Lord Narasimha and Divine Mother Chinnamasta Devi Jayanti (18th May 2019)

Narasiṃha Jayanti

The fourth avatar of Lord Viṣṇu, the Preserver and Sustainer, is Lord Narasiṃha. It is stated in the Holy Bhagavad Gita, that whenever there is a complete loss and breakdown of dharma (justice) and the dominance of evil in this world, there will be an emergence of an avatar of Lord Viṣṇu, to correct the wrongs and set the balance.

As per the legend, the emperor of all the three realms Hiraṇyakaśipu, became extremely arrogant over his achievements and power and advocated to the people that he should be treated as a god and prayed to, as the Supreme power. Those who resisted his dictates were tortured. Although the emperor was able to subdue most of his subjects, he was unsuccessful in convincing his own son Prahlāda, who claimed that none can be higher than the Supreme Being Nārāyaṇa and urged his father to seek the forgiveness of Lord Viṣṇu. Angered over the disobedience of his son, Hiraṇyakaśipu subjected his son Prahlāda to all forms of torture, which had no impact on him, as the Lord had protected him during every torture and prevented all calamities. Finally, Hiraṇyakaśipu asks his son to show him the location of Lord Viṣṇu, so he could defeat Him and declare himself supreme. Prahlāda tutors his father that the Lord is omniscient and is present everywhere and this enrages the emperor, who in a fit of rage, breaks the pillars of his palace, from which emerges Lord Viṣṇu, as a half-lion and half-human form called Narasiṃha, who devours the emperor Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Spiritually, the destruction of the animal tendencies, aggression, pride, ego and all false identities and the emergence of humane behavior within us combined with humility and devotion to the Divine, is signified by the avatar of Lord Narasiṃha. The power of Lord Narasiṃha, is the Divine Mother Narasiṃhika, also called Pratyaṅgira in the Śrī Vidya tradition and Atharvaṇa Bhadra Kālī in the Daśamahāvidyā tradition. The Divine Mother Pratyaṅgira Devi, brings about the spiritual transformation within us and removes our beastly tendencies by Her divine grace. Unstinted devotion towards the Divine Mother is a pre-requisite to gain Her favor.

Recitation of Lord Narasiṃha mantras, stotras and other devotional hymns and/or Kuṇḍalini meditation on the day of His emergence, called Narasiṃha Jayanti, can help us attain manifold benefits. The worshippers of the Divine Mother Pratyaṅgira, may in turn choose to recite Her mantras and stotras with sincere devotion, to commemorate the auspicious day and attain Her grace. One must try their best with sincere devotion and offer their prayers in whatever manner they can. One should not give this day a miss. It falls on May 18th of this year – 2019.

Further Readings:  MANTRA RĀJA PADA STOTRAM . Narasimha Yajur Mahalakshmi Mantra

Chinnamastā Jayanti

The fifth of the Daśamahāvidyā-s is the Divine Mother Chinnamastā (छिन्नमस्ता). The literal meaning is – severed head. She is also called as Vajra-Yogini in Buddhism and Vajra-vārāhī in the Śrī Vidyā tradition. She appears in a highly terrifying form with Her severed head in Her left hand and three streams of blood jetting through Her spine. One stream flows to Her head and two streams of blood flow to Her Attendant Yogini-s, Dākinī and Varṇinī. She is depicted as standing on the bodies of Kāma deva and Rati who are in a copulating posture on a lotus.

From a spiritual perspective, the severed head represents the removal of all ego and attachments. The three streams of blood, represent the three nāḍīs. The left spiritual channel Iḍa, the middle spinal cord Suṣumṇā and the right spiritual channel Piṅgalā. When the left and right spiritual channels are balanced via uniform breathing through both the nostrils, the middle spinal cord channel gets activated and the latent spiritual energy within us, called kuṇḍalini gushes forth. The head on the left hand represents what is called the Vāma Mārga or the left handed path, also referred to as the Śakti path representing the worship of the Divine Feminine as the singular Truth. Her feet on the amorous couple Kāma deva and Rati, signify that Her worship has a firm footing in the material life stream and that spiritual evolution is possible by a balanced path of Kuṇḍalini yoga and final detachment of one’s ego and identification with the Divine Mother.

Recitation of Her mantras, stotras and other devotional hymns and/or Kuṇḍalini meditation on the day of Her emergence, called Chinnamastā Jayanti, can help us attain manifold benefits. Those initiated into Her mantras, should not give this day a miss. It falls on May 18th of this year – 2019.

Further Readings:  Chinnamasta Mantra Japa