The universe known to
us as the ‘solar system’ in the galaxy of ‘Milky Way’ (Ksheer-path) is almost 4.56 Billion years and may last about
another 8.44 Billion years. The earth as a planet formed out of the solar
flares, solar matter ejected from the outer surface of the Sun consisting of
Helium formed out of the mass of Hydrogen that is constantly under high
temperature, pressure, fission and fusion. The earth is said to have formed
about 0.30 million years after the Sun is formed as a Star and has taken
considerably long time to cool, condense, precipitate and form the present
earth’s surface full of Oceans (79%) and land masses (21%) with mountains,
valleys, forests grasslands and deserts.
Life appeared over time in the form of algae,
fish, plants, birds, animals- reptiles, mammals, primates, and the humans. It
is interesting to narrate how life appeared on the earth and more mysterious it
is to narrate the birth of man. It is a journey
of the soul, an interesting adventure.
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 Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, or Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking, or just a cat or a dog.
Nothing prevents the jiva from taking repeated births with new 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
practiced 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
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