As a small digression for those unfamiliar with Hindu mythology, I have to mention that Hindu mythology recognises the existence of 330 million gods, but the entire creation, sustenance and the final destruction of the Cosmos is credited to the Trinity that comprise of Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), and Shiva (the Destroyer). In the beginning there was only Avyactha, or 'The inexpressible' . In this emptiness, Lord Vishnu (The Preserver) appeared in the form of a child, lying on the leaf of a banyan tree. As soon as he appeared in this form, his mind was filled with doubts about his identity. His questions were then answered by an unmanned voice- the voice of the supreme soul (Brahma), which is his true form. It asked him to meditate upon his soul, which he did, and a thousand petaled lotus emerged from his navel, in which, Brahma appeared. And it was Brahma who created the entire universe and all that is in it. It is to be noted that the three, considered as the Supreme Trinity in Hinduism, are not three separate gods, but three manifestations of the same Supreme soul, The Brahman.
Lord Vishnu is said to recline and sleep while floating on the cosmic waters of consciousness on the huge serpent called Sesha. In the Hindu texts called Puranas, Sesha holds all the planets of the universe on his hoods and constantly sings the glories of Vishnu from all his mouths.
While we were at Kuruvanthpura, we used to bathe in the mornings, in the Krishna River that flowed beside the temple. One day as the group was bathing, Shanthamma started hollering that a big hooded snake was coming at her. None of us could see a thing, but the huge serpent is supposed to have pushed her from behind, even as a few women who were around her held her as she fell. In a panic she flayed her arms wildly and clutched at the air, and as the women around held her, they noticed that she was clasping a silvery idol of Vishnu lying on the serpent Sesha.
This is what strikes me as curious. If it were pure hallucination, how do you explain the physical and very much material presence of the silvery idol? Where did it spring up from? If the materially real idol came into her wildly flaying and clasping hands, could she have really seen a large serpent? If she could see it why not us? Further the story of Vishnu and Sesha is essentially an Indian myth. Why do these Indian religious motifs happen only in India? Why aren't they universal? Or are they? Why do the motifs of the mythologies vary from country to country and civilisation to civilisation? If these still happen in the 21st Century when the world is a global village, is there any significance that myths peculiar to a region are affirmed even by occult events?
3 comments:
Wow Deepak, quite a series you have initiated here. I chose to comment on this 6th article because the questions you ask at the end seem so important (yet too important to answer, not that I could). I like the idea of unanswered questions, the need to ask and ponder what you wonder, and the peace involved in allowing them to answer themselves in their time, in their way, in their fashion.
I understand now why you asked me about my knowledge of the occult. The word's defintion having to do with being hidden, it seems wise to leave it that way and allow it to show itself as it wishes.
You relate many interesting experiences as well as stories that will raise eyebrows and probably a bit of incredulity, which is to be expected. Whenever we approach topics that are beyond common knowledge we risk adverse opinions and doubt. It is always easier to doubt, and less risky. But I go back to your title, The Glue that holds Societies, and that brings me to a question. What is that glue? Do you see it as the occult manifestations? Or that which does the manifesting? My past flows from the Judeo-Christian form of religious experience, but it was not until I seperated myself from orthodox practice that I began to approach spirituality and thus God. It is said in the Bible that Abraham was called the friend of God because he believed and thus knew him. That is really all I would like to be. Wrapped in the trappings of religion I found those trappings kept me from what was really important, a mystical love affair based in intimate conversation. Nothing else seems to matter to me from that point and the fewer trappings the better; I confuse easily. It seems so simple and life changing. So I confess, I don't understand all that you have experienced, but don't deny your experience. I would rather go back to my interpretation of mysticism: follow your intuitions and then reflect upon your experience. I think that a very safe road towards deeper spiritual understanding that is organic, holistic, and beyond reproach. You do bring up a very interesting point: Does the universe approach different cultures in different ways? Does the universe approach each individual likewise? I don't know, I can only speak of my own experience.
In response I would like to affirm that I greatly risk being called a 'sensationalist' or even a fraud. But it is a story that can be vouchsafed by about 25 people who are privy to the incident. The significance of the incident must not be lost to humanity, so I put it in my blog.
The Glue are the stories! After having seen these strange things, now I don't discount that the stories of the Bible are true or that the stories of the Quoran are true.
If you go to see, the stories of the Bible welded a whole Western Civilisation together for years. It does so to a very great extent even now, though due to the impact of science it seems to be weakening.
What holds the modern society together are the stories spawned by Science.
Could we be needing more stories drawn from a wider range of experience than just those of science to the exclusion of everything else?
I hope this answers your question.
And yes! Some of these stories that I have related are manifestations of the occult. And inasmuch as it is within my experience, I feel I should narrate my stories as honestly as possible, or else I may be doing a disservice both to myself as well as what caused me to have those experiences.
Well Deepak, as I said in my first comment, "I confuse easily." After reading your reply and going back to the titles, of course, you spell it out plainly "Stories--the Glue that Holds Societies," but I originally read your title as meaning Stories 1-7 on "The Glue that Holds Societies." I am not a very good reader after all. And, of course, as I reread your stories from the beginning I realized my mistake. It is so hard to understand what actually was happening to other people at other times. It seems best to acknowledge their stories, in whatever form, and accept them at face value. At any rate, now that I look at the stories through the lens of the title, I understand your purpose as sharing experience to encourage thinking. I think you are right too, that we are losing our stories, they need to be honored, and perhaps, stories are all that lasts.
Thanks for clearing up my confusion.
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