WRITTEN BY Vishnu Prakash
Yes, it is Sabarimala issue that prompted me to write this. But applicable not just to that one issue. Few people asked me "Who are humans to make laws and rituals for God? Can't God protect his will?"
I want to ask them - Who the hell is God? And what is God's will?
None of the six main Indian schools of thought (Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimansa or Vedanta) teaches any concept of 'God'. God/Religion is an imported theory to this land. I do not have an objection to someone believing in any God/Religion. But today, mixing up this theory with indigenous dharmik cultures is causing a lot of unintended (or maybe intended?) damage. Hence it's time to DIFFERENTIATE.
Temple is a replica of human body(Siddha Purusha) and an expression of Tantra shastra. It declares that the essence of the Brahmanda (universe) can be seen in the Pindanda (man). Each prathishta that is instilled with prana has qualities of its own depending upon the nature of the mantras used and the ‘sankalpas’ the persons who performed them. This is how different prathishtas has different characters and rituals based on inherent prathishta (naishtika brahmacharya of Sabarimala Ayyappa, for example).
Concisely, each prathishta can be defined as a spiritual energy sink where natural forces are channelized. Just to make a vague analogy, we use a fan to channelize the air for our own benefit. My neighbor decides to destroy my fan. According to new gen activists, I must remain quiet because I am doubting the "power of Air" or Air's an ability to preserve it's "will". That's highly progressive reasoning indeed!
Having discussed the illogical imposition of God theory on temple rituals, it is also important to discuss a few non-translatables here. There is no synonym for God/Religion/Soul/Infidel in Sanskrit or any other Indian language for that matter.
'Bhagavan' which is considered an equivalent of God is defined as someone who possesses six 'bhagas' - splendor, virtue, glory, opulence, knowledge, dispassion. Not someone who sits in heaven and give marks or judgments.
Here, there is no idea of a single or "only true" path to be followed. There could be as many paths as there are lives because each individual has to find the truth himself - irrespective of what any Bhagavan says/said. There is only guidance. We're (or were?) a land of seekers and not believers.
No divine personality who descended on this land gave us any commandments to follow. Whether Krishna or Shiva, all they got back were a thousand questions.
'Dharma' which is equated to 'religion' means 'that which upholds' in Sanskrit. It maintains, keeps, or holds the very basis of this universe, the cosmic order. In that sense, dharma means the proper functioning of the various cyclical activities of this universe that maintain its balance. 'Svadharma' of individuals is a subset of dharma.
Atma which is equated to Soul is defined as 'Apnoti sarvam iti Atma' - that which pervades everything is Atma(consciousness or awareness). The soul is defined as the spiritual or immaterial part of a living being. Poles apart in concept.
Another word with no translation is Infidel. Vaidiks have nastika and astika classification where masters of both are respected as maharishi like Maharishi Charvaka or Maharishi Madhava.
There are innumerable such Sanskrit non translatables that we mix up and create a total confusion. Had this issue not created an existential crisis, there would have been no need for a DIFFERENTIATION. But unfortunately, that's not the case.
Tat Tvam Asi.
Swami Saranam.
Yes, it is Sabarimala issue that prompted me to write this. But applicable not just to that one issue. Few people asked me "Who are humans to make laws and rituals for God? Can't God protect his will?"
I want to ask them - Who the hell is God? And what is God's will?
None of the six main Indian schools of thought (Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimansa or Vedanta) teaches any concept of 'God'. God/Religion is an imported theory to this land. I do not have an objection to someone believing in any God/Religion. But today, mixing up this theory with indigenous dharmik cultures is causing a lot of unintended (or maybe intended?) damage. Hence it's time to DIFFERENTIATE.
Temple is a replica of human body(Siddha Purusha) and an expression of Tantra shastra. It declares that the essence of the Brahmanda (universe) can be seen in the Pindanda (man). Each prathishta that is instilled with prana has qualities of its own depending upon the nature of the mantras used and the ‘sankalpas’ the persons who performed them. This is how different prathishtas has different characters and rituals based on inherent prathishta (naishtika brahmacharya of Sabarimala Ayyappa, for example).
Concisely, each prathishta can be defined as a spiritual energy sink where natural forces are channelized. Just to make a vague analogy, we use a fan to channelize the air for our own benefit. My neighbor decides to destroy my fan. According to new gen activists, I must remain quiet because I am doubting the "power of Air" or Air's an ability to preserve it's "will". That's highly progressive reasoning indeed!
Having discussed the illogical imposition of God theory on temple rituals, it is also important to discuss a few non-translatables here. There is no synonym for God/Religion/Soul/Infidel in Sanskrit or any other Indian language for that matter.
'Bhagavan' which is considered an equivalent of God is defined as someone who possesses six 'bhagas' - splendor, virtue, glory, opulence, knowledge, dispassion. Not someone who sits in heaven and give marks or judgments.
Here, there is no idea of a single or "only true" path to be followed. There could be as many paths as there are lives because each individual has to find the truth himself - irrespective of what any Bhagavan says/said. There is only guidance. We're (or were?) a land of seekers and not believers.
No divine personality who descended on this land gave us any commandments to follow. Whether Krishna or Shiva, all they got back were a thousand questions.
'Dharma' which is equated to 'religion' means 'that which upholds' in Sanskrit. It maintains, keeps, or holds the very basis of this universe, the cosmic order. In that sense, dharma means the proper functioning of the various cyclical activities of this universe that maintain its balance. 'Svadharma' of individuals is a subset of dharma.
Atma which is equated to Soul is defined as 'Apnoti sarvam iti Atma' - that which pervades everything is Atma(consciousness or awareness). The soul is defined as the spiritual or immaterial part of a living being. Poles apart in concept.
Another word with no translation is Infidel. Vaidiks have nastika and astika classification where masters of both are respected as maharishi like Maharishi Charvaka or Maharishi Madhava.
There are innumerable such Sanskrit non translatables that we mix up and create a total confusion. Had this issue not created an existential crisis, there would have been no need for a DIFFERENTIATION. But unfortunately, that's not the case.
Tat Tvam Asi.
Swami Saranam.
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