RIESGO IMPORTANTE RIESGO INTOLERABLE
1.7.1. FASES DE OBRA (ACTIVIDADES)
1.7.1.4. CATAS DE RECONOCIMIENTO
I
n this chapter I share some tools that were divinely given, namely Sacred Ash (Vibhuti), Siva-Shakti Malas (a kind of rosary) and Crystal Siva Lingas.These tools have been used for centuries by the Tamil Siddhas who believe that the harmony of spirit, mind and body results in total perfection. The term Siddha means “a perfected, completed being who lives a life of unending joy.” To attain this level of Siddha success, one must master the ability to inhibit nonproductive and destructive thoughts and generate creative thoughts which will lead to perfection. Meditation is the only vehicle leading to higher consciousness, and ultimately, to that perfection. All of the tools I discuss in this chapter are tools to assist your meditative practice. All pathways to enlightenment involve meditation.
I offer these tools to you to use as protective shields in these volatile times to help you with attaining peace. Now I want to answer the question, “Where is peace?” It is with God. Become identified with God; you will have peace. There was a great Siddha called Tiruvalluvar. He wrote, “No one gets rid of worries until he reaches the feet of God.”
When I was Manikavacakar, I wrote some lyrics under the title “Sacred War.” The lyrics say everyone should engage in a sacred war against the army of Maya (illusion). The weapon that
Life Changing Mantras: Tools from the Other Side
truth, spiritual wisdom, fire, air, water, earth and sky.
❖ is the most favored item of Lord Siva, is universally used by Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, all the angels, seers and sages, brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishiyas, sudras (the four sects in the caste hierarchy of Hinduism) and women.
❖ if applied on his physical body, chanting the name of Lord Siva, that person will assuredly acquire eight different forms of wealth and eight different forms of successes. The very sight of Vibuthi is adequate to drive away all the evils and all the demons. Vibuthi has the potential to cure several hideous diseases like leprosy.
Vibuthi can be applied as three horizontal stripes or as one single small line (as mentioned earlier).
❖ anybody who disrespects or scoffs at Vibuthi will come to grief.
❖anyone who mixes Vibuthi with water and applies it as three horizontal stripes, on his head, forehead, neck, chest, either side of his stomach, both his forearms, central parts of both his arms, two wrists, on his back and behind his neck, will embody in himself the Trinity of Lord Siva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma.
❖ adorning, either as three horizontal stripes or as one single short line impells one on the path of spiritual progress.
All sages of yore who are well versed in Vedic knowledge proclaim that Vibuthi dispels all darkness and ignorance, allowing for supra-mental illumination. All the ardent worship-pers of Lord Siva whose aspiration it is to attain salvation must constantly apply Vibuthi, either as three long stripes or as one short line.
other public places. Some people put a very light amount on all over their body before going to sleep at night.
Vibhuthi Legends and Stories
I can share some of the older stories from India to illustrate the significance of using Vibhuti.
Sage Sudhama’s Narration
Once the Saints of Sownagadhi collectively appealed to the Sage Sudhama to reveal to them what Lord Muruga taught to Agasthiyar.
Sage Sudhama began to narrate…
Lord Muruga expatiated on the multifarious ways in which one could worship Lord Siva and particularly high-lighted the significance of Vibuthi.
Vibuthi…
❖is Kalpam [Kalpam is a concoction of rare herbs made by the siddhars—persons who have acquired the eight great mystic powers—in their superior wisdom. The consumption of this Kalpam in prescribed doses extends one’s life span on the earth, combats aging and enhances virility.]
❖has the magical power of instantaneously washing away one’s sins if applied on the physical body. The mere smelling of Vibuthi is enough to fetch one many good fortunes. The use of Vibuthi, prepared strictly in the manner proscribed, will help one achieve successes in one’s life and all his or her cherished hopes, aspirations and dreams will get fulfilled. In as much as one cannot totally comprehend the supreme and absolute aspects of Lord Siva, so also one cannot understand the infinite potency of Vibuthi.
❖ embodies in itself and symbolizes the varied forms of
suddenly died in his village. Driven by feelings of utter hatred and revulsion, the village folks tied the hands and feet of this Brahmin and dragged the corpse beyond the boundaries of their village and cast it away. The messengers of Lord Yama (the Lord of Death) also swiftly appeared to take away his spirit to the Hell. At this point of time, a dog with its body smeared acci-dentally with Vibuthicame to devour the corpse. When the Vibuthifell on the arms and chest of the dead Brahmin, all his sins were forgiven and he attained immediate salvation.
The Story Of King Bujabalan Who Lost Vibuthi
Sage Sudhama then narrated the tale of Bujabalan to the Saints of Sownagadhi, to further impress on them the signifi-cance of Vibuthi…
Bujabalan was a great king ruling Bengal with fair play and justice. He was known for upholding the high moral and ethical standards. He steadfastly loved his subjects and was constantly found in the company of well-meaning advisors.
On an auspicious occasion, King Bujabalan offered a lot of gifts to Brahmins. A multitude of Brahmins invaded Bengal to avail themselves of the king’s generous gesture. Amongst them was Suseelan, a Brahmin of exceptional qualities and erudition.
All the assembled Brahmins petitioned the king that he should accord priority to Suseelan and offer him the most gifts, as Suseelan was well-versed in the vedas, a great disciplinarian, and an ardent devotee of Lord Siva. The King readily complied.
Suseelan pointed out to the King that all his acts of charity will become purposeless and futile unless he applied Vibuthi on his person, either as three horizontal stripes or as one small single line.
The King became furious and told Suseelan that acts of charity have their own rewards and it was certainly not required that he should apply Vibuthi.
Suseelan, once again pleaded with the King not to disrespect
Chapter 14: Sacred Ash, Siva-Shakti Malas, Siva Linga
Meeting of Lord Siva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma
Once upon a time, there was a deluge that engulfed the whole universe, and amidst the torrential floods, Lord Vishnu was lying on a small Banyan leaf. When Lord Siva appeared there, the colossal expanse of water appeared suddenly like a small pool of water under His feet. Lord Vishnu was flabber-gasted to see this phenomenon and enquired who the visitor was. Lord Siva then gave Lord Vishnu a pinch of this Vibuthi, which Lord Vishnu applied on His forehead and also consumed. Instantly, Lord Vishnu was able to realize that the visitor was none other than Lord Siva Himself.
Lord Siva told Lord Vishnu that He had come with a mission to beget Lord Brahma, who would, in turn, create all life, mind and matter. He appealed to Lord Vishnu to transform His sex and become His consort in order to create this progeny—as Lord Vishnu embodies in Himself all the supreme powers of Lord Siva. Lord Vishnu turned into an extraordinarily beautiful and seductive woman and had sexual intercourse with Lord Siva. Thereupon, the five-headed Lord Brahma appeared through the holy navel of Lord Vishnu.
That Lord Brahma subsequently lost one head and became four-faced is a different story.
Resurrecting Angels
The mighty and all-powerful Virabadhran used Vibuthi to resurrect the angels who were killed by demons.
Eliminating Sin
Yovanarajan, who had perpetrated countless acts of sin, suddenly attained salvation because he physically came into contact with Saint Vamadeva whose body was smeared with Vibuthi.
Story of the Brahmin’s Salvation
Likewise, a Brahmin, who was a rank deceiver and rapist, Life Changing Mantras: Tools from the Other Side
circumstances drove them to their sorry plight. Bhujabalan told Suseelan that he was the former ruler of Bengal.
Bhujabalan was suffering from amnesia and did not recog-nize Suseelan. Suseelan reminded the erstwhile King of the earlier incidents and told him the reasons for his deprivation and grief.
Bhujabalan began to slowly recollect the way he had contemptuously discarded Vibuthi. He begged for forgiveness and implored Suseelan to offer him Vibuthi. Once again, Suseelan gave the Vibuthi and exhorted Bhujabalan to apply it all over his body. He further blessed Bhujabalan saying, ‘You will soon recover all the eight forms of the wealth which you lost. Your wife who abandoned you will come back seeking reunion with you. All your physical ailments will vanish. You will conquer the invaders of your erstwhile kingdom. You will enjoy longevity and all the comforts.’
Bhujabalan applied the Vibuthi on his physical body with great care and devotion. He regained his lost legs and arms, and all his ailments suddenly disappeared. He prostrated at the feet of Suseelan in an act of sheer repentance.
Bhujabalan’s wife also narrated her tale of woe and sought Suseelan’s forgiveness. Suseelan gave her a small quantity of Vibuthi, which she applied all over her body and she was also instantly restored to her original self.
The King of Vidharba, Vichitraratham met Suseelan and fell at his feet. He profusely thanked Suseelan for saving his nephew, Bhujabalan and his wife and restoring to them all that they had lost both physically and materially. Vichitraratham then escorted Bhujabalan and his wife to his kingdom, feasted them and gave them enormous riches, horses, battalions and other valuable gifts.
Bhujabalan and his wife once again met Suseelan and sought his blessings and help in retrieving for them their original kingdom of Bengal, which boon Suseelan was too glad to grant.
and belittle Vibuthi, as the repercussions would be far reaching.
[Anybody who condemns the use of Vibuthi will instantly lose all their wealth, become physically sick and every part of his anatomy will decay. All his progeny will meet with destruction and he will be cast away into the Hell.]
To this, the King derisively remarked that his wealth was inexhaustible, his physical frame incapable of decay, and his progeny could not be destroyed. The King further told Suseelan that he would approach him for Vibuthi, should any such calamity befall him.
Since the King was unrelenting, Suseelan politely declined the gifts and departed abruptly.
As time passed, King Bujabalan became physically diseased and confined to bed. His army was completely liquidated, and he was driven out of his kingdom by alien invaders.
King Bujabalan took refuge in a forest where his wife eloped with a tribesman. Plagued by hunger and thirst, King Bujabalan wandered around in the forests nomadically. Since everybody refused him alms, Bujabalan resorted to robbery, and he was caught by the police. His legs and arms were amputated and he was cast away on the outskirts of the town.
Bujabalan led the life of a beggar in a place called Kundinam in Vidharba.
The tribesman, who eloped with Bujabalan’s wife, was killed and devoured by a tiger in the forest. Bujabalan’s wife wandered around as a mendicant and was caught by the police while attempting to steal. Her nose was cut off and by a quirk of fate, she also came to the same Kundinam where Bhujabalan was loitering. Although they met, they could not recognize each other and forgot their earlier matrimonial bond. They suffered from severe physical ailments, their bodies turned ulcerous, with blood and puss began oozing out.
One day, they chanced to come to the doorsteps of Suseelan’s house with begging bowls. Suseelan enquired what
was also immensely pleased with developments, organized a function, showering lavish gifts on all the Brahmins who attended it. In the ensuing seminar, Sudharman vanquished all the learned Brahmins with his superior knowledge and debating skills. Alas, Sudharman became arrogant; he ridiculed and humiliated all the erudite Brahmins. Suddenly, Lord Brahma appeared on the scene, disguised as an aged Brahmin. He cautioned Sudharman to exercise restraint and warned him that any learning unaccompanied by poise and patience could spell disaster.
An indignant Sudharman condemned Lord Brahma (in disguise) and proclaimed Him to be as ignorant as the rest of the Brahmins. Thereupon, Lord Brahma shed his disguise and appeared before Sudharman in his original four-faced form. As a fitting punishment for Sudharman’s insolence and vanity, Lord Brahma cursed that Sudharman’s tongue would no longer be able to wag and it will, forever, remain motionless.
Siva-Shakti Mala Beads
Mala beads are a special rosary used for counting recitations of mantras. Typically they come in a necklace form with either 108 or 54 beads. (Twice around a set of 54 beads equals a count of 108.) 108 is a sacred number for mantra repetition.
Repeating a mantra this many times brings it through many energy channels in your system and the mind lets go and lets the sounds penetrate into a deeper level.
The best mala beads are composed of both rudraksha beads and crystal beads. Rudraksha beads are symbolic of Lord Siva, and crystal beads are symbolic of the Goddess. Lord Siva gives spiritual volution, and the Goddess gives material possessions.
The rudraksha is said to be the compassionate tear of Siva for the suffering of the world. The crystal has been used since Atlantean times to boost meditiative practice.
When you use mala beads of this type, you are strengthening
Chapter 14: Sacred Ash, Siva-Shakti Malas, Siva Linga
Bhujabalan enthusiastically marched towards his kingdom to engage in battle the demon king who was conducting his tyran-nical rule in Bengal during his absence. But, the moment the demon king accosted Bhujabalan wearing the triple stripes of Vibuthi on his forehead, he meekly surrendered and shed his hideous demonic appearance and became a kindly-looking angel. A visibly stunned Bhujabalan enquired who the demon king was.
The demon king escorted Bhujabalan and his wife to the throne, made them occupy it and showered on them bountiful riches. He organized the coronation of Bhuabalan on a grand scale.
Thereafter, the demon king, turned angel, revealed to Bhujabalan his identity.
The Demon King Tells A Story
Once upon a time I was Varunass and at that time, I was harassed and occupying the mid-oceans. I sought refuge and stayed at Lord Indra’s palace.
Agastya and Narada visited Indra’s palace and Indra accorded both of them a tumultuous welcome.
Thereafter Narada spoke to Indra thus…
I have just returned from the human world where I witnessed some strange occurrences. In the palace of the famous King of Kashmir, Vajradehi, there was an ignorant priest Sudharman who knew nothing about the various rites and rituals. The King asked this priest why he remained ignorant of all the spiritual knowledge which he was expected to possess.
The priest pleaded with the King that he was unable to compre-hend the scriptures despite his best efforts and that he is fervently praying to Lord Vishnu to help him become knowl-edgeable. Pleased with this priest’s steadfast devotion and his incessant prayers, Lord Vishnu appeared before him and imparted to him all the sacared knowledge. Vajradehi, the King,
Life Changing Mantras: Tools from the Other Side
This ancient tool was given with Divine blessings, and I am pleased to share these blessings with the world through Crystal Siva Lingas.
Uses of the Crystal Siva Linga
The Crystal Siva Linga can also be used with the mantra Thiru Neela Kantam during Pradosham times as one pours some milk on the Crystal Siva Linga. The benefits of chanting and meditating with Thiru Neela Kantam on Pradosham days are very heightened when combined with pouring some milk on a Crystal Siva Linga
I have written about the karma-busting mantra, Thiru Neela Kantam in an earlier chapter. While this mantra is effective at anytime as both a chant and as a meditation, there are certain times and days when it is especially powerful. These are called Pradosham times and days. These are times when it is easier to get connected to Lord Siva as a window is more open on the inner planes.
Story of Pradosham
The story of Pradosham is a legendary tale about an ancient cosmic event in Hindu mythology called the churning of the Milky Ocean (Sagar Manthan).
In this story, the Milky Ocean was churned by the Devas (Angels) and the Asuras (Demons). They both used Mount Meru as the churning stick and a snake named Vasuki served as the rope. The Angels held the tail side and the demons the head. The object of churning the ocean was to get AMRITA, the elixir of immortality, which both parties wanted. During the churning, there came out of the Milky Ocean many beautiful beings and other objects. Kamadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow came out of this Milky Ocean, along with other magical creations including Kalpa Vriksha (the wish-fulfilling tree), the Ucchaisrava (a magical white horse), Airavata (a magical white elephant), and Kaustubhamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel). The the balance between spirituality and materiality in your life.
I have custom-designed mala beads, called Siva-Shakti mala beads, which will use both these materials to give you the very best results in chanting mantras. As a protective shield, I encourage everyone to do OM NAMA SIVAYA 108 times a day for the highest material and spiritual fulfillment.
Crystal Siva Linga
A Siva Linga is a powerful ritual and meditation tool. The linga is a symbolic icon representing the male and female gener-ative organs. This is an ancient sacred, tantric symbol for the creative and powerful energies of the Divine. This is a potent form of Lord Siva containing both masculine and feminine Divine energies—the sum of Divine Intelligence and Compassion.
Crystal is a material that amplifies subtle vibrations; it is used in meditative arts for positive purposes only. Performing rituals and meditations with a Crystal Siva Linga accelerates the results of your meditation practice.
Some people keep a Crystal Siva Linga on their meditation table or alter. I suggest doing a daily practice of pouring a small amount of liquid over a Crystal Siva Linga each day, perhaps in the morning. You can put the Crystal Siva Linga in a small cup, pour a small amount of milk or water or juice over the Siva Linga, reciting the chant Om Nama Sivaya a few times.
This simple practice strongly focuses and energizes your prayers and brings the Divine energies into your daily life.
When finished, rinse the Crystal Siva Linga and dry it off.
When finished, rinse the Crystal Siva Linga and dry it off.