Reinvent The Self!

The period from Shayani Ekadashi, Guru Purnima to Prabodhini Ekadashi, Kartik Purnima, is called Chaturmas. In these 4 months, one is supposd to observe various vratas, penances, perform austerities and be on fast.

In this blog, I am planning to share my views about these 4 months which end in Kartik Purnima, also known as Deva Deepawali.

The symbolism is:

Vaikuntha: A place with no anxiety! Abode of lord Vishnu. On Vaikuntha Chaturdashi, Shiva meets Vishnu which is known as hari-hara meet.

Lord Shiva: He is pure dispassion. He is a symbol for the pure concentration, study, tapasya, austerity.

Lord Vishnu: He is pure, flawless karma! When karma is pure or selfless, it’s always graced by Lakshmi, prosperity.

Tulsi: A purified nature. Tulsi fosters health and is pure and auspicious by nature. A sadhaka, aspirant gets purified by his sadhana, penances. He becomes like Tulsi.

Tripurasur: means Ignorance. A demon who illegally takes hold of Tripura, a beautiful World!

Tripura: A city (world) constituting 3 states like wakeful (jagruti), dream (swapna) and sleep (sushupti). We perceive the world in all the 3 states.

Tripurari/ Tripurantak: means Shiva (dispassion) that kills ignorance (tripurasur).

Ashadhi Ekadashi, also called Shayani Ekadashi, it is said, is the day when lord Vishnu sleeps. This means, an aspirant, in his initial state, should put all his worldly affairs contaminated by samsaric tendencies/ propensities, which distract him from realising his own nature, to rest or sleep. He is not yet ready to transact in this world. He has not developed wisdom, love, discriminatory faculties yet. He is likely to get lost in Maya. An aspirant therefore starts observing fast, penances and austerities. He meets with Guru on Guru Purnima. Guru guides him throughout these 4 months.

Sharaavana Month (Shiva): Sadhaka has to long to become like Shiva. Develops Mumukshutvam, an intense desire to be liberated. He continues his japa (chanting), tapa (meditating) and vrata (fasting). This month therefore belongs to Shiva.

Bhadrapada Month (Ganesha): Aspirant now understands slowly the sthoola (gross) universe. We celebrate the festival of Lord Ganesha who points to the gross aspect of this universe. Ganesha is the beginning of an understanding. Aspirant gains insight into the workings of this universe. Knows the science, laws and epistemic principles that govern this universe.

Ashwin Month (Jagadamba): Aspirant now understands traps and deceptions of Maya, the futility of enagaging with his natural pulls and drives. He comes to realise the delusory power of Maya. She is the Mother who constantly strives to heal the aspirant thereby giving him ample opportunities and time to realise his own nature. But thanks to the ignorance, which doesn’t let us see the world as IT IS! Sadhaka now realises the Mother and appreciates Her all aspects like kindness, compassion, love, power, wealth, intellect, creativity, etc. We celebrate Navaratri for the same reason.

Kartik Month (Kartikeya): Now aspirant enters the finer world (tripura), subtler than the tanmatras. He recognises His omnipresence, His infinite potentiality. He becomes totally free and attains a place of Vaikuntha. It’s said that Lord Kartikeya refuses to see the face of his mother. It means he refuses to engage in this world full of delusion and deception. Or in other words, he sees what IS and refuses to see what IS NOT. Devas celebrate Shiva killing the tripurasur. This is “Deva Deepawali”! These gods then bestow on him all their qualities. He then becomes loving, compassionate, forgiving, and wise.

On the day of Vaikunth Chaturdashi, that is, after 14 years of austerities, Vishnu (a pure karma) meets Shiva (dispassion) in him. Now his sadhana is complete (purnima). He becomes pure like Tulsi, by killing tripurasur in him. Prosperity (Lakshmi) invariably embraces him. That’s what’s meant by ‘Tulsi Vivah‘. He is now ready to transact flawlessly in this world (tripura) by becoming ‘self’less! Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam!

May everyone succeed in this path of becoming pure like Tulsi!

Happy Deva Deepawali!