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Was KrishNa a Saivate? Liquor, sOmapAnam (Re: [Introduction])

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M.S.HARI Madabhushi Sarangarajan Hari • November 10, 2000 


Dear Shree Srinivasan Iyengar ,

>1)In Mahabharatha it is said that Krishna as a
>practise worsipped Shiva with family. Was he a Saivite?

First of all, mere worship of Shiva does not make a person
a Saivite. Saivite is he who has accepted and adopted Saiva-Aagama's
philosophy and practice. For example, SrI Adi Sankara 
has worshiped Siva but has categorically rejected and refuted
pAsupatha Saiva Aagama. He is therefore not a Saivite.
He is one amoung the founders of advaita philosophy.
Now comming to your question "Was KrishNa a Saivite?"
Interesting question indeed! SrI KrishNa is an incarnation
of ParamAthma SrIman NArAyaNa:. He is PurushOthama: -
the one and only God. He in his incarnation has followed
and preached the Veda's philosophy and practice. This
conclusively establishes that he is not a Saivite.
Saivam is against Veda and logic (refer PaSupathyadhikaraNam
present in the Brahma sUtra's 2nd chapter 2nd pAda).
It is said that he worshiped Siva etc., not in the meaning
that Siva is supreme etc., but only as per the boon
that SrI KrishNa gave to Siva. Therefore, this establsihes
that Siva is only a jIvAthma like us bound by karma
but SrI KrishNa is the unparalleled and unsurpassed
God and also that SrI KrishNa is NOT a Saivite.
Saivam orginated because of a curse of a Rishi. For
details, refer para-matha-bhangam of SwAmy DESika.

>2)In Mahabharatha Balarama is said to be consuming
>liquor served by Revathi his wife. Did Krishna
>consumed liquor too?

BalarAma is a not a direct incarnation of Lord SrIman NArAyaNa.
SrI KrishNa is "ulagam-uNda-peruvAyan"(Tiru-vAi-mozhi). But there is no
mention of SrI KrishNa drinking liquor. As per the
Brahma sUtra "aththA charAcharagrahaNAth", SrI KrishNa
consumes everything (all the material universe composed
of all chit and achit entities) at the final pralaya.
(refer Sruthi which has stated Oodanam and upaSesanam)
One important aspect which I would like to highlight is
that, BhagavAn never violates the SAstra but infact protect
it and preaches it. He strictly follows it during his 
incarnations. Bhagavan ate even non-vegetarian food
during some of his incarnations. Such things are as per
SAstra applicable for the form of incarnation that He took.
BhagavAn is akila-hEya-prathyanIka anantha kalyANa guNA
nidhi. He is samastha-chit-achit-vasthu-vilakshaNa
anantha-jgnyAnAnandaika-swarUpa. He has divine body as
per his own sankalpa. He is PurushOthama: Sriya: Pathi:
SrIman NArAyaNa: VAsudEva: VishNu.
But we are jeevas different from him  and we have
to follow our dharma which is known through the SAstra
as applicable according to our birth.

>3)In Sree Suktham it is said that "Oh Garuda Consume
>Somabanam "
Many without any knowledge regarding the Veda have started
spreading many apArthams about the sOmapAnam. (not somabanam).
I refuted recently these apArthams in one of my lectures and 
explained sOmapAnam using the verses of VEda.
What is sOmapAnam? This question has been answered in a nice
manner by SrImath SatakOpan swAmy in this list. Please
refer his reply in the list archives. You have referred
SrI sUktham? May I request you to kindly quote the verse
which says "Oh Garuda Consume Somabanam ". Anyway, the
Vedic sOmapAnam has no connection with any of the drinks
that are available as of date. 

Thanks & Regards
M.S.HARI RAmAnuja DAsan.

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