Theories of Jiva

    According to the famous Text illuminating us about the Soul, the 'Atmabodha' of Sri Shankaracharya, there are three theories regarding the Jiva. Frst, the Jiva is defined as 'the Pure Consciousness limited by the upadhi of vijnyanamaya kosha, appears as a phenomenal being or individualized soul. The phenomenal existence makes it forget its true 'oneness with the Absolute (nouminal state). The upadhi is the buddhi. The phenomenal existence makes the buddhi limited since it comes under niyati, limitations of time, space, and causality. Hence it cannot think about the vast, abstract, silent nature of existence! The jiva is further enomoured by the sensuous world due to ignorance. This ignorance as to the true nature existence, the reality, causes all the illusions and disillusionment of the jiva.

  The jiva is a reflection of the Consciousness. This reflection makes it appear as real! The jiva experiences the illusion. A reflection assumes the characteristics of the medium in which the object is reflected. It is like the reflection of the sun in water. it appears as still or moving according to the medium in which it is reflected! Another theory is like a being seen in a dream! Here the Brahmn or Pure Consciousness appears in multitudes of animate and inanimate objects as in dream. Brahmn only appears as jiva! When the jiva realizes it is a dreamland in which it is rejoicing, it drops its ignorance realizes its true nature of sat, chit, and ananda. It is like a King dreaming as a beggar in a desert asking for water. He realizes it is a dream and soon forgets it! 
     Thus, jiva realizes the limitations imposed on it by dream, maya. The Maya theory is very important. The material objective phenomenal world comes into existence due to the yogic power of the Lord. The Lord projects and withdraws the world at His will! Nothing is real here.
   Thus, Reflection of Consciousness, Maya or Illusion, or state of dream determine the nature of the relative existence of the jiva on this earth. The jiva dons a role and lives a make-believe existence here! If the name, form and function and all limitations imposed on it are removed by yogabhyasa it becomes the true brahmn only!

   As we have already realized the fact that the world moves on whether we are here or not. Many of our kith and kin, loved ones, have departed and, so also, do we one day! All that is born here are sure to exit. Nothing is permanent! This is not just philosophy, negativity, or escapism that the Westerners think and believe. It is the reality. Only a yogi knows this truth. tasmad  yogirbhavaarjuna, says the lord!

Vedic Verses

Let them protect you, let them guard you! To them be homage, to them be all hail! May the Lord of the Wind, the Sky, the Creator, the saving Sun, restore you to communion with the living! Let not your breath or your strength forsake you! It is for your sake that we call back your life! Let not the friend of the snapping jaws find you, or darkness, or the tongue of the demon! Shall you be subject to Death? No, never! May all the powers raise you up, may the Lord of the sky and of Fire raise you up to well-being! Heaven and Earth and the Lord of creation have raised you up! The plants and the herbs, with the heavenly Drink, have saved you from Death! [Atharva Veda VIII, 1, 14-17]

Water when drunk becomes threefold. What is coarsest in it becomes urine, what is medium becomes blood and what is subtlest becomes prana..Fire when eaten becomes threefold. What is coarsest in it becomes bone, what is medium becomes marrow and what is subtlest becomes speech.The mind, my dear, consists of food, the prana of water and speech of heat. Please, venerable Sir, instruct me further. So be it, my dear. [Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad VI, V - The Threefold Nature of Food, 2-4]

That, my dear, which is the subtlest part of curds rises, when they are churned and becomes butter.In the same manner, my dear, that which is the subtlest part of the food that is eaten rises and becomes mind.[Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad VI, VI - The Physical Nature of the Mind, the Prana and Speech, 1- 2].

With the breath that dwells in creatures of two legs or four, I blow upon you as one blows on a fire just kindled. To you, O Death, to your sight and your breath, I pay homage! Let him live, not die! This man we now revive. I bring him healing. O Death, do not strike this man! A life-possessing, life-bestowing plant, powerful, salvific, potent, I here invoke, to bring this man once more to health and strength!.  [Atharva Veda VIII, 2, 2-6]

His father said to him: Just as, my dear, of a great blazing fire a single coal, the size of a firefly, may be left, which would not burn much more than that, even so, my dear, of your sixteen parts only one part is left; and therefore with that one part you do not remember the Vedas. Now go and eat and you will understand me.

Svetaketu ate and approached his father. Then whatever his father asked him, he showed that he knew it.

Then his father said to him: Just as, my dear, of a great lighted fire a single coal the size of a firefly, if left, may be made to blaze up again by adding grass to it and will thus burn much more, Even so, my dear; of your sixteen parts only one part was left and that, when strengthened by food, blazed up. With it you now remember the Vedas. Therefore, my dear, the mind consists of food, the prana consists of water and speech consists of fire. After that he understood what his father said, yea, he understood it. [Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad VI, VII - How the Mind consists of Food, 3-6]

Uddalaka the son of Aruna said to his son Svetaketu: Learn from me, my dear, the true nature of sleep. When a person has entered into deep sleep, as it is called, then, my dear, he becomes united with Pure Being (Sat), he has gone to his own Self. That is why they say he is in deep sleep (svapiti); it is because he has gone (apita) to his own (svam). Just as a bird tied by a string to the hand of the bird-catcher first flies in every direction and then finding no rest anywhere, settles down at the place where it is bound, so also the mind (i.e. the individual soul reflected in the mind), my dear, after flying in every direction and finding no rest anywhere, settles down in the Prana (i.e. Pure Being); for the mind (the individual soul) is fastened to the Prana (Pure Being). [Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad VI, VIII - Concerning Sleep, Hunger, Thirst, and Death, 1-2]

Set up to the East of the sacred Fire, you accept our prayer, intense and unflagging. Hold yourself high to bring us prosperity. Drive far away dearth of inspiration. Girdled and adorned, he displays youthful beauty, yet is fairer by far when brought to new birth. With minds contemplative and godward directed, our sages of lofty intelligence rear him. Born anew, he is born on a day most auspicious, growing in wisdom in the assembly of men. Wise men and skillful consecrate him with song. Approaching the Gods, the priest calls aloud. [Rk Veda III, 8, 2, 4-5]

What deity, said Sakalya, are you identified with in the fixed direction (i.e. overhead)? With the deity fire. In what does fire find its support? Speech. In what does speech find its support? The heart. In what does the heart find its support?

  You ghost, said Yajnavalkya, that you think that the heart should be elsewhere than in ourselves! If it were elsewhere than in ourselves, dogs would eat this body or birds tear it to pieces.In what do the body and the heart find their support? asked Sakalya. In the prana. In what does the prana find its support? In the apana. In what does the apana find its support? In the vyana. In what does the vyana find its support? In the udana. In what does the udana find its support? In the samana. Here the Upanishad itself states: This self is That which has been described as Not this, not this. It is imperceptible, for It is never perceived; undecaying, for It never decays; unattached, for It is never attached; unfettered, for It never feels pain and never suffers injury. [Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad III, IX-Yajnavalkya and Vidaghdha, 24-26].

Speak in his favor! Seize him not, but release him, yours though he be. Let him stay here with aYajnavalkay continued 5. Do not say: From the semen, for that is produced from the living man. A tree springs from the seed as well; after it is dead it certainly springs again. 6. If a tree is pulled up with its root, it will not spring again. From what root, tell me, does a mortal spring forth after he is cut off by death? 7. If you think he is indeed born, I say: No, he is born again. Now who should again bring him forth? The Upanishad states: It is Brahman, which is absolute Knowledge and Bliss, the ultimate goal of him who offers wealth and also of him who has realized Brahman and stands firm in It. [Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad III, IX-Yajnavalkya and Vidaghdha, 28 (cont).

Om. Janaka, Emperor of Videha, was seated to give audience when Yajnavalkya arrived. The Emperor said to him: Yajnavalkya, for what purpose have you come here? With a desire for cattle, or to hear some subtle questions asked? For both, Your Majesty, said he.

    Yajnavalkya said: Let me hear what anyone among your teachers may have told you. Jitvan, the son of Silina, told me that the organ of speech (fire) is Brahman. As anyone who had the benefit of being taught by a good mother, father and teacher should say, so did the son of Silina say that the organ of speech is Brahman; for what can be attained by a person who cannot speak? But did he tell you about its abode (body) and support? No, he did not. This Brahman is only one-footed, Your Majesty. Then you tell us, O Yajnavalkya. The physical organ of speech is its abode and the akasha is its support. It should be mediated upon as intelligence. What is intelligence, O Yajnavalkya? It is the organ of speech, Your Majesty, said Yajnavalkya. [Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV, I-Partial Definitions of Brahman, 1-2].

Through the organ of speech alone, O Emperor, are known the Rig-Veda, the Yagur-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the Atharvangirasa, history, ancient lore, the arts, the Upanishads, verses, aphorisms, explanations, commentaries, the results of sacrifices, the result of offering oblations in the fire, the results of giving food and drink, this world, the next world and all beings. The organ of speech, Your Majesty, is the Supreme Brahman. The organ of speech never deserts him who, knowing this, meditates upon it;all beings eagerly approach him; and being a god, he attains the gods. I give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant, said Emperor Janaka. Yajnavalkya replied: My father was of the opinion that one should not accept gifts from a disciple without fully instructing him.[Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV, I-Partial Definitions of Brahman, 2 (cont)

I drive to a distant place Malignity, Destruction, the Demon who grabs and ghosts who feast upon corpses. All demons and evil powers--like darkness I destroy them!, [Atharva Veda VIII, 2, 12]

All his strength! Have mercy upon him, O powers of destruction, protect him! Grant to him fullness of days, removing all evil!

Vedic Gods

Which are the six gods? asked Sakalya. 

  Fire, the earth, the air, the sky, the sun and heaven; for these six comprise all those.

Which are the three gods? asked Sakalya.

 These three worlds, because all those gods are comprised in these three. Which are the two gods? Matter and the vital breath (prana). Which are the one and a half? This air that blows.

Yajnavalkya said: Concerning this some say: 'Since the air blows as one substance, how can it be one and a half (adhyardha)?'

  The answer is: It is one and a half because by its presence everything attains surpassing glory adhyardhnot). Which is the one God? The vital breath (Hiranyagarbha); it is Brahman which is called That (Tyat).

[Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad III, IX-Yajnavalkya and Vidaghdha,7- 9]

  Do not give thought to the departed ones who lead men away to a far-off land. Arise out of darkness! Come to the light! Come, we grasp your two hands! From Yama's two watchdogs sent forth on the path, the black and the spotted, may you stay safe! Come, do not waver! Do not stand there with your mind deflected from here. [Atharva Veda VIII, 1, 8-9]

Looking Forward 2020s AD

    There are almost 800 crore people allover the world. Of these, nearly half the population is found in East and South-East Asia. There are vast regions of deserts - both hot and cold, forests and high and dry plateau that have no population or scarcely populated. Surprisingly, there are beautiful places that are yet to be explored by man! The life and activities of people of the people range from almost nomadic to tribal, pastoral to farming and industrial; there are backward and progressive people. Now it is difficult to say what holds for these millions of people who are deprived of even basic necessities of life! The future is not all bright. There are many countries waging war with neighbors and some problematic ones are creating problems everywhere inciting hatred and terrorist activities. These rogue countries have to be tamed! It is a difficult proposition to bring the fundamentalists to conference tables and make them realize hatred and strife will not pay in the long run. If people are to be happy, the only way is peace and mutual trust and help! The Year 2020 and the next ten years are crucial for many to survive since there are large scale migrations, illegal entrants to not only their neighboring, but far off countries, too! There are refugee taking risk of crossing seas seeking new homes. The entire world is in a turmoil and, war is no solution. Advancement in science and technology will make little dent in this situation.

Looking Back the Year that was 2019

The Year 2019 AD is marked by nature's fury like, floods, forest fires and bush fiers, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and some parts of the land sinking and totally disappearing in sea in addition to lack of drinking water, refugee influxes, large scale migrants, etc. Global warming, melting of glaciers, and erratic monsoons have added to the human misery. May be, the Third World War is imminent! Much worse people came into streets in almost 180 countries of the world protesting against the Governments and bombings in Syria, Mogadishu, etc are not to be mentioned? What has gone wrong with the world?

  Yes. Everything has gone wrong with the world because of total degeneration. People have lost their sense of human existence and become more and more inhuman in their day to day life. Somebody aptly said, "I hate these humans. I love humanity". Human evolution is not progressing from Australopithecus, pekinenses, javanus, and other state of homo sapiens to more human and divine consciousness. The problem is not the humans, as such! It is the warning!

  This is the last quarter, called Kali yuga of the 7th manvantara, called Vaivasvata manvantara. This is coming to a close leading to the next Savarni manvantara, sooner or later. The first quarter of the Kaliyuga is coming to a close! The Kali yuga will end disastrously, just like the six manvantaras and their 27 yugas, so far! Thus we are at the end of the manvantara! Those who abide by dharma, take to spiritual path will become the seed for the next manvantara! Rest all will perish. The Bhagavad-Gita and most of the puranas, particularly the Vishnu Purana, Padma Purana, the Shiva purana make these points clear.

  So far, so good! Not much damage has been done in the Bharata varsha. the influx of the Western religious cults have done some damage to the great Hindu spiritual pursuits of the saints and sadhus! This is the yoga bhumi and people have forgotten their roots and are aping the Western culture to their own peril. Who cares? Why bother is the attitude. let the world perish. But save your soul!
   However, there is a cliche here as to what exactly is 'time'! In the strict sense of the term, there is no such thing as 'Time'. "Time is an illusion"! It is the ingenuity of the human mind that creates, divides, disseminate what is not there and this the 'ma ya' (that which is measurable)! The Sky or space is another such ma ya! That which is 'nothing' accommodates 'everything' that does not really exist! The moment radiation of electromagnetic waves move out of Stars (Sun included) there begins time and space is created wherever these electromagnetic waves move out (in 360 Deg.). So who will tell us 'when did the light start from Sun', and where did it reach, and how far and how long it lasts? 

From Death to Immortality

    Rise up from this place, O man, do not fall down, but cast off the fetters of Death which now hold you. Do not cut yourself off from this world of men, from the sight of the Fire and the Sun. May the great Wind breathe purification upon you, May the Waters rain immortality upon you, may the Sun warm your body with blessing, may Death show you mercy! Do not perish!  I charge you to rise, O man, not to fall. Long life I impart to you and skill for living. Mount safe and sound on this chariot of deathlessness. You shall speak in old age, full of wisdom! Let not your mind stray away and be lost. Do not spurn the living and follow the Fathers! May All-Gods protect you right here! [Atharva Veda VIII, 1, 1-7]

 tad srushtva tadevanupravishat |

   That Deity thought: 'Let Me now enter into those three deities by means of this living self and let Me then develop names and forms.' [Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad VI, III - The Threefold Development, 2]

Prakruti-Purusha

   tvam Adideva purusha puranamstvastya vishvatma param nidhanam || (Ch 1. Verse 39)
   This verse eulogises the Lord as the 'Adi deva purusha'. the primal Deity, primordial seed of creation! He has created andentered it (His creation). He dwells in us all! the supreme Lord is immutable, self-effulgent, and eteranl being.  As to the term 'Being', the verse 37 explains thus,:"Being is that which exists! Non-being is that with reference to whichthe idea of non-existence arises. Thus, He is both Being and the non-being- param Atman and Jiva Atman. The Immutable is transcendental to being and nob-being.The learned sages have declared as 'One'. He is everything. sarvam khaluvidam brahma || 
  Prakrutim purusham chaiva (Ch.13. Verse 19). This verse makes it amply clear that there is no beginning or end to this jivatman and the prakruti. The individual soul (jivatman) is the manifest form of the one supreme unborn, eternal, and His nature. The Bhagavad-Gita has clearly defined the concepts of ''Prakruti and 'Purusha'  (Ch. XVIII Verses 40-41). Everything is born of 'guna', qualities of Nature (prakruti). 'One only becomes many' is the principle. It is tamas becoming, rajas and sattva by its own nature. Here again, 'guneshu gunanuvartante' is the principle. Everybody presents these qualities day and night all through life! A person shows tamas in the night, becomes sattvic in the morning and evening and rajasic throughout the day. Rajas makes one active, while tamas makes him/her indolent, lazy and inactive. Sattva is normally short-lived in all! Sattva makes a person almost contemplative on higher aspects of life. 

    Nature means the guna, prakruti, maya of God. (Verse 40). God is the 'mahapurusha' who manifests as jivatman. The One who inherits the pura (body) is the purusha! Purusha is the embodied soul, jivatman. His nature is the quality of the person!

  It may be surprising to know the way the living beings take certain forms from almost the invisible brahmn! The Bhagavad-Gita has narrated how the jiva takes shape. The soul comes to earth as an ion of electrical spark from solar radiation carrying the radiant energy of other distant stars, as well! This is evident from the hydrogen and oxygen ions in our atmosphere and water-vapor in the clouds. The rain drops that fall to earth gets mixed with the soil and create life forms of all sorts! The life-force enters and departs at will! It creates life forms like plants, animals, humans, whenever and wherever it enters as a biotic entity, Thus all are just the hydrogen, oxygen, carbon content at its root! The scriptures praise the Lord as Hari sarvottama and vayu jeevottama!

   The soul, indeed, is the purusha and the body is His own creation! Since the soul is all-knowing and all-powerful it is capable of entering anywhere and create a body of organs of His like! Thus we all have entered the earth and the food and became the spermatozoa creating a form when impregnated in the woman's egg-cell. We have created our own tissues, organs and body from cell division and cell multiplication in the woman's body and make them mother and father after our birth!

   This is stated as Atma eva brahma | ayam Atma brahma | Atmavai vedgm sarvam | aham brahmasmi |