Vedantic Reflections

Deepavali Joy!

2012-10-28T08:16:00.001+11:00

In Hindu culture, the symbol of light manifests from the smallest practices such as lighting a lamp, to large rituals in which fire takes the centre stage. Yet the most vivid use of Light in Sanatana Dharma is in the festival of lights or Deepavali. Deepavali, or Diwali as it is called in North India, simply means a row or an array of lights. This name stems mainly from the practice of lighting innumerable lamps during the evening of the festival, in various arrangements. However, in modern times, Deepavali encompasses much more than just lighting lamps. As the most popular festival in Hinduism, it fulfils a number of different purposes at various levels.

At the most outer or grossest level, Deepavali represents an event to bring people together in an atmosphere of cheer and good will. Families meet and greet each other, distribute gifts and have great fun. Since Diwali is generally the time that employees receive their end of year bonuses, there is some extra in the pocket to spend on their children or spouses. For children and youth in particular, Diwali is synonymous with fire crackers, games on the streets and beautiful light formations. Houses and streets are decorated beautifully, and all types of talented people are included to add to the beauty and joy of the event – whether through art, music, dance, drama and various other cultural programs.

At a deeper level, Deepavali is a religious festival in which values are imparted through rituals, stories and worship. In many parts of India, Lakshmi Puja is performed during Diwali, invoking material and spiritual well being. In some parts of the country, a Puja to Lord Krishna or Lord Rama is performed instead. These variations in religious practices are linked with the folklore or history behind the festival. In North India it is said that Deepavali originated in Ayodhya when Sri Rama re-entered His kingdom after 14 years in exile. The citizens of the city were so happy that the Lord was returning that they lit up all the streets with lamps. Another popular story, found mainly in South India is related to Lord Krishna who killed Narakasura on this day, to the joy of all those who were suffering under that demon. Though the stories are different, all convey the simple yet important message that Satyam Eva Jayate, the Truth alone wins, and the Lord is infinitely compassionate to the followers of Dharma. These rituals and stories also connect the present with the past and demonstrates the great culture and ideals practiced by our forefathers. In this way, Deepavali is a highly significant vehicle for carrying our culture through the ages.

At the very core of Deepavali – a level generally forgotten by most people – is the philosophy. Indian culture is essentially a spiritual culture, and every practice is based on eternal spiritual principles. The imagery of light is most relevant here. Our Scriptures teach that the goal of our life is to gain knowledge of the Truth or God, and thereby release ourselves from the bondage created by spiritual ignorance. This most profound teaching is brought out in the symbol of light – as light dispels darkness, the light of knowledge dispels the darkness of ignorance in our hearts. Thus light is a wonderful symbol of knowledge. Furthermore, one lamp can light many others without its own light diminishing. In the same way, knowledge can be shared with any number of people without the knowledge diminishing in the giver – and in fact, sharing the knowledge adds more to the wisdom of the teacher. Therefore, this action of lighting a number of lamp provides a powerful instruction for our life: gain the light of knowledge from the wise, and then spread it to others, ever dispelling all darkness around us. In this way, the glorious and healing spiritual culture of India can reach out benefit the most number of people. This is a vision, therefore, that not only caters for the individual but the entire society – a grand vision, indeed!

In addition to knowledge, light also indicates the Lord or Consciousness within us all. As we chant in our aarti – tameva bhaantam anubhaati sarvam, tasya bhaasa sarvam idam vibhaati. It is by His illumination that the whole is illumined, the world exists or shines after His existence. The Self is Pure Existence and therefore, by its Presence, the world appears to exist. Depending on that Existence, everything exists. Thus the symbol of the Light is most profound and if understood clearly, can be an efficient indicator of the Truth or Self. Importantly, it is through this festival that this most profound message of the Rishis can be heard in Satsang halls right across the country.

The beauty of Deepavali is that it is all inclusive. All people of all inclinations will find joy in this festival – whether a householder who wants to spend time with his family, children and youth who enjoy the firecrackers, whether an artist who wants to convey their talent through art, music, drama, whether religious people who want to invoke the grace and blessings of the Lord for the coming year, or spiritual seekers who want to dive deep and realise that Truth. When we understand and experience all these different aspects of Deepavali, we will come to see not only the greatness of the festival, but also the glory of our culture which truly is based on an all encompassing vision, embracing people of all walks of life, all ages, all interests and all aptitudes.

Why am I unhappy?

2012-10-03T20:04:00.001+10:00

Q: Many of us have the basics that we need in life. Food, clothing, shelter, a job, family and friends. Everything appears to be fine in life on the surface. However, a majority of people are not that happy and in fact many are depressed in life. Why is that?

The simple answer is a lack of gratitude. Think about it. The feeling of dissatisfaction and emptiness occurs whenever we focus our attention on what we lack. I may have a job, but not that job. I may have a car, but not that car, I may have a house, but not that house, I may have a body, but not that body. When I start thinking this way and feel that I don't have that job, that car, that wife, that house or even when I feel I don't have certain talents, qualities or abilities - I immediately feel unhappy.

In fact, whenever we focus on what we lack (which we may be material or subtle), we get bogged down into negative patterns of thinking which lead to dissatisfaction and sorrow. An emptiness is created within which tells us "I am not good enough." If we closely observe all people who are depressed in this world, we will find that the seed of all that depression is an unhealthy focus on what is missing in their life. Very often, depression begins when a desire or expectation is not fulfilled, and leads one to blaming oneself for being incapable, helpless, foolish or a loser. When we continue to focus on my incapacities and flaws and get stuck there, our ego locks itself up into a fuming ball of sorrow which grows the more we fuel it with negativity. Depression is the defence mechanism of the ego to maintain itself into a putrefying yet solidified entity. This is why people suffering depression want to share their state with others to derive sympathy to further justify their egoistic needs. Many in depression remain there for years on end because it is one identity that is safe and affirms their egoistic existence. And if we note carefully, those suffering depression get stuck in the past and continue to relive those mistakes over and over again. In fact, to be more precise, they relive the negative experiences over and over again. There were surely positive experiences too, however unhappy people select only the negative experiences to dwell on.

Why do people do this? What prompts us to focus on the negative rather than the positive? The simple answer is: out of choice. Something that we must carefully note is that most people are unhappy by choice. We choose to be unhappy by focussing on the negative, on what we lack, on what we don't have, on what went wrong in life. Its a choice, and any intelligent person will understand how it is a bad choice.

So then what is the secret to happiness? Focus on what is wonderful in your life. Everyone has a mountain of riches to be grateful for. Even if everything is going wrong around, the intelligent people keep their attention on what they have gained rather than what they have lost. They fill their hearts with joy at the simplest gains, and change their perspective towards the negative aspects of their lives. All negative is an opportunity to learn. Bitter medicine. We live, we learn. With such an attitude, they shift from what they have lost, to what has been gained. This is the way of the intelligent.

This does not mean we ignore the negative aspects of life. From our past, we learn and then we correct ourselves in the present so we do not encounter the negative again in the future. Decisions need to be made, and an intelligent person uses the negative experiences of life and emotions within to catalyse and speed up inner change so that I never have to make such a mistake again. Through this inner change, one discovers happiness and peace spontaneously and immediately.

So what am I focusing on? what I have lost, or what I have gained? This choice will decide whether you experience happiness or sorrow in life.

May I answer that?

2012-10-01T19:42:00.002+10:00

More questions to ponder and reflect upon:

Q1)one question that comes up in my mind is life after death. I felt a deja vous when I visited Subhramanya (temple) a couple of years back for the first time, but felt I had been there before and as if I had met one of the elderly priest before. Does that mean something?

It may have reminded you of another place with similar features that you visited earlier. I know you are looking for a deeper answer than that but the process of karma and rebirth is not something very glamorous or even mystical. It is simply a keen observation of our Rishi’s who saw that we are not mere physical blobs of matter but life sparks distinct to matter. When we inquire we can easily discover that I am not this body but something deeper. Just as a light bulb has no illumination of its own, this body has no consciousness or life of its own. If therefore we see light flowing through the bulb or life flowing through this body, it is only possible if there is something other than the bulb and something other than the body. Once this is clear in our mind, the idea of rebirth or life after death becomes not so mysterious. Death is simply the separation of the conscious being from the inert body!

But what happens then? Some say you go elsewhere, to another realm for endless time, some say we come back. The Great Vedic masters dived deep within and discovered the answers to these mysteries. They said that every action will lead to a result and the being travelling from this body will take up the appropriate embodiment to experience the results of those actions. So we may go to other realms for some time, but most of us have unfinished business here so we come back to exhaust our tendencies and to reap the rewards for our past action. In the process we collect new business and carry on again at the end of this life too. So the story is never ending until realise who we are what we are seeking is our own true home which is the Self. Is it possible we have been somewhere before in a past life and leads to a deja vous experience in this life when we visit the same place? It is possible, but we need not worry about it. Chances are we have been everywhere many times over!

Q2) In life we very often come across situations that need us to make a choice to act on the basis of emotion or logic. In spite of giving a lot of thought sometimes our choices prove wrong ? Either we are too insensitive or we are too emotional ? What is the right action to be taken at such times ?

The basis of our decisions should therefore be based on Dharma - not merely our own thinking or feeling. We often act based upon what we like and dislike, not on what is right and wrong. Where do we learn about dharma? From the scriptures and the Guru. It is so important to have a guide in our lives so that we gain a sense of objectivity and clarity. Guru does not always mean a spiritual teacher in orange. It means an elder, a well wisher who has been where you have been and with a kind and generous heart is willing to guide. Take advice, don't believe you know it all and then act.

In addition to the Scriptures and the Guru, look around at what the best people have done in your situation in history and in the present. Analyse their actions and make that the basis of yours. Thereafter, pray to God with an honest and sincere heart and seek His guidance. With this prayerful attitude, make your decision understanding that His guidance and protection are always with you. These are the ways of coming to a decision. More important than making the decision is putting our mind in the right state - a state of calmness, which brings about clarity. No amount of thinking will necessarily get you to the right decision until you are in the right frame of mind to make the decision. All the above are methods of reaching that clarity.

Q3) What is the difference between faith and blind worship ?

Faith is belief backed by knowledge. "God exists" is a simple and helpful belief, yet it is still only a belief. When I study the scriptures and logically understand what the scriptures mean by God: where He is, what is my relationship with Him and how I can discover Him in my own quiet meditation, again I affirm my belief that "God exists," but now I have knowledge as well as experience to back up my belief. To take a common example, I have the belief that the worker that I hire will do his duties efficiently and accurately based on what the people around him have told me and based on his CV. On this basis alone he was hired. And yet, it is only when I see him perform up to the required standard in the job that I develop faith in him. In the same way, we begin with the belief in the saints and the Scriptures which affirm the existence of the Truth. When we take those ideas, and make them our own and live to see their effectiveness, we develop the faith in them.

Therefore, true faith is about understanding through experience and practice. Blind worship can be an initial step to that, if it helps to give us an open mind. However, if we remain blind, we are bound to fall into the wayside ditch of disaster! True faith is built on belief, understanding and experience.

Q4) Very often when two individuals fall in love it is said that love is blind ? So is our love for the divine also blind ?

Love between people can be blind because we lose objectivity and stop seeing the other side of the person. We are infatuated with one aspect of the personality and so miss out on their true behaviour and nature and it is only when the infatuation has come down that the truth of a person is revealed. This is very often seen before and after a couple gets married.

But love for God is free of all these flaws firstly because there is no "other side" to God. He is Love and Purity which is endless. Once we have tasted a drop of honey, we know the sweet taste of all the honey in the pot. In the same way, once we have tasted the love of God we know that He is Love and Love alone. There is no change in that, because that is His nature. So in this case there can be no "blind love" for God because that is only possible if we do not know what the Scriptures and the Guru means by God.

Goal Setting the Vedantic Way

2012-09-17T20:30:00.002+10:00

We have all been exposed at one time or another to the importance of Goal Setting. Whether at work through self-development programs, in college or at home being lectured by parents or siblings. However, Vedanta has a very different approach to Goal-Setting which sets it apart from the rest.

Darshana
All goal-setting begins with reflective inquiry to discover a well thought out Vision of Life. This in Sanskrit is called having a "Darshana." Developing the right vision of life is the key to discovering a meaningful and happy life. Interestingly, the various philosophies in India expounded by great Saints are called "Darshana's" because they give us a noble and exalted vision of life. By a deep study of these Darshana's under the guidance of an expert teacher, we come to discover the essential Darshana that leads to complete fulfilment in our lives - the Vision of Oneness which is the central vision given by the scriptures.

Upasana
Having gained this Vision, we have a direction and purpose in life which can guide us at every moment. The next step is developing the attitude which is in line with this vision. This is called as "Upasana" or coming closer to the Vision which we have studied and understood. This "coming near" is with our feelings and sentiments. Our emotional mind is brought to contact that vision and become enthused and energised with that vision. Love, kindness and compassion are the natural emotional expressions of one who has contacted and connected with the Vision of Oneness.

Acarana
Once this has been developed, the third stage is manifesting the vision and feeling through our actions, called "Acarana". it is here that we are ready to discover a concrete goal to focus our energies on. When we have the broad vision and right sentiments, we bring out our best in every action and come to discover clarity in our thought. Once this clarity is determined, we are able to set precise goals which we can set, pursue and achieve. Then we act to achieve them with poise, understanding and with inspiration as it is coming from a deep space within us.

We can understand the above three as the practice of Jnaana Yoga for the Darshana or Vision, Bhakti Yoga for Upasana or the Attitude, and Karma Yoga for the Acarana or the action.

Goal setting, please note, comes after the right vision and the right attitude. Otherwise we do not have clarity over what our goals should be and even if we set them, rarely do we have the inner conviction to stick with them. It is like building a sky-scraper on very weak foundations. Moreover if we do not have the clarity on the vision of life, then our goals will not lead to happiness or worse, may be destructive for ourselves and others.

Understood in this way, how important is it that we study the Scriptures deeply to get that right vision of life? If this is vision is clear, setting your goal in life is the easiest thing!

Walking between East and West

2012-08-23T18:04:00.000+10:00

Hindu youth growing up in Britain and other parts of the western world are often caught in a dilemma. Known as British Asians, they often feel more Asian in Britain, but feel oh-so-British when they visit India, the land of their ancestors. Caught between these two worlds, British Asians can often feel rather lost about their identity.

For those who have lost their connection with their Asian roots, there is an unending stream of confusion that never seems to get resolved. The vagaries of Hinduism appear alien and completely foreign to the more familiar modern western world of clean lines, rationality and orderly progression. They appear to be the antithesis of each other. It seems that in order to adopt a western lifestyle, we must reject the eastern and in order to adopt the eastern, we must reject the western.

How have we landed into this predicament? It is because religion is reduced to some specific set of activities, nothing more than that. For many, Hinduism constitutes going to the temple, worshipping an idol, wearing a mark on the forehead and saying “Namaste” or “Hari Om” with folded hands to anyone who appears worthy of respect. Hinduism can often mean singing bhajans, wearing ethnic clothing and folk dancing with sticks. For some it means sitting in meditation, doing yoga postures, fasting and observing a variety of superstitions, like driving over a coconut when you buy a new car. So if I do not perform these, do I cease to be a Hindu?

This confusion persists as long as we live without insight into the Hindu philosophy, which places the strongest emphasis on our intention and motive over every external action. While the above practices are certainly somewhere in the picture, we must note carefully that the Hindu Scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Vedas do not define what constitutes a ‘Hindu action’. They do not say, for example, that we must pray a certain number of times in a day, wear a certain type of clothing, or even adopt a certain lifestyle.

What they do give us is an understanding of the purpose of all our actions as well as the right attitude to adopt in our activities. Hinduism asks us to think deeply about what we truly seek and whether we are achieving that through our current way of thinking and living. The Scriptures want us to think about where true happiness lies, and find ways of aligning ourselves with that.

When we recognise through scriptural study and our own independent rational thinking that happiness and peace are within and not outside, and our purpose is to discover and manifest that joy in the outer world through thoughts, words and deeds – then we can truly be considered a Hindu. In the words of the great Swami Vivekananda:

“My ideal indeed can be put into a few words, and that is: to preach unto mankind their divinity and how to make it manifest in every moment of life.”

With this understanding, we can see that Hinduism is not any action or any series of actions, but an insight into life, which awakens us to our own divine potential and helps us manifest it in life. If this is so, what about the temple? What about the fire rituals, offering flowers to an idol, what about bhajans, prostrating, ethnic clothing and stick dances? If it is all about attitude and knowledge, then what purpose do these age-old traditions and customs serve?

While study of the scriptures gives us the right knowledge, the various practices prescribed in Hinduism train us to adopt the right attitude in our daily life. In the words of Pujya Swami Chinmayananda,

“Every practice in Hinduism is an external dramatisation of an inner transformative attitude that we are to adopt in life.”

Let us take one example: In order to recognise and manifest the divine within, the attitude we must always maintain is a worshipful one, where all our thoughts are mellowed in the serene atmosphere of love and compassion. In order to inculcate this, we offer flowers to the Lord in a puja, chanting His names. The flowers symbolise our noble thoughts and intentions which are fresh, fragrant and beautiful like the flowers we offer. Offering flowers to the Lord of our heart with this understanding creates a strong impression in our minds which express as a devotional attitude, which we can then manifest through all actions.

Hence the rituals and practices are all a training ground for us to recognise and manifest the divine, which lies within and everywhere around us. In fact, all actions performed with this understanding and attitude become spiritual practice. Going to work, college, speaking to a friend, attending a function – all these can indeed have the fragrance of our Hindu culture flowing through them. Such is the flexibility of the culture.

Indeed, the beauty of Hinduism is that it can be lived anywhere, at all times and under all circumstances. Once we have this insight we will be able to live as Hindus in and through any lifestyle that we choose to adopt. The split between west and east merge into one stream of joyful living, which is truly what we seek.

Question: God is me?

2012-08-08T05:26:00.003+10:00

A child of a mere 9 years asked me one profound question.

If God is my own Self, then why should I worship Him, since He is me!

This doubt expressed through this innocent mind is a question that all dualists use to say that Vedantins are arrogance personified for making God into their own Self. Let us deal with this now.

In the Upanishads, it is declared “Ayam Atma Brahma” and “Aham Brahmaasmi” – This Self is Brahman, and I am Brahman. Hence the Upanishads give us a very clear message that I am the Lord. If this be the case, worship seems illogical since prayer implies three factors – the worshipper (me), the worshipped (the Lord) and the act of worship. If the worshipper and the worshipped are One, where is there any question of worship?

True. It is illogical. However, has the worshipper realised his essential oneness with the Lord? Or, does he still hold onto his concept of separate existence called the ego? Insofar as he identifies with the body-mind-intellect complex thinking that he is a separate autonomous entity to the Lord, for him there is not oneness, only duality.

For as long as the ego is real, duality is real. Hence, worship is real and indispensable for the seeker who wants to realise his oneness with the Divine. The worship of the seeker is only to remove the veil of ignorance and impurity that stops him from recognising the Lord in his own heart. The prayer of such a seeker is intense, because the ego is a difficult nut to crack and pierce through. Only by Pure Devotion (Ananya Bhakti) sharpened by the grinding wheel of Pure Knowledge (Vijnana) can one cross this mire of delusion called the ego.

In short to realise our oneness with the Lord, we must turn to Him in complete and whole-hearted prayer imbued with knowledge, giving up our very ego into His Hands. Then alone that Oneness is realised. This is the true meaning of worship.

May I answer that?

2012-07-17T00:10:00.001+10:00

Some interesting questions that I was asked recently, and the answers given. Please post your Vedantic/spiritual questions to br.paritosh@gmail.com and if I find them appropriate they will be answered in subsequent blogs!

Q1. If the Eternal Truth, BRAHMAN/SELF is OMNIPRESENT, OMNISCIENT and OMNIPOTENT and there is only ONE BRAHMAN then why should we do the rituals for different GODS ?

Just as from one gold bullion innumerable gold necklaces, rings, earrings, bangles and anklets take form, from the One Brahman, all things and beings have appeared. Gold when made into a small loop is called a ring, in a bigger loop is called a bangle, and in a series of small links and a bigger loop is called a necklace. Necklace, bangle and ring are different names we give to the same essential substance, gold, only they have a different name and form.

In the same way, the world of multiplicity that we see is nothing but names and forms, whose essential substance is Brahman. Just as gold appears as all the ornaments, Brahman appears as the multifaceted universe of plurality.

At the moment, we see the plurality but we do not see the unity and divinity that underlies everything. It is like we see the necklace and ring but don’t appreciate their essential nature as gold. So to bring us to this Higher Awareness of the One Reality, the Scriptures prescribe methods of worship so that our vision is clear and our mind is purified to appreciate the Oneness everywhere. When we can see the gold in the necklace we are then able to appreciate it in all ornaments. In the same way, when we can see the Divinity in One form, we can see the Divine everywhere and in all forms.

Why should the Vedas give different forms? Each person has a different temperament and is attracted to different forms. In order to cater for all beings, the Infinite manifested in several special forms (though He in essence appears as all forms) to attract and inspire various seekers. Some prefer a gold ring over a bangle, while others want a golden anklet instead of earrings. The substance being the same, the choice is merely in name and form. In the same way, by the worship even one form of the Lord which is dearest to the devotee, he actually worships all forms because the One Lord is the essence of them all. The different forms are thus an act of compassion on the part of the Infinite to reach out to us, the seekers.

Q2. Scriptures say we should have no desires. This is impractical. How can I live without desire ? How can I act without desire ?

Desire, contrary to general sentiment, is not a problem! It is selfish desire that is the binding problem!

In fact, no action is possible without a desire - even for the enlightened. However, the quality of desire is very different between the ignorant and wise. The desires of an ignorant person are selfish and with great dependence on a specific outcome. He entertains the notion that “when I get that result, then I will be happy”, gets very attached to the result of action and hence gets stressed out completely because the result of actions are uncertain.

The wise person also acts with a desire to achieve, but without the obsessive dependence on any particular result. He has discovered that his own nature is happiness, and his desires are only to share his fulfilment with the world. In short, the ignorant has desires and acts for happiness, while the enlightened has desires and acts from happiness. The message is, find fulfilment in the Self and then share that happiness with the world. Desires cannot bind such a person, and in fact such desires a pure hearted person entertains is for the blessing of the world.

Q3. If GOD is everywhere ,everytime then why is a month like SHRAVAN more holier than the other .

All moments are holy, precious and divine. Every moment is a gift of the Lord and hence we call it the Present. So there is no time which is “more holy” than any other from the highest standpoint. However, time has its significance in every aspect of our life and certain actions conduce to certain times when our mind is in a certain mood and the outer environment suits.

Sleep for example is best done at night! Meditation and spiritual practice is best done in early morning or sunset time. Work is best done when the sun is out. So time has a role to play in actions that we do. Seasons also have an effect. In India, Shravana Maas marks the end of the hot summer and the first month of the monsoon season, which lasts for four months (Chaatur Maasya). In the ancient days, saints would stop their wanderings during this time and remain in one place since the rains were so heavy. They would spend their time in spiritual practices, study and teaching. People from the cities and towns would come and also take benefit from these Masters and take the opportunity to listen (Shravan means to listen!) to their discourses as well as apply themselves to spiritual vows under their guidance.

Hence due to the season, a conducive atmosphere of saints and their devotees led to a wonderful tradition of having Shravan maas as the month for dedicated spiritual activity. The month is dedicated to Lord Shiva because He is the Adi Guru of all and this was a month that he swallowed the poison during the churning of the milk. To mark this occasion too was Shravan Maasa. This is why it is said that Shravan maas is marked as holy. However, any moment we turn to God, the Self within - that is the most holy moment in life - even if that be at a so-called inauspicious time from the astrological perspective.

Are you allergic to faith?

2012-07-12T19:40:00.001+10:00

Faith - a word most people are allergic to, partly because it has been thrown at us left right and centre from all the religious corners of the world. From the grandest of pulpits to the smallest of shrines, the word faith is used over and over to incite any number of actions, from elaborate rituals involving large sums of donations to lighting a lamp, bathing in a river, attending a sermon or offering your hands in worship.

Why are all these actions performed? The answer comes forth - "have faith, have faith, have faith!" But what if we do not have it? Then the door of religion and spirituality is shut away from us and there is no hope for us to enter. Hence, the irrelevance of religion in the lives of so many people from whom the entire show of religion is a mere veil, a bluff that is resorted to by the innocent and foolish who have no capacity for independent thought or reflection.

Hence, religion is reduced to a bunch of irrelevant and outdated customs and rituals and the only rationale to do them is "faith," meaning "stop thinking and just do it." Any thinking person would on these grounds reject religion totally and would not be blamed for doing so.

However, rituals and customs of their own do not constitute religion, just as aimless stroking of the piano keys does not make a sonata, or writing random words on a page do not qualify as a poem. Behind every stroke of the key, and behind every word is a profound understanding of the science of music and literature, as well as their art and beauty in their expression. It is only when this understanding is present that the expression gains its meaning and beauty and it is called a sonata or a poem.

In the very same way, religious practices gain meaning and beauty when the philosophy behind them is understood and appreciated. Then alone it can be called religion and otherwise it is a mere bunch of superstitions. Religion is therefore the scientific application of profound spiritual truths, and it is the elegant art of expressing those truths in our lives.

However, for the majority of us religion is equated with a dogma which is a statement without any proof. And so to commit to it would be simply blind. This is one type of faith, but this cannot be true faith. The latter is born of proper understanding with logic. When we understand religious practices in their true sense, a clear understanding takes place and this is the second level of faith. Third, when we have practised the religion and experience the benefits of it then we reach a conviction, the very pinnacle of faith. So in short there are three levels of faith. Lets see each one in turn.

Blind faith

Our beliefs drive our emotions and they drive our actions. If we are ruled by our emotions, we give less importance to our beliefs and act on the whims of our sentiments. Our actions therefore are ruled by our sentimental feelings, and on weak understanding. Therefore, when our sentiments change our actions also change. For example, people complain that they worshipped the Lord with such faith but He gave them only tragedies and sorrows in life, and therefore they stop their worship and deny the Lord and His existence.

This sort of faith is called blind belief, where there is no proper understanding of the nature of the Lord, my relationship with Him and the laws of the universe. There is no inquiry whatsoever into the purpose of life, what I am seeking and what my ultimate destination in life is to be. Without this inquiry no spiritual practice has any relevance for us and is at best a custom. A majority of so-called religious people fit into this category. They may derive peace of mind and solace to some extent but there is very little transformation in their lives because they do not know the true purpose of their actions.

Clear understanding

A more reflective individual is not satisfied with this sort of faith. He uses his intellect to think about life, and seeks to understand himself, the world and the source of it all. He does not find the answers in the secular world which is by and large completely blind to these deeper life questions. Out of curiosity he turns to the spiritual masters and the Scriptures from which he comes to understand that the Lord is none other than the Self of all beings and is the nature of Eternal Bliss. This Self is what all beings are seeking and to realise that Lord in our heart is the very goal of life.

However, while the Lord is everywhere within and without, our minds are filled with baggage of the past which has made our mind disturbed and agitated due to our wrong thinking. Habits have bogged us down and made our minds full of impurities, likes and dislikes. Just as a dirty mirror does not reflect any object placed in front of it, the impurity of the mind blocks us from realising the Truth in our own Self. The solution therefore is purification.

When the seeker understands the above, he will then ask the question - how do I purify my mind? What are the techniques? the methods? How should I employ them? When he asks such questions, he is guided to the field of religion and is taught that actions, be it in the sacred or secular field, when performed with the right attitude purifies the mind and renders it fit for self knowledge. All techniques in religion are for the purification of mind, but only when performed with the right understanding. With this understanding he performs the actions. This is again an act of faith because while he understands what is taught, he has not actually experienced the results of them. It is only when he does them that he experiences the benefits.

Conviction

When the seeker above has practised the teachings of the Scriptures for a long time, the understanding deepens into an abiding conviction that never wavers. He not only has belief and understanding but now has the experience to back up his understanding. It is now no longer a mere faith - it is his own life experience, his own clear conviction. Like the roots of a tree that have deepened, his faith becomes very deep and immovable. Having gained this, he never wavers from it and all his actions are coloured by this strong conviction. This is in fact the stage experienced by the wise, who know the Lord intimately as their own Self and as the All pervading Reality. With this they experience infinite bliss, peace and contentment, which all beings are striving daily to reach.

This is the path of religion, truly. Most people remain at the first level and those who scoff at religious people talk generally of the people at this first level. Few brighter ones progress to the second level where they uncover the true wisdom behind the rituals. However to practice requires greater faith and application which many do not do and therefore a handful alone progress to the third stage of complete conviction and abidance.

Faith, therefore has three levels. We can summarise and say that the first level is mere belief. When that belief is fortified by inquiry and reflection it is called true faith and when that true faith is fortified by experience born of practice, it becomes conviction.

Is this an order? Do we begin with blind faith and ascend the ladder? For some it may be, but travelling the route of blind faith to understanding can be a treacherous one because we often get attached to beliefs and refuse to think deeper once this blind belief has caught on. It is always better to ask and think first before holding on fanatically to some belief. The glory of the human being is their capacity to think and reflect. To the extent that we apply this faculty in our life and spiritual matters, to that extent we are blessed by religion.

Hence, the message of the great Sages is "Think Think Think!Dare to question, and dare to understand! Don't be a mere sheep to be herded around by the world. Stop following the world blindly, and stop following religion blindly. Light up the luminous lamp of knowledge and then practice. You will certainly reap the benefits"

Think! Think! Think!

2012-05-30T19:03:00.002+10:00

Anyone who deeply analyses the nature of the world, all objects, beings and situations will come to the conclusion that everything of the phenomenal world is ephemeral, and the mind naturally recoils and detaches from all things temporary. People say they know that the world is temporary but they really do not know, for they do not understand its implications. If I am given a glass of milk laced with potassium cyanide and am informed of this fact, what is the sign that I have understood? Would I not throw the milk away? Would I entertain a second thought about whether I should have it anyway? If I do have such a doubt, it is only because I have not heard your dire warning, or I don't know what danger potassium cyanide poses to my life.

In the same way, I am told the entire world is laced with the bitter poison of change - that whatever I gain at a transactional level would be lost, all whom I am with shall not be with me forever, and all experiences are only flickering. If after all this I run after objects, people and experiences and get attached and dependent upon them with the hope that they will be a source of eternal happiness - then it really means I have not understood and processed the fact, even though it is staring me right in the face. A close and reflective study on the goal of life, nature of the world and ones own deepest yearnings is needed for us to come to some clarity.

Such a deep analysis of life ignites a yearning for something higher than the outer, material pleasures, beings or situations. We are forced to think more deeply about what really is Real, and what is Unreal. What truly will give me everlasting happiness, peace and fulfilment? Once we arrive at this question, we are then in a position to seek answers. We may feel that we are unique in that we are asking such questions, for no-one else around seems to bother with them. However, there have been and continue to be a rather large minority of people who have asked such questions and do ask. In the ancient past, there were seekers who sought the answers to the deeper questions of life, and found their answers from the wise elders.

The answers to such profound questions of life and their eternal answers were subsequently codified and recorded as the Upanishads. Those seeking final emancipation from the thraldom of finitude and change can ever find their solace in the all-satisfying and logical answers given in the Upanishads. This knowledge constitutes the very core of what goes by the name of Hinduism. It is by this recorded knowledge, tried and tested, that millions of seekers have found satisfying answers, and subsequently discovered that inner peace, that fountain-head of bliss and permanent joy which we are all seeking.

The masters did not merely teach their students, but guided them to find their own wisdom, their own inner light. The Upanishads do not "teach" nor "instruct", nor "describe" the Truth. They merely indicate or point us in a particular direction of thought which if followed with a sharp and subtle intellect will lead us to our own subjective experience of Truth. In the process, rational thinking is highly encouraged, but more important that rational thinking is intuitive experience. That direct experience of the Truth is given more validity than rational thought, because logic has only suggestive power while direct experience has conclusive and evidential power.

Whatever barrier gets in the way of this inquiry, the seeker ameliorates. Barriers may be physical, emotional or intellectual. These barriers are dealt with by various preliminary sadhanas in the preliminary textbooks of Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Jnaana Yoga. All these means also have advances stages, in which they merge into one. Bhakti, Jnaana, and Yoga at their pinnacle all mean the same, and their natural expression in the world as Karma by extension also refers to the same. However as an initial practice, they are different and can lead us astray, unless the goal is properly ascertained through study and inquiry.

Therefore, at the root of our spiritual sadhana lies in proper thinking about the goal and the means. A clear understanding of the goal through a sincere study of the Scriptures under a spiritual master and a deep attempt to introspect and study ones own mind, are indispensable for any spiritual seeker. Our evolution depends on this sophisticated faculty, the intellect, and the spiritual practices for the body and mind are at best secondary adjustments to prepare us for the highest vocation of deep, reflective inquiry.

Are you ready to think deeply?

Vedanta and Yoga

2012-05-23T19:37:00.002+10:00

Many people are confused and often enquire about the difference, if any, between the philosophy and practice of Yoga and that of Vedanta. Yoga is very popular in today's modern world and is synonymous with the physical postures, pranayama and meditation. Millions of people in the west have adopted the practices of Yoga, with some 20 million Yoga practitioners in the United States alone. Many practice Yoga for medical reasons, stress relief, to get fit and to lose weight. However, the real aim of Yoga is none of these. The real aim is to unite with the Self, the Divine. The postures, breath exercises and silent sitting are designed in such a way as to help us turn inwardly towards the Divine Self and experience our connection with It. Hence it is in reality a spiritual practice, to take us inward through rigorous effort. The word Hatha means through force, and hence, through forced efforts, we bring the mind to stillness, whereby we experience a peace and joy, the reflection of the Self in the mind. This ultimately is the goal and practice of Yoga.

What about Vedanta? Vedanta is the means of directly apprehending the Truth within ourselves through the eye of Scriptural Wisdom. Vedanta reveals the Truth shining in our hearts as the Self and guides us to experience through the practice of knowledge. There are two rungs to Vedanta - the outer practices to purify the mind, and the inner practice of quiet listening (shravanam), reflection (mananam) and meditation (nididhyasanam). Through systematic purification of the mind by any number of means, the student is prepared mentally to listen to the Spiritual discourse of the Master based on the Upanishadic declarations and in a flash the Truth is revealed directly in the heart of the student. Thereafter, by a long practice of quiet and steady reflection on the Self, the seeker comes to establish himself in the knowledge. Firm conviction that "I am the Infinite Self" is thus the goal of Vedanta.

Interestingly, Patanjali in His Yoga Sutra says that the first of the five kleshas or afflictions is Avidya or ignorance. Vedanta also tells us the same. Their conceptual understanding of Avidya may philosophically differ, but both accept that the problem is the same. Now here is the key: Where Vedanta differs from Yoga is that it directly addresses the problem of ignorance.

Let me explain. Both Yoga and Vedanta accept that the Self is the true nature of each of us, not the body, mind nor the intellect. There is at some level a misunderstanding of our identity. We have identified with what we are not, and that is the cause of our problem. Vedanta, through a deep study in the light of our own experience directly guides us to drop our false identity and regain our True Nature as the Self. This process of study itself purifies the mind. If the student requires further purification, Vedanta advises the student to practice Yoga in accordance with their nature - be it Karma Yoga or the path of action, Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion) or Raja Yoga (which is referred to here simply as Yoga).

The eight steps given in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra of Yama (non-violence, truth, non possessiveness, non stealing and self-restraint) and Niyama (purity, contentment, austerity, self-study and worship of the Lord) in essence incorporate Karma and Bhakti Yoga and elementary levels of Vedanta which recommend moral and ethical disciplines to integrate our personality.

Having followed these values in daily life, which are common to all paths, we are then taken on very different roads between Yoga and Vedanta. Yoga then teaches us about various practices of disciplining the body, senses, mind and intellect. These are powerful techniques, no doubt, but they tell us precious little about what true wisdom is. For this, we need to refer to Vedanta, the source of knowledge which explains why we practice these, what is the goal for which we should practice and with what attitiude these practices are to be done. Without such clarity, these practices indeed become futile exercises.

Before entering into any such practices, the seeker must remove his or her ignorance of the Self through clear and intent listening. After this, one must remove all doubts through reflections and inquiry, and finally one must sit in quiet contemplation and spend uniting with the Truth through knowledge and laser-like discrimination. Through this, one comes to a doubtless knowledge of the Absolute which remains with one always. You regain your identity with the Reality, drop the false and all its associated sufferings. Through Vedanta we come to realise the Truth as it is and free ourselves of the delusions created by ignorance. This is direct. If we require further purification, the path of Bhakti, Karma and Raja Yoga are to be followed to bring out the beauty of the knowledge in our daily life.

Are Yoga and Vedanta contradictory? Not at all. Once we have glimpsed the Vision of Vedanta in its depth, and have well understood that this Truth is my nature very deeply, we still my not have not brought the full shaft of this knowledge in our life because we may not have cleansed out the dross of old tendencies. Yoga provides us with the method of living so as to live in harmony with our own, Eternal, Divine nature and weed out contradictory tendencies which take us away from abidance in the Self.

From the ethical practices, to practices of the body, breath, self-study, worship and meditation, we bring about an attunement of our habits with our higher, Vedantic vision. Yoga is the lifestyle choice of a True Vedantin, and Vedanta is the Vision of the True Yogi. In this way, they are complementary and both lead us to complete inner freedom. Ultimately, knowledge alone liberates, but in order to establish ourselves in that knowledge, we require spiritual practices (Yoga) to cleanse out our old habits and create new channels to live that wisdom at every moment of our lives.

Why do we say that knowledge alone liberates? because the Self is ever liberated, ever the nature of Infinite Bliss and Immortality. These cannot be gained by action for the eternal can never be born, produced or changed. The Self is. We just don't know it. This ignorance is removed by knowledge of the Self, which is in turn gained by a purified mind which contemplates on the words of the Scriptures as taught by the Teacher in the hours of his elevating discourse.

Yoga is therefore a means to purify. However, It cannot by itself lead us to complete liberation. This is said by none less than the Scriptures themselves - Jnanaadeva Tu Kaivalyam - the Absolute is gained by knowledge alone. I hope this clears some doubts in your mind about the difference between Yoga and Vedanta. Yoga is the path which leads to the knowledge as given in Vedanta.

Bodho'nya Sadhanebhyo Hi Sakshaan Mokshaika Saadhanam. Paakasya Vahnivat Jnaanam, Vina Moksho Na Siddhyati

Of all Sadhana-s or spiritual practices, Knowledge is the direct and singular means to attaining Liberation. Knowledge is like fire in the kitchen which is the direct means of cooking, and without knowledge their can be no liberation.

~ Atma Bodhah of Adi Shankaracharya, V.2

We can prepare food, cut vegetables, wash the grains and add spices to taste, but until we switch on the fire of the stove, the food is not cooked. All sadhana-s including Yoga are like preparation. We prepare the body and mind through disciplined living. However, without the fire of knowledge kindled within and unleashed into a conflagration, we will not have Moksha, and we can never partake in the joy of liberation.

Vijnaanamaya Kosha

2012-03-12T23:34:00.001+11:00

Deeper, within the crevice of the mind sheath is our intellect. The Rishi of the Taittiriya Upanishad tells his students to go even further than the mind. A faculty exists in each one of us that not only receives stimuli from the world and feels them, likes or dislikes them and so on, but apart from this, there is something that thinks, decides, reflects and tries to understand them. There is a thinking faculty called the intellect which is capable of taking a step back from the world around it to evaluate and decide on the best course of action. In following this trend, the Rishi continues to describe this deeper faculty with the analogy of a bird:

Tasya Shraddhaiva Shirah. Rtam Dakshinah Paksha. Satyam Uttarah Pakshah. Yoga Atma. Mahah Puccham Pratishtaa. Tadapyesha Shloko Bhavati

"Of it (the intellectual sheath), Faith is the Head. Scriptural Truth is its left side. Living Truth is its right side. Unity is its Soul. The Total Intellect is its foundation. On this, there is a verse."

Here again, a mystic verse for us to reflect on. The head of the intellectual sheath is faith. Shraddha means faith, but not in the sense of blind belief. The very fact that faith is put here in the intellectual sheath implies that True faith is that which is gained through great amounts of knowledge and reflective thinking. A better translation of this word may be conviction. It is our intellect which forms various convictions, and based on those, we all live our chosen lives.

If for example, we are convinced that money alone can give us happiness, then our lives will naturally be guided in that direction. If we are convinced that spiritual knowledge will give us complete fulfillment, again we will naturally be guided towards spirituality. Whatever we are convinced of intellectually, we indeed live. If we seem to have different convictions to what we are living, it only means we have stronger convictions beneath them which are ruling over us, and we may not be subtle enough to detect them.

Hence, your life is led by what you are intellectually convinced of the most, and therefore it is most apt that the Rishi declares that the head of the intellect is conviction, since it leads everything else.

However, an ideal intellect is guided by two important wings or aspects. Rtam and Satyam. Rtam is the Truth as declared by the Scriptures. The intellect is to bathe in the Scriptures and be guided by its deep import. The intellect is to reflect deeply on these instructions and teachings, understand them and then come to the awareness of ones own highest nature or Swaroopa.

The Second wing is Satyam, which is living truth according to ones innate personality which is unique and made up of our tendencies. In Sanskrit, this is called our Swabhava. One needs to be honest with oneself and live a life of integrity, in which my intellectual thought, word and deed are all directly in line - this is Satyam.

The body of this intellectual sheath is Yoga. Yoga literally means to unite. Hence the very core of this intellectual sheath is to bring about a harmonious unity within our personality as well as in the world around us. The intellect is that reflective capacity in us which makes us see that which cannot be seen by the gross eyes. We see the sky as blue, but with the eye of understanding we know the sky has no colour. We see the sun rise and sun set, but with the eye of knowledge, we know the sun neither rises nor sets. Similarly, with our fleshy eyes and judgmental mind we only see differences, but with the eye of understanding, we come to cognise the unity that exists amidst the diversity.

Moreover, with the intellect alone we can unite with our Higher Self. With a subtle, purified intellect, the Truth becomes aptly clear and we are able to abide in it. This subtle intellect becomes the vehicle for our entry into Yoga, the unity with the Supreme.

At the tail or support of this intellect is the Mahah which means the Total intellect. Our individual intellects are connected to one another. There is no new knowledge - we merely tap into the infinite intelligence that exists to draw on whatever knowledge that we have. You may ask, what about new inventions? The answer to that is, the universe full of laws and intelligence already functions under perfect scientific laws. We merely tune our intellects to that law and the secrets are revealed. The ignorance of it in our minds are merely lifted. Nobody invented electricity. It was merely discovered. Therefore, the existence of electrical energy and the intelligence behind its working already existed in the totality. We tapped into it and extracted the secret with our intellect.

With this the Rishi wants to share a verse of the Vedas to elaborate further on this most important aspect of our personality.

Mind: Go beyond!

2012-03-03T02:50:00.002+11:00

In a very interesting turn of events, quoting a verse from the Vedas, the Rishi tells his eager students something stunning that does not immediately appear to correlate with the topic. He says:

"Yato Vaaco Nivartante Apraapya Manasaa Saha. Anandam Brahmano Vidvaan. Na Bibheti Kadaacaneti."

From where the speech and mind turn back, without obtaining it. The Knower of that Brahman is Blissful. He never fears at any time.

Hearing the mantras of the previous section where the Rishi praises the mind sheath as being constituted of the Vedic Hymns, the students who placed the highest regard for the Vedas as the Divine Words of God must have felt that this mind sheath must have been the pinnacle, for it is by the mind that the Vedas are known. And surely, there could be nothing greater than the Vedas?

The Rishi daringly retorts - "My dear disciples, the Truth is beyond all speech, beyond this faculty called the mind. And yes, the Truth is beyond even the Vedas themselves, which are spoken with the mouth and memorised by the mind. We have to go beyond the words which you know so well now, to the substance which lies beyond them. The True knower of the Self is ever in bliss and free of all fear, not a mere knower of words."

Hence the message here is clear - Don't get stuck onto the words, the sentences, the mantras of the Scriptures. These are only words, ideas, concepts to guide us. The Truth lies beyond those words and concepts. No Scripture, no Master, no Saviour, no matter how efficient can communicate the Lord who is ever beyond our comprehension. The Scriptures and Masters only indicate the direction in which we must send our minds as we seek to experience the Truth for ourselves. They clearly indicate the path to the Divine, but we must walk it and experience it.

When can we say we have experienced the Truth? When an overwhelming sense of peace and Bliss floods our minds and we are completely immersed in that inexpressible Peace of Being. This is all expressed by the Rishi in a few words - Anandam Brahmano Vidvaan. The Knower of Truth is ever Blissful. Further, we can say this Truth is experienced by us when we are free of all fears at all times. When the Truth is Realised as our own nature, fear vanishes.

What is fear? Fear is experienced when we feel we are going to lose something. Whether a physical object, another person, name, fame, pride or our own life. However, the knower of Brahman is one who has realised His own Immortal Self which is beyond the pale of change and finitude. That can never be taken away, and that alone is of value. All else perishes. Why fear for the perishing which is inevitable? and for that which cannot perish, where is there any occasion for fear? Such is the state of the Realised person who walks free, holding onto the Eternal, releasing himself from the clutches of the finite and perishable.

This is born of wisdom, not mere words. The Wisdom is born of experience, when we go beyond the words and dive headlong into the Truth which the words indicate. Drop the mind, drop the words and experience the Substance. There is something that lies beyond this, so says the Upanishad.

The Rishis of the Vedas were the only ones who dared to tell their students that they should go beyond and make even the Vedas redundant. They are stepping stones. Use them and then drop them. The book is not the highest authority - your Experience is finally. Don't blindly believe anything. See the Truth of our statements, practice it and then see the result for yourself.

Wow.

13. Manomaya Kosha

2012-02-06T13:50:00.001+11:00

We have now taken two stops in our journey within. The first stop was the outer physical body made up of food. The second layer is our vital-air layer made up of subtle energy fueled by air. Within these there is one more layer that we should know about. The Rishi says -

"Anyontara Atma Manomayah. Tensaisha Poornah. Sa Vaa Esaa Purushavidha Eva. Tasya Purusha Vidhataam. Anvayam Purusavidhah. Tasya Yajureva Shirah. Rk Dakshinah Pakshah. Samottarah Pakshah. Adesha Atma. Atharvangirasah Puccham Pratishthaa. tadapresha Shloko Bhavati."

Other than the previous Praanamaya Kosha is the Manomaya Kosha. This sheath is indeed of the same form of the previous, it pervades and fills the Praanamaya Kosha. Its head is the Yajur mantras. Its right wing is the Rk mantras. Its left wing is the Saama mantras. Its body is Adesha. Its tail is the Atharvangirasa - the Atharva Veda. In this sense there is a verse...

Here opens a fascinating discussion on the Manomaya Kosha or the mind-sheath. Deeper than our physical body, and physiological functions is this most powerful and yet most misunderstood layer of our personality called our mind.

The mind sheath discussed here is the inner instrument which receives and registers the stimuli from all the senses. If Praana is the energy behind all the senses and activities, the mind is the knowing faculty behind all the senses, activities as well as the Praanas themselves. What is the substance of the mind? We can say thought. What is a thought? Thought occurs when awareness contacts an object. Mathematically, thought can be described in this way:

Thought = Consciousness + Object

So there can be no thoughts without a knowing presence. Equally so, if there is no object there can be no thought. This is why when we are in deep sleep we do not have any thoughts as there is no perception of any object at that time. At the same time, the object can also be something subtle such as an emotion or a concept.

Generally, when the object is something perceived by the senses, we can call it the perceptual mind. it is in this context that the mind is referred to as the co-ordinator of the senses and in a more functional role. However, when the object is an emotion, then we describe the same faculty in a very different way. No longer is it merely an instrument of perception and response, but takes on a new rather substantial role as a living seat of emotions. Finally, as we shall see, the same awareness faculty, when illuminating concepts and ideals is given the very respectable appellation, the Intellect. The common theme in all these is they are all thoughts.

In our present discussion, as the Manomaya Kosha, we can consider the mind in the first two dimensions - as the knowing instrument of sense objects as well as the seat of all emotions. The third dimension is considered as a layer in itself called the Vijnaanamaya Kosha, taken up as the next topic.

So what are the aspects of a Manomaya Kosha in full flight? The Rishi says, the head is the Yajur mantras. The right wing are the Rk Mantras, left wing are the Saama mantras. What are we to make of these? From a superficial perspective there seems to be no clear connection between the mantras of the Vedas and the mind. We have to reflect.

The word "Yajus" is derived from the root verb Yaj, which means to worship. The mantras of the Yajur Veda are known for their use in ritualistic worship. For many, these acts of worship seem to be insignificant acts of offering various objects into a fire and nothing more than a waste of national resources! However, for those educated in spiritual lore, these seemingly inane actions carry a strong significance in the sense that they elevate the mind of the seeker to great heights of purity. There is nothing more elevating than an attitude of worship, and loving dedicated offering to the Supreme and when the meaning and purpose of the ritual is done, it brings about the noblest emotions in the mind. Therefore, it is fully justified to call the Yajur Veda mantras as the head of this bird of the mind.

The right side is called the Rk mantras. Rk literally means verse of praise. Here again, it indicates a certain emotional quality. When do we praise someone? It is only when we see goodness or greatness in a person can we truly praise. This "seeing" goodness in turn is possible when there is a magnanimous state of mind, full of gratitude and contentment. Hence, a mind filled with positive virtues is what is indicated here. Next, the left wing is called the Saama mantras. Saama means a song, and the mantras of the Saama Veda are full of songs of praise. When do we sing? Is it not when our mind is filled with joy? Happiness expresses as lilting notes of singing. Hence the ideal mind is full of joy and enthusiasm.

The next is the body. It is said "Adesha Atma" - that injunctions or orders are the body of the mind sheath. In a strict sense, this would refer to the injunctions of the Scriptures, which guide us in what we should do and what is to be avoided by us. All these injunctions are for none other than our mind to be guided towards purification. Here it is to be understood that the mind is held together and works in order when it is constantly given a direction. It is to be constantly occupied in some form of work, and if it is not engaged it loses its efficiency. The best direction, leading us towards our highest good are the Scriptures. Hence, the traditional interpretation of this is that the mind is to be under the strict guidance of Scriptural injunctions to bring out its best. Adesha can also refer to the intellect, which orders and governs the mind towards its chosen goal.

Finally, the tail or support of this mind sheath is called the Atharvangirasa, or the hymns of the Atharvana Veda. Atharvan literally means a Priest, one who is knowledgeable in the Vedic hymns and in Dharma. The Atharva Veda is known for its mantras dealing with a wide range of subjects, including material secular science. When we see these two aspects, it is clear that the Rishi wants us to know that the support of this mind is knowledge - both secular and religious. A person well learned in these subjects will have a strong foundation to guide and steer his mind towards his chosen destination. It is after all our knowledge and ideals which drive our attitudes and emotions, which in turn translate into actions. Hence it is most fitting to call the Atharva Veda the support of the entire bird of the Manomaya Kosha.

Having explained all this, the Rishi brings in a stunning quote from the Vedas to explain this. What does the quotation say? Next entry...

12. The Pinnacle of Praana

2012-02-04T22:52:00.002+11:00

Continuing our journey in the Praanayama Kosha, the Rishi promised us a Vedic quote to back up what He wanted to convey about this sheath. He says -

"Praanam Deva Anu Praananti. Manushyaah Pashavashca Ye. Praano Hi Bhootaanaam Ayuh. Tasmaat Sarvayushamucyate. Sarvam Eva Ta Ayuryanti Ye Praanam Brahmopasate. Praano Hi Bhootaanaam Ayuh. Tasmaat Sarvaayushamucyata iti."

Depending on Praana do the Devas (the gods/the senses) live. So also do men and the animals. Praana is the life energy of all beings, so is called the life of all. Those who worship the Praana come to live their full life span. Praana is the life energy of all beings, so is called the life of all.

This is the Vedic quote. Praana is the vital life energy behind all beings, not only humans but even the denizens of heavens, called the Devas. For animals also Praana is the vital energy. Hence, Praana is the life of all. Those who respect, worship and revere their Praana and ensure they channel the energy of Praana effectively throughout their bodies will surely have health and a long lifespan. Praana is invoked and channelised in our body through exercise, proper eating habits and breathing deeply. Through these, the channels of energy in our body continue to flow effortlessly and will give us good health. It is only when these channels are blocked do we experience aches and pains or fall to various diseases.

When can we say the Praanamaya Kosha hits its peak in performance? We can say that when at the physical level we have energy and dynamism with a freely flowing Praana to all the centres of our body - Praana has reached its peak in performance at the physical level. In addition, when the Praana is flowing properly, there is also a wonderful pacifying effect on the mental or psychological level. Thus, to use our breathing to bring about a certain calmness and peace to our mind is also the sign that Praana is being utilised efficiently and to its full performance.

In fact, this has been told to us already by the Rishi in a most contemplative language of the bird in full flight. How does the Praanamaya Kosha achieve its full flight? The head of this sheath is Praana or respiration. When our breathing is deep and rhythmic, the right wing of Vyaana or circulation is perfect and so is our digestion and evacuation (Apaana). Here the Rishi has mentioned Apaana or evacuation alone but not Samaana or digestion. The reason is that the sign of good digestion is good evacuation, so Samaana is included in Apaana. When all these are in check, naturally the Udaana Vayu which governs reverse responses in the body such as sneezing will also be in-line.

When all these five Praanas are in peak performance, we have energy to move and the sky is our limit. Hence, the Rishi tells us that the body of the Praana working at its peak is the sky, as we saw (Akaasha Atma) - meaning, it serves as an expansive, vast, boundless source of energy for us to reach to the sky itself! Body generally implies limitation, but if the space is the body of this sheath then there is no limit whatsoever to what we can achieve with the energy bestowed upon us by the Praanamaya Kosha in full swing!

And yet, while we have energy at the physical level to achieve as much as we can, the beauty of the Praanamaya Kosha at its peak is that it keeps our mind well grounded, stable and peaceful. Therefore, the tail or support of this Kosha is the stable, ever reliable Earth (Prithivi Puccham Pratishthaa). Hence, while we gain the capacity to reach for the sky, our head remains firmly on the ground, established in poise and balance like the stable earth! When we reflect in this way, it makes perfect sense for the sky being the body, and the earth the tail. How contemplatively precise our Masters were!

We may ask, what should we do to get this Praana at is peak performance? Many employ themselves in various techniques of Praanayaama which are extremely potent methods of increasing our Praanic flow through our nerves, leading to a dramatically noticeable change in the body and mind. However, invoking this power brings with it risks. Therefore, the Masters advise that we avoid all forms of Praanayaama unless we have the personal guidance of a Guru who is accomplished in the field. And even then, we must practice each technique in a strict order under personal guidance - that is, we should not practice it based on advise given on TV or the internet, or by proxy. This is especially important for practitioners of Praanayaama because of the impact that Praanayaama plays on our body and the mind. Some powerful exercises can raise our level of energies dramatically, and if we are not physically prepared for them it can immediately lead into mysterious physical illnesses. Again, if we are not mentally prepared to channel the energy harnessed positively, it can immediately awaken our suppressed negative impressions, leading to anxiety, anger and emotional tensions. These again affect the physical body, increasing the chance for illness.

On the other hand, there are some gentle, safe methods of Praanayaama that can be employed. Of these, the safest method is called Praana Vikshana or observation of breath. This simple exercise of watching - not controlling - the breath is a powerful method of bringing the Praanas into line and invoking the maximum Praana required for your daily activities. Watching your breath brings about an alignment of the body, breath and mind. Further, our breathing automatically becomes deep and slow, filling the lungs fully with air and leading to a slow increase in Praanic flow throughout the body. This gentle technique, advised by masters such as Sri Ramana Maharishi brings about all the effectiveness of Praanayaama without any of its risky side effects.

The Rishi concludes this section by reiterating the relationship of this sheath with the previous one -

Tasyaisha Eva Shaarira Atma. Yah Purvasya. Tasmaadvaa Etasmaat Praanamayaat.

This is the Atma of the previous self (the Annamaya kosha). Therefore it is the rule over the previous body.

We have discussed these points already, that the Praanamaya Kosha rules over the Annamaya Kosha and is considered as the self of the Annamaya Kosha.

We have now discussed the Praanayaama Kosha in detail. While reflecting on all this, let us not forget the main point. The aim is to get deeper into our own personality layers to finally discover our true nature. So the apt question here is, am I the Praana? If I was then how could I control it? The very fact that we are told to make use of Praana to improve its performance itself shows that we are something other than it. It is very much like the fuel of a car. It is inert and has no inherent intelligence by itself, just as fuel does not know where you are taking the car or how fast you are driving! Praana is energy, and can be harnessed and used. Hence it cannot be me, because I am the user and manipulator of this energy. I use Praana to achieve my goals, so how can I be Praana, my tool of action?

Hence, I am not the Praana. Then what or who am I? Lets see the next layer the Rishi wants to tell us about, the Manomaya Kosha...

11. Praanamaya Kosha (1)

2012-02-02T12:10:00.001+11:00

The most outer aspect of the personality is called the gross body or the Annamaya Kosha because it is born of food, lives on food and eventually becomes food. Now we go to a deeper layer of the personality, called the Praanamaya Kosha. What is it? Here it is in the words of the Rishi -

"Anyontara Atmaa Praanamayah. Tenaisha Poornah. Sa Vaa Esha Purushavidhah. Tasya Purusha Vidhataam. Anvayam Purushavidhah. Tasya Praana Eva Shirah. Vyaano Dakshinah Pakshah. Apaana Uttarah Pakshah. Aakaasha Atma. Prithivi Puccham Pratishthaa. Tadapyesha Shloko Bhavati."

Interior and other is the self which is a modification of Praana. It fills the previous layer and takes the form and shape of the previous layer (the Annamaya Kosha). Its head is Praana. Its right side is Vyaana. Its left side is Apaana. Space is its body, and the Earth is its tail. In this sense there is a verse

Praana's are our "energy layer" of vital airs which governs our various physiological systems that make the body function. The vital signs of life such as respiration, circulation and absorption, which are the methods by which modern physiologists conclude whether a person is alive are nothing but functions of the Praana. According to the ancient Indian science of Praanaayama, Praana is subtle energy which is harnessed by the individual through the breath and is channeled through various vital systems of our body to ensure its healthy function. It is much like the fuel of a car.

This explains why in space where air pressure and quality is of a very different nature, astronauts experience weaker digestion, subtle shifts in blood pressure (circulation), and sluggish excretion. Even when you take a long haul flight, the air pressure in the flight is such that our circulation, digestion, evacuation and the like are affected, generally for the worse!

Hence, Praana is vital energy gathered through air. This energy works in five major areas, called by the Praanic scientists as Praana (respiration), Apaana (evacuation), Vyaana (circulation), Samaana (digestion and absorption) and Udaana (ejection or reverse functions). Through employing various techniques of breathing, we can manipulate these functions to add to their efficiency and increase our energy levels. More on this in the next entry.

So this is Praana. Now the Rishi here tells us that other than and interior to the food-sheath is this vital-air sheath. It is more subtle than the physical layer. Subtlety in Vedanta is measured by three factors:

Vyaapakatvam - pervades the grosser
Niyantritvam - control of the grosser
Abhyantaratvam - interior, closer to the Self.

So when it is said Praanamaya Kosha is more subtle than Annamaya Kosha it means the vital air sheath pervades the physical body. Therefore the Rishi says that Praana takes the shape of the previous sheath and fills it. It means the food sheath is pervaded by the vital air sheath. Naturally so. However, the vital air sheath does not have a form of its own because it is not gross so the idea here is not that Praana literally takes the same shape as the physical body, but rather its sphere of influence is throughout the physical body. Thats the idea.

Second, the vital air sheath controls and regulates the physical body. We have seen this a little already but lets take some examples to understand this further. When we breathe slowly, deeply and properly, doctors say that all physical body performs at its peak. When we shallow-breathe, or when our breath is erratic, it immediately adversely affects the body. When our energy levels are very high, our body performs most efficiently, but when energy is low we are easily prone to diseases and ill-health. So if our Praanas are functioning properly, the body automatically responds and functions efficiently. When Praanas are out of order, all illnesses begin. Hence Praanas control the health or otherwise of the physical body.

Thirdly, the Praanas are interior compared physical body and hence are closer to the Self. Naturally so because the Praanas are more subtle. On the plane of subtlety the Self is the most subtle and the Annamaya kosha is the most gross. So as we move up the scale, the layer one notch subtler than the physical body is the Praanamaya Kosha and therefore Praana is "closer" to the Self and more "inner" compared with the physical body.

Now, having given us this idea, the Rishi now turns to the analogy of the bird which we saw in the Annamaya Kosha also. The Praana or respiration is the head, meaning the chief of them all. True, breathing is the main function which expresses as all the others. Vyaanah is the right side because the air brought in must be circulated for proper bodily function and Apaana or excretion is the right side for whatever comes in must also be allowed to freely flow out too. The body of this layer is Akaasha or Space. What does this mean?

To understand this, we need to think deeper. Each of the Praanas has a name ending in "ana" which means to move or shift. Think about this for a second. Praana is nothing but the movement of air in different ways. The word "Praana" etymologically speaking means to "move up," "Apaana" means to "move down," Vyaana means to "move everywhere," "Samana" means "to balance movement" and "Udaana" means to "move out." So what is common in these? Movement! and where does movement take place, other than in space? Hence the body which is the uniting factor behind all the Praanas, where they all connect, is Space! Hence Akaasha is the Atma or body of this sheath.

Finally, the Earth is called the tail. This again requires some thought. In His wonderful commentary, Adi Shankara explains that gravity as a force in the earth pulls the Praanas down towards its centre and it is this which holds our bodies down on the Earth. Here the great Acharya has given a beautiful explanation of gravity some 600 years before Newton and as just in one simple stroke! So Earth is the tail, means the support for the Praanas. Genius!

There is a Vedic verse which gives us more detail on what has been said thus far. Let us see it in the next entry because there is already too much here to process!

10. Annamaya Kosha

2012-02-01T11:01:00.001+11:00

From what has been said so far, we learn that everything has essentially emerged out of Brahman. From Him came all the elements, the basic building blocks of life, which at the end of its production cycle transformed itself into Annam, food. Food represents the elements made into productive potential, the cosmic soup through which Life expresses. It is interesting to note that all the food that we eat was at some stage a living entity. All plants - whether grains, vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices - are a combination of matter and life. Therefore, matter infused with life is food. However, if matter had not sufficiently developed itself into its productive form, life could not express through it.

That is why this Upanishad declared "Annaat Purushah" - from food comes Man. Whether man or animal, without the cosmic soup, there could be no expression as man, animal or plant for that matter.

As an aside, someone may say that this justifies eating meat, for even plants were living beings at one stage. True, life does live on life, but animals have a greater receptiveness to pain, since they are endowed with a brain capable of feeling pain, whereas plants do not. Plants do not have a central nervous system nor a thalamus, parietal lobe nor a cerebral cortex to register and process pain and therefore do not experience the pain that animals very clearly do. If you have any doubt about this, please visit a slaughterhouse to see the callous cruelty inflicted on animals so they can sit decapitated and roasted between two slices of bread at a so-called family restaurant (sorry if that is graphic, but its the fact). Compare that with picking vegetables from a farm. Think also that the taking of vegetables often do not kill the plant itself but to have that steak on the plate, you have to kill the cow, full stop.

To live on minimum without causing pain to other beings as much as possible, is the humane way to live. That is the philosophy behind vegetarianism and veganism. Otherwise, we are no different to any carnivore which has no capacity to feel empathy and compassion towards other creatures. It is also interesting to note that people do not generally eat carnivores, but only herbivores. It is found in nature that the meat of herbivores are much more nutritious than carnivores, because their energy derives directly from the herbs of the earth which are the original source of all nutrition. When carnivores eat herbivores, in fact, they are eating the processed energy of the earth - i.e. the plants, and derive their energy from the plants indirectly. Hence all nutrition comes from the Earth ultimately. The intelligent ones take it directly from the source, while the - well, you know - take it indirectly from other animals.

Anyway, back to the topic. I hope its clear. Lets continue on with the Upanishad, where the Rishi continues:

"Sa Vaa Esha Purusho'nnarasamayah. Tasyedam Eva Shirah. Ayam Dakshinah Pakshah. Ayam Uttarah Pakshah. Ayam Atmaa. Idam Puccham Pratishthaa. Tadapyesha Shloko Bhavati."

This Man indeed is a modification of the essence of food. This is the head. This is the right wing. This is the left wing. This is the body. This is the tail. There is a verse in this sense.

Man is nothing but a modification of food. More of this is explained a little later. The Rishi then pointing to the south-facing arm (dakshina), says "this is the right wing" and then the north-facing (uttara) arm and says "this is the left wing." Pointing to his chest, he says "this is the trunk" and pointing at the legs he says "this is the tail." The idea here is the Rishi is going to build from now on a wonderful analysis of each layer of the human personality, beginning with the outermost layer called the Annamaya Kosha or food sheath, to the innermost layer called the Anandamaya Kosha and beyond even this to the Pure Self, Brahman.

Here the literal translation of this passage speaks of two wings, a trunk and the tail which is analogous to a bird. Each layer of our personality is likened to a bird in this portion of the Upanishad, as we shall see. Why is this the case? The Rishi wants to show us that the pinnacle of each of these layers depends on each of these essential parts just as healthy wings, a firm trunk and strong tail are involved in the successful flight of a bird. If even one of the wings are injured, the trunk is frail or the tail is weak, the bird no longer flies. In the same way, what are those aspects of each of our personality layers without which we cannot "fly" to reach the pinnacle of our potential? That is what is given here. Hence, while taking us on a journey through our personality layers to reach the core of our personality, the Rishi along the way give us some wonderful pointers on how to maximise the performance of each of our personality layers. At the physical level, it is to make use of the body for work and service that makes it reach its pinnacle. More on this will be discussed below.

Now, to back up the statement made - that Man is nothing but food, the Rishi quotes a Vedic mantra in which the essential meaning behind his statement is elaborated upon. What is that?

"Annadvai Prajaah Prajaayante Yaah Kaashca Prithiveegshritaah. Atho Annenaiva Jeevanti. Athainadapiyantyantaha. Annagm Hi Bhootaanaam Jyeshtham. Tasmad Sarvaushadham Ucyate. Sarvam Vai Te'nnam Apnuvanti. Ye'naam Brahmopasate. Annagm Hi Bhootaanaam Jyeshtham. Tasmad Sarvaushadham Ucyate. Annad Bhootaani Jaayante. Jaataanyannena Vardhante Adyate'tti Ca Bhootaani. Tasmaadannam Taducyata Iti. Tasmaadvaa Etasmaat Annarasamayaat"

Whatever the beings existing on this earth, they are all indeed born of food. Thereafter they are sustained by food, and in the end in food. Food is indeed the Eldest of beings. Therefore it is called the medicine for all. They who worship, respect and revere food as Brahman get all the food they want. Food is indeed the Eldest of all beings, and therefore is the medicine for all. From food all beings are born, they grow on food. Food is that which is eaten (Adyate), and that which eats (Atti), and therefore it is called "Annam." Hence, it is nothing but a modification of food.

It is quite simple to understand that the essence of food of the man and woman form the seed and egg, which became the fetus. That fetus in turn was nourished and grown by the food eaten by the mother. When it is born it grows on food - the milk of the mother, and thereafter all the things we know and love as food. Then after living a long life sustained by food, the old man dies, is buried or burnt and becomes food for the little insects, worms and germs. If burnt becomes ashes scattered in the river or sea to become food for micro-organisms.

This is fine, but If we take Annam as just edible food, we will be missing out on the fact that this entire manifested world ends finds its ultimate manifestation in food and we can therefore consider this entire universe as "food." And is it not true that whatever we eat is nothing but the elements combined in different portions? Therefore the entire world can be considered as Annam. The Annam, as the physical manifested universe is our elder or parent in the sense that food existed before we came, food went into making us, supporting us and making us grow. We derive our nutrition from food, our elder who gives us the nourishment we need. Do we not therefore call the earth as Mother? Like a parent, she supports us in her loving embrace, she sustains our lives through her nourishment and thereafter bears our load for as long as we are here, until we return back to her.

With this broader understanding of Annam, if we respect and worship food as the entire manifested universe, it is said that we will get all the food required. It is true at an individual and societal level. If we respect and revere all things and beings, understanding them as manifestations of the Divine, we will not waste resources and take them for granted. We will make use of every ounce of our body to treat others and ourselves with respect and dignity. One who has such a cultured mind will be loved and appreciated everywhere, the visible manifestation of which is plenty of resources falling at that persons feet! As society, if we collectively propitiate and make best use of our resources there will be plenty of food, meaning productive resources, for everyone. At the heart of a healthy society is a sense of loving respect and reverence born out of a greater vision that sees the underlying unity behind everything. With that attitude in mind, whatever we do with the Annamaya Kosha will be duty and service. It will be productive work dedicated to the good of all, as opposed to narrow self interest. Service is therefore the pinnacle of use for this "bird" called the Annamaya kosha. This is the deeper import here.

Having given us a wonderful method of how to use this body, the Rishi provides us with a most striking definition of food. What is food? Adyate - that which is eaten. And Atti - that which eats. So that which is eaten and that which eats, is food. Food lives on food. Is it not true? The human body which is nothing but food sustains itself on food, and eventually returns back to the earth and is food for some other creature!

This point of this body being food is touched upon over and over again because the Rishi wants to hint at something very important - that you are not the body which afterall is only a modification of food. Think of your body as food, and you will not have such strong identification with it as "me." It is not you. Then what are you? There is a deeper layer than the Annamaya Kosha called the Praanamaya Kosha. Lets see it in the next entry...

9. Logic of creation

2012-01-31T09:34:00.001+11:00

The Rishi said that from Brahman came everything - the elements of space, air, fire, water and earth. We have discussed why this gradation is given in the previous entry and how it is quite in line with current understandings of the origins of the universe. Where the Rishi's differed from the Scientists is that they logically posited that the universe emerged from an Existing, Conscious, Infinite substratum, whereas in science, it boils down to chance. The stiffer edge of science argues that the universe appeared just like that, functions with scientific precision just like that, and has manifested intelligent beings, just like that.

However, if we really think about it, when we see this amazingly vast, beautiful, and precise universe functioning under specific laws, full of life and intelligent beings, it stands to good reason to infer that the source of all these cannot be non-existent, nor can it be an inert thing and nor can it be finite.

How? Just think. If we see an existing universe, it means the source must also be existing. The simple idea here is that something cannot come from nothing! Where there is an effect, there must be a cause. That cause must be of the nature of existence (Satyam), for otherwise we trap ourselves into an absurdity - that everything came from nothing, which any intelligent scientist would never accept. A rabbit did not actually come from the empty space of the hat. It is only a child which will believe that. In the same way, the universe did not come from an empty non-existence. Only a child would believe that.

Second, if we see a universe pulsating with life, intelligence and so many perfect laws functioning effortlessly, it stands to perfect reason that the source from which all has come is aware and is intelligent - Jnaanam. No law can be without an intelligent law-maker and law governor. Matter cannot govern itself and arrange itself into any intelligent array unless we ascribe life to matter which, by definition is contradictory. Just look at the incredible complex perfection of the universe. Look at your own body - what a precise and perfect machine it is. Could it have all happened purely by chance? No one would believe me if I told them that the secret of the Swiss watches is that they appear somehow from a small crevice in the high Swiss Alps, and they are brushed, washed, and put on display for £500 by intelligent Swiss miners. Would anyone accept that such precise time pieces of such complexity appear out of the Alps just like that? Then think about this body, which is a million times more complex than any supercomputer on the planet - and yet we think it happened by accident? Indeed, only a child can believe that!

Third, the scale and vastness of the universe will have to make us conclude that the source from which everything has come is not only intelligent, but of infinite capacity (Anantam). We cannot place any limitation on that Source which is above and beyond this universe which seems infinite in itself! Moroever, all limitations fall in the created world - time, space and objects. The Source of these limitations naturally transcends them. Hence He is Infinite.

Hence we have seen logically how the universe has emerged from Brahman, which is Satyam, Jnaanam and Anantam. The order and explanation of creation has already been described in the previous blog, but the main point behind this entry was to show the logic of creation emerging from Brahman, and the illogical standpoint of some scientists who claim it has emerged from either a non-existent void, an inert particle which is a limited form or name.

Think!

(if you are feeling a bit more game, here is a little heavier article on creation I wrote sometime back, while commenting on a verse from the Sri Dakshinamurthy Stotram - Creation According to Vedanta)

8. Creation

2012-01-25T23:30:00.001+11:00

"The knower of Brahman attains the Supreme. In this same sense, there is a verse - 'Truth, Consciousness, Infinity is Brahman. That person who knows this in the cave of his heart, the Supreme Inner-space, he fulfills all happiness of all desires at once, along with the Omniscient Brahman.'"

We have spent the last 7 entries discussing the above statements in detail. For the highly advanced seekers, the above has plenty for them to chew on and progress in their Sadhana. They must have left. The Guru then looked into the whites of the eyes of the remaining students and understood that they have not understood! So, in His Infinite Compassion He begins to elaborate on the above statements but in a different way.

"Tasmaad Vaa Etasmaad Atmanah Aakaashah Sambhootah. Aakaashaad Vayuh. Vayor Agnih. Agner Aapah. Adbhyah Prthivi. Prithivyaa Aushadhayah. Aushadhibhyo annam. Annaat Purushah"

"From That, or indeed From this Self came Space. From Space came Air. From Air, Fire. From Fire, Water. From Water, Earth. From Earth, herbs. From Herbs, Food. From Food, Man."

The first word used by the Master is Tasmaad, which means "From THAT" referring to Brahman, and to make it even clearer he says Vai Etasmaad Atmanah which means "From THIS Self indeed." So here the Teacher points out the Oneness between the Self of the individual and the Supreme Self with absolute clarity. He did so before also in the quotation itself, but we might have missed it, so again it is pointed out.

Ok, from that or this Self, what? The Rishi says, from this Self came the elements, the basic building blocks of the universe. First came space, the subtlest of the elements. When space was fully manifest, then appeared the gases called air. When the gases intermingled there produced heat or fire. When that fire cooled those very gases condensed to form water. And when that water solidified it became matter or the earth.

It is interesting to note that if we analyse our current theories of the big bang, they are not too different from what has been said here. According to the big bang theorists, first emerged space, within which formed large gaseous masses (air). When these gases, under gravity come to stick to one another into denser and denser formations, they produce intense heat and start forming the stars (fire). In their formation, particles of the dust around the star also clumped together in heat balls to a lesser extent but due to gravitational pull, they continue their orbit around the central star. Those hot clumps cool to become planets and condense to form water and other chemicals at varying rates of cooling. When this very same water solidifies along with the new chemical formations produced by the cooling gases, it forms earth.

Here the elements are explained to have occurred from the most subtle (Space) to the grossest (Earth). Subtelty is measured by pervasiveness and perceptiveness. It is scientifically true that the most abundant "thing" (though we can't really call it a substance) is space. The next most abundant substance are in the form of gases which are rudimentary particles at low density. This is air. Thereafter due to the pressure of gravity these low pressure gaseous masses cluster and collapse into extremely high energy particles forming heat and light energy, which we call fire. This is the next most abundant substance. Thereafter, when some smaller heat and light energy clumps cooled they formed atmosphere which supported water, and thereafter from that a small portion formed the earth. Hence the Earth makes up a small portion of Water, which is much more abundant. More abundant than water is the heat and light energy within the core of the planet as well as in our solar system as the sun. More abundant than the light and heat energy of the stars is the cosmic gases, which dwarf the stars in their size and quantity. Finally, the most pervasive or abundant is space, which actually makes up more than 99% of the universe itself!

So therefore, space is the most pervasive than air (the gases) and hence is more subtle and so on. Secondly, space is not seen but has the unique property of sound. Sound is carried by space and this is its sole property. Air, or the gases carry sound as well as have a property of touch as we can perceive air and other gases by how they are felt on the skin. Fire has the properties of sound and and touch, but also has the property of form. Water has these three properties of sound, touch and form, and in addition has the property of taste. Finally Earth has all these four as well as smell. Hence, space is the least perceptible to us, and Earth is the most perceptible, making Space the subtlest and Earth the grossest.

So you can see that our Rishi's told the story of creation in a most scientific manner. We may look at these Scriptural declarations and decry them as blabberings of an ignorant age, yet the Rishis did in fact tell us as it was in the most deceptively simple contemplative language. When we look deep into their suggestions, we find a profound understanding of universal laws and science in every one of their assertions.

Thereafter, on Earth came food, and the food which constitutes the human body was the right field for Life to express itself through matter as Man. More on this in the next blog...

7. So'shnute Sarvan Kaamaan Sah

2012-01-23T21:58:00.000+11:00

People are utilitarian. It is said that without knowing the purpose of doing something, even a fool does not act. We all want to know, what will we get out of doing something. In the same way, here also we are told, instructed, encouraged and inspired to inquire into the nature of Brahman. But it is not easy work. Physical work uses a lot of energy, but mental and intellectual work requires a great deal more. Also, the subtler the subject, the greater the concentration and reflective capacity required.

Brahma Vidya is the most subtle science that demands the highest degree of concentration and subtelty for the ideas to seep through the narrow crevice of our conscious mind into the cave of our hearts. Again and again, agitations of the mind, doubts, negative thoughts, distracting ideas and contrary concepts constantly invade this most delicate process of reflection. We have to deal with each one as the ideas are churned into our personality and reach the depths of us. Until then, it is all our effort to maintain the tempo and intensity of our inquiry.

The big question is, why should I do this? What is the result I'll get out of this intensive inner search? Why should I even bother starting this if it is so difficult?

Here the Rishi knows that this will be the big question on the minds of all disciples, so He answers - "So'shnute Sarvaan Kaamaan Saha Brahmanaa Vipaschiteti." - "He attains the joy of fulfilling all desires at once along with the Omniscient Brahman." The joy of fulfilling all desires at once? Yes - the desires of all beings, from the beginning of beginning less time, to the end of endless time, of all creatures in all the realms of experience, from the smallest ant enjoying a tiny grain of sugar to Indra enjoying the intense pleasures of the Heavens to even Brahmaji in the happiness of Satya Loka. In short, Infinite Happiness.

What is happiness? When the agitated mind is stilled and the doubtful intellect is silenced, we experience waves of happiness springing from the core of our being. The Source is our very Self, Brahman. Currently we silence the mind through various desires, which is either sense pleasures, emotional fulfillment or intellectual satisfaction but through these we merely dissolve one curtain covering the Bliss which lies within for some moments, before it is veiled again by another curtain of desires, agitations and thoughts.

So the very desires which appear to give happiness by opening the curtain to the Self actually end up veiling that Source of joy by appearing again and again in innumerable forms to cover it up. Therefore, happiness from all desires has only one purpose - to open this gate to the Self. If we came to know that we are that Self, the Source of all Bliss, then there would be no desire curtain, for all desires are only to access this joy within. If I have free access to that Source, why would I have any worldly desire?

We can therefore say that one who has realised the Source of all joy has attained that joy gained by having fulfilled all desires at once. This is indeed true. And this is, the Rishi proclaims, is the state of the Omniscient Brahman. In other words, this is also the Highest state of Wisdom, beyond which there is nothing else to be known.

This statement ends with "iti" which means this is the end of the quotation which began with "Satyam-Jnaanam-Anantam Brahma." The rest of the chapter is an elaboration on these points, as we shall see. However, if these pointers of the Rishi are well reflected upon, they contain everything we need to arrive at our own Self.

6. Yo Veda Nihitam...

2012-01-22T12:58:00.000+11:00

The wise Rishi of the Taittiriya Upanishad tells His disciples that the knower of Brahman attains the Supreme. The natural question that rises in the minds of the new initiates is "What is Brahman?" So in order to expound on this, the Rishi quotes another great Master of the past who proclaimed to the world from the depths of his experience that Brahman is "Truth-Awareness-Infinity." Satyam-Jnaanam-Anantam Brahma.

We have now seen a little on each of these words. Please note that no single word or any combination of words can ever define, describe or completely expound what Brahman really is to the seeking intellect. Brahman, the Reality is beyond all speech, mind and conceptualisation of the intellect. However, the words are useful pointers, guiding our thinking until we arrive at the experience ourselves. Upanishads are not merely informative, but their purpose is to guide us directly into the realm of experience through reflection and meditation on the suggestive meanings of the words given. The Truth needs no words to support it, - it stands in its own Pristine Glory and we only need to uncover the suggestive meaning hidden in the words.

Here, three words are given and they are a comprehensive set of arrow marks to guide us in our reflection and meditation. They are like three satellite signals used to track a target on the ground. Each signal gives us an idea of where the target may be positioned, but when three signals are used, we have a precise coordinated understanding of exactly where the target is. Same way here, each word adds to the depth and precision of our understanding. The end result is much more clarity than if we had only one word.

However, the Rishi is not finished. There are still seekers sitting looking at Him with a blank expression. He understands their problem. It is not so easy to grasp Brahman, being the subtlest of the subtle very easily. Therefore, in order to guide their thinking, He continues the quotation of the prior Master and tells us where we should begin to look in order to discover Brahman.

"Yo Veda Nihitam Guhaayaam, Parame Vyoman." - He who knows it seated in the cave of the heart, in the Supreme inner space. So here the "location" where the seeker can "meet" Brahman is given: The heart. If we want to meet the Satyam-Jnaanam-Anantam Brahma, He is seated in the heart, in the very core of our personality as Existence, as Life, and as Expansiveness. Here the Rishi has used the phrase in the "Supreme Space." Space is that in which everything is accommodated. But Space itself, being one of the elements is itself resting in the Supreme Space which is Consciousness. So that from which everything draws its Beingness, from which all beings derive their Awareness - that in which everything is accommodated including space - that is the Supreme Space. That is Brahman.

We might wonder, if Brahman is beyond time, space and objects, why should the Rishi give a location to find Brahman in your own heart. He is everywhere, so why not say, find Brahman in the valleys and mountains, forests and oceans, the sky and the deserts. Why should we look within and moroever, why should there be a location at all for the all pervading Reality?

It is a little like this: Though the government of a country has its rule throughout the land and therefore is effectively "everywhere" in the nation, if you want to meet the government, you need to go to the capital city where the central parliament and senate is. There alone you can contact the government. Same way, the Lord is all pervading, true, but He is contacted in our own heart first. In other words, He is known and experienced as the essence of you. Once the Lord is cognised in the "heart-space" He is automatically recognised everywhere. Whereas to see Him first outside will be difficult because our eyes only objects and not the Unseen Chord which unites them into one Web of Divinity. This Unseen Chord is seen by the eye of knowledge, which is gained when we turn within.

Once we recognise Him there, what is the incredible result? "So'shnute Sarvan Kaaman sah, Brahmanaa Vipascitaa iti." Next blog...

5. Anantam Brahma

2012-01-19T15:07:00.000+11:00

Many people ask does God exist or is He only a belief in the faithful minds of believers? Vedanta has a most unique answer. We do not say "Yes, God exists" but rather, "God is Existence." Whatever you consider in the world as Existing, it borrows its Being from God, which is synonymous with the changeless Existence. Some also ask - God may exist, but does He know my problems? We do not merely say "Yes, God knows" but rather "God is Knowledge Absolute." Whatever is known at any time, it is by His Grace that we know them. So of course He knows!

Here we have brought the inquiry to a subjective level. We have seen that I am of the nature of Existence, and I am also the nature of Awareness. If Awareness was a property of mine, then I am different from it, and therefore would be an inert thing. Thus, Awareness is also my nature. By these two words, Satyam and Jnaanam, we have to a great extent rediscovered ourselves to be of that same nature.

However, a further doubt may arise in our minds. That is, my awareness is limited, finite. I am not aware of everything in the universe. If a tree in the Amazon rainforest was to fall down, I will not know about it. A child going to school for the first time in Canada, I do not know. I am not aware of an inland volcano in Italy erupting. So then am I this limited knower, in which case Brahman would be a finite entity?

To refute this, the third word is given - Anantam Brahma. Brahman is Infinite. This means that Brahman is not limited by any equipment or limiting adjuncts called the body, mind and the intellect. Brahman cannot be confined and limited in any way.

In what ways can anything be limited by? Things are born in time, exist in time and eventually perish in time. When it is said Brahman is Anantam, it means He is beyond time. Secondly, things have a shape and therefore are limited in space. Brahman, being formless is beyond the limitation of space. And thirdly, things and beings have mutual exclusivity. A chair is not a table, a table is not a pencil, a fridge is not a washing machine. But Brahman appears as all of them, and pervades all of them and therefore is not limited by any object.

Therefore, these are the three possible limitations - time, space and objects. Brahman, being the Substratum and Illuminator of time, space and objects naturally transcends them and is not bound by them. It is afterall in Existence-Consciousness that time, space and objects play about. These limiting factors require an Existing Substratum to play about, and an illuminating factor to vouch for their existence and play. That factor is Brahman. Brahman, which is not the limited reflected consciousness in you or I, but the Infinite Blissful entity which lights up the hearts of all beings and infuses a sense of Life and Awareness in them.

It is a bit like this: the sunlight reflecting in pot of clear water mimics the sun in many ways - it is bright like the sun and after a while some of the heat is also transferred to it so the water also becomes warm. So by indicating the sun to be heat-light we may suddenly feel that someone is referring to the reflection which also has those properties to some extent! To avoid this confusion, we need to tell them, not the reflected sun, but the infinite sun in the sky! In the same way, we are not talking of this limited, reflected existence consciousness which we know as "I" but the Infinite Reality which reflects in this mind equipment but is ever different, free and unconditioned by the limitations of the mind and the body.

Naturally, therefore, in order to recognise this Infinite dimensionless Brahman, all we need to do is shift our attention for a moment away from those finite limiting factors of the Body, Mind and Intellect and towards the Source from which they derive their sentiency. Drop everything and see who you are. Drop the identification with BMI, and then come to appreciate your own Unlimited Dimension, which is Pure Existence, Awareness and Infinity. The Rishi did this, and therefore could tell us in these few words the complete experience of Brahman.

But where can I recognise the Presence of this Sacred Brahman? Where do I need to tune to this Divine Experience of coming in close contact with my own nature? This adjustment is done in the very core of our personality, called our hearts. This is taken up in the next blog..."Yo Veda Nihitam Guhayam Parame Vyoman."

Reflections on death and dying

2012-01-19T12:45:00.000+11:00

We all may intellectually appreciate that death is very much a part of life. The only thing guaranteed of every being that is born onto this Earth is that they will die. In fact, the very Sanskrit word for birth contains the seed of death also - Janma. The "Jan" signifies birth and the "ma" suffix stands for marana or death. In being born, we are forced to accept death also. They are a package deal.

In reflecting on this fact very deeply we will recognise the preciousness of every moment and we will come closer to understanding the purpose of this life. All our petty, insignificant hang ups over people, things and situations will immediately come to an end and we will naturally focus on that which is more important to us. There will also come a deep acceptance of the death for oneself and for a loved one. For indeed, most of our sorrows come because at some level we have not come to accept the situation for what it is. A proper reflective understanding of death will give us that acceptance.

At the same time, even if we do understand the above and have accepted the fact to some extent at least, when a loved one leaves us we still feel the grief and sorrow of passing. Is it justified? Does this grief mean that we have not really understood the fact of the matter?

No. Grief is a natural emotion expressing loss or empathy. We see the smiling photographs of one so bubbling with life and energy, with the right intentions and motivations for life. We see a life cut short of its tremendous capacity and potential and cannot help but feel that this person was hard done by. If it was an elderly person we could console ourselves, but the early exit of a young person is intensely painful. But of course, there is no general rule in this - the death of a near one is painful no matter what the age of the person may be.

So we grieve. It is natural, and we must allow the natural grief process to express itself. Grief here should be understood as an outpouring of emotional energy expressing ones loss and ones love for the person lost. There is no need to fight it, restrain it or rationalise it, justify or argue with or against it. We should let the emotions out as they need to be. As we release them, they may come out rather erratically. Emotional outbursts followed by times of forgetfulness, distractions and sometimes a feeling of numbness. This is all very natural for a person in grief.

Over a few weeks and months, the intensity of the emotional outbursts naturally will wear down and the erratic nature of the mind will subside. A sense of normalcy returns to the mind. This does not mean we have suddenly forgotten the person. This in fact happens to many people - they begin to feel guilty that they did not remember the person with as much intensity as before. "Have I forgotten the person? What kind of relative/friend am I? How wicked a person I am." etc. It is important to remember that the natural emotional intensity must subside over time. Otherwise it can lead to serious mental imbalances.

Now instead of feeling sad over not being sad, which is totally silly, we should start to reflect on the lessons we can learn from that person. The greatest remembrance we can have of a person is to reflect on the positive qualities they stood for and lived and to commit ourselves to those same virtues. This way, our remembrance at the emotional level transforms itself in a way that the person remains with us always. The ideals a person stood for is the nearest to their heart. It was their positive qualities that attracted us towards them, so when we bring them into our own life, we will slowly feel closer to that person than ever before. In fact, this is the greatest act of remembrance and tribute we can do for that person.

The final stage of learning is to open up and think more broadly about life and reflect more deeply on the points raised above about the inevitability of death and change and how it leads us to understand the purpose of life. The mistake people make is to start thinking philosophically too early. When we are emotional all philosophy will serve to make us more emotional, more dissatisfied, more discouraged. We will feel that religion is cold and impersonal, and the voice of a callous philosopher who was either extremely bitter or totally naive to emotional loss. So when emotional, don't try to think too hard. We should allow the emotions to flow. Only when they subside can we really think carefully.

However, as we come to a more balanced level, we can come to ask the serious questions such as "what is this life for?" "from where have we all come and where will we go after death?" "What is our ultimate destination for which we have been placed here?" "Who am I and why am I here?"

An intelligent person will naturally begin to ask these questions. As we seek, the answers are found. As we knock, the doors are opened...

All these stages of grieving and growth take time...we must let it happen at its own pace, but note that unless we get to the bottom of this and end it with a proper self-inquiry and get the bigger picture, we will not come to a point of complete acceptance and love. Negative energy will remain there weighing down on us like a heavy bag on our shoulders.

Yet when we do inquire with the help of a spiritual guide, we raise ourselves to understand death from a higher vantage point. We will be able to appreciate everything has its role and purpose. Just as birth has its purpose to serve, death also has an equally important purpose in the progression of the embodied life-spark, the Jiva. And from the ultimate standpoint, nothing whatsoever can ever touch the Divine Consciousness which is the Eternal and Indestructible Atman.

4. Jnaanam Brahma

2012-01-18T10:47:00.001+11:00

The first "arrow-mark" indicating Brahman was Satyam. By this word the Rishi wants us to understand that Brahman is the Changeless Existence upon which the world of names and forms are appearing, playing about and disappearing into. Whatever appears to exist, is actually borrowing that Existence from Brahman. Just as the gold necklace borrows its existence from the gold, being nothing but gold, the entire universe of names and forms, including my own form and name, borrows that Existence from Brahman.

Fine. But this leads us onto a possible doubt. If Brahman is like gold, the substance from which everything has emerged it may lead us into thinking that Brahman is inert. To meet this doubt, Brahman is indicated here as Jnaanam, Consciousness.

This very same Brahman indicated as being Satyam or Existence is now indicated as being of the nature of Jnaanam or Consciousness. Satyam and Jnaanam are not two separate entities, but indicators of one Entity. Just as water can be described as wetness-coolness, and are not indicating two different things, here also Brahman is Existence and that very Existence is Consciousness.

Here suddenly the analysis becomes subjective. Previously we saw that Existence is the changeless "isness" of everything, including the table and the chair etc. But now, the Rishi wants us to look within. When we analyse existence as the "isness" of things, we can bring this closer to home by noting that I also exist. "I am" is our constant experience. This "amness" of conscious beings is the "isness" of inert objects. This "I am" is always with us. It is changeless amidst all changes of the body, mind and intellect and therefore is the independent substratum behind all change. Birth and death are for the body, but not Existent Me upon which birth, growth, maturity, decay and death play about. The Existing Me is like the screen upon which the kaleidoscopic images of the film are projected.

But how do I know I exist? This may sound like a silly question, but its answer has profound implications. I exist because I am aware of it. I am, and I am aware that I am. This is Jnaanam. If I was not aware, how would I ever observe that I am? So my existence is proven by my awareness of the fact. So without awareness, Jnaanam, neither my own existence nor the existence of anything else for that matter, could ever be known. Therefore Existence depends on Awareness.

On the other hand, could Awareness be independent of Existence? The Awareness after all must exist to be aware of anything, right? A non-existent Awareness has no meaning. Therefore, Awareness depends on Existence. This mutual inter-relationship only shows that Existence and Consciousness are inescapably one Entity as one can never be without the other.

Hence, Jnaanam Brahma. Even when we see objects around us, we know them as existing only because we are aware of them. Hence in this Awareness lies the entire universe. This is a profound discovery of the Upanishad Rishis. They said that if you were not aware of this world, the world would not exist for you. If we reflect on this for a moment, we will find that this is undoubtedly the case. When I am in deep sleep, what happens to the world of the waking state? Does it not get negated? It is only when my mind functions in the waking state that the world appears to exist. Mind, world. No mind, no world! So everything does indeed exist in Awareness alone.

But who or what is this Awareness? We say "I am aware." This I currently is identified with the body, so one may come to understand that the Rishi is saying that the whole universe exists in "my" awareness alone. It will lead us to conclude that I, as the limited knower or the ego is the source of the entire universe. But how can that be, when I am a finite individual? To stop us from making this mistake, the third arrow mark is given - Anantam. That Existence, which is Awareness - that entity is not limited, but is Infinite - Anantam. Anantam Brahma.

What does this mean? Next blog...in the meantime, Think! and throw out your doubts also...These are just notes, we have to churn them in our minds again and again for it to become clearer...

3. Satyam Brahma

2012-01-17T15:20:00.002+11:00

"Satyam Jnaanam Anantam Brahma" is perhaps one of the most famous Upanishadic declarations on the nature of the Reality, which they called as Brahman or we in common language call God. On this, Adi Shankara has written a long and exhaustive commentary to explain the nature of these words, how they relate to each other and how each independently indicates the nature of Truth. Let us take each word one by one.

"Satyam" - the direct meaning of Satyam is Truth. Brahman is the Truth. Now what do we mean by Truth. It is said in all religions that God is the Truth, but what does that really mean?

Satyam or Truth is simply that which is. If I say something in accordance to what is, that speech is called the truth. If I say something contrary to what is, that is false. That is as far as truth and falsity in speech is concerned, but the Truth itself must be that which exists, that which is. On the other hand false is defined as that which is not. So in short, that which is, is God. Whatever was in the past, is in the present and will be in the future. Whatever exists in the waking, dream, and deep sleep states of awareness. Whatever can be experienced, and is experienced, and will be experienced...all this is Satyam, all this is Brahman.

But what is? We see that all the forms and beings of the world go on changing. What aspect of them is Brahman? So here we must inquire further. We say "the table is." But the table can be broken down and we can then say "wooden pieces are." Again, we can break those wooden pieces into wood chips and then say "wood chips are." Those can be broken further into fine powdered wood and we can say "powdered wood is." This can all be set alight and turned into ash. "The ash is." So in all these, the forms and names go on changing, but the "isness" aspect does not change. In the same way, the "isness" of all objects, at all times is Brahman. This "isness" or Existence is not a form or shape of its own, but it is that from which all forms derive their existence from. This changeless Existence is the substance from which all names and all forms appear to exist.

To cite an example, we can have a gold necklace, earring, nose ring, bracelet, toe ring, and a tongue ring - all made of gold. We can melt the gold in each of these and turn it into something else. But as far as gold is concerned it ever remains the same. The Gold is the Satyam or Truth of all the ornaments because it is the substance which appears and is the only existing factor before the ornaments were created, during the existence of the ornaments and even when the ornaments dissolve away. At all times, the gold remains.

In the same way, Brahman is that Satyam, that Existence, from which all names and forms have arisen, in which all names and forms are sustained, and into which they go back. Actually it is all Brahman alone appearing as all these, just as gold appears as all gold ornaments. This is the meaning of Satyam.

If Brahman is the substance from which everything has arisen, like gold is the cause for all gold ornaments, does that mean that Brahman is inert like gold? To avoid this hasty conclusion, the Rishi adds the second indicator of Brahman, in case we were not able to grasp the enormity of the first word, Satyam.

The second indicator is Jnaanam - Brahman is Consciousness. Let us take this up in the next blog. In the meantime, do reflect on the above...it will click if you reflect on it...

2. Tadeshaabhyuktaa

2012-01-15T12:04:00.000+11:00

"Tadeshaabhyukta" is the second statement of this Upanishad. "Tat" means that, "esha" means this "abhi uktaa" has been said. So this is translated as "In the same sense, this is said." This is a linking statement which signifies that there is a following quote from the Vedas which elaborates this first original statement "Brahmavid Apnoti Param."
It is most fascinating that the Rishi's, though being an authority in themselves, never forgot to back up whatever statements they made with the Wisdom of their predecessors. Here the wise Rishi affirms to his students that the knowledge he is sharing with them is not a mere concoction of his own brain, nor something new that he is establishing. He explains that he is only explaining what has already been taught by the great teachers of the past, including his own. By his direct experience, the Rishi has realised the Truth of their teachings and has brought out his own original statement of Pure Experience - "Brahmavit Apnoti Param" backed by the knowledge he was given in the past.

This is science. When a number of individuals conduct the very same experiment independently, over different periods of time and in different places and yet come to the same conclusion - then that conclusion becomes authoritative. For example, in order to determine the exact speed of light, scientists in the United States and Europe independently conducted various experiments and eventually came to the very same conclusions. Hence the speed of light is established at 299,792.458km/s.

If you have got any doubt, then why don't you try and conduct the same experiment! But since many have done so, and many have reached the same conclusion, we can rely on their findings and accept that that is indeed the speed of light.

In the same way, the subjective scientists in Ancient India long ago discovered and revealed Brahman, the Infinite Reality as the Truth, and demonstrated how It is to be thought of and attained. The number of Scientists being large and the same conclusion made over generations, that knowledge can be safely taken as authentic.

Therefore, to refer to the authentic source of knowledge called the Vedas lends an incomparable weight to the statement made by the Rishi. If you have any doubt, then again, why not try to conduct the subject experiment yourself. Seek to discover Brahman in your own Self and then come back and let us all know what you found.

Here though, unlike in the scientific experiment, it is imperative that we do indeed conduct our own experiments and come to a conclusion on this. Why? Because by knowing our True Nature as Infinite Consciousness, we will be free of all our sorrows, miseries and doubts. Our constant for happiness, peace, and bliss will be fulfilled and we will attain complete joy and freedom. More will be said on this later, but the point is, by knowing the speed of light you don't get very much except maybe for a pat on the back. But on getting this Self-knowledge, the result is astounding - we attain the Infinite!

It is to elaborate on this very point that the following quotation from the Vedas is taken up...(next blog)