What are some secrets about Goddess Sita?

 She has infinite secrets! She is the secret behind all secrets! she is Mahamaya herself. She is unknowable and her infinite essence can never be understood by our tiny brains. She is the secret of all secrets. The weaver of destiny and the mistress of the Panchamahabhuta’s.

As we can never define her glory, we can only wonder at the unfathomable unthinkable form of Shri Janaki ji, therefore for limited Jiva’s Goswami Tulsidas ji has instructed as follows-

Shri Ramcharitmanas (Balkand) - Goswami ji himself says it is impossible to explain her glory and falls short of words.

Siya sobhā nahiṃ jāi bakhānī,
Jagadambikā rūpa guṇa khānī

Shri Sita’s glory cannot be described in words. She is the supreme mother of the world with infinite source of forms and attributes.

There is no way to describe the glory of Ma Maithili who simply tolerated Ravana so that he could just be slain by Bhagavan Shri Rama. Ravana was living at Mata Sita’s grace. If She wanted she would have destroyed him easily. This Ma Sita herself warns Ravana about.

Valmiki Ramayan Sundara Khand

O Dashagriva! You deserve to be burnt down. Yet, I am not burning you down with my energy. I belong to the intelligent Rama and you are incapable of abducting me. There is no doubt that this has been ordained by destiny for the sake of you being killed. You used your bravery against your brother, the lord of riches, who possessed strength. However, for Rama, why did you resort to stealing his wife?’

This is well repeated even by Hanuman ji, that Ma Sita can take on the form of Kalaratri and destroy Ravana and his whole Lanka if she desires.

Valmiki Ramayan Sundara Khand

"Know her, whom you recognize as Seetha and who stays in your captivity, to be none else than Kalaratri (the goddess presiding over and responsible for dissolution), who can destroy the entire Lanka."

We can say that Mata Sita herself was the destroyer of Ravana. She orchestrated his entire destruction through her Leela. This is repeated by Hanuman ji.

Valmiki Ramayan Yuddha Khand - .

"O the divine lady! I am telling a pleasant news and again eulogizing you. O Seetha, the knower of righteousness! Rama accomplished this great victory in the battle, because of your power. Be free from your grief and be comfortable."

Valmiki Ramayana Sundara Kanda- The three worlds which are created from her glory, is not even a fraction of her absolute essence.

Were the dominion of the Three Worlds on one side and Sita, born of Janaka, on the other, the former would not equal a fraction of the latter; such is the virtuous daughter of the magnanimous King of Mithila, who is wholly devoted to her lord.

Mata Sita is Mula Prakriti herself who in union with Shri Rama creates preserves and destroys everything. Thus state the Vedas.

Sita Upanishad (Atharva Ved)

śrīrāma-sānnidhya-vaśāj jagad-ānanda-kāriṇī |
utpatti-sthiti-saṃhāra-kāriṇī sarva-dehinām |
sītā bhagavatī jñeyā mūlaprakṛti-saṃjñitā ||

In union with Shri Rama, the universe She sustains; All embodied beings She brings forth, sustains and withdraws. Know Sita as the divine, the supreme goddess, known as Mūlaprakṛti (the fundamental nature).

She is the mother of the Panchamahabhuts and all glorious attributes.

Adbhut Ramayana

Janaki is an image or personification of Prakriti. She is the primary primordial force present even before the creation of the basic Bhuts (elements) of life came into existence. She is endowed with great, majestic, stupendous, and wonderful virtues of powers, strength, potential, and prowess. She is an embodiment of the rewards obtained by doing Tapa (severe austerities, penances, and observing strict religious vows. She embodies success in obtaining heaven (or an exalted stature, both in this world as well as in heaven. She is majesty, fame, glory, grandeur, renown, success, accomplishment, good fortunes, and potential personified, and she embodies all of them in herself.

She is the very being who manifests as the Vedas and all gods. What greater secret exists? She is the secret which can never be known.

Sita Upanishad (Atharva Ved)

10. She here is all the Vedas; all the gods; all the worlds; all renown; all virtue; all ground, effect and cause; the great Beauty of the Lord of gods. She has a form which is different and yet the same. She is the essence of the intelligent and the inert. She is all, from Brahma to stocks and stones. She is embodied, owing to distinctions of attributes and activities. She assumes the forms of gods, sages, men and Gandharvas; of demons, fiends, spirits, ghosts, goblins, etc.; and of the elements, sense-organs, mind and the vital breaths.

The Vedas say that Ma Jagadambika Shri Sita, is Kalatit which means she is beyond all boundaries of time. She is the most ancient secret to exist and therefore can never be known.

Tara Sara Upanishad clearly calls Mata Sita as Kalatita which literally means NOT BOUND BY TIME or TIMELESS

4. Kalatita is known as the goddess Sita Herself. That which is beyond is the Paramatman named Sri Rama and is the highest Purusha. All this is the explanation of the letter Om, which is the past, the present and future and which is other than these (viz.,) Tattva, Mantra, Varna (colour), Devata (deity), Chhandas (metre), Rik, Kala, Sakti and Srishti (creation). He who knows this becomes immortal. (Thus is) Yajur-Veda with the second foot”.

the Adbhuta Ramayana agrees with this statement that she is even beyond Mahakala. That beyond Kala is Mahakala, but that beyond Mahakala is her.

Adbhut Ramayana Canto 25

Ayodhyānīlayā vīrā mahākālasamudbhavā |
Vidyāsvīkṛtasiddhā vidyādharapatiḥ || 132 ||"

You are a resident of Ayodhya (as Sita)1. You are brave, valiant, strong, courageous, heroic, bold, daring, mighty and eminent2. You are the creator of Maha Kaal3. You act most wisely and sagaciously, because you are adroit and enlightened like those who are known as Vidyadhars 4. You have mystical powers, are accomplished, successful and fulfilled5. You are formless, attributeless and subtle like the Vidyadhars.

Jai Shri Sita Rama 🙏🏻🪔🪷🏹

Namo Narayana 🙏🏻🪔🪷🦅

Hara Hara Mahadeva 🙏🏻🪔📿🔱

What are some amazing lesser-known facts about the Hindu goddess Kali?

 

Shri Kali Ji -- The Ultimate Form Of Brahman, "Devourer of Time".

• Beej Mantra of Shri Kali Ji is Kreem(क्रीं). Om(ॐ) is the primordial sound of Universe. The Beej Mantra Kreem is the seed of Creation. It contains the unmanifested Creation. Universe materialises from Kreem and gets dissolved into Kreem. Since Matter is Energy in vibrations so the vibrations produced from Kreem can cause Universe to Manifest from Void and also has the capacity to Dematerialize back into the seed.
• Shri Kali Ji's black complexion symbolises dissolution of creation within Her and from this Darkness everything is born. The pitch black colour is darkest than the dark of the Death Night representing the Brahman in supreme unmanifest state. It also represents Her being Nirguna, beyond all Dualities and Transcendent.
• Shri Kali Ji is shown only wearing garland of Skulls and Skirt of Arms but without any clothing as clothes cannot cover Her infinite form. She appears without any worldly clothing as She represents Prakriti or Mother Nature. When we are born we are born naked. Clothing is essential because we are of impure mind. Clothing is a worldly possession and Kali being Nirguna is beyond the covering of Maya. Like Digambars who renounce every worldly possession including clothing.
• Shri Kali Ji's dishevelled hair compliments her rage in battlefield. In Her rage Shri Kali Ji can't be controlled but can only be pacified through surrender.
• Shri Kali Ji is standing on Shiv Ji's chest and worshipped in this form because She is Shiv Ji's Shakti i.e. Mahakaal's feminine aspect Mahakali or Shakti. Shakti is always supreme as without Shakti, Shiv Ji is Shava or Dead. Even we are like dead without Energy or Shakti. If Bhagavān Shiv Ji is flame then Shri Kali Ji is heat of the flame.
• Kali Ji's tongue is protruding out because it's like an "awww" expression or embarrassment that She in Her rage stepped on Her physical aspect that is Purusha or Shiv Ji. This symbolizes a woman's," lajja". It also signifies that the White Teeth symbolising Sattvic Nature conquers the Red Tongue symbolising the Rajasic Nature.
• Both Bhagavān Shiv and Shri Kali Ji concept is like Consciousness and Matter. Where Shiv Ji is Pure Consciousness which is responsible for making living beings conscious about themselves and Shri Kali Ji is like Matter which is responsible for Materialization of whole Creation. We cannot segregate the two i.e. Shiva and Shakti otherwise the whole Creation will come to an end. Just like Prakriti(active but Non Self) and Purusha(inactive but Pure Consciousness) coming together for Creation. Similar analogy can be given of Brahman and it's Maya which are inseparable as Maya is Shakti of Brahman but also responsible for Ignorance(Avidya) which gives a sense of Duality in all conscious Beings as they can't segregate themselves from Pancha Koshas(5 Sheaths) and realise themselves as Knower of the 5 Sheaths and distinct from it.
• Shri Kali Ji is Mahamaya so it is necessary to propitiate Her as without Her wish one cannot look beyond the veil of Maya and realize one's true Self(Ātman).
• Bhagavān Shiv Ji and Shri Kali Ji doesn't represent Materialism but are beyond it. That's why their abode is Shmashana. They are giver of Moksha which is final aim of every Jivatma. Together they take you towards end of Karmic Cycle and not bind you with it through the worldly norms or attachments. So the form in which they are represented physically cannot be justified through any worldly point of view. Interpretation of the forms of the Formless Brahman requires deep spiritual bent like Shri Ramakrishna Paramahansa.
• Can anyone who resides in Shmashana be considered acceptable in normal society?The answer is NO. So Bhagavān Shiv Ji and Shri Kali Ji should be understood outside the periphery of worldly norms because within it everything is perishable but Mahakaal and Mahakali are beyond this impermanent world or body.
• Shri Kali Ji is first Mahāvidyā, if one gets Siddhi in Shri Kali Mahāvidyā Sādhanā then due to Her grace one can get Siddhi in the rest 9 Mahāvidyās with much less efforts. Mahāvidyā Sādhanā Siddhi also grants success in other sādhanā like Apsara Sādhanā as the Tapobal of the sādhaka is increased due to Mahāvidyā Sādhanā and Apsaras are easily attracted towards an advanced sādhaka with high Spiritual Vibrations.
• In reality, Shri Kali Ji is very benevolent. Though She is not Black at all but Her ferocious form(Ugra) is for the Adharmis. Through sādhanā one can experience Her if the sādhaka has pure Heart like a child. She is very innocent and caring. One can have Her Visions as She is easily pleased through Bhakti and Devotion.
• Sometimes She plays with you like a child. For e.g. If you are sleeping, She will suddenly appear and will wake you with Her beautiful Divine Vision and then go away instantly. Then the sādhaka will feel like a fish which has been taken out of pond and will long for Her Darshan. But if asked for Her Darshan once She is pleased then She starts visiting regularly. The example cited by me is from my own experience.

What are some unknown stories about Goddess Lakshmi?

 1. Mata Bhargavi

Mata Bhargavi is Saksad Mahalaksmi herself who became the eldest daughter of sage Bhrigu and his wife devi Khyati.

• Mata Lakshmi in the form of Mata Bhargavi performed rigorous penance for thousands of years to get Lord Vishnu as her husband.

On hearing about the great form, the Cosmic Form (of Nārāyaṇa), Lakṣmī born from the Khyāti of Bhṛgu, O king, became surprised and thought thus:

‘By what means shall this Lord Nārāyaṇa be my husband? Is it through Vrata, penance, Dāna or some restraints? Can it be through attending upon the old people or by propitiating Devatās?’ O Yudhiṣṭhira, Satī (Śiva’s consort) knew that the girl was thinking thus and she said: “It is through austerities that Śaṅkara was obtained by me as my husband. So also Prajāpati (Brahmā) was obtained by Gāyatrī. Desired husbands were obtained like that by other women too. O lady of good Vratas, it is only through penance that the husband should be obtained by you. Hence perform penance, great and fierce, which will give you all that you desire.”

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

9-15. O conqueror of the cities of enemies, Lakṣmī went to the outer limit of the oceans and performed an elaborate penance extremely difficult (for others) to perform, for a long duration. She stationed herself steadily like a lamp-post for a period of one thousand divine years.

~Skanda Mahapuran, Book 5, Reva-khanda, chapter 194

• After one thousand divine years of penance by Mata Bhargavi, Lord Narayana appeared before Mata Bhargavi and also showed his divine cosmic form and asked Mata Bhargavi to ask for a boon, on which Mata Bhargavi expressed her desire to marry him and asked him to adopt householder stage life.

Śrī said:

O Nārāyaṇa, O supporter of the universe, O Lord of the universe, O great Brahman, O ultimate great resort! Be pleased with me for my devotion. Save me perfectly. Employ me in the perfect creation. You are my lover. Manage everything so that I can be your beloved. The stage of householder is the root cause of Dharma, Artha and Kāma. It has been approved by Devas. Adopt that meritorious Āśrama (stage of life) and employ me in the rites for welfare.

~Skanda Mahapuran, Book 5, Reva-khanda, chapter 194

• Marriage of mata Bhargavi with Lord Narayana

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

44-52. Neither Brahmā nor Parameśvara is capable of describing the good features of the marriage of Nārāyaṇa, the Yajña and the Tapas of that Lord and his perfect conduct. O Yudhiṣṭhira, yet I shall recount in a general way. Listen with careful attention. Brahmā and the Seven Sages were engaged in holding the Sruk and Sruva there. They performed the Homa in the sacrificial fires, O king. The entire earth along with the oceans was the altar.
The oceans gave jewels to the Brahmarṣis, O excellent king. Dhanada (Kubera) too gave the monetary gift as desired by all the Brāhmaṇas.
Viśvakarmā built houses of wonderful varieties fully embedded with all jewels and showed them to the glorious Lord of Devas. Then, O great king, Śatakratu asked the various Brāhmaṇas assembled there to choose whatever they desired. They were the Brāhmaṇas including Śaunakas etc., Bāṣkalas, Chāgalas and Ātreyas with Kāpiṣṭhala as their leader.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

53-61. O tiger among kings, in answer to your question as to who were the priests offering sacrificial oblations in the sacrifice, I shall describe it. Listen to it with concentration. Those with Sanatkumāra as their chief were the Sadasyas (members of the sacrificial assembly). Atri, Aṅgiras and Marīci officiated as Udgātṛs. Dharma and Vasiṣṭha did the job of Hotṛs (reciters of the Vedic Mantras). Sage Sanaka was the Brahmā (Presiding priest in the sacrifice). Śatakratu (Indra) gave them thirty-six thousand villages. The Lord did everything and so Lakṣmī was united with her husband. Even as Brahmā was performing the Homa, his forehead was visible to the Suras seated all round. The region where such view was possible is called Lalāṭadeśa and that spot became the meritorious spot of Śrīpati and was resorted to by Devas and sages. It is full of miracles, divine and efficacious.

~Skanda Mahapuran, Book 5, Reva-khanda, chapter 194

• Children of mata Bhargavi and Lord Narayana

Suta said :

1 . Khyati bore to Bhrgu the holy lords Dhata and Vidhata living throughout the Manvantara. They were masters of happiness and misery and grant auspicious and inauspicious results to living beings.

2. Their eldest sister, the chaste goddess Sri, the purifier of worlds, attained the auspicious lord Narayana as her husband, and gave birth to two sons: Bala (Strength) and Utsaha (Energy).

~Vayu purana, Book 1, chapter 28

2. Mata Lakshmi became the daughter of king punyanidhi.

King punyanidhi who used to rule over the Madurai region had visited Rameshwaram along with his wife vindhyavali. After worshipping lord Rama linganatha Swamy, the king performed a special yajña here to please lord Vishnu for the prosperity of his kingdom. Lord Vishnu, who was pleased with his yajña sent his consort Lakshmi devi in the guise of an eight years girl to test him.

9-11. While King Puṇyanidhi continued his stay thus, once Lakṣmī had a playful quarrel with Hari. In order to test the devotion of the king, she stipulated certain conditions with Hari. Lakṣmī, the goddess with lotus for her abode, was sent by Viṣṇu from Vaikuṇṭha. In the guise of a girl of eight years, she went to the Gandhamādana mountain. Goddess Lakṣmī came to Dhanuṣkoṭi and stood there waiting.

The king upon seeing the girl, enquired and after coming to know that the girl was an orphan adopted her as his daughter and named her as Gunanidhi. mata Lakshmi agreed to live with them but on some condition.

19-20. I shall stay in your house, O father, looking at you, always. If anyone holds me by the hand and violently pulls at me, O king, you shall chastise him. In that case, I shall stay in your place as your daughter for a long time, O father, O storehouse of good qualities.”

21-24. On being told thus, the king, the storehouse of good qualities, said to the girl:

“I shall do everything mentioned by you, O splendid girl. I have no daughter. I have a son, the support of the family. I shall give you whatever appeals to you. Come to my house, O girl. Live in my Antaḥpura as the daughter of my wife. O uncensured (praiseworthy) girl, live here as you please.”

The girl was being looked after nicely by the king and his wife. One day, Lord Vishnu in order to search for mata Lakshmi, came to the king’s place disguised in the form of an old brāhmaṇa wearing a Rudraksha Mala and holding a kamandalu (pot) with the water from the Ganga river and an umbrella in the other hand. He secretly entered the garden where Gunanidhi, the king’s adopted daughter was plucking flowers and held her hands. This matter was reported by the guards to the king who had the Brahmana chained and imprisoned. At night, Lord Vishnu appeared in the dream of the king and revealed that the old brāhmaṇa was lord Vishnu himself and the king's adopted daughter was Lakshmi devi.

47-53. The great king went to his beautiful mansion. During his sleep the king saw that Brāhmaṇa in his dream. He was adorned with a conch, discus, iron club, lotus and garland of sylvan flowers. His chest was embellished with the Kaustubha jewel. He was Hari clad in yellow garments. He was brilliant with the complexion resembling a black cloud. He was seated on Garuḍa. He had beautiful teeth and splendid smiles. His ear-rings resembling Makara, shone well. He was attended upon by Viṣvaksena and other servants. He lay on the couch (of the body) of Śeṣa. He was eulogized by Nārada and other sages; (further) he saw his own daughter standing in a full-blown lotus. In her hand there was a lotus flower. Her hair was black, curly and glossy. She had her abode in the broad chest of Viṣṇu.

The king who was shocked woke up and went to meet the imprisoned brāhmaṇa who appeared as lord Vishnu along with his adopted daughter Gunanidhi, who was adorned as Lakshmi devi. The king who was already shocked felt embarrassed and asked the Lord forgiveness.

Forgive my offence, O slayer of Madhu, I have offended you with these fetters and nooses. O lord, this has been committed by me without knowing your real form and nature. Hence my offence should be forgiven, O slayer of Madhu.

After eulogizing Mahāviṣṇu thus, O Brāhmaṇas, King Puṇyanidhi joyously eulogized Lakṣmī, the mother of all living beings:

Lord Vishnu pardoned him saying that they are pleased with his devotion.

Viṣṇu said:

80-86. O king, you need not entertain any fear as a result of keeping me in bondage. I have revealed unto you the fact that I am completely subject to the control of the devotees. You have performed a Yajña causing great delight unto me. Hence you are my devotee. Being bound down with the noose of devotion, I have become subject to your control. O suppressor of enemies, I always forgive the faults of my devotees.

Lord Vishnu decided that He and Lakshmi devi would reside in the same place and accept worship as Sri Setu Mādhava.

98-106a. “O excellent king, I shall stay here by the name Setumādhava in the manner in which I have been fettered by you. This Setu has been built by me. I shall bè here for its protection from the multitudes of Bhūtas and Rākṣasas and for subduing all sorts of fears. Brahmā too lives here day and night for protecting the Setu. Śaṅkara named Rāmanātha permanently stays here on the Setu. Indra and other guardians of the worlds too stay here with great joy. Hence, I will also stay here under the name Setumādhava for the purpose of protecting the Setu and to suppressing all troubles, for the purpose of fulfilling the desires of everyone and quelling all sins. Those men who serve me here where I have been fettered by you, will attain Sāyujya with me, O king, and realize all their desires.

This story mentioned in Skanda Puran, Brahma khanda, setu-mahatmya, chapter 50

The visit to Rameshwaram is incomplete Without a holy dip in the holy Setumādhava tirtham and the darshan of Lord Setumādhava. This beautiful temple is located in the complex of the famous Ramanathan Swamy temple in Rameshwaram, between the west second corridor of the temple.

Jay Shri LakshmiNarayana 🙏

Is Goddess Mahalakshmi (AmbaBai) of Kolhapur a form of Parvati or Lakshmi?

 There is a controversy about the exact position of Kolhapur Mahalaxmi in the Hindu pantheon. According Vaishnava belief, she is Laxmi while according to Shakta beliefs, she is Parvati.

Idol of Kolhapur Mahalaxmi

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To find out if the deity in a temple being worshipped is the fickle goddess of fortune or the awe-inspiring goddess of power, all one has to do is to check what is the sacred animal associated with the goddess, usually placed in front of the sanctum.

Kolhapur Mahalaxmi

If it is elephant, then the deity is Lakshmi; if it is the lion, the deity is Durga.

At the Kolhapur Mahalakshmi temple, it is the lion (as it is in Mumbai’s Mahalakshmi temple incidentally), firmly establishing her as the goddess of power and war and royalty.

• In two Kannada inscriptions from Shirur (Bijapur District) dated 1049 A.D and 1064 A.D. respectively, Rajavarma and Marasingha are said to have been the devotees of Mahalaxmi & in those inscriptions it is mentioned that Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur is the wife Shiva, whose vehicle is Simha.
• An inscription from the Mahalaksmi temple, which is dated 1218 A.D. informs us that the image of Mahalaksmi had a linga over its head and a porch resembling the mountain Himalaya was erected in front of her temple.

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Caitanya, the greatest Vaisnava saint of Bengal visited this place in 1510. Vadirajatirtha of the Uttaradi Madhva Matha also visited Kolhapur in the latter half of the 16th century.

But these two saints addressed the goddess as Laksmi and Rama respectively, meaning the wife of lord Vishnu.

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Vadirajatirtha and other followers of the Vaisnava sect believe that Mahalaksmi is identical with Laksmi, the wife of lord Visnu.

While three inscriptions mentioned above tend to show that she is the wife of lord Shiva.

The linga on her head and the lion vehicle substantiate their belief.

There are still others who find in her the characteristics of both Laksmi and Parvati.

The Saktas would give her an independant position and would include Kolhapur in the list of saktipithas.

Lakshmi or Durga? Consort of Vishnu or Shiva, or independent? Practical ‘living’ Hinduism defies all theoretical boundaries.

I am inclined to include her in the Saiva fold, but not without difficulties. In the same way a controversy has arisen about the age of the image. Inscriptional descriptions differ from the textual ones which themselves differ from the sculptural description of the image and it has become very difficult to come to any correct conclusion.