Enjoy the Yoga Tale of Bhagiratha (Religion of Love)
The tale of Bhagiratha is one of the most important legends of yoga. We can compare it with the Sermon on the Mount from Jesus Christ. And it is very difficult to understand. Now hear the story in simple words and with its deeper meaning. There are many versions of the story. [1] We will concentrate us to the central part and interpret it.
The story of Bhagiratha is the connecting link between yoga, Hinduism and Christianity. It is the way of love to enlightenment (holiness, living in the light, in bliss). The essence of this three religions is to be happy and to be good. Love yourself (God within you) and realize your inner happiness. Love all beings of the world and realize a cosmic consciousness.
Contents
Steps
- Read the tale of Bhagiratha.
- Bhagiratha was an Indian king. All his brothers and sisters lived in the hell. They lived in the world of suffering. They were inwardly unhappy. They were tormented by the seven demons anger, pride, envy, greed, fear, addiction and unwisdom.
- Bhagiratha knew that his brothers and sisters could not recover by themselves from their spiritual unwisdom. The path of inner happiness is hard to understand. The consistent spiritual practice is difficult to learn. And still more difficult is the way of effective practicing to be found. Most people lose themselves in the formal practice and do not come forward. Without an enlightened master is not easy for a normal man to come into the light successfully.
- Bhagiratha decided to save his brothers and sisters from the hell. He became a yogi and brought first himself into the light. After having practiced twelve years intense yoga meditation, one night Lord Shiva [2] appeared in his dream and asked him what he wants. Bhagiratha replied: "I want to free my brothers and sisters from hell. I want to bring all people of the world into the light of God. I wish a happy world full of happy people."
- Shiva then opened the sky and let the water of life flowing down on the earth. The impact on the earth was so great that Shiva had to soften it. He let the water run through his matted yogi hair, and it was spread on the ground in many small streams. The streams splashing from the Himalaya mountains into the Indian plains and irrigated the land. All India began to flourish, the people were happy and the animals were happy too. The result was the sacred river Ganges, which supplies today northern India with water.
- Bhagiratha transformed into Shiva. The water is the cosmic energy (kundalini-energy). The energy flowed inside and outside over his head and his hair down on his body. After some time Bhagiratha was quite full of energy and happiness, surrounded by a cloud of light. Where he stepped his feet, the earth started to bloom. Red roses and white lilies lined his path. Near him the wild animals were tame, and the birds began to sing.
- When he looked like a God (Buddha/Shiva), beaming with happiness, he went back into the world of suffering (in yoga the material world can be called "hell") and told his people from the way of inner happiness. As he himself had achieved this, they believed him and followed him. All his brothers and sisters practiced every day the spiritual path. They practiced yoga, meditation and positive thinking. They went the way of consistently positive relationships. They lived their relationships not from the ego, but from God (the light inside). Thus, the paradise was brought to earth.
- Think about it. What are your bad qualities? What is your most bad quality today? Anger, pride, envy, greed, fear, addiction or unwisdom?
- What is your way to overcome your bad quality? How can you come from the hell on earth to the heaven on earth? What is your way to be happy?'
- Be a winner like Bhagiratha. What is your way of victory? "My way of winning is ..."
- Think not only about yourself. Do good for the world and the other beings. What is your way to do good? "My way of helping other people is ..."
Warnings
- Practice self-realisation and universal love in balance. Give yourself the relaxation, rest and joy you need. Don´t think only of yourself. Concern for your fellow beings. Only we all together can built up a happy world. We are one family und have to help each other. That is the essence from the story of Bhagiratha.
