सत्य, the eternal Prime Existence.

To day I recalled Bhagavan Raman Maharshi's statement which emphasised that the present moment alone is the existential reality, सत्य, the Prime Existence, the past and future being dependent on one's being in existence within one's form, the body. Without existence of the body there neither time nor space, neither the past nor the future.The past was the present earlier and the future would be the present later. Past is made of memories and future of expectations. Past would not be, if there were no memories. Future would not be there if there were no expectations.

One draws sustenance singularly in the Present moment, from सत्य, the existential reality, the Past having gone and the Future, not yet arrived, the past being the dream which one had seen earlier, the future being the dream which would be seen later. To understand the  past and the future without understanding the present would be Iike trying to find solution for a mathematical proble without understand the importance of the number One.

The Lord identifies himself as "कालोस्मि न लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्त: ।" where काल means the terrible Time, अस्मि, suggest the present moment alone as the existential reality, सत्य, the Prime Existence लोक is the temporal world of perception, bound by the memories of the past and expectations of the future. Therefore, लोकक्षयकृतप्रवृद्धो or लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्त: means the one which is resurgent for destruction of or gathering together the लोक, the temporal or empirical world of perception, bound by memories of the past and the expectations of the future.

One should concentrate on the present moment, which is the existential reality, सत्य, the Prime Existence transcending the past and future which represent one's existence within a gross form, the body, dependent and supported by the accumulated memories and nebulous, unsubstantiated expectations, therefore, should be rejected as mutable, temporary, transient, mortal and non-existential, असत्य. Therefore, one should seize the present moment, because the past is not available and the future is not certain.

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The modern world is driven so much to possess material things to satisfy their individual desires that their perspective does not extend their own immediate family as extension of their individual ego, completely oblivious of the society in which they live and the responcibility which they owe to their fellow beings.

No one in the present world desires to live simple life, wearing simple clothes, eating simple food, living in simple homes. Every one craves for possession of unfulfilled desires for special things, with unfulfilled desires to become some one other than what they are by natural attributes and inclination, to succeed in every they do, failures being perceived with distaste, their every thing and success to be perceived and liked by others with appreciation.

Their constant concern to self-preservation may be attributed to human nature, success having been their ideal, failure is not accepted as inalienable part of living life in the world. Not being able to be liked, appreciated and live up to the expectations of others, being looked down, ignored as being failure is feared, leading to stress and strains, sorrow and suffering.

In the final analyses every on looses - one's form, possession and achievements, one's family and companions. Change being inseparable and integral part of living life any resistance, rejection and opposition is fraught with danger. If in life every thing changes due to decay, deterioration, destruction and dissolution then what remains ?

Yaknyavalkya who was wise in Wisdom was asked this question, when the form of the bod decays, deteriorates, is destroyed and dissolved, when the elements return back to their sources what remains thereafter ?  The wise one replied : कर्म, the remainder, consequential to the good and bad actions performed remains, as the balance carried forward.

Therefore, in acceptance of the change and not in the expectation of continuity, lies wisdom of the wise one and the happiness of the human race. When Jaratkar Artbhag asked, "यत्रायं पुरुषों म्रियते किमेनं न जहोतीति ।"remember the words spoken by Yajnyavalkya, "नामेति, अनन्त वै नाम, अनन्ता विश्वे देवा:, अनन्तमेव सं तेन लोकं जयंति ।।". नाम is the divine essence which is eternal unlike रूप, which in temporary, fleeting and evanascent.

Therefore it is declared - "परिवर्तिनी संसारे मृत: को वा न जा़यते । स जातो येन जातेन याति वंश समुन्नातिम् ।।" - In this ever changing primordial world who once dead does not become born again ? He is born again, by whose being born the family reaches greater heights. It is neither his material possessions or the temporal positions that give him immortality but the glorious splendour and luminous resplendence of his नाम, the immortal divine essence that lasts longer when his रूप, the mortal temporal form decays, deteriorates, destroyed and ceases to be existence. It is not the form that is eternal but the sum total of the deeds done by him in his life that remains eternal. It is not his wealth that contributes to the eternal glory of his family and ancestors but it is the ideals which he has left which makes his family resurgent with noble ideals of wisdom, kindness and compassion, renunciation of his ego and charity towards all that contributes to the eternal glory of his family and ancestors.

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Problem is not the problem. Problem is your attitude to your problem.

Somewhere I read the above statement and it lead me to reflect thereupon.

It became soon clear to me that instead of finding solution to the problem we often continue to remain haunted by the problem, giving no opportunity for mind to seek solution. We tend to forget that the Problem represents the past and the Solution represents the future. While the past cannot be dealt with having dissolved in in the irreversible Time, the future can be dealt with solutions being searched and found.

Therefore, the man of Wisdom, using विवेक, his power of discrimination and the light that shine within, reflects on the influence of the irreversible Time on the events that take place in संसार. He does not regret in thinking on the problems of the past but learns from them and looks forward to avoid the mistakes of the past and find solutions to the problems.

Rumi, the Sufi Saint says, If the Light in your heart shines bright you will your way to your Home. Search within for the solutions for your problems, for there lies the conclusive solution for all thre unresolved problems.

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God and the Man,

The scriptures say that God is all around us but we do not see him. God speaks to us but no listens. God touches every one but no one feels him. God breathes aroma around us but no one enjoys the fragrance. If one remains silent for a moment, becoming receptive to the tinkling sound of his anklets, reflects and meditates, then perhaps we may experience him whispering in our ears.

When man says, 'Speak to us, O Lord', then God speaks to him as the soothing breeze passing through the leaves, as the water streaming as the rivers, as bird singing in pleasing notes. Yet the man did not hear him speaking.

Therefore, when man says again, 'Speak to us, O Lord', then God speaks to him loud and clear as the thunder breaching the clouds asunder, as the winds bellowing across the meadows, as the stormy waves lashing the hapless shore, as the tiger letting the terrifying growl. Yet the man would not hear him speaking.

When man says again, 'Show us your face, O Lord',  God showed him as the Light that illumines the sky, as the smile that shines on the babe's lips, as the Ocean that is deep and spreads widely as Ocean.

Yet the man did not see the God. Therefore, in desperation when the man says, 'Touch me O Lord',  God stooped low and touched him as softly as the butterfly does when it touches the flower. Yet the man did not notice and walked away.

Scriptures say that God is always with us making his presence evident in small simple things but is not seen, therefore,  should be searched as one should search the lost cow by the foot prints it leaves behind, to be known by the actions performed in creation - "अकृत्स्नो हि स: ... तान्यस्यैतानि कर्मानामान्येव ।". But the God will not be accessed as one would expect him to be packaged and when what God grants as Divine dispensation and what the man would see and experience as miracle would surely come as luminous enlightenment, as the caterpillar realised, without being consciously aware, that it has become a butterfly.

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Another story for another day.

A friend of mine sent me a story.


A man and his dog were walking along a road. Even as he was enjoying the scenery, suddenly he realised that he is no more alive but is dying. He experienced that Death has overtaken him and also the dog walking beside him. He was walking a long distance and wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a mansion with high, white wall with magnificent arch made of pearls and gate made from fine marble glowing in the sunlight and the road that lead to the mansion paved with pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw one with head bent and eyes sparkling with eager attention.

When the man with dog was close, he asked, 'Excuse me, where are we?' The attendant answered with a wink, 'This is Heaven, sir'. The man and his dog were thirsty after long walk. They asked for some water and the attendant replied, 'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.' The man then asked, 'Can my friend, the dog come in, too?' The attended said, 'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'

Disappointed the man turned back and continued to walk the opposite direction,with his dog.
After long difficult walk, he came to a hard and difficult road which lead to a lonely farm house, with no fences or doors ever open and never closed.

As he approached the gate, he saw an old man inside, leaning on  the desk and reading a book. Approaching him the man with the dog said, 'Excuse me!' Can I have some water?' The old man replied 'Sure there is water, come on in.' The man a asked, 'How about my friend here?' The old man gestured and said, 'There should be a bowl by the pump. Pick it up and let the dog have its share'. The man filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself and gave some in the bowl to the dog.

Being satisfied he and the dog walked toward the man and asked, 'What do you call this place?'. 'This is Heaven,' the old man answered. 'Well, that is strange ! 'The man down the road also said that his place was also a Heaven'. The old Man looked up and asked, 'Oh, you mean the place with marble walls, pearly gates on the gold paved street ?No, That is hell.' Surmised the man asked, 'Does it not make you angry seeing that they use your name without your permission?'
The old me said, 'No, we're just happy that they take those inside who desert their friends behind.'

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The Supreme Self within.

Yajnyavalkya was the great sage of his times. One day he was a asked, by what luminous light illumined the Person here?
 "किं ज्योतिरयं पुरुष: ... ".  When the sage enumerates the Sun, the Moon, the Fire, the Speech progressively as the light that illumine the Person, the question arose, what happens when Sun, Moon and the Speech become silent -"". Then the Sage conclusively communicates that it is by the Self alone as the luminous light, the Person becomes illumined, energised, resurgent - "अस्तमित आदित्ये ... चन्द्रमस्यस्तमिते ... शान्ते अग्नौ ... शान्तायां वाचि ... आत्मैवास्य ज्योतिर्भवतीति । आत्मनैवायं ज्योतिषास्ते पल्ययते कर्म कुरुदेश विपल्येतीति।।".

In the final analysis nothing is more important for living than the Self within, which as the divine essence is the energy - शक्ति that pervades every gross form, enveloping every part and parcel of that body. The Self is not seen but manifests as the actions performed by the form. Therefore the Self should be perceived from the actions performed, as the lost cow is searched from the foot prints which it leaves behind.  The Self is the consciousness, the Person that exists within the heart as the Breath, assuming the likeness to the form it moves, between the waking state and dream state thinking as it were, shaking as it were, transcending this waolrd of perception to the world of dreams as the form of death - "यों अयं विज्ञानमय: प्राणेषु ह्रद्यन्तज्योति: पुरुष: । सं समान: सन्नुभौ लोकावनुसंचरति ध्यायतीव लेलायतीव सं हि स्वप्नो भूत्वेमं लोकमतिक्रामति म्रत्यो रूपाणि ।।"

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Being Alone

There is much difference between being Alone and being Lonely. A person who is Alone is the man of Wisdom with thoughts restrained and mind settled within his own self. A person who is Lonely is the man whose thoughts are unrestrained and the mind unsettled un aware of his self within. A person who is Alone needs no one else to give him company. A person who is Lonely can not remain without having company of others. A person who is Alone is one who having transcended with conscious awareness all that he knows or does not know as Knowledge acquired through the medium of senses, finds peace being Alone being not bound by thoughts in mind is not bound with physical or psychological relationships built and nurtured with other people, having transcended his desires.

Such one, being a man wise in Wisdom, transcends hunger and thirst, sorrow and delusion, old age and death, all the shackles which bind one to संसार, the Primordial World, with no past thoughts or future aspirations to disturb him, wander living Alone the life of a mendicant, having severed all the shackles which bind one to संसार, the Primordial World, with no past thoughts or future aspirations to disturb him. Because the desire for progeny is the desire for wealth, desire for wealth is the desire for fame in the world. "एतं वै तमात्मानं विदित्वा ब्राह्मणा: पुत्रैषणायाश्च वित्चैषणायाश्च लोकैषणायाश्च व्युत्थायाथ भिक्षाचर्यं चरन्ति ।" .

Therefore a man of Wisdom, having known all about learning desires to live like a child, with no past thoughts or future aspirations to disturb him. Transcending both the childlike and Knowing states, he becomes meditative and thinking and reflecting with illumined mind which is resurgent, he becomes the knower of Brahman -"तस्माद् ब्राह्मण: पाण्डित्यं निर्विद्य बाल्येन तिष्ठासेत् । बाल्यं च पांडित्यं च निर्विद्याय मुनि:, अमौनं च मौन निर्विद्याय ब्राह्मण: ।".

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