Working my way through SJVC Lessons 2/3

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

I have one query after working my way through lessons 2 and 3.

 

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Query:

 

The Kendras in various sources have been representative of four goals of

existence (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha) or the four ashramas

(brahmacharya, grahasta, vanaprastha and sanyasa) or the four varnas

(Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya or Sudra).

 

Which of these are the closest to the division that Sri Parashara meant

when he segmented the Narayana into four kendras?

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I would love to get feedback on this as well as on the answers.

 

Respectfully yours,

ss

 

 

SJVC Lesson 2 Answers

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1. Role of God in my life:

 

To me he is the shelter to seek from all storms. Storms are created when

the balance of Tatwas in my self creates a state of imbalance - Rajasic

and Tamasic gunas dominate. At such times, reaching out to the Atma

(part of the Param-atma) within me and using it as an anchor to shelter

myself helps me regain the balance towards a sattvic existence.

 

It puts a perspective to all my senses and provides me with a meaning to

life.

 

2. Activities in past year to get closer to God:

 

In essence to get closer to God, I have been attempting to connect with

my Atma through a better understanding and control of my 'Mana'.

 

As part of this process, I regularly say my prayers to RadhaKrishna and

to Sadashiva, hopefully overcome the tamasic nature along the way as a

first step to connect with my atma. I am in the process of regularising

prayers in the morning after my morning baths and learning our

samskaras. Have focused on learning Jyotish and the fundamentals of

Hinduism - getting closer to my roots.

 

I am trying to lead a more sattvic life by ensuring that I am always

truthful, peaceful even under stress and actively seeking God. I have

some way to go, but believe that am on the right path...

 

3. God is all or All is God.

 

God is All is more to the point since he is omnipresent though through

his presence as atma in all beings, all is god as well.

 

4. Difference of Jyotisha to a priest

 

For me the Jyotisha is the marg-darshak - one who shows the way to god

while the priest is the channel, a proxy who helps those who cannot

perceive god themselves to connect with him. They both have a role to

play in getting people closer to god and themselves.

 

SJVC Lesson 3 Answers

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1. Which Graha should have overlordship of the twelve signs of the

Zodiac?

 

The two major components driving the division of the zodiac into the 12

signs include the division of the Narayana into four parts represented

by the 'kendras' and the division into 'trikonas' representing the three

gunas.

 

As the aim of every individual is to lead a sattvic life. The Sun, Moon

and Jupiter being the three planets representing Sattvic characteristics

could be lords.

 

I interpret the four kendras as representing the four key goals of life

on earth - Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. The lord of dharma is Sun.

 

I believe that therefore Sun is the right overlord for the zodiac

providing the focus on existence on sattvic qualities and the execution

of ones Dharma.

 

2, Schematic representation of Earth, Bha-chakra, Nara and Narayana.

 

Difficult to draw this in text, but I think of this as a geocentric

circle with Earth at the centre and the Bha-chakra being a large circle

of infinite radius delineated at 12, 30 degree points on its

circumference by the zodiac signs.

 

Nara is the bounded circle (is it really a circle?) described by the

outermost planet Saturn within which the influence of the five tatwas

i.e. Agni, Jala, Vayu, Prithvi and Akash abound and therefore drives

life on this earth.

 

Narayana is the space beyond this bounded circle.