Thursday, June 25, 2009

MAA BAGALAMUKHI (Peethambari)

Om Bagalambayai Vidmahe
Om ParaShaktiye Namaha

The peculiarity of MAA BAGALAMUKHI is she is always depicted as wearing shining yellow garments. She is called Peethambari. She bears a mace ( gadha ) in her hands. Both these are attributes of Lord Krishna. He is called Peethambar and Gadadhari.

The term Bagalamukhi is misleading, as she does not seem to have to have anything to do with Bad ( crane ). According to Bagalamukhi Rahasya she is Valaga Mukhi that is the remover of bad effects of other mantras. The Bagalasuktham in Atharva Veda also supports this view. But the term was twisted to keep it secret. Valaga became Balaga, as there is no difference between Va and Ba. Then it is twisted to Bagala to keep it secret. This is typical of many tantaric textx. I am not an authority on this.

Photo: Bagalamukhi mandir, Kapan, Kathmandu, Nepal
MAA BAGALAMUKHI has been misinterpreted often and called a cruel Goddess. This is incorrect. She enables you to conquer your tongue ( sthambaya Jihwa ) and also your mind ( Keelaya Buddhi Vinasaya ) so that you attain supreme knowledge.

The Gayatri is

Om Bagalambayai Vidmahe
Brahmasthra Vidyayai deemahi
Thannah stambini praochandhayat

The Bagalamukhi Yantras is the most popular Yantra or I would say the largest selling Yantra in North India. I will give the reasons later.

The Mantra is

Om Hlreem Baglamukhi Sarvadustanaam Vaacham Mukham Padam Stambhay Jihvaam Kilay Budheem Vinashay Hlreem, Om Swaha!

(मूल मंत्र: 
ॐ ह्लीं बगलामुखि सर्वदुष्टानां वाचं मुखं पदं स्तम्भय 
जिह्वां कीलय बुद्धिं विनाशय ह्रीं ॐ स्वाहा । )

Om Hirim Maa Bagalamukhi, stun ( immobilize ) the mouth, tonhue and mind of all the bad people

In the myth, a demon named Madan undertook austerities and won the boon of Vak Siddhi, according to which anything he said came about. He abused this Siddha by killing people. Enraged by his mischief the gods worshiped MAA BAGALAMUKHI. She stoppes the demon's rampage by taking hold of his tongue and stilling his speech. Before she could
kill him, however, he asked to be worshipped with her, and she relented. That is why he is depicted with her.

The popularity of the Yantra is because of the belief that the Yantra and Mantra gives relief from the effect of other Mantras. The Mantras is compared to Brahmasthra the ultimate weapon. That is why MAA is called Brahmasthra Vidayai. The term Valga is because of this. In South India especially in Kerala ( where Mantrics and casting spells are widely believe ) almost everyone wears a Talisman with Sudharshana Yantra. This is supposed to ward off all spells. The similarity of MAA BAGALAMUKHI and Lord Krisha is shown again as Sudharshana Chakra is a weapon of Lord Krishna. This is an aspect, which David Kinsley does not seem to have covered. He was looking for
the bit of a horse since the meaning of Valga is rein. Since the Mantras are thought of in the Buddhi and uttered by the tongue, the Mantra says sthambaya Jihva and Keelaya Buddhim. But the point to be noted is to says sarva dhushtanam ( of all bad people )

This is very mild when we take into account of the fact that even in Tantric Slokas, we say things like Mama Sathrun seegram maraya maraya ( kill my enemies quickly ) Because of the connection with the tongue, the mantra is also used to win cased in courts ( to make the opposition counsel tongue tied).

Now where does a Bhakta fit in here ?
Right from time we were toddles, we were always instructed to ask for God Bhuddi and Good Education whenever prayed. As we grew older we were always asked to control or hold our tongue. The reason was that the mind is the source of all bad thoughts and the tongue is the point of delivery. We hurt more people with our tongue than with our fists. Tongue-lashing. Now if a person wants to evolve to a higher stage of evolution ( to become a better person than what he is today ) he has to control his mind and his tongue.

By praying to MAA BAGALAMUKHI, we ask her to control our tongue and mind. The term Sarva Dhushtanam includes the man who is praying if heis a dhushta. I believe that most of us except the exalted ones are dhushtas in some way or other. It is easy to say control your mind and your tongue. Most of our religious books ask us to do just that.
But it s very difficult. So we pray to MAA BAGALAMUKHI to help us in doing that.

These are my own interpretations and I cannot quote any authority. There are other Mantras or MAA BAGALAMUKHI and Dhyana Slokas, which reveal other aspects of MAA. But this is the best-known Mantras.

Before I conclude, it is difficult to find temples of the Dasa Maha Vidyas because they are Mantras. Neither the Vedic religion not the Tantric religion believed in Idol Worship. The Vedas had Homam and Mantras and Tantra had Yantra and Mantra. The Mantras are held to be the Deity. Later when Hindu Iconograpgy developed, the idols were made according to the Dhyana Slokas. The Shilpa sashthra gives the Dhyana Slokas. But the interpretation is left to the sculptor and his boss.

Again it is the Rishis who saw the vision of the Deities and wrote the Dhyana Slokas. MAA UGRAPRADHYANGIRA DEVI is the Rupam seen by Rishi Pradhyangiras. It could be that MAA MATHANGI is as seen as by Rishi MATHANGA.

In Tantric texts we find Gayatri Mantras for different deities. Many deities have their own Gayatri Mantra. These Gayatri Mantras are based on the Surya Gayatri, which is the First and the best-known Gayatri. These Gayatri Mantra are to be recited before the Moola ( Main or Basic ) mantra of the Deity. But these Gayatri which are more in the form of a prayer than a mantra. So there is no restrictions on the use of these Gayatris. I am giving below some of the Gayatris of MAA


MAA KAALI

Om Kaalikayai vidmaha, Smasavasinyai deemahi, Tanno ghora praochadhayat

MAA TAARA

OM Taraayai vidmaha, Ugrataarayai deemahi Tanoo Devi Praochadhayat

MAA BHUVANESHWARI

Sarvamohiniyai vidmahe, vishwa Jananayai deemahi Thannah Sakthi praochadhayat.

MAA MATHANGI

Aim Sukapriyayai, klim Kameswaryai deemahi Thannah Shyama praochadhayat

MAA DURGA

Kathyayanaya vidmahe, Kanyakumari deemahi Tanoo Drugai Praochadhayat

Though these Gayatris are given in some of the modern books none of the handbooks for Shakta like Saktha Promoda, Saktha Dharshanam or Sri Vidya Ratnakar include the Gayatri in the Mantra Japa Vidhis. These seems to be later additions.

The idea behind my giving the Gayatris is they are a short prayer for MAA, which can be easily remembered.
Contributed by SankarrukuCited from- http://www.geocities.com/madurakaliamman/ available on the web.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

SAM COOKE - Darling you send me (1957)

One of my favourite R&B by Sam Cooke (Samuel Cook).



Darling you send me
I know you send me
Darling you send me
Honest you do, honest you do, honest you do, woooo wo
You thrill me
I know you you you thrill me
Darling you you you thrill me
Honest you do

At first I thought it was infatuation
But ooow it's lasted so long
Now I find myself wanting
To marry you and take you home, woooo wo

You Send Me
I know You Send Me
I know You Send Me
Honest you do

Wooo whenever I'm with you
I know I know I know when I'm near you
Um Hm, Um Hm Honest you do Honest you do, woooo wo
I know I know when you hold me,
woooo wo whenever you kiss me
Um Hm, Um Hm, Honest you do

At first I thought it was infatuation
But ooow it's lasted so long
Now I find myself wanting
To marry you and take you home
I know I know I know You Send Me
I know You Send Me, woooo wo
You Send Me
Honest you do

Friday, June 19, 2009

요비 - 어떤가요 (How is it going)


어떤가요 내곁을 떠난 이후로
eotteongayo naekyeoteul tteonan ihuro 
그대 아름다운 모습 그대로 있나요
geudae areumdaun moseup geudaero itnayo 
아직까지 당신을 잊는다는게
ajikkkaji dangsineul itneundaneunge 
기억 저편으로 보낸다는게 너무 힘이 드는데
gieok jeopyeoneuro bonaendaneunge neomu himi deuneunde 
하루종일 비내리는 좁은 골목길에
harujongil binaerineun jobeun golmokgire 
우리 아끼던 음악이 흐르면
uri akkideon eumagi heureumyeon 
잠시라도 행복하죠 그럴때면
jamsirado haengbokhajyo geureolttaemyeon 
너무 행복한 눈물이 흐르죠
neomu haengbokhan nunmuri heureujyo 
가끔씩은 당신도 힘이 드나요
gakkeumssigeun dangsindo himi deunayo 
사람들에게서 나의 소식도 듣나요
saramdeuregeseo naui sosikdo deutdayo 

알고 있어요 어쩔수 없었다는걸
algo isseoyo eojjeolsu eobeotdaneungeol 
나만큼이나 당신도 아파했다는걸
namankeumina dangsindo apahaetdaneungeol 
이젠 모두 끝인가요 정말 그런가요
ijen modu kkeuchingayo jeongmal geureongayo 
우리 약속했던 많은 날들은
uri yaksokhaetdeon maneun naldeureun 
나를 사랑 했었나요 아닌가요
nareul sarang haesseotnayo aningayo 
이젠 당신에겐 상관 없겠죠
ijen dangsinegen sanggwan eopgetjyo 
듣고있나요 우습게 들릴테지만
deutdoitnayo useupge deulliltejiman 
난 변함없이 아직도 그대를 .
nan byeonhameopsi ajikdo geudaereul

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Khaptad Swami and His Shangri-la

Shiva Raj Shrestha ‘Malla’

(Originally published in Sunday Post in May 12, 2002 Baishakh 29, 2059., Republished (without permission))


When he came to Khaptad, he was already a very wise hermit and very as old as 60. Before this, as a medical doctor trained in England, he was once, desperately trying to save the life of a child. But minute by minute, the child was going towards the dark cave of the death. He found himself utterly helpless. Then, a hermit came in his town of Jammu-Kashmir with Himalayan herbs and power of Yoga, saved the life of that child. Then, the young doctor knew that the would power ( the energy of thought) and Himalayan herbs were far more powerful and useful than the modern medical science. He gave up his flourishing medical practice and started studying Vedas and Upanishadhas. He was spending more and more of his time with the spiritual gurus. Eventually, the well established doctor became Sri 1008 Paramahansa Schitananda Saraswati, popularly known as Khaptad Swami, who died on May 9, 1996, probably at the age of 130. (Khaptad Swami never disclosed his past identity as a true Hindu Yogi and wanted to get Nirvana in peace and in seclusion).

As in the Vedic times, as a hermit, Himalayas attracted him. He traveled throughout, from Kashmir to Meghalaya. But Khaptad Plateau of Far-Western Nepal attracted him most and he was pulled by the magical charm of this land of pre-historic Yakshyas and Haptalite Sakas and Khashas. Very soon, after establishing his hermitage over a small cave, he realized that Khaptad Plateau was the centre of ‘Latter-Vedic’ civilization (of Mahabharata period ) and an unfathomable storehouse of magical herbs. He had told a Nepali historian that he had seen some prehistorical archeological antiquities inside the deep birch forests. The ‘Nephtalites’ (later on called Heptali Khashas) had come from the west of Iran and crossed Himalayas and started a civilization in Khaptad Plateau. They were originally sun worshippers and devotees of Vedic god ‘Maruta’(later on called Masto) the shapeless god of wind. The ‘Masto Cult’ is even now, very dominant in this part of Nepal. As a travel writer says, a face to face confrontation with the typical western Chhetri inhabitants, possessing swarthy complexions and Caucasoid features and the head on collision with the Masto deity will be an experience of a life time, even now. One can imagine as to how a sophisticated intellectual Yogi and a former medical doctor like Khaptad Swami, must have lived and communicated with these Khasha Dhamis (Shamans) and buffalo herders, some 60 years ago.

Khaptad Swami knew from the study of Puranas, that Lord Shiva had, for the first time, used medicinal herbs to cure the sick in the foothills of Khaptad in Baidhya Nath in Acham, while waiting to marry Goddess Parvati. The Khaptad Baba, followed Lord Shiva and started curing the sick. He had also known that the heap of wealth of Lord Kubera, was in Badi Malika near Khaptad, but the wealth in the form of gold and precious stones meant nothing to him. Very probable is the fact that, he knew about the mineral deposits of gold, uranium, mica, aquamarine and other precious stones in this area, but never disclosed; fearing that the human greed will spoil this Shangri-la.

Khaptad Swami also knew that, the first one to practice yoga and propounder of ‘ Shankhya Yoga’ philosophy was Lord Shiva himself , and Khaptad was the most suitable place in the earth to practice Yoga and Meditation. He had enlightened thousands of people saying that if one is tired of chemical mixed food and allopathy, he should try to know his body, mind and soul and also get acquainted with Yoga and nature cure. He himself used to wind-back the clock of his life, to an ageless age, when and where, there were only his body, mind, soul and nature, under the shadows of Mahankala ( the God of Eternal Time and Space). For days together, it is said, he could live in this state of ‘Savasana’ without food, in the small cave under his hermitage, while there would be no human being for dozens of miles, and musk deer and leopards were the only company and the Plateau would be under 10 feet of ice. It is rumored that the late King Birendra requested the Swami to keep at least one helping hand as he had crossed 100 years of his life. Khaptad Swami in his last days, had even more detached himself from this world, but even then, the beauty and spiritual atmosphere of Khaptad always charmed him. He had once told this author that spiritual eco-tourism should be developed in Khaptad but strictly in a very careful and planned way.



Photo: Statue of Khaptad baba near Saileshwori Mandir, Silgadhi, Doti

He knew about the fragility of this most beautiful land and its extremely rare bio-diversity, especially of ‘Bog-Land System’ of natural lawns, full of flowering herbal plants, (looking like Persian carpets), shallow lakes-shining like acqumarine and turquoise, and the rolling hills of birch and blue pines. There are some 135 flowering plants recorded in Khaptad National Park situated on an average altitude of 3000m and with the area of 225 sq km, which is really a living museum of natural history and botanical garden. It is here, and only herb in the world, where one can find 400 herbal plants out of some 700 found in Nepal, concentrated within one day’s walking distance. Some 40 mostly rare wild mammals and 266 species of birds are recorded so far to be found here. Khaptad Baba would have been extremely happy to see students of science and culture from the colleges of Nepal, India, Bangladesh and from all over the world, visiting Khaptad Plateau for study tours. But most important tourism product, which he would have liked, would have been the Spiritual Treks and Meetings. Because it is here, where one is in face to face, with the ‘Virat Prikarti’ the most overwhelming ‘Mother Nature’, where one find himself in communication with his own soul and the eternal super soul called the God.


Picture: Trivini, Khaptad

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Elton John - Candle in the Wind 1997



Goodbye England's rose
May you ever grow in our hearts
You were the grace that placed itself
Where lives were torn apart
You called out to our country
And you whispered to those in pain
Now you belong to heaven
And the stars spell out your name

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in
And your footsteps will always fall here
Along England's greenest hills
Your candle's burned out long before
Your legend ever will

Loveliness we've lost
These empty days without your smile
This torch we'll always carry
For our nation's golden child
And even though we try
The truth brings us to tears
All our words cannot express
The joy you brought us through the years

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in
And your footsteps will always fall here
Along England's greenest hills
Your candle's burned our long before
Your legend ever will

Goodbye England's rose
May you ever grow in our hearts
You were the grace that placed itself
Where lives were torn apart
Goodbye England's rose
From a country lost without your soul
Who'll miss the wings of your compassion
More than you'll ever know

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in
And you footsteps will always fall here
Along England's greenest hills
Your candle's burned out long before
Your legend ever will

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Jennifer Lopez - Aint It Funny

This is a latin-pop song by Jennifer Lopez from her second studio album, J. Lo (2001). It was very popular at that time.



It seemed to be like the perfect thing for you and me
It's so ironic you're what I had pictured you to be
But there are facts in our lives
We can never change
Just tell me that you understand and feel the same
This perfect romance that I've created in my mind
I'd live a thousand lives
Each one with you right by my side
But yet we find ourselves in a less than perfect circumstance
And so it seems like we'll never have the chance
Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny
And you can't move on even though you try
Ain't it strange when you're feeling things you shouldn't feel
Oh, I wish this could be real
Ain't it funny how a moment could just change your life
And you don't wanna face what's wrong or right
Ain't it strange how fate can play a part
In the story of your heart

Sometimes I think that a true love can never be
I just believe that somehow it wasn't meant for me
Life can be cruel in a way that I can't explain
And I don't think that I could face it all again
I barely know you but somehow I know what you're about
A deeper love I've found in you
And I no longer doubt
You've touched my heart and it altered every plan I've made
And now I feel that I don't have to be afraid

Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny
And you can't move on even though you try
Ain't it strange when you're feeling things you shouldn't feel
Oh, I wish this could be real
Ain't it funny how a moment could just change your life
And you don't wanna face what's wrong or right
Ain't it strange how fate can play a part
In the story of your heart

I locked away my heart
But you just set it free
Emotions I felt
Held me back from what my life should be
I pushed you far away
And yet you stayed with me
I guess this means
That you and me were meant to be

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Baglamukhi is one of the ten Hindu Goddess of power.

In Hinduism, Bagalamukhi is one of the ten mahavidyas. Bagalamukhi Devi smashes the devotee's misconceptions and delusions by her cudgel. 

The name literally means “crane faced,” though this is a misnomer. The name 'Bagla' is a distortion of the original Sanskrit root 'ValgA'. She has a golden complexion and her cloth is yellow. She sits in a golden throne in the midst of an ocean of nectar full of yellow lotuses. A crescent moon adorns her head.Two descriptions of the goddess are found in various texts- The 'Dwi-BhujA' (two handed), and the 'ChaturbhujA' (Four handed).

The Dwi-BhujA depiction is the more common, and is described as the 'Soumya' or milder form. She holds a club in her right hand with which she beats the demon, while pulling his tongue out with her left hand. This image is sometimes interpreted as an exhibition of stambhana, the power to stun or paralyze one’s enemy into silence. This is one of the boons for which Bagalamukhi’s devotees worship her. Other Mahavidya goddesses are also said to represent similar powers useful for defeating enemies, to be invoked by their worshippers through various rituals.

The legend behind the origin of goddess Bagalamukhi is as follows:

Once upon a time, a Huge storm erupted over the earth. As it threatened to destroy whole of the creation, all the gods assembled in the Saurashtra region. Goddess Bagalamukhi emerged from the 'Haridra Sarovara', and appeased by the prayers of the gods, calmed down the storm.

A demon named Madan undertook austerities and won the boon of vak siddhi, according to which anything he said came about. He abused this boon by harassing innocent people. Enraged by his mischief, the gods worshipped Bagalamukhi. She stopped the demon's rampage by taking hold of his tongue and stilling his speech. Before she could kill him, however, he asked to be worshipped with her, and she relented, That is why he is depicted with her.

Bagalamukhi maha mantram meaning is as below: “Oh Goddess, paralyze the speech and feet of all evil people. Pull their tongue, destroy their intellect.”

Major temples to the goddess are situated in the Himachal Pradesh in the north, and at Nalkheda at Shajapur and Datia in Madhya Pradesh. Nepal, where the worship of tantric goddesses had Royal patronage, also has a large temple devoted to Bagalamukhi in the Newar city of Patan. The territory of Bagalamukhi temple in Patan also has a couple other temples in there. Ganesha temple, Shiva temple, Saraswoti temple, Guheswari temple, Bhairabha temple and many other gods and goddesses. In Hinduism there are 330 million separate gods and goddesses. And it is the main difference between any other temple and Bagalamukhi temple that if someone worships all the gods in this temple, they would actually worship all 330 million gods and goddesses at one place.