Open Your Heart to the Divine
Some experiences with spirituality & the Hindu faith at seventeen ❤
The Temple Experience
Darkness was falling and a cresent moon had appeared in the sky. It was evening and Mama was needling me to come with her to the Mandir near our home. I was having a hard time in those couple of months. Tiredness and melancholy had wrapped itself like a blanket around me. I’d barely moved at all that day and going to the temple was like a walk of shame I wasn’t prepared for. But name a person who’s refused with their mother and lived to tell the tale?
In the Mandir, huge wooden doors led to an open, well lit hall. It was lined with orange flowered carpets. Three grandly decorated statues of our most revered gods stood gleaming at the end. There was Mata Durga. Sri Radha-Krishna, and the eternal trio; Sri Ram, Siya and Lakshman. Even Hanumanji held fort in a corner beside them, gleaming under all his orange paste.
With a red dupatta draped over my head, I stepped in and kept my eyes to the floor for some time. When it comes to gods whose legends and TV serials you’ve grown up with, whose unique appearences and qualities are celebrated every year in festivals; they almost become like beloved book characters to you. They are like a warm corner in your childhood memory-chest.
I didn’t want to look them in the face and dissapoint them. But the closer I got to the shrine, I knew I had to lift my head. And I did, to see Sri Krishn’s gentle porcelain face. He was holding a flute beside Sri Radha in her jewelled ghagra.
Durga Mata looked like the ultimate symbol of power; her eight arms held weapons and her expression was peaceful. Holding his bow steady, Shri Ram stood in the furthermost end with the ever gracious devi Sita and his devoted brother Lakshman. All their stories were so unique, and yet there was a near identicalness to their expression. It’s the same expression you see in any of the thouands of statues that exist and are sold nationwide: Their faces were blissful. They reflected a grace and strength that lifted the human heart, there was a look of peace filled wisdom in their eyes. A glow of purity and goodness was visible. It was such a human look, and such a kind one that it cut right through my guilt and unearthed hope. I slowly smiled.
I tried to see my own humanness in them and was overwhelmed by the strength of the aura they radiated. Dreams swam before my eyes, in my own rose tinted imagination, of getting back on my feet again, writing stories, learning and teaching, reaching the real world. As I was about to leave, it felt like Sri Krishn almost winked at me. In the middle of it all swirled his bright colours, his sparkles that sent an emotional cresendo coursing through me. All with the gentle mischief of a peacock feather, my happiness bloomed anew.
Some Beautiful Sanskrit Verses
I felt the resonance, the human soul of these verses across thousands of centuries, and was moved by just how familiar these thoughts sounded. It’s also my belief that it’s hard to find a language more musical and profound, phonetically creative and scientifically sound than Sanskrit. *whips out dark sunglasses* Don’t be daunted, because these verses aren’t just my favourite , they’re also nearly all the ones I know. All of these have been translated by me and differ a bit from the exact meaning. Please overlook that if possible, because it is one of the gifts of Hinduism is that we are free to understand and celebrate as we wish to.
Sarasvati Ma
Goddess of Knowledge
Om Bhur Bhuvah Swaha,
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi,
Dhiyo Yo Nah Pracho Dayatehॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥All protecting Supreme Soul
Beloved as I love my life
Vanquisher of sorrow
The picture of joy
We remember
That creator, inspirer and illuminator
Worth uniting with
A pure idol of knowledge
May he inspire our minds
towards actions of goodness.
— Rig Veda (1700–1100 BCE)
Sarasvati Mata is the devi of knowledge, wisdom and writing. Her portrait would show you her surrounded by a pink lotus, soft swans and peacocks embody beauty and purity. She holds the Vedas in her hand (ancient Hindu scriptures & oldest writing works worldwide) and plays the melodious strings of the veena. She is an artist and a mesmerising storyteller.
Durga Ma
Goddess of Courage & Power
Karpūragauraṁ karuṇāvatāraṁ
sansārsāram bhujagendrahāram |
sadāvasantaṁ hṛdayāravinde
bhavaṁ bhavānīsahitaṁ namāmi ||
करपूर गौरम करूणावतारम
संसार सारम भुजगेन्द्र हारम |
सदा वसंतम हृदयारविंदे
भवम भवानी सहितं नमामि ||
(The translation I am going to present is one of my own interpretation. It is inaccurate as per the original translation; kindly refer to research for the original.)
You have fulfilled our honour and grace
A divine birth of compassion you are
Even when the whole world
Blew out like a candle in the wind
There was always the bloom of spring in your heart
The strength of goodness was safe and at peace
Forever within you
— Shiv Shloka (8th-11th century)
Durga Ma is an ultimate power. She holds reign with the first Hindu Gods: the Trimurti Brahma, Vishnu & Mahesh. She completes her female equation with each of them as Ma Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Parvati respectively. Our family is from Jammu, North India , a place where legends of the ‘Shera Wali’ (Lion Rideress) are renown. To observe her statue is to observe an overwhelming aura of feminine strength. It burns a powerful glow and radiance in a person’s heart.
My mother often likes to tell me a story about my newborn self. I was in a weak medical condition as a baby, and my mother walked to the holy moutain shrine of Vaishno Devi in Jammu that is dedicated to the goddess. She touched my forehead to the holy shrine and she believes that action helped my recovery. She also told me about the goddess’s legends and celebrated her festivals in my childhood, and I grew up surrounded by the presence of these positive role models. All this helped me believe in womanly strength and grow as a secure and moral human being.
Sri Krishn
The God of Love and Nurture
Krishna is the dream person and most beloved deity in Hinduism. He is often shown as a peacock feather adorned, flute playing young boy. As a grown up, he is also the Dwarkadheesh and the great orator of the Bhagavad Gita. His character exudes charm, playfulness, as well as wisdom and warmth.
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Santu Niraamayaah |
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu
Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः।
सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु।
मा कश्चित् दुःख भाग्भवेत्॥May all be happy
May all be healthy
May all see the sacred beauty of life
And may none feel sadness and suffering
— Vedas (500 BCE)
Hanuman
Lord of Bravery, Stability & Wisdom
The power packed Hanuman Chalisa is the most famous ode to Lord Hanuman. Sri Tulsidas was the writer of the Chalisa, and it is a little known story that he wrote this book in prison to alleviate his suffering. Legend has it that after his creation, a wild band of monkeys happened to attack the prison he was kept within and freed him by taking the guards away from his path.
Sri Tulsidas wrote the Chalisa in the common people’s language, ‘Awadhi’ and made two line rhyming verses that were easy to memorise. This was a bold departure from the usual Sanskrit works of those times and he risked facing intellectual scorn for writing for the common people. However, the Chalisa has retained both relevance and popularity throughout the centuries.
‘Tulasiidaas Sadaa Hari Ceraa |
Kiijai Naatha Hrday Mah Dderaa ||
तुलसीदास सदा हरि चेरा।
कीजै नाथ हृदय मह डेरा॥४०॥‘Tulsidas is eternally your devotee
My Lord, forever rein in my heart.’
— Hanuman Chalisa (16th century)
Parmatma
Spirituality: The Sacred Highest Soul
From the age of ten, I was taught meditation through Brahma Kumaris because of my mother’s special interest in them. I came to recognise the identity of God as a timeless, transcendent being who loved everyone regardless of what they called him in various religions.
But it wasn’t until I was older than I could understand God better. I began to feel as though there was someone on the other side genuinely listening, sending me answers through small universal reminders and inner wisdom.
A relationship, even with God, is a relationship as human as any other. You have to devote time, listen and love to grow in connection. He’s not an unreachable entity, or an unfathomable creator that one could never see as an equal or confidante. I believe that God can be just as simple and close to a person a best friend is to someone.
Here is a beautiful Vedic verse from Hinduism to symblosize an early human being’s connection with God:
Tvam-Eva Mata Ch Pitaa Tvam-Eva |
Tvam-Eva Bandhush-Ca Sakhaa Tvam-Eva |
Tvam-Eva Viidyaa Dravinnam Tvam-Eva |
Tvam-Eva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva |त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव ।
त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव ।
त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणम् त्वमेव ।
त्वमेव सर्वम् मम देव देव ॥‘I see you in every form
You are my mother and father
You are my brother and my best friend
You are knowledge and you are wealth
You are everything; you are my beloved god.’
— Atharva Veda (1500–1200 BCE)
