BhOga Bhoomi

From the Bhakti List Archives

• May 30, 2000


Sri Raamajayam
Dear Bhagavathaas,
                  In the Vedas there is a quote, "Don't kill any creatures", in the same Vedic text it says later "Where Agni and Soma are present in a yajnya, you can offer goat as a sacrifice".  So it cannot be interpreted Vedas contradict in itself.  In this specific case the Nyaaya is, "Munnathai Vida pinnathu Valiyathu"(Latter is stronger than the former). Same in the case of a certain ritvik practice, where all the Yajnya Srestas have to hold their hands and walk around the fire, the one who lets go has to perform Prayaschittham by Shastra.  If two were to leave their hands together, only one has to do the Prayaschittham according to a Nyaaya for the Shastra.  So whenever we see ambiguous statements, we should study and use the Nyaayas(like Sri Raamanuja using Mimamsa Nyaaya to explain "Tvam Tatvamasi" of Chandogya Upanishad in his Magnum Opus Sri Bhashyam).  Upanyaasam of His Godliness Sri Poundareekapuram Srimad Andavan Sri Gopala DEsika Mahadesikan Swami(Yathiraja Sap!
!
!
thathi).
In the same vein AdiyEn has heard of the Vedas saying "Bhakthi leads to Moksham, do it"(No Ambiguity to user).  As for Prapatthi it says Prapatthi leads to Moksham, but stops there(Ambiguity to user).  This does not mean Prapatthi is not recommended, but probably the choice is made to the Bhagavathaa probably to seek an Acharya, clarify and decide.

Similarly in my personal opinion, wherever Bhagavathaas live, the place is Pavithram(as wherever Hari/Raama Naamam is uttered that place ceases to be a BhOga BhUmi and becomes Bhakthi Bhoomi).  Perhaps in Swami Parasara's time it might be true, given our NAMA Sathsangham around the world, Sriman Naarayana has been extremely merciful in our time.   

Based on my first paragraph, a greater thinking is required on your particular question, but what AdiyEn have in the 2nd para, is all in a lighter vein, to justify our materialistic pursuits abroad.  

AdiyEn Sri Raamanuja Daasan,

Sudarsana Dasosmi

Message: 6
   Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 02:11:04 -0000
   From: "Chandrasekaran Venkatraman" 
Subject: Re: Authenticity of Divya sthalams

Dear members,
    In this regard, though not directly related still relevant, I 
came across the following in Vishnu Puranam (story like translation
in tamizh of the purana) in which,
  " ... parasara tells maitreya that only in bhAratha varsha spiritual
activities are taking place. Other varshas are bhOga bhUmis. Only
bhAratha varsha is karma bhUmi. Even the chatur yuga are relevant 
only to this varsha ..."

    So is it deducible from this that the other portions of the 
earth are not divine ??

    Please correct me if I have misquoted above..
 
    adiyEn,
    chandrasekaran.


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