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Brahmaloka
Brahmaloka (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मालोक, IAST: Brahmāloka) or Satyaloka (Sanskrit: सत्यलोक) sometimes refers to the realm of Brahma, the creator god, a member of the Trimurti along with Vishnu and Shiva, along with his consort Saraswati. It is also referred to as Brahmapura, in the Puranas. Brahmaloka also refers to the abode of Brahman. Brahmaloka is described to be 60,000,000 miles above the Prajapati loka and is considered to be of great Soteriology, soteriological significance. It is a sphere where the inhabitants never again know death, dwelling perpetually in the company of Yogi, yogins, and drinking the excellent nectar of yoga. Location In the center of Brahmaloka is Brahmapura, a huge palace where Brahma resides. Description Brahmaloka is a realm composed entirely of Brahman, considered superior to svarga, the Svarga loka and full of immortal energy, knowledge and bliss. It is also known as the planet of the Bhagavan, Bhagavān. The abo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Buddhist Cosmology
Buddhist cosmology is the description of the shape and evolution of the Universe according to Buddhist Tripitaka, scriptures and Atthakatha, commentaries. It consists of a temporal and a spatial cosmology. The temporal cosmology describes the timespan of the creation and dissolvement of alternate universes in different aeons. The spatial cosmology consists of a vertical cosmology, the various planes of beings, into which beings are reborn due to their merits and development; and a horizontal cosmology, the distribution of these world-systems into an infinite sheet of existential dimensions included in the cycle of samsara. The entire universe is said to be made up of five basic elements of Earth (classical element), Earth, Water (classical element), Water, Fire (classical element), Fire, Air (classical element), Air and Aether (classical element), Space. Buddhist cosmology is also intwined with the belief of Karma in Buddhism, Karma. As a result, some ages are filled with pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vaikuntha
Vaikuntha (), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil language, Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the Parabrahman , supreme deity in the Vaishnavism, Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism' (1996). and his consort, Lakshmi, the supreme goddess of the sect. According to Ramanuja, Vaikuntha is the ''Parama Padam'' or ''Nitya Vibhuti,'' an "eternal heavenly realm", and is the "divine imperishable world that is God's abode". In Vaishnava literature, Vaikuntha is described as the highest realm above the fourteen ''lokas'' (worlds), and the place where the devotees of Vishnu go upon achieving Moksha, liberation. It is guarded by the twin deities, Jaya-Vijaya, Jaya and Vijaya, the Dvarapala, dvarapalakas, or gatekeepers of Vaikuntha. The army of Vishnu, stationed at Vaikuntha, is led by Vishvaksena. The planets of Vaikuntha are described as being full of golden palaces and hanging gardens that grow fragrant fruits and flowers. The p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brahma
Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212–226.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 218–219. He is associated with creation, knowledge, and the ''Vedas''. Brahma is prominently mentioned in Creation myth, creation legends. In some ''Puranas'', he created himself in a golden embryo known as the Hiranyagarbha. Brahma is frequently identified with the Rigvedic deities, Vedic god Prajapati.;David Leeming (2005), The Oxford Companion to World Mythology, Oxford University Press, , page 54, Quote: "Especially in the Vedanta Hindu Philosophy, Brahman is the Absolute. In the Upanishads, Brahman becomes the eternal first cause, present everywhere and nowhere, always and never. Brahman can be incarnated in Brahma, in Vishnu, in Shiva. To put it another way, eve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kailasha
Kailasha or Kailasa () is the celestial abode of the Hindu god Shiva. It is traditionally recognized as a mountain where Shiva resides along with his consort Parvati, and their children, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Mount Kailash, located in the Transhimalaya, in the western part of the Tibetan Plateau, is considered as a geographic manifestation of Kailasha. Etymology The name is given as "'" (; var. ' ) in Sanskrit. It could have been derived from the word "'" (), which means "crystal". Theology and mythology The abode of Kailasha is said to be guarded by a set of ganas led by Nandi, the ''vahana'' (mount) of Shiva. According to the ''Puranas'', Shiva and Parvati are often described as engaged in discussions regarding Hindu philosophies seated in Kailasha. Other gods and devas are described as assembling at Kailasha to witness Shiva taking the form of Nataraja and engaging in a cosmic dance. Hindus believe Kailasha to be the Mount Meru which is considered to be a stairway t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Goloka
Goloka () or Goloka Vrindavan () is the celestial abode of the Hindu god Krishna and his chief consort Radha. In the ''Bhagavata Purana'' and '' Garga Samhita'', Krishna is portrayed as the highest person who resides in Goloka along with his consort Radha. Goloka is often represented as the celestial realm containing flowing streams and lovely gardens, and is inhabited by cows and enchanting maidens - Gopis. Goloka is revered in various Vaishnavism traditions including Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Swaminarayan Sampradaya, Pranami Sampraday, Pushtimarg and Nimbarka Sampradaya. Besides ''Bhagvata Purana'', Goloka is also mentioned in Sanskrit scriptures such as the Pancharatra texts,goloko nitya-vaikuntho yathakaso yatha disah '' Garga Samhita'', ''Brahma Samhita'', ''Brahma Vaivarta Purana,'' and ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana''. Etymology ''Goloka'' literally means "World of cows". The Sanskrit word ''go'' refers to "cow" and ''loka'' is translated as "realm." Krishna is also known as '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saraswati
Saraswati (, ), also spelled as Sarasvati, is one of the principal Devi, goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of knowledge, education, learning, arts, speech, poetry, music, purification, language and culture. Together with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati, she forms the trinity of chief goddesses, known as the Tridevi. Sarasvati is a pan-Indian deity, venerated not only in Hinduism but also in Jainism and Buddhism.Ludvik (2007), pp. 1, 11. She is one of the prominent goddesses in the Historical Vedic religion, Vedic tradition (1500 to 500 BCE) who retains her significance in later Hinduism. In the Vedas, her characteristics and attributes are closely connected with the Sarasvati River, making her one of the earliest examples of a Rivers in Hinduism, river goddess in Indian tradition. As a deity associated with a river, Sarasvati is revered for her dual abilities to purify and to nurture fertility. In later Vedic literature, particularly the Brahmanas, Sarasvati is i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' (; IAST: ''Brahman'') connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality of the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part XII In the Vedic Upanishads, ''Brahman'' constitutes the fundamental reality that transcends the duality of existence and non-existence. It serves as the absolute ground from which time, space, and natural law emerge. It represents an unchanging, eternal principle that exists beyond all boundaries and constraints. Because it transcends all limitation, ''Brahman'' ultimately defies complete description or categorization through language. In major schools of Hindu philosophy, it is the non-physical, efficient, formal and final cause of all that exists.For dualism school of Hinduism, see: Francis X. Clooney (2010), ''Hindu God, Christian God: How Reason Helps Break Down the Boundaries between Religions'', Oxford University Press, , pages 51–58, 11 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nārada
Narada (, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage-divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of the mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He appears in a number of Hindu texts, notably the Mahabharata, telling Yudhishthira the story of Prahalada, and he also appears in the Ramayana and the Puranas. A common theme in Vaishnavism is the accompaniment of a number of deities such as Narada to offer aid to Vishnu upon his descent to earth to combat the forces of evil, or to enjoy a close view of epochal events. He is also referred to as ''Rishiraja'', meaning the king of all sages. He was gifted with the boon of knowledge regarding the past, present, and the future. Hinduism In Indian texts, Narada travels to distant worlds and realms (Sanskrit: ''lokas''). He is depicted carrying a khartal (musical instrument) and the veena, and is generally regarded as one of the great masters of the anc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jataka Tales
The ''Jātaka'' (Sanskrit for "Birth-Related" or "Birth Stories") are a voluminous body of literature native to the Indian subcontinent which mainly concern the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form. Jataka stories were depicted on the railings and torans of the stupas. According to Peter Skilling, this genre is "one of the oldest classes of Buddhist literature."Skilling, Peter (2010). ''Buddhism and Buddhist Literature of South-East Asia,'' pp. 161–162. Some of these texts are also considered great works of literature in their own right.Shaw, Sarah (2006). ''The Jatakas: Birth Stories of Bodhisatta'', p. xxii. Penguin UK. The various Indian Buddhist schools had different collections of jātakas. The largest known collection is the '' Jātakatthavaṇṇanā'' of the Theravada school, as a textual division of the Pāli Canon, included in the '' Khuddaka Nikaya'' of the ''Sutta Pitaka''. In these stories, the future Buddha may appear as a king, an o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Twitchell
Paul Twitchell (born Jacob Paul Twitchell; October 22, 1908 or 1909 – September 17, 1971) was an American writer and spiritual teacher who created and directed the development of the new religious movement known as Eckankar. Twitchell described himself as "The Mahanta, the Living ECK Master" from 1965 onward. These are terms without proven historical use prior to 1965 and his usage. He also ascribed to himself the name Peddar Zaskq in his writings. Birth and early life Paul Twitchell was born in Paducah, Kentucky to Effie Dorothy and Jacob Noah Twitchell. His date of birth has been given variously between 1908 and 1922, with the Library of Congress' Name Authority File giving 1908 and a spring 1910 census suggesting 1909. Upon Twitchell's death in 1971, his second wife Gail told the medical examiner that Paul was born on October 22, 1922, the same date presented in their marriage certificate. However, his marriage certificate with his first wife, Camille Bellowe, gave his d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paramatma
''Paramatman'' (Sanskrit: परमात्मन्, IAST: Paramātman) or ''Paramātmā'' is the absolute '' Atman'', or supreme Self, in various philosophies such as the Vedanta and Yoga schools in Hindu theology, as well as other Indian religions such as Sikhism. ''Paramatman'' is the "Primordial Self" or the "Self Beyond" who is spiritually identical with the absolute and ultimate reality. Selflessness is the attribute of ''Paramatman'', where all personality/individuality vanishes. Etymology The word stem ''paramātman'' (, its nominative singular being ''paramātmā'' — परमात्मा, pronounced ) is formed from two words, ''parama'', meaning "supreme" or "highest", and ''ātman'', which means individual self. The word '' Ātman'' generally denotes the Individual Self, but by the word ''Paramatman'' which word also expresses Boundless Life, Boundless Consciousness, Boundless Substance in Boundless Space, is meant the ''Atman'' of all ''atmans'' or the Supr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
