Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Welcome to the 2013 Saraswati Puja issue of e-Sanai


by Sri Sandip Dasgupta


Welcome to the Saraswati Puja edition of our online magazine.  This is the auspicious day on which our Master,  Sri Sri Babathakur had chosen to take on the body that we all have seen, and one that has showered the light of Oneness on us.  On November 8, 1994, Sri Sri Babathakur had delivered a spontaneous lecture on the topic of Jnanayoga in Bengali.  Saccidananda Society has published this lecture in the form of a CD which has enabled mortals like us to get a chance to listen to his discourses as we drive to and from work.  In this lecture, Sri Sri Babathakur narrates a very interesting episode between Him (in a previous incarnation) and a devotee.  In this issue, I’ve have chosen to attempt to transcribe this episode for the benefit of those who do not know Bengali or else, may not have listened to the CD.  Please note that Saccidananda Society, Kolkata owns the copyright for all these materials.

Once upon a time, a devotee (bhakta) who was in search of the Lord did a lot of Tapasya and eventually found the Lord (in the form of the Master, in a previous incarnation).  During the meeting, the devotee questioned Him on various topics.  Sri Sri Babathakur systematically answered these questions to clear the devotee’s conception of the Lord.  I am sure that many of you too must have occasionally had the following questions cross your mind.  Hopefully the answers provided by the Master to these questions will assist you in your daily life.

      The questions posed were:

1.       Why did you create this Universe?

2.       Why have you filled this world with miseries?

3.       Some people work so hard and do Tapasya, yet they are not able to reach the Lord. Yet, some people reach the Lord so easily, without doing any Tapasya.

4.       How did you become the Lord?

5.       Why can’t somebody else become the Lord?
 
And the answers given were:

Q1: Why did you create the universe?

A1: By creating this universe, I am giving a chance to all of you to make efforts to reach Me, through your actions, thoughts, Tapasya etc. There are millions of Avyaktas (who have not yet manifest themselves as human beings) who do not have this opportunity to know about the Lord, experience the Lord, and get merged into the Lord.

Q2: Why have you filled this world with miseries?

A2: Sri Sri Babathakur begins his reply by asking the devotee if he experiences sorrow during both the sleeping and the waking states. The devotee replies that he does not experience sorrow while sleeping. The Master points out that for something to be Real, it has to exist all the time – so by definition sorrow is not real.  He further explains that sorrow is an imagination of the mind. What one individual may think of as unhappiness may not be classified the same by another individual – because sorrow is relative. The Master further asks the devotee what he does when he experiences sorrow.  The devotee replies that he cries.  The Master counters by asking him if he is feeling sad at this very moment.  The devotee tries a lot to cry but is unsuccessful – thus proving that unhappiness (dukkha) is relative and not permanent. Eventually, the devotee decides to withdraw this question, as he gets convinced that the unhappiness in life has not been created by the Lord, but by the imagination of the mind.

Q3: Why do some people obtain the Lord easily, while others spend tons of time seeking the Lord throughout their lives?

Before answering this question directly, the Master asks the devotee about his age, whether he had any siblings who were younger than him and any that were older to him?  The devotee innocently discloses his age and indicates that he has both younger and elder siblings. The Master then asks the devotee if he can shrink himself back to the age of his younger sibling. He also asks him whether he can leap forward to the age of his elder sibling. The devotee answers both questions in the negative. The Master then explains that every individual has to gradually grow up in life in steps. Similarly, in spiritual growth, the individual gradually moves towards attaining the Lord. An individual who has already done a lot of Tapasya and good Karmas is closer to attaining the Lord – whereas the individual who is at a lower stage has a long way to go.

Q4: How did you become the Lord?

A4: By giving up everything in life to the giver (Lord Himself).  By living in the Mahashunya.

Q5: Why can’t somebody else become the Lord?

A5: Of course you can! But you have to give up everything – your possessions, actions, results to the Lord.  Instead we keep asking the Lord for more objects, more money, more desires etc.  These cause more bondage, sufferings and sorrow.  The Master says that instead, we should give up everything we have received from the Lord (our body, our house, our feelings etc.) and function as the instrument of the Lord.  The ground has to be ready for the Lord to reveal within us.  The ground can be ready when we transform our pranam (Nama) to Na-Mama (nothing is mine).  Once we give up our individuality, the Lord will reveal Himself to us.  If the ground is not ready, then the arrival of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar together as our Guru, shall be fruitless.  We have to begin by accepting the Absolute Oneness, just like a little child knows nothing but his parents. Without any inhibitions, the child is always ready to jump on their lap (no matter how dirty he maybe).  Similarly, we need to accept the One Lord as our Guru and surrender everything to the Lord – this will enable the ground to be ready for the Lord to reveal Himself within us.  We will be able to live life in Sama Bodha.  This is the main theme of Jnanayoga.

So, on this auspicious occasion, can we pledge to rededicate ourselves to the Lord, our Guru and keep our doors and windows open to receive the Light of Oneness?

Joy Babathakur, Joy Babathakur, Joy Babathakur!

Journey with 'Perfection' personified

 
by Sri P.C. Lahiri


December 13, 2008:  Prajnanpurush Sri Sri Babathakur (Master) being the personification of Supreme Grace, allowed me to accompany Him from Siliguri in North Bengal to Mumbai.  Master was leaving Siliguri following the epoch-making sportful and dramatic divine game at Golabari, a village in North Bengal.  The story of this divine game is now available in the book ‘Leelamoy Prajnanpurush Sri Sri Babathakur’ - published by Saccidananda Society, and compiled and written by Mr. Tushar Bhattacharyya.  Master had fulfilled the earnest prayers of the ever-surrendered devotee Burima (Ms. Subhra Kundu) by visiting her village, Golabari as well as her residence in Siliguri.

If one were to read the book attentively, it would become clear that Master subtly laid the foundation of a new-age pilgrimage centre at Golabari - one bereft of conventional places of worship or traditional methods of religion.  He paved the way for new-age worship through the cultivation of the outer gross (i.e. land) in the first stage, to be followed by the cultivation of the inner subtle being within all of us in the second stage, and finally the cultivation of the central, subtler being in the third stage – all leading to the firm and total establishment of the transcendental subtlemost Being (the Absolute Self I-Reality), that is our true nature, in the fourth stage.

By proper cultivation of the outer gross world as per directions of the Sadguru (i.e. the Master, who is one with the Supreme Truth/Reality), we shall develop strong vitals (prana), mind (mana), intellect (buddhi) and ego (ahamkara).  By right cultivation of vitals and mind - again as per the directions of the Sadguru – we shall develop spiritually strong and refined vitals and mind.  Such balanced vitals and mind shall enable the perfect cultivation of intellect and ego as per the directions of Sadguru.  This cultivation of the third stage shall result in the transformation of buddhi (intellect) into param bodhi (Pure Consciousness), thus completing our journey back to Godhead.  Careful study of the book shall open-up the new-age science of cultivation without going through any conventional, austere penance or worship.  All this has to be done as per the Science revealed to, narrated and demonstrated by the Master.  The Knowledge revealed is a new-age science because it can be followed by everyone under all circumstances, without taking recourse to any special, non-routine activity. Hence, it is suitable for the present day humanity at large which is hard pressed for time. The revelation is methodical and scientific - hence it can be followed by any ordinary, prudent person irrespective of the status of his/her birth, caste, creed, education, wealth or religious belief.

The science of total cultivation described above is simply the presentation of the ‘Science of the Absolute’ from a different angle by the Master.  The ‘Science of the Absolute’ has to be applicable at every moment to every aspect of life - be it known or unknown to us.  Otherwise it ceases to be the ‘Science of the Absolute’, given there is nothing in the universe outside of the Absolute.  This Science reveals itself totally and completely only after one has thoroughly cultivated/applied it in every aspect of his/her life.  Total revelation is enlightenment.  Life becomes perfect and spontaneous only after the revelation of the Absolute in Its pristine glory and majesty, as has been witnessed in the life of the Master.

Followers tearfully bade farewell to the Master as He was leaving Siliguri.  The flight had been well delayed.  Being a military airport, the Bagdogra airport is scantily equipped to handle civil aviation.  In the absence of internal transport/ferry services, passengers are required to walk long distance to board their planes.  Not being in the best of physical health, the Master walked slowly on the tarmac to reach the stairs of the aircraft, and then climbed the flight of stairs to enter the aircraft.  We were first required to fly to Guwahati, and from there, catch a connecting flight of the same airline to reach Mumbai.  Upon landing in Guwahati, we found our plane parked next to the aircraft that was to take us to Mumbai.  I expected a direct transfer to the other aircraft - i.e. alighting from our present aircraft and simply walking over to and boarding the Mumbai-bound aircraft.  Airline authorities however had other ideas and made us (i.e. the Mumbai-bound passengers) walk to the airport lounge area. There we were told that since the Mumbai aircraft was almost ready to take off, no new boarding would be allowed. All my pleadings (including some hard-talk) fell on deaf ears.  I finally realized that they had already filled the aircraft, since no private carrier would leave passengers behind were there seats available on the flight.  I helplessly watched the aircraft takeoff for Mumbai, clueless about what fate had in store for us.

The Master was as cool as a cucumber throughout this entire ordeal, revealing the ‘Science of Oneness’ in His inimitable style and with particular reference to the situation we were in, as if nothing had happened.  A few hours later, we were informed that we would first be taken to Delhi, and from there to Mumbai.  When time came, we were herded into the Delhi-bound aircraft.  Master again had to make the long walk to the aircraft and climb the flight of stairs to board the aircraft.  Upon arriving in Delhi (and in response to my repeated requests), Master finally agreed to use a wheelchair.  I ran from pillar to post, trying desperately to get us onboard the last flight of the day to Mumbai.  Again - by virtue of the unconditional Grace of the Master - I was able to raise enough of a ruckus to pursuade the airport authorities to put the two of us as the last passengers on board a jam-packed flight.  The other transit passengers (who had accompanied us from Guwahati) however had no recourse but to stay overnight in Delhi and were accomodated in hotels to pursue their Mumbai bound journey the following day.

The hour-and-a-half long trip from the Mumbai airport to Thane, Maharashtra - proceeding occassionally through heavy traffic - was again an arduous one, despite the transporting car itself being quite comfortable and spacious.  Master had nothing to eat or drink during this entire journey of nearly 14 hours since we left Burima’s home in Siliguri.  Never did He utter a word about this ordeal.  He was His usual perfect Self throughout the car journey, deep into the topical narration of the divine game.  After reaching the designated flat at around midnight, Master freshened up and appeared at the dining table to have the dinner prepared with great love and devotion by Mrs. Jasmine Rajderkar.  He ate very little - however given that Master atleast had a light dinner, Jasmine felt relieved and proceeded to have dinner as well.

It was a perfect demonstration of how a Supreme Soul established in the Absolute state of Oneness, behaves under tumultuous circumstances.  This can only be achieved by a ‘perfect Witness’.

How do we experience the perfect Witness state, within?  By following the Science revealed by Master with utmost devotion and dedication to first discover, and then firmly be established in our Absolute Self I-Reality, within.  The real challenge in life is to be what we are in reality, rather than be what we are in appearance.

 

Blame Game and Comparison


by Smt. Susmita Devi


After having listened to one of Sri Sri Babathakur’s discourse on the Zee Bangla TV program (aired on the 13th of January, 2013), and upon the request of e-Sanai, I decided to write something about my impressions of both 'The Blame Game' and 'Comparison'. The two words used in the headline describe subject matters which are very much part of our daily lives.

The first question related to these concepts that come to my mind is – why do we quite often blame others?  The second question that follows the first one is – how can we manage to minimize the use of blame or totally avoid it? As for the first question, it is primarily because of the fear of punishment that we indulge in blaming others.  Another reason for blaming someone else is that we frequently think and want to show ourselves as superior to others; we actually lie to ourselves, blatantly refusing to acknowledge the inner realities of our behavior.

Experienced psychologists and psychiatrists dig into both the conscious and the subconscious mind of their clients to find out why these individuals behave the way they do (and to eventually make them see that). The cause(s) behind the exhibition of a specific behavior or possession of a certain trait can be identified through the process of self introspection.  However most need some outside indication to be able to see why they behave and talk as they do.

Let me first tackle the idea of ‘blame’. As written above, the primary reason for blaming another is the fear of punishment.  Children are often subject to blame as they are emotionally dependent on a grown up and truly fear that a very loud shouting or beating will follow if there is none but him- or herself to blame.  As teenagers, they thoroughly learn to blame others when possible for any mischief, ‘bad’ behavior, or even an involuntary mishap. They learn to ‘hide’ behind a facade of innocence when needed through the use of blame - this despite realizing that the immutable law of Karma is there to ensure that they themselves shall become victims of the blame game some day.

When talking about action, subtle actions like thoughts ought to be included, for they are the first step to any action. If one blames someone, one is sure to be blamed in return by some other individual for happenings one may not have been the instigator of.  The ‘Blame Game’ is used by most and is top-heavy; it goes from the political level to the Government level where one department blames other departments, one ministry blames other ministries, and managers blame the employees.  Civil society is no better - for as far as basic tenets are concerned, each societal level is an expression of the other.  The Blame Game is thus firmly entrenched within civil society as well.

For individuals, the trick is to learn to accept the blame, request forgiveness (or eventually pay up for one's misdemeanors), and remember not to commit same blunder again. It is indeed that simple to prevent serious reactionary effects.

If one has been fortunate enough to learn the ‘Science of Oneness’ (Advaita Vedanta as opposite to Dwaita) and use it in one’s daily life - the tendency to blame others automatically diminishes and disappears by and by since the ‘physically other’ and you truly are but One in Essence.  I used to explain the concept of Oneness as follows:  Any number of people in a room use one and the same Pran (i.e. life force) while breathing – without consciously assuming this Pran as being ‘my’ Pran.  It is freely available to all creatures. To change the socially-induced, prominent sense of separateness of mind and intellect (i.e. the ego sense) to the Sense of Oneness (Aham Dev), some level of the non-physical and spiritual awareness and practice is needed.  One may gather such knowledge through books, discourses and eventually through the attendance of Satsangs (gathering of devotes).  However there is no doubt that if one is lucky enough to get be instructed by a Self-realized Soul, a Sadguru like Sri Sri Babathakur, the practice and the results are easier to assimilate and use.  The outcome is that the ‘you’ and ‘I’ slowly change one’s thoughts to accept the Essential Being inherent in all - for without that, no life is possible.

When I worked at the Divya Chaya Trust, I helped establish a ‘camp’ where twenty children could stay for a week at a time to imbibe other kinds of knowledge than the academic ones.  They regularly squabbled and fought over ‘mine’ and ‘your’ things, food, and sitting on my lap. I decided to do something about it, but didn’t know what to do. I meditated and requested help – which of course, came.

One afternoon, I took two long pieces of white paper and rolled them out on the floor. In the middle I put the required number of water colors and brushes. I then separated the children in two groups and instructed one group to paint (not draw) life on the river. The other group was told to paint life in a village. After 20 minutes, I asked them to switch sides. Some objected, saying ‘my’ fish or house was not yet finished.  I told them to do as I had stated.  They had no recourse but to obey my instructions, and proceeded to finish painting someone else’s fish or house. This happened twice. We put the paper aside to dry. The next morning I put the panels up under the windows before the children came down. Upon seeing the panels they said, ‘See, OUR paintings are beautiful’. On another occasion while working individually on paintings, they sought praise for ‘my’ house or ‘my’ fish.  During the evening prayer, I told them that ‘We’ promotes unity, whereas the mind ‘I’ is the reason for much jealousy, envy and comparison. The mental ‘I’ is divisive – the ‘my and yours’ theme becomes prominent – and is therefore the root for petty-minded squabbles and fights. The next evening, I asked them to develop skits around how the awareness of the difference between the ‘we’ and the ‘I’ could help them in life. They already understood the essence of this difference courtesy of their interactions during play, and had developed some valuable ideas in this regard.  They actively used these ideas in a creative way to design and enact their skits which were well received by all viewers. The children followed up the idea of sharing their things (including food) unselfishly for the rest of the camp.  Even today, so many years later, some of them call me and mention the effect that those painting sessions have had on their lives.

As an adult, it is more difficult to imbibe the ‘We’, be established in the acceptance of the Essential Being, and function as the ‘Aham Dev’ (i.e. the spiritual “I”).  Intense competition, economic pressure and politics have thoroughly submerged the higher awareness of Aham Dev and the ideas of how to live in harmony. The consequence is more blame being passed all around. To achieve what the children did spontaneously through play, the adult need to select some spiritual practice suitable to their environment and character. Guardians try repeatedly to tell children not to lie, but when children perceive their guardians to not follow what they preach - those preachings are bound to fall on barren soil. To reap the fruit of any endeavor associated with  installing a set of worthy values in their children, parents themselves need to live up to such values on a consistent basis in their daily lives.

One reason for the development of a keen sense of individuality and sense of ego is that since early childhood, individuals get indoctrinated (both consciously and unconsciously) with the sense of individuality by observing parental behavior.  At school, one receives a certain ‘grade’ in class.  One starts receiving a grade from the Lower Nursery class itself, and later, good numbers are needed for admission to educational institutions of higher learning. Guardians want their charge(s) to be the 'number one' in all spheres of life - largely to satisfy their own aspirations. Many parents unfortunately live off the 'glory’ of their children’s achievements if they harbor the sense of a lack of 'achievement' in their own lives.  Kids ought to be allowed to develop at their own pace. Their potentials will eventually show up and not remain hidden under the compulsions of living up to the expectations of their guardians. In the minds of children, it is easier to blame others for any mischief than to disappoint a guardian.  But be aware - the eventual consequences of developing the habit of blaming are rarely perceptible at the moment of uttering the first blame.

The concept of blame has a first cousin called ‘comparison’. Throughout life, an individual is compared to other individuals for beauty, intellect, riches, social status, manners, size etc. Even one’s complexion can be a point of comparison with others.

Comparison is, according to Sri Sri Babathakur, a ‘double octopus’ as it bares both visible reactions and invisible ones.  Once the octopus of comparison has gripped an individual, it can suffocate both the outer and the inner natural behavior and thought.  One becomes dependent on the likings and disliking of others and on socially acceptable norms. The society one lives in (both the micro of partner/family and the macro of a country), expects every member to conform to a set of rules – sometimes, quite unreasonable and/or outdated. The natural or inborn mental assertiveness is slowly emptied of self-esteem and initiative.  The individual ends up feeling like the smallest cogwheel in a huge clock –she/he is nothing and can do very little on her/his own. Before that stage arrives, one must find a way of maintaining equanimity between the socio/economic demands and one’s natural tendencies – between the inner spiritual awareness and the outer demands. That, for sure, is not easy to do unless one achieves a high level of spiritual detachment.

Blame Game and comparison are indeed the two aspects of social life that mess up and sometimes destroy an individual.  Consider the rate of suicides due to strong feelings of inadequacy, depression, disappointment and fear - all of them based on ideas of comparison - not to talk of the narrowness of mind exhibited by those who willingly conform to prevailing socio-economic rules and regulations within their social circle.

Can one change one’s attitude by, for example, using different words?  Yes, I think a change can come about by changing the way we communicate.  Instead of using negative charged words like, horrible, disease, unfair and so on, one must consciously modify the expressions of the above to, for example, awful (which can be both positive and negative in modern vocabulary) and ‘out of ease’ which is perceived as being less negative to ‘disease’.

In conclusion, it is worth mentioning that both blame and comparison are social phenomena that evolve through 1) fear of punishment, 2) the ego’s attempts at being pampered, 3) intense competition in one’s social life, 4) education level and 5) parental non-adherence to actually be what the preach. It is, however worth attempting to remedy the inclination to both ‘blame’ and ‘compare’ even in the later stages of life, so as to live out the remainder of one's life in harmony and a higher state of Awareness. 

The Concept of Mythology in Hinduism


by Sri Ajit Halder


Introduction

Through the ages, Indian Mythology has been a major influence in determining the belief system of the Hindus and their way of life.  So it is important to deeply study the concept of mythology to understand the Hindu religious life.
 
Indian Mythology is a resource of stories concerning Gods and their divine deeds, heroes and their adventures, and of ritual practices of the ancient Indians. They were a part of the religion of days gone by, and are still part of the Hindu religion in modern India.
 
A large collection of narratives to be found in the Vedas, the epics namely the Ramayana and the Mahabharata,  the Puranas like the Vishnu Purana, the Bhaagavat Purana and a host of other Puranas are the texts  embedded in Indian mythology.  Extensive mythological stories may also be found in folklores like Manasa Mangal, and find expressions in Indian representational arts, stone carvings and paintings.  The rich literature of Indian Mythology has educated, entertained and spiritually uplifted the Hindus for many centuries.
 
The Myth in Mythology 
 
The term ‘myth’ appears at the front of the compound word ‘mythology’.  Therefore, myth being an integral part of the word mythology deserves a careful elucidation.
 
Conventionally myth means falsehood (mythya) and nobody likes to live in falsehood.  It is generally perceived that every body wishes to live in truth.  To a Hindu, myth is truth that is inherently cultural and grounded in faith. We will use myth as a sacred narrative where the main figures are personalities divine, human or even an animal.  Additionally, myth attempts to explain how the world and humankind came to be in their present form through legends  Followers of Hinduism believe that mythological stories are not only sacred and ‘true’ but also historically accurate.  To support this view, mention may be made of the Great War described in the Mahabharata.  Hindus visit the site known as Kurukshetra near Delhi believing that is the holy field where the Kuru-Pandava war took place.
 
The Puranas deal with stories that are old (Puratani)  and contain legends about the lives and adventures of a variety of Gods, ancient kings, incarnations of God (avatars), and legends about holy places.  The Bhagavat Purana, read by many, chronicles the legend of Lord Vishnu and his incarnations on earth.
 
Ancient Hindus developed myths to recount the deeds of Gods and Goddesses, heroes, and strangely enough even those of animals (e.g. the animal-demon Mahishasur).  These myths were also developed to explain the workings of natural phenomena.  Myths offer the model of social and political institutions (e.g. Manusmriti), and serve as sources of imaginative ideas.  Poets and artists from ancient times to the present days have derived inspiration from myths.  The Ajanta cave paintings, the Ellora statues, the stone reliefs of the temples Borobudur in Indonesia – all showcase the admirable creations of artists inspired by myths.  To some readers myths may appear as fictional - however a Hindu faithful views these myths as true accounts, largely responsible for having shaped the Hindu faith.  From myths came beliefs, and from mythology came customs and social behavior.  Myth and mythology together have profoundly influenced the creation of the rich, Indian culture.
 
Vedic Mythology
 
It is undeniable that Indian Mythology had its beginning in the Vedic period, and in the Rig Veda, we come across various Vedic gods.   Vedic mythology is clearly dominated by the personality of Indra as the war God, and in his many encounters with demons who threatened the peace in Gods’ abode.
 
The Vedic Aryan was deeply struck by the vastness and brilliance of Mother Nature.  He noticed that various natural phenomena are not chaotic and are strictly regulated by the great asura, Lord Varuna.  One also finds mention of the fire God Agni and the sun God Mitra in Vedic literature.  Vedic mythology introduced Vishnu as the God of common people, one who is worshipped even today by a large number of followers.  The name of Rudra as the God of death deserves a mention in this context.  We close this fascinating discussion on Vedic mythology by naming mythical sages like Manu, Angirasa and Vrigu with the hope that the interested reader will consult the Vedas for the names and information pertaining to more Gods and God-like characters.
 
Functions of Mythology
 
1.  Religious and Spiritual Functions
 
From the discussions presented so far, we should have gained a fair idea about what ‘myth’ stands for.   It will now be appropriate to discuss the several functions of mythology.
 
Mythology serves various ennobling functions in shaping the religious life of a Hindu. The stories of mythology help people experience the powerful feeling of the divine in their lives and contribute to their spiritual awareness.  A keen reader of the Bhagavad Gita feels that he/she listens to the words of advice uttered by Lord Krishna and that the Lord appears before his/her very eyes.  Chapter eleven of the Gita -  Viswarupa Darsana Yoga - awakens within the reader’s mind a sense of awe, wonder, humility and respect for the majesty and grandeur of the creator of the Universe and in recognition of the fact that humans are part of the entire scheme.  This also leads to the revelation of the unity of one’s self, Jivatma with the Universal Self, Paramatma.  This sense of oneness with the Absolute draws our attention to the famous sayings of Sri Sri Babathakur.  We quote here a selection of His sayings which are: “The Identity Of Every Individual Is That Of The Self – The I-Reality”,  “ All Divine For All Times – As It Is”,  “My Only Mission Is To Spread Out The Science Of Oneness”. These are indeed the cardinal messages for spiritual uplift of all humanity.
 
2.  Cosmology – the Creation of the Universe
 
The second function of a mythology is to provide an explanation of how the world and its creatures came to be.   The act of creation was thought of in more than one manner.  The Rigveda describes that being came into existence as a cosmic egg – Hiranyagarbha, the golden egg.   The Satapatha Brahmana tells us that in the beginning, Prajapati, the first father of all, was alone in the world.  He differentiated himself into two beings, male and female taking the role of husband and wife.  From their union, the various species of animal life were born.  Another account tells us of Brahma the creator who was joined in a divine triad with Vishnu and Mahadeva (Shiva).  The universe was created by Brahma, preserved and maintained by Vishnu and destroyed to be re-created by Shiva.
 
The story of the ten Avataras, i.e. the ten incarnations of Vishnu - is fascinating one, since it describes the evolution of life on earth that is broadly in tune with the Darwinian theory of evolution which present day scientists accept as plausible.
 
In the beginning, the entire surface of the earth was covered in water.  Slowly life appeared in the form of an aquatic animal i.e. fish.  Matsya Avatar is the starter avatar in the Dasavatar story.  Gradually water receded and land appeared on earth supporting amphibious animal life.  Correspondingly within the Dasavatar story we find the next avatar to be Kurma, i.e. tortoise.    Then evolving through land-based animal Baraha (i.e. the boar) and ascending to humanlike character, i.e. Nrisingha (half animal, half human) and Bamana (dwarf human), we get to the full-fledged avatara (purnaavatara), i.e. God-man Ramachandra and finally to Kalki, in  completely developed human form.  Thus we see that the elements of the creation theory as given in Hindu mythology are closely aligned to modern scientific thinking.
 
3.  The Sociological Function Of Mythology
 
This important role of mythology is very much evident in the stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.  Both the epics portray ideal family life and wisdom-rich models of social order. The Ramayana illustrates the ideal behavior and sense of duty expected of a son towards his parents and family.  The Mahabharata presents the noble character of Yudhisthira, and through him, shows what a human ought to do to uphold truth and justice. The stories also emphasize on which behavior is unacceptable as exemplified through the actions of Duryodhana.
 
4.  Mythology – The Guide For Religious Living
 
This aspect of mythology offers guidance to an individual on how to live righteously.  Upon the Ramayana, we become familiar with the nobility of Bharat’s character.  When Sri Rama was banished to the forest, Bharat was asked to ascend the royal throne to rule Ayodhya.  Bharat however refused to sit on the throne, and placed Rama’s slippers on it.  This act symbolized the rightful authority of Sri Rama over the kingdom of Ayodhya, with Bharat carrying out his duties as Rama’s substitute.
 
Just for once try to visualize in your mind’s eye the picture of Hanuman sitting at the feet of Sri Rama with folded arms; this is indeed the perfect example of loyalty and devotion shown to one’s master. These and many other stories from mythology serve as guidance to lead a righteous life in the modern world.  It suffices to say that Indian Mythology with all its colorful stories has played a significant part in the molding of the Hindu life over time.
 
Conclusion
 
The origin of Mythology lies hidden in the mist of history, yet it is believed that our ancestors created it in the remote past.  Mythology has evolved over thousands of years, with new stories and legends being consistently added along the way of its development.  It may justly be said that the ancient Hindus assigned supra-human features to their Gods and placed them in mythology.  Thus it is easy for a Hindu to emulate the attributes of a humanoid Godly figure in his/her own life.
 
Mythology successfully provides a cultural bond that brings communities together during an act of worship.  This community bond is much experienced in festivities like Durga Puja, celebrated in autumn.  Devi Durga is mentioned in mythology, and during the puja, the age-old mythology comes alive in today’s Hindu world. The author hopes that this article helps readers appreciate the critical role that the knowledge of Indian Mythology plays in developing an understanding of the contents of Hinduism.