More on tuft and baldness: shikhA and khalati
Some interesting facts come up when we dig out the references to shikhA and khalati through a google search:
• The words 'khalati' and 'kulva' mean 'bald-headed, bald', and are found in those meanings in the vAjasaneyi samhitA, taittirIya samhitA, shatapatha brAhmaNa, kAtyAyana shrauta sUtra, and Rig Veda 8.102. (MWD)
• Obviously, shikhA is grown to cover the chUDa--crest, of the head that eventually turns kulva--bald. Since women always have their shikhA flowing over their chUDa, perhaps that consistent cover preserves the hair growth in that area and prevent women from becoming bald.
• The shikhA is tied in a knot in religious ceremonies accompanied by the gAyatrI mantra. An untied shikha was a symbol of disgrace, impurity and mourning.
• One of the famous examples of an untied tuft is that of ChANakya who took a vow to keep it untied until the King Nanda who insulted him was dethroned. The other example is that of DraupadI when she was insulted in the royal court by Duryodhana's brother.
• The shikhA on the top of the head represents the shikhara that is raised atop all Hindu temples. Temple architecture is based on the vAstu puruSha maNDala or Mystic Square, a diagram said to represent the Supreme Being (Brahman). A temple is considered a symbolic depiction of the Supreme Being, whose head is represented as the shikhara of the temple. And in men, the shikha symbolises the brahmANDa on which BrahmA is said to reside.
• From a (curious if not odd) GauDiya-VaiShNava perspective,
(1) The Vaishnavas following a descending spiritual path that is they depend on the mercy of the Supreme Lord at every step to pull them out of Maya. So when we are drowning in Maya and only our head is out of the water, Guru and Gauranga can still pull us out comfortably by holding our head by this tuft of head called the shikha. So the shikha shows the subordination and dependence of the devotee on the causelessmercy of Lord Gauranga-Krishna at all times.
The Mayavadis follow the ascending path since they egotistically confident of achieve God and coming out of illusion by the dint of their insignificant efforts or sadhan. So they do not keep a shikha because they do not need the mercy of the Lord.
(2) Shikha is also like a spiritual antenna on the top of head meant to show to the Lord and that we are aspiring recepients of His causeless mercy.
Ref:
shikha
Significance of wearing Shikha
PS: A high school classmate of mine who was a kOmuTTi cheTTi, would say that the word 'ambaTTa' signified a brahmin. To the furious brahmin boy to whom he spoke this word, he would explain, 'am' means 'azhagiya'--beautiful, and 'bhaTTa' means a bramin priest, so he did not say anything derogatory. In retaliation, we brahmin boys discussed in hushed tones that he was a devotee of shIrdi sAyI, so probably a Muslim, although he sported a dab of sandal paste prominently on his forehead. This chap took over the management of a grocery shop from his father and still held it when I last visited our village some years back.
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