In Book 3, Section 141, Vishnu says that he will one day
separate the soul from the body of Narakasura. This, of course, happens during
his avatar (reincarnation) as
Krishna. The point for me is about separating the soul from the body. Vishnu
did not say “I will take Naraka’s life; but the soul”. Obviously, our ancestors
believed, as did the western cultures, in an entity called the “soul”, separate
from the body capable of independent existence.
Later in this section, there is an episode where the
Pandavas and Draupadi are on their way to Kailas. This was the time Arjuna had
been sent by Dharma to acquire celestial weapons. When they are walking, they
see an unusual - looking lotus flower. Draupadi asks Bhima to find out its
source and bring her some more of those lotuses. Bhima being Bhima, causes
havoc walking through the forest uprooting trees and crushing animals. At one
point, Hanuman shows up. We learn that Hanuman is also a son of Vayu (God of the Wind) just as Bhima is;
only that Hanuman was in Treta yuga and Bhima in Dwapara Yuga.
Hanuman tells Bhima: “Why are you hurting innocent animals
like an ignorant child? You should be kind to all creatures. We animals are
ignorant of virtues. But, you humans are endowed with reason and should show
kindness”.
Actually, Hanuman
showed up because Bhima came to a crossroad and started walking the path of the
celestials. Hanuman wants Bhima to take the path of the mortals. Hanuman lies
down on the path and asks Bhima to jump over him. Bhima does not and gives a
reason I do not understand. Then Bhima asks Hanuman to show his full form.
(This is forerunner of the later episode during Gitopadesa when Arjuna asks
Krishna to show his full form and Krishna obliges) Hanuman declines to do so.
He says: “The times are different. I did it in a previous yuga. Rivers, trees,
plants and Gods conform to time, and in harmony with the contexts”.
Later, Hanuman talks about the varnas (the so-called castes) and the duties of people in each
varna. He talks about order in society when everyone does his/her duty
according to the dharma for the varna. In Section 148, Hanuman says that in
Krita yuga, there was only one eternal religion (Sanatana Dharma). There was no
need for sacrifices (yagnas). There was harmony and full health. There were no
Vedas or Gods. There was only Brahman and only one mantra (OM). In the next yuga (Treta), Vedas came in and sacrifices
were introduced. Virtues declined. Religions and religious rites and rituals
came in. In Dwapara Yuga, religion declined. Vedas divided into four. People
who knew Vedas declined but those who knew Shastras increased. Truth declined
and passion increased. In Kali Yuga, he predicted that Dharma (virtues) will
decline by 3/4th. Vedas and religions will be abandoned. Six things
will lead to fear, famine and scarcity. They are: excess rain, draught, rats
and locusts (pests), birds and “other”
people. This last list is interesting and I do not know who is referred to as
“other people”.
In section 157, there are lists of several kinds of fruits,
flowers, and birds. Some of them are either extinct or mythical like the
chataka bird, who is supposed to drink only rain water as the rain is falling
or the Sarabha, an animal with eight legs.
Others are well-known such as mango, pomegranate, jujube (ilandai) and fig; peacock and
woodpecker; champaka and palmyra.
Then, there are celestials beings such as kinnara
(deformed), kimpurusha (half-man and half-steed, yaksha ( superhuman beings
living in inaccessible halls and mountains), gandharvas (celestial musicians),
apsaras (celestial dancers), siddhas (perfected, emancipated, semi-divine),
charanas (wandering minsterlsm bards), rakshasas (barbarians with funny years,
born on the day they are conceived and grow fast within a year) with
conditional immortality and their counterparts Asuras, celestials with no
death.
Among all of these, mrudangam (musical instrument, a drum used in classical south indian music) is also mentioned.
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