INVOKING DEMIGODS THAT REPRESENT DIVINE POWERS VIA YAJNAS

While elucidating the deep import of Yajnas scriptural authors say they are very effective methods of creating a bond of cooperation between human beings and demigods. To achieve success in any endeavor mere hard labor is just not enough. Further neither can mere divine powers do the needful. This is because endeavors of welfare need help of both in ample measure.

The above mystery has been dealt with by Lord Krishna in the Bhagwad Geeta (3/10-12) as follows:

Prajaapati Brahmaa at the beginning of the Kalpa after creating Yajna Samhitaa Prajaa said to them-With the help of this Yajna may you propagate and it will also fulfill all your desires. Via this Yajna you must augment demigods and they in turn will help you advance both materially and spiritually. In this manner looking upon it as your righteous duty you will mutually advance one another which in turn will give you supreme fulfillment. Demigods who augment via your Yajnas will unasked bless you with wholesome materials and comforts.

Another scriptural verse says:

Offer all your life span, vital force, sense organs, mind, soul etc to Yajnas. In this Mantra world humanity is commanded to offer their all nay their very being to Yajnas.

Just as mankind is inspired to alertly persevere so as to create a bond with demigods so too demigods too are given commands as follows:

O demigods! Your self and Yajmaanas (human Yajna doers) must sit close together and perform Yajnas cooperatively.

Man can benefit only if he establishes a bond with demigods, cooperate with them and augment them. This is because demigods satiated and nourished via Yajnas bestow on mankind innumerable means of joy and appropriate opportunities.

Maharshi Angiraas says:

Man can attain power, joy and other means of comfort by performing great Yajna acts which in turn appease demigods.

A pertinent question asked is who exactly are demigods? Where do they dwell? What type of relationship do we share with them? Why are they satiated via Yajnas? How do Yajnas nourish them? How can mankind attain their help/cooperation? What type of powers do demigods possess in order that they benefit world humanity? Why is it that without Yajnas, demigods fail to help world denizens? All these questions must be pondered over deeply so that the above mentioned observations can be understood fully well.

The gross meaning of demigods is great men, realized souls, true saints etc who ‘give’. Yajna hence means giving full cooperation to such great saints and helping their powers and missionary activities. Such great souls are worshipped by augmenting their sacred sentiments, creating an atmosphere of sacredness and via other paths helping attain success in their mission. Devotion/meditation means building a close inner bond with them and thus attaining benefits which in turn is also true worship offered at their hallowed feet. Assuming that we have no faith in great saintly personages or in their activities, if we do not cooperate with them or walk in their footsteps , we refuse to live as per discipline designed by them we will never attain their services even if they desire to do so. In such cases absolutely no benefits accrue to us. Hence it is most required that both create a bond of mutual affection, cooperation and good will. Yajna hence is nothing but creating this bond of oneness and unity. With a true resolve and for a great goal when 2 people unite there 1+1 is not equal to 2 but is equal to 11. Their united potency becomes 11 fold and not 2 fold. This augmented power gives unlimited gains to both persons. This then is the definition of ‘worldly demigod worship of a gross Yajna’.

The other set of demigods are those which are subtle and invisible. They are God’s various types of subtle divine powers. On the one hand Almighty God is one only and yet his qualities and areas of activity are manifold. These then are called demigods. In the same way within the deep recesses of Mother Nature (Prakriti) there are many powers/forces/energies which help in creation, propagation and annihilation of this cosmos. These too are called demigods. There are influencing radiations emitted by various stars, planets and galaxies. These too are called demigods. The sun’s rays have 7 colors and rays of various qualities like ultraviolet, alpha, beta, gamma and X rays which are also demigods.

In Indian scriptures 33 Koti demigods have been spoken of. Their 33 types are thus: 8 Vasus, 11 Rudras, 12 Aadityas, 1 Ashwini Kumaaras, 1 Pooshaa. These divine powers create changes, turmoil, uplifting in the atmosphere of the world. Demigods are 33 type, Pitrus 8 type, Asuras 99 type, Gandharvas 27 type, Pawan 49 type etc. This is not a matter of astonishment, curiosity or distrust. This research in fact is India’s ancient subtle science based on studies undertaken for very long time spans. There was a time when Indians knew these forces quite well and by benefiting from them they had mastered nature/Prakriti. It is said that demigods were imprisoned by the demon Raavana. He had gained victory over demigods which in reality meant he had unearthed these subtle forces so as to utilize, control, direct, invoke and bid adieu to them as per his needs. So symbolically speaking this is called ‘imprisoning demigods’.

In the days of yore, man journeyed to and fro to other planets, galaxies and so on. Many great Sidhas then had attained 8 Sidhis and 9 Nidhis which means they could make their bodies invisible or atomic in size, they could spread their bodily form gigantically in space, they could walk on water, they could travel by air in their bodies etc. All these amazing feats were performed using forces of subtle nature which we term as demigods. Every subtle power/force/energy in Spiritual Science is called demigod. The 5 elements too are demigods viz. water is Varuna Deva, heat is Agni Deva, wind is Vaayu Deva, earth is Gauri Devi and space is Indra Deva. In the same way many powers working in the deep cave of this world are also called demigods.

Invisible powers have 2 categories viz. conscious and active. Active powers are associated with material nature and conscious is associated with divinity. For example the gross form of Agni or fire is the ball called sun. Material scientists tend to look upon the sun as simply a ball of fire or a rotating/revolving planet. As against this according to Spiritual Sciences apart from its gross form the sun also possesses conscious vital force/Prana. It takes inspiration from God and is God incarnate. Apart from possessing a gross form the subtle form of water, wind and fire gods have a conscious soul and is related to God or divine cosmic consciousness. Just as the human body functions as per directions of conscious vital force present within it so too the visible functions of demigods are executed as per directions of its inner consciousness. When a bond is established with that inner soul consciousness the activities of inducing movement and obstruction of water, wind etc ensue. If Indra’s divine center is appeased by us via devotion/meditation man can induce rainfall as and when he so wishes. Bhagiratha of ancient era brought down River Ganges on planet earth by appeasing Ganges’ divine soul and as per desired direction of flow this river headed towards the ocean. In ancient time it was in this manner that people pleased other demigods too for attaining desired gains.

Ganesha, Saraswati, Lakshmi. Kali, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Pooshaa, Ashwini Kumara, Kshetrapaal, Bhairava, Yogini and other demigods too are as mentioned above. These powers influence mankind in a varied manner. When the state of demigods and the bodily and mental state of man, focus at one point, a strong bond is forged between both of them. In spiritual parlance this connotes pleasing demigods or mastering them. In other words we can say that via certain spiritual practices the bodily parts, Chakras, subtle nerves, subtle glands and Brahmarandhra’s magnetic center are awakened in such a way that they can attract akin to a magnetic pull, desired forces/powers from this gigantic cosmos. This spiritual practice is called devotion to God or meditation. When such devotion to God or meditation succeeds it satiates a devotee with desired great fruits. The material scientists of Occident while designing scientific technology are pleasing the ‘marriage procession’ of Rudra demigod. Our ancestors via activities like soul practices, austerities, Mantras, Yoga, Yajna etc established a strong bond with the subtle soul of divine principles and gained innumerable benefits from their great energies.

Divine Powers’ definition is virtually a widespread science that includes its characteristics, benefits attained via close proximity to them, its for, the mystery of their ‘vehicles’, the differences as far as the methods of their spiritual practice, obstacles in the way of spiritual practices, mystery of successfully attaining them etc. In this context it is not possible to describe it in detail and it is enough to say that via Yajnas demigods are pleased with relative ease. In Yajnas certain Mantras are chanted and it has a deep relationship with the above mentioned observations.

Vedic Mantras have been interwoven so extraordinarily and scientifically that if methodically it is chanted aptly special vibrations fill up in space. For special goals and endeavors specific Mantras are chanted as a result of which a sound vibration manifests. These then awaken divine centers of the aspirant’s body and in turn this attracts divine powers of the cosmos towards itself. Just as in the cosmos all Divine Powers reside in the same way in the microcosm (human body) its special centers are designed. Mantras are called Divine Sound and its energy is called thunderbolt or divine weapon too. This energy manifests due to Mantra chanting and the bodily and cosmic powers create a strong bond in a mutual fashion. They ‘embrace’ each other and thus close proximity and relationship is established between them. A great power exists that creates a bond between a Yajna devotee and demigods/divinity. A gross viewpoint tells us that that prayer to God dwells in Mantras and some teachings too exist in them. These do not appear to be of very great importance. This prayer can take place using prose or poetry and not merely using Mantras. For example the sun in its gross aspect is a ball of blazing fire but subtly is Savita or divine soul. So too Mantras in their gross form are teaching oriented prayers but subtly are very important powerful mediums that help human life contact extremely Divine Powers of the cosmos. Mantra power is supremely great and hence the great Indian Saint Tulsidaasji too has eulogized it.

Mantras are Shabda Brahman or Divine Sounds. The stupendous potency of this sound was very much known to great Rishis of yore. They unfolded the movements of fast moving sound vibrations of the cosmos in a scientific manner which then manifested as Mantras. Word sound is a live existence which per second travels thousands of miles. Modern Science built missiles by unearthing electrical flow that is constantly on the move in interstellar space’s divine principle. With a flick of a button, missiles run miles upwards in space and like an arrow of sound land exactly at that place where it is programmed to do so. This missile technology freely travels in space motivated by cosmic electrical flow. As per the programming of the missile programmer missiles like obedient officials move speedily according to directions based on speed, direction and length of journey. Mantras can be called ‘Spiritual Missiles’.

Mantras are designed on the basis of sound based scientific laws. Today Western scientists have yet not unfolded the mystery of which electrical flow is created of which type by placing which word one after another. And yet all this was known to seers/sages of yore. By placing words in a certain orderly fashion certain parts of the mouth in a certain order start moving. As a result of this our body’s brain nerves, Chakras, centers, endocrine gland network and subtle nerves get excited. The turmoil created by the reaction and counter reaction of such movements produces a special electrical flow in space. This electrical flow can be ‘transported’ to desired regions, just like missile technology. Modern scientists have created such an apparatus that travels to the moon. Mantras too are designed such that it can travel to various planets and worlds with ease. Their reach includes demigods, subtle divine worlds and divine energies.

Mantra power can be demonstrated by even small time Tantriks in the form of lowly stature ‘miracles’ which include Maaran (killing someone), Mohan (delude someone), Ucchaatan (incite thoughts or sexual passion in the psyche of others), Vasheekaran (hypnotize someone so that he/she obeys all your commands, Stamban (making inert another’s powers) etc. Those who are serious Yoga aspirants their Mantra helps attain 8 Sidhis and 9 Nidhis. They ‘control’ virtually every aspect of Mother Nature/Prakriti. Nature’s laws never obstruct their endeavors and hence they carry out acts which are beyond the ken of nature’s laws. In fact they seem to be against nature’s laws and impossible to execute. There was a time in the ancient land of India wherein the science of mastering scriptures and Yantras was known to even laymen. Great Rishis had succeeded in attaining the supreme spiritual state via Mantra energy and also the method of man or soul become God/cosmic soul. It will indeed be erroneous on our part today to look down upon Mantra energy and mocking it. We must deeply understand that it is a very influential science. Today this science may well be in a demeaned state yet there was a time in days of yore when it had reached great pinnacles of glory. We must hence aspire and hope that its lost glory will be reinstated fully in the near future. Word power is extremely potent. And hence the manner in which words have been interwoven scientifically in Vedas is verily beyond the ken of the human intellect. If only we understand fully the deep import and mystery of these sacred words, act in accordance with their profound teachings or that we unearth the hidden science and energy embedded in them know for sure these mantras will be akin to Kaamadhenu or the proverbial wish fulfilling cow. Maharshi Patanjali while endorsing this says (Mahaabhaashya):

If after understanding totally, even one word of Shrutis, we translate it into action verily this one word will become a Kaamadhenu that will give us heavenly joy