February 21, 2012
Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji at Shivaratri - February 21, 2012 - Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
We are all very fortunate to have celebrated the very auspicious Maha Shivaratri ritual in the divine presence of our Sadgurudeva Sri Swamiji. Although it was very difficult to maintain a fast and to keep an all-night vigil, we all managed it somehow, and were successful in different degrees. Some gave up their will power and ate and slept. Some slept with their eyes open. Some took brief naps unknowingly. Some dozed off and shook themselves back awake. Some remained alert throughout. The Shivaratri austerity continues till the evening the following day. One is required to keep awake and perform the evening worship to Lord Shiva on the auspicious New moon night, before venturing to sleep again. However it is most difficult to keep awake during the following day after the all-night vigil. I am sure that most of you slept during the day. Now with this final harati, the Shivaratri ritual concludes. I will share with you a very important story, a story that is famous in Andhra Pradesh.
This took place in the Dwapara Yuga. The story occurs in the Mahabharata. The Kauravas and the Pandavas were ready for battle. All efforts at reaching a compromise failed. The Kaurava army was very strong. There were Karna, Duryodhana, Dusshasana, and stalwarts like Bhishma, and Drona in their mighty army. The Pandavas were weak by comparison. How could they hope to win? Lord Krishna, who always is on the side of Dharma, or righteousness, gave Arjuna a valuable suggestion. He said that Arjuna should go to the Himalayas, perform severe penance to win the favor of Lord Shiva, and obtain from Him as a boon, the Pashupata Astra – the most powerful celestial weapon. With that in hand, Arjuna would become invincible. The Pashupata gives one victory over ignorance.
Arjuna followed the advice. He performed severe penance. Lord Shiva was pleased. But He desired to test Arjuna. He appeared in front of Arjuna in the guise of a hunter, and stole Arjuna’s prey. Arjuna’s pride was hurt that he who was a terror to all his enemies, now lost in battle against a mere uncouth hunter in the mountains. He spoke derisive words to the hunter insultingly. A suspicion arose in his mind that this hunter is perhaps not an ordinary mortal. He might be Lord Shiva Himself. Lord Shiva revealed Himself. Arjuna was thrilled to have the vision of the Lord but felt dismayed at the same time. He could not forgive himself for his misjudgment and for his bad behavior towards the Lord. He grieved for his ignorance in not being able to recognize the greatness that lay hidden in the hunter. He repeatedly begged the Lord’s forgiveness. He prayed for a means of atonement for his great sin of abusing the Lord. Lord Shiva blessed Him and said that in the Kali Yuga Arjuna would be born as a hunter himself and in that experience would become completely free from his spiritual ignorance.
There is a powerful Shiva shrine at Sri Kalahasti. The place played a significant role in Sri Swamiji’s life, when he was young. If you read his Life History you will know. ‘Sri’ means spider. ‘Kala’ is serpent. ‘Hasti’ is an elephant. Lord Shiva received worship at this holy spot by great devotees who appeared in these three forms. By Lord Shiva’s grace Arjuna was born into a hunter’s family that lived close by in the jungle. He was illiterate and wild. He became attracted to this large oval stone, the Shiva Lingam and began to love it with immense faith and devotion. He would bring meat and offer it as food to this stone, with great affection. The priests who saw this were horrified. This hunter whose name was Kannappa was beaten for his atrocious behavior. Unable to see this injustice done to his dear devotee, Shiva’s eye began to bleed. Kannappa could not bear to see Shiva in pain. He plucked out his own eye out of sheer blind faith and love and replaced Shiva’s bleeding eye. The Sadguru who was in the form of Lord Shiva, then started bleeding in the second eye. Kannappa pressed his big toe into the second eye of Shiva to control the bleeding, and also to know its exact location even after he completely lost his own vision, as he got ready to pluck out his own second eye to replace it.
Then a horrible thought occurred to Kannappa. He knew by instinct that Lord Shiva has three eyes. Once his own two eyes are removed, then, if the third eye of Lord Shiva begin to bleed as well, how would he know? He would not be able to see it then. He then humbly prayed. He knew that just like Lord Shiva, he also had a third invisible eye, at the spot where a dot is placed between the eyebrows, called Lambika. He prayed fervently to Lord Shiva that his own third eye that lies hidden in his heart should open now so that if Lord Shiva begins to bleed in the third eye, Kannappa would know, and he would be able to offer to his Lord his third eye as well. Kannappa’s devotion was true devotion. That is why Lord Shiva blessed him with Jnana, spiritual enlightenment.
Arjuna was learned in many arts and sciences. But he lacked spiritual knowledge, Jnana. His faith and devotion were flawed and gave place to doubt. Hence out of his ego he insulted the Kirata, the hunter who was Lord Shiva Himself. That was his Karma. By Lord Shiva’s grace in this lifetime, although he was illiterate in the worldly sense, Kannappa had the spiritual knowledge of the existence of the third eye, and was also blessed with unflinching faith and devotion towards the Lord because of the fervent and sincere prayers that he had offered to Lord Shiva, as Arjuna.
When Payasam (the sweet rice pudding) is made, we add cashew nuts, raisins, milk, saffron, cardamom, rice and prepare the beautiful dish. But it is not complete until the sweetening ingredient is added. It is the sweet that makes it Payasam. Without it, it cannot be called Payasam. Life without devotion is like Payasam that is not sweet. Sri Swamiji gives us devotion. Without devotion everything is useless. Faith is required. Let us pray while we are healthy and comfortable. Prayer is not only for times of distress. Let us develop our faith and devotion and sincere practice of worship. May Lord Shiva’s grace be upon all of us.
Sri Guru Datta