Four Steps to 'Kaivalya'

 When we enter a temple, we have to cross seven doors before reaching the sanctum sanctorum. So also, there are seven floors in the Gopuram of the temple at the entrance. These are indicative of the steps one has to take to attain to freedom from bondage- kaivalya, muki, moksha or the param padam. When we stop indulging in the worldly affairs that look like the annual fair, jatra, Car festival of rejoice before entering the precincts of the Deity in a temple city, we tune ourselves to a spiritual or divine mode, There are four steps to reach the inner santum sanctorum from the busy streets of the temple. These are first reaching the temple town and go to the temple street. Reaching the temple is like salokya, the realm of the temple zone. Next is sannidhya, reaching the temple. The third realm is that of going near the Lord or Devi, that is sameepya. Finally we reach inner garbha gruha, the kaivalya dhama, and stand in the presence of the Deity. This is sayujya. We feel a sense of satisfaction, spiritual attainment. This by itself a kaivalya.  

'Kaivalya' is said to be the final atainment to the 'Highest', the 'Supreme'. There is nothing beyond this. However, it is not clear as to what is this 'Highest Attainment'. Is this just accumulation of wealth, gaining applauds, power, name and fame? Or,just attaining peace and joy without external support? Probably, it is quite satisfying if one attains peace and joy while living now and here, not after death. We hear people say RIP, Let him/her soul rest in peace! If one is not peaceful while living, how can there be peace after death? Whether one likes it or not, this so called Soul, Atman is not something to rest! It is a dynamic Reactor that is generating an powerful unending 'Energy' without any supply of fuel from outside. But, 'Life is not one of bed of roses all the way'. There are thorns in the rose stick.

  Born as living beings, struggling to fulfill the daily needsof hunger, thirst, and greed, there can never be peace and joy, all the time. Joy and peace become a mirage in a life full of needs, never ending desire, and much worse, each sense organ (there are ten of them), craving for (tens of thousands) gratifications. The tendency of these sense organs is always to look out for their fulfillment. They feel disgusted when they fail to get what they want. The sense organs are ignorant. They cannot think on their own. They all depend on the whimsical Mind (manas) which is not Intelligent and discriminatory by itself. Unless the Mind is guided by the discriminative intelligence, buddhi, it is difficult to have peace and joy.

 The Mind is the culprit. This unintelligent, rather foolish, whimsical, ignorant, mind is the cause of all misery. It is impossible to control and guide the five sense organs (jnyanendriya) which are always out-going. Only a stern master who has determination and mastery in the techniques of Mind-Control can fix it! There is mano laya yoga, mano nasha technique. It is so simple, but difficult to practice. The technique of mind ontrol is simple; just observe the childish Mind it keeps quiet! It is just like a stern look at the pet dog that is wagging its tail all the time. Just give a stern look, it stops wagging its tail! 

 The yogic practice of just observing the mischievous mind, uncontrolled and misguided, due to ignorance, calls for a rigid practice of yoga, samyama. First, one should realize the illusory nature of this sensuous world and, then discard passion and love for pleasure of the senses. Renunciation, Sage Vasishtha imparts laya yoga to Sri Ramachandra. He advices Sri Ramachandra to be impassionate, avoid any indulgences, and be equanimous.   

  On should know that life is an endless journey, getting in and out at every station. Birth and death is the shackle, a chain; however, there are some weak links that can get us released! One should find such weak links and cut it and get out of bondage. The conquest of the senses through techniques of 'Mind Control' is the cutting player that can easily cut the chain. So, meditate on brahmn. Meditation is the only cure for the distressed minds.

 Thus, one can gain happiness, joy and peace, here while living, and that is kaivalya. Kaivalya is not something to attain going somewhere (in the Himalayas) and, not even very difficult to attain! 

 The principle is "Just Keep Quiet (JKQ)".  This will help win the mad mad race. So I J K Q.

'LIFE'

  'What is Life?' Everyday we talk about life. Life is prana shakti (Life-force). It is chaitanya, Consciousness, prajnya and a creative energy. It enables movement, growth, and reproduction. It is a divine force, daivi shakti. It is He, the Lord, Who Creates and Enters into it as 'Prana', Life-Force. However, it is also true that He is everywhere, even in inorganic matter, since there is nothing called void, or vacuum. Everything is filled with Him. "He created and entered into it"-  'tad srushtva tat eva anuprvishat' is the doctrine. In fact, "He only Exists, and nothing besides Him". He, the Lord, has entered into all that exists- living and non-living! He entered into creatures and is seated in their heart! In this sense of the term, "all creatures are divine"! One must realize this divinity and respect all.

  It is interesting to note how our lives are shaped over a period of time from birth to death. Much of our traits, conduct, behavior, depends on many a intricate factors. Some are carry-over of the past lives as prarabhda karma. Some are earned over time in this life, sanchita. These also create one for the next life as agami. One must be careful and eradicate all that accumulates over time as sanchita karma and be flawless, pure, and try to attain the divine state. This requires an attained person as a good guide, teacher. It is hard to find one in our midst since we are all suffering from basic problems of hunger, thirst, eager to enjoy sensuous life in a material world with the help of the sense organs which are prone to out-going in search of endless desires and dreams! Hence one should look for a renunciate, a selfless teacher, and serve him in order to please him and get his blessings. Such a renunciate one is hard to find since he is not interested in worldly pursuits. He mostly lives alone in the forest, a secluded place like a hill-top! We must give up our indulgences in the worldly life and look for such a guruji.

 What governs our lves? A number of important factors, some unknown and some intricate ones, govern our lives.  This is very important since an understanding of this will help attain to the highest. important.  In the first place, we all carry a heavy baggage brought from the accumulated karma of past several lives. Second, we go on accumulating karmaphala much more in this life and get entangled. Thus, there accumulates a balance to our credit and, we need to clear all these bank accounts of credits and debits, first. This life is one of a Bank and the account starts with a, opening balance of credit as soon as we are born. We come with an Opening Balance and die with a Closing Balance! If we have loan or Term Deposit Account to our credit, we have to attend to the call of the Bank. One cannot be free unless all accounts are closed, once and for all. In fact, we must be free from all credit and debit accounts of our lives, past and present, in order to get rid of this bondage. We should clear all our past dues in this life, but it is very difficult to do this since we do not know what is carried over from the past life and what is there at present in our account! But, it is sure that we suffer or enjoy due to this! Moreover, we go on accumulating credits and debits to our account, year after year. Thus, the prarabhda should be taken care of first. Next, we should be careful not to accumulate any in the present life.

  Our lives are governed by many unknown factors. Hence we must pray Lord Almighty to enlighten us as to why we are born on this transient death-knell, mrutyu loka, taking repeated births and deaths as results of  actions, karma phala. We are lucky if we come with the Good Will , blessings of elders and parents, teachers, and divine grace. It is very important that one should be lucky, since luck plays a large part of life in addition to divine grace, bhagavad anugraha.

  Let's pray Lord Almighty to get His blessings to attain mukti, moksha, freedom and liberty so as not to take birth again here on this earth. We must always remember that we are brilliant shining stars at our heart and soul, but it is covered by a thick stain of desire, greed, and ignorance. Once we take birth here, it is karma phala that dictate our fate and cause rebirths and death! "Samsare bahu duhkha sare, paahi Murare, krupaya sare, Govindam bahaja Govindam. Also, they said, "punarapi jananam, punarapi maranam, punarapi shayane janani jatharam, Govindam bhaja Govindam, Govindam bhaja moodhamate!" said the Learned ones.

  We must always pray the Lord for His divya anugraha, divine grace.  

"Am I Real"?

 It's all about existence, that seems to be real, but not so in reality. Do I, as a mortal, really exist? This question may seem, at the outset absurd, a silly question. But the wise ones, jnyanis, ask us to think. They say, 'Self inquiry', Atma Chintan, is necessary for everyone. Having born in human form with capacity to think, self inquiry, is necessary. In fact, this self inquiry will lead to 'Realization of the Self, (Atma sakshatkara). The goal of life is said to be ' Self Realization'.  This is said to be 'mukti', 'moksha'.  When a person realizes the transitional, transcendental, or  an ever-changing nature of this world, it becomes clear how everything here is subject to change with time. Time rules the roost. Time erases, devours, eats everything! 'Kaalo'smi', "I Am kaal", says the Lord. He asserts  'I create, sustain, and devour everything'! Thus, whatever is subject to change, not permanent, and whatever is limited and bound by Time is illusory, not real. Whatever is transitional, transient, subject to uncertainties, is unreal. It may be a just imagination, a fiction, of momentary importnce. Hence its is untruth (asat).   In this sense of argumnt, everything on this earth, including the living beings are just a passing show, a leela of the Lord! Giving too much importance to either words of promise or even relations that appear thick and fast, may not last long. The so called blood relations are not realtions unless they relate to each other! We often rejoice that we have become some one, say a maternal or paternal uncle when  child is born to ones sister or brother, even though living thousands of miles/KM away! 

  Thus, any over-indulgences, emotional attachments may lead to disappointments, unhappiness and misery.