Sunday, December 13, 2020

Para-Pashyanti-Madhyama-Vaikhari : Four types of speeches in Sanatana Dharma

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क्षेमालागी जीव
उतावीळ माझा
म्हणवोनि स्फुरताती बाहो
क्षेम देऊ गेले तव 
मी ची मी एकली
आसावला जीव राहो...

“My jīva & hands were so eager to embrace Him. But when I actually did I found out that I was the only One there. Whilst I experienced the advaita, I still yearn for dvaita”

पाया पडू गेले तव पाऊलचि न दिसे
उभाचि स्वयंभू असे
समोर कि पाठिमोरा न कळे
ठकचि पडिले कैसे....

“I tried to touch His feet. But I could not see His feet nor the base. He was standing on His own, unsupported by any foundation. I could not even make out which way He was facing”

शब्देंविण संवादु 
दुजेंवीण अनुवादु
हें तंव कैसेंनि गमे
परेहि परतें बोलणें खुंटलें
वैखरी कैसेंनि सांगें

“The conversation that we had was wordless. There was no ‘pashyanti’ to translate. When the ‘parā’ was active, all speech ceased. How then can I describe it in ‘vaikhari’?

There are four “layers” of “speech” in dharma. 

1. Vaikhari : one which we talk in to discuss routine things. Origin - Indriyas

2. Madhyamā : One which we utter after putting significant adhidaivik thought. Origin - manas / buddhi

3. Pashyanti : the vāNi which originates from the deepest core of our prakruti. Origin - ahamkāra

4. Parā : the vāNi that comes straight from the chètanā. The seer. Purusha. Ātmā. This vāNi comes from beyond the realms of prakruti.


I pray I get to hear at least one syllable in parā vāNi in this birth. 

The primordial syllable... 

ॐ.....




























Thoughts on Importance of Surya Upaasanaa

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I dream of all six darshans and all five dèvatā sampradāyas (Sūrya, vishNu, shiva, dèvī, gaNapati) flourishing in India. We need Sānkhya-nyāya-vaishéshika-mimāmsā to find guru-shishya tradition again. We need a strong resurrection of independent saura and gāNapatya sampradāyas. 

Sūrya = hiraNyagarbha = brahmadèva = creator 

viShNu = investor = sustenance

shiva = destruction

dèvī = māyā

gaNapati = anugraha

Sūrya upāsanā is upāsanā of hiraNyagarbha brahmā

All five are important. We have focussed a lot on sustenance and destruction in past 1000 years. Times were such. Sustenance and destruction were key traits needed to Hindus. Hence vishNu and shiva are the most prevalent dèvatās in last 1000 years. Dèvī is extremely prevalent too. Māyā needed to maintain the dvaita and do required puruShārtha and parākrama to defend dharma. gaNapati prevalent only in mahārāshTra. And here and there in other KrishNa-Godāvari basin states. 

Other regions have very few temples where gaNapati is the main presiding deity (except those built by Marathas). But anugraha part is at least alive in some parts of India. But the creation or the creative part is sūrya-brahmadèva. Now brahmadèva in his four-headed form cannot be worshipped widely (BhRgu’s shāpa). But we used to worship creator/creativity in form of sūrya nonetheless. There is a reason why Shruti calls viranchi as hiraNyagarbha. Hindus have neglected it in last 1000 years. 

Hindus need to worship and invoke the creator now. Rest of India needs to worship and invoke anugraha kāraka gaNapati now (happening slowly in cities - surprisingly thanks to Bollywood actually - but I will take it). I believe preserving gāNapatya tradition gave a certain edge to western coast of India in medieval times as opposed to rest of India. First deed that Shivaji did was jīrNoddhāra and punah-prāNapratishTHāpanā of a desecrated and abandoned gaNapati in Pune. 

We need to popularise sūrya upāsanā to jumpstart Hindu creativity. We need to popularise gaNapati upāsanā in rest of India to jumpstart Hindu “awakening”. Yes. When Hindus gave up daily sandhyā Vandana (which is mandatory to every Hindu), we threw away our best asset. Even Brahmins are giving it up now, kicking away the ladder that put them where they are. And looking at this downfall of Brahmins, others feel it’s OK too.

Surya upasana is important for Hindu creativity in sense of Hindu birth-rate too. Hindus need to produce more "suprajaa" (good offspring). The issue of "suprajaa" (not just numerical but qualitative too) is most important. 

I wish and pray that surya upasana revives again in India with fervor.



























How Buddhism is (was) an attack on the very foundation of sanatana aastik dharma

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Since time of siddhārtha Gautama himself the aastika and naastika “split” happened. It is based on much deeper level of drashTā. The split manifested on sociopolitical level too. Look at behaviour of Buddhists when Menander invaded India.

The urge to “overthrow restrictions of varNāshrama” using some adhyātmik experiences of siddhārtha gautama is very old. Many wanted to “use” this to stage a coup. Hence bauddha darshan was one of THE biggest challenges thrown to sanātana dharma on far deeper level of existence. It is very myopic to look at all dèvatās which are common & then claim ki see how much similarity

Even Sānkhya prescribes worship of all these dèvatās and many more w/o acknowledging existence of Īshwara. That is NOT the focal point of this “revolt” against vèda & varNāshrama. The split not just happened on level of adhyātma. As I said it manifested on social and political and economic level too. Because a section of public was chaffing to rebel against varNāshrama. Why rebel? Because of the restrictions that the system puts on “YOLO” type people. 

The tension between Kshatriya and brāhmaNa was always there. Bound to be there. Perhaps that is the whole point - that all powerful Kshatriyas remain subservient to beggar Brahmins. This has manifested many times in past. Whole vashishTHa-vishvāmitra feud is precisely this. Parshurāma comes in this line only. Rāma was coordinator and restored balance. 

But after MBH Great War, and mass-deaths of Kshatriyas on kurukshètra, this balance was almost skewed. Rise of vaishya+shudra kings (mahā-padmananda) is another defining point who were chaffing. It is this class which joined the Buddhist bandwagon en masse when Ashoka embraced bauddha-darshan as his “adhyātmik mārga”. These & YOLO type freeloaders too.

It became a difficult problem because it attacked vaidika system not from outside, but from inside. At level of drashTā. It is a very curious case of an adhyātmik experience being used to stage a sociopolitical and economic coup in India. Very unique. And very much dhārmik or Hindu.

The only problem which manifested was, the teachings of Buddha could not produce more Buddhas. 😊

This has very briefly (and a bit shallowly) addressed by Hermann Hesse in Siddhartha. The path taught by Buddha cannot grant that final liberation. Because even Shruti declares it is very fickle and one cannot hope to make a syllabus and a SOP to attain moksha (what Buddha did). Just as by giving a textbook and printed instruction manual does not make role of guru redundant, same this happened here. 

Mind you, People who joined Buddhist bandwagon were not shallow people. They understood the meaning and importance of adhyātma. They just wanted to make this process free of some “shrotrīya and brahmanishTHa guru” who will address their needs as per their guNa-karma composition. In long run we know, it does not work that way. While vashishTHa-vishwāmitra feud ended in vishwāmitra becoming a great brahmarShi, similar things did not happen here. 

Because we CANNOT wish away a guru and replace him with SOP. Took centuries to understand this.

The chaffing of the YOLO type people under sobering responsibility that varNāshrama forces people to own-up has its root in one more deeper question. kriyamāNa karma Vs prārabdha/Sanchita karma. Or as Abrahmics like to put it - question of free-will. YOLO emphasises, prima-facie, on importance of kriyamāNa karma over Sanchita. Which is absolutely true. KriyamāNa is the only thing we have in our hand, since Sanchita is already done and awaiting to bear fruits.

But YOLO (includes Abrahmics) tries to wipe-out Sanchita. The argument looks very “sexy” when it hits you. The patron hero of YOLO is karNa who proudly claims :

सुतोवा सुतपुत्रोवा योवाकोवा भवाम्यहम्
दैवायत्तं कुले जन्म: मदायत्तं तु पौरुषम् 

(Whether a suta or sutaputra, whoever I am. My Birth is up to fate, but my valor is up to me)

We applause and cheer this for we are educated under influence of liberty-fraternity-equality values of modern education. But while karNa accepts “दैवायत्तं कुले जन्म:” part, his kriyamāNa karma doesn’t correct it. For all his life he lamented this fight against his Sanchita. Abrahmics, in the name of free-will, offer to completely wipe-out Sanchita (if one chooses to accept the messiah). An easy cop-out. Similar to how Ashoka might have attracted to Buddha dharma (as per popular narrative of Kalinga war effect on him). By overthrowing varNāshrama, there is a way out to overthrow Sanchita karma. As if nothing matters. Complete reset, all that is said and done in past is erased. 

Now bauddha Darshana is inherently a dhārmik darshana so it does not overrule karma. But this urge to “have a clean slate” is enticing nevertheless. With varNāshrama constantly reminding one that “whatever you are is effect of your own karma” - forces one to take up responsibility of whatever that is happening to us as fruit of our own doing. It is not surprising that there always was, is and will be a section who would wish to overthrow this constant reminder (like a teenager kid wanting to rebel/overthrow disciplining parents meaning good).

Samartha Rāmadāsa Svāmī beautifully explains this : 

जननी-जनक माया लेकरू काय जाणे
पय न लगत मूखीं हाणितां वत्स नेणे

“What does a child know the love of parents - who like a cow pushing/disciplining her ignorant calf so that it can drink milk properly”

Except here, the “cow” is our own past karma, not some external God with grand plan. The fact of the matter is - there is no escaping from Sanchita karma. It improves (and deteriorates) slowly and requires consistency in kriyamāNa karma. And irrespective of the quality of your consistent kriyamāNa karma, you still HAVE TO face the fruits of your Sanchita. The moment this truth seeps in deep and realisation dawns, is the moment when we attain the second of the three “shānti” that we chant after every recitation of every stotra there is. 

The adhidaivika shānti : 

of manas-buddhi and ahamkāra. 

Of chitta. 

Of antahkaraNa. 

Moral of the Story : 

So in the end know that

1. Dèvatā (including big 3 or 5) are not main focus of sanātana dharma.

2. Chètana DrashTā (ātman/purush/Indra) and his moksha/kaivalya is the main focus. Because that chètanā is raison d’être

3. Guru, varNāshrama, Īshwara are there to help achieve 2

4. Guru and varNāshrama (based on past+present karma) are absolutely essential. Contrary to popular belief, even Īshwara can be optional (not recommended but each to his/her own prakruti)

5. When you realize that drashTā is sitting behind ALL the layers of prakruti, you are free.


PS :

No matter how wildly one differs with fellow dhārmik on ideological and adhyātmik or social issues, DO NOT betray them by colluding with mlechha. Some Buddhists in their blind hatred of varNāshrama dharma, did that too. They were first to die under mlechha or yavana yoke. It is very sad (for me personally) to see great human beings (nāgārjuna for example) colluding/giving upadèsha etc to mlechha invaders due an “adhyātmik disagreement”. 

it affected political scenarios in India. Same thing repeated in Sindh and Bengal. There always is a section of bauddhas who, out of their absolute dislike towards vedas and varNashrama, end up helping absolute worst invaders. this is an example of same mentality. But then she is a globalist and not a nationalist (Communism, Xianity and Islam are globalist ideas - All land belongs to God/Proletariat, hence we do not believe in petty nation-states. Islam and Communism more so). It is painful to see dharmik people (i.e. a section of people belonging to dharmik darshans like Buddhism, Sikhism) indulge in same narrative and effort.

Eventually what happens is varNashrama saves Vaidik Hindus, but it  obliterated these sampradayas. In Sindh, after generations of Bauddha darshan following kings, a brahmaNa named Chaacha became a king and started reinstating vaidik hindu dharma. Result, at opportune moment (after successfully stopping Arabs for 80 years), seeing Qasim win at Deval, a section flipped. Resulted in absolute wipeout of dharmik power. Hindus at least survived because they ghettoed themselves in their strongholds (and Rajput + Chalukya response began from interior). 

But seeing Hindus cannot be obliterated, they turned towards Buddhists & destroyed them instead. Those who could not fight, converted en masse. Same movie repeated almost painfully similarly (in broader strokes) in Bengal 500 years later. After Buddhist Paala empire, Senas (Vaidik hindus) conquered Bengal and started reinstating mainstream hindu dharma there. Before job was completed, Khilji raid occurred, Senas retreated to east of Ganga (which was predominantly buddhist)

West of Ganga remained Hindu (mostly) - due to reinstatement of Vaidika Hindu dharma by Senas. East of Ganga, job was half-done perhaps. Almost all converted slowly. Dalits and Neo-Buddhists buying into friendship with MIM like parties should read this history. Jogendra Mandal is too recent an example. But this is one mistake these people have been repeating again and again.

Ideas are powerful. Do not let them be too powerful. 

Experience and Anubhuti trumps ideas. 

श्रीराम.... 




Thoughts on photo of desecration of an Armenian church by Turkish / Azerbaijani soldier


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A  photo of (probably Turkish) soldier affiliated to to Azerbaijani army gives a call to Azaan from top of a captured Armenian Church. This happened on 14/11/2020. More things change, more they stay the same.

In the year of us reclaiming Shri Rāmajanmabhūmī after 500 years, this picture is sobering one. This is what our ancestors endured. NaMo’s victories should not put us at ease. And this is what awaits Somnath, Ayodhya, Thanjavur and Kāmākhyā again if Hindus fail in their vigilance. 

Just imagine the vigraha of rāmlalla and linga of Somnath and brihadīshwara being desecrated and broken by hammers (or bulldozer). Imagine cows being slaughtered in the garbhagruha of these temples. Imagine some pious Hindus stealing the vigraha before desecration and throwing them in some well/lake/river/sea. Imagine these vigrahas of your favourite dèvatā finding themselves installed/thrown in gutters, toilet septic-tanks etc just to show the idol-worshipers their place. If you think I am exaggerating, this is what happened to Hindus in last 1000 years. 

This is how the Sun Temple of MārtanDa and Multan was desecrated. This is how bhavāni temple of Tuljāpur was desecrated. This is what happened to earlier vigraha of Rāmlalla Virājmān in Ayodhya. This is what IS happening in some parts of West Bengal today during Durga Puja. This is what happened to Somnath 17 times!! 

If we think of forgetting our history - remember this picture. This is what awaits your gods too. Again.

Yoni and Importance of sustainability and manushya janma

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Due to human activity, many jīva-s who should have spent more time in pashu-yoni are being born as humans. Because humans have made extinct so many pashu-yonis, the jīva-a cannot spend their karmic backlog there & “earn” human birth. Hence so many animals among humans these days. 

Availability of a “right yoni (womb)” is very critical for all of us. We have spent lot of time, many times, either due to our ability of choice (some adhyātmikally progressed ones) or due to compulsions of our own past karma (most of us) - finding the right yoni so get a body. Availability of yonis (good, puNyavāna) is the biggest filter in the journey of every jīva towards moksha. This is one more reason why Hindu numerical (and qualitative) superiority is essential.

So many talented jīva-s (who were destined to shine due to their sanchit) missed out on being born in the yoni of a Hindu mother : because of limited availability of Hindu mothers in some parts of subcontinent. Since prevalent abrahmic system in those places no longer permits “तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय” journey, they shine once like fireflies and die-out - rescinding back to lower yonis (or more destitute humans). 

This is why is yoni utmost important? 

Because - शरीरं आद्यं खलु धर्मसाधनम् (Physical body is the primary asset of achieving Dharma). 

Let us try and make our boys and girls “puNyavāna” - so that they in turn become conduits for great-jīvas to find body - shine - and move upward.

Thoughts on Durga and Athena

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I find story of Durgā very interesting. And the seed of this new understanding is actually in Stephen Fry’s observation on Sherlock Holmes - he is born a fully developed character the moment we meet him first. He doesn’t “grow” in story to become a great detective. We see Sherlock Holmes for the first time we meet him - as a fully formed, fully armed character. He stays like this throughout. 

Stephen Fry likens Holmes to Greek Goddess Athena. Her birth story is fascinating. She emerges from Zeus’s head - fully armed, all wise, fully formed. 

I have read Durgā saptashati many times (all Hindus should - especially during Chaitra and Ashwin navarātra). I always wondered how dèvī (in her Durgā form) just comes into being - all-knowing fully armed (by all dèvatā- for one purpose - to kill mahishāsura). We all know the story. So I won’t repeat it. 

Other avatāra (with exception of Narasimha, kūrma and varāha) have a growth story. How they eventually grew (physically, in character sense, in sense of a journey in life). They did many things. Apart from their momentous task. 

But not Durgā. SHE just comes into being. All powerful, all-armed, all knowing - for one single purpose. WAR and Destruction of mahishāsura. That’s it. This single-agenda of durgā (also varāha-narasimha-kūrma) avatarāra is what really sets HER apart. From other avatāra.

Beautifully captured in famous Marathi ārati of durgā

हारि पडिलो आता संकट निवारी
(I am about to lose now, just remove the sankaTa) 

चारही श्रमले परंतु न बोलवे काही
सहाही विवाद करता पडले प्रवाही 

(Vedas are tired now, cannot be uttered. All six darshans argued but to no avail). When all our world-views (darshans) argue, brain-storm and fail at finding an amicable, sustainable and dhārmik resolution to problem of asuras... 

When it starts threatening to the very existence of Shruti... That is when Durgā appears. For complete physical destruction.

It is important that the due process of argumentation, brainstorming, experimentation and genuine conflict resolution is tried out first. Most of the problems (even a fundamental one like Buddha) was solved this way. 

Not everyone is Durgā. Heck - even dèvī is not Durgā every time. When times are so bad (or about to be so bad) that it denies any scope of organic response to asuras, that is when Durgā comes into existence. For one single purpose. 

I shudder to think what happens then. We don’t want HER to be coming into existence every now and then, do we?

Thoughts on how Sangh will evolve in coming times

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 If and when time demands, a sangh 2.0 will emerge from current sangh - better adapted to deal with newer problems. It will emerged fully armed this time. Like Durgā. Or Athena. It won’t be born and grow and evolve like current sangh had to. Whatever Sitaram Goyal says, this learning curve and adaptive process that Sangh had to go through in last 100 years is and was extremely crucial for Hindus. In my opinion, Goyal got too impatient. Too abrahmic.

You cannot expect Hindus with no experience of Organization, International Politics and Conflict resolution for 1000 years to suddenly start resolving a problem as deep-rooted and complex as Abrahmic religions. Because abrahmic religions are not a spiritual problem like Buddhism. They are a socio-politico-economic problem. And Hindus had no experience in resolving these sort of problems proactively in last 1000 years. We HAVE to reinvent the wheel here and bring it up-to-date.

You cannot flog your child to win a race. The child HAS to go through learning process, evolution process, assimilation process. Ppl like Sitaram Goel are like those parents who pressurize their kids to score 100% AND win medals in all exams and sports - right from Jr KG

Link : https://twitter.com/Kal_Chiron/status/1330000464050495490

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Thoughts on Varna Jaati and their being birth and/or karma based

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1. The status of varNa as “गुणकर्मविभागश:” is clear and old. Here karma implies both sanchit (past life) and kriyamāNa (what you do this life). Since very few people do such a vigorous karma in this life that it overcomes purva-sanchit, for most people varNa is birth based.

2. Varna is linked with āshrama. A brahmachāri and a sannyāsī has no varNa. For all practical purposes, only gruhasthāshrama person gets a varNa. This is case at least for those born in first three varNa families.

3. Varna is also linked with purushārtha.

3.1 A gruhasthāshrama brāhmaNa has to pursue dharma+moksha.

3.2 A gruhasthāshrama Kshatriya naturally pursues (owing time purva sanskāra) artha and dharma/moksha too it good sanchit and born with that sort of inclination

3.3 A gruhasthāshrama vaishya pursues kāma and artha predominantly. If born with past relevant sanchit then they also pursue dharma-moksha.

3.4 One outside these are those who only wish to pursue kāma. Monetary status aside, all those who “enjoy life”, “dil ki suno”, “You only live once”, etc are never initiated into varNāshrama dharma and are shudra.

Caveat

There are quite a few born in such shudra families too who showed spark/inclination towards dharma-moksha. They have shone time and again with help of Bhakti-yoga. Either straight Mukti or good gati and then formal initiation in subsequent births-

Example of Kunbi-maratha dichotomy of MH

Maratha = kshatriya
Kunbi = vaishya or shudra.

Elevation of shudras/Vaishyas to Kshatriyas is common. Holkar etc are examples. While their jāti remained dhangar, varNa became Kshatriya. All contemporary dharma-pandits have certified that. In any era (except modern), everyone has been wanting to move up.

That is human tendency. तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय.

But in era where there are material benefits to call oneself backwards, kuNbi identity became strong and Marathas too demanded and got reservation. Heck, even a section of Brahmins are now demanding the same looking at success of Marathas.

In era when reservation won’t matter and if dharma survives, everyone will return of earlier order. So in summary - while most of get varNa at birth owing to Purva-karma, it is possible to change varNa and move up (or down) by one’s relevant and vigorous karma.

Jāti is physical. You cannot change it. It is like skin colour. You are born with and die in your jāti. So you may be a chitpāvan. But you need not necessarily be a Brahmin.

Yes due to your ancestors you will be initially accorded some respect and privileges. But if your conduct is not according to how it should be, that goes away with time/generations. Since so many among us now a days want to be shudra live life to fulfill kāma (desires, not just sex), I will be keenly observing how the subsequent generations of these “you only live once” people born in privileged jāti fare!!

Not just materially. But holistically. I have already seen how sharp the fall of some of these people born in Brahmin jāti many living in gated communities of cities like puNè.

If you don’t try to swim this bhavasāgara and put some efforts you are destined to drown!!

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

Thoughts on Indra and Vishnu - seer and seen

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विष्णोः कर्माणि पश्यत
यतो व्रतानि पस्पशे
इन्द्रस्य युज्यः सखा

“Look at the most important karma/function of vishNu, who by his presence ensures all deeds are done properly - for he is the “linked/coupled” (yujya) and (almost) inseparable sakhā of Indra.”

The phrase Indrasya yujyam sakhā - can be understood by example of KrishNārjuna duo.

Arjuna (Indra) and Krishna (vishNu)

Indra = Ātman/drashTā, Vishnu (one who is (almost) inseparably linked with the drashTa) share same space (ie co-exist together = sa + kha = same space)

This function is the most important and grandest function/feet/achievement (karma) of vishNu.

vishNoryat paramam padam (ॐ विष्णोर्यत् परमं पदम्)

That he pervaded everything and is (almost) inseparably linked with the seer Himself (drashTā, puruSha) - is his greatest achievement.

I have been using qualifier “almost” here. Because eventually puruSha/Indra/Arjuna has to let go of this “attachment” too to achieve kaivalyapada.

From where we see it - Arjuna/Indra/Seer is puruSha here. And vishNu is moola Prakriti. 😊🙏

Indra literally translates as “seer” (इदम् द्रमति स इंद्र:) one who sees it all, is Indra.

The whole point of sānkhyayoga (for that matter any adhyātmik journey) is to have the real drashTā established in his true self. Hence in Bhakti mārga, puruSha is imagined to plead prakriti (IshTadèvatā) to help Him escape. Imagined because it is only higher limbs of prakriti pleading lower ones.

रवीकुळ टिळका रे हीत माझे करावे
दुरित दुरी हरावे “स्वस्वरूपी” भरावे

Rāmdās swāmi pleading rāma (vishNu i.e Indrasya yujyam sakhā) to help “Him” be established in “His” true self. Aim of adhyātma is moksha/Kaivalya. Everything else is a tool of drashTā/puruSha towards reaching this end goal.

 श्रीराम... 🙏🙏

On avatāra and concept of Gods in Dharma

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This thread started as a discussion on Bharat Rakshak (as is the case with most of my posts). Then was published on twitter. It was received well there. So posting it here for posterity and ease of access. 🙏🙏
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We have begun to think of “God” as Abrahmics (Xians and Muslims). We Hindus should try and unlearn this meticulously. For it is affecting us. Just after Duryodhana tried to arrest Krishna, he had seen his virāTa-rūpa. He knew this is vishNu himself. Yet it didn’t bother him much. Because we view “God” very differently. God IS NOT above karma. If you have done a karma (good bad whatever), nothing in this existence has power to stop its consequences getting back to you. Not even an all powerful omnipotent omniscient omnipresent Lord.

Which leads to the question whether the said entity is actually “omni- all that” at all? So Duryodhana’s journey after being revealed that Krishna is vishNU - actually teaches how Hindus view Gods and Deities. Gods can’t interfere in cycle of Karma. Duryodhana is part of a karmic chain reaction started long ago with Shantanu’s decision to deprive Bhishma of kinghood. Only Duryodhana could’ve stopped it if only he had decided not be an asshole & let pānDavas be at peace after partition.

But molestation of Draupadi had sealed his fate. No matter what, Kauravas were marked men, the moment they touched Draupadi. Even Krishna knew it during his final attempt for peace that was impossible to stop this chain reaction just before the final explosion. It was inevitable. Only question was - will Duryodhan take only 102 men down with him (karNa and Shakuni included) or will Duryodhana take down 4 million men down with him. He very methodically tied his fate with other 4 million poor buggers. Duryodhana thought that by tying himself with the system, he would become “too big to fail”. I cannot blame him for thinking this way. This is what we see in our daily lives.  And the system had become so rigid that they could not uncouple the karma of this marked person with other 4 million bystanders. Their karma. What else.... He just misjudged the purpose of avatāra - to reset the order. Not to just troubleshoot and bug fix.

Hence dear Hindus : Never wish for an avatāra

You never know what all you will lose, in short and long term if vishNu decides to “come down” and do the system reset. Just do your job & hold the dharma as long as you can (one birth at a time) & keep vishNu asleep in Kshirasāgara. It’ll happen when it has to happen. Only Muslims and Xians wish to hasten their judgement day. They remind me of Duryodhana. Unfortunately our lives are tied with them in given times. So if their Qayamat happens, they will die. That is what they want. We will be left with damaged earth. If abrahmic qayamat has to happen, the question in front of us is how to keep us and our sacred land and dharma relatively untouched for as far as possible. Then There is always a possibility of some ātatāyi terrorist like ashwatthāma to pull the trigger of doomsday weapon.

So the question arises - whom do we pray to? What do we pray for? What is the role of dèvatā in our existence?

we pray to our ishtadevata, kuladevata, vāstudevata, sthānadevata, grāmadevata and others too. What do we usually pray for? Do we pray to save our souls (SOS)? Or do we pray for us getting anything and everything along with moksha? In my opinion, it is Latter. Herein lies main difference. In dire need, we also pray for saving us too difficult situations too. Eg. gajéndramoksha. When divine intervention happens in such instances, it is usually via some agent or direct. But will you call shri Hari saving Gajendra from crocodile as him taking an avatāra? No. Moment we are relieved of our predicament, we thank the gods for their help and move on with our karma. If there is no intervention, we accept it as our Sanchita-karma and move on with strife.

Avatāra happens when things are broken so badly that it is hopeless. Things broke so badly and things became so hopeless because? Because we (ancestors, previous births) did not do our karma and did not upheld the dharma by doing the right thing. Tell me if Bhishma had not taken than vow, would mahabhārata happen? If Shantanu had kept control over his desires? If citizens of mathurā had rebelled and overthrown Kansa after his adhārmik usurping of power, will shri Hari need to come down? It is when we abandon the right path and things start getting hopelessly bad that avatāra needs to happen. Because there are some things more valuable than existence of Srishti which needs to be protected. It is to save that thing.

ParitrāNāya sādhūnām doesn’t translate as “to save good people”. Rather it is very lazy translation. It actually means to save that/them which/who is/are so exalted and sacred that its worth saving at all costs. Even if that cost is pralaya. Or world war. Or systemic reset. All those who died in presence of bhagawaan went to swarga. But all of those who died then were ill-fated (due to their past bad karma) to live in such adhaarmik times where even the queens are disrobed in public and suffer the consequence of that age and times. If such thing can happen to a lady as exalted as Draupadi what must be ordinary women going through? All those who got to see hear touch Krishna in Mathura and Vrindavan must have gotten good gati and it was as a result of some powerful accumulated puNya.

But they had to live under tyrants like Kansa and Jarasandha who sent assassins to murder new born kids en masse. Think of how many murders Putanā committed before meeting her end at hands of Krishna? What about those parents who were fortunate enough to live in presence of bhagwaan.  But unfortunate enough to lose their new born babies? Do you call it a good fortune? 😊 Is it not better if one by one’s sādhana gets a similar good gati, perhaps darshan of that same devatā while living in a dhārmik society. Instead of living in turbulent times invited by our own actions or inactions?

मा ते संगोस्तु अकर्मणिं..... Never indulge in Akarma (dodging one’s duties and responsibility towards dharma).

Friday, March 06, 2020

आनंदवनभुवनी - Ānanda vana bhūvanī - by Samartha Rāmadāsa Swāmī

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.

Ānandavanabhūvanī is one of the most important compositions of Samartha Rāmadāsa Swāmi. He wrote this in his last years on earth. He envisions/dreams/sees a Hindu society and how it should be after Aurangzeb and other Mlechhas are eliminated from this good earth. It is a long poem. It is basically the interpretation or understanding or experience of what and how a Rāmarājya truly is after the bhagavat-vachan of “परित्राणाय साधुनाम् ....... संभावामि युगे युगे” fructifies in a society. It is most interesting to observe that the experience of a rāmarājya by a realised and enlightened Sadguru like Rāmadās swāmi is so different and heart warming than the Ganga-jamuni dhimmi crap peddled by Gandhi et al. Swāmi is openly dreaming of ridding the earth of mlechhas and armies venturing out in all directions etc. This composition gives an excellent view on how a truly Hindu mind uncluttered by Macaulay or Persian domination imagines rāmarājya. 

आनंदवनभूवनी
जन्‍मदु:खें जरा दुखें । नित्‍य दु:खे पुन्‍हा पुन्‍हा । 
संसार त्‍यागणें जाणें । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।१।।
वेधले चीत्त जाणावें । रामवेधी निरंतरी ।
रागे हो वीतरागे हो । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।२।।
संसार वोढितां दु:खे । ज्‍याचे त्‍यासीस ठाऊंकें । 
परंतु येकदा जाणे । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।३।।
न सोसे दु:ख तें होतें । दु:ख शोक परोपरी ।
 येकाकी येकदां जावे । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।४।।
कष्‍टलो कष्‍टलो देंवा । पुरे संसार झाला ।
 देहत्‍यागासी येणें हो । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।५।।
जन्‍म ते सोसिले मोठे । आपाय बहुतांपरीं । 
उपाये धाडिलें देवें । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।६।।
स्‍वप्‍नी जें देखिलें रात्री । तें तें तैसेंची होतसे । 
हिंडता फिरतां गेलों । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।७।।
हे साक्ष देखिली दृष्‍टी । किती कल्‍लोळ उठीले । 
विघ्‍नघ्‍ना प्रार्थिले गेलों । आनंदवनभुवनी ।।८।।
स्‍वधर्म आड जें विघ्‍ने । तें तें सर्वत्र उठीलें । 
लाटिली कुटिली देवें । दापिली कापिले बहु ।।९।।
विघ्‍नाच्‍या उठिल्‍या फौजा । भीम त्‍यावरी लोटला । 
घर्डिलीं र्चिडलीं रागे । रडविले बडविले बळे ।।१०।।
हाकिली टांकिली तेणें । आनंदवनभुवनीं । 
हांक बोंब बहु जाली । पुढें खतल्‍ल मांडिले ।।११।।
खौळले लोक देवाचे । मुख्‍य देवची उठीला । 
कळेना काय रे होतें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१२।।
स्‍वर्गीची लोटली जेथे । रामगंगा महानदी । 
तीर्थासी तुळणा नाहिं । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१३।।
ग्रंथी जे वर्णिले मागे । गुप्‍तगंगा महानदी । 
जळांत रोकडे प्राणी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१४।।
सकळ देवांची साक्षी । गुप्‍त उदंड भूवने । 
सौख्‍य च पावणे जाणे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१५।।
त्रैलोक्‍य चालिलें तेथें । देव गंधर्व मानवी । 
ऋषी मुनी महायोगी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१६।।
आक्रा आक्रा बहु आक्रा । काय आक्रा कळेचिना ।
 गुप्‍त ते गुप्‍त जाणावे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१७।।
त्रैलोक्‍यी चालिला फौजा । सौख्‍य बंदविमोचनें । 
मोहिम मांडली मोठी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।१८।।
सुरेश उठिला आंगे । सुरसेना परोपरीं ।
 वेष्‍टीत कर्कशे यानें । शस्‍त्रपाणी महाबळी ।।१९।।
देव देव बहु देव । नाना देव परोपरीं । 
दाटणी जाहाली मोठी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२०।।
दिग्‍पती चालिले सर्वें । नाना सेंना परोपरीं । 
वेष्‍टीत चालिले सकळै । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२१।।
मंगळे वाजती वाद्यें । माहांगणासमागमे । 
आरंभी चालीला पुढें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२२।।
राशभें राखिलीं मागें । तेणें रागेंची चालिला । 
सर्वत्र पाठीसी फौजा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२३।।
अनेक वाजती वाद्ये । ध्‍वनी कल्‍लोल उठीला । 
छेबींने डोलती ढाला । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२४।।
विजई दीस जो आहे । ते दीसीं सर्व उठती । 
अनर्थ मांडला मोठा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२५।।
देवची तुष्‍टला होता । त्‍याचे भक्तीस भुलला । 
मागुता क्षोभला । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२६।।
कल्‍पांत मांडला मोठा । म्‍लेंछदैत्‍य बुडावया । 
कैपक्ष घेतला देवीं । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२७।।
बुडाले सर्व ही पापी । हिंदुस्‍थान बळावलें । 
अभक्तांचा क्षयो जाला । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२८।।
पूर्वी जे मारिले होतें । ते ची आतां बळावलें । 
कोपला देव देवांचा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।२९।।
त्रैलोक्‍य गांजिले मागें । ठाउकें विवेकी जना । 
कैपक्ष घेतला रामें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३०।।
भीम ची धाडिला देवें । वैभवें धांव घेतलीं । 
लांगूळ चालिले पुढे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३१।।
येथूनी वाढिला धर्म । रमाधर्म समागमें । 
संतोष मांडला मोठा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३२।।
बुडाला औरंग्‍या पापी । म्‍लेंछसंहार जाहाला । 
मोडलीं मांडली क्षेत्रे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३३।।
बुडाले भेदवाही ते । नष्‍ट चांडाळ पातकी । 
ताडिले पाडिले देव । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३४।।
गळाले पळाले मेले । जाले देशधडी पुढे ।
 निर्मळ जाहाली पृथ्‍वी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३५।।
उदंड जाहालें पाणी । स्‍नान संध्‍या करावया ।
 जप तप अनुष्‍ठानें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३६।।
नाना तपे पुन्‍हश्र्चणैं । नाना धर्म परोपरीं । 
गाजली भक्ती हे मोठी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३७।।
लीहीला प्रत्‍ययो आला । मोठा आनंद जाहाला । 
चढता वाढता प्रेमा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३८।।
बंड पाषांड उडालें । शुध आधात्‍म वाढलें । 
राम कर्ता राम भोक्ता । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।३९।।
देवालयें दीपमाळा । रंगमाळा बहुविधा । 
पुजिला देव देवांचा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४०।।
रामवरदायनी माता । गर्द घेउनी उठीली । 
मर्दिले पूर्वीचे पापी । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४१।।
प्रतेक्ष चालिला राया । मूळमाया समागमें । 
नष्‍ट चांडाळ ते खाया आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४२।।
भक्तांसी रक्षिलें मागें । आतां ही रक्षिते पाहा । 
भक्तांसी दीधले सर्वै । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४३।।
आरोग्‍य जाहाली काया । वैभवें सांडिली सीमा । 
सार सर्वस्‍व देवाचें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४४।।
देव सर्वस्‍व भक्तांचा । देव भक्त दुजें नसे । 
संदेह तुटला मोठा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४५।।
देव भक्त येक जाले । मिळाले जीव सर्व हि । 
संतोष पावले तेथें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४६।।
सामर्थे येश कीर्तींची । प्रतापें सांडिली सीमा । 
ब्रीदेंची दीधली सर्वे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४७।।
राम कर्ता राम भोक्ता । रामराज्‍य भुमंडळीं । 
सर्वस्‍व मीच देवाचा । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४८।।
हेंची शोधुनी पाहावें । राहावें निश्‍चळी सदा । 
सार्थक श्रवणें होतें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।४९।।
वेद शास्‍त्र धर्मचर्चा । पुराणें माहात्‍में किती । 
कवित्‍वें नूतनें जीणें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५०।।
गीत संगीत सामर्थ्‍ये । वाद्य कल्‍लोळ उठीला । 
मिळाले सर्व आर्थाथीं । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५१।।
वेद तो मंद जाणवा । सीद्ध आनंदवनभुवनीं । 
आतुळ महिमा तेथें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५२।।
मनासी प्रचीत आली । शब्‍दीं विश्‍वास वाटला । 
कामना पुरती सर्वे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५३।।
येथुनी वांचती सर्वे । ते ते सर्वत्र देखती । 
सामर्थ्‍य काये बोलावें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५४।।
उदंड ठेविलें नामें । आपस्‍तुतीच मांडिली । 
ऐसे हें बोलणें नाहिं । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५५।।
बोलणें वाउगें होतें । चालिणे पाहिजें बरें । 
पुढे घडेल तें खरें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५६।।
स्‍मरलें लिहीलें आहे । बोलता चालता हरी । 
काये होईल पाहावें । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५७।।
महिमा तों वर्णवेना । विशेष बहुतांपरी । 
विद्यापीठ तें आहे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५८।।
सर्वसिद्या कळा विद्या । न भूतो न भविष्‍यति । 
वैराग्‍य जाहालें सर्वे । आनंदवनभुवनीं ।।५९।।