In one version, Narayana, (Brahman) creates seven
rishis to uphold the Vedas. They follow Pravritti marga because they have to
procreate and populate the earth. They are Marichi, Angirasa, Atri, Pulastya,
Pulaha, Kratu and Vasishta.
Narayana also created seven other rishis who were proficient
in Samkhya and Yoga philosophies and followed the Nivritti marga. They are:
Aniruddha, Sana, SanatSujata, Sanatkumara, Sanandana, Sanaka and Kapila.
Maha Bharata documents Gnana marga (nivritti) and Karma marga (pravritti). One can
see the beginnings of Bhakti marga also because of the way Vishnu is elevated
to the status of Narayana, a manifest part of the One Supreme Brahman.
In a subsequent section, there is a different version of the
creation of creatures by Brahma and the way Narayana passed on the Vedas to all
the rishis through Brahma (not Brahman). In this version, Brahma is born seven
different times from Narayana’s breath, mouth, eyes, navel and ears. The Vedas
get lost between each one of these origins of Brahma. In this description, three
so-called “cults” are mentioned. They are Pancharatra, Vaikanasa and Satwaata.
This is important because the current method of worship (agama?) of Vishnu is said
to be Vaikanasa, the other two having disappeared.
Ancient Sanskrit texts classified all objects in this earth
into two major classes: sthavara (immobile) and jangama (mobile). Immobile included jata (non-living such as rock) and jiva (living). One text in Mahabharata classifies living into 4
groups: egg-born, womb-born, soil-born
and plants. Padmapurana classifies all living entities into: water-born, reptiles, birds, animals (pasu,
mrga) and human (maanava). Plants and trees are also included. Mahabharata
classifies plants under 6 categories – vrksha (tree), gulma (shrub), lata
(creeper), talli ( same as creeper but with a thicker stem), tvakshra (bamboo)
and truna (grass).
As I have mentioned elsewhere, one learns about many things
about the ancient land and its geography, botany, culture and customs by
reading sacred texts. Classification of living and non-living
objects in this world and their sub-classification as noted above is a prime example. This was millennia before Linneus started
modern taxonomy.
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