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Angels - the Messengers of Hari-Vasu / Eli-Yahu

By Bhakti Ananda Goswami
Editors note: The following are questions and answers from a Vaishnava forum. Hare "ris#na$ Sri Sri Guru and Gauran%a "i Jaya $ Please a e&t my #umble obeisan es' (#ank you for your %ood )uestions' * will answer t#em briefly from bot# t#e A&ostoli Cat#oli +related and ,astern -ais#nava+ entri (raditions' ... /#at kind of bein%s are t#e an%els0 ANG,! is a rat#er %eneri term for 1,SS,NG,R t#at is found in t#e Bibli al (radition2 w#ere it usually refers to a more+t#an+#uman bein% t#at is a servant of God' *t may also rarely refer to a #uman servant or messen%er of God' (#us some 3an%els3 are #uman2 and some are su&er+#uman and amon% t#ese2 t#ere are many kinds and %rades from elemental and &lanetary &rote tors2 to trans endent bein%s in t#e #i%#est #eaven of #eavens2 w#o are very lose to God' (#e ,n%lis# word ANG,! is related lin%uisti ally to t#e An%lo+Sa4on word ,NG,!2 t#e !atin word ANG,!5 and t#e Greek word AGG,!6S or AGGAR6S' AGGAR6S s#ould be om&ared to t#e an ient Persian word for a mounted ourier2 and to t#e Sanskrit word ANG*RA+s' All t#ese forms of t#e word retain t#e same meanin%2 w#i # is 1,SS,NG,R' 6n &a%es 78 and 77 in Skeat3s ,tymolo%i al 9i tionary :64ford;2 t#e etymolo%y of ANG,! is %iven wit# t#e meanin% of Sanskrit ANG*RA+s as <a messen%er from t#e %ods to men :1a 9onnell;'< *n Fr' Raimundo Panikkar3s translation of t#e -edi Hymns2 on &a%e =>?2 #e also om&ares ANG*RAS to t#e Bibli al Greek ANG,!6S2 and says t#at t#ey are t#e <'''mediators between t#e world of 1en and t#e Gods'< *n t#e -edas2 t#e ANG*RASAS are t#e sons of AGN* and t#e Fire Priests of t#e Ri% -eda :&a%es 8@ and 8A Har&er3s 9i tionary of Hinduism;' 1onier+/illiams :&a%e =; om&ares ANG*RA+s and t#e Greek AGG,!6S B AGGAR6S2 and ites t#e -edi sour es for t#e Ris#i ANG*RAS2 aut#or of Ri% -edi Hymns2 and son of Bra#ma2 w#o was sometimes mentioned as t#e fat#er of AGN* and BR*HASPA(*2 or even #umanity'

(#ese bare fa ts do not reveal t#e all+im&ortant onne tion of t#e An%irasas to -*SHN5 /6RSH*P2 to t#e uninitiated' ANG*RAS R*SH* was related to -*SHN5 /6RSH*P2 and t#e ANG*RASAS were fire &riests of -*SHN5' A%ni was onsidered t#e (on%ue of -is#nu for a e&tin% fire sa rifi es' (#e fire &riests w#o ondu ted su # rites were also alled P5R6H*(AS' Now let us onsider t#e Helleno+Semiti onne tions between t#e Proto+Cat#oli fire &riest#ood of H,!*6S or ,!*+CAH5 and t#e Ri% -edi fire sa rifi e &riest#ood of HAR* or -AS59,-A :-*SHN5;' 6ne is asso iated wit# t#e messen%er An%elos and t#e ot#er wit# t#e messen%er An%irasas A Few of the Angel Cults !elated "eity #ames and $erms *%nis Fire+Priest of Rome as #eart# Servitor !ord 5,SN6S2 Sanskrit A%ni ult of -*SHN5 Roman Flamen 9ialis2 -edi Bra#min 9evaris#i Hebrew C*SH1A2 Sanskrit -*SHN5 Hebrew ,!*2 Gre o+,%y&tian H,R* B H,!*2 Sanskrit HAR* :t#e so+ alled 3Solar and Fire3 form of 1onot#eism; Hebrew CAH5 :(6BA+CAH5;2 Greek 6usios2 Sanskrit -AS5 :-AS5+9,-A; Hebrew ADAR2 Greek 6S*R*S2 Sanskrit AS5RA :root AS5; S ri&ture Name '''Hebrew C,9A2 Greek 6*9A2 Sanskrit -,9A Fire Priest''''Greek+Jewis# PR6PH,(A2 Sanskrit P5R6H*(A Seer ''''Jewis# Hebrew R6,H2 Sanskrit R*SH* Fire2 t#e (on%ue of -is#nu '''!atin *GN*2 Sanskrit AGN* (#e Greeks alled t#e fire &riests of bot# t#e ,%y&to+Greek 9eity Helios and of t#e Jewis# 9eity ,li+Ca#u PR6PH,(AS :&ro&#ets;' (#ese &erformed t#e same kind of rites as t#e P5R6H*(AS of -*SHN5' AGG,!6S :An%els alled 1A!A" in Hebrew; were asso iated wit# t#e fire sa rifi es of Helios B ,liEa#u' *n fa t t#ese bein%s were sometimes seen as endin% or des endin% in t#e flames of t#e sa rifi ial fires' (#us t#ere is a lear onne tion between t#e messen%er ANG,!S of t#e Bibli al 9eity ,!*+ CAH5 and t#e fire sa rifi e related ANG*RAS messen%ers of HAR* or -AS5 9,-A' (#e seers or sa%es of t#e fire sa rifi e ult of Helios B ,liCa#u were alled R6,H and t#eir -edi Counter&arts were alled R*SH*2 bot# terms meanin% 3seer3' !ater t#e word PR6PH,(A for t#ese fire+sa rifi e ult 3seers3 was onfounded wit# t#e meanin% of t#eir ot#er name2 R6,H2 so t#at by asso iation2 t#e Bibli al use of t#e word for fire+ &riest ame to mean S,,R B PR6PH,(' (#e meanin% of 3messen%er3 in %eneral and s&e ifi ally a messen%er of -is#nu and t#e -asudevas is onsistent in t#e ommon Sanskrit usa%e2 and arries t#rou%# t#e Persian :w#ere very early AH5RA God3s messen%ers #ad win%s2 for e4am&le see t#e Fravars#i of Cyrus t#e Great at Parsa%ard;2

and is &reserved in t#e Gre o+Jewis# and Cat#oli (raditions' *n Judaism3s oldest s ri&tures t#e An%els are alled 1A!A" in Hebrew' AGG,!6S is used to translate t#e Hebrew 1A!A" many times in t#e Greek 36ld (estament3 Bible Se&tua%int and A&o ry&#a' *n t#e New (estament AG,!!6S is translated 3an%el3 8=8 times and 3messen%er3 F times' Be%innin% in t#e first Book of t#e Bible G,N,S*S : om&are JAN5S and GAN,SHA as t#e Patrons of S ri&ture2 /ritin%2 and all Creations and Be%innin% ,ndeavors; t#e Hebrew word 1A!A" is translated as ANG,! 888 times2 as 1,SS,NG,R ?= times and as A1BASSA96R A times' 1A!A" is also asso iated wit# royalty :as ambassadors of God;2 see 3be%in to rei%n3 7=A times and to 3make kin%3 @? times' : Find any of t#ese numbers in a %ood Bibli al on ordan e wit# a Greek and Hebrew !e4i on'; ANG,! or 1,SS,NG,R is really a very %eneri term2 and is used as su # in t#e Bible' *t may be used for every kind of elestial and a tually #eavenly :trans endental; bein%2 and even for #uman messen%ers of God' ANG,! may even be used for 3rebellious3 an%els or a%ents of deat# and destru tion2 su # as t#e 3an%el of deat#3' !et us look at some of t#ese different kinds of an%els2 or uses for t#e word an%el as a messen%er2 and es&e ially a messen%er of t#e (rue God' *n t#e Bible3s Cat#oli A&o aly&se :Protestant Book of Revelation; a H51AN ANG,! AR*S,S FR61 (H, ,AS( AN9 S,A!S :by anointin%; (H, ,!,C( 6F G69 *N (H,*R F6R,H,A9S /*(H <(H, NA1, 6F (H, !*-*NG G69<' (H*S H51AN ANG,! AS A P5R6H*(A B PR6PH,( *N (H, ANC*,N( (RA9*(*6N 6F C6NS,CRA(*6N BC AN6*N(*NG /65!9 B, AN ANG*RASA' AS A F*R,+ PR*,S( R,PR,S,N(A(*-, 6F (H, BRAH1A SA1PRA9ACA2 SR*!A PRABH5PA9A /AS AN ANG*RASA : bein% in t#e !ine of t#e An%irasas;' H, *N*(*A(,9 AN9 AN6*N(,9 ACC6R9*NG (6 (H, R*G -,9*C P5R5SHA S5"(A F*R, SACR*F*C, (RA9*(*6N2 (H5S R,-*-*NG (H, ANC*,N( H,!!,N6+S,1*(*C R*(, :R*(CA *N SANS"R*(; 6F (H, PR6(6+CA(H6!*C 1,9*(,RRAN,AN F6R1 6F -A*SHNA-*S1' H, /AS A H51AN ANG*RASA B 1,SS,NG,R /H6 AR6S, FR61 (H, ,AS( AN9 CA1, /,S( AN6*N(*NG AN9 S,A!*NG P,6P!, 9,-6(,9 (6 G69 *N (H,*R F6R,H,A9S /*(H (H, SA1, 1AN51*SS*6N 1AR" (HA( (H, ANC*,N( H,!*6S AN9 ,!*CAH5 /6RSH*P,RS 5S,9 (6 /,AR $ F6R (H, ANC*,N( 1,9*(,RRAN,AN 9,-6(,,S2 (H, 35R9H-A (*!A"A3 353 or 3C3 or 3-3 1AR" /AS (H, S*GN 6F (H, NA1, 6F (H, !*-*NG G69 CAH5 (H,6S B -AS5 9,-A B /AS5 (H,6S $ *( /AS 5S,9 BC J,/S2 PC(HAG6R,ANS AN9 6(H,R H,!*6S B ,!*CAH5 /6RSH*P,RS' (H, G5R5 1,SS,NG,R /H6 *N*(*A(,S *N (H, !*N, 6F BRAH1A AN9 AGN* B (H, R*G -,9*C P5R5SHA SACR*F*C,S 1AC B, C6NS*9,R,9 A H51AN ANG*RASA 6R ANG,!6S B ANG,!' SACR,9 (RA9*(*6N (,!!S 5S (HA( 6N, PASSAG, 6F SCR*P(5R, CAN HA-, 16R, (HAN 6N, 1,AN*NG AN9 (HA( (H6S, 1,AN*NGS CAN A!S6 B, (*1,+AN9+P!AC, R,!A(,9' (H, B66" 6F R,-,!A(*6N PASSAG, AB65( (H, ANG,! AR*S*NG :N6( 9,SC,N9*NG $; AN9 S,A!*NG (H, 9,-6(,,S *N (H,*R F6R,H,A9S /*(H (H, <NA1, 6F (H, !*-*NG G69<2 C,R(A*N!C HAS 6N, S*GN*F*CANC, *N R,!A(*6NSH*P (6 SR*!A PRABH5PA9A $ (H, !6G*C 6F *( CANN6( B, 9,N*,92 B5( (H*S

R,A9*NG 96,S N6( R5!, 65( 6(H,R R,A9*NGS 6F C65RS,' *n Jewis# 1ysti ism t#ere are also F7 An%els wit# t#e Names of God' (#ese An%els3 Holy Names ontain elements of t#e ,! :HAR*; Name2 and t#e CAH5 :-AS5; Name' For e4am&le 1*CHA,! is a om&ound of t#e Names 1*CHA and ,!' (#ere are s ores of su # om&ound (#eo&#ori Names in t#e Bible and Jewis# B /est Semiti Sa red (radition' ,a # one of t#ese om&ound ,! and Ca#u Names reveals somet#in% else about t#e ,!*CAH5 G69H,A9' *n t#e Judeo+Cat#oli (radition2 t#e an%els were also revealers of G692 and t#e %uides and &rote tors of reation and #umankind' An%els like t#e so+ alled 3Solar3 -asu 9evas2 Suras or Adityas &resided over all of t#e elements2 every or%an and limb2 every &erson and family2 #ouse2 ommunity and nation2 &lanet and universe' ... 9oes every &erson #ave #is own an%el &rote tor like C#ristians say0 Ces' Su # an%els ame to be alled 3%uardian an%els3 in elaborate Cat#oli an%elolo%y' (#e do trine of t#ese %uardians in relations#i& to &rote tin% devas as t#e %ood a%ents of God in -ais#navism #as been e4amined by -ais#nava -edi Astrolo%ers and Jewis# S #olars like *sa 9asa :Jewis#; and Jeffery Armstron% :Astrolo%er;' * #ave &ersonally dis ussed t#e Judeo+Cat#oli do trine of &residin% An%els from t#e -ais#nava view&oint of &residin% 9evas wit# numerous Jewis# and Cat#oli e4&erts t#rou%#out t#e years2 and it #as always been a%reed t#at t#ese &rote tin% &lanetary2 &ersonal and elemental devas are t#e same as some of t#e &residin% or %uardian an%els of t#e Judeo+ Cat#oli (radition' ... S#ould we &ray to t#em0 /e s#ould never &ray to t#em as se&arate from or2 e)ual to t#e Su&reme !ord2 but we an venerate :not 3adore3 ; t#em2 and &ray to t#em as %reat devotees and a%ents of t#e !ord' (#us t#e Cat#oli C#ur # a tually en oura%es &rayin% for t#e #el& of one3s %uardian an%el' (#ere are many ot#er bein%s %enerally alled 3an%els3 in t#e Judeo+Cat#oli (radition' Some of t#ese are #ierar #i ally ranked as :#i%#est to lowest; Sera&#im2 C#erubim2 (#rones2 t#en 9ominions2 -irtues2 Powers2 and lastly Prin i&alities2 Ar #an%els and An%els' (#ey may be venerated :wors#i&ed a&&ro&riately; by t#e fait#ful2 Eust as Saints may be venerated as t#e servants2 sons and dau%#ters2 friends2 &arents or even brides of God in t#e Cat#oli (radition' ... An%els are "ris#naGs servants2 one is His asso iate and t#e ot#er2 #ave mana%ed to mer%e into t#e !ord3s bra#maEyoti' And an%els float' 6ne is floatin% and flyin% in fields of Goloka -rindavana2 and t#e ot#er is floatin% and flyin% around a bottomless &it2 w#i # is t#e abyss or #ell' 9o you #ave t#erefore an an%el w#i # is a&&li able to bot# of t#e above0 * re ommend t#at you read t#e story of Ra#u+"etu2 kee&in% t#e story of Satan3s astin%+out+of+#eaven in mind' S,(5 B ",(5 and #is minions t#e RAH5S be ome t#e ar #+enemies of Hari and t#e Sura%ana B %ods' ... *t means t#at an%els are not like C#ristians say wit# t#e win%s2 in w#ite lot#0 Sin e t#ere are ountless an%els of many kinds2 w#y not 0 /#y reEe t t#e i ono%ra&#i tradition of t#e w#ite robed win%ed bein%s0 *s t#ere not enou%# room in all t#e various #eavens for some an%els wit# w#ite robes and win%s0 *n an ient ,%y&t2 *srael and Juda#2 Ananta S#es#a Na%a was sometimes de&i ted wit# win%s and t#en alled a S,RAPH' (#is /in%ed Ser&ent Form of His in C#ina is t#e Good 9ra%on of 1ot#er

"uan Cin' *n t#e early Sumerian and Assyrian and Persian (raditions2 and in ,%y&t t#e !ord and His e4&ansions or re&resentatives were sometimes de&i ted as #avin% multi&le arms or limbs and some of t#ese were sometimes win%s or win%s wit# #ands' (#us t#e !ion+Headed wrat#ful Form of God as (ime in t#ese areas sometimes #ad multi&le arms and sometimes multi&le win%s2 and sometimes win%+arms :wit# #ands; and sometimes bot# win%s and arms' Si4 was a ommon number' * #ave &ersonally seen t#ese kinds of an ient * ons of t#e !ord wit# si4 limbs : arms2 or win%s2 or win%s and arms; many times in my studies' *t is often &urely &reEudi e t#at blinds &eo&le to re o%niHin% G69 w#en #e a&&ears before t#em in His unfamiliar 1ulti+Form' Be o&en to God $ 6&en your #earts and 1inds my dear brot#ers and you will be%in to see Him everyw#ere$ 9o not let your minds di tate to God w#at He an look like2 or w#om He an #oose for His devotees2 and w#at t#ey an look like $ ... Remember AEamila0 AEamila was brou%#t to t#e su&reme ourt to be Eud%ed by !ord CamaraEa2 #avin% been a used of ommittin% a ts w#i # offended Good *tself' AEamila was a -ais#nava but later in #is life for%ot about t#e instru tions %iven to #im by Good itself' *n fa t2 AEamila was an adulterer but be ause of #is bein% a -ais#nava2 #is sin was abominable w#en om&ared to t#ose w#o were devoid of %ood ons iousness' ,ventually AEamila was saved after #e uttered GoodIs Holy JNameKL Narayana' *nstantly t#e -is#nudutas arrived to sto& t#e Camadutas from brin%in% AEamila to t#e ourt room &resided by !ord CamaraEa' (#e rest t#erefore is #istory' *n ot#er words2 if you read Srimad B#a%avatam om&iled by %ood #imself2 A'C' B#aktivedanta Swami Prab#u&ada2 did you ever see t#ese an%els2 Camadutas and -isnudutas2 s&ortin% win%s0 6f ourse not$ /#en a lan%ua%e3s word for Ma&&enda%eG or MlimbG is non+s&e ifi 2 t#en t#e same S#astri des ri&tion may be i ono%ra&#i ally rendered wit# any ombination of arms2 win%s2 or bot#2 or om&osite win%s+wit#+#ands2 w#i # are very ommon in t#e -ais#nava+related (raditions from Persia to ,uro&e and Afri a' (#ere is also a &i torial &un in t#e root of t#e Names 3An%el3 and 3An%iras32 be ause ANGA an also mean 3limb3' Commonly in t#e ,ast2 t#e -is#nu 9utas #ave four arms2 w#ile in t#e 1editerranean t#e 1essen%ers of ,li+Ca#u :t#e Bibli al 9eity; #ave two arms and two win%s' An ient * ons of Bibli al Sera&#im :An%els; often #ave #ands on or under t#eir win%s2 and may #ave two arms and four to si4 win%s or win%s+wit#+#ands' Anantadeva as t#e ,%y&to+Jewis# Sera&#i Ses#a Na #as# :Sar&a S#es#a Na%a; was de&i ted as a Giant ,%y&tian Cobra2 /#o sometimes #ad /*NGS or /*NGS /*(H HAN9S' /#en Anantadeva was de&i ted wit# win%s2 He was alled a 9RAG6N2 or elestial Na%a' He was wors#i&ed t#is way by t#e an ient Jews and ,%y&tians2 and is still wors#i&ed t#is way :wit# win%s; t#rou%#out t#e 6rient B Budd#ist !ands' 3An%a3 meanin% 3limb3 #as anot#er meanin% from w#at is folded2 urved or bent' (#us in ,n%lis#2 AN"!, and ANG!, are bot# from t#is root' (#e -is#nuduta and Camaduta messen%ers of -is#nu and Cama would )ualify as kinds of an%els' (#e -is#nu 9utas #ave a form like t#e !ord3s' (#ey look like Jaya and -iEaya in -aikunt#a' (#e Guards in front of an ient Pure !and Budd#ist S#rines used to look Eust like Jaya and -iEaya' * saw many of t#ese w#ile studyin% Pure !and Budd#ist ar #aeolo%i al sites in Sri !anka and Ne&al' (#e Guards or Fravars#is outside t#e t#rone rooms in Pre+Doroastian and Doroastrian Persia and ,%y&t would often #ave win%s instead of more t#an two arms' 6f ourse in Cat#oli ism2 3An%els3 %uard bot#

t#e %ates of t#e Heavenly Jerusalem2 w#ere God is wors#i&ed in awe and reveren e as t#e "in% of "in%s :BAS*!,6S BAS*!,6S N -AS59,-A 6F (H, -AS59,-AS;2 and t#ey also %uard t#e &assa%e way to t#e Garden of Paradise' (#ere2 God s&orts wit# His Brides and Brides+1aidens and dan es His sa red CH6R5S B H6RA C*RC!, 9ANC,2 t#e CAR6!*NG 3An%eli Round3 of God as "65R5+A5!6S' (#e word 3CAR6!3 is derived from "65R5+A5!6S2 be ause t#e !ord2 as t#e ,ver New Beauty and O!over of t#e soul2 led His sa red CHA"RA B "C"!6S or Cir le 9an e :CH6R5S; w#ile P!AC*NG 6N H*S F!5(, B A5!6S $ (#e * ono%ra&#i variations within *ndian -ais#navism are so e4treme2 t#at it is sim&ly illo%i al to dismiss * ono%ra&#i variations from outside *ndia as some#ow less sa red t#an t#ose from inside *ndia' (#e !ord #as infinite Forms and Names2 and His devotees do too $ (#e same &rin i&le of simultaneous oneness+and+differen e a&&lies to differen es in Form2 olor2 #air2 de oration and dress2 et ' (#e !ord3s Forms are so astoundin%ly varie%ated wit#in t#e ,astern B#akti (raditions2 t#at it is sim&ly ridi ulous to disallow Him t#e same de%ree of differen e outside of t#e ,astern (raditions' O(#e Bibli al S#astri referen e for t#e !ord as t#e eternal Beautiful Cout# and !over is t#e <Son% of Son%s<2 <Son% of Solomon<2 or <Canti le of Canti les< found in t#e Hebrew or Greek Jewis# S ri&tures2 and in t#e Cat#oli B C#ristian Bible 36ld (estament3' Cat#oli t#eolo%ians #ave always referred to t#e <Son%3s< tradition of God as !over as 3Bridal 1ysti ism3' SR* SR* G5R5 AN9 GA5RANGA "* JACA $