SUR, ASUR AND MAHADEV

SUR mean divine beings like Indra Deva, Varun Deva, Agni Deva, and millions of Gods mentioned in Indian religious texts and 

ASUR mean devilish beings like Shumb, Nishumb, Mahishasur, Hiranyakashipu and many more Daityas mentioned in Vedic texts.

In scientific terms, another meaning of Sanskrit word SUR is Rhythm (tone), and ASUR means Noise.

Therefore we can say that anything which has a rhythm or a pattern is divine and whatever is chaotic or noisy is devilish.

If we take a look around we will see many things around us which move in a rhythm/ pattern and hence are governed by divine forces.

We see rhythm in-

Our heart beats

Our Breathing

Rotation of earth

Moon Phases

Day and Night

Life and Death

Sleep cycles 

Ans so on ...

Where ever we see rhythm, there exists divinity.

And what is ASUR ? Where do we see them ?

Anything which is noisy in nature which does not have a natural pattern, which is sudden and unpredictable is ASURI, like-

Floods, Earthquake, Forest fire, Pandemic, Riots, Anger, Greed, Etc.

These events are governed by ASURAS.

Those who have been seeing the Indian 'mythological' tales on Television would be able to relate the below incidents.

Lord Indra, who is the king of SURAS is usually seen busy in enjoying the celestial dance of Aprasas (celestial damsels), holding the goblet filled with Madira or Soma. With each sip enjoying the luxuries of life anybody could ask for.

His other divine colleagues also equally engrossed in divine entertainment have a best pass time.

When these divine beings are at the peak of their enjoyment then suddenly out of nowhere the ASURAS arrive and attack the Devtas, caught unarmed. 

The ASURAS badly beat the Devtas and they are forced to vacate the Indra Loka or Swarga Loka (heaven) and made to run for their lives.

After getting badly humiliated by ASURAS, the SURAS are seen running to Mahadeva (Shiva, God of Gods) to seek his mercy and request him to reinstate them to Swarg Loka by defeating the evil forces.

Finally Mahadeva obliges, destroys the ASURAS and restores  the Devtas in Swarga Loka.

This has been the usual depiction of Devtas in our religious TV serials.

If SURAS are divine beings, why are they projected as so helpless and powerless beings !!

Why do they need to every-time rush to Mahadeva for mercy !!

Lets try to understand that now-

As I explained above, SUR means Rhythm and ASUR means Noise.

ASURAS are stronger than SURAS because Noise is stronger than Rhythm

Because Rhythm is only a subset of Noise.

Rhythm is nothing but that a Noise, which has a pattern.

Which means, all are ASURAS in the beginning and those who fine tune themselves become SURAS.

Its like a radio, till the time we fine tune it we just hear a noise and when the frequencies match we hear a melodious song.

Therefore rhythm is born out of noise, so noise is more powerful than a Rhythm.

In order for the rhythm to fight noise it will have to  first become a noise. The moment it changes into a noise it ceases to be a rhythm.

Suppose if I am sitting at peace and someone comes to have fight with me then in order to fight him back I first need to loose my peace.

That's why the Devtas don't fight back ASURAS (because then they will seize to be Devtas) instead seek help of Mahadeva.

The Swarga Loka or Indra Loka is a plane of existence where everything is harmonious.

The Madira or Soma Russ, Apsaras dancing, is just a depiction of how musical, rhythmic and harmonious this Swarga loka is. Everyone is enjoying the happiness and melody of life there.

But what is the role of Mahadeva in all this ?

How is he able to save SURAS from ASURAS ?

How is he able to manage this noise ?

Simple, he converts that noise into a rhythm.

As I already explained, Rhythm is a kind of noise only.

Sitar in hands of an expert will play melody and in hands of an amateur will only produce a noise.

Rhythm can not fight a noise but noise can be converted into a rhythm. That's what the Mahadeva does.

But how does he do that !! 

How is he able to change the quality of noise !!

For that we need to see how these SUR and ASUR play games in our lives.

When we are happy, pleased, ecstatic we basically are in a rhythm. Our breathing, heart beat, body functions are in-tune with the cosmic rhythm. 

Our body energy functions on the basis of sun movements. Our emotions and sleep function as per moon movements.

The nature and our body function in tandem. There is no conflict. 

We are like Devtas during that time, living in some Swarga Loka.

But when something disturbs us for example  we become angry, fearful, greedy, tensed, we lose our rhythm. 

Our breath begins to go faster, heart beat increases, blood flow changes, tension grips our body. Our connection with cosmic rhythm breaks and we begin feeling miserable, sad, violent or depressed.

We can say that now ASURAS have taken over us and we feel hellish.

At this moment if we begin to fight these ASURAS we will get more into their grip. Because our inner peace will have to get disturbed to be able to fight this disturbance. 

And the moment this peace gets disturbs it becomes a part of noise.

Devtas within us completely vanish and our body gets taken over by the ASURAS which make us do dreadful deeds.

The ASURAS take over the ruler-ship of Swarga Loka at this moment.

So if the fight is not a solution what to do.

Go to Mahadeva's Sharan (refuge)

Where is Mahadeva, how to find him within, where to approach him and ask for help !!!

Within us Mahadeva lives as our power of unbiased observation.

In Sanskrit we say it Sakshi Bhava (Inner unbiased witness)

Whenever any ASURI Shakti (Evil Energy) engulfs us, we need not fight it. We just need to observe it, without reacting to it.

We can do it by many means like closing our eyes and meditation on our third eye, doing Pranayama, chanting Guru Mantra, chanting OM, doing Vipassana or any other method which increases our power of observation.

When we begin to observe this noise, the power of observation begins to give this noise a pattern. 

There are many experiments done on this.

When we chant OM, the the crystals of water arrange in a pattern. 

No one can fight a noise because it's the original creation but we can convert it and change its quality into a pattern by the help of Mahadeva.

Hope its clear now how these forces of good and bad energies function in our lives and what purpose they solve.

Whenever we lose or forget our inner Mahadeva, these evil forces or ASURAS raid our inner peace to take over it and create disturbances in our lives. And now we know what to do in that case.

That's all from me for today.

Hope you enjoyed today's article and find it helpful.

Will keep sharing more such interesting articles.

Till then take care Good bye.