Relationship between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu as "Mohini"

In the Bhagavata Purana, after Vishnu deceives the demons by his maya female form, Shiva wishes to see the bewildering Mohini again. When Vishnu agrees and reveals his Mohini form, Shiva runs crazily behind Mohini, "bereft of shame and robbed by her of good sense," while the abandoned wife Parvati (Uma) looks on. Shiva is overcome by Kāma (love and desire or Kamadeva, the god of love and desire). His "unfailing" seed escapes and falls on ground creating ores of silver and gold. Afterwards, Vishnu comes to his true form and reveals that his maya (illusory power) cannot be surpassed even by Shiva. Shiva then extols Vishnu's power.

The Tripurarahasya, a south Indian Shakta text, retells the story, giving more importance to the Goddess. When Shiva wishes to see Vishnu's Mohini form again, Vishnu fears that he may be burned to ashes like Kamadeva by the ascetic Shiva. So, Vishnu prays to goddess Tripura, who grants half of her beauty to Vishnu, begetting the Mohini-form. As Shiva touches Mohini, his seed spills, indicating a loss of the merit gained through of all his austerities.

In the Brahmanda Purana when the wandering sage Narada tells Shiva about Vishnu's Mohini form that deluded the demons, Shiva dismisses him. Shiva and his wife Parvati go to Vishnu's home. Shiva asks him to take on the Mohini form again so he can see the actual transformation for himself. Vishnu smiles, again meditates on the Goddess, and in place of Vishnu stands the gorgeous Mohini. Overcome by lust, Shiva chases Mohini as Parvati hangs her head in shame and envy. Shiva grabs Mohini's hand and embraces her, but Mohini frees herself and runs further. Finally, Shiva grabs her and their "violent coupling" leads to discharge of Shiva's seed which falls "short of its goal," suggesting the act was not consummated. The seed falls on the ground and the god Maha-Shasta ("The Great Chastiser") is born. Mohini disappears, while Shiva returns home with Parvati.

Shasta is identified primarily with two regional deities: Ayyappa from Kerala and the Tamil Aiyanar. He is also identified with the classical Hindu gods Skanda and Hanuman. In the later story of the origin of Ayyappa, Shiva impregnates Mohini, who gives birth to Ayyappa. They abandon Ayyappa in shame. The legend highlights Vishnu's protests to be Mohini again and also notes that Ayyappa is born of Vishnu's thigh as Mohini does not have a real womb. Another variant says that instead of a biological origin, Ayyappa sprang from Shiva's semen, which he ejaculated upon embracing Mohini. Ayyappa is referred to as Hariharaputra, "the son of Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara)", and grows up to be a great hero. Another tale says after Surpanaka's destruction, Shiva wishes to see Mohini and mesmerized by her looks, has union with her resulting in the birth of Ayyapppa.

Kanda Puranam narrates about the birth of Shasta identified with Aiyanar. The text tells just before the tale that Vishnu is Shiva's Shakti (wife and power) Parvati in a male form. The legend begins with Shiva's request and Vishnu's agreement to show his illusionary Mohini form, that he assumed for the distribution of amrita. Shiva falls in love with Mohini and proposes a union with her. Mohini-Vishnu declines saying that union of two same sex women was unfruitful. Shiva informs Mohini-Vishnu that he was just one of forms of his Shakti. Thereafter, their union resulted in the birth of a dark boy with red locks, who was named Hariharaputra. Further, he was also known as Shasta and Aiyannar.

In the Agni Purana, as the enchanted Shiva follows Mohini, drops of his semen falls on the ground and become lingas, Shiva's symbols. His semen also generates the monkey-god Hanuman, who helps Vishnu's avatar Rama in his fight against Ravana in the Ramayana. Shiva Purana says that by the mere glimpse of Mohini, Shiva spurts out his seed. The seed was collected and poured into the ear ofAnjani, who gave birth to Hanuman, the incarnation of Shiva. The latter is retold in the Thai and Malaysian version of the Ramayana. Though Hanuman strings from Shiva's seed, he is also considered as a combined son of Vishnu and Shiva.

The Buddhist version of the Bhasmasura tale continues with Shiva (Ishvara) asking the female-Vishnu, who is seated on a swing, to marry him. She asks Shiva to get the permission of his wife Umayangana to take her home. Shiva returns with Umayangana's consent to find the female-Vishnu pregnant, who sends him back to get permission to bring a pregnant woman home. When he returns, a child is born and female-Vishnu is pregnant again. She requests Shiva to seek approval to bring a pregnant woman with a child home. This happens six more times. Finally, Shiva brings Umayangana with him to witness the miraculous woman. Vishnu then returns to his male form. Umayangana embraces the six youngest children merging them into the six-headed Skanda, while the eldest, named Aiyanayaka ("eldest brother") remains intact. Aiyanayaka is identified with Aiyanar.

Mohini plays a lesser role in a Shaiva legend in the Skanda Purana. Here, Vishnu as Mohini joins Shiva to teach a lesson to arrogant sages. A group of sages are performing rituals in a forest, and start to consider themselves as gods. To humble them, Shiva takes the form of an attractive young beggar (Bhikshatana) and Vishnu becomes Mohini, his wife. While the sages fall for Mohini, their women wildly chase Shiva. When they regain their senses, they perform a black magic sacrifice, which produces a serpent, a lion, an elephant (or tiger) and a dwarf, all of which are overpowered by Shiva. Shiva then dances on the dwarf and takes the form of Nataraja, the cosmic dancer. The legend is retold in the Tamil Kovil Puranam and Kandha Puranam with some variation. This legend is also told in the Sthala Purana related to the Chidambaram Temple dedicated to Shiva-Nataraja.

Another legend from the Linga Purana says that the embracing of love-struck Shiva and Mohini led to be their merging into one body. At this moment, Mohini became Vishnu again, resulting the composite deity Harihara, whose right side of the body is Shiva and left side is Vishnu in his male form. In the temple in Sankarnayinarkovil near Kalugumalai is one of the rarest exceptions to iconography of Harihara (Sankara-Narayana). The deity is depicted similar to the Ardhanari, the composite form of Shiva-Parvati, where right side of the body is the male Shiva and left side is female. This image's female side represents Mohini and it, as a whole, symbolizes the union of Shiva and Mohini. The influence of Shakta traditions on Shaiva ones may have led to the development of composite images like Harihara, where Vishnu is identified with Shiva's consort, or Mohini. Like the Kanda Puranam narrative, the Shaiva saint Appar identifies Vishnu as Parvati (Uma), the female counterpart of Shiva. 

Female Incarnation of God Vishnu – “Mohini”

The Kalamega Perumal Temple is the only Vishnu temple in the world dedicated to the Female Incarnation of God Vishnu – “Mohini”. In this temple God Vishnu gives darshan to devotee as Kalamega Perumal. The deity Kalamega perumal gives darshan with his consort Mohana Valli Thayar.

Once the Devas and Asuras together churned the ocean of milk to derive the nectar of immortality (Amurdham). When Dhanvantari emerged with a pot containing Amrudham, both the Devas and the Asuras started fighting.

To save the nectar from the Asuras and distribute it to the Devas, God Vishnu took the form of a beautiful and enchanting damsel “Mohini”. Mohini distracted the asuras, took the amrita, and distributed it among the Devas, who drank it.

According to another legend, once God Shiva granted a boon to the demon Bhasmasura, bestowing on him the power to reduce anyone into ashes when touched. The evil demons chased God Shiva with the notion to turn him to ashes to test his power. God Shiva fled as he was constantly escaping the touch of the evil demon. Lord Shiva turned to Lord Vishnu for help and protection. Lord Vishnu on hearing Shiva’s problem, agreed to help him out. Lord Vishnu assumed the form of the beautiful and attractive Mohini. The demon was totally captivated by Mohini and forgot about Shiva. He desired nothing but marrying Mohini. Mohini agreed on condition that Bhasmasura should copy her each dance steps. Bhasmasura accepted the Mohini’s condition and began to dance with Mohini. As Mohini placed her hand on her head, Bhasmasura followed Mohini, thus reducing himself to ashes.

Amba becomes Shikhandi

King Shantanu married Satyavaty and Devavrata became Bheeshma. Shantanu and Satyavaty had two sons, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada was killed in battle with the Gandharvas. Young Vichitravirya was crowned the King and as he was a minor, Bheeshma ruled until he came of age.

When Vichitravirya became of marriageable age, Satyavaty entrusted Bheeshma with finding suitable bride for Vichitravirya. King of Kashi was arranging a swayamvara according to the old Kshatriya practice for his three daughters Amba, Ambika and Ambalika to choose their husband. The daughters of Kashi were famed for their beauty. When Bhishma heard about it, he decided to go there for Vichitravirya.

The Kings of Kosala,, Vanga, Pundra, Kalinga and other potential candidates were there in their best attires. When Bheeshma reached there, all the assembled Kings and Princes thought he had come to witness the Swayamvara as a guest. When he declined his seat as a guest, the assembled suitors began to ridicule him not knowing that he was there for Vichitravirya. “The wisest of the Bharata clan is not wise enough to realize he is old and has forgotten his vow.” The princesses of Kashi turned their eyes away from Bheeshma.

This flamed Bheeshma’s wrath. He challenged all the Kings and Princes and defeated them all. Taking the three princesses in his chariot Bheeshma set out to Hastinapur.

On his way to Hastinapur, Bheeshma was intercepted by Shalva, the King of Saubala. He was attached to the princess Amba. Shalva was defeated since Bheeshma was an invincible warrior. Amba pleaded Bheeshma to spare his life and so Bheeshma let Shalva go.

Arriving at Hastinapur with the princesses, the preparations for the marriage began. Everyone assembled for the wedding, Amba addressed Bheeshma mockingly, “You are the wisest of the Bharata clan and have read all the scriptures. I have chosen Shalva as my husband. What do the scriptures say about it, do what is morally right.”

Bheeshma acknowledged the forced abduction and Amba’s argument. The marriage between the Vichitravirya and Ambika and Ambalika, the two younger sisters of Amba was solemnized.

Bheeshma sent Amba with proper escort and respect to King Shalva. Amba was rejoiced at the prospect of marrying Shalva. “I have chosen you as my husband in my mind. I have come here to you, so we can marry according to the sastras.”Amba said to Shalva. However, Shalva refused her proposal, “Bheeshma defeated me in front of every one and carried you away. I have been shamed and I cannot marry you. You have been won by Bheeshma, go back to him and do as he says. I cannot marry you.”

Amba came back to Hastinapur and told Bheeshma what had transpired. Bheeshma advised Vichtrvirya to marry Amba. However, Vichitravirya refused to marry Amba saying that she is already some one else’s wife in her mind. Amba then turned to Bheeshma and asked him to marry her. Bheeshma was sorry for Amba and the situation she was in, but he could not marry her because of his vow. He appealed again to Vichitravirya to marry Amba and solve the tricky problem. However, Bheeshma’s attempts went in vain to change Vichitravirya’s mind. Bheeshma then suggested to Amba to go back Shalva.

Amba was too proud to go back to Shalva and grieved over her situation for four long years in Hastinapur. At last out of sheer desperation she went back to Shalva. Shalva however, adamantly refused to marry Amba. The lotus eyed Amba spend six years in bitter sorrow. All the beauty and sweetness inside her turned into hatred for Bheeshma. She blamed him for the root of all her sorrows. She then began her quest to find a warrior who would fight and kill Bheeshma. She searched long and hard but could not find any one. She then turned to Lord Subramanian and prayed to help find the enemy of Bheeshma. The Lord answered her prayers and gave her a garland of ever-fresh lotus flowers. One who wears the garland will be the enemy of Bheeshma. She took the garland and again sought to find a Kshatriya who will wear the garland. Bheeshma was an invincible warrior and no one wanted to incur his wrath by wearing the garland. Amba was once again dejected. Finally, she went to King Drupad and challenged all the Kshatriya’s , when none came to the front to wear the garland, she hung it by the gates of King Drupad’s palace and went away to the forest.

 In the forest, Amba met some ascetics who advised her to go to Parasuram for help. Amba went in search of Parsuram. When she met him, she told him all that had transpired. Parasurama was moved by her plight and the lack of courage amongst the Kshatriyas to champion Amba’s cause. Due to his abiding hatred towards the Kshatriya race, he challenged and fought Bheeshma. It was a long and equally contested battle. When it seemed like no one was winning and the battle was getting long drawn, the gods intercepted and asked both Bheeshma and Parsurama to stop. Parasurama addressed Amba, “Dear child, I have done everything I can with Bheeshma. I can ask Shalva to marry you.” Amba replied, “I no longer have any desire to marry any one. I am filled with hatred towards Bheeshma. I want to be avenged.”

Filled with grief and rage, Amba began her penance to please Lord Shiva as all human aid had failed. Lord Shiva appeared before her and granted her the boon that she would slay Bheeshma in her next life. Amba was impatient to wait for the rebirth. She lit a pyre and with the hatred in her heart hotter than pyre, she jumped into the fire.

Amba was born again as King Drupad’s daughter. When she grew up and saw the ever-fresh lotus garland hanging by the palace gate, all the memories of her past life came flooding back to her. Enraged that no one had yet worn the garland, she went and wore it herself. Drupad was mortified, at the thought of incurring Bheeshma’s wrath. His own daughter was to be Bheeshma’s enemy. He exiled her to the forest. Amba was baffled that she was born again as a girl. How could she challenge Bheeshma to a fight and slay him. Angry at the cruelty of fate, she began her austerities in the forest to turn into a man. After long tapasya, she transformed into a man and became a great warrior Shikhandi.

During the war of Mahabharata, Shikhandi faced Bheeshma. Knowing that Shikhandi was born a girl, Bheeshma refused to raise his arms against a woman as was his code of chivalry. Screened by Shikhandi, Arjuna was able to fell Bheeshma. Bheeshma as he fell was able to tell the arrows that came from Shikhandi and those that came from Arjuna his favorite grand sire.

AMBA WILLS DEATH OF BHISHMA

In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Amba is the eldest daughter of the king of Kashi, who considers the Kuru prince Bhishma responsible for her misfortune and her sole goal in life becomes his destruction, to fulfill which she is reborn as Shikandini (the daughter of Drupada and the sister of Draupadi).

King Santanu had two sons by Satyavati, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. In a battle with Gandharva, Chitrangada met with his death. As he died childless, Bhishma crowned Vichitravirya as king. However as he was a minor, Bhisma, Santanu’s son by Goddess Ganga had to shoulder  the responsibilities of king on his behalf. When Vichitravirya came of age Bhishma started looking for a suitable bride for him. It was known to all that the king of Kasi had three daughters, all of them very beautiful and accomplished. They were Amba, Ambika and Ambalika. All three were of nubile age. The prevailing custom known as Swayamvara gave the freedom to a princess to choose her own husband; but the aspiring prince had to win her after passing prescribed tests of eligibility in competition with other suitors. Accordingly, festivities were arranged for the Swayamvara and all kings and princes were formally invited.

Bhishma did not want to miss the chance. Assembled princes were surprised how the old man who had taken a vow of brahmacharya could have been invited. They spoke of him in derisive terms. They did not know he had come to find a bride for Vichitravirya. In their minds they cursed the king of Kasi for inviting such an old man. Bhishma was aware of the undercurrent of resentment among the princes. As ceremony progressed, the princesses did not even care to look at him. This incensed Bhishma. Having made up his mind, he challenged the princes for a test of strength. Those who dared were easily defeated by him. As there seemed

Transgenders and Sexuality in Hindu Mythology

Epics and mythology have been the bedrock of what one calls the ‘collective unconscious’. Hence the role of these two in shaping the mind-set of the communities concerned cannot be underestimated. No amount of changes in the material conditions of life seems to help in altering the perceptions that are deemed legitimized, acceptable and praiseworthy. Some of the concepts that haunt Indian psyche in terms of gender are chastity, motherhood, caste affiliation and sexuality. What is intriguing is the way in which these stipulations are transgressed by different characters in critical moments. Kunti giving birth to Pandavas can be cited as a case in point. Or the mode by which Dritharashtra, Pandu and Vidhura are born through niyoga with Vyasa.

Sexuality is a tabooed subject to be discussed, while childbirth is not. The functional aspect of heterosexual relationship as leading to childbirth is a site of contested values in itself. Any other sexual desire or relationship is in general viewed as ‘abnormal’ and ‘unnatural’. Still the epics and myths abound in references to stray moments of homosexuality or transsexual acts. Since Ramayana is steeped in didacticism, more of these instances are found in Mahabharatha. Ramayana, however, refers to trans-people stranded at the border of Ayodhya for fourteen long years, since he ordered his citizens—men and women—to return to the city, and not them! 

Mahabharatha abounds in many references to trans persons. Lord Krishna tops the list by his Mohini Avatar. She is the enchantress par excellence! Seductive and conniving she is the very embodiment of ‘moga’—lustful love. Mohini steals the pot of nector from the asuras and hands it over to the gods when Lord Vishnu provides the Amrit in the sea of milk. She brings forth Sastha or Ayyappa through her sexual intercourse with Lord Shiva. She also spends a night with Aravan, the guinea pig who was sacrificed at the Kurukshetra war. A young man with all the 32 lakshanas of a handsome male, Aravan demands two boons—to break his celibacy and to watch the war. In order to gratify him sexually, Lord Krishna, his uncle, appears as Mohini. And of course his head watches the war. It is this episode that is observed in many temples on the full-moon day of Chithirai (April-May).

Koovagam, a village in Villupuram district is the most popular of these temples in Tamil Nadu. Many transgender people from all over the world congregate there. It is almost a pilgrimage undertaken by them. The evening of the first day marks their marriage with Aravan. The temple priest ties the thali to them. Aravan appears in full regalia on a temple car. There are many families that offer their prayers during this time by adorning themselves as a woman. The next day morning his head is cut off. The transgender people break bangles, remove their kum kum and wear white sarees to signify widowhood. Many of them also observe ten to sixteen days of grief at the death of this one-night husband. To this day, the yellow sacred threads cut off their necks and thrown on the mound of mud, the broken glass bangles that are strewn all over and the wailing of the transgenders truly evoke the battlefield. The remnants of war suffered by the widows loom large. The juxtaposition of pleasure and grief is too overpowering.

Tamilnadu has a continuous tradition of Aravan/Koothandavar festival over centuries in different parts of the State. Alf Hiltebeital refers to the existence of this practice in different parts of India, with minor changes.

Another major tale found in Mahabharatha is that of Amba-Shikandin. Amba, Princess of Kashi, is perhaps as old as Bhishma, the patriarch of the epic. Abducted by Bhishma along with her two sisters, to be married to his weak younger brother and King Vichitravirya, she confesses her love for Salva; she is sent back to her lover; the lover refuses to accept her as she has been lost to another Prince; she argues that Bhisma, the avowed bachelor should live with her since he abducted her; she denied the proxy abduction he undertook and refused to live with the King. Beaten back and forth from one end to the other, she resolves to seek her vendetta against Bhisma.

Upon her unswerving tapas she received a boon to be re-born in the house of Drupada and become a male by exchange of body with a yaksha and later hone her skills as a warrior. She becomes Shikandi, the warrior. It is her arrows that pierce Bhisma, even though he refuses to fight her/him, since he knows of her past life. I have worked on this myth in my play Pani Thee translated as Frozen Fire (2004). 

Bahuchara Mata is the iconic goddess riding on a rooster, fully armed. It is said that while she and her sisters were travelling in a caravan Bapiya, a marauder attacked them. As is customary, the charans—a caste considered divine—proclaimed tragu, self-punishment, by cutting of their breasts. Cursed by the spilling of charan blood, Bapiya became impotent. He made amends by worshipping the Mata dressed as a woman. His curse was lifted thereupon. Situated in a temple 100km from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, it is a shrine visited by transgender people throughout the year.  The temple is said to have been built in 1782 by Rajah Manaji Gaekwad. Nobody kills the cocks and hens in that town. Most of the prayer services and shops in and around the temple are managed by the transgender people. 

It is important to note that the naqqals of Punjab are musicians and travelling bards. They are female impersonators telling tales with songs and dances. In modern Indian theatre Neelam Mansingh has a team of naqqals as part of her theatre group. She has addressed the question of their sexuality and the way they imitate femininity in great detail on various occasions. And female impersonation is still the norm in most folk/ traditional performing arts. Even as late as early modernity setting in with the advent of parsi theatre, one finds female impersonation being an acceptable tradition in performance. It is also the case in many Asian cultures.

If gender is performative and sexuality, a question of choice it is certainly echoed in the epics, myths and performance traditions of India. It is therefore a misnomer to conceive of heteronormativity as the only culturally sanctioned system. As in most communities with long oral and written traditions of culture, India too provides a space for at least token inclusivity. The criticism on non-heterosexual imaginings as western imports does not make sense if one takes into account these versions found in the epics and myths. Of course they were not advocated or eulogized; there was an element of scorning these inclusions as exception and not the rule. But the existence of these behaviors/persons is undeniably recorded in the epic and mythological narratives.

Kunti had a sacred mantra taught her by Sage Durvasa for her services in her pre-pubescent years. According to that she can chant that mantra with a man of her choice and he would oblige her with sexual gratification and a child. The pandavas were born thus to Lords Yama, Vayu and Indra and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva were born to Madri and Aswini brothers.

In order to have an heir to the kingdom sexual relationship was permitted on a temporary basis.

reference: http://ildaro.blogspot.in/2014/03/sexuality-in-indian-epics-and-mythology.html

Shikhandi : A man with a Female Body

It was the ninth night of the war at Kurukshetra. The exact midpoint of the legendary 18-day bloodbath. Not the start, not the end, but the middle. The war had been inconclusive. Sometimes the Kauravas led by the old sire Bhisma had the upper hand; sometimes the Pandavas led by the young warlord, Dhristadhyumna, Draupadi’s twin brother, had the upper hand. A see-saw that was going nowhere.

“Bhisma loves us too much to defeat us,” said the Pandavas.

“Yet not enough to let us win,” reminded Krishna. “He must die, if dharma has to be established.” But Bhisma had been given a boon by his father that he could choose the time of his death. No one could therefore kill him. “If we cannot kill him, we must at least immobilize him.”

“But no one can defeat him,” said the Pandavas. “Even the great Parashurama could not overpower him in a duel. So long as he holds a weapon in his hand he is invincible.”

“Then we must make him lower his bow,” said Krishna.

“He will never lower his bow before any armed man.”

“What about an armed woman?”

“A woman? On the battlefield?” sneered the Pandavas, forgetting they themselves worshipped Durga, the goddess of war and victory. “But it is against dharma to let women hold weapons and step on the battlefield.”

“Who said so?” asked Krishna.

“Bhisma says so. Dharma says so.”

“Dharma also says that old men should retire and make way for the next generation so that the earth’s resources are not exploited by too many generations. But Bhisma did the very opposite. He renounced his right to marry, so that his old father could resume the householder’s life,” argued Krishna.

“He was being an obedient son.”

“He was indulging his old father at the cost of the earth. That vow spiraled events that has led to this war. It is time to be rid of him, by force or cunning, if necessary. We must find someone before whom the old patriarch will lower his bow. If not a woman, then someone who is not quite a man.”

“What about Shikhandi!” said Dhristadhyumna. “He is my elder brother. He was born a woman. But my father, Draupada, was told by the Rishis that he would one day become a man. Though born with female genital organs, Shikhandi was raised a son, taught warfare and statecraft. He was even given a wife. On his wedding night, the wife, daughter of king Hiranyavarna of Dasharna, was horrified to discover that her husband was actually a woman. My father tried to explain that actually Shikhandi was a man with a female body and that Rishis had told him he would someday acquire a male body. The woman refused to listen. She screamed and ran to her father and her father raised an army and threatened to destroy our city. A distraught Shikhandi went to the forest, holding himself responsible for the crisis, intent on killing himself. There he met a Yaksha called Sthunakarna who took pity on him and gave him his manhood for one night. With the Yaksha’s manhood, Shikhandi made love to a concubine sent by his father-in-law and proved he was no woman. The wife was therefore forced to return. Now, it so happened, that Kubera, king of the Yakshas, was furious with what Sthunakarna had done and so cursed Sthunakarna that he would not get his manhood back so long as Shikhandi was alive. As a result what was supposed to be with him for one night has remained with him till this moment. My elder brother, Shikhandi, born with a female body, has a Yaksha’s manhood right now. What is he, Krishna? Man or woman?”

Krishna knew things were more complex. Shikhandi, may have been raised as a man and may have acquired a manhood later in life, but in his previous life, he was a woman called Amba, whose life Bhisma had ruined. Bhisma had abducted her along with her sisters and forced them to marry, not him, but his weakling of a brother, Vichitravirya (a name that means ‘queer masculinity’ or ‘odd manliness’). When she begged Bhisma to let her marry the man she loved, he let her go. But the lover refused to marry Amba, now soiled by contact with another man (Bhisma). Distraught she returned, only to have Vichitravirya turn her away, and Bhisma shrugging helplessly. “When you have taken the vow of never being with a woman, what gave you the right to abduct me,” she yelled. Bhisma ignored her. Amba begged Parashurama, the great warrior, to kill Bhisma but he failed. Exasperated, irritated, she prayed to Shiva. “Make me the cause of his death,” she begged. Shiva blessed her – it would be so, but only in her next life. Amba immediately leapt into a pyre eager to accelerate the process.

“I think, Shikhandi should ride into the battlefield on my chariot. Let Arjuna stand behind him,” said Krishna. The tenth day dawned. The chariot rolled out. Behind Krishna stood the strange creature, neither man nor woman, or perhaps both, or neither, and behind him, Arjuna.

“You bring a woman into this battlefield, before me,” roared Bhisma seeing Shikhandi. “This is adharma. I refuse to fight.”

Krishna retorted in his calm melodious voice, “You see her as a woman because she was born with a female body. You see her as a woman because in her heart she is Amba. But I see her as a man because that is how her father raised her. I see her as a man because she has a Yaksha’s manhood with which he has consummated his marriage. Whose point of view is right, Bhisma?”

“Mine,” said Bhisma.

“You are always right, are you not, Bhisma? When you allowed your old father to remarry, when you abducted brides for your weak brother, when you clung to future generation after future generation like a leech, trying to set things right. There is always a logic you find to justify your point of view.  So now, Shikhandi is a woman – an unworthy opponent. That’s your view, not Shikhandi’s view. He wishes to fight you.”

“I will not fight this woman,” so saying Bhisma lowered his bow without even looking towards Shikhandi.

“Shoot him now, Shikhandi. Shoot him, now, Arjuna,” said Krishna, “Shoot hundreds of arrows so that they puncture every inch of this old man’s flesh. Pin him to the ground, immobilize him so that he can no longer immobilize the war.”

“But he is like a father to me,” argued Arjuna.

“This war is not about fathers or sons. This is not even about men or women, Arjuna. This is about dharma. And dharma is about empathy. Empathy is about inclusion. Even now, he excludes Shikhandi’s feelings – all he cares about is his version of the law. Shoot him now. Rid the world of this old school of thought so that a new world can be reconstructed.”

And so Arjuna released a volley of arrows. Hundreds of arrows punctured every limb of Bhisma’s body, his hands, his legs, his trunk, his thighs, till the grandsire fell like a giant Banyan tree in the middle of a forest. It is said that the earth would not accept him for he had lived too long – over four generations instead of just two. It is said the sky would not accept him because he had not fathered children and repaid his debt to ancestors. So he remained suspended mid-air by Arjuna’s arrows.

With the fall of Bhisma, the war moved in favor of the Pandavas. Nine days later, the Kauravas were defeated and dharma had been established.

Without doubt, Shikhandi changed the course of the war and played a pivotal role in the establishing of dharma. He was without doubt a key tool for Krishna. A cynic would say, Shikhandi was used by Krishna. A devotee will argue, Krishna made even Shikhandi useful. But his story is almost always overlooked in retellings of the great epic Mahabharata, or retold rather hurriedly, avoiding the details. Authors have gone so far as to conveniently call the Sthunakarna episode a later interpolation, hence of no consequence.

Shikhandi embodies all queer people – from gays to lesbians to Hijras to transgendered people to hermaphrodites to bisexuals. Like their stories, his story remains invisible. But the great author, Vyasa, located this story between the ninth night and the tenth day, right in the middle of the war, between the start and the finish. This was surely not accidental. It was a strategic pointer to things that belong neither here nor there. This is how the ancients gave voice to the non-heterosexual discourse.

Shikhandi embarrases us today. Sthunakarna who willingly gave up his manhood frightens us today. But neither Shikhandi nor Shthunkarna embarrassed or frightened Krishna or Vyas. Both included Shikhandi in the great narrative. But modern writers have chosen to exclude him. That is the story of homosexuals in human society. Homosexuals have always existed in God’s world but more often than not manmade society has chosen to ignore, suppress, ridicule, label them aberrants, diseased, to be swept under carpets and gagged by laws such as 377. They have been equated with rapists and molesters, simply because they can only love differently.

Indian society, however, has been a bit different from most others. Like all cultures, Indian culture for sure paid more importance to the dominant heterosexual discourse. But unlike most cultures, Indian culture did not condemn or invalidate the minority non-heterosexual discourse altogether. Hence the tale of Shikhandi, placed so strategically. Hence the tale of Bhangashvana, retold by none other than Bhisma to the Pandavas, after the war before he chose to die.

Yudhishtira asked, “Grandfather, who gets more sexual pleasure – men or women? What is sweeter to the ear – the sound of father or mother?”

Bhisma replied, “No one knows really. Except perhaps Bhangashvana, the only one who was both man and woman. Bhangashvana was a great king, with many wives and many sons. Indra cursed him to be a woman. So he lived as a woman, took a husband and bore him children. He was thus a man to his wife and a woman to his husband.  He thus had two sets of children, one who called him ‘father’ and another who called him ‘mother’. He alone is qualified to answer your questions.” Such ideas will never find mention in most scriptures around the world. But they are part of our cultural inheritance.

Clearly many keepers of culture have not heard the stories of Shikhandi, or Bhangashvana or of Yuvanashva, the king who accidentally became pregnant and delivered the great Mandhata, or of the two queens who made love to each other to produce a child without bones (bones being the contribution of sperm, according to mythology), or of Mohini, the female form of Vishnu, who enchanted even Shiva, the great hermit. Clearly they have chosen to ignore that every year, in Brahmotsavam festival, the image of the Lord Venkateshwara Balaji, who is Vishnu on earth, is dressed in female garments reminding us all of Mohini. Clearly they are oblivious of how Shrinathji in Nathdwara is lovingly bedecked with a sari, the stri-vesha or women’s attire, in memory of the time he wore Radha’s clothes to appease her. Clearly they are not aware of Gopeshwarji of Vrindavan, Shiva who took the form of a milkmaid so that he could dance the raas-leela with Krishna. And they certainly have turned a blind eye to the rooster-riding Bahucharji, of Gujarat, patron goddess of many Hijras.

Western religions have, and will, look upon Hinduism’s cross-dressing gods as vulgar and perverted. The British mocked us so much during the Raj that we went into apology and denial. Now an entire generation does not even know about these tales and these deities and these rituals. Westernization did not change bedroom habits; it has led to an embarrassed denial of our sacred scriptures.

One thing we must grant the homosexual – he has united the cantankerous right wing. He has done what the constitution of India could not do – bring the radical Islamic cleric, the saffron robed yogis, the Bible-bashing clergyman to the same side of the table. Together these self-proclaimed guardians of culture would like the homosexuals to be made invisible once more.

Baba Ramdevji would for sure celebrate the celibacy of Bhisma. If he would have his way, he would, perhaps, drag Shikhandi to the mental asylum and teach him breathing exercises until the Yaksha’s appendage drops and he/she chokes and gasps into heterosexuality. But not Krishna. On Krishna’s chariot, Shikhandi – as he/she is – will always be welcomed.

Reason why Transgender people are Worshiped in India

Indian being so inclusive and vast the reasons and stories are varying. But here are a few that I would like to bring it to your notice which I have actually come through my community.

Most popular of all, more so in the North. Rama, the Suryavanshi prince (Lord Rama) when leaving to his exile was followed by all the devotes but upon noticing this he gathered them all and asked them not to mourn and requested all men and women to return to their places in Ayodhya. Not much of a plot twist there, he forgot the Hijras, much like our Indian Government. Upon return he was impressed to see that the transgender being neither men or women hadn't moved from their places. Seeing such devotion he blessed them to bring good luck in auspicious events such as childbirth and weddings.

Ardhanarishwara, Madhubog and many other names given to the union of Shiva and Parvathi. This gender ambiguous/ transgender form is significant as being the patron deity of the transgenders. This also shows how the people of the past not only acknowledged alternative genders but valued them. A slight deviation in the Native American villages there are records of people who cross dressed and engaged in sodomy these people called as Joyas were held in high esteem.

The children of Ahiravan, Aravanis as self identified by many in the south from a story in the Mahabaratham. Ahiravan a night before his battle in the Kurukshetra wanted to be married but was unable to find a bride, knowing his assured doom. To fulfil his request Arjuna marries him in the form of Brihinala. A festival with great celebrations is observed with moaning and beauty pageants, quite the combo if you ask me.

The tale of Bahuchari Mata, a reality to too many. This story pains me because too many men and women are forced in marriages they do not desire and in a union they cannot unite in. The sex is distasteful at best, only for the purpose of escape from the social anxiety attached to being childless and the need for continuity. A young woman is married to man who does not satisfy her desire but often leaves by the night to the forest. She one night follows him and finds catches him in the act and infuriated by the deception, castrates him and curses that men must be forthcoming and true so that another must not suffer her fate. With that she turns to a goddess and is worshiped ever since. 

Based on which part of India one is from a tale or two are associated with Hijras to help them survive the bigotry that has befallen. Belief has led to this respect, worship wouldn't be the right word its an unfair exchange and hope of good words from a Hijra that we seek.

While the tradition can continue its time we treated them as equal and no differently in other areas of life why holy here and unholy there? Is divinity only so small?

Your comments would be appreciated :) 

The Feminine in Society

The feminine in society

Today, society and even women have misunderstood feminine nature as weakness. Women are trying to be like men because economics has become the main force in the world. Everything is back to the law of the jungle – survival of the fittest. Once you do that, the masculine will dominate. We have chosen the power of gross conquest over the subtleties of love, compassion and embracing life.

You will see, if you just have masculine, you will have everything but you will have nothing. Consciously nurturing and celebrating the feminine in a society is very essential. This needs to happen right from school. Children should go into music, art, philosophy, and literature as much as they go into science and technology. If this does not happen, there will be no room for the feminine in the world. If we don’t see how to make both the masculine and feminine find equal roles to play in our life structure, we will live very incomplete, lopsided lives.

Purusha and Prakriti

If you look at the story of Ardhanarishvara as a symbolism of creation, then these two dimensions – Shiva and Parvati or Shiva and Shakti – are known as Purusha and Prakriti. The word “Purush” is today commonly understood as “man,” but that is not what it means. Praktriti means “nature” or “creation.” Purush is that which is the source of creation. The source of creation was there, creation happened, and it fit perfectly well into the source of creation. What is referred to as the Purusha is the cause, the main induction which sets things going. When the existence was primordial, when it was not in a state of creation, what caused it to snap up and suddenly become creation is referred to as Purusha. Whether a human being is born, or an ant is born, or a cosmos is born, it is happening the same way. In terms of human understanding, it is referred to as male or masculine.

The whole human population happened because of a single act of a man, because of copulation, isn’t it? That is not a great act. It could happen in any way. It could happen irresponsibly, negligently, forcefully, in anger, in hatred – it need not necessarily happen beautifully. Whichever way you do it, population will come. But what happened in the womb cannot happen whichever way. It has to happen in a very orderly and beautiful way, otherwise it will not work. If it goes wrong or happens violently, life will not happen.

So when we look at this basic process that set creation going, that process is just like one act. That is known as Purusha, but what takes this on and slowly evolves into life is called Prakriti or nature. That is why nature is represented as feminine.

Ardhanareeshwara

Generally Shiva is referred to as the ultimate man, he is the symbolism of ultimate masculinity, but you will see in the Ardhanarishvara form of Shiva, one half of him is a fully developed woman. Let me tell you the story of what happened. Shiva was in an ecstatic condition and because of that, Parvati was drawn to him. After Parvati did many things to woo him and sought all kinds of help, they got married. Once they were married, naturally, Shiva wanted to share whatever was his experience. Parvati said, “This state that you are in within yourself, I want to experience it too. What should I do? Tell me. I am willing to do any kind of austerity.” Shiva smiled and said, “There is no need for you to do any great austerity. You just come and sit on my lap.” Parvati came and with absolutely no resistance towards him, sat on his left lap. Since she was so willing, since she had placed herself totally in his hands, he just pulled her in and she became half of him.

You need to understand, if he has to accommodate her in his own body, he has to shed half of himself. So he shed half of himself and included her. This is the story of Ardhanarishvara. This is basically trying to manifest that the masculine and the feminine are equally divided within yourself. And when he included her, he became ecstatic. What is being said is that if the inner masculine and feminine meet, you are in a perpetual state of ecstasy. If you try to do it on the outside, it never lasts, and all the troubles that come with that are an ongoing drama.

Full-fledged man and woman

Essentially, it is not two people longing to meet, it is two dimensions of life longing to meet – outside as well as inside. If you achieve it inside, the outside will happen one hundred percent by choice. If you do not achieve it inside, the outside will be a terrible compulsion. This is the way of life. This is the reality which is being expressed in a beautiful dialectal form – Shiva included her as a part of himself and became half-woman, half-man.

This is a symbolism to show that if you evolve in your ultimate context, you will be half a man and half a woman – not a neuter – a full-fledged man and a full-fledged woman. That is when you are a full-blown human being. You are not skewed development, you are not just masculine or feminine, you have allowed both these things to grow. Masculine and feminine does not mean male and female. The “feminine” and “masculine” are certain qualities. Only when these two qualities happen in balance within, can a human being live a life of fulfillment.