The Love of Naini Mata is Infinite

A View of the little Naini Mata Temple on the banks of the Naini Lake

 

One thing that has surprised International spiritual philosophers about Hindu practices and beliefs is that while on the one hand it has one of the most ancient and evolved systems of philosophy, on the other hand, it also displays very many poor practices. The answer lies in the fact that Hinduism has never been as organized as some of the other major religions of the world. It permits much freedom of belief and practices. It has a vast landscape of varied cultures into which many immigrants of the old world came and settled with varied customs and beliefs. What is seen as Hinduism now is a collections of beliefs and practices since ancient times, some highly evolved and some not so. Individual Hindus choose the portion of these beliefs that is in agreement with their own faith and inclinations, no doubt influenced by the beliefs and practices of the families and regions to which they belong.

One significant thing that is paradoxical to outsiders is that while Hindu philosophy upholds monotheism and a single Almighty in the Universe, many Hindus (although not all sects) also follow the worship of numerous gods and goddesses. The reality is that since the Almighty is formless and infinite, any finite divine portion of the Almighty may be personified as a facet or personification of the Infinite Lord and that is the reason for so many gods and goddesses. The Almighty is both the Eternal Father and a Mother of all life; therefore He may be viewed as a Father God or as a Mother Goddess. Even here there are very many representations of the Great Mother Goddess, the female side of the Almighty. My favorite is Naini Mata - her representation in Nainital in the Himalayas. Still Higher up in the mountains she is known as the Goddess Nanda and her abode is the mountain by the same name where she dwells with her sister the goddess Sunanda, Jai Ma Sunanda.

There is a philosophical point illustrated when the Mother Goddess is viewed as more than one as in goddesses Nanda and Sunanda. The point is that while we may view the Almighty as a Mother, we must not forget that She is represented throughout the universe in other diverse forms simultaneously, all being part of one whole Infinite reality, some parts divine and some even human like you and me. The Mother Goddess is the One and many at one and the same time. In Haidkhan she is know as Ma Haidakhandeshwari. She is the goddess with the lions and also the goddess with the lotus about which monks in Tibet chant - Om Mani Padme Hum

My own experience with the lovely goddess Naini Mata is that her love is indeed infinite to all who come under her gaze as especially those who have a kind and compassionate heart, while she offers all manner of protection, help and security to her devotees, she also punishes when they err like every loving mother punishes an erring child at times when they do wrong, but the wonderful thing is that her punishments are never such as would cause any permanent damage and are merely educational, as are the punishments of any loving mother. Her sister – Sunanda being younger may be kinder as aunts tend to be at times, leaving the disciplining if any to the mother.

I came under the protection of Naini Mata after being fortunate to have spent my early years in Nainital along with my real life human mother of this life who too was one the finest of mothers any human can have (incidentally her name, Nando, was similar to the goddess too and my favorite aunt has a name similar to the goddess Sunanda, indicating long held connections)  Since then life has taken me in a journey of adventure, some foolish, experience, education and service all around the world and it is only on occasions that I have had the gracious opportunity to visit Mother Naini through these hectic years. All such visits were the most joyous moments of my life that has seen both happy and sad moments as every life must. Unlike humans, Naini Mata is ageless and her devotees always like children to her.

Jai Naini Mata ki.