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95ITLD News Letter - 14
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ஷேத்திர(வயல்)விந ழரீ முன்னேஸ்வரம், சிலா Kshethra Winayaka Temple, Sri Munnes hot mail: kshethravinayakasayahoo.c
Author: B.S.Sarma, Kshethra Vinayaka Temple,S
Sri Sankar Pu February 200
 

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Sri Munneswaram, Chilaw, Sri Lanka.
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நாயகர் ஆலயம், பம், இலங்கை.
Mwar:Am, Chilaw, Sri Lanka. :0m: Til Lunneswa tanın sawah ()).com
பெப்ருவரி

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Path to Dharm
News Letter - 14 - G February 2009
ஷேத்திர(வயல்)விநாயகள் ஆலயம்,ரீ முன்னேஸ்வர Kshethra Vinayaka Temple,Sri Munneswaram,
Author: B.S.Sarma, Kshethra Vinayaka Temple,S
*extract from the book 'An Introduction to
The Epic and Classical Pe
The Itihasas
The Itihasas narrates the stories of absorbir fundamentals of Hinduism are indelibly impr Vedas are stressed deeply in the minds of the courageous deeds of the distinguished heroes minds of the mass from these sublime stories.
The common mass cannot understand the h Brahma Sutras. Hence the sages Valmiki at general mass. The same philosophy is prese manner for the benefit of mankind.
Throughout the epic period (400 B.C.-400 A.I North India, and they infused their religion v greatest Hindu epics, the Ramayana, and Mal concern themselves with the duties of royal th and preserve and refine social order, as wel ensure it.
The Bhagavad Gita, gives new doctrines, (incarnation of God), were introduced in thi literature on the ideal nature of society, to ma period.
The Epics- Mahabharata and Ramayana
The two great Hindu Epics, the Ramayana According to recent evidences it is proved mythological. Iitihaasas, literally means “tl Ramayana are interwind in Hindu philosoph Hindus into the present day.
The Ramayana, The first epic poem (Adi-K It is the history of the family of the so Ramachandra, the Avatara of Lord Vishnu, a like Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Bharata and

a தர்ம நெறி சய்தி மடல் பெப்ருவரி
ம், சிலாபம், இலங்கை. Chilaw,Sri Lanka .
ri Munneswaram, Chilaw,Sri Lanka.
Hinduism' by B.S.Sarma
riods (400 B.C. – 600 A.D.)
ng interest and importance, by which most of the essed. The laws of Smritis and the principles of the 2 common people, through the noble characters and . The actual concepts of Hinduism are set into the
igh abstract philosophy of the Upanishads and the nd Vyasa wrote the Itihasas for the benefit of the nted with analogies and altegories in an interesting
D.), the Indo-Aryans settled in the Gangetic Plains of with the religion of the indigenous people. The two habarata were written during this period. Both epics e heros to maintain the harmonious realm of dharma l as those Vedic rituals and religious practicesthat
namely bhakti (devotion to God) and avatara s text. The Laws of Manu (Manu dharma sasthra) intain social stability were also a product of the epic
and the Mahabharata, are the main mythology. that both are accounts of real events, not merely hat which happened.The epics Mahabharata and y and serve as parables and sources of devotion for
avya), narrates the story of Sri Rama, the ideal man. ar race descended from Ikshvaku, in which Sri ld his three brothers were born. The ideal characters
Sri Hanuman that we see in Ramayana clearly

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established Hindu Dharma in the minds of co brothers, their education and marriages, the e and recovery of Sitha, by Sri Rama and the de described in detail in Ramayana.The Ramayan Rama. This is part of the Hindu smriti, cc compiled in seven kandas (chapters).
Ramayana gives the teachings of the ancie narrative style and the interspersion of philoso Treta Yuga. Many infer this based on astrol established a code of conduct which is wide posterity.
Timeline The Ramayana would have been written betw say that the first and the last books of the Rau the books II to VI, represents Rama as an idea (incarnation of Vishnu).
According to the traditional astronomical bac the war between Rama and Ravana would has an important observation made in invariably a
According to Hindu tradition, Rama is an an main purpose of his incarnation is to demonst slays the rakshasa king Ravana and re-estab known in Hinduism as dharma. Gaudiya Bhagavatamrta says that Ramayana manifests
"Splendid as a new blade of durva grass, and He appeared in the Treta-yuga of the 24" c. (Laghu Bhagavatamrta 1.3.78). Lessons from the Ramayana Ramayana illustrates
1 Dharma in the form of Rama, who is 2 An ideal son, an ideal king and ideal 3 An ideal wife through Sita.
4 An ideal brother through Lakshmana 5 An ideal unassuming and loving devo 6 The dangers of lust and ego as seen ir
The Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is the second of the two ma immense religious and philosophical impo meaningas the Great Epic of the Bharata ei founded the Indian kingdom of Bharatav verses.The epic Mahabharata's scope and grar beginning of its first parva “What is found he will not be found elsewhere."
The nucleus of the story is that of a struggle the Kuru clan. The two collateral branches Kauravas, the elder branch of the family, a culminates leading to the “Great battle victorious. It also marks the beginning of breakdown of truths of which the eighteen

mman man. The story of the birth of Rama and his xile of Sri Rama, the carrying off Sitha by Ravana 'struction of Ravana, and the reign of Sri Rama, are la in Sanskrit means the march or journey (ayana) of omposed by Valmiki. This epic of 24,000 verses
nt Hindu sages and explains through allegory in phic and devotional. The Ramayana is written in the nomical data as in 3000 B.C. Thus Ramayana has ly considered by Hindus to be the benchmark for
reen the 4" and 2" century B.C. There is a belief to mayana are later additions. The details consisting in til hero. In books I and VII, Rama is made an avatara
k-projection and by interpolation by Vedic means, ye taken place 880 148 years ago, as on 2006. This is llastronomical almanacs (Pancanga).
vatara, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu or God. The rate the ideal human life on earth. Ultimately, Rama lishes the rule of religious and moral law on earth Vaishnava acharya Rupa Gosvami in his Laghu in 24" chatur-yuga.
accompanied by Sumitra's two sons and by Bharata, hatur-yuga as the son of Kausalya and Dasaratha."
the personification of this Hindu concept of duty. husband through Rama.
and Bharata. tee through Hanuman. 1 Ravana.
jor ancient Hindu epics. The Mahabharata is also of rtance in India.The term Mahabharata gives the ra, (bharata means the progeny of Bharata, the king arsha). Mahabharata contains more than 100,000 hdeur is given in a nutshell by one quotation from the are, may be found elsewhere. What is not found here
for the throne of Hastinapura, the kingdom ruled by of the family that participate in the struggle are the und the Pandavas, the younger branch.The struggle of Kurukshetra, and the Pandavas are ultimately the Hindu age of Kali Yuga, through the steady -day war of Kurukshetra, the clash of hundreds of

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thousands of men, elephants and horses, con where the great values and noble ideas that speedily heading toward the complete dissolu Some of the most noble and revered figure Kauravas, due to allegiances formed prior to t
The Mahabharata gives a description of the C out between the Kauravas and the Pandavas \ It is rightly called the fifth Veda. There is rea polity which this great epic does not touch a useful lessons of all kinds, many beautiful sto dialogues which set forth the principles of mc one hundred thousand verses by Sage Krishna
In its scope, its author, Vyasa, says that one c (pleasure), artha (wealth), dharma (duty) ; moksha, believed by many Hindus to be the play an integral role in the Mahabharata. Structure of Mahabharata The Mahabharata is written in eighteen parv 1. Adiparva - Introduction, birth and upbring 2. Sabhaparva - Life at the court, the game
erects the palace and court, at Indraprasth 3. Aranyakaparva (also Vanaparva, Aranya 4. Virataparva - The year in exile spent at th 5. Udyogaparva - Preparations for war. 6. Bhishmaparva - The first part of the
Kauravas. 7. Dronaparva - The battle continues, with I 8. Karnaparva - The battle again, with Karn 9. Shalyaparva - The last part of the battle, v 10. Sauptikaparva - How Ashvattama and til
their sleep. 11. Striparva - Gandhari and the other womer 12. Shantiparva - The crowning of Yudhisthi 13. Anushasanaparva - The final instructions 14. Ashvamedhikaparva - The royal ceremon 15. Ashramavasikaparva - Dhritarashtra, Ga
death in the forest. 16. Mausalaparva - The infighting between til 17. Mahaprasthanikaparva - The first part of 18. Svargarohanaparva - The Pandavas retur
There also exists an appendix of 16,375 vers on the life of Lord Krishna. Among the p Mahabharata are the following. They are ofte themselves.
1. Bhagavad Gita (Krishna instructs and tea 2. Damayanti (or Nala and Damayanti, Arar 3. Krishnavatara (the story of Krishna, th
chapters of the story) 4. Rama (an abbreviated version of the Ram 5. Rishyasringa (also written as Rshyashring

sisted. This is the fourth and final age of mankind,
humanity represented have crumbled, and man is ution of right action, morality and virtue in general. in the history end up fighting on the side of the he conflict.
great War, the Battle of Kurukshetra', which broke who were cousins and descendants of the lunar race. lly no theme in religion, philosophy, mysticism and hd expound. It contains very noble moral teachings, ries and episodes, discourses, sermons, parables and orals and metaphysics.The Mahabharata is written in -Dwaipayana Vyasa
f its aims is elucidating the four goals of life: Kama and moksha (liberation). The story culminates in ultimate goal of human beings. Karma and dharma
as (chapters) which are:
ging of the princes. of dice, and the exile of the Pandavas. Maya Danava a.
parva) – The twelve years in exile in the forest. |e court of Virata.
great battle, with Bhishma as commander for the
Drona as commander.
a as commander.
with Shalya as commander. he remaining Kauravas killed the Pandava army in
lament the dead. ta, and his instructions from Bhishma.
of Bhishma. y or ashvameda conducted by Yudhisthira. ndhari and Kunti leave for an ashram and eventual
he Yadavas with maces. the path to death of Yudhisthira and his brothers. n to the spiritual world.
es, the Harivamsaparva, which focuses specifically rincipal works and stories that are a part of the n isolated and presented as works complete in and of
ches Arjuna. Bhishmaparva.) yakaparwa.) e Krishna Leela, which is woven through many
ayana. Aranyakaparva.) a, the horned boy and rishi. Aranyakaparva.)

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1.
6. Vishnu sahasranama (the most famous
Anushasanaparva.)
The Bhagavad-Gita
The most important part of the Mahabharata Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield, befort of Arjuna. Lord Krishna explained the essen contain the essence of the Vedas, so does the is a universal gospel. The Gita teaches the Y The Puranas
The Puranas cover the intermediate period b form of parables and narratives, became the and often sectarian significance, they furni comprise an astonishingly varied repertory including philosophy, ethics, legal institutio with subjects like grammar, prosody, rhetori
The language of the Vedas is archaic, a Upanishads is difficult to understand and as they putforward the philosophical truths an ready access to the mysteries of life and the
The Puranas belong to the class of SuhritLakshana):
1. History 2. Cosmology 3. Secondary creation 4. Genealogy of kings 5. Manvantharas
Vyasa is the compiler of the Puranas from a Vyasa, the son of Parsara. The Puranas were contain the cream of the Vedas. The aim of people, the teachings of the Vedas and to
examples, myths, stories, legends, lives of sa great historical events.The Puranas were m who could not understand high philosophy
meant for the masses with inferior intellect. through these Puranas. Even now, the Puran:
The Puranas contain the history of remote ti universe not visible to the ordinary physical information of all kinds.The most popular Purana, and Markandeya Purana.
Srimad Bhagavata Purana and the Ten A
The Srimad Bhagavad Purana is taken here Purana is a chronicle of the ten various Av. save the world from some great danger, to di
The ten Avataras are:
Matsya (the Fish), to save Vaivasvata Mar

hymn to Vishnu, which describes His 1000 names;
is the Bhagavad-Gita. It is a dialogue between Lord 2 the war started. Lord Krishna became the charioteer ce of Hindu dharma to Arjuna. Just as the Upanishads 2 Gita contain the essence of the Upanishads.The Gita oga of Synthesis.
etween the Vedic and the Classical epochs. Cast in the scripture of the common. Apart from their religious sh a picture of social, political and cultural life and of folklore and information regarding diverse topics ns, popular festivals, and several arts.They deals even C, archery and care of horses and elephants.
ind the subtle philosophy of the Vedanta and the similate.Therfore, the Puranas are of special value as d precious teachings in an easier manner. They give key to bliss. Imbibe their teachings.
Samhitas and they have five characteristics (Pancha
ge to age; and for this age, he is Krishna-Dwaipayana written to popularise the religion of the Vedas. They the Puranas is to stress on the minds of the common generate in them devotion to God, through concrete uints, kings and great men, allegories and chronicles of eant, not for the scholars, but for the ordinary people and who could not study the Vedas. The Puranas are Religion is taught in a very easy and interesting way as are very popular.
mes. They also give a description of the regions of the eye. They are very interesting to read and are full of Puranas are the Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu
Vataras
as an example from the whole heap of Puranas.This
ataras of Lord Vishnu.The aim of every Avatara is to estroy the wicked and protect the virtuous.
nu from destruction by a deluge.

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10.
Kurma (the Tortoise), -to enable the world deluge. Varaha (the Boar), to support by its back gods and the Asuras (demons) churned the ocean of milk. Narasimha (the Man-Lion), to rescue from by a demon named Hiranyaksha. Vamana (the Dwarf), to free the world f father of Bhakta Prahlada. Parsurama (Rama with the axe, the destroy the gods which had been eclipsed by the pe and devotion of King Bali. Ramachandra (the hero of Ramayana, thes from the oppression of the Kshatriya rulers Parasurama destroyed the Kshatriya race ty Sri Krishna (the teacher of the Bhagavad ( His wonderful message of the Gita in the Mahabharata war, and to become the centr Buddha (the prince-ascetic and the found teach piety. Kalki (the hero riding on a white horse, w the destruction of the wicked and the re-est
The Tamil Puranas
Lord Siva incarnated Himself in the form Kumaras. He took human form to initiate appeared in flesh and blood to help his de (sports) of Lord Siva are recorded in the T Parakramam and Tiruvilayadal Purana.
Study of the Puranas, listening to sacred re. transcendent Lilas (divine sports) of the Ble (spiritual practice) of the Lord's devotee.Sr. Navavidha-Bhakti (nine modes of devotion) springs of devotion in the hearts of hearers a confers immortality on the Jiva (individuals
The nine modes of devotion (Navavidha-Bh hearing His (God's) names and glories singing them,
remembering the Lord, worship (service) of His Feet, adoration with flowers,
prostrations, regarding oneself as His servant, as His friend,
total self-surrender

to recover some precious things that were lost in the
for keeping (supporting) the churning rod when the
the waters, the earth which had been dragged down
rom the oppression of Hiranyakasipu, a demon, the
er of the Kshatriya race), -to restore the power of
aCe
on of King Dasharatha), -to deliver the country
wenty-one times, to destroy the wicked Ravana. jita), -to destroy Kamsa and other demons, to deliver
e of the Bhakti Schools of India. er of Buddhism), - to prohibit animal sacrifices and
ho is still to come at the end of the Kali-Yuga). is to tablishment of virtue.
of Dakshinamurti to impart knowledge to the four : Sambandhar, Manikkavasagar and Pattinathar. He votees and relieve their sufferings. The divine Lilas Tamil Puranas like Siva Purana, Periya Purana, Siva
citals of scriptures, describing and expounding of the 'ssed Lord - these form an important part of Sadhana avana (hearing of the Srutis or scriptures) is a part of 1. Kathas (narrative or story) and Upanyasas open the nd develop Prema-Bhakti (divine love for God) which oul).
akti)
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