[Advaita-l] The 'Snake-and-ladder' game - The Spiritual path

[Kalyan]

//The God of the dualists (We can't just Abrahamic because this 
applies to certain Indian theisms too.) is a sadistic puppetmaster who 
creates some jivas only to torture them with eternal hell.  Such a monster 
is not worthy of upasana. //
Regarding god being a puppet master -ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति।

भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया।।gita 18.61।।
18.61 O Arjuna, the Lord resides in the region of the heart of all creatures, revolving through Maya all the creatures (as though) mounted on a machine!
English Translation Of Sri Shankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary By Swami Gambirananda


18.61 Arjuna, O Arjuna-one whose self is naturally white (pure), i.e. one possessing a pure internal organ. This follows from the Vedic text, 'The day is dark and the day is arjuna (white) (Rg. 6.9.1). Isvarah, the Lord , Narayana the Ruler; tisthati, resides, remains seated; hrd-dese, in the region of the heart; sarva-bhutanam, of all creatures, of all living beings. How does He reside? In answer the Lord says: bhramayan, revolving; mayaya, through Maya, through delusion; sarva-bhutani, all the creatures; as though yantra-arudhani, mounted on a machine-like man' etc., made of wood, mounted on a machine. The word iva (as though) has to be thus understood here. Bhramayan, revolving, is to be connected with tisthati, resides (conveying the idea, 'resides৷৷.while revolving').
Regarding eternal hell -अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः।

प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ।।gita 16.16।।

English Translation Of Sri Shankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary By Swami Gambirananda


16.16 Aneka-citta-vibhrantah, bewildered by numerous thoughts, confounded variously by thoughts of the kind stated above; moha-jala-samavrtah, caught in the net of delusion-moha is non-discrimination, lack of understanding; that itself is like a net because of its nature of covering; enshrouded by that; prasaktah, engrossed; kama-bhogesu, in the enjoyment of desirable objects, being immersed in that itself; they patanti, fall, owing to the sins accumulated thery; asucau, into a foul; narake, hell, such as Vaitarani. [Vaitarani: It is the most terrible place of punishment; a river filled with all kinds of filth-blood, hair, bones etc., and running with great impetuosity, hot and fetid. The other hells are Tamisra, Andhatamisra, Raurava, Kumbhipaka, and so on.]

तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान्।

क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु।।gita 16.19।।





English Translation Of Sri Shankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary By Swami Gambirananda





16.19 Because of their defect of unrighteousness, aham, I; ksipami, cast, hurl; ***ajasram, for ever***; all tan, those; who are dvisatah, hateful of Me; kruran, cruel; and asubhan, who are evil doers; samsaresu, in the worlds-who are on the paths leading to hell; who are the nara-adhaman, vilest of human beings, who are opposed to the right path, who are hostile to the pious people; eva, verily; asurisu, into the demoniacal; yonisu, classes-tigers, loins, etc., which are full of evil deeds. The verb cast is to be connected with 'into the classes'.