The hilly state of Tripura, located in the North-eastern corner of India is home to a centuries-old Shaivite pilgrimage site, Unakoti. About 178 kilometres from the capital city of Agartala, this ‘Lost Hill of Faces’ or ‘Hall of Faces’ has India’s largest bas-relief sculptures tucked away in a dense forest.
The word ‘Unakoti’ means one less than a ‘koti’ or crore (ten million). Unakoti denotes the supposed number of these statutes that are scattered in this area, known as Raghunandan hills.
As yet it has not been established who sculpted these massive statues or even exactly when the work began. However, there are many legends that exist about Unakoti and its creation. Here are some interesting ones:
Shiva’s entourage
Once one koti (or one crore) gods and goddesses including Lord Shiva were travelling from Kailash to Kashi. They stopped in this very place to rest for the night. It was decided that the next day, at the break of dawn they would all leave for Kashi. Shiva awoke much before sunrise and was ready at the appointed hour. However, much to his chagrin the other gods and goddesses had not moved at all and were fast asleep. Angered with this, Shiva cursed them to stay as still as stones and rocks and he left. And so they, the Unakoti, (one less than a koti or 99,99,999) remain there to this age.
Illustration: Sahasra S
The dawn of the dark age
As the darkest age of creation, Kaliyuga ascended, the gods and goddesses decided to leave earth as the conditions here would be too painful for them to endure. Shiva led them to the Raghunandan hills in Tripura, from where they departed to their heavenly abodes. While leaving, they left behind their imprints in the form of rock carvings and figures for those who live in this dark age to draw solace from. Shiva himself moved to Kailash after all the 99,99,999 immortals left for svargaloka.
An artist’s dream
Yet another legend links Unakoti to a talented sculptor named Kalu Kamar. Kalu wanted to make the place where he lived as holy as Kashi, the holiest of Shaiva pilgrimage cities. It was revealed to him in a dream that this could come true if he shaped one crore statues of gods and goddesses in one night. So Kalu set to work and tirelessly sculpted all of 99,99,999 statues. He then decided that he would make his own image as the last sculpture. That was his undoing. Since he had depicted one less than a koti or crore divine beings (not having himself reached a divine stature yet), his dream was shattered as dawn broke. Somewhere, there was a fine line between conceit and self-assurance which he crossed by depicting himself beside the gods as an equal. So Unakoti remained hidden in the dense forests and is only now coming to light for its artistic excellence.
Some others say that Unakoti is a site of Buddhist tantric practitioners. The almond-shaped eyes of the statues and the long ear lobes are reminiscent of Buddhist sculptures.
Whatever be the time and circumstances of the carving of these sculptures, the fact remains that these are unique both in execution and design. According to the Archaeological Survey of India, there may be more such sculptures awaiting discovery. Maybe one of those carvings will provide the historical inputs we lack about this mysterious place. Till then, we continue to look at this blend of folklore, religion and nature in wonder.
Many gods are worshipped through their symbols as well as through their image or murtis. Symbols are always connected to a particular idea about the god. A shalagram (fossilized shell) is a symbol of Vishnu, as he is supposed to restart the universe from the cosmic ocean. Krishna is often worshipped as a kadamba tree, as in the story of Krishna’s boyhood, he would always play his flute under the kadamba tree. Similarly, the Bodhi tree is also a sign of the Buddha, as that is where he gained enlightenment.
Read more such exciting stories on the ACK Comics App today :- Click now
Illustration: Durgesh Velhal
The symbol of Shiva and Parvati are the lingam and the yoni, which are the male and female regenerative organs. They symbolise the life force of the universe. When they are together, there is cosmic balance and harmony in nature.
The idea that the universe, or rather existence itself, is a result of the union of male and female energies is as much a scientific fad as it is a philosophical truth. It has found expression in many religions across the world, like the Chinese and the Egyptian civilizations.
Illustration: Sanjay Valecha, Arijit Dutta Chowdhury and Durgesh Velhal
It is interesting to decode mythology. Shiva by himself is seen as pure consciousness or mental energy. He is the dormant, detached male power. He cannot sustain life and creation on his own and needs the dynamism of the Goddess to create life. In a very simple sense, it is the meeting of the fertile earth and its waters, with the light and energy of the sky. The core of the Shiva Purana is the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, which is essential to save the world from turning into a wasteland, or from being destroyed by demons.
Read more stories of Shiva in our Mahadeva series. Now available on the ACK Comics App and Kindle.
Ancient Indian scholars extensively studied the stars and other celestial bodies in the never-ending spatial sky. This thorough study of astronomy and astrology eventually created the Jyotish Shastra which explained how the Navagraha, literally meaning the nine planets, influence the lives of the earth dwellers. Though not all members of the Navagraha are planets; Surya, the sun is a star; Chandra, the moon is the natural satellite of Earth; Rahu and Ketu are lunar nodes that are responsible for eclipses of the sun and moon.
Surya
Illustration: Shivam Pathania
Surya, the God of the Sun is considered to be the leader amongst the Navagraha. Rightly so, as the other members of the celestial group revolve around Surya. The son of sage Kashyapa and Aditi is a prominent figure in Hinduism and is often considered on the same level as Indra in the hierarchy of the Devas. The God is often represented with four arms, out of which two hold lotuses, one holds a staff and another one has a chakra. The sun god is depicted seated on a chariot pulled by 7 horses, which is a symbolic way of representing the splitting of white sunlight into seven colours of the VIBGYOR spectrum. The day designated to Surya is Sunday, called Ravivaar in Hindiwhich literally translates to ‘Sun’s day’. The colour associated with the sun god is orange and gold, and to evoke the blessings of Surya one is asked to pray to the god by offering water to the deity by pouring it from a vessel. Surya as a Navagraha embodies qualities such as leadership, ego, strength, authority and vitality of a person.
Chandra
Illustration: Shivam Pathania
Chandra is the moon god, and since Hinduism follows a Lunar Calendar, Chandra has always remained an important deity in the religion. The son of sage Atri and Anusuya was married to twenty-seven daughters of Prajapati Daksha who are all named after constellations. Chandra was biased towards Rohini and did not spend equal time with his other consorts and so the displeased women complained about their husband’s unfair treatment to their father, Daksha. The furious father, cursed his son-in-law, that he would lose his powers and his body would slowly wither away. The dying deity prayed to Lord Shiva who blessed the moon god with a boon which in a way balanced the effects of the curse. This established the waxing and waning of the moon, according to which, the moon waxes for 15 days, where it decreases in size and completely vanishes on the new moon day, and it wanes for the next 15 days, where it increases in size and regains its full powers on the full moon day. The lunar deity is never depicted with a full body, symbolising his waxing and waning and his chariot is said to be pulled by antelopes. Monday is the day associated with Chandra, and one must offer white or silver coloured articles and wear white to please the celestial god. The moon is said to embody thinking, stability and fertility.
Mangal
Illustration: Shivam Pathania
Mangal, is the astrological ruler of the red planet, Mars. The theme of colour red is reflected in Mangal’s iconography, as he is often depicted to have red skin. Just like Kartikeya, the Hindu god of war, Mangal is also affiliated with war, battlefield and weaponry which is reflected in his visual depictions as he is shown armed with multiple weapons like a sword, a mace and a spear. The red-hued deity was said to be born when Lord Vishnu, in his Varaha avatar rescued Goddess Bhoomi, the personification of Earth, after asura Hiranyaksha had submerged the planet in the cosmic ocean. But in some stories the deity’s father is Shiva. One of the stories in Shiva Purana describes Mangal to be born from the sacred surface of the Earth, which had absorbed divine drops of sweat of Shiva. Mangal’s vahana is a ram and the deity is said to have an astrological influence on skills of hands, handling of equipment, anger and strength. Articles like wheat, red cloth, red flowers, copper and sandalwood are offered to the deity during prayers. Tuesday or Mangalvaar is the day associated with the celestial deity.
Budh
Illustration: Shivam Pathania
Budh, is the Navagraha deity that rules the planet which is closest to the sun in the solar system, Mercury. The Navgraha member’s mother, Tara was married to Brihaspati, but the biological father of Budh is Chandra. Learning about the parentage of Budh, a humiliated and angry Brihaspati cursed the unborn child to be neither a male nor female. And hence Budh was born as a gender-neutral person. Budh’s iconography often depicts the deity with green skin and holding a mace, a shield and a sword in three of his four arms. The ambiguous gender identity of the green-skinned deity, is also in a way reflected in their choice of vahana. Budh rides a Yaali, which is a chimera like beast composed out of the parts of an elephant, lion, horse and sometimes a bird. The theme of fluidity and ambiguity is also maintained with Budh’s consort, Ila, a gender-fluid goddess, who transitioned into a man from a woman and vice-a-versa after every month. Together, they had a son called Pururavas, who came to be known as the first king of Chandravanshis, the lunar dynasty of kings. Budh, as a Navagraha, influences intellect, communication, humour and reasoning, and Wednesday, or Budhwar is the day allocated to the deity. One is advised to offer articles like, green cloth and moong lentils to please the astrological deity.
Brihaspati
Illustration: Shivam Pathania
The sage Brihaspati is the Navagraha deity representing the giant planet Jupiter. He is a wise god who is considered to be the lord of sacred speech. Due to his immense wisdom, he was appointed as the mentor of all the devas and thus he is also known as Guru Brihaspati. Hence Thursday is called both Brihaspativaar and Guruvaar which is the day associated with the deity. Indra, the king of devas, had once disrespected Guru Brihaspati, and the teacher abandoned his title as the mentor of the devas, which was then temporarily taken by the sage Vishwaroopa, but eventually, Indra ended up beheading his new guru in a fit of rage. The son of sage Angiras is often depicted with a glorious golden complexion with four arms, carrying a lotus, kamandalu, and rosary. The celestial god is said to embody qualities like spirituality, wisdom, dignity, morality, and luck. The golden complexioned god is offered articles that are yellow in colour, like gram pulse or flour, yellow flowers and turmeric.
Shukra
Illustration: Shivam Pathania
Shukra or Shukracharya, is the deity of the planet Venus. The learned Navagraha member, plays the similar role of a mentor, like his fellow Navagraha, Brihaspati, the teacher of Devas, but unlike him, Shukracharya serves as a mentor to the asuras, the arch-nemesis of the devas. The celestial deity was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, and performed harsh penance to please the god of destruction. Shiva appeared before Shukracharya and rewarded him with the Mrita Sanjeevani Vidya mantra which allowed Shukracharya to revive anyone from the dead. This boon gave an upper hand to the asuras, as Brihaspati, the teacher of devas lacked the knowledge of Mrita Sanjeevani Vidya, and thus the asuras were able to defeat devas. Mahabali, an asura, and the grandchild of Prahalad was able to take over the three worlds under the guidance of his teacher, Shukra. The scholarly sage is depicted with four arms, carrying a staff, rosary, and a golden pot. Friday or Shukravaar is the planetary day of the deity, and the colour white is associated with him. Articles like rice, ghee, camphor, curd, sugar are offered to the deity. Shukra embodies qualities like, material desires, relationships, creativity, aesthetics and healing.
Shani
Illustration: Shivam Pathania
Shani, is the Hindu god of justice and the ruler of the planet Saturn. The powerful god keeps a record of karmic deeds of humans and passes his judgements upon them during their lifetime, unlike his brother, Yama, who makes his judgement only after the human has passed away. Due to his mother Chhaya’s intense penance and his father, Surya’s harsh sunlight, Shani was born with a charcoal black complexion. Upon seeing the newborn, Surya, who was bright and radiant, was bewildered as the pitch black child had no resemblance to him. The newborn Shani sensed his father’s doubt and cast an evil eye on his father, which caused Surya to go under eclipse. This evil eye is known as Shani Drishti, which brings bad luck to anyone who falls under his direct vision. Due to this, the devotees must not offer their prayers by standing directly in front of Shani’s idol. His idols are often depicted with four arms in which he carries, a mace, a trident, a bow and an arrow. The deity is said to have a crow or a vulture as his mode of aerial transportation. Saturday or Shanivaar is the day associated with the celestial god of judgement. One is advised to offer black iron nails, black lentils and black clothes to Shani. Devotees of Lord Hanuman are also protected from Shani’s evil eye as Shani had given this boon to Hanuman when he released Shani from the captivity of Ravana.
Rahu
Illustration: Shivam Pathania
Rahu and Ketu unlike other Navagraha members do not rule upon a physical planet. They are chhaya graha, which means shadow planets, and hence are responsible for eclipses of the sun and moon. The two shadow planets were once a single entity. Svarbhanu, an asura, who aspired to become invincible, disguised himself as a deva to consume the nectar of immortality. Surya and Chandra due to their celestial light were able to identify the imposter among them and informed Mohini, the female form of Lord Vishnu. By the time Mohini used her Sudarshan Chakra to behead the asura, Svarbhanu had already consumed the nectar, thus making him immortal. Due to this the decapitated head and the body came to be known as two different entities called Rahu and Ketu, respectively.
Rahu is the decapitated head of the asura, Svarbhanu, and it represents the northern lunar node. Rahu is responsible for the eclipse of the sun, which was once interrupted by a young Hanuman, who wanted to consume the sun, thinking the bright flaming ball was a giant fruit. The Navagraha is depicted without a body, mounted on his vahana, a black lion. Since the deity lacks a body people believe that the influence of this deity causes undue harm. People donate mustard, saffron, sesame, lead and coal to appease Rahu.
Ketu
Illustration: Shivam Pathania
Ketu is the headless body of the asura, Svarbhanu, and it represents the southern lunar node. Ketu is responsible for the eclipse of the moon, where the deity is said to completely swallow the lunar celestial body. The Navagraha is depicted without a head, with fours arms and a serpent’s tail instead of legs, mounted on his vahana, a vulture. His name ‘Ketu’, means a comet, and his serpent tail is a symbolic representation of a comet’s tail. People believe Ketu represents amorality, violence, detachment, confusion, mindlessness, and impulsivity. To avoid the ill effects of the celestial god people donate saffron, sesame, lead and sugar and offer food to a black and white coloured dog.
Nagas are one of the most prominent mythological beings mentioned in the Hindu scriptures. They are supernatural serpents in Hindu mythology and are depicted as either complete serpents, complete humans with multiple snake hoods emerging from their back, beings with half-snake and half-human body, and some having the ability to shapeshift between these forms. They are said to live in Patal Lok, an aquatic realm under the surface of the earth that is filled with treasures, unimaginable to humankind, and anthills are often considered as holy portals to this semi-divine underworld. Apart from that underworld, Nagas also dwell in other water bodies like lakes, rivers and oceans. These divine creatures with mystical powers are synonymous with nature spirits and are a symbol of rebirth, death, fertility, immortality, medicine, health and wealth. Due to this, snake worship has been a practice in India since ancient times. An iconic festival dedicated to snakes is Nag Panchmi. People all over the country offer their prayers to these nature spirits as a part of the celebrations.
According to Mahabharata, rishi Kashyap and Kadru, daughter of Daksh, are the parents of all nagas. Out of them, Shesha was the eldest, and then came Vasuki, Manasa, and many others. Kashyapa had another wife, who was also Kadru’s sister, Vinata. She gave birth to Vishnu’s vahana, Garuda, an eagle-human hybrid and he became the arch-nemesis of the nagas since eagles consume snakes. In the Ramayana, Indrajit used the Nagapasha astra on Rama and Lakshmana, which hurled venomous snakes over them. The two fell unconscious and Garuda came to their rescue. He got rid of the venomous snakes. There are various stories of enmity between Garuda and nagas in the scriptures, which depict the aggressive nature of the nagas. But on the contrary, there are also some nagas that are mentioned in the scriptures for their good deeds, in both Vaishnavism and Shaivism.
The Sudarshan Chakra is the divine weapon of Lord Vishnu, the god of preservation. The holy discus consists of two discs rotating in opposite directions with each disc having more than a million sharp spikes on its edges.
Illustration: Sanjay Valecha and Durgesh Velhal
According to the Linga Purana, Lord Shiva gave Vishnu his weapon. The devas had been defeated by the armies of asuras, who had the power to heal their battle wounds, and so Vishnu decided to face the asuras himself. The god fought the countless asuras for an eternity, but then realised his efforts were futile. Vishnu visited mount Kailasha, for Shiva’s help. But Shiva was deep in meditation, and Vishnu knew disturbing Shiva during his tapasya would result in chaos. So he decided to wake him up through devotional means. Vishnu collected a thousand petals of lotus as an offering to the God of destruction. After collecting the perfect petals to please the god, Vishnu realised that he had one less petal. Vishnu, the god who is also called Kamalnayani, meaning ‘the one with lotus-shaped eyes’, sacrificed his eye to complete a thousand petals. Shiva immediately woke up from his tapasya and praised Vishnu for his sheer devotion. To help the god win the fight against the asuras, Shiva gifted him the Sudarshan Chakra with the power to slice one’s opponent into two.
Since then, Vishnu has used the divine discus in various stories. After Shiva’s wife Sati, immolated herself, the grieving Shiva, roamed the universe with the incinerated body of his departed wife. Vishnu, unable to see the suffering of the other God, used his chakra to destroy the body of the goddess. The various parts fell on the different locations on the Earth. These places came to be known as Shakti Peeth.
Illustration: Sanjay Valecha and Durgesh Velhal
During the Samudra Manthan, Vishnu in his Mohini avatar used her discus to behead Rahu. The asura had disguised himself amongst the devas to consume the nectar of invincibility. Mohini saw through the disguise and attacked him but the asura had gulped the nectar. Due to the divine properties of the nectar, the beheaded body became a separate living entity called Ketu, and the head came to be known as Rahu.
Read more stories of Vishnu from our title Tales of Vishnu, now available on the ACK Comics App, Kindle, Flipkart, Amazon, and other major e-tailers.
Long ago, there lived a kind and just king named Sharyaati, who had many daughters. Though he showered all of them with a lot of love and affection, he was particularly fond of Princess Sukanya. Apart from being as beautiful as her sisters, Sukanya was also wise and well-mannered.
One day, all the princesses went to the forest to see the lake. There was a huge anthill near the lake with two lights glowing through two holes on it. A strange sight indeed! Princess Sukanya was so intrigued. She thought the lights were two flies or glow worms and decided to catch them. She poked her fingers through the holes. At once there was a loud cry and then blood started oozing from there. The princess was horrified and ran away in fear.
Illustration: ACK Design Team | Script: Shanta Iyer
She hurriedly made her way back to her father’s court but when she reached there, Sukanya was startled to see that most of the courtiers were suddenly suffering from severe pain in the eyes. She guessed that there must be a connection between the strange event she had witnessed in the forest and what was happening in the court. She quickly narrated the entire incident to her father.
King Sharyaati immediately rushed to the forest. The anthill was, as the princess had described it, only there he also saw a sage within it. The lights had been his glowing eyes, and now they were oozing blood. The King realised that his beloved child had unintentionally blinded a meditating hermit. He immediately fell at the feet of the sage, beseeching him to take back the curse on his courtiers and to forgive his daughter.
The sage was none other than the famed Chyavana Rishi and he replied that he had not cursed anyone. The courtiers were just reaping the fruits of his daughter’s actions. The king proposed to look after him. The sage declined and said that he would need only the service of his daughter.
Illustration: ACK Design Team | Script: Shanta Iyer
Sharyaati was in a dilemma. He could not let his citizens suffer for a mistake the princess had committed. At the same time, how could he let his young daughter come and live in the forest with the sage!
Sukanya intervened and solved his problem. She wanted to take the responsibility for her actions. She proclaimed that she would marry Chyavana Rishi and remain by his side. Immediately the courtiers were relieved from the pain in their eyes. The young princess married the blind sage as per her vow.
Sukanya lived with the sage with utmost kindness and sincerity. One day, the young and handsome celestial twins, the Ashwini Kumaras spotted young Sukanya. They were charmed by her youth and beauty and asked her to live with them instead of that blind and old ascetic. Sukanya was furious with the twins and angrily replied that she was a loyal wife and would never dream of leaving her husband.
The Ashwini Kumaras were chastised and offered to restore the vision and youth of her husband. Sukanya was ecstatic hearing those words. But the twins added one tricky condition to their offer of rejuvenation. They said they would take a dip in the river along with Chyavana Rishi and all three of them would emerge from the waters looking identical. If Sukanya identified her husband, his youth and vitality would stay with him forever. Sukanya agreed to their condition and informed her husband about this proposal.
Illustration: ACK Design Team | Script: Shanta Iyer
So Chyavana Rishi and Sukanya went with the Ashwini Kumaras to the river. Then two young celestial twins and one aged man entered the water. When they emerged they were all young, handsome and identical. All the three claimed to be the real Chyavana. Sukanya looked from one to the other and could see no difference whatsoever.
She closed her eyes and prayed to Goddess Durga to help her identify her husband. The Goddess told her that celestial beings never blink. With a smile, Sukanya opened her eyes and observed the three young men in front of her. Only one young man blinked. Sukanya easily recognised her husband now.
The Ashwini Kumaras blessed the happy couple and returned to their abode.
Read the complete story in our title Sukanya. Now available on the ACK Comics App, Kindle, Amazon, Flipkart, and other major e-tailers.
Vaikuntha is the abode of the mighty Vishnu. Vaikuntha is said to be a paradise like no other, regarded as the highest spiritual realm that one could attain, according to Hindu mythology. The name itself means ‘the abode of eternal bliss’. The entrance to this magnificent realm is guarded by the twin deities, Jaya and Vijaya.
The epic stories of Indian Gods and Goddesses beautifully illustrated in Epics and Mythology Collection: Buy Now
Illustration: Shivam Pathania
One day, four Kumaras, named Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, and Sanatkumara, arrived at the entrance of Vaikuntha. By virtue of their tapas or austerities, they appeared to be children but, in reality, they were very old and spiritually advanced. Tempted by the world inside, they walked towards the gates. As they were about to enter the spiritual realm, they were stopped by Jaya and Vijaya, the dwarapalakas or gatekeepers of Vaikuntha. Considering them children, Jaya and Vijaya arrogantly declared that they could not be allowed inside the abode of Vishnu. They inform the Kumaras that Vishnu could not be disturbed as he was resting. The duo was unaware that these four Kumaras happened to be the mind-born sons or manasaputras of Brahma.
The Kumaras challenged Jaya and Vijaya’s words by saying that they were devotees, and Vishnu is always available for his devotees. Enraged by the slight, they cursed the twin gatekeepers to lose their divinity and take birth in the material world. On being cursed, Jaya and Vijaya let go of their arrogance and pleaded with the Kumaras to revoke the curse. Hearing the commotion, Vishnu enquired. Learning about this incident, Vishnu left his abode to sort out the issue. All present at the gate bowed as Vishnu appeared at the entrance.
Read more such exciting stories on the ACK Comics App today :- Click now
Vishnu turned to his gatekeepers and told them that the curse of a Kumara could not be revoked. Instead, he could modify the curse. He gave them two options; either they could be born seven times as devotees of Vishnu, or three times as enemies of Vishnu. Either way, Vishnu would be a part of their mortal lives. Jaya and Vijaya could not stand the thought of being away from their master for seven lives, so they agreed to be born thrice as his enemies. After fulfilling the curse, they could return to their immortal forms as his gatekeepers.
Illustration: ACK Design Team
In the Satya Yuga, Jaya and Vijaya were born as the asuras Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu. Hiranyaksha was slain by the Varaha avatar of Vishnu, and Hiranyakashipu was slain Vishnu’s Narasimha avatar. In the Treta Yuga, they were born as the brothers Ravana and Kumbarkarna. They were both destroyed by Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu. In the Dwapara Yuga, they took birth as Shishupala and Dantavakra. They were both defeated by Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
The depiction of Jaya and Vijaya guarding the gates of Vaikuntha loka is a common feature of most Vishnu temples, showing how inseparable they are from their lord.
The epic stories of Indian Gods and Goddesses beautifully illustrated in Epics and Mythology Collection: Buy Now
A japamala, referred to as a rosary in English, is a string of beads used to keep the mind focused and clear while reciting the divine name. The word comes from two separate words; japa meaning recitation (of the divine name) and mala meaning garland. A japamala is used in Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism and many other traditions for the spiritual practice referred to as japa. The use of a japamala while praying is a widespread practice since ancient times and it is not known exactly when this started.
Materials used
Japamalas are made using a variety of materials depending on the tenets of the faith of the practitioner, the kind of prayers and also the geographical availability of materials.
Shaivas, the devotees of Shiva use the seeds of the Rudraksha tree and Vaishanavas, the devotees of Vishnu use the beads from the wood of the Tulsi plant in their japamalas. These plants are especially dear to the deities they revere. Buddhists prefer seeds or wood from various species of the Bodhi Tree as it represents the place of Siddhartha Gautham’s enlightenment.
Illustration: Anvita Tekriwal
Japamala in Hinduism
In Hindu mythology, 108 is an auspicious number, so you are most likely to find that many beads in the mala used by the devotees. Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, Brahma, the god of creation and Dattatreya, the god of yoga are all seen with a japamala in their hands representing the power of meditation and spirituality.
Japamala in Buddhism
Japamala is a conventional meditation and prayer tool in Buddhism, and it is especially common among Tibetan Buddhists. Similar to the practice in Hinduism, the japamala contains 108 beads and that represents the mortal desires of humans. The beads are commonly used to count the recitation of mantras and for meditative breathing. The prayer beads maybe painted in specific colours and can be made of bodhi wood, sandalwood, metal, shells, seeds, or other materials to support the main focus of the meditation.
Japamala in Christianity
In Christianity, the practice of using the rosary or chaplet for prayer was adopted somewhere around the third century by the Eastern Christian monks. ‘Rosary’ is derived from the Latin word rosarium, which means ‘a crown of flowers’.The beads of the chaplet may be arranged in five decades (sets of 10), each decade separated from the subsequent by a bigger bead. The 2 ends of the chaplet are joined by a little string holding a crucifix, two large beads and three small beads. In Roman Catholicism, the rosary is a well-liked method of public and personal prayer. The prayers may be dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ or a specific saint like Saint Michael.
Japamala in Islam
In Islam, the rosary consists of three groups of beads whose total is a hundred. Each bead represents one of the names of God and helps to count these names. It is also carried by pilgrims.
Japamala in Sikhism
Sikhs also use the japamala for prayers. The devout use it to repeat the Gur Mantar or Mool Mantar, which are specific chants. They have a selected number of small beads and one large bead to mark the completion of one count of the rosary. Again, the number hundred and eight is popular as it is considered to represent infinity. There is no ritual attached to the number of beads on any mala in Sikhism. It is only meant to encourage remembrance of the divine through the practice of prayer and meditation.
The japamala cuts across various faiths and brings together all spiritual practitioners in their journey to that one ultimate truth that they all are seeking.
The pure white, seven-headed horse, Uchhaisravas, was among the gifts that emerged when the devas and asuras churned the Ocean of Milk. This beautiful horse was immediately taken by Indra and became one of his vahanas or carriers.
Once King Revanta, Surya’s son, wanted to visit Vishnu and Lakshmi. Being a friend of Indra’s, he borrowed Uchhaisravas to travel to Vaikuntha. Lakshmi was so excited to see her brother Uchhaisravas (both were born from the Ocean of Milk) that she was distracted and did not hear something Vishnu said. Annoyed, Vishnu cursed Lakshmi to be born as a mare. Lakshmi tearfully apologised and Vishnu softened. He said that she would return to Vaikuntha after giving birth to a son as glorious as Vishnu himself.
As a mare on earth, Lakshmi prayed to Shiva for a thousand years to find out who the father of this glorious son would be. Finally, Shiva and Parvati appeared and assured her that they would find a solution. Shiva then sent Vishnu down to earth as a horse to be with Lakshmi. A baby boy was born after which Lakshmi and Vishnu returned to Vaikuntha. The boy was adopted by King Satajit and named Ekavira. He was also called Hehaya, meaning ‘born from a horse’, and became one of the founders of the Ilehaya dynasty.
Read more about other celestial beings of mythology in our title ‘Divine Beings‘. Now available on the ACK Comics app, Kindle, Flipkart, Amazon, and other major e-tailers.
According to the Shanti Parva and Vishnu Parva, one day when Shiva’s father-in-law, Daksha was performing a yagya, he invited all the gods except Shiva. It is believed that Daksha disliked Shiva and thought he was not worthy of his daughter. Sati noticed all the gods heading out and questioned Shiva. He informed her about the event and explained the situation. Sati felt very sorry and was deeply hurt by her father’s act. Unable to bear his wife’s grief, Shiva grew uneasy. A drop of sweat emerged from his third eye.
This drop of sweat took the form of a fearful monster. The Vishnu Parva describes the asura as ‘…as fierce as Yama the god of death and fearful like a thousand clouds with a thunderbolt, gaping and sighing, with a tight body and horrible face, rendered so by many eyes.’ As soon as he was created, he dashed into all gods giving them a terrible fever. The gods became uneasy and turned to Shiva for help. Hearing their plea, Shiva took the fever off their bodies. However, the energy radiating from the asura was so intense that no one being or place could handle it in the intact form. Thus, Shiva divided the asura into several pieces.
He named the demon Jvarasura because, in many Indian languages, Jvara means fever and Asura, means demon. Thus, Jvarasura became a fever-inducing demon. Shiva took the parts of Jvarasura and gave it to other living beings. Doing so everybody understood that Shiva is the highest power and should be respected by all beings. Since then, it is believed that Jvarasura causes:
Headache for elephants
Sore throat for horses
Hoof-rot for cows
Sore-eyes for cuckoo
Weariness for tigers
Hiccups for parrots
Fever for humans
Algae on water
According to Skanda Purana, when Jvarasura spread diseases on the earth, Shitala, an incarnation of Katyayani, got rid of all the diseases. Shitala means the ‘one who cools’. Thus, she is the goddess who cures diseases and cools the body of the fever heat. Some texts say that since then, Jvarasura became Shitala’s servant while many other texts depict Jvarasura and Shitala as companions.
