Guest guest Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Hi List, The first legend about "beheading of vishNu; dadhyanc AtharvaNA story" was posted earlier. This legend occurs during the explanation of darsha-pUrNamAsa ishti in S.Br. Once there was a clash between asuras and devas and the latter were worsted. The asuras started dividing this earth among themselves by spreading out ox-hide from west to east. When the devas saw this, they also wanted a share of this earth. They went to the asuras with vishNu as their head, as vishNu is verily the sacrifice, and asked for a share. The asuras grudgingly agreed, but allowed a share corresponding the the size of vishNu. Now this vishNu was a dwarf (****). The devas didn't care anyway and agreed to the condition. They enclosed vishNu with gAyatrI metre on the south-side, trishtub on the west-side and jagatI on the north. They enclosed vishNu with Agni on the east side. With it (or him- vishNu), they toiled and sacrificed and obtained the whole earth from the asuras. <The brAhmaNa continues with an arthavAda, that whoever performs such and such enclosure around the altar knowing this will get the land of his rivals and enemies> Now, vishNu being enclosed by meters on 3 sides and agni on the fourth side became weary and very tired. So, he hid himself in the roots of plants, below the earth. The devas wondered - "whatever happened to vishNu? Whatever happened to sacrifice?" They dug up 3 angulas below the earth and found vishNu there. That is why, the altar should be 3 angulas deep. They enclosed vishNu second time with mantras from vAjasanEyi samhita. This legend contains the germ of the vishNu's vAmana avatara story that was popularized in the purANas. I will write about manu and fish legend from S.Br. later. However, the fish was not identified with vishNu. Regards, KK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2004 Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 Hi amshuman, Vishnu means ominpresent. How do we behead or break something which is infinite? ramanuja, "amshuman_k" <amshuman_k> wrote: > Hi List, > > The first legend about "beheading of vishNu; dadhyanc AtharvaNA > story" was posted earlier. > > This legend occurs during the explanation of darsha-pUrNamAsa ishti > in S.Br. > > Once there was a clash between asuras and devas and the latter were > worsted. The asuras started dividing this earth among themselves by > spreading out ox-hide from west to east. When the devas saw this, > they also wanted a share of this earth. They went to the asuras with > vishNu as their head, as vishNu is verily the sacrifice, and asked > for a share. The asuras grudgingly agreed, but allowed a share > corresponding the the size of vishNu. > Now this vishNu was a dwarf (****). The devas didn't care anyway and > agreed to the condition. They enclosed vishNu with gAyatrI metre on > the south-side, trishtub on the west-side and jagatI on the north. It is not trishtub but trishtup. We are supposed to recite dwayam, gAyatrI etc. correctly and know the basic differnece bewteen sanskrit letters pa, pha, ba, bha etc. before writing on sandhyAvandanam, vEdas etc. Again how something which is infinite can be enclosed? Regards Vishnu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2004 Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 Hi, vishNu means "one who pervades" from the sanskrit root "viz - to pervade". In Rg veda, he appears as yonger brother of Indra and lauded for making "three steps". Traditionl Indian scholars interpreted this as sun's daily movement across earth, firmament and sky. European scholars generally accepted this, but proposed other theories of sun's annual movement instead of daily one. However, in shathapatha brAhmaNa of shukla yajurveda the equation vishNu = sacrifice appears. If you read my previous post, beheading of vishNu appears in the context of pravargya rite, in which the sacrifice loses its head. The same story with variations occur in taittriya samhita & maitrAyaNIya samhita. It is connected with a parallel legend of dadhyanc AtharvaNa learning to fix the head of sacrifice from Indra and teaching it to Ashvins. vishNu as omnipresent, omniscient, all-powerful is a purANic concept. {Moderator's note: The above statement is an opinion of sri. Anshuman, and does not seem to be supported by our AchAryAs; Sri anshuman - please preface your opinions as such, and do not make general statements like the above) Regards, KK P.S. Thanks for pointing out my deficiency in sanskrit. I've seen trishtub as trishtup only in compounds like trishtup-chanda: etc. ramanuja, "Vishnu" <vsmvishnu> wrote: > Hi amshuman, > > Vishnu means ominpresent. How do we behead or break something which > is infinite? > > ramanuja, "amshuman_k" <amshuman_k> wrote: > > Hi List, > > > > The first legend about "beheading of vishNu; dadhyanc AtharvaNA > > story" was posted earlier. > > > > This legend occurs during the explanation of darsha-pUrNamAsa ishti > > in S.Br. > > > > Once there was a clash between asuras and devas and the latter were > > worsted. The asuras started dividing this earth among themselves by > > spreading out ox-hide from west to east. When the devas saw this, > > they also wanted a share of this earth. They went to the asuras > with > > vishNu as their head, as vishNu is verily the sacrifice, and asked > > for a share. The asuras grudgingly agreed, but allowed a share > > corresponding the the size of vishNu. > > Now this vishNu was a dwarf (****). The devas didn't care anyway > and > > agreed to the condition. They enclosed vishNu with gAyatrI metre on > > the south-side, trishtub on the west-side and jagatI on the north. > > It is not trishtub but trishtup. We are supposed to recite dwayam, > gAyatrI etc. correctly and know the basic differnece bewteen sanskrit > letters pa, pha, ba, bha etc. before writing on sandhyAvandanam, > vEdas etc. > > Again how something which is infinite can be enclosed? > > Regards > Vishnu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2004 Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 An addition to the post script: The "b" in the trishtub is an aspirated one (i.e. hard). Go figure! Regards, KK ramanuja, "Vishnu" <vsmvishnu> wrote: > Hi amshuman, > > Vishnu means ominpresent. How do we behead or break something which > is infinite? > > ramanuja, "amshuman_k" <amshuman_k> wrote: > > Hi List, > > > > The first legend about "beheading of vishNu; dadhyanc AtharvaNA > > story" was posted earlier. > > > > This legend occurs during the explanation of darsha-pUrNamAsa ishti > > in S.Br. > > > > Once there was a clash between asuras and devas and the latter were > > worsted. The asuras started dividing this earth among themselves by > > spreading out ox-hide from west to east. When the devas saw this, > > they also wanted a share of this earth. They went to the asuras > with > > vishNu as their head, as vishNu is verily the sacrifice, and asked > > for a share. The asuras grudgingly agreed, but allowed a share > > corresponding the the size of vishNu. > > Now this vishNu was a dwarf (****). The devas didn't care anyway > and > > agreed to the condition. They enclosed vishNu with gAyatrI metre on > > the south-side, trishtub on the west-side and jagatI on the north. > > It is not trishtub but trishtup. We are supposed to recite dwayam, > gAyatrI etc. correctly and know the basic differnece bewteen sanskrit > letters pa, pha, ba, bha etc. before writing on sandhyAvandanam, > vEdas etc. > > Again how something which is infinite can be enclosed? > > Regards > Vishnu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 ramanuja, "amshuman_k" <amshuman_k> wrote: > An addition to the post script: > The "b" in the trishtub is an aspirated one (i.e. hard). Go figure! > > Regards, > KK Still it is wrong. Best Regards Vishnu > > ramanuja, "Vishnu" <vsmvishnu> wrote: > > Hi amshuman, > > > > Vishnu means ominpresent. How do we behead or break something which > > is infinite? > > > > ramanuja, "amshuman_k" <amshuman_k> > wrote: > > > Hi List, > > > > > > The first legend about "beheading of vishNu; dadhyanc AtharvaNA > > > story" was posted earlier. > > > > > > This legend occurs during the explanation of darsha-pUrNamAsa > ishti > > > in S.Br. > > > > > > Once there was a clash between asuras and devas and the latter > were > > > worsted. The asuras started dividing this earth among themselves > by > > > spreading out ox-hide from west to east. When the devas saw this, > > > they also wanted a share of this earth. They went to the asuras > > with > > > vishNu as their head, as vishNu is verily the sacrifice, and > asked > > > for a share. The asuras grudgingly agreed, but allowed a share > > > corresponding the the size of vishNu. > > > Now this vishNu was a dwarf (****). The devas didn't care anyway > > and > > > agreed to the condition. They enclosed vishNu with gAyatrI metre > on > > > the south-side, trishtub on the west-side and jagatI on the > north. > > > > It is not trishtub but trishtup. We are supposed to recite dwayam, > > gAyatrI etc. correctly and know the basic differnece bewteen > sanskrit > > letters pa, pha, ba, bha etc. before writing on sandhyAvandanam, > > vEdas etc. > > > > Again how something which is infinite can be enclosed? > > > > Regards > > Vishnu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 > > P.S. > Thanks for pointing out my deficiency in sanskrit. I've seen trishtub > as trishtup only in compounds like trishtup-chanda: etc. It seems u are re-writing sanskrit grammar. Trishtup is the right word which I learnt in my childhood. When a halanta Sabdam like trishutp is followed by "ka, kha, cha, CHA, ta, TA, tha, THA, pa, pha" no sandhi takes place and hence it remains as "trishtup" in the compound word. When followed by consonants like ga, gha etc. and vowels, it becomes "trishtub" as part of the compound word. Hope this helps. Srimahavishnu Vinjamuri > ramanuja, "Vishnu" <vsmvishnu> wrote: > > Hi amshuman, > > > > Vishnu means ominpresent. How do we behead or break something which > > is infinite? > > > > ramanuja, "amshuman_k" <amshuman_k> > wrote: > > > Hi List, > > > > > > The first legend about "beheading of vishNu; dadhyanc AtharvaNA > > > story" was posted earlier. > > > > > > This legend occurs during the explanation of darsha-pUrNamAsa > ishti > > > in S.Br. > > > > > > Once there was a clash between asuras and devas and the latter > were > > > worsted. The asuras started dividing this earth among themselves > by > > > spreading out ox-hide from west to east. When the devas saw this, > > > they also wanted a share of this earth. They went to the asuras > > with > > > vishNu as their head, as vishNu is verily the sacrifice, and > asked > > > for a share. The asuras grudgingly agreed, but allowed a share > > > corresponding the the size of vishNu. > > > Now this vishNu was a dwarf (****). The devas didn't care anyway > > and > > > agreed to the condition. They enclosed vishNu with gAyatrI metre > on > > > the south-side, trishtub on the west-side and jagatI on the > north. > > > > It is not trishtub but trishtup. We are supposed to recite dwayam, > > gAyatrI etc. correctly and know the basic differnece bewteen > sanskrit > > letters pa, pha, ba, bha etc. before writing on sandhyAvandanam, > > vEdas etc. > > > > Again how something which is infinite can be enclosed? > > > > Regards > > Vishnu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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