RRDS

In Loving Memory Of Pt. Kamal Sewdass

10th December - 31st May 2007

In Loving Memory Of Deocharan Singh

9th July 1950 - 8th April 2007

Acknowledgement and Editorial

It is my hope that everyone who has the opportunity to peruse through these pages will gain something positive, be it a message, a quote, a prayer or a song.
Every year, we try to bring to you something special within the package of the Dharma Karma publications, and many people come together to make this possible. For their dedication, love and selfless giving, I would like to recognize specially the following persons:

Our most heartfelt gratitude goes to our advertisers who are the reason we are able to successfully publish these books and distribute them to the public at no cost.
May God’s blessing be with you and yours always.

Dear Friend,

Mother Kali invokes so many different feelings in each one of us. Sometimes fear, sometimes confusion, sometimes wonder. Personally, over the last couple years, what She has meant to me has changed drastically.

To me, Maa Kali is the embodiment of power in a mother’s love. Her form, which earlier in my life would have represented a personification of ending and death, now reveals itself as the sheer strength in what the love of a mother can achieve. When someone threatens her child, the mother comes viciously, shedding all garments of earthly cares and affection, to ensure by any means possible, the safety of her child. In the same way, this is what Maa Kali personifies. A mother, so beautiful, so filled with love for her children, that in their moment of need, She comes with full passion, shedding all earthly representations, drinking the blood of Her enemies if She must, to ascertain the safety of Her devotees. What greater love can there be?

If you are reading this publication right now, it means that the great Mother has brought you to this moment giving you the opportunity to understand and love Her a little more. Absorb positively whatever you can from these pages and enrich your life with new perspectives.

May your life be blessed.

May you find through the blessing of the great Mother, love, truth, understanding and eternal life.

Regards,
Rakhee A. Kissoon
Guidance Officer I
Editor - Dharma Karma 2007
rakhee22@yahoo. corn

 

An Introduction to Mother Kali

Kali is a goddess with a long and complex history in Hinduism. Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, Her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation still has some influence, while more complex Tantric beliefs sometimes extend Her role so far as to be the Ultimate Reality (Brahman) and Source of Being.

Comparatively recent devotional movements largely conceives of Kali as a straightforwardly benevolent mother-goddess.

Therefore, as well Her association with the Deva (god) Shiva, Kali is associated with many Devis (goddesses) - Durga, Badrakali , Bhavani, Sati, Rudrani, Parvati, Chinnamasta, Chamunda, Kamakshi or Kamakhya, Uma, Meenakshi, Himavati, Kumari and Tara. These names, if repeated, are believed to give special power to the worshipper.
 

"KALI" - Literal Meaning

Kali is a feminine form of the Sanskrit word “kala,” meaning ‘time. It also means “black”. Kali has therefore been translated variously as “She who is time,”“She who devours time,”“She who is the Mother of time,”“She who is black,” and “She who is black time”. Kali’s association with blackness stands in contrast to her consort, Shiva, whose body is covered by the white ashes of the cremation ground in which he meditates, and with which they are both associated.

Kali properly transliterated from Sanskrit is spelled with a “long” a, which should not be confused with the common Sanskrit word properly transliterated as Kali (spelled with a “short” a), meaning “terrible.” They are grammatically unrelated - along with having different root or stem words, the first is a noun and the latter is adjectival.

The “terrible” Kali is a similarly named deity who acts as the personification of the Kali yuga in Hindu mythology. Frequent confusion comes in interpreting the “Kali Yuga,” or “Terrible Age,” one of the four great ages (yugas) of Hindu cosmology, as conflated with the goddess Kali. This is mostly due to her appearance, which is often described as terrible and fearsome, It should be specially noted, therefore, that the goddess Kair should not be confused with the Kali Yuga, as her name has a separate and unrelated meaning.
 

In a world that sometime seems unfair and cruel, the question is asked “does God really love me?” At some time or the other, we all experience trying moments, episodes of hurt and disappointment; victimization by others, broken relationships, illness, betrayal and the list goes on. No matter how much we hear the phrase “God knows best” or “everything happens for a good”, in the midst of chaos in our lives, somehow the value of those statements escapes us.

Have you ever wondered if God was punishing you? Or maybe She is not pleased with some aspect of your life. Well, our way of life teaches us that God isn’t a punishing Being waiting for us to feel Her wrath. If this is so, then why does life meet us with what appears to be undeserving circumstances?

Allow me to suggest to you that life is perfect as it is part of the perfection of the universe. It is this perfection that makes the most brilliant of scientists accept in awe the orchestration of every detail that comprises this creation. The stars dance the cosmos in accurate timing and order; the rising and falling of the tides respond on cue when the Master instructs; every cell in our body has the intelligence to know its role when Nature suggests; every seed comes preprogrammed with the intelligence to know when to spring from dormancy. Indeed, the Creator thought of every detail when She sent us here. Let’s examine then where the “imperfections” arise.

In the beginning God created heaven and earth and all that She created was good. Mother Kali is a Sanatanist expression of the goodness in what seems cruel or unkind. Many times we have to experience pain in order for us to grow. That growth is mental, spiritual and even physical. Looking back in life, we can reflect on the challenges with a sense of maturity and evolved perspective that our life is better today not in spite of the trying times but because of those times. If you are not seeing it now in your life, I guarantee that the time will come. Why? Because there is perfection waiting to be discovered.

The law of karma is now universally accepted as a law of the universe. It is about action and consequence of action, Lf we re-calibrate our milestones of the start and end-point of our eternal journey that is called life, then there is a lot more acceptance in why certain circumstances are perfect. Can you explain why a child is born with a handicap? Or in material poverty? Why do young people whose lives have just begun are plucked out of the world in tragic accidents? Karma puts these into perspective. As the logic of “consequence of actions” can be the only credible reason. God does not punish. The circumstances and events in our life are manifestations of our own choices. Even when the universe delivers to you challenges and hurdles, it is the perfect cosmic accounting system paying out the credits of good and bad karma, period. You see, imperfection is purely our human perspective.

Very recently in Trinidad, sober thinking citizens experienced a sense of hurt and insult when the murtees were desecrated at the Waterloo temple. How could any human being find justice in committing such a heinous act? Could this be perfection at play? Well if the theory is correct, then we’re asking answers. Those who performed those actions would reap the consequences even without me wishing it on them. That one episode spurred many societal triggers. The faith of the half-hearted was strung into committal, the believers became stronger as they came together for a common cause. Divisions among the Hindu organizations represented one voice as a response, and even the critics of Hinduism found reason to justify their positions. All these outcomes gave rise to the “right” outcome.

In all of this, the secret to uncovering the perfection is in stepping out of the intimate details of life and observing the Grand Architect at work. Every event that occurs in our life is correlated to allow us the opportunity to find ourselves, it is as though the universe is conspiring to bring events into our life to experience the continuum of Karma but more importantly to help us find gold in the midst of tonnes of dirt. The more important part of life is not what happens to us but how we respond to what comes our way. I once heard a guru suggest that the realized masters of the world don’t do different things; rather they do things differently. What makes you and me different? We live under the same universal laws and potential as they do. It is in the power of choice and perspective.

Every morning when your conscious thought comes, start offering the essence of the following prayer:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

Think of what this supplication means. It is a petition that allows you to co-create your destiny with enthusiasm yet with the acceptance that the outcome, even when not as intended, is always a manifestation of the perfection at play.

I wish you a life filled with bewilderment as the universe kisses your feet waiting to be unmasked. So the next time someone asks “how are you?” — give them an honest answer and tell them “perfect”.

When I first came to Trinidad many years ago, I was surprised to see how people were afraid only by the name of Mother Kali.

Mother Kali is different from all Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu Pantheon. According to Markendeya PURANA and the eight chapter of DURGA SAPTASHATI (CHANDI PATH), Goddess Kali originated from Mother Durga’s Forehead. She is dark, has Her tongue out of Her mouth smeared with blood, is naked, has human skulls around Her neck, has disheveled hair and is standing on Her husband’s (Lord Shiva’s) chest. These all make this Devi unique.
All Her attributes are completely different from those associated with divinity. But if we go deeply in the knowledge of Maha Kali, we’ll understand that “Ma” is the Mother who protects the universe.

She is naked because She represents the cosmos, the universe which has no beginning or end and nothing to hide. Her tongue drinks the blood of the demon Raktabija to prevent him from multiplying himself and destroying humanity. The dark complexion of Kali means that life comes always from darkness like the baby comes from the womb or the tree from the seed.

The heads around her neck has two significances:
First, the Mother protects the world from destruction by wearing the heads of a demon that had the power to destroy the world if one of his heads fell down on the ground. Secondly, the heads also are the symbol of the ego that must be offered to Mother Kali.

In some temples they offer goat to the Mother with the thinking thai the Devi takes life to give life. All the Upanishad say the ljiiiverse is made of those who eat and that which is eaten.
Mother has four hands: One holds the sword that ciii the devotee from the roots of his problems created by the ego. One of the other hands shows the mudra (gesture) to be fearless and another one give boons.

So many things can be said about the Devi. But if the devotee accepts Ma Kali like his Mother, he adopts the attitude of a child and his mother will always protect him. Through devotion he will get the courage to face his difficulties, to accept what is impossible to change and finally merge in Kali like the most known worshiper of the Devi in Kolkata, India at the Temple of Dakshineshwar, Paramahamsa Ramakrishna.

May the Devi bless all Her devotees.

“OM KRIM KALIKAYE NAMAH OM KAPALINIYE NAMAH”

Dear Reader,

I would like to tell you a story, a story about one part of my life. There may or may not be profound lessons to be gained within this story, but that is not what is important, what is important is that you share this experience.

A little more than twenty-seven (27) years ago, I was born. I am told that it was the morning after Divali, and my Nanee (mother’s mother), Nanaa (mother’s father) and Kaka (father’s brother) were the ones there helping deliver me. On delivering me, it was that grandmother who blessed me with the name “Meera”, and that I believe is the moment when the romantic story starts.

You see, Meera or Meerabai was a beautiful princess and poet of long ago. She was always totally absorbed in love for Krishna. She loved Him since she was a little girl to the moment she stopped existing in the physical plane. It is said that her love was so great that Krishna Himself appeared to her and she merged with Him.

“Meera”, such a simple name, but so profound a story, a story of true love. And it was this name my Nanee blessed me with.

Now, as a little girl, I didn’t know the entire story of Meerabai, but the people around me did. As a result, I was always gifted with Krishna Murtis and other such items. I remember once I went with my mother to a pooja store, and the salesperson there only heard my name and promptly gifted me with a Krishna Murti. That evening I took the Murti home, was holding it and investigating it a bit and to my utter shame and devastation, the head of the Murti broke! I felt so badlyl My mother, being the super-efficient mom that she has always been, quickly stuck it back together again. I believe that Murti is still in our home. But, I think that was the day our friendship started, mine and Lord Krishna’s. I guess everyone thought, maybe because my name is Meera, that I must be special to Him. So I started to figure that He, in turn, must be special to me.

With the friendship I developed with the most handsome Lord of the flute, came love and dependency.

As many persons who knew me would say, I did not have a real social life and by extension, I did not have many friends. A lot of times I would be alone. But I always had Krishna. I would speak to Him and tell myself that He is hearing me. I would cry and hope that l-1 understands. And I know I survived many things with my life and sanity intact only because He did love me too.

In my more youthful days, I use to say that Krishna was my best friend, Ram was my savior, Hanuman was my protector and Shiva was the one I prayed to for a good husband. I hold to this even now.

When I was twenty-five (25) years old, Lord Shiva did bless me with a mate and we were planning a wedding.

It was around March 1 believe, in 2005, that we heard about this Swami, Swami Jayanthi Kumaraswamy, one of the few female Swamis. We heard really interesting stories about Her and I was a bit curious, but I had no idea what was really happening.

In June 2005, Swamiji came to Trinidad. I did not go to the airport but was instead waiting at home to greet Her.

So there I was, preparing the Aarti and flowers, being my usual allsmiley friendly self, until I looked into Her eyes. You know there are some moments in time that go by quickly for everyone else except you? Well, that was one such time for me. I looked at Her and smiled, but she just looked at me and kept looking. I remember feeling or knowing at that point that She can see my very soul. I felt as though She could see my past, my future, everything, and it scared me to my
core!

She had my attention.

I wanted to know more but was scared by what I may find out. I was confused and unsure. We heard that she could read minds and I knew it had to be true, so we tried to keep our thoughts good.

That night, my mother took me to Her to introduce me. Site rc ‘I ccl my name I think and this time when I looked at Her, I felt to cry. No? sad cry, just cry. Like when the ultimate truth of your life is lacing you, you don’t understand it, but it makes so many etriolioris roll around inside you and your body does not know 1mw else lo bring these emotions out, so your throat chokes up and your eyes tear up. And that’s how it was at that moment.

Throughout Her stay with us, Swamiji was like a beacon, a soft but powerful beacon, to everyone who had the good fortune to meet Her She didn’t need to say anything, you didn’t need to say anything, but everyone just needed to be in Her presence, because wherever She was there was peace and love and truth. Even the air was fragrant close to Her This description may seem poetic and extreme to those who have never met Her, but those who have are probably agreeing and remembering the experience that was Swamiji.

That was the first time in my life! came so close to divinity. It was as though before, I would be like a window shopper in a mall who never walked into the store, but this time I got the chance to walk in and be a part of an experience with divinity.

Swamiji said to me that she understands who She is but I am yet to understand who I am. The funny thing is that I had so many questions to ask Her, really good and interesting questions that I would have thought about before, but when I had my moments in front of Her, nothing else seemed important. I just wanted to sit there and look at Her I wanted to allow the tears to flow from my eyes, to breathe in and out in that place close to Her. I just wanted to exist in Her presence. In those moments my faith is so strong and I know that everything will be as it should be, and it will all be perfect and beautiful and filled with love and grace.

Swamiji left our shores in one (01) week’s time, but everyday after, I would think about Her
I wondered if She was sent to be my new Guru, since my Guru had died. I wondered if She was God. We all wondered. To this day, I don’t know if anyone decided definitely if She is or is not who we call God.

In 2006, She graced us again with Her presence. Once more, I stayed at home to welcome Her. I was really nervous, I’m not sure why. The moment I saw Swamiji and She smiled, I thought to myself how beautiful She is, just like my Krishna. I’ve had that question in my heart since then, is Swamiji my Krishna? I don’t know. But I love Her, like everyone else who has met Her She is love. She is peace. She is truth.

In an unofficial way, She has been added to my list. I seek Her mentally when I need a friend, the same way I look for my Lord Krishna.

Lord Krishna, He is my best friend. Lord Ram is always my savior. Lord Hanuman is my protector. Lord Shiva is the foundation and strength of my marriage. And Swamiji, She is my hope, my link to freedom into that place that is the ultimate truth, that is boundless love, that is pure bliss. She is the answer to all the questions I burnt to ask even though the possibility of the answers terrifies me. She is something so divine and pure and true who has accepted the limitations of a human body only for us, for me.

This is my experience with Swami Jayanthi Kumaraswamy, a window to a part of my life. You may or may not have gained an important message here, but what is more important is that I had the opportunity to share this with you.

Written by Rakhee A. Kissoon Guidance Officer I
Editor - Dharrna Karma Publication 2007 rakhee22@yahoo corn

Eleven years ago, like the typical Trinidadian Hindu, I avoided everything that was connected to the worship of Mother Kali. As a result, when I started to practice Panditai (conducting prayers for people), I was placed in a very uncomfortable position whenever devotees requested Kali Maa Pooja. My system of pooja is satwic (using only fruits and sweets) and therefore devotees wishing to make offerings to Mother Kali were requested to offer Lapsee and soharie (made of flour, ghee and sugar) instead of meat and blood as was the popular belief for offerings required for Mother Kali worship at the time.

On Monday 11th November 1996,1 returned home for something and at the same time a taxi driver from Arima by the name of Hashim brought a man from Martinique to see me. This person did not know English and I did not know French. The taxi driver was none the wiser. We were trying desperately to communicate with each other, when suddenly the idea came to my head that this Frenchman had some ‘spiritual’ problem. Thinking like this, I told Hashim to bring him back on Friday morning.

On Friday 15th November 1996, the Frenchman returned as arranged with the taxi driver. After the Frenchman left on our previous meeting, I concluded that his problem must have been a spiritual one and maybe I was required to ‘exorcise’ a ‘spirit’ from him. As such, I irranged for four Pundits to meet me at the Sewdass Sadhu Temple at Waterloo so that we would perform ‘Brahm’ Pooja to remove whatever was causing problems with the Frenchman. I took him in my car and we went shopping for all the ingredients that were required to perform the ‘Brahm’ Pooja.

While on our way to the Sewdass Sadhu Temple, somewhere in the vicinity of the Dattatreya Mandir, a strange occurrence took place in ny car. My car was filled with an ILLUMINATING DIVINE FORCE. I kupt driving while I was trying to figure out what was happening when suddenly the knowledge came to me that this DIVINE FORCE was the presence of Mother Kali. The Divine Force then spoke to me with agression, ‘this is not what I sent my son to you for.’ I replied, ‘Mother I could not understand him and I thought he had a problem.’ Mother Kali then instructed me, ‘I have sent him to you for you to make him a Pundit.’ With this new understanding, I supplicated to Her, ‘Mother if that is what you want, I would do it.’ The Divine Force then left my car.

When we arrived at the Temple, I told the four Pundits who were awaiting us that we would not be doing ‘Brahm’ Pooja but would be giving him ‘Janew’ (the initiation ceremony for a pundit) instead. To my amazement, and undoubtedly through the will of Mother Kali, everything that was required for the Janew Sanskaar we had unknowingly bought.

This Frenchman is our own beloved pundit from Martinique... PUNDIT PATRICK DEEPAK LUTBERT.

Since this experience in my car, I have developed a unique relationship with the Goddess Kali and learnt so much more about Her.

In July 2004, I overnighted at the London Seva Ashram with Swami Nirliptananda and was pleasantly surprised when I saw that the biggest murti in the Temple was that of Mother Kali. When I indicated my surprise to Swamiji, he replied, ‘She is the real Mother.’

Eventually, I found out that in India the names and forms of Mother Durga and Mother Kali are interchangeable with hundreds of millions of devotees depending on what part of India worship is taking place.

The consort of Mother Kali is Lord Shiva and the consort of Mother Durga is Lord Shiva. Does it mean that Lord Shiva has two wives? The answer is NO. Both Goddesses are the same; they only have different ‘roles’.
now know that Mother Kali is the Goddess of Peace and Love.

May you too be blessed with Her Divine Grace.

Jai Kali Maa

Written By Pundit Samsundar Rarndeen Hindu Marriage Officer
LP # 62 Railway Road, Cunupia Tel: (868) 665-3739 or (868) 678-9406
Cell: 374-2743 gurujil0o@yahoo. corn

Classic depictions of Kali share several features, as follows:

Kali has four arms and hands. Two of these hands (usually the left) are holding a sword and a severed head. This signifies that no one can avoid her in her personification of mortal death. The other two hands (usually the right) are in blessing, which means her initiated devotees (or anyone worshipping her with a true heart) will be saved as she will guide them here and in the hereafter.

She wears a garland of 51 heads, which represents the Varnamala, or the Garland of Letters. This represents the 51 letters of the Devanagari or Sanskrit script. Hindus believe Sanskrit is a language of dynamism and each of these letters represents a form of energy, or a form of Kali. Therefore she is generally seen as the mother of language, and all mantras.

She is often depicted naked with Maya as her only covering and is shown as very dark, as she has no permanent qualities — she will continue to exist even when the universe ends. It is therefore believed that the concepts of color, light, good, bad do not apply to her — she is the pure, un-manifested energy, the Adi-shakti.

She is also accompanied by serpents and a jackal while standing on a seemingly dead Shiva, usually right foot forward to symbolize the more popular Dakshinamarga or right-handed path.

The symbolism of the Daksinakali theological perspective is often seen as antiquated and misogynistic. The more thoughtful and Tantric interpretation of Kali standing on top of her husband is as follows:
The Shiv (Divine Consciousness as Shiva) is inactive, while the Shakti tattava (Divine Energy as Kali) is active. Shiva, or Mahadeva represents Brahman, the Absolute pure consciousness which is beyond all names, forms and activities. Kali, on the other hand, represents the potential (and manifested) energy responsible for all names, forms and activities. She is his Shakti, or creative power, and is seen as the substance behind the entire content of all consciousness. She can never exist apart from Shiva or act independently of him, i.e., Shakti, all the matter/energy of the universe, is not distinct from Shiva, or Brahman, but is rather the dynamic power of Brahman.

To properly understand this complex Tantric symbolism it is important to remember that the meaning behind Shiva and Kali does not stray from the non-dualistic parlance of Shankara or the Upanisads. According to both the Mahanirvana and Kularnava Tantras, there are two distinct ways of perceiving the same absolute reality. The first is a transcendental plane which is often described as static, yet infinite. It is here that there is no matter, there is no universe and only consciousness exists. This form of reality is known as Shiva, the absolute Sat-Chit-Ananda — existence, knowledge and bliss. The second is an active plane, an immanent plane, the plane of matter, of Maya, i.e., where the illusion of space-time and the appearance of an actual universe does exist. This form of reality is known as Kali or Shakti, and (in its entirety) is still specified as the same Absolute Sat-Chit-Ananda. It is here in this second plane that the universe (as we commonly know it) is experienced and is described by the Tantric seer as the play of Shakti, or God as Mother Kali.

From a Tantric perspective, when one meditates on reality at rest, as absolute pure consciousness (without the activities of creation, preservation or dissolution) one refers to this as Shiva or Brahman. When one meditates on reality as dynamic and creative, as the Absolute content of pure consciousness (with all the activities of creation, preservation or dissolution) one refers to it as Kali or Shakti. However, in either case the yogini or yogi is interested in one and the same reality — the only difference being in name and fluctuating aspects of appearance. It is this which is generally accepted as the meaning of Kali standing on the chest of Shiva.

In spite of her seemingly terrible form, Kali is often considered the kindest and most loving of all the Hindu goddesses, as she is regarded by her devotees as the Mother of the whole Universe. And, because of her terrible form she is also often seen as a great protector.
 

Slayer of Raktabija
In Kali’s most famous myth, Durga and her assistants, the Matrkas, wound the demon Raktabija, in various ways and with a variety of weapons, in an attempt to destroy him. They soon find that they have worsened the situation, as for every drop of blood that is spilt from Raktabija the demon reproduces a copy of himself (a clone). As a result, the battlefield becomes increasingly filled with his duplicates. Durga, in dire need of help, summons Kali to combat the demons. In order to prevent the continued cloning of the demon Raktabija and to destroy him, Mother Kali stops the blood from falling to the ground by taking the blood as well as the many Raktabija duplicates in her gaping mouth. Pleased with her victory, Ka]r then dances on the field of battle, stepping on the corpses of the slain.

DaksinaKaii
In her most famous pose as DaksinaKali, it is said that Kali, becoming drunk on the blood of her victims on the battlefield, dances with destructive frenzy In her fury she fails to see the body of her husband Shiva who lies among the corpses on the battlefield. Ultimately the cries of Shiva attract Kali’s attention, calming her fury. As a sign of her shame at having disrespected her husband in such a fashion, Kair sticks out her tongue.

Maternal Kali
Another myth depicts the infant Shiva calming Kali, instead. In this similar story, Kali again defeated her enemies on the battlefield and began to dance out of control, drunk on the blood of the slain. To calm her down and to protect the stability of the world, Shiva is sent I o the battlefield, as an infant, crying aloud. Seeing the child’s distress, Kali ceases dancing to take care of the helpless infant. She picks him lip, kisses his head, and proceeds to breast feed the infant Shiva. This iiiyth depicts Kali in her benevolent, maternal aspect, something Ihal Is revered in Hinduism.