Questions

[Guest guest]

>1: Demigods drink wine (his term), soma rasa, but no sin is incurred. All I

>could say is they are enjoying results of good karma.

 

My understanding is that 'yes', demigods are enjoying good karma from

previous lives. But notable drinking soma rasa is not like going to the

local pub for a pint, methinks. What about all the heavenly damsels, apsaras

etc? Surely all good karma.

 

As far as Indra 'getting bad karma' is concerned, it would appear that even

in the heavenly planets there are certain rules that can be broken, (ie Its

all good karma- but within a certain cultural framework, and boundaries.

 

>2. Demigods have subtle bodies, they taste things, a ghost has a subtle

>body, but can't (triers to enjoy through a ghost body, all I could offer

>was even in gross bodies there are difference levels, (consciousness, so I

>suppose the ghost and demigod subtle bodies are somewhat different)

 

Yes there are a whole bunch of different types of subtle bodies.

[Guest guest]

>>Yes there are a whole bunch of different types of subtle bodies.

 

>But can you quote something?

 

 

I would have a look on Vedabase, but at the moment I've only got time to

quote a couple of sadhus who are well conversant with the Vedic culture and

perspective. They are not in 'our line', but it does show some insight into

the conceptio if different subtle layers etc within the Vedic culture.

 

 

Words by Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya

 

The gross, subtle and astral bodies of individual self are said to be subtly

covered by the Pancha kosha --- annamaya kosha (body cell), pränamaya kosha

(life cell), manomaya kosha (mind cell), vigyänamaya kosha (knowledge cell)

and änandamaya kosha (beatitudious bliss cell).

 

 

Words by Swami Adiswarananda

 

A human individual enters this world with a bundle of thoughts in the form

of his mind, and he also exits with a bundle of thoughts, some old and some

new. The causal body, characterized by ego sense only, is finer than the

subtle body. All three bodies are for the fulfillment of desires, gross and

subtle. The soul is different from these three bodies.

 

The scriptures further describe the body-mind complex of man as consisting

of five sheaths, or layers: the physical sheath, the sheath of prana (the

vital air), the sheath of mind, the sheath of intellect, and the sheath of

bliss. These sheaths are located one inside the other like the segments of a

collapsible telescope, with the sheath of the physical body being the

outermost and the sheath of bliss being the innermost.

[Guest guest]

-

"Ananta Purusottama das (UK)" <ananta (AT) iskcon (DOT) org.uk>

"(ISKCON UK) Forum & Discussions" <Forum.&.Discussions (AT) pamho (DOT) net>; "Free

Forum (Announcements)" <Free.Forum (AT) pamho (DOT) net>

Cc: "(Krsna) Katha" <Katha (AT) pamho (DOT) net>

Friday, February 27, 2004 12:54 AM

Questions

 

 

>

>

> Dear Prabhus,

>

> Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

>

> My 13 year old son asked me a couple of interesting questions, things I've

> never really thought about.

>

> 1: Demigods drink wine (his term), soma rasa, but no sin is incurred. All

I

> could say is they are enjoying results of good karma.

 

Prabhupada lecture on Bhagavad-gita 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

So they are soma-pah. Soma is a kind of beverage. Just like in this material

world we have got different kinds of liquors. It is not intoxicating, but

there is mention. Here in the Bhagavad-gita is also mentioned, soma-pah,

soma-rasa. And in Srimad-Bhagavatam we get information that in the moon

planet they also drink this soma-rasa. But the soma-rasa is not an

intoxicant. It is a different thing. Here it is said, soma-pah puta-papah.

One who will drink the soma-rasa, he will be freed from sinful reaction.

Just the opposite. Here, just like when we become intoxicated, we become

addicted to so many sinful actions, it is soma-pah. When we drink soma-rasa,

it is just the opposite. We become freed from all sinful reaction. That

soma-pah is recommended here also.

 

 

SB 4.18.15:

All the demigods made Indra, the King of heaven, into a calf, and from the

earth they milked the beverage soma, which is nectar. Thus they became very

powerful in mental speculation and bodily and sensual strength.

PURPORT

In this verse the word soma means "nectar." Soma is a kind of beverage made

in the heavenly planets from the moon to the kingdoms of the demigods in the

various higher planetary systems. By drinking this soma beverage the

demigods become more powerful mentally and increase their sensual power and

bodily strength. The words hiranmayena patrena indicate that this soma

beverage is not an ordinary intoxicating liquor. The demigods would not

touch any kind of liquor. Nor is soma a kind of drug. It is a different kind

of beverage, available in the heavenly planets. Soma is far different from

the liquors made for demoniac people, as explained in the next verse.

 

 

 

>

> 2. Demigods have subtle bodies, they taste things, a ghost has a subtle

> body, but can't (triers to enjoy through a ghost body, all I could offer

> was even in gross bodies there are difference levels, (consciousness, so I

> suppose the ghost and demigod subtle bodies are somewhat different)

>

> Any ideas?

 

Their bodies are still "gross" in the sense that they are made of earth,

water, fire, air, and ether (in addition, of course, they have subtle bodies

of mind, intelligence, and ego). However, the proportion of these elements

are different so that the total effect is more subtle. For example, this

earthly planet is mostly water, and our human bodies are correspondingly

made of mostly water. In the universe there are planets made mostly of fire,

with the inhabitants having gross bodies made proportionately mostly of

fire. There are also planets where the ratio is of more air with the bodies

more of air, etc.

 

Your servant, Urmila devi dasi