श्री मात्रे नमः।।

Wishing you all a very happy, joyous, prosperous and awakening Navratri!

Reading the Durga Saptashati as a journey from ignorance to the recognition of the Supreme Reality.

The Devi Mahatmyam, also known as the Durga Saptashati or Chandi Patha, is one of the most revered scriptures of the Shakta tradition. It forms part of the Markandeya Purana, comprising thirteen chapters that narrate the glory of the Divine Mother through three principal episodes: the destruction of Madhu and Kaitabha, the slaying of Mahishasura, and the final battle against Shumbha and Nishumbha.

These three episodes are associated with Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati, respectively.

In general reading, these are accounts of the Supreme Goddess protecting the universe and restoring cosmic order. But the text also raises profound philosophical questions. What is the power through which the universe is manifested? Why does ignorance persist even in those who possess knowledge? How does the same Divine Power bind beings to worldly existence and also become the means of their liberation?

When approached through Advaita Vedanta, alongside the Shakta understanding of Devi as the Supreme Reality, the three stories can be contemplated as a spiritual journey: the unveiling of ignorance, the overcoming of ego and disorder, and the recognition that the many powers of the universe have their source in one Divine Reality.

The symbolic interpretations that follow are contemplative readings, not a claim that every demon in the text represents a specific psychological defect according to an explicit scriptural commentary.

1. The Opening of Devi Mahatmyam: Why Do We Remain Bound?

The story begins with King Suratha, who has lost his kingdom, and the merchant Samadhi, who has been rejected by his own family. Both have suffered greatly, yet their minds continue to cling to the very people and possessions associated with their suffering.

They approach the sage Medhas, seeking an explanation for their attachment.

The king wonders why his mind remains attached to his former kingdom and subjects despite knowing that he has lost his authority. The merchant similarly cannot stop worrying about the family members who have abandoned him.

The sage explains that this bewildering attachment arises through the power of Mahamaya.

ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि देवी भगवती हि सा ।

बलादाकृष्य मोहाय महामाया प्रयच्छति ॥

(That Goddess, the Divine Mahamaya, forcibly draws even the minds of the wise into delusion.)

The sage then describes the extraordinary nature of this power.

सैषा प्रसन्ना वरदा नृणां भवति मुक्तये ।

सा विद्या परमा मुक्तेर्हेतुभूता सनातनी ॥

संसारबन्धहेतुश्च सैव सर्वेश्वरेश्वरी ॥

(When pleased, she becomes the giver of boons and the means of liberation for human beings. She is the Supreme Knowledge, eternal and the cause of liberation. She herself is also the cause of bondage in worldly existence, O Sovereign Goddess.)

These verses introduce one of the central philosophical themes of the entire scripture: the same Divine Power through which beings experience delusion can also become the means of their liberation.

A Vedantic Reflection

Advaita Vedanta teaches that our essential nature is Brahman, the non-dual Reality, but that we ordinarily identify ourselves with the body, mind, senses and individual personality. Through avidya, or ignorance, we fail to recognise our true nature and take the limited individual self to be the entirety of who we are.

The Devi Mahatmyam approaches the mystery through the language of Mahamaya. The power that sustains worldly experience can conceal the truth from us, even when we possess considerable intellectual knowledge.

This distinction is important. Knowing that attachment causes suffering is not the same as becoming free from attachment. One may understand impermanence intellectually and still grieve over possessions, relationships, status or reputation.

The king and the merchant illustrate this predicament beautifully.

From an Advaitic perspective, we may contemplate their suffering as a consequence of identification and attachment. From a Shakta perspective, we may go further and recognise Mahamaya not merely as an obstacle to overcome, but as the Divine Mother whose grace can transform our relationship with the world.

The scripture does not ask us simply to despise the world. It asks us to understand the mysterious power through which our minds become entangled in it, and to seek the knowledge that liberates us.

With this question established, the first great manifestation of Devi appears.

2. Prathama Charitra (The First Episode) - Mahakali: The Power That Awakens Consciousness

The Story of Madhu and Kaitabha

At the beginning of a cosmic cycle, Lord Vishnu lies upon the serpent Ananta in the waters of cosmic dissolution (Ekarnava samudra). While the Lord rests in yogic sleep, the lotus from his navel bears Brahma, who is engaged in the work of creation.

Two formidable asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, emerge from the Lord's ear wax and threaten Brahma.

Unable to carry out his work safely, Brahma invokes the Goddess who envelops Lord Vishnu in yogic sleep. He praises her and requests that she withdraw her power of sleep so that the Lord may awaken and destroy the two demons.

The Goddess withdraws from Lord Vishnu, who awakens and eventually defeats Madhu and Kaitabha.

The first episode is therefore not merely a story of two demons being slain. It depicts the cosmic power through which even the activity of the devas is enabled.

The Goddess is not presented as an insignificant force subordinate to the workings of the universe. She is the power whose presence makes those workings possible.

The Philosophical Significance of Mahamaya

The opening chapter contains a particularly striking idea: Lord Vishnu himself is enveloped in Yogic Sleep through the power of the Goddess. Even Brahma, the creator, depends upon her intervention.

In an Advaitic contemplation, this can lead us to reflect upon the difference between pure consciousness and the changing states experienced by the mind. Sleep, waking and dreaming are familiar experiences, but the ultimate nature of consciousness cannot be reduced to any one of these states.

We should, however, be careful not to equate Lord Vishnu's Yogic Sleep in the narrative directly with avidya or ordinary unconsciousness.

The Shakta understanding offers another important perspective. The Divine Mother is Mahamaya, the power through which the unmanifest becomes manifest and through which the universe is sustained. Her power is not external to the Supreme Reality.

For an Advaitin, Maya helps explain the appearance of multiplicity without requiring Brahman itself to undergo a fundamental transformation. For a Shakta, the Divine Power may be worshipped as the living, sovereign reality through which the universe arises, exists and dissolves.

These approaches have significant points of contact, although they should not be treated as identical in every respect.

Mahakali As A Contemplative Symbol

If we approach the story inwardly, Madhu and Kaitabha may be contemplated as the forces that obstruct clarity and spiritual awakening. Their destruction can represent the overcoming of those obstacles through divine grace and knowledge.

Mahakali reminds the seeker that liberation cannot be reduced to intellectual effort alone. The ego may attempt to conquer ignorance using the very habits of thought that sustain its mistaken identification. Genuine transformation requires discernment, discipline, devotion and, in the language of the scripture, the grace of the Divine Mother.

The first episode thus prepares the seeker for the next stage: the restoration of order when the forces of disorder have taken control.

3. Madhyama Charitra (The Middle Episode) - Mahalakshmi: The Restoration of Cosmic Order

The Story of Mahishasura

The second great episode begins with the defeat of the devas by Mahishasura, the powerful asura who assumes the form of a buffalo.

Having conquered the devas, Mahishasura takes control of their celestial positions and deprives them of their rightful authority. The devas approach Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva, seeking help.

In response to the oppression, a tremendous radiance emerges from the gods. Their combined energies give rise to the magnificent form of the Goddess, Mahishasura Mardini (contemplated as Mahalakshmi in Devi Mahatmyam), who is equipped with divine weapons.

She confronts Mahishasura and his armies in a prolonged and terrible battle. The asura repeatedly changes form, displaying his extraordinary power, but the Goddess ultimately destroys him and restores the gods to their positions.

The middle episode celebrates Devi as the power capable of overcoming a force that no individual god could defeat alone.

A Vedantic Reflection On Mahishasura

Mahishasura can be contemplated as a symbol of the ego when it becomes dominant, unrestrained and resistant to wisdom.

The ego is not simply the ordinary sense of personal identity required to function in the world. In Vedantic discussions, the problem is the mistaken identification of the Self with the body-mind complex, together with the resulting sense of separateness, possessiveness and independent doership.

When this identification becomes excessive, it begins to govern our inner world. Desire, anger, pride and possessiveness occupy the place that should belong to discernment.

In this symbolic reading, Mahishasura's seizure of the heavens resembles the disorder that arises when the lower tendencies of the mind usurp the authority of wisdom.

The gods, understood contemplatively as the faculties and powers that sustain harmony, lose their proper place. The emergence of Mahalakshmi represents the restoration of that harmony through a higher power.

Why Does Devi Emerge From The Radiance of Devas?

This detail deserves special attention.

The devas contribute their radiance, yet the resulting Goddess is not merely an ordinary sum of separate powers. She manifests as an integrated and sovereign presence who surpasses the asura's strength.

A Shakta reading sees here a profound affirmation of the Goddess as the source and unifying power of divine energies.

From an Advaitic standpoint, the episode can also inspire reflection on the apparent diversity of powers and faculties. The universe presents itself as a multiplicity, yet its manifestations need not be understood as ultimately independent realities.

The many derive their significance from a deeper unity.

This does not mean that the narrative is simply an allegory in which every god represents a mental faculty. Rather, the story gives us a way to contemplate how differentiated powers can find their source in a supreme principle.

The Victory of Mahalakshmi

The victory over Mahishasura is not merely the triumph of one combatant over another. It is the restoration of rightful order after arrogance and domination have disrupted it.

For the spiritual seeker, this can signify the need to restore discernment to its proper place. Spiritual life is not only about acquiring knowledge; it is also about allowing that knowledge to transform one's conduct, desires and relationship with the world.

The first episode drew our attention to the mysterious power of ignorance. The second turns our attention to the disorder that arises when the ego dominates the inner kingdom.

But even when gross obstacles have been overcome, subtle forms of duality and self-importance can remain. The final episode addresses a deeper mystery.

4. Uttara Charitra (The Final Episode) - Mahasaraswati: The Recognition Of The One Behind The Many

The Story of Shumbha and Nishumbha

In the final major episode, the asuras Shumbha and Nishumbha become powerful enough to challenge the gods and take possession of their domains.

The Goddess manifests in a radiant form, and the asuras, captivated by her beauty and power, attempt to possess her. Their pride prevents them from recognising that the Goddess is not an object that can be acquired or controlled.

The conflict escalates. Chanda and Munda, Raktabija and other formidable asuras are defeated. Finally, Devi confronts Shumbha and Nishumbha themselves.

During this battle, the various forms and powers of the Goddess play decisive roles. The narrative reaches its philosophical climax when Shumbha challenges Devi, arguing that she relies on the strength of other goddesses in battle.

Her response is one of the most significant passages in the entire text.

एकैवाहं जगत्यत्र द्वितीया का ममापरा ।

पश्यैता दुष्ट मय्येव विशन्त्यो मद्विभूतयः ॥

(I alone exist here in this universe. What other is there besides me? Behold, O wicked one, these manifestations of mine are entering back into me.)

The various manifestations of Devi withdraw into her, and she stands alone before Shumbha. After a fierce battle, she defeats him.

This moment brings the three episodes together in a striking manner.

The many powers that appeared separately are revealed as manifestations of one supreme Goddess.

The Advaitic Resonance Of This Declaration

The verse naturally invites comparison with the central insight of Advaita Vedanta: the ultimate Reality is non-dual.

The Chandogya Upanishad declares:

सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम् ।

(Dear one, in the beginning, this was Existence alone, one without a second.)

The Upanishadic declaration and Devi's statement in the Devi Mahatmyam arise in different textual and theological contexts. Nevertheless, both can lead the contemplative reader toward the question of how multiplicity relates to ultimate unity.

In Advaita Vedanta, Brahman is not one individual being standing beside other independent beings. Brahman is the non-dual Reality in light of which the apparent division between subject and object is ultimately understood.

The Devi Mahatmyam expresses its own powerful vision: the many divine manifestations are grounded in the one Goddess, who is not exhausted by their apparent separateness.

A Shakta may understand this more directly as the declaration of Devi's supreme sovereignty and her identity with the totality of existence.

An Advaitin may contemplate it as a revelation of non-duality through the language of the Divine Mother.

Shumbha And Nishumbha As Symbols of Subtle Ego

At a contemplative level, Shumbha and Nishumbha may represent the subtler forms of appropriation that persist even after gross desires have been restrained.

One may become proud of one's learning, spiritual practice, discipline or religious accomplishments. The mind can turn even spiritual progress into a new possession: "I have understood," "I have conquered my weaknesses," or "I am spiritually superior."

In this reading, Shumbha's desire to possess Devi is especially suggestive. The Supreme cannot be reduced to an object owned by the individual ego.

The spiritual path does not culminate in the ego acquiring God as another possession. It culminates in the transcendence of the mistaken separation between the individual and the ultimate Reality.

The final victory thus points beyond the mere defeat of external enemies. It invites the seeker to contemplate the One from whom all powers arise and into whom all manifestations return.

5. Is Devi Merely Maya, Or Is She The Brahman Herself?

In some simplified explanations, Maya is described as the power that makes the world of multiplicity appear, while Brahman is the ultimate Reality beyond it. This can lead to an oversimplification in which Maya is treated as something inferior or irrelevant to spiritual life.

The Devi Mahatmyam does not allow us to dismiss the Goddess so easily.

The same Devi is described as Mahamaya, who can delude even the wise, and as the Supreme Knowledge (Mahavidya) that brings liberation. She is the power through which the world is sustained, and she is also the one to whom the gods bow in praise.

The final chapters deepen this vision.

सृष्टिस्थितिविनाशानां शक्तिभूते सनातनि ।

गुणाश्रये गुणमये नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

[O Eternal One, who is the power behind creation, preservation and dissolution; who is the substratum of the gunas and who is constituted of the gunas, O Narayani (The One who gives refuge to the mortals), salutations to you.]

This verse presents Devi as the power behind the entire cosmic process.

The apparent paradox is that she is both associated with the gunas and described as their substratum. She is intimately connected with the manifested universe, yet the language of the hymn points to a reality that cannot be reduced to any one manifestation.

In an Advaitic interpretation, one may distinguish between Brahman considered in its ultimate, non-dual nature and Ishvara understood in relation to Maya and the manifested universe. The Devi Mahatmyam, however, speaks devotionally of the Goddess herself as the supreme source and power of the cosmos.

For the Advaitin, the inquiry leads toward the recognition of non-dual Brahman. For the Shakta, the same inquiry can deepen into the realisation that the Divine Mother is the supreme reality, present throughout the universe and transcending every finite form.

She is the one invoked for protection, wisdom, prosperity and liberation.

6. The Three Mahavidyas Of The Cosmic Drama? A Clarification About Mahakali, Mahalakshmi And Mahasaraswati

The three principal episodes are associated with Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. These names are sometimes interpreted through the three gunas: tamas, rajas and sattva.

Such associations can provide a useful philosophical framework, but they require care.

The gunas are the three fundamental qualities described in Samkhya and incorporated into several Hindu philosophical traditions:

1. Tamas is associated with inertia, obscuration and heaviness.

2. Rajas is associated with activity, passion and movement.

3. Sattva is associated with clarity, harmony and illumination.

Some traditional and modern interpretations associate Mahakali with tamas, Mahalakshmi with rajas, and Mahasaraswati with sattva. This framework can be used to contemplate the cosmic functions and symbolism of the three forms.

However, the relationship should not be reduced to a simplistic formula in which Mahakali is "ignorance," Mahalakshmi is "desire," and Mahasaraswati is "knowledge." Nor should these three forms be confused with the ordinary psychological qualities of individual people.

The Devi Mahatmyam presents all three as divine manifestations, and its concluding theology does not leave them as three independent or competing ultimate realities. The Goddess is the one source of the many.

The threefold framework is therefore best understood as a contemplative aid, not a complete definition of the Divine Mother.

7. The Culmination: All This Is Devi

A particularly memorable verse appears in the stotram related to this text.

सर्वरूपमयी देवी सर्वं देवीमयं जगत् ।

अतोऽहं विश्वरूपां तां नमामि परमेश्वरीम् ।।

(The Goddess embodies all forms, and the entire universe is filled with the Goddess. Therefore, I bow to you, O Supreme Goddess, whose form is the whole universe.)

This verse is a fitting culmination of the journey through the three charitras.

Mahakali reveals the mysterious power behind cosmic sleep, delusion and awakening. Mahalakshmi manifests the power that defeats Mahishasura and restores order. Mahasaraswati brings the narrative to its climax, where the many manifestations of Devi return to the One.

Seen through a Vedantic lens, these stories can become more than accounts of ancient battles. They invite us to examine our own ignorance, the dominance of the ego and the subtle conviction that reality is divided into independently existing selves and objects.

Seen through the Shakta tradition, they reveal the glory of the Divine Mother, who is simultaneously the source of the universe, its sustaining power and the refuge of those who seek liberation.

The Devi Mahatmyam answers through the language of devotion, divine manifestation and victory. It calls us to bow before the Goddess, to seek her grace and to contemplate the mystery of the One appearing as the many.

Perhaps the deepest lesson is that spiritual knowledge is not merely the accumulation of ideas about the Divine. It is a transformation of how we see ourselves, the world and the source of all existence.

The Divine Mother who appears in three great narratives is finally praised as the one who pervades all forms.

And so the seeker, having witnessed the victories of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati, returns to the central truth proclaimed throughout the scripture: the power that binds is also the power that liberates.

Apologies for any mistakes.

जय माता दी।

🦚 Radhe Radhe everyone! Wish you all a blessed Sri Krishna Janmashtmi 🙏🏻! 🪈

On the sacred occasion of Janmashtami, I wanted to share the beautiful story of the events that led to the descent of Sri Krishna, as narrated in the 37th Dashakam of Sriman Narayaneeyam.

A Brief Note About Sriman Narayaneeyam

Sriman Narayaneeyam is one of the great Sanskrit devotional works dedicated to the Lord, composed by Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, the celebrated 16th-century poet and devotee from Kerala. The work consists of 100 Dashakams (decads) and presents the story of the Srimad Bhagavata Purana in a deeply devotional and poetic form.

Bhattathiri composed the work at Guruvayur, addressing Lord Guruvayurappan directly as the Supreme Lord. Each Dashakam is therefore not merely a narration of a story, but also a prayer offered at the feet of the Lord.

The 37th Dashakam takes us to the threshold of one of the most beloved events - the descent of Bhagavan.

When The Earth Could Bear No More

The story begins with the Earth suffering under an enormous burden.

In earlier battles between the Devas and the Asuras, many Asuras had been defeated by the Lord. Yet, because of their remaining karma, some of them were born again upon Earth as cruel and powerful kings.

As their numbers and power increased, righteousness began to decline. The Earth became burdened by these wicked rulers and their oppressive deeds.

Unable to bear this burden any longer, Bhumi Devi, Mother Earth herself, approached Lord Brahma seeking protection.

Brahma saw her distress and understood that the situation had gone beyond what the Devas themselves could remedy. Together with the Devas, he turned towards the Supreme Lord.

They went to the shore of the Kshira Sagara - the Ocean of Milk and meditated upon the Lord.

There, while Brahma's mind was completely absorbed in the Lord, he received the divine assurance of the Supreme Being within his heart.

The message was one of hope:

The Lord knew the suffering of the Earth and the Devas.

He would descend upon Earth Himself.

And He would be born in the Yadava lineage, in His fullness, to remove the burden of the Earth.

The Devas too would take birth among the Yadavas, and the wives of the Devas would descend upon Earth to assist in the Lord's divine play.

The sorrow of Bhumi Devi and the Devas was therefore transformed into hope.

The Supreme Lord had decided to descend.

Devaki and Vasudeva

In the famous city of Mathura, ruled by King Ugrasena, lived a noble man, Vasudeva.

Vasudeva married Devaki, the virtuous daughter of Devaka.

Their wedding was celebrated with great joy.

Devaki's brother was Kamsa, the powerful king of the Bhoja dynasty.

Despite the darkness that would later consume him, Kamsa initially behaved affectionately towards his sister. After the wedding, he personally took the reins of the chariot and drove Vasudeva and Devaki home.

But destiny had already begun to unfold.

As the chariot moved along the road, a divine voice suddenly resounded from the heavens:

Devaki's eighth son would be the cause of Kamsa's death.

The words changed everything.

Kamsa, seized by fear, immediately drew his sword and moved to kill Devaki herself.

Vasudeva pleaded with him.

He reminded Kamsa that Devaki was his own sister and had done nothing wrong. He promised that every child born to Devaki would be handed over to Kamsa.

Hearing this promise, Kamsa released Devaki.

Thus began the terrible chain of events that would precede the Lord's birth.

The Six Children

When Devaki's first child was born, Vasudeva kept his promise and brought the child before Kamsa.

For a moment, even Kamsa's cruel heart softened.

Looking at the beautiful newborn child, he decided not to kill him.

But this brief compassion did not last.

The sage Narada, acting according to the divine will, later revealed to Kamsa that the Yadavas were connected with the Devas and that the Supreme Lord, master of Maya, would eventually descend among them to destroy him.

Fear consumed Kamsa once again.

He became increasingly ruthless.

The Yadavas were persecuted, and Kamsa began killing the children born to Vasudeva and Devaki.

One after another, six children were taken away.

The prison of Kamsa became the setting for one of the most profound moments in the history of the Lord's incarnations: while darkness surrounded Vasudeva and Devaki, the divine plan was moving steadily towards its fulfillment.

The Seventh Pregnancy

Then Devaki conceived for the seventh time.

This child was none other than Ananta Shesha, the eternal serpent associated with Lord Narayana.

But the Lord had another plan.

Through Yoga Maya, the child was mystically transferred from Devaki's womb to the womb of Rohini, another wife of Vasudeva who was living safely away from Kamsa.

This child would become Balarama, the elder brother and eternal companion of Sri Krishna.

To everyone in Mathura, it appeared that Devaki had lost the child.

But in reality, another part of the divine plan had quietly been fulfilled.

The Lord Entered Devaki's Womb

Now came the moment for which the Devas had been waiting.

Devaki conceived for the eighth time.

But this was unlike any ordinary conception.

The Supreme Lord Himself, the eternal Sat-Chit-Ananda, entered the womb of Devaki.

The Devas rejoiced.

The Lord who is beyond birth was preparing to take birth.

The Infinite was about to appear within the finite world.

The Supreme Being, who is beyond time and space, had chosen a prison cell in Mathura as the place for His descent.

Outside, Kamsa remained consumed by fear.

Inside the prison, Devaki carried the Supreme Lord.

And across the world, the forces of Dharma awaited the arrival of the Divine Child.

The long-awaited descent of Sri Krishna was now imminent.

Bhattathiri concludes the Dashakam with a prayer to that very Lord:

"May Sri Krishna, who has now entered Devaki's womb, remove all suffering and grant the devotee supreme devotion."

And with that prayer, the 37th Dashakam ends.

The stage is set.

The tyrant Kamsa waits in fear.

Vasudeva and Devaki wait in the prison.

The Devas wait in anticipation.

And the whole world waits for the arrival of the One who came to restore Dharma and fill the world with His divine presence.

The next Dashakam takes us to that sacred midnight - the birth of Sri Krishna.

Jai Sri Krishna!

Hare Krishna!

|| श्री राधाकृष्णाभ्यां नमः ||

I recently listened to this story in an online discourse on the glories and lives of sādhus associated with Vṛndāvana. I found the story deeply moving, so I tried to narrate it here in English. The story was presented as the experience of a person shared to a listener who later wrote it down as an article.

Vṛndāvana is a land where, according to the devotees, one never knows in what form the Lord's grace may appear.

The story begins with a learned man who used to visit Vṛndāvana. One summer morning, at around four o'clock, after completing his Kṛṣṇa-japa, he went towards the Yamunā for his morning bath. He was going to the bathing ghāṭa near Hargulāl Haveli.

On the way, he noticed a strange sādhū.

The sādhū was dressed very simply, wearing only a kaupīna and a Tulasī mālā. He had a beard and matted locks, and was walking along while singing:

“Jaya Jaya Śyāmā, Jaya Jaya Śyām,

Jaya Jaya Śrī Vṛndāvan Dhām,

Jaya Jaya Śrī Svāmī Haridās,

Jaya Jaya Nidhuvan Nitya Vilās.”

Śyāmā refers to Rādhā, and Śyām to Kṛṣṇa. The sādhū was singing in the tradition associated with Svāmī Haridās and the worship of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Seeing him, the man respectfully said, “Jaya Haridās.”

The sādhū smiled and replied, “Jaya Haridās,” and continued on his way.

The next morning, the man saw him again.

Later, while doing Vṛndāvana parikramā, he encountered the same sādhū once more. This time he approached him and asked if he could do him a small favour.

The sādhū had apparently been given a new piece of clothing. But he did not wear new clothes. He told the man:

“I have been given this new cloth, but I don't need it. If you have an old, used piece of cloth, give it to me. I can use it as a langoti.”

The man agreed, but he was curious about this unusual ascetic. He asked, “Where do you stay? Which āśrama or maṭha do you belong to?”

The sādhū laughed.

“Where do I stay? I stay in Vṛndāvana.”

“But where in Vṛndāvana? Which āśrama?”

“Vṛndāvana itself is my āśrama,” he replied.

“When I feel hungry, I go for mādhukarī. Whatever I receive, I eat. Once my stomach is full, that is enough. When I feel sleepy, I sleep under whichever tree I happen to find. When I am thirsty, Mother Yamunā is here. And for my nourishment, I have the remembrance of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.”

That was how he lived.

After meeting him several times, the man finally asked, “Will you tell me something about yourself?”

The sādhū replied:

“I have nothing to hide. Hiding things is the work of householders. I have nothing to hide because I have nothing of my own. I don't even possess a book. Sit down under this banyan tree. I will tell you what happened.”

And then he began his story.

The sādhū had been born near Calcutta. He lost his parents when he was very young, and the woman who raised him eventually took him to Calcutta, where she lived with her son and cared for him.

While growing up, he heard stories about the Himalayas and the great yogis who lived there.

A strong desire arose in his heart:

“I must go to the Himalayas.”

Eventually, he left Calcutta and reached Delhi.

He sat on the railway platform, waiting for a train that would take him towards Haridwar and, from there, towards the Himalayas.

While he was sitting there, a young boy, perhaps around ten years old, came and sat beside him.

After some time, the man asked him:

“When will the train to Haridwar arrive?”

The boy replied casually:

“Bābā, you rest. I am watching for that train. When it comes, I will wake you up. We will go together. I have to go there too.”

The man trusted him and went to sleep.

After some time, the boy suddenly woke him.

“There! There! The train has come. Come quickly!”

In the hurry, both of them boarded the train.

The train started moving.

Only after they were inside did the man realize something troubling:

He had no ticket.

He became anxious.

“If the railway officials come and take me away, what will I do?”

The boy simply replied:

“I will come with you.”

The man looked at him.

The boy continued:

“I don't have a ticket either. If the officials come, we will get down.”

Then he said something that struck the man deeply:

“Do you know something? All of us are travelling without a ticket. One day the official will come and make us get down. That is life.”

At the time, the man did not fully understand what the boy meant.

But he knew that the boy was saying something far beyond his age.

As they travelled, the boy began asking him questions.

“Where are you going?”

“To the Himalayas.”

“Why?”

“To perform tapas.”

“Why do you want to perform tapas?”

The man explained:

“Through tapas, one can attain spiritual powers. With those powers one may attain heaven, mokṣa, longevity, and various siddhis.”

The boy listened carefully.

Then he asked:

“Of all these things, what is it that you actually want? Longevity? Heaven? Mokṣa? Powers?”

The question stopped him.

He began thinking.

Then the boy remarked:

“You see? This is also like travelling without a ticket.”

Before the man could answer, the ticket collector began approaching.

Both of them got down from the train.

After getting off, the man began complaining of hunger.

The boy looked around and said that they should see if they could find something to eat.

Nearby, beside the railway station, they found an old woman. It was around three in the afternoon.

The man asked whether she had anything to eat.

She replied that there was not much available there. It was not a big town, and there were no proper shops nearby.

“But I have two rotis,” she said. “I can give you some jaggery as well.”

The two of them ate the rotis and jaggery.

Afterwards, the man asked:

“How far is Haridwar from here?”

The boy answered:

“Haridwar? This train was not going to Haridwar at all.”

The man became upset.

“Then why did you bring me here? I want to go to the Himalayas!”

The boy pointed towards the sacred land nearby.

“There is a holy place here. It is called Braj Bhūmi—the land where Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa was born and performed His līlās.”

The man insisted that he wanted to go to the Himalayas.

But the boy said:

“Listen to me once.

What will you eat in the Himalayas? You will search for roots and tubers, wander from place to place, and beg for food.

But the nectar you are hoping to find after climbing those mountains is available here.

You wanted to climb mountains in search of amṛta. I am bringing you to the ocean of that nectar.

This is your destination.

You have reached the place where you were meant to come.

Come with me. I have come to take you to where you need to reach.”

Who was this boy?

The man did not know.

And perhaps that was the mystery.

The boy took him by the hand and brought him back towards the railway station.

They boarded another small train.

The boy got him to Mathurā.

From Mathurā, he arranged for him to board another train.

At one point, when the man again complained of hunger, the boy somehow arranged food for him.

Then he told him:

“Your hunger is not merely the hunger of today.

It is the hunger of many, many births.

The time has now come for that hunger to be satisfied.”

The phrase stayed with the man.

Janam Janam Ki Kshuda - the hunger carried through countless births.

The boy then told him:

“I will remain here in Mathurā. You get onto this train and sleep. By morning, it will take you to the place that is your destination.”

The man boarded the train.

When he awoke, the train had brought him to Vṛndāvana.

When he got down, he saw many people around him.

He began asking:

“I have just arrived here. Is there somewhere I can get food, water and a place to stay?”

An elderly man heard him and said:

“What kind of question is that?

You are asking whether you will find food and water here?

This is Vṛndāvana Dhām!

This is the kingdom of Rādhārāṇī.

In this dhām, everyone receives food, water, clothing and shelter. And, for peace and spiritual nourishment, one receives the name of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and the love of the Divine Couple.”

The old man then invited him:

“Come with me. There is a Bhavan. Hot khicḍī prasāda is being served there. Let us eat.”

They went there.

There was a long queue for prasāda.

Everyone was holding a vessel.

Except the newcomer.

He had nothing.

He stood at the very end of the queue, hungry and exhausted, looking at everyone ahead of him.

Then something extraordinary happened.

At the very front of the queue was a little girl, perhaps nine years old.

Although she was far ahead of him, she looked towards him and called:

“Grandfather! Come here!”

He looked around, wondering whom she was calling.

She called again:

“Grandfather! I mean you. Come here!”

He went towards her.

She told him:

“From tomorrow onwards, stand wherever you like.

But today, I am accepting you as my guest.

Come and stand here in front.”

Because the girl had called him, the others in the queue allowed him to move forward.

He stood beside her.

There was something extraordinarily affectionate about the child. Her words were simple, but there was such warmth and tenderness in them that the man felt an inexplicable joy simply by being near her.

Then she noticed something.

“Everyone has brought a vessel. Why don't you have one?”

The man looked at his empty hands.

He had no vessel.

The little girl took a vessel from her own things and gave it to him.

“Here. You take this.”

Then she said:

“Just remember one thing.

As long as you remain in Vṛndāvana, never leave this vessel. Keep it with you always.”

The man was overwhelmed.

Tears began to flow from his eyes.

He could not understand why such simple words from a little girl were producing such intense emotion within him.

The girl asked:

“Why are you crying? Don't be sad.”

Then she revealed something even more astonishing:

“The boy who put you on the train came to me and asked me to give this vessel to you.”

The man stood there holding the vessel.

And the moment he received it, it was filled with hot khicḍī prasāda.

He stepped aside to eat.

He turned around for a moment.

The girl was gone.

The sādhū finished telling this story to the man who had been sitting beneath the banyan tree listening to him.

Then he said:

“From that day onwards, I have been searching for those two children.

The boy who put me on the train.

And the girl who gave me this vessel.

I have searched for them for decades.

But I have never found them.”

He continued searching.

Eventually, he approached a great mahātmā and told him everything.

“I am searching for the boy who put me on that train and the girl who gave me this vessel. I want to know where they are in Vṛndāvana.”

The mahātmā listened.

The boy had told him, in effect, “You have reached where you were meant to reach. You cannot go anywhere else.”

The girl had told him, “Do not leave Vṛndāvana. Keep this vessel with you.”

Yet neither of them could be found.

The sādhū continued:

“I keep searching for them.

Perhaps one day they will show me their grace.

Perhaps one day they will reveal themselves.

Until then, I will continue searching.”

The mahātmā then gave him an answer that perhaps contained the whole meaning of his life:

“This searching itself is your sādhana.”

And so he continued to search.

The story was described as Janam Janam ki Kṣudha - the hunger carried across births.

And it also returns to the strange words of that ten-year-old boy:

“All of us are travelling without a ticket.”

What does that mean?

Our life is also a journey without a ticket.

We are travelling, but do we really know where we are going?

We eat, we work, we wander, we pursue one thing after another, and eventually death arrives.

But have we ever stopped to ask:

What is the destination of this life?

What is its true purpose?

The ticket collector will eventually come.

In the discourse, this was explained as a metaphor for Yama and the inevitable arrival of death. When the time comes, we will have to get down from this train, whether we are prepared or not.

The question is not whether the journey will end.

It will.

The real question is:

Where are we going?

And perhaps that is why the search in this story is so significant.

The sādhū spent decades searching for the two mysterious children.

But while searching for them, his mind remained fixed upon them.

The one whom we constantly seek remains in our thoughts.

And perhaps, in the spiritual life, the search itself becomes the sādhana.

That is the beauty of this story.

The man thought he was going to the Himalayas in search of something.

Instead, he was mysteriously taken to Vṛndāvana.

He thought he was searching for a destination.

Instead, he found a path.

He thought he was looking for two people.

Perhaps they were the ones who had been guiding him all along.

And he thought he was merely hungry.

But perhaps it was not the hunger of the body at all.

It was the hunger of many births - the longing of the soul that finally brought him to Vṛndāvana.

I heard this story in an online discourse and found it particularly beautiful. The speaker in the discourse mentioned that the listener had himself written this experience of the saint as an article, apparently under the title “Janam Janam Ki Kshuda” (The Hunger of Many Births).

Does anyone know the original article or the source from which this account comes?

If anyone can identify the saint, the original article, or the traditional source of this story, I would be very grateful if you could share it in the comments.

I will add the link to the discourse below for anyone interested in listening to the original narration. The original narration is in Telugu language.

https://www.youtube.com/live/U5KfDcRHTEs?si=a-LjnAqxUV6\_2x7E

The part where the above narrated story is present in the video between 1:30:10 to 1:41:26.

I’ve recently been reading Aparokṣānubhūti, and one thing that struck me was the title itself.

Aparokṣānubhūti is a concise Advaita Vedānta prakaraṇa-grantha concerned with the recognition of our true nature as Ātman/Brahman and the knowledge that leads to liberation. It discusses qualifications such as vairāgya and discrimination, the nature of the Self, ignorance and bondage, and the means by which Self-knowledge becomes firm.

The interesting question is: Why is it called Aparokṣānubhūti and not Pratyakṣānubhūti, if both can be translated as “direct experience”?

The distinction is subtle.

Parokṣa means indirect or mediated knowledge. For example, if someone tells me that there is fire on the other side of a hill, my knowledge of that fire is parokṣa. I know about it, but it isn't immediately present to me.

Pratyakṣa generally means perceptual knowledge, something presented directly to the senses. I see a tree, hear a sound, etc. It is “before the eyes/senses.”

Aparokṣa, however, literally means “not parokṣa” - not indirect, not mediated. In Advaita it has a deeper significance: the Self is immediate because it is the very subject, the consciousness by which everything else is known.

And this is precisely why Śri Adi Śaṅkaraçarya does not call it Pratyakṣānubhūti. Ātman/Brahman is not an object that can be seen, heard, touched, or perceived by the senses. It is the very Self of the one who is seeking to know it.

This is why aparokṣa is such a beautiful word here. It means an immediate, non-mediated recognition, rather than perception of an external object.

There is also an important nuance with the word anubhūti. “Experience” can sometimes make us imagine a temporary mystical event - an experiencer having some extraordinary experience. But in Advaita, the Self is ever-present. Realization does not produce the Self; it removes ignorance about the Self.

If you're interested, you can go through the online, open-source PDF of the book whose link is attached here: Aparokshānubhuti (Sanskrit Shlokas With Hindi Translation) - Gita Press | Internet Archive

श्री राधाकृष्णाभ्यां नमः।

जय गुरू दत्त।

श्री मात्रे नमः।

ॐ त्रिपुरायै नमः।

Tripura Rahasya (translation: They Mystery Beyond the Three Cities) is a highly revered text of Advaita Vedanta and Shakta Tantra (especially Sri Vidya - The Upasana of Lalita Tripura Sundari, the Saguna form of Nirguna Brahman). Here, the Brahman is termed "Chiti/Chit" and "Tripura".

Why Chiti?: The Brahman is the pure consciousness spread in the jagat or the prapancha. The consciousness (Chaitanya) in the prapancha is not its attribute, but of Brahman's. Hence, the Brahman is known as Chiti/Chit.

Why Tripura?: The Brahman or Paramatma, which is no different from the Atma, pervades the three cities. Here, cities or pura mean so many things --

1. The first meaning is three bodies - gross, subtle and casual. The Atma pervades the three bodies in the form of Chaitanya, hence it is known as Tripura (The one who resides in all the three bodies as consciousness).

2. The second meaning is three states one experience - awake, dream and deep sleep. The Atman is present in all the three states, hence it's known as Tripura (The one who resides in all the three states).

3. The third meaning is that the Atma will be present even if the body (bodies - gross, subtle and casual) ceases to exist. Hence, it is known as Tripura (The one which is beyond the bodies).

4. The fourth meaning is that the Atma also exists beyond the three states every one experiences (awake, dream and deep sleep). That fourth state is beyond the three and is known as Turiya. Turiya is the one state that is experienced by a Gyani. Hence, it is known as Tripura (The one that is beyond the three states).

There are a lot more esoteric explanations for the name "Tripura".

The content of this book flows as a dialogue between Rishi Parashurama and Lord Dattatreya, where Lord Dattatreya explains the concepts of Knowledge of the Self via interesting stories. This book was also greatly praised by Ramana Maharshi as the greatest book of Advaita Vedanta. I just completed listening to the discourses of Tripura Rahasya, and thought of recommending it to you guys. I'm reading the book myself at present.

Audio Discourses (Telugu): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjhrDIztP9pe7w\_1d9S1mESvhgxYtMfsp&si=tN0iueBLQOvQ2vby

Audio Discourses (English): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7swJ1D8l0vcQ2C4n3rri26hVxSEyDmDa&si=tfwRLLISEqo-Yadv

Online Book: https://archive.org/details/tripurarahasyaramanandasaraswathi\_202004\_485\_z/mode/1up

I myself listened to the discourses in Telugu, since it's my local language. I would recommend you guys to listen in Telugu if you're fluent in that language or listen to the discourses in your native language (if available) because I feel these concepts would understand better if it's explained in our local language.

Apologies for the long text.

हरिः ॐ तत्सत्।

Hi, I'm studying the philosophical texts of Advaita Vedanta as of now and I have a devotion towards Krishna. No other philosophy (Visishtadvaita, Dvaita, etc.) attracted me as Advaita did. I am planning to get deeper into Krishna Upasana along with my study of Advaita Vedanta. I researched the various Krishna/Vishnu upasana sampradayas and every sampradaya that I came across is either Visishtadvaita or Dvaita? Posting this message in this space so I could get information about Krishna Upasana sampradayas which are philosophically Advaita so that I can ask guidance from them.