The word DIVINE means the spiritual energy, which brings the majestic power, to anyone who is connected to it. One who is always in the association of divine energy, there is no question of becoming illusioned by the material energy, which is the lower than the spirit. Divine means above the three modes of material nature i.e. goodness, passion, and ignorance. Material life undergoes the following changes, from birth, young, adolescence to old age, death, and gets another body, dehinosminyathadehe… As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death…(Bg 2.13)And due to our forgetfulness of the divine, we as the spirit particle within the body, taken away from one body to another body, to enjoy or suffer depending on the activities we performed in the present body, so this is going on and on for many many life times, but when one is connected to the divine energy he will be able to free from this suffering, even if he takes birth he is not affected by the dualities happiness or distress, Divine nature is of full knowledge, full happiness, and full detachment. Knowledge which will not bring us to the spiritual happiness is not pure, knowledge which will not lead us to the detachment from material illusion is not pure, happiness without detachment from sensual objects is also not pure because this type of happiness is still in the mode of goodness. That means still on the material platform.
The word protector is that personality who can engage us in prescribed duties, one who protects always from difficulties, one who helps us to advance in spiritual life, and one who is always looking after us so that we will not fall down again into the ocean of illusory material enjoyment. The protector could be any one, but divine protector must be someone who can connect us to divinity, that personality can be either from the divine planet or can be the representative of the divine spirit. And He will be guiding the people and society in such a way that everybody will be connected to the divine nature, knowledge, happiness, and detachment.
I would like to take this opportunity to make some connection of our topic divine protector to the secret heritage of Kingdom of Angkor. Angkor is the place where the majestic power of divinity existed, and this existed by the presence of Devas (Demigods), Brahmins (priest), Rajas (the kings). All those personalities are considered to be the divine representatives, they possessed great knowledge and power, and detachment. But it changed over a period of time, according to story there were many kings, and each of them having faith in different philosophy, two prominent philosophies were followed, by the Kings i.e Shaivism or Vaisnavaism, and later on Buddhism; Mahayana and Theravada.. We understand from vedic scriptures that those personalities like Lord Siva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Bhudha are not ordinary personalities; they are the Supreme authorities of the Absolute truth. So any king who runs the society based on the teachings of the Lord, can bring the happiness to the citizens.
During ancient times the King was advised by qualified brahmanas to rule the kingdom.
Let us see what was happening thousands of years ago in the land of Angkor. Back to nine century, the founder of Kingdom Angkor JayavarmanII (r.802-34) after returning from Java he engaged his military men to build the temple in Kulen mountain where he installed and worshiped sacred linga representing Lord Shiva, and he held the ceremony to establish himself as the Divine King (Devaraja) (Along the royal road to Angkor, pgh. 164). Jayavarman II seems to have great mission to protect the people and the land, he then took the responsibility to establish the Kingdom, at the same time he realized that without the help of divine power of the Lord, nothing could be done, so with full faith he started worshiping the linga of Lord Siva, submitting to serve as the King and representative of the divine energy of the Lord. The Lord satisfied with his worship and empowered him to rule the kingdom as His representative, because the Lord also pleased the entire kingdom flourished with the prosperity.
Later on the king Indravarman I also built several temples around Roluos, dedicated to Lord Siva and his bull Nandi. Yasovarman I (r. 889-910) built the first Royal Capital near Angkor area, Yasodharapura, and on the top of Bhakeng Hill he built the temple and worshiped Lord Shiva Linga. Few other kings followed in establishing temples in different places, expanding the territory, and maintaining the water system for the agriculture. Kings were also responsible for the welfare, and the prosperity. Traditionally agriculture was the divine way to prosper in the kingdom, followed by trade as well. And all agriculture produce first should be offered to the divine deities in the temple by the priest, for the benefit of every one, by this system every activity of the citizens was always connected to divine Lord.
Different names of demigods also was well known to the citizens of Angkor, we can see at the gate of the temple there is churning of the ocean of milk, and very big statue of 45 demigods in one side and demons on other side. Many carvings of demigods such as Indra, Varuna, Surya, Chandra, are seen on the wall of temple. The demigods are also the living beings, who are residing in heavenly planets to serve the Supreme Lord in assisting different universal affairs, like Lord Indra in charge of rain, Lord Chandra in charge of the moon light, Lord Varuna in charge of the ocean and so on. The activities of the citizens also should be connected with the demigods, because according to scriptures the demigods, kings, priest and the citizen should corporate with each other to satisfy the Supreme Lord,
devanbhavayatanena
te deva bhavayantuvaù
parasparaàbhavayantaù
çreyaùparamavapsyatha
The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please you, and thus, by cooperation between men and demigods, prosperity will reign for all. (Bg 3.11)
Co operation between men and demigods is needed to manage the social and spiritual affairs, so that Lord will spread his mercy and divine protection to every living entity, and to bring prosperity in the kingdom.
The peak of the Angkor Kingdom is in twelve-thirteen century. In 1113, Suryavarman II built the Angkor Wat dedicated to Lord Visnu, Suryavarman II is the Vaisnava King. He built the biggest Vishnu temple in the world. There are so many carvings of Lord Krishna, who is the supreme absolute truth, He is the supreme controller, He is the cause of all causes. Krishna is all attractive. Parasara muni gives definition to Bhagavan as one who posses knowledge, power, wealth, fame, beauty, renunciation in complete, He is the supreme divine. On the wall galleries of temple there are many stories of Krishna, Krishna killing Kamsa, Krishna holding the Govardhana Hill, Krishna lila with the Kaliya Naga,killing of bull Aristha, and in the Mahabaratha story Krishna becoming the Chariot driver of Arjuna. (Ancient Angkor, 18).Jayavarman II has constructed the temple walls depicting pastimes of the Krishna in Angkor Wat, since then up until now we cannot count how many visited the temple and heard about Krishna. All this happened by the divine work of Suryavarman II. Without doubt that Suryawarman worshiped Lord Vishnu and Supreme Lord Krishna, His kingdom got the special mercy, Kingdom flourished for quit long time. Even though as the age of kali progressing Angkor Wat is famous in the entire world.
The general mass of people during Angkor time know to worship the trinity gods, example Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu, but later on they started worshiping many demigods, and trinity of god as Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. We understand that in the age of Kali, the knowledge about Supreme personality of Godhead is disappearing, when the parampara is missing, knowledge about absolute truth is also missing, according to the vedic scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatham, those trinity of Lords is known as GunaAvatara, the controllers of three modes of Material nature, i.e. Lord Vishnu is the controller of mode of goodness, Lord Brahma is the controller of mode of passion and Lord Shiva is controller of the mode of ignorance, that way people who are in mode of goodness used take shelter of Lord Vishnu, and those who are in passion and ignorance will take shelter to Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva respectively, Lord Brahma praises in Brahma samhita that Krishna is the Supreme controller.
isvarahparamahkrsnah
sat-cit-anandavigrahah
anadiradirgovindah
sarva-karanakaranam
“There are many personalities possessing the qualities of Bhagavän, but Krishna is the supreme because none can excel Him. He is the Supreme Person, and His body is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. He is the primeval Lord Govinda and the cause of all causes.” (Brahma-samhita 5.1) and Sri Vishnu is the full expansion of Lord Krishna in this material world, so Krishna is actually the original Vishnu.
After Suryavarman II passed away, then Jayavarman VII (r. 1181-c.1220) became the king, He was great follower of Mahayana Buddhism, he was kind and compassion so he built one hundred hospitals and twenty one resting places. Javavarman VII built the capital of Angkor Thom, with Bayon temple in the center. Bayon is distinguished by its fifty towers with huge face of bodhisattva Availokiteshvara. ) (Along the royal road to Angkor, pgh. 166) the King was worshiper of Mayayana Buddhism,. So Jayavarman VII obtained all his power by practicing Buddhism. Most of the citizens influenced by king also followed and became Buddhists, but during the time of Jayavarman VII he never attacked Vaisnavas, or Shaivaites, during that time also some brahmanas lived peacefully by worshiping Lord Vishnu in Angkor wat, and in some other temples by worshiping Lord Shiva. Jayavarman VII protected and respected all of them.
Acording to Bhagavad gita, the characteristics which are considered to be the divine nature Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness; purification of one’s existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquillity; aversion to faultfinding; compassion for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor—these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature. (Bg16.1-3). And Srila Prabhupada explains these qualities elaborately in the social institution known as varnasrama-dharma—the institution dividing society into four divisions of social life and four spiritual divisions, occupational divisions or castes—is not meant to divide the human society according to birth. Such divisions are in terms of educational qualifications and also to keep the society in a state of peace and prosperity. The qualities mentioned herein are explained as transcendental qualities meant for a person to progress in spiritual understanding so that he can be liberated from the material world.
In varnasrama system there are four orders of society/Varna; Brahmana( intelligent class) Ksatriya (administrative class), Vaisya ( the producer class) and the sudras (labor class),since young age they are trained, then they will take up different duties/swadharma, in the service of the supreme Lord. The Brahmana is the head of society, and the administrator always take advice from the brahmana, even during the Angkor era this tradition was practiced, the king used to invite the brahmana from different places like India to get advice in administration and other managerial services.
And the next is four spiritual order, asrama: Brahmacary(student life), grihastha (householder life), vanaprastha (retired life) and sanyasi(renounced order of life). SrilaPrabhupada mention A brahmana is considered to be the spiritual master of the three other sections of a society, namely, the ksatriyas, the vaisyas and the sudras, but a sannyasi, who is on top of the institution, is considered to be the spiritual master of the brahmanas. For a sannyasi, the first qualification should be fearlessness, because they have to travel and preach about absolute truth. Qualities of the grihastha are charity,dama (self-control), sacrifice. Then svadhyaya, Vedic study, is meant for brahmacarya, or student life. Brahmacaries should have no connection with women; they should live a life of celibacy and engage the mind in the study of Vedic literature for cultivation of spiritual knowledge. Tapa, or austerity, is especially meant for the retired life. etc (Bg 16 1-3).
This varnasrama system is a perfect system, because it is created by Lord Himself, all the activities are performed to please the Lord Krishna, without doubt this system was existing in Angkor Kingdom, we can see even now the existence of temple, deities as the brahmanical culture, reservoir of water, royal road, palace as the icon of the kings, the rice field, cows, the icon of vaisyas, and so many villages with arts,crafts and soft technology like pottery, etc is the icon of sudras.
After the Jayavarman VII this system slowly disappeared, we found an interesting statement that later on general population took up the Theravada Buddhism, they rejected all the other religious principles. For them devaraja is not necessary, even the Lord is also not necessary, In any case Theravada is considered very unique, their religious activities exists even without the God. Even Sidharta Gautama Buddha for them is not God, some monk here said Lord Buddha is also not God, and Buddha never forced anybody to follow him, he teaches what is good what is bad, He gives full liberation to the people to follow or not, so in Theravada we will not find kingdom as devaraja to establish dharma by force and army, there is no system of reservoir of water/barays according to the book (Along the royal road to Angkor) the agriculture also fell apart from that time, from fourteenth century onwards the Kingdom of Angkor lost its glory by abandoning the temples and religious principles, and also series of wars from neighboring countries.
For the remembrance of the great empire of Angkor Suryavarman 2 . let us be inspired, let us try to understand the system of ancient society which has been created by the lord himself for the benefit of all living entities. catur-varnyammayasrstam…According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me…(Bg 4.13). The devotees at Kingdom of Cambodia taken shelter of sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya, by chanting the holly name, Hare Krishna Maha mantra, nicely we will continue to meditate upon the lotus feet of Sad Gosvami of vrindavan, to get their special mercy so that we can begin this mission of Lord Gauranga. The great acharya from our parampara has already planed this to happen to spread all towns, cities and villages, and this varnasrama system will be the system to carry this lord Caitanya’s mission, and to fulfill the desire Srila Prabhupada, to establish the healthy society Gita Nagari dharma.
This divine structure of varnasrama system will nicely protect all living entities from the suffering of material illusion, so this is need of hour, this can be established by systematically establishing and training kids and young boys by establishing gurukulas and Varnasrama colleges.
Thank You
Please visit our vebsite www.iskconcambodia.com
Your servant
Gunaavataradasa
YasodapuraAsrham, Cambodia
Recent Comments