Namaste. Gods can do whatever they please according to their Leela because, they are Gods and that's what they do; 'God things we can't understand'.
Avatars can be either 'mortal' or 'immortal' according to whatever Karma they impose upon themselves, being beyond that state.
If I recall correctly, Lord Krishna was 'killed' by an arrow piercing the sole of his foot by a hunter, thinking they were the ears of a deer. We can only say that it was meant to happen like that from the beginning because Lord Vishnu willed it.
Some Divine forms appear to die a 'mortal death' and some do not. It all depends on the Avatar and situation. Some go into 'heaven' in full auspicious form...others die in human form and go there.....
Over all though, the Trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha) are immortal, but anything else, I am unsure about.
It all depends on what they want to be, I guess.
Aum Namah Shivaya
Last edited by Necromancer; 23 January 2013 at 02:03 AM.
Namaste Necromancer,
Nice to remind this story to us. Lord Krishna, who took birth with 16 kalas (i.e. 100 % of God qualities) of Ishvara (RAmA is said to have only 12 kalas of Ishvara), accepted the curse of GAndhAri and that is what caused His death in this manner. Learning that it was all Sri Krishna's clever moves which caused the death of all her sons, she was infuriated and cursed Lord Krishna, "You behaved like a Pashu (animal) in killing my sons and therefore, you may also be killed like a pashu (animal)".
Yes, LeelA of God cannot be understood by this human mind.
OM
"Om Namo Bhagvate Vaasudevaye"
Hari Om. Thank you for 'filling in the blanks' and reminding me. It has been a very long time, but I remember that story now....and a very sad one it is, too.
I don't think it was 'nice' to remind anybody, but I meant nothing by it. I have been on the 'other side of this fence'. It feels really nice over there too.
Devas like Indra, Agni, Vaayu, Suurya, etc are actually mortal beings. They are described in the shruti as being created by, and subordinate to, Brahman (God). The Bhaagavata Puraana mentions that these are posts which change in every manvantara. In other words, there is always an Indra, an Agni, a Vaayu, etc but who occupies those positions is different from one manvantara to another.
It is also mentioned that the time scale for the devas is different compared to human beings. From our frame of reference, devas are long-lived and are immortal only in a figurative sense.
Philosoraptor
"Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something." - Plato
Philosoraptor
"Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something." - Plato
So Brahma is mortal in Hinduism? What about Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti? Do they die as well?
Brahma is mortal. His lifespan extends for the duration of the universe, and when it is destroyed, he attains liberation. Shiva is a mind-born son of Brahma according to the Bhaagavatam and the Vishnu Puraanas. I don't know of anything specific regarding his life-span, but most Vaishnavas consider him a jIva, the exception being some North Indian traditions about whom we are having a discussion elsewhere. The position of Shakti is a little less clear, since she is identified in some traditions as the personified energy of the Lord. I believe most would again identify her as a nitya-siddha.
Vishnu is identified with brahman aka nArAyaNa and as such, He is eternal, the highest truth, and supreme person from whom everything else originates and into Whom everything else is absorbed.
Philosoraptor
"Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something." - Plato
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