Hinduism

Vishnu's Human Incarnations - 3

World is moving very fast by computers, laptops, mobiles with latest technology like internet, wifi, android, ios, windows and so on. What are android, windows? Computer is just a machine created by humans, it understands only machine language i,e 0,1. It operates on set of instructions which is called software. Android, windows are called operating systems (unlimited to humans) which runsentire global system. Butthe biggest operating system is SUPREME GOD who controlsentire galaxywith unlimited infinite, eternal, endless power and to whom people are like laptops, mobiles.

After God created human being, he had given set of instructions to humans which are called Vedas. God had taught humans to worship unseen power (God) through singing. Saama Veda is the root of music with seven swaras. The Rig Veda mantras were rendered by using swaras in Saamagaana. Svara (note in musical scale) added to Rik (praising) mantras is “Saama‟. In the word “Saama‟,“Sa‟ means Rik and “Ama‟ means svara. Rik or svara in isolation does not constitute Saama. The union of the two alone is Saama. Music has no geographical border. The word music is explained as M=melody, U=universal, S=soul, I=individuality, C=cultural development. It says if person worships with this music the person reaches god. Historically proved that humans existed around appro. 40,000 years before, they started music with musical instruments like drums, bells, wooden flutes etc. Over the years music has developed, many differentmusical instrumentswere created, classical music like Hindustani and Carnatic developed by composers like Thyagaraja swamy, Swati Thirunal, Jayadev, Meera Bai and so on.

According to sthala purana of Ananta padmanabha swamy temple in Tiruvanantapuram, Lord Vishnu incarnated as Ananta Padmanaabha here around 5000 years before. In this temple lord Vishnu incarnates as Padmanaabha (padma=lotus, naabha=navel) reclines on Ananta (adisesha), his right hand is placed over Shivalingam, two consorts Sridevi, Bhudevi by his side, Brahma emerges on the lotus which emanates from Vishnu’s navel. This shows SAMPOORNA TATTWA OR PARIPURNA TATTWA of Lord Vishnu. According to regional literature of Kerala, land of Kerala was formed by the land brought out of sea by Parushurama. Lord Rama was and is worshipped in one and only one form as Rama with Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman everywhere, where as Lord Krishna is worshiped in different forms in Vrundavan(U.P), Mayapur(W.B), Puri Jagannath (Odisha), Dwaraka (Guj), Pandaripur (Mah), Udupi (Kar), Nathdwara(Rajas), Guruvayur (Kerala) which are in India.

According to Sthala purana of Guruvayur temple, Lord Krishna selected place for idol which he was worshipping (even god has to worship one form of god when he incarnates as a human being) to be installed by Guru and Vayu after his niryana and before submerge of Dwaraka into the sea. Hence the name Guruvayur. This temple in Guruvayur Kshetra which was built by Vishwakarma immediately after Krishna niryana appro, 5000 thousand before. Narayana Bhattathiri (1560-1646 A.D) who was eminent scholar in astronomy, mathematics had compiled greatest masterpiece NAARAAYANEEYAM (1036 slokas) consists dasavataaras of Lord Vishnu by composing 1 dasaka(10) slokas daily in sanctum sanctorium of Guruvayur temple and completing 1036 slokas in appro. 100 days. Alwarsare tamil saint-poets who wrote poetry about Lord Vishnu, Lord Rama, Lord Krishna. Alwar means one who floats in deep love towards Vishnu and his incarnations. Basically alwars were 12 Tamil speaking saints who popularized Vaishnavisam in South India. Goddess Andal is the only female alwar in 12 alwars. They praised DIVYA DESAMS (108 abodes or temples of different forms of Lord Vishnu) with 4000 slokas compiled as book called NALARIYA DIVYA PRABHANDAM by Nadamuni a 10th century theologian. In the 108 divya desams 105 temples are in present India, 106 temple is Muktinath (place of liberation) in Nepal, 107 is Milk ocean, Thirupaalkadal (thiru= auspicious, paal=milk, kadal= sea) in tamil, 108 is Paramapadam (Vaikuntham). Nammalwar composed verses on Krishna, Chera King Kulasekhar Alwar (9 A.D) had composed verses on Rama, Krishna. Andal, a female alwar, had composed 30 verses (pasurams) imagining Sri Ranganatha Swamy of Sri Rangam (Tamilnadu) as Krishna and these pasurams are recited daily one in dhanurmasam period (dec 15th to jan 13th or 14th every year) in all Vaishnava temples (she is incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi). Kulasekhar Alwar also compiled famous MUKUNDAMALA stotram about Krishna in Sanskrit. The famous KRISHNA KARNAMRUTA (karna+amruta=nector to ears) was composed by poet Bilwamangala Thakur (13-14A.D) also called LEELA SUKA, in Sanskrit. He also composed BALA-MUKUNDA ashtakam, GOVINDA-DAMODARA stotram in Sanskrit. Sage Vyasa compiled DAMODARA stotram in padma purana.

Though Adi Shankara born in Kaladi in Kerala lived for 32 years in 8 A.D was staunch sanyasa devotee of Lord Shiva, he composed many stotrams on Lord Vishnu. some are Bhajagovindam, Achyutashtakam, Krishnashtakam, Govindashtakam, Lakshmi Nrusihma pancharantam, Dasaavatara stotram, Pandurangashtakam, Narayana stotram, Jagannathashtakam, Kanakadhara stotram. He had described lord in each stotra differently. Composers like Sadasiva Brahmendra, Vutukkadi Venkata kavi (Tamilnadu), Narayana Thertulu, Siddhendra yogi (united A.P), Vyasaraya (Karnataka) composed krutis mostly on Lord Krishna. Thyagabrahma, Bhadrachala Ramadasu, Purandara Dasa Deekshitar, Swati Tirunal composed mostly on Lord Rama, Lord Krishna. Saint Annamacharya composed krutis mostly on Lord Venkateswara, Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Lord Narasimha. It is understood that all the composers composed songs on different incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Chandrasekhara swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti peetham worshipped Lord Krishna as Amba (exerpt from pravachanam). Ramashtakam was composed by Sage Vyasa, Sri Rama Raksha Stotram was composed by Brahmarishi Vishwamitra which was recited to him in dream by Lord Shiva.

In Udipi (Karnataka) Balakrishna’s idol covered by sandalwood paste was found by great saint Madhwacharya (whose followers called madhwas), when he was trying to compose DWADASA STOTRAM sitting on seashore. later he installed the idol in temple and composed the stotra with 12 names. In Udupi Lord’s idol is completely turned to one side window in sanctum sanctorium (an untouchable named Kanakadasa was not allowed the darshan of Lord, Lord turned to side where Kanakadasa was standing and allowed the devotee to have his darshan). Here devotees would have darshan from window which is named as Kanakana Kinkini. Kuchipudi dance ballet BHAMAKALAPAM by Siddhendra yogi was completely based on Lord Krishna revived in 1930 by an American dancer named Ester Sherman (later changed to Ragini Devi). Bhakta Jayadev (12 A.D) who belongs Odisa compiled GEETA GOVINDAM in Sanskrit about Radha Krishna’s Raasa Leela. Vidyapati (14-15 A.D) of Bihar composed Radha Krishna leela in Brajubali (Mythili) language (Mythili was language used in Mithila kingdom ruled by King Janaka). Naamdev, Tukaram, Gnanadev composed songs in Marathi (Abhang) and Sanskrit. Gnanadev translated Vyasa’s Bhagavadgita in Marathi named GNANESHWARI. Tansen (16 A.D) : who was one of the Navaratnas in Akbar’s court : belongs to Madhya Pradesh : was a musician, composer, vocalist composed songs on Krishna and Narayana in Brijbhasha(yadava language).

Narsi Mehta was gujarati vaishnavite belongs to Junagadh in Saurashtra composed 22,000 kirtans on Raasa Leela when he was taken to Vrundavan and shown him the entire Raasa Leela of Krishna with gopikas by Lord Shiva. His bhajan VAISHNAVA JANATO was favourate of Mahatma Gandhi which is prayer song in Sabarmati Ashram. According to Bhavishyotthara Purana, Tulasidas (16 A.D) was the incarnation of Sage Valmiki in Kali-yuga belongs to Uttara Pradesh. He compiled Ramacharitamanas in Awadhi language which was language of the land at that time and a dialect of Hindi. Ramacharitamanas is the shorter version of Valmiki Ramayana (It consists of 24,000 slokas). Tulasidas composed 61 slokas on Krishna in Brijbhasha when he visualized Krishna as Rama in Vrindavan. Kabirdas (15 A.D) was a devotee of Rama and composed dohas on Rama only in Brij, Avadhi and Hindi languages. Surdas a blind poet (15-16 A.D) composed verses on Krishna in Brij, Awadhi languages. A muslim named Raskan who was devotee of Krishna composed bhajans in Brijbhasha. He translated Bhagavata Purana in Persian language. Ravi Das (15-16 A.D), a poet-saint composed verses about Krishna in Sanskrit, Brij, Sindhi and Persian languages. His poetry was added in sikh scriptures GURU GRANTH SAHIB.

Vallabhacarya (15-16 A.D) was Telugu brahmin went to Kashi at very early age, settled as a sannyasi and started PUSHTI MARGA (path of grace), a vaishnava sect. He was a parivrajakacharya. He met Krishnaas SRINATHJI in Gokul when he was in teerath (pilgrim) yatra (journey). Srinathji idol is black with nose pin on the right side of nose and he is self manifested from stone and emerged from Govardhana hills. When the image was shifting from Govardhan hills to safe place due to muslim invasions, at place Naath-Dwara (god’s door) which is appro 48 km from Udaipur, chariot which was carrying the idol got stuck, Vallabhacharya built the temple considering this as God’s chosen place. Vallabhacharya composed MADHURAASHTAKAM. He in his last days in Kashi could compose only 3-1/2 slokas in Sanskrit on sand on the banks of Ganga river, remaining 1-1/2 slokas were completed by Lord Krishna himself. These 5 slokas are named as SHIKSHA SLOKAS. Meera Bai, queen of Mewar was devotee of Lord Krishna from childhood. Even after marriage she devoted herself to god only and composed kritis and bhajans on Krishna.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (15-16 A.D) was a Bengali, Krishna devotee born in Mayapur near Navadweep (130 km appro from Calcutta in W.B, India) spread Krishna bhakti in Indian sub-continent. Having travelled throughout India and learnt thoroughly Vaishnavism, he established Gaudiya Vaishnavism (present Bengal, Bangla desh are called Gaudiya region) in which Lord Krishna only is Supreme Being. He spread HARE KRISHNA mantra in Indian sub-continent. As he was spiritually powerfull, he could find important places of Radha Krishna in VRUNDAVAN and lived there for some time to restore them. He compiled SHISHATAKAM (8 slokas) in Sanskrit and transformed his 6 disciples Rupa, Sanatana, Gopala Bhatt, Raghunath Bhutt, Raghunath Das, Jeeva as goswamys to develop and spread Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Chandidas (15 A.D) who was great devotee of Krishnaand visualized him, had composed 1250 verses in Bengali named SRI KRUSHNA KIRTANA about Radha Krishna bhakti philosophy based on Bhagavata Purana. According to Vaishnava philosophy Krishna is self-manifest and Radha is his atma. They are not two individuals, they are one and only one. Every person in India believes this. Not only in Vrundavan everywhere in India people worship Radha Krishna as one. Though Radha Krishna philosophy is famous, Radha was not mentioned in any purana (except Harivamsa) nor alwar’s verses.

RADHAKRISHNA BHAKTI (LOVE) IS AN IMMERSION IN THE BLISS OF ALMIGHTY.

But this philosophy was portrayed negatively by the compilers lately and is understood too negatively by presentgeneration. According to Swamynarayana philosophy Swamynarayana (a sanyasi) was the incarnation of Lord Krishna. He described himself as RadhaKrishna in his book “SIKSHAPATRI” in 212 verses in Sanskrit. Swamynarayana cult spread RadhaKrishna philosophy globally.  Swamy Prabhupada (1896-1977 A.D) a follower of Chaitya Mahaprabhu’s gaudiya vaishnavism, established I S K C O N – International Society of Krishna Consciousness- and spread Krishna philosophy by HARE KRISHNA mantra globally. To fulfill the ambition of Sreela Prabhupada ISKCON, Banglore started to build the talles tbuilding in the world named BRUNDAVANA CHANDRODAYA MANDIR in Vrundavanin 2014 by ex-president Pranab Mukharji to be completed by end of 2019.

Buddism and Jainism both were Indian religions developed in Magadha (present Bihar, India), continued to thrive in modern times, spread from middle-east to south-east and Far-east. Though Buddha and Mahavir (24th thirthankara of present cycle) were contemporaries who did not meet. Rishbha dev, 1st thirthankara of Jainism travelled globally to spread Jainism. In 8th century B.C Jainsism spread to Nepal, Greece, Panhave (Iran), Bhali (a city in Bactria which was north of Hindu kush mountains and south of Amu dariya river covers present Afganistan, Tazakistan, Uzbekistan and northern part of Pakistan), Suvarnabhumi (land of gold, present day Indonesian Archipelago (an extensive group of islands) Sumatra or Java and Malaysia), Siam (present Thailand), Philistia (present land of Palestine), Ceylon (present Sri Lanka). King Ravana (in that cycle of Jainism), is said to have erected a Jain temple in Trikutagiri and another statue of Parshwanath (unsure of number of cycle of Jainism) is found in the caves of Tripura in Sri Lanka. Presently Jainism is not popular in not only in this region but also South Asia and Far East because of food habbits. Jain food is purely vegetarian (not even egg) where as there are no food restrictions in Buddhism. Presently Jainism is flourishing more in India, U.S.A, U.K, African countries like Kenya, Uganda, spreading fast into other places like Australia etc as more people are migrating. Though Buddism is existing in India, it spread to Himalayan countries like Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, Sri Lanka in south and then it spread fast to Far-East countries like Indonesian archipelago (an extensive group of island), Malaysia, Japan and particularly China. China had adopted Buddhism because there was no religion before, only teaching of leaders like Tao were followed and the teachings of Tao and Buddha were intermingled.

12-Oct-2019

More by :  Vanaja Teegavarapu


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