Isha  upanishad begins with the statement :

That (the Creator) is Complete this Creation is complete ; the complete has come from the Complete and even after complete has come from the Complete, the Complete eternally remains Complete. By the Supreme Being is all this creation pervaded, whatever that exists in creation. Therefore revel in whatever is ordained for you, covet not what is ordained for others.

Nothing in life is easy to understand and every thing is as difficult like an arithmatical problem. Even arithmetical problems can be solved but  spiritual problems can hardly be resolved.  The Supreme Being is an anigma,  concealed  in a mystery. In an arithmatical problem if a thing is removed than the original becomes lesser to that extent ; if a thing is included then the original becomes larger to that extent. But in creation the creator does not become less by creation, or great by withdrawal of the creation.

Creator is like happiness which increases with giving it others, and never becomes reduced. Creator is like fragrance which shared with others both the giver and receiver becomes happy and satisfied. Creator is like luminous light which  Sharing the light with other lamps does not become less luminous. Creator is like man wise in Wisdom, who sharing his Wisdom with others become richer rather than poorer. 

This is lesson for human beings with sense of discrimination to be learnt.  When the SupremeBeing gives gifts to the people, he doesnot become poorer by doing so. Man has to give, become charitable because being charitable one does not become poor but richer in merits. Man who is rich in merits deserves rewards from the Lord, which he receives unasked. 

Such is the life; thus is the mystery resolved.

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Prahlad 

Pralhad considered to be the greatest of the devotees, not merely because he was inclined to be the devotee of Vishnu but because  in spite of the family in which he was born and the atmosphere which surrounded him he remained detached from the evil influences being guided by noble values and pure intention to walk the viruous and pure Path to Perefection. 

This fact bewilders us not only those far removed from the time he existed in flesh and blood, but also did place in confusion the people of his times. During one of the congregation of the noble souls, where the wandering minstrel, Narada was present, the question was again asked how is it that though born in a family to an  unenlightened Asura he was inclined to become a devotee of one who symbolises enlightened Wisdom? 

Narada replied that though one is born in an unenlightened surroundings if he is born with pure, noble attributes and inclination, then his progress and evolution can be guided in pure, noble influence in an atmosphere in which he comes to be nurtured and his consciousness is promoted. This eternal truth is sadly over looked in modern world.

When Prahlad was not yet born but was still in his mother's womb, his father, Hiranyakashipu had gone to Kailas for performing intense austerities, during which time his mother stayed in a heritage of Sage Kashyap. The surrounding atmosphere of the hermitage was pure and auspicious and Prahlad was born and spent his early childhood amidst enlightened sages and saintly souls. That is the reason be turned out to be a devotee of luminous Sri Vishnu, the symbol of enlightened Wisdom even though he was born to an Asura who the very symbol of unenlightened obscurity.

Prahlad as the devotee of Vishnu was the ideal and example of those wise in enlightened Wisdom, therefore ever engaged in devotion toVishnu, in sorrow and happiness, in pain or pleasure, ever unattached to every thing that is unrighteous, ever attached to everything that is pure and righteous.   For such one the Supreme Being alone is the refuge and the protector, guiding on the right Path and protecting from the perilous Path.  Therefore, Prahlad ever remained happy and in Bliss, spreading sweet fragrance all around, whereas his father ever remained in sorrow, being unenlightened and his mind unenlightened and obscure.

Time passes waiting for no one. Even as the Asura's displeasure and anger increased Prahlad's Bliss and devotion became firmly established. The fight was between unequals, but the one who is ruled by the fury and fire of anger, the sight is not clear and therefore perception. He sees enemies everywhere and friends nowhere. He sees danger, fighting every battle and swinging his sword to strike every one seeing in everyone and every thing the enemy.  And when he is told that luminous Light as Righteousness is every where pervading and enveloping every thing he strikes blindly every thing he sees, till the Luminous Light of Vishnu comes down from the least expected place and strikes him to be defeat  and destroy the source of obscurity.

What follows thereafter was more important and significant than what was earlier though  that was no less important. Because what follows are pearls of the diamonds perfected Wisdom. What has lapsed was the dark and deep ocean where the lay concealed. 

The obscurity is destroyed, ignorance is removed. At the first instance when the light shines, eyes blink and what one sees confuses, frightens of the uncertainty and the strange spectacle  stares before our eyes and no matter how enlightened one he is, he is incapable of seeing clearly amidst the strong rays. When Lord was still furious of the the Asura and looks down with frown, the assembled frightened people were  incapable to lift their eyes and see the face of the Lord. Neither Brahma, nor Shiva, not even Lakshmi came forward to speak to the Lord.  In such moments who else but the devotee, who could approach, being already immersed in the Bliss of Beatitude, having neither any  desires nor any fear of being disappointed, could assuage the fury of the ferocious Lord?

Seeing none coming forward and even as the Lord was roaring with anger Prahlad, who always enjoyed the love of his mother and the affection of his companions, the pride of his father and admiration of the assembled divinities, approached the Supreme Lord even as he was struck with wonder, seeing the unimaginable fury which he could not conceive in one whom he for him was  ever kind and compassionate. He was surprised to see the fury hand anger which he accepted with all wisdom, as he revelled in the Bliss, being in the proximity of the Lord. No words came from his mouth as he looked to the Lord with admiration. 

And then even as the Sun shines when the clouds pass over in the sky, as soon the Lord saw his favorite disciple standing before him speechless, the fury on his face disappeared and A smile full of love and compassion appeared there. Even as divinities stood perplexed and dazed, the Lord lifted Prahlad gently and placed him on his own lap. Then caressing his face  and showering on him divine Grace asked him lovingly, "Tell me what shall I give you?". 

Any one else would have asked many things, since every one many known or unknown desires to be fulfilled, but not Prahlad. He had no desires, all his desires were fulfilled. Even his most desirable and desired wish is now fulfilled seeing the Lord in person amidst his entire retinue of divinities gathered around him. One who has no desires, whose all desires are fulfilled, whose desire is be free from all desires, his desire is to see the unfulfilled desires  of people suffering  in samsara fulfilled.

 Therefore he said to the Supreme Being who had everything that could be given, "Lord, do not tempt me, born as I am in an unenlightened Asura family. I need nothing, not even the pleasures of heavens nor the liberty  of being liberated. If at all you want to give some thing then let it be succour to the Sufferring masses, and for myself let there be solace in Your presence". Since then he has been fulfilling desires of all and every one.

It is no surprise that in the present time where people have desires than one needs, flock at the feet of Sri Raghvendra Swamiji  of Matralayam, one known as Prahlad  reborn to give solace to the Sufferring  masses. But do we accept him as redeemer of our desires or being greedy to have temporal gifts seek more,  overlook ing the spiritual Grace which he is immensely possessed with without asking spiritual Wisdom which he as rewarder of bounties can bestow just by asking ! 

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Conceal the Glare to reveal the Light.

There is a beautiful prayer in upanishad which is addressed to Pushan, which reads as under :

The face of Satya, the Prime Existence, is covered with a golden disc, uncover it O Pushan, so that I who love Satya desire to see  the auspicious face. O Pushan, the sole seer, the Sun, off spring of the Prajapati's, spread your  rays and gather their resplendence,  for I desire to see your auspicious face. 

Pushan verily is the Supreme Lord, Prakriti verily is the the golden disc.

From beginning, from time immemorial Prakriti has with her ever new - nitya nutana,  resplendence has ever been able to show the auspicious face of Satya, the Prime Existence. Therefore, there was close relationship between the divinities and the created things and objects, the divinities were seen taking part in the  sacrifices performed by  human beings and receiving the share of oblations as entitled. But the time changes, the organs of action becomes tainted by the influence of senses. And the perception becomes affected and one ceases to see what the Prakriti desires to display, what the Prakriti has till that time has successfully displayed.

When Prakriti stopped revelling her ever new ever vibrant face of the divinities, the human being took over to replicate what Prakriti has stopped displaying. What the human beings have created though bright and attractive have short life, they decay, degenerate, deteriorate and are destroyed. But human being cannot reveal the ever new and ever fresh creativity which  Prakriti can offer, for human beings have skill and ingenuity that can create seemingly new  things but are repetitive with dead grossness, not the things which are intrinsically subtle, fresh and satisfying. Human beings communicate information which the consider Knowledge, Prakriti provides experience, which is Wisdom, whereupon the unseen becomes seen, unheard becomes heard, unthought becomes thought. 

The rays are the Cause,  the Knowledge: the resplendence is the effect, the Wisdom. The rays, Knowledge needs to be spread and the resplendence, the Wisdom needs to be gathered. But Prakriti has ceased to be effective in displaying Wisdom, the divine resplendence because the humans have taken what Prakriti was assigned to perform. Man has taken over what was intended to be done by Prakriti. Electricity has replaced the Prakritic energy, the artificial light has been replaced by the artificial light generated by electricity. Darkness has been eliminated and Light is  illumined by human ingenuity. You need no more rains to fall, streams to flow. Water is brought from stored reservoirs, and stream are allowed to flow from canals. Everything that the man creates is useful to gratification of the senses ; every thing that Prakriti creates is beneficial  for the satisfaction of the soul.

If what has been given by man is not tempered by what has been provided by Prakriti, what use is of the Knowledge acquired if does make on wise in Wisdom? What is the use of the information stored on the Internet if one does not know what one has to source to be wise in Wisdom? What is the use of the Gun if one has the information, Knowledge to use it but not Wisdom when and where to use it? Knowledge is that which makes one to be proud of being Knowledgeable. Wisdom is that which makes one humble being wise in Wisdom, like a tree which bends in humility with fruits full and in abundance, for which it claims neither ownership nor personal achievement. 

Wisdom is hidden behind glare of the Brilliant rays of scientifically and technological advancement. Attraction of the material benefits provided has hidden the  dangers lurking by the way side.  Sweet smelling shrub has concealed the poisonous serpent. When ignorant one's revel in the external attractions the wise one rue the the rot that destroys the soul from within. 

Therefore the prayer to Pushan to conceal the attractive external rays so the the human being being can see the auspicious face of Satya, the Prime Existence as it exists.

How many will understand the abiding Truth of the things ordained by the Supreme Being and be satisfied and happing being wise in Wisdom ant not be blinded by the glare of the seemingly attractive bounties provided by human beings seeking pleasure and find neither happiness nor satisfaction?

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Gautam Buddha and teachings

One must be able to distinguish between the reflection, the meditation and the thoughts of Siddhartha, born in the family of Gautam, the thoughts which he came to express after enlightenment and and the thoughts which came to be recorded by his immediate disciples after Gautm Buddha left this world of Appearances  and the the thoughts which to be intellectually systematised as his teachings, philosophy and finally becoming crystallised as a religion named as his philosophy.  

As a young prince he was not uneducated and was schooled in secular and spiritual disciplines, was equipped in marshal arts and statecraft, in moral and ethical cultures, so that when he ascends the throne he will be able to rule the lands wisely and well. Therefore, it is not that he spent his time in leisure and pleasures. If he was sensitive then it was because in his life, he was not yet exposed the vagaries of the world or the suffering of the masses. 

Therefore, when he was out of the closed environment of the palace and was exposed to the suffering of the people in samsara. It is not that when he was in the close environment of the palace he did not know what sickness  was, what old age was, what death was; but surely when once out of the environment of the palace he  was exposed to the facts of life as Wisdom experienced by himself what he knew as theoretical Knowledge known from others. Therefore he was shocked by what he saw and was disturbed to see that life was not bed of roses as he thought but the roses were in the middle of many painful thorns. 

He was immensely pained and disturbed by the sufferrings in Samdara. He resolved to search the causes for the Sufferrings and suggest solutions to terminate the very root that gives rise. He searched from all the knowledge he had gathered from scriptures, practiced all the rites and rituals recommended, performed all the austerities and perfected all the penances. Then he gave up all  and restrained his senses, concentrated on his mind, listened to the vibration coming from sides, reflected and meditated on them. 

Then even as he was sitting under a bodhi tree and meditating all the shackles that bound his heart were shattered and all the doubts from his mind were resolved. And then even as lightening strikes and shows the landscape clearly and all at one,  he saw the solution for the Sufferring all at once and in all clarity.

Desire, he said, was the root cause of all Sufferring. The desire to possess what one does not have, to be some thing what one is not,  and most difficult of them all, the desire to renounce what one has possessed or what one has become. Once the desires are terminated then sensations cease from mind even as ripples cease in a lake. 

For this one need no gods, no mantras, no sacrifices, no austerities, no penance.  You have go no where, neither to the temples nor to heavens. One needs to be here and now, bound by neither the memories of the past nor expectation in future, with purity of heart and clarity of on mind. One should observe within one's own self, being independent of all external influences, not dependent on the organs of sense or organs of action, being  a mirror unto oneself

In such such mind thoughts cease to rise, all doubts are resolved, desires terminate,  attachments becomes shattered, peace descends with no sensation in mind. That verily is deliverance from the sufferrings in Samsara.

Gautam Buddha was concerned with Sufferring in samsara, therefore, he sought solutions for them. He was concerned with neither knowing about the self not about the self after death.  He was neither concerned with how creation came to be or how the creation will meet its end.  He was not concerned with the Supreme Being or the intermediate divinities.  Therefore he spoke about none about these, because common massess in samsara were more concerned with Sufferring and with divinities seeking some assistance from them.

Therefore it would be an error to treat him as avaidik, since he did not question the Vedic concepts but used to substantiate his views. What he questioned was the brahmannical practice of passing over the Vedic wisdom as one would pass a basket, misinterpret the institution as the instrument for attaining  pleasures of heaven for individual good and not as performance of one's  action for the good of the world and it's inhabitants. Therefore he did not reply but kept quiet when asked about self, gods, heavens and life after death. He spoke of the life here and now, the suffering, what cause Sufferring and to end the same. 

It is only in the hands of brahmannical members who influenced by Gautam Buddha joined his Sangh and gave intellectual face to an otherwise straight and simple ethical and moral teaching. There lay the rub and Buddha being called heretical. But for those who  had clarity of mind, Gautam Buddha was a descent of supreme Being, come to resolve ignorance from mind, attaining palace as one of the descent of the Supreme Being.

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Mrutyunjaya Stotra

Mrutyunjaya Stotra is one of the most misunderstood stotras, which is recited for cling to the reasons other than the purpose for which it was intended.  The is addressed to Shiva, the auspicious  divinity, whose earlier image was spoken as the terrible one, with Maruts, the howling winds being his companions. 

Some see Shiva as the deity presiding over Death and the one who delivers the Soul from the sufferings in the present body, as it degenerates, decays, deteriorates by destroying the present body and giving him a new opportunity to continue his journey on the Path to Perfection in a new body. Some others who are unable to discriminate and distinguish between the external gross body aund the internal subtle Self, and accept the former to be the latter, cling to the degenerated, decayed body and pray for continuance of the body delaying its destruction.

Therefore, it is important to understand the real meaning and intent of the Stotra, which reads as under:

"tryambakam  yajamahe sugandheem pushtivardhanam / urvarukamiva bandhanat mrutyor mruksheeya  maam amrutatvaat  //", which translated means   -  O Lord, I invoke the one with three eyes (the third being the eye of Wisdom), who spreads fragrance which resurges,  deliver me from the mortal (gross body) not from the immortal (subtle Self). 

The seer who is wise in Wisdom, knows the body is mortal, therefore is not a thing to be cherished; knows the Self within is immortal therefore needs to be nurtured now and ever in future. The person who is not wise in Wisdom, equating the body with the Self within, nurtures the body which is seen, overlooking to cherish the Self within, which is unseen. The sage who sees the distinction between the external gross body as one mere instrument available to him and the subtle Self within which is to be made spiritually resurgent for onward spiritual evolution,  prays for and welcomes deliverance from the degenerated, decayed, deteriorated gross body, because he is assured a new body as instrument for his spiritual evolution.  The stupid one, not wise in Wisdom equates the gross body with the subtle Self, prays for the continuance of the gross body, though it is degenerated, decayed and deteriorated, unmindful of what is good and preferable for the subtle Self within.

The man who considers himself does not fear when  he hears the steps even as Death  takes strides to come to him, does not complain of the sound when he knocks on the door, because he cannot harm his immortal Hself, but destroy the decayed, therefore unfit body. Therefore, he invites him with smile on his face for opportunity to leave the degenerated body and looking for the time when a new body will be provided for him and a new opportunity would be provideid for him for spiritual evolution of his Self within.

It is for a man of discrimination to decide the Path to be traversed and not wander on the paths with no idea, no direction, no goal where the paths he is trversing will lead him to.

That is the true meaning of the Mrutyunjaya Stotra. A wise one needs no further clarification.

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Exhibitionism

Recently on the National Geographic Channel I witnessed a documentary which displayed beautifully in the grandeur of the KumbhabMela with all the colours and sounds which would mesmerise one. The documentary was anchored by a western journalist who was undoubtedly enthralled by the confusing and mystified with various facets which  Hinduism in practice displays. 

True to every western journalist who need some thing to titillate for selling their product to the viewers, he showed many mercenary sadhus showing their physical exercises which in west go by the name of yogic practice.  Among such sadhus one showed his power to lift a stone weighing 5 kilos with a string tied to his penis.  When I expressed slight displeasure I was shown by one of my friends who was more western than even the westerners two Videos which displayed two other such acts. 

My friend who lived in clean secular enviournmeant of the west, far away from the pernicious influence of Hindu orthodoxy and sectarian rites and rituals, and ever far distanced from the Mystical Wisdom of the Vedas, was contemptuous of Hindu Philosophy and Indian culture  which accoding to him is overpowered by ignorant masses and corruption of the devilish swamis  and gurus. I did not say much because for one who is under delusion and thinks himself to be wise and knowledgeable needsno words of wisdom except waste them.  

But that set me to think about this strange events. And what came to my mind I am putting it down here. I may be wrong,  but these are my responses, which one need not accept, but I would wish some would read what I have to say. I will write as simple as it is possible.

The extra-ordinary physical feats performed by Sadhus are not strange and are performed in different parts of the world as well, some to titillate and some others under the misguided belief that what he does is spiritual  achievement.  Therefore, it is not spiritual sourced from scriptures but merely physical demonstration to impress simple gullible folk. Therefore, it means nothing but wastage of one's energy.  

There nothing spiritual in such feat though the capacity come with perfection of the physical organs used  as instruments  available to every human being for temporal perfection and spiritual evolution.  It is left to the individual's sense of discrimination to use the capacity for physical perfection or for one's spiritual evolution. The performance of the act is not important, the purpose for which the the performance is fulfilled. Therefore, one needs to think and reflect on the purpose for such performance. 

If the purpose is spiritual  then such  display does not bring deliverance as contemplated in scriptures. If the purpose is to titillate the onlookers the purpose is partly served and the sadhu gets some compensation in return or some money thrown at him. 

All religions consider sex as a powerful source of immense energy, which if used properly delivers one from the infirmities of the body and the empirical world leading to liberation of the individual soul and attainment of the Supreme Soul. If used unwisely it would lead to a life of dissipation, decay and deterioration and final destruction.

Supreme Being cannot be seen with the physical eye but requires spiritual eye.  Liberation cannot be attained through empirical attainments. Spiritual insight needs prfect penance and intense austerity, further strengthen by divine grace, as Krishna told Arjuna. 

The spiritual sight is available when one makes the powerful energy, known as Kundalini posited in the body rise step by step, stage by stage till it reaches the pinnacle where every perception becomes pure and every heart become pure for the Supreme Being to dwell therein making the Path to deliverance clear and assured. 

The powerful energy exists in the space between the anus and the generative organ, and is known as Kundalini. It is said that this energy always remains as coiled serpent, which needs to be aroused. When aroused it passes through the six centres in the spinal chord of the body, clearing the Path and empowering each centre till it reaches the  crown of the head when the energy releases the soul from the shackles which organs of senses bind the organs from the effects of the actions performed. Then freed from the bondage the body even while living in the body the Person experiences the state Bliss, spending the rest of his life performing actions which he is ordained to perform, as and by way sacrifice in fulfilment of Divine Will and Divine Purpose.  

When Kundalini rises it stabilises first at the stage which is sex organ and then his entire attention becomes concentrated on sex and activities relating to sex. He performs actions and attains endowments that stage brings. 

The next stage is the navel. At this stage the person is more interested in food than in sex.

When Kundalini rises to the next level which is heart, then person is more interested  in emotions  creating though emotion, imagination, thoughts and concepts a world through which  he experiences the divine presence.  

When Kundalini reaches the throat, then his voice becomes cleansed and clear. His speech becomes clear,  words flow as divine song, experiences divine pleasure and presence.

 When Kundalini reaches the forehead, then he sees the divine forms,  each one more attractive than the other. It is said majority of seeker stop at this stage, not venturing further. It is said that Ramakrishna Paramahamsa desired to stop at the level.

But Totapuri a sadhu well versed in the science of Kundalini,  broke the shell of Ramakrishna's forehead when he was in Samadhi and allowed the Kundalini to reach the topmost level known as Brahmarandhra, where Satya, the Prime Existence, designated as the all-ervading, the all-enveloping Supreme Being dwells. Thus Sri Ramakrishna became Paramahamsa, the divine Swan revelling in Manasa Sarovar of Bliss of Brahman, even when he lived in his gross body.

(This is not a strictly a scientific explanation nor based on any Yoga manual or has any spiritual base. This is one simple expression which for the eager one may become the opportunity to catch hold of the hem to go in search of the enitre Wisdom of Kundalini and for other skeptics a source of delirious rambling, not to be taken seriously).

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Renunciation

When Buddha said that the desire to renounce is more difficult than desire to possess some thing what he does possess or be some thing or some which he is not,  one is naturally surprised. Every one knows that in primordial world how difficult it is possess something or be something. Since acquisitive nature is inborn in human being as extension of his ego-sense he does not realise nor has he ever experienced the difficulty of renouncing what one has or what one is. Because renunciation of what one has or what one is is renouncing a part of one's image of one self, howsoever that image be imaginary, unreal and deceptive.  He will do any thing in life to prevent any one harming his possession or his position, saying that doing so hurts his pride, though what he means is that it hurts his ego, which he himself created as a halo around him. 

But when scriptures say that one has to be non-egoistic, non-attached to objects of desire or objects possessed, non-possessive of people and relationships, one does not stop and wonder about these suggestions, but overlooks them saying what is mentioned in scriptures should remain in scriptures, because they are of no use in primordial world to be put in practice. 

But there are others who are sensitive to the injunctions contained in scriptures, therefore they stop and wonder, proceed further seeking clarifications to their doubts and resolution to their dis-satisfaction. They quest, they inquire,  they investigate and find solutions in fragments, they deal therefore with fragments before they deal with larger ones. They soon find removing the small fragments in ot difficult, removing the smaller is necssary because only then they they see the larger ones becoming visible. Before the whole is visible the fragments need to separated and removed, the smaller one first, the larger one's later.

One should not touch the larger fragments unless the smaller ones are removed, the boulder should not be touched, unless both the smaller and the larger fragments are removed. Then with surprise and wonder one will see the huge boulder loose and ready fall. 

Similar is the case with renunciation. First renounce the small things possessed or the positions held, then the large things and positions.  Even as one sees the large ones becoming loose and detached then concentrate on the one's body which is the source and root cause of all desires, possessions and positions.  Then sudden realisation will dawn that even as the possessions and positions were not necessary for the body to exist, the possession of the body is also not necessary for the Self within, which is eternal and everlasting whereas the body is fleeting and subject to decay, deterioration and destruction.

It is easier said than done  but thisVhas been tried and experienced in small measure, the bigger obstacles becoming visible clearly for one to try their renunciation. One can hope with the strength and assurance, confidence and conviction, that when the time comes to renounce the body one will renounce with ease and confidence that what does not belong for eternal period in time is not the thing to be desired and cherished but the Self with which is eternal and everlasting is the thing to be desired and cherished. 

Thus did Buddha intended to convey when he said the renunciation of what one possess or what one thinks to be is more difficult than than acquiring possessions and positions. This is not possible, one should be consciously aware, unless one has grace showered by the Supreme Being. Then what is not possible if the Supreme Being showers his grace!

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