Hari Om
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Namaste,
This is from a previous post, and thought to start a new one on just symbols, meanings, etc.
The Oceans, streams, waters as symbols are addressed below. I try and share the info I know on this... It would be great if other can address a few more or add a few... here's just an idea list:
1. Natraj dancing - and who is he stepping on? a baby is there, why this?
2. Siva with a snake sround his neck, and the cresent moon above his head - what is the meaning?
3. Sri Visnu resting on ananta? what does this suggest ? this is the post below.
4. Sri Krsna holding up a mountain with one hand?
Please add more, as there is a rich supply of these symbols, allegory, myth that cradles deep meaning and truth... can we find it?
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From Agni deva , then my contribution to this discussion:
The gods represent the pleasure principle in ourselves. The demons represent the pain principle. ...
The ocean of milk is the mind or the human consciousness. The mind is always compared to an ocean (mano sagaram) while the thoughts and emotions to the waves. T
he mind as an ocean is in fact a universal symbol, known to other religions and cultures also. Mandhara, the mountain stands for concentration.
From my teachings and studies I have a different view of these. Not sure of which gods the author is referring to, yet if the devata, then I believe these may be a bit off the mark. The devata are in fact cosmic impulses that exist. We, in the final analysis, that is our phycial bodies are the play and display of the 3 gunas. Our SELF is devoid of these 3 guna, as IT is beyond the 3 gunas. More on this in a differnent post, I want to get to the next section ( but will address this later if I may).
The ocean of milk, is that of eternity, even bliss, the ocean of the Absolute. Think of Sri Visnu resting on Ananta ( the snake), the symbol for the infinite.
So we have:
Vishnu - the all pervading
Ananta - from a or not + Anta or end. So the snake that Sri Vsnu lays down on has no end, or infinite/infinity.
Ocean of Milk - throughout the veda, ocean and water is associated with consciousness. The ocean of milk ( purity or sukla of milk, finest substance, then) is the purity of consciousness. The Ocean ( without bounds) of milk , or purity and sweetness, is that pure consciousness of the transcendent. We also hear of 'streams' too... flowing waters ( of consciousness ) this is Saraswati. Flowing consciousess of luminious thought, that is , of inspiration, of richly luminious consciousness, based in the Absolute.
So we have the All Prevading, rests on the Infinite, within the transcendent, some call Bliss. This is a much different view then that of above ( and one that I subscribe to).
Now that said the devata that are rascals , some call demons, some rakshasa....we find them to be the dasyus, the danavas, the vrtas, the children of Diti or of divided nature. Some even call them the 'sense trafficker's - the horders of light.
And they hide things from the native - where? in the mountains - the symbol for hardness of consciousness. In the veda they are seen hiding the cows (gau) in the mountains. Now, why would the kavi (rishi's) mention this? Cow's are the symbols for light , spiritual light no less.
What else does the cow produce? Milk, the other symbol and butter for which we get ghee... the ghee is the symbol for the golden colored, pure, rich counsciousness! Ahhh.... all connected. But why are the danava's hiding the cows ( the light) in the Mountains? what is this hardness and this inertness? Ignorance! Ignorance that behind our thoughts is the reserviour of bliss consciousness that is there ( running) all the time, but who takes it from us? Our senses no less. ( the panis as the sense traffickers). Yet this ocean of bliss is behind the thoughts, where they are behind the senses, yes? What is there, then behind this? ....the SELF behind our 'self'.
So, once we begin to understand this, we ask the devata for help ( yajya) and through this (yajna) Soma is produced ( the delight of existence)... thus we are delighted, and bliss is obtained, even for an instant. And we as humans are attracted like bee's to honey (madhu we find in the Upanishads). Now I have not experienced this bliss, but I do experience delight from actions, not every action, but its easy to identify it when this delight pours out. This nourshes the devata and they rejoice.
Now, we gravitate to this joy and we all look for more of this. This can be 'more' fun, happiness, houses, car's, money, wifes, friendships, boats, knowledge, etc. This desire for more, more then just a fleeting moment of happiness is our march.
This is 'hard wired' into us, to seek out this joy, happiness, delight. The only place we are completely satisfied is when we bath in it. This then has us looking for this all the time ( life afer life), wanting for this non stop joy... this is the motivation to find HIM, that fullness, that Bhuma, the fulless that one bathes in the SELF and is delighted, not having to go outside ones SELF to find Fullness - that is the spiritual experince of Moksa, of being with your Ishtadevata, of Dharmamega ( cloud pouring virtue).
Its pointed out in the Gita , starting Chapt 3.9 , Krshna discusses how yajya sustains the devata and they sustain us. This is quite profound and worth the study. That is, the fruit of every action is the response of nature, yes? This is the laws of physics. We have freedom over actions alone never their fruits , says Krsna. It is our responsibility to give this offering to the devata. Krsna says 'he who enjoys their gifts ( from the devata i.e. the responses of nature) without offering to them is merely a thief' .
So , this relationship with the devata is profound and key to our upliftment and advancement...Hence the Veda's discuss this in depth, but the knowledge is given to those that study, the wise, the ones with guru's that can convert the wise sayings of the veda to the sisya, and finally to those that are posessed of the SELF. Then it all comes together.
More on this with your repsonse if you care to discuss, but wanted to start the 'ocean and water conversation' with this post. Thank you for letting me discuss this most uplifting concept.
JalamVishnuh sthalam vishnuh vishnur-aakaashmuchhate
sarvamjagam vishnuh sarvam vishnumayam jagat
translates roughly to
Water is Vishnu, Land is Vishnu, the whole sky/space is Vishnu
The whole World is Vishnu and Vishnu is the Whole World
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