Karma-kanda and Impersonal aspect?

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

I am trying to figure out, how this karma-kanda section and impersonal aspect, what is the philosophy behind it?

 

I am sure Muslims and many others are following this path [by deduction science-I am not even sure what that word means].

 

Can any devotees who are experienced in knowledge shed some light on it, with some sastric referrences. ?

 

I know that usually the Bhagavad-gita is intrepretated by Karmis and they establish God as impersonal, so they can enjoy in heavenly planets. That said. I still cannot seem to figure out how they exactly they establish this?

 

Plus I have a short duration of life so would be helpful if experienced devotees told me what they already know.

 

 

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

I read many muslims converted to Vaishnavium. In Mahaprabhu's time. Because there is hardly any philosphy behind Karma Kanda section [i think there isn't?].

 

They worship God as Impersonal but they have a desire to goto 'Paradise' or heavenly pleasures. They say 'nobody has ever seen God'. Maybe because they consider God to be impersonal!. Although in qu'ran it is stated about God being personal [i saw some reffs]. I think if they worship God but think His got personal form..

 

Karma-kanda section, they usually want heavently enjoyment, but I think they know it's temporary [or do they?]. I did read that when thier pious acitivies are exhausted they again fall into this world. It makes sence I think. Because there is not much difference between being here and being there, just supiroir enjoyment. Using my commen sence it's not exactly purebhakti.

 

I guess I answered my own question, admin can go ahead and delete this thread...seeya

[Guest guest]

obviously the best teacher and vedic scholar is Srila Prabhupada so to quote this verse and purport is most applicable.

 

Bhagavad Gita 2.42-43

Text 42-43

 

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

 

Translation

 

Men of small knowledge 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 that there is nothing more than this.

 

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

 

People in general are not very intelligent, and due to their ignorance they are most attached to the fruitive activities recommended in the karma-kanda portions of the Vedas. They do not want anything more than sense gratificatory proposals for enjoying life in heaven, where wine and women are available and material opulence is very common. In the Vedas many sacrifices are recommended for elevation to the heavenly planets, especially the jyotistoma sacrifices. In fact, it is stated that anyone desiring elevation to heavenly planets must perform these sacrifices, and men with a poor fund of knowledge think that this is the whole purpose of Vedic wisdom. It is very difficult for such inexperienced persons to be situated in the determined action of Krishna consciousness. As fools are attached to the flowers of poisonous trees without knowing the results of such attractions, unenlightened men are similarly attracted by such heavenly opulence and the sense enjoyment thereof.

 

In the karma-kanda section of the Vedas it is said, apama somam amrita abhuma and akshayyam ha vai caturmasya-yajinah sukritam bhavati. In other words, those who perform the four-month penances become eligible to drink the soma-rasa beverages to become immortal and happy forever. Even on this earth some are very eager to have soma-rasa to become strong and fit to enjoy sense gratifications. Such persons have no faith in liberation from material bondage, and they are very much attached to the pompous ceremonies of Vedic sacrifices. They are generally sensual, and they do not want anything other than the heavenly pleasures of life. It is understood that there are gardens called Nandana-kanana in which there is good opportunity for association with angelic, beautiful women and having a profuse supply of soma-rasa wine. Such bodily happiness is certainly sensual; therefore there are those who are purely attached to such material, temporary happiness, as lords of the material world.

 

 

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

I guess then it is mixed Bhakti, Jnana mixed with Karma.

[Guest guest]

no bhakti, only material sense gratification and there endeavours how to achieve the highest sense gratification, namely in the heavenly regions of the universe, thus the word "karma" is used. Karma means fruitive activity. There is also karma yoga in bhagavad gita, but that is different, the word "yoga" (connecting with the supreme) is used. Karma yoga is when you offer some of the fruits of material activities to the Supreme Lord, Bhakti yoga is everything including your body being used as service to the lord.

 

Karma "kanda" is only dealing with the material, as prescribed in the flowery words of the vedas, which of course we do not follow.

When Srila Vyasadeva compiled the four vedas he was chastised as cheating the living entities because the vedas are only going to distract the living entities with flowery words from there true position and relationship with Krishna. His mind was unsatisfied after compiling the veda's because he had not explained the true essence of vedanta so he then compilied the Srimad Bhagavatam and fulfilled the goal of his main purpose in writing the vedic literatures.

So it is explained that the four vedas mainly deal with the material and karma kanda is contained within the four veda's.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

All this is little hard to remember for me. It is like sometimes I need to r'remember certain facts so my doubts are diminished. ..

[Guest guest]

The karma kaad has always been in the vedic culture and offers real life solutions to spiritual and material problems. It is not just about going to heaven and sense gratificationl. Since there is life, there are problems, and since there are problems in life, they don't let you progress. It is Shastra samvat to seek karma kaand solutions to these problems on a spiritual levelm There is no harm in it. Krishna and Rama did that too. So did their forefathers. Were they men of small intelligence?? This is certainley not true. What implies here is that do not run blindly after just sense gratification or remain too attached to them because then you tend to return again and again to this world to seek and enjoy that. That is the purpose. But to practice karma-kaanda is not wrong and is authorized by the Vedas! This is part of Vedic culture.

[Guest guest]

Man this cheating by Veda Vyasa interpretation is so off the track!!

It is an explaination without any basis. Why would a wise rishi of a level of Shri Veda Vyasas waste so much of his valuable time to cheat people so that they could go away from God. This is so off man!!

This theory is propagated int the Gaudiya Sampradaya to help people not to get too much entabgled into other attractive things in the Vedas, but actually they all have a purpose to make the human life more comfortable and useful and progress spiritually!

It is also wrong that Karma kaand is just totally material things. This is not true. Karma-Kaand deals with material as well as spiritual upliftement. Both are necessary! Karma-Kaand with bhakti produces better results than just plain emotions imagining things.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

I think when you Worship the impersonal aspect, which is impossible. Because it is not pure or the souls constitutioal position, it doesn't have the spiritual 'rasa'. But the Personal Form of God with His many variengated pastimes does for me anyway. Even using my commen sence, IF I am attracted to these pastimes, again and again and again and again, without ever being tired, how is it that the impersonal aspect can hold attraction for me? Conclude..