As per Shivpuran, once upon a time, an argument started between two trinity Gods, Brahma Dev and Bhagwan Vishnu ji, each claiming to be superior. They approached Mahadev, the God of Gods, and asked him to give his verdict. A huge Jyotirlinga emerged there. Lord Shiva gave a task to Brahma Dev and Bhagwan Vishnu. He said that whosoever can tell the beginning or end of this Jyotirlinga, will be declared the supreme God. Brahma Dev decided to go downwards to find the beginning of Jyotirlinga and Bhagwan Vishnu went upwards to see the end of Jyotirlinga. Brahma Dev thought of doing a betrayal as he wanted to be declared as the supreme God. Brahma Dev convinced the Ketaki (flower) who was also coming down with him, to lie in his favour and to become his witness. He then returned to Mahadev. Brahma Dev told Mahadev that he had found out from where Jyotirlinga originated. Bhagwan Vishnu returned and told Mahadev that he could not find the end of this Shivalinga. Mahadev knew the truth being Trikaldarshi. He punished Brahma Dev and cut off one of his five heads. Mahadev said, “He is the beginning and the end” and Jyotirlinga is also one of his forms. After this time, Brahma Dev and Bhagwan Vishnu together worshipped the Jyotirlinga. Mahadev bestowed Bhagwan Vishnu as the supreme deity because of righteousness.
Hinduism or Sanatan Dharma is time immemorial. The word ‘Sanatan’ has its roots in Sanskrit which can be deciphered into “ancient”, “unshakeable” or “eternal”. As Sanatan Dharma is eternal so is the idea of “Me” being superior to “Him”. As there are two ends of Jyotirlinga, there are also two ends of energies which are equally powerful. If we look at the subatomic level, the negative charge of one electron balances the positive charge of one proton. The energies (spiritual) of Devtas and Asuras are also on different ends of the spectrum, both worship Mahadev, but keep fighting against each other to prove their supremacy.
Both Brihaspati Dev and Guru Shukracharya were high in their spiritual energies. As per Rigveda and ancient Vedic scriptures, Brihaspati is a deity and is considered to be a Guru and counsellor of devas and devis (gods and goddesses). He is the son of great sage Maharishi Angirasa and Smriti. Mahadev, gave the title of Devguru to Angiranandan as he had a great knowledge of religion and guiding principles of life. He was asked to guide the gods with his wisdom.
Shukracharya, the one-eyed guru was one of the greatest sages in the history. He was one of the dedicated disciples of Lord Shiva. He was the son of Rishi Bhrigu and Kavyamata also known as Daitya Guru. He was tutored initially by Maharishi Angirasa and later he left Angirasa’s ashram and went to learn under Maharishi Gautama. Shukracharya’s spiritual energy was thought to be higher than Brihaspati Dev and he wanted a superior position in the Devaloka. But he was rejected and denied the place that he believed he deserved.
Mahadev sent Shukracharya to daityas (Patal-Loka) in order to guide and save them and bring them under “holy rules”. Thus, he became the teacher of Daityas and danavas. He helped them wage war against the Devas and took his personal vengeance against arch-rivals headed by Indra for his humiliation at Devloka. Shukracharya was blessed with the Mrit Sanjeevani Vidhya (knowledge) from Mahadev because of his great determination and commitment. With this knowledge, he could save his believers killed on the battlefield by infusing life into their bodies. After enquiring about this Vidhya which could revive the dead, he waged war against the Devas and defeated them and proved his supremacy over Devguru Brihaspati.
Devguru Brihaspati acknowledging the superior knowledge of Daitya Guru Shukracharya, asked his son Kuch to become a student of arch-rival Shukracharya to learn the Mrit Sanjeevani vidhya. During Kuch’s training, Devyani fell in love with Kuch. Devyani was the dearest daughter of Shukracharya with her wife Jayanti (Indra’s daughter). Shukracharya’s followers despised Kach and killed him twice but each time Shukracharya revives him after Devyani’s insistence. When the daityas killed him third time and mixed his ashes in Shukracharya’s alcohol in order to prevent Kuch’s resurrection, Devyani asked Shukracharya about his whereabouts, Shukracharya from his spiritual powers and insight came to know that Kach was in his stomach. Because of Devyani’s request and Shukracharya’s love for her daughter, he finally teaches the mantra to Kach who was in his stomach and then revives him with Mrit Sanjeevani Vidhya. Kach comes from Shukracharya’s body and uses the same Vidhya to revive his guru. Thus, Devtas had to serve Daitya Guru to learn the art of Mrit Sanjeevani vidhya. Kach later refused to marry Devyani and was cursed by her that he would not be able to use the Vidhya.
Shukracharya has mentored the daityas over the millennia and during the times of Maharaja Bali, who ruled the whole world, Shukracharya was his guru. Bhagwan Vishnu had to take birth in the form of Vaman Avtar to send him to Patal Loka and defeat Shukracharya’s plans. Similarly, Bhagwan Vishnu had to take birth in the form of Bhagwan Ram in Treta Yuga to kill the Rakshas Ravana (son of a Brahman guru Visharva and Daitya mata Keksi) and his son Indrajet who had defeated Indra and other Devtas. At the end of Dwapar yuga, Bhagwan Krishna, who is the Avtar of Vishnu Bhagwan took birth in Manushya Yoni to kill all those who were on the sides of Adharma. All religious leaders proclaim that their faith is supreme and their way is the supreme and righteous way for getting closer to the God. The author believes that this tug of war to prove their superiority over others is the cause of conflicts among the nations and religious groups.
For an efficient and smooth management of the civilization, the society (since the Vedic period) was divided into Varnas (Varna vyavyastha, not akin to caste) based on the type of work responsibilities. Shukracharya also wrote the Neetishastra and his take on the Varna vyavyastha was that in this world, no one is a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra by birth, but based on conduct, excellence and karma.
Pujya Puri Shankaracharya Ji recently gave an interview to a news channel and during the conversation, he elaborated on the concept of Brahmin-hood. He described that “being Brahmin is not limited to the birth and the true Brahmin is not just being born into a Brahmin family, but his actions and life define it”. He later classified different forms of Brahmin-hood based on the birth, actions and nature of a person (he said he was citing Shiva Purana). For example, if a Brahmin (by birth) indulges in business activities, he will be called a “Vaishya Brahmin”. Only a Brahmin whose actions and life defined for the Brahmins would be labeled as a “Brahmin Brahmin”. Thus, according to him half of the Brahmin-hood (being higher than others as per Varna vyavyastha) is attained at the time of birth, which is in sharp contrast to what was Shukracharya’s Neetishastra. Also, Shankaracharya Mattha follows a certain set of age-old traditions and customs, where people with Brahmin caste (by birth) hold the topmost position in their hierarchical set-up.
In present times, there are many religious gurus, meditation gurus, yoga gurus, gurus with deras, kathawachaks, self-styled gurus, English-speaking “new age” gurus, and Babaji’s who are proclaimed as “GURUS”. There is one thing in common with them, they consider themselves to be “superior men (women)” to the masses and they proclaim themselves to be closer to God than their followers. We can appreciate that their mammoth sized photos, pictures and posters are displayed on the walls and celebrated in the centres and households of their followers. They are known in the media as “Godmen” as the so-called “Enlightened” class. Most if not all of the present-day “Godmen” have either foundations or trust where they sell their customized products, spiritual courses and tailored made “special trips”. They run a business model and receive offerings from the people and their business partners. Each one proving to have courses and products superior to others and proclamation of them as their way is a sure path to enlightenment and bliss. Their close disciples, hard-core followers and volunteers campaign for them and often project themselves to be in a state of higher realization and closeness to God. They want their cult to be respected, even if some serious allegation and flaw comes to light in society.
On the other end of the spectrum are the some Pandits who are sitting at our religious sites and pilgrimages who in the name of God and name of offering Shanti to our Pitras (Pitra shanti) charge heavily (money) from the worshipers who have a deep sense of obeisance for their Devta and God. They also claim that their offering would go directly to the heavens and their way is the supreme way. The common man is made to believe in this way.
Corona period was an eye opener and revealed that these “Gurus” lost most of their daily earnings and had to resort to social media and whatsapp for selling their product and online courses. Some of them started online blessings for online monetary offerings. Also, most “Godmen” went into their shell to save themselves and failed to bless and protect the public. Instead most of them took the help of modern day technology to reach out to the public for their “cult”. On the contrary, police personnel, safai karamcharis and especially clinicians in the medical fraternity were working hard despite the fear of COVID-19. The hospitals were full and sick including some of the Godmen who took refuge in the modern-day hospitals for coming out of the sickness and back to health. Their lives were in the hands of treating doctors and paramedics, who did their job to the best of their capacity.
Clinicians over the decades have done their part of karma and restored the health of the sick despite challenges. Treating and operating patients with infectious diseases like HIV, Hepatitis, tuberculosis and those with heavy viral loads and similar conditions is akin to Shukracharya’s sacrifice when he risked his own life to save Kuch from death. A good medical doctor puts his mental, physical and spiritual energies to treat and heal their patients. Often he is not given his due share of respect from the patient and their families after (s)he does his best to save his patient. This feeling is similar to what Shukracharya must have felt when his disciple (patient Kuch) did not obey his life-giver. A medical student is always taught in the medical school that, “We (Doctor) treat and he (God/spiritual energy) heals”. Finally, it is the Good Karma that is essential and rest we must leave it to Almighty Mahadev for the final judgment.
Aum Namah Shivay
ॐ नमः शिवाय
ॐ नमः शिवाय