The blog to end all blogs. Reviews and comments about all and everything. This blog is NOT affiliated with YouTube, Wikipedia, Microsoft Bing, Gemini, ChatGPT or any commercial vendor! Links don´t imply endorsement. Many posts and comments are ironic. The blogger is not responsible for comments made by others. The languages used are English and Swedish. Content warning: Essentially everything.
- Yes, sir, there are barn owls in India. Any objection?
So I let both Gemini and ChatGPT cast my Vedic birth chart (again), and then I told ChatGPT to comment Gemini´s interpretation. This has led to an extremely funny mini-war between the two AI´s (or rather LLMs). The very short form is that Gemini takes a "moderate" "cook-book" approach to astrology, while ChatGPT (even in its free version) is more "edgy" and "radical". It´s almost as if the latter system wants me to sign up with some Tantric cult or something! LOL. Don´t worry, I´m going to keep to the broad right-hand path, thank you very much.
Was Ramalinga (Vallalar) a Hindu or did he found an independent tradition?
Ramalinga Swamigal (1823–1874), affectionately known as Vallalar, occupies a unique space in Indian spirituality.Whether he was a Hindu or founded an independent tradition is a matter of perspective, as his life followed an evolutionary arc from orthodox Shaivism to a universal, non-sectarian path.
1. His Hindu Roots (Early Life)
Vallalar began his journey firmly within the Hindu fold, specifically the Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta tradition.
Devotion to Deities: As a child and young man, he was a fervent devotee of Lord Muruga and Lord Shiva (Nataraja).
The Thiruvarutpa: His massive collection of 5,818 poems, the Thiruvarutpa, begins with traditional hymns to Hindu deities.
Lineage: He is often categorized as part of the Gnana Siddhar lineage—a group of Tamil mystics who remained within the broad umbrella of Hinduism but frequently challenged its outward rituals and caste structures.
2. The Shift to "Suddha Sanmargam" (Later Life)
As his realizations deepened, Vallalar moved away from sectarian labels.He founded an organization called the Samarasa Suddha Sanmarga Sathya Sangam (Society for Pure Truth in Universal Self-hood).
Rejection of Scriptures: In his later years, he explicitly advised his followers to disregard the Vedas, Agamas, and Puranas, arguing that they were "vitiated by an admixture of truths and falsehoods" and had become tools for social division.
Abolition of Caste: He was one of the fiercest 19th-century critics of the caste system, which he viewed as a human-made barrier to the "Unity of Souls."
Formless Worship: He replaced idol worship with the worship of Arutperum Jyothi (The Supreme Grace Light). In his temple at Vadalur, there is no statue; instead, devotees gaze upon a burning lamp, symbolizing the inner light of the soul.
3. Was it a New Religion?
Linguistically and legally, Vallalar’s movement is often treated as a reformist branch of Hinduism, similar to the Brahmo Samaj or Arya Samaj. However, Vallalar himself intended it to be a Universal Path (Samarasa) that transcended all established religions.
"Religion is Darkness": He famously declared that "religions themselves are darkness" because they separate humans from one another.
Independent Identity: Many of his modern followers consider Suddha Sanmargam an independent spiritual science centered on Jeeva Karunyam (compassion for all living beings) and the quest for physical immortality.
Summary Table
Feature
Early Vallalar (Hindu)
Later Vallalar (Sanmarga)
Object of Worship
Shiva, Muruga, Vinayaka
Arutperum Jyothi (Grace Light)
Scriptural Basis
Periya Puranam, Tevaram
Direct Experience of Truth
View on Rituals
Performed temple worship
Forbade rituals and idol worship
Dietary Focus
Standard vegetarianism
Strict Ahimsa (No killing even for medicine)
The Verdict: While he is a "Hindu saint" by heritage and cultural context, his mature philosophy was an independent, post-religious tradition designed to replace the sectarianism of his day.
His legacy is most visible today in the Sathya Dharma Salai at Vadalur, where a kitchen fire he lit in 1867 has been kept burning continuously for over 150 years to feed the hungry—regardless of their religion or caste.
What is the Gnana Siddhar lineage?
The Gnana Siddhars (or Jñana Siddhars) are a group of revolutionary mystical poets from the Tamil-speaking regions of South India. The word Siddha comes from the Sanskrit Siddhi, meaning "perfection" or "attainment."
Unlike mainstream Hindu priests who focused on rituals and temple worship, the Siddhars were the "rebels" of the spiritual world. They sought Siddhi—a total mastery over the body, mind, and the elements—through yoga, alchemy, and deep meditation.
1. Key Philosophy: "The Body is a Temple"
While many Indian traditions viewed the physical body as an illusion (Maya) to be discarded, the Siddhars believed the body was the ultimate laboratory for enlightenment.
Kaya Kalpa: They developed a unique system of rejuvenation and longevity (Kaya Kalpa) to preserve the body as long as possible to achieve liberation.
Anti-Ritualism: They were famously iconoclastic. They mocked those who bathed in holy rivers or bowed to stone statues while ignoring the "living God" within.
"Why bathe in the Ganges? Will a pot become pure just because you wash the outside while the inside is full of filth?" — a common Siddhar sentiment.
2. The "18 Siddhars" (Pathinen Siddhargal)
While there have been hundreds of Siddhars over millennia, Tamil tradition recognizes a core group of 18 Great Siddhars. The list varies slightly depending on the source, but the most prominent figures include:
Agastya: Considered the father of the lineage and the creator of the Tamil language.
Tirumular: The author of the Tirumandiram, a massive 3,000-verse text that blends yoga, medicine, and philosophy. He famously wrote, "Love is God" (Anbe Sivam).
Bogar: An alchemist who is said to have crafted the deity at the Palani Murugan temple out of a "nine-poison" medicinal amalgam (Navapashanam).
Gorakhnath (Korakkar): A key figure in the Hatha Yoga tradition across India.
3. Their Contributions
The Gnana Siddhar lineage didn't just produce poetry; they created entire systems of knowledge that are still used today:
Siddha Medicine: A traditional medical system (similar to Ayurveda but distinct) that uses herbs, minerals, and metals. It is still a state-recognized medical system in India today.
Alchemy: They practiced Rasa Shastra, attempting to transmute base metals into gold, which they often used metaphorically for the transformation of the "base" human soul into "divine" consciousness.
Varmam: The study of vital pressure points in the body, used for both healing and martial arts (Silambam).
4. How they differ from Orthodox Hinduism
Feature
Orthodox Hinduism (Brahmanical)
Gnana Siddhar Lineage
Language
Primarily Sanskrit
Primarily Tamil
Focus
External Rituals (Vedas/Agamas)
Internal Yoga/Meditation
Social View
Observed Caste Distinctions
Strongly Anti-Caste
The Goal
Moksha (Escape from the body)
Jivanmukti (Liberation within the body)
5. Connection to Vallalar
As mentioned before, Ramalinga Vallalar is often considered the "last of the great Siddhars." He took their ancient, often secretive yoga practices and "democratized" them, making the core principles of compassion (Jeeva Karunyam) and the "Light of Grace" available to the common person regardless of their background.
The Gnana Siddhar tradition is essentially the underground current of Tamil spirituality—esoteric, scientific, fiercely independent, and deeply focused on the potential of the human form.
Are you interested in the specific "supernatural" powers (Siddhis) they were said to possess, or more in their medicinal and scientific contributions?
I admire the diplomatic skills of this Indian judge. An old story from 2010. Came up in my feed when I searched for information about Ramalinga (Vallalar), a 19th century Tamil saint who was supposedly resurrected by mysteriously vanishing from a closed room. Think "rainbow body", that kind of thing.
Apparently, a modern postage stamp of Ramalinga depicting him as a Shaiva Hindu, caused some consternation among his followers, who believe that the saint transcended all religious and sectarian distinctions.
A (probably correct) criticism of the Khazar theory. What a pity it´s written by an anti-Semite who wants to blame the *real* Jews for all of the world´s ills, but there you go. Of course, I´m so edgy that I linked to Keith Woods content several times before...
Is it really true that the Aboriginal language Andiljangwa has 3,500 grammatical cases? The source is the Guiness Book of World Records!
This is a classic case of a "linguistic urban legend"! While it sounds like an incredible feat of the human mind, the claim that any language—including the Aboriginal language Anindilyakwa (often spelled Andiljaugwa in older texts)—has 3,500 grammatical cases is factually incorrect.
Here is the breakdown of why this number exists in the Guinness World Records and what it actually means.
1. Where did the "3,500" come from?
The source of this confusion is likely a misunderstanding of polysynthesis. Anindilyakwa (spoken on Groote Eylandt) is a incredibly complex language where a single word can function as an entire sentence.
Instead of having thousands of "cases" (which usually apply to nouns, like he/him/his), the language uses a massive system of prefixes and suffixes on its verbs. These markers track:
Noun Classes: There are five different genders/classes.
Person & Number: Who is doing what to whom (subject and object).
Tense & Mood: When and how it is happening.
If you multiply all the possible combinations of these prefixes and suffixes together, you can mathematically generate thousands of unique forms for a single verb. A Guinness researcher likely saw a figure for the number of prefix combinations and labeled them as "cases," which is a very different linguistic concept.
2. The True Record Holder
If we look at actual noun cases (the way a noun changes its ending to show its role), the numbers are much smaller:
Tsez (Caucasus): Often cited as having 64 cases (though many are combinations of spatial markers).
Tabasaran (Caucasus): Famously held the Guinness Record for decades with 48 cases.
Anindilyakwa: Actually has a relatively standard number of cases for an Australian language (roughly 10 to 15, such as locative, ablative, and allative).
3. Why is Anindilyakwa so famous?
Linguists consider Anindilyakwa one of the most difficult languages in the world because of its morphological density.
Example: A single word can mean: "He-will-again-bring-it-back-to-the-two-of-them-tomorrow."
Because the language uses a "base-5" (quinary) counting system and requires every number to "agree" with the noun class of the object (e.g., the word for "one" changes depending on if you are counting turtles or trees), it creates a level of complexity that is genuinely mind-boggling—just not in the form of 3,500 cases!
Summary
Is it true? No. No language has 3,500 cases.
Is it complex? Yes, it is one of the most complex languages on Earth.
The Error: Guinness likely confused "verb prefix combinations" with "noun cases."
It's a great example of how a technical linguistic fact can be "lost in translation" when it hits mainstream trivia books!
I asked Gemini about the oldest surviving human traditions. Supposedly, Australian Aboriginals have stories which go back tens of thousands of years. I admit that I´m skeptical. So much romantic BS have been written about Native tribes that I wouldn´t be surprised if somebody debunks this 20 years from now. But sure, here is the information (I´ve heard some of it before):
Is it possible to know which religious or cultural tradition is the oldest? That is, the oldest of those which still exist today?
Determining the "oldest" tradition is a bit like tracing a river back to its source—it depends on whether you are looking for the oldest continuous practice, the oldest organized religion, or the oldest written scriptures.
Because cultures evolve, merge, and change names, there isn't one single winner, but rather several "finalists" depending on how you define the terms.
1. The Oldest Continuous Spiritual Traditions: Indigenous Cultures
If we define "tradition" as a set of spiritual beliefs and cultural practices passed down through generations, Indigenous Australian and San (Bushmen) traditions are the oldest.
Aboriginal Australians: Their spiritual connection to the "Dreamtime" and their oral histories have been maintained for over 50,000 to 65,000 years. Recent archaeological evidence suggests they have passed down stories of sea-level rises and volcanic eruptions that occurred tens of thousands of years ago.
The San People (Southern Africa): Genetic and archaeological data suggest the San have lived in Southern Africa for at least 20,000 to 30,000 years, maintaining a shamanistic tradition that involves rock art and trance dances.
2. The Oldest Organized Religion: Hinduism
In terms of "major" world religions with a structured system, hierarchy, and massive following, Hinduism is widely considered the oldest.
Age: It has no single founder and roots that stretch back over 4,000 years.
Evolution: It emerged from the Vedic period (c. 1500–500 BCE) but incorporates prehistoric Dravidian and Indus Valley Civilization elements that are even older.
The "Eternal" Nature: Many Hindus refer to their faith as Sanatana Dharma (the Eternal Way), viewing it as a timeless truth rather than a historical movement.
3. The Oldest Monotheism: Judaism and Zoroastrianism
If you are looking for the oldest tradition based on the worship of a single God, there are two main contenders:
Zoroastrianism: Founded by the prophet Zoroaster in ancient Persia, it dates back to roughly 1500–1000 BCE. It introduced concepts like heaven, hell, and the battle between good and evil, which heavily influenced later Abrahamic faiths. While its population is small today (the Parsi community), it still exists.
Judaism: While the biblical patriarchs date back to roughly 2000 BCE, the formalization of Judaism as a monotheistic religion occurred around the 9th–6th century BCE. It is the oldest of the three major Abrahamic religions.
4. Summary Table of "The Oldest"
Category
Tradition
Estimated Age
Oral/Cultural
Aboriginal Australian
50,000+ years
Organized Religion
Hinduism
4,000+ years
Monotheism
Zoroastrianism
3,000–3,500 years
Written Scripture
The Vedas (Hinduism)
3,200–3,500 years
Why is it so hard to pin down?
The main problem is syncretism. Religions don't usually "start" on a specific Tuesday; they evolve. For example:
Shinto in Japan has prehistoric roots, but it wasn't "organized" until much later.
Hinduism today looks very different from the Vedic religion of 3,000 years ago.
When we look at these traditions, we aren't seeing a static museum piece, but a living "ship of Theseus" where the parts have been replaced over millennia while the identity remains the same.
Are you looking for a tradition with a specific "start date" or founder, or are you more interested in the survival of ancient oral myths?
How do we know that Aboriginals have traditions of ancient sea-level rise and volcanic eruptions?
We know this because of a fascinating field of study called geomythology, where scientists compare ancient oral traditions with geological data like sonar mapping and carbon dating.
The evidence isn't just "vague myths" about water; it involves specific geographic details that were only true thousands of years ago.
1. Verification of Sea-Level Rise
During the last Ice Age, sea levels were much lower, and Australia’s coastline extended kilometers further out.Around 7,000 to 18,000 years ago, the ice melted and the seas rose, swallowing vast areas of land.
The Depth Check: Researchers have identified at least 21 locations around Australia where Aboriginal stories describe a coastline that hasn't existed for at least 7,000 years.
Specific Geography: For example, the Yindjibarndi people have a name for Fitzroy Island (gabaɽ) that literally means "lower arm" of a mainland promontory. For this name to make sense, the sea level had to be at least 30 meters lower than it is today—a condition that last existed roughly 10,000 years ago.
The "Walking" Stories: Numerous traditions across the continent describe ancestors walking to islands (like Kangaroo Island or the Tiwi Islands) that are now separated by deep, treacherous water. Geological records confirm these "land bridges" were submerged exactly when the stories say the "water came in."
2. Verification of Volcanic Eruptions
The most striking example is found in the Gunditjmara tradition in South Victoria, regarding a creator being named Budj Bim.
The Oral Record: The story describes a giant who transformed into a volcano, with his teeth becoming the lava and his hair the smoke.
The Scientific Match: In 2020, geologists used argon-argon dating on the lava rocks at Budj Bim and found the eruption happened approximately 37,000 years ago.
Human Witness: Archaeological evidence (stone tools) found beneath the volcanic ash layers confirms that people were living in the area at the exact time of the eruption. This means the Gunditjmara have maintained an accurate account of a specific geological event for over 1,500 generations.
How has the information stayed accurate?
Western scientists were initially skeptical, believing oral stories "decay" after a few centuries. However, Aboriginal culture uses highly structured memory systems:
Cross-Verification: Stories are often owned by specific families; others are not allowed to tell them, which prevents "telephone-game" style distortion.
Ritual Repetition: The stories are tied to "Songlines"—physical paths in the landscape. To remember the story, you must walk the land, using the rocks and mountains as "mnemonic pegs" to trigger the next part of the history.
This video explains how researchers and Gunditjmara elders worked together to scientifically date the Budj Bim eruption, confirming it as one of the oldest witnessed events in human history.
