--- In tiruvenkatam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Sudarshan K Madabushi" <mksudarshan2002@xxxx> wrote: Dear members, In the light of recent discussions (on T'venkatam list and others as well) about the land of India being a "karma-bhoomi" and the Western nations being "bhOgha-bhoomi", I thought an old posting of mine from the Tiruvenkatam archives may perhaps be of interest/relevance to some of you. I reproduce it below. Please feel free to discuss the topic again on the T'venkatam list if you feel the need for it. Regards, dAsan, Sudarshan ******************** --- "Mukundan <krupa@xxxx>" <krupa@xxxx> wrote: > Dear srI. Sudarshan Swami, > > From Srimad-Bhagavatham, we know that Bharatham is the Only Karma > Bhoomi. Other regions have been defined as Bhoga Bhoomi et al, with > > some dEvathAs incharge. Can you kindly elaborate on this. > > Also, I would like to know how our SiddhAntham views the existence of living-beings in Other distant planets. > > dAsan > Mukundan > Singapore ************** Dear Sri.Mukundan, It's a very interesting question you raise. There is no easy answer to it. I will try however to provide one to the best of my meagre knowledge. Please remember that the word "bhOga" means self-gratification, enjoyment or delighting. And the word "karma", as used in this context here, means "self-renunciation". The saying that "bhAratham" is "karma-bhUmi" and the rest of the world is "karma-bhUmi" is an age-old and very popular one, no doubt. But as far as I know it is not founded on any clear texts from the Veda. As you know, the majesty of Vedic appeal is universal in its sweep. The Vedas do not confine themselves to bias such as "bhAratham" or elsewhere. The Vedas give expression to universal principles and cosmic aspiration. They do not recognize any geographical boundaries, least of all that of India. The ageless 'sruti' know no barriers, neither natural nor man-made, and hence do not speak in such narrow terms. The statement -- that "bhAratham" is "karma-bhUmi" and other nations are "bhOga-bhUmi" --- is, if you examine it very carefully, a very ambiguous one. It leaves us rather unsure whether it is meant to present the land of India in good or bad light. Is it meant to convey pride or patriotism for India? Or is it that by contrasting "karma-bhUmi" with "bhOga-bhUmi" it is trying to say something against other lands? We may ask, is there no "bhOga" at all in "bhAratham"? And conversely, is there no "karma" at all in nations other than "bhAratham"? All these questions and ambivalent feelings crop up in our minds when we examine the statement closely. References to "karma-bhUmi" in the 'purAnA-s' are very, very rare indeed. Apart from the famous reference in the 'Srimadh Bhagavatham' one can hardly find it repeated in any other 'purAnA' (except perhaps, one may argue, in the "bhavishya-purANa" where a reference in far less similar form is made to the lands in the River Tambraparani basin in T.Nadu). Nowhere else in the "purAnA-s" (to the best of adiyane's limited knowledge) can one come across any reference to lands other than 'bhAratham' being "bhOga-bhUmi". It is my opinion that the word "bhOga-bhumi" first came into use only as late as in the 1880-s CE when Swami Vivekananda used it to describe the land of America while he was touring that country giving his famous series of lectures. Let's turn to the actual reference to "karma-bhUmi" in 'Srimadh BhAgavatham': etadeva hi deva gAyanti: ahO amIsham kimakAri shObanam prasanna esAm sviduta svayam harIh: yairjanma labdham nrshu bhAratAjIrE mukunda sevaupayikam sprhA hi nah: - kim dushkarair nah kratubhih tapOvrataih dAnAdibhirvA dyujayEna phalgunA; na yatrA nArAyaNa pAdapankaja smritih pramushtAti sayEndriyOtsavAt -- kalpa yUshAm sthAna jayAt punarbhavAt kshanA yushAm bhAratabhUjayO varam; kshanEna martyEna krtam manasvinah: sannyasya samyAntya bhayam padam harE: - "srimadh bhAgavatham" (V.xix. 20-22): ********* ************ The above verses have been translated as follows: "The gods in Heaven sang of the glory of human birth in the land called "bhArata" (India): "Oh, What good deeds have these souls done That Hari, the indweller of all things, Has seen it fit to reward them With birth in the continent of India -- A birth that enables a life of loving service unto Him! Oh! What would we not do to earn such reward ourselves? After all, what have we the denizens of these heavens achieved Through years and years of austere 'tapa' fasting and charity? The joys of heaven are ours to feast, no doubt, But alas, the remembrance of Narayana still escapes us... Far better, we think, it is to live in India Even if for but a few moments, Than ages in these heavenly provinces -- FOr there great souls, Fearless, free and merry-- Having renounced all unto the feet of God Live forever in Him! ********************************* If you notice in the verse as well as in the translation, nowhere is there mention of "bhAratha" as being "karma-bhUmi" -- that specific word is not used at all. What is said is that the "dEvA-s" are envious of earthlings who live in the land called "bhAratam". Now why are they envious? Because human beings in this land are able to perform undisturbed 'service to Narayana' -- mukunda sevaupayikam. In other words, the people of India live a happy life of complete renunciation. There is a very interesting truth here to note. The 'dEvas' live in the celestial worlds ("svarga"). There is no dearth of delight ("bhOga") in those worlds. The right to enjoy such celestial "bhOga" was earned by the devas through strenuous "tapa" and "dAna" -- tapOvrataih dAnAdibhirvA -- i.e. through ceaseless work, sacrifice and strife. Yet, the Bhagavatham tells us that the dEvas were still fond of whining and moaning about their plight! And what do they complain about? They say humans in the land of India are better off! Now why do they say so? Because there is no sense of fulfillment in the celestial worlds. A sense of consummation, or a sense of complete soulful satisfaction eludes the world of devas even. The plight of the devas in the celestial world and those of us here who live in the so-called "bhOga-bhUmi-s" of the Western world are not dissimilar. Living in a nation or society that has the highest standards of living is in itself really no perfect guarantee for individual happiness. We can live anywhere we choose, enjoying all kinds of self-gratification through every conceivable means of "bhOga". And yet (as we see in many countries even today) we may not be able to escape suffering, fear, misery and unhappiness. The purpose of the above verse from Srimadh Bhagavatham is really thus, I think, not to glorify the physical landscape of India or for that matter any other in the world. Its chief purpose is only to help us understand that the greatest of "bhOga-bhUmi-s" is no source of happiness -- not for humans, not for devas -- if in such a land there is no opportunity for 'nArAyaNa pAdapankaja smritih'... the unending contemplation of God and loving service to Him. The "bhOga" available plentifully in a land may be the fruit of "tapas" and "dAna" -- of ceaseless work, sacrifice and strife. But if such "bhOga" distracts one away from or, worse still, impedes "nArAyaNa smritih' or "mukunda seva upayikam" -- of what use then is living in such a land? The devas in the Bhagavatham hence are seen to exclaim, "Better to live in the land of humans, where means of "bhOga" are far inferior and yet be able to sing the Glory of God, than to live in this 'svarga' and lose all thought of Him! ******** ************ ********* The "bhAratham" of the Srimadh Bhagavatham days was obviously a nation where "nArAyaNa pAdapankaja smritih" was widely prevalent amongst the peoples. Which is why Sage Vyasa, the author of Srimadh Bhagavatham, perhaps made the 'devAs' appear as being very envious of the citizens of India. Whether such a similar state as Vyasa witnessed in his times exists today in present-day India or, for that matter, anywhere else in the world, is matter we can only debate about. One thing though can be surely said: the real land of 'bhAratham' lies wherever there is true and constant "nArAyana-smritih". Regards, dAsan, Sudarshan --- End of archived message --- --- End forwarded message --- ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give hope to a child. Helping a needy child is easier than you think. Click here to meet someone who needs your help. http://us.click.yahoo.com/smp9aD/HohJAA/i1hLAA/VkWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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