Yesterday, my brother was blessed with the opportunity to have darshan at the Samadhi of Jatala Sadhu. And, as so often seems to happen in the presence of such great beings, grace revealed itself quietly through a series of beautiful and unexpected moments.
The visit felt all the more auspicious as Jatala Sadhu’s birthday had recently been celebrated on Krishna Paksha Ashtami.
My brother and his companion reached the Samadhi Mandir just after the daily Gayatri Homa had concluded. The pujari welcomed them and shared something remarkable: every day, after the Gayatri Homa, at least one devotee invariably arrives for darshan.
“Today,” he told them, “the two of you have come.”
It felt as though they had not merely decided to visit, but had somehow been called to the Samadhi at that very moment.
They lovingly offered Thums Up to Jatala Sadhu, and the offering was later shared with my brother as prasadam.
They were then blessed with the opportunity to sit in meditation beneath the sacred tree cave where Sadhu had spent time, and to have darshan of the personal articles that had once been used by him. To sit in a place sanctified by the tapas and presence of a Mahatma carries a silence that words can scarcely convey.
Another mysterious encounter awaited them on the way up.
As they climbed the steps, they came across a Sadhu resting at the edge of the staircase, his long jatas flowing down to his waist. He looked at them, laughed, and asked them for a Thums Up - the very drink they happened to be carrying as an offering.
Perhaps it was merely an unexpected encounter. Perhaps it was something more. In the presence of saints, one learns not to explain everything too quickly.
And then came what, for me, is perhaps the most precious blessing of their visit.
A devotee who had been alive during Jatala Sadhu’s own time had received Swapna Darshan of Sadhu, in which he was given an instruction to record his life history.
The resulting transcript, preserving those memories and accounts, was shared with my brother.
The thought of reading it fills me with immense eagerness and reverence.
To receive the life story of a Mahatma through the recollections of someone who belonged to his own time, and who undertook the task after receiving his command in Swapna Darshan, feels like receiving a small thread connecting us to that sacred presence.
Now I wait with great anticipation to read it.
Jai Gurudatta 🙏
Don't run behind people with limited life.
Run behind someone who lives through ages, seen several of you, and will make you see and live another several of you 'here and now'.
Find that 'ONE' Guru.
As much as Money is important in Material world, it is more essential to have 'SADHANA' in spiritual world.
As long you As you keep questioning and struggling to understand sastras and debate on it and bark with others, you get nowhere.
Most Powerful Sastra is your 'UNCONDITIONAL BHAKTI' towards your Guru and Devata.
Nothing beats that.
AshtaBhairava Yatra and Nava durga Yatra completed.
Yet to do Unmatta Bhairava who is 19kms away from kashi.
Surprisingly very less crowd at Durga temple.
Why does water taste sweet and more better at Maha Mrityunjay Temple ?
How many of you know about Gavalamma Temple ?
Just had Vindhyavasini Devi Darshan.
Its just disappointing over and over where literally begging happening in all these temples, forceful begging, not letting see devi without being forced, pushed and pulled by police and cursed by brahmins.
Outside beggars say Amma Amma, inside Priests say Dakshina Dakshina, except beggars wont force us, priests does.
Devotion should be welcomed, not exploited. Faith should be protected, not commercialised.
Unfortunate times Indeed.
I really hope some courageous devotee take this upto court and fight this religious injustice happening to us.
Jai Maa Vindhyavasini 🙏🔯
Some day she will create an army of Chandi worshippers! Chandika Shakti ati ugra!! Yes, adhikara is important. Only She chooses the worthy for adhikara. I have seen ppl from teerthanath sampradaya (well known for Chandi worship and ofcourse Tantra) who have been given DS diksha falling by the way side.
@Namecantbblnk Sankalpa/Kavach/Argala/Keelaka/Ratri Sukta/Tantrokta Ratri Sukta/ Basic nyasa/Navarna nyasa/Saptashati Nyasa/ Dhyana/ Navarna Japa/Tri Charitra/ Small Nyasa/japa / Tri Rahasya/ Kunjika stotra/ Kshamapan
cc: @25_shivansh this is what I was saying.
@Namecantbblnk Sankalpa/Kavach/Argala/Keelaka/Ratri Sukta/Tantrokta Ratri Sukta/ Basic nyasa/Navarna nyasa/Saptashati Nyasa/ Dhyana/ Navarna Japa/Tri Charitra/ Small Nyasa/japa / Tri Rahasya/ Kunjika stotra/ Kshamapan
cc: @25_shivansh this is what I was saying.
Pranaam.
Since I have seen so many people do Durga Saptashati over the decades and that too Anusthanas and other things, l should put my point of view based on my personal experience.
I have seen so many absolutely superb things happening from Durga Saptashati Sadhana and not just in my life but many others that I have to say not once have I seen it give bad results.
I have seen some (occ Bengalis) recite it in such an impossible pronunciation with NO bad results.
I have seen entities leave after just part Saptashati never mind the entire patha.
Thus the example in this particular case appears to be a case of possible severe mispronunciation and an exception rather than the rule.
DS is so powerful that Brahmarakshasa or any so called black magic and indeed even semi divine entities or lower divine entities do a Pranaam to the reciter of the Durga Saptashati.
I have experienced it myself. But I even know of others who have seen the Goddess sit beside them and listen with care to the patha. I have had numerous such experiences too, some are known to others.
But exceptions occur in every case and so maybe that was a series of errors in the quoted tweet below . In any case after the person in QT example read it correctly, this Brahmarakshasa/ entity had to leave which is what happens.
Mother quells even the Devatas what to talk of entities…
Jai Durga!
In conclusion:
कालरात्रिर्महारात्रिर्मोहरात्रिश्च दारुणा ।
त्वं श्रीस्त्वमीश्वरी त्वं ह्रीस्त्वं बुद्धिर्बोधलक्षणा ॥
Pranaam.
All illness is 99.9% Prarabdha (religious pov)… so, your response to it is the chant.
Like, everyone on earth eats, sleeps and eventually has to fall ill and die also. That is Prarabdha (destined fate due to karma and karmic load).
The chant of Saptashati is a mantraic vibration which is something which will slowly reduce the karmic load… one famous saint (and to quote my own mother also) used to say : if you have fallen ill despite chanting this mantra, then you may have been even more severely ill if you had not recited it.
My 2 cents: Don’t feel proud when you’re able to do a nice sadhana - Homa or whatever, nor feel “sad” when you’re unable to!
Pride and disappointment/shame are 2 sides of the same coin made of ahamkara (I-ness).
A meaningful life is all about continually doing what you’re inspired to do AND what you’re ABLE to do within the circumstances. So, if you can’t do, don’t do. Don’t overthink or feel regret.
Mother will give chances in future. Sadhana is marathon - not a 100-meter dash. It’s ok to have peaks and troughs. 🙏🕉️🙏
BTW, if you can’t do Homa, you can just chant mantras/shlokas or meditate.
There are a lot of people who say that Durga Saptashati should not be chanted. Is it true or is it yet more fear mongering?
Ans: Lets look at the evidence from the Saptashati itself:
Point 1:
यो निष्कीलां विधायैनां नित्यं जपति संस्फुटम्।
स सिद्धः स गणः सोऽपि गन्धर्वो जायते नरः॥9॥
This verse basically says that one who chants the Durga Saptashati daily becomes a Siddha or a Gandharva or an attendant of the Great Goddess Herself (Siddha in this lifetime, Gandharva on death, Gana of the Devi is like Devi Sayujya). Only recitation of the Keelaka is necessary before doing saptashati along with all its parts as this is the bolt. While one may doubt if all this occurs straight away, but one can be certain that this is the eventual outcome.
Point 2:
न चैवाप्यटतस्तस्य भयं क्वापीह जायते।
नापमृत्युवशं याति मृतो मोक्षमवाप्नुयात्॥10॥
One who chants this Saptashati correctly gets all the things in this world. He will not fear anything from any where. He will eventually be liberated.
Point 3:
सौभाग्यादि च यत्किञ्चिद् दृश्यते ललनाजने।
तत्सर्वं तत्प्रसादेन तेन जाप्यमिदं शुभम्॥12॥
Here it is pointed out that prosperity and whatever one sees in women is due to the Great Goddess and so this should be chanted.
Point 4:
शनैस्तु जप्यमानेऽस्मिन् स्तोत्रे सम्पत्तिरुच्चकैः।
भवत्येव समग्राप�� ततः प्रारभ्यमेव तत्॥13॥
Self explanatory.
This is from the Keelaka (that which bolts the power of the Saptashati ).
Similar things are there in other parts of the great hymn to the Goddess Durga. This business that Yoginis will kill someone who recites it is wrong. (Death will come to almost all whoever are on earth barring Siddhas so don't be so afraid that you lose all rational thought and stop recitation. Whoever is on earth has to eventually become ashes and dust.
Of course NIYAMA and correct pronounciation is paramount and so learn this for months first. Dont be in a hurry. Same thing is said for Lalitha Sahasranama and same applies).
Pranaam.
In fact those three portions of the Saptashati hv been read for the last 100’s of years in Pune and other cities without Deeksha as long as the person knows pronounciation (commonest mistake: “Rakshatu pronounced as Bhakshatu)
This “Deeksha” thing is based on fear. Fear of “something going wrong”
In not insignificant number of times I see sadhakas getting Deeksha from those who I would consider would NEVER get success in mantra sadhana (and many charge and may expect money)
So the question is:
Should people chant Saptashati with Diksha or not?
Ans:
In India, nothing is set in stone. In Pune, women have been chanting Saptashati for 50 years without Diksha and with generally positive results.
However if you wish to compare, then this is the method:
Ans: Use the statistical method to compare two groups of people chanting Saptashati:
One group of 1000 without initiation
and
One group of 1000 with initiation and make sure that both groups are similar in their capability.
Then compare after 6 months. It will be a nice study and stop speculation on this subject!
😂😂😂🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
I used to stop after every chapter for 15 to 20 mins and offer ahutis to one of many Devatas, my homas those days used to extend 4-5 hrs or more.
But yes, not wrong at all.
Durga Saptashati can be very addictive!
Ultimate Nasha!
Another thing: be prepared to take whatever the Great Goddess dishes out in return.
You are not instructing Her, She is the great giver.
Almost anything can be achieved by a sadhaka in the Adhyatmik domain by Her grace.
Remember that She is the mother of all, so be a bit careful.
I know of instances where very old experienced reciters of the Saptashati have castigated young Brahmins for laughing and not concentrating while doing the recitation.