me and fixing me into your mind, by speaking some personal issues and
behavioural relations ,irrespective of the status of the frineds and
my hindu circle .it was not my meaning to say thati have shared only a
table like a hotel or in marriage party of some body unknowingly
joined them but because i belive that i can share only the table of
dine with such high calibre hindu fundamentalists not on the besis of
such pretty reason but because we are too flexible with each other by
considering the views for practical purposes what we shared in hard
times also .
i ask all those who are objecting me of such postings does not bearing
the pain that i received in this group because i am not a person like
others to pass the time without concentration ,understanding the depth
of the content and leave it out as an 'easy going 'and forgetting the
things and the pain what they receive if they receive atleast in this
group .but i received a lot of woulds and how the pain is i only know .
do u all those who object me and taking an adventage of PLAYING the
role of bigwigs like a gentle men with a vision about the society and
indian culture must have the difference in taking the in put very
differently on the issues and reponses and treatments caused with
other fellows in this group .
how do they know how much pain ia m receiveing from few members of
this group ?
once one person aslo appealed the muslims members to leave this group
because one member is posting intentionally to degrade the muslims and
islam constantly with a view to show himself how much he has the
intelligece in pointing out the issues very communally with full of
hate and hatred .
did i ever say anywhere that that fellow's postings are very
objectionable and targetting the muslims and islam intentionally like
a mercinary ?
when i recieved his response on the such wounding and hurting topics
and issues with his personal observations against muslims and islam
,on my couters ,he simply claimed that he is getting the facts and
muslim attracities caused in india against hindus and indian society
.and more offensively asked me to accept such historical incidents as
a muslim and a person practicing islam which is very cruel religion
and offencive and criminal religion ..
how it was regarded as intelligence and knowledge that the person
contained against muslims and islam
and how it could be such derogatory one ? why so difference ?
if u bear that much of offence against muslims and islam ,this also
should bear against hinduism ....still i am not a MERCINARY AND HATE
IDOL .
LET HIM STOP ALL SUCH CONTENTS AND MANIPULATIONS AGAINST ISLAM AND
MUSLIMS FIRST ,then ask me ,,,
i am waiting for that fellow who sparked this episode ....
ayub mohammed
- In issuesonline_ worldwide@ yahoogroups. com, "shadikatyal"
>
>
> Dear Ayub,
>
> It is nice to know that you have such high society friends and have
> sat and eat and studied in RSS schools and got a prize. so
> congratulations but I am lost tht how can an educated and culterued
> man be of so narrow minded and full of hate. Your writings may be
> schoilastic but these are not serving the purpose which may have in
> back of your mind.
> Your friendship with MLA & MP might not be that amicable as you
> claim but I can assure you that anyone who have sat at my dinner
> table has been respected as a human being and not as Hindu Muslim or
> Chritian.You have left the understanding of humanity and love which
> was taught to you by your own faith way behind becaue now all I read
> is hate and more venom.
> Your explaination and talk about knowing others does not show in
> your action despite others also telling you that you are degrading
> yourself and your faith at this time of the year to continue this.
> May Peace be with you at such time of Ramzan
> Shadi
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In issuesonline_ worldwide@ yahoogroups. com, ayub mohammed
>
> >
> > dear shadi
> > i have already told several things i sees very closely like a
> member of the so many families in and around my life through the
> general growth and development of the education and age with
> perfect clarity of adoptable things and issues in my life and
> rejection of the things with virtue and generesity under
> practiceable circumustances in the hindu society and rss run school
> where i studied well and got a first prize on the ramaya subject at
> the just 6th class ...
> >
> > till now nobody identify me by my religion with my name among
> few thousands of friends . of them some from pretty corporator to
> the members of rajya sabha including mlas and mps who know me well
> that i am a neutralized one living with social aspects in
> uncompromised way ..
> >
> > i have lot of hard core hindu fundam,etalists too shared my
> tables with dignity and respect on disputed issues too from street
> level to wight house level ..
> >
> > i can say that i have seen the hinduism very closely by
> associating with upper caste ,brahmins,vyshyas ,rajputs ,shudra scs
> and stc like a members of their own and i too did not feel any
> difference while dining and dealing with them on their critical
> problems too
> >
> > i am still continuing my life where and how i was started with
> hindu society and friendship with perfect understanding ...i am
> ready to show u how i am still in and around the hindu society with
> friends . because i am a practical man and have a habit to live
> among the living lives UNLIKE A mercinary .......
> > ayub mohammed
> >
> >
> > shadikatyal
> wrote:
> >
> > Dear Ayub,
> >
> > I must congratulate you for your research and must admit that
> > you have failed to understnd the basic Hinduism. You are carried
> > away with this hate so far tht you cannot recognise that atleast
> > Hinduism does recognise existance of third sex.One cannot deny
> what
> > God sends to a family and thus existance of such persons or
> diety if
> > you wish to call it does exist.By denying I would think you are
> > denying God and his creation.
> > There are two side of a coin and you can only see only one side
> > because Hate is destroying your intellectual powers.
> >
> > Regards
> > shadi
> >
> > --- In issuesonline_ worldwide@ yahoogroups. com, ayub mohammed
> >
> > >
> > > Hindu Deities and the Third
> > Sex
> > > By Amara Das
> Wilhelm
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Throughout Hindu and Vedic texts there are
> > many descriptions of saints, demigods, and
> even
> > the Supreme Lord transcending gender norms
> and
> > manifesting multiple combinations of sex and
> > gender. These include male, female,
> > hermaphrodite, and all other possibilities.
> In
> > Hinduism, God is recognized as unlimited and
> > untethered by any gender restrictions. For
> the
> > purpose of enjoying transcendental pastimes
> > (lila), the Supreme Lord manifests
> innumerable
> > types of forms—just like an actor on a stage.
> > > As parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord,
> > the various living entities can also be seen
> to
> > manifest within the full spectrum of sex and
> > gender possibilities. From the impersonal
> > perspective, the soul is not male, female, or
> > hermaphrodite, but from the personal perspective the soul
> > assumes such forms according to desire. In
> the
> > mundane sphere, the soul manifests various
> gender
> > roles in the pursuit of material enjoyment,
> but
> > in the spiritual world these roles are
> adopted
> > for the transcendental purpose of reciprocating with the
> > Supreme Lord and rendering loving service.
> > > The following list of Hindu deities
> > provides interesting examples of saints,
> > demigods, and incarnations of the Lord
> associated
> > with gender transformation and diversity.
> These
> > include:
> > >
> > > Deities that are hermaphrodite (half-man, half-woman)
> > > Deities that manifest in all three genders
> > > Male deities who become female, or female deities who
> > become male
> > > Male deities with female moods, or female deities
> > with male moods
> > > Deities born from two males, or from two females
> > > Deities born from a single male, or from a single female
> > > Deities who avoid the opposite sex, and
> > > Deities with principal companions of the same gender
> > > All of these different examples demonstrate
> > the remarkable amount of gender-variance
> found
> > within Hinduism. In India, people of the
> third
> > sex—homosexuals, transgenders, bisexuals,
> > hermaphrodites, transsexuals, etc.—identify
> with
> > these deities and worship them with great reverence
> > and devotion. Along with other Hindus, they
> > arrive en masse to celebrate the large
> holidays
> > and festivals connected with them. In
> > traditional Hinduism, such people were
> associated
> > with these divine personalities due to their combined
> > male and female natures. They were included
> in
> > the various religious ceremonies and viewed
> as
> > auspicious symbols of peace, good fortune and
> > culture.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > 1. Sri Ardhanarisvara
> > > Siva's Hermaphrodite Form
> > > Sri Ardhanarisvara is perhaps the most
> popular
> > and widely known hermaphrodite deity in
> > Hinduism. One half of the deity is Siva
> (usually
> > the right side, but not always), and the
> other
> > half is his wife, goddess Parvati or Durga.
> > Ardhanarisvara is literally split down the
> middle
> > with one female breast, one male breast,
> etc.
> > The male side is represented in masculine
> > features while the female side is voluptuous
> and
> > slender with one large hip. The clothing and
> > ornaments on each side of the deity are also
> > usually represented in male and female
> attire.
> > The oldest-known statue of Ardhanarisvara is
> > located in Mathura and dated to the first century.
> > > In Jayadeva Goswami's twelfth-century text,
> the
> > Sri Gita-Govinda (3.11), Lord Krsna praises
> > Siva's form of Ardhanarisvara while
> > experiencing separation from His beloved
> Radha,
> > as follows: "Just see! Lord Siva lives
> > happily with half of his body united with
> > Parvati, whereas I am far from united with
> > Radhika—I don't even know where She is."
> > > Remarkably, the fantastic hermaphroditic
> form of
> > Sri Ardhanarisvara is not unheard of in
> nature.
> > There is a rare type of mosaic intersexuality
> > known as gynandromorphism in which a creature
> is
> > biologically divided in half with one side
> > (usually the right) male and the other
> female,
> > often with a sharp line of demarcation
> between
> > them. While extremely rare in humans,
> > gynandromorphism has been observed in a number of
> > different animals including butterflies,
> spiders,
> > small mammals, and especially birds—more than
> 40
> > cases of gynandromorphism have been reported
> in
> > avian species like finches, falcons, and
> > pheasants. The gynandromorphic animal is
> > literally divided in half by sex, with one
> testis
> > and one ovary, and in the case of birds
> > > with male plumage on one side and female
> > plumage on the other. Some aboriginal societies
> > highly value such intersexed creatures—they
> are
> > kept separately and cared for meticulously in
> the
> > belief that they bring good luck to the
> village.
> > > Sri Ardhanarisvara embodies the fusion of
> the
> > male and female principles and is said to
> > represent all contradictions in nature such
> as
> > masculine and feminine; light and darkness;
> > impotence and fertility; harshness and
> > compassion, etc. The deity is often
> worshiped
> > for blessings in fertility, marriage,
> progeny,
> > and longevity. People of the third sex, associated
> > with this deity due to their combined male
> and
> > female natures, are believed to possess
> similar
> > powers. Temples of Sri Ardhanarisvara exist
> > throughout India and large festivals are held on the Sivaratri
> > day in the month of Phalguna (February-March) .
> > >
> > >
> > > 2. Sri Arjuna
> > > In Three Genders
> > > In Vedic narratives Sri Arjuna manifests all
> > three genders—male, female, and
> hermaphrodite.
> > He is most popularly known in his male form
> as
> > the heroic warrior of the Mahabharata, the
> > disciple of Sri Krsna in Bhagavad Gita and the
> > husband of Draupadi. He is very, very dear
> to
> > Lord Krsna. It is said that when Krsna first
> met
> > Arjuna tears came to His eyes and He embraced
> > Arjuna wholeheartedly— this was because Arjuna
> > reminded Krsna of His intimate cowherd friend in
> > Vraja of the same name. Krsna and Arjuna
> became
> > instant companions and spent many years
> together
> > in deep friendship. In the Mahabharata
> (Sauptika
> > Parva, XII), Krsna states, "I have no dearer
> > friend on earth than Arjuna, and there is
> nothing
> > that I cannot give to him
> > > including my wives and children." In the
> > Drona Parva of the same text, Krsna
> > reiterates, "O Daruka, I shall not be able to
> > cast my eyes, even for a single moment, on
> the
> > earth bereft of Arjuna…Know that Arjuna is
> half
> > of my body." Once, when Krsna had to leave
> > Hastinapura for Dvaraka, He quickly hurried to the
> > apartments of Arjuna and spent the entire
> night
> > with him in happy slumber, even at the risk
> of
> > upsetting His temperamental wife, Satyabhama.
> As
> > inseparable friends, Arjuna and Krsna are said to be
> > nondifferent from the two Vedic sages of the
> > Himalayas, Nara and Narayana.
> > > In a lesser-known narrative from the Padma
> > Purana (5.74.60-198) , Arjuna is transformed
> into
> > a female—the beautiful cowherd maiden
> Arjuni.
> > After continuously expressing his desire to
> know
> > all about Krsna's divine sporting affairs,
> Krsna
> > finally relents. He instructs Arjuna to
> bathe in
> > a sacred lake, wherefrom he arises as a
> > beautiful, youthful maiden. Worshiping Sri
> > Radha, the maiden Arjuni is granted
> permission to
> > sport with Krsna. However, upon seeing Krsna
> and
> > His beautiful male features, Arjuni becomes
> > wonderstruck and overwhelmed with love, exhibiting all
> > types of ecstatic symptoms and then
> fainting.
> > Seeing her overcome with desire, Krsna takes
> > Arjuni's hand and guides her into His
> pleasure
> > forest where He sports with her
> > > secretly and at will. After some time
> Krsna
> > returns Arjuni to Radha, who then instructs
> her
> > to again bathe in the lake. Arjuna thus
> regains
> > his male form but is left depressed and heartbroken.
> > Krsna reassures Arjuna and, by touching him,
> > restores his male awareness and nature.
> > > One of the most popular narratives of Arjuna
> is
> > his appearance as the male-to-female
> transgender,
> > Brihannala. When Arjuna refuses the advances
> of
> > the celestial courtesan, Urvasi, she curses
> him
> > to become a sandha (literally, half-man, half-
> > woman)—an effeminate man who dresses and
> behaves
> > like a woman. Indra reduces the curse to one year,
> > and this turns out to be a blessing in
> disguise—
> > Arjuna is able to use the so-called curse to
> his
> > advantage during his exile in the capitol
> city of
> > Virata. Arjuna enters the city as
> Brihannala, a
> > most unusual transgender woman with masculine
> > features but an exceedingly effeminate gait, manner of
> > speech, and attire. Brihannala is donned in
> a
> > woman's blouse and draped in red silk.
> Wearing
> > numerous
> > > bangles, earrings and necklaces, she
> enters
> > the royal palace with the gait of a broad-
> hipped
> > woman. After Brihannala requests the king,
> > Maharaja Virata, for employment, he grants her service in
> > the lady's chamber as a teacher of dancing,
> > singing, music, and hairdressing— typical
> > occupations for people of the third sex
> during
> > Vedic times. It is also said that during
> this
> > one-year period, Brihannala performed all of the
> > traditional duties of the sandha by dancing
> and
> > offering blessings at wedding and birth
> > ceremonies.
> > >
> > >
> > > 3. Sri Ayyappa
> > > Son of Siva and Vishnu
> > > The worship of Sri Ayyappa, also known as
> > Hariharaputra and Manikantha, is very popular
> > among the third sex, particularly in South
> > India. As described in the Brahmanda Purana
> and
> > various medieval narratives, Ayyappa is born from two
> > male deities—Siva and Vishnu. Once, while
> > chasing Vishnu's exquisite Mohini form, Lord
> Siva
> > spilled his semen upon the ground. The earth
> > goddess, considering that Siva's semen should
> > never be wasted, stored the first drop
> beneath
> > her soil. Eons later, Ayyappa appeared from the
> > earth on the banks of the river Pampa with a
> > jeweled bell around his neck (thus the name
> > Manikantha) and was discovered by the
> childless
> > king of Pandalam, Rajasekhara. The boy grew
> up
> > to be a strong warrior and was very
> > > popular among the citizens, but due to
> family
> > intrigue he renounced the crown to meditate
> as a
> > celibate atop Mount Sabarimalai in Kerala.
> > Vavar, his dearmost yavana friend and
> companion,
> > accompanied Ayyappa into the forest along
> with
> > Lila, a beautiful nymph whom Ayyappa had once
> > rescued but refused to marry. It is said
> that
> > Ayyappa told Lila he would marry her only
> when
> > male devotees stopped visiting his temples, and for this
> > reason throngs of male devotees faithfully
> make
> > the pilgrimage each year to keep the demigod
> free
> > from marriage. The friendship between
> Ayyappa
> > and Vavar was extremely strong and
> reminiscent of
> > the relationship between Krsna and Arjuna. At
> > one point Ayyappa tells his father: "Consider
> > Vavar as myself."
> > > The worship of Sri Ayyappa is believed to
> have
> > originated in Kerala during the eleventh or
> > twelfth centuries but has greatly increased
> in
> > popularity over the past several decades.
> The
> > original temple of Ayyappa is situated on the Sabarimalai
> > Mountain amidst dense, tropical forests and
> is
> > open only during the pilgrimage season
> (November-
> > February). The main festival for Ayyappa is
> > celebrated on the Makara Sankranti, when the
> sun
> > enters Capricorn and begins its northern journey in mid-
> January.
> > During this time, tens of thousands of male
> > pilgrims make their way up to the shrine
> where
> > there is a great deal of camaraderie between
> the
> > men—women of reproductive age are not allowed
> to
> > make the pilgrimage. Like the god Kartikeya, Sri
> > Ayyappa
> > > is associated with maleness and worshiped for strength,
> > purification, success in celibacy, freedom
> from
> > marriage, and similar benedictions. As the
> son
> > of both Siva and Vishnu, he is said to represent
> > harmony between the Saivite and Vaishnava
> > traditions; as the friend of Vavar, he
> symbolizes
> > mercy and friendship toward non-Hindus and
> > outcastes.
> > >
> > >
> > > 4. Sri Bahucara-Devi
> > > Goddess of Male Castration
> > > Sri Bahucara-devi is a Hindu demigoddess
> > worshiped by people who wish to lose or
> transform
> > their sexual identity—transgender s,
> transsexuals,
> > the intersexed, hijra, eunuchs, and so on.
> She
> > encourages such people to emasculate
> themselves
> > through dreams and, like a mother, offers comfort and
> > protection during the castration ceremony
> (or,
> > nowadays, transsexual operation). Bahucara-
> mata
> > guides her followers through their hardship and is said
> > to bestow special benedictions upon them
> > including the power to bless and curse
> others.
> > During the month of Chaitra (March-April) ,
> tens
> > of thousands of hijra and other devotees of
> > Bahucara flock to the annual Koothandavara
> > festival held in Koovagam, Tamil Nadu. There
> is
> > also a famous temple of Sri Bahucara-devi
> > > located at Shankalpura in Gujarat.
> > > The life of Bahucara-devi is tragic and
> people
> > of the third sex identify with her in many
> ways.
> > As a beautiful goddess, she is deceived into
> a
> > false marriage with a man who neglects her in
> > pursuit of other men. Later, while attending
> a
> > festival, Bahucara is forced to cut off her breasts to
> > avoid being raped by an evil man. As she
> bleeds
> > to death, she curses him to become impotent.
> The
> > first story strikes a chord with many
> homosexual
> > men and women who are forced into unnatural
> > marriages, and the second with women or
> > transgenders who have been assaulted or
> abused by
> > men. In the first story, Bahucara lies in
> bed at
> > night wondering why her young husband will
> not
> > reciprocate her love. When she discovers him
> > leaving home during the
> > > dark and full moon nights, she secretly
> > follows her husband deep into the forest on the
> > back of a jungle fowl. To her surprise, she
> > eventually finds him sporting in a stream
> with
> > other young men and "behaving as women do."
> > Addressing him, she asks, "If you were like
> this,
> > why did you marry me and ruin my life?" He
> > replies that he was forced into marriage so that he could
> > father children and continue the family
> line.
> > Infuriated, she castrates him and
> declares: "Men
> > like you (who dishonestly marry women) should
> > instead emasculate themselves and dress as
> women,
> > worshiping me as a goddess!" In the second
> > story, the evil man begs for deliverance from
> > Bahucara's curse but her reply is
> similar: "Men
> > like you (who rape women) will
> > > only be forgiven when they are castrated,
> > dressed as women, and engaged in my
> worship!"
> > These narrations about the life of Bahucara-
> devi
> > emphasize the Hindu teaching that women must
> > never be abused or mistreated in any way.
> > >
> > >
> > > 5. Maharaja Bhagiratha
> > > Born of Two Women
> > > Maharaja Bhagiratha is famous for bringing
> the
> > celestial Ganges River down to earth, a
> pastime
> > narrated in the Bhagavata Purana (9.9).
> Three of
> > his forefathers had previously attempted the
> feat
> > and failed, but due to Maharaja Bhagiratha's
> > severe austerities, Ganga-devi was pleased and allowed
> > her waters to descend. Bhagiratha also
> > propitiated Lord Siva to bear the great force
> of
> > the river's descent upon his head (pictured
> > above). The Ganges River is considered pure
> > because it touches the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu,
> > and to this day the river is still flowing
> > through the Indian subcontinent and honored
> by
> > millions of Hindus.
> > > Maharaja Bhagiratha is known as the son of
> King
> > Dilipa, but it is the story behind his
> miraculous
> > birth that is most interesting. The
> following
> > narrative is found in the fourteenth-century
> > Krittivasa Ramayana, the most popular Bengali
> > text on the pastimes of Lord Ramacandra (an
> > incarnation of God): Maharaja Dilipa was the
> > king of Ayodhya but had no sons. He left his
> > kingdom to perform severe austerities for the duel
> > purpose of summoning the Ganges and obtaining
> a
> > son; however, he died accomplishing neither.
> The
> > demigods became worried—they had heard that
> > Vishnu would be born in the sun-dynasty, but
> how
> > would this be possible if the dynasty's line
> came
> > to an end? Lord Siva therefore went to the two
> > widowed queens of Maharaja
> > > Dilipa and blessed them to bear a son.
> The
> > queens asked, "How is this possible since we are widows?"
> > Siva replied, "You two make love together and
> by
> > my blessings you will bear a beautiful son."
> The
> > two wives, with great affection for each
> other,
> > executed Siva's order until one of them
> conceived
> > a child. Unfortunately, however, the infant
> was
> > born as a lump of flesh without any features
> or
> > bones. The queens cried out loud, "Why did
> Siva
> > bless us with such a son?" They decided to
> leave
> > the baby on the banks of the Sarayu River, and
> > soon after a great sage, Astavakra, found the
> > child and blessed him to become as powerful
> and
> > good-looking as Cupid (Madana). He summoned
> the
> > two delighted queens and gave them the
> charming,
> > > healthy boy. Astavakra then performed the name-
> > giving ceremony calling him "Bhagiratha"— he
> > who was born from two vulvas (bhaga). In
> this
> > way, the dynasty of Maharaja Dilipa continued
> and
> > Maharaja Bhagiratha eventually fulfilled the
> > wishes of his forefathers by bringing the
> Ganges
> > River to earth.
> > >
> > >
> > > 6. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
> > > Radha and Krsna Combined
> > > Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is described in post-
> > medieval Bengali texts as the combination of
> Sri
> > Radha and Krsna. He is also clandestinely
> > alluded to throughout the Puranas and other
> Vedic
> > texts as the incarnation for this age of Kali—
> the
> > golden avatara, who descends to augment the chanting of
> > the holy names of God. In the Caitanya-
> > Caritamrta, two more confidential reasons are
> > given for Krsna's descent as Sri Caitanya
> > Mahaprabhu: He wanted to taste the ecstatic
> love
> > experienced by Sri Radha for Him, and He wanted to
> > propagate this confidential knowledge to
> anyone
> > eager to receive it. Thus, while appearing
> in a
> > male form, Lord Caitanya's inner mood and
> > emotions were that of a female, His divine
> > consort Sri Radha.
> > > Lord Caitanya appeared in this world during
> the
> > fifteenth century in Mayapura, Bengal (1486
> AD).
> > He had two wives but never any children,
> having
> > taken the renounced order of life (sannyasa)
> at
> > the youthful age of twenty-four. Caitanya
> > Mahaprabhu popularized the chanting of the "Hare Krsna"
> > mantra in India and traveled throughout the
> > Indian subcontinent, making and instructing
> many
> > important disciples. He shared deep
> > relationships with His confidential companions like
> > Gadadhara Pandit, Ramananda Raya, Svarupa
> > Damodara, and others, all of whom are
> revealed as
> > incarnations of Krsna's cowherd girlfriends.
> In
> > the latter years of His life, Caitanya
> Mahaprabhu
> > spent His days pining away in separation from
> > Krsna, experiencing all the
> > > ecstatic moods of Radha. He left this
> world
> > in 1534 AD, at the age of forty-eight, by
> > entering into the Deity of Tota-Gopinatha at
> > Jagannatha Puri, Orissa.
> > > Lord Caitanya is very dear to people of the
> > third sex and is well known for His
> inclusiveness
> > and compassion toward all types of beings.
> It is
> > said that the more fallen and destitute a
> person
> > is, the more qualified he becomes for Lord
> > Caitanya's mercy. From His very birth, Lord
> > Caitanya demonstrated kindness toward the
> third
> > sex—transgender dancers were invited into His
> > courtyard during the birth ceremony and the
> Lord
> > graciously accepted their service and blessings.
> > Throughout His lifetime, Lord Caitanya
> > continuously challenged smarta brahmanas and
> > mundane religionists who excluded the lower classes
> > with their dry regulations and caste-
> > consciousness.
> > > The mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has
> > increased significantly over the past several
> > decades, and what was once an esoteric cult
> of
> > Bengal has since become a worldwide-establish ed faith.
> > This is single-handedly due to the efforts
> and
> > devotion of His Divine Grace A.C.
> Bhaktivedanta
> > Swami Prabhupada, a pure devotee of Lord
> Caitanya
> > who spread His mission to the West in 1965 by
> > founding the Hare Krishna movement. Lord
> > Caitanya's appearance day, Gaura-purnima, is
> > observed on the full-moon day in Phalguna
> > (February-March) and celebrated by millions
> of
> > people all over the world, especially in
> > Mayapura, West Bengal, where the Lord first
> > appeared. The day after this is known as
> > Jagannatha-Misra- mahotsava and celebrated as
> the
> > day
> > > when Lord Caitanya received blessings from the third-
> > gender community.
> > >
> > >
> > > 7. Sri Chandi-Chamunda
> > > Twin Warrior Goddesses
> > > The twin warrior goddesses, Chandi and
> Chamunda,
> > represent a curious tradition in Hinduism of
> > female warriors, often depicted in pairs, who
> > ride together in battle defeating men and
> > exhibiting extraordinary strength and
> prowess.
> > Throughout India they are assigned different
> > names in different traditions—Dayamava-
> Durgamma
> > in Karnataka, Chotila-Chamunda in Gujarat, Keliamma-
> > Chamunda in Uttar Pradesh, etc.—but the
> stories
> > related to them are all very similar.
> > > Sri Chandi and Sri Chamunda are expansions
> of
> > the goddess Durga and the story of their
> > appearance is as follows: There were once
> two
> > demons, Chanda and Munda, who performed great
> > austerities for thousands of years in order to please
> > Lord Brahma. After some time, Brahma
> appeared
> > before them and they asked for the
> benediction to
> > become great warriors, strong enough to rule
> the
> > world and conquer heaven. Brahma granted the
> > request but, because the two were demons,
> chaos
> > quickly ensued. They became more and more greedy
> > and even tried to violate the abodes of
> Brahma,
> > Siva and Vishnu. It was agreed that Durga-
> devi
> > should handle the matter, and the goddess
> > expanded herself into two forms, Chandi and
> > Chamunda, who fiercely fought
> > > against the demons and emerged victorious.
> > > Sri Chandi-Chamunda is said to be the
> embodiment
> > of Durga's power and strength. The two
> deities
> > assume fierce forms with large eyes, tridents
> in
> > their hands, and ride a single lion
> together.
> > They are dressed in red and green and adorned
> > with flower garlands. There are temples to
> these
> > twin goddesses scattered throughout India—a famous
> > one is situated on the Chotila Hill in
> Gujarat.
> > Festivals are celebrated during Durga-puja in
> the
> > month of Ashvina (September-October) .
> > >
> > >
> > > 8. Sri Gadadhara
> > > Radha in Male Form
> > > Sri Gadadhara, one of Lord Caitanya's four
> > principal male associates, is none other than
> Sri
> > Radha Herself, the embodiment of Lord Krsna's
> > internal potency or shakti. It is said that
> Lord
> > Caitanya had so much affection for His dear
> > friend Gadadhara that He couldn't be without him
> > for a moment. In the same way, no one can
> > describe the ecstatic affection that
> Gadadhara
> > had for Caitanya; therefore another name for
> Sri
> > Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Gadadhara Prananatha,
> the
> > life and soul of Gadadhara Pandit. Gadadhara was
> > one year younger than Caitanya and appeared
> in
> > the same village of Navadvipa, Bengal. As
> > childhood friends, they were inseparable and
> > played together constantly.
> > > There are two confidential reasons for Sri
> > Radha's descent as Gadadhara Pandit: The
> first
> > reason is so She could associate with Krsna
> > without restraint. One day, Srimati Radharani
> > praised the good fortune of Krsna's cowherd
> > friend, Subala, because he was always able to
> > accompany Krsna and could embrace Him
> publicly.
> > She, on the other hand, faced so many social
> > restrictions and restraints. Reflecting on this,
> > Radha desired to take a male birth in Lord
> > Caitanya's pastimes so that She could always
> have
> > the Lord's association. The second
> confidential
> > reason is so She could witness Her own
> ecstatic
> > emotions in Caitanya Mahaprabhu and assist Him
> > through them.
> > > Gadadhara Pandit never married. Rather, he
> > accepted the renounced order of sannyasa like
> > Lord Caitanya and went to Jagannatha Puri to
> be
> > with Him. Taking a vow to always remain in
> Puri,
> > Sri Gadadhara nearly died when Lord Caitanya
> left
> > to go on a pilgrimage alone. When Lord
> Caitanya
> > eventually departed from this world,
> Gadadhara
> > quickly became very old and feeble out of intense anguish
> > due to separation from the Lord. Shortly
> > thereafter he also left this world by
> entering
> > into the Tota-Gopinatha Deity.
> > > Gadadhara and Caitanya Mahaprabhu are often
> > worshiped together as Sri Gaura-Gadadhara or
> as
> > two of the five Panca-tattva Deities
> (pictured
> > above). A festival honoring Sri Gadadhara's
> > appearance is celebrated on the new moon day in Vaishaka (April-
> May).
> > >
> > >
> > > 9. Sri Ganesha
> > > Born of Parvati Alone
> > > Sri Ganesha is famous as the elephant-headed
> god
> > and is very popular among the third sex. His
> > birth is described in the Siva Purana (4.13.9-
> 39)
> > as follows: Parvati, the wife of Lord Siva,
> > desired to have a powerful son who would obey
> her
> > alone. She wanted a servant who would guard
> her
> > inner apartments without being subservient to Siva,
> > like all of the other Ganas (attendants of
> > Siva). Thinking in this way, Parvati, along
> with
> > her female associates, fashioned a strong and
> > beautiful son out of clay. She instructed
> him to
> > become her gatekeeper, obeying no one other than
> > herself, and then departed for the inner
> sanctums
> > of her apartment to bathe with her
> companions.
> > Siva then appeared in a playful mood. He was
> > hoping to find
> > > Parvati but was instead checked at the
> > entrance by Ganesha. An argument ensued but
> > Ganesha would not relent. Siva tried to
> enter
> > forcefully but Ganesha beat him again and
> again
> > with a stick. Becoming furious, Siva
> summoned
> > his Ganas and commanded them, "Find out who
> this
> > boy is and what he is doing here!" The Ganas
> > also argued with Ganesha but Parvati and her
> > cohorts intervened and told Ganesha to stand
> > firm. A battle ensued and Ganesha defeated
> all
> > of Siva's Ganas, including Kartikeya. Siva
> then
> > challenged Ganesha directly and a long, fierce
> > battle commenced. Ganesha fought valiantly
> but
> > was ultimately beheaded by Siva. Infuriated,
> > Parvati threatened to destroy the entire
> universe
> > unless her beloved son was revived and
> > > given an honorable position among the demigods.
> > Siva agreed and replaced Ganesha's head with
> that
> > of an elephant's.
> > > Lord Ganesh represents mysterious identities
> and
> > the "queerness" found in Hinduism and nature—
> the
> > idea that anything can be possible.
> Throughout
> > Hindu texts many strange, incredible
> creatures
> > are found. Garuda, for instance, the carrier
> of
> > Lord Vishnu, has a form that is half-man, half-eagle.
> > Hanuman, the servant of Lord Rama, is half-
> > monkey, half-god. Vishnu's incarnation of
> Lord
> > Nrsimhadeva appears in a half-man, half-lion
> > form. The third sex is half-man, half-woman.
> > Many celestial beings are described in Vedic
> > texts as kinnara (literally, what creature?)
> or
> > kimpurusa (what man?). The peculiar nature
> of
> > Sri Ganesha's birth and features continues in
> > this tradition, making him very attractive to his
> > followers and hinting at
> > > the inconceivable nature of God and His creation.
> > > Sri Ganesh is traditionally worshiped as a
> > bachelor although sometimes he is depicted as
> > married. He is also known as Ganapati (lord
> of
> > the Ganas) and Vinayaka (born without a male
> > father). He is famous as the celestial
> guardian
> > and gatekeeper who removes all obstacles and permits a
> > person to "cross over." Like Lord Siva and
> > Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Ganesha is known to be
> very
> > compassionate to those who are fallen and
> > destitute. Ganesha's appearance day (Ganesha
> > Caturthi) is celebrated all over India on the
> > fourth day of the waxing moon in Bhadrapada
> > (August-September) , especially in big cities like Mumbai.
> > Many hundreds of thousands of people attend,
> > including members of the third sex.
> > >
> > >
> > > 10. Sri Harihara
> > > Vishnu and Siva Combined
> > > Sri Harihara is a form in which the two male
> > deities of Vishnu and Siva are fused
> together,
> > similar to the Ardhanarisvara form. It is
> said
> > that this form of the Lord appeared when Siva
> > embraced Vishnu as Mohini—thus the right side
> of
> > the Deity is Lord Siva (the male side) and the left is
> > Vishnu (the female side). Many variations of
> > this form can be found throughout temples in
> > India. In traditional images, the right side
> > depicting Siva carries a trident, has matted
> hair
> > and is accompanied by Nandi (Siva's bull
> carrier)
> > or a Gana (a dwarf-like attendant). The left side
> > with Vishnu carries a chakra, wears a crown,
> and
> > is accompanied by a Vishnu attendant. The
> > picture above is a twelfth-century image of
> Sri
> > Harihara from Rajasthan,
> > > located at the Bharat Kali Bhavan in
> Varanasi.
> > > The Deity of Sri Harihara is not very common
> and
> > little is known about this unique form. To
> many,
> > He is the father of Hariharaputra, Lord
> Ayyappa,
> > while to others He symbolizes the union and
> deep
> > relationship between Vishnu and Siva—bringing
> > harmony between the Vaishnava and Saivite traditions.
> > >
> > >
> > > 11. Sri Iravan
> > > Husband to Vishnu
> > > Sri Iravan, known in Tamil Nadu as Aravan,
> is
> > the son of Arjuna and the serpent-princess,
> > Ulupi. In the Mahabharata, Iravan was a hero
> > during the battle of Kuruksetra and served
> both
> > Krsna and his father Arjuna by slaying many of
> > Duryodhana's soldiers.
> > > The worship of Iravan in South India has
> become
> > increasingly popular over the past several
> > decades. The main temple is located near
> > Koovagam in Tamil Nadu and the deity
> worshiped
> > there is known as Koothandavara (pictured). A
> > popular festival devoted to Iravan is
> observed on
> > the full-moon day in Chaitra (March-April)
> and is
> > attended by tens of thousands of hijra,
> > homosexuals, transgenders, and other people
> of
> > the third sex. The celebrations are based on
> > Tamil versions of the Mahabharata in which
> Krsna
> > assumes His Vishnu form of Mohini—the most
> > beautiful of women. During the battle of
> > Kuruksetra, Iravan offers himself as a
> sacrifice
> > to Kali to ensure victory for the Pandavas. He asks
> > for three benedictions before he dies, one of
> > > which is to marry and lose his virginity
> > before death. Since no parent would give up
> a
> > daughter to a man about to be sacrificed,
> Krsna
> > agrees to assume His Mohini form and marries Iravan for
> > the night. The next day, Iravan is
> sacrificed.
> > > During the Koothandavara festival, thousands
> of
> > hijra and other men dress up as women to
> reenact
> > this pastime, bringing it to life. On the
> day
> > Iravan is slain, they mourn his death by
> wailing,
> > beating their chests, breaking their bangles,
> > etc., in order to commemorate Iravan's sacrifice
> > and the painful emotions experienced by his
> > friends and relatives. Like the demigoddess
> > Bahucara, Sri Iravan is popular with the
> third
> > sex throughout India and has become a patron saint for them.
> > >
> > >
> > > 12. Sri Kali
> > > Goddess of Destruction
> > > Goddess Kali embodies the wrath of material
> > nature and has a very fierce form. She has
> four
> > arms carrying a trident, machete-like ax
> > (khadagh), severed head of a demon and a
> vessel
> > of blood. A similar form known as Sri Bhadra-
> > kali has ten arms yielding various weapons.
> Kali
> > has a blackish complexion and red eyes. She
> > wears a garland of human heads, a skirt of
> human
> > arms, slaughters millions of demons and
> relishes
> > drinking their blood. Armies of scantily
> clad
> > dakinis (she-demons) gleefully assist her in
> the
> > slaughter. The picture above is a modern shrine
> > of the goddess from the Rajgir Hot Springs in
> > Bihar.
> > > Sri Kali is one of the many expansions of
> Durga-
> > devi, the consort of Lord Siva and goddess of
> the
> > material energy. Goddess Durga has many
> > different names and expansions such as
> Parvati,
> > Amba, Bhadra, Uma, Sati, and so on. One time
> > goddess Kali was engaged in a universal war
> so
> > fierce that her fury went out of control.
> All
> > the gods were terrified and no one could end
> her
> > ruthless slaughter. They approached Lord
> Siva as
> > a last resort, and Siva, not sure what to do,
> > prostrated himself before the goddess in full surrender
> > to her power. Kali unknowingly stepped on
> her
> > lord and, realizing what she had done,
> recoiled
> > back in horror, sticking out her tongue.
> > Remorseful, she cried out, "My lord!" and in
> that
> > way was brought back to her
> > > senses, ending the slaughter.
> > > Sri Kali manifests an amazing display of
> power
> > and might, shattering all stereotypes of
> women as
> > only feminine. As a divine warrior, she
> fights
> > equally beside men and defeats them in
> battle.
> > As a goddess, she rides a tiger and carries
> out
> > mass destruction—war, catastrophe, cyclones,
> > earthquakes, etc.—are all manifestations of
> her
> > colossal force. "Kala" means time, and
> therefore
> > Kali represents the destructive force of
> material
> > time. Kali is a very popular goddess,
> especially
> > in Bengal, and there are many temples devoted to her.
> > Devotees of Kali generally worship her as the
> > personification of the material energy
> (Siva's
> > shakti), to appease her wrath, and to pray
> for
> > all kinds of benedictions. Kali-puja
> > is
> > > celebrated on the new moon day in Katrika (October-
> > November) and maked by animal and sometimes
> even
> > human sacrifices. Durga-puja
> is
> > held on the seventh day of the waxing moon in Ashvina (September-
> > October). During this festival, Durga-devi's
> > divine yoni (womb) is worshiped as a symbol
> of
> > fertility and the female principle.
> > >
> > >
> > > 13. Sri Kartikeya
> > > Son of Siva and Agni
> > > Kartikeya is the son of two male deities—
> Siva
> > and Agni —born without the help of any womb.
> He
> > is the god of war and commander-in- chief of
> the
> > demigods. Kartikeya is also known as Skanda,
> > Subrahmanya, and Murugan, and portrayed as a
> > brave, handsome youth riding on a peacock, sometimes in
> > a six-headed and twelve-armed form. Like his
> > brother Ganesha, Kartikeya is traditionally
> > worshiped as a bachelor who avoids women. In
> the
> > Brahmanda Purana it is stated that Parvati
> cursed
> > Kartikeya so that he would see all women as
> his
> > mother. Thus he never married and instead
> took
> > companionship from his fellow soldiers. Another
> > name for Kartikeya is Senapati—he was a lord
> > or "husband" to his army.
> > > Three Vedic texts narrate the birth of
> Kartikeya
> > in somewhat different versions: the
> Mahabharata
> > and the Siva and Skanda Puranas. In the
> > Mahabharata, Agni (the fire god) is aroused
> by
> > the six Krittika goddesses (the Pleiades) and
> > discharges his semen into the hand of one of them,
> > named Svaha-devi. She discards the semen
> into a
> > lake from which Skanda (literally, "he who
> was
> > cast off") emerges. Because the Krittikas
> nursed
> > him, he was named Kartikeya. The Mahabharata
> > mentions that since the place where Agni
> > discharged his semen was itself created from
> the
> > seed of Siva, both gods are considered
> fathers of
> > Kartikeya. In the best-known version from the
> > Siva Purana, Kartikeya's birth is described
> as
> > follows: The demigods needed a son
> > > who would lead their army against the
> asuras
> > (demons). Siva and Parvati agreed to produce
> > such a son, but when they were locked in
> cosmic
> > embrace for a very long time, the demigods became alarmed
> > and interrupted them. Siva spilled his seed
> on
> > the ground and Agni, disguised as a dove and
> > urged on by the other gods, swallowed the
> semen
> > with his beak. Parvati was enraged by the
> course
> > of events and chastised the gods bitterly.
> Agni
> > was burned by the fire of Siva's seed and submitted
> > himself before the god. Siva was pleased and
> > allowed Agni to pass the semen on to the
> > Krittikas. The sagely husbands of these
> > goddesses, however, accused their wives of
> > unfaithfulness and therefore they discharged
> the
> > semen onto the Himalayan peaks.
> > > Himavata (the Himalayas personified and
> > father of Parvati) was burned by the seed and
> > tossed it into the Ganges River, which in
> turn
> > deposited it into a forest of reeds—wherefrom
> a
> > very handsome boy was born named Kartikeya. His
> > appearance made Siva, Parvati, and all the
> gods
> > very happy. In the Skanda Purana, the story
> is
> > nearly identical with the exception that Agni
> > swallowed Siva's semen disguised as a male
> > ascetic instead of a dove. The Mahabharata
> also
> > relates that when Kartikeya was very young, Indra feared
> > he would usurp his throne and thus threw a
> > thunderbolt at the boy. Instead of killing
> > Kartikeya, however, it simply produced from
> his
> > body another fierce-looking youth named Visakha.
> > Indra then worshiped Kartikeya and installed
> him
> > as
> > > commander-in- chief of the demigods.
> > > Like Ayyappa of similar birth, Sri Kartikeya
> is
> > associated with maleness and many temples in
> > India prevent women from entering his
> shrines.
> > He is portrayed as the divine patron of
> warriors
> > and represented by the planet Mars, battle,
> > virility, progeny, bravery and strength.
> There
> > are temples of Lord Kartikeya throughout
> India,
> > with special celebrations and festivals held
> > during the month of Magha (January-February) .
> > Like his brother, Ganesha, Kartikeya is
> generally
> > worshiped as a bachelor although some
> traditions,
> > especially in South India, depict him as
> > married. It should be noted that Hindu
> deities
> > are often worshiped in many different forms and
> > features, including married or unmarried, in
> > accordance with the particular mood
> > > and tradition of the devotee. For instance,
> > some devotees of Lord Krsna worship Him as an
> > unmarried youth in Vrindavana, whereas others
> > worship Him as a married king in Dvaraka.
> > >
> > >
> > > 14. Sri Krsna
> > > Attractor of Cupid
> > > Sri Krsna is known as Madana-mohana— the
> > attractor of the male deity, Kamadeva
> (Cupid).
> > Indeed, the very name Krsna means "all-
> > attractive" and His unsurpassed beauty
> captivates
> > all beings whether male, female, or third-sex.
> > Kamadeva is known as the most exquisitely
> > beautiful youth within the creation who
> charms
> > and mesmerizes everyone as the god of sex;
> yet in
> > spite of this, Kamadeva himself is completely
> > enthralled and bewildered by the unparalleled
> > beauty of Krsna. Because Sri Krsna is adi-
> purusa—
> > the supreme and original male—all other
> beings
> > are regarded as female in relation to Him.
> > > Vedic texts, especially the Bhagavata
> Purana,
> > describe Krsna as the fountainhead and
> original
> > source of Vishnu and all incarnations. His
> > unique feature is His madhura rasa—His
> > unparalleled sweet and intimate conjugal pastimes—
> > that place Him above all other forms of God
> like
> > Vishnu or Narayana. God is normally
> worshiped in
> > great reverence and formality, but in Krsna
> all
> > Godhood is left aside for the sake of divine love.
> > He is depicted not as a crowned king seated
> upon
> > a royal throne, but as a fresh, charming
> youth—
> > playing in the pastures with His cows and
> friends
> > during the day, and calling the gopi maidens
> with
> > His flute at night. Many sages and demigods
> have
> > aspired to witness Krsna's divine sport, and
> > males like Arjuna,
> > > Narada, and even Lord Siva have transformed
> > themselves into females for the purpose of
> > attaining Krsna's intimate association. In
> the
> > Padma Purana it is said that during the
> advent of
> > Lord Rama, the sages of Dandakaranya Forest
> > became so attracted to the Lord they developed
> > conjugal affection for Him. Since Rama could
> > accept only one wife, Sita, He blessed the
> sages
> > to become cowherd maidens in Krsna's
> pastimes,
> > thus fulfilling their desires.
> > > Krsna's pastimes are very playful and
> sportive;
> > narratives from the Puranas as well as post-
> > medieval texts often portray Krsna and His
> > friends, both men and women, cross-dressing
> for
> > fun and delivering messages in disguise. Krsna
> > has many male attendants (sahayakas) who
> > meticulously dress and care for Him, and His
> > intimate priya-narma friends arrange
> rendezvous
> > for Him to meet with the gopis. These
> intimate
> > friends are said to have nearly the same
> emotions
> > (bhava) for Krsna that the gopis do, and they
> are
> > always completely overwhelmed by Krsna's beauty and
> > the love they feel for Him.
> > > Krsna is most famous for His loving pastimes
> > with the gopis and His rasa-lila dances with
> > them. His chief consort is Sri Radha, who is
> the
> > original source of all shaktis and Goddess of
> the
> > spiritual energy. Radha is Krsna's life and
> > soul; in His incarnation of Sri Caitanya
> > Mahaprabhu, He combines with Her to
> experience
> > the ecstatic love She feels for Him. Krsna's
> > natural complexion is bluish, but when He
> > combines with Radha He takes on a golden
> > complexion and is thus known as Lord Gauranga.
> > > In Dvaraka, Krsna manifests a majestic form
> of
> > God known as Dvarakadisa or Vasudeva. In
> this
> > feature, He becomes a royal king and speaks
> the
> > Bhagavad Gita to His dear friend and
> disciple,
> > Arjuna. The Bhagavad Gita (which is a
> chapter
> > from the Mahabharata) is the best-known Vedic
> > text and stresses the importance of bhakti-
> yoga—
> > the process of uniting with God in love and
> > devotion.
> > > Krsna is worshiped all over India and
> throughout
> > the world. A festival celebrating His
> > appearance, Janmastami, occurs on the eighth
> day
> > of the waning moon in the month of Bhadrapada
> > (August-September) and is one of the largest festivals in
> India.
> > While ordinary people worship Krsna for all
> kinds
> > of benedictions and even liberation, His pure
> > devotees worship Him for the sole purpose of
> > achieving krsna-prema, or pure love of God.
> > >
> > >
> > > 15. Sri Minakshi-Devi
> > > Warrior Goddess
> > > Sri Minakshi-devi is a mighty demigoddess
> who is
> > especially popular in South India. As an
> > expansion of Parvati, she is the wife of Lord
> > Sundaresvara (Siva). Minakshi was self-born
> from
> > a sacrificial fire to King Malayadvaja and
> his
> > queen, Kancamanala, in Madurai. She is named
> > Minakshi because her eyes are compared with
> those
> > of fish—she never blinks and is always
> watching
> > over her devotees. Like the goddess Kali,
> > Minakshi-devi shatters all stereotypes of
> women
> > as weak or in need of protection. As a
> powerful
> > princess of Madurai, Minakshi rode horses, tamed
> > elephants, and wrestled bulls with her bare
> > hands. She was also fond of hunting, killing
> > many tigers and other ferocious beasts. She
> led
> > armies all over India, fighting
> > > alongside her father and defeating many
> kings
> > and warlords. Goddess Minakshi eventually
> > married Lord Siva and was blessed by Vishnu.
> > > The worship of Sri Minakshi-devi is believed
> to
> > have originated in medieval Tamil Nadu,
> sometime
> > prior to the sixteenth century. Like the
> worship
> > of Lord Ayyappa, Sri Minakshi-devi' s puja has
> > increased in popularity during recent years. Minakshi-
> > devi is revered as an expansion of the
> goddess
> > Durga and worshiped for all types of
> > benedictions. She is said to guard over her
> > devotees and protect them from all harm.
> > Festivals in her honor are held during the
> Durga-
> > puja holiday in the month of Ashvina
> (September-
> > October).
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > 16. Sri Mohini-Murti
> > > Vishnu as Female
> > > Lord Vishnu once transformed Himself into
> the
> > most beautiful woman in the universe—Sri
> Mohini-
> > murti. "Mohini" means "one who bewilders the
> > mind," and "murti" means "form." This
> pastime is
> > narrated in the Bhagavata Purana (8.8-9) as
> > follows: The demigods and demons once combined
> > their efforts to extract immortality-
> producing
> > nectar from the ocean of milk. When the
> nectar
> > was produced, however, the demigods and
> demons
> > struggled for it and the demons made off with
> the
> > pot. The demigods approached Lord Vishnu, who told
> > them not to fear—He would resolve the issue.
> > Vishnu then appeared as Sri Mohini-murti, the
> > most bewildering of women. She is described
> as
> > an extremely beautiful youth with a blackish
> > complexion and attractive
> > > fragrance. Her behavior and movements
> were
> > very feminine and She attracted the minds of
> all
> > men. Mohini approached the demons and,
> taking
> > advantage of their captivation for Her, convinced
> > them to release the pot of nectar. She told
> the
> > demons She would distribute the nectar
> Herself
> > and made them promise to accept whatever She
> > did. They agreed, and once Mohini received
> the
> > nectar She proceeded to distribute it only to
> the
> > demigods. Thus the demons were never able to
> > receive the nectar of immortality.
> > > Later on, when Siva heard about the Mohini
> form
> > from others, he desired to see its
> unparalleled
> > beauty for himself. He requested Lord Vishnu
> to
> > reveal the form and Vishnu complied.
> However,
> > once Siva saw Mohini's form—appearing before
> him
> > as a playful Goddess—he became completely
> > bewildered and enamored by Her exquisite
> beauty.
> > Siva forcibly embraced Mohini and chased Her
> all
> > over the universe. Only after fully
> discharging
> > semen did he finally return to his senses.
> > > There are a few temples of Sri Mohini-murti
> > throughout India but Her worship is not very
> > prominent. The above image is an eleventh-
> > century statue from Karnataka. The largest
> > festival and human gathering on earth—Kumbha- mela—
> > originates from the pastime of churning the
> milk
> > ocean. It is said that while the demons and
> > demigods were struggling over the pot of
> nectar,
> > four drops were spilled in four places:
> Prayaga,
> > Haridvara, Ujjain and Nasik. These places are thus
> > believed to have great mystical powers.
> Kumbha-
> > mela occurs four times every twelve years,
> once
> > at each of the four locations. The exact
> dates
> > fluctuate since they are calculated according
> to
> > specific astrological alignments. Every twelve
> > years a special
> > > Maha-kumbha- mela occurs at Prayaga on the
> bank
> > of the Ganges River and is attended by
> hundreds
> > of millions of Hindus.
> > >
> > >
> > > 17. Sri Narada Muni
> > > Celestial Celibate
> > > Sri Narada Muni is the transcendental sage
> of
> > the demigods. He was born from the mind of
> Lord
> > Brahma and is a pure devotee of God. Narada
> Muni
> > is a lifelong celibate (naistiki-brahmacar i)
> and
> > is mentioned throughout the Vedic literatures.
> > He is often depicted traveling freely through
> > outer space, plucking a stringed musical
> > instrument (the vina), and preaching the
> glories
> > of Lord Vishnu. Narada Muni moves from
> planet to
> > planet and in all three realms of the universe—
> > upper, middle and lower. His dear companion,
> > Parvata Muni, often accompanies him. He is
> > somewhat of a cosmic instigator—constantl y
> coming
> > and going, setting things in motion and sometimes
> > creating mischief—but always for the higher
> > purpose of demonstrating Vedic
> > > philosophical truths.
> > > Narada Muni's character as a roaming,
> lifelong
> > celibate is very appealing to many people of
> the
> > third sex—the gender most often associated
> with
> > solitude, asceticism and celibacy. He is
> well
> > known for his preaching against married life
> and
> > convincing young men to quit their homes and
> take
> > up a life of renunciation, much to the chagrin of
> > their parents. There is a popular narrative
> in
> > the Bhagavata Purana (6.5) wherein Narada
> > convinces the ten thousand sons of Prajapati
> > Daksa to renounce marriage and become mendicants.
> > Saddened by the loss of his sons, Daksa
> begets a
> > thousand more, but Narada also convinces
> these
> > sons in the same way. Infuriated, Daksa
> curses
> > Narada to never remain in one place—a curse
> that
> > Narada graciously
> > > accepts.
> > > There are at least two instances in the
> Puranas
> > wherein Narada Muni becomes a woman. In one
> > narration, Narada asks Vishnu to show him His
> > maya (illusion). Vishnu complies and
> instructs
> > Narada to fetch Him some water from a nearby
> > river. Narada does so, but falls into the
> water
> > and emerges as a female. Narada then meets a man,
> > falls in love, gets married, has many
> children,
> > builds a home and establishes a prosperous
> farm
> > on the riverbank. He becomes very happy and
> > satisfied for many years. One day, however,
> > there is an enormous flood, and Narada's husband,
> > children, home and farm are all washed away
> in
> > the raging waters. Narada laments piteously
> > until finally the turbulent waters capture
> Narada
> > herself. Terrified, she screams
> > > for help again and again. A hand grasps
> > Narada and pulls her from the river. It is
> > Vishnu—He has shown Narada His maya!
> > > In the Padma Purana there is a description
> of
> > Narada's transformation into the beautiful
> > cowherd maiden, Naradi. Narada Muni asks
> Krsna
> > to show him His divine loving affairs, and
> Krsna
> > complies by turning him into the gopi Naradi and
> > sporting with him for an entire year. This
> > pastime is very similar to the one in which
> > Arjuna is transformed into the maiden Arjuni,
> and
> > it appears immediately afterward in the Purana.
> > >
> > >
> > > 18. Sri Siva
> > > Lord of the Dance
> > > Sri Siva is the lord of the material cosmos
> and
> > husband of goddess Durga (his shakti).
> Together,
> > they are among the most popular deities
> worshiped
> > in Hinduism. Lord Siva is in charge of
> universal
> > destruction and famous as Nataraja, or lord
> of
> > the dance. When the time comes for the
> universe
> > to end, Lord Siva performs his cosmic dance and ends the
> creation.
> > Blazing fire emanates from his dancing body
> with
> > the heat of millions of suns and the cosmos
> is
> > destroyed. The above image is a popular
> > rendition of Siva's Nataraja form.
> > > Like the goddess Durga, Lord Siva has many
> > different expansions and is known by a
> variety of
> > names such as Rudra, Nilakantha, Sankara,
> > Bhutanatha, and Dinabandhu. The latter two
> names
> > refer to Siva's association with the dark side of
> > material nature: ghosts, demons, and all
> sorts of
> > shady beings accompany Siva and he is very
> > merciful to them, gradually purifying their
> > hearts and raising them to a higher platform of existence.
> > For this reason, Lord Siva is famous as the
> > friend of the fallen. Another popular image
> of
> > Siva is as a great yogi meditating in the
> > Himalayas. He wears a deerskin cloth, has
> > dreadlocks, a darkish complexion and holds a
> > trident. His carrier is Nandi, a large white
> > bull.
> > > In Uttar Pradesh, there is a popular
> narrative
> > about Lord Siva's transformation into the
> > beautiful girl known as Gopesvara. Siva once
> > desired to witness Lord Krsna's rasa-lila
> dance
> > with the gopis. He performed austerities for a long
> > time until Krsna's yogamaya, Paurnamasi,
> > appeared before him. He prayed to her for
> > permission to witness the dance and she
> agreed,
> > assisting him to dip within the Brahma-kunda
> > pond. Siva then emerged as a very beautiful young
> > cowherd maiden and went to the place where
> the
> > rasa-lila was being performed—hiding within a
> > grove. Krsna and the gopis, however, sensed
> that
> > something was different and stopped dancing.
> > They searched the groves and discovered the
> > unknown maiden. "Who are you and where are
> > > you from?" they demanded. The new gopi was
> > sorry but didn't know what to say, so the
> gopis
> > began slapping her in the face until she
> began to
> > cry. "Yogamaya!" she called out. "Please
> save
> > me!" Paurnamasi quickly came and requested
> the
> > gopis to have mercy upon the new girl. "She
> is
> > the object of my mercy," Paurnamasi told
> them.
> > The gopis thereafter happily accepted the
> girl
> > and named her Gopesvara, which means "she
> whose
> > controllers are the gopis." Krsna, who had
> been
> > standing on the side and smiling the whole time, blessed
> > Gopesvara to become the guard of His sacred
> rasa-
> > lila and said, "Henceforth, without the
> sanction
> > of Gopesvara, no one will be able to enter My
> > divine rasa-lila dance." From that day on,
> > > Lord Siva's duty as Gopesvara was to
> carefully
> > guard the rasa-lila and prevent any unqualified
> > persons from entering.
> > > Lord Siva also appears in the hermaphrodite
> form
> > of Sri Ardhanarisvara and is therefore
> manifest
> > in all three genders. There are many large
> and
> > famous temples of Siva throughout India, and
> he
> > is worshiped especially on Sivaratri—the last
> day
> > of the waning moon (Caturdasi) in Phalguna
> > (February-March) . During the festival, Siva's divine linga
> > (phallus) is worshiped as a symbol of
> procreation
> > and the male principle. There is also a
> temple
> > to Sri Gopesvara Mahadeva in Vrindavana,
> Uttar
> > Pradesh.
> > >
> > >
> > > 19. The Six Goswamis
> > > Gopis in Male Forms
> > > The six Goswamis were ascetic saints who
> lived
> > in Vrindavana, India (the pastime place of
> Lord
> > Krsna), during the sixteenth century. As
> pure
> > devotees of the Lord, they spent their days
> > constantly chanting Krsna's names and absorbed
> in
> > deep, internal meditation (samadhi). They
> lived
> > austere, strictly celibate lives, eating very little and
> > sleeping under trees at night. They wore
> only
> > torn cloth and kept no possessions of their
> own.
> > > As the principal disciples of Sri Caitanya
> > Mahaprabhu, the six Goswamis accomplished
> many
> > amazing tasks. Lord Caitanya instructed them
> to
> > uncover Krsna's pastime places, install
> Deities
> > of Radha and Krsna, compile scriptures on the
> > science of bhakti (devotion to God), and
> > propagate the rules of devotional life. When
> the
> > six Goswamis first moved to Vrindavana, it
> was
> > simply an overgrown forest with no houses or
> > village. Through their efforts, however, they
> > managed to locate all of Krsna's pastime
> places
> > and commissioned the construction of large,
> > beautiful temples and ghats (bathing ponds).
> As
> > erudite scholars, they composed scores of
> > essential Vaishnava texts on the science of
> > bhakti, and by their examples they set the
> proper
> > > standard for devotional behavior and
> practice.
> > > The six Goswamis—Sri Rupa, Sri Sanatana, Sri
> > Raghunatha Bhatta, Sri Jiva, Sri Gopala
> Bhatta,
> > and Sri Raghunatha dasa—are revealed in
> Vaishnava
> > texts to be the six manjaris—Sri Rupa-
> manjari,
> > Sri Lavanga-manjari, Sri Raga-manjari, Sri Vilasa-
> > manjari, Sri Guna-manjari, and Sri Rasa-
> manjari—
> > respectively (there is some variance on a few
> of
> > these names). A manjari is a very young gopi
> > maiden in Krsna's pastimes. These maidens
> are
> > servants of Sri Radha (Krsna's spiritual
> shakti)
> > and are completely devoted to Her. They have no
> > desire to unite with Krsna; rather, their
> only
> > desire is to serve and attend to Radha.
> These
> > six young gopi maidens, on the order of
> Radha,
> > incarnated as males in Lord Caitanya's lila
> to
> > assist the Lord in His
> > > mission. Thus they were especially
> empowered
> > to reveal the pastime places of Krsna and
> expound
> > upon the teachings of bhakti.
> > > Today, Vrindavana (in Uttar Pradesh) is a
> > bustling town with thousands of Radha-Krsna
> > temples and is one of the holiest cities in
> > India. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims
> visit
> > annually from all over the world, especially during the
> > month of Kartika (October-November) and on
> > Janmastami. The large stone temples erected
> by
> > the six Goswamis are still fully operating
> and
> > have been preserved as national monuments.
> > >
> > >
> > > 20. Sri Sukracarya
> > > Born of Siva Alone
> > > Sri Sukracarya is the preceptor of the
> asuras
> > and master of all kinds of supernatural
> powers.
> > He is associated with the planet Venus,
> material
> > pleasures, beauty, magic and bewitchment.
> The
> > story of Sukracarya's appearance as the son
> of
> > Siva is narrated both in the Mahabharata and
> the
> > Vamana Purana as follows: A powerful mystic
> > named Kavya knew all sorts of maya (magic) but
> > did not have the spell for bringing the dead
> back
> > to life. Hearing that Lord Siva possessed
> this
> > power, Kavya propitiated the god by hanging
> > himself head down over a smoldering fire.
> When
> > Siva appeared, Kavya slipped into his mouth and remained
> > there for a very long time, gaining access to
> > Siva's knowledge and powers. After acquiring
> the
> > spell for reviving
> > > the dead, he sought a passage out but
> could
> > only find Siva's phallus. Emerging from
> there,
> > Siva quickly caught the asura and decided to
> kill
> > him. The goddess Parvati, however, stopped
> her
> > husband and said, "Since this asura has left
> your
> > body through the phallus, he is to be
> considered
> > your son." Siva agreed and from then on Kavya
> > was called Sukra—"sprung from the semen of
> Siva."
> > > The idea of demigods, demons, and humans
> > emerging from a single parent, whether male
> or
> > female, is a common theme throughout Vedic
> > literature. Lord Brahma, the creator of the
> > universe, is often seen generating progeny
> from
> > his mind and he conceived both Siva and
> Narada in
> > this way. Lord Brahma himself was born from
> a
> > single male parent—Vishnu— having sprouted
> from
> > the Lord's navel without any help from His
> > consort, Laksmi.
> > > Sri Sukracarya is depicted in a four-armed
> form
> > riding on a white horse. He is blinded in
> the
> > right eye, relating to a pastime in which
> Vishnu
> > plucked his eye with a straw and suggestive
> of
> > his lack of spiritual vision. People
> generally
> > worship Sukracarya in order to acquire mystical powers or
> > fulfill material desires; however, his
> worship is
> > not very prevalent in India today and there
> are
> > few temples dedicated to him.
> > >
> > >
> > > 21. Sri Vallabhavardhana
> > > Vishnu's Hermaphrodite
> Form
> > > Sri Vallabhavardhana is a relatively little-
> > known hermaphrodite form of Lord Vishnu and
> > Laksmi-devi combined. Lord Vishnu is a
> > transcendental manifestation of God who resides in
> > the spiritual world known as Vaikuntha
> > (literally, beyond all anxiety). Vishnu
> > maintains both the spiritual and material cosmos simply
> > by His own sweet will—He is depicted as being
> > completely aloof, lying peacefully on His
> serpent
> > bed (Ananta-Sesa) , attended by the Goddess
> Laksmi
> > (His spiritual shakti), and served in awe and
> > reverence by His devotees. The demigods
> often
> > call upon Sri Vishnu as a last resort for
> > deliverance from their calamities.
> > > Like many other deities, Lord Vishnu
> manifests
> > Himself in all three genders—male, female
> > (Mohini) and hermaphrodite (Sri
> > Vallabhavardhana) . The Vallabhavardhana form
> of
> > the Lord is literally split down the middle with the
> > right half represented by Vishnu and the left
> > half by Laksmi. In the image shown above
> (from
> > Kashmir), Sri Vallabhavardhana is seated and
> has
> > an eight-armed form. Most of the known
> carvings
> > and sculptures of this Deity are from North India.
> > Sri Vallabhavardhana (literally, "half
> Vallabha
> > or Vishnu") is mentioned briefly in the
> Bhavisya
> > Purana, but otherwise little else is known
> about
> > this rare and unusual form. There appears to
> be
> > no prevalent worship of Sri Vallabhavardhana
> in
> > India today.
> > >
> > >
> > > 22. Sri Yellamma-Devi
> > > Goddess of the Devadasis
> > > Sri Yellamma-devi is an expansion of the
> goddess
> > Durga who is worshiped all over India,
> especially
> > in south-central regions like Karnataka and
> > Andhra Pradesh. She is very popular with the
> > third sex, and her appearance is based on
> > narratives from the Bhagavata Purana (9.16. 1-
> 8)
> > and later medieval traditions. There are
> several
> > versions of the story, but the basic
> description
> > is as follows:
> > > Lord Parasurama's mother, Renuka, went to
> the
> > bank of the Ganges to collect water for her
> > husband's daily yajna (fire sacrifice). Once
> > there, she saw the king of the gandharvas
> > (celestial musicians) sporting with beautiful
> > apsaras (celestial courtesans). Distracted
> by
> > the scene, Renuka returned somewhat late with
> the
> > water. Her husband, Jamadagni, could
> understand
> > the reason and accused his wife of committing
> > adultery within her mind. Furious, he ordered his
> > many sons to kill the woman, but they all
> refused
> > except for the youngest, Parasurama.
> > Understanding his father's great mystic
> powers,
> > Parasurama agreed to behead his mother and
> all of
> > his brothers with his famous axe (some
> narratives
> > mention Parasurama castrating his
> > > brothers rather than killing them). When
> > Parasurama attempted to behead Renuka,
> however,
> > Durga-devi appeared as the goddess Yellamma—a celestial apsara
> > with thousands of heads. Unable to tolerate
> the
> > sight of a son killing his mother, she stood
> > before Renuka to prevent the matricide, but
> > because Parasurama was so determined to
> fulfill
> > his father's order, Yellamma created an
> illusory
> > Renuka and Parasurama beheaded that form instead.
> > Jamadagni was thus pleased with the obedience
> of
> > his son and asked him for any benediction.
> > Parasurama requested that his mother and
> brothers
> > be returned to life with no memory of the incident.
> > Jamadagni agreed and all were revived. The
> > illusory form thus remained with Jamadagni,
> while
> > the original Renuka dedicated
> > > her life to the goddess, becoming her
> > inseparable associate and companion.
> > > Sri Yellamma-devi is worshiped as an
> expansion
> > of Durga and is the protector of her
> devotees.
> > Her name means, literally, "a mother to
> all."
> > She is depicted along with Renuka (as in the
> > picture above), but it is her association with
> > the ancient Hindu practice of keeping
> devadasis,
> > or temple courtesans, that is perhaps most
> > striking. Prostitution was permitted in
> ancient
> > India under certain circumstances, and Vedic
> > narratives contain many references to
> prostitutes
> > as part of the social construct in large cities and towns
> > like Lord Krsna's capitol of Dvaraka,
> Varanasi,
> > and Puri in Orissa. In recent centuries,
> > however, the practice of keeping temple
> > courtesans has been largely discouraged and
> is
> > only visible within certain
> > > traditional ceremonies and rituals,
> usually
> > related to the worship of the goddess.
> > > Devadasis are maidservants whose lives are
> > completely surrendered to the temple god or
> > goddess. They are often seen in town
> carrying
> > large pots on their heads that contain
> > images of the deity. They wear brilliant
> marks
> > of turmeric and vermilion on their foreheads
> and
> > can be seen singing and dancing in the
> streets.
> > As temple dancers, devadasis maintain
> important
> > religious dance traditions; as prostitutes,
> they
> > make their services available to anyone and take
> > donations that are
> > given to the goddess.
> Twice a
> > year during the full moon in Magha and
> Chaitra,
> > special festivals and ceremonies are held,
> marked
> > by large processions of jogathis
> > (devotees of
> > > Yellamma) who parade unclothed through the streets.
> > The traditional nudity has since been largely
> > curtailed, much to the protest of the
> jogathis
> > (they now wear loose clothing or dresses made
> of
> > neem leaves). The temple courtesans are not
> only
> > female—a large number of them are males,
> known as
> > jogappas, which include both feminine
> > transgenders dressed as women and masculine
> types
> > who also offer their service as dancers and
> male
> > prostitutes.
> > > There are quite a few temples of Sri
> Yellamma-
> > devi throughout India. Some of the more
> famous
> > ones are the eleventh-century temple in
> Badami
> > and the Renuka-Yellamma temple in Saudatti
> > (Belgaum), both in Karnataka. There are also two
> > popular temples in Kurnool (Dandakaranya) and
> > Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. Hundreds of
> > thousands of pilgrims descend on the Saudatti temple
> > during the biggest festival of the year, held
> on
> > the full-moon night of Magha (January-
> February).
> > Initiations into the devadasi cult are held
> at
> > that time—initiates are married to the
> goddess
> > and vow to devote their lives to her. In modern
> > times, many of the devadasis come from
> destitute
> > backgrounds and are no longer respected or
> > treated well.
> > > Afterword Below are a few
> > inspiring words on non-sectarianism and
> demigod
> > worship by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:
> > > All human beings are
> > grateful to God. No matter how many sins
> they
> > commit, occasionally they become aware that
> God
> > is the supreme entity, and when they are endowed with
> > this belief, they bow down before the
> > extraordinary things of this world. When
> > ignorant people are inspired by their
> gratitude
> > to God, they naturally offer respect to the sun, a river,
> > a mountain, or to enormous animals. They
> > express their hearts before such things and
> > display submission to them. Granted, there
> is
> > a vast difference between this type of worship
> > of material objects, and transcendental
> > affection toward the Lord. Still, when
> such
> > ignorant people adopt a mood of gratitude to
> > God and reverence toward material objects,
> it
> > > gradually produces a positive effect.
> > Therefore, if one examines the situation
> > logically, one cannot ascribe any fault to them.
> > > We consider that it is essential to arouse
> > bhava towards Bhagavan by any means. The
> door
> > leading to gradual elevation is firmly shut
> if
> > people on any level of worship are
> ridiculed or
> > condemned. Those who fall under the spell of
> > dogmatism, and thereby become sectarian,
> lack
> > the qualities of generosity and
> munificence.
> > That is why they ridicule and condemn
> others
> > who do not worship in the same way as they do.
> > This is a great mistake on their part.
> > > (Jaiva Dharma, p. 272)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ©2004 GALVA-108
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> > > About GALVA
> > > What Is GALVA?
> > > Purposes of Incorporation
> > > Join GALVA
> > > How to Help
> > > Frequently Asked Questions
> > > Homosexuality & Hinduism
> > > God Loves Everyone
> > > E-groups
> > > GALVA-108
> > > Lesbiankrishnas
> > > LGBT Hindu Group
> > > Gay Hare Krsna Singles
> > > Articles
> > > Tritiya-prakriti: the Third Sex
> > > The Case for Gay Tolerance
> > > Modern Biology & the Third Sex
> > > Srila Prabhupada & Allen Ginsberg
> > > Vaishnava-Dharma Is Very Liberal
> > > Hindu Deities and the Third Sex
> > > India's Slow Descent into Homophobia
> > > Same Sex Love & Affection
> > > Is Your Temple Gay-Friendly?
> > > Perspectives
> > > Srila Prabhupada
> > > Srila Narayana Maharaja
> > > Tripurari Swami
> > > Bhakti Tirtha Swami
> > > Hridayananda Goswami
> > > Bhakti Ananda Swami
> > > Bhakti Marga Swami
> > > Other Hindu
> > > Chakra/Third Gender
> > > Spiritual Literature
> > > Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
> > > Mandala Publishing Group
> > > Gaudiya Vedanta Publications
> > > Third Sex Literature
> > > Tritiya-Prakriti: People of the Third Sex
> > > The Man Who Was A Woman
> > > Love's Rite
> > > Same-Sex Love In India
> > > Neither Man Nor Woman
> > > The Complete Kama Sutra
> > > Third Sex Third Gender
> > > GALVA Resources
> > > Contact Us
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