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Jaabaali Maharshi (also known as Jabali Rishi) was a Hindu saint and philosopher. There are many saints and philosophers with the same name in Puranas.
Jaabaali spent many years meditating on the banks of the Narmada River. The cave and marble rocks in this area were sometimes used as shelters. Jaabaali lived and practiced tapas in the sacred location of Tirumala, a place known today as "Jabali Theertham", near Tirupati. People now visit this place to solve serious Graha Doshas and worship the Gods Hanuman and Vigneswara.
The hinduism's Ramayana of Valmiki was altered later to depict Jabali as a Charvaka Nastik or a Buddhist, however according to hindus both Charvaka and the Gautama Buddha had come generations or centuries after Rama, as Rama is claimed as a past incarnation of the Gautama Buddha in hindu scriptures. In the Ramayana, Rama strongly opposes and targets atheists as seen in Ayodhya Kanda of Ramayana, which reads, "atheists (nastikavadins) are fools who think they to be wise and who are experts in leading people to doom and ruin." Dasharatha’s council of priest-ministers headed by a religious authority, Sage Vasishtha, included sage Jabali, a materialist and atheist. Charvaka philosophy of atheism and materialism was widely criticized by Hinduism in past.
In story Rama strongly condemns atheism, but [Dasharatha]’s council of ministers included Jabali, who is a proclaimed Nastik. Bauddhavatara was accepted by all, so atheists also enjoyed same respect. The Indian Government recognizes Buddhism, which is considered Nastik by Hindu Orthodoxy and enjoys the privileges of secularism and religious tolerance provisions under the law.
In altered Ramayana[ citation needed ], after performing last rites to Dasharatha, Bharat proceeds to the forest where Rama lives and begs him repeatedly to come back to Ayodhya and assume the responsibilities of a king, though it would call for breaking his promise given to his father to take care of the welfare of the citizens of Ayodhya, which is a priority for him. He finds strong support from Jabaali, one of the members of Dasharatha's council of priests. Jaabaali, with his Nastikavaada (Atheistic arguments), tries to convince Rama that it would be fitting and proper within the framework of Kshatriya Dharma to do so. Rama became quite upset by his distorted arguments and wrong council. His outburst is as follows.
I denounce the action of my father who picked up (as his consular priest) you (Jaabaali), a staunch unbeliever, who has not only stayed away from the path of righteousness but also whose mind is set on wrong path (opposed to the dharmic Vedic path), (nay) who is moving about (in the world) with such an ideology (conforming to the doctrine of Chaarvaaka, who believes only in the world of sensual pleasures) as has been set forth in your foregoing speech.
Then King Dasharatha said to his best minister Sumantra, "Let the Vedic scholars and ritual conductors like Sages Suyajna, Vaamadeva, Jaabaali, and Kaashyapa, along with the family priest Vashishta, as well as other Vedic Brahmans that are there, they all be invited swiftly..." [1-12-4, 5] Book I : Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties, Chapter [Sarga] 12 [1]
In the Jabali Upanishad , Jabali tells the Pasupata philosophy about Jiva ("pasu") and Tsa (Pasupati).
Jabali wrote "Jabala Upanishad" [2] ", [3] and the story of Satyakama Jabali from Samaveda-Chandogyopanishad. [4] It explains the true form of “maatri” devata, the duties a woman has to perform before she takes up the seat of “maatri” devata. It involves the relationship between the three forms or bodies of mother and child (gross, subtle and causal). It covers the true form of satya and how satya is the first step for attaining “Brahma Vidya”. It also covers the true form of “gotra”.
This is an excerpt of Jabali literature explaining one of the duties a woman has to perform before she takes up the seat of "maatri" devata:
Jaabali lived in a small shack of sticks and straws - a menage of crocks and clay-pot, where one earned out of hands and ate out of bracts. She threw a few twigs of firewood under the three stones and blew hard on them to kindle the fire. Then, she put a pail of water on the stove for heating. Those blasted twigs - they would burn, and go out quickly, belching smoke. The smoke would rise and spread everywhere. It would reach her eyes, and hurt them. So, she sat near the stove, she reflected. She had to keep on putting in the twigs of sorrow, just to keep alive. Only then could she expect a little warmth of happiness, and a flame of hope to rise. At times, sorrows and anguish wouldn't budge off from her neck, like the wet twigs - no matter how hard she blew upon them, the fire would fail to rise. It brought a dizziness to her mind, and tears to her eyes. The whole future seemed to plunge into darkness. [5]
Jabali Maharshi Brindavana [6] was recently constructed at Sri Somanatheshwara Cave temple, Nellitheertha, Karnataka. The Nellitheertha Somanatheshwara Cave temple is a holy temple in South Kanara. The main deity of the temple is Sri Somanatheshwara (Shiva), but it also honors Ganapati and Jabali Maharshi himself. In typical Tulu-nadu tradition, the temple also has its set of “Bhootas“. Bhootas are considered as the “Ganas” or warrior-assistants of the demigods. The main bhootas of the Nellitheertha temple are Pili-Chamundi (Pili means Tiger in Tulu), Kshetrapala, Raktheshwari and Doomavathy.
The temple here in Jamalpuram, Andhra Pradesh is known as Jabali Tirtha. It is here that a Jabali Rishi performed penance and worshiped Vishnu. There is also a Venkatachala Purana, which was compiled. At this pilgrimage centre, Vishnu today is worshiped as Lord Venkatachala.
A Jabali had also meditated and performed penance here.
Papavinasam Theertham is around 2 miles from Tirumala and is a beautiful waterfall. Like the Venkatachala Hill, at this pilgrimage centre, Vishnu today is worshiped as Lord Venkatachala. Hanuman is also worshiped here.
There was also a Jabali of Jalore, Rajasthan, of whom little is known. The city Jalore used to be known as Jabalipura. [7]
Jabali of this village in Gujarat had a daughter named Bala, who is said to have founded the village and after her it became known as "Balapuri", and eventually as "Balad" and "Valad". It was also said that bala eventually married Suryadev (sungod). There is a temple in valad devoted to Suryadev, Balamata, and the sun chariot.
There is still an idol of Saint Jabali in the village. [8]
The Adhram of Madhavtirth is also situated here.
There is also a Aashram of Maharishi Jabali Rishi in Jewar, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Predash.
The Ramayana also known as Valmiki Ramayana, as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text from ancient India, one of the two important epics of Hinduism known as the Itihasas, the other being the Mahabharata. The epic narrates the life of Rama, a prince of Ayodhya in the kingdom of Kosala. The epic follows his fourteen-year exile to the forest urged by his father King Dasharatha, on the request of Rama's stepmother Kaikeyi; his travels across forests in the Indian subcontinent with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana; the kidnapping of Sita by Ravana, the king of Lanka, that resulted in war; and Rama's eventual return to Ayodhya along with Sita to be crowned king amidst jubilation and celebration.
Lakshmana, also spelled as Laxmana, is the younger brother of Rama and his loyalist in the Hindu epic Ramayana. He bears the epithets of Saumitra and Ramanuja. He is the twin of Shatrughna.
Kaikeyi is a princess of Kekeya Kingdom and the third consort of King Dasharatha, and a queen of Ayodhya in the Hindu epic Ramayana.
Anjana, also known as Anjani and Anjali, is the mother of Hanuman, one of the protagonists of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. She is said to have been a resident of Kishkindha in the text.
Ramcharitmanas, is an epic poem in the Awadhi language, composed by the 16th-century Indian bhakti poet Tulsidas. It has many inspirations, the primary being the Ramayana of Valmiki.
Bharata is a figure in the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana. He is the son of Dasharatha, the king of Kosala, and Kaikeyi, the daughter of King Ashvapati of Kekeya. He is a younger half-brother of Rama. He rules Ayodhya as its regent while Rama is banished from his kingdom, and fights to rescue his wife Sita, kidnapped by Ravana.
The following list consists of notable concepts that are derived from Hindu culture and associated cultures’ traditions, which are expressed as words in Sanskrit or other Indic languages and Dravidian languages. The main purpose of this list is to disambiguate multiple spellings, to make note of spellings no longer in use for these concepts, to define the concept in one or two lines, to make it easy for one to find and pin down specific concepts, and to provide a guide to unique concepts of Hinduism all in one place.
Manthara is a character in the Hindu epic Ramayana. In the epic, she is described to have convinced Queen Kaikeyi that the throne of Ayodhya belonged to her son Bharata and that her step-son—crown-prince Rama —should be exiled from the kingdom. She is portrayed as a mother-figure to Kaikeyi and her twin Yudhajit, following the banishment of their mother. She accompanied Kaikeyi to Ayodhya after her marriage to Dasharatha.
Mandavi is a princess and the elder daughter of King Kushadhvaja and Queen Chandrabhaga in the Hindu epic Ramayana. She is married to Bharata, a younger brother of Rama. Mandavi is considered to be an incarnation of the conch shell of Lakshmi.
Kausalya is the senior queen-consort of Kosala in the Hindu epic Ramayana. She is the mother of Rama, the titular hero of the epic, and the senior wife of Dasharatha, who ruled Kosala from its capital of Ayodhya.
Ayothiapattinam is a panchayat town located in Vazhapadi taluk of Salem district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. This village is called Ayothyapatinam because of famous Kodandaramaswamy Temple, and is called as the. The temple is thought to remain from the time of Ramayana and finds mention in the Valmiki Ramayana.
Rama is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being.
Rama Navami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Rama, one the most popularly revered deities in Hinduism, also known as the seventh avatar of Vishnu. He is often held as an emblem within Hinduism for being an ideal king and human through his righteousness, good conduct and virtue. The festival falls on the ninth day of the bright half of the lunar cycle of Chaitra (March–April), the first month in the Hindu calendar. It is also part of the Chaitra Navaratri festival in spring. Rama Navami is a holiday for government employees in India.
The Ananda Ramayana is authored by Valmiki Maharishi. The text has received little attention from scholars, though in some traditions, it is considered a principal source of Rama stories.
Raghuvaṃśa or Raghukula is a legendary Indian dynasty, primarily featured in Hindu scriptures such as the Itihasas and the Puranas. It is considered to be an offshoot of the Sūryavaṃśa or the Ikshvaku dynasty lineage of kings, tracing its ancestry to the sun deity Surya. Kings of the Raghuvaṃśa line are referred to as Raghuvaṃśī. The dynasty is named after Raghu, a legendary king who protected the sacrificial horse of ashvamedha from Indra. Raghuvaṃśī kings include Mandhata, Harishchandra, Sagara, Bhagiratha, Dilīpa, Raghu, Aja, Dasharatha and Rama.
Satyakāma Jābāla also known as Satyakāma Jābāli is a boy, and later a Vedic sage, who first appears in the fourth prapāṭhaka/chapter of the ancient Vedic text, the Chhāndogya Upanishad.
Jabali is a character in the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. A learned Brahmin priest and an advisor of King Dasharatha, he unsuccessfully tries to persuade Rama to give up his exile, using rational arguments.
The Jabali Upanishad, also called Jabalyupanishad, is a Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. It is attached to the Samaveda, and classified as is one of the Shaiva Upanishads.
Riddles in Hinduism is an English language book by the Indian social reformer and political leader B. R. Ambedkar, aimed at enlightening the Hindus, and challenging the sanatan (static) view of Hindu civilization circulated by "European scholars and Brahmanic theology". Ambedkar quotes various Hindu texts to criticize the "Brahmanic theology" of Hinduism. He discusses a variety of topics, including the contents, the authority, and the origin of the Hindu texts such as the Vedas; the absurdities, the contradictions, and the changing nature of the Hindu beliefs; and the discriminatory varna and the caste system, among other topics. The title of the book refers to questions ("riddles") that Ambedkar asks at the end of each chapter, encouraging the reader to think for themselves.