June 14, 2017 archive

Kesavāya namah.

The above verse ornamentally explains to us that Brahma’s entire lifespan is just a fraction of a second to Lord Srihari. The truth is that it is impossible to calculate the lifespan of Srihari! This is because He is changeless, deathless and birthless!

Time, which begins from the subtlest atom and covers all various divisions including the lifespan of Lord Brahma, fails to have any influence on that Supreme Lord. This is because the Supreme Lord Srihari is over and above time! The divisions of time are not applicable to Him. Time is not the cause for His existence! He is the cause for the existence of time!

This time rules over all the spiritually ignorant beings who consider this body and this wealth to be everything i.e. those who consider themselves to be the gross body.

This universe has a width of 50 crore yojanas (one yojana is about 8 miles). It is composed of 16 transformations viz., 10 senses (5 organs of perception and 5 organs of action), mind and 5 basic elements. This universal egg is enclosed by thick layers made up of 5 subtle elements (such as subtle earth, subtle air etc.), ahamkara, mahat and Prakriti (Nature). Each among them in turn is 10 times thicker than its previous one. Such a vast universe is the size of an atom and is contained within the Supreme Lord!

The Supreme Lord is indestructible. Beginning with the fundamental principle of Mahat, He is the cause for all the causes. Within Him, innumerable vast universes exist and each of them appears like a tiny atom within Him. Thus these innumerably vast universes are like innumerable atoms within His body. This Supreme Lord is complete in all aspects. He is none other than Srihari! He is Paramatma!

With this the eleventh chapter of the third Canto comes to an end.

Third Canto Twelfth Chapter

In this chapter the origin of creation, the origin of Sanaka and other Kumaras, the creation of Rudra, Marichi and other Maharishis, the origin of Goddess Saraswati and the Vedas are covered. In addition, the birth of Swayambhuva Manu and Shatarupa from the body of Brahma are also explained.

Maitreya Maharishi said to Vidura, “Until now I explained to you the Supreme Lord’s divine manifestation (vibhuti) known as time. Now I will explain to you the manner in which Lord Brahma, the embodiment of Vedas, expanded this creation.

At the outset Lord Brahma created the five modifications of spiritual ignorance viz., andha-tāmisra, tāmisra, mahā-moha, moha and tamas.

Andha-tāmisra means ‘fear of death’ or seeking to ‘cling to life’. Tāmisra means feelings of aversion/ hatred (dwesa). Maha-moha means ‘excessive attachment or infatuation’ (rāga). Moha means sense of I-ness (egoism, asmita). Tamas means being unable to know about one’s true Self (ignorance).

Brahma who created these was not at all happy. This creation appeared to be very sinful. It was abounding in spiritual ignorance (ajnana) and appeared to be driven towards sins. This was the reason for his unhappiness.

Bhagavad-dhyāna-pūtena manasānyāṁ tato ’sṛjat– He purified himself through intense meditation upon the Supreme Lord. Thereafter he began another creation.

Sanakaṁ ca sanandaṁ ca sanātanam athātmabhūḥ

Sanat-kumāraṁ ca munīn niṣkriyān ūrdhva-retasaḥ

This time Brahma created the four Kumaras. These were the four great sages known as Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanātana and Sanatkumara. They had upward flowing semen (urdhva-retas) and were embodiments of the traits of goodness (sattva guna). They were pure beings who had given up actions in totality (sarva karma sanyasa) and were absolutely dedicated towards Self-realization.

Brahma then addressed these mind-born sons and said, “My sons, please beget children and expand this creation”. However these great saints, who possessed infinite devotion towards Srihari, who were absolutely dedicated towards Self-knowledge and were deeply longing for liberation could not relish this idea. The path of worldly progression (pravṛtti mārga) was unacceptable to them. Pravṛtti mārga is the path of expanding one’s lineage. They rejected their father’s idea.

Brahma was infuriated with his sons who had disobeyed his command. Through various ways he tried to suppress his anger but it was of little avail. From the centre of his eyebrows this intense anger gushed out and a boy who was of reddish-black complexion was created. This boy was Lord Rudra.

Rudra was born even before the birth of the Devatas. Immediately after his birth Rudra began to wail loudly. Addressing Brahma he said, “O Lord of the Universe! Who are You? Who am I? What is my name? Please tell me where to reside.”

Lord Brahma then pacified the boy and said to him,

Yad arodīḥ sura-śreṣṭha sodvega iva bālakaḥ

Tatas tvām abhidhāsyanti nāmnā rudra iti prajāḥ

O supreme amongst the Devatas! Do not cry. Since you cried like a little infant you will be famous as Rudra. Now I will explain the places where you can live. I have already readied for your living the following places viz., heart, 10 senses (indriyas), life-force (prana), space, wind, fire, water, earth, Sun, Moon and penance (tapas).

Now I will explain your different names. At the time of annihilation (pralaya) you will be intensely furious. For that reason you will be known as Manyu. As you incarnate in the form of Manu, you will be known as Manu. For possessing limitless strength you will be known as Mahinaśa. As you are of incomparable infinite vastness you will be known as Mahāṇ.

As you are an embodiment of auspiciousness you will be known as Śiva. As you are of unlimited radiance you will be known as Rutudhwaja. Due to your frightful prowess you will be called Ugraretasa. For being the cause of the universe you will be addressed as Bhava. You are the form of time. You are also the form of death. Hence you will be addressed as Kāla. For being supremely beautiful and for being Self-effulgent you will be known as Vāmadeva.  Due to your dedication towards rituals (vratanishta) you will be famous as Dhrtavrata.

In this way, my son, you will have 11 names. Reciting these eleven names on a daily basis bestows auspiciousness. You also have eleven wives. I will explain their names. Dhī, Vṛtti, Uśana, Umā, Niyat, Sarpi, Ila, Ambikā, Irāvati, Sudhā, Dikśa. These 11 wives are also known as Rudrāṇi.

Dhī means good intellect (buddhi). Vṛtti means effectiveness in work. Uśana means happiness. Umā means OM-kara (pranava). Niyat means speed of movement. Sarpi means ahuti (offerings made in holy fire). Ila means speech. Ambika means universal mother. Irāvati means ‘she who showers nectar’. Sudha means form of nectar. Dīksha means firm vow.

My Son! Now accept the names I have given you and together with your wives reside in the places I have allotted to you. Kindly continue to create. You are the Prajapati (lord of all living beings)”- in this manner Brahma commanded Rudra.

Rudra obediently abided by the dictates of his father. He created innumerable progeny who were akin to him in appearance, strength and ferocious nature. In no time his valourous children, the Rudra-ganas began to swallow the entire earth.

Keshavāya namah.

Narayana namah.

Vidura enquired, “O worshipful one! Being the personification of the Supreme Lord, you definitely will know about the movements of time in totality. Accomplished beings of your cadre observe this world through the medium of the intellectual eye”.

In response to Vidura’s question, Maitreya Maharishi replied, “Kṛta, Treta, Dwapara and Kali are the four Yugas. Each of these Yugas has Sandhya and Sandhya-amśa i.e. the transitional period before and after the Yuga. The transitional period before starting of the Yuga is known as Sandhya and the transitional period that comes at the end of the Yuga is known as Sandhyāmśa. In other words, the period of time between Sandhya and Sandhyāśa is a Yuga.

(The set of these 4 yugas of Kṛta, Dwarapa, Treta and Kali is known as Chatur-yuga. It is one basic cycle).

One cycle of 4 Yugas together with their intermediate periods is 12000 celestial years. Among them Kṛta Yuga is made up of 4000 celestial years, Treta Yuga is 3000 celestial years, Dwarapa Yuga is 2000 celestial years and Kali Yuga is 1000 celestial years. One celestial year is 360 human years.

The transitional period before and after Kṛta yuga (Sandhya and the Sandhyāmśa) is 800 celestial years. For Treta Yuga it is 600 celestial years, Dwapara has 400 celestial years and Kali Yuga has a transitional period of 200 celestial years. The sum total of the Yugas and the transitional periods is 12000 celestial (divine) years.

Each Yuga has its own special rules of righteousness (Yuga- dharma). In the first eon called Kṛta Yuga, dharma is completely upheld by human beings i.e. dharma stands on all its four feet. Unrighteousness (adharma) increases progressively in each successive Yuga. In proportion to it, dharma decreases in each successive Yuga.

Mahar-loka is the celestial plane that exists beyond the three planes of existence (tri-lokas). The time period of one morning (daytime) in these supreme lokas beginning from Mahar-loka and up to Brahma-loka, is equivalent of 1000 Chatur-yugas. In other words, one cycle of 4 Yugas * 1000 (12000 divine years * 1000) is the day for Brahma. His night is of equal duration. During night, the creator Brahma sleeps. When night comes to an end, he once again begins the task of creation.

One night of Brahma is equal to many thousands of Yugas for us. What a long period! But to him it is as trivial as our night. Just as we go to work during the day, Brahma begins his creation during the day. This is his duty.

During this day of Brahma, the lifespan of 14 Manus and the period of their rule get complete. Each Manu rules for an approximate period of 71 cycles consisting of 4 yugas each, i.e. 71 Chatur-yugas (71*12000 divine years). This period of time is known as Manvantara.

During each Manvantara, the Manu, the kings belonging to his lineage, the Maharishis, the celestials, Indra and others Devatas who rule over these celestials, together with their assistants such as Gandharvas appear simultaneously to execute their duties and rule over the universe.

This is the daily creation of Lord Brahma. The three worlds are part of this creation. In this creation, the living beings based on their past fruitive actions take birth in the wombs of human beings, animals, birds or forefathers.

Manvantareṣu bhagavān bibhrat sattvaṁ sva-mūrtibhiḥ

Manv-ādibhir idaṁ viśvam avaty udita-pauruṣaḥ

 In each Manvantara, the Supreme Lord displays his transcendental powers (pouruśah) taking the help of the traits of goodness (sattva guna). Through incarnations such as that of Manu he sustains and nourishes the universe.

At the end of the day, Brahma takes the help of his traits of inertia (tamo guna) and stopping activities pertaining to creation, he sleeps. Due to the influence of time, entire creation gets absorbed into him. His night is the time for pralaya (annihilation). Even Sun and Moon vanish. The three worlds viz., Bhu, Bhuvah and Suvah merge into him completely and get enveloped in darkness.

At such time the Lord’s energy manifests in the form of a blazing fire which emerges from the face of serpent Adishesha. This is known as Sankarśanāgni. This fire reduces the three worlds into ashes. Unable to withstand this blazing fire, Brighu and other Maharishis, who reside in Mahar-loka, now travel to Jana-loka.

The violent fiery winds of devastation begin to blow. Due to the force of these devastating winds, the waters from the ocean rise rapidly creating huge tsunami waves. In a second the waters from the ocean submerge the three worlds.

In the middle of these waters, Lord Srihari rests with closed eyes on his snake-bed. He will be in Yoga-nidra (yogic sleep). The residents of Jana-loka will be worshipfully singing his hymns at this time.

In this creation, Brahma has the maximum lifespan! He has a lifespan of 100 years as per the time calculations applicable to his plane. In accordance with the different time zones and calculations, day and night keep following one another.

Yad ardham āyuṣas tasya parārdham abhidhīyate

Pūrvaḥ parārdho ’pakrānto hy aparo ’dya pravartate

The lifespan of Brahma i.e. 100 years is divided into two. The first 50 years is known as the purva-parārdha and the second 50 years is known as dwiteeya-parārdha. In these 100 years of Brahma, the purva parardha is complete. The dwiteeya-parārdha is now going on.

In the beginning of the Purva-parādha, there was a Kalpa (time period) known as Brahma-kalpa. In the beginning of this Kalpa, Brahma who was a personification of sound (śabda-brahma) manifested in the form of Vedas.

The Kalpa that comes towards the end of that parārdha is known as Pādma-Kalpa. In that Kalpa, the lotus called the world emerged from the navel of Lord Srihari.

In this Dwiteeya-parārdha, the first Kalpa is known as Varāha kalpa. This is because in this Kalpa, Srihari incarnated as a boar (Varaha).

Kālo ’yaṁ dvi-parārdhākhyonimeṣa upacaryate

Avyākṛtasyānantasya hy anāder jagad-ātmanaḥ

Srihari is the cause for all causes. He is without beginning and end. He is the Universal Self. He is the true essence. This time period of Brahma, which consists of two parārdhas, is just a fraction of a second for the Supreme Lord. It is the taken for blinking once.

Kesavaya namah.

Kesavaya namah

Third Canto Chapter Eleven

In this eleventh chapter the division of time periods known as Manvantara, the longevity of Devatas, humans and others has been covered.

Maitreya Maharashi said to Vidura, “The subtlest particle of matter which cannot be further sub-divided is known as an atom. When this atom combines with other atoms, it becomes the cause for creation. The combination of many atoms appears like a material object and puts people under illusion that a different object exists. These subtle atoms manifest as the visible world.

The collection of earth and other basic elements which have atoms as their subtle elements, existing in their original forms without combining with each other, is known as Mahat tattva. At this stage of completeness, transformations such as creation and dissolution do not exist. There is nothing called past and present time period. Different objects such as Sun, Moon etc., do not exist at such time.

In this manner, just as the subtlest and the greatest principles i.e. atoms and Mahat exist inherently in matter, we should understand that within time also subtlest and greatest principles exist. Time energy is a manifestation of the Supreme Lord. The ever-powerful time pervades all through the created objects and divides them.

This time pervades through the atom, which is the subtlest particle in the creation, and exists therein in tiniest form i.e. as the smallest measurement of time. Pervading everything right from creation and up to dissolution, this time also exists in a supreme form i.e. greatest time.

Two atoms combine to form a molecule. A combination of three molecules i.e. combination of six atoms is called trasa-reṇu (hexatom). Trasa-renu is visible to the naked eye. When rays of sunlight enter a dark room through the medium of the window holes, many tiny particles can be seen floating towards the sky. These tiny particles are trasa-renu.

(Calculation of time periods starting from trasa-reṇu)

The time taken by light to cover a distance of 3 trasa-renus is the period of time known as truṭi. 100 such truṭi form a vedha. 3 vedhas form lava.

The time taken by light to cover a distance of 3 lavas is the duration of time called nimeṣa. Three nimeṣa form a kshaṇa. 5 kshaṇa form a kāṣṭha. 15 kāṣṭha make a laghu.

15 laghu make a ghaṭika or nāḍika. 2 ghaṭika is called a muhurtam. In this small differences could be noticed at times. Days could appear longer than nights or vice-versa. Based on this calculation, time equivalent of 6 or 7 muhurta forms a prahara. This is commonly referred to as Yāma or Jāma (aprox 3 hours).

Take a copper pot which weighs 6 pāla (14 ounces). At the bottom of this pot pierce a hole with a golden wire whose weight is equivalent to 4 grains of black-gram seeds and which is four fingers long. Keep this copper pot on water. Water enters into the pot through the hole. When the pot is filled with water up to a certain level (known as prastha), the pot will sink into the water. The amount of time taken for this pot to sink into the water is known as nāḍika or ghaṭika.

For human beings time equivalent of 4 jāma is morning and another 4 jāma constitutes night. Morning and night put together forms a day for human beings. 15 such days constitute a fortnight (paksha). Based on the waxing or waning moon, the fortnight is known either as Śukla paksha or Krishna paksha.

Ayane cāhanī prāhur vatsaro dvādaśa smṛtaḥ

Saṁvatsara-śataṁ nṝṇāṁ paramāyur nirūpitam

The period of two fortnights (śukla paksha + Krishna paksha) constitute a period of one month. This is one day for forefathers. A period of two months is known as Rutu (season). A period of six months is known as āyana. There are two āyanas viz., Dakshināyana and Uttarāyana. One set of two āyanas i.e. 12 month period constitutes one year.

One year of humans is equivalent of one day for the Devatas. Vedas declare that the duration of life of human beings is 100 years.

The Supreme Lord, together with Sun, Jupiter and other planets and together with the 27 stars beginning with Ashwini, resides within the universal orbit and rules over it. Kāla (time) pervades everything right from an atom and until the year. During this period of a year the Sun travels through the 12 zodiacs. It is due to this movement of the Sun, that we are able to understand the wheel of time. They are of five different types.

The time taken by the Sun to travel around the 12 zodiacs is 372 days. This is the period of one year and is called samvatsara. The time taken for Guru (Brihaspati) to travel from one zodiac to another is known as Parivatsara. Considering each month to be exactly of 30 days, the 12 month period or 360 days time is known as Idavatsara. Based on the movements of the Moon, the time period of 12 months ending with the new moon (amavasya) is known as Anuvatsara. Based on the movement of the Moon and the Stars, the period of 12 months, in which each month has only 27 days is known as Vatsara. These are the different types of the time period called year.

Among the five basic elements, Sun is a luminous body. This luminous Sun, through the medium of its energy called time, enlivens the causative factors that lie dormant within the causes of creation. Through this he enlivens all living beings. He dispels the illusion caused due to spiritual ignorance (ajnana) in humans and he travels through the three planes of existence (triloka).

To those who worship him through the medium of Yagna and other rituals, he bestows auspicious results such as heaven. In this way, it is the Sun who exists within the five different types of year. He should be reverentially worshipped” said Maitreya Maharishi.

Hearing this, the virtuous Vidura questioned, “O Mahatma! You have explained about the longevity of humans, forefathers and Devatas. Now please explain about the duration of life of those supreme beings, who are beyond the three planes of existence and who have crossed over the Kalpa. O worshipful one! Being the personification of the Supreme Lord, you definitely will know about the movements of time in totality. Accomplished beings of your cadre observe this world through the medium of the intellectual eye.”

Kesavāya namah.