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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00025 Sep 2001

 
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Respected Sri Velukkudi Swamin,

I have a very basic doubt rolling in my mind since longtime...

Last year I had been to "Pancha Dwaraka" Kshetram Yathrai. As per
Geographical hirearchy people over there beleve Bhagavan Sri Krishana lived
exactly 5100 years ago. They also say Sri Rama lived some 11,000 years ago
(Threta yugam).

Now I have some basic doubt's in this regard, they are:

1. Kali yuga is considered to be the shortest of all yugas. Now, when the
difference between Threta yuga and Dwapara yuga is hardly 6,000 years
(11,000-5,100)then in that case we have already past through 5,100 years in
this kali yuga ?

2. I would like to know what is "Sandhi Kalam" (a time gap between each
yugam)and how does it differs for each yugam.

3. I framed some of the above doubts to an elderly scholared person, he said
Dwapara Yuga passed 1,05,000 ago. 5,000 years as per kala dharman and
1,00,000 years of "Sandhi Kalam". And Threta yugam passed more than 3,00,000
years ago.

4. AvataraMurthi Sri Parashu Rama lived both, in Threta Yuga(tested sri rama
when he broke Shiva Dhanushu to marry sita devi) and Dwapara yuga (was guru
to Karna). Had he lived in both yugas? I mean more than 6,000 years (My
doubt is not about Sri Parashu Rama can live so long years, but is it 6,000
years or some lakhs of years)

I would like to clarify, what is duration period for each yuga. How this
cycle repeats and how many cycles make one maha yuga ?

Do SriMann Naryana preach "Bhagavath Gita" in every cycle of yuga for the
benefit of Jivathmas to show them the path to reach him.

Please pardon me and correct me if I have framed a wrong question or a Vague
doubt, it is out of my curiosity and keenness to avoid mystification.

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan,

Kazhiyur Mannar Shantha Kumar



Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 22:35:37 +0530
From: "Velukkudi Krishnan" <velukkudi@xxxx>
Subject: Introduction to gIta (target group - children)

Dear bhagavatas,
In an attempt to give our treasure gItA to children, first I give below an
introduction. Slowly, with the grace of Ramanuja I plan to write the meaning
of each sloka as per visishtAdvaita philosophy. Kindly make your children
read this. It may be below your standard which is wantedly kept so. Pls
encourage your children to ask questions in this forum. After clearing all
those only we would go to the next sloka. Let them ask till they are clear.
You can also help them in asking their doubts. 
Srimad Bhagavad Gita

BACKGROUND:

One of the most important treasures of India, Srimad Bhagavad Geeta, is a
part of sri Mahabharata. Vedas are the source of true and in depth knowledge
for human race. Vedas are of two parts: Poorva Kaanda and Uttara Kaanda.
Poorva Kaanda deals with the Karma (rituals) and Uttara Kaanda (Upanishads
or vedanta) deals with the knowledge on Brahman. Vedas are eternal. Since
they are very difficult to be understood, the Maharishis helped us by
supplementing it with Smritis, Itihasas and Puranas 

Birth of Geetha:

In Kurukshethra, the battle field, the Kauravas (Duryodhana and Brothers)
and the Pandavas (Yudishtra and brothers) were on both sides to start the
battle. Krishna, the cowherd incarnation of Sriman Narayana, was the
charioteer of Arjuna. Krishna started preaching Geetha to Arjuna to clear
his doubts just before the war. This was in Dwaparayuga, the third of the
four yugas. We are now in Kaliyuga, the fourth yuga. It is now 5100 years
since the beginning of Kali yuga. When Krishna ascended 

"sarvOpanishadO gAva: dOgdhA gOpAla nandana: !

pArthO vatsa: sudhIrbhOkta dugdham gItAmrutam mahat!!"

"All the upanishads took the form of a cow, the cowherd knowing the art of
milking was Krishna himself, Arjuna represents the calf, without which a cow
will not give us milk. We - the knowledge mongers are the one to enjoy the
milk, and finally the elixir like milk is - gIta. "GIta is a discussion
between Arjuna and Krishna. This discussion is repeated as a running
commentary by Sanjaya to Drtarashtra. This discussion is an integral part of
Mahabharata which itself is a discussion between janamEjaya and
vaisampAyana. 

Need of Geetha:

Arjuna, just before the war, found all his relatives, gurus and friends on
the opposite side. It is by killing them that he has to regain his lost
kingdom. Arjuna being a satvik, with pious qualities, did not like that. He
thought, to kill them is a sin. So he laid down his bow and arrow, refusing
to fight. He asked Krishna to advise him of what is good to him. Krishna,
the well wisher of this whole universe, took pity on the confused and grief
filled Arjuna. He unveiled Geetha and directed arjuna to do his duty -
fight.

Gist of Geetha:

Yamunacharya's (Alavandar) famous "gItArtha Sangraham" gives the gist of
gIta in one verse.

"svadharma gnAna vairAgya sAdhya bhakthi eka gocara: !

nArayana: param brahma gItA sAstrE samIrita: !!"

One who performs his prescribed duty, with full knowledge of himself and his
master, without desire in worldly pleasures, reaches the stage to practice
Bhakthi yoga. By Bhakthi yoga one can please Narayana and reach Him. So it
is our objective (to reach and serve our master) and means to achieve it
(Bhakthi yoga) that is explained in gItA. Narayana, the supreme Lord, (whom
we have to reach) His nature and qualities are iterated in gIta.

gItA is divided into three hexads (shatkam). The first six chapters deals
with Karma and gnAna yoga which are required for realising the jIvAtma.
After realising the jIvatma, one goes to realise his master paramAtma. Once
he knows the greatness of Paramatma, he wants to reach him. The second six
chapters deals with the unparalleled mastery of Krishna and Bhakthi yoga,
which is to be practiced to reach Lord krishna. The last six again explains
about, atma, paramatma and three yogas.

(to continue later)



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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