87. Can targeting innocent public serve purpose of terrorists????

A person leaves his house in the morning to work promising his wife and children he would take them out for the dinner. And after a hectic days work he heads back to his home with a hope to spend the evening with his family. An unmindful terrorist outfit has plans to terrorize public and uses the highly populated area to strike. Unfortunately the person who was looking forward for a pleasant evening with family is killed. What is the fate of the waiting wife and children???? Why should they be subjected to such an unfortunate penalty for no fault of theirs???? Terrorism is most heinous act that is happening in this human world. It is a war without righteousness and always targeted on innocent peace loving people. A terrorist is one who sits in dark and is satisfied to see the pain and suffering of innocent people and tries to get benefit out of the event. Terrorism is enmity to the morals and virtues of life. It is the cowardice of the terrorists to use force illegitimately on innocent people to achieve their objective. Absolute is one for all and equal to all irrespective of any religion. A prayer recited in any language or time reaches Him. If this simple order is understood we will see from the eye of the Absolute and will have no difference. If not we behave as an evil to humanity and always think of getting our objective by violence and hence get shelter in terrorism. As experienced we all know terrorism is a common threat for peace on this earth. Terrorism sometimes is product of evil spirituality which is adverse to righteous spirituality. For every human who wishes to live a life of universal brotherhood there is one and only one righteous spirituality but unfortunately the word spirituality is misrepresented through religious teachings and are used as a platform to make the young excited about it and use them for destructive acts. Terrorism is a universal enemy and this has to be first understood. From the beginning of the human history evil has also existed along side the good. But mankind never in the past combated to remove the evil because it was not a threat as it is now. To defeat this evil is the prime duty of the people who wants the generation next to live in peace. This objective can be achieved by educating people on spirituality and make them understand that no philosophy in this entire universe advocates terror. The only way do it is to have internationally approved curriculum class room teaching philosophies of all religion starting from the very early stage. There is always time for the young and tiny tots to learn and become professionals. There is no moral study in school educational curriculum for the young and tiny tots so this has to be done with immediate effect. It is education for the new age life. Terrorism does not know religion when used it kills all without differentiating among religion. Our heart cries for the innocent people killed and injured in the Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar station………….please lets join together and condemn this ghastly act.

86. Nature, its worship and Sanatana Dharma.

The view of Sanatana Dharma on ecology is different from that of the other major western philosophies. The western philosophies have the notion that the nature is created by God and has to be protected. It has never regarded nature as something which has sanctity of its own. 

The ancient Sanatana Dharma view of nature is based on the Vedas, Upanishads and Vedanta. It has its own philosophical views, as well as devotional and ritualistic practices in revering nature. According to their thought, there is no separation between the Absolute and Nature. They are the two aspects of the same reality. The cosmic reality is like the ocean and nature is like the waves hitting the shore. But it is all water the same single ocean. The Absolute and Nature are so entwined that it is impossible to think about one without the other. 

The followers of Santana Dharma revere rivers, mountains, forests and animals, and love to live close to nature. For example, many villages had a sacred lake near temples. On the banks of those lakes trees like Banyan, Neem, Peepal, were grown and worshipped. Though on the surface for an atheist it may seem to be stupidity to worship those trees, in reality it was to catch rainfall and protect the banks from erosion. The lake and its grove store rainfall for irrigating surrounding fields and supply village wells with drinking water. Our mythological stories were aimed at teaching us value of nature and in a way asking us to protect it. Suppose we were told that water is important and should not waste it, it would go to deaf ears until we were ourselves in trouble during drought period. Until recently we were respecting nature but some rational thinking minds ridiculed our ancient ways of worshipping trees, rivers and mountains. Lord Krishna fought with Indra by lifting the Goverdhana mountain to teach the people of Vrij how important it is to worship nature rather than Demi Gods.           

Ganga water contains enormous amounts of viruses called “BACTERIOPHAGE” which kill bacteria and algae. These bacteria and algae in water makes water not potable for a long time. Our Ganga water is unique, the sailors of East India Company ships used to stock the water from Ganga while leaving Calcutta to London and the water would be potable throughout the journey. While coming from London to Calcutta the Thames river water so stocked would develop fungus and was unable to drink. This shows the rich minerals we have in Ganga water. Hence River Ganga revered by us, irrelevant of what those rational minds think. 

Our ancient Rishis (Seers) in order to protect the holy water gave us stories with a hidden message in them about the importance of it. They said that water of Ganga was the purest water which was used by Lord Brahma to wash the foot of Trivikrama (incarnation of Vishnu) and while coming down to earth Ganga had to fall on Lord Shiva’s head. Hence the Ganga water has the touch of Trinity. With the minerals present in it Ganga can dissolve bones quickly which any other river water fail.     

 A decade or so, the practice of nature worship in my country was considered superstitious mysticism by other countries but now they have realized that this practice recognizes the importance of conservation of natural resources and comes handy to stop over exploitation of nature. The Vedic vision of nature and humans as unity is the basis for an ecological approach in which we learn honor the entire universe as part of our own higher Self. It takes us beyond the duality of Absolute and the creation. 

Absolute did not create the universe out of something; instead He emanated to become this vast universe. The Universe, Absolute and the soul are intrinsic aspects of the same Eternal. We should not protect nature with the aim of getting something out of it but we have to honor nature as our own greater life and expansion.  

85. Faith moves Mountains when pushed Sincerely!!!!

Shraddha is defined as 'GURU SHASTRA VAKYESHU VISWASHAHA' - trusting words of Guru and Shastra. Shraddha is having faith and it should not be mistaken for Aandhavishwasa or blind faith. Now the question is how to differentiate between these two. In ancient times a Guru would never demand his student to blindly believe whatever is preached by him. In fact, the Guru wanted his student to understand and analyse what is said and use his intellect to verify if the said thing is to be believed or not. But in the first place the student should have faith in his Guru. There was a saint who in his discourses used to tell the people that, God gives us everything and takes care of everything, but at the same time we should do our duty properly. And in course of time he became very familiar for his preaching and this news spread like fire and reached the ears of the King of the region. One day out of curiosity to know what the saint is preaching the king without telling anyone and without his royal attributes took a horse and rode to the place where the saint was residing. Out of excitement the king tied his horse loosely to a tree at the ashram and went and sat amongst the audience unnoticed. The saint was immersed in his talk and everyone listened to his discourse attentively. The king was also impressed. The saint concluded his speech thus: Small things should not disturb us. God takes care of everything but every person should perform his duties sincerely. The king was happy to hear the talk and he left the place. When he went near the tree where he had tied the horse, he found it was missing. He was taken aback and wanted to ask the saint about his missing horse. He met the saint and asked; Swamiji, I believed yours words totally. I had left my horse tied to a tree in your ashram. Now I find it is missing. How can we believe that God takes care of all? Swamiji replied: “O” king you have understood my sayings only in part. You believed that God would take care of everything, but failed in your duty to tie your horse properly to the tree. However, God takes care of us when we take proper care of the thing which he has given us. The realization as understood by the ancient teachers was not merely belief in Absolute, but to know and experience that Absolute directly. Shraddha is the initial step in one's search for Absolute. Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verses 39 says, "Shraddhavan Labhate Jnanam” One who has faith gains knowledge. If faith is ingrained in us then knowledge will shine from within. From shraddha comes awareness, from awareness emerges knowledge. If we have true shraddha, then everything becomes a Guru to us. For example, in the scriptures, there is mention of Dattatreya who took every creature to be his Guru birds, animals, etc. This is the state of perfect shraddha; where one sees Guru in everything. If we lack this shraddha, we may have to face hurdles in the spiritual path.

84. Is it so difficult to treat a fellow Human Equally ??????

To be born as a human is by itself a virtue. It is a chance bestowed on us to excel spiritually. The very close to us on evolutionary species concept are the animals, are not concern of their lot. The animals or any other creation of the Providence behave on satisfying their needs in regard to food, water, shelter and procreation. It is only the species called Homo sapiens which are able to live in and for society. But if considered seriously this species are the one which are living with discrimination and hatred. What is the reason for a person to hate his fellow being?????? We expect from our fellow humans perfection or would like them to live up to our expectations. A creeper invariably grows in the direction of the Sun likewise we humans tend to move towards perfection. This creeper is unable to reach Sun how ever tall it grows in the same way we humans too cannot attain perfection. All we can aim is to Excel. In the process to excel some may be fast, some may take time or some may not be able to excel even though they try hard. Why is it so????? 

The answer to this is the “Sanskar” cultural heritage and upbringing criteria. Once Sri Sri Sankara was on his way to the Kasi Vishwanatha temple after finishing his bath at Ganga. Suddenly he saw an outcaste and his four dogs on the way and instantly Sri Sri Sankara gestured to him uttering “Go away Go away” asking the person to get away from his way. 

This prompts the person to pose some questions to Sri Sri Sankara as follows: What is it that you want me to move away? Do you want my body made up of food (Gross Body) to move away from another body made of food that is yours? Or do you want Consciousness to move away from Consciousness? Is there any difference between the reflection of the sun in the waters of the Ganga and its reflection in the water in a ditch in the quarters of the outcastes? Is the water different when it is in a gold pot and in a mud pot? What is this illusion of difference in the form, “This is a Brahmana and this is an outcaste” in the indwelling self which is the ripple-free ocean of bliss and pure consciousness? 

Hearing this, the great Jagadguru Sri Sri Sankara makes a resolution thus: “If one is convinced firmly, that he is that Atma which manifests in all the three state of awareness namely sleep, wakefulness and dream, and is present in all the objects from the great Brahma (the creator) to the tiny ant and which is also the vibrant, but invisible, witness of all, then as per my clear conclusion, he is the great preceptor, be he a twice-born or an outcaste.” 

These are the verses from Maneesha Panchakam, the first and second are the questions from the person for which Sri Sri Sankara answers in the rest of the five verses. If one observes the questions posed by the person, he asks Sri Sri Sankara about the Gross Body and the Causal Body. What about the Subtle Body??????? Yes, the difference or discrimination in the humans is in the Subtle body. The subtle body is the vehicle of consciousness with which one passes from life to life and consists of our impressions and attitudes. These impressions and attitudes are the hindrance for us which make us discriminate and distinguish from others. Sri Sri Sankara felt that we are all same at the core like the Sun while our attitudes like the clouds try to occasionally cover the Sun which is always there; our Atma is like Sun which is never to be blamed for our actions or deeds. Having said that He wants us to check our attitudes which will affect other. 

There is none high or low among you. You are all brethren and therefore, strive all together to attain prosperity. (Rig Veda 50, 60, 5).

83. Caste System and Misapprehension of Varnashrama Dharma.

Jaati is commonly referred to as caste and Varna to creed in modern society. These words have been misused to divide human race by those who are making benefits from it. The system in our country has accused the Sanatana Dharma for this commotion but unfortunately the Vedas or Upanishads or Srimad Bhagavad Gita has never emphasized the division of mankind in this sort. 

The Vedas, Upanishads and Srimad Bhagavad Gita have given prominence to dignity of labour instead. Failure to understand these two words has benefited that bunch of people who are exploiting the system. It is important to know about these two words which has become a taboo. 

According to Rishi Gautama’s Nyaya Sutra those having similar type birth are classified in different Jaati (Samaana Prasavaatmika Jaatih). The Gautama Rishi states four type of birth and lists them as follows: Udbija (one which sprouts from seed like plants) Andaja (one which are born out of eggs like birds and reptiles) Pindaja (one developed in womb like in animals and mammals) Ushmaja (one which are produced due to temperature and atmospheric conditions like virus, bacteria etc). Similar physical characteristics are the highlight of a particular Jaati which cannot change from one to another and cannot cross-breed also. Thus Jaati is creation of Providence. Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra can never be depicted as different Jaati because there is no difference in the way they take birth and even so that have an identical physical characteristics. Hence we can conclude that the whole of the human race is of the same Jaati called Manava Jaati. The actual word used for Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra is Varna and not Jaati. 

Varna means profession or the way of life that one has adopted by his own choice or chance. Thus, while Jaati is provided by Providence, Varna is our own choice. In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verses 13, Lord Krishna explains that Varna is bestowed on the basis of the inherent nature of an individual, which is a combination of three Gunas (qualities) namely Sattva, Rajas, and Tamo and the individuals Prarabdha Karma. 

In the Shanti Parva of Mahabharatha, Yudhisthira describes a Brahmin as one who leads a truthful, forgiving, and kind living. He clearly mentions that a Brahmin cannot be a Brahmin just because he is born to a Brahmin family, nor is a Shudra a Shudra because his parents are Shudras. Manusmrti (11.157) says, “Just as a wooden toy elephant cannot be a real elephant and a stuffed deer cannot be a real deer, even so, without the knowledge of Scriptures and Vedas and not having developed the intellect an individual even if born to a Brahmin cannot be considered a Brahmin”. 

According to the Dharmasutra of Apastamba, by birth every individual is a Shudra. It is only by knowledge, upbringing, behaviour and wellness that one becomes a Dvija the “twice born”. Many ancient and contemporary reformers have tried their level best to take out this menace but it is for us to understand the oneness and also at the same time respect the dignity of labour. There are many people who give loads of lecture on the social justice and equality but are unwilling to let sewage cleaner or road sweeper into their house; this is not the way one has to behave. We have to learn to give respect to all jobs without discriminating one from another. Although this is one of the most important things that an individual should develop, it is rarely found. The lack of such understanding in society is the main cause for unemployment. 

Our youngsters are more worried about what others think about what they are doing for living than getting employed. This lack of honor to job has left them remain idle instead of making them think doing something useful in life is better. It’s mostly evident in developing countries like ours where people either have too much self-pride or fear of what their family, friends or relatives think about what they do for a living. 

One must agree that social status is being judged by what they do for the living. The farmers, barbers, potters, dhobis, carpenters, weavers do not get the same position in society as one look upon a doctor, engineer, I T professional. It is only when a sewage worker and an I T professional are looked at in same status that we respect the dignity of labour. Wisdom is to think that all the professions are same and ultimately it is for the wellness of the society. Isn’t it??????

81. Principled Life and Practical Living.

A living that is based on principles guarantees a smooth life without any chaos. The life without principles is like a vehicle without steering wheel and a cart wheel without a stopper wedge. The direction of the life is aimless and wayward. A principled living motivates us to lead a life of righteousness and do things that seem good and correct. By living with people with principles one can see the real benefits of life and get inspired to live a life like them. A principled living calls for many sacrifices which when undertaken will give the result in the form of satisfaction and peace of mind. In living a principled life there will be no fear of being a hypocrite. There is no worry that we may have told one person one thing and somebody else another and in reality done something completely different. The principled life teaches us to have harmony in thought, word and deed which is most important for us to live a respectful life. When principles occupy the heart of our life we are true to our selves hence we arrive quickly at the right decision when in opportunities or crises. The Epic hero of Ramayana, Lord Sri Rama was the personification of principled living. He may have seemed to have spent tough life in forest for no wrong doing by Him, but his way of life has branded Him as an ideal personality. Valmiki writes in Ramayana thus: “Ramo Vigrahavaan Dharmaha”. Rama is the very embodiment of Dharma. He proved it at every stage of his life, and, in every incident of his life. Rama was the first person in Indian Mythology to set a standard among human beings; He was the first king who followed the principle – one word, one arrow, one wife. Come what may Rama would not backtrack, after giving his word. He would not use a second arrow for the same purpose. He would abide by his one and only wife, Sita Devi, all his Life. A Practical living guarantees a harmonious family without any chaos. Practical living calls for little adjustments in life for the wellbeing of family relationship and social relationship as well. A little of compromise is what is required; the mantra of practical living is that “You compromise with life then Life compromises with you.” Nothing can be called perfect. Life is disorganized since relationships are complex and the outcome of it is uncertain. Life has taught us to compromise or adjust to survive in this highly competitive world. In the sole intention of survival we have learnt to adjust by moulding ourselves according to the requirements. Every now and then we are subjected to conditions which may not be favorable to our liking. Practical living is a tactful way of successfully manipulating the current unfavorable condition to our taste. This adjustment should be made through righteous means without hurting others. Sometimes our dreams and aspirations are fulfilled and sometimes not. The capability to digest the fact and to live on is practical living. Although it does not mean that practical living is limiting our living or becoming pessimistic in the journey of life, but to accept and adjust to the better conditions of living. Sri Krishna, the hero of the Mahabharata teaches us to live life of compromise when it comes to handling his wives Rukumini and Sathyabhama. Satyabhama is full of pride about the love Krishna has for her and her grasp over His heart and would never be at ease if He is with His other queens. Rukmini on the other hand is a devoted wife, humble in her service to her Lord and believes He is for all. Eventually Krishna treads on the tight rope with a bit of compromise in keeping His queens happy. Well, now the two epic heroes depict livings which are contrary to each other. What is the conclusion to be made???? Lord Rama on living a principled life elevates the self while Lord Krishna on living a practical life strengthened the social causes. One has to live a principled life to himself and at the same time think of living a practical life for others.

80. Our Temples Treasure and its Looters………!!!!!!

With the findings of the treasure in the chambers of Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple at Thiruvanathapuram, a lot of debate is going on the treasures been hid in Indian Temples. We are aware of the treasure loot happening in India over the centuries. The treasures of Indian temples have attracted invaders from all over the world to lay their greedy hands on it. From the time of Mahmud Ghazni to The East India Company these invaders came in wave after wave and carried away the precious articles housed in temples and palaces. Our country was the richest in the world till the invasion of the Mughals. The Indian temples were not used as the Swiss Bank by the Kings of ancient India but were used to protect the treasure from the hands of the looters who invaded India. Mahmud Ghazni not only looted the fabulous SomnathTemple but made successive devastations to plunder the legendary wealth to the Brajeshwari Devi Temple of Kangra in the year 1009. He carried away gold, silver and jewels from this temple. Nadir Shah another ruler from Persia took away the Peacock Throne (Takht-e-Taoos) which is still to be seen in Teheran. Mallik Kafur destroyed the richness of the Hoysala Kingdom in the south. Now all the beautiful sculptures of Hoysala architecture are in the museum of Copenhagen, Denmark. And lastly came the British through The East India Company and made a systematic and sustained endeavor to pillage and transport not only precious metals, gems and jewels but carpets, paintings, armour et al. The last to succumb to them was Maharaja Ranjit Singh whose kingdom extended from the Punjab to Central Asia and to Tibet. They took away, among all the other valuable pieces, his golden throne, a rare precious item depicting the grandeur of the great sovereign. Before Independence East India Company and British looted the Treasures of India and handed over the country with empty coffers to the Erstwhile Princes of India. After Independence our so called politicians and their sycophants have taken over the mantle of plundered India leaving behind invader like Mohd.Gazni, Mohd. Gori, Nadar Shah, Mallik Kafur and have surpassed even the East India Company and Britishers and have made this venture of slashing the left over wealth of India in Swiss Bank and other Banks overseas. We innocent people of India are left to just get the access of how much worth we are and are given an opportunity to struggle for our livelihood. We are the poor people of a rich country which was looted in every century. It is not only the monetary treasure that has been lost we have lost more of our cultural treasure and architectural treasure. It is beyond our imagination to build temples of that grandeur and hopelessly we are unable to protect those temple art and architecture. Many countries showcase the temples built by our kings and are making use of it to develop their revenue through tourism. We are not concern of our heritage and legacy, we are not bothered to tell our children about our ancient rulers and there past, history has become a taboo for us. With all these loots, the treasures of our great country never seem like diminishing. We are rich and richer day by day, but it our wisdom to safe guard what our country has to offer us. We are culturally, intellectually and traditionally rich even today when compared to many other countries. It is our responsibility to hand over what we have today to the generation next. In this regard what has to be done with the treasures found in temples is the BIG question???????

79. The Art of Performing Result Oriented Action……....

Most of the actions we do are in expectation of a better result. The common mistaken belief is that we conclude that our results are based on the actions we do. In reality all the actions we intend to perform are for better results, but why is it that results are not always as expected????? 

If we do a little thinking on this we will realize that we give lot of stress to action, but are not aware that it is the power of the thought before performing that action that is important. We foolishly waste our time on action in trying to make up for improper thought. This situation arises when we are preoccupied with action instead of having a blueprint in the thought as to how the act has to be executed. Many of us are action-oriented and give less of thought for the plan hence there is struggle, fear, worry or doubt in performing an action. 

A little time spent on contemplating what has to be done will reduce the time required to do the action by half. If our decision to performance is central, then we will not focus on what has to be delivered by our being. This creates an absence of our existence which is most vital for the creative process. Performance is important but it is not our action that makes things happen, it is our intention. The need for action could be reduced by allowing our self to focus on what we aspire and feel the positive energy moving within us. This positive energy is not based on doubt, fear, anxiety, worry or need. 

If we focus on what we want instead of what we don’t want, we will know when it is time to take action. And when we do, it will be natural and flawless. Door of success will open and the entire universe will combine to assist us in our desired action. If we perform an action after visualising what has to be done and made a rehearsal in the mind it will be more logical and things happen smoothly and perfectly. If there is feel of being overwhelmed or restlessness in doing the action then the blueprint in the mind is not perfect. We can make out that we are ready when it feels like the next step in action is effortless. There is no stress, no strain, and no pain. 

 We are accustomed to think that everything is happening on more of physical activity, but if we have a little mental effort before the physical activity the result will be fantastic. We have seen many people who seem to have all the wonderful things in their life without much physical effort. It more or less seems like they have an advantage over others. And then we see people who work hard but unfortunately have the least. 

We may feel that this is not fair but that is how it works because the mental blueprint activity that a person does is not visible. It is unfortunate that people who work all the day hard are unable to spend a little time to make a mental blueprint of the work by aligning with the positive energy. They try to use only physical activity to create what they want and are going about creating their lives the hard way. 

Actions are necessary but it is the final section in the work creation flow chart. Result of an action cannot be obtained without the role of our being, then thought, then action. In this era of Just-In-Time delivery schedules one may find this a little ridiculous but once if this system is tuned we can save a lot of time and energy which could be channelized to some more development strategies.

74. Are we going the Charvaka way???????

Charvaka, the advocates of Materialism tell “Bhasmi-bhutasya dehasya punaragamanam kutah rnam krtva ghrtam pibet yavad jivet sukham jivet” 
meaning- once this present body is burnt to ashes after death there is no question of having a next life. So long as you live, live happily, make a loan and relish ghee. 

 According to Sanatana Dharma, the purpose of life is not only mere enjoyment of materialistic comforts but to live a life of purity, goodness, self control. Sanatana Dharma emphasizes that in pursuit of materialism one is ever struggling and cannot have everlasting happiness though one may have an illusion of the same. However, it is not easy to follow what is preached in this contemporary world as one is surrounded by materialistic ideas. There is one section of people, interestingly, who take refuge in the sayings of Charvaka to justify their craving for the materialistic welfare. 

 Charvaka opposes the philosophy of Sanatana Dharma and put forth their theory of happiness being closely related to materialism and that the concept of self and consciousness are related to inert matter and there is nothing beyond that which exists. It signifies that the yearning for happiness and hunt for it and the quest for materialistic welfare are paired. These people who feel materialism is the only basis of happiness say that to know, think, study about Absolute is utter waste of time and energy. According to them life is to live at the fullest undetered about the consequences and to enjoy the physical comforts and discover happiness in it. Whereas in Santhana Dharma we are told that the only source of eternal happiness is and will be the quest for realizing the self. For us happiness is related to emotions like peace and harmony but for Charvakas it is joy and enthusiasm. It’s no secret that happiness means different things to different people. And it also means different things to different people in different countries. 

Though the teachings of Charvakas are acceptable in terms of enjoying comforts in this materialistic world, it has not got any limitations. Hence we are seeing more and more corruption and misappropriation of public money. With the Charvaka attitude we have no mercy and are not concerned of what would happen to our brethrens and are not hesitant to loot our own house. This is the first step to be self-centered and selfish. The real disaster of a self-centered life is that in centering on ourselves we ultimately wind up alone; isolated from others. Even if we have much possession, status, and prestige, by lauding ourselves to the highest point possible we have no one else to look to for help, because we have not let others in out vicinity. No one is beside us even worse, is that we would have forgotten to pray to Absolute above us in whom we find our deliverance, purpose, and identity. 

If this attitude is nurtured then there would be no difference between the wild life of Serengeti or Maasai Mara or Kalahari and our civilization. It would go on to become the “Survival of the Fittest” and the gap between “haves and have-nots” will increase. At last we will be in the world of “A big fish eat the little fish”.

Those who concur with the thoughts of Charvaka have to excuse the act of a cheat, thief, robber, dacoit and outlaw............What Say????.

73. Happiness without decisive factor …….. !!!!

A sensible person is happy even in rough times while a stupid person is unhappy even in pleasant times. People more often blame the bad time and wait for the good time. In fact leading a happy life is itself a spiritual path. If we are aware of living a life without regrets we will have a liberating experience. But at the onset we have to evaluate life properly, or it can be very perplexing. To begin with, we have to realize if we want to be happy for our sake of for others curiosity. Most of us are very much incline to see that others are more curious about our life and struggle had to achieve so called happiness. So it is more important for us to decide whether it is important to be happy or make others feel that we are happy. It’s really that simple. Once we make that choice, our path through life becomes totally clear. 

 Most of us who have decided to be happy feel there are more hurdles in our way, but it is not so. Happiness is inbuilt no external materials can make us happy or for the matter sad. Happiness is not the nonexistence of problems but the skill to deal with them. Someone might say, “Well, of course I want to be happy, but my wife is always nagging.” In other words, they want to be happy, but cannot as their wife cause irritation. But that wasn’t the question. The question was, very simply, “Do we want to be happy or not?” If we keep it that simple, we will notice that it is under our control. It’s just that we have a deep-rooted set of favorites that gets in the way and spoil our happiness. Being happy doesn't mean that everything is going according to our wish. It means that we've decided to look beyond the flaws. 

Lets us suppose we are on a yacht and been lost without food or water for days in the ocean. In an effort to reach land we are successful and we land on the shore feeble and pathetic, someone on the beach look at our fate and ask us “Oh God! You all look so weak! Do you want something to eat? What would you like?” Now the truth is, we really don’t care what they give us. We don’t even want to think about it. We just need something to eat, so our word is “food.” And because we are in such a position that we just need something to eat, it no longer has anything to do with our taste bud preferences. The situation will be same with happiness. The issue is simply do we want to be happy? If the respond is yes, then it has to be without criteria, grade or quality. After all what really matter is we want to be happy from this point of time for the rest of our life regardless of what happens like wife is pain in neck, or husband dies, or crash in stock market, or car breaks down on an open highway at night.

Let's all retain the happiness we had at infancy!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 “Life is a horse cart. Fate is its driver. You are the horse. He (the driver) decides the passengers. Marriage or funeral, run whichever way you are asked to. If your legs fail, you have the ground to support you.” ---- D. V. Gundappa {Mankuthimmana Kagga}

72. It is a waste of time to convince the inconvincible…….!

Absolute is not easily and clearly comprehended it needs a lot of interest in knowing and the support of those who have had little of more knowledge than us. Having said that it is not acceptable without a little argument over the matter, to get convinced and then agree about it. Over the years this is been happening consequently we have so many philosophies. If one is not convinced with a particular philosophy he can find consolation in other. So is Absolute different to every philosophy, No, it is the same but the interpretation of it is different. Our mind is relative and is unable to grasp the Absolute. It can comprehend only that can be convinced and understood, and there are many philosophies to help it get convinced. Once it is convinced and experienced the Absolute it is in Bliss and will not get distracted or try to disprove the other philosophies. But it will try to help in convincing other seekers by recommending that particular philosophy which had given solace. Is it wrong to tell or introduce about a philosophy which may help a confused seeker by highlighting the intricate details of what the philosophy is teaching???? No, it is not as it is helping the seeker to tread the path, but it would be wrong to humiliate and demean other philosophies and emphasize one particular. A true seeker should not worry about the declining notes of a philosophy but try to understand the truth which may convince his mind about the Absolute. There are many ways of interacting with such seekers who have knowledge of Absolute in bits and pieces. It will be like putting the puzzle in place. One such forum is this Speaking Tree, in my experience of writing blogs I have am gaining knowledge by interacting with seekers. Even though I have put out my thoughts in my blogs, I have understood about Absolute from the responses of seekers which may fuel for some more blogs. Here in this forum we should know about what is unknown and try to get convinced through a positive interaction or argument. There is no point in being adamant and unwilling to get convinced. If one particular philosophy is not our cup of tea there are others for our benefit and it would be of no use to criticize it. There are blogs glorifying a place of worship, abode of deity which may be of interest to many. If one is not interested he has right to ignore it, it is futile to write about his dissatisfaction. A Hindu has written article on Khwaja Ajmer Sharif and in Bangalore many Hindus and Muslims throng to the Shrine of Infant Jesus every Thursday and it is left to their faith and belief. There is no category in this forum to show our dissatisfaction on philosophies that are unable to convince us. It is very easy to write criticizing about a certain thought but it is very difficult to produce an equally and convincing answer to it. Many philosophies have surfaced because that thinker could produce one. Either one should try to get convinced or produce something which approves his unconvincing attitude. An inconvincible seeker is like a thirsty horse which has gone to drink at a lake with crystal clear water and is reluctant to drink since it is not satisfied with the shape of the lake, or quantity of water in lake, or no of fishes, or because every time it bends to drink it sees its reflection. An uninterested and inconvincible seeker makes an effort to find fault in all philosophies, but his mission is like searching for stones in yogurt.

68. Shaucha – Keeping Body and Mind clean…….!

Shaucha is cleanliness of body, and mind. Without the mind we cannot perform any action. The mind gives the order to the body to perform action. Every action that is performed by the body is already performed in the mind. A clean mind gives a clear message to the body to do the task. So a clean body does not necessarily be the reason for a clean action, but a clean mind involuntarily makes the body perform clean action. Isn’t cleaning the mind as important as cleaning the body????? To clean the body we take bath daily using variety of body cleansers. We take care not to get tanned by Sunlight and apply sunscreen lotions. 

Likewise our ancient seers had modulated meditation to clean our mind and to sit in seat of silence to keep our mind from getting tainted. If we do not take bath for a day we feel uncomfortable, but for the whole lifetime we don’t clean the mind. What exactly does cleaning the mind mean then???? Cleaning the mind is washing away all negative emotions like hatred, jealousy, hate, lust, greed, impatience, envy, bitterness, frustration, anger and so on. Generally a pure-minded person is very often referred to as one who is too good to live in society and appears to be lacking common sense as he is in his own world. It may be true; but it is not his fault. It is the fault of the immoral world. This world has gone from bad to worse. 

A person who is pure in mind is now looked as an outcaste and regarded unfit to live in this society filled with frauds and swindlers. But that does not matter. One can just as well be pure in mind and wise at the same time. A pure-minded person can work in sophisticated matters as efficiently and capably as a worldly man and attain everlasting success. While a person without purity in mind may be able to achieve success, but not an everlasting one. A pure mind is naturally relaxed, unruffled and quiet it radiates positive energy. It is undisturbed by negative thought patterns and is never in boredom as boredom often stems from negative thoughts. But there are other benefits as well. Suppose a man is looking for certain book for his research and does not know which book stall to go in the city. But he has a definite idea in his mind of what it should be like and as soon as he enters the very first shop his eyes falls upon the very book he is searching for. Perhaps throughout the whole city he could not have found another, but his mind brought him straight to the book he was looking for. 

How does this happen? 

It comes from purity of mind. When one’s mind is pure, the joy will follow him just like the shadow that never leaves him. When one’s mind is impure, the suffering will follow him just like the shadow that never leaves him – Bhagavan Buddha

66. Status of Women in Vedic Period!!!!!!!!!!

“Yatra Nari Astu Pujyante, Ramante Tatra Devataa” The Gods reside in places where woman is worshiped --- Manu Smriti Women had a very significant position in our ancient Indian society. In fact they were superior to men. There are literary evidences to suggest that woman had power which could destroy kingdoms and mighty rulers. Veda Vyasa in Mahabharata writes how Kauravas fell because they humiliated Draupadi, the wife of Pandavas. Valmiki's Ramyana depicts the sad state of Ravana for abducting Sita Devi forcibly. The worship of Goddesses in ancient period was to inspire public to respect women. In the Vedic society women participated in religious ceremonies and assemblies. There is no evidence of isolation of women in Vedic period in domestic or social affairs, but they were affectionately dependent on their male relations throughout their lives. 

There were women like Matreyi, Gargi, Lopamudra, Ghosha, and Indranni who were learned souls and have put forth there thought in Upanishads. Women had an opportunity to choose their man through a type of marriage called Swayamvara. In this type of marriage, the eligible grooms assembled at the bride's place and the bride selected her man. There are many such incidences in epics the Ramayana and Mahabharata. This continued even in the later period in royal families. Women were given more freedom as compared to now. As the time passed the position of women underwent a drastic change in all spheres of life. In the later Vedic period, women lost their political rights of attending assemblies. Child marriages came into existence. It is a myth that women were not given status in Vedic period.

Please read the statements given bellow to prove that women were given respect in those times, as these are from Vedas and other significant scriptures: 

“Women are worthy of worship. They are the fate of the household, the lamp of enlightenment for all in the household. They bring solace to the family and are an integral part of Dharmic life. Even heaven is under the control of women. The Gods reside in those households where women are worshipped and in households where women are slighted all efforts at improvement go in vain.” Manusmriti 3-56 

 “O bride! May the knowledge of the Vedas be in front of you and behind you, in your centre and in your ends. May you conduct your life after attaining the knowledge of the Vedas. May you be benevolent, the harbinger of good fortune and health and live in great dignity and indeed be illumined in your husband’s home.” Atharva Veda 14-1-64. 

 “The wife should do Agnihotra (yagna), Sandhyavandana and all other daily religious rituals. If, for some reason, her husband is not present, the woman alone has full rights to do yagna.” Rigveda Samhita, part 1, sukta 79, sloka 872. 

That women and men are equal in the eyes of dharma is made explicit in a beautiful sloka from the Rigveda: “O women! These mantras are given to you equally (as to men). May your thoughts, too, be harmonious. May your assemblies be open to all without discrimination. Your mind and consciousness should be harmonious. I (the rishi) give you these mantras equally as to men and give you all and equal powers to absorb (the full powers) of these mantras.” Rigveda 10-191-3. 

Indeed the virtues of the loyal and virtuous (pativrata) wife are comparable to only those of agnideva (the fire god). “… This agnideva is pure and worthy of worship just as pativrata women.” Rigveda Samhita, Part -1, sukta 73, sloka 829. During Hindu marriage ceremonies the following slokas are read out by the grooms but, these days, little understood. “O bride! I accept your hand to enhance our joint good fortune. I pray to you to accept me as your husband and live with me until our old age. …” Rigveda Samhita Part -4, sukta 85, sloka 9702

65. Conscious and Unconscious entry into the Absolute at Death!

After knowing about the Conscious and Unconscious entry to Absolute, Svetaketu is interested to know the difference between a person who has consciously attained realisation and another who is unconsciously slipped into the Absolute. Why is a person unable to attain realisation after death as some say casting off the body is the criterion of liberation? 

 Sage Uddalaka explains Svetaketu the events that takes place at the time of death. At the time of death of a person his relatives gather around him and ask him, “Can you recognise us?” If the senses of the person on death bed are active he will recognise them; but if the senses have been withdrawn into the mind, then he can only think but cannot speak as his sense of talking has failed. His mind can only have memory of his relations, but he cannot see them gathered around him nor can he hear them talking. At the time of death there is a steady pulling out of the functions of the various organs in the system. The first stage of withdrawal is the absorption of the senses into the mind. The second stage of withdrawal is the absorption of the mind into the pranas, wherein the breathing process continues but there is no thinking or sensation. Then after that breath also gets absorbed into the fire principle which is what the heat is in our system. If the heat also has gone, the whole body becomes cold and limbs are chill. 

 A person is confirmed to be dead if the body has become cold. So it is this procedure that when senses have left, mind is present; when the mind has left, the pranas are present; when the pranas have left, and body heat is present. Body heat is the last to depart from a person on the verge of leaving his body. When the heat also is withdrawn into the Absolute then the consciousness is also left and there is no life in the Gross body. The person who is on the verge of death enters like as he is slipped into deep sleep. He will not know what is happening to him. He will not know he is dying. Just like we cannot know that we have fallen asleep. However much every we try our best to keep a watch on the course of going to sleep, we will never succeed. We are suddenly in it. That is all. Either we are not sleeping or we have slept. We can never just be in the halfway between the two. 


Likewise to a person this happens at the time of the merger of his Soul into the Supreme Soul in the process of Liberation, and as well as at the time of death. Hence from the point of view of the external incidences of the various event of withdrawal, Death and Liberation are identical. What happens to a person when dying happens also to a person in Liberation. But there is a great difference. The difference is obvious. For a person who had been unable to break the cycles of birth and death there is unconscious and compelled push of the functions into their sources at the time of death which is not transcendence. There is only habitual withdrawal. 

On the other hand for a Liberated person when he enters the higher stages of conscious expansion there is transcendence, so that there is no coming back to struggle again in Samsara. When we have no desires left and no impression of any kind, we do not come back. But, if we have been forced to pull our self from particular wantons, the desire for fulfillment of the wanton still lingers in us and will pull us back to complete that desire. And again an opportunity is given to struggle in this Samsara. It is to that which is the cause of the world we all merge “TAT TVAM ASI” You are that, Svetaketu” Says Sage Uddalaka.

64. Importance of a Preceptor to know the Absolute!!!!!!

Continuation of “TAT TVAM ASI” explanation by Sage Uddalaka to his son and disciple Svetaketu. Svetaketu on the path of understanding the statement “TAT TVAM ASI” from his father and Guru Sage Uddalaka wants to know the means and methods of knowing the Absolute, which cannot be comprehended by the senses and mind or intellect. Sage Uddalaka in an effort to make Svetaketu understand uses an excellent and extraordinary analogy. 

A person from a city is abducted by some robbers he is blindfolded, handcuffed, legs tied together and thrown into a pit somewhere in an unknown place far from the place he is living. He does not know where he has been taken, because he is blindfolded. He is only aware that he is taken far away from his house. He is in a state of despair. His sense of sight is inactive and hence his mind and intellect are helpless to him now. The only hope for him at that time is that he has to find for someone to help him out of this situation and guide him back home. Well he cannot expect help from a person who in the same condition as he is instead the help has to come from a person who is not blindfolded as well as the one who is well aware of the route to the city from the forest. Similarly does a seeker who is interested in knowing the Absolute should seek the guidance of the Guru and implements the teachings and finally realizes his goal of freedom from this cycle of birth and death. 

Swami Shivananda Ji, of Divine life Society writes about the importance of a Guru thus: Only the person who has already been to Holy Badrinath will be able to tell us the route for the place. In the case of the spiritual path, it is still more difficult to find our way. The mind will mislead us very often. The Guru will be able to remove pitfalls and obstacles, and lead us along the right path. He will tell us: “This road leads you to Moksha (liberation); this one leads to Bandana (bondage)”. Without this guidance, even if we might want to go to Holy Badrinath, but find our self in Delhi! The scriptures are like a forest. There are ambiguous passages. There are passages which are apparently contradictory. There are passages which have esoteric meanings, diverse significance, and hidden explanations. There are cross-references. We need of a Guru or Preceptor who will explain to us the right meaning, who will remove doubts and ambiguities, who will place before us the essence of the teachings. 

A Guru is absolutely necessary for every aspirant in the spiritual path. It is only the Guru who will find out our defects. The nature of egoism is such that we will not be able to find out our own defects. Just as a man cannot see his back, so also he cannot see his own errors. He must live under a Guru for the eradication of his evil qualities and defects. After attaining the liberating knowledge of Absolute our Sanchita Karma which is the aggregate of all the past live deeds is destroyed as the dried leaves turned to ashes in the association of fire, however, he remains in the physical body as long as the Prarabdha Karma has to yield out its fruits and finally attains oneness with the Absolute. The Agami Karma does not bother him. After the above instructions, Uddalaka says: “Svetaketu, do you understand what I am telling you? This great but most subtle essence of all the worlds is the Absolute, the Atma, the Supreme Reality within you, and “TAT TVAM ASI” You are That.” 

 Now Svetaketu wants his father to tell him the difference between a person who has consciously attained realisation and another who is unconsciously thrown into it as in sleep or death? Why does one not attain realisation after death, if casting off the body is the only criterion of liberation? Sage Uddalaka explains the merger that takes place at time of Death ……………. In the next blog!!!!!!!!

63. Absolute is in everything as Salt in Saline Water!!!!!

In the continued conversation between Sage Uddalaka and his son Svetaketu on the statement “TAT TVAM ASI,” in Chandogya Upanishad, Svetaketu comes up with another question, “If Absolute is the pervading the whole of this vast universe, then why is it not revealing itself or why is it not perceived by us?” Sage Uddalaka asked Svetaketu to get a hand full of salt and a pot of water. He then asked him to put the salt in the water. Svetaketu did as was told. Then Sage Uddalaka asked him to come to him tomorrow. 

Next morning Svetaketu comes and greets the father and the father says, “Yesterday you had put salt into the water; go and get that salt.” He goes there and sees that the salt is not there in the pot. What has happened to the salt? It has become one with the water. So he is unable to retrieve the salt he had put yesterday. Svetaketu says, “There is no salt in the water.” Uddalaka says, “Now I shall prove that there is salt. You sip a little of the water from the top and tell me what the taste is.” “It tastes salty," says Svetaketu. “Now sip a little from the middle and tell me its taste.” “It is salty.” “Now sip a little from any part of the water and see how it tastes.” “The entire water is salty.” “So, now tell me, does the salt exist there or not?” Said Uddalaka “Yes, it does exist.” Said Svetaketu. Now, this is an evidence to show that even if we are unable to see a thing, it can exist. 

If the organ of visibility is unable to comprehend the presence of salt the other sense organ namely tongue is providing the information on the salt in the water. So if one organ is not able to perceive that does not mean that the subject is not present. In some cases we need all the sense organs to do the job as a team, like suppose we are to know if the mangoes are ripe it is not just the eye that can give us the better judgment sometimes we have to smell it and feel if the pulp of it is soft by touching. 

Likewise some things cannot be comprehended by our senses and also mind. Just as in case of Absolute that has manifested in the substance of all this creation but invisible in the particulars of this world through our organs including the internal organ, as it is dissolved in the subject. Our senses are used to contact that which is external from the individual and whatever is not an external entity cannot become an object of perception. Whatever is outside is and can easily be comprehended by our senses, but the Absolute that we are talking about is not outside us in fact it is present inside us therefore we are finding difficulty to identify it. Nor can the mind conceive the Absolute, because the function of the mind is to analyse the perceptions of the senses, and do the needful according to our desires. Our mind and intellect can never be used as organ of cognition. 

What the mind and intellect does is merely validate and confirm of what senses have told us. Hence our mind and intellect are of no use to us if our senses are useless. But by employing another means such as inference or extra sensory means, one can find out that Absolute is present everywhere in the universe, just as salt is everywhere in the saline water. Wherever we touch, we touch That only, just as wherever we taste the water which is saline, we are tasting salt only in that water. "TAT TVAM ASI" You are That, says Sage Uddalaka to Svetaketu. 

 Now Svetaketu is interested in knowing the other extra sensory means of having the insight of Absolute present in all. What is the analogy given by Sage Uddalaka for the extra sensory means to know the Absolute ……………. In the next blog!!!!

62. Transformation of Matters, Power of Omni-Present, Absolute

In the continuation of conversation between Uddalaka and his son Svetaketu on “TAT TVAM ASI,” the Svetaketu asked his father how come this vast Universe which is enormous could emerge from Absolute which is subtle and incognito. Sage Uddalaka, without becoming frustrate or furious over these questions asks Svetaketu to fetch a fruit of the Nyagrodha (Banyan) tree, asks him to break it and see what is inside. The inside of the fruit is filled with cluster of seeds. He asked him to take an individual seed and crush it and tell what he could see inside it. “Nothing at all” replied Svetaketu after crushing one. Sage Uddalaka says, “It is practically invisible and non-existent from your point of view but that non-existent subtle jelly like essence that is there inside that little seed has become this vast tree in front of you. 

Do you know how this is possible? It is indeed a marvel that a large tree grows from this little speck of jelly which cannot even be seen with your naked eyes. ” This little so-called subtle jelly like essence is the entire tree in front of you. Yet, there is nothing in this tree which is not to be found in the speck of jelly. How is it possible? How can an atomic little iota encompass the large stretch of the tree? Have you ever thought about how a small seed grows into a big tree? Well, it is known that as a seed it sprouts into a plant and this plant creates food from the sunlight for it to grow as a tree, but what really happens is that the cells grow and divide. 

The division of cells is required to grow, to repair damaged cells, or to replace old cells. As this large tree is nothing but the invisible speck inside the seed, so is this vast universe. We say this universe is so huge, so vast or so immeasurable, so gross, so bulky. This is exactly like saying this tree is so vast once it is grown that big. But if one contemplates on where this vast universe has come from? We will know that it has indeed come from a very small, atomic, subtle seed called Hiranyagarbha, the primordial atom. This Hiranyagarbha has over the years emanated to becoming this vast universe. This is the very essence of this vast universe and the power of the Omni-Present Absolute. Even so is the Absolute of the whole universe including that of your own Self. “TAT TVAM ASI” You are That, says Sage Uddalaka to Svetaketu. We can tell every branch, leaf, flower and fruit of the tree, “You are That”. And there is no mistake in saying so as it is very true. Exactly also we can say to every individual on this planet, “TAT TVAM ASI” “You are That,” because we all emerged from that indistinguishable, homogeneous Absolute. Upon hearing this manifestation of the Absolute in the tree and in the vast universe, Svetaketu comes up with another question, “If Absolute is the pervading the whole of this vast universe, then why is it not revealing itself or why is it not perceived by us?” What is the analogy given for the non-revealtion of Absolute?? …………. In the next blog!

61. Manifestation of Absolute in animate and inanimate………..!

This is in continuation of the dialogue between Sage Uddalaka and Svetaketu on "TAT TVAM ASI" "You are that" or "That you are," ........ this conversation appears in Chandogya Upanishad.

Svetaketu is enthusiastic to know about the transformation of wave, a ripple, froth, bubbles when they become one with water and lose their individuality, but in the case of individual when they enter Absolute, in deep sleep or death, they do not become extinct. How is this explained?” Also how Absolute is manifested in plant and animal kingdom as well as inanimate substance.

Sage Uddalaka explains with another analogy of a huge tree that is outside their hermitage. So he says, “Look at this big tree in front of our ashram. Suppose someone hits the branch of this tree with an axe, it will instantly reveal that it has got life. Sap or any juicy substance starts to flow from that cut part. Because there is life, it will give off the sap from its body. This will happen if it is cut in any other part also. Suppose one cuts the trunk or a little branch on the top we can see that there is life in it, as sap will exude from that particular part.

The energetic growth of the tree is due to the life in the tree. We find trees sprout from the cut part in spring seasons of the year and the whole vegetable kingdom is highly enchanted. What is this enchantment? What is this happiness that they experience in the blooming? It is the manifestation of the life principle in it. It is the working of jivattva, that spirit which we call life. So, the existence of the tree, the working of the tree, the living of the tree is due to this vitality which is the Absolute. If life departs from the tree, the tree dries up. When a particular branch of the tree is dry it means that life has departed from that particular part. That particular branch which is deprived of the life becomes dry. It is lifeless. So what is it that is in the tree which makes it lively? That is the Spirit.

It is only what is discarded in the tree that dies but not the jivattva that resides in the tree. Similarly we do not become extinct just upon contacting Absolute during deep sleep. The karma brings us back from Absolute to experience of play of Samsara. Only when the karmas are exhausted for this particular birth do we leave the body and death occurs to the body but the jivattva does not die. Absolute, the predominant one in the world has entered the body as the jivattva, and the truth is that it never dies.

A sage Uddalaka mention that the manifestation of Absolute is equal in both animate and inanimate substance but the presence of it is felt is very subtle in inanimate. A piece of rock lying for years without showing any sign of life is a bond of millions of molecules that are held together due to the internal forces which is governed by certain laws. The procedure and the manifestation of the law is itself the Absolute. The principle presiding over the inanimate things is able to apply the laws of bonding. Hence Absolute is Omnipresent.

Sage Uddalaka tells Svetaketu that we are like trees, our bodies are endowed with the living principle, and we die only when the life principle in us in withdrawn. This spirit that is Atma is only one even though there are many bodies and forms. So, everything reverts into the Absolute from where it has come and towards which it goes back. "That you are, TAT TVAM ASI, Svetaketu,"

So far, through the examples of Honey, River and Tree, Sage Uddalaka clarified Svetaketu’s doubts concerning to the Absolute that is living inside the individual (Jiva Swarupa). Upon hearing ‘TAT TVAM ASI’, Svetaketu wants to know how is it that this extremely gross universe consisting of this huge earth, etc. and endowed with names and forms, emerge from the Absolute which is subtle and free of names and forms? In other words he is now interested in knowing the Absolute that is in the universe (Jagat Swarupa)

Sage Uddalaka explain his son on the Jagat Swarupa of Absolute with an analogy ………………….. In the next blog

60. River flow into Ocean and Sun converts Ocean to River!!!!!!

This is in continuation of the previous blog. Sage Uddalaka in an effort to make Svetaketu, his son and disciple understand the significance of “TAT TVAM ASI” “You are that,” or “That you are,” uses one more analogy.This dialogue between father and son is in Chandogyga Upanishad.

Sage Uddalaka point out at the various rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, etc. At the end of their trail they go and enter ocean and fall into the same body of water. Once they enter the ocean they become a mass of water and longer can make out which is Ganga, which is Yamuna, or any other. If we take a tumbler of water from the ocean we do not know which river-water we are holding. Why? Because the identity of the river has been abolished in the body of the water called ocean.

Again when the Sun draws up the water from the ocean and the clouds are formed and the rain comes down and the rain water flows to the rivers. Then their identity as river is regained. This is an analogy to describe what Absolute is, in respect of the various individuals. These created individuals in bodies are, like rivers, tending towards the ocean of the Absolute. Upon reaching the Absolute, the individual consciousness is Absolute consciousness, just like the rivers entering the ocean. The rivers become the ocean and they do not know where they are, yet they are there. But when they are transformed into rain water by Sun they assume the name of river again.

When they have flown into the ocean and come back as rain from the ocean, they do not know that they have gone there and have come back from there. Similarly we have touched, entered, practically become one with the Absolute in deep sleep, but we do not know that. It is as if our eyes have been blindfolded. When we wake up or take another body, each one of us get back the labels and tags as the rivers get back their identity. That is it. Even in the water waves are formed, ripples are generated, froth is produce, but all this some time merge into the water.

"Now this is the Reality, this is the Absolute of all things, and you too are that“TAT TVAM ASI”, Svetaketu, Says father Uddalaka.

Svetaketu is now interested in knowing about life in all Beings. That we call the survival which is vital for all, called life. Some has life in it and there is no life in some. A plant has life, but a rock has no life. What is meaning of life?

Svetaketu asks his father Sage Uddalaka “Is it that Absolute has not manifested ample in one thing, and has manifested in a greater proportion in something else? It seems that there is a greater manifestation of Absolute in plant and animal kingdom than in rocks and the mineral kingdom; Kindly explain this so that my doubts may be cleared.”

What is the analogy for manifestation of life???? ……. Coming in the next blog!!!!!

59. We are like Nectar in Honey (Chandogya Upanishad)!!!!!!

There was a great sage called Uddalaka. He had a son by name Svetaketu. Sage Uddalaka is said to have systematised the Vedic and Upanishad thoughts. Many Mahavakyas are attributed to Sage Uddalaka. Among those, “Tat Tvam Asi” shines in the Chandogya Upanishad, which is a part of the Sama Veda. The teacher is Uddalaka and the student Svetaketu, his son, engaged in a profound ATMA JNANA. To let Svetaketu understand “TAT TVAM ASI” "You are that," or "That you are," Sage Uddalaka uses some analogies. Let us know what they are one by one:

Firstly Sage Uddalaka wants his son Svetaketu to know what happens to individual consciousness when it merges with Absolute consciousness. This is clearly explained using an analogy. Honeybees collect the nectar from various flowers and convert it into a jelly and by process of regurgitation store it in hive. This jelly formed is what is called honey. Now honey includes the nectar of thousands of variety of flowers. Though honey is a mix of the nectar from various flowers, it is very difficult to identify the nectar of one flower from that of another. The nectar of all flowers has become one and they are presently called honey. The individuality of nectar of each flower is absent. There is a total consciousness of the honey, but no individual consciousness of the particular nectar of the flowers. The bees have eliminated the individuality of all these flowers and merged them into a single amalgamation called honey. This is what happens to all individuals when they merge with Absolute. The nectar of the flowers does exist in the honey but they will not be aware of thoughts such as, “I am Rose”, “I am Jasmine” and so on. Exactly the same way when individuals merge with Absolute, though they do not cease to exist, they will not have thoughts such as what they carried as names and forms. All the labels and tags vanish.

The merger of individual consciousness with Absolute consciousness happens in two ways, they are an unconscious access and a conscious access. In deep sleep one has an unconscious merger with the Absolute. Unfortunately he is not aware of it as he just slips into it and does not really get absorbed into it. It becomes as nevertheless like becoming unconscious. There is something that is common between unconsciousness and Absolute consciousness. The common theory is the absence of individual consciousness in both of these states. But there is a remarkable difference. There is similarity no doubt, and yet all know the difference. It is the inability to absorb oneself into that Absolute, as the consciousness is back from that state. Even in death one does not get conscious entry into the Absolute.

We are unable to stay in either condition of deep sleep or death for long, on account of the continuation of the latent form of subtle impressions of unsatisfied desires or deeds to come back to waking consciousness, in this body when one wakes up from sleep, or into another body when we takes rebirth after death. Suppose I have tilled half of my agricultural land and have gone to sleep and have merged into Absolute in deep sleep, I have to come back from the merger to wake stage and till the other half of the land. Isn’t it so????

This Absolute Consciousness is the Self of all. One may be aware or not is a different matter. But it is behind all our actions, sleep, birth and death, and also behind process of cosmic evolution. It is this Self that is caught into the turmoil of cycles of birth and death. This will cease when everything is ultimately resolved through enquiry and meditation into that Supreme Consciousness, which is called liberation. This is conscious access into the Absolute, as against the unconscious access in deep sleep and death.

“Svetaketu, "TAT TVAM ASI" You are That, Self” tells the father, Uddalaka. But Svetaketu is not satisfied. So, Father Udalaka says he will give another analogy.

What is the next analogy???? ……. Coming in the next blog!!!!!