Astrological Mythology The Meaning of ... - Mandhata Global

pain and anguish. Under Anuradha the deep psychological urge to unite with
the original source is aroused, and the individual is made to feel as a
fragmented unit of divinity.
The astrological symbol for Anuradha is a lotus flower, whose Sanskrit name
is Padma. It also refers to sexual intercourse and can refer to the evacuation
of excrement. The lotus stands for Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, who
appears in the form of Radha for Lord Krishna. From the naval of Vishnu
arises the macrocosmic lotus on which is seated Brahma, the creator of the
universe. The lotus flower contains within itself the entire creative process.
It mystically reflects the various stages of cosmic evolution.
Padma stands for manifestation occurring from the ever-concealed seed. The
lotus grows from the mud, symbol of the deepest level of materiality
equivalent to the unpleasant smelling oyster (see Chitra) from which the
pure pearl is taken out. There is, however, a significant difference. The pearl
can be taken out of the oyster by suddenly breaking it, while in the case of
the lotus, the development occurs gradually, step by step, mirroring the
stages of manifestation. In the case of the lotus, the seed takes root in the
mud, which represents the original ignorance or primeval matter. It pushes
itself up in water which stands for the emotional life of the person. From it,
attracted by the Sun's rays, sprouts the stalk. It comes to the surface,
representing the soul's growth through various lives, which by the
experience of divine attraction struggles to emerge from the lower earthly
realm. Having emerged from the realm of emotion, the soul opens in mental
activities, symbolized by air, but the long journey of the lotus does not stop
at this stage. Its aspiration for the Sun continues, and it finally flowers to
greet the Sun. It then withers away, but its seed falls back into the mud to
repeat the process again. The lotus symbol in this way emphasizes the soul's
thirst for union with the source. Though it may fall again under the sway of
the cycle of birth and death, a radical psychological change has occurred.
Under Anuradha, the latent powers in man begin to manifest. The ignorance
gained during the period of night, resulting in attachment to worldly
existence, must be purged. The dirt of the mud of materiality has to be
cleansed in water. Emotional purity must be attained prior to regaining one's
original nature. At this stage of emotional purification, the aspirant must
seek union with the Master. The individual must strive to unify himself with
the Ultimate. This is not easy and there are many pitfalls and hardships to be
endured. All these stages are represented by the lotus, either in its physical
form or as implied in its Sanskrit name. The lotus of the soul has to pass
through various stages of unfoldment, for each phase of which are required
corresponding efforts of the aspirant.