The legends of India and Hinduism are at once mind boggling to the extent of testing one’s imagination and at the same time most of them are verifiable with facts from antiquity, Astronomical dating, Linguistics, Carbon Dating..
.We have Human settlements in India,in Chennai itself dating back to 1.07 Million years!
We have Bhimbedka rock inscriptions dating back to some 50,000 years.
Lord Balaji Face in Tirupathi Hills.
We have references to Tsunamis in Tamil Classics,which are now being accepted by science as Facts.
Mount Toba’s ashes settled in Jwalapuram, Kurnool, Andhra and this is dated again to antiquity.
We have the Nazca lines of Peru which resembles Shiva’s Trident.
Lord Krishan’s son Pradhyumna built a city in Russia.
Lahore Pakistan was built by Lava, son of Lord Rama.
The Mayas and Incas followed the Agama procedure in building their Pyramids.
In the Middle east we have the Shiva Temple now called Mecca.
Also we have a Shiva temple in Petra Jordan.
The US is not far behind nor are the Americas.
The Central American countries followed Ramayana and even Andal’s Thiruppaavai.
Makara Sankaranthi was celebrated there.
And we have a Natural Vishnu temple in the Grand Canyon.
I have written on all these with authentic proof and Links.
About a couple of years back I posted an article that the Thirumala Hills in the Eastern ghats of India resemble the face of Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati.
I also posted some articles on some strange happenings in Tirupati which defy reason.
Mind you these have been documented.
Now as the Deccan Plateau is one of the oldest landmass of the earth and it has a natural arch, I checked whether I could find any information geologically in support of the Legend of Lord Balaji.
In the process I came across information that Lord Venkaestwara’s Feet are to be found in the Thirumala Hills.
And people worship this.
Though I had been to Tirupati many times I never knew of this.
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Srivari Padalu:
According to Vedas/Puranas ‘Srivari Padalu’ is the place where Lord Venkateswara Swamy first set his feet on one of the seven hills namely ‘Narayanagiri’. The footprint of the Lord is available in this place to the pilgrims with restricted access by T.T.D so that they cannot touch the foot prints. Pilgrims have to climb 300 odd steps to reach this divine spot from where a beautiful top view of the temple town ‘Tirumala’ is very delightful to watch.
Location: Srivari Padalu , Tirumala
Distance: 6 Km from Tirumala Bus stand
Timings: 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Address:
Srivari Padalu,
Narayanagiri Road,Tirumala,
Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh
India
What about the History of the Easten Ghat of which the Thirumala forms a part along with six other Hills?
The Eastern Ghats are older than the Western Ghats, and have a complex geologic history related to the assembly and breakup of the ancient supercontinent of Rodinia and the assembly of the Gondwana supercontinent.
The Eastern Ghats are made up of charnockites, granite gneiss, khondalites, metamorphic gneisses and quartzite rock formations. The structure of the Eastern Ghats includes thrusts and strike-slip faults[2] all along its range. Limestone, bauxiteand iron ore are also found in the Eastern Ghats hill ranges.
The Eparchaean Unconformity of the Tirumala Hills is a major discontinuity of stratigraphic significance that represents an extensive period of erosion and non-deposition. It is seen at the steep natural slopes, road scars and ravines in the Tirupati– Tirumala Ghat road in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
Which individual has gone up to the top of the Thirumala hills to sculpt Two Feet only to propagate Hinduism and Lord Venkateswara?
The term Sanatana Dharma and Hinduism are often used interchangeably.
I have also been using he same way.
Adi Shankaracharya Quote on the essence of Sanatna Dhama.
I am using this to enable people to find the information as many are familiar with the term Hinduism.
But are they really the same?
There are the same but with a minute difference.
Sanatana Dharma denotes oldest dharma, Dharma being translated as Righteousness.
On what Dharma is I shall be writing in detail.
The essentials of the Sanatana Dharma are.
Reality-centered rather than prophet-centered.
Experience based rather than belief based.
Beyond any historical date of founding.
The process of growth, which comes from the seed.
Inherent in, and inclusive of all.
In the world, while above the world.
Both immanent and transcendent.
The whole and the parts.
Loving of all and excluding of none.
The primary worship is for Agni.
Various Deities have been mentioned. each being worshiped for a specific purpose.
Two levels of Knowledge, one Apara which deals with the Higher Knowledge of Brahman, Apara, the other one being what we use now, for practical life,Para Vidya.
Two specific areas mentioned one by performance of Duties and another Path of Knowledge.(Gnana and karma Kandas)
It encompassed all Living beings.
It emphasizes self-realization .
Reality is Attributeless,Nirguna, though the Gods described in the Vedas attribute qualities to Gods, they are to be considered as stepping sones to Self Realization and they are not an end in themselves.
Yagas and Yagnyas were performed.
Sanatana Dharma is intensely personal.
No collective/community worship is recommended.
No mention of temples and temple worship.
They do not talk of Hell for not following The Vedas.
Santana Dharma encompassed the world.
Prayer or one’s self is not encouraged.
Hinduism.
A name given by the west to denote people who were living on the Banks of the River Sindhu, Punjab.
The practices followed by these people, which was a corrupt form of Sanatana Dharma was called Hinduism.
Many Gods are worshiped.
Fire worship is more or less extinct.
Community worship is in vogue.
Worship In temples.
Many rules as Sampardayas or More are being practised, which do not have the sanction of the Vedas.
Following of Self styled Gurus, rather than a qualified Guru is being followed.
Prayer for Self aggrandisement is in practice..
Vedic Karmas are not being followed as much as they should be.
Sanatana Dharma, over years of practice deteriorated into becoming a belief of worshiping many Gods and indiscriminate performance of yagas and yagnyas without referring to Gnana Kanda.
This resulted in the erosion of the Sanatan Dharma.
It took a Buddha to found Buddhism, which revolted against Sanatana Dharma, but that was absorbed by Sanatna Dharma later is a different issue.
To restore Sanatana Dharma Adi Shankaracharya established the Shanmathas and systematized all the Yogas, Bhakthi, Karma, Gnana Yogas.
They are the Uswaasa and Viswaasa ,Inhalation and Exhalation.
Yet we find references that rishis have composed the Vedas, Sukthas of the Vedas.
And we have , for every mantra, Devatha, Adi Devatha, and Rishis.
And many women were also involved in the process.
Vedas are grasped from Ether by the Realized Souls.
For those who want to criticise this concept, let me remind them where their emails and files are if they have been saved in G Drive.
Those attuned to the frequency of the Mantras receive them intuitively.
To attain that level one needs practice and application.
It is Apps for reaching Reality.
These Mantras were grasped by more than one at the same time or at different time frames.
For every Manvantara the Saptha Rishis change.
They are in charge of grasping these Mantras, to be later compiled by some body else.
For Our Manvantara, the Vedas were compiled by Krishna Dwaipaayana Vyaasa.
It is the same Vyasa who wrote the Mahabharata and The Seventeen Puranas.
His Father Parashara wrote the First Purana, The Vishnu Purana.
There is also a view that this Vyasa could be differnt as the adjective Krishna Dwaipaayana is provided.
Krishna means ‘Dark/Black.
Dwaipaayana is his name,meaning Island born.
He was born on Island in Yamuna river near Kalpi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
There is also a view that he was born in the Tanahun district in western Nepal.
It is also stated that he was an extension of the Krishna Avatar of Vishnu, in the Dwapara Yuga.
( I am of the view that he was born in Yamuna Island . I shall be posting on this issue later)
Vyasa means compiler ,one who composes Prose.
So Krishna Dwaipaayana is a Vyasa.
I take the view that he is an extension of the Krishna Avatar of Vishnu.
Now to Vedas and Rishis.
Each Veda Mantra has a Rishi, who grasped the Mantra, Chandas, (the meter in which it is to be recited) and Adhi Devata,he Presiding Deity of the Mantra.
When one chants a Veda Mantra, one has to recite all the three.
For Gayathri, the Rishi is Savtiraya Rishi Viswamitra,Chandas is Nisruth Gayatri and the Presding Deity is Savitha.
( The adjective Savitraya Rishi to Viswamitra raises a question whether this is the same Viswamitra who antagonized Vasishta and with Lord Rama.i am researching into this.Scholars may contribute)
Maha Mantras have the same rules,
Vishnu Sahasranama has Rishi Agasthya, Chandas Anushtup and Presiding Deity Maha Vishnu.
For Sri Rudram , Rishi Agoora Chandas Anustup and the Presiding Deity is Sri Rudra.
For Lalitha Sahasranama Rishi is Vagdevata, Chandas is Anushtup and the Presiding Deity is Lalita Parameswari.
Please read my posts on Saptha Rishis, Rishi’s list, Chandas.
This blog receives notice among the netizens and is often quoted in Texts, both in English and Tamil as well.
This is also rated as the 15th authentic site on Hinduism by a site and 30th in the world by another.
It is my duty to disclose my sources to lend more authenticity and credibility ,though I provide relevant sources and links in the Posts.
There is another reason.
Ramana Maharishi On Consciousnes..
‘
The colonial mindset implanted in us is so great that people even when they look at facts of Indian Origin and Indian Texts, refuse to look into them.
Brush aside as non sense.
Worse still is that some make funny remarks.
One of the readers in a Facebook community commented for the Post Shankaracharya Intellectual Giant,where I listed the His works as follows,
‘So, He could have invented sanitary Napkins!’
I did not respond to this comment.
The point is that we have to let it be known our treasures with authority, which was eroded by the British as they have done for the whole world, including their own Irish.
I will take personal insults.
But I can not take any disrespect to Adi Shankaracharya.
The information I am sharing here in the blog is not my invention nor I am a Gnani or a self-styled Guru.
I am more like a curious child who is awestruk.
I refer sources, cross check them and publish.
If contrary evidence comes along I publish it too.
The sources of my Posts( Relevant Link is provided in each Post)
1.Rig , Shukla, Krishna Yajur , Sama and Atharva Vedas.( Includes all the parts of the Vedas)
2.Satapada Brahmana.
3.Puranas, specifically,the Vishnu Purana and Bhagavatham.
4.Ramayana of Valmiki, Tulsidas, Kamban, Adyatma ramayana, Jain Ramayana.
5,Mahabharata By Vyasa..
6.Commentaies of Adi Shankaracharya, Sri Ramanuja, Vallabhacharya,
7.Buddha Deepika.
8.Lalita Sahasranama.
9.Vishnu Sahasranama.
10.Surya Siddhantha,
11.Varahamihiram.
12.Agastya Samhita.
13.Raja Tharngini .
14.Harsha Charitha.
15.Magha’s Sisupala vadha.
16.Raghuvamsa of Kalidasa.
17.Fahien.
18.Yuan susuang.
19.Akbar nama by Firdausi.
20.Tholkaapiyam.(Tamil)
21.Purananuru.
22.Pathiruppathu.
23.Paripadal.
23.Silappakikaram.
24.Manimekalai.
25.Natrinai.
25.Siddhar paadalgal.
26.Thirumurugaatruppadai.
27.U.Ve. Swaminatha Iyer.
28,Vaiyapuri Pillai.
29.PT. Srinivasa Ayyanagar.
30.Works of Swami Vivekananda,.
31.Theory of Relativity by Einstein.
32.Plato’s Republic.
33.Rene Descartes.
34.Spinoza.
35.Aritotle.
36.Socrates.
37.Pliny.
38.Edward Gibbon, Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.
39.Leibniz.
40.Immanuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, Practical Reason.
41.Histroy of Time by Stephen Hawking.
42.Nicholas Tesla.
43.Lobsang Rampa.
44.Bertrand Russel.
45.Bishp Berkeley.
46.David Hume.
47,Kierkegaard.
48.Neils Bohr.
49.Edward Schordinger.
50.Schopenhauer.
51.D.N..Oaks.
52.Sir John Woodroffe.
53.Maurice Maeterlinck,
54.Huston Smith
55.Pierre-Simon Laplace
56.Tarikh al-Yaqubi, The Foundations of the Composite Culture in India,
57.Carl Sagan.
58.Romain Rolland, The life of Vivekananda and the universal gospel
59.Zend Avestha
60.Indian Acheology .( Government of India)
61.Epigraphy.
62.Thirukoilur Plates.
63.Rajaraja Plates.
64.Arikkamedu.
65.Dwaraka Remains.
66.Rajeda Chola Plates.
67.Tectonic plate movements.
68.Stephen Knapp.
69.Graham Hancock.
In addition Astronomy, Etymology are some of the tools I have used.
Hinduism, Sanatna Dharma is so close to God that God even speaks to mortals.
Going a step higher gods describe themselves,
( This has given rise to theory Gods were Aliens)
Erich Von Daniken had postulated that the aliens have manipulated our genetic codes and he had quoted from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
I have posted articles on this with my take on this issue.
Now onto Gods speaking to humans and describing Himself/Herself.
The Ultimate Truth in Sanatana Dharma is the Reality, Brahman, with No Attributes ,It is a Principle and we are all a part of it and when wisdom dawns we realize our selves( Advaita)
But how come there are numerous Gods and that too speaking conversing Gods?
Lalita Tripura Sundari.
Though the Reality is One and has no persona, it is difficult for the untrained Mind to focus on the abstract, it needs an anchor to cling to in the process of Self Realization.
From myriad thoughts the Mind has to be trained to focus on One to become totally thought free.
This is Moksha, nirvana.
So many Gods have been postulated to suit one’s temperament.
For more on this read my Post Gods Yes or No.
Lord Krishna describes His Attributes in the Bhagavad Gita.
Devi describes herself in the Srrimad Bhagavatham
The seventh canto of the Devi Bhagavatham is called the Devi Gita..
This is the essence of Devi, having been revealed by Herself.
There is another sacred Text where the Devi was described at Her bidding is the Lalita Sahasranama.
Read my Posts on this..
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The Devî said:–“Hear, ye Immortals! My words with attention, that I am now going to speak to you, hearing which will enable the Jîvas to realise My Essence. Before the creation, I, only I, existed; nothing else was existent then. My Real Self is known by the names Chit, Sambit (Intelligence), Para Brahma and others. My Âtman is beyond mind, beyond thought, beyond any name or mark, without any parallel, and beyond birth, death or any other change or transformation. My Self has one inherent power called Mâyâ. This Mâyâ is not existent, nor non-existent, nor can it be called both. This unspeakable substance Mâyâ always exists (till the final emancipation or Moksa).
Mâyâ can be destroyed by Brahmna Jñâna; so it can not be called existent, again if Mâyâ does not exist, the practical world catinot exist. So it cannot be called non-existent. Of course it cannot be called both, for it would involve contradictions. This Mâyâ (without beginning but with end at the time of Moksa) naturally arises as heat comes out of fire, as the rays come out of the Sun and as the cooling rays come out of the Moon. Just as all the Karmas of the Jîvas dissolve in deep sleep (S’usupti), so at the time of Pralaya or the General Dissolution, the Karmas of the Jîvas, the Jîvas and Time all become merged, in one uniform mass in this great Mâyâ. United with My S’aktî, I am the Cause of this world; this S’aktî has this defect that it has the power of hiding Me, its Originator.
I am Nirguna. And when I am united with my S’aktî, Mâyâ, 1 become Saguns, the Great Cause of this world. This Mâyâ is divided into two, Vidyâ and Avidyâ. Avidyâ Mâyâ hides Me; whereas Vidyâ Mâyâ does not. Avidyâ creates whereas Vidyâ Mâyâ liberates.
Mâyâ united with Chaitanya (Intelligence), i. e., Chidâbhâsa is the efficient cause of this Universe; whereas Mâyâ reduced to and united with five original elements is the material Cause of the Universe. Some call this Mâyâ tapas; some call Her inert, material; some call Her knowledge; some call Her Mâyâ, Pradhâna, Prakriti, Ajâ (unborn) and sonic others call Her S’aktî. The S’aiva authors call Her Vimars’a and the other Vedântists call Her Avidyâ; in short, this Mâyâ is in the heads of all the Pundits. This Mâyâ is called various in the Nigamas.
p. 738
That which is seen is inert; for this reason Mâyâ is Jada (inert) and as the knowledge it conveys is destroyed, it is false. Chaitanya (Intelligence) is not seen; if It were seen, it would have been Jada. Chaitanya is self-luminous; not illumined by any other source. Were It so, Its Enlightener would have to be illumined by some other. thing and so the fallacy of Anavasthâ creeps in (an endless series of causes and effects). Again one thing cannot be the actor and the thing, acted upon (being contrary to each other); so Chaitanya cannot be illumined by itself. So It is Self-luminous; and it illumines Sun, Moon, etc., as a lamp is self-luminous and illumines other objects. So, O Mountain! This My Intelligence is established as eternal and everlasting. The waking, dreaming and deep sleep states do not remain constant but the sense of “I” remains the same, whether in waking, dreaming or deep sleep state; its anomaly is never felt. (The Bauddhas say that) The sense of ntelligence, Jñâna, is also not, felt; there in the absence of it; so what is existent is also temporarily existent. But (it can then be argued that) then the Witness by which that absence is sensed, that Intelligence, in the shape of the Witness, is eternal. So the Pundits of all the reasonable S’âstras declare that Samvit (Intelligence) is Eternal and it is Blissful the fountain of all love. Never the Jîvas or embodied souls feel “I am not”; but “I am” this feeling is deeply established in the soul as Love. Thus it is clearly evident that I am quite Separate from anything else which are all false. Also I am one continuous (no interval or separation existing within Me). Again Jñâna is not the Dharma (the natural quality) of Âtman but it is of the very nature of Âtman. If Jñâna ware the Dharma of Âtman, then Jñâna would have been material; so Jñâna is immaterial. If (for argument’s sake) Jñâna be denominated as material, that cannot be. For Jñâna is of the nature of Intelligence and Âtman is of the the nature of Intelligence. Intelligence has not the attribute of being Dharma. Here the thing Chit is not different from its quality (Chit). So Âtman is always of the nature of Jñâna and happiness; Its nature is Truth; It is always Full, unattached and void of duality. This Âtman again, united with Mâyâ, composed of desires and Karmas, wants to create, due to the want of discrimination, the twenty-four tattvas, according to the previous Samskâras (tendencies), time and Karma. O Mountain! The re-awakening after Pralaya Susupti is not done with Buddhi (for then Buddhi is not at all manifested). So this creation is said to be effected without any Buddhi (proper intelligence). O Chief of the Immovables! The Tattva (Reality) that I have spoken to you is most excellent and it is my Extraordinary Form merely. In the Vedas it is known as Avyâkrita (unmodified), Avyakta (unmanifested)
p. 709
Mâyâ S’abala (divided into various parts) and so forth. In all tlkc S’âstras, it is stated to be the Cause of all causes, the Primeval Tattva and Sachchidlinanda Vigraba. Where all the Karmas are solidified and where Ichchâ S’aktî, (will), Jñâna S’aktî (intelligence) and Kriyâ S’aktî (action) all are melted in one, that is called the Mantra Hrîm, that is the first Tattva. From this comes out Âkâsa, having the property of sound, thence Vâyu (air) with “touch” property; then fire with form, then water having “Rasa” property; and lastly the earth having the quality “smell.” The Pundits say that the “sound” is the only quality of Âkâsa; air has two qualities viz., sound and touch, fire has three qualities sound, touch, form; water has four qualities sound, touch, form, taste; and the earth has five qualities sound, touch, form, taste and smell, Out of these five original elements, the allpervading, Sûtra (string or thread) arose. This Sûtrâtman (soul) is called the “Linga Deha,” comprising within itself all the Prânas; this is the subtle body of the Paramâtman. And what is said in the previous lines as Avyakta or Unmainfested and in which the Seed of the World is involved and whence the Linga Deha has sprung, that is called the Causal body (Kârana body) of the Paramâtman. The five original elements (Apañchikrita called the five Tan Mâtrâs) being created, next by the Pañchîkarana process, the gross elements are created. The process is now being stated:–O Girijâ! Each of the five original elements is divided into two parts; one part of each of which is subdivided into four parts. This fourth part of each is united with the half of four other elements different from it and thus each gross element is formed. By these five gross elements, the Cosmic (Virât) body is formed and this is called the Gross Body of the God. Jñânendriyas (the organs of knowledge) arise from Sattva Gunas of each of these five elements. Again the Sattva Gunas of each of the Jñânendriyas united become the Antah Karanâni. This Antah karana is of four kinds, according as its functions vary. When it is engaged in forming Sankalpas, resolves, and Vikalpas (doubts) it is called “mind.” When it is free from doubts and when it arrives at the decisive conclusion, it is called “Chitta”; and when it rests simply on itself in the shape of the feeling “I”, it is called Ahamkâra. From the Rajo Guna of each of the five elements arises Vâk (speech), Pâni (hands) Pâda (feet), Pâyu (Anus) and Upastha (organs of generation). Again their Rajo parts united give rise to the five Prânas (Prâna, Apâna, Samâna, Udâna and Vyâna) the Prâna Vayu resides in the heart; Apâna Vayu in the Arms; Samâna Vayu resides in the Navel; Udâna Vayu rasides in the Throat; and the Vyâna Vâyu resides, pervading all over the body. My subtle body (Linga Deha) arises from the union of the five.
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