Sathya Sai Vahini - Post 34

Puranas, or lore of mythology

 

Now, about the Puranas. “The Puranas deal with historical incidents, of creation and evolution (Puranam pranjali kshanam).” The incidents are chosen and narrated to provide illustrations of basic philosophic truths. 

 

The Puranas were composed to expound the teachings of the Vedas and Vedanta to the common person through interesting mythological and legendary tales. The language of the Vedas is very ancient and contains many archaic elements of grammar and vocabulary. Even great scholars find it difficult to discover the age when the verses (riks) were formulated.

 

All the texts, scriptures, and holy books referred to are grouped under the one comprehensive name “Hindu Scriptures (sastras).” It is no wonder that the people who revered and composed such a vast and valuable literature of religion and philosophy over thousands of years were, in the course of time, divided and subdivided into sects and subsets, which owed preferential loyalty to special creeds and beliefs. Some of these had broad gaps between them.

 

We have no time now to elaborate on the fact that the differences between the sects are based on attitudes born out of the freedom of thought that was authoritatively allowed by the ancients. Nor is it necessary. What we have to grasp are: the truth accepted by all and the attitudes approved by all, that is to say, the principles that a person calling himself “Hindu” has to believe.

 

People are responsible for their fate

 

What exactly is the cause of creation? What is the nature of the original substance that creation effected, and how was it effected? These questions are important not only for Indians (Bharathiyas) but for all people prone to inquiry. There can be no effect without a cause; there can be no structure without a base.

 

Well. It can be asserted that all this visible cosmos has Brahman as the root cause, but what is Brahman? Brahman is eternal, pure, ever vigilant, omniscient, indivisible, formless; Brahman is the origin of this cosmos (jagath). Brahman is shaping, evolving, and fostering this cosmos.

 

Now, a few doubts might arise in people’s minds: Why is so much partiality evident in creation? Some are born healthy; others, unhealthy. Some lead prosperous carefree lives; others toil throughout their lives in dire poverty. Certainly, it can be argued, there are signs enough of the partiality that creation or the Creator reveals.

 

It must be made clear that life thrives on death. Life is based on death: One living thing consumes another, to live. The strong trample the weak. This tale of terror continues unceasingly. It is the very nature of this world. Seeing this, people conclude that, if the world was created by God, He should be cruelty itself. Such inference appears justified from the ordinary person’s point of view.

 

But the pure stream of Indian spiritual culture (Bharathiya Paramartha Vahini) declares that this is not true at all! God is not the cause of either misery or joy, of good fortune or bad, it announces.

 

Then who brings about evil and good? We ourselves, is the answer. Rain falls equally on ploughed and unploughed land. Only the ploughed land derives benefit from it. The clouds are not to blame. The fault lies in the ignorant idler who lets the land lie fallow. The grace of God is ever at hand, it has no “more or less”, no ups or downs. We draw upon it, more or less, and use it for our good.

 

The question might arise: Why are some born in happiness and some in misery? They have done neither good nor evil, to be treated so unequally. True, they have done nothing in this life; they are only just born. But they had done good or evil in previous lives. The consequence of what was done in the previous life has to be experienced in this life.

  

Essence

 

After describing about Puranas, Swami comes to the core essence which everyone must understand very well.

 

1)  Swami starts with the question, "What is thew cause of creation". In many Upanishads, Vedantic treatise, Kapila's Sankhya yoga etc, this question has been taken up and explained and there are too many contradictions or differences in the theory of creation propounded by all of these. 

 

2) Swami answers and says, "There can be no effect without a cause; there can be no structure without a base.

 

Well. It can be asserted that all this visible cosmos has Brahman as the root cause, but what is Brahman? 

 

Brahman is eternal, pure, ever vigilant, omniscient, indivisible, formless; Brahman is the origin of this cosmos (jagath). Brahman is shaping, evolving, and fostering this cosmos."

 

3) Lord being leeladhari, He himself poses a question on behalf of human beings and places so many facts which are quote ironical and they defame Brahman and gives an image of God/Brahman as non-compassionate, rather cruel. What are all the points Swami, being Brahman Himself, poses before us??

 

-Why is so much partiality evident in creation? 

 

-Some are born healthy; others, unhealthy. 

 

-Some lead prosperous carefree lives; others toil throughout their lives in dire poverty. 

 

-Life is based on death: One living thing consumes another, to live. 

 

-The strong trample the week. This tale of terror continues unceasingly. 

 

Seeing this, people conclude that, if the world was created by God, He should be cruelty itself. "

 

Is it so??

 

Can the Lord, whom we adore and worship as "Karuna Samudra, Prema Swarupa, Prem Easwar Hai" etc. be cruel and create a world where there is so much cruelty, so much imbalance between the Haves and the Have nots???.

 

Swami clarifies all the above doubts from His (God's perspective and perspective of human beings).

 

From God's perspective

 

"Rain falls equally on ploughed and unploughed land. Only the ploughed land derives benefit from it. The clouds are not to blame. The fault lies in the ignorant idler who lets the land lie fallow. The grace of God is ever at hand, it has no “more or less”, no ups or downs. We draw upon it, more or less, and use it for our good."

 

Here, Swami clearly explains that God can never be partial / cruel and His grace and Love is available to one and all, without any Judging of their merits and demerits.

 

From Human perspective 

 

"The question might arise: Why are some born in happiness and some in misery? They have done neither good nor evil, to be treated so unequally. True, they have done nothing in this life; they are only just born. But they had done good or evil in previous lives. The consequence of what was done in the previous life has to be experienced in this life."

 

Here, Swami brings in the Infallible theory of Karma and says, " AS YOU SOW, SO YOU REAP".

 

All our miseries or pleasure, all good and bad experienced by us, are all the results of our past karma!!

 

Love.