Fireplace or kitchen stove (Daan in Kashmiri) was part and parcel of every kitchen in every household in Kashmir used for cooking food, producing ember for Kangri during harsh winters and maintaining the temperature of the kitchen and the room called ‘Vout’ an adjacent room with kitchen (present dining room). On the back side of the Daan there used to be an earthen ‘Maet’, erected in a wall, the water of which gets hot by the warmth of the ‘Daan’ and was used for bathing.
Daan was made from husk and clay. A ‘T’ shaped clay structure (locally called Vour) was first prepared and dried under Sun. This ‘T’ shaped structure was put on the top of the earthen mass making two upper outlets (stoves).
Some accessories of Daan are Krutch (an iron pan with a long handle) for removing the burning embers from Daan and putting them into a Kangri. Tcheni Laij (usually embedded) for storing the extra burning embers later used as coal for kangris and Seekh(locally called Drikroan) an iron rod used to wiggle the burning material inside the Daan.
Dried cow dung was commonly used as fuel for burning in Daan.
1959 photograph from TN Madan's book "The Hindu Householder" showing a Kashmiri Pandit woman from the twin village hamlet of Uttarsu (Brari Angan) preparing/constructing "Daan" for cooking.
Night of Devotion: A Kashmiri Pandit's Vigil at Gosain Teng Shrine
August 8th, 1992, Saturday (Shravana Shukla Paksha Ekadashi): During my tenure in Baramulla, I was granted a rare privilege of spending a night within the sacred confines of the shrine of Gosain Teng. This remarkable opportunity was extended to me after obtaining the necessary permission from the relevant authorities, a testament to the reverence and respect accorded to the sanctity of the shrine.
The decision to stay overnight at the shrine was not taken lightly, particularly given the delicate security situation prevailing in Kashmir at that time. For a Kashmiri Pandit like myself, venturing outside and staying alone in such a remote and solitary location during the night posed inherent risks and challenges. However, the significance of the occasion and the spiritual pull of the shrine compelled me to embark on this unique journey, guided by a sense of duty and devotion.
As night descended upon the landscape, enveloping the surroundings in an ethereal cloak of darkness, I found myself immersed in a profound sense of solitude and introspection. The quietude of the shrine echoed with the whispers of centuries old prayers, mingling with the gentle rustle of leaves in the night breeze. Despite the inherent solitude, there was a palpable presence...a sacred energy that permeated the air, drawing me closer to the divine and filling my heart with a profound sense of peace.
Throughout the night, I remained vigilant yet entranced, my senses attuned to the subtle rhythms of the nocturnal world. Amidst the stillness, I felt a deep connection to the spiritual essence of the shrine, finding solace in the timeless rituals and traditions that have echoed through its sacred halls for generations.
As the first light of dawn illuminated the horizon, heralding the arrival of a new day, I emerged from the shrine with a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude. My night long vigil had been a testament to the enduring power of faith and devotion, reaffirming my bond with the spiritual heritage of Kashmir and the sacred shrine that had sheltered me through the night.
In retrospect, my overnight stay at the shrine stands as a poignant reminder of the resilience and fortitude of the human spirit, even in the face of adversity. It was a testament to the enduring power of faith and the trans-formative potential of spiritual communion...a journey that left an indelible mark on my soul and deepened my connection to the divine.
Photograph clicked in 2017, during my second tenure in Baramulla.
Dandelion (Haand in Kashmiri) (Tarazacum officinale Linn.) is a low-growing herb with a rosette of jaggedly toothed leaves and a thick tap root that grows wild. The only yellow flower, with its strap-shaped petals, grows directly from the centre. The fruit is round shaped cluster of many small, tufted, one-seeded fruits.
This herb is effective for the promotion of urination; treatment of obstructions and diseases of the liver, spleen and gallbladder, and cleansing and healing of abscesses and ulcers of the urinary passage. This herb is an appetite stimulant and also treats diabetes, fractures, liver disorders and many more. It is also used for the treatment of snakebites and for wounds, boils, sprains and swelling. Dandelion is a good source of minerals, nutrients and vitamins particularly vitamins A and K.
In Kashmir Haand is used as a tonic as well as for treatment of fractures. The preparation of Haand with fewer spices and mustard oil is given to “Looseh”, a woman after delivery.
Dandelion grows wild in meadows, lush green fields and flower beds. Eight types are Dandelion Greens are found in Kashmir which include Wan Haand, Wari Haand, Meuudan Haand, Posh Haand, Haakh Haand, Saaz Haand, Keriri Haand and Dembeh Haand.
The word ‘gotra’ has been extensively used in the Hindu Scriptures, especially when a person has to introduce himself to another and also in connection with marriage.
‘Gotra’ means a cowshed (or a cowherd) where the cows of a group of people (most probably relatives) were kept together and protected. But, in course of time, the word acquired the meaning, of a common patriarchal ancestor from whom one has descended.
Gotra was of great importance in several fundamental matters of family affairs like inheritance or marriage and religious ceremonies like Sraddha. The original sages, from whom the gotras are traced, are 21 in number as mentioned in the picture above. With the passage of time and after intermarriage and intermixture with other Brahmins the number of gotras multiplied to 199. According to P. N. Kaul Bamzai, “The Kashmiri Pandits are divided into 133 exogamous gotras, each member of which claims to be a descendant of a Rishi whose name the gotra bears.”
Giving the name of one of these above sages by a person indicates that he traces his lineage from that sage by unbroken male descent.
When a person does not know his gotra, he can adopt that of his priest. If even that is not properly known, he can then take Kasyapa-gotra, Kasyapa being the original Prajapati from whom the creation of living being started. When a boy is adopted by a childless couple, he will retain the gotra of his original father as well as the one of the foster father. Marriage between persons having the same gotra is prohibited.
Ghanta or temple bell is an indispensable part of ritualistic worship in Hinduism. Worship is performed with the first sounding of the bell. A Temple bell is generally made of bronze or seven metals. The body of the bell represents the divinity of time and the tongue, Sarasvati (the goddess of speech). The handle signifies the energy of prana.
As per ancient scriptures, the bell gives a different kind of sound for keeping evil forces away. The ringing of the bell clears our minds and helps us stay sharp and keep our full concentration on our devotional purpose. The moment we blow the tongue of the bell, it produces a sharp and everlasting echo sound which lasts for about 7 seconds. The duration of the echo is enough to activate all our seven Indries (7 chakras defined in Yoga) of our body, resulting in emptying our brain from all our thoughts and helping us in entering with a very sharp state where we can have a good level of concentration.
When the bell is sounded in worship it is an invitation for the gods to come and a warning for the evil spirits to depart.
The bell is sounded during the puja at various stages: inviting the deity, giving a bath to the image, waving incense, waving the lighted lamp, at the end of the chanting of hymns and giving a final offering.
Devotees are expected to ring them as they enter and not to ring them while leaving the sanctum Sanatorium.
Picture: Temple bell installed at Pokhribal Shrine, Hari Parbat, Srinagar.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
and Jammu and Kashmir have a unique bonding even before the Princely
State had acceded to India. Even as certain agencies, for their vested
interests, have painted Sangh black, the fact that most of the people
are unaware of, is that RSS had played a major role in the unity and
integrity of Jammu and Kashmir and helped Army and local agencies in
thwarting the tribal raid engineered by Pakistan in October 1947. There
is a little mention of this historic fact in the annals of Indian
history.
Newspaper records available with Kashmir Rechords (https://kashmir-rechords.com/blog/) point
out that the initial attack by Pakistani raiders was made on
October 11, 1947 when they were on a killing spree in areas like
Mirpur and Kotli which later fell into Pakistani hands. The reports
further mention the role of RSS volunteers in protecting hapless refugees at Jammu who were coming from Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Besides, volunteers had helped in broadening Jammu aerodrome and
assisted Army garrison. In Kashmir, the Sangh volunteers had also
joined militia and stood by Indian Army to push back Pakistani raiders.
In defending Srinagar, one Kashmiri Pandit Sangh worker, Pandit Manmath
had lost his life. The newspaper reports of yesteryears, quoting “RSS
Vision in Action” further say that Sheikh Abdullah’s Government had
allowed RSS to work in the militia until Kashmir valley was cleared of
raiders.
The RSS had begun its activities in J & K in the 1940s when late Prof Balraj Madhok
was a Pracharak. Madhok (25 February 1920 – 02 May 2016) came from a
Jammu-based Khatri family and was born in Skardu, Baltistan. He had
studied in Srinagar, Jammu and Lahore.
When Patel Sought Golwalker’s Help
As the fate of Jammu and Kashmir was
hanging in balance even after India’s Independence on August 15, 1947
and the situation was getting delicate with every passing day, in such a
condition, India’s Union Home Minister, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel had sent a message to the then RSS Sarsanghchalak,
M. S. Golwalkar, through J&K’s Prime Minister, Mehar Chand Mahajan
requesting him to use his influence to prevail upon Maharaja Hari Singh
to accede to India.
Golwalkar, fondly known as ‘Guruji’
cancelled all his engagements, had rushed to Srinagar by air to resolve
the ticklish and delicate question. Through the efforts of Mehar Chand
Mahajan and Pt. Premnath Dogra, a meeting between Guruji and Maharaja
Hari Singh was arranged on October 19, 1947.
The newspaper reports of the past suggest that it was RSS Chief M. S. Golwalkar,
whose patriotic and authoritative advice to Maharaja Hari Singh finally
made the Princely State accede to India. The reports further say that
at the time of Pakistani invasion, Sheikh Mohd Abdullah was not in Srinagar but was holidaying in Rajasthan!
The records also point out that RSS
had played a major role in accession of J&K and helped in
maintaining its unity and integrity. There is, however, a little mention
of this historic event in the annals of history.
It is with this sole purpose that Kashmir Rechords,
a research-based platform on Kashmir, has come out with this
particular blog, supported as usual by authentic documentary evidence
based on newspaper reports of yesteryears.
Paramsraddheya Swamiji Shree Ramsukhdasji Maharaj:
A Brief Introduction
A Liberated,
Self-Realized, and God-loving great Seer, Paramsraddheya Swamiji Shree
Ramsukhdasji Maharaj was born during the month of Falguna
(February/March) in 1904 (Vikram Samvat 1960) in a small village
`Maadpur' of district Nagaur located in the state of Rajasthan. He was
made sadhu by his mother at the tender age of four. Ever-steadfast
honoring the duty of a sadhu, he stayed for a period of approximately
one hundred and two years on earth, living a life of complete
renunciation. For his entire life, he kept showering the nectar of
satsang, going from village to village and from city to city. Rarely
indeed any saint travelled so far and wide within India as did Swamiji.
Staying away from
self-promotion and only for the sake of spiritual welfare of the
humankind, his main purpose in life was to proclaim the Divine message
occurring in the Bhagavad Gita. Therefore, he always refrained from such
things as getting his picture taken, having his feet touched
reverentially, forming disciples, accepting gifts, amassing things like
money etc., building an ashram, having a mob of followers, etc. In this
manner, neither did he associate himself with any person, organization,
tradition, ashram, etc., nor did he make anyone his disciple, promoter,
or successor. Living solely on the alms for all his life, by thought,
word, and deed, he selflessly remained steadfast in the spiritual
welfare of the humankind.
How to obtain the
highest spiritual welfare through the easiest most method—this alone was
his goal and he devoted all his life in its discovery. On this subject,
he discovered many novel and unique methods and brought those to person
to person through his discourses and writings. Not insisting on any
particular viewpoint, ism, sect etc., he verily proclaimed what he
experienced himself. He explained the most subtle, the most intricate,
and the most profound topics of the spiritual path in a simple manner so
that even an ordinarily educated person could easily understand them
and enshrine them in his or her life.
The very living
embodiment of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Paramsraddheya Shree Swamiji
Maharaj also wrote an unparalleled commentary on the Gita entitled
'Sadhaka-Sanjivani,' which is his unique gift to the spiritual world. In
addition, he has also composed several other wonderful sacred texts
such as Gita-Darpan, Gita Prabodhani, Sadhan-Sudha-Sindhu, etc. These
sacred texts are written on the strength of personal experience, and not
on the basis of scholarship.
This great glory of
the spiritual world reverted back to Godhead (tirobhava) on July 3, 2005
(Ashada Krishna 12, Vikram Somvat 2062) on the bank of the holy river
Ganges, Gita Bhavan, Svaragashram (Rishikesh).
It was the special
instruction of the utterly detached, embodiment of renunciation,
Paramsraddheya Shree Swamiji Maharaj, that no one should write his
biography. This brief introduction is written by way of
"shakha-chandra-nyaya," (analogically pointing out the moon through the
branch of a tree), so that maximum number of people, by becoming
familiar with this great saint, may benefit from his teachings.
Swami Sharnanandji Maharaj[1] (? - 1974) Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, India, was a modern-day Indian saint and the founder of Manav Sewa Sangh, a nonprofit organization
dedicated to the spiritual development of the seekers. His teachings
were on the practical implementation of how to practice humanity in true
sense.[2]
Swami Sharnanandji's clarion call to the humankind can be summarized
into three exhortations —1) Serve the world; 2) Discover Thyself; and 3)
Love the Divine.[3]
Swami Sharnanandji Maharaj
Childhood
Swamiji
was from the Northern part of India, and belonged to a well-to-do
family. Since childhood, Swamiji had immense love and compassion for
all beings and was always motivated to help others. Swamiji had very
mesmerizing eyes, which unfortunately, he lost at the age of about 10
Years. This caused immense grief to his family and in turn to Swamiji.
After loss of his eyesight the young boy renounced the world and became a Sann'yasi
at the age of 19 in pursuit to attain a state of happiness which is
free from all sorrows. His Sann'yasi name was Swami Sharnanandji. The
young monk gave up all dependence upon objects and companions, and he
began observing the strict discipline of Sann’yasa, and started living by relying solely on the mercy of God.
Philosophy and teachings
The
most unusual feature of Swamiji's discourses and books is that in them
there is no mention of any scriptural proof. His original and unique
views stand on the intrinsic soundness of his own first-hand experience.
Swamiji knew that the self-evident truth needs no proof. In his view,
Truth is limitless; it cannot be confined to books. Truth is free to
provide its own introduction. Not only is it capable of being its own
introduction, this truth is also capable of illuminating the hearts of
its devout readers.[4]
During his entire life Swami Sharnanandji shunned all forms of name and
fame. He eschewed giving his name on his books, for he believed that it
was not right to claim ‘individual’ credit for the ‘universal’ wisdom
and did not want to confine the Voice of Truth to a particular ‘name and
form.’ He taught that there is really nothing that is ‘personal’ in
life. All wisdom is single unitary movement proceeding solely from the
Supreme. All his books bear the byline: ‘the founder-saint of Manav Seva
Sangh.’ As an ideal saint surrendered to the Supreme, he favored to
proclaim and celebrate the Glory of the Lord alone. The total available
corpus of his written and recorded legacy consists of some 100
discourses spanning about 50 hours and about 40 books in the Hindi language.
The central theme of Swamiji's teachings revolves around one key
question: How to seek the [spiritual] welfare of the individual and
create an elegant society? In Swamiji's view, one can transform one's
moral character by restraint of senses, selfless service, contemplation
of God, and search for Truth. And in the renunciation of one's rights
and the protection of the rights of others lies the secret of an elegant
society. Swamiji gave the following advice to an aspirant ‘The day you
will understand that the world is not made for you, but you are made for
the world—the very same day the picture of [your] life will change.’
Elsewhere he explains that compassion and freedom from jealousy are the
harbingers of peace in the world: ‘Become at once happy to see one who
is happier than you; and be compassionate towards the unhappy—this is
the master key for fostering the world-peace.’
Swami
Sharnanandji established Manav Seva Sangh in 1952 so that through its
medium, for centuries to come, humanity's needs regarding knowledge,
faith, and action may be served. Its main office is in Vrindavan
(India). The need for establishing this organization was felt due to the
fact that Swamiji did not want to publish, under his personal name, the
universal system of thought that he developed in response to his
internal struggle. Swami Sharnanandji became Brahmalin in the year 1974.
After Swamiji, his foremost disciple, Param-Vidu i Divya Jyoti Devaki
ji took care of the administration of the Manav Seva Sangh. In 1992,
Devaki ji too became one with the Supreme Divine Light. After that,
Swamiji's disciples Swami Advaita Chaitanya ji and Sadhvi Arpita ji have
been taking care of the organization.
Manav Seva Sangh is based on the 11 fundamental principles of Humanity
& Prayer[6]
» Introspection, i.e., to see one’s own flaws in light of the received conscience.
» Taking the oath of not repeating an already committed mistake, to pray with simple faith.
» To apply discrimination (judgement) for oneself and faith for
others, i.e., apply justice for oneself, and love and forgiveness for
others.
» One's own development through control over senses, service, remembrance of God, and search for truth.
» Not considering others’ duties as one's own right, others’
magnanimity as one's own goodness, and others’ weakness as one's own
strength.
» Despite having no family or societal relation, to have mutual
interaction and benevolence in accordance with the sentiment of family,
i.e., unity (universality) of love despite the diversity of action.
» To serve the proximate people, as far as possible, through actions.
» From the viewpoint of physical benefit, to practice restraint
in eating and lifestyle habits, and self-dependence in daily chores.
» Making the body hard-working, the mind restrained, the
intellect conscientious, the heart loving, and the ego pride-less to
beautify oneself.
» To consider the objects as more important than money, the
people as more important than objects, the conscience as more important
than people, and the Truth as more important than conscience.
» To brighten the future by giving up useless-worrying, and by properly utilizing the present.
Views of Seers and Learned people about Swamiji
Acknowledging
Swamiji's book, Sant Samagam, the erstwhile President of India, Dr.
Rajendra Prasad, was pleased to observe: "I have had the privilege of
meeting Swamiji on one or two occasions, and I was very deeply impressed
by the way in which he dealt with most complicated problems in a
simple, intelligible way. I am therefore very happy to receive the two
volumes in which you have collected some of his discourses."[7]
In Swami Ramsukhdasji's assessment, "In Sharnanandji’s books, it
becomes evident that he wants the readers to attain realization, and not
merely to ‘teach’ the readers. His words have the effect of the bullet
of a gun. He states his position in a tacit manner so that the spiritual
aspirant may not just learn empty words. Instead of just making the
seekers go through the drill of "practice," he used to have them
"acknowledge" (the Truth); instead of the "intellectual exercise," he
used to let the seekers "experience" (the Truth) directly."[2]
Swami Advaita Chaitanyaji, the current spiritual leader of the
Manav Seva Sangh, observes, "Pujaya Swami Ramsukhdasji Maharaj was a
unique admirer of the immortal words of the founder-saint of the Manav
Seva Sangh. He used to designate the philosophy of Swami Sharnanandji
Maharaj as the ‘Seventh System’ (Human Philosophy). He generally used to
inspire his close circle community to read Swami Sharnanandji Maharaj's
books. He used to regard Swami Sharnanandji Maharaj's words as
irrefutable (akatya)."[8]
Sharnanandji's participation in freedom fight
In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi
initiated a Satyagraha-movement in opposition of the salt ordinance.
Dictators used to be appointed to run this movement and the British
government used to arrest them. After the second or the third dictator
had been sent to jail, no one used to be prepared to go to jail.
Watching this, Swami jumped right in the independence war
and assumed the reigns of the local movement. This sparked new
enthusiasm among the public. Swamiji delivered motivational speeches and
also take part in 'Picketing of the Shops'. As a result, Swamiji too
was arrested immediately. In the jail, his orange robes were forcefully
taken off and he was made to wear the jail uniform. Swamiji immediately
took off those clothes and threw them off. The jailer tried to scare him
with physical torture; he was dragged on the floor which wounded his
back. A few other Sann’yasins apologized and were released from the
jail; however, Swamiji remained steadfast fearlessly and started the
hunger-strike. People got worried and they send telegram to the Uttar
Pradesh government and to the All India Sann'yasi Federation. Finally,
the higher authorities intervened and Swamiji was allowed to wear his
orange robes. He was released from the jail after one and a half month;
the people of the town gave him a very warm welcome. Swamiji's purpose
was to end his attachment for service of the nation (desh-seva); what
did he have to do with respect and recognition. Very soon, he left that
place.[3]
Last worldly day
He opted a very special day to depart from this world, the day important for all major religious beliefs - 25th of December, 1974, Christmas, Eid and Gita Jayanti (Mokshda Ekadshi).
All
of Swami Sharnanandji's discourses have been published in the form of a
series of books called Sant Vani—vol. 1-8. These books deal with the
art of living a spiritual life. In addition, Swamiji dictated several of
his books in the form of philosophical essays to his foremost disciple,
Param-Vidu i Devaki ji, who, in her pre-sann’yasa days, was an eminent
professor of psychology. In addition, Devakiji[10]
also compiled and coordinated the publication of Swamiji's discourses
and other books. All of Swami Sharnanandji's books are currently
available in Hindi language. The English[11] & Gujrati[12]
translation of his books has also begun. below is a list of these books
under references. Almost all of his discourses are also available in
audio format.
Swami Lakshmanjoo
was born on the 9th of May, 1907, in Srinagar, Kashmir, India. As a
child he showed clear signs of spirituality, and from the age of three
would become easily absorbed in his own inner nature. Too young to find
the appropriate yogic expression, the young child described this state
as “badhi bhod” which in Kashmiri means “greater than the greatest.”
The young boy
approached his spiritual practice with burning zeal and had his first
glimpse of God Consciousness at the age of nineteen. After that glimps
of the Divine he took a vow of lifelong celibacy and dedication to the
realization of the highest state of God Consciousness.
During the
next three decades Swami Lakshmanjoo soaked himself in the oceanic
depths of Kashmir Shaiva philosophy, at every step verifying his
intellectual understanding with his own personal experience.
By 1965
By 1965, news had
quietly spread that the oral tradition of Kashmir Shaivism was alive
and well, fully embodied in the person of Swami Lakshmanjoo. For the
next thirty years a regular stream of visitors from India and abroad
sought his audience. To all sincere seekers Swamiji freely distributed
the treasure of his wisdom.
As the last in an
unbroken chain of Masters of this unique ‘oral tradition’ Swami
Lakshmanjoo dedicated his life to the sacred teachings of Kashmir
Shaivism. In 1991 he left this mortal world but not before giving clear
guidelines for the future.
In India
In India, he established the Ishwara Ashram Trust to
carry out activities in a manner which would uphold the truths he
himself had lived for. In the United States, for the purpose of carrying
his message to all who had a spiritual thirst and longed to know the
ultimate truth of life, Swamiji laid the foundation for the
establishment of the Universal Shaiva Fellowship, which later was re-established with a focus on education as the Lakshmanjoo Academy.
Line of Masters
Lord Shiva is infinite and eternal. He is beyond limitation and yet by his independent free will (svatantrya) he has the power to appear limited. He creates the universe for his own play, without beginning or end.
In
the sixth chapter of his Tantraloka, Abhinavagupta explains in great
detail, how in his own body, Lord Shiva creates different concepts of
time, to cater to the infinite variety of beings who inhabit the one
hundred and eighteen worlds or universes.
At the lower cycle of creation, there are sixteen worlds or Bhuvana’s,
one of which is our own universe which contains the earth and solar
system. Here, the full scale of human life is said to be one hundred
years.
But
the life of our earth and these other sixteen worlds runs into millions
and millions of years, which are divided into smaller cycles of time
called yugas.
The four yugas, known as satya, treta, dvapara and kali,
together total 12,000 divine years, or 4,320,000 human years. These
yugas are respectively more and more gross, similar to the golden,
silver, bronze and iron ages of Greek Mythology.
In
his translation of the 13th chapter of Tantraloka, Swami Lakshmanjoo
tells us that, “in order to create this universe, Lord Shiva conceals
his nature by manifesting himself in an infinite variety of beings. On
the stage of this universe, he loses himself in the drama of life. Then,
by his own sweet will, he reveals his true nature and elevates himself
again to the state of Shiva.”
This
is his play, and the sweetest part of this play is that Lord Shiva
always appears at various times, and in various ways, for the upliftment
of sincere seekers.
At the beginning of the present cycle of sat-yuga Lord
Shiva appeared in the form of Svacchandanatha with five heads and his
wonderful eighteen arms. In this form, he narrated the various
scriptures (tantras) of our Shaivism.
In sat-yuga, treta-yuga, and dvapara-yuga, Masters
and disciples were so great that they remembered everything
instantaneously. There was no need to write anything down or refer to
books, hence in those ages, they were initiated verbally.
When Kali-yuga occurred,
these Masters and disciples became disappointed, they hid themselves in
unknown places in order to avoid the touch of worldly people. Because
of this, the theory of the Bhairava Tantras and Kashmir Shaivism was
lost. Lord Shiva, however, always wishes to illuminate the universe, and
so He reappeared in this world on Mount Kailash in the form
of Shrikanthanatha. In this form He again taught the theory of the
Bhairava Tantras to Durvasa Rishi. After telling Durvasa Rishi to expand
the thought of Bhairava Tantras in all the universe without restriction
of caste, creed, color, or gender, Shrikanthanath disappeared into the
ether.
After
meditating completely to acquire a real and fit disciple Durvasa
Rishi became disappointed. He could not find anyone in this world fit to
be initiated, so out of his mental power he created one mind-born son
whom he called Tryambakanatha. Durvasa initiated him completely in the
way of monistic Bhairava Tantras. Afterward, he created two more
mind-born sons, Amardakanatha and Shrinatha whom he initiated into the
dualistic Shiva Tantras and the mono-dualistic Rudra Tantras
respectively. All of this was done by Durvasa Rishi for the upliftment
of humankind.
Tryambakanatha created
one mind-born daughter, whom he initiated completely in the monistic
way. Known as the Ardhatryambaka school of the Bhairava Tantras, this
teaching manifests itself secretly from one woman to another. Kashmir
Shaivism does not recognize women as inferior. In fact, Swami
Lakshmanjoo tells us, “If a woman remains one-pointed in her spiritual practice, she can achieve in twelve days what would normally take one year”. There is no history of this school in kali-yuga.
Durvasa
Rishi’s mind-born son Tryambakanatha, also created his own mind-born
son and named him Tryambakaditya, which means “the expansion of
Tryambakanatha”. Tryambakaditya created his own mind-born son, and after
initiating him he disappeared into the ether.
In
this manner, fifteen generations of Siddha were created by mind. When,
however, the fifteenth Siddha attempted to create a mind-born son, he
was not successful. It is said he was not fully introverted, as he was
also given to worldly pleasures. However, after sitting in long
meditation, he found in this world a girl with good qualities and went
to her father and made arrangements to marry.
They
had one son named Sangamaditya who came to the valley of Kashmir. Like
his father, Sangamaditya married and produced a son named Varshaditya,
whom he initiated completely in the thought of the monistic Bhairava
Tantras. Varshaditya married and produced a son named Arunaditya, whom
he initiated fully. Arunaditya also married and created a son named
Ananda, whom he initiated and who was also completely informed in all
practical aspects of Shaivism. This sage Ananda was the father
of Somananda, the originator of the Pratyabhijna School of Shaivism, and
the author of the ‘Shiva Dristi’.
Up
to this time (800 C.E.), initiation into the monistic thought of the
Bhairava Tantras took place from father to son only. After Somananda
this initiation took place from Master to disciple. Somananda was the
master of Utpaladeva. Utpaladeva was the master of Lakshmanagupta. And
Lakshmanagupta was the master of the great Abhinavagupta, (924-1020 CE).
Abhinavagupta had many masters of whom he considered Shambunatha, his master in the Kula System, to be the most illustrious.
Abhinavagupta
was a complete authority on Kashmir Shaivism and although he had many
disciples, both men and women, his chief disciple was Kshemaraja and the
chief disciple of Kshemaraja was Yogaraja.
Since
its beginning, the sacred lineage of Kashmir Shaiva Masters has
remained unbroken, yet due to the rise and fall of Kashmir over the past
700 years, it has been practically hidden from view.
Mogul rule in Kashmir began in 1300 and ended in early 1800. During
that time many of the elevated masters went underground, and there are
some indications of who they were, but not a lot of written information.
In
1860, Swami Manakak (also known as Swami Manas Ram Mongra) was
recognized as a great Master of Kashmir Shaivism. He initiated Swami
Ram (1852-1914), who became well-versed in the secrets of Trika
Shaivism. Swami Ram’s chief disciple was Swami Mahatabakak and his
disciple was Swami Lakshmanjoo (1907-1991).
Before
Swami Mana Kak there was Gopal Razdan and Swami Lassa Kak, who were
known as masters of the tradition, but due to the tyranny of the Patans
(1700), their teachings were very subdued. It was Swami Ram who was
instrumental in reviving the Shaiva texts, which were mostly handwritten
manuscripts in Shraddha script. Through the Research Department, the
Kashmir Series of Text and Studies (KSTS) transcribed all the major
Shaiva texts into Devanagri, making it easier for Swami Lakshmanjoo to
study those texts early in his life.
Ashok Raina,
Beltsville, MDA number of
festivals are celebrated by Hindus in India and all over the world. One
of the most prominent of these festivals is Shiv-ratri. For Kashmiri Pandits,
Shiv-ratri is the most important religious festival. Celebration of this
festival has remained proverbial from ancient times. In Kashmiri, Shiv-ratri
is also known as Har-ratri and Herath. It is said that Lord Shiva called
Devi Jagatamba by the name Hairte on this day which eventually got transformed
into Herath. Shiv-ratri is celebrated on the thirteenth day of the dark
fortnight in the month of Phalgun. In Kashmir we have maintained the ritual
of Vatuk-puja, along with the worship of Shiva and Shakti on this day.
A historical episode reflects the faith of Kashmiri Pandits in Shiv-ratri.
It is said that Jabar Khan, the Pathan governor of Kashmir, forbade people
to perform Vatak-puja in Phalgun and instead ordered them to celebrate
it in July. Helplessly, people obeyed the order but to everyone's surprise
(harath) it snowed on that day in July. Since then the people of Kashmir
reacite, ''Jabar Janda-Haras awu Wandha" (Jabar the rag-man, winter came
in July). Lord Shiva
is omnipotent and omnipresent, being beyond all emptiness, the primal source
of all. He has five functions: evolution sustenance, involution, preservation
and assimilation. Just as a seed evolves into a tree, and in due course
of time involutes back to seed, likewise the universal divine Shakti, the
energy aspect, has to return to the absolute transcendental rest (Parma
Shiva state). An interpretation for the significance of Shiva-ratri may
thus be the celebration of the union of Shiva and Shakti, also referred
to as Shiva's marriage to Parvati. The 9th century Kashmiri saint-poet
Utpaldeva describing Shiva-ratri wrote, "When the sun, the moon and all
the other stars set at the same time, there arises the radiant night of
Shiva spreading a splendor of its own." The worship
of Vatuka is dealt within several Tantric works. Vatuka, like Ganesha,
has been described as a mind bom son of the Mother Goddess. He is the deity
who saves his devotees from all sorts of misfortunes and calamities. When
Kashmiri Pandits were driven out if the valley in the first half of the
fifteenth century, a few families in the remote villages stayed back. It
is speculated that these people may have started worship of Vatuka for
their protection, the custom having been continued by others when they
retumed to the valley in the later part of that century. Kashmiri Pandits
used to clebrate Shiv-ratri festival over a period of 23 days. First six
days (hurye okdoh to hurye shayam) were devoted to cleaning of the house
and buying puja articles. Next 2-3 days were the days for devotional prayers.
Dyara daham was designated for giving presents to married daughters and
newly weds. Gadkah and Vager bah were special days for the worship of Bhairavas.
Herath truvah is the day for Shiva worship. Herath Kharch (gift of money)
is given by the eldest person to all members of the family on the following
day. Herath truvah is the day for lord Shiva's worship. On Doon mavas,
the prasad of walnuts and rice cakes (tomala-chuut) are distributed, in
past, this often continued until Tila ashtami. The latter day also marks
the end of winter, and is celebrated by burning kangris and singing the
chorus of 'ja-tun-tn'. On the social side, there used to be great joy all
around. People wore new and their nicest clothes, and families would sit
together and enjoy the game with sea shells. Since a number
of us have migrated to far off places, all over the world, it is rather
diffucult to perform the Vatak-puja in the traditional way. However, we
need to maintain the spirit of this, the most important festival of ours.
Jotshi Prem Nath Shastriji has recently produced an audio tape for a relatively
simple Vatak-puja together with a Mahimna Stotram. Offering and eating
meat and fish on Shiv-ratri is stictly a Kashmiri Pandit ritual, probably
to please 'Bhairavas'. However, there were people like Gurtus and Razdans,
who observed strict vegetarinism during the Shiv-ratri festival. Most of
us have given up the tradition of offering and eating meat on Shiv-ratri
day. One other practice
was the celebration of salam on the day following Shiv-ratri. Muslim neighbors
and friends used to visit us and wish happy Shivratri. People would also
invite their relatives and friends for a sumptous dinner. Since for us
the significance of this day is gone, we can either do away with it or
at least call it by a different name. AUM NAMAH
SHIIVAYA In writing
this article, I have used information from articles written on this subject
by Janki Nath Kaul Kamal, Balji Pandit, Sarwanand Kaul Premi, B.L. Khar
and Swami Moti Lal.
