Mankind as beasts of burden

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

[was Re: Are GODs just symbolic ??? ]

On Fri, 19 Jul 2002 bhaskar.yr at IN.ABB.COM wrote:

> praNAm
> Hare Krishna
>
> Below is the quote I found in the book titled *Maha Yoga* by *Who* -
> Lakhmana Sharma Published by RamaNAshramam, Thiruvannamalai.  Can any of
> the learned members give me the implicit meaning of this upanishad verse??
> on the face of it, it is clear that treating god is an outsider & an
> objective reality is meaningless unless identify oneself with HIM .  Thanks
> for your kind clarification in advance.
>
> //quote//
> Bruhadaranyakopanishad (1.4.10) It is said  that : He that serves a
> separate deity - thinking "he is one & I am another - is ignorant; he is
> like a quadruped for the gods in heaven.
> //unquote//
>

On my recent travels, I picked up a book called "Call of Jagadguru" which
is a collection of discourses by Swami Chandrashekhara Bharati of
Shringeri.  In one of them he quotes Swami Madhusudana Saraswati on the
three stages of Bhakti.

tasyaivAhaM mamaivAsau sa evAhamiti tridhA |

1. I belong to the Lord.
2. The Lord belongs to me.
3. The lord is verily myself.

The first corresponds to Karma.  It is based on the belief that one must
serve God out of fear of punishment.

The second corresponds to Bhakti in the conventional sense.  There is an
intense feeling of love and a desire to do as God wishes.  But there is
still a sense of seperation.

The third is Jnana which is also the highest Bhakti because then one knows
that there is no difference between Paramatma and atma.

In this quote, the Rshi is addressing people of the first type.  Allthough
even they are a cut above the ordinary man becuse the act not out of greed
but a sense of duty, they do so for rewards and and to avoid punishment.

Amongst the Devas there also those who are called Karmadevatas, they have
reached their high position because of their good deeds in previous lives.
For instance Indra is called Shatakratu because he performed 100
Ashvamedha yajnas which is how he reached the office of Indra.  Because
they reached their position because of karma they have a certain svartha
or selfishness themselves.  In the Puranas there are many stories about
how Indra got jealous of some mortal who was close to reaching His total
and usurping His place.  Just as people look to the Gods for favors, They
took depend on us for offerings, prayers etc. which are their food.  The
lower type of Bhakta is like a cow to be milked of donations.

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/