Maha Shivratri, the night of the worship of Lord Shiva, occurs on the 14th night of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Phalguna.

It falls on a moonless February night, when Hindus offer special prayer to the lord of destruction. Shivratri (Sanskrit ‘ratri’ = night) is the night when he is said to have performed the Tandava Nritya or the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. The festival is observed for one day and one night only.

Three Reasons to Celebrate Shivratri

Origin of Shivratri:

According to the Puranas, during the great mythical churning of the ocean called Samudra Manthan, a pot of poison emerged from the ocean. The gods and the demons were terrified as it could destroy the entire world. When they ran to Shiva for help, he in order to protect the world, drank the deadly poison but held it in his throat instead of swallowing it. This turned his throat blue, and since then he came to be known as ‘Nilkantha’, the blue-throated one. Shivratri celebrates this event by which Shiva saved the world.

A Festival Significant for Women:

Shivratri is considered especially auspicious for women. Married women pray for the well being of their husbands and sons, while unmarried women pray for an ideal husband like Shiva, who is the spouse of Kali, Parvati and Durga. But generally it is believed that anyone who utters the name of Shiva during Shivratri with pure devotion is freed from all sins. He or she reaches the abode of Shiva and is liberated from the cycle of birth and death.

Shiva Rituals:

On the day of Shivratri, a three-tiered platform is built around a fire. The topmost plank represents ‘swargaloka’ (heaven), the middle one ‘antarikshaloka’ (space) and the bottom one ‘bhuloka’ (earth). Eleven ‘kalash’ or urns, are kept on the ‘swargaloka’ plank symbolizing the 11 manifestations of the ‘Rudra’ or destructive Shiva. These are decorated with the leaves of ‘bilva’ or ‘bael’ (Aegle marmelos) and mango atop a coconut representing the head of Shiva. The uncut shank of the coconut symbolizes his tangled hair and the three spots on the fruit Shiva’s three eyes.

Bathing the Phallus:

The phallus symbol representing Shiva is called the lingam. It is usually made of granite, soapstone, quartz, marble or metal, and has a ‘yoni’ or vagina as its base representing the union of organs. Devotees circumambulate the lingam and worship it throughout the night. It is bathed every three hours with the 5 sacred offerings of a cow, called the ‘panchagavya’ – milk, sour milk, urine, butter and dung. Then the 5 foods of immortality – milk, clarified butter, curd, honey and sugar are placed before the lingam. Datura fruit and flower, though poisonous, are believed to be sacred to Shiva and thus offered to him.

“Om Namah Shivaya!”:

All through the day the devotees keep severe fast, chant the sacred Panchakshara mantra “Om Namah Shivaya”, make offerings of flowers and incense to the Lord amidst ringing of temple bells. They maintain long vigils during the night, keeping awake to listen to stories, hymns and songs. The fast is broken only the next morning, after the nightlong worship. In Kashmir, the festival is held for 15 days. The 13th day is observed as a day of fast followed by a family feast.

Source: hinduism.about.com

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Arjuna’s Penance is a massive open-air bas-relief monolith, which dates back to the 7th century. It is situated in the town of Mahabalipuram, at a distance of 58 km from Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu.

Standing tall at a height of 43 feet, the Mamallapuram monolith was carved on the face of two huge adjoining boulders, somewhere around the mid-7th century. The length of Arjuna’s Penance is around 96 feet and the monolith is also known by the name of ‘The Descent of Ganga’.

Arjuna’s Penance is known by two names as experts disagree on the stories depicted by it. As per one view, the massive rock sculpture has been named after one of the heroes of the great Indian Epic, Mahabharata. It is believed to illustrate an instance from Mahabharata when Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, performed rigorous austerities to get Shiva’s weapon and destroy his enemies.

The second view is that Arjuna’s Penance is a depiction of the incident when King Bhagiratha of India did penance to bring the River Ganges down, from heaven to earth, so as to purify the souls of his ancestors.

Lord Shiva answered his prayers and sent the Ganges down to earth. However, the lord decided to break her fall to earth so as to lessen the impact, by allowing the water to trickle through His hair. It is said that the animals of the whole world became curious of the incident and gathered around the soaking God to witness it.

The carvings done on the massive monolith support both the stories. Apart from these incidents, the carvings also depict popular fables from the Hindu Panchatantra books.

The liveliness and naturalism of the sculpted figures stand as proofs of the outstanding skill of their sculptors. Arjuna’s Penance showcases more than 100 figures of gods and flying celestial creatures, birds and animals, including giant elephants, along with human beings and saints. A natural cleft between the two rocks separates the monolith into two separate halves. It is this cleft that is believed to represent the descent of the Ganges to earth.

The figures of animals and celestial beings carved on Arjuna Penance are shown either facing this cleft or approaching it and generally have their hands folded in adoration. Filling the cleft is a slab, which has been sculpted with male and female nagas (snakes).

The hands of the nagas are held together in adoration and an artificial waterfall, fed from a collecting chamber sited above, is located just over it. There is a four-armed deity, probably Lord Shiva, to the left side of the cleft.

The deity is shown holding a weapon in His right hand and His left hand is in the gesture of granting a blessing. Dwarf ganas (guards and followers of Lord Shiva) have also been shown along with the deity. To the right of the deity and a little below, one can see Arjuna, or Bhagiratha, standing on one leg, in a yoga posture with arms upraised, seeking the blessing of the lord. Underneath this figure, one can see a carved shrine of Lord Vishnu, which has sages, a buck and his doe and a lion seated in the front, along with a few disciples engaged in austerities.

To the left of the shrine are some caves, in which a few animals are shown resting. Apart from these carvings, the lower left portion of the boulder is left largely uncarved. The Upper left portion of the boulder has carvings that depict a mountain, probably Lord Shiva’s abode in the Himalayas, where the figures of gods and animals have been blended together. On the right-hand side of the cleft i.e., on the other boulder, numerous celestial beings and animals have been carved.

Of these carvings, the most impressive ones are those that show life-sized elephants protecting their young ones. Just below the elephants are illustrated scenes from the Panchatantra fables, like the story of the cat trying to trick the rats by enacting the posture of penance. Just to the right of these carvings, one can see a low platform, where a group of monkeys have been carved and are seen preening one another and at the same time, playing with and nursing a baby.

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“The Manu named King Satyavrata formerly saved himself by tying the small boat of the entire world to the horn of the Matsya avatara, the fish incarnation. By the grace of the Matsya avatara, Manu saved himself from the great danger of the flood. May that same fish incarnation save us from the great and fearful danger caused by the son of Tvashta.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam 6.9.23)

A single event of the ancient world has been covered by a number of scriptures—even though some of these old historical texts are not generally considered as Vedic. Elements of the history of Vaivasvata Manu, our current Manu, can be found as the story of “Noah and the Flood” both in the Bible and in the Koran. The great flood is also described in some other scriptures including the Book of Enoch and the Book of Jasher. The inundation is also described in the Sumerian epic poem Gilgamesh. Manu, who is the progenitor of humanity, has made a significant mark on history. Therefore it is natural that he has been discussed in numerous scriptures from different periods throughout millennia. It would appear that the Noah we read about in the Bible is none other than the current Vaivasvata Manu.

The Book of Jasher, which is an apocryphal work (and which is twice mentioned in the Bible) says the following in 4.13-14 about the birth of Manu:

“And the wife of Lemech conceived and bore him a son at that time, at the revolution of the year. And Metushelach called his name Noach, saying, ‘The ground was in his days at rest and free from corruption.’ And Lamech his father called his name Menachem (Manu), saying, ‘This one shall comfort us in our works and miserable toil from the ground, which YHWH (God) had cursed.’”

In the book of Enoch—an ancient Jewish religious work that is mostly preserved in its original form in Ethiopia—Noah is described as a follower of God’s rule (dharma). It is written there that he lived during a period that had become degraded due to the intermingling of the demigods with human women and that this intermingling had produced giants of demonic nature. In time practically all humankind became corrupted. Foolish people began to worship mere inhabitant of the Earth as gods … a vice that continues till this day in our present Kali Yuga.

The different Manus are described in Shrimad Bhagavatam 8.13 and the flood is described later.

“O King Parikshit, at the end of the past millennium, at the end of Brahma’s day, because Lord Brahma sleeps during the night, annihilation took place and the three worlds became covered by the waters of the ocean. At the end of Brahma’s day, when Brahma felt sleepy and desired to lie down, the Vedas were emanating from his mouth, and the great demon named Hayagriva stole the Vedic knowledge. Understanding the acts of the great demon Hayagriva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who is full of all opulence, assumed the form of a fish and saved the Vedas by killing the demon.” (SB 8.24.7-9).

Shrila Prabhupada comments, “Because everything was inundated by water, to save the Vedas it was necessary for the Lord to assume the form of a fish.” (Note that this verse does not relate to the form of Matsya who saved Manu at the end of a certain millennia when only a partial annihilation takes place.)

At the end of each Manvantara (lit. “rule of one Manu”), and before the next progenitor of humankind Manu takes charge, a total dissolution of the Earth—a flood—occurs. This is obviously the same devastating flood that is also described in the Bible, in the Book of Enoch and in the Book of Jasher. As Noah was an enlightened personality, he was saved from the flood along with other sages and his sons. It is said that his ark, or huge boat, remained atop the Malaya Mountain after the flood.

The Book of Jasher 5.13 discusses why Vaivasvata (Noah) was chosen as the present Manu:

And Noach was a just man, he was perfect in his generation, and YHWH chose him to raise up seed from his seed upon the face of all the earth.

The book describes the many long years during which the flood ravaged the Earth. It tells how all creatures had to endure being tossed from one side of the ark to the other. Despite the fear that Manu and the rest of the animals and sages endured in the boat, we know from Shrimad Bhagavatam that Lord Matsyadeva protected the ark throughout the flood’s duration.

After the flood Manu and his sons populated the Earth. The sons of Manu are mentioned as being three in number in the Book of Jasher, but the Vedic literature mentions at least ten amongst whom Ikshvaku is prominent. Since the Book of Jasher was scribed in a mleccha tongue, it mentions only the facts that are considered more important for the people of that time and who spoke that language:

“And these are the names of the sons of Noach: Yafe (Ikshvaku), Ham and Shem; and children were born to them after the flood, for they had taken wives before the flood.” (Book of Jasher 7.1)

It is interesting that in the line concerning Noah, the name of Rama appears along with the name of Kush in the same paragraph, possibly an indirect reference to Lord Shri Ramachandra:

“And these are the sons of Ham; Kush, Mitzraim, Put and Kanaan, four sons; and the sons of Kush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama and Satecha, and the sons of Raama were Sheba and Dedan.” (Book of Jasher 7.10)

After some years the children and descendants of Manu populated the entire Earth. Once again, in due course of time, the people again became irreligious. They built a city with the Tower of Babel that was supposed to reach for the heavens where they proposed to install human idols. According to the Bible, such misguided plans could not work and their skyscrapers were destroyed by the designs of the Lord. Assisted by His devotees (the demigods), the mouths of the inhabitants of the city were made to mispronounce their language, and thus Babel became the source of the English word “babble.” Since the citizens could no longer understand each other, conflicts arose and in this way they destroyed both the city and themselves. Thus different languages were created which now rendered the immoral citizens incapable of working together and considering competing with the demigods. Since this occurs at the end of Kali Yuga, we propose that this event this could have marked the end of another chatura-yuga cycle and the beginning of another Satya Yuga.

Manu is described in the Bhagavata as living for seventy-one yuga cycles. Our present Manu has already lived for twenty-eight yuga cycles. This means that already in his lifetime twenty-eight major destructions must have occurred with the onset of each consecutive Satya Yugas.

In the Book of Jasher the nations that were born from the sons of Manu are mentioned and some of them, like Turkey and Bulgaria, are still recognizable today:

“And the sons of Yafet the son of Noach went and built themselves cities in the places where they were scattered, and they called all their cities after their names, and the sons of Yafet were divided upon the face of the earth into many divisions and languages. And these are the names of all their families according to all their cities which were built to them in those days after the tower.” (10.6)

“And the children of Tugarma are ten families, and these are their names: Kuzar, Partzinak, Bulgar, Elikanus, Ragvina, Turki, Buz, Zabuk, Ongar and Tilmatz; all these spread and rested in the north and built themselves cities. And they called their cities after their names, those are they who abide by the rivers Hital and Altak unto this day. But [the families of] Angoli, Bulgar and Partzinak, they dwell by the great river Danuvi; and the names of their cities are also according to their names.” (10.10)

As those nations were directly founded by different sons of Manu, it is obvious that their history—and thus the history of the world—is much older than the fairy tale that “historians” have been trying to wholesale us for the past many centuries. For example, Bulgaria has a modern history of around 1300 years which today’s so-called scholarship considers as one of the oldest nations. Bulgaria has preserved its name throughout the ages, and according to this ancient verse the histories of these areas are far, far more ancient. The Danuvi River mentioned is obviously the Danube which till today forms the northern bondary between Bulgaria and Romania.

All nations have one father and one culture which is the selfsame Vedic culture that is rooted in the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Shri Krishna. Today there is a demoniac policy of dividing the nations and erasing their united history. Such political foul play has only one goal, which is to keep the world chained to an ignorant babble that prevents people from seeking the real goal of life, or Krishna consciousness.

Source: vedicastrologers.org

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It was once the world’s largest-known diamond, is worth a reported £100m and is currently part of Britain’s crown jewels. But India wants it back.

Bollywood stars and businessmen have united to instruct lawyers to begin legal proceedings in London’s High Court to return the Kohinoor diamond.

The diamond was in the crown worn by the Queen Mother at the coronation of her husband King George VI in 1937 and again at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.

The group, which has called itself the “Mountain of Light” after the translation of the stone’s name, say that the 105-carat diamond was stolen from its true home in India and are demanding that the UK government returns it.

The stone is “one of the many artefacts taken from India under dubious circumstances”, according to David de Souza from the Indian leisure group Tito’s.

Souza claims the British colonisation of India had stolen wealth and “destroyed the country’s psyche”.
The jewel was given to the reigning Queen of the time by the last ruler of the Sikhs, Duleep Singh, after the British annexe of the Punjab.

Bollywood star Bhumicka Singh, also part of the group, said: “The Kohinoor is not just a 105-carat stone, but part of our history and culture and should undoubtedly be returned.”

British Lawyers instructed by the “Mountain of Light” group to return the stone, said they would base their case on the Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) Act, which gives national institutions in the UK the power to return stolen art.

Satish Jakhu, of Birmingham-based law firm Rubric Lois King, said they would make their claim under the common law doctrine of “trespass to goods”, arguing that the government had stolen the diamond. He added that they would be taking their case to the International Court of Justice.

Historian Andrew Roberts told the Mail on Sunday: “Those involved in this ludicrous case should recognise that the British Crown Jewels is precisely the right place for the Kohinoor diamond to reside, in grateful recognition for over three centuries of British involvement in India, which led to the modernisation, development, protection, agrarian advance, linguistic unification and ultimately the democratisation of the sub-continent.”

The disagreement of ownership draws parallels to the case of the Elgin Marbles. The ancient sculpture is currently held at the British Museum, which Greece wants returned.

According to legend, the gem can only be worn by God or women, and whoever wears the jewel will become extremely powerful, but if a man wears it, he will meet an unfortunate end.

The jewel was also in the crowns of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary. It remains in the Queen Mother’s crown, which sat atop her coffin at her funeral in 2002.

The UK government has so far rejected the claims.

Source: Times of India

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A man by the name of Amrita, living on earth, thought to himself that the one thing he feared most was death. To avoid death, Amrita practised austerities and concentrated his mind upon Lord Yama, the Lord of Death. Lord Yama was pleased and granted a vision to Amrita.

Lord Yama said: “My presence is only available to those who are about to die or already dead. Yet I granted you my vision while you are still living, pleased by your penances”.

Amrita said: “I ask this favour of you. If death is inevitable, I ask that if I am to die, then at least send me a letter before death so that I can make proper provision for my family before departure and also prepere myself for my next life with proper sadhana and worship of Krishna.”

Lord Yama said, “Sure, I shall certainly do this. But as soon as you get the message, please set about making the preparations.”, and he disappeared.

Many years passed after this. Amritas hair began gradually to turn grey, but he was living a life full of sinful activities with not a thought about the fear of death.

He was pleased that so far no letters had arrived from the Lord of Death. Some Vaishnavas approached him and advised him to take to devotional service. He did not heed to their instructions as he thought so much time was left.

Some more years passed by. By this time Amrita had lost most of his teeth and the devotees came again to warn him about his imminent death. Still he did not bother because no letter has come from his friend Yama.

As the years rolled by, Amritas eyesight became dimmer. However he continued his sensual life thanking his friend Yamaraj for not sending any letter so far.

Some more years passed by. Amrita was now a very old man and with his back bent forward, he could not walk without the support of a walking stick. His skin was all wrinkled. One day he suffered a stroke and became paralysed. People said his condition was very critical.

But Amrita was still in a happy frame of mind, since he did not receive any letter from Yamaraj.

Then his destined end of life came and Lord Yama, the god of death, entered the room.

Amrita was startled and his mind was seized with fear.

Yamaraj said, “My friend, come now, you have suffered greatly.
Today I have come to take you with me.”

Amrita trembled in fear and said, ” My friend, you have betrayed me by breaking your boon. You have not sent me any letter as you promised. Now all of a sudden you are taking me from this world. You are a cheater”.

Lord Yama said, “Amrita! You spent all your life in sense indulgence with no interest in spiritual life. How then could you know the letters I sent you? Not one, but four letters I did send to you. But you ignored all of them.”

Amrita was greatly puzzled: “Four letters did you send? But not even one letter reached me. It is just possible that the postman/courier forgot to deliver it.”.

Lord Yama said, “My friend, do you think I will take a paper and pen and write a letter to you?

No, With your body as paper, with the pen of bodily changes I wrote my letters and time is the messenger who delivered those letters.

1) Years ago, your hair turned grey. That was my first letter. You ignored it.

2) Falling of your teeth was my second letter.

3) My third letter was sent to you when your eyesight failed.

4) The fourth message was when your body became paralysed.

You comfortably ignored all these letters. Now I have come not as your friend but as the dispenser of the Laws of God.”, and Yamaraj tied the rope around Amrita’s neck and pulled it hard.

People around Amrita said, “Amrita is now dead”.

Moral of the Story:

When the body is young and hale and when we don’t get any letter from Yamaraj, we should start our preparations for facing his lethal blow.

When we completely ignore his letters, then we come under his control.

Different people are afraid of different things in life and one person’s object of fear is not an object of fear for another person.

However in general, fear of death is common to all. Some people may boast that they are not scared of death.

However when they get some fatal disease which paralyse them or in case of dangers, the fear of death will be clearly visible in their eyes.

There is no material solution to this attack of Yamaraj and his punishments after death.

Though death is formidable and unconquerable, Sripada Sankaracharya, one of the great acharyas of the Vedantic tradition, gives a very simple solution to avoid interview with Yamaraj.

In his famous work “Bhaja Govindam” appears the following sloka.

bhagavad gita kinchit adeeta / ganga jala lava kanika peetaa
sakrdapyena muraari samarca / kriyate tasya yamena sasarcaa

“If a person reads little of Bhagavad Gita, takes a little drop of Ganges water and performs worship to Murari (Sri Krishna) atleast once in his lifetime, then he does not have to face an interview with Yamaraj.”

In the Bhagavata Purana (6.3.29), Yamaraj himself identifies who are the candidates for his punishment:

jihvaa na vakti bhagavad-guna-naamadheyam
cetas ca na smarati tac-caranaaravindam
krishnaya no namati yac-chira ekadapi
taan aanayadhvam asato ‘krita-vishnu-krityaan

“My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do not use their tongues to chant the holy name and qualities of Krishna, whose hearts do not remember the lotus feet of Krishna even once, and whose heads do not bow down even once before Lord Krishna. Send me those who do not perform their duties toward Vishnu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such fools and rascals.”

Srila Prabhupada’s program of chanting and hearing and offering obeisances to the Supreme Lord will empower us to escape the punishment of Yamaraj who is otherwise unconquerable.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Source: bhagavatam-katha.com

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In Uttarkanda, the last chapter of Ramacharitamanas, we find the teachings on bhakti yoga delivered by Kaka Bhusundi, who was an enlightened sage in the body of a crow, to Garuda, the celestial eagle and vehicle of Lord Vishnu. Kaka Bhusundi is a great bhakta of Sri Rama and teaches all the feathered folk who flock around him about the path of devotion to Sri Rama. Kaka Bhusundi first relates the story of Sri Rama’s life, but it is more than just a story. What he is really conveying is the path of bhakti yoga.

Devotion to God is something we can never understand unless God comes himself in the form of a man. We can conceptualize about some abstract philosophical ideal, but that is not God. As human beings, we can only experience and relate to that God who comes to us in the same form as we are. We can understand our life and the people around us, but we cannot understand something very abstract which we have never experienced or known.

Therefore, the story of Sri Rama is the story of God who was born in the form of a man. This initiates the path of bhakti yoga and brings it into existence for us, because bhakti yoga is the love of God embodied, God born as a man, God made manifest, not the unmanifest God but the God that we can see, touch and relate to. This is the teaching given to Garuda when Kaka Bhusundi told the story of Sri Rama’s life. In this sense, it was more than a story; it was a form of darshan, a vision of God as a man.

After hearing the story of Sri Rama’s life, Garuda’s doubts were resolved and he asked Bhusundi, “But how did such a knowledgeable person as you come to inhabit the body of a crow?” Bhusundi replied, “I was not always in this form, as you see me now. Listen now to the story of how a vainglorious young man gradually becomes transformed into a devotee and then into a pure soul, who is completely merged in God.” So, Bhusundi tells Garuda the story of his own life, and this forms the second part of his teaching, which is a great inspiration, especially for those of us who seek the heights of spiritual life without understanding what this may entail.

Early Life of Kaka Bhusundi

Kaka Bhusundi was not always a crow. Originally he was born in Ayodhya, and as a young man he was very arrogant and proud. In his youth he became a devotee of Lord Shiva and every day he would go to the temple to pray. During this time he met a saint, who was a Brahmana and also a devotee of Lord Shiva, but at the same time full of respect for Sri Rama too. Even though Bhusundi was a young and arrogant fellow, the saint was very kind to him, giving him many teachings and also initiating him into Shiva’s mantra.

Although Bhusundi grew up in Ayodhya, he had a very strong aversion to Sri Rama. Whenever he saw servants or devotees of Sri Rama, he would get very angry and speak rudely to them and about them. The kind saint, who was trying to help and teach him, would daily reproach him for this and ask him not to behave in this way. “Look,” he would say, “the fruit of worshipping Shiva is only faith and devotion to Sri Rama. All the practices you do, all the efforts you make towards attaining the grace of Shiva, will only lead you to the feet of Sri Rama.” However, Bhusundi would become all the more angry and sometimes even shout at his saintly preceptor.

This went on for some time, but the preceptor never reacted. He continually tried to correct Bhusundi, who only wanted to worship Shiva, but in a very egotistical way. One day Bhusundi was doing japa in Lord Shiva’s temple, all the while thinking of himself as a very great meditator, as we sometimes think ourselves to be. He thought he understood the way better than his kind preceptor who had guided and initiated him. I will only follow Lord Shiva, he thought to himself, because Sri Rama is inferior, even repulsive. So, when his preceptor walked into the temple, Bhusundi went right on with his japa and meditation, ignoring him totally as if he wasn’t even there.

Remember that Bhusundi was praying to Lord Shiva, and the saint was also a devotee of Lord Shiva. So when Lord Shiva saw Bhusundi’s behaviour, he spoke aloud in the temple, “You stupid fool! I’ve had enough of your arrogance. Now I’m going to curse you roundly, and you’ll not escape from this curse!” When the preceptor heard that, he became very worried, and young Bhusundi also started to tremble in his seat. Lord Shiva continued: “As you were too lazy and dull-witted to stand up and offer your preceptor due respect when he entered, I’m going to turn you into a serpent. You will henceforth become a python and dwell in the hollow of a tree!” When Lord Shiva spoke thus, the preceptor was overcome with fear and compassion for his errant and ignorant disciple. So he prayed to Lord Shiva, singing a beautiful hymn (Namami shamishana nirvanaroopam, which is in Uttarkanda 107) on behalf of Bhusundi, to mitigate the curse.

Lord Shiva was pleased, because the Lord is always pleased when his devotee is sincere, kind and forgiving. So he said to the preceptor, “Alright, I will grant you any boon.” The preceptor replied, “Well, first give me the boon of always being devoted to your feet. But second, kindly give me another boon!” Shiva agreed, and then the preceptor said, “Forgive Bhusundi, the poor ignorant fellow is just lost in illusion and doesn’t know any better.”

Lord Shiva replied, “My words can never be in vain, but I will try to help him. Even though this curse must come true, it will eventually become a source of blessing for him. He will have to take one thousand sub-human births and live in all the different lower forms, but I will spare his suffering in each birth. He will neither suffer the agony of birth and death nor will he lose the awareness of all his past births. And gradually, because he was born in Ayodhya, and because he worshipped me, he will achieve devotion for Sri Rama.”

Rebirth of Kaka Bhusundi

So it happened that immediately upon leaving the temple, Bhusundi went into the forest, where he dropped his body and started the process of transmigration. He was born as a serpent and then took birth in a thousand other sub-human forms. Each form he assumed dropped away with ease, just as a man casts off old clothes and dons new ones, and his understanding never left him. Finally, at the end of all these transmigrations, he had acquired a deep love for Sri Rama and was born as a Brahmana.

While growing up, Bhusundi was only interested in hearing Sri Lord Rama and enacting his lilas. Sometimes his father would try to educate him, but he was never interested in secular things. He only wanted to know about Sri Rama. Upon reaching maturity, he went to live in the forest. There he moved continually from hermitage to hermitage, asking the different saints, rishis and hermits to tell him about the life of Sri Rama and about his divine qualities. He would listen to these stories and feel happy, and then he would move on again to another hermitage.

All the worldly desires had left him and only one longing grew within his heart – to behold the lotus feet of Sri Rama. The view of an impersonal God, which many of the sages held, did not appeal to him at all, but love for the embodied Lord filled his heart more and more. So he went about the forest singing the praises of Sri Rama with a love which became stronger every moment. Finally he came to the sage Lomasa, who was renowned for his great learning, and asked for guidance on how the embodied Lord should be worshipped.

The great sage recounted a few of Sri Rama’s virtues, and then launched into a long discourse about the glories of the unmanifest supreme spirit, thinking Bhusundi fit to receive such knowledge. But the truth that the individual soul is identical with the formless and attribute-less universal Brahman did not appeal to Bhusundi’s heart. Bowing to the sage, he again asked, “Kindly tell me how to worship the embodied Lord. My mind takes delight in Sri Rama, just as a fish loves to be in water and cannot live outside it. Therefore, O great sage, teach me the method whereby I may be able to see the Lord of Raghus with my own eyes. After seeing the Lord, I will then listen to your discourse on the attribute-less Brahman.”

The sage once again recited the story of Sri Rama, but demolished the doctrine that the Supreme appears in an embodied form, and re-established the proposition that the Supreme is ever without attributes. Bhusundi then reiterated his view with great obstinacy, and so the two entered into a heated discussion. The impassioned sage expounded on the formless God again and again, while Bhusundi responded with questions which advanced his own argument, without listening respectfully to the wisdom of the great sage.

Finally, the sage became infuriated with Bhusundi and spoke the following words, “You refuse to accept the wisdom I am teaching you, and indulge in endless arguments and counter-arguments. You are extremely self-opinionated and, like a crow, look upon everything with distrust. Therefore, you shall at once take the form of a crow.” Bhusundi bowed to the curse pronounced by the sage without any feeling of fear or animosity, and was immediately transformed into a crow. Taking leave of the sage and fixing his thoughts on Sri Rama, Bhusundi joyfully took flight.

When the Lord came to know that his devotee Bhusundi had just received another curse, he confronted the sage and asked him to rectify this mistake. Lomasa was amazed at the extraordinary forbearance and faith shown by Bhusundi and politely called him back, repenting again and again for his harsh action. The sage consoled Bhusundi in every way and then imparted to him the mantra of Sri Rama and the method of meditation on Sri Rama as a child, which pleased him very much. He also recited the entire Ramacharitamanas to Bhusundi and gave him the blessing that devotion to Sri Rama would ever abide in his heart without interruption. At that moment a celestial voice was heard from the heavens, “May your blessing come true, O enlightened sage, for he is my true devotee in thought, word and deed.”

Bhusundi was overjoyed to hear the Lord’s benediction and all his doubts immediately vanished. Asking the sage for permission to depart, Bhusundi went away to his own hermitage, where he continued to live in the form of a crow for twenty-seven cycles of creation. There he remains ever engaged in singing the praises of Sri Rama while the enlightened birds gather around him to listen. Each time the Lord assumes the form of a man in the city of Ayodhya, for the sake of his devotees, Bhusundi goes there to enjoy the spectacle of his childish sports. Again enshrining the image of the child Rama in his heart, he returns to his hermitage.

This was the story Bhusundi imparted to Garuda, the king of birds, when asked how such an enlightened soul came to inhabit the body of a crow. When Garuda asked again why he continued to live in such a lowly form when he could easily take any other, Bhusundi replied, “I love this body only because it was in this form that uninterrupted devotion to Sri Rama sprang up in my heart. I was blessed by the Lord in this body and all my doubts vanished.” Bhusundi upheld the path of devotion for which the great sage cursed him to take the form of a crow. But eventually he obtained the boon which he sought, and which is difficult even for sages to obtain. This is the power of bhakti.

Also See: Study Shows the Amazing Intelligence of Crows

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[ Transcribed from a lecture given by Radhanath Swami. ]

In Srimad Bhagavatam in ninth canto, there is a story of Chyavana muni. He was very powerful yogi. Millions of time more powerful than any materialist today in his ability to fulfill his material desires. He had attained very great mystic powers. And of course when one becomes very powerful spiritually or materially, the tendency is to become very proud and in pride the greatest danger is that we can offend saintly persons.

So Chyavana muni , as it is described, somehow offended the great devotee Garuda. By doing this, although he was very respected for his very high position, if Krishna does not protect us then nobody however great we are , however advanced spiritually we are, we cannot control our senses even from the grossest activities. It is not possible. The greatest illusion even in spiritual life is to think that by spiritual advancement we can protect ourselves from falling into clutches of Maya, but the fact is:

rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu
viṣayān indriyaiś caran
ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā
prasādam adhigacchati
– Bhagavad Gita 2.64

It is only by the mercy of Krishna that we can maintain any spiritual position at all. It is only by the mercy of Krishna that we can control our senses, even from the slightest temptation of illusory energy. It is not by our own power. Of course we must follow the rules and regulations of Krishna Consciousness in spiritual life according to our capacity and when Krishna sees that we are sincere and we are humbly attempting and trying, He will give us the power to control our senses and overcome the temptations of illusion. But without Krishna’s help, we cannot do anything.

So Chayavan muni, although was very advanced in the yogic process, because of this pride he offended a great devotee and therefore Krishna simply withdrew His mercy and if Krishna can withdraw His mercy from a great spiritualist like this then what to speak of the gross materialist who is trying to look for pleasures in this world. Such a powerful yogi he was. He was in the Yamuna under the water for thousands of years performing meditations. Who of us could do that? Such power of control that he even had the power to control his breath. He did not even have to breathe air for thousands of years. This is the power he had to control his senses.

While he was living under the water one day, he saw a male and female fish enjoying the pleasures of sex together. Now what is our position in comparison to his as far as the ability to control our senses. And when we see birds or insects or fish having sexual pleasure together, does it disturb our minds? We just go on walking, doesn’t mean anything to us, but illusory energy of the Lord is so powerful, that if one is not protected by the lord then even something so insignificant as that, can completely infatuate one’s attention. So Chayavan muni was thinking when he saw all this that “Oh! the pleasures of sex are so wonderful. Look at how these fish are enjoying.” He thought I must have this facility. He came out of the water, simply hunting for a consort to enjoy material pleasures with and he came across some beautiful damsels who were princesses. He approached their father who said,” You are an old man and my daughters are not attracted to you. Besides being very old and having long-matted grey hair, and because he was under water for so long, his skin was all wrinkled from too much exposure to water. They were not at all attracted. After all young ladies do not wish to have a husband who is an old sadhu. They like someone who is very strong, handsome and wealthy. So by his mystic power he transformed his form into the most young beautiful, handsome prince. Who of us could do that? Then when he came, all the princesses wanted him. So he expanded himself to satisfy each and every one of them. In this way he married, he enjoyed like anything. He was given tremendous wealth , tremendous powers. By his mysticism, he was able to create beautiful kingdoms, wonderful wonderful facilities to enjoy. He had literally at his control everything he wanted by his mystic powers and by the inheritance of what he had been given by his father -in- law. With these beautiful princesses, to the extent that anyone could imagine, he was enjoying material life. But after a short time of doing like this, he realized that no matter in how many forms I expand myself, no matter how much wealth I create by my mystic powers, no matter how beautiful these young girls are, he is frustrated and they were frustrated. He could understand what a great mistake he had made and he realized that this is because I had offended this great devotee of the Lord that I lost all my intelligence completely. Ultimately he and his wives all renounced everything and accepted the renounced order. So what is there to be learnt from this story. First of all whoever we are, however great we are, unless we are humbly taking shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord it is not possible for us ultimately to control our senses because we are all under His power. He can take away our intelligence. He can cover us by Maya. He can cover us by yoga maya. He can do anything He wants. We are eternally His servitors.

Story of Vishvamitra muni

We read a similar story in the life of Vishvamitra muni. He was such a great powerful yogi that he was able to sit in meditation in the winter in the peaks of the Himalayas with breaking ice and keeping his body up to his neck in the ice for 6 months at a time. Sometimes we are afraid of a cold bath which lasts about 15 or 20 seconds. He spent 6 months in ice without being disturbed, such was his power. But by the power of the illusory energy, just the tinkling of the ankle bells of Menaka was able to bewilder his mind and cast him deeply into the abyss of the material sense enjoyment. But it is described that Srila Haridas Thakur, even the personification of Maya with all of her potencies came before him to try to dissuade him from his wows. Because with great humility he was taking shelter of Krishna through His name, ultimately Maya became his disciple. Ultimately she surrendered to him. So the conclusion is that the devotee of the Lord understands that it is only by the power of God, it is only by the power of Krishna that we can do anything. It is only by power of Krishna that we can be protected and therefore, the devotee with all humility is always seeking shelter of the lord. Therefore such a devotee is never vanquished by the material energy. But those foolish materialistic people and even those less intelligent spiritualists who are dependent on their own powers, on their own abilities, on their own opulence, they are birth after birth after birth frustrated , frustrated by the inflictions of the modes of material nature.

Depending on Krishna

The greatest, most powerful materialistic heroes in the world throughout history- where are they now? They have all succumbed to death. They have all succumbed to old age. They have all been defeated. Material nature defeats every one and this is the essential principle in the 11th chapter of the Gita, where Krishna manifests His universal form to show that I am devouring everyone, I am consuming everyone. In my form of time, everyone is completely under my control and nobody can escape it even for a second and the greatest illusion it is to think that we have escaped it. The difference between the sura or the asura, the demoniac and the devotee is simply that. And therefore I will act independent of Krishna’s will. In the universal form of God He showed that He is devouring every living being from the greatest most powerful heroes to the insignificant insects in His form of time. Devotee accepts it. Devotee admits it ,“Yes , KRISHNA You are in control. You have created, You are maintaining and you will annihilate. I surrender to you”. Srila Prabhupada used the example that a cat keeps a rat in her mouth holding with her teeth and the when rat looks when she looks upon that cat in great fear and horror, the rat is seeing this cat as death personified. The same cat when she is holding her kittens with the same mouth, the kitten sees the cat as the most protective loving mother. What is the difference? This is difference of perception. Because the rat is trying to act independent of the will of the cat. What is that saying, when cat is away the rats will play? Because the rat has a separate interest trying to enjoy separate therefore sees that cat as death personified and ultilmately is killed by the cat. But the kitten , because the kitten has learned to take shelter, to surrender to the cat, the same cat appears to the kitten as the most loved, blessed, protected mother. So similarly this human society is called rat race. What does rat race mean? That means when the cat is away the mice and rats will play. We are thinking there is no God. We are thinking that God is not in control therefore either the God doesn’t exist or He is somewhere else and therefore we are all doing our own thing. We are all trying to make our arrangements, our own grand plans for material enjoyment, for progress and civilization. Therefore when death comes, we view death as the most cruel, terrible cheater taking everything away. Krishna says,’ I am death personified. For a devotee’ , but because a devotee is conscious that I can do nothing without Krishna , Krishna is everything, I can only be His servant. Let me just serve His will and whatever the result is. We are not attached to the results of our activities. We understand that the results are in the control of Krishna This is the teaching of karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana(BG 2.47). A devotee simply does his service for the pleasure of the Lord and is not at all attached to the fruits of his actions because he knows ultimately Krishna is in control. Whether I am a success or a failure, it is not in my hands. It is in God’s hand. I simple have to try my best. Such a devotee who is always absorbed in loving , humility in devotional service, such a devotee understands that death is but my Lord so kindly taking me back to His eternal abode. Devotee is not afraid of death. Devotee sees Krishna in life and sees Krishna in death because the devotee is taking shelter of Krishna.

bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana
abhaya-caraṇāravinda re

My dear mind, please take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Surrender to Him. Be His servant. Only in this way you will be free from fear, anxiety, frustration and suffering. But any other arrangement we try to make be it on any various spiritual or material path, ultimately we will end in frustration and anxiety unless we learn to take shelter in all humility of the service of the Lord. Whoever we are, whether we are bramhacharis, grahasthas, vanprasthas,or sanyasis we must know that we do not have the power to control the mind, our senses even for a moment without the help of God, without the grace of God. Krishna’s illusory energy is so powerful. Even lord Shiva, the greatest of all vaishnavas and expansion of Lord Himself was completely mad after Mohini murti. Chasing after a young woman, even so intoxicated by this that Mohini Murti ran by his own disciples great sanyasis who were saying Om Namah Shivaya and performing great tapasya, giving up all forms of sensual experiences and here the lord they were worshipping comes by them running after a young woman, what is this? Lord Shiva what are you doing? We have given up all these things for you and you are doing. They could not understand. Ultimately lord Shiva became so completely intoxicated by the beauty of Mohini murti and finally in the end when he came back to his senses he was not even ashamed. He was proud. He was proud that my Lord is so great, that if He wants to take away my intelligence and make me into a complete sense enjoyer that is His glory. He was not ashamed thinking, oh I have lost my reputation. He was thinking no no if My lord wants to do like this, this is His power. I am completely subordinate to Him. So what to speak of us, our position. If Krishna wants to protect us nothing came disturb us and if Krishna wants to disturb us nothing can protect us. So therefore we simply have to try to please Krishna. Devotee has no other ambition. He doesn’t want to be great spiritualist. He doesn’t want to be powerful. He doesn’t want to attain mystic power. He doesn’t want to perform tremendous tapasya. He simply wants to please Krishna. If Krishna is pleased with our humble service nothing can harm us. If Krishna is not pleased then it is just the matter of time till through His illusiory energy we must succumb. So therefore this is the difference between the material consciousness and spiritual consciousness. One surrenders understanding our complete dependence on the Lord.
Real meaning of Independence

Recently we were at the rainbow gathering and the 4th of July came and we were discussing this idea that throughout America this is a very holy day. It is the day of independence. I think the 4th of July was the day when first the American politicians wrote the declaration of independence. They wanted to declare their independence from the British. Then there was a great war, the revolutionary war and ultimately the American colonies were victorious and they gained independence. Every year on 4th of July there is this great celebration, ‘Independence Day’. They are blowing off the fireworks, and all sorts of speeches and celebration. But what type of independence. First of all we came here and we took away the independence of American Indians. What is this? First, some Europeans came and then they fought war with the American Indians to take away their independence. Then the British came and took away our independence. Then we fought against them and took our independence. But the fact is that of all those people who signed the declaration of independence, is anyone of them here today to tell us about their independence. They have all succumbed to the repetition of birth and death. They have all attained what every materialist must attain – old age, disease and death. Therefore what sort of independence. Real independence comes when we declare from the core of our hearts that we are utterly and completely dependent on Krishna, dependent on God. The greatest illusion, an obstacle for real happiness and joy in this entire existence is that we are independent. Therefore every day devotees celebrate beginning at 3 or 4 in the morning, we are to celebrate that we are 100% , 24 hours a day, dependent on the mercy of Krishna. And in that dependence we recognize that dependence and glorify who we are depending on in everything we do and everything we say and potentially in everything we think.

Krishna is everything. We are His insignificant parts. He is nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That one Supreme Creator and controller of all that exists is completely masterminding this entire creation and all living beings are utterly dependent on His control. That is bhakti, to recognize that and to surrender. Bhagavad Gita gives this message. Arjuna wanted to act independently and what was the result. With all of his good qualities he was utterly frustrated but then he simply admitted that Krishna, You are my Lord, You are my Master, You are the creator, You are the maintainer, You are the destroyer, I surrender to You. What is Your will? Let me please You. Let me serve You. In that we are independent of all the material miseries. In total dependence on Krishna, on total dependence on the words of Guru we are completely independent of the illusions and frustration of this world. To the extent we are not surrendered, to that extent we must suffer the illusions of this world. So therefore a devotee sees only in these terms. He does not see that all I need is this and this and only if this happens and only if that happens then everything will be alright. The devotee understands that to the degree I am suffering it means to that degree I am not surrendering my will.

Sarva dharma parityajam mam ekam sarva vraja. Krishna says abandon all other occupations , all other dharmas, all other religions, just surrender with utter dependence on me. I will protect you from all sinful reaction, do not fear.

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One of the “namas” in the Sahasranamam that I’m always intrigued by is the name “shunyah” given to Vishnu, which appears in sloka No. 79:

suvarnavarno hemango varangas chandhanangadhi
viraha vishamaha sunyo grithasirachalaschalaha

The Sanskrit word “sunya” means “zero”, “nullity”, “cipher”, “emptiness”.

It would strike anyone as extremely odd that the Sahasranamam should choose to call Lord Vishnu as Zero! You can understand God being called “ekaha”, the One Supreme Being. The essence of all monistic theism lies in the belief that God is One (the Upanishad says, “sayaschayam purushe; yaschasavadhithye; sa ekaha”).

You can understand too God being addressed as “ananthaha” the Infinite, as in the Sahasranamam stanza 70:

kamadhevaha kamapalaha kami kanthaha krithagamaha
anirdhesya vapurvishnuhu viro ‘nantho dhananjayaha

Since God is Immeasurable it seems plainly alright to name Him “ananthaha” the Infinite. But how is one to explain hailing the Almighty as “shunyah” the Cipher?

There is a view that “If Infinity is immeasurable, so is Zero”. Mathematically speaking, one could define zero to be anti-infinity. If “Infinity” is immeasurable plenitude, “Zero” is immeasurable emptiness. If you were to imagine, say, an interminable series of values, from zero to infinity, floating somewhere out there in endless space, then, surely, Zero would be at one end of it while Infinity would be found at the other end, wherever, that is, the two ends may be found, if at all. And if you reflect upon it deeply, that would make out “Zero” and “Infinity” to be two sides of the same un-graspable coin.

By the same logic, you might say the Sanskrit “ananthaha” and “shunyah” might seem antonymous but in reality they mean the same thing. Hailing God Almighty as “Lord Infinity” is hence no different from hailing Him “Lord Zero”.

Incredible logic notwithstanding, we know for a fact however that the “Infinite” and the “Cipher” are never really the same thing. None of us would be willing to exchange one for the other if it came to a real choice between the two. If I go up, for instance, to a venerable “acharya” or “guru” and prostrate at his feet, I would expect him to shower his benediction upon me saying, “May you be blessed in life, my son, with Gods infinite Grace!” If instead the man were to say, “May Gods zero grace be thine in life!”, the blessing would stand transformed into a vicious curse, wouldnt it?

So then, why is God, who is Infinite Being, being called “sunya”, a Zero – the very opposite of infinity? The traditional commentators of the Vishnu-Sahasranamam offer us some explanation in their respective “bhashyas”.

Lets take up Adhi Sankara’s “Sahasranama bhashya ” first.

In his commentary, Sri Sankara (6th CE) explains “sunya” as an apt “nama for God, the Supreme Brahman, who is “nirguna ” – i.e. the Being who is totally devoid of any qualities or attributes. In other words, according to Sankaras school of metaphysics, God is “guna sunyan”.

According to this explanation, God transcends all attributes. His qualities like omnipotence, omniscience etc. only serve to help us in ascertaining His reality but they do not “per se” define Him. The truth of Gods existence cannot be grasped by us with reference to His qualities or “guna ” alone, says Sankara. Brahman is to be apprehended as an Absolute Being who stands far apart from and quite beyond any of His infinitely (“ananthaha”) great qualities – i.e. He is “nirguna brahman”, a Being without qualities, a Being with “zero” qualities. Hence it is fit to call Him “shunyah”

Lets turn to the other explanation found in the commentary of Sri Parashara Bhattar (11th CE) on the Vishnu Sahasranamam titled “bhagavadh guna dharpanam”.

Bhattar explains “shunyah” in the typical way of the school of Visishtadvaitha theology. According to this school, God is the Supreme Abode of all auspicious attributes. The Almighty is full of innumerable good qualities like “gny+an+a”, “bala”, “aiswarya”, “virya”, “shakthi” and “thejas”. In Visishtadvaitha, God is “ananthakalyana guna ganan+” (to use a famous expression of Sri Ramanujacharya) – i.e. Brahman is Being with infinite number of happy and wholesome attributes. The theology next states that God, by corollary, is also totally devoid of inauspicious, un-wholesome or negative qualities.

According to Bhattar, in so far as, Brahman is replete with infinitely good attributes, He is to be known as “ananthaha”. And in so far as He is absolutely bereft of defective qualities, He is to be known as the God of “zero-defects” – in other words, He is “shunyah”.

From a purely theological standpoint both explanations above are equally valid and wholly satisfying (depending, of course, upon which school of Vedanta – Sankaras or Ramanujas – one is predisposed towards). All the same, for one who is not steeped in the various nuances and niceties of Vedhantic theology, (especially for one who cannot really appreciate the technical difference between the metaphysical “nirguna” and “savisesha” Brahman), the explanations of Adhi Sankara and Parashara Bhattar for “sunya” might only seem to resemble the case of the proverbial bottle that got described as “half-empty” by one and “half-full” by another.

Even leaving theological considerations aside, one can still regard Zero to be a remarkably apt “nama” for the Almighty. Common knowledge of the world around us reveals how allpowerful the concept of Zero, “sunya”, truly is. When we look at the history of Zero, we realize why “sunya” is almighty indeed!

Until about 1500 years ago nobody in the world outside India could count numbers beyond 9 without enormous difficulty. The entire Graeco-Roman Western world knew nothing about the Hindu-Arabic system of numerals that prevails in the entire world today. The Romans depended upon alphabets to denote numbers – such as I, X and C or with V, L and D. In their system the number 32 had to be written, for example, as XXXII but writing a number like 3200 or 32000 for the Greeks and Romans presented a huge, often insurmountable problem! For several centuries the Graeco-Roman civilization struggled with this cumbersome system of numbering. It was the principal reason why for almost a thousand years Western mathematics hardly advanced beyond being a method of elementary counting and mensuration using crude devices like the abacus. The Greeks and Romans had no knowledge of how to deal with large numbers, ratios, series, complex algebraic functions and calculations – all childs play for any high-school student today. Western thought simply stagnated for ages since it could just not grapple with the mathematical problem of large numbers and calculations.

Somewhere between 1000 and 1200 AD, the Western world came in contact with the Arab world and that was when the Hindu-Arabic system of numerals opened the eyes of the Europeans to a whole new world of mathematical thought.

The Arabs had for long borrowed and been using the Hindu system of numerals that had been in use in ancient India for more than a thousand years earlier. The Hindu system did not use alphabets but a simple but versatile scheme of numeric symbols starting from “Zero” – the famous “sunya” – and ending with 9. These symbolic numerals made it so easy to represent and calculate numerate values anywhere from zero to infinity in quick time. They enabled complex functions and calculations. They made it possible to represent the most formidable series of values by a mere formula which in turn facilitated further complex mathematical functions! The Western world realized – for the first time ever – the power of the Hindu numeral system: a power that became the inspiration for all the mathematical advancements to later come out of Europe: algebra, ratios, surds, functions such as squares, cube and root, series and progressions, logarithmic tables, quadratic equations… and so on and so forth.

It was the power of Zero, “sunya”, indeed, that made the European Renaissance possible – the Renaissance that eventually gave birth to all the wonderful discoveries of modern mathematics such as Fibionacci series, Pascals Probability theory and even Newtons Calculus! “The concept of Zero unleashed something more profound than just an enhanced method of counting and calculating”. Zero revolutionized the old modes of human thought. It meant firstly people could use only ten digits, from 0 to 9, to perform every conceivable calculation and to write any conceivable number. Secondly, it opened up a whole new world of possibilities for abstract human thinking that had been simply unthinkable before!

How did the ancient Hindus discover such a powerful concept as “sunya” while the rest of the world remained ignorant of “Zero” for ages?

To grasp the concept of “sunya” required a very high level of intellectual and spiritual advancement as what prevailed in India during and after the Vedic period. As the English philosopher, A.N.Whitehead wrote: “The point about zero is that we do not need to use it in the operations of daily life. No one goes out to buy zero fish or eggs. (But) It is in a way the most civilized of all the cardinals, and its use is only forced on us by the needs of cultivated modes of thought”. Vedic mathematics and astronomy of those ancient times clearly bear evidence to the highly sophisticated conceptual and ideological skills that our Indian forbears possessed. There was no doubt at all that the ancient Vedic Indians who gave to the whole world the idea of “sunya” were indeed masters of the most civilized and “cultivated modes of thought”.

There was a great mathematician in India who lived in the 10th century CE, He was Bhaskaracharya. He wrote several pioneering treatises (in Sanskrit) on Vedic mathematics. In one of the treatises, it is said, he wrote a small dedication: “To the Supreme Brahman, who is Infinity, I offer my salutation”. Bhaskaracharya used the Sanskrit word “khahara” to denote God as “Infinity” in the dedication. It is derived from “kham” which means “Zero” and “hara” meaning “divided”. The word “khahara” was meant to indicate that God who is Infinity is related to Zero.

Bhaskaracharya was the first mathematician to reveal to the world the intimate relationship between “sunya” and “ananthaha”, between Zero and Infinity. Any quantity divided by “sunya” is equal to Infinity, he said. Take a value like 16 and divide it (“haraha”) with progressively decreasing divisors. What happens? The quotient progressively enlarges. For e.g. 16 divided by 4 = 4; and 16 divided by 2 = 8; and eventually when 16 is divided by 0 it equals “Infinity!” Every quantity, every value in the world, when divided by “sunya”, results in the same quotient or result viz. Infinity, “ananthaha”

Such is the mighty power of Zero that it can raise and relate all values on earth to the exalted state of Infinity – that very same state in which God Almighty, the Vishnu of the sacred “Sahasranama”, is said to eternally reside and rule!

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From Valmiki’s Ramayana Uttara Khandha between chapters 59-60:

Thereafter in the bright morning Sri Rama, of lotus-like eye having performed forenoon rites, took his seat in the Royal Council-chamber along with the Brahmanas, who were masters of the Vedas the priest Vasistha and the sage Kasyapa in order to look into the royal business.(1-2)

The royal council (assembly) consisted of ministers, knowers of common practices, legal procedures and other teachers of laws who recite scriptures, diplomats (statesmen), kings and other members of the council.(3) The assembly of Sri Rama, the chief of kings and unwearied in actions looked graceful like the assembly of Indra, Yama and Varuna.(4)

Then Sri Rama said to Laksmana who was seated there and who was characterized by auspicious marks, ‘O Long-armed Laksmana! Go out and call by turn those, who have come with some business’. Having listened to Sri Rama’s order, Laksmana endowed with auspicious marks, going to the palace-gate himself called those who had come with some request. None there came forward saying that he had some request (to make). (5-7)

During the reign of Sri Rama no one was offended by either physical or mental ailment. The earth abounded in all kinds of plants and fully ripe agricultural produce. Thus in His kingdom neither any child nor any young man nor any middle-aged person died. Everything was administered according to ‘Dharma’ (moral law). No hindrance was ever put, While Sri Rama ruled over the kingdom no one was seen coming with any request with folded hands, Laksmana communicated Him all this. (8-10)

Then the gracious-minded Sri Rama addressed the following words to Laksmana, “Go again and find out about those who have come with some request. When the state policy is formulated properly (and executed well), unrighteousness does not obtain anywhere. Therefore all persons protect one another due to the fear from the king (due to the apprehension of royal punishment). My officers protect the subjects like arrows shot by Me. Even then, O long-armed one! Protect the subjects righteously. (11-13)

Thus told (by Sri Rama) Laksmana went out of the royal palace and saw a dog at the gate, which stood there looking at him and repeatedly barking. On seeing him, then the valiant Laksmana asked – ‘O Illustrious one! Tell me fearlessly your problem.’ On hearing Laksmana’s words the dog replied thus. (14-16)

“I can dare tell Sri Rama, who is a refuge to all living beings, who is ever unwearied in action and ensures protection whenever there is occasion for fear.’ (17) On hearing the dog’s speech, Laksmana entered the auspicious royal palace in order to communicate the same to Sri Rama and after informing Him Laksmana came out of the royal palace and said to the dog, “If you have to say some thing, then tell the king about it. (18-19)

Having heard laksmana’s speech the dog said, “Agni (the Fire-god), Indra, Surya (the sun-god) and Vayu (the wind-god) are present in the temples, the royal abode and the houses of Brahmanas. O Laksmana! We, of the lowest origin, are unfit to go there. (20-21) I shall not be able to enter there (the royal palace). King Sri Rama is ‘Dharma.’ He speaks the truth, He is adept in battle-fighting and is devoted to doing good to all the people. (22) Sri Rama knows the appropriate time for the applicators – practice of the six Gunas. He dispenses Justice. He is omniscient, He sees all things. Sri Rama is foremost among those who delight others. (23) He is Soma, He is Death. He is Yama (God of Death). He is Kubera, Agni and Indra, and He is Surya (the sun) and Varuna. (24) Sri Rama is the protector of the subjects. O Laksmana! tell Him, “Without permission, I do not want to enter (the royal palace).’ (25)

(On hearing this) The illustrious and glorious Laksmana having entered the royal abode out of compassion said the following words: (26) ‘O Sri Rama! listen to what I have to say. O delighter of Kausalya! O long-armed one! O lord! According to what you had commanded, I called on those who have come with some business. A dog, which has come with a request is standing at your palace-gate.’ After hearing Laksmana’s speech Sri Rama said: “Let it enter quickly, which is standing there with some requests.’ (27-28)

Chapter Two

On hearing Sri Rama’s speech, the wise Laksmana, after hurriedly calling the dog, informed Sri Rama about its (the dog’s) arrival, and presented him before Sri Rama, Having seen the dog that had come, Sri Rama said to him, “O dog! Tell me what you have to say, you need not fear at all.’ (1-2)
Thereafter the dog whose skull was shattered saw Sri Rama seated there. Having seen the king, the dog addressed the following speech. (3)

“The king is the creator of all living beings and the king is the leader (of men). The king remains awake, when others are asleep. The king protects the subjects. (4) The king, who is the protector (of all), protects Dharma by pursuing right policy. When the king does not protect, the subjects perish soon. (5) The king is the creator, protector and father of the entire world. The king is the time (sets the trend of the times) and the ‘Yuga’ (a particular age of the world). The king is the whole world. (6) They call it ‘Dharma’, for it sustains (the world). The created beings are sustained by ‘Dharma’. Since it supports the three worlds together with all the movable and immovable things. (7) He sustains (even) his enemies, puts them on the right path and delights his subjects by ‘Dharma’. Therefore he (his rule) is known as ‘Dharma’. (8) This act of ‘Dharana’ or sustaining is ‘Dharma’ – this is the conclusion. O king Sri Rama, this is the highest ‘Dharma’, which yields reward after death. My view is that nothing is unattainable by ‘Dharma’. (9) Charity, compassion, honoring noble man, straight-forwardness in behavior. O Rama! This is the ‘Dharma’ in this life and the life hereafter that accrues from protecting the subjects. (10)

O Rama, strict observer of vows! You are the authority par-excellence. You are conversant with the ‘Dharma’, which is practiced by good people. You are the supreme abode of ‘Dharmas’(Duties) and an ocean of virtues, as it were. I spoke out of my ignorance. Bowing my head I pray. You should not get angry on this account.’ (11-13)

On this Sri Rama told the dog:- “Tell me fearlessly what I should do for you. Do not delay, On hearing Rama’s speech the dog addressed the following words: “The king should acquire territory by ‘Dharma’ and should protect it by ‘Dharma’. The king comes to be recognized as a refuge and dispels all fear. (14-15) Having realized this, O Rama! listen what you have to do for me. There is a mendicant, named Sarvarthasiddha, who lives in the house of a Brahmana. Without any cause he struck at me! sinless though I was. (16) On hearing this, Sri Rama sent the gatekeeper, who brought the learned Brahmana Sarvarthasiddha by name. Thus the eminent Brahmana, endowed with splendor seeing Sri Rama there asked him, “O sinless Sri Rama! Tell me what do you want me to do for you? (17-18)

Thus told by the Brahmana, Sri Rama addressed the following words, “O Brahmana! You hurt the dog. What ill did it do to you, for which you struck it with a stick? Anger is a deadly enemy, anger is a friend-faced enemy. Anger is a highly sharp sword. Anger takes away everything (destroys all virtues). Whichever sacrifices a person performs and whatever in charity he gives, all that he destroys by anger. Therefore one should give up anger and control like a charioteer, one’s senses, running forth towards their objects like very wicked horses, after turning them away from their objects (19-23) A man should do good to the people around himself by thought, by action and by speech. He should not hurt anybody. No sin, therefore, will attach to him. The harm, which is wrought by evil thoughts, are not done by a sharp sword or a serpent trampled by foot or an ever wrathful enemy. One who has learnt discipline, even his temperament can not be changed. Even if some one conceals his (evil) nature, it is surely betrayed by his action. (24-26)

Thus asked by Sri Rama, who was unwearied in actions, the Brahmana Sarvarthasiddha said this in Sri Rama’s presence. (27) ‘While I was going about for begging food the appropriate time for begging had passed, I was overpowered by anger, so I beat the dog. The dog, which was standing on the road (blocking my way) was asked by me to move away. Not moving at all it stood in the middle of the road in an odd manner. (28-29) Overtaken by hunger, O Rama! I beat it angrily. O King of kings! Punish me, a guilty person. O chief of kings! Having been punished by you, I would not be afraid of hell. Thereafter Sri Rama asked all the members of the assembly, ‘What should be done to him, and what punishment should be meted out to him? For if proper punishment is given (to the guilty), the subjects are protected. (30-31) Bhrgu, Angira, Kutsa and others, Vasistha along with Kasyapa, eminent teachers of laws, ministers and interpreters of the Vedas – these and many other scholars were present there. All of them – the masters of scriptures and those who were well-versed in state affairs told Sri Rama that a Brahmana is not to be awarded capital punishment, it is declared by experts in scriptures. (32-34)

Then all the hermits addressed Sri Rama in following words, “A King holds sway over everyone. O Sri Rama! Specially You, who is eternal god Visnu, are the ruler of the three worlds. (35-36) When all of them had addressed thus, the dog said as follows “If you are pleased with me, O Rama, and if you are to bestow on me a boon (then listen to me) O Valiant One! You asked me what you should do for me, and promised (to do what I would request you to do). So make him O King! a ‘Kulapati’ as promised by you. Your Majesty! make him ‘Kulapati’ of Kalanjara Matha. On hearing this Sri Rama consecrated him as Kulapati. (37-39)

Thus honored, the happy Brahmana went away riding an elephant-back. Then the ministers smilingly with astonishment, said to Sri Rama, “He has been given a boon. O resplendent one. This is not a curse. Thus told by the ministers Sri Rama said “You do not know the truth about the course of actions. The dog knows the reason (and will tell why the Brahmana had been made Kulapati).

On being asked thus by Sri Rama the dog addressed the following speech. “I (In my previous birth) was the Kulapati of the same place (Kalanjara Matha). Partaking of the remains of sacrificial food, O Rama! I would be engaged in worshipping gods and Brahmanas and gave to the male and maid-servants their due. I had a love for good things I would protect the property dedicated to gods. I was modest and well-behaved and was engaged in doing good to all living beings. Even then I have been reduced to this wretched state and lowest position. O Rama! therefore such a Brahmana, who is irascible, who has given up his ‘Dharma’ and who is engaged in harming others, who is hot-tempered, ruthless, harsh, foolish (ignorant) and irreligious will lead to the downfall of fourteen generations. (40-46)

“Therefore, one should not in any circumstances become a Kulapati. Only, he should be made to look after gods, cows and Brahmanas, whom one would wish to condemn to go to hell along with sons, cattle and relatives. (47) One who takes away the property of the Brahmanas, gods, women and children and takes back again what has been given away in charity, perishes along with one’s all dear ones. O Sri Rama! One who takes away the property belonging to the Brahmanas and the gods, soon goes to the fearful hell known as ‘Avici’ one who takes away even mentally the property belonging to the gods and the Brahmanas, goes down from one hell to another. On hearing the speech (of the dog) the eyes of Sri Rama opened widely due to wonder, the dog, too possessed of luster, went to place from where it had come. It was a high minded soul in its former birth but on being born (as a dog) it has been spoiled. The illustrious one sought death by abstaining from taking food in Varanasi. (48-52)

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Shabda or Sound is omnipresent in this Universe. In fact the very character of Akasha or Sky or Space (Vyoma) is Shabda or sound. This entire creation has emerged from sound. Even the path beyond the dimensions of creation goes through sound. An individual can attain Param Bramha by first conquering or piercing Shabda Bramha.

The 1st step on the path to Nada-Bramha is through chanting of AUM. AUM is 3 &1/2 Dimensional.

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Mind is the most mysterious human faculty. It happens to be so, since it is not merely a physical part of human body permitting precise physiological examination; it is but a functional attribute of such a part. Study of mind and formulation of theories on its functioning have always been a favourite intellectual pursuit of man, from the very ancient times.

Renowned for ancient wisdom transcending physical existence, the Upaniṣad(s) present a very coherent and rational series of concepts about mind, thought and consciousness in the eleven major Upaniṣads, especially in Praśna and Māṇḍūkya. However, before we set out to have a proper understanding of these concepts we should have a reasonable grasp of the greatest and the finest revelation in the Upaniṣads, which is the Ātmā.

According to Upaniṣads, Ātmā is the ultimate, changeless, non-material substance underlying this ever-changing material Universe and it is also the cause of all causes. The constitution of Ātmā is SAT, CHIT and ᾹNANDA (सत् – चित् – आनन्द). Of these, SAT is pure existence. SAT is that which has no state of non-existence (2.16 of Gīta). In English it corresponds to what is usually referred to as Existence or Being. While everything that appears as an object in this universe has a beginning and an end, SAT is eternal. Material objects come into existence, stay for some time and then go into non-existence (Gīta 2.28). That is, their existence is limited by time and space. Every being or thing owes its existence to something already in existence. So, existence in this universe is only a matter of change in form and name (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4.7). If we pursue a thing or being, backward in time, to trace its ultimate point of origin, we will, passing by each stage of its existence, reach a point where further backward movement is impossible. We then reach the subtlest point of existence, where no material substance is present. This is the point of pure existence. Therefore pure existence is the origin of everything that exists in any form or in any name. This pure existence is SAT, from which everything originated. SAT is the energy that supports all relative existences and in beings, it stimulates the urge for existence (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.2.1, 6.10.1 & 6.10.2; Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.1.6; Gīta 9.16 to 9.18 and 10.8 read with 10.20). Ātmā is SAT. How can material objects emerge from a purely non-material thing called SAT? This is made possible by unleashing opposites. The world exists in opposites. Opposites hold the key for material existence. Even the smallest particle of physical existence, the atom, exists with opposite forces, namely, the protons and electrons. Differentiation into opposites is just like representation of Zero as a combination of infinite number of positives and negatives of the same numerals, without the zero undergoing any change. Zero is therefore not at all a mere void, but it is where infinities emerge from and merge into; it constitutes a state of equilibrium. Material existence closely identifies with this model, with SAT representing Zero. At the state of equilibrium, nothing is perceivable to the senses, because of non-differentiation into opposites. In order to facilitate material existence, the opposites are unleashed and then held separate as distinct entities, without mutual merger or cancellation, by something called the force of creation, which is the energy of material existence. Thus, this phenomenal world is only a transient representation or manifestation of the Ātmā which is not perceivable to the senses.

The second aspect of Ātmā is CHIT. It is Pure Consciousness. That means, CHIT is not simply the consciousness about this or that object, it is absolute consciousness having no physical boundaries. It is CHIT that manifests as knowledge. Knowing a thing means consciousness taking the form and name of that thing. The inner urge to show and assert one’s own existence is an expression of his consciousness about himself. CHIT is that which provides the energy for activating all faculties of cognition and expression; it is an exclusive and essential feature of living beings. It defines life. In beings, it is with the help of CHIT that the embedded information in the genes is activated, as a result of which the seed/cell grows into the pre-designed form particular to each species. A coconut germinates and grows into a coconut tree only; a human embryo develops into a human being only. Likewise, various specialised organs also develop from a single cell because of this embedded information read with the help of consciousness. Further, what we see in the behaviour of a new-born calf is its consciousness in action; the calf heads towards the udder of its mother and starts sucking the teats for milk, within minutes after its birth. Pure natural instinct works here, which cannot come from matter, but handed down from hereditary information translated by the CHIT acting within. Thus, ‘CHIT’ is an integral part of our existence and it stimulates the urge to know and express.

Let us now go to the third characteristic, i.e. ᾹNANDA. Irrefutably, everybody wants uninterrupted happiness in life. It is in search of this happiness that we spend our entire life. We derive happiness with respect to many things. A thing that gives us happiness now, may not be giving us happiness at some other point of time. Similarly, the thing that gives us happiness may not be giving it to some other person at the same point of time. That means, happiness does not remain deposited in the things concerned; but we derive it from within ourselves. This happiness within is called ‘Ānanda’ (Bliss) in Hindu scriptures. This is the third characteristic of the ultimate cause, Ātmā. All that we experience as happiness are only manifestations of Ānanda within. In a deeper analysis it could be seen that it is this Ānanda that is the root cause of all our pursuits and actions. Even the urge for existence and for self-expression is caused by the desire for joy, happiness, pleasure and all. Taittirīya Upaniṣad says that Ānanda is the inner-most sheath of human existence (Chapters 2 & 3). Bṛhadāraṇyaka says (1.4.3) that it is for rejoicing that Ātmā started manifesting into beings; in other words, ‘creation’ is a ‘play’ of Ātmā.

So, Ātmā is ‘SAT–CHIT–ĀNANDA’ or ‘Existence–Consciousness–Bliss’ as it is often translated in English. All manifestations in names and forms are relative expressions of various combinations of these absolute facets of Ātmā. These three are the underlying principles of the whole universe. They maintain and control the universe. Every single Karma (deed or act) of any being springs up from anyone of these three in action within the limited existence of that being. That is, every action is motivated by the urge for either existence, or expression, or joy. Thus, SAT-CHIT-ĀNANDA or Ātmā is the ruler of this Universe. It is the core of the manifested universe, pervading entirely through all the manifestations (Gīta 8.22, 9.4 etc.). Though Ātmā pervades all beings, it has a centre of activity in every being, which is called Hṛdaya (Heart), so says Gīta 18.61. This Heart is not the heart of blood circulation, but it is where the nerves are connected (Praśna Upaniṣad 3.6, Muṇḍaka 2.2.6, Kaṭha Upaniṣad 6.16, Chāndogya 8.6.6). From the modern knowledge about human anatomy, this centre is to be understood as Thalamus, which in Greek means ‘inner chamber’. The word Hṛdaya also has the same meaning. Thalamus is considered to be a ‘switch-board’ of information.

Humans start their journey as a single cell consisting of consciousness as well as the material part that contains hereditary information. With the help of consciousness this information is read and translated into action resulting in the growth of the cell into a full-fledged human being. A grown-up man is nothing but a build-up on this cell, effected by absorbing available nourishment. That is why it is said that beings occur because of food or nutriment (Mundaka Upaniṣad 1.1.8; Gīta 3.14).

The power of Ātmā to express himself in many forms is called his Māya or Prakṛti. With this Prakṛti he projects transient beings (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.10, Gīta 9.8 &9.10). We have already seen that it happens by unleashing opposites. This projection is somewhat like throwing a stone upwards from the surface of the earth using a physical force; it reaches a certain height and then falls down on the earth itself. The earth and the stone are bound by the invisible power of gravity. In the same way every being gets projected from Māya and in the end returns to her, the gravity here being the invisible Ātmā. The entire universe is thus projected and withdrawn periodically (Gīta 8.18 & 8.19). This fact is recognised by the modern theory of creation of the universe, namely the Big Bang theory. Ātmā remains in his pure state in the beginning and in the end. For the purpose of creation, Ātmā invokes his power of Māya (or Prakṛti) (Śvetāśvatara 4.10; Gīta 13.19, etc). With Maya/Prakṛti invoked, he is known as Puruṣa. Bṛhadāraṇyaka says (1.4.1) that there was only Ātmā in the beginning in the form of Puruṣa. Creation started with the production of Rayi and Prāṇa (Praśna 1.4). Rayi is simply the physical energy and Prāṇa is the energy of life. From these two, the entire universe of living and non-living beings emerged. It is a process of expansion which will stop one day followed by contraction culminating in the disappearance of all physical existence. The Big Bang theory says that the universe occurred by the expansion of a single atom and in the end it will regain its original state through contraction. How and when life appeared is not properly explained in this theory.

Praśna (3.5, 3.6 & 3.7) says that Prāṇa works in the body in five different ways, splitting itself into five, namely, the Chief Prāṇa (मुख्य प्राण), Apāna (अपान), Samāna (समान), Vyāna (व्यान) and Udāna (उदान). This is only a functional division of the Prāṇa. The Chief Prāṇa provides life energy for the entire system and is specifically in charge of the systems connected with eyes, ears, mouth and nose; Apāna takes care of digestion, urination, defecation and allied systems; Samāna works in the middle part of the body controlling distribution of nutrients to various parts in an equitable manner (this is probably concerned with the cardiovascular system); and Vyāna moves in the nervous system facilitating the transmission of impulses between brain or spinal cord and other parts of the body. The nervous system, says the Upaniṣad (3.6), is connected to the ‘Heart’ (Hṛdaya), which is the centre of consciousness within. It is said that there are one hundred and one main nerves connected to the ‘Hṛdaya’. Each of these nerves has seventy-two lakh branch nerves, taking the total number of nerves to seventy-two crores and seventy-two lakhs (727,200,000). Udāna works in one of the main nerves which projects upwards, called Hitā, presumably spreading out into the brain, with its branches numbering 7200000 as per the above count. Bṛhadāraṇyaka says (4.3.20) that it is very thin and fine as a hair split into thousand parts and is of different colours like blue, brown, green, red and white and also that it is responsible for our perceptions of various hues. Udāna controls and co-ordinates functions of the instruments for internal action, known as Antaḥkaraṇa (अन्तःकरण) and because of this, it is instrumental in leading us forward to new worlds of varying experiences, in accordance with the nature of our knowledge and Karma (Praśna 3.10).

Having its centre in Hṛdaya, consciousness pervades the entire body through the nerves with the help of Vyāna. Consciousness provides the energy for cognition and action to all the organs of sensation and action. We have got five organs of sensation, namely, ears, skin, eyes, nose and tongue; and five organs of action, namely, mouth, feet, hands, organ of excretion and organ of procreation.

In addition to these, humans have four instruments for internal action, which together are known as ‘Antaḥkaraṇa’. The word ‘psyche’ can be taken as its English equivalent. The four components of Antaḥkaraṇa are ‘Manas’ (मनस्), ‘Buddhi’ (बुद्धि), ‘Ahamkāra’ (अहम्कार) and ‘Chitta’ (चित्त). These are actually notional divisions of brain-functions, designed for the purpose of better and systematic understanding of internal activities. Probably this system of division is exclusive to Hindu Philosophy. Of the four Antaḥkaraṇa(s), Manas is involuntary in its functions, just like heart-beat, breathing, etc.; Buddhi is voluntary. Ahamkāra and Chitta are neither voluntary nor involuntary.

From the stage of the very first cell or the seed, every being contains some basic hereditary information necessary for the development and maintenance of its body. Such information constitutes its knowledge base, upon which all pieces of knowledge, said to be later acquired by the being, are built up. The location of this initial knowledge base grows to form what we call ‘Chitta’, in human beings. Chitta is the core of ‘Antaḥkaraṇa’ as it is the Knowledge Centre. It is where Ātmā is reflected within the body. If Ātmā is Sun, then Chitta is Moon. Ātmā is pure consciousness whereas Chitta is consciousness about various things. That is why it is called the reflector of Ātmā. These two, namely the Ātmā and its reflection, are depicted in the Upaniṣads as two birds sitting on the same tree as close associates and, of the two, one eats delicious fruits and the other simply looks on without eating anything (3.1.1 & 3.1.2 of Muṇḍaka and 4.6 & 4.7 of Śvetāśvatara). Chitta is the store-house of all knowledge that one acquires.

Ahamkāra is self-consciousness; it is the individual ‘I’ within every one of us; it is the consciousness of being ‘I’. It consists of our own perception of us; that is, what we perceive us to be and what we want to project us to be. Ahamkāra is the enjoyer within, enjoying all actions, feelings and other things. It is at his instance all voluntary actions are undertaken.

Buddhi is intellect and is the agent of reasoning. It intervenes in the activities of Manas when so desired by Ahamkāra, so that reason and logic prevail in such activities. By way of such intervention, it obtains control over the sense organs and motor organs wherein Manas acts as a bridle (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 3.3 & 3.4 and Gīta 3.42). In exercise of its power of reasoning at the instance of Ahamkāra, Budhi performs some kind of ‘emigration and immigration checks’ on the access of information from Chitta which Manas does for the purpose of construction of valid perceptions in respect of sense-signals conveyed to it.

Manas, which is often translated as ‘mind’ in English, is that part of the Antaḥkaraṇa which acts as regulator and co-ordinator of the activities of sense organs and motor organs. ‘Manas’ receives signals from the senses, processes them with reference to the stock of information already available in the Chitta and thereby constructs valid perceptions. This is how we see, hear, taste, smell and feel and thereby cognize facts and objects. Thus, seeing is not merely an act of eyes; it is but perceiving. So is hearing, tasting, smelling and feeling (by touch).

Our experience is not limited to the raw impressions conveyed by senses; a touch may give us an experience of love or the opposite of it, namely, aversion. Sense can convey only the touch; but we experience more than that. We grasp what is expressed as touch; it may be love or hate. We feel love or hate not merely by touch, but by perceiving with the involvement of the entire Antaḥkaraṇa. Chhāndogya Upaniṣad says that one knows only through reflecting (7.18.1).

This process of perception and cognition is followed by the higher act of acquiring knowledge. How do we do that? Acquiring knowledge is a continuous process starting from a foundation upon which each piece of information or idea is coherently stacked resembling the construction of a building. The initial foundation is the embedded hereditary information we get from parental sources. On this general foundation we lay a separate foundation for each category of knowledge and start the unending process of erecting upon it the knowledge-mansion particular to that category, by continuously modifying and expanding the structure with newly processed information and ideas. The entire process runs as follows: Senses pick up signals from objects external to each of them. These are merely raw signals conveying no meaning. For example, the eyes work as a lens and form an inverted image of the object, which they are directed to. Eyes are unable to read this image. That task is done by ‘Manas’ which is the internal faculty (Antaḥkaraṇa) directly connected with the senses. On receiving the sense-signals, Manas contacts Chitta and conducts a scan therein to see whether any information exists relating to the current signals. In case, some such information exists, then Manas compares the received signals with it and thus perceives the object or data pertaining to such signals. With such perceptions as raw materials and further accessing relevant information from Chitta, Manas constructs new valid information and ideas. These are the building blocks which Manas uses for furthering the construction of various mansions of knowledge in Chitta. In case any new information or idea fits well with any of the existing knowledge-mansions in Chitta, then that mansion is modified accordingly; on the other hand, if there does not exist any corresponding mansion, then the new information or idea is either used as foundation of a new mansion or rejected altogether as unusable or extraneous. If Ahamkāra desires so, Buddhi overlooks all these operations contributing with its power of reasoning. All these operations are powered by the energy of cognition and action provided by the consciousness within, which is utilised by the concerned organs with the help of Vyāna and Udāna. It is thus we acquire knowledge and enlarge our knowledge base in the Chitta. That means, in the process of gaining knowledge what actually happens is not a mere absorption as such from external agents, but an internal building-up which is compatible with the existing stage of construction of some mansions in Chitta. It is a stage-by-stage process. That is why we cannot grasp anything that lacks a related base within us.

Suppose we see a flower. When the eyes form its image, the concerned signals are picked up by Manas which makes a search in Chitta to find out some tallying information regarding shape, colour, smell and such other characteristics and, on the basis such information, recognises that it is a flower. On further search, it may turn out that this flower is bigger than any other flower already observed. A new idea or information is thus formed and added to the stock in the Chitta regarding flowers. Manas may also infer another idea that flowers can be as big as this one. Thus, many new ideas may be formed at the perception of this particular flower. In the Chitta, the knowledge-mansion in respect of flower is accordingly modified.

If the viewer is a botanist he may observe the flower’s various parts, namely calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium and study their characteristics. His knowledge mansion concerning the flower would then be modified on the basis of the new information generated by Manas.

In this case, if the viewer has not seen flowers previously, foundation of a new knowledge-mansion regarding flower is laid in his Chitta, which consists of the shape, colour, scent and such other qualities he recognises in it, based on the information already available in his Chitta.

From the preceding explanation it is evident that the knowledge one acquires is basically relative in nature rather than absolute. It is relative to the pre-existing level and nature of knowledge within him.

There is an aspect of abundance as well as variety in the knowledge that can be acquired of any object in nature. It is therefore quite natural that the knowledge one acquires thereof is limited by the current status of the concerned existing knowledge-mansion in his Chitta. The activity of Buddhi is also limited by such status, since Buddhi can only supervise the jigsaw-puzzle-solving based on the pieces accessed from the then existing stock of Chitta. Buddhi, with its astuteness and power of reasoning defines the efficiency with which the jigsaw-puzzle-solving is accomplished. Thus, the knowledge acquisition is dependent on the level of existing knowledge within and also the sharpness of Buddhi. This explains the difference in knowledge or even the impressions different persons obtain from a particular object or set of facts.

All the limitations in a person are dictated by the relative predominance of what is called the Three Guṇa(s) in him at the relevant period of time. Guṇa(s) originate from Prakṛti wherein they are in equal proportion and therefore not distinguishable. They are three in number and are the qualitative content of Prakṛti. The three Guṇa(s) are Sattvam, Rajas and Tamas. Sattvam is enlightening in nature and it inspires a longing for joy and knowledge; Rajas stimulates action since its nature is desire and attachment; and Tamas is retarding in nature and it creates negligence, idleness and indolence (Gīta 14.6, 14.7 & 14.8). Disproportion among the three Guṇa(s) is inherent to the manifested world. Their relative proportion almost remains the same in any being throughout its life; but which Guna takes control at a particular moment depends on the nature of thought motivated by Ahamkāra at that time. Thus, the thought process and the change in the controlling Guṇa(s) are mutually impacting in a vicious-circle manner. This vicious circle is broken when Ahamkāra establishes, out of strong conviction, a thought in Chitta to the effect that meek submission to the impact of Guṇa(s) is a bondage detrimental to true and sustained happiness.

The current controller Guṇa in a person determines his disposition, which in turn, determines the type of knowledge one is likely to gain from the variety and abundance in knowledge that an object provides. Knowledge acquisition is therefore subjective also, apart from relative. That means, it is a process marked by subjective relativity.

Thinking is a process wherein Manas accesses relevant information from Chitta regarding the subject under consideration and attempts to arrive at cognisable ideas and possibilities arising out of such information, aided by the reasoning power of Buddhi. It may be described as an attempt to solve a jigsaw puzzle as already stated. Reasoning is the process of arriving at what follows necessarily and essentially from the given data. At times, without the reasoning involvement of Buddhi, it may happen that Manas accesses information from Chitta and goes through the thinking process alone; but, due to lack of reasoning, this ends up in mere construction of imageries and projections which we call dreams and imageries. At the time of dreaming, as a prelude to sleep, the sense organs are in a state of shut-down and Manas constructs false perceptions, without any signals from them, solely using the accessed information from Chitta. Most probably, such information must be the one which it has last accessed. It may thus be seen that dreams are entirely the creation of the involuntary Manas without the involvement of either Buddhi or sense organs. Praśna Upaniṣad says that when all the sense organs merge into Manas and lie dormant there, we enjoy dreams wherein we see again what has been seen before, hear what has been heard before and enjoy again what has been enjoyed before.  We also enjoy the unseen, unheard, unperceived and unreal (Praśna Upaniṣad 4.2 & 4.5).

As already mentioned, all perceptions are raw materials for construction of valid information or ideas, which in turn are building blocks of knowledge-mansions. All perceptions are recorded in Chitta at first and then utilised for constructing information or ideas. As soon as the latter is done, individual existence of perceptions fades away as they have already become part of some information or idea. It becomes very difficult to retrieve them as such, thereafter. It is just like individual bricks in a construction being ignored and only the construction as a whole getting appreciated. If somebody is called a ‘good man’, there may be a number of perceptions recorded on various occasions, which led to such an idea. In due course it may happen that such individual perceptions fade away and only the idea of ‘good man’ shines. In other words, ‘data exit – idea exists’.

One’s personality is the cumulative essence of the contents of his Chitta. Whatever we come across or experience in our life leaves a corresponding perception recorded in Chitta; but in due course, as mentioned above, such perceptions may cease to exist as such, since it gets absorbed into some idea, either old or new, by modifying, confirming or deleting the same. There is no substance in the argument that a cinema watched or a story read is not going to influence anybody to the extent of inducing him into doing or not doing anything. Every experience of a person contributes to the accumulation of perceptions and resultant modification of ideas in his Chitta. A child who is brought up in a domestic atmosphere wherein liquor consumption is a part of daily life of the adult members does not show any aversion to drinking. But, when he gets a chance to watch a cinema or read a story depicting the ill-effects of drinking, a negative idea regarding drinking gets recorded in his Chitta. This is confirmed further, when he happens to come across other propaganda materials. The culminating idea in him will be that consumption of liquor is injurious to health. Similarly, every experience contributes to one’s stock of ideas or knowledge either positively or negatively. Nothing goes without an impact. True, we may not be having a distinct or detailed log of all such impacts; but they are definitely there. All our ideas are culminating versions emerging from continuous alterations caused by such impacts. Vicariously, so are our conduct, character and personality. It is just as a sculpture is chiselled out from a rough stone, the said impacts being the strikes of chisel.

From ideas originate resolves. When a resolve gets established in our Chitta, its impulse first goes to the Chief Prāṇa (Praśna 3.10). A resultant impact occurs in our breath, look, hearing and salivation as these activities are controlled by the Chief Prāṇa. Since Udāna operates in close conjunction with the Chief Prāṇa, it picks up the reverberations and then acts accordingly. These two, together with the consciousness within, lead us forward. The stronger the resolve, the greater is the impulse. Udāna inspires the relevant faculties to be activated by our consciousness so that even without our volunteering we are led to that course of action which furthers our resolve to advancement or, may be, ultimately to fulfilment. The intensity as well as concentration of our resolve is what we call will-power. Similarly, when we feel contempt or appreciation for a person, then Udāna makes us sense whatever furthers such contempt or appreciation and we are led accordingly. These are all experiences of our daily life. Gīta too says that our attention is defined by how we are disposed of internally (17.3).

In the body, consciousness operates in three states, namely, Jāgrat (जाग्रत्) or wakefulness, Svapna (स्वप्न) or dream and Suṣupti (सुषुप्ति) or sleep. In the Jāgrat state, all the four Antaḥkaraṇa(s), sense organs and motor organs are so active that they are capable of utilising the radiance of consciousness to the maximum permissible within their physical limitations. As a result, expression of the radiance of consciousness is full within the given body limitations (Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad 3 and Praśna Upaniṣad 4.2, 4.5). In this state the Prajña (प्रज्ञ), which is the knowing power or intelligence, acquires full exposure.

Svapna is the state of transition from Jāgrat to Suṣupti, wherein all voluntary functions of Buddhi, Manas, sense organs and motor organs subside following a decision to that effect taken by Ahamkāra on evaluation of relevant information available for the time being, in Chitta regarding body needs. In this state, because of this restraint, radiance of consciousness is not fully expressed. Dreams occur in Svapna state through the involuntary activities of Manas, as described above (Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad 4). In this state Prajña is exposed only inwardly.

In the Suṣupti state, the involuntary activities of Manas also are stopped and as a result the radiance of consciousness gets the least expression. Prajña is contained within Chitta with the least exposure. Consequently, nothing is cognised from either outside or inside. The content of Chitta is thus reduced to Prajña alone, all the acquisitions therein having been suspended for the time being. Further, Ahamkāra, that is, the mere sense of ‘I’ness, remains and all his possessions are detached from his hold; in other words, all that is ‘mine’ vanishes. This is the state of deep sleep (Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad 5).

Only Prāṇa(s) are active at this state (Praśna Upaniṣad 4.3). They do whatever is required to sustain life, since they are the sustainers of life designated as such by the ‘trinity’ of ‘Existence-Consciousness-Bliss’, which is Ātmā (Praśna Upaniṣad 1.5, 2.4).

Transcending the Suṣupti state is the Turīya (तुरीय) or Fourth State of consciousness, wherein there is only pure consciousness; even the Prajña is dissolved into that eternal, all-pervasive and indescribable pure consciousness. All phenomena cease in it (Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad 7).

Thus, consciousness is not a property of the mind; but it is the energy with which mind works. There is no mind without consciousness. The Freudian classification of mind into levels such as conscious, preconscious and unconscious therefore appears to be unfounded. What Freud calls preconscious and unconscious levels of mind can only refer to the contents of Chitta, which Manas accesses in execution of its functions. Manas is equivalent to what he refers to as conscious mind.  We have already seen that Chitta is the store-house of all information and knowledge one possesses and that such information and knowledge form the fundamental basis of all his physical and psychological activities. Freud transfers this credit from Chitta to what he calls the unconscious mind. Unconscious implies dead and a dead part cannot have active influence on one’s behaviour and experience. We have seen that one may not be able to recall each of his experiences as such, since those individual experiences may have already merged with some idea or information, appropriately modifying it; we called this process as ‘data exit – idea exists’. Moreover, Freud bundled all functions of the psyche into one and attached it to mind; this created the confusion leading to the differentiation into so-called levels and the consequent perverse nomenclature.

Ātmā is the ruler of the entire universe pervading all the beings. Since its constitution is ‘SAT–CHIT–ĀNANDA’ or Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, the motivating force of all beings is the urge to exist, to know and express and also to derive joy. Due to the veil of ignorance put up by Guṇa(s) of Prakṛti, beings do not recognise the Ātmā within (Gīta 7.13). They see themselves as mere physical beings and strive to ensure existence, expression and joy for their physical entity. Infants present an innocent expression of this truth, innocent because they don’t know anything about the world around and its pressures and recoils. As they grow, they gain knowledge about the rigours of worldly life and make suitable adjustments, improvements and compromises, but still aiming at attaining perpetual existence, unbridled expression and eternal bliss in their physical body. The finest point of the knowledge one gains is the realisation that one has no existence without the existence of the whole and therefore he has to strive primarily for the existence, expression and joy of the whole. This is what is called Dharma; the meaning of Dharma is ‘that which ensures existence (of the universe collectively)’ or in other words, that which conforms to the principle of SAT–CHIT–ĀNANDA. This pure, absolute principle is the driving force for all beings for all time and therefore, action or deed (Karma) that is in conformity with it is said to be eternal virtue or Sanātana Dharma. All the moral dictates of all the times have always been off-shoots of this eternal principle, limited only by the knowledge levels of the society during any particular period.

The ultimate aim of beings is to merge with this principle, that is, Ātmā, shedding all the physical bondages, because the trinity of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss is the driving force in all beings and we invariably see in them a desire for perpetual existence, unbridled expression and eternal bliss. This can be made possible by human beings through attaining supreme knowledge as well as practising austerities, while still being in physical existence, so say the Upaniṣads (Kaṭha 3.8, 4.15; Muṇḍaka 3.1.3, 3.1.9, 3.2.8; Śvetāśvatara 5.14). The state so attained to is absolute and changeless, wherein only pure existence, consciousness and bliss, devoid of physical attributes, exist (Gīta 15.5, 15.6). This is within every one of us all the time; but we don’t recognise it since we are oriented outwardly due to improper knowledge level (Gīta 7.27).

Freud’s ‘Ego’ is a product of the efforts to uphold ‘Dharma’; ‘Id’ indicates total absence of knowledge except the basic urge to exist which acts involuntarily for obtaining what is necessary to satisfy that urge. His ‘Super Ego’ is the eternal principle of ‘Dharma’ which acts in every person as a reflection of Ātmā.

The post Mind, Thought and Consciousness – An Upanishadic Hypothesis appeared first on IndiaDivine.org.

Before we get into the practical applications of the concept of gunas, it would make sense to have a basic understanding of what gunas are. The following excerpt from wikipedia would provide an overview of the gunas.

“Guṇa (Sanskrit: गुण) depending on the context means ‘string, thread or strand’, or ‘virtue, merit, excellence’, or ‘quality, peculiarity, attribute, property’. The concept originated in Samkhya philosophy, but now a key concept in various schools of Hindu philosophy. There are three gunas, according to this worldview, that have always been and continue to be present in all things and beings in the world.These three gunas are called: sattva (goodness, constructive, harmonious), rajas (passion, active, confused), and tamas (darkness, destructive, chaotic).

All of these three gunas are present in everyone and everything, it is the proportion that is different, according to Hindu worldview. The interplay of these gunas defines the character of someone or something, of nature and determines the progress of life.

In some contexts, it may mean ‘a subdivision, species, kind, quality’, or an operational principle or tendency of something or someone. In human behavior studies, Guna means personality, innate nature and psychological attributes of an individual.”

There is no single word English language translation for the concept guna. The usual, but approximate translation is “quality”.

As you can see, in the material world, gunas are all-encompassing. Even an atom, which makes up all the objects of the world, has the three gunas manifested in it: sattva in the proton, rajas in the electron, and tamas in the neutron. All the three gunas are present in everyone and everything in varying proportions. Typically, we use gunas to describe characteristics of human beings, but there is no reason that the gunas cannot be used to describe the characteristics of all the entities of the material world, living as well non-living.

Gunas can also be used to characterize all the fundamental operational principles that have been identified by philosophers. However, since I am thoroughly familiar with only Hinduism, I intend to focus only on the philosophy of Hinduism. I have tried to be as thorough as possible, but I suspect that there are infinite applications of the concept of gunas and therefore, no one person can capture all the applications. After I hit the number 18 on these applications, I decided to stop, for 18 is an auspicious number and even Gita stops after 18 chapters. I am sure the reader will get the message that I am trying to convey. I hope that, going forward, others would further expand on the applications of the concept of gunas.

1. Living Being (Experiencer)=Intellect, Mind, and Body

Intellect=Sattva; Mind=Rajas; Body=Tamas

2. Living Being (Experiences)=Thinks, Feels, and Perceives

Thinking=sattva; Feeling=Rajas; Perception=Tamas

3. Living Being (Fields of Experience)=Thoughts, Emotions, and Objects

Thoughts=Sattva; Emotions=Rajas; Objects=Tamas

4. Five Elements=Sky, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth

Sky=Sattva; Air, Fire, Water=Rajas; Earth=Tamas

5. Five Knowledge Sense Organs=Ears, Skin, Eyes, Tongue, and Nose

Ears=Sattva; Skin, Eyes, Tongue=Rajas; Nose=Tamas

6. Five Knowledge Senses=Sound, Touch, Sight, Taste, and Smell

Sound=Sattva; Touch, Sight, Taste=Rajas; Smell=Tamas

7. Five Work Sense Organs=Mouth, Hands, Feet, Reproductive Organ, and Excretory Organ

Mouth=Sattva; Hands, Feet, Reproductive Organ=Rajas; Excretory Organ=Tamas

8. Five Work Senses=Speech, Grasping, Locomotion, Reproduction, and Excretion

Speech=Sattva; Grasping, Locomotion, Reproduction=Rajas; Excretion=Tamas

9. Five Koshas=Annamaya Kosha, Pranamaya Kosha, Manomaya Kosha, Vigyanamaya Kosha, and Anandamaya Kosha

Anandamaya Kosha =Sattva; Vigyanamaya Kosha+Manomaya Kosha + Pranamaya Kosha=Rajas; Annamaya Kosha=Tamas

10. Seven Chakras=Muladhara(Lowest), Svadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha, Ajna, and Sahaswara(Highest)

Anahata+Vishuddha+Ajna+Sahaswara=Sattva; Svadhisthana+Manipura+Anahata=Rajas; Muladhara=Tamas

11. Antahkarana=Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, and Ahamkara

Buddhi+Chitta=Sattva; Manas=Rajas; Ahamkara=Tamas

12. Four States of Consciousness=Waking, Dreaming, Deap Sleep, and Turiya (the base-consciousness, Brahman, that transcends the other three states of consciousness)

Waking=Sattva; Dreaming=Rajas; Deep Sleep=Tamas

13. Five Pranas=Prana, Apana, Udana, Samana, and Vyana

Prana=Sattva; Udana+Samana+Vyana=Rajas; Apana=Tamas

14. Three Bodies=Causal Body, Subtle Body, and Gross Body

Causal Body=Sattva; Subtle Body=Rajas; Gross Body=Tamas

(Note: Causal Body (Karana Sharira)=Sheath of Bliss (Anandamaya Kosha); Subtle Body (Sukshma Sharira)=Sheath of Intellect (Vigyanama Kosha)+Sheath of Mind (Manomaya Kosha); Sheath of Vitality (Pranamaya Kosha); Gross Body (Sthula Sharira)=Sheath of Food (Annamaya Kosha))

15. Fourteen Worlds (Lokas)=7 Higher Lokas (Bhu, Bhuvar, Svar, Mahas, Janas, Tapas, and Satya) + 7 Lower Lokas (Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Mahaatala, Rasaatala, and Patala)

Bhuvar+Svar+Mahas+Janas+Tapas+Satya= Sattva; Bhu=Rajas; Atala+Vitala+Sutala+Talatala+Mahatala+Rasaatala+Patala=Tamas

16. Four Varnas=Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras

Brahmans=Sattva; Kshatriyas=Sattva+Rajas; Vaishyas=Rajas+Tamas; Shudras=Tamas

17. Four Ashramas=Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and Sannyas

Brahmacharya=Sattva; Grihastha=Rajas+Tamas; Vanaprastha=Sattva+Rajas; Sannyas=Sattva

18. Four Purusharthas=Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha

Dharma=Sattva; Artha=Rajas+Tamas; Kama=Rajas+Tamas; Moksha=Sattva

It is not hard to see how deep, thoughtful, and insightful the philosophy of Hinduism is. I also hope that this write-up would inform the reader about certain core principles of Hinduism and hopefully motivate one to study those principles in detail, especially, in light of the fact that in the era of Internet so much information on every topic is so readily available online, free of charge.

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Does the ancient western philosophy bear any resemblance to the Hindu thoughts of the corresponding historical period? This is the question being discussed in this article. Western philosophy is only 2600 years old, whereas all the major Upanishads which form the fundamental corpus of Indian philosophy are still older by at least 500 years, even by the most stringent and parsimonious estimation by the most unfriendly scholars of the west.

Various means of contact between the west and the east were already operative even before 600 BC, the year of inception of western philosophy. With the establishment of the Achaemenid empire under Persian rulers, the mutual contact acquired a new dimension paving the way for exchange of thoughts and perceptions about human life. As such, the question raised deserves careful consideration by a  detailed discussion.

What is now known as western philosophy is generally classified into the following six chronological periods namely,

1. Classical Era – from 600 BC to 300 BC
2. Hellenistic Era – from 300 BC to 1 BC
3. Roman Era – from 1 AD to 500 AD
4. Medieval Era – from 500 AD to 1500 AD
5. Early Modern Era – from 1500 AD to 1800 AD
6. Modern Era – from 1800 AD onwards.

Of the above, for the sake of limiting our survey to the ancient western philosophy, we may remain concerned with the first two eras only, namely, the Classical Era and the Hellenistic Era. Within this limitation too, we are particularly concerned about the enquiry regarding the ultimate reality or the Supreme Being.

The timeline of classical western philosophers starts with Thales (624 – 546 BC) and ends almost with Euclid (325 – 265 BC), all being Greeks. It appears that only Greeks had philosophy during this period in the west. The Hindus had already finalised by that time a full-fledged philosophy dealing with the secrets of existence and life and had also established an excellent system for its propagation, even reaching down to the layman, through the medium of literary compositions such as the epics, apart from the higher texts of purely philosophical discussions. Until Socrates (470 – 399 BC) came up with his dialectics for resolving contradictions in arguments and thereby arriving at the truth, Athens had no place in what we now know as western philosophy. Mythology, oracles and sophists ruled the roost in Athens in the Pre-Socratic period. Even Socrates believed in the oracles of Delphi. All the Pre-Socratic western philosophers came from the eastern Greek settlements in Ionia, an ancient region of the central coastal Anatolia which is currently a territory of Turkey. The name ‘Ionia’ finds mention in Hindu texts as ‘Yavana’, which term, interestingly, is said to have been used by Hindus to indicate barbarian people of the west. With no tradition to boast of, pertaining to intellectual life of rational thinking and creative compilations, these people at that time apparently deserved this epithet. There are references in Mahabharata regarding the Yavana soldiers participating in the Kurukshetra war.

History says that Ionia was under the rule of the Persians from 550 BC to 336 BC as part of the Achaemenid Empire which comprised of western parts of India also. This position in particular helped the Ionians to have access to the great works of the Sages of India. Contacts with the already matured teachings of the Vedas must have influenced the Ionian Greeks to tread a new path different from the traditional Greek beliefs and religious practices and to formulate theories about the ultimate reality, independent of mythology. It cannot be the other way round, with the Greeks influencing the Vedic tradition, since the perfection, extent and depth that the Hindu thoughts reached by that time compared to the infancy seen in the West makes such a suggestion less than tenable. Karl Jasper’s theory of Axial Age is only a myth in the light of the above facts. Karl Jasper says that philosophy and new religious thoughts evolved simultaneously in the East and the West during 800 BCE to 200 BCE, in spite of having no mutual cultural or other contacts. His facts are wrong. As explained above, mutual contacts with the west and the east already existed, before the start of the so-called axial age. It is because of his western bias that Jasper ignored this historical fact. Further, he conveniently forgot the rule of the Persian Empire, simultaneously over the west and east, for a period of two centuries that fall within his ‘axial age’. Moreover the Major Upanishads were already revealed, when the western philosophy was yet to totter as an infant. Veda Samhitas are still older. So, the theory of Axial Age is only an undue favour showered on the westerners for satisfying their false pride.

In spite of their contacts with the great treasures of the Hindu philosophy, what the Ionians could obtain was some fringes; that too, apparently through Persian versions or simple translations. And they could not digest fully what they thus obtained, because of the deflection their intellectual orientation had with that of the Hindus at that time. This deficiency in comprehension reflects in the teachings now presented as theirs. The matter undergoes further aggravation with the fact that none of the writings of the Pre-Socratic Greek philosophers is available in full; everything said about them and to be theirs now, including their life time, are only conjectures made upon surviving fragments of such writings. This is in sharp contrast with the Hindu scriptures which have been preserved almost intact from still older periods to the present day. May be, the ancient Indians were poor in keeping a chronological record of events in the name of history, but they keenly preserved their most valuable treasures of intellectual and cultural outputs very safely.

Thales of Miletus (Ionia) is considered as the first in the line of classical western philosophers; according to Bertrand Russell, western philosophy starts with him. Thales’ most famous contribution was his cosmological thesis that the world had its origin from water. In this context we may recall the Upaniṣadic teachings about the origin of the universe. Praśna (1.4) says that at first the pair of Rayi and Prāṇa was created. Chāndogya follows up this by saying that from this energy water came up first and from water, food is created (6.2.3 & 6.2.4). Bṛhadāraṇyaka also says that it is water that was first produced (1.2.1). But, unlike Thales, it may be noted, the Upaniṣads go deeper and hold that this energy was created from out of SAT (Chāndogya 6.2.1 & 6.2.3). It is interesting to observe that western philosophy maintains all through its history this peculiar trait of not searching for the ultimate and, if at all searching, not finding the search successful. The west is seen to have squandered their temporal and intellectual resources in arguing for or against the proposition that there exists a personal god; or, on the other hand, in asserting or refuting that the ultimate reality is matter. Their inquisitiveness has not so far matured enough to acquire the higher truth of the unity of matter and spirit, the unity that is Ātmā.

Contemporary to Thales were Anaximander (610 – 546 BC) and Anaximenes (585 – 525 BC), both belonging to Miletus of Ionia, like Thales. Of these, Anaximenes held air as the primary substance of which all other things are made. This is in deviation to what Thales said. It appears that Anaximenes went by the Prāṇa route ignoring the Rayi that Thales upheld. On the other hand Anaximander was close to the Upaniṣadic teaching. He said that the beginning or first principle was an endless, unlimited primordial mass (the apeiron), subject to neither old age nor decay, that perpetually yielded fresh materials from which everything we perceive is derived. According to him, the universe originated in the separation of opposites in the primordial matter. All dying things are returning to the element from which they came (apeiron). This is only a repetition of what is stated in Chāndogya 6.10.2, 8.1.1, 8.1.3, 8.1.5; Bṛhadāraṇyaka 1.4.3 & Gīta 2.28, 9.4; and Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.18 and 9.7. Chāndogya 6.10.2 says that whatever comes out from ‘SAT’, the pure existence that was there in the beginning, does merge into it at the end. In 8.1.1, 8.1.3 and 8.1.5 Chāndogya say that Ātmā encompasses everything that exists in this universe and also everything that is yet to come into existence; that Ātmā does not grow old and cannot be destroyed. Bṛhadāraṇyaka 1.4.3 indicates that creation took place on separation of opposites. Kaṭha 2.18 says that Ātmā is without birth or death; He has no origin, no transformation and no decay. According to Gīta 2.28 the beginning as well as the end of all beings is the Undifferentiated. Gīta 9.4 holds that Ātmā, the ultimate principle of existence, pervades the entire universe whereas 9.7 says that in the beginning all beings originate from the ultimate principle and in the end merge into it.

Following Anaximenes comes Pythagoras (580 – 500 BC) of Samos in Ionia, who is said to have visited India. Unfortunately, it seems that what he picked up from India was only some obscurantist teachings that led him to believe in transmigration. He set up an esoteric group of his followers in his home land, which pursued ascetic practices.

In contrast to this, Xenophanes of Colophon (570 – 480 BC), Ionia, who is known as ‘Feuerbach of Antiquity’ for his pooh-poohing of traditional Greek religious beliefs of his time (as done later by Feuerbach (1804 – 1872 AD) against Christianity in his famous work ‘Essence of Christianity’), taught that God has no human form and that He is eternal, having no birth or death. He declared that God does not intervene in human affairs. These ideas are identical with the teachings contained in Gīta 2.20, 5.14, 5.15 & 10.8 and Kaṭha 2.18. In the cited verses Gīta asserts that the ultimate principle is eternal and devoid of birth and death; it does not perish even after the body is lost (2.20); it is the origin of all beings and everything exists because of it only (10.8). Neither does it create any Karma nor does it assign such Karma to any particular person; everything happens according to the very nature of things (5.14) into which it has already manifested. It does not recognise any Karma as good or evil (5.15). (Kaṭha 2.18 is identical with Gīta 2.20).

Close to Xenophanes comes Heraclitus of Ephesus, Ionia (535 – 475 BC) who is known as the ‘weeping philosopher’. He is often quoted for his saying that the universe is in a flux. He declared, “We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not”, which, apart from indicating that this world is ever-changing, also asserts that, underlying all such changes, there is something not subject to change. This is exactly the opening mantra of Īśa (ईश) Upaniṣad, wherein it is said that Īśa, the ultimate reality, pervades everything that exists in this ever-changing world. Mantra 8 ibid clarifies that this Īśa is omnipresent and self-existent.

Heraclitus further mentioned about the unity of opposites, “An object is a harmony between a building up and a tearing down”. In this connection particular mention is due to Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.10.1 and 6.10.2, which say that everything in this universe comes from and returns to SAT, which implies that phenomenal existence is a process of ‘building up and tearing down’. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad says in 1.4.3 that as a prelude to creation, Ātmā divided itself into two complementary halves; therefore everything here exists to be like halves. For every such half there must exist its complementary half. The universe is therefore said to exist in opposites. Moreover, Gīta 2.28 says that everything emerges from and finally dissolves into the undifferentiated, which indicates that phenomenal existence is a process of ‘building up and tearing down’.

Heraclitus had an equally famous contemporary, Parmenides of Elea, Ionia (515 – 450 BC). He was the founder of the famous Eleatic School. The only source providing an insight into his teachings is a few fragments of a poem ‘On Nature’ written by him, wherein he declared that existence is necessarily eternal. “How could it come into being? If it came into being, it is not; nor is it if it is going to be in the future. Thus, is becoming extinguished and passing away not to be heard of. Nor is it divisible, since it is all alike, and there is no more of it in one place than in another, to hinder it from holding together, nor less of it, but everything is full of what is”, says in 8.20 of his poem. This is verses 2.16, 2.20, 2.23 & 13.27 of Gīta retold. In 2.16 Gīta defines what ‘SAT’ (Reality) is. SAT is that which exists and never ceases to exist. That means, reality is something that always exists; it never disappears; nor does it come out from a state of non-existence (Gīta 2.20). Gīta 2.23 declares that weapons cannot destroy it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it and wind cannot dry it. Gīta 13.27 says that Ātmā  evenly pervades in every being. All these show that the vision of Parmenides about existence is only a reflection of the already existing great Hindu teachings on the same subject.

Parmenides further says in 8.55 of his poem, “They have assigned an opposite substance to each, and marks distinct from one another. To the one they allot the fire of heaven, light, thin, in every direction the same as itself, but not the same as the other. The other is opposite to it, dark night, a compact and heavy body.” This also is something that we find in Gīta; Parmenides is simply writing on the concept of Kṣetra and Kṣetrajña contained in chapter 13 of Gīta. In verse 13.26 it is stated that whatever exists in this universe is a product of the union of Kṣetra and Kṣetrajña.

The last of the Pre-Socratic Greek philosophers was Anaxagoras (500 – 428 BC) of Clazomenae, Ionia. He brought the Greek philosophy from Ionia to Athens. According to his teachings ‘all things existed from the beginning, but in infinitesimally small fragments of themselves, endless in number and inextricably combined’; ‘they existed in a confused and indistinguishable form’. ‘Mind (Nous) arranged the segregation of like from unlike. This peculiar thing, called Mind, a thing of finer texture, stood pure and independent, alike in all its manifestations and everywhere the same. This subtle agent, possessed of all knowledge and power, is especially seen ruling in all the forms of life’. This is rather a lesser version of Gīta 2.28, 9.4, 13.27, wherein the concepts of the undifferentiated, the all-pervasive nature of the ultimate reality and the uniform presence of that reality in all beings are discussed.

Now we come to the legendary Socrates (470 – 399 BC) of Athens, whose most important contribution to western thought was his dialectical method of enquiry. He used this method in arguments to bring out contradictions in propositions so as to arrive at the truth. He did not author any book; whatever is known of him comes to us from the words of others, particularly Plato, his famous disciple. Socrates used to say, “I only know that I know nothing.” This is what we see in mantra 2.2 of Kena, which, commenting on the secret nature of the ultimate reality, says so: ‘I don’t think that it can be known easily; I don’t also think that we don’t know or do know’.

According to Socrates, if at all there is something real it is not the object of senses; being graspable by the senses is not the criterion for anything to be real. This idea of reality is only an echoing of the Upaniṣadic teachings (Kena 1.3, 1.4 & 1.5; Kaṭha 6.9 & 6.12; Muṇḍaka 3.1.8 Śvetāśvatara 4.17, 4.20), all of which consistently hold that the ultimate reality is not graspable by the senses. Socrates says, in Plato’s Republic, that people who take the sun-lit world of the senses to be good and real are living pitifully in a den of evil and ignorance. This again is a reflection of Kaṭha 2.6, in which it is declared that those who do not see anything beyond this sunlit world render themselves to be felled by death again and again, the import being that they will never see peace and happiness.

For Socrates “Virtue is knowledge” and “Virtue is sufficient for happiness.” This is only a paraphrasing of Gīta 4.33 & 4.38; Kaṭha 5.12; Śvetāśvatara 6.12 & 6.20. In Gīta 4.33 pursuit of knowledge is held in greater esteem than that of material objects. Gīta 4.38 declares that nothing is sacred as knowledge. Kaṭha 5.12 and Śvetāśvatara 6.12 & 6.20 say that there is no lasting happiness without knowing the ultimate reality. Further, Socrates believed that the best way for people to live was to focus on self-development rather than the pursuit of material wealth. This belief was apparently derived from Kaṭha 4.2, Muṇḍaka 1.2.7, 1.2.10 and Gīta verses 9.22 & 12.8. Kaṭha 4.2 states that only the immature people go after cravings for material possessions; the wise, on the other hand, do not go after transient pleasures as they know what real bliss is. Muṇḍaka 1.2.7 warns that those who pursue material pleasure do really walk into total ruin. A similar caution is contained in Muṇḍaka 1.2.10 wherein it is stated that those who consider material pursuit as supreme are simply foolish, since material pleasures are not permanent and are followed by sorrows. Gīta verses 9.22 & 12.8 say that those who are committed to the pursuit of the ultimate reality are assured of a happy life.

In several dialogues, Socrates floats the idea that knowledge is a matter of recollection, and not of learning, observation, or study. Socrates is often found arguing that knowledge is not empirical, and that it comes from divine insight. According to Hindu scriptures, Ātmā, which is the ultimate cause of all, is SAT-CHIT-ᾹNANDA. CHIT is pure consciousness and knowledge is its manifestation. In human body Chitta is the centre of all knowledge. Every being is born with some basic knowledge necessary for running the body. Every piece of knowledge said to be acquired by us is a build-up on this base. Among the internal faculties, Manas processes the signals picked up by senses from the outside objects, with reference to the stock of information already available in the Chitta. Such signals are only raw materials and the processed information constitutes the building blocks of the body of knowledge. With these blocks the Manas builds up cognisable forms and ideas that fit into the foundation existing in the Chitta at that point of time. It is thus we acquire knowledge and enlarge our knowledge base in the Chitta. That means, in the process of gaining knowledge what actually happens is not absorption as such from external agents, but an internal building up that is compatible with the existing foundation in the Chitta. In Chāndogya 7.18.1 teaches that one knows by reflection only; there is no knowing without reflection. So, we find that Socrates is only interpreting in his own way the teachings of Hindu scriptures in this respect also.

In Greek philosophical thoughts, Socrates was followed by his immediate disciples. Antisthenes (445 – 365 BC) of Athens was an ardent disciple of Socrates, who, abiding by the ethical teachings of his master, advocated an ascetic life to be lived in accordance with virtue. Life for him was to be lived through virtuous actions that liberate wise persons from errors; for, real and enduring happiness lies in such a life. This had been better declared already in verses 2.55, 2.70, 3.28, 3.34, 3.35, 3.41, etc. of Gīta. Incidentally, Antisthenes is regarded as the founder of Cynic philosophy because of these teachings. Western scholars appear to possess wonderful expertise in the art of nomenclature. Highlighting some aspects of a thing they brand the thing as belonging to a particular group. In course of time the brand name loses its original meaning and acquires new imports. This is what exactly happened to the word cynic. In contrast to its initial implication, a cynic now represents a pessimist sceptical of everything. However, Antisthenes was not a person belonging to the brand of what the word ‘cynic’ now signifies. He only advocated simple living as, according to him, virtue demanded it. He was also of the opinion that God is only one, who resembles nothing on earth and therefore cannot be understood from any representation. This is fully in line with his master’s teaching that reality cannot be known through the senses, which we have already seen above to be a repetition of Hindu teachings.

We find another important disciple of Socrates in Aristippus (435 – 366 BC) of Cyrene, a Greek colony in present-day Libya. To him the goal of life was to seek pleasure by adapting circumstances to oneself and by maintaining proper control over both adversity and prosperity. He lived a life of equal disposition to pain and pleasure. Whether insulted wildly or praised grossly he remained equally calm. Thus he was truly a Stitaprajña (person having a steady intellect) as described in Gīta 2.56. And his life was a demonstration of the teachings in verses 2.38, 2.45, 5.20, 5.21, etc. of Gīta, which exhort us to desist from getting dejected at the face of adversities and elated too much at fortunes.

The most outstanding of the students of Socrates is undoubtedly Plato (427 – 347 BC) who, through own writings, propagated the teachings of his master for the benefit of later generations. In Athens, he founded the ‘Academy’, which is the first institution of higher learning in the western world. Nearly everything he wrote was in the form of dialogues and nobody knows the exact order in which they were written. The principal themes that we are concerned with in his writings are (i) the reality and the world of forms and (ii) the class structure of society.

Like Socrates, Plato also is of the opinion that material world is not real. He conceives an unchanging world of Forms (or Ideas) from which the ever-changing material world is derived. Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy writes, “The most fundamental distinction in Plato’s philosophy is between the many observable objects that appear beautiful (good, just, unified, equal, big) and the one object that is what beauty (goodness, justice, unity) really is, from which those many beautiful (good, just, unified, equal, big) things receive their names and their corresponding characteristics”. In other words, for every aspect of material objects there exists a Form of its perfection; material objects are only relative derivations of this Form. According to Plato there exists an eternal world of such Forms and that is the real world. But he does not explain where this world of Form comes from, where it is situated and how it is sustained. In furthering his master’s teaching that the material world is not the real one, he introduces the concept of Forms and then introduces a new world of Forms. But his concept is not justified by any rational or plausible explanations. He does not direct his thoughts to the origin, cause or sustenance of his ‘real’ world of Forms.

What impact does he intend to make in human life with his concept? He does not give any clue. He left the teachings of his great master on the wayside and proceeded with his own immature conjectures. Socrates was most concerned about a happy social life; so he said, ‘virtue is sufficient for happiness’. Plato did not opt to brood over virtue, may be for fear of persecution by the establishment as in the case of Socrates; nor did he pursue his master’s concept of reality to its perfection. Instead, he remained contented with his intellectual acrobatics in the ‘World of Forms’. This straying away from proper enquiry into the cause of life and existence in this universe stayed with western thought throughout, so that they failed in arriving at the ultimate reality. Having started with Plato, this loss of direction was further compounded by historical events such as the fall of Achaemenid Empire and the shifting of the centre of Greek philosophy from Ionia to Athens, which badly cut off Greeks’ access to Hindu thoughts, presumably for ever. Even otherwise, Plato might not have been enthused by the Hindu teachings that Anaxagoras brought from Ionia to Athens and flourished through the thoughts and practices of Socrates, Antisthenes and all. Therefore, instead of appreciating their true value and pursuing them to their full bloom, he opted to employ his speculative skill in manipulating them for the purpose of arrogating their authorship to himself. One more reason for his attitude might be his aversion to the hegemony of the Achaemenid Empire over Greek settlements in Ionia, which distanced him from accepting anything that came via that route. He failed to gauge the real potential and depth of whatever fragments already received from the East. This resulted in his leaving the line pursued by his teacher and embarking upon a pursuit of his own, which unfortunately turned out to be a futile regimen of intellectual exercises, as already mentioned.

Let us now consider Plato’s theory on the class structure of society. According to him society has a tripartite class structure corresponding to the appetite – spirit – reason structure of the individual soul. The appetite, spirit and reason stand for different parts of the body. The class that corresponds to the “appetite” part of the soul is the Productive class representing the abdomen of the body. They comprise of the manual labourers and include merchants also.  The spirit class is the Protective class representing the chest. They constitute the warriors or guardians of the society. Into this class come the brave, adventurous and strong people. The third class is the Governing class corresponding to the reason part of the soul. They represent the head of the body and consist of individuals who are ‘intelligent, rational, self-controlled, in love with wisdom and therefore well suited to make decisions for the community’. They are rulers of the society.

It can be seen that Plato is simply repeating the class divisions of Hindu scriptures with only one modification. He limits the classes to three as against four in the scriptures. We will see the details of the Hindu divisions – called Varṇa(s) in the scriptures – below.  Plato’s restriction of the classes into three is defective. He covered only the abdomen, chest and head of the body, but ignored the legs. Without legs, the body is not complete. This mutilation finds expression in his class division also. It is evident that the merchants and agriculturists cannot be considered as mere manual labourers and also that the other two classes would require manual helpers in the discharge of their duties. Such helpers cannot be included in the ‘appetite’ class. This vindicates the four-fold class division of the Hindus.

Divisions of society into various categories or rather types have been there from ancient times. Hindu scriptures prescribe four types of people (Varṇa) in society, differentiated by the ‘colour’ of each individual. This ‘colour’ does not indicate the colour of the skin, but the inherent inclination in choosing the type of Karma for achieving one’s ends (4.13 of Gīta). Therefore, this classification finds expression in one’s Karma that he opts when left with many options. For this purpose, Karma(s) are divided into four categories, respectively dealing with education and learning, security and protection, food production and commerce, and finally, rendering manual assistance for the above three categories (For details see Gīta 18.42, 43 & 44). A close look will reveal that this is an “inner to outer” classification. Those who are naturally concerned with the inner-most aspect of existence are termed as the Brāhmaṇa (ब्राह्मण) and those concerned with the outer-most aspect as Śūdra (शूद्र). In between these two, come the Kṣatriya (क्षत्रिय) and the Vaiśya (वैश्य), according to each one’s closeness to the inner or outer aspects. Kṣatriya comes next to Brāhmana and Vaiśya comes before Shūdra.

The society is a collective entity consisting of all these types. Each type is so important that without it the society will not prosper. (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4.11 to 1.4.14). Therefore, mutual respect and understanding and also joint efforts by these four types are essential for the stability and progress of the society. So, what is required is not antagonism among the types, but their peaceful co-existence; for, nature’s diversity is not for contradiction or antagonism, but for ensuring physical existence. The scriptures, on account of their declaration that the whole universe emerged from and is possessed by a single ever-existent entity, cannot think otherwise. They recognise the diversity and at the same time go beyond it and see the unity that projects the diversity.

Since the said inherent inclination in choosing one’s Karma differs from person to person, even belonging to the same family, the classification based on Karma cannot be hereditary. For the same reason, caste has nothing to do with this classification. Castes are innumerable, but types (Varṇa) are only four. There is no scriptural instruction classifying the various castes into the four Varṇas. Moreover, the scriptures do not limit the applicability of this classification to any religious group; instead, they encompass the whole mankind. Since the actual occupation that one is forced to take up for earning a livelihood may not always coincide with his inherent inclination in choosing Karma, his Varṇa cannot be determined by his occupation either. So, the four-fold classification as per Hindu scriptures has nothing to do with caste or occupation, though religious miscreants, born of ignorance, practise discrimination in Varṇa structure and surreptitiously and dishonestly arrogate to themselves, favoured positions therein, on the basis of caste and heredity.

Beginning with Plato, the western speculative thinking took a decisive deviation from its enquiry into the ultimate reality. It restricted its domain into mere intellectual exchanges, often amounting to mutual refutations, without making any valid advance to the knowledge of the Supreme Being. At times we see its degradation into a debate between those who believe that God created everything and those who hold that there is no creator and that whatever is here now, always existed. These exercises are irrelevant to the pursuit of ultimate reality and therefore they command only little interest from us. We are therefore constrained to ignore such vagaries.

The prime objective of philosophy is to show the way to sustained happiness. To attain sustained happiness one should primarily know what he really consists of. Then only he can figure out the right deed (Karma) that he should engage himself with, so as to generate sustained happiness. So, a true philosophy worth that name asserts the importance and essentiality of self-knowledge as the only means to everlasting joy in life. All other speculative exercises constitute a shear waste. This is the reason why Hindu philosophy is unique in the history of speculative thinking.

Hinduism is not a bunch of ancient mythological concoctions extraneous to rational thought. It is true that just like any other ancient philosophy, Hinduism also presents its thoughts with some mythological coating, rather than resorting to outright deliverance, despite the fact that these thoughts are rational in essence. Those with credulous or antagonistic dispositions take the coatings as the essence and get themselves deceived. Hinduism is not a collection of myths, superstitions, rituals, observances and expiations, as assumed by both the types of people. Hindu scriptures, especially the Principal Upaniṣads and Bhagavad Gīta, offer a rational philosophy concerning the ultimate cause of existence of the universe and of life therein. Hinduism does not demand blind faith for its acceptance, since it expresses itself through pure rational thinking and coherence. It is also the most ancient rational philosophy of the world and therefore ancestral to all such philosophies ever dawned in history.

Hinduism does not consist in visiting temples, prostrating before idols, performing rituals and begging for fulfilment of desires. It consists in visualising and realising the unity existing among apparent diversities in the world. A Hindu worth that name should therefore endeavour to practise equality among themselves and also towards other religious identities. The more the Hindus practise discrimination among themselves, the more they alienate their own fellow beings by straying them away to other religious holds. India’s history is the prime testimony to this simple fact.

You can contact the author, S. Karthikeyan, through email: karthiksreedhar@gmail.com.

Once upon a time in ancient India there lived a pious man named Vajasrawa who had a young and intellectual son named Nachiketa, there comes a day where Vajasrawa decides to do Viswajit sacrifice [one who could give up all transitory things including wealth and all his possessions in order gain knowledge of Brahman / knowledge of reality]. Hence Vajasrawa meets saints to takes advise on him performing Viswajit sacrifice and decides the ceremony date.

On the day of Viswajit sacrifice ceremony Vajasrawa decides to sacrifice few of his least valuable things, observing the ceremony Nachiketa thought “why is my father sacrificing these old cows which are of no use to anyone and felt that by giving these cows his father would not get the desired result of the sacrifice” then obediently asks his father “You are not giving away all your possessions! Dad, Am I not your possession? To whom will you give me Father?”

At first the Vajasrawa ignored his son but Nachiketa persisted, asking him repeatedly, “To whom will you give me, father?  To whom will you give me?” Vajasrawa angrily replied “I will give you to YAMA (the God of Death)” those words were unintentional, But Nachiketa decided to obey the words of his father by going to YAMA, Vajasrawa begged his son to stay back, told him his words were unintentional uttered in anger, Nachiketa with all his heart had firmly decided to obey his father, head held high with pride told his father “Our ancestors never slipped on their words and I would love to follow them, my beloved father I want you to follow the same tradition” Because Nachiketa knew that one should not fear death, the life on earth is materialistic and unreal the only path which leads to heaven[god] is path made up of truth and peace.

Vajasrawa was deeply moved but with the pride of being father to such a brave son permitted him to follow his decision, with the blessings of his father Nachiketa left to YAMALOKA [Place of Lord YAMA]. on reaching the entrance of Yamaloka, Nachiketa discovered that Lord Yama was not at home, decided to wait at the entrance and waited for three long days on the doorsteps of Yamaloka, The Lord YAMA on his return to Yamaloka saw Nachiketa waiting at the doorsteps and was deeply grieved welcomed Nachiketa to Yamaloka with all due respect. For having kept him waiting for three long days, Lord Yama granted him with three boons.

First boon: Nachiketa to lord Yama “I seek the welfare of my father as my first Boon.” Lord Yama granted him with ease.

Second boon: Nachiketa to lord Yama “I desire to know how one could reach heaven where there is no sorrow and death” lord Yama enlightened him with the details of sacrifices, performances and worships which would lead one to heaven.” Lord Yama was delighted with his request, which sounded unselfish and to the betterment of the human race, so thought Nachiketa about all the sacrifices and worship which leads you to Heaven. As Nachiketa was an intellectual and honest soul spiritually blessed could understand all that was taught hence lord Yama named the sacrifice after him.

Third boon: Nachiketa to lord Yama “When a person dies, there arises this doubt, does he still exists or not. I want you to teach me the truth.”Lord Yama was not expecting this question from a young boy. He tried to divert him but Nachiketa was very firm. He wanted to know the truth. Yama was very pleased but he tried to divert the attention with lot of attractive things. Nachiketa declined all these worldly pleasures. Yama was pleased with such a young truth-seeker who had rejected the path of enjoyment and chose the path of goodness. Then Yama taught him the knowledge of the Atman, how humans can attain immortality.

Katha Upanishad is must read for one who thinks about life, death and immortality, Katha Upanishad has two parts each containing 3 chapters.

Words of the lord of death:

“The Self cannot be known through study of the scriptures, nor through the intellect, nor through hearing learned discourses. The Self can be attained only by those whom the Self chooses. Verily unto them does the Self reveal himself.”

Author’s website: sanjaykrishne.blogspot.com

A  dream of lord surya symbolises a sign of well being and brightness surrounding you. It could mean that you should continue doing devotion to clear your way. Surya is also the Father of shani, which mean that shani effects will soon have no effect on your planetary alignment. Your life could become clearer and better.

Circumtances that surrounded you will soon be over leading to more fulfilling life thus increasing to a healthy and happy life. Lord surya is worshipped after Lord Ganeha the Goddness of knowledge and wisdom,he removes all obataacles and must be worshipped at the begining of every puja to attain full devotion.

Lord surya is worshipped with red flowers and pure water early in the morning. All person fasting on sundays attain full success in life.

Here’s a little known story of Karna’s previous birth. The Mahabharata mentions that Karna was a demon named Dambhodbhava in his previous life. This demon had terrorized the universe on the strength of a blessing he had received from the sun-god. He had been blessed to have a thousand kavachas which had the following characteristics.

They could only be destroyed one at a time.

They could only be destroyed by someone who had performed a thousand years of austerity.

They would cause the immediate death of the destroyer of the kavacha.

This combination of blessings made him undefeatable till he met his match in the form of the divine sages Nara-Narayaaa, who are considered non-different from each other. They fought with him alternately, one fighting while the other performed austerity – both doing so for a thousand years. When the warrior would destroy one kavacha and fall dead, the ascetic would revive him by the power of his austerities and then they would swap places. The warrior would fight and finally destroy another kavacha after a thousand years till the ascetic acquired enough merit through austerity to take up the fight for another thousand years and destroy one more kavacha.

By this resourceful and arduous arrangement, those sages destroyed nine hundred and ninety nine kavachas. When just one kavacha remained, the demon fled to the shelter of the sun-god, who due to attachment to his worshiper refused to hand the fugitive over to Nara-Narayana. Eventually, the demon was impregnated by the sun-god into the womb of Kunti and he was born as Karna. Simultaneously, Nara-Narayana appeared as Arjuna and Karna to complete their unfinished mission of ridding the universe of the terrible demon.

Usually what comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘flag’ or ‘dhwaj? Victory, dominance, patriotism? We have often seen a ‘bhagwa dhawj’ or saffron flag being adorned on top of most Hindu temples or ashrams; it has almost become an eternal symbol for the Hindu culture. Who chose this color orange to denote the vast spiritual and cultural nuances?

A person or any of the Hindu Gods, scriptures, or some guru? The answer is none. Saffron flag took its color from the fire and its flames. The brilliance of fire has enormous significance in Hindu dharma. Hindu culture evolved out of a very natural set of conditions, where certain people living in a certain geographical area i.e. on the bank of river Sindhu, chose a certain way of life because of their in depth, indigenous understanding of life and the wisdom they had acquired while living harmoniously with the nature. Hindu dharma evolved out of such state of living where it was understood that everything that surrounds us is made of five basic elements- air, water, fire, earth and ether. Each of these element was glorified by the culture in its own way. Agni or fire being one of the five elements, took precedence in lot of other rituals and beliefs of those who shared the culture.

This article explores how from the understanding of agni as a basic element for life, of concept yagya evolved which later on was passed on from generation to generation and later was also symbolically represented as saffron color flag to denote Hindu dharma. Even today fire is considered as part of several Hindu rituals like any Hindu wedding ceremony takes place in the presence of the sacred flames of fire, during the harvesting season people stand around fire to celebrate, yagya is performed on religious functions like Satya Narayan Katha, Bhagvat Katha, Ramayan Parayan, etc. and even in the last rites of Hindus, the dead body is given to fire.

A variety of yagyas are described in the scriptures. The yagya done with a desire to have a son was called Putrakameshti Yagya, the Ashwamedha Yagna was performed to attain sovereignty over states, Rajsooy Yagya was performed during the coronations of kings. Yagya literally means “sacrifice, devotion, offering”, and is done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras, as a ritual. This ‘yagya’ is synonymous to havan where we offer ingredients like ghee, milk, grains, fruits, and flowers etc. in fire, chant mantras and says ‘swaha’. With each offering to the fire the mantra is chanted- “Agnaye Swaahaa, Agnaye idam na mama”, through which we constantly remind ourselves that ‘this does not belong to me’.

However, the meaning of yagya is not confined merely to this sacrificial ritual. It has a much wider and deeper meaning. The fire is a great purifier, the eternal witness of all yagyas, of all the offerings. It inspires the greatest of all human values i.e. sacrifice which is the very essence of Hindu Dharma. The philosophy of yagya teaches a way of living in the society, which promotes serving others and sacrificing. Hindu culture abounds with the concept of giving; it glorifies the idea of giving more significance to others than to self.

Not many cultures in the world consider ‘sacrifice’ as a virtue and encourage inculcating it in humans. This is the essence of Sanatan Dharma, appeals man to forsake his self-centeredness and offer himself to the service of others. The color also reminds us of the orange hue around the rising Sun, that dispels darkness and radiates light all around. Sun is the symbol of selfless service because it shines brilliantly giving energy and life without demanding anything in return. The Sun burns throughout the day, silently sacrificing itself, giving life to all creatures on this planet. It teaches us to have no expectations, but ceaselessly render service to all creatures. Sanãtan Dharma’s lofty yagya and the saffron flag both conveys all historical ethos of the culture.

Therefore, Bhagwa dhwaj which has the color of fire and burning sun reminds us of our great heritage, it defines our identity. The Bhagwa has been the silent witness of our long history. It is inspiring us forever to live the life full of virtues based on sacrifice, dedication, purity and service. The Hindu monks wear Bhagwa colored robes to signify that they have renounced everything and put themselves on the path of salvation and have dedicated their life in the service of Dharma.

The saffron color of Dharma dhwaj symbolizes the ever illuminating sun and fire; it denotes sacrifice which has inspired many to devote their lives for others. In brief, Bhagwa Dhwaj is a symbol of sacrifice; selfless service and righteousness. It stands for sustained effort to uphold dharma through self-sacrifice. It reminds us of our duty towards the Hindu community and the society as a whole. The color exhorts that man should forsake his self-centeredness, by offering himself in the service of others, performing the true yagna, sacrificing body, mind and atmã in the service of mankind. One has to lives not for oneself but to give. Each second of his life is a yagna. Such is our culture!

The Aditya Hridayam Stotram (literally, the “Sun Heart”) was composed by one of the greatest Maharshis of Bhaarat (India) – Sage Agastya. On the battlefield, he sees Lord Sri Rama depleted of physical energy and lacking hope and mental strength – after fighting a fierce battle with the demon King Ravana for several days.

Sage Agastya reminded Sri Rama of the Sun God’s (also called Surya or Aditya) full glory and unlimited prowess through the Aditya Hridayam Stotra. He describes the entire cosmos and nature’s cycles in this Stotra and Lord Surya’s integral and vital role in sustaining inter-related components in this creation.

In this Aditya Hridayam Stotra, a vivid picture of the earth, solar system, living creatures (both plants and animals), mountains, the forces of nature (namely fire, air, water, soil, and sky) are brought before Sri Rama’s vision. Sage Agastya asserts that Lord Surya’s grace was essential for achieving victory over enemies, removing sins, eliminating worries, energizing the body for restoring vitality and longevity.

In this Stotra, the visual brightness, inherent heat and intellectually luminous nature of Lord Surya is described many times – as the remover of darkness, dullness, ignorance and coldness, both out in the cosmos and within humans – as it is the darkness and ignorance inside us which lead to physical dullness and mental gloominess. These were removed by bright visual imagery.

He also shows how Sri Surya was truly a single-form manifestation of all the major Gods and lower gods as well – thereby calming troubled Sri Rama – as to which God to pray for His present situation. Indeed, even today we are all in the same situation as Sri Rama was – with multitudes of Gods to pray to – but still problems seem to continue unabated. Lord Surya offers a solution to the above dilemma by being an integrated, and visible god displaying aspects of all gods in himself.

We still struggle more than ever before these days from lack of time – juggling commitments and duties- despite watches, digital calendars, cellphones, and pagers notifying all about time every second. Some of us may not have adequate support from professional help via skilled workers – and thus have to juggle many a task single-handedly by ourselves. Lord Surya’s timeliness in doing his duties, multi-faceted skills and coordination powers can aid us in managing our duties by praying sincerely to Lord Surya even today. The repetition of the stotra and visualization of cosmic processes can indeed re-wire our internal systems to increase our work coordination abilities.

Sage Agastya reminds Sri Rama of the Sun’s presence within all of us – that He is ever awake and controlling and regulating mankind’s vital systems as our heart centre – just as He is taking care of the outside world as well.

Sri Rama was himself of the “Suryavansha” – the lineage descended from the Sun God. Hence this Stotra perhaps generated a personal connection within him – making Sri Rama consolidate his family lineage’s glory as well, while praying to Lord Surya – His forefather. Thus Sage Agastya assimilates Sri Rama’s scattered frame of mind by narrating how well Sri Surya coordinates the various distributed functions in the cosmos through his single divine will.

Hearing all this, Sri Rama gains energy and new hope of defeating Ravana. He faces Ravana again after forming his war strategies and reviving his archery skills. After invocation by Sri Rama, Sri Surya appears to Sri Rama and blesses him to attain victory over Ravana – and thus it happened very soon after.

The benefits of rays of sunlight are well-known for healing several diseases – including those related to eyes and skin. Immunity is at rock-bottom these days – due to high pollution, as well as multi-specialty approaches to health which do lead to unforeseen side-effects. Lord Surya as “God of Good Health” (in Hindu religion) bestows us immunity and digestive fire energy to withstand or prevent many diseases.

Solar energy is recognized as a vital alternate renewable power source for addressing the global energy crisis – in case fossil fuels are depleted in the coming few decades. Moral values are on the decline daily with falsehood and deception practiced casually these days. Lord Surya is the very embodiment of Truth. Praying to Him can strengthen the power of truth within us and in practicing truth and fairness in dealing with the outside world.

Author’s website: bharathkumark.simplesite.com

My trip to India was very much like my desire to learn TM. It was initiated by my inner guide. I wasn’t thinking of going anywhere. I was enjoying the quietness of a week long retreat in a TM academy in Suffolk. In the middle of one of his brilliant explanations about Maharishi’s knowledge – Alistair, our teacher – added an aside saying he was taking a group to the Kumbha Mela the next February.

Whilst he returned to his explanation, I received a strong inner prompt for me to go. There was no sound this time but its meaning was absolutely clear. I immediately signed up for it afterwards.

During my time in the TM movement I had read quite a lot about both Maharishi and the time he spent with his guru Swami Brahmanand Saraswati. The latter often said “I feel sorry about anybody who hasn’t got an ishta devata.”

I hadn’t a clue about what this meant until I went to the Allahabad Kumbha Mela in 2001. It is held there every twelve years because Allahabad is the sangam – the confluence of the three holy rivers – the Ganges, Yamuna and the Saraswati. It is believed that it is here that Lord Brahma performed the fire sacrifice that began this particular cycle of creation.

On my first boat trip down the Ganges – I was overcome with emotion – crying, laughing, while chanting spontaneously in Sanskrit without a clue of what was pouring forth from my lips – nor for that matter – what was going on in my pocket!

Indian philosophy cites that the names of these three rivers also correspond to the three main nerve channels in the human body. The sangam of these three major nerve channels is the Ajna centre – often called the third eye located deep behind the forehead.

Later that morning, I was sitting in the hotel lounge writing my diary, when my room-mate arrived and introduced himself to me. He was anxious to relieve himself of his luggage and have a shower after a long car journey. He asked for the key to our room. Without looking, I felt in my pocket and gave it him. His eyes opened wide in surprise!

He was staring at a badly mutilated, exfoliated key-ring – minus the key. I apologised and gave him the key. He went to the desk, held up the offending object and asked for another. Even our knowledgeable guide was unable to explain this strange phenomenon – but he said that it must have been a strong burst of spiritual energy that had caused it to happen.

He was right! The very next day was a pivotal day in my life, which I will never forget. We visited the famous Hanuman Temple. The central and most ornate part of the temple was dedicated to Lord Hanuman – the monkey god. I was still hovering around the Ram and Sita altar to the left, when Alistair gestured the rest of the group to the other end of the temple. On the right of the central Hanuman altar there was one that I didn’t recognise. Our guide was already explaining about the image to the rest of the group when I went over to join them.

The moment I saw it I was overwhelmed by love and bliss. I prostrated myself before her and was once again chanting fluently in Sanskrit, even though I had no conscious knowledge of what I was saying.

I prostrated myself before her many times. It was as though something deep inside knew exactly how I should behave – I was like some kind of doll or puppet in the hands of a hidden controller.

Strangely enough, I hadn’t even heard of Durga until afterwards. My link with her has not only continued but grown stronger with the passing of time.

She is the organising power in the cosmos. She occupies the junction point between the unchanging Absolute and the ever changing relative creation. Thus she is both unmanifest and manifest.

Her eight arms indicate that she is present everywhere in each of the eight points of the compass. Her hands symbolise her actions: In her top two hands she holds the conch that initiates creation; and the discus that maintains its immaculate precision.

The next two represent the flame of every form of life in the universe, whilst the points of the trishula represent the three spheres of creation, maintenance and dissolution.

The drum represents all the different time functions from the smallest cycle of time to the very longest – whilst the opposite hand is raised to take away fears and give blessings.

Finally her sword shows that she is in control of all diversity, whilst the mace is her symbol of sovereignty.

Her vehicle is the king of the jungle, who represents all our animal traits tamed to perfection. Once they are tamed, we can become one of her vehicles.

Recently, she told me that the two incidents on the boat pointed to the same conclusion. She said laughing and crying at the same time showed that I had unified the two most extreme emotions in relative existence; and the exfoliated key-ring was a sign that I had broken free from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The key freed from the key-ring, showed that from that instant I was now a free man.

However, it was the day Durga came to me that made all the difference. Maharishi calls cosmic consciousness the full development of the mind. He said whilst one can prefer one devata to another, it is usually on the level of the self – in other words – this kind of preference is based on the needs of individual.

He went on to say that true devotion is not possible until one achieves cosmic consciousness because then all of one’s thoughts and desires are centred upon pleasing the object of your love rather that what he or she could do for you.

My first sight of an image of Durga was immediately electrifying and life-changing. It is rather like falling in love as a peak experience, which always deepens and never fades.

The question arises: how can an image have such a profound effect upon an individual? The science of Yoga tells us that the human body is a miniature replica of the cosmos and is part of a two way interdependence – which can become total. What we each experience is our own level of wakefulness! Our spiritual practises are our path to full wakefulness.

In addition, it is possible for skilled pundits to infuse something of the life and feeling into an image of a particular devata by chanting the correct hymns. It seems that I was sufficiently awake for my inner microscopic Durga to become one with an exterior representation of her as an image or even the cosmic queen herself.

I know this sounds very Indian but she has had many names down through the ages: Isis to ancient Egyptians, Athene to the ancient Greeks and the Virgin Mary of Revelations.

I am not sure about the mechanics of how such an experience works but I do know that some temple images are instilled with life by skilled pundits. Also, Maharishi has told us that the human body is a microcosm of the universe, complete with small versions of all the gods. The TM and TM Sidhi programmes he brought to the West are obviously devised to wake us up sufficiently to establish a proper line of communication with the gods who administer the external universe. The power of the image was enormous and was obviously more than adequate to do the job.

I was completely happy worshipping this image of the goddess. It was completely one pointed and I was oblivious to anybody watching. It was the kind of experience that one would want to last forever. In actual fact it must have lasted about an hour. The rest of the party had already left, when the sound of Jai Guru Dev – the voice of the guru inside – told me when it was time to leave.

Many years ago I had a profound experience of being at one with everything, which was short lived and never returned. I left the temple wondering if this would be the same.

Fortunately it wasn’t. Maharishi had given me the gift of the devatas and it continues to develop. Over the last fourteen years, Durga has been my mother, my lover and my mentor. There is no aspect of life with which she doesn’t help me. From deep within she initiates miraculous cures without medicine, gives blessings in many languages but to an eye witness all that can be seen or heard is yours truly.

Before this happened I thought if any contact with a celestial being was possible at all it would be purely on worship – certainly not on the mundane level of ordinary life. How wrong I was – she is with me at every level of my life. She even drives my car or at least initiates a change of direction. I may be all keyed up to signal to turn right but I find my hand flicking the indicator in the other direction. She also finds me parking spaces when none seem available.

Guru Dev’s view of the ishta devata is beautifully illustrated by how the goddess managed to get ‘A Trip Beyond Imagination’ published. I honestly thought no publisher would believe it. However, nothing is beyond her. She made it easy by making the Kindle publishing page appear miraculously on my computer screen. She also managed to hold up publication to make a couple of additions.

Finally, it wasn’t until I started writing this that she informed me that the incidents in the boat and with the key were both signifying the same thing. She said laughing and crying simultaneously shows that you have gone beyond the two extreme opposite emotions in relative life by unifying them in the turiya state. Similarly the key ring incident was a sign that I had completed my round of karma in this lifetime. The thick, exfoliated steel of the key-ring symbolised the broken circle of birth, death and rebirth and the key – no longer imprisoned by the cycle of karma – the sign of permanent release.

India’s secular principles adopted in the Indian Constitution and followed in all governmental works after independence (with the noble intent of promoting equality of all religions and showing impartiality), has helped minimize communal tensions, but has unknowingly de-linked Gods and ancient wisdom of the ages from the official machinery and decision-making processes (both in government and in workplaces today).

As India continues to follow unsustainable lifestyles and values followed in the developed countries, respect for indigenous virtuous qualities has become lesser and replaced by corporate-inspired measurement yardsticks. Activities of a spiritual nature such as yoga, meditation, silence, fasting, walking, Ayurveda, nature care are getting ignored – if not discouraged, as India assigns excessive weightage to “productive output”, “visual appeal”, “quick action” and “instant benefits”.

Media in the past few decades or so had started creating advertisements, cinemas and other programs using God-inspired themes and characters based on epics – but now in storylines with indecent humour and violence – thereby reducing the exalted respect and love given to Gods for millennia.

Places of worship today have become almost like offices focused on operational efficiencies for conducting functions and for practice of rituals. While these are certainly necessary to maintain our cultural traditions as is, and for people to be in touch with god, realizing God personally is a private experience and needs different nurturing environments altogether. These days Gods do not respond to prayers directly as frequently they used to in centuries before – when Gods actually materialized out of the images in the Sanctum Sanctorum in Hindu temples frequently – to answer to prayers of calling devotees. This has been leading to frustrated devotees who then seek new or sometimes risky solution to their problem.

Today, in this scientifically oriented age, God is linked closely to daily lives through the ‘Navagrahas’ (Nine Planets) – who are believed to be the representatives of Indian Gods and who have been precisely delivering due reward to living beings according to his/her balance of Karma. With computerization, the ways the planetary rays act on the human physique and mind have been known in the past few decades. Thus, the mystical aura of God’s divinity has diminished here, as science from abroad gets nearer daily to ‘recreating’ God’s miracles. Astrological remedies have also become commonplace (and mechanical) these days – to the level of “give these items, do these at these temples and the planets will provide you these results in return”.

Moreover, each planet has its favorite materials or symbolic items, hence the majority of today’s Indians have become content with remedial measures to set right the ‘defective’ Planets and thus live life at this level – leaving the final purpose of precious human birth – which is to progress upward toward spirituality ignored.

Belief in Karmic consequences is reaching a low at this time – amidst a temptation-filled, fast life. Fear of rebirth into lower creatures or in lower castes or difficult circumstances – as a result of one’s sins – which was an inbuilt “law and order” mechanism for ages – is getting pushed aside by Indians today. Ironically, the average Indian has also turned into a “judge” in downgrading others or “exacting revenge” in his/her personal affairs – which is reported daily by press media.

The mindset of the average citizen has also become partly atheistic – seeing developed countries prospering liberally without even believing in a God – let alone our Indian Gods. This has become pronounced in the last thirty to forty years of globalization. Incidents of Gods rescuing people, averting accidents or of genuine miracles have become rarer these days – thereby making God almost a non-entity in the function and management of today’s ‘real’ world affairs.

The “Rishi Paramparaa” (Sage tradition) has been erased. Rishis were the intermediaries between the commoners and Gods’ world. They guided the kings in all aspects of welfare. They were model householders and model torch-bearers of Vedic rituals and in continuing spiritual wisdom and cultural traditions. With loss of the Rishi connecting layer, today India is polarized into the worldly (Sansari) full of desires and seeking power and material wealth and the mendicant/saint (Sanyaasi) at the other extreme – who live away from worldly matters.

At the best, a few of the reputed pontiffs are given respect for keeping their traditions unchanged. But with these pontiffs unable to influence lifestyle matters much or critical official policy decisions, the wisdom of the ages transmitted through scriptures and spiritual masters is un-utilized in matters of policy and everyday life. Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi was an exceptional saint whose legacy of blessings and presence still continues to give hope to all to this day after a hundred years after His physical death.

As hundreds of animal and plant species become extinct yearly at alarming rates by humans – in the name of modernization – and as excess materialism get rooted in human psyches, humans are already wearing animal or warrior personae – as witnessed in sports teams, business, and horror movies. Thus, the ancient Indian practices and astrological remedies of caring for creatures such as cows, dogs etc. have become less and animals are getting grown mainly for food purposes.

India, once famous for non-violence (‘Ahimsa’) is now atleast 66% non-vegetarian by official statistics and is also the world’s largest beef exporter – implying that animals are no longer sacred or equal members of Indian society – which is a massive culture change! Money accumulation, money multiplication and growth, monetization of everything (transforming all resources, virtuous qualities, even people into a monetary number equivalent) has become the order of the day. The religious values ‘switch’ is off and seems to be put in ‘cold storage’ as soon as people settle in their workplaces.

We can observe today that as humanity has become matured to handle the powers of creation, sustenance and destruction – just like God, the Dark Forces (called ‘Satan’ in Christian traditions or ‘Kali’ (the dominant dark force of the current age of ‘Kaliyuga’ in Indian traditions) – has gained a strong presence in living souls. One main goal of the Anti-Christ (Satan’s commander) is to divert us from listening to our inner voice – from where God has been speaking to us and sustaining us. Fostering spiritual values is a key agenda item that Satan wants to eliminate from the human psyche. The world is fast-becoming a ‘devil’s workshop’ – as professions that are detrimental to the human soul and the Earth – but catering to materialistic satisfaction and entertainment – are encouraged by Satan globally – as burning the source (i.e., the God within and natural resource outside that came from God) is Satan’s goal. People are more and more driven toward unsustainable and aggressive work to cooperate with Satan’s plan.

Going forward, we must change the dominant story in the consumerized world and adopt a story that is more sensitive to the global human and environmental crises and that recognizes Earth as a Living System – and provides other species their rightful places.

We must strive to live simply in our individual lives, honestly with all, compassionate with the poor and other species and reverent towards Mother Nature. We must realize that what we do to others and to Nature we do to ourselves eventually. God is indeed still staging His ‘leelas’ (divine games) through several agencies even today. The laws of Karma still hold good but are getting bundled and manifesting outward as ‘family karma’, ‘area karma’, ‘city karma’ and ‘country karma’. Climate Change is a critical global example of an ‘Earth Karma’ that has borne fruit in the last 2-3 decades and has been dispersed to all globally – regardless of whether they contributed to it or not.

We can re-attempt to experience Our Creator (God) as an ever-present energy moving around everywhere in each and every object of creation – and not merely as icons in a temple, mosque and church. Otherwise we stand to be disappointed that our prayers are not getting heard and fulfilled anymore through God. We must realize that the Gods of all religions and cultures are manifesting each second to us through our common base – our same source of sustenance for all i.e., Mother Earth – and through acts of genuine love, kindness, truth, equality and compassion – qualities that God of all religions represented from the start of Creation till now – and going forward as well.

Author’s website: bharathkumark.simplesite.com