Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Symbolism of SETHU!


No Aryan - Dravidian divide -it was one Aryavartha - (15)



Sethu is described as Swathi patham. (1)

There are other interpretations of this 'Swathi patham'.

They can be understood only if we know the connection between

name, form and works of anything.



This is a concept explained in Chandogyopanishat.


Any thing in creation starting from Brahman can be understood

by some characteristic which is specific to it.


The name by which it is understood is connected

with its form and the works it does or it is associated with.



For instance scriptures say that Akasha (sky) is Brahman.

Brahman is Akasha and Akasha is Brahman.

How?

Akasha is vast and limitless like Brahman.

It is without imperfections

Nothing can stain it.

It is seen to be within reach but it can not be reached.

It always exists and a witness to all happenings in our life.

It is within a pot (ghatakaasha)

and also exists as infinite (mahaakaasha),

like how Brahman exists within every being

and also exists infinitely everywhere.




It is because of all these –

by name, by form and by the characteristic and works -

Scriptures say that Akasha is Brahman.

If we look at Akasha, we must think of Brahman.

because Akasha is Brahman.


That is the import of this.


Chandogya says,

“Verily, what is called ‘akasha’ is revealer of name and form.

That within which they are is Brahman” (2)


This can be further explained by taking myself as an example.


I have a name, Jayasree and I have a form.


My works and characteristics will be always identified with this Jayasree.


This Jayasree did not exist before she entered this earth.

And she is not going to exist as Jayasree after she dies.


She will exist by this name Jayasree only for a period of time in the vastness of Time.


Jayasree might have existed as someone else in a previous birth and

will identified as some one else in a future birth.


But whatever that is known by the name Jayasree,

will be of this Jayasree

and associated with the works and characteristics

of this Jayasree only.


By looking at the name Jayasree or by hearing that name,

people will immediately recognize her form and her works.


Thus a name always contains the form connected with it

and stands for the characteristics associated with it.




This is the very basic concept of any symbolism.


The Vedanthic and Vedaanga texts, such as the astrological texts

can be best understood by this

name-form-works connection.




We know that Mars is a red planet.

In astrology Mars stands for red colour.

Red is the colour of blood.


So by this symbolism of associative principle,

Mars is responsible for blood and blood related ailments.


Red is also indicative of anger and fierceness.

This is the basis for fighting tendencies.

So Mars also stands for fighting and anger.


Red is the colour of agni, the fire.

Mars rules the Fiery sign, Aries.

The other sign ruled by it is Scorpio is a watery sign.

The water and fire are connected to each other.

The fire can be extinguished by water.

Since water extinguishes fire, it is said to eat fire and therefore contains fire.

Thus water and fire are connected.

So Mars, which stands for fire

also stands for water for its particular work of extinguishing fire.




Thus if someone says ‘red’, the wise will understand

what that ‘red’ conveys depending on the context.


This is how the Vedas and upansihats are understood.


Taking this method of analysis to our current topic on Sethu,

we find that the name Sethu is associated with certain form and works.




Chandogya upanishat calls Brahman as ‘SETHU


Yes, Brahman is called as a bridge or Sethu. (3)


It is because of certain qualities that are associated with the name and form of Sethu!


It is first said that Brahman is ‘Satyam.’

The word satyam contains 3 letters, sat, th and yam (4)


‘Sat’ is amrutham (nectar), that which is immortal.

‘th’ is destructible, mortal.

‘yam’ bridges ‘sat’ and ‘th’.

Since Satyam is Brahman,

Brahman bridges mortal and immortal.




“Sethu bridges the mortal with the immortal, so that one reaches immortality.

Day, night, old-age, death, sorrow, punya and paapa do not touch Sethu.

All sins get released by Sethu” (5)


“sarvE paapmaanOthO nivarthinthE”

(all sins are absolved).


Chandogya further describes, (6)


“if the one who reaches Sethu is blind, he will get Vision.”


(thasmaadvaa yEtha sEthum therthwantha: sannanandhO bhavathi)




“The one who is afflicted gets relieved of afflictions”

(viddha: san-naviDDhO bhavathi)




“The one who suffers gets relieved of sufferings”

(upathabhI – san-nanupathaabhI bhavathi)




“For the one who reaches this ‘bridge’,

the night becomes day (darkness is removed)”

(thasmaad vaa yEtha Sethum theerthwabhinakna mahar yEwabhi nishpadyathE)




These are the chararctetistics of Sethu.




The Sethu not only bridges two different banks,

it not only takes one from one bank to the other, which is Immortal,

it also removes all that is imperfect and sinful.

Since because the other bank is Immortality.

the imperfections must be first removed

while traveling on this bridge.



So whenever the wise see the Sethu

or hear the name Sethu

they will always recognize the Sethu

as a mode of the transference from

Ast to sat, (from untruth to Truth)

from tamas to Jyothi (from darkness to light)

And from mruthyu to amrutham (from death to Immortality)




This verse of Chandogya has been analyzed by rishis of yore

and incorporated as a sutra

in their compilation of Brahma sutras




“paramatha: SETHU unmaana-sambhanda bhEdavya patheshEbhya:

saamaanyaaththu” (7)


“(It seems that there is something) superior to this (Brahman)

on account of the terms denoting a bridge, measure.

Connection and difference (used with respect to it.)

But (Brahman is called a bridge or Sethu) on account of similarity.”


“Brahman is called Sethu (bridge) not because

there exists something beyond It to be reached.

But because it binds the sentient and insentient worlds to Itself

Even as a bridge keeps things separate” (8)




The Brahman is the Sethu that separates the mortal world from Immortal realms.

This Sethu is also path to reach such Immortality.

In the process it prepares one who is traveling on it to reach Immortality.




Whenever the wise see a Sethu or a bridge,

they think of this import if Brahman and

as the path to reach Immortality.




The NaLa Sethu stretching from Dhanush kOti to Lanka

is not a bridge of boulders and trees.

The starting point is Dhanush kOti.

In Sanskrit it means the tip if the bow.


It is here Rama struck his bow on the land to shoot the Brahmasthra on the ocean God.

The prithvi or earth is denoted here.


In Tamil lexicon, Dhanu is identified with earth (9)

and kOti means the end point of earth that stretches into water.

This dhanushkOti thus stands for the edge of earth.


Lanka means “resplendent land”, a land of beauties and pleasure.

It was one such land enjoyed by Kubera, the Lord of Wealth.


The NaLa Sethu stands for taking one from earthly plane to resplendent land.


This is the outward import of Sethu.


But the wise will always see it as the Eternal Brahman

as it has been seen so by sages of yore

and immortalized so in verses of Upanishat.


This is the Knowledge associated with

or arising from Spirituality.


Mr Karunanidhi in his recent visit to the Golden temple of Lakshmi at Vellore

talked of the two (spirituality and Knowledge) as inter connected.


The connection is this,

not the one he has said (that his headquarters “Arivaalayam” stands for knowledge)

This knowledge ( and not that knowledge mentioned by Mr Karunanidhi)

is based on rationalism.


A rational thinker will see the Brahmanic import in the Sethu

and will see to it that it stands as a bridge connecting two banks.




No archaeological research is needed to prove this connection.

Only rational thinking based on spiritual awareness is needed.




Nowhere in the world one can find such a Sethu.

Too many bridges are there – on lands.

They cross the land and connect the lands.


Many Canals are there.

But they cross the lands and connect the waters!

In spiritual rationalism, connecting waters means

getting one into more troubled waters!


One must aim for reaching the shore or the bank.

That will happen on a bridge on waters, connecting two different lands.


The Sethu on the ocean is thus a unique feature of crossing the ocean of births (10)


Another rationale drawn from this is that

the Sethu could not have been destroyed by Rama on coming back.


Rama did not come back to this part of Sethu (in India) as per Valmiki Ramayana.


He could not have by any stretch of imagination destroyed the Sethu

that has such a lofty spiritual import.


The reason quoted for such destruction of Sethu by Rama,

namely, the request of Shugreeva that the Rakshasas might pose him a trouble in future

is untenable.


Shugreeva did not make any such request.


Rama took along with him Shugreeva when he reached His abode in Vaikuntha.


Before doing that, he gave his deity (kula dhanam) to Vibheeshana

and ordained him to rule Lanka

in the Dharmic way of the Ikshvakus (Rama’s dynasty) (11)


There is no way to establish that the Rakshasa posed a threat to the Vanaras.




(to be continued)


(1) Yuddha khanda, 22-72 (Valmiki)
(2) Chandogya upanishat ( 8-14-1)
(3) Chandogya upanishat ( 8-4-1 & 2)
(4) Chandogya upanishat ( 8-3-5)
(5) Chandogya upanishat ( 8-4-1)
(6) Chandogya upanishat ( 8-4-2)
(7) Brahma sutras (3-2-30 & 31)
(8) Sri Ramanujacharya’s commentary for this sutra
(9) “kodumaram drONam chaapam kodumchilai dhanu naarperE” Choodamani nigandu.
(Dhanu is the name of Chilai which stands for mountain and boulders)
(10) ‘Piravi-p-perum kadal’ - Thirukkural-10
(11) Utthara khanda of Srimad Ramayana by Valmiki, sarga 108)

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Hinduism – Only Slavery, Nothing Else!!

Hindus worship Goddess Saraswati - goddess of education, to be literate & to qualify manifold examinations. How can this happen can anyone tell logically? Thou Goddess of Education are prevalent and worshipped in India still maximum Indians are illiterate!! How can this happen, where does the Saraswati go at the time of Studies!! Apart of these Hindus send there children’s to pursue their higher qualification in alien land leaving behind their own motherland of goddess Saraswati!!!

According to Hinduism, God Shiva’s head is the point origin of the river scared river of purity “Ganga” & on head moon also dwells, which is the natural satellite of Mother earth (if this is a fact then I think American astronaut Neil Armstrong travelled 240,000 miles and landed on the head of God shiv and had a gala time, what a dirty head of Lord Shiva full of mountains and different chemicals and indeed some samples of the dirt was also brought by the astronaut for understanding the chemical composition and for scientific analysis )

Hindus worship Laxmi- Goddess of Money but the surveys conducted prove that still 77% people are alive on the daily income of Rs.20, what to eat and what to wear!! And surprisingly these very Hindus leave their land of Goddess laxmi for earning money.

People have invented and manufactured machines, in foreign countries but foolish Hindus still believe and worship God Vishwakarma for being the innovator of all these machines. Hopefully God vishawakarma should be then given the noble prize for the great inventions. And India the land of god and goddess should be proud for bagging all the prizes for having god of money, education, rain, etc

Goddess Kali rather Goddess of Violence, is worshipped with the life and blood of young boys & girls. And this is termed as “sacrifice”. Reports shows that from amongst 2500 missing teenagers, especially Girls, were being sacrificed in the name of goddess Kali!!! Hindus worship animals and even they don’t feel ashamed to worship their own children’s to please their deities!!!

All the other developed countries like US, UK there are no god n goddess like Saraswati or Laxmi but still maximum of the population are literate and rich in comparison to India. Hindus have embossed the mental slavery which had shut down all doors to be rational!!!

In places like Rajasthan state government has established “Rajasthan Gao (cow) Seva commission.” In this scheme special shelters are being created for 6 Lac cows. in addition to this 5 Arab, 24 crores & 85 Lakhs rupees has been spend by Rajasthan Govts on these cows, but maximum of Rajasthan’s they live hungry . But government does not have time to think for the 77% people which are alive on a daily income of merely Rs. 20. In 2001 Govts of U.P. had given the manifesto of “Gao Seva Aajog” & has spent a lump sum amount of Rs 1 crores 25 lakhs. Government of India is least bothered about the stock in the FCI stores which is spoiled by rodents, rats. but no one is conscious to distribute these stuffs to the needy people but rather they prefer to dump it in sea. Brains!!!!

About 50000 cows wander on the roads of New Delhi creating problem for the safe driving. Same is the case in other metropolitan cities. But then amusingly these are the Gau mata, the mother. but what a pity that these Hindus are least bothered care about their mothers!!! And in the name of religion Hindus are ever ready to worship rather brutally crucify their deity Mothers. But these Hindus conduct these barbaric acts with a pride esteem which adds to their prestige.

Chapter 11 of book “The Untouchables: Who were they & why they became untouchables?” by Dr B R Ambedkar proves that Hindus not only eat meat but also beef. Hindus are very diplomatic that they use to shape the sweets in the shape of different animals viz.. cow, beef, goat etc so as to satisfy their tongue as they were addicted to eating flesh of these animals but to countermeasure Buddhism these Hindus left eating meat to swank that they are not less than peace teaching religions .but these were just to sustain and it was merely a showoff. Maximum Hindus are the daily eaters of meat but these all malpractices are carried out in darkness .May it always be dark as these not in the customs or rituals of their holy books.

Rig Veda says,” let the Madhuparka not be without flesh.”

Rig Veda says: - “worship the sun before drinking madira (drink).”

Rational nobody amongst us can be the residents be vegetarian. Almost everyone has to be non vegetarian as we tend to make use of one or another thing from the ones listed below:-

Animal Flesh or other parts of animals are used in the following items:-

Agarbatti, biscuits, bread & buns, cakes, chips, chocolate, cola, chyawanprash, cricket balls, custard powder, glue, fertilizers, foreign cheese, liquor, ice cream, jam & jellies, perfumes, photographic films, safety matches, shampoo, soaps, toothpastes, toffees, peppermints, vanaspati etc all these contain animal parts!!! (Outlook weekly, New Delhi Dated Oct. 22, 2001)

Hindus have made everyone psychologically slaves, in the span of time all of us unconsciously have become slaves of the Hindu rituals.

Whole year through this male dominated society will degrade the feminie society and then worship them only on special days or on Women day. and they will worship only reknowned women’s who have died long way back but the women’s striving hard for the upliftment of the women society will be abused by these same people and after these women leaders die they will worship them also , but worship only on special days and again abuse the rest of 364 days. …

Few days back Rakhi- a Hindu Fest was celebrated all throughout the country; but there is no evidence of Rakhi being promoted in Buddhist philosophy or any other religion except for Hindus. Now rationally thinking is a special day needed to pour all the love, care, attachment only on a special day like rakhi for towards sister, mother’s day for Mothers? Poor people spend at least 100’s of rupees on Rakhi’s, albeit of the fact that they can hardly afford to celebrate money wasting occasions like Diwali, Dushara, Rakhi but still these mental slaves are willing to celebrate and as a consequences be more credited with loads of money to be repaid back . These all are the beautiful carved tactics of Businessmen to earn money & to trap poor illiterate innocent people .all these businessman’s are not from the downtrodden communities, these are all baniyas thakurs rajputs etc..All these people are highly educated but the fact is only downtrodden the untouchables are illiterate.


The problem with these people is that they never rational and not ready to be literate .and this make the Indian heritage to be rich with poor people rather slaves to be meant for slavery. Come forward friends & think logically...

Anonymous said...

Shikha,

Probably your ignorance makes you believe that you know everything about Hinduism. To your questions on impurity and pagan rituals undertaken by a few groups it is because they are in the modes of ignorance on the real nature of the Brahman(God).Bhagavad Gita divides the souls into 3 categories Sattvic, Rajasic & Tamasic individuals based on their beliefs and modes of worship. Those who indulge in impure and gory rituals are indeed made to take birth in demonaic wombs and they suffer more due to their ignorance and hurting the God that resides in them and others.So, do not genralise your perception about Hinduism. Just like there are terrosists in Muslims religion and greedy Christians from Britain wanting to divide and conquer the world there are a few hindus who are ignorant.So, please take a broader view of what is happening in the world and study history before you comment on anything!!