Ashadhi Ekadashi

Today is Ashadhi Ekadashi. People from all walks of life from many parts of Maharashtra and other parts of India too, converge in Pandharpur today for a night full of prayers and songs devoted to Lord Vishnu. 

One of the most popular forms of Vishnu worshipped in Maharashtra is that of Vithoba or Vitthala. The most famous temple for Vithoba is in Pandharpur. Pandharpur has thus been one of the main religious sites of Maharashtra since ancient times.

Bhadrakali - The Auspicious One

Significance of Kali standing on top of Shiva

Kali is symbolic of enormous transformative energy; energy of destruction. When that stood on the Shiva Tattva, it became Bhadrakali, which means, the energy which only brings benevolent results. The whole thing is symbolic; it implies the energy that brings benevolent results only.

Shiva is the transcendental state; it means one who brings only benevolence and good to the world.

So when Kali, an enormous, destructive power was in rage; in that moment, Shiva came and lay down. As soon as she stepped on him, Kali’s power got controlled, channelized and became benevolent. So, even if there is destruction, it should be benevolent.

Kartikeya

Birth of Kartikeya

When the five elements governed by Lord Shiva (Panch Mahabhoota - Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether) united with Shakti (pure consciousness), Lord Kartikeya was born.

Shiva is called Panchaanana – Lord with five heads. These five heads represent the five elements in Nature. When these five elements united with the sixth: Chaitanya Shakti (pure consciousness), they gave birth to the Shadaanana (six headed), also called Lord Kartikeya.

You can understand this in terms of the Kundalini Shakti.

Ganesha

The whole universe is nothing but groups of atoms, groups of qualities, of different energies. Gana means group and a group cannot exist without a lord, a supreme energy which holds it together. The Lord of all these groups of atoms and energies is Ganesha.

Like the queen bee whose mere existence brings forth the honeycomb, this diverse universe in itself is enough evidence for Ganesha's presence. This universe would be in chaos if there was no supreme law governing these diverse groups of entities.

Now the question arises that why this supreme power is depicted in the form of an elephant?