QUES ANSW DIVINE 5-2022-16 Dear friends,
These are informationcompiled as QA by me in 1998’s-2004’s and stored in my computer. They areposted by very learnt members. BEING COMPILATION THERE MAYBE ERRORS. Sincerely, R.Gopalakrishnan, 78, dated 28-05-2022 Q1 Can you tell some informationabout soul in different systems? A1 One of the mystifyingphenomena that has never been conclusively understood is the cycle of births and deaths. Was there something before birth/whether it survives death ? While most Indians believe the existence of such aspirit, views on it vary widely. The earliest reference to theAtman is in RIGVEDA (1.115.1) with a simple notion of cosmic unity. Gradually, the term has beendefined as that which animates, which pervades, which experiences and eternal.The term Brahman is used to indicate the transcendent reality and Atman is usedto for immanent reality (individual). The CHARUVAKA SYSTEM denies theexistence of a permanent soul. JAINISM accepts theexistence of infinite number of eternal souls which could evolve infinitely. BUDDHISM which refuses to acceptthe existence of a permanent soul believes that there is continuity of life. THE NYAYA SYSTEM (and thevaishEshika system largely) believes ininfinite number of atmas which are different from the body, senses or mind.Being an agent of action, it suffers the consequences swayed by raaga, dvEsha,mOha etc., as a result of mithyAjnAna. TattvajnAna, the right knowledge of the reality frees it from the sorrows, sufferings andmiseries. THE SANKHYA SYSTEM acceptsinnumerable number of atmans as Purusha, the eternalpure consciousness which gets bound to samsAra due to its avivEka. With thediscovery of the original state of freedom by vivEkakhyAti (distinguishinghimself from Prakriti) becomes free from pain and suffering. THE MEEMAAMSA SYSTEM alsobelieves in numerous atmans and that atman is eternal and pervades death. Obligatory performance ofactions without expecting results, knowledge of atman and wearing out the accumulated karmas leads tomOksha. VEDANTA SYSTEM has three mainbranches- Advaitha, Vishistaadvaitha and the Dvaitha. According to ADVAITA SCHOOL(Srisankara), Atman is eternal, infinite and is of the nature of superconsciousness. It is Brahman, the absolute itself in the ultimate analysis. Ajnaana (ignorance) of its realnature is responsible for its bondage. Jnaana (knowledge) leads it toliberation. This is regaining the original state and not newly attained.In theoriginal state, there is unalloyed bliss. The VISHISHTAADVAITA says thatAtman(soul) though eternal, is not infinite, but atomic in size. The intrinsicconsciousness in it could contract and expand. Though the atmans are differentfrom Brahman, they are parts of it. Moksha (liberation) is possible throughBhakti(devotion to God).The souls become like God, but not absolutely identicalwith Him. The DVAITA school on thecontrary, says that the innumerable souls are eternal. They are different from God and from oneanother.Thesesouls are of three classes- 1. those that are bound, but maybecome liberated. 2. those that are eternallyconfined to transmigratory existence. and 3. Those that are doomedpermanently to the misery of Hell. Mukti (liberation) is obtained bydevotion to Vishnu, by His grace. It means living in Vaikunta in His presence.Even after liberation, differences among them continue. MOKSHA OR LIBERATION is the ultimate purushaartha (goal of life). The SOOTASAMHITHA describes fourkinds of moksha- SaalOkya(living with God),Saaroopya(Having a similar form as God), Saameepya(Living near God), andSaayujya(Getting united with God). The TAITTAREEYA SAMHITA, AitarEyaBrahmana, Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad and ChaandOgya Upanishad mention these. It is only the Advaita Vedantawhich declares that Man is essentially the Atman, the pure spirit, but has somehow forgotten it and has identifieditself with the body- mind complex. Transmigration (cycle ofbirth-death-rebirth)and the consequential suffering is all because of thisfalse identification and the karmas. There is no discrimination or falsedifferentiation and all are eligible for liberation without consideration ofcaste, creed, religion, sex etc.Advaita thus binds the whole humanity into oneentity. The very informative QA isbased on a posting by Sri "shivashankara rao" [email protected] on Jan 10,2012 Q2 Can you give some informationabout Bodhayana Amavasai? A2 Bodhayana was a great saintwho was the son of Sage Kanva. He has written Grihya Suthras which are followed by many Iyer Brahmins. He belonged to the Krishna YajurVeda.( Older yajurveda taught by Sri Vaisampayana to his nephew Yanjavakya and hevomited) The Amavasya Tharpanam for thosewho follow Bodhayana Sutra has to be done on Bodhayana Amavasya days These can be found as per the rule givenbelow:- If on Chathurdasi day , AmavasyaThithi starts before 12 hours(30 Nazhigai) from Sun rise, then those who followBodhayana Sutra do Tharpana on that day. They also perform Tharpana onChathurdasi day when , the Prathama Thithi next to Amavasya day ends within 12 hoursafter sun rise. These are normally listed in the Panjagams. This is connected to the story ofthe artificial Amavasya created by the coming near of the Sun and the moon when the Sun and Moon sawLord Krishna and Pandavas doing Tharpana before the starting of the Bharathawar , sothat the Kauravas would start the war in an inauspicious time. The Tharpana manthras as perBodhayana Suthra differ from the manthras used by those who follow ApasthambaSutra. Apartfrom Pithrus , thaprpana is also done to acharyas(mentor) , Gurus(Teacher) andSakhees (friends) and their families. I am giving them in English sothat it would be useful to people who live away from their native place and arenot able to read manthras in Sanskrit or in their mother toungue or unable tolocate a Purohith. I have followed the compilation by Sri PaingaNadu Venkatrama Sastri In tamil by Surabhi publications Madras . My gratefulacknowledgements to the learned compiler and the publisher. This is ALSO AVAILABLE IN A SCANNEDBOOK FORM IN Devanagari script inhttp://www.archive.org/details/BodhayanaDharshaTharpanamInDevnagari The QA by is based on a posting by Sri "venkatachalam m"[email protected] on Jan 29,2014 My special note- Such a variationin conducting tharpanam itself on Trayodasi day is is a new information to me.I was thinking only addition of manthras are there. Q3 What is the legend of SaintTolsidas seeing Lord hanuman? A3 This from RAMCHARITMANAS written by the greatgoswami tulsidas ji. His devotion, penance, surrenderance to the SUPREME isindeed an example. My dear friends i want to share one the legends about thisgreat saint who gave us RAMCHARITMANAS, the infinite stream of devotion. Once, Tulsidasji was in kashi(nowbenaras).He used to take bath in Ganga and offer his prayers to lord Ram.One day after his prayers,accidentaly water fell from his hands on an evil spirit ,it was released from acurse and it came to its original form i.e of an angel. He was grateful to Tulsidasji andasked him for a boon. Tulsidas ji who had renounced this world for the sake ofSHRI RAM, had nothing to do with worldly things like money,name and fame etc.sohe asked the Angel to give him an oppurtunity to seeANJANEYA(HANUMAN JI). The angel smiled and said"Oh great saint, an old man comes to u everyday when u sing the glories ofSHRI RAM in the evening. People from different places come to u and so u havenot noticed this ugly old man. He is non other than oue Anjaneya The saint was overjoyed .That day he waited forthat old man to come and he came there. He sat silently in a corner andlistened The glories of Shri Ram. Tulsidasji felt like running to him andclasping his feet but somehow he controlled himself. After everyone had departed ,hefollowed this oldman to the forest. Deep inside the forest, hestopped the old man and fell at his feet and started calling him "ANJANEYA". The oldman tried to dissuadehim saying that he was not " ANJANEYA", But tulsidsji didn't listen.Tears rolleddown his cheeks and then the great hanumanji was moved by his devotion andshowed his original form. Hanumanji pleased with the saint's devotion agreed to grant him a boon. The QA is based on a postingby "cnu pne"[email protected] on Jan29, 2014 Q4 Can you write some informationabout vegetarianism practiced in old India? A4 Fa-hsien has noted that allrespectable people in india were vegetarians during his visit ( early 5thcentury). The consumption of meat wasconfined to low castes. The doctrine of nonviolence which was known during the upanishadic period itself and waselaborated by Jainism and buddhism. Thishad been accepted by the Hindu society in toto and brahmins had become pure vegetarians. But ARTHASHASTRA accepts meateating and lays down rules for slaughter houses. I furnish below some of the authorities toshow that Vegetarianism alone was practiced by our ancestors. This is against the concept that vegetarianism wasthe result of the influence of Jainism and buddhism. It is alleged that during theYajnas, animal sacrifice was made an essential part. Ashvamedha, Gomedha, Ajamedha were supposed to bewith the sacrifice of the concerned animal. Itshould be remembered that ADHVARA is an equivalent word for YAJNA. The meaning of this word is AHIMSAAMAYA. RIGVEDA.1.1.4. says, "agnEyam yajnamadhvaramvishvataha paribhoorasi, sa iddEvEshu gacchati". (The Yajna which isdevoid of Himsaa leads to devinity. or, it will gain respect from scholars). YAJURVEDA:. Yajamaanasya pashoonpaahi.(Yaj.Veda 1.1.)- (safeguard the animals of the yajnakarta). Ashvam maa himseehi(Yaj.Veda13-42). don't trouble horses. Gaam maa himseehi (Y.V-13-43) --do---cows Avim maa himseehi Y V-13-44 ...do... goats imam maa himseerdvipaadam pashum(YV-13-47 ...do...two leggedanimals. Oornaayum maa himseehi (YV-23-50)dont harm sheep etc., There are several other directions of similarnature. ATHARVA VEDA:- anaagO hatyaa vy bheemaa (AV.10.1.29) - (It is a great sin to kill innocent animals). My note -I have read long back, the aboveanimals were used during Yagya but not killed The above QA is based on a Posting by: "shivashankara rao" [email protected] on Dec 27, 2013 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1779270359.3177600.1653720086464%40mail.yahoo.com.
