About Maha Ragnya Bhagawati

It gives me great pleasute to share the Dhyana Mantra of Shri Ragnya Bhagawai on the most auspicious and sacred day of Jyeshtha Ashtami, popularly revered as the Zetha A’ittham
Dhyana Mantra of Shri Ragnya Devi
“CHATURBHUJAAM CHANDRA KALAARDHA SHEKHARAAM SIMHASANAS–THAAM BHUJAG–O–PAVITINEEM PASHAAM KUSHAAMBHURUHA KHADGA DHAARINIEEM RAAGNEEM BHAJE RAAJYA –DAAYINEEM”

English Translation:

I make my obeisance to Shri Raginya Devi, who has four arms and wears the crescent-half moon, as Her crown. She rides on the lion
and is adorned with the Yajneopavit of a snake. She holds a noose,goad, lotus and a sword in her hands. I bow to Her, who is the giver of all prosperity.

About Ragnya Sahsranama:

The primary source of the Shri Ragnya Sahsranama is the Rudryamala Tantra.Rudryamala Tantra is  very ancient Agama Shastra of India, also  known as the Rahasya Shastra in Kashmir.
Because of the great efforts of Pandit Keshav Bhatt Jyotirvid of Rainawari,this great Agama Shastra was printed in the form of SAHSRANAMAVALLI from the Sharada script to the Devanagari script at the NIRNAYA SAGAR PRESS at MUMBAI, in the Saptarshi era 5003 corresponding to 1927 Christian era.
The dialogue starts from a question by DEVI to BHAGAVAN -VEDA- TATTVAGNYA. She addresses Him as Tantra-Mantra- Vichakshana. I will try to focus on the Words of address , as said by Devi to Shri Bhagawan as Bhagawan Veda Tattvagnya and Tantra Mantra Vichakshana. This is the crux of the Ragnya Bhagawati Sahsranama
Though it is adorned with the Thousand Names of Shri Ragnya, in lucid devotional form, bearing all the Alankars, Rasas and Vyutpatis, yet This Sahsranama is more Yogic in spirit and aesthetic in taste, philosophic in content and traditional in ritualistic pattern of Puja Paddhati, very soul of theKashmiri Pandit ethos.

About Devi:

Devi has its root in Div, meaning to shine, to illumine, to radiate. Devi is always with effulgence, therefore, the Universal Mother is adored as the Devi,or DEEVI in Kashmiri. The effulgence never fades. It is Sanatana–ever and eternal.It is the source of the Primal Sound AUM, which creates Brahma ,Vishnu and Maheshvara. Thus Devi is adored as the Veda Mata.She is verily, the PRANAVA SHAKTI of the universal co-existence.the Yogis experience it throughYoga during Pranayama,but a devotee sees DEVI Ragnya through perception in the sacred Kunda at Tullamulla. See , what a wonderful view of the sanctum santorum at Tullamulla! We the devotees need not undertake srtict Yogic discipline, but shower the flowers of VYANA POSH/ grown around Tullamulla area on the water base , QAND/candy, KHEERA , RATNADEEP/ earthen lamp filled with ghee and DWAD/ milk. The Devi is adored as SHARVARI -KHEER -SADARISHI, in the Sahsranama. She is the milk in essence, the universal motherhood increation and sustenace. She is Sharvari–the inherent Energy of Shiva.She is therefore,called the Kheer Bhawani. The locals of Tullamulla call this sanctum sanctorum as the DEEVI -BAL, and Bhawani Bal. devi is Bhawani, the creativity and sustenance.

Bhagavaan is holder of the Bhavani’s effulgence, while Devi is the Effulgence Itself. Bhagavan is the Purusha, a static in nature, while Devi is all dynamic and manifest. Devi is the Mother of the Vedas, while Bhagawaan knows the essence of the Vedas, therefore, Devi addresses Him as VEDA TATTVAGNYA.The spirit of a Vedic person is to identify one’s spirit with AUM. The rituals teach the devotees to sing the glory of the Immutable and Absolute, through the finite knowledge of the Karma for Shanti/peace, Unnati/progress and Smriddhi/ prosperity. The highest manifestation of Shri Bhagawaan is Shri Krishna, where Shri Radha is the primary source of inquisitiveness. She is adored as Radha Krishna Sundari of the Bhagvatam. SHE acts as SITA in the Ramayana to uphold the Maryada of Shri Ramayana.Bhagavan needs Bgagavati to play the Divine Leela, as She is adored as Mahamaya, in the Vedic as well as Tantric Ratri Suktam.

Tattvagnya is the power to understand the philosophy of universal consciousness.The Shaivists speak of VISHVAMAYA(immanent )as well as VISHVOTEERNA(transcendent), related to the Tattvagnya. The Yoga Vasishta is the Book of Tattvagnya.It is to go to the root of cosmic evolution for identifying the micro in the Macro. It was Bhagavan Rama , who could realize it. ( Ragnya Devi has been identified as the Rama Priya Sita, in the Maharagni Sahsranama)

Bhagawaan has to be MANTRA-Tantra-Vichakshna. This is how the Kashmir Shaktivad lays emphasis on the Mantra and Tantra. The Very self of Devi is the PANCHA-DASH-AKSHARI…,a FIFTTEN SYLLABLED form of the Primal sound astructure.The Ragnya Sahsranama does not disclose this Mantra, . It is Shruti, just meditate or revere Ragnya devi, and the Fifteen syllabled Mantra will be seen by the devotee. It is the SHAKTIPATA MANTRA. It is KADI VIDYA MANTRA of the Kashmir Shaktivad tradition. Vichakshana refers to Vipashana, of the Buddhists to see with eagerness, totally absorbed with the MANTRA, through the DhyanaMantra. Shri Ragnya has been adored as the Buddha Prasur-Buddha devi, in this Sahsranama.

Shri Bhagawana is said to be the very breath of Shri Ragnya.Shri Ragnya is adored Ninety Six times in the Sahsranama , which can be said to be the 96MAWA(Palm size measure of theYagneopavit, as she herself is adored with the Bujagopavit —-the Kundalini Shakti.
With the blessings of Shri Ragnya Devi

Chamanlal Raina

Enquiry in distress

Question posed by the blind king Dhritrashtra

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः।

मामकाः पण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत संजय॥

Spiritual Answer by Sanjaya

यत्र योगेश्वरः कृ ष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः।

तत्र श्रीर्विजयोभूतिर्ध्रुवा नितीर्मतिर्मम॥

Shri Krishna Janama Asthmi/ Birth day falls on the 8th lunar tithe/date of the Bhadrapad month, when the Nakshatra/ constellation is on the Rohini. Shri Krishna was born as the eighth child to Vasudeva and Devaki in a prison at Mathura, Bharata/ India.Why the princely couple Vasudeva and his wife Devaki were imprisoned is really an intriguing question and needs to be understood from the spiritual point of view ?. This problem in an existing one – the problem of survival. Kamsa was told by the astrologers of the time that the eight issue of Devaki would kill him. This prophecy made Kamsa the victim of the all wrongs. Otherwise he was giving due respect and love to his sister Devaki. He had no malice against her and it was against the royal decorum. The life is dear to every body, so he planned to put the royal couple in the prison cell, himself revolted against his father Aggarsen, the ruler of Mathura and put him behind the bars. All such actions of Kamsa were contradictory to the Vedic norms and the Manu Smriti/ Dharma-Shastras. In spite of keeping Vasudeva and Devaki in the cellular jail, with a heavy guard over the iron bars of the prison, Kamsa was always a victim of psychological depression. How? He partially believed the prophecy of the sooth-Sayers, because the eight child was supposed to take away his life. There was no need to imprison the princely couple, till Devaki would have conceived for the eighth child. There was no need to kill the six children mercilessly as they were not supposed to kill him. The seventh child in the womb of Devaki was transplanted into the womb of Rohini the other wife of Vaudeville, under the mysterious conditions. This was either the lapse of the prison guards the connivance of the prison officials or the Divine providence. Whatever it was, but it was the seed sowing for the death of Kamsa, because Balrama was born as a potential help to Shri Krishna. Ultimately, Devaki conceived in the prison, she was with the labor pain, no mid wife was called and Krishna the Savior was born at the exact time of the moonrise. Call it a miracle, or the Yogic power or the Divine play, but it did happen. The sealed doors of the prison got unlocked, there was thunder and shower, a storm and murky clouds charged with dreadful lightning across the vale of Mathura, where Yamuna got in spate to swallow every bank and Vasudeva was taken away by his courageous father on the winnowing basket on his heart cross the Yamuna purely to hand the Savior to the Gopa Nanda- the chieftain of the cowherds. See how the Divine works under the influence of the Vishva Maya/ Vishnu Maya Purna Prakriti/ Primordial energy. Vishnu Maya is born of Yashodha, the same moment Vishnu as Krishna is born. Both are complementary to each other, and both have to serve the Sanatana Sandesha/ Eternal message of Dharma Sanasthapna/ establishment of Dharma, as enunciated by Shri Krishna himself in the Bhagvadgita and by Vishnumaya in the Durga Sapta Shati. Both Purusha and Prakriti work together to make Prithvi/ the Earth planet free from anti divine forces. Purusha is inseparable from Prakriti. When Purusha becomes Dhau /Father sky, then Prakriti/ Energy takes the form of Prithvi/ Mother Earth.

Prakriti as matter cannot be destroyed; it gets converted into energy. It is the eternal law of nature. Similarly the Vishnu Maya, which was exchanged for Shri Krishna took her eternal abode, when Kamsa dropped her down to death, the moment he received the message of the delivery of the eighth child of Devaki. Kamsa again fell into error as it was the eighth male child, who was per providence to killhim and not the female child. Nature takes its own time. Nature is the vibrant force of the Purusha, so the heinous crime was committed by Kamsa to kill just born Kanya/ the very incarnation of Vishnu. Instead of being killed, she flew up and up transcending the whole universe to draw the dead line for Kamsa’s death.This is what Janama Ashtami is. It is the day of deliverance from terror to normalcy, from ignorance to knowledge, from death to immortality, as Vishnu and Vishnu Maya were born at the same time from Devaki and Yashoda. Not only, we the followers of the Sanatana Dharma, should celebrate Shri Krishna’s arrival to the world, but also the Vishnu Maya the sustaining power of the universe.

Philosophically, Krishna and Kali are One Kali is the Yoga Nidra of Krishna, at the time Brahma was born from the navel of Vishnu. The two Rakshasas/ anti creation were born of the earwax of the Lord, who were bent upon devouring the Lord of creation / Brahma. It was the Ratri Sukta of the Vedas, which came from the mouth of Brahma to arouse Yoga Nidra Vishnu came out of Yoga Nidra/ Yogic Samadhi to kill Madhu- Kaitabha, which Krishna through his mere play of his words did to save the Lord of Creation. The fight between the good and evil never ends. Prakriti is of Sattva-Rajas-Tamas. Ever and always emerges a conflict between Sattva and Tamas, and the Rajas of Krishna with the acceleration of CosmicYoga maintains the balance to create a Divine Life on this earth planet for some designated time. Kamsa was born and was killed, Kauravas were born and were killed, as Draupadi was humiliated and Mahabharata war became legendry. It is because if that war, we are seeing the Supreme Light in the Bhagvadgita to handle the situation according to the Sanatana Dharma.

The Bhagvadgita is the Shabda Sharira of the seven hundred Shlokas/ verses and the Vishnu Maya Durga Sapta Shati is also the Shabda Sharira of the seven hundred Shlokas . The great Bhaktas/ devotees have consigned it into the eighteen Shlokas one each from every chapter of the Bhagvadgita I give the English translation of those eighteen Shlokas as under:

Arjuna is in mental conflict, which makes him despondent in the battlefield, but he reveals his mind to Krishna the relative, friend and a charioteer under such turbulence, This he did as a part of his human psyche. Arjuna was never aware about Krishna’s Divine Self in the beginning of the Mahabharata.The Ashtadasha Shloki Gita gives a new lease of life to Arjuna.

Essence of the Bhagwadgita

Chapter 1:

Dritarashtra opens the dialogue, but in curiosity to ascertain the highlights of the battlefield. Since Dhritarashtra was blind, and he could not participate physically in the battle, so he asks Sanjaya, to narrate him the minute to minute information regarding the great war. The first eleven verses describe the military might of the Kauravas and Pandavas. Sanjaya explains the conch sounds as a war signal between the two sides. Bhishma, Dhronacharya, Karna, Kripacharya, Ashvathama, Vikarna and Bhurishrava are the war Generals, leading the Kauravas , the Pandavas army is lead by Bhima, Arjuna, Satyaki, Dhrishtaketu,Chekitan, Kashiraja, Purujita, Kuntibhoja, Shaibya, Vikrant, Yudhamanyu, Uttamoja, Abhimanyu and the five sons of Draupadi. Arjuna the Master archer of the Pandavas takes the inspection the Kaurava troop, and gets shocked to see his own kith and kin ready from both the sides are ready for killing or to be killed in that great war of Mahabharata.

Chapter 2:

Arjuna gets depressed, after thinking of the disastrous of war. He conveys his disappointment to Krishna as now he is not willing to fight and kill the Kauravas. Shri Krishna is the Charioteer of Arjuna in that great war.Now the message of the sacred scripture of Bhagvadgita commences., with the description of the Sankhya Yoga. Krishna explains to Arjuna the quintessence of the fight according to the Kshtreya Dharma, while making emphasis on the Nishkama Karma Yoga. Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna the quality composition of the Sthita Pragnya, in the last nineteen Shlokas in this Chapter. The Sthita Pragnya is the balanced personality, evolved in spirit, mentally alert ,doing the Karma, for the good of many, without caring, about the results of the actions undertaken.

Chapter 3 :

Shri Krishna explains the essentials of the Jnyana Yoga and Nishkama Karma Yoga. Later Kord Krishna’s emphasis is on Nishkama Karma Yoga , without being involved with the attachment of its results. Shri Krishna gives the specific meaning of the Yajnya. He declares that Karma is equally essential for a Jnani, who identifies himself with the Absolute and for the Ishvara or Bhagavan for the guidelines of establishing Dharma as well. None should escape action. A human being is needed to do the action without fear or favour , without being attached with or having any sort of jealousy or hate wih any one. He teaches not to indulge with those action ,which goes against the human norms.

Chapter 4:

Shri Krishna teaches the tradition of the Karma Yoga, which in essence is the Puratana Yoga. Further Shri Krishna explains the norms for a Yogi, his attitude to life, and the methodology of performing the Yajnyas, which bear the instant fruit, as enunciated in the Vedas. But Shri Krishna gives credence to the Jnana Yajnya, instead of Yajnya for the material benefits preformed through the ingredients of the matter. It is the faith that is important, but Jnana excels that, Jnana is the source of Shanti the etenal peace..

Chapter 5:

Arjuna shows his inquisitiveness to know , which of the two Yogas viz. Sanhya or Karma is superior. Shri Krishna explains that Nishkama Karma Yoga excels the Karma Sannyasa/ abondoning of action. Further. The Lord explains that it is difficult to go through the Sankhya Yoga, unless one is fully conversant with the Karma Yoga. All the actions need to be dedicated to the Lord, which purifies the impurities of the man. He declares that Ishvara neither is the doer of the actions of the created souls, nor of the results. It is the spontaneous law of nature. Ishvara neither holds the virtues of the doer ,nor the sins of the doer. The Jnanis do not maintain the discrimination as their mental set up is fixed with the Lord. He who can control the anger and desire, virtually reach the highest state of Yoga. He who considers himself as Atman, lives in Atman, thinks of Atman and is committed to Atman, reaches the state of Nirvana. Shri Krishna teaches the art of meditation, which ultimately helps a person to realize the Absolute Self.

Sri BhagavanaKrishna goes in the details of the Nishkama Karma Yoga and explains that it is the Atman alone that needs to be understood.

Chapter 6

Nishkama Karma Yoga is the action without ulterior motive, but to do it with care, understanding and leaving the fruits of the action in the name of the Lord.A man needs to train his intellect to do the job/action with every care and understanding. AYogi needs to have control over his/her senses.The qualities of the realized soul is described as the man without self-conceit.. and without any partial outlook in life.Shri Krishna advises for the Dhyana yoga or meditation.. He needs to be disciplined with respect to the time and place. To attain the merits of the higher meditation.Along with Dhyana/meditation a person os needed togo inforBhakti/ selfless service to the humanity. Arjuna says that to control the impulses of mind is too difficult to be accomplished. Shri Krishna teaches that practice alone is the yogic key to be successful in having faith in the Lord. That is the ultimate understanding. Those who fall in the Yoga , ultimately are born in the Yogic family.

Chapter 7 .

Arjuna wants to know from Shri Krishna about the synthesis of the Prakriti,universal manifestation in respect of the immanent and transcedental nature of theLord.The Lord tells him that He is the Primordial cause of the universe. He is tate of water,the smell of the earthand the essence of the Seed in all the animata beings.He also conveys him the cause why the atheists are devoid of love fir the Lord. It is Maya-the illusion in man.He also tells him about the merits of the worship to the deities other than the Lord. He conveys the merits of conveying the glory of the Lord..

Chapter 8

Arjuna asks him seven questions with regard to Brahman, Adhyatman, Karma etc. Shri Krishna replies him about the physical, transcendental and the cosmic principal of life.Lastly, the Lord speaks of themerits of the rememberance of the Lord’s name at the last moment of life.the divine life of man is also explained by the Lord. The formless aspect of the Lord is glorified. At the last moment,the Divine Name kelps a bonded soul to transcend.God reveals the very concept of time through the day and night od Brahma.and the cause of the manifestation. Absolute is to be realised through constantremembering the Lord’s name. Lord Krishna advises Arjuna to take the path of Yoga.

Chapter 9

Lord explains thetrue knowledge and its applicationin the manifested world.further the creation and destruction is explained.

Ashtadasha Shloki Gita

(The Eighteen folder Gita )

1 Arjuna says: O Keshava! I see the bad omens as well. I do not fore see any thing worth appreciation in the battle-field after killing of our own kith and kin.(1.31)

A man like Arjuna is almost caught in the ambiguity, in dual nature, without being undetermined about the action to be taken at the time of severe catastrophe. Physical mental and emotional attachments a person like Arjuna weak inspire of the fact the person has every nerve to overcome the situation. This is how the brave with strong nerve also act, as they are all caught in the trap of ignorance. Those men like Arjuna need Divine support for the establishment of Dharma.

2 Shri Krishna replies: O Dhananjaya-the great archer! Be detached and be in equipoise in your mind performing duty without thinking of its success or failure is known as the Samatva Yoga/ Yoga of indifference and detachment.

Shri Krishna prepares Arjuna for war, as that was needed to end the evil on the earth planet and gives him the first lesson about Yoga.

3 The lay man who suppresses the physical body organism with force, but in his mind runs after/ indulges in the sense objects is said to be incredible person.

Shri Krishna explains that there should be perfect harmony between the working of the mind and the sense objects; rather not to be slave of the sense objects.

4 The man of faith and determination is bestowed upon with supra-mental knowledge. Then he instantaneously receives the Parama Shanti/ eternal grace

Shri Krishna explains that the genuine Yoga is the result of higher determination and faith in ones own self. Then alone the peace of mind is attained, which is the quintessential of life. Peace alone evolves a man.

5 Any person who keeps the senses, mind, intellect under his own volition is said to be Muni. He who has transcended the desires, fear and anger ,is said to be ever liberated.

Shri Krishna makes the distinction between a Muni and a Jivan Mukta. A Muni is concerned about him self and lives very guarded life. A liberated person does the Karma not for the sake of self, but for maintaining the law of Dharma in the social order

6 Any person who takes the balanced food according to the need and makes the

balanced movement as is needed, also he who sleeps and wakes up as should be,

is said to be perfect in Yoga, when his actions are in perfect harmony.

Shri Krishna being the Supreme Master of Yoga helps the man to maintain a balanced body through his food in take, fill the mind with balanced thoughts and maintain the action plan of life in harmony with body and mind.

7 Maya, which is wonderful with three Gunas/ of the Sattva-Rajas –Tamas is difficult to comprehend and transcend. Those who are constantly thinking of me transcend this Maya.

Shri Krishna explains to Arjuna that all the embodied souls are but the amalgam of the three components of Sattva/ pure in essence, Rajas/ passion towards action and Tamas / demoniac actions, which are the causes of transmigration of soul. Only he whose mind is fixed on me gets the final release from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth and so on.

8 Agni is the Devata/ divinity of flame. Ahah is the Devata of the day. Shukla is the Devata of the lunar for night and Uttarayana is the Devata of the north. The Brahma Vida/ Yogi persons who have identified with the Brahman get integrated with the Brahman in progression by these effulgent Devatas, after they leave the body.

Shri Krishna teaches that progression of the soul is mandatory to reach the Brahman, as the soul has to experience the different layers/ tiers of consciousness

9 If at all any tainted / ill natured person with all the inner recesses of his mind only thinks of me, must be taken as Sadhu/ a saintly person. Because he has then balanced himself with my devotion.

Shri Krishna explains the divine grace is for all, irrespective of their deeds, provide those persons fix their mind unconditionally on the Divine, which means the higher form of transformation within to reach the Divine.

10 He who realizes within the Tattvas/ universal elements that ‘I’ am unborn, eternal and the sovereign Supreme of the universes, he is really the man of realization and gets release from the sins.

Shri Krishna declares that I as Perfect Yogi is beyond birth and death. and beyond the beginning of the time and the the creator of infinite universes. This needs to be understood by those who take the path of Yoga, so that they be freed from the result of the sins, they have committed.

11 O Pandava! He who does any action for my sake alone and is my sincere devotee, without being attached to any thing, without any trace of malice, invariably attains me alone.

Shri Krishna addresses Arjuna as the son of Pandu, teaching him to be unattached doing any action as a man. Any person having malice towards any one can never be the Bhakta and long for my grace. The condition of being Nirvaira/ without malice and Sanga varjita/ unattached is very dear to Shri Krishna.

12 Jnana/ knowledge of the Brahman is better than Abhyasa/ practice. Dhyana / meditation on the Supreme Self is better than Jnana. Karma-phala- Tyaga/ renunciation of the fruits of action is far superior to the Dhyana. The renunciation gives instant Shanti/

Shri Krishna gives the grades for the realization of the Supreme. Ultimately the very nature of the Supreme is Shanti, which is non -caring attitude to the results of deliberate action, which a man is supposed to do in life. It is the acme of the eternal understanding, through various modes to reach the Brahman.

13 O Bharata! You know for certain that I am abiding as the Kshetrajna/Self in the Kshetras/ embodied souls. The relationship between these two/ Vikrati within Prakriti and Purusha is Jnana and to be known with deliberation. This is my verdict.

Shri Krishna explains to Arjuna –the representative character of the Bharata that the meeting of Purusha and Prakriti is very mysterious. It gets mutated and that mutation is to be taken as the secret of this creation and needs to be known through the discrimination of self and non-self.

14 Any person who knows and thinks of me through Bhakti Yoga discarding all transgressions and other recourses, he too can transcend all the attributes of the Gunas/triple modalities of Sattva-rajas- tamas and becomes One with the Brahman.

Shri Krishna Explains that unconditional Bhakti Yoga, without any desire is the path leading to the highest realm of Divinity. It is devotion without any exhibition that can take the Yogi to realize the Sacchidananda/ thuth-consciousness-bliss everywhere.

15 They alone can reach the Avyaya/ Immutable state of existence, whose pride and delusion have gone for ever. Those who are commanding detached state of mind and those who are always and ever absorbed in transcendental realm and are free from the desires and are free from the conflict of joy and sorrow.

Shri Krishna explains the ways and means to reach the Immutable state of existence for a Yogi, who really want to experience the bliss of truth and consciousness

Tyaga/ Nishkama Karma Yoga/ detachment for attaining the Supreme abode is the core teaching of Shri Krishna.

16 He who does not follow the Shastra- Vidhi/ scriptural codes but is subjected to his own whims, does not attain any perfection or attains the highest realm. He never feels delighted.

Shri Krishna explains the authority of the Vedas and directs the human beings to follow the sacred texts in letter and spirit, for the sake of mundane and spiritual guidance. A moral code is needed to make the socio-religious norms in perfect cohesion for attaining peace, progress and perfection.

17 The perfect peace of mind, and control over the senses along with silence within and the purifying thought waves are termed as the Tapas/ austerities of the Manas/ mind.

Shri Krishna says that the Tapasya within is needed to develop an attitude for the concentration of the mind. Mind is the important vehicle which needs to be controlled from being distracted in various directions. To think of the Divine constantly in mind is helpful for the progression of the Self.

18 O Arjuna! I do assure you that I would make you free from all the sins. Leave all the manipulated Dharmas aside and dedicate all your Karmas/ actions to me and take ultimate refuge in me. Do not be worried, I am with you.

Shri Krishna’s ultimate teaching is his Divine assurance of being always with the devotee. The devotee must be in the surrendering nature with all whole heartedness and seek refuge in the Ultimate Brahman with or without form.

All these eighteen Shlokas are directed towards every person, who want to rise in the spiritual realm of existence. The realization is to be drawn from the inner recesses of mind. It needs to be trained to be focused on the Supreme. The moment, we are in conflict, we get depressed, shocked and disturbed. Before we reach that catastrophe, we have to feel the presence of the Divine in every nerve and cell and perform the Nishkama Karma Yoga dedicating all the results of our actions before the Divine. After realizing the pure essence of Shri Krishna the Divine with form, Arjuna established the relationship of a genuine disciple and wanted to know the metaphysical essence of Shri Krishna., which can be summed up in the following Sapta Shloki Gita.

Sapta Shloki Gita

(The Septet of the Celestial Song)

1 Shri Krishna says: AUM/ OM is the only Mono-syllable and he who meditates upon it as Brahman and leaves the body, while reciting and recapitulating this Word, attains the Parmagati/ blissful state of pure essence.

The Ekakshara is Aum/ Om. It is the Shabda Sharira/ sound body of the Divine and a Divine pulsation that vibrates eternally. It is the rhythm of life and the man must be in constant touch with the Eternal sound. OM should correspond to every breath of life and at the last breath it would lead the embodied soul to the state of Sachhindannda, which is the very nature of Shri Krishna.

2 Arjuna says: O Hrishikesha the Omnipresent Lord! It is an admitted fact that the whole universe gets delighted and blessed with your Namakirtana/ singing the glory of the Name and gets too much absorbed in you. The Rakshas get afraid of the power of the Name and flee to the far distant quarters and Siddhas / the perfect sages make their obeisance to you.

Arjuna realizes the potential of the Divine Name and its dominating influence on the mind for creating a sense of self-awareness. He sees demons flee to the distant quarters under the influence the Name. And the perfect sages are seen joining hands to the Almighty Krishna. A Yogi in Arjuna reveal that a Yogi can witness every thing happening in the cosmic life with the efficacy of the Divine Name.

3 Ishvara has enveloped the whole universe. His hands and feet are manifest every where. His eyes are visible every where, his heads are at every direction and his face is at every place, because he is very Self of manifestation

Shri Krishna says that the Universal being is in every animate being, Not a single iota is without his presence. He walks with infinite feet, works with infinite hands and sees at every object with infinite looks and thinks with infinite intellect he talks with infinite mouths consumes every thing in his own Self.

4 Any person who adores and constantly remembers Ishvara, who is of the Adityavarna/ having the hue of the solar effulgence as the Kavi/ Omniscient, the Purana/ beginning less and the All Controller, with the Omnipotence of holding the minute of the minutest. That Ishvara is beyond any trace of Tamas.

Shri Krishna explains the effulgent nature of Ishvara and makes Arjuna think o the Divine attributes and the methodology how to meditate upon him. Ishvara is the minutest of the minute and at the same time the greatest of all, beyond any ignorance

5 Shri Krishna says: The tree in the form of the universe is spread in all the quarters, with the branches are spread downwards. The Ashvatha or Pipal tree of the universe is revered as Avyaya / Immutable Ishvara with the Vedas as its leaves. He who knows it in its pure essence understands the Vedas.

Shri Krishna explains the tree of the universe is identified by the Vedic learning. Ishvara is the Veda Purusha, and is to be known through its different mutations like the leaves of the Pipal tree. The relationship between the seer and the seen is to create the universal consciousness within. The leaves in the form of Vedas provide the eternal bliss.

6 Shri Krishna says: I abide in the heart of every embodied soul. It is because of Me that the men have the power of cognizance, discrimination between real and unreal and fall in illusion. I am the Veda, the knower of the Vedas and to be known through all the Vedas. I am the very self of the Vedanta- the knowledge portion of the Vedas.

Shri Krishna identifies himself with the Vedas and the Vedic application in human life. The emphasis is on the Karma/ action and the knowledge portion of the Vedas known as the Vedanta. It is all metaphysical in nature, while the Vedas are the practical teachings to live a homogeneous life It is the intellect, force of thought and competence in action, which works in realizing the Almighty.

7 O Arjuna! Be my Bhakta/ devotee. Be determined both physically and mentally. Revere me and offer you Namaskars to me. Fix your Atman/ all the faculties of the Self with concentration on me. Thus you would be absorbed in me.

Shri Krishna teaches Arjuna to have full reverence for Ishvara –the creator, preserve and the annihilator of the universe. Adore him physically through prostrations, think of him mentally through concentration and put devotion in him through all emotions and be the One with the integrated whole.

We need to understand the Bhagvadgita to find the various moods of Shri Krishna during the Mahabharata war. Although Arjuna was a Master archer, yet he represents the average human being from the psychological point of view. He was caught in the whirl pool of conflict—“ To fight or not to fight”, when he was already in the battle-field of Kurukshetra. Shri Krishna gives him the very concept of Atman, which later became the thesis of the Prasthana- Trayi/ three dimensional cross roads to reach Shri Krishna. The Prasthana Trayi is in three forms of the sacred texts of the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutra and the Bhagvadgita. Krishna consciousness need to be applied in our own self and in our day to day work for “Atmano-Mokshartham- Jagad-Hitaya- Cha” which is for attaining liberation from the false ego of I-consciousness, instead of the universal consciousness. Krishna teaches the humanity to live the life with dignity, caring for the honor of Motherhood of woman and be prepared to face any eventuality,as Tamas/ evil is always penetrating through the small backdrops of society. A human being is supposed to contribute to the peace within, around and the globe through positive thinking, considering all are equal in the eyes of the Almighty.

caitanyaṁ iti jagat sarvam means consciousness is the whole world.

The Guru Śiṣya relationship is a sacred tradition originating in India by which a student reverently devotes his life to the service and teachings of an enlightened teacher, who with respect and reverence teaches the student and guides him through all the necessary stages to prepare him for his own path toward enlightenment. The student lives, eats and plays with the teacher. The relationship between the teacher and the student is very close, keeping no secrets between the two, and the teacher consistently revealing the mysteries of life and spirituality to the student. The student remains ever alert and attentive toward the teacher, and is eager to fulfill any requests the teacher might as of him, knowing everything requested is in his best interest and somehow geared toward his path. The teacher also constantly reflects upon his own state and that of the student and dynamically creates a path for the student in accordance with the student’s abilities and character.

There are many dangers that can be encountered with this form of teaching, especially by those from societies not originating from India.  Western society does not support or promote an environment where the Guru Śiṣya tradition can subsist. The nearest thing the West has is the Master Apprentice relationship as found in European cultures such as England, France, etc. This relationship is more coarse and specific.

The Master Apprentice relationship involves someone who is a Master of an art or craft, who then imparts all the skills and knowledge necessary for a student to also become a Master and eventually perform that art or craft for their own survival and sustenance.  The student performs the necessary duties which include mundane or simple tasks to allow the Master more time to perform his art or craft without all the tedious work.  This is an exchange, something is done for something; it is materialistic and agreed that it should be so. The Apprentice often lives with and is fed by the Master, but this is also an exchange in which the apprentice pays for with his work. Close relationships do develop between the Master and Apprentice, but it is commonly known that once the Apprentice’s work is up to par, he will open up his own practice.

Although one could argue spirituality could be considered one of these arts, in this sense it cannot qualify. There is no sense is mixing the traditions of Guru Śiṣya with that of Master and Apprentice. The śiṣya is focused on devotion and service, with the Guru seen as God incarnate, and the Apprentice is focused on learning a skill from the Master, for a price or term of service. To the Guru and Śiṣya money, obligations, etc are not an issue. The Guru and śiṣya are both on the path to divine realization and what is done day by day is mundane, but done out of pure compassion and love for divinity. In the end, mundane life is meaningless. The Master has many mundane tasks that need to be done for his craft or art, and with an apprentice can have these done for an exchange of knowledge in his art of craft. The tasks include research, writing, preparing smaller material crafts for large projects, and others.  Even the Master Clergymen teaches not so much the spiritual path to God, but the role and function of the Clergy, its rituals, rites, etc. These are taught to the śiṣya by the Guru as well, but the Master Clergyman is limited to where he can lead the Apprentice due to limitation and restriction of the Church. He cannot take the apprentice cleric to the beyond and back, nor is he required the ability to do so. The key difference here is right and rote, the Guru teaches what is right for the student, and knows its long term effect; the Master teaches by rote to the student and the long term effect is not as important. IF the apprentice learns he learns, if he doesn’t, he fails and is unsuccessful.  The Master need not understand the rote completely, but the Guru must know what is right absolutely.

Sir John Woodroffe explains in his Introduction to Tantra Sastra, about the Guru Shsiya tradition:

“Proper guidance and spiritual direction are necessary. A good guru, by reason of his own nature and spiritual attainment and disinterested wisdom, will mark out for the śiṣya[1] the path which is proper for him, and aid him to follow it by the infusion of the tejas[2] which is in the Guru[3] himself. Whilst sadhana is, as stated, a process for the stimulation of the sattva guna, it is evident that one form of it is not suitable to all. It must be adapted to the spiritual condition of the śiṣya, otherwise it will cause injury instead of good. Therefore it is that adoption of certain forms of sadhana by persons who are not competent (adhikari), may not only be fruitless of any good result, but may even lead to evils which sadhana as a general principle is designed to prevent. Therefore also it is said that it is better to follow one’s own dharma than that, however exalted it be, of another. “[4]There is much harm that can be done by those who believe they have the right idea and experience, but teach  with uncertain or disguised intent and traditional nonchalance. They are not prepared to teach, or are just “winging it” with half developed systems and unrefined material.  In the west we tend to amalgamate concepts and teachings, and then expect each aspect to be upheld traditionally and just work. These teachers do not take into account the environmental, social, linguistic and myriad of other factors that can create barriers and in some cases, negative results that do nothing but detriment both the teacher and the student in very serious ways. Teaching then produces a vacuum which attracts negativity.

Emotions such as fear can pressure a student into unbridled hatred toward those around him, including loved ones and the teacher himself. If the teacher does not know the effects of fear on the student, or the effect of the methods being implemented to bring the student toward realization of his own inner being, he can unintentionally harm him. If the Guru only uses his own experience and knowledge as reference to what should be done for each student, then the teacher is bound to his own material experience and cannot help everyone, creating extremely harsh and negative encounters with those who have a different psyche than the teacher. This damages both the teacher and the student.

The student in the west cannot maintain the level of respect for a teacher as a student from the east can if there is suspicion. With the way that day to day life occurs in the life of the student and teacher, it is easy to arouse suspicion with inconsistencies in interaction with people. This is because the teacher is not isolated to his own Ashram as in India, and has many worldly matters to consider besides the teachings of his students and contemplation of the divine. His own physical survival is always at risk, especially as he devotes more and more time to his students. This is not mastery of one’s world, nor indicative of enlightenment; it is rueful maintenance of one’s worldly existence coupled with an obsession to be a spiritual power figure.

The worst effect is when the student begins to question the teacher, finding a flaw in the system and only being told that one’s own tenacity toward finding flaws is a personal flaw, avoiding systematic error entirely.  This frees the teacher of any investigation into his flawed system but leaves the student distraught, terrorized, and confused.  Few and far between are the teachers that can master and manipulate their own world, in relationship, financial stability, etc due to the circumstance of our capitalistic democracy and western way of life. In our current era, even in the East is this becoming less and less likely to support a tradition such as that of the Guru śiṣya. Because of the west’s tendency to abuse privilege, teachers, genuine or not, are having a hard time finding students who can truly devote themselves to the higher cause.

The solution to this is as Woodroffe clearly states: to follow one’s own dharma. Care not for the proclaimed exalted nature of the social and spiritual elite. What does it matter who someone trained under when a Buddha can be met on the street corner? Spiritual power does not come from blind faith and devotion in people; it comes from blind faith and devotion into a principle, a personal principle of power that permeates ever fiber of ones being. That principle can be love, hate or anything as long as one fully and completely delivers oneself over to it. When one embraces that principle, and goes beyond it liberation comes. Freedom from suffering comes when one realizes the attachment toward that principle is the final step, the final release, and whence after it is gone, there is nothing but bliss, saccidananda, being, consciousness and bliss.  Give yourself to Jesus, but not to your preacher. Give yourself to Buddha, or the Boddhisattva, but not to the monk or master. Unite yourself with that absolute Brahman, but do not attached yourself to the Brahmana, or the Sannyasi, or any Pandit, Master or Savior whose self proclaimed statements of power create nothing but Maya, an illusion to be overcome which veils that true reality.

Welcome to Tattva Bodha, the abode of the knowledge of reality or truths, however many they may be. This website will be used to house articles on differnt fragments of knowledge. Each fragment is like a small mirror which reflects the whole. Although primarily focused on Indian traditions, there is no bounds to the content or form of the articles found on this site so long as they respect the topic of higher knowledge and spiritual growth.