This article is Part II of my earlier post titled, Brief Introduction to Hinduism.

There are four intersecting areas that are present in all religions. They are: an Ultimate Reality which some call God or Truth or Enlightenment, the human condition, salvation, and the nature of evil. In all religions there is a sense of doing the right thing. People are instructed to do several things: Keep promises, don’t lie, don’t steal, help others, take care of yourself, don’t hurt people, attend a place of worship regularly, or worship regularly.

Confucianism
Rather than a religion, Confucius (6th century, BC) founded an ethical system in order to bring out good social relations in the Chinese state.   Although Confucius respected the religious traditions of his time, he gave them a mere ethical interpretation. The supreme principle in the universe according to him is the moral law – a universal principle, omnipresent, hidden, and eternal.   His main concern was social life and the principles that should govern it for the welfare of society, family, and personal life. Human perfection cannot be attained by religious rituals or meditations, but only by proper education and by respecting moral values. Therefore, religious traditions have value only as the means to moral living. The most important ethical principle emphasized by Confucius was reciprocity.  He stressed three basic principles of living:   “What you do not want others to do to you, don’t do to them; do good for the benefit of others; and love and respect your parents.”  Confucius was interested in solving human problems so that his main concern was not the worship of gods but guides for good behavior.

Buddhism
Buddha believed that gods exist, but that they are only temporary beings that attained heaven using the same virtues as any human  disciple.  Gods are not worshiped, do not represent morality, and happiness is not found in them. The Ultimate Reality is a transcendent truth which governs the universe and human life.  Life itself is suffering. There is no grace from a personal god. Karma passes from one life to another so that one is reborn without transferring to another body.  According to the Buddha, one can stop the suffering if four noble truths are accepted and lived:  (1) The nature of existence is suffering; (2) Suffering is caused by desire, or thirst (tanha) to experience existence; (3) The complete cessation of desire leads to the cessation of suffering; and (4) Follow the Noble Eightfold Path, consisting of the eight practices of self-training (Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration).  Buddha saw evil as ignorance which can only be overcome by karma and reincarnation.   Once man knows the true nature of things he can escape from ignorance and suffering.

Christianity

All Christians believe that Jesus Christ, a Jewish carpenter, who was both God and man, died in 33 A. D. and rose from the dead.  There are many different sects that believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the basic belief of Christians.  However, not all denominations believe the same things.  All Christians hold the Bible as a sacred book.   Catholics believe in praying to saints to intercede to God.  Jesus was a spiritual, but not a political leader, and today most dominantly Christian countries practice a separation of church and state.  According to Christianity, sin has thoroughly affected human nature, conferring a hereditary status. This is called “the sinful nature” or “original sin.”    According to Christianity, salvation is only through belief in Jesus Christ as Savior.

Judaism
Judaism, the earliest monotheistic religion, centers around the personal God who revealed himself through the story of the Jewish people. About 4,000 years ago, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the Torah.  The emphasis of this religion is on practice than beliefs.  We find it in the scriptures called the Torah by the Jews and the Old Testament by the Christians.  In the very beginning of the Old Testament, God is presented creating the universe out of nothing.

Islam
Islam was founded by the prophet Muhammad at the beginning of the sixth century AD. The god of Islam, Allah, is presented in the Quran as an eternal being, transcendent and almighty. The Quran presents the creation and fall in a way similar to the Judeo-Christian tradition. Humans and angels were created to worship Allah. However, there is a major difference from the Biblical account. Allah created Adam and commanded that he be worshiped by all angels. Satan (Iblis) opposed this command and only then was he banished from heaven.  However, in Islam there is no such thing as original sin. Although Adam and Eve sinned, they repented and were forgiven, so that their sin had no repercussions for the rest of the human race.  Muslims believe that God is only one person, and that the Trinity is the belief in three Gods.   Muhammad is the founder of Islam. He, like all other Muslim prophets is believed by Muslims to be infallible and sinless. He was not only a religious leader, but also a political leader, which explains the common practice of integrated church and state in many Muslim countries.

Similarities and Differences

In all religions except Confucianism, there is a singular being or many beings that are superior to mankind.  In the case of a religion having more than a dozen deities, there will be one that is dominant in some way, or there will be a hierarchy.  In the Eastern religions, superiority to the human race is represented as: The Truth, Enlightenment, Oneness, Ultimate Reality, The Universe, Completion, Absolution, or Perfection.    In the case of a god, this god is often merciful, forgiving, righteous, perfect, etc., but he, she, or they will damn you to burn in hell, die, suffer for all eternity, suffer temporarily, give  bad karma, or something similar. If you ask for forgiveness, or complete a purification ritual of some sort, you will be forgiven.

The concept of evil is present in all of the religions although they are manifested differently.  The Eastern religions consider evil as the effect of spiritual ignorance. The first noble truth proclaimed by the Buddha states that the only reality of human existence is the all-pervading reality of suffering. The only possibility of escaping suffering is to know the true nature of things and thus escape from the dominion of ignorance, karma, and reincarnation. In the dualistic religions, evil is co-eternal with good.  Matter and embodied existence are evil, and our ignorance keeps us from attaining perfection as angelic beings. According to Christianity, evil is neither created nor a natural element. It is a state that perpetuates itself when individuals sin and inexperience an absence of God.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam do not regard salvation as an impersonal merging with the Absolute or God, but as liberation from the bondage of sin and re-establishing a personal communion with the creator. In Hinduism and Buddhism hell is analogous to the Catholic concept of Purgatory. It is not an eternal damnation, but only a place to expiate bad karma in order that the purified soul can continue its advance toward liberation.  The Western religions do not believe in reincarnation.

Paden in his book entitled, Religious Worlds: The Comparative Study of Religion mentions that there is a second dimension in studying the structures of religion.  Each religion is similar because they have events of human activity that have typical expressive forms such as initiation rites, passage rites, and marriage rites. All religions have stories that are myths or legends that describe gods, rituals, and sacrifices made by humans.   For instance, the Quran is a book of mostly sayings and injunctions.  The Hindu Vedas are a collection of hymns, chants, rituals, and teaching dialogue.  Confucius’ writings are quoted at every opportunity and discussion on the discourses of life.  The Holy Bible tells stories, but also lists laws, proverbs, psalms, genealogies, and prophecies.  The Jewish Torah surrounds every syllable with commentary and interpretation. The holiness of all these words are memorized, traditional education is based on them and every major event includes mention of them.  Christians say “Our Father,” Buddhists say nembutsu, and Hindus say Om (pronounced A-U-M).

Many writers have described Om as the real name of the Almighty. This word does not belong to any particular religion or language. It is nature’s word, nature’s mantra. Om occupies a very prominent place in all languages of the world. Omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent are the highest names for god. Hindu prayers usually end with Om, English prayers with Amen, and Arabic, Persian and Hindustani prayers with Amin.

References

1. I Bloom, J Martin, & W Proudfoot (Eds), Religious Diversity and Human Rights, Columbia University Press, New York, 1996.
2. John Bowker (Ed), Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions, Cambridge University Press, 2002.
3. William Paden, Religious Worlds:  The Comparative Study of Religion, Beacon, 1994.
4. Subhash Kak, The Wishing Tree: Presence and Promise of India, iUniverse, 2008.

This article was written with the purpose of educating my children on the essence of Hinduism and how it compares with other religions. My forthcoming article will contain a brief comparison of other religions.

Religion has been a part of every society since the beginning of humans. Oral traditions passed on the beliefs and practices of societies that did not have a writing system to record the history of religion. In these early societies, religion played a controlling part in the lives of people, much as some religions do today.

According to Stephen Oppenheimer of Oxford, the journey of humankind started with its roots in Ethiopia over 160,000 years ago (see www.bradshawfoundation.com/journey). It took a considerable amount of time for the human mind to evolve and introduce the concept of religion as it is known today. By most scholarly estimates this may have occurred between 5,000 and 7,000 years ago.

So, how did humankind survive as a society for such a long period of time? It is believed that society could not have survived without Dharma which is ingrained in every living being. Dharma can be defined as “our right to live a truthful and just life,” which implies that we are at liberty to live our lives without encroaching upon the rights of other individuals. This right of Dharma gives freedom to every individual human being to live an independent life. Dharma provides a rational approach to distinguish right from wrong and good from evil. In this philosophy, duties and responsibilities are emphasized more than rights and privileges.

Sanatana Dharma
Even before the advent of organized religion and Gods like Krishna, Moses, or Jesus, and even before the human mind could even comprehend and articulate the concept of religion, Dharma is what helped humanity survive. The root of Dharma is Sanatana Dharma which has existed since time immemorial.

Sanatana denotes that which always is, that which has neither beginning nor end, that which is eternal in its very essence. Dharma is designed to communicate the view that there is an underlying structure of natural law that is inherent in the very intrinsic constitution of Being itself – an essential nature.

Sanatana Dharma comprises spiritual laws which govern human existence. Sanatana Dharma is to human life what natural laws are to physical phenomena. Just as gravitation existed before it was discovered, the spiritual laws of life existed before they were discovered by the ancient sages. Sanatana Dharma declares that something cannot come out of nothing, and therefore, the universe itself is the manifestation of the Divine being.

The universe comes forth from the Divine and therefore all things and beings are sacred and must be treated so in human thought and action. The Divine sleeps in minerals, awakens in plants, walks in animals, and thinks in humans.

Sanatana Dharma recognizes that the Ultimate Reality, which is the ground of infinite potentiality and actualization, cannot be limited by any name or concept. The potential for human wholeness (or in other frames of reference, enlightenment, salvation, liberation, transformation, blessedness, nirvana, moksha) is present in every human being. No race or religion is superior and no color or creed is inferior. All humans are spiritually united like the drops of water in an ocean.

Hinduism
Hinduism appears a strange amalgam of classical literature with gods and goddesses, rituals and festivals, ceremonies and celebrations. The Hindus themselves are confused and confounded by this mixture. Hinduism is not a polytheistic religion. The different forms of worship, the number of superstitions and misleading spiritual practices have all contributed to the wrong impression that the Hindus are polytheistic. The different gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon are mere representatives of the powers and functions of the one Supreme God in the manifested world.

The terms Hindu and Hinduism were created by Persian invaders, sometimes using them as derogatory terms, to refer to the culture of the people on the other side of the Sindhu River. The original term describing the religion of these people predates these terms by thousands of years and is called Sanatana Dharma. The modern religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, all emerged out of Sanatana Dharma.

Sanatana Dharma has existed since time immemorial and therefore Hinduism is not a religion about preaching, but when defined as Sanatana Dharma Hinduism has existed for the existence of life itself. Society has survived because of the ingrained Dharma in every living being and even before the word Hindu was coined by Persians.

Sanatana Dharma teaches that all forms of life are different manifestations of Brahman (the Ultimate Reality or the Ultimate Self, and not to be confused with Brahmin which is a caste). The individual Self is called Atman, and it is identical with Brahman in the sense that our real Self is not different from the ultimate Reality called God (or Brahman). This realization is described in the Hindu Upanishads by the phrase “Tat tvam asi” meaning “Thou art That.”

Sanatana Dharma looks upon a person as a part and parcel of the mighty Whole, but never regards a person as “the Measure of all things.” In the West, “person” is a supreme and final value, while Sanatana Dharma regards person as a part of the Whole, having the same vital essence as all other human and sub-human creatures of the universe. This cosmic view of Hinduism transcends the sectarian or group dogmas and paves a way for the coexistence of all creatures under the Vedic principle of “The Universe is One Family” (Vasudev Kutumbhkam). This principle guides humankind towards universal harmony through acceptance and tolerance.

The three main Hindu Gods who are worshipped, Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva (Shiva), represent the three fundamental powers of nature which are manifested in the universe, namely, creation, maintenance, and destruction, respectively. The word karma literally means “deed or action” but implies the entire cycle of cause and its effects. According to the Law of Karma, every human action—in thought, word, or deed—inevitably leads to results, good or bad, depending upon the moral quality of the action. It adjusts wisely, intelligently and equitably each effect to its cause. But it is also the law of opportunity, which allows an individual to change his past for a better future. If we understand karma as the law of order and opportunity, we will become self-reliant and understand that we cannot and should not escape responsibility. In this sense the law of karma is a law of harmony and equilibrium and not a doctrine that punishes the wicked and rewards the virtuous.

The goal of a Hindu is to realize that God has become this universe and everything in it. Till this goal is realized, an individual goes through a cycle of births and deaths until he achieves the state of moksha, or freedom from limitations where there is no more need for birth or death. And when one prays to God, it should not be, as many do, for personal gain or wealth, but for help in enlightening one’s understanding of the mystery of creation. The traditional Hindu prayer, the Gayatri mantra can be translated as: “O Lord, You are the Light of the World. Please enlighten my understanding. Let me see everything in the right light.” The attitude when praying should be one of thankfulness for what you have, and of seeking guidance to put you on the right path towards your goal in life.

Practical Spirituality
There are many so-called Hindu “worshippers” who give donations to temples and go temple-hopping (like bar-hopping) to curry personal favors from God for their continued professional success and wealth accumulation. These very same worshippers, however, engage in selfish actions and activities based on a question of greed, namely, “What’s in it for me?” This question, though, is not the right one to ask and answer. A fundamental question one must answer is: Are we essentially human with occasional spiritual experiences, or essentially spiritual beings with occasional human experiences? Spiritual seekers of Vedic Dharma believe in the second part of the question.

For a spiritual seeker, there are two practical approaches to life, regardless of which religion he or she follows. The first is to choose actions that bring happiness and success to oneself and to others. By so doing, the fruits of your own karma will be happiness and success. The second is to acknowledge that every human being, including you, has unique talents. You should discover and develop your unique talents and list all the things that you love to do when expressing your unique talents. When you use these unique talents in the service of humanity you create abundance both in your life as well as in the lives of others. Only by being true to your own Self will you be able to open the door to the Divine Self within you (being true to your own Self is how Lord Krishna summarizes the concept of Dharma to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita).

1. Kim Knott, Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, 1998.
2. Stephen Knapp, The Power of the Dharma: An Introduction to Hinduism and Vedic Culture, iUniverse, 2006.
3. Arun Shanbhag, Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms, 2007, www.ArunsPrarthana.com
4. Stephen Oppenheimer, The Real Eve: Modern Man’s Journey Out of Africa, Basic Books, 2004.

The Mahamandap (Great Hall) at the Mahalakshmi Temple in Bandivade, Goa provides a therapeutic escape from many of Goa busy attractions. It is a perfect place to sit undisturbed and commune with the divine. On this early morning, regular devotees went about their prayers silently and tourist laden buses had not yet arrived.

In front of the Deul (Konkani for Temple, also Devasthan), notice the Deepa Stamba (Light tower), a characteristic of Goa Konkani temples. Around the temple are guest rooms for traveling devotees at nominal costs.

The Deul was originally in the village of Kolambe, near present day Colva beach. When the Portuguese destroyed it, devotees smuggled the murthy of Mahalakshmi (Great Lakshmi) first to the town of Talauli (aka Talavali, Talaulim) where it resided in the home of a priest. It was then moved to its present location in Bandivade in Ponda, where a small temple was established in 1866. Upgrades and expansions have occurred ever since. Today it is a magnificent example of Konkani temple architecture in Goa.

Mahalakshmi is respected as a form of Durga Devi, as described in the Durga Saptashati (aka Chandi PaTh or Devi Mahatmyam). Devi is an independent Goddess to whom the Gods turn for help in their hour of need. Mahalakshmi is depicted as the Goddess of Wealth and resides as an independent Goddess and not as a spouse of Vishnu.

A careful observation of shadows will reveal that the following pics were taken in the evening, during an earlier trip. Beautiful, no?

• Ramnathi Devasthan, A Konkani Temple
• Flower sellers at the Ramnathi Devasthan
• Mangeshi Devasthan
• Sacred Places: Avalanche of Christian Aid in India
• Revisionism about the Portuguese Inquisition

---

References:
• VN Kudva, History of the Dakshinatya Saraswats, Madras, (1972, 1991).

shri ramachandracharanau manasa smaraami
shri ramachandracharanau vachasa gruNaami
shri ramachandracharanau SHirasa namaami
shri ramachandracharanau SHaranam prapadhyae

On Rama’s feet I meditate
With words I praise
With lowered head I pray
At Rama’s feet I seek refuge!

Rama.
During times of cosmic crisis, Vishnu as Preserver and Caretaker of the Universe adopts various avataars or earthly forms, to save Creation from calamity, and rid humankind of suffering. Rama as a model human, is one of Vishnu’s most popular avataars. Rama is revered as a devoted son, faithful husband and a righteous king. To fulfill his father’s promise, he willingly accepts exile and wanders forests for many years. When his wife Sita is abducted, Rama enlists birds, monkeys and other animals to track her to Lanka – kingdom of the villainous Ravana. After a prolonged battle, Rama slays Ravana and saves the world from terror and torture. Rama’s victory is celebrated during the Vijaya Dashami festival, and culminates in the burning of Ravana in effigy.

During festivals, devotees raise their voice to Rama. Temples ring to countless chants of his name. Uniquely, the mere recitation of Rama’s name is said to bring ananda or bliss.

The reason for this can be traced to the Mahabharata, when Bhisma bestows on the victorious Yudhishtra, the Vishnu Sahasranaam (Thousand names of Vishnu). Noting the long sermon, Devi Parvati asks her beloved Shiva, how an ordinary person can attain the same benefits as reciting the Vishnu Sahasranaam. Shiva assures her that uttering but once the name of Shri Rama is equal to chanting the name of any other God, a thousand times. With these invaluable words from Shiva, mankind has been blessed with an easy path to happiness.

In the Rama Raksha Stotra – hymn asking Rama for protection, which millions of devotees recite with fervor everyday, the opening verse affirms that reciting even a single word from the life of Rama is able to destroy the greatest of our sins. Mahatma Gandhi also urged followers to recite the blessed name of Rama. Prophetically, “Hey Ram” were the last words from his dying lips.

Included above is verse 29 from the Rama Raksha Stotra, which resonates well with the theme of bhakti for Rama. As Sant Tyagaraja has written, simply by asking the virtuous Rama to shower his blessing and compassion assures us of experiencing ananda.

Hanuman visits Sita in Ashokvan (Ashoka gardens) Lanka where she is held captive by Ravana. (stone carving stored in the Hampi Museum)

Wishing you all a Wonderful Dassara

M&A
(murthy of Kamakshi, a form of Durga Devi at the Ramnathi Devasthan in Ponda, Goa.)

Notes excerpted from my book, Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms;
© Arun Shanbhag 2007

Durga Devi
Devi, Goddess, is the oldest Hindu deity. Clay figurines from the 6th and 5th millennium BCE, attests to her antiquity. Today, Devi is worshipped in all corners of India in various forms, such as Bhu Devi – the earth Goddess; the demure Parvati – beloved consort of Shiva; devoted Sita – Rama’s dearest; and Kali – the ruthless avenger. Durga is the ferocious manifestation of Devi and is revered for slaying the tyrannical buffalo demon Mahisasura, liberating heaven from his clutches and restoring order and discipline in the Universe.

In a popular legend from the Devi Mahatmyam – Glory of Devi, the demon Mahisasura defeated Indra, King of Gods, in battle and conquered heaven. The dejected Indra and his retinue of demi-gods wandered earth as mere mortals, and begged Vishnu and Shiva to end Mahisasura’s tyranny. From the intense anger and focus of the united Gods emerged brilliant rays of light, which combined to bring forth the goddess Durga. Each God contributed their choicest weapons to her. Shiva presented her with a trident, Vishnu his discus. Agni the Fire God, presented his spear and Surya the Sun God illumined the pores of her skin, casting a luminous aura around Durga.

Endowed with an assortment of weapons, and the arms and the strength to wield them, Devi challenges the asura army. With blood curdling roars and a defiant laugh, she demoralizes the demon army and systematically decimates them. When Mahisasura attacks her, she destroys his weapons and captures him with her noose. Devi then traps him under her feet and skewers his neck with her spear; when the human form of Mahisasura emerges, she grasps his hair and decapitates him.

The slaying of Mahisasura is commonly depicted in Durga artwork:. Devi posing calmly on the battlefield, with the demon trapped beneath her feet. The red clothing denotes the spilt blood and alludes to her fertility. Durga thus represents the all-compassionate and fertile woman, yet relentless in battle against evil, energetically defending righteousness against injustice. She is simultaneously approachable and displays motherly love and concern for her devotees. Her close association with the earth and its regenerative ability endears her to even the common laborers and farm workers, making the annual Durga puja and festival, widely popular in India’s rural communities.

Notes are excerpted from my book, Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms;
© Arun Shanbhag 2007

Cave Four is dedicated to Mahavir and the 24 Tirthankaras.

As you step on the front porch, the pride of place on the immediate left is taken by an imposing sculpture of Mahavir.

The craftsmanship of his facial features is exquisite and so elegantly portrays the experience of bliss. Gaze at this crop!

Inside, the pillars were covered with finely carved images of meditating figures. Note how the natural striations in the rock add to the beauty of the artistry.

Another sculpture of Mahavir inside the cave. Here, the striation on the walls covered with meditating figures draws our eyes to the Tirthankara protected in his alcove.

A group of women and girls taking a break from climbing the hill to enjoy all the caves!

NB:I have denoted the two larger images as Mahavira; I am not certain if they represent any of the other Tirthankaras. If you have any good evidence to indicate otherwise, please bring it to my attention.

Cave Three is also dedicated to Vishnu and his avataars, and holds some of the most impressive works of art.

As we approach the caves, they appear as narrow slots in the sandstone mountain side. it is only as you walk up the plain steps and onto the verandah that the true mastery of the beauty of the sculptures is evident. As you enjoy the artwork, note that these caves are ‘open’ and have no doors or other forms of protection from the weather. Yet their grandeur has survived nearly 1,500 years.

As you walk up the stairs, you step in between a row of beautifully carved pillars and on the right is the larger than life-size carving of Vishnu, in the form of his avataar Narasimha (man-lion). And what a majestic Narasimha it is. On the lower left is Prahalad, whose entreaties caused Vishnu to take this form to alleviate suffering of his devotee; and on the right is the cruel king Hiranyakashipu, who Narasimha disembowels on the threshold.

Turn around from admiring Narasimha and you are faced with the most stunning image of Vishnu, perfectly bracketed by the pillars in perspective.

And like if in the grip of a giant magnetic I was drawn towards this figure; agape and too stunned to form coherent words. The image of Vishnu in a meditative pose atop the coiled Adisesha!

Indeed, Vishnu’s eyes are closed here. Vishnu is depicted in yoga nidra – deep in cosmic meditative slumber. It was only many centuries later (12th century, I was told) that Vishnu was depicted with eyes open in artwork.

On Ganesh Chaturthi
Wishing you all
A Blessed Ganesha’s Grace!

M&A

Notes are excerpted from my just released book, Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms;
© Arun Shanbhag 2007

Ganesha Stotram – Hymn to Ganesha

The visage of Ganesha (or Ganapati) is easily recognizable as the elephant-headed God of Knowledge and Wisdom. A Ganesha murti can be found in the home of every Hindu. Tiny Ganesha figurines also grace the dashboard of new cars; and Ganesha icons in a variety of poses is a popular gift for family and friends. With the ever-growing popularity of Ganesha, devotees start their prayers with this hymn to Ganesha.

Many are familiar with the legend of Ganesha’s coming to life. Once when Shiva was away and Parvati wanted to bathe, she created a male child from the skin of her body and gave it life. She instructed the child to let no one come her way. While she bathed and the child stood guard, Shiva arrived, but was stopped by the child whom Shiva does not recognize. A fight ensued and Shiva beheads the boy and discards the head. When Parvati finds out what happened to her child, her sorrow remains inconsolable. To make amends, Shiva instructs his band of followers to bring the first head they come across. When they return with the head of an elephant, Shiva places it on the child’s body and gives it new life. Thus Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, came to be.

Children are intriqued by the appearance of Ganesha and want to know: “Why does he have a trunk? Why does he have large ears?” and so on. While this hymn does not answer these questions, enlightened people over the ages have guided us to perceive the unique aspects of Ganesha’s form in a manner that is relevant to our own lives.

The elephantine ears guide us to give people our full attention, particularly to our family and friends. The overly large head further guides us to reflect on what people say and to carefully judge the merits of their words. The narrow eyes caution us to focus on our surroundings and be ever watchful.

The small mouth hidden behind the trunk prompts us to speak sparingly, but with clarity and truth; and the enormous stomach symbolizes our need to digest all good and bad experiences life brings our way.

A rear hand holds a noose directing us to control our senses and desires; the other rear hand wields an axe, useful in severing our desires and attachments, which trap us in this materialistic world.

The front right hand is always raised in blessing, in a posture called the abhaya hasta – removing fears of the unknown. Seeing such a posed hand soothes our heart, drives away worries, and reassures us that we are ever in God’s care. And despite all the challenges that come our way, he stands by us and loves us dearly, always!

And finally, with his left hand presenting modaka (rice muffins), Ganesha promises us sweet fruits of our labors and ultimate peace in our spiritual quest.

Excerpted from my book released today (September 15, 2007), Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms;
© Arun Shanbhag 2007

Note:
This is my entry for the Ganesh Chaturthi Special. Thanks to Latha and Lakshmi from the Yum Blog for organizing this!

Wishing you all a
Joyous & Enlightening Gokulashtami!

M&A

Notes are excerpted from my upcoming book, Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms;
© Arun Shanbhag 2007

Krishna Vandana – Tribute to Krishna,

Krishna is the most beloved of Hindu Gods and a popular avataar of Vishnu, the eternal soul of the Universe. While other incarnations of Vishnu crystallize divine traits in ordinary beings, Krishna’s life and experiences on earth symbolize the humanness of the divine.

Krishna takes a human birth in a prison cell in the city of Mathura, as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva. Spirited away, Krishna was raised in Vrindavan by foster parents Yashoda and Nanda. His childhood antics endear him to his friends and later devotees, even earning him the epithet of makhan chor – stealer of butter! A baby Krishna digging into a pot of freshly churned butter is commonly depicted in devotional art. At a young age, Krishna subdues the vile snake Kaliya; humbles the Vedic God Indra; defeats his evil uncle Kamsa and liberates his parents.

As a skilled strategist, Krishna plays a central role in the epic Mahabharata; helping the Pandava brothers win the war of dharma. His advise to Arjuna at the beginning of the battle is encapsulated in the Bhagvad Gita (Song of the Blessed One) – one of the most important and popular Indian philosophical treatises. It is in the Bhagvad Gita that Krishna succinctly explains the diverse paths to eternal salvation and harmonizes their ultimate goal of spiritual union with God.

When a young Krishna in Vrindavan plays his flute, the gopikas (milkmaids) are maddeningly drawn by the magical notes and forget their daily chores. Radha in particular, even goes against social norms and secretly pines for union with Krishna. Their ability to intensely love Krishna and be forever devoted to him, even sacrificing other relations, is the exemplary centerpiece of bhakti. In the Bhagvad Gita, Krishna reveals that bhakti – reverent devotion to God, is the easiest path to enlightenment. He implores Arjuna, “Fix your mind on me; be forever devoted to me and you shall come to me. I promise you this, for you are dear to me.”

© Arun Shanbhag 2007

(This masterpiece of Radhakrishna recently arrived in our home to grace us all!)

Notes:
This is entered in The ‘yum’ blog’s Festival Series: Janamashtami. Yaay!

And see Latha’s impressive roundup of all the entries here on her blog! Caution! A lot of desserts! )

The four caves are dated to 578 CE. The first cave is dedicated to Shiva and you saw some impressive high relief figures of Nataraja and Ardhanareshwara in my earlier post. I hope you did not miss the cute Ganapati providing mridangam support for Shiva’s dance! In a prominent niche in this cave, is also housed a beautiful sculpture of Durga Devi in the form of Mahisasuramardini, which I previously used in a Dussehra greeting.

Cave two is dedicated to Vishnu. Near the entrance is an impressive carving of Varaha Murthy representing the avataar of Vishnu. He is accompanied by the king Naga (lower right). Methinks he is holding goddess Prithvi, representing the earth, which he rescued from the deluge.


Opposite is the figure of Trivikrama, celebrating another of Vishnu’s avataar. You can see the dwarf form Vamana with an umbrella, and Bali offering his head for Trivikrama’s third step!

Note, both figures are accompanied by a frieze of dwarfs amusing themselves – reminding us that temples provided sacred, yet jovial social forums. The artisans’ sense of humor extended to providing puzzles carved on pillars for the devotees. In the first image on one of the pillars, can you make out three unique boys in the jumble of three heads and four arms? The second and third carvings provide the answer!

Even the ceilings had elaborate carvings, like this ‘wheel of dharma’ decorated with fish for the spokes!