The Lesson of Mythological Stories.

[Guest guest]

I am constantly asked these questions... so I am very curious to know what

explanations others may have:

 

Why did Rama banish Sita because a washerman doubted her faithfulness? What is

the lesson for us? Why does a God behave so callously?

 

Why are the Puranas and Hindu mythology filled with Gods defeating Demons? What

practical wisdom or significance does it have for a person's life? There is

hardly a sense of ahimsa in such stories - it is dramatically misleading.

 

What is the lesson of Tara living with Soma (God of the Moon) and refusing to

return to her husband Brihaspati (Teacher of the Gods), which leads to war? What

symbolism is there in even the Gods behaving as humans do? Who is there to guide

the way? How is Brihaspati meant to teach the Gods when he deals with the

situation with such lust and attachment?

 

What is the symbolism of Brahma fornicating with his own daughter Sandhya? What

is the lesson for humanity?

 

I am asked again and again why the Gods are not behaving with compassion and

all-knowing wisdom and mostly - a lack of attachment and selfishness - in the

mythological stories? Because who would want to pray to Gods who behave so

selfishly and lustfully?

[Guest guest]

, " dianic_dreams " <thilakshan wrote:

 

> I am constantly asked these questions... so I am very curious to

 

ji,

 

These are Puranic stories. As we have discussed a few times here, the Puranas

were comparitively lower books for common folk- they were not for Yogis. the

Ramanyana/Mahabharat, though they contain some wisdom, also have some Puranic

element in them.

 

The best thing is not to try to explain it. I just think we must admit that our

scriptures, like other religons, have some nonsense in them, & as Yogis its our

job to separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

Too long have we lived under the wrong idea that anything written in scriptures

is automatically correct- which has led to some many abuses -take mistreatment

of women, lower castes etc.

 

Osho was the 1st to say that the emperor may in fact be naked, but he was

villified for this.

 

Mind you, some of the stories of the Puranas have hidden meanings, like 16000

wives of Krishna. But most of them are just the result of sick minds who went

too long suppressing their natural urges. It is hard to know which is which,

unless one has developed ones Buddhi.

 

For starters, I highly recommend people read:

 

1. the secret of the Veda by Sri Aurobindo

2. The Aghora series by Robert Svoboda

3. any book by Dr David Frawley

 

These go a long way explaining some of the esoteric secrets of Hinduism.

 

love,

Shantnu

[Guest guest]

Two Traveling Angels

-----------------

 

 

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.

 

 

The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest

room..

 

Instead the angels were given a small space in

the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel

saw a hole in the wall and repaired it

 

When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied,

 

'Things aren't always what they seem.'

 

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very

hospitable farmer and his wife.

 

 

After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their

bed where they could have a good night's rest.

 

 

When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife

in tears.

 

 

Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole

income, lay dead in the field.

 

 

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the

older angel how could you have let this happen?

 

 

The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused.

 

 

The second family had little but was willing to

share everything, and you let the cow die.

 

 

'Things aren't always what they seem,' the older

angel replied.

 

 

When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored

in that hole in the wall.

 

Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good

fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it.'

 

 

Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed,the angel of death came for his

wife. I gave him the cow instead.

 

 

Things aren't always what they seem.

 

 

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they

should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always

to your advantage. You just might not know it until some time later...

 

 

-------------

 

> I am constantly asked these questions... so I am very curious to know what

explanations others may have:

>

[Guest guest]

> These are Puranic stories. As we have discussed a few times here, the Puranas

were comparitively lower books for common folk- they were not for Yogis.

 

Perhaps I wasn't clear. This is precisely my point.

 

Stories are for common folks. From the time of the ancient warrior poets,

stories exist to inspire them.

 

Yet, in and of itself, spiritual stories - though simple - are riddled in

metaphor.

 

But mostly - they are a guide to RIGHT WAY OF LIVING.

 

A solace to the common folk who do not find access to the treasure of the yogis.

 

Keeping this in mind - is what lead me to ask these questions. Because these

stories DO NOT HELP THE COMMON FOLK>

 

What they do is make matters worse!

 

The Ramayana is said to be one of two sacred texts personally witnessed by God.

 

On the other hand - these books are on PURE DEVOTION! Vyasa and similar sages

yearned to speak and write of devotion -

 

And devotion is crutial even to a Yogi. So it is not entirely benefitial to

segregate in such a manner.

 

Which leads back to the point -

 

and the initial question.

[Guest guest]

> Two Traveling Angels

> -----------------

 

 

Very nice story. :-)

 

It is misplaced, however, in this context, because it does not address what I

find to be a crutial issue.

 

There is a difference between faith and blind faith.

 

The Christians have this very problem - they base their faith on a book without

stopped to hear their heart to see if the book is right... or performing a

profound inquiry into the origins of the book (to make sure it wasn't just

dreamed up by political interest).

 

Either way would work.

 

The point is - in the end, you have to look within for the answer.

 

" Anything is one of a million paths. Therefore you must always keep in mind

that a path is only a path; if you feel you should not follow it, you must not

stay with it under any conditions. To have such clarity you must lead a

disciplined life. Only then will you know that any path is only a path, and

there is not affront, to oneself or to others, in dropping it if that is what

your heart tells you to do. But your decision to keep on the path or to leave it

must be free of fear or ambition.

 

I warn you. Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as many

times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself, and yourself alone, one

question. This question is one that only a very old person asks. My benefactor

told me about it once when I was young, and my blood was too vigorous for me to

understand it. Now I do understand it.

 

I will tell you what it is: Does this path have a heart?

 

All paths are the same, they lead nowhere. They are paths going through the

bush, or into the bush. In my own life I could say I have traversed long, long

paths, but I am not anywhere. My benefactor's question has meaning now. " Does

this path have a heart? " One makes you strong; the other weakens you.

 

The trouble is nobody asks the question: and when a person finally realizes

that they have taken a path without heart, the path is ready to kill them. At

that point very few people stop to deliberate and leave the path.

 

A path without a heart is never enjoyable. You have to work hard even to

take it. On the other hand, a path with heart is easy; it does not make you work

at liking it.

 

For my part there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any

path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is

to traverse its full length.

 

And there I travel looking, looking, breathlessly. "

 

- Doesn't matter who said this. All that matters is what is being said.

[Guest guest]

, " Dianic Dreams " <thilakshan wrote:

>Perhaps I wasn't clear. This is precisely my point.

 

LOL, I never said a Yogi didnt need devotion. Example: Hanuman, the Yogi who

had mastered the 4 Vedas before he had even heard of Sri Ram.

 

But the devotion in the Puranas is of the idiotic kind: Vishnu is greater than

Shiva, or Shiva insults Vishnu etc. Rather than giving feelings of Bhakti, they

give a sense of superiority complex, as in " My God is Better than yours " .

 

And some of the stories, like Indra going around seducing others wives, I never

understood the spiritual reason for that. It also created a duality between

Vedic Indra, who was the Pure, Divine Mind, & Puranic Indra, who was just God of

rain.

 

Thats why I am not a fan of the Puranas. Granted, they are written for common

folk, but common folk will never get Moksha, not in a 1000 lives, so it seems to

me the only goal of Puranas was to give them at least some hope & chance of

Moksha, so they spent at least some time, even once a week, doing some Puja.

 

But I dont discuss with others much- so I dont know how to answer your original

question. Aumji does this a lot, maybe he can enlighten us.

 

love,

[Guest guest]

, " dianic_dreams " <thilakshan wrote:

>

> I am constantly asked these questions... so I am very curious to know what

explanations others may have:

>

> Why did Rama banish Sita because a washerman doubted her faithfulness? What is

the lesson for us? Why does a God behave so callously?

>

 

Dear sadhaka,

 

 

The foreign scholars and their Indian followers who have spread the mythological

canard that Ram and Ramayana are historically untrue, figments of imagination

and only a fable are no more responsible than some of our Indian poets and

writers. The preachers and exponents of Ram Katha and the directors and actors

of Ramlila have inadvertently and ignorantly further contributed to the doubts

about the genuineness of Ram. Devoid of true faith and unaware of the true glory

of God, we have turned Ram into God and God-incarnate.

 

Like the fables of Panchtantra we have metamorphosed the erudite scholar of

Vedas and a guru of grammar, Hanuman, into an ape; the architect of Ram Setu,

Jambavan, into a bear; the famous doctor-surgeon Sushen and his colleagues

Angad, Bali, etc into monkeys; the brave Jatayu who was the former king of

Gridhkoot who fought Ravan in

3 months ago

 

who fought Ravan in the sky after the abduction of Sita, into a vulture. The

most shocking belief is that the most beautiful scholar lady Tara was married to

the monkey Bali. Sita was believed to be born of the earth and ultimately

returned to Mother Earth. Our imagination knew no bounds.

Valmiki knew Ram to be a human, a noble man, the best of his era and in his time

wrote Ramayana as both were contemporary. He has also shown Ram to possess human

traits and emotions, just like any ordinary person. We, in our blind faith, have

accentuated the question marks on the historicity of Ram and Ramayana by

treating Ramayana like a fable and depicting its noble characters as birds and

animals.

 

 

Our foolish beliefs did not end here. We spin strange new stories which

ultimately maligned the noble character of Ram. Ram never disowned Sita or

exiled her to the forest in a pregnant state. Valmiki never wrote this. We got

the Seer Shambook executed by Ram, calling him a shudra. Valmiki never mentioned

this. No intellectual scholar or tapasvi could be a shudra, at least in Vedic

times. But through interpolations and additions in the modern day Ramayana we

have made Maryada Purshottam Ram into a person inflicting injuries and

harassment on women and low-borns. Valmiki's Ram was the bravest among the

brave, the noblest among the noble, but not God.

3 months ago

 

During Ramayan time there was no hate for castes...

 

Shri Ram proved it by hugging the Khevat... a low caste tribal..

 

And the place he gave to HANUMAN..... NO ONE COULD GET IT AFTERWARDS

 

AUM

[Guest guest]

, " dianic_dreams " <thilakshan wrote:

>

> I am constantly asked these questions... so I am very curious to know what

explanations others may have:

 

>

> Why are the Puranas and Hindu mythology filled with Gods defeating Demons?

What practical wisdom or significance does it have for a person's life? There is

hardly a sense of ahimsa in such stories - it is dramatically misleading.

>

> What is the lesson of Tara living with Soma (God of the Moon) and refusing to

return to her husband Brihaspati (Teacher of the Gods), which leads to war? What

symbolism is there in even the Gods behaving as humans do? Who is there to guide

the way? How is Brihaspati meant to teach the Gods when he deals with the

situation with such lust and attachment?

>

> What is the symbolism of Brahma fornicating with his own daughter Sandhya?

What is the lesson for humanity?

>

Dear asker,

 

The Gods depicted in Puranas and other mythological stories are really not in

accordance with the philosophy of Hinduism.

 

The Hindu Philosophy is correctly depicted in Upanishadas and their gist in

Geeta, and there is nothing objectionable or debatable in these scriptures.

 

The Puranas may be having some esoteric meaning, which we can discuss and

find. Meanwhile kindly read my old posts On Esoteric Ramayan and see how the

story is completely different when we read between the lines.

 

These stories must be having some deeper philosophical meaning, but their

vulgar and offensive parts in puranas are beyond my imagination too !! I still

fail to see the purpose behind Brhama Vishnu and Shiva asking Sati Ansuya to

feed them naked...and she makes them babies and feed them. There might be a

deeper meaning, but should common people be forced to read these vulgar stories

and believe them.

 

Better we leave Puranas to those who deserve them, and talk about the real

gist of Our great philosophy

 

love and regards

 

Aum

[Guest guest]

, aumji <no_reply wrote:

>

 

> Like the fables of Panchtantra we have metamorphosed the erudite >scholar of

Vedas and a guru of grammar, Hanuman, into an ape; the >architect of Ram Setu,

Jambavan, into a bear; the famous doctor-

 

Thanks Aumji. So you are saying these characters were real people, not monkeys,

bears etc? Then how did they get changed so radically?

 

I have also heard that the last part of Ramayan, where Ram disowns Sita, was

added later.

 

So how did we get such major changes in our scriptures?

 

love,

Shantnu

[Guest guest]

> Thanks Aumji. So you are saying these characters were real people, not

monkeys, bears etc? Then how did they get changed so radically?

>

> I have also heard that the last part of Ramayan, where Ram disowns Sita, was

added later.

>

> So how did we get such major changes in our scriptures?

>

> love,

> Shantnu

>

 

 

Two main reasons - One Hinduism has no central authority and anyone can

transliterate the story as per their understanding. 2nd the cultural difference

 

Vanaras was a tribe in south India, and when they are mentioned, normal

people would think them as Monkeys. They may be looking like half apes - a

misssing link between homo sapiens and monkey, or not, but they were definitely

made monkeys. Read some interesting info here

 

http://ns.wordpress.com/vanaras/

 

suppose, I meditate on shiva and suddenly see see shiva's foto turning into a

snake and talking to me. I will tell others that shiva spoke as snake to me....

now this is a subjective experience, but people around me would start

worshipping snakes as Shiva.. this is how it might have happened.

 

That is why we must go for the deeper philosophical meaning of an epic and

forget the mundane details. Hanuman was a monkey or an ape or the missing

link, has no value spiritually. What values is his devotion, dedication,

sicerety and his knowledge, which must be remembered

 

Aum

[Guest guest]

OMNAMONARAYANAYA

Pranams to Aumji,Shantnuji and all other Sadhaks

Ramayan was not " written " but rhapsodized by Sage Valmiki ages ago.The exact

date is debated even today.Entire Bharat extended from Himalayas to Srilanka.

There existed human races at different stages of physical and intellectual

levels. Successive scholars who rhapsodized Ramayan added some and deleted some

verses at their own will.Erect humans who are well evolved might have had

features of less evolved humans  like hands touching knees while standing

.. Aajanubahu  ie hands upto knees was/is  apes quality. Sreeram was

described as Aajanubahu .This physical and intellectual development at different

stages  resulted in some rhapsodists describig Hanuman et al as monkeys.

I am curious to hear more

Thanking you all

ijswamy

 

 ~SWAMY

http://gjnanaswarup.spaces.live.com/blog/

 

 

 

 

________________________________

aumji <no_reply >

 

Fri, December 11, 2009 11:44:14 AM

Re: The Lesson of Mythological Stories.

 

 

 

 

> Thanks Aumji. So you are saying these characters were real people, not

monkeys, bears etc? Then how did they get changed so radically?

>

> I have also heard that the last part of Ramayan, where Ram disowns Sita, was

added later.

>

> So how did we get such major changes in our scriptures?

>

> love,

> Shantnu

>

 

Two main reasons - One Hinduism has no central authority and anyone can

transliterate the story as per their understanding. 2nd the cultural difference

 

Vanaras was a tribe in south India, and when they are mentioned, normal people

would think them as Monkeys. They may be looking like half apes - a misssing

link between homo sapiens and monkey, or not, but they were definitely made

monkeys. Read some interesting info here

 

http:// ns.wordpress. com/vanaras/

 

suppose, I meditate on shiva and suddenly see see shiva's foto turning into a

snake and talking to me. I will tell others that shiva spoke as snake to me....

now this is a subjective experience, but people around me would start

worshipping snakes as Shiva.. this is how it might have happened.

 

That is why we must go for the deeper philosophical meaning of an epic and

forget the mundane details. Hanuman was a monkey or an ape or the missing link,

has no value spiritually. What values is his devotion, dedication, sicerety and

his knowledge, which must be remembered

 

Aum

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

> That is why we must go for the deeper philosophical meaning of an epic and

forget the mundane details. Hanuman was a monkey or an ape or the missing

link, has no value spiritually. What values is his devotion, dedication,

sicerety and his knowledge, which must be remembered

>

> Aum

 

 

Very true. This is why I spent quite some time looking everywhere online for a

site that explained the deeper philosophical meanings behind the mythology I was

reading such as the Devi Bagavatam and the Siva Purana (or any other mythology

for that matter). Unfortunately, I was unable to find any meaningful

information, which is when I decided to post the question in the group.

 

The closest to expressing the philosophical meanings of mythology that I have

found is in " Hero with a Thousand Faces " by Joseph Campbell, where he

inter-related all world mythology to be coming from a common source - a common

divinity - and thus interpreting a meaning for our " superconsciousness " .

However, that does not go too much into Hindi mythology, so I am still looking

for some place which helps explain.

 

I do read the Upanishads, and they are very beautiful.

 

However, why I am specifically asking about the Bagavatams and the Puranas is

because I am a screenwriter and I wish to do justice to these stories on a

modern retelling - I do not wish to miss out on the " inner meanings " behind

them. So it is imperative that I become intimately involved within their inner

meanings.

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

Let me share my point o view.

Is it possible to realize a scientific fact reading some scientific book?

To drive a car reading a book on how to drive a car?

To have a life partner by reading and dreaming a thousands of romantic novels?

 

Thousands of years passed and many thousands of intellectuals involved.

In my opinion many of the scriptures are not at all real. In the name of God,

they created so many. That is the law of the day; if a person is intellectual

they have to do every thing in the name of God. So to make the GOD as an

unimaginable unexplainable uninterruptable some thing, many did their best to

create some thing, that is really made the common man confuse and move as much

away as possible.

So as long as one wants real spirituality, please try to move away from these

religious books. Look inside, and then just like that every one will realize the

GOD,

As long as we depend on the intellectual knowledge, it will make only the

confusion.

As one is moving slowly it is not that much confusion to understand what is

what.

About Lord Ganesh there are many theories, stories, and the great scholars and

pundits interpretations who and why and what he is representing symbolically.

As long as I am reading and struggling to understand I never understood, but

today I know at least some thing really only when I moved away scriptures to the

spirituality.

I am not degrading or trying to evaluate the religion and their great writings,

but to make it to remind all that stuff what we have with us today, is much

diversified by the so called intellectuals, who have the great mind and

capabilities. They did it only to establish their authenticity. But finally that

created what is going on today.

Let us hope the divine will make us to realize,

 

shastri.r.d

[Guest guest]

" What can I get?

What can I take?

What can I gain? "

What can I give?

What can I share?

What can I contribute? "

What can I loose?

 

 

drsastry

>Namaste,

>Let me share my point o view.

>Is it possible to realize a scientific fact reading some scientific