[Advaita-l] About beef eating in Upanishada

[Sujal Upadhyay]

Nice Article Nitin,

I recall that in bhAshya on viShNu sahasranAma, our AchArya Adi Sankara
bhagavadpAda while commenting on #187 govinda says that 'gau' means 'vAka'
i.e. vANI (speech). It is an oblation of speech. The whole world was
created by sound of 'a' 'अ' and 'I'  'ई'

When veda-s, purANA-s and itihAsa are interpreted as inner oblation,
oblation of inner breath, breath of prANa (energy) flowing from
sahasrahAra, iDA and pingalA, the entire context is changed.

The word 'gau' has many meanings. Cow is just one of them.

Maybe Shri Venkata Sriram could throw more light. I am not qualified enough
to speak on this topic. Just trying to think from yogic POV.

Mantra-s are formulated in such a way so as to resonate with certain energy
centers (chakra-s) and nāḍī-s, thereby purifying and activating them for
spiritual progress.


An example:

Demigods are the definite energy centers within our subtle bodies. Chanting
a mantra will activate these psychic nerve centers i.e. chakra-s, cleanse
psychic nerves called as nāḍī-s raise the kunḍalinī to get enlightenment.

Whatever is inside is reflected in the outside worldly more or less
similarly. Many riddles in the veda-s which do not make sense like Rāhu and
Ketu engulfing Chandra and Sūrya appear as unscientific from outward
observation, as Rāhu and kētu are planets and covering Moon and Sun is a
natural process of eclipse. However, Rāhu and Kētu represents prāṇa-s. Moon
(chandra) and Sun (sūrya) are nāḍī-s known as īḍā and pingalā which are
located on left and right side of Suṣumṇā respectively. They start from
just above Mulādhāra chakra and end on tip of nostrils. Īḍā ends on left
side and pingalā ends on right side. Eclipse is the yogic process of
in-breath from īḍā towards the inverted energy triangle called yonī, where
kunḍalinī hides. In-breath covers yonī and kunḍalinī  with prāṇa.
Out-breath rises from yonī without activating kunḍalinī. Breathing
simultaneously from both nāḍī-s (nostrils) has it’s advantages and merits,
but it blocks the rising of kuṇḍalinī through suṣumṇā thereby creating an
eclipse. The process repeats with pingalā nāḍī. In other words, the inner
breath, covers or eclipses kunḍalinī. When kunḍalinī is struck and
awakened, it initially rises from iḍā and pingalā and later from susumṇā.
When kunḍalinī rises from suṣumṇā, it pulls all the types of prāṇa-s from
all nāḍī-s including idā and pingalā. prāṇa-s merge with kunḍalinī in
suṣumṇā and kunḍalinī takes them along with her, rising upto sahasrāra
chakra and gently rising out of sahasrāra, merging in infinity. When this
divine phenomenon happens, one gets enlightenment. But this outward rising
of kuṇḍalinī is not easy. nāḍī-s, chakra-s, prāṇa-s and mind needs to be
highly purified. They get purified by chanting of mantra-s.

Īndra is often represented as intellect. In veda-s and purāṇā-s, there is a
legend of Īndra winning over Vritrā. Vritrā, the demon, represents
ignorance or dullness which blocks the mind. Īndra, the awakened intellect,
slays Vritrā and frees all the blocked rivers. Rivers represent nāḍī-s. We
also find in rig veda that it is Devī Sarasvatī who slays Vritrā. Sarasvatī
represents knowledge. In this case, both Īndra and Sarasvatī represent
‘awakened mind’ or ‘awakened intellect’. Hence it does not matter whether
who killed Vrittrā. It is ignorance getting uprooted by knowledge.

The story of slaying of Vritrā is a yogic process of an awakened intellect
destroying ignorance and cleansing nāḍī-s thereby progressing spiritually.
Playing with kuṇḍalinī and chakra-s must be done under the care and
guidance of a competent guru else it will do more harm and help. It is not
possible for laymen to experience subtle bodies and find exact location of
chakra-s and nāḍī-s by ourselves. Vedic and purāṇic stories are encrypted
riddles in order to protect them from being misused or wrongly used. For an
individual or a Yogī, stories are encrypted way of explaining inner yogic
process and inner universe and it an encrypted process of evolution of
consciousness.
---


OM

Sujal Upadhyay

"To disconnect from the self and to become Aware of anything else is
nothing but unhappiness" - Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi

He who has faith has all
He who lacks faith, lacks all
It is the faith int he name of lord that works wonders
FAITH IS LIFE, DOUBT IS DEATH - Sri Ramakrishna

On Thu, Mar 3, 2016 at 8:47 AM, Shashwata Shastri via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> If it is possible can any one explain me about the Mamsashtaka Sraddha
> which is prescribed in the Govila Grihya Sutra?
>
> Shashwata Chowdhury
>
> On Thu, Mar 3, 2016 at 3:22 AM, Nithin Sridhar via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > Well said Sanju ji.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > On Thu, Mar 3, 2016 at 7:47 AM, Sanju Nath <sanjivendra at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > प्रणाम Nitin-जी,
> > >
> > > Beautifully written and backed with analysis.
> > >
> > > Beyond such analysis, all we need to do is look inside ourselves and
> the
> > > answer of अहिंसा will come, in proportion to the साधन that is
> > uninfluenced
> > > by politics, culture baggage, and तर्क।
> > >
> > > धन्यवाद,
> > > Sanju
> > >
> > > > On Mar 2, 2016, at 7:07 PM, Nithin Sridhar via Advaita-l <
> > > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Please read my 4-part piece on Beef and Hinduism-
> > > >
> > >
> >
> http://nithinsridhar.blogspot.in/2015/11/beef-controversy-in-india-4-parts.html
> > > >
> > > > Regards
> > > >
> > > > This email has been sent from a virus-free computer protected by
> Avast.
> > > > www.avast.com
> > > > <
> > >
> >
> https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail
> > > >
> > > > <#DDB4FAA8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>
> > > >
> > > > On Thu, Mar 3, 2016 at 6:33 AM, D.V.N.Sarma డి.వి.ఎన్.శర్మ <
> > > > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> I am a vegetarian. In my post I have not advocated beef eating. The
> > > sloka
> > > >> "अश्वमेधं गवालंभं..." prohibits killing cows in yajnas. It does not
> > > >> apply to eating
> > > >> beef. Even if there is a prohibition of beef it only applies to
> > > >> Hindus. For others
> > > >> it is their choice. I do not think that there is any perverted
> > > >> intellectualism in this.
> > > >>
> > > >> The quicker the Hindus study their past, face the facts and accept
> > them
> > > >> objectively, the better it will be for Hindus. We Hindus have to
> > > >> realise that there is
> > > >> a lot that has been swept under the carpet. The greatest hypocricy
> we
> > > >> practice
> > > >> is daily using and enjoying the innovations of science but
> denigrating
> > > >> them compared
> > > >> to the mythical innovations in puranas.
> > > >> regards,
> > > >> Sarma.
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> On Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 9:39 PM, Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l
> > > >> <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > > >>> Namaste
> > > >>> On Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 9:25 PM, D.V.N.Sarma డి.వి.ఎన్.శర్మ
> > > >>> <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > > >>>> It is an invented explanation by some people to say Hindus never
> ate
> > > >> beef.
> > > >>>> A motivated explanation. As I have said in the earlier post there
> > are
> > > >> many
> > > >>>> places where beef eating by brahmins is mentioned. If you are
> > > >> interested google
> > > >>>> for the same.
> > > >>> But there is also Yuga Dharma. In Ramayana there are saying Rama
> was
> > > >>> offered bulls. It was Treta Yuga. In Kali Yuga some things are not
> > > >>> allowed like if one brother dies the surviving brother can take his
> > > >>> wife. Eating beef is not allowed in Kali Yuga. If you say we can
> eat
> > > >>> beef the same argument should be made for accepting dead brother's
> > > >>> wife.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> In Mahabharata they also say in very ancient times there was no
> > > >>> marriage. Any man was allowed to take away any woman. Now if you
> use
> > > >>> the same beef eating argument what will you get? Will you abolish
> > > >>> marriage system? Imagine what will happen then.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> The moral lesson is some things were done in the ancient times but
> > > >>> they should not be done now.
> > > >>>
> > > >>>> regards,
> > > >>>> Sarma.
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> On Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 3:01 PM, Shashwata Shastri
> > > >>>> <shashwata.unimas at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >>>>> I was not going against the commentator Shankara. I found this
> > > >> explanation
> > > >>>>> on Gitapress's Brihadaranyaka's commentary. They also followed
> > > >> Shankara's
> > > >>>>> commentary. But used a different kind of explanation for the word
> > > >> mamsa,
> > > >>>>> rishava and ukshana.
> > > >>>>>
> > > >>>>> Shashwata Chowdhury
> > > >>>>>
> > > >>>>> On Tue, Mar 1, 2016 at 6:29 AM, D.V.N.Sarma డి.వి.ఎన్.శర్మ
> > > >>>>> <dvnsarma at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >>>>>>
> > > >>>>>> The commentator Sankara Bhagavatpada has explained the
> > Brihadarnyaka
> > > >>>>>> passage as the meat of an ox are male calf.
> > > >>>>>> He used the word "पुंगव". He did not mention any herbs. Since
> > > Sankara
> > > >>>>>> is earlier in time and supposed to have known the tradition
> better
> > > >>>>>> than us the moderners, I think we have to accept his
> explanation.
> > > >>>>>> Besides this there are many places where beef eating has been
> > > >>>>>> mentioned.
> > > >>>>>> It is sheer waste of time to pursue these things.
> > > >>>>>> regards,
> > > >>>>>> Sarma.
> > > >>>>>>
> > > >>>>>>
> > > >>>>>> On Tue, Mar 1, 2016 at 1:14 AM, Shashwata Shastri via Advaita-l
> > > >>>>>> <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > > >>>>>>> In eight Maha Oushadhi I found two herbs which are named as
> > Rishava
> > > >> and
> > > >>>>>>> Ukshana. Did the Brihadaranyaka mentioned about these
> particular
> > > >> herbs
> > > >>>>>>> in
> > > >>>>>>> that passage?
> > > >>>>>>> Shashwata Chowdhury
> > > >>>>>>> _______________________________________________
> > > >>>>>>> Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > >>>>>>> http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > > >>>>>>>
> > > >>>>>>> To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > >>>>>>> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > > >>>>>>>
> > > >>>>>>> For assistance, contact:
> > > >>>>>>> listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > > >>>> _______________________________________________
> > > >>>> Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > >>>> http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > >>>> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> For assistance, contact:
> > > >>>> listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>> --
> > > >>> Regards
> > > >>>
> > > >>> -Venkatesh
> > > >>> _______________________________________________
> > > >>> Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > >>> http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > > >>>
> > > >>> To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > >>> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > > >>>
> > > >>> For assistance, contact:
> > > >>> listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > > >> _______________________________________________
> > > >> Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > >> http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > > >>
> > > >> To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > >> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > > >>
> > > >> For assistance, contact:
> > > >> listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Nithin S,
> > > > Staff-Writer,
> > > > http://www.newsgram.com
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > > >
> > > > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > > >
> > > > For assistance, contact:
> > > > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Nithin S,
> > Staff-Writer,
> > http://www.newsgram.com
> > _______________________________________________
> > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> >
> > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> >
> > For assistance, contact:
> > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
>
> To unsubscribe or change your options:
> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
>
> For assistance, contact:
> listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
>