Sanatana Dharma for Kids: Hindu Trinity: Vishnu - Lakshmi

[Guest guest]

The family was at the dining table. Mummy, and the twins Arvind and

Padma, were happy that daddy was home early for dinner. When

everybody was seated, mummy served the first course of dinner --

steaming iddlies with three chutneys as side dishes. Three little

bowls with tomato, coconut and pudina chutney in them formed the

Indian tricolor before each plate. Mummy took a seat near Arvind.

Padma sat near her daddy, who seemed very relaxed that evening.

"I like iddlies," said daddy. "Pure white in color, and spiritually

wholesome like our MahaVishnu."

 

"But Vishnu does not appear white in his pictures," said Arvind.

"His complexion is bluish grey."

 

"Neela megha syamala varna, like the rain-bearing clouds", said

mummy.

 

"Mummy would have told you that Vishnu has his yoga nidra on the bed

of the multi-headed snake AdiSeshan, on the ocean of milk: sesha

sayana, kshiira sayana. Since water is Vishnu's abode, he has the

name Narayana, the term naara signifying water. The name Vishnu is

from the Sanskrit root vish, meaning to spread, enter, pervade."

 

"But daddy, you said Vishnu was white as these iddlies," said Padma.

 

"Yes, he is white, internally, because he stands for the satva guna.

the property of purity and wisdom. What are other two gunas?"

 

The children weren't sure. So mummy answered, "Rajas, passion and

action, and tamas, inertia and inaction."

 

Daddy loaded the Vishnu picture on his laptap. "Look at this picture

of MahaVishnu. What symbols does he wear?"

 

The children were hooked to the picture on the computer screen,

their hands feeding pieces of iddlies to their mouth, their eyes

intent on the screen.

 

"He has four hands," said Padma. "They hold a conch, a chakra, a

gada or mace and me, a lotus!"

 

"Hey, my name also means lotus," said Arvind. "So I am Vishnu's

favourite, too."

 

Daddy smiled at Arvind. "His bluish grey body signifies infinity.

That which is immesurable appears blue to the human eye, like the

ocean and the space. His clothes are yellow signifying the earth.

Things that are buried or burnt acquire a yellow tinge. Thus, the

infinite blue God wears a yellow cloth on his human form, which is

made of the elements of the earth."

 

Daddy paused as he drank some water, and continued, "MahaVishnu

performs his duties of preserving and maintaining the world using

the objects he holds in his hands. He blows the conch and calls

forth humans to turn to the path of wisdom, away from the worldly

pursuits. When people are too earthly, he uses the mace and knocks

them down, creating disappointments, dissatisfactions and a growing

sense of restlessness."

 

"Very interesting," said mummy.

 

"When people are too adament, and adharma increases in the world, he

uses the chakra and destroys the adharmic forms in humans. The

chakra also represents the chakras in human body that nourish

spiritual growth. He holds up the lotus, urging us to evolve

spiritually, raising above the muddy waters of this world."

 

"Wow," said Padma.

 

"At the end of a yuga, adharma is usually at its peak, and adharmic

forces start harassing the people who are sadhus or god's devotees.

At that time, MahaVishnu takes an avatar for the deliverance of the

good people, and destroys the evil forces."

 

"Paritranaya sadhunam," sang mummy. The children sang after her,

crescendoing after each line. "vinasaya cha duskrtam,

dharma-samsthapanarthaya, sambhavami yuge yuge."

 

"Very nice," said daddy. "Mummy taught you this song?"

 

"No, we picked it up from the title song of the TV serial

Mahabharata. Mummy explained the meaning."

 

"Do the necklace and the garland Vishnu wears have any inner meaning

dad?" said Arvind.

 

"Definitely," said daddy. "The curl of hair, SriVatsa, denotes

objects of enjoyment and the necklace has a gem called Kaustubha,

the enjoyer. The garland is made of Vaijayanti flowers whose

fragrance denotes the subtle elements."

 

Arvind raised his eyebrows. Padma appeared thoughtful, her mouth

slowly munching an iddly chunk. Daddy said, "Okay children, that'll

do about MahaVishnu for you kids. Now let's have a look at his

consort Lakshmi".

 

"Dad, wait. This picture of Vishnu doesn't show his vehicle garuda.

What does it stand for?"

 

"That's a good question. If Vishnu is space, garuda is the time,

which moves in cycles over space."

 

Stunning," said mummy as the picture of goddess Lakshmi showed up on

the computer screen.

 

"Lakshmi is mummy's favourite goddess," said Padma, winking her

eyes. "She does elaborate Lakshmi puja every Friday."

 

"All that is for your future, since you are a girl", said Arvind.

 

"It's for the future and prosperity of everyone of us", added mummy

hastily, as Padma's lips curled in dismay. "Lakshmi will become the

favourite goddess of every woman, because a woman maintains the

wealth of a house. Lakshmi is worshipped in eight forms, Ashta

Lakshmi. What are they, Padma?"

 

Padma readily remembered the forms mummy had told her earlier. She

said, "They are: Adi Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi, Dhairya Lakshmi, Gaja

Lakshmi, Santaana Lakshmi, Vijaya Lakshmi, Dhana Lakshmi and Vidya

Lakshmi. But why so many forms for her, mom?"

 

"It is through his wife that MahaVishnu offers his devotees the

riches of worldly life. Adi Lakshmi is also known as Ramaa

Lakshmi.She gives happiness. Dhanya Lakshmi gives the wealth of

food. Dhairya Lakshmi gives the wealth of courage. Gaja Lakshmi

gives blessings and protects from evils. Santaana Lakshmi gives the

children, the wealth of a family. Vijaya Lakshmi gives the victory

in our efforts. Dhana Lakshmi gives the commonly known riches of

gold and currency. And Vidya Lakshmi gives the ever-lasting wealth

of knowledge and wisdom."

 

"To be frank, children," said daddy, "I didn't remember all the

forms of MahaLakshmi. Your mummy has put it nicely."

 

There was a moment of silence, as mummy served curd rice, the

compulsory dish in every dinner. Picking up a piece of cucumber from

the curd rice in his plate, daddy continued, "The root of Lakshmi's

name is laksham, meaning goal or target. What does she hold in her

hands?"

 

"Red lotuses are in two hands," said Arvind.

 

"Abaya mudra on her lower right hand," said Padma. "From her lower

left hand pours out a rain of gold coins, kanaka dhara".

 

"So she gives wealth and blessings, but holds up the red lotuses

indicating that the wealth and prosperity she gives should lead to

spiritual development. Her four hands actually stand for the four

purusharthas or goals of life: dharma, artha, kama, moksha."

 

"What are they dad?"

 

"Dharma is the goal to lead a righteous and noble life. Artha means

wealth, the goal to acquire wealth for living as well as giving.

Kama means desire, here it indicates the genuine desires of

enjoyment of life, which whould lead to spiritual development. And

moksha is the liberation from the cycle of birth and death."

 

"What happens in moksha, daddy?"

 

"When you attain moksha, you take no more births. You stay near God

and enjoy the bliss of heaven, free from the worries of this world."

 

"She holds red lotuses, and stands on a big, red lotus as well."

said Arvind.

 

"The seat of big lotus indicates that Lakshmi is not just a material

goddess. She is as spiritual as the other goddesses. Lakshmi and

Vishnu are normally busy with sustenance of the forms of our world

that Brahma has created. At the same time, they insist on spiritual

development, which is why, they both have the prefix Maha to their

names."

 

"What do the two elephants do, daddy?" said Padma. "Are they her

vehicles?"

 

"No. The elephants stand for the fame and name a wealthy person gets

in life. And the red lotuses they hold indicate that the fame and

name should come out of sharing wealth and should lead to spiritual

development."

 

"There are four elephants in some pictures of Lakshmi", said mummy.

"And they spray water on her from golden vessels."

 

"The four elephants represent the four goals of life we discussed.

The golden vessel indicates purity and wisdom, that is, gold at its

highest purity, obtained by the fire of wisdom, by constant melting

and refinement. The spraying of water indicates activity based on

the four goals that guarantee material and spiritual prosperity."

 

"In most pictures Lakshmi wears a red sari with golden linings,"

said mummy.

 

"Pure red is generally the color of activity and affection. The

golden linings indicate prosperity. Lakshmi actively and

affectionately distributes wealth to those souls who deserve it by

the accumulation of good karma of their earlier births. It is for

the people who are blessed with wealth to use it as expected of

them. If they are selfish and greedy, the wealth may remain, but

these would add to their bad karma and deprive them of such wealth

in a future birth."

 

"If the elephants are not her vehicles daddy," said Padma, "how does

she travel?"

 

Arvind raised his left hand, as if he was in his class. Daddy

nodded, and he said, "She travels with her husband, on the garuda."

 

"That's right," said daddy.

 

They had almost finished their dinner, and were sipping a glass of

grape juice. Daddy said finally, "Tomorrow, we shall discuss Lord

Shiva, who holds a unique position in the Trinity."

 

Regards,

saidevo