jijaji

Brahma-Sutras CHAPTER II AVIRODHA ADHYAYA SECTION 1 Brahman is the cause of the world Upasamharadarsananneti chennakshiravaddhi II.1.24 (158) If you object that Brahman without instruments cannot be the cause of the universe, because an agent is seen to collect materials for any construction, (we say) no, because (it is) like milk (turning into curds). Upasamharadarsanat: because collection of materials is seen; Na: not; Iti chet: if it be said; Na: no; Kshiravat: like milk; Hi: because, as. ------------------ PEACE NOW

This is from a Kriya site which goes into detail about Swami Yuktesvar's (Yogananda's Guru) views on Kali-Yuga! (sorry for the length) I personally do not agree with all this but I posted as it seems relevant to the thread. peace to all! THE YUGA Yuga is a Hindu conception closely arid severally linked with various cultural thoughts and religious beliefs and practices. Yugas consist of immense lengths of time, counted in thousands of years. Standards of measuring and expressing the lengths of time also gives an insight into the Hindu conception. It does not need mentioning that the current measure of time—of hour, minute and second has—been determined by dividing the duration of time between two consecutive sunrise by twenty four, which is the hour ; dividing the hour by sixty determining the minute and then dividing the minute by sixty again to get the second. The period of twenty four hours between two consecutive sunrise, needless to state, constitute a day and a night, a Aho Ratra. The Shastras lay down several kinds of Aho Ratra conditioned by sequences of appearance and disappearance of certain specific feature. Thus a sequence of appearance and disappearance of sunlight is the measure of a human Aho- Ratra. Similarly we have Aho Ratra of the Pitris ( Manes), Aho Ratra of the Devas and Aho Ratra of Brahma. Twinkle of the eye is taken as the unit measure of time and Aho Ratra of man is arrived at by a series of multiplication. According to Manu Smriti the equation is as follows ; "Ten and eight twinkles make one Kashtha, thirty Kashthas make a Kala; Thirty Kalas make a Muhurta and similar (count) Make a Aho Ratra." \ 1 Other types of Aho Ratra, according to Manu Smriti, are also dependent on the sun : "The sun delineates Aho and Ratra—Day and Night for men and the gods; night is for sleep of beings and Day for efforts for work" \ 2 Processes of sequence of ‘activity' and ‘rest' of specific features are the criteria by which the other Aho Ratras are recognized. Aho Ratra of the Pitris : Pitris are commonly held to be supernatural beings who exist in between men and gods after death, the Manes. Swami Sri Yukteshvar held that the ‘abode of the Manes' was a fiction, and that the word Pitri in reality meant that which was inherited from the Pitris, the parents ; Pitri Lok, according to the Swami, was the human body inherited from parents. "Day and Night ( Aho Ratra ) of the Pitris is the month divided into Pakshas (two fortnights ) ; The dark fortnight ( Krishna Paksha ) is the Day for activity and the bright fortnight ( Sukla Paksha ) is the Night for sleep." \ 3 Swami Sri Yukteshvar held that during a period of a month, a lunar month, flesh and blood in the human body (inheritance from the parents) get replenished and refreshed through the process of ‘activity' and ‘rest'; and that the above Aho Ratra of Pitris relates to that phenomenon. In the sphere of insects also there is a class, the honey bees, who are noticed to keep busy during the dark fortnight of the month collecting honey from flowers and to take rest inside the honey combs during the bright fortnight; for them, therefore, the former fortnight is the Day and the latter the Night. Aho Ratra of the Devas: The general belief is that the Devas are the dwellers in the heaven. Swami Sri Yukteshvar explained that this was a wrong notion. Actually the Devas represent the subtle senses, the Fine Matters, which are not subject to laws of gross matters. The Upanishadas at many places used the word Deva to indicate lndriyas, the subtle senses. Aho Ratra for the Devas has been defined in the Manu Smriti as follows : "The year again is delineated as Day and Night of the Devas; there Uttarayan is the Day and Dakshinayan is Night." \ 4 The period of six months of the year from the twenty fifth of December when the sun appears to move Northward from its Southernmost limit toward North is called Uttarayan and the remaining six months when the Sun apparently moves Southwards from its Northernmost position is called Dakshinayan. As during the former half year the Sun comes towards the North, toward Aryavarta, the land of the Hindus, Hindu savants considered it to be an auspicious period. It is assumed that finer elements like the subtle senses remain fresh and active during this period and as such more propitious for religious rituals and spiritual experiences. It may be recalled that in the story of the Maha Bharata the Kaurava hero Bhishma when lying on a bed of arrows preferred to wait till the advent of Uttarayan to breathe his last. This period of six months hence is considered as the Day of the ‘Devas'. The remaining half of the year when the Sun gets going towards the South and away from the home of the Hindus has been said to constitute ‘their' Night. Aho Ratra of Brahma and the Yugas: Shrimad Bhagavad Gita defined Aho Ratra of Brahma as under; "Those who know Brahma's day as of one thousand Yugas and night also as duration of one thousand Yugas are the ‘knowers' of Aho Ratra." \ 5 Manu Smriti. which has dealt with this subject in much greater details however, has introduced the idea of different Yugas before defining Aba Ratra of Brahma. It says: "Comprehend now proofs of Day and Night of Brahma including one by one, in short, of the Yugas." \ 6 Manu Smriti then defines the different Yugas: Ordinary Yugas—Satya, Treta, Dvapar and KaIi: "Four thousand years constitute a Krita (Satya) Yuga, it has its Sandhya and Sandhyangsha (mutation periods of Yuga dawn and Yuga dusk) of same duration; the remaining three (Yugas) and their Sandhya and Sandhyangsha are progressively shorter by one in thousands and hundreds." \ 7 After giving out the length of the Satya Yuga, Manu states that the other three Yugas—the Treta, Dvapar and KaIi— should be less by one in number at every step. The periods of mutation, the Yuga dawns and the Yuga dusks, are in hundreds of years but of the same numbers, and are also to be progressively less by one in the subsequent Yugas. According to above, duration of the four Yugas will be as follows: Yuga Name SATA YUGA TRETA YUGA DVAPAR YUGA KALI YUGA Yuga Age 4,000 yrs. 3,000 yrs. 2,000 yrs. 1,000 yrs. Period of Sandhya 400 yrs. 300 yrs. 200 yrs. 100 yrs. Period of Sandhyangsha 400 yrs. 300 yrs. 200 yrs. 100 yrs. Total Period 4,800 yrs. 3,600 yrs. 2,400 yrs. 1,200 yrs. Total for four yugas = 12,000 yrs. Daiva Yuga: The aggregate of the length of the four Yuga periods is twelve thousand years, as can be seen. Manu Smriti defines this period as Daiva Yuga. "This which has been enumerated about the four Yugas, this twelve thousand years constitute a Yuga of the Devas." \ 8 Thus a Daiva Yuga has been defined as the aggregate of the periods of the four Yugas, of twelve thousand years. Aho Ratra of Brahma : Description of Aho Ratra of Brahma as found in the Gita, already quoted, is same in content as that in the Manu Smriti except that the latter has mentioned Daiva Yuga in place of simply Yugas in the Gita. Moreover Manu Smriti gives its relation with the ordinary Yugas. "One thousand Daiva Yugas in number should be known as the Day of Brahma and a similar period as the Night." \ 9 Day of Brahma would indicate that the Universal Creative Force, Brahma, remains active or awake during the period of one thousand Daiva Yugas of twelve thousand years each. This period is known as a Kalpa. Another period of one thousand Daiva Yugas is the period of Night of Brahma indicating that during this period the Universal Creative Force goes into ‘rest' or ‘sleep' when creation is withdrawn. The Day of Brahma again dawns after the lapse of this condition of Brahma's Night. The Gita in the seventh chapter has described this feature very specifically. To quote : "All ‘beings' are manifested out of the Unmanifest (Prakriti) at the advent of the Day; at the advent of Night (the same) dissolve into the same, called the Unmanifest ;" "All these beings are born again and again and are dissolved at the advent of the Night and are born again at the end of Night without any compulsion." \ 10 Manu Smriti has given out further yardsticks of measuring the limitless time confirming at the same time the above exposition of the Gita. Manu Smriti continues: "What has been stated earlier as Daiva Yuga of twelve thousand years, Seventy one times of that is called a Manvantara; "Manvantaras are innumerable for both creation and dissolution, The Great Benefactor (Divinity) makes them again and again like a game of toys.'' \ 11 It is evident from the above extensively quoted texts from the Manu Smriti that the Hindu conceptions of measuring time and expressing it in terms of Day and Night is a unique feature. The traditional literatures and almanacs contain frequent references to these concepts. From the last two quotations it is stipulated that in a Kalpa of one thousand Daiva Yugas there should at least be fourteen periods of Manvantara ; each such period is said to be presided by a Manu. The almanacs give names of fourteen Manus, the name of the present Manu being Vaivasvata Manu and that the present era is about in the middle of the present Kalpa. Traditional ideas in this respect however, do not conform to the interpretation of Swami Sri Yukteshvar which is based on the texts of the highly respected religious literature, the Manu Smriti. According to the traditionalists the age of a Yuga should be counted by considering the Varsha as the Daiva year. This would make the age of KaIi, as an example, consist of twelve hundred Daiva years—each Daiva year being made up of three hundred and sixty Daiva days and nights, each Daiva day being a normal year of 360 days. Thus the total period of the age of the KaIi Yuga is to be (1200 x 360) 432,000 years. Similarly age of the other Yugas has to be multiplied by three hundred and sixty giving astronomical figures as the age of these Yugas. Swami Sri Yukteshvar vehemently opposed this stand and showed that this view was not only contrary to the scriptures but also against astrological calculations and logical thinkings. It is abundantly clear from the above quotations from the Manu Smriti that two types of Yugas have been recorded, the ordinary Yugas of Satya. Treta, Dvapar and KaIi and Daiva Yuga; both the varieties, having been expressed in terms of years only and not in terms of any Daiva years. There Is no scope, therefore, for any confusion in this regard. The stand of the traditionalists would appear, as such, to be wrong and groundless. Characteristic of the phenomenal universal scene is its incessant movement. Everything created is constantly on the ‘move' in one way or the other. The Sanskrit synonym of the word for universe, Jagat, meaning that which ‘goes' or moves, gives a correct description of the reality. The earth rotates round its axis once every day causing Day and Night; it revolves round the Sun along its orbit once every year causing variation of seasons; and the moon revolves round the earth every month causing a month of two fortnights—the dark fortnight and the bright fortnight. Hindu Astrology conceived of another heavenly cyclic movement, this time of the Solar system; the Sun with its' planets and satellites, in relation to what is said to be the Grand Center of the Universal Creative Force, the Vishnu Nabhi or the navel of the Lord Protector of creation Vishnu. This movement causes appearance and disappearance of Yugas. Rotational diurnal movement of the earth round its axis brings one half of the globe alternately facing the Sun and the other half to the opposite side. For the side that faces the sun it is then day and for the opposite side it is night. In its yearly revolution round the Sun the axis of the earth remains at an inclined position making an angle of about sixty six and half degrees with the orbit end moves in such a manner that the changing positions of the axis are always parallel. This makes the Northern and the Southern hemispheres of the earth alternately coming closer and moving further way from the Sun causing changes of seasons. The moon has no rotational movement; it revolves round the earth keeping one side constantly facing the sun. This creates, conditions for the moon to appear in different phases. In the course of its movement the moon oscillates as it were between a nearest point and the farthest from the Sun; when it comes to the nearest point its position is in-between the Sun and the Earth and hence its dark side faces the earth. This is the New Moon, Amavasya. When the moon reaches the farthest point and is placed on the other side of the earth its bright side becomes fully visible. This is the Full Moon. In the cyclic movement of the Solar system the Sun with its family of planets and satellites moves toward the Universal Grand Center from the farthest point, and as it comes nearer and nearer to the Center of the Universal Creative Force the inherent virtues, Dharma, get manifested in men signifying advent of higher and higher Yugas. When the system is at the farthest distance from Vishnu Nabhi the earth is said to be in the KaIi Yuga. Proceeding towards the Grand Center, thus coming closer and closer to its spiritual aura, the earth passes through Dvapar and Treta and to the Satya Yuga. Continuing the cyclic movement as the Solar system goes away farther and farther from the Grand Center it gets into less and less potent Yugas of Treta, Dvapar and the KaIi. According to Hindu conceptions virtues, Dharma, are fourfold—Chatushpad; in the Satya Yuga all the four-fold virtues remain fully manifested, but in the subsequent Yugas they decrease by one fold in each culminating in only one kind of virtue in the KaIi Yuga. Swami Sri Yukteshvar interpreted these virtues as Spiritual, Magnetic, Electrical and Material. As such all the four kinds are manifest in Satya Yuga; in Treta the Spiritual virtue gets submerged leaving the other three kinds manifested ; in Dvapar Electrical and Material virtues remain manifested while in the KaIi only the Material virtue remains. Hence KaIi is known as the Dark Age. While Hindu scriptures in this respect refer to the sequence of the Yugas in the descending order—from Satya to Treta, Dvapar and KaIi—no reference is found on the changes suggested above in the ascending order from KaIi to Dvapar, Treta and Satya. The common belief is that after the end of KaIi Yuga the world would face a catastrophe after which Satya Yuga will dawn. Such quadruple jump from KaIi to Satya is against what is observed in all natural laws of changes, and as such inconceivable. It may be reiterated that in a complete cycle of movement of the sun with its planets and satellites there are two sets of Yugas of Satya, Treta, Dvapar and KaIi thereby forming two periods of Daiva Yuga of twelve thousand years each. In the process pairs of such Yugas have been formed—two Satya Yuga, two Treta, two Dvapar, two KaIi and two Daiva Yugas. Yuga stands for ‘pair', and as such naming the above as Yugas would appear appropriate and in keeping with actualities. The Surya Siddhanta, the oldest of the known Hindu Astrological documents, has termed the period of twenty four thousand years which is equivalent to the time taken by the Solar system to make a complete cycle as the Maha Yuga. The traditionalists, however, would not accept any suggestion that a Satya Yuga can follow a Treta a Dvapar and a KaIi Yuga, as no reference could be produced from the old scriptures to that effect. The famous Sanskrit scholar and saint of Dhanbad, Late Ram Nath Shastri, who was personally known to Swami Sri Yukteshvar and one of his admirers, told this author that the Swami's thesis with regard to Yugas was superb ; but as no reference could be traced in the ancient literatures about the ascending Yugas the strong traditionalists could not be persuaded to accept the thesis ; and without the traditionalists agreeing the proposal could not be acceptable to the people at large. Swami Sri Yukteshvar was very firm in his views on the matter and was convinced that the ideas of the traditionalists were faulty and based on wrong readings of the scriptural texts. He maintained that the wrong conceptions had crept in by wrong interpretations introduced by an early commentator of Mahabharata named Kulluk Bhatta, who was a creature of the Dark Age. Swami Sri Yukteshvar drew notice to another factor followed by the traditionalists to press the correctness of his thesis. They hold that at present the world is passing through five thousand and seventy eight years of the mutation period of KaIi of its total period of thirty six thousand years (100 x 360) ; and that KaIi proper is still more than thirty thousand years away (36,000-5078 ). However, there is no elucidation as to how this figure of 5078 had been arrived at. Swami Sri Yukteshvar contended that the figure was correct as far as the number of years was concerned but not the reference to which this was put to. He suggested that in very ancient times years were related to the Yugas they belonged to, in the same way as names of days of the week were related to planets and names of the Hindu months of the year related to important stars of the twelve constellations. He argued that years of Satya Yuga were counted from Satya I onwards upto Satya 4,800; the chronology then changed to Treta I upto Treta 3,600 and so on. When Dvapara 2,400 was completed and KaIi years should have started the then people in authority in the capital of India elected to continue with Dvapar chronology. This was due to, he argued, king Yudhishthira's decision to leave his throne and worldly life at the advent of KaIi Yuga which would not be a period fit to live in. When he left the capital his brothers, courtiers and scholars of his capital followed him on his journey to the Himalayas. As a result, in the absence of scholars, the advent of KaIi went unnoticed and hence the running chronology was persevered with. As stated earlier the period of a Dvapar Yuga is 2,400 years. At the conclusion of this Yuga the previous chronology having continued during KaIi the last year of KaIi, according to the chronology would be 3,600. With the completion of the KaIi Yuga in the descending order the ascending order of change in the Yugas start, and after passing through another twelve hundred years Dvapara would begin. The number 5,078 would show that not only was the Kali in the ascending order was completed but two hundred and seventy seven years of the Dvapar have also been over (5,078-1,200-3,600). Swami Sri Yukteshvar was of the view that world was now in Dvapara Yuga and that having completed its mutation period of two hundred years have passed into the Yuga proper, and that in the year 1978 A. D. is on its seventy eighth year. Another Astronomical phenomenon known as Precision of the Equinox, Swami Sri Yukteshvar affirmed, had close relationship with the Yugas. Equinox occurs when the sun is exactly on the equator making duration of the day and night equal on that day. The point in the heaven or zodiac in the constellation at which equinox takes place is known as the equinoxial point It has been observed by Astronomers from of old that the equinox does not occur at a fixed point every year; but that the equinoxial point precedes by a fraction of a degree every year. According to Surya Siddhanta the quantum of Precision was fifty four seconds (54") a year. Present day Astronomers, however, found this quantum to be a little less. Taking 54" seconds as the quantum it will take twenty four thousand years (360X60X60 divided by 54) for the equinox to occur again at the same point of the constellation. As seen above this period is equivalent to a Maha Yuga (Surya Siddhanta) and to two Daiva Yugas. From his studies of Astrology and Vedic Iiteratures Swami Sri Yukteshvar found that the last Satya Yuga ensued when the Autumnal Equinox occurred at the first point of the constellation Aries in the year II, 501 B.C. Thus a period of 13,477 years must have elapsed before reaching the year 1978 A.D, which is equivalent to a Daiva Yuga plus a period of KaIi Yuga and another two hundred and seventy seven years. Calculating on the above basis Autumnal Equinox will take place again in the first point of Aries in the year 12, 501 A.D. Equinoxial point is an observable factor and by observing the present position correctness or otherwise of the Swami's views can be verified. Swami Sri Yukteshvar opined that the Autumnal Equinox occurred at the present time some where in the constellation Libra. There was another subject where Swami Sri Yukteshvar found fault with the traditionalists. This was in respect of certain festival days of the Hindu considered very auspicious. They are the four Sankrantis—, the two Equinoxes and the two Solstices. When the Sun in its path from its Southern limit to the North crosses the Equator, which takes place during Spring on the 23rd of March, Vernal Equinox occurs. The day the Sun comes exactly over the Equator duration of night and day becomes equal; hence the name. The Hindus call this Maha Vishuva Sankranti. Similarly when the Sun in its Southerly course from the Northernmost region crosses the Equator another equinox takes place; and as this occurs in autumn, in September, it is known as the Autumnal Equinox, Jala Vishuva Sankranti. The Sun moves, rather appears to move, between tropics of Capricorn and Cancer— which are, like the Equator, but imaginary lines. The above two tropics are the limits upto which the Sun can go either way. When the Sun touches the Southernmost limit which is the Tropic of Capricorn, the Makar Kranti, the Hindu festival Makar Sankranti is observed. On this day we have the longest night and the shortest day of the year, and hence can easily be distinguished. The Sun then takes up its Northerly course end, after crossing the Equator reaches its Northernmost limit, which is the Tropic of Cancer— Karkat Kranti ; this day is observed as the Karkat Sankranti. We have on this day the shortest night and the longest day of the year, and us such is easily recognizable. The Sun moves again Southwards and crossing the Equator moves to the Southernmost tip of the journey. These are the four important Sankrantis of the year whose occurrence cannot be confused. But the Hindu almanacs stick to the old dates ascertained hundreds of years ago without caring to make any adjustment in accordance with the phenomenon of Precision of Equinoxes. As a result these festivals are wrongly observed when actual Sankrantis have already passed about three weeks ago. Swami Sri Yukteshvar was not only a strong exponent of the new ideas of Yugas, as detailed in the fore-going, but also of the urgent necessity of reforming the Hindu almanac. The glaring example is observation of the Hindu New Year. According to tradition from the Vedic times new year begins on the day immediately following the Vernal Equinox, Maha Vishuva Sankranti. Although apparently the same tradition is still being followed, actually the present day new year begins about three weeks after the Vernal Equinox really occurs due to the above mistake. Swami Sri Yukteshvar had launched a country wide campaign meeting scholars and savants in important places like Varanashi and Puri and holding conferences where he placed his views and sought approval of the guardians of traditions to introduce the changes, both with regard to the Yugas as well as to reformation of almanacs in line with his findings. The hard conservative core, however, did not agree although they appreciated the Swami's arguments and logic of facts. It does great credit to Swami Sri Yukteshvar's acumen and penetrating analysis, however, when after about half a century the independent Government of India set up a Commission for reforming the almanacs under the Chairmanship of the world famous scientist Dr. Meghnath Saha, who recommended that the New Year should begin on the eighth day of the month of Chaitra instead of the day following the thirty first day of Chaitra. But for a conservative people like the Indians who are strongly bound by traditional customs and usages any change is unacceptable even if recommended by the wisest of men. Recommendations of the Shah Commission has been under dusts in the national archives and New Year is continuing to be held as before on the first day of Vaisakh, about three weeks after the actual vernal equinox occurs. To revert to suggestions put forward by Swami Sri Yukteshvar in regard to reckoning of Years. He suggested that the years should be reckoned in relation to their Yuga, and opined that this was the practice in ancient times. Like names of days of the week and of months of the year which are not associated with any personality or human events names of years should also be linked with natural and celestial phenomenon. Name of days of the week have been derived from the planets (Sun and Moon are reckoned as planets in Astrology). Ravivar (Sunday) from Sun (Ravi), Somvar (Monday) from Moon (Som), Mangal Var (Tuesday) from MangaI (Mars), Budhvar (Wednesday) from Budh (Mercury), Vrihashpativar (Thursday) from Vrihashpati (Jupiter), Shukravar (Friday) from Shukra (Venus) and Shanivar (Saturday) from Shani (Saturn). Similarly names of months have been derived from prominent stars of the different constellations. Thus Vaishakh has been derived from the star Vishakha, Jaishtha from Jyeshtha, Ashad from the Star Purvashada, Shravan from Shravani, Kartik from Kirtika, Agrahayan which is alternately known as Marga Sirsha from Mriga shira, Paush from Pusha, Magh from Magha, Falgun from Falguni and Chaitra from the star Chitra. In the same way years should also be linked with Yugas like Satya year, Treta Year and so on, Swami Sri Yukteshvar contended. He himself followed this principle in his own publications. The Holy Science written In 1894 was shown as having been written in 194 Dwapara. In all publications of different centers established under Swami Sri Yukteshvar's guidance the Yuga year was used side by side with Christian era. The different cyclic movements of heavenly bodies that have been shown earlier to cause day and night, different seasons, dark and bright fortnights and Yugas are simultaneous. While the sun with its planets and satellites moves in relation to the Vishnu Nabhi the earth continues with its diurnal and annual movements and the moon keeps on revolving round the earth. One complete rotation of the earth round its axis constitutes the day, one complete revolution of the moon round the earth constitutes a lunar month, one complete revolution of the earth along its orbit round the sun constitutes the solar year and one complete cycle by the solar system in relation to the Universal Grand Center constitutes the Daiva Yuga ‘couple'. It is not difficult, therefore, to draw a co-relation between these different movements. It has been found that a lunar month is slightly shorter than a solar month, and that a year has a few more days than twelve lunar months. In fact it has been found that three years are equal to thirty seven months. As the months are fixed on lunar basis some of the months are extended by a few more days every three years to conform to the years. Such months are known to almanac makers as Mala Masa, months with excess days. Taking thirty seven lunar months as equivalent to three years it is possible to describe Yugas in terms of lunar months. This standard assumes great importance in practical application in the spiritual technique of Kriya Yoga. It is from this aspect that a discussion on the Yugas is found to be relevant in a discourse devoted to Kriya Yoga. It has been mentioned already that the Yugas indicate acquirement of different virtues, ‘Dharma', and for such Dharmas to find expression requires elapse of thousands and thousands of years of time. The ancient Masters of India's spiritual heritage found that the same virtues can be manifested in one's life time if the above Yuga producing movements could be enacted in the human body. Kriya Yoga had been designed on this pattern. In this design the Sahasrar, the main seat of the Spirit, is taken as representing the body-sun, the mind as the moon and the Shushumna Nadi as the firmament containing the constellations of stars. By a technique of moving this ‘moon' along Shushumna from the nearest point from the body-sun to the farthest point from the body-sun and back again along the same path a course of a lunar month can be enacted in the body. And to accomplish this takes only a fraction of a minute. Repeating this operation regularly at suitable time one can do the equivalent of a KaIi Yuga, of a Dvapara, a Treta and of a Satya Yuga in a short period. By adopting superior techniques designed for the purpose it is possible to enact the equivalent of a Kalpa in one's very life time. The most sensational observation of Swami Sri Yukteshvar was that the world now was in the Dvapar Yuga. He produced a long list of events and discoveries during the last couple of centuries showing that the human mind was gradually acquiring more and more capacities to comprehend finer and finer things in creation, to support his claim; that the world was emerging into the higher Yuga of Dvapar from the Dark KaIi Yuga during those periods. He predicted that human mind would acquire more and more knowledge in matters of electrical attributes and astounding discoveries in the field could be expected. He could not live to see how true were his predictions in this regard as proved by scientific talents in recent years. Human mind still was far away from comprehending capabilities of magnetic attributes, he said, which will be possible only with the advent of Treta Yuga. For Yogis, however, it was a different matter; they could achieve all the ‘virtues' associated with all the Yugas by enacting the process of Yuga manifesting technique in their Spiritual efforts in as short a period as a life time. Thus it would appear that the Hindu conceptions of Yugas and their application in spiritual culture is a feature of special importance. ------------------ PEACE NOW

No revenge here at all Satya...I'm just saying you need to relax and stop trying to have all the answers. I am glad you are open to other things now Satya..but drop the absolutism please! love jijaji ------------------ PEACE NOW

The following story from Sri Chaitanya Bhagavata: "Once Sriman Mahaprabhu announced to His devotees that He would only accept invitations from those who were lakh pati. In Bengal someone who owns a lakh (100,000) of Rupees is called a lakh pati, so many devotees told the Lord: "We are sorry, but we don't have so much money. We cannot invite You. Why are we thus deprived of Your mercy?" To this Sriman Mahaprabhu smilingly replied: "No, no My dear. With a lakh pati I mean someone who daily chants one lakh of holy names of KrishNa (64 rounds of rosary)." In this way Sriman Mahaprabhu taught the devotees that they must daily chant (if no more) one lakh of holy names of Krishna. ------------------ PEACE NOW

Check out this link brothers....! http://www.radhakund.com/Ha%20Radha%20Krishna!.htm Jai Radha Govinda ------------------ PEACE NOW

Yes Yes.... Satya...go and chant for a couple of hours and see what happens.... Hare Krishna or 'Sri Krishnaha Saranam Mama' or Om Tat Sat even..just get your head away from de books for a while at least dude and stop pretending you have all the answers..none of us do! BUT...the closer we get to God the more truth will reflect from us ..and not so much from our POSTINGS (if ya get me)! Jai Radhe ------------------ PEACE NOW

Satraja.. Come down to earth or something...speak to us like a person. You are now this pusti-marga shrooti verbaliser! Good God man...don't you even take a breather before you change your philosophy cap? You fought and debated myself and Jagat and everybody else for years..with all your anti-babaji fanatical bull...and now you just adopt a new persona with this arrogant srooti attitude! COME DOWN TO EARTH and admit your a seeker like the rest of us..! Otherwise howcome all this bouncing around?? sincerely jijaji ------------------ PEACE NOW

Sri Krishna and His Raas Lila Raas Lila with Gopis and Radha, the milkmaids of Vrindavan From International Forum for Neovedantins Raas Lila forms the most enchanting and the most devotional play (Lila) of Sri Krishna. It depicts the supersensual love between milkmaids (Gopis) of Vrindavan and Sri Krishna. However, it must be remembered that child Krishna was just about ten years of age at that time. All this love for Gopis in general and Radha in particular should be seen as divine love between atman and paramatman, without any physical or carnal element. We human beings may not understand the celestial beauty and spiritual content of such love between a man and a woman, but it is not the fault of Sri Krishna or the Gopis; we must blame ourselves if we see the whole episode with impure mind, if we get feeling of attraction between flesh and flesh in this Lila. Sri Krishna now started going to forest regularly with his cows. As the cows grazed in the loneliness of forest, Sri Krishna would play most melodious tunes on his flute. The clear skies, soft breeze, and newly blossomed tress with lush green foliage made the atmosphere pleasant, enchanting and cool. Peace, bliss, and love exuded all around. The Gopis (milkmaids of Vrindavan) were captivated by the sweet melody of Krishna's flute, unable to control their feelings towards Him. Forgetting their household duties, their children and husbands, these youthful lovers of Sri Krishna rushed to forest to have the company of their beloved. [This is known as relationship of a devotee with the attitude where the Lord is 'sweetheart'; Madhur Bhava as it is called.] Their heart and mind was occupied with the virtues of the Lord of the Universe, Paramatman Krishna. Praising the beauty and love of Sri Krishna, the Gopis were immersed in His Bhakti in its highest manifestation - para bhakti - where union of Atman with Paramatman was the goal sought. Body, mind, and thoughts vanished even while in body; transcendental joy and bliss was all that mattered. What to talk of Gopis and Radha (best amongst the Gopis), even the trees and shrubs, flowers and leaves, birds and animals all surrendered themselves to the sweet music of captivating flute. Hence, Sri Krishna is also known as 'Muralidhar' (One holding the Flute). Evenings changed into nights, the full moon spreading its bright but pleasant light to make the night shine with gaiety and desire to unite. Sri Krishna with a peacock feather in his hair, adoring the loveliest yellow silk cloth on his beautiful celestial dark body, the flute kissing his rosy lips, and the gracious dance that he performed, all this was beyond the grasp of any mortal on the earth. The Gopis oblivious to the time of day rushed to the Tulasi (Sweet basil) Grove to meet Sri Krishna in this prime mood of Love. Then the divine Raas Lila would to be enacted. The leader amongst the Gopis, Radha by name, the most beautiful and greatest exponent of Madhur Bhava, Love Power of Lord Krishna, losing her ordinary consciousness would start dancing in tune with Chitchor (one who has stolen the mind and heart - another name of Sri Krishna). Other Gopis would encircle this divine pair and thus would the Lila continue whole night. [it still continues night after every night in Vrindavan, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Vallabhacharya, Surdas and a few more saints and Holy people have had visions of these Raas Lilas at Vrindavan in their lives). Heavens and earth would come to standstill; gods and demigods of heaven - kinnaras, gandharvas, and yakshas - would enjoy Raas Lila peeping down from their abode in the high sky. They would fill the grove with fragrance of celestial freshness and sweetness of heavenly music, while stars and the moon would stop in their orbit in awe and joy, becoming brighter and cooler to allow Raas Lila to reach its peak of eternal bliss. However, this supernatural delight brought feeling of superiority and pride in the hearts and minds of the Gopis. "Why, the Lord Himself is dancing with me. Has anyone else such a fortune? Others are inferior to me", so would think a Gopi. And to rectify this defect of vanity and pride, Sri Krishna would vanish for a moment! The restless Gopis would search Him here and there, running from one tree to another, from one shrub to the next, inquiring 'have you seen my Krishna? Please tell me where he has disappeared.' And when the pangs of separation would become too unbearable, the Gopis would cry and lament: "O my friend, please arrange my meeting with Him, I cannot stay alive without Him. Where has He gone? What wrong have I done that He now no more loves me? I have given everything to Him, and now how shall I survive! My body, mind, emotions, thoughts, home and children, husband and family I have sacrificed in his favor. O my friend, bring Him to me; otherwise this life force is sure to leave from my heart. Bring Him to me or take me to Him; I shall wash His feet with tears from my eyes, I shall clean his feet with my long hair. I shall do everything and anything that might appear impossible for a human being. These pangs of separation are no more possible to tolerate, don't you feel my skin is dry and parched, burning in the separation from the Beloved! Don't you see my eyes have lost their entire luster, my breath is irregular, my mind is not steady, and my heart is pounding in fear! O friend, have you seen my Krishna!" Such and many more songs are composed in the Vaishnava tradition of literature in India, which bring tear to every eye, which express the pang of separation as writhing of heart like a wet towel. From medieval time to this date, scores are songs are composed, ballet and dramas enacted, with wonderful description of Raas Lila. From Kashmir in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, from Dwaraka in the West to Manipur in the east music is played in all Vaishnava temples with madhur bhava as the main ingredient eulogizing this 'out of the world' feat of Sri Krishna and Radha. No one has captured the heart and mind of the masses with such fervour as Sri Krishna has. Not for nothing, He is the most adored deity in His many varied and beautiful divine forms. In his gesture of supreme love towards Radha and Radha's love for Him, Sri Krishna blessed her thus: 'O Radha, for centuries to come people would take your name first and then mine.' And thus devotees chant 'Radhe Krishna; Radhe Krishna', in ecstasy of madness; Radhe Krishna having become the Mantra for Final Liberation! * C. S. Shah ------------------ PEACE NOW [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 07-24-2001).]

International Forum for Neovedantins Fortnightly E-zine New Article Acharya Vallabha and His Pushti Sampradaya Introduction The period was around 1504 AD. Raja Krishna Dev Raya of Vidya Nagar (Vijaya Nagar, South Indian State) had invited the greatest exponents of his time to deliberate on Hindu scriptures and related six systems of philosophy. Acharya Hanumant was representing Vishithadvaita of Ramanuja; Acharya Vyastirtha was seated to represent Dvaita of Madhva, of Nimbarka sect was present Keshavabhatta, and Sri Vidyatirtha was to represent Mayavada of Shankara. The fifth seat of Vaishnava sect was vacant, and hence twenty-five year bright Vallabha was invited to put forward his views. The debate continued for twenty-seven days with no clear result in sight. The royal hall was full with expectations, the learned pundits and intellectuals were eager to know the outcome of the debate. The debate related to the correctness of philosophy that could explain the nature of Brahman and the path to reach the Truth. Every one put forward his views with force and conviction that left the listeners and the judges in dilemma. At last, the king, after due consideration and deliberations, declared young Vallabha to be the winner. He was honored with gold and riches, and the most prestigious degree of 'Universal Teacher (Jagad-Guru) Acharya Vallabhacharya'. Since then he was also known as Mahaprabhuji. Life and Work Under peculiar circumstances, Vallabha was born as a premature child who was left out under a tree, for there were no signs of life in the newly born baby. The day was eleventh day of Chaitra, 1535 according to Hindu calendar corresponding to the month of April of 1478 AD. Next day the mother Ellamma and father Laxman Bhatta went to see the condition of 'the dead' child, but, instead were pleasantly surprised to see the boy playing and sucking his great toe; well protected by a ring of fire around him! The parents were immensely happy and then Laxman Bhatta recollected the words of Lord Vishnu who had promised to take birth in his lineage, when one hundred Soma Yajnas would be completed. And as it happened, recently Laxman Bhatta had completed the hundredth Soma Yajna! Vallabhacharya traveled all over India thrice. From north to south and east to west he preached the doctrine of selfless bhakti - para bhakti - as the sole means to seek God. He realized God and had vision of Shri Nathji at Govardhan Parvat (small mountain) in Mathura-Vrindavan. He also had good fortune to witness 'Rass Lila' of Sri Krishna and the Gopis at Vrindavan. Thus, he proved Sri Krishna as the real incarnation of Absolute Brahman and His Lila with Gopis and Radha to be true. He lectured on such difficult philosophical complexities in simple language that the masses could understand. These places where he lectured are known as 'Baithakji'. From Rameshwaram to Badri-Kedar, and Dwaraka to Gangasagar they are still preserved and visited by thousands of Pushti Margis as places of worship and pilgrimage. As the practical side of his teachings Acharya formulated 'seva' or ritual and worship for his followers to undertake at home itself. The fear of Muslim atrocities and unsafe time forced the Acharya to device such seva of Sri Krishna in the aspect of Vatsalya Bhava of Yashoda. Thus many devotees started worship of various 'Lila' of child Krishna. From morning to evening eight Lilas were enacted of child Krishna: getting up, taking breakfast and getting ready to go to forest to tend the cows, coming back and taking his meals of milk and butter, take rest, arati, and going to sleep. Acharya also entrusted his devotees with Brahma Sambhandha -connecting with Brahman - which included initiation with mantra and also vows of purity, austerities, surrender, and simplicity. Today the influence of Pushti Marg is seen as the flourishing pilgrimage of thousands of devotees to their temple of Shrinathji at Nathdwara in Rajasthan near Udaipur. Most of Pushti Margis are Gujaratis scattered all over India. Almost every house comes alive with morning sweetness of singing of glories of Sri Krishna as naughty child of Yashoda and Lord of Gopis. Pushti Marga Based on his spiritual realizations, Acharya Vallabha propounded path of 'Nirguna Bhakti', which also came to be known as 'Pushti Marga'. According to the scriptures, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti are threefold means to realize God and Liberation. (Raja Yoga is the fourth path). But according to the Acharya, in this 'Kali Yuga' these paths of Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti were very difficult to tread. People had lost the means of spiritual practice, and such helpless Jiva had no other scope or alternative but to surrender totally at the holy feet of Sri Hari for its liberation. Shelter and refuge in the name and form of Sri Krishna is the easiest way to reach the Lord and realize its Blissful Grace. This Graceful Devotion with mental surrender to Lord Krishna is called as 'Pushti Marga'. To such Jiva who try to reach the Lord with absolute selfless devotion and surrender the Lord grants Grace and vision of His Form. Philosophy According to Acharya Vallabha the absolute Reality - Parabrahman - is of the nature of saguna and sakara where Ananda or Bliss itself is its form and nature. From toe to face Brahman is all blissful. According to Acharya, 'Brahman' can be perceived in three forms: 1) Jiva, 2) Jagat, and 3) Swagat or Indwelling Self; but in fact all these three aspects are none other than Brahman in its differing manifestations. There is no 'Dvaita' or duality in such interpretation. In these three aspects the substratum always is all pervading Parabrahma. It is immanent as Aadhibhautik form in Jagat (universe), in its Adhyatmik form it is known as 'Aksharbrahman, and the term Purushottama is applied when it manifests as 'Aadhidaivik form of Sri Krishna. Brahman has capacity to express as well as to hide its nature. Thus, out of three qualities of Sat (Existence), Chit (Consciousness), and Ananda (Bliss), Jiva or ordinary soul fails to manifest Ananda and both Ananda and Consciousness are hidden in jada or insentient beings. Full manifestation of all the three expresses the true nature of Brahman. Thus, Brahman is Truth in all its threefold expressions and as such there is no scope to call any of its manifestation as 'illusory' or 'mithya'. This is the main basis of 'Shuddhadvaita Philosophy ' of Vallabha, and also the point to defeat the 'Mayavada' of Shankara. * C. S. Shah ------------------ PEACE NOW

I am the eggman Goo Goo Ga Joob

Siddhant Rahasya Of the sixteen "granthas", this is one of the most fundamental in Pushti Marg. It describes the events of the night when Lord Shri Krshna first instructed Shri MahaPrabhu Vallabhacharyaji to initiate people in to a new sect, to be called the "Pushti Marg". The stotra or paatha (hymn)describes how the Lord graced Shri Acharya with his own mantra, and set out the fundamental values and rules of the sect to him. Siddhanta = Fundamental value(s) Rahasya = Secret / confidential -- Siddhanta Rahasya Shravana shyamalae puckshae, aka dashyam mahanishi Sakshad Bhagvada proktam, tadaksharacha ucchayatae. 1 Here I state, word by word, what the Lord Shri Krshna said to me on the mid-night of the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of the month of Shravan (monsoon season). Brahama sambandha karnaate, sarvesha deha jivayo Sarva dosha nivrutirhi, dosha pancha vidha smrutaha. 2 By the virtue of being initiated by the "Brahma Sambandha" mantra (sacred mantra, given separately to Shri Acharya), all the sins of the body and the soul are destroyed. Hence, the five obstacles (mentioned in the Vedas and Puranas) to service / "seva" of the divine are also removed. Sahaja desha kalotha, lokaveda nirupita Saiyogajha spurshajascha, na mantavya kathanchana. 3 These obstacles, viz (1) body and it's various states and pure/ impure conditions, (2) your environs, eg country or general state of the area around you (e.g desert, mountains, foreign country etc.) And influence of Kala or "time" ie age, time of day / night etc. (3) Instructions as set by the society at large and the scriptures (Vedas) etc. (4) Influence of your friends and company in general. (5) Impurity incurred by touching impure / inauspicious things. Let none of these stand in your way of service to the Lord. Anyatha sarva doshanam, na nivrutihi kathanchana Asummerpita vastunam, tasmad varjanamm acharet. 4 Apart from Brahma Sambandha (relationship with the Lord), there is no way to destroy one's sins. Hence, discard all things that have not been offered to the Lord. Nivedibhi summerpaiya, sarva kurya ditisthiihi Na mantam devadevasya, saami bhuktam summerpanam. 5 Those devoted to me, after having taken the Brahma Sambandha, must offer up all their actions and fruits of their deeds un-to me. Lord Shri Krshna, God of all the gods, should never be offered anything that has already been offered to others, or used by others. Tasmad dadoo sarva karyai, sarva vastu summerpanam Dattapahar vachanam, tathacha suckalum haraeh. Na grahiya miti vakyamhi, bhinna marga parammatam. 6.5 Therefore, a devotee must offer everything to the Lord before beginning any project (this includes the "desire to do the work", all the physical objects required to do the work) and also the fruits (success or otherwise) of the work to the Lord. Some sects believe that those things offered up to the Lord are Lord's possessions and can not be used by them. But this is not the view of the Pushti Marga. All things must be offered to the Lord before utilising them yourself. Sevakanam yatha loke, vyahavarah prasidhyati Tatha karya summerpaiva, sarvesham Brahmataa taaha. 7.5 In a worldly relationship, an employee always seeks guidance and approval of his employer, similarly, always seek guidance and approval of the Lord in all your actions. By offering all your actions un-to Him, your actions will also become as pure and divine like Him. Ganagatvam sarva dohshanam, guna doshadivarna na Gangatvana nirupya sayaat, taad dattrapi chaivahi. 8.5 Like the great Ganges, the Lord purifies all those who come to Him. Muddy / dirty waters of a spring, when they meet the Ganges, are purified by Her divine touch and hence-forth the waters of that spring are given the same respect as the Ganges. Similarly, once a soul merges with the Lord, no matter what his/ her previous state, he/ she becomes as pure as the Lord Himself. ------------------ PEACE NOW

Shhudhadvaita The word Shhudhadvaita is made up of Shhudh and Advaita.Shhudh means pure and Advaita means one.Shri Vallabh teaches that jiva is a part of Parabrahman.Parabrahman and jiva are one.There exists Advaita between the two.This Advaita is pure,natural and everlasting so it is called Shhudh. According to Shhudhadvaita this world is a creation of Parabrahman (the supreme soul) himself.Infact,Parabrahman is present in each and every molecule of this world. Parabrahman exists in all the living and non-living beings that we see in this world.The Parabrahman is made up of three different gunas (characteristics) - Sat (matter), Chit (liveliness) & Anand (happiness).Any non-living thing like a stone or a house possesses only the Sat guna.It neither contains liveliness nor happiness.On the other hand any living being (Jiva)like man or any animal possesses two gunas i.e. the Sat and Chit.The Chit guna in a man makes him a living being.The only guna man doesn't possess is the Anand.It because of the lack of Anand in man that we find people running here and there in search of happiness and peace of mind.And lastly only God possesses all the three gunas viz.Sat,Chit and Anand.There is nothing according to Vallabhacharya lacking in God.According to Shri Vallabh any being possessing these three gunas is God.If man is successful in achieving the Anand guna,then he re-unites with God.So the effort of Shri Vallabh through Pushtimarg is to help man achieve Anand. Along with Shri Vallabhacharyaji many other acharyas believed in the philosophy that advaita i.e. jiva and Parabrahman are eventually one.Ramanujacharyaji's philosophy is called Vishishtadvaita, Nimbarkacharyaji's philosophy as Dvaitadvaita and Shankaracharyaji's philosophy as Kevaladvaita .Only Madhvacharyaji deferred regarding the philosophy of advaita.He believed in dvaita i.e.Jiva and Parabrahman are different from one another. ------------------ PEACE NOW

For ya all...... The Coolist Pusti-marga site on the Web..! (some fonts to download) http://www.vallabhadigvijaya.com ------------------ PEACE NOW [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 07-19-2001).]

[This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 07-19-2001).]

Very significant verses Maitreyaji I agree... The Vedanta schools base their doctrines on the Upanishads. The Upanishads, the Vedanta Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita are regarded as the authoritative scriptures. They are called Prasthana-Traya Granthas. My question is how does the Vedantic schools deal with these quotes from Sri Krishna? And if the Bhagavad Gita is considered Prasthana what about the rest of the Mahabharata? Anyone? namaskar ------------------ PEACE NOW

Why Differences among the Gods ? (HinduDharma: Puranas) Each Purana is in the main devoted to a particular devata. In the Siva Purana it is stated: "Siva is the Supreme Being. He is the highest authority for creation, sustenance and dissolution. It is at his behest, and under him, that Visnu funtions as protector. Visnu is a mere bhogin, trapped in Maya. Siva is a yogin and jnana incarnate. Visnu is subject to Siva and worships him. Once when he opposed Siva he suffered humiliation at his hands". Stories are told to illustrate such assertions. In the Vaisnava Puranas you see the reverse. They contain stories to support the view that Visnu is superior to Siva. "Is Siva a god, he who dwells in the burning grounds with spirits and goblins for company? " these Puranas ask. In each Purana thus a particular deity is exalted over others. It may be Subrahmanya, Ganapati or Surya. Each such deity is declared to be the Supreme God and all others are said to worship him. When, out of pride, they refuse to worship him they are humbled. Doubts arise in our minds about such contradictory accounts. "Which of these stories is true? " we are inclined to ask. "And which is false? They cannot all of them be true. If Siva worships Visnu, how does it stand to reason that Visnu should adore Siva? If Amba is superior to the Trimurti (Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara), how is it right to say that she remains submissive to Parameswara as his devoted consort? Are all the Puranas true? Or are they all lies? " Logical thinking seems to point to the conclusion that all Puranic stories cannot be true. But, as a matter of fact, they are. A deity that suffers defeat at one time at the hands of another emerges triumphant on another occasion. And a god who worships another deity is himself the object of worship at other times. How is this so and why? The Paramatman is one and only one. He it is that creates, sustains and destroys. And it is he who exfoliates as the the many different deities. Why does he do so? He has not cast people in the same mould. He has created them all differently, with different attitudes, the purpose being to make the affairs of the world interesting by imparting variety to them. The Paramatman himself assumes different forms to suit the temperament of different people so that each worship him in the form he likes and obtain happiness. This is the reason why the one and only Paramatman manifests himself as so many different deities. Everybody must have firm faith in, and devotion for, his chosen deity. He must learn to believe that this deity of his is the Paramatman, that there is no power higher. That is the reason why each manifestation or form of the Supreme Godhead reveals itself to be higher than other forms or manifestations. It is thus that these other forms are shown to have worshipped it or suffered defeat at its hands. Altogether it means that each deity worships other deities and is in turn worshipped by others. Also each god suffers defeat at the hands of other gods and, at the same time, inflicts defeat on them. In the Saiva Puranas all those aspects that proclaim the glory of Siva are brought together. Similarly, in the case of the Vaisnava Puranas that deal with Visnu. Amba, Subrahmanya and other deities are each of them dealt with in such a way as to show him or her to be the highest among the devatas. The purpose of exalting a particular deity over the another is not to depreciate the latter. The underlying idea is that a person who worships his chosen god has unflinching faith in him and becomes totally devoted to him. Such exclusive devotion is called "ananyabhakti". The idea here, however, is not to regard other devatas as inferior to one's own chosen deity- an example of "nahi ninda nyaya". Those who are capable of looking upon all deities as the manifestations of the one and only Paramatman have no cause for exclusive devotion to any one of them. It is only when we think that one deity is separate from- or alien to- another that the question arises of giving up one for another. If we realise that all are the different disguises of the One Reality, the various gods and goddesses potrayed in the Puranas, with all the differences among them, will be understood to be nothing but the lila or sport of Supreme Being. It is the One alone that seems divided into manifold entities. This is to help men of various attitudes and temperaments. If this truth is recognised we shall be able to see the stories in the Puranas- stories that seem contradictory- in the true light. In the story of Banasura we see that Siva is vanquished by Krsna. But in the story of Tiruvannamalai, Visnu meets with failure in finding the feet of Siva. Both stories must be treated as truthful. The first is to make devotees of Krsna worship him as the Paramatman and the second to make devotees of Siva adore him similarly. Although we think that one is winner and the other the loser or that the one is superior to the other or inferior to him, the two know themselves to be one. Does one triumph over oneself- or does one inflict defeat upon oneself? So all this is play. The Parmatman indulges in sport assuming multifarious forms. The purpose of the Puranas is to show people the right path. Pativratya is a virtue that is of the utmost importance. Amba herself exemplifies it. The Parasakti, the Supreme Power that she is, remains subject to her husband. Faith and devotion must grow in the world and for it the Lord himself must show the way. This is why in some temples Visnu is represented as a worshipper of Siva and in some other shrines Siva is seen as a devotee of Visnu. The same with other deities. I have spoken more about Siva and Visnu since Saivism and Vaisnavism are the two major divisions. To sum up, if a deity is glorified in the Puranas, and stories told in support of it, it is to create exclusive devotion to him as the Paramatman. And, if any god is potrayed as inferior to another, the true purpose of it is not to denigrate him but to develop unflinching faith in the latter. (HinduDharma: Puranas) Each Purana is in the main devoted to a particular devata. In the Siva Purana it is stated: "Siva is the Supreme Being. He is the highest authority for creation, sustenance and dissolution. It is at his behest, and under him, that Visnu funtions as protector. Visnu is a mere bhogin, trapped in Maya. Siva is a yogin and jnana incarnate. Visnu is subject to Siva and worships him. Once when he opposed Siva he suffered humiliation at his hands". Stories are told to illustrate such assertions. In the Vaisnava Puranas you see the reverse. They contain stories to support the view that Visnu is superior to Siva. "Is Siva a god, he who dwells in the burning grounds with spirits and goblins for company? " these Puranas ask. In each Purana thus a particular deity is exalted over others. It may be Subrahmanya, Ganapati or Surya. Each such deity is declared to be the Supreme God and all others are said to worship him. When, out of pride, they refuse to worship him they are humbled. Doubts arise in our minds about such contradictory accounts. "Which of these stories is true? " we are inclined to ask. "And which is false? They cannot all of them be true. If Siva worships Visnu, how does it stand to reason that Visnu should adore Siva? If Amba is superior to the Trimurti (Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara), how is it right to say that she remains submissive to Parameswara as his devoted consort? The Puranas cannot all of them be true. Or are they all lies? " Logical thinking seems to point to the conclusion that all Puranic stories cannot be true. But, as a matter of fact, they are. A deity that suffers defeat at one time at the hands of another emerges triumphant on another occasion. And a god who worships another deity is himself the object of worship at other times. How is this so and why? The Paramatman is one and only one. He it is that creates, sustains and destroys. And it is he who exfoliates as the the many different deities. Why does he do so? He has not cast people in the same mould. He has created them all differently, with different attitudes, the purpose being to make the affairs of the world interesting by imparting variety to them. The Paramatman himself assumes different forms to suit the temperament of different people so that each worship him in the form he likes and obtain happiness. This is the reason why the one and only Paramatman manifests himself as so many different deities. Everybody must have firm faith in, and devotion for, his chosen deity. He must learn to believe that this deity of his is the Paramatman, that there is no power higher. That is the reason why each manifestation or form of the Supreme Godhead reveals itself to be higher than other forms or manifestations. It is thus that these other forms are shown to have worshipped it or suffered defeat at its hands. Altogether it means that each deity worships other deities and is in turn worshipped by others. Also each god suffers defeat at the hands of other gods and, at the same time, inflicts defeat on them. In the Saiva Puranas all those aspects that proclaim the glory of Siva are brought together. Similarly, in the case of the Vaisnava Puranas that deal with Visnu. Amba, Subrahmanya and other deities are each of them dealt with in such a way as to show him or her to be the highest among the devatas. The purpose of exalting a particular deity over the another is not to depreciate the latter. The underlying idea is that a person who worships his chosen god has unflinching faith in him and becomes totally devoted to him. Such exclusive devotion is called "ananyabhakti". The idea here, however, is not to regard other devatas as inferior to one's own chosen deity- an example of "nahi ninda nyaya". Those who are capable of looking upon all deities as the manifestations of the one and only Paramatman have no cause for exclusive devotion to any one of them. It is only when we think that one deity is separate from- or alien to- another that the question arises of giving up one for another. If we realise that all are the different disguises of the One Reality, the various gods and goddesses potrayed in the Puranas, with all the differences among them, will be understood to be nothing but the lila or sport of Supreme Being. It is the One alone that seems divided into manifold entities. This is to help men of various attitudes and temperaments. If this truth is recognised we shall be able to see the stories in the Puranas- stories that seem contradictory- in the true light. In the story of Banasura we see that Siva is vanquished by Krsna. But in the story of Tiruvannamalai, Visnu meets with failure in finding the feet of Siva. Both stories must be treated as truthful. The first is to make devotees of Krsna worship him as the Paramatman and the second to make devotees of Siva adore him similarly. Although we think that one is winner and the other the loser or that the one is superior to the other or inferior to him, the two know themselves to be one. Does one triumph over oneself- or does one inflict defeat upon oneself? So all this is play. The Parmatman indulges in sport assuming multifarious forms. The purpose of the Puranas is to show people the right path. Pativratya is a virtue that is of the utmost importance. Amba herself exemplifies it. The Parasakti, the Supreme Power that she is, remains subject to her husband. Faith and devotion must grow in the world and for it the Lord himself must show the way. This is why in some temples Visnu is represented as a worshipper of Siva and in some other shrines Siva is seen as a devotee of Visnu. The same with other deities. I have spoken more about Siva and Visnu since Saivism and Vaisnavism are the two major divisions. To sum up, if a deity is glorified in the Puranas, and stories told in support of it, it is to create exclusive devotion to him as the Paramatman. And, if any god is potrayed as inferior to another, the true purpose of it is not to denigrate him but to develop unflinching faith in the latter. from kamakoti.org ------------------ PEACE NOW [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 07-17-2001).]

I am fully knowing the meaning of jijaji...it was a nickname jokingly given to me by some Indians I used to work with years ago. I have assumed it as my cyber-name if you don't mind good sir! namaskar jijaji ------------------ PEACE NOW

Sruti-Smriti - Srauta-Smarta (HinduDharma: Dharmasastra) To discriminate between Sruti and Smrti is not correct. Sruti, Smrti and the Puranas, all three belong to the same tradition. Sankara is said to be the abode of the three("Sruti-Smrti-Purananam alayam"). If the three were at variance with one another how can they exist in harmony in the same person? Those who follow the tradition of Acarya are called "Smartas". The word"Smarta" literally means one who adheres to the Smrtis. To say that the Acarya descended to earth to uphold the Vedas and that those who follow his path are Smartas implies that the Vedas and Smrtis are one. The rites that are not explicitly mentioned in the Vedas but are dealt with in the Smrtis are called Smarta karmas and those that are explicitly mentioned are called Srauta karmas. This does not mean that the Smarta rites are in anyway inferior to Srauta. The householder's Smarta works include such an important rite as aupasana; equally important are the domestic rites like sraddha and the seven pakayajnas. Vedic mantras are chanted in all these. Those who composed the Smrtis and laid down the performance of such rites must have been fully aware of the spirit of the Vedas. It is not proper to think that the Smrtis are inferior to the Vedas or that the Puranas are inferior to the Smrtis. We must learn to take an integrated view of all of them. In Puranas the Vedic truths are illustrated in the form of stories. The Smrtis bring the Vedic dharmas and karmas in the form of instruction and injunctions and tell us how the rites are to be performed. The sages had intuitive knowlwdge of the Vedas. As mentioned so often they did not compose them - they saw them. There was no intellectual effort on their part in this. "Srutim pasyanti munayah" (The sages see the Vedas). They used their intelligence to examine what they saw and, remembering it all, derived from the Vedas the duties and rites for various castes. This they gave us in a codified form called Smrti. As I said before "Smrti" means memory. For the sages the Vedas constituted an experience that just happened to them. The Smrtis or the dharmasastras are derived from their memory of it. "Samskara-janyam jnanam Smrtih", the Nyaya-sastra define Smrti thus. It means that Smrti is knowledge derived from Samskara. Here "Samskara" means "atindriya". But what exactly is it? We go to Kasi and worship at the temple of Visvantha there. Many days after our return home, we go to the local temple which has a sanctum of "Kasi Visvanatha". At once we remember the experience we had of seeing the deity Visvanatha at Kasi. In between for many days, that is between our visit to Kasi and to the local temple, we had no memory of this deity. We come across so many people every day but we hardly think of them later. But, when we happen to see them subsequently, we tell ourselves: "Ah, we must have seen them before somewhere. " In between there was no memory of the people. This "in between state" is called "samskara" or "atindriya". In that state there is an impression of our experience within us. When this impression manifests itself as an "expression" we have "Smrti" or memory. All told, Smrti is the result of our experience and samskara an impression of that experience within us. The experience constituted by the Vedas and manifested as the mamory is the Smrti or Dharmasastra. Smrti does not become Smrti without its Vedic root. Are not the Vedas the"experience" that is the source of thr Smrtis? Without such a source the name suggesting "notes of memory" would be meaningless. How can we describe as notes of rememberance" anything that is new and is not founded on something prior to it? There is no second opinion regarding the fact that what is called "Srauta"(directly mentioned in the Vedas) is wholly authoritative. But what is not directly mentioned in Sruti but included in Smrti - that is Smarta - is not to be taken to be less authoritative. Smarta never contradicts Srauta. In some matters Smrits may go beyond Sruti, but that too is fully authoritative being based on the inner spirit of Sruti. Just as the Sthala Puranas fill in the gaps in the major Puranas and the epics, so the Smrtis speak of what is left out in the Vedas. We use terms "Sruti pramana" and "Smrti pramana"(the authority of the Vedas and the authority of the Smrtis), but making such a distinction does not mean that we should treat Sruti and Smrti different or that we should think that the one is inferior to the other. (From Kamakoti Website..Advaitavad) ------------------ PEACE NOW

shvu says; "The person who chooses to eat meat knows all the pros and cons about it. So I have nothing new to tell him." Oh really..? My feelings are that people who eat meat DO NOT KNOW all the pros & cons about eating meat at all. The whole world is mislead by these animal killers into thinking it's OK to mass-murder millions of COWS so Americans can have their burgers and developing countries can be like Uncle Sam! In fact MOST meat-eaters are basically DUMB as they are simply fullfilling their animalistic instincts of eat or be eaten! jijaji ------------------ PEACE NOW

Satya... Please continue.... Again are you now a neo-vedantin..? jijaji ------------------ PEACE NOW

lighten up dude..no baring of teeth..I was making a joke as well.. ------------------ PEACE NOW

OH............... peace off! ------------------ PEACE NOW

Mahanirvana Tantra Tantra of the Great Liberation Translated by Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) [1913] on-line version... http://www.sacred-texts.com/tantra/maha/index.htm ------------------ PEACE NOW

I am deeply saddened by the passing of this Sri Chaitanya Vaishnava who was a true sweetheart. ALL GLORIES TO THE DEVOTEES OF SRI CHAITANYA! ALL GLORIES TO THE DEVOTEES OF SRI SRI RADHA KRISHNA! jijaji ------------------ PEACE NOW

MC bye bye...