Mooqool, Rajen and Symanta, Thanks for the synopses and commentary. Will be very helpful for me as an orientation while I attempt to read Anjan's remarkable output. I say 'attempt', because I know it will be very challenging for me to deal with issues as complex as are being dealt with. But with your help I hope to be able to navigate my way into what probably is a tour-de-force of the immensely creative and complex intellects of our ancestors, who attempted to sort out the meaning of our existence.
At 12:59 PM -0500 11/8/03, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" >Content-Language: en > >Dear Sondon, > >I have come across the following write up on the book. > > > >The Myth of Manasa --- The Serpent Queen >by Anjan K. Nath, Ph.D. > > > > > > >The concept of a force that binds atoms in molecules, molecules in an >element, elements in a body, and bodies in the universe as a great >serpent-like power has been a universal psychological belief amongst the >intelligentsia of the human race from very early times. In some of the >mythologies where this concept has been propounded it has been given >attributes of a positive or male energy, while some others have held that >it is a negative or feminine phenomenon. And worship of this snake-energy >was common amongst peoples in different parts of the world, sometimes as a >divine deity, sometimes as the creative principle, and sometimes as an >ancestral totem of a clan or tribe. >Kundalini or Serpent Energy The worship of the snake-energy (often >referred to as the kundalini ) was prevalent amongst the Vedic Aryans and >the sect practicing this form of worship were known as the Sarpas and the >Nagas, and their philosophy of belief known as the Sarpa-Veda. Several >seers of the Sarpa community composed vedic hymns and the esoteric aspect >of this cult was practiced by them even in the usual course of their >rituals. The worship of the Naga or the serpent-power in models of >physical snakes is still prevalent in different parts of India as in >pre-historic times, but more so in Bengal and Assam, where she is >worshiped as a goddess named Manasa. A puranic story has evolved around >her and lyrics in the local languages are sung with great devotion on the >occasion of her puja (religious festival). A school of thought holds that >the worship of the snake-power is of non-Aryan descent and generally >believed to be of tribal origin or that it has been influenced by >Dravidian culture; it being argued that the very word Manasa is >etymologically derived from the Dravidian word, moncha, meaning snake. >However, it is seen that the concept of the snake-power is profusely >illustrated in the Rig-Veda and several of the Brahmanas. And the >prevalence of the "Manasa Song" as a process of realization of the >ultimate esoteric goal has also been described in Vedic literature. The >personalities mentioned in the lyrics, connected with the activities of >Manasa, are really personifications of the various processes for such >realization. >It further appears that several of the hymns in the Rig-Veda and the >Atharva-Veda have dealt with the riddles of creation of the universe in a >scientific manner which has much in correspondence to modern scientific >theories. The technical terms used by the Vedic seers, however, were with >reference to familiar objects. These scientific theories were gradually >transformed into spiritual concepts and eventually into gods and goddesses >in the image of human beings, with the result that their scientific values >have been obscured. >Creation With regard to the origin of creation, the Vedic seer says that >the creative energy in the pre-creation stage is tranquil, non-vibrant, >and non-expansive. This form of existence without any expression is called >a Bindu, i.e., a point. The inherent attribute in this Bindu is Manas, a >tendency to emit that which is congealed (dormant or potential), and from >this Manas, owing to conserved heat of its own, emanates Kama or desire >which again is evolved as a vibration. The vibration begins with a >pyramidal cone-like upsurge which is forced up by the internal heat >together with the forces of Manas and Kama, following which there is an >eruption through the apex of the cone. Along with this burst evolve, >sound, a flash of light, and energy which spread out in waves in regulated >courses giving rise to ingredients for the creation of diverse elements in >physical life. >The pyramidal cone, according to the Vedic seer, takes the form of a Gour >or cow, owing perhaps, to his familiarity with the gorging bellows of this >animal. He then designates sound, speech, knowledge etc., by the same >term, Gau, and the forces contained in them as Go-mukhi or that which >emanates from the mouth of the cow. The waves produced as a result of the >eruption have been shown as the calves of the cow who draw milk from the >head of the cow with their feet. The seers��� concept of the three aspects >of the forces acting within the released energy, viz., tranquil, >involutionary, and evolutionary have been described as three brothers. >However, considering the other aspects as being creative, sustaining, and >limiting or destructive, they have been termed Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra >respectively, i.e., electron, proton, and neutron as redefined in modern >scientific terminology. >Theoretically, a sound produced in a place is at once detectable in a >remote part of the world by radio receivers. This means that the energy >which initially produces the sound is also extant in the received sound. >Science explains this phenomenon by assuming that sound travels in >ethereal waves. The Vedic seers��� explanation is that the Manas or mind >is the root cause and from which emanates desire. This gives rise to the >vibration and the energy thus evolved causes waves in the ether produced >out of it. In other words, the Manas has traveled with an energy and all >its aspects, namely, Manas, desire, vibration, and energy have traveled to >the distant place and all together have been detected there. The sound, >otherwise, cannot be detected. It is, therefore, really the Manas that >travels with her inherent energy and she is hence called Manasa, capable >of being simultaneously present at the origin as well as in any part of >the universe. The same theory applies to all creations in the universe. It >is the Manasa energy which is immanent simultaneously in the minutest dust >particle as well as in the core of the nucleus out of which this universe >has evolved. There is, therefore, absolutely no difference between a >stone, a tree, a dog, a man, and God or Creator so far as the vital energy >is concerned. >The Human Body as Microcosm This theory of the physical sciences was >extended to include the human body also, for the Vedic seer considered the >human body to be a microcosm of the universe where the various functions >of nuclear energy with fissions, fusions, chain-reactions, and genesis are >constantly going on. This concept gave rise to the Yoga cult and Yogic >spiritualism---they being the direct offshoots of the physical sciences. >In order to popularize the science, various substances of the practical >physical world were used as similars. It was first conceived that the >creative energy enters the frames of creatures by piercing and lodging >itself in them thereby imbuing the latter with all tis attributes, just as >an arrow (Bana) pierces a body. From this analogy, he was called Bhaga, >and then Bhaga-Bana; the person who was believed to have been imbued >profusely with the piercer���s attributes was also called a Bhaga-Bana and >revered as a personal god. >It was next considered to be like a column (stambha) that pierces through >the universe including all that exists. The column is vertical and >protruding beyond the apparent universe on both ends. It is a limitless >coulmn. >The sound-controlling energy was considered to be the supreme creative >energy. Its transcendent aspect was called Siva and the dynamic aspect, >Rudra, both being adorned with serpent-energies. He was identified with >Bhaga and the column and was also considered to be piercing and pervading >the whole universe, just like the ethereal wave column known to modern >science. As a practical symbol of this wave column theory, a round stone >pillar piercing a circular block and protruding both ways was put up >before the lay people as a practical model. This came to be known as the >Shiva-Lingam, now wrongly construed by scholars as an emblem of phallic >worship of aboriginal origin. >The universe is believed to be built up in spheres and a sphere is called >a lotus (padma) or a wheel (chakra). Siva, with his Rudra aspect, has been >honored as a god even in the Vedas, and when he was identified with the >Bindu or nucleus, the universe was construed to have evolved out of the >fall-out of the emanation from him. This has been explained by saying that >Siva���s sperm was ejaculated on a lotus which in turn percolated through >its stalk and travelled to the nether world, i.e., to the lowest end of >the universe, and lodged itself in naother lotus where it was held by a >snake-power. It then evolved as Manasa, the Serpent Queen. >As noted earlier, the Vedic seer considers the human body to be an exact >replica of the universe. He, therefore, can look deeper into the physical >aspects of the primordial energy and relate its behavior to his own body. >Manas, the inherent attribute of the nuclear energy is his mind while Kama >or desire, is his desire or intuition. The vibration attended with the >force and the sound are the beatings of his heart. Placement of the Manas >with the creative energy in his body is a coiled serpent-power known as >the kundalini. His self is in direct communication with the sun, the moon, >and the primordial nucleus through an axial core of his vertebral column >which is linked with the fontanelle in the vortex of his skull, and which >in turn is in touch with the universe. >The Vedic seer realizes that when the first vibration starts, there is the >sound, the flash, and the thrill. The flash is a woman and the sound a man >while the thrill is their love. It is due to this love that they unite. >When, however, the sound is exposed, i.e., audible, the flash appears and >vanishes like lightning; both suffer the pangs of separation and yearn for >re-union. The same flash is extant in every aspect of creation, for, every >atom that constitutes a body is nothing but a conglomeration of >vibrations. The sound is not a distinct sound, but lying dormant in the >core (pura) and is a male. Just as there are the positive and negative >aspects of every substance, so also a substance exists with the attribute >of self-expression only when the flash and the sound principles or Urvasi >and Puru-Rava, or Radha and Krishna are in union. In physical creation, >however, they remain in such a way that one neither recognizes the other >nor its own self. >Love and Union The flash and the sound are scattered all over the universe >though in constant union and love. The greatest and the most thrilling >union and love, however, are those of the preparatory stage of the >primordial vibration when both the flash and the sound are about to be >evolved. If a physical simile is to be cited to explain this, it is >comparable only to the experience of the moment just prior to orgasm in >sexual union between a male and female. >The Vedic seer explains the phenomenon of the preparatory stage of the >evolution of the sound and the flash at the beginning of creation as an >amorous union between Puru-Rava, a king, and Urvasi, a dancing nymph. The >same is expressed in later times as the love and amorous union between >Anirudha and Usha, Satyavana and Savitri, Krishna and Radha, and lastly, >between Lakshindara and Behula. According to the Yoga cult and its >spiritual philosophy, the same has been expressed as the union of the >Vikshipta or non-restrainable aspect of the mind with philosophic vision. >The question then arises as to how to arrive at the primordial thrill? The >problem of who is to take the initiative? Puru-Rava or Urvasi, Krishna or >Radha, Lakshindara or Behula, in other words, sound or flash, mind or >philosophic vision? It has been found by the experience of the Vedic seer >that if sound is active first, the flash appears but plays the flirt and >vanishes like lightning leaving the sound to moan and run after her all >over the universe as is noticed in the case of the lightning and the >thunder developed in the clouds. If, however, the sound can attain an >absolute non-vibrant state, the flash will have nothing to play with or >rest by and simply pine as it were and herself seek shelter in the lap of >the sound coaxing him to vibrate. This is to say that Radha will run to >Krishna to dally with him, Savitri will run to Yama to revive Satyavana, >and Behula, alias Usha, will undertake the arduous journey to God���s >abode to have Lakshindara brought back to life. >Every human being has two sources, namely, the sun and the moon, from >which to draw energy and vitality respectively. The moon is Chandra and >the male sperm is also known as "chandra". As models of the heavenly >bodies, he has abodes of these planets in his brain or the upland city >Ujaninagara, i.e., he is Chandradhara. Normally, his reality is shrouded >in the spirals through which the pure energy passes and he becomes a petty >barterer, busy trading with his fourteen organs (including the four mental >aspects) and seven dhatus. This leads him to ruin, though his true self is >beyond decay and death, having been evolved out of Manasa. He, however, >does not recognize this unless his Anirudha mind becomes non-vibrant, >i.e., killed, and the philosophic vision, Usha, takes him to the divine >sphere. >The Manasa cult is one of the most ancient of the Vedic cults, having as >its basis the fundamentals of nuclear science. The different branches of >Indian philosophy are more or less its off-shoots with the Yoga sect being >at the forefront in the practice and promulgation of the esoteric art of >harnessing the serpent- power, kundalini, towards realization of the >philosophic vision that is necessary for attaining the divine sphere. > > > > > >The analysis on the above chapters is indeed thought provoking. If you >have not read the piece, I trust you will find it useful. > > > > >Regards and best wishes. > >Yours, > >Mooqool > > > >_______________________________________________ >Assam mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > >To unsubscribe or change options: >http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam To unsubscribe or change options: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
