The understandings of the vedic dictum is limited by our level of samskaara and level of knowledge.
PARABRAHMA :
Brahma means big. Parabrahma means biggest of all ,which indicates the Omnipotent ,the Omnipresent, the Almighty. It is represented by the word “ AUM”. When we say that the entire universe is its own expression the universal brotherhood of all living, nonliving, visible and invisible things are proclaimed Hence a we says” Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”-the entire universe is a family.
One who believes this, cannot see himself alienated from the universe - he is part of it. Therefore he wishes “ loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu”- let the entire universe be happy. His prayer is “ Aum Bhadram Karnebhi…..Aum Bhadram pasyemakshabhir…….” – let all that is heard be good, let all that is seen be good. This is the greatest and noblest prayer one can make to the God because all that is heard and seen can be good only when the entire universe is good. This is one among the many noble, selfless prayers found in Upanishads for universal well being. All prayers in Hinduism are concluded with the words “ shanty shanty shanty”. It seeks materialistic, spiritual and godly peace.
One who believes this, cannot see himself alienated from the universe - he is part of it. Therefore he wishes “ loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu”- let the entire universe be happy. His prayer is “ Aum Bhadram Karnebhi…..Aum Bhadram pasyemakshabhir…….” – let all that is heard be good, let all that is seen be good. This is the greatest and noblest prayer one can make to the God because all that is heard and seen can be good only when the entire universe is good. This is one among the many noble, selfless prayers found in Upanishads for universal well being. All prayers in Hinduism are concluded with the words “ shanty shanty shanty”. It seeks materialistic, spiritual and godly peace.
When Hinduism says “ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti” it accepts supreme oneness of parabrahma and at the same time it proclaims the possible plurality of vision and diversity of belief. As far as a Hindu is concerned Islam , Christianity , Saivaism, Budhism , Vaishnavaism , Jainism Zorastrianism Marxism etc are only the parts of this plurality and these do not in any way hurt or interfere with his belief. Hinduism provides maximum freedom of thoughts and belief to individuals. A Hindu respects the religion, belief, rituals etc of others because of the greatness of his own belief . It is the only religion which advocates the critical analysis of the principles and their acceptance only if found correct. The word 'correct’ means compatible in respect of self. It also proclaims that the distance traveled by each individual towards the ultimate destination, and also the level of knowledge and understanding of Paramaatma may differ from person to person and hence the rituals belief and mode of worship are bound to vary.
These variations are tolerated in Hinduism as long as it does not intrude into the belief of another person. It does not divide people on the basis of belief. A Hindu can visit and offer prayer in a Sikh Gurudwara, Jewish Synagogue, Muslim Mosque, Christian Church and temples of any kind of worship without compromising with his own belief as a Hindu. When one fails to accept the existence of the plurality of vision and diversity of belief it amounts to negation of Hinduism. In Hinduism spirituality is purely personal. Therefore the word Hinduism can be used as a better synonym for secularism. The actual meaning of secularism is a matter of debate. The secularism as is being practiced in India appears to be a policy of negation and appeasement . But Hinduism denotes tolerance and convergence of various philosophies of the world.
For a Hindu life is a journey which commences from the Divine and ends in the Divine. In between we spend time here in this mortal world in search of purushartha, undergoing evolutions, through the process of reincarnations, in most of the times, without knowing or rather forgetting our real goal or destination. In each life the Jeevaatma is acquiring more experiences and knowledge and gradually it becomes aware of its real destination. This knowledge leads to spirituality and to Ultimate Reality or Self-Actualization. This is the process of evolution which takes one from a primitive form of life to perfect manhood. The evolution takes place through the process of reincarnations.
Hindus believe that all are bound to reach the Ultimate Reality. Life is a trial and error method of self seeking practiced by jeevaatma the ultimate goal being self-actualization. The materialistic development, including the inventions and discoveries of modern science is the bye-product of this trial and error method of self seeking. If all the Jeevaatmas could understand their destination and path to the destination, the world would have been different from its present state. Lack of knowledge of the real destination and path leading to the same, is the secret behind the game. Life will be a pleasant experience to all those who practice Dharma without attachment. All sorts of maladies and sorrows associated with worldly life is the result of one’s failure to understand his/her real destination and path to it. The Jeevaatma overcome these ignorance by evolution / refinement over a period of time passing through the process of several re-incarnations. Experience of life is the price we are paying to acquire this knowledge . The Rishi or Guru is a person who experienced the truth. The Jeevaatma has the option to learn the truth from these Rishis or to gain knowledge from their own experience. One who learns from his own experience is definitely wise , but those who learn from others’ experience is wiser. The sum total of the advancement made by one towards the Ultimate Reality through the process of refinement/evolution is called Samskaara. In other words the Samskaara indicates the progress made by one in his / her evolutionary process.
A Jeevaatma can understand and assimilate truth commensurate with his / her level of samskaara only. This is the reason for restricting exposure of eternal truth to certain categories of people. This categorization was attributed to the caste system and used to deny knowledge to vast majority of the mankind. Actually knowledge is open to all. Let us broadcast the seeds of vedic knowledge through out , the seeds that fall in fertile soil will germinate grow and yield fruits. Let us not sit on judgement on other peoples’ eligibility to understand Vedas. Let the seeds of vedic wisdom be sown far and wide. Eligible people who acquired the required level of “ samskaara “ will understand and assimilate. It is just like giving a lamp into the hand of a person struggling to find out his way in darkness . The option to use or through it away is left to the person. Another argument is that the wisdom will lead to inaction and development of indifferent attitude towards worldly affairs. It is also totally incorrect. Life has its own rules to safeguard worldly interest and sustenance of the universe. A seed will have to germinate , grow , flourish , contribute to natural beauty , provide shade , food , shelter etc before it return and contribute to the soil of its origin to complete the life cycle. If it prefers a shortcut method and refuse to germinate at all or refuse to grow and prefers to disintegrate into the soil immediately after germination , there would not be a world of this kind. Similar is the case of human being. Wisdom should lead to identification of one’s own Dharma.
Practice of Dharma is inevitable for attaining Paramapurushartha-the ultimate reality. Inaction or abstention from Dharma will not help attainment of Paramapurushaartha. Earn Artha through the practice of Dharma , enjoy all worldly pleasures without sacrificing Dharma , it will make one eligible for attainment of Paramapurushaartha. There are several life to live and several worlds of different frequencies of vibrations to pass through before reaching the destination. There is no short-cut to complete the cycle. Remember that Ahimsa or non violence which is a result of universal love and forgiveness, Thyagam or sacrifice wherein one remains in a state of non-attachment , Indriyanigraha or self restrains wherein one control his/her harmful instincts and Truthfulness wherein the thoughts words and deeds are in agreement with each other are the essential pre-requisites for the practice of Dharma. These are the area which demand greater attention of each and every human being.
Practice of Dharma is the mission of each individual. Each individual is accountable to himself / herself for his/ her words , deeds and thoughts. The effect of a negative energy module created by the thoughts/ words / action can be neutralized by creating another energy module with same magnitude in its opposite direction. Vedantha indicates that the process of neutralization is not possible in all cases and therefore one has to be very careful in his words thoughts and actions.
Hinduism is not a negation of worldly life and its enjoyment. It places the plain truth regarding this universe before the mankind and the option to choose the way of life is left to the individuals If one chooses the correct path of Dharma he may enjoy all good things in worldly life and liberate himself / herself , in due course , without much sufferings. Otherwise he/ she will have to suffer a lot in this mortal world undergoing several incarnations in favourable and unfavourable circumstances depending on the quality of Karma. The sookshmasareeram consisting of mind buddhi (intellect) chittham and ego(ahamkaram) having karmabandham reincarnate. The mechanism of independent assortment taking place at the time of fertilization is likely to be the process by which the sookshmasareeram is inducted into the genome. The word genome and genes are derivatives of the Greek root “ Jen “ which trace back its origin to Sanskrit word Jenm.
Astrology or Jyothishastra is a derivative of Vedas. It, inter alia, deals with the relationship between form / time / place of birth and praarabdham Astrology provides basic information regarding praarabdham based on the form place and time of birth . It can be successfully used as a tool for planning and designing one’s own life. Astrological predictions on future course of life of an individual need not necessarily be correct because the human being has the exclusive options to modify the effect of his praarabdham to some extend by exerting extra efforts. The Grahanila-planetary positions - in one’s horoscope indicate the direction of the flow of “samsarasagara” in relation to the life of the Individual.
Planets like the Sun, Moon , Mars , Mercury, Jupiter, Venus ,Saturn, Rahu , Kethu , and Gulikan are not directly or indirectly influencing the Jeevaatma but they are definitely indicative of certain traits and qualities attributed to them. A train which keeps punctuality indicate the time to a villager who is residing near the railway track, though the train is not an instrument to measure the time. Similarly planetary positions in horoscope are indicative of many things relating to one’s “karmabandham” particularly praraabdham. though the planets are not deciding on anybody’s fate. Each Jeevaatma is the Architect of its own fate. Planetary positions in the horoscope indicate what the fate could be, depending on the time of birth, because of its reciprocal relationship with the quality of Karmabandham ( due to the fact that place, time, and form of reincarnation is decided by the quality of Karmabandham.) But the individual human being has the option to swim across……by exerting extra efforts , creating new favorable energy modules and reducing the bad effects of past karma.
This kind of refinement or evolution taking place in human life, leads him / her to prosperity and perfection. Lord Krishna said : “ The seeds of karma roasted in the fire of knowledge will not germinate”. Selfless service to the mankind, sincere, heart-felt repentance for the bad karma, prayer, hard work , devotion, practice of Dharma etc may change the effects of one’s praarabdham. Followers of all religions are doing these things in one way or other for self improvement. Dharma is the keynote of Hinduism. Dharma is defined as“ Jagath sthithi kaaranam, praaninaam saakshaat abhyudaya nishreyasm hethu” –that which sustains the world and results in prosperity and happiness of all living things.
Ahimsa (non-violence)
Satyam(truthfulness)
Thyagam (sacrifice)
Indriyanigraha(self control) are the four pillars of Dharma.
Thus Non violence ,Truthfulness, Sacrifice, and Self Control are considered to be the most important qualities of the practitioner of Dharma.
Ahimsa or non- violence is not non killing alone. Ahimsa means not hurting any one by word deed or thought. Universal love and forgiveness are the essential pre-requisites for a practitioner of Ahimsa. Satyam or truthfulness is the practice of keeping words deed and thought alike. Thyagam or sacrifice is the state of being uninterested in all sorts of personal gains name ,fame ,wealth etc when they are within the reach. Sacrifice of one’s own ego is manifested in the form of forgiveness. Love as such is associated with ego possessiveness and selfishness. It leads to attachment and consequential problems. Practice of Love without sacrificing selfishness and ego will not take anyone to the path of Dharma. Therefore universal love and sacrifice of ego - practice of Ahimsa –gets predominance over love in Hinduism. But one cannot practice Ahimsa without passing through several phases of refinement. Therefore love for others is important.
Therefore the people may start love each other, love all alike, experience the need for sacrifice, then practice sacrifices in abundance, selflessness will develop and the continuance of universal love and forgiveness will result in Ahimsa and the practitioner will naturally emerges in to the path of Dharma. Self control or indriyanigraha is necessary to curb the undesirable instincts ,It plays an important role in the evolutionary advancement to the perfection of human being and attainment of ultimate reality.
BRAHMA
Brahma is that member of the triad whose name is most familiar to Englishmen, and best familiar to the Hindoos themselves. Images of him are found in the temples of other gods, but he has neither temples nor altars of his own. The reason of this is that Brahma, as the creative energy, is quiescent, and will remain so until the end of the present age of the world -- of the Kali Yuga, that is -- only a small portion of whose 432,000 years has already passed.
It appears, however, that an attempt was made to represent even the divine spirit of Brahm; for the god Narayana means the spirit moving on the waters. Narayana is figured as a graceful youth lying on a snake couch which floats on the water, and holding his toe in his mouth.
Brahma is figured as a four-headed god, bearing in one hand a copy of the Vedas, in another a spoon for pouring out the lustral water contained in a vessel which he holds in a third hand, while the fourth hand holds a rosary. The rosary was used by the Hindoos to aid them in contemplation, a bead being dropped on the silent pronunciation of each name of the god, while the devotee mused on the attribute signified by the name. Brahma, like each god, had his sacti, or wife, or female counterpart, and his vahan, or vehicle, whereon he rode. Brahma's sacti is Saraswati, the goddess of poetry, wisdom, eloquence, and fine art. His vahan was the goose (hanasa), in Latin, gans.
VISHNU
Vishnu is the personification of the preserving power of the divine spirit. The Vaishnavas allege that Vishnu is the paramount god, because there is no distinction in the sense of annihilation, but only change or preservation. But of course the argument would cut all three ways, for it might as well be said that creation, preservation, and destruction are at bottom only one and the same thing -- a fact thus pointing to the unity of God. Of the two Hindoo sects the Vaishnaivas are perhaps the more numerous.
Vishnu is represented as being of a blue colour; his vahan is Garuda, the winged half-man, half-bird, king of birds, and his sacti, or wife, is the goddess Lakshmi. He is said to have four hands -- one holding a chank, or shell, the second a chakra or quoit, the third a club, and the fourth a lotus. Vishnu is also depicted lying asleep on Ananta, the serpent of eternity. At the end of the Kali Yuga, Vishnu will rest in that position; from his navel will spring a lotus stalk, on the top of which -- above the surface of the waters, which at that time will cover the world -- Brahma will appear to create the earth a new.
It appears, however, that an attempt was made to represent even the divine spirit of Brahm; for the god Narayana means the spirit moving on the waters. Narayana is figured as a graceful youth lying on a snake couch which floats on the water, and holding his toe in his mouth.
Brahma is figured as a four-headed god, bearing in one hand a copy of the Vedas, in another a spoon for pouring out the lustral water contained in a vessel which he holds in a third hand, while the fourth hand holds a rosary. The rosary was used by the Hindoos to aid them in contemplation, a bead being dropped on the silent pronunciation of each name of the god, while the devotee mused on the attribute signified by the name. Brahma, like each god, had his sacti, or wife, or female counterpart, and his vahan, or vehicle, whereon he rode. Brahma's sacti is Saraswati, the goddess of poetry, wisdom, eloquence, and fine art. His vahan was the goose (hanasa), in Latin, gans.
VISHNU
Vishnu is the personification of the preserving power of the divine spirit. The Vaishnavas allege that Vishnu is the paramount god, because there is no distinction in the sense of annihilation, but only change or preservation. But of course the argument would cut all three ways, for it might as well be said that creation, preservation, and destruction are at bottom only one and the same thing -- a fact thus pointing to the unity of God. Of the two Hindoo sects the Vaishnaivas are perhaps the more numerous.
Vishnu is represented as being of a blue colour; his vahan is Garuda, the winged half-man, half-bird, king of birds, and his sacti, or wife, is the goddess Lakshmi. He is said to have four hands -- one holding a chank, or shell, the second a chakra or quoit, the third a club, and the fourth a lotus. Vishnu is also depicted lying asleep on Ananta, the serpent of eternity. At the end of the Kali Yuga, Vishnu will rest in that position; from his navel will spring a lotus stalk, on the top of which -- above the surface of the waters, which at that time will cover the world -- Brahma will appear to create the earth a new.
AVATARS OF VISHNU
The word Avatar means, in its evident sense, Descent -- that from the world of the gods to the world of men. In these descents, or incarnations, the purpose of Vishnu has always been a beneficent one. His first avatar is named Matsya, wherein, during the reign of King Satyavrate, Vishnu appeared in the form of a fish. For the world had been deluged by water for its wickedness, and its inhabitants, except the king and seven sages, with their families, who, together with pairs of all species of animals entered into an ark prepared for them, and of which the fish took care, by having its cable tied to its horn. In the second, or Kurma avatar, Vishnu appeared in the form of a tortoise, supporting Mount Mandara on his back, while the gods churned the sea for the divine ambrosia. In the Varaha, or third avatar, Vishnu appeared as a boar to save the earth when it had been drowsed a second time. The boar went into the sea and fished the earth out on his tusks. In the fourth he appeared as Narasingha, the man-lion, to free the world from a monarch who, for his austerities, had been endowed by the gods with universal dominion. In this shape Vishnu tore the king to pieces. Subsequently he appeared as a dwarf; then as Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, who likewise was a beneficent being. His chief incarnation appears in Krishna, the god who is most loved by the Hindoos. Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist religion, was also said to be an incarnation of Vishnu. Nine of these avatars have already passed. In the tenth, or Kalki Avatara, he will appear armed with a scimitar, and riding on a white horse, when he will end the present age; after which he will sleep on the waters, produce Brahma, and so inaugurate a new world.
SHIV
Shiv is the destroyer -- the third phase of Brahm's energy. He is represented as of a white colour. His sacti is Bhavani or Pracriti, the terrible Durga or Kali, and his vahan a white bull. Sometimes Shiva is figured with a trident in one hand, and in another a rope or pasha, with which he, or his wife Kali, strangles evil-doers. His necklace is made of human skulls; serpents are his earrings; his loins are wrapped in tiger's skin; and from his head the sacred river Ganga is represented as springing.
Among the minor deities may be mentioned Kuvera, the god of worth; Lakshmi being the goddess of wealth; Kama-deva ,the god of love, who is represented as riding on a dove, and armed with an arrow of flowers, and a bow whose string is formed of bees ; and thirdly, Ganesa, the son of Shiva and Prithivi, who is regarded as the wisest of all the gods, is especially the god of prudence and policy and is invoked at the opening of Hindu literary works.
PARAMATMAN
The Supreme Soul/Reality (Paramatman) eternally free and immutable, in the first instance existed alone. Being eternal it was present even before creation when there was no creative impulse (Brahma).
It is the eternal Truth and Ultimate Reality. It is the smallest among the small ones and biggest among the big ones ( anoraneeyaan mahatho maheeyaan). Even though the truth is one, people call it by different names( ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti)
Owing to the superimposed identity with its own Maya it became, as it were, the seed of the universe as the unformed and the unnamed. The ‘Seed’ Supreme Soul/Reality (Paramatma), is neither the cause nor the effect of anything. Only when it is associated with its own creative power (Maya) does it emanate its creative impulse (Brahma) and is said to be the cause of the universe (Ishvara).
From this we understand that the cosmos, all sentient beings and insentient objects, emerge from him. The Supreme Soul/Reality (Paramatman) did not create them itself, but did so through the agency of the creative impulse (Brahma) by injection into his heart. Through the sustaining impulse (Visnu) he sustains them, and through the destructive impulse (Siva/ Rudra) he destroys them. Later Brahma, Visnu, Siva/Rudra are themselves destroyed by him. Another Brahma appears, and starts the work of creation all over again. From this it must be understood that Maya, Brhmah, Visnu and Rudra are all emanations of Paramatma.
The Lord says in the Gita : "It is I who am known by all the Vedas "(Vedaisca sarvair aham eva vedyah)." Instead of describing himself as "Vedakrd" (creator of the Vedas), he calls himself "Vedantakrd" (creator of philosophical system that is the crown of the Vedas). He also refers to himself as "Vedavid" (he who knows the Vedas). Before Vedanta that enshrines great philosophical truths had been made know to mankind, the Vedas had existed in the form of sound, as the very breath of Paramatman.
Among the minor deities may be mentioned Kuvera, the god of worth; Lakshmi being the goddess of wealth; Kama-deva ,the god of love, who is represented as riding on a dove, and armed with an arrow of flowers, and a bow whose string is formed of bees ; and thirdly, Ganesa, the son of Shiva and Prithivi, who is regarded as the wisest of all the gods, is especially the god of prudence and policy and is invoked at the opening of Hindu literary works.
PARAMATMAN
The Supreme Soul/Reality (Paramatman) eternally free and immutable, in the first instance existed alone. Being eternal it was present even before creation when there was no creative impulse (Brahma).
It is the eternal Truth and Ultimate Reality. It is the smallest among the small ones and biggest among the big ones ( anoraneeyaan mahatho maheeyaan). Even though the truth is one, people call it by different names( ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti)
Owing to the superimposed identity with its own Maya it became, as it were, the seed of the universe as the unformed and the unnamed. The ‘Seed’ Supreme Soul/Reality (Paramatma), is neither the cause nor the effect of anything. Only when it is associated with its own creative power (Maya) does it emanate its creative impulse (Brahma) and is said to be the cause of the universe (Ishvara).
From this we understand that the cosmos, all sentient beings and insentient objects, emerge from him. The Supreme Soul/Reality (Paramatman) did not create them itself, but did so through the agency of the creative impulse (Brahma) by injection into his heart. Through the sustaining impulse (Visnu) he sustains them, and through the destructive impulse (Siva/ Rudra) he destroys them. Later Brahma, Visnu, Siva/Rudra are themselves destroyed by him. Another Brahma appears, and starts the work of creation all over again. From this it must be understood that Maya, Brhmah, Visnu and Rudra are all emanations of Paramatma.
The Lord says in the Gita : "It is I who am known by all the Vedas "(Vedaisca sarvair aham eva vedyah)." Instead of describing himself as "Vedakrd" (creator of the Vedas), he calls himself "Vedantakrd" (creator of philosophical system that is the crown of the Vedas). He also refers to himself as "Vedavid" (he who knows the Vedas). Before Vedanta that enshrines great philosophical truths had been made know to mankind, the Vedas had existed in the form of sound, as the very breath of Paramatman.
ATMAN
The individual soul (Atman) is that which is manifest, the breadth, the principle of life and sensation.
The entire universe is an expression of Paramatman in the form of vibrations caused by its own desire just as the waves in the ocean are the expression of water caused by wind. Different ‘worlds ’ co-exist in the universe and all of them are not subjected to our senses as they have differences in the frequencies of vibrations. The variations in nature are due to variations in permutations and combinations of triguna namely, Satwam, Rajas and Thamas.
The Living things have three constituent bodies; Sthoolam (Physical) Sookshmam (Astral) and Kaaranam(Causal). The latter two are described as Jeevaatma and Paramatman respectively. Jeevaatma or Sookshmasareeram is a reflection of Paramatman impregnated with ego (aham), intellect(buddhi), chittham and mind loaded with karmabandham. Out of these three constituents, physical body perish ,astral body with bondages (karmabandham) reincarnates, and causal body remain eternal as it is Paramatman in its pure form , which is described as ‘Satchitanandam’. The union of astral with physical is worldly life and that with causal is liberation or Moksham. In other words the unique experience of identifying oneness of Jeevaatma with Paramatman is liberation or Moksham.
Each karma-word deed and thought- creates unprecedented invisibles. These invisibles are energy modules and in the nascent form they are called‘ aagaami’ or incoming energy modules. At the time of the death of an individual these invisibles remain attached to the ’sookshmasareeram’(subtle body) in the form of ‘ sanjitham ‘or accumulated energy modules. Because of this attachment which is called ‘karmabandham’ or “Karma” the sookshmasareeram accepts another body after the death of the individual and this process is called re-birth or re-incarnation. The form of new life, place and time of re-birth depend on the quality of karmabandham. In the new life the invisible energy modules or karmabandham carried forward from previous life remain in the form of praarabdham. The meaning of the word praarabdham is “that which is initiated”.
The notion that the individual soul (atman) is the creative impulse (brahma) comes from the mahaa-vaakyo:
" tat tvam asi" = You (any creation) are That (brhmah)
The Paramatman is then described by all its constituent elements:
The Parmaatman (supreme soul) is that which is un-manifest, which is indistinct, all-pervading, everlasting, immutable, should be known to become the city (or mansion) of nine portals, possessed of three qualities, and consisting of five ingredients. Encompassed by eleven including Mind which distinguishes (objects), and having understanding for the ruler, this is an aggregate of eleven.
The total eleven is made up of five groups:
The three qualities of Maya:
Sattwa,Rajas and Tamas (darkness, passion and goodness)= (3)
The five gross elements:
Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space = (5)
The group of organs of action (five organs of action are speech (tongue),hands, legs, organ of generation, organ of evacuation) and organs of perception (five organs of perception are tongue(tastes), nostrils (smell), eyes (sight), ears (sound) and skin (touch). These groups are treated as one. = (1)
Recognising you true self (Atman) = (1)
Understanding - (Knowing you true self Atman) = (1)
Each empirically given gross element has within it, according to this view, all the other elements also. For instance, in the gross Earth, half of it consists of pure earth and the other half consists of the other four pure elements. This process of the composition of the gross elements is what is called Panchikaranam or Quintuplication.
Atman is brhmah's shakti (creative power) that animates a living being's physical body. Without atman (individual soul) a living being's body is jad meaning inert. All the functions in a body of a living being cannot function without the empowerment by its atman which has embodied itself into the physical body.
As per devi puraan, atman (individual soul) is the reflection of brhmah's (the creators) chaitaniya (consciousness) in prakruti (physical, waking or subtle, dream bodies). As brhmah's chaitaniya is beginningless, unborn, eternal, imperishable; deathless, ageless so is an atman.
Each atman is looked after by 4 vyuh (manifestation) of brhmah (creative power). The four vyuuh are:
1. Vasudev
2. Sankaraashan
3. Pradyumnaa
4. Aniruddh.
With the shepherding of these vyuh an atman possess:
1. Gnaan (knowledge),
2. Baal (strength),
3. Aeishvarya (supernatural powers, lordship and prosperity),
4. Virya (potency to create),
5. Shakti (functional powers)
6. Tejas (energy) which are few of the manifested shaktio of brhmah (creative power).
Complex Structure of the Atman (individual soul)
Each atman has 3 Bodies (deh or sharer) and 3 forms of existence (stithi):
BODIES (deh or sharer)
1.The visible physical body of a living being that atman (individual soul) has embodied, is only for a single sansaar (cycle of birth and death) and perishes on death after which atman (individual soul) obtains another physical body.
The form is of asat (which are creations created by brhmah which dies after a life cycle upon receipt of karma-phal (fruits of all karma performed by the sthul-sharir (physical body) embodied by an atman (individual soul) from each sansaar (birth and death cycle) which basically limits all its powers and makes it identify with its embodied body as the false "I" for that life cycle, and are reborn.))
From naarad puraan 1.33 with explanatory infilling from other ved sources:
maya (the creative power of Paramatma) is a primary shakti (power) of nirgun brhmah which has the brhmah-ordained function to hide the true identity of brhmah from all creations with a shakti called aavaraN and also to make all creations see multiplicity in brhmah through a shakti of vikshep
2. The subtle non-visible body is assumed by an atman (individual soul) when it exists in a dream state of a living being. The subtle body travels eternally with atman (individual soul) through cycles of birth and death. It has a complex structure which is described in detail in the Baghavad Gita, Vedas and Upanishads.
3. The Causal Non Visible Body (sushupti deep sleep state) all karma, feelings, and even sense of time becomes latent and incognizant in a living being. Similarly, all karma and emotions of all living beings stay undistinguished from maya.
But maya has a strange shakti (power) called aavran which hides MY real nature from recognition by living beings. Being joined to my chaitaniya, maya becomes the material cause as well as the immediate cause of the prapanch, which means the universe which exists and does not really exist.
This maya is called by different names (naam) by different people such as tapas, tamas, jad, gnaan, maayaa, pradhaan and prakruti.
KOSH (Sheaths)
It has five sheaths or layers (Kosh) which develope from the inner to the outer layers of the subtle body. Each kosh (sheath) empowers it to experience the universe and its creations.
The 5-kosh of an atman, are from innermost to outermost:
1. Aanandmay-kosh in which atman (individual soul) resides as chaitanya (consciousness) and activates all other kosh )sheaths) and everything else it embodies or interacts with in the universe.
2. Vignaanmay-kosh through which atman (individual soul) comprehends the science of the universe.
3. Manomay-kosh through which atman (individual soul) attains yog (connection of unified existence) with other creations and co-exists with other creations.
4. Praanmay-kosh through which atman (individual soul) empowers all the functions of its sthul-sharir (physical, waking body), indriyo (organs), buddhi (intellect) and manas (mind).
5. Annamay-kosh the Sheaf of Bliss from which atman (individual soul) creates its sthul-sharir (physical, waking body) in each of its sansaar (cycles of birth and death).
CHAKRAS
The word comes from the Sanskrit cakra meaning "wheel, circle", and sometimes also referring to the "wheel of life".
The seven main chakras are described as being aligned in an ascending column from the base of the spine to the top of the head. The chakras are thought to vitalise the physical body and to be associated with interactions of both a physical and mental nature. They are considered loci of prana (life energy), which is thought to flow among them along pathways called nadis (motion).
Seven: Sahasrara (The crown chakra) is associated with thought and universal identity, it is oriented to self-knowledge.
Six: Ajna (The brow chakra or third eye center) is associated with light and archetypal identity, and is oriented to self-reflection.
Five: Visuddha (The throat chakra) is associated with communication, creativity, sound, creative identity and is oriented to self-expression.
Four: Anahata (The heart chakra) and is associated with air and social identity, it is associated with self-acceptance.
Three: Manipura (The power chakra), located in the solar plexus and is associated with fire, ego identity and is oriented to self-definition.
Two: Svadisthana (the abdomen, lower back, and sexual organs) associated with Water, Emotional identity, oriented to self-gratification.
One: Muladhara (base of the spine), this chakra forms our foundation and is associated with earth, physical identity and is oriented to self-preservation.
NADIS
The Sanskrit term ‘Nadi,’ comes from the root ‘Nad’ which means ‘motion’.
Nadis are the astral tubes made up of astral matter that carry psychic currents and interconnect the chakras. Fourteen are said to be of primary importance. It is through these Nadis (Sukshma, subtle passages), that the Pranic current (vital force) moves or flows. Since they are made up of subtle matter they cannot be seen by the naked physical eyes.
All the Nadis spring from the Kanda (the junction where the Sushumna Nadi is connected with the Muladhara Chakra.) Some say, that this Kanda is 12 inches above the anus. Out of the innumerable Nadis 14 are said to be important. They are:
1. Sushumna Nadi
2. Ida Nadi
3. Pingala Nadi
4. Gandhari Nadi
5. Hastajihva Nadi
6. Kuhu Nadi
7. Saraswati Nadi 8. Pusha Nadi
9. Sankhini Nadi
10. Payasvini Nadi
11. Varuni Nadi
12. Alambusha Nadi
13. Vishvodhara Nadi
14. Yasasvini Nadi
Again Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are the most important of the above 14 Nadis, and Sushumna is the chief. It is the highest and most sought by the Yogins. Other Nadis are subordinate to this.
ida nadi: (Sanskrit) Also known as chandra ("moon") nadi, it is pink in color and flows downward, ending on the left side of the body. This current is feminine in nature and is the channel of physical-emotional energy.
pinga nadi: Also known as surya ("sun") nadi, it is blue in color and flows upward, ending on the right side of the body. This current is masculine in nature and is the channel of intellectual mental energy.
sushumna nadi: (Sanskrit) The major nerve current which passes through the spinal column from the muladhara chakra at the base to the sahasrara at the crown of the head. It is the channel of kundalini. Through yoga, the kundalini energy lying dormant in the muladhara is awakened and made to rise up this channel through each chakra to the sahasrara chakra.
In pure state atman (individual soul) has all the powers brhmah (creator) has. But atman (individual soul) in an embodied state as a living being is called jiv or pasu and is in a state of mal (literally means impurities, moral taint, paap (sin)).
A Pasu (atman in an embodied state as a living being) exists in 3 Kal (states):
a). sa-kal - bound by mal (sin), maayaa (ignorance) and karma (actions) in an immature state
b). pralay-kal - bound by mal (sin) and karma (actions) in a mature state
c). vignaaan-kal - bound by mal (sin) in a developing state
An atman in a sa-kal state is said to be subjected to kalaa (limited talents or abilities) and wanders about through sansaar (cycle of life and death) in a different body in each birth-death cycle.
Although mal (sin) is a single entity it has diverse shaktio (powers) of limiting atman's (individual soul) druk-shakti (power) of gnaan-maya (knowledge), and of limiting kriyaa-shakti (power of performing karma or actions). Mal (sin) is similar to the husk of rice and serves as the cause of a body an atman (individual soul) takes in each sansaar (creation cycle).
DHARMA
The four pillars of Dharma are:
1. Ahimsa (non-violence)
2. Satyam(truthfulness)
3. Thyagam (sacrifice)
4. Indriyanigraha(self control)
The four pillars of Dharma and are considered to be the most important qualities of the practitioner of Dharma.
If someone take the divine rules of nature into his/ her hand and torture the less privileged , remember that he/she is committing another mistake or sin which will definitely come back to him/her in the form of some unpalatable experience in the same or subsequent incarnations. So take the path of Dharma. Care should be taken to maintain the path of dharma throughout life.
This life is a journey as depicted by many poets .The journey commences in search of happiness and without knowing the ways and means to acquire the same. Each Jeevaatma spends several , probably several thousands , incarnations in search of artha and kama from which he / she expects happiness. During this search he invents and discovers many things which add to his convenience and improve his worldly conditions of life. This journey in wilderness in search of happiness is not unwarranted. It is necessary for the sustenance of the universe.
But the problem is that Jeevaatma during its search for artha and kama forget about dharma. Practice of Dharma is possible only if people follow the paths of Non-violence ( Ahimsa ), Truthfulness ( Sathyam ), Sacrifice ( Thyagom ) and Self Control (Indriyanigraha ). Nobody can escape from this world without acquiring these qualities and practicing Dharma. The position of an individual who acquired these qualities and realized the fact that happiness is not attached to artha and kama can be compared to the position of the individual nearing his actual destination. In the next incarnation he / she may travel straightaway from the very beginning to the end of life without deviating from the path of Dharma and he / she will have all the qualities of a Perfect Human being or “Sthithaprajnan”. Lord Krishna explains the qualities of a ‘Sthithaprajnan ‘ in Chapter II of Bhagavat Gita .He is not inactive .He is aggressive in performing his duties without expecting anything in return , other than the well being of the entire universe.
“Dharmah evam hatho hanthi, Dharmah Rakshathi Rakshithah:” The Dharma destroy its destroyer and save the saver. Therefore: Practice your dharma , do not practice another’s dharma , do not abstain from dharma , - it will give you everything required for the fulfillment of your life namely artha kaama and moksha, through the process of several incarnations - evolutions.
The word deed and thought that lead to promotion of wellbeing and sustenance of all organisms in the universe is considered as Dharma. Identification of one’s own Dharma is the most important task of each individual. Swadharmah nidhinam sreya , Paradharmah bhayavaha. Life of one who perform his/ her own destined dharma will be meaningful and that of one who deviate from own dharma is dangerous. In either case, the performer will have to meet the consequences if the performance is made with attachment.
MAYA (Maayaa) (creative power of the Universe)
Maya is the Creative Power of the Universe which at the physical level obscures the true identity of its Creator through the projection of variety. This produces tamas (inertia), rajas (egocentricity) and ultimately sattwa (goodness) which has a potentially liberating effect.
Paramatman is the indestructible spirit, the great cause of the universe, the Pure Consciousness associated with its own power called Maya. Tamas (inertia), rajas (egocentricity) and sattwa (goodness) are the three constituent gunas (essences or attitudes) of Maya (creative power of the Universe). It is neither real nor unreal and hence inexplicable. It cannot be proved by reasoning which itself is a product of ignorance or Maya.
Gunas
A Guna is a state of mind--an attitude. Attitudes are basically qualities or tones of vibration and are found in everything, especially in the human. There are three Gunas, or attitudes, from which all the more subtle attitudes are derived. The three Gunas bind your spirit to the body, keeps it here. A Guna is an earthly quality. The three Gunas are Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.
Tamas
Tamas or inertia, binds the spirit by laziness, ignorance and too much sleep. It is the trickster of Jeeva, which is female or soul. Tamas attaches you to ignorance by hiding knowledge from you. Tamas dominates by suppressing Rajas (activity) and Sattva (goodness). Ignorance, laziness, carelessness, and delusion arise when Tamas is predominant. If you die while Tamas rules, you are reborn again as a Taamasika person (someone in whom Tamas is ruling). If you do anything while Tamas is ruling in your life, the consequence will be ignorance. Negligence, delusion, and ignorance arise from Tamas. Taamasika persons, living in the lowest Guna, basically experience hell. They are repeatedly born as lower castes creatures of humankind.
Example of a Taamasika Person
It has five sheaths or layers (Kosh) which develope from the inner to the outer layers of the subtle body. Each kosh (sheath) empowers it to experience the universe and its creations.
The 5-kosh of an atman, are from innermost to outermost:
1. Aanandmay-kosh in which atman (individual soul) resides as chaitanya (consciousness) and activates all other kosh )sheaths) and everything else it embodies or interacts with in the universe.
2. Vignaanmay-kosh through which atman (individual soul) comprehends the science of the universe.
3. Manomay-kosh through which atman (individual soul) attains yog (connection of unified existence) with other creations and co-exists with other creations.
4. Praanmay-kosh through which atman (individual soul) empowers all the functions of its sthul-sharir (physical, waking body), indriyo (organs), buddhi (intellect) and manas (mind).
5. Annamay-kosh the Sheaf of Bliss from which atman (individual soul) creates its sthul-sharir (physical, waking body) in each of its sansaar (cycles of birth and death).
CHAKRAS
The word comes from the Sanskrit cakra meaning "wheel, circle", and sometimes also referring to the "wheel of life".
The seven main chakras are described as being aligned in an ascending column from the base of the spine to the top of the head. The chakras are thought to vitalise the physical body and to be associated with interactions of both a physical and mental nature. They are considered loci of prana (life energy), which is thought to flow among them along pathways called nadis (motion).
Seven: Sahasrara (The crown chakra) is associated with thought and universal identity, it is oriented to self-knowledge.
Six: Ajna (The brow chakra or third eye center) is associated with light and archetypal identity, and is oriented to self-reflection.
Five: Visuddha (The throat chakra) is associated with communication, creativity, sound, creative identity and is oriented to self-expression.
Four: Anahata (The heart chakra) and is associated with air and social identity, it is associated with self-acceptance.
Three: Manipura (The power chakra), located in the solar plexus and is associated with fire, ego identity and is oriented to self-definition.
Two: Svadisthana (the abdomen, lower back, and sexual organs) associated with Water, Emotional identity, oriented to self-gratification.
One: Muladhara (base of the spine), this chakra forms our foundation and is associated with earth, physical identity and is oriented to self-preservation.
NADIS
The Sanskrit term ‘Nadi,’ comes from the root ‘Nad’ which means ‘motion’.
Nadis are the astral tubes made up of astral matter that carry psychic currents and interconnect the chakras. Fourteen are said to be of primary importance. It is through these Nadis (Sukshma, subtle passages), that the Pranic current (vital force) moves or flows. Since they are made up of subtle matter they cannot be seen by the naked physical eyes.
All the Nadis spring from the Kanda (the junction where the Sushumna Nadi is connected with the Muladhara Chakra.) Some say, that this Kanda is 12 inches above the anus. Out of the innumerable Nadis 14 are said to be important. They are:
1. Sushumna Nadi
2. Ida Nadi
3. Pingala Nadi
4. Gandhari Nadi
5. Hastajihva Nadi
6. Kuhu Nadi
7. Saraswati Nadi 8. Pusha Nadi
9. Sankhini Nadi
10. Payasvini Nadi
11. Varuni Nadi
12. Alambusha Nadi
13. Vishvodhara Nadi
14. Yasasvini Nadi
Again Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are the most important of the above 14 Nadis, and Sushumna is the chief. It is the highest and most sought by the Yogins. Other Nadis are subordinate to this.
ida nadi: (Sanskrit) Also known as chandra ("moon") nadi, it is pink in color and flows downward, ending on the left side of the body. This current is feminine in nature and is the channel of physical-emotional energy.
pinga nadi: Also known as surya ("sun") nadi, it is blue in color and flows upward, ending on the right side of the body. This current is masculine in nature and is the channel of intellectual mental energy.
sushumna nadi: (Sanskrit) The major nerve current which passes through the spinal column from the muladhara chakra at the base to the sahasrara at the crown of the head. It is the channel of kundalini. Through yoga, the kundalini energy lying dormant in the muladhara is awakened and made to rise up this channel through each chakra to the sahasrara chakra.
In pure state atman (individual soul) has all the powers brhmah (creator) has. But atman (individual soul) in an embodied state as a living being is called jiv or pasu and is in a state of mal (literally means impurities, moral taint, paap (sin)).
A Pasu (atman in an embodied state as a living being) exists in 3 Kal (states):
a). sa-kal - bound by mal (sin), maayaa (ignorance) and karma (actions) in an immature state
b). pralay-kal - bound by mal (sin) and karma (actions) in a mature state
c). vignaaan-kal - bound by mal (sin) in a developing state
An atman in a sa-kal state is said to be subjected to kalaa (limited talents or abilities) and wanders about through sansaar (cycle of life and death) in a different body in each birth-death cycle.
Although mal (sin) is a single entity it has diverse shaktio (powers) of limiting atman's (individual soul) druk-shakti (power) of gnaan-maya (knowledge), and of limiting kriyaa-shakti (power of performing karma or actions). Mal (sin) is similar to the husk of rice and serves as the cause of a body an atman (individual soul) takes in each sansaar (creation cycle).
DHARMA
The four pillars of Dharma are:
1. Ahimsa (non-violence)
2. Satyam(truthfulness)
3. Thyagam (sacrifice)
4. Indriyanigraha(self control)
The four pillars of Dharma and are considered to be the most important qualities of the practitioner of Dharma.
If someone take the divine rules of nature into his/ her hand and torture the less privileged , remember that he/she is committing another mistake or sin which will definitely come back to him/her in the form of some unpalatable experience in the same or subsequent incarnations. So take the path of Dharma. Care should be taken to maintain the path of dharma throughout life.
This life is a journey as depicted by many poets .The journey commences in search of happiness and without knowing the ways and means to acquire the same. Each Jeevaatma spends several , probably several thousands , incarnations in search of artha and kama from which he / she expects happiness. During this search he invents and discovers many things which add to his convenience and improve his worldly conditions of life. This journey in wilderness in search of happiness is not unwarranted. It is necessary for the sustenance of the universe.
But the problem is that Jeevaatma during its search for artha and kama forget about dharma. Practice of Dharma is possible only if people follow the paths of Non-violence ( Ahimsa ), Truthfulness ( Sathyam ), Sacrifice ( Thyagom ) and Self Control (Indriyanigraha ). Nobody can escape from this world without acquiring these qualities and practicing Dharma. The position of an individual who acquired these qualities and realized the fact that happiness is not attached to artha and kama can be compared to the position of the individual nearing his actual destination. In the next incarnation he / she may travel straightaway from the very beginning to the end of life without deviating from the path of Dharma and he / she will have all the qualities of a Perfect Human being or “Sthithaprajnan”. Lord Krishna explains the qualities of a ‘Sthithaprajnan ‘ in Chapter II of Bhagavat Gita .He is not inactive .He is aggressive in performing his duties without expecting anything in return , other than the well being of the entire universe.
“Dharmah evam hatho hanthi, Dharmah Rakshathi Rakshithah:” The Dharma destroy its destroyer and save the saver. Therefore: Practice your dharma , do not practice another’s dharma , do not abstain from dharma , - it will give you everything required for the fulfillment of your life namely artha kaama and moksha, through the process of several incarnations - evolutions.
The word deed and thought that lead to promotion of wellbeing and sustenance of all organisms in the universe is considered as Dharma. Identification of one’s own Dharma is the most important task of each individual. Swadharmah nidhinam sreya , Paradharmah bhayavaha. Life of one who perform his/ her own destined dharma will be meaningful and that of one who deviate from own dharma is dangerous. In either case, the performer will have to meet the consequences if the performance is made with attachment.
MAYA (Maayaa) (creative power of the Universe)
Maya is the Creative Power of the Universe which at the physical level obscures the true identity of its Creator through the projection of variety. This produces tamas (inertia), rajas (egocentricity) and ultimately sattwa (goodness) which has a potentially liberating effect.
Paramatman is the indestructible spirit, the great cause of the universe, the Pure Consciousness associated with its own power called Maya. Tamas (inertia), rajas (egocentricity) and sattwa (goodness) are the three constituent gunas (essences or attitudes) of Maya (creative power of the Universe). It is neither real nor unreal and hence inexplicable. It cannot be proved by reasoning which itself is a product of ignorance or Maya.
Gunas
A Guna is a state of mind--an attitude. Attitudes are basically qualities or tones of vibration and are found in everything, especially in the human. There are three Gunas, or attitudes, from which all the more subtle attitudes are derived. The three Gunas bind your spirit to the body, keeps it here. A Guna is an earthly quality. The three Gunas are Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.
Tamas
Tamas or inertia, binds the spirit by laziness, ignorance and too much sleep. It is the trickster of Jeeva, which is female or soul. Tamas attaches you to ignorance by hiding knowledge from you. Tamas dominates by suppressing Rajas (activity) and Sattva (goodness). Ignorance, laziness, carelessness, and delusion arise when Tamas is predominant. If you die while Tamas rules, you are reborn again as a Taamasika person (someone in whom Tamas is ruling). If you do anything while Tamas is ruling in your life, the consequence will be ignorance. Negligence, delusion, and ignorance arise from Tamas. Taamasika persons, living in the lowest Guna, basically experience hell. They are repeatedly born as lower castes creatures of humankind.
Example of a Taamasika Person
A Taamasika person does not really do anything. They wake up late, eat and often, take alcohol - all day. This is a very generalized statement. They are lazy and ignorant. They are not interested in learning anything. People often have a hard time changing a Taamasika person's mind. They neglect their duties and do not care about other people much.
Rajas
Rajas or selfish activity is seen in people that are chasing materialistic or egocentric dreams. Rajas is born by desires and the results of work, for example: unnecessary nice material trinkets and ego decorations. Rajas binds you to action\work. Rajas rules by suppressing Tamas and Sattva. Greed, activity, restlessness, passion, and the doing of selfish works arise when Raja is ruling in your life. If you die while Rajas rules in your life, you are re-incarnated as a person in which Rajas rules. The consequence of Raajasika action (a selfish action) is pain. Raajasika persons are reborn in the mortal world, or earth.
Example of a Raajasika Person
We often meet people that work extremely hard, they cannot stop working. Most of the time they are rich by average standards (few people in the world own cars and brick houses and PCs), care too much about their cars or houses. They would do almost anything for money. They live selfish, greedy, restless and very active lives.
Sattva
Sattva or goodness, is calm and clear. If Sattva rules in a person, they always do the right thing. Sattva binds the spirit to the body with happiness and knowledge. Sattva rules by suppressing Rajas and Tamas. When goodness and wisdom are present in your whole being, flows out from your whole self - then Sattva is ruling. If you die while Sattva rules in your life, you go to heaven, the pure world where the knowers of the Supreme live. The consequence of Saatvika action (a good action) is pure. Knowledge comes from Sattva. Those who are established in Sattva go to heaven.
Example of a Saatvika Person
A Saatvika person is sometimes hard to identify because they are so humble, they do not make it known that Sattva rules them. The saints and Yesu were Saatvika people, but Yesu rose above Sattva. He conquered the Gunas. Those who can conquer the Gunas, according to the Bhagavad Gita, get to abide in the eternal Happiness. When you realise that you can conquer the Gunas, you are free from birth, old age, disease and death.
How do you know if you have conquered the Gunas?
When you are completely free from the Gunas, you are neither a Saatvika, or Raajasika or Taamasika person. When you can stand above the Gunas and see everything as one, for example: you treat everybody the same way, a clod, stone and gold are the same to you - one is not more precious than the other. When you do not become proud because people praise you, or angry when they disgrace you, you treat enemies and friends alike. When you have managed to do all these, it is said that you have overcome the Gunas.
And with the knowledge of the identity of Jiva (atman -Individual Soul) and Paramatma (Supreme Soul) through Brhmah, Maya disappears.
Maya/Prakruti
The corporeal or non-corporeal part of any living being which is separate and distinct from atman.
Prakruti by itself is jad or inert. When the three guno attains a balanced state then prakruti becomes jad or inert and pralay period starts. When after the 4.32 billion years of pralay is completed as brahmaa's night, then kaal (time) stirs the three guno and produces imbalanced conditions between them and prakruti: starts creating for the subsequent brahmaa's day of 4.32 billion years.
Bound up with reflection of Pure-consciousness, maya which hides the Paramatman and is the cause of both the gross and the subtle bodies, is called the ‘avyaakrta’ or undifferentiated. This is the causal body of the atman and is removable by the knowledge of the identity of Brahman and the Parmaatmaan alone.
maya is of the form of both (sat or asat). Hence maya should be understood as being anirdeshya which means that which cannot be specified, defined, described, explained or compared for its form or nature or state of being.
Maya gives the idea and perception of:
dvundvun which is delusion of perceived difference between brhmah and what is created by brhmah or the delusion of perceived difference between:
Kshetra which is a field or domain or physical body of a living being in which an aatmaa in an embodied state can perform karma and Kshetragna which is the soul or jiv or atman embodied by karma-phal in a body of a living being which is made of the karma-phal to be partaken or received in that life journey.
Hence a mumukshu who is one who desires moksh meaning liberation from saNsaar which is worldly existence of cycles of birth and death full of sukh ( joy and happiness) followed by dukh ( pain and sorrow) should forsake maya through yogik shakti (power of yog).
Shakti
From naarad puraan 1.33 with explanatory infilling from other vedic sources:
maayaa is a primary shakti (power) of nirgun brhmah which has the brhmah-ordained function to hide the true identity of brhmah from all creations with a shakti called aavaraN and also to make all creations see multiplicity in brhmah through a shakti of vikshep.
In this form (ruup) of mine, supreme consciousness (Paramatman) is the eternal, creative power (maya-shakti) of the Universe. One cannot say that this maya-shakti exists or does not exist. This notion of existing and not existing is subject to error and paradox. This maya-shakti always exists as a pair of opposing forces. agni (fire) does not exist without heat. surya (sun) does not exist without light. chandramaa (moon) does not exists without its cool light. In the same way the maya-shakti is identified and contemporaneous with Paramatman.
THE CASTE SYSTEM
The Caste System as it is practiced in India is the result of misinterpretation of vedic tenets by vested interests Bhagavan Sri.Krishna said “ Chathurvarnyam Mayaa srushtam, gunakarma vibhagasa.” I have created four types of people based on their qualities of Karmabandham” -it is based on the permutations and combinations of trigunas.
If a person has more than 80 % of Satwa guna he is a Brahmin even if born in the family of so called dalits. If one possesses more than 80 % Rajoguna irrespective of the caste of his/her parents he/she should be treated as Kshetriya. If one possesses 40 % Thamoguna and 40 % Rajoguna it can be classified as the qualities of Vaisya. If one possesses 80 % Thamoguna he is Sudra even if he is born to Brahmin or Kshatriya or Vaisya parents.
An analysis of the cross –section of society will reveal that all the above four combinations with natural variations, are existing in all castes and creeds all over the world. Those who possess excess of Thamoguna, irrespective of the man made caste system to which they belong should, strive hard to improve their qualities following the practice of Non-violence( Ahimsa) Truthfulness, (Satyam) Sacrifice ( Thyagam) and Self control ( Indriyanigraha) – path of Dharma. This will enable them to improve their samskaara in successive incarnations. This is evolution. Remember Life is an experience of one’s own Karma. Each Jeevaatma is getting its due share without fail. But no human being has the right to condemn others on account of their past deeds.
The Caste System as it is practiced in India is the result of misinterpretation of vedic tenets by vested interests Bhagavan Sri.Krishna said “ Chathurvarnyam Mayaa srushtam, gunakarma vibhagasa.” I have created four types of people based on their qualities of Karmabandham” -it is based on the permutations and combinations of trigunas.
If a person has more than 80 % of Satwa guna he is a Brahmin even if born in the family of so called dalits. If one possesses more than 80 % Rajoguna irrespective of the caste of his/her parents he/she should be treated as Kshetriya. If one possesses 40 % Thamoguna and 40 % Rajoguna it can be classified as the qualities of Vaisya. If one possesses 80 % Thamoguna he is Sudra even if he is born to Brahmin or Kshatriya or Vaisya parents.
An analysis of the cross –section of society will reveal that all the above four combinations with natural variations, are existing in all castes and creeds all over the world. Those who possess excess of Thamoguna, irrespective of the man made caste system to which they belong should, strive hard to improve their qualities following the practice of Non-violence( Ahimsa) Truthfulness, (Satyam) Sacrifice ( Thyagam) and Self control ( Indriyanigraha) – path of Dharma. This will enable them to improve their samskaara in successive incarnations. This is evolution. Remember Life is an experience of one’s own Karma. Each Jeevaatma is getting its due share without fail. But no human being has the right to condemn others on account of their past deeds.
KARMA
Karma (Sanskrit: from the root kri, "to do", meaning deed) or Kamma (Pali: meaning action, effect, destiny) comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done and is currently doing. The effects of those deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well.
The so-called good effect or bad effect is not a judgment nor is it given as a reward or punishment by a supramundane authority such as God. The good or bad effect produced by good or bad karma is purely and simply a natural phenomenon governed by natural laws that act automatically, with complete justice. If God has anything to do with it, then God must also act according to this natural law. This cause produces this effect. That cause produces that effect. God would not change this natural path because of his like or dislike of a particular person.
All living creatures are responsible for their karma and for their salvation (or release from samsara (the cycles of life, death and rebirth). As a term, it can be traced back to the early Upanishads.
The praarabdham express themselves as instincts or Vaasanas. These instincts are the driving forces of new life which lead to new karma and creation of new energy modules. One can change the effects of his/her praarabdham by controlling his/her instincts by practicing restraint or developing them by exerting conscious extra efforts. Availability of this option is a unique privilege of human life. As long as one maintains sense based materialistic individuality he/she continues in this worldly life. The development of cosmic, transcendental, spiritual individuality leads to disintegration of materialistic sense based personality and such people move to the ‘cosmic worlds’ and attain Paramapurushaartha sooner or later depending again on the quality of “ samskaara”. The time required for this transformation or evolution from primitive life form to perfect human being which is a pre-requisite to attain Paramapurushaartha varies with the individual. Hence different forms of life and among the same form different characters with varying degree of “ samskaara” are seen in this world and it is inevitable also.
The life is the experience of invisibles-good and bad- created by one’s own karma. It continues in search of purushartha viz; Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha. Moksham is the ultimate reality and is called Paramapurushartha. All are destined to attain moksham-the Final Destination and Ultimate Reality. Infact, life is a journey commences from the Almighty and ends in the Almighty. But no one can attain the destination without being a Perfect Man in this world through the process of evolutions. No one can be a Perfect Man as long as he has karmabandham. The practice of any one or a combination of four yogas namely Nishkamakarma, Ashtangayoga, Bhakthiyoga and Jnanayoga are the four methods of liberating oneself from the clutches of karmabandham. All these yogas ultimately lead to Jnana or knowledge .The seeds of karma or karmabandham roasted in the fire of knowledge will not germinate. Knowledge is the most precious asset in life which enables one to liberate from the clutches of worldly life. Liberation is moksham.
Karma is either punya (of merit) or apunya (of paap/mal or sin). karma is what gives an atman the husk or body made of 3-guno of prakruti out of which the body is created. The atman's body is always of suitable form to suffer or enjoy the ripened karma-fal in a birth-death cylce. This mal and karma creates the permanent and continuous flow of cycles of birth-death and binds an atman to these cycles in similar manner how a seed produces a sprout and in turn a sprout produces a seed and the cycle becomes eternal. (naarad puraan 3.63.22-24)
Karma (Sanskrit: from the root kri, "to do", meaning deed) or Kamma (Pali: meaning action, effect, destiny) comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done and is currently doing. The effects of those deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well.
The so-called good effect or bad effect is not a judgment nor is it given as a reward or punishment by a supramundane authority such as God. The good or bad effect produced by good or bad karma is purely and simply a natural phenomenon governed by natural laws that act automatically, with complete justice. If God has anything to do with it, then God must also act according to this natural law. This cause produces this effect. That cause produces that effect. God would not change this natural path because of his like or dislike of a particular person.
All living creatures are responsible for their karma and for their salvation (or release from samsara (the cycles of life, death and rebirth). As a term, it can be traced back to the early Upanishads.
The praarabdham express themselves as instincts or Vaasanas. These instincts are the driving forces of new life which lead to new karma and creation of new energy modules. One can change the effects of his/her praarabdham by controlling his/her instincts by practicing restraint or developing them by exerting conscious extra efforts. Availability of this option is a unique privilege of human life. As long as one maintains sense based materialistic individuality he/she continues in this worldly life. The development of cosmic, transcendental, spiritual individuality leads to disintegration of materialistic sense based personality and such people move to the ‘cosmic worlds’ and attain Paramapurushaartha sooner or later depending again on the quality of “ samskaara”. The time required for this transformation or evolution from primitive life form to perfect human being which is a pre-requisite to attain Paramapurushaartha varies with the individual. Hence different forms of life and among the same form different characters with varying degree of “ samskaara” are seen in this world and it is inevitable also.
The life is the experience of invisibles-good and bad- created by one’s own karma. It continues in search of purushartha viz; Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha. Moksham is the ultimate reality and is called Paramapurushartha. All are destined to attain moksham-the Final Destination and Ultimate Reality. Infact, life is a journey commences from the Almighty and ends in the Almighty. But no one can attain the destination without being a Perfect Man in this world through the process of evolutions. No one can be a Perfect Man as long as he has karmabandham. The practice of any one or a combination of four yogas namely Nishkamakarma, Ashtangayoga, Bhakthiyoga and Jnanayoga are the four methods of liberating oneself from the clutches of karmabandham. All these yogas ultimately lead to Jnana or knowledge .The seeds of karma or karmabandham roasted in the fire of knowledge will not germinate. Knowledge is the most precious asset in life which enables one to liberate from the clutches of worldly life. Liberation is moksham.
Karma is either punya (of merit) or apunya (of paap/mal or sin). karma is what gives an atman the husk or body made of 3-guno of prakruti out of which the body is created. The atman's body is always of suitable form to suffer or enjoy the ripened karma-fal in a birth-death cylce. This mal and karma creates the permanent and continuous flow of cycles of birth-death and binds an atman to these cycles in similar manner how a seed produces a sprout and in turn a sprout produces a seed and the cycle becomes eternal. (naarad puraan 3.63.22-24)
Karma-phal
Although atman possesses shaktio of brhmah and many other attributes of brhmah's chaitaniya it gets sheathed in the karma-phal (fruits of karma) of all karma performed by the sthul-sharir (physical body) embodied by an atman (individual soul) from each sansaar (birth and death cycle) which basically limits all its powers and makes it identify with its embodied body as the false "I". These karmik sheaths are called panch-kanchuk and they are:
1. Kaal which limits atman to being non-omnipotent by being in one place in a single time frame.
2. Niyati which limits atman's inherent shaktio from chaitanya of brhmah Raag which creates attachment of atman to the vishayo (objects) of indriyo and thus limits its Nirliptatva which is detachment from the universe and creations.
3. Vidyaa which limits atman being omniscient as brhmah is
4. Kalaa which limits atman's inherent shakti of being omnipotent. Atman journeys through sansaar in this universe bound by karma-phal.
Thus from body to body traveling in sansaar cycles, atman is eternally sheathed by karma-phal which produces 5-kanchuk, and predominance of 3-guno in 10-indriyo, praan, buddhi and manas. All these from all previous cycles of birth and death display as inherent predominance of rajas-gun, or sattva-gun, or tamas-gun, and individualistic attributes of a living being at the time of each new birth.
Obstructing (Antraya) Karma Bondage
Although atman possesses shaktio of brhmah and many other attributes of brhmah's chaitaniya it gets sheathed in the karma-phal (fruits of karma) of all karma performed by the sthul-sharir (physical body) embodied by an atman (individual soul) from each sansaar (birth and death cycle) which basically limits all its powers and makes it identify with its embodied body as the false "I". These karmik sheaths are called panch-kanchuk and they are:
1. Kaal which limits atman to being non-omnipotent by being in one place in a single time frame.
2. Niyati which limits atman's inherent shaktio from chaitanya of brhmah Raag which creates attachment of atman to the vishayo (objects) of indriyo and thus limits its Nirliptatva which is detachment from the universe and creations.
3. Vidyaa which limits atman being omniscient as brhmah is
4. Kalaa which limits atman's inherent shakti of being omnipotent. Atman journeys through sansaar in this universe bound by karma-phal.
Thus from body to body traveling in sansaar cycles, atman is eternally sheathed by karma-phal which produces 5-kanchuk, and predominance of 3-guno in 10-indriyo, praan, buddhi and manas. All these from all previous cycles of birth and death display as inherent predominance of rajas-gun, or sattva-gun, or tamas-gun, and individualistic attributes of a living being at the time of each new birth.
Obstructing (Antraya) Karma Bondage
This Karma obstructs the adoption of desirable course or attainment of one's objectives and is of five sub-divisions. It is compared to a "Storekeeper" who does not permit issue from the store. The five sub-categories are:
1. Dana Antraya (Obstructing Charity) - due to which one is not able to give things to deserving people.
2. Labha Antraya (Obstructing Profit) - due to which one is not able to profit or earn in spite of efforts.
3. Bhoga Antraya (Obstructing enjoyment) - due to which one may not be able to enjoy things like food, drinks etc.
4. Upbhoga Antraya (Obstructing repeated enjoyment) - due to which one is not able to enjoy things which are repeatedly or continuously enjoyed like house, clothes, cars etc.
5. Veerya Astraya (Obstructing powers) - due to which one is not able to exploit and profit fully by one's prowess or power or attainments.
Bandh (bondage)
Bandh (bondage) is determined at the time of influx and bondage of Karma with the soul. There are four types:
1. Prikriti Bandh (Nature bondage)
2. Stithi Bandh (Duration bondage)
3. Anubhag/Ras Bandh (Intensity bondage)
4. Pradesh Bandh (Quantum bondage)
LAYA
laya is re-absorption into the creator for rebirth. Living forms (asat) are creations created by brhmah which die after a life cycle upon receipt of karma-phal for that life cycle and are reborn.Re-absorption is into the form of brahmaa-dev for the cycles of nitya and naimittik laya and into the form of brhmah for the cycles of praakrt and aatyantik laya, not of the form of sat which is shaktio of brhmah which are eternal and are not affected by the cycles. Examples of sat are Parmaatmaa (Supreme Soul), gnaan and chaitanya ( Super Consciousness) which are brhmah-self
TURIIYA
The word turiiya expresses the following:
Vedic philosophical meanings
The word turiiya expresses the fourth state of existence of atman.
The turiiya state is beyond the three state of normal four state of existence of atman in prakruti's domain. The four states of atman's existence are:
a) jaagruti which is the awake state
b) avapna which is the dream state, and
c) sushupti which is the deep sleep state. This state to current science occurs in cycles of about 90 minutes during normal sleep.
d) turiiya is the fourth state which transcends all the three other states but pervades all the three states and is the sub-stratum of all the three other states.
Each of jaagruti, svapna and sushupti states are changing, perishable, ephemeral mode of existence of aatmaa. The turiiya state is a-maatra or modeless, which means it is unchanging, eternal and absolute just like brhmah is.
The atman is called by a separate name in each of the first three states:
a) In jaagruti state aatmaa is called vaishvaanar.
b) In svapna state aatmaa is called taijas.
c) In sushupti state the aatmaa is called pragnaa.
YOGA
The life is the experience of invisibles-good and bad- created by one’s own karma. It continues in search of purushartha viz; Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha. Moksham is the ultimate reality and is called Paramapurushartha. All are destined to attain moksham-the Final Destination and Ultimate Reality. Infact, life is a journey commences from the Almighty and ends in the Almighty. But no one can attain the destination without being a Perfect Man in this world through the process of evolutions. No one can be a Perfect Man as long as he has karmabandham.
The practice of any one or a combination of four yogas namely;
1. Nishkamakarma
2. Ashtangayoga
3. Bhakthiyoga
4. Jnanayoga
They are the four methods of liberating oneself from the clutches of karmabandham. All these yogas ultimately lead to Jnana or knowledge .The seeds of karma or karmabandham roasted in the fire of knowledge will not germinate. Knowledge is the most precious asset in life which enables one to liberate from the clutches of worldly life. Liberation is moksham.
SAMAHDI
The meanings of the term Samadhi are union, totality; absorption in, complete concentration of mind; conjunction.
Patanjali and his commentators distinguish several kinds or stages of supreme concentration. When Samadhi is obtained with the help of an object or idea (that is, by fixing one's thought on a point in space or on an idea), the stasis is called samprajnata samadhi ('enstasis with support,' or 'differentiated enstasis').
When Samadhi is obtained apart from any 'relation' (whether external or mental) that is, when one obtains a 'conjunction' into which no otherness' enters, but which is simply a full comprehension of being one has realized asamprajnata-samadhi ('enstasis without support,' or 'undifferentiated stasis').
AUM
Pranava or the syllable AUM consists of three components. They are A, U and M
The Mandukya Upanisad initiated the tradition of regarding the three sound elements of AUM as corresponding to and as signifying the phases of the self conditioned by the three bodies, and as manifesting itself in the three phenomenal states.
The spiritual problem is to release oneself from these limiting conditions, and to realise one’s identity with the Ultimate Principle. The symbol AUM is maintained to contain the direction for developing this transcendent integration of knowledge and life.
A Represents the gross point of view. It connotes the native realism and pluralism of common sense. It signifies Vishva in the Microcosm and Virat in the Macrocosm at the gross level.
U From this we ought to move on to the level of thought represented by U. U signifies the understanding of the world as the projection of the universe by the Spirit itself. The point of view is found on the dream-experience and its philosophy may be described as Dynamic Idealism. Spirit, through the instrumentality of mind, sets up within itself the entire cosmos. When this standpoint reaches maturity, we must pass beyond it. U represents Taijasa in the Microcosm and Hiranyagarbha in the Macrocosm.
M represented the next phase. The diversity of presentation conjured up in the dream-world is nothing real. It is a projection of the unreal. Such projection is founded upon the non-apprehension of the real. The realisation of this fact of radical non-apprehension is promoted by the consideration of the experience of deep-sleep. M signifies Prajna in the Microcosm and Akshara or Isvara in the Macrocosm.
This fusion of the particular and cosmic standpoints is insisted upon and we are to see in the three constituents of AUM the signification of the three phases of the one integral spirit. Thus the whole universe is viewed in three levels, the causal, the subtle and the gross. The spirit, which is the ultimate reality, appears conditioned by these. Now the philosophical problem for man is to ascend to the apprehension of the real as transcending the conditions in which it is seemingly embodied.
We dream because we are asleep. The world taken as real in the waking state is really of the same status as the dream world, and the pre-supposition of such dreaming is the failure to see that the Parmaatmaan is the sole reality.
This failure is most clearly illustrated in deep-sleep. We must pass into the frame of thought according to which our empirical life, which is in reality a dream, is due to our being asleep to spirit, the fundamental substance of our being. We are most asleep when we fancy ourselves most awake. Even as the chanting of the sacred Pranava (AUM) culminates in the serenity of silence after the final sound M, the philosophic contemplation of man’s experience in its entirety must pass after the consideration of the state of deep-sleep into the unconditioned effulgence of the pure and transcendent Self.
The seed of phenomenal life, namely ignorance most strikingly present in sleep, must be destroyed and the sleeper must wake up to the infinite reality of the spiritual essence. This ultimate self-affirmation is the goal of contemplation. The agnosticism of sleep must be extinguished in this transcendent self-realisation.
Now, ‘A’ the waking-personality, should be resolved into ‘U’, the dream-personality, and the ‘U’ into ‘M’ i.e., the deep-sleep personality. Again, the ‘M’ should be reduced into ‘AUM’ and the ‘AUM’ into ‘I’. I am, the Atman, the Witness of all, the absolute of the nature of Pure Consciousness, one without a second and the Innermost Consciousness.
Remaining in this state of absolute identification is what is called ‘SAMADHI’ or the Super-conscious state.
Yes true. Om is a very powerful word in Indian beliefs. Many scholars state that these philosophical texts recommend Om as a tool for meditation. have came across the similar article on "Om Chanting benefits" https://www.vibeindian.in/spirituality/aum-chanting-benefits/
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