Ramanisblog

Tag: Brahman

  • No Sub Caste Among Brahmins Shrotriya Agnohotry,Vedas

    I received a comment on sub caste among Brahmins thus.

    ‘Dear Sir

                 I have read few of your blogs and i must say that I like all of the blogs I read, sir I have a query in the category of Hinduism my question is what is the difference between a Shrotriya Brahmin and a Agnihotri Brahmin ? Total how many categories of Brahmin are there? I don’t get my answers anywhere can you clear my queries, I hope you can definitely able to answer my questions. once again I like to congratulate you for your hard work and writings and the information you provide to the youth is very useful Happy Diwali to you and your family
    Thanks
    Amarnath Chakravartty ‘
    hell-yeah-i-am-a-brahmin-and-we-keep-calm
    My reply.

    Vedas, the sacred texts of the Hindus  speak of Reality and the ways to realize It.

    This Reality can be realized either by performing Rituals or through the Mind through the process of discrimination.

    So the Vedas have two portions,

    The Karma Kanda which describes the Rituals to be performed while the Gnana Kanda approaches the Reality from the Intellectual point.

    Karma Kanda must have its base in Gnana Kanda.

    Blindly following Karma Kanda will not yield results.

    The Brahmana portions of the Vedas deal with mainly Karma kanda , describing the duties to be performed by a Brahmachari, the Celibate, Gruhastha, the Married,Vanaprastha, the semi retired and Sanayasi who has renounced everything.

    These are the four stages of Life envisioned by the Vedas.

    The Upanishad portion of the Vedas speak of Reality as a principle ad it forms the Gnana kanda of the Vedas.

    There is no question of any division among the people as the Vedas are meant for  Humanity.

    The classification in society comes in based on the Realization of Brahman, the Reality.

    Those who realized it were called Brahmanas.

    Then , based o the disposition of the individual, duties were assigned.

    ‘

    the Society was organised on the basis of dispositions and tendencies, both genetic and shaped by the environment.

    Basically , on the basis of the three Gunas and their interplay,Sathva, Raja and Tamas, three tendencies and dispositions were noted.

    The calm, knowledgeable and ascetic and selfless-Sathva

    Active’ Go-getters, protectors, emotional and Compassionate at the same time-Rajas.

    Dull, Mentally not sharp,lacking in initiative, can do a job assigned,Indifferent, bordering on Amoral,Tamas.

    All the three qualities are present in every man and these keep on changing in the individual every minute and one has to strive to keep the right balance.

    Based on the predominant disposition observed for a reasonable period of Time the Society was grouped as under.

    The Brahmanas.

    The real word denotes’ one who has realized Brahman, The Reality”

    Later this was used to denote a group that practiced Compassion, selfless service and was knowledgeable.

    They were entrusted with the responsibility of teaching the Community of Value systems and pray for All.

    They were not paid.

    The Society took care of them in kind, grains. cloth,shelter, land by the Kings.

    Those who have these characteristics are Brahmanas , not every one who calls him self a Brahmana..

    Brahmins were not expected to save, nor hod properties of their own,.

    This sloka tells us who a Brahmin is.

    ”

    “ADHYAAPANAM ADHYAYANAM
    YAJANAM YAAJANAM TATHAA
    DAANAM PRATIGRAHAM CHAIVA
    BRAHMANAANAAMAKALPAYAAT”

    Adyayanam-Pracctice of reciting the Vedas, with meaning.

    Adhyaapnan-Teaching of the Vedas along with the Astras(scientific Arms) and Satras(Ordinary weapons of war)

    Yajanam-performance of the Yagnas and Yagas.’

    Who is a Brahmin

    As society evolved, people belonging to one group took on the duties of the other group as well.

    And there were also marriages between these groups.

    So, the duties underwent a change, though the original classification based on disposition holds good.

    Caste is by disposition and not by birth.

    We have Viswamitra, a Kshatriya King being elevated to the status of a Brahma Rishi .

    And he gave the most sacred mantra of Hinduism, the Gayatri Mantra.

    And at the other end we have Sags like Vasista performing the duties of a advisory to Kings, Ikshvaku dynasty.

    We have Dronacharya and Krupa taking up arms in the Mahabharata..

    Over a period of time the different groups started mentioning their geographical locations to identify the group,like the Maithili Brahmins , indicating that they are from Mithila.

    We have Vadamas among Iyers in Tamil Nadu indicating that they are from the Northern banks of River Cauvery, like Saraswat Brahmins who hailed from River Sarasvathi’s Banks.

    W have people using their main occupations, even among Brahmans,like Upadhyaya, who concentrated on performing the rituals for others, though it the duty of every Brahmin.

    We have Agnihotris who perform the Agnihotra daily, which is the daily duty  of every Brahmin.

    The geographical and other identifying marks among Brahmins came later.

    And there is no differentiation among those who worship Shiva and Vishnu, like Saivaites and Sri Vaishnavas.

    This differentiation does not have the sanction of the Vedas.

    Similar to these is the difference is the one between Shodriya Bramins and Agnihotri Brahmins.

    Those who learn the Sruthi, the Vedas are called Srodhriya, by listening.

    Vedas are to be learnt only by listening and not by writing and reading.

    Srothram Karnebhi Srunuyaama Deva-Rig Veda.

    So there is no difference among Brahmins or no sub caste according to Vedas.

    • for the later classification among Brahmins , please read my article on Brahmin surnames.

    ‘Darbhanga Raj, also known as Raj Darbhanga and the Royal Family of Darbhanga, were a family of Zamindars and rulers of territories that are now part of Mithila and Darbhanga district, Bihar, India. Their seat was at the city of Darbhanga. The estate of Darbhanga Raj was estimated to cover an area of 2,410 square miles (6,200 km2), incorporating 4,495 villages within 18 circles in Bihar and Bengal and employing over 7,500 officers to manage the estate. The Raj Darbhanga trace their origin to maithil Brahmin at the beginning of the sixteenth century…

    North Bihar was under a state of lawlessness at the end of the empire of the Tughlaq dynasty. Tughlaq had attacked and taken control of Bihar, and from the end of the Tughlaq Empire until the establishment of the Mughal Empire in 1526 there was anarchy and chaos in Bihar. Emperor Akbar (ruled 1556–1605) realised that taxes from Mithila could only be collected if there was a king who could ensure peace in the Mithila region. The Brahmins were dominant in the Mithila region and Mithila had Brahmin kings in the past.

    Maharajah Sir Lakhmishwar Singh, G.C.I.E., of Darbhanga, who was only in his forty-third year at the time of his death in 1898, was in every sense the best type of the Indian nobleman and landlord. He was the leading zamindar in Bihar, where he owned no less than 2,152 square miles with a net yearly rental of 3 million rupees, and was the recognized head of the orthodox Hindu community. His philanthropy and his munificent contributions to all public movement won him the esteem of all classes and creeds. He took an active part in public life and enjoyed a high reputation as a progressive and liberal-minded statesman. With but slight interruptions he was a member of the Supreme Legislative Council from the year 1883 until his death, and latterly he sat in that body as the elected representative of the non-official members of the Bengal Council. “Few Asiatics have combined more successfully in themselves the apparently incompatible characteristics of East and West.[1]

    H. E. A. Cotton

    Emperor Akbar summoned Rajpandit Chandrapati Thakur to Delhi from Garh Mangala (now in Madhya Pradesh) and asked him to name one of his sons who could be made caretaker and tax collector for his lands in Mithila. Chandrapati Thakur named his middle son, Mahesh Thakur, and Emperor Akbar declared Mahesh Thakur as the caretaker of Mithila on the day of Ram Navami in 1577 AD. A poet has written about this event:

    अति पवित्र मंगल करण रामजन्म के दिन, अकबर तुषित महेशको त्रिहूत राजा कौन?

    नवग्रह वेद वसुंधरा शकमें अकबर शाह, पंडित सुबुद्ध महेशको किन्हो मिथिला राज।
    (A very good omen has happened on the day of Ram Navami. Akbar asked Mahesh, “Who is King of Tirhut?” [Mahesh replied]: “Nine Planets, Vedas, and Mother Nature.” Hearing this, Akbar made the wise Pandit Mahesh King of Mithila.)

    References and citations .

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raj_Darbhanga#Maithil_Brahmins

  • Brahman Upasna in Sri Rudram

    Vedic texts speak of Reality, the underlying and immanent Principle as with out Name and Form.
    This aspect of Reality is called Nirguna Brahman, Devoid of Attributes.
    However as Reality is something to be realised, the Vedic people understood the difficulty of realising an Attribute- less Reality.

    image

    A Reality that can not be realised is a mere academic exercise.
    As Hinduism addresses the issue of Life and Death in a practical way, it does not stop with mere abstractions, though it may appear so.
    If Reality has to be known it can be through two sources.
    One is by Knowing  ( mind) and another is by
    Experiencing.
    Knowing belongs to mind while experiencing is of the realm of the Heart (heart)
    Realising Brahman through Experience is through the Bhakti Yoga, Path of Devotion.
    This calls for total surrender to God.
    But human mind being what it is , is never satisfied with following something without knowing it to be true.
    This, knowing well that knowledge is relative and not entirely dependable.
    So human mind seeks confirmation by the Mind.
    Mind, to understand some concepts needs some thing to concentrate upon for mind can not concentrate and operate in a vacuum.
    So two aspects of Reality  are explained in the Vedas.
    One, the Nirguna Brahman without Attributes and another Saguna Brahman with Attributes.
    This Saguna Aaradhana or worship ls worship of Gods be personifying them with Human Attributes in Perfection.
    Therefore Nirguna and Saguna Brahman worship are recimmended to suit individual dispoilsitions.
    One would find, in Hindu prayers, complete exposition of attributes to one God in Saguna Form of Worship.
    In some prayers the Nirguna Brahman is worshiped that is ‘without Attributes’
    But there are some Mahamantras which contain both Saguna and Nirguna worship.
    For example, the Lalitha Sahasranama has both Saguna and Nirguna worship.
    In the Vedic texts one finds this format in Sri Rudram addressed to Rudra, an aspect of Siva.
    Contrary to what many think the SriRudram also addresses the Nirguna Brahman.
    This is the reason why it is called as a Mahamantra.
    In Sri Rudram the Universal Reality is invoked.
    In later parts the Saguna asoect is worshiped.
    As Sri Rudram contains both forms of worship, it is chanted while performing Abhisheka, bathing the Deity,irrespective of the Deity.
    It may be Ganesa  , Subrahmanya  or  Devi.
    Strictly speaking Vishnu Abhishaka is to be done with Sri Rudra aling with Purusha suktha, Narayana, Vishnu, Sri and Durga Suktha.
    Some Vishnu temples avoid SriRudram.
    All Abhisheka must be performed with the Five Sukthas and Sri Rudram.
    Here below is an excerpt from Sri Rudran that addresses the Universal Reality.
    ‘ Original text (TS iv.5.5) 5th Anuvaka

    namo bhavāya cha rudrāya cha
    namaḥ śarvāya cha paśupataye cha
    namo nīlagrīvāya cha śitikaṇṭhāya cha
    namaḥ kapardine cha vyuptakeshāya cha
    namaḥ sahasrākṣāya cha śatadhanvane cha
    namo girīśāya cha śipiviṣṭāya cha

    English Translation:

    Prostration to the one who is the most dear (pleasant), to the one who is the most dreaded terroriser (frightening).
    Prostration to the one who kills living beings with arrows, to the Lord (benefactor) of all living beings.
    Prostration to the blue-necked one (disfigured (discoloured) naturally), to the one with whitened throat (throat smeared with Bhasma (ash); disfigured (discoloured) artificially).
    Prostration to the wearer of matted tangled locks of hair, to him of shaven beard.
    Prostration to him of a thousand eyes (view from one point to everywhere), to him who has the capability of hundred bowmen (view from everywhere to one point – concentration of the view from all directions.

    * I began this article with the intention of writing on the benefits of Rudram and why Rudram is a Maha Mantra, on the request of a Reader but ended up with this article.
    Shall write on Benefits of Rudram shortly.

  • Shankaracharya Misinterpret Vedas Misled, Shiva In Padma Purana?

    Shankaracharya Misinterpret Vedas Misled, Shiva In Padma Purana?

    Not for nothing Dr. Radhakrishnan, former President of India and a Philosopher said that ,

    ‘Indian Philosophy is not a view of Life, but a Way of Life’.

    It is one thing to read,study the Vedas and other Hindu Texts but it is another proposition to understand its soul and ethos.

    Mere Intellectual or Bhakthi approach would not help one to understand the spirit of Hinduism.

    Hinduism should be lived and practiced for years  to understand it in its multifarious aspects.

    Mere abstraction would remain just that, an intellectual Narcissism..

    Mere Bhakthi, or total surrender to God , though highly recommended, is likely to lead one into disappointment as this path is, though seems easy to say, is the toughest to practice.

    One must understand that Hinduism is a personal Religion in the sense that one can practice it the way it suits him, so long it is in conformity with the Vedas.

    As individuals are numerous, so are their mental attitudes.

    Hence Hinduism provides four paths to follow so that people of different mindsets can follow Spirituality.

    They are,

    Karma Yoga, Path of Action,

    Gnana Yoga, Path of Knowledge,

    Raja Yoga, Path of Mental and Physical Discipline and

    Bhakthi Yoga, the Path of total surrender.

    The fact that one is emphasized in the Vedas and other Hindu texts, when they speak of a particular path, does not mean that the other Paths are inferior.

    They are spoken this way so as to instill in the mind the conviction to follow the path that appeals to them and such sayings reinforces the attitude.

    The same logic applies to Nirguna Brahman,Reality without Attributes and Saguna Brahman,Reality with Attributes.

    (for details  please read my article God with names and forms Yes and No)

    This one can understand from the Vedas, Puranas, Ithihasas and the Slokas /Mantras.

    One would, in the same breath, the Vedas talk about Nirguna Brahman and Saguna Brahman.

    One would find the Reality being described as a principle, Nirguna, in the Mahavakyas thus,

    1. prajñānam brahma – “Prajña is Brahman” or “Brahman is Prajña”(Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda)
    2. ayam ātmā brahma – “This Self (Atman) is Brahman” (Mandukya Upanishad 1.2 of the Atharva Veda)
    3. tat tvam asi – “Thou art That” (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 of the Sama Veda)
    4. aham brahmāsmi – “I am Brahman”, or “I am Divine” (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 of the Yajur Veda)

    Then you find in the Narayana Suktha.

    Narayanam mahagyem Viswaathmaanam Parayanam,

    Vishnu Suktha,

    Vishnornukam veeryani pravosam..

    or the Sri Rudram,

    nama sivaya cha, Sivadharaaya Cha,

    where the Individual deities are  praised.

    or look a the Lalitha Sahasranama, where a portion is allotted for worshiping the Devi as Nirguna, the chapter being Nirguna Upasna and another Saguna Upasna where personal deity is worshiped.

    So both options are provided.

    Reading one and discarding the other is not compatible with the Vedas.

    Quoting Vedas in isolation lands one into situations and interpretations that run counter to Vedas themselves, as it has happened in the case of the Mimamsa.

    The Karma Kanda, the portion of the Vedas that deal with duties and performance of Yagas and Yagnyas, was carried to such an extreme that only the Karmas in the form of Yagnyas were followed and the Gnana and Bhakthi were totally omitted..

    And the performance of only Yagnas and sacrifices caused a revulsion among people and this one of the reasons for the raise of Buddhism.

    And many Gods were worshiped in the Yagnyas.

    It took all the Life of Shankaracharya to set matters right and establish the authority of the Vedas, by systematizing  worship into Shanmaha, Six systems of worship.

    And he reestablished the concept of Nirguna Upasna and also provided room for Saguna Upasna.

    Iswara concept found in Patanjali’s yoga Sutra was reinforced by him.

    Such being the case I was shocked to find an observation by Stephen Knapp who has done yeoman service to Hinduism by propagating Sanatana Dharma concept that Shankaracharya misinterpreted the Vedas!

    and

    he quotes Padma Purana and Siva Purana.

    ‘

    We must point out that some spiritual authorities say that Shankaracharya was an incarnation of Lord Shiva who had been ordered by the Supreme Lord to cheat the atheists. The Shiva Purana quotes the Supreme Lord as ordering Shiva: “In Kali-yuga mislead the people in general by propounding imaginary meanings from the Vedas [Vedic literature] to bewilder them”:

    dvaparadau yuge bhutva

    kalaya manushadishu

    svagamaih kalpitais tvam ca

    janan mad-vimukhan kuru 1

    The Padma Purana also says that Lord Shiva would descend as a brahmana sannyasi and teach Mayavada philosophy in the verse:

    mayavada ashat shastram prachchanna

    boudhyam uchyate moya ebe godidam

    devi kalou brahmana murtina

    To do this, Shankara gave up the direct method of Vedic knowledge and presented an indirect meaning which actually covered the real goal of Vedanta. This is confirmed in the Padma Purana where Lord Shiva addresses his wife, Parvati:

    shrinu devi pravaksyami

    tamasani yathakramam

    yesham shravana-matrena

    patityam jnaninam api

    apartham shruti-vakyanam

    darshayal loka-garhitam

    karma-svarupa-tyajyatvam

    atra ca pratipadyate

    sarva-karma-paribhramsan

    naiskarmyam tatra cocyate

    paratma-jivayor aikyam

    mayatra pratipadyate

    “My dear wife, hear my explanations of how I have spread ignorance through Mayavada philosophy. Simply by hearing it even an advanced scholar will fall down. In this philosophy which is certainly very inauspicious for people in general, I have misrepresented the real meaning of the Vedas and recommended that one give up all activities in order to achieve freedom from karma. In this Mayavada philosophy I have described the jivatma and Paramatma to be one and the same.” 2

    The Padma Purana, in the quote that follows, describes how Lord Shiva tells his wife, Parvati, that he would appear in Kali-yuga to teach the impersonalistic philosophy, which is impious and merely a covered form of Buddhism. Yet, as explained next, there was a purpose for it.

    mayavadam asac-chastram

    pracchannam bauddham ucyate

    mayaiva kalpitam devi

    kalau brahmana rupini

    brahmanas caparam rupam

    nirgunam vaksyate maya

    sarvasvam jagato’py asya

    mohanartham kalau yuge

    vedante tu maha-shastre

    mayavadam avaidikam

    mayaiva vaksyate devi

    jagatam nasha-karanat

    “The Mayavada philosophy is impious. It is covered Buddhism. My dear Parvati, in the form of a brahmana in Kali-yuga I teach this imagined Mayavada philosophy. In order to cheat the atheists I mislead them by describing the Supreme Lord to be without any personal form or qualities.”

    Herein, Lord Shiva himself points out that to believe God has no form is not accurate and is equal to atheism. Even though this Mayavada philosophy was not good for pious people to hear because it would sway them toward an impersonalistic viewpoint, we should note that Shankara’s philosophy was just right for the time and circumstance. The Buddhists, who had spread throughout India and neglected the Vedas, believed in neither a soul nor a God and that, ultimately, the essence of everything is the nothingness or void wherein lies nirvana, freedom from all suffering. So considering how the Buddhists had followed a philosophy of what would generally be considered atheism for hundreds of years and would never have accepted a viewpoint which advocated a supreme personal God, Shankara’s was the only philosophy they would have considered. It was like a compromise between atheism and theism, but Shankara used portions of Vedic knowledge as the basis of his arguments. In this way, as Shankara traveled throughout India his arguments prevailed. Thus, Buddhism bowed and Vedic culture was brought back to prominence. Therefore, his purpose was accomplished, so much so that his Sariraka-bhasya is considered the definitive rendition of Vedanta even to the present day.’

    Totally wrong interpretation.

    If Bhaja Govindam is quoted to buttress the view that Shankaracharya was really only after

    Bhakthi to Vishnu, what about his nirvana Shatgam ,Manisha Panchakam, Soundarya Lahari,Kanakadhara Sthavam,Subrahmanya Bhujanga,Ganesha Pancharatnam?

    Shankaracharya should be studie in full an no in bits.

    And if proof is needed that there are interpolations in the Puranas, Padma Purana and Shiva Purana, this is it.

    This accusation against Shankaracharya is not new.

    He was also called a Pseudo-Buddhist for His Advaita!

    If Shankaracharya was misquoting the Vedas, then how come the Mahavakyas I have quoted above speak of Nirguna Brahmana and not Saguna Brahman, Reality without Attributes?

    ‘AUM
    That supreme Brahman is infinite, and this conditioned Brahman is infinite.
    The infinite proceeds from infinite.
    Then through knowledge, realizing the infinitude of the infinite, it remains as infinite alone-

    Mundaka Upanishad.

    Great indeed are the devas who have sprung out of Brahman.-Atarva Veda.

    ‘satyam jnanam anantam brahman
    “Brahman is of the nature of truth, knowledge and infinity” -Taittriya Upanishad.

    Reference and citation.

    http://www.stephen-knapp.com/complete_review_of_vedic_literature.htm

    Images credit.

    https://ribhuv.wordpress.com/tag/shankaracharya/

  • Shiva A Person God or Reality

    The worship of Shiva precedes the Sanatana Dharma and the worship of Shiva seems to have originated from the South of the Vindhya Mountains.

    And the worship of Shiva is intriguing as a God.

    One can find Shiva beibg worshiped as a Human being in the form of Nataraja and in other forms as a Human being, this mode of worship of Shiva in the north of Vindhyas is very limited when compared to the South.

    In the South one can find the worship of  Shiva both as a Linga and as a Human being or resembling a human being.

    In the north the worship of Shiva as Linga is predominant.

    And the worshio of Shiva as Ardhanaresswara form, of Shiva and Devi in one form is prevalent in the south.

    Another interesting point is that the Gods as described in the Vedas do not seem to have a description as a human being.

    Only their attributes are provided in the Sukthas and seem to be a reoresentation of the Principles of Nature.

    Purusha Suktha drscribes the Evolution of the Universe,

    The Narayana, Vishnu, Sri and Durga Sukthas describe the various aspects of the Universe.

    However , the Sri Suktha calls Sri, Lakshmi as the one who resides in the

    House of Sikleetha Rishi- Sikleetha

    Vasame gruhe.

    Excepting these lines no mention is

    Made to the Gods as Humans.

    The core of the Vedas is that the Reality , Brahman is without and beyond Attributes .

    Arunachala Shiva.jpg
    Shiva In Thiruvannamalai.

    Nirguna.

    However later concept s brought in the description of Gods in rhe image of Man in the Puranas and the Ithihasas Ramayana and Mahabharata.

    Even here there is a uniqueness of Shiva.

    Shiva appears, as recorded in the Tamil Classics and the Thiruvilayadal purana which describes the activities of Shiva at various points  of Times while not much of this nature is found in the literature of North India.

    And note the spread of Hinduism towards the East where Muruga, Subrahmanya worship  is prevalent from Lanka to Australia and the spread of Shiva Cult here and also to thecwest of India from Middle East to  Arctic and Russia.

    However there are legends that Shiva was worshiped as a Tribal Chief.

    Even today the Austrakians perform the Trinetra Dance of Shiva.

    And there is a Temple for Shiva asKratha Shiva’ Shiva the Hunter in Kerala.

    ‘

    The Indian tribes worship Shiva in their natural abode – jungles, hills, mountains, agricultural fields’ etc. It is the Hindus who brought him into temples. Shiva is always worshiped among the tribals in His presence as lingam.

    In the bramhanical Hindu fold Lord Shiva has several names. Prominent among them are as follows: Shankar, Ashutosh, Shiva, Neelkantha, Jatadhari, Pasupati, Bholanatha, Viswanatha, Baidyanath, Kailashpati, Tripurari, Rameshwar, Ravaneshwar, Somnatha, Mahakal, Omkar, Nagesh, Trayambakeshwar, Chidambaram, Kedranath, Shambhu, Gauripati, Girijapati, Mahadeo, Umapati, Maulishekhar, Shashank-Shekhar, Chandrashekhar, Lingraj, Devadhideva, Hara, Bambhola. His every name makes him unique, peculiar, caring for his believers and followers but careless about himself. He does not run after the worldly affairs and luxuries. He is the divine guru. He is the sun that opens the lotuses of the hearts of great Yogis. He is most compassionate. He absorbs the devotees’ afflictions. He is the manifestation of the three worlds. He abides in bliss. He is delighted with devotees. He is forever blissful. He absolves the sins of the faithful. He lights up his devotees. He is beyond thought. He is associated with right thoughts. He is boundless. He is birth-less. He is without beginning or end. He is associated with knowledge. He is supreme in bliss and knowledge. He is slave of the devotees. He responds to the devotees. He is attentive to the devotees. He is the light of the devotees. He is a killer of devotee’s grief. He is the experience of devotees. He rescues devotes. He supports devotees. He is approachable through pure thoughts. He is the embodiment of consciousness. He has eliminated bodily passions.

    From the available narratives of many tribal communities (as described in the latter part of this paper) it appears that the Hindu ancestors adopted Him much later. Gods are fathers and Lord Shiva is s father like personality for the all other gods. He is the greatest god, Mahadeo. He helps his indigenous people in all walks of life and in all geographical, ecological and natural conditions. He is malevolent. He is benevolent. He is supreme Lord. He is Lord of lords. The Taittiriya Samhita therefore, in the form of Rudra, rightly describes Him:

    “Hail to him of the drum, hail to him of the drum stick, hail to the courageous and to the creations, to him on the footpath, hail to him of the pond, and to rivulet, hail to him of the lake. Hail to him of the well. Hail to him of the rain, hail to him of the cloud, hail to him of the sunshine and to him of the storm. Hail to him of the dwelling and to the guardian of the dwelling (TS.4.5.7.)”.

    Non-tribal and tribal interaction in ancient India started much earlier than the Vedic period. A minute survey of the Rig Vedareveals that these indigenous people were considered low, uncultured, mindless and substandard people and referred to asDasavarna (black colour or Dasa colour),Adavea (the godless community), Ayajyavah(non-sacrificiers), Anindra (non-believers in Indra), Murudeva (worshippers of dummy Gods), Sishnadeva (worshippers of phallic Gods), Mridhravaaka (those whose language was obscure and unintelligible),Maleecha (a non-Aryan) anas (flat nosed people) Akratuh, Avratuh, Ayyajnya, Vratya, Pani, and dasa. Here anas is a tribal andsisnadeva is the phallus god- Lord Shiva. Tribals with black skin were humiliated by the Vedic community as dasavarna where as other tribes were criticized on the basis of their flat nose. They were initially not permitted to mix up with the Hindu community but very soon it was realized that the existence of Vedic cult would not be possible without incorporating the existence of Shiva in the Vedas. And all of a sudden in the later part of Rig-Veda we see how Rudra has appeared with his all power and grace combining malevolent and benevolent characters.

    The three Vedas – Rig, Sam and Yajur – were recognized as canonical and calledTrayi Vidya (the threefold knowledge). TheAtharva Veda (atharvam = charm), written later, was included in the canon only after a long struggle. Influenced by the religious and ritual practices of the tribes, which they used to practice in order to appease the gods (and many of them are still doing), it included spells and incantations for the practice of magic.

    Slowly and gradually the Vedas developed six major limbs – Vedanga-s:

    1. a) Siksha (Phonetic Science which mainly deals with pronunciation)
    2. b) Vyakarana (Grammar)
    3. c) Nirukti (Context conclusive meaning; etymology)
    4. d) Chandas (Meter)
    5. e) Jyotisha (Time Science; astronomy & astrology)
    6. f) Kalpa (Rituals)

    The seers and scholars who realized these aspects of knowledge from the Vedas, composed Sutras (short but potent phrases which convey a lot of meanings) on eachVedanga. Kalpa-sutra-s are of four categories, viz., Srouta (collective sacrifices), Grhya(family rituals), Dharma (occupational duties) and Sulba (building of sacrificial fireplaces, altars etc.).

    According to the different levels of conditioned consciousness there are instructions in the Vedas for worship of different controllers, with the aim of reaching different destinations and enjoying different standards of sense enjoyment. Agamas(emanated scriptures) are books which are classified into five for this purpose:

     

    Basic nature of the

     Deity
    Deity who controls
    Branch of Agama

     

     
    Energy

     

    Shakti

    		 Shakta Agamas
    Visible source (

    Sun)

    		 Surya Sourya Agamas
    Controller Ganapati Ganapatya Agamas
    Destroyer Shiva Saiva Agamas
    Ultimate source Vishnu Vaikhanasa Agamas

    Slowly and gradually the Vedic seers and scholars made the place for the tribal people and their rituals and tantrikpractices in the Vedic fold. They said, for those who are below standard for Vedic purificatory process, Lord Shiva gave theTantra Shastra-s. These have two general classifications, right and left. While the right aspect contains regulations for purification for those who are grossly engaged in meat eating, intoxication and illicit sex, the left aspect contains low class activities like black magic etc.

    We find some legends of Lord Shiva Among the tribals of Chotanagpur, now in Jharkhand. I will begin with the case study of the Santhal – the largest Tribal community of Jharkhand. The supreme God of Santhal is called Marang Buru, Thakur Buru, or Mahadeo. His character is basically very similar to that of Shiva. Interestingly, the great and historicalJyotirlinga of Baidyanath, popularly known as Ravaneshwar Mahadeo, is located in the heartland of Santhal at Deoghar. Many Santhals claim that it is the entry point to the Santhal Territory. It is a place where all gods and goddesses reside with Lord Baidyanath. The prominent characteristic of the Santhal religious practices is belief in and worship of spirits or bongas and worship in the sacred grove.’

    There is a school of thought  which states that cthe Shiva worship was drwan to Sanatana Dharma from the South and later incorporated in the Vedic  and puranas.

    In essence the vedas treat Shiva more as Principle than as Human Being.

    But considering the numerous references to Shiva as a Human being , the spread of Sanatana Dharma by Shiva and His son Ganesha, the archaeological finds around the world,mostly among the tribes who worship Shiva as their ancestor, I am of the opinion that Shiva wa a human being and He was a realized soul.

    Note that the Siddhas consider Shiva as the first Siddha.

    Siddhas transcend time and Space.

    The view that human beings are God is not incompatible with Hinduism..

    Man is a part of the Reality, Brahman

    Those who Realize the Self are elevated to God hood.

    Thus Shiva was a human being who realized Self and was elevated to Godhood embodying the principles of the Universe and The Tantra Sasta, the means of realuzing Self.

    Citation and references.

     

    http://ignca.nic.in/kmsh0003.htm

     

     

  • Stotra Mantra Parayana Differnce

    Unlike other Religions,Hinduism has Prayers of different types.

    There are three different types in terms of how these were arrived at, whom they are addressed to and the results sought for.

    Before understanding the differences , one must know that in Hinduism, as its fundamental Truth as enunciated in the Vedas, the Sacred texts of the Hindus,describes the Reality, called Brahman, is distinct from Brahma, The God of Creation,is Without Name and Form.

    The Brahman is with out Attributes, with Attributes and beyond Attributes,

    It is to be experienced and is Beyond space,time,senses,mind and time.

    It is Being, Consciousness and Bliss, Sat, Chit and Ananda.

    The purpose of Life is to realize the Brahman, The Reality behind the noumenon, the world of Names and Forms, the substratum of the Universe, both Macro and Micro.

    To achieve this, the impediment called Mind is to be Stilled.

    The cessation of the Modification of Chitta is Yoga or Union with the Reality.

    Ganesa Lakshmi Stotram.jpg
    Ganesa Lakshmi Stotram.

    ( Chitta is a Higher plane of Cognition, please read my posts on Yoga, Chitta)

    To Still the Mind, the thoughts or the thought waves are to be stopped.

    Rama, Hanuman. SundaraKanda Parayana.Jpg
    Rama, Hanuman. SundaraKanda Parayana.

    But as The Mind, by its nature, is always after a thousand thoughts, it is difficult to control it,

    However it can be done by Right Determination,Knowledge and Practice, says Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita( Gnana and Vairaagya)

    So in the process of quieting and making the Mind still, Hinduism advocates Worship of Gods with Forms, though in Reality they do not exist.

    However as Krishna says , even these Gods of Names and forms are relatively Real in the sense that they grant the boons one wishes for and Krishna says He assumes the Forms and Names Of Gods and Goddesses addressed by the practitioner and deliver the results.

    So Gods of Hinduism are Real and not Real at the same time.

    For details read my post ‘Hinduism, Gods with Name and Form ,Yes Or No’.

    As Human dispositions and needs are varied,, so are the Gods.

    One may like Mother, Father, Friend , Lover, son, daughter…

    To establish a relationship, each needs a unique approach and there can be no uniform and a single window approach.

    So the Gods vary and your modes of address vary.

    One does not address Mother as he would his Father, Lover or Friend.

    So the prayers vary.

    Generally there are three types of Prayers.

    Avalokeswara Mantra.png
    Avalokeswara Mantra.

    1.Stotra/Stuthi.

    2.Parayana and

    3.Mantras.

    Stotras.

    Stotra is from the root Stuthi, meaning ‘Praise’

    If one were to get some thing from some one superior in Station, one praises him or her to get the things done for one who wishes for.

    So in a Stotra one finds Praises of Gods, extolling their virtues, then requesting them to grant one’s Wishes.

    We have a large collection of these Stotras.

    These Stotras are also of different kinds.

    One is by Gods themselves addressing the other Gods, like Krishna’s Siva Stuthi or Rudra’s Mantra Rajapadham addressed to Lord Narasimha, Indra’s Krishna Stuthi.

    These are addreed to Gods whom one likes.

    Another type is by the Great Rishis , like Hayagreeva’s Lalitha Sahasranama.

    Yet another type is by great personalities like Bhishma, The Vishnu Sahasranama; the various slokas of Adi Shankaracharya, Swami Desikan,Ramanujacharya, Madhwacharya….

    All these deliver results in terms of efficacy in the descending order described

    Some of these Rishis have Prayers to a Particular Deity.

    In this case it is not necessary that the God one choses to worship need be what one likes.

    These Gods produce results because of the fact that the Hymn is composed by a realized Soul.

    2.Parayana.

    A Stuthi or a Stotra by a Great Rishi like  Valmiki, The Sundara Kanda of Ramayana is recited in a prescribed format for a fixed duration is called Parayana.

    People also do this regularly as they do Lalitha Sahasra nama and Visnu Sahasranama.

    The Parayana prayers may be from any of Language.

    The basic requirement is Faith.

    3.Mantra is different as they are locked Sounds . grasped by the Rishis, in a mysterious way.

    Mantras, are the essence of Sound and Sound in its pure form is Mantra.

    Mantras control Sound.

    The difference between Mantras and the other two Types is that Mantras deliver guaranteed results, if one follows the procedures laid down.

    Whereas in the case of Stotra or Parayana,the Divine intervention is left to  the pleasure of the God addressed to, in the case of Mantras, the Gods are obliged to grant the requests as they represent the essence of Reality and in fact the Form of Gods themselves.

    That is why even A Raskshasa can deliver a Brahmastra by invoking a Mantra.

    Mantras can be addressed to specific Gods and also to Reality in its Attributeless Form.

    Or the Mantra can be a combination of sounds mystically locked.

    More to follow on the scientific explanation of Mantras, their validity analysis by Spectroscopy,Cymatics

     

    Related articles

    https://ramanisblog.in/2014/08/06/mantras-types-procedure-anushtana-details/