Thursday, November 09, 2006

Propitiate the Gods of Wisdom to get Divine Guidance


Shri Dakshinamurthi is the ascetic form of Lord Shiva. He is meditated as follows:



“Youthful form of Lord Shiva doing tapasya under a tree. Four elderly sages sit in front of Him venerating Him as their Guru. The Guru does not utter a single word and is maintaining perfect Silence… Yet, ALL the doubts of the disciples are cleared in His Presence”.



This is the form of Lord Medha Dakshinamurthi. You can even simply meditate on Lord Shiva’s meditating images if you cannot procure a picture as described above.



Shri Hayagriva is the form of Lord Maha Vishnu with a horse’s head. He is the Vaishnavite equivalent of Lord Dakshinamurthi… i.e. He is the Deity of Wisdom. Lord Vishnu took this form to destroy the demon “Haya Mukha”- meaning one with a horse’s head, who had obtained a boon that he can be killed only by a Haya Mukha. The Lord destroyed the demon and restored Vedas to the sages and celestials.



Both these Avatars are Aadi-Gurus (Primary Gurus) for everyone. So, propitiating them, writing their names (like Om Dakshinamurthaye namaha/ Om shri Hayavadhanaaya Namaha) with devotion 10/108 times or even more, etc. will grant a person the opportunity to get a good preceptor who will show them the way to lead life successfully and ultimately, to attain successfully. There are instances when these Deities themselves have been Gurus to sincere seekers of spirituality. Infact, Lord Hayagriva is the Aadi-Guru for Shri Vidhya sampradaaya. The important devotional classic "Shri Lalithaa Sahasranaama" was popularised only after He instructed the sage Agasthya on this.



Now that you know the essence of these deities, sincere devotion to them keeping in mind that they are Deification of Wisdom will be enough to propitiate them under normal circumstances. Elaborate rituals are also there for the worship of these Deities which cannot be divulged unless in person.



Blessings,