Let’s be honest. Are you tired of battling the negative tendencies in your life? You know, the ones that keep repeating themselves over and over and don’t ever seem to go away — like aggressiveness, fear, pride, shame.
Don’t let negativity get you down! Overcome these tendencies by applying Shree Maa’s indispensable wisdom on how to defeat the asuras (demons).
Below, Shree Maa discusses the asuras associated with the eight bondages from which we have to free ourselves in order to be in union with Divine Mother. These asuras are referenced in Chapter 8 of the Chandi Path, versus three through six. Then, Shree Maa has a very special message on what we can do to destroy these negative tendencies.
Here are the eight bondages and how they sabotage our spiritual life:
#1: Udayudh (verse 3) – Aggression
The word “udyog” stems from udhaath, which means to be aggressive.
This asura represents the aggressiveness that arises when one is filled with hatred. These are known as the Plunderers of Peace.
#2: Kambu (verse 4) – Shame
The word “kambu” means conch and is the second bondage. Shame is the intrinsic nature of this asura, and he attacks us in the form of Lack of Restraint.
When Kambu attacks us, our minds contract with shame and we are unable to open our hearts and minds to be expansive and spiritual.
# 3: Koti Virya (verse 5) – Fear
The word “koti” means many or abundant, and the root “virya” means courage. While the name of this family of asuras translates to “abundant courage,” in the context of the Chandi it actually represents great and intense fear, manifesting as hundreds of millions of heroic warriors.
When attacked by intense fear, human beings are neither able to enjoy the pleasures of the world, nor can they commit themselves fully to their spiritual practices.
#4: Dhaumra (verse 5) – Doubt
Dhaumra stands for doubt or vices. When we suffer from fear (kotivirya) we are not interested even in engaging in spiritual pursuits.
When doubt (Dhaumra) besieges us, even if we are following a spiritual path and engaged in practices, we are not able to focus on them.
Thoughts of the material world and attachments to our family, wealth, name, and fame fill our minds with doubt and we are not able to progress. We are surrounded by the ten indriyas (sense organs), five tan matras (objects of sense) and five bhutas (elements).
#5: Kalaka (verse 6) – Ignorance
This asura is dark in color and represents ignorance which causes Calamities.
Due to ignorance we see differences and live in duality. Due to the impact of this asura we engage in fault finding and looking down upon others.
#6: Daurhrida (verse 6) – Evil
This asura represents “dushta bhav,” or evil attitude. In particular he stands for “kula abhiman,” which means pride for your birth family, or the perplexity of the heart.
A spiritual aspirant can do much tapasya and get a lot of pure knowledge and even siddhis, but if internally there is kula abhiman, it is impossible for the aspirant to cross the ocean of objects and relationships.
#7: Mauryah (verse 6) – Individuality
This asura stands for “svabhav” or nature of each individual person.
When a spiritual aspirant is filled with pure wisdom he or she automatically enters the anandamoy kosha, or the realm of pure bliss. But in order to do this, the aspirant has to give up his individual nature or prakriti and become one with the universe (vishva prakriti).
Mauryah asura represents the aspirant’s limited individual nature, which prevents him from realizing his true universal nature by appearing again and again as recurring thoughts.
#8: Kalakeya (verse 6) – Pride in Social Group
This asura represents the bondage of “jaati” of the jiva (individual). The word “jaati” stands for the social group that an individual identifies with, such as caste, community, religion, nationality.
When a spiritual aspirant has ignorance and duality he is filled with “jaati ahamkaar,” which is egotism born out of pride of belonging to a particular social grouping, and manifests as fears of the unknown.
So what’s the secret to slaying these demons?
Shree Maa instructs that the main method to achieve freedom from these bondages is through disciplined sadhana (spiritual practice).
She says, “Beloved Children, you have to wake-up your inner power and surrender to Mother! The time is right — focus on your spiritual practices and achieve union with Mother in this lifetime!”
I Love You All! ~ Shree Maa