Torrie Posted February 8, 2002 Report Share Posted February 8, 2002 I have a question. I am wondering whether the Hindu Gods are fallible or infallible? I am studying some of the world reglions and doing some comparing. So any help will be appreciated. Thanks ------------------ Smile, come, you know you want to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarun Posted February 8, 2002 Report Share Posted February 8, 2002 Almost infallible. Demigods are Cabinet members in ViSNu's administration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shashi Posted February 8, 2002 Report Share Posted February 8, 2002 Originally posted by Torrie: I have a question. I am wondering whether the Hindu Gods are fallible or infallible? I am studying some of the world reglions and doing some comparing. So any help will be appreciated. Thanks I think Indra made many fallibilities aginst Krishna. Its written in the holy books. [This message has been edited by Shashi (edited 02-08-2002).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahnava Nitai Das Posted February 8, 2002 Report Share Posted February 8, 2002 It will depend on which category of demigod they are. There are those who are pure devotees of Lord Vishnu, who are infallible being liberated souls. There are others who are conditioned souls subject to the four defects of material existence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarun Posted February 8, 2002 Report Share Posted February 8, 2002 Once I heard a list of 10 Principle Demigods including: Agni, BhUmi, Candra, Indra, SUrya, VaruNa, VAyu.. All the above are fallible, though very advanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahnava Nitai Das Posted February 8, 2002 Report Share Posted February 8, 2002 Surya is an expansion and incarnation of Lord Narayana (surya-narayana), Vayu is a liberated servant of Sri Hari and the topmost among living entities ("hari sarvottama, vayu jivottama"). Indra belongs to a class of deva that rules based on punya, whereas the Adityas rule based on time (one day of Brahma). Thus many Indras will come and go while the other devas continue to rule. Though Indra is considered the "king" of the devas, in reality he is the most insignificant. The other devas have already seen hundreds of Indras come and go. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajnavalkya describes the 33 main devas as follows: the eight vasus, the 11 rudras, the 12 adityas, indra and prajapati (brahma). [This message has been edited by jndas (edited 02-08-2002).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pujar Posted February 8, 2002 Report Share Posted February 8, 2002 Lot of confusion prevails in the minds of many people about innumerable Hindu Gods. In fact, Hindu religion has come under severe criticism due to this fact, as most of the people do not know the underlying principle. As many dolls of different sizes and types can be made from the same clay, many Gods have taken form from the same original Principle. Individual doll is different from the other, however, all are made of the same Principle. The same thing holds good for Gods too. Basically, Hinduism takes us from Saguna Bhakti to Nirguna Bhakti as we, devotees are incapable of realising or feeling God as Nirguna. A Realised Soul has certainly reached this level and therefore this soul loves everyone irrespective of the caste, creed and religion, considering all of them as God's creation. Apart from this, Lord Srikrishna while showing Viswaroopa on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, did mention that all the different forms of Gods worshipped by many were only his forms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahnava Nitai Das Posted February 8, 2002 Report Share Posted February 8, 2002 All oppulence and strength within the material world is the Lord's "vibhuti". Yet those vibhutis are not the Lord: maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina mat-sthani sarva-bhutani na caham tesv avasthitah "By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them." na ca mat-sthani bhutani pasya me yogam aisvaram bhuta-bhrn na ca bhuta-stho mamatma bhuta-bhavanah "And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities, and although I am everywhere, still My Self is the very source of creation." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarun Posted February 8, 2002 Report Share Posted February 8, 2002 Weren't these 8 vAsus born through SantAnu in GangadevI? 7 subsequently bumped off? Wasn't BhISma the 8th & last? So only Indra's worried about being dethroned by tapasvis. Other 32 positions are relatively or absolutely secure? Like Gal Friday? Office Temps? vs Enron 401K Pension Plan? Oh no! Did I say.. oops. Right example, wrong firm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xvi000 Posted February 9, 2002 Report Share Posted February 9, 2002 Please explain nara-narayana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarun Posted February 11, 2002 Report Share Posted February 11, 2002 U don't look so junior to me. We can see through those '000' portholes. U ain't foolin' nobody. We know u r in behind there somewhere. Nara means man. NArAyaN means God. So "Man-God". KRSNArjun. Which reminds me of ISKCON Mexico 1973. We had a beautifully decorated kiosk at La Feria de Hogar. Hombre-Cisne (Man-Swan) was letter-painted on one wall. ViSNujan SvAmI even showed up with Dayal Chandra & ZrI Galim. Indradev dAs pointed out that we really should've written: "Hombre como Cisne" instead of only "Hombre-Cisne". Hombre-Cisne translates into English like Wolfman, Swanman: Corporal Transfiguration People passing by began to search & inquire about our Swan-Man. 1) Was he exactly half-man/half-swan? 2) Or differently proportioned? 3) How often did he change form? Every Full Moon? 4) Were his distinct features clearly visible to all? Hombre como Cisne is more like, closer to Swan-like Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarun Posted February 11, 2002 Report Share Posted February 11, 2002 Janaka of Videha performed a sacrifice accompanied with numerous gifts > to the priests. Setting apart a thousand cows, he said, "He who is the > most learned in sacred writ amongst you, O Brahmanas, shall drive away > these cows! II 1 II > Yajnavalkya then said, "This way (drive) them!". They said, "Art thou > really the most learned in sacred writ amongst us, Yajnavalkya?" He > replied, "Reverence be to him who is most learned in sacred writ. We are > but hankering after cows". II 2 II > They then said (to one another), "Which of us shall question him?" The > shrewd Shakalya said, "I!" When he (Yajnavalkya) saw him, he said, "Have > the Brahmanas made of thee a thing for quenching the fire-brand, > Shakalya?" II 3 II > He said, "How many demigods are there, Yajnavalkya?" - "Three hundred and > three, and three thousand and three", he replied. - "Yea, so it is!" he > said. "How many demigods are there really, Yajnavalkya?" - "Thirty three" - > "Yea, so it is!" he said. "How many gods are there really, Yajnavalkya?" > - "Three" - "Yea, so it is!" he said. "How many gods are there really, > Yajvavalkya?" - "Two" - "Yea, so it is!" he said. "How many gods are > there really, Yajvavalkya?" - "One and a half." - "Yea, so it is!" he > said. "How many gods are there really, Yajvavalkya?" - "One!" - "Yea, so > it is!" he said. "Who then are those three hundred and three, and three > thousand and three?" II 4 II > He replied, "These are their powers, but thirty three demigods indeed there > are." - "Who are those thirty three?" - "Eight Vasus, eleven Rudras and > twelve Adityas - that makes thirty one; and Indra and Prajapati make up > the thirty three". II 5 II > "Who are the Vasus?" - "Fire, the Earth, the Wind, the Air, the Sun, > Heaven, the Moon and the Stars - these are the Vasus, for these cause > all this (universe) to abide (vas), and hence they are the Vasus." II 6 > II > "Who are the Rudras?" - "These ten vital airs and the self (spirit) is > the eleventh - when these depart from the mortal body, they cause > wailing (rud) and hence they are the Rudras". II 7 II > "Who are the Adityas?" - "The twelve months of the year - these are the > Adityas, for they pass whilst laying hold on everything here (ie. they > cause things to age), and inasmuch as they pass whilst laying hold > (a-da) on everything here, they are the Adityas." II 8 II > "Who is Indra and who Prajapati?" - "Indra, indeed is thunder (or > electricity), and Prajapati the Yajna" - "What is thunder?" - "The > thunderbolt". - "What is Yajna?" - "The animals." II 9 II > "Who then are those three gods?" - "These three worlds, for therein all > the demigods are contained." - Who are those two gods?" - "Food and the > life-breath." - "Who is the one and a half?" - "He who is blowing here > (the wind)" - "Who is the one God?" - "Prana" (ie. Brahman). II 10 II > He (Yajnavalkya) said, "Thou hast gone on questioning me beyond the > Deity, beyond which there must be no questioning: thou shalt die ere > such and such a day, and not even thy bones shall reach thy home". And > so, indeed, did he (Shakalya) die; and robbers carried off his bones, > taking them for something else. Wherefore let no man decry anyone, for > even (by) knowing this, he gets the better of him. II 11 II > > -- Shatapatha Brahmana (Madhyandina) 11.6.3 > ------------------------------ > 1 > Then Vidaghdha, son of Sakala, asked him: "How many demigods are there, > Yajnavalkya?" > Yajnavalkya ascertained the number through the group of mantras known as > the Nivid and said: > "As many as are mentioned in the Nivid of the Visve—devas—three hundred > and three and three > thousand and three." > "Very good," said Sakalya (the son of Sakala) and asked again: > "How many demigods are there, Yajnavalkya?" > "Thirty—three." > "Very good," said Sakalya and asked again: > "How many demigods are there, Yajnavalkya?" > "Six." > "Very good," said Sakalya and asked again: > "How many demigods are there, Yajnavalkya?" > "Three." > "Very good," said Sakalya and asked again: > "How many demigods are there, Yajnavalkya?" > "Two." > "Very good," said Sakalya and asked again: > "How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?" > "One and a half." > "Very good," said Sakalya and asked again: > "How many demigods are there, Yajnavalkya?" > "One." > "Very good," said Sakalya and asked: > "Which are those three hundred and three and those three thousand and > three?" > 2 > Yajnavalkya said: "There are only thirty—three demigods. These others are > but manifestations of them." > "Which are these thirty—three?" > "The eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras and the twelve Adityas—these are > thirty—one. And Indra and > Prajapati make up the thirty—three." > 3 > "Which are the Vasus?" asked Sakalya. > "Fire, the earth, the air, the sky, the sun, heaven, the moon and the > stars—these are the Vasus; for in > them all this universe is placed (vasavah). Therefore they are called > Vasus. > 4 > "Which are the Rudras?" asked Sakalya. > "The ten airs in the human body, with the mind as the eleventh. When > they depart from this > mortal body, they make one's relatives weep. Because they make them weep > (rud), therefore they > are called Rudras. > 5 > "Which are the Adityas?" asked Sakalya. > "There are twelve months in the year. These are the Adityas, because > they move along carrying > (adadanah) all this with them; therefore they are called Adityas." > 6 > "Which is Indra and which is Prajapati?" asked Sakalya. > "The thunderclap is Indra and the sacrifice is Prajapati." > "Which is the thunderclap?" > "The thunderbolt." > "Which is the sacrifice?" > "The animals." > 7 > "Which are the six gods?" asked Sakalya. > "Fire, the earth, the air, the sky, the sun and heaven; for these six > comprise all those." > 8 > "Which are the three gods?" asked Sakalya. > "These three worlds, because all those demigods are comprised in these > three." > "Which are the two gods?" > "Matter and the vital breath (prana)." > "Which are the one and a half?" > "This air that blows." > 9 > Yajnavalkya said: "Concerning this some say: 'Since the air blows as one > substance, how can it be > one and a half (adhyardha)?' The answer is: It is one and a half because > by its presence everything > attains surpassing glory (adhyardhnot)." > "Which is the one God?" > "The vital breath (Hiranyagarbha); it is Brahman which is called That > (Tyat)." > ---Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 3.9 (received from Dr Jaya, meant to be shared y all) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xvi000 Posted February 11, 2002 Report Share Posted February 11, 2002 U don't look so junior to me. We can see through those '000' portholes. U ain't foolin' nobody. We know u r in behind there somewhere. OK. III'm bat-man. Likewise, in the tenth year of the Trojan War, Apollo came down from heaven darker than night (although he is usually called the bright one) and, in order to punish the arrogance of Agamemnon who had humiliated and dismissed one of his priests, the god let his arrows rain on the Achaean camp, decimating the army by means of a pestilence that took many lives.BUT, don't mistake me to be omniscient on account of the knowledges received from my s. ego. Go on with "KRSNArjun" now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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