This is Part 8 of the series of our explorative studies on various probabilities of history and origin of the Lord Venkateswara's (Balaji) shrine at Tirumala-Tirupati. This is in continuation of our blog posts 508, 511, 512, 513, 584, 597, 631. For those who wish to study them (studying them will broaden our frame of thinking-i.e. perspective.), here are the links: To go to 508- Part1/10. To go to 511- Part2/10. To go to 512- Part3/10. To go to 513- Part4/10. To go to 584- Part5/10. To go to 597- Part6/10. To go to 631- Part7/10. .
Clarification: I am not any canvassing agent for alien religions, paid to convert people into alien religions. From my previous previous blogs, my readers can find that I oppose(d) conversion of IGNORANT & POOR people into alien religions. For National Integration, There are two ways. First way, a Mahatma Gandhi's way: Persons can continue with their birth religions and become ideal citizens of their birth religions- (Mahatma Gandhi's idea: become a best Hindu, a best Muslim, a best Christian etc. etc., and become a true). 2. Become irreligious, without abandoning ethics.
In both the methods, Indian can set examples to other countries. If, however, Hindus or those who say that it is Sanatana dharma, and want it to become the Greatest Religion (better to call Culture) of India, or the Greatest Religion of the World, have a sacred duty to make it more livable and attractive for Centuries to come. That means, Hinduism or Sanatana dharma will have to continuously search for negative futures in its theories and practices, and improve them for making the Hinduism / Sanatana dharma, the ideal livable, lovable dharmas. Empty slogans and rhetorical speeches will not really help. Anyway, this subject, we can deal with again, separately.
PRAYER: If you have a very delicate religious mind which can be easily hurt, kindly forbear with me, forgive me, and move over to some other web page.
The object of this particular blog post: Every year people spend thousands of Rupees for visiting pilgrim centres, hiring cars, booking air tickets, A/c buses etc., purchasing tickets for darsan. They also spend lot of time, standing in queues for darsan (a view of the deity and an opportunity to submit prayers). They also expose themselves to numerous risks like road accidents, fire accidents, crowd-stampedes, pick-pocketers, chain-pullers, train-robbers, cheating by intermediaries, what not! When they return home with empty pockets, and bodies exhausted, they return with great hopes that their desires will be fulfilled, that they get protection from Gods, and above all some vignettes about their journey-experiences on occasions like booking of rooms, bathing in open places, cooking food in open places, buying tiffins, etc.
Yet, it is my personal feeling, when compared to the amounts spent, time spent, efforts made, risks undergone, the pilgrims do not get much enriched about knowledge. At the places they visit, they may get told some stories about the divine miraculous powers of that particular place (sthala purANam, often supported by a story from skAntha purANam), which they accept without making further inquiries. Some people may undergo a computer term "gigo" (garbage-in garbage-out). Some people may undergo only gi (garbage-in) only. My anguish is, if they could spare a little more effort and time, on "an exploratory study" of the place, probably, they will get more intrinsic rewards, and greater enlightenment. If they care to apply their minds about the practicability of the story, they will go nearer the truth.
Picnics and pleasure trips, summer vacation visits for recreation etc. do not fall within the scope of this article.
As Lord Venkateswara is regarded as an extended incarnation of Lord VishNu (in addition to the ten traditional incarnations (daSAvatAras) of Lord VishNu, it is worthwhile, studying the origin of Lord VishNu.
We have already seen that Aryans have migrated to India from Latvia-Lithuania-Ancient Prussia-Sudovia-Estonia etc. countries (collectively referred to as Baltics. We can add to these the North European, North Sea, Scandinavian countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, and the Arctic country Iceland. We have to remember that the vocabulary and grammar of Latvian, Lithuanian, Ancient Prussian languages have very close resemblance to Sanskrit Vocabulary and grammar. We have discussed some of these issues at my blog Click to go to my blog Indo European Dictionary at blogspot.com. . There, one of our valued Readers by name "Latvian" (real name we do not known. Screen name only.) has contributed greatly to our understanding of Latvian Language and the Latvian Folklore.
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LATVIAN GOD "USINS", LAIME MATE and VEDIC GODS VISHNU and LAKSHMI mAta
After going through several dozens of web pages on Latvian Mythology, Latvian History, Latvian Pantheon, I am tempted to make the following observations. Though I am obliged to give links to all those websites here with due courtesy, as the list has become very lengthy and quite laborious to type. But, I wish to express my sincerest thanks to all the websites for the immeasurable help they have given to understand the Latvian contributions to Indian VEDIC Mythology. Now, some of my observations (some of these observations I have already written at my several blogs, including the problemsoftelugus.):-
1. "Usins" of Latvian folklore is Lord VishNu. Though oppressed and suppressed by Christian Tyranny, the Latvian Folk-lore survived in unwritten form. Now, the Latvia-Lithuania lovers are trying to standardise it and popularise it), Usins is mentioned as charioteer of Sun Goddess Saule (Saura, sUrya). Usins is associated with horses. In one web-page, he is mentioned to have a horse face. In Indian mythology, one form of Lord Vishnu (or Usins?) can along with other incarnations, be taken as "hayagriva" (horse-throated God). Notes: Though as per Indian traditions, the name of the charioteer of Sun God is "anUra" [person without "Urus" (thighs)], much is not known about "anUra" except that he is elder brother of VaishNava Vehicle (God used as vehicle of Lord VishNu) Garuda. Their common mother is "Vinata" and father Sage "Kashyapa". Both the brothers were born from Eggs. But Vinata, in a haste, before the hatching of the egg, prematurely broke it. Consequently, anUra was born without thighs. In spite of not having thighs, he drives the Sun God's chariot of only one wheel, across the skies from East to West. Many Indians are not familiar with anUra, but are very familiar with kite God GaruDa, because every VishNu Temple has VishNu's vehicle Kite GaruDA, and on festival occasions, the God moves in streets surrounding the temple, on the kite vehicle.
Usins can also be associated with the legendary twins "aSvani dEvatas" or "aSvini dEvatas" of VaishNava tradition, incarnations of VishNu. The twins are linked with "Dhanvantari" , the founder of Ayurveda, the Indian System of Medicine.
Aryan Migrants into India were very particular about cows and horses. Proofs for these things can be discussed.
One burning question: Whether Aryans spread outwards- from India to Europe, South East Asia? (This is called Asian Angle). Whether Aryans spread from North Europe to Bactria, Iran , then to India (European angle). Reply for this can be seen in our previous blogposts. I shall try to give links to them by revisiting this page.
Link for those who wish to know more about "Hayagriva". Click to go to
2. "Laime" or "Laime mAtE" of Latvian folklore is Goddess Lakshmi. Laime is regarded as GODDESS OF FORTUNE in BOTH THE COUNTRIES. In India, we have a tradition of ASHTA LAKSHMIs (eight Goddesses of Fortune) representing
1. Goddess of Children (santAna Lakshmi)
2. Goddess of Harvest and Grains (dhAnya Lakshmi)
3. Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity (dhana Lakshmi, aiSvarya Lakshmi, saubhAgya Lakshmi)
4. Goddess of Learning and scholarship (vidya Lakshmi)
5. Goddess of success and victory (Vijaya Lakshmi)
6. Goddess of Valor and Courage (Vira Lakshmi)
7. Goddess of Blessings and Boons (Vara Lakshmi)
8. Goddess the-FIRST, Goddess the-GREAT (ADI lakshmi, mahA Lakshmi).
There are other versions of the 8 Lakshmis which have elements slike gaja lakshmi (Lakshmi adorned by elephants).
| INDIAN TRADITIONS | LATVIAN FOLKLORE AND TRADITIONS |
| This table will be filled shortly . | These columns will be filled shortly. |
To know more about Latvian history, Click to go to LatvianHistory.com.
Shall finish shortly.
(To continue. और लिखने का है। ఇంకా వ్రాయాల్సింది ఉంది.
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