johneeG wrote:Chanakya Niti, chapter 1, shloka 1:
प्रणम्य शिरसा विष्णुं त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं प्रभुम् ।
नानाशास्त्रोद्धृतं वक्ष्ये राजानीतिसमुच्चयम् ॥
Pranamya shirasa vishnum trailokyadhipatim prabhum |
Nana-shastraodhrutam vakshye rajanitisamuchchayam ||
word-to-word meanings:
प्रणम्य (Pranamya) =having bowed, शिरसा (shirasa) =the head(to), विष्णुं (vishnum) =Lord Vishnu (and) omni-present, त्रैलोक्य (trailokya) =of the three Lokas(worlds), अधिपतिं (adhipatim) =supreme ruler, प्रभुम् (prabhum) =king (or) splendid (or) powerful, नाना (Nana)=various, शास्त्रोद् (shashtrot) =Vedic scriptures(all the scriptures that are based on Vedas), धृतं (dhrutam) =existing, वक्ष्ये (vakshye)= (I) say, राजानीति (rajaniti) =politics, समुच्चयम् (samuchchayam) =collection.
Translations:
१. सर्वशक्तिमान भगवान विष्णु को नमन करते हुए, जो तीनो लोको के स्वामी है, मै एक राज्य के लिए नीति शास्त्र के सिद्धांतों को कहता हूँ । अनेक शास्त्रों का आधार ले कर मै यह सूत्र कह रहा हूँ ।
1. Humbly bowing down before the almighty Lord Sri Vishnu(the all-pervasive), the Lord of the three worlds, I recite maxims of the science of political ethics (niti) selected from the various shatras (scriptures).
Additional Commentary:
The word ‘विष्णु (Vishnu)’ has deep meaning. Of course, it refers to Lord Vishnu. But, why is Lord Vishnu called ‘विष्णु (Vishnu)’? What does that word mean? The literal meaning of the word ‘विष्णु (Vishnu)’ is:
व्याप्नोति इति विष्णुः
‘vyapnoti iti vishnuh’
(that which pervades is called ‘Vishnu’).
विष्णु (Vishnu) is the one who is all-pervasive.
This echoes the (shloka)verse of Ishavasya Upanishad:
ईशावास्यम् इदम् सर्वम् यत् किम् च जगत्याम् जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जिथा मा गृधः कस्या स्विद् धनम् ॥
‘Ishavasyam idam sarvam yat kim ca jagatyam jagat ।
tena tyaktena bhunjithama gridhah kasyasvid dhanam ॥’
(All this is pervaded by the Lord, whatever is moving and not moving in this world.
Therefore, enjoy/protect by renunciation, do not covet the wealth of anyone.)
Infact, that Upanishad obtained its name from this celebrated verse.
Chanakya may have chosen the word ‘विष्णु (Vishnu)’ to represent both its meanings: Lord Vishnu, the all-pervasive.
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EDIT:
This is a very important concept in Hinduism. Perhaps, the most distinctive feature of Hinduism when compared with Abrahamic creeds. Abrahamic creeds follow Zorastrian conception of God. According to zorastrianism(to the best of my knowledge), god is omnipotent and omniscient, but not omnipresent. Abrahamic creeds follow the same conception of god. Judaism, atleast in later stages, seems to follow this conception.
It is for this reason that followers of abrahamic creeds are unable to understand Hinduism. This is the most distinguishing feature of Hinduism(and other indic religions which have their origin in Hinduism). In Hinduism, God/Goddess is not only omnipotent and omniscient, but also omnipresent. There is nothing devoid of God/Goddess in this world. The God/Goddess is present at all times, at all places, in all circumstances and in all objects. Nothing in the world is independent of God/Goddess. God/Goddess is all-pervasive.
Katha Upanishad explains how the God/Goddess(which is same as one's self) is all pervasive:
अणोर् अणियान् महतो महियान् अत्मस्य जन्तोर् निहितो गुहयाम् ।
तम् अक्रतुः पश्यति वितशोको धातुः प्रसादत् महिमानम् आत्मनः ॥॥
Anur aniyan mahato mahiyan atmasya jantor nihito guyayaam ।
tam akratuh pashyati vitshoko dhatuh prasadat mahimaanam atmanah॥
(Self which smaller/subtler than the smallest/subtlest and greater than the greatest, is seated in the cavity of hearts of creatures. The one who is free from activity(of mind and body) beholds the majesty of self and is freed from sorrow)
Lord Sri Krishna explains in Bhagavad Gita(Chapter 7, shloka 7):
मत्तः परतरं न अन्यत् किञ्चित् अस्ति धनंजय ।
मयि सर्वम् इदम् प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ॥
mattah parataram na anyat kinchit asti dhanamjaya ।
mayi sarvam idam protam sutre manigana iva ॥
(O Dhananjaya(Arjuna), there exists nothing other than me. Everything is connected in me like all the pearls of a necklace are connected to its inner thread.)
Abrahamic creeds limit god to a particular location/space. On the contrary, in Hinduism, God/Goddess is unlimited by time/space/items. God/Goddess is called 'sat'(eternal), chit(the consciousness), ananda(bliss). The word sat means eternal(in terms of time and space). Because, God/Goddess is all-pervasive, Hindus can conceive of the divinity in any thing and in any number of things. Since, nothing in the world is independent of God/Goddess, any worthwhile thing in the world shines forth due to the splendour of God/Goddess.
Lord Sri Krishna explains this in Bhagavad Gita in Chapter 10, from shloka 20 onwards:
The Blessed Lord said: Yes, I will tell you of My splendorous manifestations, but only of those which are prominent, O Arjuna, for My opulence is limitless.
Chapter 10, Verse 20.
I am the Self, O Gudakesa, seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings.
Chapter 10, Verse 21.
Of the Adityas I am Visnu, of lights I am the radiant sun, I am Marici of the Maruts, and among the stars I am the moon.
Chapter 10, Verse 22.
Of the Vedas I am the Sama-veda; of the demigods I am Indra; of the senses I am the mind, and in living beings I am the living force [knowledge].
Chapter 10, Verse 23.
Of all the Rudras I am Lord Siva; of the Yaksas and Raksasas I am the Lord of wealth [Kuvera]; of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of mountains I am Meru.
Chapter 10, Verse 24.
Of priests, O Arjuna, know Me to be the chief, Brhaspati, the lord of devotion. Of generals I am Skanda, the lord of war; and of bodies of water I am the ocean.
Chapter 10, Verse 25.
Of the great sages I am Bhrgu; of vibrations I am the transcendental om. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things I am the Himalayas.
Chapter 10, Verse 26.
Of all trees I am the holy fig tree, and among sages and gods I am Narada. Of the singers of the gods [Gandharvas] I am Citraratha, and among perfected beings I am the sage Kapila.
Chapter 10, Verse 27.
Of horses know Me to be Uccaihsrava, who rose out of the ocean, born of the elixir of immortality; of lordly elephants I am Airavata, and among men I am the monarch.
Chapter 10, Verse 28.
Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am the surabhi, givers of abundant milk. Of procreators I am Kandarpa, the god of love, and of serpents I am Vasuki, the chief.
Chapter 10, Verse 29.
Of the celestial Naga snakes I am Ananta; of the aquatic deities I am Varuna. Of departed ancestors I am Aryama, and among the dispensers of law I am Yama, lord of death.
Chapter 10, Verse 30.
Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlada; among subduers I am time; among the beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuda, the feathered carrier of Visnu.
Chapter 10, Verse 31.
Of purifiers I am the wind; of the wielders of weapons I am Rama; of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganges.
Chapter 10, Verse 32.
Of all creations I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the self, and among logicians I am the conclusive truth.
Chapter 10, Verse 33.
Of letters I am the letter A, and among compounds I am the dual word. I am also inexhaustible time, and of creators I am Brahma, whose manifold faces turn everywhere.
Chapter 10, Verse 34.
I am all-devouring death, and I am the generator of all things yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, faithfulness and patience.
Chapter 10, Verse 35.
Of hymns I am the Brhat-sama sung to the Lord Indra, and of poetry I am the Gayatri verse, sung daily by Brahmanas. Of months I am November and December, and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.
Chapter 10, Verse 36.
I am also the gambling of cheats, and of the splendid I am the splendor. I am victory, I am adventure, and I am the strength of the strong.
Chapter 10, Verse 37.
Of the descendants of Vrsni I am Vasudeva, and of the Pandavas I am Arjuna. Of the sages I am Vyasa, and among great thinkers I am Usana.
Chapter 10, Verse 38.
Among punishments I am the rod of chastisement, and of those who seek victory, I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am wisdom.
Chapter 10, Verse 39.
Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being--moving or unmoving--that can exist without Me.
Chapter 10, Verse 40.
O mighty conqueror of enemies, there is no end to My divine manifestations. What I have spoken to you is but a mere indication of My infinite opulences.
Chapter 10, Verse 41.
Know that all beautiful, glorious, and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.
Chapter 10, Verse 42.
But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.
So, the best among the various items is seen as worth worshiping. While, everything is pervaded by God/Goddess, a normal being cannot perceive of this all-pervasive God/Goddess. So, certain places/items have been designated where even an ordinary person can experience the divinity.
These items are:
Sun, Moon, Fire, pious priest, and Vigraha(idol)...etc.
The sanskrit word for idol is vigraha. The 'vi' in vigraha represents 'vishesha'. The word vi-shesha means(without any remainder). Graha means grasping/receiving. So, vigraha means that which is received/grasped without any remainder. Vigraha allows the conception of God/Goddess to be received/grasped by one and all. Any technology is considered to have become advanced and developed when it is accessible and affordable to one and all. 'Idolatory'(or Vigraha Aradhana) is a sort of spiritual tech that allows everyone access to spirituality instead of limiting it to few privileged ones.
In fact, there is no ideology that can completely shun this mechanism. All ideologies (religious or otherwise) do tend to depend on icons, symbols, idols, marks, ...etc. Even the so-called ideologies that claim to reject idolatory have their own symbols, marks and idols which they worship.
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The next word in Chanakya's shloka is ‘त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं (trailokya-adhipatim)’. It means the supreme-master(husband/lord) of three worlds. What are the three worlds? According to Hinduism, there are 14 worlds(Lokas).
They are:
Upper regions/worlds : Satya-loka(or Brahma Loka, residence of Lord Brahma), Tapo-loka, Jano-loka, Mahar-loka, Svar-loka (Svarga/Heaven of Indra), Bhuvar-loka.
Bhu-loka (earth)
Nether regions/worlds: Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala, Patala.
These 14 regions/worlds are broadly divided into 3 categories:
upper regions(upper than earth), earth and nether-regions(relative to earth).
These 14 regions/worlds are, therefore, referred as 3 regions/worlds. When Chanakya says, “त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं (Trailokya-adhipatim)”, it means the supreme master(lord/husband) of all the (14 worlds or 3 worlds).
The Chinese usage of middle kingdom may have its origin in the concept of triloka(3 worlds). Middle-kingdom may refer to earth(which is the middle of the three worlds in Triloka).
The word ‘प्रभुम् (prabhum)’ means king. It is also used as a synonym of the word ‘ईशा ( isha, the Lord)’. The word is also related to the word ‘प्रभा (prabha) = splendour’. All these meanings of the word ‘प्रभुम् (prabhum)’ are relevant in this verse because Chanakya is describing the God/Goddess.
Chanakya makes it clear in the very beginning that he is composing this collection of (proper) political conduct by gleaning them from the various ‘shashtra’. He is not making it up on his own. Instead, he is simply re-collecting the most pertinent verses at one place. The word ‘समुच्चयम् (samuchchayam)’ means collection.
‘शास्त्र (Shastra)’ means any scripture which has Vedas as its basis. Chanakya’s present work collects the maxims from celebrated works of previous seers/sages, who themselves have claimed to have gleaned these maxims from holy Vedas. Some of those works are: Brihaspati smriti, Shukra niti, Manu smriti, Parashara smriti, and Vyasa’s MB(and other Puranas).
These works lay out dictums for proper conduct of individual and society, so that there is harmony and happiness for all. These works and their authors do not claim to teach anything new, instead they refer to the Vedas as their basis. That means these authors claim to explain(for general audience) what has already been said in Vedas. In line with the same tradition, Chanakya does not claim to teach anything new. He is only collecting at one place the ancient knowledge(from various sources) for the benefit of his contemporaries.
Later, Panchatantra uses all these works(including the work of Chanakya).