A Vaishnava View of Gan Eden
This page quotes Chapter 11 in its entirety from http://www.equalsouls.org
The author is in the Vaishnava tradition,
meaning those who venerate Vishnu or Krishna. The author shows the
correspondences between Gan Eden as a Paradise in Jewish tradition, and
how it is similar to the Paradise of the Hindu Vaishnava tradition.
The chapter consists of a dialogue between the Vaishnava devotee, the author,
and a rabbi.
THE GARDEN OF EDEN AND VRINDAVAN
DEVOTEE: Rabbi, the Vedas clearly and explicitly describe the spiritual world, the eternal abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the activities of the Lord and His devotees there. Do the Jewish scriptures give us any information about the spiritual kingdom of God and what activities take place there?
RABBI: Yes, the Jewish scriptures do describe an eternal place where God takes pleasure in being with righteous souls. R. Simeon says in the Zohar that it is written: "King Solomon made him a palanquin (apiryon) of the trees of Lebanon. He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love by the daughters of Jerusalem" [S.S. III, 9,10] Apiryon symbolizes the Palace below which is formed in the likeness of the Palace above. This the Holy one, blessed be He, calls 'The Garden of Eden,' for He created it in order to satisfy His own ardent desire for joyous and continual communion with the souls of the righteous who have their abode there--these being those souls who have no bodies in this world. These all ascend and are crowned in that place of perfect delight, and have each their appointed places from whence they can perceive the "loveliness of the Lord", and partake of all the delicious streams of pure balsam (aparsamon). This aparsamon symbolizes the hidden Supernal Palace, whereas apiryon is the Palace below." [Zohar 127a Terumah (Exodus)] In other words, there is a Garden of Eden in the eternal spiritual kingdom of God, and there is also a manifestation of the Garden of Eden that exists within the material world.
DEVOTEE: In the spiritual world, everything is self-effulgent and there is no need for the (*) sun, moon, nor electricity. There is a spiritual world where God and His devotees eternally enjoy together. The highest level of the spiritual realm is the spiritual planet known as Goloka Vrindavan. The spiritual world also exists within this material world. One such place is known as Vrindavan or Gokula Vrindavan. When Lord Krsna comes to this world, He does not come alone, but He brings with Him all of His associates and paraphernalia to perform loving pastimes with His devotees. Those who have become pure devotees of the Lord while in this material world, go back to the spiritual world to be permanently with God. According to Lord Krsna, in the Bhagavad-gita, "After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection." [Bg. 18.15]
RABBI: You said that the pure devotees of God engage in intimate loving pastimes with Him. The Jewish scriptures describe a dance that the Lord prepares for the righteous in the hereafter. It is stated, "In the hereafter, the Holy One, blessed be He, will arrange for a dance for the righteous in Gan Eden." [Every Man's Talmud, XI, VI}. Do the Vedas describe any dance arranged by God for the righteous?
DEVOTEE: Yes, there is an intimate dance known as the Rasa-Lila dance performed by the Lord and some of His intimate devotees. I will not go into detail about that dance, but the important point to understand here is that having become perfected souls, or souls who have revived their perfect love for Lord Krsna, they became qualified to associate intimately with the Lord in devotion. In fact, the Lord prefers to associate with His pure devotees in intimate loving relationships rather than to be worshiped in awe and reverence. But that is only for the perfected souls. Until we have perfected our lives, we must worship the Lord with great awe and reverence and strictly follow His laws.
RABBI: In reference to God's desire to associate with the righteous intimately it is described in the Jewish scriptures: "The Holy One, blessed be He, will walk with the righteous in Gan Eden in the Hereafter; and the righteous, on beholding Him, will retreat in terror before Him. But He will call to them, 'See, I am the same as you!'
The above statement is in the Torah, while also emphasizing the need to be extremely reverent and fearful of God. This seems to imply that in both Hinduism and Judaism the righteous, the pure in heart, can look forward to associating intimately with the Lord in the eternal spiritual realm.
DEVOTEE: As we are all pleasure seeking living entities, it is most important to understand that in the spiritual realm there is unlimited pleasure and variety. Otherwise, no one would want to go there. Generally, people think of the spiritual world as being impersonal or void, because they have a very vague idea, at best, of what really goes on there. If we do not understand what goes on in the spiritual world, our tendency may be to consider it similar to this temporary material world which is so full of miseries. Why would anyone want to practice religious or spiritual life seriously if they thought that it would lead them to another situation similar to what we presently experience? Therefore, the Vedas give vivid descriptions of the spiritual world, while teaching us the means by which we can qualify ourselves to return there. One picturesque description of the spiritual world is found in the Brahma-samhita, where it is stated, "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending the cows, yielding all desires, in abodes built with spiritual gems and surrounded by millions of purpose trees. He is always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune." [Brahma-samhita 5.29]
RABBI: The Jewish scriptures state, "The virgins without number" are those angelic hosts of whom it is said, "Is there a number to his bands?" [Job.XXV, 3] Perhaps this Jewish reference is related to the goddesses of fortune mentioned in the verse you just quoted.
* Also New Testament quote Rev. 22: 5:
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Earthly paradise in the Book of Enoch
Prefallen Eden was literally paradisal. All the creatures followed Deity's covenant to eat only plants. The "purpose trees" of the Brahma-samhita mentioned above may be compared to the trees which Deity gave all creatures to eat in Eden. The trees may also be compared to the many trees made for creatures that are described in the Book of Enoch. As has been asserted elsewhere, the Deity of Enoch has numerous aspects in common with Shiva. Shiva is associated with flames and tongues of fire that are seen in Enoch, with teaching vegetarianism and condemning bloodshed, as does Enoch, and as presenting the creatures of earth with numerous trees for their sustenance and pleasure. Shiva is known as Lord of the Trees, and the very name of the Jewish Feast of Trees, T'ub Shevat has the Shiva root in it. There are frequent references to trees in the Book of Enoch.
Observe and see how (in the winter) all the trees seem as though they had withered and shed all their leaves, except fourteen trees, which do not lose their foliage but retain the old foliage from two to three years till the new comes. Chapter 3In chapter 10 Enoch describes what will occur when the fallen angels are punished. The earth will return to its original paradisal purity. The passage also contains what is probably the prototype of the "righteous bough" imagery that exists in the Jewish and Christian traditions.1 Observe ye how the trees cover themselves with green leaves and bear fruit: wherefore give ye heed and know with regard to all His works, and recognize how He that liveth for ever hath made them so. Chapter 5
And destroy all the spirits of the reprobate and the children of the Watchers, because 16 they have wronged mankind. Destroy all wrong from the face of the earth and let every evil work come to an end: and let the plant of righteousness and truth appear: and it shall prove a blessing; the works of righteousness and truth' shall be planted in truth and joy for evermore. 17 And then shall all the righteous escape, and shall live till they beget thousands of children, and all the days of their youth and their old age shall they complete in peace. 18 And then shall the whole earth be tilled in righteousness, and shall all be planted with trees and 19 be full of blessing. And all desirable trees shall be planted on it, and they shall plant vines on it: and the vine which they plant thereon shall yield wine in abundance, and as for all the seed which is sown thereon each measure (of it) shall bear a thousand, and each measure of olives shall yield 20 ten presses of oil... Chapter 10Chapters 24 and 25 of the Book of Enoch show us the Tree of Life that John of Patmos describes in "Revelations," whose fruit will be shared with the elect in the final days after the time of tribulation:
And the seventh mountain was in the midst of these, and it excelled them 4 in height, resembling the seat of a throne: and fragrant trees encircled the throne. And amongst them was a tree such as I had never yet smelt, neither was any amongst them nor were others like it: it had a fragrance beyond all fragrance, and its leaves and blooms and wood wither not for ever: 5 and its fruit is beautiful, and its fruit resembles the dates of a palm. Then I said: 'How beautiful is this tree, and fragrant, and its leaves are fair, and its blooms very delightful in appearance.' 6 Then answered Michael, one of the holy and honoured angels who was with me, and was their leader. Chapter 24(My commentary: compare the above verse above with Revelations, chapter 21:4 "He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more.")1 And he said unto me: 'Enoch, why dost thou ask me regarding the fragrance of the tree, 2 and why dost thou wish to learn the truth?' Then I answered him saying: 'I wish to 3 know about everything, but especially about this tree.' And he answered saying: 'This high mountain which thou hast seen, whose summit is like the throne of God, is His throne, where the Holy Great One, the Lord of Glory, the Eternal King, will sit, when He shall come down to visit 4 the earth with goodness. And as for this fragrant tree no mortal is permitted to touch it till the great judgement, when He shall take vengeance on all and bring (everything) to its consummation 5 for ever. It shall then be given to the righteous and holy. Its fruit shall be for food to the elect: it shall be transplanted to the holy place, to the temple of the Lord, the Eternal King. 6 Then shall they rejoice with joy and be glad,
And into the holy place shall they enter; and its fragrance shall be in their bones,
And they shall live a long life on earth, such as thy fathers lived: and in their days shall no sorrow or plague or torment or calamity touch them.'
7 Then blessed I the God of Glory, the Eternal King, who hath prepared such things for the righteous, and hath created them and promised to give to them. Chapter 25
1 And thence I went towards the east, into the midst of the mountain range of the desert, and 2 I saw a wilderness and it was solitary, full of trees and plants. And water gushed forth from 3 above. Rushing like a copious watercourse [which flowed] towards the north-west it caused clouds and dew to ascend on every side. Chapter 28And in chapter 32 Enoch refers to what "Genesis" describes as the tree of the knowledge of the good and evil. As the reader can see the Ethiopic Book of Enoch is a constant commentary on the religious history of the Jews. Just as the selection in chapter 32 dealt with the tree of life seen in "Revelations," written by the Jewish Christian, John of Patmos; so too1 And thence I went to another place in the desert, and approached to the east of this mountain 2 range. And there I saw aromatic trees exhaling the fragrance of frankincense and myrrh, and the trees also were similar to the almond tree. Chapter 29
1,2 And beyond these, I went afar to the east, and I saw another place, a valley (full) of water. And 3 therein there was a tree, the colour (?) of fragrant trees such as the mastic. And on the sides of those valleys I saw fragrant cinnamon. And beyond these I proceeded to the east. Chapter 30
1 And I saw other mountains, and amongst them were groves of trees, and there flowed forth from 2 them nectar, which is named sarara and galbanum. And beyond these mountains I saw another mountain to the east of the ends of the earth, whereon were aloe-trees, and all the trees were full 3 of stacte, being like almond-trees. And when one burnt it, it smelt sweeter than any fragrant odour. Chapter 31
1 And after these fragrant odours, as I looked towards the north over the mountains I saw seven mountains full of choice nard and fragrant trees and cinnamon and pepper. 2 And thence I went over the summits of all these mountains, far towards the east of the earth, and passed above the Erythraean sea and went far from it, and passed over the angel Zotiel. And I came to the Garden of Righteousness, 3 and from afar off trees more numerous than these trees and great--two trees there, very great, beautiful, and glorious, and magnificent, and the tree of knowledge, whose holy fruit they eat and know great wisdom. 4 That tree is in height like the fir, and its leaves are like (those of) the Carob tree: and its fruit 5 is like the clusters of the vine, very beautiful: and the fragrance of the tree penetrates afar. Then 6 I said: 'How beautiful is the tree, and how attractive is its look!' Then Raphael the holy angel, who was with me, answered me and said: 'This is the tree of wisdom, of which thy father old (in years) and thy aged mother, who were before thee, have eaten, and they learnt wisdom and their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked and they were driven out of the garden.' Chapter 32One could write an entire volume demonstrating the righteous bough imagery, which is pervasive in Old Testament. The righteous bough is an image used by Moses, by David, by the late Jewish prophets, and by the Essenes, and by Jesus in his "I am the vine and you are the branches" image. It is probable that the teachings of Enoch are the actual main source of the righteous bough imagery in Judaism.
The Paradisal Gardens of Gan Eden in the Koran
The works of Enoch, as this volume has demonstrated, were a primary religious text for the pure remnant of Judaism and Christianity. So too did Muhammad revere Enoch and he numerous times referred to paradisal gardens in the Koran to which the pure of heart would ultimately go. The vast majority of these references have nothing to say about cattle or fowl. The fact that Muhammad's preferred diet was vegetarian, that he warned Muslims that meat was hard on the body, that scriptures in the Koran refer to all creatures as families and condemn the shedding of blood, and that in his "miraculous night journey" Muhammad visits Enoch himself in the heavenly realms all suggest that the original Koran taught vegetarianism. For if Muhammad referred to Enoch as an authority, and he undoubtedly does in his "miraculous night journey," then he accepted the morality of Enoch, a morality which condemned bloodshed, and therefore animal sacrifices.
2: 25: And give glad tidings (O Muhammad) unto those who believe and do good works; that theirs are Gardens underneath which rivers flow; as often as they are regaled with food of the fruit thereof, they say: This is what was given us afortime; and it is given to them in resemblance. There for them are pure companions; there for ever they abide.Those who are of the pure Jain tradition, or who refer to the Ethiopic Book of Enoch as the perfect description of Paradise know there is no place for earthly mined metals such as gold, or mined gems, in Paradise, since mining is a predatory act upon the earth. Mining the earth, that is, the ground, on our planet for so-called precious metals means one excavates, digs, and disturbs nature as it exists, disturbing, displacing, even killing creatures living in the area that is being excavated. In the Ethiopic Book of Enoch it is the fallen angels who introduce industry, such as mining and the making of weaponry to humans. Knowing this, it cannot be said that the presence of precious metals or gems in a scenario of the earth after the final days means that the description is spurious, since the scenario involves the presence of angelic beings who have access to these metals or gems in a non-human manner. While the author of the revised "Book of Genesis" introduced mining in order to strenghthen the notion of the rewriters that humans had a divine right to disturb the harmony of earth by subduing it and having dominion over its creatures, the authors of the Brahma-samhita and "Revelations" are using the gems and metals in order to denote the beauty and preciousness of the Paradise.3: 198 But those who keep their duty to their Lord, for them are Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will be safe for ever. A gift of welcome from their Lord.
4: 13 These are the limits (imposed by) Allah. Whoso obeyeth Allah and His messenger, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow, where such will dwell for ever. That will be the great success.
4: 57 And as for those who believe and do good works, We shall make them enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow--to dwell therein for ever; there for them are pure companions--and We shall make them enter plenteous shade.
4:122 But as for those who believer and do good works We shall bring them into gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever. It is a promise from Allah in truth; and who can be more truthful than Allah in utterance?
5: 119 Allah saith: This is a day in which their truthfulness profiteth the truthful, for theirs are Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they are secure for ever, allah taking pleasure in them and they in Him. That is the great triumph.