Symbols of the Self
Introduction
I
visited
In
In
To understand the
spiritual symbolism of
Though
too subtle for the man on the street to grasp, the Upanishadic teaching that we
enjoy limitless freedom is a powerful idea that will never die because it
fulfills the deepest need of human beings.
Even Vedanta, the teaching tradition that has preserved it all this time
was never intended for mass consumption.
It managed to survive through a special educational system dedicated
solely to the purpose of maintaining Vedic Dharma, the way of life that leads
to freedom. But as
The
Pauranas are called Dharma Shastras, scriptures on Dharma, the
The
genius of the Puranas lies in the way they convert mundane experience and
objects into symbols of the Self. From a
geographical and material point of view
Rivers
too have been converted to Self symbols because they give life, nourishing
everything with which they come in contact.
In fact the elements (air, fire, water, earth and space) are not only
the Self in material form but, for the purposes of worship and contemplation,
function as Self symbols, the meditation on which may open the door to the
shining world of Self knowledge. In
Animals, plants and
minerals represent spiritual truths. The elephant because of its keen
intelligence and long memory has come to represent Vedic wisdom. Gold, because of its great value and
non-tarnishing quality and silver for its reflective ability are well-known
Self symbols. Colors too have symbolic
meanings. White, for its similarity to
light, is an obvious Self symbol. And
black, because it is opposite white, usually symbolizes ignorance. But black often symbolizes the Self because,
as the Self encompasses everything within panoramic awareness, black includes
all the colors of the spectrum. Because
the relatively infinite sky is blue, blue has come to symbolize the limitless
Self. Red typically symbolizes passion,
in this case the Self as the passionate dancing energy, shakti, that creates
the universe.
According
to ancient Tamil sources Sri Kalahasti has been known as the ‘Kailas of the
South’ for slightly more than two thousand years and the small river on whose
banks it sits, the ‘
Even the cardinal
directions have assumed symbolic significance in Pauranic culture. Obviously
context should be taken into account when divining the meaning of a symbol, but
north, for example, is said to be the abode of the Self because from the
immortal ‘northern’ position the Self looks out on the ‘southern’ world of time
and death. The idiom to “head south’
means to go downhill, to decay. The God
Dakshinamurthy whose name means ‘the one facing south’ and whose idol (murthy)
is installed in the
The Vedas posit four ends for which human
beings strive in their search for happiness: pleasure (
The most revered and universal symbol
of the Self is the human form, ‘man cast in the image of God’ and its spiritual
significance is difficult to overestimate.
Rather than conceive of us as tainted sinful human creatures, the
Upanishad tells us that we are divine.
It says, “That which you worship there is this that you see here.” The ineffable formless God/Self perceived by
mystics is this whole world and everything in it. While Hindu deities often sport dozens of
arms and animal heads their essential forms are recognizably human. Probably no other idea accounts for the
astonishing fact that one billion people stuffed into a land mass one third the
size of the
SriKalahasti
got its name because in days of yore a spider (sri), serpent (kala) and
elephant (hasti) elephant worshipped Shiva with great devotion. A spider lived in the inner sanctum and
worshipped the Lord by weaving elaborate temples and images of Shiva. One day a breeze came up and caused the altar
fire to destroy the spider’s offerings.
It became angry and was about to gulp down the flame, (realize the Self)
endangering its (ego’s) life.
Appreciative of its devotion, Shiva appeared and granted the spider a
boon. The spider requested moksha,
release from the cycle of births and deaths.
Accordingly it became one with Shiva, the Self.
A
cobra worshipped Lord Shiva by offering rare gems, pearls and rubies that it
brought from Nagaland, a mythical place where Nagas (serpents) dwell. Serpents are one of
The plethora of
symbols that enhance temple culture not only point to the Self, they reveal the
deep psychology of Vedic culture.
According to the Vedas human beings suffer, not because they are
sinners, but because they have unwittingly separated themselves from their
spiritual source, the Self. Furthermore,
they state that everyone, consciously or unconsciously, strives to rediscover
this source of wholeness and peace.
Although there are many variations, one archetype illustrating this
truth is divorce and remarriage. In the
Ramayana, perhaps the most popular Purana, Lord Rama’s (the Self) wife Sita
(his loving peaceful mind) is deluded by a golden deer (the sense objects) and
therefore abducted by a ravenous demon (the ego) who carries her off to a
foreign country (a selfish materialistic ‘state’ of mind). Rama sets off on a long and arduous journey
(the spiritual path) to regain her. Only
with the help of an intelligent monkey (devotion) can he locate her. He kills the demon with a whirling discus of
light (the teaching “Tat Tvam Asi” which indicates the identity of the
individual self and the Self) and reclaims his wife (attains enlightenment).
The
Superstars
Two primary Self symbols
vie for the hearts of Indian devotees, Shiva and Vishnu. Shiva, whose name means “that which is good
at all places and all times,” is personification of the Self, luminous Consciousness,
the essence of everyone and everything.
Vishnu, ‘the one who pervades every atom of the universe’ is another
personification of the formless Spirit.
As a deity Vishnu lives in Vaikuntha, a heavenly abode. Scores of minor local and regional deities in
addition to these superstars also function symbols of the Self.
Vishnu is a peaceful,
compassionate, intelligent deity because the Self is peace, intelligence and
non-dual wisdom. Non-dual wisdom is a
synonym for compassion because a person who has it sees everything as his or
her own self and will only express good will to itself in the form of apparent
others. Vishnu is a protector and savior
of human beings and comes to their aid whenever the need arises. By hearing his story, visiting his temple at
Tirupathi and having his darshan it is said that the devotee attains liberation
and avoids rebirth. Since life in this
changing world is fraught with insecurity, liberation is considered the highest
goal of life.
When there is a decline
in righteousness in the world and living a holy life becomes difficult, Vishnu,
the all-pervading Self, takes form and appears on earth to re-establish Dharma.
The story of his incarnation begins when Narada, a celestial devotee of Vishnu
and son of the Creator, Brahma, goes to his father and informs him that the
earth is suffering a period of materialism and lawlessness.
Narada represents the
enlightened mind, one that rests permanently in the Self. His father said, “You will always be going
around the universe. There is nothing
unknown to you. Merely by thinking you
can create a problem and solve it too. I
don’t need to teach you anything or do anything for you. Do what is necessary to rectify the
situation. I wish you all success.”
So Narada took leave of
his father and went to earth chanting the name of Vishnu. When he reached the
The ritual lasted many
days and during a break Narada, who had a reputation for making trouble, asked
the sages which of the Trimurtis[2]
(the three main Gods: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) would receive the Yagna effect.[3] His provocative question set them to
thinking. Each felt that the good karma
of the Yagna should go to his personal deity and eventually the Yagna turned
into a heated debate.
When he saw that he had
provoked them enough Narada suggested that Brighu, a great sage who had
acquired exceptional powers from long and arduous penance, test the three gods
to determine who was worthy of the Yagna benefits. Not only was Brighu the most powerful sage,
he possessed a gargantuan spiritual ego and Narada had in mind to give him an
assignment that would cut him down to size.
Flattered, Brighu left
the Yagna and went to Satya Loka, the realm of Truth, where Brahma and his
consort, Saraswati, the Divine Mother, were seated near their throne conversing
with some celestial denizens. Brighu strode
haughtily into the room and sat on Brahma’s throne without acknowledging the
Creator’s presence. Brahma felt inclined
to lecture Brighu and said, “A person who acquires such great power through
yoga should also be humble and well-mannered.
But you think you are superior to everyone, including me, the
Creator. Who do you think you are? ”
Brighu got off the
throne and thought, “Owing to an excess of Rajoguna[4]
Brahma is exceptionally proud and does not deserve the Yagna effect.” Before he strode off in a huff he said to
Brahma. “You, not me, are lacking in
manners. You made no attempt to
understand why I had come but continued your conversation with these exalted
celestials when I arrived. Not only
that, you had the temerity to rebuke me.
Therefore I curse you. You will
not have any temples on earth and will not be worshipped.” (Because of this story there is only one
temple dedicated to Brahma in all of
Next Brighu approached
Brighu
was unbowed and said, “You may be a big god but you are the one lacking in
manners. You ignored me and continued to
make love with your wife without even inquiring why I had come. Now you point your Trishool at me and insult
me. Had you shown some culture, you
might have been the recipient of the Yagna effect, but now you will receive my
curse. You will be worshipped on earth
only in the form of a Linga and not in your real shape.”[6]
When
Brighu arrived at Vaikunta he saw Vishnu reclining on the infinite coils of the
cosmic serpent Sesha who was floating on an endless ocean of milk. Vishnu was surrounded by worshipful gods and
goddesses and his wife Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, was hidden in his heart. Vishnu, who is omniscient, saw Brighu coming
and divined his purpose but pretended to be unaware of the sage. Remembering his treatment at the hands of
Brahma and Shiva Brighu became furious, rushed up to Vishnu and kicked him
violently in the chest, the abode of Laxmi.
Vishnu, who is never
perturbed, took the insult without batting an eye. In fact he got up from his royal seat, took
Brighu by the hand, led him to Sesha’s coils, sat him down and proceeded to
massage his right foot which had sustained a terrible injury since it struck a
huge jewel that he wore on his chest. As
he was massaging the foot he surreptitiously opened Brighu’s third eye which
lay in his foot and said, “Oh, great and learned man, forgive my
negligence. I didn’t see you. This injury you received is due to me. But we need not worry as it is part of the
divine plan and we are only instruments.”
This incident is rife
with many layers of symbolism. The Ocean
of milk symbolizes the Divine Mind; the cosmic snake with infinite coils the
infinite spiritual potential of the cosmos.
Vishnu represents the Self. In
this story he stands for sattva, the mind that is calm and peaceful, the mind
that knows the truth, one that does not react to events. The wound Brighu receives as karmic
retribution for his arrogant behavior softens him up so he can hear the
truth. The opening of his ‘third eye’
means that Vishnu gave Brighu Self knowledge.
Self knowledge is the only cure for egoism. The ‘right’ foot symbolizes the humility that
comes from living a righteous life.
Brighu was ready for Self knowledge owing to his long and arduous
spiritual work. The only obstacle to his
enlightenment was his ego, which Vishnu deflated by his compassionate
non-attachment. When the mind is pure,
sattvic, it is dispassionate, non-reactive.
Brighu, by his aggression, expected Vishnu to react, but when he did
not, Brighu became aware of his own anger and was forced to let it go, setting
himself up for the opening of his third eye which was accomplished by the
Upanishadic teaching, “Tat tvam asi” a Sanskrit
statement indicating one’s
identity with the Self.
Brighu
realized that Vishnu, an embodiment of Sattvaguna,[7]
was the only god qualified to receive the blessings of the sacrifice, so he
returned to the
He
arrived to find his wife Laxmi in a terrible state. She had taken Brighu’s kick as an insult and
was furious that her husband had treated the proud sage with such
kindness. She said, “You are the head of
the whole cosmos, you command the respect of millions of gods and billions of
creatures, yet you loved and served that vain Marharshi who dared to kick you
in the chest where I live.[8] I cannot tolerate your behavior.”
“Calm
down, my dear,” said Vishnu. “Don’t you
realize that Brighu is my devotee and it is my duty to save devotees? Will parents get angry and punish their
children when they are kicked?[9] He came here with a purpose, not to dishonor
me. His actions were part of the divine
plan. Why worry about it?”
“Since
you are the intelligence that runs the entire cosmos, you are exceptionally
clever at justifying your actions, but I will not swallow your lame arguments. I am leaving you once and for all. And I will not leave that arrogant Brahmin
unpunished!”
So
she cursed that the entire Brahmin community would be deprived of wealth and
would only subsist by selling their knowledge.[10] She then prostrated to her husband and went
to a lonely place on earth where she sat in meditation.
When
Laxmi left Heaven lost its festive appearance.
Because she was the goddess of wealth all the money went with her and
the citizens began to suffer poverty.
They did not enjoy their new status so they went to Vishnu and requested
him to persuade his wife to return.
Feeling their distress he went to earth in search of his beloved. Tired and exhausted after searching many days
he eventually arrived at the Tirupathi hills and took shelter in an ant hill
under a tamarind tree where he sat in meditation praying for the return of his
wife.[11]
When
Narada heard that Laxmi had left Vaikunta he went to Brahma, his father, and
explained that Vishnu was living in an anthill on earth, wasting away to a
shadow of his former self, pining away for his wife. Brahma told Narada to visit Laxmi and he
himself went to
When
Narada told Laxmi, who was meditating on earth like an ordinary woman, about
her husband’s condition she burst into tears.
To console her Narada said, “When you were with him all the time he
seemed quite indifferent. Now that you have
left him he thinks of you night and day. This is how fate works. You must work out a way to feed him.”[13]
She was very distressed
and prayed to Brahma and Shiva who appeared in front of her as a cow and calf.[14] She immediately took the form of a cowherd
woman and led the cow and calf, which were exceptionally beautiful, to the
palace of the king and queen. They were
attracted by the animals and purchased them to feed their child, believing that
such a cow would give exceptional milk.
They
turned the care of the animals over to a cowherd boy who took them out to graze
during the day. However, when he milked
the cow in the evening he discovered that her udders were completely empty. The King and Queen grew suspicious, thinking
the cowherd was selling the milk and threatened him with dire consequences if
the cow did not deliver.
The
cowherd watched the cow carefully the next day and noticed that it stealthily
separated itself from the herd. He
followed it to the anthill where he witnessed it emptying its udders through
one of the holes.[15] He became so angry that he raised an axe to
kill the cow but Vishnu, seeing that the cow was in danger, leapt out of the
anthill just in time to receive the blow on his divine head. He fell down, blood gushing from his
wound. Seeing the Lord lying in a pool
of blood caused the cowherd to faint.
The blood-spattered cow ran to the palace and began lowing with such
force that the king and his army came out to see what was causing the
commotion. The cow made gestures that
caused the king to think that it wanted to show him something and he followed
it with his army to the anthill when he saw the cowherd lying unconscious and
the Lord in a pool of blood. “Who are
you,” said the king, understanding that this injured man was no ordinary
mortal.[16]
“You
want to know who I am?” said the Lord coming out his coma. Saying “See me now!” he showed the king his
infinite cosmic form. Then he said to
the king, “Because you are responsible for your subjects I hold you responsible
for this wound.[17] I curse you to become a hungry ghost.”
The king was distressed
and begged the Lord to withdraw the curse.
“I cannot withdraw the curse,”
the Lord said, but after this birth you will be reborn and have a daughter
named Padmavati whom you will present, along with a ruby-studded crown, to me
in marriage. Then you will attain
liberation.”[18]
The Lord then began to
search the woods for a medicine that would heal his wound and came to the
Vishnu was eventually taken in by a motherly
forest dwelling devotee, Vakula Devi, from his previous incarnation who treated
his wound and tended to his needs. He
soon recovered and came to enjoy his life in the Tirupathi forest. One day, dressed as a hunter, took his bow
and arrow and went into the forest. When
he raised his bow and shot an arrow it made a thundering noise and all the wild
animals scattered in fear. As they ran
he aimed his sharp arrows and killed many.
He heard a large haughty elephant trumpeting loudly. He chased the beast but was unable to keep up
with it. Just when it seemed as if the
elephant would escape he prayed to Brahma and a white horse appeared. He mounted the horse and gave chase. After some time the elephant stopped, saluted
Vishnu and disappeared. This made the
Lord happy and he decided to stop hunting dumb animals. He entered a lovely garden nearby where he
found a beautiful lake with clear water from which he drank. After drinking he fell into a wonderful
sleep.
In the vignette above
hunting wild beasts with a bow and arrow symbolizes meditation for the purpose
of purification of the mind. The wild
beasts represent the wild animal impulses that disturb the mind. The bow represents the mind at meditation and
the sharp arrows the mantras or teachings that the meditator uses to neutralize
the thoughts and feelings that disturb the mind. Here the forest represents an uncontrolled
mind. The haughty elephant is the ego
which can not be killed or tamed without the help of the Brahma, the Self. Brahma means limitless. The knowledge that one is limitless causes
the ego to surrender. Once the ego has
acknowledged the Self a state of peace ensues.
Gardens, places of beauty and rest, are Self symbols. Drinking clear water symbolizes
enlightenment, receiving the knowledge of one’s limitless nature and the
wonderful sleep is known as Yoga Nidra, the Sleep of Yoga. Sleep is a reasonable Self symbol because one
experiences limitlessness, albeit without consciousness. Yoga means to join or yoke and represents a
pure mind that has joined itself through understanding with the Self. Such a mind ‘sleeps’ i.e. rests.
As he rested in the
garden a melodious song attracted his attention and when he opened his eyes he
saw Padmavati approaching. She was so
beautiful he fell in love immediately.
He got up and politely asked her name and her parentage. Since he was only a rustic and she a great
princess she did not speak to him directly but directed her handmaidens to
inquire about him. He said he was from
Tirupathi and had come upon her garden accidentally while hunting. She then spoke to him directly and said that
he was in a private garden and that were her father to find him there he would
be punished.
Vishnu said, “I am sorry
but I have no mind to leave you. God has given you this birth for my sake. Since I love you dearly, please marry me.”
Padmavati could not
believe her ears. She angrily said, “You
obviously have no idea who I am. Do you
think a princess would marry a hunter?
If you value your life you will leave at once.”
Vishnu smiled and said,
“Your rebuke is normal but you are mistaken.
We are destined for each other.
Status is no obstacle where there is love. I admire your beauty. You will marry me.” He moved closer to her.
Padmavati felt it would
be dangerous to remain and instructed her retinue to chase the rustic from the
garden. They threw large stones at the
Lord and one even killed his horse.
Badly injured, the Lord sorrowfully left the garden and returned home
with a heavy heart. When he told Vakula
Devi what had happened she said it was a mistake thinking a commoner could
marry a princess.
To explain the situation Vishnu said, “In the
last Yuga I was born as Rama.
To keep my father’s word I was exiled in a
forest for fourteen years. Ravana had
plans to abduct my wife, Sita, but Agni, the fire God, came to know of his
plans and substituted Vedavati for Sita.
I killed Ravana and Sita threw herself in the fire to prove that she was
chaste. Agni, Vedavati and Sita appeared
in the flames and Agni requested me to marry Vedavati. Although she was my wife Sita agreed. But since I was observing the vows of
celibacy I promised Vedavati that I would marry her in this the Kali Yuga. Akasha Raju’s daughter Padmavati is Vedavati
in this incarnation. Don’t you think I
should keep my promise?”
When
Padmavati returned to the palace she discovered that she could not keep the
beautiful form of the hunter out of her mind and eventually realized that she
loved him. Still, she knew that her
parents would never agree to such a marriage.
She lost interest in food and her daily routine and took to her bed
where she slowly wasted away pining for the hunter. Her distraught parents tried every known
remedy to no avail.
Vishnu
was also disturbed and realized that his mistake was not showing her his real
form so he dressed himself as a female fortune teller, took the name Singi and
stood in front of the queen’s balcony.
When the queen came out she thought that the fortuneteller might reveal
what was troubling her daughter and agreed to compensate her handsomely if she
could.
Singi sat Padmavati down in front of
her basket and prayed to the gods. Then
she said, “I will now tell you what is in your mind. The dark-skinned hunter you met in your
garden has stolen your heart. See here
on your hand, a strong matrimonial line is running this way across your
palm. Your desire will be fulfilled
before long. Now look into my
basket.” When Padmavati looked she saw
Vishnu, bent her head in shyness and ran smiling into her apartment.
The fortuneteller’s
words worried her mother, however and she told her husband who was also
concerned. As they were discussing the
problem Padmavati came and respectfully told her parents that even if the sun
and moon fell out of the sky she would marry the hunter. Seeing that her mind was fixed the parents
could do nothing.[22]
A few days later Vakula
Devi dressed as a renunciate came to see the king and queen. She told them that her ‘son’ who has the
power to rule the three worlds loved her daughter. She said that although he had lost his wealth
he was from a good family and that if they agreed to the marriage they would
attain fame and liberation. They liked
the idea but could not give their word until they consulted their guru, Suka Maharshi. The Maharshi[23]
said that their prospective son in law was none other than Vishnu, the lord of
the three worlds, and that the whole human race would benefit if they accepted
the proposal. They immediately drafted a
marriage proposal and presented it to the Lord who gladly accepted it.
The marriage caused
Vishnu a big problem because he was a pauper since his wife deserted him. As he was thinking about the problem Narada
appeared and suggested that he take a loan from Kubera, the cosmic treasurer. Kubera agreed. Vishnu promised to pay interest until the end
of the Kali Yuga and return the principal immediately thereafter.
The wedding was a
festive affair attended by beings from all the fourteen worlds, subtle and
gross. When it was over the bride and
bridegroom spent six months in the ashram of the sage Agasthya enjoying the
beauty of the Tirupathi hills. The Lord
so enjoyed himself that he decided to reside there until the end of the Kali
Yuga. To that end he asked two kings to
build him a temple on the hill above Tirupathi at a place now called Tirumala.[24] At the inauguration of the temple the Lord
entered and lit two lamps that will burn until the end of the present
Yuga.
While all these events
were taking place Laxmi was still deep in meditation at
The news so upset her
that she rushed to Tirupathi and confronted Vishnu and his new bride. The women immediately began quarreling. Vishnu couldn’t stand the racket, silently
stepped back and converted himself into a stone idol. Realizing they had lost their beloved the
women began to weep.[25]
The idol said, “Laxmi,
Padmavati belongs to the same caste as you.
In the last Yuga I was incarnated as Rama. During that time Agni got wind of Ravana’s
plan to abduct my wife Sita and substituted Vedavati for Sita. Vedavati was reborn as Padmavati. She suffered greatly at the hands of that
demon. Because I was observing celibacy
in that Yuga I gave her my word that I would marry her in the Kali Yuga. When
she understood the reason Laxmi embraced Padmavati and apologized for her
intemperate comments. Padmavati also
asked for Laxmi’s forgiveness.
Then Vishnu said to
Laxmi. “I have borrowed a lot of money from the cosmic treasurer for my wedding
and am deeply in debt. I don’t like this
situation and am always thinking how to pay the steep rate of interest. I request that you give my devotees very much
wealth so they will be tempted to sin more and pray to me for relief. I will appear in dreams and visions and
advise them to fill my coffers in the form of offerings to facilitate the
fulfillment of their vows.”[26]
Laxmi agreed.
Then he said, “My chest,
which was polluted when Brighu kicked me has since been purified through all
the trials and tribulations I have gone through while on earth looking for
you. You may therefore occupy your
original place.[27] Laxmi was pleased with the Lord’s words and
occupied her place on the right side of his chest while Padmavati occupied the
place on the left.
Vakula Devi came looking
for Vishnu and was distraught when she saw him standing as an idol.[28] But the idol said, “Mother, I am blessing you
with liberation. You may now adorn my
neck in the form of a Tulasi garland.”
She immediately transformed into a garland and went around the Lord’s
neck.
The symbolism of the
descent of Vishnu and his installation as the diety at Triupathi is profound
and complex. The following is a brief
summary. When when the sage Brighu (the
spiritual ego) kicks the God Vishnu, (the Self), in the chest (Heart) where his
wife the Divine Mother Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth (read love or wisdom)
lives. Angered by this blow she leaves
heaven (the state of union with God) and goes to earth (the place where people
suffer owing to lack of Self love) where she undertakes rigorous penance
(meditation) to regain her peace of mind.
The Self is not happy without love so Vishnu comes down to earth to find
his wife. Unlike the Biblical variant,
which condemns the divine couple and their offspring to endless suffering, the
Vedic Adam and Eve are reunited after a series of trials and tribulations.
The purpose of the Upanishads is to
awaken the mind to Reality, the Self. In
the Mandukya Upanishad, one of the ‘major’ Upanishads, a discussion of the Self
and its relationship to the waking, dream and deep sleep states of
consciousness is undertaken. It states
that with reference to the Self, which it defines as Reality, the other three
states are ‘unreal.’ The definition of
Reality in Vedic science is ‘that which endures before, during, and after time
and that which illumines and transcends the waking, dream, and deep sleep
states.’ Because something is unreal
does not mean that it cannot be experienced.
A mirage, for example, is experienced as water even though it doesn’t
exist as water. Our three ‘normal’
states of consciousness are experientially ‘real’ but have no lasting reality
because they are caught in the web of time, continually dissolving and
recreating themselves.
Scientific Materialism, the dominant
thought system in the West, only accepts sense information as valid knowledge
and therefore defines reality in terms of waking state experience. And conversely, it dismisses as unreal
experiences that belong to the dream state, the mind, although with the advent
of psychology, which is lobbying to become a science, this view is under
attack.
Is subjective experience
unreal? From the scientific materialist
point of view, yes. And by the
Upanishadic definition, yes. But if we
use the Upanishadic definition, the waking state is as unreal as the dream
state. Or, to express it differently,
assuming ignorance of the Self, the ‘normal’ state of mind, the dream state, is
as real as the waking state. Considering
this, it is not surprising that the Indian mind views subjective phenomena as
at least as real, probably more, than waking state events. Dismissing subjective experience as unreal
creates a serious problem because, although the body does not function in the
dream state, the mind functions in the waking state. Therefore, waking state experience is an
amalgam of sense perceptions and subjective activity: emotions, feelings,
beliefs, ideas, memories, dreams, visions, judgments, discriminations,
etc. If anything, inner experience is
more valuable, much more ‘us’ than anything that happens in ‘reality’
outside. Because how we see and feel
about things conditions how we react to each other our feelings and thoughts
need be understood and accepted, not dismissed as unreal.
How does this ineffable,
apparently untouchable, formless Reality become so easily available for
experience? Because it is ongoing in the
Heart of everyone. And how does a given
temple deity awaken one to it?
One of the most touching
temple experiences is a mother teaching a toddler to prostrate in front of a
deity. The child does not understand
what it is doing but accommodates the mother out of duty or love or for reasons
known only to it. Nonetheless the
prostration does not change its state of mind.
But slowly, over time, as its mind develops, it becomes aware of the
mother’s devotional feelings and the devotional atmosphere in the temple and
gains the devotional experience by osmosis.
And since this experience occurred in a temple in the presence of a
deity or at home in the puja (worship) room, it associates the experience with
the ritual of worship and the symbol on the altar. When this state of mind is established
subconsciously any familiar symbol can awaken it. And because it feels so good, the act of
worship is repeated over and over, deepening the feeling of love.
How does this work? Obviously, since the Self pervades every atom
of the universe and every thought and feeling in our minds, we need not run to
the temple to experience it. In fact
everyone has unconsciously developed devotional habits and worships deities of
their own making: nature, a film star, a guru, money…you name it. And whether our deities are sacred or
secular, the mechanism of devotion is universal.
Deities work because the
Self, our own Consciousness, knows what we need even when we don’t. “The light knoweth the darkness but the
darkness knoweth not the light.” When a
devotee approaches a deity he or she typically wants something, the solution to
a problem, for instance. When
approaching someone who has something we want we assume a humble anticipatory
state of mind. And when we lay out our
problem the mind is free of them…at least temporarily. And in that problem free moment the peace and
bliss of the Self floods into the mind/heart.
We assume that this feeling of peace and bliss comes from some unknown
source or the deity in front of us but in reality the deity was only a
catalyst, unlocking the door to the Self.
When I feel good problems tend to no longer be problems. Additionally, when I feel good the people who
can solve my problem are often attracted to me and may feel inclined to help me
solve them.
The temple and its
deities need not be used exclusively to remove obstacles. They may be used to express appreciation of
God, the Self. Contrary to what a
Westerner might imagine, many in India feel grateful for who they are and what
(little) they have and use the temple to express their gratitude. When this attitude is enshrined in the mind,
even a little seems like a lot.
Consequently,
To enjoy this energy,
leave your mental and emotional baggage behind.
Several rituals remind the devotee that he or she is entering sacred
space. The most common involves
discarding ones footwear outside the temple.
At some temples it is customary to remove one’s hair which is thought to
be a symbol of ego. It is very common to
touch the threshold when entering the temple to show respect for the Lord.
Invariably the first
deity one confronts at the temple entrance is the elephant God Ganesh, the
remover of obstacles. One should ask that all obstacles to a successful
experience of the Lord, the Self, be removed before beginning the symbolic
journey to the inner sanctum where one comes face to face with the deity, one’s
own inner Self.
The temple at Tiruvannamalai,
dedicated to the fire element, represents the temple as spiritual journey, a
movement from change to the changeless, the passage from time to the
timeless. The temple is a haven of peace
in the midst of the chaos and frantic motion of the typically Indian town, a
place where one can journey into the Self.
The spiritual journey is
a movement through five layers or levels of ones being. These five layers are described in the
Upanishad as (1) the food sheath, the physical body, (2) the breath or vital
air sheath, our physiological processes, (3) the emotional body, our sensate,
feeling nature, (4) the mind or intellect sheath, and (5) the bliss
sheath. Passing through these,
transcending them, one arrives at the inner sanctum, the Self. At the entrance to each of the temple’s five
levels one finds a large black stone cow contentedly staring toward the inner
sanctum. This cow, Nandi (bliss)
represents a clear, purified devotional mind turned inward and worshipping the
Self. The fire temple is situated on the
slope of the Holy mountain Arunachala with the lingam closest to the summit
suggesting an ascent from the lower to the higher, from time to timelessness,
from Self ignorance to Self knowledge.
South Indian temples are
typically surrounded by very high square or rectangular stone walls that form a
protective barrier around the deity just as the human body, for which they are
a symbol, surrounds and protects the Self within.[29] Access to the temple is gained through four
gopurams, gates, which tower above city and are noticeable from great
distances, calling the devotee to worship.
The word gopuram means ‘city of light” because they are usually adorned
with sculptures of hundreds of Pauranic deities. The deities or Gods represent the luminous
Self taking form and shining in the mind.
The four gopurams represent the four elements, gateways to the Self.[30] The elements are ‘gateways’ because we cannot
journey into the Self until we have understood the nature of the world in which
we live.
Important as it is, the
fire temple at Tiruvannamalai is overpowered by the holy mountain Arunachala,
one of
The temple at
Tiruvannamalai is called Arunachalishwara, (the Lord of the Unchanging
Light). The Self is often referred to as
“the fire of Consciousness.” Fire is an
appropriate Self symbol because it produces light and light illumines objects
just as the Self illumines our minds and, through the senses, the world around
us. At every shrine leading to the inner
sanctum, and indeed at many seemingly unlikely places throughout any temple,
small oil and camphor fires burn. When a
devotee feels the need to worship, he or she will contribute his or her camphor
to the fire to keep the fire alive. On
full moon nights, when upwards of one million devotees circumambulate
Arunachala, one can witness large fires at significant places on the path
around which scores of devotees are clustered in devotional fervor “taking the light.” Taking the light is a beautiful ritual
indicating the desire to receive blessings from the Self/Mountain. The devotee offers his or her heart, symbolized
by the white wafer, into the fire, the Self.
With each contribution the ‘Self’ fire blazes and the devotee bends
(surrenders) to ‘receive the light,’ by symbolically scooping up the fire in
his or her hands and washing his or her face with it. In its deepest sense the ritual acknowledges
the simple truth that our intelligence, our lives, are not separate from the
one fiery Intelligence illumining the whole cosmos. This intelligence or “fire’
not only illumines our bodies and minds but has taken form as the elemental
world and is, therefore, to be honored .
Accordingly the temple at Tiruvannamalai has been designated the ‘fire’
temple.
The story behind the
mountain told in the Shiva Purana is exceptionally mystical and is undoubtedly
responsible for its enduring fame. Long
before human beings appeared on the face of the earth, Brahma, the four-headed
Creator, was flying through the transcendental skies on his swan when he came
to Vaikuntha, the heavenly abode of Vishnu.
Vishnu, attended by millions of Gods and Goddesses, his eyes half open,
was lying blissfully on the endless coils of the serpent Sesha who was floating
in an infinite ocean of milk.
Brahma was annoyed when
Vishnu did not open his eyes and acknowledge his presence so he said, “Who do
you think you are that you can afford not to pay homage to the Creator of
everything? Without me you would not
even exist.”
Vishnu, irritated that
his sleep of yoga had been disturbed, replied, “I think you are slightly
confused. Perhaps you did not notice
this lotus growing out of my Divine navel.
If you look closely you will see a small God with four faces
suspiciously similar to yours sitting in the middle. The fact, my dear friend, is that only I am
Self created and you are merely in charge of the creation of the universe. You
are little more than one of my executives, albeit an important one.”
“What rubbish,” said
Brahma, “this lotus with me sitting on it is just the product of your yoga
maya, as unreal as a hare’s horn.”
The argument became
increasingly heated and the Gods witnessing it were concerned for the welfare
of the world should they actually come to blows, so Indra, king of the Gods,[31]
suggested that they consult Shiva, who he assured them would resolve the
issue.
So they all journeyed to
“See here,” he said,
casting down a blinding blazing column of white light that stretched upwards
and downwards as far as the eye could see, “whoever can find the end of this
column is indeed the greatest.”
Brahma, certain that he
would easily reach the end, assumed the form of a swan and began to ascend the
column. But it proved to be much taller
than he thought. In fact he became
slightly discouraged after flying at supersonic speed for several thousand eons
with still no end in sight. Just as he
was becoming tired and considered abandoning his search he encountered a lovely
flower emitting an intoxicating perfume falling slowly down the column.
He flew over and the
flower said to him, “I am the Kartigai flower falling from the head of
Shiva. I have been falling for infinite
aeons and will never reach the bottom.
You cannot reach the top. Go
back and tell Shiva that you have reached the summit. I will back you up. Even falsehood is recommended in times of
distress.”
This idea appealed to
Brahma who flew leisurely back down the column accompanied by the Kartigai
flower.
In the meantime, Vishnu,
who had assumed the form of boar and had begun digging down the column, also
became discouraged after many aeons and decided to give up his quest. He turned around and began ascending,
arriving back in
“How did it go,” Shiva
addressed the Gods?
Vishnu replied, “Great
indeed you are! I bow to you, Shiva,
whose glory can never be measured. I
bored for aeons and aeons and was unable to find the end of this blazing column
of light. ”
Shiva turned to Brahma
who said, “Unlike this inept fellow, I found the end. It’s true, this is an impressive column of
light and I had to fly rather fast to reach the end, but it was really no big
deal for a creative energetic person like me.”
The Kartigai flower
nodded in assent.
Shiva smiled inwardly
and transformed himself into a gigantic terrifying monster that reached down
and caught Brahma by the neck.
“You lie,” he
thundered. “And for this lie I am going
to remove all four of your arrogant heads.
You’re finished!”
Fearing for the world
should the Creator be destroyed, the Gods and Goddesses fell at the feet of the
monster and pleaded for mercy. Shiva,
the fount of all compassion, returned to this true form, recanted and released
Brahma to a sigh of relief from the deities.
“It is not right to lie to make yourself look good,” said Shiva. “Perhaps I was a bit hasty in my wrath. Death is a punishment that does not fit the crime. However you should not go scot-free. Therefore, I decree that henceforth you will not be worshipped in any temples on earth. Nonetheless, I can see that you are contrite so I also decree that even though a sacrifice is completed according to the scrip