Mahalakshmi    – Venupayyanur

Mahalakshmi is the Goddess of Wealth, health and prosperity and is the consort of Lord Vishnu, the God of Preservation.  Lakshmi is depicted as a beautiful woman of golden complexion, with four hands, sitting or standing on a full-bloomed lotus and holding lotus buds and bestowing gold coins of prosperity to all her worshippers, symbolic of when the lotus of wisdom blossoms, the wealth of good and noble qualities appears and Lakshmi’s blessings will be present. Two elephants are often shown standing next to the goddess and spraying water. This denotes that ceaseless effort, in accordance with one’s dharma and governed by wisdom and purity, leads to both material and spiritual prosperity. Elephants also signify her royal power. Lotus is associated with many of the Hindu Gods and Goddess and in relation to Shri-Lakshmi this refers to purity and spiritual power. Rooted in the mud, but blossoming above the water, completely uncontaminated by the mud, the lotus represents spiritual perfection and authority which rises above worldly contamination.

The word ‘Lakshmi’ is derived from the Sanskrit word “Laksya”, meaning ‘aim’ or ‘goal’ and for most people in this world, their only aim is to amass wealth. But one can amass wealth by different means, as Lord Kubera, the God of wealth can bless you, as well as all other gods and demi-gods. Wealth can also be given by Rakshasa, Gandharva, kinnara, kimpurusha, etc. So what makes Lakshmi so different from others? Mother Lakshmi is the One who bestows 16 types of wealth:(1) Fame; (2) Knowledge; (3) Courage and Strength; (4) Victory; (5) Good Children; (6) Valor; (7) Gold, Gems and Other Valuables; (8) Grains in abundance; (9) Happiness; (10) Bliss; (11) Intelligence; (12) Beauty; (13) Higher Aim, High Thinking and Higher Meditation; (14) Morality and Ethics; (15) Good Health; (16) Long Life. Have you heard of Ashtalakshmi?

• Adi Lakshmi : an ancient form of Lakshmi and incarnation of Lakshmi as daughter of sage Bhrigu
• Dhana Lakshmi: for money and gold
• Dhanya Lakshmi : Giver of agricultural wealth.
• Gaja Lakshmi : Giver of animal wealth like cattle and
• Santana Lakshmi : Bestower of offspring
• Veera Lakshmi : Bestower of valour in battles and courage and strength for overcoming difficulties in life.
• Vijaya Lakshmi : Giver of victory, not only in battles but also over conquering hurdles in order to beget success.
• Vidya Lakshmi : the bestower of knowledge of arts and sciences

People who amass wealth through dubious means, corruption, etc is actually not blessed by Mata Lakshmi as they will not be bestowed with all the 16 wealth including peace of mind. So how can one get the blessings of Mahalakshmi?  As mentioned earlier, it is already shown in her iconography, lotus and Elephant. Be unattached; do not be influenced by your surroundings and keep on working hard, all will get the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi.

The Vahana of Lakshmi is an Owl called Uluka. Owl is looked upon as a bird of ill omen, a symbol of darkness, disgrace and misfortune. The bird is blind during day time and sleeps the whole day but very active at night and has vision too. It rarely trust human beings and seldom seen in the company of any other bird. This reflects that people are generally blinded by wealth. They forget the good aspect of riches such as proper use and charity and become even greedier and destroy themselves with their own wealth. Such people may also not get peaceful sleep during the night and may end up sick and restless. Those who pursue riches should be aware of these negative qualities and pray to Shri Mahalakshmi so that she would inculcate in them the qualities of trust, generosity and social responsibility and would make them popular among people. She would also help them come out of the darkness of ignorance, avarice and selfishness, which are generally associated with the pursuit of materialism.

Lord Shiva represents the aspect of the Supreme Being that continuously dissolves to recreate in the cyclic process of creation, preservation, dissolution and recreation of the universe. Lord Shiva is the Lord of mercy and compassion. He protects devotees from evil forces such as lust, greed, and anger. He grants boons, bestows grace and awakens wisdom in His devotees. The symbolism discussed below includes major symbols that are common to all pictures and images of Shiva venerated by Hindus.

• Matted locks: Lord Shiva is the Master of yoga. The three matted locks on the head of the Lord convey the idea that integration of the physical, mental and spiritual energies is the ideal of yoga. The flow of his matted hair also represents Shiva as the Lord of Wind or Vayu, who is the subtle form of breathe present in all living beings.
• Ganga: Ganga is the most sacred river of Hindus. According to tradition, one who bathes in Ganga (revered as Mother Ganga) in accordance with traditional rites and ceremonies on religious occasions in combination with certain astrological events, is freed from sin and attains knowledge, purity and peace. Ganga, symbolically represented on the head of the Lord by a female (Mother Ganga) with a jet of water emanating from her mouth and falling on the ground, signifies that the Lord destroys sin, removes ignorance, and bestows knowledge, purity and peace on the devotees.
• The crescent moon: is shown on the side of the Lord’s head as an ornament. The waxing and waning phenomenon of the moon symbolizes the time cycle through which creation evolves from the beginning to the end. Since the Lord is the Eternal Reality, He is beyond time.
• Three eyes: Lord Shiva, also called Tryambaka Deva (literally, “three-eyed Lord”), is depicted as having three eyes: the sun is His right eye, the moon the left eye and fire the third eye. The two eyes on the right and left indicate His activity in the physical world. The third eye in the center of the forehead symbolizes spiritual knowledge and power, and is thus called the eye of wisdom or knowledge. Like fire, the powerful gaze of Shiva’s third eye annihilates evil, and thus the evil-doers fear His third eye.
• Kundalas (two ear rings): Since the kundala in the left ear of the Lord is of the type used by women and the one in His right ear is of the type used by men, these Kundalas also symbolize the Shiva and Shakti (male and female) principle of creation.
• Snake around the neck: sages have used snakes to symbolize the yogic power of Lord Shiva. Snake also represents a thousand thoughts that pass through our minds all the time. A mind that is controlled can be worn as an ornament around the neck.
• Rudraksha necklace: Rudra is another name of Shiva. Rudra also means “strict or uncompromising” and aksha means “eye.” Rudraksha necklace worn by the Lord illustrates that He uses His cosmic laws firmly – without compromise – to maintain law and order in the universe. To lead a peaceful and successful life, we all must follow all the rules, cosmic, social and professional and also help others to do the same.
• Trident (Trisula): a three-pronged trident shown adjacent to the Lord symbolizes His three fundamental powers (shakti) of will (iccha), action (kriya) and knowledge (jnana). The trident also symbolizes the Lord’s power to destroy evil and ignorance. It also represents the three Gunas—Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.
• Damaru (drum): a small drum with two sides separated from each other by a thin neck-like structure symbolizes the two utterly dissimilar states of existence, unmanifest and manifest. When a damaru is vibrated, it produces dissimilar sounds which are fused together by resonance to create one sound. The sound thus produced symbolizes Nada, the cosmic sound of AUM, which can be heard during deep meditation. According to Hindu scriptures, Nada is the source of creation. Exactly similar to the conch, panchajanya of Vishnu.
• Kamandalu: a water pot (Kamandalu) made from a dry pumpkin contains nectar and is shown on the ground next to Shiva. The process of making Kamandalu has deep spiritual significance. A ripe pumpkin is plucked from a plant, its fruit is removed and the shell is cleaned for containing the nectar. In the same way, an individual must break away from attachment to the physical world and clean his inner self of egoistic desires in order to experience the bliss of the Self, symbolized by the nectar in the Kamandalu.
• Nandi: the bull is associated with Shiva and is said to be His vehicle. The bull symbolizes both power and ignorance. Lord Shiva’s use of the bull as a vehicle conveys the idea that He removes ignorance and bestows power of wisdom on His devotees. Have you seen villains in hindi movies, they are generally shown as physically strong persons with lack of intelligence or thinking power. They are the bulls, if under control will do whatever the master wants, or else it can destroy you also.
• Tiger skin: He is often shown seated upon a tiger skin, an honour reserved for the most accomplished of Hindu ascetics, the Brahmarishis. Tiger represents lust. His sitting on the tiger’s skin indicates that He has conquered lust.
•  Generally in the corporate world most of us are worried about the timelines. Quarterly and yearly performance targets. Our job is to put in maximum efforts with due diligence and commitment and leave the rest to GOD as hard work never goes without rewards. Be master of the time.
•  Like Vishnu’s Sudarshana the third eye is not something that kills people but kills the ignorance in people. Knowledge is the only reliable source for one’s success and we must constantly strive hard to acquire more than adequate knowledge in our sphere of activities.
•  If a person is not successful in his job, it could either be due to his capability or willingness. Ability is derived from knowledge and skills, that is jnana shakti and kriya shakti. Generally we can impart trainings to individuals who lack knowledge or skills. However if he lacks willingness to perform, that is ichha shakti, no knowledge is adequate to be successful.

Lord Shiva dissolves the universe for creation of the next cycle so that the un-liberated souls will have another opportunity to liberate themselves from bondage with the physical world. As generally understood, Shiva is not the destroyer, but does creative destruction. The old have to be destroyed to create the new, whether in the physical world or in the mind. If you want to be successful in the new organization, you have to learn the culture, systems and procedures and products of the new company. If you continue to sell the products of the previous company and practice the same behavior, you may not survive here for a long time.

You will also see many similarities between Vishnu and Shiva from the symbols that are associated with them.

• Like Vishnu’s conch, the Damaru produces “nada brahmam”, is the origin of everything. Hence Shiva is also the creator. Ganga and Kamandalu with water are also symbols for life and purity.
• Trishul, like the Gada of Vishnu, shows the supreme authority and will be used as and when needed to punish people to bring them in the correct path.
• The third eye of Shiva, when open does not kill people, but destroys their ignorance.
•  Lord Shiva is the perfect Yogi, generally shown meditating and in perfect control of his mind and never too conscious of his body and appearance. A lesson that we must try to practice in our life all the time.

Shiva is the God of Death and that is why devotees chant the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra to overcome fear of death and to restore health and happiness in life. Let us also evaluate the symbols of death that one can observe in Lord Shiva.

Generally the causes of death are the following – Disease, drowning, fire, accident or death by a weapon and breathing problems.

• Shiva has many snakes adorning his body and represents disease. (Kindly look at the symbol of India medical association, two intertwined snakes)
• Ganga flows from the head of the lord and represents water and death by drowning.
• Shiva’s third eye represents Fire.
• Trishul is of course the weapon with which one can die.
• And finally the “Jata” represents vayu and represents death by breathing problems. 

In order to overcome the fear of death and restore good health and happiness one should recite the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra which is considered extremely powerful and significant by the Hindus.

Om tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pushti – vardhanam,

urva – rukamiva bandhanan mrityor – muksheeya ma – amritat |

Also known as the Moksha Mantra of Lord Shiva, chanting of Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is said to create divine vibrations that heals. This mantra restores health and happiness and brings calmness in the face of death. When courage or determination is blocked, it rises up to overcome obstacles. It awakens a healing force that reaches deep into the body and mind.

VenuPayyanur

Vishnu and You

According to various Puranas, Vishnu is the ultimate omnipresent reality and one of the most important Gods among the Trinity. He is generally shown either in the standing position or lying on top of the snake Anantha with Lakshmi, his consort serving him at his feet. Let us try to understand the symbolism behind his various forms and how we can benefit from having better understanding of the symbolism.

1.  The name Vishnu means all pervading, omnipresent, etc.

2.  He is shown with four arms.

3.  The colour of his skin is blue: The blue colour indicates his all-pervasive nature, blue being the colour of the infinite space as well as the infinite ocean on which he resides.

4.  He has the mark of sage Bhrigu‘s feet on his chest.

5.  Also on his chest is the srivatsa mark, symbolising his consort Lakshmi.

6.  He is to shown wearing two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation — knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain, etc

7.  A crown adorns his head symbolizing his supreme authority.

8.  His four hands hold a conch shell or Shankha named “Panchajanya”, the chakra, a sharp-spinning discus-like weapon, named “Sudarshana”, a mace or Gada, named “Kaumodaki”, and a lotus flower or Padma.

Now let us try to understand the significance of Vishnu symbolism.

1.  Vishnu, the name and the colour signifies all pervading and omnipresent. If you are the CEO or a manager of a company, your presence have to felt across the organization to be effective, irrespective of the fact that your men are working across geographies in different offices and departments. If you are in sales or marketing, your customers must feel yours and your company’s presence all the time and this can be achieved either by smart marketing or by physically covering the market. Only then you and your company can be successful.

2.  Have you ever recited this prayer “Karaagre Vasate Lakshmi, Karamuule Saraswati, Karamadhye sthithe Gowri, Prabhaate Kara Darshanam”? This means the front part of the hands (the fingertips) is ascribed to Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, the middle part (the palm proper) to Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning, and the root (the part of hand near the wrist) to Gowri (the Goddess of power). This prayer is to be recited first thing in the morning once you get up and essentially means that only if you work hard you can attain knowledge, wealth and power. Or everything is in your hands. Generally we all work with one hand. The four hands of Vishnu depicts that you have to work much more than an average person to be extremely successful.

3.  The conch shell in his hand is called “Panchajanyam”. It has two meanings. The sound from the conch is “Om” and as the first sound (pranavam) is the origin of the entire universe. It also means that which produces the five elements, ether (space), air, fire, water and earth, from which the entire universe is created. You have to produce results to be successful.

4.  The disc or chakra is called “Sudarshana” and we think that it is the ultimate weapon used by Vishnu or Krishna to kill the enemies. But the fact is different. Sudarshana means “auspicious vision”. How can you kill a person with auspicious vision? This essentially means that you convert a person who is defocused and not doing what is expected to be done. It could also be someone with negative character doing all the wrong things. By proper advice and guidance you can convert any person to think and behave the way what is appropriate to the society or the circumstances. Once you do that the bad element in that person is killed and goodness is born. That is what Krishna has done with Arjuna. Krishna converted a dejected and de-motivated Arjuna to take up arms and start the war as that was his solemn duty as a Kshatriya in the battle field. Every organization has a vision statement which we all are supposed to follow with total devotion and commitment and do whatever it takes to live the vision and convert every other employee to be committed as well.

5.  Vishnu has a crown in his head and mace in his hand and that represents his authority and power. The crown represents his positional authority, generally worn by kings and the mace represents his authority to punish people when they go wrong. In organizations positional authority is depicted by their title (that is why everyone wants a manager’s title). Managers also have the power to reward and punish those who are his direct reports.

6.  Lotus flower which Vishnu holds in one of his hands is one of the most popular symbols in Hindu and Buddhist religion and represents purity and non attachment. It grows in mud and lives in water, yet is one of the most beautiful flowers and never gets wet. It is not bothered about the surroundings but blooms and performs its job before vanishing. The ultimate aim of living beings is to perform its karma without bothering about the external factors. Generally we are bothered about everyone else in our job or surroundings and keep complaining about them without focusing on what we are supposed to do. People say that one’s character is defined by his nature and nurture, means the family and environment. What lotus teaches us is that irrespective of our family background and our upbringing, we can lead a life of perfection and attain great achievements if we live like a lotus.

7.  On his chest Vishnu has the “srivatsa” mark symbolizing his consort Lakshmi. Does this mean that you have to keep the photo of your wife in your shirt pocket all the time? Or like the fad these days make a tattoo of your wife on your chest? Certainly not. For me this signifies that you should always be thinking and caring about your family, including spouse, even when you are immersed in your professional or personal pursuits.

Therefore let us all try to live the life of Vishnu and be highly successful.

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” –Brian Tracy

A grateful heart is the beginning of greatness. Gratitude builds humility as we recognize an act of kindness, service, or caring from someone else. True gratitude is a foundation for faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being. Being grateful leads us to look outside ourselves and turn to the bestower of the blessings. The link between spirituality and gratitude has recently become a popular subject of study. While these two characteristics are certainly not dependant on each other, studies have found that spirituality is capable of enhancing a person’s ability to be grateful and therefore, those who regularly attend religious services or engage in religious activities are more likely to have a greater sense of gratitude in all areas of life.

Guru-kripa-grace of a Guru-is also an essential element for one’s success.  A Guru can be pleased with his disciple only if the latter carries out his instructions diligently and implicitly and do nothing that will hurt the feelings or image of the Guru, Guide or the teacher.

However what do we see around us these days, particularly in the corporate sector? They act like Bhasmasura, trying to destroy the very person or organization that has helped the individual to be where s/he is today.

Demon Bhasmasura performed intense ‘tapas’ (penance) for several years with only the thought of Lord Shiva. Finally, Lord Shiva relented and granted the demon the boon that he asked – that he could burn to ashes anyone whose head he placed his hand. An Asura, Bhasmasura showed his true color and he wanted to test the power of the boon by placing his hand on Shiva’s head. Shiva fled in terror and sought the help of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu who knew about this evil desire took the form of Mohini, the seductress, once again. Bhasmasura is taken with Mohini’s charm and beauty and asks her to marry him. Mohini convinces him to dance and mimic every move that she makes. In the course of gestures and postures, Mohini puts her hand on her head and Bhasmasura, distracted by her beauty and grace, does the same. The moment he places his hand on his head, he gets burned and dies and Shiva and the world are saved.

Don’t we see many Bhasmasuras around us in the corporate circle? A company invests more than six months of their time, money and resources in training the person, in their technology, products, markets, competitors and also imparting the necessary skills such as selling techniques, diagnostic skills, communication skills, leadership skills, etc. In high technology companies, the training is ongoing both in the class rooms as well as on the job. Once that person starts getting results and being successful, may be after 3 or 5 years, s/he feels de-motivated due to increase in expectations. And then leaves the company and joins the competition. There he uses all the knowledge and skill learned earlier, to destroy the same company that made him eligible for the current job by misusing trade secrets and internal information and saying negative things about the products and people. He will also try to allure people and make the company weak. I am not against persons joining competition, but should believe in the law of abundance; my success is not achieved by the failure of someone else, there is enough in the world for all of us to be successful.

When one is reasonably successful in life or in any particular endeavor they generally attribute it to their individual knowledge, competence and hard work.  Probably that would also be the beginning of their decline. However great one may be no success can ever be achieved without the support from many persons who are known and unknown. And Gurukripa is essential for continued success!

Venu Payyanur