Kurukshetra

Walking in the biting cold, teeth chattering, with Rajan my travel companion was an exhilarating experience. We are headed towards Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra and are eager to reach this humongous water body created especially for providing water to the crores of animals and men engaged in the Kurukshetra war.

We are in Kurukshetra, a small town about three hours drive from N. Delhi. This is the place where wehere the Mahabharatha war between the Pandavas and Kauravas took place.  We left N. Delhi at 5:15 PM by the Kalka Shatabdi to reach Kurukshetra at &:15. The weather is very cold though N. Delhi had been somewhat warm. The Kurukshetra Railway Station platform is nice and neat and is quite broad. Though Make My Trip shows 14 Hotels in Kurukshetra, the locals directed us to the Pearl Marc hotel not very far from the station. After checking in and relaxing a bit we decided to take a walk to the Brahma Sarovar. The people are quite friendly and were more than happy to guide us to the gates of the huge Sarovar. On the way we passed by Arjun Chowk with a statue of the Mahabharata hero.

The huge water reservoir in the darkness with a few lights blinking on the opposite shore so far away. It is indeed a Sarovar. According to local tradition, it was first excavated by King Kuru and is associated with Prajapathi or Brahmaji who first performed a sacrifice here. On one side of the huge tank is a statue of Krishna and Arjun on a chariot. This is well lit in the night and is a sight to be seen.

Millions of people flock to Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse to take bath in this tank.

The next day we started early (eight O’ Clock is early in winter!) to reach Jyothi sar. About 6 Kms away, this is the spot where there stands an immortal banyan tree which bears witness to the Gitopadesam or the teaching of the Bhagwad Gita by Krishna to Arjuna. The name Jyothi Sar is a corruption of the word Jyothishwar which is the name of the Shiv Ling which is situated here in a temple near the Banyan tree. In fact there is one more banyan tree near the Shiv Mandir that bears witness to the ravages of the Foreign invaders. This place has withstood alkl these onslaughts and stands witness to the ancient culture and tradition of the Indian Sub-Continent.

There is a large water tank here too which we perambulated to reach the Banyan Tree. Near the Banyan tree is a marble statue of a Chariot with four horses wherein the images of Krishna and Arjuna are placed, the former imparting divine wisdom and the latter absorbing it with folded arms and rapt attention. This statue has been placed here by H H the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.

We sat beneath the immortal banyan and meditated on the verses of the Bh. Gita, allowing the vibrations of eons of spiritual wisdom to wash over us like the cold breeze on that late-winter morning.

Onward to Bheeshma Kund in Narkthari Village, Kurukshetra, where the Pitamaha Bheeshma fell on the Tenth day of the war. There he lies on a bed of arrows with a pillow of arrows created by the great warrior Arjun. When Bheeshma wanted water, Arjun directed his arrow consecrated by the mystical formula called Parjanyaaasthra into the earth at the right-side of the Grandsire. Immediately there welled up a jet of nectar-like and fragrant water which fell into Bheeshmas mouth. Legend has it that Mother Ganga flew out of the earth to quench her son’s thirst. The Grandsire quaffed the drink to his hearts content. This spring of water is now a deep tank near the temple.

Kurukshetra is famous not just because it is the location of the great and glorious battle between right and wrong (Dharma and Adharma). It was already a famous place consecrated by Kuru the founder and fore father of both the Pandavas and Kauravas. Kuru had sought and received a boon from Vishnu that anyone who died at Kurukshetra would attain moksh immediately. This is why Dridharashtra selected this place for the war, hoping half-heartedly that the sanctity of the location would reform his erring son.

More importantly, Kurukshetra is the place where two of the greates spiritual  treasures of Hinduism were born. One, of course, is the Bh. Giota which is God speaking to Man. The other is the Vishnu Sahasranaamam or the Thousand Names of Vishnu which is man singing the praise of the One Supreme Being.

Beeshma Kund Shrine

This spot, Bheeshma Kund is the exact spot where Bheeshmachrya responds to Yudhistra’s spiritual query, “ Kim ekam daivatham loke, kin va api ekam Paraayanam..?” i.e. “Who is the Single or Only Deity suited for Human Beings to always meditate upon?” Bheeshma identifies Krishna-Vishnu single, sole Brahman or Causeless Cause that is worthy of praise and prayer. He then identifies the Lord by his One Thousand Names.

At Beeshma Kund

Rajan and I meditated in the shrine that cold wintry morning upon the Vishnu Sahsranaamam as it was played on Rajan’s mobile phone. Then we poured the water from the Narkathari Tirth on our heads and with all respect and reverence made our way out of the Holiest Place. 

Kurukshetra also has a Shakti Peeth. North India has a total of 52 Shakti Peeths. These are places where the body parts of Devi fell when they were cut by Vishnu’s Chakra and thrown about. Kurukshetra is the spot where the right ankle fell. There is a Badrakali temple on this spot. We visited this also.

Badrakali Temple

Vel's University

I spoke yesterday at the Vel's University School of Business Studies on the Purpose Empowerment Praise model for Leadership and Motivation. 

The feedback mail received from them!

10.01.2014

To

Mr. S. Srikanth

Corporate Trainer

Chennai

Greeting from School of Management Studies.

on behalf of the Management, faculty and students of School of Management studies, we express our sincere thanks for a great Guest lecture which held on 09.01.2014 at our MBA department, VELS University. Students were really inspired and motivated by your speech.

Looking forward towards a continuous association with us.

Dr.S.Ramani
Director-Consultant

School of Management Studies

Sakshi Gopal

The Sakshi Gopal Temple

I spent the New Year 2014 in Odisha visiting places like Konark, Puri and Bubhaneshwar. I also happened to visit the Sakshi Gopal Temple in the village subsequently named Sakshi Gopal. This is a temple of Krishna as Venugopal. The story related as the explanation for the origin of this temple is fascinating as it epitomizes the power of belief and faith.

Mahindra a village youth wants to marry Vasanthi, the daughter of Raghav. Vasanthi too wants to marry him. But Raghave is bent on marrying her to an older but wealthy man, Sukhdev. Mahindra sets off for Puri to earn his living and after sometime Raghav joins Sukhdev and his party on a pilgrimage to Puri. Suddenly Raghav contracts small pox and is left to his own devices in the outskirts of the town by Sukhdev and his cronies. But, Mahindra who happens to hear about Raghav’s situation rushes to his aid and nurses him night and day till he recovers his health. Raghav is touched and understanding Mahindra’s good nature vows before the sanctum of the Puri Jagannath Mandir to give his daughter Vasanthi in marriage to him.

They return back to their native village. Induced by Sukhdev’s costly gifts and false promises, Raghv changes his mind and once again refuses to give Vasanthi to  Mahindra. Mahindra complains to the Village Head. The Village elders conduct an inquiry when Raghav stoutly denies his promise. Mahindra has no witness to substantiate his version, except of course the Lord of Puri Himself. Mahindra calls the Lord as his witness. But the Villagers laugh and ask him to bring the Lord to give witness or Sakshi. Mahindra vows to do so and goes to Puri where he prays incessantly to the Lord. The Lord finally appears and agrees and promises to follow Mahindra and give witness upon condtion that Mahindra should never turn back on his way home.

Throughout the journey back Mahindra keeps hearing the sound of the Lord’s anklets. But as they approached the sandy area near his village, the sound of the anklets were muffled and he couldn’t hear them. So, like Orpheus in the Greek myth, he turned back and there beheld the image of Lord Venugopal. He weeps at the feet of the Lord but to no avail. Luckily the villagers are overjoyed that the Lord had come thus far to stand witrness for his devotee. They ensure that Mahindra is married to Vasanthi and he is also made the first Pujari of the Temple.

It is also pertinent to note that there is a shrine for Sakshi Gopal within the precincts of the Puri Jagannath Mandir.

The first time I read about Sakshi Gopal was the Amar Chitra Katha story which is very neutral on locale and community. The ISKCON version places Mahindra’s village in South India and makes him a Brahmin. Actually visiting the temple was an experiential thing that I enjoyed.

While this delightful story adds charm to a visit to this quaint Krishna Templeat Sakshi Gopal in coastal Odisha between Puri and Bubaneshwar, it cannot be denied that the Pandas or pujaris who occupy the temple currently are a set of rogues and thieves. They create much nuisance for the unwary traveller. They force you to make an entry in a register as “evidence” (Sakshi – Got it?) of your visit. Once the entry is made they demand huge sums of money as dakshina and pester you throughout your visit thereby taking away the serene and divine ambience that is needed for devotion to the Lord of the Universe.

Another matter to be noted is that in all Odisha temple you will find some Shikaras are stone but others are plastered. This is because during Mughal period all the Temple statuary was hidden by plaster to protet them from vandals. Subsequently the Archeological Department has slowly removed the plaster and restored the stone and statuary as far as possible to their original splendor. But still the damage is tremendous and the general air of decay and dilapidation is saddening, especially at National Heritage spots like Konark and Lingharaj temple.

Decay and Dilapidation

Maha Kaala Bhairavashtami

Kala Bhairavar fully decorated

Today is Kalashtami or Maha Kalabhairavashtami. The eigth day after the Full Moon or the Eighth day of the Waning Moon in the month of Margsirsha. As it comes exactly in the middle of the fifteen days from the first day after the full moon to New Moon day, this Ashtami is also called Madhyashtami or the Centered Eighth Day. This day is sacred to a Hindu deity called Kaala Bhairavar. This deity is a personification of Shiva.

There are many stories about Bhairavar. Some say he came from the head of Brahma. But the more plausible tale is related thus in the Shiva Mahapuranam. Those were the ages when Brahma sported a fifth head atop his four. Steeped in arrogance Brahma remarked to Vishnu that he was the supreme  being superior even to Shiva. Angered by this Shiva manifested Kala Bhairava from between his eyebrows. Kaala Bhairava immediately proceeded to behead Brahma and removed the very head that had blasphemed Shiva. But in this process he became a sinner guilty of beheading a Brahmin. Brahma’s skull stuck to his hand. He had to wander everywhere before he got his reprieve.

Kala Bhairava is a resident of Kasipuri. He is also Kshetrapalaka and the keys of every Shiva temple are deposited in the Bhairava shrine at the close of the Rituals. 

Gopura Dharshanam Koti Punyam

These photos were taken during a recent visit to Tinneveli district.

Nelliyappar Thirunelveli

Sankarankovil

Tenkasi

Thiruchendur

Goats

Nagapattinam Diary IV

Kaaraikal Pulambal (Lament from Kaaraikal)

Left Nagapattinam for Karaikaal. Birthplace of Punithavati Ammaiyar a.k.a Karaikaal Ammaiyar. Yesterday they celebrate her marriage to Paramadattar  Chettiar. Today there is a Mango Festival (Mangani Thiruvizha) in Karaikaal. This is in memory of the miracle the lady performed by praying to Shiva and obtaining a divine mango.

Visited the temple of Kaaraikal Ammiyar. The idol was worth the wait in the queue. Beautifully decorated the divine lady is shown with arms cupped together seeking the divine mango from Lord Shiva.

The people of Nagai and environs like Thiruvarur and Karaikaal are outspoken to the point of rudeness. In fact they call themselves modumutti meaning reckless one. They are insensitive to the feelings of others and highly indisciplined. They ride roughshod over others and believe their forceful tone can get anything done.  But they are cowards at heart. As we stood in the queue patiently, many of the worthy citizens of Kaaraikal simply forced themselves in causing a congestion at the small door to the samctorum. This actually impeded people trying to come out and slowed the queue down. Repeated requests to join the queue bore some fruit and we passed into the sanctum sanctorum. May Karaikaal Ammaiyar make these people wise!