The Garuda Purana & Christianity

Garuda Purana is also known to be called as Sathrika Purana (Derived from Satya - Truth and hrika meaning shame) and colloquially as Garud Puran. It consists of 19000 slokas and is divided in two parts or khandas namely Poorva Khanda and Uttara Khanda (Poorva means 'Former' and Urrara means 'Reply'). The first part of the Puran covers the teachings of Lord Vishnu to Garuda (the King of Birds), his Vahana (means of converyance). The second part covers the details of the reason for birth and death, the journey of the soul after death and reincarnation. This part contains the slokas which are recited after the death of a person.

After having all his questions answered, Guruda took the blessings of Lord Vishnu and thanked him for imparting the knowledge about the whereabouts of an individuals 'Soul' after leaving this physical form. Garuda then enlightened Sage Kashyapa with this knowledge and thus the name of this Puran is attributed to him as Garuda Puran. Sage Kashyap spread his learning to the other Sages, Brihu and Vashishta. Vashishta passed the learning's to Vamadeva, who passed it on to Parashar. Parashar spread the message to Vedavyas, who had it compiled with the help of Romaharshan (Also known as Sootaji and Romaharshana). Let us give our thanks to these great souls for imparting this knowledge on to us.

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The Garuda Purana clearly categorizes the types of crimes and the sinful activities the human commit during their mortal lifetimes and depicts in graphic narrative, the subsequent rewards for such immoral actions. This great text acts as a walkthrough guide from the time the soul leaves the body, till such time it attains rebirth and reincarnation. It explains in great detail, the deeds rendered by Lords Yama and his servants, to the soul; each as according to the accrued Karmas and results of actions performed.

The resultant manifestation is again expected to live righteously upon subsequent rebirth. However, the vanity (Samsara) and 'Maya' again enshrouds reality; only for the soul to sin and transgress again in this material form.

This great scripture also teaches us how to live a life of righteous behavior and to eventually gain the rightful realms of 'Moksha or Salvation. This in many ways is the individual soul's great 'Mahabharata' or the 'Great Battle'.

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In a similar context to the great Indian text, the Book of Revelation talks about the need for the human soul to be 'faithful unto death' and for subsequent 'crown of life'. According to the Christian teachings, the human body is referred to as the Church and that the 'Kingdom of God' is within that temple'. Which; righteously refers to the 'Soul within' as equated to a godly being.

The Book of revelation opens with the discussion about seven churches, each referring to the seven types of individuals and their demeanors. Whilst discussing and depicting the various protagonists and their sinful activities; the book of Revelation exemplifies each person's actions and their subsequent rewards after life; only to be sent back again in another avatar.

The Prophet Amos explains clearly when he says in Chapter 4: 11 - "I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were a as a firebrand out of the burning; yet have ye not returned to me, saith the Lord".

Each Soul, after being though hellish environs after death, is supposed to shun sin and behave righteously. However, once the new 'Maya' shrouds us, we begin to sin again. This is the self-same message being said in the Bible and in the ancient Puranas.

In these dark times of the 'Kali Yuga', only 'Truth' is the last tenet left alive. Pray that it eventually prevails, and helps up realize that we all are a part of the great 'ONE'.

Thank you and may God bless your quest!

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