SHARADA NAVRATRI FESTIVAL PART-II 2014

SHARADA NAVRATRI FESTIVAL PART-II 2014

As we enter the third day (Tritiya) of the Sharada Navratri of the present Jaya Samvatsar, the dominating spiritual influence and divine grace of Mother Kali seems to be oozing out every where.   The Mother of the terrible form has been first invoked by Lord Brahma in the ratri suptam as a prelude to the main cantos of the Holy Durga Saptashati text.  This Ratri Suktam again forms part of the first canto in the prathama charitra of the Devi Mahatmyam in which the yoga nidra power of Mother Kali has been addressed to leave and issue out of the system of Lord Mahavishnu so that the latter slays the two demons namely Madhu and Kaitabha, who emerged out of the refuse from the ears of Lord Janardhan and advanced to kill the creator Lord Brahma who was busy in the act ordained to him. 

In the first canto of the Durga Saptashati, Mother Kalika herself does not indulge in any warfare with the demons; rather she only withdraws her tamasic force i.e. Yoga Nidra from the person of Lord Mahavishnu and it is the latter who then engages in a long drawn duel with the demons and finally slays them.

It is mentioned in the Kurmapurana that once when sage Narada asked Lord Shiva about the manifestation of his executing power to control evil forces in the world, Lord Shiva replied thus; “I am the eternal one always in bliss; whenever I need union for the welfare of the world, Bhavani assumes a female form with me; when the turmoil in the world increases, Narayana emerges out of myself with a Sudarshana Chakra to put down the evil forces; when the menace of the evil forces multiply and create havoc, I invoke Durga who deals with them in a befitting manner; and finally when the evil forces assume ugly forms and foul methods to dominate the world, a terrible female form issues out of me assuming the name of Kali who devours them all and tramples them under her powerful feet”.

This terrible form of Mother Kali has been a great fascinating experience for many Saints and Sadhus despite the Mother’s awe inspiring character.  Despite Mother Kali, who is believed to be ever residing in the cremation ground and swallowing in all the karmic remains of Humankind irresepctive of the fact whether one is her devotee or not, there is a compelling magical power that she wields which attracts the devotee towards her Lika Piece Of Iron To The Magnet.  SHE IS JUST AWESOME.  SHE IS THUS INVOKED;

OM Jayanti Managla Kali Bhadrakali Kapalini
Durga Kshama Shiva Dhatri Swaha Swadha Namastute ….(1)

Om Karalavadanam Ghoram muktakeshim chaturbhujam
Kalikam Dakshinam Divayam mundamalam vibhushitam….(2)

There are two mainstreams of worship of divine mother – Shrikul and Kalikul and they are the ten Mahavidyas or the wisdom goddesses. The Shrikul consists of Mahashodashi, Bhuveshwari, Bhairavi, Bagalamukhi, Mantangi and Kamalatmika. The Kalikul consists of Kali, Tara, Chhinamastika and Dhrumravati.

There is always a talk, story, janashruti that between Shri and Kali, Kali is the Adibhoota Mother - Adi Devi and Shodashi is her daughter. 

It is mentioned in the kaalika purana where it is said that the divine Mother Shodasi has 72,000 mantras and maha mantras and she is considered to be Shabdabhrahman - ultimate of sound vibrations in shatka sadhana. But the divine mother kalika is even the mother of shodashi.

That is why it is always said that Kali is the beginning - middle and end of creation. Sir John Woodroofe or Aurthor Avialion in his beautiful work “Garland Of Letters” has described Mother Kali as the Shabhdabhrahman, the ultimate in sound vibration.

Again in the Kalika Purana it is mentioned that Shabhdabhrahman is manifested by Tripura Bhairavi, which is derived from Kali. That is why it is said 
“Mahapadma Vanantaste Karanananda Vigrahe 
Shabdabramha Maiyee Sachi Vande Tripurasundari, Tripurabhairavi”. 

In a way Shree and Kali are one and the same. Shree derives from Kali and further extends into her own kula and Kali goes into her own kula. 
There is a wonderful stotra known as “Karpuradi Stotram, which consists of 22 Shlokas and the Rishi or the Seer for the Shlokas is Mahakaal himself and the Beejas or the syllables of the shloka comes to the great Mantra of Shri Dakshina Kalika.

The Mantra of Dakshina Kalika, Her Mahima, Her Phalastuti - all are encompassed in various works including the Kalika Tantra, The Kamakhya Tantra, the Grabha Kularnava Tantra and so on.

The easiest way in present times to understand the concept of Mother Kali, her prowess, her omnipotent – omnipresent and Omniscient presence is to sing her tunes, sing her litanies in a very easy and intelligible manner.

There is wonderful poem called Kali Chalisa which is creation of anonymous authors in our system known as Karna Parampara – or traditional hymns learnt from Guru to Shishya and passed on from generation to generation. 

This Kali Chalisa describes names, forms, divine sport and play of the mother right from the most innocent childlike Kali to the most terrible destructive form of Kali. The Kali Chalisa has tremendous meaning and reciting her names and singing her glory is a sure shot way to attain salvation, to attain peace, to attain all the four Purusharthas of Life that is Dharma, Artha, Kamya and Moksha. That is why it is said 
“Kali Kali Maha Kali Kalike Paapa Nashani 
Dharmartha Mokshare Devi Kaala Ratri Namostute”.

The Kali Chalisa has been rendered by Gana Kala Vibhushana Sangeetha Ratna Smt. Bhanumathy Vishwanath, disciple of Shrividya Guru H.H Sri Sri Vimarsha Nandendra Saraswati Swamiji Maharaj on the spiritual side and Padma Vibhushan Late Smt. D.K. Pattamal on the musical side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id9OgWA3Ck4

SHARADA NAVRATRI FESTIVAL PART-I 2014

Every year devotees across the world celebrate Sharada Navratri which is the autumn festival for the Divine Mother.  Mother Durga is highly pleased when she is invoked during this festival and she has herself from her own words extolled the significance in the 12^th Canto of the Holy Devi Mahatmyan popularly known as Durga Saptashati;

“Sharad Kale Mahapuja Kriyate Ya Cha Varshiki

Tasmaat Mamei Tan Mahatmyam Pathitavyam Samanvitam”

The above verse flows from the Mother herself and inspires Sadhakas to undertake the special prayer and ritual ceremony during the Sharada Navratri.

The Navratri festival was originally celebrated in all the six seasons throughout the year such as Vasanta Navratri, Grishma Navratri, Hemanta Navratri, Sharada Navratri, Paush Navratri (Gupt Navratri) and Him Navratri.  However, over the years Vasanta Navratri and Sharada Navratri became prominent festivals and the Paush Navratri and Gupt Navratri though celebrated in a limited way, are confined to parts of Bengal and Assam.

The Navratri festival and observation is again broadly divided into three parts with the first three days consisting of prathama, dwitiya and thritiya being under the overall divine influence of Mahakali; the next three days of Chaturthi, Panchami and Shashti being under the overall influence of Mahalakshmi; and the last three concluding days consisting of Saptami, Ashtami and Navami being under the overall influence of Maha Saraswati.

The present Sharada Navratri being celebrated in the Jaya Samvatsar has entered the first phase of Maha Kali zone of influence.  In Canto one of the Durga Saptashati the charitra of Maha Kali is beautifully described as having deluded Lord Maha Vishnu with her power of Yoga Nidra.  From the remains of the ears of Lord Maha Vishnu two demons in the name of Madhu and Kaitabha emerge and advance in a menancing fashion to kill Lord Brahma, who is engaged in the act of creation seated in the Naval of Lord Mahavishnu.

Lord Brahma sees Mahavishnu making no efforts to stop the demons from the deadly act and therefore, Brahma prostrates at the Lotus feet of Mahakali extolling her glory with a stuti popularly known as “Ratri Suktam”.  Pleased by Branhma’s invocation, Mahakali issues out of the Yogic sleep (Yog Nidra) of Lord Mahavishnu and provokes him to take up a fight and kill Madhu and Kaitabh.  The execution of Madhu and Kaitabh by Lord Mahavishnu by invoking Mahakali is outlined in the Prathama Charitra of the Durga Saptashati which is celebrated primarily during the first three days of the Navratra festival.

The glory and beauty of Lord Maha Vishnu has been described by many saints through many of their prolific works but there is a unique devotional piece dedicated to Lord Krishna popularly known as “Madhura shtakam”. 

You would have heard about and seen many types of candies.  You would have also heard that Lord Krishna – the darling child God – loved milk curd and candies.  But do you know that there is a beautiful poem describing how Krishna himself is sweet candy.  The poem is known as “MADHURASHTKAM” written by the Great Saint Swami Vallabhacharya.

The poem has been rendered into a sizzling song – sanskrit words set to western music.  The singer is a child artist – Akshyaa Vibho – 11 year old class Seven student of THE PINNACLE SCHOOL NEW DELHI.

Akshyaa learns Hindustani Classical Music from her Guru Pandit Sitangshu Chowdhury of the RAMPUR SAHASWAN GHARANA.  She plays the Keyboard and is being trained by Shri Mridul Nath

The drum for this song is played by Amrutaa – Akshyaa’s twin sister.  Amrutaa is also student of class Seven of THE PINNACLE SCHOOL.

Amrutaa, who is a young female Drummer, is a student of the Grandmaster of Rhythm Sangeeta Kalanidhi Mrudanga Chakravarty Dr. T.K.Murthy.  She learns drums from Shri Chandrakant Mohanty of Bollywood and eminent Mridangam Meastro Sri Kumbakonam N. Padmanaban

This Maduraashtakam has been composed based on the Classical Ragaa Abhogi in western style.  The composition has been made by Shakatapuram Srividya Peetham Jagadguru Shankracharya Samasthanam Asthana Sangeeta Vidushi Gana Kala Vibhushana Smt. Bhanumathy Vishwanath.  Bhanumathy, who is a disciple of Srividyaguru HH Sri Sri Vimarsha Nandendra Saraswati Swamiji, is a pupil of Padma Vibhushan Sangeeta Kala Nidhi Late Smt. D.K. Pattammal.  Bhanumathy has been conferred the title “Sangeeta Ratna” by the Srividya Pratishthanam, Kodingallur – the revered seat of Godess Bhagavati in Kerala. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bseE_E-rRkE

The music for this peace has been arranged by Music Director Shri Naresh Vikal.  Video recording and editing has been done by Shri Bhaskar Joshi while sound recording and editing has been rendered by Shri Virendra Paul.  

The Rediscovery and Journey of LALITAA VEENAA

Significant landmarks in the rediscovery and journey of LALITAA VEENAA.

·  The Lalitaa Veenaa emerged out of meditations on a Shrichakra bestowed by His Holiness Srividya Guru Sri Sri Vimarsha Nandendra Saraswati Swamiji upon Vishwanath in the year 1994.

·        Repeated visions of the instrument started appearing to Vishwanath which was then put into a Carboard model by Jagadguru Badari Shankracharya Samasthanam Srividya Peetham Asthana Sangeetha Vidushi Gana Kala Vibhushana Smt. Bhanumathy Vishwanath – wife, friend and fellow devotee of L.Ramashesh Vishwanath.

·        A Crude model of the Lalitaa Veenaa was first prepared during July, 1996 by Shri Sarabjit Singh son of the noted instrument maker, R.K.Mohan and Sons, Delhi.

·        This crude model of the Lalitaa Veenaa was carried by Vishwanath and Bhanumathy to the United States during July-August, 1996 on their Cultural Mission at the invitation of the Jagadguru Sringeri Shankracharya His Holiness Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji.

·        The instrument was inaugurated in a public concert on the Hindustani System of Indian Classical Music on August 11, 1996 at the Shiva Vishnu Temple Maryland, US.

·        The Lalitaa Veenaa was Officially named by Srividya Guru HH Sri Sri Vimarsha Nandendra Saraswati Maharaj in September, 1996, one month before the Samadhi of His Holiness.

·        Tributes were paid on the Lalitaa Veenaa by Vishwanath on the Mahapuja day of Pujya Swamiji’s Samadhi at the Mahashodashi Peetham, Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai.

Vishwanath under the Musical Spell of Shehnai Nawaz Late Ustad Bismillah Khan Saheb

·        The Lalitaa Veenaa was regularly performed during the Raja Rajeshwari Darbar known as Shiveli at the Sri Mookambika Temple, Karnataka for 48 continuous days in the year 2000.

·        In the same year, the Legendary Instrument maker Pandit Bhishan Das Sharma of the famous Rikhi Ram and Sons Musicshop, Delhi perfected the Lalitaa Veenaa instrument by adding gouds or Thumba for sound amplification as per the principles of the Veena along with the mettalic finger board which gives a unique tonal quality to the instrument.

·        In the year 2005, His Holiness Sri Sri Krishnananda Tirtha Mahaswamiji of the Shakatapuram Srividya Peetham Jagadguru Badari Shankaracharya Samasthanam evinced keen interest on the Lalitaa Veenaa and commanded Vishwanath to play during many of the Sri Raja Rajeshwari Poojas performed by His Holiness.

·        The Lalitaa Veenaa used to be played during the Sharada Navaratra Poojas of Pujya Shaktapuram Shankracharya Swamiji at various places in India including Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Azamgarh to name a few.

·        In the year 2008, the first Compact Disc consisting of Raga Jog with the title “Krishna Ganamrutam” for Destressing Through Music was dedicated commemorating the Janma Jayanti celebrations of the Swamiji.

· In the year 2009, Sri Sri Krishnananda Tirtha Mahaswamiji of the Shakatapuram Srividya Peetham Jagadguru Badari Shankaracharya Samasthanam conferred the title of Asthana Vidwan Lalitaa Veenaa Shiromani on Shri L. Ramashesh Vishwanath.

·        And now the Kanchi Kamakothi Peetham has bestowed the title of “Lalitaa Veenaa Vidwan” on L. Ramashesh Vishwanath which was conferred by His Holiness Sri Sri Jayendra Saraswati Mahaswamiji.