Editorial

Durga Durgati Nashini

Mother Durga will be in our midst this month. We worship her as durgati nashini, ‘Durga the remover of distress’. For most people durgati means suffering caused by the loss of something or someone, unfulfilled desires, bitter relationships, and so on. So, prayers to the Divine Mother commonly centre around seeking protection from such distressing experiences.

But the very Lord who created this universe declares in the Bhagavad Gita that our life here is ‘impermanent’ and ‘joyless’. We are also aware that our body is ageing, our thoughts and desires are changing, our relationship with people and things are transforming, and even our physical surroundings are undergoing alterations. Yet most of us cannot accept this ‘impermanence’. We beg the Divine Mother to save us from these forms of durgati—especially disease and death. We feel blessed if she preserves and fosters our health, wealth, and relationships.

But for a discerning spiritual aspirant, durgati has a different connotation.

Saratchandra Chakravarty was one of Swami Vivekananda’s householder disciples. He had the blessed opportunity to closely interact with and serve Swamiji. His conversations with Swamiji on various topics are recorded in The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. An erudite Sanskrit scholar, he composed many hymns on Sri Ramakrishna; and he served in the Postal Department of the British Raj. After Swamiji’s mahasamadhi, devotees and monastics would often approach Saratchandra to listen to his experiences with Swamiji.

Sometime in 1911-1912 Saratchandra was serving at Kotapara in Faridpur district of the present Bangladesh. One day some brahmacharis and sannyasis from the Ramakrishna Math at Dhaka visited him eager to hear about Swamiji. Saratchandra started speaking about his guru with great enthusiasm. Suddenly, loud wailing was heard from the inner apartments of the house. An agitated housemaid came rushing and told Saratchandra, “Sir, your daughter passed away, please come.” It was his eldest daughter who had been fatally ill. While the visitors sat unaware of the reason for the intense sorrow in the family, an unperturbed Saratchandra silently got up and closed the doors and windows of the room. He did not want the wailing to disturb the divine mood created by the recollection of Swamiji’s life and message. He commented, “The body comes and goes, but a rare day like this will not come again! These sadhus and brahmacharis have come to hear about Sri Ramakrishna and Swamiji. There may be many occasions for weeping, but people eager to hear about Swamiji are rare to come by. How kind of Swamiji! During this moment of grief, he has sent his own people to me!”

Truly, for a sadhaka, durgati is to forget one’s Ishta Devata in the hustle and bustle of life; durgati is to thirst for unending joys of life without accepting the misery embedded in them and their impermanence; and durgati is to be without the company of devotees. Therefore, during this Durga Puja, may we have the sanmati to pray: “O Mother, wherever I may be and whatever may happen, may I never forget you. May I have the company of your devotees. And please keep me away from worldly people.”

Unfailing Love: When Divine Mother followed Her Devotee

SULINI V NAIR

The article narrates how God is bound by the devotee’s love. On the eve of Durga Puja, the author presents this story of the Divine Mother following her devotee to guide and protect him.

Worship of the Divine Mother is as old as Sanatana Dharma itself. The ancient Rishis, in a state of oneness with Brahman, perceived all manifest creation as Brahman in the form of Shakti. All there is, is thus a manifestation of Shakti right from a grain of sand to the whirling galaxies. Astronomer Carl Sagan wrote, ‘For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.’ The all-pervading Shakti was conceptualised as the Divine Mother in various bhavas and forms and enshrined in temples so that devotees could offer love and adoration to her in forms they could perceive and visualize. During Navaratri the Divine Mother is exclusively worshipped for nine days as Durga-Lakshmi-Sarasvati and celebrated with divine fervour.

Yet, even as she is adored and celebrated thus, it is only by seeking her deep within oneself that the Divine Mother can truly be experienced and known as all of creation. The aim of temples, rituals and all external modes of worship is to gradually enable the devotee to undertake such sadhana. It was through the power of such sadhana that Sri Ramakrishna awakened Mother Bhavatarini in the black basalt image enshrined at the Dakshineswar Kali temple. She was no longer an image but the living presence of Parashakti — Brahman manifest.

Temples are thus consecrated spaces sanctified and constantly reinvigorated through sadhana, tapasya, shraddha, and bhava. It is through the intensity of the archaka’s (priest) tapasya that the murti (idol) in the garbhagriha of a temple is invested with chaitanya, the presence of the power of the deity. The history of Bharat is replete with tales and testimonials of devotees and mystics whose sadhana culminated in the flowering of devotional aspiration into a tangible experience of the Divine. These stories reiterate the fact that pure love for God is at the heart of all ritual, all

Sulini V Nair is a Mohiniyattam practitioner, writer and researcher in the performing arts, idioms, and narratives. Cover Page artist: Jewel, Kottayam.

sadhana. Several temples in Kerala have such stories interwoven with their history. They inspire us to seek the Lord within the garbhagriha of our heart even as we gaze at the resplendent murti in the garbhagriha outside. One such story is that of a humble priest who brought Goddess Meenakshi of Madurai to a small village in Kerala.

Situated in the Ettumanur Taluk of Kottayam district in Kerala, 4 kilometres north west of Kottayam town is the Kumaranalloor Bhagavati temple. It is among the foremost temples of the erstwhile Travancore State. Though visited by thousands of devotees, not many know that the Goddess in this temple is the Mother who ‘came running (from Madurai) and stayed put (at Kumaranalloor)’!

Madurai Meenakshi was the family deity of the Pandya kings who ruled from their capital Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Once the Devi’s diamond studded nose ring was found missing. It perhaps got lost when the priest removed the previous night’s garlands and flowers, or when he performed the ceremonial bathing of the murti. The shocked priest thoroughly searched the garbhagriha, and later the king too arranged for a thorough investigation. But the divine ornament could not be found. Though none in the temple doubted the priest, the king concluded that the priest was the culprit because it was impossible for the ornament to be lost without his knowledge. Thus, the priest who was a true devotee of the Divine Mother had to undergo the additional mental trauma of being the suspect.

The king personally interrogated the priest who could only humbly reiterate his innocence. The unrelenting king finally

Kumaranalloor Bhagavati announced that the priest would be beheaded if he did not produce the missing ornament within forty days. The innocent man quietly left the royal court in deep anguish. He once again It is only by seeking her within searched the whole oneself that the Divine Mother temple to no avail. The can truly be experienced and soldiers kept him under known as all of creation. watch, and he was replaced by a new priest. On the thirty ninth day the poor man fell at the Sopanam steps to the garbhagriha and cried out, “O Divine Mother! This is my last day at Your abode! Tomorrow the king will behead me. Please give me the strength to face his sword!” The whole

day he sat in the temple chanting Her name, not drinking even a drop of water. That night he slipped into sleep with a heavy heart. But as he closed his eyes, he heard a sweet voice telling him, “Do not tarry any longer! It is dangerous. All the guards are fast asleep. Hurry! Get up! Run away! Go somewhere and be saved!” The startled priest opened his eyes. Not finding anyone around, he closed his eyes again, assuming that his anxious mind was playing tricks on him. But as soon as he closed his eyes the voice spoke again, “Aren’t you going? Go fast! Do not doubt! If you stay, you will be in trouble!” Once more the man opened his eyes only to find there was no one near him. A third time he shut his eyes, only to have the same experience. Finally, he felt it was unwise to disregard the voice. Perhaps it was the Mother herself showing him the way. Gathering his nerves, he quietly slipped out. And then he ran. After a while he noticed that a lady of ethereal beauty was following him. When he asked her who she was, she replied, “You have served me with utmost devotion for so long. If you are leaving, I don’t wish to stay here anymore. I too am leaving with you!” He realised that she was none other than the Divine Mother herself. Even before he could join his palms in salutation, she overtook him and started to run ahead leading the way. It was a dark, moonless, eerie night. But the priest noticed that his path was well lit by the splendour of her divine form and the lustre of her ornaments. They ran for hours. Suddenly, the Mother disappeared leaving him alone in pitch darkness. Though gripped by fear, he stumbled through the thick darkness wary of the soldiers who could be chasing him. Finally, when he was totally exhausted and unable to take another step, there was a flash of lightning which revealed a structure that resembled a temple. With great relief he entered that shelter, spread his angavastra and lay down. Though deeply disturbed in mind, he fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion.

In those days Kerala was ruled by the king Cheraman Perumal. He had built two temples, one at Udayanapuram near Vaikom and the other at the present day Kumaranalloor. He had decided to consecrate the Divine Mother at Udayanapuram and Lord Subrahmanya at Kumaranalloor. Auspicious muhurta for the consecration ceremonies had been decided for both these temples and preparations were on in full swing.

When the priest woke early the next morning, he found himself in the premises of a newly constructed temple. He rushed to the sanctum sanctorum to find seated therein, in all her resplendent glory, the Divine Mother who had accompanied him the previous night. His heart overflowed with joy and tears streamed from his eyes. “Amma! Devi! Mother Meenakshi!” he cried, “I don’t know where I am, but I cannot be safer anywhere else!” He prostrated before the Mother again and again.

When the day dawned bright, the king arrived there accompanied by his royal procession. He was not pleased to see a stranger inside the newly constructed temple. “Who are you and what are you doing here! Don’t you know this is the temple I have

constructed for Kumara?” he asked angrily. The priest, who was sitting there bathed in bliss, said to the king, “O King! You are blessed indeed! Please look into the garbhagriha. Mother Meenakshi has chosen your temple as her abode!” The puzzled king and his entourage looked into the sanctum sanctorum only to find it empty. Everyone thought the man was mad. Now the king was even more enraged. “Who is this madman!” he asked, “I have built this temple for Kumara and I will consecrate him here! How dare you say Mother Meenakshi is seated on the peetham!” he admonished the priest.

“I am a priest. I will not tell a lie. O King! Please touch me and look into the garbhagriha once again”, the priest said. The king could not ignore the divine lustre on the priest’s countenance. He placed his right palm on the priest’s shoulder and looked into the garbhagriha once again. To his utter disbelief, he saw the resplendent form of the Goddess, adorned in silks and precious jewels, seated therein, sporting a bewitching smile. “How did this happen…” he muttered incredulously in confusion. The priest narrated the entire story to the king.

Though struck with amazement, the king was also disappointed. “She is very arrogant”, he said. “She has seized the place meant for Kumara. I am not going to give her anything! If she is so powerful, let her fend for herself. I am going to Udayanapuram right away and will consecrate Kumara’s idol there at the decided muhurta itself. You and your Devi can remain here!” So saying, the king stormed out in a huff.

But even as he and his entourage had covered only a few yards towards Udayanapuram, they were engulfed in thick mist and were unable to proceed. A wise man in the entourage advised the king to turn back. “This is surely the wrath of the Goddess, I pray your highness, please go back and seek her pardon”. “All right. If this is indeed due to her power, let the mist melt. If it does, I will gift her all this land that then becomes visible to us”, said the king. The mist vanished as mysteriously as it had appeared. Cheraman Perumal returned to the temple, prostrated before the garbhagriha and apologised.

He made quick arrangements for the consecration ceremony. The murti of Kumara originally meant to be installed here was sent to Udayanapuram and arrangements were made for the murti of the Devi to be brought here. However, as the day of consecration approached, it became evident that for some reason the idol would not come in time from Udayanapuram. Now everything was ready except for an idol. It would take a minimum of forty-one days for a new panchaloha vigraha (idol made of an alloy of five metals — gold, silver, copper, iron and lead) to be made. The king was worried. Letting go of this muhurta would amount to much waste of resources. And after this, there was no auspicious muhurta for a long period. That night in his sleep he heard a voice tell him, “Two kilometres from the temple, in the north east direction, there is a hill and a ruined well. You will find my murti in that well. It will serve your purpose.” Startled awake, the king realised that it was the Goddess guiding him.

The next morning, he went with his men to the hill. It was a thickly forested area. Clearing the forest, they found the ruined well

with an idol with perfect proportions and lakshanas. The consecration ceremony was conducted at the fixed muhurta under the guidance of the priest from Madurai. The priest was appointed in the service of the Divine Mother and he settled down in the village with his family. He came to be known as Madurai Namboothiri. To this day, the descendants of this priest are called Madurai Namboothiris and a member from this family performs the daily worship at the temple.

Since the temple was originally built for Kumara, it came to be known as Kumaranalloor (Kumaran alla ooru, which means the land does not belong to Kumara) and the Goddess as Karthiayani of Kumaranalloor or Kumaranalloor Bhagavati. Kumara was consecrated at Udayanapuram. The Kumaranalloor Bhagavati temple is among the 108 Durgalayas or important Durga temples in Kerala. Cheraman Perumal donated a lot of wealth for the daily worship and other expenses at the Kumaranalloor temple. He also drew up a chart for the festivals and other ceremonies in the temple. The temple was entrusted to some Namboothiris of the region, thus making it an Ooranma (private) temple. The place where the mist (manju in Malayalam) had engulfed the entourage came to be called Manjoor. The entire Manjoor region still belongs to Kumaranalloor Bhagavati. The annual festival of the temple was fixed by Cheraman Perumal as of 28 days duration from Rohini nakshatra in the Malayalam month of Tulam (mid-October to mid-November) to Rohini nakshatra in Vrischikam (mid-November

to mid-December). Later it was reduced to 10 days ending with the Kartika (Krittika) nakshatra in the month of Vrischikam. Today, when we visit this famous and prosperous temple, we would do well to recollect that it all began with a man who loved and worshipped the Mother with an innocent heart. After all, the real temple is not signified by size, structure or stature, but by a story which more often than not is the saga of the soul pining for the Lord. The devout priest did not even beseech the Mother for saving grace, but offered himself in saranagati praying only for strength to bear what had seemed inevitable. And, unanticipated and unsought, Mother had followed her devotee guiding him to safety. Where there is purity of being, grace blesses even without being sought. Sri The real temple is not signified Ramakrishna says, “You by size, structure, or stature should remember that the but by a story which, most often, heart of the devotee is the is the saga of a soul pining for the Lord. abode of God. He dwells no doubt, in all beings, but He especially manifests Himself in the heart of the devotee… The heart of the devotee is the drawing room of God.” Therefore, even as we worship the Mother in beauty and grandeur in temples and celebrate her with gaiety and splendour during festivals, may we not forget that it is in the inner temple that she must be enshrined, visualized, worshipped and realised. Offering the heart lotus as the seat, vital breaths as incense and the mind as the flower; and as Holy Mother advised, offering two teardrops that alone are truly ours. During Durga Puja, amid the colours and sounds of rituals and festivities, in the temple of the heart, may such love be our offering. tt