Lord ASURA 1. THOU, Agni, shining in thy glory through the days, art brought to life from out the waters, from the stone: From out the forest trees and herbs that grow on ground, thou, Sovran Lord of men art generatad [sic] pure. 2 Thine is the Heralds task and Cleansers duly timed; Leader art thou, and Kindler for the pious man. Thou art Director, thou the ministering Priest: thou art the Brahman, Lord and Master in our home. 3 Hero of Heroes, Agni! Thou art Indra, thou art Visnu of the Mighty Stride, adorable: Thou, Brahmanaspati, the Brahman finding wealth: thou, O Sustainer, with thy wisdom tendest us. 4 Agni, thou art King Varuna whose laws stand fast; as Mitra, Wonder- Worker, thou must be implored. Aryaman, heroes Lord, art thou, enrich ing all, and liberal Amsa in the synod, O thou God. 5 Thou givest strength, as Tvastar, to the worshipper: thou wielding Mitras power hast kinship with the Dames. Thou, urging thy fleet coursers, givest noble steeds: a host of heroes art thou with great store of wealth. 6 Rudra art thou, the Asura of mighty heaven: thou art the Maruts host, thou art the Lord of food, Thou goest with red winds: bliss hast thou in thine home. As Pusan thou thyself protectest worshippers. 7 Giver of wealth art thou to him who honours thee; thou art God Savitar, granter of precious things. As Bhaga, Lord of men! thou rulest over wealth, and guardest in his house him who hath served thee well. 8 To thee, the peoples Lord within the house, the folk press forward to their King most graciously inclined. Lord of the lovely look, all things belong to thee: ten, hundred, yea, a thousand are outweighed by thee. 9 Agni, men seek thee as a Father with their prayers, win thee, brightformed, to brotherhood with holy act. Thou art a Son to him who duly worships thee, and as a trusty Friend thou guardest from attack. 10 A Rbhu art thou, Agni, near to be adored thou art the Sovran Lord of foodful spoil and wealth. Thou shinest brightly forth, thou burnest to bestow: pervading sacrifice, thou lendest us thine help. 11 Thou, God, art Aditi to him who offers gifts: thou, Hotri, Bharati, art strengthened by the song. Thou art the hundred-wintered Ila to give strength, Lord of Wealth! Vrtraslayer and Sarasvati. 12 Thou, Agni, cherished well, art highest vital power; in thy delightful hue are glories visible. Thou art the lofty might that furthers each design: thou art wealth manifold, diffused on every side. 13 Thee, Agni, have the Adityas taken as their mouth; the Bright Ones have made thee, O Sage, to be their tongue. They who love offerings cling to thee at solemn rites: by thee the Gods devour the duly offered food. 14 By thee, O Agni, all the Immortal guileless Gods cat with thy mouth the oblation that is offered them. By thee do mortal men give sweetness to their drink. Bright art thou born, the embryo of the plants of earth. 15 With these thou art united, Agni; yea thou, God of noble birth, surpassest them in majesty, Which, through the power of good, here spreads abroad from thee, diffused through both the worlds, throughout the earth and heaven. 16 The princely worshippers who send to those who sing thy praise, O Agni, guerdon graced with kine and steeds,- Lead thou both these and us forward to higher bliss. With brave men in the assembly may we speak aloud. Oh Infinite Source Infinite Light and Bliss Vaster than vast Brighter than bright Sun of all the suns together Having no measure, formless and eternal I bow to thee Over and over and over again! Beginningless Beginning Unborn One without a second Fatherless son Oh Holy One! Imperishable, formless, timeless and complete. Know Eternally Reality Known Here as the Great Integrity I bow to thee, Over and over and over again. All Religious Practices are Vehicles to Purification and Spiritual Growth Purification of the Body and the Awakening of the Soul Revelations have attempted to clarify that in fact, we are spirits shrouded in a material form. Hence, being physically clean is a form of preparation for ones body to act as a medium between the spiritual and physical realms. Purification is not only limited to the physical, but transcends that to another dimension. Purification of the heart enables the senses to function beyond their physical limits. The eyes and ears act as windows for the spirit. The importance of purifying the senses is emphasized by revelations through the prescription of a cleansing process before any spiritual practice. This is illustrated in the practices of ancient Egyptians, Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Ancient Egyptians The ancient Egyptians expressed the need for purification for the purpose of empowering the senses in different ways. Strengthening the power of the insight was a clear goal. The eyes of Horus were considered a symbol for those, whose insights have awakened. While the right eye symbolized the sun, the left symbolized the moon, signifying constant provision of light during both day and night. As such, purifying the whole body for ancient Egyptians was an essential part of the holy practices. The Pharaohs had divine lakes for purification in their temples. The Egyptian priests shaved their entire bodies, including their heads, for that same purpose. taoism In Taoism, breathing is a way of purification, one typical instruction from those who attained spiritual development is to get rid of what is worn out or old, and to receive what is new and fresh (Hua Ching -Ni 1997:121). When we exhale used air, we get rid of the old and when we inhale fresh new air, we allow it to refresh our body and mind. There are many breathing exercises that aim at establishing this effect. Hindu In Hinduism, purification of the senses is a prerequisite for the purification of mind and spirit. When the senses are purified, man can be a transparent medium of the light of God within. He can also see the wisdom of life, because he has eyes of wisdom. Purification of the ears in Hinduism is a symbol for mans ability to receive the divine power that sustains the spirit, without which man starves spiritually: ….if from self conceit, thou wilt not listen (To Me), thou shalt perish (Bhagavad-Gita: 18: 58). Cleanness of the body accompanies yoga practices as a necessary preparation for the union with God. Buddhism In Buddhism, purity directly effects mans ability to see truth, and hear the voice of truth. Man needs that purity in order to be attached to truth, and realize gradual spiritual growth: Thine eyes are holden. If the eye of thy mind were undimmed. Thou couldst see the glory and the power of truth (GB: 53: 2) The teaching of Buddha goes as far as saying that Hearing the truth, man is like a lake, pure and tranquil and deep. To be spiritually purified, man needs to purify the senses. Such purification enables the merger of one s self with the truth within, that is, attaching oneself with Buddha, the Enlightened One. Judaism In the Holy Bible, the guidance to purify the senses is associated with all religious practices. It represents the preparation of the spirit to receive spiritual nourishment from the higher source within and around. Moses and Jesus pointed to hearing as one way of receiving the words of truth. Jesus used the eye as a symbol for spiritual awareness. In the Old Testament, purification of the senses, sometimes the whole body, was recommended before any holy practice. The Lord commanded Moses to make the children of Israel wash before going into the altar or starting any holy congregation: And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal. (Ex:40:30) And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat(Ex:40:31) When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses. And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done. (Le:8:5) And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. (Le:8:6) As such, washing became a necessary part of preparation for prayers in Jewish practices. Christianity In the New Testament, Jesus Christ stressed the purification of the senses focusing on meaning, rather than on form. In different occasions, he emphasized that purification is that of the heart, not of the body, certainly not denying the process of preparation for prayers. Jesus used to say when revealing his guidance let him hear who has ears. Jesus says about some people, ye cannot hear my word Joh: 8: 43) they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not. Neither do they understand. (Mt: 13:13). Jesus also points to the purity of the senses as symbolizing purity of the heart: The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! (Mt:6: 22, 23) Islam In Islam, the purification of the senses also corresponds to purification of the spiritual entity. As such it is an integral part of the spiritual growth. The discipline of purification practices is so rich with symbols where each sense refers to a spiritual dimension. They have eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle, nay more misguided: for they are heedless (of warning). (HQ: 7:179) In Islam, physical purification before prayer follows a certain order that is very indicative. Water is used to wash the face, arms, the front head, neck, and feet. The purification process starts by expressing mans intention to prepare his whole existence to receive enlightenment. The washing starts by the mouth indicating purifying the tongue of all idle or bad talk, moving to the nose purifying the breathing channels as a symbol for life, and then the whole face purifying the eyes which correspond to discernment. The purification of the arms symbolizes work integrity. The purification of the front head points to the mind. The purification of the ears implies the capability to respond to the words of truth. The purification of the neck implies the link between the upper part of man: the mind and the rest of the body. Purification of the feet symbolizes mans strive in every step seeking attainment of real life. A verse in Koran states that to be purified as a preparation that precedes the holy moment of prayer is essential, even in situations where water is unavailable. In other worlds, the idea of being pure stands behind the procedure of ablution. O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have bewith women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands. Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete His favour to you, that ye may be grateful. (HQ: 5: 6) Conclusion For all revelations, purification is a core concept. However, the symbolic rites of purification differ from one revelation to another. While in almost all revelations, water is used to purify the body, in Taoism, breathing deeply is an act of purification. In Christianity, there are no obvious instructions for how to purify ones body. As for Islam, there are clear instructions of how and when a person should make himself clean and pure. Moreover, the purification process is practiced five times a day preceding the five times prayers. This practices follow certain order. As a symbolic process, ablution conveys a deep message that can be understood and felt through continuous practices. These are they which comes out of great tribulation.” 1 Who are these arrayed in white. Brighter than the noon-day Sun Foremost of the sons of light, Nearest the eternal throne These are they that bore the cross, Nobly for their Master stood Sufferers in his righteous cause, Followers of the Lamb of God. 2 Out or great distress they came. Washed their robes by faith below In the blood, of yonder Lamb, Blood that washes white as snow; Therefore are they next the throne. Serving their Maker day and-night God resides among his own, God doth in his saints delight. 3 More than conquerors at last. Here they find their trials over They have all their sufferings past Hunger now and thirst no more; God shall all their sorrows chase, All their wants at once remove Wipe the tears from every face. Fill up every soul with love The rewards of faith and hospitality. Rahab On account of her faith and hospitality, Rahab the harlot was saved. For when spies were sent by Joshua, the son of Nun, to Jericho, the king of the country ascertained that they were come to spy out their land, and sent men to seize them, in order that, when taken, they might be put to death. But the hospitable Rahab receiving them, concealed them on the roof of her house under some stalks of flax. And when the men sent by the king arrived and said “There came men unto thee who are to spy out our land; bring them forth, for so the king commands,” she answered them, “The two men whom ye seek came unto me, but quickly departed again and are gone,” thus not discovering the spies to them. Then she said to the men, “I know assuredly that the Lord your God hath given you this city, for the fear and dread of you have fallen on its inhabitants. When therefore ye shall have taken it, keep ye me and the house of my father in safety.” And they said to her, “It shall be as thou hast spoken to us. As soon, therefore, as thou knowest that we are at hand, thou shall gather all thy family under thy roof, and they shall be preserved, but all that are found outside of thy dwelling shall perish.” 53 Moreover, they gave her a sign to this effect, that she should hang forth from her house a scarlet thread. And thus they made it manifest that redemption should flow through the blood of the Lord to all them that believe and hope in God. 54 Ye see, beloved, that there was not only faith, but prophecy, in this woman. Footnotes 8:53 Josh. ii.; Heb. xi. 31. 8:54 Others of the Fathers adopt the same allegorical interpretation, e.g., Justin Mar., Dial. c. Tryph., n. 111; Irenæus, Adv. Hær., iv. 20. [The whole matter of symbolism under the law must be more thoroughly studied if we would account for such strong language as is here applied to a poetical or rhetorical figure. Infinite Love! Light and Love! Christ Light, Sunlight in Love! Light commune with our DNA! Our eyes are the main entrance of Light! Sunlight, Christ Light in Love! Morning, Noon and Evening! Infinite love Mama planet of Love! Infinite praises to the Most High YAH! INFINITE LOVE! THE LORD ASURA! THE BELOVED OF ATUM LORD ATON LORD INDRA THE SUN OF FIRE! THE BUDDHA OF CLEAR SHINING! THE TATHAGATA THE MOST AUGUSTUS! THE PRINCE OF ISRAEL! THE ISRAELITE! THE LORD OF GREAT GLORY! THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS! THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD! THE BELOVED LORD BENYAHAMIN THE BELOVED OF THE MOST YAH, THE AMIN! AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN! AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN! AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN! AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN! AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN AMIN!
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 05:57:38 +0000
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