nArAyaNa / नारायण
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Originally wrote in the form of face-book 'notes' compiled here.
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'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(1)
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(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -1.
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© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
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तैत्तिरीय-उपनिषत् वल्ली 1, अनुवाक 11
taittiriya-upaniShat. vallI - anuvAk. 11
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वेदमनूच्याचार्योऽन्तेवासिनमनुशास्ति | सत्यं वद | धर्मं चर |
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वेदम् अनूच्य आचार्यः अन्तेवासिनम् अनुशास्ति ...
vedam. anUchya AchAryaH antevAsinam. अनुशास्ति...
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वेद की शिक्षा देने के उपरांत आचार्य अपने शिष्यों को उपदेश देते हैं :
सत्यवचन कहो, धर्म का आचरण करो,...
स्पष्ट है कि सत्यवचन कहने के लिए मनुष्य को सत्य और असत्य का अंतर ज्ञात होना चाहिए.
धर्म का आचरण करने के लिए धर्म और अधर्म का अंतर ज्ञात होना चाहिए.
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चूँकि सत्य व्यावहारिक और पारमार्थिक रूप से भिन्न भिन्न है, इसलिए उसे कहने का तात्पर्य व्यवहार में वाणी से उसे प्रकट करने के सम्बन्ध में है, न कि परम सत्य के सम्बन्ध में. यद्यपि व्यावहारिक सत्य की प्रतिष्ठा (अवस्थिति) भी पारमार्थिक सत्य में ही है, किन्तु पारमार्थिक सत्य में सब समाहित होने से उसे न तो वाणी से समुचित रूप से कहा जा सकना संभव है, और न आवश्यक है, हाँ उसे पात्र जिज्ञासुओं के लिए इंगित किया जा सकता है, लेकिन यहाँ आचार्य शिष्यों को 'वैदिक' धर्म के आचरण के अंतर्गत जिस सत्य के बारे में उपदेश दे रहे हैं वह व्यावहारिक जगत में आचरण कैसा किया जाना चाहिए बारे में है.
मनुस्मृति अध्याय 4 श्लोक 138 के अनुसार :
सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात् न ब्रूयात् सत्यं अप्रियं |
प्रियं च न अनृतं ब्रूयात् एष धर्म सनातनं ||
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अर्थात मनुष्य को चाहिए कि वह सत्य कथन करे, (ऐसे सत्य का, जिसके बारे में उसे संदेह न हो, यदि संदेह है तो उसका निवारण करने से पूर्व उसे न कहे,) वह ऐसे ही सत्य का कथन करे, जो दूसरों को प्रिय हो, यदि वह सत्य दूसरों को अप्रिय है, उसे न कहे, (क्योंकि दूसरा न तो सुनना चाहेगा, न स्वीकार ही करेगा और तब विवाद और वैमनस्य ही उत्पन्न होगा). पुनः मनुष्य दूसरों को जो प्रिय है, उसका का कथन तो करे, किन्तु दूसरों को प्रिय है, इसलिए असत्य का कथन भी न करे. यह सनातन धर्म है .
सनातन का अर्थ है निरंतर सतत अविनाशी किन्तु जिसका प्रकट रूप परिवर्तनशील है, अर्थात् जिसे व्यावहारिक धरातल पर किया जाता है,
पुनः 'धर्म' ही आचरित किया जाना चाहिए, न कि 'अधर्म' या 'विधर्म' . यहाँ 'धर्म' का अर्थ है 'स्वधर्म'.
गीता अध्याय 3 श्लोक 35 तथा अध्याय 18 श्लोक 47 के अनुसार अपने स्वाभाविक धर्म का आचरण ही मनुष्य को श्रेयस् की प्राप्ति में सहायक है, जबकि 'परधर्म' अत्यंत भयावह और हानिप्रद है .
http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/3%2F35
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स्पष्ट है कि भारतवर्ष / इंडिया / आर्यावर्त की सत्ता जिन हाथों में रही, उनकी जानी-अनजानी भूलों में से एक गंभीरतम भूल यह भी थी कि उन्होंने 'धर्म' का अर्थ ही जान-बुझकर या अज्ञानवश बिलकुल ही बदल डाला, और 'धर्म' और 'religion' को समानार्थी कहकर एक ही पैमाने / कसौटी / पर दोनों शब्दों को स्वीकार किया और देश कि जनता पर भी आरोपित कर दिया.
गीता अध्याय 18 श्लोक 30 31 32 के अनुसार मनुष्य की बुद्धि तीन प्रकार की होती है,
सात्विक,
http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/18%2F30
राजसिक,
http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/18%2F31
और तामसिक,
http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/18%2F30
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इस प्रकार हमारे देश के 'बुद्धिजीवी' राजनेताओं की मिश्रित-बुद्धि से धर्म के अर्थ को ठीक से समझे बिना ही 'धर्म' को 'religion' कह दिया गया. और फिर सारे 'religions' को 'समान' कह दिया गया. प्रकार जाने-अनजाने ही, मूलतः परस्पर विपरीत और विरोधी 'परम्पराओं' / 'मान्यताओं' को भी 'धर्म' की श्रेणी में रख दिया गया, क्योंकि यह 'शासक-वर्ग' के लिए अत्यंत उपयोगी था.
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किन्तु यहाँ हमें यह देखना है कि धर्म का वैदिक/ पौराणिक / लौकिक रूप क्या हो सकता है, जो सबके लिए कल्याणप्रद हो.
वैदिक आधार पर 'धर्म' के मुख्यतः दो रूप हो सकते हैं, पहला है वर्णाश्रम-धर्म, दूसरा है 'लोक-धर्म'.
'वर्णाश्रम-धर्म' के सिद्धान्त के अनुसार प्रत्येक मनुष्य किसी 'वर्ण-विशेष' में अर्थात् प्रकृति के तीन गुणों के विशेष संयोग से युक्त किसी शरीर को लेकर संसार में जन्म लेता है. जिसके आधार पर मनुष्य को अपने जीवन की मुख्य प्रेरणा प्राप्त होती है. मांसाहारी जीव की संतान मांसाहारी और शाकाहारी की संतान स्वाभाविक रूप से शाकाहारी ही होती है.
गीता के अनुसार 'गुण-कर्म-विभाग' के आधार पर मनुष्य अपने 'वर्ण' की प्रवृत्तियों को अपनाता है, और इस आधार पर 'जाति' नहीं बल्कि मनुष्य का स्वाभाव ही उसके स्वाभाविक 'वर्ण' का निर्धारण करता है. इसलिए 'वेद' में मौलिक रूप से वर्ण-आश्रम धर्म पर जोर दिया गया है, न कि 'जाति' / 'जन्म' को. यद्यपि वेद इससे इनकार नहीम करता कि 'वर्ण' का संरक्षण 'विवाह' की संस्था द्वारा किया जा सकता है, लेकिन वेद मनुष्य पर बलपूर्वक कोई आग्रह नहीं थोपता. वेद केवल कर्तव्य का निर्देश करता है और मनुष्य के आचरण के अनुसार उसे प्राप्त होनेवाले संभावित परिणामों के बारे में कहता है.
'वेद' कोई 'पुस्तक' नहीं बल्कि वे अपौरुषेय सिद्धांत हैं जिनके आधार पर अस्तित्व कार्य करता है. इसलिए वेदों को लिखने पर जोर नहीं दिया गया.
वेद सबके लिए न उपलब्ध है, न हर कोई वेद के अध्ययन का अधिकारी / पात्र है, केवल ब्राह्मण ही इसके अध्ययन का अधिकारी / पात्र है, और दूसरे वर्ण का व्यक्ति यदि वास्तव में वेद को के बारे में जानने-समझने का उत्सुक है वह 'ब्राह्मण' वर्ण लेकर ही उत्पन्न हुआ है, ऐसा कहा जा सकता है. उदाहरण के लिए कोई भले ही किसी भी जाती या कुल में पैदा हुआ है, यदि अधिकारी / पात्र है, तो उसे अनायास ही ऐसे अवसर मिलेंगे जिनसे वह वैदिक ज्ञान कि ओर अग्रसर होने लगेगा.
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वैदिक 'वर्ण-व्यवस्था' के इस आधार पर यद्यपि मनुष्य की 'प्रवृत्तियाँ' तो निर्धारित होती हैं, जबकि 'आश्रम' उसे अपनी आयु के अनुसार 'प्राप्त' होता है, और वह इससे बाख नहीं सकता. उदाहरण के लिए बाल्यावस्था में 'ब्रह्मचर्य-आश्रम', युवावस्था में 'गृहस्थ-आश्रम', 'प्रौढावस्था में 'वानप्रस्थ-आश्रम', तथा वृद्धावस्था में 'संन्यास-आश्रम' अपरिहार्यतः हर मनुष्य को प्राप्त होता है. इसका सीधा तात्पर्य यह है कि, यदि उस अवस्था-विशेष में मनुष्य उस 'आश्रम-धर्म' का पालन करे तो उसे जीवन के श्रेष्ठतम तत्व कि प्राप्ति अवश्य होगी. उदाहरण के लिए यदि कोई बाल्य या किशोर आयु का है उसे अध्ययन और जीवन-विषयक ज्ञान को सीखने में संलग्न रहना चाहिए. युवा को विवाह कर अपनी संतति को जन्म देना चाहिए, उसका उचित पालन पोषण, शिक्षा-दीक्षा आदि के लिए संलग्न होना चाहिए. प्रौढ़-आयु को यह समझकर कि संसार 'वन' है, सुख-दुःख झेलते हुए अपने आध्यात्मिक लक्ष्य के लिए समर्पित होना चाहिए तथा संन्यासी को चाहिए कि वह मृत्यु को जीवन का स्वाभाविक तथ्य समझकर उससे परे के तत्व को जानने-समझने का प्रयास करे.
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दूसरी ओर वेद की ही परम्परा का एक रूप है 'पुराण', जो 'ब्राह्मणेतर' अन्य वर्णों के लिए अधिक उपयुक्त हैं, वेद जिस 'तत्व' के बारे में विवेचना करते है, वह सामान्यतः हर किसी के लिए न तो रुचिप्रद है, न सरलता से समझा जा सकता है, न वेद इसका आग्रह करते हैं, किन्तु 'ईश्वर' के साकार रूप कि उपासना अपनी अपनी रुचि के अनुसार हर कोई अवश्य कर सकता है और यह भी उतना ही श्रेष्ठ है जितना कि वेदाध्ययन. और यह जानना रोचक है कि कैसे एक व्यक्ति एक या एक से अधिक, या सभी देवताओं की भक्ति अनेक विधियों से करता हुआ भी उसी तत्व को सरलता से प्राप्त कर लेता है, जिसे बड़े से बड़े ज्ञानी-ध्यानी और शास्त्रवेत्ता भी अत्यंत कठिनाई से प्राप्त कर पाते हैं. यहाँ 'दूसरे' के 'धर्म' / मत से सहिष्णुता या असहिष्णुता का भी प्रश्न तक नहीं उठता, मनुष्य केवल अपने बारे में विचार करता है, दूसरों पर अपना मत बलपूर्वक थोपने का या उसकी निन्दा की तो उसे कल्पना तक नहीं होती.
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'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(2)
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(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -2.
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© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
धर्म का अर्थ है शाश्वत धर्म जो सृष्टि का अधिष्ठान है जिसमें सृष्टि कि अभिव्यक्ति, विकास और ले होता रहता है . एक ओर तो यह धर्म नित्य और परिवर्तन-रहित है, दूसरी ओर सृष्टि में प्रकट और विलीन होते रहनेवाली असंख्य आकृतियों के धर्म के रूप में यही 'सनातन' भी है, अबाध, निरंतर, जिसका न तो आरम्भ है न अंत. इसमें उत्पन्न और कुछ समय के लिए अस्तित्वमान होकर समाप्त हो जानेवाली आकृतियों में वही धर्म सर्वत्र व्याप्त भी है, वही उन आकृतियों में 'चेतना' के रूप में विद्यमान है. किन्तु कुछ आकृतियाँ, अपने आपको 'चेतन' और कुछ अन्य को 'जड़' समझ बैठती हैं, इस जड़-समष्टि को 'प्रकृति' का नाम दिया जाता है और अपने आपको 'पुरुष' कहा जाता है. किन्तु इस बौद्धिक या अल्पबुद्धि से उत्पन्न समझ में भी धर्म सतत गतिशील रहता है और वही सारी 'बुद्धियों' को संचालित करता है . यह हुआ धर्म का 'आध्यात्मिक' स्वरूप.
किन्तु वेद हमें बतलाता है कि मनुष्य 'मननशील' प्राणी है और is दृष्टि से शेष पशुओं, पक्षियों, कीटों, जलचरों, उभयचरों और वनस्पति आदि से भिन्न प्रकार का जीव है. और यदि वह अपने 'वर्ण' को जान ले तो उस वर्ण के स्वाभाविक धर्म का निर्वाह करते हुए वह परम श्रेयस् की प्राप्ति कर सकता है. मनुष्य ही संभवतः एकमात्र ऐसा प्राणी है जिसमें 'समय' के गतिशीलता का विचार प्रबल रूप धारण करता है. वह 'विचार' के माध्यम से क्षणमात्र से लेकर युगों और कल्पों तक का 'अनुमान' कर सकता है और अतीत तथा भावी के बारे में भी 'संभावनाएं' कल्पित कर सकता है. वह एक 'वैश्विक-समय' के अस्तित्व को भी स्वीकार कर लेता है जबकि उसके पास इसका कोई सीधा प्रमाण नहीं होता. यह 'काल' जो कल्पना पर आश्रित है, मनुष्य को इतने ठोस रूप में 'अनुभव'(?) होता है कि वह 'विचार' के यंत्र से कला, विज्ञान, साहित्य और तकनीक जैसी अनेक विधाओं का आविष्कार कर लेता है, जो पुनः 'काल' के अस्तित्व कि उसकी कल्पना को और अधिक ठोस रूप देते हैं . वह यह नहीं देख पाटा कि 'काल' विचार पर आश्रित एक तथ्य है, जिसे केवल विचार के ही सहारे सत्यता दी जा सकती है. इस दृष्टि से वेद 'काल' को भी 'नैमित्तिक (symbolic) धर्म' के रूप में मान्यता देता है. यह 'काल-धर्म' हुआ. चूँकि वह काल भी अस्तित्व के नियमों से घनिष्ठातः जुड़ा है और धर्म से अभिन्न है, इसलिए उसे महाकाल कहा जाता है. सम्पूर्ण अस्तित्व उस 'काल' / 'महाकाल' के अंतर्गत है, उसमें ही प्रकट / विकसित / और लीन होता है, जबकि उस 'काल' / 'महाकाल' के विस्तार और व्याप्ति, आदि और अंत का अनुमान उसमें विद्यमान कोई 'व्यक्ति-सत्ता' कभी नहीं कर सकती.
--
vaidika, paurANika and laukika 'dharma'.
__
This topic gives me a big clue while explaining 'mythology' and Indian (not Hindu) tradition (not religion) of dealing with spiritual aspects of life in totality. I shall write upon this. Here is a short view. The India. tradition that has scriptures as a great reservoir of the utterances of rishis (sages) helps us in looking at the existence in 3 ways. i) vedika, that is for those who deal with 'pure knowledge only'. ii) paurANika, for those who are eager to know and get help from cosmic powers (devatA), and think this 'world of appearances' is a real place and want to live always happy, enjoying pleasures unlimited and keeping away the misery. For them these 'devatA', though unknown, may perhaps need to be pleased and worshiped, and so they follow the ways of 'paurANika-dharma'. This is not 'mythology' but as much a 'real thing' as is our 'worldly' life. Then in Indian 'tradition' There is another way of explaining and reaching at the same Reality that is arrived at through veda / purAna. This is 'Buddha's' way. Though again 'Buddha' too is part of 'PaurANika' way only. As such the Indian tradition (not religion but dharma) is qualitatively and essentially very different in method / approach and aim, from the Jew, Catholicism, Christianity and Islam. I think I don't quite know much about the approach of the Jew, Catholicism, Christianity and Islam. So I should not say about those traditions / religions. But I do think, they are not 'dharma' as far as vedik / paurANika view is concerned. They are not even 'adharma', but 'vidharma' that means just different from the dharma as is propounded in veda / purANa. They are not even comparable with the tradition of 'dharma'.
--
Some 8 hours ago I posted these last 2 comments when just stopped and left me half-way, and now I think will be able to write down the next part. There are major 18 purANa, that deal with cosmology, and relate different dimensions of 'existence' with one-another in a fine frame-work that could again explained well in terms of 'Topology' (a branch of Higher Mathematics, I had studied in my Post-graduation, M.Sc.) . There is one named 'skanda-purANa' .A section of this named 'rewA-khanDa' has the river 'narmadA' as the presiding deity. this story is mentioned there, in that part. During a pilgrimage, where the devotee is supposed to walk round the river, from its 'origin' to the place where the river merges into the Arabian sea, and then returning in the same direction, after crossing over an island Alia-bet, http://mapcarta.com/14903734, one ultimately reaches again the starting-point of his pilgrimage. This pilgrimage is called 'narmada-pradakShiNA,
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(3)
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(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -3.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
On this contour ( a long circular pilgrimage round a deity) there is a place named Suddharudreshvara. 2 miles next to this there is a village with name'Mantiyar'. Adjacent to this village is VaidyanAtha-tIrtha, a sacred place. and a short distance away is Suryakunda. the story about this 'kunda' (water-hole) named after (Surya) Sun.
The sage Kashyapa (one of the 7 sages who form the saptarshi > Great Bear in the sky, and humans are supposed to be have descendend from those 7), had 2 wives namely 'diti' and 'aditi'.
(In anciant cosmology according to veda, 'time' has 3 'dimensions'. The dimension where-in 'physical manifestation' takes place is further divided into 'kalpa', 'yuga' and 'manvantara' et-cetra.. accordingly 'ayana' > Sun's and moon's transit through the zodiac have been referred to,...,
(http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/%E2%80%99%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%83%E2%80%99%20%2F%20%E2%80%99%E1%B9%A3a%E1%B9%87m%C4%81s%C4%81%E1%B8%A5%E2%80%99 ).
'diti' was the mother of 'daitya', while 'aditi' was of 'Aditya'.
We can assume here that daitya were the giant beings that lived on earth, while 'Aditya' were / are the 12 forms of the सुन.
--
sage 'Kashyap' was the father of 'daitya' and 'Aditya'.
The name of the Aditya / Sun in that 'kalpa' was 'vivasvAn'
(http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/%E2%80%99%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E2%80%99%20%2F%20%E2%80%99vivasv%C4%81n%E2%80%99 )
VivasvAn was married to 'sanjnA'.
The couple VivasvAn and sanjnA had 3 offsprigs -
Vaivasvat -manu, 'Yama' and 'yamuna'.
These 3 forms are there as the foremost ancester of mankind, namely 'Manu', The Lord of death 'Yama' and the deity that controls the destiny / lives. The subtle / hidden and true meaning of these deities / entities are :
vivasvAn > One who is there at the heart of existence of things gross and subtle.
vaivasvat > the immediately next kin of vivasvAn, i.e. humans,
sanjnA > pure consciousness prior to the the senses.
--
The story further tells :
Because The radiance of the Sun was extremely unbearable, sanjnA could not stay with him for long. She asked her husband to go back to her father's home. Sun was infuriated and asked: 'who will then look after the children?'
Though she kept silent for the time but later created her own alike, named 'ChhAyA' (meaning shadow) and told her to portray herself before Sun as sanjnA.
--
Here we see how 'life' was manifested in the form of ChhAyA.
'ChhAyA' convinced her, she will keep the secret till death comes.
Assured, sanjnA went to her father's place
When sanjnA reached to her father 'vishvakarmA', alone, he asked her why she came alone? And where is her husband? She told why she came back.
VishvakarmA at her answer told her to go back to her husband, but she instead took the form of a mare (female-horse) and kept grazing in the woods.
In the coming times, the couple, Sun (VivasvAn) and 'ChhAyA' had 3 children, a son named / called 'sAvarNI manu', another called 'Shani' (Saturn), and a girl-child named 'tApI'.
--
This is quite in tune with the earlier family-details of Sun-sanjnA couple.
Sun-sanjnA couple is the subtle spiritual dimension, while Sun-ChhAyA couple is of the physical.
--
sAvarNI manu > literally means 'one resembling the manu'.
Saturn is the movement of destiny at the subtle level while also a planet at the astrological plane.
'tApI' is the austerities at the subtle level, while a river also named so.
--
ChhAyA treated the 2 sons and a daughter (Vaivasvat, Yama and Yamuna) with disregard, but loved her own kids more. Once, Yama was greatly annoyed and lifted his leg to hit ChhAyA. ChhAyA responded with a curse. Yama argued "You are not our real mother, a mother never curses her children." Yama went to his father Sun and told him the whole thing.
Then Sun asked to ChhAyA about the truth.
She scared of Sun's wrath told him the whole incidence.
--
Then worried about sanjnA, Sun to know about her well-being went to VishvakarmA. VishvakarmA said : " Yes, she had come, but I had sent her back to you!"
Hearing this Sun was much grieved and went for searching for her.
he found her grazing in the woods, then he also took the form of a horse and lived in her company.
In time, the couple had twins, the 'ashvinau' > meaning a pair of horses.
--
This pair 'ashvinau' became 'equinox'.
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(4)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -4.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
"नारायण!"
"NArAyaNa!""
I exclaimed.
To the rest of the world He was but a small terrapin.
Destiny / my big fortune brought Him to me, or He Himself decided this, I cannot say.
He was there in the small cabin.
He was not yet awake.
I didn't disturb Him.
After a half an hour, I saw Him moving in the cabin.
I went to Him.
I touched Him with love and all due reverence.
He withdrew His head within His shell.
In the beginning I used to think He was scared of me.
Then observing Him carefully for a few days, I learnt, this was His natural tendency to be careful of any movement taking place around Him. Later on when He became acquained with me in the worldly sense, He would sometimes let me touch His head.
--
After some 3 or 4 days of His arrival, one mid-night when I was sleeping, I heard a strange sound that resembled 'praNva', the traditional 'om', the word that is thought of as the most sacred one. I could not understand wherefrom this sound came-out, and just went back to sleep.
After half-an hour later, my sleep was again disturbed by the same sound, and I went to see Him, for He was very much in my thought always.
He was just agitated and I took Him out of the cabin and placed in His another place in a basket, and when saw Him sitting comfortably there, I covered the basket with the top-cover.
In the early morning I saw Him there still asleep.
--
Then about 8:00 I saw Him moving in His place. It meant He has waken-up. I took Him and placed Him in His water-cabin.
He went in happily. I gave Him 4 grains of turtle-food, 2 of which He soon grabbed. I kept watch on Him while doing all my other routine work.
I often used to go to Him and tried to talk to Him.
He too would respond me in my mind.
I have no doubts, He often responded to me.
Sometimes I would just listen a sound as if in the form of my own thought, but felt it not my own but of His.
I knew by insight that He might be conveying His words to me.
This morning He told me,:
"The sound you heard in the night is my own expression."
The next moment I was taken aback / startled by the same sound coming out from His cabin.
He was just sitting there silently, gazing at His reflection in the cabin-wall.
I can't say really what happened.
I don't think this was some hallucination / self-hypnosis that lead me into believing this.
While I was sitting on my desk-top, I heard a voice in my head :
'Stop everything and listen to this,..."
Thinking it might be a caprice of my wandering mind only, just out of curiosity, I started writing down what came next to my mind :
"You call me nArAyaNa!"
I was sure this was my own mind telling me my own imaginations.
"O.K. 'nArAyaNa' is the first avatAra of viShNu."
I had to wait for a while.
"Do you think you are viShNu?"
I asked Him aloud.
"Well, yes. .."
"Are all turtles, tortoises and terrapin your own form?"
"Yes, because they descended from Me."
"What are your other forms?"
"You already know...!"
"Me?..."
"Yes, let me refresh, ... it is Kachchha, machchha, varAha, narsinh, vAmana, parashurAma, rAma, kRShNa, buddha and kalki."
"What do you mean?"
"See there are infinite souls, each is my own reflection, yet they all keep passing through phases of consciousness that gives rise to the thought -'I am this body, ... in their their individual consciousness, individual times, and in their individual worlds."
"Is not there a common world to all?"
"Yes, for me, there is; and it is not other than me."
"And what for the infine individual souls?"
"Well, I have told you each and every one has it's own consciousness, times and world."
This left me dumb.
"O.K., don't feel disappointed. This is the 'paurANika' way of dealing with the problems of living at the existencial plane."
"Is it true?"
"For each and every individual this is perfectly and absolutely true."
"How could you explain this ...."
I didn't try to qualify the word 'this'.
"See what you take as your own bio-graphy is but the memory of things strung onto the thread of the thought that you are an individual"
"Am not I?"
"Yes, that is the point. And likewise there are infinite like you."
I had no further query.
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(5)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -5.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
I remembered my 'Ashvattha-days' when I used to talk to my 'Ashvattha' / The banyon (Indian fig tree).
He forced me to realize that he literally 'talked' with me and I could not deny this 'fact', though I have no direct proofs if it was true or my wishful thinking.
'nArAyaNa' to would talk with me in this way, for in His presence I discovered so many things of Sanskrit Language, the nuances that was never possible by going through the books. Like 'Ashvattha' He was also my 'Sanskrita-teacher'. Let me say 'AchArya'.
--
'AchArya devo bhavaH'
I made obeissances to Him.
He was captivated in His reflection.
I saw His shell.
There were 'diamonds' in His shell. I 'searched' on Google and knew He was neither a turtle, nor a tortoise, but a terrapin.
--
"Did you notice diamonds?"
I asked myself.
But then at once I realized He was looking at me with keen attention.
As I turned my sight towards Him, found Him moving His legs and fore-arms.
--
"I have all these signs till date to let the people know my presence every-where."
I heard Him say.
To my own sceptic mind, this could be again a coincidence only.
"Don't you see me depicted in the images of Lord vishNu?
He challanged.
"Oh yes my Lord!.."
I was in tears.
I remembered a temple in Rewa (Lakshman-baug) where The temple has a turtle as the support under it. A stone-image of a turtle.
In those days and before an year ago I read 'adhyatma-rAmAyaNa', and was convinced that not a single word of the text is an imagination or symbolic or 'figurative' ... Not a 'myth' conjured up by the author, just another 'literary attempt' done by some scholar Like 'KAlidAs' or 'bANa' of Sanskrit Language.
--
'nArAyaNa!'
He calls me.
Yes! I think I heard Him calling me.
Not in human voice, but in my mind, in the form of a non-verbal voice.
Simply, He called my attention to Him.
I followed and He was there moving in the water. He kept His head above water.
Though He seemed to be at the lowest rung of the 'evolution' of consciousness as seen in the 'paurANika' context, Nevertheless He held His head high as that of a swan, who is supposed to be at the highest point of the 'evolution' of consciousness as seen in the 'paurANika' context. And though 'purANa' deals with the 'linear-time' and Veda in the 'spiral-time', both are 'co-eval', if not contemporary in the vedAntik perspective.
--
He is there waiting for me.
I bring my finger near Him to touch Him.
There are rings and octagons/ hectagons on His shell. As if diamonds studded. I see grooves upon each of them.
--
"The cosmic finger-prints."
He chuckles up.
Yes I read this expression on His face.
I remember His face was so eloquant, and revealed whatever was on His mind that if you carefully see Him, -His whole being at a glance, you could at once see for yourself.
"You had been at OmkAreshvar!"
"Yes, ..."
"You had been thinking of doing a 'narmadA-pradakShiNA'?"
He asks.
"Yes, nArAyaNa!"
"I did the same in my past life. I was just a stone, at the mercy of the waves and breezes. Then one day I was picke-up by a pilgrim who was walking around 'narmadA'. Then he threw in 'narmadA'. I stood there for a thousand years. Moving with the sands and waters of the river, one day I fell into a place known as 'dhArA-teertha' (dhaavati / dhAvaDI-kunDa as in skand-purANa). It's a Kund, well in the river-bed. Waters keep whirling there.. There were tens of millions like me. Waters chisel them into round LiMga.)"
I felt for a moment He was talking to me in a human voice in my dream.
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(6)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -6.
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(6)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -6.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
"For a thousand years the waters kept me cleaning, caressing, polishing me, when I turned into a smooth shining radiant 'jyotirling'.
Then one day a diver leaped into the kunda and brought me in the open.
Another pilgrim took me to be the Form (LiMga) of Shiva, and keeping me on an altar worshipped me on the bank of this river.
During next a few hundred years airs and waters left me in pieces and then I found one day in an egg, burried in the sands of the same river.
I don't know who were my parents, but I do know they kept a watch on me from where-ever they were.
And ond day I came to you."
He concluded.
I had no words to say in response.
I was so overwhelmed by the story unfolding in my mind that I couldn't even doubt its truth.
--
"But before coming to me, you were with 'nArAyaNI'!"
I prompted Him.
"Yes, She gave me this name nArAyaNa', and you too followed, started calling me by this name!"
"...."
"And neither She nor I know who brought us together."
"Interesting!"
He didn't say a word. But I saw Him looking intently at my face.
"nArAyaNa! Tell me about your thousand years when you were being 'groomed' in the 'dhAvaDI-kunda?"
"Not that, but I shall tell you about the river 'narmadA'..."
"Well...!"
"So She kept me giving the form of Shiva, and you know She is herself The daughter of Shiva in the 'paurANika' legend."
"yes, 'Shiva-tanayA'"
"She turns everything / who-what-so-ever that catches / touches Her sight or Her waters into 'Shiva-liMga."
"You mean She makes all existece 'alive'?"
"Yes, and I was no exception."
"..."
"She is not just a water-body, but the form of Shiva's Grace.... And She keeps moving round not only tiny pebbles and boulders, but also around a big mountain 'mAndhAtA'..."
"..."
"Because that makes the mountain 'Lord Shiva'."
The visible form of Shiva.
And I remembered why there are 2 forms of the Lord Shiva at OmkAreshvara.
"Then all 'life' flows from Her"
"In my times and my life?"
I questioned.
"Yes in yours and in the innumerable individual times and spaces at the collective and cosmic levels as well."
How?"
I hesitatingly put one more question.
"Because She (narmadA) has been the shakti eternal during all times at all places for every individual. Either known to him or hidden from him."
--
I see this is His time to retire to sleep, so I take Him out from His water-cabin and put Him in His basket cabin. He was already snoozing.
I fold my hands and bid Him namaste!
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(7)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -7.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(7)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -7.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
Those were winter-days. The cabin water used to go cold withn minutes. There was a Lamp of 25 watts in His Cabin that kept Him warm. And after every hour I would replace a glass of water in the cabin by another a bit warmer water. About 10:30 or 11:00, it would have been His time of retiring. Some day He would even started snoozing at 8:00 but would want to sleep in the water. If I tried to get Him, He would just keep away from me. And if He wanted to leave the cabin, He would start giving me a call indicating His uneasiness by making noise. He would try to walk-up the cabin-wall and at once I would take Him out. He would readily come into my palm and then to His basket-cabin. Within minutes He would be silent and asleep.
I was looking at the diamonds on His shell when He asked me,:
"You know these fingerprints of the Cosmic evolution?"
"No, ... "
I was amused How. He would evoke a question in my mind and start the conversation. He would though look silent as if has said something and waiting for the response of the listener, with mouth open.
"These diamonds are for ever."
He kind of quoated an oft-repeated phrase.
"Yes, ..."
I nodded.
"See there are 5 tattvas that take part in Cosmology. They are as you know, The earth, The waters, The air, The Fire and The Ether."
"..."
"And The Rishi know well that they are not the building-blocks of the Cosmos."
I felt He would comment upon "The Fabric of the Cosmos".
"No they are the 5 fundamental dimensions of The Cosmos, and not the building-blocks."
"..."
"And there is even more as the 'dimensions'."
"Well.., Go ahead."
"And the 2 other dimensions are energy and the consciousness.
All existence is manifest and latent in these 7 dimensions."
"And what about the building blocks?"
"No, there are no building-blocks but the three ways of functioning, 'attributes' of 'prakriti', ..."
"What do you mean by 'prakriti'?
"Physical / The material aspect in essence."
"Has it something to do with Physics"
"Sure, The three attributes, which the Rishi names 'guNa' or more precisely as 'sattva' 'rajas' 'tamas' are the mechanism that makes the 'Physical' express or hidden. See the resemblance uncanny. The 'sattva' corresponds to light, 'rajas' to 'movement' and the 'tamas' to 'inertia'."
"But don't they are also there, supposed to be associated with 'mind'?"
"Yes. that is precisely the point where the 6th dimension comes into point. The 3 attributes that are purely 'physical' are studied in the Classical / Modern Physics, while the 'consciousness' comes in consideration when we think of animals, plants and those 'living' entities, who are supposed to have a faculty called 'mind'."
"I see!"
"Do you remember what I had told you about my birth?"
I try to remember and my memory tells me He was just a pebble a boulder and then was transformed into a 'LinGa' and was worshipped for a while, then was broken into pieces and one day found Himself 'born' into an terrapin-egg.
"yes, sure"
"You see how 'consciousness' was there latent all the time when I was a stone or a boulder?"
"And also while you were a 'LinGa' ?"
I interrupt.
"No, when I was being polished and caressed by The waters of narmadA, I started sensing My being. That was the starting-point when I knew 'I AM'."
He said promptly, and continued further.
"Well, There was this vague sense of being and gradually I started to develop the memory 'IAM this stone', and there is something that is looking after me. Then I kept lost in myself most of the time."
"Yes, like Shiva in samAdhi'..."
"Yes. therefore I was 'Linga' / a sign only."
"And then I went through that destruction of my material part and became a pure soul and got this body as my abode in this birth."
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(8)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -8.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(8)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -8.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
Following His dictates, I keep recording whatsoever I feel we had conversed about.
"Are not you a bit confused?"
He questions.
"About?"
"About the 'vedika', 'paurANika', 'laukika'. ...?"
"Yes, I think I need your guidence."
"O.K. And what about Mystical, Mythological, scriptural, esoteric, and occult?"
"There too I am more or less confused."
I accept defeat.
"But you are a pundit!"
His eyes cast a mischivious look upon me.
"What these words mean to you, did you ever try to see their hidden meaning?"
He encouraged me to seek out.
"Well, Mythological and Mystic / Mystical are a bit mischivious, but scriptural is honest and authentic. 'esoteric' suggests the hidden where-as the 'occult' suggests the 'hinted at'."
"How? Please elaborate your point."
"See, - Etymologically, a 'myth' could be found to have two roots in two different ways. One is from 'मिथ्' > 'मिथुन' > meaning 'mixed', another is 'मिथ्या' / 'mithyA', meaning 'apparent', but not lasting. 'Mystical' seems to have come from 'mishra' that is 'sankara' > adulterated. impure, spurious...
Again, 'esoteric' from 'अस्तरीय' / 'अवस्तरीय' or 'असतरीय' that which is below the level, may be essential or duplicate / fake. 'Occult' likewise, from 'अवकुलतः', meaning from tradition, or fallen, or from a fallen tradition."
I suggest the possible options.
"You remind me of 'Ekalavya'. He observed.
I could guess He saw Ekalavya in me.
"May be You Are 'droNAchArya!"
"I didn't wait for His response."
"No, I'm not 'droNAchArya'."
"I'm Brahman, not the 'brAhmaNa' 'nArAyaNa', ..."
He made His position clear.
"Oh!, Sorry, I see 'droNAchArya' was 'brAhmaNa', a direct descendant from 'brahman'"
"Yes...."
"Tell me bhagavAn! If I deserve to be told the difference."
"See I just take a form for My manifestation and I Am never a subject to 'ignorance' of My Reality. The 4 vaidika dharma in contrast are meant to be observed by 'souls' who gradually 'evolve' like me but are subject to 'ignorance' of their Reality."
"Was 'ekalavya' not an outcaste?"
"Yes, by birth, but he was a 'brahmin'/ 'brAhmaNa', as is defined by the three attributes of nature / 'prakriti'. And His name suggests he had performed the initial spiritual practices that are needed to be born as a 'brAhmaNa'. 'eka' + 'la' + 'vya', indicate He has attained 'equipose' of mental strength, to be devoted to a single purpose."
"Yes bhagvAn!..."
"Then, there were 'brAhmaNa' who were blinded by worldly pleasures and became servants of 'kShatya's'. They devised the sacrifice of snimals, which was the beginning of the fall of 'veda.' 'vedika dharma, 'brahmA' and 'sarasvati' > all synomymous with 'relative knowledge' were then cursed by me and that is how the fall of 'vedik dharma' took place."
"Is the sacrifice of cow started because of this?"
"yes. That was how 'brAhmins' introduced 'cow-slaughter' in 'vedA'."
"Oh! Can't we reform / correct the error?"
"No, they have to bear the results of their deeds."
For a long moment I was just silent. Then regained the old thread.
"But 'ekalavya' learned the archery and even mastered the skill, where do I stand in comparison to him?"
"Well, He learnt, because of his merits and was deceived by 'droNAcharya'. You too learn from 'Ashvattha' and 'nArAyaNa' on your own, and there I see you both alike."
I sensed that 'Ashvattha' / 'nArAyaNa' are the same Supreme Reality I had been learning from.
I folded my hands in gratitude.
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(9)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -9.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(9)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -9.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
During those winter last year, I used to stay at home for most of the time.
My morning and evening walks were stalled, and sleep was also occupied with the thoughts of 'nArAyaNa'.
Though I kept performing my usual chores and did attend the phone-calls, I was almost having a close watch, remembering Him again and again as soon as I would become aware that my mind has lost touch with His thought. This was meditation spontaneous. I / my attention would drawn back to Him as soon as it diverted from Him.
--
In vedantika parlance, this was kind of 'dhyAna-dikShA'
Vedantika view states that there three kinds of 'dIkShA' > spiritual initiation.
One is like a fish another like a hen and the third is like a tortoise.
The fish keeps its offsprings under its 'gaze' and thereby nurses them.
The hen keeps the eggs under her belly in touch and they hatch.
The tortoise just keeps its eggs in attention.
--
This is symbolic how the 'light' is transmitted.
I know that 'nArAyaNa' and me were in such a constant touch of mental remembrance during those ten-a5 days.
And The 'light' that brought Him to me, looked after both us.
--
During those days, strangely I was also meditating upon 'The Supreme'/ Ishvara-principle.
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(10)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -10.
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(10)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) 10.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
I had been studying Gita from the very childhood and the scriptures always fascinated me.
I always saw how veda and purANa elaborate the same Reality in different ways and at different levels also at the same time. I instinctively felt there may be paradox in the teachings of veda and purANa, but there is no contradiction.
And I knew the secret.
--
nArAyaNa was meanwhile looking in the mirror. The glass-walls of the cabin served as a good mirror, because this cabin was in fact an aquarium bought from the market. There were fish too but those fish didn't stay long. a few died within days while a few were taken away by the neighbour-hood children.
I often felt if I could have a dialogue with them, - the fish, but I could never.
--
"What do you see there nArAyaNa there in the mirror?"
He didn't pay attention to my words.
Then when I was absent-minded, I saw Him gazing at me.
He was hungry, I thought.
Yes, as soon as I fed Him, he eagerly grabbed the grains.
I wanted to give Him a few more, but didn't know if I should give more than the prescribed.
Then I gave Him a piece of spinach-leaf that He didn't touch, and I thought His appetite was no more for the moment.
He however ate a part afterwards, after 2 hours.
--
Time and Space.
Veda and purANa too speak of these two as one in essence and expression as well.
veda insists the infinity of individual souls is but one Reality and that could not be further divided as 'The Ruler' and 'The Ruled'.
There is no 'duality' in essence. All duality is illusion.
nArAyaNa conveyed the same while I was feeding Him the grains.
--
"Where-from emerges the multiplicity?"
I asked to myself.
"Where could it go away?"
He responded as soon as I turned my eyes to Him.
"That is how purANa eulogise the Reality that is otherwise indescribable. And from the individual point of view there are infinte times, spaces and their rulers and the ruled in that realm."
He added.
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(11)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) 11.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(11)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) 11.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
"nArAyaNa! Good Morning! How are you?"
He raised His head a bit and moved His legs as if feeling uneasy. This was His way of telling me His sleep is over and He is either hungry / thirsty or wanted to walk in waters.
I took Him away from the basket and He sat there on my palm. He would wait for a second and would check impatiently if I am slow in transferring Him to His water-cabin. And would keep on moving on the palm, but feared as well lest may not fall over on ground from there. I had to be quick and as soon as I left Him in the water He would stay for a next moment, watch the walls of the cabin and then decide which way to go over. He would stroll many times in the cabin and leisurely wait for His feed.
"nArAyaNa!" showing Him His feed, I call Him.
If He would bereally hungry, He would raise His Head and wait with His gaze fixed there. His gaze would follow the movement of my fingers and as I gave Him His 3 or 4 grains, He would walk around one of them and at an very unexpected moment grab the same.
"How a small grain serves you nArAyaNa?"
He was busy in following another.
"You know I give you many tips and hints of knowledge Supreme in bits everyday. How do you take them?"
He retorted.
I was stunned.
I was reminded of how my Ashvattha kept me taken aback many times by such incidences quite in an unguarded moment.
And that was the test my dialogues with Him were not just a fancy of my mind, but He had some facility by which He could convey His messages in my mind in my own language and words.
"O.K., Let me verify!"
I was a bit extra sceptic.
"O.K. Challange accepted! And You see, I'm going to give you some subtle knowledge that will prove our conversations are not mere wishfull thinking of your trifle mind."
He kind of warned me.
"Time and Space,..."
He took the thread we were talking yesterday.
"I will tell you something so new that you shall be convinced our talks are not just your imagination."
"..."
"Time and Space are my forms not visible to the beings. But they are there to support my creation. And they are same as rAhu and ketu.
Even as rAhu and ketu they are invisible but could be arrived at by mathematical calculation."
"..."
"And there is the consciousness associated with them, for consciousness is my the very essential aspect that keeps the existence in movement."
"..."
"In living beings they take the form of 'kAma' and 'krodha'...That has been described as a single entity in Gita ..."
"Chapter 3, shloka 37 ...* "
(* http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/3%2F37 )
I tell to myself.
"The 3 attributes (guNa) of prakriti give rise to 3x3 = 9 planets, out of which two are invisible. The Sun and moon are the expression of 'sat' and 'raja'
(light and knowledge) while the rest comprise of these three namely, 'sat','rajas' 'tamas'.. in different proportions."
I couldn't think this could be a fancy of my own mind.
"And see the beauty of the words of Lord Srikrishna, Who Is verily but Me only..."
He continued.
"Yes I see Master!..."
I was overwhelmed and could not utter the words.
I was given a fit reply that dissipated all my doubts.
Yes these were the grains He fed me with, ... and were real nuggets of the Wisdom Supreme, I remember.
His acceptance of 'turtle-food' was but symbolic.
He rewarded me in terms of far much greater incomparable returns.
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(12)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) 12.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
harma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(12)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) 12.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
Two parallels
--
सुषुप्ति, जागृति और कर्म, राहु, केतु, आवरण विक्षेप और प्रकाश,अज्ञान, ज्ञान और विज्ञान
--
This thread connected with two parallels :
One in Vedanta where the three states of mind are dealt with.
Namely The waking, The dream and the deep sleep.
That again corresponds according to the states of the mind of one who HAS realized the essential nature of the 'Self' in contrast of the 'self' as well on one hand, and according to the states of the mind of one who HAS NOT realized the essential nature of the 'Self' in contrast of the 'self' as well.
--
Again, yet in another paralance, rahu denotes veil / ignorance of the Self, while ketu the distraction and wandering nature of mind. These two constitute 'bondage' / misery on the part of the soul / jIva.
--
In contrast at the cosmic / astrnomy-level, This could again be viewed as the movement of Sun (Self), moon (self), their respective light (Consciousness on the part of the Self / Cosmic Consciousness) and the 'earth' the physical body of the one who is supposed to go through 'birth' and 'death' and the 'experience' of pleasures and pains.
--
He didn't say a word but this all came to my mind instataneously as if He might have directed them towards me.
--
Yes, Quite a break-through.
This relates the 'vedika' with 'paurANika' and also the 'jyotisha' with the mundane.
I said to myself.
--
I realized at once the way veda and purANa deal with aspects of One Truth.
--
The thought of His departure made me very sad. He would leave within next two-three days. I would have loved to keep that divine guest with me for ever. He was with me all these days, shared His intimate learning and wisdom with me, without speaking a single word.
"nArAyaNa! Will you leave me tomoroow? "
I asked.
He turned His beady eyes towards me !
"Where can I go?"
Oh!...Hearing these words just left me dumb. My Master, when He was to leave the physical frame, had replied in these very words, when a devotee had asked Him the same question that I asked today to nArAyaNa.
"O.K. ... But I will go from here, the day after tomorrow. Then I shall be there with your friend till the 3rd of the bright moon (fortnight) of the coming Vaishakha... "
"And then ??"
"Then I shall go-back to ShiprA."
"Oh!..."
"But I will be always with you, ever there, whenever you think of me, I shall be with you, don't worry. And even if you don't think or remember me, I shall be with you..."
I couldn't interpret His words.
This happened exactly like this.
After 2 days, in the early morning my friend came to receive Him.
"A thorough gentleman..."
I said Good-bye to nArAyaNa.
Between me and my friend He looked just like an innocent new-born infant.
He looked at me with those divine eyes.
My friend took Him back and left.
--
I had almost forgotten this whole conversation when a full year back, He was left into Shipra (the river at Ujjain).
--
I wanted to write many things, but as this date coincides with His final departure, I think I will conclude this 'note'.
There will be other times, other places and many more topics, I shall perhaps write, but this much only for the present.
--
({_/\_})
__
Originally wrote in the form of face-book 'notes' compiled here.
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(1)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -1.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
तैत्तिरीय-उपनिषत् वल्ली 1, अनुवाक 11
taittiriya-upaniShat. vallI - anuvAk. 11
--
वेदमनूच्याचार्योऽन्तेवासिनमनुशास्ति | सत्यं वद | धर्मं चर |
--
वेदम् अनूच्य आचार्यः अन्तेवासिनम् अनुशास्ति ...
vedam. anUchya AchAryaH antevAsinam. अनुशास्ति...
--
वेद की शिक्षा देने के उपरांत आचार्य अपने शिष्यों को उपदेश देते हैं :
सत्यवचन कहो, धर्म का आचरण करो,...
स्पष्ट है कि सत्यवचन कहने के लिए मनुष्य को सत्य और असत्य का अंतर ज्ञात होना चाहिए.
धर्म का आचरण करने के लिए धर्म और अधर्म का अंतर ज्ञात होना चाहिए.
--
चूँकि सत्य व्यावहारिक और पारमार्थिक रूप से भिन्न भिन्न है, इसलिए उसे कहने का तात्पर्य व्यवहार में वाणी से उसे प्रकट करने के सम्बन्ध में है, न कि परम सत्य के सम्बन्ध में. यद्यपि व्यावहारिक सत्य की प्रतिष्ठा (अवस्थिति) भी पारमार्थिक सत्य में ही है, किन्तु पारमार्थिक सत्य में सब समाहित होने से उसे न तो वाणी से समुचित रूप से कहा जा सकना संभव है, और न आवश्यक है, हाँ उसे पात्र जिज्ञासुओं के लिए इंगित किया जा सकता है, लेकिन यहाँ आचार्य शिष्यों को 'वैदिक' धर्म के आचरण के अंतर्गत जिस सत्य के बारे में उपदेश दे रहे हैं वह व्यावहारिक जगत में आचरण कैसा किया जाना चाहिए बारे में है.
मनुस्मृति अध्याय 4 श्लोक 138 के अनुसार :
सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात् न ब्रूयात् सत्यं अप्रियं |
प्रियं च न अनृतं ब्रूयात् एष धर्म सनातनं ||
--
अर्थात मनुष्य को चाहिए कि वह सत्य कथन करे, (ऐसे सत्य का, जिसके बारे में उसे संदेह न हो, यदि संदेह है तो उसका निवारण करने से पूर्व उसे न कहे,) वह ऐसे ही सत्य का कथन करे, जो दूसरों को प्रिय हो, यदि वह सत्य दूसरों को अप्रिय है, उसे न कहे, (क्योंकि दूसरा न तो सुनना चाहेगा, न स्वीकार ही करेगा और तब विवाद और वैमनस्य ही उत्पन्न होगा). पुनः मनुष्य दूसरों को जो प्रिय है, उसका का कथन तो करे, किन्तु दूसरों को प्रिय है, इसलिए असत्य का कथन भी न करे. यह सनातन धर्म है .
सनातन का अर्थ है निरंतर सतत अविनाशी किन्तु जिसका प्रकट रूप परिवर्तनशील है, अर्थात् जिसे व्यावहारिक धरातल पर किया जाता है,
पुनः 'धर्म' ही आचरित किया जाना चाहिए, न कि 'अधर्म' या 'विधर्म' . यहाँ 'धर्म' का अर्थ है 'स्वधर्म'.
गीता अध्याय 3 श्लोक 35 तथा अध्याय 18 श्लोक 47 के अनुसार अपने स्वाभाविक धर्म का आचरण ही मनुष्य को श्रेयस् की प्राप्ति में सहायक है, जबकि 'परधर्म' अत्यंत भयावह और हानिप्रद है .
http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/3%2F35
--
स्पष्ट है कि भारतवर्ष / इंडिया / आर्यावर्त की सत्ता जिन हाथों में रही, उनकी जानी-अनजानी भूलों में से एक गंभीरतम भूल यह भी थी कि उन्होंने 'धर्म' का अर्थ ही जान-बुझकर या अज्ञानवश बिलकुल ही बदल डाला, और 'धर्म' और 'religion' को समानार्थी कहकर एक ही पैमाने / कसौटी / पर दोनों शब्दों को स्वीकार किया और देश कि जनता पर भी आरोपित कर दिया.
गीता अध्याय 18 श्लोक 30 31 32 के अनुसार मनुष्य की बुद्धि तीन प्रकार की होती है,
सात्विक,
http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/18%2F30
राजसिक,
http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/18%2F31
और तामसिक,
http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/18%2F30
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इस प्रकार हमारे देश के 'बुद्धिजीवी' राजनेताओं की मिश्रित-बुद्धि से धर्म के अर्थ को ठीक से समझे बिना ही 'धर्म' को 'religion' कह दिया गया. और फिर सारे 'religions' को 'समान' कह दिया गया. प्रकार जाने-अनजाने ही, मूलतः परस्पर विपरीत और विरोधी 'परम्पराओं' / 'मान्यताओं' को भी 'धर्म' की श्रेणी में रख दिया गया, क्योंकि यह 'शासक-वर्ग' के लिए अत्यंत उपयोगी था.
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किन्तु यहाँ हमें यह देखना है कि धर्म का वैदिक/ पौराणिक / लौकिक रूप क्या हो सकता है, जो सबके लिए कल्याणप्रद हो.
वैदिक आधार पर 'धर्म' के मुख्यतः दो रूप हो सकते हैं, पहला है वर्णाश्रम-धर्म, दूसरा है 'लोक-धर्म'.
'वर्णाश्रम-धर्म' के सिद्धान्त के अनुसार प्रत्येक मनुष्य किसी 'वर्ण-विशेष' में अर्थात् प्रकृति के तीन गुणों के विशेष संयोग से युक्त किसी शरीर को लेकर संसार में जन्म लेता है. जिसके आधार पर मनुष्य को अपने जीवन की मुख्य प्रेरणा प्राप्त होती है. मांसाहारी जीव की संतान मांसाहारी और शाकाहारी की संतान स्वाभाविक रूप से शाकाहारी ही होती है.
गीता के अनुसार 'गुण-कर्म-विभाग' के आधार पर मनुष्य अपने 'वर्ण' की प्रवृत्तियों को अपनाता है, और इस आधार पर 'जाति' नहीं बल्कि मनुष्य का स्वाभाव ही उसके स्वाभाविक 'वर्ण' का निर्धारण करता है. इसलिए 'वेद' में मौलिक रूप से वर्ण-आश्रम धर्म पर जोर दिया गया है, न कि 'जाति' / 'जन्म' को. यद्यपि वेद इससे इनकार नहीम करता कि 'वर्ण' का संरक्षण 'विवाह' की संस्था द्वारा किया जा सकता है, लेकिन वेद मनुष्य पर बलपूर्वक कोई आग्रह नहीं थोपता. वेद केवल कर्तव्य का निर्देश करता है और मनुष्य के आचरण के अनुसार उसे प्राप्त होनेवाले संभावित परिणामों के बारे में कहता है.
'वेद' कोई 'पुस्तक' नहीं बल्कि वे अपौरुषेय सिद्धांत हैं जिनके आधार पर अस्तित्व कार्य करता है. इसलिए वेदों को लिखने पर जोर नहीं दिया गया.
वेद सबके लिए न उपलब्ध है, न हर कोई वेद के अध्ययन का अधिकारी / पात्र है, केवल ब्राह्मण ही इसके अध्ययन का अधिकारी / पात्र है, और दूसरे वर्ण का व्यक्ति यदि वास्तव में वेद को के बारे में जानने-समझने का उत्सुक है वह 'ब्राह्मण' वर्ण लेकर ही उत्पन्न हुआ है, ऐसा कहा जा सकता है. उदाहरण के लिए कोई भले ही किसी भी जाती या कुल में पैदा हुआ है, यदि अधिकारी / पात्र है, तो उसे अनायास ही ऐसे अवसर मिलेंगे जिनसे वह वैदिक ज्ञान कि ओर अग्रसर होने लगेगा.
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वैदिक 'वर्ण-व्यवस्था' के इस आधार पर यद्यपि मनुष्य की 'प्रवृत्तियाँ' तो निर्धारित होती हैं, जबकि 'आश्रम' उसे अपनी आयु के अनुसार 'प्राप्त' होता है, और वह इससे बाख नहीं सकता. उदाहरण के लिए बाल्यावस्था में 'ब्रह्मचर्य-आश्रम', युवावस्था में 'गृहस्थ-आश्रम', 'प्रौढावस्था में 'वानप्रस्थ-आश्रम', तथा वृद्धावस्था में 'संन्यास-आश्रम' अपरिहार्यतः हर मनुष्य को प्राप्त होता है. इसका सीधा तात्पर्य यह है कि, यदि उस अवस्था-विशेष में मनुष्य उस 'आश्रम-धर्म' का पालन करे तो उसे जीवन के श्रेष्ठतम तत्व कि प्राप्ति अवश्य होगी. उदाहरण के लिए यदि कोई बाल्य या किशोर आयु का है उसे अध्ययन और जीवन-विषयक ज्ञान को सीखने में संलग्न रहना चाहिए. युवा को विवाह कर अपनी संतति को जन्म देना चाहिए, उसका उचित पालन पोषण, शिक्षा-दीक्षा आदि के लिए संलग्न होना चाहिए. प्रौढ़-आयु को यह समझकर कि संसार 'वन' है, सुख-दुःख झेलते हुए अपने आध्यात्मिक लक्ष्य के लिए समर्पित होना चाहिए तथा संन्यासी को चाहिए कि वह मृत्यु को जीवन का स्वाभाविक तथ्य समझकर उससे परे के तत्व को जानने-समझने का प्रयास करे.
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दूसरी ओर वेद की ही परम्परा का एक रूप है 'पुराण', जो 'ब्राह्मणेतर' अन्य वर्णों के लिए अधिक उपयुक्त हैं, वेद जिस 'तत्व' के बारे में विवेचना करते है, वह सामान्यतः हर किसी के लिए न तो रुचिप्रद है, न सरलता से समझा जा सकता है, न वेद इसका आग्रह करते हैं, किन्तु 'ईश्वर' के साकार रूप कि उपासना अपनी अपनी रुचि के अनुसार हर कोई अवश्य कर सकता है और यह भी उतना ही श्रेष्ठ है जितना कि वेदाध्ययन. और यह जानना रोचक है कि कैसे एक व्यक्ति एक या एक से अधिक, या सभी देवताओं की भक्ति अनेक विधियों से करता हुआ भी उसी तत्व को सरलता से प्राप्त कर लेता है, जिसे बड़े से बड़े ज्ञानी-ध्यानी और शास्त्रवेत्ता भी अत्यंत कठिनाई से प्राप्त कर पाते हैं. यहाँ 'दूसरे' के 'धर्म' / मत से सहिष्णुता या असहिष्णुता का भी प्रश्न तक नहीं उठता, मनुष्य केवल अपने बारे में विचार करता है, दूसरों पर अपना मत बलपूर्वक थोपने का या उसकी निन्दा की तो उसे कल्पना तक नहीं होती.
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'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(2)
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(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -2.
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© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
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धर्म का अर्थ है शाश्वत धर्म जो सृष्टि का अधिष्ठान है जिसमें सृष्टि कि अभिव्यक्ति, विकास और ले होता रहता है . एक ओर तो यह धर्म नित्य और परिवर्तन-रहित है, दूसरी ओर सृष्टि में प्रकट और विलीन होते रहनेवाली असंख्य आकृतियों के धर्म के रूप में यही 'सनातन' भी है, अबाध, निरंतर, जिसका न तो आरम्भ है न अंत. इसमें उत्पन्न और कुछ समय के लिए अस्तित्वमान होकर समाप्त हो जानेवाली आकृतियों में वही धर्म सर्वत्र व्याप्त भी है, वही उन आकृतियों में 'चेतना' के रूप में विद्यमान है. किन्तु कुछ आकृतियाँ, अपने आपको 'चेतन' और कुछ अन्य को 'जड़' समझ बैठती हैं, इस जड़-समष्टि को 'प्रकृति' का नाम दिया जाता है और अपने आपको 'पुरुष' कहा जाता है. किन्तु इस बौद्धिक या अल्पबुद्धि से उत्पन्न समझ में भी धर्म सतत गतिशील रहता है और वही सारी 'बुद्धियों' को संचालित करता है . यह हुआ धर्म का 'आध्यात्मिक' स्वरूप.
किन्तु वेद हमें बतलाता है कि मनुष्य 'मननशील' प्राणी है और is दृष्टि से शेष पशुओं, पक्षियों, कीटों, जलचरों, उभयचरों और वनस्पति आदि से भिन्न प्रकार का जीव है. और यदि वह अपने 'वर्ण' को जान ले तो उस वर्ण के स्वाभाविक धर्म का निर्वाह करते हुए वह परम श्रेयस् की प्राप्ति कर सकता है. मनुष्य ही संभवतः एकमात्र ऐसा प्राणी है जिसमें 'समय' के गतिशीलता का विचार प्रबल रूप धारण करता है. वह 'विचार' के माध्यम से क्षणमात्र से लेकर युगों और कल्पों तक का 'अनुमान' कर सकता है और अतीत तथा भावी के बारे में भी 'संभावनाएं' कल्पित कर सकता है. वह एक 'वैश्विक-समय' के अस्तित्व को भी स्वीकार कर लेता है जबकि उसके पास इसका कोई सीधा प्रमाण नहीं होता. यह 'काल' जो कल्पना पर आश्रित है, मनुष्य को इतने ठोस रूप में 'अनुभव'(?) होता है कि वह 'विचार' के यंत्र से कला, विज्ञान, साहित्य और तकनीक जैसी अनेक विधाओं का आविष्कार कर लेता है, जो पुनः 'काल' के अस्तित्व कि उसकी कल्पना को और अधिक ठोस रूप देते हैं . वह यह नहीं देख पाटा कि 'काल' विचार पर आश्रित एक तथ्य है, जिसे केवल विचार के ही सहारे सत्यता दी जा सकती है. इस दृष्टि से वेद 'काल' को भी 'नैमित्तिक (symbolic) धर्म' के रूप में मान्यता देता है. यह 'काल-धर्म' हुआ. चूँकि वह काल भी अस्तित्व के नियमों से घनिष्ठातः जुड़ा है और धर्म से अभिन्न है, इसलिए उसे महाकाल कहा जाता है. सम्पूर्ण अस्तित्व उस 'काल' / 'महाकाल' के अंतर्गत है, उसमें ही प्रकट / विकसित / और लीन होता है, जबकि उस 'काल' / 'महाकाल' के विस्तार और व्याप्ति, आदि और अंत का अनुमान उसमें विद्यमान कोई 'व्यक्ति-सत्ता' कभी नहीं कर सकती.
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vaidika, paurANika and laukika 'dharma'.
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This topic gives me a big clue while explaining 'mythology' and Indian (not Hindu) tradition (not religion) of dealing with spiritual aspects of life in totality. I shall write upon this. Here is a short view. The India. tradition that has scriptures as a great reservoir of the utterances of rishis (sages) helps us in looking at the existence in 3 ways. i) vedika, that is for those who deal with 'pure knowledge only'. ii) paurANika, for those who are eager to know and get help from cosmic powers (devatA), and think this 'world of appearances' is a real place and want to live always happy, enjoying pleasures unlimited and keeping away the misery. For them these 'devatA', though unknown, may perhaps need to be pleased and worshiped, and so they follow the ways of 'paurANika-dharma'. This is not 'mythology' but as much a 'real thing' as is our 'worldly' life. Then in Indian 'tradition' There is another way of explaining and reaching at the same Reality that is arrived at through veda / purAna. This is 'Buddha's' way. Though again 'Buddha' too is part of 'PaurANika' way only. As such the Indian tradition (not religion but dharma) is qualitatively and essentially very different in method / approach and aim, from the Jew, Catholicism, Christianity and Islam. I think I don't quite know much about the approach of the Jew, Catholicism, Christianity and Islam. So I should not say about those traditions / religions. But I do think, they are not 'dharma' as far as vedik / paurANika view is concerned. They are not even 'adharma', but 'vidharma' that means just different from the dharma as is propounded in veda / purANa. They are not even comparable with the tradition of 'dharma'.
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Some 8 hours ago I posted these last 2 comments when just stopped and left me half-way, and now I think will be able to write down the next part. There are major 18 purANa, that deal with cosmology, and relate different dimensions of 'existence' with one-another in a fine frame-work that could again explained well in terms of 'Topology' (a branch of Higher Mathematics, I had studied in my Post-graduation, M.Sc.) . There is one named 'skanda-purANa' .A section of this named 'rewA-khanDa' has the river 'narmadA' as the presiding deity. this story is mentioned there, in that part. During a pilgrimage, where the devotee is supposed to walk round the river, from its 'origin' to the place where the river merges into the Arabian sea, and then returning in the same direction, after crossing over an island Alia-bet, http://mapcarta.com/14903734, one ultimately reaches again the starting-point of his pilgrimage. This pilgrimage is called 'narmada-pradakShiNA,
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'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(3)
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(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -3.
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© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
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On this contour ( a long circular pilgrimage round a deity) there is a place named Suddharudreshvara. 2 miles next to this there is a village with name'Mantiyar'. Adjacent to this village is VaidyanAtha-tIrtha, a sacred place. and a short distance away is Suryakunda. the story about this 'kunda' (water-hole) named after (Surya) Sun.
The sage Kashyapa (one of the 7 sages who form the saptarshi > Great Bear in the sky, and humans are supposed to be have descendend from those 7), had 2 wives namely 'diti' and 'aditi'.
(In anciant cosmology according to veda, 'time' has 3 'dimensions'. The dimension where-in 'physical manifestation' takes place is further divided into 'kalpa', 'yuga' and 'manvantara' et-cetra.. accordingly 'ayana' > Sun's and moon's transit through the zodiac have been referred to,...,
(http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/%E2%80%99%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%83%E2%80%99%20%2F%20%E2%80%99%E1%B9%A3a%E1%B9%87m%C4%81s%C4%81%E1%B8%A5%E2%80%99 ).
'diti' was the mother of 'daitya', while 'aditi' was of 'Aditya'.
We can assume here that daitya were the giant beings that lived on earth, while 'Aditya' were / are the 12 forms of the सुन.
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sage 'Kashyap' was the father of 'daitya' and 'Aditya'.
The name of the Aditya / Sun in that 'kalpa' was 'vivasvAn'
(http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/%E2%80%99%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E2%80%99%20%2F%20%E2%80%99vivasv%C4%81n%E2%80%99 )
VivasvAn was married to 'sanjnA'.
The couple VivasvAn and sanjnA had 3 offsprigs -
Vaivasvat -manu, 'Yama' and 'yamuna'.
These 3 forms are there as the foremost ancester of mankind, namely 'Manu', The Lord of death 'Yama' and the deity that controls the destiny / lives. The subtle / hidden and true meaning of these deities / entities are :
vivasvAn > One who is there at the heart of existence of things gross and subtle.
vaivasvat > the immediately next kin of vivasvAn, i.e. humans,
sanjnA > pure consciousness prior to the the senses.
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The story further tells :
Because The radiance of the Sun was extremely unbearable, sanjnA could not stay with him for long. She asked her husband to go back to her father's home. Sun was infuriated and asked: 'who will then look after the children?'
Though she kept silent for the time but later created her own alike, named 'ChhAyA' (meaning shadow) and told her to portray herself before Sun as sanjnA.
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Here we see how 'life' was manifested in the form of ChhAyA.
'ChhAyA' convinced her, she will keep the secret till death comes.
Assured, sanjnA went to her father's place
When sanjnA reached to her father 'vishvakarmA', alone, he asked her why she came alone? And where is her husband? She told why she came back.
VishvakarmA at her answer told her to go back to her husband, but she instead took the form of a mare (female-horse) and kept grazing in the woods.
In the coming times, the couple, Sun (VivasvAn) and 'ChhAyA' had 3 children, a son named / called 'sAvarNI manu', another called 'Shani' (Saturn), and a girl-child named 'tApI'.
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This is quite in tune with the earlier family-details of Sun-sanjnA couple.
Sun-sanjnA couple is the subtle spiritual dimension, while Sun-ChhAyA couple is of the physical.
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sAvarNI manu > literally means 'one resembling the manu'.
Saturn is the movement of destiny at the subtle level while also a planet at the astrological plane.
'tApI' is the austerities at the subtle level, while a river also named so.
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ChhAyA treated the 2 sons and a daughter (Vaivasvat, Yama and Yamuna) with disregard, but loved her own kids more. Once, Yama was greatly annoyed and lifted his leg to hit ChhAyA. ChhAyA responded with a curse. Yama argued "You are not our real mother, a mother never curses her children." Yama went to his father Sun and told him the whole thing.
Then Sun asked to ChhAyA about the truth.
She scared of Sun's wrath told him the whole incidence.
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Then worried about sanjnA, Sun to know about her well-being went to VishvakarmA. VishvakarmA said : " Yes, she had come, but I had sent her back to you!"
Hearing this Sun was much grieved and went for searching for her.
he found her grazing in the woods, then he also took the form of a horse and lived in her company.
In time, the couple had twins, the 'ashvinau' > meaning a pair of horses.
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This pair 'ashvinau' became 'equinox'.
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(4)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -4.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
"नारायण!"
"NArAyaNa!""
I exclaimed.
To the rest of the world He was but a small terrapin.
Destiny / my big fortune brought Him to me, or He Himself decided this, I cannot say.
He was there in the small cabin.
He was not yet awake.
I didn't disturb Him.
After a half an hour, I saw Him moving in the cabin.
I went to Him.
I touched Him with love and all due reverence.
He withdrew His head within His shell.
In the beginning I used to think He was scared of me.
Then observing Him carefully for a few days, I learnt, this was His natural tendency to be careful of any movement taking place around Him. Later on when He became acquained with me in the worldly sense, He would sometimes let me touch His head.
--
After some 3 or 4 days of His arrival, one mid-night when I was sleeping, I heard a strange sound that resembled 'praNva', the traditional 'om', the word that is thought of as the most sacred one. I could not understand wherefrom this sound came-out, and just went back to sleep.
After half-an hour later, my sleep was again disturbed by the same sound, and I went to see Him, for He was very much in my thought always.
He was just agitated and I took Him out of the cabin and placed in His another place in a basket, and when saw Him sitting comfortably there, I covered the basket with the top-cover.
In the early morning I saw Him there still asleep.
--
Then about 8:00 I saw Him moving in His place. It meant He has waken-up. I took Him and placed Him in His water-cabin.
He went in happily. I gave Him 4 grains of turtle-food, 2 of which He soon grabbed. I kept watch on Him while doing all my other routine work.
I often used to go to Him and tried to talk to Him.
He too would respond me in my mind.
I have no doubts, He often responded to me.
Sometimes I would just listen a sound as if in the form of my own thought, but felt it not my own but of His.
I knew by insight that He might be conveying His words to me.
This morning He told me,:
"The sound you heard in the night is my own expression."
The next moment I was taken aback / startled by the same sound coming out from His cabin.
He was just sitting there silently, gazing at His reflection in the cabin-wall.
I can't say really what happened.
I don't think this was some hallucination / self-hypnosis that lead me into believing this.
While I was sitting on my desk-top, I heard a voice in my head :
'Stop everything and listen to this,..."
Thinking it might be a caprice of my wandering mind only, just out of curiosity, I started writing down what came next to my mind :
"You call me nArAyaNa!"
I was sure this was my own mind telling me my own imaginations.
"O.K. 'nArAyaNa' is the first avatAra of viShNu."
I had to wait for a while.
"Do you think you are viShNu?"
I asked Him aloud.
"Well, yes. .."
"Are all turtles, tortoises and terrapin your own form?"
"Yes, because they descended from Me."
"What are your other forms?"
"You already know...!"
"Me?..."
"Yes, let me refresh, ... it is Kachchha, machchha, varAha, narsinh, vAmana, parashurAma, rAma, kRShNa, buddha and kalki."
"What do you mean?"
"See there are infinite souls, each is my own reflection, yet they all keep passing through phases of consciousness that gives rise to the thought -'I am this body, ... in their their individual consciousness, individual times, and in their individual worlds."
"Is not there a common world to all?"
"Yes, for me, there is; and it is not other than me."
"And what for the infine individual souls?"
"Well, I have told you each and every one has it's own consciousness, times and world."
This left me dumb.
"O.K., don't feel disappointed. This is the 'paurANika' way of dealing with the problems of living at the existencial plane."
"Is it true?"
"For each and every individual this is perfectly and absolutely true."
"How could you explain this ...."
I didn't try to qualify the word 'this'.
"See what you take as your own bio-graphy is but the memory of things strung onto the thread of the thought that you are an individual"
"Am not I?"
"Yes, that is the point. And likewise there are infinite like you."
I had no further query.
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(5)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -5.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
I remembered my 'Ashvattha-days' when I used to talk to my 'Ashvattha' / The banyon (Indian fig tree).
He forced me to realize that he literally 'talked' with me and I could not deny this 'fact', though I have no direct proofs if it was true or my wishful thinking.
'nArAyaNa' to would talk with me in this way, for in His presence I discovered so many things of Sanskrit Language, the nuances that was never possible by going through the books. Like 'Ashvattha' He was also my 'Sanskrita-teacher'. Let me say 'AchArya'.
--
'AchArya devo bhavaH'
I made obeissances to Him.
He was captivated in His reflection.
I saw His shell.
There were 'diamonds' in His shell. I 'searched' on Google and knew He was neither a turtle, nor a tortoise, but a terrapin.
--
"Did you notice diamonds?"
I asked myself.
But then at once I realized He was looking at me with keen attention.
As I turned my sight towards Him, found Him moving His legs and fore-arms.
--
"I have all these signs till date to let the people know my presence every-where."
I heard Him say.
To my own sceptic mind, this could be again a coincidence only.
"Don't you see me depicted in the images of Lord vishNu?
He challanged.
"Oh yes my Lord!.."
I was in tears.
I remembered a temple in Rewa (Lakshman-baug) where The temple has a turtle as the support under it. A stone-image of a turtle.
In those days and before an year ago I read 'adhyatma-rAmAyaNa', and was convinced that not a single word of the text is an imagination or symbolic or 'figurative' ... Not a 'myth' conjured up by the author, just another 'literary attempt' done by some scholar Like 'KAlidAs' or 'bANa' of Sanskrit Language.
--
'nArAyaNa!'
He calls me.
Yes! I think I heard Him calling me.
Not in human voice, but in my mind, in the form of a non-verbal voice.
Simply, He called my attention to Him.
I followed and He was there moving in the water. He kept His head above water.
Though He seemed to be at the lowest rung of the 'evolution' of consciousness as seen in the 'paurANika' context, Nevertheless He held His head high as that of a swan, who is supposed to be at the highest point of the 'evolution' of consciousness as seen in the 'paurANika' context. And though 'purANa' deals with the 'linear-time' and Veda in the 'spiral-time', both are 'co-eval', if not contemporary in the vedAntik perspective.
--
He is there waiting for me.
I bring my finger near Him to touch Him.
There are rings and octagons/ hectagons on His shell. As if diamonds studded. I see grooves upon each of them.
--
"The cosmic finger-prints."
He chuckles up.
Yes I read this expression on His face.
I remember His face was so eloquant, and revealed whatever was on His mind that if you carefully see Him, -His whole being at a glance, you could at once see for yourself.
"You had been at OmkAreshvar!"
"Yes, ..."
"You had been thinking of doing a 'narmadA-pradakShiNA'?"
He asks.
"Yes, nArAyaNa!"
"I did the same in my past life. I was just a stone, at the mercy of the waves and breezes. Then one day I was picke-up by a pilgrim who was walking around 'narmadA'. Then he threw in 'narmadA'. I stood there for a thousand years. Moving with the sands and waters of the river, one day I fell into a place known as 'dhArA-teertha' (dhaavati / dhAvaDI-kunDa as in skand-purANa). It's a Kund, well in the river-bed. Waters keep whirling there.. There were tens of millions like me. Waters chisel them into round LiMga.)"
I felt for a moment He was talking to me in a human voice in my dream.
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(6)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -6.
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(6)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -6.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
"For a thousand years the waters kept me cleaning, caressing, polishing me, when I turned into a smooth shining radiant 'jyotirling'.
Then one day a diver leaped into the kunda and brought me in the open.
Another pilgrim took me to be the Form (LiMga) of Shiva, and keeping me on an altar worshipped me on the bank of this river.
During next a few hundred years airs and waters left me in pieces and then I found one day in an egg, burried in the sands of the same river.
I don't know who were my parents, but I do know they kept a watch on me from where-ever they were.
And ond day I came to you."
He concluded.
I had no words to say in response.
I was so overwhelmed by the story unfolding in my mind that I couldn't even doubt its truth.
--
"But before coming to me, you were with 'nArAyaNI'!"
I prompted Him.
"Yes, She gave me this name nArAyaNa', and you too followed, started calling me by this name!"
"...."
"And neither She nor I know who brought us together."
"Interesting!"
He didn't say a word. But I saw Him looking intently at my face.
"nArAyaNa! Tell me about your thousand years when you were being 'groomed' in the 'dhAvaDI-kunda?"
"Not that, but I shall tell you about the river 'narmadA'..."
"Well...!"
"So She kept me giving the form of Shiva, and you know She is herself The daughter of Shiva in the 'paurANika' legend."
"yes, 'Shiva-tanayA'"
"She turns everything / who-what-so-ever that catches / touches Her sight or Her waters into 'Shiva-liMga."
"You mean She makes all existece 'alive'?"
"Yes, and I was no exception."
"..."
"She is not just a water-body, but the form of Shiva's Grace.... And She keeps moving round not only tiny pebbles and boulders, but also around a big mountain 'mAndhAtA'..."
"..."
"Because that makes the mountain 'Lord Shiva'."
The visible form of Shiva.
And I remembered why there are 2 forms of the Lord Shiva at OmkAreshvara.
"Then all 'life' flows from Her"
"In my times and my life?"
I questioned.
"Yes in yours and in the innumerable individual times and spaces at the collective and cosmic levels as well."
How?"
I hesitatingly put one more question.
"Because She (narmadA) has been the shakti eternal during all times at all places for every individual. Either known to him or hidden from him."
--
I see this is His time to retire to sleep, so I take Him out from His water-cabin and put Him in His basket cabin. He was already snoozing.
I fold my hands and bid Him namaste!
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(7)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -7.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(7)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -7.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
Those were winter-days. The cabin water used to go cold withn minutes. There was a Lamp of 25 watts in His Cabin that kept Him warm. And after every hour I would replace a glass of water in the cabin by another a bit warmer water. About 10:30 or 11:00, it would have been His time of retiring. Some day He would even started snoozing at 8:00 but would want to sleep in the water. If I tried to get Him, He would just keep away from me. And if He wanted to leave the cabin, He would start giving me a call indicating His uneasiness by making noise. He would try to walk-up the cabin-wall and at once I would take Him out. He would readily come into my palm and then to His basket-cabin. Within minutes He would be silent and asleep.
I was looking at the diamonds on His shell when He asked me,:
"You know these fingerprints of the Cosmic evolution?"
"No, ... "
I was amused How. He would evoke a question in my mind and start the conversation. He would though look silent as if has said something and waiting for the response of the listener, with mouth open.
"These diamonds are for ever."
He kind of quoated an oft-repeated phrase.
"Yes, ..."
I nodded.
"See there are 5 tattvas that take part in Cosmology. They are as you know, The earth, The waters, The air, The Fire and The Ether."
"..."
"And The Rishi know well that they are not the building-blocks of the Cosmos."
I felt He would comment upon "The Fabric of the Cosmos".
"No they are the 5 fundamental dimensions of The Cosmos, and not the building-blocks."
"..."
"And there is even more as the 'dimensions'."
"Well.., Go ahead."
"And the 2 other dimensions are energy and the consciousness.
All existence is manifest and latent in these 7 dimensions."
"And what about the building blocks?"
"No, there are no building-blocks but the three ways of functioning, 'attributes' of 'prakriti', ..."
"What do you mean by 'prakriti'?
"Physical / The material aspect in essence."
"Has it something to do with Physics"
"Sure, The three attributes, which the Rishi names 'guNa' or more precisely as 'sattva' 'rajas' 'tamas' are the mechanism that makes the 'Physical' express or hidden. See the resemblance uncanny. The 'sattva' corresponds to light, 'rajas' to 'movement' and the 'tamas' to 'inertia'."
"But don't they are also there, supposed to be associated with 'mind'?"
"Yes. that is precisely the point where the 6th dimension comes into point. The 3 attributes that are purely 'physical' are studied in the Classical / Modern Physics, while the 'consciousness' comes in consideration when we think of animals, plants and those 'living' entities, who are supposed to have a faculty called 'mind'."
"I see!"
"Do you remember what I had told you about my birth?"
I try to remember and my memory tells me He was just a pebble a boulder and then was transformed into a 'LinGa' and was worshipped for a while, then was broken into pieces and one day found Himself 'born' into an terrapin-egg.
"yes, sure"
"You see how 'consciousness' was there latent all the time when I was a stone or a boulder?"
"And also while you were a 'LinGa' ?"
I interrupt.
"No, when I was being polished and caressed by The waters of narmadA, I started sensing My being. That was the starting-point when I knew 'I AM'."
He said promptly, and continued further.
"Well, There was this vague sense of being and gradually I started to develop the memory 'IAM this stone', and there is something that is looking after me. Then I kept lost in myself most of the time."
"Yes, like Shiva in samAdhi'..."
"Yes. therefore I was 'Linga' / a sign only."
"And then I went through that destruction of my material part and became a pure soul and got this body as my abode in this birth."
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(8)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -8.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
'dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(8)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -8.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
Following His dictates, I keep recording whatsoever I feel we had conversed about.
"Are not you a bit confused?"
He questions.
"About?"
"About the 'vedika', 'paurANika', 'laukika'. ...?"
"Yes, I think I need your guidence."
"O.K. And what about Mystical, Mythological, scriptural, esoteric, and occult?"
"There too I am more or less confused."
I accept defeat.
"But you are a pundit!"
His eyes cast a mischivious look upon me.
"What these words mean to you, did you ever try to see their hidden meaning?"
He encouraged me to seek out.
"Well, Mythological and Mystic / Mystical are a bit mischivious, but scriptural is honest and authentic. 'esoteric' suggests the hidden where-as the 'occult' suggests the 'hinted at'."
"How? Please elaborate your point."
"See, - Etymologically, a 'myth' could be found to have two roots in two different ways. One is from 'मिथ्' > 'मिथुन' > meaning 'mixed', another is 'मिथ्या' / 'mithyA', meaning 'apparent', but not lasting. 'Mystical' seems to have come from 'mishra' that is 'sankara' > adulterated. impure, spurious...
Again, 'esoteric' from 'अस्तरीय' / 'अवस्तरीय' or 'असतरीय' that which is below the level, may be essential or duplicate / fake. 'Occult' likewise, from 'अवकुलतः', meaning from tradition, or fallen, or from a fallen tradition."
I suggest the possible options.
"You remind me of 'Ekalavya'. He observed.
I could guess He saw Ekalavya in me.
"May be You Are 'droNAchArya!"
"I didn't wait for His response."
"No, I'm not 'droNAchArya'."
"I'm Brahman, not the 'brAhmaNa' 'nArAyaNa', ..."
He made His position clear.
"Oh!, Sorry, I see 'droNAchArya' was 'brAhmaNa', a direct descendant from 'brahman'"
"Yes...."
"Tell me bhagavAn! If I deserve to be told the difference."
"See I just take a form for My manifestation and I Am never a subject to 'ignorance' of My Reality. The 4 vaidika dharma in contrast are meant to be observed by 'souls' who gradually 'evolve' like me but are subject to 'ignorance' of their Reality."
"Was 'ekalavya' not an outcaste?"
"Yes, by birth, but he was a 'brahmin'/ 'brAhmaNa', as is defined by the three attributes of nature / 'prakriti'. And His name suggests he had performed the initial spiritual practices that are needed to be born as a 'brAhmaNa'. 'eka' + 'la' + 'vya', indicate He has attained 'equipose' of mental strength, to be devoted to a single purpose."
"Yes bhagvAn!..."
"Then, there were 'brAhmaNa' who were blinded by worldly pleasures and became servants of 'kShatya's'. They devised the sacrifice of snimals, which was the beginning of the fall of 'veda.' 'vedika dharma, 'brahmA' and 'sarasvati' > all synomymous with 'relative knowledge' were then cursed by me and that is how the fall of 'vedik dharma' took place."
"Is the sacrifice of cow started because of this?"
"yes. That was how 'brAhmins' introduced 'cow-slaughter' in 'vedA'."
"Oh! Can't we reform / correct the error?"
"No, they have to bear the results of their deeds."
For a long moment I was just silent. Then regained the old thread.
"But 'ekalavya' learned the archery and even mastered the skill, where do I stand in comparison to him?"
"Well, He learnt, because of his merits and was deceived by 'droNAcharya'. You too learn from 'Ashvattha' and 'nArAyaNa' on your own, and there I see you both alike."
I sensed that 'Ashvattha' / 'nArAyaNa' are the same Supreme Reality I had been learning from.
I folded my hands in gratitude.
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(9)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -9.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(9)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -9.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
During those winter last year, I used to stay at home for most of the time.
My morning and evening walks were stalled, and sleep was also occupied with the thoughts of 'nArAyaNa'.
Though I kept performing my usual chores and did attend the phone-calls, I was almost having a close watch, remembering Him again and again as soon as I would become aware that my mind has lost touch with His thought. This was meditation spontaneous. I / my attention would drawn back to Him as soon as it diverted from Him.
--
In vedantika parlance, this was kind of 'dhyAna-dikShA'
Vedantika view states that there three kinds of 'dIkShA' > spiritual initiation.
One is like a fish another like a hen and the third is like a tortoise.
The fish keeps its offsprings under its 'gaze' and thereby nurses them.
The hen keeps the eggs under her belly in touch and they hatch.
The tortoise just keeps its eggs in attention.
--
This is symbolic how the 'light' is transmitted.
I know that 'nArAyaNa' and me were in such a constant touch of mental remembrance during those ten-a5 days.
And The 'light' that brought Him to me, looked after both us.
--
During those days, strangely I was also meditating upon 'The Supreme'/ Ishvara-principle.
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(10)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) -10.
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(10)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) 10.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
I had been studying Gita from the very childhood and the scriptures always fascinated me.
I always saw how veda and purANa elaborate the same Reality in different ways and at different levels also at the same time. I instinctively felt there may be paradox in the teachings of veda and purANa, but there is no contradiction.
And I knew the secret.
--
nArAyaNa was meanwhile looking in the mirror. The glass-walls of the cabin served as a good mirror, because this cabin was in fact an aquarium bought from the market. There were fish too but those fish didn't stay long. a few died within days while a few were taken away by the neighbour-hood children.
I often felt if I could have a dialogue with them, - the fish, but I could never.
--
"What do you see there nArAyaNa there in the mirror?"
He didn't pay attention to my words.
Then when I was absent-minded, I saw Him gazing at me.
He was hungry, I thought.
Yes, as soon as I fed Him, he eagerly grabbed the grains.
I wanted to give Him a few more, but didn't know if I should give more than the prescribed.
Then I gave Him a piece of spinach-leaf that He didn't touch, and I thought His appetite was no more for the moment.
He however ate a part afterwards, after 2 hours.
--
Time and Space.
Veda and purANa too speak of these two as one in essence and expression as well.
veda insists the infinity of individual souls is but one Reality and that could not be further divided as 'The Ruler' and 'The Ruled'.
There is no 'duality' in essence. All duality is illusion.
nArAyaNa conveyed the same while I was feeding Him the grains.
--
"Where-from emerges the multiplicity?"
I asked to myself.
"Where could it go away?"
He responded as soon as I turned my eyes to Him.
"That is how purANa eulogise the Reality that is otherwise indescribable. And from the individual point of view there are infinte times, spaces and their rulers and the ruled in that realm."
He added.
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(11)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) 11.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(11)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) 11.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
"nArAyaNa! Good Morning! How are you?"
He raised His head a bit and moved His legs as if feeling uneasy. This was His way of telling me His sleep is over and He is either hungry / thirsty or wanted to walk in waters.
I took Him away from the basket and He sat there on my palm. He would wait for a second and would check impatiently if I am slow in transferring Him to His water-cabin. And would keep on moving on the palm, but feared as well lest may not fall over on ground from there. I had to be quick and as soon as I left Him in the water He would stay for a next moment, watch the walls of the cabin and then decide which way to go over. He would stroll many times in the cabin and leisurely wait for His feed.
"nArAyaNa!" showing Him His feed, I call Him.
If He would bereally hungry, He would raise His Head and wait with His gaze fixed there. His gaze would follow the movement of my fingers and as I gave Him His 3 or 4 grains, He would walk around one of them and at an very unexpected moment grab the same.
"How a small grain serves you nArAyaNa?"
He was busy in following another.
"You know I give you many tips and hints of knowledge Supreme in bits everyday. How do you take them?"
He retorted.
I was stunned.
I was reminded of how my Ashvattha kept me taken aback many times by such incidences quite in an unguarded moment.
And that was the test my dialogues with Him were not just a fancy of my mind, but He had some facility by which He could convey His messages in my mind in my own language and words.
"O.K., Let me verify!"
I was a bit extra sceptic.
"O.K. Challange accepted! And You see, I'm going to give you some subtle knowledge that will prove our conversations are not mere wishfull thinking of your trifle mind."
He kind of warned me.
"Time and Space,..."
He took the thread we were talking yesterday.
"I will tell you something so new that you shall be convinced our talks are not just your imagination."
"..."
"Time and Space are my forms not visible to the beings. But they are there to support my creation. And they are same as rAhu and ketu.
Even as rAhu and ketu they are invisible but could be arrived at by mathematical calculation."
"..."
"And there is the consciousness associated with them, for consciousness is my the very essential aspect that keeps the existence in movement."
"..."
"In living beings they take the form of 'kAma' and 'krodha'...That has been described as a single entity in Gita ..."
"Chapter 3, shloka 37 ...* "
(* http://geetaasandarbha.blogspot.in/search/label/3%2F37 )
I tell to myself.
"The 3 attributes (guNa) of prakriti give rise to 3x3 = 9 planets, out of which two are invisible. The Sun and moon are the expression of 'sat' and 'raja'
(light and knowledge) while the rest comprise of these three namely, 'sat','rajas' 'tamas'.. in different proportions."
I couldn't think this could be a fancy of my own mind.
"And see the beauty of the words of Lord Srikrishna, Who Is verily but Me only..."
He continued.
"Yes I see Master!..."
I was overwhelmed and could not utter the words.
I was given a fit reply that dissipated all my doubts.
Yes these were the grains He fed me with, ... and were real nuggets of the Wisdom Supreme, I remember.
His acceptance of 'turtle-food' was but symbolic.
He rewarded me in terms of far much greater incomparable returns.
--
dharma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(12)
------------------------------------------
(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) 12.
--
© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
--
harma' / vaidika, pauranika, laukika...(12)
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(धर्म / वैदिक, पौराणिक, लौकिक) 12.
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© Vinay Kumar Vaidya,
(vinayvaidya111@gmail.com)
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Two parallels
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सुषुप्ति, जागृति और कर्म, राहु, केतु, आवरण विक्षेप और प्रकाश,अज्ञान, ज्ञान और विज्ञान
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This thread connected with two parallels :
One in Vedanta where the three states of mind are dealt with.
Namely The waking, The dream and the deep sleep.
That again corresponds according to the states of the mind of one who HAS realized the essential nature of the 'Self' in contrast of the 'self' as well on one hand, and according to the states of the mind of one who HAS NOT realized the essential nature of the 'Self' in contrast of the 'self' as well.
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Again, yet in another paralance, rahu denotes veil / ignorance of the Self, while ketu the distraction and wandering nature of mind. These two constitute 'bondage' / misery on the part of the soul / jIva.
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In contrast at the cosmic / astrnomy-level, This could again be viewed as the movement of Sun (Self), moon (self), their respective light (Consciousness on the part of the Self / Cosmic Consciousness) and the 'earth' the physical body of the one who is supposed to go through 'birth' and 'death' and the 'experience' of pleasures and pains.
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He didn't say a word but this all came to my mind instataneously as if He might have directed them towards me.
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Yes, Quite a break-through.
This relates the 'vedika' with 'paurANika' and also the 'jyotisha' with the mundane.
I said to myself.
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I realized at once the way veda and purANa deal with aspects of One Truth.
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The thought of His departure made me very sad. He would leave within next two-three days. I would have loved to keep that divine guest with me for ever. He was with me all these days, shared His intimate learning and wisdom with me, without speaking a single word.
"nArAyaNa! Will you leave me tomoroow? "
I asked.
He turned His beady eyes towards me !
"Where can I go?"
Oh!...Hearing these words just left me dumb. My Master, when He was to leave the physical frame, had replied in these very words, when a devotee had asked Him the same question that I asked today to nArAyaNa.
"O.K. ... But I will go from here, the day after tomorrow. Then I shall be there with your friend till the 3rd of the bright moon (fortnight) of the coming Vaishakha... "
"And then ??"
"Then I shall go-back to ShiprA."
"Oh!..."
"But I will be always with you, ever there, whenever you think of me, I shall be with you, don't worry. And even if you don't think or remember me, I shall be with you..."
I couldn't interpret His words.
This happened exactly like this.
After 2 days, in the early morning my friend came to receive Him.
"A thorough gentleman..."
I said Good-bye to nArAyaNa.
Between me and my friend He looked just like an innocent new-born infant.
He looked at me with those divine eyes.
My friend took Him back and left.
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I had almost forgotten this whole conversation when a full year back, He was left into Shipra (the river at Ujjain).
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I wanted to write many things, but as this date coincides with His final departure, I think I will conclude this 'note'.
There will be other times, other places and many more topics, I shall perhaps write, but this much only for the present.
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({_/\_})
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