Legalization of Prostitution in India

A decision whether or not to legalize organized prostitution in India can be arrived at in one or a combination of the following four ways.

One- Majority Decision. Seek majority opinion of the people. Through referendum involving the entire population. Taking the opinion of the people’s representatives is an option. However, this issue not having been discussed at the time of elections, the opinion of the current representatives may not be fully representative of that of the people.

Two- Based on anticipated advantage. Analyze empirical data from societies across the world where prostitution is legalized to find out whether such a step provided benefit for society, government and to the prostitutes.

Three- Based on ethics. Answering the question- “Is this the correct move ?”
This question demands application of mind and serious thinking unlike in the case of parsing of data or punching of personal preference in voting machine.

Four- Based on the fundamental purpose of life. Does it help achieve it.
The fundamental purpose of life needs to be clear in this case. That is for the society to arrive at, collectively.

The first option is the most easy. The advantage is that it absolves everybody from responsibility for the decision, including the people themselves.

The second option needs to also analyze the applicability in India of systems prevalent in those societies from where the data is sourced, considering the differences between the two societies, particularly the size of the nation and demographics, in addition to diversity in culture and extant belief systems. Forceful implementation of policies that may be incompatible with societal characteristics, as sometimes done in communist and other such autocratic states, is neither endearing nor enduring.

The third option demands the society to be more responsible, more accountable towards all its constituents. It demands an outlook going beyond narrow identification with individual self and understanding the interrelationship between all constituents of the society including Nature in which it functions. It also calls for comprehending the effect of current decisons on the shaping of society and subsequent generations.

The fourth option requires the society to be evolved, to understand itself comprehensively, which would give it sense of direction regarding its purpose in relation to that of the entire creation. bharatiya samaj was knowledgeable in this aspect at one time.

Legalization means accepting prostitution as a legally supported profession. The following issues need to be considered while taking the decision.

Objectification

First is the question whether prostitution can be considered a profession at all, in the sense that a profession provides an avenue for livelihood while also developing the personality of the person, giving him/her a sense of responsibility, direction and control over life, self-esteem and dignity.

There is a viewpoint that prostitution is like any service industry where customers pay to get satisfaction.
That maybe so in few cases of call girls known as escorts.
However, a large number of prostitutes are brought into the field through abduction, coercion, trafficking and/or due to poverty and unemployment. While many adjust to that way of life under duress, many others may wish for a different way of life.
Majority of these prostitutes get their visitors from among daily wagers, labourers, drivers and other lowly paid professions. In may of the cases what these visitors seek is sexual release, at the end of a hard day wherein they worked like automations, rather than any demonstration of ‘professional’ skills by the prostitute.

Even in the case of more affluent customers, often the driving need is sexual satiation and what they seek is an object, one that titilates senses.

This ‘objectification’ is central to prostitution.
It dehumanises, and thus prevents prostitution from making the grade as a profession.

Involved Decision

The second point is a question- are the people who recommend legalization doing so from a detached standpoint, like they are in an insulated sterile environment from where they observe and decide upon the fate of the prostitutes and their visitors ?

Do those who advocate legalization include wives, who are not averse to having their husbands avail of the services of a ‘legalized’ prostitute when she is not able to perform due to pregnancy or illness or old age ?
Do the husbands among them approve if their wives enjoy the services of a legalized gigolo on occasions when he is too tired to perform ?
Are these people comfortable with one or both of their parents visiting ‘legal’ prostitutes ?
Will they allow their sons and daughters to avail of such ‘legalized’ services once in a while to satiate libido? What if their sons-in-law and daughters-in-law want to avail of such services ? What about their grandchildren ?
What if some of their close relation want to enter into the ‘legalized profession’ for lucrative reasons, will they be happy with it ? Is that the kind of society that they would like to live in ?

Theoretically some may answer affirmative to the above. But when reality strikes, it is likely to be quite unpalatable, even revolting, for most.

Humanity

The third point is about equating the prevalence of unlawful prostitution with bootlegging and gold smuggling that occured when liquor was prohibited and import of gold restricted in the past and the subsequent expoitation of the situation by organized gangs.

This equating is flawed because unlike liquor and gold, it is human beings that are involved in prostitution. Point being that, while liquor is distilled from materials and gold is dug from the ground, prostitutes are sourced from a broken family or by breaking a family.
While a prostitute may financially support some of her parents and siblings, she will be denied a family of her own because very few people are willing to have their spouses working as prostitutes.
Moreover, if the case is that a woman has to prostitute herself to support her family, it shows a failure on part of the society and the government for not providing avenue for employment. Legalizing prostitution does not provide escape route for society and government from that responsibility.

Self-Esteem

The fourth point is that the prostitute often has to perform acts that she is not comfortable with, for the sake of continued employment. So s/he conditions herself into acting in ways that violate her sense of self and erodes self-esteem on a regular basis. Approving prostitution means that a portion of society is condemned to live with deficient self-esteem perennially. This is not comparable to job-dissatisfaction experienced in other fields, it touches the core of the person.

Employment in certain jobs such as toilet cleaning, cannot be compared with prostitution because there are enough tools available that removes the need of personal contact.
Besides, the premise of the comparison itself is flawed because, in personal life every person cleans him/herself on daily basis to ensure hygiene, but does not clean another person unless that person is an invalid or a child. In which case again there are ways in which direct personal contact is avoided where necessary. Moreover, such acts are invariably reciprocated to the doer in times of need.

Equivalent to prostitution would be the daily cleaning by one person, of many others, who are quite capable of taking care of themselves, through direct personal contact often going beyond mere cleaning, without any reciprocation by those others.

The comparison is further flawed because sewage removal is an invaluable service that benefits the entire society whereas prostitution caters to indulge the personal whims of a selfish-minded few invariably at a cost to their own families and that of the prostitute.

Child-Prostitution

The fifth point is that, despite organized prostitution being illegal currently, brothels run, trafficking goes on, exploitation occurs and child-prostitution thrives.
Legalizing of prostitution will form more avenues for bringing in under-age teens into prostitution by way of forging age-proof certificates.

Setting Precedent

The sixth point is that inability to curb harmful behaviour is not acceptable justification to propose for legalization of the behaviour. When government or law enforcement agencies give such excuse, they declare their incompetence, which has potential to set detrimental precedent. It also reveals irresponsibility towards duty. Further, such attempt to legalize the illegal portent willingness to prostitute legal conscience.

On a similar note, the deterioration of human values, apart from the obvious adverse effect on health, associated with liquor consumption and use of tobacco is well known. Sustained use of both affects the human being, his family, the society as well as future generations.
However, because its effect is more subtle and over a longer period than drug addiction, the government that approves its sale escapes accountabilty. The ostensible reason for the approval given is the apparent inability of law enforcement agencies to curb sale of spurious liquor which leads to deaths of consumers. However actual reasons may also include the profit margins that liquor barons enjoy, which they may willingly share with interested helpful persons in power, apart from the accrual to treasury through taxes. These liquor barons may also arrange for certain deaths through spurious liquor to provide timely helpful reasons to initiate removal of prohibition.

Societal Responsibility

The excuse of incompetence in law enforcement throws up questions regarding other ills in society such as child labour, which is prevalent despite being illegal. According to statistics released by the government, available for the year 2001, there were some 1.26 crore child labourers in India in the age group 5-14 years. That number alone is more than the total strength of the entire armed forces troops of China, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka combined, including the reserve. It is more than the entire population of Israel and Switzerland combined. Other agencies puts the figure much higher. This figure however does not include the large number of children who are employed as domestic help in households, restaurants and tea shops- employments that were notified as child labour only in 2006, and those employed in begging in the streets.

A parallel exists between the difference between a child actor working on movies/advertisements with a child employed as domestic help in a household/ restauraunt/begging in streets, and the difference in employment of a call girl with that of a street prostitute.
While employment of children in movies and advertisements seems to have been silently approved by the society, much like in the case of high end escort services, legalizing of prostitution, like employment of children as domestic help in households, restaurants or begging in streets, is untenable.

Society has an obligation to provide children with education opportunities and avenues for developing their personality. Similarly, society has an obligation to provide prostitutes with employment opportunities that develop self-esteem, dignity and provide a family life.

Alternatives

There are a few other ways in which society and government can approach the issue of prostitution.

1. Generation of alternate employment opportunities for prostitutes. Society and government, both are responsible for this. Many NGOs are already working towards this goal.

2. Improving of working conditions of the daily wagers, labourers, who work much like automations throughout the day on uninspiring jobs, that drives them to seek temporary release in the evening in the sexual act or in liquor-generated stupor. This is also a major responsibility of both government and society. It can be partly met by distributing employment opportunities across the country equitably which will remove the necessity for migration to city and separation from families. This will entail the shifting of driving motivation of governments from capitalistic expansionism to long term benefit of society. Focussing on promoting agriculture and cottage industry, instead of being fixated on the lucrative IT/ manufacturing industry related SEZs, is another way that may help reduce farmer suicides as well as provide employment to labourers.

3. Inculcating values in society, in the younger generations, to see themselves not as evolving animals, but correctly as spiritual beings. Let them understand that their anscestors were the sages who created the vedas, who realized themselves as brahma, who considered vasudaiva kutumbakam and sought shanti in all the worlds; not monkeys.
Let them understand that their heritage is not of animal behaviour, but of spiritual realization. That may help a different perspective towards living.

Conclusion

Each individual and the society that s/he forms part of is a composite whole. Both affects the other. If some people are considered as objects for sexual satiation of some others, it fundamentally affects the character of the society and shapes subsequent generations. Societal approval for such behaviour have serious repercussions.

*****

Post Script

Netherlands legalized commercial organisation of voluntary adult prostitution on 01 October 2000, with the aim of freeing prostitution from criminal elements, tackle exploitation, trafficking and other undesirable forms of prostitution.

Recent developments after 8 years of the legalization: -

“Half of Amsterdam’s prostitute windows must be closed to save Europe’s most tolerant city from criminal gangs and an excess of sleaze, the mayor has told The Times.“
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5400641.ece

“Eindhoven’s designated sex work zone is due to close by 2011. Amsterdam and other Dutch cities are slowly shutting down their red light districts, but Eindhoven is unusual in pioneering material incentives to tempt women into thinking about an economic alternative to prostitution.“
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/whore-miles-plan-for-dutch-prostitutes-who-behave-952479.html

In Iceland this year(2009)-

“A new law makes purchase of sex illegal in Iceland.
Before this change in legislation, selling and buying sexual services was legal in Iceland.
Iceland is the third country to outlaw the purchase of prostitution. Sweden was the first country to ban the buying of sex in 1999 and Norway followed suit earlier this year. In Finland, a ban on purchasing sexual services from victims of human trafficking was introduced in 2007.
Opinion polls have shown that up to 70% of the population supports banning the purchase of sexual services.“
– http://www.jafnretti.is/jafnretti/?D10cID=ReadNews&ID=523

• I have not yet worked out the astronomical significance of this passage.., I am saving it for our reference. For example, there is an Aditya per month, and Vivasvan is the Aditya for the second month of the Sarad Rtu.
• I don’t know why the seasons are listed from grishma and not from vasanta
• Therefore I don’t know if I can map the name Chaitra Masa as used today to Tapa Masa as given in the Linga Puranam.
• I feel somehow that Chaitra Masam should match Madhumasam., because of the meaning of madhu – sweet, honey.
• One more area for research, interpretation and reconciliation.

Source and Reference :

1. The sun’s chariot was built by Brahma himself. It is made completely out of gold. (I know a shloka where it is said to be made out of iron, but don’t remember which text that is from at this time)
2. There are twelve months in a year. Their names are Madhu, Madhava, Shukra, Shuchi, Nabha, Nabhasya, Isha, Urjja, Saha, Sahasya, Tapa and Tapasya. (These names of the months are slightly unusual. More common is Vaishakha, Jyeshtha, etc.)
3. Two months constitute a season (ritu) and there are therefore six seasons in every year. These are grishma (summer), varsha (monsoon), sharat (early autumn), hemanta (late autumn), shita (winter) and vasanta (spring).
4. In every season, two adityas, two rshis, two gandharvas, two apsaras, two rakshasas and two nagas ride on the sun’s chariot to keep the sun company. Their names are as follows.
   1. Grishma – the adityas Dhata and Aryama; the sages Pulastya and Pulaha; the gandharvas Tumburu and Narada; the apsaras Kritasthala and Punjikasthala; the rakshasas Rakshoheti and Praheti; and the nagas Uraga and Vasuki. Madhu and Madhava are the months of grishma.
   2. Varsha - the adityas Mitra and Varuna; the sages Atri and Vasishtha; the gandharvas Haha and Huhu; the apsaras Menaka and Sahajanya; the rakshasas Pourusheya and Vadha; and the naga Takshaka. (The name of the second naga is not given.) Shukra and Shuchi are those of varsha.
   3. Sharat – the adityas Indra and Vivasvana; the sages Angira and Bhrigu; the gandharvas Vishvavasu and Ugrasena; the apsaras Pramlocha and Anumlocha; the rakshasas Sarpa and Vyaghra; and the nagas Elapatra and Shankhapala. Nabha and Nabhasya those of sharat.
   4. Hemanta - the adityas Parjanya and Pusha; the sages Bharadvaja and Gautama; the gandharvas Suruchi and Paravasu; the apsaras Ghritachi and Vishvachi; the rakshasas Apa and Vata; and the nagas Dhananjaya and Iravana. Isha and Urjja those of hemanta.
   5. Shita – the adityas Amshu and Bhaga; the sages Kashyapa and Kratu; the gandharvas Chitrasena and Urnayu; the apsaras Urvashi and Purvachitti; the rakshasas Vidyut and Diva; and the nagas Mahapadma and Karkataka. Saha and Sahasya those of shita.
   6. Vasanta – the adityas Tvashta and Vishnu; the sages Jamadagni and Vishvamitra; the gandharvas Dhritarashtra and Suryavarcha; the apsaras Tilottama and Rambha; the rakshasas Brahmopeta and Yakshopeta; and the nagas Kambana and Ashvatara. Tapa and Tapasya those of vasanta.
5. The moon (Chandra) has a chariot that has three wheels and is drawn by three horses. The horses are competely white in colour. The sun drinks up the energy of the moon for a period of fifteen days. This period is known as krishnapaksha (the fortnight during which the moon wanes). The sun then replenishes the moon’s energy over the next fifteen days. This period is known as shuklapaksha (the fortnight during which the moon waxes).
6. Budha (Mercury) is Chandra’s son and rides a chariot that is drawn by eight horses. The horses are yellow and the chariot is made of gold.
7. Brihaspati (Jupiter) also has a chariot that is made of gold and is drawn by eight horses.
8. But Shani’s (Saturn) chariot is made of iron.
9. Just as Indra rules over the gods, the sun rules over the planets and the moon rules over the nakshatras (stars) and the herbs.
10. But all of these revolve around Dhruva (the Pole Star).

Authorship and Copyright Notice : Satya Sarada Kandula.  All Rights for the Sourced Material Vest with the Source.

Decision Making in bharatiya parampara

In bharatiya parampara decision making occur at four different levels.

Level One. Follow another person or group. Do what s/he does on the assumption that s/he knows better, on the basis of life experience/knowledge level/ merely because it is easier to follow and/or because of being enamoured of the personality- kama.

Level Two. Decision on the basis of anticipated material advantage, artha.

Level Three. Decision on the basis of what is righteous- dharma. Choosing the option that sustain values in society.

Level Four. Decision on the basis of brahma-jnana. Decision taken with intuitive knowledge of brahma.

How the decision is taken reveals the varna of the person or group or the society.

Traditionally in bharatiya parampara decisions affecting society were taken by the kshetriya under the guidance of brahmana guru, criteria for decision being upholding of dharma. Such decisions encouraged dharmic values in society and fostered prosperity and peace.
Decisions on family matters took into account artha- material aspects, in addition, while on personal level, kama- personal preferences, were also considered.

Decision Making in Modern Democracy

In a modern democracy, it is the majority consent that decides matters at societal level.

Majority consent is shaped by public opinion formed on the basis of the following mediums:-

1. News Media- Television, radio, newspapers, magazines.

2. Art – Movies, TV serials, drama, songs, dance, sculpture, paintings, cartoons.

3. Academy- Educational curriculum, text books, classroom discourse, research programmes.

4. Government, including Judiciary- government sponsored schemes, information campaigns, policies, governmental institutions, offices, government servants, law and law enforcement agencies.

5. Political party/NGO activities- demonstrations, mass movements, public awareness programmes, personal interactions.

6. Commercial organisations- MNCs, private companies, advertisement campaigns

7. Religious discourse- Church, Mosque, Sunday Schools, Madrassas, Satsang.

8. Traditions and Culture.

9. Public personalities- Sports stars, movie/tv stars, Sant, Baba, ‘Intellectuals’, political/society leaders, artists, media personalities.

How each of the above mediums perform vis-a-vis the criteria of kama, artha, dharma and moksha, influences the shaping of public opinion and varna of society.

Tamas

News media that follows the lead of western media, Art forms that are shaped under western influence, Academy that looks towards the west for inspiration and direction, Government that is based on western model, Political parties and NGOs that are influenced by western discourse, Companies that function on the lines of western organisational structure and motivations, Religious discourse based on western thought, Traditions and culture of western origin and Public personalities under western influence. These help form a society that is tamasic in character, sudra in varna, that always seek to follow the lead of somebody else.
On occasions where no previous model exists to follow, such a society defers its decisions until passage of time throws up a default decision or presents an emulatable course to follow.

Tamasic Rajas

When the mediums that shape public opinion act with the motive of material gain, society acquires rajasic quality in addition to tamas. Such a society has media dominated by news of material nature, business and financial matters; Art forms exploring technical excellence, deficient in ethics; Academy oriented towards technological advancement, devoid of morals; Government actively involved in infrastructure building, economy, promoting consumerism; Political Parties, NGOs funded and sponsored by business houses. Commercial organisations dominating society; Religious discourse colored by material motivations; Traditions and Culture stressing on material accruement, and Public personalities selling products.

The discourse of such a society will be on material benefit. Decisions revolve around this criteria.

Sattvic Rajas

When the mediums shaping public opinion discourse on values, society acquire sattvic tinge along with rajas. Such a society will have news media discussing ethical ramifications while analysing current events, Art aimed at inspiring altruistic imagination in minds of the public, Academy oriented towards fostering moral living values in society, Government acting decisively to uphold righteousness in society, Law and judicial decisions reflecting dharma, Political parties, NGOs acting motivated by values, Companies producing goods for sustenance of society as well as Nature, Religious discourse directed towards righteous living in harmony with diverse viewpoints, Traditions and Culture promoting moral values in society, and self-effacing public personalities upholding dharmic values.

In short, rama rajya.

Sattva

When the public concentrates on moksha, the mediums that shape public opinion converge towards that goal. In news media, incidental nature of news lose relevance and karmic causes and ramifications are paid attention. Art forms a medium to experience and express realization. Academic pursuit, like all other, orient towards brahma-jnana. History is no more mere chronicling of incidents, instead record the eternal cycle of creations and dissolutions under karmic effect and their dharmic lessons provide inspiration and guidance towards spiritual living. Centralised government lose relevance as people govern themselves dharmically at local and individual levels. Companies shrink in size and number as materials required by society reduce. Religions disappear as people live spiritually. Traditions and Culture inspire realization and Personalities dissolve upon brahma-jnana.

Society Today

Indian society today, by and large, emulates western society and engages in material advancement at all costs to individual, family, society, nation and Nature. Thus it shows predominantly sudra varna that is transforming into vyshya.
Symbolically, India today is headed by people chosen for their sudra characteristic of followership, though trained to be vyshya – products of the british created education system designed to produce technically qualified workers for the empire.

Way Ahead

As rajas rises in society, represented by the transformation to vyshya characteristic from sudra, to check the deleterious effect on human psyche and on Nature, of unbridled rajasic indulgence in materialism, evident in human society today, and for long term sustenance, of individual, society, as well as Nature, tempering and channelization with dharmic considerations are necessary.

Increased deliberations on dharmic aspects at societal level impart kshetriya varna to society and raise sattvic characteristic.

Sustained rise of sattvic characteristic inspire brahma-jnana.

Hindu Festivals:

Saraswati Puja:

Saraswati puja, Jagannath Hall, Dhaka University

On the fifth lunar day of the bright night in the Bengali month of Magh (January-February), Saraswati Puja is held. Saraswati is the Goddess of learning. According to Hindu mythology Saraswati is the wife of Brahma, the creator. She is represented as fair and wearing a white sari and a garland of white beads. The whiteness symbolizes the purity of Saraswati. Saraswati is mounted on a swan carrying a kacchapi vina on her hand. As she is the Goddess of learning specially Hindu students worship her. During the Puja, Hindu students place their textbooks and pens on her alter with the sacred books. The Hindu devotees believe that an ignorant person can acquire knowledge through the blessing of Saraswati.  All the academic institutions remain closed on that occasion. Tough Saraswati Puja is observed in the academic institutions; some Hindu families arrange worship at their home. The series of pujas that starts with Durga comes to an end with Saraswati Puja.

There are only two voices in life: the loud, irrational, unloving, separative, fear-based, dualistic, illusionary, lower self, selfish voice of the negative ego and the “Still, Small Voice Within” of unconditional love, forgiveness, grace, omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience. As you learn to deny and quiet the negative ego mind and learn to think and feel only from your Spiritual/ Christ/ Buddha/ Krishna/ Moses/ Mohammed/ Mighty I AM Presence/ God/ Goddess Mind, you will live and move and have your being in God’s grace, grandeur and love at all times. Your job is to be joyously vigilant for God and His Kingdom against the negative ego and to deny any thought not of God to enter your mind. If you do this, there is only one other voice that will hence be present, and this is the sweetest voice of all creation. It is the Voice of God/ Brahma/ Allah/ Dharmakaya/ The I AM THAT I AM, also known as the Voice of the Holy Spirit…

So let it be written. So let it be done.

© 2009 www.IAMUniversity.org

Did Rishi Vatsyayana physically explore all that in kama sutra before creating the text ?

Did the sculptors of various sensual sculptures in india, have people standing in such pose before them, while they created such sculptures ?

The difference between a creation that is produced as a result of physical experience and that which is produced as a result of intuitive experience is that in the former, the focus is on, and remains on, the physical aspects as experienced through the senses while the latter transcends limitations of physical senses and inspires experience of the essence.

The difference is similar to that between a dead body and a living body- the vital living aspect. Howsoever perfect the dead body is, and imperfect the living body may be, the latter has a vitality that makes it engaging which the other lacks.

This is the reason the realisation aham brahmasmi cannot be experienced purely through experience from physical senses.

This origin of kama sutra, through intuitive experience in the mind of a realized sage, makes it much more than a manual on sex. It is a tool aiding in living dharmically, while experiencing life, assisting in fostering awareness and intuition, leading up towards realization.
So are the other texts, sculptures, dance forms and music of bhArat. They have the quality of rasa- that which inspires experience of the vital, by the discerning viewer/listener/reader.

bharatiya samskriti, comprising of such texts, scuptures, dance forms, music, thought and spiritual outlook, derivative of intuitive experiences, aids in sustaining dharma in society and inspires people to realise themselves.

All of us are familiar with the Matsya Avatarm, when Satyavrata (Vaivaswatha) Manu was rescued by Vishnu in the form of a Matsya from the floods on the east coast of India and taken up to the Himalayas along with the Saptarishis, along the Ganga. (This took place in the Krutha Yuga,) While some Ancient Indians went north with Satyavrata, many Ancient Indians also stayed back and survived the flood in the South itself.

(The flood of the bible purana is a kaliyuga flood (Year 998 of Kaliyuga) and should not be confused with these krutha yuga floods.)

Here is a sthala puranam from Tamil Nadu, which tells us how Ganesha saved some people : (Source)

Pralaya Katha Vinayaka :

During the Krita Yuga, Siva asked Ganesha to save the world from the Great Deluge or Pralaya caused during the gestation period of Rahu. (We will revisit this concept later.) Ganesha created a well on the east side of this temple tank and channeled all the 7 seas into that well and controlled the deluge and saved the world. This well is known as Yezhu Kadal Kinaru (7 Sea well). This village is known as Thirupurambiyam since during the great deluge, flood stopped away from this village. Thirupurambiyam is situated on the river side of Kollidam 11Kms away from Kumbakonam. Here Ganesha is worshipped with an Abhishekam of honey on Vinayaka Caviti (Caturthi).

Varuna Deva created an vigraha of  Ganesha from sea shells and other materials obtained from the sea and worshipped Him as Pralayam Katha Vinayakar (Vinayaka of the deluge narration).

Sri Thyagaraja Swamy Sametha Sri Vadiudaiamman Temple:

Since Easwaran blessed Brahma to create the world by making way for the pralaya water to recede, this place is called Thiruvotriyur (votra or vatra means receding water). On the two days after the Karthihai full moon day, the covers for the lingams are removed and one can worship the lingam as sand putru itself. There are 27 Shiva lingams one for each nakshatram.

Pralayam Katha Matha : (at Kanchipuram)

Ganga in the form of huge flood began to submerge that place. One of Uma’s forms, Kali, obstructed the flood and she came to be called Pralayam Katha Matha. As Kali was unable to control the flood completely Uma called Mahavishnu for help. Vishnu took his Visvarupa form and obstructed the flood. The moon’s light shone on his throat and he came to be called Nila Thunda Perumal. (In Sanskrit literature, Neelakantha refers to Siva and not to Vishnu)

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

THE GODDESS SPOKE

I imagine into being the whole world, moving and unmoving, through the power of my Maya.

Yet that same Maya is not separate from me; this is the highest truth . . .

In me this whole world is woven in all directions, O Mountain.

I am the Lord and the Cosmic Soul; I am myself the Cosmic Body.

I am Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, as well as Gauri, Brahmi, and Vaishnavi.

I am the sun and the stars and I am the Lord of the stars.

I am the various aspects of beasts and birds; I am also the outcase and thief.

I am the evil doer and the wicked deed; I am the righteous person and the virtuous deed.

I am certainly female and male, and asexual as well.

And whatever thing, anywhere, you see or hear,

That entire thing I pervade, ever abiding inside it and outside.

There is nothing at all, moving or unmoving, that is devoid of me;

For if it were, it would be a nonentity, like the son of a barren woman.

Just as a single rope may appear variously as a serpent or wreath,

So also I may appear in the form of the Lord and the like; there is no doubt in this matter.

The world cannot appear without an underlying basis.

Accordingly, the world comes to be only through my own being and in no other way.

–from the Devi Gita (in Teachings of the Hindu Mystics, edited by Andrew Harvey, Shambhala, 2001, pp. 49-50)

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thirvadikkae

The next night Swami woke up the Mudaliar’s wife at about 11 at night. She opened the door and let Swami in. She treated Swami as her family deity. She spoke to Him with great respect and stood by His side with humility. She always used to ask him queries relating to devotional or spiritual matters. That night she had some similar questions.

Swami said, “I am going to show you Lord Narayana, Parvathi-Parameshwara, Brahma, Indra, and Swargaloka.” Swami put HIS right hand on her forehead and told her to look up. When she did so, she could hear divine music with blowing of conches, ringing of bells etc., the like of which she had not heard anytime. Next morning she saw beautiful globes with illumination, exquisite jewellery and an indescribable light which was descending. In the middle of that halo, was a handsome person (Indra) sitting on a white elephant. On seeing that sight she was overwhelmed and swooned. Swami was announcing, “Look here, there is Indra, there is Rudhra, there is Parvathi, there is Vishnu; describing individually the deities. He removed his hand, when she swooned.

Because of the divine vision Subbalakshmi lost her eye-sight! Swami patted her on her back and said, “You are not fortunate enough! Your previous karma is not wiped out. That is a big hurdle. Sleep well” and He departed.

Because of the Divine vision, and having lost her vision, she was could not sleep.

Fumbling her way in the morning crying loudly and bemoaning her loss, she was waiting for the Swami. When he visited her next morning, he asked her why she was weeping. She said, “See what you have done! I have lost my eye sight.” With his shoulder cloth, Swami wiped her eyes, and astonishingly, she regained her vision!

Avathar Sri Seshadri Swamigal was the Divine! With cosmic powers!

]]> http://saintsandgod.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/upadesas/ Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:12:38 +0000 saintsandgod http://saintsandgod.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/upadesas/

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

“What business you are doing?”

The query was addressed to Sastrigal five times and a reply was expected. Swami did not at all like Sastrigal spending all his time in worldly pursuits and wasting his time instead of seeking to attain spiritual liberation (Moksha).

“Do you take castor oil? Shall I rid you of your entire ailment?”

Half an hour after asking the above question, Swami said, “It is dirt (malam). Para-Brahma (Creator of the universe) is nirmalam (without any dirt, i.e. Pure). Swami conveyed that instead of wasting one’s pursuits on dirt-laden unspiritual matters, it would be better to get rid of all desires and pursue the Eternal Entity (Para Brahma).

“If you find who is Iswara, the body is got rid of.”

Detachment from the body, and other desires, conquers death. Self-realization is the only means to develop such a detachment.

“Ullankya sinthau salilam saleelam”

Hanuman had the blessings of Lord Rama, that enabled him to cross the seas. In a similar manner, one should use the Master’s (Avathar or SathGuru) blessings to cross the ocean of sins.

“How is the Ramayana to be read?”

Swami’s concept was that a mere reading of the Ramayana, without conducting oneself like Lord Rama, will not suffice.

“This is Siva Lingam . It is enough to worship this. One can become spiritually enlightened and attain liberation.”

Sastrigal had told Swami that he had devotion for Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva, Goddess Gowri and several other deities. Nevertheless, he was grieved that he had not developed any real lasting devotion to any particular deity and he requested Swami’s blessings and advice on this. Swami, by way of response referred to HIMSELF as the Shiva Lingam, By this, He meant that A Prayer to the Guru is a prayer to the Lord!

Guru Himself is Shiva, and Shiva is the Guru!

“Differences based on caste, enjoyment of women, should be got rid of to attain Samadhi.”

This was oft mentioned by Swami.

“Is Brahma greater or, Vasishta?”

Sastrigal who was questioned thus, replied that since Brahma was Vasishta’s father, Brahma was greater. Swami was not convinced.

Swami said, that “ Vasishta was the greater of the two! Since, when Brahma revealed Vishwamitra that he had become Brahmarishi, Vishwamitra rejected Brahma’s acknowledgement, and expected to hear it from Vasishta’s own words! Hence, the Guru is more vital than the deity.” From this, it is evident that (like Vishwamitra), one should have devotion towards the Guru.

“This is Moksha, this is moksha, See!

These words were uttered by Swami when HE was in Subbulakshmi’s house. Swami picked up a big mirror from the house and handing it over to Sastrigal, put his hand around Sastrigal’s neck, embraced him. Pointing to the image in the mirror He said, “This is Moksham.”

The significance of the above is as follows: “If the mirror is removed, the shadow is eliminated leaving the image. In the same manner, the Jeevan disappears and only the image of the Para-Brahman remains.”

“You can go in Royal Style by repeating Rama, Rama.”

Sastrigal was ordered by Swami to sleep in the Kambathu Ilayanar (Lord Muruga) shrine, of Sri Arunachaleshwara Temple, for seven days.

Swami appeared in his dream on the third night. Sastrigal saw a flourishing banana plantation. While he was sitting there, Swami got a big cluster of about 200 bananas and said, “These should ripen.” This was repeated twice, after which Swami disappeared. When describing the style in which one could leave, Swami speedily threw up his hands. He then noticed a few bananas which were red and on the point of getting ripe and the rest were totally unripe.

Swami conveyed to Sastrigal the unripe state of his spiritual pursuit and advised him to do Rama Nama Japa to attain liberation.

“You should forget the body that way”

The above upadesam is the outcome of Sastrigal’s dream on the sixth night. The dream was as follows:

Sastrigal was doing Rama Nama Japa sitting under a tree.

Swami came from behind him brandishing a knife with which to cut him. Sastrigal without getting up was trying by his hands to ward off the above struggle; Swami threw away the knife and laughing boisterously said:

“What kind of meditation are you doing ?” You should not have any awareness of the body. This is absolutely useless. You should totally remove the awareness of the body.”

In the morning Sastrigal tearfully bowed to the Swami. Swami said, “Have no worries. God will take care of all that.”

This incident illustrates the need to meditate with all body senses eliminated even under threats to one’s life.

“Parithraanaya Sadhunam Vinaayaacha Dhush-Krithaam

Dharma Samsthaapanaarthaya Sambhavami Yuge Yuge.”

Swami referred to HIS incarnation to remove evil and establish righteousness, and that he would perform the task of wiping out ignorance and instilling spiritual enlightenment in those who sought refuge in HIM.

“Don’t you know the route?” Kamakshi, Meenakshi, Vishalakshi all three are one and the same. They will confer liberation on those who contemplate them.”

Do you not know the path to attain liberation? The route consisting of yagas, yoga, etc; is very strenuous. The path of Bhakthi (Divine Love, for a deity) is the best. And in that path of love, worship of Devi is the most effective.

The mother’s concern for a child is much more than that of the father. Hence Devi who is the mother of the entire world has manifested Herself as Vishalakshi in Kasi, Kamakshi in Kanchipuram and Meenakshi in Madurai.

]]> http://ancientindians.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/the-fifth-head-of-brahma-and-siva-astronomical-significance/ Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:06:20 +0000 satyask http://ancientindians.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/the-fifth-head-of-brahma-and-siva-astronomical-significance/

Various legends mention that Siva removed the 5th head of Brahma.  (Each quotes a different reason).  (See : Siva Mahapuranam Vidyesvara Samhitam 8th Adhyayam : Brahma loses his fifth head.)

I have long been searching for the astronomical significance of this.

Today I found an important clue.

1. Pandit Bapu Deva Sastri who translated the Surya Siddhantam, mentions that Brahma refers to the Auriga Constellation.
2. Auriga is a 5 starred pentagon. So we have a 5 faced Brahma.
3. Arudra is the nakshatram for which Siva is the deity. This has commonly been identified as Betelguese by many sources.

In this post I have provided the skymaps that help us identifythe various nakshatras : Identifying Nakshatras – Betelguese, Arudra in Orion; Aldeberan, Rohini in Taurus; Mrigasira and Krutika; Punarvasu, Pollux in Gemini ; Brahma, Auriga

I reproduce part of the details below for our reference.

Identifying Betelguese or Arudra. (Siva / Rudra)

Identifying Auriga – Five Faced Brahma :

1. In the picture, Take the limb of Taurus that does not have Rohini (Aldeberan) in it.
2. The star “beta”, common to Auriga and Taurus in the drawing below, is the one called El Nath.
3. Arudra, El Nath and Capella are on a line.
4. That will point you to the 5 sided pentagon, the Auriga.
5. Auriga has been identified as Brahma by Bapu Dev Sastri who translated the Surya Siddhantam.
6. Do you remember the story where Siva knocked of the 5th head of Brahma which was on the top?
7. That story is connected to this constellation. Capella sounds like Kapala (Skull in Sanskrit) does it not?

Now, in the figure below visualize a line that connects Betelguese, El Nath and Capella of Auriga.

If Capella is removed from Auriga, you have a 4 faced Brahma (4 starred constellation).

All Puranas were overlaid with astronomical information, which made the astronomy easy to remember and pass on.

So while Vyasa preserved the information in the Vedas, in one way., he again made sure that the knowledge was retained for posterity in another way too. We owe a lot of gratitude to this genius.

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

All rights for sourced images vest with the source.

Purpose of life

Is it to see bhArata desH being recognized THE best of the world ?
Is it to see bharatiya samskriti being accepted by everybody in the world ?
Is it to see vasudaiva kutumbakam actualised ?

Two points still remain-

1. Is that a worthwhile aim ? Does that make a life worthwhile ? What is the worth of a life ?

2. What is the underpinning of bharatiya samskriti that makes it refined ? What is underpinning the thought of vasudaiva kutumbakam ? Is it superficial understanding of ‘universal brotherhood’ ?

These two points are most pertinent.

Different Purposes

Some parents want to see their children well settled in life. Some want to marry off their daughters. Some want to see their grandchildren before they die.
Some others want to earn a billion dollars. Some want to see their country gain name and fame, even if in the sports arena.

Some want their name to endure after them.
Some want to do enough to ensure proximity to a ‘God almighty’ in after-life.

Some want to engage in their favorite activity which could be mountain climbing or river rafting or acting in movies or playing a musical instrument or a game of sports.
Some want to finish their current project or research engagement.

Some want to see what they identify with- their community, their culture, their family, their organisation, their country, their philosophy, attain universal acclaim. This is motivated by one of the two reasons- an expectation to attain universality themselves on piggyback or the belief that subsuming of their individuality to larger group interest is a worthwhile aim for life.

Such motivations derive from identification with limited sense of self.

Some others engage in activity of service, material enrichment, societal administration or knowledge dissemination, sublimating limited sense of self.
bharatiya darshanas call such activity manifestation of varna- sudra, vyshya, kshatriya, brahmana, respectively. It is such activity, sublimating self-identity, that underpins vasudaiva kutumbakam. Its primary motivator is the understanding aham brahmasmi (yajur veda), prajñānam brahma (rig veda), ayamātmā brahma (atharva veda), tat tvam asi (sama veda).

Different people. Different inclinations. Different karma.

Which is the best ?

Which is the best of all the purposes that a person can choose ?

That which helps actualise his/her karma. That which is congruent with his/her sva-dharma.
This answers the questions raised by the first point- What is the worth of a life ? Worth of a life is in actualisation of karma.

What is karma – inner motivation, that is exteriorised in varna.

The question posed by the second point- What underpins bharatiya samskriti ?
dharma.

It is dharma that defines bharatiya samskriti. It is from dharma that bharatiya samskriti derives. It is dharma that forms vasudaiva kutumbakam. dharma sustains bharatiya samskriti. As consciousness of dharma rises in society, bharatiya samskriti rejuvenates.

How does consciousness of dharma arise in mind ?
From the understanding of self.

This, understanding of self, derives dharmic life and rejuvenates bharatiya samskriti.

Understanding, comes from selfless enquiry.

A Brahma oficializa o seu patrocínio da Copa do Mundo da FIFA de 2010 e apresenta um novo filme institucional, criado pela agência Africa. O comercial, que traz o jogador Luís Fabiano como garoto-propaganda, mostra o orgulho da Brahma em ser a primeira marca genuinamente nacional na história a participar da maior competição de futebol do planeta.

Colaboração de Fernando Bamberg (SEJA BEM VINDO NOVAMENTE AO BRASIL!!) @flickr.com/bamberg86

Esse comercial foi publicado no YouTube em fevereiro. É a Ambev levando o mesmo discurso de anos da Skol aqui no Brasil, para o lançamento da Brahma no Peru.
OK, você pode imaginar que está tudo em casa, é tudo marca da mesma mãe, mas então quer dizer que toda cerveja desce redondo? A Skol não é mais a melhor, a única com essa propriedade?
É claro que isso não deve fazer diferença pra massa consumidora de Skol, mas pra nós, esvazia o discurso de mais de uma década trabalhado, e muito bem, pela F/Nazca.

Olhando pela internet me deparei com um excelente blog

http://kafecomsuku.blogspot.com/

Eis que tem-se o lançamento da cerveja brahma no Perú.
Os criativos de lá precisam soltar mais a franga !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOK62mZsCcI&feature=player_embedded

Cruassinado por Tarik Frank

<<Una  vieja  leyenda  hindú  habla de una época en la cual todos los hombres eran dioses. Pero emplearon mal su divinidad, tanto que Brahma, el maestro de los dioses, decidió quitarles la capacidad divina y ocultarla en un lugar donde sería imposible que la encontraran. Así, el mayor problema era encontrar un escondite.

Cuando convocaron a los dioses de menor importancia para consultar cómo solucionar este problema, propusieron: “Enterremos la divinidad del hombre en la tierra.” Pero Brahma contestó: “No, eso no es suficiente, porque el hombre cavará y la encontrará.”

Entonces los dioses respondieron: “En ese caso, arrojemos la divinidad en el más profundo de los océanos.”

Pero Brahma replicó: “No, porque tarde o temprano, el hombre explorará las profundidades de todos los océanos, y es seguro que un día la encontrará y la llevará con él a la superficie.”

Entonces los dioses de menor importancia concluyeron: “No sabemos dónde ocultarla, porque tanto en la tierra como en el mar no parece existir un lugar en donde el hombre no pueda alcanzarla algún día.”

Entonces Brahma supo: “Aquí, lo que vamos a hacer con la divinidad del hombre es ocultarla en lo más profundo de sí mismo, porque este es el único lugar en donde él nunca pensará en buscarla.”

Desde ese tiempo, concluye la leyenda, el hombre se volcó hacia la tierra, la exploró, escaló, se sumergió en ella y la cavó, en búsqueda de algo que estaba dentro de sí mismo.>>

Divinidad