Orissa Review

Universal Mother (Viswajanani), Sri Achyuta and Srikshetra

Dr. Kanhu Charan Sarangi

The Universal Mother (Viswajanani), Sri Achyuta Purana refers to it, as ‘tene brahmahridaya and Srikshetra are all dedicated to one objective : adikavaye”. ( Sekharendra , service through sacrifice and compassion. They The , 1988, P-7). This means that the are the eternal guides. The principle they adopt is Veda’s existed when none but the Lord existed. ‘adhyatma vidya’ (spiritual knowledge or the This also means that the ‘Viswa Janani’ in the form science of soul). of ‘Veda Mata Gayatree’, also existed alongwith the Lord. The Almighty Father and the Almighty Vedamata Gayatri is Viswajanani. She is Mother are thus one and inseparable. also the almighty Mother Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati and Mahakali (). She is the Shrikshetra, as the name denotes, is the holy river Mandakini and the source of all Vedic kingdom of ‘Maa Mahalaxmi’ the almighty and spiritual knowledge. The Chhandogya Mother, and the consort of Lord Sri . Upanishad says whatever exists in this world, all ‘Sri’ stands for the Divine Mother. The temple of those are Gayatri Mantra. (Prajna Samachar, May Lord Sri Jagannath (within the sacred precincts 1-15,2011 P.2). The Narada Purana also holds, of Meghanada Walls) is, therefore, situated in the the wisest man is he, who while doing his daily empire of the Universal Mother (Viswajanani) who duties utters Gayatri Mantra with the Pranava is the ‘Force, the Inevitable Word’. In Sabitri, ‘Om’: He never fears any circumstance (ibid). Sri Aurobindo writes. Scholars hold ‘Vedas’ to be the ancient. “As in She is the golden bridge, the wonderful fire. the Gita, the Bhagabat Purana also does not talk The luminous heart of the unknown is She, of God having made the ‘Vedas’. The ‘Vedas’ A power of silence in the depths of God; are said to have manifested from His heart. The She is the Force, the Inevitable Word, word used is ‘sputa’ which means a sudden (Savitri, Book-three, Canto-2, P-314) manifestation of something already existing. It The almighty Mother, from time does not refer to a situation where something not immemorial is showering Her blessings on the already in existence has been brought into being. humanity in particular and the entire creation in , the first born was the first Rishi, Who general. She is the ‘Vedamata’ (the Divine Mother came to know all Veda Mantras. He is made Gayatree), She is the ‘Gomata’ (the Divine aware of these by ‘lswara’. He (lswara) gave them Mother Kamadhenu in form of all cows). She is through his heart. The opening verse of Bhagavata the ‘Bhumata’, our own motherland, and She is

126 July - 2011 Orissa Review also the ‘Nijamata’ (our own mother). When the Needless to mention that the Divine Mother cut great Bhisma, prior to the battle of , as under the bonds of earthly existence and was in a dilemma whether he would support his enlightened Bhisma to follow the right way. On dearest grandsons the Pandavas, or the royal being prayed, Lord advised Bhisma to throne represented through Duryodhan, he follow the same path, he had been following so approached with all devotion his own mother, the far, as that was his duty at the given hour and the most adorable Sacred Ganges (the Divine Ganga need of the hour. Mata) for an advice. The Divine Mother told him, The Divine Mother, thus, shows the “Son ! there is no Dukha (sorrow) which mother’s correct path. She develops the quality of fortitude pious hands cannot wipe out. However, if you in the devotee ‘the strength not to yield to the think that your sorrow is greater and beyond the opinions of others unless you find them to be right reach of your mother’s affection, then approach and the courage to bear criticism and face slander’ Lord Sri Krishna, the ‘Yogeswar’. This was not a mere advice. It was something like showing light (Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. XIV, P-297). It is the to the right direction. The Divine Mother almighty Mother who promts the devotee to tread Gangamata represents the Universal Mother. In the path of truth, not getting affected by the the form of holy river also, her water is considered changing process of the ever-changing world. to be sacred. Her shore is the best place for What exactly is truth? Lord Sai has defined the ‘Tapasya’ (penance). Not to speak of Indian same as the power or strength ‘which elevates’ it sages, even the Greek scholars like ‘Aristotle’ holds forth ideals; it inspires the individuals and observed meditation on the banks of the holy the society. It is the light that illuminates man’s Ganges to conceive the concept of immortality of path to God. A life inspired by ‘Truth’ will enable the soul. In Skandha Purana ‘Vaishnava Khanda’ man to live as man not degrade himself, to the it is described that Yuga like ‘Sathya’, month like status of a lower species. (Ibid P.281-282). Kartika, scriptures like ‘Vedas’, sacred place like The Divine Mother is ‘Prakriti’. Under the holy banks of river Ganges’ are extremely rare the guidance of the Supreme Father, She has in the human civilization (Prajna Samachar, May created this universe of animate and inanimate 1-15, 2011, P.2). Srimad Bhagavatam also beings. The creation is changeable. But the describes the glories of the Mother as follows: Supreme Lord, the embodiment of the Truth is Dhatu kamanduijalam tadu rukramasya unchangeable and eternal. The Lord has said to padabanejanapabitrataya narendra in the Gita. swardhunyabhunahnabhasi sa patati mayadhyakshena prakriti suyate sacharacharam nimarshti lokatrayam bhagavate visadeva kirti hetuna anena kaunteya jagad viparivartate. (Srimad Bhagavatam, VIII-XXI 4) (Chapter IX, Verse 10) The water poured from the pot of Brahma Thus, between the Supreme and the (the first born) and hallowed by washing the Lotus creation, the Divine Mother is the golden bridge. Feet of the Lord, turned to be heavenly She holds the key of ‘Brahmavidya’, knowing counterpart of the holy Ganges (Mandakini). which all ignorances vanish. Descending on earth from the heavens, like the spotless fame of the Lord, it continues to sanctify In the entire world, there is no comparison the three worlds to this day. (Tattvavivecani, 472). to Srikshetra Puri. Among the ancient names of

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Puri the following are important, ‘Antarvedi’, existence (Ibid PP. 552-554) Srikshetra is a Neeladri, Neelakshetra, Uddiyan Pitha etc. Kshetra added with the virtues as cited above (Dukshishyam Behera, Srikshetra Jijnasa (P-6). and as explained in verse 7 to 11 of chapter 13 of Whereas, ‘Sri’ stands for the almighty Mother, the Gita. Mahalakshmi, Srikshetra refers to a place, visiting In simple analysis ‘kshatat trayate iti which the human beings are purged of all their kshetram’ that which saves from injury of all types sins and cross the obstacles caused due to is ‘khsetra’. The Skanda Purana defines ‘adhyatmic, adhibhautika and adhivaidic’ (Ibid) ‘Srikshetra’ as the body of the divine. confusions. In chapter 13 of Srimad , it is described: Etat kshetra varam chasya vapurbhutam mahatmanah Swayam vapusman yatraste swanama kshyapitam hi tat. mahabhutani ahamkarah buddhi avyaktam eva cha indriani dasai ekam cha pancha cha indriyagochara (Utkalkhanda 1/10) iccha dvesa sukham dukham sanghata chetana dhrti etat kshetram samasena savikaramudharitam. The Kshetra as defined above is the body of Paramatma . The Lord has assumed (verse 6 and 7). Himself the form of this place and has given it His The Lord says that the five elements, the name i.e. Purusottam (Srikshetra Jijnasa PP-1- ego, the intellect, the Unmanifest (Primordial 2) Matter), the ten organs of perception and action, Thus ‘Srikshetra’ is the symbol of both the mind and the five objects of the sense, also the almighty Mother and almighty Father, created desire, aversion pleasure, pain, the physical body, with the nobel objective of bestowing upon their consciousness firmness, thus is the kshetra with devotees compassion and guiding them in the true its evolutes, (Gita, Tattvavivechani, P-551). In the spirit of divine knowledge. G.C. Tripathy in his next five verses the lord enumerates the virtues book, ‘The Cult of Jagannatha and the Regional which bank upon the spiritual wisdom. Such as Tradition of Orissa’ citing from Skanda Purana absence of pride; freedom from hypocrisy; non- has written: violence; forbearance; straightness of body; speech and mind; devout service of the preceptor; All the males of the world are the forms internal and external purity; stead-fastness of of Vishnu and all the females, the forms of mind; and control of body, mind and the senses; . There is nothing beyond these two, absence of attachment and the feeling of mineness whether in the race of Gods, human beings or in respect of son, wife home etc.; constant animals. (PP-55-56) equipoise of mind; both in favourable and Professor Sri Sarveswar Dash has also unfavourable circumstances; unflinching devotion made reference to the same in his book Sri- for the Lord; living in secluded and holy places; Jagannatha Rahasya. (P.62) Viewed from the finding no attachment in company of men; fixity in above, it may be humbly stated that there is no self-knowledge and seeing God as the object of difference between Lord Balabhadra and Lord true knowledge; dispassion towards the object Jagannatha. Elsewhere in Puri the Lord of enjoyment of this world and the next; pondering Balabhadra who is incarnation of Lord is again and again on the pain and evils inherent in worshipped as Lord Srilokanatha. Similarly there birth, death, old age and disease. Thus, when is no difference between the almighty Mother Kshetra according to the Gita is our worldly Mahalakshmi and the almighty Mother Vimala.

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Rudrajamala Tantra describes ‘Odresu Vimala The concept of ‘Viswajanai’ is sometimes Sakti Jagannathstu Bhairavah’. Thus, the equated with the concept of ‘Yogamaya’. ‘Maya’ Srikshetra-dhiswari is the almighty Mother in as Swami Vivekananda writes is not a theory for whatever form we may worship her, and Srikshetra the explanation of the world. It is simply a symbolizes forgiveness, tolerance, truth, sacrifice, statement of facts as they exist — that the very and compassion. Besides, ‘Srikshetra’ basis of our being is contradiction, that everywhere wonderfully establishes the unity of all cults, the we have to move through this tremendous true principle of harmonious existence. contradiction, that wherever there is good, there Nearly five hundred years back when must also be evil, and wherever there is some evil Prataprudra was the ruler of Puri, five great there must be some good. Wherever there is life, erudite, Sri Jagannath Das, Sri Achyutananda death must follow as its shadow. And everyone Das, Sri Das, Sri Yasovanta Das and who smiles will have to weep and vice versa. Sri Sisu Ananta inspired the wise and pious men (Vedanta. Voice of Freedom, P.137). But as of Srikshetra in the path of devotion. Each one of Dryden writes, “Errors like straws upon surface them, was wise and great in his own sphere. Sri flow; he who would search pearls must dive Achyuta among them, who is believed to have below”, the illusion is available only in the surface. taken birth previously as Sri Sudama in Dwapar One has to cultivate the traits of Mahatma Bhisma, Yuga, Sri Nala in Tretaya Yuga and as Sri who remained unattached to these contradictions Krupajala in Sathya Yuga, was a brilliant exponent and was guided by the ‘Omniscient’ to work with in all branches of knowledge including that of patience and equanimity and maintain his astrology. Words are incomprehensible. They ‘Rajadharma’. Swami Vivekananda affirms that : cannot comprehend the incomparable talent this … the vedantic position is neither pessimism nor great genius of the soil, Utkal Janani had. Firm, optimism. It does not say that the world is evil or and decisive in his opinion, Sri Achyuta was good. It says that our evil is of no less value than ‘humility personified’. His ‘Bhaja Achyutam’ is our good, and our good of no more value than comparable only with Jagadguru Shankar’s ‘Mohamudgarah’. our evil. They are bound together. This is the world, and knowing this you work with patience. Sri Achyutananda worships the almighty (ibid, 138) Mother Mahalakshmi in the following words: The Lord preached in the Gita, the adisakt yoga sambhuta, sarvada yogarata principles of Yoga. The Yoga is the process to arupa, ananta, chinmayee, tinipura vandita. secure freedom from bondage and to attain the The Divine Mother is worshipped in the status of ‘Jivan Mukta’. For a ‘Jivanmukta’ the heaven, in the world, and in ‘Patala’, the world world is not a world of illusion. It is the world of below. She is eternal, formless, embodiment of the Divine Mother, Whose divine benedictions consciousness, always engrossed in Yoga and is show the path of Yoga and equanimity. A.G. also born out of Yoga. She is the ancient immortal Krishna Warrior writes, ‘The Jivanmukta’ power. Sri Achyuta further describes, the almighty perceives that both liberation and bondage are of Mother Mahalakshmi as ‘Abhaya’ i.e. giver of God’s making (God in Advaita, Preface viii). fearlessness. She is also, giver of prosperity and Knowing this the liberated man ‘cuts his way, as salvation and destroyer of all sins. (Saranapanjara, it were, out of nature to freedom’ (Vedanta, the P-58) Voice of Freedom, 138).

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Faith is the ultimate victory of truth and contrast to this, stands this transitory world, which . Love for the Almighty and fear for the sins is nothing but a repository of sorrows, failures lead one to truth and while marching on the path and frustrations ‘a vast vale of tears, vacant’ and of truth, the devotee partakes of the divine desolate’ as Shelly calls it. Everywhere there is a pleasure. In this journey, the Divine Mother is the gloom and man is a silent onlooker. The Gita also philosopher and guide. The Lord declares in the describes this earth as ‘an ocean of death and Gita that He is ‘adhyatma vidya vidyanam’, existence’ (mrutyu samsar Sagarat, XII, 7), the (Chapter 10, verse 32) (of Science, the Science Lord, being the only saviour. of Soul), ‘Adhyatwavidya’ or Brahmavidya is that Only when the Divine Mother’s blessings branch of knowledge “which deals with the self, are achieved through the path of devotion and throws light on the self and enables the soul to right action, the Saviour unfurls his realize Brahma easily. All other branches of ‘abhayamudra’. True dedication to the Intellectual knowledge in the world, known or unknown are Beauty has aroused two attitudes in the poet’s inferior to ‘Brahmavidya’, for they strengthen the mind to fear himself and to love all human kind. bonds of ignorance rather than break them. Selfishness and egotism are manifestation of Through ‘Brahmavidya’, however, the knot of narrowness and the poet tries to keep them at ignorance is untied for ever and the truth relating arm’s length. Thus, the Intellectual Beauty which to God is realized. Hence it is superior to all other is another form of the Universal Mother for the branches of knowledge and that is why the Lord poet kindles the lamp of mind which makes this declares it to be His ownself (Srimad Bhagavad night of earth (vale of tears) so beautiful by virtue Gita, Tattvavivecani, 473). The noblest way to of love, not for any particular individual but for approach ‘Brahmavidya or adhyatmavidya’ is the whole humanity. (Kenneth Neil Carmeron, service through sacrifice and compassion. It is Shelly, the Golden Years, 1974, P.242). no exaggeration to say that the ‘adhyatma vidya’ Sri Achyutananda was born in a time when is achieved only by the Divine Mother’s grace the modern medical science was not developed, who is the embodiment of sacrifice and kindness. as it is today. He was moved by the sorrow In western literature we find poets like (dukha), grief (shoka) and the disease (roga) Wordsworth and Shelly also worshipping the which people of the time were suffering from. To World Mother. While for Wordsworth the help the society and the human civilization from ‘Nature’ was the symbol of Universal Mother, the above misfortunes, Sri Achyutananda, the for Shelly it was the ‘Intellectual Beauty’. Shelly Great Soul contemplated the Sunya Pothi. He writes: ‘Thy light alone.., gives grace and truth to prayed to Lord Sri Jagannatha for the same and life’s unquiet dream’ The Divine Mother, (here as per the Lord’s directives, the Sunya Pothi was the Intellectual Beauty) guides the individual soul created. Besides, Sri Achyuta was a brilliant to realize that it is a part of the universal Soul and exponent in the field of astrology. By the God’s with this realization, it becomes serene and calm grace he was able to say about the past, present and loses all fear. Shelley calls the Intellectual and future of the people and society, Beauty as ‘Spirit of Beauty that does consecrate’ communicating the same through the above Sunya with her own hues all she does shine upon. The Pothi. The purpose was to help those needy Intellectual Beauty is the ‘Spirit of Beauty’, human beings and purge the society and people immaculate and inexpressibly blissful. In queer of their evils, sins and miseries. The entire process

130 July - 2011 Orissa Review is ‘adhyatma vidya’ (spiritual knowledge). The himself ‘adhyatmavidya vidyanam’ i.e. spiritual above self-less service continues as a miracle knowledge or the science of soul in the realm of beyond the comprehensive reach of modern knowledge. Hence all the three divine science. No self-desire, no attachment, the only manifestations are the eternal chariots, the concentration is on the Lotus Feet of the Lord, charioteer being Lord Sri Krishna, Sri Jagannath, ‘padapadma vinu ana asha nahin, Achyutananda the Pranava ‘Om’ who is the beginning, the middle, Kahai’ (Sharana Panjara, 77). and the end of all creations (aham adischa The Universal Mother (Viswajanani) Sri madhyam cha bhutanam anta eva cha) (The Gita, Achyuta and Srikshetra are all dedicated to one Chapter 10, verse 20.) objective, service through sacrifice and compassion. They are the eternal guides. The principle they adopt, is adhyatmavidya (spiritual knowledge or the science of soul). The Lord has Dr. Kanhu Charan Sarangi, Secretary, State Information held in the Gita, as earlier discussed, that He is Commission, Toshali Plaza, Satya Nagar, Bhubaneswar.

A Prayer

Shyam Prakash Senapati Tr. by Dr. Bhagaban Jaysingh

Oh God ! Transform me such That I would chant The soulful songs to you Replete with devotion.

Oh God ! Transport me unto Such a world Where I would feel you Manifesting through the void Sans form And expression.

Dr. Bhagaban Jaysingh, Editor, ‘Sanskrutira Abhinandanika’, “Senapati Bhawan”, Grand Road, Puri - 752001

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