The concept of time in Indian myths The Indian mythology is often, for the Western mind, a vast territory narrative, with the many symbols, with meanings often complex to decipher, whose historical boundaries are often blurred. Although the myth is presented in the West as well as study material as part of our cultural heritage is not so for India where the myth still constantly permeates the everyday life of men.
is different, moreover, the concept of time. In Indian culture there is a circular time in which there is no before and after. In particular, when we approach the Indian myths, they seem to coexist in a continuous present, we can not decipher between a chronological story of gods, demons and avatars, as if it were held outside of time and space.
The circular view of time is described very well by this myth that we present in the version by the great scholar regalataci H. Zimmer.
The parade of ants
Indra slew the dragon, a giant titan who was crouched over the mountains from the point of a formless cloud serpent whom he held captive in its belly the waters of the sky.
The god hurled his thunderbolt in the middle of that spirit depart; ruined the monster like a pile of dry leaves. The waters broke free and dropped in many bands through the earth to move again in the body in the world. This flooding is the overflow of life and belongs to all. It is the lifeblood of fields and forests, the blood flowing in my veins. The monster had monopolized the common good, massing his selfish and ambitious mole between heaven and earth, but now he was dead. The mood flowed again. I repaired the Titans to the underworld, the gods returned to the top of the mountain that stands at the center of the earth, to rule from above.
During the period of supremacy of the dragon the majestic mansions of the gods had gone to the extremely city in ruins. Indra's first act was to rebuild them. All the gods of heaven cheering him as their savior. Flushed by the triumph and the consciousness of his strength, he summoned Visvakarman Indra, the god of arts and crafts, and ordered him to erect a building that was in keeping with the unparalleled splendor of the king of the gods.
That prodigious genius, Visvakarman, managed to build in a single year a brilliant stay, wonderful in his palaces and gardens, its lakes and its towers. But with the progress of the work of Indra's claims became even more and ever more grandiose visions. He wanted to other terraces and pavilions, and more lakes, woods and gardens. Every time I came to give his opinion about the work, Indra gave birth to more and more daring visions of wonders yet to be built. At this point the divine creator, reduced to despair, he decided to ask for help higher. It would be directed to the creator-demiurge Brahma, the first incarnation of the Universal Spirit, who dwells far above the troubled sphere Olympic ambition, conflict and glory.
Visvakarman When he went in secret to the highest throne and explained his problem, Brahma comforted the petitioner. "You will soon be relieved of your burden," he said. "Go home in peace." Then, as Visvakarman hastened to descend in the city of Indra, Brahma went to a ball even higher. He arrived in the presence of Vishnu the Supreme Being, which includes himself, the Creator, was not that a representative. In blissful silence Vishnu listen, and with a simple nod of the head suggests that the request would be answered Visvakarman.
Il mattino dopo, all'alba, un bambino brahmano che portava il bastone dei pellegrini si presentò al palazzo di Indra e chiese al portiere di annunciare la sua visita al re. Il portiere corse dal suo signore, e il suo signore s'affrettò verso l'entrata per accogliere di persona il fausto ospite. Il fanciullo era esile, aveva circa dieci anni e splendeva con il fulgore della sapienza. Indra lo scorse al centro di un gruppo di bambini che lo contemplavano rapiti. Il fanciullo salutò l'ospite con lo sguardo dolce dei suoi occhi scuri e lucenti. Il re si inchinò dinanzi al santo fanciullo che ridente lo benedì. I due si ritirarono nella sala delle udienze di Indra, dove il dio diede cerimoniosamente welcome its guests with offerings of honey, milk and fruit, and then said, "Venerable child, tell me the purpose of your visit.
The beautiful boy answered in a voice deep and sweet as benaugurose slow thunder of rain clouds, "O King of Gods, I have heard of the magnificent palace that you're building and have come to refer to the questions that face in my mind. How many years will it take to complete this vast and rich home, and what other engineering marvels Visvakarman will still have to do? "O highest of the gods," and the bright features of the child moved to a toothy grin, almost imperceptible " nessun Indra prima di te è mai riuscito a completare un palazzo quale dovrebbe essere il tuo ».
Ebbro del trionfo, il re degli dèi era divertito dalla pretesa di quel semplice fanciullo di conoscere altri lndra vissuti prima di lui. Con un sorriso paterno gli chiese: « Dimmi, Fanciullo, sono così numerosi gli lndra e i Visvakarman che hai visto, o almeno di cui hai sentito parlare? ».
Pacatamente l'ospite meraviglioso annuì. « Sì, in verità ne ho visti molti » .La sua voce era calda e dolce come latte appena munto, ma le sue parole fecero correre per le vene di Indra un lento chill. "My dear son," continued the boy, "I knew your father Kasyapa, Old Man Turtle, ladies and progenitor of all creatures on earth. And I knew your grandfather, Maric, Celeste Ray of Light, who was the son of Brahma. Marici was generated by the pure spirit of Brahma, his only wealth and glory were the sanctity and devotion. I also know Brahma, Vishnu generated from the glass that comes from the navel lotus of Vishnu and Vishnu himself, argues that the Supreme Brahma in his creative effort, I know him too.
"O King of the Gods, I knew the awful dissolution of the universe. I have seen all perish, again and again at the end of each cycle. In that terrible moment, every single atom dissolves into primordial, pure waters of eternity, from which it was originally all arose. Everything back then unfathomable and endless wilderness deep ocean covered with darkness and devoid of any sign of being animated. Who will count the universes past creations or fate again and again formless abyss of the vast waters? Who shall list the ages of the world passing by, going on to one another without end? And who scruterà the vast infinity of space to count the universes in it aligned, each of which contains its Brahma, its Vishnu, Siva her? Who will count the lndra that inhabit them, those that Indra side by side regnano contemporaneamente in tutti gli innumerevoli mondi, chi gli Indra che sono scomparsi prima di loro, o anche solo quelli che si succedono in una data linea, salendo uno a uno al trono degli dèi e scomparendo uno dopo l'altro? O Re degli Dei, fra i tuoi servitori vi sono alcuni che sostengono sia possibile contare i granelli di sabbia sulla terra e le gocce di pioggia che cadono dal cielo, ma nessuno potrà mai contare tutti quegli Indra. Questo è ciò che sanno Coloro che sanno.
« La vita e il regno di un Indra durano settantuno eoni, e quando ventott o Indra sono spirati, sono trascorsi soltanto un Giorno and a Night of Brahma. But the existence of a Brahma, measured in days and nights of Brahma, lasts only one hundred and eight years. At another comes Brahma Brahma, one sinks, another rises, the unlimited series is incalculable. There is no end to the number of those Brahma-not to speak of Indra. "As for universes that at any time exist side by side, each of which contains a Brahma and Indra, who ever can guess the number? Beyond the most distant imagination, filling the space outside the universes come and go, like a countless host. How fragile boats floating on the water well and unfathomable that constitute the body of Vishnu. From every pore of his body out like a bubble universe which immediately disappears. Would you pretend to count them? Do you want to count the gods in all those worlds, the worlds present and past? '. A procession of ants had made its appearance in the room during the speech of the child. Military posture in the tribe slipped on the floor, forming a column four meters wide. The child noticed the, stopped, looked, then suddenly burst into an amazing laugh, but soon fell into a thoughtful silence of deep meditation.
"Why are you laughing? "Stammered Indra. "Who are you, mysterious being, in this deceptive guise of a child? '. The throat and lips that re orgoglioso si erano seccate e la voce gli si spezzava continuamente. « Chi sei, Oceano di Virtù, velato dalla nebbia dell'illusione? ».
Il magnifico fanciullo riprese a parlare: « Ridevo per le formiche. Il motivo non si può dire. Non chiedermi di svelartelo. Il seme del dolore e il frutto della sapienza sono racchiusi in questo segreto. È il segreto che abbatte come con un'ascia l'albero della vanità mondana, ne recide le radici e ne disperde il fogliame. Questo segreto è una lampada per coloro che brancolano nell'ignoranza. Questo segreto giace sepolto nella sapienza delle varie epoche ed è rivelato raramente perfino ai santi. Questo segreto è the air we breathe the ascetics who renounce and transcend mortal existence, but those who live in the world, blinded by the desire and pride, they are destroyed. "
The boy smiled and sank into silence. Indra looked at him, unable to move. "O Son of Brahma entreated him now the king, with a new humility and obvious" I do not know who you are. Seems to be the incarnation of wisdom. Reveal the secret of the ages, the light that dispels the darkness. "
At the request of teaching the child to the god of wisdom hidden hatched. "I saw the formiche, o Indra, che sfilavano in una lunga parata. Ognuna di esse fu un tempo un Indra. Come te, ognuna di esse in virtù di atti pii ascese un tempo al rango di re degli dèi. Ma ora, attraverso molte rinascite, sono tutte ridivenute formiche. Questo esercito è un esercito di antichi Indra.
« La devozione e le nobili azioni elevano gli abitanti del mondo al regno glorioso delle dimore celesti, o ai domini più alti di Brahma e Siva e alla sfera suprema di Vishnu ; ma le azioni malvagie li precipitano negli inferi, in abissi di pene e dolori, che comportano la reincarnazione in uccelli e in parassiti, o nel ventre di maiali e animali selvatici, o fra gli alberi, o fra insects. It is with the actions that you deserve happiness or misery, and you become masters or slaves. And the actions that rises to the rank of a king or a brahmin, or of some god, an Indra or Brahma. And yet the actions that contract the disease, you get beauty or deformity, or will be born as monsters.
"This is the substance of the secret. This wisdom is the raft across the ocean that leads to the infernal bliss.
"Life in the endless cycle of rebirth is like a vision in a dream. The gods on high, the dumb trees and the stones are all alike appearances in this fantasy. But Death administers the law of time. Controlled by time, Death and Lord of all things. Perishable as bubbles of water are good and evil beings of the dream. Good and bad alternate in endless cycles. So the wise men do not attack one or the other, neither the good nor evil. The wise are not attached to anything. "
The child ended the terrible lesson and looked at his host quietly. The king of the gods, for all his celestial splendor, you could see now reduced to something insignificant. Meanwhile another surprising appearance era entrata nella sala.
Il nuovo venuto aveva l'aspetto di un eremita. Il suo capo era ricoperto di trecce arruffate, sui fianchi portava una pelle di antilope nera, sulla fronte recava dipinto un segno bianco, la sua testa era riparata da un povero parasole d'erba, e sul petto gli cresceva uno strano ciuffo di peli di forma circolare: sulla circonferenza era intatto, ma al centro pareva che molti peli fossero scomparsi. La santa figura avanzò diritto verso Indra e il fanciullo, si accovacciò a terra fra i due e là rimase, immobile come una roccia. Il regale Indra, rip reso in qualche modo il suo ruolo di ospite, si inchinò e gli rese omaggio, offering him sour milk with honey and other refreshments, and then, hesitantly but reverent, he inquired about the same as his stern guest, and welcomed him. The boy then turned to the holy man, asking the same things that he wanted to ask Indra.
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The holy old man smiled patiently, and slowly began to respond: "I am a Brahmin, my name is Pelosi, and I came here to see Indra. Because I know I have a short life, I decided not to own a home, not to build a house, not to marry them to try to make a living. I live by begging. Per proteggermi dal sole e dalla i pioggia reggo sopra il mio capo questo parasole d'erba. « Quanto al cerchio di peli che ho sul petto, è una fonte di i dolore per i figli del mondo e tuttavia insegna loro la saggezza. A ogni caduta di un Indra, cade un pelo. Per questo al centro tutti i peli sono caduti. Quando sarà trascorsa l'altra metà del periodo assegnato all'attuale Brahma, morirò anch'io. Di conseguenza, o Fanciullo Brahmano, i giorni che mi rimangono sono pochi; a che mi servirebbero dunque una moglie e un figlio, o una casa?
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« Siva, che dona la pace, la più alta guida spirituale, mi ha insegnato questa meravigliosa sapienza. Non aspiro a sperimentare le diverse forme beatifiche di redenzione: condividere le magioni celesti del dio supremo e godere della sua eterna presenza, o essere simile a lui per aspetto e attributi, o divenire parte della sua augusta sostanza, o anche essere completamente assorbito nella sua ineffabile essenza ».
All'improvviso il sant'uomo tacque e subito svanì. Era il dio Siva in persona; era tornato alla sua sede oltremondana. Simultaneamente sparì anche il fanciullo brahmano, che era Vishnu Il re rimase solo, sconcertato e meravigliato. Il re, Indra, si mise a riflettere; e gli avvenimenti gli parvero essere been like a dream. But I no longer feel any desire to exalt his heavenly glory, nor to continue the construction of his palace. Visvakarman called, greeted him affably with words as sweet as honey, filled with jewels and precious gifts with a lavish celebration and sent him away.
King, Indra, now wanted redemption. He had reached the wisdom, and only wanted to be free. He entrusted the honor and the burden of his office to his son and began preparations to go and live as a hermit in the forest. Its beautiful and passionate wife, Saci, was shocked by the pain.
In tears, the suffering and extreme despair, Saci turned to the wise priest and spiritual adviser of Indra, Brhaspati, the Lord of Spellcraft. Bowing at his feet, implored him to divert the minds of the groom from his cruel resolution. The shrewd adviser of the gods, who with his magic tricks and had helped the heavenly powers to wrest the government of the universe from the hands of their rivals, the Titans, listened attentively to the complaints of the goddess, disturbing, and disconsolate, and nodded, understanding. With a magician's smile took her hand and led her to the presence of the groom. Then as a spiritual teacher wisely debating the virtues of religious life but also on those of secular life. He gave both the money and very cleverly developed his theme. The royal pupil was persuaded to give up its extreme resolution. The Queen quickly became radiant with joy. The Lord of Spellcraft, Brhaspati, had once written a treatise on the government to teach as Indra to rule the world. Now produced a second book, a treatise on politics and the tricks to be used in conjugal love. Illustrating the gentle art of always renew the courtship chaining and lasting ties with the loved one, this book invaluable established on solid foundations married life the couple reunited. So ends the story of how wonderful the king of the gods was humiliated in his hubris, he was treated for his excessive ambition and through a spiritual and worldly wisdom was taught about its proper role in the endless circle of life.
From "Myths and Symbols of India" by Heinrich Zimmer
