Santana Dharma has, for millennia, been passed down generation by generation in the form of rituals, devotion and literature. The literature is in the form of books, scriptures and tales of the leelas of our gods and goddesses. These tales often seem like simple stories on the surface but carry deep meanings that, upon contemplation, reveal their secrets like the layers of an onion. In this article we delve into two such tales and their hidden  depths.

The first tale is of Devi Meenakshi (the one with beautiful eyes like a fish or the one who protects all creatures by keeping us in Her eyes – an incarnation of Devi) and Bhagwan Sundareshwara (The Ishwara or Mahadeva who is beautiful). A famous sculpture at the Madurai Meenakshi amman (Devi in Tamizh) temple depicts the marriage of Devi Meenakshi in the centre with Sundareshwara to our right. To our left is MahaVishnu, the brother of the Goddess, seen pouring water on the enjoined hands of the bride and groom for the kanyadaana.

The Meenakshi temple at Madurai has countless such sculptures; each superlative in carving and conveying several meanings. His Holiness Shri Mahaperiyava of Kanchi explains that just as a mother fish protects her young ones by keeping them in her sight, Devi Meenakshi bathes the cosmos in Her compassion and protection.

Delving into the history, Devi Meenakshi appeared at Madurai to a childless royal couple. Soon She ascended the throne and conquered all three worlds. She then attacked the Heavens ruled by Indra who represents our senses, which need control and regulation. She then reached Kailasha where She saw Mahadeva and love blossomed once again. She asked Him to formally come to Madurai and wed Her, and hence He came as Sundareshwara (the most beautiful one) leaving behind His snakes and matted locks and wearing silks and jewellery. Narayana stood in the stead of the brother of the bride (Devi is described in the Lalita Sahasranama as “Padmanabha sahodari” or the sister of Padmanabha).

This history helps to bridge the man-made ‘differences’ between Vaishnavas, Shaktas and Shaivas (In reality –Ekam Satyam or there is one truth or divine).

This wedding is still celebrated every year in the Tamil month of Chithirai (when Surya is in Mesha or Aries according to the solar calendar followed in some parts of India).

If we look deeper for the inner meaning of the story, we find true love and bhakti. Right from Her pattabhishekam or crowning as queen to Her digvijayam where She conquers all worlds, to the sacred wedding where many attending seekers retie their mangalsutras along with the Devi Herself – each ritual observed during the wedding festivities deepens the connection of the devotees with Shiva and Shakti.

We, like Devi Meenakshi, are here on our respective quests to attain our respective goals and when we realize them; life becomes Sundareshwara or beautiful and we attain Shiva or auspiciousness and MahaVishnu or love and joy pervades the air! This is along the lines of the ancient Tamizh saying “Anbe Sivam” or “Love is Shiva and Shakti (Shivam)”.

The leela of Shri MahaVishnu and BhuDevi (the Devi representing the Earth) as BhuVaraha swamy is the next tale we delve into today. The Bhagwad Purana says that a rakshasa called Hiranyaksha (interestingly, this means the ‘golden eyed one’ – many times humans too keep their eyes on indiscriminately harnessing material wealth) kidnapped and hid BhuDevi – Hari assumed the form of a boar and dug Her out and gored the demon with His fearsome tusks.

Let’s delve deeper to see why this should be meditated upon.

Vishnu meaning ‘that which pervades all’ – as is mentioned in the saying ‘Sarvam Vishnu mayam Jagat’ –forms the fundamental thought of the Sanatana Dharma that the divine is in all.

Why a boar though? One interpretation is that He who pervades all life forms, from a bacterium to a plant to a boar to a human. The boar or Varaha is a powerful animal, which can dig deep, uproot tress and take down even lions with its sharp and strong tusks! Varaha is also described as ‘Yagnya Varaha’ or the Swamy of Yagnya.

Often we get lost and search for reasons for a problem. We all allow our ego or fear to kidnap us and then sink to the bottom of our thoughts – such negativity or depression is common today; following which we further fall prey to victim mentality and blame everything in sight except ourselves; or indulge in substance abuse to escape reality – all of which ultimately affect us negatively. The Varaha avatara of MahaVishnu holding up BhuDevi is a beautiful metaphor for lifting us up. Invoking Bhagwan Varaha  can help us dig deep to the root of the problems that we face and gore them rather than pinning blame or feeling victimised! We can then arise again renewed and rejuvenated and sprout with fertility!

This is also a lesson for us to remember that BhuDevi is our mother – the very basis of all our existence. This is why She is with MahaVishnu – the one who maintains and balances. We should also remember that Hiranyaksha and his brother Hiranyakashipu were the dwarapalakas or gatekeepers of Vaikuntha – the divine abode of MahaVishnu – Jaya and Vijaya, who were cursed to become rakshasas due to their arrogance. Each moment is a choice – whether one behaves like a rakshasa or like the divine gatekeepers Jaya and Vijaya , both qualities reside within us. Deepening connect with our divinity can set us on the path to Vaikuntha – the place where there is no “kuntha” or frustration, at the feet of Bhagwan.

There are numerous such tales from our scriptures, which have metamorphosed into folklore, and we have all heard them at our grandmothers’ knees. It is time to reread, relearn, to explore and understand them more deeply as our understanding grows.

To conclude, let us meditate upon our divine mother Devi  with the help of this shloka written by Shri Adi Shankaracharya from the Saundarya Lahari (100 verses on Devi, describing Her beauty or Saundarya inducing waves or lahari of joy in a sadhaka):

अविद्यानामन्तस्तिमिर मिहिरद्वीपनगरी

जडानां चैतन्यस्तबकमकरन्द श्रुतिझरी ।

दरिद्राणां चिन्तामणि गुणनिका

जन्मजलधौनिमग्नानां दंष्ट्रामुररिपुवराहस्य भवति।।

To those who are in the darkness of ignorance or “avidya”, you are an island of light; to those who are dull or stuck, you are like the oozing nectar of sweetness that comes when consciousness blossoms; for those who face scarcity you are like a garland of “chintamani” (the stone that emerged during Samudra Manthan and fulfils wishes) – this means that She fulfils the earnest wishes of seekers who are on the path of Dharma and for those drowning in the ocean of life you emerge like Murari did (the enemy of “Mura”, MahaVishnu) with sharp teeth as Varaha to uplift us from sinking in the ocean of birth and death.

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu!