The term Bharatavarsha is taken to mean the Country of Bharata, Indian Emperor,son of Emperor Dushyanta.
What is the meaning of Bharata?
Bharata means cherish.
Varsha has many meanings.
The meaning used in this context is,
‘
division of the earth as separated off by certain mountain
‘
Dushyanta was the father of emperor Bharata; a verse explanatory of his name is chaunted by the gods; “The mother is only the receptacle; it is the father by whom a son is begotten. Cherish thy son, Dushyanta; treat not Śakuntalá with disrespect. Sons, who are born from the paternal loins, rescue their progenitors from the infernal regions. Thou art the parent of this boy; Śakuntalá has spoken truth.” From the expression ‘cherish,’ Bharaswa, the prince was called Bharata .( Vishnu Purana Chapter XIX)
So the meaning of Bharatavasha is Cherished Land of Bharata.
When one goes through the History of ancient India in detail by checking up various texts in all the languages o India, especially the ancient ones like Sanskrit and Tamil one finds that they corroborate each other.
Tamils, an ancient people of India, though followers of Hinduism have a distinct identity o their own and have influenced the practices of Sanatana Dharma to such an extent that some Vedic practices have been modified by the Rishis and these practices are being followed by the people from the South of Vindhyas.
Kumari Kandam ,The Sunken Continent
The Rishi was Apasthamba and the wearing of Mangal Sutra was introduced from the Tamil Culture to Vedic Marriages.
Through the canards of Aryan Invasion and the myth that Tamils were against Sanskrit and Sanatana Dharma, facts point to the act that each support and corroborate the other.
Please read my articles on these subjects.
While the reference to Lord Subrahmanya as Skanda in Vedas is sketchy the Tamils worship Murugan, name meaning unsurpassed Beauty, was carried to such heights that he is credited with Lord Shiva and Sage Agastya as the founder of the Tamil Language.
His six special temples called Arupadai Veedu, Six houses wich show the correct Path are in Tamil Nadu.
One of these is in Tiruchendur in Tamil Nadu on the eastern coast.
He is reported to have won Sura Padma and killed him from here.
Note that Kumarikandam lies in that area.
‘In the 19th century, a section of the European and American scholars speculated the existence of a submerged continent calledLemuria, to explain geological and other similarities between Africa, India and Madagascar. A section of Tamil revivalists adapted this theory, connecting it to the Pandyan legends of lands lost to the ocean, as described in ancient Tamil and Sanskrit literature. According to these writers, an ancient Tamil civilization existed on Lemuria, before it was lost to the sea in a catastrophe. In the 20th century, the Tamil writers started using the name “Kumari Kandam” to describe this submerged continent. Although the Lemuria theory was later rendered obsolete by the continental drift (plate tectonics) theory, the concept remained popular among the Tamil revivalists of the 20th century. According to them, Kumari Kandam was the place where the first two Tamil literary academies (sangams) were organized during the Pandyan reign. They claimed Kumari Kandam as the cradle of civilization to prove the antiquity of Tamil language and culture.”
Kumari Kandam is detailed in ancient Tamil Literature in detail, including the Cilappadikaram and Manimekalai.
They record that, as the Sangam Literature does, that the Kumarikandam was destroyed by a Tsunami.
Kumarikandam is proved.
Please check my articles on this.
Skanda Purana deals with Lord Subrahmanya’s birth and exploits.
This also mentions Kumrikandam thus.
‘”Within Bhārata-varṣa, there are nine khaṇḍas. They are known as (1) Aindra, (2) Kaśeru, (3) Tāmraparṇa, (4) Gabhastimat, (5) Kumārikā, (6) Nāga, (7) Saumya, (8) Vāruṇa and (9) Gāndharva.”
People from all over the universe, including the seven islands, the nine khaṇḍas, the planets of the demigods, Gandharvaloka and Kinnaraloka, would go there in the forms of human beings.
For an explanation of sapta-dvīpa, see Madhya-līlā, Chapter Twenty, verse 218, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fifth Canto, Chapters Sixteen and Twenty. In the Siddhānta-śiromaṇi, Chapter One (Golādhyāya), in the Bhuvana-kośa section, the nine khaṇḍas are mentioned as follows:
aindraṁ kaśeru sakalaṁ kila tāmraparṇam
anyad gabhastimad ataś ca kumārikākhyam
nāgaṁ ca saumyam iha vāruṇam antya-khaṇḍaṁ
gāndharva-saṁjñam iti bhārata-varṣa-madhye,’
‘Kumari Kandam is described as the kingdom of the Earth in theAndakosappadalam section of Kanda Puranam.’
Aindram a Grammatical work of the early Tamils was destroyed.
This might be from the land mass Aindra.
Tamraparnam might mean the early Tamisl 47 Kingdoms.
River Tamraparni still flows in Thirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu.
This river lowed, in earlier times to further south and joined the sea in Kumarikndam as the now defunct ancient River Pahruli.
The sheer love of God expressed in Hinduism is amazing .
The texts of the Hindus, The Vedas do not advocate Idol worship.
But it is sanctioned as a tool for realizing the Self.
For more on this please refer my Post on Hinduism Has Many Gods, Yes and No.
God is treated as a child, Mother, Father, Friend , Lover….
But in the case of Lord Krishna, whose existence is proved it is different.
He married Rukmini.
Rukmini expressed her Love for Krishna through a Love Letter and this is found in the Bhagavatham.
Author of the Text is Vyasa!
There was a difference of opinion as to whether the letter was in the Bhagavatham.
This was resolved by Krishna from His Temple in Guruvayur!
‘In Bhagavatham, nowhere there is any indication that Rukmini sent a letter to Krishna..She only sent a brahmin as emissary with the above message.
But then there is an interesting story behind the theory that there was a letter. It concerns the celebrated devotee of Guruvayurappan, Poonthanam Nambuthiri. It is heard that Poonthanam, though an ardent devotee of Guruvayurappan, was not a scholar in Sankrit by any standards. However in his great devotion to Guruvayurappan, he used to narrate the story of Bhagavatham in the temple precincts at Guruvayur.. As an innocent remark, Poonthanam once stated during his narration that Rukmini sent a letter with the above message to Krishna through the brahmin. An intolerant brahmin scholar, intent on humiliating Poonthanam in pulic, raised the issue as to where it was written in Bhagavatham that there was a letter.Then there came the voice of Guruvayurappan from His Sreekovil..” Is it said in Bhagavatham that there is no such letter? I know there was a letter because I sent it”This episode is narrated vividly in the Aitihyamala of Kottarathil Sankunni.
(Srimad Bhagavatamahapuranam Dashamaskanadm
Chapter
52–slokas 37 to 43)
( free translation avoiding technicalities to the extent possible) is given below)
Krishna, you are the most attractive person in the whole
universe, and having listened to your glories which enter one’s
thought through the ears and destroys all woes of the body and
mind, and Oh Achyutha, my shameless mind dwells upon you
incapable of being wrenched away from your beautiful form
which is the ultimate thing for anyone to set his eyes upon and
that form bestows on all eternal fortune.
Oh Mukunda, which girl , who has some strength of mind, who
is born of high family , and in at least some way comparable to
you in upbringing, character beauty, education ,age, wealth
and status would not simply woo you by mind, you who looks
like a lion in human form (you were once Narasaimha) and
who is simply enchanting to the minds of all the living beings
in this world.
Therefore, you please accept me who has by my own will
accepted you as my husband in mind and has simply placed my
body and soul at your lotus feet, as you are the granter of all
boons. Now I belong to you. Don’t permit the king of Chedhi
the Sisupala to take possession of me. It will be like a wily
jackal stealing away the royal food earmarked for the
consumption of the Lion.
If it a fact that you, the Lord of the Universe, have been
worshiped by me with full devotion through good deeds like
digging of ponds and lakes, offering to fire, through gifts to
deserving people, through pilgrimages, through offerings to
Brahmins on auspicious occasions, through worship of
Brahmins, gods and preceptors, then you must immediately
reach here and take possession of me through accepting my
hands. My hands should not be dirtied by an evil fellow like
sisupala.
You Krishna the unconquerable, you please come over to
Vidharabha tomorrow itself without being noticed by anyone.
You must annihilate or defeat the Sisupala and his retinue with
your own valour and marry me through the rakshasa method
as a prize for your valour.
If you are wondering how you can enter the palace at Vidarbha
and accept me without causing damage to the lives of my
relatives, I shall inform you the right way. On the eve of the
marriage day there is a big procession to the Durga temple .
Accompanying that procession, me the bride, will be going to
the Parvati temple for worship.
My Krishna, gods like the husband of Uma are eagerly
awaiting to bathe themselves in the dust of your feet so that
their own weaknesses will be removed. If it is my fate that I
am not fortunate to get the protection from such great Krishna, I will kill myself through severe austerities in this life and will be born in hundreds of future lives till I attain your company.
That the Ithihasas are not myths perpetrated to gain political power as in some religions.
Lord Krishna as a Child.
They provide detailed descriptions of people and events that are verifiable with Astronomy, which can not be manipulated by vested interests to suit their ends
On this basis the events reported in the Ramayana and The Mahabharata have been verified and found to be correct.
In the case of Mahabharata , the horoscope of Lord Krishna has two versions.
One is based on The Srimad Bhagavatha Purana ,and the other is by Soordas, possibly based on the Bhagavatha Purana.
Planetary Position during Krishna’s Birth, Srimad Bhgagavatha. Krishna’s Birth Chart | Courtesy Prof.Narahari Achar, Memphis University, USA
There is one more rectified horoscope of Lord Krishna by the famous BV.Raman,astrologer from Bengaluru, India.
The Bhagavatha Purana states thus,
‘Shravana vada ashtami, Rohini Nakshtra, uditam Lagnam’
Krsna was born with all the stars and planets and houses in very very auspicious positions and combinations and specifically mentions the ascention of Aja-nakshatra (“Rohinii”). Several shlokas later, the Saaraartha-darshinii tika of Sripad Vishvanath Chakravarthi Thakur references an older astrological treatise named Kha Manikya (which now seems to have been lost) that gives full detail of Sri Krsna’s birth chart as follows: “The Moon, Mars, Mercury and Saturn were exalted. Taurus ascended. Jupiter was in Pisces. Sun was in Leo, Venus in Libra, Rahu was in Scorpio. It was midnight, on a wednesday, while the Moon was in Rohini.”
The respected astrologer BV Raman rectified a horoscope for Lord Krishna, which can be found in his published work “Notable Horoscopes”. Another version of Krishna’s horoscope in popular use is mentioned in a poem by Soordas, a fifteenth century poet of Bhakti Marg, considered a great saint and renunciate.
In his research Raman proposed that this took place on the 19th July 3228 BCC.
Planetary Positions : Sun 139° 48′,Moon 47° 42′, Mars 91° 6′, Mercury 152° 48′, Jupiter 148° 54′, Venus 102° 54′,Saturn 224° 42′, Rahu 106° 24′, Lagna 50°
Every avatar of Vishnu has the purpose of establishing dharma and displaying his great opulences.
It is impossible to measure the opulences of Krishna, but scriptures state that he is all attractive, all wise, the most beautiful, the richest. In his life it is said Krishna had over 16000 palaces bedecked in jewels, but this is only a minute example of his wealth. He himself says he is the proprietor of all the planets making him the richest of everyone. His opulences are listed as 1)Strength 2) Fame 3)Wealth 4) Knowledge 5)Beauty 6)Renunciation.
Understanding planetary indications for a Divine Incarnation of the Lord is different to that of an ordinary man. Everything about him is fully transcendental and he is the Supreme Enjoyer of Eternal Bliss. That is his unique position.
In Krisna’s chart Taurus rises and the Ascendant is graced by the presence of exalted Moon, in Rohini. Prash Trivedi in his book “The 27 Celestial Portals” states that:-
“Rohini’s extraordinary charm and magnetism is made clear by the fact that Moon, whose duty it is to spend only a certain amount of time with each of the nakshatras in his monthly travel through the zodiac, at one point refused to leave Rohini’s abode”
Rohini, falling in the sign of beauty, Taurus, is the most alluring amongst all the nakshatras. On the Ascendant it gives large and expressive eyes, refined sensual and seductive features and a smiling countenance. Smiling is also a second house affair, and here we see the sign of playfulness and mischievous Gemini on the second cusp,with its lord Mercury exalted in the radiant, cultured and kind constellation of uttara phalguni in the 5th house of love. Uttaraphalguni is a great yet noble trickster and an expert cassanova.
These sign positions of Moon and Mercury are present in the horoscope attributed to Soordas poem and also Raman’s Version.
In Raman’s chart, the aspect of 9th lord Saturn on the Ascendant and Moon may give some strong discipline over the mind and body and great detachment. Saturn’s aspect on the Moon is considered beneficial for renunciation, which may be the case for normal persons.Renunciation is also seen in Raman’s chart with Ascendant lord Venus conjunct 12th lord Mars. One has aligned their will to unite with Divine. In Raman’s chart Mars is debilitated, neechabhanga and vargottama, perhaps according to Raman’s reasoning, inferring a certain effortlessness in the process as Mars is the planet of effort. Mars however being debilitated vargottama is not auspicious, its neechabhanga is weak in the navamsa.
In Soordas’ chart, exalted Saturn conjunct Ascendant lord Venus gives more powerful control over the body, the Ketu’s influence on the Moon can indicate perfection of one’s lunar nature, and a mind that has access beyond the material world and to secrets related to the functioning’s of the universe without the limiting aspect of Saturn. An exalted 12th lord in the 9th in Saturn’s sign can indicate great renunciation as does Ketu’s presence with Ascendant and Moon in the sign of Taurus.
The presence of exalted Moon gives extremely feminine qualities to the appearance, crimson cheeks and coral lips (Rohini being the “reddish one”). Moon is fickle, charming, playful and a great romantic. Rohini is one of the wealthiest of constellations, and here wealth or opulence is not only an aspect of one’s personality and appearance, but the general theme of one’s life. Rohini is a long life constellation and in Raman’s chart, the 8th lord Jupiter is possessing strength in a kendra with moolatrikona Sun,with digbala and vargottama Saturn in the 7th house.
In Soordas’ chart, Moon suffers from Kema druma yoga giving danger in infancy, but the Ascendant lord and Saturn are rendered strong, along with 8th lord Jupiter in own sign.
In Raman’s chart, Rohini, an extremely productive and creative influence in regards to the Moon and the exchange with Venus who occupies Cancer in the constellation of Pushya in the third house gives great artistry to the body, mental and physical prowess, an inquisitive and protective nature. Taurus, Rohini and Pushya relate to cows, Krishna being a cowherd boy and the protector of cows.Pushya is the most beloved and benign of all nakshatras, and has the quality of nourishment or giving unselfishly just as the milk yielding udder of the cow. This sacrificing quality is enhanced with Rahu also being in Pushya (Rahu amplifying the Venusian qualities in the chart) conjunct an effortless acting 12th lord Mars (Mars the planet of effort is debilitated, but neechabhanga) in a constellation of unlimited expansion,Purnavasu.
In Soordas’s chart third lord is also giving great artistry to body, and mental, physical prowess, but with less complexity and more purity than the exchange indicated in Raman’s chart. In addition to the 3rd lord Moon in Rohini, Taurus (protector of cows),Ascendant lord Venus in 6th with 9th and 10th lord Saturn makes one a protector and upholder of dharma in general, Krishna’s main mission.
In Raman’s chart, Venus is closely conjunct friend Rahu giving diplomatic power, and vargottama Mars, giving a vibrant sexual attractiveness and in Raman’s opinion devoid of carnal lust .Raman gives the reason that Mars is far enough from Venus and Rahu, but this seems to be a weak reason. The Sun is very powerful in the chart giving control of the senses.
In Soordas’ chart, diplomatic power is indicated by Venus and Saturn in Libra, planet of lust and vitality Mars is powerful but controlled in Saturn’s sign and is aspected by Ketu (mokshakaraka).
Krishna’s complexion was smoky, dark, sky blue. In Raman’s chart Venus is conjunct smoky bluish hued planet Rahu and blue planet Saturn aspects Ascendant. In Soordas’ chart, Ascendant lord is conjunct Saturn and Rahu aspects Ascendant.
Rahu’s aspect on Ascendant (Soordas’) or its lord (Raman’s) adds a certain magnetism or hypnotic quality to the personality. In Soordas’ chart there is a lot of hypnotic influence in 7th house and Raman’s chart the hypnotic influence is particularly focused in one’s personal environment (3rd house). Having Rahu though conjunct the Ascendant lord in its enemy sign of Cancer in Raman’s chart does not appear auspicious for self clarity.
The nodes are not as powerful in Raman’s chart compared to Soordas.Raman’s sign placement of the nodes are weaker and the dispositors are mixed in strength. As the balance of the entire horoscope rests on the nodal axis, the serpent forces, which Krishna has complete mastery over, so one would expect the nodes to be immaculately positioned in both Rasi and Navamsa. .
Krishna has a more roguish quality in Raman’s chart because of Rahu close to Venus.
Krishna enchanted women, cows and all of nature with his musical flute playing, airy sign Gemini on the 2nd house with exalted Mercury in 5th house and 3rd lord Moon exalted in Rohini.
In one of his pasttimes, He was very pleased one day with peacocks (Mars) dancing ecstatically to his flute, a display of great submission and enchanted surrender by these colourful birds and is always depicted wearing a peacock feather on his head. It might be seen as a metaphor for Krishna’s control over the desire aspect martian aspect of nature.
In Raman’s chart Mars being 12th lord, and clearly powerless in respects to musical Venus and Moon exchange might be Raman’s implication for this.
In Soordas’ chart, Mars is very elevated in its position near the midheaven. Having occult Rahu in Mar’s sign in 7th, points towards a magical relationship with martian elements, Rahu sitting opposite the 3rd lord Moon in Rohini. Debilitated Mars is not required for surrender to happen, because it is already 12th lord.
In Raman’s chart His birth in a prison is seen by the 12th lord Mars being conjunct Ascendant lord and Rahu. In Soordas’ chart, one can see from Moon and ketu that there was danger and occult forces happening around the time of birth.
Upon his birth a miracle happened, the prison doors opened by themselves and all the guards fell asleep (a demonstration of Krishna’s authority over his 12th lord Mars in Raman’s chart, in the sense that Mars has a certain powerlessness). In Soordas’ chart it is really the nodal connection on the Ascendant with Rahu’s dispositor Mars being 12th lord that intimates this potential.
The night of his birth saw heavy floods, and Sheshnag the serpent (nodes) formed an umbrella to save the baby from the rain.This is a very powerful incident, which I can only intuit means a complete awakening of kundalini forces immediately at birth. In Raman’s chart Saturn (a slow acting planet), being disposition of south node, does not seem to support to this occasion.
Those who do not understand or refuse or pretend not to understand that there is no difference between Lord Shiva and Vishnu.
They refuse o read the Vedas or the Purans.
Shiva and Vishnu One Form.T
Some go the extent of saying that , for a Vaishnavite, visiting Shiva’s Temple is equivalent to getting afflicted with Brahmahathi Dosha!
This was sent to me by a Vaishnavite friend of Mine, I am more ofa Vaishnavite in terms of understanding Their sampraday as I am from Srivilliputtur, and sent a detailed reply quoting the Vedas and Purans.
The gentleman who said so, I was informed grinned sheepishly and told my friend,
“Who is going to read all this?’
I am passing on what is being practiced, it is good for us!’
I have recently posted articles on Siva Stuthi by Krishna and Vishnu Stuthi By Shiva.
Let me quote from Srimad Bhagatham, the greatest Puran among all the Purans as it speaks of the Devotees of Lord Vishnu.
It is the greatest among the Purans as the Devotee is Greater that the God.
”
Shiva works for the benefit of everyone, and tries to help the living beings make spiritual advancement. This is why he has his own line of disciplic succession. This is also why he says to thesons of King Pracinibarhi, “Any person who is surrendered to the Supreme Personality of God, Lord Krishna, the controller of everything, is very dear to me.”1
The sons of the King were going to practice austerities to worship Lord Vishnu and while searching for a suitable place happened to find Lord Shiva. His bodily luster was like molten gold, his throat was bluish, he had three eyes, and was accompanied by musicians who were glorifying him. Shiva is the protector of the pious and those of gentle behavior. So he was pleased to speak to the princes the way he did. He continued in this way:
“A person who is directly surrendered to Lord Krishna, or Vishnu, in unalloyed devotional service is immediately promoted to the spiritual planets. I, Lord Shiva, and other demigods attain these planets only after the destruction of the material world. You are all devotees of the Lord, and as such I appreciate that you are as respectable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. I know in this way that the devotees also respect me and that I am dear to them. Thus no one can be as dear to the devotees as I am.”2
In this way, a devotee of Krishna does not disrespect Lord Shiva, but worships him as the greatest of devotees of Lord Krishna. A Krishna bhakta also prays to Lord Shiva, but asks Shiva to assist him in attaining the favor of Lord Krishna, and not merely for material benefits. As we find in the Tulasi Ramayana (Uttara-Kanda, Doha 45), Lord Rama says “With joined palms I lay before you another secret doctrine: without adoring Sankara (Lord Shiva) man cannot attain devotion to Me.” So in this way, Shiva can assist us in attaining devotion to Lord Krishna and His expansions.
After Lord Shiva had spoken to the sons of King Pracinabarhi, he relates a particular mantra for their benefit, which is pure and auspicious for anyone who wants to attain the ultimate goal of life. This mantra is called Shiva’s Song, and consists of verses 33 to 79 of the Twenty-fourth Chapter of the Forth Canto in Srimad-Bhagavatam. He starts his prayer with this verse:
“O Supreme Personality of Godhead, all glories unto You. You are the most exalted of all self-realized souls. Since You are always auspicious for the self-realized, I wish that You be auspicious to me. You are worshipable by virtue of the all perfect instructions You give. You are the Supersoul; therefore I offer my obeisances unto You as the supreme living bring.”
Through the remaining 45 verses of this prayer, Lord Shiva praises the many qualities, characteristics, and powers of the Supreme Being in the form of Lord Krishna. At the end of many years in which the sons of the King, called the Pracetas, repeated this prayer everyday, Lord Vishnu Himself appeared to them. He said, “Those who will offer Me the prayers composed by Lord Shiva, both in the morning and in the evening, will be given benedictions by Me. In this way they can both fulfill their desires and attain good intelligence.”3
Also in the Bhagavatam (4.6.42-53), we can see Lord Shiva’s greatness among the demigods. During the disastrous ritual of Daksha, who displayed great dislike toward Shiva and Shiva’s wife, Durga (Sati) immolated herself in fire. Sati was Daksha’s own daughter and could not tolerate the insults her father made toward her husband, Shiva. So while in meditation she burst into flames. Thereafter, Lord Brahma and the demigods went to pacify Lord Shiva. Brahma consoled Shiva and addressed him as “My dear Lord,” and called him the controller of the entire universe, the combination of mother and father of the universe, and the Supreme Brahman, beyond this creation. Therein we can see that Brahma, the partial creator of the universe, offers praises to Lord Shiva as a superior. This is to appease Lord Shiva, since it is known that his anger can annihilate the universe.
When the ritual was able to continue and Daksha offered the clarified butter with the mantras from the Yajur-veda, Lord Vishnu appeared there in His original form as Narayana. As described in the Bhagavatam (4.7.18-29) as soon as Lord Vishnu appeared, all the demigods, including Lord Brahma, Shiva, the Gandharvas and sages, immediately offered their respectful obeisances. In the presence of Lord Vishnu’s glaring effulgence from His body, everyone else’s luster faded. Everyone offered their prayers to Him. Therein, Lord Shiva addresses Lord Vishnu, “My dear Lord, my mind and consciousness are always fixed on Your lotus feet, which, as the source of all benediction and the fulfillment of all desires, are worshiped by all liberated sages because Your lotus feet are worthy of worship. With my mind fixed on Your lotus feet, I am no longer disturbed by persons who blaspheme me, claiming that my activities are not purified. I do not mind their accusations, and I excuse them out of compassion, just as You exhibit compassion toward all living entities.”
After all the personalities had offered their prayers to Lord Vishnu, He replied to Daksha, “Brahma, Shiva and I are the supreme cause of the material manifestation. I am the Supersoul, the self-effulgent witness. But impersonally there is no difference between Brahma, Lord Shiva and Me. I am the original Personality of Godhead, but in order to create, maintain and annihilate this cosmic manifestation, I act through My material energy, and according to different grades of activity, My representations are equally named. One who is not in proper knowledge thinks that the demigods like Brahma and Shiva are independent, or he even thinks that the living entities are independent. A person with average intelligence does not think the head and other parts of the body to be separate. Similarly, My devotee does not differentiate Vishnu, the all-pervading Personality, from anything or any living entity. One who does not consider Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva or the living entities in general to be separate from the Supreme, and who knows Brahman, actually realizes peace; others do not.” 4
What this indicates is the interdependence of the demigods on Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu is the ultimate cause of the universal creation. Lord Brahma was born out of Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva was born from Lord Brahma. It is the energy that comes from Lord Vishnu, in the form of Lord Brahma and Shiva, that creates and annihilates the universe. Lord Brahma is manifested for the continuation of the creation, while Lord Shiva assists in the annihilation. In this way, they are interconnected and work together like parts of a single body. Yet, they all play distinct and significant roles in the affairs of the cosmos, but are dependent on Lord Vishnu. When we see that all living beings are expansions from the Supreme Lord and His energy, then one can achieve real peace.
In fact, it is said that these sages and devotees who see with such equal vision become worshipable by Lord Shiva, Brahma and Lord Vishnu. Once when Lord Shiva was traveling, he met the great sage Markandeya as he was coming out of his yogic trance. At that time, Markandeya offered prayers to Lord Shiva who blessed the sage and then asked if there were any benedictions that the sage wanted. As described in the Bhagavatam (12.10.19-22) Suta Gosvami said: “Lord Shiva, the foremost demigod and the shelter of the saintly devotees, was satisfied by Markandeya’s praise. Pleased, he smiled and addressed the sage. Lord Shiva said: Please ask me for some benediction, since among all givers of benedictions, we three–Brahma, Vishnu and I–are the best. Seeing us never goes in vain, because simply by seeing us a mortal achieves immortality. The inhabitants and ruling demigods of all planets, along with Lord Brahma, the Supreme Lord Hari and I, glorify, worship and assist those brahmanas who are saintly, always peaceful, free of material attachment, compassionate to all living beings, purely devoted to us, devoid of hatred and endowed with equal vision. These devotees do not differentiate between Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma and me, nor do they differentiate between themselves and other living beings. Therefore, because you are this kind of saintly devotee, we worship you.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.