| The Four Kumaras | |
|---|---|
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| Other names | Sanakadika Rishis |
| Affiliation | Children of Brahma Devotees ofVishnu |
| Abode | Janaloka |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents | Brahma |
| Siblings | Chitragupta,Narada andDaksha |
| Part ofa series on | |
| Hindu philosophy | |
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TheKumaras are four sages (rishis) from thePuranic texts ofHinduism who roam the universe as children,[1][2] generally namedSanaka,Sanandana,Sanatana, andSanatkumara.[3] They are described as the first mind-born creations and sons of the creator-godBrahma. 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 the purpose of teaching.[1] All four brothers studiedVedas from their childhood, and always travelled together.[4]
TheBhagavata Purana lists the Kumaras among the twelvemahajanas (great devotees orbhaktas)[5] who although being eternallyliberatedsouls from birth, still became attracted to the devotional service ofVishnu from their already enlightened state.[6] They play a significant role in a number of Hindu spiritual traditions, especially those associated with the worship of Vishnu and hisavatarKrishna, sometimes even in traditions related toShiva.
The group is known by various names: "Kumaras" (the boys/male children/young boys), "Chatursana" or "Chatuh Sana" (the four with names starting with Sana) and "Sanakadi" (Sanaka and the others).[7] Individual names usually include Sanaka (ancient), Sanatana (eternal), Sanandana (ever-joyful) and Sanatkumara (ever-young).[1][2][8] Sometimes, Sanatana is replaced by Sanatsujata. A fifth Kumara named Ribhu is sometimes added. Sometimes, the Kumaras are enumerated as six with Sana and Ribhu or Sanatsujata added.[9]
Though inMahabharata, a total of seven sons are mentioned, namely: 1) Aniruddha, 2) Sana, 3) Sanatsujata, 4) Sanaka, 5) Sanandana, 6) Sanatkumara and 7) Sanatana and further mentions that, "Knowledge comes to these seven rishis, of itself (without being dependent on study or exertion). These seven are wedded to the religion ofNivritti (inward contemplation).[10]
Sanatkumara inSanskrit means "eternal youth".[11] He is the author of theSanatkumaraSamhita, which is part of theShiva Purana, and has 59 chapters. It is also taken as a part of thePañcaratra,Vaishnavite devotional texts. He taughtBhishma the mental and spiritual sciences.
TheChandogya Upanishad, Chapter seven, is about Sanatkumara's Instructions on Bhuma-Vidya to celestial sageNarada,[12][13] Sanatkumara finds mention acrossMahabharata, as a great sage, who dispels doubts[14][15] and the preceptor in all matters affectingYoga[16]
Also mentioned is theTirtha ofKanakhala nearGangadwara orHaridwar, where through extensivetapas, he attained great ascetic powers.[17]
The four Kumaras are the eldest sons of the creator-godBrahma.[18] When Brahma undertook the task of creating the universe, he first created some beings from different parts of his body to aid him. The Kumaras were the first such beings. They were created from his mind and appeared as infants. Brahma ordered them to aid in the creation, but as manifestations ofsattva (purity), and uninterested in worldly life, they refused and instead devoted themselves to God and celibacy, against the wishes of their father.[7][18] TheBhagavata Purana narrates further that their refusal made Brahma angry and his wrath manifested into the deityShiva.[1] As per a variant, Brahma practisedtapas (austerities) and pleasedVishnu, and so the latter appeared in the form of the four infant Kumaras as Brahma's sons.[18] Some texts like theDevi Bhagavata Purana and theBhavishya 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.)[7]
The four Kumaras learnt theVedas at the age of four or five.[18] They thus became greatjnanis (learned beings),yogis, andSiddhas (the perfect enlightened ones). The Kumaras remained in the form of children due to their spiritual virtues. The age of the sages varies in sacred texts. While five is the most popular, they are also mentioned as being five-year-old boys.[19] 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 a purpose to teach.[1][7][18] They are sometimes included in the list ofSiddhars (Tamil practitioners ofSiddha).[20]
The four Kumaras are said to reside inJanaloka orJanarloka (loka or world of the intellectuals in the present parlance) or in Vishnu's abode ofVaikuntha.[18][21] They constantly recite themantraHari Sharanam (Refuge in Vishnu) or sing Vishnu's praises. These hymns and glories of Vishnu serve as their only food.[18] Another son of Brahma, the sageNarada, who is described as their disciple, extolls their virtues in thePadma Purana. Narada says though they appear as five-year-old children, they are the great ancestors of the world.[18]
They are possessed also of deep knowledge of theSamkhya philosophy. They are preceptors of the scriptures on duty and it is they that introduce the duties of the religion ofNivritti (inward contemplation), and cause them to "flow in the worlds".[22]
The discourses of the four Kumaras are found in theHindu epicMahabharata as well as theBhagavata Purana.[18]
TheShanti Parva book of theMahabharata describes the discourse given by the four Kumaras to the demon kingVritra and his guru – the sageShukra. The king and his guru worship the Kumaras and then Shukra asks them to describe the greatness of Vishnu. Sanatkumara starts by 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 described as being Vishnu. Then Sanatkumara categorizes all beings into six colours depending upon the proportion of the threegunas:sattva (pure),rajas (dim) andtamas (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). TheVishnu Purana mentions non-living things, lower animals and birds, humans,Prajapatis, gods and the Kumaras are respective examples of the above colours. Sanatkumara elaborates further how aJiva (living entity) journeys from dark to white in his various births, ultimately gaining moksha if he does good deeds, devotion and yoga.[23][24]
TheBhagavata Purana narrates the visit of the four Kumaras to the court of KingPrithu, 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 are caught in the web of worldly things. Sanatkumara 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, live a simple life of non-violence and devotion of Vishnu and follow the teachings of a goodguru and undergoself-realisation. One should realize that all living things are forms of God. Without devotion and knowledge, humans are incomplete. Out of fourpurusharthas ("goals of life"), only moksha is eternal, whilereligious duty,wealth andpleasure decay with this life. While all beings are subject to destruction, the soul and God in our bodies are eternal. So it is paramount that one surrenders to God (as Vishnu orKrishna), said Sanatkumara ending his counsel. Prithu worships the Kumaras again, who blessed him.[25]
The first section orPurvabhaga ofNaradiya Purana, anupapurana has 4padas or sections, each told by the four Kumaras respectively to Narada.[26] Brahma, who had received the knowledge of thePuranas from Vishnu, imbibed this to his Four Kumaras, who then taught thePuranas to Narada. Narada transmitted it toVyasa, who scripted them into the Puranic texts. TheVishnu Purana is recorded in two parts, the Vishnu Purana andNaradiya Purana. The teachings of Sanaka of the Kumara brothers are contained in the Naradiya Purana which is also divided into two parts, the first part containing the teachings of Sanaka and others.[27]
The four Kumaras roamed around at their free will with their cosmic powers all over the universe. During one of their sojourns, they arrived atVaikuntha, 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 byJaya and Vijaya, the twodvarapalas (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. 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 anavatar 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 in theSatya Yuga at an inauspicious hour, to the sageKashyapa and his wifeDiti (daughter ofDaksha) asasuras. They were namedHiranyakashipu andHiranyaksha. Vishnu undertook theVarahaAvatar to killHiranyaksha, and theNarasimha avatar to killHiranyakasipu.[2][28]
In the second life, during theTreta Yuga, they were born asRavana andKumbhakarna and defeated and killed byRama avatar as mentioned in the epicRamayana. Finally, in their third and final life inDvapara Yuga, they were born asShishupala andDantavakra during the time ofKrishna avatar and got killed by him, which is also mentioned in epicMahabharata.
Shaivas believe that Shiva assumed the form ofDakshinamurti, the great teacher and meditating facing South observing a vow of silence. The four Kumaras approached Shiva for self-realisation. He taught them about the Supreme Reality,Brahman, by making thechin mudra gesture with his hand. The index finger is touched to the thumb, indicating the union of Brahman andjiva. Thus, Shiva made the Kumaras as his disciples.[29]
TheLinga Purana describes that Shiva, or his aspectVamadeva, will be born as a Kumara and then multiply into the four Kumaras in eachkalpa (eon) as sons of Brahma of thatkalpa. In the 29th kalpa, Shveta Lohita is the main Kumara; where they are named as Sananda, Nandana, Vishvananda, and Upananadana of white colour; then in the 30th kalpa, they are named as Virajas, Vivahu, Visoka and Vishvabhavana, all of the red colour; and in the 31st kalpa in yellow colour; and in the 32nd kalpa, as of black colour.[9]
The four sages, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, Sanatkumara were learned Brahmins. They were the sons of 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 -Rigveda,Yajurveda, andSamaveda and considered that the whole knowledge is complete in these three books. SageAtharva approached Shiva to gain his approval of his collected knowledge, which he gathered from the universe using his divine powers. Shiva, impressed by his creation, blessed Sage Atharva, stating that his book of knowledge would be added to the list of Vedas, and would be called theAtharvaveda. When this news reached the sons of Brahma, they protested, believing that there was no need for a fourth Veda. They argued with Shiva and challenged his authority to certify the fourth Veda. The parties decided that a knowledge-debate (jnana-vivada) amongst them would settle this matter. The goddessSaraswati was appointed as the judge. The four Kumaras posed very complicated questions to Shiva and were very confident of their victory. But Shiva, as the supreme deity of wisdom, answered each and every question. The Kumaras accepted their defeat gracefully and asked for forgiveness. The Atharva Veda was thus added to the list of Vedas, making the total four. The Kumaras went to their brother, thePrajapatiDaksha, who was a bitter rival of Shiva. On listening about the defeat of his four brothers, he cursed them to become small children. The Kumaras thanked Daksha for this curse, reasoning that it would instil a great passion for learning within them.[citation needed]
An incident about the meeting of the four Kumaras with Vishnu's avatarRama is narrated in theUttarakanda of theRamcharitmanas. The Kumaras once stayed in the hermitage of the sageAgastya, who told them about the glory of Rama. So to meet Rama, they went to a forest grove where Rama with his brothers and discipleHanuman had come. Rama and his brothers were so delighted in meeting the four enlightened sages that they paid obeisance to them. The sages were wonderstruck 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.[30]
Vaishnavism (the devotees that worships Vishnu as the Supreme) is divided into foursampradayas or traditions. Each of them traces its lineage to a heavenly being. TheKumara Sampradaya, also known as the Nimbarka Sampradaya, Catuḥ Sana Sampradaya and Sanakadi Sampradaya, and its philosophyDvaitadvaita ("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 earthyNimbarka, the main exponent of the sampradaya.[31]
| Dashavatara (for example)1 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Other avatars | ||
1 The list of the "ten avatars" varies regionally. Two substitutions[clarification needed] involve Balarama, Krishna, and Buddha. Krishna is almost always included; in exceptions, he is considered the source of all avatars. | ||
