Ananda Valli - Instructions in Happiness

[supercow]

I am interested in Lord Indra.

I have heard he keeps a few Gandaharva's such as Menaka for his enjoyment? Is this true? Isn't he married?

 

 

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

The following is the Ananda Valli from the Taittiriya Upanishad explaining the different levels of happiness among various species of life. My comments are in brackets.

 

saisa 'nandasya mimamgumsa bhavati | yuva syatsadhu yuva 'dhyayakah | asistho dridhistho balisthah | tasyeyam prithivi sarva vittasya purna syat | sa eko manusa anandah |

 

"Now this is an assessment of Bliss: Let it be supposed that there is a youth, a noble youth, in the prime of age, most swift and alert, perfectly whole and resolute, most vigorous and of good learning, and that to him belongs the entire earth laden with all riches. Then we have in him one measure of human joy."

 

te ye satam manusa anandah | sa eko manusyagandharvanamanandah | srotriyasya cakamahatasya |

 

"One hundred such units of human joy make up a single unit of joy which the manushya gandharva possesses. A sage full of revelation and free from all cravings also possesses the same joy."

 

[Gandharva in general refers to a species of heavenly musicians. There are two categories of gandharvas mentioned in these verses. The first is the manushya gandharvas - or human gandharvas, and the second is the deva gandharvas - or heavenly gandharvas. On the earthly planet there are many realms of existence that are inaccessible to the ordinary humans. These realms exist on high dimensions of space. According to the Vedic conception of reality there are 64 dimensions of existence, of which ordinary humans interact with three. The manushya gandharvas live in higher dimensions within the earthly realm of existence. There are many descriptions within the Puranas of lands existing on this planet that are inaccessible to us. For example, there are three different levels of the Himalayas. What we experience as the Himalayas is only the lowest dimensional level. It is described in the Mahabharata that Bhima was able to visit many of these higher dimensional realms when he was collecting wealth for the rajasuya yajna. Also the palace of Yudhisthira Maharaja was created by yakshas, who exist on higher dimensions. The artwork they made for the palace (paintings, carpets, ceiling, etc.) was actually animated and in three dimensions. So much so that it was not possible to distinguish it from reality. For those who are existing in three dimensions, a painting will be done in two dimensions. But for those existing in four dimensions, a painting will be done in three dimensions. This is why Duryodhana was confused when he entered Yudhisthira's palace, and ended up stepping in a pond, thinking it was the floor.]

 

te ye satam manusya-gandharvanamanandah | sa eko devagandharva-namanandah | srotriyasya cakamahatasya |

 

"One hundred such units of joy which the manushya gandharva possesses make the joy of the deva gandharva. A sage full of revelation and free from all cravings also possesses the same joy."

 

[This verse is describing the heavenly gandharvas. They are a heavenly species. Their leader is Visvavasu, who guards the soma rasa. This category of gandharva mainly makes up the celestial musicians. They entertain the higher devas and perform in Indras court.]

 

te ye satam devagandarvanamanandah | sa ekah pitrinam ciralokalokanamanandah | srotriyasya cakamahatasya |

 

"One hundred such units of joy which the deva dandharva possess make the joy of the Pitrus who inhabit the long enduring would. A sage full of revelation and free from all cravings also possesses the same joy."

 

[The Pitruloka is a heavenly abode which exists beyond the realm of the fourteen planetary systems of the universe. It is a very special abode within this universe. Those who perform great pious activities may be elevated to this planet. The unique feature of this realm is that one's enjoyment and duration of stay is increased according to the sacrifices of one's descendants on Earth. This is one of the reasons why the sraddha ceremony (worship of Vishnu) is performed every year to the forefathers.]

 

te ye satam pitrinam satam ciralokaloka-namanandah | sa eka ajanajanam devanamanandah | srotriyasya cakamahatasya |

 

"One hundred such units of joy which the Pitrus inhabiting the long enduring world possess make the joy of those demigods who are so by birth in the Ajana heaven (ajana devas). A sage full of revelation and free from all cravings also possesses the same joy."

 

[The ajanadevas are those who are born during and under the rule of Manu. There are 14 Manus in every day of Brahma (the universal creator). Each Manu rules for a period known as a manvantara. This period is roughly calculated to be 71 divya-yugas (a divya-yuga consists of 4,320,000 earthly years). At the end of the Manvantara there is a partial devastation within the universe known as pralaya. There are several categories of devastation that occur cyclically within the universe, leading up the the maha-pralaya, or the dissolution of the entire universe. One such category of dissolution is that which occurs at the end of the rule of Manu. At that time the realms inhabited by these ajanadevas are destroyed along with the inhabitants.]

 

te ye satamajanajanam devanamanandah | sa ekah karmadevanam deva namanadnah | ye karmana devanapiyanti | srotriyasya cakamahatasya |

 

"One hundred such units of joy which the Ajana-born demigods (ajana devas) possess make the joy of those who have become demigods (karma devas) by the force of their deeds. A sage full of revelation and free from all cravings also possesses the same joy."

 

[The karma devas are those who are elavated to the heavenly abode due to their performing the prescribed ritualistic activities of the Vedas (karma-kanda). These people are described by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita:

 

yam imam puspitam vacam

pravadanty avipascitah

veda-vada-ratah partha

nanyad astiti vadinah

 

kamatmanah svarga-para

janma-karma-phala-pradam

kriya-visesa-bahulam

bhogaisvarya-gatim prati

 

"Men of small intelligence are very much attached to the flowery words of the Vedas, which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power, and so forth. Being desirous of sense gratification and opulent life, they say there is nothing more than this."

 

These people are completely bewildered by the illusory energy:

 

bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam

tayapahrita-cetasam

 

Their mind is bewildered due to their strong attachment to material enjoyment (bhoga) and opulence (aisvarya). The Vedas deal mainly with the three modes of material nature. Those who do not become transcendental to the ritualistic activities of the Vedas become conditioned within the three modes.

 

The Karma Devas are residents of the heavenly planets. Their stay there depends on the amount of punya (pious results) they have accumulated on the earthly realm. As they enjoy in the heavenly abode they use up their pious results and eventually they again fall down to the earthly planet. This process has been described in detail in another post. Ksine-punye martyalokam visanti.]

 

te ye satam karmadevanam devanamanandah | sa eko devanamanandah | srotriyasya cakamahatasya devanamanandah |

 

"One hundred such units of joy which those demigods who have become such by their deeds (karma devas) make the joy of the controlling demigods (devas). A sage full of revelation and free from all cravings also possesses the same joy."

 

[The controlling demigods (devas) possess a life span that is equal to one day of Brahma (1,000 divya-yugas, or 4,320,000,000 earthly years). This category includes most of the elemental controllers as well as most of the demigods within the court of Indra. Various demigods such as Ganesha, Karttikeya, etc., are actually posts that are occupied by a particular living entity for one day of Brahma. At the end of the day of Brahma, when the dissolution waters fill the universe, they leave their respective posts and allow other living entities to fill them. For example, it is described in the Puranas that in the present day of Brahma, the post of Karttikeya (Skanda) is being occupied by Sri Sanat-kumara, the great liberated son of Lord Brahma.]

 

te ye satam devanamananadah | sa eka indrasyanandah | srotiyasya cakamahatasya |

 

"One hundred such units of joy of the highest gods make the joy of Indra. A sage full of revelation and free from all cravings also possesses the same joy."

 

[indra belongs to a different category than the controlling devas. His position is based on his punya (pious results) and when his punya expires he losses his post as controller of the heavens. The enjoyment of Indra may be higher than that of the controlling demigods, but his duration of stay is much shorter. By sitting on the seat of Indra one burns up all of one's pious results at a very rapid pace. For this reason Sukracharya (the spiritual master of the demons) instructed Bali Maharaj to rule Indraloka after defeating the demigods but not to sit on Indra's throne. For if he sat on Indra's throne his punya would finish and he would lose his position very quickly. The controlling demigods hold their posts for a fixed duration of time (one day of Brahma), so they see many hundreds of Indras come and go.]

 

te ye satamindrasyanandah | sa eko brihaspateranandah | srotriyasya cakamahatasya |

 

"One hundred such units of Indra's joy make the joy of Brihaspati. A sage full of revelation and free from all cravings also possesses the same joy."

 

[brihaspati is the spiritual master of the demigods (including Indra). Due to Indra's offence against Brihaspati he was defeated by the demon king Bali. Bali, even though he was a demon, had obeyed and pleased his spiritual master. Thus with the blessings of his guru he was able to defeat the king of heaven. The system of respecting one's guru is so powerful that even if one is a demon, one will prevail, and even a demigod will fall for offending his spiritual master.]

 

satam brihaspaterananda sa ekah prajapateranandah | srotriyasya cakamahatasya |

 

"One hundred such units of Brihaspati's joy make the joy of Prajapati. A sage full of revelation and free from all cravings also possesses the same joy."

 

[Prajapati here refers to Lord Brahma, the secondary creator of the Universe. Prajapati means the lord of population. Lord Brahma, being the first living entity within the universe has the responsibility to populate the universe with all species of life. There is a secondary category of Prajapatis who are sons of Lord Brahma. This verse is not refering to the secondary Prajapatis. Lord Brahma, being the topmost living entity within the material world has the most developed senses of all. As you progress from the lower human species up to the demigods and finally to Brahma, their bodies become more and more subtle. Brahmas body is the subtlest body within the material universe. The only exception to this is Lord Siva, whose body is the time factor.]

 

te ye satam prajapateranandah | sa eko brahmana anandah | srotriyasya cakamahatasya |

 

"One hundred such units of Prajapati's joy make the bliss of Brahman. A sage who is full of revelation and free from all cravings possesses all these various measures of joy."

 

[Here the spiritual bliss of realizing Brahman is described as 100 times the enjoyment of Brahma. This is not a literal equation, as the bliss of Brahman is spiritual and the happiness of Brahma is material. They are two completely different experiences, one of external matter, and the other of the spiritual self. This verse is simply trying to give us an idea of what is spiritual happiness by comparing it to something we have or can experienced within this world. It is similar to saying Lord Krishna face is as beautiful as a lotus flower. Actually Lord Krishna is the source of all beauty, and the lotus is a minor reflection of that beauty. It is impossible to compare His beauty to that of a lotus. But because we have experienced the beauty of a lotus, the scriptures will hint to us that Krishna's face is beautiful like that. In reality Krishna's beauty is unlimited times greater than anything within existence. It is actually even humorous to try to compare Krishna to something material. It is like telling a professional singer that he sings as beautiful as a donkey. Because we do not understand anything beyond our immediate perception the scriptures give descriptions in that manner.]

 

sa yascayam puruse | yascasavaditye | sa ekah | sa ya evamvit | asmallokat pretya | etamannamayamatmanamupasankramati | etam manomayamatmanamupasankramati etam vijnanamayamatmanamupasankramati | etamanandamayamatmanamupasankramati | tadapyesa sloko bhavati | iti astamo 'nuvakah |

 

"And this bliss which is in the human being and in the yonder Sun are the same. He who comprehends fully as stated above, after departing from this world, transcends the Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya, and Anandamaya selfs. With regard to that there is also this memorial stanza."

 

[it is significant that for every comparison the following words are added: srotriyasya cakamahatasya, "a sage who is full of revelation and free from all cravings possesses this same joy." A self realized soul is situated in Brahman, which is described by Lord Krishna as follows:

 

brahmano hi pratisthaham

amritasyavyayasya ca

sasvatasya ca dharmasya

sukhasyaikanthikasya ca

 

"I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness." One who has attained the spiritual happiness of Brahman possesses and surpasses all other levels of happiness.

 

yavan artha udapane

sarvatah samplutodake

 

"All purposes served by a small well can at once be served by a great reservoir of water."]

 

[R_Srisan]

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THE HOLY NAME PRIOR</center>

 

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AUM TAT SAT

Srisan@iwmail.com

 

<FONT SIZE=1>All these nectarian opportunities to hear, glorify and remember devotional service are of a technical nature and vast scope that inadvertently may trigger many conflicting terminologies and concepts. May The Lord be so merciful that everyone has an answer for anything, inclusively with being merciful to this Srisan service of The Jiyer, as I have omitted much in support, do not intend to offend, and as it is given not to argue.

 

"May The Lord Bless You and Keep You onto His Devotional Services throughout the infinite. For as the great medical doctors are mostly seen amidst the sick, or pressing forth directly into the depths of disease; so march forth the millions of Devotional Servants of The Holy Name, carrying The Lord's torchlight of graceful mercy throughout the Three Worlds securing the darkest regions of violate temporal nature. We do not claim to be pure, we only beg to serve the purification; for we have pursued the Priesthood onto The One Supreme Lord Orderer of Infinity, knowing but the least; we are not He we serve."</FONT>

 

 

 

[adreamgodus]

Om Shanti

 

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