Thus Spake the Divine - Ambal Worship Ehnances Pati Bhakti and Guru Bhakti

Thus Spake the Divine

Ambal Worship Enhances Pati Bhakti and Guru Bhakti

In this chapter, Poojyasri Maha Periyava highlights the significance of Pati Bhakti, as demonstrated by Ambal with regard to Shiva.

It is quite natural that worship of Ambal follows the trait of Pati Bhakti (Devotion to Husband). This is because She Herself has the highest level of devotion and veneration towards Her Consort. It is really great to show love and veneration towards one, who does not look worthy of the same. There is not much charm in Lakshmi, who shows Her love and adoration towards Maha Vishnu, who is most handsome; ornam ented with gems and jewels. What is more special is Ambal showing greatest love and reverence towards Parameshvara, who lives in a graveyard, is dressed in a tiger skin, wears a garland of skull bones and goes begging on streets!

When Ambal is born as Dakshayani, Her father, Dakshan, does not honour Her Consort Ishvara. Unable to tolerate this insult, Dakshayani jumps into the holy fire saying, “Since I am born to a father named as Dakshan, who did not respect my husband, I don’t deserve this body, which is named as Dakshayani.” She thus sacrifices Her life. The original name of Dakshayani is Sati. Since Her father is Dakshan, she got named after him. Because of this background, British termed wives jumping into the funeral fire of their husbands as “Sati”. Sati thus became the synonym for ‘chaste women”.

Subsequently, Dakshayani is born as daughter of Parvata Raja and is named Parvati. Even then, Her adoration remains unaltered for Parameshvara, who is Samhara Moorthy and continues to be resident of a graveyard. Parvati, when young, performs a rigorous penance to get Parameshvara as Her Consort. Finally, She marries Parameshvara. On marrying Her, Rudra, who appears in a horrid form, turns into a supremely auspicious form and is named Shivam and Parvati becomes Shiva.

There is nothing more auspicious than Ambal (Sarva Mangala Mangalye). On associating with Her, Parameshvara also turns into the most auspicious form. She is ever a Sumangali (a married woman, who is blessed to wear the mangal sutra, sacred thread, till her death. In simple terms, husband of that woman lives a long life). How can there be a threat to Ambal being an eternal Sumangali? Bhagavadpada, in Saundarya Lahari says, “Despite Parameshvara drinking the Deadly Poison (Alakala Visham), He still remains safe and alive”.

Bindi on the forehead and black beads over the neck are indicators of a Sumangali. Ambal is also wearing ear studs made of palm leaves (Thaleepalacha Thadangam). (Maha Periyava comments: “This is an indication that in olden days, people had simple needs. Everyone was wearing palm leaves as ear rings. That is why, even at a later stage when people started wearing diamond ear studs, it became customary to call the ear studs as Vaira Olai”). Let us come to the Thadangam (ear studs) of Ambal. Ear studs are auspicious (Generally ear studs are removed from a woman once her husband dies) and they should never be removed from the ears of Ambal. Her ear studs mean Parameshvara is living on eternally and forever. That is why even though He drank the deadly poison, it did not affect His life. Acharya says, “This is all because of the greatness of your Thadangam Amma”. In Tiruvanaikkaval, it was Acharya, who installed Sri Chakra and Shiva Chakra in the Thadangam of Ambal and calmed Her when She was in a frantic state. He says in Saundarya Lahari, “Thava Janani Thadanga Mahima!”

Even after swallowing deadly poison, the reason for Parameshvara being alive is His association with Ambal, which acted as a detox for the poison by turning it into nectar. Sri Rudra says the same thing. “With dreadful look as Rudra, you possess the Auspicious Body of Shiva. This Shiva is the medicine for entire Universe (Shiva Vishvasya Beshajee); not only for the Universe, She is also the medicine for you too (Shiva Rudrasya Beshajee).”

Women, hence, worship Ambal, as She has transformed even the most obnoxious appearance of Rudra into an auspicious one and also made Him live eternally and forever. Women feel they will be bestowed with the trait of devotion to husbands and receive the boon of remaining Sumangali forever.

Husbands alone are Guru to women. In olden days, boys before eight years of age were initiated with Upanayanam. Its objective was that before lust(Kaman) enters the boys, Gayatri should purify their minds. But, at the same age, women were married and sent along with their husbands. Thus, husbands happened to become the Gurus of their wives. Only subsequently did a woman accept her husband, having been triggered by lust and sensual pleasures. Therefore, for women, both Guru Bhakti and Pati (Husband) Bhakti are identical.

In Srimad Bhagavatam, it is stated that women get up early in the morning during the entire month of Margazhi to worship Ambal, so that they can reach the Feet of Sri Krishna! Likewise, Rukmini also got Sri Krishna as her husband only after praying to Ambal. In Tamil Nadu, right from the Sangam period, women have been taking part in a special pooja to Ambal before their marriage, which is known as “Ambavadal”. Even today, unmarried girls do Gauri Pooja to get good husbands when they marry. This pooja is much more prevalent in Andhra Pradesh.

The characteristic of a chaste woman is that she should accept her husband wholeheartedly, irrespective of his traits or personality. She should surrender her heart only to one person. What is important is that she should not change her mind thereafter. He may be good or bad. Irrespective of that, she should surrender herself to him, so that there is nothing specific left for her. This is a state of completely losing one’s self. When ego and pride are overcome this way, the woman attains Moksha. In other words, when a woman surrenders to her husband, irrespective of his nature, and treats him as

Parameshvara, then Parameshvara, through this man, bestows His grace on her.

Nalayini was totally devoted to her husband, though he was ugly-looking and with horrific traits. As a result, she possessed the power to even stop the sun from rising. The husband of any such Pativrata will hardly have any power at all! The specialty lies in adoring a person who may even be unpleasant looking with defective traits. The woman should think that “Had my husband been handsome and virtuous, I would not have been able to express the sacrifice that I have done. That is why God has given me such a man full of flaws”. By accepting such a husband, humiliation and disgrace will only last for some time. When she thus becomes selfless, Moksha is not far off.

Guru is also similar to a husband. When we accept a Guru, we consider him virtuous. Later, even when we get to know that he is not virtuous, but continue accepting him as our Guru, our mind gets cleansed. That is what I think. We should inculcate the feeling that “Omnipotent Parameshvara is now in this form”. That might offer us better results. What is so great in adoring someone who is good and beautiful? When we love something bad and evil, that very evil might turn good because of our love, isn’t it? It is like how the horrible Rudra turned into auspicious Shivam!

Ambal is one who is in the form of Guru. Kundalini Yoga practitioners start their breathing from the top of their head and get the Dharshan of Ambal’s Feet seated on the Full Moon. That is how Guru Paduka got its name. Even Kalidasa expresses his praise for Ambal saying She takes the form of Guru while exhibiting Her greatness.

Ambal, who sacrificed her life in the sacred fire, surrendered Her Self completely to Ishvara. “Let Ishvara live in a graveyard; let Him play with devils and demons; let him take alms in streets; howsoever He is, I surrender my heart to Him”, says Ambal. Such a magnificent Ambal pours Her grace on people worshipping Her and bestows them with Pati Bhakti and Guru Bhakti.

This article is a snippet from the Book Thus Spake the Divine, is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.