Brahma Rahasya of Happiness

Brahma Rahasya of Happiness

          The human body is made of gross matter. It is this gross body that undergoes births and deaths. There is a subtle body and a causal body. When the gross body falls, the remaining two bodies still form a combination. The physical sense organs like the eyes, ears, etc. belong to the gross body; but, if by the senses we mean the subtle power of which the eye and the outer organs are but instruments, then they belong to the subtle body. The causal body forms the support of even the subtle body (sukshma sharira).

     Sri Krishna says that ‘the true Self of man is unborn, immortal and eternal, (Bhagavad-Gita: Ch.II verse 16). He asks Arjuna to “transcend the dualities of experience like the heat and cold, pain and pleasure, and identify himself with the permanent and unchanging Being, the ‘Sakshi’. The Sakshi being the Ultimate Subject, there is considerable difficulty in comprehending truly”. [Bhagavad-Gita, Ch.II Verse 29].

    The secrets of knowing the Self, the ‘Brahman’ are beautifully explained in the ‘Brahma Rahasya Upanishad’. This Upanishad contains mantras that help in understanding the attributes or the svabhava of the jeevas, and the methods of overcoming the obstacles that prevent realization of the Brahman. This whole world is a make-believe theatre of action. All are actors who come and go and the stage remains. This make-believe world, rather this unreal world or ‘maya prapancha’ is the product of the mind. If the mind vanishes, the world vanishes. There is a beautiful mantra in Brahma Rahasya Upanishad where in Manonasha is described. [Mantra 12]

  “Jeevanmuktesumanasah saroopanashah videhamukteshu svaroopanashah”.

     This means, “There is a Saroopanasha of mind in jivanmuktas. In Videhamuktas, i.e., who have attained disembodied liberation, there is aroopanasha of mind”. Thus, there are two kinds of manonasha, or destruction of mind: 1.Saroopanasha (mind with form) and 2. Aroopoanasha, (mind without form).

       If one is free from desires from sensual objects, raga (attachment), dvesha (hatred), ahamkara (egotism), anger, lust, mama-ta (mine-ness), pride, jealousy, greed and attachment, such a person has achieved ‘manonasha’ (mumukshutva) or liberation. It is the Vasanas that cause bondage and attachment to sensual objects. Vasana-kshaya is extinction of Vasanas. Manonasha is destruction of mind. Tatva-Jnyana is knowledge of truth. As long as these are not equally practiced regularly and continuously the knowledge of the Self cannot be achieved. Extinction of Vasanas that causes annihilation of mind cannot be achieved easily. It requires discrimination (Viveka), meditation on the Self (Atma-Chintana), Vichara (enquiry of Atman), Sama (control of mind), control of senses (dama), Vairagya (dispassiona), Tyaga (renunciation) – all these, to destroy Vasanas.

    Attainment of Brahman i.e., Self- realisation can be achieved through the mind alone after abandoning its Sankalpas (Resolutions), or Vrittis (thoughts) and Vikalpas (Imaginations). When the five organs of knowledge are subdued, when the mind is controlled and when incessant meditation is practiced, Brahman is revealed. Then alone one becomes immortal. Brahma Jnyana is the release from the trammels of one’s own mind. Such a release alone leads to the attainment of Moksha (emancipation).

     The purpose of Brahman-realization is self-perfection and the attainment is illumination and liberation from the meshes of ignorance, desire and rebirth. “He who realizes Brahman becomes Brahman” [Mundaka Upanishad III-2-9]. He realizes the final goal of evolution. This realization of Brahman is not limited to mere intellectual apprehension. It is really a profound working experience in which ordinary Consciousness working in the realm of time and space through subject-object relation is transcended, indeed, deepened into its essence, i.e., Brahman. Such a state is realized in the highest mode of in-drawn concentration known as ‘Nirvikalpa Samadhi’ or ‘Asamprajnyata’.

        One who has attained this realization has a true and immediate vision of the divine unity, and is the possessor of supreme felicity, free as he becomes, from all cravings and evanescent interests. Only when the Mind ceases from its preoccupations with the sense objects and turns to Brahman, it can enjoy the Bliss; for, Brahman is the source of the reflected happiness that the mind experiences even in the sense contact.

        One has to realize the Mahat tattva "Aham Brahmasmi"(‘Brahman’ as one’s own very Self). Then and then alone one can attain perfect independence. Real swaraj, or independence of the soul, can be achieved by manonasha (destruction of the mind), and burning of the Vasanas. Meditation alone can help in the control of the mind. This gives eternal happiness. This is the Brahmarahasya of supreme bliss.

Mukti! What is it?

       “Bondage and Liberation, which are conjured up by Maya, do not really exist in the Atman, one’s Reality. Bondage and Liberation are attributes of the buddhi that ignorant people falsely superimpose on the Reality. For this Immutable Brahman is Knowledge Absolute, the One without a second, and unattached” [Viveka Chudamani 569- 71].

     Liberation is possible only with the identification of oneself with Brahman and by no other means. No amount of yoga or study of scriptures mechanically will help here. Svetasvatara Upanishad says, “Seeing Him alone one transcends death, there is no other way”. [Svetasvatara Upanishad III.8].

       Mukti is liberation. Liberation from what? It is quite obvious that everybody wants some freedom. Freedom from bondage is what everybody aspires for, for it is the real quality, the swaroopa of Brahman. You are liberated the moment you realize the Truth, the Reality; you feel you are happy and contented; the moment you decide you do not want any more rebirth you will be released. But, this comes with a rider. First, you have to prepare yourself for this. You have to burn all your desires, sanskaras; you have to burn all your vasanas, be aware of the pull of the sense objects and control the drive of the sense organs. This can be done by purification of the mind only by constant dhyan, dharana and meditation. The arishadvargas that include raga, dvesha, moha, lobha, mada, matsarya, should be annihilated by prathyahara and constant dhyan, japa, tapa and vrata. All the prarabhda karma and sanchita karma should be burnt by contant chanting of the name of Ishtadevatha.

         Ashtavakra says, “it is bondage when the mind desires or grieves at anything, rejects or accepts anything, feels happy or angry at anything. Liberation is attained when the mind does not desire or grieve or reject or accept or feel happy or angry. It is bondage when the mind is attached to any sense experience. It is liberation, mukti, when the mind is detached from all sense experiences”. These desires, rejoicing, grieving are the modifications, thoughts or function of the chitta, the mindstuff; they are like the waves or ripples on the water of the lakes. The depth of water in the lake is our own true Self. We can catch a glimpse of the bottom of the lake, i.e., our own true Self, when the water is calm and clear without any ripples or waves. If the water is agitated and muddy, we cannot see the depth. Likewise, as long as our mind is under delusion, agitated under the sensual attractions, desires, due to our attachment with our body, mind and senses, we cannot see the nature of our true Self. This is ignorance and bondage. But when the mind is calm and free from all such agitations and modifications, we realize our true nature and attain mukti or liberation. Here the Rule of Mind Management is: “Always keep a cool and collected Mind; never get perturbed. Believe it or not, the waves will subside soon and all anxiety and tension would disappear. There is nothing that can be achieved by an agitated Mind”.

      Identifying the Self with the non-self- this is the bondage of man, which is due to ignorance and this brings all the miseries; it is also the cause of the cycle of rebirth. It is the mistaking of transitory things as real that causes bondage.  It is our own willing submission to desires that cause our bondage. It is within our power to get rid of this bondage and attain mukti. Thus, bondage and freedom are just identification and dissociation from the internal, mental modifications, respectively. Further, Ashtavakra says, “When there is no ‘I’, there is liberation; when there is ‘I’, there is bondage”. Egoism is bondage and egolessness is liberation. When there is no ego, there is no identification of the Self with body and mind, and the Self is realized as ‘One without a second’, pervading the whole universe. Having this knowledge, one becomes perfectly tranquil in mind and free from desires or aversions.

          The liberation process begins with the process of Self-realization and ‘mukti’ is attained with the spiritual attainment in ‘Samadhi’. If you are prepared for this in thoughts, words and action, i.e., kaya, vacha and manasa, you will get it. No doubt about this! Always remember that,’this world is not yours’. It is not for you in the sense, you are for the world and the world does not exist for you. You may live today and die tomorrow; the world exists forever. When the world is not yours, why do you cry for it? Why do you think this is mine and that is mine when nothing is yours! You have to realize that you are a guest for a limted period of stay, may be a hundred years, and you have to live with in limits (‘maryada’) as a guest and get out as early as possible, the earliest the better! That is the way to live happily and successfully. Here, the Rule of MMT is: ‘Live with Love and make sacrifice your goal. Thus, you will enjoy supreme happiness’.

       Further, ‘Atma Jnyana’ alone can give Mukti or salvation. Jnyana, the knowledge of the Self is the only direct means to freedom. Shrutis, Upanishads emphatically declare:

 “Rite Jnyananna muktih”, meaning,‘there is no liberation without wisdom’.

    Nishkama karma can at best help Chitta Shuddhi very much required for mukti; it cannot give Mukti. Karma or action cannot remove ignorance. Only Brahma Jnyana can remove ignorance. Hence, a drastic sadhana is needed for eradication of ignorance- ‘Deha-adhyasa’ meaning ‘I am the body’. This one idea ‘I am the body’ has created so much havoc that we go on taking birth after birth. It is a mysterious Avidya, ignorance.

Moksha! What is it?

     Sarvopanishad, the quintessence of the Upanishads, gives answer to some of the most important questions like: What is Moksha? What is bondage of the Soul? What is Vidya? What is Sakshi? What is Kutastha? What is Paramatman or Supreme Self? What is Atman? What is Maya?

      Shri Shankaracharya’s ‘Viveka Chudamani’ gives a beautiful description of this ‘make-believe’ world and shows the way out of the ‘Samsara tapatrayas’.  “All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing but Brahman that is free from all limitations of human thought”. [Atharva Veda]. If this universe be true, let it then be perceived in the state of deep sleep also. As it is not at all perceived, it must be unreal and false, like dreams. Therefore, the universe does not exist apart from the Supreme Self; and the perception of its separateness is false like the blue colour of the sky. Hence, whatever is manifested, viz. this universe, is the Supreme Brahman Itself, the Real, the One without a second, pure, taintless, calm, serene, adimadhyantarahita, the Essence of Knowledge, ‘Sat-Chit-Ananada’. ‘Sages realize the Supreme Truth, Brahman, in which there is no differentiation of knower, knowledge, and known, which is Infinite, transcendent, and the Essence of Knowledge Absolute”. [Viveka Chudamani].

   “That which is beyond caste and creed, family and lineage; devoid of name and form, merit ands demerit; transcending space, time, and sense objects- that Brahman, art thou, meditate on this in thy mind. That Supreme Brahman which is beyond the range of all speech, but accessible to the eye of pure illumination; which is pure, the embodiment of knowledge, the beginningless entity- that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind. That which is untouched by decay, death, hunger, thirst, grief, and delusion; meditated upon by the Yogi’s heart, but not grasped by the sense-organs; which the buddhi cannot know; and which is unimpeachable- that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind. That which, though One only, is the cause of the many; which refutes all other causes, but is itself without cause; distinct from Maya and its effect, the universe; and independent –that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind. That which is free from duality; which is Infinite and indestructible; distinct from the universe and Maya, supreme, eternal; which is undying Bliss; taintless- that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind. On the Truth inculcated above, one must oneself meditate in one’s mind, through the intellect, by means of the recognised argument as provided in the Vedas. By this method, one can realize the Truth”. One must live in constant identification with the Supreme Self. Sages call that Liberation here and now. Thus, the techniques as envisaged by Shri Shankara are very clear. “The master of Self, the Paramatman dwelling in the body, looks upon the body and such like things other than the Self as Itself; this egoism is the bondage of the soul. The cessation of that egoism is ‘Moksha’, liberation”.

     Inspite of the above, we, the mortals, feel it is wellneigh impossible to attain the state of ‘Supreme Self’; here again, our ego forms an adamantine wall in perceiving the Truth. There is a very interesting story that helps to understand the predicament of a common man. There was a King who had only one son. That son took to bad habits and the King was so angry that he finally banished him from his Kingdom. After several years, when the King was on his deathbed, he felt it appropriate to crown the prince. But, alas! the King had banished the prince. So he asked his men to search for the prince and bring him back to the Kingdom. The boy who was banished at a young age had forgotten that he was a Prince and, was wandering like a beggar. When the King’s men were searching for the Prince, they saw the shabby looking young man and wondering whether this was the Prince! They were talking about the Prince so loud that the young man could hear it. The moment he heard that the King’s men were searching for him and he heard the words ‘Prince’, he asked them to take him to the King. This is how one can realize one’s position and status: “I am That”. This is how a person realizes his Self in a moment!     

        Moksha is not what is available some where and that can be easily achieved by some technique. Moksha is a dynamic process. It is an attitude like happiness; it is a way of looking at things. Once you attain this stage or gain this attitude in life, you will enjoy every minute of life, only if you are alive to it and are aware of what is happening.

        Normally, one gets bored sooner or later in this mundane worldy life. You do not know what to do. Nothing is interesting. Nothing is thrilling. Time moves very slowly and you are aware of that every minute; it seems endless and it is killing. You are asking when this boring state is going to end. You want to know when there is liberation or mukti from this life. But, if you are enjoying life, you will not ask when it is going to end. You do not want that blissful state to end. You are enjoying every minute and you do not ask when it is going end. You are already free. In the very enjoyment of life has come your freedom. You feel it is good when it ends. It is also fine if it does not end. You are enjoying it; you are living it. You accept it totally. This is moksha, the state.

 Here, the Mind Management technique is:

      “One has to develop this attitude of happiness from ‘living’ in the present every moment of life. Do not dwell on the past memories, fantasies and sanskaras; so also, do not live on hopes, dreams and aspirations. Live now and here and enjoy every moment of this life without attaching your mind and senses to life. Attachment brings misery. Live every moment of your life; observe it as a witness or ‘Sakshi’. Watch it like a drama unfolding in front of you. Do not add colour to it, do not attach meaning to it. Observe it in a trance as a mesmerizing act of the Lord! It is the cosmic drama of life on earth. You will enjoy the Sat, Chit and Anand. This is supreme bliss that never ends. But you have to live it. Past second is dead the next second has not arrived as yet. That very second of time you are watching has all the essence of life; it is Hiranyagarbha! Try to enter into it and experience yourself”. And, this is the secret. This is Moksha here and now! What more do you want?

  Ashtavakra Samhita is a very beautiful treatise on philosophy of practical life. It is the equivalent of Bhagavad Gita, but very little of this is known due to inaccessibility of the original scirpture. It first came in an Indian Vernacular, Kannada and later in English versions, and till today, no satisfactory true version has come out! It is a very very practical way of living peacefully, happily, and successfully in the modern day huzzle buzzle of life. In a nutshell, Ashtavakra says:

   "Be calm and serene; don’t be agitated. Do not go after anything. If anything comes your way accept it gracefully, gratefully, happily and be contented. Be humble and hear your inner voice. Problems crop up when you run after something and you do not get it”.

    This holds good even to the aspects of liberation and salvation. If you just ‘keep quiet’ you will get everything, including mukti (liberation) and moksha or salvation. If you run after it, even if you take to Yoga and Meditation, you will not get it!

    The essence of this philosophy is very simple but very difficult to understand. It is so simple that ‘anything you strive for eludes you due to the fact that your desire, conscious mental effort itself becomes a hurdle; if you approach the same without the involvement of the Mind and the senses, the Self (the Pure Conscious) takes over and achieves it very easily’. There is nothing that is impossible for the Self (Pure Conscious) to achieve, for the simple reason that ‘the Self is Brahman’! But, it is also made clear here, that ‘there is nothing to go after, there is nothing to achieve, and, there is nothing to strive for, in this ‘make believe’, illusory world (Maya Prapancha)’.

. What even if a Nobel Prize is awarded and National Honours are showered on you when you feel hollow internally and do not enjoy the internal peace and happiness? These honours may bring a few US $ and scrolls of paper inscribing your name boosting your ego. Unless you surrender all this ego to Him it is a a waste. All external aggrandizement will only enhance the ego and create more problems. It is very essential to realize this ‘Sat’, the Truth! Ultimately, you may die as a person widely known all over the world but not knowing your own Self! That will be a great tragedy.

         The Reality is this. It is so very simple. Once you realize that ‘Thou art That’ there is nothing more to achieve! You are already That,“Tat Tvam Asi”. Just realize the Self in you. It is your total awareness that “the Lord dwells in you; He is the guiding force. He is the Effulgent Self that sheds light and erases your ignorance. He is Omniscient”.

         It is sheer ignorance that prevents you from realizing Him in your self, rather visualizing Him! Look inward. Watch your self, Watch your mind; observe closely the behaviour of your mind. Watch your thoughts. Be a witness or Sakshi to all your thoughts and actions. You will realize Him. It is your inferiority complex; it is your lack of confidence within you that hinders your vision of Him. Be courageous; be a ‘dhira’ and live your life, every moment of it, neither thinking of the past nor looking anxiously at the future. It is He who has created this illusory world and it is He who will take care of it. Remember He has got a Department of Proetection; have faith in Him. He is omniscient, omnipresent and sees everything and will protect you always and under all circumstances. Thus, the Mind Management Rule is: Trust Him. Surrender totally to Him and Him alone.

  You can invent the whole set of gadgets to investigate this outer world, this physical universe; but you cannot invent yourself! Invent your Self! Discover your Self! It is now more important than ever to discover your Self and invent your Self because you do not know yourself; you are lost in delusion, in the floods of ignorance and every ecientific advancement and technological progress is posing new cxhallenges and a threat to your own existence, survival.

   Some body has well said, “How wretched is the man, with honours crowned, who having not the one thing needful found, dies known to all but himself unknown”.

  Total annihilation glares at the face of our modern scientific civilization. We have no other alternative but to look to salvation in spiritual attainments!

  Noble Laureate Alexis Carrel, the author of “Man, the Unknown”, states, “The aim of civilization is the progress not of science and machinery, but of mankind”. He further said, “if men like Galileo, Newton, lavosier had devoted their intellect to the study of human body, mind and consciousness the world would have been entirely different”. He emphasized the need for the study of man in depth. Even Einstein is of the same opinion. He says “Objective knowledge provides us with powerful instruments for the achievements of certain ends in life. But the ultimate goal of life and longing to reach it, must come from another source”.

         Ultimately, the aim of life, according to the Vedas and Upanishads, is to “Know thyself”. Reknown Poet D.R.Bendre has explained what is meant by ‘Get into thy-self’; it is ‘Be thyself’ or ‘know thy-self’. He says, “When we try to understand our true nature by means of proper thought, technique, inquiry, and experience we get immersed in the depths of our beings. Then we have a glimpse of the profound light latent within ourselves. We realize that this light is not a figment of our imagination but a matter of profound truth”.

      The modern day life has become simply unbearable. Increasing madness, ego, frustration, challenges and competition, standing on nerves, jealousy, cut-thorat competition, greed, avarice and what not!

          About the increasing mental ailments and the present day modern man’s predicaments, C.G.Jung has warned Thus:

        “Psychoneurosis must be understood as the suffering of a human being who has not discovered what life means to him” In the same context,

T.M.Thomas, in his ‘Images of Man’, has opined thus:

       “The twentieth century neurosis is the neurosis of purposelessness, meaninglessness, valuelessness, hollowness and emptiness”.

        What a great fall from ‘Grace of the Lord”! Thus, it is high time we take note of the trend of the present-day developments and take all precautions to avoid the unavoidable, self-annihilation.

   “Utthishtato (Arise) Jagrata (Awake)! ‘A clarion call of the Vedas.’

    The basic message of the Vedas is “Be Open”. Do not cling to the past. Do not close the door. Keep it open and wait for the unknown to happen. And, whwnever it happens do not try to make it known. Whatsoever happens throw it away and be ready again. Something new will happen again. The Brahman remains unknown eternally. “Indeed, he attains immortality who realizes it in and through pulsationof knowledge and awareness. No Knowledge is ultimate. It is just a vibration, a pulsation”.

   Do not make any vibration the ultimate. In deep meditation you will come to feel a great silence. This is just a pulsation. Whatever happens, Brahman is always more. Do not identify any happening with Brahman; otherwise you will stop. Let every wave be wave; wait for the ocean.

   Many people have reached deep ecstasy and they stop because then they say, “This is the Brahman. The ultimate has been reached”. Remember, it is never achieved. It is simply achievable; never rachieved; approachable but never approached. The beautiful journey remains

   Be Aware! "Utthishtato Jagrata!"  This is the clarion call of the Vedas and the Upanishads. It is now more relevant than ever before.