursed Tulsi to become a plant. In sheer guilt, realizing the misdeeds of her husband, Tulsi died and fell at the feet of Parvati in punishment of her husband’s sins. With the death of Tulsi, Jalandhar was no longer unconquerable. Meanwhile, Jalandhar played yet another trick on Shiva. He created another Parvati and started attacking her. Shiva was surprised and troubled. Vishnu then apprised him of the creation of the false Parvati. Jalandhars strength in any case was receding owing to the death of Tulsi. During the combat, Shiva killed Jalandhar.

    When Tulsi died, Vishnu sat gloomily with her ashes, still admiring her. The devatas then approached Yogmaya to address the problem and bring some cheer and normalcy to Vishnu. She gave the devatas three seeds and asked them to sow the seeds where Vishnu was seated. Three plants grew from them -- Malti, Aanwla and Tulsi. While Aanwla and Tulsi are used for the worship of Vishnu, Malti is prohibited. The curse of Tulsi and Vishnu had taken effect. Vishnu is worshiped in the form of a stone (Shaligram) and the great, chaste Tulsi has become the plant vrinda (Tulsi) with remarkable qualities. The worship of Vishnu is not complete without Tulsi leaves. Tulsi has been given the greatest honour as Vishnu, in the avatar of Krishna, played and frolicked in Vrindavan. Puja is offered in all pious houses by watering the plant in the morning and lighting a diya in the evening. Tulsi Vivah is celebrated on the Kartik Shukla dwadashi. While Jalandhar is remembered as a daitya, Tulsi attained immortality.

Lord Shiva Feeds a Stone Elephant

Sham S. Misri

Madurai (southern Tamil Nadu, India) was once ruled by a Pandian King by the name of Abidhega Pandian. He was a great devotee of Shiva and one day Lord Shiva decided to grace him. Shiva came as a miracle performer who appears simultaneously in a number of places. He was changing older people to look younger; he turned iron into gold and cured much illness. He becomes a well talked miracle performer.

News about him spread all over and reached to the knowledge of the king. The king was eager to see this miracle performer and send his guard to bring the miracle performer before him. But the miracle performer refused to follow the guards, instead sends news that whoever wants to see him must come to him since there is nothing for him to gain from the King.

As the King started to hear more about this miracle performer, the more was the urgency of the King to see this performer. One day, the King decided to go to the temple. Upon seeing him, all his subjects stood up and bowed in respect .The miracle performer was there too. He did not stand up and gave his respect like the others. The king was somewhat curious as to who this person is, he started to inquire about the miracle performer. The miracle performer of course replied, saying that since he has travelled to many places, every poor people are his relatives. He has mastered the arts of all arts and that he doesn’t feel he is going to benefit anything from the King. The King was taken aback by the man’s reply. He felt that this man is rather rude and haughty and that he should be taught a lesson. He found a farmer nearby with some sugar-cane. He then challenges the miracle performer that if the performer is that powerful as his claim, then he should be able to feed the stone elephant with the sugar-cane. Hearing this, the miracle performer, took the sugar-cane with ease, and looked at the stone elephant gracefully. Suddenly to everyone’s astonishment the elephant trumpeted loudly and stretched out its trunk and took the sugar-cane from the miracle performer’s hand. After eating the sugar-cane, the elephant changed back to stone. The King immediately lay prostrate at the man’s feet. He realised that a person who had such powers could not be an ordinary man but the Lord himself. The miracle performer smiled and Lord Shiva appeared in front of the King. The king was given a boon to be blessed with good children and then The Lord disappeared.

Sri Narada Muni

Sham S. Misri

Sri Narada Muni is the mystical sage of the demigods. He is regarded as the ultimate nomad who roams the three lokas of Swargaloka (heaven), Mrityuloka (earth, literally: "place of death") and Patalloka (nether-world). He does this to find out about the life and welfare of people. Narada Muni is a lifelong celibate and is mentioned throughout the Vedic literatures. He is often depicted travelling freely through outer space, plucking a stringed musical instrument (the Veena), and preaching the glories of Lord Vishnu. Narada Muni moves from planet to planet and in all three realms of the universe—upper, middle and lower. His dear companion, Parvata Muni, often accompanies him. He is somewhat of a cosmic instigator—constantly coming and going, setting things in motion and sometimes creating mischief—but always for the higher purpose of demonstrating Vedic philosophical truths.

There are at least two instances in the Puranas wherein Narada Muni becomes a woman. In one narration, Narada asks Vishnu to show him His maya (illusion). Vishnu complies and instructs Narada to fetch Him some water from a nearby river. Narada does so, but falls into the water and emerges as a female. Narada then meets a man, falls in love, gets married, has many children, builds a home and establishes a prosperous farm on the riverbank. She becomes very happy and satisfied for many years. One day, however, there is an enormous flood, and Narad’s husband, children, home and farm are all washed away in the raging waters. Narada laments piteously until finally the turbulent waters capture Narada herself. Terrified, she screams for help again and again. A hand grasps Narada and pulls her from the river. It is Vishnu—He has shown Narada His maya!

In the Padma Purana there is a description of Narada's transformation into the beautiful cowherd maiden, Naradi. Narada Muni asks Lord Krishna to show him His divine loving affairs, and Krishna complies by turning him into the gopi Naradi and sporting with him for an entire year.

Ardhanarishwara

Sham S. Misri

Lord Krishna praises Shiva's form of Ardhanarishwara while experiencing separation from His beloved Radha, as follows: "Just see! Lord Shiva lives happily with half of his body united with Parvati, whereas I am far from united with Radha—I don't even know where she is."

[Ref:In Jayadeva Goswami's twelfth-century text, the Sri Gita Govinda (3.11)]

In Vedic narratives Sri Arjuna manifests all three genders—male, female, and hermaphrodite. He is most popularly known in his male form as the heroic warrior of the Mahabharata, the disciple of Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita and the husband of Draupadi. He is very, very dear to Lord Krishna. It is said that when Krishna first met Arjuna tears came to His eyes and He embraced Arjuna wholeheartedly—this was because Arjuna reminded Krishna of His intimate cowherd friend in Vraja of the same name. Krishna and Arjuna became instant companions and spent many years together in deep friendship. In the Mahabharata (Sauptika Parva, XII), Krishna states, "I have no dearer friend on earth than Arjuna, and there is nothing that I cannot give to him including my wives and children." In the Drona Parva of the same text, Krishna reiterates, "O Daruka, I shall not be able to cast my eyes, even for a single moment, on the earth bereft of Arjuna…Know that Arjuna is half of my body." Once, when Krishna had to leave Hastinapura for Dwarika, He quickly hurried to the apartments of Arjuna and spent the entire night with him in happy slumber, even at the risk of upsetting His temperamental wife, Satyabhama.

As inseparable friends, Arjuna and Krishna are said to be non-different from the two Vedic sages of the Himalayas, Nara and Narayana. Nara-Narayana is the twin-brother incarnation of the preserver-god Vishnu on earth, working for the preservation of dharma or righteousness. In the concept of Nara-Narayana, the human soul 'Nara' is the eternal companion of the Divine 'Narayana'. The epic, Mahabharata identifies Lord Krishna with Narayana and Arjuna - the chief hero of the epic - with Nara. The legend of Nara-Narayana is also told in the scripture Bhagavata Purana. Hindus believe that the pair dwells at Badrinath, where their most important temple stands. According to the Monier-Williams dictionary, 'Nara' is "the primeval Man or eternal Spirit pervading the universe (always associated with 'Narayana', "son of the primeval man"; both are considered either as gods or sages and accordingly called. In epic poetry, they are the sons, of Dharma by Murti or Ahimsa and emanations of Vishnu, Arjuna being identified with Nara, and Krishna with Narayana.- Mahabharata, Harivamsa and Purana".

Sri Harihara is a form in which the two male deities of Vishnu and Shiva are fused together, similar to the Ardhanarisvara form.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is described in post-medieval Bengali texts as the combination of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna. He is also secretly alluded to throughout the Puranas and other Vedic texts as the incarnation for this age of Kali (the Kali Yuga)—the golden avatara, who descends to expand the chanting of the holy names of God. In the Chaitanya Charitamrita (of Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami), two more confidential reasons are given for Lord Krishna's descent as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: He wanted to taste the ecstatic love experienced by Sri Radha for Him, and He wanted to propagate this confidential knowledge to anyone eager to receive it. Thus, while appearing in a male form, Lord Caitanya's inner mood and emotions were that of a female, His divine consort Sri Radha, i.e., in the mood of Radharani.

Vedic texts, especially the Bhagavata Purana, describe Sri Krishna as the fountainhead and original source of Vishnu and all incarnations. Because Sri Krishna is 'adi-purusa'—the supreme and original male—all other beings are regarded as female in relation to Him. In the Padma Purana it is said that during the advent of Lord Rama, the sages of Dandakaranya Forest became so attracted to the Lord they developed conjugal affection for Him. Since Rama could accept only one wife, Sita, He blessed the sages to become cowherd maidens in Krishna's pastimes, thus fulfilling their desires.

Sri Krishna's pastimes are very playful and sportive; narratives from the Puranas as well as post-medieval texts often portray Krishna and His friends (both male and female) cross dressing for fun and delivering messages in disguise. Krishna has many male attendants who meticulously dress and care for Him and His intimate friends arrange rendezvous for Him to meet with the gopis. These intimate friends are said to have nearly the same emotions for Krishna that the gopis do and are always completely overwhelmed by Krishna's beauty and the love they feel for Him. Krishna is most famous for His loving pastimes with the gopis and His rasa-lila dances with them (rasa means 'emotion' or 'performance' and lila is a concept from Hinduism, which roughly translates to "play [lila] of the dance [rasa]," or more broadly as "Dance of Divine Love"). His chief consort is Sri Radha, the original source of all Shaktis and Goddess of the spiritual energy. Radha is Krishna's life and soul; in His incarnation of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He combines with her to experience the ecstatic love she feels for Him. Krishna's natural complexion is bluish but when He combines with Radha He takes on a golden complexion and is thus known as Lord Gauranga. In another popular pastime, the svayam Bhagavan Sri Krishna disguises Himself as the beautiful maiden, Syamali, just to pacify the jealous anger of Radha.

Lord Krishna praises Shiva's form of Ardhanarishwara

Sham S. Misri

Lord Krishna praises Shiva's form of Ardhanarishwara while experiencing separation from His beloved Radha, as follows: "Just see! Lord Shiva lives happily with half of his body united with Parvati, whereas I am far from united with Radha—I don't even know where she is."

[Ref:In Jayadeva Goswami's twelfth-century text, the Sri Gita Govinda (3.11)]

THE BIRTH OF KRISHNA

THE BIRTH OF KRISHNA

Sham S. Misri

The Harivamsha tells the story of Krishna's birth into his double life:

The wicked king Kamsa heard a prophecy that the eighth child born of his cousin Devaki and her husband, Vasudeva, would kill Kamsa. He let Devaki live, on condition that Vasudeva would deliver to Kamsa every child she bore, and Kamsa killed seven infants in this way.

Vishnu placed himself in the eighth embryo, and, at his request, the goddess of sleep took the form of the goddess Kali and entered the womb of Yashoda, the wife of the cowherd Nanda.

One night Krishna was born to the princess Devaki and the goddess Kali was born to the cowherd woman Yashoda. Vasudeva carried the infant Krishna to Yashoda and brought the infant girl to Devaki. When Kamsa saw the girl, he dashed her violently to the stone floor. She went to heaven and became an eternal goddess, Kali, to whom sacrifices of animals are made, for she is fond of flesh. And Krishna grew up in the village of cowherds. When he was grown, he killed Kamsa.

Krishna's birth is doubled in yet another way, by the simultaneous birth of Sleep as Kali and the daughter of Devaki as the daughter of Yashoda. The worship of the goddess Kali, a new, specifically Hindu element injected into the basic formula, signals the beginning of a new prominence of women in the worship of Krishna, starting in the text, where Devaki, in a manner significant of Draupadi, harasses her husband, Vasudeva, and forces him to stop saying, "It is all fated," and to do something to save her baby. Indeed Bhakti texts generally challenge the more fatalistic construction of karma, believing that people's actions in their current lives can produce good or bad fortune in this life and that devotion to the gods, in particular, pays off in this lifetime as well as in the next.

Source: The Hindus an Alternative History by- Wendy Doniger"

The Story of Kalighat and Calcutta

Sham S. Misri

The story goes back more than 1000 years. At that time there were deep forests at the back of Ganges before she merged into the Bay of Bengal. There were no roads. Only renounced Sadhus moved through these jungles on their way to the confluence of the Ganges and the Sea. This sacred mythological site is one of the important place pilgrims to millions of Hindus. Bathing, especially in the Ganges and Narmada Rivers, is a ritual of purification to all Hindus.  Sometimes, the foreigner's would come and get stunned at the purifying and renewing power of bathing, or merely standing with their feet in the Ganges. 

Those days the Sadhus would move in large numbers to ensure the security from the dangerous animals of the jungle. In spite of the group protection, however, many Sadhus were lost to the jaws of tigers and crocodiles. On this occasion, small groups of Sadhus were travelling through the forest, playing musical instruments and loudly singing the Holy name of God to scare away animals and strengthen their faith in the Divine. After a long day’s walk, the group would find a place to rest . The elders took a break under a big tree while others moved out in small groups to gather fruits, water and wood for the night fire. Among the group, one Sadhu named Atmaram unknowingly moved deeper and deeper into the forest. Soon he was away from his smaller group. Atmaram was a simple but a sincere and a true devotee. He found himself alone in a place which was incredibly peaceful, at a large lake with wonderful lotus flowers. Lost in the ecstatic fragrance of the lotus, he sat to meditate and effortlessly went into trance. In deep meditation, he saw a corner of the lake become bright with light. The light assumed the form of a radiantly Divine young girl, who spoke to him, saying, and “My child! I am the Divine Mother Kali.”

In even more ancient times, during the incarnation of lord Shiva (the ‘Destroyer’ of the Hindu trinity), king Daksha, however, did not invite Durga’s husband, Lord Shiva, to attend the ceremony. Shiva being a sannyasin did not possess material wealth and Daksha did not approve of his ashen, unkept and materially dispossessed son in law. Durga was deeply insulted. She fainted in the middle of the congregation.

Shiva saw this while in meditation and instantly appeared at the Yajna site. He was furious. Lifting the body of Durga onto his shoulder, Shiva moved through the worlds in a rage with his third eye open and shooting fire, destroying everything along the way.

The other gods, afraid, Shiva would annihilate he entire universe, prayed to Lord Vishnu, the sustainer, to stop Shiva. Vishnu threw his Shudarshan disk and cut the body of Durga into pieces, stopping Shiva. Parts of Durga’s pure and chaste body fell at different places, all of which subsequently became the most powerful Shakhti temples of Divine Mother.

In Atmaram’s vision, Kali revealed that one of the toes of Durga’s right foot fell into this lake and had been preserved there ever since. Kali told Atmaram, “I want to manifest in this place as Dakshina Kali to bring all auspiciousness to the people of the world in this Kali Yuga. Right now I am in the Nilgari Mountains in the loving care of my devotee, Brahmananda. Go there and tell him about my wish to be brought here and installed as deity.”

               

                Atmaram emerged from his meditative trance remembering this divine command. Inspired by Mother’s Vision he walked to the Nilgari Mountains, where he found the great sage, Brahmananda, deep in meditation.

Atmaram told Brahmananda about Mother Kali’s instructions. The huge stone on which Brahmananda sat for meditation became a flying disc which carried him and Atmaram to the side of the lake. Thoroughly searching the corner of the lake of Atmaram’s vision, they found the Divine Mother Durga’s toe, now in stone form.

Mother Kali then came to Atmaram in another dream. She instructed him to carve the black stone on which they had flown from mountains into a new form of the Deity, hiding the toe inside it, and to worship it as Mother Kali. Brahmananda and Atmaram thus became instrumental in founding the Kali Temple and installing Mother Kali’s idol.

The small triangular island on the lake, which became the energy field of Mother Kali, came to be known as Kalighat. Ghat refers to the bank of a river. Most of the merchants who passed by that way  go to the sea stopped there to offer their respects to the Mother. Because the Mother’s temple was situated at the banks of the Ganges, it became popularly known as Kalighat.

Though no exact date or time could be said as to when this place first came to be known as Kalighat, research suggests that it was about thousand years ago, during the Pal dynasty.

Towards the end of the sixteenth century AD, during the regime of Mogul Emperor Akbar, Abul Fazal wrote Ain E Akbari referring g to the present area of Calcutta as ‘Kalikotta.’

In those days the area was only a dense jungle. The whole area was known as Kalighat- there was no separate name.

Abul Fazal, while writing ‘Kalighat’ in the Persian language, wrote it as ‘Kalikotta.’ Later, the same name uttered by the English traders took the form ‘Calcutta.‘ Hence, the name ‘Calcutta’ was derived from ‘Kalighat.’ At that time Calcutta was no more than a jungle, and Kalighat, the temple of Mother Kali, stood in the midst of a wild forest.

The English traders, who had not yet established their kingdom in India, conducted their trade in and around Kalighat. That time large number of saints, Sanyasis with long locks of matted hair would only be seen there. Their company was most enjoyable. When foreigners would come to Kalighat, they would feel at home in there.

When the Sadhus sat silently in meditation, some outsider would in childish playfulness would pull their long hair or touch their loincloths. They would usually not say anything, but when disturbances would reach their peak, the Sadhus would complain about their misbehaviour.  

Books by the Author(s)

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

Cleopatra-Harmachis-Part-1-Love-Lord

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

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

Books by the Author

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

Cleopatra-Harmachis-Part-1-Love-Lord

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

Lord Shiva’s Marriage

Sham S. Misri

The king of the Himalayas, Himavantha and his wife, Menadevi were devotees of Shiva. They wanted a daughter who would grow up to be the wife of wife of Shiva.  So Menadevi performed tapasya (penance) to please Gauridevi, wife of Shiva. She sat and prayed for days on end, without any food or water. Pleased, Gauridevi promised to be born as Menadivi’s daughter.

      

Gauridevi jumped into a fire and died.  She was then reborn as Menadivi’s daughter and was named Parvati. The first word that she uttered was ‘Shiva.’ She grew up to be a beautiful woman. Meanwhile, Shiva who was very sad at the death of his wife had started a long meditation.  Himavantha was worried that Shiva would not accept Parvati as his wife as he was in deep meditation and requested Narada to solve his problem. Narada told him that Parvati could win Shiva over through prayers. So Himavantha sent Parvati to the place where Shiva was meditating.

Day and night Parvati worshipped and served Shiva.

       Shiva was very much pleased with her devotion. Shiva decided to test her. He disguised himself as a young Brahmin and told Parvati that it would not be good for her to marry Shiva who lived like a beggar and had nothing. Parvati got very angry when she heard these words about Shiva. She told him that she would marry no one but Shiva. Pleased with her answer Shiva came back to his real form and agreed to marry Parvati. Himavantha performed the wedding with great splendor.