Six Darshanas of Hindu Philosophy

The vast fertile plains of India with an extensive network of rivers, a climate suitable for agriculture and plentiful labor made for prosperity among her people. When the need for food, clothing and shelter were fulfilled and other needs reasonably met and the struggle for life was won over, questions rose in the minds of her people: Who am I? Why am I here? What is the purpose of my life? What is mind? How do we experience pleasures of life? Why pain? How do we overcome pain? What happens after death? Who or what is God? The result of inquiry into these questions resulted in ‘ darshanas’ or the Indian systems of Philosophy. 

The Indian mystics looked within themselves to find the answers to these questions. They were guided instinctively to go within themselves and not seek  answers outside.  They intuitively experienced the answers to the questions regarding goals of life and Divinity in a very clear and logical manner. They were lead to see the truth and hence their thoughts were called ‘darshanas’ meaning ‘ vision’ or self realization.  These illuminating thoughts of the Rishis or Seers were called the darshanas.

There are six systems of Indian philosophies or metaphysical systems or Shad Darshanas. These are visions of reality as experienced by the mystics. Each of them was compiled during the times of before and after the time of Christ. The six systems had some differences and some common factors. The following two factors were common to all the six systems:

• The soul undergoes endless cycles of rebirth and death – the doctrine of reincarnation of the soul and the cosmology of endless cosmic cycles
• The  possibility of the soul reaching perfection in this phenomenal world and transcending the cycle of rebirths and death i.e. attaining self realization or enlightenment or merging with God.

The above two themes are also found in Buddhism and Jainism. They first appeared in the Upanishads.

The six darshanas are:

• Vaisheshika or "Atomism"
• Nyaya or "Logic”
• Purva Mimamsa or ritualistic interpretation of the Vedas
• Samkhya or the enumeration of the various cosmic principles (tattwas), which are considered separate from the true self or consciousness (Purusha)
• Yoga or techniques for meditation and transcendence
• Uttara Mimamsa  or Vedanta or metaphysical speculation

They generally deal with four topics:

• Brahman – The Creator - Existence and Nature of Brahman

• Jiva –The Part of Brahman which separates from it-  Nature of Jiva or the Individual soul

• Jagat – The Created -Creation of Jagat or the world

• Returning back to Brahman -Moksha or Liberation and the disciplines that lead to it

Today, Vaisheshika, Nyaya, and Mimamsa do not have significant impact on the Indian thought and philosophy of life.  Samkhya has been assimilated by Vedanta and has become a part of it.  Yoga is popular worldwide as a practical technique of physical health and mental meditation. The darshanas of philosophy conclude that despite the best efforts of man, his life is full of misery and has  less of happiness and bliss.  He puts in continuous effort but is rarely content. Seeking an escape route from the world's miseries, pains and the roller coaster life of human existence is  one of the main goals of human life.

Summing up Samkhya Philosophy

The Samkhya Philosophy gives us very clear and logical answers regarding the creation of the Universe. The understanding of the Rishis regarding the Divine or Universal Consciousness and its characteristics are intellectually acceptable. The further explanations of the vibration of Aum and the separation of Purusha and Prakriti from Brahman, their union and the birth of Mahat or Divine Intelligence, the Ahamkar , the three Gunas, the further evolution of senses, mind and elements are extremely systematic and laid out clearly.  The physical body is at the bottom end of line of Universal Creation Map. The Rishis started at the bottom with the human body and went upwards to understand the process of creation and chart it out. They labelled out every part of the process of creation with its nature, characteristics and appearance and usage in the daily life of man. They have clearly stated out that man is made from the same elements that the Universe is created from and is a manifestation of the Supreme Consciousness. 

The Rishis speak out the close relationship between man, all living entities and non living entities and the Cosmos. They state categorically that the source of all existence is the Cosmic Consciousness which manifests as the male and female energy – the Shiva and the Shakti.  The human body which is made up of three gunas,  five elements, the senses, mind, buddhi, ego and houses the atman is a reflection of the Purusha, Prakriti and Brahman. When an individual does not have realisation of true state of Purusha, he is mislead by Prakriti and will be caught up in the world of senses, desires, vices and ego. Committing endless acts to fulfill his desires, he is trapped in the never ending spiral of karma.

By starting with the human body and studying it, we can understand the process of creation, the Purusha, Prakriti and Brahman. As understanding of Brahman is beyond the senses, gunas, mind, intellect and buddhi, we need to drop all these elements aside and remain in perfect witness mode. Then the Universal Self or the Brahman is revealed within us. Following this reasoning, the Rishis have formulated the Ashtanga Yoga in which we are taught to overcome the vagaries and vices of mind, build a strong base of good and noble habits which helps us to function well in society and in personal life, keep a fit body, learn to breath properly, draw our senses within us, focus on one subject, meditate and reach the stage of Samadhi. This is a gradual growth and measured progression in understanding ourselves and the Universe.

The Samkhya regards ignorance as the root of all bondage and suffering in this world. It emphasizes the importance of a pure mind to make our lives worth living in this world. Unless we get rid of all the gross elements from our mind, it is not possible to achieve a state of eternal bliss. For overcoming ignorance and understanding self, one of the best tools is meditation.

The study of Samkhya is deeply inspiring and transformative. We learn the secrets of our creation and the creation of this world. We learn to unravel the greatest mystery of our lives - ourselves. The Samkhya philosophy systematically maps out every part of our being. We are taught about the lowest level of mortal existence to the highest level of Universal Consciousness. The Samkhya must be approached through three ways:

• Reading - comprehend the terminology and philosophy
• Contemplation and Meditation – to feel and experience the philosophy
• Yoga Practice - applying the philosophy so that our understanding results in inner transformation and experience

May good come to us from all sides.

The Physical Body of Man

Understanding Universe  and Life – Samkhya Philosophy- 9

The physical body of man is made with a mixture of 

• the five elements- earth, water, fire, wind, space 
• the three gunas -satwa, rajas, tamas 
• the elements of the Mind
• the jnanendriyas, or five sensory organs -ears, skin, eyes, tongue, and nose 
• the karmendriyas, or five organs of action- tongue, hands, legs, reproductive & excretory organs 
• the tanmatras, or five senses - sound, touch, vision, taste, and smell

STAGES OF EXISTENCE

Through self will and self projection, the Atman or the Eternal Soul descends to the material plane of existence. It is entrapped within successive temporary bodies made of matter (Prakriti).  Everything that is made of Prakriti  undergoes three stages of existence:

1. it is created 

2. it remains for some time and

3. it is inevitably destroyed 

These three phases of existence correspond to the three gunas – qualities or modes of material nature. Passion (rajas) creates, goodness (sattva) sustains and ignorance (tamas) destroys.  The gunas are ranked with Satwa being the highest, Tamas or ignorance being the lowest and Rajas being inbetween.  Each member of the Hindu Trimurti- Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh- represents one of the three gunas.

We can understand this material world through gunas. All creation is made up of mixes of the three gunas. Depending on the soul’s preference for a particular mode, it takes on a corresponding body. 

• A person influenced mainly by  satwa/goodness will be elevated to the heavenly planets at death. 
• Those in whom the  rajas/passion dominates, stay in human society
• Those overcome by tamas/ignorance take on forms of lower species 
• Those souls who transcend all the three gunas attain liberation/moksha and escape the entanglement of Prakruti or matter

All physical things on earth, even the most subtle are built by combination of the five elements. Our experiences of the world come to us also through the combination of the five elements. 

• The sense of sound is received through reception of vibration 

• The sense of touch is through the contact of things or vibrations 

• The sense of sight depends on the actions of fire and light. 

• Through water is the sense of taste and 

• By earth is the sense of smell. 

All our experiences are basically a response to vibratory contacts between force and force. Through this understanding our Rishis were able to bridge the gap between the Pure Force and the final modification of Force which we perceive in this world. When we perceive the world, we see it as something solid, tangible and durable. It is impossible for us to understand that all the solid material forms that we see around are actually  a temporary phenomena and that there is One Cosmic Force which is pure energy and intangible. 

That which cannot be perceived by our senses is permanent and the actual reality! 

Brahmam Satyam, Jagad Mithya – The Brahman is real and this world is an illusion

The Atman

Understanding Universe  and Life – Samkhya Philosophy- 8

THE ATMAN

The Atman is the soul. It is the aspect of Purusha which is a part of creation. The Atman is the immortal aspect of our mortal existence. It is the innermost part of all objects in creation including man. It is more subtle than any matter. It generates its own successive material bodies. It is the microcosm representing the macrocosm in each of us. Man reflects the divine qualities of the Atman and is able to live a purposeful life, have goals and aims in life and work to achieve them and experience the pleasures and pains of earthly life. This world and its creatures are here to facilitate the soul's self-centered desires, and ultimately to enable its return back to the Brahman.

The Bhagwad Gita gives an excellent description of the soul. According to it, the soul, or Atman, is indestructible and eternal. It neither slays not can it be slain. It is never born, never dies and after coming into existence never ceases to be. It is nitya (always), sasvatah (permanent) and purana (very ancient).  It does not suffer and cannot be tainted. At the time of death it does not die, but leaves the body and enters into a new one. Weapons cannot pierce it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot moisten it and wind cannot dry it. It is impenetrable, incombustible, all pervading, stable and immobile. It is invisible, imperceptible and immutable.

The human body is a composite of many things. The soul is superior to everything else in the human being. The senses through which we enjoy and take delight in this world are great and greater than the senses is the mind for it connects consciousness to the outer world via the senses. Greater than the mind is buddhi as buddhi knows, decides, judges, and discriminates. Greater than the buddhi is the Self for the buddhi was created through the union of the Self or Purusha and Prakriti.

Though it is verily the Brahman itself, the Atman encases itself in the three gunas, the five elements and five senses. It descends into the physical body and world through self projection and participates in a game of self induced illusion and delight. Since it is bound by the ego which creates the illusion that it is the limited body, the truth of its divine origin and wisdom are veiled by ignorance. Our entire existence is outward bound though the senses and sensory perceptions and we forget our divine roots. The Atman is the silent partner to all our thoughts, deeds and experiences in this world. It is the observer and in the indweller of all beings.

The Ahamkar or Ego is often confused for the Atman. The Ego is a false centre which assumes the position of control and ownership. In reality it is an illusion which is born out of sensory experiences and collection of thoughts and memories. The nature of Ego is illusion, impermanence and suffering whereas the nature of Atman is reality, permanence and Bliss. The Ego speaks of I, Me and Mine and when we rise above the Ego, the Atman reveals itself as the real Self or the Brahman.

The Atman cannot be known or understood by the senses or the mind. The mind is an imperfect instrument which has an inherent inability to understand the Atman. The intellect and logic are also not capable of helping us to know the Atman. Then how can we realize the Atman? What are the procedures to be followed? 

Yama - the God of Death - who for the Hindus is Dharma Personified - teaches Nachiketa lessons on self realziation. He says that the self cannot be known by he:

• Who lives a righteous life

• Controls his senses

• Stills his mind

• Practices meditation

It is not obtained through intellect or learned discourses. It comes from close association with a realized teacher or Guru. Have association with a realized teacher or Guru is of no use, unless there is an deep commitment to know the truth of Self. The self can be attained only by those whom the Self chooses. Unto such people, the Self reveals itself.

The liberated soul is different from the soul inside the living body which the Hindu scriptures term as Jivatam or the embodied soul. The embodied soul is caught in the snare of the samsara sagara or the causative world through desires and attachment. The liberated soul lives in this world but is free from all entanglements and is forever free from the control of Prakriti.

(contd in  blog 9.....)

Mahabhutas or Tanmatras - Attributes of Prakriti

Understanding Universe  and Life – Samkhya Philosophy- 7

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PANCHA MAHABHUTAS OR TANMATRAS 

The Five Tanmatras or Mahabhutas(Elements): The Tanmatras give rise to the gross elements - pancha mahabhutas . They are building blocks of nature. They exist in gross form as:

-earth/prithvi or solids, 

-water/aap or liquids, 

-fire/tejas or transformation, 

-air /marut—including breath 

-space/akash or void

The ancient seers of India - the Rishis, explain the five successive states of matter which developed from the Universal Consciousness which is in a state of pure formless  existence. These five successive states are called the Panch Maha Bhutas or elements. Each one is a successful solidification of the previous one:

• From the inert formless Brahman or Universal Consciousness rose a vibration from  which sprang the first element of Ether. Ether does not have any form or solid matter 
• The next element Air developed from Ether. Air has force but no form 
• Then came the element of Fire which had form but the form was not stable 
• The fourth element Water had solidification but with the characteristic of diffusion and action of attraction and repulsion 
• Finally, came the element of Earth which is the solid state, characterized by cohesion

All forms of Matter we see in nature are developed, combined, and changed through the action of these five elements. From these elements come the characteristic vibrations that correspond to the objects of senses and the action of the sense organs.

The five elements are internalized and perceived by the manas or Mind through the jnanendriyas or organs of knowledge. They are produced from the tamo guna and include five subtle states of knowing, or channels for internalizing: They exist and function in a subtle state. They are

• Akasha or Ether internalized through Sabda (Sound)

• Vayu or Wind, internalized through Sparsa (Touch)

• Agni or Fire , internalized through Rupa (Sight or Form)

• Apas or Water, internalized through Rasa (Taste)

• Prithvi or Earth, internalized through Gandha (Smell or Odor)

All creation/matter found on Earth and in the Universe are the products of different combinations of the five basic elements. Everything found on Earth can be classified into one of these five categories based on their innate characteristics. Human beings are one of the many species of organisms that are found on Earth. We are physically made up of exactly the same elements that form all of the other species that live on Earth. We sustain the combination of elements already present in us through breathing in air, drinking water and juices and consuming food. Whatever we consume are the elements found in the natural world which surround us.  When we die, the elements in our bodies dissolve and return to the earth, water, fire, air and space. Thus the balance of elements is maintained on Earth.

Matter and energy are interconnected. We know that all matter is energy and matter and energy can be converted into each other. All matter is made up of atoms which act in an orderly manner to sustain the quality and characteristics of the matter. The atoms in any matter maintain themselves with incredible discipline to create forms. This superior intelligence and strict application to laws of nature is the power of Prakriti and the Consciousness field that surrounds all creation.

(Contd in next blog  8.......)

Jnanendriyas & Karmendriyas - Attributes of Prakriti

Understanding Universe  and Life – Samkhya Philosophy- 6

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SENSORY PERCEPTION

The soul which is born in a physical body in this world perceives the world through the sense organs. Our perception of objections or beings in this tangible world around us takes place through the various types of vibrations that emanate from the objects and beings which affect our sense organs.

The mind is very sensitive and feels all vibrations around. It reacts to every stimuli -movement, image, sound, fragrances, touch, taste and other messages that it perceives through the senses. It identifies, organizes and interprets all the sensory information that it receives. It enjoys and relishes the world through the sense organs.

The sensory organs through which we receive input from our external environment, are known as indriyas. According to yoga, these sensory organs are 11 in number - 5 jnanendriyas, 5 karmendriyas, and manas (mind).

PANCH JNANENDRIYAS

The word jnanendriya comes from the roots jnana, which means “wisdom,” and  Indra, who was the God of the sensory heaven in Hinduism. These are the 5 lower sensual perception organs -- those which allow one to perceive the world around them. From the sattva guna, working through the Ahamkara and Manas, the five sense faculties (jnanendriyas) and their related sensory organs are produced:

• Hearing and the Ears /Shotra

• Touch and the Skin/Tvak

• Vision  and the Eyes/Chakshu

• Taste  and the Tongue/Jivha

• Smell and the Nose/Grahna

PANCH KARMENDRIYAS

The term ‘ Karmendriyas’ is derived from the roots karma (action), and ‘Indra’ who was the God of the sensory heaven in Hinduism . Literally, it translates to mean “organ of action,” which signifies that which facilitates our direct contact with the outer world -- or that which enables us to interact with the material objects of the world. The five organs of action (karmendriyas) and their related motor organ originate from the Satwa Guna.  These are:

• Speech and the Mouth/Vak

• Grasping & the Hands /Pani

• Walking  & the Feet/Pada

• Procreation  & the Reproductive Organs/Upastha

• Elimination & the Anus/Payu

(Contd in next blog 7.............)

Mind and the Elements of the Mind - Attributes of Prakriti

Understanding Universe and Life – Samkhya Philosophy-5                      Please refer to 

(http://www.omdasji.blogspot.in/2013/01/map-of-creation-samkhya-philosophy-flow.html)

MIND & ELEMENTS OF MIND

From Prakriti arise the three gunas and also the three elements of the Mind: 

• the higher, intuitive, self-knowing Mind (buddhi), which connects with Consciousness
• the Ego (ahamkara), which exists in a space between the higher and the lower Mind
• the lower-thinking, rational Mind (manas), which connects Consciousness to the outer world via the senses 
• the Mind evolves from the Satwa Guna

The Manas  or Mind is perpetually involved in several important functions: 

• Sense Mind: The Sense Mind internalizes objects in the outer world through the use of the jnanendriyas, i.e. the sense faculties of hearing, touch, vision, taste and smell 
• The Reasoning Mind: Prana carries objects in the outer world via sensations through the sense organs and into the Mind where the Rational Mind then recognizes, assimilates and discerns such sensations, in turn processing and translating them into knowledge, communication, skills and talents. The Reasoning Mind  includes our curiosities, interests, communicative skills, talents and manual dexterity  
• Chitta or Emotional Mind: Thoughts generated by the Reasoning Mind are then translated into particular feelings and emotions which, over time, constructs the foundation for our state of emotional stability and happiness. Chitta is the emotional disposition and ability for proper perception of the outside world 

The Sense Mind, Reasoning Mind and Emotional Mind are affected by the three Gunas.

Separate from Buddhi is the Manas, or Mind, which is an instrument of Consciousness. Although the Mind originates from the Satwa Guna, proper mental-emotional perception and response requires an appropriate balance of all three Gunas. When the Gunas are balanced, the person is able to:

• assimilate a clear perception of the outer world through the sense organs

• discern such perceptions with right reasoning and recognition via the intellect

• assign an appropriate emotion to the thought, thereby creating a proper desire which, in turn,

• causes a message to be sent to the organs of action (karmendriyas) for a particular mode of action-reaction which is congruent with the reality of the outer world

The mind is essential to our successful existence in this world. It has to be watched, assessed and trained in right manner in order to help us perform our duties well in our daily lives. A well trained mind performs like a computer and is a joy to behold in action. A finely tuned mind performs its duties effortlessly and helps in perceiving, reasoning, recognition, assimilation and reaction. It protects us, our rights, properties and the rights, freedom and properties of others too.

The Gunas keep our mind balanced and functioning well. When there is imbalance of Gunas, there are excessive or wrong desires, fears, grief, anxiety or attachment. Over time, such imbalance leads to mental-emotional disease and illness.

(Contd in the next blog 6..... )

The Maha Gunas - Attributes of Prakriti

Understanding Universe  and Life – Samkhya Philosophy- 4

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MAHA GUNAS

Within Prakriti are the three fundamental forces called the Maha-Gunas:

• Tamas - inertia and decay 

• Rajas- momentum and desire

• Sattva- balance, luminosity, and knowledge

The Gunas are born from Prakriti. Originally they were in a state of perfect balance. When there was a disturbance in Prakriti, the process of creation began. Different beings were created possessing the three gunas in different proportions.  The Satwa, Rajas and Tamas exist in all beings including humans in various degrees of concentration and combination. The nature, actions, behaviour, attitude, attachment to world, etc., all depend on the combination of Gunas. The primary function of Gunas is to keep the beings attached to this material world through attachment so that all beings are under the control of Prakriti.

The Gunas represent the subtle attributes of the mind, including its mental and psychological aspects, as well as, the other non-physical sheaths of the individual. 

• The Satwa holds the subtle vibration of clarity, higher intelligence, knowledge, spirituality and balance. The purpose of sattva is joy and harmony 
• The Rajas is that of desire, activity, turbulence and passion. Its purpose is to promote change and movement
• The Tamas  vibrates at the frequency of inertia, darkness, ignorance, confusion, resistance and attachment. Its purpose is stability

Our success in the material world also depends on the balance of Gunas in us. Optimally, the Gunas should be in harmony with the particular action being performed. For example, sleeping requires the Tamasic Guna of dullness and inertia. If there is too much Rajasic Energy involved in the act of sleeping, then there is insomnia. Similarly, meditation requires more Satwic Energy. If there is too much Rajasic Energy involved in meditation then the person is unable to sit still and his mind wanders endlessly. Executing and supervision of work requires Rajasic Energy and if the Satwic Energy dominates, the person will be unable to command others to work and if Tamasic Energy dominates, the person will become a tyrant and oppress those under him. Through strong will and intent, we change the balance of Gunas in our systems in order to successfully perform the many varieties of actions that are essential in our daily lives. 

With the manifestation of Gunas in creation, the individual souls come under their influence and the cycle of birth and death begins. In the 14th Chapter of Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna gives the definition of Gunas and describes them in the great detail.  

• Satwa is pure, illuminating and free from sickness. It binds the soul through attachment with happiness and knowledge
• Rajas is full of passion and is born out of intense desires and attachment. It binds the soul to the world with action 
• Tamas is darkness and crudeness in man. It is born out of ignorance and causes delusion. It binds the soul through indolence, sleep and recklessness  

We have to first reduce Tamas and Rajas to a minimum and increase Satwa in us to the maximum possible. By doing so, we gain the right knowledge and wisdom which show us the path to liberation. Only when we transcend all the three Gunas, we can attain immortality and freedom from sorrow, birth & death.

(Contd in next blog 5....)

Attributes of Prakriti

Understanding Universe  and Life – Samkhya Philosophy- 3

(please refer to http://www.omdasji.blogspot.in/2013/01/map-of-creation-samkhya-philosophy-flow.html)

Prakriti is the power and material from which the entire cosmos is created. Purusha gives the consciousness or awareness to the creation. Prakruti creates all forms in the Universe, while Purusha is the witness to this creation. Prakriti is primordial physical energy containing the three attributes, or gunas, found in all nature, the evolving cosmos.

The first manifestation from Prakruti is Cosmic Intellect - Mahad or Buddhi. From Mahad, ego is formed. Ego (Ahamkar) then manifests into the five senses (tanmatras) and the five motor organs, with the help of satva, thus creating the organic universe. The same Ego further manifests into the five basic elements (bhutas) with the help of tamas, to create the inorganic universe.

Rajas is the active vital life force in the body which moves both the organic and inorganic universes to satva and tamas, respectively. So satva and tamas are inactive, potential energies which need the active, kinetic force of rajas. In Hinduism, the functions of energies are given names: Satva -creative potential is Brahma; Rajas - kinetic protective force  is Vishnu; and Tamas - potential destructice force  is Mahesha or Shiva. Creation (Brahma), Protection (Vishnu) and Destruction (Mahesha) are the three manifestations of the first cosmic soundless sound, Aum (Om), which are constantly operating in the Universe.

MAHAT

Though the Purusha and Prakriti are separate, they have eternal attraction and love for each other. Through their union is born Mahat – the Universal Intelligence. The carrier for Mahat is Prana. Prana is the vital breath or the life force.  The main Prana Vayus or currents in the body are : Prana, Apana, Samana, Udhana and Vayana.

Mahat is Supreme Intelligence which appears to us in form of divine grace and intuition. Cosmic intelligence, or Mahat, works through each individual by way of Prana and produces Buddhi. Buddhi is  individualized, creative cosmic intelligence that helps us in knowing, understanding and discerning knowledge.When the flow of Prana through the individual is undisturbed, then the Buddhi is aligned with Mahat and permits an undisturbed flow of intuition and right perception.  When the individual’s Prana is agitated or disturbed the Buddhi becomes distorted. This leads to blocking of intuition and understanding. Hence our understanding gets skewered and we perceive the right events in a wrong manner and create confusion within self.

AHAMAKARA

The soul which is a part of the Purusha is encased in this human body.  In order for Purusha to experience itself, it had to separate itself from its own true nature and be identified with matter or body. Such separation happens through the Ahamkara (‘I-Creator’). 

The Ahamkara, or ego, is the force which provides us with our individuality and self-identification.  It is individualized awareness of being one with body and identifying with the limited world. The ego causes us to act as per our desires and selfish demands creating karma and cycles of karma which can be overcome through circles of rebirth and death. The ego helps us to survive and thrive in this world and overcome all shortcomings and drawbacks in the path of our progress. It also creates barriers between man and man and makes one feel superior to the other. This creates stress, tensions, enmity, vengeance and wars. Man kills man and blood is shed. 

( Contd in blog 4........)

The Elements of Creation

Understanding of Universe and Life – Samkhya Philosophy- 2

(please refer to http://www.omdasji.blogspot.in/2013/01/map-of-creation-samkhya-philosophy-flow.html)

Through keen observation and inner illumination, the Rishis of India perceived the close relationship between man and the Universe. They found the Cosmic Energy and Consciousness manifested in all existence, how it was interwoven and glittered in the fabric of all living and non loving things. The Rishis realized that the source of all existence is the Cosmic Consciousness which manifests as male and female energy – Shiva and Shakti; Purusha and Prakriti.

The Samkhya philosophy gives a very clear description of the descent of Consciousness into matter at the time of creation.  These teachings of Kapila Muni, the great seer speak of process of creation at macrocosm level at time of creation.  At the micro level,  similar process are found during the birth of an individual and the creation of individual cells in our bodies. At the human level, the Purusha is symbolically compared to a man and the Prakriti with a woman. At the microcosmic level, a union between a man and woman leads to the creation of a new being. Whatever is found is the cosmos is found in the human body and therefore we can start with the study of the human body and reach the understanding of Cosmos. 

BRAHMAN

The Universal Cosmic Consciousness is called Brahman.  It is neither male or female. It is silent and still and beyond witnessing and being witnessed.  It is beyond all dualities.  At the will of Universal Consciousness- the Brahman, a vibration rose from within itself. This is the Aumkar.  The Aumkar caused the emergence of two primary energies from it – the masculine energy called Purusha and the feminine energy called Prakriti. It is through the union or dance of these two energies that the entire Universe is created. Thus the universe is created from sound (vak) or Aumkar. Sound corresponds to ether, the subtlest of the five material elements. The elements develop progressively from subtle to gross

PURUSHA

Purusha is the cosmic masculine principle. It is consciousness, the eternal reality. It is silent awareness. It is beyond quality & attribute, time & space, cause &  effect. But the Purusha still operates within the realm of subject-object. It is formless, colorless, and takes no active part in the manifestation of the universe. This energy is choiceless and is passive awareness.

PRAKRITI

Prakriti is Shakti, the cosmic feminine energy. She is nature. She is active. She  is creative & dynamic,  quality & form, time & space effect and  cause &  effect. Prakriti has form, color and attributes: She is awareness with choice. She who is One who desires to become many and manifests her will. The Universe is the child born out of the womb of Prakriti, the Divine Mother.

She is the matrix of duality and web of Maya or illusion. Purusha is the  subject or witness, Prakriti is the reflection or object of witness.  

Prakriti creates all forms in the universe – animate and inanimate, while Purusha is the witness to this creation. This primordial physical energy contains the three attributes, or gunas, found in all nature, the evolving cosmos. The three guna are satwa, rajas and tamas. Initially all the gunas were in equilibrium in Prakriti. Then the rajas guna became activated due to Prakriti’s excitement for Purusha, thereby producing a state of disequilibrium and the beginning of creation.

(Contd in the next blog -3.....)

MAP OF CREATION - Samkhya Philosophy - flow chart

Flow of Creation

Understanding of Universe and Life – Samkhya Philosophy - 1
(http://www.omdasji.blogspot.in/2013/01/map-of-creation-samkhya-philosophy-flow.html refer to this chart)

Who am I? Why am I born? What is the purpose of my life? Are eating, drinking, procreating, sleeping and working the goals of my life? Is life only about fulfilment of desires?  What is mind? What are thoughts? How does my mind control me? What is ego?  Why is there no peace in my life? Why am I beset by happiness and sorrows? Why is there no stability and balance in life? What happens at the time of death? What is soul? Who is the creator of this world? How does creation take place? What happens to me after death? How do we go back to our original form? Where is our ultimate home?

These questions and more run in our heads all our lives and are rarely answered. They are common to all mankind irrespective of nationality, religion, culture, caste, creed, race,  gender or status. These questions have been asked by mankind since time immemorial. The great seers of India – the Rishis have uncovered the answers to these questions through intense observation and self enquiry. They formulated practices and disciplines, which when followed meticulously, give the answers to these questions. These answers are Universal Truths which manifest in our lives. 

Working in the inner laboratories of the mind and self, the Rishis perceived the close relationship between man and the Universe. They could see the dance of the cosmic energy manifesting in all living and non-living things. They also realized that the source of all existence is interplay of the male and female energy - Shiva and Shakti. In the depths of their meditation they saw these two energies emerge from one source - the Cosmic Consciousness. The Rishis had a practical understanding of the Universal Truths which came from their understanding of Creation.

Rishi Kapila who studied and realized the various principles and elements of creation, formulated the Samkhya Philosophy of Creation. Samkhya come from two Sanskrit words -" Sat" meaning truth and "khya" meaning to know.  The Bhagwad Gita and some Upanishads like the Svetasvatara Upanishad and other sacred scriptures   deliver the Samkhya Philosophy with slight variations in the theme. Bhagwad Gita speaks of basic aspects of Samkhya but adds the principle of Supreme Self or the Universal Consciousness as the cause of all creation. The various elements in creation of Universe are:

• The Universal Consciousness  or the Brahman

• The Purusha and Prakriti which evolve from the Brahman

• The Mahat or Superior Intelligence which comes from the union of Purusha and Prakriti

• From the Mahat flows the Ahmakara or ego 

• From  Ahamkara flows the three gunas – Satwa, Rajas and Tamas

• From Satwa emerge:

-the five sense faculties which are organs of cognition - ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose

-the five Motor organs which are organs of action - mouth, hands, feet, reproductive organs     and excretory organs

-the Mind which is an organ of both action and cognition

• From the Tamas emerges: 

             -the five elements: Ether, Air, Fire, Water, Earth

               and also: 

              -Sound - which is guna of Ether or Akash

              -Touch- which is guna of Air or Vayu

              -Sight- which is guna of Fire or Tejas

              -Taste- which is guna of Water or Jala

              -Smell - which is the guna of Earth or Pritvi

The Rishis started their observation at the level of the body and its functions, qualities and characteristics. As their understanding increased they were able to see the upward flow of creation and finally had the experience and understanding of Purusha & Prakriti and  the Brahman. They teach us that we must start at the fundamental or basic level of the body and climb slowly upwards in our understanding and experience and reach the Brahman ultimately. We can see this link clearly in the Ashtanga Yoga teachings where we start with principles, ethics, body, breath, go inwards, focusing on one object, reaching meditative state and  the Samadhi.

The greatness of Samkhya lies in the fact that the evolution of life on Earth is shown as a creative process passing through successive stages of change and transformation and not a miraculous sleight of hand of God or dramatic wave of a wand by the Cosmic Magician or by a mysterious scientific process that can never be postulated clearly but debated always and everywhere

Contd – Understanding of Universe and Life - 2

Procrastination

Time is a precious commodity. A day is always equal to 24 hours for each of us and  is never more or less. The hours of a day are same for the rich and poor, young and old, man or woman and the worker and the manager. We all have the same amount of time for working, achieving our  goals,  sleeping,  enjoying, meditating etc. Our progress in life depends on how well we prioritize our work and leisure activities and how we do the work which is important and urgent versus the work which is not important but which we relish.   

It is human nature to put off work which is important but which we dislike and turn a blind eye to it and take on other activities which are not important but which we enjoy doing. By doing so we procrastinate and cheat ourselves into believing that we are very busy and do not have time to deal with all work thrust on us. Work which involves responsibility, accountability, which in our eyes is negative or stressful are always whisked quietly to a corner and we keep ourselves busy by attending to endless chores of no importance in our lives.

We do not acknowledge the truth of our procrastination to anyone but know from within that we are being wilfully lazy. Over a period of time, this inner knowledge starts translating as anxiety and stress. We tend to get impulsive and work even more randomly. There is a loss of personal productivity and a mounting sense of guilt, self esteem and blame. Our family and staff at work  frown on us as we do not meet our goals and responsibilities. We cause a fall in productivity and progress of others due to our procrastination. Let us see this little story of procrastination: 

Once there lived a Guru in an ashram at the edge of a forest. He had several hundred students studying and training under him. The young men under his care were allotted various tasks for the successful administration of the ashram and its people. One day a group of young men  were sent to the forest to collect firewood. One of them came upon a tree with no leaves. He was very happy. He thought that the tree was dead and dry and perfect for firewood. There was no need to search further. So he spread his upper cloth on the forest grass and slept away peacefully in the shade of a nearby tree.

The other students had walked away further in search of suitable firewood and came back with bundles of firewood for the ashram. On their way back, they kicked the snoring sleeper. The lazy student woke up with a start. He climbed the tree in a sleepy state and began breaking the branches. One twig snapped back and poked him in the eye. From then on, he had to cover his hurt eye with one hand and work with one hand to collect wood and bundle it. He collected a bundle of wood and ran all the way back to the ashram to catch up with the others. He was the last one in and threw his bundle on top of the rest.

At dinner time, the Guru made an announcement: Tomorrow there is a big function at the home of the village chief. He has invited you all for lunch. Please have an early breakfast and walk to the village. Offer your help for the function. After the function and lunch are over, you return back to ashram. So the next morning, the students in charge of cooking woke up early and began to prepare the breakfast porridge. It was dark outside and they picked up the top bundle of green wood thrown in  by the lazy student. The fire would not start  as the wood was green and damp. The sun came up but no breakfast was cooked. The students went to report to the Guru: That lazy  student  has collected green wood is not burning. We could not make the breakfast and will be late for reaching the function.

By our procrastination, we create trouble for others and for us. When it comes to making priorities, spiritual practices take a back seat for most of us. Even for those who are regular in practices, when there is overload or urgent work, the first item to be sacrificed is the japa and dhyana.  Doing regular SitaRam mantra, meditation and following the teachings of the Guru keep us sane, peaceful and balanced in this world. Let us not procrastinate in doing our regular sadhana and other work in time and lead a happy and peaceful life.

On Maintaining Integrity

Integrity can be defined as adherence to moral and ethical principles. It is honesty and truthfulness in our personal conduct and character. It is the soundness of the moral character. When we live in integrity, we are firm in our following of a code of moral values. Our beliefs in the ethics that we follow are so ingrained, that they are incorruptible. We exist in a state of completeness. Integrity is a way of life. We maintain our integrity even when no one else is looking at us. It is about who we are inside and how our ethics and values manifest in our thought, word and deed. We maintain integrity when we are true to our word and deed and our word is consistent with our deed.

Integrity is a highly valued quality. It shows how much courage we have in taking hard decisions which protect our truth and honesty. Integrity gives us opportunity to act in the right manner. We cannot say we have integrity unless we live in that manner. Integrity is a way of life. It reveals the divinity within us and makes us truly noble and honorable.  Life tests us daily and every day we are given opportunity to prove that we are persons of integrity. Integrity is being true to  ourselves and to all despite the fear of ridicule or failure. Let us see the story of Vetrivel and the rewards for his integrity:

A King who was ruled over one of the states of South India was growing old. He knew that he had to decide his successor soon and train him to take over the kingdom. Although he had sons, relatives, friends and advisers  he decided to select his successor in a unique manner. All the young people in the kingdom were invited to his palace the  following week on a particular day. He greeted all of them and handed them a seed. He said: Please take this seed and plant it in your home. Water it and take good care of it. Exactly one year from today, bring back the plant you have grown. I will examine all the plants and chose the next King of the land.

A young man called Vetrivel was also present in the King’s court. He also received the seed and took it home. He was very excited and told his mother the whole story. Together, the mother and son, planted the seed carefully in a pot and he watered it daily. Every day as he watered it, he checked if it had sprouted and started growing.  After a few weeks, all the other young men reported to each other about the progress of their plants. Poor Vetrivel! His plant did not sprout at all despite all the care and daily watering.

One, month, two months, six months passed.  Still  Vetrivel’s plant did not grow. Others reported the flowering of their plants. Vetrivel had nothing to report. He felt like a failure. There was nothing in his pot. Perhaps he had unknowingly killed his seed. He had stopped talking about his plant to others. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.

A whole year had passed by. On the appointed day, all the youths gather at the King’s court with their pots. Vetrivel was sad and but decided to go and show the King his empty pot. He did not wish to tell lies to his King. When he arrived at the palace, the other youths stood proudly with their pots of plants. There were beautiful healthy plants of all shapes and sizes. Vetrivel stood there silently with his empty pot. A few felt sorry for him. Most of the youths jeered and laughed at him.

The King arrived and walked around the hall and looked at the plants and greeted the young people. He announced: Today one of you will be appointed the next King. Vetrivel tried to hide in the back. All of a sudden, the King saw him at the back of the room with an empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring the young man and his pot to him. Vetrivel was terrified. He thought he would be punished for not take caring of seed given by the King.

A trembling Vetrivel stood in front of the King. The King asked him his name and he replied. Everyone jeered at the young man thinking he would be punished severely by the King. The King clapped and all became quiet. The King pulled Vetrivel to the front and said: We have a new King. He is Vetrivel. Vetrivel couldn't believe his ears. He could not even grow the seed. How could he be the new King? The King spoke further: Last year, on this day, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you all to take it, plant it, water it and bring it back to me today. But I had given you all boiled seeds which would not grow. All of you except Vetrivel have brought me trees and plants. When you found out that the seed would not sprout, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Only Vetrivel had the courage and integrity to bring me a pot with the seed I had given. So he is your new King!

Integrity gives our life meaning. Practicing integrity gives us opportunity to prove what we are willing to sacrifice to protect our values. It is not easy to maintain integrity. It is truly a noble quality. Let us work on being honest and truthful and maintain our integrity. Let us do our SitaRam mantra, meditation and follow the teachings of the Guru. The truth and honesty that we hold dear become the light in our path to God.

Love of the Guru

Love of the Guru for the disciple is eternal and selfless. He is one with the Light and his love for his disciples is pure and divine. His love is not exhibited in flowery languages or public gestures.  We are in loving relationship already with our parents, brothers, sisters, partners, family members and friends. These are physical and social relationships which are bound by ego and selfishness. In such relationships, there are barriers which have to be surmounted on a regular basis. The loving relationship between the Guru and disciple is different altogether. Though it begins at the social level, it transcends the social planes into the spiritual plane.

The relationship of a Guru with a disciple is neither emotional nor rational. It is of a psychic nature. A devoted disciple is always able to feel the presence of the Guru without any disturbance to this daily routines or work he does. The moment the disciple thinks of the Guru, his mind becomes calm and connection is established with the Guru and  is easily felt. The relationship between a Guru and disciple is greater and longer lasting than a normal social relationship  as it is beyond physical realms and not bound by emotions, negative reactions, selfishness and ego. The Guru is connected to a disciple with a love that transcends all boundaries of time and space.

When a Kundalini Guru gives diksha of Shaktipata to the disciple, with his touch of fire, he brings forth all the past pains and karmas and burns them. The burdens of many lifetimes are burnt in an instant and the pathway is made clear for the awakening of the Kundalini Shakti. The aura of the disciple is cleansed and becomes brighter. The negativity of the disciple touches the Guru and he is affected for some time. His physical health deteriorates for a short while and he heals himself out of this state. The negativity of the disciples linger in the same area, polluting the place.  Most of us are extremely selfish by nature and impure in our conduct and speech. Knowing all this, the Kundalini Guru still permits their presence in his aura of radiance and heals them endlessly, taking on their karma and suffering for their sake. By doing so, he paves the way for better inner communication and contact with disciple, deeper meditation and quicker progress in the path to God.

Sri Ramakrishna had a very loving relationship with his disciples. There is a very touching story of the Great Guru with disciple Shashi who later became Swami Ramakrishnananda. In middle of 1885, Sri Ramakrishna had developed throat cancer and was undergoing treatment in Shyampukur, Calcutta. He had been advised to move out of the smoggy, congested Calcutta to a clean, quiet country place. 

Shashi’s love for his Master was extraordinary. He followed his Guru like a shadow. All those who were with Sri Ramakrishna and taking care of him were his disciples. All of them had great love for him. But Shashi was special. He served his Guru with body, mind and soul. The Guru gives love to all his disciples equally but  it is also the receiving capacity of the disciple which matters. Sri Ramakrishna gave love to all but Shashi lived in a state of the bliss of love of his Master.

Once, Shashi was busy throughout the day,  attending to Sri Ramakrishna and did not find time to wash and clean the Master’s commode. When the Master was asleep, in the middle of the night, he quietly left the room and went out to complete his work.  When he returned, he saw Sri Ramakrishna standing next to the clotheshorse, picking up a woollen shawl. Shashi felt bad that he had not checked if his Guru was feeling cold and given him his shawl. Because of his lack of attention, his Guru had to get up in the middle of the night and stagger across the room to get himself  the shawl.  With great remorse, he sought forgiveness from his Guru.

Filled with love and concern, Sri Ramakrishna held out the shawl to Shashi and said in a feeble voice:  I felt cold as you went out wearing a thin shirt on such a cold night. So I picked up this shawl for you. Please take it. 

Shashi was overwhelmed and drowned in the divine love of his Guru. Such is the love of a Guru for his disciple. Let us be sincere and dedicated to our Guru and earn his love and grace through the practices of SitaRam mantra, meditation and following his teachings.

The Place that echoes Rama Nama

Rama Nama Mahima – Swami Bodhendrar – Part 4

Swami Bodhendrar had spent his entire life spreading the Rama Nama and teaching the value and power of the Name. The time had come for him to go back to the Universal Godhead – SriRama.  One day he was walking along the sacred banks of Cauvery river. The beauty and the peace of the place appealed to him.  He saw some children playing in the sands of the river. They dug holes in the sand and stood in them and pulled the river mud inside to cover half their legs. They climbed out and repeated the procedure again and again. It was a game of hide and seek for them. The Supreme Godhead beckoned to Swami Bodhendrar and he saw the right opportunity to move out of this material world. 

Swami Bodhendrar asked the children if he could also play with them. The children were very enthusiastic and happy. So he asked them to dig a pit large enough to accommodate his body and cover him with sand. He told the children he would come out the hole, the way they pulled their legs out. The children followed his instructions enthusiastically. Together, they dug a large pit. Swami Bodhendrar sat in it. He told them to cover him with the river mud and that once the game was over, he would be back in no time. The children followed his instructions without considering the repercussions of burying him fully in the sand.  They were just playing a game with the Swami. The Swami was buried under the sands and the children played about and went home when it was evening. That day was the day of full moon of the Tamil month of Purattasi(Sep-Oct)  1692. Swami Bodhendra Saraswathi attained Jeeva Samadhi sitting in a yogic state on the banks of Cauvery river in Govindapuram.

The next day, Swami Bodhendrar was nowhere to be seen or found.  All the people of the Mutt and the village went in search of him. Some people reached the river banks where they saw some children playing. When they questioned them, they found out that he was buried under the sands alive. The villagers were alarmed and intensified their search.  More men came in and all were searching for the buried Swami. As the search continued, they all heard an unseen voice declare:  Stop searching. Swami Bodhendrar has attained MahaSamadhi. Do not disturb him anymore.  So they went back and declared to the world that Swami Bodhendrar had attained his Rama. And the place where Swami Bodhendrar attained Mahasamdhi was forgotten. 

Later on, many searched for the spot where the body of Swami Bodhendrar was buried as they wished to erect his Samadhistal ( a construction marking the final place where his body rested in MahaSamadhi).  A hundred years after the event, the search was still on. Sri Maruthanallur Sadguru Swamigal regarded Swami Bodhendrar as his ‘Manasika Guru’  (accepted him mentally as his Guru), searched the area meticulously. He tied his legs and crawled on the river bank as he did not want to accidentally  touch the MahaSamadhi with his feet. At once spot, he could hear the sound of Rama Nama being chanted over and over again and marked the spot.  He took the help of the King of Tanjore for building the Adhishtanam there.  The spiritual presence of Swami Bodhendrar still resides in his Adhisthana at Govindapuram. It is said that in the calm silence of the night, a melodious voice uttering the Rama Nama can be heard. It rises from subdued tones to a crescendo and then fades into silence again.

There is no need for elaborate worship rituals or learning of texts or discussions on sacred scriptures. It is enough to just chant the Holy Name of Rama.  It purifies and sanctifies us.The greatness of Rama Nama is described by Lord Shiva to Parvati Devi. He says:

rama rama rameti rame rame manorame 

sahasra nama tat tulyam rama nama varanane

"O Varanana (lovely-faced woman), I chant the holy name of Rama, Rama, Rama and thus constantly enjoy this beautiful sound. This holy name of Ramachandra is equal to one thousand holy names of Lord Vishnu." (Brhad- visnu- sahasranama -stotra, Uttara - khanda, Padma    Purana )

Let us chant the Holy name of Rama continuously with faith and devotion and live in peace in this world and finally attain the Holy Feet of the Lord.

The Name that is the Wishing Well!

Rama Nama Mahima – Swami Bodhendrar - Part 3

Swami Bodhendrar witnessed the miraculous power of Rama Nama. A Hindu woman who was raped and forced to convert to another religion  regained her former glory and appearance as a Hindu woman & wife by merely chanting the name of Rama once and dipping herself in the river. This mind blowing incident was witnessed by the population of an entire town.  With utter conviction regarding the power of Name of Rama, Swami Bodhendrar left for South India to spread the Holy name of God and teach people about bhakti. As per the instructions of his Guru, he also collected the book ‘Bagavannama Kowmudhi’ written by Lakshmidharar of Puri, which was a nama siddhantha grantham – a book teaching about the Power of Name of God.

After Swami Bodhendrar reached Kanchi, he wrote several books as desired by his Guru Swami Vishwadikendhra Saraswathi. Many of them were lost over time and only a few are available today.  Bagavannama Rasodhayam, Bagavannama Rasarnavam, Bagavannama Rasayanam are some of his books which give us the nectar of his teachings on the greatness of chanting the name of God. Swami Bodhendrar  waited for his Guru to come back to Kanchi and offered unto the holy feet of his Guru, all his writings.  Swami Vishwadikendhra Saraswathi was very happy with his work as now the Universal Truths of the Glory of the Name were available to the common man through books.   He asked Swami Bodhendrar  to travel through the length and breadth of India to preach the importance of Bagavan Nama (name of God).  Then Swami Bodhenrar  traveled across India teaching the common man the  greatness and bhakti of Rama Nama. Chanting the Rama Nama is the easiest way of attaining God in Kali Yuga – the times that we live in now.

During his travels, many a times, Swami Bodhendrar was a witness to the spectacular  powers of  Rama Nama.  Once there was a great plague in Arcot district in South India. There was no cure for it in those days.  The population of Arcot was infected and dying. The Nawab of Arcot himself was attacked by the plague. Swami Bodhendrar happened to be in Arcot district at that time. The people of that area fell at his feet and sought a solution to the devastating problem. Swami Bodhendrar asked them to get together and chant the Rama Nama. Once they did this, everyone in the district was cured and there was no trace of plague in the city. The now healed Nawab was overwhelmed and grateful. He offered land to Swami Bodhendrar for building a mutt there and became an ardent follower!

During his travels, Swami Bodhendrar once visited a village called Thirukokarnam for spreading the Holy Name of Rama. He initiated all the members of the village with Rama Nama. A dasi or a prostitute who yearned for God hesitantly asked him if he would initiate her as well. Without a second thought, Swami Bodhendrar initiated her and gave her the jewel of Rama Nama. The entire village was shocked. As a rule, sanyasi do not mix with women or speak to them. Swami Bodhendrar broke the rule and gave initiation of Rama Nama to a dasi! The villagers began to speak ill of him and gossip about him.  It made no impact on Swami Bodhendrar and he carried on his work as usual. After a few days he left the village when his work was completed. 

The dasi chanted the holy name of Rama with sincerity and devotion. She chanted it day and night. The inner transformation in her was sure and swift.  After some time, Swami Bodhendrar came back to the same village. By that time this woman had finished chanting many crores of Rama japa. With great devotion and surrender, she came for the darshan of her Guru and prostrated before him. As her head touched the floor near her Guru’s feet, she gave up her life at her own will. The spirit passed through the opening of the Sashasrar Chakra. Such death is called Kapala Moksha and  is possible only for a  perfected Yogi or Siddha. It was the height of culmination of her bhakti and the effect of the Rama Nama japa. It was a practical demonstration to the small minded villagers that Rama Nama purifies anyone who chants the Name sincerely and takes them to the highest level of evolution – of merger with the Universal Consciousness.  Indeed, the Rama Nama grants us whatever we need in life at that moment of time. It is our own personal wishing well!

Contd in the next blog - 4

The Name that Purifies

Rama Nama Mahima – Swami Bodhendrar - Part 2

Purushotham  who became  Swami Bodhendrar – the pontiff of Kanchi, stayed at Kashi with his Guru and gained brahmavidya. After that, his Guru sent him to South India to spread the holy name of Sri Rama all over the land of South India.  On his way to South India, his Guru asked Bodhendrar to halt at Puri to collect a holy text from a great saint.

There was a great saint called Lakshmidharar in Puri.  He had written a book called ‘Bagavannama Kowmudhi’ which was a nama siddhantha grantham. It contained teachings on the power of the Holy Name of God. Swami Vishwadikendrar  instructed Bodhendrar to collect this book on his way back and master it too. Bodhendrar  came to Puri and  had darshan of Lord Jagannath at the magnificent temple of Jagannatha Puri. From there he went searching for the house of the great saint. He was informed that Lakshmidharar had passed away and his son Jagannatha Pandit lived in his house. It was evening and the house was locked from inside. Bodhendrar did not want to disturb them. So he sat down outside the house and started meditating.

A few days earlier, an unusual incident had happened there. It involved the kidnapping, raping and conversion of a Hindu woman.  A couple from South India were travelling to Kasi and had halted at that area. One night, when they were sleeping, the woman was gagged and kidnapped. Her husband who was sleeping next to her knew nothing. In the morning, when he was searching for his wife, he was told by some villagers that it could be the work of some Muslims who live nearby. These men would pick up women, rape them and force them to be their mistress. The man was shattered on hearing this and spent a few more days in that place searching for his wife. Finally, he left for his pilgrimage to Kashi.

The man completed his pilgrimage and came back to the same village. He was performing his Sandhya Vandana rituals in the river, when a Muslim lady came to fill water. On seeing him, the lady rushed to him and fell at his feet. She was his lost wife. When he asked her what happened, she begged him to run away from that place quickly. Both of them ran through the village and the forest to a safe place. Then the wife recounted to him the dreadful tale  of being gagged and kidnapped at night by the Muslims and then then raped and being forced to live with them. She begged her husband to save her and take her with him. She was no longer fit to be his wife but would serve him as a servant maid. The husband replied that it was not her fault and if the Shastras allowed it, he would take her back as his wife. So they decided to visit Jaganatha Pandit and seek his opinion on the ruling of Dharma Shastras. 

The couple reached the house of Jaganatha Pandit where  Swami Bodhendrar was meditating outside. They knocked on the door and woke up the Pandit. They recounted to him the whole story and fell at his feet seeking a solution. The Pandit said to the lady: Say Rama, Rama, Rama thrice and you will be purified. Then you can live with your husband. His old mother who  heard  the conversation from inside called out:  My son, you  have degraded the power of Rama Nama. You asked the women to chant it thrice – Rama, Rama, Rama! If your father were consulted on this case, he would have asked her to say the Holy Name only once! Even the greatest sins are wiped out immediately by saying the Holy Name just once.

Swami Bodhendrar, who heard this conversation from outside, stood up and asked Jaganatha Pandit if there was any proof for what he was saying. Jaganatha Pandit  offered conclusive proof in the writings of his father.  Bodhendrar asked for the book and a small lamp. He sat and read through the book in the same night. The next day he called the couple and Jaganatha Pandit . He said that the sastras were true and that his father had mentioned very clearly what the son  had declared the previous night.  But the outside world wouldn’t believe this and seek proof. So he asked the woman to go to the river to take a dip. He said to her: With the greatest faith and surrender, take the name of Rama once and dip in the river. You will be transformed and come back pure. The proof would be the change in your clothes and jewels.

The entire town gathered to watch this event. The woman came and prostrated before Bodhendrar and said: I do not know about the Rama Nama. I have faith and trust in you and what you say. I do obey you sincerely. She took the name of Rama once and dipped in the river. When she rose, she was wearing the same clothes she wore on the day of her kidnapping and the same jewels. Her face was luminous with light, her jewels shone and her forehead was decorated with a large kumkum dot. Auspicious turmeric was smeared on her face and hands.  Her hair was decorated with fresh fragrant jasmine flowers. These were the marks of a married Hindu woman. On seeing this, everyone started chanting the Rama Nama with great enthusiasm and fervor.   The couple fell at the feet of Swami Bodhendrar and sought his blessings and went away happily. Swami Bodhendrar had a practical demonstration of the greatness of Rama Nama and continued his journey to South India. He was now ready to fulfill the task given by his Guru with utter conviction and faith in the Rama Nama.

Rama Nam Mahima – Swami Bodhendrar

The greatness of the Rama Nama has been established and proved again and again by great saints and devotees in the world. Great saints like Swami Ramanand ,Tyagaraja, Kabir, Swami Bodhendra and others spread the Rama Nama or the Rama mantra throughout  India and showed people the easiest way of attaining moksha or liberation is by chanting the name of Rama. It is said that in the Kali Yuga, the most  effortless way of attaining liberation is by devotion and chanting the Name of God. Swami Bodhendrar stressed on the efficacy of devotion as a means to liberation and undertook the Nama Siddhantha – spreading  the Name and devotion of Sri Rama as the Mukti Marg ( path of salvation) of the Kali Yuga - the times that we live in.

Swami Bodhendrar Saraswathi was the 17th-century pontiff or Acharya of the Kanchi mutt. He was born in Maṇḍana Miśra Agraharam at Kanchi to Kesava Panduranga and Suguna.  This devoted couple did not have children and they prayed to their Guru, Swami Vishwadikendhra Saraswathi, who was then, the pontiff of Kanchi Mutt. He blessed them and soon a male child was born to them. They named him Purushothaman. Purushothaman was a bright child and at the due age, the sacred thread ceremony was performed for him. The parents took the child for darshan of the Guru. When the Guru enquired who the child was, the father replied it was the Guru’s child. The Guru asked Kesava to give him the boy if he really thought so. A child offered to the Kanchi Mutt would become a sanyasi and that would mean the family lineage would come to an end. So Kesava sought his wife’s consent.  Suguna replied that she and the child belonged to him and he belonged to the Guru and hence there was no need to seek her permission to offer the child to the Guru.

Kesavan happily offered his son to his Guru and went back. The Guru arranged for a teacher to teach Purushottaman  all the Vedas and Shastras. Purushothaman studied with another boy called Gyanasankaran. They had great love for each other.  Purushothaman finished their studies when he was 18. His Guru had promised to teach him the Brahmavidya personally.  However, at that time, the Guru was in Kashi or Benaras on a yatra. So the boys decided to walk to Kashi. Gyanasankaran was good in astrology and predicted his own death shortly. He told his friend that if he died, Purushothaman should perform the final rites and then give up his own life in the Ganges so that they could be together even after death. As per his prediction, Gyanasankaran died and Purushothaman performed the final rites and continued his  journey to Kashi to meet his Guru. He told his Guru of the happenings and sought his Guru’s permission to give up his life in Ganges.

Swami Vishwadikendhra Saraswathi had planned to make Purushothaman the next pontiff of the Kanchi Mutt as the boy was suitable and worthy of the position. He told the boy of his plans for him and offering him a solution by which he could fulfill the wish of his friend and also fulfil the Guru’s dreams for him.  He explained that accepting sanyasa was like a death and rebirth. He gave Purushothaman sanyasa and named him Bagavannama Bodhendrar. 

Swami Bodhendrar stayed in Kasi  for some time and learnt everything from his Guru. His Guru then asked him to go back to South India and do Nama pracharam  or spread  the Divine Name of  God. His Guru asked Swami Bodhendrar to halt at Puri in Orrisa and visit a great saint and collect a book from him. At the home of this saint, Swami Swami Bodhendrar  witnessed a miraculous event which changed  him permanently and his perception and understanding of the Power of the Holy Name of Rama.

Swami Swami Bodhendrar  undertook the great task to show the people the power of Bagavan Nama – Name of Sri Rama. He also undertook establishing the supreme efficacy of reciting the names of Bhagavan in many of His writings. He wrote books named  ‘Namamritha Rasayana’ and 'Namamritha Rasodhaya’. It was due to his efforts that the ‘Bhajana Sampradhaya’  - or singing the divine names of God -became established as an institution in the religious life of the Hindu Community in South India.

(Contd in blog 2......)

Consequences of Teaching Wrong!

The teacher has a duty to impart the right knowledge to his students. When the knowledge imparted is incorrect or the students are not fully taught the proper use of the knowledge,  or if not  taught to give it the due respect  and  to appreciate it fully, the knowledge can be misused. Such misuse will bring about destruction of the individual, society and nation. On the spiritual path, the Guru has a duty to show the right way to his disciples as per their inclination and nature. He also has a duty to serve and show the way of Dharma to the society. His teachings lay the foundations of respect and reverence for righteousness or Dharma in the society. Where the Guru fails in this and teaches superstitions or imparts unethical or unprincipled teachings, he brings suffering on others and also has to undergo the consequences of his own karma. This karmic payback is emphasized in this story given below:

A mediocre monk lived in the mountains  of Tibet and practiced Dharma. He would collect some money and travel through the land. But invariably he would fall sick and exhaust all his savings by the time he recovered. Once he passed by a village which was hit by famine. He did not get any food to eat for days and was in near fainting condition. So he lay under the shade of a tree filled with self pity and despair. Suddenly an Indian monk appeared in front of him said: O Respected Master, are you done with your travels? Do you recall teaching the Lotus Sutras in your past life in the Northern Province? The mediocre monk replied: I am not worthy of the title you address me with and I have never traveled to the North Province. I am now fed up with all travels!

The Indian monk gave the other monk a large red apple to eat which the other monk ate heartily as he was starving since days. Then he drank some water and fell asleep. The apple was blessed with some magical properties and in an instant, he woke up and remembered his past life. He recalled that he was a high ranking Buddhist monk who preached Dharma to all. He was a part of group of four monks who were very close friends. So he asked about others. One monk was reborn as monk in another province, another one had joked about being born as a high ranking official and he was born as one. The third was the Indian who attained enlightenment in that life itself and the fourth was the mediocre monk. 

The mediocre monk shed a tear of self pity and said: In my previous life for forty years, I took one meal a day and wore only one robe and worked hard to get rid of all material thoughts from my life. Why is it that I have fallen so low in this birth that I go hungry today? The Indian monk replied: In the past, when you were a respected teacher, you used to preach many superstitions. Your personal behavior and conduct was also not up to the mark. You did not practice Dharma as you preached it. As a result, many people began to doubt Dharma and lost faith in it. Now you pay the karmic price for it.

The Indian monk showed him a mirror which reflected the mediocre monk’s future destiny and the ups and downs of his life. The mediocre monk understood that all retribution, honor and disgrace in his life were due to his own actions. He thanked his compassionate helper and both walked together. Suddenly the Indian monk disappeared. The mediocre monk reached another monastery where he was given a high rank. He traveled through the land and taught the Dharma of Buddha. His high conduct and ascetic practices were admired and praised by all.

Whenever we give knowledge to someone, or teach someone something or give advice, we play the role of a Guru. The same rules given above are applicable to us. We should not misguide anyone or cause another person to doubt Dharma or God. We should practice what we preach. Else we will suffer the karmic consequences of our own misdeeds. Let us do the Sitaram Mantra, meditation and follow the teachings of the Guru to clear ourselves of our internal impurities and set a right example of behavior and speech to all. The best way of helping others is through our own right behavior and right speech.