Hindu Sanatana Dharma
HIndu Sanatana Dharma: We have learnt some things about Vedas, their composition, style of chanting, and their divine significance etc., in the previous chapters. We have also learnt that Brahmacharya and related austerity / penance and Tapas (concentrated devotion) endow upon a person with divine powers. This is how our Sages could know the past, guess the future and pass the knowledge of Vedas, Vedangas, Puranas, Epics, etc., to future generations.
(This is an extract from Chapter 25 titled ‘ ‘Sanatana dharma’ in author’s Book, ” A Tribute to the Ancient world of India “, ©)
And Sages have devised ways and means to make the slokas/hymns simple to chant and easy to remember. For example, Panini says that the person who recites hymns of Vedas shall chant the consonants from ‘ka’ to ‘ma’ in a lighter note in such a way that the pronunciation should not over stress sound of the consonants and also should not lose the very sound of the syllable/Varna. He gives the example of a tigress carrying of her pub by holding the pub within its jaws, but without either injuring the pub with its feline teeth and without losing the pub.
Chanting of Vedic slokas coupled with tapas (concentrated devotion) synchronizes individual soul with the Supreme Soul. Our sages and ancestors believed that ordinary people cannot understand the divinity of Vedas. For example, some sections of Yakshas and Gandharvas thought that Devi was worshipped by sages for getting Riches; so, they did not oppose worshipping of Devi but they transformed the Devi into a Goddess of Wealth and worshipped Her as Lakshmi.
Some of the later day Puranic writers started depicting various male Gods and female Goddesses as wives and husbands. In fact, we would learn in a later chapter that Devi Sita was not a person but a Statue. And similarly, there are Panchakanyas (five virgin women), viz., Ahalya, Draupadi, Sita, Tara, and Mandodari. Ahalya is alluded to be the consort of Sage Gautama, Draupadi – wife of Pandavas, Sita – wife of Rama, Tara – the wife of Vali, Mandodari -wife of Ravana. But truth is different. These are statues of Devi called by different names.
Pancha kanyas
Let us look at the following hymn in praise of these Pancha kanyas (Five virgin women),
अहल्य द्रौपदिसिततर मन्दोदरि तथ ।
पचकन्य? स्मरेन्नित्य? महपतकनसिनि?॥
ahalya draupadi sita tara mandodari tathaa
pañcakanyaa smarennityaa mahaapaaakansinin?? ?
Accordingly, “one who worships these Panchakanyas would get rid of his sins,” whereas puranas and epics accuse some of these Devis as infidels or as unchaste.
Ahalya
Ahalya is accused of infidelity by Sage Gautama. After reading chapter on Sita, we would know that all these Devis are worshipped by Sages in the form of Idols or Statuettes. Devis were worshipped in the form of Statues. How could a Statue of Ahalya make love with a villain Indra? So, we have to look at the underlying truth in the story. Even though these are statues of Devis the truth is never told in any of the scriptures of the old.
Because, they cannot bear to hear the fact that the object of Devi, they were worshipping is a statue and so lifeless. Hence, Devis are remembered as divine personalities only. In the case of Ahalya, actual fact may be that Indra would have snatched the Idol of Ahalya, that was being worshipped by Sage Gautama. Indra would have done this act to denude Sage Gautama of his divine powers. Gautama accuses Ahalya of infidelity not because she was infidel as a wife, but because Gautama would believe that Ahalya is knowledgeable and could act on her own. And, Indra could not have done the mischief of snatching the statue without the consent of Ahalya.
So, all Rishis, Lord Rama, Yudhistara, Vali, Sugreva, etc., all have worshipped respective Devi’s and fought against who opposed Devi and Brahma. And it shall be noted that they worshipped female Goddess as Omnipotent mother Goddess only, not as wife or a consort of some other male God. And it should be understood that Devis were not married to any of the male Gods. But either Sages or Brahmas or Rudras or Siva all were wedded to the worship of Goddesses invariably.
Kubera
In this connection, let us remember that Lord Kubera who belongs to Yaksha – Gandharva – Kinnera clans (YGK) did worship Lakhmi Devi but not Saraswati Devi. Puranic story is that Devi had blinded one eye of Kubera and asked him to buy the lost eye with his money, which he couldn’t do. And another story is about one eyed Shukracharya. Shukracharya is said to have lost one of his eyes for Brahma poked into his eye with a stick. Shukracharya is said to be Guru of Rakshasas.
Shukracharya
We know that Rakshasas are negative sections of YGK clans. Shukracharya is said to be belonging to the clan of Sage Bhrigu also. It seems Shukracharya is not alluded to be as Rushi or Muni in the scriptures but he is called as Acharya, a professor who was well versed with the scriptures. One of the sons of Shukracharya is said to be called Chand. He is also said to have imparted Mruta Sanjeevini Vidya to Kacha, son of Bruhaspati. Some ascribe Gayatri meter / mantra to Shukracharya.
Sage Bhrigu
And another story is about Sage Bhrigu. Sage Bhrigu once goes to Vaikuntha, abode of Lord Vishnu. Bhrigu gets ire for neglecting him by Vishnu. So, Bhrigu hits Vishnu with his foot on the Chest of Vishnu (where Lakshmi dwells). Vishnu then simply destroys Eye in Bhrigu’s foot by playing trick of pretending to be massaging the leg of Bhrigu. This conveys a message that Bhrigu who belongs to YGK / Parswah clans is perceived to be having his eye (vision) in his foot not in the head by the Sages. So, Bhrigu is deemed to be having myopic vision and could not view and understand the essence of Hindu Sanatana Dharma.
And Shukracharya believed in himself and tried to manipulate course of events in his favour. Even though Sage Vishwamitra also did the same way, Vishwamitra ultimately followed the Sanatana Dharma and became Brahma Rushi by conducting tapas for thousands of years. But Shukracharya did not do this. That is why our Puranas depict Shukracharya as single eyed person. Same is the case with Kubera. Statues of Kubera are always sculpted with his head bending downwards and Puranas say that one of his eyes is of Pingala stone.
Hindu Sanatana Dharma
All the above stories convey a single message that our ancient sages recognized some sections of Yaksha – Gandharva – Kinnera and Parshwah people for having myopic vision on Hindu Sanatana Dharma.
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