Hanuman

The monkey god

Hanuman

Hanuman is depicted as a deity with monkey like face and body of a man. Hanuman exemplifies supreme devotion to Lord Rama (incarnation of Vishnu). He is known to be the greatest devotee ever born on earth as it was unconditional devotion just pure love. Even today its a belief that if the sacred name and story of lord Rama is chanted or mentioned (recitation of Ramayana), Hanuman would be present there to the chanting of his name and absorbed in his thoughts. Hence during readings of Ramayana, a special space and pooja are reserved for Hanuman. Hanuman is known for his superhuman strength, wits, character and ability.

Hanuman symbolically stands for pure devotion, complete surrender, and absence of ego. His character tells us what we can do in our lives by devotion , aligning our self with the forces of good, helping the weak, with self control, total surrender and unconditional faith. Hanuman is also been considered as the seventh deliberate decent of lord Shiva to earth. Hanuman can be seen as the master of his senses and wonderfully sagacious.

 

Story of birth: Hanuman was born to vanaras (a sub species which looked like monkey but had human traits as well). His mother was Anjana an apsara (celestial being) born on earth due to a curse. His father Kesari was the son of Brihaspati (guru of devas) and was the king of the place called Sumeru. Anjana performed intense prayers lasting twelve long years to lord Shiva to get a child. Pleased with her devotion Shiva granted the boon they sought. He is also known as son of Vayu (wind god).

Hanuman's main weapon of choice was gada ( a blunt mace or club). Its essentially has a spherical head mounted on a shaft, with spike on the top. Hanuman is believed to be immortal, thus, although he is a principal figure in the great epic Ramayana, he also makes an appearance in the epic Mahabharata, where he meets and tests the hero Bhima.



Dhanalakshmi

Goddess of prosperity and wealth

Dhanalakshmi

Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of beauty, wealth and fertility has many iconic manifestations. The goddess Lakshmi in her eight-fold form is referred to as the Ashtha-Lakshmi.

The eight forms of Ashtha-Lakshmi are believed to fulfil these human necessities and desires through their nature and manifestations.

 

The eight divine form of goddess Lakshmi or Ashtha-Lakshmi comprises:

• Aadi Lakshmi (Maha Lakshmi) - Primeval Goddess
• Dhana Lakshmi (Aishwarya Lakshmi) - Goddess of prosperity and wealth
• Dhanya Lakshmi - Goddess of food grains
• Gaja Lakshmi - The elephant goddess
• Santana Lakshmi - Goddess of progeny
• Veera Lakshmi (Dhairya Lakshmi) - Goddess of valour and courage
• Vidya Lakshmi - Goddess of knowledge
• Vijya Lakshmi - Goddess of Victory

One of the main aspect today is wealth to lead the life. Dhanalakshmi gives prosperity and wealth. Dhanalakshmi is the destroyer of impurities and adversity, filled with the wisdom of the Vedas, born from the milky ocean, with an auspicious form, giver of boons and loved by Madhusudhana. In her iconography is shown as carrying two lotuses and the other two hands are in Abhay(fear not) and Varada (blessing and boons) Mudra(hand gestures).

Mahakaali

Mahakali

 

Kali is one of the fearful and ferocious form of mother goddess. Mother Kali's ferocious form is strewed with powerful symbols. Kali comes from Sanskrit root word 'kaal' which means time. It's often seen that due to her ferocious iconography the divine mother in her form as Kali is most misunderstood goddess.

Her black complexion symbolizes her all-embracing and transcendental nature. Mahanirvana Tantra says,"just as all colour disappear in black, so all names and forms disappear in her". Her nudity is primeval, fundamental and transparent in nature - the earth, the sea, and the sky. Kali is free from illusionary covering, for she is beyond maya or "false consciousness". Her black/blue/dark skin is the representation of the womb of the quantum unmanifest from which all of creation arises and into which all of creation will eventually dissolve.

Kali is seen as the goddesss of death which is partly correct. She brings the death of ego as the illusionary self-centred view of reality. Kali and Shiva are said to inhabit in cremation grounds because it is our attachment that give rise to the ego. Shiva and Kali grant liberation by removing the illusion of ego that is attached to the body. Its in the cremation ground that the "Pancha Mahabhuta" comes together, and all worldly attachments are absolved. Beings free from the illusion of attachment to the body can see mother Kali as most compassionate one, as she provides liberation to her children. We are the beings of spirit and not the flesh. So liberation can proceed only when our attachment to the body ends.

Kali wears a garland of  fifty skulls ( in most of her iconography) which stand for the fifty letters in the Sanskrit alphabet, and symbolize infinite knowledge. Her griddle of severed human hands signifies work and liberation from the cycle of karma. In her hands she holds the sword which is the destroyer of false consciousness and the eight bounds that bind us. Her three eyes represent past, present and future the three modes of time.

Prakriti

Prakriti

Blessing of goddess Gauri

Blessing of the Goddess

Happy Deepawali

Maha Lakashmi

Wishing all a very happy and prosperous Diwali. Deepawali/ Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights. Its one of the major festival of Hinduism. It spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair.
Goddess Lakshmi is prayed on this day to bring prosperity and wealth. While performing Maha Lakshmi Pujan, we worship Lord Ganesha, Maha Saraswati and Maha Lakshmi. Lord Ganesha is the God of wisdom, Saraswati is the Goddess of knowledge. Hence, always a Sri word is added with the name of Goddess Lakshmi. It means, if a person gets wealth then he should use the money in good works/causes.

                                                        Goddess Lakshmi

Lakshmi signifies the wealth and prosperity which is both material and spiritual. In Hinduism she is the divine spouse of Lord Vishnu, or the active energy of Vishnu and also referred as Lakshmi-Narayan.

Goddess Lakshmi is always associated with lotus flower and also with gold coins coming out of her hand. It spiritually signifies that while living in this world, one should enjoy its wealth, but not be obsessed with it. One should be like a lotus that although grows in water but is not wetted by water.
Lotus blooms signifies spiritual awakening, spiritual understanding as well.

Some of other well known names of Lakshmi are Kamla, Shri, Padmavati, Padma, Ambuja, Bhagyashri, Daridriyanashini, Jalaranjiniya, Jaya, Padamahasta, Padmini, Vimala. Vishnupatni, Varalakshmi, Ramaa.

Cosmic Womb

Cosmic Womb

Mahadeva

Shiva the most benevolent

Pashupatinaath; the lord of all beings

Shiva as Pashupatinaath (Lord of all beings)

Chant: Om Mani Padme Hum

Om Mani Padme Hum

Play of Infinity: dance of Shiva and Shakti

Dance of Infinity

Shiva and Uma are dancing lost in the passion for each other.Their energies create a delicate balance in the universe. This dance  at the end of the cycle/time of destruction, is called the dance of death known as Thandava. At the time of creation it is known as Aananda Thandava(dance of bliss)/Lasya the dance of creation.This creation and destruction forms the cycle of birth, the death and the rebirth. It's an eternal dance of Infinity.
This rhythmic play  is the source of all movement within the universe. Shiva on his own remains unmoved. Only the love of Uma makes Shiva to indulge in this playful dance time and again.
At the end of every age the universe is destroyed by Shiva's dance of Thandava along with his beloved in the form of Mahakali and he takes the form of Mahakaal.
 Then with goddess Tripura Sundari/Parvati he begins the process of creation by performing the dance of creation know as Lasya.

Bhakti Marg (devotional Way), Meera Bai

Meera Bai

Trayambakam Shiva

Triyambaka Shiva, Three Eyed Lord

Tatpursha

                                                                       Tatpursha Shiva

Some call him Siva - the auspicious one. Some have known him as Rudra - the vedic god. He is the Adiyogi - the first among the yogis. The one who rules and takes care of numerous universes. He is the creator and also the creation. 

Shivoham -I am Shiva or he is the one who resides in all the beings as super soul.He is the eternal one, the meaning of Vedas. The pure blissful consciousness. As he is unshakable and forever stable. 

He is the one who creates and also the one who destroys everything to be created again. Shiva is the transcendental knowledge, and the very essence of Vedas. He is the lord of all the doctors –the one known as Baidhanaatha/ Vaidnaatha. He is the Mahadev, the lord of Gods, as he consumed poison to save the creation, for only he could have survived such an act. He is Mritunjaya, conqueror of death. He is the kaal of death known as mahakala.He is the time , the death and also the rebirth.

Shiva is often depicted as holding trident, which represents the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation and destruction. Hence it also represent the Hindu trinity Brahma(creator), Vishnu(preserver), Mahesh(destroyer). Also the three Guna(attributes) Satvic-Tattva, Rajasic-Tattva, Tamasic-Tattva.

He is the Omnipotent, the subtle, yet the Supreme; the manifested, the unmanifested and that which is both; the external and the internal; the eternal and also the non-eternal; wakefulness, dream and deep sleep; the past, present and the future; the visible and the invisible; the instrument of knowledge, the knower and the known; the knowledge and the ignorance; the light and the darkness.

Lord Siva is all that and much more that cannot be expressed by mere words. He can be experienced through meditation.

🙏🌺🌼🌻OM NAMAH SHIVAYA🙏🌺🌼🌻

 

Stories of hindu mythology

Shri mata Tripurasundari

 

 

Shiva and Shakti

 

 

Goddess Uma

 

 

Ganesha and Parvati

 

 

Goddess Yami

Godess of Ravens and Crows

Goddess of Raven and Crows

 

 

 

Many native tribes and cultures have revered Ravens and Crows with great respect in terms of spiritual guides. Sometimes it is believed that the bird is a messenger and can take prayers to the spiritual realms and bring messages back.

 

In Hindu tradition they are believed to represent ancestors (Pitri). Crows are fed food (Pind) in a procession called Shraadh, (done for deceased family member).

 

When Raven appears the magic is imminent. Ravens are very playful and creative. There is a divine balance between light and dark. raven signifies moving through transitions smoothly by casting light into darkness.

 

Crow knows the unknowable mysteries of creation and are the keeper of all sacred law. Crow is also the guardian of ceremonial magic and healing. Crow guides the magic of healing and change in consciousness that will bring about a new reality and dispel "dis-ease" or illness. Crow is an omen of change. 

 

In some cultures these birds are also associated with the dark magic, witchcraft, and sometimes with death and misfortune.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butterfly symbolism --spirituality

Flutterby

 

 

 

Pen and ink drawing on A1 size paper



This pen and ink drawing is from the series 'Lucid Dreams'.

The journey of the transformation of the butterfly symbolises going into deep cocoon of meditation and letting all fears and old wounds be released one by one, so that the transformation can take place.
The cocoon state is associated with the time of nurturing and healing, by getting in touch with your feeling and the essence of the soul. In a cocoon state of meditation, and through contemplation and release of all the feeling that are holding you back anyone can experience new possibilities of being that once was beyond reach.

 In many traditions around the world butterflies are considered to be symbol of soul or soul world.
Through the life of butterfly one can learn and understand the purpose of the life is to set everything that was once known aside and embrace the entire new way of being.
A caterpillar is only capable of crawling becomes a beautiful butterfly capable of taking a flight into space(unlimited possibility) crossing seas and continents.

This symbolically can be applied in our own lives, of going beyond to what we believe is possible. Also making the once impossible into reality.
If someone is already on spiritual path seeing butterflies often in dreams or otherwise is a sign to move deeper into spiritual studies and practice's, to experience higher level of awareness. The butterfly serves as a metaphor for soul's spiritual journey.