Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru devo Maheshwara
Guru sakshat, param Brahma, tasmai shri guravay namah
What are the three sacred texts?
The three texts are Vedas & Upanishads, Bhagawat Geeta and Brahma Sutas. These are Prasthana Trayam.
In context of Hindu religion, what is religion?
Hindu Religion never existed but Civilisation beyond Hind Kush river was called Hindu Religion. Otherwise it was Dharma that existed forever, called as Sanathana Dharma.
Its something passed over for ages through Oral teaching, and is not considered to be human intellectual based but passed on by God!
What is Athiest per Hinduism?
Hindu considers everything is Sacred in the universe. Per Hindu religion there are two different beliefs – Vedic and Avaidic. Those who consider Vedas as guiding text for their living style are Vedic. All who do not – are Avaidic. However there are many offshoots from Veda text based on human reasoning and intellectual capability. Atheist is also taken into the Hindu tradition such that they can live Vedic life style. There is a text on Charuvaka Dharma – which is given by Hinduism towards Athiests.
What is Papam?
Any thing that we do which will obstruct or stop our persuit to advaitha realization or mumukshatvam or moksham.
What is difference between Avaidikam and Naastika?
Naastika is one who does not take Vedas as primary supprt for their phylosophy. Example of Naastika are Budhism, Jainishm etc. Avaidikam are those philosophies which believe and based on Vedas, but there are items which contradict with vedic descriptions, thus avaidikam. Example of avaidikam are Sankya, Yoga, etc.
From Brahma Sutras – Classes
What are different types of Upasanas?
Upasana is also a form a karma, though with Manas.
Vedanta offers many upaasanas which can be clubbed into 3 categories :
Aham graham upaasana : invoking eeswara in onself (different from gyanam of tatvamasi). Here the upasaka will imagine the upaasya devata in himself, thus in long term he becomes same as the devata. This type of upaasna is for jeevan mukti. You can take Vishnu, shiva, vinayaka, devi, etc as the upaasya devata. But you pick your ishta devata and do this upaasana but donot keep changing. Here liberation is the motto.
Prateeka upaasanam – invoking eeswara on different objects. Like shiva in shivalinga, Vishnu on saligrama, vinayaka in termeric, etc. this type of upaasana is for worldly desires. You may do as many upaasanas as you desire as phalam is different for different upaasanas. There will be no liberation.
Karma angaani upaasana – for every big karma (like yagna) there will many angas. Like Agnihotram, etc which need to be performed. But for few of angas also have upaasanas on that anga pradhana vastu. Though anga is compulsory but anga upaasana is optional. The phalam of the karma will be more effective if performed.
Advaitha – how it can support so many Gods at same time talk about Advaitha?
Eeaswara has a physical form when looked at perspective of world & its existence. But same Eeswara is nirakara and he is sat-chit-ananda brahman at pure conciousness perspective. Infact its advaitha which has logical explanation of existence of Gods while other systems like Dvaitha does not believe their real existence.
If Brahma Sutras is for Vedanta – what is for Karma Kanda, Veda Uttara bhaga?
Similar to brahma sutras for Vedanta, DwaadaSa varNaaNi is for Purva meemamsa, written by Jaimini rishi. It’s more voluminous work than brama sutras.
What is Vrithi gyanam?
agyana causes apoorNatvam. apoorNatvam causes desire to be poorNa which in turn encourages to karma. Thus karma will never give moksha.
What is Karma sidhanta?
As explained – due to agyana of apoorNatvam, we do Karma. Every Karma will give us a result (phalam) of puNya and paapa. As long as the karMa is not adharma – you would get puNya. Every jeeva has to take birth to consume his or her puNya and paapam. Thus karma will lead to punarjanma – that is samsaara. So currently we have:
Sanchita: these are phalams from past karmas – which is our “bank balance” of punya and papams attained over past janmas.
Agami: these are phalams that we are depoisiting to our bank balance with karmas doing in this janma. So this will be added to sanchita.
Prarabdha: Reason one has taken the current janma is to exhaust his/her set of punya and paapams due to the past Karmas. At the end of the current janma we will exhaust these.
So Prarabda is for current janma. Sancita is for next janma. Aagami will ensure we will have more janmas. One can attach enlightenment (jivan-mukthi) and convert all sanchita and aagami to ZERO, thus he will not have any future janmas. However even for enlightened individual – there is no escape from praarabda – he need to live through this life due to this janma and exhaust them but will not get any aagami due to enlightenment.
Aaneeth means breath or alive – in Prama apaana udaana etc contain that as root word
Compare Bhagawad Gita with maha vakyam “tat twam asi” (that thou art)
Of the 18 chapters in Bhagawad Gita, first 6 chapter “tat”, next 6 chapters “twam” and last 6 chapters is establishing “asi”.
How many sense organs we have
It’s 11 – 5 gyanendriyaNi, 5 karmendriyaNi and 1 antahkaraNam While the antahkaraNam is actually 4 so overall there are 14 of them
what is upaadaana kaarana?
For everything made in this physical world (e.g. Pot) – there are two causes (kaaraNa) . upaadaana kaaraNa (e.g. clay for making pot which is jaDa) and nimitta kaaraNa (in the example, the potter which is the intelligence or concious being who created it). The product of that making is called kaarya (product). thus we always talk about kaarya-kaaraNa sambandha to understand causal effect. thus to create this vast universe (jagat) not only we need upadana kaaraNa but also nimitta kaaraNa which is eeswara. So upaadaana kaaraNa is always material cause.
????Vibrate upadana karanam
???Patinama karanam will transform from cause to effect – ex milk to curd
???While in vivarta karanam the cause will remain like rope and snake or dreamer and dream
What is aatya anruta mithuneekaraNam??
satya anruta mithuneekaraNam – mixing up of truth and lie. That is “I am lazy” is mixing of truth I.e. “I am” and untruth “lazy”. I am == I the consciousness (sat) and am the existent (chit) – which is aatma (sat chit), while lazy is superimposed on self which samsara. This is called “Adhyaasa” or superimposition due to ignorance.
Muula avidhya, Maya or Agyanam is cause of apoorna jeeva imagination of each of us instead of realising we are poorna brahman
What is satkaarya vaada and asatkaarya vaada?
Existance of the universe before creation in non-manifest form is satkaarya vaada. It means before the universe is created it existed in non-manifested form, like a Huge tree in the form of its seed, or a Pot in Mud or Ghee in Milk or buttermilk. This is the supported argument from advaita/vEdanta.
Contrary, nayyaayikaa proposes that whole universe did not exists before and it came into existence out of nothing. This is called Asathkaaryavaada. Even modern science doesnt agree with this argument.
What is Papam?
Any thing that we do that will obstruct or stop our persuit to realization or mumukshatvam or moksham is paapam. how can I know what I am doing is causing such paapam? its very simple – follow the dharma prescribed for your varna and aasrama by vedaas.
Is Vedanta logical?
paramaatma or brahman knowledge cannot be realised or understook through tarka sastra or logic (perceivable logic or illogic).
Vedanta is neither logical nor illogical. It is “alogical” as said by Swami dayaananda saraswati.
However Vedanta is logical. Brahma Sutra is also known as Nyaya Sutra, which means logical. The logic is based on Vedanta shastra. It is not base on logic of Science or Psuchology. or something else. So thus it cannot be proved or disproved on other subjects for its logic. So if its not based on common perceptible logic, you cannot prove its logical or illogical. For example, Ear is an organ of perception and its a the pramaaNa for hearing. But that pramana cannot be used to prove or disprove color of an object which we acquire through another organ of perception, eyes.
As Dayananda Saraswati says…
If you are weak, Never attack a strong person with stick as he may take it from you and hit you.
What is praLaya?
praLaya is time eeSwara gives rest for Jivas who are tired of birth and rebirth. Their sanchita will continue through praLaya. During praLaya all jivas will be in unmanifested forms merged into Brahman including all Gods and also the God of Creation – Brahma. eeswara will recreate the universe (srishTi) by creating brahma again. The garland of skulls worn by eeswara – has skulls of different brahma god born and dead over so many cycles of creation.
When world merges into brahman will all its impurities also merge into brahman – thus branhman becoming impure ?
thats a figurative expression when we say world merges into brahman during praLaya. The fact is – world was never away from brahman. it doesnt have to travel some physical distance to merge. Its always located in brahman. When world is in manifest form – its the universe, else its pralaya in unmanifest form. For example – a pot merging into clay. pot has never been different from clay – its just a name and form given to clay. So pot is always clay, and ofcourse clay is clay. So there is no question of clay merging into clay. There is also no nama roopa merging to clay but it existed in clay always. So during Srishti they manifest and during pralaya its unmanifest form. Similarly the example of wave and ocean – wave is manifested form and then it merges back into ocean.
What is sishTa parigraha and aparigraha darSana?
Sankhya and Yoga systems are well accepted by traditional (Sishta) followers 5ue to the value they bring and their somewhat closer line of thinking to vedic teachings. Thus Vaidikas follow part of these dsarsanams.
Sishta aparigraha darsanas are Nyaya and Vaiseshika systems which are contradicting Vedas and are purely based on independent logic.
What is Brahman?
Brahman is not an object to see and realize, for example through meditation. Its not a light thats in anyone’s body. The experience one shares after intense practice of yoga and medication is not brahman. What ever is objectified it is not Brahman. Knowledge of “I” is NOT brahma-gyaan, but brahman gyanam is brahmagyanam which when realised that brahman is “I”.
What is prakrithi and vikrithi?
Karanam is Prakriti (cause or raw material) Karyam is Vikrithi (Product)
Is Brahman nimitha karanam or Upadana karanam?
Most of the schools of Aasthika darsanaas talk one or the other. advaita is only one accepts nimitha as well as Upadana karanam.
Nimithakarana is what even purva mimamsa proposes. That’s the same reason we do all offerings, praise through stuthi and through karma. Brahman ONLY Nimithakaranam also leads to other confusions as he stands different from his creation, thus leading to Duality.
While only advaita talks of upadana karanam as Brahman who is responsiible for Srishti, Sthithi and Laya Karanam. It also keeps up the vedic statement of “Brahma Vijnanena Sarva Vijnanam Bhavath-” which is to mean karana vijnanena sarva karya vijnanam sidhathi.
What is difference between Avaidikam and Naastika?
Naastika is one who does not take Vedas as primary supprt for their phylosophy. Example of Naastika are Budhism, Jainishm etc. Avaidikam are those phylosophies which beleieve and based on Vadas, but there are items which contradict with vedic descriptions, thus avaidikam. Example of avaidikam are Sankya, Yoga, etc.
What are the 25 tatwams of sankya?
Per Sankya philosophy there are 25 tatwams. Their names are common with Vedanta (for example – saankya reference in Bhagawad Gita is not same as saankhya darsanam/philosophy). But the same names in Vedanta have different meaning compared to what its interpreted in Sankya. Names of those tatwams are Purusha, Prakrithi, mahata, manah, ahamkara, pancha suukshma bhootani, pancha houtika bhootani, pancha sukshma sareerani, pancha bhoutika sareerani. They are grouped into 4. Grp1 Purusha, Grp2 Prakriti, Grp3 Mahat, manah, pancha sookshma sareerani abd 4th grp is rest all tatwams. Grp1 is neither karanam, nor Karyam, Grp2 is Karanam, Grp3 is karana karya tatwams, while grp4 is all Karyams.
What are the three boons asked by Nachiketa to Yama?
Kathopanishad is all about the three boons of Nachiketa. Otherwise Nachiketa asked for Father’s Happiness, what “knowledge” will teach knowledge-of-brahman, and what is Atma (both Jeevathma and Paramaathma)?
What qualifies someone to study sastras and enquire brahman to attain Moksha? Only humans have that right?
There are three necessities for some one to enquire and attain moksha.
Arthithvam – seek for. Humans as well as Devathas seek moksha from samsara. Devathas too have samsara of desires, sukha dukhas, etc.
Dakshatvam – qualifier… they too capable body to perform enquiry into moksha.
Shastra should not disqualify them. Otherwise sastra does not restrict
Apratishidatwam: ?
What is purpose of upanayana
Upanayana will take kid to brahmacharya ashram. Where he need do Veda adhyaayana… Learning vedas, both purva and uttara bhaaga – or karma kanda and jnana kanda. In brahmacharya he will not do any “inquiry” into vedas. Once he goes into Grihasthaashrama, he need to do Upaasana based on Vedas, and continue same in vanaprstha. End of Vanaprastha and sanyasa one start inquiry into purva mimamsa and uttara mimamsa, and finally into Vedanta.
What is reason devathas cannot do karmas?
Per Purva Mimamsa of Jaimini, devathas and Rishis cannot perform yagyams. That’s because any one who do such Yagya will offer oblations and Devathas accept/receive it through Agni devatha. If Devatha offers oblations who will accept it? Similarly Devatas are avahayami/invited during such rituals without whom you cannot perform the rituals. Having said that, if Devathas perform whom do they invite.
However this is not valid for uttara mimsa or jnana kanda. It can be practiced by Devatas too.
Are human only one to study shastras (I.e..Vedas)?
Everyone who seek the dharma artha kama moksha will have to sudy shastra. So if any human is not seeking any one of these four also need NOT study shastra or seek brahman. Ofcourse other than humans no other living being seeks those four purusharthas.
How can all Jivas have fist size heart and a thumb size brahman within?
That’s true. The thumb size brahman is for upasana. Within human heart there is thumb size space “daharakasa”, within which the eeswara resides. So this is a perfect representation to study shatras and meditate upon.
How do we do Upasana of Brahman?
The angushta pramana Brahman is in our heart and we meditate upon. Now how can be brahman of that size when he he is infinite? Now why only angushta or thumb size? Thats because as we have a fist size heart and when you make your fist you will have sufficient space to fold your thumb within. Thus the brahman within heart to be of that size.
What is atma Gyanam?
Atma, paramaathma, first prakashate than the suryan or any other object in the world. The reason …
Without “I” there is no “you” or “any object” in this jagath. So Atma is called first person. Atma Gyanam is not knowing about oneself. As one always know that “I” (that one individual who is saying I) exist. However the ignorance, or agyana, is he/she assume one as something that one is really NOT. So thus the whole Vendanta teaches what “I” is not (“nethi”, ‘nethi”). So do not believe that you realize yourself something new or feel something different after atma gyanam, if you feel different atma gyanam – then it can be a mere mental condition or imagination. Atma gyanam will not give anything new. It will only make you realize your wrong notion what you are assuming as “I” for things you are not. And you realise your real nature which otherwise always exists.
What to meditate … Daharaakasa or the content of daharaakasa?
In the original mantra of upanishad where daharaakasa has been asked to mediatate upon for Brahmann there are 2 interpretations. Literally the mantra says “within Brahmapuri, there is pundarika and within that daharaakasa. Within that content You mediate on”. “Within that” is taken as “within the pundarika puram the daraakasa is to be interpreted”, and another meaning is “within Daraakasa mediate on its content”. Now as we get along with the mantras in upanishad, it starts describing the content of daharaakasa as all the jagath. Thus we are being suggested to mediate upon the jagath along with brahman who is the actual daharaakasa.
Daharaakasa is a super imposition and its a pure kalpitam … Brahman is infinite and daharaakasa is sookshma … How can they be same? Thus it is only to say Brahnman is all pervasive and thus in our heart within daharaakasa too. But not just only in daharaakasa. As we do pooja to all pervasive Maha Ganapathi in turmeric powder, so we do upasana in daharaakasa.
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Is daharaakasa a Jeevathma as narrated in early part of upanishad?
Daharaakasa is introduced as Jeevathma and finally emerges as paramatma. So jeevathma == Paramaathma the conciousness – everything else. ??Like in waking all except conciousness, all except darkness??, and is same in sushukthi.??
Infact the reason jeevathma introduced is to later tell seeker that its same as paramathma or lakshyartha jeevatma (rather than the vakyaartha or general meening) or brahman. Without it we would have never got that its one and same. This is best aspect one could meditate upon. Self-dwell on this aspect to realize who and how close one is to Brahman.
Do we need to attain samadhi to realize Jeevaathma as Paramaathma, Or is it an end product of some process/karma or upaasana?
No … It is all about gyana and agyana. Agyana that am not Atma but am sansari. Other gyana will not get you realise atma becuase you are by nature atma swaroopa, but gyana will remove that you are sansari. That will simply make you realize your original swaroopa.
What are the 8 properties of brahman?
None of the six oormulu … And also sathya sankalpa, and sarva.
What is aakasa?
Aa means everywhere … Kasaha means shines. So the one which shines all over is called aakaasa. Aakasa by sastrapramana is brahman while its bhoota akkasa is the sky. Remember akaasa is really empty space. Modern science recognizes that space is really there, and each physical object actually causes curvatures to that space and space is dynamic object in existence per Einstien’s theory.
What is dahara akaasa?
Dahara is small and akaasa means space. Thus dahara akaasa is small space in pundareekapuram (the heart), which is in brahmapuram (the body).
Addn note: no wonder chidambaram (chit=concious ambaram=akaasa) is in pandaripuram … and nataraja (eeswara) does thandavam in chit-sabha of chidambaram.
When they say everything born out of aakaasa – it is to say from Brahman but not bhootha aakaasa!!!
What is dhruthi?
It is sustenance or sustainer. Per upanishad – dahara akasa is the sustainer. While brahman is the sustainer … Thus dahara akaasa ais brahman
What is Sat, Chit and Ananda?
Sat is Ever existing and Absolute existence or truth.
Chit is Absolute Knowledge, conciousness
Ananda is Absolute Bliss.
These are independent of Time and Space.
What is Karana and Karyam?
Brahman is the karanam for Jagath. Along with Maya or prakriti, Brahman creates jagath which is karyam.
What is Nimitha Karana and Upadana Karana.
Nimitha Karana is the one who is creator. Like Potter is responsible for only creation of Pot, but not for its sustenance (sthithi) or laya.
Brahman is responsible for srishti, sthithi and laya – so he is the upadana karana of jagath. That is unlike a Potter who makes Pots but does not take responsibility for sthithi and laya but Brahman is responsible for all three. Potter is only Nimitha Matra Kartha.
Who created Vedas?
Vedas exists always, Brahman has revealed them. Like he makes the jagath from its non-existance state.
Vedas are also Sarvagnya (omni knowledgable) … Like the Brahman – who is sarvagnya as he is savra kartha. They teach Brahma gyanam which is one knowledge knowing which one will know everything in the world. Knowing oneself is actually brahmagyanam. But to know oneself one need to know what he is NOT. That’s why Vedas keep repeating Neti Neti Neti… Na iti…not this. So to know one self there is nothing new to discover but only to know what he is not. That is to get rid of one’s AVIDYA or ignorance.
Who is eeswara?
Eeswara is saguna form of brahman. This is to develop perceivable form of brahman for the jeevas who could meditate upon to gradually achieve chitta sudhi and moksha. .
Eeswara is further given forms of gods but finally every one including jeevathma is one and same, that is brahman.
Who created the world?
Per vedanta – Brahman is creator of this world by supporting the Prakriti.
Prakriti is also known as Maya, Shakti, Pradhanam.Per Vedantha
Prakriti is jada or non-cencious. a material creator. where as Brahman with Help of prakriti or Maya creates Jagath. For example, its like person speaking is brahman and Mic system is Shakti which is spreading the speech?
What is apara and para vidya?
Apara vidhya deals with brahma gyanam. Para vidhya is all on material world, like all the subjects we study as part of sciences.
What is tatashtha lakshana, and swaroopa lakshana?
Tatastha lakshana is a temporary property of an object which is not permanent.
Swaroopa lakshna is the permanent property of an object.
Like ramakrishna’ house has a crow on it – is a tatastha lakshana though his house has swaroopa lakshna. So tatastha lakshana will only be temporary for that context and will go away.
Jagath creation is thatastha lakshana of Brahman … Otherwise swaroopa lakshana are sathyam, gyanam, and anantham.
What are koSa’s of our body?
We have 5 koSa’s in our body … Annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnyanamaya, anandamaya
Swamy Podila 