7 Secrets From Hindu Calendar Art
by Devdutt Pattanaik
Chapter 6 -- Vishnu's Secret
(Video Part 1 of 2)
Via Video Book on YouTube
I'm so close to finishing Devdutt Pattanaik's book, 7 Secrets From Hindu Calendar Art, and it is so, so, so informative! I am digesting it through a new "book medium" for me: YouTube Video! It's called "Video Book" format, and it's free and accessible on YouTube. The chapters have been broken down into chunks, and while quite dense, they're only about 20 minutes in total length (each).
I cannot stress how informative, useful, and helpful this book (Via Video Book!) has been for me. Each video is chocked full of information, but as I am nearing the end, everything is tying back to the earlier chapters quite well. I can definitely say that the first 1 to 2 chapters were a little overwhelming with information, and they took time to digest. However, now that I am nearly finished, I can actually sense that I have an understanding, a solid base, for Hinduism and what I am seeing when calendar art images are portrayed in the video before me. I truly, truly cannot recommend this book (video series by Epified) enough!
Vishnu's Secret
(He has a lot of secrets)
Part 1
Detached Engagement Brings Order
- Don't kill a cow! Eating beef is taboo! (Duh!)
- Cows satisfy man's needs: food, clothing, shelter. Go Daan is the cow charity, which is the greatest charity of all, because receiving a cow means that you are satisfied in all your worldly needs
- In heaven, the gods have a MAGICAL COW who can fulfill any wish, and from whom all cows descend: Kamdhenu
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| Kamdhenu/Surabhi milking her calf |
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| Kamdhenu, the mother of all cows, also known to represent the Mother Earth (komata) |
Cows, through their milk that they provide humans, bring us to ecological questioning: how much milk should be reserved for the calf? How much is produced for the humans? Translate that to the earth, and ask the same questions of yourself. Humans alone have destroyed/altered ecosystems.
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| Earth cow, representing a full, wealthy, Earthly life |
Let me just pause and say that there are so, so, so many images from this video that I wish to keep and use. However, I'll refrain from posting them all here, but this video was really the culmination of all the previous information into that "AHA!" Moment for me when I really, really understood all the stories as being linked as one, instead of separate, individual stories.
- Earth takes the form of a cow and runs away when humans mistreat her
- Vishnu is Gopala: Vishnu brings her back on the condition that humans treat her with respect and kindness
- Vishnu principal: harmony between Nature and Man
"We want to be lions and dominate society (and those around us),
but society forces us to become cows --
to create value by producing milk,
and giving that milk not just to our own calf,
but to others as well."
- Therefore we are then fit to pull the cart burdened with demands and duties
Vishnu VS Shiva
Shiva:
- Mendicant
- 3 horizontal lines of Ash = inertia
- Animal hide, necklace of seeds
Vishnu:
- Society
- ||| 3 Vertical lines of sandal paste = activity
- Predictable changes of times
- Necklaces of flowers, gems, gold
- 4 Tools:
- conch: announces presence. Represents the rhythm (breath) of the world
- Discus: cycle of things, what goes around comes around
- Mace: justice
- Lotus
- Altogether, they represent and maintain Dharma, creating a stable society ---> stable and organized society generates wealth
- Lakshmi is the organization of society and wealth (for Vishnu)
- Alakshmi: strife. The older, Owl Sister of Lakshmi, and she is recognized every time that Lakshmi is worshipped, so that you never forget that with $$$ comes quarrels and strife, and we can therefore be prepared for it
- Vishnu, Lord of Maya (Measurement/Judgement)
- Vishnu's scales: love and affection for one another. This seems somewhat contradictory to the last video, where it discusses that there must be a limit to love and generosity, otherwise everything degenerates into chaos. Perhaps I am not thinking deeply enough about this, though.
- All rules are flexible:
"Culture and civilization are like a game, leela --
fun if everyone upholds the rules and enjoys the participation"
(my husband would definitely appreciate this perspective)
Avatars of Vishnu:
Matsya:
- Manu: 1st Man (I explored this in a Wikipedia Trails post, which you can find here. So I was a bit more familiar with this already, thankfully)
- Manu saves a small fish from a big fish, takes him out of the sea and places him in a pot (Pot = arms of society). Eventually the fish grows too big, and goes back to the sea. Manu was too compassionate and should have stopped helping the fish along the way. Now the sea rises and floods Manu's earth home.
"Civilizations starts where compassion begins,
Civilizations collapses when there's too much kindness,
when one doesn't know where to draw the line."
2nd Avatar: Turtle
3rd Avatar: Mohini - woman
Asuras: below the Earth, regenerating of wealth
VS
Devas: above the Earth
They are the force and counter force of Earth, churning it
4th Avatar: Varaha: Boar -- Vishnu brings Earth back out from under the sea
- Amrita: nectar of immortality (obtained from the ocean of milk) -- causes Devas to become immortal
5th Avatar: Brahmin Boy -- shoves Asuras under the Earth, different spheres of influence for Asuras vs Devas
Avatar: Parshurama -- becomes warrior to strike down kings who wield too much authority
Vishnu As:
Ram
Bala Ram (likened to Buddha)
Krishna
Kalki (will destroy society that has become corrupt, will start society again, as the fish -- note he is riding a white horse, like the second coming over the son is predicted to do in the book of Revelations in Christianity... this is an interesting little tidbit)
7 Secrets From Hindu Calendar Art
by Devdutt Pattanaik
Chapter 6 -- Vishnu's Secret
(Video Part 2 of 2)
Via Video Book on YouTube
Vishnu descends from time to time, upholding Dharma, overturning the jungle
Final Image: Vishnu-Krishna holding weapons
The weapons are his tools to create
order/predictability,
institute, maintain and re-define Dharma,
in every age:
peace, stability, prosperity to all
Part 2
Of all the avatars of Vishnu, Ram is worshipped the most, worshipped as king
Ramayana: Laws & appropriate conduct
VS
Bhagavat Purana: introduces us to compassion, love, devotion
Krishna: affection of the heart, bond not created by blood alone, but by love (he was adopted)
+ Beloved Radha (milkmaid/wife)
- Geeta Govinda: Sanskrit work written by poet Jayadeva (12Century)
Vedanta:
"Revealed that all humans can discover the divine within them
Joy comes when perfect, absolute realization,
free of all prejudices is attained."
This oneness with God = Advaita
Advaita: Oneness -- Krishna ultimately disappears, they only hear his flute ---> dissolution of god w/ form
Dvaita: Dualism -- God and Man are separate, Joy comes by surrendering to the Almighty
---> all devotees want to reach divine heaven and serve the divine couple (Krishna and Radha)
Siddhas:
- Naths or Masters, experts in occult arts, could perform miraculous feats. Rarely members of society, sages and sorcerers both
- NavNaths: 9 Siddhas
- AdiNath: primal master, considered both Shiva and Vishnu
Shiva:
-Tantrik, Shakti, Power
-Rejects code of Dharma, not mainstream, it is for those who have rejects the social code
-Intense sensory engagement: bright colors, narcotics, meat, sex
Yoga is the Balance of Shiva and Vishnu, Tantrik and Vedic
Vishnu:
-Vedic, material reality
-More mainstream, in line with social code
-Meditation, silence, quiet contemplation
Bhagavad Geeta: If there's anything you want to know about the Bhagavad Geeta, Pattanaik pretty much covers it here.
- Point: Control ones senses and one's mind, do one's duty with detachment, to focus on action not result and to have faith in the soul
Vishnu descends from time to time, upholding Dharma, overturning the jungle
Final Image: Vishnu-Krishna holding weapons
- The weapons are his tools to create order/predictability, institute, maintain and re-define Dharma in every age: peace, stability, prosperity to all
