Devdutt Pattanaik's 7 Secrets - Trilogy

 Devdutt Pattanaik's 7 Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art, & of Shiva and Vishnu is my 73 to 75 of 2020.

Dr Devdutt Pattanaik is a medical doctor by training, business consultant by profession and the mythologist by passion. He writes and lectures extensively on the relevance of secret stories symbols and rituals. 

The Caveat common in all three books is :

Within infinite myths lies the eternal truth 

who sees it all?

Varuna has but a thousand eyes

 Indira, a hundred.

And I, only two

Hindu Calendar Art

Hindu mythology abounds with fascinating Gods, Goddesses and characters whose visual representations through calendar art are equally colourful. Hindu calendar art may seem fantastic and kitsch, but it is in fact the most democratic expression of a mythic imaginary that was once restricted to temple was and Palm leaf manuscript. This portraits of the Hindu Pantheon of Gods and the stories that surround them can be found on the walls and Pooja rooms of almost every Hindu household in India . Rich in symbols each image is a piece of an ancient metaphysical Jigsaw puzzle. In this book Dr Devdutt Pattanaik decode the symbols to reveal a wisdom that has nourished India for thousands of years.

The book covers Ganesha, Narayan , Ardhanari, Shiva, Devi, Vishnu and Brahma.

In the first Ganesha secret, the author throws light on how different people see different things differently including God.

The chapter begins with the famous story of Ganesha and Kartikeya going around the world thrice for the mango. Kartikeya literally Goes Around The World while Ganesha goes around his parents three times and declares that he has won. Explanation is interesting:

You went around the world. I went around my world.  Tell me which world matters more the world is objective; my world is subjective. 

 Every culture views the world through different lenses. For some there is one formless divine for others the divine has many forms; for some there is only one life with no rebirth for others this is just one of many lives answers to these questions are never Universal they are cultural. They spawn beliefs. From beliefs comes behaviour that can make us either less tolerant or more accommodating that is why views matter.

Myth is an idea churned in my world, mythology is the set of stories symbols and rituals that communicate a myth.

Among other stories it also has the story of Ganesha and the elephant head. Ganesha also represents a balance between mortal body and an Immortal head. His human body created by his mother represents the material world which is impermanent going through cycles of death and rebirth and his elephant head secured by his father represents the spiritual world.  Ganesh  thus represents the union of a desire to want to marry and have a family and a desire to focus on the soul within.

 Narayana's secret: what dies is always Reborn.  His images are mostly that of waking up. Our universe exist only when we wake up.

 Ardhanaris secret: God is stillness within ; goddess is movement around.

Shiva's secret: withdrawal leads to destruction

Devi's secret: Desire and destiny create life

Vishnu secret: detached engagement brings order.

 Brahma's secret: human life is an opportunity

General belief is that Karma is manifested through nine celestial bodies the navagrahas Who rule time. Through divine beings the grahas have no will of their own they are compelled to influence our life at a particular time for a particular period depending on what is written in our fate.

Space and time are manipulated through Vastu Shastra and Jyotisha Shastra to generate material wealth and to harness Fortune, fertility and household prosperity. Rituals and prayers directed at the grahas and the Digga- palas do not seek any spiritual goal like enlightment.

Vastu Purusha was a demon who tried to rise from the earth and block the sky the various Gods pinned him down each god is ruler of the point where he still holds down the demon the north is ruled by Kubera the treasurer of the Gods the South is your ruled by Emma the god of death the East is ruled by Indira the god of rain the west is ruled by Varun the god of the sea the Northeast is ruled by Soma the moon the Southwest is ruled by surya the Sun The Northwest is ruled by the wind the south-east is ruled by Agni fire opposite directions complement Each Other thus a balance is created in the Cosmos in the centre stands Brahma the naval man himself the centre of his world.

Vishnu

Anointed with perfumes 

Draped in silk

He reclines on the ocean of milk

Eyes open 

Ever smiling 

Securing the world with his attention 

He is God who is chased by Fortune 

Perumal, Balaji, Narayana Vishnu

who walks the earth as Krishna and as Ram

The seventh secrets covered are that of mohini, Matsya, Kurma, trivikrama, Rama, Krishna and kalkis.

The first chapter focuses on how gender is used to explain fundamental metaphysical concepts integral to Hinduism, the second chapter discusses the difference between man and animal, the third and fourth chapter focuses on the Devas and asuras as both of whom are unhappy as one struggles with insecurity and other with ambition, 5th and 6th chapter resolves Around The Ramayana and Mahabharata as Man struggles with humanity and the 7 chapter is about the wisdom of letting go with faith in Renewal.

Vishnu takes the form of an enchantress and becomes Mohini and dances before Shiva Shiva is compelled to open his eyes and looked at Mohini he recognises Mohini is Vishnu she is spiritual reality clocked in material reality she is Vishnu playing with Prakriti and maya in full control of time and space and subjective realities. Immersed in Brahmin she is inviting spiritual reality to enter a playground and join the game of material reality the Leela provoking Shiva to open his eyes to material reality.

 Vishnu's way is called pravritti Marga or outward looking path while shivas way is called nivritti-marga the inward looking paath. Vishnu plays with Maya without getting overwhelmed by her while shiva rejects her totally .Vishnu is there for a more worldly form of the divine King a warrior and alava by Shiva is more monistic form of divine a permit such as I stood all things word free he refuses to engage with the Prakriti.

Shiva

Smeared with Ash 

Draped in animal hide 

He sits atop the snow-capped mountains

Skull in hand 

Withdrawn, with dogs for company 

Destroying the world with his Indifference 

He is God who the Goddess shall awaken

His name is Shiva

The various chapters or Secrets in this book revolve around Lingeshwara, Bairava, Shankara, Bholenath, Ganesha, Murugan and Natarajan.

The first chapter looks at the meaning of the Shiva Linga beyond the conventional titillation offered by a Phallic symbol, the second chapter focuses on shivas violent disdain for territorial behaviour among humans the third and fourth chapter deal with how the Goddess get Shiva to engage with the world out of compassio,  the next two chapters revolve around shivas two sons Ganesha and Murugan through whom he connects with the world, the final chapter present Shiva as a wise teacher who expresses system through dance.

Lingeshwara, imagination makes us human

Bairava, from fear comes all corruption. Bhaya means fear.  Shiva is called kaal Bhairava, because he removes the bhaya of kaal, Which is time, the devourer of all living things

Shankara, without empathy there is no evolution

Bholenath,  culture is a human delusion

Ganesha, food alone does not satisfy hunger

Muruganan face fear to outgrow it

Natarajan. Destruction is deconstruction.

Hindus worshipped nature, plants and animals. To fire the imagination of the people moving towards monasticism this had to be communicated using a tool that the masses understood and it was stories.

Stories of Vishnu communicate the world view from the point of view of the householder this is complemented by stories of Shiva that communicate an equally valid but alternate view point of a hermit.

Vishnu is bedecked in Gold,  Shiva is smeared in ash, Vishnu is offered springs of tulsi, grown at home while Shiva is offered leaves of Bhilwa that is grown outside the house Vishnu dances with eyes open while Shiva dances with his eyes shut through these differences different ideas were communicated.

These books have little gems scattered all over.