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Re: Multiple Brahman?
Hi Dhrubaji,
Dhruba Chakravarti (dchakrav@netserv.unmc.edu) wrote:
: Brian J Panks (bpanks@mail2.sas.upenn.edu) wrote:
:
: : It has been repeated ad infinitum that "there is no difference
: : between the Atman and the Brahman". I was pondering samskara at one
: : point and raised the question, "Is it possible to have simultaneous
: : reincarnations."
:
: There are two issues that you are addressing together here.
: Manifestation (vibhuti) and incarnation (avatAra). The universe and
: everything/everybody in it is manifestation. But avatara is described
: as the God in flesh (brahmano hi pratisThA ahaM; SBG 14.27). The two are
: not the same. In vibhutis, God is present as unmanifest (SBG 9.4), but
: in incarnations God is present in His Eternal nature (parama-bhAva; SBG
: 9.11). vibhutis are innumerable (SBG 10.19), and are simultaneouly
: present but, as it has been so far, only in one body at a time as an
: incarnation, nevetheless innumerable in number over the vast time that
: creation has existed (avatAraM asaMkhyAyAM, Srimad Bhagavad). Jesus
: Christ too said the same thing, "While I am in the world, I am the light"
: (sorry I do not remember in which book of the New Testament). Incarnations
: are one at a time, and the time is chosen by God as he said, "whenever there
: is the rise of irreligion..." (SBG 4.7-8).
Then, how do we explain, Balarama and Sri Krishna, both are
avatars of Vishnu and lived at the same time.
Parasuraman and Sri Raman, are also avatars, but lived at the
same time. I wonder, these are only a few examples that we
know of from the purana, but could be many more that we are
not aware. Often, avatars are not known unless they reveal
themselves. As the God is almighty, I would think that He
could manifest as avatars in many places, in many bodies at
the same time.
:
: : There are scriptures describing yogis who have transferred their soul to
: : other bodies in order to learn something, so there is evidence that such
: : a thing is theoretically possible. People have always held to the belief
: : that a reincarnation must be limited to something further along linear time
: : than their death. However, if one accepts either a circular nature of time,
There are cases of a soul occupying another body. Sri Sankaracharya
was in the body of a king for about eight months to learn about
family life and answer the questions of Ubhaya Bharati, wife of
Mandana Misra.
:
: You are talking about rebirth of individual soul here. Time is circular
: only from the perspective of the individual soul, not in the ultimate
: measure. Rebirth cycles of individual soul is temporarily terminated at
: the 'end of time', that is, at the end of brahmA's (or Hiranyagarbha's
: day) (SBG 8.18). However, when the corresponding night-time of brahmA
: ends, the same souls are reborn again (SBG 8.19).
Does it mean that there is no Moksha in the absolute sense? Is
the moksha only for a kalpa? Does it mean that the cycle by itself
repeats again and again in a pre-ordained manner?
regards,
Santhosh
