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🌹 03, APRIL 2024 WEDNESDAY ALL MESSAGES బుధవారం, సౌమ్య వాసర సందేశాలు🌹

🍀🌹 03, APRIL 2024 WEDNESDAY ALL MESSAGES బుధవారం, సౌమ్య వాసర సందేశాలు🌹🍀 1) 🌹 కపిల గీత - 322 / Kapila Gita - 322 🌹 🌴 8. ధూమ - అర్చిరాది మార్గముల ద్వారా వెళ్ళు వారి గతి - భక్తియోగ విశిష్టత - 05 / 8. Entanglement in Fruitive Activities - 0 🌴 2) 🌹. విష్ణు సహస్ర నామ తత్వ విచారణ - 915 / Vishnu Sahasranama Contemplation - 915 🌹 🌻 914. శర్వరీకరః, शर्वरीकरः, Śarvarīkaraḥ 🌻 3) 🌹. నిత్య ప్రజ్ఞా సందేశములు - 225 / DAILY WISDOM - 225 🌹 🌻 13. మనం సృష్టి యొక్క అత్యంత రహస్య అంశం / 13. We are the Most Secret Aspect of Creation 🌻 4) 🌹. శివ సూత్రములు - 229 / Siva Sutras - 229 🌹 🌻 3-32 తత్ ప్రవృత్తావాప్యనిరాసః సంవేత్త్ర్భావాత్ - 3 / 3-32 tat pravrttāvapyanirāsah samvettrbhāvāt - 3 🌻 5) 🌹 సిద్దేశ్వరయానం - 29 🌹

🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹 🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹

🌹. కపిల గీత - 322 / Kapila Gita - 322 🌹 🍀. కపిల దేవహూతి సంవాదం 🍀 ✍️. ప్రసాద్‌ భరధ్వాజ

🌴 8. ధూమ - అర్చిరాది మార్గములద్వారా వెళ్ళువారి గతి - భక్తియోగ విశిష్టత - 05 🌴

05. యే స్వధర్మాన్న దుహ్యంతి ధీరాః కామార్థహేతవే| నిస్సంగా న్యస్తకర్మాణః ప్రశాంతాః శుద్ధచేతసః॥

తాత్పర్యము : వివేకవంతులైన గృహస్థులు తమ ఆశ్రమ ధర్మములను సకామ భావముతో ఆచరింపరు. వారు భగవంతుని అనుగ్రహము లభించుట కొరకు మాత్రమే ఆయా ధర్మములను అనుష్ఠింతురు. వారు లౌకిక భోగముల యందు ఆసక్తి లేని వారై వర్ణాశ్రమ ధర్మములను ఆచరించుచు, వాటి ఫలములను భగవంతునికే అర్చించు చుందురు.

వ్యాఖ్య : ఈ రకమైన మనిషికి మొదటి తరగతి ఉదాహరణ అర్జునుడు. అర్జునుడు క్షత్రియుడు, అతని వృత్తి కర్తవ్యం యుద్ధం చేయడం. సాధారణంగా, రాజులు తమ రాజ్యాలను విస్తరించడానికి పోరాడుతారు, వారు ఇంద్రియ తృప్తి కోసం పాలిస్తారు. కానీ అర్జునుడికి సంబంధించినంత వరకు, అతను తన స్వంత ఇంద్రియ తృప్తి కోసం పోరాడటానికి నిరాకరించాడు. భగవద్గీత వినిన తరువాత అతను తన ఇంద్రియ తృప్తి కోసం కాదు, పరమాత్మ యొక్క సంతృప్తి కోసం పోరాడాడు.

ఇంద్రియ తృప్తి కోసం కాకుండా భగవంతుని తృప్తి కోసం తమ నిర్దేశించిన విధులను నిర్వర్తించే వ్యక్తులు భౌతిక స్వభావాల ప్రభావం నుండి విముక్తులైన నిఃసంగ అంటారు. న్యాస్త కర్మః. వారి కార్యకలాపాల ఫలితాలు భగవంతునికి ఇవ్వబడతాయని సూచిస్తుంది. అటువంటి వ్యక్తులు వారి సంబంధిత విధుల వేదికపై పనిచేస్తున్నట్లు కనిపిస్తారు, కానీ అలాంటి కార్యకలాపాలు వ్యక్తిగత ఇంద్రియ సంతృప్తి కోసం నిర్వహించ బడవు; బదులుగా, అవి భగవంతుని కోసం నిర్వహించ బడతాయి. అటువంటి భక్తులను ప్రశాంతః అంటారు, అంటే 'పూర్తిగా సంతృప్తి చెందినవారు.' శుద్ధ-చేతసః అంటే కృష్ణ చేతన; వారి స్పృహ పరిశుద్ధమైంది. శుద్ధి చేయని స్పృహలో తనను తాను విశ్వానికి ప్రభువుగా భావించు కుంటాడు, కానీ శుద్ధి చేయబడిన స్పృహలో తనను తాను భగవంతుని యొక్క శాశ్వతమైన సేవకునిగా భావిస్తాడు. భగవంతుని శాశ్వత సేవకుని స్థానంలో ఉంచుకుని, నిత్యం ఆయన కోసం పని చేస్తే, వాస్తవానికి సంపూర్ణ తృప్తి కలుగుతుంది. ఒక వ్యక్తి తన వ్యక్తిగత ఇంద్రియ తృప్తి కోసం పనిచేసినంత కాలం, అతను ఎల్లప్పుడూ ఆందోళనతో నిండి ఉంటాడు. అది సాధారణ చైతన్యానికి మరియు కృష్ణ చైతన్యానికి మధ్య ఉన్న తేడా.

సశేషం.. 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹

🌹 Kapila Gita - 322 🌹 🍀 Conversation of Kapila and Devahuti 🍀 📚 Prasad Bharadwaj

🌴 8. Entanglement in Fruitive Activities - 05 🌴

05. ye sva-dharmān na duhyanti dhīrāḥ kāmārtha-hetave niḥsaṅgā nyasta-karmāṇaḥ praśāntāḥ śuddha-cetasaḥ

MEANING : Those who are intelligent and are of purified consciousness are completely satisfied in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Freed from the modes of material nature, they do not act for sense gratification; rather, since they are situated in their own occupational duties, they act as one is expected to act.

PURPORT : The first-class example of this type of man is Arjuna. ఆs far as Arjuna is concerned, he declined to fight for his own sense gratification. When he was ordered by Kṛṣṇa and convinced by the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā that his duty was to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, then he fought. Thus he fought not for his sense gratification but for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Persons who work at their prescribed duties, not for sense gratification but for gratification of the Supreme Lord, are called niḥsaṅga, freed from the influence of the modes of material nature. Nyasta-karmāṇaḥ indicates that the results of their activities are given to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such persons appear to be acting on the platform of their respective duties, but such activities are not performed for personal sense gratification; rather, they are performed for the Supreme Person. Such devotees are called praśāntāḥ, which means "completely satisfied." Śuddha-cetasaḥ means Kṛṣṇa conscious; their consciousness has become purified.

In unpurified consciousness one thinks of himself as the Lord of the universe, but in purified consciousness one thinks himself the eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Putting oneself in that position of eternal servitorship to the Supreme Lord and working for Him perpetually, one actually becomes completely satisfied. As long as one works for his personal sense gratification, he will always be full of anxiety. That is the difference between ordinary consciousness and Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Continues… 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹

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🌹. విష్ణు సహస్ర నామ తత్వ విచారణ - 915 / Vishnu Sahasranama Contemplation - 915🌹

🌻 915. అక్రూరః, अक्रूरः, Akrūraḥ 🌻

ఓం అక్రూరాయ నమః | ॐ अक्रूराय नमः | OM Akrūrāya namaḥ

క్రౌర్యం నామ మనోధర్మః ప్రకోపజః ఆన్తరః సన్తాపః సాభినివేషః । అవాప్తసమస్త కామత్వాత్కా మాభావాదేవ కోపాభావః । తస్మాత్‍క్రౌర్యమస్య నాస్తీతి అక్రూరః ॥

క్రూరుడు కానివాడు. క్రౌర్యము అనునది తీవ్రకోపము అను చిత్తోద్రేకమువలన కలుగునదియు, అభినివేశము అనగా గాఢమగు ఆసక్తితో కూడినదియు, ఆంతరమును అగు సంతాపము అనబడు మనోధర్మము. విష్ణువు అవాప్తసర్వకాముడు అనగా సర్వ ఫలములను పొందియే ఉన్నవాడు కావున అతని చిత్తమున ఏ కామములును లేవు. కావుననే కోపము లేదు. కనుక ఈతనియందు క్రౌర్యము లేదు.

సశేషం… 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹

🌹. VISHNU SAHASRANAMA CONTEMPLATION- 915🌹

🌻 915. Akrūraḥ 🌻

OM Akrūrāya namaḥ

क्रौर्यं नाम मनोधर्मः प्रकोपजः आन्तरः सन्तापः साभिनिवेषः । अवाप्तसमस्तकामत्वात्कामाभावादेव कोपाभावः । तस्मात्क्रौर्यमस्य नास्तीति अक्रूरः ॥

Krauryaṃ nāma manodharmaḥ prakopajaḥ āntaraḥ santāpaḥ sābhiniveṣaḥ, Avāptasamastakāmatvātkāmābhāvādeva kopābhāvaḥ, Tasmātkrauryamasya nāstīti akrūraḥ.

He who is not cruel. Cruelty is a quality of mind. It is born of excess of anger. It is internal and leads to anguish and excitement. The Lord has no wants to cause desire. Being without desire, there is no frustration and no consequent anger. So there is no cruelty in Him hence He is Akrūraḥ.

🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 Source Sloka अक्रूरः पेशलो दक्षो दक्षिणः क्षमिणां वरः ।विद्वत्तमो वीतभयः पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तनः ॥ ९८ ॥ అక్రూరః పేశలో దక్షో దక్షిణః క్షమిణాం వరః ।విద్వత్తమో వీతభయః పుణ్యశ్రవణకీర్తనః ॥ 98 ॥ Akrūraḥ peśalo dakṣo dakṣiṇaḥ kṣamiṇāṃ varaḥ,Vidvattamo vītabhayaḥ puṇyaśravaṇakīrtanaḥ ॥ 98 ॥

Continues…. 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹🌹

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🌹. నిత్య ప్రజ్ఞా సందేశములు - 226 / DAILY WISDOM - 226 🌹 🍀 📖 ఉపనిషత్తులపై పాఠాల నుండి 🍀 ✍️. ప్రసాద్ భరద్వాజ

🌻 13. మనం సృష్టి యొక్క అత్యంత రహస్య అంశం 🌻

ప్రపంచంలో అత్యంత అసౌకర్యమైన విషయం ఏమిటంటే తన స్వయం గురించి మాట్లాడడం. మనం అవతల వ్యక్తుల గురించి ఏదైనా మాట్లాడొచ్చు, కానీ అది మనకు సంబంధించిన విషయం అయినప్పుడు, పెద్దగా మాట్లాడకూడదు అనుకుంటాం. ఓం శాంతి. దీనికి కారణం, మనం ఈ సృష్టిలో అత్యంత రహస్యమైన అంశం. మనం ఈ విషయంలో చాలా సున్నితంగా ఉంటాం; మనకు తెలియకుండానే ఎవరైనా మన స్వయం విషయంలో తాకడం ఇష్టం ఉండదు. “నా గురించి ఏమీ మాట్లాడకు; ఇతర వ్యక్తుల గురించి ఏదైనా చెప్పండి.' ఇప్పుడు, విషయం ఏమిటి? ఈ 'నేను', 'నేను' లేదా స్వయం అని పిలవబడే దానికి కొంత విశిష్టత ఉంది. ఇది ఉపనిషత్ బోధన యొక్క విశిష్టత మరియు దాని సంక్లిష్టత కూడా.

స్వర్గంలో ఉన్న దేవతల గురించిన జ్ఞానం, చారిత్రక వ్యక్తులు-రాజులు, సాధువులు మరియు ఋషుల గు��ించిన జ్ఞానం మరియు వారిని ఆరాధించే విధాన మనం గ్రహించగలిగే విషయాలు. 'అవును, దాని అర్థం మాకు అర్థమైంది.' 'మతం' అనే పదం ద్వారా మనం సాధారణంగా అర్థం చేసుకునేది ఇదే. 'అతను మతపరమైన వ్యక్తి.' కొన్నిసార్లు మనం, “ఆయన సాధకుడు” అని కూడా అంటాము. సాధారణంగా చెప్పాలంటే, ఒక వ్యక్తి మతపరమైనవాడు లేదా ఆధ్యాత్మికం అని చెప్పినప్పుడు, ఆ వ్యక్తి తనకంటే ఉన్నతమైన దాని గురించి ఆలోచిస్తున్నాడని మనకు ఒక ఆలోచన ఉంటుంది-కొంత దేవుడు, కొన్ని ఆదర్శం, మనం దైవం అని పిలుచుకునే ఉన్నత విషయం. అది అప్పటి ప్రస్తుత విషయం కాకపోవచ్చు.

కొనసాగుతుంది… 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹

🌹 DAILY WISDOM - 226 🌹 🍀 📖 from Lessons on the Upanishads 🍀 📝 Swami Krishnananda 📚. Prasad Bharadwaj

🌻 13. We are the Most Secret Aspect of Creation 🌻

The most unpleasant thing in the world is to say anything about one's own self. We can go on saying anything about people, but when it is a matter concerning us, we would like that not much is said. Om Shanti. This is because we are the most secret aspect of creation and we are very touchy; we would not like to be touched, even unconsciously, by anybody. “Don't say anything about me; say anything about other people.” Now, what is the matter? There is some peculiarity about this so-called ‘me', ‘I', or the self. This is the peculiarity of the Upanishadic teaching, and also its difficulty.

The knowledge of the gods in the heavens, the knowledge of historical personages—kings, saints and sages—and the way of worshipping them and adoring them is something we can comprehend. “Yes, we understand what it means.” This is exactly what we commonly understand by the word ‘religion'. “He is a religious person.” Sometimes we even say, “He is spiritual.” Generally speaking, when we say that a person is religious or spiritual, we have an idea that this person is concerned with something higher than himself or herself—some god, some ideal, some future expectation which we may call divine, not concerned with the present, necessarily.

Continues… 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹

🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹 🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹

🌹 సిద్దేశ్వరయానం - 29 🌹

💐 శ్రీ సిద్దేశ్వరానంద భారతీ స్వామి విరచిత 💐

🏵 5వ శతాబ్దం నుండి 🏵

ఆంధ్రదేశం నుండి యాత్రికుల బృందమొకటి కాశీపట్టణానికి వచ్చింది. కాశీలో గంగాస్నానము, దేవతా దర్శనము మొదలైనవన్నీ పూర్తి చేసుకొని చుట్టుప్రక్కల చూడవలసినవన్నీ చూచిన తర్వాత కైలాస మానస సరోవరయాత్రకు వెళుతున్నవారు కొందరు పరిచయమైనారు. తెలుగువారిలో కొంతమంది దాని యందు ఆసక్తి కలిగి దానికి సిద్ధమైనారు. అటువంటి జనంలో ఒక బ్రాహ్మణ కుటుంబం ఉంది. వారు భార్య, భర్త, కుమారుడు.

యాత్ర మొదలైంది. ��ాత్రికులు దాదాపు వందమంది ఉన్నారు. అప్పుడున్న కాశీరాజు మంచి శివభక్తుడు. కైలాస పర్వతానికి వెళ్ళేవారికి సౌకర్యాలు కలిగించటం కోసం కొన్ని ఏర్పాట్లు చేశాడు. అరణ్యమార్గంలో రెండు మూడు నెలలు ప్రయాణాలు చేయాలి. త్రోవలో క్రూరజంతువుల వల్ల ఇబ్బందులు రాకుండా క్షేమంకరమైన ప్రమాదరహితమైన మార్గంలో సైనికుల సహాయంతో వెళ్తూ మధ్య మధ్య కొన్ని మజిలీలు ఏర్పాటు చేసి అక్కడ భోజన వసతి సహాయాలుండేలా చేశాడు. మార్గంలో చిన్న చిన్న క్షేత్రాలు దేవాలయాలు చూచుకుంటూ వీరి ప్రయాణం కొనసాగింది.

ఈ పథంలో నేపాల్ వెళ్ళటం ఉండదు. ఖట్మాండూ వెళ్ళి పశుపతి నాధుని దర్శించే అవకాశం లేదు. సరాసరి త్రివిష్టప (టిబెట్) భూములలో ప్రవేశించటమే. ఎత్తయిన ప్రదేశాలకు వెళ్ళేప్పుడు ప్రాణవాయువు ప్రసారం తగ్గుతుంది. అందుకని అలవాటు పడటం కోసం ఒక్కోచోట మూడు నాలుగు రోజులుంటూ ప్రయాణం సాగింది. మానస సరస్సు చేరుకొన్న తర్వాత అక్కడ పూర్ణిమ వచ్చినదాకా ఉండి ఆ చల్లని నీళ్ళలో స్నానాలు చేస్తూ జప హోమాలు చేస్తూ కొద్దిరోజులున్నారు. పున్నమి రోజు చాలామంది మేలుకొని దేవతలు వచ్చి స్నానం చేసిపోతారంటే జాగారం చేశారు. ఆకాశం నుండి చుక్కలు సరస్సులో రాలిపడుతున్న దృశ్యం ఎక్కువమందికి కనిపించింది. ప్రతిరోజు జడదారులు కొందరు వచ్చి స్నానం చేస్తుండేవారు. వారెవ్వరితోనూ మాట్లాడేవారు కాదు. నమస్కరిస్తే ఆశీర్వదించి వెళ్ళిపోయేవారు. స్థానిక షేర్పాలు యాత్రికుల దగ్గర ధనం తీసుకొని అన్ని సహాయాలు చేసేవారు.

ఆ సరస్సునే కొందరు నిత్యయౌవనాన్ని ప్రసాదించే స్పటిక సరస్సనీ కలియుగ ప్రభావం వల్ల ఆ మహిమ తగ్గిందని అంటారు. ఏదైనా సర్వపాపహారిణిగా, పుణ్యప్రదాయినిగా ఆ సరోవరం సర్వజనులకు పుణ్యమైనది. అక్కడ నుండి యాత్రికులు కైలాస పర్వత భూమికి చేరుకొన్నారు. ఆ పర్వతమే శివస్వరూపం. శివనివాసం. అది సాక్షాత్తు పరమేశ్వరుని దేహం గనుక ఎవరూ దానిని ఎక్కరు. ప్రదక్షిణం చేస్తారు. దానికి పరిక్రమ అని పేరు. కైలాసగిరి పరిక్రమ చేస్తే శివానుగ్రహం లభిస్తుందని, సర్వపాపములు నశిస్తవని యుగయుగాల నుండి భారతీయుల విశ్వాసం. బాలురు, వృద్ధులు తప్ప దాదాపు అందరూ పరిక్రమ చేసి వచ్చారు. కొన్ని రోజులు గడచిన తర్వాత చాలామంది తిరుగు ప్రయాణానికి సిద్ధమైనారు.

ఆంధ్రదంపతులు మాత్రం తమ ఆప్తులతో “మనం మన ఊళ్ళకు వెళ్ళి చేసే మహా కార్యాలేమున్నవి. ఉద్యోగాలు చేయాలా? ఊళ్ళేలాలా? ఆషాఢమాసం వచ్చింది. సన్యాసులు చాతుర్మాస్యదీక్ష చేస్తారు. పూర్ణిమతో మొదలుపెట్టి నాలుగు నెలలు ఒక చోటనే ఉండి తపస్సు చేస్తూ పురాణాలు చదువుతూ, చెప్పుతూ సమయమంతా దైవభావంతో గడపాలి. గృహస్థులు కూడా దీక్ష చేయవచ్చునని ధర్మశాస్త్రాలు చెప్పినవి. మేమిక్కడే ఉండి ఆ వ్రతం చేద్దామని అనుకొంటున్నాము. స్థానికుల సహకారంతో ఇబ్బందులు లేకుండా పూర్తి చేయవచ్చు అన్నారు. యాత్రికులలో కొందరు ఎంతో దూరప్రాంతాల నుండి వచ్చాము. జీవితంలో మళ్ళీ ఈ పవిత్ర ప్రదేశానికి రాగలమో లేదో మనమూ దీక్ష తీసుకుందాము" అన్నారు. మూడువంతుల మంది తిరుగు ప్రయాణం నిశ్చయించుకొని వెళ్ళారు. ఒకవంతు మంది ఉన్నారు. ఉన్నవారిలో తెలుగువారే కాక ఇతర భాషలవారు కూడా ఉన్నారు. ఇలా ప్రోత్సహించిన తెలుగు భక్తుడు వృద్ధత్వంలో అడుగుపెడుతున్న శివానందశర్మ. ఇతడు తెలుగు, సంస్కృతములే కాక హిందీ కూడా అభ్యాసం చేసి ఈ మూడు భాషలలో ప్రతిరోజు సాయంకాలం పురాణ ప్రవచనం చేసేవారు. ఉదయం పూట జపములు, హోమములు చేసేవారు. రాత్రిళ్ళు భజనలు చేసి నిద్రకు ఉపక్రమించేవారు. శివానంద కుమారుడు - హరసిద్ధశర్మ, ఎనిమిదవయేటనే ఉపనయనం జరిగింది. ఇప్పుడు పన్నెండు సంవత్సరాల వయస్సు. శ్రీ సూక్త పురుష సూక్తములు, నమక చమకములు, మంత్ర పుష్పము నేర్చుకొన్నాడు. కమ్మని కంఠం. పాటలు బాగా పాడేవాడు. తండ్రి పురాణ ప్రవచనం చేస్తుంటే ప్రారంభంలో ఇతడు శ్లోకాలు, అప్పుడప్పుడు తెలుగు పద్యాలు పాడేవాడు. భాష అర్థంకాకపోయినా ఆంధ్రభాషా మాధుర్యానికి ఇతని మధుర మంజుల గళానికి శ్రోతలు ముగ్ధులయ్యేవారు. ( సశేషం ) 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹 🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹

🌹. శివ సూత్రములు - 229 / Siva Sutras - 229 🌹 🍀. శివ ఆగమ తత్వశాస్త్రం యొక్క సూత్రములు 🍀 3వ భాగం - ఆణవోపాయ ✍️. ప్రసాద్‌ భరధ్వాజ

🌻 3-32 తత్ ప్రవృత్తావాప్యనిరాసః సంవేత్త్ర్భావాత్ - 3 🌻

🌴. సృష్టి మరియు విధ్వంసం వంటి బాహ్య కార్యకలాపాల సమయంలో కూడా, స్వచ్ఛమైన స్వయం యొక్క స్వీయ-జ్ఞాన స్థితి విచ్ఛిన్నం కాకుండా ఉంటుంది. 🌴

ఒక యోగి యొక్క మనస్సు శివుని పవిత్ర స్థలంగా మారిపోయి ఉంటుంది. దైవం ఎటువంటి మార్పులకైనా అతీతమైనది కాబట్టి, భగవంతుని యొక్క మూడు పరిధులలో చర్య దైవంలో ఎటువంటి మార్పులు జరగకుండానే జరుగుతుంది. యోగి కూడా అదే దశకు చేరుకున్నాడు, కనుక దానిలో తన స్వంత కార్యకలాపాలు లేదా ఇతరుల కార్యకలాపాలు ఎలాగైనా అతనిని ప్రభావితం చేయవు. అతని ద్వారా లేదా అతని ముందు చర్యలు జరిగినప్పటికీ, శివునితో అతని శాశ్వత అనుబంధానికి ఎవరూ భంగం కలిగించలేరు. అతని శరీరం వెలుపల జరిగే మార్పులతో సంబంధం లేకుండా, అతని ముఖ్యమైన స్వభావం మారదు అని ఈ సూత్రం చెబుతుంది. అతను ఎల్లప్పుడూ శివునితో ఐక్యంగా ఉంటాడు. ఒక్క క్షణమైనా దైవంతో తనకున్న సంబంధాన్ని కోల్పోతే, అతను మళ్లీ సాధన ప్రారంభించాలి.

కొనసాగుతుంది… 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹

🌹 Siva Sutras - 229 🌹 🍀Aphorisms of philosophy of Shiva āgama 🍀 Part 3 - āṇavopāya ✍️. Acharya Ravi Sarma, 📚. Prasad Bharadwaj

🌻 3-32 tat pravrttāvapyanirāsah samvettrbhāvāt - 3 🌻

🌴. Even during such outward activities such as creation and destruction, the self-knowing state of the pure self remains unbroken. 🌴

A yogi’s mind has transformed as a sanctum sanctorum of Śiva. The three fold act of God happens without any changes taking place in the Divine, as Divine is beyond any changes. The yogi has also attained the same stage wherein, either his own activities or the activities of others affect him in anyway. In spite of actions unfold either though him or before him, none could disturb his perpetual connection with Śiva. This aphorism says that irrespective of the changes happening outside his body, his essential nature remains unchanged. He always stands united with Śiva. If for a moment, he loses his connection with Him, he has to start all over again.

Continues… 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹

🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹 🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹🍀🌹

#daily messages #నిత్య సందేశములు #prasad bharadwaj

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silverbluedust · 2 years

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Lord, I pray, if it is your will, I get to marry a guy who fears, and love you, someone who will never disrespect and put me in a situation nga pahuy-an niya ko sa kadam-an. Indi na ko ya ah, I liked him a lot pero kapila na ko napahuy-an, indi na ko na ya ah. Kadamo nagid sang heartbreak ko nga na experience sa iya palang. I may not be beautiful physically and not intelligent but, I still respect myself. After all, I am not my own, I am Yours Lord. Please? If pwede lang nga di na kami magkitaay, miski indi ko na siya makita, kay basi i-hate ko siya. Kakapoy hambal sa tawo nga kanami sa iya klase tawo, but indi man siya nami sa akon. I know man nga nainit na siya sa akon, syempre an ugly weirdo likes him for a long time. Pero sige lang ah, you will never see me again, Sir. Protektahan ko man akon nga mental health, guba guba na gid self-esteem ko. I was even asked by a student last time, “Okay kalang Teach? I didn’t like the reaction though, although I know what he is like but, I just didn’t like what he did.” Syempre, I can’t make them think that you’re like that..basta hambal ko lang you don’t like the teasing. Syempre I know you will never like me, ay ako gani makita ko pang kaugalingon ko sa ispiyo I can’t stand it na, ikaw pa ayhan. Pero konting tiis nalang! Madula na ko sa SC ah..kakapoy nagid hibi miski pila na to ka adlaw kag semana. Kalain lain na, I want to forget it and not hate you, but the moment I was humiliated keeps on repeating. Naugot nagid ko sa self ko ah. Nakapoy na ko masakitan. Nakapoy na ko. I think 10 years is enough. Again, kasakit simo palanggaon Sir! Waay angay.

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rhianna · 2 years

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CHAPTER I

Thus have I heard.

Nearly two thousand five hundred years ago, in the City of Kapila in Northern India, the spring came with glory. And surely nowhere in all the three worlds is spring more gracious, for the sunshine, life-giving, inspiring, draws divine scents from moist earth and the deep luxuriance of leaves and flowers to send on every breathing breeze pure incense from the world, rejoicing as a bride in the all-enfolding delight.

Here stood the little City of Kapila, nobly placed, as beseems the birthplace of the Perfect One, and above it the Himalayas stormed the skies with tossing billows of snow, leading the aspiration of man on and up until it melted in the Divine. On these, as was known, the Divinities had their dwelling. Thence Indra, the heavenly lord, drove his flocks of clouds to pasture in pure air, taking form and colour from the splendours of the sun and the moon and the silver embroidery of the constellations. Vaya, lord of the winds, charged in thunder or breathed in music from awful heights of snow. Surya, the Sun, urged his golden steeds from the low horizon to the zenith and on to the confines of night. Chandra, the moon, rose on the crest of the mighty range and sank below it into his mysterious kingdom in the darkening west. The deep pine forests clothing the lower spurs and veiling the sources of the rivers must surely have their indwelling spirits, and the river Rohini, breaking light-foot from the heights to scatter her diamonds as she leaped from rock to rock or brooded a moment in deep pools mirroring her ferns and flowers—what was she but a lovely, living nymph, a Dancer, pure as the silver peaks that fathered her? Therefore let it be known that this city was set among celestial influences, that the gates of the Paradise of India were not far from it, and that the Four Celestial Kings were its wardens. And it dwelt at this time in a great peace.

The city and surrounding country, a part of the great kingdom of Kosala, were inhabited by the Sakya clan. Very great was the kingdom of Kosala. The vast and holy city of Benares, a hundred miles south from Kapila, was but one of its cities, and its capital, Savatthi, lay in the cloudy mountains of Nepal. To the south-east lay the kingdom of Magadha, and only the great Gods then knew to which of these kingdoms would fall the sceptre of India.

The splendour of Asia: The story and teaching of the Buddha by L. Adams Beck

See: https://rhianna.tumblr.com/post/706581284089217024/author-beck-l-adams-lily-adams-1931

#buddha #india

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mision-avadhuta-chaitanya · 5 years

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“ENSEÑANZAS DEL SEÑOR KAPILA” ~ Capítulo Uno ~ “TEACHINGS OF LORD KAPILA” ~ Chapter One ~ Comentarios por Su Divina Gracia/Comments by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

“ENSEÑANZAS DEL SEÑOR KAPILA”

Comentarios por Su Divina Gracia A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Prefacio

Kapila Muni, un famoso sabio de la antigüedad, es el autor del sistema filosófico conocido como Sankhya, que forma una parte importante de la antigua herencia filosófica de la India. Sankhya es tanto un sistema de metafísica, que trata con los principios elementales del universo físico, como un sistema de conocimiento espiritual, con su propia metodología, que culmina en la plena conciencia del Absoluto Supremo. Kapila, sin embargo, no es un filósofo o sabio ordinario. Según la tradición védica, la tradición de la antigua literatura bíblica de India, Él mismo es un avatara (encarnación) de la Suprema Verdad Absoluta.

Las enseñanzas de Kapila están originalmente inscritas en el Srimad-Bhagavatam, o Bhagavata purana, uno de los documentos bíblicos más importantes del teísmo védico. Dentro del Bhagavatam, las enseñanzas de Kapila comprenden los capítulos del veinticinco al treinta y tres del tercer canto.

Este libro, Enseñanzas del Señor Kapila, el Hijo de Devahuti, se basa en una serie única de conferencias presentadas en Bombay, India, en la línea de esta serie, Srila Prabhupada habló desde el Capítulo 25, que contiene el comienzo de Las enseñanzas del Señor Kapila. Srila Prabhupada es el autor de una célebre traducción y comentario multivolumen sobre todo el texto del Bhagavatam, y en el momento de las conferencias de Kapila ya había completado su comentario escrito sobre la sección del Bhagavatam que trata sobre las enseñanzas de Kapiladeva. Sin embargo, en estas conferencias especiales, Srila Prabhupada entró en detalles significativamente mayores al dilucidar los versos y arrojó una luz aún más amplia sobre estas fascinantes enseñanzas.

El texto comienza con las palabras de Saunaka, el principal de los sabios de Naimisaranya, los sabios muy eruditos para quienes el Srimad-Bhagavatam fue hablado originalmente hace unos miles de años. Los sabios ya han escuchado sobre el Señor Kapiladeva de Suta Gosvami, un maestro espiritual exaltado, y es claro por las palabras de Saunaka que aceptan a Kapila Muni como una encarnación del Señor mismo y, por lo tanto, como la máxima autoridad en yoga y conocimiento trascendental. Al relatar la historia del Señor Kapila, Suta Gosvami, de acuerdo con los principios védicos para presentar el conocimiento espiritual, se refiere al discurso de los grandes maestros espirituales que han discutido previamente este mismo tema. En este caso, Suta Gosvami se refiere a una discusión entre Vidura y el gran sabio Maitreya, quien era amigo de Vyasadeva, el compilador original de la literatura védica.

Como Suta Gosvami ya ha descrito, el Señor Kapila apareció en este mundo como el hijo de Kardama Muni, un maestro de yoga místico, y su esposa, Devahuti. Tanto Kardama Muni como Devahuti eran conscientes de la divinidad de su hijo. De hecho, incluso antes del nacimiento de Kapila, el propio Señor Brahma, la principal persona creada en este universo, había aparecido ante Devahuti y le había revelado que su hijo sería una encarnación del Señor Supremo y que esta encarnación la iluminaría con conocimiento espiritual.

Según el sistema social védico, un hombre con un hijo adulto puede aceptar la orden de sannyasa, renunciando así a todas las conexiones con su familia y la vida mundana, y confiando a su esposa al cuidado de su hijo.

Kardama Muni, por supuesto, sabía que su hijo era una encarnación del Señor Supremo, sin embargo, para honrar este sistema védico y enfatizar su importancia, finalmente también aceptó sannyasa, confiando su esposa, Devahuti, al cuidado de su divino hijo, Kapiladeva.

Por lo tanto, cuando Suta Gosvami comienza a responder a la solicitud de Saunaka de escuchar más sobre el Señor Kapiladeva, los sabios ya han sido informados de cómo Kardama Muni partió hacia el bosque, dejando a Kapiladeva atrás con Devahuti.

Después de la partida de Kardama Muni, Devahuti, recordando las palabras proféticas del Señor Brahma, se acerca a su hijo divino y humildemente expresa su deseo de iluminación espiritual: "Mi Señor, he caído en el abismo de la ignorancia. Su Señoría es mi único medio para salir de esta la más oscura región de ignorancia porque Usted es mi ojo trascendental que, sólo por Su misericordia, he logrado después de muchos, muchos nacimientos...

Ahora, compórtate, mi Señor, para disipar mi gran engaño... Eres el hacha que puede cortar el árbol de la existencia material. Por lo tanto, ofrezco mis reverencias a Ti, que eres el más grande de todos los trascendentalistas, y yo inquiero de Ti acerca de la relación entre el hombre y la mujer y entre el espíritu y la materia. "(Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.7-11) Complacido por el puro deseo de Su madre por iluminación espiritual, y sintiendo una gran compasión por ella, Kapila comienza a hablar sobre la filosofía Sankhya.

Ahora bien, ¿qué es Sankhya? En la medida en que Sankhya se ocupa de las categorías o principios elementales del universo físico, Sankhya es lo que los estudiosos occidentales generalmente denominan "metafísica". El término sankhya significa literalmente "contar". Este nombre se usa porque la filosofía Sankhya enumera los principios de la evolución cósmica por análisis racional. El significado etimológico de la palabra sankhya es "lo que se explica muy lúcidamente mediante el análisis de los elementos materiales". Filosóficamente, este término se usa porque el sistema Sankhya expone el conocimiento analítico que permite distinguir entre materia y espíritu. Este entendimiento culmina en bhakti, devoción y servicio al Supremo. Se puede decir, por lo tanto, que Sankhya y bhakti forman dos aspectos del mismo proceso, siendo bhakti el objetivo final o el aspecto final de Sankhya.

Es interesante notar, en este punto, que mucho después del descenso del Señor Kapila, apareció una imitación de Kapila en el subcontinente indio y propuso un Sankhya no teísta. Lo que generalmente se estudia como Sankhya en el contexto académico contemporáneo es en realidad este Sankhya materialista, no teísta, posterior. La filosofía Sankhya, propuesta por el Kapila original, es prácticamente desconocida en Occidente. Las enseñanzas del Señor Kapila, el Hijo de Devahuti (junto con el comentario completo de Srila Prabhupada sobre el Sankhya de Kapila en su edición del Srimad-Bhagavatam) es probablemente la primera exposición importante en el idioma inglés sobre la original, Sankhya teísta. Por lo tanto, debería ser de considerable interés para los académicos en este campo.

Debido a que el principio básico y el objetivo final de la filosofía Sankhya del Señor Kapiladeva es bhakti, este es el tema con el que el Señor Kapiladeva comienza Sus instrucciones para Devahuti. En consecuencia, debido a que este volumen, las Enseñanzas del Señor Kapila, el Hijo de Devahuti, es el comentario de Srila Prabhupada sobre el comienzo de las enseñanzas del Señor Kapila, se refiere principalmente a la ciencia del bhakti-yoga —el proceso de vinculación con Dios (yoga significa " vinculación ") a través de bhakti (devoción).

Cuando comienza la historia real, Devahuti se acerca a su hijo, Kapila, y con profunda humildad expresa su sincero deseo de iluminación espiritual. En respuesta, el Señor Kapila delinea "el camino de los trascendentalistas, que están interesados en la autorrealización". Resumiendo de manera concisa el proceso real de autorrealización, Kapila define la conciencia tanto en los estados condicionados como en los liberados. Él describe la psicología de la conciencia pura, delinea los síntomas y las características de un sadhu, una persona santa, y subraya la importancia de sadhu-sanga, la asociación con aquellos que son santos. Kapiladeva luego explica que la liberación es simplemente una etapa preliminar para el logro de bhakti y que aquel que alcanza bhakti automáticamente logra la liberación. Quien se dedica al bhakti, el yoga devocional, trasciende automáticamente los deseos materiales y finalmente cruza más allá del nacimiento y la muerte.

De acuerdo con descripciones posteriores en el Srimad-Bhagavatam, Devahuti finalmente alcanza la iluminación total en el conocimiento trascendental al escuchar y comprender las sublimes enseñanzas filosóficas de su gran hijo.

--Los editores

Capítulo uno

El propósito del advenimiento del Señor Kapila

TEXTO 1

saunaka uvaca

kapilas tattva-sankhyata

bhagavan atma-mayaya

jatah svayam ajah saksad

atma-prajnaptaye nrnam

TRADUCCIÓN

Sri Saunaka dijo: Aunque no ha nacido, la Suprema Personalidad de Dios nació como Kapila Muni por su potencia interna. Él descendió para difundir el conocimiento trascendental en beneficio de toda la raza humana.

SIGNIFICADO POR SU DIVINA GRACIA A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA:

La palabra atma-prajnaptaye indica que el Señor desciende en beneficio de la raza humana para dar conocimiento trascendental. Las necesidades materiales están suficientemente cubiertas en el conocimiento dado en las Escrituras védicas, que ofrecen un programa para el buen vivir y la elevación gradual a la plataforma de sattva-guna, el modo de bondad.

Una vez que uno está situado en sattva-guna, su conocimiento se expande. En la plataforma de la pasión no hay conocimiento, porque la pasión es un impulso para disfrutar de los beneficios materiales. En la plataforma de la ignorancia no hay conocimiento ni disfrute, sino simplemente una vida animal.

Los Vedas tienen la intención de elevarlo a uno del modo de ignorancia a la plataforma de la bondad. Cuando uno se sitúa en el modo de la bondad, es capaz de comprender el conocimiento del yo, o el conocimiento trascendental. Tal conocimiento no puede ser apreciado por ningún hombre ordinario; por lo tanto se requiere una sucesión discipular. Este conocimiento es expuesto por la Suprema Personalidad de Dios mismo o por Su devoto fidedigno.

Saunaka Muni también declara aquí que Kapila, la encarnación de la Suprema personalidad de Dios, nació o apareció simplemente para difundir el conocimiento trascendental. Comprender que uno no es materia sino alma espiritual (aham brahmasmi: "Yo soy por naturaleza Brahman") no es suficiente para comprender el yo y sus actividades. Uno debe estar situado en las actividades de Brahman. El conocimiento de esas actividades es explicado por la Suprema Personalidad de Dios Mismo. Tal conocimiento trascendental puede apreciarse en la sociedad humana pero no en la sociedad animal, como se indica claramente aquí por la palabra nrnam, "para los seres humanos". Los seres humanos están destinados a llevar una vida regulada. Por naturaleza, también existe regulación en la vida animal, pero no es como la vida regulativa descrita en las Escrituras o por las autoridades Védicas. Sólo cuando la vida de uno está regulada según los Vedas, uno puede comprender el conocimiento trascendental.

Para la propagación de este conocimiento trascendental, Kapiladeva, la encarnación de la Suprema Personalidad de Dios, dio instrucciones en filosofía Sankhya a Su madre, Devahuti. Más tarde, apareció otro Kapiladeva que expuso la filosofía atea de Sankhya, que se ocupó de los veinticuatro elementos pero no dio información sobre Dios. El Kapila original se llama Devahuti-putra Kapila, y el otro se llama el Kapila ateo. Con respecto a Kapiladeva, Saunaka Rsi dice: kapilas tattva-sankhyata. Kapila es la Persona Suprema; por lo tanto, Él puede explicar la Verdad Absoluta. En realidad, sólo Bhagavan puede conocer la verdadera posición de la verdad última. Nadie más puede saberlo. Bhagavan, Krsna o Su encarnación, ocasionalmente visita la tierra para dar información a la humanidad sobre el objetivo de la vida. Así, el Señor Supremo descendió como Kapiladeva, tattva-sankhyata. La palabra sankhyata significa "expositor", y tattva significa "la Verdad Absoluta". La Verdad Absoluta es Bhagavan Sri Krsna Mismo.

No podemos entender la Verdad Absoluta o la Persona Suprema por especulación mental, especialmente cuando estamos bajo la influencia de los tres modos de la naturaleza material (sattva-guna, rajo-guna y tamo-guna). Sólo aquellos que están situados en sattva-guna (el modo de bondad) están en condiciones de comprender la Verdad Absoluta. Según el Bhagavad-gita (18.42), aquellos que poseen calificaciones brahmínicas están situados en sattva-guna.

samo damas tapah saucam

ksantir arjavam eva ca

jnanam vijnanam astikyam

brahma-karma svabhavajam

"La tranquilidad, el autocontrol, la austeridad, la pureza, la tolerancia, la honestidad, la sabiduría, el conocimiento y la rectitud son las cualidades por las cuales trabajan los brahmanas".

Según la concepción Védica, debe haber hombres en la sociedad que sean de hecho brahmanas, capaces de exponer la verdad real. Si todo el mundo se convierte en sudra, la Verdad Absoluta no puede ser entendida. Se dice que en el momento presente en Kali-yuga todo el mundo es sudra (kalua sudra-sambhavah), y es muy difícil en esta era encontrar brahmanas calificados, porque son muy raros. Prácticamente no hay un solo brahmana calificado en esta era.

prayenalpayusah sabhya

kalav asmin yuge janah

mandah sumanda-matayo

manda-bhagya hy upadrutah

"Oh erudito, en esta era de hierro de Kali los hombres tienen vidas cortas. Ellos son peléones, perezosos, equivocados, desafortunados y, sobre todo, siempre perturbados". (SB. 1.1.10) Las personas en esta era son de muy corta vida y lentas en comprender la vida espiritual.

En realidad, la vida humana está destinada a comprender los valores espirituales, pero como todo el mundo en esta era es sudra, nadie está interesado. La gente ha olvidado el verdadero propósito de la vida.

La palabra manda significa ambos, lento y malo, y todo el mundo en esta era es malo o lento o una combinación de ambos. La gente es desafortunada y perturbada por tantas cosas. Según el Srimad-Bhagavatam, eventualmente no habrá lluvia y, en consecuencia, una escasez de alimentos. Los gobiernos también impondrán impuestos muy pesados. Las características de esta era predichas por el Srimad-Bhagavatam ya se están experimentando hasta cierto punto. Como Kali-yuga es una era muy miserable, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, quien es Sri Krsna Mísmo, aconseja a todos simplemente cantar Hare Krsna.

harer nama harer nama

harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nasty eva nasty eva

nasty eva gatir anyatha

"En esta era de Kali no hay otra alternativa, no hay otra alternativa, no hay otra alternativa para el progreso espiritual que el santo nombre, el santo nombre, el santo nombre del Señor". (Brhan-naradiya Purana) Este proceso no es una invención de Caitanya Mahaprabhu, sino que es aconsejado por las sastras, los puranas. El proceso para esta Kali-yuga es muy simple. Uno sólo necesita cantar el maha-mantra Hare Krsna. Dado que todo el mundo en esta era es un sudra poco inteligente, desafortunado y perturbado, ¿cómo puede alguien entender la Verdad Absoluta o el objetivo de la vida?

Como lo declaró el Señor Mísmo en el Bhagavad-gita (4.7):

yada yada hi dharmasya

glanir bhavati bharata

abhyutthanam adharmasya

tadatmanam srjamy aham

"Cuandoquiera y dondequiera que hay un declive en la práctica religiosa, oh descendiente de Bharata, y un aumento predominante de la irreligión, en ese momento Yo Mísmo desciendo".

Hace algunos cientos y miles de años, el Señor Krsna apareció como Devahuti-putra Kapiladeva. El nombre de su padre era Kardama Muni. Después de que Kapiladeva creció, su padre, según el sistema védico, se retiró, tomó sannyasa y se fue de su casa para cultivar la vida espiritual. No es que uno deba pudrirse en este mundo material a lo largo de toda su vida.

Pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. De acuerdo con los mandatos védicos, hay cuatro asramas y cuatro varnas, y estos se seguían muy estrictamente. Después de que su hijo creció, Kardama Muni, siendo un seguidor estricto de los Vedas, dejó su hogar y puso a su esposa a cargo de su hijo adulto, Kapiladeva.

Se dice de Kapiladeva: kapilas tattva-sankhyata bhagavan. El Señor Kapila es Bhagavan. Hoy en día Bhagavan se toma muy barato porque la palabra se usa mal, pero en realidad Bhagavan no es un hombre común.

Avajananti mam mudhah: debido a que Bhagavan Sri Krsna apareció como un ser humano, los tontos y sinvergüenzas (mudhas) consideran a Krsna como un humano ordinario. Como Krishna Mísmo afirma en el Bhagavad-gita (7.13):

tribhir gunamayair bhavair

ebhih sarvam idam jagat

mohitam nabhijanati

mam ebhyah param avyayam

"Engañado por los tres modos (bondad, pasión e ignorancia), el mundo entero no Me conoce, que estoy por encima de los modos y soy inagotable".

Sin embargo, hay mahatmas, grandes almas, que pueden entender a Krishna. Arjuna podía entender que aunque Krishna estaba haciendo el papel de su amigo, no obstante era la Suprema Personalidad de Dios. Arjuna tenía perfecto conocimiento, aun así Krishna lo instruyó para nuestro beneficio.

Arjuna solicitó las instrucciones de Krsna, que se establecen para toda la sociedad humana. Después de escuchar el Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna se dirigió a Krsna como param brahma param dhama, "el Brahman Supremo y la morada suprema".

Toda persona es en realidad Brahman, alma espiritual. En realidad no somos el cuerpo. La conciencia de aham brahmasmi ("Yo soy Brahman") es la autorrealización real. Según la cultura védica, uno debe entender que uno es Brahman, no el cuerpo. No debemos permanecer en la ignorancia como los gatos y los perros, pensando: "Soy este cuerpo, soy americano, soy indio, soy brahmana, soy ksatriya, soy hindú, soy musulmán", etc. Éstas son todas designaciones corporales. Cuando uno llega a la comprensión espiritual, entiende aham brahmasmi, "Yo soy Brahman". Esto se llama realización de Brahman. No es que nos volvemos Brahman por alguna práctica. El oro es oro, incluso si está cubierto con algo de suciedad, que ciertamente puede eliminarse. Del mismo modo, todos somos Brahman, alma espiritual, pero de alguna manera nos hemos puesto en contacto con estos elementos materiales (bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh), y hemos adquirido revestimientos corporales. En consecuencia pensamos: "Yo soy este cuerpo". Esto es ignorancia, y a menos que uno esté iluminado por el conocimiento espiritual, permanece animalista.

Comprender la identidad espiritual de uno se llama dharma. El objetivo final del dharma lo enuncia Sri Krsna Mísmo en el Bhagavad-gita (18.66). Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: "Abandona todas las variedades de religión y simplemente ríndete a Mí". En esta tierra hemos creado tantos dharmas: dharma hindú, dharma musulmán, dharma cristiano. Todos estos son dharmas fabricados, pero el verdadero dharma se alcanza cuando llegamos a la conclusión de que Sri Krsna lo es todo. Nuevamente, en las palabras de Sri Krsna en el Bhagavad-gita (7.19):

bahunam janmanam ante

jnanavan mam prapadyate

vasudevah sarvam iti

sa mahatma sudurlabhah

"Después de muchos nacimientos y muertes, el que realmente tiene conocimiento se rinde ante Mí, conociéndome a Mí como la causa de todas las causas y todo lo que es. Una alma tan grande es muy rara".

El movimiento de conciencia de Krsna está destinado a la propagación de este mensaje. No estamos predicando un sistema religioso sectario en particular, sino una verdadera religión, dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: nadie sabe realmente qué es el dharma, y nadie puede fabricar el dharma.

Dharma es la orden del Ser Supremo. Nadie puede fabricar leyes estatales; ellas son dadas por el gobierno. La definición más simple de dharma es que dharma es la orden del Ser Supremo. Debido a que el Ser Supremo, Dios, es uno, su orden debe ser una. ¿Cómo, entonces, puede haber diferentes dharmas? No es posible. Se crean diferentes dharmas debido a la ignorancia, lo que hace que las personas piensen en términos de dharma hindú, dharma musulmán, dharma cristiano, este dharma o aquel dharma. No. El oro es oro. Si un cristiano posee algo de oro, ¿se convierte en oro cristiano?

El oro es oro ya sea poseído por un hindú, un musulmán o un cristiano.

Según la orden de la Suprema Personalidad de Dios, dharma significa rendirse ante ese Ser Supremo. Esto es bhagavata-dharma, y a todo el mundo se le debe enseñar cómo rendirse a Dios. Dios es uno; no pueden haber dos Dioses. Cuando hay competencia, no hay Dios.

Actualmente hay un Dios diferente en cada calle, pero Krishna no es esa clase de Dios. El es el Dios Supremo. Como Krishna Mísmo afirma en el Bhagavad-gita (7.7):

mattah parataram nanyat

kincid asti dhananjaya

mayi sarvam idam protam

sutre mani-gana iva

"Oh, vencedor de la riqueza [Arjuna], no hay una verdad superior a Mí. Todo descansa sobre Mí, como las perlas están ensartadas en un hilo".

El propósito de este movimiento de conciencia de Krishna es informar a todo el mundo que nadie es superior a Krishna, Dios. Debido a que muchos jóvenes americanos y europeos son afortunados y no saben nada de ninguna mezcolanza de dios, ellos han tomado en serio este movimiento fidedigno de conciencia de Krishna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: Bhagavan, Dios, significa Sri Krsna. Nosotros simplemente hemos presentado esta información, diciendo: "Aquí está Dios. Sri Krishna".

Debido a que ellos se lo han tomado en serio, muchos jóvenes americanos y europeos están avanzando en la conciencia de Krishna. En consecuencia, mucha gente está sorprendida al ver cómo los americanos y los europeos se han convertido en tan grandes devotos y están danzando en éxtasis. ¿Cómo es que ellos están tan avanzados?

Ellos han tomado la información en serio: krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Ya sea que uno toque fuego a ciegas o a sabiendas, el fuego quemará. No es que debido a que un niño toca el fuego, el fuego no quemará. Estos jóvenes occidentales han tocado el fuego y, en consecuencia, eso está actuando como fuego.

Acaryopasanam: esta información (krsnas tu bhagavan svayam) no es inventada, sino que es aceptada por los acaryas en la sucesión discipular. Aunque impersonalista, Sankaracarya ha aceptado a Krsna como la Suprema Personalidad de Dios. También lo han hecho Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnusvami, Nimbarka y Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu y Sus seguidores. Todos aceptan a Krsna como el Supremo, tal como lo hizo el propio Arjuna. Éste es el método más simple. No hay necesidad de especular: "¿Qué es Dios? ¿Dónde está Dios?" ¿Por qué tontamente seguir buscando? Aquí está Dios, Krishna. Podemos pensar que Krsna no se puede ver, pero Krsna puede aparecer en la forma de Su energía. Por supuesto, una piedra no es Dios, pero una piedra es otra de las energías de Dios. El calor y la luz no son fuego, pero sin fuego no puede haber calor ni luz. En ese sentido, el calor y la luz no son diferentes del fuego. Este mundo material es como el calor y la luz del fuego supremo.

ekadesa-sthitasyagner

jyotsna vistarini yatha

parasya brahmanah saktis

tathedam akhilam jagat

"Así como un fuego está situado en un lugar, pero difunde la iluminación a todo su alrededor, la Suprema Personalidad de Dios, Parabrahman, difunde Sus energías por todo este universo". (Visnu purana 1.22.53)

El sol está situado en un solo lugar, y su luz y calor se expanden por todo el sistema solar. Tan pronto como percibimos la luz y el calor, podemos entender que el sol está allí. Dado que todos pueden percibir la luz y el calor, Krishna dice en el Bhagavad-gita (7.8), prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh: "Yo soy la luz del sol y la luna". La gente dice: "¿Puedes mostrarme a Dios?" sin darse cuenta de que están viendo a Dios a diario en todo momento. Debido a que las personas son tontas en esta era, no pueden entender que cuando percibimos la energía del Señor, podemos sentir la presencia del Señor.

Los jóvenes devotos en el movimiento de conciencia de Krsna están adorando a Krsna actualmente. ¿Cuáles son los signos de un devoto? El signo real de un devoto es que él ya no está interesado en el disfrute material: bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (SB. 11.2.42). Los discípulos de este movimiento de conciencia de Krsna no van a cines, restaurantes o clubes, y no fuman ni beben. En los países europeos y americanos, todas estas cosas están disponibles y son muy baratas, pero estos jóvenes no están interesados en ellas. Simplemente están interesados en sentarse en el piso y aprender acerca de la conciencia de Krsna. ¿Por qué es esto? De hecho, ellos han rechazado el mundo material. Cuando uno llega a detestar el disfrute material, uno puede entender que ha avanzado espiritualmente. La vida espiritual no significa tomar sannyasa y luego fumar o beber té. Uno realmente debe llegar a detestar la vida material. Uno pierde interés en las actividades materiales y se interesa sólo en la comprensión de Dios, el Ser Supremo y Su servicio. Como se ordena en el Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.1):

nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke

Kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye

"De todas las entidades vivientes que han aceptado cuerpos materiales en este mundo, una a la que se le haya otorgado esta forma humana no debería trabajar duro día y noche simplemente para la satisfacción de los sentidos, que está disponible incluso para los perros y los cerdos que comen excremento".

La palabra vid-bhujam significa "comedores de excremento". Los cerdos trabajan duro día y noche simplemente comiendo heces, y como las heces contienen químicos, hidrofosfatos, el cerdo se fortalece, se vuelve muy gordo y disfruta del sexo. En cualquier caso, la vida humana no está destinada para imitar la vida de un cerdo sino para tapasya, austeridad:

tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam

suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam

"Más bien, mis queridos muchachos, uno debería dedicarse a la penitencia y la austeridad para alcanzar la posición divina del servicio devocional. Mediante tal actividad, el corazón de uno se purifica, y cuando uno alcanza esta posición, alcanza la vida bienaventurada, eterna, que es trascendental a la felicidad material y que continúa para siempre ". (SB. 5.5.1)

Este es el significado de la civilización védica. La sociedad de varnasrama-dharma, compuesta por brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras, grhasthas, vanaprasthas, brahmacaris y sannyasis, está destinada a elevar gradualmente a las personas a la etapa perfecta de entender a Dios. El objetivo de los diferentes varnas y asramas es la adoración del Señor Supremo. Uno puede lograr esta comprensión a través de este sistema social, que admite gradaciones. Cuando uno va a la escuela, comienza con el primer grado, luego avanza al segundo, tercero y así sucesivamente. De esta manera uno progresa.

Cuando la sociedad humana acepta el varnasrama-dharma, gradualmente puede llegar a la comprensión de Brahman. Por nacimiento, todo el mundo es un sudra; por lo tanto, todos tienen que ser educados. La palabra dvija significa "nacer dos veces".

Uno nace por primera vez a través del útero de una madre, y el próximo nacimiento lo da el maestro espiritual y el conocimiento védico. El conocimiento védico es la madre, y el maestro espiritual es el padre. Cuando uno nace dos veces (dvija), recibe un cordón sagrado del maestro espiritual y comienza a aprender sobre la vida espiritual. Luego se le permite leer la literatura védica. De esta manera, uno se convierte en hijo de la literatura Védica.

Nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam: El Srimad-Bhagavatam es la esencia de la cultura Védica. Es un árbol que cumple los deseos, y podemos tomar lo que queramos de él. El conocimiento védico es perfecto, y si queremos llegar a conocerlo, debemos refugiarnos en un guru genuino (tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet).

Desafortunadamente, en esta época todo está mal administrado. la gente olvida el objetivo de la vida, y en ese momento viene el Señor Supremo Mísmo. El Señor Supremo desciende por compasión porque Él está más ansioso de que regresemos a casa, de regreso a Dios, de lo que estamos nosotros. Debido a que estamos en la ignorancia, no sabemos nada sobre el reino de Dios. No sabemos nada acerca de cómo llegar allí o cómo volverse feliz. Hemos olvidado todo esto. Por lo tanto, Krishna viene a intervalos o envía a Su representante, el devoto puro. A veces Él viene personalmente, y a veces envía a Su encarnación.

Kapiladeva es una encarnación de la Persona Suprema, Krishna. Por lo tanto se afirma: kapilas tattva-sankhyata bhagavan atma-mayaya. La palabra maya significa no solo "ilusión", sino también "afecto" y "energía". Cuando Krsna viene, también vienen todas Sus energías. No es que se vea obligado a venir. Tenemos que aceptar un cierto tipo de cuerpo porque nos vemos obligados a hacerlo, pero éste no es el caso con Sri Krsna.

Actualmente puedo tener una forma humana, pero en el futuro no puedo exigir una forma humana. Recibimos cuerpos en la próxima vida de acuerdo a el karma, no a la voluntad. No se puede exigir ser juez de un tribunal superior a menos que se haya educado para el trabajo. En primer lugar, uno debe volverse calificado. Si uno se califica uno mismo, puede convertirse en un devata, un semidiós como Indra o Candra, o puede convertirse en un perro o un gato. Eso depende del karma de uno o de las actividades (karmana daiva-netrena). Cuando Krsna o Su encarnación vienen, no dependen del karma para sus cuerpos. El Señor Supremo está por encima del karma y es completamente independiente. Por lo tanto, se dice, atma-mayaya. El Señor Supremo viene por Su propia energía, no por la energía externa o por la fuerza. Cuando el gobernador visita la prisión, él no es forzado a hacerlo. Él no debe ser considerado una persona condenada; más bien, él va por su propia buena voluntad sólo para ver cómo están sucediendo las cosas. Sin embargo, se entiende que cuando una persona común es encarcelada, es enviada allí por la fuerza porque se ha demostrado que es un criminal. Un criminal puede pensar que él y el gobernador son uno, al igual que los sinvergüenzas y los tontos piensan que Krsna es uno de ellos. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam. Una persona bien informada sabe que cuando Krishna o Su encarnación desciende sobre el mundo material, el Señor Supremo mantiene Su posición trascendental. Él no es un hombre ordinario, ni es forzado dentro del mundo material debido al karma. El Señor Supremo viene por su propia buena voluntad. Param bhavam ajanantah. Los sinvergüenzas no pueden entender qué es Krishna; por lo tanto piensan que Krishna es un ser humano. Como Krishna Mísmo dice en el Bhagavad-gita (7.3):

manusyanam sahasresu

kascid yatati siddhaye

yatatam api siddhanam

kascin mam vetti tattvatah

"De muchos miles entre los hombres, uno posiblemente se esfuerza por la perfección, y de aquellos que han alcanzado la perfección, dificilmente uno me conoce en verdad".

Por lo tanto, entender a Krsna no es tan fácil. Como dijo Krishna, de muchos miles, una persona puede convertirse en un siddha, un ser autorrealizado. Y de muchos siddhas, uno puede ser capaz de entender a Krsna. Es nuestra gran fortuna que Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna Mísmo, haya aparecido y nos haya dado un proceso muy fácil por el cual podemos entender a Krsna. ¿Cuál es ese proceso? Sólo necesitamos escuchar acerca de Krishna. Eso es todo. Por lo tanto, hemos abierto todos estos centros de conciencia de Krishna en todo el mundo.

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah

punya-sravana-kirtanah

hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt satam

"Sri Krishna, la Personalidad de Dios, quien es el Paramatma [Superalma] en el corazón de todos y el benefactor del devoto verdadero, limpia el deseo de disfrute material del corazón del devoto que ha desarrollado la necesidad de escuchar Sus mensajes, que son en sí mismos virtuosos cuando se escuchan y cantan correctamente ". (SB. 1.2.17)

Si escuchamos acerca de Krishna, nos volvemos purificados. Escuchar acerca de Krsna significa asociarse con Krsna. De esta manera podemos perfeccionar nuestras vidas.

Este libro y archivo electrónico es Propiedad Literaria (Copyright) 1985-2003 de Bhaktivedanta BookTrust International, 3764 Watseka Avenue, Los Ángeles, CA 90034, EE. UU. Todos los derechos reservados. Para cualquier pregunta, comentario, correspondencia o para evaluar docenas de otros libros en esta colección, visite el sitio web de los editores: www.Krishna.com.

“TEACHINGS OF LORD KAPILA”

Comments by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Foreword

Kapila Muni, a renowned sage of antiquity, is the author of the philosophical system known as Sankhya, which forms an important part of lndia's ancient philosophical heritage. Sankhya is both a system of metaphysics, dealing with the elemental principles of the physical universe, and a system of spiritual knowledge, with its own methodology, culminating in full consciousness of the Supreme Absolute. Kapila, however, is not an ordinary philosopher or sage. According to Vedic tradition, the tradition of lndia's ancient scriptural literature, He Himself is an avatara (incarnation) of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

Kapila's teachings are originally inscribed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, or Bhagavata purana, one of the most important scriptural documents of Vedic theism. Within the Bhagavatam, Kapila's teachings comprise Chapters Twenty-five through Thirty-three of the Third Canto.

This book, Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti, is based on a unique series of lectures presented in Bombay, India, in the spring of this series, Srila Prabhupada spoke from the Twenty-fifth Chapter, which contains the beginning of Lord Kapila's teachings. Srila Prabhupada is the author of a celebrated multivolume translation and commentary on the entire text of the Bhagavatam, and at the time of the Kapila lectures he had already completed his written commentary on the section of the Bhagavatam dealing with Kapiladeva's teachings. In these special lectures, however, Srila Prabhupada went into significantly greater detail in elucidating the verses and shed an even broader light upon these fascinating teachings.

The text begins with the words of Saunaka, the foremost of the sages of Naimisaranya, the vastly learned sages to whom Srimad-Bhagavatam was originally spoken some thousands of years ago. The sages have already heard about Lord Kapiladeva from Suta Gosvami, an exalted spiritual master, and it is clear from Saunaka's words that they accept Kapila Muni as being an incarnation of the Lord Himself and as therefore being the highest authority on yoga and transcendental knowledge. In recounting the history of Lord Kapila, Suta Gosvami, in accordance with Vedic principles for presenting spiritual knowledge, refers to discourse by great spiritual masters who have previously discussed this same subject. In this case, Suta Gosvami refers to a discussion between Vidura and the great sage Maitreya, who was a friend of Vyasadeva, the original compiler of the Vedic literature.

As Suta Gosvami has already described, Lord Kapila appeared in this world as the son of Kardama Muni, a master of mystic yoga, and his wife, Devahuti. Both Kardama Muni and Devahuti were aware of the divinity of their son. Indeed, even before Kapila's birth, Lord Brahma himself, the chief created person in this universe, had appeared before Devahuti and revealed to her that her son was to be an incarnation of the Supreme Lord and that this incarnation would enlighten her with spiritual knowledge.

According to the Vedic social system, a man with a grown son may accept the order of sannyasa, thus renouncing all connections with his family and worldly life, and entrust his wife to the care of his son.

Kardama Muni, of course, knew that his son was an incarnation of the Supreme Lord, yet to honor this Vedic system and emphasize its importance, he too eventually accepted sannyasa, entrusting his wife, Devahuti, to the care of his divine son, Kapiladeva. Therefore, as Suta Gosvami begins to answer Saunaka's request to hear further about Lord Kapiladeva, the sages have already been informed of how Kardama Muni departed for the forest, leaving Kapiladeva behind with Devahuti.

After Kardama Muni's departure, Devahuti, remembering the prophetic words of Lord Brahma, approaches her divine son and humbly expresses her desire for spiritual enlightenment: "My Lord, I have fallen into the abyss of ignorance. Your Lordship is my only means of getting out of this darkest region of ignorance because You are my transcendental eye, which, by Your mercy only, I have attained after many, many births....

Now be pleased, my Lord, to dispel my great delusion... You are the ax which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my obeisances to You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and between spirit and matter." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.7-11) Pleased by His mother's pure desire for spiritual enlightenment, and feeling great compassion for her, Kapila begins to speak on the Sankhya philosophy.

Now, what is Sankhya? Insofar as Sankhya deals with the elemental categories or principles of the physical universe, Sankhya is what Western scholars generally refer to as "metaphysics." The term sankhya literally means "to count." This name is used because Sankhya philosophy enumerates principles of cosmic evolution by rational analysis. The etymological meaning of the word sankhya is "that which explains very lucidly by analysis of material elements." Philosophically, this term is used because the Sankhya system expounds analytical knowledge that enables one to distinguish between matter and spirit. This understanding culminates in bhakti, devotion for and service to the Supreme. It may be said, therefore, that Sankhya and bhakti form two aspects of the same process, bhakti being the ultimate goal or ultimate aspect of Sankhya.

It is interesting to note, at this point, that long after Lord Kapila's descent, an imitation Kapila appeared on the Indian subcontinent and propounded a nontheistic Sankhya. That which is generally studied as Sankhya in the contemporary academic context is actually this later, nontheistic, materialistic Sankhya. The Sankhya philosophy, propounded by the original Kapila, is practically unknown in the West. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti (along with Srila Prabhupada's complete commentary on Kapila's Sankhya in his edition of Srimad-Bhagavatam) is probably the first major exposition in the English language on the original, theistic Sankhya. It should therefore be of considerable interest to scholars in this field.

Because the basic principle and the ultimate goal of Lord Kapiladeva's Sankhya philosophy is bhakti, this is the subject with which Lord Kapiladeva begins His instructions to Devahuti. Consequently, because this volume, Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti, is Srila Prabhupada's commentary on the beginning of Lord Kapila's teachings, it is chiefly concerned with the science of bhakti-yoga—the process of linking with God (yoga means "linking") through bhakti (devotion).

As the actual history begins, Devahuti approaches her son, Kapila, and with deep humility expresses her sincere desire for spiritual enlightenment. In response, Lord Kapila delineates "the path of the transcendentalists, who are interested in self-realization." Concisely summarizing the actual process of self-realization, Kapila defines consciousness in both the conditioned and liberated states. He describes the psychology of pure consciousness, delineates the symptoms and characteristics of a sadhu, holy person, and stresses the importance of sadhu-sanga, association with those who are saintly. Kapiladeva then explains that liberation is merely a stage preliminary to the attainment of bhakti and that one who attains bhakti automatically achieves liberation. One who engages in bhakti, devotional yoga, automatically transcends material desires and ultimately crosses beyond birth and death.

According to later descriptions in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Devahuti ultimately attains full enlightenment in transcendental knowledge by hearing and understanding the sublime philosophical teachings of her great son.

--The Publisher

Chapter One

The Purpose of Lord Kapila's Advent

TEXT 1

saunaka uvaca

kapilas tattva-sankhyata

bhagavan atma-mayaya

jatah svayam ajah saksad

atma-prajnaptaye nrnam

TRANSLATION

Sri Saunaka said: Although He is unborn, the Supreme Personality of

Godhead took birth as Kapila Muni by His internal potency. He descended

to disseminate transcendental knowledge for the benefit of the whole

human race.

PURPORT BY HIS DIVINE GRACE A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA:

The word atma-prajnaptaye indicates that the Lord descends for the benefit of the human race to give transcendental knowledge. Material necessities are quite sufficiently provided for in the knowledge given in the Vedic literatures, which offer a program for good living and gradual elevation to the platform of sattva-guna, the mode of goodness.

Once one is situated in sattva-guna, one's knowledge expands. On the platform of passion there is no knowledge, for passion is an impetus to enjoy material benefits. On the platform of ignorance there is neither knowledge nor enjoyment but simply animalistic living.

The Vedas are intended to elevate one from the mode of ignorance to the platform of goodness. When one is situated in the mode of goodness, he is able to understand knowledge of the self, or transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge cannot be appreciated by any ordinary man; therefore a disciplic succession is required. This knowledge is expounded either by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself or by His bona fide devotee. Saunaka Muni also states here that Kapila, the incarnation of the Supreme personality of Godhead, took birth or appeared simply to disseminate transcendental knowledge. To understand that one is not matter but spirit soul (aham brahmasmi: "I am by nature Brahman") is not sufficient for understanding the self and his activities. One must be situated in the activities of Brahman. Knowledge of those activities is explained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Such transcendental knowledge can be appreciated in human society but not in animal society, as clearly indicated here by the word nrnam, "for the human beings." Human beings are meant to lead a regulated life. By nature, there is regulation in animal life also, but that is not like the regulative life described in the scriptures or by the Vedic authorities. Only when one's life is regulated according to the Vedas can one understand transcendental knowledge.

For the propagation of this transcendental knowledge, Kapiladeva, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, gave instructions in Sankhya philosophy to His mother, Devahuti. Later, another Kapiladeva appeared who expounded atheistic Sankhya philosophy, which dealt with the twenty-four elements but gave no information about God. The original Kapila is called the Devahuti-putra Kapila, and the other is called the atheist Kapila. Concerning Kapiladeva, Saunaka Rsi says, kapilas tattva-sankhyata. Kapila is the Supreme Person; therefore He can explain the Absolute Truth. Actually only Bhagavan can know the true position of the ultimate truth. No one else can know it. Bhagavan, Krsna or His incarnation, occasionally visits the earth to give humanity information about the aim of life. Thus the Supreme Lord descended as Kapiladeva, tattva-sankhyata. The word sankhyata means "expounder," and tattva means "the Absolute Truth." The Absolute Truth is Bhagavan Sri Krsna Himself.

We cannot understand the Absolute Truth or the Supreme Person by mental speculation, especially when we are under the influence of the three modes of material nature (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna). Only those who are situated in sattva-guna (the mode of goodness) are fit to understand the Absolute Truth. According to Bhagavad-gita (18.42), those possessing brahminical qualifications are situated in sattva-guna.

samo damas tapah saucam

ksantir arjavam eva ca

jnanam vijnanam astikyam

brahma-karma svabhavajam

"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge and righteousness--these are the qualities by which the brahmanas work."

According to the Vedic conception, there must be men in society who are factually brahmanas, capable of expounding the real truth. If everyone becomes a sudra, the Absolute Truth cannot be understood. It is said that at the present moment in Kali-yuga everyone is a sudra (kalua sudra-sambhavah), and it is very difficult in this age to find qualified brahmanas, for they are very rare. There is practically not a single qualified brahmana in this age.

prayenalpayusah sabhya kalav asmin yuge janah mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah

"O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed." (SB. 1.1.10) The people in this age are very short-lived and slow in understanding spiritual life. Actually human life is meant for understanding spiritual values, but because everyone in this age is a sudra, no one is interested. People have forgotten life's real purpose.

The word manda means both slow and bad, and everyone in this age is either bad or slow or a combination of both. People are unfortunate and disturbed by so many things. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam there will eventually be no rain and consequently a scarcity of food. The governments will also levy very heavy taxes. The characteristics of this age predicted by Srimad-Bhagavatam are already being experienced to some degree. Since Kali-yuga is a very miserable age, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Sri Krsna Himself, advises everyone simply to chant Hare Krsna.

harer nama harer nama

harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nasty eva nasty eva

nasty eva gatir anyatha

"In this age of Kali there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative for spiritual progress than the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord." (Brhan-naradiya Purana) This process is not Caitanya Mahaprabhu's invention, but is advised by the sastras, the puranas. The process for this Kali-yuga is very simple. One need only chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Since everyone in this age is an unintelligent, unfortunate and disturbed sudra, how can anyone understand the Absolute Truth or the aim of life?

As stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (4.7):

yada yada hi dharmasya

glanir bhavati bharata

abhyutthanam adharmasya

tadatmanam srjamy aham

"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend Myself."

Some hundreds and thousands of years ago Lord Krsna appeared as Devahuti-putra Kapiladeva. His father's name was Kardama Muni. After Kapiladeva grew up, His father, according to the Vedic system, retired, took sannyasa and left home to cultivate spiritual life. It is not that one should rot in this material world throughout one's whole life.

Pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. According to the Vedic injunctions, there are four asramas and four varnas, and these used to be followed very strictly. After his son grew up, Kardama Muni, being a strict follower of the Vedas, left home and put his wife in the charge of his grown son, Kapiladeva.

It is said of Kapiladeva: kapilas tattva-sankhyata bhagavan. Lord Kapila is Bhagavan. Nowadays Bhagavan is taken very cheaply because the word is misused, but actually Bhagavan is not an ordinary man.

Avajananti mam mudhah: because Bhagavan Sri Krsna appeared as a human being, fools and rascals (mudhas) consider Krsna an ordinary human. As Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (7.13):

tribhir gunamayair bhavair

ebhih sarvam idam jagat

mohitam nabhijanati

mam ebhyah param avyayam

"Deluded by the three modes (goodness, passion and ignorance), the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible."

Yet there are mahatmas, great souls, who can understand Krsna. Arjuna could understand that although Krsna was playing the part of his friend, He was nonetheless the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna was in perfect knowledge, yet Krsna instructed him for our benefit.

Arjuna requested Krsna's instructions, which are set forth for all human society. After hearing Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna addressed Krsna as param brahma param dhama, "the Supreme Brahman and supreme abode."

Every person is actually Brahman, spirit soul. We are not actually the body. Awareness of aham brahmasmi ("I am Brahman") is actual selfrealization. According to Vedic culture, one must understand that he is Brahman, not the body. We should not remain in ignorance like cats and dogs, thinking, "I am this body, I am American, I am Indian, I am brahmana, I am ksatriya, I am Hindu, I am Muslim," and so on. These are all bodily designations. When one comes to spiritual understanding, he understands aham brahmasmi, "I am Brahman." This is called Brahman realization. It is not that we become Brahman by some practice. Gold is gold, even if it is covered with some dirt, which can certainly be removed. Similarly, we are all Brahman, spirit soul, but somehow or other we have come in contact with these material elements (bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh), and we have acquired bodily coverings. Consequently we think, "I am this body." This is ignorance, and unless one is enlightened by spiritual knowledge, he remains animalistic.

Understanding one's spiritual identity is called dharma. The ultimate goal of dharma is enunciated by Sri Krsna Himself in Bhagavad-gita (18.66). Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." On this earth we have created so many dharmas--Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma. These are all manufactured dharmas, but real dharma is attained when we come to the conclusion that Sri Krsna is everything. Again, in the words of Sri Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (7.19):

bahunam janmanam ante

jnanavan mam prapadyate

vasudevah sarvam iti

sa mahatma sudurlabhah

"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare."

The Krsna consciousness movement is meant for the propagation of this message. We are not preaching a particular sectarian religious system but a real religion, dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: no one actually knows what dharma is, and no one can manufacture dharma.

Dharma is the order of the Supreme Being. No one can manufacture state laws; they are given by the government. The simplest definition of dharma is that dharma is the order of the Supreme Being. Since the Supreme Being, God, is one, His order must be one. How, then, can there be different dharmas? lt is not possible. Different dharmas are created due to ignorance, which causes people to think in terms of Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma, this dharma or that dharma. No. Gold is gold. If a Christian possesses some gold, does it become Christian gold?

Gold is gold whether possessed by a Hindu, a Muslim or a Christian.

According to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, dharma means surrendering unto that Supreme Being. This is bhagavata-dharma, and everyone should be taught how to surrender unto God. God is one; there cannot be two Gods. When there is competition, there is no God.

Presently there is a different God on every street, but Krsna is not that kind of God. He is the Supreme God. As Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (7.7):

mattah parataram nanyat

kincid asti dhananjaya

mayi sarvam idam protam

sutre mani-gana iva

"O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread."

The purpose of this Krsna consciousness movement is to inform everyone that no one is superior to Krsna, God. Because many young Americans and Europeans are fortunate and know nothing of any hodgepodge god, they have taken this bona fide Krsna consciousness movement seriously. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: Bhagavan, God, means Sri Krsna. We have simply presented this information, saying, "Here is God. Sri Krsna." Because they have taken this seriously, many young Americans and Europeans are advancing in Krsna consciousness. Consequently many people are surprised to see how Americans and Europeans have become such great devotees and are dancing in ecstasy. How is it they are so advanced?

They have taken the information seriously: krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Whether one touches fire blindly or knowingly, fire will burn. It is not that because the fire is touched by a child, fire will not burn. These young Westerners have touched fire, and consequently it is acting as fire.

Acaryopasanam: this information (krsnas tu bhagavan svayam) is not concocted, but is accepted by the acaryas in the disciplic succession. Although an impersonalist, Sankaracarya has accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So have Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnusvami, Nimbarka and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers. They all accept Krsna as the Supreme, just as Arjuna himself did. This is the simplest method. There is no need to speculate, "What is God? Where is God?" Why foolishly go on searching? Here is God--Krsna. We may think that Krsna cannot be seen, but Krsna can appear in the form of His energy. Of course, a stone is not God, but a stone is another one of God's energies. Heat and light are not fire, but without fire there cannot be heat or light. In that sense, heat and light are nondifferent from fire. This material world is like the heat and light of the supreme fire.

ekadesa-sthitasyagner

jyotsna vistarini yatha

parasya brahmanah saktis

tathedam akhilam jagat

"Just as a fire is situated in one place, but spreads illumination all around, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Parabrahman, spreads His energies throughout this universe." (Visnu purana 1.22.53)

The sun is situated in one place, and its light and heat expand throughout the entire solar system. As soon as we perceive light and heat, we can understand that the sun is there. Since light and heat can be perceived by everyone, Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.8), prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh: "I am the light of the sun and the moon." people are saying, "Can you show me God?" while not realizing that they are seeing God daily at every moment. Because people are foolish in this age, they cannot understand that when we perceive the energy of the Lord, we can feel the presence of the Lord.

The young devotees in the Krsna consciousness movement are presently worshiping Krsna. What are the signs of a devotee? The actual sign of a devotee is that he is no longer interested in material enjoyment: bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (SB. 11.2.42). The disciples of this Krsna consciousness movement do not go to cinemas, restaurants or clubs, and they do not smoke or drink. In European and American countries all these things are available and are very cheap, but these young people are not interested in them. They are simply interested in sitting on the floor and learning about Krsna consciousness. Why is this? They have actually rejected the material world. When one comes to detest material enjoyment, one can understand that he has advanced spiritually. Spiritual life does not mean taking sannyasa and then smoking or drinking tea. One must actually come to detest material life. One comes to lose interest in material activities and becomes interested only in the understanding of God, the Supreme Being, and His service. As enjoined in Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.1):

nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke

kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye

"Of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for the dogs and hogs that eat stool." The word vid-bhujam means "stooleaters." Hogs work hard day and night simply eating stool, and because stool contains chemicals, hydrophosphates, the hog gets strength, becomes very fat and enjoys sex. In any case, human life is meant not for imitating the life of a hog but for tapasya, austerity:

tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam

suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam

"Rather, my dear boys, one should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever." (SB. 5.5.1)

This is the meaning of Vedic civilization. The society of varnasrama-dharma--composed of brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras, grhasthas, vanaprasthas, brahmacaris and sannyasis--is meant to elevate people gradually to the perfect stage of understanding God. The whole aim of the different varnas and asramas is the worship of the Supreme Lord. One can attain this understanding through this social system, which admits of gradations. When one goes to school, he begins with the first grade, then progresses to the second, third and so forth. In this way one makes progress.

When human society accepts varnasrama-dharma, it can gradually come to the understanding of Brahman. By birth, everyone is a sudra; therefore everyone has to be educated. The word dvija means "twiceborn."

One is first born through the womb of a mother, and one's next birth is given by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is the mother, and the spiritual master is the father. When one is twice-born (dvija), he receives a sacred thread from the spiritual master and begins to learn about spiritual life. He is then allowed to read the Vedic literatures. In this way one becomes a son of Vedic literature.

Nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam: Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of Vedic culture. It is a wish-fulfilling tree, and we can take whatever we want from it. Vedic knowledge is perfect, and if we want to come to know it, we must take shelter of a bona fide guru (tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet).

Unfortunately, in this age everything is mismanaged. people forget the aim of life, and at such a time the Supreme Lord Himself comes. The Supreme Lord descends out of compassion because He is more anxious to have us return home, back to Godhead, than we are to go. Because we are in ignorance, we do not know anything about the kingdom of God. We know nothing about how to get there or how to become happy. We have forgotten all this. Therefore Krsna comes at intervals or sends His representative, the pure devotee. Sometimes He comes personally, and sometimes He sends His incarnation.

Kapiladeva is an incarnation of the Supreme Person, Krsna. Therefore it is stated: kapilas tattva-sankhyata bhagavan atma-mayaya. The word maya means not only "illusion," but also "affection" and "energy." When Krsna comes, all His energies also come. It is not that He is forced to come. We have to accept a certain type of body because we are forced to do so, but this is not the case with Sri Krsna.

Presently I may have a human form, but in the future I cannot demand a human form. We receive bodies in the next life according to karma, not will. One cannot demand to be a high-court judge unless one has been educated for the job. First of all, one must become qualiked. If one qualifies himself, one may become a devata, a demigod like Indra or Candra, or one can become a dog or a cat. That depends on one's karma, or activities (karmana daiva-netrena). When Krsna or His incarnation come, they do not depend on karma for their bodies. The Supreme Lord is above karma and is fully independent. It is therefore said, atma-mayaya. The Supreme Lord comes by His own energy, not by the external energy or by force. When the governor visits the prison, he is not forced to do so. He is not to be considered a condemned person; rather, he goes by his own good will just to see how things are going on, However, it is understood that when an ordinary person is placed in jail, he is sent there by force because he has been proven a criminal. A criminal may think that he and the governor are one, just as rascals and fools think that Krsna is one of them. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam. A knowledgeable person knows that when Krsna or His incarnation descends upon the material world, the Supreme Lord maintains His transcendental position. He is not an ordinary man, nor is He forced into the material world due to karma. The Supreme Lord comes by His own good will. Param bhavam ajanantah. Rascals cannot understand what Krsna is; therefore they think that Krsna is a human being. As Krsna Himself states in Bhagavad-gita (7.3):

manusyanam sahasresu

kascid yatati siddhaye

yatatam api siddhanam

kascin mam vetti tattvatah

"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."

Understanding Krsna is therefore not so easy. As stated by Krsna, out of many thousands one person may become a siddha, a self-realized being. And out of many siddhas, one may be able to understand Krsna. It is our great fortune that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna Himself, has appeared and given us a very easy process by which we can understand Krsna. What is that process? We need only hear about Krsna. That's all. We have therefore opened all these centers of Krsna consciousness throughout the world.

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah

punya-sravana-kirtanah

hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt satam

"Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted." (SB. 1.2.17)

If we hear about Krsna, we become purified. Hearing about Krsna means associating with Krsna. In this way we may perfect our lives.

This book and electronic file is Copyright 1985-2003 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, 3764 Watseka Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034, USA. All rights reserved. For any questions, comments, correspondence, or to evaluate dozens of other books in this collection, visit the website of the publishers: www.Krishna.com.

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fancyfartgiver · 3 years

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A SHOWER OF DIVINE COMPASSION - COLLECTED POEMS OF SRILA PRABHUPADA BOOK https://www.krishnstore.com/A-Shower-of-Divine-Compassion-Collected-Poems-of-Srila-Prabhupada-Book $25.00 + Free Shipping Brands: Radha Krishna Shop Product Code: RK03

Srila Prabhupada met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in Vrindavana. In a private meeting Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual master told him in 1935, “I have a desire to print some books. If you ever get money, print books.” Srila Prabhupada always stressed this point and with the help of his disciples he published many books in English which includes the commentary on Indian classics like Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and Chaitanya Charitamrita.

Of all his contributions, Srila Prabhupada considered his books to be of utmost importance. He insisted that his disciples read these books, discuss among themselves, understand it and practically apply it in their lives. He considered these books to be the basis of the Krishna Consciousness Movement and the distribution of these books to be the most important preaching activity.

In 1970, Srila Prabhupada founded the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT), now the world’s largest publisher of Vedic literature. Srila Prabhupada wanted his books to be translated in all languages and today they are available in more than 80 languages. We present the Catalog of Srila Prabhupada’s Books here for your reference. Please ensure that you read these books.

The Krishna Consciousness Movement is firmly based upon the conclusive truths found in the books of Srila Prabhupada. Bhagavad-gita As it is, Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto 1 – 9 and 13 chapters of Canto 10) and Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita are the three major texts that contain the essence of Vedic knowledge. Srila Prabhupada also wrote a commentary on Sri Isopanishad, the most important of the 108 Upanishads. He wrote Nectar of Devotion, a summary study on Srila Rupa Goswami’s Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu and Nectar of Instruction, which contains the purport to Upadeshamrita, the 11 verses written by Srila Rupa Goswami to guide the beginners in Krishna Consciousness.

He also wrote many other small books like Easy Journey to Other Planets, Message of Godhead, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, etc. The compilations based on Srila Prabhupada’s articles, lectures and conversations are published with titles such as Science of Self Realization, Journey of Self Discovery, Quest for Enlightenment, Renunciation Through Wisdom, etc. Other interesting collections from the conversations of Srila Prabhupada are Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, Civilization and Transcendence, Beyond Illusion and Doubt, Life Comes From Life, etc.

Based on Srila Prabhupada’s lectures on Bhagavad-gita, BBT has published Beyond Birth and Death, Raja Vidya, The Path of Perfection, The Perfection of Yoga, The Topmost Yoga System, The Matchless Gift, Elevation to Krishna Consciousness, On the Way to Krishna, etc. Based on Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavatam Lectures, BBT has published Teachings of Lord Kapila, Teachings of Queen Kunti, Transcendental Teachings of Prahlada Maharaja, A Second Chance – The Story of Near Death Experience, Dharma – The Way of Transcendence, etc.

Over the years, hundreds of scholars who read his books have expressed keen appreciation for the contribution his teachings have made to humanity.

https://www.krishnstore.com/ to read a collection of Scholarly Appreciations of Srila Prabhupada’s Books. These books can change your life. Try it out. Refer to the Catalog of Srila Prabhupada’s Books.

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spiritmeaningblog · 4 years

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Teachings of Kapila Mahamuni |Glories of Kashyapa Rsi and Devi Aditi | Bhaktamal-09

Glories of Sage Kashyapa and Devi Aditi इतिहासपुराणानि ताथाख्यानानी यानि च |महात्मना च करितं श्रोतव्यं नित्यमेव च | Lord Brahma is the universal father, the creator of the animate world. He gave rise to his 6 heart-born sons by the name Marichi, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulah & Kratu to procreate and expand his creation. The son of Marichi was Rsi Kashyapa. Daksha Prajapati established an alliance…

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#Aditi #Devahuti #Kapila #Kashyapa

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shithole-world · 5 years

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Interestingly India has seen many folk or tribal deities from ancient and medieval eras being worshipped from time to time, especially during the time of epidemics, and other physical and natural calamities. Some of these deities, which retain their primitive aspects, are still venerated by many, and temples dedicated to them are seen spread across the rural parts of India. I have listed some of the better known tribal/folk devis that were once highly venerated in ancient and medieval India; among them some have lost their relevance over the sands of time, while few are still respected and worshipped by their faithful followers.

Folk deities in Pondicherry. They are the protective guardians of villages.

Local deities in a roadside temple in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu

Jara

The story of the king of Magadha, Raja Jarasandha, is well known. The Mahabharata gives details of his stand against Vasudeva-Krsna and the Pandavas , and finally his death in the hands of Bhima.

Bhima Slays Jarasandha: Page from a dispersed Bhagavata Purana Manuscript (Book 10) Date: ca. 1520–40 Medium: Ink and opaque watercolor on paper. Source

Bhima and Jarasandh Wrestling, by Raja Ravi Verma. Baroda art gallery

While the face-off and fight is well known, the focus remains away from the giantess or ogress Jara who had attached the two halves of king Brihadratha’s new born baby, and had given the baby his life back. It is from this Jara that the child was named as Jara-Sandha, which when translated means ‘united by Jara.’ While speaking to Brihadratha, Jara describes herself in the Mahabharata as a rakshashi who can change forms (kamarupini). She is worshipped both by the royal family and the common people as ‘Grihadevi’ (the devi of households), and she describes herself as being depicted on the house and palace walls as a young woman surrounded by children. As Jara says, blessed are the households that paint her in this form on their house walls, and those that don’t are cursed with poverty and unhappiness (Mahabharata II. 18, 1-6).

Jara merges two parts of Jarasandha. source: Wikipedia

Hariti

An iconography similar to the one that Jara who had described herself to be painted on house walls, is also seen in the depiction of Hariti , a Yakshini associated with Buddhism. Various Buddhist texts such as Mahavastu, Vinayapitaka, and even the Chinese version of the Sutrapitaka talk of Hariti, which show close iconographic and conceptual connections between the two folk deities. According to the story in Samyuktaratna-sutra of the Chinese Sutrapitaka, the Yakshini Hu-anh-shi (meaning happiness) was said to be patron deity of the kingdom of Magadha. Owing to her wishes from a previous birth the yakshini stole children from the people of Rajgir, which she used for feeding herself and her 500 sons. It is for this reason she was termed by the locals as Hariti (a thief) who asked Buddha to help them. Buddha stole Hariti’s youngest son and hid him, in order to teach Hariti a lesson, and when she came asking for his help, Buddha rebuked her for giving terrible pain to others by eating their children. A contrite Hariti asked Buddha how she would survive if she stopped stealing. Thereafter Buddha ordered all monasteries and houses to paint her figure along with the children on their walls, and offer them food. Hariti took a vow to protect all children, and thereafter survived only on a diet of pomegranates. Hariti was soon seen as the protector of women during childbirth and children. She also received bodhi from Buddha, which gave her powers to cure sick people and also fight against evil powers and black magic.

Hariti with children, 1st BCE, Gandhara. Swat Valley, Butkara I area, source: LACMA

Hieun tsang in his travel records mentioned a Hariti stupa from ancient Gandhara that had been built by Ashoka (identified as the Sare-makhe-dheri in Peshawar). Her worship had also spread to Korea, China, and Japan. In China, Kwan-yin (the female Avalokitesvara) was integrated with Hariti; while in Japan Kishi-mo-jin (also called as Kariteimo- check reference section for more details on this) was an ogress who later turns into a saint (Koyaso Kwan-non/Kish-mo-jin); and the story is directly derived from Hariti’s tale. According to the Japanese story Kishi-mo-jin or Kariteimo was once an ogress (like Hariti) who kidnapped and murdered the children of others, and fed their flesh to her children. While an ogress, she took help from her 10 demon daughters (the Jūrasetsu-nyo or Jurasetsu Nyoshin) to kidnap and murder the children. To teach her a lesson Shaka Nyorai (the Historical Buddha) hides one of her children, and after failing to trace her child, Kariteimo comes to Shaka, who then makes her understand the pain and suffering that she has caused to many parents. She repents and embraces Buddhism (the Lotus Sutra) along with her daughters, and together they become the protectors of children, and defenders and guardians of their faith (Nichiren sect).

Hariti and Panchika – Schist – 2nd Century CE – Gandhara – Jamalgarhi – Indian Museum – Kolkata (photo from Wikipedia by Biswarup Ganguly)

Hariti (Gandhara), 2nd c. CE, Chandigarh museum.

The bas-relief of Hariti with her children on inner northern wall of Mendut (Java), 9th c. CE. source: Wikipedia

Jara and Hariti were once the figure heads of two popular sects of folk worship, both in India and outside, and the conceptual similarities between the two are well established through different archaeological artifacts and literary accounts. Hariti, who was popular mainly in north and north western parts of India, were often depicted along with her husband Pancika (Kubera) along with the playing children, and some of her reliefs from the medieval era have also been found from Bengal.

Jyestha or Alakshmi

Another interesting deity who was once popularly worshipped in south India is Jyestha devi. Tondaradippodi (Bhaktanghrirenu), one among the Alwar saint (a devout Tamil Vaishnava saint), is heard lamenting in his 8th c. CE verse about how the foolish common people would worship Jyestha devi of low origin, for good health and prosperity, instead of worshipping his lord, Vishnu deva. This lament shows quite clearly that Jyestha devi was once very popular among masses, so much so that even the powerful families, including royal members, succumbed to her influence too. Hence, it is not surprising to find Jyestha devi in early temples and temple walls, even though she is no longer worshipped. The Bodhayana Grhyasutra has an entire chapter on the worship of this devi who rides a chariot pulled by lions with tigers following her, and is variously named as Jyestha, Jyaya, Nirrti, Hastimukha, Kapila-patni, and Vighnaprasada (Shama Sastri, pp. 294-296).

Jyestha devi with her children. Photo sourced from internet

There is an interesting story associated with this devi in a Shiva temple in Tirupparangunram near Madurai. it is believed that a Pandyan queen of 8th c. CE had sculpted a Durga rock shrine where she had got the murti of Jyestha devi carved in half relief (Rao, 1914). However, over time, as Jyestha devi’s worship declined, the central figure of her got draped in a man’s attire, and she was then worshipped as Subhramanyam. The figure on her right with the bovine head (Jyestha devi’s son) was seen as Nandikesvara, while her daughter on her left became Subramanyam’s first wife.

These changes over time stand as evidences of changing cultural and religious practices that keep altering as per sect popularity and need of the day.

Another interesting story is associated with Jyestha devi and a Chola princess who was supposedly born with the head of a jackal. The grieving father prayed to god to change her face, and was asked in a dream to build a temple for Shiva in the Nangapuram village (Trichinopoly district) that would cure his daughter. After the king built the temple, his daughter visited it and lost her jackal face, which then became the face of the figure which we see sitting on Jyestha’s right (Rao, 1914, Plate CXXI).

Jyestha devi. photo source: google

Jyestha variously known as Mugadi, Kaladi, Thavvai/ Tauvai, Mudevi, kettai, and Ekaveni. It is believed that she was perhaps originally a Mother goddess associated with agricultural fertility and wealth. Her vahana is an ass and her banner emblem is that of a crow (kakadhavajasama-yukta), while her weapon is a broom. In a variation of Suprabhedagama, Jyestha is referred to as ‘Kali’s wife riding a donkey’ (Khararudha Kaleh patni). While Alakshmi finds no mention in the Vedic, Upanishadic, or early Puranic literature, however her characteristics closely match that of the RigVedic goddess Nirṛti. In Padma Purana (chapter 4) the Universe includes her too as a part of the cosmos, wherein we find that the samudra-manthan creates both good and evil. That which is inauspicious and associated with misfortune emerges first (Alakshmi), while greater effort later brings in the good. Alakshmi brings in poverty, grief, and unhappiness; and as quarrels between friends and families follow wherever she goes, Alakshmi is also known as Kalahapriya. Often a thread with seven chilies and a lime is hung over the door in many Indian houses in order to ward off the devi of misfortune, Alakshmi. “It was said that when she entered a household, Alakshmi brought jealousy and malice in her trail. Brothers fell out with each other, families and their male lineages (kula) faced ruin and destruction” (Chakraborty, 2000, p. 227)

The description of Jyestha devi as found in various texts (Surprabhedagama, Vishnudharmattora) show the devi as two armed, with sagging lips and a long nose, and pendulous breasts and flabby stomach. Her right hand may be in abhaya mudra or she maybe holding a blue lotus in her right hand while her left hand rests on the seat. Her hair is tied up in knot and she is seen wearing a crown. She is accompanied by her children (kanyaputramvita). Her two armed bejewelled son with the head of a bull sits on her right, holding a rope (left hand) and a danda (right hand). On her left sits her daughter named as Agnimatha. She is young, wears many ornaments and dons a red garment, wears a karanda mukuta, and in her right hand carries a blue lotus.

Jyestha devi, Kailashnathar temple in Kanchipuram

According to Lingapurana, Jyestha devi who had come out of the ocean during the second churning of samudramanthan, she was married off to muni Duhsaha. The muni realised soon after his marriage that his wife wasn’t interested in hearing his songs and prayers in praise of Vishnu and Shiva, and she was also averse to good deeds. On hearing this, Markendeya advised Duhsaha to humour his wife by taking her to places where inauspicious things took place. However, Duhsaha decided to free himself by asking her to take care and sustain herself by oblations from women, until he comes back from Rasatala-loka, which he never did. When she approached Vishnu for help, he advised her to visit his exclusive followers for sustenance, thus suggesting Vaishnavites and women should worship her.

There is an interesting puja associated with Alakshmi known as Alakshmi bidey (getting rid of the Alakshmi) during the Dipanwita Lakshmi puja, which takes place on the day of Kali puja. Many Bengalis from West Bengal perform Lakshmi puja on the day of Kali puja, when both the devis are greeted (boron kora) with series of oil lamps. However, it is believed that Alakshmi came out of the ocean before Lakshmi; hence, she is the elder sister of Lakshmi, so must be worshipped first, and then removed (as she symbolises unhappiness) before preparing the seat for Lakshmi. On the day after Bhoot Chaturdashi or Narak chaturdashi, the women of the house wake up much before sunrise and start preparing for the Alakshmi bidey and Lakshmi puja. Two crude symbolic feminine figures are made at that time: one of Alakshmi using cowdung, and one of Lakshmi using alo chaal (a type of rice grain). The figure of Lakshmi would be then kept on a banana stem, and a tulsi leaf and flower are placed along with it, which is then kept aside somewhere inside the house. Once the Lakshmi figure is made and kept aside, the figure of Alakshmi is made with cowdung in the open space under the still dark sky; and decorated with torn clothes, torn hair, and sindoor, and placed on a banana stem. Next a flower and batasha are offered to her, incense sticks and a lamp are lighted to welcome her home. After the boron or welcome, the banana stem holding the Alakshmi is then carried out of the house accompanied with the beating of winnowing fans and discarded under any tree. At the same time all the collected garbage (the entire house is thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned on bhoot chaturdashi night) are burned as a bonfire, symbolising the removal of all that is inauspicious for the household. After disposing off the Alakshmi, the women then head for the nearest pond to take a bath without turning back to look at the discarded figure of Alakshmi. Once bathed and back home, the women light many diyas, light incense sticks, and give dhuna. The house is sprinkled with Ganga jal, conch shells are blown, and the women place the Lakshmi figure in the puja-sthan, while singing songs in praise of the devi. Devi Lakshmi is now ready to take her puja, as the ritual of ‘Aakshmi bidey’ has been completed and the house is now pure. After the completion of this ritual, the women of the house however do not go back to sleep or rest; they start with cleaning the courtyard once again, putting alpona all across the house, and making further puja arrangements required for the Dipanwita Lakshmi pujo.

Sitala devi

Jyestha completely disappeared from South Indian temple worship scenario from around 10th c. CE; however the place lost there was regained by her in another form known as Sitala devi, in the eastern and western parts of India. Sitala is also similar to Hariti, in terms of her iconography and other aspects. Sitala rides a donkey, and carries a broom (to spread and also dust-off germs), a pot (holds germs), and a pitcher (cooling waters that help to heal), while crowned with a winnowing-fan. Sometimes, she is also shown as carrying neem leaves (Azadirachta indica) because of their medicinal properties. While Sitala is born of ashes and tends to cool, when faced with irreverence or is angered, she can heat up others, meaning transfer the small pox virus to them. Sitala, thus can be both benevolent and dangerous, and her traits are summed up as:

Devi of epidemics such as small pox, cholera etc (both the cause and remedy)

Protector of children (when associated with Sashti and worshipped as Sitala Sashthi on the 6th day after the birth of a child or on the 6th day of many lunar fortnights)

Bestows good luck to those who worship and revere her

source

Sitala devi. Source

As per the Devi Mahatya, a demon named Jvarasura (giver of fever; jvara means fever in Sanskrit) caused fever and sickness to the children. It was then that devi Katyayani took the form of Sitala to purify the blood of children and destroy the germs. Sitala is often worshipped along with Oladevi (devi of cholera) and is depicted along with Jvarasura, Ghentu-debata (the god of skin diseases), and Raktabati (the devi of blood infections). Sitala devi is till revered in many parts of West Bengal as evident from the number of temples extant across the state.

Sitala Ma Statue at Gokarneshwor Mahadev Temple Premises, Gokarna, Kathmandu. Source

References:

Bodhayana Grhyasutra

pdf of Srinivasacharya (editor) can be downloaded from archives.org

pdf of Srinivasacharya and Shama Sastri can be downloaded from VedicGranth.org

Dipesh Chakrabarty, 2000. Provincializing Europe: Postcolonial Thought and Historical Difference. Princeton University Press, New Jersey.

Tracy Pintchman 2005. Guests at God’s Wedding: Celebrating Kartik among the Women of Benares. State university of New York Press, Albany.

Kariteimo.

http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/kariteimo.html

Mahabharata (in various languages are available on archive.org)

https://archive.org/details/mahabharata01ramauoft/page/n23

https://archive.org/details/MahabharatRajsekharBasu

Lingapurana

chapter on “Alakshmi” (pp 618-626) available at

https://archive.org/stream/LingaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart2/Linga%20Purana%20-%20J.L.Shastri%20-%20Part%202#page/n109/mode/2up

Proggya Ghatak. Sitala

TNG. Rao, (1914). Elements of Hindu Iconography, Vol 1-part II.

Dowson, John (1820–1881). A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and literature. London: Trübner, 1879.

available at archive.org

From to Jara, Hariti, Jyestha/Alakshmi, to Sitala – an interesting study of the worship of folk devis Interestingly India has seen many folk or tribal deities from ancient and medieval eras being worshipped from time to time, especially during the time of epidemics, and other physical and natural calamities.

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