A Study of the Bhâgavata Purâna; or, Esoteric Hinduism
Religion
A Study of the Bhâgavata Purâna; or, Esoteric Hinduism
Puranas. Bhagavatapurana. English
Energies of another kind proceeded from Mahar Loka, energies known as
Devas and Asuras. They work out, or rather they are intimately connected
with, the tendency of life-evolution. There is a tendency in the
Spiritual Jiva to acquire experience of the lower planes, through senses
which they develop. The Asuras are connected with this tendency. There
is the opposite tendency in the Jiva to get rid of the material taint
and the material restriction earned in the efforts to acquire manifold
experiences and to gain back the original state of purity after the
acquisition of fresh spiritual treasures though the experiences of
matter. The Devas are connected with this tendency.
These are the forms of life which then come into existence and work out
their evolution in this Trilokî.
Life evolution proceeds on two different lines — that of globes and that
of individuals. They are represented by the two sons of Manu —
Priyavrata and Uttânapâda.
In the line of Priyavrata we find how the globes were formed in the
solar system, through various cosmic fires originating from Visvakarmâ,
how this earth was formed, its continents and countries. The different
divisions of the Bhûr Loka are presided over by different forms of
intelligence, who are the sons of Priyavrata.
In the line of Uttânapâda we find the different life kingdoms passing
through different stages of evolution.
First of all, we find a limit is put to life existence in Trilokî by
Dhruva. Dhruva, son of Uttânapâda, presides over the Polar Star. That
Star forms the farthest limit of Trilokî. Matter is so attenuated there
that it can last for one Kalpa. We are speaking of a period when infant
souls merged out to commence the race of life in the present Kalpa. They
were spiritual and highly spiritual too. But they were carried away by
the general current of creative tendencies. They were to limit
themselves by sheath after sheath, so that they might acquire the
experiences of Svar Loka, of Bhuvar Loka and of Bhûr Loka in succession.
Dhruva, the infant soul, a child only five years old, however, resisted
the common temptation. He would not go down, for he had an important
service to render to the Universe. Who would advise him in this noble
mission but Nârada. Nârada was out of element when the creative process
was in full swing, and it was a necessity of life evolution. But there
were instances of exception, instances of noble souls who would not go
in with the general current, but would like to remain fixed in spiritual
life, and Nârada was always to be found helping them with his advice.
Dhruva remained fixed in his early spirituality. That was a sacrifice,
for he could not enrich himself with further spiritual experiences,
through the senses, of the lower planes of life. But he had to keep up
an abode which was to be resorted to by evolved souls in later days,
souls that in due course would reach that high spiritual plane.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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