World Peace - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia

multiplying creation. They are met by Narada who says
there is a nation which is in the sole control of a ruler.
There is an opening in the country from which there
can be no getting out. There is a lady there who takes
many forms and a male who runs after her. There is a
river in that country which flows same time from one
and the same point towards opposite directions.
There are 25 shore huts. One hears sweet and attractively
fictional and distinct music also from the
swans. There is a wheel ever spinning fast which has
edges as sharp as a lancet. Without understanding
this, what is the point in languishing for creation?
The puzzle when resolved is simply this: There is only
one master for the world, namely, God. The hole in
the world is death, out of which none can be extricated.
The lady referred to is the play of five senses
to which man is a prey. The river flowing in opposite
directions is the river of life which leads to morality
as well as immortality, according to the conduct of
the individual concerned.
The shore huts are the 25 tattvas. The music of the
swan is the attractive Vedic texts of Karma marga
promising this, that or the other for doing this or the
other yajna. The wheel is Kala Chakra. Knowing the
limitations of the world in this manner, one should
conduct oneself with its master namely God. All other
efforts will be futile.
No wonder, on hearing these words of wisdom, the
Haryawas betook themselves to the quest of the Lord.
Vyasa is the author of Brahma Sutras, which are aphorisms
proclaiming Vedantic truths. It is only natural that,
in his Puranic works also, he took care to highlight the
need for discriminating between material welfare and
spiritual well-being. The thread of expansion of the Infinite
through finite creations is displayed as the means
to understanding the real roots of happiness. That does
not consist in running away from the origin, but running
towards it. Such running towards the origin calls for a
Constant remembrance of God. Says Vyasa through
Suka: Until you are able to discern God in all the infinite
creations of his around you, you will have to do
Sthoola Dharma of God as constituting and in-
42 | Bhavan Australia | August 2012
The state of the
country is the
direct outcome of
the condition of its
ruler. There can be
no extenuating
circumstance for
the ruler for
deviating from the
dharmic path.
dwelling in all such creation.
Thus the story part of the Puranas has a validity
which is ingrained in the Paramarthika texts of Vedantic
literature. Even while describing the details of the
Hindu pantheon, the principle of unity as consisting
in the oneness of God is not sacrificed. Brahma
comes out of the navel of Vishnu. Rudra comes out of
the anger of Brahma. Everything comes out of the primordial
waters indwelt by Narayana.
Everything collapses in the wrath of Siva. The fundamental
force operating underneath all creation is Sakti.
Being feminine, it is made into a goddess to whom the
other gods are vassals. But time and again Vyasa clarifies
the symbolism behind all such description, whether
it is the Krodhaa-karaankusa of the Devi, the Kala Carka
of Vishnu or the Chandrahasa or thunderbolt of Siva.
Having been composed for less evolved souls like
ourselves, the Puranas present the essence of the
formless infinite through a diversified spectrum of
forms each of which has a bunch of qualities which
will appeal to the select core of its special worshipers.
These forms are relatively unreal but they
help in leading the savant to the real. The fulfilment of
the prayer “Lead me from the unreal to the real” becomes
easier by cultivating such personal Gods.
As regards the political code of the Puranas, the emphasis
is on democratic monarchy where, if the king
transgresses the guidelines of councillors representing
public opinion, he loses the right to govern and
can stay only as an ornamental head.
The Hindu concept is that he who is devoid of Vishnu
Amsa, cannot be born to rule. Since royalty is a birth
right, the annihilation of the king is taboo. Most of the
Puranas are one in reiterating the sentiment contained
in the familiar verse of the Mahabharata. The
state of the country is the direct outcome of the condition
of its ruler. There can be no extenuating circumstance
for the ruler for deviating from the
dharmic path. Picture credit: Sudin M. Pai Kane
S.N. Sriramadesikan
Source: Bhavan’s Journal, January 31, 2012