So Where is sHe now?

[Madhuri]

Why did you go into a trance? What was it like?

Have you come out of it? (that one's a Joke)

It was an accident. I surprised myself. It was during chanting/meditation, but I wasn't expecting to go that deep.

It's hard to describe it with adjectives. It was just a state of being. I became transfixed on a mental image of Radha and Krishna sitting together and that was all that existed. I had completely lost any sense of self, any awareness of my environment. All that existed was this image. I guess it was peaceful.

It lasted something like 10 minutes and I came out of it the moment that my thumb hit the last japa bead

 

[Onkara]

Thanks for sharing Madhuri

 

[Quagmire]

Kicking back? I wonder why these unsubstantial kicks, made of soft sounds, often appear mighty painful? (I am trying to trap you into divulging more of DWBHism).

I think sometimes those sounds land on a nerve we may not have used for a while. Or maybe on a new one.

Those are neurological ninja kicks : you seldom see them coming, or maybe just out of the corner of your eye, but they land in just the right spot. And when they do, the only choices you have are to either put your guard up, or look at the bruise and try to understand why that spot was so tender in the first place.

I think most of us go with option A most of the time (I know I usually do), but option B is where the gold is.

 

[atanu]

I think sometimes those sounds land on a nerve we may not have used for a while. Or maybe on a new one.

Those are neurological ninja kicks : you seldom see them coming, or maybe just out of the corner of your eye, but they land in just the right spot. And when they do, the only choices you have are to either put your guard up, or look at the bruise and try to understand why that spot was so tender in the first place.

I think most of us go with option A most of the time (I know I usually do), but option B is where the gold is.

Additionally, could it be when sound lands on a grossly overused sore nerve?

 

[Quagmire]

Additionally, could it be when sound lands on a grossly overused sore nerve?

Or a misused one. :yes:

 

[atanu]

Or a misused one. :yes:

Like this?

 

[Quagmire]

Like this?

Yeah, sort of like that.

(wonder what site that camel admins on)

 

[atanu]

Yeah, sort of like that.

(wonder what site that camel admins on)

Rather, "what site the camel was admin of"? With a back broken by a straw, the camel has now retired.

 

[Muffled]

Rishi Dirghatma asks:

Rig Veda 1.164.04 Who has seen the primeval (being) at the time of his being born; what is that endowed with substance which the unsubstantial sustains; from earth are the breath and blood; but where is the soul; who may repair to the sage to ask this?
.......
1.164.34 I ask you, (institutor of the rite), what is the uttermost end of the earth; I ask you, where is the navel of the world. I ask you, what is the fecundating power of the rain-shedding steed; I ask you, what is the supreme heaven of (holy) speech.

1.164.35 This altar is the uttermost end of the earth; this sacrifice is the navel of the world; this Soma is the fecundating power of the rain-shedding steed; this Brahma_ is the supreme heaven of (holy) speech.
........
1.164.39 All the gods have taken their seats upon this supreme heaven, the imperishable (text) of the Veda; what will he, who knows not this, do with the Veda? but they who do know it, they are perfect.
1.164.40 Cow, may you be rich in milk through abundant fodder; that we also may be rich (in abundance); eat grass at all seasons, and, roaming (at will), drink pure water.
1.164.41 The sound has been uttered, fabricating the waters, and being one-footed, two-footed, four-footed, eight-footed, nine-footed, or infinite in the highest heaven.
1.164.42 From her the clouds shed abundant rain, and thence (the people of) the four quarters live; thence the moisture spreads (to the grain), and the universe exists.
-------------------------------------------

Rig Veda calls the Vac, Cow (gau) and gauri is the embodied vak.

What is the Rig Veda? Was it written by Rishi Dirghatma?

It sounds like philosophy to me but then my information comes from God.

However the question still reamins: Does spiritual intelligence have a sound or do only material things vibrate? A brain vibrates (brain waves) but it is material.

 

[Jainarayan]

The Rig Veda is the first of the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism. It contains hymns, praises and stories of the gods. Most Hindu ritual is derived from the Rig Veda. The Vedas (Rig, Yajur Sama, Atharva) are said to have been revealed to the rishis and sages, but written down and compiled by Veda Vyasa ("Splitter of the Vedas"). He took the one full Veda and split it into four, for easier study.

 

[atanu]

What is the Rig Veda? Was it written by Rishi Dirghatma?

No ten books of Veda were seen by sages belonging to ten schools. Dirghtama was one sage.

It sounds like philosophy to me but then my information comes from God.

I think philosophy, science, theology are not separated in Veda, which comes as sound of the infinite to meditating sages.

However the question still reamins: Does spiritual intelligence have a sound or do only material things vibrate? A brain vibrates (brain waves) but it is material.

There is actually no difference between material and spiritual. This distinction itself is making of our senses.

As per Upanishads that explain the meanings of the Vedic verse, the Being (which is also the neither a being nor a non being, before All comes into play), has as its first nature the intelligence and joy. Its second nature is the so-called perceived material.

 

[atanu]

Rig Veda has suktas from thirty rishikas -- women seer poets. Vak Sukta or Devi Sukta (the Song of the Word) are the words of woman seer known as Vak Ambhrini (Vagambhrini).

Rig Veda 10.125

Aham rudrebhir vasubhis charamyaham adityair uta visvadevaih
Aham mitra varunobha bibharmyaham indragnee aham asvinobha.

I move with the Rudras and also with the Vasus,
I wander with the Adityas and the Vishwadevas.
I hold aloft both Mitra and Varuna,
and also Indra and Agni and the twin Ashvins.

Aham somam ahanasam bibharmi
aham tvashtaram uta pushanam bhagam
Aham dadhami dravinam havishmate supravye yajamanaya sunvate.

I uphold Soma the exuberant;
I uphold Tvasta, Pushan, and Bhaga.
I endow with wealth the offerer of oblation,
the worshipper and the pious presser of the Soma.

Aham rashtri sangamani vasunam chikitushee prathama yajniyanam
Tam ma deva vyadadhuh puritra bhuristhatram bhooryavesayantim.

I am the ruling Queen,
the amasser of treasures,
full of wisdom,
first of those who are worthy of worship.

That me the Gods have installed in many places,
with many homes to enter and abide in.

Maya so annamatti yo vipasyati yah praniti ya i srnotyuktam
Amantavo mam ta upa kshiyanti srudhi sruta sraddhivam te vadami.

Through me alone all eat the food that helps them see,
breathe and hear the spoken word.

He is not aware of me,
yet he dwells in me alone.

Listen, you who know!
For, the words I speak to you deserve your trust.

Ahameva svayam idam vadami jushtam devebhir uta manushebhih
Yam kamaye tam tam ugram krnomi

tam brahmanam tam rshim tam sumedham

It is I who announces the tidings
that the gods and men alike rejoice to hear.

The man I love, I make mighty in strength.

I make him a priest, a sage, or a learned scholar, as I please.

Aham rudraya dhanura tanomi brahmadvishe sarave hantava u
Aham janaya samadam krnomi aham dyava prthivee a vivesa.

I bend the bow for Rudra that his arrow may slay the hater
of the words of sacred wisdom.

I rouse the people, and make them strive.
I have entered the Earth and Heaven, filling everything.

Aham suve pitaram asya murdhan mama yonir apsu antah samudre
Tato vi tishthe bhuvananu visvotamum dyam varshmanopa sprsami

I give birth to the creator
in the heavens
atop the world
and my own origin
is deep in the ocean,
in the cosmic waters.

From there
I permeate all existing worlds,
and even touch yonder heavens
with my forehead.

Ahameva vata iva pra vami arabhamana bhuvanani vishva
Paro diva para ena prthivi etavati mahina sam babhuva

It is my breath that blows as the mighty wind,
while I hold together all the worlds.

Beyond the heavens and above the earth I tower,
such am I in my might and splendour.

 

[9Westy9]

Surely, in order for the Word to be in the beginning, there must have been a language before the beginning?

I wonder if the passage is suggesting that the word existed before God himself?

 

[not nom]

That is a presuppostion that logos means language. Spiritual intelligence does not need words. In John, "Logos" which is translated as Word has a more encompassing meaning than just language.

maybe this is of interest to some:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_(wisdom)#Philo_and_the_Logos

there is more to be said about it, there's books about it I'm sure, but I hope this is better than nothing, seeing how sophia hasn't been mentioned so far. maybe also see the (apocryphal) book of wisdom, where wisdom is said to have been with god before creation... a lot of stuff said about wisdom there kinda reminded me of things said about jesus.

 

[ngupta]

About the Word:

Prajapati vai idam agre asit tasya vak dvitiya asit vak vai param brahma
"In the begining was Lord of Men. With HIM was VAK (the WORD), and VAK was verily the highest Brahman."(Rig Veda)

John 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Where do we find Her?

lol. You know what I was astonished by the very same similarity with those two verses from the Veda and the Bible.

 

[Jainarayan]

This is not a slam on the bible or Abrahamic faiths. The bible takes a lot from many cultures in the Near East, Mesopotamia and South Asia. The bible didn't grow in a vacuum. The Middle East was, after all, at the crossroads of trade between the west, Greece and Rome, and the east. Words, stories and cultures spread along the trade routes more than we generally think.

 

[atanu]

This is not a slam on the bible or Abrahamic faiths. The bible takes a lot from many cultures in the Near East, Mesopotamia and South Asia. The bible didn't grow in a vacuum. The Middle East was, after all, at the crossroads of trade between the west, Greece and Rome, and the east. Words, stories and cultures spread along the trade routes more than we generally think.

Although myths and stories spread through interaction of people, i doubt that that is the case with sruti or revealed scripture. Traders or travellers can travel, but from spiritual perspective, the Word is existing at all times and all places. Meditative sages at different places and different times can get in touch with timeless all pervasive Word.

 

[Jainarayan]

It's true that there were many prophets, teachers, seers and sages in many areas of the world that perceived and felt the same Truth. I think it's in the Rig Veda, "the sages and rishis know it by many names, but there is one Truth". Of course, I'm paraphrasing.

 

[atanu]

The beginning was neither a Non Being nor a Being -- indescribable. How that is also the Being is via the Word. The Nasadiya Suktam throws light on this.

Nasadiya Suktam – Rig Veda 10.129(Trans Prof. Raimundo Panikkar)


नासदासीन् नो सदासीत् तदानीं नासीद् रजो नो व्योमापरो यत्
किमावरीवः कुह कस्य शर्मन्नम्भः किमासीद् गहनं गभीरम्
न मृत्युरासीदमृतं न तर्हि न रात्र्या अह्न आसीत्प्रकेतः
आनीदवातं स्वधया तदेकं तस्माद्धान्यन् न परः किं चनास
तम आसीत् तमसा गूळमग्रेऽप्रकेतं सलिलं सर्वमाइदम्
तुच्येनाभ्वपिहितं यदासीत् तपसस्तन्महिनाजायतैकम्
कामस्तदग्रे समवर्तताधि मनसो रेतः प्रथमं यदासीत्
सतो बन्धुमसति निरविन्दन् हृदि प्रतीष्याकवयो मनीषा
तिरश्चीनो विततो रश्मिरेषामधः स्विदासी दुपरिस्विदासी
रेतोधाआसन् महिमान आसन् स्वधा अवस्तात् प्रयतिः परस्तात्
को अद्धा वेद क इह प्र वोचत् कुत आजाता कुत इयंविसृष्टिः
अर्वाग् देवा अस्य विसर्जनेनाथा को वेद यतआबभूव
इयं विसृष्टिर्यत आबभूव यदि वा दधे यदि वा न
यो अस्याध्यक्षः परमे व्योमन् सो अङ्ग वेद यदि वा नवेद

At first was neither Being nor Nonbeing.
There was not air nor yet sky beyond.

What was wrapping? Where? In whose protection?
Was Water there, unfathomable deep?

There was no death then, nor yet deathlessness;
of night or day there was not any sign.

The One breathed without breath by its own impulse.
Other than that was nothing at all.

Darkness was there, all wrapped around by darkness,
and all was Water indiscriminate, Then
that which was hidden by Void, that One, emerging,
stirring, through power of Ardor, came to be.

In the beginning Love arose,
which was primal germ cell of mind.
The Seers, searching in their hearts with wisdom,
discovered the connection of Being in Nonbeing.

A crosswise line cut Being from Nonbeing.
What was described above it, what below?
Bearers of seed there were and mighty forces,
thrust from below and forward move above.

Who really knows? Who can presume to tell it?
Whence was it born? Whence issued this creation?
Even the Gods came after its emergence.

Then who can tell from whence it came to be?
That out of which creation has arisen,
whether it held it firm or it did not,
He who surveys it in the highest heaven,
He surely knows – or maybe He does not!
------------------------

Nasadiya means that which is not untrue.

 

[4consideration]

About the Word:

Prajapati vai idam agre asit tasya vak dvitiya asit vak vai param brahma
"In the begining was Lord of Men. With HIM was VAK (the WORD), and VAK was verily the highest Brahman."(Rig Veda)

John 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Where do we find Her?

It is my understanding that the reference there is to the word Logos, and the definition of it that references the divine force from which all things came into being.
Logos - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I cannot provide any additional scriptural or other historical information to back that up at this time. It is simply how I understand that passage.

I don't really follow the question of where we would find Her, as I see it simply as the power of creation preceded the physical manifestation of existence. I don't think it went anywhere.