Quadrant Model of Reality Book 3 Religion

Religion chapter

Excerpt from Quadrant Model of Reality

There are four world religions according to historians and sociologists. Some sociologists argue that there is a fifth; Judaism is sometimes considered the fifth, but is most often not included among the world religions  because it is an ethnic phenomenon that does not try to convert people. The recognized world religions are:

*Square one: Buddhism--associated with the first quadrant, it is stereotypically about sensation, perception, response, and awareness. It is focused on finding the real self, which is the nature of the first quadrant, and is known for meditation and other activities related to perception, and awareness. Idealists, the first square personality type are often attracted to Buddhism. The Buddha was an Indian priest of the Brahman class. He taught people to get married, have children, not commit adultery, not murder, and not steal. His teachings are very similar to the teachings of the Torah.   Buddhists are taught that life is suffering, so they can be sad, an emotion of the first square. The buddha taught that people should seek nirvana, separation from the world, and from a destiny of rebirth. Buddhism is associated with asians which is the first square race. Buddhism is associated with non violence and peace which are idealist characteristics. Buddhists are vegetarians like idealists are more inclined to be. Idealists are more associated with vegetarianism.

*Square two: Christianity--associated with the second quadrant, is about belief, faith, behavior, and belonging. Messianic Jews teach that Jesus was an orthodox Jew who taught others to follow the Torah precisely. They teach that Paul was also an orthodox Jew who sought to bring the Torah back to the lost tribes of Israel, whom he called gentiles, because they had broken out of covenant--gentile means out of covenant. According to messianic Jews, Black Hebrew Israelites, and even Seventh Day Adventists, Jesus and his disciples taught that belief in Jesus entailed following the commandments of God; the second square focuses on order and homeostasis.   Christianity is second square oriented, and associated with the Guardian personality type—wanting to belong. Christianity is characterized a lot by trying to convert people and save people, which is associated with wanting to belong, and it is not known for being related to deep thinking, but more belief, which is characteristic of the second square. Christianity is associated with Europeans and is the second square race. Christians like to say they want a “relationship with Jesus”. The second square is about relationships.

*Square three: Islam--a third quadrant religion. Like Christianity, Islam considers itself an Abrahamic religion--descended from Abraham. The first three squares are always very connected. Many Muslims do not have problems with Buddhists, seeing Buddhists as monotheists. Arabs consider themselves descendants of Ishmael, a son of Abraham. The Israelites descend from Abraham's other son, Issac. Many rabbis think that Europeans are often descendants of Issac's son Esau; Israel descends from Issac's other son Jacob. The third quadrant is thinking, emotion, doing, and dreaming. Thinking challenges beliefs; Islam challenges the beliefs of Christianity, teaching that Jesus is not God, but is a messenger of God.  Thinking is considered to be destructive and bad for challenging and breaking down beliefs, and breaking Christians out of the comfort of their beliefs.  Islam means submission to God. Islam is often associated with Black people and arabs, which is the third square race. Also Islam is associated around the world as being violent, and the nature of the third square is it is more “destructive” or “bad” or evil. Islam is associated with terrorism and throughout history Arabs fought brutal wars including the massacring of Hindus and the attempt to force convert people. Islam has a lot of African followers but also has white and Asian followers. The third square encompasses the previous two. A lot of violence from Islam stems from colonialism that brought ideologies into Islam that made it more violent.

*Square four: Hinduism--a “polytheistic” religion, Hindus tend to believe in more than one God, and worship different Hindu Gods. The fourth quadrant encompasses the previous three, while pointing beyond them. The fourth quadrant is contemplation, passion, flowing, and knowing. Hinduism is definitely the most contemplative of the world religions. Also Hinduism encompasses the other world religions, teaching that the messengers of other religions, like Jesus, and Muhammad, and the Buddha, are avatars usually of the Hindu God Vishnu or other Gods. So Hinduism is pluralistic. The fourth square always encompasses the previous three. Many Hindus believe that the ultimate awareness is that humans  are Gods. Hinduism is associated with karma sutra, which is a type of meditation based on sexual positions. The fourth quadrant is knowledge; knowledge is associated with sex.   Hinduism is associated with fear and surprise, because it is scary to contemplate and seek truth and comes with a lot of surprises. Fear and surprise are fourth square emotions in the quadrant of emotions by psychologists that I already discussed in this book. Hinduism is associated with Brown people/Indians, which is the fourth square race. The fourth square is also known for being “bad”. Both Christians and Muslims tend to look down upon Hindus seeing them as polytheists, although there are Hindu sects that are considered monothesitic. Even Buddhists look down upon Hindus seeing them as not accepting the teachings of the Buddha. Hindus tend to say the Buddha was an incarnation of God, but that the Buddha did not contain full revelation and purposefully lead people astray. The Mormons, considered Christians, argue the bible is also polytheistic, like the Hindus believe. Some Hindus reconcile all of the religions, saying that they believe in Allah as the only God Krishna, and believing that Krishna is the Father of Jesus, and that the Buddha was an incarnation of Krishna. Hindus have many creative ways of reconciling all of the religions. Hinduism is a national religion in India, but it has followers from all races. The forth always encompasses he previous three, although it is most associated with brown people. Brown is the forth square race.

The World Religions

Buddhism

Christianity

Islam

Hinduism

When asked how the swastika found herself in the synagogue, Avshalom said: "All the archaeologists — Jews who worked there did not pay attention to the swastika. This ancient symbol of happiness people have used for thousands of years. This our swastika hundreds of years, then not yet Hitler was born, is it hell stronger world history, world art, world culture? I think it's time all of humanity to fix some misconceptions acquired in respect of the swastika symbol. "

The Enochian system of magic as practiced today is primarily the product of researches and workings by four men: John Dee, Edward Kelley, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley

The Chinese symbol for music and medicine are both men in quadrant formations. Music and medicine are both said to heal. Music is the second square mode of art, and the second square is homeostasis and healing.

Hindus say that the Om symbol and sound is the symbol of existence, and say that it is composed of four parts. According to the Yajurveda, the swastika is the symbolic representation of om in Hinduism. The om symbol is not the exact representation of a swastika, but it has the shape of the swastika, depicting the four parts. Hindus say that the Om is three letters AUM. The A represents Brahma, the U represents Vishnu, and the V represents Shiva. The first square Brahma is creation. The first square is always good and inspirational. The second square Vishnu is preservation. The second square is homeostasis. The third square M is Shiva which is destruction. The third square is bad. But Hindus say that there is a fourth aspect to the Om, which is the silence after the three letters. They say this silence encompasses the previous three. The fourth square is always transcendent and different, yet encompasses the previous three. All religions say om, including Christianity which says Amen, which is a variation of om.

it is interesting because today I was eating with my Uncles girlfriend who didn't know me (she didn't even know that I wrote a book) and she was drawing an Om symbol in a mandala, and I asked her what she was drawing, and she said the Om symbol, and I told her she should read my book and I sent her an email of my book Here are quotes about Om in the Hindu texts. Again, the Yajurveda, one of the four foundation texts of Hinduism, says that the Om is the foundation of Being, and it explicitly states that Om is the swastika. “Om is Brahman, the Primeval Being.” (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1) “That [Om] is the quintessence of the essences, the Supreme, the highest.” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.3) “I will tell you briefly of that Goal which all the Vedas with one voice propound, which all the austerities speak of, and wishing for Which people practice discipline: It is Om.” (Katha Upanishad 1. 2.15-17) “Om is the Supreme Brahman.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 1:7) “The real nature of Brahman is identical with the Pranava.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 2:8) “God is the Syllable Om.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:17) “Om is Brahman.” (Taittiriya Upanishad 1.8.1) “Brahman is the Truth that is indicated as ‘Om.’” (Yoga Vashishtha 6:1:30) “The monosyllable Om is the highest Brahman.” (Manu Smriti 2:83,87)

Here is more information on Om. Recall that according to the Yajurveda the Om is the swastika, and the sound of the Om has four parts to it. The amount of material in the authoritative scriptures of India and the words of realized saints regarding Om, is truly surprising. Here I have arranged extracts from the scriptures as well as from Vyasa and Shankara, the two greatest authorities on the scriptures, to give an overview of the whole subject of Om in its various aspects. Om is God (Brahman) “Om is Brahman, the Primeval Being.” (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1) “That [Om] is the quintessence of the essences, the Supreme, the highest.” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.3) “I will tell you briefly of that Goal which all the Vedas with one voice propound, which all the austerities speak of, and wishing for Which people practice discipline: It is Om.” (Katha Upanishad 1. 2.15-17) “Om is the Supreme Brahman.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 1:7) “The real nature of Brahman is identical with the Pranava.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 2:8) “God is the Syllable Om.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:17) “Om is Brahman.” (Taittiriya Upanishad 1.8.1) “Brahman is the Truth that is indicated as ‘Om.’” (Yoga Vashishtha 6:1:30) “The monosyllable Om is the highest Brahman.” (Manu Smriti 2:83,87) Om is both Saguna (With Form) and Nirguna (Without Form) Brahman It is commonly thought that Om is to be used only for meditation on the Formless Transcendent (Nirguna) Brahman, but the following show that, since Om encompasses both the Saguna and Nirguna aspects of Brahman, it can also be used for meditation on God With Form. Saguna and Nirguna are sometimes spoken of as “lower” or “lesser” and “higher.” “Om, indeed, is the Lower Brahman; this is, indeed, the Higher Brahman. Anyone who, meditating on Om, wishes either of the Two [aspects], by him that is attained. This [Om] is the best means [of attainment and realization]; this means is the Higher and Lesser Brahman.” (Katha Upanishad 1. 2.15-17) “OM is Brahman–both the conditioned and the unconditioned, the personal and the impersonal. By meditating upon it the wise man may attain either the one or the other.” (Prashna Upanishad 5.2) “Whether the unconditioned Brahman or the conditioned Brahman, the Syllable Om becomes a means of realizing It. For another scripture has it, ‘The Syllable Om is the higher and lower Brahman.’” (Shankara, Commentary on the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad) “Om is both the higher and the lesser Brahman.” (Shankara, Commentary on the Mandukya Karika) Om is the True Name of God “Om is the Name of the Supreme Lord.” (Shankara, Commentary on the Yoga Sutras) Om unites us with God (Brahman) “Om is the Supreme Brahman…. The knowers of Brahman by knowing what is therein [in the all-containing Om] become merged in Brahman.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 1:7) “He who utters Om with the intention ‘I shall attain Brahman’ does verily attain Brahman.” (Taittiriya Upanishad 1.8.1) “The holy word, Om bestows the highest state.” (Yoga Vashishtha 5:54) Om is the key to our spirit (atman) “He obtains wishes by singing [intoning], who knowing this, meditates on the udgitha [Om] as the syllable. This, with regard to the self.” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.2.14) Lest we misunderstand and think that Om is to be employed to fulfill just any desire or whim, in this verse the sage informs us that the “wishes” gained through meditation on Om are those relating to the self, the immortal spirit; that those who have lost the consciousness of the self shall regain it through Om meditation. “The Self [atman] is of the nature of the Syllable Om.” (Mandukya Upanishad 1.8.12) Om is the essence of the evolutionary solar energies The life-producing energies of the sun are the energies of Om. Om is the sun of body, mind, and spirit, the Life-Giver of all. All plant, animal, and human life on this planet depends upon the sun. It is the subtle powers of sunlight which stimulate growth and evolution. The sun truly awakens us in the deepest sense. As the germinating seed struggles upward toward the sun and out into its life-giving rays, so all higher forms of life reach out for the sun, which acts as a metaphysical magnet, drawing them upward and outward toward ever-expanding consciousness. Sunlight is the radiant form of Om. The sun initiates the entire solar system into Om. Human beings are solar creatures, therefore to intone Om is the most natural thing they can do. “Now, verily, what is the udgitha is the Om. What is Om is the udgitha. And so verily, the udgitha is the yonder sun and the Om, for the sun is continually sounding ‘Om.’” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.5.1) The most significant part of this verse is the statement that “the sun is continually sounding ‘Om,’” indicating that the evolutionary energy of the sun is a manifestation of Om. Our life depends on the light of the sun, thus our life is also a manifestation of the power of Om. The japa and meditation of Om aligns us with the solar powers that are Om and thereby greatly increase our life force and the evolution of all the levels of our being. “Even as a great extending highway runs between two villages, this one and that yonder, even so the rays of the sun go to both these worlds, this one and that yonder. They start from the yonder sun and enter into the nadis [astral “nerves”]. They start from the nadis and enter into the yonder sun. …When a man departs from this body, then he goes upwards by these very rays or he goes up with the thought of Om. As his mind is failing, he goes to the sun. That, verily, is the gateway of the world, an entering in for the knowers, a shutting out for the non-knowers.” (Chandogya Upanishad 8.6.2,5) The solar rays do not just flow into this world, they also draw upward through the sun and beyond. In the human body the process of exhalation and inhalation is related to solar energy, and much of the solar power on which we subsist is drawn into the body through our breathing. The solar rays do not just strike the surface of our body, but actually penetrate into the physical nerves. Just as the electrical impulses flow through the physical nerves, the subtle life force, or prana, flows through the subtle nadis and keeps us alive and functioning. The prana, then, is a vehicle for the solar energies that produce evolution, and so we join Om to our breathing and merge it into the pranic flow. This practice conditions our subtle levels so that at the time of death we will be oriented toward the solar powers and can ascend upon them–especially if we continue our intonations of Om even after the body has been dropped. Those intonations will guarantee our ascent into the solar world. Those who have imbued themselves with the pranavic vibrations will enter through the solar gate, whereas those who have not done so will be shut out by it and compelled to return to earthly rebirth. Om produces peace and harmony “Only Its [Om’s] knowers sit here in peace and concord.” (Rig Veda I.164.39) “My heart is established in the peace indicated by the resonance of Om.” (Yoga Vashishtha 5:87) “He should repeat Om till the mind gains perfect peace.” (Yoga Vashishtha 6:1:128) Om liberates us at the time of death “At the time of departure from this world, remember Om.” (Yajur Veda 40:15) “Then Satyakama, son of Shibi, asked him [the Rishi Pippalada]: ‘Venerable Sir, what world does he who meditates on Om until the end of his life, win by That?’ To him, he said: ‘If he meditates on the Supreme Being [Parampurusha] with the Syllable Om, he becomes one with the Light, the Sun. He is led to the world of Brahman. He sees the Person that dwells in the body, Who is higher than the highest life. …That the wise one attains, even by the mere sound Om as support, That Which is tranquil, unaging, immortal, fearless, and supreme.” (Prashna Upanishad 5:1,5,7) “Having confined the mind in the heart and…engaged in the practice of concentration, uttering the one-syllabled Om–the Brahman–and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains to the Supreme Goal.” (Bhagavad Gita 8:12-14) “The soul, when it departs from the body, goes upward by meditating on the Self with the help of Om as he did while living.” (Shankara, Commentary on the Chandogya Upanishad) Om delivers us from rebirth (samsara) “Om is the Supreme Brahman…. The knowers of Brahman by knowing what is therein [in the all-containing Om] become merged in Brahman, intent thereon [i.e., on Om] and freed from birth.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 1:7) “By means of the boat of Om that is Brahman one crosses over [samsara, the ocean of birth and death]. The idea is that by controlling the senses through Om the enlightened person should cross over the currents of the river of transmigration with the help of that Om.” (Shankara, Commentary on the Svetasvatara Upanishad) Om conquers fear “One should concentrate one’s mind on Om, for Om is Brahman beyond fear. For a man, ever fixed in Brahman, there can be no fear anywhere.” (Gaudapada [the teacher of Shankara], Mandukya Karika 25) “One should concentrate the mind on Om, Which is essentially the supreme Reality, for Om is Brahman beyond fear, because for one who is ever fixed in It, there can be no fear anywhere, in accordance with the Vedic text, ‘The enlightened man is not afraid of anything.’” (Shankara, Commentary on the Mandukya Karika) Om contains–and confers–all states of consciousness “[The turiyatita state] is the Eternal, beyond the eternal and the transient; it is a pure mass of consciousness. In it there is no question of diversity. It is all, it is supreme blessedness and peace, it is beyond expression. It is purest Om. It is transcendent. It is supreme.” (Yoga Vashishtha 6:1:34) Om confers all true and worthwhile knowledge “Through it [Om] one knows what is to be known.” (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1) “By this [Om] does the threefold knowledge proceed.” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.6-10. “The threefold knowledge” may be interpreted as being knowledge of body, mind, and spirit, knowledge of the physical, astral, and causal worlds, knowledge of the threefold Vedas, or knowledge of the Three Eternals: God, Creation, and Souls. Whichever it might be, it is certain that Om is the basis of such knowledge. In other places we see that to know Om is to know the Veda.) Om bestows immortality “One should meditate on the udgitha as this syllable [Om]….This sound is that syllable, the immortal, the fearless. Having entered this, the gods became immortal, fearless. He who knows it thus, praises this Syllable, takes refuge in that Syllable, in the immortal, fearless sound, and having entered it, he becomes immortal, even as the gods became immortal.” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.4.1-5) “This [Om] is the bridge to immortality.” (Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.5) “Because Om is the symbol of the Supreme Self it is the cause of immortality.” (Shankara, Commentary on the Chandogya Upanishad) Om removes all obstacles “From it [Om] comes the disappearance of obstacles.” (Yoga Sutras of Patanjali) Om is the supreme mantra “This [Om] is the best means [of attainment and realization]; this means is the Higher and Lesser Brahman. Meditating on Om, one becomes worthy of worship in the world of Brahman.” (Katha Upanishad 1. 2.15-17) “Om, being so important, should be used as a means to self-realization. If it is used as a means to realization, the entire Vedas are practically used.” (Shankara, Commentary on the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad) “One should meditate on the syllable Om, which is the Udgitha. This syllable, Om, as the Name of the Supreme Reality, is nearest to Him; when It is used He surely becomes gracious just as a man becomes so when his favorite name is used. …It is a symbol [indicator] of the Supreme Self (Paramatma). Thus it is known in all the Upanishads that Om, as a name and as a symbol, holds the highest position of being an aid to the meditation of the Supreme Self. …The syllable Om is the inmost essence of all essences. It is supreme because of Its being the symbol of the Supreme Self. It is competent to be worshipped as the Supreme Self. It is competent to take the place of the Supreme Self since It is to be worshipped like the Supreme Self.” (Shankara, Commentary on the Chandogya Upanishad) “Om being beyond measures is Turiya, It has infinite dimension and Its extent cannot be determined. It is auspicious and holy because of the negation of all duality. He who knows Om is a sage because of his meditating on the Supreme Reality, and not any other man, though he may be learned in the scriptures.” (Shankara, Commentary on the Mandukya Karika) Om is the foremost object of meditation “Dismiss other utterances. This [Om] is the bridge to immortality.” (Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.5) “The monosyllable Om is the highest Brahman. …Undoubtedly a Brahmin reaches the highest goal by japa of Om alone, whether he performs other rites or neglects them.” (Manu Smriti 2:83,87) “Having known Om, one should not think of anything whatsoever [but Om].” (Gaudapada, Mandukya Karika 24) “Om is surely the lower Brahman; and Om is considered to be the higher Brahman. Om is without cause, and without inside and outside; and It is undecaying. Om is indeed the beginning, middle, and end–everything. Having known this way indeed one attains immediately. One should know Om to be God seated in the hearts of all. Meditating on the all-pervasive Om, the intelligent man grieves no more. The Om, without measures and possessed of infinite dimension, is the auspicious entity where all duality ceases. He by whom Om is known, is the real sage, and not so is any other man.” (Gaudapada, Mandukya Karika 24,26-29) “When the syllable Om is known, one should not think of anything whatsoever, serving any seen or unseen purpose; for he has got all his desires fulfilled.” (Shankara, Commentary on the Mandukya Karika) “Om is used to serve as a means to the meditation on Brahman. As other scriptures say, ‘This is the best help (to the realization of Brahman) and the highest.’…‘One should concentrate on the Self, uttering Om.’ [Mahanarayan Upanishad 24:1] ‘One should meditate upon the Supreme Being only through the Syllable Om.’ [Prashna Upanishad 5:5] ‘Meditate upon the Self with the help of the Syllable Om.’ [Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.6] And so on. Although the words ‘Brahman,’ ‘Atman,’ etc. are names of Brahman, yet on the authority of the scriptures we know that Om is Its most intimate appellation. Therefore it is the best means for the realization of Brahman.” (Shankara, Commentary on the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad) Om should be intoned in time with the breath “Speech and breath are joined together in the Syllable Om.” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.6) Both speech and breath are manifested and reunited in Om–both in speaking Om aloud and in mentally intoning it in time with the breath. Om is the point of their origin and their return. By joining Om and the breath in japa and meditation we begin moving back to the state where they are one. “One should meditate on the breath in the mouth as the udgitha, for it is continually sounding ‘Om.’” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.5.3) In both japa and meditation we join intonations of Om to the breath because on the subtle levels the breath is always producing the sound of Om. We can even say that the soul breathes Om. So by consciously joining Om to our breathing we can link up with our soul-consciousness and enter into it. This is what is happening when during meditation our intonations of Om become more subtle and whisper-like, and from soul-consciousness we will pass into spirit-consciousness–all through Om. Om is (and accomplishes) the highest pranayama “Pranayama is accomplished by effortlessly breathing and joining to it the repetition of the sacred Om with the experience of Its meaning, when the consciousness reaches the deep sleep state.” (Yoga Vashishtha 5:78) Om is the Sound that leads to Silence “I abandon all thoughts and notions; contemplating Om, I shall remain in the self, in total inner silence.” (Yoga Vashishtha 5:81) The idea is not that after some time in meditation we simply sit, silent and blank, but rather that the inner intonations of Om become increasingly subtle until they pass beyond sound into an actual silent form–not the mere cessation of repetition–that is the state (stithi) of Om, from which all sounds arise: the bhava of Om. Om transforms us into divinity “This is the udgitha [Om], highest and best. This is endless. He who, knowing this, meditates on udgitha, the highest and best, becomes the highest and best and obtains the highest and best worlds. When Atidhanvan Shunaka taught this udgitha to Udara Sandilya, he also said: ‘As long as they shall know this udgitha among your descendants, so long their life in this world will be the highest and best.’ And so will their state in that other world be. One who thus knows and meditates–his life in this world becomes the highest and best, and so his state in that other world, yea, in that other world.’” (Chandogya Upanishad 1.9.2-4. “Highest and best” is an upanishadic title for God.) - See more at: http://sunlightenment.com/the-glories-and-powers-of-om/#sthash.v3c9XXt2.dpuf

The Trishula, the om symbol, and the swastika are considered in India to be the most sacred signs. I discussed the swastika and the om symbol are described in the Yajurveda to be synonymous, and both consisting of four aspects. The Trishula is Lord Shiva's trident. Shiva is thought to be the aspect behind all being, and he carries his trident. The trident is associated with being three pronged so many would associate it with the number three. But in reality the trident is a cross. The vertical spear of the trident is directed orthogonally by a horizontal pole. Out of that pole emerges the other two tridents. Really a trident has four parts like a cross. There is the top left section, the bottom left section, the top right section, and the bottom right section. The Trishula (Sanskrit: त्रिशूल triśūla, Malay: trisula, Kannada:ತ್ರಿಶೂಲ್, "triśūl" Telugu:త్రిశూలం , trisoolam, Malayalam: തൃശൂലം tr̥iśūlaṁ, Tamil:Listeni// திரிசூலம் tiricūlam, Thai: ตรีศูล trīṣ̄ūl or tri) is a type of South Asian trident also found in Southeast Asia. It is commonly used as a Hindu-Buddhist religious symbol. The word means "three spear" in Sanskrit and Pali. In India and Thailand, the term often refers to a short-handled weapon which may be mounted on a danda or staff. But unlike the Okinawan sai, the trishula is often bladed. In Malay and Indonesian, trisula usually refers specifically to a long-handled trident while the diminutive version is known as a chabang or tekpi. Really, once can argue that Lord Shiva is carrying a cross.

I am not the first person to notice that the Trishula is the form of the cross. Moreover, a similar word, Trishul, is the Romani word for 'cross'. Poseidein is also known for carrying the trishula, but his is called a trident. Trishula can sometimes also designate the Buddhist symbol of the triratna (the symbol also has four parts to it). The Goddess Durga holds a trishula among other weapons and attributes in her hands and amongst her accoutrement, having received celestial weapons from both Shiva and Vishnu. In Nepal, the trishula is the election symbol of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist).[1]

The Tekpi is also called a trident, but in reality is a reflection of the cross with four sections. The tekpi[1] is a short-handled trident from Southeast Asia. Known as tekpi in Malay, it is called chabang or cabang (Dutch spelling: tjabang meaning "branch") in Indonesian,[2] siang tépi (雙短鞭 lit. "double short whip") in Hokkien, and trisul (ตรีศูล meaning "trident") in Thai. The tekpi is believed to have been derived from the Indian trishula, a trident which can be either long or short-handled. The tekpi itself is occasionally referred to as a trisula, especially in Indonesia. More than a weapon, it was also important as a Hindu-Buddhist symbol. Use of the tekpi probably spread with the influence of Indian religion and eventually reached Malaysia, Indonesia, Okinawa, China, Thailand, and other parts of Indochina. It is unknown whether the tekpi was brought to the Malay Archipelago directly from India or from several places simultaneously. The earliest evidence of the tekpi outside India suggests that it spread from Indonesia.[3] Other sources propose that the tekpi was brought to Southeast Asia from China,[4] but it seems unlikely for the Chinese to introduce an Indian weapon to a region already heavily influenced by the culture of India.

The trishula symbolism is polyvalent and rich. The trishula is wielded by the Hindu God Shiva and is said to have been used to sever the original head of Ganesha. Durga also holds trishula, as one of her many weapons. There are many other gods and deities, who hold the weapon trishula. It is fascinating that the Trishula was used to cut off the head of Ganesha, one of the main Gods worshipped in India, because Ganesha died and resurrected. The cross is used to kill Jesus, and he dies and resurrects. Similarly the Trishula kills Ganesha, and he dies and resurrects.

The symbol of Ganesha is the Ohm symbol, which I already described is the quadrant/swastika according to the Vedas. Ganesha's statue is said to be the shape of an Om symbol. I already described that Ganesha is a death and resurrecting God, and considered one of the most important Gods in India, and he is worshipped by the fourth Hindu denomination, the Smartas.

The Kridakhanda of the Ganesha Purana narrates the stories of four incarnations (Avatars, Sanskrit:अवतार; avatāra) of Ganesha, each of which appeared in the four different yugas.[10][11] The explanation of the incarnations of Ganesha is shown in the verses in the 132nd chapter of Kridakhanda of Ganesha Purana. It says, चत्वार्यस्य च रुपाणि चतुर्षु च युगेषु च । कृते दशभुजो नाम्ना विनायक इति शृत: ।। त्रेतायुगे शुक्लवर्णो षड्भुजोसौ मयूरराट् । सिन्धुं हत्वापालयत्सः अवतीर्य स्वालये प्रिये ।। These four are not the same as the eight incarnations of Ganesha that are described in the Mudgala Purana. Mahotkata Vinayaka (Mahotkaţa Vināyaka), who has ten arms and a red complexion. Different sources list his mount (vāhana) as either an elephant or lion. He was born to Kashyapa (Kaśyapa) and Aditi in the Krita yuga. The name Kāśyapaḥ (descendant of Kaśyapa) for Ganesha refers to this incarnation.[12] This incarnation killed the demon brothers Narantaka (Narāntaka) and Devantaka (Devāntaka), as well as the demon Dhumraksha (Dhūṃrākşa). Mayuresvara (Mayūreśvara), who has six arms and a white complexion. His mount is a peacock. He was born to Shiva and Parvati in the Treta yuga. He incarnates for the purpose of killing the demon Sindhu. At the end of this incarnation he gives his peacock mount to his younger brother Skanda, with whom the peacock mount is generally associated. Gajanana (Gajānana), who has four arms and was born with a red complexion. He has a mouse as his mount. He is born to Shiva and Parvati in the Dvapara yuga. He incarnates for the purpose of killing the demon Sindura (Sindūra), who was so-named due to his reddish-pink complexion (see: Sindoor). It is during this incarnation that Ganesha gives the discourse known as the Ganesha Gita to King Varenya. Dhumraketu (Dhūmraketu) is grey in colour, like ash or smoke (dhūmra). He has either two or four arms.[13] He has a blue horse as his mount. He will come to end the decline of the Kali yuga. During this incarnation he kills numerous demons. Grimes notes that there is a parallel between this incarnation of Ganesha and the tenth and final incarnation of Vishnu, where he will ride upon the white horse Kalki. The other difference is, Lord Vigneshwara tells Varenya that the whole universe and all the deva are created by him and ultimately everything will come back to him.

The Vināyakas were a group of four troublesome demons who created obstacles and difficulties in Hindu mythology, but who were easily propitiated.[2] One theory of the origin of Ganesha is that he gradually came to prominence in connection with the Vināyakas. In Puranic literature of a much later period the group of four Vināyakas was merged into one definite god named Vināyaka whom Rudra appointed as the "Leader of the Ganas" (Ganapati).[4] This Vināyaka-Ganapati is associated with another god called Dantin, "the one with the tusk," who is said to possess a twisted trunk (vakratuṇḍa) and who holds a corn-sheaf, a sugar cane, and a club.[5] This description of Dantin is so characteristic of the Puranic Ganapati that Heras says "we cannot resist to accept his full identification with this Vedic Dantin."[6] The name Vināyaka is a common name for Ganesha both in the Purāṇas and in Buddhist Tantras. In the Smrti of Yājñavalkya, written in the 6th century, Vināyaka is definitely mentioned as a demon who had been exalted to the rank of a deva. He is clearly described as elephant-headed by the 8th century.

The Vināyakas were a group of four troublesome demons who created obstacles and difficulties in Hindu mythology, but who were easily propitiated. One theory of the origin of Ganesha is that he gradually came to prominence in connection with the Vināyakas. In Puranic literature of a much later period the group of four Vināyakas was merged into one definite god named Vināyaka whom Rudra appointed as the "Leader of the Ganas" (Ganapati). This Vināyaka-Ganapati is associated with another god called Dantin, "the one with the tusk," who is said to possess a twisted trunk (vakratuṇḍa) and who holds a corn-sheaf, a sugar cane, and a club. This description of Dantin is so characteristic of the Puranic Ganapati that Heras says "we cannot resist to accept his full identification with this Vedic Dantin." The name Vināyaka is a common name for Ganesha both in the Purāṇas and in Buddhist Tantras. In the Smrti of Yājñavalkya, written in the 6th century, Vināyaka is definitely mentioned as a demon who had been exalted to the rank of a deva. He is clearly described as elephant-headed by the 8th century.

Ganesha’s four arms represent the four main divisions of human consciousness: mind, intellect, ego and the emotional reactive process (Chiita in Sanskrit). Four arms also convey the idea of four directions symbolizing omnipresence and omnipotence of Lord Ganesha.

The four-day long Sharadiya Durga Puja (Bengali: শারদীয়া দুর্গা পুজো, ‘autumnal Durga worship’) is the biggest religious festivals for the Hindus and celebrated across the country with Vijayadashami being a national holiday. Durga is Shiva's consort. The sculpture of the sculpture itself has evolved. The worship always depicts Durga with her four children. Durga is known for being a tenacious protector of her four children.

A trident /ˈtraɪdənt/ is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and historically as a polearm. The trident is the weapon of Poseidon, or Neptune, the god of the sea in classical mythology. In Hindu mythology it is the weapon of Shiva, known as trishula (Sanskrit for "triple-spear").

In India the three most auspicious signs are those of “SWASTIKA – OM and TRISHUL” Hence if all these three signs are displayed together on the out side of main door, it is supposed to be very lucky and also protects the people living inside the house from all types of evil eyes. This sign is known as the Trishakti. Again, I described that these three signs are actually symbols of the quadrant, and they are considered the most sacred Hindu signs. They really are one sign, the quadrant.

In India the three most auspicious signs are those of “SWASTIKA – OM and TRISHUL” Hence if all these three signs are displayed together on the out side of main door, it is supposed to be very lucky and also protects the people living inside the house from all types of evil eyes. This sign is known as the Trishakti. Again, I described that these three signs are actually symbols of the quadrant, and they are considered the most sacred Hindu signs. They really are one sign, the quadrant.

The most valuable symbol for the Jews was the Temple Mount Medallion. the Temple Mount medallion and the Trishakti have a 3-pronged trident at the top, and a symbol representing SOUND in the middle, i.e. the OM symbol vs. the Shofar Horn (…and the Torah Scroll which issuing the SOUND of the ‘word’?) ((they symbols actually look similar) So can we link the swastika to the 7 armed Menorah? Yet I have another question … why are there two Menorahs one with 7 arms and the other 9 arms? 7 plus 9 is 16. The 16 squares of the quadrant model. I might be stretching that one, but it is interesting that the Temple Mount Medallion, reflects the Trishakti. The Menorah used on Chanukah is the four branched menorah, again the four being important.

June 20, 1584, Edward Kelley has his vision of four Gigantic Watchtowers. The so-called "Golden Talisman" showing this Vision can still be seen in the British Museum, though a close study of this talisman will show that it really corresponds more to a drawing of Causabon's A True and Faithful Relation than to Dee's original manuscripts, and thus may really date from the next century. A complete description of Kelley's vision as transcribed by Dee is available on-line or in many published works.[18] The contents or occupants of the Watchtower are usually mapped to the four quadrants of the Great Table of Earth (though note that the Great Table has not yet been received.) These include 4 Trumpeters, 12 Banners, 24 Seniors, 4 Kings, 20 Princes, and 16 Crosses, each with 4 angles and 10 faces. These names generated from the Great Table are "mapped back" to Kelley's vision and forward to other material. David Hulse points out—and this will become key, all puns intended—that when mapped to the Great Table, the above mainly form "linear God names,"[19] while the Governor Seals in almost all cases are not linear but jagged lines. The Governors govern the Great Table; the subsequent names are derived from the Great Table, based on whatever letters one places in each square of the grid. How one derives those names is also available in many printed and on-line works.[20] However, determining these names depends totally upon having the squares of the Great Table lettered correctly, something every in-print commentator the authors are aware of say that Dee and Kelley were unable to do. Just a few days later, June 25, 1584, the four Watchtowers as four 12 x 13 gridded table are communicated. They are made up of the names of the Governors, in a totally different order, with seemingly random capital letters. Outside of each quadrant, you'll see the Seal or Sigil still associated with that quadrant. As the quadrants shift in later drawings, notice that the Seals shift with them or disappear, but never appear with a different quadrant of letters: for instance, the capital "T" with four squiggles always stays associated with the quadrant that contains "oro ibAh aospi / oro ibAh aozpi;" the one that looks like a little sun always stays next to "oiP tea pDoce." You'll also see, in the Black Cross that holds these names together, the names most now associate with the Tablet of Union. Here, these names are never tabled out into a 4x5 grid of their own (as is modern practice, and as Dee did in June of 1584), but appear in the Black Cross that binds the other four quadrants together. If you shift to the next set of Tables, you'll see the Governor Seals / Sigils / jagged lines drawn onto four more tables. If you compare the Seals or Sigils to the preceding, you'll see that the quadrants are now in this special arrangement, but numbered outside of the tables in this order: 1.oro ibAh aozpi 2.MOr dial hCtGa 3.oiP tea pDoce 4. mph arsl gaiol The spatial relationship corresponds to the original order in which they were received; the numbering 1-2-3-4 corresponds to the "Tabula Recensa" discussed last issue, assuming you start at the upper left and go around clock-wise. If you go to the effort of determining what Governors each of the jagged lines correspond to, you'll find that they map by shape to the Governors in our appendix with one exception which will be discussed below. The only quadrant in the same place is the first, the one we've labeled "oro ibAh aozpi," now usually associated with the East. However, if you follow the sequence of the first or "Tabula Recensa" group, starting with "oro ibAh aozpi," and go clockwise around the quadrants, you'll get the same sequence that you would get if you follow the numbered versions above: 1.oro ibAh aozpi 2.mph arsl gaiol 3.MOr dial hCtGa 4.oiP tea pDoce (Notice that this also suggests the sequence of names used by modern esotericists for the Tablet of Union, which by Sloane ms. 3191 no longer appears. We'll discuss this further in the next section.) After the third Table, that above which shows the Governor sigils, Dee presents yet another Table with letters. The lettered quadrants now match the spatial relationship of the Governors above, are numbered in the same way as the Table of Governors above, and now the Seal or Sigils from the first group of tables have been moved to match the corresponding tablet. On the original manuscript, in the upper right hand corner, you can still see Dee's marginal note that says "so they must be placed," and gives letters that suggest the first letters of the quadrants as ordered in the "Tabula Recensa;" that is, r/T above, b/d below. In other words, he's made the drawing out of order and put in a marginal note to reorder it. These Great Tables seem, to us, to show Dee looking at the four Watchtowers and either trying to figure out some sort of principle explaining their order in space in relation to one another, or, more likely, creating a teaching tool to show this to some other person or group.[41] Dee makes it almost impossible for anyone to make directional attributions that make sense unless that person first comprehends the deeper structure. And in fact, he has been writing for himself, and perhaps others, subtle directions showing the logic he has applied: he has presented first the new "Tabula Recensa" order, then shown the Governors in an older order that made sense to him, [42] adjusted letters to match the Governors but done so with multiple corrections and a marginal note to go back to the order of the first lettered drawing (the second in the sequence) which has the fewest multi-lettered squares. Thus drawings three and four show the process he has gone through to come up with drawing two. This alone shows that Dee considered that the Governors ruled the placement of the quadrants themselves, implies that they should govern placement of individual letters, and shows he considers the material important enough that he will only convey it indirectly. As with his Sigillum, if someone just copies the material without understanding the built-in blinds, they will have material with errors: in this case, incorrect or multi-lettered squares. He's arranged the letters for "TERRA" (Earth) in a pentagram on top of four squares which logically, given their placement after the preceding four sets of tables, represent the four quadrants of the Great Table of Earth.[43] If the circle around the square is indeed Earth and the quadrants are the Great Table of Earth, then it appears the Black Cross runs directly through the center of Earth. Now, the names that have been the middle of the four quadrants are presented as banners running around the outside between two circles, while the larger square in the center is inscribed in the inner circle, and what appear to be directional attributions are given to each of the tablets: ORO IBAH AOZPI – ORIENS (Latin for "the East") MOR DIAL HCTGA – MERIDIE (Often Latin for midday or noon; here most logically "the South." OIP TEAA PODCE- OCCIDENS (Latin for "the West") MPH ARSL GAIOL – SEPTENTRIO (Latin for the seven stars near the North Pole; here most logically "the North.") These names and the Watchtowers they appear on clearly don't match modern attributions, again except for the very first one, ORO IBAH AOZPI, which now as then is usually associated with the Watchtower in the East. Indeed, the lack of surface correspondence to surrounding material or to modern correspondences may be why many most recent writers (Tyson being the notable exception[44]) either ignore this drawing or simply say it is wrong.[45] Yet one can find a similar set of Oriens-Meridie-Occidens-Septentrio attributions on the British Museum's above-pictured "Golden Talisman," derived from Kelley's 1584 Vision of the Watchtower, and as one of the drawings in Meric Causabon's A True and Faithful Relation...,[46] a 1659 transcription of manuscript Cotton Appendix XLVI. But both the words Dee uses for north and south and the drawing itself suggest that what Dee is really thinking of here is not a square in a circle inside another circle, but a spinning sphere (like the Earth) with a cube inscribed within it, and that cube/sphere surrounded by another sphere. The Latin words meridie and septentrio do not correspond directly to our notion of north and south as compass points. Meridie, which usually means noon or mid-day, can also mean something akin to "south of here," towards the "middle" (or towards what becomes the "Equator," even though we now use "prime meridian" to mark off eastern and western hemispheres rather than northern and southern ones.) Septentrio (and the related adjective septentrĭōnālis), was regularly used to refer to the northern winds, or the north as a quarter of the heavens, and was associated with the seven stars near the North Pole.)[47] If Dee is conceptualizing a cube in a spinning sphere like our globe, then "east" and "west" really only have meaning as directions of spin around a pole. The other two directions become polar points, polar north and polar south. Keep in mind that Dee, like all of us, must try to make sense of new information in terms of what he already knows, including the mysteries he has spent a lifetime exploring. His Propaedeumata Aphoristica, a 120 Theorem expansion of the Monas Hieroglyphica or Hieroglyphic Monad, implied that the "preliminary teachings" everyone needed to know was "something" (no one in print has explained exactly what) that involves how spheres in the heavens exert force upon both an individual and upon the Earth, and gives directions on everything from capturing that energy for making talismans and locating oneself on earth in relation to the cosmos.[48] As early as the third theorem of the Monad, Dee makes it clear that his two-dimensional circle implies a sphere.[49] To Dee these four squares in a circle which implies a sphere likely define the sides of a cube. The Black Cross, whatever it is, runs through the center of cube in a spinning sphere. If one reduces it back to two dimensions (four squares on a plane with two lines that intersect as a cross), the two lines easily become four by being displaced from the single intersecting point, an idea presented by Dee as a key point in the Hieroglyphic Monad in Theorem VII.[50] In his sacred geometry work Dee (like virtually every geometer of his time) was concerned with the three classical problems of sacred geometry, one of which was the squaring of the circle; in addition, as Wilson has demonstrated, he's already stumbled onto a concept of higher dimensions via his attempt to use conic sections to solve the Delian problem, or the doubling of the cube.[51] Dee must bring his previous understandings of sacred geometry to this drawing, and, as with the monad glyph itself, presents his understanding in a typically condensed and opaque format. This drawing, unlike the preceding ones, appears to be totally Dee's construction of how he thinks the material goes together. The only preliminary referents that are anything close are his transformations in the Monad, first, and Kelley's Vision of the Watchtowers, second. It is referred to nowhere in any of the angelic conversations; he is nowhere told to make a drawing anything like it. The reader's time would be well spent in studying how the Monad glyph might relate to this much-ignored diagram and how that understanding might inform diagrams of Kelley's vision. We'll put that drawing aside for now, at least until the next section. We now have four Tables and an unusual square in a circle in a circle. Together they show Dee looking for (or perhaps, finding and illustrating) some principle of how the four quadrants of the Great Table are arranged in space and in relation to one another, and always keeping the same Governor Seals with the same quadrant and same Watchtower Seal with the same quadrant. Both the table in Liber Scientiae and the five drawings which preceded the Invocations show Dee trying to reconcile discrepancies between individual letters, and entire Governor names. For instance, consider the drawings below. We have intentionally focused on one of the Governor names, Virochi, which affects one of the Godnames often used by modern occultists, one of the three that runs along the meridian of the Watchtower today associated with Water/West, which appeared in Dee's drawing above associated with the North, which Dee's drawings always appear to spell "mph arsl gaiol." Governor #8, Virochi, runs through some of the squares in this series of Godnames, as you can see in the first drawing below. We've highlighted the Governor Seal in Blue, and circled the letters where there is a discrepancy. You can see Dee left the "ol" in, but also wrote in below "ch," which is what the Governor name would be. Unlike the example in the lower left, where Dee has stricken out an earlier letter and written in a correction, here with gaiol/giach, he has left both. As a contrast, if you look at the fourth Table in the group discussed above, you will see multiple places where Dee has crossed out one letter and replaced it with another. Here, with this example and a few others in Liber Scientiae and this Table preceding Invocations, he has left in both. Sloane 3191 Caption: Extract from Sloane ms. 3191 Invocations, f. r7, copyright British Library, used with permission. Let's look at the same Governor where it appears in Liber Scientiae. Here Dee has done the reverse: He has written out the name of the Governor, Virochi, and under the "ch" written in an "ol," using the numbers from the "mph arsl gaiol" god names. Sloane 3191 Extract from Sloane ms. 3191 Liber Scientiae f. 17, copyright British Library, used with permission. Hulse, who gets further in his in-print explanation of this than anyone else, notes that these and other discrepancies between letters in the Table and letters of the Governors "created a great dilemma for Dee, causing the creation of the multi-lettered squares in the Watchtower system."[52] Rather than suggesting that Dee could never make up his mind, we suggest these two sets of drawings in Sloane 3191 show Dee placing in plain sight the solution for the blind: if we understand that the Governors govern the Table and the individual letters do not, then it is easy to know which letter to pick: the one that corresponds to the Governor. Thus we should have "mph arsl gaich" and "oro ibAh aospi" rather than what he has on the drawing which follows. That next drawing is to illustrate how the Table of Earth maps to a spinning sphere, not to solve the blind of the Governors. To rectify the Great Table after the Tabula Recensa, first return the quadrants to the order of the Tabula Recensa, keeping the Governor Sigils and the Watchtower Sigils with the quadrants they correspond to. Air Governors Water Governors Earth Governors Fire Governors If you add in the letters that the Governors connect, you see something that starts to look more like the the Great Table. Also, notice which letters are not part of a Governor. We now have this: If you put in the Black Cross (as Dee did in all of the drawings described above), you would have a Great Table of Earth that, with the Blind of the Governors solved, would look like this: Lettered Great Table If you add the shadings that make it easier to determine the linear godnames now derived from the Great Table, you have this: Great Table With the Great Table arranged this way, we start to see other things not as easily apparent on Dee's originals. We will find that there are 88 Seals, not 87 as in Dee's list. The three in the Black Cross—Lexarph, Comanan, and Tabitom—don't have Seals (the jagged lines that connect letters in the Watchtowers), but there is one extra Governor: if we look at the "mph arsl gaich" Watchtower, we'll see a set of jerky lines which connect the letters "Laxdizi." Logically then, we can substitute "Laxdizi" for Paraoan. It is via this argument that Hulse argues that PARAOAN, composed of all capital letters and seven of the eight "adverse" or reversed letters is "the invisible Governor ruling the visible 91," or the hidden 92nd Governor.[53] Bridges agrees and suggests that this might be rephrased as the Governor that "underpins" or supports the other 91.[54] How might that be? Take Hulse's argument a step further, and you'll see that the eight reversed letters, PARAOAN and L, connect the "outside" of the Great Table to the "inside," once the four quadrants are conceived as the faces of a cube placed in four directions and held together by a Tablet of Union/Black Cross. We'll explain that in our next section. If PARAOAN is indeed "invisible," on the surface of the Earth (those spaces which the other Governors govern), the "place" where it likely resides is that hyperspace where the "outside" of the Watchtowers connects to the "inside" of the Black Cross. If one prefers a three dimensional conception, think of it this way: if we have 91 Angelic Governors that govern parts of the surface of the Earth, PARAOAN governs what is under the surface of the Earth. The 93rd Governor postulated[54] by some will not be explained this article. In the meantime, the reader is invited to derive the remaining linear godnames on her own! Once the Great Table is lettered correctly, that exercise is a relatively easy one explained in multiple places, on-line and in print. The Black Cross/Tablet of Union: the Outside becomes the Inside As discussed, the three Governors that don't have Seals, Lexarph, Comanan, and Tabitom, make up the Black Cross. In modern Enochian / Ophanic magic, the Black Cross is often represented as the Tablet of Union. As noted above, if you use the "Tabula Recensa" order, start in the upper-left and go clockwise, you get these four groups of godnames on the meridians: oro ibAh aospi mph arsl gaich MOr dial hCtGa oiP tea pDoce As most readers know, modern magicians refer these names to those four Watchtowers: oro ibAh aospi/EXARP; mph arsl gaich/HCOMA; MOr dial hCtGa/NANTA; oiP tea pDoce/BITOM. If we were to use this modern Table but add back the L and capitalize the first letter of Governors as Dee does elsewhere, we'd get something like this: Tablet of Union Where does the modern Tablet of Union come from? Very early in Dee's angelic working (June 26, 1584) is the only place where we find anything remotely like it and even then it is not at all that clear that Ave, Dee, or anyone else intends these words to be used as a standing component in ritual. In fact, it appears to us that this is an error Dee makes, goes back and corrects in the same manuscript, and never presents in the same way again. By the time he tables out the Governors in Sloane 3191 and presents the five drawings discussed earlier in this essay, he uses a Black Cross, not a Tablet of Union. He actually starts to do that the same day he first receives the information. We'll take you through the whole process in a moment. It's one of the few places where we see Dee, "on stage" so to speak, grappling with something truly at the edge of his mathematical understanding. If Robert Wilson's analysis of Theorem XX of the Hieroglyphic Monad is correct (that is, if Dee understands his connection or ability to navigate in dimensions above three as an apocalyptic connection to New Jerusalem, among other things, as demonstrated by his ability to use an unusual application of conic sections to solve the ancient sacred geometry problem of the Doubling of the Cube and thus find connections between seemingly non-adjacent spaces,[56]) it is no wonder he considered this material so valuable. He would have, in terms of his ability to understand it, been "seeing" proof of what he had written about so many years before. He would also see it as "proof" of the Hermetic maxim as above, so below; as within, so without. Today, we might describe this in terms of how four- and five-dimensional spaces, or four dimensional spaces with time as an added dimension of energy flow, allow information and energy to transfer in ways that make no sense in three dimensions.[57] But to Dee, it would have been a demonstration of the Divine and proof of Hermetic concepts in action. To make things even more dramatic, Dee receives this "proof" immediately after Ave describes what the Great Table contains, the previously discussed list of nine items which begins with "all human knowledge." The proof, which it takes Dee some time to assemble and rework into the drawings he presents in Sloane ms. 3191, involves the four Governors that have no Seal and thus appear to not map to the Great Table: Lexarph, Comanan, Tabitom, and Paraoan. Let's start in June 1584, and compare two accounts: that in Dee's semi-legible original manuscript, preserved as MS. Cotton Appendix XLVI, and Meric Casaubon's 1659 transcription of the same material, in A True and Faithful Relation. As the editors of the Magickal Review note in their on-line presentation of this material, Casaubon's work contains "numerous errors of transcription and of printing (too numerous to note), and the Cotton MS. itself is incomplete; however, Casaubon's text serves as an often invaluable aid in the reading of the MS., supplying the occasional word which has decayed since 1659, and otherwise greatly assisting in the reading of Dee's handwriting, which frequently borders on the illegible."[58] If one reads over either Dee's original manuscript (which as noted is exceedingly difficult to do, as we're not now dealing with the carefully calligraphed writing of Sloane ms. 3191 but semi-legible rapidly written cursive) or Casaubon's transcription in A True and Faithful Relation, one sees that "Lexarph, Comanan, and Tabitom,[59]" when written out in this key section, actually are appearing as characters in the shewstone. In our discussion here, we'll rely on Casaubon except when it appears to us that his presentation distorts the material. E.K. Now he [Ave] appeareth again. . . . Look out Lexarph, with the two others that follow him, among the names of the Earth the three left. Lexarph, Comanan, and Tabitom Look out the name Paraoan. Write out Paraoan in a void paper. Dee [written as Greek delta throughout]: I have done so. Seek out Lexarph. Dee: I have found it. Look into the 4 parts of the Table, and take the letters that are of the least character. Look among the 4 parts that have the characters, and look to the characters that have the least letters. Dee: I have done. . . . How many letters are they? Dee: Seven . . .They must be eight. Dee: They are these (as I have noted them) [illegible, conveniently] . . .There are eight in the four. Dee: Afterwards I had found 8 letters in the 4 principles, for I had omitted [unclear in original manuscript; Causabon writes T l.] . . .Dwellin darkness. Dee: I suspect this was spoken to me, to my reproof, for no more diligence used in the search. Dee's original manuscript presents the material basically the same way. Notice that Dee seems to be looking at manuscripts he has already written out: Lexarph appears with two others that follow "him," but when Dee is told to seek out Lexarph, he says he has found "it," as if he is looking for the name on a manuscript. One thing is much more apparent when one looks at the original: some of Dee's notes were likely written in later, such as the very final two comments above: he believes (later) that Ave has told him to dwell in darkness because he didn't find what Ave told him to look for (all eight letters), and having found them later, what Ave said makes sense. That's critical when we look at the next section, the only place in all of Dee's manuscripts where something like a Tablet of Union appears. He writes the letters now used as the Tablet of Union out in a note to himself; yet material given him later the very same day show Dee learning how to put them in a "crosse of union or black crosse."[60] This time, Dee's original manuscript and Casaubon's transcription appear very different. As you can see from the snippet reproduced from the original manuscript, Dee writes the four names now used in the Tablet of Union as a marginal note, with a line running from "Lexarph, Comanan, and Tabitom" to his note "these be 3 names of the 10th Aire. . ." , and an arrow up to the letters. It is not clear if the underlined "Lexarph, Comanan, and Tabitom" was written at the time, or squeezed in later as an after-note. Cotton Appendix Dee's spiritual journal from June 26, 1584 as preserved in MS. Cotton Appendix XLVI. Copyright British Library; used with permission. In True and Faithful Relation, Casaubon's transcription makes it look much more like this should be some sort of standing table, because he moves the marginal comment to the center of the page and rearranges many of the comments so they seem to more respond to each other. He presents the material thus, his rearrangement making it appear that Dee's marginal note is instructions by Ave[61]: [Ave:] They must be made all one character. e x a r p h c o n [sic] a n a n t a b i t o m Lexarph, Comanan, Tabitom Set down these three names, leaving out the first L (that is of Lexarph, set them down by 5.) When Ave says they must be made of one character, does that mean put them together in a table? Not if you look at the original manuscript, where the tabled letters are a marginal note. And in fact, as the session progresses, Dee is told to put these letters into a "Black Crosse" (described in the margins twice as "crosse of union or black crosse"[62]) in a way that matches what we see drawn out three years later in Sloane ms. 3191. Ave instructs Dee to place an "E" in the first square of the Black Cross, then gives some added material, about how a particular element might cure an incurable disease, and another has power over metals, and another than can give money coined in Gold and Silver. In other words, Ave seems to connect the Governors of the Black Cross and whatever they represent to the list of what the Great Table itself contains. Never again after this do we see anything in Dee's writing like the modern Tablet of Union. Instead we see a Black Cross, which suggests multiple comparisons to Dee's use of the cross in earlier works like the Monad. A slightly more recent manuscript, Sloane ms. 307 (perhaps composed less than a century after Dee's death) does show a Tablet of Union, but that could well be because those who used that manuscript were relying upon the transcription from Casaubon's True and Faithful Relation, which was published from material in the Cotton manuscripts, and did not contain material from Sloane ms. 3191, which as noted is a much more legible three-years later reworking of the material.[63] Or, perhaps, the writers of Sloane ms. 307 found the tabled-out letters easier to work with. Let's see what happens if we move forward to Sloane ms. 3191, and look at Dee's reordered "Tabula Recensa" rectified as we suggested above. Once the Watchtowers are re-ordered as per another vision of Kelley's, something amazing appears that is not the case in the original order. ALL of the letters unused in making Governor sigils, which are also the "adverse" letters, now appear on the edge of the Great Table. Remember Ave's 1584 instructions: "Look into the 4 parts of the Table [the Watchtowers], and take the letters that are of the least character. Look among the 4 parts that have the characters, and look to the characters that have the least letters." Ave's instructions apply to the Governor Sigils, not the letters themselves—all of the squares are filled with seven-letter Governor Sigils, except three Watchtowers that have a two-letter Sigil, and one that has two one-letter "dots." In 1584, Ave has told Dee to look for these characters, and he has written them out, though his writing is now illegible. In the graphic below, we've circled the "adverse" letters": Adverse Letters The adverse letters around the outside of the Great Table spell the hidden 92nd Governor, Paraoan, and the "L" of Lexarph, which may be the letter Dee omitted in the section discussed above. If it were, Dee would have no doubt connected his omission to Ave's comment that he dwelled in darkness, because years before, in the Hieroglyphic Monad, Dee makes repeated puns on L/El (Hebrew for God) and connects it to the central point of light from which all things come, the light that displaces the four "lines" of the cross, and which represents the LVX/INRI transformation which becomes the analysis of the keyword in modern Golden Dawn and Thelemic occultism.[64] The l, or linea recta, also becomes a key concept for a particularly elegant mathematical transformation involving parabolas and hyperbolas, concepts which grow out of the geometry of conic sections. Most remarkably, though, we now see why Paraoan as a hidden 92nd Governor lies under the other 91: because the outside of this Great Table connects to the Black Cross on the inside. The "L"/"El"/ Dee's "God space" or "Christ-glue" from Theorem XX[65] starts on the outer edge of the Great Table and continues onto the Black Cross. And within the cross itself, we see concepts Dee would immediately see as "proofs" of Theorems XII, XVI, XVII and XX in the Monad[66]: in that work, he shifts a cross or X into 3D by viewing it as the result of two intersecting cones sharing the same axis and vertex being sliced through by an intersecting two-dimensional plane. In Theorem XVI he has told us he must stop and philosophize about the "cross," punning on Latin "crux," as in the crux of the matter, in this case how to focus the light of the Divine, then invites his reader to visualize a cross in terms of conic sections.[67] He proceeds to "slice" these sections into the letters L, V, and X in Theorem XVII, making LVX or the light of the Cross, and by XX, he presents two sets of intersecting cones (represented by the theorem's number, XX), which he uses for his proof of the Delian problem or the Doubling of the Cube, and in the process, runs into a concept we would generally associate with a hypercube rather than conic sections: the notion of edges that are separate in 3D touching each other in higher dimensions. (In fact, he also associates it with a cube superimposed over another cube; he just gets to that proof via conic sections.) The non-adjacent edges that touch on the Great Table show the outside edge becoming the inside, and the inside circulating back out, as we might now conceive of a torus. We can now also speculate why the four five-letter names in the Black Cross appear twice, rather than once, unlike every other Governor name. They are a cube doubled. So, each of these names are written twice. They mirror each other, just as the "adverse" letters on the outer edge are "mirrors" of regular letters. Dee has truly, for better or worse, fallen through the looking glass, in trying to make sense of images scried by Edward Kelley. Directional, Elemental, Temporal, and Alchemical Attributions of the Watchtowers. . . and their Colors! Having fallen through the looking glass with John Dee and Edward Kelley, we can start to establish Directional, Elemental, Temporal, and Alchemical Attributions of the four Watchtowers that make up the Great Table of Earth. We speak of a "looking glass" only partially in jest, and partly as a concept one must understand to project the Great Table onto four directional faces of a cube, or onto the surface of a spinning sphere, like the Earth, or upon the celestial sphere, the night sky as viewed from a particular location at solstices and equinoxes. It will be key to realize how, for instance, a lens can reverse parts of an image, a concept Dee would be well aware of from his extensive work with optics. If one looks at a reflected image, two of the "directions" change, but the axis of symmetry remains the same. Similarly, in determining directions, we must determine what our point of references is: are we looking at directions that will work from a point on the surface of the earth, that work from the center of the earth, or from somewhere else? We'll look at this in much more detail next issue, as we take up our one-issue-delayed discussion of modern adaptions of the Great Table, especially those of Moina and MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley. We'll also see if there is a logic behind why the colors used by Kelley are changed into those use by the Matherses. On the surface, Kelley's colors appear to match those most frequently used by Kabbalists and Moina Mather's seem most influenced by late 19th century color scale theories used in art schools. Does her development of the four color scales relate at all to material her husband may have understood about other correspondences of the Watchtowers? If you would like to try to work out these correspondences on your own in the meantime, here are some guiding principles to keep in mind: as stated above, notice how an image is reversed when you look into a lens; keep in mind also that compass points North-South-East-West are only relative directions. In June 1584, not long after the angelic conversation discussed above, John Dee does ask Ave about directions. He asks what is meant by working in the East, and is told "The East and West, in respect of your Poles."[68] On the surface of a spinning sphere, east and west only really make sense as directions of spin and are most easily defined at the Equator. Polar north and Polar south define the tilt by which someone at the hypothetical center of the Earth—the center point of the Black Cross—might look up, or down, and "see" different objects in the sky. From this model, we can "map" the "Tabula Recensa" to the night sky, and find directional and elemental attributions that match those used by MacGregor Mathers. In fact, they match with such accuracy, and are elaborated upon by Mathers so well, that Mathers must have understood this part of the system. Yet we can further demonstrate that he did not seem to have a concept of higher geometry nearly as well-developed as Dee's, nor an understanding of some of the blinds discussed in this article. As we search for the source of MacGregor Mathers' information in the Concourse of Forces, we'll be led once again through the legendary world of Secret Chiefs and second-hand bookstores, and run into the deepest mystery of them all: "elemental" attributions to the Watchtowers that appear to correspond to constellations ruled by the "fixed" signs in the zodiac, and which match best not in Dee's time period, but our own.

Buddhism chapter

In Buddhism, the swastika symbol signifies auspiciousness and good fortune as well as the footprint of the Buddha and Buddha’s heart. It is also said to contain the whole mind of the Buddha and can often be found imprinted on the chest, feet or palms of Buddha images. The Buddha is seen by many Hindus as an avatar of Vishnu/Krishna.

Handedness is a better (faster or more precise) performance or individual preference for use of a hand, known as the dominant hand.[1] Handedness is not a discrete variable (right or left), but a continuous one that can be expressed at levels between strong left and strong right.[2] There are four types of handedness: left-handedness, right-handedness, mixed-handedness, and ambidexterity. Left-handedness is somewhat more common among men than among women. Right-handedness is most common. Right-handed people are more skillful with their right hands when performing tasks. Studies suggest that 87–92% of the world population is right-handed.[4][5] Left-handedness is less common than right-handedness. Left-handed people are more skillful with their left hands when performing tasks. Studies suggest that approximately 10% of the world population is left-handed.[6] Cross-dominance or Mixed-handedness is the change of hand preference between tasks. This is common in the population with about a 30% prevalence.[2] Ambidexterity is exceptionally rare, although it can be learned. A truly ambidextrous person is able to do any task equally well with either hand. Those who learn it still tend to favor their originally dominant hand.[1] Ambilevous or ambisinister people demonstrate awkwardness with both hands. Ambisinistrous motor skills or a low level of dexterity may be the result of a debilitating physical condition, such as "Dysgraphia"

Christianity chapter

The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.[1] According to post-Nicene historians such as Socrates Scholasticus, the Empress Helena, mother of Constantine, the first Christian Emperor of Rome, travelled to the Holy Land in 326–28, founding churches and establishing relief agencies for the poor. Historians Gelasius of Caesarea and Rufinus claimed that she discovered the hiding place of three crosses that were believed to be used at the crucifixion of Jesus and of two thieves, St. Dismas and Gestas, executed with him, and that a miracle revealed which of the three was the True Cross. Many churches possess fragmentary remains that are by tradition alleged to be those of the True Cross. Their authenticity is not accepted universally by those of the Christian faith and the accuracy of the reports surrounding the discovery of the True Cross is questioned by some Christians.[2] The acceptance and belief of that part of the tradition that pertains to the Early Christian Church is generally restricted to the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The medieval legends that developed concerning its provenance differ between Catholic and Orthodox tradition. These churches honour Helena as a saint, as does also the Anglican Communion.

Two questions that have the same answer found in the question

1/ why did Hitler covet the swastika for his paradigm changing MOVEMENT?

2/ why did the Chinese Spring Temple Buddha covet the swastika for his paradigm changing MOVEMENT?

Answer

the swastika represents MOVEMENT

now one more question based on statements of fact, if the swastika is linked to the Buddha heart and the Qabalah Crown/Keter and mind ... can it be used by sheeple herders like Hitler/media/propaganda to manipulate the minds and hearts of 'we the sheeple'?

vatika vs. Vatican

Now it happens that Hindu monasteries are also called vatika. This raises the question could the pre-Roman Etruscans have based their religion on Hinduism and learned how to stimulate the third eye through entheogenic plants? Given that the Vatican was once a vatika for Vaticinia women (probably from India) who drank from a vat of vatika wine to hallucinate through their swas-tika, most religions may well have been derived from ancient Indian shamanism that incorporated entheogenic herbs.

The book "Persephone's Quest" seems to support this idea.

Religious Studies Minor: The Old Testament spans a period of some 3,600 years of mankind's history, and required about 1,500-1,600 years to complete. Its thirty-nine books can be divided into four sections: Law (five-books); History (twelve books); Poetry (five books); and Prophecy (seventeen books, the first five of which are called major prophets, and the last twelve are usually called minor prophets).

Islam chapter

In Islam, Gabriel (Jibra'il) is considered one of the four archangels whom God sent with his divine message to various prophets, including Muhammad.[6] The 96th chapter of the Quran, sura Al-Alaq, is believed by Muslims to be the first surah revealed by Gabriel to Muhammad.

Hinduism chapter

Hindu astrologers (see Jyotisha) teach that when a child is born, they should be given an auspicious first name which will correspond to the child's Nakshatra. The technique for deducing the name is to see which nakshatra the Moon is in at the moment of birth; this gives four possible sounds. A refinement is to pick one sound out of that four that relates to the Pada or division of the Nakshatra. Each Nakshatra has four Padas and four sounds and each Pada is of equal width. The Moon remains in each Nakshatra for approximately one day. Nakshatra (Sanskrit: नक्षत्र, IAST: Nakṣatra) is the term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 (sometimes also 28) sectors along the ecliptic. Their names are related to the most prominent asterisms in the respective sectors. The starting point for the nakshatras is the point on the ecliptic directly opposite to the star Spica called Chitrā in Sanskrit (other slightly different definitions exist). It is called Meshādi or the "start of Aries".[citation needed] The ecliptic is divided into each of the nakshatras eastwards starting from this point. The number of nakshatras reflects the number of days in a sidereal month (modern value: 27.32 days), the width of a nakshatra traversed by the Moon in about one day. Each nakshatra is further subdivided into four quarters (or padas). These play a role in popular Hindu astrology, where each pada is associated with a syllable, conventionally chosen as the first syllable of the given name of a child born when the Moon was in the corresponding pada.

Dasharatha[(Sanskrit: दशरथ, IAST Daśaratha) was, according to Ramayana, the king of Ayodhya and a descendant of the Ikshvaku dynasty(also known as Suryavamsha or Raghuvamsa dynasty). His life story is narrated principally in the Hindu epic Ramayana. He was a descendant of Raghu and was the father of prince Rama, the principal character in the Ramayanaare. The four sons were Rama ,Lakshmana,Bharatha, and Shatrughna. The Hare Krishna sing, Hare Krishna, Hare Ram, after Ram of the Ramayana (RYAN), and avatar of Krishna.

The Kumaras are four sages (rishis) who roam the universe as children from the Puranic texts of Hinduism,[1][2] generally named Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanatkumara. They are described as the first mind-born creations and sons of the creator-god Brahma. Born from Brahma's mind, the four Kumaras undertook lifelong vows of celibacy (brahmacharya) against the wishes of their father. They are said to wander throughout the materialistic and spiritualistic universe without any desire but with purpose to teach.[1] All four brothers studied Vedas from their childhood, and always travelled together.[3] The Bhagavata Purana lists the Kumaras among the twelve Mahajanas (great devotees or bhaktas)[4] who although being eternally liberated souls from birth, still became attracted to the devotional service of Vishnu from their already enlightened state. It also mentions them as being an avatar of Vishnu.[5] They play a significant role in a number of Hindu spiritual traditions, especially those associated with the worship of Vishnu and his avatar Krishna, sometimes even in traditions related to the god Shiva.

The four Kumaras are the eldest sons of the creator-god Brahma.[8] When Brahma undertook the task of creation of the universe, he first created some beings from different parts of his body to aid him. The Kumaras was the first such beings. They were created from his mind and appeared as infants. Brahma ordered them to aid in creation, but as manifestations of Sattva (purity), and uninterested in worldly life, they refused and instead devoted themselves to God and celibacy, against the wishes of their father.[6][8] The Bhagavata Purana narrates further that their refusal made Brahma angry and his wrath manifested into the god Rudra, also known as Lord Shiva.[1] As per a variant, Brahma practised austerities (tapas) and pleased the Supreme God Vishnu, so he appeared in the form of the four infant Kumaras as Brahma's sons.[8] Some texts like the Devi Bhagavata Purana and the Bhavishya Purana narrates the four Kumaras appeared even before the Brahma of the present age. (In a cycle of time, some texts say that a Brahma dies and is reborn.)[6] The four Kumaras learnt the Vedas at the age of four or five.[8] They thus became great jnanis (learned beings), yogis and Siddhas (the perfect enlightened ones). The Kumaras remained in form of children due to their spiritual virtues. The age of the sages varies in various sacred texts. While five is the most popular, they are also mentioned as being fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youths.[9] They practised the vow of renunciation (Sannyasa) and celibacy (brahmacharya) and remained naked.They wander together throughout the materialistic and spiritualistic universe without any desire but with purpose to teach.[1][6][8] They are sometimes included in the list of Siddhars (Tamil equivalent for Siddha).[10] The four Kumaras are said to reside in Jana Loka or Janar loka (loka or world of the intellectuals in the present parlance) or in Vishnu's abode Vaikuntha.[8][11] They constantly recite the mantra Hari sharanam (Vishnu – "God the Redeemer our Refuge") or sing Vishnu's praises. These hymns and glories of Vishnu serve as their only food.[8] Another son of Brahma, the sage Narada, who is described as their disciple, extolls their virtues in the Padma Purana. Narada says though they appear as five-year-old children, they are the great ancestors of the world.[8] Discourses[edit] Four Kumaras preaching in the Mahabharata The discourses of the four Kumaras are found in the Hindu epic Mahabharata as well as the Bhagavata Purana.[8] The Shanti Parva book of the Mahabharata describes the discourse given by the four Kumaras to the demon king Vritra and his guru – the sage Shukra. The king and his guru worship the Kumaras and then Shukra asks them to describe the greatness of Vishnu. Sanat-kumara starts with describing Vishnu as the creator and destroyer of all beings. He equates Vishnu's body parts with parts of the universe and the elements, for example the earth is Vishnu's feet and water is his tongue. All gods are describes as being Vishnu. Then Sanatkumara categories all beings into six colours depending upon the proportion of the three gunas: Sattva (pure), Rajas (dim) and Tamas (dark). From the lowest to the foremost beings, the colours are dark (Tamas is high, Rajas is mid, Sattva is low), tawny (Tamas is high, Sattva is mid, Rajas is low), blue (Rajas is high, Tamas is mid, Sattva is low), red (Rajas is high, Sattva is mid, Tamas is low), yellow (Sattva is high, Tamas is mid, Rajas is low) and white (Sattva is high, Rajas is mid, Tamas is low). (The Vishnu Purana gives non-living things, lower animals and birds, humans, Prajapatis, gods and the Kumaras are respective examples of the above colours.) Sanat-kumara elaborates further how a Jiva (living entity) journeys from dark to white in his various births, ultimately gaining moksha if he does good deeds, devotion and yoga.[12][13] The Bhagavata Purana narrates the visit of the four Kumaras to the court of King Prithu, the first sovereign in Hindu mythology and an avatar of Vishnu. The king worships the sages and asked them about the way of emancipation (moksha) that can be followed by all people who caught in the web of worldly things. Sanat-kumara tells the king that Vishnu is the refuge to all and grants liberation of the cycle of births and rebirths. His worship frees one from material desires and lust. One should be freed from material objects, lives a simple life of non-violence and devotion of Vishnu and follows the teachings of a good guru and undergo Self-realization. One should realize that all living things are forms of God. Without devotion and knowledge, humans are incomplete. Out of four purusharthas ("goals of life"), only moksha is eternal, while religious duty, wealth and pleasure decay with this life. While all beings are subject to destruction, the soul and God in our bodies is eternal. So it is paramount that you surrender to God (as Vishnu or Krishna), said Sanat-kumara ending his council. Prithu worships the Kumaras again, who blessed him.[14] The first section or Purvabhaga of Naradiya Purana, an upapurana has 4 padas or sections, each told by the four Kumaras respectively to Narada.[15] Brahma, who had received the knowledge of the Puranas from Vishnu, imbibed this to his Four Kumaras, who then taught the Puranas to Narada. Narada transmitted it to Vyasa, who scripted them into the Puranic texts. The Vishnu Purana is recorded in two parts, the Vishnu Purana and Naradiya Purana. The teachings of Sanaka of the Kumara brothers are contained in the Naradiya Purana which is also divided in two parts, the first part containing the teachings of Sanaka and others.[16] Visit to Vaikuntha[edit] Jaya, the dvarapala, in image from Chennakesava Temple. The four Kumaras roamed around at their free will with their cosmic powers all over the universe. During one of their sojourns, they arrived at Vaikuntha, the abode of Vishnu. The city, with the residence of Vishnu located at the center of seven circular walls, is considered as a place of bliss and purity. It has seven gates of entry. The four Kumaras passed through the first six gates without any hindrance. The seventh gate was guarded by Jaya and Vijaya, the two dvarapalas (door-guards) of Vishnu's palace. The angry guardians stopped the four Kumaras and laughed at them since they looked like children and were also naked, and did not permit them to enter through the seventh gate. The four Kumaras were perplexed by the behaviour of the gatekeepers as they had not faced such a situation and ridicule anywhere else. They expected Jaya and Vijaya to be like their master Vishnu, who does not differentiate among beings. Enraged, the Kumaras cursed them to be born on earth thrice, as three villains with characteristics of "lust, anger and greed". The gatekeepers accept the curse and bow to the Kumaras and beg for their forgiveness. Lord Vishnu who learnt of the incident, appeared before the Kumaras in all his glory with his retinue. The four Kumaras, who were on their first visit to Vaikuntha, took in by the sight and the glittering divine figure of Vishnu. With deep devotion, they appealed to him to accept them as his devotees and allow them to offer worship at his feet for all time to come and let his feet be their final emancipation. Vishnu complied with their request and also assured Jaya and Vijaya that they will born as demons on earth but will be released from all births (killed) by an avatar of Vishnu. The two guards were dismissed by Vishnu to go and suffer the curse of the Kumaras on earth and then only return to his abode, after the end of the curse. The two banished guards were then born on earth, at an inauspicious hour, to the sage Kashyapa and his wife Diti as asuras who were named Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha.[2][17] In Shiva traditions[edit] Part of a series on Vaishnavism Vishnu.jpg Supreme Deity[show] Important deities[show] Texts[show] Sampradayas[show] Philosopher-Acharyas[show] Related traditions[show] Portal icon Hinduism portal v t e Shiva had assumed the form of Dakshinamurti, the great teacher and meditating facing South observing a vow of silence. The four Kumaras approached Shiva for self-realization. He taught them about the Supreme reality – Brahman by making chin mudra gesture with his hand. The index finger is touched to the thumb, indicating the union of Brahman and jiva. Thus, Shiva made the Kumaras as his disciples.[18] The Linga Purana describes that Shiva or his aspect Vamadeva will be born as a Kumara and then multiply into the four Kumaras in each kalpa (aeon) as sons of Brahma of that kalpa. In the 29th Kalpa, Swetha Lohita is the main Kumara; where they are named as Sananda, Nandana, Vishwananda and Upananadana of white colour; then in the 30th Kalpa, they are named as Virajas, Vivahu, Visoka and Vishwbhavana, all of red colour; and in the 31st Kalpa in yellow colour; and in the 32nd Kalpa, as of black colour.[7] The four sages Sanak,Sanandan,Sanatan,Sanat were learned Brahmins. They were the sons of Lord Brahma. They were very proud of their father, Brahma because he was the creator of the holy books, Vedas. They were aware of three Vedas,- Rigved,Yajurved, and Samveda and considered that the whole knowledge is complete in these three books.On the other hand Sage Atharva approached Lord Shiva to get approval of his knowledge which he gathered from the universe using his divine powers. Lord Shiva, impressed by his creation and blessed Sage Atharva that his book of knowledge would constitute the list of Vedas and will be called as ‘Atharvaveda’. When this news reached the sons of Lord Brahma, they protested as according to them the other three Vedas was a complete set of knowledge and there was no need of fourth Veda. They argued with Lord Shiva and challenged his authority to certify a fourth Veda. Finally it was decided that whether to certify a fourth Veda or not depends upon the result learned debate. Goddess Saraswati was appointed as judge. The four Sages fired too much and too complicated questions to Lord Shiva and they were very confident of their victory as they underestimated Lord Shiva. But Shiva, who is the Lord of all the supreme knowledge, answered each and every question. The Sages accept their defeat gracefully and ask for forgiveness. Since then Artharva Ved was added to the list of Vedas, making the total four. The Sages went to their brother Prajapati Daksha who was bitter rival of Lord Shiva. On listening about the defeat of his four brothers, he cursed them to be small children. After that the four sages turned into small children. Since the sages were very learned, they thanked their brother for the curse because after becoming children their urge for learning would be greater. Other legends[edit] An incident about the meeting of the four Kumaras with Vishnu's avatar Rama is narrated in the Uttarakanda of the Ramcharitmanas. The Kumaras once stayed in the hermitage of the sage Agastya, who told them about the glory of Rama. So to meet Rama, they went to a forest grove where Rama with his brothers and disciple Hanuman had come. Rama and his brothers were so pleased with meeting the four enlightened sages that they paid obeisance to them. The sages were wonder struck looking at the divinity of Rama that they prostrated before him and out of great ecstasy started shedding tears of happiness. Rama looking at the sages was deeply impressed and asked them to be seated and praised them for their great achievements and their erudite knowledge of the Vedas and Puranas. The four Kumaras were also delighted to hear the words of praise showered on them by Rama. They in turn extolled his great virtues in a hymn.[19] In Nimbarka sampardaya[edit] Vaishnavism (the sect that worships Vishnu as the Supreme) is divided into four sampradayas or traditions. Each of them traces its lineage to a heavenly being. The Nimbarka Sampradaya, also known as the Kumara Sampradaya, Catuḥ Sana Sampradaya and Sanakadi Sampradaya, and its philosophy Dvaitadvaita ("duality in unity") is believed to be propagated in humanity by the four Kumaras. The swan avatar of Vishnu Hamsa was the origin of this philosophy and taught it to the four Kumaras, who in turn taught Narada, who finally passed it to the earthy Nimbarka, the main exponent of the sampradaya.[20]

Traditional Advaita Vedanta centers around the study and what it believes to be correct understanding of the sruti, revealed texts, especially the Upanishads.[26][27] Correct understanding is believed to provide knowledge of the identity of atman and Brahman, which results in liberation. The main texts to be studied are the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutras. Correct knowledge, which destroys avidya, psychological and perceptual errors,[28] is obtained by following the four stages of samanyasa (self-cultivation), sravana, listening to the teachings of the sages, manana, reflection on the teachings, and svādhyāya, contemplation of the truth "that art Thou".

Jnana Yoga – Four stages of practice[edit] Main article: Jnana Yoga Classical Advaita Vedanta emphasises the path of Jnana Yoga, a progression of study and training to attain moksha.[55][56] It consists of four stages:[57][58][note 7] Samanyasa or Sampattis,[59] the "fourfold discipline" (sādhana-catustaya), cultivating the following four qualities:[57] Nityānitya vastu viveka (नित्यानित्य वस्तु विवेकम्) — The ability (viveka) to correctly discriminate between the real and eternal (nitya) and the substance that is apparently real, aging, changing and transitory (anitya).[57][58] Ihāmutrārtha phala bhoga virāga (इहाऽमुत्रार्थ फल भोगविरागम्) — The renunciation (virāga) of petty desires that distract the mind (artha phala bhoga), willing to give up everything that is an obstacle to the pursuit of truth and self-knowledge.[58][60] Śamādi ṣatka sampatti (शमादि षट्क सम्पत्ति) — the sixfold qualities, Śama (mental tranquility, ability to focus the mind).[58][60] Dama (self-restraint, the virtue of temperance).[58][60] Uparati (dispassion, ability to be quiet and disassociated from everything;[58] "discontinuation of religious ceremonies"[60]) Titikṣa (endurance, perseverance, ability to be patient during demanding circumstances).[58][60] Śraddhā (the faith in teacher and Sruti texts).[58] Samādhāna (attention, intentness of mind).[58][60] Mumukṣutva (मुमुक्षुत्वम्) — A positive longing for freedom and wisdom, driven to the quest of knowledge and understanding.[58] Sravana, listening to the teachings of the sages on the Upanishads and Advaita Vedanta, studying the Vedantic texts, such as the Brahma Sutras, and discussions with the teacher;[57] Manana, the stage of reflection on the teachings;[58] Nididhyāsana, the stage of meditation on the truths and introspection.[58] Siddhi-granthas[edit] Additionally there are four Siddhi-granthas that are taught in the Advaita-parampara, after study of the Prasthana-trayi: Brahmasiddhi by Mandana Mishra (750–850), Naishkarmasiddhi by Sureswara (8th century, disciple of Sankara), Ishtasiddhi by Vimuktananda (1200), Advaita Siddhi,[web 6] written by Madhusudana Saraswati - 1565-1665. Philosophy

Advaita traces the foundation of this ontological theory in more ancient Sanskrit texts.[146] For example, chapters 8.7 through 8.12 of Chandogya Upanishad discuss the "four states of consciousness" as awake, dream-filled sleep, deep sleep, and beyond deep sleep.[

Advaita Vedanta, like all orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, accepts as an epistemic premise that Śruti (Vedic literature) is a reliable source of knowledge.[67][68][69] The Śruti includes the four Vedas including its four layers of embedded texts - the Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the early Upanishads

Advaita Vedanta is, at least in the west, primarily known as a philosophical system. But it is also a tradition of renunciation. Philosophy and renunciation are closely related:[web 18] Most of the notable authors in the advaita tradition were members of the sannyasa tradition, and both sides of the tradition share the same values, attitudes and metaphysics.[web 18] Shankara, himself considered to be an incarnation of Shiva,[web 18] established the Dashanami Sampradaya, organizing a section of the Ekadandi monks under an umbrella grouping of ten names.[web 18] Several other Hindu monastic and Ekadandi traditions remained outside the organisation of the Dasanāmis.[268][269][270] Adi Sankara is said to have organised the Hindu monks of these ten sects or names under four Maṭhas (Sanskrit: मठ) (monasteries), with the headquarters at Dvārakā in the West, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Sringeri in the South and Badrikashrama in the North.[web 18] Each math was headed by one of his four main disciples, who each continues the Vedanta Sampradaya.[note 18] Monks of these ten orders differ in part in their beliefs and practices, and a section of them is not considered to be restricted to specific changes made by Shankara. While the dasanāmis associated with the Sankara maths follow the procedures enumerated by Adi Śankara, some of these orders remained partly or fully independent in their belief and practices; and outside the official control of the Sankara maths. The advaita sampradaya is not a Saiva sect,[web 18][273] despite the historical links with Shaivism.[note 19] Nevertheless, contemporary Sankaracaryas have more influence among Saiva communities than among Vaisnava communities.[web 18] The greatest influence of the gurus of the advaita tradition has been among followers of the Smartha Tradition, who integrate the domestic Vedic ritual with devotional aspects of Hinduism.[web 18] According to Nakamura, these mathas contributed to the influence of Shankara, which was "due to institutional factors".[274] The mathas which he built exist until today, and preserve the teachings and influence of Shankara, "while the writings of other scholars before him came to be forgotten with the passage of time".[275] The table below gives an overview of the four Amnaya Mathas founded by Adi Shankara, and their details.[web 19] Shishya (lineage) Direction Maṭha Mahāvākya Veda Sampradaya Padmapāda East Govardhana Pīṭhaṃ Prajñānam brahma (Consciousness is Brahman) Rig Veda Bhogavala Sureśvara South Sringeri Śārada Pīṭhaṃ Aham brahmāsmi (I am Brahman) Yajur Veda Bhūrivala Hastāmalakācārya West Dvāraka Pīṭhaṃ Tattvamasi (That thou art) Sama Veda Kitavala Toṭakācārya North Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ Ayamātmā brahma (This Atman is Brahman) Atharva Veda Nandavala According to the tradition in Kerala, after Sankara's samadhi at Vadakkunnathan Temple, his disciples founded four mathas in Thrissur, namely Naduvil Madhom, Thekke Madhom, Idayil Madhom and Vadakke Madhom.

According to Pausanias in the later 2nd century AD,[12] there were three original Muses, worshiped on Mount Helicon in Boeotia: Aoidē ("song" or "tune"), Meletē ("practice" or "occasion"), and Mnēmē ("memory"). Together, these three form the complete picture of the preconditions of poetic art in cult practice. In Delphi three Muses were worshiped as well, but with other names: Nētē, Mesē, and Hypatē, which are assigned as the names of the three chords of the ancient musical instrument, the lyre. Alternatively they later were called Cēphisso, Apollonis, and Borysthenis, whose names characterize them as daughters of Apollo. In later tradition, four Muses were recognized: Thelxinoë, Aoedē, Arche, and Meletē, said to be daughters of Zeus and Plusia or of Uranus. The fourth is always different than the first three.

She is generally shown to have four arms, but sometimes just two. When shown with four hands, those hands symbolically mirror her husband Brahma's four heads, representing manas (mind, sense), buddhi (intellect, reasoning), citta (imagination, creativity) and ahamkara (self consciousness, ego).[11][25] Brahma represents the abstract, she action and reality. The four hands hold items with symbolic meaning — a pustaka (book or script), a mala (rosary, garland), a water pot and a musical instrument (lute or vina).

The Nimbarka Sampradaya (IAST: Nimbārka Sampradāya, Sanskrit निम्बार्क सम्प्रदाय), also known as the Hamsa Sampradāya, Kumāra Sampradāya, Catuḥ Sana Sampradāya and Sanakādi Sampradāya, is one of the four authorised Vaiṣṇava Sampradāyas (philosophical schools characterised by leaders in disciplic succession) as according to the Padma Purāṇa, one of the eighteen main Purāṇas. The verse says:

Vaishnava sampradayas[edit] Main article: Vaishnava Part of a series on Vaishnavism Vishnu.jpg Supreme Deity[show] Important deities[show] Texts[show] Sampradayas[show] Philosopher-Acharyas[show] Related traditions[show] Portal icon Hinduism portal v t e According to the Padma Purāṇa, one of the eighteen main Purāṇas, there are four Vaishnava sampradayas, which preserve the fruitfull mantras:[note 4] All mantras which have been given (to disciples) not in an authorised Sampradāya are fruitless. Therefore, in Kali Yuga, there will be four bona-fide Sampradāyas.[4] Each of them were ignaugurated by a deity, who appointed heads to these lineages: Deity Lineage Head Linked sampradaya Śrī Devī (Laksmi) Sri Sampradaya Ramanujacharya Ramanandi sect Brahmā Brahma Sampradaya Madhvacharya Gaudiya Sampradaya Rudra Rudra Sampradaya Viṣṇusvāmī/Vallabhacharya Pustimarga Four Kumāras Sanakādi Sampradāya or Nimbarka Sampradaya Nimbarka During the Kali yuga these sampradāyas appear in the holy place of Jaganatha Puri, and purify the entire earth. Various sampradayas emerged from these four, which are quite different from them. There are also other sampradayas, such as Swaminarayan Sampradaya, which are not linked to these four sampradayas.

Vaishnavism is the tradition worshiping Vishnu (or his forms of Krishna and Rama) as the supreme or Svayam Bhagavan. Vaishnavism is the sect within Hinduism that worships Vishnu, the preserver god of the Hindu Trimurti ('three images', the Trinity), and his ten incarnations. It is a devotional sect, and followers worship many deities, including Ram and Krishna, both thought to be incarnationsof Vishnu. The adherents of this sect are generally non-ascetic, monastic and devoted to meditative practice and ecstatic chanting.[5][6][7] Vaishnavites are mainly dualistic. They are deeply devotional. Their religion is rich in saints, temples and scriptures.[8] According to the Padma Purāṇa, one of the eighteen main Purāṇas, there are four Vaishnava sampradayas, which preserve the fruitfull mantras:[note 1] All mantras which have been given (to disciples) not in an authorised Sampradāya are fruitless. Therefore, in Kali Yuga, there will be four bona-fide Sampradāyas.[9] Each of them are understood to have been inaugurated by a deity, who appointed heads to these four lineages: Srivaishnavism (Sri-Vaishnava Sampradaya)/Srivaishnava/Sri Sampradaya/Iyengar is associated with Lakshmi. The principal acharyas are Ramanujacharya and Vedanta Desikan. Ramanandi Sampradaya, also known as the Ramayat Sampradaya or the Ramavat Sampradaya adheres to the teachings of Ramananda. Vishistadvaita includes Udhava Sampradaya to which also the Swaminarayan Sampradaya belongs. They adhere to the teachings of Ramanuja. Swaminarayan Hinduism or Swaminarayanism, based on the teachings of Swaminarayan. Brahma Sampradaya is associated with Vishnu, who is the Para-Brahma (Universal Creator), not to be confused with the other Brahma, who is the four-faced god in Hindu religion. The principal acharya is Madhvacharya. Gaudiya Vaishnavism is associated with Brahma Sampradaya, and is associated with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu(Gaurangacharya). Krishnaism or Bhagavatism. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness belongs to this sampradaya. Rudra Sampradaya. The principal acharya is Vallabhacharya. Kumara Sampradaya is the tradition associated with Four Kumaras. The principal acharya is Nimbarka, hence Nimbarka Sampradaya.