Ashtavakar Samhita (Contd.)

   Ashtavakra continues, A person who contemplates on the Self, the Atman, the core of the substance will soon realize that, "All that one sees is the gross and has manifest from a subtler and subtler force". This makes him go deep into one's own self and realize that he is not the physical body, not the mind, or buddhi, or the ahankara. He realizes that all that, one has to remove all that has covered the soul as its sheaths. When all appendages and blemishes are cleansed off the soul, the soul shines in its true light. This light is the light is self-effulgent and needs no external support. It has no pot, wick, oil or need a match as tick to light! This is the stellar matter which is sustained by the supreme Lord, parabrahman. Those who have realized this will become the same Light, the parabrahman.
  So Ashtavakra continues,"There is nothing to do here once a person realizes who he/she is!" Further, he goes on to say, "You are not this, not this, not this! Whatever you say, is not that! When all that is said and done as 'not the truth', the remaining is 'That', the truth. So find out the truth? The ultimate truth is the 'Self', the unborn, eternal, immortal.
   Sometimes it is difficult to understand what the Sage Ashtavakra says here. He suddenly asks us a pertinent question: "What is it you want? What is it you do not already have? When everything is nothing but your 'Self' only, what else is there to aspire? Why are you so perturbed? What ever you think, you desire, you strive for do not exist at all outside of you. The perceiver and the perceived are one only. there is nothing outside of you. It is your own creation!".
   Now, the realization comes only after experiencing the reality, the true nature of existence, the true nature of the objective world and the true nature of the Self. But this realization is not forthcoming at the beginning. So, one has to strive for that realization of the true nature of the fleeting, transient, and phenomenal objective world. Moreover, the concept of 'knowledge of Self' , 'the Atma jnyan', is a very delicate, subtle-most one. Moreover, it is not something, other than the self. It is one and there exists nothing besides it. concept. Hence, Sage Ashtavakra says, "know this truth and be happy". He advocates the philosophy of 'quietude, 'bhuman', the brahman. Just 'exist' in that; be the witness! There is nothing one needs to do!
    There are about twenty chapters each having a dozen or two verses. These are gems of wisdom. Since these are already available on the web sites we will not elaborate on each and every verse. We will highlight some interesting ones only in the following. It may be reiterated here that the Samskruta shloka are more impressive and effective than the transliteration or translations.

Ashtavakra-Gita

  Cultural history of Bharat is full of scriptures that lie on the borderline of mythology and ancient history, and, as such, we cannot easily understand the details depicted in them, well. However, the subject matter dealt with is very important. Here is one interesting account of Ashtavakra Gita.
  It all started with King Janaka who asks Sage Ashtavakra as to: "How to gain Knowledge?" King also asks the Sage as to how to get liberated ((moksha) and gain renunciation (vairagya). However, we do not know well, for certain, who is this Ashtavakra and the King Janaka. Janaka is a common name for all Kings here. But, the term 'ashtavakra' is a tricky one. We all have two arms, two hands, two thighs and two legs, together that make eight limbs! These became crooked because of a curse! This might have prompted to say a person of 'crooked-limbs' ('ashtavakra'); but, the term crooked or 'vakra' is not to be taken seriously here! Briefly, this word is used to address a great sage, a 'jataveda', a person who is born an 'all-knowing' person, 'jnyani', an atmajnyani, at that! What he imparted to King Janaka is an eye-opener. It makes us think about the reality of our existence in a transitory world, a world of fleeting objects!

   'Ashtavakra-Gita' is all about a the nature of a realized person. A person who has attained to his 'Self', (Atmajnyani) is happy and contented. He will not aspire for worldly things for he realizes the futility of all these objects, sensuous things, bound by limitations of time, space, and causality and their inability to satisfy the jiva and bring joy or happiness. Thus, the jnyani has realized the transient nature of this world and shows no more any interest in the objective world. 
   In the course of the study of the Ashtavakra-Gita one finds many interesting secrets, revelations! The jiva, for instance is just not an embodied soul. It is the very embodiment of jnyan! Jnyan only is manifest in all jivas, and each one of a certain level of understanding, at that? Similarly, Ashtavakra says, "What is it the jiva wants?" It has got everything. There is nothing it needs to strive for! It is the absence of knowledge that makes it groan, worry, search. It is like a  person searching frantically for a gold chain that is there on his neck! Often, we search for a specks that is already there on the nose! 
    Ashtavakra further asserts that "I am not the body, nor an embodied soul, jiva. i am the pure consciousness, 'shuddha chaitanya'. The only bondage that i created for myself is the desire to experience the jiva as an embodied pure soul. In fact, i am an ocean of consciousness, 'chit-sagara'. It is the waves, 'chittavrutti', that create an illusory phenomenal objective world.  I only am the 'truth' and all else a 'myth!.The illusory world disappears as soon as the vibration ceases! In fact I only create the world by my desire. Whatever i desire i get it. Whatever i think it happens. Whatever i see that comes into existence and whatever i remove from my mind disappears as soon as i shift my attention. This world is so fragile, that it does not exist without me!  
  It is hard to understand and much difficult to digest these sayings of the great sage Ashtavakra. But it is true! The entire Ashtavakra Gita is one of hard-hitting 'truth'. It is a revelation of the illusion, the illusory nature of the world. Those who realize the true nature of one's self, will be peaceful, happy.
(to be contd.)

Subtler and Subtler Forces

   Today, we have scientists trying to figure out the primordial forces that created and operate the universe. They have  discovered, not millions, but billions of universes and call it multiverses! It is mind-bogging to note the enormous distances between stars and galaxies and galaxies and galaxies and universes and multiverse. There is still space beyond that and there is no end to that! What is this space that accommodates the trillions of stars and galaxies? The source of all these has been traced to the Self!  

 The 'Self', the core of the substance, 'Atman' is nothing but 'chaitanya',  life-force (prana), pure consciousness (prajnya). Bhagavan Shree Krishna says, "I am the Self of all", the soul. The scientists say, there is the earliest state of matter in the form of 'Energy' (Fermions without mass and the Bosons designated as such due to Einstein-Bose Condensate with mass conveyed or manifest from the potent ions) and this potential energy is unborn, eternal, and indestructible! Bhagavan Shree Krishna Says, "I am unborn, eternal and immortal'.
   The stars in our galaxy, the 'Milky Way' or 'Akash Ganga', numbering n trillions are  large, medium, and small, radiate energy in all directions! Thus, there is a mesh of subtler energy waves in the space that govern the universe known to us. We, the humans, are a product of the energy. The subtler forces operating within the radiant waves cannot be easily deciphered. For instance, the Fermions transfer mass to Bosons without itself undergoing any change! The Bosons create Majorana Bosons, the antimatter, that start the universe! The electrons and  their counterpart positrons that manifest from the neutron are at the root of radiant energy that create matter, the phenomenal objects of all sorts. Rest all is a matter of diverse manifest forms of objective phenomenal existence in solid, liquid, gas and plasma states! Thus, what we all see is the last gross forms, not the subtler aspects! These subtler forces always exist while the gross undergo changes and disappear sooner or later, including ourselves as he humans, animals or plants!
   But, then where do the qualities emerge. The qualities of all sorts emerge from the material content of the elements that constitute the stars. The neutron stars, for that matter, collide to blast and splurge the space with elements such as gold, silver, platinum and all that we have here on earth are the ones that have consolidated from the stellar radiation! Each jiva begets the quality of the inherent elements of the stars under which it is born! Thus, every child is different and grows into separate individual personality of  its own and shines on its own, too!

What Operates Our Lives?

   When we look back how we have grown from day one to the present, little do we understand what governs our lives. We do not know the way we grow from a small child to the grown up and reach ripe old age and time flies! The sages asked us to look back, have a glimpse by peeping into your past, but it is not that easy. 'Atma avalokana', looking back at one's life, is a very tough job when we are violently pushed by the past and pulled by the future! Very rarely, we get some time to think about all these! This led to the Poet to exclaim, "If all the life is full of wares, where is the time to stand and stare?" However, a day will definitely come when we leisurely sit and look back! 

   Little do we know about the subtler and subtler forces that govern our lives. We are all enmeshed in a web of delicate invisible strong forces that are classified by the scientists as- Energy, electromagnetism, gravitational waves and atomic energy. It is this atomic energy that is the soul-power, the power of the soul. It contains all the knowledge, intelligence, technology and ability to transfer knowledge into objects of desire! This is the KITKAT of the soul. The soul, is literally the source of all knowledge. The Veda states: Atmai vedgm sarvam |, meaning, the 'Atman' knows all! 

   To back to the primordial matter, it is, in a way, the soul that is impregnated and takes a certain form of the body! It contains the entire design and the prototype is there as template. The one energetic vibrant sperm impregnated into a cell does all the trick! The soul is energy in its primordial state and it is the same for all the stars, the galaxies, the life forms and the jivas! This is what Bhagavan Shree Krishna says, "I am the self of all", The soul is the Atman, the vibrant energy, chaitanya. This is the seed and the Lord says, "I am the seed"! He, the Lord says, "I only exist and nothing exists beside Me!"

   The entire universe is a mesh of subtler forces acting and interacting with all the knowledge information and power of action! It is put in the Vedic terms as the sat, chit and ananda and translated into forms of  devi devata, each one characterized by a particular power, force, shakti. Thus we have the same subtler forces operating in our nerves and neurons, numbering 72 000, 36 thousands on each side of our body and, ten each that branches out from the main nerve, that moves out of the main knot of nerve called the 'kurma nadi', the antahkarana! It is this kurma nadi that governs our lives conveying all our knowledge of the past (karma)! It is also the main cause of our entanglements in life, such as, moha, mada, matsarya,  krodha, lobha, kamana, irshye, svartha, and a hundred others (kauravas avagunas included). But for these, the jiva is as pure as crystal Shiva! In fact, these are the blemishes of the soul, rather the upadhi, not the true self! Whatever color of the flower one puts on the crystal, that color as upadhi shines! Thus, each jiva displays the quality that it has inherited from the waves and vibrations of the distant stars, particularly the one that star which governs it, as seen in the birth chart! 

Cleanse The Trash Can

   The foundation of Indian Philosophy, Vedanta, is the unheard sound, inner voice, anahata dhwani.It is the voice of the supreme Lord, Bhagavan uvacha, as stated in the Gita. These are the sounds heard in the transcendental meditative mode of great sages, and can be heard even now, if one tries! There is no wonder! The four pillars have been added to the four corners of the foundation by great sages Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Jiddu Krishnamurti, and Mahrishi Mahesh Yogi. There are the seven towering Gopurams of Consciousness above this Temple of Life of the jiva. The jiva can rise from peak to peak, conquering one after another, as stated in the Rk Veda. However, all of us live and work at the bottom three levels of muladhara (bhu), svadhishthana (bhuvah) and manipura (svar) and find difficult to reach the anahata level (where the unheard sounds are heard!).

  Vedanta is the pinnacle with the foundation of sankhya and yoga. Puva mimamsa precedes it. There are the naiyyaya and vaisheshika in the middle. Few can master any one or two of these, but none in all these six (shad- darshana shastra) in a life time. Maharshi  Ramana stressed the need for iquiry into the nature of the Self and his oft-quoted words are nan yaar? Sri Aurobindo and Mahrishi Mahesh Yogi gave an indepth analysis of the Veda and its forty divisions! But, the most significant contribution has come from Sri Jiddu Krishnamurti, an authority on Mind, popularly known as JK. It is this inquiry into the nature of the Mind that is of utmost importance. Our liberation, redemption, mukti from repeated embodiment depends on this!

   JK asks us to observe our mind. Swami Shivananda Saraswati of Rishikesh, advises us to observe the quixotic behavior of the mind. He tells us that the turbulent mind cannot be controlled by any means, except by observation, meditation! He advises us to sit calm in a place and observe the mind, as well as, the breathing and experience the tranquility! By the term 'observe' the mind he means just see where the thoughts arise, where the images are formed and how your imagination works! But, the moment one observes the mind, it shuts up and its vibration stops! There is nothing one need to do when the vibrant mind stops vibration! An equanimous mind, a mind resting in a state of equilibrium is what all needed and that is accomplished! It is so simple as that! JK goes one stop forward. He says, the mind is a trash can, full of all memories acquired from birth, may be previous several births, too! It is almost a dead horse, and nauseating one, at that! Unless one takes steps to cleanse this trash can how can there be place for God, he asks. God occupies the mind when it is cleansed of all memories! But, how to cleanse the mind? It is better to know what is mind (manas) and where is it before the task of cleansing is taken up. Here again, Swami Shivananda helps us. He as given a treatise on Mind and how to work on it.  

    Mind is the manifest form of Space (Akasha). There is no difference between the outer space and the mind we possess; one is bahar (outer) and the other is dahar (inner). The earthen pot, the body separates the two. Akasha is also called Brahman for nobody knows its extent and depth. It contains everything! Sarvam khaluvidam brahmaa| said the sages quoting the Veda. Just as the akasha or space accommodates everything, the mind, too, accommodates everything. Everything starts and ends here. Hence, one has to study one'sown mind and know the beauty of creation. By conquering the mind, one can conquer the world! Conquering the mind is as good as cleansing the mind of all its trash. So also, controlling the mind is  giving it into the hands of prajnya, consciousness. A conscious pure mind is pure consciousness only, says Shree Krishna in the Gita. A blemished mind, full of attachment, moha, is the cause of bondage. Hence discarding all blemishes, gunas acquired from birth will render the mind clean and pure. The job is done!
  However, it is not that easy to either cleanse the mind or erase the gunas acquired at birth. These are all embedded in the soul, as upadhi, (a covering) that can be removed by a secret technique known only to a siddhi purusha, a guru, who takes interest in us, that too, only on the promptings of the Lord!
    

Pastime?

    'Pastime' or 'pass time' somehow? This is the most important issue for all those who have plenty of time and do not know what to do. Normally, people take to fine arts, yoga, or study of scriptures to spend time. The fortunate ones who have plenty of time to spare since they need not struggle for eking out a living come in this category. They are ignorant as to the true purpose of life and why the supreme Lord Almighty has chosen them to get this lucky situation in life, a life of plenty of time! It is here that we find the need for a guide, a guru, to impart the secret of life!

   What is the secret of life? Bhagavan Shree Krishna has elaborately dealt with these aspects of life. At one place, He says, "Nobody can keep quiet. Hence everybody takes to some action. THisaction begets reaction. This is the 'karma' aspect that governs life of all jivas. In the beginning, it is the mischief (cheshte) of the Lord that He Himself descends to earth and takes a body in order to experience His creation. But, in course of time it is the ignorance (as to its true nature), absence of knowledge of purpose of life, or true knowledge covered by attachment that makes the jiva go round and round, taking birth after death, again and again, and suffer. It fails to extricate itself from the body it has created itself. Hence what is the solution?

    The jiva should realize the true nature of its own self, as well as, the real nature of the world. It is here that we find the teachings of Shankara come handy. His tattva bodha is guide for all jivas for all times! The world is illusory, in the sense that  it is fleeting, changing moment to moment! The Jiva that is held captive by the tantalizing world does not realize the fact that 'it is not true', in the sense that it is not permanent. It is subject to change. in the sense that the senses that experience the world changes and loses interest sooner or later! This leads to disappointments and frustration.A simple example is that of our indulgences. We get addicted to certain sensual objects that repeatedly draw our attention. Little knowing that these objects have worn out over time we tend to go after them, expecting the same experience, and feel disappointed when the experience is not satisfactory. Mind revolts since buddhi chastises the mind for going after things that are ever-changing! Thus knowledge dawns and renunciation may begin, if a all jiva takes the advise! Otherwise, it continues to suffer disappointments. This applies to all pastimes that we indulge in in order to spend our leisure time/

   Now, the doctrine is very simple. "Nothing that attract our senses is of any consequence to redeem us from repeated embodiment." What is redeeming, liberating the jiva from its embodiment and suffering is true knowledge. True knowledge is the knowledge of the Slef, the Atman- Atmajnyan'. Once the jiva realizes the true nature of of the Atman is sat chit and ananda, the search ends, and so also the embodiment to experience the tru nature of the world. The world ceases to exist as soon as the senses are withdrawn and the manas and the buddhi turn inward to prajnya and move inward towards the Atman. Atman gets the light of paramatman and all our blemishes, karmaklesha, disappear in this light. Thus the jiva is redeemed. Bhagavad-Gita exemplifies,step by step, how to get oneself redeemed by surrendering to Him. The Lord says, "sarva dharmaan parityjya maaekam sharanam vrajaa | meaning, discard all that you have acqyuired and surrender to Me. He assures that 'He will release us from bondage'- sarva paapebhyo vimuktaistu .. ..  mokshayishyami |  

EXISTENCE

    In mathematical parlance, E = t, where, E is Existence and t is time. E is also Energy, in the sense, all existence is energy incorporate and inheres time since it radiates and creates time and space, too! Now, all that exists is in relation to time and space, as well as, causality. This is called the theory of  maya, where 'ma' and 'ya' are that which is measurable! time and space are both illusory! These govern the reality of existence. Our body is made up of just cells and every cell burns out and new ones are created and all information is instantly transferred and life goes on! But for the cells where is the body? The cells are a bundle of energy, due to chemical bonds.
   Etymologically speaking, the term "Existence" is a paradoxical one, in the sense, that it contains two components that are opposite to each other! It inheres in itself the factor of 'Time' in the component 'tenc(s)e', besides 'is' and 'Ex', that means past. While, 'Is' represents the present and 'Ex-' represents past! Both are components of time? Whatever is present just now becomes past in a matter of a second of time! Every second of time is fleeting into oblivion with no trace left. Morning flies off to give place to evening and the night follows day and, years roll on...! This prompted an English poet to exclaim: "Where is the time to stand and stare?" 

   This beautiful word "Existence" is exemplified in thh Rk Veda, Mandala X, 'nasadiya sukta'. It states: "In the Beginning, there was neither existence, nor non-existence!" "It is and It is Not", says the sukta. The God-given gift 'present' soon vanishes into oblivion, the past that never comes! This is what is presented as the Wheel of Time" (kaal chakra Sudarshana). Bhagavan Shree Krishna says, "I am Time" (kaalo'smi). What we normally experience is just a memory! Jiddu Krishnamurti used to reiterate on this point. He is used to say, "Discard all that is past, the memory, the nauseating dead horse." He used to ask us "Why carry dead horse?" Nobody understood what he meant by this! We all carry memories of not only the past from the day one of birth, but the memories of past lives, as well, in our sub-conscious mind! We are miserable creatures suffering due to these unwanted burden"

   Now coming back to our main issue of "Existence", it may now be stated that, "Our existence is a myth!" Time is a myth. Time does not exist! This is the reason why we qualify everything with the words- 'in point of time' . Everything is at a point of time? What is real or unreal is not discernible when it iscovered by the myth of 'time', kaal! We do not exist in any point of time as such and such as a result of this 'fleeting time' that brings changes with it! Childhood is soon past and the adolescent and the youth presents itself  and that too soon merges into old age and disappearance of the jiva in a flash of time! Then where is 'life' left" . All jivas are a flash of ex is tenc(s)e? After all, what a span of a hundred years of a jiva in a million years of history of life and billion years of life of earth so far?