Though we know Vyasa as the one who gave us the Vedas and The Puranas, there are different Vyasas for different Manvantaras(for Manvantara Details read my post ).
Veda means Prose.
Veda Vyasa means ‘ one who has formed the Vedas into different parts.
In the Vaivasvatha Manvanthara Vedas were formed into divisions twenty eight times.
In the first Dwapara, Lord Brahma divided the Vedas and became the First Vyasa.(Vyasa, according to the Vishnu Purana, is indicative of a position).
Krishnadwaipayana, for the present-Dweedeeya Paraartham,Swetha Varaaha Kalpam,Vaivastha Manvantham,,Kaliyuga,Prathamapdaham.
We are now in the Seventh Manvantara,Vaivastha Manvantara.
This list is according to Sri Vishnu Purana.
Brahmanda Pura’s list of Vyasas differ.
Lord Siva is reported to have divulged the list of Vyasas to Lord Brahma.
The list.
Swetha,
Sathya,
Sathara,
Angrira,
Savitha,
Mruthyu,
Sathakruthu,
Vasishta,
Saraswatha,
Tridhama,
Thrivrata,
Vithatheja,
Dharma Narayana,
Sura Rakshana,
Aruni,
Yosajna,
Krithanjaya,
Rithanjaya,
Bharatwaja,
Vachasrava,
Vachaspati,
Huklayana,
Thrinavindu,
Riksha,
Kshagiri,
Parasara,
Jathukarma,
Krishna Dwaipayana.
However a close look at the list will reveal that these Vyasas are not diferent from the Vishnu Purana list because the names here, as in all Hinduism, are indicative of positions, attributes that may be different.
For example, Mruthyu for Yama,Savitha for Surya,Sura Rakshana for Indra….
The present edition for Kali Yuga was compiled by Krishnadwaipayana, an Avatar of Vishnu.
He was black, therefore he is called Krishnadwaipayana, Krishna means Black
I am posting a separate blog on different Vyasa of different Kalpas.
Vyasa may be a Peetha Name, a Seat of learning.
The Purans follow the Grammar for Puranas.
They are,
1.Description of the Cosmos.
2.Dissolution of the Universe and regeneration.
3.Various Aeons.
4.Solar and Lunar Dynasty details.
5.Other Dynasties.
The Purans are classified into three.
1.Rajasika, those that describe the Creation in full and Praise Lord Brahma
Brahmanda Purana, Brahma Vaivarta,Markandeya,Bhavishya,Vamana,and Brahma Purana belong to this category.
2.Sathvika Puranas, those that Praise Lord Vishnu, Vishnu Puran and the like.
3.Tamasa Puran , those that Praise Lord Shiva and deal more about the Karmas.
There is also another explanation for the classification.
The Puranas are frequently classified according to the Trimurti (Trinity or the three aspects of the divine).[2] The Padma Purana classifies them in accordance with the three gunas or qualities as Sattva (Truth and Purity), Rajas (Dimness and Passion) and Tamas (Darkness and Ignorance).
There are twelve Avatars of Vishnu which is in vogue.
There is also a list of the 28 Avatars of Vishnu, about which I have blogged.
The Vishnu Purana states that the Jainism and Buddhism were a created deliberately by Lord Vishnu as a curse to ensure that the Asuras do not follow the Vedas, as the strict adherence to the Vedas by the Asuras were making them stronger and more powerful than the Devas.
The narration is like this.
Mahavira,Jainism-The last Thirthankara.
During one of the innumerable wars between the Devas ans the Asuras, the Asuras were gaining the upper hand and the Devas entreated Lord Vishnu to save them.
Lord Vishnu created Maya Mohan,One who appears to be Real but illusory, that is the Preaching would be deceptively similar to the Vedas but against the Authority of the Vedas.
Maya Mohan taught the new system to the Asuras and as they were listening attentively, he ,Lord Vishnu, kept repeating ‘Arhatha, Arhata’,’Be Deserved for this’
This body of Teaching later came to be known as ‘Arhatha’ which term became corrupted later and was known as Jainism.
So the Asuras started following the new Religion.
The word Jainism is derived from a Sanskrit verb Jin which means to conquer. It refers to a battle with the passions and bodily pleasures that the jainaascetics undertake. Those who win this battle are termed as Jina (conqueror). The term Jaina is thus used to refer to laymen and ascetics of this tradition alike.
It could also indicate thet Lord Vishnu conquered the Asuras or the Devas conquered them.
The Jaina meta Physics closely resembles, in fact most of them are from, Hinduism.
”
Jainametaphysics is based on seven or nine fundamentals which are known as tattva, constituting an attempt to explain the nature of the human predicament and to provide solutions to it:[34]
Jīva: The essence of living entities is called jiva, a substance which is different from the body that houses it. Consciousness, knowledge and perception are its fundamental attributes.
Ajīva: Non-living entities that consist of matter, space and time fall into the category of ajiva.
Asrava: The interaction between jīva and ajīva causes the influx of a karma (a particular form of ajiva) into the soul, to which it then adheres.
Bandha: The karma masks the jiva and restricts it from having its true potential of perfect knowledge and perception.
Saṃvara: Through right conduct, it is possible to stop the influx of additional karma.
Nirjarā: By performing asceticism, it is possible to shred or burn up the existing karma.
Mokṣa: The jiva which has removed its karma is said to be liberated and to have its pure, intrinsic quality of perfect knowledge in its true form.
Some authors add two additional categories: the meritorious and demeritorious acts related to karma. These are called puṇya and pāpa respectively. These fundamentals acts as the basis for the Jain metaphysics..
Jainism Karma Theory is the strict interpretation of Hindu Karma Theory.
Buddhism.
As some of the Asuras did not follow these teachings, Lord Vishnu taught another body of thought saying ‘Buddhyatvam, Buddhyatha’.
The One who propounded this Theory was called the Buddha.
This body of thoughts became known as Buddhism.
Buddhism also closely follows Hinduism excepting the denial of God.
It may be appreciated that Adi Sankaracharya was called a ‘Pseudo Buddhist for his interpretations of the Mahavaayas, while arriving at Advaita.
Buddhism is Nihilist while Advaita defines Reality as Not Two.
This may be the reason for the fact that Jainism contains most of the Teachings of the Vedas, especially the Rules to follow in Life.
The Vishnu Purana, where the Evolution of the Universe is described, also describes a Number Kingdoms, there were fifty-six .
The other Seventeen Puranas also do for this for the description of the Universe and the Bharatavarsha is one of the Rules for being classified as a Purana.
There is also a tradition that there were fifty-six Kingdoms in India, this is explained in the Mahabharata, where the Story of Nala and Damayanti is narrated.
It provides a list of fifty-six kings who attended the Swayamvara of Damayanti.
The Ramayana also lists more or less the same number in the Ramayana for the Swayamvara of Sita.
Tamil Classical Literature also mentions fifty-six Kingdoms.
Now I came across information that the number of Kingdoms are not fifty-six but seventy-six,
One may note from the Sankalpa or Resolution a Hindu chants for a function includes the Line.
Jambo Dweepe.,Bharata Varshe, Bharatakkande’
‘KANDA ‘ Means Continent.
As Kanda has already been mentioned, Varsha must be larger than this but smaller than Jambudweep.
There is a view that Jambudvipa means ‘beginning from Kashmir’
The Term Jamboo means a Tree bearing a Fruit of the same name, a type of Blackberry.
I do not see any connection between this Blackberry and Kashmir..
As the text goes on to describe the geographical locations, it must be indicative of a Large Mass of Earth,smaller than a Planet, bigger than a continent.
Again the Ancients Texts mention ‘Milechas’ indicating people beyond the Bhartakanda, but not approved by the Bharatvarsha and are declared to be unfit to be called as decent as Human Beings.
Some subscribe to the view that the term Milecha means the early European tribes, including the Americans.
I do not think so.
Texts also mention about these tribes as Nomads differentiating them from those who are unfit.
So the Jambudweep must mean(Dweepa means Continent) ,a large Island Continent, possibly Atlantis.
Lemuria has been included in the Dravidian land Mass.
Now I have information from a site that lists 76 Kingdoms.
Jamvudvipa is the name of the regions south of the Himalaya region as per ancient Indian texts. Some identifies this region with the Jammu region that lies to the immediate south of Himalaya in Kashmir. Others identify it with the whole of Indian peninsula that lied to the south of the Himalayan range and also consider Himalaya to be a mountain range that surrounds this region both to the west (the western mountain ranges in Pakistan , north (Himalaya proper) and east (eastern ranges in North-Eastern India and Myanmar) of it.
Below is the Ancient India Map I created in 2004. It is formerly added to Wikipedia under creative common license. It is also used by many web-sites dealing with ancient India. Jamvudwipa is the Indian Peninsular region which can be seen in this map. The smaller Jamvu region is the region south of Kasmira, between the rivers Vitasta and Chandrabhaga. It is not marked in this map.
As none of the parameters tried, have lived up to reasonable classification, it was decided t go into the causes of Behavior, because it is behavior that determines the Life of an Individual and has an impact on the Society.
Behavior is mostly determined by the Genes,expressed in the form of dispositions.though the Hindus were aware of the environment playing a vital part.
Karna also says the same to him when he was appointed the Chief of the Army after Bhishmacharya.
Aswathama, after the death of his father Drona’s death, seeking to avenge his death and thinking that he would please Duryodhana, kills all the offspring of the Pandavas, save Parikshit, informs Duryodhana of his deed.
Duryodhana , bleeding to death, says to him,
‘You, in your anger have killed my sons, for Pandavas are my brothers,it is a different issue that I had to fight them.
That does not mean that their children are my enemies.
As a Brahmin, you should have thought of this.
At least , as a Kshatriya, you should have compassion ,Kshama,
You did neither.
You are now neither a Brahmin by disposition or a Kshatriya by duties”
Karna, though a Kshatriya by birth , was not recognized as such, because he was brought up by a Charioteer,
Viswamitra was a Kshatriya by birth, became a Brahmin by disposition and gave the world the Gayathri mantra, the sacred mantra of the Hindus.
Parasurama, a Brahmin by birth is not revered as such for killed his mother at the bidding of his father and he avenged the Kshatriyas for having killed his father Jamadagni for 21 Generatiosn till he was vanquished by Lord Rama.
Nor his Father Jamadagni’s name is among the Gothras of Brahmins for he bade his son to kill his wife.
His wife Renuka Devi, though of Brahmin lineage by Birth and Marriage, after resurrection was made a Minor Deity, called Mariamman.
Now we come across an interesting concept,
That of assigning Caste to God!
Vishnu is a Kshatriya.
Brahma is a Kshatriya.
These two perform the functions of Protecting, Creating respectively.
As these two activities lead to Births and Deaths, Samsara,- these activities are of a Kshatriya.
Siva is called a Brahmin for He dispenses Knowledge, not to be confused with Rudra, the Annihilator.
The term Siva means ‘Auspicious’
He is the embodiment of Sat, Chit, and Anandam(Being,Consciousness and Bliss).
His mouth formed the Brahmin (teacher or Priest), his two arms were made the Rajaanya (Kshathriya or warrior), his two thighs the Vaisyaa (traders or Agriculturist) and from his feet the Soodhra (worker or servant) was born.(Purusha Sooktham)
Another seeming contradiction is that while The Vishnu Purana is categorized as a Sathva(Noble,Pure,Diligent,Calmness) Purana while Siva Purana as Tamasa Purana( Indifference)
Probable that these are so named as to indicate the qualities of the Reader , Vishnu Purana for Karma,Bhakti Yogins while Siva Purana for karma Yogins(Non action , action with detachment)!
Ravana was a Brahmin by birth but by duties he was a Kshatriya.
He was respected for his knowledge and compassion .
His fatal flaw was to lust after other’s wife.
His status as Kshatriya did not affect his status as a Brahmin as Lord Rama performed Tharpana for him for Brahmahathi Dosha(the sin of slaying a Brahmin) at Rameswaram; normally Tharpana is not performed by the Victors if the slain were to be Kshatriyas unless they happen to be relatives, for example by the Pandavas for the Kauravas.-Pandavas performed the Tharpna for the slain Kauravas..
It may be noted that Birth alone does not determine the Caste, though it is also a factor.
Disposition, performance of duties, the way one is brought up determines the Caste.
An interesting fact is that while Kshatriyas can become Brahmins, Brahmins can never become Kshatriyas in its full connotation
Ravana was an exception who could balance both the functions, that of remaining a Brahmin by Wisdom and Knowledge and a Kshatriya by the performance of his duties.
As shown in the case of Aswathama, a Brahmin becomes neither, in fact without a Caste, if he vacillates between Kshatriya Dharma and Brahmana Dharma.
Therefore, the Classification of Caste is determined by , mainly Four factors.
1. Realizing Brahman, Reality
“O Arjuna, the duties of sudras, kshatriyas, Vaishyas and brahmanas are attributed according to the qualities determined by their own deeds.” image credit:.mallstuffs.com
2.tendencies.
3.Dispositions.
4.How one is brought up and whom he marries.
Now let us see how the word Caste has come into our Lexicon.
There is no word to denote ‘Caste’ as we understand it now in Hindu Thought.
“The English word “caste” derives from the Spanish and Portuguese casta, which the Oxford English Dictionary quotes John Minsheu‘s Spanish dictionary (1599) to mean, “race, lineage, or breed.”[5] When the Spanish colonized the New World, they used the word to mean a “clan or lineage.” However, it was the Portuguese who employed casta in the primary modern sense when they applied it to the many in-marrying hereditary Hindu social groups they encountered upon their arrival in India in 1498.[5][6] The use of the spelling “caste,” with this latter meaning, is first attested to in English in 1613.[5](wiki)
This is totally alien to Hindu Concept.
Caste is called as Varna , indicates disposition, disposition.
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