8.Bringing Vaigai
Thatatakai and her relatives learnt some spiritual lessons from the episode of Gundotharan feeling tremendously hungry. They must have especially changed their habit of assessing people based on their wealth.
At this point, Devi asks the Lord the way to sate Gundotharan’s hunger. This indicates the humility with which a soul surrenders to its partner losing all arrogance.
The Lord made four ladles of curd rice to materialise and offered it to Bhootam, thus satiating his hunger. Then when a similar thirst attacked Gundotharan, Lord made the Ganges flowing from his locks to flow as Vegavati. He instructed the Bhootam to place his hand on a spot (Vai kai) and a spring erupted and a stream flowed out. Bhootam’s thirst was quenched on drinking that water, scriptures say.
Now let’s try to understand the inner meaning of this episode.
What is curd rice?
Properly set milk is called curd. This is another trait if milk. Milk is believed to separate from blood. It indicates its expansiveness. The spread out mind tends to become restless. To calm it one must set it with knowledge.
The mind that could not be controlled by the elements will now be controlled by knowledge. The significance of the Lord serving him four ladles of rice is that he uses body-mind-knowledge and awareness to spiritual train and conquer the senses.
Why should hunger give way to thirst?
In spirituality, after realising ‘Who am I?’ comes the next step of what to do with that knowledge, which is what this thirst signifies.
Ganges is an emblem of complete, selfless service. That should be the ultimate goal of the spiritual journey in one’s life. Vedas say that if that thirst is not quenched, then one gets caught in the birth-death cycle.
The words “Kai Vai (place your hands)” suggest place your hand on your heart and stop the flow of desires that make you do evil to fulfil those desires. It is this that leads to one being born again and again.
Only if there is heavy rains in the western ghats during monsoons will the Vaigai river have water. Monsoon here refers to the timely service done to individuals and society in the name of the divine. Only then will the Ganges like Vaigai flow and wash the sins of mankind.
Through the marital bond, the spiritual journey should begin. Sins should come down. For that the desire for material things should come down. The Vaigai river in Madurai shows the way for this. But today we see marriages leading to more and more materialism and the resulting sins. This episode hints at the need for people to see beyond their material – physical and emotional – needs.
Om Namaha Shivaya!
