She's beautiful like ten million risers
suns, and is the embodiment of sensuality. Lotus-eyed and adorned
lotuses, she is the Eternal Ruler of all beings. She is sitting on
Vishnu's lap and is the patroness of prosperity.
Lakshmi Tantra
Listen to Lakshmi's bhajan - Gayatri
Name meaning: Lakshmi- translated from Sanskrit - "Good sign", "Happiness", "Beauty", "Luck".
Area of activity and patronage: Lakshmi- the goddess of abundance, prosperity, wealth, good luck and happiness. She is the embodiment of grace, beauty and charm. Its adherents will be protected from all kinds of misery and poverty.
Spouse: Lakshmi wife (Shakti) of Vishnu. She accompanies Vishnu in all His Avatars, incarnating as Kamala when Vishnu incarnated as Vamana (dwarf). When Vishnu was born as Parasurama, She was His consort Dharini. She was Sita, the wife of Rama; etc.
Mount (Wahana): Garuda.
Habitat of Lakshmi: Pure lands of Manidwip.
Iconography and attributes: The most common are images with Vishnu reclining on the cosmic serpent Ananta or sitting on his "mount" (vahana) Garuda; separately, she is depicted sitting or standing in a lotus flower.
If he has eight arms, then he carries in them a bow, a rod, an arrow, a lotus, a chakra (wheel), a shell, a wooden pestle, a goad.
If she has four arms, then the goddess holds a lotus in both upper hands, and gold coins are pouring from her lower palms, or one of the hands is in a blessing position.
If he has two hands, then he holds a conch and a lotus. Vidyadharas accompany her on both sides, as well as Rajashri, Svargalakshmi, Brahmi, Lakshmi, Jayalakshmi.
When near Vishnu, she usually has two arms, and then holds a lotus and a coconut, or lotuses, in both hands. At the same time, she stands or sits on the left thigh of Vishnu, or sits on the snake Ananta, or on the eagle.
Usually dressed in gold, she stands or sits on a lotus. It happens that she is depicted with elephants, which are immersed in water to the waist and pour water on her.
Other names: Have many different names. One of the common names is Sri, which means "prosperity", "happiness", "glory".
Esoteric meaning: It is associated with the universal will power (ichcha-shakti), the power of intention.
This is sattva, it is always subdued, sattvic, auspicious energy. It indicates the power of natural contemplation, which, having united with the energies, has purified everything, the energy that can bring everything to pure vision, to pure measurement (mandala). Whatever this energy touches, everything becomes auspicious, sattvic and divine.
LAKSMI(Sanskrit "Sign", "Happiness"), in Hindu mythology, the goddess of happiness, prosperity and beauty, the wife of Vishnu. Associated with the lotus, as in the myths about her birth she appears with a lotus in her hands, or sitting on it. Hence the names Padma and Kamala. The meaning of the name Sri is “prosperity”, “happiness”, “glory”. There is an opinion that the goddess Shri ("Prosperity", "Glory"), associated with Indra, who differed even in the late Vedic period, and the goddess, starting from the epic period, gradually merge into one image - Sri Lakshmi.
Usually depicted and described as a goddess of extraordinary beauty, standing on a lotus and holding a lotus in each of her two hands, she is also adorned with a garland of lotuses. Its color is variously described as dark, pink, golden yellow, or white. When together with Vishnu, she is depicted with only two arms. When she is worshiped in a temple (separate temples are quite rare), she is depicted sitting on a lotus - a throne with four hands holding padma (lotus), shankha (shell), amrit-kalash (a vessel with the nectar of immortality) and bilva fruits. Sometimes she holds a mahalunga (lemon) instead of a bilva.
Now we can try to explain what is hidden behind this highly symbolic picture. If depicted as dark in color (the color of a thundercloud), this indicates that she is the wife of Vishnu, the dark-faced God. If she is depicted as golden yellow, it means that she is the source of all wealth. If colors, then this means the purest form of prakriti (nature). The pinkish color, which is more generally accepted, reflects her compassion for all beings, as she is the Mother of all things.
Her four arms indicate her ability to bestow four purusharthas (the main goals human life): dharma (righteousness based on observance of religious and social principles), artha (prosperity achieved as a result of the realization of one's talent), kama (bodily pleasures that do not violate the harmony of man and the laws of the universe) and moksha (spiritual liberation).
Lotuses in various stages of expansion symbolize worlds and beings in various stages of the evolution of consciousness. The fruits in our hands are the fruits of our labour. No matter how hard we work, until she is merciful enough to give us the fruits of our labors, everything will be useless. If the fruit, which is in the hands of the goddess, coconut, consisting of a shell, core and juice, this means that three levels of creation come from it - the gross, subtle and causal worlds. If this fruit is a pomegranate or a citron, then this means that various worlds are under her control and she surpasses them all. If it is the fruit of a bilva (a type of wild apple tree) - which, by the way, is not very pleasant in taste, but very healthy - then this means moksha, the highest fruit of spiritual life. Amrit-kalash means that she is able to bestow immortality.
As a vahana (companion) in some religious and philosophical schools, you can see an owl next to the goddess. There are different points of view on its nature. One of the most common versions is that the owl, awake at night, jealously guards the treasures of Lakshmi.
In most Hindu and Buddhist temples, elephants can be seen on both sides pouring water over it from jugs donated by celestial maidens. Such an image is called Gaji Lakshmi. The elephant represents the glory and splendor of Lakshmi.
I do not like places where violence is committed, anger, lies, greed, hypocrisy and envy exude. But most of all, Lakshmi hates any perversion in love. Especially if prostitution and homosexuality are encouraged somewhere. leaves such places - and everything immediately collapses. Luck, happiness and prosperity are also gradually fading away. This is especially true for community leaders.
Everything around them depends on their behavior. There have been many examples in history when, due to the sexual perversions of leaders, entire empires, countries, cities, religious and social movements. Lakshmi will never stay in such places - which means there will be no harmony, happiness, good luck. And even it will be possible to save wealth - they will not bring joy.
India is a country in which, next to the main religion "Hinduism", others peacefully exist - Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity, Baha'is, the Swaminarayan movement.
The very word "Hinduism" means "eternal way". This belief originates in the Vedic culture brought to India, supposedly in the 2-1 millennium BC by the ancient Aryans. The postulates of this religion are written in the sacred book "Vedas" and are fundamental for many pagan cultures that were widespread both in Indian and European civilizations.
Hindu temples are dedicated to various gods that make up the pantheon of gods. The main, Universal Gods are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. All other Hindu gods come from them. But along with the worship of any of the gods of the pantheon, in Hinduism there is also a trend in which believers consider their soul, the soul of a person, to be part of the Supreme Spirit of Brahman and worship only him.
But back to the Gods of the Universe.
Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
Brahma. This is God the creator, omniscient and giving power. He has many faces and looks in all directions.
Vishnu. God is the guardian, the watcher. He is depicted with big eyes. Later, Vishnu supplanted Brahma, and they began to call him the creator of the universe, and Brahma was given the role of a god who appeared in a lotus that grew from Vishnu's navel.
Shiva. Destroyer God. He is revered as keeping order in the universe. He saves people from illusions in life, destroying them and returning believers to true values. Shiva is multi-armed, he is a dancer, with his dance he awakens the Universe at the beginning life span and destroys it at the end.
Here is such a complex distribution of responsibilities for the three main gods, represented by three faces in the Vishnu Temple in Chitorag Fort. In the Temple of Brahma in Pushkar, the oldest surviving and active today, there is a sculptural image of a four-faced god in the sanctuary.
Each of the gods has a wife, who is Shakti - a deity who carries the feminine principle of the Universe, her energy:
Brahma has Saraswati, the goddess of words and sciences;
Vishnu has Lakshmi, the goddess of happiness and triumph, the mother of the god of love, Kama. She is always with Vishnu, in all his avatars (incarnations).
Shiva's wife is Parvati. They talk about her as an ordinary woman who fell in love with the destroyer god and achieved his favor. One of her incarnations - the goddess Kali - complete darkness, the destroyer of ignorance.
Parvati is the mother of the god of wisdom and the removal of obstacles, Ganesh.
The goal of Hindus of different directions can be called the desire for unity with God through the realization of the unity of all being and the achievement of perfect peace. Their faith does not limit worldly pleasures and teaches them to respect all living things as one of the possible incarnations of their own future life.
The symbol of Hinduism is "Om" or "Aum" - generic name God, whose three letter signs represent the three main gods and their sphere of action - Creation, Maintenance and Destruction, and also identify three states of consciousness - awakening, meditative immersion and deep sleep.
The sound "Om" itself is a mantra. Her singing activates all the forces of the body and awakens energy, bestowing health.
Brahma
Brahma - " great creator”, the deity in charge of creation in the great Trinity of Hinduism. Sometimes it creativity shared by the Divine Mother. Brahma is red, he has four heads, in the original there were all five of them, but one was burned by the third eye of Shiva, since Brahma addressed him without due respect. In his four hands, Brahma holds a scepter (in another version, a rosary), a bow, a bowl for alms and a manuscript of Riveda. In later myths, he is shown as giving an alms bowl to the supreme goddess and revealing the magical wisdom of written sources. Brahma personifies the masculine principle, while all other gods of the Hindu pantheon can represent the feminine. The four heads, four legs and four arms of Brahma, according to some interpretations, represent the four Vedas.
Brahma also participates in the legend concerning the creation of the world. The primary being, which had no qualities, the self-existing Brahman created the cosmic waters and placed in them a grain, which later became a golden egg - hiranyagarbha, from which Brahma, the creator of the universe, hatched. Purusha became the first man on earth - a cosmic personality, by the way, this is one of the names of Brahma. According to another legend, Brahma emerged from the lotus flower located at the navel of Vishnu, in the presence of his wife Lakshmi, the lotus goddess, personifying abundance and good luck. His passion for his own slender and charming daughter was the cause of the birth of mankind. The relationship of Brahma with his daughter - the divine Vak - " outside world", a melodious cow that brings milk and water" or "mother of the Vedas" led to the spread of the human race. Vak represents both speech and natural forces, in a sense it symbolizes maya (illusion). Next to a man, Vak is depicted as a lioness, and such a couple is often depicted near the entrance to a Hindu temple.
The goose or hamsa is the vehicle (vahana) of Brahma. Its origin according to myth is explained as the fact that the name of this bird is consonant with cosmic breath. When you inhale, you get the sound "ham", when you exhale - "sa". This is the main thing breathing exercise yoga and the rhythm of the breath of the entire universe. In temple architecture, there is also a motif of a hamsa or a pair of geese, usually depicted on two sides of a lotus - a symbol of knowledge.
The myth of the creation of the lingam concerns a dispute between Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma about who is the creator of the universe. A constantly growing lingam intervened in their dispute, crowned with a flame that rose from the depths of the cosmic ocean. Brahma, turning into a goose and Vishnu, turning into a boar, decided to find out what was the matter. So they saw the connection of the male and female principles of the universe, but they could not find the end to them.
To help him in creating the universe, Brahma created seven great sages, as well as seven Prajapatis - the progenitors of the human race. Since all these fathers of the universe were born from the mind, and not from the body of Brahma, they are also called Manasputras or "sons of the mind."
According to one legend, Brahma is practically not worshiped in India due to the curse of the great sage Brahmarishi Bhrigu. Once upon a time, a great fire sacrifice (yajna) was organized on earth, at which Bhrigu was the head priest. It was decided that the greatest of the gods would be present at the yajna, and Bhrigu had to single out the most important of the trinity. When he went to Brahma, he practically did not hear him, carried away by the magical music of Saraswati. Angry, Bhrigu cursed Brahma, saying that from now on, no one on earth would ask him for anything, and would not worship him at all.
According to the Brahma Purana and Hindu cosmology, Brahma is the creator, but is not singled out as a separate deity in Hinduism. He is remembered here only in connection with creation and Brahman, the material of all that exists. The life span of Brahma is one hundred years of Brahma or 311 trillion human years. The next hundred years is the dream of existence, after which a new Brahma appears, and creation begins anew. Therefore, Brahma is considered the executor of the will of Brahman.
Saraswati
In Hinduism, Saraswati is one of the three goddesses that make up the female half of the Trimurti (trinity). The other two are Lakshmi and Durga. About Saraswati, the idea is referred to as the goddess of the river, and at a later time, an appeal appeared to her as the goddess of knowledge, music and fine arts. She is the wife of Brahma indian god creations. There is a parallel between Saraswati and such goddesses of the Hindu cult as Vak, Rati, Kanti, Savitri and Gayatri. She is referred to as Shonapunya - "cleansed of blood."
As the goddess of the river (water), Saraswati personifies fertility and prosperity. She is associated with purity and creativity, especially in all matters of communication, such as literature and oratory. In the post-Vedic era, she began to lose her staus of the river goddess and became more and more associated with the arts: literature, music and others. Her name in literary translation means “one that flows,” which can equally refer to thoughts, words, or a stream of speech.
Goddess Saraswati is usually depicted as beautiful woman with yellow skin, dressed in pure white clothes, seated on a white lotus (although usually her vahana is considered a swan), which symbolizes her experience in knowledge absolute Truth. Thus, it is clothed not only with knowledge, but, moreover, with the experience of higher reality. She is mostly associated with the color white, which symbolizes purity or true knowledge. Sometimes, however, it is associated with yellow- the color of blooming mustard, which is just gaining buds during its holiday in the spring. Saraswati is not so hung with gold and precious stones, like Lakshmi, she is dressed more modestly, which, perhaps, allegorically speaks of her preference in the knowledge of spheres that are above the world of things.
Ganesha, Lakshmi, Saraswati
In depictions, she usually has four arms, each representing an aspect human personality in the learning process: mind, intellect, attention and selfishness. In these four hands she holds:
Book. it sacred Vedas, which represent universal, divine, comprehensive and true knowledge, as well as its excellence in the sciences and literature
Mala. A rosary of white beads, representing the power of meditation and spirituality itself
Holy water. A pot of sacred water symbolizes the power of creativity and the power of purification.
Guilt. Musical instrument signifies her excellence in all arts and sciences.
Saraswati is also associated with anuraga, a rhythm that expresses all emotions and feelings through music or words. It is believed that if children are named after her, then in the future they will be very successful in their studies.
At the feet of Saraswati floats White Swan. According to legend, the sacred swan, if offered a mixture of milk and honey, will drink one milk from there. Thus, the swan symbolizes the distinction between good and bad, between the eternal and the fleeting. Due to this inseparable association with the swan, the goddess Saraswati is also addressed as Hamsavahini, that is, she "who uses the swan as a vehicle."
Saraswati is usually depicted near a flowing river, which may reflect her historical image of a river deity. On the ancient origin also indicate lotus and swan.
Sometimes a peacock is present next to the goddess. This bird symbolizes pride in its beauty. Usually the peacock is located at the feet of Saraswati, so she teaches not to focus on your own appearance and engage in the search for eternal truth.
Vishnu
As the preserver and restorer, Vishnu is very popular among Hindu followers. The root from which his name is derived - vish - means "to fill": he is said to be omnipresent and fills all creation. His power manifests in the world through many forms called avatars or incarnations. The essence of incarnations lies in the fact that part of his divine power is born in the form of a person or other creature. The Avatar appears when there is an urgent need to prevent the influence of evil on the earth. “When order, justice and mortals are in danger, I descend to the earth,” says Vishnu. Despite the fact that Vishnu devotees mention twenty-eight incarnations of Vishnu, only ten are the main ones in the chronology of Hinduism.
Krishna steals butter
Yashoda punishes Krishna for stealing butter
Vishnu is usually depicted as a handsome Yanosha with dark skin. of blue color dressed like an ancient ruler. In his four hands he holds a conical shell, a disk, a club and a lotus flower. He rides Garuda, the sun bird, the enemy of all snakes. This antagonism is revealed in the struggle between Krishna and the water serpent Kaliya. When Balarama reminded Krishna of his divine nature, he performed a dance on the head of Kaliya. Having defeated the tormented king of snakes, Krishna ordered him to leave the Yamuna River and move to the endless ocean, promising that Garuda is a golden sun bird- never dare to attack him because her rider touched him.
Half of the main avatars of Vishnu are people, half are animals.
While all the many universes are in a manifested state, the Primordial Vishnu monitors the state of affairs in each of them and periodically incarnates in one place or another, in whole or in part, in order to restore order. According to the most common classification, 10 avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu visited our Earth.
1. Fish (matsya). When the Earth was flooded with the waters of the global flood, Vishnu took the form of a fish, which first warned Manu (the progenitor of mankind, the son of Brahma) of imminent danger, and then on a ship tied to a horn on her head, carried Manu, his family and seven great sages (rishis).
2. Turtle (kurma). During the flood, many divine treasures were lost, including ambrosia (amrita), with which the gods preserved eternal youth. Vishnu assumed the form of a gigantic tortoise and plunged to the bottom of the cosmic ocean. The gods placed Mount Mandara on his back and wrapped the divine serpent Vasuki around the mountain. Then they pulled the kite and thus spun the mountain, churning the ocean like an ordinary Indian milkman churns butter. Amrita and many other treasures, including the goddess Lakshmi, floated to the surface of the churning ocean.
3. Boar (varaha). The demon Hiranyaksha again plunged the Earth into the depths of the cosmic ocean. Vishnu assumed the form of a giant boar, slew the demon, and set the earth in place, lifting it up on his fang.
4. Lion Man (narasimha). Another demon, Hiranyakasipu, received a magical ability to become invulnerable as a gift from Brahma. Neither beast, nor man, nor god could kill him day or night. Taking advantage of his safety, he began to persecute the gods and people and even his pious son Prahlada. Then Prahlada turned to Vishnu for help. At sunset, i.e. neither day nor night, the god suddenly emerged from a pillar in the demon's palace in the guise of a half-lion half-man and killed Hiranyakashipu
5. Dwarf (vamana). A demon named Bali seized power over the world and, having performed a series of ascetic feats, achieved supernatural power and began to threaten even the gods. Vishnu appeared before him in the form of a dwarf and asked for as a gift as much land as he could measure in three steps. When the gift was promised, the god turned into a giant and took two steps with which he covered the earth, the sky and all the space between them, but generously refrained from the third step, leaving the underworld to the demon.
Rama, Sita
6. Parasurama ("Rama with an ax"). Vishnu took on a human form, having been born the son of the Brahmin Jamadagni. When the brahmin's father was robbed by the evil king Kartavirya, Parasurama killed him. The sons of Kartavirya, in turn, killed Jamadagni, after which the angry Parasurama exterminated all the men from the Kshatriya (warrior) class 21 times in a row.
Rama draws the bow of Kodanda
7. Rama, prince of Ayodhya, hero of the epic drama Ramayana. Vishnu incarnated in his image to save the world from the oppression of the demon Ravana. Rama is usually depicted as a dark-skinned man, often armed with a bow and arrow. He is escorted loving wife Sita - the embodiment of female fidelity, his three devoted brothers - Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna - and Hanuman, the king of monkeys, true friend and colleague. Rama is revered as the incarnation ideal husband, commander and monarch.
Rama, Sita, Lakshmana
8. Krishna, the most significant of the incarnations of Vishnu -
is the most popular deity in India today. He was the last of the shepherd family of Yadavas. Vishnu pulled out his two hairs: white and black, and placed them in the womb of Devaki and Rohini, so Krishna appeared from the black hair, and Balarama appeared from the white. Kansa, the ruler of Madhura, learned that Devaki's son would kill him, and ordered his mother to exchange Krishna for the daughter of the cowherds Nanda and Yasoda. On the way to Madhura, Krishna performs many feats. Yashoda learns about his divine origin by looking into his mouth and seeing the whole universe there. The symbol of devotion is the love of the cowherd girl Radha for Krishna.
Krishna tells Arjuna about his divine origin, being his charioteer during the battle of the Pandavas and Kauravas. He reveals the divine truth to Arjuna, so the Bhagavad Gita is not so much an epic as holy book Hinduism.
9. Buddha, the last incarnation of Vishnu in the past. According to the Gitagovinda by the great poet Jayadeva, Vishnu incarnated as a Buddha out of compassion for animals in order to put an end to bloody sacrifices.
10. Kalki is the future incarnation. Hindus believe that at the end of our dark era, Vishnu will appear in the form of a man riding a white horse, with a flaming sword in his hand. He will condemn the sinners, reward the virtuous and revive the Satya Yuga ("golden age").
Lakshmi
Lakshmi is hindu goddess wealth, light, wisdom, lotus, good luck and luck, beauty, courage and fertility. Images akin to Lakshmi or Sri are also found in Jainism and Buddhism, not to mention numerous Hindu temples. She is kind to children and generous with gifts. Because of her maternal feelings and because she is the wife of Narayan (the Supreme Being), the image of the Mother of the universe is transferred to her.
Lakshmi is the wife of Vishnu, she was married to all his incarnations: at the time of Rama she was Sita, at the time of Krishna - Rukmini, when he appeared as Venkateswara, she was Alamelu. According to the beliefs of the Vaishnavas, she is the mother goddess and shakti (energy) of Narayana.
About the appearance of Goddess Lakshmi exists ancient legend. The quick-tempered sage Durvasa once presented Indra, the king of the gods, with a garland of flowers that should never wither. Indra gave this garland to his elephant, Airavata. When Durvasa saw such disrespect for himself that an elephant was walking around with a divine garland around his neck, he cursed Indra, saying that he and all the gods would lose their strength due to his pride and careless attitude. The curse came true: the demons drove the gods out of heaven. The defeated gods went to seek refuge with the Creator - the god Brahma, who offered them to plow the ocean of milk - Kshirshagar, in order to get the nectar of immortality. For help, the gods turned to Vishnu, who took the avatar of Kurma (turtle) and supported Mantar Parvata (mountain) as a stupa in the churn, while Vasuki, the king of snakes, played the role of a rope. Gods and demons, under the control of the wise ruler of Bali - Chakravarti, helped each other to plow this milky ocean.
Vishnu and Lakshmi on Shesha Naga hoods
Among all the divine gifts that appeared from the ocean in the process of churning, the goddess Lakshmi also appeared, choosing Vishnu as her husband, so only he has the power to control the illusion (maya). This legend also explains why Lakshmi is called the daughter of the ocean; the moon, also emerging from the ocean during churning, is called in myths the brother of Lakshmi. Elder sister Lakshmi is the goddess of misfortune Alakshmi. It is believed that she also came from the ocean of milk. According to the Vishnu Purana, Lakshmi is the daughter of Bhrigu and Khyati, she was brought up in Svarga, but due to the curse of Durvasa, she had to settle in Kshirsagar.
Lakshmi is the power and maya of the god Vishnu. In some images, she can be seen in two forms: Bhudevi and Sridevi, standing on different sides Vishnu. Bhudevi is a form of fertility, in fact, it is mother earth. Sridevi represents wealth and knowledge. Many people mistakenly say that Vishnu has two wives, but this is not true. Regardless of the number of forms, it is still one goddess.
Lakshmi is depicted as a beautiful woman with four arms, sitting on a lotus, dressed in luxurious robes and adorned with jewels. Her expression is always peaceful and loving. the most important hallmark Lakshmi is that she always sits on a lotus. The lotus symbolizes Sri Lakshmi's inseparable connection with purity and spiritual strength. Rooted in mud, but blooming above the water, one whose flower is not polluted, the lotus represents spiritual perfection and the meaning of spiritual attainment. Apart from Lakshmi, many deities in Hindu iconography stand or sit on a lotus. Many epithets of Lakshmi include a comparison with a lotus.
Goddess Lakshmi traditionally rides on an owl (uluka), a bird that sleeps during the day and stays vigilant at night.
Shiva
The name Shiva is not found in ancient manuscripts, but the word Rudra is often used there - “Roaring or growling, terrifying.”
Shiva is pleasing to the eye, he has four arms, four faces and three eyes. The third eye, located in the center of the forehead, its fiery gaze makes all living beings cringe. Sometimes the third eye is drawn symbolically as three horizontal stripes; they are also applied by the devotees of this god to their foreheads. Shiva is wearing the skin of a tiger, and the snake is wrapped around his neck twice. He is the chief ascetic, the Divine Yogi, who sits alone on the summit of Mount Kailash, high in the Himalayan mountains. By order of Indra, the god of love, Kama, fired an arrow of passion, which was designed to tear him away from many years of contemplation, and directed his attention to Parvati, the “mountain dweller”, the daughter of the king of the Himalayas, the incarnation of the Supreme Goddess. But when the arrow reached its target, Shiva, brought out of the state of meditation, incinerated Kama with a flash of his anger. Despite the fact that Shiva agreed to the rebirth of the god of love, his beautiful body has never been restored, so Kama is called ananga in a different way - “incorporeal”.
Lord Shiva in the family circle
The destructive aspect of Shiva reveals another of his names - Bhairava - "the absorber of joy." In this capacity, Shiva walks around cemeteries and cremation grounds with snakes on his head and a bunch of skulls as a necklace, with a retinue of demons. The opposite characterization of this deity becomes apparent when he performs his cosmic dance as Nataraja, "the king of dancers." The many faces of Shiva's images are reflected in the sculpture and painting of South India, and the sacred dance is often performed in front of temples by people in a trance.
Shiva Nataraja
Shiva Nataraja is surrounded by flames forming a circle - the symbolism of the process of creation of the universe. He stands with one leg raised, the other resting on a tiny figure, crouched to the lotus. This dwarf demon symbolizes human ignorance (in another interpretation, the figurine symbolizes a devotee who completely surrenders to the will of a deity) - this is how the path to wisdom and liberation from fetters is depicted material worlds. In one hand of the deity is a drum - a symbol of speech; his second hand blesses; on the palm of the third hand, a flame trembles, reminiscent of its destructive qualities; the fourth hand is turned to the raised leg - freed from illusions. Together, this illustrates the path to the salvation of the devotee.
Lord Shiva drinks the ocean of poison
At Mamallapuram, in the south of Madras, there is a famous mountain cave- Steps to the Ganges. She reflects famous legend about the manifestation of Shiva as Gangadhara - "He who was able to hold the Ganges River." Once upon a time, the earth lacked moisture, and the life-giving waters of the Ganges flowed in the sky, washing only higher worlds. The earth was so filled with ash that it seemed impossible to clean it up. To put an end to all this, the sage Bhagiratha proposed to transfer the Ganges from heaven. But the dimensions of the divine river were so great that if it had rushed to the earth in a stream, it would have significantly harmed it. And then Shiva intervened, substituting his head under the stream of water, which, wriggling in his hair, turned into seven calm tributaries. For movement, Shiva uses Nandi - a milky-white bull, which always stands on the outside of the temple. Nandi sensitively looks after all four-legged creatures.
Goddess Durga
According to Indian folk tradition the goddess Durga is the wife of Shiva in one of his incarnations. Durga enjoyed special reverence among the non-Aryan part of the population of India, and, at that period in the history of India, when Indian folk beliefs synthesized with Hinduism, she was included in the Indian pantheon of gods as the incarnation of Parvati, one of the wives of Shiva.
Parvati, Shiva, Ganesha
The cult of the Great Mother Goddess, who embodied the destructive and creative forces of nature, was closely associated with the goddess Durga. We find similar interpretations of the essence of Durga in Shaivism and Tantrism, in which this deity was the creative energy of Shiva, being his shakti.
Hanuman, Rama and Lakshmana worship Shiva
Most often, Durga appears as a warrior goddess who wages an uncompromising war with demons, protects the gods, and also preserves the world order. One of the most popular Indian legends tells how Durga destroyed the demon Mahishi in a duel, who at one time cast the gods from heaven to earth. This demon was considered invincible, but he was overthrown by Durga, after which he settled with eight yogi assistants in the Vindhya mountains.
In Hindu folk art, the goddess Durga appears as a ten-armed woman who majestically sits on a lion or tiger. In her hands is a weapon of retribution, as well as symbols belonging to other gods: Shiva's trident, Vayu's bow, Indra's vajra, Vishnu's disc, etc. Such an image indicates that the gods bestowed part of their powers on Durga so that she would not only protect, but also destroy everything that hinders development.
Shiva and Parvati
It is no accident that the mantras dedicated to the goddess Durga contain not so much the idea of destruction as the desire to overcome all manifestations of evil. She always triumphs over pain, suffering and other hardships.
Devi
Devi is often called the great goddess - Mahadevi. The wife of Shiva, Hindus worship her two aspects: blessing and cruel. In a positive aspect, she is Uma - "bright", Gauri - "yellow" or "luminous", Parvati - "mountainous" and Jaganmata - "mother of the worlds". Her negative, frightening, incarnations are Durga - "impregnable", Kali - "black", Chandi - "cruel" and Bhairavi - "terrible".
Shiva and Devi are referred to as the dualistic personalization of Brahman, the primary substance. Like Vishnu, Shiva does not come into direct contact with the material elements of the universe, but instead manifests through the power of energy or shakti, which, according to myth, is personalized in the face of his wife or daughter. In Hindu iconography, the presence of the deity's shakti, its female component, is very important, if only because it attracts the devotee and helps him along the way. Devi worship peaked during the Tantric period dating from the seventh century, when liberation could only be achieved through mithuna, the state of a couple. But the most early example close embrace of devotees is recorded on Buddhist monuments in Skarvi dating back to the second century BC. Rites of a very free form for the fertilization of the earth, of course, are performed among all peoples, and the ritual expression of the language of relations used to awaken the sleeping sexual energy, can still be found in traditional jokes and toasts made by guests at the wedding ceremony.
At the end of the Vedic era, there were several goddesses recognized as the wives of Shiva or Rudra, and by different castes in different regions India was revered, respectively, completely different goddesses. All this theistic diversity eventually merged into one great goddess, Devi, whose origin is described as the mother goddess of the plains Hindus. The supreme goddess Devi "contains the whole world in her womb", she "lights the lamp of wisdom" and "brings joy to the heart of Shiva, her Lord." So in the ninth century Shankara wrote, but still the Divine Mother remains the greatest power in Hinduism.
The first incarnation of the great goddess was Durga - a beautiful warrior with skin yellow color sitting on a tiger. The circumstances under which she appeared were sad: the demon Manisha, using his power, terrorized all surrounding creatures. The gods were afraid of his huge water bull, and even Vishnu or Shiva could not oppose him. And only the combined energy (shakti) of all the heavenly inhabitants seemed capable of destroying Manisha, and so the eighteen-armed Durga entered the battlefield. After a titanic battle, she sat on a bull and took away his weapon from the demon - a terrifying mace. Later, when the power of Devi was already fixed, the gods from time to time, as needed, turned to her, giving this or that weapon and strength into their hands, so that she became “Comprehensive”.
The most shocking is the incarnation of the goddess as Kali. She stands on the prostrate body of Shiva, who rests on a bed of lotus. Dressed in lavish robes adorned with jeweled patterns, Kali also wears a garland of slashing weapons and a necklace of skulls. Her tongue dangles from her mouth, possibly tasting blood. She has four hands: the first right clutches a bloody sword - the other holds a severed head by the hair. With another hand, she blesses the devotees. She absorbed the ruthlessness and implacability of Rudra and Shiva, acting as Bharavi. In this image of the Divine Mother there are both the attributes of death and the attributes of life. “Your hands,” Shankar says, addressing her, “hold relief and pain. The shadow of pain and the elixir of immortality - all this is yours!
Devi has many famous names: she and Tara (goddess of wisdom), Radha (lover of Krishna), Ambika (mother of Vidura and wife of Vichitravirya), Bhavani (fertile aspect of shakti, who needed to perform daily puja - worship), Pithivi (goddess of the earth) and so on.
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Ganesha
Ganesha is one of the most famous and perhaps the most famous incarnations of the divine in Hinduism. It is very easy to distinguish him by the elephant's head, although he has a lot of other attributes. Ganesha is worshiped as the god of circumstances Vignesh, the patron of sciences and arts, as well as the god of wisdom and intellect. He is paid tribute at the beginning of every rite or ceremony; before you start writing anything, you need to turn to him as the patron of letters.
Ganesha is a popular character in Indian art. Ideas about Ganesh vary, the details of the image are constantly changing. He can be shown standing, dancing, fighting demons, playing with his family, sitting, or in any other situation. There are many legends about his outstanding appearance, but like the images, they differ from each other. The most common theory that can be deduced from all these myths is that Ganesha was born with both the body and the head of a man, but was beheaded by Shiva when he stood between Parvati and her husband. Then Shiva replaced the head of Ganesha with an elephant. Other stories say that when Ganesha was born, Parvati decided to show him to other gods. Unfortunately, the ceremony was attended by the god Shani, who looked at him with an evil eye, and the baby's head turned into ashes. According to another legend, Ganesha appeared because of the laughter of Shiva. Then Shiva considered him too attractive, so he cursed him and Ganesha had an elephant's head and a prominent belly.
Ganesha's earliest name is Ekadanta ("he who has one tusk"), indicating that he has only one intact tusk. In some early images, Ganesha is holding a second, broken tusk. According to the Mudgala Purana, the second incarnation of Ganesha is Ekadanta. The prominent belly of Ganesha is also his feature, which was noted as early as the statues of the Gupta period. The Mudgala Purana states that among the incarnations of Ganesha were Lambodara ("Dangling belly") and Mahodara (" Big belly”), the descriptions of which focus on his abdomen. The Brahmanda Purana says that all the universes of the past, present and future are represented in Lambodar, which is why it has such a constitution. The number of hands in Ganesha varies, the most famous forms have from two to sixteen hands. Many images depict an elephant-headed god with four arms, which is reflected in the texts of the Puranas. Its earliest representations had only two hands, and forms with fourteen and twenty hands appeared in Central India only by the ninth to tenth century.
The colors most commonly associated with Ganesha are red and yellow, but other colors may be prescribed during various ceremonies (so during meditation he should be visualized as a figure of blue.)
Of the eight incarnations described in the Mudagala Purana, five use the mouse as a means of transportation. In addition to the mouse, other animals are also used: Vakratunda, for example, rides a lion, Vikata rides a peacock, and Vignaraya rides the divine snake Shesha. The Jains believe that Ganesha's vahans (transport) are a mouse, an elephant, a tortoise, a ram or a peacock.
Some say that Parvati dreamed of a son, but Shiva did not grant her this happiness. Then, by the power of her desire, she separated a tiny child from her skin and began to lovingly nurse him with her milk. Other myths claim that Parvati molded a child from clay and revived him with the heat of her motherly love. There is also an option according to which Shiva, pitying his beloved, squeezed the edge of her light clothes into a ball and called him a son. And the child came alive from the warmth of her breast.
Parvati, proud of the beauty of the child, asked everyone to admire him, and with the same request turned to the cruel god Shani, who could destroy everything that he would glance at. The foolish mother insisted that Shani look at the boy, and immediately the child's head disappeared. Brahma advised Parvati to give him the head of the first creature she met. The elephant turned out to be such a creature.
According to another myth, Shiva himself in anger cut off his son's head when he did not let him into Parvati's chambers at the time when she performed ablution. Then, touched by the grief of his wife, Shiva ordered his servants to cut off the head of the first living being encountered on the way and bring this head. Having met the baby elephant, the servants cut off his head and delivered it to their master, who by the power of divine spells strengthened this head on the shoulders of the child.
Due to the heavy elephant head, Ganesha could not grow tall and slender, but his short, wide body was beating kind heart and everyone loved him. He grew up smart and calm, and when he matured, Shiva elevated him to the rank of master of all the demigods and spirits subordinate to him. Ganesha of Goddess Saraswati comprehended many sciences, and therefore always favors people striving for knowledge.
One of his tusks Ganesha, according to legend, lost in a collision with Parashurama, that is, the human incarnation of the god Vishnu. Parasurama came to visit Shiva, he was sleeping, and Ganesha refused to wake him up. Parashurama could not restrain his anger when he saw that this strange young man was obstructing him, and with one swing of the ax cut off his tusk. No one dared to violate the will of Parashurama and correct what he had done, so Ganesha was forever left with one tusk.
Ganesha is considered the God of wisdom, the Eliminator of Obstacles and the patron of all who study various sciences. The talisman is good to have on your desktop, at home or in the office. Ganesha will help you earn more, will stimulate professional success and increase profits. It is better to place it in the assistant zone - in the northwest.
The stone Ganeshas from semi-precious stones, copper, wooden (for example, sandalwood), etc. In India, where Ganesha is especially revered, there are many plastic figures. It doesn’t matter what material Ganesha is made of, only respectful attitude towards him is important.
Talisman activation
For active work talisman you need to scratch Ganesha's tummy or right palm. In addition, you can put coins or sweets next to him - Ganesha loves offerings and will definitely please you with pleasant surprises. One more nuance: this talisman can be activated with Hindu mantras:
1. OM GAM GANAPATHAYA NAMAH.
It is considered the most important mantra to the god Ganesha. She bestows purity of intention, good luck in business and removes obstacles from the path.
2. OM SRI GANESHAYA NAMAH.
As a result of repeating this mantra, success is achieved in any commercial business, the pursuit of excellence, deep knowledge of the world, and the flowering of talents are realized.
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Lakshmi- the goddess of abundance, prosperity, wealth, good luck and happiness. She is the embodiment of grace, beauty and charm. It is believed that its adherents will be protected from all kinds of misfortune and poverty. Lakshmi is the eldest wife, married to Rama (in the incarnation sieves) and Krishna (as radha, and later Rukmini).
She is depicted both alone and with Vishnu. If Vishnu is accompanied by Bhu or she also keeps him company and is then called Sri. When she is the only companion of Vishnu, she is called Lakshmi. When she is depicted alone, she is called both Sri and Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the eldest wife of Vishnu. The meaning of the name Sri is “prosperity”, “happiness”, “glory”.
- Padma: Lotus Dweller
- Kamala: Lotus Dweller
- Padmapriya: She who loves lotuses
- Padmamaladhara devi: She who wears a garland of lotuses
- Padmamukhi: The one whose face is as beautiful as a lotus
- Padmakshi: She whose eyes are as beautiful as lotuses
- Padmahasta: The one who holds the lotus
- Padmasundari: She who is beautiful like a lotus
- Vishnupriya: Beloved Vishnu
- Ulkavahini: The one who rides an owl
Among her other names indira("beautiful" or "powerful"), Chanchala and Lola("unstable") Lokamata("mother of the world").
The name Lakshmi is derived from the word "laksya" in Sanskrit, lexical meaning given word- "goal". She is the lunar goddess of good fortune and prosperity. It is believed that it brings prosperity and blessings to people. Also, Lakshmi is a goddess personifying generosity, happiness, impeccability and true beauty.
No wonder they give her image and power great attention. They say that if everything is fine in the family, Lakshmi settled in such a house. If the failures follow a series, Lakshmi left the house.
Appearance of Goddess Lakshmi
There are several versions of the birth of this goddess. One of them says that Lakshmi was the daughter of the sage Bhrigu and Khyati. This legend, although the most plausible, is not the most popular.
According to another legend, Lakshmi appeared sitting on a lotus (or with a lotus in her hands) at a time when the asuras and devas were churning the oceans. This legend is considered the main one and has maximum amount adherents.
The third legend of the birth of Lakshmi says that she appeared from the primordial waters, emerging on a lotus flower. There are opinions that she always accompanies Vishnu in all his avatars.
Description of Goddess Lakshmi
Goddess Lakshmi
Lakshmi is usually described as a very beautiful and charming young woman with 2, 4 or 8 arms. She is often depicted standing on a lotus or holding a lotus in each hand (if she has 4 hands). She is often decorated with a garland of lotuses, and in some images, elephants can be seen on either side of the goddess, pouring water from jugs on her.
The color of the goddess is described in different ways: it can be dark, pink, white or golden yellow. If Lakshmi is depicted with Vishnu, she is described as a woman with 2 arms, and in some temples where this particular goddess is worshiped, she is depicted on a lotus throne with 4 or 10 arms.
If Lakshmi is portrayed in dark color, this indicates that she is the wife of the dark-faced god Vishnu. If the skin color of the goddess is golden yellow, then in this picture she personifies the source of wealth. White color means the purest form of nature. Most often, Lakshmi is reflected in a pinkish color as the goddess of compassion for all living things.
It is believed that Lakshmi is the goddess of all things, and her 4 hands indicate the ability to give people 4 purusharthas ( life goals): arthu - wealth, kama - bodily pleasures, moksha - bliss and dharma - righteousness.
Most often you can find images of Lakshmi and Vishnu. She not only great goddess, but also the exemplary wife of Vishnu, who is depicted sitting at his feet. Lakshmi personifies the example of a woman as a wife to her husband.
Holidays of Goddess Lakshmi
The Navarati (9 nights) festival, which lasts 10 days and 9 nights, is partly dedicated to the goddess Lakshmi. The second three-day day is reserved for the celebration and veneration of Lakshmi. After the goddess Kali cleanses the hearts of people from inertia, anger, ignorance and laziness in the first 3 days of Navarati, the next 3 days the goddess Lakshmi fills the already purified souls with various virtues.
The famous Diwali festival is also interpreted as the festival of the goddess Lakshmi. During Diwali, people light thousands of lanterns and fireworks in honor of the goddess. But the essence of the holiday lies in the fact that at the time of the celebration, the goddess herself, in search of a place to rest, enters brightly lit dwellings and, with her presence, bestows wealth and prosperity on people.
Incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi
As stated in the Puranas, in the first incarnation, the goddess was the daughter of the sage Bhrigu and his wife Khyati. Her second incarnation took place during the churning of the ocean. Since Lakshmi is the wife of Vishnu, she is always considered his soulmate and reincarnates with him. She is known for her incarnations in Kamala, Dharani, Sita and Rukmini. It is believed that if Vishnu represents everything masculine, then Lakshmi, on the contrary, is the embodiment of femininity, righteousness, good deeds, compassion and intelligence.
Meanings of fruits and objects in the hands of Goddess Lakshmi
Where to place the statuette of the goddess Lakshmi?
An ideal place for the Feng Shui talisman of Goddess Lakshmi would be an office or an entrance hall, because these places are strongly associated with well-being and prosperity. When choosing a sector according to Feng Shui, you should focus on the southeast (Wealth zone) or southwest (Assistant and Travel zone).
How to earn the favor of Lakshmi?
In order to establish contact with the goddess Lakshmi and attract her favor, one should use meditation or chanting mantras, in which the name of the gold-bearing goddess must be mentioned. You can try to combine meditation and mantras to the goddess Lakshmi - this will greatly enhance the effect, which means that well-being will not take long!
The main mantra dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi is called MAHALAKSHMI. Her text goes like this:
OM HRIM SHRIM LAKSMI BYO NAMAH.
Another, no less popular Lakshmi mantra sounds like this:
OM SRI MAHA LAKSHMYAI NAMAH.
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These mantras recommend repeating a number of times that will be a multiple of 3 (3,9,12,18, etc.). The main thing is that in the process of reading the mantra you concentrate on what you desire most of all - this will greatly enhance the positive effect.
Also, the attention of the goddess can be attracted by her images in your home and incense. It is believed that incense helps not only to attract the attention of the goddess, but also to earn her favor.
Summing up
Achieving wealth and well-being is one of the biggest aspirations in our lives. The most spiritual of us do not accept the constant pursuit of financial well-being and money. But the truth is that the freedom that money can give us is what everyone wants. It is believed that Lakshmi bestows wealth and prosperity, wealth and freedom on his most devoted admirers.
