Wednesday 19 September 2012

By Divine Design


It is no accident. For the simple reason such miracles have to be from a Mastermind. That mind is the Universal Muse. We think we understand the bodies we are gifted with and the "bodies" we build... the apparently static but constantly growing, changing, decaying and rejuvenating structures that we live in... the futures we carefully plan and  craft for ourselves and try hard to enact. But through all of Creation runs a subtle power and it is gifted to us individually as our own subtle body and the auras of everything around us.




These are the dynamic entities through which "divine" energy and "divine" plan are communicated to us, the channel through which we connect with that power and talk to it as it talks to us.




We forget this and we forget to trust in these forces. Vishvakarma Puja is dedicated to reviving and energizing that channel and nourishing the subtle bodies of ourselves, our dwellings and our creations - our works of art, our writing, the assignments we have perforce to submit and be assessed for and the survival skills we practice as long as we are alive. It’s a day I love so much because it binds me through that invisible thread to the humblest of artisans, workers, craftsmen – all seamlessly woven together into that divine plan that we understand so little of.

Vishvakarma is depicted in most places as an old, bearded man riding a swan.


In Bengal, however he comes to life in every humble corner as a swashbuckling young man riding an elephant. The elephant is synonymous with stability as well as ancient wisdom. Resting on that strength he rises in resplendant colors.



I am always reminded of the cool, grey-tinged, sleeping, wise old earth on whose rim appears the divine gold disc at dawn.

A legend in tune with this occasion on the Sudarshana Chakra's creation.





"Chakra Azhwar"
According to one legend, the Sudarshana Chakra was created by Vishvakarma.
“Viswakarma's daughter Sanjana was married to Surya, the Sun God. Due to the Sun's blazing light and heat, she was unable to go near the Sun. She complained to her father about this. Viswakarma took the Sun and made him shine less so that his daughter would be able to hug the Sun. The left over Sun "dust" was collected by Viswakarma and he made three things out of it. The first one was the famous aerial vehicle Pushpaka Vimana, the second being the Trishula (Trident) of Lord Shiva, and the third was the Sudarshana Chakra of Lord Vishnu.”
“Pushpaka was originally made by Vishwakarma for Brahma the Hindu god of creation, later Brahma gifted it to Kubera, the God of wealth, but was later stolen, along withLanka, by his half-brother, the demon king Ravana.”

In Kim's words:
"Vimanas (aerial vehicles) can only remind me of the prophet Ezekiel's vision of the heavenly chariot with wheels within wheels. The wheels all had eyes around the rims of the wheels. The chariot could go anywhere, in any direction, and it could always see where it was going.

"Our subtle bodies are somehow more mobile than our physical bodies. They have the ability to turn and see in all directions. It's fortunate that they do, because our physical bodies are mired in the limitations of time and space.

"Vishvakarma Puja for me is the day on which those limitations are dissolved, and we can see the grand design of the universe "face to face," instead of "through a mirror, darkly" (Paul, New Testament)"

Here's to the fruition of that divine design within all of us!


19th December 2012

I ran into this while searching for sacred chants today so here is Sudarshana Gayatri


11 comments:

  1. I didn't know you had a blog or I woulda come here sooner! Cool stuff! Wish i could afford a trip to India, but that's not gonna happen soon... Come visit my blog at dawgoregon.blogspot.com Peace!

    ReplyDelete
  2. A warm welcome to the blog David. I have only just opened it to readers a few days ago, though I started the venture early this year and we have already had a trip. Please enjoy the blog and feel free to comment, ask questions and give suggestions. We will try our best to connect you via the blog to the spirit of India and give you a taste of the Indian experience. We never know what is around the next curve and you may find yourself quite unexpectely in India. Do look at this link Journeys with a Difference" and at the post Namaste Chakratirtha which explain how the venture evolved.
    I will certainly visit your blog!
    Best,
    Incognita

    ReplyDelete
  3. It was a delight reading this post. :)
    "The first one was the famous aerial vehicle Pushpaka Vimana, the second being the Trishula (Trident) of Lord Shiva, and the third was the Sudarshana Chakra of Lord Vishnu.” So, Vishwkarma completed the tridevs. :-) Loved the Bengal's version of Vishwkarma.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I didn't know so many things about Vishwakarma before.
    Thanks for the enlightenment . A treat to read as well as a reminder not to constrict my mind EVER.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Welcome to the blog Nipun and thank you for your comment. Your responses inspire us to search more extensively and deeply so we can all be enlightened.

    ReplyDelete
  6. In Bengal, Vishwakarma Puja is also marked by the ritual of flying kites. The kites are like an extension of our physical bodies tied to the subtle one, trying to fly like the legendary Vimanas, you have spoken about. It also denotes the aspiration of all physical bodies to rise above its bonds of time and space, and elevate itself into spiritual harmony, though only few can achieve that. Thank you for such a beautiful and insightful piece of writing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome to this space Rudra!
      I love the interconnection you have pointed out. I never thought of that! Thank you for adding your very insightful thoughts here. We miss having good conversations on this space and look forward to more visits from you. This comment has given me some exciting new ideas on the concept of flying free! Look out for further thoughts from me.

      Delete
    2. Thank you, Rudra! I never knew about this ritual of the flying kites before--and it's a wonderful metaphor for the elevation of our spiritual selves! I will never think about kites in the same way again!

      Delete
  7. the concept of kite portal was quite thought provoking!!!! and the more i think of it right now I am finding that there are a lot of people I know who used to be very enthusiastic about flying kites and some still are!!! and i can put them in two categories. some used to indulge in it for the competitive issues like how many of others' kites can they bring down to the ground. and there were others who just enjoyed flying kite just for the sake of it....it didn't matter whether there were other kites in the sky!!! when I am analyzing now, i am very strangely realizing that each one i know from the second category has turned out to be extremely open minded person irrespective of the environment they grew up in!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Nabadeepa for energizing this space on this auspicious day. Each one of us can act as an energy portal and when we are in tune with Divine Design and Divine Dynamic, the world spins harmoniously. Keep visiting.

      Delete