Vyasa Vishaala-Budhe

Namostu Vyaasa Vishaala Budhe

I have wondered often as to why Indians have so many gods and why there are so many religions in this world.

Maharishi Vyasa is addressed as 'vishaala-budhe' thanks to his superior intellect. Certainly, he is the only one of the kind in the history of mankind who exhibited exceptional intellect.

He compiled the four Vedas, he wrote more than 108 (known) Upanishads and multiple Puranas including the great, Mahabharata, MahaBhagavata, Adhyatma Ramayana etc., so much so that people wonder whether he indeed was a human or not!! While the Vedas and the Upanishads seem to be focused in same direction, the Puraanas may quite confuse common seeker because, each Puraana exemplifies a different God; while the puraana itself is, usually named by that referred God.

It would indeed have been a herculean task for him to create so many gods. I was told that similar attempt in not so far off times, was made by the author of the many Theyyams of North Malabar (& thottams including their unique facial-drawings, so that each one was different from all others in the specifics & story) as it seems, all those were written in very short time.

There is virakti in abundance or plenitude, whereas attachment in scarcity. In attachment there is selfishness. In selfishness there is clash of egos. In egoism there is hatred. In hatred there is conflict. In conflict there is fight. In fight there is disaster. In disaster there is chaos. In chaos there is annihilation/death.

Veda-Vyasa understood the psychology of humans very well and therefore prescribed multitude of gods to attend to the _monkey_ like mind of humans. Mind is easwara (commander) of the body. Hence, if the mind is controlled, everything falls well in place. Concentration is certainly a big difficulty and therefore not very easy. Multi-tasking is inherent in humans. Hence, one light is not enough, rather, many lights are needed to focus towards one's progress (pragati). Each such light is known as divine or Deva or Devi (div = that which shines and emits / blesses). Just as there is a lot of difference between one LED & group of LEDs - and lo! what a beauty! if all were twinkling !!

Vyasa therefore bestowed upon us 'Twinkle-twinkle wonderful gods' thru the various Puraanas!! Though the essence is vedaanta (Upanishads) and the Vedas (science). Just as we don't need to know the chemical composition of LPG inorder to cook our daily meal, though however, knowing it definitely would only enhance our 'love', appreciation and affection for that LPG; and not knowing however, will not starve us from the experience of having sumptuously!!

At the same time, the connoisseur of food needn't ignore the properties of his intake and get into health issues thru consumption of junk food that is not backed by a scientific (Vedic) culture!!

We are indeed fortunate to have had the benefit of the benevolence of the great Maharshi Veda Vyasa who encoded the entire concepts in the most cultured & scientific language called Sanskrit - especially designed for such purposes. (Today we have many computer languages each capable in its own way and competent to handle our commands according to the requirement & use of the technology prevalent of that time. From simple procedural language to object oriented and purely object, loaded with statistical & analytical capabilities for artificial or machine learning intelligence and so on and so forth). The Sanskrit language is the language of science and spirituality as both can be expressed simultaneously using similar words that provoke intellectual activity and resolve their meanings unambiguously. It understands the language in which God codified His creation, so much so, that it is also called Deva-Bhaasha and usually written in Deva-Nagiri script.

The saints, pious and the learned from Kerala were perhaps the least affected by the onslaught of various religions that mis-interpreted or were not properly understood in the correct sense as proposed by Veda Vyasa. Ezhuthachan, the Father of Malayalam literature, Poonthanam, Melpathur etc., were the few who understood Maharshi Veda Vyasa rightly, that their contributions reflect the original thought and his Prescription. That is why, Poonthanam uses Soham as the ultimate understanding in his 'Poetry of Nectar of Knowledge'.

"മോഹംതീർന്നു മനസ്സു ലയിക്കുമ്പോൾ
സോഹമെന്നിട കൂടുന്നു ജീവനും".
"Desires having saturated, the mind dissolves,
That the Soul merges as HE = I".

Two great symbols of India are the Hamsa and the Padma.

Hamsah may be closely translated as Swan, which is attributed with the capabilities of even separating essence of milk from water!! Great saints are referred to as 'ParamaHamsas'. It is said as per himdu mythology that in the Manasarovar (= pool {Sarovar} of the mind {Manas}) in Kailasa mountains, many swans live with that quality.

Going by the Sanskrit language technique of swapping letters, we see that Hamsa हंस: is that which identifies things separately - like the swan (meaning Dvaita bhava) while (स: + अहम् = सोहम्) soham means one with HIM (Advaita bhava).

Further, Paramahamsa may be seen as Param + Aham + Sa (परम् अहम् स: = परमहंसः ) meaning ultimately I is HE.

Padma (=lotus) blooms in dirty waters. People generally tend to see dirt more clearly. An exception to that is when they look at lotus bloomed in dirty waters - when they tend to admire only the lotus and ignore the dirty waters.

That is why, Lotus has lot of meaning in Hindu philosophy. Our happiness lies in seeing the lotus in everything (be it dirty or clean). He who wears spectacles of such (lotus) vision over his eyes is the one who is Lotus-eyed. He who sees the lotus (niceties, goodness) even in the foot (dirty, beneath, down and trodden) is to be known as Padma-paada (with the Lotus Feet).

Happiness is when Lotus blooms in all of us and we can see the Lotus even in the feet of others!!

And that may come from soham (identifying the other as oneself) by inclusiveness of all that living or non living. Then we become Paramahamsa.

I therefore salute the Lotus eyed Vyaasa who is indeed Paramahamasa.

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