Thoughts on the Vaivasvata Manvantara
The study of the Vaivasvata Manvantara can be pursued, as to minor details, from more than one stand-point. But I am at present concerned with only the broad outlines of its esoteric aspect.
We are to understand, in the first place, that there are certain types of human races in this as in other Manvantaras. Each of these types has a history of its own. Each has its stages of growth, rise and decline, and some have their periods of revival in this Manvantara as well. Each racial type has to be studied separately.
The connection of the races with the Sun and the Moon requires a little consideration.
Those who are acquainted with Hindu astrology know that the life time of a man is divided into certain divisions, each division being under the influence of one planet. Each planetary period again has its sub-divisions, in each of which there is a secondary run of the planets.
According to the Bengal School, the main planetary run takes 108 years for its completion, and according to another school, it takes 120 years.
The following is the order of planetary succession according to the second school, which prevails all over India, except in Bengal: —
Sun 6 years, Moon 10, Mars 7, Râhu 18, Brihaspati 16, Saturn 19, Mercury 17, Ketu 7 and Venus 20. Thus if a man lives for 120 years, all the planets will in turn have influenced his life in the above order, commencing from the planet of his birth. Again there will be corresponding sub-runs of all the planets during each planetary run. The races are also governed by such planetary influences.
The Solar Dynasty means that the particular type of humanity so denoted was born under the influence of the solar planet. When all the planets have in turn exercised their influence over this Dynasty, it disappears for a time and is re-born under the influence of the Sun.
Similarly there will be a revival of the Lunar dynasty — that which commenced under the influence of the Moon.
The law of planetary influence over the human races is not as clearly known as that over individual men. Otherwise the future history of each race would not be the sealed book to us which it is.
The humanity of the present Manvantara was first born under the influence of the Solar Planet. Our Moon is the son of the Sun-God.
The races that first appeared were called Solar races.
Other races appeared under the influence of the Moon. In these races we find first the influence of Brihaspati or Jupiter, through his wife Târa, then of Budha or Mercury, and lastly of Sukra or Venus, through his daughter Devayâni.
This planetary succession may be only a Sub-run of the planets. We read, in the account of the previous Manvantaras, of the appearance of Sukra as the guide of the Daityas, and of Brihaspati as the guide of the Devas. We have also read of the appearance of Râhu in the sixth Manvantara. This shews that the main planetary round has to be found in the Kalpa itself.
Our knowledge on the whole subject is however so poor that it is unsafe to make any distinct suggestion.
Now we shall take the Solar Races, or the sons of Vaivasvat Manu, in order of their treatment in the text. Prishadhta and Kavi were the first spiritual races. They did not marry i.e. there was no sexual reproduction among them.
Next in order was the Kârusha race inhabiting the north.
The Dhârshtas were also a spiritual race (Brâhmanas).
The descent towards Materiality commenced with Nriga. He is said to have been transformed into a lizard. His grandson was Bhûtajyotî, Bhûtas being different forms of matter. Vasu is a God of Material wealth. Pratîka means the reverse or opposite (i.e. the reverse of spirit.) Ogha means a current. The current of materialism set in with the line of Nriga.
The next line, that of Narishyanta, shews further materiality. Midhvat is that which wets (the root mih means to pass water). Viti is production, enjoyments. Vitihotra is the name of a sacrificial fire. Agnivesya is an incarnation of Agni or the Fire-God, but he is nick-named Kânina or son of an unmarried woman and also Jâtukarna (the name of a Vedic Rishi). There seems to have been sexual procreation in this line. The incarnation of Agni further indicates that the present human form was complete, for Agni is the form-giving energy in Nature.
In the next line of Dishta we have Vatsapriti or affection for children, Pransu or tall, Pramati or full-grown intellect, Khanitra or digger, Châkshusha or the eyed, and Khaninetra or the hollow-eyed. This line represents the race of the earliest diggers, very tall, with the hollow eye predominant in them as a characteristic feature; this race was very powerful and capable of direct communion with the Devas, and the gods acted as waiters in the Yajna of Marutta.
The line of Saryâti refers to Ânarta and a town named Kusasthalî, built in the midst of the Sea. Evidently the continent on which the race flourished is now under water. Ânarta is supposed to be Sourâshtra (modern Surat.) But the site of Kusasthalî cannot be ascertained. There were remnants of this race till the time of Krishna, for Balarâm married Revati, the daughter of Kakudmin (hump-backed). The line of Nabhaga is a short one and it merged itself into that of Angiras who was the father of Brihaspati or Jupiter. Ambarisha is the prominent figure of this period.
Then we come to the line of Ikshvâku. This is the best known line of the Solar races. It flourished during the last Tretayuga. Ikshvâku is called the eldest son of Manu. Perhaps this has reference to the appearance of the Race in the previous Manvantaras.
The eldest son of Ikshvâku is Vikukshi (Kukshi is womb.) He is also called Sasada or the Rabbit-eater. The Moon is called Rabbit-marked.
Puranjaya is the son of Vikukshi. He is called Indra-Vâha or Indra-Vehicled. Several of the kings of this dynasty befriended the Devas of Svar Loka.
Further down we find King Purukutsa forming an alliance with the elemental serpents, and holding communion with the dwellers of Rasâtala. The river Narvadâ is mentioned in connection with Rasâtala.
Mândhâtâ is a traditional name that has been preserved upto this time in common parlance in the saying “As old as king Mândhâtâ.” The line of Mândhâtâ was divided into three different branches. Muchukunda represented a branch of Yogins. The long, unbroken sleep of Muchukunda is traditional and he is credited also with Yogic powers. Another branch that of Ambarisha, Youvanâsva and Hârita represented a spiritual sub-race. But we have to follow the history of the Atlanteans through Purukutsa. The connection with Rasâtala, or the plane of Material ascendancy, affected the destiny of this line. In Trisanku, the aspiration ran very high. He became a Deva, but had his head turned downwards, i.e. turned towards materiality. With the powers of a Deva, but with the aspirations of an Asura, the ground was prepared for the downfall of this line. For a time, however, the Race flourished in all its materiality. The alliance between Devas and men became cemented by the performance of Vedic sacrifices. This was the first spiritual advance of the human race, through the temptations of Svarga life.
The time of Haris Chandra is the Vedic era, when the earliest Riks of what we know as Rigveda were composed. Visvâmitra and his disciples were the Vedic Rishis of this age. The Vedas tried to curb the riotous course of materiality by prescribing a number of restrictions on the enjoyment of material desires. Elaborate rules were laid down as to how the desires might be best gratified for a prolonged period in Svargaloka, by the performance of sacrifices or Yajna. The whole of the life of the regenerate classes was regulated by rigid laws and a glowing picture was given of life in Svarga after death. The sacred injunctions were not, however, potent enough to check the Kâmic tendencies of the race and the cyclic law which now required the spiritual evolution of humanity was continually disregarded by the race. This was poison (gara) to the system of humanity and king Sagar imbibed this poison. Hence he was called the Poisoned. He had two wives. The sons of one wife were 60 thousand in number. They offended Kapila, an Incarnation of Vishnu, and thus were all consumed. They reached the limit of material degradation, where final extinction awaited the race. The number 60,000 is suggestive.
The extinction of Sagara’s sons was attended with great changes on the earth’s surface. It is said they dug the earth and made the seas in their search for the sacrificial horse. Hence the sea is called Sâgara. This may refer to the sinking down of Atlantis when a large portion of that great continent became a sea-bed. There was a corresponding upheaval of land and the Himalayan chain reared up its head, as we can easily infer from the first appearance of the Ganges. The first flow of Gangâ indicated a many sided revolution in the appearance of the earth’s surface. A new continent was formed to which India was attached as the prominent link. Spiritual sub-races grew up on the banks of the sacred river who more than atoned for the sins of their fathers. The fore-runner of the race of spirituality was Asamanjas (rising above the ordinary run). He was a Yogin not led away by the material tendencies of the age. His son was Ansumat (having the ray or light in him). Ansumat pacified Kapila.
Gangâ is said to be a spiritual stream flowing from the feet of Vishnu. With the advent of this stream, the spiritual rebirth of humanity commenced in right earnest, for the remaining period of the Kalpa. Already the path had been paved by the Karmakânda of the Vedas, which put restrictions on the wanton and reckless performance of Karma or action. The pure magnetism of the holy river helped on the process of regeneration. But this was not in itself sufficient to cope with the forces of materiality. Accordingly we see Kalmasha or sin appearing in the line of Bhagiratha. King Kalmashapâda became a Râkshasa. A Râkshasa is an elemental of destruction. When mind becomes too much identified with the gross body and its desires, its connection with the Higher Self is liable to be cut off by the action of the Râkshasas. These forces of Tamas act in different ways to serve different purposes in the economy of the Universe. When the material downfall of man reaches its furthest limit in the Kalpa, the Râkshasas become Tâmasic forces in man and he is unconscious of his higher nature. That sleep in time becomes a permanent sleep, and the lower man becomes dead to his real Self. This is the real death of man, when the ray sent forth by Íshvara comes back to Him, without any spiritual harvest, and what constituted the personality of man dissolves into the Material Universe.
The time had come when a fresh departure was necessary in the methods pursued by the Lilâ Avatâras for the spiritual regeneration of the Universe. They had now to appear amongst men, as ordinary beings, to give direct teachings to their votaries, to infuse as much Satva as possible into humanity and to retard by all means the further extinction of the human race.
For a time the Râkshasas reigned supreme, but not over the new continent, permeated as it was by the sacred waters of the Ganges. Their stronghold was Lankâ, the remnant of the Atlantean continent. Following the descent of Gangâ therefore, Vishnu incarnated himself as Râma, one of the greatest of his manifestations. The Râkshasas of Lankâ were killed. Vibhishana only survived, but he was allied to Râma and so became immortal in spirituality. The Râkshasa survives in us but its energy of dissolution does not militate against the evolution of man. It was Râma who first gave the idea of Íshvara to the degraded human races of the present Manvantara. They knew, for the first time, that there was one greater than all the Devas — the Gods of the Vedas — and that there were planes higher than even Svarga. The path of devotion was proclaimed. And it became possible for men to cross the limits of death and of Trilokî by this quality. The downfall was stopped no doubt; but the ascent was only permanently secured by Lord Sri Krishna as we shall see later on.
After Râma, there is little of interest in the line of Ikshvâku. The decline commenced and the line became extinct with Sumitra, but it is said one king Maru of this line became an adept in Yoga and retired to Kalapa, where he bides his time to revive the solar dynasty towards the end of the Kaliyuga. We may take him to be the originator of another race which will be the re-incarnation of the Ikshvâku race.
We have considered the line of Ikshvâku’s descendants through Purukutsa. There is another line of his descendants through Nimisha. Then we come to the Lunar Dynasty.
The Lunar races first appeared while the descendants of Ikshvâku were still flourishing, though on the eve of their decline. They had immense possibilities of spiritual evolution, and the great Aryan race seems to be connected with them. The appearance of these races is almost simultaneous with the first flow of the Ganges. For we find Jahnu, who swallowed up the Ganges in her first terrestrial course, is only sixth in the line of descent from Pururavas.
The Lunar dynasty originated in the union of Târâ, the female principle of Brihaspati (Jupiter), and the Moon. The issue was Budha (Mercury), the direct progenitor of the Lunar dynasty.
The son of Budha was Pururavas. He married Urvasi, the renowned Deva nymph.
Pururavas had six sons. But we are concerned with only two of them, Âyus and Vijaya.
Vijaya gave the Adept line of the race and Âyus, the ordinary humanity.
In the line of Vijaya, we find Jahnu, purified by the assimilation of Gangâ, Visvâmitra, pre-eminently the Rishi of the Rig Veda and one of the seven sages who watch over the destiny of the present Manvantara, Jamadagni, another of the seven sages of our Manvantara and Parasurâma one of the coming sages of the next Manvantara. We have already mentioned the part taken by Visvâmitra and his sons in the composition of the Vedic Mantras.
Coming to the line of Âyus, we recognise the forefathers of the Aryan races.
In the short-lived branch through Kshatra-vriddha, we find the Vedic Rishi Gritsamada, his son Sûnaka, the renowned Sounaka, Dirghatamas and Dhanvantari, the promulgator of Âyur-veda.
But the longest history of the Race is through the descendants of Yayâti.
King Yayâti married Devayâni, the daughter of Sukra, the presiding Rishi of the planet Venus, and had by her two sons, Yadu and Turvasu. Sukra is the son of Bhrigu, the Rishi of Mahar Loka. Devayâna, is the path leading beyond Trilokî, after death.
But the King had also connection with a Dânava girl, who brought forth three sons, Druhyu, Anu and Puru. For his Dânava connection, King Yayâti had in youth to undergo the infirmities of age. This evil was transmitted to Puru, the youngest son of the Dânava girl.
The line of Puru was short-lived. But it is this line that gave some of the renowned Vedic Rishis, viz. Apratiratha, Kanva, Medhâtithi and Praskanva. Dushmanta, the hero of Kalidasa’s renowned drama also came of this line. Vishnu incarnated in part as Bharata, son of Dushmanta.
Then there was a revolution. Bharata found that his sons were not like unto himself. So the direct line of Puru came to an end. What followed is a little mysterious. Bharata adopted Bharadvâja as his son. Bharadvâja was begotten by Brihaspati (Jupiter) on the wife of his brother Utathya named Mamatâ (Egoism).
Bharadvâja is one of the seven presiding Rishis of the present Manvantara. His name is connected with several Mantras of the Rig Veda.
The great actors in the Kurukshetra battle were the descendants of Bharadvâja. We find much diversity of spiritual characteristics among them. The material and spiritual forces were gathered together, in all possible grades from the Pândavas downward to the sons of Dhrita-râshtra and their allies. The poetical genius of the author of the Mahâbhârata has called forth characters in the Drama of the Kurukshetra battle, that stand out in all the details of real life and find a permanent place in the genealogy of the Lunar dynasty. The study of the racial account of the line of Bharadvâja becomes therefore extremely difficult.
The Lunar dynasty will be revived by Devâpi, a descendant of Bharadvâja, who is biding his time at Kalâpa.
The early inhabitants of Bengal, Behar and Urishyâ were the sons of Anu, the second son of Sarmisthâ. The famous Kâma, one of the heroes of Kurukshetra, also belonged to this line.
The eldest son of Sarmisthâ by Yayâti was Druhyu. Prachetas of this line had one hundred sons, who inhabited the north as Mlechha races.
But the greatest interest attaches to the line of Yadu, the eldest son of Yayâti by Devayâni. The early descendants of this line were the Haihayas, killed by Parasurâma, and the Tâlajanghas, killed by Sagar — both of the Solar Dynasty. The Mahâbhârata has given an importance to the overthrow of these early Yadu classes as a victory of the Brâhmanas over the Kshatriyas. Next to the Brâhmanas in intelligence were the Kshatriyas. They eagerly accepted the teachings of Râma, who incarnated as one of them. They knew Ísvara as higher than the Devas and the Brâhmanas. They thought they could profitably employ their time in seeking after the knowledge of Brahmân. This necessarily offended the orthodox Brâhmanas, who performed the Vedic sacrifices and had no higher ambition than to resort to Devaloka. The Kshatriyas thus represented a religious evolution, of which the Upanishads were an outcome. In time, some Brâhmanas even became disciples of Kshatriyas. Both Râma and Krishna incarnated themselves as Kshatriyas. We are to understand that by Kshatriyas, during this period of Puranic history, is meant seceders from Vedic Karma Kânda more or less.
The early seceders, the Haihayas and Tâlajanghas were put down by the Brâhmana Parasurâma and by the Kshatriya King Sagar, who espoused the cause of Vedic Karma Kânda and of the Brâhmanas, represented by Rishi Aurva of this time.
Parasurâma did not like any meddling with Vedic Karma Kânda by persons not perfected in wisdom. Even Râma had to respect the Vedic Rishis and had to protect them in the performance of Vedic sacrifices from the attacks of Asuras and Râkshasas. When Lord Krishna appeared on the scene, the Asuras still survived; the Vedic Rishis denied offerings to Him, Vedic Karma had a strong supporter in Jarâsandha, there was hypocrisy in the name of religion, and there were pretensions in various forms. On the other hand great improvements had been made in the proper understanding of the realities of life and of the laws of nature. Intellect overflowed in many channels of thought, and the religious nature of man found vent in all directions from atheism to religious devotion.
Leaving this general resumè, we may now enter upon a closer study of the history of religious movements in our present Manvantara, so that we may understand the great work done by Lord Sri Krishna. The races live as individuals live. However developed an individual may be, when he is re-born after death, he first becomes a child as any other child. There is much of spiritual life in the child, and sometimes pictures of heavenly life are presented to his spiritual vision, which are denied to to the grown-up man. The child begins his life when he is grown up, and then his individual characteristics soon manifest themselves. We do not read much of the man in the child. Hence the history of the early spiritual races, who were infants in the racial life, does not teach us anything. We find some of them had communion with the Devas of Svarga Loka, but that is more on account of their infant spirituality than any thing else.
When the races developed in time, they became most intellectual as well as most material at the same time. Manvantara after Manvantara was taken up in developing the physiological (Pranic) activities, the sense (Indriya) activities, and then the lower mental activities of the Jivas. The personal man was fully developed in the sixth Manvantara and the great churning only opened the door for another line of development. The possibility of spiritual activity was secured to men by Kûrma.
When the races of the Sixth Manvantara therefore became reborn in the Seventh Manvantara, they were the most intellectual of all races, but they had also the power given to them of developing spiritual faculties. They could not however shake off the Asuric element all at once. They were extremely fond of material joys, and they devised all means, which human intellect could contrive, of gratifying material desires. That was right which gave material gratification; that was wrong which militated against material enjoyment.
Bhuvar Loka is the plane of animal desires. The human beasts go after death to Bhuvar Loka. They do not possess anything which could take them to Svarga Loka.
The Svarga Loka is for those who develop in themselves the faculty of discriminating between right and wrong, and who do or attempt to do what is right. Far more it is for those who love others and who do good to them. For service and love pertain to planes higher even than Svarga. But in the higher planes, service is unselfish and love is divine. The lower forms of service and love pertain to the plane of Svarga. In Svarga there is selfishness, but it is mixed with spirituality. It is only the good, the virtuous, the devoted that go to the plane of the Devas and there gratify their higher desires to their heart’s content. There are divine music, divine beauty, divine objects of gratification in Svarga Loka — allurements enough for a man of desire. And if his merits be great, he enjoys the things of Svarga Loka for an enormously long period.
But a man by bare intellectuality can not cross the threshold of Svarga. The Devas reject the intruder. However much Trisanku might aspire to have the enjoyments of Svarga, and however great his intellect might be, he was not allowed to enter the coveted plane, without the passport of spirituality. Humanity had still to learn the proper means of securing life in Svarga.
Poor and chance spiritual acquisitions give only a passing life in Svarga and that not of a superior character. So all the knowledge as to attaining Svarga life had to be revealed in time.
The Rishis made great efforts to improve humanity by securing for them a prolonged existence in Svarga, most of all Rishi Visvâmitra, one of the seven sages of our Manvantara. Visvâmitra failed in his attempt to send Trisanku to Svarga. He then tried with his son Haris Chandra. It is said he advised the Râjâ to make a human sacrifice to Varuna. But we find the victim Sunah-sepha living after the sacrifice, under the name of Deva-rata, or one given up to the gods, and some of the Riks even were revealed to him. Haris Chandra succeeded in entering Svarga. That was a great victory for Rishi Visvâmitra. The Vedas were revealed to the Rishis and sacrifices came to be known.
Nârada also helped the cause in another away. He related the beauty and the virtues of king Purûravas to the Devas in Svarga. Urvasi, the famous Deva nymph, hearing all that, became enamoured of the king. She had then, by the curse of some god, a human form. So she could keep company with the King. The king was enchanted by her beauty. When she left, he followed her advice and pleased the Gandharvas. The Gandharvas gave him the fire, with which the king could perform sacrifice. The fire became threefold. With one he could perform his duties to the Devas and go to Svarga Loka. With another, he could perform his duties to the Pitris. With the third fire, he could perform the duties of a house-holder. Thus sacrifices meant duties. And it is by the performance of duties that men can perform Vedic sacrifices and go to Svarga Loka.
The Vedas laid down injunctions and prohibitions. They regulated the actions of men, propelled by Kâma or desire. Men must eat meat. The Vedas said this meat was prohibited, but that could be used. Men mixed with women. The Vedas laid down restrictions. Even they regulated the relations between man and wife. Then the Vedas laid down the duties which men owed to all classes of beings. In order to induce men to accept the Vedic injunctions, the Vedas held out Svarga as the reward of Vedic Karma. They even favoured the belief, that there was to be immortal life in Svarga gained by the performance of Vedic Karma. Detailed rules as to the performance of Vedic sacrifices were given. So long as men did not aspire to become Indra, or the ruler of Svarga, the Devas were pleased with the sacrifices; they helped the performer as much as they could, giving them all objects of desire, and they welcomed them to Svarga, when they passed to that plane after death. The Devas were as friendly to the performer of Vedic Karma as they were unfriendly to the immature Trisanku.
The Vedic Karma Kânda became thus fully revealed. The revelation was made in the last Treta-yuga of the present Manvantara. “At the beginning of the Treta Yuga, the three Vedas were revealed through Pururavas.” IX. 14-49. “The path of Karma was promulgated in Treta Yuga, by the division of the Vedas.” Śridhara.
The great churning was justified. The Devas asserted themselves for the good of humanity. The Rishis got the revelation and helped men to place themselves in active relationship with the Devas. Men learned to regulate themselves and to give up the wantonness of material life. And they had a strong inducement to do so in the prospect of eternal life in Svarga. The great actor in this Vedic movement was Rishi Visvâmitra, (Hallowed be his name!) Others followed him in quick succession, and there was a brilliant combination of Vedic Rishis who propounded the whole of the Karma Kânda of the Vedas, as it was revealed to them by the force of Kâlpic necessity.
At all times there have been two parties, one following the current of evolution, and another going against it. At all times there have been cavillers and sceptics.
The Haihayas and Tâlajanghas were confirmed materialists and great sinners. They ridiculed the Brâhmanas, who performed Vedic Karma, and often set themselves in opposition to them. They were very troublesome to the Brâhmanas. King Sagar wanted to extinguish the race, but he was prevented from doing so. Possibly Atlantis was the country inhabited by these races and Nature helped the cause of evolution by dragging down the continent itself under water. The sacred Gangâ also flowed at this time, spreading purity over all lands lying on her banks.
The Haihayas however still flourished; and they had a great leader in Kârta-Viryârjuna. Then came one of the great Avatâras, Parasurâma. He extirpated the Haihaya Kshatriyas, and went on killing the Kshatriyas till Râma appeared, and it was then that he thought his mission was over.
If there were some Kshatriyas who disregarded the Vedas, there were others who found transitoriness, even in Svarga Loka, and honestly thought that the complete wisdom was not to be found in the Karma Kânda. They were for further revelations At first, the Brâhmanas did not look with favour upon these Kshatriyas. But when it was found that the Kshatriyas got real light, they were soon joined by the Brâhmanas. The foremost of these Kshatriyas was Janaka, and the foremost of the Brâhmanas was Yâjnavalkya. The further revelations were called the Upanishads.
King Janaka found Sitâ, the consort of Râma, at the end of his plough. Yâjnavalkya defeated all the Brâhmanas of his time in discussions held at the court of king Janaka.
When Râma incarnated, there existed the people of Lankâ, a remnant of the Atlantean continent, who had inherited a mighty material civilisation, but who were called Râkshasas, on account of their gross iniquities. They reached the last point of material downfall, and lost all spirituality. They were called Râkshasas as final extinction was their lot, and as the force of dissolution was strong in them.
Then there were the regenerate classes, who performed Vedic sacrifices. There were a few again, who accepted the Upanishads as a teaching, but they could not boldly declare themselves against the performance of sacrifices.
Râma finally did away with the Râkshasas. The bard who sang his glory, the great Vâlmiki, thus began his lay: — “O Killer of birds, thou shalt not live for ever, as of the pair of storks thou hast killed the male, so passionately attached to his consort.” Verily the Purusha in us, the ray of the supreme Purusha, becomes passionately attached to the element of Prakriti in us, so that we may acquire spiritual experiences through the body. And it is a cruel act to separate our Prâkritic individualities completely from him by turning ourselves persistently away from the Purusha. But when Râma became an Avatâra, the fate of the separator was sealed.
When the Râkshasas were killed, the Rishis were left free to perform the Vedic sacrifices.
Râma did something more. He married the daughter of Janaka, and by this act openly espoused the cause of the Upanishads.
Lastly Râma offered Himself as an object of worship. This was the beginning of Vishnu worship, which makes no distinction between classes and castes. Râma openly made friendship with Guhaka, belonging to the lowest class, whom it was an abomination to touch, for Guhaka was devotedly attached to Him, as an Incarnation of Vishnu.
The world admired Râma. No man could reach such eminence. He must be something more than a man. In time men accepted him as an Avatâra. At any rate, he was an example to others in every respect. The ethical standard he laid down in his own life was unimpeachable. The world had never seen such sacrifices in the performance of the duties of life. A model king, a model son, a model husband, a model brother, a model warrior, a model friend, the model of models, Râma left an indelible mark as a religious and moral teacher, on the age in which he lived, and on all succeeding ages.
The example was not lost on the world. The many-sided picture, that Râma presented, produced a spirit of enquiry, which has never been rivalled in this Kalpa. Men thought on different lines. They studied the Upanishads, which had been favoured by Râma. They could not forget also that Râma taught salvation for the performers of Vedic sacrifices. Then there was the teaching of his own life. The light was manifold. Independent schools of thought grew up, notably the six schools of philosophy. Each school tried to find its authority in the Upanishads and the divine scriptures supplied texts enough for all the schools. Every school found a part of the truth but not the whole truth. Yet each school regarded its own part as the whole. So they quarrelled. The Mimânsâkas said that the performance of Vedic sacrifices was all in all. It had the sanction of time-honored texts and of the most ancient Rishis. And Jaimini supplied the reasoning by which the practice could be supported. The Sânkhyas said that the chief duty of a man was to discriminate between the transformable and the non-transformable element in him, and when that was done, nothing more was needed. The followers of Patanjali said that mere discrimination was not sufficient, but a continued practice was required. The Vaiseshikas studied the attributes and properties of all objects and sought by differentiation to know the truths. There were others who worshipped the Bhûtas, Pretas and Pisachas, so that they might easily acquire powers. Others worshipped the dwellers of Svarga Loka. Some worshipped Íshvara. But mostly the worship of Śiva was prevalent. Gifts and charities also were not unknown, in fact they were very extensive in some instances. But generally the object of all religious observances was self-seeking more or less.
Amidst this diversity of religious ideas and religious observances, seemingly so contradictory, Sri Krishna, the greatest of all Avatâras, appeared and He brought the message of peace and reconciliation. He laid great stress on the fact that the performance of Vedic sacrifices could lead us only to Svarga Loka, but when our merits were exhausted, we were bound to be born again on Bhûr Loka, our Earth. While on Earth, we form fresh Karma, which gives rise to other births. The performance of Vedic Karma does not therefore free us from the bondage of births, for, as the Lord said, there is object-seeking in these performances. Object-seeking for one’s own self does not find a place in the higher Lokas. Its highest limit is Svarga Loka. So long as man remains self-seeking, he can not transcend the limits of Trilokî. In the higher Lokas, there is no recurrence of births and re-births. Once you are translated to Mahar Loka, you live for the whole of the remaining period of the Kalpa, passing through a gradual evolution to the higher Lokas. And if you form a devotional tie with the Lord of many Brahmândas, the First Purusha, even the Kâlpic period does not restrict your existence. Liberation is a relative term. It may be from the bondage of births and re-births in Trilokî. It may be liberation from the bondage of Bvahmandas or solar systems. Those who worship only material objects remain chained to this earth. Those who worship the dwellers of Bhuvar Loka (Bhûtas, Pretas, Pisachas and Pitris) or cultivate aspiration for them become allied to them and they pass only to Bhuvar Loka after death. Those who worship the Devas and cultivate this aspiration go to Svarga Loka after death. Those who worship Hiranya-garbha go up to Satya or Brahmâ Loka. Those who worship the Lord of all Brahmândas pass beyond even the Brahmânda.
The first thing that a man should do is to transcend the limits of Trilokî. This he cannot do as long as he is self-seeking. He should therefore perform his actions unselfishly. And the Lord said as follows: —
1. There is the perishable and the imperishable element in us. Karma or actions appertain to the perishable element. The perishable element constantly changes, so it cannot be our real self or Âtmâ. From the stand-point of our real self, we can dissociate ourselves from our actions, which relate to our transitory nature. Here the system of Sânkhya came into requisition.
2. But by this discrimination, we can not forcibly stop the performance of actions. For the actions are propelled by (a) active tendencies which form an inseparable part of our present nature, and (b) by the necessity of our very existence. So by stopping actions, we force the tendencies to mental channels, and cause more mischief by producing mental germs for the future. And we cannot stop all actions, as some are necessary for our bare existence.
3. Therefore we are to perform actions, and we can perform them unselfishly, if they are done from a pure sense of duty. We are to take duty as a law of our very existence. Yajna is only another name for this law. The Lord of beings, having created all beings with the Yajna, said of yore, — “You shall prosper by the performance of this Yajna and this Yajna shall be the producer of all desired objects for you.” Yajna consists of mutual sacrifices, as all beings are dependent on one another. “Think of the Devas by means of Yajna, and the Devas shall think of you.” All our actions may be classed under duties — duties which we owe to the Devas, the Pitris, the sages, the animals and to other men. If we perform our Karma for the sake of Yajna only, we perform it unselfishly.
4. As discrimination is useful in realising the real self, so restraint is necessary to put down the acquired self. The tendencies of the acquired self, if left to themselves, prompt men to ever recurring actions, which again produce their own effects, some of which develop into fresh tendencies or strengthen the pre-existing tendencies. So restraint is to be constantly practised. The object of restraint is to free the mind from thoughts of the object world and to fix it on the real self, Âtmâ. Here the system of Patanjali comes into requisition. But the system is to be accepted with this reservation that Yoga does not necessarily mean renunciation of Karma. It includes the unselfish performance of Karma and, for the average humanity, renunciation of Karma is harmful as an expedient of Yoga. Though there may be some who do not require Karma for themselves, yet they should not renounce it, if they want to set an example to others and not to confound their intellect.
5. But the Pûrva Mimânsâkas say: Vedic Karma is all in all, and the authority of the Vedas is supreme. Here Sri Krishna had to assert Himself as an Avatâra, and He asked people to accept His own authority. He said there was self-seeking in Vedic Karma, and one could not therefore avoid the recurrence of births by the performance of Vedic Karma. So Sri Krishna said to Uddhava: — “If the Vedas say that men attain Svarga by the performance of Vedic Karma, it is simply by way of inducement, and not as pointing out the supreme end. The father says; ‘Boy, eat this bitter medicine and I will give thee this cake in my hand.’ The boy takes the medicine for the sweet thing. But that really leads to his recovery from the disease. So the Vedas mean final liberation as the end. But to enforce restraint, they hold out the prospect of Svarga, which is most agreeable to men.” (Elaboration of XI. 21. 23.)
Many were unwilling to accept the authority of Sri Krishna, and the chief amongst them was Sisupâla.
This was the teaching of Karma Yoga by Sri Krishna. But the unselfish performance of Karma is not all. It is only a negative virtue. It purifies the mind and frees it from the taint of selfishness. The mind then becomes prepared for the higher planes and becomes fit for the direct influence of Íshvara.
So Sri Krishna gave to His disciples the true conception of Ísvara. He told them Ísvara was One, the source of all existence, all knowledge and all bliss. He told them how one Ísvara pervaded the whole universe and became thus manifested through the Universe. He also pervaded all beings, and became manifested through these beings. The Universe and the Jiva were His Prakritis or bodies as it were. The Universe body was eight-fold in its character, beginning with that most susceptible to His influence and ending with the division most obtuse to that influence. This eight-fold Prakriti also entered into the constitution of Jiva. But there was something more in Jiva, — the consciousness, the knower. This element was Ísvara Himself, as limited by Jiva Prakriti, or Jiva body. The whole universe being the body of Ísvara, His knowledge and powers were unrestricted, whereas the body of the Jiva, being limited and restricted, his powers and knowledge were also restricted.
This highest conception of Ísvara is not adapted for all. So Sri Krishna gave the conception of Ísvara, as manifested by His powers, and as manifested in Time and Space, and lastly as He is manifested in the human body with four hands and the Crown, symbolising His lordship over the whole Universe.
But this conception of Ísvara is not enough. As man owes a duty to all beings, the performance of which is Karma, so he owes a duty to Ísvara, and that duty is Upâsanâ. All beings make sacrifices for one another, and so they owe duty to one another. But Ísvara makes the greatest sacrifice for all beings and He holds all beings close to His bosom in each Kalpa, that they may work out their evolution under the most favorable circumstances. He waits for those that give up everything for His sake, and give themselves entirely up to Him, so that He may bear their Karma upon Himself and hasten their evolution to such an extent, that they may approach His own state. As Ísvara gives Himself to the service of the Universe, so do His Bhaktas too. Men owe the highest duty to Ísvara, and this they discharge by means of Upâsanâ. Upâsanâ is the law of being for all Jivas, when they reach the state of manhood. Surrender is the essence of Upâsanâ, and this Sri Krishna taught to Arjuna.
When a man by performing his duties to other beings and to Ísvara becomes purified and single minded, he is entitled to receive the final teaching, and not before. And Sri Krishna gave that teaching at the very last to Arjuna. He said that Jiva and Íshvara were one in essence. It is the difference in Prakriti that makes all the difference between Jiva and Íshvara. When all the bonds of Prakriti are broken through, only Brahmân remains, the one reality, underlying both Íshvara and Jiva. When we become fixed, in this wisdom all is Brahmân, and final liberation is attained. This is the real teaching of the Upanishads, as embodied in Uttara Mimânsâ. In this connection, Sri Krishna pointed out the fallacy of the Vaiseshika system in attempting to know the Attributeless, through the attributes.
The highest wisdom of the Kalpa was revealed and the world resounds with all glory to Sri Krishna. The Rishis and Mahâtmâs took up His work. All the religious movements and religious writings that have followed only reproduce His teachings.
There was something however wanting in these teachings as given in the Mahâbhârata — the relation of Sri Krishna to His own Bhaktas. What He did for the Universe and how He did it are fully related in the great Epic. But what He did for those that had already given themselves up entirely to Him, who did not require the teaching of Karma, Upâsanâ and Jnâna, who were His own people, who knew no other Dharma than Himself, who had followed Him through ages, and who simply took births as He appeared on this earth, what Sri Krishna did for these Bhaktas, what His relations were with them, are not described in the Mahâbhârata at all. The lordly side is given but not the sweet side. The picture of the Lord edifies and overawes, that of the Lover enchants and enthrals. The Bhâgavata sings what the Mahâbhârata left unsung. That is the peculiar significance of the Tenth Skandha which follows, the Skandha that maddens the hearts of all real devotees.