Salvation

    By the way, what is salvation, bandha muktata? If one is in bondage, there is need for liberation. "Born free, man is everywhere in bondage", says, Hobbes, a Social Thinker. Born free is literally a myth? The cutting of the umbilical chord  will not free the person, rather it creates eternal  bondage with the mother, father, siblings, and the kith and kin. But, all these are our own mental or emotional attachment and, not true. So one can always think "the jiva is always free unless it willfully creates a relationship, a bondage?"  The wold is our own creation.
   Hence, salvation, mukti or moksha make no sense for a majority of us. after all, what is moksha? We have heard of the story of Gajendra moksha. Did Gajaraja get moksha? Moksha is just release from the Crocodile for that immediate situation? What next? We, the humans, also want instant release from our problems. Do we know, at least, who created the problems? All pour problems are stated to be self-made. We are prompted by desires and we make resolve to take action to fulfill our desires. This very resolve makes us face the consequences?? Even if we do not act, the very thoughts are enough, the learned ones say! In fact, Bhagavan Shree Krishna says, "Those who do not desire, resolve are dear to Me". The Buddha also said, "Desire is root cause of all sorrow".
Ashasha paramam duhkham nirasha paramam sukham |.  

   Is it possible to avoid desire? Will there be any interest in life if there is no desire followed by consequent action? The answer is 'yes' according to the learned sages. It is said that one can live without any problem in the association of the great saints and sages who have desisted all desires. But, who wants such a destitute's life?  "A bird in hand is worth two in the bush" is the attitude of all humans. So, we all desire, resolve, and act according to our karma? karmanusarena buddhih |
   But again, this karma, initially, is not of the jiva. It is the desire of Shiva, Shivechhe or Shree Hari ichha. The Lord Willed! The universe is the manifest forms of brahmn. Everything is brahmn, sarvam khaluvidam brahmaa | It is like the pots, cups, and plates made of clay where we do not see the clay, but see only the designs of the pots, cups, and plates, or the Gold ornaments like the chain and ring in which we see only the design and, not the metal?  The embodied jiva is a complex system of organs or accessories and, all these accessories are always liable to get separated or damaged. Hence, discard all that is the accessory and what remains is the 'sat', the "Immutable brahmn."  This knowledge of the 'sat' is what brings true liberation, 'moksha' of the jiva. Thus, the  jiva realizes that "it(jiva) is brhmn only" and not the accessories! 

Before One leaves the Body

    The question of Death and after may bother some. There area number of scriptures that deal with this aspect of death. A detailed conversation between Nachiketas and the Deity of Death Yama in Kathopanishad gives some answer to the question of death. The Bhagavad-Gita also explains how a jiva leaves its body and the Atman leaves the terrestrial abode. It is certain that almost all jivas with unfulfilled desires will come back to run another cycle and, many jivas have no liberation, mukti or moksha. There are many accounts of the jiva suffering due to its karma.

   The three troubling forces (tapatraya) are: 1. Nature (prakruti); 2. Other jivas; and 3. the acts of commissions and omissions committed by oneself. Our births and deaths are the result of these three. prakruti ashthada is described in the Gita and we are embodied with these elements. The Gita also explains how vata, pittha, and kafa cause death. It is the three Gunas that control our life. One has to live a balanced life and yoga teaches how.

    As regards, the jiva approaching death, there are instancesof premonition and one can know well in advance.  One of my friends related how his uncle came from Mumbai to Dharwad and complained of some uncomfortable feeling. He wanted to go to  hospital where his friend was a doctor and, on the way explained all the details of his Bank accounts, family problems, and finally walked to the OT on a table by himself. Just when the doctor entered, he bade good bye saying, "Bye bye Doctor, you are late!"  In another case, a person taken to hospital said that "She would not return"! It seems the jiva will recollect everything and shed tears before the end comes.

   There are a number of "Near Death Experiences (NDE). So also, there are many accounts of premonitions, dreams where one sees rice balls and white cloth, Dark images, etc. Interpretation of Dreams is a science by itself in Psychology.

  However, what is important is that the Atman (soul) only takes a sthula shareera (gross body) and undergoes the troubles and turmoils, But these troubles are not of the Atman, but the embodied state of the jiva. It is the physical body that suffers and not the soul since the soul is only a battery that runs the affairs of the jiva. The Jiva is always at the mercy of the nature while the Atman is always free. The Atman projects or manifests as the physical body with mind, intellect and the ego. Thus, the jiva should be intelligent enough to know the trick played by the embodiment.  The jiva with its accessories such as the ten indriyas (senses and limbs) should strive to understand the true nature and get rid of the body as early as possible! Even if the jiva is enjoying its life, it is only a transitory state and its true state is one of neither joy nor sorrow. It is the svabhava of the indriya and not true! Ashtavakra to King Janaka, Dattreya to Avadhuta, Sage Vahsishtha to Ramachandra, and Varha deva to Sage Agastya explain the true nature of our existence. 

    As an embodied soul, the life of a jiva (living being) is illusory, coming within the grip of kaal (Time), desha (space) and karya-karana (causality). Bhagavan Shree Krishna Says, "kaalo'smi..." I have come to devour all that I have created!

   The Atman (Soul)is an ion, like a photon. It is lighter than the Hydrogen. It enters the cloud, aindrop, soil and food to enter the male as a sperm and get into the womb of a female to come out acquiring the form of the like-of the parents! So it is independent moving in and out. However, it acquires weight,and the Sp. Gravity will not allow it to rise out of the body and get back to its pure state. It suffers repeated births and deaths due to its 'ajnyan', avidya, ignorance. Once it comes to know its true nature the jiva takes to yoga and discards all that it has acquired and gets out of the body after death and gets back to its primordial, pure, unblemished state of 'Energy'. Prana is everywhere as life-force and can enter any organic body and enliven itself as a jiva. This is the principle. Any jiva is just a bundle of cells and chemical bonds. The H+C+O combine makes the life- hydrocarbons and the carbohydrates dictate the jivas here, of course with other elements in small proportions. An impregnated cell with amino acids, vitamins, enzymes, genes, hormones chromosomes, DNA and RNA, possessing Knowledge,Intelligence, Technology and Knowledge About Transformation (KITKAT) makes a jiva vibrate and make us believe the drama of life as real. Nothing is real here and everything is an image, an illusion, a passing phase of vibrant energy. Any Doubt? See 'Atmabodha' and 'Viveka chudamani' of Shankara. Study the scriptures and try to get liberated from repeated embodiment? 

The Transient and the Intransient

   All that exists here on earth come within the grip of Time, Space, and causation, and as such, these are transient, temporary. If a plat or a earthen pot is visible and one can touch and feel their existence, it does not mean they are real. One has to go to their primordial state, the earlier states such as the seed, water, soil, heat and the potency of the seed to sprout that are not immediately visible in the case of the plant, as also, the potter and the clay in the case of the latter. So also the humans that exist for a short span of a hundred or odd years undergo change from birth to death. We do not know how we enter this earth and take a form, despite the fact that the scriptures like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita explains in great detail as to how jive arrives here and suffers due to ignorance of its true self. We are limited in all our senses, buddhi and exhibit our ego foolishly all the time. Once the jiva realizes the true nature of the self, gets 'Atma-jnyan', its predicament ends. But this 'Self-Realization' will not come easily. One has to pray ardently and get a Redeemer, a Guru.
   What the jiva does not understand is that the Atman is the Intransient, where as, the physical body it has constructed for itself is transient, ever-changing. The physical body is made of or the Atman is covered with the pancha koshas (anna, prana,manas, jnyana and ananda, tama, raja, sattva and the ari shadvargas, such as, moha, lobha, mada, matsrya, irshya, krodha, etc.) and the acquired karma phala in course of time. Thus, the jiva suffers because of the avidya, i.e., the vidya covered by moha, mada, krodha, matsarya, etc. The acquired qualities have to be discarded in order to realize the 'Intransient Atman'. This is exemplified in the Gita- Atmanyavatmanotishtha tasya prajnya pratishthita One has to attain an equanimous state of mind, All that is external, such as, the Sense objects, sensuous thoughts, and dealing with wicked persons or persons of worldly interests shall have to be dropped in order to turn inward and realize the Self. Thus the jiva is redeemed, rather, emancipation takes place.  

Sage Wisdom

   We, in India, are fortunate in having a large number of scriptures that guide us as to the nature of our existence as the humans and the way we should live to fulfill our desires, as also, attain mukti moksha. Unfortunately, most of these Texts are not yet published as in the case of  250 Agama shastra samhitas or all the Upanishads. We spend twenty or more years to get a University Degree in a specialized subject and take up some avocation. But we will not spend even a few hours to understand even one sentence of a spiritual text. We want redemption by just hearing a lecture or running behind a spiritual teacher who later turns out a fraud. There are flying 5 Star swamis and some self-styled Gods, These Swamis (some in jail) have brought bad name to the very word 'spiritual' and the seekers are in a fix to believe or not.

    It is certainly not the business of any X or Y to convince you to take to spiritual pursuits. When the jiva is mature enough to understand the world by its experience, it will automatically turn to the spiritual path. The entire human population of about 830 Crores is at different levels of development. Hardly a small percent of less than 1 per cent is mature enough and qualified to enter the spiritual domain. Most of the people in many parts of the world are still in animal state (promoted to human form) and they have to move up the ladder of evolution. One can reach the highest state of the 'brahmn' or that of the Sages and Saints in one's life time (when mature enough to discern and discriminate material and the spiritual). Nearly 10 to 20 percent of the world population are on the spiritual path.

    The sage wisdom is very simple: "Live well, enjoy life. When the life seems meaningless, come to the Ashram, seek the guidance of a spiritual soul". Unless one sheds off all that has been acquired since birth, such as, the three gunas (raja,sat, and tamas), all svabhavas such as moha, lobha, krodha, irshya, mada, matsarya, etc. and also excessive indulgences in the sensuous world, it is difficult to take to spiritual path. 

    One should know the difference between the concept of 'Becoming' and 'Being'. 'Being' is the natural state. Just Be That. Know the principle of 'tattvamasi'. 

    The learned sages say, "You are already a pure soul and there is no need to strive for anything. Just realize the sat chit ananda svarupa of your soul and be that".
 Interested readers may buy pocket books on the Upanishads pub.by Ramakrishna Ashram.
   The published works are available from specialist book sellers who deal in Spiritual Texts and they include: Kashmir Shaivism- Karikas, Pratyabhijnya Hridayam, Shiva Sutras, Atma Bodha, Viveka Chudamani of Shankaracharya; Lakshmi Tantra, Ahribudhnya Samhita; A History of Indian Philosophy By Satyendranath Dasgupta, MLBD 5 Vols give details of all the works in a nutshell. etc.
    Ashtavakra Samhita or the Ashtavakra Gita, Vashishtha Gita, Avadhuta Gita and the one of Gadi Rakva (Raikva, the Cartman explaining the philosophical doctrines are the most important impotantones that make us think about the reality of our existence. All above 70 must read these.

The Emobodied Jiva's Predicament

   This phenomenal objective world is a mysterious creation. There is no clue whatsoever as to how and why this is created. However, there are any number of agama shastra samhitas, Vedic Texts, Upanishad that hold the secrets. The Bhagavad-Gita explains everything about Creation in simple clear statements. But our problem is one of lack of sincere interest to know and understand, We go on asking others as if they know and answer all our problems, particularly when these are our own creations.  

   Let's be clear as to this mysterious creation. Everything is just chemical bonds and energy in its multifarious manifestations. We have seen how some sort of life like the earth worms appear during the rainy season. Life appears if some water and soil are found suitable, may it be insects, worms or snails and the like. Higher forms are just modifications suitable to environment. Here the fundamental principle is one of manifestation. The Scriptures state that everything is 'brahman'. sarvam kahaluvidam brahma | Literally brahman is the absolute state, and it is one of subtle, invisible or, rather, dynamic state in suspended animation state. The Atman, the core of the substance, the Soul or the 'Self' is one such vibrant energy particle that is animated under a suitable condition, that's all| Once the embodiment takes place it is the body that experiences all the dualities, not the Atman, the soul. One who knows this rests in peace. He who knows the truth is happy and joyful at all times.  This is what is stated in sthitaprajnya ka bhasha samdhistasya keshava | in the Gita.

Spiritual Journey

  It is very difficult to understand how and why the jiva looks for emancipation. The daily life of a child, adolescent, youth, a middle aged, or an old man for that matter, is always to go out in the morning and return home for rest in the evening. A person opens the door in the morning and closes it at night before going to bed. This is our common understanding. All the life of the jiva is oriented to some learning to eke out a living and look for entertainment between work and rest. This routine is common. When the jiva finds it futile to struggle for existence it looks for redemption and looks for some guidance. A guru comes to help only when the jiva ardently cries for one. Since God cannot personally come, He sends a person to help the jiva. The Guru is just a means and not an end! In fact, the guru serves as a yajnya kunda, a burning pot, where the jiva sheds all its karma klesha and becomes pure. 
     

Dilemmas of the Spiritual Aspirants

The spiritual aspirants suddenly find themselves in a fix. Often they fail to decide which way to go after going half way. This is due to the strong pull of the worldly sensuous life and the physical comforts they offer on the one hand, and the lack of assured success in the other-worldly (paramarthic). The jiva is accustomed to the daily routines and feels comfortable in the company of family, friends and relatives. But little does the jiva know that these are transitional and do not offer any permanent joy or happiness. The jive does not understand the secret that any external support is bound to be disappointing in the long run. One can never depend on the external worldly objects for one's happiness.  Most of the jivas find it futile to spend  time and resources on others or depend on others for nothing is certain in this world. Ultimately, this disappointment will call for a solution to madness of seeking joy and happiness in an ever-changing world of objects- men and materials. History is fill of stories of great people who find the worldly pursuits highly disappointing and turn to spiritual path and become saints!

   But, surprisingly, eve the saints and sages find it frustrating at the end. They feel lonely. they do not know what is it that search for and understand what is it that they get! They feel disappointed even if they get what the wanted since they do not have any idea of what they were searching for. This is simply due to the fact the object of attainment is not something other than the self! The real attainment is that which brings eternal happiness, immortality and joy forever and that is absolute silence within as well as without!