Guest guest Report post Posted March 20, 2005 Can anyone name the 12 mahajans and why are they so? Hare Krishna! Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sumedh 0 Report post Posted March 20, 2005 Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.20-21 svayambhur naradah sambhuh kumarah kapilo manuh prahlado janako bhismo balir vaiyasakir vayam dvadasaite vijanimo dharmam bhagavatam bhatah guhyam visuddham durbodham yam jnatvamrtam asnute TRANSLATION Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami and I myself know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhagavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead. PURPORT In Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna refers to bhagavata-dharma as the most confidential religious principle (sarva-guhyatamam, guhyad guhyataram). Krsna says to Arjuna, "Because you are My very dear friend, I am explaining to you the most confidential religion." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: "Give up all other duties and surrender unto Me." One may ask, "If this principle is very rarely understood, what is the use of it?" In answer, Yamaraja states herein that this religious principle is understandable if one follows the parampara system of Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras and the other standard authorities. There are four lines of disciplic succession: one from Lord Brahma, one from Lord Siva, one from Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, and one from the Kumaras. The disciplic succession from Lord Brahma is called the Brahma-sampradaya, the succession from Lord Siva (Sambhu) is called the Rudra-sampradaya, the one from the goddess of fortune, Laksmiji, is called the Sri-sampradaya, and the one from the Kumaras is called the Kumara-sampradaya. One must take shelter of one of these four sampradayas in order to understand the most confidential religious system. In the Padma Purana it is said, sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah: if one does not follow the four recognized disciplic successions, his mantra or initiation is useless. In the present day there are many apasampradayas, or sampradayas which are not bona fide, which have no link to authorities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, the Kumaras or Laksmi. People are misguided by such sampradayas. The sastras say that being initiated in such a sampradaya is a useless waste of time, for it will never enable one to understand the real religious principles. They are so because they know the real religious principles viz. bhagavat dharma. This does not mean to say that no one other than them knows the bhagavat dharma, rather that they are the established authorities and one must follow in their footsteps. haribol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted March 20, 2005 Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! I offer my humble obeisances unto him! This list doesnt exclusively say they are part of the 12 Mahajanas. The reasn I bring this up is because I remember reading that Yama Maharaj is part of the 12 Mahajans. Probably Prabhupada's "Nector of Devotion" book. Haribol! anand Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sumedh 0 Report post Posted March 21, 2005 Hare Krishna and dandavats I forgot to add that this verse is spoken by Yamaraja to Yamadutas. So the I here: Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami and I myself know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhagavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead. refers to Yamaraja. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted March 21, 2005 Hare Krishna! Thank you for your help Prabhuji. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
