DIVINE INFORMATION PART 72 Respected friends,
While goingthrough one of my external memory device, I came across some good information stored from websites. Ithought of sharing interesting ones from them as a series. In part 72, I amstarting with 271th item in this posting. Kindly note the series is a compilation. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 05-08-21 271 Parashara Smriti Smriticreated by sage Parashara and known by his name as 'Parashara Smriti issupposed to be the mostbenevolent for the Kali Yuga. Parashara has himself said: KRITETU MANAVO DHARMASTRETAYAAM GAUTAMOSMRITAH || DWAPARESHANKHALIKHITAA KALAU PARASHARAHSMRITAH || Meaning-Manu Smriti was most relevant in Satya Yuga. In Treta, Smriti created byGautama had most relevance whereas in Dwapara, Shankha's Smriti was mostlyrecognized. But in KaliYuga, it is Parashara Smriti that by and large shows the way to the ignorantpeople. ParasharaSmriti endorses all those ideologies of human life which are capable ofimproving the life of common people in the present fourth age. Paradoxes arethe main feature of human life in Kali Yuga irrespective of region, culture andsociety. 272 INDICATIONS OF KALI YUGA SageParashara was the father of Vedvyasa. In the first chapter of this treatise,Maharshi Vedvyasa requests his father to create such an ideologically andmorally sufficient discipline that will help the people in Kali Yuga toovercome their woes. SARVADHARMOHAKRITE JATAH SARVE NASHTAHKALAU YUGE || CHAATURVARNYAMSAMAACHAARAM KINCHITSAADHAARANAM VAD || Meaning- All these religions were createdin Satya Yuga and would be destroyed in Kali Yuga.Hence, kindly outline some ordinary religious norms so that all the fourclasses could run their lives in a religious way. SageParashar too was fully aware of the attenuation that religion would suffer infuture on the basis of his deep knowledge, that great sage contemplated on theproblems which he thought would imminently afflict the religion in Kali Yuga.Change is the only thing that remains constant in nature. Religion is also noexception to this rule. Intwelve chapters, Parashar Smriti preaches its whole moral discourses. Conductand expiation are the main subjects of contemplation here. 273 FIRST CHAPTER -CONDUCT FIRST CHAPTER -CONDUCT Thischapter describes the conduct and do's and don'ts of all the four classes. KALPEKALPE KSHAYOTPATYAA BRAHMAVISHNU MAHESHWARA|| SHRUTISMRITI SADAACHAAR NIRNETARASCCHA SARVADAA || Meaning-At the time of re-genesis after Pralay, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh appear anddecide about Shruti (Veda), Smriti (religious text) and moral conduct. Kalp isregarded as a single night of Brahma. As the night changes, similarly, Yugaalso changes. Therefore, religious norms are also subject to change. KRITESAMBHAASHNAADEV TRETAAYAAM SPARSHNENCHA || DWAPARETVANMAADAAYA KALAU PATATI KARMANA|| Meaning-In Satya Yuga, a human being would be defiled just by conversing with thesinner. In Treta, a mere touch of sinner was enough to defile a man. In Dwapar,eating the cereals given a sinner defiled a man. But in Kali Yuga, man issubject to sins by his deeds alone. Thus, a curse used to realize in an instantnow takes a year to show its effect. CONDUCT SUITABLE FOR A CLASS Conductas per the class increases in the religion for that class. A person engaged inthe conducts as per his religion is never at fault. But in Kali Yuga,irreligion is more powerful than the religion. Hence it is even more necessarytoday than ever to abide bythe path of religion. 274 VIPRAKARMA (Conduct of Brahmin) SANDHYAASNAANAM JAPO HOMO DEVTAANAAM CHA PUJANAM || AATHITYAMVAISHVADEVAM CHA SHATKARMAANI DINE DINE || Meaning-Six routine tasks like three times bath, prayer at dawn and dusk, recitation,Homa (offerings to sacred fire), worship of deity, treatment of guests andoffering sacrifices for the deceased ancestors are mandatory for a Brahmindaily. Through these actions, a Brahmin gets free from the sin he commitsunknowingly. HOSPITALITY Aguest arriving at the end of these daily routine tasks is a means to provide aplace in heaven. Hence, such a guest deserves respect no matter whether he is afriend or a foe, a fool or a savant. A cordial welcome should also be extendedto such a guest like the ones already present. Even the guest arriving afterdining is over should be welcomed with honour. Such a pious conduct of a householder today ensures hisright to a place in heaven. A guest should not be asked to revealhis caste and creed for it indents the religion. Smriti also tells that a guestshould never be insulted nor should one let a guest go dejected because thenthe deceased ancestors of the host starve for fifteen years. ALMS AND DONATIONS Recitationof God's name and making donations and giving away alms constitute religion inKali Yuga. Donationis the only intact support of religion today. Hence, it is the moralduty of the common householders today that they should recite God's name and makedonations within their powers. Character of donation has also changed completelytoday. Sage Parashar says: ABHIGAMYAKRITE DAANAM TRETAAYAAMAHUYA DIYATE || DWAPAREYAACHMAANAAYA SEVAYAA DIYATEKALAU || Meaning-In Satya Yuga, the donor used to visit the home of the beggar to makedonations. IIn Treta, the donor called the beggar to him, In Dwapar, the donormade donations only when demanded but in Kali Yuga, donor demands service from the beggar before makingdonations. Butone should take care that the donation must be made for good deeds and to adeserving person only. SUKSHETRECHA SUPATRE CHA HYUPTAM DATTAMNA NASHYATI || Meaning-Sowing of seeds in a good fertile field and making donation to a deservingperson never go futile. Making donation is an easy and divine measure to ensuresuccess of life in this world and in another. This dictate of sage Parashar isstill being followed faithfully even today. Giving Alms: Like other religious actions,there are certain evolved norms to giveaway alms. First of all, pour water on the palms of the ascetic and then givehim alms. According to Parashar, alms given away in such way are asinexhaustible as the Mount Sumeru and the whole waters of the ocean. If a beggar arrives when aBrahmin household is offering sacrifices for the solace of his deceasedancestors, the Brahmin must divide the cereals in two parts and should reserveone to make offerings and donate the other as alms to the beggar. VAISHWADEVKRITAMPAAPAM SHAKTO BHIKSHURVYAPOHITUM|| NAHI BHIKSHUKRITANDOSHAANVAISHVADEVO VYAPOHATI|| Meaning-The sin committed unknowingly while offering sacrifices to the dead ancestorsis done away with by the beggar. But, a crime committed against a beggar at such a moment is never doneaway with by the offering of sacrifices to the dead ancestors. My note- There are many who close the gateon the srardha day and wade them away. He may give alms and help in anotherdays Offering Sacrifices to the deadancestors: Offeringsacrifices to the dead ancestors is one of the five great Yagyas. During thisritual, a Brahmin should make offerings to the sacred fire. Then, he should usethe remaining cereals to offer to the dead ancestors and also to the animals and birds. Ifa Brahmin does not perform this ritual, he is bound to suffer severe tormentsin hell and takereincarnation as a crow. Norms for Dining: A Brahmin should dedicatehis food to God first. Then he shouldtake it as a pious giving of God. While dining, a Brahmin should not cover hishead, should not face the south and should not put his hand on the left leg.These are all deeds characteristic of demons. 275 CONDUCT OF KSHATRIYAS Forthe people of Kshatriya caste (warrior class), sage Parashar says that theyshould wield the arms and preserve the subjects and punish the culprits to keepthem within the religious path. Defeating the enemies and preserving the earth, which contains seven oceansand great mountains are also duties of the Kshatriya. NASHRIH KULKRAMAJJAATAA || BHUSHANOLLIKHITAAPIVAA || KHADGENAKRAMYABHUNJEET || VEERBHOGYAVASUNDHARA || Meaning-One doesn't get wealth in legacy nor it is hidden in the jewels. Brave peoplewin it with the power of their sword and enjoy it because this earth isenjoyable only by enthusiastic brave people. Continuousvigilance is the price for complete independence. And one gets real pleasureonly in independence.In Panchatantra, Vishnu Sharma writes- UDDYAMENHI SIDDHYANTI || KARYAANINA MANORATHAIH || NAHI SUKTASYA SINHASYA || PRAVISHANTIMUKHE MRIGAH || Meaning- Only by makingefforts, desires are fulfilled and not by thinking and thinking alone. Even, adeer doesn't enter the mouth of a sleeping lion though the lion is the king ofbeasts. Preservingof his subjects is the greatest expiation for a king. A king is in fact thetrue servant of the people. Like the duties of a servant, duties of a king arealso very difficult. Literally, being a king means being anascetic. Country is the only friend ofthe king and his family as well. A king has to constitute a governing body forthe preservation of his subjects. Kautilya says- SAHAYASAADHYAM RAAJATVAM || CHAKRAMEKAMNA VARTATE || Meaning- Governance is a combined process.It cannot run on a single wheel. SageParashar dictates a king to realize a little bit of revenue from each of hissubjects in order to meet the expenses of governance. Parashar also describesthe glory of a warrior and an ascetic that both of them are able to benefit thecountry. PARASHARA SMRITI.- Posted by: "shivashankara rao"[email protected] Date:Mon Mar 26, 2012 12:33 am ((PDT)) I will continue in next posting -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1638750641.160258.1628236812202%40mail.yahoo.com.
