[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: Question on Geeta
dchakrav@netserv.unmc.edu (Dhruba Chakravarti) wrote:
Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian (rbalasub@ecn.purdue.edu) wrote:
>Dear Ramakrishnanji:
>
>The subject matter in the 10th chapter has nothing to do with either
>itihAsa or PurAna. God is simply describing his main vibhutis. In
I think I may not have expressed clearly what I wanted to say. I was just
trying to say that there is no use comparing modern science with the puraaNas
and itihaasas because the ancient Indians were more interested in realizing the
truth rather than giving a "scientific" explanation of the universe. As far as
this Vibhuti thing goes I will have to disagree. Krishna is merely pointing out
various classes - stars, devas, rishis etc and saying that he is the "best" in
those classes ex., moon among stars etc. The message is that He alone is the
greatest, IMHO.
>the 11th chapter, He shows the vibhuti to Arjuna. vibhuti is part of His
>creation. In creation, He appears discontinuous, segmented, a little
>hint here and a little hint there. But a samadarshi does not see the
>vibhutis to be discontinuous. Sri Krishna talked about His principal
>vibhutis in the 10th chapter, but then He said, Arjuna, do not see Me in
>such segmented way, see Me as I am (10.42).
>
>In bhR^igu-varuana saMvada (Taittiriya Upanishad), bhR^igu experienced
the presence of God in such vibhutis, except, he looked at the elements
>of creation. Sri Krishna described to Arjuna some of the objects of
>creation, and that is the only difference.
I'll have to disagree with you on the your interpretation of bhR^iguvalli of
the taittirIya upanishad. The Upanishad starts off with bhR^igu going to his
father varuNa and asking him to teach him about brahma and he tells him to go
and do tapas. BhR^igu first thinks brahma is annaM and goes back. VaruNa again
asks him to go and do tapas. Then he successively thinks brahma is praNa, mana
and viGYaana. VaruNa again tells him to do tapas each time. This is the subtle
way of saying that bhR^igu has not realized the truth yet. Finally bhR^igu
realizes "aanando brahme tivyajaanat.h" etc. In other words brahma is pure
bliss and nothing else. After this bhR^igu does not go back to varuNa - the
message is obvious. He has attained realization.
Finally, we have "haa vuhaa vuhaa vu, ahamanna mahamanna mahamannam.h". This
means "Surprise, Surprise, I am the food, I am the food, I am the food". It
proceeds to say that the bliss produced by the food and the eater are both him.
When this upanishad is told with the CORRECT svara, this message is brought
about even more clearly. It has nothing to do with vibhutis and so on.
Ramakrishnan.
--
Salvation is the realisation of one's true self and the resulting bliss.
Shiva Purana I.13.66
http://yake.ecn.purdue.edu/~rbalasub/
