DIVINE FAMILY

THE DIVINE FAMILY 1 In the Indian Vedas and the Puranas we can find a lot of Gods and Goddesses, who are interrelated to each other. Some of these relations are called “marriages”, not in the material human sense of the word, but seen as purely spiritual relations, wherein the Goddess functions as the power, the Shakti of the male Deity. Adi Shakti, for instance, is the Primordial Power of Sadashiva, God Almighty. These relations are to be situated in the Vaikuntha, the world of the Gods/Devata, the world of Heaven. Some of these Deities incarnated in a human form, and then they got married, in a human way, to their Goddess- Shakti. Great examples are Shri Sita-Rama and Shri Radha- Krishna, who got children in a normal human way. The great exception being Mary/Mahalakshmi, who, as a virgin got pregnant by the “Breath/Spirit of God”, instead of a man. 1. GENEALOGICAL TREE We will try to sketch the genealogical tree of the most important Deities. Only the most important and as far as they are mentioned in the talks of Shri Mataji. (In Indian mythology figure 33 to a few millions of Deities.) --------- indicates the relation between Deity and Shakti. ────> indicates a direct creation-line or child-line. ────> indicates an Avatar-line. 2 3 4 5 Lakshmi 6 MORE RELATIONS ► The Moon is the brother in law of Shiva. ► Shri Saraswati (creates the beauty of nature) becomes Vishnumaya (daughter of Yeshoda Mahasaraswati and sister of Shri Krishna) → becomes Draupadi (the wife of the 5 Pandavas); She is attacked in Her chastity by Drona (of the Kauravas) → Krishna prevents this and so this event becomes an illustration of the brother-sister relationship = to preserve purity. (See: Saraswati Puja, Vancouver, Canada,1990) ► Hassan & Hussein are the sons of Fatima and Hazrat Ali. Fatima is an incarnation of Sita, who incarnated in China as Kwan Yin, who is Mahalakshmi. ► Lakshmi is the sister of Brahmadeva. ► Shri Vishnu/ Krishna is Parvati’s brother. ► Mother Earth = the Mother of Parvati/Mahalakshmi ► We are part of that family: - Shri Ganesha and Shri Kartikeya are our divine brothers. Our Divine Mother is Shri Adi Shakti Mataji. ► Adi Shakti – in one of Her incarnations - still had a son besides Shri Ganesha and Shri Kartikeya. His name was Markandeya: “So, that is the great part of Markandeya. He took his birth later on as Buddha. Then he took his birth as Adi Shankaracharya. It is the same personality. He was actually the son of Rama.” The Story of Markandeya, Vienna, Austria, 09.06.1988 7 2. VAIKUNTHA: THE WORLD OF THE DEITIES ► SHRI SADASHIVA – ADI SHAKTI “He {Paramashwara, God Almighty, Sadashiva} is the sustainer of the play {of creation} because He is the only spectator. Actually the whole spectacle is played out just to please Him and so express Him.. It is for His amusement only, so the moment He ceases to 8 enjoy it, the play will be stopped by Him. He has the power to switch off His own projection. Although His role is as a witness, God the Father (Parameshwara) is the source of all strength and majesty. He creates blissful security and protection for all His creatures. Everything exists because of Him and He is therefore existence (sthiti) itself. (…) Being omnipresent and omnipotent, He is the glory of everything, and because of His All-pervading Power He is finite in the infinite and infinite in the finite. He is also the sublest of subtle, never incarnating in human form. Only His Power (Shakti) takes human birth. He is manifested through Her Incarnations or those of Her Children, whose male Incarnations reflect Him.” The Book of Adi Shakti, Nirmal Vidya, New Jersey, USA, 2013, p. 3 – 4 “Thus the identities of the Divine Couple, Father God (Sadashiva) and Mother God (Adi Shakti), come into existence. She is His wife, His beloved, His consort, the Divine Power of Love, and as such represented by Her identity (Bindu) surrounded by the halo of Her Power (Valaya). The Divine Couple exists in perfect unison. As the Lord of His Power (Adi Shakti, the Primordial Mother, the Holy Ghost) and One with Her, Sadashiva does not tolerate any insults offered to Her. (…) He uses His authority as the Spectator or potential energy, cajoling Her to play Her game (Leela) of creation.” Idem, p. 5 – 6 9 ► LEVELS OF CREATION Shri Mataji distinguishes four “stages of creation” (See The Book of Adi Shakti, p. 1 - 14). Generally one distinguishes three levels of creation, created by Adi Shakti. First level: Adi-Shakti, the beginner, the Primordial Goddess, the Great Devi (Goddess). Second level: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva. Third level: Including the Goddess- Shaktis: A: Brahma - Saraswati B: Lakshmi - Vishnu C: Shiva - Parvati → Ganesha, Kartikeya, “As you have seen in the Virata, I have shown you the picture of the Virat, the three powers of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati met at the Agnya Chakra, and there they produced two children each – it’s not a story, is a fact, again – as brothers and sisters. And these brothers and sisters means the relationship is of a temporary nature, but of a subtler temperament. And then they were married, inter-communication took place. Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati and Mahakali created all together six children, who were married. Inter-marriage took place. By that inter-marriage they got an entity which was a kinetic personality and a potential energy within it, such a combination. And they placed those incarnations on different chakras. They brought from these, from the top, all of them were brought from the Agnya 10 downward and placed onto all the chakras. These incarnations, as you know, are placed on different chakras of the Virata.” The Creation”, New Delhi, India, 20.02 1977 ► LAKSHMI ---- VISHNU Lakhsmi is the Goddess of prosperity, domesticity, beauty and purity. She is distinguished by Her four arms and 11 golden complexion. Lakshmi is incarnated as the avatars of Vishnu’s wives, namely as Sita, the wife of Rama, and Rukmini, the wife of Krishna. Her birth is the end of one of Hinduism’s great myths, the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. A long, long time ago, the Devas (Gods) and asuras (usually translated as “demons”) teamed up to churn the Ocean of Milk. The idea was that, if they churned it hard enough, they could dredge up all the amazing treasures from the bottom, including Amrita, the nectar of immortality. The Gods all stood on a mountain on Vishnu’s back and stirred the ocean with an enormous snake. First a horrible poison came out, but Shiva saved the universe by drinking it. Once that was done, a whole bunch of treasures emerged, including the moon, the nectar of immortality, a super-cow, and Lakshmi. 12 Vishnu is the preserver (opposite the creator, Brahma, and the destroyer, Shiva) and his role is to keep the universe universing until it’s time for it to end., Vishnu is most famous for his Avatars, that is, the times he took actual, physical, earthly forms to deal with actual, physical, earthly threats. ‘Dashavatara’ means the ten Avatars of Vishnu, the God of preservation. Vishnu is said to descend in form of an Avatar to restore cosmic order. Matsya (the fish), Kurma (the tortoise), Varaha (the boar), Narasimha (the half- man/half-lion), Vamana (a dwarf), Parashurama (warrior with the axe), Rama (the prince and king of Ayodhya), Krishna (the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudev), and Kalki ("Eternity", or "White Horse", or "Destroyer of Filth"). [The core principles of Hinduism are derived from the Vedas, which are widely known as the oldest scriptures known to man. There are 4 Vedas and each Veda has 4 parts: The Samhitas - Hymns praising God. The Upanishads (also known as Vedanta or the Last Chapters of the Vedas) are at least 200 in number (12 being the Mukhya, or the main ones) and primarily comprise of stories or incidents that elucidate the central philosophical concepts of Hinduism. The Divinity can take various forms which are like different paths leading to the same destination. Brahma represents the creator, Vishnu represents the sustainer and Shiva represents the destroyer.- The three together represent the holy trinity or Trimurti of Hinduism.] Matsya Matsya is almost always listed as Vishnu’s first avatar, a fish-man who warns Manu, the first man, that there’s a flood coming, and that he should build 13 a boat and load his family and some sages and animals,seeds aboard, like in “Noah’s Ark”. Kurma When they went to churn the Ocean of Milk, the Gods needed somewhere to stand. So Vishnu turned into his second Avatar, a huge turtle, and the rest of the Gods stood on a mountain on his back. Varaha There’s a story in which demons manage to gain immunity to all sorts of things, and Gods defeat them by turning into the one thing they forgot. In this case, a world-stealing demon named Hiranyaksha had forgotten about boars,so Vishnu became one. Narasimha Vishnu chose as his fourth Avatar a half-man-half- lion (neither human nor animal), and killed Hiranyaksha Vamana Vishnu’s fifth Avatar was a dwarf named Vamana, who saved the Gods from a human king who’d managed to conquer the Gods’ kingdom. Vamana convinced the king to grant him as much land as he could cover in three steps, and the king, seeing Vamana’s tiny legs, agreed. Then Vamana grew huge enough, so that three steps took him across the earth and the heavens, which he returned to the Gods. Parasurama Vishnu’s sixth Avatar resolved a political dispute between the brahmin (priests) and kshatria warriors. For Rama and Krishna: see below. Kalki Hasn’t actually appeared yet. When he finally does arrive, he’ll be riding a white horse, and our world will end. 14 ► BRAHMA Brahma is the first of a trio of major Gods called the “trimurti,” which includes Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver, and Shiva, the destroyer. According to ancient texts, the universe is infinite, timeless, and endless,– but our world isn’t. Brahma wasn’t the first God, Vishnu was. Vishnu created a vast primordial ocean, and then a hundred headed snake to float on as he meditated. Then, from Vishnu’s bellybutton emerged a lotus, and from the lotus emerged Brahma, and from Brahma’s meditation emerged everything else. 15 “7. How has this universe been made? Why made? Is Paramatma existing? These doubts are basic. Even Gods (Devas) have not understood them. But what I have told, is right or wrong, can be ascertained on vibrations. For that vibrations should be good. When you will learn with your experience that love and truth are one and when with your experiences you will realise your very subtle Brahma-tatwa, then your illusion, that Brahma is detached, will go. Divine principle, i.e. Brahma, will blossom from within you as lotus and its fragrance will spread. Impurities will go from physical, subtle and causal bodies. When your Chitta becomes Brahma, then the illusion due to unreal will be destroyed. 8. Although Brahma-tatwa (Divine element) is like sun, its rays reflect on unreal (water) and that disturbs your attention. It will not be disturbed when your Chitta becomes Brahma (sun) itself. This illusion will go by meditation in the company of ever loving Bhagawati. 9. You have become collective conscious. This power of collective consciousness which is awakened within you, is Brahma Shakti and it is present in the universe, in different forms and even in molecules. It is the solidity (Jada-Shakti) in solids, in living beings it is beauty (Saundarya Shakti), in waking state it is the power of bliss, in Sahaja Yoga it is the power of consciousness bliss, in Param Yoga it is supreme bliss and within Bhagwati it is the power of being Brahma (Brahma-bhootwa Shakti). You have understood all these, but should experience them. You should have steady mind and surrendering your heart become free from the illusion.” Marathi Letter, 1979 16 “But when your Kundalini rises, one or two strands out of this come up and pierce the fontanel bone area. Only one or two, because it has to pass through the inner most nadi, known as Brahma Nadi. It's all a spiral throughout, because Kundalini is a spiral and these nadis are also are like a spiral like this. So, the innermost nadi is the Brahma Nadi. The outermost nadi is the right side and the second innermost is the Ida Nadi.” Kundalini Puja, Weilburg, Germany, 11.08.1991 “Now, the higher stage is that your Guru becomes a Deity. When you say Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo-Mahéshwara. They go up to that point, but nobody says Guru Devi; you can have a higher stage than Brahma, Vishnu, Mahésha. Because the Guru stage is where you have the innocence of all these: Brahma, Mahésha and Vishnu, their power of innocence. But then ultimately it says: “Guru sakshat Parabrahma”. And Parabrahma is the power of the Mother. That is flowing through you. So, you become the instrument of that Parabrahma. But how ? Not only by becoming yourself, but now becoming the reflector of your Deity, to develop yourself into the reflector from Guru to that stage. At that stage you start controlling all the elements. That is why all these incarnations of Adi Guru had control over elements. Brahmadeva is absolutely manifested through them. So, out of Ganesha, who is the Adi Guru, He is born, or He is manifested through these three: Brahma, Vishnu, Mahésha. And then he comes out as Brahmadeva, with four heads: three of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahésha, and the fourth of Shri Ganesha. So, Brahmadeva becomes the symbol of Guru, and as you know, Shri Ganesha is 'chatvari', is four all the time, He becomes these four. In expression. In 17 manifestation. And as you become Brahmadeva at that stage, you control all the elements. Guru Puja, Leysin, Switzerland, 14.07.1984 “Now, let's see who is this God and what am I talking about. In the beginning... it was just... a silence... complete silence. And out of the silence, when it awakened, the silence was awakened. That silence is called as "Parama-Brahma", in Sanskrit language.” The Significance of Brighton, UK, 15.11.1979 “Few people know that it is a very subtle process. Sushumna Nadi is extremely small, extremely thin, exactly at the centre of Brahma Nadi. Reason is man's attachment to his karmas. That extremely subtle channel, Brahma Nadi, is loaded with sin and dirty things and thereby gets so much narrowed, that very thin fibre of Kundalini could pass through it. Imagine that Kundalini is like an enlightened rope, made of small fibres. Its very thin fibre could pass through Brahma Nadi. This is the condition. You have all seen that this is a very subtle, very deep process. Most of you have seen Kundalini's movements and pulsations. She tries to make, somehow, a small opening at the bottom, so that it becomes possible to pass at least one strand through the extremely narrow passage of Brahma Nadi, and with that very subtle strand She pierces the Brahmarandhra.” Hindi Talk, Delhi, India, 18.08.1979 18 ► SARASWATI Saraswati is a Goddess of wisdom, learning, and the arts, and the wife/consort of Brahma. “So, the basis of all creativity of Saraswati is love. If there is no love, there is no creativity. (…) Our chakras are made out of that 'purest' from of Nature. We are the only people who are spoiling it by our mental thinking. Against the same Saraswati power. You are going against Saraswati itself. Saraswati cleanses all that is impure in nature, while with our brain activity we are spoiling all that. All our brain activity goes against pure intelligence. And that is what one has to understand - that this pure intelligence is not to be soiled by our thinking. Our thinking can make us so bumptious, so ego-oriented, so impure that we can really eat the poison and say: 'What is wrong in it'?’ Just the opposite of Saraswati. If Saraswati is within us, She gives us 'Subuddhi', wisdom. And that is why to worship Saraswati, to worship Surya, we must have that clear vision as to what we have to be. What we are doing. What filth we are living in. What our mind is getting into. After all, we are here for emancipation and not for just for pampering our ego and living with our filth that is with us. So, this light has come within us and we should try to rise above our own mental filth which is being created around us.” Saraswati Puja, Dhulia, India, 14.01.1983 19 ► SITA ----- RAMA Vishnu’s seventh Avatar, and the hero of one of the oldest, longest, and most awesome stories in human history, the Ramayana. Prologue: There’s this demon king, named Ravana, and he has arranged it so he can’t be harmed by Gods, because he got a special boon by Shiva. Vishnu’s main incarnation, Rama, marries Lakshmi’s incarnation, Sita, but a dispute over the throne winds up forcing Rama, Sita, and Rama’s brother Lakshmana into a fourteen year exile. For thirteen years, they live as hermits. Ravana kidnaps Sita. Rama and Lakshmana set out to rescue Sita, having adventures, fighting demons, and befriending thousands of super-powered monkeys, the army of Hanumana. Eventually, they assault Ravana’s castle, kill him, rescue Sita and recover Rama’s kingdom In the years after Her rescue, Rama’s kingdom was consumed by rumours that maybe Sita wasn’t as faithful as She seemed. She had been in that castle of Ravana for a long time, and everyone knew Ravana could be ‘convincing’. In truth, Sita had been faithful, innocent. Sita replied, basically: “If I’m telling the truth, let the earth swallow me up!” And then the earth swallowed her up The disciple principle Luv and Kush were born around 5.000 BCE as the twin sons of Shri Sita and Shri Rama: Luv (reflecting the qualities of the right side) and Kush (reflecting the left). Later in life they went their separate ways and left India. Luv founded the Slavic people and Kush the Chinese. They incarnated again, Luv as Shri Buddha, lord of the ego (563-483 BCE) and Kush as Shri Mahavira, lord of the superego (599-27 BCE) . 20 Also they incarnated together as Hassan (624-69 CE) and Hussein (626-80 CE), the two sons of Hazrat Ali and Shri Fatima, and as the poet-saints Adi Shankaracharya (788-820 CE), Kabir (1398-1448 CE). Often they would manifest at the same time to express the disciple principle and to conquer the ego and superego of human beings. (See: Shri Mahavira Puja, Spain, 17 June 1990; Shri Buddha Puja, San Diego, California, 23 July 1988; ‘World of Bliss & Joy’, Caxton Hall, London, 30 May 1979.) “Mahalakshmi's principle first incarnated as Shri Sita, then as Shri Radha, and then as the Mother of Christ.” Mahalakshmi Puja, Sofia, Bulgaria, 08.09.1993 “It’s a very beautiful thing how the Mahalakshmi Tatwa of Sita took a form of Vishnumaya just to establish the beautiful principle of a house wife. She was very powerful, no doubt, and She knew that Her children will be killed. But these people are never killed, they never die, nor do they suffer. It’s a drama they had to play to show people how stupid they are.” Fatima Bi Puja, India, 14.08.1988 “But Sita went with Him and She supported Him and ultimately it so happened that Ravana came and took away Sita. Shri Rama fought Ravana, killed him, and brought back His wife. But when they came back to their own capital, in Ayodhya, there was a big jubilation and Bharat, His brother, He was very much attached to His brother and He ruled that country with the paduka, they say, (a kind of sandalwood chapels they use) of Hs Brother: He put them on the throne, and ruled. So, that is how the Bharatmiram, the meeting of Bharat with Shri Rama, is celebrated and that was 21 the time He was crowned also as the king. So, it was a long time back, thousands of years back, this thing has happened. That jubilation is very significant, that the right king gets His own throne and He rules and all injustice and all kinds of atrocities He has gone through has to be completely finished from His life and that’s why Diwali is important.” Diwali Puja, Cabella, Italy, 25.10.1998 “Rama's tattwa principle is only improved when you put all the things into action; that exactly Shri Rama did. So, in the ascent of man, when he came up to Rama's place, the advent of Rama was not in the centre, but on the right hand side. He moved aside. So much so that He forgot about his past. It's never mentioned that He's an incarnation. He never told His father. He never told His mother. He never told anybody that He was an incarnation. Of course it was evident that He was. His brother knew about it. Now He had two brothers. Very interesting. I mean He had other brothers also, but Bharat and Lakshmana show the two sides of a human being. One was Lakshmana and He was a fiery type, you see. He couldn't bear anybody misbehaving towards Rama. He couldn't bear anybody talking in a very mundane way to Shri Rama and He used to get so angry with all these people that He would just come out like a big thunderbolt on anybody who tried to say anything about Shri Rama, even Parshurama, who was a contemporary incarnation of Shri Rama Himself.” Ram Navami, Chelsham Road, UK, 02.04.1982 “Shri Ram was the ideal husband whereas Shri Sitaji was an ideal wife and the children born to them, known as Lav and Kusha, were also the ideal sons. Shri Rama wanted to establish the high ideas to be emulated by humanity. Socrates, as you all know, called him 22 `a Benevolent King'. (…) Shri Rama was also a great Devi Bhakta, i.e. devotee of Shakti. Before attacking Sri Lanka He performed Devi Puja for which He needed a Brahmin for conducting various rites (sanctioned acts) to please the Devi. He then sent for Ravana, the king of Sri-Lanka, who was a Brahmin and Devi Bhakta. He readily responded and helped Shri Rama in performing the puja of the Devi with all nine types of rites. Had Shri Rama been of a cunning disposition, He could have killed Shri Ravana then and there, but he was a `Maryada Purshottama' (a righteous person). He did not do such a mean and irresponsible act. They were enemies but while performing the puja the enmity was completely forgotten.” Ram Navami, Noida House, India, 05.04.1998 ► HANUMAN Hanuman is one of Rama’s best friends, and He is basically the lord of the monkeys, a great friend and helper of Shri Rama. Hanuman is the monkey commander of the monkey army. His exploits are narrated in the great Hindu Sanskrit poem the Ramayana (“Rama’s Journey”). While still a baby, Hanuman, the child of a nymph by the wind God, tried to fly up and grab the Sun, which He mistook for a fruit. Indra, the king of the Gods, struck Hanuman with a thunderbolt. When Hanuman continued to misbehave, powerful sages cursed him to forget his magic powers, such as the ability to fly or to become infinitely large, until He was reminded of them. Hanuman led the monkeys to help Rama recover Rama’s wife, Sita, from the demon Ravana, king of Lanka. Hanuman crossed the 23 strait between India and Lanka in one leap. He was discovered in Lanka, and his tail was set on fire, but he used that fire to burn down Lanka. “Jesus Christ possesses all powers of Ekadasha Rudras, that is eleven powers of destruction. These powers have their centres located around the cranium of our head. When the incarnation of Kalki takes place, all these eleven powers perform the work of destruction. Out of these eleven powers one is that of Shri Hanumana, the other is of Shri Bhairava. In the Bible, these two powers are named as Saint Gabriel and Saint Michael respectively. After Self-realization in Sahaja Yoga one can awaken these powers by addressing them in Sanskrit, Marathi or even in English. The Nadi on our right side, which is known as Pingala-Nadi, is activated by the power of Shri Hanumana. Whenever, any sort of pressure or constriction develops inside this Nadi, it is instantly relieved by chanting the mantra of Shri Hanumana. Similarly, even by chanting the name of Saint Michael one would experience relief in the Ida- Nadi. Ida-Nadi is on our left side and manifests the power of Saint Michael or Shri Bhairava. Obviously, chanting the Mantra of their names relieves any trouble or constriction on the Ida Nadi.” Shri Kundalini Shakti and Jesus Christ, Mumbai, India, 26.09.1979 “Shri Hanumana was very powerful. He had many divine powers in him: Navdha, that is Garima, Laghuma etc. He could be as big as He wanted to be and as small as an atom. He had achieved all these powers. Without attaining balance and coming to the central path, such a powerful person, generally goes crazy. Each cell of Shri Hanumana's body was filled with power and devotion. (…) Shri Ganesha and Shri Hanumana are the incarnations of this divine 24 wisdom. Shri Hanumana was very powerful and fast and Shri Ganesha is cool-natured. But when required, both are very big hitters. They remain with you every moment. Whenever anyone troubles you. (…) So, the heat, the energy acts on right side, but without the balance of Shri Hanumana this heat gives birth to many diseases in us, such as liver problem, bronchial asthma and heart attacks. When this heat goes downward, Shri Hanumana tries to control it, but when the heat goes out of His control then many incurable diseases emanate from it. It could cause blood cancer, intestine problem etc. Hot Liver is the cause of many diseases and liver problem comes because we do not follow Shri Hanumana.” Hanumana Puja, Pune, India, 31.03.1999 ► RADHA -----KRISHNA Krishna is Vishnu’s eighth Avatar. He has a great role in an astoundingly long Hindu epic called the Mahabharata, in which He herds cows, plays tricks, saves people, fights demons, and famously refuses to fight in a world-shaking battle, although He agrees to drive a prince’s (Arjuna’s) chariot in the war between the Pandavas (righteous people) and the Kauravas (negative clan). The chariot part is a massively important holy book, called the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna lays out some of the core morality and philosophy of Hinduism. “Say? even when Radha-Krishna existed, Radha was the power and Krishna was the one who was expressing it. It's as you say: the 25 potential and the kinetic. People only know about Krishna, but Radha was the power. When He had to kill Kamsa, He had to ask Radha to do it. It was She who did everything. She had to dance and He pressed Her feet and He said: ‘Now You must be tired.’ Why did She dance? Because without Her dancing things could not work out. So, it is so interdependent, it is so interdependent, as you cannot have only a wick and you cannot have only the light. You cannot have these two things separately. If you can understand that then this balance is completely harmonious, it is between God and His Power: absolutely One - you cannot imagine how it is One! - with God and His Power, His Power, His desire is the same as God, there's no difference at all.” Value of Marriage, Dollis Hill, UK, 08.03.1980 “Shri Krishna’s time was, you know, at least 2000 years after Shri Rama. Shri Rama created lots of disciplines for human beings to follow in the path of their ascent. According to the time everything works out. So? people were extremely rigid, disciplined and it so happened that people lost touch with the truth. They would leave their wives, and illtreat their wives, do all kinds of things in the name of Shri Rama. Because always human beings take to something which is not right. On the other side, they never saw how Shri Rama went after Sitaji to find her, and He fought the horrible rakshasa Ravana to get back his wife. So the other side people never see. Only this side they saw that, if the wife stayed over at some function or other, he got very angry and shouted at her and threw her out and all this. That is how Shri Krishna came in. 26 Always incarnations come one after another to correct themselves only. When Shri Krishna found out that it was on the other side of ego that men thought they were very powerful and could do whatever they liked, they had all the power to judge their wives. So, Shri Krishna came with a new diversion, or I should say, with a new idea about life. He talked of freedom, He talked of abandonment, and He talked that life was for enjoyment. Radha is the source of joy. ‘Ra’ is the energy, ‘dha’ is the one who sustains the energy. She was the source of joy, and His idea was to enjoy life the best way, is within. And that is why He said: „You should enjoy yourselves, you must have „ras", by which you enjoy group dancing and, freedom“. (…) Actually a disciple of Shri Krishna should be a self-satisfied person. Look at His life, how self-satisfied He was. Every episode about Him talks about His complete oneness with Himself. For example, when Arjuna asked Him: “Why don’t you drive us Pandavas, and fight with us?” (…) But what did Shri Krishna say? That: “I will be your charioteer, I will drive your chariot, but I will not lift my weapon against anybody” We can’t think of anyone like that today. Some people will never say that: “Alright, I will stay down and you be on the throne.” Very difficult to see even one person who could behave like Shri Krishna. Because whether He is the charioteer or He is the one who was Arjuna, or He was the captain of the whole thing, He knew what He was. What was the need for Him to become this or to become that?” Krishna Puja, New York, USA, 08.06.1997 “So? Shri Krishna's message all his life was complete detachment. (…) Only thing is, you have to achieve that state in which you see 27 the whole world as a drama, as Shri Krishna has said and you are the witness, the sakshi of all that.” Krishna Puja, Yamuna Nagar, India, 11.12.1993 “So, He thought better to ask them in their freedom, they must develop pure love. Radha, who was with Him, as His power, is called as Alladhadayini. She’s the one who gives joy. Pure joy!” Krishna Puja, Cabella, Italy, 23.08.1997 “Shri Krishna is one of the aspects of Sadashiva, which is the Father. And the Adi Shakti, or the Holy Ghost, is the other aspect of Sadashiva, which is His power. So when Shri Krishna incarnated on this Earth, an aspect of this Adi Shakti came on this Earth as Radha. She is the same who came as the Mother of Christ, and She gave the name of Christ as the surname of Shri Krishna, as if it is Krishna's name, from Krishna. He's called as ''Krisht'' in indian languages, Krisht. (…) So, the first aspect of Shri Krishna we have to understand is the Yogeshwara and the second aspect of him as the Virata.” Krishna Puja, Geneva, Switzerland, 28.08.1983 ► SHIVA ------ PARVATI Shiva is a big, important, powerful god. He’s a God of destruction and creation; He’s a calm, detached ascetic. He is often called the destroyer (alongside Brahma, the creator, and Vishnu, the preserver), but He is only 28 destroying the illusions of people. Shiva is the reflection of Shri Sadashiva, of God Almighty, in us as the Spirit. Parvati, the Shakti of Shiva, is the Goddess of love and devotion, beautiful, kind and fierce. “"Shri Ganesha was created by Parvati Herself, without Her Husband, and Indians do not doubt it.... When I told that Ganesha is our Lord Jesus Christ, people would not believe it.... But now it is scientifically proved.” Mahalakshmi Puja, Sofia, Bulgaria, 08.09.1993 “Mahalakshmi's principle first incarnated as Shri Sita, then as Shri Radha, and then as the Mother of Christ. (…) In Western thinking they can't understand an immaculate conception, and they don't understand that God and Divinity can do anything. "Shri Ganesha was created by Parvati Herself, without Her Husband, and Indians do not doubt it.... When I told that Ganesha is our Lord Jesus Christ, people would not believe it....” Mahalakshmi Puja, Sofia, Bulgaria, 08.09.1993 “So? these two things are connected with each other as Sun is with sun light, Moon with moon light and word with its meaning. I mean to say that the `Sopan Marga', which is Sushumna path - the central path is the path of Lord Vishnu. Through this path we attain the Shiva Tattva. So, Shiva Tattva is the destination, and the path is made by Lord Vishnu. This central path is the creation of Lord Vishnu and the Adi Shakti; Lord Shiva has no role in it: He sits comfortably in his seat, without bothering for anybody; if someone wishes to come, may come. To attain Shiv Tattva we should go through this Vishnu Path (Sushumna Path) and correct all the centres that are created on it. When the centres are 29 cleansed, the Vishnu path opens up and our ascent begins. Many a times I have told about all these centres. There is a centre in Heart, which we call `Left Heart'. This is not the centre of the heart. In a way it is the reflection of Shri Mahadeva in the heart. The abode of Shiva is above our Minds and Thoughts. (…) The moment you forgive your enemy, immediately Lord Shiva takes over. The power of Shri Mahadeva is the subtlest and it punishes the evil doer in a nice way. This is the work of Lord Shiva, it’s not your work. (…) It is said that Shiva gets angry only once. But I have seen him getting angry many a times. It is his right. If someone works against Adi Shakti, then He has the right and He has very long hands. He finishes up such people, because He knows that Adi Shakti will not do anything Herself. She will not punish anyone. She will forgive all those who commit sins against Her. The powers of Shiva are limitless. When He wants to punish then no one can stop Him. Who is there to check Him? He has got His own protocols, which could not be changed. So, in their individual lives, Sahaja yogis have to follow Lord Shiva. If you do not follow Him then first thing will be that you will have heart problem. (…) But Lord Shiva's method is quite different. He tolerates to a limit and then deals so severely that I get terrified about that person. What will happen to this man? Where shall he reach? What is He doing? But Lord Shiva doesn't think all these things. He doesn't forgive evil doers. He forgives only those who are worthy of His forgiveness. He blesses those who meditate upon Him continuously. But the person who does not basically want to get improved, Lord Shiva sets him right. It’s true. That's why we should be scared of Him: "Bhayankara" (fearful, terrifying) so one of His name. Because in anger He forgives none. But the worst of His anger (Kopa) is at the time of pralaya, in the night of doom. At that time He destroys everything with His anger. I told you that it is 30 the last judgment: which path you take to, where you go, whatever you do, it is fully recorded in you. According to your deeds, you go to hell or to heaven. It is Lord Shiva who sends people to hell; I do not do that. I have nothing to do with (Naraka) Hell. But Shiva will take the person from his legs and throw him in the hell. You may keep on saying that: ‘I am the worshipper of the Mother, I am her follower. Why am I being punished?’ I am not instrumental in it. Once someone calls me ‘Mother’, then I cannot think ill of him. If I am the protocols (Maryadas) for Shiva, then He is My protocols too. But we both have altogether different natures. So, you have to be very careful.Lord Shiva is the eleven Rudras of Jesus Christ. These Rudras are the form of Lord Shiva. So, you have to be very careful. (…) The first and foremost blessing of Lord Shiva is that he gives you joy, fills your being with joy. (…) Shiva Tattva has created all our maryadas. The moment we stop following these maryadas, we are finished. All these maryadas are because of the grace of Lord Shiva. Whatever has been told to us so far: ‘Do not do this, do not do that.’ Shiva has created all these maryadas. He is so much concerned about His maryadas. The moment you disobey them, you get affected.” Shiva Puja, Delhi, India, 14.02.1999 31 ► DURGA/KALI/JAGADAMBA … Durga means “the inaccessible,” but She is more famous for being really powerful and really angry. She’s was created out of the other Gods’ anger at an evil buffalo demon, Mahishasura, and over the course of that story She beheads him, stabs him, benoses him, stabs him again, and beheads him again, and then he finally stays dead. “Her {the Devi’s} Seventh power is considered to be the power of destruction. Shakti manifested itself on the right side as Savitri and Gayatri, but the destroying force was manifested in the centre. In the form of Durga and Her other forms manifested in Heart chakra. She is present there. If someone hurts you, confuses or disturbs you, then this power will protect you and destroy your enemy. When Kundalini rises and reaches the Heart chakra, then it manifests and becomes more powerful and effective because Kundalini is Jagdamba. In Sahaja Yoga, when Kundalini is awakened, it settles in Heart chakra. It protects you and takes care of you nicely. No one could harm you at all, if you keep the Mother in your heart. The power of the Mother always protects the children. Whenever there is some danger, it is mentioned in medical terminology that the sternum bone starts shaking and antibodies that are present all around, get alarmed. In Sahaja language these antibodies are called Ganas. They get ready to fight it out. She is the empress of these Ganas. They follow Her commands, as there is no difference between Shri Ganesha and Devi. Both are so identified. Ganesha is Her Son and in ourselves we have to realise that women are the shaktis.” Gudi Padawa Puja, Noidi Bhavan, India, 05.04.2000 32 “Tonight we have gathered here to do the Puja to the Devi, that is/ Mahakali we can call her, or Durga. So many types of forms She has taken to kill the negative forces that are trying to trouble or to obstruct or even to grow, the people who were gentle and good. Her forms are of different types that we know about, that She destroyed so many rakshasas. She destroyed many evil doers. Also, we do not know that in the world wars that we had? She was there to protect the right type of people and that's how they all survived the ill plan, the ill-gotten plan of very cruel and evil people. The evil people have a capacity to hate and to express their hatred in every way that is possible. They are really born evil and there are also who become evil. When they are born evil, you can make them out that their whole style is so aggressive and so vindictive about things; but hatred has no limits, no limits at all, because, if they hate someone, then just to justify that hatred they will say all kinds of things, just to justify. But sometimes they don't even want to justify, they just feel that they hate and it's a fundamental right they have got to hate. But these forces join together sometimes to form a giant personality of evil ,which tries to torture the human beings and trouble them. They might take any name, they might call themselves by anything, but they are absolutely hundred percent evil and for such persons there is no pity or compassion from the God Almighty. These are to be destroyed and that is the job of the Goddess, to destroy them, who is a Mother, full of compassion and love.” Navaratri Puja, Cabella, Italy, 17.10.1999 33 “As I have told you? Ghanas exist within us. Very nicely settled down as these bodies, small, small bodies? who report if there is any problem. They report to the brain that there is a problem, and on the sternum bone is the residence, or you can say the throne of the Goddess Durga. So, whenever there is any problem, we are found into some trouble, sternum bone starts vibrating and these bodies, which are Ghanas, get the information. Antibodies they are called in the medical terminology. Then these Ghanas attack. They can target also. They know how to target the troubles and attack it. One may think that only the people who are suffering medically are helped by Ghanas, is not true. Also the people who are mentally upset, who are mentally suffering, are also helped by the Ghanas. These Ghanas are so good at targeting their problems that sometimes we are surprised how things are worked out. For example, say something happens to someone, some child, somewhere. Now his parents start crying for Mother and the Mother is the Durga, say, then what happens, that they immediately rush to that place and miraculously they cure the boy, miraculously, they say. So many miraculous thing that have happened in your life you cannot explain, but they are all due to this Ganapati's Ghanas. They are also small like him and they are very active and very alert. They never sleep. Anytime there is any trouble these Ghanas will go and attack the problem and find out solution for him. It is something unbelievable how they act and how they inform.” Ganesha Puja, Cabella, Italy, 25.09.1999 “Now, you are worshipping today the Durga, or all the nine forms of the Goddess. She came nine times on this Earth according to 34 this, that She fought all the people who were destroying the seekers, who were trying to make a mess of their lives, and these tortured saints when they prayed to the Goddess - because none of the Gods could do anything and Sadashiva is never interfering with what the Goddess is doing. So, they worshipped the Bhagawati and then the incarnation of Hers came nine times, according to the need of the time. So, every time you find Her confronting people who are extremely arrogant, self-opinionated, thinking no end of themselves and the bhaktas are tortured by these self-opinionated horrible rakshasas.” Navaratri Puja, Cabella, Italy, 27.09.1992 Once, Durga fought a demon who could create new demons whenever his blood touched the ground. The more She fought, the more demons were born, and the more demons were born, the angrier Durga got. No goddess has ever been so bloodthirsty as Kali-Durga, She literally drank all the blood, killed all the demons, and saved the Gods. “It has been prophesised that when Kali Yuga will come, people will find themselves. There is a story about Nala and Kali; (Kali) who had taken away the wife, Damayanti (meaning wife) of Nala. So, once Nala caught hold of him, and he said that :"Now I'm going to kill you, because you are a very mischievous man, and you have done such a harm to me.” So, the Kali said: "You can kill me, but before that you would know what is my importance, what is my Mahatmya {importance}. And my importance is that when your time will come - when Kali Yuga will come - then all those people who are seeking the truth in the jungles, in the hills and dales, in 35 the Himalayas, will become ordinary householders, they ‘ll be householders - they won’t be sanyasis going about - they'll be householders, and they will find the truth.” Sahasrara Puja, Cabella, Italy, 05.05.2001 “Today is the day of the Devi Puja and on this day the Power of Kali acts and she is the one called as Samhara Kali, meaning the one who destroys all the evil forces. (…) So? what we are really worshipping today is Mahasaraswati power and Mahakali power, both put together. So, now we've started combining things, not individually. Now these two energies are very important. Without the energy, without the power, nothing exists. For example, if this light had no power to give light or to burn, it is useless. In the same way without getting your realisation, you are useless, because your power is not awakened. At least not completely. Shri Lalita and Shri Chakra Puja, Brahmapuri, India, 17.12.1990 “So, if you have to place your attention to Sahasrara, first thing you have to do, is to pay attention to your heart. In the Sahasrara, the heart-chakra and the heart itself, the Atma, coincide. Means the Jagadamba becomes one with the heart. That is the Atma. So, we see that here the yoga takes place.” Mahasahasrara Puja, Rouen, France,05.05.1984 “For example, when you are raising the Kundalini on the centre heart, you can feel that on the centre heart, if there is a catch, you have to take name of the Jagadamba. Unless and until you 36 take Her name, it won't open out. Also when I'm clearing out your centre heart, I have to also say: ‘Now I am in reality Jagadamba.’ And then the Jagadamba within you awakens.” Navaratri Puja, Cabella, Italy, 27.09.1992 ►KARTIKEYA/SKANDA Kartikeya, also called Skanda, is a God of war, a wise general of the army of the God, formed by His brother’s Ghanas. ► GANESHA Ganesha might be the most well-known Hindu god. His birth story tells us that He was moulded by Shri Adi Shakti in Her form of Gauri. While Shiva was out one day, Parvati took a bath, and decided to create someone to protect Her from intruders. She collected some of the dirt of Her cosmic body and moulded it into a boy, and then brought the boy to life and had Him guard the house. Later on, when Shiva returned, He found himself blocked from entering His own home by some boy he had never met. So, he cut off his head. When Parvati saw what happened, She got very angry and told Shiva that He had killed her son. Shiva dashed off and came back with an elephant’s head, and Ganesha came back to life, fatter and wiser and elephantier than ever before. 37 “After 'Nirvikalpa' the Ganesha becomEs really 'Jagrut' (awakened). Such a person is not tempted by any woman. No temptation for another woman will exist, except for his own wife? where he goes on living like a celebrated husband, because husband and wife are united in a bond of matrimony. Otherwise he is a satisfied house- holder. The stomach becomes the Dharma itself. At this stage the subtle style of things starts. Your 'Mooladhara' becomes the chastity itself.” Advice to Sahaja Yogis, Switzerland, ??.08.1983 “So, the basis of magnetism on the left hand side starts and that (is) basis is Shri Ganesha. Shri Ganesha is the basis of that magnetism. So, your innocence; innocence is the best way to have that magnetism. Magnetism you cannot explain in material way. It is not a material stuff. But it is something abstract, comes from your quality of Ganesha, Shri Ganesha. Such a person is magnetic. Magnetic means: Such a person attracts other person, because of the weight of the person, because of the quality of the person. Such a person attracts, but does not attract for lust, greed and non-sensical things. But attracts another person because of the fragrance of love in the subjects.” Mahalakshmi Puja, Kolhapur, India, 01.01.1983 “Now, put your feeling on that chakra. Chakra is the 'pradésha', is the country - and the King is Shri Ganesha. That's the country. Now? when you put your attention into that chakra, put your feelings towards Him: Feeling of love and adoration to Him, to begin with. And then, to manifest compassion, you have to ask nothing, but one thing that: "O God of innocence, give innocence to all the people of the world.” But first you have to be innocent to ask that, otherwise it is unauthorised asking, or you can say, 38 you have no right to ask. So, to understand innocence, you should try to understand yourself, how your mind is working.” Mahasahasrara Day, Rouen, France, 05.05.1984 “First and foremost thing is that to respect Shri Ganesha is to understand the importance of chastity. Chastity is not only for the women, it is more for the men to observe. If you have self- respect, in the real sense of the word, you will take to chastity without any difficulties. (…) Now the second point is that the power of Ganesha can only be manifested if you are wise. Because He is the giver of wisdom. (…) This is the wisdom which is to be imbibed. You cannot practise it. You cannot force it, but it’s to be imbibed through your spirituality. Then the greatest thing that happens is the joy. Joy of the dancing of Shri Ganesha. Like a child, if you see Him dancing, how joyous He feels and you also feel. In that same way a little child is born within you and you start behaving like a small child. Normally it has no sense of lust, greed, nothing. It knows how to share. (…) So, this is the position, we say, that you become a Ghana. The army of Shri Ganesha. They are Ghanas. They are very powerful and they do all the work of the world. They live in this world, but all their source of energy is from the Dvine. So, Shri Ganesha is an Omkara. He is the first created Deity by the Goddess, because He is auspiciousness. So, first auspiciousness is created for our good. We are auspicious, because of Shri Ganesha. Some people, if they are in the house, they create problems. They are always creating problems, out of nothing. They are not auspicious people. Those who are peacemakers, those who are loving, are the ones who are blessed by Shri Ganesha. (…) 39 Today I am going to tell you something more about this collective nature that comes to you through Shri Ganesha´s efforts, or you can say, His powers. (…) If you cannot enjoy the bliss of your family life, you cannot enjoy anything else. This very close relationship of husband and wife is thrown apart because of Ganesha problem only. If the Ganesha was alright, there would have been a perfect union, perfect understanding between husband and wife. But if that fails, that means that there is something definitely wrong with the Shri Ganesha. Try to correct your own Shri Ganesha, than see to others. You have to meditate, and meditate on Shri Ganesha. You sit on the ground and meditate. (…) In Sahaja Yoga the most important thing is to worship Shri Ganesha within you and the quality of Shri Ganesha within you. It is very soothing, it is very peace giving, it is very secure, a security creating power. If your Ganesha is alright, nobody can touch you. Nobody can destroy you. Nobody can upset you. Because He is the one who is the giver of peace. The world peace is disturbed because we have not worshipped Shri Ganesha. (…) Now, truth is the quality of Shri Ganesha. He is the one who is giving us truth. (…) At the level of Christ, only, He thought of forgiving. Of forgiving you. But forgiving doesn’t mean that any sin can be forgiven. No. It’s a kind of controlling power. Christ has said that you’ll be forgiven, but Shri Ganesha, at a point, when He sees people are forgiving, He tries to punish you. That’s the limiting point where He thinks it’s not proper to forgive such and such a person. So, for Christ, to forgive is alright, but for Shri Ganesha: He has to expose and punish the person. So, in a way you have to know that Christ is very great, because He gives us the forgiving power; and Shri Ganesha is very powerful because He limits our forgiving. He 40 may forgive anyone. He may say that: “I would like to forgive”, but we don’t know if Shri Ganesha will allow it to that extent. And Christ accepts that, because they are the same. They are like the two sides of one coin. So, we cannot depend too much on the forgiveness power of Christ, because there is Ganesha who is sitting there and He has in his hands, you have seen, a very powerful weapon. He is the one who is just peace. Who is coolness. Who gives you coolness after realisation. You get the Cool Breeze because of Shri Ganesh. Because, it is Paramachaitanya, no doubt, but the one who emits it is Shri Ganesha. He cools you down.” Ganesha Puja, Cabella, Italy, 05.09.1998 For more information, see: “amruta.org”, where you will find 53 Ganesha Pujas. 41 ► YAMA Yama is the Lord of Death, and ruler of Naraka, which is an underworld place (hell) where souls suffer severe punishment for the crappy things they did on Earth. After that, they’re reincarnated on Earth in a better or worse form, depending on how worthy they were in their past lives. “Also He {Shri Vishnu} is Yama. Yama means the one who is responsible for our death. Of course, the Shiva, we can call the principle of existence. Spirit has to go first and then Yama comes to take charge of the body. It is He who decides where should you go. Should you hang in the limbo, or should be sent to the hell, or if you can go to heaven. All decision is taken by Him with the help of Mahavishnu, that is Christ. So, His job is to come when there is a dead body lying, to take away the Spirit and judge the Spirit and put it in its proper place. Now a person who is an adharmi, supposing, such a person - He takes him out and puts him into hell. But before it is done, sometimes these black magic people arrive, take away the skull of such a dead body - because when you are burnt the skull is still left or the bones - and try to control the Spirit before Yama enters onto the scene. Thus, they utilize that person, his Spirit and manipulate it and use it to harm others or to entice others. They control them.” Vishnu Puja, Paris, France, 13.07.1994 “In this context, one has to know who is this Vishnumaya and what is Her, you can call it, mythological, but a historical 42 relationship. I have told you that America is the country of Shri Krishna? and He's Kubera, as well as He's Yama. Because He's Kubera, people have got their affluence, they are rich people, they have money, more than anywhere else, but if you do not remember that you have to have balance and that Shri Krishna's power is of Mahalakshmi.” Vishnumaya Puja, Shawny, USA, 10.09.1992 ► AGNI DEVATA Shri Agni is the God of fire. “With this water you have also another thing which we call it as Agni, means the fire. So? you also have fire, but it is a very silent fire. It does not burn anybody, but it burns all the wrong things within you. Whatever wrong things you have, it burns and it burns the wrong things in other people also. For example, a person comes with a great anger towards me. What happens that this anger becomes cooler with the fire that is there. Moreover, a realized soul cannot get burnt, fire cannot burn, the burning cannot come to him. It is very important to understand. Also, if you are doing something wrong, it may burn you, but if you are a good Sahaja yogi and, I should say, perfect Sahaja ygi, fire will never burn you. We have an example of Sita Ji, that she went into the fire, but nothing burned. So, this is what one has to understand, understand that once you get to the subtleties of the fire.” Expression of Five Elements, Delhi, India, 16.12.1998 ► INDRA 43 Indra used to be the king of Gods, the bringer of rain and the keeper of clouds. ► SOME OTHER DEITIES VAYU, the God of wind. “Then after this, from the light comes the second thing, which we call as Vayu in Sanskrit, meaning the air. So, the air that we have, which is gross air, what is subtle of air is the cool breeze that you get. The cool breeze is the subtle of that air. Expression of Five Elements, Delhi, India, 16.12.1998 ADITI, the Mother of the Adityas, some Sun Gods. ‘Aditi’ means ‘infinity’. VARUNA, the God of water. “Today I am going to tell you something about the sea? because we are next to the sea here and must understand the feelings of a sea. Sea is your grandfather in a way? because he gave birth to Lakshmi, who becomes Mahalakshmi later on. So this sea, which is the grandfather, we have to show all respect to him. Normally the way people are being in the West specially, also in India people go and use it for bathrooms. But also in the West they use it in a very funny way, that they use it for swimming and all kinds of things by which they wear funny dresses and lead a very licentious life. This is an insult to the sea. You must respect the sea. In India we worship the sea. You have to worship the sea and in the great mythology also they had a, as we had there too 44 had Varuna, they had a God for sea. So, this God for sea has to be worshipped and has to be understood and to be respected. We cannot be disrespectful. Before entering into sea, you must say namaskar to the sea, and coming out of it also you must say namaskar. The way we behave towards the sea is not proper. As you know, because of sea, we get rain. If there was not sea, we would not get rain. We would not have anything. Sea is so important to our life. The greatest thing is that sea is the guru, is the Mahaguru which teaches us so many things. First of all, this Mahaguru is the one creates salt for us. Christ has said: "You are the salt, salt of the universe.” Meaning: You are the one which gives taste and all the qualities of salt to the human being. So, this sea is there. We have to learn a lot from the sea. The first of all is that it has its own maryadas. Supposing you try to press the sea from this side, it will appear on the other side. It always keeps to its maryadas. Such a huge thing are these oceans, are such huge, but they keep to their maryadas. They never cross their maryadas, while we just start encroaching on everybody's maryadas. So, the maryadas of the sea is very important, that it just keeps to its own line. You can draw the line when it is a high tide. Next day, whenever there'll be high tide, it will be just there. So, imagine such a huge thing like an ocean can keep itself to the same maryadas … Why can't we with such a sanity of ours should keep to ourselves and to our maryadas? Then the second quality of the sea is that it looks after all the animals that are in it. Somehow it is a saltish thing, but there are fishes and there are all kinds of animals which exist in the sea, and that's why it is, we should say, the first life came into being in the sea. So all our forefathers long time back must have been born in the sea and then now we have become human beings. So, we have no right to insult the sea where our forefathers must have existed and then 45 they started coming out one by one, as the fish came as a reptile. Now, the third quality of the sea is that it is a deep thing. It is very deep. In some places it's extremely deep. If the depth of the sea is reduced even by a few feet, there will be problem all over. It keeps to its depth. It doesn't leave its depth. It keeps to its maryadas and it keeps to its depth. In the same way, whatever depth we have got in Sahaja Yoga, we should keep to that.” Lakshmi Puja, Alibag, India, 29.12.1991 SURYA, the Sun God. “Now, Saraswati's blessings are so many that one cannot describe in such a short time. And the Surya has given us so many powers that it is impossible to tell them even in one lecture, even in ten lectures. But how we go against Surya and how we go against Saraswati, while doing the worship of Saraswati, it is to be seen very clearly within ourselves. For example the Western people are very fond of Surya? because they have no Surya. But they go too far with it, as you know, and create complications within themselves of Surya. But the main thing that one has to achieve through Surya is the Light 'Vivek', - is the light within. And if Surya chakra at the Agnya level is occupied by Lord Jesus Christ, then it is even more essential that the purity of life, what you call 'Niti', is the morality of life. Now morality itself has become very much sort of an argument in the West. People don't have any sense of absolute morality. On vibrations of course you know. But they have all gone against it. Those who are worshippers of Lord Jesus, those who are the worshippers of the Surya, of the Saraswati, have all gone against, 46 against the powers of Surya, just disobeying it. Because you cannot be a Surya if you don't have a proper sense of morality and holiness. The Surya itself brings light to see everything clearly. So many qualities Surya has got. It dries up everything that is wet, dirty, filthy. It dries up all those places which create parasites. (…) Our thinking can make us so bumptious, so ego-oriented. so impure that we can really eat the poison and say: 'What is wrong in it?’ Just the opposite of Saraswati. If Saraswati is within us, She gives us 'Subuddhi', wisdom. And that is why to worship Saraswati, to worship Surya, we must have that clear vision as to what we have to be. What we are doing. What filth we are living in. What our mind is getting into. After all we are here for emancipation and not for just for pampering our ego and living with our filth that is with us. So, this light has come within us and we should try to rise above our own mental filth, which is being created around us.” Saraswati Puja, Dhulia, India, 14.01.1983 KUBERA “Because Shri Krishna is Kubera, He is the deity, or we can say, He is the God of wealth.” Krishna Puja, New York, USA, 08.06.1997 DYAUS AND PRITHVI, Father Sky and Mother Earth. KAMA, the God of desire. 47 [Most Deities have their proper Vahana. Vahana: "that which carries, that which pulls", denotes the being, typically an animal, a particular Hindu God is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vahana is often called the Deity's "mount".  In Hindu iconography, positive aspects of the vehicle are often emblematic of the Deity that it carries. Nandi the bull, vehicle of Shiva, represents strength and virility. Dinka the mouse, vehicle of Ganesha, represents speed and sharpness. Parvani the peacock, vehicle of Kartikeya, represents splendour and majesty. The Hamsa (Swann) , vehicle of Saraswati, represents wisdom, grace, and beauty. However, the vehicle animal also symbolizes the evil forces over which the Deity dominates. Mounted on Parvani, Kartikeya reins in the peacock's vanity. Seated on Dinka the rat (Mushika), Ganesha crushes useless thoughts, which multiply like rats in the dark.]Hindu God of Destruction 48 “There are so many qualities of Shri Ganesha. One of them is that He is a child and He is very humble. He is very playful and very interesting. Despite His size, He is very light weight, because He can sit on a small little mouse. He doesn't try to show off. His Vahana is very simple, the smallest creature, a mouse. With this mouse He expresses His own power that He doesn't need any other vehicle. His vehicle is His simplicity; He penetrates and affects the lives of people through very simple sweet methods. In Sahaj Yoga we have to realize how to impress others. In Sahaj Yoga nobody will be impressed if you have a very great car or if you have a wealthy expression of your life. What impresses people is the simple expression of your love through certain gestures, presents, and behaviours.” Ganesha Puja, Berlin, Germany, 21.07.1993 49 50