In the Spiritual World, You Receive the Knowledge Deserve You

We saw about the female Rishi Ghosha, how Veda mantras of Ashwini Devas were revealed to her after she performed intense tapasya.

In this context, we also discussed whether women can learn Vedas.

We saw how Vyasa Maharshi divided the Vedas with the purpose of preserving the Vedas, yajna, and through that, preserving dharma in Kaliyuga.

We saw that even men learn only certain portions of the Vedas allotted to them, which they use in yajnas.

Women also have portions allotted to them. Women who participate in yajnas learn and chant those portions.

We also uploaded a video of a complete Shrauta Yajna performed in the most traditional way to establish that there is no discrimination against women in the Vedic tradition.

Vishwavara – A Female Rishi

Now, one more female Rishi—Vishwavara.

She belonged to the vamsha of Atri Maharshi.

Six mantras pertaining to Agni Deva were revealed to her.

These six mantras, containing knowledge about Agni Deva, are found in the fifth mandala of the Rigveda, starting with:

समिद्धो अग्निः

She did intense tapasya, and as a result of that, these mantras were revealed to her.

This is not even learning of the Vedas.

These mantras were getting revealed to someone for the first time ever.

The Intensity of Tapasya

How did she qualify for this?

She did intense tapasya.

Like any male Rishi, she also did intense tapasya. Then this happened.

What is involved in tapasya?

Taking the body and mind to extremes—

• Surviving only on rainwater that falls from the sky, if it falls.
• Not closing eyelids for years.
• Standing on one leg with hands raised for years, without moving.

It is painful. Your body will keep telling you to stop.

Your mind will keep telling you, 'This is foolish, stop.'

Still, they won’t.

And after a few years like this, when you have overcome the pressure, when you have become fit and strong for the higher realms of spirituality, a mantra comes to you, or some knowledge comes to you.

This is how these Rishis earned what they knew.

It doesn’t come just like that.

It is not like browsing the internet and getting it.

You have to earn it.

Then you are blessed with something.

You have to work hard, then you are blessed.

Spiritual Knowledge is Earned

Puranas say that even to get to listen to one story of the leela of divinity, you have to do good deeds over many, many births.

Then you get to hear something.

That is how the spiritual world works.

There is no monopoly here, there is no copyright here.

If you deserve it, it will come to you naturally.

But, you have to work hard and earn it.

Knowledge and blessings flow freely.

They go wherever they want to.

Nobody can control them.

The rest are all cooked-up stories—stories cooked up with an agenda.

Whom did the legend of Rama go to? A hunter—Valmiki.

Whom did the Puranas and Itihasas go to? The son of a fisherwoman—Sage Vyasa.

And the whole world venerates them.

Knowledge and blessings come to you when you deserve them.

You don’t even have to ask for it.

Those who cry discrimination, please understand this—

If it is not coming to you, that means you have to still work hard.

Spirituality is a private affair between you and the divinity.

Ah, if your purpose is to start your own school of branded spirituality, then it is different.

You don’t even need knowledge for that.

You just need to show that you are knowledgeable.

If you are looking at Veda mantras as something to learn just to start paurohitya, then it is a career goal, not spirituality anymore.

That is not what we are talking about here.

Anyone is free to do all that. It’s a free world.

You can learn mantras from YouTube.

Why do you even have to go to a Gurukul?

Why should someone even teach you?

If your purpose is to show off, then it is different.

We have been seeing all this.

That’s not what we are talking about here.

Vishwavara’s Realization

Vishwavara, through tapasya, earned it.

Through her commitment, she earned it.

The level of knowledge and insights that she received is reflected in those six mantras.

So much about Agni was revealed to her.

• She realized that Surya is a form of Agni.
• She realized that the atmosphere is also filled with Agni in the form of sunrays.
• She realized that the fire which exists on earth is the same Agni.
• Elsewhere, it is mentioned that Vayu is a form of Agni.

So what is implied?

Agni is all forms of energy.

Vishwavara realized that by praying to Agni, by worshipping Agni, through ritualistic worship of Agni in the form of yajnas, all the ill effects of the papas of the past—ill effects that act like your enemies, troubling you—can be removed.

Because Agni has the power to burn.

Anything can be destroyed if you burn it.

And Agni Deva can bless you with that.

Vishwavara realized that Agni not only removes papa, but he also gives sowbhagya—he gives fortunes when happy with someone.

She also realized that the bond between a husband and wife is strengthened only if they do good deeds together.

Any marriage where the husband and wife do not observe dharma together will perish.

It will not last.

Every time a husband and wife do something together—a good deed, a puja, a pilgrimage—Agni Deva will make that relationship brighten up, flame up, and become stronger and stronger.

This was revealed to Vishwavara.

She realized that Agni Deva is the carrier of offerings for the Devas.

You give to Agni Deva and tell him to hand over the same to a particular Deva, and he does that without fail.

She was given such deep insight that she was even made to understand the three forms of Agni when he acts as a carrier:

• Havya Vahana
• Kavya Vahana
• Saharaksha

Agni takes offerings to forefathers also.

Agni as a carrier would even take offerings to Asuras.

The Deep Meaning of Agni

These are all principles, nuances deep inside the Vedas.

See, fire is neutral.

It can be used for cooking and feeding someone.

It can be used for arson also.

Fire, per se, is neutral.

It depends on how you want to use it.

Such deep insights were revealed to Vishwavara.

She earned it.

She deserved it.

Knowledge comes to you when you deserve it.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi