Decline in Consciousness

    At the end of the Mahabharatha War, Uddhava, a close friend and charioteer of Shree Krishna meets Bhagavan and chides Him saying, "What is this happening? There is no sign of end of unrighteousness, adharma, and you say my job is over and am leaving?" In reply, the Blessed Lord says, "My job is over since these Yadavas are killing themselves and they are afflicted with the curse of Brahmins!" The question of decline in Consciousness is also one of the question of righteousness, dharma. Both dharma and prajnya work together in unison.The decline in consciousness started with the greed of Kauravas, symbolic of a hundreds of vices in humans. The decline in consciousness or decline of dharma started almost 3500 years ago! It is showing its results now. Drunkards, criminals have come to power and there is no control over law and order and consequently there is a sense of anarchy. There is no peace in society. People behave senselessly. Population growth has added to the misery. All these are due to decline in Consciousness level in human society. It should be noted that if there is a decline in consciousness, it can also be enhanced by taking recourse to yoga, proper education and inculcating discipline in youngsters! 
   There are descriptions of ascendance and descend of Consciousness and methods of attaining higher and higher levels before one discards the carnal body. I is one. Kundalini yoga is another. Dhyana, tapa, and samadhi is yet another, and all these help one to rise his/her level of perceptions about the world and the Self. However, it is essential to undertake yogic practices under an able teacher, yogacharya. Shree Krishna comes as yogacharya in the Bhagavad-Gita and teaches how to take to yogabhyasa. However, the question remains, "What is Consciousness and what are the different levels of Consciousness"?

    Consciousness is one's ability to perceive, become aware, experience the reality. But this faculty is not fully developed in the humans, as yet! At present, the ability to perceive is limited to the sensuous world, the world of senses, hunger, thirst, and rest and recoupment. The entire life is spent in fulfilling the basic needs, hunger and there is no end to desires of the senses! The consciousness is thus limited to be aware of these basic requirements and fulfill them. The yoga takes us to higher and higher levels- beyond the hunger and thirst or food and water, in jagrata, and svapna and sushupti. The fourth is the turiya where the first three are dropped! The fourth is the transcendental meditative state. The fifth one leads to the state of deep meditation leading to savikalpa and nirvikalpa samadhi. The final stat is the brahmn, at sahasrar level, the highest level, the pure Consciousness where total awareness of one's self only exists!

  Now, the present level of consciousness among the people of the world seems to be deplorable! The world is undergoing a total transformation. The ancient civilizations are forgotten. The world is witnessing large scale refugee population migrating from their homeland to avoid persecution.There is an undercurrent of hatred, ill-will, and strife and there is no sign of love, compassion, sympathy from the ruling class! Selfishness, greed, and craving for power are dominant. With the result, the people suffer at the hands of the ruthless rulers. The decline in levels of human consciousness is evident from the petty wars and inner conflicts. Any conscious person would try to help the downtrodden, less fortunate people. But, the world is witnessing a very different kind of warfare- one of economic nature. Poorer nations are to lose in this economic warfare.