2023-05-31 04:00:44 by ambuda-bot
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BHAGAVAD GUNA DARPANA
scion of the Raghu race". The Vishnu Purana declares: "The
continued remembrance of Krishna is the best of all expiatory
ceremonies' (II. vi. 39); and also: "Vishnu, enshrined in the
minds of the yogins, destroys all sins, as fire combined with
breeze, flares up and burns dry grass" (VI. vii. 70). Practically
all passages relating to expiation will illustrate this.
In other cases, like that of the sacred waters which are
purifying agencies, they acquire that characteristic only by
their contact with the Lord. This is shown by the adjectives,
'supreme' and 'great'. It is not reasonable to hold that
either sentient beings who are themselves naturally impure or
the gods who are also affected by impurity can purify others
who are similarly situated. Hence it is that Parasara, Saunaka
and others in the context of śubhāśraya (God as the substratum
of auspiciousness) prohibit contemplation and worship of
other gods. Subhāśraya means an object of worship or medita-
tion which is at once auspicious (i. e., śubha or sin-destroying)
and easy (aśraya) for contemplation. Thus: "All the gods are
impure because they are born in karma and are subject to karma"
(Vishnu Purana, VI. 7. 77); "All beings in this world, from
Brahma (the four-faced creator) down to a clump of grass, are
all born in karma and are in the grip of samsāra" (Vishnu
Dharma). It is well stated (by authorities) that the gods acquire
the capacity to purify only by contemplating on Him, worship.
ing Him, doing services to Him like sipping the water that has
washed His feet, etc. Similarly, the holy water and sacred
temple acquire this capacity to purify only by their nearness
to Him. Hence, says the Vishnu Purana (VI. 4.30) about the
Gangā: "This is the greatness of the water that has flowed
down from the toes of the left foot of Vishnu". And as for
mere waters, it is said: "The waters are indeed the abode of
Vishņu, and He is the Lord of the waters."
In the same way, Time is (said to be auspicious and purifi-
eatory) because of its connection with Him, as the hour of
His incarnation, or having Him as its deity, or as the hour of
His going to sleep or waking up, as for example in the case of
dvadasi, (the twelfth day of the lunar fortnight), jayanti (birth-
day), śravaṇam, (a day when the moon is in conjunction with
a lunar asterism in Capricorn sacred to Vishnu).
38
scion of the Raghu race". The Vishnu Purana declares: "The
continued remembrance of Krishna is the best of all expiatory
ceremonies' (II. vi. 39); and also: "Vishnu, enshrined in the
minds of the yogins, destroys all sins, as fire combined with
breeze, flares up and burns dry grass" (VI. vii. 70). Practically
all passages relating to expiation will illustrate this.
In other cases, like that of the sacred waters which are
purifying agencies, they acquire that characteristic only by
their contact with the Lord. This is shown by the adjectives,
'supreme' and 'great'. It is not reasonable to hold that
either sentient beings who are themselves naturally impure or
the gods who are also affected by impurity can purify others
who are similarly situated. Hence it is that Parasara, Saunaka
and others in the context of śubhāśraya (God as the substratum
of auspiciousness) prohibit contemplation and worship of
other gods. Subhāśraya means an object of worship or medita-
tion which is at once auspicious (i. e., śubha or sin-destroying)
and easy (aśraya) for contemplation. Thus: "All the gods are
impure because they are born in karma and are subject to karma"
(Vishnu Purana, VI. 7. 77); "All beings in this world, from
Brahma (the four-faced creator) down to a clump of grass, are
all born in karma and are in the grip of samsāra" (Vishnu
Dharma). It is well stated (by authorities) that the gods acquire
the capacity to purify only by contemplating on Him, worship.
ing Him, doing services to Him like sipping the water that has
washed His feet, etc. Similarly, the holy water and sacred
temple acquire this capacity to purify only by their nearness
to Him. Hence, says the Vishnu Purana (VI. 4.30) about the
Gangā: "This is the greatness of the water that has flowed
down from the toes of the left foot of Vishnu". And as for
mere waters, it is said: "The waters are indeed the abode of
Vishņu, and He is the Lord of the waters."
In the same way, Time is (said to be auspicious and purifi-
eatory) because of its connection with Him, as the hour of
His incarnation, or having Him as its deity, or as the hour of
His going to sleep or waking up, as for example in the case of
dvadasi, (the twelfth day of the lunar fortnight), jayanti (birth-
day), śravaṇam, (a day when the moon is in conjunction with
a lunar asterism in Capricorn sacred to Vishnu).
38