CHAPTER
7
HINDU
MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE IN THE BHAKTI CULTS; VAISNAVISM AND SAIVISM
7.1.
BHAKTI
Bhakti is a doctrine that implies supreme faith, complete
devotion and utter surrender to a personal God. Bhakti cult started in 7th,
8th and 9th centuries A.D. with advent of 12 Nayanar
(Shivites) and 63 Alvar (Vaishnava) saints from Tamil Nadu (men and women from
all walks of life) who went from place to place singing their devotional hymns
in worship of their respective deities best known of the first group were
Appar, Sambandha Sundaramurti, and Mannik Vachaka, and of the second,
Nammalvar, Kulasekhara, Tirumangi and Godal (or Andal) a woman saint other
famous Bhakti saints who preached and spread the doctrine were Hanadev (d.1608)
and Ramakrishna Pramhanasa (1836-1886) Tukarama (b.1608). Bhakti must be
unremitting and depends on an intimate personal association between devotee and
deity aided by chanting the latter’s praises, hearing its praises remembering
it always and serving it by doing good works in its name. The word Bhakti
derives from the root Bhaj primarily it means to share or participate in Gita.
Krishna is said to have participated with his devotees and reciprocally they
too participated with him. The Bhakti is also very frequently used for sexual
love and sexual union. Bhakti is essentially the attuning of the mind to God.
One of the natural instincts of animate beings is to love. If such love is
directed towards a permanent entity like God, it is Bhakti, which leads to
bliss, or permanent unalloyed happiness, a condition of mind by which it is
constantly drawn to the Lord of creation. It, therefore, requires concentration
of mind. Such concentration has to be cultivated and developed by training.
7.2.
God Vishnu
"Vishnu, in Hinduism, second deity in the Trimurti
(divine trinity, including Brahma, the creator, and Shiva, the destroyer),
representing the preserving and protecting aspect of the Godhead. The ancient
Vishnu Purana text describes him as the primal god, as do his followers
(Vishnavas), who also worship his many avatars, such as Rama, Buddha, and
Krishna. Vishnu is often represented dark blue in colour, holding in his 4
hands a lotus, mace, discus, and, conch. His consort is Lakshmi."1
She is said to be the Goddess of fortune
Vishnu is considered as the God of protection in Hindu
Trinity. He is the embodiment of Satavaguna is the pervader from the root VISH
(to pervade). He is associated with the watery element and is called NARAYANA
moving in the water; and is represented as slumbering in SESHA king of serpents
floating on the waters. He has a thousand names. His abode is Vaikunth and his
vehicle Garuda. Vishnu is the highest among Gods. Vishnu is thus represented
reposing on the thousand-headed serpent Ananta and floating of the ocean.
Vishnu irrespective of his incarnations has a material character and an
individuality of his own. He is described as living in Vaikunth (heaven).
Vishnu’s separate personality as distinct from his avatara has been described
in the PURANAS. Accordingly he has a peculiar auspicious mark on his breast. He
has four arms and holds a symbol in each of his four hands; via a wheel or
circular weapon (charka) called SUDARSHANA, a conch shell called PANCHANJAANYA,
Gada called KAMAHI and a lotus PADMA. Considering Vishnu’s connection with sun
the wheel (discuss) may be regarded as emblematical of the sun’s circular
course in the heavens. In the later mythology it is supposed to represent a
missile weapon hurled by Vishnu like a quoits at the demons that are ever
potting against Gods and men and with whom he is always at war. He blows the
conch shell like a trumpet in his battles; its miraculous sound filling his
enemies with terror and helping him to secure victory. The mace also used in
battles but he is also armed with a wonderful bow called SARANA and a sword
NANDAKA. He has a jewel on his wrist named SYSMANTAKA and another on his breast
called KAUSTUBHA.
In Rig-Veda Vishnu is a form of the ever-moving solar orb.
He is striding through the seven worlds consisting of seven lower regions
(Atala, Vitala Bhuvar, Svaar, Mahab, Janab, Tapab, and B’rhma, or Sateye). Bhur
(earth) Bhuvr (atmosphere) and svr (heaven) are supposed to comprehend the
entire world. Though Vishnu existed as a God in Vedic times, his role as
preserver is essentially a late development. Vishnu is a God who is equal with
Prajapti the creator and supreme God. As Prajapti he encompassed Brahma. As the
preserver he is the embodiment of the quality of mercy and goodness. He
preserves and maintains the universe and the cosmic order and Dharma. Vishnu is
the God, who evinced his sympathy for the suffering human. His activity is
confined to the welfare of all created thing by frequent descents (avatara) on
earth not only in the form of men but also of animals and even of plants and
stones.
In Hinduism Vishnu is regarded as the Para Brahman. He is
higher than the highest. He is self-existing, immutable, predicate less, and
pure being. He is the supreme reality, devoid of origin, growth, modification and
destruction. He is the attribute less or devoid of sensible qualities. He
abides in himself. He abides in all things of the universe. So he is called
‘Vasudeva’. He is the supreme self. Para Brahman is infinite knowledge. He is
devoid of difference. He is infinite eternal pure consciousness. Pure
consciousness constitutes his nature. He is indeterminate being and
self-awareness. He has three powers of being, consciousness and bliss. He
cannot be known through any predicate or attribute. Vishnu is pure infinite,
eternal and, omnipresent.
7.3.
GOD SIVA
Siva is partly developed from the Bedi Rudra. He is equally
reminiscent of Praryna yogic Lord of the beasts, while his consort resembles
the sacrifice-exacting mother Goddesses of the same period. Rudra or Siva is
early identified with Fire, from its role as God of red lightening and can take
the place of AGANI. Siva as Lord of Beasts, and at the same times the idea of
violence present in Rudra. Siva Bhairava, the destroyer is thus by extension
Siva, the bringer of fertility, the creator, the auspicious, thus Brahman
becomes inferior to Siva. So Siva is called MHADEVA or ISWARA. His supreme
creative power is celebrated in worship of LINGAM.
"Siva, Hindu deity representing that aspect of the
Godhead connected with the destruction necessary for renewal of life. He is
sometimes depicted as an ascetic youth. In the role of re-creator he called the
happy one His phallic emblem is worshipped."2
Hindus (shivites) believe that, " Shiva is the
efficient cause of the world. Shakti, his conscious energy, is its instrumental
cause. Maya is its material cause. Shakti is conscious energy. It constitutes
the body of God. It is not independent of him. Maya is the unconscious primal
matter. It is omnipresent, indestructible, and possessed of manifold
powers."3 Siva has his abode on mount Kailasa, where He lives
with his family, where his worshippers hope to be transferred. Another
remarkable aspect of Siva is as a being ‘half male and half female’. It
symbolises both the duality and unity of the generative act and the production
of the universe from the union of the two eternal principles.
Siva is considered as indeterminate, attribute less, pure,
and eternal. Siva has the Shakti, or power of conscious and power and bliss,
which in non-different from him. Siva is the Lord of creation, preservation,
and, destruction of the world. Siva is also the ruler of the individual souls.
He is also calm, part less, imperishable, supreme light of consciousness. He is
pure, spotless, ungrounded, formless enlightened and free from appearance.
END NOTES
1. Harkavy, D. Michael, The New
Webster’s International Encyclopaedia (USA: R.R Donnelley & Sons
Company, 1991), P.1148.
2. Ibid., P.992.
3. Sinha Jadunath, India Philosophy,
Vol.II (Calcutta: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited), P733
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