Story telling is an effective tool in building up character in a child from grass root level. The stories from the great Indian epics like Ramayanam, Mahabharatam, Srimadbhagavatam are embedded with high spiritual content which are revealed by learned men in their religious discourses.
The way in which the importance of Meditation is brought forth in a charming story like kheerasagara madhanam (churning of Ocean of Milk) is remarkable.
Kashyapa has two wives namely Diti and Aditi . The children of Diti, Asuragana and the children of Aditi, Devagana are always at war with each other. The latter are comparatively weak and being at the losing end, seek Lord Vishnu's advice. He proposes churning of Ocean of Milk and get Amrit
( nectar of energy, youthfulness and immortality) along with the danavas. So, both the teams start churning the Ocean of Milk by making the mountain Mandara as churning stick, snake Vasuki as churning rope, holding tightly on the tail side by the devatas and on head side by the asuras. Initially the items like Surabhi (Kamadhenu cow), Ucchaisravam horse, halahalam ( deadly poison ), the moon, Sri Lakshmi come out of the churning. As churning continued with determination, Amrit
comes out finally. As quarrel ensues among them for the possession of it, Lord Vishnu takes the form of a beautiful lady, Mohini and dispenses the nectar to the devatas skilfully. This is the story in brief.
One cannot but appreciate the way in which the importance of Meditation is being emphasized in the above story. One's mind is represented as the Ocean of Milk. Whether for poison or for nectar it is the source. The churning teams are virtues (devatas) and vices (asuras). One has to churn it with the help of churnig stick, Buddhi, (Intellect) and churniug rope, Ahamkara (Ego) and the process of churning is Meditation, Meditation, Meditation. With undeterred pursuit of it, one will get the powers called Ashtasiddhis ( Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Praptya, Prakamya, Isatva, Vasitva )
on the way to Salvation. Only those who are not lured by the Siddhis will attain the ultimate - Mukti or Salvation !
Meditation is alluded not only to 'churning' of Ksheerasagara madanam (Ocean of Milk) but also
compared to 'friction' of Arani wood, a kind of fuel used to ignite fire by friction of wooden pole in
a wooden block as base.
Svadeha maranim krutva pranavam chotta raranim,
Dhyana nirmadhanabhyasardevam pasyennigudhavat ll
- Swetaswaropanishad (1.14)
By making the mind and body as bottom block of Arani and by making the Omkara (Primordial Sound, Pranava nada) as upper pole, if Friction called Meditation indulged in, fire spark called the Almighty will come out from within !
The way in which the importance of Meditation is brought forth in a charming story like kheerasagara madhanam (churning of Ocean of Milk) is remarkable.
Kashyapa has two wives namely Diti and Aditi . The children of Diti, Asuragana and the children of Aditi, Devagana are always at war with each other. The latter are comparatively weak and being at the losing end, seek Lord Vishnu's advice. He proposes churning of Ocean of Milk and get Amrit
( nectar of energy, youthfulness and immortality) along with the danavas. So, both the teams start churning the Ocean of Milk by making the mountain Mandara as churning stick, snake Vasuki as churning rope, holding tightly on the tail side by the devatas and on head side by the asuras. Initially the items like Surabhi (Kamadhenu cow), Ucchaisravam horse, halahalam ( deadly poison ), the moon, Sri Lakshmi come out of the churning. As churning continued with determination, Amrit
comes out finally. As quarrel ensues among them for the possession of it, Lord Vishnu takes the form of a beautiful lady, Mohini and dispenses the nectar to the devatas skilfully. This is the story in brief.
One cannot but appreciate the way in which the importance of Meditation is being emphasized in the above story. One's mind is represented as the Ocean of Milk. Whether for poison or for nectar it is the source. The churning teams are virtues (devatas) and vices (asuras). One has to churn it with the help of churnig stick, Buddhi, (Intellect) and churniug rope, Ahamkara (Ego) and the process of churning is Meditation, Meditation, Meditation. With undeterred pursuit of it, one will get the powers called Ashtasiddhis ( Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Praptya, Prakamya, Isatva, Vasitva )
on the way to Salvation. Only those who are not lured by the Siddhis will attain the ultimate - Mukti or Salvation !
Meditation is alluded not only to 'churning' of Ksheerasagara madanam (Ocean of Milk) but also
compared to 'friction' of Arani wood, a kind of fuel used to ignite fire by friction of wooden pole in
a wooden block as base.
Svadeha maranim krutva pranavam chotta raranim,
Dhyana nirmadhanabhyasardevam pasyennigudhavat ll
- Swetaswaropanishad (1.14)
By making the mind and body as bottom block of Arani and by making the Omkara (Primordial Sound, Pranava nada) as upper pole, if Friction called Meditation indulged in, fire spark called the Almighty will come out from within !
Om Shanti !
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