satva guna the last snare of maya

[cbrahma 0]

 

The Srimad Bhagavatam (11.5.38-40) talks about a period in Kali yuga where even demigods and denizens of the higher planetary systems desire to take birth. This period, which started about 500 years ago with the appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, will last for 10,000 years. It is said that in this period the influences of the Kali yuga will be counteracted by the pure devotees of the Lord. Their weapon will be the nama-sankirtana or devotional chanting of the name, and with this they will reverse the influences of Kali yuga.

 

One can see that so many of the prescriptions in the Vedas are for conducting material life in such a way as to minimize bad karma and maximize the good. Eventually one is elevated to the heavenly realm or at least takes birth in pious good family.

So many of the rites and rituals of religious practice are calculated for such a result to raise one to the mode of so-called goodness.

 

Rites of purification and atonement, offerings to the demigods all the accroutements of religion are practiced for minizing material distress and insuring material success.

 

But if the goal of life is to achieve an eternal relationship with God that is completely spiritual, the endeavors for material peace and purity typified by the satva guna can only be a dangerous obstacle.

 

In fact it most likely binds one more to material samsara than the suffering of the lower planets.

 

In perspective then, material suffering and hardship is more mercy than material 'goodness' can ever be, which for the enlightened must be seen as the jewel on the head of the cobra.

 

 

 

<CENTER>Chapter 2. Contents of the Gita Summarized</CENTER>

 

TEXT 15

 

 

 

 

 

yam hi na vyathayanty ete

purusam purusarsabha

sama-duhkha-sukham dhiram

so 'mrtatvaya kalpate

SYNONYMS

 

yam--one whom; hi--certainly; na--never; vyathayanti--are distressing; ete--all these; purusam--to a person; purusa-rsabha--O best among men; sama--unaltered; duhkha--distressed; sukham--happiness; dhiram--patient; sah--he; amrtatvaya--for liberation; kalpate--is considered eligible.

 

 

TRANSLATION

 

O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation.

[AncientMariner 0]

That is a very poignant point in regards to material hardship being more mercy than material goodness can ever be.

[shvu 1]

 

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #666666 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 3ex; BORDER-TOP: #666666 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 3ex; BORDER-LEFT: #666666 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #666666 1px solid" bgColor=#e0e0e0>The Srimad Bhagavatam (11.5.38-40) talks about a period in Kali yuga where even demigods and denizens of the higher planetary systems desire to take birth. This period, which started about 500 years ago with the appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, will last for 10,000 years. It is said that in this period the influences of the Kali yuga will be counteracted by the pure devotees of the Lord. Their weapon will be the nama-sankirtana or devotional chanting of the name, and with this they will reverse the influences of Kali yuga. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- END TEMPLATE: bbcode_quote -->

 

 

That is funny. If these people will reverse the effects of Kali yuga, then the original definition [in Puranas] of Kali-yuga as a period of gradual deterioration, lasting four hundred thousand years is wrong.

 

If the text book definition of Kali-yuga is wrong, then the above statement which is a function of Kali-yuga becomes wrong too.

 

Cheers

[cbrahma 0]

 

That is funny. If these people will reverse the effects of Kali yuga, then the original definition [in Puranas] of Kali-yuga as a period of gradual deterioration, lasting four hundred thousand years is wrong.

 

If the text book definition of Kali-yuga is wrong, then the above statement which is a function of Kali-yuga becomes wrong too.

 

Cheers

And of course your assessment of the Srimad Bhagavatam is correct.