#manasa

[uwmspeccoll]

Publishers’ Binding Thursday

This week for Publishers’ Binding Thursday I am sharing Indian Fairy Tales, selected and edited by New South Wales-born folklorist and writer Joseph Jacobs (1854-1916) with illustrations by English painter, illustrator, and printmaker John D. Batten (1860-1932). Jacobs is best known for popularizing well-known versions of classic children’s tales like “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” Batten illustrated a series of books by Jacobs, all focusing on folk and fairy tales. 

The binding features an illustration of who I think may be the Hindu goddess of snakes, Manasa, resting in a lotus flower on the 7-headed snake demigod Shesha printed in red on tan book cloth. According to good old Wikipedia, Manasa is often pictured under the hoods of 7 cobras, not necessarily the multi-headed Shesha. On the reverse is the god Ganesha also printed in red with a little mouse at his feet. I believe the cover illustration to have been done by Batten, as there is a B near the bottom left of the cover image and the image of Ganesha is featured on the Wikipedia page for Batten. Of course, please take this information with a grain of salt, as most of this was researched on Wikipedia and we all know things on the internet can be wrong.

This book is from our Historical Curriculum Collection, which features books for children. I’ve included illustrations and details from the book that I personally love, like the little historiated letter O with a mouse in it, the serpent in the shape of the letter N, the kitty cat, and of course, the old hag. 

View more Publishers’ Binding Thursday posts.

View more posts from our Historical Curriculum Collection.

-- Alice, Special Collections Department Manager

[das-jaim3]

Hi, Hello, I recently had the urge to make an 'OC' of a Hindu god for RoR and then thought;

Imma give you a list and explanation about Shivas children! In a sense everyone is his child, given his deity/god status, but I mean his actual kids.

The eight Children of Lord Shiva

1/ Ganesha;

Ganesha, elephant-headed Hindu god of beginnings, who is traditionally worshipped before any major enterprise and is the patron of intellectuals, bankers, scribes, and authors.

His name means both “Lord of the People” (gana means the common people) and “Lord of the Ganas” (Ganesha is the chief of the ganas, the goblin hosts of Shiva). Ganesha is potbellied and generally depicted as holding in his hand a few round Indian sweets, of which he is inordinately fond.

His vahana is the large Indian bandicoot rat, which symbolizes Ganesha’s ability to overcome anything to get what he wants. Like a rat and like an elephant, Ganesha is a remover of obstacles. The 10-day late-summer (August–September) festival Ganesh Chaturthi is devoted to him.

Many different stories are told about the birth of Ganesha, including one in which Parvati makes her son out of a piece of cloth and asks her consort, Shiva, to bring him to life.

One of the best-known myths, however, begins with Parvati taking a bath and longing for someone to keep Shiva from barging in on her, as was his habit. As she bathes, she kneads the dirt that she rubs off her body into the shape of a child, who comes to life. But when Shiva sees the handsome young boy he or one of his attendants cuts off the child’s head.

When Shiva, to fix his mistake after Parvati yelled at him, cuts off an elephant’s head to bestow it on the headless Ganesha, one of the tusks is shattered, and Ganesha is depicted holding the broken-off piece in his hand. According to this version of the myth, Ganesha is the child of Parvati alone—indeed, a child born despite Shiva’s negative intervention. Yet Ganesha is traditionally regarded as the child of both Shiva and Parvati.

In some parts of India Ganesha is depicted as celibate, but in others he is said to be married to both Buddhi (“Intelligence”) and Siddhi (“Success”). Yet other traditions give him a third wife, Riddhi (“Prosperity”).

2/ Kartikeya;

Kartikeya, also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha and Murugan (Tamil: முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati and the brother of Ganesha.

After being begged for help, Shiva decided to take action against Soorapadman's increasing conceit. He frowned and his third eye- the eye of knowledge- started releasing sparks. These were six sparks in total. Agni had the responsibility to take them to Saravana Lake. As he was carrying them, the sparks were growing hotter and hotter that even the Lord of Fire could not withstand the heat.

Soon after Murugan was born on a lotus in the Saravana Lake with six faces, giving him the name Arumukhan. Lord Shiva and Parvati visited and tears of joy started flowing as they witnessed the most handsome child. Shiva and Parvathi gave the responsibility of taking care of Muruga to the six Krittika sisters.

Muruga grew up to be a handsome, intelligent, powerful, clever youth. All the Devas applauded at their saviour, who had finally come to release them from their woes. Murugan became the supreme general of the demi-gods, then escorted the devas and led the army of the devas to victory against the asuras.

3/ Ashok Sundari;

Ashok is not the goddess of anything per say and was simply created to cure Parvatis loneliness.

The birth of Ashokasundari is recorded in the Padma Purana. In one of the variants about tale of Nahusha, Parvati once requested Shiva to take her to the most beautiful garden in the world.

As per her wishes, Shiva took her to Nandanvana, where Parvati saw a tree known as Kalpavriksha. Parvati asked for a daughter from the wish fulfilling tree to get rid of her loneliness. Her wish was granted and Ashokasundari was born.

4/ Ayyappan;

Ayyappan, also known as Dharmasastha and Manikandan, is the Hindu deity of truth and righteousness. His worship is more prevalant in South India. Although devotion to Ayyappan has been prevalent earlier, his popularity rose in the late 20th century. According to Hindu theology, he is the son of Vishnu in the form of Mohini and Shiva thus representing a bridge between Shaivism and Vaishnavism.

As Mahishasura was blessed with invulnerability to all men, the gods had sent goddess Durga, to fight and kill him. Thus, Mahishi began performing a fearsome set of austerities, and pleased the creator god Brahma. She asked for the boon of invulnerability, but Brahma said it was not possible so Mahishi planned and asked invulnerability to all men except by the son of Shiva and Vishnu (Both are male & no possibility to give birth to any one).

He granted her the boon of ruling the universe and being invulnerable except by the son of Shiva and Vishnu. Since such a person did not exist, she thought she was safe and began conquering and plundering the world. The gods implored Shiva and Vishnu to save them from this catastrophe. Vishnu found a possible solution to the problem.

When Vishnu had taken on the Kurma Avatar, he also had to manifest himself as Mohini, the enchantress, to save the nectar of immortality (ambrosia or amrit) from the demons who were not willing to share it with the gods. If he became Mohini again, then the female Mohini and the male Shiva could have the divine child who would combine their powers and beat Mahishi. Some versions give a slightly more detailed version of the union of Shiva with Vishnu.(One of them stating that Shiva simply asked to see Vishnus avatar and was immediately run over by passion once he did.)

5/ Andhaka;

He isn't considered a god per say but seen as the Lord of all Asuras, demons.

While in the mount Mandhar, a baby was born to Parvati and Shiva. Shiva was in a meditating posture and Parvati closed his eyes mischievously from behind. The boy appeared out of Parvati and Shiva’s sweat. Shiva explains to Parvati that since his eyes were closed, the baby was born blind and was called Andhaka (the dark/blind). Since he posed devilish qualities he was called Andhakasur (the blind demon). Hiranyaksh, a troublesome demon did intense penance to please Lord Shiva. Hiranyaksh wanted a son who posses immense powers to rule the world.

Shiva refused to grant such a boon. Instead he offered Andhaka to Hiranyaksh saying that Andhaka posses all the qualities he was looking for, and to treat him as his son. Andhaka wanted more power and did intense penance to please Lord Brahma. Among many things, the boons he asked for included extraordinary vision and immortality. Everything was granted except the immortality. Instead, Lord Brahma asked him to choose when he could die. Andhakasur asked for a boon that he would die only when he aspires for a woman who he should never aspire for. With time Andhakasur turned more materialistic and less interested in austerities.

By this time he has already conquered the world and the heaven. On a pleasure trip he along with his companions lands up in Mount Mandhar where Lord Shiva and Parvati lives. His companions tells of a sage and his beautiful wife. Andhaka sends his companions to bring her along. Shiva explains to them that they are Andhaka’s parents. The companions mistook it for a ploy and compels Andhaka for a fight. Shiva and Parvati will soon play a horrible role in the battlefield in many different forms.

The next morning, Shiva and Parvati's army reached the battlefield with Andhaka's army also vice-versa. Andhaka wants Parvati to be his. Shiva assigns his demon-warrior form Veerbhadra to kill half of Andhaka's army. Veerbhadra managed to kill half of Andhaka's army, but did not manage to kill Andhaka. When Andhaka was bleeding from his hands, arms, legs feet or hands, a new clone of Andhaka appears, Veerbhadra tries again, but failed, Parvati gets outraged to see Andhaka and his clones, so does Lord Shiva, Parvati calls upon the eight Mother Goddesses from her, namely as Brahmani, Vaishnavi, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Indrani, Varahi, Narasinghi and Chamundai to help Veerbhadra in the battlefield.

The eight Mother Goddessses killed the rest Andhaka's army, then they came together, all lined up in the skies watched the battle. Parvati took the form of Goddess Bhadrakali to help Veerbhadra. He slashed Andhaka's clones while Bhadrakali collected their blood and drank it, she also slashed Andhaka's clones too. After Andhaka was defeated, he pleads forgiveness from Lord Shiva and Parvati.

After Veerbhadra went back into Lord Shiva's body, so did the eight Mother Goddesses after Bhadrakali returned as Parvati, they went back into her body as well. Andhaka was defeated, he pleads forgiveness from Lord Shiva and Parvati. He was forgiven and became one of the men of Shiva.

Some stories do say; Andhaka conceived an unnatural lust for his mother, Parvati, which accounts for Shiva's ferocious antagonism against him. Andhaka is usually shown either impaled on Shiva's trident, or in skeletal form as Bhringi after submitting to Shiva, who drained his blood during the conflict.

6/ Manasa;

Manasa (Sanskrit: मनसा, romanized: Manasā) is a Hindu goddess of snakes.

Also known as 'Nagini,' the female serpentine avatar or 'Vishahara,' the goddess who annihilates poison, Manasa, in the Hindu mythology, is believed to be the daughter of sage Kasyapa and Kadru, the sister of the serpent-king Sesha. She is the sister of Vasuki, king of Nagas and wife of sage Jagatkaru.

A simplified version of the myth regards Manasa as the daughter of Lord Shiva. Legends have it that she was rejected by her father Shiva and husband Jagatkaru, and hated by her stepmother, Chandi, who scooped out one of Manasa's eyes. So, she appears to be foul-tempered, and benevolent only towards her devotees.

7/ Jyoti;

Jyoti, or the Hindu goddess of light and the "Vel," is revered by Hindus. As the goddess of "vel," she is closely linked to her brother, Lord Murugan, the son of Shiva and Parvati.

Jyoti is assumed to have been conceived by Shiva and Parvati as there aren't many myths around her birth. The one known is that she along with her family represent the five elements.

8/ Jalandhar;

Genuinely the only picture i found-

Jalandhara was the king of the asuras. Jalandhar was an able ruler and under his leadership the asuras defeated the devas. He himself isn't an asuras.

In the Shiva temple, when Indra and Brihaspati were going towards Mount Kailasha to meet Shiva, their way was blocked by a naked yogi with matted hair and a radiant face. The yogi was Shiva himself, who had taken the form to test the knowledge of Indra and Brihaspati.

Indra did not recognize the yogi and was infuriated at the fact that the man was not moving out of their way. Indra asked him to move, but the man did not budge. After not receiving a response, Indra became enraged and threatened him with his thunderbolt. Upon this action Indra's arm, became paralysed and Shiva neutralised the thunderbolt.

Shiva became angry upon this action of Indra and his eyes turned red, frightening Indra. The anger caused his third eye to open, nearly killing Indra. Brihaspati recognised Shiva and prayed to him, requesting him to pardon Indra.

To avoid killing Indra, Shiva sent the fire from his eye towards the ocean and upon meeting with the ocean it assumed the form of a boy. The boy cried terribly, which caused Brahma to descend from his abode. The ocean told Brahma that he did not know where the boy came from.

Brahma then told him that the boy would one day become the emperor of the asuras, that he could only be killed by Shiva, and that after his death, he would return to third eye. Which will happen eventually... one day.

And that's all I know and found out about them♡

[h0bg0blin-meat]

Shesha: What do we say when making bread? Manasa, glumly: That's the dough rising. Shesha: And what do we NOT say? Vasuki, sadly: That's the yeast fucking.

[arjuna-vallabha]

Manasa Devi by Rahul Sarkar, Bengal

[portersqbooks]

Manasa recently finished reading I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, which also happens to be a recommended read from RM of BTS :). In this memoir of sorts, Baek Se-hee recorded her therapy sessions and transcribed select conversations to document her inner grapplings with mental illness. This was one of the first pieces of writing Manasa discovered that talks openly about dysthymia vs. major depression. She found this valuable since she’s always interested in how others process their emotions, and realized she had a lot in common with Se-hee. She would love to meet the author one day!!

[johannvonelfenbein]

The Power of Mantra in Jyotish: Liberating the Mind through Sacred Sounds

In the vast expanse of Vedic wisdom, the concept of mantra stands out as a profound tool for transformation and liberation. Rooted in the ancient Sanskrit language, the term 'mantra' is derived from the root 'man', meaning 'to think', and the suffix 'tra', indicating tools or instruments. Thus, a mantra is fundamentally an instrument of the mind, designed to free it from the shackles of the mundane and elevate it to a realm of higher consciousness. In Jyotish, or Vedic astrology, mantras are revered for their ability to align individual energies with cosmic vibrations, fostering harmony, balance, and growth.

Manasa Trayate: Freeing the Mind

The essence of mantra chanting lies in its capacity to liberate the mind - 'manasa trayate'. This liberation is not merely an escape but a profound release from the cycles of desire, fear, and suffering that often bind the human experience. Through the repetition of sacred syllables, mantras quiet the incessant chatter of the mind, offering a glimpse into the serene depths of our true nature.

The Dance of the Gunas

Central to the understanding of the mind in Vedic philosophy are the three gunas - Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. These qualities or modes of nature describe the fabric of our mental and emotional states. Tamas represents inertia and darkness, Rajas denotes activity and passion, while Sattva is associated with purity, wisdom, and harmony. The mind, influenced by these gunas, shapes our perceptions, actions, and ultimately, our destiny.

Sattva Guna: The Beacon of Liberation

The goal of chanting mantras is to cultivate Sattva guna, the quality of harmony and balance. Sattva is the light that dispels the darkness of ignorance, leading the mind towards clarity, peace, and liberation. As we immerse ourselves in the vibrational energy of mantras, we subtly shift the balance of the gunas within us, reducing the dominance of Rajas and Tamas, and amplifying the presence of Sattva.

In the realm of Jyotish, mantras are prescribed as remedies to counteract the negative influences of planetary alignments and to enhance their positive aspects. Each planet resonates with specific frequencies, and chanting the associated mantras can help attune our energy to these cosmic forces, facilitating healing, transformation, and the fulfillment of our potential.

Chanting as a Path to Higher Consciousness

The practice of mantra chanting is a journey towards self-realization. It is an act of focusing the mind, not on the transient and the external, but on the eternal truths that lie within. As we chant, we are not just reciting words; we are invoking the very essence of the universe, connecting with a force that transcends time and space.

The power of mantra lies in its ability to transform the mind from a state of bondage to one of freedom. It offers a path to transcend the limitations imposed by the gunas, guiding us towards Sattva, where true liberation resides. In this state of elevated consciousness, we discover the unity of all existence, the interconnectivity of the cosmos, and the boundless potential of the human spirit.

[alosinae]

Bronze figure of the snake goddess (Manasā)

Early Pala Dynasty, 8th Century

British Museum

[social-yogi-shyam-satish]

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[cmiatamil]

Manasa சொன்ன அதிர்ச்சி பதில் - "நிறைய சாப்பிட்டு இப்போ நான்.. குழந்தை பிறந்தனால.." |    விரிவாக படியுங்கள் 👉 http://www.cmovietube.com/Manasa-s-shocking-answer-quot-I-have-eaten-a-lot-and-now-I-have-a-baby-quot--Cinema-1303373329.html #Manasa | #Shocking | #Answer | #Quot https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfyhq7FLhzP/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[greenjaydeep]

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[h0bg0blin-meat]

Saraswati: I didn't know you'd turn out to be such a snake!

Manasa: Saras, for crying out loud, I so do not have time for your silly puns right now.

[arjuna-vallabha]

Manasa Devi by Biswajit Das, Bengal

[portersqbooks]

Manasa just started reading this and is already jumping to recommend it to y’all, especially if you’re interested in memoir, unpacking systems that perpetuate racism and fatphobia, and healthcare injustice. From the publisher:

In this insightful, funny, and whip-smart book, acclaimed writer Evette Dionne explores the minefields fat Black woman are forced to navigate in the course of everyday life. From her early experiences of harassment to adolescent self-discovery in internet chatrooms to diagnosis with heart failure at age twenty-nine, Dionne tracks her relationships with friendship, sex, motherhood, agoraphobia, health, pop culture, and self-image.

Along the way, she lifts back the curtain to reveal the subtle, insidious forms of surveillance and control levied at fat women: At the doctor’s office, where any health ailment is treated with a directive to lose weight. On dating sites, where larger bodies are rejected or fetishized. On TV, where fat characters are asexual comedic relief. But Dionne’s unflinching account of our deeply held prejudices is matched by her fierce belief in the power of self-love.

An unmissable portrait of a woman on a journey toward understanding our society and herself, Weightless holds up a mirror to the world we live in and asks us to imagine the future we deserve.

[exotic-indians]

[social-yogi-shyam-satish]

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