Symbolism of Moth

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

 

Just wanted to check with all of you on whether there is any symbolism

attached to the appearance of moths ?

 

Thanks

 

-Raji

[Guest guest]

Namaste, Rajalakshmiji,

The moth's appearance is used as an example while unfolding the Truth. Continuance meditation or thinking on some thing by a person, turns the person to be that thing, just like the keeda or larva inside the nest (?) made of mud, always thinks of the moth to come and feed it, or sting it, and in due course the keeda becomes the moth itself and come out of the nest. It is known as "Keeda Bhramana Naya"or something like that.

I am sure other learned members will give more on this subject.

Hari Om

Mani

 

R. S. Mani--- On Thu, 7/3/08, rajalakshmi13 <rajalakshmi.iyer wrote:

rajalakshmi13 <rajalakshmi.iyer Symbolism of Mothadvaitin Date: Thursday, July 3, 2008, 10:14 AM

 

 

Hello , Just wanted to check with all of you on whether there is any symbolism attached to the appearance of moths ? Thanks-Raji

[Guest guest]

Namaste Shri Raji,

In response to your question (message #40907, Thu Jul 3), it strikes me that a moth may symbolize the natural returning back home of each changing appearance -- in the all-consuming fire of unchanging consciousness.

Here are some quotations that come to mind, from Notes on Spiritual Discourses of Shri Atmananda:

Note 744: What happens when you think of Consciousness?

 

All thought of Consciousness annihilates thought, like a moth in the fire.

Note 849: What are the functions of Consciousness?

 

Like fire, it has two functions: 1. It illumines objects at a distance.2. It destroys them on contact

From Note 1123: Quotation and interpretation of Shri Shankara's Viveka-cudamani, 462-3

jnyanena 'jnyana-karyasya samulasya layo yadikatham tisthaty ayam deha iti shamkavato jadan*samadhatum bahya-drstya prarabdham vadati shrutih*ajnyanijanakaryartham prarabdham vadati shrutihna tu dehasya satyatva bodhanaya vipash citam[* marks alternative versions of the third line.]

 

`It means: If the fire of knowledge has destroyed everything, how does the body of the Sage continue? The vast majority of people cannot understand the Sage in the true light. The question has arisen from the ignorant man's standpoint, attributing reality to objects perceived; and it boils down to time, space and causality. To satisfy such dull intellects in the gross plane, the shastras put forward the argument of `prarabdha' [remaining samskaras continuing to unfold, at the level of personality]. But it was never intended to establish the reality of the body. The apparent body of the Sage forms part of the world which he has transcended long ago.

Ananda

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " rajalakshmi13 "

<rajalakshmi.iyer wrote:

>

> Hello ,

>

> Just wanted to check with all of you on whether there is any

symbolism

> attached to the appearance of moths ?

>

> Thanks

>

> -Raji

 

There is the following statement in Mudgalopanishad:--

tam yathA yathA upAsate tadaiva bhavati—

The meaning is:-- As one meditates, so one becomes.

The idea is that a person attains the form of the deity on which he

meditates. To illustrate this an (apocryphal) example is given. It

is said that a bee brings a worm and keeps it in a hole and

frequently knocks on the outer wall. The worm constantly thinks of

the bee out of fear and it is said that it becomes a bee itself

ultimately. This is known as bhramara kITa nyAya. bhramara means bee

and kITa means worm.

I do not know whether this is what you are referring to.

S.N.Sastri