The Hindus-An Alternative History

Muslims do not wear dhotis? Yes we do, only we call it a lungi or a sarong! Its the most common garment in Muslims in India! Thats what most of them wear at home!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lungi

Its just not pulled up at the back like a Marathi saree

They call it a lungi. A dhoti is worn differently from a lungi. In fact a muslim cannot be seen dead wearing a dhoti. But a Hindu has no hangup about a lungi.
 
Same dhoti can be worn as a Lungi. It is like rolling up ones sleeves from a long sleeve shirt. But, yes Indian Muslim men do not were Dhotis that attaches in the back - I think.

dressup_lungi2.jpg
 
Sure. It can be wrapped around the shoulders too. While sleeping it can cover you. If need be you can wrap and tie your things too.
 
“ Originally Posted by rcscwc
Source for terming Kali a demon? Not epistemology out of your ass.
Source for her incarnation as a king? Not your ass please.




Source? Not your ass please. ”

I think its kali as in where we get kali yuga from (as opposed to durga kali)

Think or moonshine? Who says even Kali in Kali Yuga is a demon?
 
Just as Christianity has thousands of denominations each with their version of interpretation, Hindus have many more times....

Most stories are just parables, a teaching tool

But whether Ramayana and Mahabharata really happened, no one has done any archeological digs to find out for sure.

So, each Hindu would have his/her interpretation of those stories...

Archeological evidence is nearly out. What is such evidence with respect to Buddha? ZERO.

When you excavate for archeological evidence, you are generally, of not always, aware what you MIGHT find ie nature of find. In case of Mahabharata, what would you expect to find? Krishna's horroscope on a stone tablet?

But there is certain internal astronomical information in Mahabharata, which points that it happened around 5300 years ago.

General Interpretations are not much different. But Hindus, having freedom of thought, do have some opinions about various characters.
 
But Hindus, having freedom of thought, do have some opinions about various characters

And Indians also extend this freedom to everyone else -except when fundamentalists are in power and filmmakers are forced to keep movies like Fire and Sita Sings the Blues only for foreign audiences. Which is a pity - that we have to go abroad to see movies about Indian characters.

Have you read The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen? It is a "feel good" book for all Indians.
 
Think or moonshine? Who says even Kali in Kali Yuga is a demon?
SYNONYMS

duryodhanam — Duryodhana; ṛte — except; pāpam — sinful; kalim — the empowered expansion of the age of Kali; kuru-kula — of the Kuru dynasty; āmayam — the disease; yaḥ — who; na sehe — could not tolerate; śrīyam — the opulences; sphītām — flourishing; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; pāṇḍu-sutasya — of the son of Pāṇḍu; tām — that.

TRANSLATION

[All were satisfied] except sinful Duryodhana, the personification of the age of quarrel and the disease of the Kuru dynasty. He could not bear to see the flourishing opulence of the son of Pāṇḍu.

SB10.74.53
A partial incarnation of Kali will descend as Duryodhana. Soma will descend as Abhimanyu. Lord Siva will place His own form on the earth as Dronacarya's son Asvatthämä.

Garga samhita canto 1 T30

also its there in the mahabharata adi parva when they give an intro to the main players :

From a portion of Kali, who degrades all humankind, evil-minded Duryodhana took birth, full of evil schemes and destined to create infamy for the House of Kuru. Envious of the entire world, this personification of strife, this very lowest of men, laid all the world to waste when he ignited a raging inferno of war that consumed countless creatures.

Tons of other references - I was just saying that its pretty obvious that this is the relationship between kali and duryodhana ... although terming it a "demon" is probably a consequence of european translations
 
SB10.74.53


Garga samhita canto 1 T30

also its there in the mahabharata adi parva when they give an intro to the main players :

Tons of other references - I was just saying that its pretty obvious that this is the relationship between kali and duryodhana ... although terming it a "demon" is probably a consequence of european translations

Dur-yodhna, a fighter hard to oppose. Also called Su-yodhana, a noble fighter.

Kali Yuga was yet to start. Kali is definitely not a demon. Kali Yuga, name of the era after Dwapar, lasting 4,32,000 years, after whick Lord Kalik is to appear.

The life and society in this era too is described in detail.
 
Dur-yodhna, a fighter hard to oppose. Also called Su-yodhana, a noble fighter.
I'm pretty sure it was his parents who named him Suyodhana - yet he is more well referenced by his other names
Kali Yuga was yet to start. Kali is definitely not a demon. Kali Yuga, name of the era after Dwapar, lasting 4,32,000 years, after whick Lord Kalik is to appear.
Like many elements in vedic thought, there is a personified aspect to it (and hence portions and plenary portions of it)
Like Kali's encounter with maharaj Pariksit (when he is beating the cow)

Also there are many references to how kali could not appear in a his fullness while Krsna was on the planet (kali yuga began at the point of Krishna's external disappearance), there are also references to how duryodhana is paving the way for the junction of yugas
When Vidura heard the evil plan to steal the wealth of the Pandavas, he knew the age of Kali had arrived. Kali Yuga means the age of quarrel and hypocrisy. Before the age of Kali, kings were rajarshis, godly men in the dress of kings. Duryodhana was the first king to exhibit the qualities of Kali Yuga: envy, lust, greed, anger, etc. Therefore, Vidura, due to his vast knowledge and realization, could immediately understand that the age of Kali was here because Duryodhana envied the godly and pious Pandavas.
Mahabharata



As long us Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the husband of the goddess of fortune, touched the earth with His lotus feet, Kali was powerless to subdue this planet.


Although even during the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa's presence on earth Kali had entered the earth to a slight extent through the impious activities of Duryodhana and his allies, Lord Kṛṣṇa consistently suppressed Kali's influence. Kali could not flourish until Lord Kṛṣṇa had left the earth.
http://vedabase.net/sb/12/2/30/en
 
Kali Yuga had to come. Krishna was busy minimising it ill effects by eliminating the bad ones to the extent possible. Even his own clan had become wayward.

Parikshit did want to banish Kali, but Kali convinced him. As per schema, Kali did come when Krishna left.
 
Kali Yuga had to come. Krishna was busy minimising it ill effects by eliminating the bad ones to the extent possible. Even his own clan had become wayward.

Parikshit did want to banish Kali, but Kali convinced him. As per schema, Kali did come when Krishna left.
hence duryodhana was the bad egg that heralded kali yuga

Not sure what you are referencing to suggest that Krsna's clan was wayward
 
Doesn't Kali Yug or Kalyug have to do with the male demon Kali and not the female goddess? Isn't he the nemesis of Kalki, the tenth avatar of Vishnu?

According to the Vishnu Purana, he is a negative manifestation of Vishnu, who along with his extended evil family, perpetually operates as a cause of the destruction of this world.[1] In the Kalki Purana, he is portrayed as a demon and the source of all evil. In the Mahabharata, he was a gandharva who possessed Nala, forcing him to lose his Kingdom in a game of dice to his brother Pushkara. His most famous incarnation is the Kaurava King Duryodhana. Kali is the prototype for the demon Kroni and his incarnation Kaliyan of Ayyavazhi mythology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali_(demon)

Or am I just confused?
 
Doesn't Kali Yug or Kalyug have to do with the male demon Kali and not the female goddess? Isn't he the nemesis of Kalki, the tenth avatar of Vishnu?



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali_(demon)

Or am I just confused?
they are different personalities, the goddess kali is an expansion of siva's consort, durga or paravti (the jurisdiction of both is the material world or Devi-dhama )
TRANSLATION

"The abode of the external energy is called Devī-dhāma, and its inhabitants are the conditioned souls. It is there that the material energy, Durgā, resides with many opulent maidservants.

PURPORT

Because he wants to enjoy the material energy, the conditioned soul is allowed to reside in Devī-dhāma, the external energy, where goddess Durgā carries out the orders of the Supreme Lord as His maidservant. The material energy is called jagal-lakṣmī because she protects the bewildered conditioned souls. Goddess Durgā is therefore known as the material mother, and Lord Śiva, her husband, is known as the material father. Goddess Durgā is so named because this material world is like a big fort where the conditioned soul is placed under her care. For material facilities, the conditioned soul tries to please goddess Durgā, and mother Durgā supplies all kinds of material facilities. Because of this, the conditioned souls are allured and do not wish to leave the external energy. Consequently they are continuously making plans to live here peacefully and happily. Such is the material world.
TRANSLATION

Lord Śiva, the most powerful demigod, second only to Lord Viṣṇu, is self-sufficient. Although he has nothing to aspire for in the material world, for the benefit of those in the material world he is always busily engaged everywhere and is accompanied by his dangerous energies like goddess Kālī and goddess Durgā.

Kali, as in kali yuga, is an era summed up By Markandeya (who goes on to say that every kali yuga it is more or less the same, having received the boon to live through many universal devastations)
The world in Kaliyuga. The celebrated sage Markandeya had prophesied about the happenings in Kaliyuga thus: In Kaliyuga all will be dishonest. Charity and Sacrifices will be only for a name. Brahmanas would do the duties of sudras. Sudras will become prosperous. There will be sinners as kings. People will be short-lived and the stature of the people also will diminish. Beastly type of men will be on the increase. Taste and smell will vanish. Women will be `Mukhebhagas'. Men will sell rice and brahmanas, the Vedas. Women will sell their vaginas. The yield of milk from cows will decrease. Flowers and fruits will become less. Crows will be on the increase. Brahmanas would become beggars. Sages will be merchants. Brahmanas would without any reason grow hairs and nails. None will observe the four asramas correctly. Students will defile the bed of their preceptors. Rains will be in and out of season. Trees and plants will refuse to grow in many places. There will be murder of people everywhere. Merchants will be cheats and they will use false measures. Righteous persons will decrease and sinners will increase. Girls of seven or eight years will become pregnant and boys will become fathers. Young men at the age of sixteen would be grey-haired. Old men will continue practising the habits of young men. Wives will lie with their servants. Wives will be prostitutes even while their husbands are alive. People will die in lots of hunger." (Chapter 188. Vana Parva).

Its not so much that kali is the arch enemy of visnu (like jaya and vijaya who play out the role of Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha, Ravana and Kumbakana, Sisupala and Dantavakra (and finally Jaghai and Madhai In Mahaprabhu's lila ), but rather kali is an age that grants what is impossible in other ages : namely to fulfill the desire to be a scoundrel wholesale.
Kalki simply comes to wrap everything up by cleaning the slate to allow for satya yuga to come on the scene again (kind of like spring emerges from winter)

IOW the age of kali is essential to every divya yuga (cycle of satya, dvapara, treta and kali) much like winter is an essential season for every year
 
So who is Kali -male demon vs female goddess?

I understand the concept of cyclic destruction and regeneration, it is mortality that requires reproduction
 
So who is Kali -male demon vs female goddess?

I understand the concept of cyclic destruction and regeneration, it is mortality that requires reproduction
the kali of kali yuga isn't really a demon (asura) - he is the personification of the age of kali - he has an encounter with maharaj pariksit while beating the personification of religious principles so sometimes he is understood as sin personified

the female goddess kali is lord siva's consort - she has a gruesome appearance because she is the ferocious aspect of material nature (many Bengalis joke about their wives or mother s in laws being Maa Kali when they go ballistic). As an expansion of Durga, Kali is commonly worshiped for material boons (and being somewhat gruesome in nature, her worship sometimes finds its way into nefarious tantric practices)

They are two different personalities who share the name (kind of like George Bush and Boy George share the same name)
 
Last edited:
So who is Kali -male demon vs female goddess?

I understand the concept of cyclic destruction and regeneration, it is mortality that requires reproduction

Godess Kali is pronounced as kAAli
whereas personified kali yuga is called kali or kali purusha.
Kalki, an avatar of Vishnu supposed to happen in kali yuga, is different from both.
 
This is more BS from the Saffron brigade.

OP mentions RV 10-62. Here it is in its entirety.
Hymn 10.62. HYMN LXII. Visvedevas, Etc.
1. YE, who, adorned with guerdon through the sacrifice, have won you Indra's friendship and eternal life,
Even to you be happiness, Angirases. Welcome the son of Manu, ye who are most wise.
2 The Fathers, who drave forth the wealth in cattle, have in the year's courses cleft Vala by Eternal Law:
A lengthened life be yours, O ye Angirases. Welcome the son of Manu, ye who are most wise.
3 Ye raised the Sun to heaven by everlasting Law, and spread broad earth, the Mother, out on every side.
Fair wealth of progeny be yours, Angirases. Welcome the son of Manu, ye who are most wise.
4 This kinsman in your dwellingplace speaks pleasant words: give car to this, ye Rsis, children of the Gods.
High Brahman dignity be yours, Angirases. Welcome the son of Manu, ye who are most wise.
5 Distinguished by their varied form, these Rsis have been deeply moved.
These are the sons of Angirases: from Agni have they sprung to life.
6 Distinguished by their varied form, they sprang from Agni, from the sky.
Navagva and Dasagva, noblest Angiras, he giveth bounty with the Gods.
7 With Indra for associate the priests have cleared the stable full of steeds and kine,
Giving to me a thousand with their eightmarked cars, they gained renown among the Gods.
8 May this man's sons be multiplied; like springing corn may Manu grow,
Who gives at once in bounteous gift a thousand kine, a hundred steeds.
9 No one attains to him, as though a man would grasp the heights of heaven.
Savarnya's sacrificial meed hath broadened like an ample flood.
10 Yadu and Turva, too, have given two Dasas, well-disposed, to serve,
Together with great store of kine.
11 Blest be the hamlet's chief, most liberal Manu, and may his bounty rival that of Surya.
May the God let Ssvarni's life be leng
thened, with whom, unwearied, we have lived and prospered.


If it is saffron BS, then kindly point out where a woman finds her brother in her bed?
 
Back
Top