Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Story 24 – Diti’s conception
Srimad Bhagavatham - A Spiritual Insight - Story 24 – Diti’s conception
When Vidura heard about the Lord coming in the form of a boar in the world, he asked Maitreya about how he killed Hiranyaksha and how was the demon Hiranyaksha.
Hearing this Maitreya started explaining the story of Hiranyaksha and his brother Hiranyakashipu’s mother Diti.
Diti was one of the wives of the sage Kaashyapa. Many of Kashyapa’s other wives all had children but Diti did not have any children. Hence she was sad. One day lust overtook her (because of the desire of begetting a child) and she approached her husband. Kashyapa was meditating as it was Sandhya time (evening) which is not favourable and the only thing to be done at that time is meditation or contemplation of the Lord. Hence Kashyapa replied to her about the same telling her that Lord Shiva and his ganas will be watching everything and things that are done in this time will not be good. But still Diti was completely overtaken by lust and hence wanted to have union with Kashyapa. The sage who was a realized being and a good husband wanted to pacify her and hence granted her desire. After the union the sage had a bath and started chanting the sacred syllable OM. Diti now was ashamed and sad about her doings. And hence was afraid whether something bad would happen and hence she was praying to Lord Shiva for peace. Kashyapa thus saw his wife afraid and praying for the wrong done by her. He then said to her that since they had union during a non-conducive hour, she will beget two children who will be very bad (demonic character). But still he said that those demons will be fortunate enough to get killed by the Lord himself. He also said to her that she will have a grandson (Prahlada – the son of her eldest son Hiranyakashipu) who will be great devotee of the Lord and whose praises will be sung everywhere.
Explanation
In the previous story the effect of getting attracted to sense objects or WEALTH was mentioned. In this chapter we find a mention of Kamini or lust. These two are the most dangerous enemies to a person in the world. Sri Ramakrishna explained and emphasized in detail these two enemies. Adi Sankara explains these two in 2 slokas in the very beginning of Bhaja Govindam.
Sankara says
Moodah jaheehi dhanaagama trishna
Kuru sadbhuddhim manasi vitrishnaam
Yat labhase nija karmopaatham
Vittam tena vinodhaya chittam
O Fool! Give up the thirst for wealth (craving for sense objects which are termed as wealth), create good intellect which is devoid of thirst, be content with whatever you have in life through your actions and be happy with it.
Here Sankara mentions a person not to have thirst for sense objects as they are more dangerous than poison. Poison affects only when you taste it and intake it. But sense objects by mere seeing itself becomes deadly (making even brothers fight against each other as has been happening recently as well as son killing the father etc.).
Naari sthana bhara naabhi vesham
Drishtvaa maa ghaa mohavesham
Ethan maamsa vasaadi vikaaram
Manasi vichintayam vaaram vaaram
Don’t get deluded by seeing the full bosom, navels or personal part of a woman. Instead repeat in your mind the fact that those are nothing but made of flesh, fat etc. only (insentient).
If we notice the normal human being, he is always attached to either Kamini or lust and Kanchana or sense objects. These are two things very tough indeed to control. Unless a person controls these, he cannot go beyond the temporary pleasures obtained through these and realize the eternal bliss inherent in the Self. Thus, it is essential for a seeker that he gets control over kamini or woman and kanchana or sense objects.
In the previous chapter Bhagavatham mentioned control of sense objects by destroying the Ego (depicted by the killing of Hiranyaaksha by Lord Vishnu in the Varaha form). In this chapter, Bhagavatham shows the problems of lust and tells a seeker to have control over the feelings of desire and lust.
One of the senior disciples of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to tell that two things are tough to control in life. One is sexual impulse and the next is the taste of the tongue. And another main reason Brahmacharya or celibacy is enforced in a disciple is because maximum energy is lost in the form of sexual energy. A seeker requires sufficient energy to go beyond the senses and control the ever wavering mind. This requires lot of energy and hence preservation of energy in various forms is necessary so that it can be converted into spiritual energy and the seeker controls the mind & realizes the ultimate reality of God. Saints often quote the example of “lion being stronger than elephant for celibacy”. It is said that lions mate in their life only once and hence they are able to conquer and defeat the bigger animal of elephant.
Sage Patanjali very clearly stresses Brahmacharya or celibacy and puts it part of Yama (one of the parts of the ashtaanga yoga) in his Yoga Sutras. Adi Sankaracharya among other acharyas also stresses the importance of the same. Brahmacharya is not just remaining without marriage but it is controlling the passion of sex. Thus a seeker should not think here that only those who haven’t married are realized --- in that case many of the rishis as well as kings like Janaka and Ambariksha will not be realized (which is wrong as the scriptures themselves proclaim these kings to be realized beings).
What will happen if lust is not controlled?
The mind and its activities are addictive in nature. If a person doesn’t control them, he is controlled by them. Hence those become impulses and necessities without which the person cannot live at all. This is what happens with smokers and drinkers. A person smokes just for the first time and then he is never able to stop it as he cannot live without smoking. Thus, if lust and other desires are not controlled – the seeker will always be under their control. This means the seeker is under the control of the mind (as lust is nothing but a feeling or expression of the mind only). Such a seeker can never draw the mind inward into its source of God and Self. Thus the seeker will never be able to realize the ultimate reality of God.
Therefore an initial seeker should always abstain from having lustful thoughts. Sri Ramakrishna was once asked as to how to destroy lust. Sri Ramakrishna replied telling that any thought cannot be destroyed (initially) but they can only be substituted with good thoughts. The thought of lust comes only when the seeker is without any engagement (in the mind). When the seeker is always engrossed in the thought of Lord and contemplation on the ultimate reality of Lord, there will never be time to think of lust. Thus lust will run far away from such a person. This is the simplest and best way to eradicate lust and other such feelings.
Here Bhagavatham doesn’t just emphasize on lust alone but it also states about the various other feelings in the mind like anger, desire, jealousy etc.
When Diti was lustful, her husband who was always immersed in the reality of Lord advised her first about the nature and consequence of lust. But when still she could not be pacified, her husband paved way for her desire. This shows the greatness of the rishis of that time. They were open to anything – they would do any kind of action but still be unaffected by it. This is the state of the realized saint who is never affected by actions as he is beyond actions. He performs actions just as a drama player acts in a drama – his actions are accidental and never intentional. He is always identified with the ultimate reality of Brahman and hence his actions are like the actions performed by a person in dream. Thus, Kashayapa satisfied Diti with what she wanted. But after this, Diti started repenting for her action. This is what happens when a person does something which he is not supposed to do. Once a person steals, he repents over it. This repenting nature itself shows the good quality in the person to accept the fault. This is where Hinduism differs from other religions where a person is considered a sinner. In Hinduism, no one is a sinner as everyone has Lord in him as his own very nature and essence. Therefore there is nothing called sin. Even the sin performed is only an illusion in the reality of Lord. Hence what is required empirically when a person does sin is to repent over it and offer the action unto the Lord (it is more important to remember the Lord than just repenting and being ssad about it). This is what Diti did. Diti repented and therefore prayed to Lord shiva for the same. As we all have been hearing stories of the Lord from childhood that he gave liberation to even the worst people in the world, similarly the Lord is so compassionate that he is always waiting for a seeker to call him and seek him. Lord is not a person who gives blessings to selected individuals who follow his path or read his gospel – but instead Lord is always ready to help the seeker. But it depends on the seeker whether he wants the grace of the Lord (which is ever present) or doesn’t want. A person should become eligible to get the grace which is achieved through good deeds and constant contemplation of the ultimate reality of Lord.
Thus when Diti repented and was praying to the Lord, Kashyapa said to her that she will beget two children who will have demonic attitude (be bad in quality and not in essence as everybody is the Lord in essence) but they will be killed by the Lord. Diti was very happy as it is really a blessing to be killed by the Lord (as killing here means nothing but killing of the Ego and making one realized – the moment Lord’s hand falls on the individual through the individual becoming eligible for the ever present hand of the Lord, then the individual is saved from the infinite cycle of birth and death). The two sons were Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaaksha. Kashyapa then added by telling that her grandson will be a great devotee of Lord (Prahlaada).
Maitreya continued by starting to tell the background of Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaaksha (the previous births and the aim & cause of their birth) because a person is blessed if he accepts the grace of the Lord even though grace might act through empirical killing by the Lord.
When Vidura heard about the Lord coming in the form of a boar in the world, he asked Maitreya about how he killed Hiranyaksha and how was the demon Hiranyaksha.
Hearing this Maitreya started explaining the story of Hiranyaksha and his brother Hiranyakashipu’s mother Diti.
Diti was one of the wives of the sage Kaashyapa. Many of Kashyapa’s other wives all had children but Diti did not have any children. Hence she was sad. One day lust overtook her (because of the desire of begetting a child) and she approached her husband. Kashyapa was meditating as it was Sandhya time (evening) which is not favourable and the only thing to be done at that time is meditation or contemplation of the Lord. Hence Kashyapa replied to her about the same telling her that Lord Shiva and his ganas will be watching everything and things that are done in this time will not be good. But still Diti was completely overtaken by lust and hence wanted to have union with Kashyapa. The sage who was a realized being and a good husband wanted to pacify her and hence granted her desire. After the union the sage had a bath and started chanting the sacred syllable OM. Diti now was ashamed and sad about her doings. And hence was afraid whether something bad would happen and hence she was praying to Lord Shiva for peace. Kashyapa thus saw his wife afraid and praying for the wrong done by her. He then said to her that since they had union during a non-conducive hour, she will beget two children who will be very bad (demonic character). But still he said that those demons will be fortunate enough to get killed by the Lord himself. He also said to her that she will have a grandson (Prahlada – the son of her eldest son Hiranyakashipu) who will be great devotee of the Lord and whose praises will be sung everywhere.
Explanation
In the previous story the effect of getting attracted to sense objects or WEALTH was mentioned. In this chapter we find a mention of Kamini or lust. These two are the most dangerous enemies to a person in the world. Sri Ramakrishna explained and emphasized in detail these two enemies. Adi Sankara explains these two in 2 slokas in the very beginning of Bhaja Govindam.
Sankara says
Moodah jaheehi dhanaagama trishna
Kuru sadbhuddhim manasi vitrishnaam
Yat labhase nija karmopaatham
Vittam tena vinodhaya chittam
O Fool! Give up the thirst for wealth (craving for sense objects which are termed as wealth), create good intellect which is devoid of thirst, be content with whatever you have in life through your actions and be happy with it.
Here Sankara mentions a person not to have thirst for sense objects as they are more dangerous than poison. Poison affects only when you taste it and intake it. But sense objects by mere seeing itself becomes deadly (making even brothers fight against each other as has been happening recently as well as son killing the father etc.).
Naari sthana bhara naabhi vesham
Drishtvaa maa ghaa mohavesham
Ethan maamsa vasaadi vikaaram
Manasi vichintayam vaaram vaaram
Don’t get deluded by seeing the full bosom, navels or personal part of a woman. Instead repeat in your mind the fact that those are nothing but made of flesh, fat etc. only (insentient).
If we notice the normal human being, he is always attached to either Kamini or lust and Kanchana or sense objects. These are two things very tough indeed to control. Unless a person controls these, he cannot go beyond the temporary pleasures obtained through these and realize the eternal bliss inherent in the Self. Thus, it is essential for a seeker that he gets control over kamini or woman and kanchana or sense objects.
In the previous chapter Bhagavatham mentioned control of sense objects by destroying the Ego (depicted by the killing of Hiranyaaksha by Lord Vishnu in the Varaha form). In this chapter, Bhagavatham shows the problems of lust and tells a seeker to have control over the feelings of desire and lust.
One of the senior disciples of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to tell that two things are tough to control in life. One is sexual impulse and the next is the taste of the tongue. And another main reason Brahmacharya or celibacy is enforced in a disciple is because maximum energy is lost in the form of sexual energy. A seeker requires sufficient energy to go beyond the senses and control the ever wavering mind. This requires lot of energy and hence preservation of energy in various forms is necessary so that it can be converted into spiritual energy and the seeker controls the mind & realizes the ultimate reality of God. Saints often quote the example of “lion being stronger than elephant for celibacy”. It is said that lions mate in their life only once and hence they are able to conquer and defeat the bigger animal of elephant.
Sage Patanjali very clearly stresses Brahmacharya or celibacy and puts it part of Yama (one of the parts of the ashtaanga yoga) in his Yoga Sutras. Adi Sankaracharya among other acharyas also stresses the importance of the same. Brahmacharya is not just remaining without marriage but it is controlling the passion of sex. Thus a seeker should not think here that only those who haven’t married are realized --- in that case many of the rishis as well as kings like Janaka and Ambariksha will not be realized (which is wrong as the scriptures themselves proclaim these kings to be realized beings).
What will happen if lust is not controlled?
The mind and its activities are addictive in nature. If a person doesn’t control them, he is controlled by them. Hence those become impulses and necessities without which the person cannot live at all. This is what happens with smokers and drinkers. A person smokes just for the first time and then he is never able to stop it as he cannot live without smoking. Thus, if lust and other desires are not controlled – the seeker will always be under their control. This means the seeker is under the control of the mind (as lust is nothing but a feeling or expression of the mind only). Such a seeker can never draw the mind inward into its source of God and Self. Thus the seeker will never be able to realize the ultimate reality of God.
Therefore an initial seeker should always abstain from having lustful thoughts. Sri Ramakrishna was once asked as to how to destroy lust. Sri Ramakrishna replied telling that any thought cannot be destroyed (initially) but they can only be substituted with good thoughts. The thought of lust comes only when the seeker is without any engagement (in the mind). When the seeker is always engrossed in the thought of Lord and contemplation on the ultimate reality of Lord, there will never be time to think of lust. Thus lust will run far away from such a person. This is the simplest and best way to eradicate lust and other such feelings.
Here Bhagavatham doesn’t just emphasize on lust alone but it also states about the various other feelings in the mind like anger, desire, jealousy etc.
When Diti was lustful, her husband who was always immersed in the reality of Lord advised her first about the nature and consequence of lust. But when still she could not be pacified, her husband paved way for her desire. This shows the greatness of the rishis of that time. They were open to anything – they would do any kind of action but still be unaffected by it. This is the state of the realized saint who is never affected by actions as he is beyond actions. He performs actions just as a drama player acts in a drama – his actions are accidental and never intentional. He is always identified with the ultimate reality of Brahman and hence his actions are like the actions performed by a person in dream. Thus, Kashayapa satisfied Diti with what she wanted. But after this, Diti started repenting for her action. This is what happens when a person does something which he is not supposed to do. Once a person steals, he repents over it. This repenting nature itself shows the good quality in the person to accept the fault. This is where Hinduism differs from other religions where a person is considered a sinner. In Hinduism, no one is a sinner as everyone has Lord in him as his own very nature and essence. Therefore there is nothing called sin. Even the sin performed is only an illusion in the reality of Lord. Hence what is required empirically when a person does sin is to repent over it and offer the action unto the Lord (it is more important to remember the Lord than just repenting and being ssad about it). This is what Diti did. Diti repented and therefore prayed to Lord shiva for the same. As we all have been hearing stories of the Lord from childhood that he gave liberation to even the worst people in the world, similarly the Lord is so compassionate that he is always waiting for a seeker to call him and seek him. Lord is not a person who gives blessings to selected individuals who follow his path or read his gospel – but instead Lord is always ready to help the seeker. But it depends on the seeker whether he wants the grace of the Lord (which is ever present) or doesn’t want. A person should become eligible to get the grace which is achieved through good deeds and constant contemplation of the ultimate reality of Lord.
Thus when Diti repented and was praying to the Lord, Kashyapa said to her that she will beget two children who will have demonic attitude (be bad in quality and not in essence as everybody is the Lord in essence) but they will be killed by the Lord. Diti was very happy as it is really a blessing to be killed by the Lord (as killing here means nothing but killing of the Ego and making one realized – the moment Lord’s hand falls on the individual through the individual becoming eligible for the ever present hand of the Lord, then the individual is saved from the infinite cycle of birth and death). The two sons were Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaaksha. Kashyapa then added by telling that her grandson will be a great devotee of Lord (Prahlaada).
Maitreya continued by starting to tell the background of Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaaksha (the previous births and the aim & cause of their birth) because a person is blessed if he accepts the grace of the Lord even though grace might act through empirical killing by the Lord.
# posted by vedanta : 9:59 AM
