Orissa Review * July - 2009

Supreme Soul in Many Shapes

Dr. Dibakar Mishra

PARAMBRAHMA, the supreme soul, has been established as Supreme Being (Purusottama) in four shapes viz. Lord Balabhadra, , Subhadra and Sudarshan to instruct the individual souls for attempting salvation. Out of the four deities Lord Balabhadra is the symbol of Rites (), Jagannath the Knowledge (Jnana), Subhadra is Meditation (Dhyana) and Sudarshan a symbol of Salvation (). sticked so adhesively to these different shapes Though in , the Supreme Power that it created communal feelings among each (Parambrahma) has been described as one and other, which were ended in fighting and causing omnipotent, who is beyond any description, still destructions to the Nation and humanity. to give guidance to the common mass as per the instructions laid down in the Vedas He has again The detailed descriptions of these shapes been described as Sahasra sheersa Purusa i.e. with their limbs, complexions, abode of existence, with thousand heads and sahasrapada i.e. with dresses, ornaments, weapons, carriers and thousand legs, which represents his attention and activities have been elaborated in different mobility to the different groups of people with mythological scripts. If we will study these scripts different works, leading the different ways of life sincerely, always extracting the inner meanings of with different grasping capacities. Undoubtedly the themes we would find that his different shapes God is the source of all energies, but for different are the results of thorough research by the wise deeds () of the people, different energies men of that time for guiding the general mass in of God are required which works in different every walks of their lives, professions, habits and directions to give different results. likings for the works to be done. The different shapes of God appeared He has been shaped as creater (Brahmaa) before the common mass are actually the symbols for those people who are interested in creating of some expressions put up in place of languages. things, working for new inventions and trying to But the priests, , poets and the writers of discover new ideas. Similarly for the men in charge the passing ages, through their advices and writings of public administration, protection of subjects,

10 Orissa Review * July - 2009 uplifting the depressed ones, adoption of Karmas tooth and a long belly teaches us many things. throwing away idleness and luxury, remaining alert The elephant's head is the symbol of wisdom to help creatures in distress; He has been shaped (Tikshna Buddhi), one tooth (Ekadanta) as . He has got wheel (Chakra) and club symbolizes truth which is one, long belly is () in His hands as weapons to kill the demons meaning of all knowledge stored in one deep place or the enemies of His subjects. By blowing conch (Gyanagarva). (Sankha) He warns the enemies of His subjects Cutting the head of the elephant sleeping either to remain away from them or be ready for with head towards north, to fix in the body of the consequences of their evils. Lotus (Padma) in Ganapati, gives us scientific information about His hands teaches all to lead sacred and dedicated human magnetic field and the magnetic field of life always. the earth including attractions of different poles The same God has been described as and repulsion of similar poles. The head being 'Mrutyunjay' i.e. victor over death or destruction. the North Pole of the magnetic field of the body it He is naked, smeared with ashes, putting on is always repelled by the same pole of the earth's snakes and bone pieces as ornaments, meditating magnetic field. This repulsion causes disturbances on funeral ground. It teaches the society that all to the head's mechanism for the result of which born are victims to death. All that is produced one may loose brain power or become mad. must disintegrate and be damaged. A man how Therefore it has been instructed from the ancient much powerful he might be, would one day turn times to sleep with head either to East or South to ashes. Holding an empty pot of skull in hand instead of West or North. The allegorical meaning teaches the society that a man, however rich, he of the story of loosing the head by the elephant, cannot take any thing from this world. slept with head towards North is due to this. A It is undoubtedly very easy to teach this smallest animal mouse as a carrier for such a heavy truth to the general mass through a shape like this, body teaches us how to penetrate into the inner than through doctrines of Vedas or Verses of side of the Sastras to collect essential knowledge Omnipotent (Brahmabani). Similarly to teach the by cutting the hard outer surface with little teeth people the nature of a public leader, his duties labouring hard day and night. with knowledge on every thing, our ancestors have The fighting power of the Supreme Soul shaped Him as ( + Isha) or has taken the shape of Goddess ; as Ganapati (Gana+Pati). Here 'Gana' means public (Energy) is a feminine gender; to teach the general and 'Isha' means leader. mass how to fight a battle and protect the From this we learn, what should be the motherland from foreign invasion killing the enemy qualities and responsibilities of a public leader in force. At the same time She being Dasapraharana giving education to the mass from childhood to Dharini holding ten powerful weapons in Her ten- old age, thinking of their betterment, showing hands teaches the mass the strength of co- profitable ways for business and in family operation. had been defeated while fighting traditional works. He has also been described as with Mahisasura as His own army (Surasena) was Bighnahanta, Bighnahara and Bighnesh i.e. alone fighting the battle. At that time he had not destroyer of impediments in all walks of life. taken the help of other armies like Narayani Sena Meaning of fixing the elephant's head, having one to fight in seas, the Sivasena to fight in mountainous

11 Orissa Review * July - 2009 regions, the Shakta Sena to fight on land. But in the room by hanging red curtains in doors and when all the armies joined together the most windows. powerful Mahisasura was defeated and killed by To cure the eruption, reduce the pain and Goddess Durga. fever 'Rudraksha' water, grinding the seed on a When Durga is worshipped during Durga stone slab, can be taken as medicine. The festival the other deities like Ganesh, donkey's milk is a great preventive as well as a , and Mahalaxmi are seen in curative medicine for these eruptive diseases. The Her four sides. The meaning of these symbols is instructions given to offer 'Neem' leaves and to teach the general mass that four important things sulphur mixed incense (Gandhak ) to the are required to win a battle. Such as Ganesh is Goddess (here patient is the Goddess Herself) the symbol of public alertness about the battle as are to make the room and environment virus free; He is the public leader. Saraswati with Veena in cure the patient speedily and prevent infections Her hands represents war music to inspire the to the other members of the family. mind and heart of the soldiers. Kartikeya The child rearing power (Santan Palini symbolizes proper command over the armies and Shakti) of the Supreme Soul has taken the shape Mahalaxmi representing sufficient wealth to of Sasthi (Mother Sasthi) with a cat as Her maintain the war expenses that are to be spent carrier; who emparts the knowledge on child upon weapons, to supply foods to the armies, rearing and nourishing. She is said to accompany transportation and treatment of wounded persons the new born baby day and night in the bedside. with supply of life saving drugs etc. Her carrier cat teaches us how to attend the The protective power (Suraksha Shakti) children immediately on call and feed them with of the human body against viral diseases of the much love and affection; so that each drop of Supreme Soul has been shaped as Goddess Sitala mother's milk will be of immense help for the to fight against viral diseases like Smallpox, growth of babies. Chickenpox, Measles etc. At the time of Like this if we will study the shapes of all epidemic, when thousands die at a time it creates the deities, gods and goddesses in detail we will havoc in the society; we remember Mother Sitala see that they have been designed most scientifically to get all information for our safeguard from the to impart knowledge on different subjects to the description of Her shape, limbs, armaments and society to guide the general mass in their own ways carrier. She has carried in Her four arms broom of work and lead successful lives. But actually sticks (Marjani), water vessel (Kalash), red cloth the sources of all these knowledge and powers (Rakta Basana) and a of Rudraksha seeds belong to one Supreme Power who is Omnipotent (Rudraksha Mala). She puts on in the back of (Sarbashaktiman), and Omnipresent Her head a bamboo tray ( Suparna) and is seated (Sarbabyapee). on a donkey (Gardavee). Here Marjani and Suparna indicate how to clean the patient's room and the environment, Kalasa instruct to give clean and contamination free water. Rakta Basan is the symbol of ultra violet ray to dry up the pustules Dr. Dibakar Mishra is an Iconologist who lives at A-82, and eruption of the body, which can be obtained Nilakantha Nagar, Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar-751012

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