I hate vedic sungas!

February 22, 2010

Dear Sreenadh ji,One hate monger posting on Wiki is quite understandable, but what happened to your objectivity? Shankarsreesog <sreesog Sent: Mon, February 22, 2010 4:46:27 PM I hate

vedic sungas!

Dear all, The vedic brahmanic sungas ruled the whole of north india for nearly 120 years and during that time corrupted much of indian literature (re-wrote texts), brutally slaughtered Buddhists and Jains and caused the revival of ancient vedic yaga culture. (May it is the vedic hindu yaga cult we remember today, and numerous allied vedic texts took birth during this period only). If the history of india before this period is DARK then for most of it we owe to these brutal ethical lost sungas! Love and regards,Sreenadh Let me quote something about Sungas from the following website: http://hemant- bhardwaj. blogspot. com/2008/ 08/sungas- to-kshatrapas- 187-bc-4th- c-ad.html //Sunga Empire (187-75 BC) The Sunga dynasty was established in 185 BCE, about 50 years after Ashoka's death, when the king Brhadrata, the last of the Mauryan rulers, was brutally murdered by the then commander-in- chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra

Sunga, while he was taking the Guard of Honour of his forces. Pusyamitra Sunga then ascended the throne. Pusyamitra Sunga, a Brahmin, is known for his hostility and persecution towards the Buddhist faith. He is recorded as having "destroyed monasteries and killed Monks" (Divyavadana, p429-434): 84.000 Buddhist stupas which had been built by the Mauryan king Ashoka were destroyed (R. Thaper), and 100 gold coins were offered for the head of each Buddhist monk (Indian

Historical Quarterly Vol. XXII, p.81 ff cited in Hars.407). A large number of Buddhist monasteries (viharas) were converted to Hindu temples, in such places as Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Sarnath or Mathura. From around 180 BCE the Indian territory was invaded as far as Pataliputra by the Greco-Bactrian ruler Demetrius, with the long-term effect of confining the Sungas to the eastern part of India. Demetrius

established an Indo-Greek kingdom in the northern and northwestern part of India, which was to last until the end of the 1st century BCE,

and under which Buddhism was able to flourish. In particular, one of the successors of Demetrius, the Indo-Greek "Saviour king" Menander (Pali: Milinda) was a strong benefactor of the Buddhist faith at that time. During the historical Sunga period (185 to 73 BCE), Buddhist activity also managed to survive somewhat in central India (Madhya Pradesh) as suggested by some architectural expansions that were done at the stupas of Sanchi and Bharhut, originally started under King Ashoka. These stupas, however, are located quite far from the Sunga center of power, and it is questioned whether these works were due to the weakness of the control of the Sungas in these areas, or a late sign of tolerance on their part. The last of the Sunga kings was Devabhuti.// Further the following link may help you to read something more about these kings: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga_Empire

February 22, 2010

Dear Shankara Bharadwaj ji, At times it is better to put objectivity down and to take sides to attract more and more informative posts in groups. So I say I hate vedic sungas and love tantric kambojas. What is your take on this - especially related to history and history of astrology? :)Love and regards,Sreenadh , ShankaraBharadwaj Khandavalli <shankarabharadwaj wrote:>> Dear Sreenadh ji,> > One hate monger posting on Wiki is quite understandable, but what happened to your objectivity? > > Shankar> > > > ________________________________> sreesog sreesog > Mon, February 22, 2010 4:46:27 PM> I hate vedic sungas!> > > Dear all,> The vedic brahmanic sungas ruled the whole of north india for nearly 120 years and during that time corrupted much of indian literature (re-wrote texts), brutally slaughtered Buddhists and Jains and caused the revival of ancient vedic yaga culture. (May it is the vedic hindu yaga cult we remember today, and numerous allied vedic texts took birth during this period only). If the history of india before this period is DARK then for most of it we owe to these brutal ethical lost sungas! > Love and regards,> Sreenadh> > Let me quote something about Sungas from the following website: http://hemant- bhardwaj. blogspot. com/2008/ 08/sungas- to-kshatrapas- 187-bc-4th- c-ad.html > //Sunga Empire (187-75 BC) The Sunga dynasty was > established in 185 BCE, about 50 years after Ashoka's death, when the > king Brhadrata, the last of the Mauryan rulers, was brutally murdered > by the then commander-in- chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra Sunga, while he was taking the Guard of Honour of his forces. > Pusyamitra Sunga then ascended the throne.> Pusyamitra Sunga, a > Brahmin, is known for his hostility and persecution towards the > Buddhist faith. He is recorded as having "destroyed monasteries and > killed Monks" (Divyavadana, p429-434): 84.000 Buddhist stupas which had been built by the Mauryan king Ashoka were destroyed (R. Thaper), and > 100 gold coins were offered for the head of each Buddhist monk (Indian Historical Quarterly Vol. XXII, p.81 ff cited in Hars.407). A large > number of Buddhist monasteries (viharas) were converted to Hindu > temples, in such places as Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Sarnath or Mathura.> From around 180 BCE the Indian territory was invaded as far as > Pataliputra by the Greco-Bactrian ruler Demetrius, with the long-term > effect of confining the Sungas to the eastern part of India. Demetrius established an Indo-Greek kingdom in the northern and northwestern > part of India, which was to last until the end of the 1st century BCE, and under which Buddhism was able to flourish. In particular, one of > the successors of Demetrius, the Indo-Greek "Saviour king" Menander > (Pali: Milinda) was a strong benefactor of the Buddhist faith at that > time.> During the historical Sunga period (185 to 73 BCE), Buddhist > activity also managed to survive somewhat in central India (Madhya > Pradesh) as suggested by some architectural expansions that were done > at the stupas of Sanchi and Bharhut, originally started under King > Ashoka. These stupas, however, are located quite far from the Sunga > center of power, and it is questioned whether these works were due to > the weakness of the control of the Sungas in these areas, or a late > sign of tolerance on their part. The last of the Sunga kings was > Devabhuti.//> Further the following link may help you to read something more about these kings: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga_Empire>

February 22, 2010

Dear Sreenadh ji,Your love or hate for Sunga or Kamboja or the validity of your thinking of Vedic or Tantric traditions is not what I was talking of. There I have nothing new to say. The historic misreading about "slaughtering" is what I pointed to. People read their fancies into the historic rivalry between traditions, but the traditions themselves were much more loftier than what we imagine today. The nature of their rivalry, their conflicts, their support to each other all were at a different level. What was the contribution and context of Sunga rule is grossly misstated by the article, and the bias and hate mongering is clearly visible in the article. And facts are quite contrary. First, Sunga rule was not an age of destruction - it was an age of defense against the politically active Bauddha. Note the difference. Second, the empirical evidence of

killings on traditional basis is next to nothing. Third, there is historic evidence of your much beloved Vaidikas being the sole support to the dying Bauddha monasteries and texts when they were systematically eliminated by the invading barbarians, just as impartially as they protected the Vaidika literature. I do not see any astrology in what this Hemant wrote, and his narrative shows his poor quality. Just take for instance "The Sunga dynasty was

established in 185 BCE, about 50 years after Ashoka's death, when the

king Brhadrata, the last of the Mauryan rulers, was brutally murdered

by the then commander-in-chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra

Sunga, while he was taking the Guard of Honour of his forces. " can anyone give a similar narrative with accuracy of an event 50 years ago, that this fellow writes of something that could or could not have happened two thousand years ago? Next, there is nothing of astrology here. By the way Pushyamitra was an ace astrologer if people know that. Shankarsreesog <sreesog Sent: Mon, February 22, 2010 5:29:17 PM Re: I hate vedic sungas!

Dear Shankara Bharadwaj ji, At times it is better to put objectivity down and to take sides to attract more and more informative posts in groups. So I say I hate vedic sungas and love tantric kambojas. What is your take on this - especially related to history and history of astrology? :)Love and regards,Sreenadhancient_indian_ astrology, ShankaraBharadwaj Khandavalli <shankarabharadwaj@ ...> wrote:>> Dear Sreenadh ji,> > One hate monger posting on Wiki is quite understandable, but what happened to your objectivity? > > Shankar> > > > ____________ _________ _________ __> sreesog sreesog ancient_indian_ astrology> Mon, February 22, 2010 4:46:27 PM> [ancient_indian_ astrology] I hate vedic

sungas!> > > Dear all,> The vedic brahmanic sungas ruled the whole of north india for nearly 120 years and during that time corrupted much of indian literature (re-wrote texts), brutally slaughtered Buddhists and Jains and caused the revival of ancient vedic yaga culture. (May it is the vedic hindu yaga cult we remember today, and numerous allied vedic texts took birth during this period only). If the history of india before this period is DARK then for most of it we owe to these brutal ethical lost sungas! > Love and regards,> Sreenadh> > Let me quote something about Sungas from the following website: http://hemant- bhardwaj. blogspot. com/2008/ 08/sungas- to-kshatrapas- 187-bc-4th- c-ad.html > //Sunga Empire (187-75 BC) The Sunga dynasty was > established in 185 BCE, about 50 years after Ashoka's death, when the

> king Brhadrata, the last of the Mauryan rulers,

was brutally murdered > by the then commander-in- chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra Sunga, while he was taking the Guard of Honour of his forces. > Pusyamitra Sunga then ascended the throne.> Pusyamitra Sunga, a > Brahmin, is known for his hostility and persecution towards the > Buddhist faith. He is recorded as having "destroyed monasteries and > killed Monks" (Divyavadana, p429-434): 84.000 Buddhist stupas which had been built by the Mauryan king Ashoka were destroyed (R. Thaper), and > 100 gold coins were offered for the head of each Buddhist monk (Indian Historical Quarterly Vol. XXII, p.81 ff cited in Hars.407). A large > number of Buddhist monasteries (viharas) were converted to Hindu > temples, in such places as Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Sarnath or Mathura.> From around 180 BCE the Indian territory was invaded as far as > Pataliputra by the

Greco-Bactrian ruler Demetrius, with the long-term > effect of confining the Sungas to the eastern part of India. Demetrius established an Indo-Greek kingdom in the northern and northwestern > part of India, which was to last until the end of the 1st century BCE, and under which Buddhism was able to flourish. In particular, one of > the successors of Demetrius, the Indo-Greek "Saviour king" Menander > (Pali: Milinda) was a strong benefactor of the Buddhist faith at that > time.> During the historical Sunga period (185 to 73 BCE), Buddhist > activity also managed to survive somewhat in central India (Madhya > Pradesh) as suggested by some architectural expansions that were done > at the stupas of Sanchi and Bharhut, originally started under King > Ashoka. These stupas, however, are located quite far from the Sunga > center of power, and it is questioned whether these works were due to > the weakness of the control of the Sungas in these areas, or a late > sign of tolerance on their part. The last of the Sunga kings was > Devabhuti.//> Further the following link may help you to read something more about these kings: http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Sunga_Empire>

February 23, 2010

Dear Shankara Bharadwaj ji,//can anyone give a similar narrative with accuracy of an event 50 years ago, that this fellow writes of something that could or could not have happened two thousand years ago? // You are absolutely right and to the point. I agree with you. //By the way Pushyamitra was an ace astrologer if people know that. // Can you please shed some more light on the above point? Love and regards,Sreenadh , ShankaraBharadwaj Khandavalli <shankarabharadwaj wrote:>> Dear Sreenadh ji,> > Your love or hate for Sunga or Kamboja or the validity of your thinking of Vedic or Tantric traditions is not what I was talking of. There I have nothing new to say. The historic misreading about "slaughtering" is what I pointed to. People read their fancies into the historic rivalry between traditions, but the traditions themselves were much more loftier than what we imagine today. The nature of their rivalry, their conflicts, their support to each other all were at a different level. > > > What was the contribution and context of Sunga rule is grossly misstated by the article, and the bias and hate mongering is clearly visible in the article. And facts are quite contrary. First, Sunga rule was not an age of destruction - it was an age of defense against the politically active Bauddha. Note the difference. Second, the empirical evidence of killings on traditional basis is next to nothing. Third, there is historic evidence of your much beloved Vaidikas being the sole support to the dying Bauddha monasteries and texts when they were systematically eliminated by the invading barbarians, just as impartially as they protected the Vaidika literature. > > I do not see any astrology in what this Hemant wrote, and his narrative shows his poor quality. Just take for instance "The Sunga dynasty was> established in 185 BCE, about 50 years after Ashoka's death, when the> king Brhadrata, the last of the Mauryan rulers, was brutally murdered> by the then commander-in-chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra> Sunga, while he was taking the Guard of Honour of his forces. " can anyone give a similar narrative with accuracy of an event 50 years ago, that this fellow writes of something that could or could not have happened two thousand years ago? > > Next, there is nothing of astrology here. By the way Pushyamitra was an ace astrologer if people know that. > > Shankar> > > > ________________________________> sreesog sreesog > Mon, February 22, 2010 5:29:17 PM> Re: I hate vedic sungas!> > > Dear Shankara Bharadwaj ji, > At times it is better to put objectivity down and to take sides to attract more and more informative posts in groups. So I say I hate vedic sungas and love tantric kambojas. What is your take on this - especially related to history and history of astrology? > Love and regards,> Sreenadh> > ancient_indian_ astrology, ShankaraBharadwaj Khandavalli <shankarabharadwaj@ ...> wrote:> >> > Dear Sreenadh ji,> > > > One hate monger posting on Wiki is quite understandable, but what happened to your objectivity? > > > > Shankar> > > > > > > > ____________ _________ _________ __> > sreesog sreesog@> > ancient_indian_ astrology> > Mon, February 22, 2010 4:46:27 PM> > [ancient_indian_ astrology] I hate vedic sungas!> > > > > > Dear all,> > The vedic brahmanic sungas ruled the whole of north india for nearly 120 years and during that time corrupted much of indian literature (re-wrote texts), brutally slaughtered Buddhists and Jains and caused the revival of ancient vedic yaga culture. (May it is the vedic hindu yaga cult we remember today, and numerous allied vedic texts took birth during this period only). If the history of india before this period is DARK then for most of it we owe to these brutal ethical lost sungas! > > Love and regards,> > Sreenadh> > > > Let me quote something about Sungas from the following website: http://hemant- bhardwaj. blogspot. com/2008/ 08/sungas- to-kshatrapas- 187-bc-4th- c-ad.html > > //Sunga Empire (187-75 BC) The Sunga dynasty was > > established in 185 BCE, about 50 years after Ashoka's death, when the > > king Brhadrata, the last of the Mauryan rulers, was brutally murdered > > by the then commander-in- chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra Sunga, while he was taking the Guard of Honour of his forces. > > Pusyamitra Sunga then ascended the throne.> > Pusyamitra Sunga, a > > Brahmin, is known for his hostility and persecution towards the > > Buddhist faith. He is recorded as having "destroyed monasteries and > > killed Monks" (Divyavadana, p429-434): 84.000 Buddhist stupas which had been built by the Mauryan king Ashoka were destroyed (R. Thaper), and > > 100 gold coins were offered for the head of each Buddhist monk (Indian Historical Quarterly Vol. XXII, p.81 ff cited in Hars.407). A large > > number of Buddhist monasteries (viharas) were converted to Hindu > > temples, in such places as Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Sarnath or Mathura.> > From around 180 BCE the Indian territory was invaded as far as > > Pataliputra by the Greco-Bactrian ruler Demetrius, with the long-term > > effect of confining the Sungas to the eastern part of India. Demetrius established an Indo-Greek kingdom in the northern and northwestern > > part of India, which was to last until the end of the 1st century BCE, and under which Buddhism was able to flourish. In particular, one of > > the successors of Demetrius, the Indo-Greek "Saviour king" Menander > > (Pali: Milinda) was a strong benefactor of the Buddhist faith at that > > time.> > During the historical Sunga period (185 to 73 BCE), Buddhist > > activity also managed to survive somewhat in central India (Madhya > > Pradesh) as suggested by some architectural expansions that were done > > at the stupas of Sanchi and Bharhut, originally started under King > > Ashoka. These stupas, however, are located quite far from the Sunga > > center of power, and it is questioned whether these works were due to > > the weakness of the control of the Sungas in these areas, or a late > > sign of tolerance on their part. The last of the Sunga kings was > > Devabhuti.//> > Further the following link may help you to read something more about these kings: http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Sunga_Empire> >>