Spiritual Thoughts of Ancient India (An Old and Rare Book)

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About the Book In the present work the author has given a brief and outline picture of the discussion regarding God. Being the cause of creation, protection and destruction occurring in the Pauranic and Tantric, most of the philosophical doctrines have been chiefly discussed centering God. The thought on God has been formed gradually by searching for the creation, protection and destruction of the Universe. So the God is admitted as the greatest.

About the Author Asoke Chatterjee Sastri (b. 1929) obtained a number of oriental and occi denal degrees from different Universities of India and abroad securing the top position in all examinations. An author of 34 books written in Sanskrit. Hindi, English, Bengali and German he has contributed about 200 original research papers published in the reputed Indian and foreign journals. He was formerly Pro fessor and Head of Department of Purana and Itihasa in the Sanskrit University (now Sampurnanand Sanskrit University), Varanasi. At present he is the Professor and Head of the Department of Sanskrit, Calcutta University Recepient of several prestigious Prizes and Honours, he has travelled all over the world on many occasions. He is a famous research guide too. About forty students have worked under him and obtained Ph D. Degrees.

Presently as the UG C. National Lecturer in Sanskrit he has visited a number of Universities centres of Sanskrit Study and research.

He is associated with all the recognised institutions catering to the development of Sanskrit sponsored by the Govts of India and Bengal as well.

Introduction In the present work, we have tried to give a brief and outline picture of the discussion regarding God, occurring in the Pauranic and Tantric hymns beginning from the Vedic ones. In all these hymns, we find the discussion of the desired god as being the cause of creation, protection and destruction. Somewhere the desired god has been conceived of as the giver of ultimate salvation (moksa). Although, mention has been made of the infinite heavenly grandeur and unlimited power of "Isvara' in different places of the hymns, God has commonly been stated as the cause of creation, protection and destruction. For, God (Isvara) is not directly perceived. He is chiefly inferred as the lord of the universe. But it is not the main object of the inference of God. For, in different systems of philosophy like the Nyaya-Vaisesika, the lord of the universe. is called the instrumental cause (nimitta karana) of all objects. As the potter is the maker of a chata (earthen pot), God is likewise the maker of the universe. A person may be the maker of anything who knows fully the technique of making an object by different causes and indirect knowledge regarding it that he wants to make. The philosophers of the philosophical systems of Nyaya and Vaisesika, chiefly basing on this reasoning, have tried to prove the existence of God as the creator of the universe. Though the Nyaya system of philosophy intends to prove God as the giver of due consequences according to the acts, done by men, the chief reason of the inference of 'Isvara' is His being the maker of the universe. So, according to the views of the philosophers of the Nyaya and Vaisesika system of philosophy. God is only the instrumental cause of the universe. All objects are originated by different atoms and the object of action is formed object (avayavi vastu) This form or partner (avayavi) is utterly different from its parts. It has no existence before its creation. It is created due to the attempts of the lord or maker.

**Contents and Sample Pages**