Chandi Charitra is a poem on Goddess Chandi in Sikh literature. It is part of Dasam Granth in Sikhism. Dasam Granth, also known as Dasven Padshah Ka Granth (Book of the Tenth Emperor) or Bachitar Natak Granth, contains texts composed by the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. There are two Chandi Charitra in Dasam Granth. The first one is titled Chandi Charitra Ukati Bilas The second one is titled Chandi Charitra. Chandi Charitara Ukati Bilas Chandi Charitar Ukati Bilas begins with the supplication of the poet for the Goddess with the words: Illumine me with good intellect, so that I may compose Thy wonderful deeds. There are 233 stanzas in this poem, composed mostly in dohas and savayyas. The narration is distributed in eight cantos. Chandi Charitra Ukati Bilas ends with words hailing the victory of the Goddess and Indra, this clearly suggests that this poem is the adaptation of Durga Saptasati of Markandeya Purana. The Charitra ends with the noteworthy stanza: “

The story of Sage Narada twisting Raginis (the personalized forms of the various Ragas) with pride is found in the Linga Purana. Narada, the spotless Nada-Yogin, once began to develop the pride about his knowledge and proficiency in music. The all-knowing Lord Narayana wanted to prick the bubble of pride at the earliest. Assuming mischievous innocence He asked Narada to accompany Him in His daily journey through the universe. Sage Narada did without any hesitation. On their way Narada was horrified by what he saw at one place. There he saw a host of celestial damsels. But the pity of it! Each and every one of them was lying maimed and mutilated. Narada asked the Lord who the damsels were and how their limbs came to be so terribly twisted, contorted and injured. The All-knowing Lord sported ignorance. Seemingly guileless He told Narada: "Yes, I too am puzzled to see these damsels in this ghastly plight. But I don't know anything about them. So you please go to them and g

Yayati, son of Nahusha, was an eminent king of the lunar dynasty. He was so wise, just and righteous that his realm was free from passion and decay. Once, while he was returning from the hunt, he heard a wail from a well. He went to help and rescued a girl who, however became enamored of him and disclosed herself as Devayani, daughter of Shukracharya, the teacher of demons. She explained that she had been pushed into the well by Sharmistha, daughter of the king of demons. In order to appease Shukracharya for the insult perpetuated on Devayani, the demon king had to surrender his daughter Sharmistha to work as a servant of Devayani.  Devayani prevailed upon her father to give her in marriage to Yayati.  Both the maidens (Devayani and her servant Sharmistha) went with Yadu to his palace. Two sons, Yadu and Turvasu, were born to Devayani and Yayati, of whom Yadu became the founder of the Yadava dynasty. Later, however, Yayati, succumbed to the charms of the maid Sharmishta, w

The more you try to forget something, the more you remember it. You cannot forget anything. Any conscious attempt to forget strengthens the thought; you remember it all the more. To forget any thought, do not think about it, think about something else. That is, put your mind somewhere else, then the mind goes away from the unwanted thought. If certain memories are not pleasant, get away from them by putting the mind on something more sublime. That is why in spiritual life you are asked to think of God, repeat God’s name even when you are disturbed by some memory. To blot out a memory, think of something which is closer to your heart and soul. . . . Simply telling the mind not to entertain a thought does not stop it, give it something better, something more divine, something more precious, and the mind holds on to that. Keeping the mind on some divine thought, divine name, is of great spiritual significance; psychologically it helps us a lot; you can avoid many problems, m