Sruthathwath cha
Since the all-knowing Brahman is declared by the Vedas to be the cause of the cosmos, a description and under standing of this sublime phenomenon has been made. The very expression “Brahman” conveys the meaning that It has the power of willing, etc. The Vedas that speak of Brahman as unconditioned and devoid of attributes also declare that It has, as its very nature, total beneficence. For, from the standpoint of the cosmos, Brahman is with out qualifications.
Cosmos, the projection of Supreme Consciousness
The Upanishad texts, which form a section of the revealed texts (sruthi) or Vedic scripture, do not convey any distinction between the Absolute and the Almighty (Brahman and Iswara). What has to be understood from all these Vedantic texts is that the cosmos is the manifestation or projection of supreme Consciousness.
If the cosmos is considered inert and devoid of consciousness, some might ask how it could be so invitingly attractive - it could not be irresponsi...
The cosmos (jagath) was created by God out of Himself, so He is the originator as well as the material of the cosmos. As a result, He is full (paripurna). Creation is also full, as is the individual Atma. Therefore, many full entities are postulated. God made the cosmos manifest from Himself. When this declaration is made, the doubt may naturally arise: How could God become these walls, these tables? Here is another doubt that comes uppermost to some: God is supremely pure, so how could He become these impure things?
Humanity is fundamentally divine
Let us seek the answers. People are fundamentally Atma but they have the encasement of a body, right? From one point of view, a person is not distinct from the body, yes? In spite of this, however, one feels that one is not this body, that one’s reality is distinct from it, that one is not the baby one was or the old man one is, that one is neither male nor female, and that one persists through babyhood, boyhood, middle age, and old age, ...
Meditation
It is not correct to say that the qualities and attainments needed for temporal progress and spiritual progress are different from each other. The spiritual is only the purification of the temporal. Success or failure in both depends on one-pointedness (ekagratha). For every item of work, one-pointedness is very important. This too is but spiritual discipline.
Avoid no-pointedness and many-pointedness
There are two paths along which this spiritual discipline may proceed: no-pointedness and many-pointedness.
No-pointedness is the stage of sleep; it is also called the quality of ignorance (thamoguna). Many-pointedness is the result of the restless quality (rajoguna), turning the vision of the opened eye on creation and its sights. Avoiding both of these, without falling into these two extremes, if the eye is neither closed as in sleep nor opened wide as in the fully awakened stage, but half-opened and directed to the point of the nose, the pure quality (sathwaguna) will become...
Another disease has now begun to spread in the world to weaken and lessen peace. There are plenty who, parrot-like, purvey wholesome advice on morals, religion, and discipline but who do not practise even a single bit of it themselves. The so-called elders know only how to speak, not how to act. How do those who teach how to act know enough to speak about it? Words devoid of experience - that is the illness that afflicts the world today.
This disease must first be treated and removed, for peace is warped thereby for mankind. To speak is easy for all. The real spiritual aspirant, however, acts and then speaks from experience. People who merely speak but do not act bring about disaster. Such dangerous aspirants and seekers have multiplied, and they have confused the true path. Innocent and simple-minded devotees who attach themselves to such are also being led astray and duped. Let the readers and the aspirants first watch the conduct and then choose. If there is no observance of the adv...
Lakshmana’s sense of duty
Rama wanted to stay at Panchavati on the Godavari for some length of time. So, reclining under the cool shade of a spreading tree, Rama called his brother and said, “Lakshmana! Brother! Find a beautiful and comfortable spot in this area and build a nice little cottage there, as charming as you wish.” Lakshmana received this order as a dagger thrust! He could not bear the agony. He fell at Rama’s feet, crying out in anguish: “Tell me what crime I committed to deserve this cruel command.” Sita and Rama were struck with amazement at this behaviour. Rama said, “Lakshmana! I can’t understand what makes you so sad. Have you heard a single cruel word from my tongue? Have I become so insane as to utter harsh, unpleasant words to you or anyone else? You attend to my needs and wishes and serve me as the very breath of life. How then could I speak in cruel terms to you? Your grief is meaningless, mistaken. After all, what did I tell you now? I told you on...
The Pandavas lose Droupadi in the dice game
Parikshith prayed with tearful eyes and with such humility that Vyasa said, “Son! The Pandavas are staunch adherents of moral law; they never deviated from the given word. They observed the rule that the defeated party has no right to challenge the victors; your grandfather and his younger brother recognised the moral superiority of Dharmaraja, their elder brother, and suppressed themselves. Or else, they would have felled the foul Kauravas to wallow in their own blood and cast their corpses to be mangled by dogs and vultures.
“In spite of this, your grand uncle, Bhima, strained to fall upon those vicious men like a lion chained to a tree; he laughed cynically at the weak attachment that Dharmaraja had toward right action (dharma). But what could he do? He was rendered harmless by the will of his eldest brother. So he had to behave like an ineffective person.” Parikshith asked how his grandfathers had been so enslaved; Vyasa smiled and ...
Parikshith listened to sage Vyasa’s description of the deep devotion and steady faith of the Pandavas. He was thrilled when he heard of the unbounded grace that Lord Krishna showered on them. The king was so immersed in joy that he scarcely realised whether it was night or day! Suddenly, he was awakened by the sweet chirping of birds and the loud crow of the cock. He heard the songs with which his subjects daily welcomed the gods at dawn and the temple bells ringing around the palace.
Vyasa also realised that it was the beginning of another day. He said, “Son! I must be going now.” Taking the water pot that he carried while journeying, he rose and blessed the king, who fell at his feet in great sorrow.
“Alas! Dawn broke so soon! I have yet to grasp fully my grandfathers’ grandeur and glory! I have yet to fathom completely the depth of their devotion and sense of duty,” he lamented.
Parikshith goes hunting
Parikshith turned over in his mind the incidents he had heard and tas...
Only Humanity has the capacity, the credentials for realizing the power of the Lord, for earning that power (sakthi). It is indeed tragic that, even after achieving human birth, people do not realize that eternal reality or even make an attempt to understand It. If this chance is missed, when can they attempt it?
Why, they do not concern themselves with the very purpose for which they have come! Did they come only for living like all other animals, birds, or insects, eating, wandering about, sleeping, and seeking pleasure? If the answer is “no”, then for what else? Can we say that a person is just another animal, like the rest? People have three things that animals don’t have: the power to reason, the power to renounce, and the power to decide on right and wrong. These are special powers; but of what use are they unless they are applied in actual practice? If they are used, the name “human” is apt, otherwise, the name “animal” has to be used.
The three powers mentioned ab...
One has to achieve many objects during life. The highest and the most valuable of these is winning the mercy of God, the love of God. The love of God will give the great wisdom one needs to attain unshakeable inner peace (santhi). Everyone should endeavour to have an understanding of the true nature of Godhead.
Of course, one cannot, at the very beginning, grasp the unmanifest absolute phenomenon. At first, one has to impose a form and some attributes to bring it within reach. Then, step by step, one must try to enshrine it in oneself, as the descent of divine energy (sakthi-path). One engaged in the pursuit of success in this effort is not a mere individual seeker entitled to pursue the goal. One has to cultivate also the spirit of service and be engaged in good deeds that earn people’s gratitude. Only thus can one accomplish the task of cleansing the levels of consciousness (chittha) and become a fit candidate for spiritual victory.
The duty of the renunciant
Monkhood (sanyasa) doe...
To enjoy peace, mankind must be controlled and directed by ideals of dharma; this depends on mutual toleration in the family, which again is based on individual conduct that is pure (sathwic) and that aims at pleasing everyone. Such conduct has a charm all its own. Avoid in your behavior, actions, and speech all trace of the desire to pain others, to insult others, or to cause loss or misery to others. Find out the best means of reforming yourself thus, practise this type of living, desist from injury to yourself and your own good, and always walk in the path of truth. That is verily the path of beauty; that is conduct that is really charming.
For this, large heartedness is essential. People can acquire it only if they have (1) an inborn desire (samskara) for it and (2) devotion in every act. Through devotion to the Lord, one gets humility, fear of sin, and faith in scripture.
Through these qualities, littleness of mind is wiped out and people become large-hearted. Therefore, Oh ye see...
