Embodiment of the Soul

    Let’s remember the fact that the jiva that takes an elemental body may appear in any form anywhere on this earth. Further, the jiva taking repeated births may appear in its next life in any form, anywhere without any restriction, whatsoever. It may continue to work to fulfill its desires in the subsequent births, too. Hence, Varaha Mihira may be reborn as Galileo, who in turn, may be reborn as Tyco Brahe, Johannes Keple r,and Isaac Newton, or Stephen Hawking or just a cat or a dog. Nothing prevents the jiva from taking repeated births with new names and forms. Bhaskara may be reborn as Columbus, Magellan, or Vasco da Gama, provided his desire is to physically go round the earth and see for himself the nature of this world which he could not do in the previous birth! What prevents anybody from taking birth anywhere is a matter of its (jiva’s) desire and attachments, vasanas, only, and nothing else. The Jiva may move freely since it has no bodily restrictions. Hence, all our understandings are based on sheer ignorance of the reality of existence. Ultimately, neither there is birth nor death, but transformations of matter and spirit! 

     Thus, there is need for rethinking on all these divisions and distinctions of lands, peoples, their languages, cultures, and traditions. The reality is that nothing is real here. Everything is just the nature of the Mind to divide and disintegrate, dissect and differentiate. This is not the true nature of the jiva. The jiva is in the grip of the fickle mind and its ego rules it. If the buddhi takes over and rules the mind with the help of prajnya, the jiva will be in a position to enjoy its duration of earthly stay and make way for a return journey at the earliest. But, how to get back is the problem.

  The embodied soul, once assuming an elemental body is destined to stay here. This is the understanding of Sri Madhvacharya that prompted him to state that “there is no salvation to the earth-bound jiva” and it can never utter the word ‘aham brahmasmi’. But, there is nothing wrong in the mahat vakya, the ultimate principle. Whether a student passes the examination with a 100% score or not, the goal is already set. It is left to the jiva to attain to the state of perfection. Sri Madhvacharya probably had in his mind only the fishermen of Udupi and Malpe. But, did he not visit Sringeri nearby and take the darshan of the Divine Mother Shree Sharadamba seated on Shree Chakra or even Sudarshana for that matter. The Divine Mother Sharadamba at Sringeri near Udupi blessed a number of devotees with profound knowledge and salvation, liberation, but do the Vaishnavaites turn a blind eye and deaf year to all these?

   It is quite strange that the disciples of Sri Madhvacharya never utter a word about these fundamental instruments of creation and liberation. Sharada-Chatushtiya or Shree Chakra, inner sacrifice (antar-yajnya) or Transcendental Meditation (atindriya dhyana) are not practised by those who loudly profess so much of devotion, Bhakti. Actually, it is said that Bhakti and Jnyana as anyonya had two off-springs by name Viveka and Vairagya. When Jnyan deserted Bhakti due to its ego and intolerable behaviour adhering to ritualism and sensuousness, the kids- Viveka and Vairagya also left. This is the sad predicament of the jiva, too.

  There is nothing superior to Knowledge- “nahin jnyanena sadrusham” is the fundamental doctrine enunciated by Lord Shree Krishna in the Gitopadesha. The Bhagavad-Gita advocates samyak-prajnya, ‘unity consciousness’, and showers the elixir of oneness- advaitamruta varshini! However, the jiva suffers from avidya, a cover of nascence, and dwells in dualities due to ignorance of its true nature. Thus, there is no end to ignorance of the jiva. Those who stick to a particular philosophy, siddhanta, will get stuck at that level and will not move to higher levels of consciousness during their life. Hence Krishna advises Arjuna to:

   ‘Transcend all limitations, acquired qualities- gunas, and surrender to ME. He says, sarva dharman parityajya maamekam sharanam vraja | “Worship Me only, adore Me, I shall take care of you (yogakshemam vahamyaham | give you what you want and protect what you have, do not worry (maa shucha |)”. Let there be no doubt about it”.

  The soul or Atman, a stellar particle that was pristine pure with atomic weight of less than that of Hydrogen, got embodied, and it is now so embedded in the mire of earthly existence that it has become too gross and heavy to rise above the earth’s surface, let alone exit the earth’s dense atmosphere after leaving the gross body in death. The forces that bind the soul to the jiva are very subtle like desire, attachment, anger, ego, and instincts, etc. If it has to gain escape velocity it should become so pure and pristine as it was before; its arrival here as energy, spirit, an electrical spark, a photon, is now gross matter. Atman or soul is just not only energy, but the knower of energy, the source of consciousness, and bliss. It is sat, chit and ananda. It is power and has creative energy, knowledge, technology, information, and ability to transform one into another in multitudes of varieties and functions.

  There are a number of scriptures that give us some rough idea about the origin of the universe, its true nature, and the fate of this world at the end, delusion or mahapralaya. The nature of our existence on this earth or terrestrial base and the way the human life has developed over the ages on this planet is quite an interesting study. The Bhagavad-Gita, too, gives us some details as revealed by Bhagavan Shree Krishna and the same has been repeated by many commentators. As stated by some saints and sages, “this universe is not real; it is a transient one and all that appear here are under the grip of maya, meaning, time, space, and causality and thereby subject to decay and death. However, the human form evolved over time is a rare gift of God and it has a definite purpose”. But, people do not understand such statements. Not all people are happy and successful here. It is still a wonder why some people seem to enjoy life while most of the people suffer from hunger, poverty, and misery. There is no well laid path to success and happiness. But, still people stick on to some principle and eke out a living, hoping that one day it would be all joyful. But, that day will never come! The whole life turns out to be an endless struggle for existence. Nothing gives us everlasting joy, peace, or happiness. Disgusted with this, some people become depressed and commit suicide; and, to end life in frustration and depression is as sinful as living in ignorance.

    It has been repeatedly said by some saints that ‘this human form is a rare gift of God and it has a definite purpose’. However, people do not understand such statements. Not all people are happy and successful here. It is still a wonder why some people seem to enjoy life while most of the people suffer from hunger, poverty and misery. There is no well laid path to success and happiness. But, still people stick on to some principle and eke out a living, hoping that one day it would be all joyful. But, that day will never come. The whole life turns out to be an endless struggle for existence. Nothing gives us everlasting joy, peace, or happiness. Disgusted with this, some people become depressed and commit suicide; and, to end life in frustration and depression is as sinful as living in ignorance.

    There comes in the life of every jiva a time when it is shaken out of its slumber, the land under its feet sinks, and it is left shattered to pieces, or made to stand stark naked in the middle of the street, or completely wrecked like what has just happened in the worst floods of Jammu and Kashmir recently. This is the turning point when it, the jiva, turns to the supreme Lord almighty for help and begs for redemption, mukti, or moksha. Many people commit suicide on the face of disappointments, loss, trouble and turmoil, incurable diseases and suffering pain, or seek the guidance of a teacher. Even the rich and powerful, prosperous people are free from depression! This is the time when the jiva seeks liberation from the shackles of repeated births and deaths. May be nobody thinks of God unless he is put in the crucible of fire of life.

   Some people admit that they have made a mess of their life. This means, they know they have committed mistakes, knowingly or unknowingly. Whatever the reason, there is always some problem and the solution has to be found out. These problems are of one’s own making and solution lies within his domain. The solution cannot lie outside. But, some people think that these human problems have persisted since the days of Adam and Eve. Every jiva is linked to every other and its environs. The very Adam with Eve (of two extreme principles of Male and Female- the Fire and Water principles, Agni and Jal tattvas) in the Garden of Eden by itself a problem without solution! We forget the fact that God had forewarned Adam not to ask for a company; he cautioned Adam even before granting his wish and asked him to rethink about his request for company (of Eve). But, alas, Adam insisted in having one, whatever the consequences. In fact, Adam went back to the Lord and returned the gift (Eve) twice, only to beg and get her back again. The result is here to see!

    Some great thinkers quote scriptures and speak of lofty principles such as dharma, moksha, etc. They say, life is worth living only when a certain path of dharma is followed and certain rules and regulations are strictly followed. They suggest certain path of salvation and advise us to follow rituals. But, there are so many paths here that no one knows for sure which one is the right one, or the best. It is only the daring, who are willing to take risk, ready to tread the unknown, break the tradition and willing to take a new path, face adverse conditions and serious consequences or even failure, take a new untrodden path and leave a trail that are sure to be amply rewarded at the end with rare gifts such as peace, unbounded joyfulness (mahat-anand), supreme bliss, Liberation (mukti) from further embodiment, and immortality. ‘Free will’ is given to all so that they can choose path suitable to them. There are as many paths as there are seekers.