Chapter 4 Summary

Era- Pralaya Kritayuga 1728000 years | Treta Yuga 129600 Year | Dvaparyuga 864000 Year | Kaliyuga 432000 Year| 432000 Year becomes -Mahayuga or Divyayuga | 71 Divyayugas make it 1 Manu’s rule- rule by 14 Manus becomes Srishti Kalpa. “Chaturyuga Sahasrani Ekadinam Pitamaha! Pitamaha Sahasrani Vishnurghati Kameva cha! Vishnurdvadashalakshantam nimishardham sadashiva”, as depicted after Sadhashiva’s rule for 100 years, there is Mahapralaya.

Mahishasura- Dhanu’s son Rambha once saw Mahishi, when he tried to entice her, she entered into the fire. Mahisha was born with his sperm in the fire pit. He spent 10 thousand years in the Meru Mountains in Tapas, thinking that women could not kill him, he had received a boon that no Gods, demons, humans, men can kill him. Hence Brahma and other gods were not capable of solving this. But they decided “if it is a woman emerged from the essence of Shakti, he can be killed. So let us pray for our Shaktis, all the Shaktis come together to become a woman named Mahalaxmi, who will slay Mahishasura”

Interpretation: Mahisha- Buffalo, Asura (demon- nishachar- one who is active in night/darkness). Mahishasura is the one who roams in ignorance , full of pride like a buffalo he behaves ignorantly. Without realizing , ‘like how the seed itself becomes the tree Devi through her divine play has become the entire universe, all the things and all the transactions here are Her divine play’, being ensnared by ignorance he proclaims that the body, wealth and riches is all mine, I am the doer, I am the enjoyer, he is Mahishasura.

Wicked- Leaving the path towards the Self, He is on the path towards the worldly pleasures.

The corrupt – Forsaking one’s varnashrma (responsibilities) he engages in the forbidden karma.

Goddesses – Mouth, Palms, feet, Gluteal region, air, for these Karmendriyas the rulers are Agni, Indra, Upendra, Brahma, Yamas, respectively. For these Jnanendriyas ears, skin, eyes, tongue, nose, rulers are Dikpala, Vayu, Surya, Varuna, Ashvini kumar respectively. Chandra, Brihaspati, Vasudeva, Rudra are the rulers of the Antahkaranas Mana (mind), Buddhi (intellect), Chitta (consciousness), ahamkara (pride). When these 24 indriyantakaranas are mere act only in virtuous ways, they are called devatas (those who are immersed in Wisdom). Divine wealth is devatas, demonic wealth is called demons.

Mahisha initially had much reverence and devotion in Devi. Later with the pride of wealth, forgetting the Devi Upasana, acquiring the demonic possessions like Chikshura (Kama-desire), Rudaghra (anger), Rasiloma (Lobha-greed), Bidala (moha- lust/attachment) as ministers, and through them making the devatas called indriyantahkarana, who are for virtuous deeds, under his control which means transforming them into wicked ways, He sat as God.

Mahalakshmi- summation of divine energies of all devatas who were in fury| female- Chicchakti |Non-violence, Truth, Self-restraint, Brahmacharya, and Sattvik Gunas like this are her attendants| Shruti, Smriti, Puranas, extol her as “Atma Satya Jaganmitya” (soul is the truth, world is false), She is Dhanu , Swajnapriya who is Atmaham- Shivoham| Eksameva Dvitiyam, Brahma-Sarvadha – Khalvidam Shrutis called Brahma are the Arrows| Knowledge, Renunciation, and dispassion are Trishul, divine wisdom is Sword | Virati (detachment) is the Vajrayudh| Sadbhava (goodwill) is the Gada (mace) | Righteous conduct is the dagger! The truth is the Dandayudha (stick held by a monk or preceptor of spiritual lineage) | Vasanakshaya Manonasha (annihilating vasanas/inclinations and mind) is fork| burning wisdom is Shula (lance) | These are the weapons. Omkar is the Dundhubhi musical instrument/battle drum)| Ghanta nada (sound of bell) is bheri (trumpet) |Dashavidhanada (ten types of sounds) are trombone| The light of Akhandaananda (seize less bliss) is Arathi | Jnanaprakash (light of wisdom) is the flower| happiness is the umbrella| Nirvasana (Extermination of vasanas) is Chamara(fan) | Arivu (awareness) in Gross, subtle and causal bodies are the children called Vishnu, Brahma and Rudra.

Lion – The lion is the great religion, as in the words of the Durga Sapthashati, “Simham samaghram dharmamishwaram”, which means that man is exalted by the enlightenment of the form of his self and that Swarupajnana (knowledge of oneself) is Lion. Pursuit of Self realization that Shiva is my very self is Dharma. Since Devi has made this pursuit as her vehicle, she is Simhavahini (one who has the Lion as her vehicle), Dharmarudha (rooted in dharma). This lion of Swarupajnana roars saying the appearance of these names and forms are false and Jnanashakti (power of wisdom) is the only truth. Through the cage of her witness form of self, she slays the visible animals with determination and devours them with her advaitarupa mukh (face of nonduality)

Demonic wealth – Raja, Tamo Gunas such as madha (pride), Lobha (greed), moha (attachment), matsarya (Jealousy), Nirdaya (ruthlessness), Rathi (pleasure), Krodha (wrath), Vishayasakti (interest in worldly pleasures), Adhairya (meekness), Aviveka (indiscretion), Alasya (idleness), and Mandatva (dullness).

Demonic weapons – sankalpa vikalpa mann (mind of volitions and uncertainities) is bow | words and other worldly matters are arrows | trimala (three kind of afflictions women, wealt, property) is trishul | Avichar (injudiciousness) is the Sword| desire is the snare| Ignorance is elephant| the mind that runs after worldly thoughts is the horse| The body is the chariot | Dvaita bhav (attitude of duality) is the army| Deceit is charioteer | Chidakasha is Ranamandala (army array) | The body is the battlefield.

The main essence of the war – Divine War is to create a feeling that everything is the form of the Devi. When a human being tries to realize the Devi, within him begins the battle gods and demons. The Asuras, demons, turn the indriyantahkarana (senses organs and mental faculties) towards enjoying the worldly pleasures. Devi (Jnana Shakti) turns one towards Supreme Lord extricating from worldly pleasures. There is mutual war between Pravritti (worldly path) Nivritti (renunciation). Whoever conquers the path will be victorious. During this war, the Goddess annihilates the asura bhav (identification with the life) and makes one’s own most beloved form of HerSelf as the Atmasvarup (form of sellf).

Svarupa rupa Yudh (war between the form and the form of self) – Conquering the demonic wealth which is confining, attaining the Divine wealth to get true happiness.

Slaughtering the demons – Beating/reprimanding the children and disciples is not to make them suffer but to guide them to righteous path. Like how washing the clothes or beating the quilt is to clean them but not to tear them, like how sugarcane juice is boiled intensely to increase its sweetness but not to burn it, Like how a gem is polished to increase its luster but to destroy it, Likewise, killing demons is to destroy their evil qualities and increases the virtues. Without destroying all the desires but annihilating wicked ways and conquering it, turning one towards virtuous ways.

Essence of this chapter – It is the Upasana kaand, since the fruit of sugonopasana (worship with desires) is unstable, it is futile. Through Nishkamopasana (worship without any desires) one has the darshan of God as it purifies the mind (chitta shuddi). For chitta shuddi desires and other tendencies are opponents, like enemies. Unless they are conquered, mind does not attain purity. Conquering the Desires and other vices is the key to Chittashuddhi, conquering those vices is what this chapter is all about.

Chapter 5 Summary- Slaughtering Rasiloma and Rudagra demons

Rasiloma – Seeking for The extravagant life than one is blessed with (beyond the normal grade) is greed.

Fruit of Greed – There is no comfort for the body with extreme greediness. People will call such beings mean, despicable. Such people will take rebirth as poor. There is no greater evil than avarice. Earning handsome amount of money, neither oneself using it nor using it for virtuous deeds, is like fruit of trillions of karmas. The amount earned through miserliness will not come along during death. The wealth that is not used for Dharma will go to either the king, thief or fire, or whatever you have stored itself will become inaccessible for you, there is no happiness out of it.

Vijaya (victory)- extricating the avarice by making one face his flaws. Money is always a misery, as long as there is oil in the lamp, the lamp burns pompously, like the wealth from virtuous deeds of the past. Your wealth and pride also will extinguish and cool like the oil exhausted lamp the very next day your merits deplete. Riches is unstable like a dream. Siri/ Goddess of wealth will take you to the pinnacle of prosperity today and the next day itself she can drop you to grounds and make you beg and eat. And no matter whoever it is, a man, a scholar, a wise man, a noble, a brave or a gentle and chaste one, negating their virtues, bringing shrewdness she makes him indifferent to happiness. Thus wise ones should not trust Siri. “Moksha Svadhanameva hi” Moksha is only one’s own wealth, which is to be only earned and enjoyed. By teaching this one must free the disciple from slavery to wealth and kindle the desire for Moksha.

Rudagra- (anger-rage- wrath) -Rudagra is not an ordinary one, those who confront him, that is those who have forsaken the anger, there is none in the world. The demon drinks the blood of the all, he terrifies others. Similarly the one with wrath terrifies himself and others also, and drinks the blood of others. He wanders day and night. Reason is he is more cruel than the demon. Vishwamitra got angry and destroyed his fierce penance. Ravana listened to Shurpanakhi and lost everything because of his anger. Rudagra does not care anyone, Harihara and other Gods also took refuge in him (the wrath) and lost.

The reason for rise of anger- seizing one’s wealth and wife, hurting one through lies, slandering, sarcasm, and reproach, torturing one’s body with acts of violence.

Conquering Anger- No matter how angry we are punch a rock, the pain has to be endured by us, not the rock. Anger is same as fire, if one angry, it burns oneself and annihilates one instead burning the others. Anger is slavish, base of sin, it tosses one into hell. Even if we face hardships because of others, we must find peace thinking that they are not the reason for it but its according to our own karma, others cannot bring us sorrow. If we wish bad for them in return it bounces back to us in multi-fold interest. Anger is pernicious, Peace is the Supreme happiness, Peace is the only way to overcome anger. Some say of a common technique to count 10 in anger, though it sounds lame, definitely it does reduce some anger to a degree. There is a God who is protecting us incessantly even if one tries to kill us. One must calm down realizing no one can do anything except his command. Anger can be conquered by forgiveness, tolerance, silence, and righteous wisdom.

• Namo Nityanandaya
• Translated from Devi Mahatme book of Sri Chidanandavadhoota
• Nityananda Dhyana Mandir Bevinkoppa