The answers of Agastya Muni to the generic questions posted by devotees can be found here.
The readers are requested to send their spiritual experiences related to the Siddhas to GnanaBoomi at Gmail dot com. Though the experiences are unique and personal to them, it can shower some light or guidance to those who read them. Thanks!
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[From the 212th episode of the Siththan Arul Tamil series]
Shukra was born to Bhrigu Maharishi and Puloma. There is no art and skill that he hasn’t seen the depth. He authored the ‘Shukra Neethi’ book. He is said to be very handsome and is the head of Asuras. When he was young, he possessed the body of Kubera and seized all his wealth. When Kubera complained this to Lord Shiva, the Almighty used His Trident against Shukra to warn him. Shukra stayed in the top of the Shoola (trident) and saved his life.
The demons were sad that Lord Vishnu helps the Devas all the time. Shukra took pity on them and assured them that he will obtain the blessing of Lord Shiva and help the Asuras and that they should not wage against the Devas till then. Shukra then reached Kashi, installed a Shiva Linga and did pooja, tapasya for a long time. The Almighty did not appear. Shukra though was upset, he did not lose heart. He continued to increase the intensity of his tapasya for thousand years. Lord Shiva then appeared before Shukra saying, ‘your penance is the most strongest and we are very pleased’. He then initiated him with the ‘Sanjeevani’ mantra, which was never given to anyone before. The Sanjeevani as the readers might have guessed now, will bring back the dead to life.
There was a huge conflict between Devas and Asuras once, and as usual. Both wanted to rule all the three worlds. Devas sought the help of Bruhaspathi and began to do yagna for their victory. Asuras requested Shukra to be their guru. The Devas got angry with Shukra. Eventually a huge battle was ensued. The asuras were killed in many numbers. But Shukra came to their aid, brought back every dead asura to life with the help of Sanjeevani. The devas were shocked at this. As their guru Bruhaspathi did not know the mantra, the side of devas were dwidling.
The tapasya of Bruhaspathi did not help in front of Shukra. The devas had to abandon the battlefield. In the meantime, Andhakasura (a demon) came and fought with the devas alone and was chased away by the devas. He went straight to Shukra and screamed that the devas are coming in large numbers to destroy the entire asuras and pleaded for his protection.
Shukra believed in Andhakasura’s words, got agitated and called upon the asuras to wage war and that he is there for their protection. A fierce battle began where the asuras who were killed were brought back by Shukra. There was one watchful pair of eyes seeing all this, Lord Nandi, who went to Lord Shiva with a request to protect the devas. Lord Shiva summoned Shukra and swallowed him and made him remain in His stomach.
The strength of asuras began to shrink, the devas won. But Shukra who was inside the stomach of Lord Shiva did tapasya for another 1000 years. The all merciful lord brought back Shukra from his stomach and hence Shukra was also called as Shiva Kumara.
The stomach of devas began to trouble on seeing Shukra back from the Lord’s stomach. The intellectual Bruhaspathi wanted to have a long term solution for this problem. He asked his son Kasan and asked him to make Shukra’s daughter Devayani his beloved whereby Shukra will have mercy on Kasan and will do the upadesa of Sanjeevani mantra. Kasan did just as his father said. When they were together, the asuras knew who Kasan was. The asuras killed Kasan without the knowledge of Shukra.
When Shukra came to know about this, he brought back the life of Kasan for his daughter Devayani, not once, but twice as the asuras were determined to route out the problem. So they killed him the third time, burnt him and mixed the ash in the liquor that Shukra consumes as habituated. He drank it as well. Devayani could not find Kasan and she mentioned it to Shukra who realized that he might have been killed, he chanted the mantra which brought back the life of Kasan right inside Shukra’s stomach.
Now Shukra was in a fix. If Kasan has to come out of his stomach, he has to give his life. So he offered to do the upadesa of Sanjeevani mantra to Kasan, who got it and came out of Shukra’s stomach killing him. Then Kasan chanted the same mantra to bring back Shukra to life. Thus, Kasan saved the devas from getting eradicated.
During Vamana Avatar, Lord Vishnu came as a dwarf brahmin to ask three feet land from Bali. Shukra knew the Lord’s intention and so he tried stopping Bali who did not want to get a bad reputation of going against his own words. Shukra even tried closing down the pathhole of the Kamandalu with which Mahabali tried to offer the land to Vamana. Lord Vishnu in the Vamana form pierced the hole of the kamandalu using the Dharba grass knowing well that it was indeed Shukra. Shukra lost his eyes thereby, which he got back after praying to Lord Shiva.
The Jyotish shashtra says that Shukra is the embodiment of all the pleasures, handsome, marriage, women, love, desire everything is him. Luck and the protection of Lord Kama is Shukra.
He is the lord of business. He attracts everyone through his skills. Love, intercourse, status, luxurious life, sowbhagya, all these are given by Shukra. He likes the sour taste and offers bodily vigour. He is rajasic in nature and is the lord of Velli (Friday). He is water among the five elements. His kula is that of brahmin. He owns the diamond. He is feminic in nature.
Rishaba and Thula are his own house
Kanni is neecha house.
Meena is uchcha house.
Barani, Poorattadhi, Poorada are his own stars.
Shani and Budha are his friends.
Guru and Sevvai (Angaraka) are his equal.
The rest are enemies.
He is the bestower of the pleasure out of love making. Whenever one gets the yoga bala of Shukra, it gives them happiness, sowbhagya, dhana, wealth in abundance.
Shukra has four sons and two daughters (Devayani and Karasai). He is the lord of Asuras. He has four hands and rides in a chariot pulled by ten horses.
He has Pancha Kona Peeta, seated in Padmasana facing East. He has white sandalwood paste, white flower, white garland, white garments, white umbrella, white flag etc. The Muni who is of Shukra’s mantra is Bharadhwaja. Chandam and Dhrishtum are the athi devata of Shukra. Indrani is the prathyathi devata.
Shukra is the master of Agni-Dhik (direction of agni) and is the lord of East. He has a Garuda as his vehicle too.
Kalathra Karaka. He helps in rainfall and likes sweet taste too. There are temples in which Shukracharya as he is famously called, in Tamilnadu. They are Thiru Navalur and Sri Rangam.
Thiru Navalur is in 15 stone distance from Banrutti railway station. Everyone knows about where Sri Rangam is. There are 7 walls which are called Bhu-loka, Bhuvar-loka, Suvar-loka, Mahar-loka, Jana-loka, Thapo-loka, Sathya-loka. Another speciality is, there are 9 theerthas here. Chandra Pushkarni, Naaval Theertha, Vilva Theertha, Asura Theertha, Punnai Theertha, Magizha Theertha, Parasu Theertha, Kadamba Theertha and Maa Theertha.
Ashwa Dhwajaaya Vidhmahe Dhanur Hasthaaya Dheemahi
Thanoo Shukra Prachothayaath
is the Gayatri mantra for Shukra. The Jyotish shashtra gives the number 6 to Shukra. Those who want their marriage to happen, those who seek heirs, sowbhagya should recite the following verse from Soundarya Lahari.
Chathurpi Sri Kanttai Shiva Yuvadhipi Panchaprabi:
Prabinthaapi: Shambor Navaprabi: Moolaprakruthipee:
Thrayas Sathvaarim Sath Vasuthala Kaalaasra: Thrivalaya
Thirirekaapi: Saartham Thava Sarana KoNaa ParaNithaa!
Those who chant this sloka on Friday as many times as possible, they can get as much as goodness!
Featured image courtesy: Sidhdhas’ spiritual wisdom
~ to be continued…!