Bhandasainya vadhodyukta sakti vikrama harshita - Maha Ganesa nirbhinna vighna yantra praharshitaa

शुक्लाम्बरधरम् विष्णुम् शशिवर्णम् चतुर्भुजम्|

प्रसन्नवदनम् ध्यायेत् सर्व विघ्नोपशान्तये||

श्रीगुरुभ्योनमः

शिवः शक्त्या युक्तो यदि भवति शक्तः प्रभवितुम्

न चेदेवं देवो न खलु कुशलः स्पन्दितुमपि।

अतस्त्वामाराध्यां हरि हर विरिञ्चादिभिरपि

प्रणन्तुं स्तोतुम् वा कथमकृतपुण्यः प्रभवति।।

भण्डसैन्यवधोद्युक्तशक्तिविक्रमहर्षिता

Pranams to Amma, delighted with the valour shown by the Sakthi army in destroying Bhanda’s battalion.

नित्यापराक्रमाटोपनिरीक्षणसमुत्सुका

Pranams to Amma, exhilarated with the bravery of the Nitya devatas

भण्डपुत्रवधोद्युक्तबालाविक्रमनन्दिता

Pranams to Amma, pleased with the prowess of Bala in killing Bhanda’s sons

मन्त्रिण्यम्बाविरचितविषङ्गवधतोषिता

Pranams to Amma, jubilated with Mantrini’s slaining of the demon Vishanga

विषुक्रप्राणहरणवाराहीवीर्यनन्दिता

Pranams to Amma, gratified with Varahi’s gustiness in dispatching Visukra

कामेश्वरमुखालोककल्पितश्रीगणेश्वरा

Pranams to Amma by whose glance at Kameswara, effectuated Sri Ganeswara

महागणेशनिर्भिन्नविघ्नयन्त्रप्रहर्षिता

Pranams to exulted Amma when the vighna yantra was broken asunder by Maha-Ganesha

In the last part, we have learnt about Sampatkari, Aswaruda, Mantrini, Dandanatha and Tithi nitya devata saktis, manifested at the six spinal centers of sadhakas who are striving to know the Paramatma covered by the Maya and other layers. Now, we will learn about Bhandasura’s army and its symbolism.

Demon Bhanda’s army mainly composes of the two brothers Vishanga and Visukra, thirty sons, fifteen chief commanders and several akshauhinis of battalion.  It has been said in the Lalitopakhyana that Vishanga and Visukra emerged out of Bhanda’s left and right shoulders, respectively.  There is a slight difference in the narration of the war in Lalithopakhyana and the Sahasranama declaimed by the Vagdevatas.  While Vagdevatas describe in the Sahasranama that Mantrini devi killed Vishanga and Varahi devi killed Visukra, the Lalitopakhyana however, says the opposite.  While there have been several arguments given by various pandits supporting either sides, in the present discussion we follow the Sahasranama’s narration due to the following two reasons.

1. The first and foremost is the difference in the order of the events of the war.  In Lalitopakhyana/Brahmanda purana, it has been said that Jwalamalini created a fire enclosure around the Sakti army after the Tithi nitya devatas won over the fifteen commanders, namely Damanaka and others. Vagdevatas, on the other hand, put the nama Jwalamalinikakshipta-vahni-prakara-madhyaga before Nitya-prakaramatopa-nirikshana-samutsuka.  Again,  according to Lalithopakhyana, Visukra was killed after Maha Ganesa destroyed the Vighna yantra designed by Visukra.  Yet again, Vagdevatas’ order of the namas in the Sahasranama stotra is different.  Maha-Ganesa-nirbhinna-vighna-yantra- praharshita comes after the nama Visukra-prana-harana-Varahi-virya-nandita.  In the last part, when we analysed the namas from Sampatkari-samaruda-sindhura-vraja-sevita to Jwalamalinikakshipta-vahni-prakara-madhyaga, we have seen that these namas representing the six saktis that originate to uncover the six layers (Maya, kala, kaala, vidya, niyati, raga) are manifested in the sadhakas starting from Muladhara to Ajna chakra in order.  So, there seems to be a hidden reason in the order of the namas laid down by the Vagdevatas.

2.  Both in Lalithopakhyana and Sahasranama stotra, it has been said that, during the war, people of equal capacity fought from both sides.  Amma’s army terminated Bhanda’s army; Amma’s daughter, Bala Tripura Sundari, emerged out of Her heart, killed all the thrity sons of Bhandasura and Amma Herself destroyed Bhanda and his city Sunyaka nagara. Taking hint from this, one could argue that the Vagdevatas’ narration of the minister Vishanga being killed by Amma’s minister Mantrini, and the commander of Bhanda Visukra killed by the commander of Amma, Varahi devi, is logically correct.

It is not asserted here that only the Lalitasahsranama order is correct and Lalitopakhyana order is incorrect.  It is to be understood that each order has its own interpretation and purpose.  Ultimately, Amma being Savyapasavyamargastha, left-right order is inconsequential.

Tattvic analysis:

According to Kashmir Saivism, the entire creation is made up of 36 tattvas, consisting of 2 para tattvas (Siva-Sakti, Iswara, Sadasiva), 1 paraapara tattva (SuddhaVidya) and 31 apara tattvas (6 layers, 5 jnanendriyas, 5 karmendriyas, 5 tanmatras, 5 fundamental elements, Manas, Buddhi, Ahankara, Prakruti and Purusha). 

In the Sahasranama, the namas that describe the victory of Sakti’s army over Bhanda’s army are symbolic of eradication of the apara tattva status. Paraapara tattva is sandwiched between (Sat-cit-ananda) para and apara tattvas.  As a result, any state exhibited by these tattvas and above is totally blissful.  This is indicated by the Vagdevatas in the subsequent set of namas from Bhandasainya-vadhodyukta-sakti-vikrama-harshita onwards, using words harshita, toshita, nandita etc.,

Again, according to Kashmiri Saivism, the inherent potence/sakti of Paramatma is of five types Cit, Ananda, Iccha, Jnana and Kriya. 

Bhanda’s Army	Symbolism of Bhanda’s army	Defeated by	Sakti tattva
Durmada	Mada/Pride	Sampatkari devi	Apara/Avidya/Asuddha Thirty one apara tattvas
Kuranda	Bad thoughts	Aswaruda devi
Karanga and other five chief commanders	Bad speech	Nakuliswari
Valahaka and other seven commanders	Bad vision	Tiraskarini
Damanaka and other fifteen commanders	Fifteen doshas/faults that degrade even Siddhas and Yogis	Tithi nitya devatas
Chaturbahu and other thirty Bhanda’s sons	Negative emotions caused due to the thirty digits of moon in the ego filled souls	Bala Tripura Sundari Iccha Sakti	Paraapara/Vidyaavidya/SuddhaSuddha Sadasiva, Iswara, Suddhavidya
Minister Vishanga	Bad/Prohibited association	Mantrini Devi Jnana sakti
Commander Visukra	Infertility/Dullness and affliction	Varahi devi Kriya sakti
Jaya-Vighna yantra invoked with eight tamasic devatas	Inaction	Ganesa Ananda sakti	Para/Vidya/Suddha Siva-Sakti tattvas
Bhandasura	Materialistic ego filled soul	Lalita Maha Tripura Sundari Cicchakti	ParamBrahma

 

चिद्वच्छक्तिसंकोचात् मलावृतः संसारी (क्षेमराज प्रत्यभिज्ञहृदयम् – 9)

हतस्वातन्त्र्यरूपा इच्छाशक्तिःसंकुचिता सती अपूर्णमन्यता स्वरूपम् आणवमलम्

ज्ञानशक्तिः क्रमेण संकोचात् भेदे सर्वज्ञत्वस्य किञ्चित्-ज्ञात्वाप्तेः अंतःकरण-बुद्धीन्द्रियतापत्तिपूर्वम् अत्यंतं संकोचग्रहणेन भिन्नवेद्यप्रथारूपम् मायीयम् मलम्;

क्रियाशक्तिः क्रमेण भेदे सर्वकर्तृत्वस्य किञ्चित्-कर्तृत्वाप्तेः कर्मेन्द्रियरूप-संकोचग्रहणपूर्वम् अत्यन्तम् परिमितताम् प्राप्ता शुभाशुभानुष्ठानमयम् कार्ममलम्;

Sat-cit-ananada Paramatma using His inherent sakti (potence), gets concealed with malatraya (aanava, karmika, maayiya) and becomes jiva. Paramatma’s irresistible icchasakthi gets concealed by anavamala and is projected as insufficiency, omniscient jnanasakthi gets covered by maayiyamala and is projected as limited knowledge and omnipotent kriyasakthi gets hidden by the karmikamala and is projected as finite potential, in the purusha. This malatraya, in turn, evolves and drives the creation.

Bhandasura is symbolic of vasanas (impressions) filled, egoistic soul. Desire is indicative of incompleteness which is nothing but the anavamala.

The presiding diety of the mind, the birth place of desires, is the moon. (Bruhat Jataka 2.1)

तेषाम् मनः कारणत्वात् चंद्रस्य मनोरूपत्वात् स्नेहशशाङ्कादित्युपदेशेन चंद्रवशात् सुख-दुःखम् निरूपणीयमिति सूचितम्;

This is the reason as to why due to the waxing and waning digits of moon that people experience  pleasure and pain.  The influence of moon on the tides of ocean and on womens’ menstrural cycles is perceivable. Also, full moon or new moon’s marked influence on mind could be perceived in people with mental disorders and severe health problems. In fact, each digit of moon has a bivalent effect on every individual’s mind. These influences albeit depend on one’s own vasanas/samskaras/impressions. Bhandasura’s thirty sons are symbolic of these ill-effects of the thirty digits of moon on an indiviudal’s mind. (भवंतः सुकृतैरब्धा ममपूर्वजनुः कृतैः – ललितोपाख्यानम् 23.8).

The mayiamala and karmikamala representing limited knowledge and finite potence respectively, originate from the anavamala.  While Bhanda’s sons, a replica of Bhanda himself, are symbolic of anavamala, his brothers Visukra and Vishanga are representative of mayiya and karmika mala, that emerge along with the anavamala.

***

Ganapati is the ParamBrahma.  He is described as Brahmanaspati, Danti etc., in the Vedas. Now let us look at the two para tattvas, Siva and Sakti.  Siva tattva is the desire filled Paramatma, and His native potence that emerges out of Him for the purpose of creation is the Sakti tattva.  The communion form of Siva and Sakti tattva is the Ganesa tattva, the quintessence of the Ananda sakti. This tattva is a metaphoric of fertility/procreation. A state just like that of a bulged seed that is about to sprout, containing the entire manifestation within itself.  

 

Ganapati tattva is Siva and Sakti, together.  So, the entire manifested creation (Viswam/Universe)  madeup of Siva-Sakti is nothing but Ganapti. The association of Ganapati with the Chaturdhi tithi could be seen from the fourth of the fifteen tithi namas (Darsa, Drushta, Darsata, Viswarupa etc.,) listed in the Taittiriya Samhita (3.10.1).

 

 

According to Sivapurana (Rurdra Samhita 18.23), Trinity said that for successful completion of any act, Ganapati should always be offered the first prayers, and it has been a practice that any act/stotra/kavya always begins with a Ganapati prayer.  However, Soundaryalahari, supposedly being authored by Lord ParamaSiva Himself, starts with the sloka शिवः शक्त्या युक्तो (Siva accompanied by Sakti), but not with a verse on Ganapati, directly.  Is it not that He is suggesting that Siva and Sakti together is indeed Ganapati tattva?  Also, Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada, an incarnation of Lord ParamaSiva, in the Sivanandalahari stotra, prays saying Sivabhyam in the first sloka; yet another suggestion to the Ganapati tattva.

There is another symbolism pointing towards the Ganapati tattva to be Siva-Sakti in unison.  It is the crescent moon adorned by Siva and Sakti on their heads, represented in gross form. The cresent moon worn by these deities is symbolic of procreation.  Like His parents, even Ganesha holds a moon on the head. This feature is unique to only Siva, Sakti and Siva-Sakti together (Ganesa). Then Vaishnavaites may question: “what about Lord Vishnu? He does not have wear moon as an ornament. Does that mean that His tattva cannot be considered to be fertile/creative?” The answer for this lies in the following: In Vaishnava sampradaya, Vishnu is the most important deity. However, the wife of Lord Vishnu is Chandra sahodari, an implicit reference to the moon!  This must be viewed from the perspective that a husband’s inner/inherent sakthi is his wife.  In Svetasvatara Upanishad, it is said that Rudra, Savita, Isa, Siva - all forms represent the one and the same inner reality, reflecting in both micro and macrocosms. So, even the Sun is considered as a symbol of procreative ParamBrahma. This is the reason that we have Siva, Sakti, Ganesa, Vishnu and Sun in the Panchayatana.

There are several versions of Ganesa’s birth in various puranas.  Through each version, a particular nature of the lord has been hinted at, in a subtle manner.  It is not that they are all mere incoherent stories written by our seers.  For example, according to Brahmanda Purana, Ganesa is manifested when Lalita Maha Tripuarsundari had a glance at Kameswara at the time of war with the demon Bhanda and Ganesa here is symbolic of (Ananda sakti) blissful, unified Siva-Sakti tattva. According to Varaha purana (23.11-15), Lord Ganesa manifested when Rudra had a glimpse at Uma.  Lord Ganesa here is representative of the infinite expanse of the celestial sky.  This form of Ganesa is symbolic of aakasa tattva (space)/speech tanmatra.  It has been mentioned in the Siva, Matsya and Vamaa Puranas that, Amma created a child from the scented ointment of Her body and appointed Him as a door keeper to Her inner apartment.  This Ganesa is symbolic of the Muladhara diety with whose grace, one can attain Moksha. Because, it is only with His grace, the sleeping Kundalini could be awakened and made to travel upward through the Sushumna nadi.

After Bhanda’s thirty sons were removed from the war, Visukra designed Jaya-Vighna yantra consisting of eight tamasic devatas namely alasa (tiredness – Bhagavadgita 18.28), krupana (meanness – ibid 2.49), dina (timidness), nidra (sleepiness ibid 14.8, 18.39), tandra (laziness ibid 14.8, 18.39), pramilika (sleepy winking) and kliba (lack of courage/lassitude ibid 2.3) in eight directions.  It is to destroy this tamasic yantra pervading in all the eight directions, Amma brought about the blissful, Siva-Sakti form Ganesa, a personification of the sky with vast expanse.

Let us learn the secrets of the war between Amma and fiend Bhanda in the next part.

Praying to Sadananda rupini Amma

श्रीमात्रेनमः