Gandharva
Every question on the site tagged Gandharva, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
Notes from our sources
Not granted at initiation, and used in Yaksha, Gandharva, Veera, Bhairava and Kapalika sadhanas
It is not granted immediately upon Tantric initiation — an aspirant must progress through preliminary practices; Mundamalas are used not only for Mahavidya and fierce sadhanas, but also in Virachara practices involving Yakshas, Gandharvas, Veeras, Bhairavas, and Kapalika sadhanas.
Who else dwells on the Himalaya, in Shiva's description?
Apsaras, yakshinis, kinnaris, mountain maidens and naga maidens are present there in many kinds, and all will be pleased with you on seeing you. If you say so, we shall build a house there; coming there they will all help in giving you comfort and will serve you. Parvatraj Himalaya and his wife Menaka, who is famed in the three lokas for her beauty and qualities, will also wish to please you with aishwarya after your own mind, with blessing and with prayer.
Who was invited to that assembly?
Bhagavan Shiva quickly summoned Indra, all the siddhas, gandharvas, nagas and all the updevas — updeva meaning the pitrs and pishachs, who were all present there. All the Vedas, agamas and shastras, all the sons of Brahma, the munis, the apsaras, and all the devis together with all things were invited. Besides these, the auspicious sixteen maidens each of the devatas, the rishis, the siddhas and the nagas were also summoned.
How is the sadhana of Gandharva Raj Vishwavasu to be done?
The sadhana of the Gandharvas can be done, the speaker says, but for it one should first do three sadhanas chiefly, and do them being initiated: the sadhana of Shiva ji, the sadhana of Yaksharaj Kuber, and then the sadhana of the Gandharva Raj. The sadhana of Ganpati too will be necessary in it.
When is elaichi given upon the kapur at all?
Elaichi is not to be offered on kapur, laung is, the speaker repeats. Elaichi upon kapur is given when the seva-puja of the Gandharvas takes place — not otherwise. If in someone's mandala pujan there is a Gandharva, then it is given.
Is Gandharva sadhana obstructed?
Gandharva sadhana is a separate thing, a separate subject, the speaker says. There will be no obstruction, but do it with thought and care.
Glory of the Kamarupa Shakti Peeth as told by Mahadeva to Narada
The speaker cites the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, where Mahadeva tells Narada the greatness of the Kamarupa Pradesh Shakti Peeth: the gods led by Brahma, the Gandharvas, the best rishis and munis and every Siddha on earth come there daily with their shaktis to worship Jagadamba Adishakti, who stays there fully and always. He says Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva did tapasya there, Vashistha gained mantra-siddhi there by Purashcharana and became like a second creator, and the siddhas who can move through the sky got that power by doing japa of the mahamantra in Kamarupa.
Apsaras and the Saptarishis filled the sky-path to watch, while the earth shook and mountains began to fall
The whole sky-path filled with Apsaras, the Saptarishis and others who came to watch — the accomplished ones who can move by that path. The earth began to shake and mountains to fall, because one boy had held off so many Devas, and Devas who had won many battles at that.
Vishnu declared that among Devas, Danavas, Yakshas and Rakshasas none in the three worlds equals this warrior
That this greatly strong one is blessed and is a warrior who loves battle: I have seen many Devas, Danavas, Daityas, Yakshas, Gandharvas and Rakshasas, but in the three worlds none can equal him in splendour, form, quality or valour.
The Ganesh Akhyan closes with celebration: Dundubhis, dancing Apsaras, a rain of flowers, and the whole world made happy at his establishment
The Devas sounded the Dundubhis, the Apsaras danced, the Gandharvas sang and flowers rained from the sky. At Ganapati's establishment the whole world became happy, a great festival began, and all sorrow and hardship was destroyed.
Why does nirmalya above the chaukhat block tantric powers?
The speaker recalls that Pushpadanta — the Gandharva Chitraratha, the Gandharva-raj who composed the Shiva Mahimna Stotra — had his powers crippled merely by transgressing nirmalya; if that happened to him, ordinary bhoot, pret and pishach are nothing. So the powers are stopped at the upper part of the chaukhat — the nirmalya is not hung below, because everyone would step over it there — and from beneath it no power can enter. How much effect it gives depends on other things: if someone inside the house is doing it, or the thing already gets in, the matter is different; but even then the powers will be blocked, the intent checked, and the house will largely come under protection.
Does apsara sadhana really exist?
Asked whether apsara sadhana really happens, he answers by name that as many names of shaktis as you have heard — apsara, yaksha, gandharva, kinnar, vidyadhar — the sadhana of all of them exists. And the pratyaksha darshan that is being spoken of also really happens.
What does the Kilak say about the fruit of a nishkilan Saptashati path?
The speaker says that whatever punya you do, you will obtain many bodies to enjoy it — the body of a siddha, or of a devata, a yaksha, a gandharva. He points to the Kilak, in which it is said that one who does the path of the Durga Saptashati having performed nishkilan becomes verily a gandharva, and becomes endowed with the capacity to roam over the whole earth.
When a puja is bound, how will Bhagwan hear the prayer?
Attend to this, he says: there is a difference between Bhagwan and devata. Devata is a yoni, and Bhagwan is the param mahashakti, the param satta. As manushya is a yoni and pashu is a yoni, so devata too is a bhog yoni. Manushya alone is a karma yoni: the karma you do here, and the fruit that comes of it, decides the next yoni you obtain. Do base karma, do wrong work, and you go into the lower yonis — pashu, pakshi, jad, chetan; do high karma and you go into yaksha, kinnar, gandharva, devata. These are yonis; Bhagwan is not. Bhagwan is Bhagwan — adi, imperishable, with no form and no shape, though he came in the sakar form for us.
Who comes to the earth on Phalgun Purnima night?
From the divine lokas — whether the yaksha loka, the kinnar, gandharva and vidyadhar lokas, or the loka of other divine shaktis, and the akashchari siddhas — all of them come on that day, in the guise of ordinary human beings, to the tirtha kshetras of the earth connected with Bhagwan Sadashiv and with Bhagavati Mahamaya Mahashakti, and to the kshetras of their own ishta aradhya. Those who possess divya drishti can even see them.
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